Saturday, August 15, 2009
New Site Launches by Union Street Media
The last site we would like to introduce is the new online face of Massy Quick Wealth Management and Investment Consulting. The Morristown, NJ based firm specializes in management of private funds for wealthy individuals and organizations. They work as fee-only peer investors, viewing each client’s portfolio through the eyes of the investor instead of as a commission-based service provider.
As always, we have been very busy here this summer at Union Street Media building and launching new sites for some great new clients.
We would like to welcome Harbor Light Realty to the Union Street Media family. Harbor Light is a seven-person office specializing in residential and investment properties in the Lake Sunapee Region of New Hampshire. Their new website is a great example of a real estate site that not only sells the agency’s expertize but really sells the market area.
We would like to welcome Harbor Light Realty to the Union Street Media family. Harbor Light is a seven-person office specializing in residential and investment properties in the Lake Sunapee Region of New Hampshire. Their new website is a great example of a real estate site that not only sells the agency’s expertize but really sells the market area.
As more people hear about our real estate sites, we find new clients coming from farther and farther afield. To serve this growing segment of our business, we are using third party IDX services and building great lead generation websites for people all over the country. In our last launch update, we featured a new WordPress real estate site for Lina Panza in Montclair New Jersey. This month we are pleased to add two more WordPress real estate clients to our ranks.
Granger Properties specializes in vacation and second homes in the Lake Tahoe area. In building their website, they wanted to really focus on the activities and lifestyle that the Lake Tahoe area offers. Please visit the site and see how Granger Properties can introduce you to living in Tahoe!
In the Washington D.C. area we have just launched a WordPress real estate site for Eve Thompson. Eve Thompson chose to focus her website on the internationally known town of Reston, Virgina. Reston was built to revolutionize post-World War II town planning, and has an incredibly unique and interesting character. Please join Eve and see all that Reston has to offer.
One of the things that we at Union Street Media most value about our clients is that they are constantly coming to us with new ideas and concepts that we can help them realize. A particularly fantastic idea that Burlington VT Real Estate Broker, Brian Boardman, brought to us recently was Agents Driving Hybrids. Brian had purchased a hybrid and realized that with all the miles that Realtors log, this was a chance to make a significant difference in the carbon footprint of the entire industry. Brian wanted to develop web-based resources that would help other Realtors and agents to make the switch to driving hybrids and thus Agents Driving Hybrids was born. Please visit the website and see what Brain is doing to make a difference.
We are very please to add these website to Union Street Media’s portfolio.
The Role Of Social Media: To Sell Or Not To Sell
One of the most common questions I get is about social media. In fact, it’s pretty hard to avoid. Everyone is talking about Facebook and Twitter not to mention logging on to these applications multiple times throughout the day. The real question is whether or not social media can be used to help your business. Can it really help build your brand or sell your products? My answer is ‘yes’ as long as you consider these guidelines.
Social media is all about building a dialog with like minded people or people who are in your target audience. Social media has impact when it is focused on the market you serve. If you are in shoes and you’re trying to build a following in the area of automotive, you are setting yourself up for failure.
Begin with a Social Media plan. Many people start using social media without a clear objective. You should always begin with a clear objective and by developing a plan to support social media activities on a regular basis. Decide if you can handle the burden of social media on your own or if you will require help from others.
Share what you know. Each of us has an area or discipline that we know something about. If you have a hobby, career, or area of interest, then focus on sharing what you know with others. By focusing your efforts on what you know best, your passion comes through and keeps others engaged. This creates more value for your followers and keeps them coming back.
Communicate on a consistent basis. One of the most important aspects of social media is having a dialog on a regular basis. You must commit some time to posting on social media related sites a few times per week. By staying in front of others on a regular basis, you make sure that the conversation continues to grow. The more you put in the more you’ll get back. Communicate often and consistently to be successful.
Invite others to join the conversation. Start a dialog around a topic or discussion. One way you can start meaningful discussion is by choosing a topic and taking a stand. By creating dialog that is on topic, you invite others to be part of the conversation. The more others participate the more engaging your content. This attracts new followers and others who want o participate on a regular basis.
Succeed by not selling. One of the biggest turn offs of social media is that a lot of people, businesses included, jump in and start selling. Just like the used car salesman, some individuals focus on selling without first creating value. This is one of the most important things you can do within the realm of social media. Start by creating a dialog and providing value to your followers. Once you do, they will want to use the products you’re using and try the services you recommend.
