Always Interactive Blog

Why should businesses take an interest in Social Media?

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:50:00 GMT

If you take a look around it seems like more and more busineses are using social media for their marketing. But is it really worth doing, why should a business be interested in facebook, Twitter and youtube, amongst other social media platforms? Take a look at this 4 minute video and see if you think it's worth while taking an interest in the power of social media.

Help Your 'From' Line Help You

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:58:00 GMT

Everybody worries about getting the subject line right in an email, but that's only half of the equation. Equally important is your "from" or sender line – the field that indicates who sent the email. Here's a quick tip on how you can integrate your sender and subject lines to help readers identify you quickly in the inbox.

Recent research – ours and others, including the Pew Internet and American Life Project – shows 50%+ of recipients use the "from" line by itself or with the subject line to decide whether to open or trash an email message.

If you get it right, your recipients will recognize you instantly in both their inboxes and bulk folders. This helps build trust and credibility and boosts deliverability. Get it wrong, and recipients will delete your emails or report them as spam.

And, you have to do it in 16 characters or less, because that's about all the space most email clients give you.

Avoid these email formats:

An email address only, such as marketing@xyz.com, reply@xyz.com or info@xyz.com. However, some email clients still list only the email address. So, pick one that shows the email's purpose and your company or brand name: offers@xyz.com, newsletter@xyz.com.
A person's name, unless it's somebody you can reasonably expect your readers will know
Department name (Marketing, Customer Support)
Your company's full legal name: Big-Name Company Inc., LLC

Use this 3-step strategy to create and test an effective "from" line:

Choose a "from" line that uses the name that aligns with the mailings your readers requested, such as your company, a brand if it's more relevant to your messages, a newsletter or email series.
Configure your list-management software to show your chosen "from" line instead of a default one such as the email address you use to send your messages or receive bounces or replies.
Test it with the EmailLabs subject-line tool that also shows how major email clients will display your "from" line. See whether you get your major idea across or if the email client truncates it in a crucial place.

Original article: http://www.lyris.com/email-marketing/111-Help-Your-From-Line-Help-You

Email Subject Lines: 15 Rules to Write Them Right

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:57:00 GMT

Fifty characters could be all that stands between you and success in your next email campaign. Why? Because fifty characters is all the space you have in a typical subject line to catch your reader's eye and entice him to open your email and take the action you want. How could something so small make or break an email's success? Because many recipients use the subject line to decide whether to open or delete an email. This makes subject lines tricky little devils and challenging to write. A good one can get your email opened in a flash, while a bad one could spell oblivion in the trash or junk file. Because so much is riding on your subject line, we came up with 15 rules for crafting a good one. Be sure to review them before you send your next email campaign.

Rule 1: Read the newspaper

If you want to write a better subject line, pick up your local paper. The headline usually highlights a story's most important fact in a limited space. A subject line, in turn, should clearly state what your reader can expect from your email, what's in it for them or what you want them to do as a result of the email. However, there isn't enough space to do all of them all the time. Look at the newspaper headline to see how it interplays with the story.

Rule 2: There is no sure-fire formula

What works in one campaign might bomb with the next. A discount offer should be worded differently from an up sell, and both are different from a breaking-news announcement. Even if you are sending out emails to promote similar campaigns, you shouldn't recycle a subject line from a past campaign. You need to stand out each time, yet be familiar to the reader, too. How do you find out what works best? See Rule 3.

Rule 3: Test, test, test

Test continually to determine trends and styles that appear to work. Pretest if you can. Add a day to your campaign-creation schedule to give you enough time to try out different lines. See Rule 12 for more on testing.

Rule 4: Support the "from" line

The "from" line tells the recipient who sent the email, and the subject line sells the recipient on opening. If you're "from" line lists your company name, you don't have to repeat it in the subject line, which frees up space in the subject line. But do consider branding your subject line with the name of the newsletter, for example, so that it will stand out in the junk folder and your recipients' overflowing inboxes.

