The Old Deanery Holiday Cottages Mayo Website Launch

The Old Deanery Holiday Cottages Mayo Website Launch

OSD Digital Agency are delighted to announce the launch of the newly redesigned site for The Old Deanery Holiday Cottages.

Based on the Wild Atlantic Way in Killala Co Mayo, overlooking the beautiful wild Killala bay. The Old Deanery award winning 4 star cottages offer a traditional holiday with all the comforts of modern living. The perfect base to discover the best of north Mayo and the Wild Atlantic Way.

OSD were delighted to work with the Team at The Old Deanery Holiday Cottages to create a responsive fresh new website design.

Visit the portfolio for more details

The post The Old Deanery Holiday Cottages Mayo Website Launch appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

The Old Deanery Holiday Cottages Mayo Website Launch
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

Top 10 Digital & Tech Trends for 2016

The digital landscape is ever changing with technology advancements, innovation and new operating modules effecting how we do business, how we reach our customers and impacting us all in our daily lives down to how we pay for our morning coffee.

2016 is set to be no different with some exciting new services, products and digital technology coming on stream. Here’s our round up of some of the top 10 predicted Digital & Technology Trends for 2016!

It’s set to be a great year for digital !!

1. 3D Printing

Printing has come a long way since it was first introduced. The fact you can now print a 3D copy of a 2D image is amazing, with some of the most exciting advances being made in the printing of medical devices that have the potential to be life altering!  From cloths to food, and everything in between its astonishing to think with the new technology where 3D printing will lead us. Check out this great article from the guys at Tech Republic 3D printing: The trends that will change the game in 2016

2. Virtual Reality

We’ve only seen the start of Virtual Reality and so far and it has amazed us. For marketers it’s a brilliant new method of advertising giving that you will have 360 degrees of the Virtual World to use. Virtual Reality won’t just be a sensation for Marketers, it will be revolutionary when it comes to training, think how it could be used to train surgeons or pilots learning to land a 300+ tonne Plane!

3. Self Driven Cars

Although for now self driving cars still need human help, over the course of this year I’m sure we will see big improvements in the technology with a long list of companies including Tesla Motors, Google and Uber experimenting it is no longer science fiction.

Check out the latest from David Pierce from Wired – Tesla Summon Hints at How the World of Self-Driving Cars Will Work

4. Household Appliances

From a T.V that bends, beds that track your sleep and refrigerators that can order your shopping, smart technology appliances for your home are sure to be a big hit this year!

5. Mobile Technology

Although mobile payments has been a trend for the last few years, it has been still very slow to come out on top. In 2016 however is set to be a defining year with Apple Pay planning a major European launch we’re sure Google will also be making some announcements.  With the ability to pay not just with your smartphone but with smartwatches, and other wearable technology giving uses lots more options.

For more mobile tech trends check out this great article by Slash Gear – Top 5 upcoming mobile trends in 2016

6. Video Advertising

Video Advertising is certainly nothing new but in 2016 it is set to take off with Google finally getting on board with in SERP video advertising, a sign that users are becoming more accepting of video ads. Expect to see more video ads popping up in 2016!

Forbes.com – Are Video Ads Coming To Google Search Results?

7. Live – Streaming

The new obsession with live streaming is set to continue in 2016 with apps such as Periscope and Meerkat set to add new features. Facebook have also announced they plan to open up its Facebook Live to allow users to live stream directly to their newsfeed.

Haven’t gotten to grips with live streaming for your business check out Social Media Examiners Tips – 6 Ways to Use Periscope for Your Business

8. Wearable’s

From a pair of glasses to a watch, wearable’s are getting increasingly popular amongst Businesses and People alike. It will be hard not to keep up when you have such technology on the go.

Check out all the latest news in wearable technology from Wearables.com

9. A.I (Artificial Intelligence)

This one is an exciting one, At the beginning of the year Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg announced he is attempting to build a Robot that can control his house just like Jarvis from Iron Man. Zuckerburg is hoping to teach the AI to understand his voice to control everything in his home from temperature, music, lights, and even facial recognition when the doorbell rings.

Read more from The Guardian – Mark Zuckerberg plans to make his own AI butler – like Jarvis in Iron Man

10. Charging

Charging is another thing that has evolved a lot over the past few years, From the Plug and Wire to placing them on a Pad, charging is on the verge of going wireless. This is hoping to work similarly like your WiFi Router at home that transmits data to allow your devices to have internet but instead will just charge as you go on about your day.

Digitaltrends.com – This Device can Wirelessly Charge your phone from 30 Feet Away

The post Top 10 Digital & Tech Trends for 2016 appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

Top 10 Digital & Tech Trends for 2016
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

Kick Start 2016 with a Digital Training Course

Up-skill and start 2016 with a bang by joining one of our upcoming Digital Media Training Courses. Refresh your digital skills, learn about the latest updates and online trends.

Want to learn more about the latest trends in Digital Marketing? Or considering  online advertising in 2016 to increase your businesses visibility on search engines?

To ring in the New Year we are offering a 40% discount offer on our upcoming Digital Media Training Courses, just book your place on DigitalMediaTraining.ie before January 15^th

Digital Marketing & Social Media Bootcamp

This intensive 1-day course will demonstrate the latest digital marketing and social media trends. Along with some practical tips for success for your business.

