Using existing project specifications along with an elevation map of the area, Marion brought their flat drawings to life. The 3d video available at Douglas Channel Energy’s website is a virtual fly over of the proposed facilities showing stunning detail of what the location will look like upon completion.

With the rapidly growing LNG market, there is an increasing demand for project visualizations and animations. These virtual renderings show complex and detailed projects far better than text and still images. Marion can render your next project with any level of detail and annotations you require.

For more examples, see our 3D Animation Services page.

For more web design ideas, see our Custom Web Design page.

The key to enabling the portability and interactivity that is “the cloud” is to synch up your data among your devices, as well as access to shared data. Shared data is the data we access online in any number of places, such as social networks, banks, blogs, newsrooms, paid communities, etc.

Here are the benefits for cloud computing:

• Cloud computing reduces costs for hardware (Paying for computers, software, networking management and overall IT expenses.) Additionally, with cloud computing, you only pay for what you use.
• You can scale down your business’ storage needs seamlessly rather than having to purchase software or hardware, which can be expensive.
• With cloud technology, there are automatic updates. Therefore, there is no need for an IT department or person to worry about paying for future updates for software and hardware.
• Employees, partners and clients have remote access with cloud technology, and it allows them to update information wherever they are, rather than having to run back the office.
• With your company’s data safely stored on secure data centers instead of your server room, disaster relief won’t be a concern, making power outages due to hurricanes, earthquakes etc., a non-factor.
• Cloud computing services are easy to set up!
• Cloud computing accomplishes a better response time in most cases than your standard server and hardware.
• Cloud computing allows small companies to compete more effectively with some of the larger businesses, balancing the playing field. This technology allows your small business to utilize the same tools Fortune 500 companies use because your business will only pay for what it needs.

A great example of cloud computing is online email. Some big names that offer online email are: Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, etc. Your emails are stored on their servers but they can be accessed from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.

So whether you are a small business that’s been established or a new business trying to get on your feet, cloud technology may be the way to go.

Will you consider cloud computing for your business? Marion can give your website design a boost before you sent it to the cloud.

Let’s review the latest nip/tucks from Google…

Google Places: Now Infused with Hotpot

Introduced in November 2010, Google Hotpot offers recommendation to Google Search results. So when you’re looking for spicy Indian cuisine or the best place to get Precious Moments figurines, Hotpot displays a list of local places along with inline user reviews. Now this service is dropping its name and has been added to Google Places, which only makes sense. That’s probably where it should have started. Now through Google, you can rate businesses, be rated and make and receive recommendations, all while using the same profile. I too have grown tired of creating so many derivatives of my name. I draw the line at mizzIHEARTthaBIEBER97.

What this means for you? Well, Google isn’t saying. But what we do know is that you can never have too many positive reviews. Beef up your reputation with good PR through social media marketing and a likeable branding strategy.

Google Ads Become More Transparent

I’m sure you’ve noticed changes to Google Search with “Google Instant” and “Google Instant Previews,” where Google returns results as you type with a graphic overview of each result. (Just click that little magnified glass.) Google has now applied the same technology to pay per click ads (PPC).  Read Google Instant Previews for Ads.

What this means for you? Now would be a good time to review (and revise if need be) your SEO strategy, at least for your landing page. Not sure how to tell if your site is optimized? Marion’s SEO Checker will help.

Although Google affirmed previews will not be considered in their decision-making algorithm, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Since the search process has been condensed, it’s more important than ever to ensure you’re using the right keywords and messaging to grab the attention of users.

Also, insist that your homepage is preview-friendly. In other words, you want it to be appealing because an unprofessional or dare-I-say flat out ugly landing page will probably repel more users than it attracts. Give your site a facelift with a custom web design.

Google Offers Google Offers

After Google’s unprecedented six billion dollar bid to acquire Groupon was rejected, Google found a new love to partner with…itself. Google introduced, Google Offers, their answer to daily deals, which is slowly hitting the mainstream.

What does this mean for you? Nothing…for now. Google is testing the service in Portland, Oregon with no word when they’re going to branch out to the rest of us.

Dinner +1

Google is rolling out +1, a feature similar to Facebook’s Like button…in fact it’s exactly like Facebook’s Like Button. The +1 button allows users to recommended different venues, recipes or even shoe repair stores for your friends to see as soon as they search for the related keywords. It’s available through Google Search at the moment, but the plan is for publishers to start adding the +1 button to their websites, and there’s no telling where Google is going to go from there.

What does this mean for you? It’s not clear that getting someone to +1 your site counts as a positive review. I would say so. While it’s still in the testing phase, Google has yet to integrate the results from this service into their complex algorithm, however we know Google and we can bet it’s not going to be too long, granted enough people choose to +1, +1.  (Word of advice, get on the +1 bandwagon now. You don’t want to be the last.)

Buzz-ectomy

And finally, in non-Goolge related news, Marion gives our condolences to Yahoo for its shutdown of Yahoo! Buzz. Launched in 2008, the sun set on Yahoo! Buzz, the community-based news site. In its two year life span, the site never really gripped the public and thus it ends. O, Yahoo! Buzz, we hardly knew thee.

Marion developed a custom web design for Coastal Spray, an industrial grounds maintenance company. The project included logo redesign, content development and search engine optimization.

The most effective websites are those that strategically blend aesthetics, fluid language and technical components. Marion’s fully integrated services allow us to provide our clients with more than just attractive graphics, but  also the most relevant content and coding to produce traffic and – most importantly – conversions.

About the Site

Coastal Spray’s aquatic-inspired site features a background with various hues of blue and green. Both the content and graphics are well organized to facilitate a more user-friendly experience. Accordingly, the lack of “clutter” also allows ease of navigation.

You can visit the Coastal Spray website, or scroll through our portfolio to view more of our past projects.

If you are interested in collaborating with Marion to update your existing site or design a brand new one, please contact us today.

However, according to a June 2010 survey from Gomez, a web performance monitoring firm, one-third of US mobile internet users’ most common complaint is site formatting. Slightly fewer complained of slow load times and nearly a fifth said the worst problem was functionality. Although many users anticipate some degree of connectivity problems, they expect on-the-go web accessibility, and unfortunately, it’s just not happening. Therefore, it’s up to the publishers of these websites to accommodate. [Enter Marion, stage right.]

Marion designs mobile-friendly sites, formatted specifically for mobile devices. If you are a smartphone user, pull out your phone and visit www.marion.com to experience our mobile website.

This mobile formatting facilitates an ease of navigation and readable content. Users no longer have to zoom in and out incessantly or scroll from one end of the page to the other searching for buttons.  Site content is condensed, leaving only essential text and removing the flash (because some phones aren’t compatible).

As an added benefit, users can contact you with a single touch. The phone will automatically dial when users press your number, email you when the email button is clicked, or display a map when “Map” is touched. AND IT GETS BETTER. It will also show the user where they are in relation to your business. If for any reason visitors wish to view the classic version of your site they have that option as well.

Let Marion help you better accommodate your customers with your own mobile-friendly website. And for impressive custom web design to boot, contact us to develop a site that turns your brand message into visual success. [Cue fireworks and tap dance number.]

* Some information stated above is provided by eMarketer.