Business Blogging

Influence or Fame: Who Has Them in Social Media

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 by Jenn Lisak

Brandon Prebynski, a friend and respected web geek, recently posted a question on Facebook that generated discussion about the power of influence versus fame in the social media community. When asked about preference between influence and fame, the majority picked influence as shown below:

Brandon also references a related article posted by Mashable that talks about celebrities and their followers' influence in the social media community. There is a distinct difference between fame and influence shown by the data, and the study concludes that celebrities' Twitter followers have zero influence. While some might find this surprising, I found this data to be predictable and accurate. Let me explain why.

As you can see by the responses to Brandon's great question, influence was picked by most of the population sample. One responder, however, brings up an important point: do fame and influence come with the other attached? When reviewing the data produced by Mashable, a majority of all the celebrities' followers had 1 to 0 influence, while social media heavyweights' followers had an average authority of 4.4. If you are looking at this data and accepting Sysomos's definitions of influence and authority, then the answer to the question would be no. With certain topics, such as fashion, media, and other popular trends, I would be inclined to say that celebrities are the influence. But either way, I believe that, like the Mashable article insinuates, "celebrities are bound to attract mainstream followers less interested in their own Twitter follower counts and more consumer with their celebrity obsessions."

On the other hand, look at the people who follow the social media heavyweights. They are generally interested and are active in the social media community, own or manage businesses, provide quality content, and are actively promoting or commenting on their blogs, tweets, social media networks. Furthermore, not everyone might agree with what the social media gurus have to say, but they still comment and respond to their content anyways. Their followers engage and provide opinions, while celebrity followers spectate and blindly follow.

When asked if I preferred fame or influence, I did not hesitate to answer. Influence gives you the opportunity to have a voice, to be an agent of change. Influence can come with fame, but I believe that there is also an element of emptiness to being famous. Most celebrities are given face time, but their opinions are rarely the topic of conversation. (This depends on the topic/situation, but their opinions may not be respected because of their "celebrity" status). At the end of the day, the important thing is to use your fame or influence to benefit others.

So which would you choose? Fame or Influence?

5 Tips to Creating Raving Fans

Tuesday, June 22, 2010 by Jenn Lisak

As we all know, last Thursday was the official release of the infamous iPhone 4, complete with new features, such as FaceTime and multitasking. People camped overnight, stood in long lines, and even missed work to buy this hot commodity. All day long, I was surrounded by talk of the new phone on Twitter, Facebook, the news, and chit chat between friends. But amongst all of the hype, I started thinking about all the commercial commodities that have been popular throughout my own life. Some of the things that came to mind were Furbys, Beanie Babies, Tamagotchis, Harry Potter books, Halo, Backstreet Boys CD's, etc. Then, I asked myself what do all of these have in common? They are all physical, tangible products, and all of them have generated a "raving fan" following.

In recent years, most businesses have transitioned into the service industry, even if there is a product component to their business. Service, in layman terms, is intangible work completed for the benefit of others, and I would venture to say that it is harder to create the "raving fan" mentality for a service as opposed to a product. In the last week, we have seen the raving fan mentality with the iPhone 4, and it is just as much a service as it is a product, even if the product component is what initially rives the customer to your service. So how do you create the "raving fan" if you're in the service industry? Here are some ideas:

1. Provide a quality product.
It doesn't matter if you have great service if you don't have a quality product to back it up. For example, as a website design company in Indianapolis, we have to give our customers not only an aesthetically pleasing website, but one that fits the client's web based strategy. The final product is what the client is going to see and use every day, so creating the product with care and precision will ensure client satisfaction.

2. Provide exceptional customer service.
This might seem obvious, but you won't retain clients without giving them a reason to stay with your business. Respond to your client's emails/calls quickly, ask questions about what they need, give them all the information they need to make an informed decision, and work with them to give them what they want without sacrificing your business. It is your job to make your clients happy without giving up your ideals, as well as producing a return on investment for each project.

