Bandzoogle news

Tweaking your Photos

Allison@bandzoogle.com — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:34:13 GMT

Bandzoogle's templates have built-in colorization features, but if you want something a little different, you can bypass that and edit your header photo before adding it to your site.

A great online tool for this is Picnik.com. Unlike big programs like Photoshop, it's super easy to use, and best of all, free! Here are some cool things you can do with Picnik:

Tint ? If our colorization option just isn?t the right color for your header image, you can use the Exposure and Color options in Picnik to create your own colors.
Tweak ? Make your image look the way you want it with options that will let you remove red eye, sharpen the image, rotate, crop, resize, oh my!
Touch-ups ? Use the Create tab and click touch-up to whiten teeth, change eye color and even fix blemishes.
Texture ? Spice up your images by adding in some effects. Some options include crystallize, circle splash, b&w, gritty, and many more.
Text - If you are concerned with people re-using your photos, you can add a copyright notice right onto your image.

New design option: Intro page color

Chris@bandzoogle.com — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:53:40 GMT

A much requested feature has been added: you can now set the background and font color for your intro pages. Up until now, they were fixed to match your template background. This option is important if you have an image or flash movie on your intro page that needs to match a certain background color.

You'll find the option in the OPTIONS tab of any intro page. Enjoy!

Stronger "security word" added

Chris@bandzoogle.com — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:06:25 GMT

Small update; we've strengthened the "security word" protection on mail form, guestbook and blog features. A few spammers had adapted to break the previous one, this update should keep those features spam-free.

The server upgrade - why we did it, what's different, what is coming

Chris@bandzoogle.com — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 02:13:44 GMT

Hey everyone,

I've received many questions about why we upgraded the system, and what changes it will bring. Though I have posted about this on and off over the last 6 months, I'd like elaborate here. At the same time, I'll update you on what we are working on, and what is different in this new system.

Why we did it

We built Bandzoogle in 2003. Since then, the fundamental way designers make websites has changed. This new streamlined system, using CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) made websites load faster, and also a lot easier to maintain.

Up until the upgrade, our templates were still using the old school way of building pages. They were big and bloated, and every template was coded differently. Even though they looked similar, the code for each one was completely different. If we had to change something across all the templates it took days of work.

Also, the look of the template (like colors) were all hard coded into the page. This had several big implications. First, we couldn't match page features like the guestbook or calendar to the templates, so they were all generic black and grey. More importantly, we couldn't provide you with any options to change colors or backgrounds.

Finally, the software we use to build graphics stopped being made in 2004. It was no longer supported and couldn't handle the amount of load we were throwing at it. We knew any day in the coming weeks it would konk out, making it impossible to make any changes. It also wasn't flexible, to give you the kind of design options we really wanted. It is one of the reasons our templates all share a somewhat similar look.

At the same time, we're getting literally hundreds of emails every month saying how you want more flexibility to create your own designs, or tweak templates, or have designs that are completely different than what is in our system now. With all the factors above we knew we had to change the whole inner workings of our software. So in October 2008, we started full time on creating this new system.

What is different?

Two major things. We are using a completely new system to build graphics, and a new system to generate templates, text, and page features. Thousands of pages of code had to be changed, and your pages now run on half as much code as they did last week.

This new system is trying to emulate the older clunky code style and 2004 graphics engine. It is very close, but you probably notice some differences.

The biggest difference is when it comes to fonts. The bulk of our support requests were something like "my page fonts look different - fix them". Unfortunately, it is pretty near impossible to make the CSS based content fonts look like the old hard coded fonts on a pixel level across all templates. We are close, but if you may notice some differences like more or less spacing, bigger or smaller fonts.

With this trade off, we'll be able to give you tons more flexibility in design. Every aspect of your page features, from the color of blog titles to the size of buttons, will be editable without any code. These options will be one of the first updates we roll out in the coming week. So if your fonts aren't exactly as you like them, you will be able to tweak to your heart's content soon.

You may notice some changes in the graphics as well. Buttons may have a slightly different rollover effect, or the header text will be in a different position. Most templates look pixel perfect, but there are a bunch (which we are aware of) that need some work. Even with a month of testing it was hard to make sure every band name fit into every header perfectly on the first try with this new software. Over the next new days, these issues will be fixed and your images will automatically rebuild.

There were three other issues with the graphics system that we are working on. First, we need to re-add the colorization option for headers. This will happen early next week. Second, there are a handful of template styles that use wrapping text. The new system doesn't currently support text wrapping, so we are looking at ways around this issue. Finally, it isn't supporting gradient effects on your text like the last one did. We are working to re-add this.

We also had to temporarily remove the header/button font size options so that we can optimize their performance. They will be back soon.

