Now as skeptical as I was about Google Plus at first, I have to say I’m really starting to love it. Google finally seems to get social. This platform- while very easy to use- offers countless opportunities to make this social media platform unique and spectacular. In fact, the innovation is already starting to happen. Earlier this week, KOMU News, the NBC affiliate in mid-Missouri, did a...
The Single Feature That Will Make Or Break Google Plus
Google is no stranger to the social media scene. After two failed attempts with Google Wave and Buzz, it’s hoping that their third service, Google Plus, will finally be a smashing success. After playing around with it for awhile, I’d have to say this is their best, socially-integrated service yet. The one thing that will likely determine their success isn’t even on Google Plus...
Farewell Groupon! Is This The Beginning of The End For Daily Deal Sites?
Daily deals, group-buying and coupons. Our society loves them. We even have TV shows about them. Don’t believe me, just watch TLC’s “Extreme Couponing.” (Note: This is what happens when Confessions of a Shopalcoholic meets Hoarders. They have stock piles upon stock piles of all the free uber-processed food crap and cleaning supplies they can get their hands on.) First...
5 Reasons Why Marketers Need To Think Like Journalists
For those who don’t know, I have a journalism degree. A little over a year ago, I left the journalism rollercoaster ride for the world of marketing and PR. That being said, there isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t use something I learned while working in a newsroom. For some reason, this surprises people. And as someone, who has made this transition, there’s tons of...
Social Media Revolution 2011 (VIDEO)
Still think there is no ROI for social media? Think again. Best-selling author Erik Qualman recently released the latest installment of his “Social Media Revolution Video.” Here are some of the astounding stats. Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the U.S. 1 in 5 divorces are blamed on Facebook. Kindergarteners are learning on ipads NOT chalkboards. If Facebook were a country...
7 Community Management Lessons Learned From Working In Fast Food
For those who didn’t know, my very first job as a 16 year old was to work as a cashier and sandwich maker at a Wendy’s in a mall food court. To say the least, it wasn’t a glamorous job. In fact, I hated most things about working there, but I hung in there. Anyways looking back, I realized I learned a lot about myself and about others from my time in the not-so-glamorous fast...
Is Your College Diploma A Piece of Crap?
Professional success is a funny thing. For so many, we follow a traditional path: Graduate high school, go to college, choose a “responsible major,” graduate college, get a job, work hard, and then professional success will follow. Maybe, throw graduate school into the mix at some point. That’s the mindset that most people have. For a long time, myself included. A lot of people...
13 Signs Your Company Website May Be Obsolete
It’s hard to imagine that the web, as we know it, has only been around for about 20 years. In that time frame, web design has evolved tremendously. Unfortunately, some companies haven’t gotten that memo and have websites that are still stuck in the 90s. Here’s 13 signs your company website may be obsolete. 1. The site was originally designed on Geocities. Enough, said? 2. Two...
Are We Sharing Too Much Information Online About Our Families?
Recently, a video surfaced on Youtube about a little girl playing with a dead squirrel, which quickly went viral. Aside from the less-than-trivial point of why anyone would let their child play with a potentially disease-invested dead animal, it raises a much larger issue at hand. Why did the parents film the girl playing with the animal and then post it on Youtube for the entire world to see...
The Trouble With Instant Gratification
We take shortcuts all the time. Some may argue, it’s hardwired in our DNA to look for the easy route. We rationalize it to ourselves over and over again. It will save time. It will save money It’s the smart move. No, it’s the right move. How about it? It just feels good. It’s a form of instant gratification. But, can you really base your success off instant gratification...