I admit I stole the photo from a great blog written by Tenessa Gemelke with Brain Traffic entitled “When Words Fail”. To me it provided relevant context for the importance of planning effective content strategy because it has the potential to change the entire spirit of communication. Content isn’t just words and information, it is the diligent approach to messaging; it serves a purpose and provides guidance to its audience.

Words can be very quickly misunderstood and that can lead your users in the wrong direction, confused and unconnected to your goals and overall objectives. Words and content can make or break your web presence. They set the tone, guide the user and allow for better engagement with your audience. Good content strategy can be your differentiator if done correctly and can ultimately set you apart amongst the noise.

Content strategy has to be part of the design thinking process, part of the entire approach to web development and design. It is as critical as how something is graphically designed or how it gets coded. Content strategy is integral in the web design and development process and if done correctly also complements traditional and online marketing integrations in a way that allows for the deepest levels of engagement.  It can mean the difference between how traditional media integrates with online media and marries in a way for the ultimate user experience. Let’s face it. Content rules.

Content strategy is part of our fabric. We believe it is a critical piece of the entire Design Thinking philosophy and part of our approach in every client engagement. For content to be most effective, it is critical to know where you want your business to be and how you expect growth.  Know where your online audience lives and works and plays. Know what they want to see, hear and understand. Know how they want to consume information. Know what they want to know and how they look for data. Then…use content as a strategic arsenal to get there.

Content rules in today’s hyper-interactive environment.  It has made people rich. It has caused people heartache. It has misguided and guided. But at the end of the day, perception is reality and content can provide a clear path to success if done strategically.

We are looking for good people to join our team.  We are building a talented and creative team here at LifeBlue and we are looking for amazing people to work with us. We recently brainstormed why we like to work at the LB. We decided to have some fun with it and held a Campfire chat (even though we were within 10 ft of each other, we just wanted to play with our new toy)…here is what we came up with – director’s cut, extended version, no edits:

