<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>The Fireball Blog</title><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/</link><description></description><copyright>Powered by: Forest Blog Copyright 2006 Host Forest</copyright><item><title>New Ezine For The Ambassador!</title><description><![CDATA[<img height="253" width="400" alt="" src="/blog/images/ambassador_ezine.jpg" class="news_image" /><br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.ambassadorrestaurant.ie/">The Ambassador Restaurant</a>, one of Cork&rsquo;s oldest and finest Chinese Restaurants have just sent out a Newsletter using our very own <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/ezine_manager.asp">FMG Ezine Manager</a>.We were tasked with designing a newsletter that reflected the theme of the restaurants flyer to highlight their mouth watering oriental cuisine as well as to celebrate the Year of the Golden Tiger.&nbsp; <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ambassadorrestaurant.ie/">The Ambassador</a> also wanted to make people aware of their <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ambassadorrestaurant.ie/veg_coeliac.php">Vegetarian and Coeliac Menu</a> for customers with specific dietary requirements.<br />
<br />
Check out the newsletter by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ambassadorrestaurant.ie/ezine/archive/newsletter.asp?a=103c10716171111c10c0">clicking here</a><br />
<br />
Visit website: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ambassadorrestaurant.ie/">www.ambassadorrestaurant.ie</a><br />
<br />
If you would like an ezine for you business or&nbsp; you want to start your own Ezine campaign now call us on +353 (0)21 4834666 or  <a href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/contact.aspx">contact us online</a>.]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=88</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=88</link><pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:25:34 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Google Places: Get Your Business Found!</title><description><![CDATA[<img height="200" width="400" alt="" src="/blog/images/googleplaces.gif" /> You may have noticed that Google has undergone a dramatic facelift over the past number of months and even weeks. Its now placing more emphasis on all types of media/web content  such as images, video and even twitter feeds.The Google Map &ndash; highlighting local businesses, has now become one of the most dominating elements on the first page.  It&rsquo;s quite an evolution &ndash; moving even further away from text to highlight to the end user the most relevant information on the web from a search query. It&rsquo;s also a push towards making Google more local. As a result of this, the search page is now a hybrid of text, images, locations and feeds. So there is even less space now then there was before thus putting added pressure on businesses online attempting to squeeze inside for their target keywords and phrases.
<h1><br />
Why do I need to be on Google Maps?</h1>
Quite simply, it&rsquo;s a must for any progressive business to have a marker on Google Maps and to be identified as a business within your local area. When potential customers search Maps for local information, they could find your business: your address, website, hours of operation, even photos of your storefront or products.  It&rsquo;s 100% free to do and could get you significantly further up the Google ladder, depending on your competition.
<h1><br />
How do I get started?</h1>
Very easily &ndash; thanks to <a href="http://www.google.com/local/add/businessCenter" target="_blank">Google Places Signup</a> (Originally called Google Local Business Centre). <br />
<br />
<ul>
    <li>Visit <a href="http://www.google.com/local/add/businessCenter" target="_blank">Google Places</a></li>
    <li> Here you can submit your information,from basic contact info to photos and video</li>
    <li>You will need a Google account to sign-up.</li>
    <li>On the Local Business Center homepage, click Add new business.</li>
    <li>Fill out the basic information about your business &ndash; such as name, address and website address.</li>
    <li>Once submitted, you have the opportunity to enter more detailed information such as categories that describe your business and even upload photos.</li>
    <li>You can see your listing as it will appear in Maps on the right side of your screen, and new information will appear as you enter it. When it looks the way you want it to, click Submit at the bottom of the page.</li>
</ul>
<h1><br />
Verify your listing by PHONE or POSTCARD</h1>
Once you have successfully added all the information above, you will be asked to verify your listing via phone or postcard. <br />
<br />
<strong>By Phone:<br />
</strong> Verify your listing this way &amp; you&rsquo;ll receive an automated phone call where you will receive a PIN.  By <strong><br />
<br />
Postcard:</strong> <br />
Once you&rsquo;ve received your PIN on a Google postcard, you can then use it to verify your business listing in the Google Local Business Center.  It generally takes 10 business days for a PIN mailer to arrive.
