Video Screencast: Four easy and affordable ways to build web forms

Categories: Web Design & Development
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Update 3/13/2012: Machform v.3 is now available. The color scheme of the admin isn’t my cup of tea, but the new functionality looks great. I love the PayPal payment option.

Also Forms for Joomla v.2.5 is available. I’m very pleased Phil Taylor at Blue Flame IT decided to support Joomla v.2.5. If you’re using Joomla and need forms, then I highly recommend Forms for Joomla.

In this short screencast, I review four easy and affordable ways to build web forms, including Wufoo, MachForm, Forms for Joomla, and Drupal Webform. In the past, coding a form required special coding skills. Now it’s easier than ever for a non-technical content manager to create, edit, and publish forms. Continue reading →

Video screencast: Why you should 301 redirect your old URLs when launching a redesigned website

Categories: Screencast, Web Design & Development
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So your website has been around for a few years and it’s time to redesign. Maybe you’re planning to use a CMS such as Drupal, Joomla, or WordPress, and you want to use SEF URLs instead of your old “index.asp?pageid=123” dorky ones.

Sounds like a great plan. Continue reading →

Search engine marketing 101: three ways to get your site and business on Google, Yahoo, and Bing

Categories: Internet Marketing
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“How much does it cost to get my site on Google?”

I get this question several times a week from small business owners, and my standard reply is:

“It’s easy. There are three ways. The first two are free, but it can take weeks or even months to see results. The third way will cost you, but you’ll get targeted traffic to your site within a few days. It’s best to do all three, but if you need leads quickly, then you should start with #3.” Continue reading →

Run with us and get a free hour of marketing consulting (a $150 value!)

Categories: Recently Launched
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On February 21, Sonja and I will run the Third Annual 26.2 with Donna, The National Marathon To Finish Breast Cancer. We ran the half marathon last year, and it was an extremely inspiring event. We’re both excited (and a little nervous) about this year’s race. We’re not fast or competitive, so we just hope to have a fun, injury-free race day. Continue reading →

Using open source content management systems for school web sites

Categories: Web Design & Development
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We recently used open source content management systems for two education websites. For Georgia Tech School of Aerospace Engineering, we used Drupal, and for Melbourne Central Catholic High School, we used Joomla.

The first site, for Georgia Tech School of Aerospace Engineering, was designed by Piszko.com of Atlanta. Motionbuzz completed the Drupal CMS integration. If you’re not familiar with Drupal, it’s the same CMS used for whitehouse.gov and many universities. Continue reading →

Some of my favorite books of the decade (2000-2009)

Categories: Personal
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I love reading. When I was younger, I devoured fiction like finger lickin’ fried chicken. But during the first part of the decade, I read mostly non fiction. I was just starting my business and needed to learn new computer programs all the time, so I would just buy a manual and figure it out. I believe in traditional education, but I learn best by doing. I’m a self-proclaimed autodidact—at least when it comes to some of the technical stuff I do here at Motionbuzz. After I discovered the free video tutorials on YouTube, I stopped buying how-to manuals and began reading more books about the big picture (of business and life). Continue reading →

Video screencast: Anatomy of a Google SERP (Search Engine Results Page)

Categories: Internet Marketing, Screencast
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Sonja and I recently recorded our first Screenr screencast titled Anatomy of a Google SERP (Search Engine Results Page). Screenr allows you to easily create screencasts for Twitter. Once you record a screencast, you can tweet the link, publish to YouTube, or download the .flv. Continue reading →

Inspirational Husband-and-Wife Internet Entrepreneurs

Categories: Personal
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Since 2004, my wife Sonja and I have worked together at Motionbuzz.com. The practice of working with one’s spouse isn’t revolutionary. Family farms and Mom-and-Pop businesses are the cornerstones of the American Dream. However, this arrangement still requires patience for newly indoctrinated spousal business partners. Continue reading →

Recently launched: myPlatinumSound.com

Categories: Recently Launched
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We recently launched a website for our pals at myPlatinumSound.com — a Jacksonville recording studio. Built with Joomla! CMS, this site offers an online booking request module, PayPal payments, and Twitter feed. Continue reading →

Motionbuzz donates new website to Snoop Dogg’s Youth Football League

Categories: Recently Launched
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We are pleased to announce the recent launch of SnoopYFL.net, the official website of Snoop Dogg’s Snoop Youth Football League. Our involvement with SYFL dates back to 2004 when we were contracted by their previous web development firm to work on some Flash animation for the original SYFL site, SnoopYouthFootballLeague.com.

Continue reading →