Office closed for the Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

Our office is closed for the holidays (Dec 24 - Jan 1). 

If you are having a website emergency, please email jameyb@yourplanb.com or leave a message on our office voicemail and we will follow up with you as quickly as we can.  

We will be back at the office on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 and ready to discuss your web projects and plans for the new year :)

Happy New Year!
JameyB and DavidB

Why we love Google!

Why we LOVE Google!

From Chrome to Google Analytics - how can you not love how much easier surfing and following your surfers has become thanks to Google.

Not to mention Google Docs or Drive!  or Gmail!

So how does Google help you?  And why should you love it to?

1. Google Search has a better AI algorithm than Yahoo and MSN, which serves up better results for you while you are looking for something online.  If you want to quickly find something nearby, use the Local Search option.  And then there are the maps - so helpful and easy to use (and you can save them for use later!)

2. Google Chrome

• it is fast
• it does one thing (browse the web), and does it well
• it's updated regularly

PLUS: it uses the same browser technology as your iPhone or Android.

3. Google Docs (Drive) let's you easily share (and set permissions), work collaboratively and find work at home or at the office.  You can quickly save documents as pdfs!

4. Gmail
Not only let's you have space to send and receive large files.  It also has a great address book!  If you are an Android user you can share this address book which makes keeping things current so much more efficient at your desk and on your phone.  Gmail tends to receive less spam, has built in chat, is secure and FREE!

5. Google Analytics
Need to know who is visiting your site, which pages, when and if there are errors?  Use Google Analytics.  From it's easy to personalize dashboard, to quick reports (and the ability to email them as pdfs) to great resources on how to increase visitors, Google Analytics is a one stop shop for website analytics.

And what can be next?
Improved Android, tablets, laptops, Google TV, social game network?

Check out - Google Glass: Users are able to wear the glasses and see a computer interface near their eye as well as take photos with a nod – the final iteration of this device may well be released inside 2013; we’ll just have to wait and see!

More Google:
http://googlization.wordpress.com/
http://www.techradar.com/us/news/internet/web/101-google-tips-tricks-and-hacks-462143
http://web.appstorm.net/roundups/tips-tricks/25-awesome-google-search-tips-and-tricks/
http://www.thegeekstuff.com/2009/06/expertise-in-google-search/
http://google.about.com/od/toolsfortheoffice/u/TipsAndTools.htm
http://lifehacker.com/339474/top-10-obscure-google-search-tricks

Motorbrains.com LAUNCH!

Working together with MotorBrains, we took an HTML/Flash combo site and designed a new responsive Word Press site! Images that pop, ideas that work and technology to keep the site on screens (no matter if it is a phone, tablet or desktop).


Visit motorbrains.com
Follow on Facebook and Twitter!

MotorBrains first came to us to work on their initial site back in 2004. Since then we have been working on their site, business cards and enewsletters. DavidB created the iconic robot who was the host on the old site and still can be found in the new version!

Give us a call if it is time to take the Flash off of your site and move to a Contact Management System like Word Press or Drupal. Call 773-665-2552

Kenilworth Press LAUNCH

 
KenilworthPress.com LAUNCH!

Full Color Off-Set and Digital Printing
Come visit us for all your printing needs.

From banners to business cards, stapled booklets to signs, calendars to Christmas invites, we can do it all! Just north of Evanston, a few miles from Chicago, Kenilworth Press has been supplying the North Shore of Chicago with custom printing solutions since 1973.

We have been working with Kenilworth Press for over 16 years! Many a print project for a client was handled by this capable crew in the near north suburbs.  And it was our pleasure to revamp their website into a content management system (Word Press) so Steve could keep the site current from the shop.

Working with GreensbyWhite.com

Respected in the interiorscape industry since 1973, Greens By White provides creative tropical plant rental, imaginative holiday and special events displays and floral designs to clients in the Metropolitan Chicago area. Known for our integrity and attention to detail, they are committed to listening to clients' needs, designing original installations of plants and flowers, creating a more healthy work environment and establishing a long-term relationship with their customers.

Please take a moment to visit their Photo Gallery of design projects. These photographs reflect their "passion" for their work, show green, healthy plants and flowers in beautiful settings and demonstrate why they have a reputation for outstanding interior landscape services. 

We have been lucky enough to collaborate together with the team at GreensbyWhite.com since 2007. Learning about plants as we go! Someday we will be able to brag about our green thumbs, but in the meantime, if you need office or building greenery give them a call!

If you need to spruce up your website, give us a call at 773-665-2552.
We look forward to working with you to grow your online presence.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We would like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!
And remind you our office will be closed for the holiday weekend.

We are so THANKFUL for your continued support and friendship.
Looking forward to working with you and making great things together.

Enjoy a short clip from Peanuts "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving". Watching this is a tradition in my house!

What Thanksgiving traditions do you have?

