Article Archive by Shawn Escott

Lorem Ipsum – “Say What?”

by Shawn Escott

What is Lorem Ipsum? Lorem Ipsum, also known as “greeking” in the design industry, is simply dummy text that is used as a placeholder for the actual text that will fill a certain area of a design.

Blocks of text are essentially visual elements in a design. They are groupings of smaller shapes that make up larger ones visually. It is extremely important to keep this in mind when designing, because you may run into a problem when the Lorem Ipsum you’re using does not match the word count of the actual text that is coming from the client. You might have a beautiful design in the beginning and in the end have to redesign entire areas to fit your content.

Think of page layout being similar to putting a puzzle together. If you are missing pieces of the puzzle, it is much harder to put together and can be quite a headache for the designer and later, the client. If there are spaces that are detrimental to the design, then it is all important to acquire the actual text that will be used before starting the layout process. In some cases, the client may be working on the content and can only give an idea of the word count that will be used. That’s when Lorem Ipsum comes in handy!

Another useful attribute of Lorem Ipsum for designers is that clients won’t get hung-up on whether or not you spelled “the” correctly. They may have the urge to read and make comments that are not directly related to the design. Lorem Ipsum keeps everyone on the same page and allows the creativity of a design to be noticed.

Positive Times?

by Shawn Escott

Lately I’ve been listening to music of the 1920s and 1930s. There’s something special about that time period and the trials and tribulations of that generation. They were people who persevered through tough times and came out victorious.

A classic song came on which I’ve heard a million times, but believe it or not, I never actually listened to the lyrics in their entirety. The song was “We’re in the Money,” lyrics by Al Dubin, music by Harry Warren. The words struck a cord with me, and pondering the past, I realized, things will turn around.

We’re in the money, we’re in the money;
We’ve got a lot of what it takes to get along!
We’re in the money, that sky is sunny,
Old Man Depression you are through, you done us wrong.
We never see a headline about breadlines today.
And when we see the landlord we can look that guy right in the eye
We’re in the money, come on, my honey,
Let’s lend it, spend it, send it rolling along!

With all the doom and gloom in our current state of the world, this song is a nice reminder that things can change, to know that there is a brighter day ahead. With determination and positive thinking we can turn the economy around.

Consider the internet and how the world is using it. Our industry is thriving and growing despite all the foreboding news. People are socializing, networking and finding comfort in the fact that they can share their lives online. Twitter and Facebook users worldwide are growing at a phenomenal rate, relying more on the internet for information.

More eyes mean more search quarries, and if you are involved in social media and search engine marketing, your company has a tremendous opportunity. Customers are out there, all you have to do is be more visible.

MoreVisibility is currently offering a webinar series targeting social media channels and all aspects of usability, functionality, and relevancy in today’s market. For more information contact us with your inquiry.

Google it!

by Shawn Escott

Pass me a Kleenex.
Put it in the Fridge.
I need some Halls for my throat.
Can I have a Coke?
Twitter me.
Catch me on Facebook.

My guess is, you are able to understand exactly what each of these statements mean. They are simple phrases which pack a huge branding punch. When I just say the word “Kleenex”, an image pops into your mind of a tissue. How about Facebook? You’re probably thinking of social media. Branding is about creating a specific thought or emotion in a consumer’s mind, leaving a deep impression.

Here’s an interesting and fun way to see how effective branding can be. Below are some random words which are associated with a company, service or product. What do they make you think of?

Mustang
French Fries
Tall Mocha
Just do it
MP3
Green Giant
Windows
Walt
Apple
Super
The quicker picker upper.
Dominos
Dolphins
To infinity…

Now we come to “Google”. The word “Google” itself has become an everyday household name, synonymous with search. Instead of saying, “Can you search for something on the internet?” many people just say, “Google it!” This type of branding is every Marketer’s dream come true.

Until next time, stay true to your brand, and your brand will stay true to you.