The arrival of Facebook’s much-loved EdgeRank algorithm means that reaching high levels of engagement and impressions have become even harder to achieve than ever before. Simply put, EdgeRank soon became the key factor in determining which posts, content and updates appeared in users ‘news feeds’. It is no longer a case of posting content out in the hope that it appears for all your fans to see, and in many cases, the amount of content that appears in fan news feeds is reduced to as little as just 10 per cent. In light of this, a number of brands, online Public Relations companies and page administrators are eager to uncover as much information about Facebook’s EdgeRank algorithm as possible

Despite EdgeRank no longer being the new kid on the block, many social media administrators still haven’t fully got to grips with how the algorithm works, with an even larger number of people still unfamiliar with its existence entirely. As a result, a large number of brand Facebook pages still continue to fall short of effectively reaching their audience. Additionally, with Facebook’s recent f8 announcements hinting even further towards a shifting focus upon engagement, the importance of getting it right with regards to EdgeRank and the creation of interactive content has never been so relevant.

So how does EdgeRank work?

Despite a number of various considerations, the key contributing factors as to how EdgeRank assigns scores to each individual post and page are thought to be:

1. Affinity

2. Weight

3. Time.

Essentially, EdgeRank examines the engagement and interactions (or ‘affinity’) that a user has with any content posted and increases or decreases the ‘weight‘ (or relevance) that is applied to future content appearing in user feeds.

For example, if a user has previously commented or ‘liked’ posts from a particular brand, the likelihood that future content will appear in their news feed from that brand is much higher than if the user doesn’t interact with the content.

The ‘time‘ element here is also a key factor, with the longer a post has been out there, the less weight it carries – making it vital for page administrator to time posts tailored to when their audience is most likely to be online and using Facebook.

From a consumer perspective, these three factors combined ensure that fans are seeing content in their news feeds that is more likely to be of interest and relevance to them based on past interactions. From a brand perspective it means taking the time to carefully plan and create content that will be engaging, rich, relevant and that will tie in with the everyday interactions and lifestyle of users and fans.

How can I improve my EdgeRank score?

Increasing the affinity between your content and your audience is no easy task. However, there are certainly a number of key tactics that can be employed to better your chances of increasing engagement and as a result improving your Facebook EdgeRank score that your content and page carries.

Assets – Facebook posts that include videos, photos and links carry more weight than posts without. As a result, it has now become important to not only draft the right content, but to also ensure that you have the right assets to accompany your posts. Additionally, from a user experience point-of-view, creating assets that jump out of user news feeds due to intriguing and unique visuals are far more likely to receive engagement and grab the attention of users than those that are simply stand-alone text or links.

Include a clear call-to-action – Something that a large number of brand pages still don’t make the most of is the simple use of a clear or exciting call-to-action within wall posts. Often, the simplest calls to action such as ‘click Like’ or ‘this versus that’ turn out to be the most engaging. As a result, these types of  ’high engagement’ posts should regularly be balanced with more detailed posts on an ongoing basis. However, even when posting a more detailed post, including a call-to-action is essential in order to increase the chances of reaching the most effective level of engagement.

Variety - Adding variety to the types of posts not only makes for a richer user experience but also contributes significantly to your EdgeRank score. A few examples of different types of posts include videos, images, polls and links. Of course, within each of these types of posts there is then another layer – in that each video, image or link posted should also be different from the next. It’s always a good idea to minimize the repetition of assets as much as possible.

Links – It is important to include links where relevant within posts, however, linking to the same source more than once should always be avoided. Despite the common misconception that your Facebook page can be used to constantly drive traffic towards a particular web page or promotion via a link, the more frequent the same link is used, the less weight it actually carries. As a result, it is less likely future posts including that link will show up within user news feeds. Using link shorteners such as bit.ly to change the link can have a slightly positive effect; however, this is only slight.

Timing & frequency – Monitoring your posts to find out what is the best time to reach your audience is also very important, as the longer the content has been posted, the less weight it carries. Additionally, experimenting with the frequency of posting helps to ensure content strategies are more effective by discovering how many posts is the optimum amount to put out each day and week. Posting too much can often appear spammy and should always be avoided. However, if you are not posting enough you may be missing out on opportunities to reach your audience. Finding this balance is key.

