Some of the best agencies from around the world haven't seemed to get the picture yet that mobile is becoming an important playing field.

Compliments of Nick Jones @ Narrow Design:

http://www.narrowdesign.com/future/

“We find that people quickly evaluate a site by visual design alone.” —Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility, 2002

Very cool visualization of twitter activity during the MTV Video Music Awards:

http://www.mtv.com/netstorage/mtvncorpstor.download.akamai.com/8620/radian6/ttl1m/app/snapshot/

With Apple's zealistic decision to ban flash from the Ipad and Iphone the web has become a confusing place to post usable and standardized video content.

I would like to clarify some of the video parameters for you and give you some relevant information for future discussions. Unfortunately, it seems that no one Web Browser can agree on a standard format.

Ultimately, my point is that you shouldn’t be using video to provide your necessary points for three reasons anyway:

1. Lack of a standardized video formats
2. Possible lack of audio
3. Possible lack of an acceptable internet connection.

Remember people go to YouTube to watch video for entertainment, so if they can’t comfortably watch video they are out of luck.

You don’t want to tell one of your clients/customer that they are out of luck.

Here are some drawbacks of HTML 5:

1. It only works for about 25% of the population: you must be running the latest versions of Safari, Chrome, or IE with Chrome Frame installed.

2. Internet Explorer 8 has no HTML5 video support at all, but virtually all Internet Explorer users will have the Adobe Flash plugin.

3. It cannot go full screen. Unfortunately this is a limitation of the browsers right now. We are working on adding at least full-window support in the next day or so.

4. There is no single combination of containers and codecs that works in all HTML5 browsers. This is not likely to change in the near future.

5. To make your video watchable across all of these devices and platforms, you’re going to need to encode your video more than once ( at least 3 times ).

Here are some drawbacks of Flash:

- It does not work on an Ipad or Ipod/Iphone!!!!!!!!

Ultimately you will want to link to all three video files from a single video element, and fall back to a Flash-based video player.

Here is a great link if you want to get deeper into this:
http://diveintohtml5.org/video.html#what-works

Enabling people to register using an existing identity from Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo,
or other provider is one of the most powerful registration tools to emerge in the last
few years. Registering people through an established online identity not only
streamlines the registration process but also gives your business a head start on
building deeper relationships with them.

As with any optimization effort, the devil is in the details. An effective system
requires as much attention to user experience as to technology. The most successful
implementations follow these seven best practices:

1. Put social network brands to work

2. Provide identity options

3. Communicate the value

4. Apply available data

5. Link accounts

6. Create visual cues

7. Analyze to optimize

Best practice #1: Put social network brands to work on your home page
Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo and the other providers are powerful brands that
can help increase registration rates simply through brand recognition and affinity.
Best practice is to display a minimum of three social network icons on the home
page, and above the fold, to indicate that visitors can sign in using a social network

Best practice #2: Offer multiple identity options
A key goal of every site should be to maximize the number of people who are able to
register using an existing identity. The best way to do this is to offer people their
choice of identities to use on your site, and at least three choices at a minimum.
Identity providers include social networks, webmail platforms and other OpenID
issuers such as Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Microsoft, Google, and LinkedIn.

Best Practice #3: Provide a reason to register – and use an existing identity
Fox news does a terrific job of explaining to new visitors why they should register: it’s
required to comment. They even demonstrate how they will personalize the
experience for visitors who sign in.

Best practice #4: Apply available data to streamline the registration process
One of the benefits of registering people via existing identities, from social networks
to webmail platforms, is the ability to collect and apply publicly available information
to streamline the registration process.
This is an enormous win for marketers, solving the age-old tradeoff between
collecting the information needed to personalize the site experience and
communicate with the user while keeping the registration process short and simple to
reduce abandonment rates.

Best practice #5: Link existing accounts with social network accounts
When a previously registered user chooses to subsequently sign in to a website with
an existing identity, don’t create a duplicate record. Best practice is to link existing
account information, history and preferences with their social network account or
accounts.

Best practice #6: Give visual cues that a user has successfully completed the
sign in or registration process
When the registration or sign in process is complete, give the user clear confirmation.
Put a checkmark on the platform icon or gray it out, display the user’s existing profile
picture, and most importantly greet them by name. Don’t leave them wondering if
their registration was successful, and don’t waste the opportunity to begin building on
the strong foundation you have established for the relationship. In the following
examples, citybizlist.com displays the user’s photo and a welcome message
containing the user’s name.

Best Practice #7: Analyze to Optimize
Testing can help you determine which are the most important identity providers to
display on your own site. User preferences can vary significantly. For example, while
Facebook is the choice of approximately 50% of visitors across all sites, 45% of
people choose Twitter as their preferred identity on news sites.

Source Credit: Gigya's Social Optimization Solutions

A s a small business owner, you’re always looking for ways to close more sales and grow your business. And by now you’ve either adopted email marketing, or you will shortly. After all, email marketing is easy, fast, inexpensive, and, in most cases, yields the highest ROI. Which is great for you – the small business owner. However…before you send another email, consider this: the majority of entrepreneurs have no idea how to use email marketing effectively. And they’re losing out on thousands, even millions of dollars because of it.