In terms of page features, they are all new. Though we got positive reviews their redesign, we did get some complaints about the photo gallery. We removed the options for layouts in that feature, so that it now puts as many pictures as possible in the area available. So if you had chosen 2 columns of photos, it isn't necessarily retaining that format. Why did we do this? We, we will be moving to an "on page" editing system soon. This means that you will be editing your page, on your page, instead of having to click "view site" each time. The photo gallery is the only feature that was storing layout information within the feature itself. We had to get rid of that so that you will be able to drag/drop them on your page to position them exactly the way you want.

What's next?

Though this transition was bumpy, it now opens the doors to many possibilities. We're really excited about what we can offer, and believe that in the coming months we'll be able to give you a much more powerful product.

The first steps for us is to re-add all the old functionality back and give you more font options, so that everyone will be happy with their site design.

Then, we'll be opening up the options in the templates. If you want to keep things as is, you can. But if you want something unique, you'll have to point and click tools to make that happen.

We also have some code in the works to incorporate flash elements into your site, if you would like to.

These future upgrades will be almost exclusively in the control panel, so they will not have the same type of effects on your site that this upgrade had.

I would like to say a big thank you for all the members who have been patient with us throughout the update. It has been difficult, and we understand everyone's frustration with the changes it has brought to sites. We're working overtime to get things back to normal, and to make the "Bandzoogle 2.0" that you have been asking for.

Major internal update on Tuesday

Chris@bandzoogle.com — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:42:06 GMT

Hey Zooglers,

We'll be performing a major upgrade to our internal systems on Tuesday. This is the first step needed to put in place our customizable template system.

There are 3 parts to the upgrade.

First, we're converting all the templates and page features to CSS. For the non-techies out there, this means that we've re-organized the designs in a way that makes it easier to tweak their settings. Some side benefits are that pages loads a bit quicker, and they'll display more consistently from MAC to PC to mobile devices.

Second, we're moving all the guts of the control panel to the Amazon EC2 service. So, instead of a single server to crunch the graphics when you change templates, we now have zillions on tap. You'll notice that anything involving building graphics -- like changing fonts or templates -- is a lot snappier. We also added a nifty "preview" function so that you can see what a new template will look like without disturbing your live site.

Finally, Nick has updated page features (like your guestbook, store and blog) so that they are much cleaner and more uniform. The differences are subtle, but the overall effect is that your site will look more cohesive -- your store will have the same feel as your guestbook and so on. And, each page feature has been customized to look good for your specific template style, rather than having a "one size fits all" approach.

We're excited about these changes; they've been our focus for the last 6 months, but also they'll let us create a much more compelling design system for your sites in the coming months.

While we perform the updates, the control panel will be disabled. Your site should work normally throughout the process. We'll you posted with our progress via alerts at the top of the control panel.

5 Ways to Increase your Productivity as a Songwriter

Allison@bandzoogle.com — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:15:24 GMT

There are many ways to increase your productivity, not only as a songwriter, but with life in general. There are several Sites, Books and Blogs dedicated to this topic but here are just a few ideas to point you in the right direction if the clock seems to be against you.

Have a Sunday ? The key to productivity is having a plan and sticking to it. One great way to make this happen is set aside 30 minutes each Sunday evening before you go to bed to write out what you?d like to accomplish the following week. If you don?t have a plan, you will usually go through the week with aimless ambition always scrambling to catch up on what you would like to get done.

5 things - Along those same lines, each night before you go to bed, take 10 minutes to review what you got done that day and write down the top 5 things you?d like to accomplish the next day. This will keep you focused on what?s most important.

Be specific - ?Write one new song? is too general for your mind to do anything with. When you draft your plan, give yourself something detailed to work towards. Example: Complete first verse and hook to new song about old girlfriend who broke my heart at a McDonald?s with a tune similar to ?I?m a Lil Tea pot?. This gives your mind a direction even if you don?t stick to it completely in the writing phase.

Practice? Practice! ? You can?t be a writer if you?re not writing. Make it a habit to write every day. Some ideas are to write a poem, write a short story, describe a photo, write out your feelings/viewpoints, write a love letter and the most obvious?.write lyrics. Writing daily helps to develop your imagination as well as your skill with the way words flow naturally. The more you practice, the better and faster you?ll get, which will save you time in the long run.

Just DO it ? Once you have a written plan, take action!! If the task at hand isn?t moving you closer to your goal, stop and re-evaluate. Either find a better way, or delegate it to someone else if possible.

Store updated to use Micropayments accounts

Chris@bandzoogle.com — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:34:10 GMT

Yesterday, PayPal made their Micropayments account open to everyone. It is great for small transactions, with fees of only $0.05 + 5%. A $0.99 download for example, would have 10 cents in fees, versus 32 cents with the standard PayPal account.

Unfortunately, PayPal has made things a bit difficult because you need to choose a standard account OR the Micropayments one. This doesn't work well if you sell MP3s and T-Shirts, because the checkout price will vary.