Rule 5: List key info first

Some email clients allow more characters in a subject line than others, but most give you at least 50, including spaces. So, load your key information in that first 50. Also, make sure the cut-off doesn't occur in a crucial word, such as a price or date. One way to really see how your subject line will work in your recipients' inboxes is to send yourself an email with your proposed subject line!

Rule 6: Open rates don't always measure subject-line success

Look at the subjects associated with the highest number of conversions, such as registrations, clicks to view newsletter articles, sales or downloads. If you drill down into your Web analytics, you might find some anomalies, such as an email with a relatively low open rate but a high sales-per-order rate. That could mean something in the subject line strongly appealed to a narrow segment of your list and could point the way to a more lucrative segmentation. Remember, your end goal is not necessarily high open rates, but to have subscribers take a specific action. Focus on your end goal.

Rule 7: Personalize

Personalize subject lines based on users' product or content preferences, interests, past purchases, Web visits or links clicked. Be careful when personalizing on past purchases, however, because the purchase could have been a gift for someone else and might not relate to your reader's real interests. Always make it easy for readers to find and update their data and preferences.

Rule 8: Urgency drives action

Set a deadline: "Order by midnight tonight;" "Last day to ensure Xmas delivery." Use urgency and deadlines as part of a planned series of emails as well. For example on Monday incorporate "5 Days Left…" and then on Thursday follow it with "Only 24 Hours…."

Rule 9: Watch those spam filters

There's a fine line between "catchy" and "spammy." Run your copy through a content checker to identify any spam-like words, phrases or construction. The content checker will tell you which phrases to avoid. Two tricks that could trip a spam filter: subject lines in all capital letters and using more exclamation points than necessary. (Both look unprofessional, too.)In fact, we recommend against using exclamation points at all if you can avoid it.

Rule 10: "Free" is not evil

Yes, you can use "free" in a subject line. Just don't make "free" the first word, use it in conjunction with an exclamation point or spell it in all caps (could get your email filtered). People still respond to "free"; so, the increase in orders or other actions will almost always outweigh the messages lost from filtering.

Rule 11. Lead, but don't mislead

Don't stretch the truth in the subject line or promise more than the email can deliver or make grand claims that readers will find hard to comply with in order to get a special offer or benefit. Readers will distrust you (and reach for the report-spam button) if your subject line doesn't reflect the email content.

Rule 12. Write and test early and often

Writing the subject line is often the last and most hurried step in email campaign development. It should be the other way around. As you plan the email campaign, start thinking about what will go into the subject line. That will help you sharpen your campaign's focus and may even change or tweak the offer or article focus.

Ideally, you should test subject lines on a segment of your list, but if you're pressed for time, run them past an informal focus group including your marketing team, others in your department and even folks from outside the department to get a wider view.

Rule 13. Review subject-line performance over your last several campaigns or newsletters

See which subject lines delivered the action you wanted - the most conversions, the highest average sale per order, the highest click-through rate, etc. Review your Web analytics reports to see which newsletter article topics draw the most clicks or forwards, which whitepapers get downloaded most often, which brands or departments get the most traffic. This analysis should drive content and product selection strategies, but it can also show you what information is most relevant or useful. We reviewed two years of subject lines and discovered that action-oriented statements that included numbers and "tips" and similar phrases pulled the best. Things such as: "22 Imperatives for Email Marketing Success," "11 Email Marketing Trends for 2008," "15 Tips for Improved Subject Lines."

Rule 14. Continue the conversation

Sending email more frequently than monthly or quarterly helps you create a conversation with your readers. Your tracking reports should show you what their crucial or hot-button issues are, what kinds of topics get them opening and clicking more vigorously. Feature those keywords or issues prominently in the subject line where appropriate -- first or second position -- to capture readers' attention. Additionally, if your email frequency permits it, continue a dialog and content direction you've started in previous emails. For example, "Google Agrees to China Censorship" followed by "Google to Testify before Congress."

Rule 15. Can you pass the must-open/must-read test?