Discover mobile, social media, social media advertising and local search marketing tips to get your business found online. We demonstrate some tools to help you manage your digital channels making sure that you’ll be able to continually improve your campaigns, boosting results and profitability.

• Sligo – January 20
  
• Dublin – January 27
  

Introduction to Analytics & Online Advertising

This 1 day course, we will give you the confidence to create your own successful Google AdWords PPC advertising campaigns online, and equip you with the knowledge to track and measure the effectiveness of your campaigns with Google Analytics.

• Sligo – February 10^th
• Dublin – February 17th

For more information and to book your place go to www.digitalmediatraining.ie

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Kick Start 2016 with a Digital Training Course
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

How to Protect your Imagery Online

During the recent BOI Start Up Gathering Digital Skills sessions a topic arose about protecting your images online. In this week’s blog post we continue the conversation and offer some copyrighting tips that can help you protect your imagery online.

For both start up and established businesses there is nothing more frustrating than spending time and money on professional photographs to market your business and then find they have been used by someone else online. Unfortunately in this digital age if you post your photos online there is a possibility they will be “borrowed”.

More often than not when your imagery is “borrowed” the offender is simply unaware they were doing anything wrong, most people believe that if it is online it is free to use.  However this is not the case as your imagery is still covered by copyright laws however in such cases of copyright infringement it is best to pick your battles.

If you way up the opportunities and exposure generated for your business by marketing online the pros certainly out way the cons. But there are some methods available to make it that bit harder for others “borrow” your imagery.

Watermarking Imagery

BOI Start Up Gathering 2015 Dublin Attendees

One quick and easy method is to watermark your imagery by adding your business website URL, Name or Trademark on the image you wish to protect.

You can do this by adding a copyright mark “©” followed by the word Copyright (Optional) and the year in which the work was first published, the next and last step is to add the name of the copyright owner which would typically end up looking similar to our example above (© 2015 OSD.ie ).

Although a majority of the internet would not have the knowledge of how to remove this watermark, there is a percentage of the users who would have an understanding of photo editing in which case may try removing your watermark. Again this is not fully preventable but it is possible to make it more difficult to take your image, you can embed your watermark in an area of the image in which it would cause difficulty to remove like the centre of the image or covering a more graphic side of the image as in the actual object or place your image is focusing on.

Watermarking Tools

Watermark.ws – The free account allows you to upload up to 5 images that are under 500KB each and allows users to edit their images and add the necessary watermark that is needed for copyrighting.

PicMarkr.com – Allows you to upload images through Flickr, Facebook and Picasa and edit them or add a watermark if needed.

Watermarktool.com – Allows the upload of up to 5 images under 200KB each and lets users add a text watermark.

iWatermark App – Available to download for Mac Windows, IOS & Android. Allows you to quickly add watermarks direct to your photos on any device and then share across social media platforms.

How long does copyright last? – Typically copyright last for the creator’s lifetime plus seventy years.

Upload Low Resolutions

Another method is to only upload low resolution images to the web. This means that when your images are borrowed, the offender doesn’t have access to a larger size that they can blow up and reuse as they will look pixelated.

Add Copyright to Metadata

There is also a method of adding copyright information directly into the metadata of your photos by using your DSLR or a photo editing tool such as Photoshop

Although these methods may not offer your images 100% protection, they will help to protect your content from majority of the internet.

Google Reverse Image Search

Want to know if any of your images have already been used, re-edited and distributed online without your permission. Try to google reverse search your image, check out how reverse image search works.

Our main piece of advice always make sure when you are using imagery online give credit where credit is due whether it is crediting your own imagery or if you are using free to use imagery for your business blogs or social media posts via creative commons always credit the owner/creator.

Top Image Credit:  freepik.com/littlevisuals

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How to Protect your Imagery Online
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

Sligo Tech Autumn Meetup

After a summer break Sligo Tech returns with the first Meetup of the season taking place this Thursday September 24th, 7.00pm at the Digital Hub Sligo.

This month’s meetup kicks off as usual with a speed networking session followed by a presentation by OSD’s own Digital Marketing Executive Barry Walsh. Barry’s session will include a presentation and discussion about ‘Mobile Matters’, how mobile is vital when developing a digital strategy for your business. Barry will share some top tactics for utilising Mobile to reach your customers.

Follow Barry on Twitter at @Barry_Digital  

This event is proudly sponsored by OSD Digital Agency and Sligo Chamber of Commerce.

Follow Sligo Tech on twitter for the latest updates @sligotech and check out the hashtag #sligotech. Or get involved with the conversation on Sligo tech Meetup LinkedIn Group.

To register for the Sligo Tech Meetup go to www.meetup.com/SligoTech/ #sligotech

The post Sligo Tech Autumn Meetup appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

Sligo Tech Autumn Meetup
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

OSD Digital Media Training Autumn Schedule

Would you like to learn more about Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimisation, Social Media and Online Advertising? With some great practical tips of how to use these channels to grow your business? Join us for one of our upcoming OSD Digital Media Training Courses this Autumn.

Delivered by industry professionals our courses are aimed directly at staff in the front line, and include hands on practical tasks, tools and tips you can use straight away to make an impact in your business.

Introduction to Analytics & Online Advertising

Sligo – October 14th 2015
Dublin – October 21st 2015

This 1 day course, we will give you the confidence to create your own successful Google AdWords PPC advertising campaigns online, and equip you with the knowledge to track and measure the effectiveness of your campaigns with Google Analytics.

