It’s one of the most dynamic times of the year! The summer is winding down and the little kids around the neighborhood are headed back to school. Before we know it, the leaves on the trees will change colors and the Mets will wonder how they missed the playoffs again.
Perhaps one of the most fun things about the fall here at VQC Designs is the Harrisburg Art Association’s Gallery Walk. For the past 22 years, the Gallery Walk has afforded local artists the ability to showcase their work in several different spaces throughout the city for patrons (or just regular people who are interested in the local art scene) to see.
For the third year in a row, VQC Designs is a featured gallery in the Gallery Walk. The theme of our space is “Modern Times.” As a web design company, we pride ourselves on being on the cutting edge of technology (however, unlike QVC we don’t sell knives). We decided it was time to celebrate those who place themselves on the cutting edge of art.
This year, VQC Designs’ gallery is the 5th stop on the Gallery Walk and we have accumulated quite the collection. Featuring four different artists, Fox Ridge Winery, Lancaster Brewing Company and live music, we have a fun space for walkers to check out!
Our artists include: James Rasp, Martin Velez, Gary Steele, and Joseph Dudding.
James Rasp’s photography collection, “House Less Beautiful” is a series of eight photographs which focus on bringing to light the plight of the homeless in Carlisle. Martin Velez uses oil on canvas to bring to life haunting images of people, places and fantasy. Gary Steele makes his art function in the third dimension and Joseph Dudding uses cutting technology to make bronze statues come to life.
As walkers wander through our gallery, we will be serving a choice of wine courtesy of Fox Ridge Vineyards. Our friends at Lancaster Brewing Company have been kind enough to provide us with some choice brews including: Kolsch (in a can!) and the infamous Lancaster Milk Stout.
Beyond that, there will be live music and a chance to mix and mingle with some of the artists who are displaying their work in our space. Martin Velez will even be painting throughout the day.
If you are prepared to spend a beautiful day* sipping wine, viewing art, and being serenaded by live music, then 112 Market Street is the venue to check out.
We’re proud of the line up of artists we’ve assembled and ready to celebrate the arts in Harrisburg! Last year we had about 300 people wander through our office space and we’re ready to put on another great show in a few weeks!
*VQC Designs, while very good at staying on top of the web technology business, is not so good at predicting the weather. We cannot be held liable for any inclement happenings in the atmosphere. We’re only 10% more accurate than the weather man, you know.
Think about the conversations you have in the business world. Which ones are most pleasing and which annoy you? You know what I am hinting at, those conversations when it is all about why you should buy this product or service. As humans, we aren’t prone to communicate this way but hold a greater appreciation to personal interaction.
Do not get me wrong, there are times where a sales discussion is valid. Just remember, constant selling will perturb your audience. Unfortunately this is a point social media users may forget. The constant promotion of yourself through social networks will quickly get old for your audience. Just think about your real-life conversations, which do you prefer: sales driven interactions or personal interactions?
If we can’t sell through social media, than what shall we do?! Take a deep breath, button your britches, and get ready to interact. As you begin your campaign, take the time to build relationships with your network. It is called social “networking” for a reason. Just as you would do at networking mixers, minus the cheese spreads and finger foods, you develop connections with others to grow business awareness and potential.
At a networking mixer, you grab a drink, scope the scene and ease yourself into a group’s conversation. Standing on the cusp of the group you listen, waiting for something to pique your interests or to provide an opportunity for interjection. An inquiry is made which relates to your expertise and you pounce at the chance. Sharing your knowledge and becoming involved in the conversation.
In social media, you take the time to research and locate your audience. Vigilantly monitoring the conversations occurring, you being to understand what is interesting to your audience. Perhaps you roam the social media sites looking to answer a few questions or your build your Facebook profile with some cool and interesting content. Just as you dress to impress for those networking mixers, focus is placed on cleaning up your social sites and website, hoping to entice your visitors to stick around and join your conversation.
