E-Marketing Associates

Waze Community GPS Navigation for Android

David Sotelo by
on August 31st, 2011

I have been a loyal Google Maps user from day one and was recently introduced to Waze Community GPS Navigation application. I think what caught my attention was that it attempts to solve a big problem with Google navigation that being the lack of real time traffic updates and a more active social integration where you can get updates from other drivers about traffic conditions.  Like Google Maps and Navigation, Waze is a free download for android users and the file itself comes in at a little under 11 mb and has the option to move it to your sd card. Waze offers turn by turn navigation and provides real time, 100% user generated traffic and road reports and alternative route options. You get integration with Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, customizable driving groups and can connect with other drivers on the road.

Once I loaded the application I was relieved to see that it was easy to use and once on the freeway I was impressed at how many drivers posted what was happening on the freeway. There was a major accident and there were over 5 postings within the last 3 minutes letting users know there was a serious accident and traffic was a complete stop. I got off on the next exit knowing it was going to be awhile before it cleared out. There is a live info tab that gives you info around you and on your route including police traps, traffic, accidents, chit chats and other. The live info is current in the areas I searched with both traffic updated and police traps being posted within the last 30 minutes.

Waze is a driver generated service so it depends a lot on drivers participating by reporting maps errors, updating real time conditions. You can quite easily post traffic updates, speed cams, police and hazards that are on roads and even take photos so other drivers can see what happened. Waze can track your common routes and compare them so that if you are on your way to work it will check to see if there is a faster route to take based off real time. There is even a chit chat feature that allows you to communicate with other drivers but be careful when using this and driving. I love that it is in real time and drivers can easily make the maps more accurate and update road conditions. I like Waze and recommend that anyone who wants up to date traffic conditions for free should give it a try and start Wazing away.

Categories: App Reviews,Blog,Dr. App — Tags: , , , , ;

Finding Influential Bloggers for your Outreach Efforts

Jacquelynn Mendez by
on August 29th, 2011

Whether it’s the latest gossip from Perez Hilton or social media news from Mashable, blogs have become an addictive source of information for over 51% of internet users today. But let’s be real. Unless you’re Apple, Facebook or Pepsi, bloggers aren’t lining up for a chance to write about your business. Knowing this, marketers are constantly looking for new ways to effectively tap into this gold mine of influential writers, which is why a growing number brands are turning to digital PR to help increase their reach. But for those who have yet to launch any outreach efforts, now’s the time to conduct the research needed to find relevant bloggers for your business.

Let the Search Begin
Creating a relationship with just any ol’ blogger will likely lead to minimal (if any) results, so it’s important to first narrow down your targets by researching the type of blogs that will provide the most opportunity for your business. For example, “Are you a hotel looking for a site that attracts leisure travelers? If so, is your hotel also kid friendly? Pet friendly? Eco friendly?” Asking yourself these questions is necessary in order to narrow down your target blogger type. Remember, the less relevant a blogger is to your brand, the lower the chances are that he/she will be interested in promoting your business.

After narrowing down your target, it’s time to conduct a bit of research. Blogger search engines like Technorati and Google Blog Search are great resources for finding an assortment of highly regarded sites hidden throughout the net. From food to family, with the right keywords, you’ll be able to find exactly what you need.

Since you will likely have a large variety of results to choose from, the next step in your search is to assess the reach, influence and relevance of each potential target. Websites like Technotati, Compete.com and Alexa can help you uncover these numbers. Each site measures influence through its own unique scale, but comparing results from multiple sources will help determine the true clout of a blog, increasing your chances of finding the right match. And while conducting your research, keep in mind that if you’re not a well known brand, you probably shouldn’t always reach for the help of today’s most popular blogs. Instead, why not look for that middle ground? Remember, we all have to start somewhere.

Keep It Real
An essential key to success in blogger outreach is to always be genuine with your efforts. Bloggers are real people and not a space to be bought, so treat them accordingly. After all, they will be doing you a favor by using their influence to help you spread the word about your business. So let the search begin!

 

Categories: Blog,Google,Internet Marketing,Social Media,Social Media Marketing — Tags: , , , , ;

Finding the Right Balance of Keywords for your SEO Campaign

David Sotelo by
on August 24th, 2011

Keywords are still the holy grail of search engine marketing and if you can optimize your site correctly you can rank higher in the search engine results, drive more traffic to your site and increase your conversion rates. People will type in many different types of keywords and phrases to find what they are looking for and making sure you know what those keywords are and using them is essential for building a strong search engine marketing campaign. So where do you start? Well a good place is Google Keyword Tool which is free and gives you a good idea of what keywords and phrases are most used. Wordtracker is also helpful and you can try it out with their trial, they also offer some great free tutorials on their site.

Once in Google’s Keyword Tool you can enter a word or phrase that you think is pretty common in your business or you can enter a competitor’s website and you will get a list of keyword ideas. I like to select broad, exact and phrase to see everything that people are looking for, they are your target market so you definitely want to know what they are typing in. You will get a list of keyword ideas and from that list you can begin to narrow down the more competitive keywords so that you can make sure that they are included throughout your website. Keep in mind that the keyword tool is primarily used for pay per click (PPC) but it is still useful to use especially if you don’t have the money for more sophisticated dedicated keyword software.

