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How a 'cloudy' economy — or at least web site — may not be a bad thing in 2010 and beyond

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:40:45 GMT

With 2010 underway and the new decade before us, we can only hope that worst of the economic hardships that occurred in 2009 are well behind us. Sure, big banks (see mortgage and credit crises), automobile manufacturers, and insurance companies took it on the chin, but all you have to do is look around to find someone you know affected by the marked downturn in the economy and this global recession in which we're all trying to dig out of. We may not have seen the last of layoffs, plant closings, and scale backs in operations, but we are seeing a change in how organizations use and manage their web sites.

Yes, times have changed and business is not the same as it used to be, so we must continue to forever be looking for ways to improve how we help our clients sustain and grow. In our own house, Innersync has been on a path the past few years to refine our own mission and continue to provide value to our customers through software as a service (SaaS) web technology for web content management and digital asset management. Following a nationwide trend of increased utilization of SaaS solutions, Innersync is serving up the content software that will drive costs out of – and customers to – your business.

Listening to our own customers and picking the brains of the best and the brightest in delivering web solutions (see Google, Ning, et al), our team made the decision years ago to take all of the technology equity we've developed and put it into the cloud. We're not done – never will be, for that matter, as technology grows faster than the ability to use it – but we completed the first stage of providing a new way to do things on the web. Stage two is the ongoing incorporation of user feedback refinements amplified with further innovation that will make your web site not only more powerful, but less expensive to manage in years to come. Cloud computing and software as a service will only increase and license-based software will decrease. Why incur the costs and weather the frustrations of software obsolescence and server hardware when all that can be eliminated by tapping into the cloud?

There are many lessons to be learned in tough economic times and foremost among them is that organizations of all sizes and kinds must look for ways to earnestly connect or re-connect with their audiences. No more 'pushing of information', rather, interactive strategies that employ the power of the web to engage customers, and begin that all-important dialogue that builds relationships and builds business, even if it's in the clouds.

Social media offers value for organizations

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:08:31 GMT

Okay, every internet pundit and his brother are reminding us daily how Twitter and Facebook can be good for business. But just how? The tweets that seem to get the most attention are the ones getting pro athletes in trouble with their teams or leagues, or regurgitating celebrities' breakfast menus for their followings of fans. But less obvious, and quite effective in helping you register info and news designed to build and strengthen networks and relationships, are postings that you and others in your organization can begin using.

We've laid out our spin on it in the following tips: hard and fast reasons to begin incorporating these – and other – online social networks into your organization's m.o. When incorporated into your total online strategy, social media optimization presents undeniable opportunities and value for any organization.

1. It's the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to get the word out there about yourself and your business. Facebook and Twitter help you get found by people looking for you and those individuals in companies in related fields. For promoting events, your company blog, news, social media can be a natural extension of your marketing communications efforts. When using social media, try to couch your information in terms of newsworthiness rather than an advertisement. Share and educate, versus sell.

2. Ask any great sales and marketing professional, and he or she will tell you success is achieved by building relationships. Social media is all about that. You can begin the proverbial 'conversation' with prospects and influencers through the interactive simplicity and immediacy afforded by Facebook, Twitter and other networks. You may spawn your own networks, that, with utilization of Web 2.0 technology and an up-to-date content management system, are getting increasingly simple to start and maintain.

3. Social media is a great way to test ideas and get feedback on a variety of topics. Ask for opinions, survey groups, get a discussion thread going, ask and answer questions: all helpful ways to begin a dialog with customers, prospects, employees and associates. You may not be an expert on a topic, but if you can answer someone's question or point them to a solution, you are positioning yourself nicely as an authority. And don't be afraid to ask for help. Some great synergy can be spawned when people can help out each other.

4. Don't forget the social graces of online social networking. With the shorthand, abbreviated, 140-character pace at which online communications moves, it's wise not to lose track of plain ol' common sense and business etiquette. Yes, the line separating our personal and business lives is getting blurrier by the moment, but don't get sloppy and forget to follow up or extend courtesies where and when they need to – which is more often than not.

5. Last tip: Keep it up. Like any content on the web, if it's not fresh and consistent, it's likely not going to be helpful or held in high regard.

Factor these fundamentals into your online marketing efforts, and you'll start creating greater value with a 'social media optimized' web strategy.