Full Course Details

Digital Marketing & Social Media Bootcamp

Sligo – November 4th 2015
Dublin – November 11th 2015

This intensive one-day course will demonstrate some practical tips for success in Digital Marketing and Social Media for your business.

Full Course Details

Content Building & Search Engine Optimisation for the web

Sligo – November 18th 2015
Dublin – November 25th 2015

This one-day course will demonstrate how to review your website and optimise it to perform better in the search results and track your content changes over time.

Full Course Details

Getting Your Business Mobile

Sligo – December 2nd 2015
Dublin – December 9th 2015

Mobile search has now bypassed desktop search. Consumer path to purchase is changing constantly. Are you connecting the right message to your customer and is your content viewable on mobile devices.

Full Course Details

Or call 071 9170024 for more information

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OSD Digital Media Training Autumn Schedule
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

Business Funding with the LEO Online Trading Vouchers

The LEO Online Trading Vouchers are still available but you must act fast!

The LEO Online Trading Voucher scheme has been a great success to date and in July 2015 An Taoiseach Enda Kenny presented the 1000th voucher. To mark the occasion Minster of Communications Alex White published a report on the impact of the Scheme. It revealed that small businesses that move online have experienced a 21% average increase in sales. 85% saw an increase in customer inquiries.

The objective of the scheme is to help small businesses grow their sales, exports and ultimately jobs.  Businesses are permitted to apply for one voucher each, up to a value of €2,500 (50% matched funding).

There are some limitations but LEO vouchers can be used for a whole range of digital services that OSD can provide your business including:

• Development or upgrade of an E-commerce website
• Implementation of online payments or booking systems
• Purchase of Online Advertising (Google Adwords / Facebook Advertising) and campaign management
• Setup Email Marketing for your business
• Implementing a Digital Marketing Strategy, i.e. Social Media Marketing
• Consultation with ICT experts for early stage adopters of online strategy
• Training/skills development specifically to establish and manage an online trading activity

Small businesses throughout Ireland can still apply through their Local Enterprise Office (LEO) for digital vouchers to help their businesses trade online and the scheme is currently available nationwide.

However part of the application process requires that you MUST attend a half day workshop hosted by your local LEO office to learn more about the vouchers and some LEOs have announced final dates of their last information seminars for 2015.You are obligated to attend this training before applying for the voucher. After the seminar the application form will be circulated to all participants.

According to our latest research as of this month (August 2015)many LEO’s are hosting their next workshops in September, however for some LEO’s (Carlow) this will be the final workshop of 2015 – hence the need to take action now.

So, what’s the next step?

Organise to get yourself or a representative from your business to attend one of the information sessions at your LEO. Check links and contact information here for details of the next workshop with your local LEO. 

We can help get you started.

We have mentored many businesses through their application so we are familiar with the process, if you have any questions please contact us directly barry@osd.ie or call 071 9170024 and one of our team will advise you further.

1. Check if your business is eligible for the funding, please read the eligibility terms here.
2. Contact your local LEO office for details on next information workshop and *book online.  We have compiled a list for our clients of all LEO offices in Ireland and researched next seminar dates and contact details(where we could find them)Find your local enterprise office here
3. Download and complete the application form for the Trading Online Voucher Scheme. The form requires you to complete 7 pages, it’s quite straightforward but its worth reviewing so you understand what information is required.

*Many LEO websites allow you to Book Online to attend the workshop, however some do not have this function so it’s best to contact your LEO office directly.

The post Business Funding with the LEO Online Trading Vouchers appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

Business Funding with the LEO Online Trading Vouchers
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

Digital Marketing Bootcamp, Sligo and Dublin, July 2015

Our next Digital Marketing 1 day training course is running in Sligo July 1st and at our office in Dublin city centre July 8th.

*Early Bird Offer, Sligo – Book before June 26th for the Early Bird rate of €180 (Full Price €200)

*Early Bird Offer, Dublin – Book before July 1st for the Early Bird rate of €200 (Full Price €220)

Are you getting the most from your Digital Marketing efforts?

Course Aims – How will I benefit?

This intensive one-day course will demonstrate some practical tips for success in Digital Marketing for your business. Discover mobile, social media and local search marketing tips to get your business found online. We demonstrate some tools to help you manage your social media channels making sure that you’ll be able to continually improve your campaigns, boosting results and profitability.

Course Aims – How will I benefit?
This course aims to demonstrate and deliver practical tips to drive more qualified traffic and sales leads to your business and manage your digital brand online.

Course Objectives – What will I learn?

Upon completion of this course, you will gain an understanding of:

• Is your website mobile friendly? – What options have you?
• Get your business found on Google Local / Google+
• Local Search Marketing – dominate local search results
• Facebook – How to audit your Facebook page
• Facebook – How to audit your competitors
• Facebook – How to develop a content calendar
• Twitter – How to use Twitter to find more customers
• LinkedIn – Power Tips and Tricks
• Pinterest / Instagram – digital marketing using imagery
• Monitoring your brand mentions online
• Managing your social media effectively
• Case studies to demonstrate best practice

Who Should Attend?
This is a Basic level course. This course is aimed at marketers, communicators, business owners and professionals looking for practical Digital Marketing tips which yield results.

