Websites | Marketing | Publishing
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March 3, 2023
!
Today marks the 14th anniversary of the original conception of 33 Dimensions on March 3, 2009. From that time, 33 Dimensions has grown from a simple concept of how to provide affordable websites for fellow musicians into a thriving enterprise with a worldwide reach and an ever-evolving set of practices that strike the vital balance of providing both the latest in technological efficiency and the old-fashioned notion of personal service.
Beyond our core capabilities of web design, multi-media production, social media, and search engine optimization, 33 Dimensions has spawned a worldwide music network, customized marketing techniques and published nearly a thousand articles of original material.
It is hard to express how grateful I am for all the support for 33 Dimensions and our related initiatives over this past decade and we look forward to even bigger and better things over the next.
Thank you.
Ric Albano
Founder & Owner
33 Dimensions, LLC
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Here are some of the fine companies, organizations, and initiatives with whom we’re currently working:
**33 Dimensions** LLC
(717) 829-4221
info@33dimensions.com
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January 24, 2020
Lately I’ve come across a lot of situations with new clients where they are having trouble getting access to their existing source files or getting their current providers to cooperate in many ways. So today I’m going to talk about three business fundamentals that should be established when starting a website.
**1. Establish Ownership**. The first and most important one of these principals is to own everything – your domain name and all of your content (words, pictures, logos, graphics, videos, etc.). There are many, many companies who will offer you great deals up front (such as a “free” website for a year) but then retain ownership of your site, so you are left with little options or flexibility. Although the initial cost may be higher, establishing ownership will pay dividends throughout the lifespan of your website by assuring that certain barriers to progress will not be imposed.
**2. Have Complete Access to Your Content**. In many (if not most) cases, there is one major exception to the “establish ownership” rule and that is in regards to hosting. Most small businesses just do not have the time, resources, or know-how to manage their own hosting servers so it makes sense find an established hosting company to handle these tasks. However, when you employ a hosting company, it is important that you have direct access to all your files via FTP. Many small business owners don’t understand the process or the importance of this ability, but by having full access a professional developer can instantly add, modify, or delete any website item on your behalf.
**3. Adaptability and/or Agility**. This is the only one of the three which actually deals with website design (my specialty). The basic point here is that the online universe is rapidly evolving and it is important that your website’s design has the ability to integrate newer features, technologies, and design features. Of course, this is much more of an art than a science because none of us know which innovations are on the horizon. But by keeping your site agile and not “painting yourself into a corner” with too many static features and dependencies, you and your developer will maximize the possibilities for the future.
*~ Ric Albano*
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December 15, 2019
!!
Below is a simple list of 33 items which may help spark creativity on those days when you need a catalyst.
1. Be Open Minded
2. Self Examine
3. Surround Yourself with Creative People
4. Collaborate
5. Discover New (Original!) Music
6. Read
7. Go for a Walk, Run, or Hike
8. Examine Your Roots
9. Reflect
10. Count Your Blessings
11. Try to Contemplate the Size of the Universe
12. Daydream
13. Look at Old Pictures of Loved Ones
14. Get to Work Early
15. Clean Your Workspace
16. Take an Alternate Root Home
17. Be Spontaneous
18. Find a Creative Rhythm and Work to that Groove
19. Make Lists
20. Create a Framework
21. Rearrange
22. Don’t Force It, Give It Room to Grow
23. Take Breaks When Needed
24. Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes
25. Periodically Reflect on Progress
26. Get Honest Feedback
27. Appreciate the Creative Output of Others
28. Never Discard an Idea (write it down and check back in a year)
29. Don’t Apologize for What Makes You Happy
30. Embrace Awkward Situations
31. Don’t Play by Someone Else’s Rules
32. Take Risks
33. Never Give Up
~
October 11, 2019
*Presented by Ric Albano, owner of 33 Dimensions Web Design to the Entrepreneur Development Group in Camp Hill, PA*
### Overview
Ric will touch briefly on each of the major components of the popular WordPress technology and how it can be used effectively for small business websites. This will include a layman’s explanation of how to choose the right platform, themes, and plugins, as well as the pros and cons of using WordPress as a Content Management System. This demonstration will not go into great technical detail, just give a “bird’s eye” view of how WordPress can be utilized to achieve business goals.
#### The difference between *WordPress.com* and *WordPress.org*
With **WordPress.com**, your site is hosted on the WordPress domain. Hence, installation is a snap and the web hosting is provided. And, ignoring the usual asterisks, the hosting is free. However, you cannot modify the source code or upload any plugins which are not provided natively. The biggest drawback of all is you do not own your website and are subject to the policies and procedures of WordPress.com.