Search engine optimization (SEO) techniques that work PART 1

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If you are not taking advantage of some SEO basics to make the most of your web site, you are not alone. Some organizations are too wrapped up with the bells and whistles of their sites, and not concerned enough about the content foundation upon which their sites are built. We have learned that your site is only worth as much as the connections it makes, which is why we take SEO very seriously. Building a web site optimized for search engine friendliness and usefulness is not as complicated as you might think.

Pay to play

One way to employ SEO is through sponsored words, in which you pay the going rate for the keywords that support your marketing goals. The other is through pages that are "organically" found through search results: pages that are populated with just the right words, phrases and links that feed the world's most powerful search engines. Both strategies – whether paying for sponsorship or paying someone to create and maintain your SEO – require a financial commitment, but we've found the organic route to be an increasingly 'budget-friendly' alternative to Pay Per Click (PPC). You may be dealing with a site that is hard to work with for "organic SEO" and revert to the easy way by using Adwords which is the PPC internet advertising model. This $11 billion industry allows you to get results fast, but it can get to be quite expensive outbidding your competition for keywords.

Go organic and get your marketing budget healthy

We like to focus on organic rankings because they provide more of a long-term strategy, and you are not on the hook to be in an auction for keywords. In addition to having better quality visits – that is, users who stay on the site longer and get the information they need – organic rankings are perceived as a more legitimate sources as web surfers get more savvy and specific with their searches. Some people, frankly, put less faith in sponsored listings than compared to organic search results.

Fighting to get to the top in the organic search maze requires a lot of factors, but the most important is to have content that is focused on your keyword phrases. For example, Google loves sites that are updated frequently, and it gives you points for new content. By adding a news release, blog or some other fresh content once a month can help move you up in the ranking.

SEO TIPS

Rules of thumb for making sure you are making the most of your site content:

Use good page titles, headings and file names

Think of your content being in a hierarchy that starts from the page title (shows up in the browser bar) all the way to the bottom of the page. Keep your focus on the content from the top down, incorporating keyword phrases in the page title, heading (H1) in the copy that follows. If you have your key phrases in the page title and heading, you have the most important things where they belong. Always keep in mind, this needs to be readable, and making compelling copy with the keyword phrases sometimes requires compromise between creativity and searchability. Seek content specialists who can weave these functions artfully.

Example of a page optimized for "Fishing Worms"

Page Title: Fishing worms from Bobby's Bait & Tackle Shop

Heading: Fishing worms and other bait that help you catch the big one

Page name: Fishing-worms.html

First paragraph: Bobby has been delivering the best fishing worms this side of the Ohio RIver....

Meta-data

Meta-data: the red-headed stepchild of web development that does not get any attention until someone brings it up. We like to focus on "Description" and "Keywords" and try our best to make them unique and readable. Some say search engines do not pay attention to the them but there are two things keep in mind. First, when you look at the Google results page, the "Page Title" and "Meta-Description" are visible, so if you want someone to click your link, it is wise to write something interesting or inviting. Second, Google Webmaster Tools bark at you if you do not have good meta-data. So add good meta-data, and keep in mind, the "Description" copy is what shows up below the title, so make sure it complements the page title without repeating it.

Anchor Links

This one is pretty simple and straightforward. As you look at the content on your site, use the keyword phrases as links. For example, instead of using the term "learn more" for a link, try using keywords like "learn more about fishing worms." If you can get anchor links on the home page, that adds even more points. Try to fit anchor links into the first or second paragraph of a new release or blog. That way, if the content is aggregated to other sites, you will gain points for an anchor back-link to your site.

Inbound links (aka backlinks)

Our SEO specialist friends at Purple Trout tell us how important it is to have links to your site to improve SEO rankings. When Google – the godfather of knowledge bases – recognizes when a legitimate site has a link to your site, it rewards you with better status. The more backlinks from outside sites, the better it is for your site indexing.

For starters, submit your site to DMOZ open directory project, ZoomInfo business directory and Yahoo! Directory Listings. Yahoo! is $300 annually but it is worth the money for the back-linking. If it is local business, make sure it gets back-linked on local chamber of commerce sites and other local directories. Next, see if there are any directories that show up on the keyword phrases you are focusing on, you may find some that are easy and free to submit your site.

Look at social networks as increasingly important places into which you can pump your links. The more networks you can share your site links to, the better. We focus on the popular ones: Twitter, Facebook, Delicious, Digg, Reddit, LinkedIn. If you really want to centralize your social networking, add all your sites through Ping.fm, which allows you to post information through one account.

