New Client Website Launch: VaHigherEd.com
EndGame PR’s web and blog design has launched yet another client website! This time it’s for the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). We’ve done work with VCCS in the past, and they were aware of previous work we’ve done for the Richmond Association of REALTORS® (RAR). They brought EndGame PR in to help them set up a new version of their VaHigherEd Blog, which provides information about Community Colleges in Virginia. They wanted to set up a similar design to what we’ve done for RAR, and we delivered. This was truly a partnership, as VCCS has some wonderful people inside the organization that know a good bit about blogging. What they needed from EndGame PR was knowledge of design and the ability to set up the architecture of the blog quickly. I set up the entire site, and also designed the header image. The work was described as “perfect”.
A screenshot of the site as it was when I finished it is posted below. Click on the image for a larger version.
Take Control of Your Blog
I just heard about a great new service from Google that I’m shocked and pleased they’re offering. Chalk it up to Google’s open source mentality I suppose. This from Weblog Tools Collection:
Google Open Source Blog: Google Blog Converters 1.0 Released: Blogger (now) allows users the ability to export all contents of their blog, the Data Liberation team would like to announce the Google Blog Converters project. This new Open Source project provides the ability to easily move blog posts and comments from service to service. This initial release provides Python libraries and runnable scripts that convert between the export formats of Blogger, LiveJournal, MovableType, and WordPress. This is after Google decided to allow Blogger users to import and export data from Blogger.
BIG kudos to Google for realizing that more people may sign up if they realize they won’t be locked into using one service for the rest of their blogging lives, or lose all of their posts when they decide to move. Services like Blogger are good for a first blog … allowing you to learn about what it takes to keep a blog running without incurring any hosting or domain registry expenses. However, I recommend if you’re going to actually keep a blog running you need to eventually get it onto your own domain so you can reap the SEO and branding benefits. This has truly set Blogger up as a “sandbox” of sorts.
I usually don’t root for the “big guys” like Google, but more companies need to think like they do.
Choosing Your Blog’s Domain Name
I just saw a tweet on Twitter from Leesa Barnes recommending a post on Pro Blogger that charts in great detail how to pick out a domain name for your blog. It occurs to me that much of the advice included in the post also could be extended to how to pick a domain or even a NAME for your business. Good stuff within, even if the post itself if more than 2.5 years old. Here’s a link.
Presenting at Another Free PRWeb Webinar
The PRWeb webinar on October 14 (yesterday, as I’m writing this) went so well, they’ve decided to do another next week. And, I’m once again invited to be a presenter! The topic will be the same: Use PR to Grow Your Business. The last webinar was a record setter for PRWeb, with approximately 1,000 people attending. The next one looks like it could be even bigger.
I’m honored that the other presenter at next week’s webinar will be Amy C. Cosper, Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine. I don’t pretend to have as impressive a title, but I think between us we’ll be able to dole out quite a bit of good information and advice. My portion of the presentation isn’t finished yet, but I expect to be speaking primarily about marketing on the web through SEO, SEO PR, social media and blogging.
The next webinar is on October 22 at 2:00 p.m. ET. It will likely last about an hour.
To register, just follow this link. It’s free!
Your Company Should Be Using Social Media
A new survey reveals that an overwhelming number of consumers want to interact with businesses via social media. The 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study, from strategy and communications agency Cone LLC, showed an astonishing 93 percent of respondants said they believe a company should have a presence in social media. Not only that, but 85 percent believe a company should not only be present but also interact with its consumers via social media.
Some other findings from the survey:
- Companies should use social networks to solve my problems (43%)
- Companies should solicit feedback on their products and services (41%)
- Companies should develop new ways for consumers to interact with their brand (37%)
- Companies should market to consumers (25%)
This survey illustrates that a website just isn’t enough these days. Your website has to integrate social media like blogs, podcasts, and vidcasts. Social media gives consumers a way to interact with the company in a way that simple email does not. On top of that, they also want to be able to find executives on Facebook and LinkedIn. Essentially, if your business doesn’t even have a website … you’re not a step behind where you should be, you’re actually two or three steps behind.
Note: Hat tip goes to Podcasting News for alerting me to this story.
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