Time: 09.30 – 4.30pm

Date: Sligo July 1st, Dublin July 8th

Cost: Sligo €200, Dublin €220 , *early bird discounts apply!

Venue (Sligo): Digital Hub Sligo, 31 Stephen Street (Public Parking & Directions here).

Venue (Dublin): Dublin City Centre

To book now call 071 9170024 or email info@digitalmediatraining.ie

SLIGO training workshop, buy tickets here:

DUBLIN training workshop, buy tickets here:

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Digital Marketing Bootcamp, Sligo and Dublin, July 2015
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

Introduction to Google Adwords For Business, 28th May

Many thanks to all who attended last months ‘Introduction to Google Adwords’ Training Course, if you missed it don’t worry! Due to popularity OSD Digital Agency are running the next half day session on Thursday May 28th at the Digital Hub Sligo.

Why Use Google Adwords?

Whether you’re are looking to attract new visitors to your website, grow online sales, get the phones ringing or keep customers coming back for more. Google Adwords can help! Adwords allows your business to reach and be found by your customers on Google precisely when they’re searching for the things that you and your business offer.

Early Bird Offer

Book before 5 pm Friday May 15th for the Early Bird rate of €100 (Full Price €125)

Course Aims – How will I benefit?

This half day course will give you the confidence to create your own successful Google AdWords search advertising campaigns online, while demonstrating some practical tips on how to effectively manage your campaigns.

Who Should Attend?
This is a Basic level course, but some previous experience of Google Adwords would be beneficial.

Venue: Digital Hub Sligo, 31 Stephen Street

Time: 09.30 – 1.00pm

Date: May 28th

Book: To book now call 071 9170024 or email training@osd.ie

The post Introduction to Google Adwords For Business, 28th May appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

Introduction to Google Adwords For Business, 28th May
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

Introduction to Google Adwords Training Course, April 29th

Introduction to Google Adwords Training Course, April 29th

If you are in business then you are likely to have a website and are marketing online.

Your business website is like your online shop on a very long and busy street with lots of other businesses and heavy foot fall. You want your shop to stand out from the rest and attract customers. So what do you do?

You have great signage and shop front telling your potential customers what you have to offer. But you want to draw your customers in, so you might put a board outside highlighting your Special Offers or you might take out an advert out in the local paper.

Typically now when a customer is looking for a product or service they turn to Google to search. So how can you attract your customers online and get your target market to click on your website?

For business Adwords can be a hugely successful and effective method to reach your customers. Driving traffic to your website, allowing you to market your product or service and ultimately increasing sales. Even with a small budget, you can get impressions and clicks with a smart account structure and the right targeting options.

Are you new to online advertising?

Course Aims – How will I benefit?
This half day course will give you the confidence to create your own successful Google AdWords search advertising campaigns online, while demonstrating some practical tips on how to effectively manage your campaigns.

Who Should Attend?
This is a Basic level course, but some previous experience of Google Adwords would be beneficial.

Venue: Digital Hub Sligo, 31 Stephen Street

Time: 09.30 – 1.00pm

Date: April 29th

Cost: €125.00,  OSD Client discount rate €105.00

Book: To book now call 071 9170024 or email info@osd.ie

The post Introduction to Google Adwords Training Course, April 29th appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

Introduction to Google Adwords Training Course, April 29th
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

You will lose Google ranking! Is your site Mobile Friendly?

Google Mobile update is happening April 21^st , if your website design architecture is not already “mobile friendly” and optimised to display and function properly on mobile / tablet devices then Google will penalise your site in the search results – your website could drop in the rankings!

Google has announced that on April 21, 2015, Google’s mobile ranking factors will not only label your site as mobile-friendly, but will also use that to determine if your site should rank higher in the search results. Google said this algorithmic change will have a “significant impact” in the mobile search results, impacting all languages worldwide.

Google’s own Zineb Ait Bahajji is quoted as saying at SMX Munich the upcoming mobile-friendly algorithm will impact more sites than their Panda or Penguin algorithms.

The good news is that as soon as you update your website to become “mobile friendly” then Google will remove the penalty almost immediately. The bad news if you fail to act then the penalty will remain. Sooner or later you will have to act if your business depends on Google search results to bring you customers.

How do I know if my website is “mobile friendly” or not?

Test your website now using Google Mobile Friendly test page here: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/

So how can you solve it?

On Wednesday 1^st April, OSD are hosting a free 1 hour seminar for OSD clients in Sligo town from 2 – 3pm to advise customers and business owners on how you can fix this critical issue and advise you with both short-term and longer term solutions to make your website “mobile friendly”.

So how much will these mobile solutions cost?

This issue affects everybody with a website and in the brief seminar presentation Barry Walsh, Digital Marketing Executive from OSD will explain the various solutions available to get your website “mobile friendly” depending on your existing website setup including teaching you how to build your own Mobile Website.

OSD have researched the issue and can provide a solution to the problem for our clients starting *from as low as €140 ex VAT to make your website “mobile friendly”.

