Cirq Media Solutions

CIRQ Media completes HopeHouse International makeover with WordPress

Theron — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 15:58:50 +0000

Just in time for Christmas! Cirq Media completes a full makeover of the HopeHouse International website to a WordPress CMS site. Starting out with the ever popular WooThemes framework, and with design assistance from Kersey Graphics, we utilized the existing branding specs in the creation of the new site. HopeHouse International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Franklin, TN that specializes in helping orphans in Ukraine find a family in Ukraine by acquiring and/or building homes with the assistance of volunteers from the United States. HopeHouse also visits Ukrainian orphanages in hard to reach locations through planned mission trips each year.

The new HopeHouse website also features multiple SSL-encrypted payment forms for sponsorship, trip payment, monthly giving, and more making it very easy for HopeHouse supporters and volunteers. Plus with WordPress, trip volunteers can keep friends at home updated through regular blogging via traditional and new mobile blogging. And HopeHouse videos have their own home on their very own HopeHouse YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/hopehouseintrnatl. HopeHouse will also be developing a presence on Facebook in the coming days. Stay tuned for that.

Are you looking for an updated solution that takes advantages of all the latest technology while keeping your brand intact? Give us a shout.

WordPress HTTPS fixes your WordPress SSL

admin — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 01:44:57 +0000

If you are using WordPress for collecting any kind of payment online, you may have run into a problem with SSL certificates. If you are not actually collecting credit cards on your WordPress site, you don’t need SSL. But if you cross over and choose to put the payment forms directly on one of your WordPress pages, you need to have an SSL certificate and convert your payment pages to https. WordPress HTTPS, a plugin created by Mvied Designs, is an amazing plugin. It converts internal links, checks external links, and helps maintain your non-secure navigation links. If you haven’t checked this plugin out yet, give it a shot and save yourself a headache.

WordPress Redirect Plugin can remove legacy 404 errors

admin — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:40:06 +0000

If you do a lot of WordPress “makeovers” like me, you’ll find a lot of legacy Google search results from the original platform. Pages with .php extensions or old WordPress slugs will direct the user to a 404 page by default. This is obviously not the best solution for your SEO strategy nor for getting your searchers to the correct page. I use a great WordPress plugin by Urban Giraffe called Redirection which provides a tool for entering source (old) and target (new) URL’s and then gives it a 301 redirect. It’s almost magical. Say your old about page permalink was www.yourdomain.com/about.php and your new WordPress permalink is www.yourdomain.com/about/. Just add /about.php to the source URL and /about/ to your Target URL, click “Add Redirection”, and just like magic, the 301 redirect is live. The old search result takes you to the proper page.

Cirq Media moves to Murfreesboro, TN

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 18:40:35 +0000

We’ve recently moved offices to Murfreesboro, TN. We’re sharing office space with Navigation Advertising. Is your business in Murfreesboro? Are you interested in creating a strategic approach to your online marketing and positioning? Contact us to learn about how we can create a streamlined approach to your online presence. We also specialize in:

Google Apps administration and management
WordPress design, setup, optimization, hosting and management
Social Media strategy and coaching
Training and seminars
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

We are located at 416B Medical Center Pkwy right at the intersection with Memorial Blvd and next door to Thor’s in Murfreesboro.

Utilizing just about any font on your website

admin — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:02:26 +0000

One of the big frustrations of getting your designs converted to your live website in the past is that many of the font types you like cannot be rendered unless the end user has that font type installed on their local machine. So you could create the fonts as image files and then render them them as images. This works OK for static pages. But what if you like a certain font type as your blog post titles. Creating an image each time you create a post just isn’t feasible. In recent years, a few options have been made available that allow you to use hosted font solutions that the server can push to the client’s browser.

Cufon is one of the most popular solutions. Cufon lets you upload your favorite font (provided you have a web license for commercial fonts) and then generates the necessary javascript code which gets placed on your web server. It works really well and is not too difficult to implement. I’ve used it for some of the great free fonts available. The how-to of Cufon is here.