<h1><br />
Additional Features</h1>
Google have added extra functionality lately for business owners to post real-time updates to their Place Page. For example, you might want to promote a sale, a special event or anything else that you want customers to know right now, and this feature lets you communicate that directly to your customers. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.google.com/local/add/businessCenter" target="_blank">Google Places</a> is a great way to manage your business presence on Google. So what&rsquo;s stopping you, it's easy and most importantly, it&rsquo;s free!  <br />
<br />
Visit: <a href="http://www.google.com/local/add/businessCenter" target="_blank">www.google.com/local/add/businessCenter</a>]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=87</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=87</link><pubDate>Fri, 2 Jul 2010 10:11:59 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>10 Questions You Need To Ask Yourself About Your Website</title><description><![CDATA[<br />
<a href="/blog/default.asp?Display=86"><img border="0" alt="10 Questions You Need To Ask Yourself About Your Website" src="/blog/images/website_questions.jpg" class="news_image" style="margin-left: 0pt;" /></a> <br />
<br />
Wondering why your website isn't performing very well? Think you can get more leads from your website but not sure where to start? or have you not even thought about your website at all recently? Then here are some questions you need to ask yourself about your website...<h2>01. Has my website content been updated in the last 6 months?  </h2>
You know your site needs to be updated but you're not sure how to go about it.  The task seems daunting so you put it on the long finger. For years web site owners have been relying on someone else to update their site, maybe it was their web designer but they're not available any more or maybe they were relying on a friend or relative but they're always too busy. The bottom line is that a website that isn't updated often could be hurting your business or at worst is misinforming your customers.<br />
<h2> 02. Do I need a GPS to find my way around my website? </h2>
You go onto your own site to check some information, but more often than not you use the sitemap or some other round about way to find the page you're looking for. If you can't find what you're looking for easily then how will your visitors? The ease in which your visitors can find information or perform a task is one of the most important aspects to the design of your website. If they get frustrated at any point they will leave and are not likely to return. <br />
<br />
<h2>03. Is it immediately obvious from my website what I do?  </h2>
Imagine you've never heard of your company - can you figure what you do or what it is you're all about within the first 3 seconds of visiting your site? Stating up front and clearly what your business is about is key to connecting with customers and getting them to venture further into your site. For example a waste management company might state on their homepage &quot;Since our establishment in 1996, GenTech Corporation have been helping local and international business by providing solutions to their waste&quot;, however a to-the-point-message such as &quot;We Solve Waste Management Problems&quot; has much more impact on the potential customer. Once you have their attention you can then tell them about the specifics. Unless your business name is &quot;We Do Waste&quot; or &quot;Bins'R'Us&quot; then this is vital to building a relationship and keeping customers on your site. <br />
<br />
<h2>04. Can I find my website in Google? </h2>
A Google search for your company name brings your website up first or on the first page at least. But what about a search for the services you provide or the products you sell? It is vital that you have visibility within the search engines and sometimes it is easier than you think. Even if you don't have a website you could get listed with Google places and get onto Google maps straight away or for even more instant results you could try a <a href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/google_adword_campaigns.asp">Google Adwords campaign</a>. The main thing though is to have some kind of plan in place and that a small bit of knowledge can go a long way.  <br />
<br />
<h2>05. Has my website been redesigned or tweaked in the last 3 years? </h2>
Splash pages and animated gifs are the dominant features on your site and it hasn't been touched in 6 years or more. Even if it has been only 3 years since your site was redesigned, it is still worth having a look and making sure it reflects you current business strategy and matches your other marketing material. Even a few small changes could make a world of difference. <br />
<br />
<h2>06. Does my print branding match my website branding? </h2>
Last year you had your business cards redesigned and a new logo to match but you haven&rsquo;t gotten around to putting the new logo on your site. Or maybe its vice versa and your print material still has your old logo. Either way, you need to get it sorted. <br />
<br />
<h2>07. Have I written my content specifically for my website? </h2>
You already have a print brochure and you've put a lot of work into it so you're going to use the same wording on your site. This is a common mistake - people read print and screen in different ways. Your brochure content may not be suitable for use on the web. Web content needs to be to the point, use a personal tone, include appropriate calls, avoid jargon and be easy to scan.  <br />
<br />
<h2>08. Do I have analytics or statistics tracking in place? If I do, do I know how to read them? </h2>
It could 5 or 500 but you've no idea how many people have visited your site, when and what they did when they got there. Having some kind of statistics tracking in place is vital to figuring out which pages are never seen, which parts already work and where your best leads come from. When you know this you can build on what works and give your customers what they're looking. <br />
<br />
<h2>09. Is my website up to speed with the sleek modern design of my competitors? </h2>
Your competitors have redesigned and now their site is much better than yours. You've resigned yourself to being the underdog, and feel you can't better their offering. It doesn&rsquo;t have to be so. Don't expect that you will come up with all the ideas yourself. Web designers and marketing experts are there give you the edge, help you stand out from the crowd and eventually become a leader instead of always being the follower.  <br />
<br />
<h2>10. Do I have an appropriate contact email address on my website? </h2>