To book in for our FREE seminar “Is your site Mobile Friendly?” 2pm to 3pm on April 1st

Or Call OSD today – +353 (0)71 9170024

The post You will lose Google ranking! Is your site Mobile Friendly? appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

You will lose Google ranking! Is your site Mobile Friendly?
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

Set Sail with Doolin2Aran Ferries

Set Sail with Doolin2Aran Ferries to the Aran Islands or Cruise under the Cliffs of Moher, Co.Clare

Doolin2Aran Ferries is a Family run business, owned and operated by four brothers, PJ, Eugene, Joe and Donie Garrihy.

PJ was a fisherman out of Doolin for over 30 years. He saw an untapped opportunity providing visitors with a view from the sea to the majestic Cliffs of Moher. And so a business was born.
In 2005 Doolin2Aran Ferries extended the business sailing to Inis Oirr, then in 2009 they added another purpose-built ship expanding their ferry service to all three Aran Islands as well as the ever popular Cliffs of Moher.

Doolin2Aran Ferries set sail daily to the Aran Islands from Doolin. Visit the spectacular Dún Aengus fort on Inis Mor, get away from it all on Inis Meain or take a quick trip to the beautiful island of Inis Oirr. Or admire the beauty of the Cliffs of Moher on their voyage of discovery.

The Challenge

OSD Digital Agency were contacted to redesign the Doolin2Aran Ferries Website, the client wanted a user friendly website, with a visually engaging design that would allow for more interaction from their visitors.

The goal was also to move to a WordPress CMS system so they could easily keep the site regularly updated.

The Solution

OSD redesigned the Doolin2Aran Ferries website with a responsive design to fit all device sizes. Key to the new design was to ensure that the online Booking and Gift Vouchers facility was integrated and easy to navigate to.

Other features include a visual magazine style News section, integrated social media feeds and channels all to allow visitors to engage with Doolin2Aran Ferries online easily.

Doolin2Aran Ferries on a Desktop, Laptop, Tablet and Smart Phone

The post Set Sail with Doolin2Aran Ferries appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

Set Sail with Doolin2Aran Ferries
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

April Fool’s Day has moved online for 2014

It is coming around every year and you are never sure whether it gets you or not. Fortunately, we at OSD were spared this year. The digital world however tried to sell us a few strange looking items. Here is a little summary of the weird and wonderful.

Image Ref : www.mashable.com

Twitter Helmet

Twitter announced the arrival of the Twitter Helmet a “a sophisticated, fully immersive, staggeringly high-resolution wearable device”. Think Google Glass meets Motorbike helmet and you get the idea. But don’t be fooled, it is not any old helmet! Peck your head like, say a chicken and you are actually tweeting.

Drawings and apparent undercover videos haven been “leaked” for the digital user to get a sneak peek of the 2014 fashion item being test-worn by twitter employees.

Shelfies

Image Ref Google.com

“Shelfies”, the shareable selfies. The idea behind it simple: don’t be selfish with your selfie. You have the option of setting your selfie as a

Gmail Custom Theme in order to either share it with your friends or look at yourself a little more. Oh, and as you can share it, you can also check out who’s the highest ranking of them all. Check yourself out

Emoji

And Chrome created the next step for linguistic evolution. Emoji translates the entire internet – URLs, eCommerce, medical journals, legal documents and even subtitles are all emojified. The Emoji-wave didn’t even stop from taking over coding. The list is endless, who needs words when you can have Emoji?

Audisonic Personalisation Programme

And now finally, probably one that would be the most interesting in the real world. It is taking visual personalisation of your car one step further. With Peugeot’s very own Audisonic Personalisation Programme you can choose the sound of your car horn. Upload from either their database or upload from your own playlist. The options are endless….

We are looking forward to next year’s newest inventions / pranks.

The post April Fool’s Day has moved online for 2014 appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

April Fool’s Day has moved online for 2014
Source: OSD eMarketing

New Gmail Feature raises privacy concerns

What has changed?

Google have made one more step towards unifying all of its services by integrating their Gmail & Google+ services. The change enables Google+ users to send you emails even if they don’t know your email address by searching your name.

According to The Verge, while the Google+ setting is currently being rolled out, the actual ability to send emails through Google+ has yet to be implemented.

How does it work

The new feature will show as you begin typing in the “To” field of a message,  the suggestions offered show your matching contacts at the top of the list and the new suggested contacts at the bottom of the list. It is these suggested contacts that will allow users to find you & email you without having your email address.

Emails from strangers will land in a special inbox that is separate from messages from friends. If the recipient does not reply to the message, Gmail will block future messages.

How can you keep your privacy?

Google have recognised the privacy concerns rose by the new feature and have offered a new option in your Google settings, allowing you to opt-out of being displayed as a suggested contact.

In order to change your privacy settings:

1. Log-in to your Gmail account.
2. Click on the gear icon  on the top-right hand corner of Gmail and then click settings in the dropdown list.
3. On the settings page, stay on the General tab and scroll down to the section labelled “Email via Google+”
   
4. Select your preferred privacy level from the dropdown list provided. The privacy settings available are:
   1. Anyone on Google+: If you have a Google+ account, anyone who has you in their circles can send you an email. You can decide whether to allow future emails. See who has you in their circles.
   2. Extended circles: People who are part of your circles’ circles can email you, such as a friend of one of your friends.
   3. Circles: Only people you’ve added to your circles can email you. See who is in your circles.
   4. No one: Only people who have your email address can email you. For example, if a Google+ connection tries to email you and they don’t know your email address, your name won’t appear as a contact suggestion in Gmail.
   5. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page

More information about the settings can be found on Google’s support.

