Hungry for More? The 22 Best WordPress Templates and Themes Today

On January 25th, 2012, wrote:

Our recent post on premium WordPress templates was a hit. (Thank you, readers!) So we decided to make another list showcasing even more WP templates and themes. Hopefully, it will help you: Enhance the visual impact and usability of your WordPress-powered website, blog, e-Commerce site, or Web page; Ease the development and administration of your site and lift some burden off your shoulders (or Webmaster); Reflect more appropriately the personality and character of your brand and business; Enable you to organize your template files more efficiently and configure them for use under specific situations or seasons; And drive your WordPress site in a way that meets your specific requirements and business goals. If you’re an Internet marketer, online advertiser, blogger, business owner, entrepreneur, online retailer, musician or artist, journalist, photographer or designer, or mom-and-pop store owner, we highly recommend that you use WordPress, Lakeshore Branding’s favorite content management system. (The very site you’re reading is powered by WP, too.) It – Read the full article

Are Companies too Scared to Adopt Cloud Solutions?

On January 24th, 2012, wrote:

Cloud computing solutions are the latest popular development in technological advancements. However, a number of businesses still fear that adopting these solutions would not be in their best interests. So what are the major concerns held by businesses and are they well founded? Concerns on Security, Implementation, Reliability? Research has suggested that the main concerns surrounding cloud technology include security worries alongside adoption or implementation difficulties and reliability. The truth is that while SaaS (Software as a Service) can be exposed to a number of vulnerabilities and dangers, such as those listed, the services are all protected with high security measures in order to ensure that ultimate safety and security of data is maintained. This means that a number of businesses could be needlessly rejecting cloud computing solutions based on unfounded or misguided concerns. (Editor’s note: Be sure to check out our post on the best cloud computing services and apps for small businesses!) Security of Data and Information Perhaps – Read the full article

Ultimate List of Top 43 OpenCart Templates

On January 20th, 2012, wrote:

If you’re going to ask us here at Lakeshore Branding which e-commerce platform we would recommend, there’s one answer: Magento. Why? Because it’s loaded with powerful features to help you drive sales: features like product browsing, analytics and reporting, catalog and order management, secure checkout, international support, and an array of marketing promotions and tools. (You can find out more about the platform here.) We’ll understand, though, if you choose to go with something else. Hey, to each his own, right? And there are loads of e-commerce solutions and shopping cart systems to choose from. One of these is OpenCart, an open-source e-commerce platform that’s as feature-rich, easy-to-use, and search-engine-friendly as Magento. Frankly, you won’t go wrong with either. We’ll even help you out developing your online store if you like. Anyway, like Magento, OpenCart also enables you to customize the way your online store looks and works. Because it’s an “out-of-the-box” solution, you can just install it, choose your – Read the full article

Mobile Technology is Changing the Face of Marketing

On January 13th, 2012, wrote:

It used to be that marketing teams and technology people didn’t really interact apart from uncomfortable meetings about getting a new offer onto the latest website build. But with the rise of mobile-optimized websites, custom branded apps, locality services, and integrated messaging campaigns, the lines between marketing and technology are blurring. Marketers today must be comfortable talking about HTML5 and integrated databases. Technologists today must be comfortable talking about audience segments, targeting, and messaging strategy. But mobile technology is changing more than how we work together. It’s literally changing how we market and where we put our marketing investment. Poor Old E-mail E-mail was called the ‘killer app’ for at least a decade. Its power to connect with audiences led to an entire generation of technologies to gather addresses, segment lists, target messages, test performance, and provide service. Only, young people today don’t (or rarely) use it. They use instant message technology and social networks, with mobile (and SMS) figuring – Read the full article

Online Marketing Using Link Building Strategies

On January 10th, 2012, wrote:

Marketing any product or service online can be a daunting task for a marketer, especially when the competition is cutthroat and the attention span of audiences has been reduced to just a click. So being at the right place at the right moment is as good as going on the right kind of diet regime – one that would bring in results! One strategy to building a business online – specifically, link building – is considered one of the best ways to connect to the audience. Businesses around the world today rely on the Internet to expand and optimize their visibility for their potential clients and more. It’s a given that Google has set nearly an unbeatable standard for linking only those sites that are trustworthy and pass their acid test. The Web is truly a place where marketers can lose track as linking to sites that basically have no status or ranking by the search engines usually results into – Read the full article

Using Current Internet Technology To Improve Your Advertising Campaign

On December 27th, 2011, wrote:

The Internet has definitely changed the way we interact with both friends and family and with businesses and consumers, with the Web becoming an important way for companies to target and advertise their products and services to customers. And if you’re looking for great ways to reach out to potential consumers, then the latest raft of current Internet technology could help you. The Internet has become our first port of call when it comes to accessing information, mainly thanks to its speed and ease of use. And with more homes, schools, and businesses making use of online services, online advertising is now big business. Gone are the days of mass print runs and expensive magazine and newspaper spreads. Now, with cable Internet providers offering fast connection speeds, E-mailing and mobile phones have become the new way to communicate. And the advertising and online marketing professionals have seen this change and made sure their campaigns follow suit. Advertising using the Internet has become – Read the full article

Skills You Should Have to Become a Good Web Designer

On December 12th, 2011, wrote:

Web design is a fast-growing industry given today’s technology and Internet frenzy. To be a good Web designer / developer, one needs to possess a certain set of skills; while there is no written handbook that specifies exactly all the rules of Web design, a creative disposition and a strong sense of innovation are a must, as is a certain knowledge of computer programming languages. Traits of a Good Web Designer Creativity and innovation are essential for a Web designer / developer. No book can teach any individual about all the perfect color combinations for all types of design. These are certain things that come instinctively; Tampa web design, for example, is usually represented by a mixture of web designers with a remarkable sense of creativity and extremely high knowledge of the programming languages necessary for driving high traffic to the business, as well as for optimizing results. Functions of Web Development Maintaining your database is an important function of web – Read the full article

E-Commerce: Launching Your Online Business

On December 1st, 2011, wrote:

Every business shares a common goal – to survive, grow and prosper. In today’s fast-track competitive world, businesses large and small must turn to new measures in order to evolve, grow or simply stay afloat. Ecommerce website development can offer growth opportunities of enormous proportion for businesses from all sectors. This is mostly due to the advent of highly improved and user friendly web services (Ed’s note: services like our favorite, Magento) available across the web that have literally carved a place in the hearts of online users. As an online business owner, the employment of technological advances in e-Commerce website design can mean the difference between the success and failure of your business objectives. Accordingly, it is important to understand exactly what an ecommerce website is and how to get started with one. Basically, an ecommerce website is a virtual representation of your physical business. Interestingly, most business owners grow to learn that the biggest difference between an ecommerce – Read the full article