Take some time and review your social media updates. Think about your audience and what they see. Are you posting things to generate conversation or simply stating things about yourself? Try the networking approach: listen, ask questions and provide expert advice not promotion.
I am not one to shy away from conversations with strangers. There has been many a subway ride, bar moment or on the street experience when I have found myself locked in a fascinating conversation with a complete stranger. However, like most, I qualify the random people that I talk to. “Do they look crazy?”, is always the first question I ask myself. So, when I first learned about Chatroulette, I was both intrigued and nervous. The prospect of talking to someone who I have never met before and will never see again is intriguing, but I don’t know who this person is. Thus, the premise of Chatroulette is really overcoming the fear of the unknown and making connections with totally random people.
Created in late 2009 by Andrey Ternovskiy, Chatroulette is the innovative website that pairs strangers in conversation via video chat. Since its launch in November 2009, its popularity has grown exponentially. Chatroulette has been featured in The New York Times, on Good Morning America and in various other mediums. It is quickly becoming the newest internet sensation, with over 33% of total site usage coming from the United States. Connecting with strangers is not a new concept to the Internet. Chatroulette marries concepts and technologies that have existed for years but have not yet been utilized in such a unique and social fashion.
Once you enter the site, you are confronted with two blank boxes. When you select play, your computer’s video camera is activated, and you appear on the screen in one of the boxes. You then wait for a random chat partner to appear in the second box. You start chatting. If at any point you don’t like the chat, you can “next” the person and be paired with a new partner. Sounds innocent, right? Not so much. Stories are popping up documenting the absurd to the obscene things seen on Chatroulette. For example, video chatting with a man dressed as a cat, not normal. Even more disturbing is the quasi pornographic images that some users have reported seeing. What happens on Chatroulette definitely does not stay on Chatroulette. In a quick Google search, I found hundreds of screen shots posted from Chatroulette conversations. It is easy to see why people are scared to use Chatroulette. You don’t know who you are talking to, or what weird stuff they may do, and you have no control over where your image is posted online.
On the more exciting end, various celebrities have claimed to use Chatroulette or have been spotted by users, including Perez Hilton and Joel Madden. In March, John Stewart used Chatroulette as part of The Daily Show. While chatting, he ended up speaking to Brian Williams, Katie Couric and Keith Olberman. YouTube users have gotten creative and used Chatroulette to create viral videos. A recent CR user gained notoriety for playing piano and writing songs on the fly while using Chatroulette. Could Chatroulette launch his career like YouTube did for so many others? It seems so. In response to the piano guy’s popularity, Ben Folds created his own Chatroulette homage.
Its impact in popular culture is undeniable. With such a bizarre premise and a potentially crazy user base, Chatroulette has changed the internet. It is no longer about us and our computer screens. Chatroulette allows us to be broadcast to the world. No longer can we peacefully hide behind a computer. Though the concept is interesting and has gained a vast amount of popularity, I still say its stranger danger. I think I’ll stick to talking to random people on the street.
The epic battle that has been brewing for years has officially started. It’s Google vs. Facebook, and the winner has yet to be determined. It all started in 2007, when reports surfaced that Facebook was gearing up to take Google’s crown as the most visited site on the Internet. During the week of March 13th, 2010, Facebook succeeded. Though only enjoying a week at the top spot, Facebook managed to accomplish the impossible and attract more visitors than Google. However, the question remains. How did Facebook overtake the giant that is Google?
Google’s three key areas of strength are its search, advertising and applications. Since 2007, Facebook has been transforming to compete in each of these areas.
Facebook Advertising
Back in 2007, Facebook received financial backing from a very prominent player, Microsoft. As of October 2007, Microsoft took a $240 million dollar equity stake in Facebook, making them the exclusive third-party advertising platform partner for Facebook. Furthermore, in March 2010, Facebook announced the appointment of David Fischer as its vice president of Advertising and Global Operations. Mr. Fischer was formerly the vice president in charge of Global Online Sales & Operations at Google. Facebook’s partnership with Microsoft, and the hiring of a former Google Ad Exec have made them poised to directly compete with Google’s AdWords.
