Sharp Innovations Learning
Fueling Professional Growth and Development
IMAP, POP, SSL, Oh My!
E-mail is one of the most common forms of business communication available today, but it can also be one of the most complex. With the recent explosion of mobile devices, in particular, ensuring you have a fully synchronized experience across all of your devices has become more important than ever. IMAP, POP3, SSL, ports… these technologies are all things that can make e-mail seem difficult to understand, much less manage. But one of the most common issues we find…
Categories: Smartphone | Posted: 06/09/2014
Top 10 Things to Look for in a Web Development Firm
Gone are the days of placing an ad in the Yellow Pages or going door-to-door to ask your neighbors for business. Today, when people need a product or service, the Internet is their first stop, bar none. But it’s no longer sufficient to just be present online. These days, your potential customers expect your web presence to look great, load quickly, function intuitively, and provide them with whatever information or resources they might be seeking. Understandably,…
Categories: Website Design | Posted: 05/15/2014
Are You Planning to Fail?
If there is one constant in the website development business, it is that there will always be change. And as things change, your business strategy needs to adjust accordingly to maximize effectiveness and avoid being put into a competitive disadvantage. With a modicum of planning, businesses can use these technology changes and market shifts to their advantage. Conversely, companies that don't do this end-up lagging further and further behind. When it comes to your…
Categories: Uncategorized | Posted: 04/02/2014
The Importance of being earnest (in keeping your online presence current!)
Poet and playwright Oscar Wilde may have had some fun with Victorian social conventions in “The Importance of Being Earnest,” but he likely never could have imagined the importance of being earnest about your online presence. Indeed, your online existence says everything many of your potential customers will ever know about your business or organization. That’s why it’s critical to keep both your website and your social media pages up-to-date, in…
Categories: Social Media | Posted: 03/25/2014
"Themes" replacing "Keywords" as king of Search Engine Optimization
As any good search engine optimization specialist knows, there are no constants when it comes to achieving good rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs). Staying abreast of industry trends and adjusting to the ever-evolving algorithms used by Google and others is a core part of the SEO services provided by Sharp Innovations. Themes, Topics and Concepts One of the latest SEO trends is the migration away from “keywords” or phrases to more robust topics or.…
Categories: Social Media | Posted: 03/19/2014
Responsive Web Design Vs. Mobile Web Design
According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 91% of all American adults have a cell phone, and 58% have a smartphone. If you’re wondering whether or not now is the right time to be thinking about a mobile-friendly version of your website, the answer for most businesses is that you shouldn’t just be thinking about it, you should already have one. The real question for most businesses is what type of mobile site is appropriate? There are basically two.…
Categories: Website Design | Posted: 03/07/2014
Sharp Innovations Acquires This Way Up! Marketing
Since 1999, Sharp Innovations has help decision-makers in dozens of industries grow their businesses through the power of Internet marketing. With powerful design, creative content, full-service search engine optimization, and more recent additions like social media management and mobile device optimization, we've made it our mission to help our clients find success online and achieve a positive return on their investment. As part of our ongoing commitment to providing…
Categories: Web Development | Posted: 02/11/2014
What Can Google Analytics Tell You?
We have been using Google Analytics with our clients for several years, and it is one of the most powerful, no cost tools available. Just about any activity or interaction from visitors on your site can be measured with Google Analytics. In this post, we’ll focus on a few specific features that can help you make adjustments to your website and keep it moving forward. Do I need a mobile website? Google tracks mobile and tablet views to your website, so if you have seen…
Categories: SEO | Posted: 01/31/2014
Modular Design is Cool
2013 will likely be looked back on as a year where modular design became a popular solution for many websites. Grid-based designs are ever growing, responsive websites are becoming an expected norm, and even modular interfaces are becoming increasingly popular. These structures allow for focus on designing, clean structuring and improved work speed. But what actually is modular design? If you are familiar with Windows 8 Metro UI, you have a good conceptual starting point.…
Categories: Website Design | Posted: 10/31/2013
90% of Searches Affected by Google “Hummingbird”
Google made a huge change last week that is not only the largest since 2009, but the change also affects at least 90% of all searches. Unlike previous Penguin and Panda releases that just updated or enhanced the current search algorithm, the new Hummingbird launch brought the release of a brand new search algorithm. This means if you own a website, you were most likely affected by this change, and should probably reevaluate your internet marketing strategy to move beyond…
Categories: SEO | Posted: 10/04/2013