JoanTruckenbrod.com LAUNCH

NEW SITE LAUNCH!  JoanTruckenbrod.com

The web is a dynamic, ever-changing place. New technologies are created all the time and sometimes a refresh is needed. Joan asked Chicago web design company Your Plan B to help her refresh her site. Upcoming events, books for sale, and other major announcements are found on the home page, greeting the visitor the moment they visit the site. 

A website, like some works of art, are never complete, so be sure to check back often to see more exhibits, gallery installations, and fresh ideas from the creative world of Joan Truckenbrod. “A pioneer in Digital Art, Joan Truckenbrod’s artwork has been included in exhibits at the IBM Gallery in New York City, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., Museu de Arte Moderna in Rio de Janeiro, Musee d’Art Modern de la ville de Paris, Les Cite des Arts et des Nouvelles Technologies de Montreal, and the Villa Chianni in Lugano, Switzerland.” 

Learn more! We enjoyed working with Joan on her new Word Press website and look forward to seeing more great things from her and her work!

HVACsave.com LAUNCH!

HVACsave.com LAUNCH!

Your Plan B Company and the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) is proud to announce their latest collaboration - HVACsave.com  

More about the program: The HVAC SAVE program is a regional HVAC contractor training and certification initiative based on National Comfort Institute (NCI) principles. This training teaches the skills necessary to determine actual effective efficiency of any functioning HVAC system and includes hands on demonstrations on how to perform critical HVAC diagnostics. Students who successfully pass the exam will receive the HVAC SAVE certification indicating their competency in HVAC performance and verification testing.  

More about the site: We decided to create this site using Drupal so that the team can easily log into the site from any location and make changes as they become needed. For example being able to keep the "Find a Contractor" current is key to the success of this site. HVACsave is a resource site for both Homeowners and Contractors, so we keep the design friendly and easy to use across the web.

We look forward to collaborating with the MEEA team in the future! Well done everyone!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Some Halloween tradition and history resources:


history.com/content/halloween
wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
halloweenishere.com/history.html
halloweenmagazine.com/history.htm
halloweenhistory.org
jackolanterns.net/traditions.htm
halloween-website.com/customs.htm
everythinghalloween.com/traditions

And in case you need a Charlie Brown fix right this minute, try this from youtube!

Working with ChanceofDoom.com

Updated every Wednesday, artist Robert Tritthardt shares the adventures of unique characters living together in Seattle in Overcast with a Chance of Doom.  He also has republished his earlier online comic - Writhe and Shine.

We were Writhe and Shine fans and now we are working with Robert on his website!
If you like spooky, then you will like Overcast with a Chance of Doom :)

OPEN HOUSE FUN!

THANK YOU!

We had a spooky good time at our Halloween Open House!
Thank you to all the creative folks who stopped by - you guys ROCK!
Hope to make it an annual fete :)

Enjoy the photos!

YOU are invited! 4pm 10/04/12

Halloween Greetings from
Your Plan B Company!

Come enjoy a trick or treat with us at our Open House
at 4pm on Thursday, October 4th!

Our NEW address:

3759 N. Ravenswood Ave.

Suite 228a

Chicago, IL 60613

Tricks, treats, great new space and meet some new faces! 
Looking forward to seeing you there!


THANKS!
JameyB and DavidB
yourplanb.com

Countdown to Talk Like a Pirate Day - Sept 19th

Mark your calendars!
And it is the 10th ANNIVERSARY of this great day!

What will you do to celebrate?
Sing a song, wear an eye patch, sail the 7 seas?

We will be celebrating all day in our office - be warned arrr!

Join us and all other pirates at the TLAPD FB page: http://www.facebook.com/InternationalTalkLikeAPirateDay
 
To help get you in the mood here are some salty pirate sites:
TLAPD youtube
Cap’n is on Twitter
http://pirateaday.blogspot.com/
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/links.html#piratename
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/links.html#apps
http://www.blackbeard.co.uk/
http://www.dresslikeapirate.com/

Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirates life for me! ;)

Why we love Drupal!

Drupal is an open source Content Management System (CMS) that hit the scene in 2001 and really gained momentum in 2005.  It has a community of 630,000+ users and developers. Your Plan B Company is part of that number - we love going to DrupalCamp Chicago! Other groups using Drupal are: NATO, World Bank, Amnesty International, MTV UK, Sony's MusicBox, The Onion, Spread Firefox, and several political sites such as Vote Hillary and Draft Obama. IBM, NASA and Yahoo all use Drupal for their intranets (see " Why Yahoo! chose Drupal for an internal site"

Drupal is a great tool for complex and giant websites as well as smaller ones. Just one of the plusses for using Drupal is the easy to manage permissions and roles for the different types of admin and editor options. Drupal is also SEO friendly! Many of the SEO elements are installed by default.  Things like generating meaningful titles, meta data management overall and per page, specific modules just for managing SEO (like the SEO Checklist), and friendly URLs. Not to forget - the search tool! All you need to do is add your custom content and keep it fresh! Good SEO is more about content and less about trying to cheat the search engines IMHO.

