I bet there’s an App for that!

By now, I’m sure many readers have heard the expression “there’s an app for that”. Heck, it’s probably true, with over 2.5 million apps being registered on the App Store and Google Play dating back to 2014, there is surely an app to meet your needs. The real question on everyone’s mind is how far can this go?

True, there may indeed be an app for everything that crosses our worried minds, but should there be? With hundreds of thousands of new apps created each year, it is becoming more and more difficult for brands to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Some developers have grown content with simply becoming copycats and merely settling for the ideas of someone else to pass off as their own with minimal changes.

Don’t get me wrong, there are still a few who strive to create greatness and tap into their own respective niche, but the number that do so is dwindling fast. The copycat approach can only get you so far before you find the end of the road. Though it be risky, blazing your own trail will ultimately be the way to reach new heights. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Who would have thought that a quote from Jerry Seinfeld (yes, you read that correctly) would be so true, “sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason”. (CNN, 2015)

References:

(2015, January 3). Retrieved from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/30/tech/social-media/weirdest-apps-2014/index.html

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Why Privacy will Win Out

In order to set the tone for this topic, I must make reference in a manner that has no link for you to go check out, but rather comes from personal experience. My father always tells me of his adventures (or lack there of) from his old college days. One story that sticks out more so than others is from the classroom and a history professor he once had. One lesson in particular was about war and what caused it, what was worth fighting for? More or less, the topic was about what nations were willing to fight for. The question that this professor began the day with was “in 100 years, what will be the most valuable resource on Earth, which will lead to war?”.

As you could imagine, many of the students raised their hands and chimed in with answers such as “Gas, coal, oil, livestock, and religion”. What came as a surprise to the class was that none of these answers were correct. The professor then went to the chalk board and wrote “clean drinking water”. As you can probably guess, students began to look at each other in disbelief, but once a class-wide discussion broke out the masses were educated. The reason for clean water being seen as such a hot commodity is due to the fact that it is something we all need to survive and is always at risk.

If you think of how many ways water can be polluted, this begins to make sense. Picture a travesty in which the world is suffering from a nuclear fallout, then think of what would matter to you most. Clean drinking water now becomes the difference between life and death. Today, in a much milder manner privacy is at a premium. From a consumer’s stand point, we all want to know that our interests and actions are kept secret to an extent. The companies that do the best job of selling us privacy are going to do the most business, hands down!

As per the FCC your local, long distance, and wireless phone companies, as well as IP service providers, collect customer proprietary network information, such as the numbers you call and when you call them. (FCC, 2016) The fact of the matter is whether its legal or illegal, we are being watched and there is always going to be comfort in privacy which is why the company that can offer me the least invasive product will win my business.

References:

(2016 ). Retrieved from Federal Communications Commission : https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/protecting-your-privacy

The New Age – Digital Assistants

Welcome to the new age, ladies and gentleman! As we all know (or should by now), we have some new friends. Software advances in mobile technologies such as phone and tablets now come equipped with a personal “digital” assistant that conducts inquiries on our behalf. The two most prominent assistants are known as Siri and Cortana, which are products of Apple and Microsoft respectively.

These technological strides are something right out of Star Trek, in terms of the ability to actually talk to a machine and speak your command. The idea that a digital device can not only hear what we say, but responds with suggestions is something that would mesmerize the likes of our ancestors. The fact that this is an everyday tool rather than space age equipment is even more impressive.

The fact that these assistants can perform tasks such as calling, texting, emailing, searching the web, and creating reminders is very helpful to our tasks from day to day. Not only are these assistants helpful and limit our workloads, but they have a pretty good sense of humor too. This may not contribute to your chores, but it is good to have a lighthearted laugh from time to time. You can ask each assistants funny questions such as “tell me a joke” or “what is the meaning of life” and you will typically get a unique and humorous response. (pocket-lint, 2015)

All things considered, the possibilities are endless for whats in store for the future of these digital personal assistants!

References:

(2015, December 29). Retrieved from Pocket-Lint: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/136238-siri-vs-cortana-which-is-the-funniest-assistant

The Value of “Eye-Catching” Headlines

A heading can be the make or break factor in whether or not your ad or promotion is going to boom or bust. A heading is simply described as a short phrase that describes what the succeeding section is all about. In other words, it is pretty much the tittle of what you are about to read. (editex, 2016)

While it is easy to explain a heading, it is much more difficult to create one that grabs the readers attention. It’s kind of funny if you think about it, something so small meaning so much to your level of success. Keep in mind, the content will ultimately be the primary sale point when the document or promotion is opened by the reader, but the heading will be a significant first step in deciding whether or not you get to second base.