Creating a keyword list per webpage is helpful because even though you may be in the business of computer and electronic recycling, each page will cover something different about your company and those differences might be exactly what the searcher is looking for. Using the most commonly used keywords is good but they are also the most competitive and harder to rank higher so make sure you use some less competitive keywords that are unique to your company. For example the computer recycler may also destroy hard drives and pick up items within a certain county or region so make sure you include those keyword phrases. The great part about less competitive and long tail keywords is the searchers know exactly what they’re looking for and your bounce rates will be lower & conversions will be higher. Keywords will always be a dependable source to generate traffic so make sure you understand what people are searching for and how to make the most of those searches.

Categories: Blog — Tags: , , , , ;

Attack of the Twitter #Hashtag! Should your Business Join the Trend?

Jacquelynn Mendez by
on August 23rd, 2011

With Twitter usage at an all-time high, it seems nearly impossible to read a magazine, watch a set of commercials or pass a row of billboards without running into the now ubiquitous hashtag (#) symbol. Although it has been in use for years, the offline marketing of this Twitter specific tag has recently emerged as businesses continue to compete for a spot as the latest trending topic. So before you fall behind, it’s time to make sense of the hashtag madness and decide whether or not your business should find a way to join this popular trend.

Why Businesses Like Twitter Hashtags
For those of you who may not know, a Twitter hashtag is a word or phrase prefixed with a “#” symbol used to categorize or organize tweets. After becoming a popular denotation in the Twittersphere, this user friendly label immediately grabbed the attention of marketers who hoped to use hashtags to better track conversations surrounding their brand. They quickly caught on to the craze, realizing that if everyone appends a specific hashtag to tweets, that topic shows more easily in Twitter Search, further increasing its chances of becoming a Trending Topic. Together, these features and potential results continue to motivate businesses to explore marketing tactics that can be used to help them gain the buzz, awareness and reach they wish to achieve from their social media marketing efforts.

Until recently, businesses mostly used hashtags within tweets, hoping that certain keywords would catch on or gain popularity with the right audience. But now, in an effort to actually initiate the conversation and better track its results, many businesses are creating company specific Twitter hashtags themselves, then pushing them out to users through a variety of offline marketing mediums. Although from a business point of view, this seems like a natural next step, there’s a chance that this new craze can turn users off if the message doesn’t feel authentic or fails to satisfy their social needs.

Businesses Beware
Because the Twitter hashtag was created organically by users as a way to categorize messages, they aren’t always receptive to the commercial use of these tags. That being said, businesses need to be careful with their intentions and execution when trying to push the use of specific keywords. Remember, social media is about genuine communication, so trying to force a conversation can turn users off and away from your brand.

Has your business tried creating and pushing out its own hashtags using offline media? If so, what kind of results did it receive?

Categories: Blog,Internet Marketing,Social Media,Social Media Marketing,Twitter — Tags: , , , ;

Finally, an Easier Way for Brands to Create a Foursquare Footprint

Jacquelynn Mendez by
on August 19th, 2011

With over 10 million registered users and 500,000 claimed business pages, Foursquare has earned a spot as a one of today’s most prominent social media platforms. Now, at the brink of its success, the location-based service is moving up to the next level of competitiveness with a new self serve model for brands.

Unlike other social networking websites, Foursquare has generally been one to improve its business relations just as often as its user experience, consistently launching new features to help businesses benefit from the check-in game. Being a location-based program, one of its greatest challenges has been finding an easy way for brands without a brick-and-mortar location to establish a presence on its network. Well, in January 2010, the social network hit a milestone when Intel became the first organization to create an official brand page. Since then, more than 3,000 groups have established a presence despite the network’s complex process. Unfortunately, this also typically excluded small businesses that did not have the resources or funds to place a media buy or develop a page with the network’s business development team. But now all that has changed!

As of this month, any business, organization or publication can easily and affordably create its own presence using Foursquare’s new brand-friendly self serve model.

Brand Page Features
Foursquare’s updated brand pages offer businesses the opportunity to expand their brand’s reach through engaging content and a greater online reach. Below is a detailed list of a few of the page’s exciting marketing features.

  • Increased Reach – Brands can reach the entire Foursquare community through tips and check-ins.
  • Cross Platform Integration – Check-ins can be synced with a brand’s Facebook and Twitter page, making it easy to stay consistent and promote using all three platforms.
  • Easier Management – Brand pages can now be managed by entire teams of people. In other words, Foursquare’s new tool, you can make multiple people Page ‘managers,’ so that they can all contribute no matter where they are, making it easier for global brands to stay on top of updates.
  • Photos, Photos, Photos – From the web or your mobile phone, you can upload photos to your Tips and check-ins. These can oftentimes stand out more than words can to followers.
  • Exposure – When your page is complete and you’ve added a few tips, you’ll be featured in Foursquare’s Page Gallery.