Your contact email address is jimmymurphy123@eircom.net. You're already paying for a domain name and you're probably paying for email hosting too but you've yet to let go of your eircom or hotmail email address. It is difficult to let go, of course you've relied on this email address for years, it's where all your contacts are and everyone knows that's your address. However, making the change isn't as difficult as you think and using this email address instead of one that matches your business name could be hurting your business. You can still keep the email address you're used to and publicise a more professional one on your website. An email forward is the easiest way to do this.    <br />
<br />
<h2> What Now?</h2>
If you can answer YES to most of these questions, then you're doing pretty well - if you've answered NO to 1 or more, then you need to get working on it. <strong>We can help,</strong> give us a call now on <strong>021 4834666 or 01 442 8955</strong> or <a href="/contact.aspx">contact us online</a>.]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=86</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=86</link><pubDate>Wed, 2 Jun 2010 12:18:43 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Remove The Risk</title><description><![CDATA[<strong>We have just launched a new website for Risk Management Security Solutions. RMSS design intelligent security solutions to mitigate security risks within companies.</strong><br />
<br />
<img height="207" width="400" src="/blog/images/rmss.jpg" alt="" style="margin-left: 0pt;" class="news_image" />Through use of technology and expertise, RMSS can identify weaknesses present within companies and then offer a tailored solution to manage and lower the risk and liability , thus saving the client money. RMSS offer many services such as Security Advisory, Corporate Security, Specialist Investigation, Event Security, Logistics and Elite Security. <br />
<br />
Visit the site here: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.rmsecuritysolutions.com">www.rmsecuritysolutions.com</a>]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=85</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=85</link><pubDate>Tue, 4 May 2010 12:06:35 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Email Marketing Success!</title><description><![CDATA[<img height="101" width="150" src="/blog/images/fmg_ezine.gif" style="float: right;" class="news_image" alt="" /> We have been receiving a fantastic response to our <a href="/e-marketing_ezine_manager.asp" >FMG Ezine Manager</a> which was highlighted in our special feature Newsletter &quot;<a href="/ezine/assets/2010_04_02.html">Connect With Your Customers And Boost Sales</a>&quot; sent out earlier this week.The need for businesses to connect with their customers has never been greater, and the <a href="/e-marketing_ezine_manager.asp">FMG Ezine Manager</a> provides the perfect way to do this.<br />
<br />
With no monthly fee and no limit to the number of newsletters you can send or the number of subscribers you can have, the <a href="/e-marketing_ezine_manager.asp">FMG Ezine Manager</a> provides an extremely cost effective means of managing and sending newsletters without any hidden costs. <br />
<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.childaid.ie">ChildAid</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.floortech.ie">Floortech</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cogans.ie">Cogans</a> are just some of clients who have recently chosen to embark on email marketing campaigns using <a href="/e-marketing_ezine_manager.asp">FMG Ezine Manager</a>. The manager now allows them to reach out to their customers and inform them about their products, services and news with ease.<br />
<br />
To read more about the FMG Ezine Manager and its features visit <a href="/e-marketing_ezine_manager.asp">the product page</a> on our site.<br />
<br />
<strong>Ready to start your own Ezine campaign? To talk to us, call us on +353 (0)21 4834666 or <a href="/contact.aspx">contact us online</a>.</strong>]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=83</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=83</link><pubDate>Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:07:05 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>A Helping Hand...</title><description><![CDATA[<strong>We are thrilled to announce that we are now sponsoring the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.animalcaresociety.ie">Animal Care Society</a> online. </strong><br />
<br />
<img src="/blog/images/animal_care.jpg" alt="Animal Care Societ " style="margin-left: 0pt;" class="news_image" />The <a href="http://www.animalcaresociety.ie" target="_blank">Animal Care Society</a> needs no introduction, but for those who are unaware of the incredible work they do, they are a voluntary group completely dedicated to providing care to all animals in Cork City and County.<br />
<br />
No creature is too great or too small for their fantastic team led by the wonderful Albert Kleyn. Since their foundation in 2000 they have managed to rehome over 8000 animals not to mention the countless lives they have saved over the years. <br />
<br />
Here at Fireball we are heartened by the wonderful work this charitable society carries out on a daily basis.&nbsp; <a href="http://www.animalcaresociety.ie" target="_blank">The Animal Care Society website</a> is constantly being updated with news and success stories that will bring a tear to your eye.<br />
<br />
If, like us, their work touches your heart then why not make a donation? Any amount, large or small, would be greatly appreciated by Albert &amp; all the volunteers. <br />
<br />
<strong>donate: </strong><a href="http://www.animalcaresociety.ie/donate.htm" target="_blank">animalcaresociety.ie/donate.htm</a> <br />
<strong>visit: </strong><a href="http://www.animalcaresociety.ie" target="_blank">animalcaresociety.ie</a>]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=82</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=82</link><pubDate>Thu, 8 Apr 2010 15:06:56 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Google Adwords: Structure</title><description><![CDATA[<img height="101" width="150" src="/blog/images/adwords.gif" class="news_image" style="float: right;" alt="" />Navigating around the backend of your Google Adwords Account can often times result in a lot of head scratching. The Ability to tinker and tweek so many settings can sometimes be overwhelming and make the end user forget what exactly they were trying to do in the first place.The aim of this article is to offer a brief overview of the tiered structure that exists within a Google AdWords Account and to help clarify its basic layout.<br />
<br />
First of all, it&rsquo;s important to note that there are three levels to a Google AdWords account:<strong> account, campaign, and ad group</strong>. <br />
<br />
<h2>Account Level</h2>
The account is associated with a unique email address, password, and billing information.
