Paragon Media One Blog

Is Your Website Customer Centric?

nicole — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:26:57 +0000

Evaluating your site regularly is one of the most important things you can do to maintain it. One of the things you need to ask yourself during the site evaluation is if the site is customer-centric. What does this mean? A customer-centric website is centered completely around the potential customer’s wants and needs. This means the site needs to have a certain level of focus on customer benefits and overall experience while visiting the site. This can be obtained with different sales drivers such as customer loyalty programs, word-of-mouth advertising, and testimonials. After all, your sites visitors are potential clients, don’t you think they’re going to want to see some credentials before they sign the dotted line? Of course they are.

Web Design Mistakes Take Two

nicole — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:33:05 +0000

While designing your website, whether it’s a complete redesign, or you’re just starting out and want to launch a site. There are a few things you need to consider not doing. We’re here to help prevent you from making those horrible mistakes. Although these seem like no-brainers, a lot of companies make these simple mistakes. One of the mistakes companies make is leaving out search engine optimization. If your site isn’t optimized, it won’t show up in the search engines, so how can you expect anyone to get to the site? This is one of the problems you need to fix immediately. Another big one according to a recent online poll shows that downloadable PDF files are a huge annoyance to readers. It makes sense, you’re reading a really good article, but to finish it, you’ve got to click on a PDF. It breaks the flow of the surf, if you know what we mean. In accordance with this, make sure your text is able to be scanned. Some people just plain don’t like to read, and for those people, you must accommodate! Make sure that your text still makes sense when it’s scanned. The last and biggest problem we see with site design is the fact that promotional graphics are looking too much like junk ads! Surfers don’t like to see lots of ad clutter on a page, so try to keep your graphics fun instead of looking like an ad.

You Need a CMS… Now!

nicole — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:20:37 +0000

If you’re wondering what all the hype is about these CMS’s (Content Management Systems), we’ll tell you. With a CMS, you are able to instantly update your website’s content within seconds. As quickly as you can log in, and type the changes, your site is updated. Want to change out ads and images? Skip the step of calling your website development company, and change it the way you like it all on your own! The fact that you can do this means there are much cheaper maintenance costs, because you don’t need someone with web expertise to update your site. You can also ensure that your site always looks good and up to date, and it’s always available to you.

Digitally Aware: Promoting Purposeful Use of the Web in the Digital Era

nicole — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:32:55 +0000

With all the recent technology changes buzzing about, I decided to go out into the community for some new ideas. Technology in education is a growing concern for teachers and students alike. Teachers need to become more aware of how to use digital technology and media in their curriculum, as well as students learning how to embrace these technological advances for the sake of their future. It seems that someone needs to help to open the eyes and strengthen this awareness to the students and teachers.

Jeremy Weber, 23, did just that. Weber is a senior at Mercyhurst College, majoring in Art Education. He also attended U-Arts in Philadelphia for two years with a major in Painting. During his work-study program, assigned by Art Education Director, Camille Nischal, he has done much work in the field of technology research. As an extension of this work-study, his findings in research sparked an interest and passion for spreading technological awareness to local schools.

I attended Weber’s teaching workshop entitled “Digitally Aware: Promoting Purposeful Use of the Web in the Digital Era”, and was completely blown away. Being a student myself, working for a technology company, I was able to both share and learn information throughout the presentation. This workshop included ways to leverage technology and web tools to benefit the overall learning experience for students. Through social networking, wiki-host sites, folksonomies, and blogging, students were strongly urged to utilize the internet for more than just checking their own personal website or chatting with friends.

Weber believes that technology plays an important role in benefiting students’ futures. “I care about the youth and education. My courses at Mercyhurst have showed me that a majority of classes don’t have the type of tech prep that they need to live in today’s society, moreover, tomorrow’s.” Jeremy states. “[As educators] we need to start preparing students for their future, not ours.” Weber is a strong believer in universal learning; it is vital that everyone learns the ins and outs of technology to be successful in the future. “The majority of people aren’t using technology like they should.” Weber adds. He is a strong advocate for promoting 21^st century learning skills, and plans to embrace this style of learning throughout his teaching career.

