Atomicdust wins ‘Best Designed Website’ at RFT’s Web Awards

Last night, we celebrated alongside some of the best of the web at the Riverfront Times 2012 St. Louis Web Awards - and we even took home a trophy of our own for Best Designed Website.

Here’s what the judges had to say:

“This site is seriously gorgeous with its sleek black-and-white layout and subtle flair. Atomicdust is also one of the few creative agencies that effectively harnesses the personalities of its employees and displays that energy online without being cheesy. For examples of that, just check out its frequently updated blog.”

Kind words, indeed. It may be cliché to say, but it truly was an honor just to be nominated, considering they chose from over 1,000 nominations from more than 400 readers.

And kudos to Atomicdust designer and photographer, Jason Stoff, as well. His personal site, Encor.es, won for Best Photostream/Flickr.

Check out RFT’s site for more on the winners and pictures from last night. And special thanks to Dan O’Saben for letting us use one of his images from the event for this blog post! 

After a Year of Hard Work…

We're taking a break over the holidays to spend some time with our families and friends. We will be out of the office from Monday, December 26 through January 1, but will be back at it on Monday, January 2.

We wish you and your family a joy-filled and safe holiday season and a Happy New Year!

Think You Know Facebook Ads?

I use Facebook Ads. I love Facebook Ads. I even recommend Facebook Ads to others. But I do stumble across a lot of misconceptions about them. Whenever I see an article about advertising on Facebook, the comments that follow are usually something along the lines of, ‘If they start showing me ads, that’s it! I’m quitting!’ Why the hostility? Are Facebook Ads really that disruptive? Learn more about Facebook Ads, and how they know so much about you. 

Danielle Gives Social Media Tips to St. Louis Business District

Last night, I was invited to speak at the Macklind Business District’s annual holiday party at the SOHA Art Gallery. The Macklind Business District is made up of independently-owned restaurants, retail shops and service providers located in the Southampton neighborhood in south St. Louis City.

I told them what I've been saying for years - there is no perfect formula for social media marketing. It’s different for every business. I wanted to share with them five of my best tips for using social media. Things that I do every day as a social media professional that they can apply to their online marketing efforts as well.

Read Danielle's five tips for better social media marketing. 

Developing a Brand for St. Louis Fashion

At Atomicdust, we help companies develop a brand and the messaging to support it. We like to give all of our clients a voice, a story, something that customers can relate to. 

But what if they ask for more than a voice? What if they ask for a face? What if a client wants to develop a brand for a spokesperson?

That’s exactly what CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. asked us to do for their Regional Marketing Director, Sean Phillips.

Read how we developed a brand and blog for St. Louis shopping

Atomicdust Named Among Best Marketing Firms in St. Louis

This month, Atomicdust was named one of the “Best Marketing Firms in St. Louis” by St. Louis Small Business Monthly.

Not only is it humbling to be recognized next to so many other companies we respect and admire, but more than that, it’s voted on by readers of the magazine. Well, the people have spoken. And they like us! They really like us.

Atomicdust was selected among more than 200 nominations, and just 25 companies made the final list. You can find the entire list of winning companies in the November issue of St. Louis Small Business Monthly, or online at SBMon.com.  

You Asked For It! November Wallpapers from Atomicdust

So... We didn’t plan on posting a new set of wallpapers this month. We’ve been busier than usual with the move to the new office and we honestly thought, ‘Hey, they won’t mind if we skip this month.’

Boy, were we wrong.

You guys emailed us, instant messaged us, tweeted us and posted on our Facebook page. You begged to know when you’d be able to download the new designs. You told us that (though you loved them originally) you were sick of looking at your October background.

So, these wallpapers are for you - Our loyal (and yet, somewhat demanding) fans. You know who you are.

Thanks for keeping us on the ball.
 

Show Me The Blog 2012: Tweetable Takeaways

Last Saturday, I got the chance to speak on behalf of St. Louis Women in Media at the 2nd Annual Show Me the Blog Conference. The conference was created by local blogger Danyelle Little (aka The Cubicle Chick) for social media and blogging enthusiasts in the Midwest to network and to share resources and best practices.

Josh Kocurek and I moderated a candid ‘He Said / She Said’ discussion on gender in blogging and social media. Does it make a difference in the way we write? Does it affect what blogs we read or which people we follow? Read more about the conference and see tweetable takeaways from the presentation. 

Join Us on Thursday for the AIGA Annual Meeting

This Thursday, creative minds from all over St. Louis will meet at the Centene Center for the Arts for AIGA St. Louis' Annual Meeting. The event celebrates the best in St. Louis design and honors local creatives that have contributed to our culture. It will include print demos by Work/Play and a presentation on design strategy from Rochelle Seltzer. Best of all, the event is free for members and students, and just $10.80 for non-members.