So now you know a little more about Drupal, about why we love it and here are some current clients using it:
http://boccentral.org/
https://www.c4chicago.org/
http://www.caregivinghelp.org/
http://www.cje.net/
http://cvscaremarkspecialtyrx.com/
http://www.kruzinusa.com/
http://www.mwalliance.org/
and soon HVACsave.com!

If you are ready to convert your HTML, Flash or other CMS site into Drupal, give me a call to discuss your ideas and get things rolling for you 773-665-2552

And if you are ready to upgrade your 6.x Drupal site to the new Drupal 7.0 - give us a call to coordinate the upgrade planning. Read more about Drupal 7!

Learn More:
http://drupal.org/
http://drupal.org/features
http://www.searchreadyseo.com/blog/wordpress-vs-joomla-vs-drupal/

Personal note from JameyB: One fun sidenote is that I love the name Drupal because it is Dutch for "drop"! Having lived a year in Flemmish speaking Belgium, I think it is great that I can use a Dutch word everyday at work :)

Goodbye Flash

Flash was once one of our favorite ways to add movement and interaction to a website. But with technology always moving forward, now it is not the case! If you have flash on your site (like we do on our homepage - the awards that scroll) it is time to rethink and revamp. If your ENTIRE site is in Flash now is the time for a full remodel!

So, since we are changing out Flash on our own site, we thought this would be a good time to share with you all about options and why Flash is no longer a recommended solution. (Mind you there are always exceptions to the general rule, for example gaming sites...)

First, what is Flash?
“Adobe Flash (formerly Macromedia Flash) is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast. More recently, it has been positioned as a tool for "Rich Internet Applications" ("RIAs"). Flash manipulates vector raster graphics to provide animation of text, drawings, and still images. It supports bidirectional of audio and video, and it can capture user input via mouse, keyboard, microphone, and camera. Flash contains an object-oriented language called ActionScript and supports automation via the JavaScript Flash language (JSFL). Flash content may be displayed on various computer systems and devices, using Adobe Flash Player, which is available free of charge for common web browsers, some mobile phones, and a few other electronic devices (using Flash Lite).”  (thank you wikipedia)

Second, why shouldn’t we use it anymore?
The big reason is that you cannot see it on Apple products.  More importantly on the 15M+ iPads out there! That is a HUGE bunch of potential customers that you are alienating with outdated information/animation/functionality. For reasoning why Apple won’t allow Flash, read Thoughts on Flash, by Steve Jobs.
Other reasons include:
- issues with Mac and crashing
- poor performance on mobile devices
- usability issues on touchscreen devices
- not effective at SEO (search engines have issues with Flash)
- costly to update or make changes

Third, what are the options now?
There are some options out there, not each one is perfect but it could work to meet your goals. Refreshing the information in HTML5, CSS, HTML, PHP5 and JavaScript is a start.  Check out WebKit’s CSS animation abilities too! What this tells us is that it is time to stop and review your website content, does it really need motion?  Is it time to focus on content vs. movement?  Content is and will always be king!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us to discuss. Call 773-665-2552

Read More:
http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2010/02/20/an-adobe-flash-developer-on-why-the-ipad-cant-use-flash/
http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/design/adobe-flash-future/
http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/
http://seb.ly/2011/01/html5-vs-flash-the-aftermath/

Be better and more efficient on Twitter (from Chicago Tribune Life Lessons)

You've mastered the art of telling a story in 140 characters or less. Now, take your tweeting to the next level

By Scott Kleinberg,
Tribune Newspapers July 19, 2012


http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/life/ct-tribu-social-media-advanced-twitter-20120719,0,6683521.story

Another awesome article we just had to share - this time about Twitter!
We tweet - do you?

Answers to Your Top 7 Questions About Mastering LinkedIn Marketing (from HubSpotBlog)

Posted by Brittany Leaning
Mon, Jul 23, 2012 @ 01:00 PM
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33411/Answers-to-Your-Top-7-Questions-About-Mastering-LinkedIn-Marketing.aspx#ixzz21l8e54wM

This is a great article about marketing with LinkedIn that we thought we should share.
I am on LinkedIn!
Are you?

Why we LOVE WordPress!

WordPress is a Content Management System (CMS) that hit the scene in 2003.  It has grown to be one of the largest self-hosted blogging tools in the world.  WordPress is an open source project, which means there are hundreds of people all over the world working together on it.  Your Plan B Company is part of that group! 

You can use WordPress for just about any website topic from Fortune 500s to a page about my cat.  There are thousands of plugins, widgets and themes you can use or you can build your own.

