Accessibility
1. Site load‐time is reasonable – you will need to empty your cache and reload your site to see how long it takes to load
2. Adequate text‐to‐background contrast – this is a minimum ADA requirement
Here is a great website with descriptions: http://www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/chap5toolkit.htm
3. Font size/spacing is easy to read – minimum ADA requirement
4. Flash and add‐ons are used sparingly – Flash cannot be read by iPhone or iPads
5. Images have appropriate ALT tags – tagged for visually impaired visitors
Identity
6. Company logo is prominently placed and can be clicked to go “home”
7. Tagline makes company’s purpose clear
8. Home‐page is digestible in 5 seconds
9. Clear path to company information
10. Clear path to contact information or purchase link
Navigation
11. Main navigation is easily identifiable
12. Navigation labels are clear and concise
13. Number of buttons/links is reasonable
14. Company logo is linked to home‐page
15. Links are consistent and easy to identify – use the same color for all links
16. Site search is easy to access
Content
17. Major headings are clear, relevant and descriptive
18. Critical content is above the “fold” – so you can see the main items without scrolling
19. Styles and colors are consistent with your brand
20. Emphasis (bold, etc.) is used sparingly
21. Ads and pop‐ups are unobtrusive
22. Main copy is concise, relevant and explanatory
23. URLs are meaningful and user‐friendly
24. HTML page titles are explanatory
25. There is a site map on your site

1. Create unique content on each of your pages, using search terms that visitors will use to find you.

2. Discover what visitors are actually searching for. Check your keywords.

3. Interlink your pages using good anchor text. The anchor text or link text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink.

4. Allow people to share your information on social media sites.

5. Get valuable back links. Like getting your funders to post your link on their site, google places, bing, yahoo etc. The number of backlinks is one indication of the popularity or importance of that website or page (for example, this is used by Google to determine the page rank of a webpage).

6. Avoid duplicate content issues. You can link the same article and not duplicate it in your content.

7. Use descriptive URLs.

8. Let visitors leave reviews. http://www.uptownstudios.net/quotes.php you can see our testimonials that rotate on the right side of our internal pages.

9. Include a sitemap to help Google find all your pages.

10. Update your website content regularly. At least monthly.

Wising you SEO success!
Tina

When we design, we consider who the target audience will be. We don’t want to just make YOU happy, we want the final product to be
attractive to your target audience.

The relationship between you and your design firm needs to be a trusting relationship – Consider it Design Therapy.
Sometimes we will tell you things you don’t want to hear. We advise you on the best way to deliver your message – Should you really spend money on that brochure if there is something else that will benefit you more? Is your content up to par?

The message is the look and feel, the message is YOUR personality put into a creative message that will be well received by your recipients, funders, viewers and more.

Good design – professionally done, is the most affordable expense in your budget, because it will get you the results you want!

All the best,
Tina

When I donate my time to our community, I first do it because it is fun – I meet the very best people in the world, that are working to make this a better place for all people; I learn – oh how I learn, things I never ever thought I would need to know. Things like: How is it ever possible for a person without a home to get out of homelessness, when they struggle every single day to find a place to sleep – or go without sleep in an angry world. How can they ever find sobriety when the stresses they find keep them in that insane world of homelessness. That “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” is a bunch of hooey.

We all need to help, to do what we can to make a change and stay involved.

Tonight I will be so honored being presented the Al Geiger Memorial Award. I will have a table of my coworkers, my children, my wife and a room full of friends that I love and support. What an awesome day! I am so excited…
Best,
Tina

1. For some, just buying one ticket, a season pass or asking a friend to join you to attend one of the concerts is what is comfortable. The main idea here is that you ARE supporting your arts community just by attending and talking about your experience with your friends.

2. When you are ready to do more you might bring an idea to your place of work or manager, that wouldn’t it be great if our office attended a concert, go out to an art gallery, or support a local performer.

3. If you are business owner, your BEST marketing materials will be to support a local arts group by sponsoring an event and getting an ad in their program. Your ad will show to all of your clients that you are involved in your community and you will shine above the competion – along with the sponsorship you will get tickets to the event – show up and bring your clients. The best ad ever!

So, show up, buy a ticket, get that original piece of art on your wall – so easy…

Eat
Everyone is talking about the new Squeeze Inn burger place in Midtown Sacramento! The eatery featured on Diners, Dives and Drive-Ins, is best known for the “Squeeze with Cheese,” a 1/3 pound hamburger patty, prepared on its well-worn griddle, finished with its famous hard “cheese skirt” of melted cheddar. Check it out! http://bit.ly/xqvx09
1630 K street, Sacramento

Another place that is hot this week is Doughbot! 2226 10th Street,
Sacramento – Try the “The Dude,” a white Russian Bavarian cream filled with white Russian glaze or the maple bacon donut, which has bacon pieces mixed into the donut dough, glazed with maple syrup and topped with a small strip of bacon. So bad it’s good!