Facebook Search
Again partnering with Microsoft, Facebook launched its web search feature in 2008. Users can now search anything on Facebook and be presented with profiles, groups and webpages related to their search. The web results are being powered by Microsoft’s Bing search engine. In July of 2009, Bing and Yahoo joined forces. Thus, Facebook, Bing and Yahoo are all linked together. However, Google is still the household name associated with Internet searching. It is unlikely that users will begin to use Facebook Search in lieu of Google for informational searches.
Facebook Social
The very foundation of Facebook is its vast social networking possibilities. However, in recent years, Facebook has expanded. Now, users can check out profiles, become fans of local businesses and live chat with friends. Adding to this, Facebook introduced interactive gaming applications, such as Farmville. Reminiscent of 2nd Life, Farmville allows users to both engage in their own game as well as their friend’s games. This widely popular application has increased Facebook’s traffic. Google attempted to compete with Facebook via the introduction of Google Buzz. As of March 2010, Google Buzz has failed to catch on and capture users. To compete with Facebook in this area, Google will need to develop a stronger social networking platform.
On these three fronts, it seems that the battle is even. Google is the best in internet search. Facebook is the number one online social networking site. Advertising on both sites has proven extremely profitable. As of yet, internet visitors use Google for searching, and Facebook for connecting with each other. So, what does the future hold? Can Facebook overtake Google again? Will Google forever remain the most visited site on the internet? These questions have yet to be answered, but one thing is for sure, it is going to be interesting to watch.
So, you’re sitting at your desk. You close your eyes and think about a vacation in the sun. Where would you stay? Would you go to the best restaurants? What are the best bars? What if you get there but have no idea what to do? Suddenly, your peaceful day dream has turned into a stressful stream of questions. Fear not, you have Yelp!
Founded in 2004, Yelp is the free, online opinion community that is making waves. Yelpers from across the country can rate, review and find local businesses and services. From restaurants to real estate, Yelp allows users to voice their opinions online for millions to see. Loved a restaurant? Really want to tell someone about it? Yelp it! Going to Miami? Want to find a great, local restaurant? Hit up Yelp and choose from the best reviewed restaurants in town.
Yelp is not only a powerful tool for consumers, but also for businesses. Over 26 million users visited Yelp in December 2009 alone, and it has mobile applications for all major smart phones. Millions of potential customers are just a click away from viewing your business and reading what others have to say about you. This information is both powerful and useful to grow your business.
Getting the Word Out:
Advertising will only get you so far. Each day we are exposed to thousands of messages telling us why one product or business is great. Millions of dollars are spent to “break through the noise” and reach new customers. Internet marketing is bound by a new set of rules. Credibility is given to opinions not ads. Yelp is a way for your business to reach new customers and establish credibility by getting real reviews from real customers.
Customer Loyalty:
Your best customers can sometimes be your biggest critics. Yelp makes it possible for you to reach out to those customers who may not have had the best experience. Send them a message, ask how you can improve and get them back in the door for a second chance to wow them. Reward customers who left positive reviews. Send them a message and let them know you appreciate them.
Feedback:
Constant improvement through customer feedback can also be a powerful way to grow your business. The most successful businesses know that feedback is important. Businesses can use Yelp to pin point areas where they are successful and areas where they need improvement.
Competitors:
One of the most important ways to be successful in any industry is staying ahead of your competition. Yelp’s user reviews can tell businesses exactly in what areas their competitors are doing well and in which areas their competitors are weak. Capitalize on this information and find your niche. The customer is king, and your competitions’ customer reviews can help make your business even better.
So, today’s the grand opening of your new restaurant. You open the doors and welcome your first customers. They tell you how much they loved the food. You wish they could tell not only you but the whole world how great your restaurant is. Panic sets in. Fear not, you have Yelp!
Like what we have to say? Yelp us!