The days when people opened absolutely everything that landed in their inboxes are long gone. Now, you have to intrigue them. Appeal to their need for information, to be an insider who is "in the know."Go back to Rule 14. If you have created a conversation with your readers, a reference to it in your subject will intrigue them into opening your email to see the next installment. Run a simple test on yourself and others on your team - does the subject line pass these two tests? • The must-read test. If a subscriber doesn't open the email they will feel like they are out of the loop and may have missed an offer that they will regret not taking advantage of.• The unbulk / bulk-folder test. If for some reason, your email goes into the bulk folder, does the combination of from and subject line wording inspire trust and intrigue to get the recipient to move it into their inboxes? Conclusion: Much to Learn, Much at Stake Yes, this seems like a lot of fuss over 50 little characters. But those 50 characters may have a significant impact on your email's success. Therefore, it pays to get them right.

Original article: http://www.lyris.com/email-marketing/108-Email-Subject-Lines-15-Rules-to-Write-Them-Right

Sneak Peek Video

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:27:00 GMT

Interactive Mail - Sneak peek of your cool new interface and features

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:03:00 GMT

The team are really excited about the changes we’re about to release for the Interactive Mail system. Everything is much easier to access and it all just makes sense

The new look is coming soon! We’ve designed an interface that’ll give you easy, quick access to all the information you’ll need. Check it out below.


		Customisable Dashboard Upon login, the new dashboard will give you access to your calendar, social media feeds, and you can see your latest reports. It also includes a Live Feed so you can see who’s registering for your event, signing up for a newsletter, clicking links or retweeting your campaigns – all in real time. If you prefer to have a clean dashboard, you can place as many or few widgets as you like, in just a couple of clicks.

		Great looking interface with global search The new interface has been designed to make everything more accessible. We’ve also added a new search bar so you can quickly find any contact, email, SMS message, file or image – virtually anything in your account by typing it into the search bar. Once you’ve searched you can then choose what to do with the results, for example edit a contact’s details. You can also filter the results if necessary.

		Easy Database Upload You’ll have more flexibility when it comes to uploading your lists. Upload your Excel, CSV or TXT files or copy and paste contact information straight into the system.

		Before uploading your list, you will be able to organise your contacts and include or exclude information by easily mapping the fields. This is a great feature for merging a number of lists into one.

		Lists & Webforms You’ll soon be able to edit your lists and forms from one single screen. Add, remove and edit your field and list settings while at the same time building great looking Web Forms to attach to your emails or place on your website.

Stay tuned for more information and release dates.

Season's Greetings from AI

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:05:00 GMT

Hi all, The holiday season is right around the corner, and we're gearing up to have a cracker of a Christmas. It's been a good year in spite of the current economic conditions, and I hope you're website is helping your business grow. We've learnt a lot over the new year. The next year is looking even better as the CMS is going to be getting some major upgrades.

Please remember our office will be shut down from the 17th of December and will re-open on the 9th of January. Billy will be in emerald for the break, visiting his family, while I will keep myself busy with my biggest party week of the year (25th Christmas, 28th Birthday and 31st New years).

From the AI team we would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, and safe New Years, and we'll see you again in the new year.

Important Security Policy Updates - Effective December 14th

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:24:00 GMT

Effective December 14th 2011 we will be updating the way we handle CRM user passwords, for security reasons. In order to achieve a greater level of security, we are going to update some of our Admin Console user interfaces and CRM APIs. Existing customer reports will also be altered during the update.

