Jun
10

Clicky – REAL time web analytics

Posted by 428 Designs

This is the coolest web analytics tool ever. Can’t believe we didn’t know about this sooner! (Thanks Jodi!)

So, we’re all tracking via Google Analytics..but those reports can a bit confusing (and a day late). Clicky is REAL time analytics…which means you can view your stats right now and see your online visitors and what pages they are visiting on your site (plus a lot more).

Clicky is a really awesome tool and actually, can be a bit addicting at first. Super user-friendly interface…”Clicky is designed to be the easiest web analytics service you’ve ever used”.  And it’s true.

There’s no problem adding Clicky to your site if you are using Google Analytics, they work fine together.

Try it out on the “Pro” level for 30 days. There is a free version, but we think for $60 a year it’s worth it to go “Pro” after the trial. But check it out for yourself, you’ll dig it.

Register for an account here!  If you’re using WordPress, there is a Clicky plugin to easily add your tracking code to your site/blog. Just search for “Clicky” and install the one from Joost de Valk.

Posted in Cool Tools | No Comments »

May
26

MailChimp – Email Marketing Awesomeness

Posted by 428 Designs

WE LOVE MAILCHIMP!

The more we use MailChimp, the more we love it. For small businesses that send email newsletters or contact customers not so regularly, you can start out FREE up to 500 subscribers and 3,000 free sends! When your list of subscribers grows MailChimp has a “Pay As You Go” option or a regular monthly subscription.

MailChimp also makes it easy to track everything – so you can see quick, detailed reports for your campaigns and even send out an automatic tweet to your Twitter account when you post to your blog.

That’s just the beginning…sign up for a free account and check it out.

Contact us for our special MailChimp set up plan for help with list setup, campaign setup and customizing your templates. We’ll add your opt-in form on your website to start growing your email list and also import your existing permission-based list.

Sign up for the 428 Designs newsletter.  We’ll share tips, resources and more “cool tools” we’ve been trying out lately.

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Posted in Cool Tools, Email, MailChimp, Tips | No Comments »

May
18

Apture – Share and Search

Posted by 428 Designs

Have you noticed the bar that appears when you scroll down on our site? You’re given the option to share on Facebook, Twitter, via email or search. Try it… scroll down, you’ll see it. It’s a cool plugin called Apture and it’s free*.

What is Apture?

From the Apture site: Apture is a service that allows bloggers and publishers to layer in nearly all media from across the web into their sites with one click. By transforming flat web pages into connected multimedia experiences readers can fluidly dive into related information without losing their place on the page so they can see, hear and truly experience the ideas on the page.

Search feature: You can enter a term in the search box within the Apture bar as well as highlight any word or term on the page and click “Search” and you’ll see results from our site, Wikipedia, Google and more. Try it, it’s pretty cool.

Check out the Apture site to see what else it can do.  The bar is fully customizable so you can match the colors of your site and you can add your logo.

We’re still playing with it, but let us know what you think. If you want to try it out on your site just let us know.

Apture

* For sites with less than five million page views per month.

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Posted in Cool Tools, Social Media, Tips | No Comments »

May
14

Business Building Teleseminar – Don’t Miss This!

Posted by 428 Designs

428 Designs is very excited to be sponsoring a teleseminar series that can help you build your business!

The Promote U Business Building Teleseminar Series is being conducted by Lisa Orrell, The Promote U Guru! Lisa is an in-demand Branding Expert, Marketing Consultant and Business Coach with over 20 years of experience. And, she is the recipient of over 75 national & international awards for marketing excellence.

You don’t want to miss these teleseminars! You can choose to attend one or two, OR register for all 3 and receive a 20% discount.

Click here for all the details about each topic.

And here’s a snapshot of the topics and dates: Each one is ONLY $29!

Promote U Thru Brand Building: How to Create a Unique Brand Platform to Stand Out:
Tuesday, June 8, 2010: 10:00 to 11:00 am PST

Promote U Thru PR & Publicity: The Ins & Outs of Getting On-going Media Coverage:
Thursday, June 10, 2010: 10:00 to 11:00 PST

Promote U Thru Social Media: Solid Strategies for Using Twitter, Facebook, YouTube & Blogs:
Wednesday, June 16, 2010: 10:00 to 11:00 PST

Visit the event website for info and register today…space is limited: PromoteUGuru.com/teleseminars

We hope to see you in Lisa’s “virtual” classroom!

