by Qing Hu | Jun 15, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Interactive
Is choosing the right tool to create your website a challenge? Depending on your needs and objectives, you could consider a CMS (Content Management System) as it allows you to create, control and manage the content of your web site without any programming knowledge.
There are a variety of open and closed source CMS solutions available for you to choose from. The most common open-sourced options include WordPress, Drupal and Joomla, and closed ones such as Subdreamer, CushyCMS and ExpressionEngine. These tools have a lot of similarities. Hence, it is difficult to decide which one to use.
Here is a summary of the advantages and disadvantages for WordPress, Joomla and Subdreamer.
1. WordPress
The core software of WordPress is built by hundreds of community volunteers. Thus, the most prevailing feature of WordPress is that it has thousands of free plug-ins and themes available for users to download.
Key advantages of using WordPress:
– It’s free, helps minimize your cost for start-up business
– Open-source
– It has a huge user database, drives more traffic to your site
– Allows quick and simple integration with other software packages, you can upload content directly to your website with no hassles
– Search engine friendly. I noticed that search engines love WordPress because a lot of websites displaying on the first page of search engines are built with WordPress. This is because WordPress has many outstanding SEO plug-ins available for users to download.
Comparing with the benefits of WordPress, there aren’t many disadvantages for WordPress, if I had to find one, I would say that WordPress has some security issues. Hacking and spamming seemed to exist and there are many unsecured plug-ins that may cause problem to your website, but these issues can be prevented such as disabling the unsecured plug-ins and installing spam prevention tools such as RECAPTCHA.
2. Joomla
Joomla is an award-winning CMS. Similar to WordPress, Joomla is good because:
– It’s free and open source
– Has a more simple and user-friendly admin interface than WordPress
– Great for large companies because it allows multiple users to edit the site simultaneously without causing problems
– Supports multi-language sites
Similar to WordPress, Joomla also had many highly customizable themes, templates and web modules available. One of the most prevailing features of Joomla, comparing to WordPress, is that the system itself has lots of readily integrated features (such as polls and user control). There are no additional plug-ins need to be installed, whereas in WordPress, a brand new system only contain the most basic features, all other features have to be added through plug-ins. Hence, I believed that Joomla would be more appropriate for large companies, whereas WordPress would be more suitable for small and medium companies.
Some disadvantages of using Joomla include that it is harder to learn than WordPress and it has less plugins (including free plugins) comparing to WordPress. Making changes on Joomla is not as simple as it is on WordPress because changes often require development support.
3. Subdreamer
Subdreamer is an example of good closed source system that also uses PHP and MySQL database. It is 100% rebrandable, it allows you to white label the CMS. White labeling gives the freedom to re-brand the CMS under your own name. It’s a great way to promote your company. Subdreamer also includes its own discussion forum plugin so that you can integrate your website with forums such as vBulletin, phpBB.
The reason why I list Subdreamer as a solution is because it contains most of the functions open source systems has and it is more reliable and secure than using open-source systems because most of the security issues in the open source system come from the free plug-ins that might contain unknown threats to your website. For Subdreamer, every plug-in is made and under the administrative of the Subdreamer’s development team. Many hacking and spamming from auto-generated programs could be prevented.
A typical Subdreamer CMS cost $99.95 USD. Considering this cost, I assume it will be easier to obtain support when you experience problems since the license purchased also comes with 24-hour real human technical support. However, some of the drawbacks of this system is that it will not be updated as often as the open source system due to its nature of close sourcing, only the developers of Subdreamer can fix the bugs and add features and functionality whereas in a free open source system, everyone could contribute the system.
In the process of selecting a CMS, always remember to a research before you decide to invest time and money in it. The main purpose of a CMS is to create a website that is easy to manage. As long as the CMS fits all of your needs, it will be the right decision.
by Madi Secareanu | Jun 13, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Interactive, Social Media
How much of your brand identity do you own? If you really want to find out, run an online search of your brand and see what comes up. Do all pages that represent your brand belong to your brand? When you run a social media search, what comes up? Do all pages, accounts, profiles that represent your brand belong to you?
With the advent of social media, its become increasingly easy for “brand impostors” to steal the spotlight, especially on Facebook and Twitter – and it doesn’t stop at simple tweets and status updates. Some brand impostors go as far as creating campaigns and strategies, robbing your brand of its authenticity and control. Be aware that there is a big difference between accounts and pages that pay homage to your brand and impostors who act and speak on behalf of your brand. It boils down to owning your name, your voice and your customers and avoiding confusion and even legal issues.