WordPress is also SEO friendly! And many of the SEO elements are installed by default.  Things like clean permalinks, SEO friendly titles, website structuring, indexing and non-indexing features, categories, tags and its spider friendly.  All you need to do is add your custom content and keep it fresh!

So now you know a little more about WordPress, about why we love it and
here are some current clients using it:
chanceofdoom.com
cocktailcloister.com
georgia-hie.org
itssprout.com
jigsawchicago.com
kenilworthhistory.org
ridelawrence.com
spookyinc.com
thisishalloween.com
uptownproud.org

If you are ready to convert your HTML, Flash or other CMS site into WordPress, give me a call to discuss your ideas and get things rolling for you 773-665-2552

Learn More:
http://wordpress.org/about/
http://opensource.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WordPress

Your Plan B Company has a NEW address!

After 15 years in Uptown (11 of those on Sheridan and Irving Park), it is time for change.
We are over in the Ravenswood Corridor at Ravenswood and Grace now!

Phone is the same: 773-665-2552
Fax: 773-665-2550

NEW address: 
3759 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Suite 228a
Chicago, IL 60613

Once we are all settled in, we will throw a twist of lime open house - you are all invited :)


View Larger Map

DavidB: reunion photographer

DavidB was one of the Beloit College Reunion 2012 photographers over a bright, sunny weekend in June.



Check out some of his photos here.

He had fun being the class photographer, once again, up on a ladder in Middle College getting classes together for their historic photos.  And later in the day the Class Parade, Alumni Assembly, All Class Dinner and all the activities in between.  GO BELOIT!

More about Beloit College Reunion 2012.

Workin' with KruzinUSA.com

KruzinUSA.com has been the place to go since 2008 for all things cool car related!  From great galleries, wacky videos to Pony Girl's blog - you know you will love this site if you love cars.

We have been lucky enough to work with the KruzinUSA team for over 4 years.  And learning about cars as we go - we had no idea what a cackle fest was or that a school bus could do a wheelie!  But thanks to their collection of videos, photos, car clubs and builders showcase we can hold our head high at the next cruise-in.

If you love cars, join the site.  If you are at a car club event, keep an eye out for Pony Girl.
If you love Drupal, check out the cool stuff we did to keep their members entertained.  If your site needs something, give us a call to brainstorm!  Call 773-665-2552

KenilworthHistory.org Exhibit Video

The Kenilworth Historical Society recently opened an exhibit called "Kenilworth Traditions: Old and New".  You can visit the museum to walk through the past and see what has and has not changed with Homecoming, Halloween, Sports etc.  One piece is a collection of videos and photos edited together by our very own DavidB!

Congrats to the entire KHS team for a successful exhibit!

If your group needs video editing or scanning for an upcoming event, let us know!  Talk to DavidB at 773-665-2552

itssprout.com launch!

Every so often we get the chance to work with very talented friends to help showcase their artwork.  ItsSprout.com is the creation of artist Helen Waters.  And if Sprout doesn't melt your heart, we don't know what will!

Sprout got his very own Word Press site so he can share his adventures with you!  Head over to meet Sprout and his friends.  While you are there pick up a Sprout coffee mug or cards :)


Sprout’s Story:
Sprout arrived very recently, and he lives in a tiny grassy spot surrounded by bushes and trees. There are lots of things he likes in his little home! He likes the soft dirt, and the smell of the leaves, and the blue sky. He thinks the rain is pretty but he doesn’t like that it makes him wet! Click here to read more about Sprout and his story.


Word Press is a great CMS solution for artists who need to showcase their artwork and keep their sites updated through an easy to use dashboard.  Give us a call to design a site with you!  Call 773-665-2552

Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4)

Your Plan B Company has enjoyed working with the talented and caring folks at the Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4) for over a year now!  The work they do is very important to Uptown and the surrounding community.

C4 was founded in 1972 to help people released from psychiatric hospitals into the Uptown and Edgewater communities. Organized as the Edgewater-Uptown Community Mental Health Council, concerned residents received a federal grant to open an outpatient clinic. Their funding application eloquently described the plight of their neighbors discharged from state hospitals: "If qualifying for service is commensurate with length of time denied services, then these former patients have been standing in line for as many as 40 years. …We cannot repay 40 years of institutional confinement, but we can provide a more meaningful experience, and perhaps, rekindle hope and the spark of motivation."


From SEO to Drupal Maintenance to Social Networking, we have been helping get the word out about this great resource.  If your site needs support, give us a call to see what we can do with you!  Call 773-665-2552

UptownProud.org LAUNCH!

This year is the first for Uptown to be part of the official route of Chicago’s 43rd annual Pride Parade on Sunday, June 24th. To welcome the Parade to our neighborhood, the UptownProud.org site will share information about the Pride Parade route and logistics, other Pride events in Uptown, and specials offered by Uptown’s LGBT friendly businesses and services.


