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Mobile, Web 3

Detect and Redirect Mobile Browsers – Free for Non-Profits!

Posted By on August 31, 2009

detectmobilebrowsers

With the advent of better, faster, and smarter mobile browsing and mobile devices there is an obvious need for businesses and organizations to capture and manage their visitors who are engaging with their sites via these devices and frameworks.

One of the most basic needs is detecting a mobile device and then sending them to the appropriate site or content.

And, one of the easiest ways is to use a simple service like DetectMobileBrowsers.mobi which is a simple service that’ll detect and then redirect for you:

This PHP function lets you choose how to manage your mobile visitors, they can be redirected to a page built for mobiles or you can use it to decide which markup language and stylesheet to show that user.

Sounds pretty good to me. What’s even nicer is that it’s free for non-profits…! I’m liking that a lot.

Check it out and let me know if you use it.

Blogging, Creative, Design, Strategy, Web 3

A Good Design Requires Constant Change

Posted By on August 31, 2009

Convert Design Evolution from tap tap tap on Vimeo.

One of the best design lessons I’ve learned over the years is that good design is born; great design evolves. Constant, systematic and strategic changes make design palatable and fresh.

What’s so fascinating is that this is particularly true in web design, especially for blogs. Good blogs are only as good as the writers behind them and especially their person and character. And good writers adapt, change, evolve, as they grow in experience and in simply life.

A blog that shows this change is a winner in my book. A blog that evolves as the person evolves is authentic and real.

It’s the sum-total of small adjustments which make a great product great as well, not just the cataclysmic shifts (which can help, mind you). The above video is a great example of what I mean.

It might be also good to know that this particular app nets the developer 20,000+ dollars a week. Yes, a week.

I think design had an important roll in that…

Twitter, Web 2

Designing a Twitter-Like Newsletter

Posted By on August 31, 2009

twitternewsletter

I really like stuff like this; it’s creative, simple, and very, very doable.

Adam guides you through his thoughts and process of how he created and designed a Twitter-like newsletter. He even offers the files for download for your own use.

Loving it. Thanks Adam for the hookup.

Strategy, Twitter, Web 5

Adding Value? Who Cares! (But it Would Be Nice)

Posted By on August 31, 2009

gnome

One of the most beautiful things about social media is the wide array of uses that are possible by those that use them.

Although I’m a huge advocate of providing unique value wherever you are and in whatever you do I’m not dogmatic about it; go on and be your bad self and do whatever you’d like with social media, even if it doesn’t provide any tangible or explicit said “value.”

That’s why when I hear stuff like Jim Walton’s idea that you must create value via your tweets (and be constantly thinking “Am I creating value”) I tear up a little because a little internet gnome died online due to too much thought being spent on a tweet.

But Jim…!? What’s Twitter for…?

Twitter is a social networking site that allows you to say whatever you want to say in 140 characters or less.

I think that includes talking about completely pointless babble as well (which he mentions).

Of course, “gnome dying” part is simply bogus nonsense but that’s the point; although I’d recommend that we be wise and discerning with our blog posts and tweets it’s ok to simply have mindless fun too, and as a leader I think there’s an opportunity to be authentic which means that always having “teaching moments” or pithy statements as tweets is lame.

We could, of course, go down the rabbit hole of defining “value” but that would bore me so much that I’d have to tweet about it.

Adding value? Please do. If you’re not? That’s fine too.

[Image from ElDave]

Blogging, Code, Plugins, Strategy, Twitter, Web, WordPress 18

Blogging Your Tweets?

Posted By on August 31, 2009

tweetI’ve been asked a number of times this question and whether or not it’s a good practice; I’ve decided that it might be worthwhile to discuss here on this blog.

A common practice (or a practice that’s becoming more common) is to simply use one’s tweets as blog posts, either in summary fashion or like a timed digest. This can be completely automatted with a number of plugins, etc.

Is this a good practice or not?

Personally, I’m not a fan. I’m not sure how much value it gives your readers unless you find that the majority of your readers are in fact not Twitter users. But, even then, how “boring” is it to read just your daily tweets on a blog post?

Yes, there’s something to be said about not having enough time to blog and I need something there but I find that pretty weak – If you’re going to tweet then just tweet, but don’t make them into blog posts.

I’m willing to be swayed here though; prove me wrong! What are your thoughts?

Web 17

Sunday Special QA No. 23

Posted By on August 30, 2009

It’s that time again…! Sunday’s a good day to take it easy.

