BrandMyMail is a free service that allows your business to incorporate your emails with data from your social media sites, such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The application provides a user-friendly template for designing beautiful and eye-catching emails: simply add your latest Facebook posts and tweets with an easy drag and drop. Tired of the plain, white backdrop that surrounds your emails’ text? BrandMyMail even allows you to spruce things up with textured and colorful backgrounds. Download the BrandMyMail extension to your company Gmail account to begin developing your new, snazzy emails. Don’t have Gmail? Not a problem: BrandMyMail will apply your desired template and send your email through your own SMTP server.

Further enhance your Orange County web development strategies by upgrading to BrandMyMail’s premium subscription, which provides an analytical breakdown of your company emails. Are you wondering if your subscribers are paying more attention to your Facebook or YouTube links, or if they’re even opening your messages at all? See how often your emails are being looked and which components are being clicked on most. For a meager $39 a year, the premium subscription could help you pinpoint which portions of your emails are best marketing your brand and appealing to your subscribers.

Brandastic.com builds world-class brands and can help you optimize your Orange County web design potential with applications like BrandMyMail. Brandastic is a Southern California based company focused on relationship, excellence, and service. When you are ready to be noticed, to really stand out, contact Brandastic.

Don’t Clutter

Placing too much information and too many images on your homepage is an eyesore for your audience and may even deter them from your site completely. A homepage should invite a potential customer in, not scare them away with information overload. Summarize what your business offers in a clear, concise manner and incorporate a handful of images. If you wish to showcase many images on your homepage, try developing a slideshow where each image is enlarged for a period of seconds – this way you are engaging your audience for a longer period of time without asking them to view many images at once. Try to minimize the necessity of scrolling on your homepage; the more scrolling required, the more information you have provided and the more likely your potential customer is to become disinterested. Provide a sidebar with links to other areas of your website, such as a full ‘about’ section, contact information, pricing and so on.

Choose the Right Font and Color Scheme

The typography of your website should reflect your company’s services. For example, a real estate firm is best emulated with simple, contemporary fonts like Century, not playful fonts like Comic Sans. Limit the number of fonts used on your homepage to two or three: more may make your reader tired or confused. If you are using more than one font, there should be a pattern in order to better organize information and direct your readers’ eyes. Place your headings and links in one font and your copy or paragraphed information in a separate font. Lastly, choose a color scheme that is easy on the eye. You wouldn’t paint the exterior of your home bright orange with lime green shutters, would you? Your homepage background and font colors should complement each other and provide fluidity to your site.

Update, Update, Update!

One of the most frustrating things about visiting business homepages is finding outdated information and old design techniques – if you don’t take the time to update your homepage, then why should your visitors be interested in what you have to say? Keep things current by providing fresh photographs and information. A great way to ground your homepage in the present is by embedding live feeds or links to your company’s social media accounts. This shows that your Orange County web development strategies are up-to-date and may even intrigue customers into moving beyond the homepage.

Brandastic.com builds world-class brands and eye-catching websites and can help you maximize your Orange County web design potential. Brandastic is a Southern California based company focused on relationship, excellence, and service. When you are ready to be noticed, to really stand out, contact Brandastic.

Know the Audience for Your Brand
Your business must know the demographic for your product. Facebook users do not use Facebook to check on ads and businesses. You must target your message to a specific audience. Facebook will soon be allowing marketers to optimize their ads for any Facebook action. Your business will be able to optimize your budget, spending money on the Facebook action you want most. (Are you a ‘like’ or a ‘share?’) Use the data you get from Facebook to better target your potential clients. Then looking at the feedback on your Facebook page to help you improve your business.

Engage Your Customers Effectively
Successful businesses are constantly finding ways to integrate their social media sites with their website and, if applicable, their storefront. Think about launching a competition through Facebook. A video competition is one way to drive traffic for your business. The video that gets the most ‘likes’ wins one of a deal, a free product or service.

Interface Beyond Facebook
If you have a big Facebook following, make sure there are easy links to your website, and make sure your the homepage of your website is enticing and easy to navigate with a call to action…like a phone number or lead generation form. If you want to make sure your website top notch, enlist the help of a website design company like Brandastic. Highlight new product launches, sales, and openings on both your website and your social media sites. Look around on Facebook and other social sites often. Look at what others are doing around you to get ideas. Don’t forget – social media is social. You need to keep the conversation going and your business growing, which can include going out and having lunch or coffee with people off-line. Start blogging and speaking about your business often, so others can know what you are up to. This touch-point is a key part of business development.

Brandastic.com is always here to help. We build great websites that will keep your Facebook users engaged and excited. Brandastic is a Southern California based company focused on relationship, excellence, and service. When you are ready to be noticed, to really stand out, contact Brandastic.

Chartbeat not only will show the geographic location of you audience, but also will determine how web surfers find and access your website, interact with and share content on social media platforms. The dashboard application even goes so far to tell you how long your audience is engaged, whether they are reading a page, writing about a page or idle on your website and how many pixels an individual has scrolled down on a page. Chartbeat allows you to observe what’s trending on your website and what portions of your site aren’t receiving as much traffic. Use all of the live data Chartbeat compiles to improve your Orange County web design and adjust your company’s SEO.

