WordCamp Miami 2016 Quick Review

WordCamp Miami 2016 Quick Review

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Two weekends ago, I attended the annual WordCamp Miami conference. What made this one different that this time I took my whole family with me. Yes that means my two kids that are both under 10 years old. I personally thought they may have been too young to apprehend what could be learn, but my wife actually convinced me to bring them along with us with the hopes that they would be interested and be eager to learn. And you know what, they were thrilled to learn how to publish their own content on the internet!

My kids have been familiar with apps, YouTube Kids, Minecraft, and recording their own videos. So when Sandy Edwards and other volunteers created curriculum for kids that weekend, I was pleasantly amazed and appreciated it all. In short, my kids are now excited about blogging, have their own websites, and are able to login on their own and create content. Moderated by us of course.

Another bonus of the weekend was Nicole was one of the speakers for the weekend. Her topic was on Facebook Marketing. You can view the slides here. We’ll be posting a video from it soon, and there will also be a video from WordPress.tv in the coming weeks. Nicole’s talk was great for small business owners and entrepreneurs looking to get an edge with their marketing efforts. She keyed in on retargeting with using an HTML pixel code that you can easily add to your website to directly have your ads seen by a targeted market of people who both visit your website, competitors, websites, specific locations, and so much more. Contact us if you’d like more information on this.

Lastly, below are some photos I took of the event. Due to being engaged with Kid’s Camp, I was more involved with them than making moves around the FIU campus and grabbing some photographs like I use to. Still enjoy and let us know how your experience was for WordCamp Miami 2016.  You can view all of the photos on our Flickr page here.
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Speaker Slides – WordCamp Miami 2016

Guys, this weekend has been amazing on so many levels.  We love going to WordCamp; there’s something about being in a concentrated area with all of this creative, strategic energy that is awesome.  But the stand

Can you find me on the speaker list?

Can you find me on the speaker list?

out for me this weekend has been KidsCamp.  This year we brought our kids along and within 2 hours they have become addicted to blogging.  As a parent nothing excites me more than watching them try to figure out what they want to say, how they want it to look, watching them create.  It was beautiful, really – if there’s a KidsCamp attached to a WordCamp near you, and you have children – don’t miss it.  Totally worth it.

But the real reason for this quick post is to provide my speaker slides from my lightning talk.  Within these slides is the secret to unlocking the magic of Facebook ads and making millions!  No, not really this is just a high level talk about why Facebook Ads give the most bang for your buck. This talk also covers how you can target your ads to show up on the feeds of people who have visited your website, your competitors website, or many other options.  Enjoy!

 

perpillant_wcmia2016

 

 

WordCamp Miami 2016 Tech Gear Packing List

WordCamp Miami 2016 Tech Gear Packing List

WordCamp Miami is just a few days away and we’re really excited here at Design Theory. I’m taking the whole family down, which includes my kids so that they can experience their first conference and kick start their own web and internet journey of creativity and creation.

Below is a list of tech things we’re packing to make the trip and stay as productive and comfortable as possible:

  • Macbook chargers and extension cables. Power is always a big thing at conferences. It’s just as important as having a reliable wifi signal.
  • Smart phone and tablet chargers and portable chargers. This little $10 and $20 portable chargers can usually recharge your device 2 or more times from a dead charge.
  • Macbook Pro laptop. Because I’m going to get ideas on things I’m going to want to implement right when I hear it. So having my laptop will be essential.
  • Tablet/iPad. Having this as a second input device is rather helpful and lightweight. Easy to carry around and setup on a small desk surface.
  • A comfortable backpack, rolling case, or messenger bag. Carrying all of your gadgets and hardware can get heavy or cumbersome.
  • Business cards. This should go without saying, but it’s a good way to quickly give out your contact information while in passing or like a secret note in class during sessions.
  • GoPro. This is a really small and easy to use video camera that I can also take stills on. On one charge it can last me up to 3+ hours and I can control it from my phone.
  • Nikon DSLR. This one is a bit heavier because I have a few lenses that I like to use for various situations. But capturing some great speaker profile pictures, or scenes of packed out rooms where lighting is really low, my Nikon comes in really handy.
  • Extension cord and/or power strip. If you’re going to be staying in a certain track for a few sessions in a row, it helps to secure a seat where you can plug in your power strip and multiple devices to charge all at once.
  • A notebook and pencils. In case you run out of charge on all of your devices, having a good old pencil and paper for note writing is really handy.

So those are the things I’m bring with me. What are some things you plan to pack with you? Add to the conversation below or on Twitter with me and the hashtag #WCMIA

Blab Replays: Work, Life, Health, & Social Media Balance

Blab Replays: Work, Life, Health, & Social Media Balance

This week’s topic was on the honest and transparent side for us I would say. Typically how we manage our lives can be seen through curated material in our social media channels and streams. But how we’re juggling all of that is more of a mystery than glitz, ease, and glamour.

In this replay we talk about how we manage our days, apps that we use, best practices, and also provide some health tips. Be sure to add your comments below if you’d like to add to the conversation.

New Partnership for SEO and Strategetic Online Marketing: PalmettoSoft

Pretty regularly I am asked about SEO, and my response is usually the same; I know a lot about it, but it’s a service that should be handled by a company who does that entirely. As a photographer and web designer, it’s part of my job to understand how SEO works on a basic and pragmatic level. However I am happy to introduce Rhett DeMille of PalmettoSoft.

What I like the most about Rhett is that he’s got the same approach to customer service as I do. In the way that taking time to explain how his process works, understanding the true needs of his clients, and proving his efforts with progress reports like the one below.

Palmetto Soft - Sample Report 1

 

Rhett DeMille has been working in the IT field the last 14 years, and PalmettoSoft, his current company, will turn 11 this May. In the earlier days, most his professional time was spent on web design projects and their associated customer support efforts. Fast forward to four hundred websites later; his company now specializes in Internet marketing where he leverages previous experience to create custom solutions which help businesses grow.

Rhett DeMille

Rhett also serves as the account manager for his clients so he can have a high level understanding of each account at all times. To further bolster this effort, his managers work through project management software with built in methodologies and business rules to always provide customers timely and professional service. Basically all projects and tasks are tracked and recorded to ensure the best client service available– all with a personal touch.

Moving forward, PalmettoSoft strives to continue to help businesses grow by utilizing experience, ethics and sound principles in the quick and ever changing world of the Internet.

Be sure to check out Rhett’s website and apply for the Free SEO Analysis that he offers. You’d be surprised what you’d learn from just that report. Then you can create a marketing plan that will be successful for 2016.