<h2>Campaign Level</h2>
The Campaign Level of your account offers you the ability to choose your daily budget, geographic and language targeting, Google Network distribution preferences, and end dates You can create a maximum of 25 campaigns  per account.
<h2>Ad Group Level</h2>
Ad groups, on the other hand, allow you to create the actual ad, ad text, choose keywords, set maximum cost-per-click (CPC), and landing page destination URLs.  Each ad group has its own set of keywords and placements. If you create multiple ads in an ad group, the ads will rotate. Each campaign can contain up to 100 ad groups.<br />
<strong>&nbsp;<br />
Ads<br />
<br />
</strong>You can have a total of 50 ads per ad group<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>Organising campaigns and Ad groups</h2>
There are literally hundreds and thousands of ways you can configure your campaigns and the ad groups within them. You may for example have a music store that also sells DVDS in which case you may to set up separate campaigns for the different product areas.<br />
<br />
For example it might be a good idea to setup a music campaign with Ad groups like Rock, Pop, Jazz etc. The DVDs campaign could then have separate Ad groups for Drama, Horror, Action etc.<br />
<br />
If the store wished to target a specific Geographic Location such as the UK, then it would be best to setup a separate campaign with various Ad groups related to UK products inside.<br />
<br />
Separate ad groups, may be created whenever you'd like to set different maximum CPCs for keywords or if you wish to trigger specific ads with certain keywords.<br />
<br />
It&rsquo;s important to think of how you wish to structure your account from the outset so you can manage it more efficiently and ensure it&rsquo;s based around your business needs. <br />
<br />
<strong>To talk to us about getting your Google Adword Campaign up &amp; running, call us on +353 (0)21 4834666 or <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/contact.aspx">contact us online</a>, we&rsquo;d love to be involved in your project.</strong>]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=81</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=81</link><pubDate>Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:06:31 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Rally Gets Complete Revamp!</title><description><![CDATA[<strong>The Innishannon Steam &amp; Vintage Rally website has got a very well deserved new look. An old vintage theme pervades the new site, fused together with modern features and elements.</strong><br />
<br />
<img height="207" width="400" class="news_image" style="margin-left: 0pt;" alt="Innishannon Steam &amp; Vintage Rally " src="/blog/images/rally.jpg" />The Innishannon Steam &amp; Vintage Rally is held annually at a 38 acre venue one mile from Innishannon Village in aid of The Irish Cancer Society and has over 1,000 exhibits. This event was originally created to promote heritage machinery of all classes at work and to provide a suitable venue for vintage enthusiasts to display their machines, as well as allowing the general public to view rare agricultural and mechanical treasures from the past.<br />
<br />
The website now allows enthusiasts to enter their exhibits online by filling out a detailed form.<br />
<br />
We wish Mary Desmond, Secretary of the rally along with all of its members and entrants, a very happy and eventful 13th Rally! <br />
<br />
Visit the site here: <a href="http://www.isvrally.com" target="_blank">www.isvrally.com</a>]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=80</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=80</link><pubDate>Wed, 3 Mar 2010 17:19:49 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>New Interactive Globe Feature for myaupairbook.com</title><description><![CDATA[Just launched is a new feature that we have developed for <a href="http://www.myaupairbook.com" target="_blank">myaupairbook.com</a>. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.myaupairbook.com/explorer" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="" src="/blog/images/globe_map.jpg" class="news_image" style="margin-left: 0pt;" /></a><p>Upon entering the new <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myaupairbook.com/explorer">Explorer Our World</a> section of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myaupairbook.com">www.myaupairbook.com</a> visitors are welcomed by an interactive globe that represents the site's &quot;global au pair neighbourhood&quot;. Visitors are invited to explore where members are located, see the distribution of families and au pairs around the world and find out more about them by viewing their profile.</p>
<p>The globe is organised by member type (au pairs and families) and is powered by Google Maps and runs on Flash. It is populated with pictures and details of active site members and is a new and exciting way of finding the family or au pair that is just right. Existing members can log in and tweak their location if necessary so they can pin point their place on the map as accurately as they like.</p>
<p>Membership to myaupairbook.com will always be free and there are still some <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myaupairbook.com/how_it_works.php">free 1 month premium upgrades</a> available - so if you're looking to find a new au pair or would like to experience life as an au pair then <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myaupairbook.com/register.php">sign up now</a>.</p>
<p>To explore myaupairbook.com's global neighbourhood now visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myaupairbook.com/explorer">www.myaupairbook.com/explorer</a></p>]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=79</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=79</link><pubDate>Wed, 3 Feb 2010 10:49:40 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Twitter For Your Business: Part 2</title><description><![CDATA[<img width="150" height="101" src="/blog/images/twitter2.gif" class="news_image" style="float: right;" alt="" /> Our last Article - <a href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=77" target="_blank">Twitter For Your Business: Part 1</a> discussed the key features of <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com">Twitter</a> and outlined how it can be used as an effective marketing tool. In this article we will focus on simply getting started with <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com">Twitter</a>. The article also provides a brief introduction to some of the most helpful tools that can make tweeting even easier.<h2>Sign Up</h2>
