“Today we’re pleased to welcome DSType’s Leitura News to the Typekit library. Designed for editorial use, it comes in eight styles (four weights with matching italics), four of which have been manually TrueType hinted to render well at text sizes.

Top to bottom: Acta Display Black Italic, Leitura News Roman 3 (with italic ampersand), Roman 4, and Roman 2. (source text)

At larger text sizes Leitura News feels studious and bright. Its bold (Roman 4), with a bit of letterspacing, can be successful in short bursts at these sizes.

Velino Poster with Leitura News Roman 4 (subhead, sidebar) and Roman 2 (text). (source text)

At smaller text sizes Leitura News feels crisp and active, but also quiet. Even its more outgoing letterforms buckle down and do their jobs for the sake of the text.

Upgrade to a Personal Plan or higher to use Leitura News. If you’re already a paying Typekit customer, enjoy the new fonts! If you’ve never given Typekit a try, sign up (it’s free) and upgrade whenever you’re ready.

(Via The Typekit Blog.)

”
‘Why do people do it? Because they have no fear of reprisal. Sure, some of them pay me after they are confronted or take the image down, but why should I have to find them and confront them? I guess it shouldn’t be so surprising since modern journalists call aggregation ‘journalism,’ when really it’s just slapping your name on someone else’s work and sometimes adding a snarky couple of sentences. People say that they will link to my site. Oh, really? That’s great, but I prefer cash.’
Creative Loafing 01/26/12
“

(Via ArtsJournal: Daily Arts News.)

Denise Jacobs

Here is a friend that is speaking in UK and has been queried on how she might participate in various workshops for artists. Although her skill set may diverge a bit, she is very helpful and has a good sense of design for the web. I’ll be looking forward to seeing her as soon as possible.

A SPN Exclusive Article By David Jackson (c) 2012

A couple of weeks ago, I visited one of the Internet
Marketing/Small Business forums that I’m a member of, and
noticed a new member had posted a typical newbie question in the
SEO forum. The member wanted to know how she could be guaranteed
to get her website on the first page of Google. As usual,
members came crawling out of the woodwork with advice -
including members who didn’t even own a website.

Unfortunately, that’s pretty typical on Internet
Marketing/Small Business forums… members who don’t own a
website instructing other members how to get on the first page
of Google… members who don’t own a business dispensing
business advice. So be careful where you get your advice
from… but I digress.

Not surprisingly, not a single member responded with the correct
answer. And what is the correct answer? The correct answer is
there is NO magic bullet that will assure a first page ranking
on Google. Never has been, never will be. By the same
token, NO reputable SEO company will promise first page
rankings.

By the way, this isn’t the first time I’ve written about this
topic. In my article ‘How to Choose a Reputable SEO Company’
(http://www.free-marketing-tips-blog.com/2011/10/
how-to-choose-reputable-seo-company_21.html), I wrote the
following:

“No SEO company can guarantee you a first page or top 10
ranking. I repeat: NO SEO company can guarantee you a first page
or top 10 ranking. Here’s why: There are far too many variables
involved in the ranking of a website – not the least of which
are the age of the domain, relevancy and quantity of content,
number and quality of inbound links, competition, and of course
Google’s ever-changing algorithms. That’s why legitimate SEO
companies don’t make those kinds of outlandish promises.”

Why Reputable SEO Companies Don’t Promise Guaranteed Search
Engine Rankings

In other words, it’s impossible to promise something which
you have no control over. But don’t take my word for it… this
is what Google itself has to say about the matter:

“Beware of SEO’s that claim to guarantee rankings.” Source:
(Google Webmaster Tools [http://support.google.com/webmasters/
bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35291])

Wow…that statement is about as succinct as it gets.

In his article, ‘Why Reputable SEO Firms Don’t Promise
Guaranteed Search Engine Rankings’ (http://www.seomoz.org/blog/
why-reputable-seo-firms-dont-promise-guaranteed-search-engine-rankings),
prominent SEO expert, Rand Fishkin writes:

“From 1996 through to today, SEO scams have used ‘guaranteed
rankings and traffic’ as a slimy catchphrase to lure in
gullible buyers with too-good-to-be-true promises. That
association has stained the entire industry. SEO’s cannot
control the search results the way FedEx can control shipping
packages or Coca Cola can guarantee the taste of their beverage.
The search engines alone are responsible for, and privy to the
rankings’ methodologies.