Remember the days when you had a cell phone for calls, iPod for music and Laptop for internet and e-mail, desperately wishing you had a third hand to keep up with it all? Since the emergence of the Smart Phone, those days are long gone. However, Smart Phones are akin to “two-in-one” shampoo. In theory, it’s a good idea, but, in actuality, it doesn’t really do the job quite as well as the individual products.
Well, Apple has heard our cries and developed the iPad, the first ever tablet computer, designed to combine the E-reader with Laptop and Smart Phone features. So does it pass the test? Is it better to have a pile of great gadgets or one super gadget that can do it all?
As speculated, Apple announced their newest invention, the iPad tablet computer on January 27th 2010. With a release date of April 3rd, we now have visuals, a full list of features and pricing for the formerly illusive “most important thing Steve Jobs has ever done.” Pre sales started Friday, March 12th. In its first day, over 120,000 units were sold.
However, the question remains, is the iPad unique enough to stand on its own? Does it have the power to create its own market, or is the iPad an iFlop?
The Good:
- Screen Real Estate
- Unlike Smart Phones, the iPad has a large screen, similar to your average Laptop, eliminating the endless scrolling and zooming to read websites. The Full websites can be viewed in portrait or landscape view.
- 9.7 inch, high resolution IPS display
- No longer will blurry photos and subpar videos be tolerated. The iPad LED technology finally brings crisp, quality images to a hand held device.
- iBook capability
- The Kindle meets the Laptop with the iPad. iBook is a free application which allows users to purchase and read their favorite novels from their device.
- iWork
- The popular Mac application has gone mobile. Professional presentations can now be created on the go with the iPad.
- Free Application Transfer
- Possibly the most convenient feature of the iPad is the free application transfer between iPhones and the device. Not paying twice for the same app … priceless.
The Bad:
- No Camera
- The iPad does not have a camera, making Skype, Video Conferencing and Video iChatting impossible.
- No USB
- Unlike traditional Laptops, there is no USB port in the iPad.
- No Phone
- Without the phone, some say the iPad is just a larger iPod touch.
- No Flash Player
- Crisper, fuller webpage viewing is nice, but the iPad does not have a Flash player. Most videos and websites utilize Flash in some capacity. Thus, Hulu and the iPad are not friends.
- LED Screen
- Unlike the Kindle’s e-ink screen, the backlit LED screen is harder on the eyes, and more difficult to use for e-book reading.
- Only Offered Through AT&T
- iPhonegate 2009 is proof positive that AT&T is lacking quality 3G service in large metropolitan areas, such as New York City. Like the iPhone, the iPad is only being offered through AT&T. The iPad is available with 3G coverage. Can AT&T handle the excess coverage, especially in highly populated areas?
- Multitasking
- Unlike the popular “Multi-People” iPhone commercial, with the iPad, you can’t do everything “without ever leaving the call.” While it does incorporate multi-tasking to a degree, on the iPad it is much more difficult and inefficient to switch between programs.
How does it size up?
The ultimate determinant for most is the cost. Apple is offering two iPad versions, Wi-Fi ($499 – $699) and Wi-Fi+3G ($629-$829). In comparison, the price of an e-reader ranges from $150 – $500, Smart Phone from $30 – $529 and a Netbook cost less than $400 on average. Ipod touch’s start at $199 for 8GB. In reality, the iPad is a combination of an iPod touch, Netbook, and e-reader. At the low end, buying each item separately would cost roughly $800. The low end iPad costs $499 plus a monthly data fee of $14.99-29.99/month. The lowest monthly data fee equates to $180 for the year. In total, purchasing the iPad would roughly equal the cost of purchasing all three items it combines. Taking into account its good and bad points, is it worth buying a 3-in-1 super product that is good in theory, but, in actuality, doesn’t really do the job quite as well as the individual products?
Is the iPad really the new kid on the block or just a different version of our favorite gadgets? This remains to be seen. Have you used the iPad? Leave comments and let us know what you think about it!
