Unleash the Internet

2009 Contact Me Info

2009-01-03T06:45:00.001-05:00

Here's all my contact information...

Diane Miano
DianeDesignIt!
Cell: 863-840-0335
Fax to email: 863-248-0940
E-mail: Diane@dianedesignit.com

If you'd like to receive new posts by email, please add your email address in the "Subscribe" section (your address is stored securely by the folks at Feed my Inbox, never sold, and you can unsubscribe at any time)!

Shop online for your perfect domain name now, and get started creating a site immediately... or call me to take over the task for you!

Follow me and I'll follow you!

Website Grade: Poor or Promising?

2008-12-28T14:08:00.001-05:00

If I earned a score of 36 out of 100 any other time, I certainly wouldn't tell anyone! (Update: With a few changes, I'm now showing a score of 54.) But the explanation of my "grade" from the Website Grader founder, HubSpot, reveals promise.

A website grade of 36/100 for www.dianedesignit.com means that of the hundreds of thousands of websites that have previously been evaluated, our algorithm has calculated that this site scores higher than 36% of them in terms of its marketing effectiveness. The algorithm uses a proprietary blend of over 50 different variables, including search engine data, website structure, approximate traffic, site performance, and others.

Well, when you put it that way, I'll take it!

With the New Year around the corner, I've been making decisions about my personal blogging plans and internet marketing endeavors... Deciding how much time to devote to my own web sites, which ones to monetize, which ones feed my passions, and how much time to give to the business of consulting with individuals and small businesses on their plans to start promoting themselves online, something I also love doing!

Using the "I love it, I loathe it" approach from author Marcus Buckhingham, I am evaluating my strengths and weaknesses. If given the luxury of playing to our strengths, every business person alive would have goal-setting higher on their list of priorities. So, I'm working on my two-column "I love it, I loathe it" list, but frankly, there isn't anyone to whom I can afford to outsource the things that "weaken" me. In this process, however, the revelations of tools like the Website Grader strengthen and motivate me!

So, putting my other web sites and blogs to the test, I continued with my Website Grading task for a blog I created about three months ago for Lunch Club Wednesday, a local women's networking club to which I belong. The blog is actually two Blogger blogs using a newsletter type format to 1) make announcements about meetings and speakers, etc. and 2) allow members to submit announcements about their business, organization, or nearly anything "newsworthy" for that matter. Again, these blogs didn't exactly yield a grade worth boasting about; however, I was blown away by the following report:

BlogLines, a leading RSS reader, reports about 1,340 subscribers to the feed through their system. This is usually a small fraction of the total subscribers to the feed.

Can this be true? In three months? But why? We're just a group of ladies that use our Blogger blog to publish updated information about our club. We don't monetize our blog, but the content is fresh, simple, and targeted very specifically to local members and interested women. I can only speculate that Google very promptly crawled the Lunch Club Wednesday site just as the club prepared for October's Breast Cancer Awareness month, and the blog came up in a lot of organic searches. Since my return from traveling in Oct/Nov, I have installed Google Analytics so we can better monitor our progress.

All of this is extremely promising. In my opinion, if a score of 36 or a subscriber base of 1,340 can be attained in a very short time, then in 2009, we can expect even better results from our internet marketing! Now, let me go to work... get that score up... and earn more subscribers!

If RSS, Vodcasts and Viral Marketing sounds Greek...

2008-11-23T15:18:00.001-05:00

These online marketing strategies may sound Greek to you, but they can be used successfully by small business and individuals! Just take a look at Blogger's "Blogs of Note" sometime, and you'll be so impressed by everyday people like you and me that are making a name for themselves or their businesses by blogging!

By offering their readers great content, these bloggers are turning people who are browsing into buyers! However, with all the "technological wizardry" available, we cannot neglect the process of analyzing our target markets and planning an overall internet strategy. I'm immersed in David Meerman Scott's book, "The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly." Meanwhile, you might find this clip thought-provoking!