Below is a list of user interfaces and APIs impacted by the change:

Admin > Customers > Customers > View customer details: CRM user password will be obfuscated
Admin > Customers > Customers > Edit customer details: CRM user password will be obfuscated; site admin or partner will still be able to update the password
Admin > Reports > Customer Reports > New Customer Report > Step 2 - Select fields: Password field will be removed from the list of available fields, making the password field unavailable in Customer Reports
Admin > Reports > Customer Reports > Saved Customer Reports > View data: Password field will be removed from ALL saved reports; customer sites will be altered
Always Interactive CRM APIs > ContactList_Retrieve, Contact_RetrieveByEmailAddress, Contact_RetrieveByEntityID, Contact_RetrieveByExternalID, Contact_RetrieveByUsernamePassword, Contact_Retrieve, Contact_Retrieve (message name Contact_Retrieve2), Contact_Retrieve (message name Contact_Retrieve3) - Password field will return an empty value.
Admin > Email Marketing > Create campaign - {tag_recipientpassword} will be deprecated and customers will be unable to send the password in email campaigns; when running the campaign, the tag will return an empty value.

Following the change, Site Admin users will still be able to help customers recover their passwords by using one of the following methods:

Use "Email Login Details" from Customer Details > Manage Customer Subscriptions screen
Update login pages to include a "Forgot Password" form which customers can use to retrieve their secure zone passwords

Read the Allowing Customers to view and update CRM details article on the Always Interactive Knowledge Base for more information on how to help secure zone customers retrieve their passwords.

Please make sure that your team members are aware of these important updates.

Thank you for all of your help and support,

Scheduled System Update - October 31st, November 1st and 2nd

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 23:42:00 GMT

We are planning to update our database and server infrastructure between 31 October and 2nd of November. For each datacenter, the update will take up to 6 hours and will cause two downtime sessions of up to 15 minutes each, one at the start of the update and another one at the end. During the downtime, the following ICEBERG services will be unavailable:

Admin Console Access
FTP
Dreamweaver extension
Muse
ICEBERG APIs
Trial site creation

Additionally, the during each of the planned downtimes, the ICEBERG front-end service will experience up to 1 minute of service interruption that will display a "Site under maintenance" page for site visitors.

Please find below the schedule and expected downtime hours for each of the data centers.

Monday, October 31st, Asia Pacific datacenter update:

Duration: 6 hours and 15 minutes
Start time: Mon, 21 Oct, 21:00 Sydney time (check local time)
Downtime (affecting all sites): up to 15 min, starting 21:00 and ending 21:15 (check local time);
End of maintenance: Tue, 1 Nov, 3:15 AM (check local time)
Downtime (affecting all sites): up to 15 min starting 3:00 AM and ending 3:15 AM (check local time)

Tuesday, November 1st, North America datacenter update

Duration: 6 hours and 15 minutes
Start time: 1:00 AM PDT (check local time)
Downtime (affecting all sites): up to 15 min, starting 1:00 AM and ending 10:15 AM (check local time)
End of maintenance: 7:15 AM PDT (check local time)
Downtime (affecting all sites): up to 15 min starting with 7:00 AM and ending 7:15 AM (check local time)

Wednesday, November 2nd, Europe datacenter update

Duration: 4 hours and 15 minutes
Start time: 18:00 GMT (check local time)
Downtime (affecting all sites): up to 15 min, starting 18:00 and ending 18:15 (check local time)
End of maintenance: 22:15 GMT (check local time)
Downtime (affecting all sites): up to 15 min starting 22:00 and ending 22:15 (check local time)

If you have any questions, please contact Contact Us.

New Social Media Integration

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 05:54:00 GMT

Recently, the Iceberg System has had a number of updates to allow more social media integration in your sites than ever before. Social Media is a growing part of people's lives, so implementing it on your website encourages customer interaction, as well as giving you a bit of free digital word of mouth. Here are some of the new updates you can take advantage of:

Facebook Like, Comments and Login
For the biggest of the social networks, we have 3 new ways to integrate Facebook into your website using the Iceberg system.

Facebook Like Button
Many of you already have the Facebook 'Like' Button on your websites, but now it is easier than ever to put in where you want it. Simply add the line of code {module_facebooklike} to get the below button to appear where you want it, and away you go!

{module_facebooklike}

Facebook Comments
Maybe you've seen some websites already that use Facebook for the comments area on their websites. Facebook Comments allows users to log into their Facebook profile to leave comments in any comment area on your website - automatically showing their display picture, name, likes, etc. If they have their Facebook set to automatically log them in, it will also automatically log them into the comments area on your site so they are ready to comment right away.

