Parramasala You Tube Channel & TVC

“Twitter is launching an official Tweet Button for sharing articles on websites and counting how many times a URL has been shared, according to documents Mashable has obtained. The Tweet Button could launch as soon as this Thursday.”*

This is great news for everyone that is embracing the like function through Facebook as it looks like it will help with seeing how many people are sharing your URL.

Looks like Twitter are developing their own icons for people to use, creating again, that same sense of mass usability as the ‘like’ icon.

What this space and we will keep you posted on when this actually launches and how to incorporate it into your website.

*Information taken from an article on the website Mashable dated: 11th August 2010. For the full article you can read the Mashable article here.

I regularly follow the SME website blogs, and find a lot of them quite interesting. Some can be a little basic but when you are new to social media and how it works getting stuck into the fundamentals is the best place to start!

Check out the pilot, would love to hear some thoughts on whether you feel that this type of format works in explaining social media and how it can help your business. Do we need an Australian version?

What I did find interesting was the look into FourSquare. We recently started using FourSquare for the Neon Group, promoting Popcorn Taxi and Studio33 as the areas of interest however I am still struggling, not being a retail outlet, to get my head around exactly how we can benefit from it. The demographic of the person that uses FourSquare and what drives them to use it. I will keep you posted as I do a bit more research but if you are using FourSquare and what to share some thoughts and theories, go ahead!!!!

As the website says, “The skills and knowledge required to deliver a successful event programme fall into two broad categories; Logistical management and content production”. This formed the reason behind the creation of Show Production Institute.

Rob Vass, Managing Director and Founder of spi, came to Neon Solutions to build the initial website. The website needed to present the view with key information about spi, the courses available and allow them to enquire.

With stage one complete, the spi website is up and running. Keeping the style clean and simple, we knew we needed to create something that could easily be expanded as necessary and as the company grew.

Colours have been used to differentiate the courses on the website, with ability to contact the spi team being a main feature throughout the site.

Keep an eye on spi, as it grows this website will develop into a great informative resource that showcases the skills in teaches through the use of video and easy to implement tips.

Spi are utilising the facilities available at Studio33 to achieve great things during each course they run.

Studio33 have a fantastic relationship with Editor Group and through this, were asked to put together a video for Microsoft, discussing a partnership programme available.

The video was based on a testimonial by someone that already is a VTSP, explaining how it works and how the person watching the video could benefit from becoming a VTSP.

Neon Solutions were required to create some basic graphics for the background of the video to emphasize specific words and create the tone of the video.

We needed to keep in line with the Microsoft style guide but create something that added the right vibe to the video, giving it personality.

The video was filmed using green screen technology, with the background then being replaced by a Microsoft orange colour, allowing Neon Solutions to create words and graphics in white to stand out on the background.

These graphics were then provided to the editor at Studio33 who animated them and create the final result that the client loved.

A backdrop needed to be created to showcase a number of logos that were sponsors of the media event being streamed live. the backdrop needed to be sturdy and ensure that it could be attached to the studio wall and be sturdy enough to last for a while, given there will be a number of live streams being held by The Australian.

Working alongside a local large format digital printer, Neon Solutions created a 6m x 2.4m backdrop out of a vinyl material that we knew would be robust enough do the job. This full colour backdrop had a blue background, used throughout The Australian marketing, with a variety of strategically placed logos on it.

A simple solution provided, successfully, in a very tight time frame.

Not something that happens every day but hey, give us a brief for a laundry detergent called SCRUBS with the tag line ‘with added V8 strength’ for a Jim Beam spoof video…. we just couldn’t resist.

Not a lot else to say…. a solid logo to be used briefly in a Jim Beam video, created by Studio33 and we brought out a big pair of pink Y-fronts!

We are busy, we don’t need a new website: this comment is from pre-GFC as I doubt there are many companies these day that can say this. However there may be companies that think just because they have a website online that is enough. Then they wonder why the phone is not ringing and the appointment book full.

Having a website that works for you is one of the best investments you can make. More and more a website has a stronger role within a business. It used to be that it needed to be:

- easy to use
- informative
- have a good ratio of content and images
- make constant reference to you phone number and email address

Now, your website can be so much more than that. You website can be a relationship, it can develop connections with clients, prospective clients and your team. It allows interaction, it can encourage people to tell others about you, it can promote your business and it can get instant feedback on what people think about you and what you are offering.

Your website is an integral communication tool that should be embraced with enthusiasm and passion!

The use of the term social media is a day-to-day must, it can fit in with almost all business in some way to help with the relationship build between your business and the rest of the world. Adding social media tools in to your website creates the interactivity necessary to get your website working for you.

Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and the like, all help with awareness of your business and can achieve a much further reach than any mail out, print advert or telemarketing campaign. They create virtual networking opportunities that are endless.

A website needs to provide support for your networking, it needs to ensure it is supporting the messages, the enthusiasm and the excitement that you promote about your business.
Your website must have a personality, one that tells the world who you really are. Check out your website with a fresh pair of eyes and let me know if you think it truly captures the passion behind your business.

Alison King- Neon Solutions.
Neon Solutions is a multi-disciplinary creative design studio, covering all aspects of web, print, animation and social media integration.

If you have a message that you want to get out to everyone in your company, everyone from the receptionist to upper management, imagine the expense in transporting them all to one venue, the down time in productivity and the overall business disruption. So, instead of this you simply select a handful of key team members to hear the message first hand and relay it back to everyone else.

Do you think they repeat your message with the same enthusiasm as you do? Do you think that the people that are left behind may feel a little uninspired about not being included?

If you were able to find a solution to all of the above, wouldn’t that help business productivity, growth and ensure everyone hears what you have to say first hand and embraces your excitement?

Consider a live webcast. It could be the filming of your new product launch and you want everyone from Perth to Tasmania and back to Sydney to be able to see the excitement created around the product. It could be a live announcement by the managing director about company bonuses or buy outs, it could even be a live training session with the HR department based in Darwin. It may be that your business interviews key decision makers within your industry; why not share these interviews live and instantly with your employees.

Whatever the reason, a live webcast gets your message out to the masses instantly; streamed through your website or a microsite built to house the video stream, a simple set up can provide maximum impact to your campaign.

If you can’t see a need to utilise a live webcast within your company structure, you may find it is a great tool to communicate to your end user. Whether it be instructions on using a product, key information to add value to their purchase or even celebrities that endorse your product or service. Combine a live stream with a Twitter feed to allow social media interaction and you have got the attention of your target market instantly. You are also receiving feedback on what you are providing as quickly as you are telling them about it.

Live webcast services are a great way to embrace the internet. Take that step forward, stand out from the crowd and encourage interaction with your target audience.

You can discuss your live webcast needs with Neon Projects by calling 02 8622 8600.

To see how Panasonic utilised a live webcast to promote their 2010 AV product launch, click here »