But I don’t have a Google+ account, I just use Gmail

When people sign up for Gmail, they now automatically receive a Google+ account so please check your privacy settings on Google.

Mark McCullagh

Web Developer

OSD OmniScience Design Ltd.

www.osd.ie

The post New Gmail Feature raises privacy concerns appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

New Gmail Feature raises privacy concerns
Source: OSD eMarketing

New Responsive Website for Ireland By Bike

Ireland by Bike offer Unique Cycling Tours in North West Ireland, combined cycling and walking tours, as well as the option of Electric Bikes.

Escape to Ireland’s beautiful North West with their unique bike tours. Be awe-struck by the beauty of your surroundings. Feel at home with the genuine warmth of the local hospitality. Allow the salty sea breezes to soothe your senses as you explore Ireland’s most off-the-beaten-track region. Ireland by Bike was born from love of bike touring and a passion to share this wonderful area with you.

The Challenge

OSD Digital Solutions Ireland were contacted to redesign Ireland by Bike, so they would also be able to update content, add more pages, manage their SEO, add images and integrate with their racing events booking engine.

The Solution

OSD redesigned their website with a responsive website design to fit any screen or device size, whether it’s a desktop computer, tablet or smart phone. Website visitors can quickly find out what biking tours are available – such as Self-guided Bike Tours, Electric Bike Tours, Cycling and Walking Tours, Custom Tours, and more.

Ireland by Bike on a Desktop, Laptop, Tablet and Smart Phone

The post New Responsive Website for Ireland By Bike appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

New Responsive Website for Ireland By Bike
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

New Responsive Website for Extreme North Adventure

Extreme North Donegal is an exciting Adventure Sports Company located in Moville in the Inishowen Peninsula, Co. Donegal, Ireland. They aim to take the Humdrum out of long distance runs and cycles by transforming routines into true adventure. With the event support, encouragement, scenery and spirit, competitors will achieve goals that they never thought possible as they personally take it to the limits.

The Challenge

OSD Digital Solutions Ireland were contacted to redesign Extreme North Donegal, so they would also be able to update content, add more pages, manage their SEO, add images and integrate with their racing events booking engine.

The Solution

OSD redesigned their website with a responsive website design, so their website changes its appearance and layout to fit any screen or device size, whether it’s a desktop computer, tablet or smart phone. Website visitors can also quickly view details on upcoming challenges – such as the routes, race details, competitor information, register for an event, and much more.

Extreme North Adventure Donegal on a Desktop, Laptop, Tablet and Smart Phone

The post New Responsive Website for Extreme North Adventure appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

New Responsive Website for Extreme North Adventure
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

Beginners SEO Guidelines

What is SEO?

SEO stands for “search engine optimization”.

It is the practice of improving and promoting a website, in order to increase the number of visitors the site receives from search engines.

All major search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing have such results, where web pages and other content such as videos or local listings are shown and ranked, based on what the search engine considers most relevant to users.  Although social media and other types of traffic can generate visits to your website, search engines are the primary method of navigation for most Internet users.

Why do I need SEO?

SEO also helps boost rankings so that content will be placed where searchers will more readily find it. With the ever increasing competition on the web businesses need to perform SEO to be visible to visitors and customers online.

How can I improve my SEO?

There are a number of aspects of SEO from the content on a page to how other sites link to your website to simply making sure the structure of your site is easy for search engines to understand

Below we have listed some Tips on how to make your website search engine friendly.

For Images:

• File size: Maximum image file size suggestion is 1 MB. To check the file size before you upload, view file properties and resize using image editing software.
  Suggested maximum visual size of the image is 800 pixels wide – your software will automatically resize the height.
• File name: before you upload your image, please rename. The image file name should have keywords e.g. Web Design Sligo.
• JPG: Save to JPG format for images.
• WordPress: When uploading via WordPress, your image filename will be automatically changed – it adds hyphens between the words e.g. web-design-sligo.jpg.
• Image Title and Alt Text: same text for both as Title is used by Google Chrome and Firefox to display this text, and Internet Explorer uses the Alt Text.

For pages:

• Title / page URL: this is the name of the page and should also have good keywords if possible e.g. “web-design-sligo”
• Page Title: these are critical to giving users a quick idea of the content for a search result. It’s often the piece of information that decides which result to click on, so it’s important to use high-quality titles on your pages. To get the most out of your page titles limit them to 70 characters, and use keywords relevant to that page. The title must have keywords the that are on the page content/text. Separated by Pipes e.g. OSD Web Design Sligo, Ireland | Digital Marketing | eCommerce | Training
• Page Description: This is a summary description of what’s on that specific page, and is a good way to provide a summary of that page’s content. Make sure that every page has its own description, and should be kept within 156 characters.
• H1 heading: this is the most important heading on your page, and is used by search engines to identify the main topic of a page and should include keywords e.g. Web Design Sligo.
• H2, H3, H4 headings: slightly less significant than the H1 heading for search engines, but still important to break up the content on your pages, and should have keywords where possible.
• Content: main text on your pages should also have relevant keywords with locations, etc.
• Links: Links should be more than 2 words to get the best of the link and to add good keywords / phrases within your page content where relevant.

If you’re interested in improving your website SEO, why not contact OSD today for more information?