With an increasing number of brands looking to social media as a key part of their overall marketing and PR campaigns, it is important to always keep in mind the fact that Facebook and the way it works as a platform is constantly evolving. In light of this, the introduction of key algorithm changes such as EdgeRank mean that, for brands and social media agencies like us, SOS eMarketing, the key is to not only stay up-to-date with how these algorithms work, but also to become adaptable in their approach, constantly monitoring and tweaking their tactics in order to ensure that each social media outreach campaign is as effective as possible.

The key factor at the heart of any successful Facebook campaign is still engagement and the creation of content that is exciting, unique, and interactive.

SOS eMarketing creates engaging experiences for customers in the digital world.

Contact SOS eMarketing for more information about small business marketing, mobile marketing, internet marketing, blogging, branding, video marketing, luxury marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, Facebook Ads, Facebook Marketing, YouTube Video Marketing, Linkedin Marketing, branding, and integrated eMarketing

Contact

David Schwartz
SOS eMarketing
www.sosemarketing.com
760.345.5069
davidschwartz@sosemarketing.com

Almost two-thirds of U.S. adults use social networking sites

It’s no surprise that over 80% of Millennials (ages 18-29) use social networks; what is striking is how many middle aged and older shoppers are actively using social networks, including 62% of Gen X adults (34-45), 50% of Younger Boomers (46-55) and 43% of Older Boomers (56-64).

More and more shoppers are using social media to follow retailers. In fact almost one-third of online consumers in a recent survey said they visit official retail or consumer product company’s Facebook pages at least once a month, up over 12% from last year. Why? They’re searching for sales and promotions followed by seeking more information about a specific retailer or products (29%).

Companies must up their investments in social media to stay relevant. The good news is that social media provides a number of opportunities to engage loyal shoppers and grow sales—in a way and at a lower cost than is possible with traditional media. Here are a few ways can use social media to drive loyalty and sales:

1. Engage buyers with special offers. Even with purchase data, the best a retailer can know about a shopper is how much she spends and how frequently she shops. Facebook and other social networking services allow retailers to engage shoppers who identify themselves as fans with promotions and special offers. For example, Kroger has run several successful Deal of the Day promotions tied to its Cart Buster in-store sales event. The offers are featured prominently on Kroger’s Facebook page and provide extra savings or free items. In many cases, the CPGs partnering with Kroger have also featured the Cart Buster deals on their own Facebook and social media properties, driving incremental traffic.

2. Spread the word. By its nature, social media encourage users to share information with their friends. Retailers can take advantage of this behavior both to drive word of mouth on both social networking and their own sites. For example, Hunt’s and Kroger recently ran a social media promotion that drove significant word of mouth. Shoppers were given the choice of downloading a digital coupon for $1 off on three cans of select Hunt’s products. If the shopper shared the offer with three friends, however, she could save even more with a Buy One, Get One Free coupon. Over the 6 weeks of the program, the program attracted over 16,000 participants and nearly 30,000 referrals with high click through and redemption rates.

3. Resolve customer service issues. People are quick to stop shopping at your store when they have a bad experience. In the past, retailers didn’t usually know why a customer stopped coming. Now, with social media, shoppers frequently post negative feedback immediately on social networks or ratings/review sites. Retailers need to track this feedback to not only identify opportunities to improve the shopping experience but also proactively to resolve customer service issues. Indeed, according to recent research, over one-quarter of shoppers who posted a negative review and got a response from the retailer turned around and became loyal customers and bought more. In many cases, customer themselves will jump into the conversation to provide guidance, add insight, or otherwise support the retailer.

Businesses can’t afford to ignore social media because it is “just for kids”. With many retailers increasing their investments in social media, the time to get started is now. Social media generates qualified leads and done right, can raise your search engine rankings. Social media marketing has the potential to reach millions of users and when it does it can generate significant ROI.

SOS eMarketing creates engaging experiences for customers in the digital world. Contact SOS eMarketing for more information about small business marketing, mobile marketing, internet marketing, blogging, branding, video marketing, luxury marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, Facebook Ads, Facebook Marketing, YouTube Video Marketing, Linkedin Marketing, branding, and integrated eMarketing

Contact
David Schwartz
SOS eMarketing
www.sosemarketing.com
760.345.5069
davidschwartz@sosemarketing.com

Hire an e-marketing co-pilot like SOS eMarketing.

SOS eMarketing is a social media marketing specialist. We work with you and your staff to optimize your internet marketing efforts, build a greater awareness of your brand online, and funnel potential customers to your website.

