Catching Up

What have you all been doing since I last posted. Yes, one should post every day or close to it so you can see that I am way behind. I hope that this one post will invite those of you who have followed me to comment and share how you have been doing in life and school. I have been very busy with school as usual with new online changes with D2L and new classes. Also, I am thinking about what direction I will take in terms of developing another blog about what I like to do other then teach or school topics. And the thoughts are tremendous. I have so many ideas and so little time. I do hope so many of you that visit will tell me how you are doing. Then I will get back to the business of sharing interesting topics with you.

7 Lively Type Effects for InDesign

Create seven lively type effects in InDesign by following the tips in this article? http://www.creativepro.com/article/seven-lively-sins-try-these-indesign-type-effects. Of course, the same ideas can be applied to Illustrator, Photoshop, and other programs of your choice. What are your favorite type effects and when do you use them?

Mobile Marketing

Read the entire article at http://appsavvy.blogspot.com/2012/03/r-u-marketing-on-mobile.html. Kim has some noteworthy articles on her site  http://appsavvy.blogspot.com that you will find helpful. Thanks for the valuable information.

Graphics to Fabric

As many of you know, one of my favorite sites is http://www.geninne.com/. Today's blog shows the release of her new fabric from Cloud 9. The collection is called Alegria. Can't beat it, two of my favs, design and fabric. I have used these examples in classes before. Why don't some of you look at your designs to see if you have anything worthy of print not on paper, not on the web, but on FABRIC!

Congratulations Geninne on your beautiful work. I hope this is inspiration to many of you. I can't wait to touch and sew on some of these designs.

Have you learned anything new on Blogging?

Have you learned anything new to add to your blog recently. Just because you have started development of your blog, doesn't mean you are done. The learning curve continues. Share a tip or link that you like for 3 bonus pts. I just read about breadcrumbs used in Google search  http://www.bloggerplugins.org/2009/06/breadcrumb-for-blogger-blogspot.html and plan to try it soon. What blogs are you following? Share two links for sites you have found helpful to your blog or to you for 2 bonus pts.

Notice the New Look of My Blog?

You see the change to the style of the blog. What do you think. Go to template, Dynamic Views and try one for yourself. The one I am using is magazine. I will customize soon. Which one do you like the best for your blog?

SEO, Keyword Optimization

SEO, keyword optimization. Read the following two articles to enhance your chances of having your page search for keywords by Google, Yahoo, and other SEO sources.

http://www.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-seo/basics-of-search-engine-friendly-design-and-development

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/perfecting-keyword-targeting-on-page-optimization

Have you tested your SEO ranking? The following article gives you a step-by-step guide to search engine optimization.

http://www.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-seo

Now let's see what you have learned about SEO or keyword targeting. Respond by telling us how you have used keywords in one of your blog's pages? Have you used internal links, internal link targeting? Show us an example.

Chase Bank Overcharging? Does Social Media Really Work?

What fee does your bank charge to cash a check drawn on your bank by someone who is not a customer? What do bank charges have to do with digital media and social media you ask? I want to see if companies really do pay employees to search social media to see what is being said about their companies. Can we as individuals make a difference in how banks and other industries treat their customers? We know in some instances that we do. Bank of America pulled the fee for using its ATM card after customers used social media to protest. The Sun-Sentinel, Miami Herald, and other news outlets have reported on other examples. Let's find out if social media really works.

Here's my story. Today I visited Chase Bank to cash a check drawn on its bank. While waiting in line for the next available teller, I asked if Chase cashed checks drawn on its bank if I didn't have an account there. Yes, I was told, the bank does. When the teller was available to help me, I asked the same question. The teller responded yes, but immediately asked me if I wanted to open an account with Chase. I said no. After the teller asked for identification, fingerprinted my index finger, then started to cash the check, he told me that I needed to pay $27.50. Seriously? Ser-i-o-u-s-l-y! You've got to be kidding I said to the teller. He said no, he was telling the truth. If I wanted to open an account, the charge would be waived. The bank charges 2 percent of the check value to cash a check drawn on its bank, to a non-account holding customer. I was in shock, although with the way banks have been doing business and overcharging customers, I don't know why. I told the teller no thank you and asked for the check back. So, to get my money, I must place the check in my bank account, wait for the check to be processed for the funds to be available, or else pay the fee.

So, is your bank charging fees like this? What do you think of the 2 percent charge? Is that the cost of doing business? Does it cost a bank $27.50 or more, to cash a check? What as customers of banks can we do? I want to see if Chase or other banks will get this message and respond. I am going to send this message to blogs, my classes, and to other social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook. Will you do the same? Can we make a difference? Share this with your contacts to see if businesses really do hear us.

Design a Day. Is it for You?

If you are working on your portfolio, looking for a job, working and not doing what you want, or are just a regular Joe, student, you will enjoy this post: http://www.gomediazine.com/design-articles/hannes-beers-all-day-everyday-project/. That about describes everyone doesn't it. This article came to my google feed so I decided to check it out. This topic of something a day has been making the rounds in social media for a year or two. This is just the author's twist (and a good one) on it. If you are considering doing an interview for your blog or podcast, this is a sample that could give you ideas. Create your own "something a day" to see what you can do. Link here if you do follow this lead.

