Tech Savvy: Google Glass Leading The Pack

Usually at South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi), the startup companies and newcomers get a chance to shine. But this year, Google was the most talked about company at the event, with their innovative Google Glass product generating the most buzz. Google is set to release the augmented reality glasses sometime in the near future, and the hype surrounding these glasses is immense. How will these glasses change the way we use the internet, and social media? How will they change the way we interact with people and go about our lives? Stay tuned for more updates as the product is sure to crop up again and again until it is released. What would you do with Google glasses, and how would you use them for your business? Let us know!

BLG Creative Writer and Social Media Manager Jenna Allen

Internet Marketing 101: How To Buy A Domain Name

Marlee Ward shows you how to buy a domain name and firmly establish your business on the internet!

BLG Creative Writer and Social Media Manager Jenna Allen

Vine And The Shift To Visual

Most people today have seen a Tweet or a Facebook status, launched earlier this year Vine gives users the ability to share six seconds of their lives at a time. The format is video, which takes users away from the Tweet or Facebook status and gives them the option to share video snippets. So far this App is only available through the Apple App Store and is optimized for the Iphone 5, but works on Ipad and any Iphone. Overall the App is simple, login and then press the filming button. Once the camera is activated users simply hold their finger down for a second or two. The next step is to move the camera and hold your finger down again for a few seconds. In the end you’ve got a six second video of a few random clips, I personally have noticed that it is quite funny to add a random noise into the video!

The social aspect of this App relates to the feed of videos, which enables users to view other videos, share, and like. This App comes at a time when major social media companies are shifting to a more visual format. A few years ago Facebook and Twitter where all the talk, however today it seems more users are shifting to Instagram and Pinterest which share images. Vine acts to be another player in this image sharing movement by adding a new factor into this mix, social video.

Printed Marketing Materials: Are You Doing It Right?

The trick to creating compelling marketing materials is to avoid “About Me Marketing,” according to Marlee Ward, a savvy business coach and speaker. And I tend to agree with her. If a prospective client wants information on your company, they should be able to find it online, on your website or social media accounts. The purpose of your paper goods should be to captivate and grab the attention of the buyer and say what you can do for them. Talking about yourself should be kept to a minimum and instead you should address how you are exactly what your customer needs and how you can do what others can’t. Whatever you say about yourself, make it matter, and overall try to keep your language simple and concise. A great point that Marlee Ward mentions is to use testimonials – proof that you’re worth the time and money. And if you aren’t getting testimonials, it’s time you started.

For more advice on printed materials, check out Marlee’s post. Want more information on different types of marketing? Read these posts on Traditional Marketing vs. Online Marketing, and Digital Marketing to find out how you can market for your business.

BLG Creative Writer and Social Media Manager Jenna Allen

Does Your Business Need An App?

The all important question. You’ve got a website. You’ve got your social media sites. Does your business need an app? There are some important factors to take into consideration. Firstly, are your current/potential customers smartphone users? Statistics say that only 35% of Americans actually own a smartphone, so that’s 65% of people that won’t be influenced by your app. So you need to start off considering where your customers are, and whether an app would help your business.

Then, consider the time and money spent creating and maintaing a mobile app site. Do you have the budget and the hours necessary? Next, you have to think what your app would accomplish. Would it make your customer’s lives easier and would it save them money? These are things the average app purchaser takes into consideration when downloading apps that are functional and not for entertainment.

If you are in favour of creating an app, after weighing the benefits, you need to then figure out how to analyze how effective and successful the app is. Going by number of downloads isn’t sufficient, because you need to track active/repeat users, and not just the people who downloaded the app, used it once and never opened it again.

Want more advice on creating an app for your business? Check out this great article!

BLG Creative Writer and Social Media Manager Jenna Allen

Tech Tap: What’s New on the Technological Frontier

Every week there’s more and more fantastic technology coming out on the market, the newest gadgets and machines that stretch the imagination and make us wonder, “What will they think of next?” Well, the future is here, and these new innovations are sure to cause a stir.

Firstly, let’s tackle the phones. Ubuntu, a Linux based operating system, is releasing a phone that will effectively fill a niche in the market for corporate software that larger brands are ignoring – it would let you stream corporate software on your handset. For companies already using the Ubuntu system, this would definitely be a plus, and as the handset is set to be more secure it may even replace the Blackberry in the corporate world.

