Archive for the ‘web design’ Category

Introducing the new OrangeTourism.org

Oct

05

2011

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AJ Ross Creative Media is excited to announce the completion of the new Orange County Tourism Website, www.OrangeTourism.org . The original site was created by AJ Ross in 2006, and needed an update to keep up with fast and constantly evolving technology.

The unique Website is set apart by its reflection of all 4 seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. As each season changes, the Website will change with it, mimicking the beautiful scenic variations that Orange County experiences throughout the year.

In addition to its visual appeal, the new site has been brought up to current web standards, being user and device friendly. With iPads and iPhones becoming more commonly used for web browsing, it was important to take into consideration that Flash is not supported on these devices, so sites that incorporate that cannot be viewed. Even other smart phones and tablets that do have flash capability are moving away from it because of how draining it is on batteries. With that in mind, the new site is Flash-free, and easy to navigate.

The site was also expanded so that in addition to tourism information, it also contains new sections like Fascinating Facts, Maps & Charts, Photo Galleries and even a Video. The new site also ties into Orange County Tourism’s Facebook App, also created by AJ Ross, which boasts the same season changing theme, blended with valuable information on the county.

“We’re a four season destination, beautifully reflected in Orange County Tourism’s new web site. We’re very pleased with the site A.J. Ross Media has produced for us,” says Susan Hawvermale, the Director of Orange County Tourism.

With so many wineries, historic sites and outdoor activities, the site has over 500 different informational pages, categorized for easy searching. Keeping all of the information organized and accessible was an important part of the Website structure that also went hand in hand with a striking design. Every site takes effort and attention to details, but a site of this magnitude is something we are especially proud of.

Web Standards Matter

May

25

2011

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The Web Development community often stresses the importance of following the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) code standards for creating Web Sites. While being completely error free is sometimes unobtainable (because of browser differences), the current wisdom is to future-proof Web Sites by complying with standards.

If you have errors, you may think, “but my site looks fine! Why should I worry about validation?”

Here’s why:

Web standards reflect quality . If your site fails to load, doesn’t work properly, or doesn’t look like it’s “supposed” to look, visitors will simply move on. Your competitors are just a click away.

Search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo use Web crawlers or “spiders” to traverse the Internet and index web pages. It’s important to be in this index so that people can find your site when they type in keywords. When a search engine doesn’t see your fantastic content because of an error, your potential customers may never see it either.

Having a validated Website ensures consistency between web browsers. When your Website is on the Internet, there is no way to control what visitors are using to view your page. They could be on a PC, a Mac, a laptop or mobile device—each with its own web browser. Using web standards is one of the best ways to build a site that will look consistent between platforms.

Pages that validate will also load faster. Dial-up connections and wireless handheld devices (smart phones, iPads, etc.) are limited in speed and it is important to have a fast loading page. The web is all about instant gratification; users will leave your page if it’s slow.

Web Sites that conform to web standards are easier to maintain. If any changes need to be made (and count on it, they will), Web Sites with clean code will be less costly.

Standard compliant Web Sites are future proof.  By adhering to standards, you will save time and money when you need to troubleshoot, debug, or modify your Website. The current recommendation has been the same since 2001. Work is being done on a new standard, and is expected to become the recommendation in 2012. If the new recommendation remains in place just as long, will your Website last through the next decade?

Your Website is a crucial part of your Brand and an important marketing tool. Make sure it’s working at its maximum potential. Whether you’re just joining the online world or you’re updating your old site, using W3C recommendations is an important technical consideration.

 

Traditional vs. Digital: How to Market your Business

May

13

2011

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Traditional Vs Digital
How to Market Your Business
Brought to you by Allan J. Ross

Hi this is Allan Ross on How to Market your business.

Listen to this article from Allan
My subject today is “What ever happened to doing business with people?”

You’re probably thinking you always do business with people, so what is he talking about? But do you really?

How many times a day do you opt to use text messaging, emails, voicemails etc? You probably do that a heck of a lot more than a face-to-face interaction or a handshake. Another question you might consider, is who answers your business phone? Is it a real person or voicemail? Where has all the ‘so-called’ personal touch gone? At some point, the lack of personal interaction is going to catch up to us, and it seems like only a matter of time before people are going to get sick and tired of communicating through cyber space.