**WordPress.com** is where “WordPress” the software is freely available to the public to be used on independent websites. Free and “premium” themes can be customized and you have access to the wide universe of plugins. This is a good resource for “do it yourself” site owners and business owners who want to maintain their brand identity and build SEO. Most of this presentation concentrates on WordPress.org features.
#### General Pros and Cons of WordPress
| PROS | CONS || * Technical novices can easily make charges to their website * Includes a rich database to categorize and organize your content * Plugins give functionality that can save time and money * Huge WP community | * Technical novices can easily make charges to their website * A lot of moving parts – you are subject to technology provided by various sources and sometimes these themes or plugins don’t work and play well together * You do not have 100% control over design (the sliding scale principle) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
#### Setting up a WordPress site
Depending on your hosting company, WordPress may be free and easy to install or it may come with a cost and restrictions. Installing on a pre-exisiting site may also be complicated. However, once WordPress is installed, set up is relatively easy with the first steps being running a simple install script and setting up the initial admin user.
#### Logon, User Roles, and Dashboard
Logons are user name and passwords. There are many levels of users built into the WordPress scheme ranging from admins, who can do anything (even create and delete other admins), to subscribers, who can simply log in with no editing ability.
Depending on the user role, the dashboard will display all features available at that specific user level.
#### Themes
There are thousands, probably tens of thousands, of free and premium themes, along with some hybrids which start free but try to entice you to move to premium.
There are Four Basic Types of Themes:
1. “Free” Themes
2. Premium Themes
3. Custom Themes
4. Child Themes
Each WordPress installation includes some themes.
#### Plugins
Each WordPress installation includes some plugins and there are score of more available plugins for all kinds of features and functions, including:
* Security, performance, anti-spam
* SEO and analytics
* Enhancements such as sliders, rotators, media players, calendars, social media, and forms
* Site maintenance and backup
#### Posts and Pages
Posts are the typical “blogs” of WordPress and may use Categories and Tags as identifying and sort-able features. Posts may also contain meta data (author name, date, etc.) and reader comments.
Pages typically contain more “static” content and are typically featured in menus links or other top-level navigation.
Pages can have parent / child relationship.
#### Content
Content can be added via Text Editor (HTML) or Rich Editor. Using some features on the rich editor may contrast with the look and feel of the site and/or be adverse to SEO. Add Media button is used to simply and quickly add images or video. Posts can be saved as “drafts” and previewed without being published, which is very beneficial to the editing process.
#### Customization
There is basic customization for every WordPress site, which includes the use of widgets, custom menus, and custom URLs. On the theme level, each theme contains its own specific customization features (and limitations). These may include elements such as background images, logos, and text and link colors, as well as theme-specific features like contact forms, portfolios, and image sliders.
#### Best Practices
* Stay up-to-date with latest WordPress, themes, and plugins versions
* Know your role and limitations
* Work with a designer to develop a style guide
* Keep options open for future expansion and/or refinement
* Be consistent
August 3, 2019
6 universal principles of persuasion are outlined in the short video below from . These six principles are:
Reciprocity
Scarcity
Authority
Consistency
Liking
Consensus
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33 Dimensions, LLC © 2009-2025. All Rights Reserved.
# Customer Testimonials
Customer service is our #1 priority at 33 Dimensions and nothing makes us happier than when a satisfied customer takes the time to write out a testimonial on our service. Below are several such first-person accounts by present and past customers of 33 Dimensions.
#### Written Testimonials
“Ric Albano and the crew at 33 Dimensions designed the perfect website for us. The site is fast, functional and full of information. Before Ric even designed the site, he sent me a list of ideas and options that may be suitable for me. Ric was thorough in his research and very creative in his presentation. Our finished site is a treasure trove of information and it’s very easy to navigate and find what you need. From the conception to the realization of the product, Ric sent me weekly updates and reports. Before I knew it, the site was done and we had a great website on our hands. Ric’s work is so good that I don’t ever consider looking elsewhere. When prospective clients ask me for a recommendation, I tell them about Ric and 33 Dimensions. There is no need to look any further. Get started with Ric now…”
– **Ron Simasek**, Drummer 
“Ric is exceptionally reliable and enthusiastic about providing both website design and content for our company site. He cheerfully responds to our requests, follows through on ideas and delivers prompt results. Hard-working and attentive.”
– **Sue Pera**, Owner  and 
“I’d like to introduce you to Ric from 33 Dimensions LLC, who has been doing some great work for us and I thought you might benefit from his services. The great work he does is impeccable and the service provided is outstanding!”