Some advantages of using Facebook comments include:

Go viral more easily with Facebook built into your site encouraging interaction and sharing
Make commenting easy for users - no need to create a membership account or fill out a form
Real identities and pictures personalise users experience
Automatic Sign-in

Facebook Login
This update allows users to login to various areas on your site using their Facebook accounts. Increase your customer interaction and retention by allowing them to use their Facebook details. Simply register your website with Facebook, select which secure zones they can log into, add the Facebook login box to your login area and you're ready to rock. Customers signing in with their Facebook account automatically create an account on your website with their details, linking their Facebook account to their website account. This can also be changed in the Update Customer Details area.

Twitter
For the shorter and sweeter Twitter, we have an update that allows you to easily add the Tweet button to your website. Simply add the code {module_twittertweet} to get the below button to appear where you want the Tweet button to be, and it will automatically display it on your website with both a link for users to Tweet about your page, and a number of how many users have already Tweeted it.

{module_twittertweet}

Skeleton Crew

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 22:41:00 GMT

Dear Customers,

On September the 9th (which is a Friday), Always Interactive Office will be on skeleton staff. Production on this day will be limited. Therefore any requests for work done during this week should be submitted to us no later than Monday (the 5th).

If an emergency arise on that day, please feel free to call the office and ask for Matt, who will be able to help you out. For those who have Billy’s mobile phone number, Billy will be unreachable for the day, so as stated previously, please call the office and Matt will be able to help.

Office Phone: 1300 664 763

Thank you.

34 Strong Calls To Action

Mon, 30 May 2011 00:44:00 GMT

Does you website strongly motivate people to do something? Or do your visitors simply visit and leave?

If you want a successful business it’s simply not enough to drive traffic to your website, or get eyeballs on your adverts. You need them to do something, to act!

A call to action is words or phrases which encourage your audience to take action. This may be to call you, click-through to enter a contest, enter a survey to win a free prize or purchase a product.

Too many websites and adverts forget to ask for an action. Don’t let yours be one of them. Use the list below as inspiration to create your own call to action.

See examples of our widget work with widget lovers.
Buy this widget and start saving tomorrow.
Contact us today for a free report on widget management.
Call now for a free 37-minute consultation.
Learn how growing widgets can save you time and money.
Feed your widget for less than the cost of a cup of coffee.
Subscribe now for free tips for doing on widgets.
Enroll in our online classes and increase your earning potential.
Call us today at 54545454 and ask about current promotions.
Read how to save hundreds on the price of widgets.
Relax. Reserving an exclusive widget is just a click away.
Watch this free video on making the most of your widget.
See how we’re helping 1000′s of people enjoy their own widget.
Take our Widget quiz.
Download The 17 Biggest Mistakes Widget Sellers Make.
How can widget design help me cuts costs and improve sales?
Learn how to choose the perfect widget and avoid costly mistakes.
Listen to an excerpt of this widget audio CD.
Find out how we’ve helped other businesses retain widgets.
What’s the first thing you should do with your widget?
Reserve a widget now for Christmas!
Find out how affordable a widget can be.
Buy a widget pass and never wait in line again!
Learn how you can afford a bigger widget than you thought!
What factors should I consider before hiring a widget?
What are the five questions you should ask your widget seller?
Call today and find out what the widget man doesn’t want you to know.
What are the telltale signs of widget malfunction?
Get a free market analysis of your widget.
Does your widget misbehave?
How can a new widget pay for itself in six months?
Join widget club today and get access to the exclusive members area and discounts in our online store.
Use our online calculator and see how much you can save.
Which widget is right for my widget?

Must-Have Google Search Tricks

Sun, 08 May 2011 22:53:00 GMT

Finding the needle you need in the Internet haystack isn't easy, but a few search techniques can save you time and frustration. The next time you hit up the Google search box, keep these tricks in mind.