There are times when I would be willing to gamble a large amount
of money on the fact that we could achieve a certain ranking for
a given keyword. However, that’s not the same as a guarantee. A
guarantee is a promise – a basic contract that necessarily
creates an assumption of certainty by the deliverer to the
recipient. Anytime you cheat on that logic and make a promise
outside your sphere of direct control, you’re walking on shaky
ethical and business ground.”

Now think about that for a minute. If one of the most reputable
and prominent SEO experts on the planet isn’t willing to
guarantee rankings, what does that tell you about the validity
of guaranteed search rankings claims?

Are There Any Exceptions?

Yes, there are always exceptions. For example, Dental SEO, ‘The
Visible Dentist’ (http://www.thevisibledentist.com/guarantee.php)
is one of those companies that guarantees first page rankings.
Their guarantee states:

“The dentist does not pay for SEO services until their website
is favorably positioned in a major search engine. Major search
engines include Google, Yahoo, MSN’s Bing and Ask. Our
exclusive promise specifically guarantees that the client’s
dental website will have high visibility in one or more of these
popular search engines. Further, a minimum of twenty (20)
positions on Google’s 1st page results will be attained before
payment is required.

This warranty is made without absolute assurances to search
engine positioning. The reason positions cannot be absolutely
guaranteed is because no one has control of a search engine’s
algorithms, nor control over the many websites coming online
every day. However, all work on the client’s site will be
performed according to specs and to the best of our ability. If
desired ranking is not achieved, no payment will be due from the
client.”

Personally, I don’t have a problem with that type of promise.
The company is basically putting their money where their mouth
is. They’re willing to prove their competency and assure
results before the client pays a dime. This eliminates any and
all risk for the client. If more SEO companies did business that
way, the industry as a whole wouldn’t have such a bad
reputation.

All that being said, even if no money is required upfront, you
still need to do your due diligence and check things out
carefully.

SEO Scam Artists

If all SEO companies competently applied their craft and
performed the service they were paid to perform, articles like
this one wouldn’t be necessary. But as long as there are
incompetent SEO scam artists who intentionally take people’s
hard-earned money without doing what they promised… I will
continue to warn people about the problem.

Unscrupulous SEO companies that promise first page rankings
aren’t stupid, but they think you are. In fact, they’re
counting on your naivety, gullibility and yes… laziness.

Because the truth of the matter is there are millions of people
out there who would much rather put their faith and trust in
leprechauns, magic pills and guaranteed rankings, than put in
the time and hard work necessary to achieve the desired results.
That’s the way it is, and that’s the way it’s always been -
even before the advent of the Internet.

The Power OF A Strong Guarantee

Like I said, the SEO companies making guaranteed ranking claims
aren’t stupid. In addition to counting on your naivety,
gullibility and laziness, they’re also pretty astute marketers
- well aware of the power of a strong “guarantee.” Like all
smart marketers, they read books and articles about ways to
boost their sales – like this article by copywriting expert Dean
Rieck:

“You can write all the selling copy you want about how you’re
the best, offer great quality, and include lots of great
content. However, it’s all for nothing if your potential buyers
have any doubts.

Doubt creates hesitation. Hesitation kills sales.

The answer? You have to reduce the perceived risk people feel so
there is no hesitation to take you up on your offer.

And that’s the key – risk reduction.

With a guarantee, they feel confident that they won’t be stuck
with their purchase. And the very act of offering a strong
guarantee lets buyers know you really believe the product is
worth its asking price.” (Source: How to Boost Your Sales with
a Strong Guarantee [http://www.copyblogger.com/strong-guarantee/])

If It’s Too Good To Be True…

In other words, psychologically, a guarantee eliminates the risk
in the minds of buyers. A guarantee lowers their guard and makes
them much more willing to take a chance on your offer – even
when your offer sounds too good to be true. And you know what
they say about something that sounds too good to be true…

“Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
- Carol Rees

Conclusion

Over the years, listening to that “little internal voice” has
served me well. The times I ignored that little voice is when
I’ve gotten into trouble. Listen to your gut. If something
doesn’t feel right, walk away.

In a perfect world, we would be able take SEO companies at face
value without being suspicious. Unfortunately, we don’t live in
a perfect world, so be suspicious. Be very suspicious… The
money, time and aggravation you save, may be your own!