3. Execute and represent an effective brand.
Clients want to be able to identify with a brand when deciding on who to use for a service. A well-defined brand is one of your greatest marketing tools if executed properly. If you say you're a "green" company, practice environmentally safe policies. Do as you say and say what you do.

4. Provide value by advertising your clients' products/services (B2B).
Instead of just marketing for your brand, feature your clients in blog posts, or mention them to your social media community. By doing this, you can provide extra value for both you and your client. It helps promote their brand and services while enhancing your testimonials and portfolio.

5. Give back to your community.
Whether it be a national corporation or a small business, people are more attached to businesses that provide their communities with resources and a helping hand. It's a way of showing that you care about the people who have contributed to your business.

These tips might seem simple and obvious, but it's important to revisit the basics of what makes a customer drawn to your brand. You want raving fans? Provide them with raving fan business!

Website Redesign Breakdown from Website Design Company

Tuesday, April 6, 2010 by Derek McClain

Being a website design company, we are frequently approached by potential clients wanting to get more information on a website redesign. We encourage these companies to take a step back and think about why they are really interested in redesigning their website. Oftentimes, we will find that there really is no reason other than it's "just time for a new look."

While this does not mean they shouldn't redesign the site, it certainly should not be the #1 reason. We promote the concept of looking at your business and what you are really looking to accomplish online prior to starting on a new look. Is the main objective to gain more leads? Do you want site visitors to sign up for your email marketing list? These are just a couple of questions that help spark a very beneficial discussion.

Below is a video with more information and a closer look at the recently redesigned Fusework Studios website. The main goal of the redesign was to drive traffic to our Internet marketing packages such as the business blogging package or the computer network management package. These packages are now much easier for you to find as you will see in the video! Enjoy!

Is Your Business Ready for the Final Four?

Thursday, April 1, 2010 by Brandon Coppernoll

The Final Four is coming to Indianapolis. It's important for your web based strategy to be prepared for the influx of patrons coming to witness the finish to a wild tournament. This week it is important to be involved in your social media community and focus on your email marketing strategy to attract the vast sea of potential customers.

If you haven't done these things yet - don't worry! You have two more days before the first two games. Get out there and let everyone know your specials. Update your website and address your corporate blog. You have a chance to increase your business' visibility.

Learn about our Business Blog package.

There are many ways to tackle the task of winning organic search. At Fusework Studios, we believe the most affordable and effective way to increase your search engine optimization (SEO) is through a business blog.

Sign Up Now - Indianapolis Lunch and Learn - April 8th

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 by Brandon Coppernoll

Want to learn more about Internet marketing? Do you have burning questions about how to use social media and blogging tools effectively for your business? If so, join us for some great food and a short presentation from 11:30am to 1:00pm on Thursday, April 8 at Scotty's Brewhouse downtown.

Sign up now for the Lunch and Learn!

Fusework Studios' President, Bruce McClain, will start off with an overview of Internet marketing, discussing the importance of strategy in your marketing objectives. He'll cover a range of tools and tips in social media, business blogging and much more. Then the CEO of Compendium Blogware, Chris Baggott, will share how to use corporate blogging to change your business and search results....for the better!

Feel free to bring along a friend or two and spend your lunch break learning information that you need to know! We promise you'll leave with a new found knowledge of what Internet marketing can do for your bottom line.

Your ticket price includes your lunch at Scotty's Brewhouse!

Business Blogging About Your Customers

Friday, March 12, 2010 by Brandon Coppernoll

The next time you visit your corporate blog and put "some ideas to paper," try to write about your customers. Business blogging should not just be about your business. Try to write about the customers you're seeking and customers you've served. Tell stories about how your products and services changed their lives or their businesses.

Telling stories your customers can relate to will engage them more. Try to sprinkle in video to tell a dynamic story. Case studies can make really good content as well. Ideas are often sparked from ideas (both good and bad). Plus, writing about some of the things your products and services have been able to accomplish can possibly encourage a new or existing client to use your business in a different way.