The area of social media is in full force. By developing a list of followers or fans, you can quickly improve the opportunity to build your brand. To sell your products however, you’ll have to create value for your followers. Don’t try to sell directly. You’re best bet is to mention products in a subtle way. This has more power than the direct approach when it comes to social media marketing. Followers can leave you quickly so don’t push your luck. Create value and they will return the favor.
About the Author:
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Verizon Builds Value Add for FiOS Internet With Home Media/DVR Upgrades
The move to differentiate services through networked applications and enhanced DVR functions continues. Verizon announced the addition of two new free features for FiOS TV customers who also subscribe to FiOS Internet. “We’ve extended these advanced features to our DVR customers so hundreds of thousands more FiOS TV subscribers can enjoy more of the unique multimedia entertainment options afforded by a fiber-optic-powered home-entertainment network,” said Shawn Strickland, vice president of marketing for Verizon Telecom, in a news release.
FiOS Media Manager enables DVR users to transfer and play videos, photos or music from their PCs to their TV and personal entertainment systems. The service mimics a home media server of sorts, allowing Internet and PC derived content to be viewed and interacted with on a television screen. The second new feature enables subscribers to remotely manage their DVRs via any Internet-enabled cell phone. Features include the ability to review, change or add recording requests, delete recorded programs, browse and search TV and video-on-demand listing, and set panel controls, as well as take advantage of other personalized viewing options. Both features were previously available only to FiOS TV Home Media DVR subscribers.
A high stakes game of digital one-upsmanship is taking place as telecompetitors, in a bid to attract new and retain existing subscribers across the digital media spectrum, increasingly turn and open up their network platforms to third-party software application developers to differentiate their products and services. We’re seeing the development of a new ‘app’ culture being applied to broadband and video mediums, in much the same way that it is transforming the wireless business. Granted, wireless is way ahead, but this app trend is beginning to take hold in wireline as well.
FiOS Media Manager enables DVR users to transfer and play videos, photos or music from their PCs to their TV and personal entertainment systems. The service mimics a home media server of sorts, allowing Internet and PC derived content to be viewed and interacted with on a television screen. The second new feature enables subscribers to remotely manage their DVRs via any Internet-enabled cell phone. Features include the ability to review, change or add recording requests, delete recorded programs, browse and search TV and video-on-demand listing, and set panel controls, as well as take advantage of other personalized viewing options. Both features were previously available only to FiOS TV Home Media DVR subscribers.
A high stakes game of digital one-upsmanship is taking place as telecompetitors, in a bid to attract new and retain existing subscribers across the digital media spectrum, increasingly turn and open up their network platforms to third-party software application developers to differentiate their products and services. We’re seeing the development of a new ‘app’ culture being applied to broadband and video mediums, in much the same way that it is transforming the wireless business. Granted, wireless is way ahead, but this app trend is beginning to take hold in wireline as well.
Portable Internet Media Tablets
The World Wide Web has created on big global family. It has become an important medium through which we communicate, work and stay in touch with family and friends. It has brought a revolution in the way we live and work.
Some of the traditional applications that have made the Internet such a popular medium are email, on line shopping, messaging and searching. However, with the advent of Broadband Internet and high speed connections it has also become possible for us to view and listen to streaming audio and video. With high speed connections it is much easier to download large video and audio files from the Internet and play the files back at leisure. As a result online entertainment has also become a popular Internet application.
With the increase in Internet speeds and technology a number of devices have been developed that can be used to surf the Internet anywhere, anytime. We can now use portable gadgets to surf the Internet, check our email and download music and video content. An Internet media tablet is one such device. As the name suggest an Internet media tablet is a PMP (Portable Media Player) and a means to download digital media content.
If you are a music buff and like to stay in touch with your family and friends when on the move, then an Internet media tablet is a must have. These devices are much smaller than laptops and are more convenient to carry around. One such device that you should check out is the Archos 5. With an astonishing 160 GB storage, you can store up to an estimated 40000 songs, 2.5 million pictures and 145 movies. All of that bundled into a very slick gadget that is great on looks.
Internet tablets have a number of other features that make them worth the investment. These devices can be connected to plasma or an LCD TV with an HDMI cable. You can even record your favorite TV programs on Internet tablets. It is a great travel companion with which you can check your email, browse the web, stay in touch with family, download and listen to music and much more.
