Looking for a Marketing Visual: Try Tagxedo
Here is a interesting application to quickly and easily generate tag cloud images, Tagxedo.
It grabs the most frequently used words from any web site or blog feed , search term or Twitter Id.
The fonts, color palette and shape can be easily customized.
and you can even upload a custom shape …here I uploaded the icon of our logo.
The images it creates can be saved in a number of formats. A good idea for a really quick marketing idea.
©: 2011 Chicago Web Designer
Elements of a good email signature
The New Year often give pause to thought on how you are conducting your business. Are you making the most of your opportunities, using your time efficiently, attracting the right sort of clients? It is a time for reviewing and updating and I have a number of things I will be updating over the next few weeks for my own business.
On the agenda today was my email signature and as much of my business communication is done via email, it is an important little snippet at the bottom of every email I send. It essentially acts as an electronic business card.
What are the elements of a good email signature?
- Your name
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Fax Number
- A very brief statement on what you do and offer
- Link to company web site
- Links to social media profiles such as Twitter and Facebook
- Keeping the signature short and sweet
In my signature I also have my logo and also the word “Thanks” so I don’t have to type it out every time. The signature can also be edited on a per email basis, so if I need to have a more formal finish I can easily delete “Thanks” and replace with something more appropriate. The same goes for adding my surname.
Here is how it looks.
Setting up an email signature in Outlook is easy and there are great instruction on how to do so here.
© 2012 Chicago Web Designer
The Chicago web designer on istockphoto.com
As a web designer I know an image can sometimes say a thousand words and stock photography companies like istockphoto play an invaluable tool in my web designers’ tool box.
I recently got approved as an istockphoto photographer and while photography is something I only dabble in, I like to challenge myself to take photos worthy to post online!
You can view my collection so far at www.istockphoto.com which feature photos taken in the North shore area of Chicago this past fall. I am the first to admit I am no Ansel Adams but I find the creative process fun.
© 2011 Chicago Web Designer
in Chicago Web Designer, Design Snippets, Miscellaneous, Random Thoughts, Stockphotography
We have a summer intern
Throughout the month of July we have a new addition to our office, a summer intern.
She is technically savvy and artistically gifted but comes to us with no knowledge of web design. However her eagerness to learn is energizing and the fact she has a blank slate when it comes to the world of web design is a plus, as we can point her in the right direction to how things should be done.
We have got her started on an HTML tutorial and she has dived right in, she is coding by hand which is the best way to learn.
Welcome aboard Chloe!
© 2011 Chicago Web Designer
Free Vector Pattern: contemporary design
A few weeks ago I had an email from a packaging designer asking if they could incorporate this winter theme vector in the packaging for a set of Christmas bowls. We exchanged a few emails and I agreed it would be perfectly okay to go ahead and use the pattern. I really appreciated the honesty of this designer ( Vibeke Star of porsgrund.com) requesting permission upfront to use the design! It makes a refreshing change from those who think it is not a problem to swipe stuff from this site.
So in celebration of all those honest designer out there here, is another pattern for you, a contemporary little number I like to call bubble alert.
Enjoy!
©: 2011 Chicago Web Designer
Ignore this post!
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Graphic Design: Set of Bird Prints
Here is a personal project I have been working on, flexing my graphic design skills and creating artwork for my Chicago house. These prints are featured on Creative in Chicago and anyone commenting on them gets a chance to win a digital set.
©: 2011 Chicago Web Designer
QR codes : What how and why
Undoubtedly you have these strange pixeled squares popping up all over the place. What are they and what can you do with them?
What is a QR code
QR stands for Quick Response and they are read by a QR reader app you can easily download to your cell phone. The app decodes the graphic and reveals the information they contain.
QR codes can point to a specific url, share phone numbers, text , send a text message (SMS), share a vcard or vcalendar, share social media profiles or give Google maps location information,
This QR code points to my web site http://www.indigoimage.com
Creating a QR Code
Creating a QR code couldn’t be simpler. There are a number on free online generation site such as Kaywa which allows you to generate a URL, text, phone number or sms QR code, or QRstuff which gives you more options on which information you would like to share. QRstuff also offers a subscription service which give you access to high resolution QR codes suitable for printing.
Why use QR Codes
Simple reason because they make life easier, no more pen and paper to jot down information. With a quick scan the information you want to convey is electronically stored. QR codes offer another avenue with which to engage with your customers.
Where to use QR Codes
- Business cards
- Marketing material such as brochures and flyers
- T shirts
- Real estate signs
- Promotional freebies
- Product labels
- Store fronts
©: 2011 Chicago Web Designer
Words from the Cyber Thieves.