It’s important to remember in social media marketing that the process isn’t over just because someone saw your posts, blogs, videos, emails or liked your website.

Consistent engagement of a fan base is the key to any successful online branding, but social media marketing can be utilized to reach past your existing followers and bring in new ones.

If you want to take your social media marketing to the level of lead generation, hire a co-pilot.  Contact the social media marketing specialist, SOS eMarketing.

Contact:
David Schwartz
SOS eMarketing
www.sosemarketing.com
760.345.5069
davidschwartz@sosemarketing.com
Visit SOS eMarketing on Facebook and Twitter
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After all, even as a smaller organization, you should be generating at least two blogs a week, sending two emails per month, and posting product or service related content on Facebook  and other social media sites at least twice per day.

There is more to it than posting on Facebook and Twitter
In addition to outgoing customer communications you will undoubtedly need to spend time answering customer questions and complaints received via social media channels. With everyone committed to multiple tasks these days should you consider farming out part or all of your marketing efforts to a third-party?

This question can be broken down into the following parts.
1. What is your annual marketing budget?
2. What are your social marketing objectives?
3. What is the level of social marketing expertise within your organization?
4. What is the bandwidth of your staff to take on multiple tasks?
5. Do you have budget to hire a social marketing consultant taking into consideration experience levels and overhead costs including healthcare, vacation, and other employee benefits?

However, if you expect results quickly from your social media marketing, hire an outside specialist.

Not sure? Consider the following:
Say your marketing budget is under $25k per year. The overhead/salary of an in-house social marketing person could easily absorb your budget per year, which would substantially reduce your budget for other forms of marketing such as Pay-Per-Click advertising.

You want to make sure whoever runs your social marketing program coordinates regularly with your marketing staff to review strategy as there is much synergy between the two efforts.

Within smaller organizations staffers wear many hats. The person managing your Twitter and Facebook campaigns should be able to respond to client questions and complaints. These individuals should be customer friendly and possess a high-level of maturity.

An outside specialist will get your social media marketing up to speed quickly. Then consider taking it in-house.
For most small businesses, it certainly makes sense to use an outside agency to handle tasks such as writing blogs,  and creating social marketing campaigns.  If you need help getting your social marketing and blogging off the ground and if it’s within your budget, hire a consultant with expertise in social marketing, blogging and writing press releases.

Contact SOS eMarketing for more information about small business marketing, mobile marketing, internet marketing, blogging, branding, video marketing, luxury marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, Facebook Ads, Facebook Marketing, YouTube Video Marketing, Linkedin Marketing, branding, and integrated eMarketing

Contact:
David Schwartz
SOS eMarketing
www.sosemarketing.com
760.345.5069

davidschwartz@sosemarketing.com

Visit SOS eMarketing on Facebook and Twitter
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Nothing like some cold, hard data to prove a point. How does this sound?

The average company that blogs generates 55% more website visitors, 97% more inbound links, and 434% more indexed pages.

HubSpot.com’s 2011 ROI Study shows that 69% of businesses attribute their lead generation success to blogging.

57% of businesses have acquired a customer through their company blog. The Nielsen Company shows that US internet users spend 3X more time on blogs and social networks than in email.

Inbound marketing, of which blogging is a crucial part, costs 62% less per lead than outbound marketing.

This sounds like a huge time investment. Who is going to write it all?

To determine how much time you’ll need to dedicate to your blog, you have to take a look at the competition. Are your organic competitor’s blogging twice a week? Multiple times a day? Not at all? To outperform them with your inbound marketing, you need to also outperform them with blogging.

Once you’ve determined the frequency, you’ll know how much support you need.

You need an outside consultant
This solution helps feed your blog with quality content, provides more than one voice for a valuable mix of perspectives, and doesn’t put undue burden on any one member of your organization. Consider an outside consultant such as SOS eMarketing to help with providing a steady stream of original content www.sosemarketing.com

The best blogs aren’t long, complex, and full of stuffy language and industry jargon. They’re succinct, specific, and engaging.

Will this help with our SEO and social media presence?
Not only is blogging one of the most important means of achieving SEO greatness, it will be extremely difficult to see consistent and meaningful SEO improvements without blogging.

One of the most important ways a search engine knows to return your website in search results is based on the quality of your content and the frequency at which you publish it.

Blogging is a simple, low-cost solution to this. Blogging also makes it far more likely that you’re content will be shared on social media networks and receive inbound links from other websites, two more crucial aspects that boost your SEO street cred.