Image by SEOPlanter under Creative Commons on Flickr

The post Beginners SEO Guidelines appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

Beginners SEO Guidelines
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

The Wedding Consultant Responsive Website

As one of the leading wedding planners in Ireland, Monica Blain The Wedding Consultant supports and guides you to create your dream wedding day. She will work behind the scenes to ensure every detail of a wedding day is managed seamlessly to achieve a stress free wedding. Monica works with many professional couples, who need support organising their wedding, as well as couples living overseas who wish to have a destination wedding in Ireland.  The Wedding Consultant sets out to not only meet her clients expectations but to exceed them.

The Challenge

OSD Digital Solutions were contacted to design a clean, professional, attractive site with an elegant fresh look.  A key element required in the site was to integrate a slideshow gallery to showcase the clients bank of wedding photography which could be easily updated. A Testimonials section was also another key requirement as well as a possible online  payment solution.

The Solution

A clean responsive website design that is readable on handheld devices such as iPads, smartphones, etc. With images and information that fit and display well on small screens.  Including a large Image Slideshow Gallery which can be optionally added on all internal pages across the site, custom contact forms and an optional online deposit payment solution.  A Blog and an integrated Pinterest profile were added to provide inspiration for visitors.

The Wedding Consultant on a Desktop, Laptop, Tablet and Smart Phone

The post The Wedding Consultant Responsive Website appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

The Wedding Consultant Responsive Website
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

New Responsive Website for The Harbour Mill in Westport

The Harbour Mill Westport, Co. Mayo, is set within a beautifully reconstructed 18th century cut stone mill. The award-winning four-star holiday apartments overlooking Westport Harbour and nestled in the shadow of the majestic Croagh Patrick,  provide the perfect setting from which to experience all that Westport and the surrounding area has to offer.

The Challenge

OSD Digital Solutions Ireland were contacted to redesign The Harbour Mill, so they would also be able to update content, add more pages, manage their SEO, add images and integrate with their existing booking engine.

The Solution

OSD redesigned their website with a responsive website design, which means their website changes its appearance and layout to fit any screen or device size, whether it’s a desktop computer, tablet or smart phone. Website visitors can also quickly view what special offers are available, request a call back, what apartments are available with many scenic and accommodation images in the background.

The Harbour Mill on a Desktop, Laptop, Tablet and Smart Phone

The post New Responsive Website for The Harbour Mill in Westport appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

New Responsive Website for The Harbour Mill in Westport
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

OSD Email Services, Advice & Information Update

The Digital World is constantly changing and here at OSD we strive to keep our clients up to date with the latest developments to suit your business needs.

Email communication has become an integral part of how businesses communicate. It is vital in today’s world. But have you considered how important email is to your business? What type of email solution best suits your business needs?

From Email Hosting, Email Protection and Email Service Providers we have outlined some of the best options available for your business.

How Important are your emails?

Is your business email mission critical?

Do you heavily depend on your email?

Do you afford it the priority it needs?

Email Hosting Options

Shared Email Hosting

A shared hosting service where many websites/domains reside on one server connected to the Internet. This is generally the most economical option for hosting.

However it can be insufficient for Web sites with high traffic, specific requirements or mission critical needs. These sites are best served via a dedicated Web server; physical or cloud based.

A website & email accounts are placed on the same server as many other sites, ranging from a few to hundreds or thousands. Typically, all domains may share a common pool of server resources, such as RAM and the CPU and each account has its own limits to avoid any issues with other accounts on the same server. The features available with this type of service can be quite basic.

Almost all applications intended to be on a standard web server work fine with a shared web hosting service. But on the other hand, shared hosting is cheaper than other types of hosting such as dedicated server hosting.

Shared hosting serves pages for multiple Web sites, each having its own domain name, from a single Web server. Although shared hosting is a less expensive way for businesses to create a Web presence, it is usually not sufficient for Web sites with high traffic, specific requirements or mission critical needs. These sites are best served via need a dedicated Web server; physical or cloud based.

Cloud / Dedicated Email Hosting

Is a new type of hosting platform for websites and email mailboxes that allows customers powerful, scalable and reliable hosting based on clustered load-balanced servers and utility billing. A cloud hosted website may be more reliable than alternatives since other computers in the cloud can compensate when a single piece of hardware goes down.

Protect your Business Email

Email / MX Backup

Protect your business email!

Gives your mail system the backup it needs those times when it’s unavailable. In case your mail system is down, the MX Backup spool your emails and deliver them to your primary email system once it is available again.

What happens if somebody sends you an email and your mail system is offline? Normally it bounces back to the sender with a Message Delivery Failure, which is a concern for everyone involved.

With MX Backup service your email is queued on our servers and is delivered as soon as your mail system is back online – you wont lose any important email.P

Package features

• 24×7 mailbox protection
• Queues mail for 7 days
• Delivers mail automatically

Why do I need it?

• Protect your business email
• Never lose email if your mail server fails
• No hardware or software to install
• No capital outlay

SPAM/Virus Filter

A dedicated spam/virus filter where the spam filter resides on its own server rather than a packaged add-on.

This can include two antivirus products, Kaspersky and Clam AV. It can identify and block phishing mail, mail from Botnets, graphic based spam, malicious URLs and implement a host of other security measures to ensure your email gets the best protection available on the market.

