Historical Hindsight

History is something that repeats itself... and people don't learn from it.
BUT it is also one of my favourite topics!
So how about a little history of Creativity Abounds and web design?

It was 2002. One girl was getting ready to choose her electives for the next two years of schooling. She was tossing up between a few subjects and finally settled on Computer Studies and Technical Drawing. Both were male dominated classes. Over the course of two years, she learnt about computers from two different perspectives; how they are used in drawing and how they are used in the rest of the world. Of particular interest - web design and the internet.

While she 'helped' her friend with her computer homework (all but using the very mouse to do it for her) there was a brief glimpse of what it was like to be able to make the complicated simple - a concept that would stick in her mind to this very day.

She found she had a unique way of looking at things -not just with web design, but also in other areas of life; with mathematics, history, programming - even words. She enjoyed meddling around with code, with language, with equations - and what's more, she enjoyed teaching it! Transforming these complex things into simpler, easy to understand metaphors that made sense to the every-person became an every other day thing.

But facing the looming pressures of the Higher School Certificate (or the Henry, as her year had affectionately named it in an attempt to escape the stress), the girl decided not to continue a career in these seemingly trivial items but rather to pursue a more scholarly career in Psychology.

Little did she know that after the HSC, she would face a bigger and more realistic dragon filled with tiny little fears of everyday objects - Panic Disorder!

After over a month spent in bed, she found solace in the every other day workload of a screen printing assistant job. Cleaning screens, unpacking, folding and repacking t-shirts was repititive, but new to her. It was exactly what she needed to get back into the 'real' world, from which she had grown afraid.

She continued working here, slowly progressing up the chain of workers to answering phones, redrawing graphics and handling customers. During this time, she studied via distance education, but didn't feel as fulfilled as she expected. Apparently learning how and why people behaved the way they did wasn't as world-saving as she hoped.

As days went by, a website was created, maintained, recreated and redeployed. It served as a great extra (and free) employee for the small company and allowed a reconnection with a passion she had turned her back from.

Research, laughs, tears, a car crash, research, reading and an understanding for what was a true driving force in her life led the way to a decision to start a business.

A business that fulfilled exactly what she wanted in a business... and more.

A business that expected the best and gave slightly better.

A business that had learned from mistakes and started fresh faced and full of hope.

That business is Creativity Abounds and that girl is me.

Guerillas In The World Wild Web

Something I have never considered offensive - SEO or Search Engine Optimisation - made headlines last week.

Mr Troy White, who is in charge of the website http://www.portstevens.com.au/, raised more than just eyebrows with his attempt to take advantage of misspelling in web searches. Web developers have long been aware of this little niche market, but it is rare for the public to become concerned.

As Ben Smee reports for the Herald, the main concern seems to be the "Ambush marketing" tactic, as expressed by 'Port Stephens Tourism marketing manager Tars Bylhouwer'. While Bylhouwer offered figures suggesting that less then 3% of the 9000 people who had arrived at the real Port Stephens site had spelt the name incorrectly, it would seem that there are still some people who do spell it incorrectly. With my trusty calculator, I have calculated that it might be a mere 270 people.

Mere? Why is Bylhouwer worried about losing those 270 people to a well crafted Google-primed site?

Mere? 270 people is quite a starter market.

Firstly, I'd like to do a bit of research into this 'ambush marketing'.

"Ambush marketing is a marketing technique which involves riding on the coattails of a major event without paying sponsorship fees, essentially using the event as a free promotion."
-wiseGEEK

"Ambush marketing is an attempt by a third party to create an association with an event without permission. This can deprive official sponsors and suppliers of public recognition, weakening their commercial investment."
-Mallesons Stephen Jaques

"Ambush Marketing (Guerilla): It is an unconventional way of doing marketing promotion on a very low budget. It could be about gaining from another’s adspend without paying a fee for it. For ex: A promotion campaign to an event such as a sporting contest sponsored by another marketer who could be a competitor. "
-businessgyan

[I love how businessgyan put that "guerilla" label there - how wild, to be using guerilla tactics in web design - there are nerds everywhere salivating at that concept! ]

So basically, ambush marketing is where you use the value of something else (in this case, the name of Port Stephens) to get people interested in your product (in this case, Port Stevens Accommodation).

Am I correct in thinking that ALL SEO is ambush marketing? You are supposed to try and use the value of the words you use (made popular by people clicking) to get more clicks.

So perhaps who Bylhouwer should be angry at is Google! How dare they invent a search algorithm that favours particular words and finds sites dependent on how often they use that word!

Further, shouldn't the businesses on that website who "did not know they were being advertised on Mr White's site" be happy that not only are they getting free publicity, but to an audience of a possible 270 people? As well as the free publicity the newspaper is providing!

It's like any guerilla designers dream come true!

If I were Tars Bylhouwer I would be more upset that I hadn't thought to buy portstevens.com.au first, so it could be redirected to the real website.

Perhaps now, Ben Smee and The Herald, you should try blowing the lid on a bigger hidden secret - the guerilla ambush marketing techniques of web developers all over the world!

I'd like to do my bit in directing web traffic to both of his sites; why not stay at Port Stevens; it seems to be the Google-friendly place to holiday this coming break!

See the full newspaper article at http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/web-row-over-port-stephens-spelling/1532407.aspx

Where is the website?

Hello!
The main website isn't complete yet.

I always think it is ironic when web designers only have a 'splash' screen or a page saying 'website coming soon'. I hear the echo - "So's Christmas!".

It is hard to code for money and code for free; one has to decide if one wants to focus on a customer's site or one's own.

Don't be too disappointed.

While you are here why not check out a few sites I have designed or been involved in;

20Knots - Peter and Lyndall Talbot head up this business; my favourite sailing t-shirt company and they are based right here in Newcastle!

Promobasics - The basic promotional products all in one website! Locally owned but Australia wide, these guys are a must-see for anything promotional. Bonus - all the prices are online! Makes comparing promotional product prices easy!

Keep the code flowing,
Jess!

Caught in the Nett - Reading Offline To Improve Online

Fishing For Information
One magazine that has always captured my techno-heart is Nett.
Featuring stories that are business and web related (two of my smooches), Nett is a reasonably local, Australian-based mag brought to us by domain giant Netregistry.

Why Do I Read It?
While there are many articles available on the web (indeed, a select few of the Nett ones are also available online!) I enjoy sitting down in the evening and leafing through some shiny paper pages. The things it talks about (eg. SEO, web design, online business skills, new government policies) are relevant to my line of work and are presented in a mostly unbiased and informative way.

There may also be the very slight chance that I desire to read magazines and can't justify paying for the gossip ones (which I can read for free, at least four months later in any waiting room) but enjoy paying to read something that appears "work related". What can I say, I enjoy my work!

What's In It For You?
I think Nett presents itself in easy to understand terms and is written by likable everyday people. I am not saying it is for the faint-hearted; they do deal with some wonderfully complex new concepts ('Cloud Computing'). Certainly worth a look for those interested in understanding more about the Wonderful World Web.

Go on - get caught in the Nett; you might find it refreshing!