Drink
58 Degrees & Holding Company is a great place for happy hour and a tasty treat! http://www.58degrees.com/

See
Amy Goodman will be a featured speaker tonight at St. Marks Methodist Church – http://bit.ly/z19NM6 Goodman is a progressive broadcast journalist, syndicated columnist, investigative reporter and author. Goodman is the principal host of Democracy Now!

Do
Second Saturday Art Walk – Sacramento. It should be a great day to get out and see some art. Make sure and stop at the Alex Bult Gallery at 1114 21st Street!

We showed up on Tuesday and put our heads down and worked through our first week back in 2012. New clients popping up all over – getting ready to make a change in 2012.
We went to Drag Queen Bingo Thursday night and the Gay and Lesbian Center raised over $2000 – what a fun event that always is. I met with Joe Fox who is bringing his documentary “Question One” to the Crest on Feb 1. It is all about LGBT marriage rights and the fights that we have been through.

Stay happy,
Tina

Eat
El Dorado Epicurean – a progressive dinner for culinary adventurers
- A weeklong celebration of local cuisine Jan. 22 – 29 – get your tickets early http://www.visiteldorado.com/culinaryadventure.php

Carpe Vino – Auburn – We met up with some friends and had the best
food and the best of times. Check them out – but make sure you have
reservations – it is a super popular place http://www.carpevinoauburn.com/

Drink
Revolution Wines is in midtown and is a great place to go at the end of the day for a fabulous glass of wine and yummy snacks. The nice people there make you feel like you are visiting a good friend’s house. http://www.revolution-wines.com/

Stay
Vizcaya – A great place to have an elegant special event right in Midtown Sacramento! Overnight accomodations at the historic Vizcaya Mansion! http://vizcayapavilion.com/

See
TED Talks – If it is too cold to go outside here is some of the most
motivating videos that you can see – all in one place – this is very
special people doing amazing things and teaching all of us! I love me
some TED!
http://www.ted.com/

Do
Bikeology 101 – a free, informative workshop for those new to cycling, returning after a lay-off, or experienced cyclists who want to learn more. Saturday, Jan 7. Topics will include proper bike fit, using gears, cadence, safe uphills and downhills, group cycling safety and etiquette, road safety and more, presented by veteran cyclist Nancy Buck. Bring your own bike and join the group for a short ride following the workshop. $5 entrance fee to Discovery Park. http://norcalaidscycle.org/training-and-events/calendar/

KOLT Run Creations is beginning their new season with a party and previews Jan. 15 at the Ooley Theater – Don’t miss it! http://koltruncreations.com/SeasonKickoffParty.aspx

I have closed out our 2011 books and did a count on what we have dontated to our community nonprofits during 2011 and it is a whopping $165,400 – Donated in services to some of our finest nonprofits like; SafeGround, Francis House Center, Sacramento ACT, Green Capital Alliance, Out & Equal, and so much more.

Who will you reach out to help during 2012?

Eat
Kru Restaurant on J Street – If you have not tried their warm mushroom salad – oh baby – you are missing out! Tell them Uptown Studios sent you. http://www.krurestaurant.com/index.html

Estelle’s Patisserie opened December 8th on the corner of Ninth and K Streets. The bakery offers about 35 items – from fruit tarts, puff pastries and croissants to soups, sandwiches and baguettes. http://bit.ly/vbarzv

Drink
Old Sacramento Speakeasy Tour | Rich History & Dirty Little Secrets
http://downtownsac.org/venture-out/downtown-tours/
The tour begins at the River City Saloon, an Old Town bar decorated in prohibition-era style. Your group will head to several other speakeasy spots including the famed Delta King Riverboat, which at the time served as a ‘floating’ hotspot for illegal drinking, jazz bands,
gambling and fine dining. The tour lasts approximately 2 hours.The 3rd Saturday of each month, $10 per person, drinks not included
Tour participants must be 21 years of age or older. Tickets for this tour must be pre-purchased, please, no walk ups.

Stay
A relaxing weekend getaway is to Calistoga! We stayed at the Roman Spa recently and the massage and baths are just what the doctor ordered! http://www.romanspahotsprings.com/

See
Visit the Crocker Art Museum – We always have the BEST time when we take our granddaughters – MLK Day Free Family Festival – Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 16, at this museum-wide festival. Free admission. http://www.crockerartmuseum.org/

SFMOMA Exhibition Devles into Same Sex Issues http://www.marriageequality.org/events
30 Artists and 8 Poets on Marriage Equality – Runs through February 20, 2012
SFMOMA, presents The Air We Breathe, a thematic exhibition that brings together commissioned work by 30 contemporary visual artists and eight poets who, for this project, will explore issues surrounding the cause to legalize same-sex marriage from various perspectives.

