Museum of the Sierra Buffalo Soldiers Exhibit

Solutions By Design

 

The Museum of the Sierra has retained the services of Solutions by Design to create an interactive display to tell the story of the Buffalo Soldiers and their contribution to settling the west.  This dynamic display will be available in the fall of 2022 for museum guests to interact and learn.

 

Founded in 1991 by the Central Sierra Historical Society, The Museum of the Sierra preserves the cultural and natural history of the Sierra Nevada through education and curation of historical artifacts and stories.

Be sure to plan a trip to the museum this fall to check out their new Buffalo Soldiers Interactive Display!

A New Technology: Fresno County Fair and Solutions By Design

Fresno County Fair Historical Museum utilized our Montage Displays and Interface to educate attendees on the history of the Central Valley.

The Fresno County Fair is just one more client utilizing the expertise of Solutions By Design in adding technology to their exhibit experience. Our Interactive Montage Boards present an on-demand presentation of inspirational Fresno individuals and businesses. Each is presented graphically with corresponding text and audio in English, Spanish and Hmong.

Another Fresno local organization to utilize Montage is the Fresno County Armenian Cultural Center. Fresno County Fair kicked off an Armenian cultural display located on the second floor of the museum. Two Montage Boards provide on-demand access to individuals of Armenian descent along with a biographical presentation.

More On Montage

What is Montage Pro?

Solutions by Design has created a powerful interactive digital bulletin board that is flexible for any business. We’ve taken the sleek look of modern technology and paired it with our specialization in software and programming to create the ultimate digital communications solution. Equipped with a touch screen, custom widgets, photo booth, whiteboard, and more, our Montage board delivers relevant information and technology to your internal audience at your location.

What are widgets?

Our Montage software interface is comprised of Widgets; an application that enables a user to perform a function, similar to an app on a smartphone. Each widget is designed by Solutions by Design for specific vertical markets, our most popular being orthodontics, veterinary, and home building markets. Though we specialize in these fields, we do have several other business markets we work with and can customize widgets for any area of business. 

Take a look at some of the widgets available to our Montage users by visiting the Montage page of our website. Click here to view that page now.

What Can Social Media Do For Your SEO?

There is a misunderstanding for many business owners about how to grow your organic rankings on search engines like Google. Having an experienced and skilled SEO director is a key to achieving higher rankings, but it’s important to remember that without social media, particularly a social media strategist, your organic rankings will not advance to the optimum level of achievement. These days, simply having your business profile on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram isn’t enough to boost your search rankings. There is more to it.  You need to ask yourself one simple question, do you have a consistent social media strategy in place for your business? If you don't, you need one in order to see an increase in organic search rankings. Remember, if you're not in the number one spot, your competitor is.

What’s a social media strategy?
Simply having a social media presence is not enough these days; you must be active, engaging, and monitoring your social media profiles regularly. It’s important to recognize what social media channels will fit the needs of your business industry, set realistic goals for these channels, and implement them on a consistent basis. One important realization to keep in mind is social media is overwhelming, and with so many social networks out there comes constant new features to track and stay educated on in order to integrate them into your social media strategy.

What can social media do for your SEO?
Social media and SEO are in a tactical relationship with each other. How so? They are both strategies that focus on creating an appealing identity that will increase visitors.  Having a strong plan for each of these will benefit the other. Having a solid social media strategy and presence can influence your Google rankings and improve your SEO. This includes updating, monitoring, and implementing everything on your social media pages from the quality of your followers to the content you post and engagement on your page. If you don’t have a skilled social media manager with the expertise of utilizing social media for increasing your SEO, then you need to think about how serious you are about achieving the highest organic ranking you can.

If you don’t have a full-time social media manager at your business, no need to panic. Solutions by Design has social media services with experts who will develop and implement social media strategies for you. We specialize in working with businesses on social media and SEO and can help you reach your goals and increase your search engine optimization. Visit our website or give us a call for more information. 800-888-4084.

Google’s War Against Pop-Ups

Last month Google announced that they would begin penalizing websites that display content-blocking pop-ups. These are called “interstitial ads,” you can find these all over the Internet as you try to browse certain websites. This is how they work: you navigate to an article that you want to read and as you are just starting with the first paragraph, a pop-up appears that blocks the content. These pop-ups usually want you to sign up for their newsletter, purchase a subscription, or will display an advertisement for a product or service.

Sometimes it is hard to find the button to close the pop-up, and some even prevent you from closing the pop-up unless you click through the advertisement. These pop-ups are irritating and Google is making sure that websites with these types of ads don’t make it into their search results. Google’s focus is on the user's website experience, especially when it relates to mobile browsing, and this type of advertising interferes with that experience.