– **Blaise Greco**, Owner 
“Ric has designed a website for me that perfectly represents how I want to put forward my business. He goes the extra mile to help with suggestions for how to reach more people and has done the work to help me implement them. I feel he has great knowledge and creativity in web design and social media. His fees are reasonable, and I believe he has much integrity. He continues to support me in my business. I would highly recommend him to anyone seeking a web designer.”
– **Elizabeth Terry**, Owner 
“Working with Ric Albano & 33 Dimensions has been a pleasure. Ric is helpful, professional and supportive. He built us a wonderful site in very quick time and it is one that we can maintain and update on our own. Ric is able to take your ideas and incorporate them into a website design that is cohesive and easy to navigate. I was impressed by the creativity and technical skills and the little extra things he does to give our site and online presence. His commitment and follow through on projects far surpasses that of the standard Web Designer. I would recommend him to anyone that is looking to have a website created or re-designed.”
– **Brenda Brosius**, Editor 
“33 Dimensions helped my site immensely over its time on the web. They custom built my site from scratch using WordPress to streamline the process. Whenever I request a change it is usually done in one business day or less! They also design custom graphics for the site that have become mainstays there. Our iconic blue bullfrog was actually designed and updated for various themes by their crew. BigBlueBullfrog.com would literally not exist without 33 Dimensions service and commitment to our site. We look forward to working with them for many years to come as BigBlueBullfrog.com grows and expands.
– **J.D. Cook**, Editor 
“When I needed someone to update my company’s website ASAP, Ric graciously took on the challenge. Though he was unfamiliar with the site and we had never worked together before, he assured me he could get the project done in time—he delivered. In fact, he had the work done in less than one day, which was such a welcome surprise. His creativity and attention to detail were impressive, and the extra effort he took to maintain the consistency of the theme was outstanding. Prior to tackling the project, he asked all of the right questions to ensure we were both on the same page. The results far exceeded my expectations and I couldn’t be happier with Ric’s work. Professionalism, creativity, and excellence in service are what you will get when you hire Ric!”
– **Kate Sherman**, Director 
“33 Dimensions was instrumental in helping *Sound Off for Vets* establish a web site and an Internet presence. As a result of this, we were able to interact with the local community and get more participants and volunteers to help put on this event. They worked with me to help design the overall look and feel of the web site, providing guidance and advice on how to best present our organization. When changes or updates to the web site needed to be made, they were always posted within minutes of the request being sent. They did an outstanding job in placing links to sponsors’ and entertainers’ web sites as well as other social media. 33 Dimensions has been a valuable asset in helping us get the word out about our cause. I look forward to working with them again on next year’s project.”
– **Chris Nelson**, Founder 
“Ric and I have been working together on client projects for several months. He has proven to be a huge asset to myself and my clients. His customer service and response time are exemplary. He is hard-working, ethical, and well-researched. Ric is a great combination of excellent web work at a reasonable price, which is very attractive to the small business owner. I am delighted to have Ric as part of my dream team… and if I were you, I would hire him today!”
– **Rachel Strella**, Owner 
!“Ric is a very detailed and client focused individual. I’ve worked with him this past year getting our website up and running and he was there to answer the call whenever something new was needed or changes had to be made. The effort and hours he devotes to his clients is 2nd to none. Ric and 33 Dimensions really go out of their way to make you feel like you are their #1 client. I would not hesistate to recommend Ric and his expertise to assist you with any on line needs.”
– **Mark Imler**, Information Officer 
#### Video Testimonial
– “**Ron the Bagman**“, Owner 
# Responsive Design
With the advent and proliferation of mobile and smartphone technology, internet content can be accessed anywhere. As a website owner, it is important to make sure you can reach all of your users and provide them with all the information in the most optimized fashion. One very potent tool to meet this goal is **Responsive Design**. Although still a very new technique (it was first proposed in 2010), responsive design has become widely accepted as an efficient way to optimize a single website over various media devices.
##### The Concept of Responsive Design
Yes the mobile web is exploding and yes it is the driving force behind responsive design, but when we think of responsive design we need to consider more than just mobile. With the introduction of retina displays and video game browsers, internet users are now viewing websites on larger screen resolutions and in many different contexts.
Try to take into account different user contexts when designing and developing responsive websites. You need to think about what device a user is using, where the user is located, and how long it takes your site to load on various devices.
##### Content and Context
Content is everything but context is everywhere and we have a set of tools at our disposal that will allow us to manipulate layouts, optimize text sizes, and increase performance for any context so remember to use them. Fixed width websites can be limiting on larger and smaller screen resolutions.
The bottom line is that our web sites should be accessible to everyone no matter what device or screen resolution they are using, without restrictions. Responsive design is a great tool for achieving this goal.