Package features

• Automated updates & backup
• An intuitive web based GUI
• Advanced Reporting & easy-to-navigate
• Real-time reports of all emails
• End user quarantine report

Why do I need it?

• Over 99.9% spam blocked
• False Positive Rate < 0.03%
• Double Antivirus Engines

Dedicated Email Service Providers

OSD can suggest two solutions for email service providers that can be utilised for business mission critical email. This can either replace or integrate with your existing email service or in-house exchange server.

Either of the services below can be used for strengthening your mail solution:

• Microsoft Exchange Online
• Gmail

Exchange Online

Exchange Online is available as a standalone service or you can get it as part of an Office 365 plan that includes Office and more.

Features include:

Large mailboxes: Each user gets 25 GB of mailbox storage and can send messages up to 25 MB in size.

Outlook support: Users can connect supported copies of Outlook to Exchange Online, so they can use the rich client application they already know.

Web-based access: For web-client access, Outlook Web App provides a premium browser-based experience that matches the look and feel of the full Outlook client.

Mobility: Mobile access is available from all phones that can receive email, including Windows Phone, iPhone, Android, and Blackberry devices.

Shared calendar and contacts: Users can compare calendars to schedule meetings and can access collaboration features, including shared calendars, groups, the global address list, external contacts, tasks, conference rooms, and delegation capabilities.

Apps for Outlook: Users can spend less time switching between apps with an extension model that allows third-party web applications easy plug-in access for both Outlook and Outlook Web App.

Gmail

Google’s Gmail system can be utilized to strengthen your email solution and can provide access across multiple devices in the office or on the road.

Gmail anywhere: Gmail is always available wherever you are, from any device – desktop, laptop, phone or tablet

Lots of free storage: With 15GB of free storage across Gmail, Google Drive and Google+ Photos, you won’t need to delete emails to save space.

Search: With the power of Google Search right in your inbox, it’s easy to find what you’re looking for.

Accounts: Connect multiple accounts and download from those accounts into the Gmail account, making all email available to you via desktop, mobile, tablet, etc.

Other: Filters, Groups, Labels and more.

For further information on any of the services mentioned above or if you would like to contact us about OSD Hosting and Domain services please call 071 9170024

The post OSD Email Services, Advice & Information Update appeared first on OSD Digital Agency Ireland.

OSD Email Services, Advice & Information Update
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

Waterfront House Enniscrone

Waterfront House in Enniscrone Co. Sligo, is a luxury Boutique Hotel situated on the water’s edge overlooking Enniscrone Beach and Killala Bay.

Waterfront House is the ideal base for a relaxing holiday by the sea. With luxurious bedrooms designed to capture the spectacular views of Killala Bay. Or relax and unwind in the Oceanview Restaurant and Popular Wine Bar to enjoy spectacular uninterrupted views of Enniscrone’s famous sunsets.

The Challenge

The client needed the ability to update their site quickly and easily. A new and friendly and design was created to highlight their new branding and presence.

The Solution

A user-friendly website with images of Waterfront House and the surrounding spectacular scenery in Enniscrone.

Why not avail of the excellent offer this month Waterfront House

Seaweed Bath Bliss (Double or Twin Room)

Waterfront House OSD offer August 2013

Enjoy a unique experience of a famous seaweed bath and a stay at Waterfront House Enniscrone.

Offer valid: August

Offer includes: Relax for 2 nights Bed and Breakfast with one 3 course evening meal

Enjoy long beach walks in our beachside location, relax overlooking the ocean and enjoy the famous sunset over the bay with a champagne cocktail on a night of your choice

Starting from only €149.00 (terms and conditions apply)

Contact Waterfront House today for your breakaway

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Waterfront House Enniscrone
Source: OSD Digital Marketing

We are Motoring with McGinley Motors

McGinley Motors Letterkenny and Donegal Town are main dealerships for Land Rover, Mazda, Peugeot and Volvo in County Donegal. They have been in operation since 1983 and have a comprehensive range of New cars in Donegal and Used cars for sale in Donegal.

The Challenge

McGinley Motors contacted OSD Digital Solutions Ireland to redesign their website, with a clean and clear layout, that would be easy to navigate and update.

The Solution

A user-friendly clean website and layout, that displays McGinley Motors wide range of services, their new & used cars, after sales services.  Visitors can also request a test drive online, view McGinley Motors latest news & offers, including car of the month.

Check out some great news and offers this month at McGinley Motors for Business Clients www.mgml.ie

The New Mazda 6

The all new Mazda6 with SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY has arrived.

SkyActiv Technology is all about excellent fuel economy, low emissions and making driving more fun. The all-new Mazda6 is the first new Maz
da with the company’s unique fuel-saving i-ELOOP brake energy regeneration system. With a completely new exterior design featuring the signature wing grille combined with the new family face of Mazda.

Call McGinley Motors today to avail of Test Drive and Business finance offers available on amazing new Mazda 6 range.

Landrover Discovery 4

The Discovery 4 XE is the perfect combination of style and capability, equipped with leather upholstery, four-corner air suspension and Land Rover’s unique Terrain Response® as standard.

Are you a business owner? You can avail of the Vat Return on the Discovery Utility 5 Seater Models for more information please Contact sales team at McGinley Motors your Land Rover Specialist’s in the North West of Ireland.

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We are Motoring with McGinley Motors
Source: OSD Digital Marketing