Last week I “outed” 22 companies,who thought it was okay to steal my testimonials, on “A wall of shame for website testimonials thieves”
I have had some interesting feedback from many of these companies and I thought I’d spend 5 minutes sharing them with you today. There were not many apologies but plenty of excuses.
- ” We didn’t mean to use your testimonials, they were just filler text on our web site” - from a company who stripped out my company name and added their own.
- “The content has been removed. This is not a business website and did not intend to create profit from displaying it” - so it’s ok to steal if you don’t plan of making any money?
- “A copy writer produced the content for our website”
- “Go Daddy has shut me down and I want you to help me get my site back online” …umm why?
- “I’ve learned a valuable lesson”
- “They are not so great testimonials that I want to keep them for life.” This made me laugh
- “I am not a Cyber thief but a TALENTED website designer who creates real stuff for the client and take due regards from them in return“
- “We do apologize for this action and have since removed them and fired the designer that did this. Again we do apologize for this as we had our own testimonials.”
- “ No idea how this happened, I have asked our web supplier in India to fix the issue.”
My plan of action in cases like these is always to contact the site owner first. If they ignore my requests I will then approach their hosting companies and a file a DMCA. This can result in the sites getting shut down.
One cyber thief considered my mission to out these companies a complete waste of time. I think not!
© 2011 Chicago Web Designer
Wall of Shame : Website Testimonial Thieves
With over 10 years in the web and graphic design business, we have amassed a fine collection of testimonials from our clients, heart felt words that reflect the quality of our work and the level of our service.
It is with sheer disgust when we come across unscrupulous companies/designers who steal our testimonials and fraudulently use them as their own. It is time to “out” these unethical and dishonest cyber thieves with a wall of shame.
Not one of these companies can be trusted.
Media Majik
Stole 3 testimonials.When caught they claimed it was a mistake and were using our testimonials as filler text. >> View our testimonials on a screenshot of the Media Majik site.
Fast Web Designz
All 5 the testimonials on their site were stolen from us
>>View our testimonials on a screenshot of Fast Web Designs
Systemtek Technologies
Here is a Chicago web design company who stole 5 of our testimonials
>> View our testimonials of a screenshot of Systemtek Technologies
SeizePro Design
Helped themselves to 2 of our testimonials and even kept the client names intact.
>> View our testimonials on a screenshot of SeizePro Design
Mpire Solutions
They have three testimonials on their site and 2 are ours.
>> View our testimonials on a screenshot of Mpire Solutions
Compuask Group
Swiped 2 testimonials from our site.
>> View our testimonials on a screenshot of Compuask Group
Nexxpoint
All 5 testimonials on their web site were stolen from us
>> View our testimonials on a screenshot of Nexxpoint
360 Scenes
At least 2 of the testimonials on their site are ours
>> View our testimonials on a screenshot of 360 scenes
Moynahan Multimedia
1 stolen testimonial they use on many pages of their site
>>View our testimonial on a screenshot of Moynahan Multimedia
Pittsburgh IT Solutions
Shamelessly stole 1 testimonial
>> View our testimonial on a screenshot of Pittsburgh IT Solutions
Technical CAD
Guilty of the theft of 1 testimonial, taken down the entire page so there are probably more false testimonials.>> View our testimonial on a screenshot of Technical Cad
Website Design City
2 stolen testimonials
>>View our testimonials on a screenshot of Website Design City
Best Coder
Swiped 2 testimonials from our site
>>View our testimonials on a screenshot of Best Coder
BML Design
Helping themselves to 1 of our testimonials
>> View our testimonial on a screenshot of BML Design
Crystal Eye Design
Stole 1 testimonial
>>View our testimonial on a screenshot of Crystal Eye Design
Hire Web Developer
Stole 1 testimonial
>> View our testimonial on a screenshot of Hire Web Developer
Iqra Creation
Stole 1 testimonial
>> View our testimonial on a screenshot of Iqra Creation
Outsource Website Development Company
Stole 2 testimonials
>> View our testimonials on a screenshot of Outsource Website Development Company
Vikas Kapoor
Stole a whopping 7 testimonials. Would you trust this web designer?
>> View our testimonials on a screenshot of Vikas Kapoor
BrightZone Design
Stole 2 testimonials
>>View our testimonials on a screenshot of BrightZone Design
All of these companies/individuals have been contacted regarding the fraudulent use of our testimonials. If they don’t remove the offending copy we contact their hosting companies and get them shut down.