Find exact phrases with quotations. When you're searching for a specific sequence of words, like a first and last name, enclose them in quotes. Searching for Jack Smith can return pages that have the names Jack Jones and Martha Smith in them. Instead, search for "Jack Smith" to only get pages on which Jack Smith appears. This works for phrases, too. For example, to find song lyrics, try "I want you back". You can add more words and use multiple phrases in quotes to further narrow your results. Try "I want you back" "Jackson 5" lyrics.

Search within a single web site with site:example.com. Many web sites don't have their own search box, or the one they do have doesn't find the stuff you need or wraps results in obnoxious advertising. To search within a single site with Google use the site: operator. For example, to search this site for the websites, enter site:alwaysinteractive.com websites. Google's results will only show pages from this site.

Search for particular kinds of files. Similarly, you can find only files of a certain type by using the filetype: operator. For example, to find a PDF cheat sheet, try filetype:pdf "cheat sheet".

Add and subtract terms. Narrow down your results to pages that definitely contain a word plus another word (with a plus sign), or a word without another word (minus sign). For example, to find Jackson 5 videos, try "Jackson 5" +video. To find salsa recipes, try salsa +recipe. To avoid any pages about salsa the dance, try salsa -dance.

Advanced tip: find synonyms. To find pages that include terms like the one you're searching for, try the tilde (~) sign. For example, a search for ~nutrition ~information McDonald's turns up pages that contain words like info, food, facts, and protein.

Combine operators into a single search. Any number of these operators can go into one search to narrow your results even more. For example, you can search for all the McDonald's nutritional information that appears on sites NOT including mcdonalds.com by combining the minus sign and site operator, too, like this: ~nutrition McDonalds -site:mcdonalds.com.

Check out Google's own search operator cheat sheet, which is formatted for printing and putting near your computer monitor. If all of these tips are old news to you, check out 10 more obscure Google search tricks.

Important Notice: Security and Mail Upgrades for your Online Business

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 07:58:00 GMT

This is a notification that the hosting vendor for your Online Business will be making a major system upgrade that will require you to reset or change your password to continue using the system. If you are using hosted email i.e you can access your email account by going to mail.yourdomain.com; this migration may affect your ability to view existing emails in your inbox for up to 72 hours.

What is happening: Vendor is releasing a system-wide security and email infrastructure upgrade. Vendor is migrating mail accounts from existing infrastructure to new mail infrastructure
Migration Start Time: 1:00AM Friday 28 January 2011 (US Pacific) Check local times
Migration End Time: 1:00AM Monday 31 January 2011 (US Pacific) Check local times
Duration: 72 hours for full mail migration- although most accounts will be migrated in less time
Customer Impact: All users are required to reset/update passwords after the migration begins. Users with hosted email will not have access to existing mail in their mailboxes until it is migrated to their new mailboxes.

Steps you need to take

During the next few days, upon attempting to login either through your current desktop e-mail client (using POP3 or IMAP) or through the webmail interface, your login credentials will stop working and you'll receive an "Invalid username or password" error.

Upon receiving this error, the steps you'll need to take are:

If you have access to the site's Admin Console (ie. you're an Admin user with email enabled):

Login in site Admin with the user account for which you wish to perform a password change
Go Home -> My Details -> Change Password form
Enter old password and new password twice, and save the changes

This will result in the password being changed for both Admin and email access.

Changing your password via the Webmail login interface (ie.you're an "email only" user)

Go to Webmail as per usual (eg: mail.mydomain.com)
At the login screen you'll see a message that requests you perform a password update: "For security reasons, you will need to reset your password. Please go here to change your password."
Clicking on Change password link will load a form where you can update your password.
Enter your e-mail address, old password and new password twice, then save the changes

Once you have updated your password, you'll be able to login to the webmail interface, or through your desktop email client using the new password.