Starting your day in the expanding social network

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

With all the networks and tools emerging in the web 2.0 cloud and competing for your attention, do you find yourself challenged by sorting out the options, making the most of, or simply keeping up with them all? There sure are a lot of social networks popping up these days, and for every social network, there are a dozen more free tools just waiting to be utilized. How you choose to use these networks and tools should be considered your blank canvas... your picture waiting to be drawn.

Even novice web users are familiar with Facebook and Twitter, but you name the theme, and there's a list of social networks to support it. Some networks are more professional than others. Some more playful.

I recently found Plinky, where you answer a weekly prompt to spark digital discussion in your own creative way. All these tools are just other ways to express yourself. From Google docs and webmaster tools that support business on the web, to sites like Aviary that bring you Photoshop and Illustrator-esque functionality for next to nothing or totally free, these cloud tools are coming out of the woodwork or falling from the sky. Now the question is, "which ones should I use" and "how can I leverage these?" The answer is simple: use the ones that work best for you. Only trial and time will tell you for sure.

Here's how I manage my own time when it comes to qualifying, utilizing and not being ovewhelmed by these tools, which if you're not careful, can become a full-time job in just keeping up with them all. The first hour of my morning consists of the following:

1. Hit Google Reader where I have all my subscriptions to my favorite feeds. These feeds consist of tech news, design trends, individuals blogs... the list goes on. I have over 100 subscriptions that consolidate massive information into the reader for my quick scanning.

2. I will 'favorite' or 'share' the best entries in Google reader, and it will automatically update my Facebook account. I also add links to Delicious so I and my team members can see what I'm pushing to the front. In fact, we use a common company account for Delicious so that all of the people on our team can collaboratively add relevant links ranging from hot design trends to the latest jQuery snippets.

3. If I'm really excited about an entry in Google Reader, I'll Twitter the link, which shows that I'm sharing knowledge and could create some followers. This in turn, also updates my Facebook account. Do you see where this is going?

4. In turn, for that brief moment on Twitter, I might respond to a few @replies or contribute to some conversations I see going on. After a while, you will notice your name showing up in the #followfriday lists (where fellow Twitterers suggest to all their followers the recommended people to follow)

5. I also have Flickr, YouTube, Last.fm and a couple other sites that I frequent and that add activity updates to my Facebook stream. So, in reality, I don't actually spend a lot of time in my Facebook account other than to upload the occasional photo album. However, it sure looks like I do!

6. I set up Google alerts to scan for my name, my company name, or any of my product names on the Internet. If something is being said, I want to know. I also have these alerts set up in my reader. So, while I'm purusing my morning news, I can see any of these alerts as well.

7. Next up, Twitter search. Arguably one of the most valuable tools on the net. I type in my name, company and products here as well. This lets me see who's talking about me NOW. While I'm there, I might see what's being said about my friends... or maybe my favorite wines. At this time, I might share another link on Twitter, that again, updates my Facebook account.

8. I manage my own personal blog and I contribute to my company blog. These RSS feeds can be set up to syndicate into a variety of places. I have a combination of my personal and company blogs being syndicated into my Facebook and LinkedIn accounts. This goes a long way. While I'm keeping my company site up to date, this valuable information is being recycled as it heads to my various other accounts. Other team members on my team do this as well so that our reach is increased even further.

9. Do you use a CMS to manage your website? We do, and our CMS is considered a Web 2.0 CMS that allows us to syndicate pages, blogs, RSS feeds and more. When we write a blog, we do it in our CMS. Of course, whatever blog tool you are use should have an RSS feed that can be syndicated. This is important. It allows you to move your ideas further from your site, which draws people back to your site.

This is only a smattering of what I'm doing now. When I dicover a new social site, I see it as my obligation as a web developer to take a test drive and understand how it works, and how it could integrate into my morning regimen. I tend to change it up here and there. Some networks, I let fizzle out so I can spend more of my time on the networks that work for me. Remember, I try to keep this consolidated to the first hour of the day and some of these tasks might be relevant to do on a weekly or monthly basis.

Take some time yourself to leverage the new media and turn it into a systematic approach that broadens your reach, sharpens your mind and strengthens your brand.

Seven ways to get linked up using LinkedIn

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

LinkedIn uses digital word of mouth to create sales opportunities

If you are not realizing the power of the LinkedIn social network to uncover marketing opportunities, we strongly suggest you take some time to get linked up using LinkedIn. We have landed some work lately through the power of LinkedIn, so we thought we'd post some ways you can make the most out of LinkedIn to help your own sales networking opportunities.

