My image of the Capitol Records building in downtown LA is now one of many featured on the popular online guide.

Yay me!

Vandelay has several years of web design and web development experience, working with both local businesses and international companies to develop usable, informative websites that attract new business.

Vandelay design and develop their websites to the highest specification, ensuring that all web sites are:

• easy to use
• attractive to look at
• content managed (easy to update)
• search engine friendly
• meet accessibility standards

Vandelay work with businesses large and small and can develop websites regardless of size. Here are a few recent Vandelay web design projects:

• Mungo Money
• SW&G Motors
• Bernie Shot Me!

Click here to view the online web design portfolio.

Contact us today to request a free web design quote.

To many people, Blogs are mini-sites that make use of rudimentary Content Management Systems that allow content to be added to your website quickly and easily. But Blogs can be much more than that.

Vandelay designs Blogs to be used both as publishing systems for news and views and fully fledged Content Management Systems. Customers who buy Blog Designs from Vandelay benefit from:

• Attractive websites
• Easy to use websites
• Easy to update websites
• Future-proof websites
• Search engine friendly websites

Blog Designs from Vandelay are bespoke and suit the needs of the client exactly. Here are just a few of the clients making use of Vandelay’s Blog Designs:

• SM Tool Hire

• SW&G Motors
• Mungo Money

Vandelay also offers a range of Blog templates which are fast to implement and cost effective. Contact Vandelay today to discuss your Blog design needs.

What is Instantbird?
Instantbird is a multi-client chat program. Through the software, you’ll be able to connect with users from a wide-range of other chat and instant messaging programs. Currently, Instantbird works with all of the major clients, including ICQ, AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, and Google Talk. To connect to a messaging network, you simply go into the account editor in the software and add the information about your account.

Besides its ability to work with multiple chat networks, another advantage is that it works on numerous operating systems: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Mac OS X, and Unix. Instantbird does work on Linux but the software is currently still a bit buggy with that OS – a fact the Mozilla folks are working on correcting.

Does Instantbird Work?
Instantbird is still in its early beta form, so don’t expect a 100% error-free user experience or to have every part of the software operating at its full capacity. However, the program definitely does what it claims to do and it does it well. With a small download file and a fast installation, you don’t have to devote a lot of time if you want to give it a try. Plus, Instantbird won’t interfere with your other instant messaging clients so there’s no harm in taking it for a spin.
Once the software is installed, you will need to add your accounts so you can begin connecting with the networks. Depending on the number of accounts you have, this can take a couple of minutes. However, the process is straightforward and shouldn’t cause you any difficulties.

Of course, Instantbird also has even greater potential. Like other Mozilla products, add-ons can be created by users and made available to other users. If you’re familiar with any of the add-ons currently available for their other products, then you already know how useful these creations can be for users. How the add-ons will increase the effectiveness of the software remains to be seen but the prospects are exciting.
If you use instant messaging in your professional or your personal life, then Instantbird is definitely worth checking out.

Reason #1: Increased Search Engine Rankings
Two of the big things search engines are looking for these days are fresh content and great keyword usage. At one time, you could just throw all of your keywords together in a big jumbled mess on your home page and end up with decent rankings but those tactics just don’t work anymore. By using a blog, you can create new content daily or weekly that is optimized around a certain keyword or phrase.

Reason #2: Improved Expert Image
When you’re writing these blogs everyday about the topics that matter most to your clients/customers, then it won’t take long for them to realize “Hey, this person really knows what he or she is talking about.” That feeling translates into increased trust and increased trust leads inevitably to a greater likelihood of sales and loyal business.

Reason #3: Enhanced Discipline
Let’s face it. If you want to be successful, you must be disciplined. Most of us have a hard time with this because we’re constantly being torn between what we need to do and what we want to do – sadly, those two issues are rarely the same. Writing a blog means you have to be disciplined enough to create new content every day or every week. Even if you hire someone else, you have to be disciplined enough to send them new topics or to pay them regularly.

Reason #4: Improved Communication
Unlike articles, blogs are a great way to encourage communication. Readers can post comments about what you have written, for example, and you can respond to those comments individually or in another blog entry. More communication means a higher level of interactivity and that seems to be what most site visitors are wanting in today’s market.

Reason #5: Good Reasons for Return Visits
Finally, you want your customers/clients to return often to your site. Each time they return, you are reinforcing your business in their minds and increasing the odds of a sale. Blogs, especially blogs that include information about current events, are an effective way to do this. Because the blog entries change regularly, your visitors have to come back to read more. You couldn’t ask for a better way of ensuring repeat traffic.

The photograph, of the MGM Grand Casino Hotel can be found here on flickr and is one of many taken on Hough’s Big American Adventure.

Fingers crossed for the final judging!