================================================================

David Jackson is a marketing consultant and the owner of
Free-Marketing-Tips-Blog.com – Powerful, ‘free marketing tips’
(http://free-marketing-tips-blog.com/) to help grow your
business! (http://free-marketing-tips-blog.com)

================================================================

By Laura Bruney, Arts & Business Council of Miami

“We are in the age of internet lifestyles, web-based services and a cyber-universe. With all of the advances in technology, sometimes we have a hard time keeping up with it all. We love the internet, right? Yes. Yes, and yes. As we continue to ‘upload’ our lives on the computer, we have to remember to bring with us, the old ways of doing things. Of course, those old things need some software upgrades too.

Recognizing that leadership in the arts needs to expand to meet the current demands being placed on cultural organizations, the Arts & Business Council of Miami is excited to start the process of developing Arts Board Match, a program to strengthen the recruitment efforts of governing boards in the arts. Gone are the old ways of board development.

This year, the Arts & Business Council of Miami plans to launch this dynamic program that is structured to change the way we view board placement and board development. With the help of the newly released power2give Miami website, Arts Board Match has begun its campaign to raise money towards developing a platform that will change the way we explore, develop and participate on nonprofit boards.

Arts Board Match is an innovative resource that will close the crisis gap in the number and diversity of board candidates accessible to arts organizations in South Florida.  With over 1,000 non-profit cultural groups competing for board members the need to expand the pool of interested prospects is great.

‘Given the demographic changes that we are experiencing in South Florida, board membership needs to adapt and change,’ says Laura Bruney, Executive Director of the Arts & Business Council. ‘Arts Board Match will help organizations build leadership that includes gender, racial and ethnic diversity through the use of the internet.’

Imagine hundreds of business executives and professionals channeled onto arts boards throughout our community. Imagine it being based on a careful match of their personal interests and skills to the nonprofits that need strategic expertise to meet today’s challenges. Consider the range of experience these board candidates might bring — legal, human resources, public relations, strategic planning, marketing, pricing strategies, fundraising, real estate, financial, accounting, information systems, and so on. Consider the circle of influence these new board members will bring to the table through their networks of associates, colleagues, friends and clients.  Imagine further that each business executive and professional chooses only the board where they feel a personal passion and commitment to the mission. It will be powerful and transformative.”

(Via Knight Arts.)

Website Engagement Techniques: The Caricature Effect

Marketing is all about getting noticed, getting remembered, and
motivating people to action. Whether it’s a website, display ad,
or video, it must first grab people’s attention, it must stop
the viewer from going onto the next website, turning the
magazine page, or clicking the stop button. In order to
accomplish that increasingly difficult task, you must
understand the Caricature Effect.

The Caricature Effect

The Caricature Effect simply stated says that what we notice is
variation from the norm. Caricature artists exaggerate reality
because that is how we visually distinguish one person from
another. Human beings are preprogrammed to look for patterns and
variations in those patterns, it’s how we recognize who people
are, and it is a basic survival mechanism that helps us recognize
danger and distinguish friend from foe.

By distorting an individual’s prominent facial features the
caricature artist mimics the human brain’s way of remembering
who’s who. Our brains are not cameras that take pictures and
file them away for future reference. Our memories are malleable,
they change and alter over time and experience, and as a result
the things we remember best are the things that stand out,
things like Bob Hope’s ski-jump nose or Albert Einstein’s wild
white hair. The reason caricatures are so effective is because
they emphasize the distinguishing differences that we recognize
and remember. So how do we use this fundamental, hard-wired
human characteristic to further marketing agendas?

What We Notice Is Variation From The Norm

Getting noticed is job-one of any marketing vehicle, so in order
to get people to stop, look, and listen we need to use all the
available communication elements at our disposal.

When developing a video campaign we use concepts that demand the
mental processing of information by shocking, stimulating,
puzzling, or tickling the funny bone of the viewer. These
techniques force the audience to think, process, and decode the
message, and by generating this mental activity we embed our
client’s message in the audience’s consciousness. Depending on
the brand and/or product, implementation can range from subtle
to obvious with the trick being to make people sit-up and take
notice by forcing them to think.

Pattern Recognition – The Same But Different

Human beings have evolved to watch for patterns and when an
audience recognizes a familiar scenario they leap to a
conclusion. It’s a way of making quick decisive decisions that
can either help or hurt communication. Properly used pattern
recognition can lead your audience where you want to take them,
but if the pattern is too obvious or hackneyed, it can lead to
viewers dismissing your message.