Successful companies like Electronic Arts, Starbucks, Red Bull and Foursquare use the Chartbeat application to collect and interpret real-time data provided by website visitors. Visit chartbeat.com for a look at the demo and a free 30-day trial.

Why Chartbeat? It’s analytical breakdown, attention to detail and simple design make it easy and fun to manage your website. Ultimately, it allows you to determine what is currently working on your website and what may need to be changed in order to boost traffic. At a low cost of $9.95 per month, it’s an inexpensive and effective means to advance your Orange County web development strategies.

Brandastic.com builds world-class brands and eye-catching websites and can help you manage your Orange County website design with applications like Chartbeat. Brandastic is a Southern California based company focused on relationship, excellence, and service. When you are ready to be noticed, to really stand out, contact Brandastic.

20.1 million people utilized QR codes on their smartphones in the fall of 2011 (com.score).  Many companies, including Calvin Klein and Ford, have famously used QR codes to their advantage. To gain an edge in the Orange County marketing arena a QR code must be utilized correctly.

Connection

QR codes should enhance, not distract. You must ensure that your content connects fluidly. You should also consider the ability of your QR code to direct your customer to various sources of information relating to your business. Social media sites like Facebook are just one of the places you can direct your customers to. Think about what would create a more rich experience; if your product is wine for instance, you could connect your QR user to an information page about the vineyard you use.

Creativity

The ways to use QR codes for your Orange County Marketing campaign are limitless. You could place them on products, and these codes could connect with social media sites attached to your business, or could direct right to the purchase page of your website. A QR code on the outside of a business could link to open hours and holiday schedules. A menu could be attached to a QR code inside a business. You can put them on stationery or business cards that would direct the user to your site.

Consideration

QR codes that provide information about where the user is being redirected are appreciated. Also, think about your user. Where are they when they scan your code? Putting QR codes high out of reach, or linking to content that is not useful (i.e. directions to your business inside of your business) is not the most effective way to use QR codes for your Orange County Website.

Conversation

QR codes are a fantastic way to interact with your customer. They can personalize the experience; have different QR codes link to different sites based on locations. QR codes could also direct individuals to a satisfaction survey.  Your QR code that redirects to your Facebook page allows individuals to interact with other followers.

Competition

Effective use of a QR code is a great way to get your Orange County Website to stand out from competitors. Think – where is your competition using QR codes, and where could you improve? Some companies have used QR codes to link to coupons. Some place a QR code on an advertisement for a well performing product that links to an underperforming product. A QR code that creates a unique user experience can create loyalty. Imagine a QR code that links to a Youtube page showing people enjoying your product.

If you are ready to use QR codes to boost your Orange County business, Brandastic is a great place to begin. QR-away!

Brandastic.com builds world-class brands and eye-catching websites that can be integrated with QR codes.  Brandastic is a Southern California based company focused on relationship, excellence, and service. When you are ready to be noticed, to really stand out, contact Brandastic.

Use hashtags
Instagram introduced hashtags to make photos visible to a larger audience. Simply snap a photo of the beach, tag #beach in a comment and click on the hashtag to be taken to a page containing all other photos tagged #beach. Hashtags not only allow masses of people to access your photos, but also may gain your Instagram account more followers. Use hashtags with your Orange County brand name and slogans to appeal to many sets of eyes and to execute marketing campaigns.

Carry out campaigns and contests
In late 2011, Ford held a 6-week contest on Instagram (called “Fiestagram”) where users uploaded photos that captured the qualities of the new Ford Fiesta. Users were encouraged to snap photos that represented the high-tech features of the Fiesta in exchange for weekly prizes and a Ford Fiesta, the grand prize for one lucky winner. Upwards of 16,000 photos were submitted via weekly hashtags and Ford successfully marketed the Fiesta’s advanced technology and state of the art characteristics. Generate a following for your Orange County brand by developing a photo campaign that permits fans to interact with your company on a deeper level.

Connect your pictures with other social media applications
Instagram is largely a mobile application—there is no online database where uploaded photos are stored. However, users have the option of connecting their photos with their other social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter. Providing a link between your company’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts allows for connectivity and fluidity of your brand and may even earn you more followers. Ford displayed is “Fiestagram” information on its Facebook page, providing a link between two separate social media realms. In just 6 weeks, Ford saw an astronomical increase of traffic on its Facebook page and gained over 120,000 fans. Increase your Orange County website and social media popularity by weaving all of your company platforms together.

Go beyond the product
People love Instagram because it allows for simple, artistic expression. For the average Instagramer, it’s a tool used to document everyday life and to express one’s point of view. Try to take this same approach when marketing your Orange County brand through Instagram. Upload photographs beyond your actual product: show your fans why your company is important, what you’re all about. Billabong, a surf clothing company, uses its Instagram account in this very way: almost all of the photographs capture surfers riding giant waves, ultimately embodying the surfer mentality of freedom, determination and seizing the day.

