Archive for the ‘Competitions’ Category
Yola Web Stars: The Ten Notable Sites
It was great to see all your wonderful Yola Web Stars contest submissions – and hard to choose among them.
After admiring all the creativity, business savvy, and hard work, here are our Ten Notable Sites (in alphabetical order).
8 Auspicious Him View Hotel
This hotel in Dharamsala, India boasts stunning views of the snow-capped Dhauladhar range – and their well-organized site shows off the views and more with plenty of images. According to site owner Tenzin Nmaygal, Yola has helped make their business “amazing.” “These days, there are around 50 to 60 visitors to our site every 24 hours. Thank you, Yola Team!” says Tenzin. Thank you, Tenzin.
Admin Angel
When Jessica Evans started her business, she was working from her loungeroom and had no money to invest, so she created a basic Yola site, then moved up to a premium style and custom domain name and email. “By creating a professional image for my business at such a low cost I was able to build the business as I had dreamed. I now have an office and five staff members,” says Jessica. Just the kind of story we love to hear.
All-Dry Basement
The Orsino family started All-Dry Basement Waterproofing more than 30 years ago. Their free Yola site has been a boon, says Jeryl Orsino. “Because of Yola, we’re booked with jobs throughout the whole summer. In this economy that is huge!” They’ve also done a great job of optimizing their site. “Using the optimization tools like keywords and metatags we went from invisible the top of the search engines,” explains Jeryl. “The majority of callers say they found us on the web. Thanks to our Yola site we are the leading basement waterproofer in Bergen County, New Jersey.”
Fiesta Brava
Fiesta Brava is an indie rock band based in Northampton, Massachusetts, and when they needed something to set themselves apart from other local groups, they chose Yola. “Creating a Yola website could not have been easier. From uploading music and pictures to creating a blog, the Yola site builder made it easy to put together something that that I am proud of,” says Ray Keane. “Since we created our Yola site, our ability to network with venues and bands outside of our area has increased dramatically.”
The Gluten-Free Guru
Krissy White’s business was born in 2008, when she and two of her children were diagnosed with severe gluten sensitivities. She noted that people everywhere were going gluten-free, and decided to begin her new venture online. “I had no idea where to start,” Krissy tells us. “Then I found Yola and literally within minutes had a professional-looking website that I could launch my business with!” This entrepreneur changes up the recipes and specials on her site regularly. “I now have dozens of clients,” says Krissy.
Jesar Arts
Two years ago, designer Jeremy Paton started using Yola. “I loved the simplicity and speed at which Yola’s site builder allowed me to create an online portfolio,” he explains. He was able to start his own web-design company with Yola, too. “Yola has helped me offer my clients professional designs at extremely competitive prices,” says Jeremy. He’s pushed out the boundaries of what our site builder can achieve, too – which you can see from his own Yola site. Exciting stuff, Jeremy – you’re a guy after our own heart!
Key to Health Concierge
Starting a new business takes a lot of hard work, perseverance, and a good cash flow. “As we all know, the cash flow can be limited when you’re starting out,” says Rory Harrison, president of Key to Health Concierge. That’s why he switched his site to Yola (and took advantage of a special Yola Silver promotion). “My Yola site increased my traffic and has helped flow more business my way, too,” says Rory. “Your support system is flawless.” We’re glad to be supporting Rory and all those small businesses out there.
La Vie en Rose
Yvon Harig-Linssen’s charming Amsterdam apartment-hotel gets great reviews on travel sites. With his Yola site, those rave reviews are in one place where prospective clients can see them all. Now people all over the world can see photos of rooms in the hotel, check rates, and even make reservations online. “I can reach customers everywhere, and now I get clients directly, which saves me money,” says Yvon. “It was easy to create my own website with an appealing look, too.”
Miss Birdsong’s Sweet Tooth
Tabitha Birdsong started her candy apple business with an old college friend in 2005, just after she was laid off from her job as an elementary school teacher in Memphis, Tennessee. “After we built our Yola site in 2009, our business began to grow in ways that we never thought possible,” says Tabitha. “We’re even getting calls from people in surrounding states.” Tabitha is loves Yola’s reasonable price and having PayPal up on her site. “Yola really values small businesses. We look forward to many more years of growth with Yola’s great support staff.” We do too, Tabitha.