Uptown Proud and Your Plan B Company worked together to create an easy to use Word Press site to get all of the information in one place (and one place to quickly edit).  Working with the team at Uptown United and Uptown Proud was a treat and we cannot wait to see photos from the parade!


Go Uptown!


If your group or organization needs a website that you can easily update, give us a call to brainstorm solutions with you!  Call JameyB 773-665-2552

cvscaremarkspecialtyrx.com

For over 4 years now we have been working with CVS/Caremark in Northbrook, IL on a variety of website projects, our focus mostly on cvscaremarkspecialtyrx.com.

We work together with the CVS/Caremark team to design layouts, develop Drupal sites and assist with online marketing efforts. Your Plan B Company enjoys working with large and small corporations, non profits and start ups.

What we love is the thrill of brainstorming an idea, working together to create something that meets the project goals and then nurturing the project post launch. Visit our client testimonials to learn more!

Give JameyB a call to discuss your project wishlist for 2012 at 773-665-2552 or send her an email.

CJE.net LAUNCH!

A new Drupal site for CJE.net! Brand new look, new content and new back-end brings this site to the front for ease of use for its audience and ease of admin for the web team.

Since 1972, CJE SeniorLife has enhanced the lives of older adults and their families through a comprehensive network that includes housing, health care, community services, health and wellness education, life enrichment programs and applied research.

Working with the creative team at CJE SeniorLife has been a pleasure. From coordinating with the IT folks, to brainstorming buttons with the Marketing team to pouring content with their E-Marketing Specialist - everything has been smooth with a touch a of fun!

"Thank you, again you outdone yourself." - Lana (E-Marketing Specialist for CJE SeniorLife

Right back at you guys! :)

Give our team at Your Plan B Company a call if your site needs a remodel or a refresh today! Call 773-665-2552

Happy Birthday DavidB!

(caption: DavidB in the 80's with friends)

Celebrate online with us at Official Dave Day on Facebook!

JigsawChicago.com LAUNCH!

Announcing a new business and a new website...jigsawchicago.com

Jigsaw Consulting: Helping small business put the pieces together.

Owning and operation a small business can be one of the most rewarding things in life. It can also be the most challenging. A solid administrative backbone for your small business can make those challenges less daunting. You can place your focus where you want as a small business owner, on providing your customers with the best possible service or product and not on paperwork. Jigsaw Consulting can affordably help you establish policies and procedures that keep your business running smoothly. Whether you’re just now opening your small business or have been in operation for a while, Jigsaw can make sure that all the pieces of your small business fit to complete the puzzle.

Your Plan B enjoyed working with Heather creating her new website! Give her a call if you are a small business and need some business management assistance. Give us a call if your website needs a refresh or remodel at 773-665-2552

Georgia-HIE.org LAUNCH

We worked with the Georgia Health Information Exchange to create a custom logo and website.

The goal of the site is to share basic information and keep their audience current with upcoming meetings and events (and updated by the team at GHIE). We feel confident this site will accomplish that and more! What a great group to work with!

The Georgia Health Information Exchange, Inc. is a not-for-profit entity designed to encompass all the key healthcare stakeholders in the state of Georgia to create a statewide health information exchange for Georgia. It is widely recognized that one of the most effective methods of reducing costly medical errors and administrative inefficiencies can be achieved by the adoption of electronic communication methods to share patient information across the full continuum of care.

If your group or organization needs help setting up a website or updating an existing one, give us a call to discuss! THANKS!

Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

We have enjoyed working with the talented folks over at MEEA for over 3 years now. Everything from site redesigns to setting up blogs to custom logos to Drupal updates.

Check out:
mwalliance.org
boccentral.org

Who is MEEA?
The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) is the leading source and champion for advancing sound energy efficiency policies, programs, and priorities to stretch our existing energy resources and reduce the need for imported energy supplies. MEEA balances the interests of our diverse members, creating a common ground to affect positive change. Through MEEA, utilities, local and state governments, non-profits, manufacturers, retailers, consultants, and others all work together toward a shared vision for energy efficiency in the Midwest.

If you are a green business, connect with these guys! They know the ins and outs of being green. Sign up for their newsletter or head over to their next conference in January 2013.

If it is time to remodel your website, give us a call to talk about your goals.

Earth Day is April 22

12 Ways Your Plan B Company is green (other than our lovely corporate color)

1. no disposable cups, silverware or plates in the office
2. print less and less paper copies (and buy less paper)
3. print on the backside of paper when possible
4. purchase recycled office items and supplies
5. turn off lights, machines and lower heat/AC when not in use
6. work from home one day a week to save commuting time and gas
7. use cloth shopping bags vs plastic ones
8. support local growers
9. replacing old lightbulbs with CFLs
10. recycle old cell phones by donating them to a good cause
11. find ways to reuse items before we pop them in the recycling bin
12. and when we can, we support Freecycle

Remember, every day should be Earth Day!

