bigfoot logo wearing sunglasses for Sierra Blue
Bigfoot Logo for Sierra Blue

Based in East Sacramento CA since 2014.

Custom Web Design and More

Bigfoot rides a jetski under golden gate bridge in San FranciscoSierra Blue builds high-performance custom WordPress websites that bridge the gap between complex SEO standards and usability. With roots planted in spaces ranging from the nonprofit sector to the high-energy, fast-paced world of music festivals to the steadfast legal and political landscapes, Sierra Blue brings a unique blend of experience, grit, creativity, and tactical precision to every project.

Custom Web Design and More

Bigfoot rides a jetski under golden gate bridge in San FranciscoSierra Blue builds high-performance custom WordPress websites that bridge the gap between complex SEO standards and usability.

Work with Sierra Blue and get big agency capabilities, boutique, personalized service, and very competitive rates.

We are not just another web design company. Sierra Blue is a partner that often brings new ideas and other players to the table to help everyone under the tent grow.

SIERRA BLUE's CORE SERVICES

WEB DESIGN +

100% custom websites, not templates, powered by real SEO that look and work great on all devices plus premium managed hosting so you don't have to worry about security, updates, and maintenance.

GRAPHICS +

100% all-purpose and custom graphics powered by Adobe CC. From paper to apparel and all points in between, Sierra Blue has been delivering high impact designs since 1988.

MARKETING +

Drives growth with marketing that blends technical SEO and creative strategies. We create campaigns that capture leads, elevate your brand, and turn your digital presence into a measurable asset.

SOCIAL +

The mothership of any business is its website, but social media has become equally important. Take a look at what Sierra Blue does to help clients drive traffic on Meta and beyond.

GOOGLE GRANTS

A certified Google Partner since 2014, Sierra Blue has helped dozens of nonprofits acquire and manage millions of dollars in Google's Ad Grant program. Who couldn't use a $120,000 annual boost?

GOOGLE PPC

Turn your budget into measurable growth with precision PPC management that lowers your acquisition costs, maximizes your ROI, and delivers high-quality leads directly to your business.

GOT SOCIAL? MAKE REELS FTW.

Daily use of short-form social media exceeds streaming, TV, and gaming

Over 60% of the global online population now watches ‘swiping’ short-form video content on platforms such as Facebook, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels every day, according to new research from Ampere Analysis. Given the power of social media algorithms in predicting what content viewers will want to watch before they do, this figure is expected to rise.

Click an image below to visit a few recent reels made for clients by Sierra Blue.

photographer wearing Scenic Nevada cap and camera
Man on mountain in winter overlooking lake tahoe.
Vlog for January 2021, Video Conf., Google Grants, and Social Media Personalization

Vlog for January 2021, Video Conf., Google Grants, and Social Media Personalization

by | Jan 15, 2021 | Google, Google Grants, Nonprofits, Personalization, Social Media, Video Conferencing, Zoom

3 Quick Reads to Help Accelerate Your Business

2020 didn't change how business is done, it simply accelerated it. Here are the "3 Biggies," to watch for in 2021.

  • Rapid expansion of the use of video conferencing.
  • Running a nonprofit? Why aren't you getting your $120,000 in-kind donation from Google? What it is, how I can help.
  • Social Media, accelerating your goals with personalization - it's a thing.

This year marks my 25th year working as a webmaster and digital media specialist. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about digital media.

Zoom vs Google Meet

Zoom or Google Meet? I use both but there are some differences. Zoom does things Google Meet can’t, and Google Meet does things Zoom can’t. Zoom’s popularity begins with it’s ease-of-use. Google Meet is popular because it doesn’t require […]
Read more...

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Google Grants

Google Grants is easy and fast. I’ve helped dozens of nonprofits apply and manage the $120,000 annual in-kind donation as well as setup and learn how to use Google Workspace (formerly G-Suite). Both offerings come with every approved application. That process […]
Read more...

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Social Media for Business in 2021
Personalized Media There are many social media platforms, and even more tools within each one for business. This article focuses on one powerful tool that can be used on just about any major social media channel. A study by University of Texas showed […]
Read more...

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Next week, I begin teaching online courses on Zoom, Google Meet, Youtube Live, and Facebook Live.

A Few Topics I Specialize In

  • Video Conferencing for Professionals
    • Integrating Zoom and Google Meet with native applications such as Google Calendar and Gmail.
    • How to host large meetings effectively and reduce poor audio and video quality.
    • Polling, surveys, messaging, and file sharing.
  • WordPress Web Design
    • Getting started from hosting and dashboard, to user setup, and creating pages and posts.
    • Plugins, the good, the bad, and the ugly truth about them.
    • Advanced features.
  • Photoshop
    • Introduction - installing CC, creating a canvass, using text, fonts, colors, and resizing/cropping images.
    • Intermediate - Optmizing Photoshop for you computer.
    • Vector stuff (line drawing with anchors).
    • Color management with hues, curves, levels, and layers.
    • Advanced - masking, advanced layers, effects, using Adobe Cloud for storage.
  • Social Media
    • Facebook basics to advanced page management.
    • Advertising vs Organic.
    • Retargeting and remarketing.
    • Video and Live Streaming.
  • Google Grants
    • Everything you need to get started in 30 minutes.
    • How to use the $120,000 in-kind donation.
    • What is Google Workspace
    • Getting started with Google Workspace.

 

Zoom vs Google Meet

Zoom vs Google Meet

by | Jan 14, 2021 | Google, Video Conferencing, Zoom

Zoom or Google Meet?

I use both but there are some differences. Zoom does things Google Meet can't, and Google Meet does things Zoom can't. Zoom's popularity begins with its ease of use. Google Meet is popular because it doesn't require a download on most popular browsers and for its native integration with Gmail and Google Calendar. But, Zoom now also integrates well with Google Calendar. Below, I outline the key features of both.

I spend an average of 20+ hours a week in video conferencing. I teach clients how to get things done with screen sharing. Other times, I'm attending board meetings. Other times, I attend seminars to keep my skills up to date.

Free/Basic Versions

 Google Meet Logo

 

  • No download required.
  • Requires a Google Account (Gmail).
  • Free version includes 60 minutes per mtg.
  • 24 hour 1-to1 meetings.
  • Up to 100 members per meeting.
  • Live captioning in many languages (CC).
  • Stream to social.
  • Pre-meeting preview (check your image).
  • Pin, mute, and/or remove users.
  • Screen sharing.
  • Messaging/share files.
  • Integration with Google and Microsoft Office apps.

The full list of features with upgrade.

 

 

 

 Zoom Logo

 

  • Download required.
  • Requires Zoom account.
  • Free version includes 40 minutes per mtg.
  • Up to 100 members per meeting.
  • No live captioning (CC).
    No streaming to social.
  • Pre-meeting preview (check your image).
  • Pin, mute, and/or remove users.
  • Screen sharing.
  • Messaging/share files.
  • Integration with Google and Microsoft Office apps.

 Zoom's full list of features with upgrade.