So the next time you sit down to do some business blogging, think to yourself, "It's not always about you!"

Sign Up Now - Muncie Lunch and Learn - March 5th

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 by Bruce McClain

Do you ever wonder about search engine optimization and how to improve your Web site's ranking? Have you heard about Pay-Per-Click campaigns, but are not sure how they work? Are you you unsure what people are talking about when they mention organic search? Well, join us next week at our Muncie office for an informative "Lunch and Learn."

After we have some lunch, I will try and answer all those questions for you plus many more. We will talk a little about Business Blogging, SEO, and how to incorporate winning search into your web based strategy.

We have made it very easy to sign up. Just click on the link below, fill out a few questions and you are good to go.

We look forward to seeing you next Friday, March 5 at the Rutter Communications building in Muncie from 11:30am-1:00pm.

It's Not the CMS That Counts; It's How You Use It!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 by Brandon Coppernoll

Inevitably in this business, I get pulled into the never-ending debate on what is the best content management system (CMS). I get asked which are best for search engine opimization, social media community integration and flexibility. Every website design or website development company has their preferred CMS they design and implement for. Some of these are proprietary, but most are likely third-party provided. At Fusework Studios, we have a proprietary software, but there are some cases in which we go with third-party integration.

Almost all content management systems now have tools for search engine optimization and other tools to complement your web based strategy. A company can spend from nearly no money to thousands of dollars for the top-of-the-line CMS. Unfortunately, all that money will do no good without a keyword and search marketing strategy behind your content.

Tips to utilize your CMS' capabilities:

Title your pages with keywords in mind
Use keywords in your links
Use keywords early in your content (first or second paragraph)
Use keywords in header tags
Create inbound marketing by generating buzz or links to your content (preferrably with keywords) by utilizing your social media community tools
Utilize business blogging to drive traffic to your site

For a successful web based strategy, you cannot rely solely on one marketing medium. All of the tools around the web, including your CMS, play an integral role in Internet marketing.

Contact Fusework Studios for tips or if you have questions regarding search engine optimization and your content management system.

Is Your Web Site Social?

Monday, February 22, 2010 by Bruce McClain

Last week, Gigaom.com posted an article titled, "Facebook Driving More Traffic Than Google," that I found very interesting. While there are many stipulations to their research, the fact remains more and more traffic is being generated by the "social web," and business need to adapt to this thought process.

Think about it. How many times each day do you log into Facebook or Twitter and see one of your friends or followers commenting on a story or sending out a link to something interesting? What do you do? You click on it because you want to check it out, too. After all, your friend thought it was important enough to share. This is all part of the social web.

As I look at analytics each day for my clients, I see the same reflection. Search traffic isn't necessarily down, but referral traffic is way up for almost every client. Where are these referrals coming from? In almost every case....social networks.

This is why it is so important to make your site social. Can visitors subscribe to a feed of your news? Do you have buttons that allow them to share your content on their social sites? Can they email interesting articles to friends or coworkers? These are just a few of the ways you can make your web site more social.

Now I am sure you found this blog post extremely interesting, so go ahead and click the "ShareThis" button below this post and share it with your friends.

How To Use Social Media As A Customer Service Tool - Part Two

Thursday, February 11, 2010 by Bruce McClain

Last week, I wrote a post about the great customer service I received from General Motors. I was so impressed with the service that I forwarded the blog post on to my new friend at GM who had helped me with everything, and I thought that was the end of the experience. Little did I know, that was just the beginning.

Over the course of the next 24 hours, over 80 GM employees viewed my blog post (gotta love Google analytics), I gained 20 new followers on Twitter and had an interaction with GM's Director of Social Media and Digital Communications. I suddenly felt like I had a whole company that valued my business all from a simple Twitter post.

