Posts Tagged ‘Apple’

 

Five Reasons Google Will Open Stores in 2013

Monday, February 18th, 2013

“Google” is no longer a term for a mere search engine–it’s a brand extending beyond software and free e-mail accounts. As the brand grows, so does the business model.

Many sources (such as this one and this one) agree that consumers may see Google brick and mortar stores before the 2013 holiday season. Why?

Here’s five reasons…

1. Google Glass

Have you ever bought a pair of glasses without trying them on first? Probably not (though that trend might change).

Even if you did purchase glasses online, if they ended up costing upwards of $600 a pair, you might want to try before you buy.

Google Glass, currently in prototype, will soon make its appearance on the street, and Google wants you to put them on and fall in love with them–something that can only be done in a brick and mortar Google store.

2. Chromebooks

For the same reason consumers head to the Apple store to try out the iPad or newest iPhone, Chromebooks will need some hands on experience to achieve any market dominance.

3. Nexus and Motorola Gadgets

With the acquisition of  Nexus as well as Motorola Mobility, Google’s hardware list continues to grow substantially. 

4. Driverless Cars

No matter how hi-tech our culture grows to be, we’ll still need salespeople.

While you’re tapping away on that Chromebook, wearing the Google Glass device or learning about the newest smartphones, you just might have a few questions about those text-safely-while-the-car-does-the-driving automobiles. While Google says they’ll be ready in 3-5 years, regulators might be a bit slower on the uptake.

5. Google Needs a Face

In a recent , Apple CEO Tim Cook said that “there’s no better place to discover, explore and learn about our products than in retail.” The same holds true for Google.

Additionally, Cook noted that “the average store last year was over 50 million in revenue.” Perhaps opening Google brick and mortar stores is really about money?

Think so?

12 Social Media Resolutions for 2013

Monday, December 31st, 2012

Even if you’re not making any personal New Year’s resolutions, you may want to make a few social media resolutions for the year to come. Here’s a list of some of the most important.

1. Stop using SMS.

Apple’s iMessage as well as applications like WhatsApp will bring the decline of the traditional text message.

2. Join Tout, the Twitter service for video.

Tout may do for video what Twitter did for 140 characters. Check it out.  

3. Tame down the colors.

Remember when webpages were black, dark and heavy feeling? Yes, those days are behind us. In 2013 we’ll see even more focus on photos, clean design and lighter colors.

4. Use the word ‘guru’ less when referring to social media experts.

The term “guru” was vastly overused in 2012. It’s time to move on. Sensei anyone? Maybe.

 5.  Get a decent profile picture on Twitter.

Unless you want yourself or your brand to be associated with a faceless egg shape, get a profile picture. A decent one at that. More Twitter tips for the non-savvy tweeter here. 

6. Connect offline too.

Yes, social media is a great vehicle to connection, but vehicles aren’t the destination–a coffee shop might be

7. Support a start-up.

A quick visit to Kickstarter’s discover page will give you a glimpse into the technology of the future–right now.

8. Use more pictures, less verbiage.

Yes, content is still king, but visual content is even more powerful.

9. Join the cloud.

From Amazon to Google Drive, the cloud is here to stay.

10. Ensure all websites and blogs you operate are responsive sites (learn what a ‘responsive’ site is by here).

People are consuming content via mobile platforms at an astronomically growing rate–make it responsive.

11. Get on Google+ and Pinterest.

They’re not only not going away, they’re growing. It’s time to jump in if you haven’t already. 

12. Social media for business moves from ‘what is it’ to ‘how do we use it?’

Margie Clayman @MargieClayman– Vice President of Client Services, Clayman Marketing Communications, Inc.  “I predict that in 2013 small businesses will start seeing social media more as a tool and less as an entity unto itself.  Instead of asking what social media is, they will ask how they should be using it and why.  In the end, this will increase the effectiveness of their social media marketing efforts.”