Logic Real Estate company, based in Santa Fe, is one of the fastest-growing real estate companies in New Mexico. Their extensive experience and expertise in the Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, Albuquerque, Eldorado, and Los Alamos real estate markets benefits their clients whether they are looking to buy or sell a home in the area.
The redesigned web site will feature robust, customized MLS search functions, listings by agent, a fresh visual design, and engaging customer interactive functions.
The new website is scheduled for a summer 2012 launch.
We're happy to announce the addition of search engine specialist Jennifer Hodge to the Synchronicity family. With over 10 years of experience with regards to search engine marketing, Jens' SEO talents cover a wide-range of key services including keyword research, high end link building, monetization, competitive analysis, competitor research, contributing to blogs, content building, tracking, press releases, and more. Welcome aboard Jen!
The Charlotte Real Estate Team, owned by RE/MAX Gateway Professionals, is a Charlotte-based team of real estate professionals serving the home buyer and sellers needs in the greater Charlotte area.
The new web site will provide engaging, customized MLS search functions as well as a plethora of resources for the home buyer relocating in the greater Charlotte area.
The new website is scheduled for a early 2012 launch.
Encite is a leading healthcare software development company focused on Electric Health Records and Practice Management software for Dermatologist and Dermatology Practices
The redesigned web site will involve a focused product information design a customized content management system, video tools, and social media integration.
The site is scheduled for a early 2012 launch.
With a little bit of planning and the free “Light Bulb Finder” mobile application, most people could be more effective in selecting and buying energy-efficient light bulbs.
On Nov. 8 the Environmental Protection Agency honored the Eco Hatchery LLC light bulb application as “Overall Best App” in its Apps for the Environment Challenge. The agency named five winners in the competition.
The Light Bulb Finder, developed by Adam Borut and Andrea Nylund of Milwaukee, Wis., was designed to make it easier for users to switch to energy-saving bulbs. It can be used to view bulb images and cost, savings and environmental impacts, and to create shopping lists and buy bulbs online or at stores. It is available for free for Android and iPhone.
PCA Advisor Network was established in 2008 by Ryan Poterack, CFP®, and CEO of Poterack Capital Advisory, Inc. PCA Advisor Network is proud of our unique business model. They provide investment intelligence and sound models to help both investors and individuals learn to handle their portfolios in a more sound manner.
The new web site will feature both private and public information, a customized content management system, a video archive, event registrations, financial calculators, and much more.
The newly designed site is scheduled for a early 2012 launch.
We live in an world basking in amazing technology that changes daily. From faster connections to new mobile applications, it's no wonder that it's not difficult to miss something.
In order to stay informed, we actually set aside multiple time slots per week designated as "continuing education". Even though we spend an average of 8-12 hours online per day , we as a company need to surround ourselves with as many tools possible to help us understand and educate our clients on new technology and marketing solutions that can assist them to successfully reach their online goals.
One web page provided by OnlineSchools.org can help you also to understand just how the quickly the Internet changes with regard to user habits, technology, and trends.
The Internet is considered so important that access is a legal right in countries like Finland, Spain and Estonia.
Countries like Egypt and Turkmenistan on the contrary are Internet black-holes, as they are censoring it at a pervasive or substantial level. In terms of quality, all networks are not created equal
Because of ever cheaper devices, the ability to access the Internet via cellphone networks and increasing broadband reach, the actual number of people online won't plateau for decades.
There are more searches for Justin Bieber than Jesus.
Did you know that your Facebook profile is worth $91?
We understand that most people are not going to make regular visits to these types of web sites to keep up. Nor are you likely to spend time weekly to educate yourself on the latest social networking app.
However, we will. It's our job to keep our clients informed of what's new and what can help them to meet their online goals.
What if you made a music video for a band who doesn't know they are in a music video? That's exactly what the Charlotte-based Shoestring Productions did.
Click the image below to launch the video!
Google is trying once again to challenge Facebook's domination of the social-networking business, this time with a service called Google Plus. But you're not allowed to join it — at least, not yet.
"It's small but growing," says Bradley Horowitz, who oversees Google's communications products and social applications.
