Comments for Marketing Cafe http://westchestermarketingcafe.com Fri, 04 May 2012 17:29:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Website vs. Blog for Small Business by Jann Mirchandani http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/website-vs-blog-for-small-business#comment-1030 Jann Mirchandani Fri, 04 May 2012 17:29:37 +0000 http://jannmirch.com/blog/?p=100#comment-1030 I think you can both have your way; and how often do you hear THAT? When you say your IT director is looking for a blog "b/c [you] don't have the IT support to update it..." it makes me think its not so much the "blog" that he's looking for as a content management system. A CMS allows you to update and edit your site content without knowing any technical knowledge. Though he's right, many blogging platforms do this. (Check out our past posts for more info about CMSs) WordPress - which this site is built on - started life as a blogging platform but is now widely used as a CMS. I'm a big fan because edits are easy and don't require any technical knowledge. It is also hugely flexible and allows static pages (think "about us", "about our programs" etc.) as well as blog posts (think "in the news", "sign up for our event"). If you do go in this direction, be careful to set up the new site so that information is easily accessible to your readers. The disadvantage of a pure "blog" setup is information can get buried as new posts push down older posts. This can have an adverse effect on usability particularly as it relates to information that doesn't change frequently like your mission statement and programming strategy. So, yes, I think you can safely look at using a "blog" platform to replace your existing site. Just be sure that as you build it out you are doing so in a way that maintains your level of professionalism and continues to project a positive reflection of your organization. I think you can both have your way; and how often do you hear THAT?

When you say your IT director is looking for a blog “b/c [you] don’t have the IT support to update it…” it makes me think its not so much the “blog” that he’s looking for as a content management system. A CMS allows you to update and edit your site content without knowing any technical knowledge. Though he’s right, many blogging platforms do this. (Check out our past posts for more info about CMSs)

WordPress – which this site is built on – started life as a blogging platform but is now widely used as a CMS. I’m a big fan because edits are easy and don’t require any technical knowledge. It is also hugely flexible and allows static pages (think “about us”, “about our programs” etc.) as well as blog posts (think “in the news”, “sign up for our event”).

If you do go in this direction, be careful to set up the new site so that information is easily accessible to your readers. The disadvantage of a pure “blog” setup is information can get buried as new posts push down older posts. This can have an adverse effect on usability particularly as it relates to information that doesn’t change frequently like your mission statement and programming strategy.

So, yes, I think you can safely look at using a “blog” platform to replace your existing site. Just be sure that as you build it out you are doing so in a way that maintains your level of professionalism and continues to project a positive reflection of your organization.

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]]> Comment on Website vs. Blog for Small Business by Marni http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/website-vs-blog-for-small-business#comment-1029 Marni Fri, 04 May 2012 17:11:29 +0000 http://jannmirch.com/blog/?p=100#comment-1029 Jann, My "small business" is a small non-profit that mainly serves youth with experience in the foster care system. Our finance director wants us to switch from a website to a blog b/c we don't have the IT support to update our website and the blog is free. I worry we won't be taken seriously. From other posts I see this might be an "old fashioned" view. However, he does not plan on us keeping the website and adding a blog, simply replacing. What are your thoughts on this? Jann, My “small business” is a small non-profit that mainly serves youth with experience in the foster care system. Our finance director wants us to switch from a website to a blog b/c we don’t have the IT support to update our website and the blog is free. I worry we won’t be taken seriously. From other posts I see this might be an “old fashioned” view. However, he does not plan on us keeping the website and adding a blog, simply replacing. What are your thoughts on this?

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]]> Comment on What Does My Web Hosting Company Do For My Business? by Jann Mirchandani http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/what-does-my-web-hosting-company-do-for-my-business#comment-1003 Jann Mirchandani Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:29:41 +0000 http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/?p=1185#comment-1003 Exactly! It's like insurance for your website! Exactly! It’s like insurance for your website!

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]]> Comment on What Does My Web Hosting Company Do For My Business? by Randy http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/what-does-my-web-hosting-company-do-for-my-business#comment-1002 Randy Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:18:14 +0000 http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/?p=1185#comment-1002 Totally true!Most also have a backup service so you don't have to rebuild your site again. Totally true!Most also have a backup service so you don’t have to rebuild your site again.

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]]> Comment on Email Marketing List – When Your Email Subscribers Unsubscribe by Building Your Email List The Right Way http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/when-your-email-subscribers-unsubscribe#comment-979 Building Your Email List The Right Way Sat, 17 Mar 2012 23:46:10 +0000 http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/?p=913#comment-979 [...] There’s no magic bullet to developing a strong, targeted email list. But by following these basic steps you will continue to grow your list – and your business. (And if you’re upset about list members unsubscribing read our post about When Your Email Subscribers Unsubscribe.) [...] [...] There’s no magic bullet to developing a strong, targeted email list. But by following these basic steps you will continue to grow your list – and your business. (And if you’re upset about list members unsubscribing read our post about When Your Email Subscribers Unsubscribe.) [...]

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]]> Comment on Jann Mirchandani on “Westchester Means Business” by JannMirch http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/jann-mirchandani-on-westchester-means-business#comment-975 JannMirch Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:01:24 +0000 http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/?p=1783#comment-975 http://t.co/WN693Jxi TX 2 Marsha Gordon @WestchesterBiz 4 having me on her show! Listen: http://t.co/YabddBd4 http://t.co/WN693Jxi TX 2 Marsha Gordon @WestchesterBiz 4 having me on her show! Listen: http://t.co/YabddBd4

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]]> Comment on Jann Mirchandani on “Westchester Means Business” by JannMirch http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/jann-mirchandani-on-westchester-means-business#comment-976 JannMirch Fri, 09 Mar 2012 19:40:33 +0000 http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/?p=1783#comment-976 Jann Mirchandani on “Westchester Means Business” | | Marketing CafeMarketing Cafe http://t.co/08qYCmvn via @JannMirch Jann Mirchandani on “Westchester Means Business” | | Marketing CafeMarketing Cafe http://t.co/08qYCmvn via @JannMirch

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]]> Comment on Creating Order for Chaos Commandos by JannMirch http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/creating-order-for-chaos-commandos#comment-973 JannMirch Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:10:43 +0000 http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/?p=1799#comment-973 Marketing Cafe launches website development project for Chaos Commandos http://t.co/xHXVZG4e Marketing Cafe launches website development project for Chaos Commandos http://t.co/xHXVZG4e

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]]> Comment on WWW Blackout? by Jann Mirchandani http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/www-blackout#comment-747 Jann Mirchandani Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:25:27 +0000 http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/?p=1698#comment-747 Just promise to come and visit me in jail; I did use two links in this post! ;) Just promise to come and visit me in jail; I did use two links in this post! ;)

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]]> Comment on WWW Blackout? by Karen http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/www-blackout#comment-746 Karen Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:20:03 +0000 http://westchestermarketingcafe.com/?p=1698#comment-746 Jann, Thank you for this informative article. I knew about the acts, but really didn't know exactly what it meant for me and my business. I so appreciate you bringing relevancy and clarity to this issue. Talk about a wake up call! Jann,

Thank you for this informative article. I knew about the acts, but really didn’t know exactly what it meant for me and my business. I so appreciate you bringing relevancy and clarity to this issue. Talk about a wake up call!

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