During a keynote presentation, David was asked the ultimate question during the Q&A session. * How do I explain to my boss the value to letting go of control and engaging my customers in a more intimate and public forum? * How do I measure the ROI of Success via social media engagements and creating content that may be of value to my customers?

The Power of Positive {Advertising} Thinking

2008-11-20T15:45:00.001-05:00

If you're a small business with a website, you have probably wondered "How can I ever afford advertising on the internet?" and "How can I drive more traffic to my website?"

I understand. I've pondered pay per click, search engine optimization programs, and buying keywords for my vacation rental property in Montana as ways to drive traffic to my website but always found it too expensive. But I have a success story to tell!

About six months ago, as a volunteer helping our Chamber market its charming mountain hamlet in Montana and advertise its website, I had the pleasure of working with Vertical Media, a publisher of travel-related web sites in the Rockies. Six month's later, the analytics speak for themselves. The advertising we placed delivered 4,033 referrals (compared to the projected 2,136) and nearly 139,000 impressions!

In my opinion, this success started with the Chamber's ability to recognize the potential rewards -- the Board had the power of positive advertising thinking. Mike Banville of Vertical Media and I thoroughly analyzed Cooke City's target markets , and Mike executed the plan to perfection. And lastly, website analytics, the powerful tool that it is, told us that 5 million people use VM's websites to plan their vacations, and it told us we would get a piece of that pie!

Note: In every website built by DianeDesignIt!, Google Analytics is installed FREE!

(Pictured below: Chamber Director Donna Rowland and I at the annual Montana Governor's Conference on Tourism in West Yellowstone this year... our focus: how to better utilize internet marketing and public relations in the travel business.)

More prize winners at Lunch Club Wednesday!

2008-11-12T07:52:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to these winners of the prize drawing for a free .com and .biz for one year from DianeDesignIt. Don't forget to visit the Lunch Club Wednesday newsletter for up-to-date coverage, news and announcements!

October: Jeanny Campbell, motivation speaker ... visit her web site.
November: Vanessa Logsdon, Highlands Little Theatre... visit the web site.

What is included with a domain name registration? You'll be amazed...
• FREE! Photo Album
• FREE! Blog
• FREE! Hosting
• FREE! Complete Email
• FREE! Forwarding / Masking
• FREE! Change of Registration
• FREE! Starter Web Page
• FREE! "For Sale"/ Parked Page
• FREE! Domain Name Locking
• FREE! Total DNS Control

From Montana to Florida

2008-10-27T13:56:00.001-04:00

As most of the my clients and friends know, we left Florida for our Montana home on Sept. 17 and the time to return is approaching... there's no place like home! The saying holds true for both our vacation home here in Yellowstone Country as well as for our warm, sunny Florida home. It's lovely to "disconnect" for awhile but we're ready to return.

Just as I was getting some beautiful photographs for a collection I hoped to call "Autumn on Colter Pass," a snowstorm blew in and Autumn ended early! (Pictured is our pup, Yoshi, on the chase through that new white stuff!)

News-in-a-blog rolled out for women's networking club!

2008-09-15T17:58:00.001-04:00

Lunch Club Wednesday, a women's networking group in Sebring, was in need of a way to get news and information out quickly to its membership. "News-in-a-blog" was the solution. It provides a website where meeting announcements; coverage of luncheon speakers, prize donors and showcase sponsors; and late breaking announcements can be posted quickly to the internet. The club's founder, Diana Albritton, has received numerous compliments and announcements from members of the club already! The newsletter was rolled out last evening to the membership and local news press. I personally appreciate the support and enthusiasm shown by all. If you would like to visit Lunch Club Wednesday's News-in-a-blog, click here.

Lunch Club Wednesday member wins free domains!

2008-09-11T13:22:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to Moddie Desselle of Right Card Right Time for winning the door prize offered by DianeDesignIt at yesterday's Lunch Club Wednesday ... she won a free .com and a free .biz for a year! Thank you Moddie for your enthusiasm! You can visit Moddie's current website here.

