June 13, 2012 By Jill Whalen I recently did a site audit for a client who was wondering why they were having a hard time showing up in Google. When I read through the information they sent me and took a quick look at their website, it was obvious to me what the problem was: They simply didn’t deserve to be there. Let me explain… They have a fairly small local company that sells some common but specific types of office furniture. While they have a niche for the type of furniture they sell, for the most part it’s nothing
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Through an ongoing alliance with SMB Creative Solutions, a local internet marketing firm which commissioned the site, Brass Ring Multimedia presents yet another $397 WordPress Special website creation. SEO1Click specializes in search engine optimization for San Diego with a focus on small & medium businesses.
More please! →Facebook Tests Timeline Redesign | PCWorld. Facebook’s Timeline profiles may be getting a redesign, but this one probably won’t trigger a backlash. New Facebook Timeline being testedThe new Timeline design, spotted by TPM Livewire, condenses the biographical information at the top of the page, so it’s nested within the user’s banner image instead of appearing below. Links to the user’s friends list, photos, locations, and Likes are tucked neatly underneath the banner, next the user’s profile picture. Alongside those links, a new button called “Summary” leads to a list of major life events.
More please! →The mission of SSSG is to educate military widows of the resources and programs available to them and to support widows emotionally, by listening and sharing with each other the pain that few others can understand, and by hosting social gatherings to meet with other surviving spouses. The Surviving Spouse Support Group has one goal. It fills in the gap where military life ends, and a new normal begins. A military widow/widower means being misunderstood by friends and family; we are often left behind and forgotten. SSSG seeks to promote healing and strength by reaching out to widows/widowers of spouses
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Brass Ring’s mission is to help small businesses to succeed. Another example is Clear Water Pools, a full-service swimming pool service and repair company servicing all areas of North San Diego county. ClearWater came to me through an internet marketing consultant who asked me to help CWP transition from their existing website to a much more effective and attractive website with the power of WordPress…on a budget! As part of the project, I also had the opportunity to “tweak” their logo a bit (no charge…often necessary for optimum visuals, though I do offer logo design & company branding services.)
More please! →Google Sucks All the Way to the Bank! January 19, 2011 By Jill Whalen Most of the time when I have a bit of a rant in the newsletter or elsewhere it’s because I’ve seen or heard things that bug me or are just plain wrong. Writing about it gets it off my chest and that’s usually the end of it. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case with the Dear Google rant I had back in Sept. It’s not out of my system in the least. In fact, the feelings I had in that “letter” are growing stronger every day.
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A while back, my buddy Steve Kramer, computer tech & laptop specialist, told me about his new radio show (not so new anymore…he’s been doing it for some time now). He’s on HotMix106.com (an online radio station offering a variety of content) and goes by the moniker “Dr. Dimension.” Steve features useful news on the tech scene as well as providing answers to listeners’ emails. He provides help to his fan’s needs running the gamut from security issues to extracting discs stuck in their laptop drives. He also plays some pretty cool and diverse music to break up his tech-talk. It’s a pretty good blend of
More please! →On March 15, 2012, Google officially announced (via the Wall Street Journal), what hardcore SEOs have been expecting since at least 2008. Google is introducing semantic search into its algorithm. What exactly is semantic search? It’s a technology that lets the search engine “understand” what each search query means. So, rather than simply matching the keywords typed into the search box to the keywords on a web page and in links pointed to the page, semantic search also will return results based on related ideas and concepts… I suggest you read the rest of this article on Karon Thackston’s blog…
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Some months back, I wrote about a website I built for a small business called De Chiel Firearms, owned by retired Navy pilot Mitch Dashiell. I received a very nice letter from him a few days ago and thought I’d share it here. Over the years, people have said and written many very nice things about me and the work I’ve done for them. I wish I could say I’d done a great job of blowing my own horn. (Important for effective self-marketing. “Physician, heal thyself…”) I’m going to try to do a better job of this (and so should