<ul>
    <li>Go to <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com">www.twitter.com</a> and click on &ldquo;Get Started &ndash; Join!&rdquo; to setup a new account.</li>
    <li>Next you will need to setup your profile and choose a background from the   list provided. It is a good idea to upload your business logo as your profile pic. Also ensure to enter your websites name along with other important info such as your location.</li>
    <li>Next you will need to build a network. Twitter has a handy feature that allows you to import email lists. It also has a powerful search tool - <a target="_blank" href="http://search.twitter.com">search.twitter.com</a> &ndash; to help discover other like minded people or businesses.  It&rsquo;s at this stage you can decide who you wish to follow.</li>
</ul>
<h2><br />
The Basics...</h2>
<strong>Following</strong><br />
If you are following somebody in Twitter , it basically just means you are listening to them. If&nbsp; they make a tweet (or post) &ndash; it will appear on your page or Tweet Feed for you to read.<br />
<br />
<strong>Tweeting</strong><br />
To make a Tweet or post in Twitter &ndash; all you need to do is go to your profile page and just type in the box provided. Remember that Tweets are limited to 140 characters, so choose your words wisely!<br />
<br />
<strong>ReTweeting</strong><br />
To retweet just means to repost somebody else&rsquo;s Tweet on your feed.&nbsp; This is very important for your overall success on Twitter as it helps to promote your fellow Tweep (or follower) . Use the '@'&nbsp; before their username to link the username to their profile.<br />
<br />
<strong>Twitter For Your Mobile</strong><br />
Twitter was designed with mobile phones in mind, hence the 140 character limit.&nbsp; If you are lucky enough to have an iPhone, then sending tweets is a breeze with the Twitter App. Tweets can also be sent via SMS Text Message. You can find more detailed info on how to use Twitter on your mobile <a href="http://help.twitter.com/forums/10711/entries/14014" target="_blank">here</a>.
<h2><br />
Helpful Tools</h2>
Recently a large number of applications have emerged to make life a little easier for the Twitter Community. The following is a list of some of the most useful ones on offer:<br />
<br />
<a _blank="" href="http://www.tweetcloud.com/ target="><strong>Tweetcloud</strong></a><br />
This great little program allows you to determine the main type of content a user tweets so you can decide if you wish to follow them or simply run for the hills!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://twitter.grader.com/ " target="_blank"><strong>Twitter Grader</strong></a><br />
Twitter Grader measures the strength of your profile by adding up your &ldquo;followers and followings&rdquo; and ranking your Twitter page numerically against other pages.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.tweetdeck.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Tweetdeck</strong></a><br />
A third party client that helps you manage your tweets by Organizing your windows into three panels; tweets, replies, and Twitter profile.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twibs.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Twibs</strong></a><br />
Business directory for businesses on Twitter.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/" target="_blank"><strong>TinyURL</strong></a><br />
Very helpful tool that enables you to shorten long urls so you can squeeze more characters into your Tweets.
<h2><br />
Some Great Twitter Links To Get Started With...</h2>
<ul>
    <li><a href="http://www.twitter.com/RTENEWS" target="_blank">RTE News</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://www.twitter.com/AARoadWatchie" target="_blank">AA Roadwatch</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://twitter.com/fireballmedia" target="_blank">FireballMedia</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://www.twitter.com/irishexaminer" target="_blank">Irish Exmainer</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://www.twitter.com/TheCorkNews" target="_blank">TheCorkNews</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://www.twitter.com/IrishMarketers" target="_blank">Irish Marketers</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://www.twitter.com/CorkOperaHouse" target="_blank">Cork Opera House</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Good luck Tweeting!!!<br />
<br />
We can provide advice on how you can increase your Social Network Presence and help nurture an online community. Call us on +353 (0)21 4834666 or <a href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/social_networking.asp" target="_blank">contact us online</a> and bring your content to life!!]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=78</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=78</link><pubDate>Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:28:32 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Twitter For Your Business: Part 1</title><description><![CDATA[<img width="150" height="101" src="/blog/images/twitter1.gif" class="news_image" alt="" style="float: right;" /> I must admit, I was one of the first people to dismiss <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com">Twitter</a> as a bit of a fad when it was released about 3 years ago, but nobody can deny the attention and remarkable number of users it has gained since its inception. Tweeting has become a buzzword in the last year and certainly a landmark in  <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/social_networking.asp">social media</a>. So does it live up to all the hype?! In a way, yes and used effectively, it can act as a powerful marketing tool for your business.<h2>Key Advantages</h2>
<ul>
    <li> Gives you the ability to reach out and engage with literally millions of people. </li>
    <li> It&rsquo; s ease of use. You can send Tweets via your mobile phone, updating your Twitter page and even your website if you have a feed setup. </li>