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The Netherlands: digital media hub
Although I am not a chauvinist, I want to share some insights about the Netherlands and why Dutch companies are influential, even though we are a tiny country.
Dutch people speak two, three, sometimes four or even five languages. We are a very open society and we have always been internationally oriented, both culturally and trade-wise. We are are open to do business with anyone. As long as you pay
We tend do do things lean and mean: innovative, efficient to the bone, so we can be competitive, even though salaries and taxes are higher than in most other countries.
We happen to sit on top op the world’s largest internet hub: the Amsterdam Internet Exchange. Many gigabits per second of global Internet traffic flow through the Netherlands.
With over 80% we have the highest broadband penetration in the world. Fast broadband! Average households get 4 to 20Mbps. Early adopters get up to 100Mbps broadband. Broadband consumption is extremely high. The 2008 Olympics live streams were watched (per capita) 10x as much in the Dutch market compared to the U.S. market.
Next to the USA and the UK, the Netherlands are number three in content formats and export. Endemol and Eyeworks (we work for both) are famous for their shows like Deal or no Deal, Starmaker, Extreme Makeover and hundreds other global broadcasted formats. The Hilversum Media Park is the largest media hub in the world, where broadcasters, studios, producers, and hundreds facilitating companies are located.
Dutch people watch a lot of international TV (or international shows, subtitled on Dutch TV) and we read a lot of international websites. We are used a lot for content pilots. If it works here, it may work somewhere else too. Big Brother for instance. (horrible show btw but very successful).
Digital Media Hub
Forget wooden shoes, windmills and tulips. Similar to the Rotterdam Harbour (the largest harbour in the world), the Netherlands are a significant accelerator for digital media services.
To improve partnering, form better value chains and do more international export, Dutch companies teamed up in the Dutch Media Hub.
The Digital Media Hub was officially launched in July 2009 by the State Secretary of Economic Affairs, who specifically mentioned Jet Stream as one of the key examples of successful, innovative, exporting companies in the digital media industry. I couldn’t agree more!
Digital Media Jobs
- Director, User Experience
Subcategories:
Ontario
Job Category
Testing & Usability
Job Title or Project
Director, User Experience
Job Type
Full-Time Permanent
Description
Director, User ExperienceTorontoThe Director of User Experience (UX) is a key leadership, strategic, and creative role in our organization. The UX Director leads a UX leadership team in total comprising >20 staff, with specialists in Information Architecture, web design, CSS/HTML design and Javascript. The Director will be expected to act as both a contributor on the team as well as mentor, leader and coach. The Director is expected to work collaboratively in an ever changing environment with the ability to constantly set and challenge priorities.KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:•Communicate and create overall User Experience vision by defining the direction and goals for the group; be accountable for the design quality of all user experience projects.•Provide management and coaching for the team responsible for user experience design, front-end development, and ongoing maintenance for our properties•Provide leadership and mentorship for the UX team and create and foster an environment of excellence. •Advocate for the user and evangelize best practices in usability at all level of the our organization, with staff, cross-functionally, and with the senior leadership team •Collaborate with others in Product Management, Editorial, Marketing, and Tech to develop new products and enhancements. •Work with the leadership team to improve processes and tools to increase product quality & efficiency•Lead the creation and conception of innovative user interface design solutions.•Direct team efforts by coordinating tasks and project assignments.•Improve and evolve team processes and methodologies and establish best practices. •Evangelize user-centered design principles to individuals and groups throughout the organization.QUALIFICATIONS:This is a management position requiring significant direct management experience. You must specifically have experience leading user interface design teams.Education:Bachelor's or Master's degree in design related discipline: Graphic Design, Information Design, Interaction Design, Product Design; Journalism, English or Communications; Marketing.Experience:At least 3 years of experience leading/managing user interface design teams, with the ability to inspire, lead, challenge and motivate a creative team. Candidate will have at least 8 years total interaction design experience including in-depth knowledge of user interface design principles, human factors, user-centered design processes, interaction design guidelines, usability methodologies, industry standards and trends, platform standards, software development processes, and prototype design. Experience with Agile Scrum a plus.Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:We’re looking for candidates with a passion for customer focus and innovation and ability to inspire and motivate others. You must have strong knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of modern front-end technologies and approaches (XHTML/CSS, ActionScript, JavaScript, AJAX, DHTML, Flex, etc.) and the curiosity to tinker. We are committed to diversity and equal opportunity for all people.
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