The Yoga and Fitness Studio
“We started the Yoga & Fitness Studio at the end of January 2011, just days before cyclone Yasi hit the north coast of Australia,” say Tatjana Good and Troy Morris. “Our Yola site helped us succeed despite the economic devastation of the cyclone and two competitors opening up in the area.” Their studio now has more than 200 members and 117 Facebook “likes” (and counting). “Yola’s support team has been by my side, answering all my questions in the most encouraging way,” says Tatjana. We can’t wait to see how your business keeps on growing!
Labels: Competitions,Featured Websites,Small Business | 2 Comments »
Meet the Yola Web Stars Voter’s Choice Winner
The people have spoken, and the site that earned the most votes in our Voter’s Choice contest is Mortgage Las Vegas Nevada.
Congratulations to Brian Kragner, the creator of this highly functional Yola site. “Yola has been instrumental in my online success,” says Brian. “I had no idea where to start, and I had a real shoestring budget. With Yola’s help I’ve been able to persevere, and ride out the learning curve.”
Brian considers Yola’s most beneficial feature to be the easy user interface. “The simple but effective click-and-drag interface is intuitive yet allows for all the customization needed to have my site perform well in the sea of copy-cats out there.”
He’s also a fan of the preview changes feature. “Some of Yola’s competitors don’t have this, and it’s really great, both as a time saver and in terms of ensuring quality before going live – you only get one shot at a first impression!”
We’re impressed with the way Brian has maximized his site’s SEO. “My site ranks in the top five of Google for some great but very competitive terms,” he tells us.
Thanks for choosing Yola, Brian. And thanks to all the fans who participated in the Voter’s Choice Award.
Labels: Competitions,Featured Websites,Small Business | 1 Comment »
Meet the Yola Web Stars Winners!
We’re proud to announce the top three winners of our Yola Web Stars contest. Congratulations to all! Make sure to visit these wonderful sites. And stay tuned, because there are more winner profiles coming up.
First Place Winner: Hey! Sweet Thing
Hey! Sweet Thing’s Yola site is chock-full of goodness, from the clean, simple design and gorgeous photography to the easy navigation. Heather Jenkinson and Danielle Hornung, the founders of this Toronto-based business, did a great job of establishing themselves as experts with baking tips and a clever, informative blog that’s a treat to read. These Yola Silver members also have a custom domain name that sets them apart.
They tell us that their success had a very sweet spike once their Yola site was up and running. “In 2011 we’ve seen a 30% increase in business which I would attribute to our online presence,” explains Danielle.
“Once we expanded our business in 2010, we knew that word of mouth alone wouldn’t be enough to grow our client base,” says Danielle. “Now we have clients contacting us for orders. Having a great website instills confidence in our company and having visuals to support our work is great!”
She says that there are three things about Yola’s site builder that are absolutely vital to Hey! Sweet Thing’s success:
- Ability to display and add photos
- The Forms widget for a contact form
- Able to share lots of information
Great job, Heather and Danielle!
Second Place Winner: Aussie Cushion
With her beautifully designed site, Aussie Cushion owner Denise Carrasco shows how effective it can be to customize a Yola template. From the witty logo and banner design to her use of clean white backgrounds, Denise created the perfect online showcase for her collection of exclusive cushion cover prints.
Denise founded her business in 2008. “I wanted to share my designs with everyone, and thought “What better way than through the internet?” explains Denise. Denise bought a custom domain name with Yola. “I was born in Australia and love my country, so wanted to support it – my business name says it all,” notes Denise.
“Yola gave me the opportunity to reflect exactly what Aussie Cushions is all about, because I could give my site the right style and design,” Denise tells us. “I think all small businesses should be online – your Yola site is an advertisement for your business that’s accessible to anyone around the world, at any time of the day or night.” She’s happy to say that she’s received new customer inquiries out of the blue through her site, too.
Denise loves the new Photo Gallery widget, and when you look at her site, you’ll see why. She gives big props to the Yola Customer Support team, too. “They always offer up great opinions and solutions.”
Props right back at you, Denise!
Third Place Winner: Stories Out of Words
Stories Out of Words blends stunning design with strong copy for a beautiful site that’s a great experience on every page.