So what did I learn at this workshop? I learned that technology is an ever-changing element, and it is something that we cannot avoid but must embrace with every aspect of ourselves in order to succeed in a digital world. “The computer in your cell phone is a million times cheaper and a thousand times more powerful, and about a hundred times smaller (than the one computer at MIT in 1965). So what used to fit in a building now fits into your pocket, what fits in your pocket now will fit inside a blood cell in twenty-five years.” –Ray Kurzweil

For more information regarding the purposeful use of technology in the classroom, or for information on how to schedule a workshop at your school, please contact:

Jeremy Weber:

jeremyeweber@gmail.com

(814) 490-5957

Biggest Redesign Mistakes

nicole — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:46:18 +0000

Is your company ready for a website redesign? We’ve given you tips on what to do now here are a few things you should avoid. One of the first things you need to avoid is the fact that some sites need redesign, some sites need redeveloped. To redesign your site, this entails, well, just the design. This means your content is where you’d like it to be, you just want to make the site more aesthetically pleasing using better graphics and better site design. Sometimes, this includes navigation, but navigation really isn’t the bulk of redesign. If your site needs redeveloped, however, this is a little more involved. A redevelop needs to occur when every aspect of your site needs revamped, and it might be better off to wipe the slate clean and start from scratch. You’ll still be keeping the main concepts in mind, but you’ll need to polish up your content as well as graphics and navigation, giving your site a total revamp. If you’ve got a static site, you may want to add a CMS (Content Management System) to make this much easier for everyone. Another thing to be sure to avoid is missing the initial target. A lot of times, you can get so caught up in the redesign, that you start to redesign everything, including the target market. Be sure to keep your company goal at heart while redesigning and redeveloping, otherwise you’ve done a lot of work for nothing! One last thing you need to avoid is a redevelop when everything is working out. If your site is bringing in great revenue, you don’t need to change a thing! You may still want to change your graphic design, but that’s alright as long as you keep your content and your goals in tact!

Ten Ways the Internet and Technology Has Changed Our Lives (That I bet you haven’t thought of!)

nicole — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:20:12 +0000

Looking for ways the internet has changed our lives has prompted me to think outside of the box. In my research, I’ve found all of the obvious ways, you know, cell phones, the internet lingo, and some of the other topics I have blogged, and will still blog about. For this entry though, I’ve decided to list the ways it has changed us that we don’t tend to think about, just for fun.