A few examples of brand identity theft have been made quite public. For example, during the 2010 BP oil spill, fake Twitter accounts pretending to be BP PR appeared. Yahoo, Facebook, Aston Martin and AT&T have all been targets as well. Brand mascots haven’t been spared either, Mr.Clean, Chef Boyardee and the Pillsbury Doughboy have all been subjects of fake Twitter accounts.
Facebook is notorious for brand identity theft. Just recently I ran a search for 7-Eleven on Facebook and I found two brand pages: one for 7-Eleven, an official page, with 2.2 million likes and one for 711 with 21,000+ likes. It seems only natural in today’s short cut text messaging vocabulary that some 7-Eleven fans would and could search 7-Eleven by typing in 711 on Facebook. Since the Facebook page also looked like an official page, it has garnered significant likes. So will the real 7-Eleven stand up? Is it fair to assume that this page is an impostor… or was it started by an official brand ambassador and abandoned? Regardless of the story behind the two 7-Eleven Pages, or how and why they both exist, a brand needs to take action and ownership to help avoid confusion and reach their consumers and fans in an official way.
So how does a brand protect itself? Here are a few tips:
- Think ahead: Brands must have a strategy and a plan in place to prevent and quickly respond to a brand impostor. Will you make an official announcement about it? Will you go into attack mode? Will you do nothing? Making a strategic action plan to deal with impostors is imperative. Don’t be blindsided.
- Secure your name: A good rule of thumb is to secure all URLs, Twitter handles, Facebook pages and Facebook URLs that are associated with your brand. Even if you’re not using a specific page or account, it’s good to claim it to help protect your brand. Also, make sure it’s clear that you’re pages are official and verify your account on Twitter, if you can.
- Know what’s out there: As I mentioned earlier, keep searching for your brand online on a regular basis. Look for keywords related to your brand or brand name misspellings. If an impostor account exists on a social media site, make sure you report it.
- Take control: Some social media sites allow you to take over impostor brand accounts or pages, merging them and their “Likes” with your official page if you consider it important. Maybe fans or followers were not aware they were following an impostor.
Do you take a proactive role in protecting your brand online and on social media from identity theft? Also, go and Google your brand right now. What did you find?
We want your opinions so feel free to join the conversation on this and other marketing, branding and design topics… you can subscribe to 3H hoopla! here.
by Christine Marr | Jun 11, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Interactive, Social Media
Are you going app-crazy? How many apps do you have downloaded on your iPhone, iPad, Blackberry or Android? Surely you’ve contributed to the latest stats that I’ve been hearing… to date, Apple has surpassed 25 billion (BILLION) apps downloaded, and 60,000 more added every month! I probably don’t need to tell you that mobile apps create interactive experiences. It goes without saying that they improve your business’ visibility. Today it’s all about 24/7 access to instant information and location sensitive content. In the not so distant future, mobile devices will replace traditional computers completely.
Being in business (B2B) or having a brand (B2C) there is ultimately one question to answer and deliver on: How do you break through the app clutter?
Well, just because it’s a new channel doesn’t mean you need to throw away traditional techniques. In fact, they are even more important to adhere to. To effectively market your app you must use a consistent, measured approach to best guarantee long-term success. Taking the time to ensure adequate support of the product, considering your market and designing a marketing strategy is vital. Understanding the value of the channel and the media properties you employ is key so that you don’t spend your entire marketing budget in the first few weeks.
Tips to successfully market your mobile app:
1) Build your website: I know it may sound crazy, but make sure your foundation is sound. You may have a great app, but eventually you’ll want to turn that app subscriber to a customer and client, and that takes a solid website ready and positioned to handle incoming traffic and lead generation.
2) Blog and update regularly, connect with like-minded blogs to promote your app. Your profile or company profile for each blog should always speak to your app, with a link to download it now.
3) Be the first! Be unique! It’s tough to be the first to come out with your type of app in an already saturated market , but you can offer an existing concept in a different way or be innovative taking an existing app and making it better.
4) Develop and Implement a Strategy: I won’t belabour this point. Let’s just say Marketing 101.
5) Shout it out! Being first or being unique doesn’t get you anywhere if people don’t know about it. Don’t wink in the dark! Consider a pay-per-success campaign where you are only required to part with money if the advert leads to a direct download. Don’t do it yourself… if you can’t. Enlist the services of a promotional tool to toot your horn to targeted audiences.
6) Build up hype about your app launch: A combined approach incorporating word-of-mouth, viral marketing and advertising is the best way to keep your downloads high and think long-term sustained success by staggering your message.
No shoemakers children here at 3H: Following our own advice, we have a just launched our new marketing app : Hoopla…. download it now! Just click here.