Win $200 Book Cover Design Contest

Win $200 by designing book cover for CGS1060C.
2nd Annual book cover design contest
for CGS1060C to be used for 2012-2013 classes
offered by Pearson Publishing Company

1. File format: all designs must be submitted in native format (psd, ai, or indd) as well as jpg, tiff, and PDF. The design must be created for Print. Size 8.25 x 10.75, spiral bound. The text needs to be in a separate layer from the design so editing can be done if necessary.
2. This wording must be placed on front cover: Fifth Custom Edition for Broward College, South Campus. CGS1060C Course Textbook Bundle. This required bundle includes an MIL access code and selected chapters from two textbooks. Back cover just continues background graphics, ISBN and Pearson logo. The current & previous winning covers are attached. These are included to let you see the design of previous editions. This in no way means you should create something like these. Use as guides only.
3. Design: Let your imagination and creativity take over. Think of all the topics covered in the course: Microsoft apps, Windows, computer technology, security, Internet, hardware, software, social apps and so on. Don't use icons of PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Windows as that is too drab and expected.
4. The faculty on South wants a cover that will attract attention to South Campus and the course. Preference will be given to designs that show this as a South Campus book (drawing, cartoon, photograph, whatever you visualize as South Campus). The current cover is in lime green. The new design must use color other than that color so students can recognize the correct textbook to buy.
   
5. Students must be in computer or Digital Media classes on South Campus to apply. No previous winner can apply. The winner will need to sign a release of reproduction rights to Pearson Publishing. You will be credited for the design in the inside of the book.
   
6. Think abstract, you donÕt need computers to show technology, but you do need to show the concept of technology. Your clients are students. What design will engage a user and encourage a student to open the book.
   
7. You can design the book cover in Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign. Graphics must be designed by you, with any graphics or photography copyright free. If you use a special font for the text, make sure to include the font with your files.
   
8. Deadline: March 16, midnight. Place all files in a folder with your name on it. Zip the folder. Email the zipped file to slambert@broward.edu. Print the front and back cover and place them in a pony envelope to OST/Digital Media Technology office, Bldg. 70, R. 203, addressed to Suzanne Lambert.
   
9. Winner to be selected by OST faculty by March 20.
   
10. Winner will receive $200.
    
11. Winner's design will be used on book cover for 2012-2013 school year, and in addition the winner will receive publicity in Broward College media. This is a great opportunity to add to your portfolio and may open up job opportunities as well. This is a quick deadline. You will need to work under pressure to get the job done. This is a real job! Show us what you can do!

previous winner, Rafael Alvalos

current edition

Have you Blogged today?

What have you done this week to increase traffic to your site? Have you blogged, tweeted, FB, LinkedIn? Get busy now. Find links that have helped you and share them here. First 5 responses with information get 3 bonus pts. for discussion. Talk me into bonus pts for more than the first 5. See this link to inspire you. http://www.pbdink.com/blog/2011/12/31/social-networking-worth-time-spent-it/.
I found this through LinkedIn recommendations.

Have you read introduction-to-marketing-analytics.pdf?

Have you read the post from last week on blogging and marketing analytics? If you haven't here is your second reminder. This is worth the read. The free download is worth the read. You can also find the pdf on the blackboard site for the class. Pamela Vaughn has done a great job in covering many of the terms, definitions, sources, for analyzing and marketing your blog. http://www.hubspot.com/thank-you-inbound-marketing-analytics-ebook/?guid=1f3875e5-a022-4fc9-9c07-c28fb39e29c0&submissionGuid=d040a050-4f1d-47ba-aff5-5e671930a7f6 read this now.

10 Amazing Blogging Insights Your Analytics Can Tell You

Read more: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/30737/10-Amazing-Blogging-Insights-Your-Analytics-Can-Tell-You.aspx#ixzz1kyFLMI6N

Posted by Pamela Vaughan

Fri, Jan 13, 2012 @ 12:50 PM

 If you're regularly creating content to fuel your inbound marketing strategy, you're probably using a blog to publish the bulk of it. That's fantastic, since we know businesses that blog more than 20 times per month generate 5 times more traffic than businesses that blog fewer than 4 times per month (they also generate 4 times more leads than businesses that don't blog at all!).

With all that content, traffic, and leads you're generating, are you aware that you're sitting on a gold mine of valuable data? Did you also know that you can leverage all that data to glean valuable insights and improve the performance of your blog content? You just have to know how to use it! Let's break it down by the individual blog metrics you should be tracking so you can start making incremental improvements to your blog and generating even more traffic and leads using data that's right under your nose.

Read more: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/30737/10-Amazing-Blogging-Insights-Your-Analytics-Can-Tell-You.aspx#ixzz1kyEq3LNh

Are you posting regularly to your blog? What is your tracking telling you.

Have you tried Pinterest

Have you tried Pinterest.com? I just read more information today on how companies are using www.pinterest.com for branding, organizing, blogging and so much more. This article http://www.blogworld.com/2012/01/21/35-brilliant-bloggers-talk-about-pinterest/comment-page-1/#comment-35138 led me to this post. I visited a number of the links in branding and agreed with much of what the authors are saying. Take a look and tell me what you think. If you have used Pinterest, how and why.

Blog Site Addresses

Please link to your blog site, add your name, and a brief description of your blog so that everyone can go to each others' blogs. Everyone in class should reply to this post.