Head over to the Earth Day website to learn more.
Find recycling centers at Earth911.com (they also have a free app for the iPhone and Android called iRecycle)

We received a good question from Facebook about mouseovers

Question: "Just off the top of my head - do people still use the "mouse-over" functionality on webpages anymore and if so, for what use?"

First, for those that do not know what a mouseover is, check out this article at Webopedia.com

Mouseovers are still in use all over the web offering a sense of interaction and ease of use for most users (since 2001 with Netscape 2.0). From an on/off state for navigation, highlighting states on a map, pop-up information when your mouse hovers over a word to switching an image with your mouse. You can achieve this using html, css, jquery and/or javascript (see HTMLgoodies.com for code examples and W3Schools.com)

We like mouseovers both as web designers and as web surfers because it helps users know where to click, offers an interaction, and can help show where you are in the website content layout. Not to mention they can add some fun to the surfing experience!

See some examples of mouseovers:
caregivinghelp.org
chanceofdoom.com
greensbywhite.com
mwalliance.org
yourplanb.com

Thank you for submitting a question. Your questions help us look at what we do from another angle - and that is always a good thing! Keep them coming!

ChanceofDoom.com remodel

One of our favorite comic strip creators, Robert Tritthardt, from Writhe and Shine fame is at it again with Overcast with a Chance of Doom. This time sharing life experiences in Seattle. The cast consists of Doomie, Maxine, Synth3a, Fluora and ??? all living in one of the oldest houses in town.

Robert contacted us to help dress up his Wordpress site with some custom menu buttons, rain, lightning - oh and more rain!

We think it looks absolutely dreary - in a good way! And we tune in EVERY Wednesday to see the latest strip! Thanks Robert! It was a pleasure working with you.

If you need help adding something new to your Wordpress website, contact us and let’s see what we can do together!

DrupalCon 2012 (Denver)!

Unfortunately we were not there (next year!)...

However - we kept an eye on as much as we could online from tweets, blogs to facebook posts. Enjoyed reading all about the seminars and hoping to go to next year’s event. They are voting on which city it will be held in - cross your fingers for somewhere nearby! We will be sharing links to articles and wrap ups on our Facebook group.

Check out http://denver2012.drupal.org/ for all the details!

Don’t know what Drupal is? No worries!

Drupal is an open source content management system. See drupal.org to learn more from the source. Or head over to http://visual.ly/what-drupal to see a great visual explanation.

We like Drupal because it is an easy way for YOU to keep your website current by using a browser based editor to work on your site. And we love that it is open source, we can all add to the knowledge and functions of it together.

Visit some of our client’s Drupal sites:
boccentral.org
c4chicago.org
caregivinghelp.org
cvscaremarkspecialtyrx.com
kruzinusa.com
mwalliance.org

If you are interested in seeing what Drupal can do for your website, give us a call. We LOVE to talk about Drupal (can you tell?)!

Art Ajar- A Call to Creative Minds: Fill Your Jar with Art

Our own DavidB showed in this art exhibit at The John Almquist Gallery in Winnetka. Opening night was Friday, March 16. And the show goes through mid-May.
Art Ajar exhibition sales will be donated to the Northfield Food Pantry.

Art for a good cause! Over 50 jars were on exhibit from every age group and skill level. And so many different types of jars!

View photos from opening night.
View video of DavidB creating his "Door Ajar in a Jar".

Meet our Intern, Alex Roberts!

We would like you to meet our intern, Alex Roberts. You may have heard a new voice answering the phone or seen a new face in our office - he has been working with us since November.

To get to know him a little better, we would like to show off his very first website!
ByAlexRoberts!

Alex has been working with us to build his portfolio website: learning WordPress editing and website best practices. And we couldn't be prouder of his site :)

So go, zip around his site and see what makes Alex tick!
And why we think he is an awesome intern!

Importance of browser and platform testing

For many designers, cross browser and platform testing takes a back seat to design. This is not good. And it is NOT how Your Plan B Company creates sites.

We believe this is an extremely important issue of launching a new website - it is part of good design. Each browser displays websites differently, so its vital that your business site looks perfect on every one. This can often be a challenge especially with browsers such as Internet Explorer, but must be done if you want as much traffic as possible.

Visual errors on your site can be very damaging and could cause viewers to leave right away. A well designed and coded website that is being displayed properly in browsers is the foundation of any website. Once you have a quality designed and developed site, you can fill it with well-written content and other elements such as accent graphics.

Each browser reads code a little different and an experienced designer can help you understand why there are compromises to made on design to allow for useability and functionality across the board!

We keep an eye on the stats offered by w3schools. They keep track of popular browsers and usage.

