April 2008

Thank You Michael Viron

Submitted by webdesign on Wed, 2008-04-02 08:00

One of the most important parts of performing well in Google is attracting backlinks to a web site. Even more important is that these backlinks come from authoritative websites with strong editorial guidelines. Even though most of our clients are schools, building links is still a challenge at times. Webmasters receive hundreds of requests a day for links and they are very busy people. They want to focus on building and managing their site, and sorting through a hundred emails to find the few gems that really deserve a link is a lot to ask.

Getting the Business Types and the Creative Types to Play Nice: Part 2

Submitted by webdesign on Fri, 2008-04-04 07:00

I know I said I'd write something on putting constraints on creativity without hampering it. That's not exactly what this is about, but I still have some good things to say, so bear with me.

Paper or Plastic?

Submitted by webdesign on Mon, 2008-04-07 07:36

In our business, there is always another great idea right around the corner. Usually Michael Platt comes up with these ideas, but recently we came across ShipShapes. These are hard plastic direct mail pieces, some of which are done in very unique die-cuts.

According to their website, ShipShapes are “the next generation ad media”. In addition, “ShipShapes delivers your message with maximum impact”. Sounds pretty good to me and I have to admit, the samples I’ve seen are pretty gosh darn good (you should see the die-cut of the guy in a Zoot Suit).

I'm funny how? I mean, funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh? I'm here to amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?

Submitted by webdesign on Fri, 2008-04-11 08:00

Last week I had the opportunity to visit the 2008 Erma Bombeck Writer’s Workshop in lovely Dayton, Ohio. Good thing … because my job mandates me to write things that are clever and catchy.

Content management at a glance

Submitted by webdesign on Fri, 2008-04-11 08:51

There have been many recent additions to the Content Management System (CMS) family in the past few years. In this article, I would like to state some of the pros and cons of the ones that I use the most: Drupal, Wordpress, and Code Igniter. Named in order by personal preference, each of these systems provide different features that can make your website building experience pleasant. None the less, there are some features that may give you a headache that you probably can do without.

Drupal

New digs! Can you dig it?

Submitted by webdesign on Wed, 2008-04-16 14:47

PlattForm, Inc. is moving in less than two months … and, Lord, my load is heavy. Seems yours truly has been tapped to help decorate the new building and facilitate the move.

Regarding the interior design part: No sweat.

Regarding the actual physical moving part: Yeah … I don’t sweat.

5 minutes with Search4 Administrators

Submitted by webdesign on Wed, 2008-04-23 08:48

You won’t find this phrase in any sort of a dictionary. Not Webster’s, not Scrabble, not Urban. But at PlattForm, it’s full of meaning.

Usually, when someone hears the phrase “Search4 Administrator” it evokes a response falling somewhere between a “huh?” and an unenthusiastic head scratch. Sure, it’s communicated in what appears to be the English language. And all of the parts seem to denote meaning, but what about the sum?

The Password is: “GLEAN”

Submitted by webdesign on Fri, 2008-04-25 07:39

Every week, I try to pick a word I don’t normally use and add it to my daily vernacular. Last week, for instance, my word was “rife”. I peppered it in to nearly every sentence I said. Heck, I even used it in my blog. My vocabulary had become rife with the word rife. Oddly, no one ever notices my word of the week … and that’s despite the fact I use it ad nauseaum.

PlattForm People: Mike McHugh

Submitted by webdesign on Fri, 2008-04-25 12:39

There aren’t many people who can boast Mike McHugh’s accomplishment: nine positions within nine years, consistently stepping up the corporate ladder. And you thought you were upwardly mobile! From his start as a Media Analyst back in 1999, he was promoted to Media Buyer.

How to leave Dullsville, U.S.A.

Submitted by webdesign on Mon, 2008-04-28 06:17

I sit in a square room with 5 other content writers. Would it be fair to call it a writer’s block? Ooooh. Ouch. Bad pun. That one kind of hurt. But, writing like that does have the particular advantage of elucidating an ancient question that, gone unanswered, has plagued writers since the invention of the alphabet.

What does a writer do when their writing just plain sucks?

That’s false advertising and I don’t have to take it

Submitted by webdesign on Tue, 2008-04-29 07:19

The world of advertising is regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as a way to alleviate deceptive ways within the infrastructure of commerce.

Deceptive – adjective: causing one to believe what is not true or fail to believe what is true (www.dictionary.com).

Buzzword Bingo

Submitted by webdesign on Wed, 2008-04-30 12:07

When you think of the game Bingo, you probably don’t envision a weekly activity at PlattForm. Well for today’s fun fact of PlattForm, we’ll discuss Buzzword Bingo.