SnapHawk Blog

Americans get so caught up in their use of smart phones, laptops, and tablets that we often take access to technology for granted. Many of us think that having Internet access is a given. We can’t imagine going about our daily lives without Internet, let alone without a computer. But many Americans are less concerned about their favorite new Internet app than about actually paying for Internet. The concept of a digital divide is often thought of on a global scale so the divide in the U.S. is often overlooked; but, the F.C.C. is trying to do something about the digital divide here in the U.S. 

The New York Times outlines the program but we provide an overview here for quick reference: With the help of tech companies who will provide software and major cable and Internet providers the F.C.C. is working to bring access to low income families in the United States. There service will be $9.99 a month and IBM is refurbishing computers to be bought for $150 with the help of micro-financing provided by Morgan Stanley.

Do “123456”, “abc123”, and “Qwerty” look familiar to you? That’s probably because they are some of the most popular passwords around. If you’re like most people, then these examples or some variation of them may have been one of passwords at some point. Because we’re living in the age of awesome, but sometimes frustrating technology, a lot of our personal data is stored on the Internet, which makes us all potentially vulnerable if personal data were to fall into the wrong hands.

With all the recent hackings in the news, it’s imperative that you secure your personal and business accounts to the fullest extent. We here at SnapHawk always try to inspire tech awesomeness and marketing savvy so the following are some helpful tips that should amp up your security and let you continue managing your Internet marketing campaign, business, and overall lifestyle smoothly.

Google has rolled out a new preview function for organic search results which allows users to view a portion of the landing page without actually visiting the website; they simply need to click the magnifying glass icon next to the search link.  The preview tool highlights text related to the user’s search input, making it easier for a user to quickly compare search results and decide which page looks most useful. The new feature will undoubtedly affect website traffic, but whether for better or worse is a matter of debate.

Late last month, Mozilla revealed a new interface feature for Firefox called “Tab Sets” (formerly called “Tab Candy”)  that is poised to revolutionize and organize the way you browse the Web.  Tab Sets allow users to organize their tabs into separate spaces, or sets, and gives a full window view of their layout.  This new feature will be available within Firefox 4 Beta 4, to be released on August 23.  With Internet Explorer 9 and Chrome 6 set to be released soon, this feature could set Firefox apart from the competition.

Over the past few days, I have had the chance to play around and experiment with Tab Sets.  So far, my impression has been overwhelmingly positive. I have been known to have up to 30 tabs open at one time in the same window.  Some might call me a tab addict.  I often google something, open search results in new tabs, browse a little, and then think of something else to google.  Often I am hesitant to close a tab because I’m not sure if I’ll need to come back to it.  The result is a bunch of tabs crammed on the small strip at the top of the browser.  With Tab Sets, I don’t have to worry about the number of pages I have open, because I can now organize the tabs into separate sets.

A lot can be learned from successful author, marketer and blogger, Seth Godin.  One of Godin’s key points throughout his written work and in his blog post topics is that the best way to market a product is to generate buzz.  Often times this buzz is generated through word-of-mouth where friends spread the word to other friends, inherently building a trust factor into the marketing surrounding an idea or consumer good.

Marketing and advertising have traditionally been known to interrupt us during activities we would prefer to do more than watch an ad.  Commercials on TV, pop-up ads on the Internet, and distracting billboards on the highway all tend to get in the way of our everyday lives, leading us to ignore and disregard them at any opportunity.

Think how your behavior has changed. Looking up a telephone number... Yellow Pages, online search, or mobile phone? The Yellow Pages hard copy is significantly smaller than it was even 2 years ago. Need information about a customer or a competitor. Where do you go? Shopping for a product or service. Where do you go?

The shift has happened from offline marketing to online marketing. Newspapers, television, radio and magazines have lost substantial segments of their audiences. Consumers and businesses have shifted their behavior from traditional offline to online and this shift will continue at a rapid pace...

Have you ever thought about the way your office space motivates workers, promotes their creativity, or increases productivity? Twitter reinforces their bird-centric branding with designs like the one at left, and we’ve all heard of extraordinary work facilities like the GooglePlex, Facebook’s HQ, or Pixar’s campus which have revolutionized the definition for “cubicle.” Now game rooms, cafeterias, work out centers, colorful paint and super-shiny and sleek furniture are part of the mix. And don’t forget Red Bull London’s office with an enormous slide for traveling between floors. Now that’s introducing a playful vibe into the workplace!

Talk about taking branding to a whole new level. Do you think your mind would gravitate more strongly toward your company’s unique qualities, vision and overall marketing strategy if you were surrounded by physical reminders throughout your day?

Perhaps you’re not ready to make the plunge toward a totally-futuristic office design, but you want to incorporate something a little new and funky. Check out these wild and off the wall products for introducing a little zaniness into your space. You never know: it may spark more imagination than you expect!

The analytic capability now possible for measuring online behavior is astounding, and it’s only going to get better.  Amazingly, we are only in the infancy period of what is actually going to be feasible with website analytics in the future.  Even now, analytics enables smart business decisions and advertising that is more relevant, targeted, and cost efficient than anything in marketing history.  With all of the powerful tools available, though, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of data that’s out there. 

Mark Jeffery’s Data-Driven Marketing gives techniques to simplify this abundant data with 15 metrics.  Five of these easy-to-understand metrics are directly related to search engine marketing (SEM), and can help you determine which strategies are effective and which are allowing you to lose money.  Of course there are other metrics out there, but Jeffery’s are important to consider in the ongoing evolution of website analytics, and are relatively simple and easy to apply.   Below is a brief overview of how each metric can work for you.