What does this mean for our clients? We have always advised against adding pop-up advertising for our clients and will continue to do so. There are much better and less annoying ways to get your message to your visitors. Now that Google will start penalizing websites that utilize pop-up advertising, you can’t afford to choose this option in the future.  

If you have a website with interstitial ads, contact Solutions by Design to discuss updating your site. We have a full in-house staff of graphic designers, web developers, programmers, and more, as well as specialize in custom websites.  Also, we don't use templates and have over 30 years of experience assisting clients all over the world with maintaining branding, web presence, and our clients have top rankings on Google. Call us today 800-888-4084.  

Making Sure Everyone Gets the Picture

A little app called Instagram has taken the social network world by storm.

Instagram is a mobile application that allows user to share photos and videos with followers. This mobile app has some perplexed on why it has become so popular, “You just post pictures all day?”. Yes, you just post pictures all day. There are different social networks available to users and each serves its own special purpose. Facebook has become a hub for all multimedia content, while Twitter is convenient for quick messages, and YouTube displays video. Then you have Instagram, which allows users to receive messages through photographs. Today’s generation loves documenting all of their experiences online and photos help do that the best.

Top 5 Things you need to know about Instagram

#Selfie

The  hashtag system was initiated by Twitter, but Instagram has taken it to another level. When users post photo they are able to add hashtags (ie, #solutionsbydesign) . The hashtag is like a group or tracking feature, hashtag are clickable and when you click on these hashtag you are able to see all photos that include that hashtag. For example we clicked on #solutionsbydesign we see able pictures that have been captioned with that hashtag.

It’s a mobile app.

Instagram is only available via mobile application, meaning unlike Facebook and Twitter you cannot use Instagram from a desktop computer. The Instagram app has to be downloaded on a mobile phone or tablet. You may view a Instagram profile from a computer, but use of Instagram’s great functionalities you must be on a mobile phone or tablet.

#Nofilter

When you upload a picture to Instagram there are different editing tools you can use right there in the app. The most popular editing tools are the filters. Instagram offers numerous filters you can apply to enhance photos. For example there is a filter to turn your photo to black and white. This allows users to have fun with their photos.

Followers

All users have followers. Those who follow you get to see your post on their timeline, along with others they follow. If your page is private users must ask for your permission to follow your page.

Sharing

Instagram allows you to share photos and videos on other social networks including Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Flickr. You can set-up your account to sharing automatically making it easy to reach all of your audiences via each network.

Instagram is an awesome social media tool and with it's wide range of demographics the chances to reach your audience is great. If you have questions regarding how you can get started with Instagram don’t hesitate to contact us today!

What's a Tweet ?

In 2006 Twitter started off as a micro-blog where users could send 140-character messages out via text to their “followers”. Today Twitter is a social media staple with well over 200 million active users.

Twitter is a public forum where users are reading, writing and sharing messages in real-time. Messages are sent out instantly creating a great source for conversation. Your messages are called tweets. Tweets are limited to 140 characters, but with you may even send via and pictures. User are also able to share tweets from other by “retweeting”, making connecting world-wide easier than ever. By 2010 Twitter had become a phenomenon garnering national attention as it became a platform for news and pop culture. For businesses Twitter opens up a word of opportunity to sale, network, and connect with customers.

Social media allows you to connect directly with your audience, but Twitter takes it beyond your customers and connects you to your industry. With the use of the hashtag system, (First utilized by Twitter and now used across social media platforms), you can easily interact with build relationship with those who may share interest in what your business offers.

Some may feel as though for their business just having a Facebook is enough, but you must analyze you audience to know what is right for you. Do you clients use Twitter? Does your staff use Twitter? Those are questions that must be asked in order to truly determine whether your business needs a Twitter account. There are many benefits to creating a page if you have the right audience.

Some benefits include:

• Real-time communication with customers


• Boost SEO


• Being able to monitor real-time conversations about your brand


• Being able to extend customer service


• Run deals and promotions


• Network with other businesses


• Keep up to date with social media trends

Feeling like your business can benefit from the joining the “Twitterverse” but aren’t sure how to get started? Give us a call and we assist you with all your Twitter needs.

Social Media...What Does That Even Mean?

Webster tells us that Social Media is “forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content”. That sounds well and good and that definition makes sense…but what does Social Media have to do with your practice and why should you care?

