Cary Scott is a Web Designer and Developer specializing in Social Media Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO, SEM).

The Ley Group Web Design

The Ley Group, a widley acclaimed Washington DC builder, recently hired Shout Brigade, my new creative firm, to redesign their website. The goal was to create a simple, elegant site that highlights their amazing portfolio.

It was a no-brainer that a minimalistic design would be the way to go. We also wanted the site to look beautiful on modern tablets and mobile phones… it looks especially great on an iPad. Our thanks to Simon Ley and his team for this great web design opportunity.

Click here to visit The Ley Group website »

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Shout Brigade, Our New Branding, Web Design, and Social Media Marketing Agency

Our Doors are Open for Business!

I’m excited to announce the launch of the website for our new creative social media agency located in the beautiful Cleveland Park neighborhood of NW Washington, DC. And, yes, the doors really are open so stop on by and say hello.

Who is the “our” I’m refering to? That would be my Shout Brigade partners. We’ve put together an amazingly creative team of accomplished designers, developers, writers and marketers who hail from the top ranks of DC area advertising and brand-building agencies and social media marketing, interactive and design firms.
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Naked Mountain Winery & Vineyards Web Design & Branding

I’ve been working on the full rebranding of Naked Mountain Winery & Vineyards and the project is almost complete so I just wanted to give a quick sneak peak into what is coming. Below is a screenshot of the client’s chosen web design mockup. You can see the new logo at the top of the mockup. The old website can be seen here.

Enhanced for Social Media Marketing

The new site is designed to enhance the winery’s upcoming social media marketing campaigns, as well as cater to their already loyal following. New owners Randy and Meagan Morgan are ready to take the winery to the next level and their efforts can be seen very soon. For updates on this project you can subscribe to my RSS feed, or connect directly with the winery via twitter, facebook, or their newsletter. Or better yet, take a trip out to see the winery for yourself and treat yourself to a tasting. The winery is less than an hour outside Washington, DC in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

Client: True Creative Services
Project: Naked Mountain Winery Rebranding & Web Design
Services: Branding, Web Design and Development, Search Engine Optimization (SEO, SEM), Social Media Marketing (SMM), WordPress Integration

Seth Haverkamp: A Showcase of His Amazing Paintings

Self Portrait

I am blown away every time I see a new painting by Washington, DC area local, and friend, Seth Haverkamp. I had to throw the “friend” part in there so I can brag that I know him when he becomes rich and famous. I’m not kidding about that last part, there is already quite a buzz about Seth’s paintings. He’s won numerous awards including Portrait Society of America’s Best of Show in 2008, and Stephen Doherty, the editor of American Artist magazine, has said of Seth, “I haven’t seen this much promise in a young artist in a long time.” So, if you’re in the market for an art investment or would like to commission a painting, you better grab him now before it’s too late. You can reach Seth via email at seth.haverkamp@gmail.com, by phone at 865.809.1631, or you can even attend one of his painting classes.

Below is just a handful of my favorite of Seth’s paintings, including a few paintings of his beautiful daughters. Hope you enjoy, and if you do, please share this with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.

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The Best Website Designs of Virginia Wineries and Vineyards

I am currently working on a complete rebranding and new website for Naked Mountain Winery & Vineyards. My very first process is to research my client’s competition, of which I found a great list of all Virginia wineries at VirginiaWine.org. I was dismayed to find that, out of the 190 wineries listed, only 8 of them had well designed sites. Most of the sites looked like they were designed in the 90′s and never updated since. Here is a showcase of the best website designs of Virginia Wineries and Vineyards:

Rappahannock Cellars

Easily the best designed Virginia Winery website. Great imagery, easy to navigate, social media integrated, perfect use of “call-to-actions,” and great presentation of wines.

Afton Mountain Vineyards

This is one of my favorites. This site is extremely inviting. The only criticism I have is that the homepage’s slideshow requires Flash which greatly limits accessibility to those great photos.

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Nick Galifianakis: New Website, New Book

I’ve been working on a website for my friend, Nick Galifianakis, a syndicated cartoonist. If your local paper carries the Carolyn Hax advice column, then you’ve most likely seen his work. Today I’ve rolled out a soft launch of his new website called Nick and Zuzu. Have a look and let me know what you think. We’re still in the testing phase so if you find any glitches let me know.

While you’re there you should pick up a copy of his new book, If You Loved Me, You’d Think This Was Cute: Uncomfortably True Cartoons About You, which is currently the top selling nonfiction paperback in the Washington, DC area. This is the same book in which Nick’s cousin Zach Galifianakis plugged his jacket “blurb” on Jimmy Fallon. It would make a great Christmas gift, or stocking stuffer.

New Website & Game Plan

This last year has been insane! The birth of my daughter, Stacie Maria, and the multitude of side-projects has caused me to completely neglect my own website and social media profiles. It’s been embarrassing to have to tell my web design and social media marketing clients, “Do as I say, not as I do.” That all changes today.

The New Website Design

I’ve decided to get back to the basics. This simple blog format will force me to post new content — no longer will my blog be hidden a few pages deep. There is also a new focus on selling myself as is implied by the extremely narcissistic version of my name/logo. Anyone coming to my site will definitely know my name. Actually the logo and design are just phase one of a pretty cool experimental idea that I have for the site. I should be able to launch phase two sometime in mid-December mid-February [updated]. With that said, this site is still in beta testing mode so if you notice any hiccups or issues, please let me know.

A New Focus on Social Media

I also wanted to start focusing on my Social Media Marketing services since it now accounts for the bulk of my new projects. You can find links to my profiles at the top of this page. and if you look at the very top of the site you will notice a link to subscribe to my Social Media Newsletter. I started this newsletter last year, but put it on hold while I was working on a new format. That new format has arrived with a new life and a new name, GorillaTweets. The newsletter will launch as a “fun and easy” approach to helping small business owners understand and use social media in order to grow their business. Too many of today’s social media marketing newsletters are too technical, and down-right boring. We think that the new formula we’ve come up with will be perfect for new and intermediate users of social media.

Lots of New Projects in the Works

I have quite a bit of new projects also launching soon. Projects will include a couple of free WordPress themes, of course GorillaTweets: A Social Media Survival Guide (mentioned above), the Give Heart Project, Coffeehouse Magazine, a reseller-based WordPress Design Project, and quite a few more in the works for next year. I know that’s kind of vague… you’ll just have to keep reading my blog to find out more. To keep up you can sign up for my newsletter, follow me via my RSS feed, start a project with me, or connect with me via my social media links at the top of the site.