Horowitz says Google Plus is still in "field-testing," so invitations have been sent only to a limited number of early adopters and journalists. It's similar to the roll-out strategy for Gmail and Google Voice. And if the company is lucky, the perceived scarcity will build up demand — but for what exactly?
"We've created a system that's based on the concept of circles, so that I can take my college friends and drag them into a circle called 'college buddies,' and I can take my work colleagues and drag them into a circle that's called 'work friends.' And I can share selectively the parts of myself with those circles that I choose to," he says. In other words, Google Plus is trying to solve the age-old problem of what to do when you're friended by your mom.
In a promotional video, Google promises that organizing your online life into circles may actually help you to loosen up.
Facebook allows users to do something similar, with an option called "groups." But some users complain the feature is clumsy to manage.
Google Plus, on the other hand, puts circles up front. Whenever you upload a photo or a bit of news, Google checks whom you intend to see it.
Richard Esguerra, of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, says the company seems to be trying to recover from privacy controversies involving its earlier social-networking efforts, like the ill-fated Google Buzz.
"They're trying to fix a lot of different things about their own approach to social networking and privacy," he says. "And also about the general social-networking model, and for now I think we're seeing a good start."
Google is also promising to let you move your information out of Google Plus, if you decide to, and the company says it will let you delete your information from its servers — a promise Facebook has never made.
Synchronicity client Knut Oxnevad (Simtano) was recently elected as president of the NACC SoCal.
The Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (NACC) is a membership organization dedicated to the service of the Norwegian-American business community. NACC is active in eight major US business areas. Members include leaders of Norwegian and American firms successfully pursuing business in the dynamic Norway-US market. The thriving Norwegian economy has created attractive opportunities in banking and finance, energy, the maritime and offshore industries, technology and environmental resource management, among others.
We congratulate Knut on this wonderful accomplishment.
Based in Charlotte, NC, Carolina Heartwood Cabinetry cabinets are available with the ever popular raised panel door and in two FANTASTIC colors: The Charlotte - Mocha Java color stain with a Van Dyke Brown glaze, and The Raleigh - Vanilla Crème paint with a Van Dyke Brown glaze. The new web site will feature both products, multiple videos, and much more.
The newly designed site is scheduled for a early fall 2011 launch.
Just a few of the trends that we are following at the half way point of 2011:
E-mail marketing returns: E-mail marketing and “creating a list” is a must have again. You can’t rely solely on RSS. Even substituting RSS with Twitter and Facebook updates won’t suffice. Aweber and MailChimp are your friends among others.
Scrolling: Did you know that the “above the fold” web design and usability rule is a myth. Modern mice make scrolling very comfortable and people scroll all the way down it seems.
Conversion optimization: Most reputable SEO companies practice and offer it by now. Either you do it as well or you can sell “search engine submission” and “meta tag optimization” again.
Link building on social media: Facebook SEO is just one aspect of the relationship of Facebook and SEO. When Google and Bing confirmed that Twitter updates and Facebook likes/shares count as ranking factors as long as they are public people in the SEO industry weren’t really surprised. Those who haven’t yet considered building links on social media or rather using Twitter and Facebook to spread awareness of their business have to now.
Reviews: Reviews are the new links. Both local and ecommerce businesses get ranked by the number and sentiment of user reviews in Google. So you can’t live without (positive) reviews anymore in 2011.
reCAPTCHA is a free CAPTCHA service that helps to digitize books, newspapers and old time radio shows.
A CAPTCHA is a program that can tell whether its user is a human or a computer. You've probably seen them — colorful images with distorted text at the bottom of Web registration forms. CAPTCHAs are used by many websites to prevent abuse from "bots," or automated programs usually written to generate spam. No computer program can read distorted text as well as humans can, so bots cannot navigate sites protected by CAPTCHAs.
About 200 million CAPTCHAs are solved by humans around the world every day. In each case, roughly ten seconds of human time are being spent. Individually, that's not a lot of time, but in aggregate these little puzzles consume more than 150,000 hours of work each day. What if we could make positive use of this human effort? reCAPTCHA does exactly that by channeling the effort spent solving CAPTCHAs online into "reading" books.<
As happens on a daily basis, someone recently called our office inquiring about the cost for developing a new website. I took the call and spent a few minutes chatting with this person about their basic project goals and needs. Within seconds the individual proceeded to tell me how they cannot find any good web designers, how they have hired three different companies that did not complete the job, and how these other companies, once hired, seem to disappear off the face of the earth.
