Aug
24
Solar-Breeze: One Smart Robot
August 24, 2010 | Leave a Comment | Written by Chad Gookin
Metro Studios has been working with an intelligent robot by the name of Solar-Breeze, and its inventor Denis Ruzsa and his business partner, Paul Sims, of Solar Pool Technologies, Inc. to develop successful marketing tools and strategies for this ingenious new product.
The Solar-Breeze pool skimmer, from Solar Pool Technologies, is a robotic pool skimmer that uses free energy from the sun to keep pools clean by removing leaves, debris, pollens, dust, and even suntan oils from the surface of pools before they sink to the bottom.
It also reduces pool pump usage, which in turn lowers your energy costs, and helps the environment all at the same time.
This product is unique for the pool industry. It’s one thing to describe the many benefits this product offers to pool owners. It’s another thing to actually show them.
We created a 3-minute video that paints an effective picture of how easy this product is to use and the added convenience it provides to pool owners. With Solar-Breeze, they can spend far less time maintaining the pool, and far more time enjoying their pool.
Solar Pool Technologies utilized Metro Studios’ photography, video production, web development, SEO, and a partnership with Crosby Wright to help create a strong presence for Solar-Breeze in the market place.
Aug
24
Is Your Site Mobile-Friendly?
August 24, 2010 | Leave a Comment | Written by Chad Gookin
Technology is constantly evolving. With change, comes opportunity. The time to capitalize on that opportunity is now.
One possible opportunity is to invest in a mobile site for your company. Mobile Internet use is not a passing trend. Rather, it’s a certainty.
Keep the End-User in Mind
According to Morgan Stanley Research, by 2014 mobile Internet users will surpass desktop Internet users. People are consuming information on the go, and to create a successful website, you should always keep the end-user in mind—in terms of content and accessibility.
St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is a prime example of a company keeping the end-user in the forefront.
St. Luke’s called upon Metro Studios to develop a mobile site that accommodates the needs of their customers. While the existing site offers a tremendous amount of information and insight, it wasn’t packaged in a way that offered quick and easy access to the type of information that was in highest demand from mobile Internet users.
In our meetings with St. Luke’s Marketing Department, we put ourselves in the shoes of a mobile Internet user to better understand what type of information he/she needs on the go, and if that information is easily accessible from their existing site.
Sometimes, Simple is Better
The result was a simple and clean mobile site that offers quick and easy access to information most important to a person on the run. St. Luke’s mobile site, http://m.stlukescr.org, offers three pages (ER & Urgent Care wait times; a campus map for quick directions, and a Contact Information page with “Click-to-Call” phone numbers). It also provides an easy-to-find link to the main St. Luke’s Hospital site for more in-depth information.
As an added convenience to users, if a person on a mobile phone tried to pull up the main website, it will recognize that the person is using a mobile device, prompting the following message to display at the top of the page: “You appear to be using a mobile device to view our site which is designed for desktop browsers. Click this message if you would like to visit our mobile-friendly site.”
SEO Facts for Mobile Sites
Google has a separate index for mobile sites, and the great thing for you is, it’s fairly empty. This presents a golden opportunity. With less competition, you stand a far better chance at being ranked highly for the key word phrases you are targeting.
According to eMarketer, Mobile Internet users are expected to reach 134 million by 2013. Adding a mobile site to your marketing mix can put you in a prime position to capitalize on this rapidly growing pool of mobile Internet users.
Now is the perfect time to analyze your site, and consider the steps needed to make it more mobile-friendly. Keep in mind that not all websites need a completely separate mobile site to be mobile-friendly. There are steps that can be taken to modify the design and content of your existing site to make it more accessible to mobile Internet users.
If you’d like to learn more about how to make your site more mobile-friendly, contact Metro Studios to find out how to get started.
Sep
28
Learn to play hockey the Metro Studios way.
September 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment | Written by Lindsay Talsness
This summer, Metro Studios was contracted by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, a USHL hockey team, to meet a wide variety of marketing and production needs for their 2009-2010 season. We’re thrilled that Metro Studios can be ONE place - so many solutions for the Riders. Here’s our take on Metro Studios’ style of hockey.
Rethink everything you know.
The Riders came to Metro Studios looking for a complete branding and production upgrade – transforming a simple hockey game into an entertainment experience. We were up for the challenge.
Forget shin guards, go for the big screen TVs.
We installed four huge video screens above the ice rink, with cameras located across the arena to capture every angle of the game.
Light up your fans.
We developed a production plan from scratch, including video content which will play during the pre-game show and during the game. The video clips include player interviews, sponsor mentions, advertisements, and custom clips for each game. We even produced an original music video just for the Riders.
Forget the net – take it to the web.
Our web team built a new website for the team featuring high definition videos on every page, a design worthy of the NHL, and increased opportunities for fan interaction with weekly e-mail updates. Our website blends seamlessly with our production coverage – enabling the Riders to post game coverage just minutes after the final buzzer.
Don’t wrap your hockey stick – wrap your production trailer.
As part of the project, we hooked the Riders up with a 52 foot production trailer that serves as the command center for all in-game production. We wrapped it in a custom skin designed by our art director to give it a unique Riders’ branding.
Hook the public.
Metro has produced a number of TV and radio commercials to promote the upcoming season throughout the area. We’ll also produce a 30 minute TV program every Saturday throughout the season, featuring Mark Carlson, the Riders’ head coach.
“We couldn’t be happier with Metro’s work. We’re confident these changes will bring the Riders to a new level of competitive intensity this year, while growing our fan base, and giving people a new appreciation for the team,” said Jeff Jauch, co-owner of the Riders.
So, what’s next for Metro Studios? We’re getting our mullets cut on Friday.
Aug
24
5 Social Media Myths Debunked
August 24, 2009 | 2 Comments | Written by John Whaley
It seems like everyone’s talking about social media. But when it comes to social media and your business - how do you separate the truth from the tweets? I’ll debunk five social media myths for you.
- Social media is the ultimate internet marketing solution.
While using social media is a great part of an internet marketing strategy – it’s just that – a PART of it. When it comes to internet marketing, like many aspects of business, there’s no “silver bullet”. A combination of ongoing internet marketing strategies will have the greatest impact online. - Social media is one-way communication.
Social media platforms are designed for conversations – not a sales platform. Through social media, you can personally connect with current and potential customers, providing them with feedback, responding to any problems, and helping them engage with your people and products. - Using social media to grow my business is a fast process.
Using social media to grow your business is a slow cooker - not microwave - process. It takes time to build quality relationships, establish trust and respect, and develop your unique communication style. But in the end, you’ll find taking it slowly makes for more quality growth for your business online. - Automated social media is better than no social media.
Social media is designed for personal interaction. For the vast majority of Twitter users, there is nothing more irritating than being asked to interact with an automated “bot”. Having real people at your company use social media lends authenticity to what you do. - Social media is difficult.
It doesn’t have to be. Many people assume that to effectively grow their business through social media, they must use every single social networking site on the web. That would be impossible – and not very effective! A great way to use social media is to select 1-2 networks that will provide the most interaction with current and potential customers.
Interested in learning how your business can use social media? Attend one of our upcoming free seminars on the topic! Learn more about the seminars or register online.