Sometimes we all need a little extra “oomph” to get our rears in gear. That extra motivation “oomph” can provide may mean the difference between success and failure. Or maybe it will just mean the difference between you having a solid Twitter presence or one that overwhelms you with information
Social Oomph is a tool designed to help users better leverage their social media accounts. Formerly known as “Tweet Later,” Social Oomph aides in the management of your social network quiver. With two versions, FREE and Professional, there exist a wide-array of tools to help “boost your social productivity.”
For those of you looking to be Tweet-Stars on a low budget: the free base account offers plenty of useful features to aide in your success.
- Schedule your tweets: Type up some Tweet drafts, save them, publish instantly, or save them for later. Decide when to Tweet and walk away to do other things like go on Facebook.
- Tracking Keywords: Feed Social Oomph some keywords and receive email updates of the usage of those keywords. It is good to be in the know about what people are saying.
- Bit.ly URL shortening service: Bit.ly is another great tech-tool. Having Social Oomph paired with Bit.ly is like getting two scoops of ice cream for the price of one. Seriously though, schedule your tweet, insert your link, have it shortened, and Bit.ly will provide analytics for the click-thrus on your link. This all happens in one easy to use interface.
Inspired social media users with a larger budget may opt for the professional version of Social Oomph. For 29.97 per month users have added features to leverage their presence with even more OOMPH. A few of the key professional features include:
- Facebook status management and wall post scheduling.
- Scheduling blog postings.
- More robust keyword searching.
- Other Twitter features like direct message management and follower measurement.
Visit the full list of professional features to see what Social Oomph Professional can do.
By far and large the most useful part of Social Oomph for us has been the ability to schedule Tweets for promotions. Rather than take time to hop back on Twitter every hour. Users can type up tweets, save them as drafts and schedule to post them as much as they desire throughout the day.
Social Oomph does not replace the real-time aspect of Twitter which is necessary to be a great Tweep. However, Social Oomph helps alleviate common obstacles which inhibit tweeting like board meetings and conference calls.
Give Social Oomph a try and schedule some tweets to tell us what you think!
Google is the full-service gas station of websites. From search to email and now to social: Google does it all. Aptly named, Buzz is the latest step in Google’s emergence as a social network. Buzz has all the characteristics that you have come to enjoy from your favorite social media websites along with some extra pieces of flair.
- Buzz uses the all important “status update.”
Tell your followers what you’re doing, what you did, what you’re thinking or maybe just to share your latest haiku. The status update has become the crutch for Social Internet. What differs with this status update is the unlimited amount of characters you can enter. No more using weird abbreviations in a struggle to express yourself in under 140 characters. Also notable are the privacy settings, which are decided per post by choosing either public or private. For the forgetful out there be sure to double-check before post. [the default is a public post] Also, Buzz connects with Twitter. So all you Tweeps out there have no fear, you won’t miss a single tweet.
- Content sharing capabilities.
Post links and videos into your updates to share with your followers. Along with Twitter, you can connect your Buzz account to your Flickr, Google Reader, Picasa, and YouTube accounts. The content you post on these other sites become part of your Buzz instantly. One piece that I feel cannot go without mention is the photo gallery. Accessed by clicking an image within the post, the photo gallery appears in light box style and allows for quality viewing and easy scrolling through the images within the post.
- Social Interactions.
Users have the ability to interact with others in your network through commenting on posts, email forwarding, and “liking” [To my disappointment there is still no “dislike” or “stoked” option for posts]. Comments are tracked by also being sent to your Gmail inbox. Other social networks utilize the email notifications but Buzz and Gmail are part of the same platform so you get to save time and browser tabs.
- Suggestive Content.
Buzz includes algorithms to suggest content which the algorithms deem interesting based on your past habits. So if your friends aren’t sharing interesting content, at least Buzz is there for you to hook you up with some good blog posts.
- The @ Reply.