What is your favourite business app?
by Madi Secareanu | Jun 8, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Creative, Social Media
Watch any big name music video today and it’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ll see a few product shots incorporated into the storyline and with good reason. Now more than ever brands are becoming more and more integrated in the entertainment industry with the emerging brand product placement industry. Nowhere is this relationship more prevalent than in music videos. For the artist, a brand product placement can help add to the budget of their music video and for the viewer. A brand product placement can influence a purchase, which in turn is a benefit for the brand.
The Benefits of Brand Product Placement
If the strategy meets the objective, brand and product placement in music videos can be a very effective way to reach a specific demographic and a target market between 18-35, or even younger.
If it’s well done, a music video successfully incorporates a brand into the plot of the video, adding to the scene and the overall image and lifestyle portrayed. This creates a seamless relationship between the brand and artist who often embodies a certain persona that their fans aspire and look up to. It’s about the psychographics. Therefore, there’s no question that music videos can be influential, and the availability of advertising space in them can be a good opportunity for brands, and here’s why:
- Consumer influence
- Brand exposure
- Celebrity endorsement
- Brand awareness
- Increased sales (celebrity influence=$)
- Consumer identification
- Brand championship
Blurring The Lines
Some music videos seem to be commercials, and vice versa, blurring the lines between the two worlds. Although not new, the following two videos are great examples of the merging of both worlds:
Jennifer Lopez’s “Papi” video seems like a 5 minute Fiat commercial and was actually even edited down to a 30 second commercial spot. Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” video features a plethora of brands and at certain times, the scenes and shots seem to revolve around the incorporation of the brand. The blurring of the lines leads us to one question: what came first, the concept or the brand placement? Jennifer Lopez’s video seems to be a part of a brand/celebrity relationship, but the product is a part of the concept of the video or rather the concept seems to have been created around the brand. Well integrated, albeit blatant. Lady Gaga’s video concept seems to be apart from the product placement – the products do little to add to the story, placed in for obvious promotional purposes. Which approach do you think is more effective in terms of a brand ROI?
* screen shot from Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” video
The Debate
As effective as music video brand placement can be, the concept is always at the center of some sort of debate. Some feel that the music video is an art form and should be free of corporate presence. Others see it as not adding anything valuable to the video’s plotline. Some are indifferent and some are all for it. I feel that as long as it’s done well, and the brands are well integrated into the plot of the video, adding value to the story, it can lead to a better return for the brand. Strict product shots that are there just to be there and do little for the video’s plot can irritate a viewer, leading to a lower ROI although it may not take away from brand awareness…
Then there is the emergence of social media that has changed the way consumers think. They demand authenticity and abhor being sold to.
I want to know your thoughts: what do you think about product placement in music videos? Are videos crossing the line into commercial advertising and does this or will this backfire or help the brand…the celebrity or both?
P.S. We want your opinions so feel free to join the conversation on this and other marketing, branding and design topics… you can subscribe to 3H hoopla! here.
by Lindsay Sleightholm | Jun 1, 2012 | Business Success, Design
To spec, or not to spec: that is the question
As a graphic designer, I understand the need to build your portfolio, expand your client base and stretch your creative muscles as much as possible. But from one creative professional to another, I feel compelled to urge you not to participate in spec (speculative) work – including design contests and crowdsourcing.
What is spec work? It’s submitting creative or graphic design to a potential client who hasn’t yet agreed to pay you for that work. As a result, that potential client can offer up any type of possible compensation, or, I should say, the possibility of compensation – without legally promising anything. And you may never see a dime.
Need an example?
All right, let’s say Company X launches a promotion calling for entries for the design of their new logo. In return, they’re offering a $250 prize to the winner – plus, the bragging rights that go along with having published work. What’s more, no experience is necessary. If you win, there is also the possibility to include that piece in your portfolio, opening the doors to many more opportunities in the future. Sounds great, right?
Well, there are a few more questions you need to ask yourself before proceeding with your contribution. First of all, why is Company X using a contest to develop their new logo? Why not just hire a designer? Do they not have the funds to actually pay for graphic design? Is this actually what my time and skills are worth? Will this really lead to more opportunities from bigger clients in the future?
Amateur or professional?
There are certain groups of individuals that are within the rank of amateur. Amateurs often are going through the process of participating in competitions in order to hone their skills and improve their rank. There is a judging panel that decides final rank and ultimately a winner. Typically, this also means no payment is received. Some of these include Olympic athletes, voice, dance or acting talent hopefuls.
On the other side of the spectrum, there are professionals. These individuals are paid to perform specialized tasks. Graphic designers are within this category. Unfortunately, as is common practice within the industry, there is a process called “pitching” to a potential client. This is generally understood, as mandated by clients, as being spec. To any agency, this means their creative potential is cut short by having only the limited information given within the brief. In addition, the agency may or may not be informed that they have competition. Ultimately, it is the time, concepts and designs of the creative team that are presented; yet, these individuals are the only ones around the boardroom table who will not be paid to be there.