SOS eMarketing creates engaging experiences for customers in the digital world.

Contact SOS eMarketing for more information about small business marketing, mobile marketing, internet marketing, blogging, branding, video marketing, luxury marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, Facebook Ads, Facebook Marketing, YouTube Video Marketing, Linkedin Marketing, branding, and integrated eMarketing

Contact

David Schwartz
SOS eMarketing
www.sosemarketing.com
760.345.5069
davidschwartz@sosemarketing.com

Visit SOS eMarketing on Facebook and Twitter

Surviving Social Media Background Checks

By Al Farnham

Surviving a background check just got tougher. And it’s soon going to get harder still, as Internet search technology grows more sophisticated: Employers have started scouring the web—social networking sites in particular—to check up on potential hires.

If you’ve ever posted anything that suggests you might be somebody who likes a racist joke, drinks too much booze or maybe is a bit too fond of guns—these all can be grounds for an employer telling you, “Thanks, but no.”

And it’s all perfectly legal.

The Federal Trade Commission has just given the okay for Social Intelligence Corp. to sell these reports to employers and the file will last for seven long years.
But suppose you’re clean as a whistle with your online use of social network sites. It’s still possible that among your Facebook friends, unbeknownst to you, there’s someone with a criminal record. An employer could turn you down for having iffy friends and not run afoul of any employment discrimination law.

“You can be deemed a bad apple by association,” says Pam Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum. “Are all your friends’ gay, rich, poor? Do they all live in California or New York or Kansas? What are your hobbies? Do they look expensive or entail high risk?” If so, Dixon warns, your chances of landing that dream job, depending on your would-be employer’s predilections, may go poof. The employer’s decision not to hire you may be ethically outrageous. But it’s not illegal.

“It’s kind of scary,” says Tena Friery, research director for the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. “We know social networking sites can be hacked—that someone can post something under someone else’s name. What happens if somebody wants to sabotage a job applicant? And would the potential employee even know it was taking place?”

Likely not, says Michael Fertik, founder and CEO of Reputation.com, which provides products and services that a job seeker (or any other user of the Internet) can use to minimize the impact of false or inaccurate information posted about them. It’s not the present, says Fertik, that job seekers should fear; it’s the future.

Right now only one company, Social Intelligence in Santa Barbara, Calif., specializes in conducting Internet background checks that are compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The Act regulates the collection, dissemination and use of consumer information. Where a search turns up evidence that might be used to deny an applicant credit (or a job), it requires that employers notify applicants they are in danger of being disqualified and state the evidence on which disqualification would be based. The applicant then has five days to dispute the finding.

For those who are using social media, which is substantial, it is important to have a Facebook presence. Even in Real Estate for Property Managers, Community Association Manager’s, etc. Facebook and Twitter do provide a valid insight into lifestyles of potential tenants and the community.

A recent story on CNN stated that landlords were turning to Facebook as a source of a background check on future tenants. CNN reported this was an illegal act; however, the landlords are doing this research anyway to see what kind of life style the applicants partake in. “With that said, while doing my own research during my house hunting last year…if a community had a Facebook page; I most certainly went on it! I was very interested in viewing what the residents had to say, how quick the responses was from PM’s, CAM’s, etc. It provided me at some communities with up to two years’ worth of information and I must admit it made me pass on two homes. The answer is yes; if the Facebook logo is on the sign and you have people like me…..I will search and research that community”, said Deborah Stasiak of Community Associations Institute.

SOS eMarketing creates engaging experiences for customers in the digital world.

Contact SOS eMarketing for more information about small business marketing, mobile marketing, internet marketing, blogging, branding, video marketing, luxury marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, Facebook Ads, Facebook Marketing, YouTube Video Marketing, Linkedin Marketing, branding, and integrated eMarketing

Contact:
David Schwartz
SOS eMarketing
www.sosemarketing.com
760.345.5069
davidschwartz@sosemarketing.com
Visit SOS eMarketing on Facebook and Twitter

The Starbucks and Ferrari brands represent unforgettable passion for performance, quality and customer experience.

While these two companies market luxury in different ways, they have much in common – they have mastered the art of marketing their passion.

Passion is the single most important factor for any successful business. Passion gives a business the driving force to market a unique selling proposition to stand out amongst the competition.