The next morning, I took my vehicle in for my appointment at the Chevy dealership. After a somewhat long wait, the service tech informed me that all my troubles were a result of severely worn tires. Could have been worse, I guess, but still a costly repair. After thinking about my options for a few minutes, I decided I would get a second quote before shelling out the money.

I went to my local tire store. I knew they wouldn't put the same quality of tires on my vehicle that the dealership was offering, but quite frankly, I was just trying to save some money. The quote was a couple hundred dollars cheaper, so I went ahead and had them make the tire change. I was off and running with a smooth driving car, and once again, I believed GM had done their job, and I probably wouldn't hear any more from them.

But, I was wrong again! That evening, I got a call from Thomas from the Executive Customer Service Staff at GM. To be honest, I didn't return his call right way. I just assumed it was a follow up to my appointment that morning. Little did I know GM was trying to go above and beyond yet again.

Early today, I finally had time to call Thomas back. He had been trying to get in touch with me before I bought new tires. Not because he wanted to tell me how great GM tires were, but because GM wanted to pay for two of them. He said even though tires really fell outside the warranty because of my miles (65k), I had been a loyal GM customer, and they wanted to help me out with some of the cost of the repair.

I started to kick myself at this point for not waiting. I thanked Thomas for the generous offer, but informed him I already purchased some tires that were cheaper at another store. Again, I figured that was it, after all, at this point, the customer service experience had far exceeded my expectations.

Without missing a beat, Thomas said he still wanted to help me out. He then proceed to offer me a GM Maintenance plan for free. Right now, I can't remember the name of this, but essentially they will cover all my maintenance costs (oil changes, tire rotations, etc.) for the next 30,000 miles. I quickly accepted this offer and thanked Thomas once again.

From the moment I sent that tweet, GM has been looking out for me as a customer. This group of social media specialists has been empowered to make this kind of effort to make sure customers have great experiences. With all the talk about social media and the pros and the cons, this is a wonderful example of a huge, enormous company, interacting with one individual and making a difference to their business.

Did their effort work? Well, you are reading a blog post about it now, aren't you? I also will forward this link to my Twitter followers and Facebook friends. Plus, I told ten people personally since this all happened this morning. Now, this story is reaching over 1,000 people or more. This is why I believe social media works.

I know this probably isn't your typical story, and I definitely don't think everyone should post things on Twitter hoping to get something for free. But in this case, GM went above and beyond--all from a simple Twitter post. Now they have a customer for life.

The Importance of Keywording Comments in Your Corporate Blog

Thursday, February 4, 2010 by Brandon Coppernoll

You've taken the plunge in setting up your corporate blog. Business blogging is new to you, and you're starting to put out content that is attracting both new and existing customers. Then, something happens that you may not have planned for--you start getting comments.

Search engines love comments on blogs. The blog post and page shows that it has been updated with new content (user-generated) and tells the world that your blog is active.

When responding to your readers (which you should do soon after you get a comment), it is important to keep in mind in how you relay your valuable input. It is good practice to attempt to include some keywords in your response to further encourage search engines that the topic of your post has continued in the direction you originally intended, and the new content of the post is related to what their customers are searching for.

If you have questions about comments or maintaining your corporate blog, feel free to post a comment for me. I'll be glad to help!

Is Your Corporate Blog Designed to Win Search?

Friday, January 29, 2010 by Brandon Coppernoll

As a leader in your industry, you may be very involved in business blogging. Your corporate blog may be very active, and you have a nice following of readers that are glued to what you have to say. The question is, what is your goal with your corporate blog? Are you using business blogging to win over search engines, or are you only trying to communicate with your clientele without any real goals to increase your traffic?

Many businesses (Fusework Studios is not so different) try to write regularly in their corporate blog and try to always deliver a message that will floor their readers. They want to provide something that will create "light bulb moments" for their readers to win them over immediately.

We are beginning to find that is not always important. Sometimes what is important is you deliver a quick message that focuses on a service, product or perhaps another client, that is focused on keywords. These keywords and frequent posts will win you search while still telling a story. We are challenging ourselves and our clients to write about subjects that matter, so don't worry if your next post doesn't move mountains.