Welcome friends -  greetings! - are we supposed to start listing our reasons? -  Not yet, minor technical difficulties waiting for everyone to login - i’m here. - Welcome Ben. - Is anyone else joining out there? - this makes me laugh - I’m not out there. - This is good because we will have instant transcription – cool - i think we are all here now.  - Alright, I think that is everyone  - before we start I will lay some ground rules- This is intended to be sort of a mind map format where we can branch off great ideas with the ultimate goal to create a plethora of content that we can then determine what sticks the most. - what is…interactive?- Keep in mind this content is primarily geared towards a recruiting perspective. - I am not looking for fluff or BS, simply truthful, concise reasons why working at the # is the bomb.com.  - Once the conversation starts, let’s limit the jokes and focus on the task at hand. The idea is to just write and we can tweak it later. - Any questions? - Nope – nope - nope - quad nope - Let the fruits of your mind, unwind…Commence! - so, this may sound cheesy, but i think one thing that makes working at Lb great is that we all aspire to greatness.  - we have an opportunity here to build our dream company to work for. - We are game changers for our client’s businesses.  - Ok for me it is the atmosphere and how we all seem to be very forward thinking and not thinking of the past or present but of the FUTURE - i like the passion/purpose mentality - We are all grown-ups which translates into limited micro-managing and reflects the ability to have a results oriented work environment. - Flexibility, agility, willing to experiment (things like that) - Everyone has a desire to contribute to the goal(s) at hand - We are experimental - i think there is a hunger here that is nice to be a part of. we know what we are capable of basically, it boils down to a couple of things - love, passion, and integrity. - We all have a voice.  - quality over quantity - We have the ability to communicate opinions in a highly productive manner - Adventurous thinking..how can we do things better by thinking outside or the norm. - results driven - trust in each other to be accountable, professional, and that we will always give our best effort. - We have become more and more organized with clients and has shown in the end result - We have people from all different types of backgrounds. - This all wraps around the results only mentality. We reward intensity, excellence and passion rather than basing our work on meeting arbitrary HR guidelines. - An environment that nourishes knowledge and personal growth. - We don’t suck.  - We all become better each and every day.  - we are cool.  - Lifeblue Employee != Robot  - honesty - hopefully we all can be honest with each other, with our clients, and with where we are as a company. - FYI we can have some light hearted ones similar to ” We don’t Suck”  - PANDORA  - We smell good  - I also like the diversity of interests/experience within our team, I think it adds to our creativity  - lol - For instance my ping pong skills have increased 10 fold - I feel awkward. - you’re welcome russel - geek is a term of endearment here - Free use of dry erase markers during meetings. - feeling awkward - that’s a good one. “come to work at LB - you’ll feel awkward.” - loverboy is respected – amen. -  and journey - especially journey. - this is going a bit off topic? - and phil collins - hey, russel asked for it. - i don’t think so…these are VERY important to me - Our music compilations are insights into a world of schizophrenic madness - tarot reader in-house - nice - super cool - We have more collective tattoos than a Sturgis bike rally - wow - chili cook-off - not bad. - have you been to a sturgis bike rally? lol - Cinco de Mayo - LUNCHTIME - we have a cool office, and we all have input into how it looks and feels. oh and btw, our walls right now are pretty much a blank canvas. - No, but I can only imagine. - That’s killing you isn’t it ben - Where else can you get company branded shoes? - Apple versus PC - the desks are tall…- Book club isn’t just for dorks;) - be careful with the pc thing, we don’t want to scare off too many talented professionals - CUSTOM desks HHHAAA - No, we can advertise that we have frequent Mac vs PC cage matches. - UFC Style - We’re freaking friendly - We have enough caffeine reserves to kill a small animal - We are freaky - btw, if we’re going to have more tattoos than a stergis bike rally, you guys need to step up to the needle. i’ve done my part. - Endless supply of Dubble Bubble  - And it’s free.  - actually, double bubble almost gone. - crap. - thank goooooodnesss - we have sodie pop in the fridge and free water - We have fresh water - Design Thinking driving our business model (iterative, experimental) - our office is above victoria’s secret….that just sounds cool - working here will up you game, make you better at what you do/challenge you. - I’m glad one of the girls said that. - There is no trivial position in our organization - There are no cubes - just pinwheels - no trivial position…but we do have trivial pursuit in the fun room. - there is a toaster oven - and wits and wagers in P! office - You can do your Christmas shopping on your lunch break 2 days before Christmas - you are free to belch out loud. - really? - you mean you havent heard? it’s all justin. he’s rude. - missed it i think - We might be the funniest people in existence - true. - we share lots of odd food stories… - Food is a common topic - we are all married…which is a little unique - Potential is rewarded with opportunity. - whoa whoa - not to each other of course - ha! - 99% of the people here walk around with no shoes on. oh wait, that might actually be a deterrent to recruitment. – hilarious! - I’m only 1%? - /CRY - sorry justin…your close enough to being married - no, you are .5%. i’m the other .5% - amen - almost…almost - i’m not wearing shoes now - trust me, i am aware. - neither am i - again - aware. - nix what i said about us smelling good - Some of us wear paper bags on our head - for long periods of time - Creepy paper masks are optional - LB gave me a sketch book - hopefully this forum can replace actual verbal communication.  - we have fake grass on our walls - We have had neighbors check in on us because we were having too much fun - hmmm - We embrace change and thrive on new tech. - LB Blocks let us work on rocking internal projects (a little bit like Google’s 20% Time). - that’s a good one! - I like LB University - “Blocks” in general offer a nice change of pace (and we make videos) - We are very picky with whom we work with - We strive to walk the talk for ourselves and our clients - we are encouraged to learn - we are forced to smell the glove. - and bring new ideas, thoughts and opinions to the table - …and smell the glove. - Pearl - oh yes…Pearl… - Nuf said, that’s the do all end all - We have a mascot - a beautiful mascot - well educated mascot - a matriarch - Just post Pearl on the recruiting page, that’ll be all you need. - is planking on the list anywhere? - a picture won’t hurt - it is now! - We have a fold out couch - we do? - wait that folds out!? - So how about collaboration? - I think so, at least the back is supposed to lay all the way down - Collaboration is more than a buzzword - We play nice with each other. - maybe this has been said already, but we all have a say in who we are. being with a small agency like this means you have a chance to make a real impact and get unique experience. - Alright folks…that ends our session, like the room description suggests feel free to come back and add anytime you feel like it. Thank you for all the comments, I think there is a lot to work with? Lunch anyone? - i like lunch. - go big or go home! - more lunch  

As you can see we came up with a long list. But we think it all can be summarized in a few words. At the LB you have the opportunity to be intentional and passionate about your role. The details matter and your voice matters. Whether that means choosing the exact typeface in a design or using PHP to build sites that are super dynamic or using CSS3 to animate a logo. We talk about things like progressive enhancement and graceful degradation and everything in between. Details matter. Our clients matter. You will matter. We work hard and we play hard.