Your Lunch break – No longer do we even leave our desks, am I right? Isn’t lunchtime really “eat in front of your computer screen while personal e-mails are sent and facebook is checked” time? Look around your office at lunch time. Are people eating together, or making their food in a common area, and bringing it back to their respective “ designated holes”?
Watches – I recently bought my boyfriend a really nice watch for his birthday. I later realized, that we don’t really use watches anymore. While we’re either in front of the computer which has a built in clock, or holding on to our phones dearly, we’ve got a clock at our fingertips, and no longer on our wrists.
Giving Directions – Ahh, mapquest. Gotta’ love it. GPS, who can live without it nowadays? I remember on a road trip to Florida a few years ago, I had asked friends we were visiting (who might I add, lived in the area) for directions from Universal Studios to their own home. They simply replied, “Type it into your GPS!” Really? Thank goodness one of us actually had one, otherwise, we never would have gotten there.
Privacy – Think about this. Before facebook, did you walk around with all of your photo albums, every last one, including the “Oldies but goodies”? Or the “Embarrassing Christmas Party Photos”? I didn’t think so. It actually seems kind of silly! Now, we broadcast this information for everyone to see, and it’s accessible at any time. Tangible photography is losing its luster.
Confidence – This is a little more abstract, but if you’ve got a twitter, or a face book account, you will agree. You are definitely more confident with your thoughts. Letting everyone know what you’re doing. Before facebook, did you get up from your desk to announce that you are going to make a bangin’ ham and cheese sandwich for lunch? Did you call every one of your friends to tell them your plans for the rest of the day? Did you walk around quoting song lyrics aloud?
Mail – Not sure if anyone’s heard this recent decision, but they are thinking about stopping mail delivery on Saturdays! This is due to the lack of paper mail now that we can make payments online, e-mail our friends and relatives, and share photos over the internet. Is the postman going to be a thing of the past as the milkman is?
Debate – Let’s say you don’t agree with something someone you know (or don’t know, for the sake of the blog) is doing. Normally, you might just walk away, tell a friend about it later. Now, with the power of the internet, you can simply hide behind your computer, and not only tell multiple friends and family how you feel about said disagreement, but you can tell that person, and with confidence! (see Number 5)
Down Time – There is just no more of it! I guarantee if you’ve got a smart phone, with the internet and you have a second of downtime, you’re logging on to see what’s going on, or looking up that video the guy at the office was telling you about at lunch.
Memory – Ok, let’s play a little game of memory. Think about your contacts list in your phone. Which numbers could you dial at a payphone from memory, had you lost this precious handheld device? Probably only the ones you knew from way back when … before you even had a phone! With the luxury of an electronic memory, we no longer need to memorize numbers! (Except of course, the easy ones!)
Concentration/Productivity – How can you possibly concentrate on your work, when you’ve got the entire world literally at your fingertips? Enough said.

I hope that was a little break from your ever-so-busy day, and I hope it got you thinking! I still want to know what you think! Get involved. Post some ways you think the internet’s changed our lives… I can’t wait to hear your answers!

Until next time,

Nicole

Internet Changes in the Health Care Industry

nicole — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:33:47 +0000

More and more, doctors are hearing, “I read on the internet”, or “WebMD says”, when they are listening to a patient inquire about an ailment. This is because information has become so accessible. Internet surfers are more likely to check something out online before going to see a doctor, both to prevent embarrassment, and to eliminate the trip to the doc if it’s something trivial. More and more, we’re finding that people are looking for a reliable source of medical information online, both through reading what doctors have to say, and in forums where people who aren’t necessarily qualified are giving out tips and information from their own experiences. This can be both good and bad. Good, because that cold you may have thought was bronchitis is in actuality a cold, and you’ve just saved yourself a trip to the doctor, but bad because a few days later, you might find that the cold was in fact bronchitis, and now it’s worsened. We’ve all done it, had symptoms of some kind, and decided to “Google it” before calling the doc. However, is this the right decision? What do you think?

Facebook

nicole — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:36:06 +0000

Facebook. Love it, hate it, make fun of it, or be completely obsessed with it, if you haven’t set up an account by now, I’m sure you’ve been bugged to by friends and coworkers, or at the very least heard so much about it. For those who may not be familiar, facebook is a social networking site, created a few years ago by Mark Zuckerburg, who is arguably a social networking genius. So you’ve got this wall. Friends can write on it, post pictures on it, you can post and write on it. I feel that facebook is a huge example of how the internet changes communication because that’s exactly what the site is… online communication. Here you can view and comment on a friend’s photos, you can give them an opinion on their thoughts/actions, and you can leave them messages for them to check later. This completely eliminates any use for a phone, or writing letters (which have been ruled out for quite some time now), or even texting. Confidence levels are proven to have risen, you might talk to that old friend from high school that you had a thing for, but never got the courage to ask out. You might tell a coworker what you really think, all behind a computer screen. A little impersonal, yes, but extremely personal in another sense. Before facebook, how many of your friends’ tangible photo albums have you thumbed through? Probably not too many, and probably only the friends you’re very close with. This makes communication both easier and more convienient. Let me know what your thoughts are on Mark Zuckerburg’s internet creation.