So, we've updated your store so that you can specify a Micropayments PayPal account. If the total value of the order is less than $12, it automatically will use this account and put more money in your pocket! This is optional; if you prefer to stick with one PayPal account, you don't have to do anything. You'll find this in the "store settings" tab of the Store or Album Download feature.

Finding your musical niche with "sound alike" artists

Allison@bandzoogle.com — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 01:22:35 GMT

I've read a lot of band bios saying that their music is totally unique and unlike any other artist. This actually does the band a disservice. Being able to relate your music to *something* that already exists can help you find your niche -- and fans as well.

The first step is decide who sound similar to. It can be one artist, or a mixture of many (i.e the emotional lyricism of X, with the pop sensibilities of Y). This may not be easy. If you?re not sure, ask your friends and family. Adding a blog post about this will encourage your fans to participate on your site.

Then, find blogs, forums, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter feeds for your ?sound alike? band/artist. Post thoughtful comments and link it back to your site or offer a free download. Never spam a blog post with only, ?Check us out!!? or ?New music here!? comments. Your posts will get ignored. The point is to add something of value to folks who are potential fans.

You can also find acts in other towns that use your "sound alike" band to describe themselves. Offer to trade gigs with them. If your styles are similar, it will be a lot easier to get their fanbase interested in your music.

If possible, go to your "sound alike" band/artists concerts and hand out download cards or small flyers stating that you are the next {so-n-so band/artist}. Make sure your promo items compliment the artist and don?t come off as trying to ?steal? fans from them. This may or may not be appropriate depending on your music style and the venue.

Finally, consider updating your bio and press kit to include this information. If you happen to get offline press, people can immediately get a sense of your style without being able to listen to your tracks.

"Free" and the future of indie music

Chris@bandzoogle.com — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:31:33 GMT

For the past few weeks, Hypebot (a great blog for musicians) has been soliciting feedback from industry people about the idea of giving music away free. He asked me to contribute to the thread. You can find my post here.

It is definitely a controversial topic. One thing is for sure, free music is not going away, so having a strategy to use "free" effectively should be something all musicians are thinking about.

Here are some links to insightful posts about "free" and the future of music.

Hypebot.com - the Value of Free.
Podcast with marketing guru Seth Godin at Musician Marketing dot com.
Why give away your music free? at New Music Strategies.
Lefsetz Letter about Bandzoogle member Corey Smith.
Can Indie Acts Give it Away @ the Seattle Weekly.

What do you think? How does "free" fit into your band's strategy?

Social network sharing added to blog and events

Chris@bandzoogle.com — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:25:33 GMT

Under each blog post and on the event details page, you'll now find a "share" button that lets your fans post it to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or via email. This makes it a lot easier to spread the word. More social network functions are coming soon...

Member logins extended to 7 days

Chris@bandzoogle.com — Sun, 10 May 2009 22:45:56 GMT

Small update for those of you that use the members function on your website; now your visitors will stay logged in for 7 days at a time without having to log in again. A few zooglers had issues with their members having to log in so often, so this should correct that.

5 Twitter tips for Musicians

Allison@bandzoogle.com — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:05:36 GMT

In a world of fast food, high speed and instant fixes, Twitter is definitely the way to go to interact with your fans and industry contacts. At first it seems kinda dumb to tell folks what you?re doing all day, but spend a little time there and you?ll see why it?s worth sticking around.

Connect with industry gurus . ?Follow? people like Bob Baker (http://twitter.com/MrBuzzFactor), Ariel Hyatt (http://twitter.com/cyberpr) and Artists House Music (http://twitter.com/artistshouse). These are all well known industry giants who continuously Tweet (individual posts) articles, blogs, info, etc. on the latest and greatest in music today. Spend even 15 minutes each day reading their posts and you will keep yourself in the biz loop.
Be personal but avoid TMI. The standard rule is to Tweet at least 3 times a day and answer the question?. ?what are you doing now?? This gives you the opportunity to let fans in on your daily life and all the rockstar things you do. It?s good to let them in on the details, but too much personal information may come back to bite you, so keep it light.
Everything in moderation. Just like anything new, it?s tempting to spend a good chunk of your day tweeting ads for your band/solo act but try to resist just a little. Nobody wants to see 20 tweets in a row about your new CD or the gig of the century you are playing in two days. That type of tweeting is considered spammy and will get you removed from not only your followers lists, but possibly from Twitter itself. When it comes to promoting, less is more as long as you get creative and make your tweets stand out.
Tweet questions or ideas that engage your followers to reply to your tweet. The goal is to make new connections and strengthen the ones you already have by short and simple blurbs of text spread out throughout your day. Get creative and tweet?.say band trivia for prizes or maybe a contest to win tickets to your gig for the first 10 replies to a tweet.
Consistency is key. The main objective is to let people know you are there, you have something cool to say and you have something even greater to offer.

The first step is to create a Twitter account at: www.twitter.com

Then follow us at twitter.com/bandzoogle