Fusework Studios Launches Web Site for IU Kokomo

Thursday, January 21, 2010 by Nellie Stout

Original article by Indiana University Kokomo: http://www.iuk.edu/news/?naid=19&ncid=.

Kokomo, Ind. - Indiana University Kokomo has launched a new and improved Web site, www.iuk.edu, featuring easier navigation, online video, vibrant flash images, and socia media integration.

"The new site will allow us to share IU Kokomo in a more engaging and dynamic way. It brings with it a content management system that allows us to better manage updates and changes, as well as the ability to implement analytics that measure site usage and give us the tools to make constant improvements that better serve our users," said Katrina Janes, director of the Office of Communications and Marketing at IU Kokomo. "The redesign and launch of a new university Web site is a huge undertaking, and we are very excited to unveil this new Web presence to the students, campus and community that we serve."

The site, developed by Indianapolis-based Fusework Studios, provides easier navigation for the user, improved search functions, and a consistent look, design, and feel. The first step in the redesign was an audit of the old Web site that included an evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses. This evaluation enforced the need for IU Kokomo to clearly indentify and match target audiences with specific marketing objectives, as well as the need to transform the site from a static information source to a dynamic and engaging marketing tool.

This direction is supported by a recent TeensTALK®survey of high school sophomores which found that 74 percent of the respondents conducted general college research on the Web, and 67 percent visited a specific college Web site. It is clear that higher education institutions are positioning their Web sites as a primary marketing tool and relying more on electronic communication tools. The average Web user today is highly skilled and able to communicate through many technological formats, from text messaging to IM to Twitter. This is particularly true for prospective and current college students.

"This was a huge project and encompassed two years from vendor selection to launch. Every unit on campus participated," said Paul Nowak, vice chancellor for external relations. "A special recognition is due to our marketing and IT departments, and especially Rudy Kizer, our campus Web manager, and Katrina Janes."

Indiana University Kokomo serves a seven county, primary service area in north central Indiana. The campus offers more than 40 academic programs including four graduate degrees.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Fusework Studios provides service in Business Blogging, IT Services, SEO Indianapolis, Indiana Website Design, Indiana Website Development, Web Based Strategy, Social Media Marketing, Indiana Video Production, Email Marketing Strategy, Corporate Blog, Internet Marketing Indianapolis, and much more.

The next phase in Indianapolis Web development: Part 2

Thursday, January 14, 2010 by Brandon Coppernoll

Previously, I discussed how Indianapolis web development has changed, and I provided a theory on what the next trend will become. I talked about how business blogging and social media community interaction has become the latest trend in providing relevant information to customers. Now we will see search engine marketing at the forefront in how web development is approached for businesses.

Search is even more important than before.

Customers have been using search to find goods and services rather than looking for specific businesses. While it is important for your business to be visible (e.g. Fusework Studios) in the search engines, it is even more important that your business is found for specific keywords based on your goods and services.

The next phase in Indianapolis web development will be about playing an integral role in search engine marketing and finding ways to get new content out and fast for what customers are looking for. Search engines are looking for sites and blogs that update often and have relevant content to what their users are searching for. It's not about "if you build it, they will come" anymore.

Early on in web development, it was about telling your story -- the whole story. Unfortunately, this requires time and money to be able to put all that work together. When print marketing is put together, it is customary to hand out a brochure, poster or some form of quick communication about the product or service. I recommend you actually follow suit for initial website release, and over time, you can add the additional content you probably would have initially included before.

The reason is Google and other major search engines value up-to-date content. New content is very important. The sites and blogs that are most active about putting content up for their visitors are getting special treatment because they are viewed as more likely to be current for their customers - those people that search. There is no magic tool or button you can use to get these results. It's about building upon a foundation to be found in search.

Contact Fusework Studios for more information about building a strong foundation to win customers through search and inbound marketing.