Connect with your followers
Instagram is not just about sharing your pictures for the world to see; it’s also about following other users. Connect with your fans on a deeper level by paying attention to what they are uploading. Follow them, like their photos, leave comments, answer their questions, learn from them: notice your users as much as they notice you.

Brandastic.com builds world-class brands and eye-catching websites. Our services provide new standards and improved ways to interact! Brandastic is a Southern California based company focused on relationship, excellence, and service. When you are ready to be noticed, to really stand out, contact Brandasatic.

Relevance. The Pebble watch capitalizes on current tech trends. If your website is not generating the traffic you want, perhaps it is time to call on an Orange County web design team. If you are finding it challenging to keep up with the rapidly changing pace of online marketing and website features, Brandastic will help you stay abreast of changes.

Seamless integration. Pebble boasts of its ability to work fluidly with existing products. If your Orange County website lacks user friendly flow you are losing customers.  Same story if your branding is not consistent in person, on paper, and online.

Social Power. This e-paper watch known as the Pebble will likely reach 5 million dollars very soon-just from friends and supporters online. Properly leveraging social media connections on your Orange County website is imperative for success in the market. And finally,

Get out there. Had Migicovsky given up on his watch when revenue streams stalled, instead of putting it online, he never would have realized the overnight (or in this case, same day) success of his product. To reach a whole new level of success for your business, you absolutely must get a website. Immediately. The watch is ticking.

Brandastic.com builds world-class brands and eye-catching websites. Our services provide new standards and improved ways to interact! Brandastic is a Southern California based company focused on relationship, excellence, and service. When you are ready to be noticed, to really stand out, contact Brandasatic.

Instagram allows users to capture quick photos of anything they wish to share – what they ate for lunch, their current location – apply a photo filter, and upload the photo with captions to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter or the Instagram platform. From there, fellow Instagrammers are free to like and comment on uploaded photos. The application fosters a simple environment where everyone is free to create personal content and share it with whomever they wish.

Companies have been creating Instagram accounts to reach their consumers in a variety of ways, and there is no doubt that many more companies with delve into Instagram since Facebook acquired the application. Businesses are able to market their brand to the consumer on a more personal level by uploading pictures that take the consumer behind the corporate veil.

Similarly, Facebook recently developed the Timeline for brands, allowing companies around the world and in Orange County to showcase their services and products on a personal level with the consumer. This interface lets companies layout their history and achievements in a timeline format and also facilitates private messaging with consumers. This undoubtedly provides the consumer with a deeper insight of the company and direct communication with a representative in a social media setting.

These exciting changes in the social media world with unquestionably affect the marketing strategies of local businesses. Orange County web development and website design personnel can link their company websites to their Facebook Timeline and Instagram accounts, allowing consumers to get up close and personal with their favorite businesses. Brandastic.com is a Southern California based company focused on relationship, excellence, and service. When you are ready to be noticed, to really stand out, contact Brandasatic.

Art director Maximilian Pinegger and copywriter Justin Salice-Stephan, two 24-year-old’s from Miami Ad School took this feature to hart and created a cute airport luggage carousel guerrilla ad for the car and its roomy trunk. Many well-known brands and agencies support ad schools, most likely looking for indications of the next Alex Bogusky.

Three years later, though, branded apps no longer seem so fresh. Consumers download an average of 65 apps on their smartphones, but only use a handful on a daily basis. Marketers have discovered that getting fans to download your branded app is a fairly empty exercise if they never actually use them. But getting your branded app on a consumer’s shortlist is much more valuable.

Below are four branded apps, selected in part by mobile analytics firm Flurry, that manage to offer something of a unique selling proposition in the branded apps category. Some are useful, some are silly, but each have a viable chance of making it into the average consumer’s inner circle of apps. As the list shows, it doesn’t matter what industry you’re in — almost any brand can find engagement with the right app.

1. Walgreens

Flurry chose the drug store chain’s app for its “Refill by Scan” feature, which lets you order prescription refills by scanning the barcode directly off the pill bottle. Users can also receive push notification reminders when prescriptions are ready to be refilled.

Other features include photo, allowing users to take pictures with the phone, and then upload them to their Walgreens photo album and pick up the prints within the hour, along with more prosaic features, like a store finder and coupon information.

2. Ford Mustang Customizer

This app lets users create a custom mustang from hundreds of part/paint options. Once completed, users can “battle” with someone else and their custom Mustang, including friends on Facebook. The Ford brand also has another interesting app called Track Apps that shares real-time data about the car, like its acceleration and g-force when turning. It’s sort of like Nike Plus for a car.

3. Ford 2013 Fusion App

Ford created a lot of online buzz in 2010 when it introduced its 2011 Explorer on Facebook. A year and a half or so later, Facebook product intros had become passe, so Ford jumped on the mobile app trend. This app, which is no longer available, was designed to create excitement for the reveal of the 2013 Fusion on Jan. 10 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Activated by capturing the Ford logo, the app let fans access a virtual course, where they could test drive the car. A new course was added every day from early December until the reveal.

4. Heineken “Cheers”

A jokey app with a somewhat useful function, “Cheers” lets you simulate the “clink” sound of two bottles with your smartphone.

source: http://mashable.com