More please! →Business Card Options 1000 Full-color 2-sided Business Cards (w/website) $95.00 USD1000 Full-color 2-sided Business Cards ( no website order) $115.00 USD BUSINESS CARD DESIGN So…Brass Ring Multimedia does business cards now?! (Actually, have for years.) The business card remains a powerful tool (especially so when used properly and creatively) to make an impression, convey professionalism, drive traffic to our websites, serve as “mini-billboards” to advertise us, our products and services. If you ever get a chance, in fact, pick up a copy of Bob Popyk’s book: Here’s My Card: How to Network Using Your Business Card to Actually Create More Business, an excellent
More please! →Written by Nick Scheidies Posted in Entrepreneurship | There’s nothing wrong with being a little selfish. When you own your own business, you have complete responsibility for all of its operations. You have to look after their own best interest first and foremost. But the more generous you are with your time, energy, and expertise the easier it will be to accomplish your personal goals. The more you give, the more you get. Don’t believe me? Keep reading and I’ll explain. Helping People is the Key to Success “It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no
More please! →Written by Nicholas Tart I see this time and time again. As people get started with blogging, they think it’s as simple as clicking, “Add New Post,” typing up a few paragraphs, and clicking, “Publish.” Then they hopelessly wait for views, comments, and tweets. No one comes. No one comments. No one tweets. They do this three or four times and eventually write off blogging as, “not it’s all hyped up to be.” After writing for Michael for a few months now, I can tell you that there are dozens of small blogging nuances that we work into nearly every
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It’s always gratifying to serve a repeat client…that’s the best testimonial I could ask for. This is a website design for David Pratson of True Source Enterprises, Inc. who is launching a great new enterprise. Settle2ndNow.com serves those individuals and families needing assistance negotiating with their banks to settle their second mortgages or home equity line of credit (HELOC). These contracts can be reduced greatly, in terms of pennies on the dollar and payments diminished greatly or outright eliminated. The following WordPress website design presents a great presence for this useful new company.
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This website design is for Dr. Jason Karp, a leading personal fitness expert based out of San Diego. Jason was referred to me by a mutual friend whom I’d helped previously with his WordPress needs. Jason had a rather dated website he’d built himself with Microsoft Frontpage, a tool Microsoft discontinued in 2003 and stopped supporting in 2005. There are a lot of websites languishing irrelevantly in need of the modernization and power that WordPress exactly offers. Jason came to me after unsuccessfully trying on his own to get into WordPress. That’s what I do…I help people get into WordPress and
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Excellent book…just finished reading it. Buy this book. Read this book…highlight and mark it up. Then RE-read this book. Finally, USE this book. I assure you, I don’t make a dime off of it, but you will! (Don’t worry I’ll be making my dimes from using it myself!) This book can be key to taking your website design from the realm of the common and ignored to effective website design which will attract visitors and provide them with useful information and lead them down the path you wish them to follow. I’ve been a website designer for a lot of
More please! →Karon Thackston is one of the leading sources for great advice and tips to improve your copywriting. I know, I know…you already KNOW how to write!(?) Maybe not well enough…in most things, regular improvement is key to success. I know if I’m not progressing, I’m likely being passed by. “Sharpen your saw,” and your work will go more easily. The world of internet marketing, search engine optimization (SEO) and generally writing for people with little time and/or short attention span calls for regularly adding new tools to your basic writing skill set. Enjoy the video…you’ll be a better writer for having
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WordPress website design for GustoRamblings.com I first worked with Gus Rowe when I provided WordPress consultation on a website design project for an organization known as Wise Widowed Parents, a group dedicated to helping surviving parents and families dealing with the tragic loss of a loved one. For some time, Gus has had a successful blog (GustoRamblings.com) and Facebook page where he shares and offers experience, strength and hope to individuals and families dealing with difficult life challenges. Gus’s Wise Widowed Parents experience with WordPress convinced him that it was time to upgrade his website from Blogger.com to the WordPress
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WordPress website design for Phillip Huston, one of Southern California premiere model building authorities. His business, Phillip’s Hobbies in Lakeside, California offers everything the plastic modeling enthusiast could need to pursue his hobby: kits, tools, paints, books and other useful resources, including Phillip himself! Phillip had a problem, however, his website’s archaic design and his inability to update and maintain it. Phillip’s “old” website had been languishing unattended as do so many small business sites and was a perfect candidate for the control and flexibility the WordPress platform offers. Bringing WordPress website design to Phillip’s Hobbies puts new power in Phillip’s hands.
