We have just completed a bespoke new website design project for TicketPlan.

TicketPlan provide insurance cover to ticketing agents, venues and locations across the UK and are based in Leigh on Sea in Essex.

This bespoke development involved creating a bespoke content managed claim system manager that allows TicketPlan to receive and process all claims through the online admin interface.

Phuse have been working with us recently on a new project. They took time to establish exactly what was needed and designed and implemented an excellent solution well within the rather demanding timescales that had been set.

They were professional, efficient and a pleasure to deal with. We would have no hesitation in recommending their services.

Graham Berg ACII, Managing Director TicketPlan Ltd

Phuse have recently completed a rebrand of Trust Links a wellbeing and mental health charity based in Southend.

Through therapeutic gardening, Trust Links aim to nurture the wellbeing of their members, improve mental health and provide access to new skills in horticulture leading to job opportunities and build strong community links.

Phuse were asked to produce a new logo and brand for Trust Links. The chosen logo uses a stylised leaf graphic and warm vibrant, earthy colours to give an uplifting positive feel to the brand.

The logo was developed on to business cards and leaflets as well as a variety of merchandise including; pens, mugs, heats and jackets.

Above the Trust Links business cards, below the tri-fold leaflet.

Phuse also designed and developed the Trust Links website, which can be seen below. The site is content managed and is fully responsive for all mobile devices. You can view the website here www.trustlinks.org

Twitter is a great way to promote your business and it's amazing how effective a tweet can be for exposing your brand and attracting more followers. You might only have 140 characters to work with, but this shouldn't limit your creativity or marketing ideas. Here are some ways you can really make Twitter work for you in 2015 and beyond.

Click here to register with Twitter and create an account.

Tweet regularly and keep the conversation going

When you tweet regularly, you show that your business is active and healthy. A stagnant Twitter account is one that will go unnoticed and which won't do your online reputation any favours. The thing to remember about Twitter is that it is fast moving and you only have a short time frame in which to engage with your target audience before they are distracted by the next tweet in their feed.

Here are some interesting figures: The average lifespan of a blog post is 2-3 years, the average lifespan of a Facebook post is 3 hours and the average lifespan for a tweet is around 2 hours, but it's probably closer to a few minutes depending on how many people your followers are following.

With this in mind, keep tweets to the point, relevant and keep them regularly updated. Link back to your website, link back to other relevant sites that you think your audience may be interested in or simply post photos and videos. Twitter is also a great place to announce special offers as these can usually be showcased in 140 characters or less. 

You can often reuse the same tweet as not all your followers will see it the first time. Using a service like Hootsuite is a great way to schedule your posts for the coming week and it can also be used to manage all your social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn.

Don't forget to optimise your Twitter profile

Your Twitter account might be the first contact people have with your business, so make that first impression count. Keep your Twitter bio updated with your company details, your contact information, relevant information about your brand, products and services, and any other information you feel might be relevant. You can also update your profile description with interesting info about your business and really give your company some personality and identity. Another great way to add personality and make your account stand out is to brand your Twitter account as much as possible. Use your branding colours, logos and taglines where possible to make it clear to followers and potential followers who you are.

Don't be afraid to retweet

Can't think of anything to tweet today? Like what you see on another Twitter feed? Retweet it! If it's relevant to your brand, products or services, retweeting an engaging comment or photo is a great way to keep your Twitter feed fresh and also to build relationships and kudos with other like minded people within your industry. You should also aim to encourage others to retweet your content. This is a great way of extending your reach beyond your own Twitter community and attracting more business. If anybody retweets your posts, and especially potential customers or existing customers, make a point to thank them personally. By posting your own tweets and retweeting good quality tweets from others, you will start to become an expert in your industry and one that is more likely to attract more attention from potential leads.

Follow that hashtag!

Hashtags are a great way to decipher what is hot right now, and also what is not. There are many websites that can show you which hashtags are the most popular and which might be relevant to your brand. By posting relevant posts to hashtags, you can reach out to those who are interested in that particular trend right now, or who might be more receptive to hearing from you. Just keep in mind that hashtag popularity can change like the wind and that it is a good idea to keep checking hashtag trending websites for the latest news. If you can't find any relevant hashtags, why not start your own? Every hashtag starts somewhere, and you might just create the next big trend!

Use images and video for maximum impact and exposure

Okay, so you only have 140 characters to play with. Sometimes, this can be a challenge. Why not use video or images instead or in combination with text? This type of media is a great way to add colour and interest to your Twitter feed and could work wonders where exposure is concerned. A funny pic of the day, a caption competition or an instructional video are all great ways to get noticed, and encourage those all important retweets. Research has also shown that photos and video could encourage three to four more clicks on your Twitter account than a text-based tweet.

You can also read our article on how to promote your business through Facebook.

Phuse offer a wide range of Web Design services, contact us on 01702 482011 or email us for more information.

Phuse have designed and developed this fully responsive website for Apta Consultancy.

Andy Pestell at Apta has said: "I needed to update my website so that it had a more professional look and feel about it. I was stuck for ideas on a new design and phusemedia were able to come up with some creative ideas that complemented by business needs. Some of my web pages also needed to be enriched with new content and it was great that phusemedia had the expertise on hand to support my needs. To date the aftercare service has been fantastic which demonstrates the real value that phusemedia has to offer its customers".

Phuse have designed and developed this fully responsive website for Maclin Armour Solutions.

Tony the MD at Maclin Armour has made some nice comments about our service...

"Having started my own business, I decided I needed a website. I worked with a web design company but I wasn't getting the service I needed so looked for a new company to help. I met Matt and Al at Phuse and was impressed by how responsive they were and how they gave me the kind of expert advice and guidance on design I needed. Within a couple of weeks we had nearly finished the build of my site after four months of frustration with my previous partners. My site is now live and I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. Great service, value-for-money and I would happily recommend Phuse to anyone."

A screen grab of the home page can be seen below, to view the site visit: www.maclinarmour.com

Phuse are proud to again be sponsors of the the 2015 Leigh Art Trail.

We have supported the trail again this year by supplying a fully content managed website, some screen shots of which can be seen below.

The site features a bespoke artist and image gallery manager developed to showcase this years artists.

Visit the website at www.leigharttrail.com