Do you notice differences between communicating online versus face-to-face? What are the implications of our increasing online communications and decreasing face-to-face communications? Although there are many positives to online communication and social media, we must be careful not to only nurture our relationships in this way. Interactions online tend to be brief and to the point. Having personal interactions brings a human element to your work and the services you provide, which leaves a nice impression. It is impossible to truly relate to even the biggest social media ‘over-sharers’ without physically meeting them in person, because you miss out on certain qualities that cannot be substituted for online. The social interactions of these personal meetings are not only more genuine, but they also allow you to physically see what you will get.

Now don’t take me wrong, I believe in Social Media as an extremely useful tool, but I make sure I use it without sacrificing personal relationships. My company uses it and also supplies our clients with the capabilities and knowledge on how to break through what can seem like an online marketing maze. Finding the balance between the two forms of communicating is not only important, but it is key in building real relationships. Remember, you still need to market your company the old fashioned way: face-to-face.

Partners In Safety names AJ Ross Agency of Record

May

06

2011

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AJ Ross

1149 Rt. 17M
Chester, NY 10918
May 6, 2011
For More Information contact:
Allan J. Ross 845-783-5770
allan@ajross.com

AJ Ross Creative Media Adds Partners in Safety to Client Roster
Partners In Safety

Employment Screening Company Names AJ Ross Agency of Record

Chester, NY — Allan Ross is proud to announce that AJ Ross Creative Media has been named agency of record by the occupational health company Partners in Safety. The Chester-based marketing agency will manage the marketing, advertising, and Public Relations needs for Partners in Safety and also it sister company Partner in Primary Care.

AJ Ross has been charged with reinvigorating the company’s Brand and creating a new Website to enhance communication with their core audience. They will also be developing a strategic marketing plan to help guide Partners in Safety as they position themselves for future growth.

“Allan, Carlos, and the team at AJ Ross have the experience our company is looking for to refresh our message and take our marketing efforts to a new level,” said Ursula Clancy, a founder of Partners in Safety. “Their creative energy, Branding expertise, and strategic focus are exactly the mix we were looking for to continue the growth of our 20 year old company.”

“Partners in Safety and AJ Ross are a great fit,” said Allan Ross, president and founder of AJ Ross Creative Media. “Like Partners in Safety, our agency is committed to client satisfaction. We also have proven expertise in Health Care marketing and strive to ensure our clients stand apart from the competition.”

Partners in Safety offers a variety of employment-related programs to ensure a healthy, safe, and productive work place for both employers and employees. Their services include drug screening, occupational health services, physical exams, OSHA compliance programs and background screening services. They have offices in Orange, Rockland and Westchester Counties and in Manhattan.

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AJ Ross Creative Media, located in the Hudson Valley’s historic Chester, NY, was founded by President and CEO Allan Ross and is celebrating its 20 th anniversary in business. A former set musician, jingle writer and producer, Ross parlayed that experience into the development of a full-service strategic marketing agency. AJ Ross offers Brand development, Print, Radio, and TV advertising production, graphic design, Website and viral development, and Public Relations. Some of its clients include Orange County Tourism, Finkelstein and Partners and Jacoby and Meyers To learn more about AJ Ross Creative Media, visit www.ajross.com , call 800-723-4644, or email info@ajross.com .

Keeping Your Website Fresh

Mar

28

2011

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Today I’d like to talk about: Are you keeping your Website fresh and up to date?

Probably the most important marketing tool your company has today, is your Website. The web has become your online portfolio where your prospects and clients check out your company to get information of your services. Now that being said, just like any other marketing tool, there are professional websites and there are amatuer sites. It is becoming more and more important to present your company web presence in the best possible light. It will keep your site visitors coming back.

Now how do you keep your Website fresh? Here are some of my suggestions.

  • Make sure the content in your site is an accurate reflection of what your company does and is visitor friendly. Sometimes less information is better than more.
  • Nothing looks worse than a “What’s New” section that hasn’t been updated since 2004. Keeping your site fresh and functioning effectively as a business tool is critical. It also will help your company rankings in search engines.
  • Make sure you let the public in on what’s going on. And with new technology coming out, it’s hard to stay ahead of the crowd. If you write articles or newsletters make sure you post them on your site or on your blog, and change them every month or two.
  • Make sure (if you’re selling something) you always have the latest merchandise. It will keep your site visitors coming back.
  • Hire a web developer to do your regular updates. Someone who specializes in Website maintenance, SEO (search engine optimization) is a key.

Remember your Website is your online portfolio to the world. Be proud of your online presence. You work hard, so have your Website also work hard for you.