The key to creating successful, effective email marketing campaigns is tied up in 3 critical (but little known) techniques:

1. Use Segmentation to Send ONLY Relevant Messages “Stop Blasting Emails to Your Entire Contact List!”

No single email will be relevant to EVERYONE on your list. But without segmentation, you have no idea who’ll respond. Effective email marketing requires you to know everything you can about your contacts. You should know their name, gender, email address, location, marital status and career, as well as:

• Their interests, particularly as they relate to your products and/or services
• When and what they last purchased
• Whether they open and click on emails
• Their behaviors (wouldn’t you like to know if a prospect had been visiting your website?)

With these details, you always have the chance to send targeted, relevant messages. Messages that get results! That is what makes the difference between you and millions of other small business owners.

2. Keep Your Email Marketing Consistent and Predictable “There’s No Excuse for Losing Touch or Breaking Trust!”

Just because you’re strapped for time doesn’t mean you should neglect your contacts. Your contacts deserve consistent, valuable communication from you whether you have one lead or a million. And they’re more likely to buy if you are someone they can trust…not just the person who sends them a promotional email once in a while. Once in a while does not build relationships. Ironically, most small business owners send emails when they want to run a promotion or when their sales numbers are down. Then, they can’t figure out
why no one is buying. No one is buying because your customers and prospects are working on their time. Not yours. And your only hope of closing additional sales is to be there at the exact moment your contacts decide to buy. Chances are, that moment will not occur the last two days of the month.

With an advanced email marketing system, you will always be there when your contacts need you. Because you can stay in touch with ALL of those people, you can:

• Follow up with new prospects when they request a free report
• Let contacts know about upcoming events
• Send weekly tips and tricks of your industry
• Immediately send out emails about Product A
• Deliver a monthly newsletter

Devote the necessary time and resources to making your email marketing consistent. If you promise to send a monthly newsletter, than you better send out a newsletter. If someone expresses an interest in your free report, you better email that free report right away (and follow up to make sure they received it).

You need to be someone they can count on to keep in touch. And you need to be someone who follows through on expectations.

There’s no excuse for losing touch or breaking trust. Consistently sending emails to your prospects and customers will help enhance your relationships and lead to a significant increase in sales.

3. Include Multi-media Along with Your Email Marketing “Email Itself is Not a Marketing ‘Cure-all’!”

As we’ve mentioned, email marketing works! And when done right, it works well. So why in the world would you want to use any other form of marketing? Well, the bottom line is that email is not a marketing “Cure-all.” Other forms of marketing fill different needs and produce different emotional and psychological responses. And depending on the purpose of your marketing message, you may want to consider an alternative form of communication.

For example:

What would a new customer of yours prefer to receive…an email thanking them for their purchase? Or a letter and free gift, welcoming them into your business family? Chances are, the email would be deleted before it’s even read. Sending a thank you email has become almost a formality. It’s great for you, because it’s fast and takes very little thought.

But what are you trying to achieve by sending a thank-you email? Wouldn’t you have greater success at creating loyal, repeat customers if you sent that gift?

Even with segmentation, email marketing has lost some of the personal connection customers and prospects like to feel. It’s mechanical and can be easily mass produced. Your prospects and customers know that. By incorporating multi-media into your marketing efforts, you’re showing your contacts that they are more than just a name on a list. They are someone worth spending time on.

Case Study:

Months ago, a fast-food chain discovered the value of multimedia marketing. Statistically, Tuesday afternoon was their slowest time of the week. Then, they tapped into the power of text messaging and turned Tuesday into their busiest day. How did they do it? By texting their contacts on Tuesday (midafternoon) and inviting them to enjoy a sandwich at a
discounted rate. Sending an email could never produce the same results. It had to be text. This company found an effective way to reach busy, stay-at-home moms and the people who were running errands during their lunch breaks. Sending an email could never produce the same results. The text had to come right as people were getting hungry.

That is why you need to incorporate multi-media. The use of multi-media enhances everything you’re doing with email marketing. It gives you a chance to communicate more effectively and ensure you’re connecting (in one way or another) with everyone in your database.

Credit Source: Infusionsoft

Why Social Networking?

Through social networking, people can use networks of online friends and group memberships to keep in touch with current friends, reconnect with old friends or create real–life friendships through similar interests or groups. Besides establishing important social relationships, social networking members can share their interests with other like–minded members by joining groups and forums. Some networking can also help members find a job or establish business contacts.

Most social networking websites also offer additional features. In addition to blogs and forums, members can express themselves by designing their profile page to reflect their personality. The most popular extra features include music and video sections. Members can read bios of their favorite music artists from the artist's profile page as well as listen to their favorite songs and watch music videos. The video section can include everything from member–generated videos from hundreds of subjects to TV clips and movie trailers.

What to Look For in Social Networking

The phenomenon of online social networking—made extremely popular by MySpace.com , has evolved to include more than the teenage stereotype looking to expand his/her network of online friends. People of all ages and backgrounds have discovered that they can enrich their lives through the contacts they make on a social networking website. Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate Social Networking websites.