I cannot begin to tell you how many calls we have received over the years of a similar nature.
Although there is a combination of factors that lead to this type of scenario, I will share what I feel is the most important reason for this person's current state of disarray: their project budget.
As I asked more questions to the caller, I realized that this person was not willing to set a realistic budget to make professional companies consider their project or take them seriously. I think part of the problem is that many people simply do not understand what is involved with building a successful web presence. (which is another post altogether.) Some people will pay thousands of dollars on cars, vacations, food, televisions, clothes, and more. But when it comes to paying for the single most important piece of their business marketing plan, the representation of their business that runs 24/7 and can reach anyone, anywhere, they suddenly close the wallet and begin looking for that fast food solution.
Some people will pay thousands of dollars on cars, vacations, food, televisions, clothes, and more. But when it comes to paying for the single most important piece of their business marketing plan, the representation of their business that runs 24/7 and can reach anyone, anywhere, they suddenly close the wallet and begin looking for that fast food solution.
Because web design has no licensing requirements or governing body, anyone, and I mean anyone, can call themselves a web designer. And they do. I have met people that have absolutely no knowledge of design or web development that is actually in business to design web sites. Many of these companies farm their work out to foreign countries to create the web sites. Others use tools and pre-designed templates that create cookie-cutter sites that look exactly like thousands of other web sites out there. And usually these companies charge very little for their web site development. This is scary.
I think of these types of designers as the equivalent of fast food restaurants. The food is quick and cheap, and satisfies for the moment, but in one hour you feel empty and are hungry for more. (forget the added fat, calories, and other pleasantries that occur thereafter.) Fast-food designers tend to offer extremely low prices to get the job. They will do anything to underbid because frankly, they do not do much work. Because people often choose price over quality, many consumers hiring people like this. And the rest is downhill from there.
Professional web site design requires experience and knowledge. A good web design team will gather information, conduct research, create a solid plan, and then build a solution to fit each clients needs. They write clean code and customize the sites to play nice with search engines. Creating a good web site takes time and energy, as well as experience and know how. Good customer service, solid communications skills, and project management makes the experience flow both smoothly and successfully.
To build a professional web site design requires both time and a realistic budget. Understand that some companies pricing structure is higher than others. What I suggest is that you gather quotes from 3-4 companies and find one priced in the middle, and then throw out the extreme lowest. Check references and ask questions. Professional web sites usually begin at $2500 and, depending on the amount of complexity and functionality, go up from there. Project time frames can range from 30 days to 6-12 months based on size and complexity.
People always seem to have the extra money to fix the problem that could have been avoided in the first place had they been willing to understand initially the cost of good web design services. In this business, you really do get what you pay for. If you want cheap, that is fine. Just do not expect a great finished product with excellent service, nor a professional company to be able to help you in the future when you need them most.
Please understand that I have nothing against fast-food restaurants. But would you really want that freckle-faced kid shucking the fries building your company's web site?
You may have heard the term before and wondered what on earth it has to do with building a website. Simply said, information architecture boils down to the process of consciously organizing the content and flow of a website, based on some principles that can be articulated, that have been derived through evidence gathering.
Think of it as the process of designing a blueprint, that when applied, offers your website visitors a satisfying user experience. Good architecture is achieved through research, information gathering, content organization, product awareness, and a good understanding of your target audience. And don't forget the common sense factor. Think like your audience. Roll up your sleeves and work the planning process, and the correct architecture solution will arrive.
So when you think of web design and development, know that it's much more than slapping a few images on a page, choosing some pretty colors, and knowing HTML. It's the process of building and implementing a user experience for your site visitors that often works subconsciously, however results in successfully meeting the original goals and objectives of your website.
We've noticed a huge influx of email lately sent to us from local businesses looking to promote their goods and services. This is all well and good as long as they follow along with the federal laws regarding commercial email. Many of these companies do not.