Although this feature will open doors for brands looking to join the location-based game, it also does have its drawbacks. For instance, businesses moving from a user profile to a brand page will not be able to transfer their friends into followers, losing any following that they may have attained by that point. Then again, sometimes a fresh start can open the door for more opportunity. So if you’ve been waiting for your chance to expand your brand’s location-based presence, Foursquare has you covered!

Categories: Blog,Internet Marketing,Social Media,Social Media Marketing — Tags: , , , , , ;

Room 77 Releases Hotel Search App for Android Smartphones

David Sotelo by
on August 17th, 2011

There are plenty of ways to discover hotels on mobile devices including the major geo location services and online travel agencies such as Yelp, Foursquare, Google Places, Trip Advisor, Expedia and the Yellow Pages amongst many others. You can add another one to the list because Room 77 has recently released their hotel search app for smart phone users with the android operating system called none other than Room 77. We had mentioned Room 77 previously which talked about the website at the time. Room 77 wants their application to help you find the perfect hotel room by searching through their growing database of 500,000+ rooms and thousands of hotels in over 30 countries.

Room 77 searches for your perfect room by using your preferences. You can select the preferences you want like picking a room with a high or low floor, a room with or without a view, having elevator access nearby and having a connecting room to name a few. Once you select your preferences you can either search for a specific hotel or search hotels nearby your current location. What you will get back is a list of hotels and once you select a hotel you have a list of room categories to help you narrow down your selection. Once you select a category such as club king room you will get a list of rooms and a match and room rating that tell you whether you should take it or leave it. Once you select a room you have the option of viewing the room, floor map, details, submitting photos and reviewing the room.

Not every hotel is listed so if that happens you can that hotel to their system which helps Room 77 reach their long term goal of indexing every three to five star hotel. Travel + Leisure named Room 77 one of the best travel apps of 2011. The app is fairly easy to use and although there were a few hotels that did not come up in but I’m sure those will be added in no time. You can add this to the ever growing list of travel applications but there are some nice features that make it stand out at least for the moment.

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Categories: Blog,Hotel Internet Marketing,Hotels & Resorts — Tags: , , , , ;

Conde Nast Launches Goings On Application for New Yorkers

David Sotelo by
on August 10th, 2011

iPhone and Android users in New York now have a digital version of the New Yorker’s Going On About Town section to keep them up to date on all the current events in New York. The New Yorker is a mix of politics, international affairs, art, humor, poetry and cartoons.  “Goings on About Town” has been a part of the New Yorker since 1925 and has been providing New York natives on the pulse news about the events and culture of New York.

The application has six tabs you can choose from including critics’ picks, listings, by location, by date, on the horizon and my favorites. The listing tab has reviews of theatres, night life, art, movies, dance, classical music, tables for two, readings and talks and above and beyond. The listings are what would be on the print edition so you won’t miss anything. The critics section gives you recommendations for theatre, night life, art, dance, classical music, movies, and a special food section called Tables for Two. There is also a My New York, audio tours and a twitter feed available in the critics tab.

The by location allows you to enter your location and select which type of event you are looking for such as night life, readings and more. You can pick your neighborhood such as midtown, uptown, Brooklyn and others. One of the cool features is you can select a specific date and pick what type of event or what you would like to see & do for that day. On the Horizon gives you a glimpse into what upcoming events are happening in the near future. The My Favorites allows you to bookmark and save whatever you find on the app so you can view for later or share it. For all you New Yorkers out there check out the new app and explore New York like you never have before.

Categories: Blog,Dr. App — Tags: , , , , ;

Google Searches Deeper Into Travel with Hotel Finder

David Sotelo by
on August 3rd, 2011

Google has been involved with travel for some time and now they have decided to make more of a push with their new Hotel Finder. Google Hotel Finder is experimental so this could turn out to be a viable and useful product that will be around for awhile or it can go off to the digital graveyard as a failed experiment. Google has always done a good job with making their products simple and user friendly and hotel finder is no exception. The layout is clean and makes searching for a hotel and their information simple enough.

To start you can enter the location either by entering a zip code or city, below that a date tab where you input the dates you plan to stay and you can also narrow it down further by choosing a price point and lastly you can select a hotel class and minimum user rating. Once you enter your preferences it creates your results list and the results are integrated with Google Places and Maps, so all the images, rates, reviews and any other relevant information will be populated. The nice part is that once you select a hotel all the info and images come up instantly and can be retracted.

A couple cool features they added is the shortlist which allows you to save the hotels and the visual map that lets you create the areas you want to segment by pulling lines in the direction you want. You can pull the lines and hotel finder will filter the results based off your new area. One negative is that you cannot book a room directly from the site; you will have a choice to between a major OTA and the company site. The site is nice but it doesn’t offer anything exceptional compared to what is available currently but if this is the beginning for Google’s big push into the travel space we welcome it and hope to see what else they can bring to the table.

 

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