Let’s face-it, consumers have become increasingly jaded by too
many ads that yell at them like a Billy Mays commercial, or
promise improbable results like so many diet schemes, or scare
the hell out of people with legal disclaimers warning of
everything from headaches to heart attacks like most
prescription drug ads. These feeble attempts to standout like
a pair of John Daley golf slacks only succeed in reminding the
audience how completely desperate, or disengaged the advertiser
really is.

If you want people to remember your message you have to alter
the pattern by varying from the norm so that it forces people to
mentally process your information. It’s as simple as a story
with a twist like how a comedian sets-up a punch line, or how a
magician sets-up an illusion.

In other articles I’ve written extensively about techniques for
using video but here let’s discuss something even more universal
- photography. It is one of the most economical ways to create
the kind of mental stimulation that makes people remember your
site and your message.

Photo-Visual Engagement Techniques

Most every website has photography of some sort on it, but like
most video implementations, it is rarely used to its full
potential. Obviously, do-it-yourself snapshots reek of amateurism
but even professional royalty-free images can be as innocuous as
DIY snaps are unprofessional, and as we have stated, bland,
featureless images are just not going to stimulate anyone’s
memory.

Cinegraphs

Cinegraphs are photographs that move. They are created by
combining a series of still images into a gif animation. The
best cinegraphs use subtle movement like hair or clothing
blowing in the wind to cause the audience to take a second look.
What appears at first to be a regular photograph creates a “Did
I just see it move?” reaction, and that’s the kind of subtle yet
powerful feature that can get people to remember your site, your
product, and your brand.

Like any technique you have to know how and when to use it in
order to enhance your presentation and reinforce your message.
Just parachuting in a technique for technique’s sake is no
better than a meaningless royalty free image used as filler.

Sequence Images

A sequence image is a still image that combines a series of
images into one photo. Unlike cinegraphs, the image doesn’t move
but it does provide a kinetic quality by showing a series of
varying poses all combined into one photograph. This kind of
image can be very striking and powerful and can cause your
viewer to take a moment to decode the story it tells.

Selective Color

Color is another area that often gets forgotten. Different
colors have different psychological effects depending on the
context in which they are used. In addition to the color choice,
using color as a consistent marketing communication element
helps enhance and embed your identity and brand image. Many
Internet entrepreneurs pay little or no attention to color
imaging and it is really unfortunate as it is often an
inexpensive but effective way of making a profound impression.

Photographs today are generally full color images but if you’re
not controlling the color in your images then you’re missing a
great opportunity to make a memorable impression. Of course lack
of color (black and white photography) can be just as powerful
if used properly. Jack Daniel’s is a brand that uses black and
white and selective color extensively in its marketing.

There are several ways to use selective color in your
photographic imaging. Jack Daniel’s uses a lot of black
backgrounds or B&W photos and copy combined with color product
shots of the bottle that has a B&W label but is filled with the
golden elixir.

Another effective implementation of selective color is a B&W
photograph that has been adjusted so that part of it is in
color. For example, a clothing designer might want a black and
white photograph of a model but with the dress she is wearing in
color so that the garment stands out and not the model.

Illustrated Photos

Combining a photograph with a drawing can be a very effective
way to make a unique impression on your website visitors.
British film director Alfred Hitchcock used a similar technique
for the introduction to his 1950′s television show, where he’d
walk on set to lineup with a simple background drawing of his
unique and readily recognizable profile. It is a classic example
of the Caricature Effect that combines an actual caricature with
a photo thereby creating a clever signature style. The image of
Hitchcock lining up with his caricature outline is an enduring
image of the director that is still recognized more than a half
a century later.

It’s The Differences That People Remember

These examples are only a few of the ways Internet entrepreneurs
can use the Caricature Effect to enhance their image and embed
their brand in the minds of their audience. Whether it’s a
display ad, video, a website, or even the design of the product
itself, the thing to keep in mind is that it’s the differences
that people remember.

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Jerry Bader is Senior Partner at MRPwebmedia, a website design
and marketing firm that specializes in Web-video Marketing
Campaigns and Video Websites. Visit http://www.mrpwebmedia.com,
http://www.136words.com, and http://www.sonicpersonality.com.
Contact at info@mrpwebmedia.com or telephone (905) 764-1246.

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