    <li> One of the main advantages of Twitter as a social media, is the fact that its in real time &ndash; and as a result it offers up to the minute information&nbsp; sometimes ahead of other sources. This means you may get feedback on a tweet (post) from any of your followers (who maybe clients) within literally seconds.</li>
</ul>
<h2><br />
How Your Business Can Use It</h2>
<strong>Listening </strong><br />
Often overlooked, sometimes just sitting back and listening to what your competitors and clients are saying via Tweets can provide you with ideas on how to develop your business and can give a better insight into where you should be focusing your attention. <br />
<br />
<strong>Communication </strong><br />
It allows you to promote your products, services and achievements to a huge audience. You could for example have a special offer running that you want to bring to peoples attention. This could be done via a simple tweet with a link back to your website containing the special offer. <br />
<br />
<strong>Highlight Positive Feeling</strong> <br />
If some of your staff members are tweeting about how exciting their current project is, its obviously going to have a positive impact on the companies name. Unfortunately, this can also work the opposite way!<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Building Contacts</strong><br />
By following the right people, Twitter can help lead to important industry contacts and potential clients. It can sometimes allow companies to engage directly with high profile people that would never have been possible in the past, thus avoiding the cold phone calls and never replied to emails. <br />
<br />
Using its search function it&rsquo;s possible to find other like minded individuals enabling you to share information and develop working relationships with.<br />
<br />
<br />
Twitter is all about communication and engaging people, and with so many members, it&rsquo;s offers an incredible platform to engage with like minded people (companies), share opinions and find out what people want.<br />
<br />
Our Next Article will focus on how to use Twitter, along with a list of some helpful tools to make tweeting even easier!<br />
<br />
We can provide advice on how you can increase your <a href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/social_networking.asp">Social Network Presence</a> and help nurture an online community. Call us on +353 (0)21 4834666 or <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/contact.aspx">contact us online</a> and bring your content to life!!<br />
<br />
Twitter Website: <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com">http://twitter.com</a>]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=77</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=77</link><pubDate>Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:48:48 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>The Great Flight For Site Giveaway Winner!</title><description><![CDATA[Back in October we launched a new promotion to coinicide with the launch of our Gateway Packages. We were offering one of our lucky customers the chance to win a &euro;500 travel voucher!We can now reveal that the winners of our giveway are... <strong>BUCAS!  </strong><br />
<br />
Bucas design, create and make high performance horse blankets and related equestrian products. Having relaunched their website with us last year they thought it was now the perfect opportunity to add some more features, tweak their content and enhance their online marketing. Congratulations to Eleanor and all at Bucas we hope you enjoy some well desevered time off!<br />
<br />
Watch this space for more promotions &amp; giveways in the new year!]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=76</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=76</link><pubDate>Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:59:57 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Take Control Of Your Website</title><description><![CDATA[<img width="150" height="101" style="float: right;" alt="" class="news_image" src="/blog/images/cms.gif" /> Websites have come a long way in the last number of years. Traditionally websites were just static blocks of content and if you needed to update your site, you were required to enter the dreaded coding world and tackle the html yourself &ndash; a time consuming process, that required a degree of technical knowledge.As time progressed, website owners became alienated by this system, the result being that their website content became stale and outdated due to inefficient updating processes in place.&nbsp; Ironic really considering how significant content updates are these days for increasing traffic and the huge impact it has on <a href="/search_engine_optimsation.asp">SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)</a>. The CMS or Content Management System evolved out of the need for website owners, with little or no technical background, to edit and update their website content easily.<br />
<br />
<h2>What exactly is a CMS?</h2>
A CMS is an area of a website where the owner can log in, edit and update the content of their website.&nbsp; All of this data is stored in a central repository or database.<br />
<br />
The areas of the site that are available to update is determined by the flexibility of the CMS. Most features within the content area are usually completely updatable. Many CMS will purposely prohibit changes to the main navigation and main appearance of the website in order to maintain site integrity and consistency. <br />
<br />
<strong>A quick example:</strong><br />
<br />
Updating the news column of your website with a CMS could be as simple as logging into your CMS, clicking on Update News &ndash; Adding the news content via an editing tool similar to Microsoft Word and pressing submit. Links, Pictures and Videos may also be added in similar fashion if, of course, the CMS supports such media.<br />
<br />
<h2>What are the advantages of a CMS</h2>
There are enormous benefits to having such a system in place, the most significant advantages are:
<ul>
    <li>The speed and efficiency at which you can edit and update your content</li>
    <li>Non &ndash; technical people can finally update their site content with ease</li>
    <li>Archiving helps users manage their older content and provides a record of when data was published</li>