I was in the middle of writing this very blog post when a prospect called with an exciting LinkedIn story. I had previously mentioned to him that he may want to create a LinkedIn profile to start building some online connections of his own. Well, he did just that and he was happy to tell me soon after he made his LinkedIn profile, a customer of his from 25 years ago found him and sent him an e-mail. He was amazed and excited to tell me about it.

Here are some tips on making the most of your LinkedIn strategy:

1. Add a blog

What better way to establish you as a thought leader in your industry than to share information with others. LinkedIn allows you to drop in the "Blog Link" application which allows you to add your RSS feed from your blog. Not only does this appear on your page when someone is checking you out, but it is also shared within your network of connections. A blog is a good way to engage your audiences and position yourself as an authority, and it gives you just another avenue to push your content, your story, your brand.

2. Put a face behind the name

Just because the channel we're dealing with here is online doesn't mean it has to be impersonal, and you can't do some things to personalize the networking experience for your contacts. Posting a picture of yourself on your profile helps people identify you and can be a big step to building relationships. People like to see who they're dealing with. Pick a good picture, crop in tight, and don't worry if the pic's not fashion magazine quality. Even if your picture is shot from a webcam or cell phone, it brings you one step closer to the virtual world and makes you more approachable.

3. Join a group

There are group discussions out there to which you could contribute valuable information. Provide answers whenever you can. Ask a question to stimulate some interest in your own product or service offering. One thing I've learned about leveraging social media is you have to give a little to get a little. There are probably all kinds of groups you can join and gain valuable insight, but offer up some of your own valuable insight in the process. Join some groups and answer some questions. LinkedIn has very easy to use-easy to participate groups that allow you to offer up your unbridled knowledge, further positioning you as an authority, or at least someone to go to for answers

4. Dig around for connections

Being charged with drumming up new business for my company, I've learned that the next new client could come from anywhere. Qualified leads and referrals from existing clients are no doubt golden, but for stirring up new biz, you might be surprised at what a little digging around via LinkedIn might bring. What other place do you have such easy access to this virtual 'who's who' in business and industry? Chances are if you take the time to do some searches and shake some bushes, you can make a connection. Just yesterday, I found a web director via LinkedIn, and have already begun an online dialog with someone who could prove to be our next client – or point us toward the next one.

5. He said, she said

Nothing like a referral or recommendation to vouch for your own experience. Experience is not only the best teacher, it can be an endorsement for your product or service. Having a recommendation on LinkedIn can only help you when someone doesn't know much about you and is checking you out. He or she will quickly learn about you and find out you are a credible professional.

6. Get your own people linked

Make sure you always have current bio information of your key team members and use the strength of their credentials to invite people to your LinkedIn page. All you have to do is put in a link. (And if you had a nice web content management system, that would take mere seconds -- shameless plug.) You will be surprised how many people will make connections from your site just based on your employees being part of it.

7. Pay attention to the Network Update

On the main home page of LinkedIn, you will see all of the network updates. By keeping an eye on this, it will help you discover connections by seeing the new connections being made and the activity in groups you are part of. Routinely take a peek at this and you can learn who has been sniffing around your site.

Is this the year for Software as a Service?

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lets face it, a bad economy is all about moving forward and spending less. In a good economy, the conditions are much more forgiving when you are gambling your investments. So where does cloud computing come in? It is the answer to many organizations trying to keep up with latest technology and not have a big up-front investment. The beauty of cloud computing is not just the savings but how fast the technology advances. Take a look at Facebook, it rocks, even the most unpopular dude in you high school class has 100 friends. Cloud computing is finding its way into organizations because it is cheap in comparison to installed software solutions and it evolves much faster. According to CNN.com "4 tech predictions for 2009," one of the four predictions is the advancement of cloud computing.

Organizations are now recognizing that the price of buying and maintaining software/hardware is just not cost-effective if there is a good alternative. The web is moving rapidly and our culture is changing. I just heard the slang term, "computer potato" and before long it will probably beat out couch potato in usage. Employees are now living their personal lives through social "freemiums" and organizations are looking for ways to tap into Web 2.0 technology to leverage that power.