Indiana Video Production is not dead

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 by Laurie Buschmann

Indiana video production is alive and well, and there are many production houses in central Indiana that do a fine job at it.

In this age of social media marketing, business blogging and email newsletters, it's important to remember the viability of video in your Internet marketing efforts.

You've heard it before, "Video tells a story." But more than that, it's a necessary tool that can impact your bottom line in a variety of ways. Through visuals and sound, your customers can:

Learn more about your business (history, products, process, etc.)
Hear testimonials from your customers about how great your product/service is
See step-by step how your product works, so customers will buy it themselves
Follow how-to instructions for accomplishing a certain task
Be inspired and empowered to donate to your cause
Be entertained by a different type of advertising
Advertise for you by sharing your video across their social media networks
And the list goes on....

Doing video is a no-brainer, so let us show you how easy it can be. Just think of all that content that's just waiting to be put out into the world.

Add video production to your web based strategy for 2010, and contact Fusework Studios today to get started.

The next phase in Indianapolis Web development: Part 1

Thursday, January 7, 2010 by Brandon Coppernoll

The year 2010 brings on new opportunities for businesses across the country including Indianapolis. The economy is slowly on the mend. Jobs are starting to come back. Businesses are strategizing on how to attack their marketing plans and grow. Indianapolis, in my opinion, is no different from this trend.

When I first came onto the web development scene, it was primarily about having a website. Your website was more of a brochure. There was little thought to a full web based strategy or social media community involvement for businesses. The primary focus was having a great looking web design and plenty of content for people to read.

Then came the next phase which was to measure the analytical data provided for your website. Soon, it was found that people often didn't spend more than 1-2 minutes on the site. This didn't help support the theory to have more than twenty pages of content. The next step was to find a way to convert those visits into money by creating calls-to-action. These calls-to-action were provided as forms, buttons and/or videos.

The most recent trend is how to use social media marketing and business blogging to benefit your business. Search engine marketing is taking the forefront, and more businesses are implementing corporate blogs and social media as a part of their web strategy. I believe this trend is going to add a new twist to how websites will be developed beginning in 2010.

With Google Live Search and the rise of blogging as the premiere method in getting recent and relevant content, the next trend is all about flexibility and the process of getting search content out to the masses. It will be about monitoring what people are looking for and providing that information. Businesses will be taking an ever-more increased role in talking WITH their customers (not just TO their customers). Websites and strategies will be taking on a new look to feed how people will find out about their business(es), goods and services.

I will be touching on how to take advantage of this new trend in my upcoming post. For now, I wanted to get you thinking about how sites will be developed differently with this in mind. I'd be interested in hearing some thoughts from you on what you see coming in the next year.

Practicing discipline in a Web based strategy

Monday, January 4, 2010 by Brandon Coppernoll

Discipline.

For most people it's an ugly word. It makes you think of a dog that misbehaves, an athlete making wrong choices during a sporting event or sometimes even more frustrating of a child that just won't listen and needs...discipline.

Discipline is an important intangible in your Web strategy.

Throughout 2009, I spoke of many different ways to utilize tools and third-party programs to enhance your web based strategy, and I spoke in many ways how Fusework Studios is a great Indianapolis web development company that can help touch all facets of an effective strategy. In 2010, I want to focus on things that are a little more intangible.

By now, most of you know about the tangible objects that go into a web based strategy such as business blogging, web development, website design, social media communities, search engine optimization and an email marketing strategy. When used correctly, all of these tools work, but there are things that are never seen that go into a successful strategy.

Discipline is accepting a challenge and having the fortitude to see it through. When embarking on a new marketing strategy, whether it's television, radio, print or the web, you will never know the true extent of its results until you see it through.

What are ways you can practice discipline in your web based strategy?