Why is it that creative professionals should have to take on gratis work, that in effect, puts them in the category of an amateur?
Is spec work bad?
When it comes to spec work, “bad” may not be the right word to choose. “Unethical” would be more appropriate. “Risky” might be even better.
By not having a solid agreement in place between the designer and client, there’s greater risk for the designer. The designs offered up could potentially be used without the designer’s knowledge, and he or she is by no means guaranteed compensation. Even the prize initially promised could end up being less than advertised. What at first seemed like a nice, shiny carrot could later resemble little more than scraps.
As a designer, you’re not the only one who may lose out from being part of a design contest. Spec work devalues the entire graphic design industry. It drives down the going rate for design work, while driving up the misconception that graphic design can and should be acquired as cheaply as possible. Put simply, it makes it difficult for everyone else in the industry to be respected for their worth.
We all make mistakes
Okay, so now you know a little more about spec work. Think back to that contest you entered a few months ago. You put a lot of hard work into that design, and sent it off with high hopes of being chosen as the winner, right? I’m guessing not much resulted from that entry. If you were lucky, maybe you got a “thank you” for a job well done. Does this sound familiar to you?
Everyone makes mistakes. What’s important is learning from them and passing on those lessons to others. Instead of entering contests, there are much more effective ways to build up your experience and credibility. If you haven’t already, get yourself on LinkedIn, visit your local design council, or talk to that friend-of-a-friend who knows someone in the industry. Fostering good relationships with your peers is a much more reliable way to further your career.
While we’re on the subject, here are some great resources for learning more about spec work:
• AIGA, the professional association for design (AIGA – USA)
• Society of Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC – Canada)
• No!Spec (international)
There are always different sides to the same story. This is my view. I’d like to know your view on spec work.
by Miriam Hara | May 29, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Interactive, Social Media
With mobile technology and the rapid integration of Social Media the world is speeding… no longer respecting any speed limit! In a blink of an eye the business landscape changes and many businesses are at a loss of what comes next. All business types are affected however it seems that B2B businesses are more at a loss of what solutions to employ. In a world that is speaking to each other 24/7, the lines are increasingly blurry on what is a B2B or a B2C strategy. It has been my experience that the strategies employed for B2B or B2C were always similar. It was the employment of tactics and the weight of each of those tactics that differed. In today’s environment I would say the tactics are now the same. Social Media and technology has allowed for niche marketing at a whole no new level.
Business resistant change is the symptom of change resistant individuals. Unfortunately or fortunately, a business in today’s world hinges on its ability to adapt, change and adopt new channels of communications. The market conditions have shifted and many who hold key roles in the B2B arena have no idea how the game is being played and what is the picture of success. So what to do?
1) Determine your objective. What will be your “picture of success”? How else will you measure?
2) Implement a strategy… one with a 360° degree viewpoint. Not one that does away with all traditional (classic) tactics just because everyone saying that print and direct mail are dead… but one that introduces some of the properties of social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, Mobile Apps, Blogging, Twitter, etc… The key word is some and not all…. there needs to be a good assessment of what will work for your business and what won’t.
3) Assess your web site. No longer is it enough to just have a brochure type of site. Your site needs to reflect your business’ social conscious and ability. You can’t create any sort of social metric if your site doesn’t support the initiatives. Remember, your strategy must be holistic.
4) Implement a 15-month plan with built in schedule measurement reports allowing for the possibility of changing, adding or modifying the existing creative properties to ensure success. Feedback is important for resonance. You need your marketing plan to reflect your audience as intimately as possible. The beauty of these new channels is the ability to adapt… to change… quickly!
5) This may sound like a Marketing 101, but here goes…. don’t do it yourself or in-house. You’re in the business of your business. You can’t assume to know everything, that is why community reach out, tests, surveys and all those old marketing tricks are important not only for accuracy, but for the growth of your strategy and a leg up on your competition. The business of branding, advertising and social media is a profession. At the risk of sounding like a rant: Just because you speak and write English, that doesn’t make you a writer… and just because you have a Facebook Page or a LinkedIn page, doesn’t make you a social media expert. Contact a Marketing Advertising agency and leave it to them to make your business shine. Your business will be their priority as opposed to fitting it in.
For any type of business an environment of much talk that “it” doesn’t own can be pretty scary. One of my Marketing Understood biz-ims (#23) is “Get bent!”… Yes! Flexibility is a must! There’s no use burying your head in the sand. That won’t help your business. At the speed of business and of life you need to get a handle (twitter) and a pulse (social engagement) before your target stops you or pulls your business over for not keeping your business up to speed.