Cloud computing represents an estimated $36 billion in the business market and 13% of global sales, and it is moving up, not down. This shift in thinking is a really big deal. We are facing extraordinary times and we may require a culture change on how we do business. Here at Innersync, we have been running a cloud for about 1 1/2 years and it is paying off. Our goal is to provide powerful, positive experiences to our customers, so we need to evolve our technology as easy and as quickly as possible. The cloud concept is the way we achieve this. One update, many users, one time.

As an example of this trend, recently San Francisco-based Genentech Inc. embraced Google Apps and is spending an estimated $800,000 annually (based on $50 per user) with Google compared to $70 million for a data center. And that did not include the rent-a-cops to watch the green protesters or the people to manage it. What does this mean? Technology is coming of age and people are weighing the options. I would think this is great concept even if I didn't make a living with this stuff. I am simple, give me a choice of affordable, evolving technology or a costly software/hardware implementation and I am going to base my decision on the end result with the best value.

Web 2.0 has taken on such a life of its own and it is so amazing how it has brought people together. When I think of the evolution of web technology, it is not the Microsoft model of installing software updates on a million computers. It is concepts like Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the others goodies we all love to use. I was talking to our friend Brock Brown who manages several technology companies, and he said "I do all my work in the cloud, so I can get by with less expensive software and hardware options. This cost savings is then passed on to my client base." So why would you think of any other way for your organization? When we think of schools that are struggling with budget cuts, we think they have cloud computing written all over them. Put a $200 laptop in every kids' hand and set them up with collaborative web publishing. Call your work done.

The moral of the story is that if you like great technology that brings people together, keeps CPU's running cool and lets you focus on the results vs. your investment, then maybe cloud computing is the answer for you.

Blogs create powerful connections for students

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Just recently, we were put to the task of helping our good friends at KIPP: LA with an exciting new idea. Twelve lucky kids had a rare opportunity to be part of history in the making by attending the 56th Presidential Inauguration ceremonies. KIPP: LA wanted to empower these students to stay connected with their teachers, friends and families by letting them blog their experience. So, they gave us a call and asked how it could be done. We're glad they did... because, as fate would have it, Innersync had just completed the new blog modules and was ready to put them through testing. With the click of a button, we set up 12 blogs on the KIPP: LA site, one for each student. The blogs were set up before the students left.

From parents and siblings to friends and teachers, the students quickly saw the role the blogs would play during their trip. It was amazing how the students embraced the technology. Clearly the blogs were easy to use and understand as evidenced by that fact there were entries from most kids by the time the plane landed in Washington D.C. Many students attached pictures they took from that day. Comments rolled in from friends, parents... and even grandparents! The quality of the posts we're inspiring, many from parents and grandparents suggesting they "take it all in" and "think about what this means for America," and even "you are a part of history in the making!"

Sure a post to the blog is faster and cheaper than a post card... and it's embracing the 2009 theme of "going green," but there's something more. Little did they realize, they were doing much more than just sending messages home. They were bringing people together by using the technology of the day in lieu of traditional methods to document and articulate their experiences at the inauguration. And the really cool part is how everyone used it, including grandma. The result... lot of smiles, tears of joy and *all* powerful connections like no other media. At Innersync, we call them "Simply powerful web experiences."

Students research on the internet just like they use a library and web 2.0 methodologies are being used for class assignments just like traditional book-work. Seeing this play out in front of our own eyes is really a beautiful thing. "I was talking to a client today about developing a site for farmers and she mentioned they use the heck out of the smart phones." I told her, "if there's a better way of doing something using technology, people will use it, and quickly embrace it.. even while out in the corn fields of the Midwest." The kids today are no different and expect the world to be at their finger tips via instant connections. What better way to help share ideas and collaborate than in a web 2.0 environment? We expect to see this in our higher education web sites... we love to see it in K-12 education.

Marketing with Web 2.0

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Web 2.0 as we see it

Web 2.0 is a broad term referring to a wide set of tools that enable people to connect, share and collaborate online. Already we hear people poo-pooing the term "Web 2.0" because of its randomly, multi-purpose application to every web-based discussion. To better understand what Web 2.0 is, it might be helpful to understand what Web 1.0 is (or was?). Think of Web 1.0 as the internet as a source of information for users, while Web 2.0 is a way users themselves participate in the building and sharing of information. MySpace and Facebook are popular examples of Web 2.0 at work, but there are many other networks where Web 2.0 technologies are creating and sustaining relationships and driving commerce in the process.