Google has recently introduced Google Fonts, a hosted solution of selected fonts that are free to use if they fit your design. Select the font you want, get the code, implement it on your site. They also include downloaded TrueType fonts for working into your designs.

One of my favorite WordPress theme creators is WooThemes. Many of their themes, including some of the free ones, incorporate at these hosted font options.

Cirq Media completes Dr. Nate’s Naturals website and shopping cart

admin — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 22:46:53 +0000

Cirq Media recently completed a makeover for Dr. Nate’s Naturals, a maker of all natural toothpaste. Dr. Nate’s converted from a Drupal system to WordPress which includes a new blog and updated shopping cart system integrated with PayPal.

We did some SEO tuning across the board. Included is a section for their retailers and a place where customers can provide testimonials. Check out Dr. Nate’s Naturals today.

Cirq Media completes Red Realty redesign and IDX implementation

admin — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:15:21 +0000

Cirq Media Solutions recently completed a full redesign of Red Realty’s website. Red Realty is a full service real estate firm specializing in both residential and commercial properties. You’ve seen their signs if you travel at all in the Murfreesboro area.

Red wanted a more robust application for their agents and clients to interact with. We chose IDX Broker as the back-end MLS IDX feed. Now each agent has a real-time bio page with current listings and a customizable bio page. From what we’ve heard so far, Red Realty likes the iPhone/iPad app the best. Agents have a branded iPhone app which they can provide to their clients and prospective clients making it easy to see both Red Realty properties and all other MLS listings from the iPhone.

Cirq Media provided SEO tuning which puts them at the top of Google for select search terms. They also have an integrated blog which will allow them to provide regular updates and their much sought after Red Market Report.

If you are an agent looking to update your social media profile or develop a new strategy, give us a shout.

Cirq Media completes Scott Lehman and In His Grip Golf social media implementation

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:27:55 +0000

Cirq Media is pleased to announce that Scott Lehman and In His Grip Golf social media strategies have been implemented. Scott Lehman is founder of In His Grip Golf which provides opportunities for churches to host golf outings as a ministry tool to reach non-churched golfers. In His Grip Golf has a significant following through Facebook and Twitter, as well as through it’s website at www.inhisgripgolf.com. One of the new items added to the mix is a personal blog/website for Scott (www.scottgolflehman.com). This will allow him to provide equipment reviews, course reviews, tips and techniques, and ideas on how to have a better life.

Cirq Media provides social consulting and strategy services to businesses and organizations. For more information, contact us.

Cirq Media announces Social Media Strategies for Business Seminars

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:59:37 +0000

Cirq Media is pleased to announce the creation of our training series called CIRQit Training. Our goal is to provide a non-threatening environment for those new to social media and more advanced sessions for those with some experience.

We currently have several seminars for business professionals who are considering integrating social media into the business model. This seminar will cover a broad view of social media including blogs, facebook, twitter, newsletters, and more.

Learn more at this link. http://cirqittraining.eventbrite.com/

Cirq Media completes Dorothy Savage site and social media integration

admin — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:46:27 +0000

Cirq Media recently completed a new website and social media branding campaign for Dorothy Savage. The campaign included establishment of the dorothysavage.com domain name, incorporation of some really cool graphic design elements, setup / update of Facebook page, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and MySpace. Dorothy is a multi-talented actress, theater star, fashion designer, and now a Christian recording artist with her own Indie label, Crimson Pink. Dorothy is managed by Ray Ware (Bryan Duncan, Bob Carlisle, Phil Keaggy, Randy Stonehill, and more). This has been a great project because it brings together many social media elements into the mix. Dorothy can update Flickr from her phone and they are automatically update on the home page of her site. Twitter updates are visible immediately. A Photo Album divided up into her various pursuits is also there. A concert tour page. Plus she writes blog posts regularly. And she is a good writer. So give her site a looksee and get to know an up and coming star in the world of Christian music. You can visit her site HERE.