Since there is no definitive way to determine the mix of browser/operating system combinations that your users may have, the only way to maximize broad market access to your website is to plan ahead and ensure that your website has been cross-browser and platform tested by your website designer. This approach may cost a bit more but the benefits can include:

• Consistent, stable cross-browser/platform rendering and functionality on all website pages - higher quality website
  
• Simplified website maintenance and updates
  
• Ease of use/viewing for end-users (your customers!)
  
• Increased customer conversion ratio
  
• Your prospects will know that you value quality

A good rule of thumb is to remember that the website is for your users, so we need to surf like your users surf (and test!)

Contact us if you need work done to make sure your sites look good on all the browser options out there!

Analytics and data mining

Continuing the 2012 trend conversation, last week was about overall design and development trends. This week a more practical thought concerning how you manage your website with analytics and data mining.

We believe understanding your site stats will become ever more crucial this year. As the web continues to fan out over so many different devices, and content is consumed via so many different services, it becomes more important than ever to know which devices and services are bringing benefit to your business, and how you can eek even more out of them.

Sometimes referred to as Web Analytics
"Web analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of internet data for purposes of understanding and optimizing web usage."
-Wikipedia

There are tools out there to help collect this data: its performance, and other cool information such as traffic sources, medium, and campaign information. Remember to stay as consistent as you can collecting it. The more information you have over time, will show you patterns of behavior that will help you when you need to reach out, remodel or revisit your online goals.

So overall, keep a keen eye on your site statistics in google analytics or webtrends (or whichever tool you use). The more you understand your audience, the more your audience will return to you. Remember that these aren’t the end all in terms of your data, but by combining this information with other business metrics you will have a better idea of what and where your online marketing is heading (or needs to head).

Other resources:
http://bx.businessweek.com/data-mining/blogs/
http://analytics.blogspot.com/
http://www.freakonomics.com/blog/

Web Design Trends of 2012 (part three)

Online trends continue...

11. Ribbon and Banner Graphics
Beta testers often use these ribbons to classify the current release version of software and mobile apps. Additionally you’ll find banners wrapped around free downloads or featured articles in blogs.

example: http://365psd.com/day/2-23/
http://designmodo.com/design-ribbons-badges/

12. Hand Drawn Designs
To contrast the slick look of computer generated graphics, sometimes the imperfections of something hand drawn can tell your audience what it needs to know about your company or product.

13. Mobile
This is going to be hard on all the designers out there. Keeping in mind how a site looks on a nice big flat screen AND on a cell phone screen. While you may never have every single screen look beautiful (with most project budgets) you can make sure users can surf your site anywhere.

14. QR codes
They are completely free to create, and many more people understand how they work. Considering how many people have cell phones these graphic codes are quite handy vs. writing down a site address. We have seen them everywhere from real estate signs to burger joints to rock bands!

15. Freebies!
From icons to desktop patterns, who doesn’t like a freebie now and then?
Two current favorites are Download PSD and Designmoo, both of which get updated frequently. Additionally the Hongkiat Freebies archive has plenty of treats to check out. This is an easy way to download free web interfaces, layouts, logos, banners, and practically any other type of PSD/AI file - a great resource for limited budgets.

Check these out:
http://downloadpsd.com/
http://designmoo.com/
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/category/freebies-online/

What trends will stick? What trends do you like?

Web Design Trends of 2012 (part two)

Online trends continue...

6. Minimal Animation
Gone are the days where everything beeps, moves and wiggles (unless of course you are an entertainment type website). Now we want subtle movement, user animated feedback and definitely no blinking!

7. Infographics
Most infographics provide data, charts, and supporting imagery so that anyone can follow along. One of our favorite examples is this one, explaining what Drupal is: http://visual.ly/what-drupal

8. Fixed Position Navigation
The idea is to keep the navbar and internal links/logo locked in place as your visitors scroll through the content. Usually floating over the content as you move down a page.

An example: http://www.elegantthemes.com/preview/Glider/

9. Multi-Column Menus
You can easily display numerous links to your visitors and keep this section fitted squarely around your logo. Consider it an option to too many fly-outs.

10. jQuery/CSS3/HTML5 Animation
Say good-bye to Flash animations and hello to HTML5!
Sometimes it is ok to say good-bye when a better web solution arrives.
HTML5 can be seen on most browsers...including the iPAD (which we all know doesn’t see Flash files).

Read more: http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/building-html5-css-webpages/

Trends #11-15 coming next week!

Web Design Trends of 2012 (part one)

One of my favorite things about a new year is all the predictions and top 10 lists. As a designer I can’t help but read them all and wonder what will our clients need in 2012. I compiled a list from the many lists out there of our top 15 trends for 2012 that we hope to see!

Now what might work in one industry online may not in another. So please do not try and put each and every trend on your site - instead think about what your audience wants!

Of course we won’t know until next year if these trends will last, but it sure is fun thinking about what may be ahead as we work on your site this year!