    <li>Greater website consistency and continuity as styles are maintained. </li>
</ul>
<h2>FMG Flow</h2>
We have developed a CMS called <a href="/content_management.asp">FMG Flow</a> which is an easy to use, fully scalable CMS that can plug directly into your existing website.&nbsp; Its extremely flexible and can even allow website owners to tweek page titles and keywords for SEO. <br />
<br />
You can view a full list of its features and working demo on our <a href="/content_management.asp">Content Management System page</a>. <br />
<br />
We have a range of other CMS options and add-ons available - whatever your project size. Call us for a chat on +353 (0)21 4834 666 or <a href="/contact.aspx">contact us online</a>.]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=75</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=75</link><pubDate>Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:10:34 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Wedding Fair Professionals</title><description><![CDATA[Principal Event Management specialise in the organisation and coordination of wedding fairs and events.<br />
<br />
<img width="400" height="207" align="center" style="margin-left: 0pt;" class="news_image" src="/blog/images/pem.jpg" alt="" /> <br />
<br />
They have over 20 years of experience in the business and can arrange wedding exhibitions with top models and designers.Principal Event Management contacted us to design a simple one page site with a sleek and modern edge to promote their business.<br />
<br />
Visit the site here: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.principaleventmanagement.ie">www.principaleventmanagement.ie</a>]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=74</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=74</link><pubDate>Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:49:52 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>myaupairbook.com Launches!!</title><description><![CDATA[<p>We have just launched a fantastic new website - <a href="http://www.myaupairbook.com" target="_blank">myaupairbook.com</a>.</p>

<img height="207" width="400" align="center" alt="" src="/blog/images/myaupair_lrg.gif" class="news_image" style="margin-left: 0pt;" /> <br />
<p>Bursting with colour and chock full of web gadgetry - <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myaupairbook.com">myaupairbook.com</a> is a site to behold! (pun intended)</p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.myaupairbook.com">myaupairbook.com</a>, as you may have guessed from the name, aims to connect Au Pairs &amp; Families from around the world. A powerful search tool helps users locate their perfect Au Pair or Family ands its interactive features enables members view profiles, send emails, participate in the forum, chat and more, in the hope of finding their most suitable candidate.<br /></p>
<p>
It's a rare and beautiful thing when programming skills, design and creativity all come together into one application &ndash; but it has certainly done so on this project. Of course this project would not have been such a success without our wonderful client Lenka. Her patience, attitude, collaborative skills and interest in utilising new technology were superb from day one of the project and really helped make it the website it is.</p>
<p>
To celebrate the launch, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myaupairbook.com">myaupairbook.com</a> are offering their first 500 members free premium membership for a month!</p>

<p>The team at Fireball Media wish Lenka all the best with this exciting new project.</p>

<p>Visit the site here <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myaupairbook.com">www.myaupairbook.com</a></p>]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=73</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=73</link><pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:07:21 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Domain &amp; Hosting Renewals</title><description><![CDATA[<img width="78" height="118" border="0" align="right" src="/blog/images/Image/icon_exclamation.gif" alt="" />We've just put a new automated system in place that will alert you of upcoming domain and hosting renewals.Our new system will send you an email in advance of the renewal date for your domain or hosting product. <br />
<br />
All you have to do then is confirm whether you wish to renew or not by simply replying to the email or call us on 021 4834666 / 01 4428955.<br />
<p wrap="">If confirmation of renewal is NOT received your product will expire automatically and your website/email accounts will cease to work.<br />
<br />
Upon receipt of confirmation, an invoice will be issued on the renewal date and once payment has been received the product/service will then be renewed and your domain/hosting service will continue without interruption.<br />
<br />
We can accept payment by cash, cheque or credit card.</p>
<p wrap="">If there is anything else you think we can do to simplify the process please let us know - we're always open to suggestion from our clients.</p>
<p wrap="">Thank you for your business - we really do appreciate it!</p>
<p wrap="">:o) </p>]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=72</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=72</link><pubDate>Fri, 6 Nov 2009 17:43:06 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Top 7 Geeky Costumes for Halloween</title><description><![CDATA[<p>So its that time of the year again and, as always, is a particularly exciting time for one Fireball team member - that's right, it's me!   So, in a vain attempt to mix my interest in costumes and web design I've decided to put together this list of Geeky Halloween Costumes. Maybe you'll be inspired enough to try one of these out tomorrow night!</p><h2>Facebook</h2>
<p><img style="margin-left: 0px;" class="news_image" alt="" src="/blog/images/costumes/facebook.jpg" /></p>
<p> Create a giant version of the site on carboard, leave a space for your head and find some way to carry it around with you for the night.  Basically you could do this with any social network site - mySpace, bebo or for YouTube you could attempt to star in your own video, somehow.</p>
<h2>iPhone/iPod</h2>
<p><img style="margin-left: 0px;" class="news_image" alt="" src="/blog/images/costumes/iphone.jpg" /></p>
