Digital Decoded

CSS Tips and Tricks for WordPress  

CSS Tips and Tricks for WordPress

Posted by on Jul 28, 2014

In this article you will learn basic css tips for an intro in WordPress development and design. These are common our team uses on new designs, please contact Tower Agency for more assistance.

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Digital Marketing Portfolio Update  

Digital Marketing Portfolio Update

Posted by on Jul 3, 2014

We’ve been busy and that means portfolio updates! The past few months have been a very exciting period of growth for our small digital agency as we have been incorporating new agents into the mix while bringing on some very exciting projects. I would like to introduce you to our wonderful new clients and am happy to announce that they also love us back. We pride ourselves on customer service and a happy client means we did two things right: The project was completed to both party’s expectations. Successfully learned about client needs, found viable solutions, and executed properly. Brenda Heckert Her quirky personality is shown through jokes, pictures, and videos to help casting directors see the fun nature she brings to the set. Exemplified by her saying “It costs an Arm, a Leg, and a Thigh.” By adding a blogging component to the site she is able to increase community engagement across facebook, twitter and other social sharing sites. Read more Nualgi America Nualgi is a new brand that uses microscopic technology to produce Diatom growth in aquariums, thus removing nuisance algae. Tower Agency was brought in to expand this brand to the new products Nualgi Ponds and Nualgi Bloom, as well as maintain the brand of Nualgi...

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Ditch your Secretary, Google Now is here!  

Ditch your Secretary, Google Now is here!

Posted by on Mar 25, 2014

Ok, I am sure your secretary has many perks, but on-the-go updates synced with your life is just too much to ask from a single human being.     Today, Google Now is available as a chrome extension, thus completing the full circle in my digital life. I’ve been using the Google Now card system on my phone since I upgraded to Android a year ago (iPhone prior). It notifies me at perfect times when I should be leaving the house, what the latest Red Sox score is, who I am scheduled to meet, and much more timely information. “Timely” is the key word in this statement. The purpose of this product is to get the information precisely when you need it. Five minutes early or late would just not be as useful. Getting information at the RIGHT time is everything Google hopes to accomplish.   Semantic Web is Upon Us All your information, all your data, all locked up and there for you to access fluently wherever you may be. This is the semantic web. This is Google Now. This is the future. Based on a card system like the screen shot graphic from www.engadget.com, you can decide what information you want displayed in a simple, concise manner....

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Copy + Paste to Eat for a Day, Learn to Code and You’ll Eat for A Lifetime!  

Copy + Paste to Eat for a Day, Learn to Code and You’ll Eat for A Lifetime!

Posted by on Mar 12, 2014

Every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer code. I just signed up to support this wonderful organization started by twin brothers in Silicon Valley. They bring up a great point and support a mission that will only become more necessary as we go further into the digital world. Personally I didn’t learn a line of code until after college, but have since become intrigued and now dive into html/css3 for altering WordPress sites. Did you know that 9 out of 10 US K12 schools do not offer computer programming classes? And that Forbes magazine ranked a degree in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon College as the best paying degree in the USA in 2013? There are six ways you can help spread the word about code.org Code.org | Non-profit foundation dedicated to growing computer science education 1) Help us promote computer science education Find out what you can do locally to turn around these shocking statistics. If you’re in the US, support the Computer Science Education Act. 2) Ask your local school to teach computer science Your local school can teach this self-serve intro course, partner with us to bring computer science to your entire district, and inspire students with these videos. Check our map to see if your school teaches computer science, and if not, ask...

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3 WordPress Plugins for Safety, Security, and Speed  

3 WordPress Plugins for Safety, Security, and Speed

Posted by on Jan 22, 2014

When setting up a new website or pulling off a high-stakes jewelry heist, there are three important things on the mind of every team member: Safety, Security, and Speed. Until each of these concerns has been addressed your precious site is vulnerable to attack from hackers, bugs, and disgruntled users.  We’ve identified three WordPress plugins to help you build up virtual defenses so you can get back to posting content in peace. Safety The diversity and depth of the WordPress ecosystem is a major reason it has become the top content management system,W3Techs report a 60% market share as of January 2014 but that also means components don’t always play nice with each other.  At Tower Agency we’ve experienced plugin updates reducing a client website to are gnarled pile of code.  Because we had a reliable backup plugin installed and activated, the panic was only temporary.  Here’s our current favorite: BackUpWordpress Manage multiple schedules Super simple to use, no setup required Option to have each backup file emailed to you Works in low memory, “shared host” environments Exclude files and folders from your back ups Backup entire site including database and all files Security A fully functional backup plugin protects your site from compatibility issues, staff, and yourself… but what about...

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Mobile Marketing: Search Engines, Proximity, and Immediacy Influence Purchase Decisions  

Mobile Marketing: Search Engines, Proximity, and Immediacy Influence Purchase Decisions

Posted by on Jan 8, 2014

 The Mobile Revolution is Upon Us! Just like technology, the modern customers are evolving and have very high expectations coupled with short attention spans. Mobile optimized websites used to be a nice perk, but have become a necessity. Responsive web development means that your site will change it’s layout automatically based on the size of the viewer’s screen. This allows you to have one website that will work on all platforms, with updates being made to a single content management system. Some sites have advanced functionality and do not lend themselves to responsive design, but in those scenarios other mobile development techniques can be used. Use this site as an example of responsive design by making the window smaller. Mobile customers expect your site to be quick, easy to navigate, and most importantly near their current location. This article covers insights discovered by Google where they found that 93% of people who use mobile to research go on to complete a purchase, most happening in physical stores. People are searching and buying locally. Are your pages optimized for local buyers? Search is the most common starting point for mobile research with 48% beginning their quest through a search engine. The report also finds that 69% expect businesses to be within 5...

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