I don't know about you, but I for one do not like being added to an email list without my permission, or better yet, without a method to remove myself from the list. I view it similar to sales people knocking on my door at home, asking if I want to buy a vacuum cleaner, and when I say no, they keep coming back day after day asking the same question.
The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act) establishes requirements for those who send commercial email, spells out penalties for spammers and companies whose products are advertised in spam if they violate the law, and gives consumers the right to ask emailers to stop spamming them.
The law, which became effective January 1, 2004, covers email whose primary purpose is advertising or promoting a commercial product or service, including content on a Web site. A "transactional or relationship message" – email that facilitates an agreed-upon transaction or updates a customer in an existing business relationship – may not contain false or misleading routing information, but otherwise is exempt from most provisions of the CAN-SPAM Act. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, is authorized to enforce the CAN-SPAM Act. CAN-SPAM also gives the Department of Justice (DOJ) the authority to enforce its criminal sanctions. Other federal and state agencies can enforce the law against organizations under their jurisdiction, and companies that provide Internet access may sue violators, as well.
Here's a rundown of the law's main provisions:
- It bans false or misleading header information. Your email's "From," "To," and routing information – including the originating domain name and email address – must be accurate and identify the person who initiated the email.
- It prohibits deceptive subject lines. The subject line cannot mislead the recipient about the contents or subject matter of the message.
- It requires that your email give recipients an opt-out method. You must provide a return email address or another Internet-based response mechanism that allows a recipient to ask you not to send future email messages to that email address, and you must honor the requests. You may create a "menu" of choices to allow a recipient to opt out of certain types of messages, but you must include the option to end any commercial messages from the sender.
Any opt-out mechanism you offer must be able to process opt-out requests for at least 30 days after you send your commercial email. When you receive an opt-out request, the law gives you 10 business days to stop sending email to the requestor's email address. You cannot help another entity send email to that address, or have another entity send email on your behalf to that address. Finally, it's illegal for you to sell or transfer the email addresses of people who choose not to receive your email, even in the form of a mailing list, unless you transfer the addresses so another entity can comply with the law.
- It requires that commercial email be identified as an advertisement and include the sender's valid physical postal address. Your message must contain clear and conspicuous notice that the message is an advertisement or solicitation and that the recipient can opt out of receiving more commercial email from you. It also must include your valid physical postal address.
For more information, please become familiar with the CAN-SPAM laws and penalties here.
Many people regard web design as decoration; the art of making a website look good. However, design is more about how something works than how it looks. Design is about both form and function. In contrast with art, good design is not only visually and emotionally appealing but is made for use.
The goal of design is to efficiently solve problems. Design is based on the understanding of how users see the world, how they think and behave. And the toolset of the designer is broader than just colors and font-styles, as it also includes user-research, prototyping, usability testing, and more.
credit: Zoltán Gócza
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, My Shoe Freak is an online women's shoe store providing an affordable, and satisfying shopping experience for the buyer with unique taste and a passion for fashion.
Watch for a late winter-early spring 2011 launch of the completely redesigned ecommerce experience.
Professional Communications, is an award-winning, creative video and TV production agency near Charlotte, NC.
Synchronicity recently completed a total redesign of their website which included a customized Content Management System, Flash video tools, client upload functions, and customized forms.
You can view the new web site here: www.professionalcommunications.com
Spectrum Medical, Inc., a leader in medical software, has selected Synchronicity for their corporate site redesign.
A leading supplier of diagnostic technologies used in the Cardiovascular Surgical Perfusion and ECMO specialties, Spectrum Medical has recently launched new products in the fast growing electronic health records market.
For the past three years Spectrum Medical has committed significant resources to the development of clinical data collection systems that harmonize with the clinical environment and will lead to improved patient outcomes. Using the latest web based technology the company’s VIPER and VISION products can communicate to both the clinical device drivers and the Hospital Management Systems.
Watch for a spring 2011 rollout.
ERA is once again off to ride the waves this winter in both Costa Rica and Ecuador.
Traveling outside the country provides an opportunity to combine their passion for paddling and a desire to experience new cultures with a group of like-minded travelers. They have designed their trips for paddlers and non-paddlers alike looking for a quality vacation. They take care of all the logistics that would take away from your time on and off the river!