Do
Calculate Your Carbon Footprint http://www.coolcalifornia.org/
Find out what your carbon footprint is, and how the choices you make can reduce your impact on the environment.

Eat:
Mayahuel
Uptown Studios had our holiday party catered by Mayahuel and the enchiladas are gone – very popular and really hit the spot – thanks Mayahuel! 1200 K Street, Sacramento http://tequilamuseo.com/

Dimple Cake Pops – some kinda treat – We got some from one of our clients now we can’t get enough – Tell Kim Tina sent you! AND they deliver – Uber YUM
http://www.dimplescakepops.com/Site/Dimples_Cake_Pops.html

Drink:
Lucca Restaurant – 16th and J Streets http://www.luccarestaurant.com/ They know how to make my perfect martini – vodka, shaken, two olives and just a little dirty! AND their happy hour has some of the best hors d’oeuvres

Crescent Club – 1150 Firehouse Ally, Old Sacramento Prohibition Era Cocktails and Appetizers Friday and Saturday live Blues, Jazz and Gypsy Swing. Breakfast served on Sundays 9am – 2pm – Great Patio http://www.crescentclub.us/

Stay:
Park Winters is a celebration ready, Boutique Inn located in historic Winters, California. This beautiful Victorian home and gardens will wrap you in the pleasures of simple country luxury. http://parkwinters.com/

The Historic Cary House Hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Northern California wine country and directly on the way to Lake Tahoe. Take a book, walking shoes and your favorite person to share it with.  http://www.caryhouse.com/

See:
It’s A Wonderful Life A Live Radio Play Capital Stage on J Street
http://bit.ly/s4gW2K

A Christmas Carol – This is Sacramento Theatre Company’s musical version of the classic holiday ghost story–this year with a few added surprises. http://www.sactheatre.org/

Do:
Give a sleeping bag to someone in need. Christmas Day! A group of dedicated volunteers will be hosting a sleeping bag giveaway 9:30 to 11:30am at the Outreach Center of Safehaven Ministries of Sacramento. 1400 North C Street, Sacramento.

Westfield Downtown Plaza Ice Rink
Sacramento’s original outdoor ice rink 20th season produced by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. The 7,000 sq. ft. rink is open 7 days a week through January 16. Fun for the whole family! Through Jan. 16!  701 K Street, Sacramento. http://downtownsac.org/eventcategory/events/

Bingo, The Winning Musical is at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret – through January 8 and I’ve heard it’s a blast! 1000 K Street, Sacramento http://bit.ly/uFtUd7

Crocker Art Museum Dec. 26 – Free admission all day. Same day as the Kwanza Free Family Festival. Celebrated worldwide, Kwanzaa focuses on family, community, creativity, and cultural traditions. http://bit.ly/sXwAhU

Remember Uptown Studios for your design, web, video and social media needs http://www.uptownstudios.net Send us your events for things to do around here to caroline@uptownstudios.net and we will get them into our blog.

Each social media platform gives you the ability to connect with your very specific audience to create engagement and customer loyalty. Start sharing conversations, photos, videos and any web link, you get your message out with creative flair, and drive traffic to your website. Social media channels add relevance and authority to your website that increase your page ranking in search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo.

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/UptownStudios1
More than 700 million users, your business can reach people who need your products or services. Facebook relies on real conversation between you and your customers. Provide information about the things you know best, share your ideas, ask questions, drive promotions.

Facebook advertising has great filters to drill in and target your potential clients. Claim your Facebook places page and people can “check-in” to your business driving their friends your way.

Twitter http://twitter.com/uptownstudios
The Twitter social media channel boasts 20 million users and is growing so quickly. Twitter offers a great resource to listen to what’s being said about your company and industry. With lists, and direct messaging and global search, you can easily have a conversation with people that in the past you had no access.

Real conversations, real connections and great networking are how you can grow your business.

YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/uptownstudios
Video is engaging, entertaining and people want to share interesting content. Create some promotional or fun videos and send out the links to your other social media channels. Subscribe to other channels, make comments, meet creative people who are in the same field.

There are annotations that help you drive your message home, and closed captioning options to spell out the audio. Nonprofit organizations get lots of extra benefits using YouTube – direct links, free advertising and analytics. If you are a nonprofit it is worth the time to get approved by YouTube.

LinkedIn http://linkd.in/TinaReynolds
LinkedIn is perfect for business people wanting to network with others. Research your competitors, find job opportunities and keep up on local business news. Great to join groups for every type of business. Jump in on the conversation and share your knowledge. Establish your company as a leader in your field.

When you are ready and if all this sounds daunting to you, call and schedule an in-house training for you and your team.
All of these platforms change and grow weekly with new features – Uptown Studios is staying up on changes so you don’t have to.