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.