The ability to market passion is the secret to how Starbucks and Ferrari achieve success.

How they do it
Starbucks and Ferrari are examples of success born from passion. While selling entirely different products, both companies have a lot in common:

• Passion of their founders
• Industry leaders
• Starbucks offers mass luxury
• Ferrari offers exclusive luxury
• Amongst the world’s most recognized and valued brands
• Sell value, not price
• Do very little “traditional” advertising
• Early adopters of social marketing
• Brand experience exceeds customer expectations
• Consistent and innovative use of brand identity
• Brand extensions and innovations stay close to core product values
• Always innovating
• Appeal to aspirational values
• Sell through multiple channels
• Involved in social programs that help increase brand value
• Customer benefits more important than price
• Listen to their customers
• Attention-getting new product introductions and promotions
• Focused on product performance
• Focused on design, style, fashion to enhance value
• Satisfy core customers while attracting new customers
• Encourage viral marketing

Market your passion
If marketing passion was easy, every business would be a Starbucks or Ferrari. The truth is, most are not. For most businesses, the rigors of marketing gets in the way of communicating the passion of their product or service.

SOS has been marketing our clients’ passion for almost 20 years. We work with startups and large businesses. Delivering our client’s passion is what we do.

SOS eMarketing
Strategic marketing consulting
Rapid video blogging
Optimized email marketing
Interactive social business marketing – Facebook, Twitter
Linkedin groups marketing
Search engine marketing
SEO/Keyword optimization
Website conversion rate optimization
Mobile business marketing
Integrated sales promotions
Website design/redesign
Original content creation
Analytics analysis and reporting
Marketing communications/Branding

Free Offer: “Market Your Passion” Marketing Tips
What more can your marketing do to deliver your passion? Find out with a Free “Market Your Passion” Marketing Evaluation. We will review your online marketing and offer useful tips. Contact David Schwartz, partner, SOS eMarketing, at 760.345.5069, davidschwartz@sosemarketing.com, use the contact form below.
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So what does all this mean for community associations?

Social media, websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, eMail marketing have become attractive tools for Property Managers and HOAs as a means of conveying important information, and they also invite participation and overall community building.

Social Media is great for shooting out bits of information quickly: meeting date reminders, spotlights on successes, community events and so on.

Some social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter allow a forum for member questions, comments, and relevant postings. Social media entices participation from members who appreciate the ability to instantly post on the go.

Today associations understand the need to convey, and communicate, important information to their members, and, to reach as many members as possible. Social media has become an increasingly on-going visible part of a Property Manager’s and Community Association’s presence with their members. With social media Property Managers and HOAs have the opportunity to educate and empower their communities by quickly answering questions raised or addressing concerns reported. Social media should be embraced as a wonderful communication tool that will assist associations in making communities the best they can be.

There is no doubt that community associations are benefiting from using social media marketing. Property managers now have powerful tools on their desktops and smart phones to communicate with their homeowners and tenants on a more frequent basis. Marketing tools such as websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Linkedin provide excellent platforms for property managers.

The problem is that no one has enough time to use the necessary social media tools effectively. SOS eMarketing, in business since 1992, offers property managers, HOAs, and community associations customized solutions to their particular needs.

At SOS eMarketing we provide customized social media marketing packages for property managers:

1. Start-up social media marketing packages for property managers– We build it, we train the property manager how to use it.

2. Turn-key monthly social media packages for property managers– We build it/we take over existing marketing efforts, we provide monthly content services

3. Content Template social media packages for property managers– We provide industry relevant content within which property managers can provide specific news and information.

SOS eMarketing has the experience and expertise to provide property managers with everything that they need to run a successful and beneficial social media marketing program. Our programs enhance the property manager’s relationship with their community and help them retain their tenants and homeowners while attracting new tenants and homeowners.

FREE Limited time offer – Free customized Community Marketing Analysis to determine the most effective use of social media marketing to help with tenant relations, retention, leasing and property sales.

SOS eMarketing creates engaging experiences for customers in the digital world.

Contact SOS eMarketing for more information about small business marketing, mobile marketing, internet marketing, blogging, branding, video marketing, luxury marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, Facebook Ads, Facebook Marketing, YouTube Video Marketing, Linkedin Marketing, branding, and integrated eMarketing.