I’ve decided that on Sundays I’m not going to do any blogging except for a very simple post series called “The Sunday Special” where you get to ask me anything you’d like.

You can ask about me about web technology, WordPress, blogging, what I ate for breakfast… whatever.

I can’t promise that I’ll answer all of your questions, but feel free to answer each other’s questions as well.

I’ll try to answer all the questions throughout the coming week.

Simple enough, right? Go.

Blogging, Web 12

The Danger of Being Your Own Editor

Posted By on August 29, 2009

oldeditor

At first the thought of being your own editor is a dream come true; you get to say what you want when you want how you want all the time. It’s one of the top reasons why a number of bloggers ditch the big conglomerates and start their own; it’s very entrepreneurial if you think about it.

And that’s the beauty of blogging.

But, I can’t help but think how a number of people really do need a good editor before they hit publish; some of the stuff they write and say could have been tempered or edited a bit to communicate more effectively what they were trying to say. Or, it could have saved them from saying something they’d eventually regret.

You see, I think a lot of the times we forget that we’re both writers and editors and how many are one but not the other; it’s rare to find a person who’s good at both.

It doesn’t hurt to have someone review those posts; I think this doubly applies in ministry.

What do you think?

[Image from Ann]

Facebook, Strategy, Web 3

Facebook Re-Visited: Segmenting Appropriately and Strategically

Posted By on August 28, 2009

Facebook_reloaded_by_Frejm

Michael Hyatt has recently posted a great post about his thoughts on Facebook and how he’s redoing his strategy. It’s well worth a read and I think he’s on to something smart.

I’m not a big user of Facebook personally and although I’ve considered shutting it down more than a few times the long-term value stays my hand from the “terminate and destroy” button. Ultimately the network is so big and so vast I’d castrate myself digitally in terms of reaching the many.

So, I’ll keep it, but with Michael’s thoughts (which are great… didn’t I say that already?) I’m going to revisit it and make a serious effort.

Thanks Michael for taking the time to blog about it and take a new perspective. It may even bring some people back from the “dead”.

Strategy, Web 9

Don’t Clutter The Message: ‘Old’ Media Still Work

Posted By on August 28, 2009

oldcross

This is a Guest Post by Nate Beaird.

In ministry, this is my mantra; “The message is sacred, but the methods are not.”

We go out of our way to find the best way possible to reach people. I didn’t say “the newest, craziest, most ‘techy,’ outlandish, or scandalous, way.”

I said the “best” way.

When I write/speak about leveraging technology for Christ, I try to be very careful to make it clear that to use cool or fancy technology just for the sake of using it, is missing the point. If you can’t tie what you’re doing to the message …it’s just clutter.

Sometimes our creative team has to scrap ideas that are cool. We made a decision a long time ago that our creative elements are not the message – they are there to support it. So as painful as it is-things get scrapped, or put in “the archive” for future thought.

A great example of how your media doesn’t have to be the most advanced to reach people, is our wooden cross (pic above).

This 10 ft. cross is covered from top to bottom, as well as the arms, with pieces of paper. Each of these pieces have five names on it of people that our members are praying will find Christ this year. In almost every area, the stacks are at least four layers thick. A specific prayer team is committed to pray for the names on this cross, and several of the names have indeed found Christ this year!

One of the oldest pieces of media in our history, paper, stapled to a wooden cross. This symbol has touched lives, and held our members accountable to the people who’s names they’ve written down.  The Message of the Cross can stand on it’s own – God doesn’t need us to make it cooler or more attractive. It’s not for His sake we do these things, it’s for our sake. Sometimes we need visual reminders of what God’s done for us. I also think it’s part of our job to create an atmosphere where a person can allow God to speak to his/her heart.

Old media. Old symbol. Powerful Message. Lives touched.

Web 2

Technology and Ministry: A Biblical Definition

Posted By on August 27, 2009

oldbible

I’ve drafted quite a few posts (and deleted many more) that tackled a biblical definition of technology and ministry but I’ve never published them; something in me wants to wait til I do a few more things, experience a little more ministry, and finish out my seminary degree (which could take forever).

Luckily, there are a few who are far more brave than I who have jumped right in, like Stephen Presley and his shot at a “Biblical Definition of Ministry in a Technological Age.”

If this type of discussion makes you antsy (or excited) take a look and give it a read; I think it’s well worth it and is a good crack at making a stand.

Nice one Stephen, and you can thank me later for helping you spell “ministry” right.

What are your thoughts? Love to hear ‘em (especially you scholarly-types).

[Image from Eye2eye]

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