Convinced yet?  Check out our current job postings.

 Marketing and customers are two words that have been around for years. Transactions have been a part of cultural norms most likely as far back as the caveman days. I’m not sure where or when the actual word “marketing” became widely known, but certainly the concept is not new. How we market however, has evolved as both customers and commerce have progressed.

Marketing used to be all about “push”.  Essentially companies just shouting the value of their products hoping to incite people to go buy them. It was a one-way medium. That worked for a while and then a theory popped up that suggested the customer become the center of marketing efforts and the traditional 4P’s (Product, Price, Place and Promotion) became more about Consumer, Cost, Convenience, Communication – you got it, the 4 C’s. I don’t think any of this gets lost in our new digital age, but I certainly would argue the world of social collaboration, digital engagement and interactive strategy have birthed many new ways to engage with consumers.  This in turn has dramatically changed our approach to creating marketing strategies that build intimate connections with consumers.

So what should we be considering instead of the traditional marketing approach? We need to begin the process of looking at these marketing concepts a bit differently. Online and digital strategies have changed the way consumers engage, influence and make purchasing decisions. There are apps for everything from buying a movie ticket to depositing a check. We can search in Facebook, Bing, Yahoo, Google and Twitter for anything imaginable.  There are influencing reviews on everything from doctors to restaurants. E-commerce is now in Facebook. All of these items designed in a way to leverage a new evolving marketing mix. So what should we be thinking about?  Hear me out on this…in a recent brainstorming session here at LB we referred to it as SSED:

• Place is now about Search Engines and discoverability – location, location, location.
• Promotion is now about Social influence and engagement – real-time engagement and influence.
• Product has become more about Experience – creating a more intimate connection.
• Price has become second to Design in many ways – functionality and utility over cost.

I am not suggesting we dismiss the previous P’s and C’s, yet that we simply allow for new factors (you guessed it… the SSED’s) in the ongoing marketing game. Interactive strategies must embrace these new paradigms and create digital footprints that leverage each of these new tenets to create a wholistic marketing strategy. Interactive is now as important as traditional mediums. The intricate details and objectives of each must be woven together in a way that complements and provides a 360 view of the consumer and subsequently how we build connections with them. Websites and social mediums are the new storefronts and it is critical they be created and ultimately designed in a way to maximize this new SSED approach.

It’s a whole new ballgame and B2B and B2C marketing is requiring the balance of the traditional 4P’s with these new and engaging ways to market in real time. Search, Social Influence, Experience and Design are all going to play a larger part in how we evolve marketing strategies and leverage the digital landscape. 

Are your users engaged in your site?  Does it deliver an experience that leaves them “wowed”?  At lifeBLUE, we apply design thinking to everything we do.  We take a holistic approach to design and believe it encompasses all elements of form and function and enables users to feel embraced and engaged while delivering on an excellent usability experience. At LB, design is more than gaphics and layout, it is the fundamental basis for everything we do and how we approach web development and design for our clients.

Our client’s user is at the heart of our effort and we involve our customers in the design process for several reasons;

·        Most of our clients have established businesses and know their customer base better than we ever could; we are here to help deepen their engagement with them.

·        Our client is our customer and (say it with me)…”the customer is always right.” Well, some of the time but that is the purpose of this post.

·        Our clients come to us with a need and our goal is to exceed their expectation and give their users an experience.  It’s not just about building pretty websites.