Times, they are changing. Gone are the days of Direct Mail Marketing and News Paper and Yellow Page Advertising. Knowing this, you may have already stopped and asked yourself, “How on earth am I supposed to promote my practice?”  The answer is Social Media. Ok… so now you’re thinking, “I have a FaceBook Page for my practice, I’m golden.” Not the case. Social Media is more than just having a FaceBook Page.

There’s Blogs, Twitter, Instagram, Google+…and that’s just the tip of the Social Media iceberg. And knowing when to post is just as important as knowing what to post. While most practices think of the kids when it comes to posting on their FaceBook Page and Blog, the kids are not the people who actually make the decision as to which practice they are going to select for their treatment. “Mom” is your target marketing and “mom” is who you should be thinking about when posting.Shareability is the driving force for all content. The beauty in people sharing your content is once they share it, they feel an emotional ownership and loyalty to that content, because it has helped enhance others. Their loyalty to your content generally mirrors their loyalty to your practice.

While professionals in the orthodontic industry may find FaceBook Posts and Blog articles on Oral Hygiene, Invisalign and Eating Tips interesting, the majority of the general public does not and typically will not follow practices whose social media is heavily loaded down with this type of content. And if “mom” isn’t following you, “mom” isn’t sharing your practice with her friends. Finding the right mix of posts and articles on patient education and fun stuff to insure “mom” will keep sharing is key to a successful Social Media Marketing Program.You have an amazing practice, your patients and their families are thrilled with their results. Now it’s time to spread the word. Your Goal…put together a Social Media Program. Get yourself a FaceBook Page and a blog and start building your likes and followers. Post content at least once a week, if not more. And stay on top of it…cause believe us when we say, the practice down the street is already doing just that.

Not sure where to begin or how to manage your Social Media? Give us a call. Many practices have turned to us to manage their Social Media Program because of our unique formula. Our practices have had great success because of the research we have done on the content your target market is interested in following.

SEO Isn't a Minor Part -- It's the Whole Machine

Many of our clients don’t fully realize how important SEO is, or how big a part it plays in the whole scheme of things. They view SEO as a minor part in a much larger machine when, in fact, it is the whole machine.

And like most machines, it takes a lot to maintain it and each part must work in unison with all the others for maximum efficiency. If just one part isn’t working correctly it can have a detrimental effect on the whole machine.

SEO’s parts are things like social media, inbound links, site structure, and quality content, among others. If you remove one of those parts, or refuse to fix it when it no longer works, your SEO suffers and its effectiveness is called into question.

Clients must maintain an active role in helping to ensure all of the parts of SEO are in place and functioning properly. For example, social media is a big part of SEO now and it’s vital to keep current with Facebook posts, YouTube videos, Google+ pages, and online reviews. If a client doesn’t devote enough time to this part, SEO is bound to suffer.

Another important part is the website content itself. We build each site with optimization in mind, setting the foundation for effective SEO. But sometimes a client will want changes made that can undermine the effectiveness of our SEO. Even changes as simple as tweaks to the navigation, or additional paragraphs of text, can have dramatic consequences if not done properly.

Search engine rankings tend to fluctuate, sometimes daily, but if all parts of SEO are working as they should, these fluctuations can be minimized. All it takes is a good maintenance program to keep the SEO machine running smoothly.

When It Comes To Marketing, Different Is Better

When we say that we're an "orthodontic marketing" company, what we're really saying is that no one else in the industry understands a practice's needs like we do. We have over 30 years of marketing success behind us and we know what works and what doesn't, and we are always looking for new ways to help you grow your practice.

Many of our clients are realizing extraordinary results from "outside-the-box" marketing ideas. One such client is Dr. John Bayrakdarian at Unique Orthodontics in Clovis, California. Unique Orthodontics is the fastest growing practice in Central California and one of the biggest reasons for this success is the time and effort they put into their marketing. With a population of almost one million people, the Fresno/Clovis area has many orthodontists and Dr. Bayrakdarian wants his practice to be first and foremost on people's minds.

In addition to their many billboards throughout the area, they have recently started utilizing mobile advertising, also known as "car wraps." Most practice's haven't considered this marketing idea, but did you know studies have shown that car wraps are more affordable and more effective compared to newspaper ads, TV or radio spots?

Mobile advertising can be the most effective and efficient form of outdoor advertising, reaching more consumers at a lower cost than any other form of outdoor advertising.

Orthodontics is a highly-competitive environment and it isn't easy to create customer awareness by using simple, traditional advertising. You have to be "out-of-the-ordinary" to be seen in today's marketplace. Unique Orthodontics has recognized this and is turning to these alternative marketing ideas with great success.

