As people move towards a more web-based life you find that many tips and ideas are still spread by the most common way; word of mouth. Only this time “word of mouth” is actually something that is posted or shared on a social network and not at the water cooler. As a Web Development Company that handles Web Design in Lancaster we often browse message boards like ones found on LinkedIn and Facebook. What we read sometime, however, is a little scary and somewhat demonstrates how word of mouth can sometimes be a detriment rather than a benefit.
Many companies tout their experience on their sites. “We’ve been designing websites since 19 something and something”… “1,000 years of experience from immortal website designers”! All kinds of grand claims… heck, even we do it! There is nothing wrong with that, however, there is something to be said about staying current. Sure, you’re company has been around for years — does your website show that? How many sites have you been to that say, “Designing Websites for 15 Years” and their site LOOKS 15 years old? How many times do you click on a portfolio link and see the same basic design elements repeated over and over? What about the site that takes for god-awfully-long to load and then it’s just a big picture with a couple links? This is the problem with being an old web designer.
How does one avoid this problem? Answer: you must stay current!
Web design and web development are two ares where technology constantly changes the landscape. Specifically for development; newer updated codes and scripts allow you to do more with less strain on browsers. Are you one of those people who “needs Flash” on their website? Did you know you can do the same effects with just a script? You’d also save space making the site load faster AND it could potentially still be searchable where Flash is not. In order to keep going in this business you need to know what people want and how to best deliver it to them. With new scripts and programs coming out everyday it’s important to keep up — and keep on it! Web design typically follows trends but one trend that will never cease is clean design. A few years ago grungy graphics and websites were cool. A few years before that flash and shockwave were the rage. Before that there were animated GIFs and scrolling text… They all have their place in time however these trends are well passed their prime and probably should be put away with other childish things 
In short, you can tout your web presence and your experience all you want. However, if your website is out-dated, old, or just doesn’t work right — how does that make you as a company look? How current is your web team?
In case you haven’t heard, Google has recently launched Google+, their social networking site that is trying to succeed where previous efforts have failed.
You remember…Google Buzz and Google Wave?
Yyyyyeah, they didn’t work out so well for Google. Truth is, Facebook has really become to social networks what Google is to search engines, which is a hard thing for even Google to compete with. To you and most business people trying to make the best use of their web development and web design efforts, the main question is what features does Google+ have that Facebook doesn’t?
More importantly, do those features really matter to you and your business enough for you to add yet another social media forum to your network?
Here are some of the new features that are getting some buzz:
Hangouts: Probably the biggest element Google+ has that Facebook doesn’t is a feature called “Hangouts” that gives users a way to join group video chats. It’s basically a chat room with video. Any user can create a Hangout and others can then join. As well as video chatting, users can also watch YouTube videos as a group.
Sparks: Sparks is the Google+ newsfeed, and it’s different from the Facebook news feed in that it’s focused on specific topics and on news: you won’t find information on where your friend was today or what they had for dinner, but you will find highlights from blogs, newspapers, and other media outlets sorted by topic.
What Strangers Are Saying: Whereas on Facebook the only posts and status updates that appear in your news feed come from people you’re friends with, Google+ lets you see posts and updates from people you aren’t yet following, but who are following you. You can follow them if you choose by putting them into one of your “circles”.
Chat with Strangers: Facebook Chat requires you to be friends with someone before you can chat with them. Google Hangouts, for better or for worse, are much more open: up to ten people can join a Hangout video chat, and they need not be in each others’ Circles to do so. Maybe nothing negative will come of this, but you’ve got to admit Google is taking a risk with a really loaded Pandora’s Box here.
So what’s the bottom line?
Bottom line is that yes…there is another social media forum to be considered for your Internet marketing and web development/web design efforts. Is it absolutely necessary? Functionally speaking, probably not, but the initial word is that you will do well to have a presence on Google Plus and the Google+ box (the equivalent of the Facebook “like” box) on your website will help you greatly in the search engines.
Recently there has been a scam on Facebook that has received a lot of attention. In reading this, please keep in mind that Southwest Airlines had no involvement…nothing to do with this. This could happen to any business…even yours. Don’t be scared, just be aware that unfortunately we’re all fair (or unfair) game.
The scam went something like this:
You go to a page that’s not actually a Facebook page but is designed to look similar. The page tells you to type “I Loooooove Southwest” in the comments on that page and you will get 2 free tickets.
Sounds too good to be true…and it’s not true.
What happens is instead of getting two free tickets, this post appears on YOUR Facebook wall…
“2 Free Southwest Airline Tickets! Only 56 Remaining! Hurry Now!
[website address omitted for security reasons]
Get Your Free Southwest Tickets Now but only if you hurry!”