LG has officially announced that their HD smartphone, the Optimus G Pro, will be launched in Korea next week. How will this phone compete with those that are currently on the market? Well, LG has included some unique and nifty features like dual recording, so that the user can capture footage from both front and rear cameras simultaneously, and VR Panorama, so that the user can take a vertical or horizontal 360 degree panoramic image.

Now that we’ve covered the smartphones you need to know about, now let’s move on to the world of cloud storage. Originally created to compete with “the cloud,” the StormFly wristband lets you carry an entire operating system in a portable device that seamlessly switches between Mac and Mircrosoft. Can be used as a simple USB storage device, to house all your programs, or can be used for students and business folk who need to use multiple computers during the day without losing their work or changing the formats of their files. The possibilities are limitless. The device is available for pre-order on Kickstarter for just $59!

Lastly, I’d like to mention something that I find absolutely fascinating, and although it isn’t a new product on the market, the uses for the product are becoming more and more fantastical every day. I’m talking about 3D printers, and the innovators that are using them to create things like 3D Printed Houses and Robotic prosthetics that are changing the way we think about the world, and are surprisingly cheap to make. What will they think of next?

BLG Creative Writer and Social Media Manager Jenna Allen

In A Galaxy Not So Far Away…

This week I’ve talked a lot about the different styles of marketing, traditional and online (with it’s digital component), and today I wanted to give you a great example of how companies use digital marketing, because it really is something you should be actively trying to incorporate into your business. To recap, digital marketing is the use of an electronic device in order to market a product to consumers. This can mean your smartphone, your tablet, your laptop etc. A really ingenious way that some companies choose to do this is through games.

For example, a game that you cannot have failed to hear about is Angry Birds. What started out as a simple smartphone game has turned into it’s own franchise, with merchandise and spinoff games and spots in other company’s TV commercials. There is even a blog dedicated to all things Angry Birds, but mostly importantly the spin off version: Angry Birds Star Wars. This is a marketing masterpiece, because it gives fans of the game a new theme and new levels, and it also advertises for the Star Wars movies that are being re-released in cinemas this year. Great marketing, great concept, excellent delivery.

But you don’t need the budget of the Angry Bird’s team to make an impact on your consumers. You just have to be creative, think outside the box, and use the tools you have to your advantage. There are plenty of great ways that you can reach out to your customers and interact with them, draw them in and engage with them, and they don’t have to be time consuming or costly. Having texts sent out or emails with deals or a survey for feedback are just a couple of ways that you can interact with your customers and they don’t have to take up your entire day. How do you engage with your customers, and how do you plan to incorporate digital marketing into your company in the future?

Get Views, Get Clicks, Get Fans: Help From An Infographic

This is a great infographic that applies to all sorts of social media and gives great advice on how to get more people to view (and share) your content across all media platforms.

My personal takeaway from this was definitely centered around number 9 – “Breaking Up A Long Post.” I agree, one should always proofread their work before they publish it (always embarrassing to have your errors pointed out afterwards) and I would love to have a guest writer on this blog (any takers?), but I think keeping posts short and sweet and breaking up longer posts into segments is definitely an important take away. Check out the inforgraphic below, and let me know what you thought the most important points were, and how you’ll use them to improve your social media!

Source: ticsyformacion.com via Beyond Limits Group inc. on Pinterest

A Marketer’s Guide to Pinterest

A really interesting video on what marketers need to know about Pinterest, and why they should be on there in the first place!

Digital Marketing, Digital Champions

On Monday we talked about traditional marketing vs. online marketing, and today’s post is a follow-up, focusing on another marketing strategy: digital marketing. Digital marketing uses electronic devices – phones, electronic billboards, computers, tablets, games consoles etc. – in order to market a product to consumers. Digital marketing literally puts in you in people’s homes, in their daily lives, in the palm of their hands. It goes hand in hand with online marketing, and therefore it is definitely something you should take advantage of for your business.

This means making sure your website and/or blog is smartphone and tablet compatible so people can access it on the go. You could think about investing in an “app” for your business, and using internet marketing strategies like sending texts or emails so people can access them on their smartphones too. Perhaps you could invest in an electronic billboard for your store that scrolls through your offerings and daily deals? The possibilities are endless, so start brainstorming on the many ways that digital marketing could help you and your business. Got any suggestions? Please share!

BLG Creative Writer and Social Media Manager Jenna Allen