Smart Phones – Revolutionary or Creepy?

nicole — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:06:32 +0000

Since I’ve been writing this blog about how the internet is constantly changing around us, I can’t help but actually notice how true it actually is in real life. As we talk about communication and how the internet has changed it, two experiences come to my mind. How many of you have a smart phone? I’ve got a blackberry, although I’m not sure I’d call it smart. I’ve seen the iPhone, and the Droid, and I must admit, I feel a little creeped out by them. Being able to see homes and businesses from an aerial view seems “cool” to some, but worrisome to those who feel technology may be getting too smart. Where do you stand? Around Thanksgiving, one of my cousins showed me his iPhone, the phone with an app for everything, including a Zippo app. This application seemed extremely pointless to me, it was a virtual lighter! Now, I’m not a smoker, but I would think that a virtual lighter would almost be more of an annoyance to someone who is. It did have a few other cool things on it though, I must admit. Now, the other day, I was at a friend’s house who had just recently purchased the Droid. This phone to me was both creep, and revolutionary. Creepy because in all actuality, this phone really is smart. This phone has more uses than just a phone. I was completely amazed when she showed me that the Droid could also be uses as.. a metal detector? Did my eyes deceive me? No, they did not, and this phone means business. I can’t give an honest comparison of the two, because I didn’t physically pick up either phone and explore myself, but I must admit, I did wonder if the metal detector would work on the virtual Zippo lighter! My question for you today is what is your stance on smart phones? Do you think they’re revolutionary? Or are they just too smart and creepy?

Grammatical Errors?

nicole — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:14:18 +0000

Grammar

“I before E, except after C”… unless you’re using T9 or have a spell check tool that is. With technology and the internet, it’s almost impossible to be a poor speller nowadays. If you’re sending a text message, chances are you’ve got the entry mode set to T9, and if you are unsure of a word, it’ll type it for you, or fix it after you’re done typing it. If you’re in a word document, the spell checker is right there for you, and if you’re still unsure, you can always go to www.dictionary.com, and find out not only the spelling, but the meaning, some synonyms, antonyms, and different uses for the word! How has the internet and technology helped you with your spelling and grammar?

Internet Lingo

Joey: Wtf?!

Susan: Idk!

Joey: Sry

Susan: Lol!

Joey: Brb

Hmm, fifteen letters in that entire conversation. Not bad for a time saver. Do you know what they’re saying? Of course you do. Whether you’re typing on a social networking site, in a personal email, an instant messenger, or a text message, I’m sure at the very least, you’ve used Lol. We’ve got some other ones that might be useful to you.

143: I Love You

2G2BT: Too Good to Be True

4EAE: Forever and Ever

4COL: For Crying Out Loud

<3: Heart

ABT2: About To

AFC: Away From Computer

AKA: Also Known As

ASAP: As Soon As Possible

B4N: Bye for Now

BBL: Be Back Later

BZ: Busy

CUL8R: See you Later

DMI: Don’t Mention It

DWBH: Don’t Worry Be Happy

F2F: Face to Face

FTR: For The Record

FWD: Forward

FYEO: For Your Eyes Only

GFN: Gone For Now

GTG: Got To Go

HNK: Hugs n Kisses

HAGD: Have a Good Day

HIG: How’s it Going

ILY: I Love You

JC: Just Checking

JK: Just Kidding

JW: Just Wondering

MYOB: Mind Your Own Business

NMU: Not Much, You?

ROFL: Rolling On The Floor Laughing

STS: So To Speak

TAFN: That’s All For Now

TTFN: Ta Ta For Now

TTYL: Talk To You Later

THX: Thanks

TY: Thank You

Hopefully you’ll find a use for these fun acronyms, and until next time, TAFN, TTYL, HAGD, and remember, DWBH!

-Nicole