David Schwartz
SOS eMarketing
www.sosemarketing.com
760.345.5069
davidschwartz@sosemarketing.com

Visit SOS eMarketing on Facebook and Twitter
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By Pete Cashmore,  founder and CEO of Mashable Special to CNN

CNN) – From the continuing rise of tablet devices to the daily-deals craze and the return of the Internet IPO, 2011 has been a transformative year for technology.

The pace of change has become blisteringly fast, with traditional industries — bookstores, video-rental chains, newspapers — crumbling more quickly than we could have imagined.

Predicting what will happen in 2012, therefore, is a shot in the dark: A year is virtually a lifetime in the digital era. And yet we can at least make a guess at what will happen in the early part of next year simply by looking at the trends that are shaping the latter half of this year.

Here’s my best estimate of some of the innovation we’ll see in 2012:

1. Touch computing

New input methods will be the dominant trend of 2012. Tablet computers such as the iPad might seem like a nice alternative to desktop and laptop computers, but I believe they’re more than that: They’re replacements. Just as the command line (remember that?) gave way to graphical user interfaces, so the mouse will be superseded by touchscreens.

The signs are obvious: Windows 8 and Mac OS X Lion, the latest desktop operating systems, borrow heavy from their mobile counterparts. These new interfaces essentially impose a touchscreen-inspired interface over the traditional desktop environment.

Over time, this half-step will become a whole one, and mobile operating systems will dominate. The transition won’t be complete by the end of 2012, but we’ll be much further down the path, and using computer mice much less often.

2. Social gestures

In the social media realm, social gestures appear to be the leading trend of 2012. Launched by Facebook in September, this so-called “frictionless sharing” functionality removes the need to click a button to share media with your friends. Instead, everything you listen to, read or watch is automatically posted to your profile once you approve the relevant app.

If you’ve seen apps such as Spotify or Social Reader in your Facebook news feed, you’re already aware of these features.

The trend makes sense for social networks: With 800 million people already on Facebook, its growth is bound to slow. But if sharing becomes automatic, the volume of content on Facebook will grow at an accelerated pace. There’s a big problem, however: Users may be “creeped out” by all this automated sharing of their Web activity and grow suspicious of the apps using it.

3. NFC and mobile payments

Google Wallet, Google’s mobile-payment system, may become more widespread in 2012.

Next year is likely to be the year when mobile payments blossom. While we’ve seen a great deal of innovation in mobile payments technology this year — including the success of  Square’s iPhone dongle, allowing anyone to accept credit card payments — 2012 is the year of NFC.

What’s that, you ask? Near Field Communication essentially lets you replace your credit cards with your phone: Wave an NFC-enabled phone near the credit card reader in a store (or taxi cab), and the money is deducted from your account.


By 2013, 1 in 5 cellphones are expected to be NFC equipped. Early contenders include Google Wallet, Visa Wallet, Serve (by American Express) and ISIS.
4. Beyond the iPad

If touch computing is the future, then the iPad is surely king. And yet the iPad came up against serious competition in the latter part of 2011: As I wrote previously, I expect the new Amazon Kindle Fire to outsell the iPad in 2012. Why? Simply put, the iPad costs $499 while the Fire costs $199.

Amazon’s advantages don’t stop at the price point, however: The company owns an entire content store of movies, e-books, TV shows and other media. With tablet devices, the hardware is somewhat important but the content available for the device is absolutely critical: With plenty of media available for the Fire right away, it’s an appealing proposition.

Why does one device constitute an entire trend? Well, as a true competitor to the iPad emerges, content producers, distributors and even app developers may have an entirely new platform on which to push their wares. (And yes, the Kindle Fire does indeed run Google’s Android operating system, but Amazon’s version is so unlike other Android tablets that neither users nor app developers will perceive it as “yet another Android device” — it’s a whole new platform.)

5. TV Everywhere

So you thought you’d be able to watch all your favorite shows online and get rid of your cable subscription for good? Not so fast!

The cable companies have a cunning plan: They’ll let you watch live TV, plus on-demand movies and TV shows, on your connected devices if you keep your cable subscription. Dish Network, Time Warner and Comcast are among those offering the service.

TV Everywhere has been buzzed about since 2010, of course, and could be a dud — but the rise of tablet devices would seem to create increased demand for a “TV in your hands.”

6. Voice control

Here’s another trend that’s got a moderate chance of taking off in 2012: Voice control.

Siri, the voice-control feature in the iPhone 4S, may spread to other devices.

