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Newsletter: July 2004

In this issue:

Studio Director's Note: A (not so) Serious Aside

If you haven't seen the topical and amusing JibJab animation yet, well, where have you been? But did you know that the creators of the animated short are now in trouble from a law suit filed by Ludlow Music, the owners of the copyright to Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land." It is a good reminder that "online" does not mean "exempt from the law." The creators hope to resolve the issue out of court, but just in case, see it while you still can.

Jeremy Spinks, Studio Director

Feature: Blog 2004

With convention season in full swing, you may have heard a lot in the news about blogs. Surpassing even Governor Dean's online fund raising as a news item, political blogs are making the headlines. Bloggers are even being recognized with press credentials in Boston and New York.

There is an industry adage that goes something like this: by the time you see something on prime time news, it's old news, it's already arrived, it's passe. And that is certainly true about blogs. You might think they were invented specially for the conventions, when in fact they have been around for years. But this spotlight does give us an opportunity to take another look at the blog phenomenon and how it can be applied to your site.

In their essence, blogs are easy-to-use content management systems, so they put you in charge of the content without requiring much technical knowledge. With blog software available for free, this can bring cost-effective CMS to your site. And they come with many additional benefits: date stamping and archiving; full searching; native support for RSS feeds; plug-ins for picture galleries; and even security for private areas.

You don't need to be running for president to want to reach an audience with your message. Blogs have been in use for marketing purposes long before the current political focus. They can be a useful addition to an established website, whether you are selling a product, servicing an organization, or providing a public service.

We can't advise you on navigating the political blog landscape this election season, but next time you think about how your website is reaching your audience, spare a thought for the blog.

Official Campaign Blogs:
George W. Bush
John Kerry

Launch News: Falcon Takes Off

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has unveiled its latest tool in the fight against crime. Falcon is Florida's Integrated Criminal History System. The powerful database system combines previously isolated data with new technology to allow for positive biometric identification. FDLE commissioned 3W Studios and Kidd Tucker Group to provide Falcon with an identity and help it take flight.

 

As well as a public information website, we provided a brand mark, printed material, conference display material and a short introductory video about the project. The website includes a small demonstration of the system, which will be launching towards the end of the year. 3W Studios will be working with FDLE on an ongoing basis to design the user-interface for the production model. You can see more online at www.falconichs.com.

Launch News: Bella Vista Now Online

 

The second gem in Cook Development's Costa Bella Collection is now online. The collection features five luxury condominiums on Florida's Atlantic coast. You can find more details on the Bella Vista and the whole collection at www.costabellacollection.com.

Award News: OPASTCO Recognizes PSTC

OPASTCO (Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies) has recognized the Public Service Telephone Company website, designed by 3W Studios. Out of 183 entries, the PSTC website won a Certificate of Achievement and took 2nd place overall. The redesign was completed in August of 2002 and has obviously held up well. You can visit PSTC at www.pstel.com.

  

Other News: What's in a Name?

This story came to our attention earlier in the month and is worth retelling. A new site launched recently and made $2,000 of sales on its first day. The impressive fact is that this happened with no promotion whatsoever. How did they do it? With the right domain name. The name they selected was short, descriptive, easy to remember and full of keywords.

If you want to take it one step further, think about purchasing an expired name. These names could already be listed with top search engines, heavily linked around the web, and frequently visited. The ground work is done for you.

www.domainsbot.com has free or paid search services to find these hidden gems. www.pool.com and www.directnic.com can also help you. It might take a little searching, but the pay-off could be worth it.