Check out their Facebook and Twitter pages for updates on location. Facebook Twitter
Light Bulb Finder is a free mobile application that makes it easy to find the right energy-saving light bulbs for your home. Choose which bulbs to replace based on financial payback and environmental impact. Order bulbs directly from your mobile phone or purchase at local retailers.
Light Bulb Finder was developed by our client Eco Hatchery, a software and services firm specializing in community-based sustainability programs.
For a tour and download information, visit www.lightbulbfinder.net.
Since 1988, Shield has delivered high-quality, value-added solutions to a vast array of engineering and environmental challenges for clients across the U.S.
The redesigned website will feature a custom content management system (CMS), social networking integration, and a custom services platform. Watch for a fall 2010 launch.
Today, over 50 years after its founding, Providence has grown to a church of over 2200 members who meet for worship in a facility located on over 9 acres of land. An average of 800 attend the two Sunday morning worship services. Although Providence has increased in size, it has retained the friendliness and family atmosphere of its small church beginning.
The redesigned website will feature a custom content management system (CMS), video archive, and much more. Watch for a late fall 2010 launch.
Professional Communications is a Charlotte-based media company specializing in marketing videos for businesses. The redesigned website includes custom content management system (CMS), customer video upload/preview features, and a video archive tool.
I don’t think a week goes by that we don’t get an inquiry where the client admits that they’ll go with the cheapest quote. A few days ago I had one such lead where I gave a ballpark price and the response was, "Oh, but apparently some people can do that job for $1500." The fact of the matter is anyone claiming to be cheap isn’t going to be any good—and the staggering amount of people out their brazenly offering "cheap websites" only compound the problem, making people think if you’re paying the kind of rates a true professional would charge, you’re being ripped off.
In this post I intend to explain why cheap websites are actually more expensive. So, why is that?
"There’s no such thing as a free lunch"
We’ve all heard the phrase before; something that seems like a bargain often comes with a catch. Websites are no different and if you’re paying someone peanuts what will the monkey behind the computer be doing for you? Design–wise you’ll probably get someone lacking in creativity or someone who will rehash a template they’ve used for a thousand other clients. The site will be hosted on a budget server that is sluggish and falls over every five minutes. And if you get a cheap quote from an agency be sure to check the small print in the contract to make sure they’re not going to sting you with inflated monthly retainers. And as I’ve discussed before, beware of getting your website built overseas.
A cheap website could cost your company its credibility. If people complain that a quote is too expensive I always recommend no website over a cheap one. It now goes without saying that whenever you have a meeting, call a potential lead, conduct a seminar or hand out a business card the first thing your potential new customer or client will do is look at your website and the quality of the site will shape their perception of your company. As much as a good website can bag you that new client, a poor one can make them go elsewhere.
A cheap website will make little or no consideration of marketing or return on investment (ROI). When everything is geared towards doing things as quickly and cheaply as possible they really don’t have the time or the inclination to think about how this site is going to make your business money.
A poorly built website will ultimately lose you sales and inquiries and therefore money. Your website visitors are a highly impatient bunch. If they can’t find what they’re looking for in seconds (literally) or get the wrong vibe from your website, they’ll leave. It’s as simple as that.
We’ve "fixed" so many websites over the years. Most people who get a cheap website done soon realize that you get what you pay for and for a combination of the reasons above will end up getting it rebuilt. Simple mathematics tells you that "cheap website" + "proper website" costs more than "proper website" on its own.
If you are unsure, please take a look at the process that goes into developing an effective and successful web site.
Carrollton, Texas and Charlotte, North Carolina – T.G.I. Friday’s USA (www.fridays.com) and its public relations agency DFPR (www.dfpr.com) were recently named Special Achievement Category Winners by the League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) in the 2009 Magellan Awards Communications Campaign Competition.
DFPR has been a Synchronicity client since 2007.
Across the internet, you’ll find a world of information on environmental news, how to live green, how to calculate your carbon footprint, tips on saving energy, and so forth. More sites, programs, widgets and applications come out every single day. Out of all that noise, Green Fudge has selected our client, Eco Hatchery, as one of the Top 10 worldwide. To put this in perspective...Google Earth is # 1. Not bad huh?
