Category Archives: Communication

Is it possible to get social media satisfaction?

Human beings are social creatures.

The HeartMath Institute (www.heartmath.org) studies the benefits of being with people. Take a look a this informative video about heart-mind connections.

The film is very inspiring. But it raises a question or two.

How can we use social media to make life more fulfilling?
And that’s not just for individuals but for families, groups and organizations. Society at large.

How can social media have a positive role in our culture?
Does it have a role?

Could it be that the phrase, ‘social media satisfaction’ is actually a mis-direct. After watching the film it would appear impossible for a human being to gain lasting satisfaction through use of social media. Humans are somehow made to interact and thrive with other humans.

And here’s where this gets personal.

I used Facebook for 10 years (almost). And guess what …

In that time I’ve heard and seen so much abuse and argument, rudeness, crudeness and all sorts of nastiness. Among friends. What to speak of among people I don’t know.

Arguments and quarrel rule supreme.

If someone stands for a certain point of view they get slammed. If someone argues, rationally, with grace; they get slammed. If a person states an opinion they are likely to be judged, ridiculed and branded immediately as ‘extreme’.

Social media has become a combination of adverts, gossip, nastiness, arguments and dissension.

Shop nation.

The UK is a nation of shoppers. A nation of online shoppers. Recently read that up to half UK consumers are waiting for ‘Black Friday’ bargains this year. That’s a lot of people waiting to buy a lot of things. Looking for lasting satisfaction in temporary, material objects.

What can we do?

So really we, the Internet community, should not get caught by the economic pull of quick profits. But we should be looking for ways to enhance the human experience with real personal interaction. Not superfluous things like social networks. Because they’re not real people. They are software tools created with good intentions. But been ‘bought-up’ to make money from the masses for a few people.

Light is there too.

Of course there is light among the darkness. Love, truth, wisdom, hope, compassion and transcendent reality can be found in social media too! But all too few people are posting love.

So finally it’s come time to get thinking caps on. And time to bid farewell to social media. It’s been interesting.

Do adverts undermine your messages

Does hosting adverts of other companies and third parties on your website and your social media channels undermine your credibility? In other words. Do adverts undermine your messages?

So here’s the thing with adverts.

You spent lots of time creating your content. You’ve made your video, you’ve created graphics, written copy and got it all just right.

Then you totally undermine your credibility and sometimes your brand by allowing advertisements to be placed in your content. Ads that you cannot control.

Ads, adverts, advertising and advertisements are widespread and in-your-face on the Internet.

Lots of websites with interesting content seem to love having Google ads and other ads all over their websites.

These are often sites with challenging new insights on subjects. Or sites with something to say that no-one else is saying.

But they loose their originality with the audience by becoming another one of the ubiquitous ad delivery mechanisms that bombard us constantly.

Ads distract us from getting the message.

So you or I will go for a reason to a website. To learn something, research a topic or to solve a problem. We may even want to buy something. And find we have to dodge the adverts.

Often there are pop-up windows commanding ‘Like us on Facebook’ or ‘Sign-up for our mailing list’. This is before you’ve engaged with content properly.

Have you noticed how many times you’ll visit a site and start reading only for the screen to dim and little box appears asking you to ‘Like’ the brand. You’ve only been there 30 seconds.

And then there are the videos with ads in front…. so many credible, independent film-makers join the gold-rush and spoil their creations by allowing ads to be shown. And that’s on their own channels.

So ask yourself this before you decide to go with hosting third-party ads.

Do I want to dilute my content and my messages by displaying ads for someone else?

Community, co-operation, collaboration and the Internet

Let’s get real here.

We all have to live in the real world – right?

The media and politicians present us with their own view of things but our lives go on whether we listen to them or not.

As members of society and of the world family we can be responsible for our own lives and our own actions.

Modern life involves using the web to buy things, sell things, learn things, exchange ideas, play games, meet new people and keep in touch with friends and family.

All of us can tell our story, give our ‘testimony’ online.

Community success involves co-operation and collaboration in order for everyone to be happy.

Community is essential

In real life ‘community’ is an essential part of a successful, harmonious, productive society.

‘No man is an island’ and all that. Surely its obvious that we are all benefited by making the effort to co-operate.

Another trite but wise saying; ‘Together everyone achieves more’.

On Mother Earth everything is provided, all we have to do is learn what our purpose is and make the most of our time here.