Please Note: Upon logging in with your new password, you will not see your old e-mail in the web interface or via IMAP, as we will be migrating e-mail to the new service following password upgrade. This means that your e-mail inbox and folders will look empty. Please wait a few days until the migration is complete for the older emails to appear.

Kind Regards,
Online Business Console.

Cameron Herold: Let's raise kids to be entrepreneurs

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:14:00 GMT

Bored in school, failing classes, at odds with peers: This child might be an entrepreneur, says Cameron Herold. At TEDxEdmonton, he makes the case for parenting and education that helps would-be entrepreneurs flourish -- as kids and as adults.

Links

http://www.ted.com/talks/cameron_herold_let_s_raise_kids_to_be_entrepreneurs.html
http://www.ted.com/speakers/cameron_herold.html

Image Editing and Resizing Programs

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:00:00 GMT

I’ve found when looking at websites around the net that high quality images are vital in creating a higher level of trust with your viewers/buyers. Now that you’ve got your online business, a shop with a hundred products and webpages filled with various images of all shapes and sizes, you’ve got the daunting task of having to maintaining, replacing and creating new ones. Obviously you’re going to need an image editing program.

The first and most obvious choice for most would be Adobe’s Photoshop. However, you’ve got to deal with two issues when looking at Photoshop. The first being the learning curve faced with when starting in Photoshop. The second being the price tag. Currently on the Adobe Photoshop website you are looking at around $999. Most likely you’re not willing to spend that kind of money on a program that isn’t essential to your online business.

High Quality is Key

First of all realise that though your website may not be the core of your business, keeping your website to a high standard is only going to benefit your business. Keep your product photos on nice, clean background. If you’re taking the photo’s yourself, make sure you’re in a well lit room, to stop them from coming out extremely grainy. If you are going to be taking product photos yourself, look into lighting tips from professional photographers on the net or check out some photography books. Please make sure that your camera has the date turned off as it can be viewed as rather amateur, which is not the message you’re wanting to send to people.

Once you have your photos you’re going to need Photoshop to edit them. However, this brings us back to the point at the start of the post. Photoshop costs a lot, and I don’t have that kind of money to spend on an editing program. Have no fear, a substitute is here.

Pixlr

This is a great little program that you can use online that has a lot of the same power that photoshop has, for free. From a experienced Photoshop user’s point of view, I would never trade Photoshop for Pixlr, however, if all you’re looking to do resize your images, take out the backgrounds, or do small simple things like this (yes... these things are simple... once you know how to do it), Pixlr is your best friend.

It operates in a similar way to Photoshop. Uses very similar tool bars, has the same short-cut keys and over all has the same look and feel as photoshop. Pixlr might be a great bridging point for those looking to learn Photoshop, but are daunted by it’s large menus and tools. Being on the internet you can access it from anywhere you like.

Changing Image Size

Changing the size in Pixlr is rather easy. Just open your image, click on the menu item at top that says ‘Image’ from that menu select ‘Image size...’

Up will pop a box with the dimensions of your image. Change these to the size that you want and you’re done.

I hear you ask a question though, ‘What if my image is a rectangle shape and I want it to be perfectly square. Well for this you have two options. First is the crop tool. You will need the Navigator window open on the right in order to get this right. The crop tool will delete the area around the outside of the selected area. Draw your box around the area you want, and make sure that the width and height of the selection are the same amount. Once you’re happy with the selection hit the ‘Enter’ or ‘Return’ button on your keyboard and the crop will take affect.

The second way I’m showing you can be used if you’re looking to expand the image. Go to the top menu and find the ‘Image’ menu again. This time select the ‘Canvas Size’ button. From here you can change the dimensions of the whole picture. The difference between this and the Image Size box is that this add or take away canvas area, rather then making the image itself larger smaller. Reading this back to myself this makes no sense, so I suggest testing both of them out to understand for yourself. Also test how the Anchor works. Most likely that if you’re trying to create a square image from a rectangle you will have the anchor in the middle.

This will do for now, as I want you to get in there and have a play with Pixlr. Coming up will be how to resize a lot of images in no time at all.