Why you need Quality, Unique Content for Search Engine Optimization

Having unique search engine optimized content on your website or blog, is a strong determining factor for who finds your website and what information they take away after they have left your site.

Search engines scan websites to determine how relevant the content is for specific keywords or phrases (the words Internet users type into the search engines to find information they are searching for). More importantly, search engines are looking for content that contains the keywords and phrases Internet users search for. Content that successfully incorporates specific keywords, along with other SEO techniques (such as meta tags, links, etc.) will have a better chance of showing up in the search engines.   

What exactly is Unique Content?

Unique content, as perceived by search engines, is any content that doesn’t duplicate too much text from other online sources. But also keep in mind that it's almost impossible to achieve 100% unique articles as there will always be similar phrases and keywords, so don’t pull your hair out over it.  Just be sure to keep it original. 

Why duplicating content is a no-no

Most search engine providers want to provide their customers with a varied group of results, not 5 or 10 pages with the exact the same content. To alleviate this, many search engines will write something like this in the search results:

“In order to show you the most relevant results, we have omitted some entries very similar to the results already displayed.”

So, if you are posting pre-written articles that have previously been published on other websites, it will most likely end up in the additional results that aren't displayed. This is not necessarily a penalty, this is Google acknowledging that the first site was the one that posted the article first, and thus is considered the original owner of the content. 

Why Does Quality Matter?

Quality content is of the utmost importance, if you want to improve your SEO efforts.  Your business should focus on writing original, quality informational content on your website or blog that is of genuine value to the reader. The content should be fresh and informational. One or two content-rich pages should be added to your blog each week – the kind of content your clients would enjoy reading and sharing.

Bottom Line: Fresh, quality content helps to build your readership

Unique content isn't just beneficial from the search engine standpoint. Having fresh, new, updated blog posts on your website can indirectly boost your SEO efforts by attracting greater attention from visitors.  After all, people are much more likely to share and tweet about content that's fresh and original, rather than being an exact copy of articles they may have seen elsewhere. Internet-savvy readers can spot poorly written articles and duplicate content in a heartbeat.  When you avoid these pitfalls you'll gain your readers trust and interest and keep them coming back for more of your awesome, amazing content!  

Solutions by Design is excited to announce a new social media program in conjunction with its SEO program.  This is the ultimate social media marketing package for orthodontic practices.  This will be a limited exclusive program offering exclusive territories.  This is an exciting opportunity for those who want to grab hold of their target market with social media programs.

Solutions by Design Social Media Marketing

Solutions by Design’s new social media program proved to be a big hit at the Damon Forum this year.  We are so excited to be offering this new, innovative program to our current and potential clients.  

Now more than ever, dental practices are connecting with their patient community through social media.  It is a relationship building tool that lets you create a more personal touch with your patients.

9 out of 10 small businesses use social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.)  Moreover, 24 percent of small businesses integrated social media in a structured way into their business and increased time spent on social media as compared to last year. 

One thing is certain, social networking sites have revolutionized digital marketing for businesses of all sizes. Bottom line: Social media affects business growth. The statistics are pretty amazing and speak for themselves.

• 93% of Marketers use social media for business
• 80% of Facebook users prefer to connect with brands /businesses on Facebook
• 96% of 18-35 year olds in America are on a social network
• 78% of consumers  trust reviews of brands  and businesses (only 14% trust ads)
• 77% of companies acquired customers from Facebook
• 7 of the top 8 ranking factors on Google involve social media

Dental Practice Profile

One of our longtime, dedicated clients, Dr. Mark Lenz of Lenz Orthodontics started working with us in November 2013 to build the practice’s social media presence.   They have been doing amazing things with their dental social media marketing to strengthen patient relationships and grow their practice. They have since made some awesome discoveries and we’d like to share them with you.

• They received 295 page views with the first 5 blog posts; overall page views increased 62% over the previous month.
• 10 out of their 13 keywords were in the number one spot on Google; overall search engine visibility rose by 15% in 1 month.
• 127 unique people visited their website in December
• 72.1% of all page views were potential new patients

      Clearly, businesses are increasingly leaning on using social media platforms to grow their businesses. Your patients are using social media almost every day. Remember, your practice is your business and it all comes down to relationship building.  As you grow your social media presence, you build the trust of your patients and increase awareness of your practice.  So what are you waiting for?

Solutions by Design is excited to announce a new social media program in conjunction with its SEO program.  This is the ultimate social media marketing package for orthodontic practices.  This will be a limited exclusive program offering exclusive territories.  This is an exciting opportunity for those who want to grab hold of their target market with social media programs.