Profiles
The heart and soul of social networking sites are user’s personal profiles. It’s like their own Internet sanctuary, a place where they can express their thoughts and feelings, post photographs and show off their network of friends. The most popular social network websites put a strong emphasis on the user’s profile, making it easy to use yet still reflective of the user’s personality.

Security
The Internet can be a dangerous place to post personal information. All social networks should provide the ability to set profiles to private in some way or another. Additionally they should have the ability to report and block users.

Networking Features
A good social network goes above and beyond just allowing users to post profiles and update pictures. Additional features should include music sections, video uploads, groups and more.

Search
The object of a social network is to find friends and expand relationships. Top social networking websites allows members to search for other members in a safe and easy to use environment. Common search functions include search by name, city, school and email address.

Help/Support
Most social network sites are self-explanatory. However, in the off-chance a user needs help there needs to be some way to contact the webmaster or answers in an FAQs section.

Legitimate Friend Focus
The growing trend for social networks is to communicate and keep in touch with people you already know. No one wants to be inundated with unsolicited spam friend requests. The best social network sites keep profiles and search options private enough that the only people that can find you are the ones actually looking for users in their own school or neighborhood networks. Even with a completely public profile, users shouldn’t be bothered with more than a couple of unsolicited comments or messages.

Info Source from TopTenReviews.com

Performics is a Publicis-owned company that focuses on digital marketing optimization including assessments of how consumers talk about brands on the social web. It conducted an online survey of U.S. consumers who access at least one social network regularly and determined what kind of impact social networking has on the purchase process. 34% of social networkers had taken action on an ad they had seen on a social networking site by doing a further search on the product, while 30% had learned about a new product while on a social networking site. One quarter of respondents were making product recommendations while social networking.

Now, more than ever, properly implementing SEO strategies into your marketing is critical. Consider an effectively optimized website and remarkable, relevant content a virtual sales force that points potential customers in your direction 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! In the consumer-friendly marketplace we all do business in today, providing quality information that aids in your customer’s decision-making process will go a long way towards them doing business with you.

The following are some questions you need to ask yourself to help you realize how crucial SEO is to your company’s long-term growth:

What kind of advertising are you doing presently? Traditional forms of advertising include commercials, print ads, direct mailers, and billboards. If you’re still utilizing these mediums, you have to look at their cost vs. their return. Are you getting a large amount of business from these particular mediums? If the answer is no, the reason is that your customer base has turned to the Internet to search for your particular goods and services. That being the case, you need to be assured those customers are finding you, and SEO will help you do that.

What sort of web presence do you have right now? The customers are already online, so you have to be as well. You need to be on the most popular sites, like Google, Facebook, and other sites that people frequent on a daily basis. By providing the answers people are looking for, as well as pointing them in the right direction (your website), you instantly build credibility and your web presence will skyrocket!

Are your competitors using the Internet to promote their business? This is a no-brainer. If they are, then so should you. Obviously your competitors have seen the value of promoting themselves online, and not taking the same action means you’re literally allowing them to steal business from you at will.

How important is a new customer in terms of cash flow and referrals? Is your business in a position to grow by taking on an ample amount of new customers? If your answer is yes, then you need to stake your claim to a piece of the Internet pie! By effectively optimizing your websites and content through sound SEO strategies, you position yourself for growth. Your client list has the potential to grow along with the Internet because people will be able to find you, build trust in you, and refer others your way.

A very important question you need to ask yourself is this: Is my business right for SEO services? To answer this, consider what an additional 5-10 customers a month would mean to your business dynamic. If you are like most, an increase that significant calls for celebration!

With Internet Marketing and SEO, the way you do business changes. You have the ability to communicate, educate, interact, share, and establish trust with clients. And as the Internet continues to evolve, it’s important you jump on the bandwagon and evolve as well because it’s going nowhere but forward.

Source credit: Linxone Solutions

Both consumers and the media are obsessed with social media. Popular social networking sites, such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, are experiencing unprecedented growth and inspiring marketers in new and exciting ways. Smart companies—large and small—realize that the opportunities presented by social media are too good to pass up.

The Web continues to evolve from a one-way communications medium to a two-way conversational medium, giving consumers greater control and increasing marketing complexity. Not only can individual and business buyers easily research all available choices from suppliers and vendors, but they can also dialogue with experts and other consumers. They can easily ignore irrelevant marketing communications and turn their attention elsewhere instantaneously. And they ultimately make the purchase decisions that give them the best solutions to their problems—and the best user experiences.

Consequently, to influence purchase behavior of individuals and businesses, we marketers must keep abreast of how our customers and prospects use new and rapidly changing forms of digital communications. To be effective, it is critical to have up-to-date information about where our customers are on the Web, what will get their attention, and, in the end, what drives their buying decisions. In order to develop our marketing plans and implement go-to-market tactics, we must stay current on rapidly changing benchmarks, metrics, and trends in the customers’ use of interactive media.

Roy Young
President
MarketingProfs