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WordPress website design for La Jolla Meals On Wheels. For the last several years, I’ve had the privilege to be part of Greater La Jolla Meals On Wheels as their webmaster. Having served the La Jolla Community’s home bound citizens since 1974, I’m glad to help their very worthy effort. As I don’t participate in the day to day operations of the organization, I look forward to bringing its volunteers and staff into the website’s growth and evolution by migrating the site into the very robust WordPress platform. In this way, their experience and input can add to the site’s content in making a
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WordPress website design for personal trainer Pedro Molina B.A. NASM of Aztec Fitness. Pedro and I became acquainted via his regular visits to my “satellite office” in La Jolla Shores. (I start my weekdays at “The Shores,” a much better location than my home office to study, plan and get charged for the day.) Pedro trains his long-time clients, Bill and Lollie at this great location. Pedro is a personal trainer serving individual as well as corporate clients in La Jolla, San Diego and South Bay. We’ve become friends and now, collaborators. Pedro, like many other small business owners, desired greater control, flexibility
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Business card designed from logo I created for Boomer DJ’s. I wear two hats in business. One, as your humble designer for Brass Ring Multimedia. The other is as a DJ/MC (disc-jockey & master-of-ceremonies) since 1987. For most of that time, I’ve had a great friend and mentor in “Ron J” Jones of Allegro Entertainment. A popular entertainer and personality in my home-town of La Jolla, California. Ron is known by many as “The Voice of La Jolla.” He is Rotary Club of La Jolla President, has served as executive director of the La Jolla Town Council, executive director of
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A great message from Apple’s Steve Jobs (rest in peace, Steve) reminding us what marketing is and/or can be. Watch.
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Business cards designed for Ray’s Barn owner Ray Ehly, Jr. Ray’s barn provides recreational toy storage in the off-season in Perham, Minnesota.
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WordPress website design for Ray’s Barn / Ft. Thunder Storage. It’s always great working with a satisfied customer who wants more of your work. Long-time customer and www.All50Corvette.com marathon road-tripper Ray Ehly, Jr. is back for the latest of a number of collaborations…this time for his storage business. The great thing about my business is that my customers tend to become my friends and Ray is always great to work with. Ray’s Barn, located in Perham, Minnesota, offers off-season storage for recreational toys: boats, campers, snowmobiles, PWCs, ATVs, whatever needs to be safe for the serious elements they get in
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The most awesome gathering of “Woodies” and their owners in an incredibly apt setting…Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. Amazing! A gentleman showing a 1929 Ford “A” (images below) told me that if you’re lucky, a good Woody show has, maybe, 50 cars? Last year, Wavecrest had 319 entries…this year…more! This is the LARGEST woody show in the WORLD! EPIC! Dang, I wish I had $30 – $50K sitting around with nothing to do…I’da had even more fun today. (10% or more of these are for sale) You really should go next year…middle of September. Click on an image to enlarge, then
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WordPress website design for Gussler’s Firearm Transfers & Repairs. Don Gussler is my choice for firearms transfers and gunsmithing needs. He’s “my gunsmith.” I was pleased with the opportunity to build one of my $397 WordPress specials for him including an upgrade to the existing Gussler’s logo. Gussler’s was established in 1988 and expanded in 2005 to include gun shows and internet transfers. At the local gun shows they proved ourselves as a transfer dealer for private party transfers and a place for out of area dealers to transfer guns to and for local residents to start and complete federal and state mandated
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WordPress website design for True Source Enterprises, Inc., creators of True Flex Knee Pads. True Flex Knee Pads are the ultimate safety knee pad. They’re a great product serving welding, mining, construction, electrical, flooring, railroad, roofing, archaeological, agricultural and industrial safety workers with superior protection.
More please! →THE READERS HAVE SPOKEN Thanks to those of you who voted for your favorite businesses, restaurants and people in the La Jolla Light’s 12th Best of Readers Poll. Our readers weren’t shy about voting for the best of the best in La Jolla. You’ll find some of the same names listed as in past years as well as an array of the newest places on the La Jolla scene, and some who took honors in more than one category. Congratulations to all of the winners and the second- and thirdplace finishers — and thanks to all our readers who took the
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As the webmaster for the concerts, I try to get to as many of the shows as I can to grab pictures and enjoy the great time. Yesterday, I was fortunate to be in attendance at the kick-off of La Jolla Concerts By the Sea’s 28th season. Also, this year, my 16 year old daughter, Amethyst was helping out La Jolla Kiwanis, one of the sponsors for the events. She belongs to Key Club at La Jolla High School and she and some of her fellow Key-clubbers were on hand to help out as volunteers with set-up, concession sales, etc. My
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I’ve been providing WordPress website design and search engine optimization consulting services for American Home Entertainment (AHE), a Kearny Mesa, San Diego-based company specializing in custom design and installations for home theater, home automation, lighting control systems, security and surveillance systems. I’m helping them develop a WordPress-based website to replace their current site. I created the following banner using images of AHE’s work, some of their products along with logos from their featured vendors.
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