<p>An obvious one really - create a front and back on cardboard and attach it on to yourself. I might point out at this stage that none of these costumes are going to make you look good/cool/attractive. </p>
<h2>Star Wars</h2>
<p><img style="margin-left: 0px;" class="news_image" alt="" src="/blog/images/costumes/star-wars-costume.jpg" /></p>
<p>Some of us might think of Darth Vader and Princess Leia when it comes to star Wars themed costumes but no we'll go for Star Wars space craft. Tie Fighter costume any one?</p>
<h2>Firefox</h2>
<p><img style="margin-left: 0px;" class="news_image" alt="" src="/blog/images/costumes/firefox.jpg" /></p>
<p>Attempt to get all your friends converted.</p>
<h2>Legoman</h2>
<p><img style="margin-left: 0px;" class="news_image" alt="" src="/blog/images/costumes/lego_guys_costumes.jpg" /></p>
<p>I like this one a lot. If you're an 80s child you will too.  </p>
<h2>Twitter</h2>
<p><img width="180" style="margin-left: 0px;" class="news_image" alt="" src="/blog/images/costumes/twitter-costumes.jpg" /> <img width="180" style="margin-left: 0px;" class="news_image" alt="" src="/blog/images/costumes/twitterbird.jpg" /></p>
<p>Slap a few tweets on a bit of cardboard and stick it to your chest? That one seems a bit lazy to me. Maybe dress as the Twitter bird instead.  </p>
<h2>Steve Jobs/Bill Gates</h2>
<p><img style="margin-left: 0px;" class="news_image" alt="" src="/blog/images/costumes/steve_jobs.jpg" /></p>
<p>Try explaining this one to people - they'll just think you're having an off day in the style department.</p>
<p>Have something to add to this list? Let me know.</p>]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=71</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=71</link><pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:14:45 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>The Great Flight for Site Giveaway</title><description><![CDATA[<img width="150" border="0" align="right" class="news_image" alt="Fireball Media" src="/blog/images/Image/iStock_000003910602XSmall.jpg" />
<p data-ft="{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;msg&quot;}" class="UIIntentionalStory_Message"><span class="UIStory_Message">Are you all Jazzed out after the long weekend? Need a break? How about a &euro;500 travel voucher?<br />
<br />
Don't forget about our Great Flight for Site Giveaway!!<br />
<br />
If you are thinking about getting a new website, then why not let us build your site &amp; be in with a chance of winning a &euro;500 travel voucher! Don't miss out!<br />
<br />
Don't need a new site... but know someone who does? Then do them a favour &amp; pass this on!</span></p>
<p data-ft="{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;msg&quot;}" class="UIIntentionalStory_Message"><span class="UIStory_Message">Visit <a href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/giveaway/">http://www.fireballmedia.ie/giveaway/</a><br />
</span></p>I look forward to hearing from you!]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=70</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=70</link><pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:01:47 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Meet the office helpers</title><description><![CDATA[<p>Ladies &amp; Gentlemen... <br />
We thought it time to introduce our little helpers in Fireball's Carrigaline Office... hard working and ever dependable, you just can't beat 'em!</p>
<img class="news_image" style="margin-left:0px" width="400" border="0" src="/blog/images/Image/little_helpers.jpg" alt="The Fireball Office Helpers" />
]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=69</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=69</link><pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:49:47 0000</pubDate></item><item><title>The Great Flight For Site Giveaway!!!</title><description><![CDATA[<img height="300" width="400" style="margin-left: 0px;" class="news_image" alt="" src="/blog/images/giveaway1_blog(1).jpg" /><br />
<br />
We are offering one of our lucky customers the opportunity to win an incredible travel voucher worth &euro;500. This mouth watering deal is available to any customer who spends &euro;999* or more before 7th December 2009.<h2>Why would I enter?</h2>
Tired of your current site or maybe you just want to get your business online for the first time? Then this could be the perfect opportunity for you to embrace the web and be in with the chance of winning our fabulous travel voucher!<br />
<br />
Picture this: You are sitting back, relaxing and enjoying a cool mojito on a well earned timeout in the sun while we are busy developing a complete customised professional website solution, all for you!!<br />
<h2>How do I enter?<br />
</h2>
Simply spend &euro;999* or more with us before December the 7th 2009 and you will be automatically entered into the draw. <a href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/contact.aspx">Contact us</a> today about your new website or <a href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/giveaway/">fill out our online form</a>.<br />
<br />
<h2>What can I get for under &euro;1000?</h2>
Our <a href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/gateway_package.asp">Gateway Package</a> is our most affordable website ever and is absolutely packed full of features. It&rsquo;s the perfect stepping stone for getting your business online, especially if you are running on a tight budget and need a professional website. Standout features are; its customised design and the ease at which you can update the content yourself through its inbuilt CMS.<br />
<br />
Click <a href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/gateway_package.asp">here</a> to see a full list of our <a href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie/gateway_package.asp">Gateway Pack</a> features.<br />
<br />
<h2>When is the closing date?</h2>
Final date for entries is 7th December 2009. A draw will be held on 11th December 2009, and the winner will be announced via our <a href="http://www.fireballmedia.ie">website</a> and a Twitter update. Best of luck to everyone!!]]></description><guid>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=68</guid><link>http://www.fireballmedia.ie/blog/default.asp?Display=68</link><pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:28:40 0000</pubDate></item></channel></rss>