Buzz allows you to send @replys to others’ Gmail accounts. The @reply, popularized by Twitter, is now the newest way to send emails. Simply type @ and then the person’s Gmail address and you’re message is on its way.
- Buzz on the go.
Buzz and Mobile were meant for each other. Some of the mobile features include Buzz knowing your location, searching for people Buzzing nearby and layering capabilities with Google Maps. Buzz mobile is accessible through mobile Google, Google Mobile maps and from buzz.google.com on iphone and android phones.
To become part of the buzz go here buzz.google.com. To watch a video about the buzz scroll down a little bit further. And lastly, to read more more of our cool posts about technology click Tuesday Tech Tango.
We are taught from a young age that sharing is a good thing. We’ve all heard the clever rhyme to induce sharing amongst youngsters: “sharing is caring.” In an age of a hyper-connected social web; knowledge sharing is caring. Your presence online is bolstered by your ability to generate content and share that content. Today I present to you a tool to share your knowledge through slide presentations. Presenting “Slide Share” for our Tuesday Tech Tango post.
Slide Share is a place for businesses to share slideshow presentations with the greater web community. Uploading and sharing slides is just the tip of the ice berg. Other features which may tickle your fancy are the ability to embed audio into the slides and upload general text and spreadsheet documents. Ok so you are thinking: “cool I can upload my documents; how does this differ from just emailing them?”
Social capabilities! Users have their own SlideShare profile page where other users can comment on their wall, create and join groups, follow favorite users, use custom widgets and also have their Slide Share accounts connected to LinkedIN and Facebook.
If your business creates documents for public consumption; specifically slide presentations, then Slide Share is definitely something worth your while. Not only will you have a convenient portal to direct folks interested in your presentation; you will be able to expand the audience for your presentations.
One last benefit of Slide Share is the credibility you can generate for your business. As a business, you are viewed as the expert. The key to growing your perception as the expert is to share that expertise. Slide Share is the key to sharing and becoming a resource for your community.
Enjoy the slides below from a presentation we did on the basics of Twitter. If you are interested in more knowledge via slide shows; visit VQC’s Facebook Page where our other presentations are posted.
Branding, originally a practice for identifying cattle in large pastures, is now an integral and complex marketing concept. Your business’s brand is the base for people’s initial judgments and original connotations, which are established almost instantly. Brand impressions are like first impressions; they happen once and will set the path for future engagements.
Original branding went only as far as having a logo trademarked, which draws from burning cattle hinds with wrought-iron. Lyle’s Golden Syrup lays claim to being Britain’s oldest brand, with their packaging being unchanged since 1885. Around the turn of the previous century, marketers attaching slogans and jingles noticed people developing relationships with products. This led to the building of a brand’s personality and identity; allowing consumers to have a more meaningful relationship with a brand rather than just being aware it existed.
In the time of social media, brands have once again evolved. Brands have the capability to further their personality and identity via direct interaction. The branding process has progressed from displaying your brand to allowing customers to directly interact with your brand.
The 2008 presidential race is a prime example of having a social brand presence. Barak Obama utilized social media to generate a brand for himself that people could interact with. Obama’s Facebook Page is a place for individuals to comment and share their thoughts on his announcements. His Twitter Page shares announcements, thoughts and updates from the 44th president. Obama successfully created a social brand for himself which others could interact with and relate to.
When extending you or your business’s brand to the internet it is important to create a consistent image through your various portals. You should think of your website as the home-base of your web-based brand efforts. Customized websites can be designed in any way you would like your brand to be presented. From there create your Facebook and Twitter pages to resemble your site. Repetition is the key to memory; a consistent brand image will increase people’s recollection of your brand.
With a consistent image; the next step is having a consistent message. Each portal will vary in the way you engage your customers; but all messages should be fueled by a general topic. Keep in mind, you’re not trying to force-feed information to generate sales; you are trying to engage and interact with people. Build a community people can be a part of – your brand acting as the glue binding the community together. Keep this in mind and your social branding efforts will go far. Bust out the wrought-iron: time to get branded!