As a website designer, I'm very excited about being able to offer domains and website tonight hosting accounts directly to my customers. DianeDesignIt's Domains Store offers everything you need to get started promoting your business online! Start searching today for your own personalized domain name.

Then, remember to pick up any other appropriate extensions, like .org, .biz, .us and .net. Once you find the perfect domain, you wouldn't want anyone to scoop you by getting these other extensions! All of these can be forwarded to your website! Also, for a limited time, each .com is available at the special pricing of $7.49/year and includes:

personalized email account
hosting and 24/7 support
starter web page
domain forwarding
100-pack e-mail forwarding
online photo filer

Preview Photography Books and get inspired!

2008-09-08T13:53:00.001-04:00

Have you ever thought of commissioning your own book? It's a great way to preserve memories in a gorgeous keepsake that will last much longer than scrapbooks and is far more appealing to share. I have two personal keepsake books on public view at the Blurb Bookstore for you to see as wonderful examples.

Opa!

Photographs and Me...

By Diane Miano

Book Preview

Shiba

By Diane Miano

Book Preview

A Website for the Montana Rocky Top Cabin

2008-07-19T20:52:00.001-04:00

The Montana Rocky Top Cabin has a fresh new website! This is our vacation cabin in Cooke City, Montana, at the Northeast Gate of Yellowstone National Park. I built my first website in 2002 for the cabin to enable us to rent it to vacationers. Now in its 6th year as a vacation rental by owner, it is a big success thanks almost entirely to its web presence.

Go to the new Montana Rocky Top Cabin Website!

The Photography Store is Open!

2008-07-12T10:36:00.002-04:00

The photography store is our solution to sharing our photographs and being able to order prints for ourselves and others. Hosted on Fotki, it also allows me to enter some of our photos in contests, and to make the photography available to the public. To order prints, click here.
Or to view more about our travels to Italy & Greece, visit our blog!

Opa! A Travel Blog

2008-06-17T10:23:00.002-04:00

Welcome to the Countdown to Greece Blog! "Dreams of dolmas drenched in olive oil, sweet filo desserts, dancing the Syrtaki invade our minds! Long before our ship, Splendour of the Seas, leaves Venice on June 28, 2008, we will daydream our way to Italy and the Greek Isles!" This blog is a solution to the expense of international calling! It will allow Sharon, Jen and I to post pictures along our tour of Italy and Greece. Since Sharon is a travel agent by profession, it will also give her a site to show her future clients! For Jen, it's a great place for photosharing with her friends at school and band. Everyone wins!

A Website for the Smoky Mountain Top Cabin

2008-06-09T12:56:00.002-04:00

My friend Diane Davies-Prescott asked me to build a website for her vacation cabin rental in the Smokies! This has been a real pleasure to do. She chose DianeDesignIt! because of my experience self-managing and marketing my own cabin rental in Yellowstone Country. Her cabin also sits adjacent to a National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains. Please take a look and perhaps start planning your vacation!

Go to Smoky Mountain Top Cabin Website

Gary's Birthday Present is a hit!

2008-05-25T17:08:00.001-04:00

It was intended to be a gift for my husband Gary for his 47th birthday, but it's grown into a family treasure. We toss it back and forth... who gets to take it today to show off? Although "Pursuits West" is a memoir of Gary's hunting and fishing expeditions in the West. This book is an amazing way to share our best photography. The pictures look great! Elk, buffalo, and trout adorn these pages along with special moments with family and friends. Overall, it came together as a beautiful portrait of Gary's "Pursuits West." Happy Birthday Gary!

Not a Resume but more of a History...

2008-05-25T10:37:00.001-04:00

I understand that before you outsource your internet marketing, you would like to see your creative director's credentials... but you don't have the time or interest to wade through a resume {yawn}. So, you won't find a list of boring credentials here. However, I'll venture to say that the B.A. in Journalism earned from Indiana University in 1984 has served me well through the years. I like to tell college students to learn to ask the right questions and really listen to the answers, and to refine spelling and writing skills! I think it's sound advice.