I am certain you have been to the site that screams fun beautiful graphic on the home page and then the experience leaves you feeling disconnected.  Maybe navigation is wrong, buttons are misplaced, or forms are cumbersome and hard to use.  Seem like minor details in a website experience, but nothing to sneeze at.  The details are critical in delivering an experience for your users that feels amazing and leaves them engaged and satisfied.  You may love your website and how it looks, but user experience tells the real story. Remember, your customer is always right.

Users are at the heart of all that we do. Sometime when you are involved with creating a website, you can become lost in the fun of going through the process and creating something “glitzy”. You may think a flashy graphic or wild background is appealing, your customers might not. What most users want is to easily navigate your website quickly and painlessly; all packaged in a design that makes them feel embraced and engaged.  Not to mention, you also want them to come back. The trick is to get them to love your website as much as you do.

We balance creative and technology to bring the user experience to life.  We want both you and your users to love your website.  We believe in designing and creating amazing online experiences and we create custom designs uniquely for each client. 

A lot of web designers today look at text as a secondary element of a design, when in fact type is one of the most highly used elements of design on the web. When we think of visual text we think of typography, and typography is a critical component of the appeal on a page.

Many people look at type as just being text on a page and not as an actual form of art. Clearly I don’t agree, so let me explain why. Type can be used in many different forms. It creates an artistic flow within the rest of the design, type has to be arranged in a way that doesn’t break up the design, and it keeps viewers naturally interested in a design. It’s used to show emotion, atmosphere, design, direction, flow, space and so on.

Typography also provides a form of visual communication in understanding what the designer is trying to express. And on a side note, good typography is easier to read. That’s good for your viewers. Stephen Coles, editor of Fonts in Use, explains that the better the typography, the happier your readers will be. “We need to teach designers to be better readers. Once they respect the text, they’ll want to set it well,” he says.

For all the web designers trying to sell products online, typography could be a big factor in keeping your viewers happy and buying your product.

Below are great examples of typography in print and web.

Web typography listed below:

This might be a silly question to some but you’d be surprised how many people don’t realize the effect that every feature, application, functionality or word has on search engine results.

For starters, the term content encompasses so much more that just the copy you see on the home page or about us page. It includes everything from what you want a visitor to learn about you to how you want them to learn it and what it takes for them to actually “get it”.

SEO (search engine optimization) has definitely evolved over the last several years. Content used to affect SEO through the miraculous keywords that were strategically placed in just the right part of the sentence and just the right amount of times on a page. And suddenly you appeared at the top of the SERP (search engine results page). Not anymore. The point here is that, as I said before, content is so much more than just copy.

Now optimization is about meta data, link building, pay layout and design, and compelling content. As you can see from the pie graph, keywords only account for fifteen percent of what makes a page trust worthy and relevant to Google.

Your site ranks well if it’s easy to use, easy to read, easy to navigate and easy to understand. In terms of content, search engines look for content that provides direct, actionable information that is relevant to a query, pleasing both the search engines and the human reader. Now this is looking at it from a very high level, but is what the content needs to accomplish.

November. It seems like October ends and November 1st marks the official start of the holiday season. Overwhelming really, with the smell of cinnamon sticks, the sea of green, holiday lights strung from every house and building in the neighborhood, and of course “Jingle Bells” playing the moment you open the doors of any retailer. But is it too early to “Deck the Halls”?

I scoped out a few holiday sites last year, but it was in December when the Christmas season was in full swing. Each year, it seems more and more that Christmas trees and gift wrap are being put on the shelves just as early as the pumpkins and costumes. So to start off the last two months of the year with cheer, I want to do a little net surfing to see who has already kicked their sites into high gear, and already shouting fa la la la la for 2010!

First stop, the malls. I mean, this is where you’ll be spending most of your time over the next several weeks, right? So they need to get an early start at reeling in the crowds.

Aside from presents, I’d say the next best thing is food! Sure they’re already getting your attention with the delicious photography, but are they upping the ante by adding some holiday spice?

Stores will soon be catering to the masses. So how quickly are they hanging the mistletoe from their websites?

Is it just me, or does the holiday season scream “get crafty”? Depending on your project timeline, you might want to get started right away. Are your craft resources ready for ya?

From what I’m gathering, it seems like it’s never too early to start spreading the holiday cheer! Have you stumbled across any other websites that are bringing in the holidays? Share them here!