Are you still using Internet Explorer 6? Please upgrade. Even the industry giant, Google, has begun phasing out support for IE6. In an statement released January 29 Google said:

The web has evolved in the last ten years, from simple text pages to rich, interactive applications including video and voice. Unfortunately, very old browsers cannot run many of these new features effectively. So to help ensure your business can use the latest, most advanced web apps, we encourage you to update your browsers as soon as possible. ...
Many other companies have already stopped supporting older browsers like Internet Explorer 6.0 as well as browsers that are not supported by their own manufacturers. We’re also going to begin phasing out our support, starting with Google Docs and Google Sites.

So, please do yourself a favor and upgrade today. You'll be surprised at how much nicer the world wide web is. Personally, I'm blown away with how fast Google Chrome is, but here is a list of other browsers you can use too:

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0+

Mozilla Firefox 3.0+

Google Chrome 4.0+

Safari 3.0+


*Special Thanks to Teresa Watts for the Image.

VM Foundry Analytics AE Van Tran gets a personal lesson in hitting your target from Texas Governor Rick Perry.

If you would like to know more about targeted content please contact Caleb Eubanks (ceubanks@vmfoundry.com) to schedule an online demo.

2009 is rapidly fading into our review mirror and 2010 is just over the horizon. So what do we see when we take stock of our work with our clients over this past year?

In a word: Success.

In a bulleted list:

• Architected, designed and developed multiple custom CMS-based websites to make editing, updating and controlling of content a snap.
• Leveraged the open-source CMS tools provided by WordPress and Drupal for customized installations and integration with numerous websites.
• Worked with third-party CRM platforms — including Salesforce — using single-sign-on solutions to build idea sites that move customers to participate.
• Expanded our clients’ reach from their base website domain to social media networks using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and more.
• Continued to extend our clients’ reach through the use of widgets and other shareable forms of media — including newsletters and email campaigns.
• Conducted seemingly countless digital outreach efforts to engage users and influencers in conversations about several leading brands.
• Scripted, filmed and edited viral videos and handled the video integration throughout multiple websites.
• Created detailed analysis reports on virtually every project we worked on using Google Analytics or Omniture reporting tools.
• Developed strategic plans and ran multiple SEO/SEM campaigns to drive traffic and reduce online marketing costs.
• Integrated the Smart Content application into many of our clients’ websites to decrease bounce rates and increase click-throughs and conversions.

As we look forward to 2010, we hope to continue to drive success with and for our clients. And if you weren’t with us these past 12 months, hopefully you’ll join us this new year.

Cheers!

Most VM Foundry projects are integrated with either Google Analytics or Omniture for statistics. We're always seeking to understand:

1. How our clients' website visitors are getting to their site (e.g. Search Engines or Links from Other Sites)
2. What content is popular and what content (not always the same) is leading to conversions
3. What interaction are driving conversions
4. Where are we losing people

This can be very useful for the marketer who wants to stay on top of certain measurements or data points but does not want to be constantly checking reports. If you're a client who already uses Google Analytics, just log into your account and look at the top left of the sidebar navigation. Play around with it and let us know if you have any questions.

We recently did a training event for a client where we walked through our Digital Project Management approach. This was a great refresh for the client and it made me want to post the basic outline for all our clients to review again.

1. Brief
2. Contract & Timeline
3. Kick-Off Meeting
4. Architecture Strategy
5. Wireframes
6. Designs
7. Programming
8. Testing & QA
9. Launch
10. Management & Measurement

The best thing about our approach is that it is simple and it includes the mandatories with no extra weight. If you're interested in getting the full refresh let us know.

Aaron Shapiro has a timely article here on brands owning their own media and content. I agree that as traditional digital advertising such as banners decline in performance, brands are better off to engage customers through search, social networks and their own content or functionality driven sites. Shapiro's full article is worth reading.

Working with the great team at Cohn & Wolfe, we recently designed, developed and launched the Facebook Fan page for the regional restaurant chain, Corner Bakery Cafe. Check it out here. The page houses evergreen content including cafe and catering menus and seasonal content based upon in-store promotions and featured menu items.

Corner Bakery Cafe’s Facebook success of gaining more than 4,000 fans as well as over 500 page interactions can be attributed to Corner Bakery Cafe’s promotion of the page in-stores and to the development of interactive questions posed to fans.

In order to promote Corner Bakery Cafe’s use of local tomatoes and display their support of community gardens, VM Foundry worked with the Cohn & Wolfe team in launching a promotion that encouraged fans to interact with the page and post how they were “Staying Local” this summer. As a reward for their interaction and to build further brand loyalty, a small product incentive was provided to users who interacted. The Stay Local promotion has resulted more than 400 fans interacting with Corner Bakery Cafe.

Heads up NFL fans! We’ve just launched a new widget for the 2009 NFL Fantasy Football season. Everytime the page loads you'll see another video from one of the NFL Fantasy greats and you can always get expert analysis from the NFL's Michael Fabiano. Check it out below and dont forget to grab your own!

This type of widget allows the NFL to remotely broadcast content to a legion of fans who in turn share the widget with their friends. That sharing is key to creating a larger network effect.

Beyond Batten Disease Foundation is a non profit organization dedicated to raise awareness and money to accelerate research to find a cure for Batten disease. (Learn more) Additionally the foundation is working to develop an easy and inexpensive blood test to detect the gene mutations for Batten disease, and hundreds of other rare conditions like it, that claim the lives of thousands of children each year. (Learn more) We partnered with the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation to create a robust site and a promotional widget badge which you can place on your page to promote awareness and provide a donation point for the BBDF.

Here is Texas Governor Rick Perry's PSA on Batten Disesase.


We are proud to be a part of this great organization and hope to find a cure and preventative test for these rare genetic diseases.

During the month of May, CIT employees around the world are encouraged to volunteer together in support of their local communities. In 2008, 1,000 employees from 7 countries volunteered 5,200 hours. This year, they are looking to increase employee participation and are doing so with the help of our latest widget.

Widgets, which are embeddable pieces of content that are easily distributed through various platforms, can provide companies with the ability to distribute their content globally while maintaining control over that content. This widget which is built using the Clearspring distribution platform and allows CIT volunteers (or any other user) to embed the widget on their own social media page or website and promote the volunteer efforts of CIT.

CIT is taking the steps necessary to become an industry leader in the new media and we were glad we could help in the process.