The headings and sub headings represent the key concepts and ideas in the body. This is why it is so important to have headlines that don’t read something as simple as “New Item” or “Great Value”. On the contrary, marketers need examples such as “This will Change your Method of Thinking”. These being basic examples, of course. It is not my place to try and explain how to be creative with headpins, but I would like to think that I can help readers understand how very important it is not to underestimate the value of a catchy headline!

References:

(2016, August 29). Retrieved from Editex: https://editex.com/what-are-headings-and-why-are-they-important

The Internet of Things (IoT) and Me

It is no surprise that the Internet of Things has taken on a life of its own (quite literally). There are so many things that many of us, including myself used to take for granted. Some may ask themselves what the (IoT) has to do with them. Perhaps your case is similar to mine in the fact that I have a pet. Anyone how has a pet may know how frightening it can be when your furry friend goes missing. This is why many pet owners have begun getting their pets embedded with a chip used for tracking purposes.

This chip is able to track the animal’s location and report it to a source without the need for human interaction. This is similar to the technology used to track your cell phone if it is lost. So next time you wonder how the Internet of Things (IoT) deals with your things, just remember that you most likely have already come in contact with the (IoT) in one form or another. This is sure to become more likely with each passing year!

References:

(2016). Retrieved from Iota: http://www.iotatracker.com/

Do Twitter Ads Actually Work?

At this point it should be obvious that social media is a part of just about all of our lives on a daily basis. This tends to lead to using social media advertising very favorably for many corporations looking to get their brand’s message on your myriad of mobile devices. Ultimately, the questions is how effective are these ads?

Its clear that every company wants the best results possible, but it’s hard to know whether you should rely on the traditional forms of marketing such as content marketing including e-mail campaigns or jump into the social network with a platform like Twitter. (Single Grain, 2016) With more and more social media users emerging with each passing year, it would seem that more attention than ever is on social media as opposed to more traditional marketing platforms. Though there can still be speculation, it would be wise if companies would adapt with the times and shift more of a focus on social media ads.

Sure, your company could still send ads via e-mail and hope for the best, but the law of averages says that your advertisement will be seen by more eyes through the means of modern social media. With this trend continuing to be the norm, more companies marketing departments will surely follow suit and begin relaying ads through platforms such as Twitter. Not to sound like a cliche, but the beat goes on!

References:

(2016). Retrieved from Single Grain : https://www.singlegrain.com/twitter/do-twitter-ads-really-work/

Recruiting is a Two Way Street! – Diversity In The Market and Industry

There are several ways that websites can try to market their product in the modern age. A few mediums of communication may be text ads, banner ads, or even native ads which appear within your viewing content, but are not intended to distract. Regardless of how your site is advertising it is never a bad thing to have your processes evaluated from multiple vantage points. This is where diversity rears its pretty head.

Some may view recruiting as merely a manner in which the company focuses its attention on a specific group or groups. What is lost on the general public, but needs to find its way to the desk of the CEO is the value in not only selling to specific minorities, but bringing them on-board your company. The idea is that by staffing your company with a more diverse group you can then understand more about what each specific demographic views as important to them back on the outside.

Companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and many more have already found the value in diversity as well as the lack of it. In August of 2015 The first ever “Demo Day” was hosted at the White House. This event was organized to showcase women and minority founders in technology. This event as well as some presidential influence sparked some of these major companies to announce new diversity initiatives. It is now more than ever highly regarded to commit to improving the recruitment and hiring of such minorities in addition to simply selling to them.

#JawingWithJordan

References

(2015, August ). Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/bonniemarcus/2015/08/12/the-lack-of-diversity-in-tech-is-a-cultural-issue/#74b1f0323577

(2015, June). Retrieved from Shivar Web : https://www.shivarweb.com/2644/how-to-advertise-your-website-online/

Why Does Emerging Media Matter?

For starters, the most commonly applied ‘shorthand description’ of emerging media is that it is communications of all types, based on digital technologies, and increasingly with interactive components. (American Journal of Business, 2016)

This sound familiar? If so, it should! When one is presented with the task of contemplating the existence or perhaps the definition of emerging media, our everyday life certainly should come to mind. The best way to label emerging media or rather social media such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter is “dynamic” or alive.

Whether we like it or not, the communications world is rapidly changing, and this is heavily effecting the advertising and marketing community. (ABC Creative Group, 2016)

As stated above, these rapid changes are upon us, how companies evolve with such changes will ultimately determine their fate. The idea needs to involve the utilization of this emerging media in the methods of communication in terms of B2C.

#JawingWithJordan

Source:

http://muemergingmedia.weebly.com/what-is-emerging-media.html