The travel industry is one of my passions and where my love affair with internet marketing began. In 2002, we acquired a charming log cabin situated on a mountain called Colter Pass in Montana's Yellowstone Country... with 360-degree views of peaks! Named for the huge granite outcroppings surrounding the cabin, the Montana Rocky Top Cabin became our vacation home rental the following summer, and we needed guests! Thanks entirely to the internet, which was still in it's teenage stage compared to today, the cabin is booked with families and couples every summer. Most of the techniques I have used to market the cabin online will work for your business too!

Creativity is the one trait my client's tell me sets one web designer apart from another! I couldn't agree more, but I cannot blame IT (Information Technology) professionals for lacking creativity when they need to keep up to date on HTML, PHP, SSL, MYSQL, etc.... yikes! That's why I have chosen to use a user friendly site editor called Website Tonight, which I've used since 2002 and experienced all of its growth and enhancements. When we are choosing the tools we will need, like domains, hosting, and shopping carts, we will take advantage of products like Website Tonight and Traffic Blazer from GoDaddy's sister company, Wild West Domains, through my reseller store... I guarantee the very best in pricing and support!

Perhaps more importantly, if you want future control of your web site's content, you'll have it! What Website Tonight and my other products permit is for me to teach you how to maintain and update your site and how to submit it to search engines, etc. This is obviously one way a company can save money. No time to learn? Of course, I can handle your site's maintenance and continue offering my creative services to e-mail campaigns and more!

Digital photography and the art of creating coffee table photography books is one of my passions! Call me nostalgic, but I just recently parted with my dusty 27-year old Minolta I used in college! With that old camera, I took my first photojournalism course in college. I carried my trusty Minolta with me everywhere as a magazine editor early in my career. It is now in the hands of a camera collector and I have more room in my office!

Good photography... no, let me retract that for "great" photography... is vital to looking good on the internet, but it doesn't mean one needs to rush out to a professional studio. For many of my clients, we're able to get terrific shots right at the place of business. Does your webmaster offer you on site photography as well as professional photo editing?

Since my collegiate days, I've had the opportunity to live and work in Florida -- nearly 25 years now. Early in my career, I was a public relations worker-bee for ALCOA in Indiana where I was editor of my first newsletter and magazine. Then, in 1985, I landed a position at Honeywell in Tampa and moved to Florida. When the division of Honeywell was sold, I accepted a tenure in marketing for a season of ballet with Tampa Ballet -- what fun that was!

I relocated to South Florida in the 90s where I was an account rep for a PR firm. When real estate really took off, I studied and obtained salesperson and then broker's licenses to sell real estate! For more than ten years, I was a sales consultant with GLHomes in South Florida helping families build homes... it was very gratifying work.

Not long ago, I moved to Lake Placid in Central Florida, where I reside today in the peaceful grove-and-lakes-country of Highlands County. It is here that DianeDesignIt moved from dream job to reality!

Welcome!

2008-05-24T18:41:00.000-04:00

Thanks for visiting! This site is a portfolio-style blog for my creative company: DianeDesignIt! It's a good example of the {c r e a t i v e} use of a blog, and free!

The core of my business is finding internet solutions that are kind to the budget for small businesses and individuals. I have been my own Guinea Pig for years! Think of DianeDesignIt as your outsourced internet marketing department. From A to Z, we will plan and execute your web presence; drive traffic to your site, blog or online store; and analyze the effectiveness... then watch your bottom line grow.

So, if you've been waiting to launch yourself on the Internet, let's get started and make the internet work for you! We will begin with a free consultation, and some of you are more DIY ("do it yourself") than others. That's okay! I'm happy to share ideas on how you can use the internet to promote your business or organization or yourself! But let's agree -- what I really want to hear you say is, "Diane Design It!"

For more information, contact:
Diane Miano/DianeDesignIt
E-mail to: diane@dianedesignit.com
Cell: (863) 840-0335 Eastern Standard Time