Just about everyone knows someone who's bought or sold something on eBay or Craigslist, or used Mapquest or Google Maps to navigate someplace new. Bloggers are surfacing on every topic you can imagine. These folks are all Web 2.0 practitioners. From simply posting some pictures and stories to keep your buddies up to date, or buying and selling through online auctions and stores, the beauty and strength of Web 2.0 is in the interactivity. Friends and family come together, lovers find each other, buyers and sellers come together. And it's in this realm of doing business that many companies, organizations and institutions are just now scratching the surface of the power of Web 2.0.

It's about shared interests: developing friends and partners

Following the same model of finding and getting friends (customers and prospects) and seeking partners (strong business alliances), Web 2.0 is a powerful method of communications that brings wider scope and application to how an organization builds itself. Take, for example, a company that creates distinct web sites that enable its customers, distributors and employees to add, delete and edit content that's shared. Frequently asked questions (FAQs) form patterns that customer service, product development or human resources can address and improve.

At the heart of a good, sound Web 2.0 strategy is involving the users. This approach organically draws valuable information from your user groups, enables the user communities themselves to promote your products/services, and creates a user focus that helps drive important business decisions.

Some basics in using Web 2.0 in helping your business...

Get users involved
Let the user communities promote your product or service, and use the knowledge gained from this built-in research tool to help manage your business.
Give customers a reason to participate
Consumers have to have some incentive to share their thoughts, opinions and experiences on a web site. Come up with a win-win situation. It's only fair, really. The information they're providing you is priceless.
Experiment
One Web 2.0 strategy does not fit all, and sometimes the best way to find out what's best for organization is to try some things out and see what happens. Some are finding new ways to use time-tested tools. Leaving comments regarding customer satisfaction is becoming commonplace. Some companies use instant messaging on their web sites to allow customers and prospects to chat with customer-service representatives. What about the notion of allowing customers or prospects to chat among themselves?

Web 2.0 at work...

Xavier University and Web 2.0

Consider this example of how a private university benefited from an online community and increased enrollment of accepted students. The Office of Web Services for Xavier University created a student portal that allows its accepted students to connect online, building an online community. Through this portal, Xavier was able to:

Enhance its communication to this qualified market segment
Create a 24 x 7 space for students to interact with the school and other prospective students (create a 'buzz' about the University)
Enhance the all-important yield from accepts to deposits
Trigger other services and information (e.g., financial aid and student services) to be pushed to them
Benefit from daily metrics about who is visiting the site, how often, and what information they are seeking

To a Happy 'Social' New Year

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If there's one thing that's not coming up short this new year, it's the boom of interface design, the care taken to make something just a little shinier – the essence of what's called social media. One thing our gloomy economy has not had an effect on is the surge in web 2.0 and the new ideas that have emerged. Remember, when we all sat back and asked why we didn't think of eBay? Well, today I ask, why didn't I think of Twitter?

Good design, ideas and talent abound even in this volatile economy. For that, we can be optimistic. If improvements in web standards and major shifts in practices are any indication of things picking up, then we're on the right track. Hey, it's a happy thought, right? Innersync continues to revisit and refine our position in the universe so that we continue to provide value to our customers while helping them realize their own visions and maximize their web expenditures. It is a very interesting time for web developers with a passion for the web. On one hand, we need to focus on the paying work, but on the other, there's something driving us to make our products better, easier, cleaner... more social.

It's our thought that updating your web site, or posting a blog should not only be easy but fun. Adding a new idea should be more accessible and less distracting. If we mess up a page, rolling back to any older version should be a click away. If we are searching for that perfect image for a web page, the online image library should be right there. Drafting content and seeing how it will look before you put it live should be second nature. All the things that we once took for granted are being revisited, and re-defined. When we're done, we ask, is it as easy as it could be? If it is, we document it and shout it to the world on our support site.

As we conclude our 10th year of business, we find ourselves being thankful to our clients, who consistently push us and challenge us to build a better web site. These are the clients who almost revel in the idea of stumping us on a new one. These people are the ones who help us breathe life into our tools. We're also thankful for our healthy families and our spouses who support us while we strive for excellence. While the country is in mourning, let us remember the things that matter most to us and those who continue to fight for our freedom.

Let us all be re-energized so we can reach down and pull up our collective boot straps, inspire innovation and promote momentum. Let us become active in our communities -- and not just the online ones -- and love one another with great fervor. Social networking, afterall, was around long before web developers.

We wish you the happiest in this new year. And may good fortunes be yours this year and beyond..