Posted in Social Media, Tips | No Comments »

May
10

Latest Twitter Page: Mayesa

Posted by 428 Designs

Ok, we really dig this one. Check out our latest custom Twitter background for our client Mayesa.

Mayesa is a great example of keeping the brand consistent across various media – product, website, Facebook and Twitter.

Life is better with chocolate!

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Posted in 428 News, Facebook, Social Media, Twitter | No Comments »

May
1

Facebook – Like?

Posted by 428 Designs

So, here’s the really short explanation of the new Facebook stuff. No longer do you “Become a Fan”.. you “Like”. This means, for those of you who have a “Fan Page” for your biz already set up, that people will now “Like” your page. Easy enough to change your custom Welcome pages from “Become a Fan” to…”Join Us” or “Join our Community” or something else clever.

If you have a Facebook Fan page, adding a “Like Box” to your website is a good way to go… check out ours to the right (under Archives). When someone clicks “Like” from here, they will be following 428, meaning our wall posts, photo uploads, etc… will appear on their wall. The Like Box also displays how many users Like your page.

The other piece is that now we can add the “Like” button to any and all web pages (and blog posts) – even if you don’t have a page for your business on Facebook (that’s crazy, click here to see how 428 can help you get in the groove).

What this new “Like” button does is this: A visitor comes to your site and clicks the “Like” button – a link to your web page will be posted to their wall noting that they “Like” it. So, your link potentially is shown to an entire new audience (the network of the “liker”). It’s a good thing.

Also…you can have the button on your site read “Recommend” instead of “Like” if that is more appropriate. See our homepage for an example. 428designs.com

That is the very short of it… more to come. Check out the full list of Facebook’s Social Plugins here.

Posted in Facebook, Social Media | No Comments »

Apr
26

Site Launch: Indian Charlie Redesign

Posted by 428 Designs

Our latest site launch is a redesign for a client that we’ve worked with for a long time.

We set Indian Charlie up with a custom WordPress theme, MailChimp newsletter sign up and a guest book.

We also created a custom Twitter page.

Check it out: www.indiancharlie.com

Posted in 428 News, Site Launches, Twitter, WordPress | No Comments »

Apr
2

Site Launch: Providence Pet

Posted by 428 Designs

ProvidencePet.com…the place for unique and fun pet toys and more!

We set Providence Pet up with a custom design and e-commerce package, as well as a custom Facebook page.

Also, a shout out to eCom Merchant Solutions for their fantastic support and merchant account setup for Providence Pet! You couldn’t make it any easier for the client. You rock.

For cool toys and pet supplies visit: www.providencepet.com!

Posted in 428 News, Site Launches | No Comments »

Apr
1

Google Analytics

Posted by 428 Designs

So, your new website has been designed, developed and launched. It is now live and everything is right with the world.

Don’t forget you will need to keep tabs on how your site is performing.

You’ll need to monitor how your visitors are using the site; where they are coming from, what pages they are viewing, how long they are staying, and what areas might need improvement if the pages that you think are important aren’t getting the views you’re expecting.

Your Google Analytics reports are providing you with all of the information about what is going on with your site and your visitors.

You can schedule your reports to be emailed to you either monthly, weekly or daily.

As a 428 client, you should already be receiving these reports. If not, contact us today and we’ll get your analytics setup right away.

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Posted in Tips | No Comments »

Mar
31

Yelp! Are you there?

Posted by Kristin

What is Yelp? By Yelp’s own definition: Yelp allows consumers to share the experiences they’ve had with local businesses and lets business owners share information about their business with their customers. Simply put, it’s word of mouth– amplified.

I love Yelp and use it quite a bit, mainly for restaurants, but all sorts of local businesses and services are on Yelp and yours may already be listed.

You do not have to submit your business, Yelpers can submit it for you, which is why you may already be listed and reviewed so you should check and see if you’re there.

See if you’re listed here -  (be sure to put your “Near” area in to make sure the search finds your business).

If you are listed, you can claim your business name and setup an account so that you can add your business details, photos and more information. If you’re not listed yet, just set up your account and create your listing.

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Posted in Social Media, Tips | No Comments »

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