Site owner, writer, editor, and designer Kellie tells us she started Stories Out of Words at the end of 2010. Kellie had just helped a friend finish building a Yola site, and she decided to create her own to try to regain her confidence as a writer after a recent rough patch in her life. She made this gorgeous site by customizing a free Yola Style. “I revamped the free template by swapping widgets around, changing banners and links, and experimented with all sorts of things.”
“What I love about Yola is that I can access my site and work on it any time, any place,” says Kellie. “It’s always a work in progress, and will change all the time. I also use a lot of the fantastic Yola features, like the contact form that feeds to my email.”
Kellie credits the work she’s been doing through her Yola site as helping her recover from a debilitating bout with mental illness. “Being online has let me still achieve and work and do what I love. My site has been a major factor in helping me rebuild who I am as a person, to realize that life is too short to not pursue happiness.”
Thanks for those inspiring words, Kellie, and thanks for choosing Yola.
Labels: Competitions,Featured Websites,Small Business | 4 Comments »
Announcing the Yola Web Stars Contest!
Is your Yola site a Web Star? Enter it in our first Yola Web Stars contest for the chance to find out—and to share your success story with the world.
We love seeing the beautiful, cool, and effective sites you create. We started Yola Web Stars to celebrate your efforts and your successes–and to inspire others. So tell us how your Yola site has helped you grow your business. How it’s changed your life. How it helped you promote your cause. Let us know how you made it all happen with Yola, and get the applause you deserve.
Recognition is great. Prizes are even better. The top three Yola websites will take home terrific rewards, including a free year-long Yola Silver membership.
First Place prizes include:
- 64GB iPad2
- 1 FREE web press release for your business
- Your website featured on the Yola home page and our blog
- $100 Google AdWords credit to get traffic for your website
- 15 royalty-free photos from Fotolia
- Yola Web Stars Winner badge to place on your website
Second Place prizes include:
- 16GB iPad2
- 1 FREE web press release for your business
- Your website featured on our blog
- $50 Google AdWords credit to get traffic for your website
- Yola Web Stars Winner badge to place on your website
Third Place prizes include:
- 4 GB Kindle
- 1 FREE web press release for your business
- Your website featured on our blog
- $50 Google AdWords credit to get traffic for your website
Plus, starting June 6, Yola customers can vote on their favorites to elect a Yola Voter’s Choice site. And ten Notable Websites will receive a free one-year Yola Silver membership each.
So, if you have your own Yola success story, enter Yola Web Stars today and share your accomplishments with the world!
- Your website URL/address
- A few good photos of your business
- A 100-word paragraph or 30- to 60-second video that tells how your website led to your success
We can’t wait to see your entry. Best of luck!
Labels: Community,Competitions | 5 Comments »
Contest Winners Announced; Five Featured Websites
We know you have all been eagerly awaiting the results of the “Show off your Yola site” Facebook contest. We didn’t mean to keep you in suspense but with over 3,000 entries submitted, our panel of judges had their work cut out for them. There were so many fantastic entries but in the end we selected our winners from among the top 100 vote getters.
The best part is, this week, instead of one Featured Website, you get five! We hope you can draw inspiration from them as our judges panel did.
The Grand Prize goes to Down Syndrome Illawarra! We were all moved by this organization and their mission to bring families affected by Downs together. Their site is well organized and provides a wealth of useful information to their site visitors. We also loved the sense of community you can feel throughout the website.
Our first runner up is Ginger Kelly Studio. The panel was in awe of the visual design of this website. We were instantly transported to the fantasy world created by artist, illustrator and fashion designer, Lauren Kelly Small. While she may deal in fantasy, she also knows how to get down to business. The integration of her Cafe Press store is seamless and her custom navigation buttons are graphically stunning while allowing you to move around the website with ease.
Our second runner up is Julie K Photo. The judges were impressed by Julie Kalua’s use of her photos as links, transforming her site navigation into a photo gallery. We also like the customized social media buttons she integrated into her site.
Our third runner up is Naomi Frost. Her whimsical logo stole the heart of one of our judges and the rest of us agreed it makes this site truly stand out from the crowd. Aside from the logo, this site offers a professional and easy to follow navigation menu. As her menu suggests, we were captivated by her work.
Our fourth runner up is Little Sticks , a long time favorite of ours. They blew the judges away with their clean and simple design. We love the way it blends sophistication with fun and the dual navigation menu makes browsing their online store a breeze.
