New Camp Matoaka Website!
It’s Matoaka Monday at 829 Studios! Check out our brand new website for Camp Matoaka and find out what makes Matoaka one of Maine’s best summer camps. The new site is also fully responsive so it looks amazing on a mobile phone or tablet. There is nothing cooler than dragging your finger across an iPad to swap through photos!
New Digs for 829 Studios
It’s official – we’ve outgrown our current office and are moving on up (or in this case downstairs)! Having hired a couple great new staff, we secured a larger space and the buildout is underway. The ribbon cutting and office warming party will be held in early July so keep an eye out for your invitation.
New features include:
- Multiple offices
- Conference rooms
- Pet friendly workspaces
- Open bullpen
- Full-kitchen
- Temp. Controlled Server Room
Plus, no self respecting marketing firm’s office would be complete without a hand carved, 6 foot tall bear… Right?
By Peter Ross, 829 Studios
Chocolate Covered Awesome!
For the record, we love all our clients. But, Broadway Village Real Estate holds a special place in our heart (stomach?) after sending us a bunch of chocolate covered strawberries. Why the special TREAT-ment? Well it’s because Dan Ellis just recently launched an awesome new feature on their website that allows them to locally store rental/sale information for a given luxury condo. Check it out on the Macallen Building page!
Peter Ross, 829 Studios
Announcing Our New Website
Welcome to the new 829 Studios website! We’re still loading in some content and project profiles, so please check back soon for the full experience!
829 Studios at ACA New England
829 Studios will be at the American Camp Association New England Conference on March 22 and 23! Come by and see our latest projects and innovations!
The Babysitters of Boston Featured on Her Campus Blog
Molly Fedick, Founder of The Babysitters of Boston, was recently featured on the blog Her Campus. You can check out the article here.
We’ve been working with Molly to develop The Babysitters of Boston website which involves a complex Drupal platform. The site launched on November 1 – you can view the details here.
Facebook ‘Like’ vs. Facebook ‘Share’
As you’ve probably seen throughout the Internet, those Facebook ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ buttons are quickly becoming an ubiquitous feature on many blogs and websites. Many of our clients have asked us the difference between the ‘like’ and ‘share’ buttons, and, which one they should implement into their website. Moreover, they want to know which one will ultimately drive the most qualified leads and business. Our answer: they’re so easy to integrate, you need to try both.
The Facebook ‘Share’ Button
When a user clicks the Facebook ‘Share’ button on a website, a ‘Post to Profile’ window appears to confirm the action. The unique element of this window is that it not only attaches the item that is to be shared, but it provides an open text box allowing the user to explain why they’ve shared it. That open text box is the primary difference between ‘Share’ and ‘Like,’ and can play a major role in adding (or detracting) value from the item being shared.
When a user ‘Shares’ an item, it appears on their Facebook Wall and is broadcasted to all of their friends via the Facebook News Feed. This distribution is what makes the ‘Share’ button so powerful. Let’s say a user shares a link to a new restaurant that just opened nearby. If they type a positive response in the open text field (for example: “This restaurant has the greatest hamburger in town!”), their friends may be inclined to visit the restaurant and try the food for themselves. If they type a negative response (“This was the worst meal of my life – greasy food and bad service”), the mass distribution of the comment may significantly hurt that restaurant’s business.
The Facebook ‘Like’ Button
The Facebook ‘Like’ button is a bit more straight-forward than the ‘Share’ button. If a user clicks the ‘Like’ button, the content that they like is added to their profile page and Facebook News Feed, giving it the same distribution as the ‘Share’ button. But, without the potentially ominous open text box, it’s a bit quicker and easier for users to ‘Like’ an item. And, users wouldn’t have anything bad to say about an item they ‘Like,’ right?
Most social media analysts agree that the ‘Like’ button is a fun and easy way for people who aren’t necessarily tech-savvy to participate in the social media realm. I have also read that ‘Liking’ is often a gateway to ‘Sharing’ – once users get a taste of distributing content, they tend to get addicted and more involved.
Integrating Facebook ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ Buttons
The Facebook ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ buttons are very easy for most developers to integrate into new and existing websites. The only trick is placing the buttons in a prominent place that will elicit user interaction.
Instructions for integrating the ‘Like’ button can be found here, and instructions for the ‘Share’ button can be found here.
Final Thoughts
‘Liking’ something is easier for users than ‘Sharing’ it, mainly because casual Internet surfers don’t like to be burdened by the text box. But, sharing accompanied by a positive comment could potentially add more value to the webpage/product/video/etc. being shared.
There is growing speculation that the ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ buttons will have a significant impact on SEO – especially as Facebook gains more traction as a search portal. We will certainly be keeping an eye on this as more concrete evidence emerges.
Overall, we are strongly recommending that our clients integrate the ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ buttons as quickly as possible. I definitely agree with the speculation that they will have an SEO impact, and it’s always better to be ahead of the curve.
If you’d like us to help with Facebook ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ button integration, or need some guidance on your overall social media strategy, shoot me an e-mail at nick@829llc.com or call 617-933-9824.
Boston University iPhone App Mock-Ups
A few months ago we met with several Deans at Boston University to discuss an iPhone app for students, staff, and alumni. In typical BU fashion, we got the run-around to several different departments before ultimately discovering that their in-house IT team was developing their own app. But, I'm still pretty happy with how our UI came out. Here are a few UI screenshots from the proposal:
Strategic Plan Implementation
In simple terms, strategic planning is the process of developing an organization-wide strategy that can be executed over the course of a long period of time (usually between one and five years). A strategic plan reaches much further than a business or marketing plan; a business plan may focus only on a particular product or service, while a marketing plan may only focus on the promotion and sales of a business or product.
Popular Methodologies for Strategic Planning
While there are dozens of strategic planning methodologies and philosophies, the following are the most common and general:
1. Goals-Based Strategic Planning
Defines goals that the organization will work to achieve, the strategies for achieving them, and who at the company is responsible for driving results.
2. Issues-Based Strategic Planning
Defines issues the company is facing (or is projected to face) and how the company will effectively address them.
3. Organic Strategic Planning
First determines the organization's core values, then defines an action plan for promoting them and developing a culture, products, and services around them.
Strategic Plan Implementation
Regardless of the strategic planning philosophy or methodology, execution is typically where many plans fall apart. Because a strategic plan is an inherently long-term exercise, it often takes a backseat to more immediate problems, projects, or tasks facing the organization.
RapidInfluence, a company that specializes in strategic plan implementation, recommends three steps to quickly implement a strategic plan:
1. Define an Initiative
Decide on an initiative (product launch, market exit strategy), describe it, add key start and completion dates, and define financial measures and expectations.
2. Group Key Elements
Group action items together so they can be easily shared and reviewed. Assign key items to particular teams or individuals.
3. Add the Action Items
Create a detailed list of the action items and tasks it will take to achieve the goals of the plan. Assign items to relevant people or teams, and measure progress at regularly scheduled intervals.
Strategic plan development and implementation are core competencies of our team at 829 Studios. Whether it's business planning, marketing, or online initiatives, please send us a message if we can help your organization effectively implement a strategic plan.
829 Studios’ New Website Featured in Creattica’s CSS Gallery
Our new 829 Studios website has been featured in Creattica's Best of CSS gallery! This marks the third website designed by 829 Studios to be featured in the gallery – Choice Camps and Wilderness House were both featured in the past.