Make a plan. A web based strategy is a plan to achieve a goal. Put it on paper and keep it where you can see it.
Make a habit. Practice working on your strategy every day until that goal is achieved.
Do it when you don't want to do it. Some days it feels like too much work to participate in a social media community for your business, but those days are probably the most important to do the work.
Have a coach. Even professional athletes have a coach to help set goals and achieve them.
Form a team. Don't try to do this alone. Find skill sets that are needed to accomplish your goals, and find the people with similar discipline and passion to achieve your goals.

Find the intangibles that make your web based strategy great. I certainly hope this can energize you when you embark on 2010.

Need a coach or a team? Contact Fusework Studios today to discuss your goals and ambitions in 2010 and to create a web based strategy to work for your business.

Organic Search Engine Optimization and Quality Content

Tuesday, December 8, 2009 by Kevin Hood

With regards to business blogging and organic search engine optimization, they always say, "Content is King." You need content, content and lots more content to rank high in the search engines. The more pages you have, the better you will probably do.

However, does the quality of the content matter? You want your posts to be well written, interesting, add value and make readers come back for more. But does that matter to the search engines? Not really.

The search engines care much more about who is linking to you, versus the brilliant idea in that blog post you spent three hours revising. Yes, it's a little sad that Google doesn't love your idea and place your blog post at the top of the search results. But as SEO expert Rand Fish pointed out in his recent article, "Great Content Equals Great Rankings, Right? Wrong.," that's how marketing has always worked. The best restaurant is usually the local hole in the wall that no one has heard of, and sometimes the worst eateries are the chain restaurants who advertise and get virtual back links from commercials.

With this in mind, it's probably not a good idea to start writing tons of blog posts with sloppy content and little value. However, keep it in mind when you are stressing for hours over one little blog post. Of course you want your customers to like your corporate blog, but organic search engine optimization should be at the focus. Write more content, have an Internet marketing strategy to get links to your content, and don't worry as much about what you write. You can write blog posts until your nose bleeds, but if no one is linking to them, Google won't care.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR A TWITTER FOLLOWER? WIN A SAMSUNG 32" HDTV! Part 2

Monday, December 7, 2009 by Bruce McClain

It has been 5 days since I announced my goal of becoming one of Indy's 10 most followed on the social networking site, Twitter. At this point, my mission is not playing out as I had planned. I have gained 15 followers, but that is about my average anyway. I don't believe these followers are happening as a result of my contest.

If, on January 3rd, I am in the top 10 on wefollow.com for Indy Twitter accounts, I will give away a brand new 32" HDTV to one of my followers. I had hoped that was a big enough prize to get people involved. At this point, it hasn't taken off.

I have tweeted about this once a day on my twitter account. I don't want to be too pushy and my goal has always been to provide quality content about the Internet marketing industry on my Twitter account.

This week, I am going to ask for a little more participation from my current followers and see if this makes a difference. This whole thing is an experiment to see what happens when people or businesses offer prizes for followers.

If you want to see what happens, please continue to follow our blog, and of course, you can always follow me @brucemcclain.

Indiana Website Development Trends

Friday, November 13, 2009 by Brandon Coppernoll

Since I graduated in 2005, I immediately found a home as a database programmer for a local Indiana website development company. The company's primary focus was to build new websites using their proprietary CMS, and everything had to revolve around this software. The problem with this tactic and approach is that rarely does one piece of software accomplish everything you can dream about.

We live in an age where SEO, social media communities and Internet marketing reign as kings, and website development becomes only a part of the overall web based strategy. To some, this may seem as a threat to the existence of traditional website development, but I do not feel any personal fear that this is the case. The role has changed, but the need is still very real.

More and more now the "custom development" tag and approach is becoming less prominent. Most ideas have been put to code before. The trick is how do you utilize or critique these tools from several third-parties and create something spectacular. One of the easiest examples of this trend is the inclusion of social media communities with corporate websites and corporate blogging. Unless your need is so specific, you're likely going to be using a third-party application already created for your corporate blogging needs.

Talk to Fusework Studios about website development and about creating a winning web based strategy. We would love to help your business be on the cutting edge of your online web presence.