The novelty of Siri on the iPhone 4S — which allows you to send texts, create reminders, search the Web and much more using just your voice — may be the start of a new trend in voice controlled devices.

Surely voice control has been around for years? Yes, but it wasn’t very accurate.

Siri and its ilk define a new era in which we talk, and our devices understand — often on the first attempt. Other device makers will likely follow suit. What’s more, Apple may use voice control to replace the TV remote.

7. Spatial gestures

Other input methods are gaining traction too: Microsoft’s Kinect, for instance, has given rise to interfaces that use spatial gestures. Just like in “Minority Report,” your devices can be controlled simply by waving your hands in the air.

Thanks to the many innovators who have hacked Kinect to work with other platforms, we may see more devices using this input method next year.

8. Second-screen experiences

“Second-screen experiences” is a buzz-phase among TV and movie execs these days. It refers to apps (mainly on the iPad) that listen to the audio output of your TV and display content related to the show or movie you’re watching. The chances are that you already use your tablet computer or phone while watching TV, so there’s ample opportunity to make the viewing experience a more interactive one.

Disney already has second-screen apps for movies such as “The Lion King” and “Bambi,” while multiple TV networks have similar offerings: We can expect many, many more to be released in 2012.

9. Flexible screens

Personally, I just can’t wait for flexible screens: These awesome new bendable interfaces will let you zoom in, zoom out and scroll around a page simply by twisting your phone or tablet.

Nokia and Samsung have both hinted they may release phones with bendable displays in 2012. The really exciting stuff, however — like paper-thin devices that roll up to fit in your pocket — is still years away.

10. HTML5

Can I squeeze in one more trend? It’s HTML5 — the fifth iteration of the HTML standard — and it lets developers create richer, more interactive applications than ever.

Why does this matter? As developers tire of building applications for every operating system out there — from Android to iOS to Windows Phone and beyond — HTML5 offers the opportunity to build an app once and have it work everywhere.

The rise of HTML5 is bound to be accelerated by a recent revelation: Adobe is killing off Flash for mobile devices, meaning one of the primary methods of serving videos and rich applications on mobile phones is about to disappear. HTML5 will fill that gap. For us as consumers, that means richer applications and experiences on all our devices.

In short, 2012 is all about new ways to interact with our devices through touch and voice control, new lightweight ways to share content, a revolution in mobile payments and a plethora of rich Web applications — not to mention the hundreds of new innovations that we’ve yet to dream up. I can’t wait.

SOS eMarketing creates engaging experiences for customers in the digital world.

Contact SOS eMarketing for more information about small business marketing, mobile marketing, internet marketing, blogging, branding, video marketing, luxury marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, Facebook Ads, Facebook Marketing, YouTube Video Marketing, Linkedin Marketing, branding, and integrated eMarketing

Contact

David Schwartz
SOS eMarketing
www.sosemarketing.com
760.345.5069
davidschwartz@sosemarketing.com

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Example 2: If a marketing plan has more up years than down years, will it come out ahead? Many companies assume so, but that’s not always the case.

Overreacting to recent events
Example 1: Turbulent economic times may cause many companies to cling to safe but outmoded marketing such as direct mail and trade ads or not promoting at all — but that can bring its own risks.

Example 2: It can be difficult to find perspective in a world of 24/7 marketing information on the internet.

The Dangers of not acting at all
Example 1: Just because the weather forecast calls for sunny skies, you wouldn’t cancel your flood insurance. And yet, many companies don’t prepare their marketing plans for unexpected events.

Example 2: Many companies believe that short term ROI is the main driver of their marketing’s value — but continued ongoing building of your company’s website, blog, and social media content plays an important role in how successful your company will be.

Building Intentional Marketing

Map out a plan
Building and maintaining a marketing plan requires careful planning and monitoring. Work with a marketing partner you trust.

Understand your Marketing
To market “intentionally”, companies need to know how their marketing’s being managed — and why.

Intentional Marketing is what we practice at SOS eMarketing.
As creators, we only conceive and manage marketing programs for clients. We specialize in that because we don’t do anything else that gets in the way of that – we have no reliance on any particular advertising medium like Google Adwords nor in any technology platforms such as Flash. We have the luxury of creating strategic marketing programs for the benefit of our clients, so our objectives can match theirs. Our goal is to help them meet their goals.

To learn more about intentional marketing with SOS eMarketing

Contact David Schwartz
760.345.5069
davidschwartz@sosemarketing,com