When you click on the link, the instructions tell you “Simply type ‘I Looove Southwest!’ into the comments below to get your 2 free tickets.”
You then are taken to a page that asks for your name and email address. If you take the time to read the fine print on the page, you find out that “In order to receive your gift you must: (1) Meet the eligibility requirements (2) complete the rewards bonus survey (3) complete a total of 13 Sponsor Offers as stated in the Gift Rules (4) Follow redemption instructions. Sponsor offers may require a purchase.”
Ummm…weren’t these tickets supposed to be free?
THIS is a perfect example of why you must take such genuine care in how you present yourself in your web development and web design efforts. The general public is generally trusting and it is important to respect that. The tendency as a business person to lapse into “salespeak” or a variation thereof can make you unwittingly look like Southwest looks to thousands of consumers right now. This spam page of which we speak has over one million “likes”…because most people don’t realize the scam until after they’ve left a comment or a “like.”
Your website and your blog are, in most cases, your point-of-entry marketing. Someone’s first contact with you. After falling for these scams one too many times, more and more people become jaded and at the first sign of salespeak they click the mouse and in a split second are on your competitor’s page.
Communicate clearly and avoid salespeak. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. This will help you to avoid the trap so many businesses fall into…inadvertently looking like someone you can’t trust.
Did you know that most major video game consoles have a number of Social Media features? Within the last 3 years the video gaming industry has developed social technology alongside with their own new technology to provide users with another way to stay connected. The three largest markets for computer and video games are the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom. 60% of all Americans play electronic games of one kind or another. Currently services like Netflix and Last.fm are available for instant movie and music downloads on consoles like the Wii, Playstation 3 and Xbox360. Social Media sites have also made their way to online gaming with features like Facebook and Twitter being available to update other users about your status in the game world as well as the real world. These features connect to your console like they do for your blog… it’s pretty easy and you don’t even need to get out of your seat!
Along with online gaming comes the individual online communities. XBOX uses an online system called LIVE. On XBOX LIVE you are able to connect with 
friends, listen to streaming music, watch streaming video, get gaming news, download updates and game add-ons as well as play games together with a million other users around the world. How does this relate to Social Media? On XBOX LIVE when you fill out your profile information you are able to choose a “Gamer Zone”. A Gamer Zone is how you choose to use your membership or how you play. Zones include “Pro”, “Recreation”, “Family” and “Underground”. Initially these were set up so players could game with other players in the same Zone… avoiding the overly aggressive pros or finding a gaming syndicate on the underground. The Gamer Zone is the first breakdown on the XBOX LIVE Social Community… by simply checking a players zone you are able to get an idea of how they play, why they play and what kind of games they play while online. This is a big step; knowing and understanding your market.
The more revealing way social media is involved with XBOX LIVE is the Reputation or “Rep System”. Beginning on day-one with the first game you play online you are being ranked. Initially your reputation starts out at 3 out of 5 stars, once you play online and with other people your stars can go up or down. Players are able to view other gamers profiles and depending on the time spent in-game with them, players are able to prefer or avoid them. This then positively or negatively effects your reputation… it’s a full social community at work!
When the system works the way it’s supposed to you’ll be able to avoid players you dislike (either due to skill or over the mic communications) and never have to play with them again. Think of those guys as the SPAM of XBOX LIVE, they’re not really there to help, they just wanna mess stuff up. Equally you will be able to play online with your close friends as well as gamers they have deemed worthy to play with. This opens up a whole new social circle for you online and allows your gamer experience to be even better.
So by using what you know in Social Media and how social communities operate online, how would you market yourself or services in this seemingly untouched resource?
So there’s this guy that we work with from time to time; he’s one of those “uppity blogger” types. I think he does something with Search Engine Optimization too… but who knows what’s really behind that boss goatee. Apparently he “liked” Facebook’s popular … “Like” … system and wanted to grab that functionality for his own, somewhat questionable, devices. All kidding aside, the team and MIND was contacted to develop a WordPress Plugin that is THE “Like” button from facebook… now available on your blog – as of yesterdays announcement at the F8 conference from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Using The Facebook Universal Like button a user can add the “Like” button to any post. When a visitor “Likes” your post it will show up on their Facebook page (after they login of course). You then get yet another non-substantial feather in your cap in the form of a thumbs up (+1)! WEEEEEEEE!!!
Instructions:
* Download the plugin (current version: 1.1).
* Unzip the compressed file to your wp-content/plugins folder.
* Browse to the Plugins page under wp-admin and activate the plugin.
* Setting the options: Browse to Settings->WP FB Like Button.
* Use your own CSS by referencing div ID “wp_fb_like_button” (note that this is only the container for the iframe)
Like, do you like it? We hope you do!
Thanks to Chicago SEO for helping us push the v1.0.2 release!