When we get isolated we can easily succumb to mental health issues, depression and general ill-health.

When we are able to be an active part of a community we function much better. We have support around us for getting through hard times.

Those of us who can help others, could and should help because all communities need active members to make them sustainable and ultimately to flourish.

Co-operation and collaboration are strengths

Through co-operation and collaboration individuals and small groups of people can use the Internet to achieve great things for their communities.

Often new groups go through a process of forming, storming, norming and then performing. So we should expect some listening on all sides before our communities can flourish.

And the basis of it all of course is mutual respect, trust and ultimately transcendental love. But this is not the place for discussions on the more esoteric aspect of life as humans!

Tusler Design have been involved in communities since the late 1980s, Thatcher’s Britain.

Since the Internet revolution of the 1990s Tusler Design have worked with a consistent emphasis on developing community through working together using the Internet. This is with large, medium and small businesses, organisations and individuals. All our work is aimed at utilising joined-up thinking to help our clients.

“We’ve lots of experience in helping turn ideas into reality!”

So contact us today to talk about your community and your project. We’re happy to have the opportunity to work with you and your group no matter what the cause or subject.

CMS like WordPress is best value

It might sound like a bold statement but using a content management system to run your business website is actually about the best value you can get.

Many clients (and clients of our friends who are web designers) say that the cost of updating, adding and improving their websites went down when they switched to using a CMS like WordPress.

The simple explanation for this is that once you’ve understood how to use WordPress’s publishing tools you no longer need to pay for all your changes and updates.

WordPress is very easy to grasp

Within one hour most clients are comfortable creating and editing new pages and new posts, adding links and images or whatever they need quickly and without needing to attend a long-winded training course.

Even use your smartphone to update

You can use your smart phone or tablet to add pages and posts. Upload images straight from your device, tag and publish them to your blog or news pages.

WordPress is a very easy to learn and use tool for your content management system.

Hi-end web publishing for us all

We all benefit from access to high-quality web publishing tools nowadays without finding enormous budgets to run it all as in the past.

The Internet and accessible technology has given us the opportunity to present ourselves as we like to be seen.

So, if you have a mission to accomplish, a purpose, aim, target, goals, intention, idea, message or whatever; the Internet is the place to present it.

Use Facebook and Twitter to deepen connections with audiences

Inter-linking your website with your Facebook and Twitter pages gives your visitors and customers a ‘seamless’ experience and connection with you. So your dialogue can continue with your online followers and friends all the time – even when you’re asleep in bed.

Tusler Design can help you with your CMS

Tusler Design create websites using WordPress (and other systems) regularly and can help you set it all up and configure it correctly. Tusler Design also give you training and support in using WordPress and getting the most out of your system.

And use Google Analytics to see what is working

Tusler Design can help you use and understand Google’s great analytics system to improve your website’s performance and conversion rates.

Why not see for yourself?

Please ask about WordPress via the contact page.

And, if you already have a WordPress site and would just like some help, then please also ask via the contact page.

Websites as communication tools

Each website has a voice.

And the visitors listen to the voice. They do this by reading, or hearing, your text. They are influenced in this hearing, by the colour scheme, layout, type-set, and graphics of your website.

So use your unique voice

At all times keep in mind the idea of who you are talking to when writing your content. Imagine you are speaking to just one person; the reader.

Images are a powerful means of communicating

Your choice of images tell a story because, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” So, ask yourself, ‘What are you trying to say with these thousand-word images?’

Signs are useful to help guide your visitors but there is more to finding your voice and communicating effectively

Email enables direct communication and interaction without having to use the telephone or meet in person. You still have to remember your voice in your email communication.

And of course video telephony is available via Skype and other similar systems. These are an effective means of communication. Often Tusler-Design will communicate with clients over Skype. One advantage being it is instant and thus avoids long distance travel to attend meetings and briefings.

Social networks, (i.e. Facebook) are a great place to promote your messages and to interact with your ‘community’ as there is a balanced audience of male and female users. Twitter is mostly male (though not entirely) and has a different feel and emphasis to Facebook.

And lastly, it’s a personal thing

Your visitors will almost always be alone with you. Websites communicate with individuals and though you might have many visitors, few of them will be with someone else when they’re on your site.

So, why not make the most of the opportunity given us through technology and use the Internet to speak and communicate to your audience and the world at large?