Congratulations to all our winners, you will be contacted individually to arrange shipment of your prizes very soon! Also, a huge thanks to everyone who entered! We truly appreciate you sharing your sites with us and look forward to continue being your website building partner.
Labels: Community,Competitions,Featured Websites | 3 Comments »
Design for Dollars!
Yola.com is running a contest through 99 Designs for our next round of website style templates. Your mission is to design a 1-3 page website template and if we select it, we’ll award you $250 and add it as a style template choice on our website.
We plan to use the winning submissions to dramatically increase the number of templates we offer our customers. We need templates that appeal to small businesses and organizations and plan to award 20-30 winners at $250 each for this project.
Please see our complete design brief for rules and restrictions as well as tips about what we are looking for here: 1-3 Page Website Template Design Brief.
- Designers are eligible for a one week, free subscription to Fotolia stock images to use in your design.
- You can check out previous design submissions that we selected at this link: Previous Contest Winners.
- You have a week to design your submission and submit it to the 99 Designs contest page.
Good luck and happy designing!
Labels: Competitions | 6 Comments »
Small Business Resource Center
With small businesses still struggling to recover, we have created a central resource with all of the information they need to have a successful presence online.
The Small Business Resource Center is a central, free resource that has all of the tools small businesses need to build a successful online presence.
With less than half of all small businesses having websites, the Small Business Resource Center is designed as a one stop shop for small business owners to either create a website or maximize the presence the already have online.
We have also partnered with Jim Blasingame, the Small Business Advocate®, one of the world’s foremost experts on small business and entrepreneurship, to make his substantial resources available.
To celebrate the kickoff, we are introducing the Small Business Recovery Plan, a sweepstakes giving more than $5,000 in goods and services to small business owners* in need.
- 3 winners will receive new, customized websites
- 10 winners will receive Yola Pro packages with all of the premium tools they need for their websites
- 25 winners will receive Yola Premium Styles
- 100 winners will receive books by Jim Blasingame, the Small Business Advocate® and the Yola Small Business Expert
Enter now for a chance to win!
*Sweepstakes is open to US residents only.
Labels: Competitions,Small Business,Uncategorized | 5 Comments »
Yola Makeover Challenge Ends on Monday
Congratulations to everyone who has participated so far in the Yola Makeover Challenge. Your designs look great!
For those who are still working on their Makeover submissions, the deadline is Monday, August 24th at 11:59 PST. The winning designer will receive $2,000 so don’t miss out on this opportunity.
Best of luck and spread the word to those who might be interested!
Labels: Competitions | 1 Comment »
UC Davis Teen Biotech Challenge
Congratulations to the winners of the 2009 Teen Biotech Challenge at UC Davis!
Now, you may be asking, “What is the Teen Biotech Challenge and why are you blogging it?”
TBC 2009 is a science challenge that encourages high school students to demonstrate their understanding of biotechnology’s impact in the world. Participating students will develop research and presentation skills, and most importantly, have fun learning about new technologies! Read on >>
UC Davis chose Yola as the website builder that the students used to present their findings. (Now you see why we’re blogging it…) The websites were judged for adherence to contest directions, quality of information, web design, and overall presentation.
There were 3 winners each in 7 different categories. Here are links to a couple of the winners.
- http://epigene.synthasite.com/
- http://fuelingthefuture.synthasite.com/
- http://geneticallymodifiedfood.synthasite.com/
Great websites guys and thanks for using Yola!
Labels: Community,Competitions | No Comments »
Best of SynthaSite Contest Winners
The polls have closed and we are very pleased to announce the winners of our Best of SynthaSite contest for 2009:
Category: Personal Websites
The Forty-something site celebrates the milestone in a woman’s life with sage advice, good humor and great birthday gifts across multiple pages on a range of subjects from fashion to motherhood.
Category: Business Websites
The Cosmic Sensorium site makes the most of widgets like Google Search, Disqus Comments and SynthaSite blog to showcase the unique artwork of Diogenes Lamarche.
Congratulations to the winners. They’re terrific examples of what anyone can do with the easy-to-use tools at SynthaSite. For even more tips, check out our tutorial, Creating Great Looking Websites.
It’s never too early to start thinking about the 2009 Best of SynthaSite.
Labels: Community,Competitions | 34 Comments »