TRENDS:

1. Responsive Web Design
Responsive web design is design that uses standards-based technologies to make them more flexible, and adaptable to the media that renders them.

For more information: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/responsive-web-design/
Design examples: http://designmodo.com/responsive-design-examples/

2. Vector Art
Mostly in the form of site mascots (see Mozilla, Firefox and MailChimp for examples.)
Vector art is easier to rescale than a photograph which can help when you need this mascot on everything from the home page to a small button.

3. Circles
Not just rounded edges, but circles big and small!
Circular shapes are smooth and encourage eye contact from your visitors.
Of course I am all for this bubbly design element.

4. Custom Fonts
Breaking away from the standard fonts and being able to see them on different browsers. Check out Typekit or Google Web Fonts.
With this tool you embed a bit of JavaScript which allows you to write any custom font into CSS styles.

5. Minimalist Design
Ultimately the goal of any website is to get your visitors from point A to B as quickly as possible. Simple, intuitive interfaces are the way of our future. We always suggest you spend some time writing and drafting out ideas for your navigation, page hierarchy, headings, content area etc. Pre-planning can go a long way towards simplifying everything!

Trends #6-10 coming next week!

Happy Birthday JameyB!

Oh hello there, another year has gone by and I seem to be another year older.
I think I will adopt the quote below for 2012 :)

"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." ~Mark Twain

Thank you for all the birthday wishes - feeling very loved!

HAPPY 15th ANNIVERSARY YOUR PLAN B COMPANY!

So much has changed since the first day of business back in January 1997. Websites have evolved in their design from plain grey backgrounds, limited fonts, small screen resolutions and cms options. And we have evolved as well! Luckily we like the challenge of new technology and design, are slightly obsessed with usability and love to help our clients try new marketing approaches.

We started our company in a small 2 bedroom apartment on Lawrence and Broadway (heart of Uptown). In 2001, we moved into our cozy back office on Sheridan. We have had a variety of talent work with us over the years - many have become close friends too! And we look forward to working with you into the future.

Extra thank you to some special clients who have been with us for over 10 years!
ChicagoHistoryMuseum.org, CorridorsofVision.org, FieldofGreens.us, LakeviewBaseballClub.com, MotorBrains.com, OTRassn.org, RosensteinPropertyLaw.com, Spatulatta.com, SRosenstein.com, UIC-CFDC.org, WomanRoadWarrior.com
(visit our portfolio for all our projects!)

We thank you for your continued support!
There isn’t anything we would rather be doing than creating award winning websites and online marketing for you :)

End Piracy, Not Liberty!

Tell Congress: Don’t censor the Web

Fighting online piracy is important. The most effective way to shut down pirate websites is through targeted legislation that cuts off their funding. There’s no need to make American social networks, blogs and search engines censor the Internet or undermine the existing laws that have enabled the Web to thrive, creating millions of U.S. jobs.

Too much is at stake – please vote NO on PIPA and SOPA.

Martin Luther King Day

“In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and other nonviolent means. By the time of his death in 1968, he had refocused his efforts on ending poverty and stopping the Vietnam War.” (thanks wikipedia)

Learn more and be inspired!!
thekingcenter.org
nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html
great-quotes.com/quotes/author/Martin+Luther/King

Freelance web developers wanted

Your Plan B Company is looking to build long-term relationships with freelance web developers who are not just between jobs but truly enjoy the freelance lifestyle. If you’re a rock star developer and would like to add to your client list while working on cool projects, we want to hear from you!

We are looking for web developers skilled in front-end development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, j-Query), PHP, MySQL and Drupal. On a less frequent basis, we will need web developers with experience in ASP.NET, Cold Fusion, Joomla and WordPress. If you have any combination of these skills, get in touch with us today!

Your Plan B Company understands how to work with freelancers because, believe it or not, back in the day we were! Learn more about our projects at yourplanb.com

Here how to let us know you want to be part of our freelance network:
- send an email to freelance@yourplanb.com
with the following information in the body

NAME
PHONE
CITY, STATE
HOURLY RATE
SKILLSETS (Drupal, Joomla, WordPress, HTML, Java, PHP etc)
LINKS to 3 work examples

And please answer the following questions:
COOKIES OR CHIPS?
COFFEE OR TEA?
FACEBOOK OR GOOGLE+?
MAC OR WINDOWS?
SKYPE OR PHONE?

Once we receive your email we will follow up with you to see how we can work together. THANK YOU!

Happy New Year 2012!

What are your website resolutions?

1. create your SEO plan (and meta tags!)
2. update that tired content
3. tie in your social marketing efforts
4. new photos of you and your team
5. refresh your print marketing
6. try something new!

Give us call to help with any of your website resolutions! We would be happy to brainstorm your website refresh, marketing plan or SEO missions with you.