Who needs mobile?

At the core of mobile is an emphasis on the user experience. We all remember using our friend’s 1st Generation iPhone (as above) and having to pinch, twist and scroll to find the content that we so desired. We hated it. There had to be a better, faster way to access information. Introducing mobile applications and mobile web. Every business should have a mobile strategy, considering that some users’ only interaction with their brand might be on a mobile device. Every business needs to be aware of the important platform that mobile provides.

What’s the Difference?

A mobile website provides a platform for linking multiple HTML pages utilizing a hand-held interface design. With mobile web, content (text, video, images, etc.) is displayed as updated in addition to interfacing with mobile-dialing and locations services. Mobile websites are accessed within a mobile application browser, as opposed to having their own application.

Mobile applications can be accessed and downloaded via the Apple Store, Android market, and other application portals. An application interacts with a website and collects content and data to present within the application, sometimes regardless of an internet connection. Mobile apps provide a specific platform for interaction.

Which is better?

It’s decision time. The two questions that need to be considered are: (1) What are your end goals? and (2) What are you trying to accomplish through a mobile presence?

An excellent way to answer these questions is by looking at the needs of your customers. In a survey of over 3000 global respondents conducted in early 2013, consumers voiced a desire for ease of use and real-time communication in their mobile applications. From the same pool, a majority of respondents reported application malfunctions and slow launch times. Mobile websites provide some of the benefits of mobile applications and can be a great first step into the ambiguity of mobile web. Here are some advantages of Mobile web over mobile apps:

• Immediate: browser provides immediate access to content; on mobile applications, content needs to be requested from the server and tends to take longer.
• Compatible: mobile websites can be accessed on any mobile device, which also increases their reach; often times, mobile applications vary across different devices.
• Upgradable: Dynamic mobile websites allow flexible upgrades automatically integrated into loading a website, whereas updated mobile applications need to be pushed and installed by users.

The Final Say

Consumers desire applications that enhance an individualized experience. If an application does not meet consumer needs, people will find out. Implementing a mobile website allows the flexibility of a mobile application without the initial cost and development.

Mobile Web Design Minneapolis
According to Google, 97% of smartphone users search for local businesses online, and 90% of those searches result in action, such as a phone call or visit. Take advantage of the surge in mobile search with our mobile web design services. Give us a call at (763) 548-2297 or contact us online to get started.

 Image Credit: http://iapp.com.tw/uploads/2013/04/1344440801_iphone-2g.jpg

What do you do?

“The Resource Group offers Talent Acquisition consulting and provides a new kind of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) service. We help our clients source and attract high caliber talent using our proprietary Hybrid Model. Our unique approach targets passive candidates and leverages our client’s existing human capital, social media, and the leading Applicant Tracking System for the social web along with our innovative recruiting methodology.”

Who are your typical clients?

“Our clients are typically smaller to medium sized businesses that place a premium on hiring top talent. We can help them attract a full range of technical and non-technical professionals.”

What makes your company different?

“Our sourcing methodology is proven to peak the interest of passive candidates! We allow you to engage with a higher quality candidate that results in your company hiring top talent.”

Any awards or affiliations you’d like to share?

“Our greatest recognition and awards have come in the form of what key leaders from our clients say about us: ‘We have been working with The Resource Group for about a year now and I am extremely satisfied. They have increased our recruiting capacity well beyond our previous methods and have provided innovative and differentiated solutions to enable us to recruit top quality people in all disciplines and levels. I highly recommend their services without reservation. At this point, from sourcing to hybrid recruiting to our software superhero marketing initiated by Bob Schoewe, all initiatives have been successful.’
Greg Frankenfield
CEO, Magenic

‘Since the Resource Group began managing our recruiting efforts we have reduced our external recruiting fees by over 80%! Due to the incredible efforts of Lori Freeman and her team and the power of their unique methodology, we have hired amazing talent and elevated our brand recognition in the market in a really positive way. I’m extremely happy with our partnership with the Resource Group and wouldn’t want to go back the traditional, less effective methods of recruiting ever again.’
Erin Riebe
Executive Director, Human Resources, Greatbatch Medical

How did your partnership with Snap help your business?

“Snap was extremely patient and delivered a final result that exceed our expectations at a great value.”

Online Marketing Minneapolis

Snap Agency offers custom, affordable web design and development services for small to mid size businesses. Our websites integrate search engine optimization, analytics tracking, and an easy-to-update CMS platform all in one. Give us a call at (763) 548-2297 or contact us online to learn more.

Social Media and Business: Oil & Water or Peanut Butter & Jelly?

Businesses are thrown off by social networks because they are radically different from the advertising they are used to. They are used to pushing out an ad to newspapers, radio, television, etc, then sitting back and waiting for clients to walk through the door. Why social media scares and confuses companies is understandable. Companies are used to a monologue and a one-way conversation.

Businesses should think of social media as an opportunity for dialogue with their customers and potential customers. They should be excited, not threatened, by the opportunity social media provides. This is somewhat difficult for companies to comprehend unless they understand the culture shift that has happened via the channel of social networking sites.

Fear of social media comes from a lack of understanding.

Social media is a culture shift. The days of the Mad Men style of “spend a lot of money and you’ll win the market” are over. The consumer culture has shifted to that of a dialogue. Customers want to be a part of your company. They want direct feedback, and they want to feel that their opinion matters. The culture shift has already happened, and it’s now up to companies to react to the change. Businesses will be talked about on Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, and every other social site, whether companies love it or hate it. Companies can’t control the culture shift, but they can always control how they react.

What does social media have to do with business?

Social media for business can be summed up in one word – opportunity. It is a way to show that you care about your customers, that you’re listening to their feedback, and above all that your company is run by real people. The ability to engage and respond to your customers in real time has never been available before. This is an opportunity in its infancy, and your company can capitalize on it.

Don’t waste the opportunity social media presents.

Companies have the ability to have direct communication and conversations with their raving fans, respond to criticisms, and improve their products and services from customer feedback – all in real time online. This opportunity for business has never existed before. To not engage with clients would be a waste of potential. To not listen to their feedback hurts the company/client relationship. To not have conversations with clients online weakens the bond between company and consumer.

Your customers want to talk with you online. They want to tell their friends about the great experience they had at your store. They want to give you valuable feedback that will make your business better. Don’t waste that opportunity.

Social Media Marketing Minneapolis

It’s time to join the conversation about your business on social media. Give us a call at (763) 548-2297 or shoot us an email to find out more about what social media can do for your business.

Photo Credit: {N}Duran on flickr

So what’s the best way to get (and keep) your customers’ attention? Here’s our suggestion: Break through clutter with snackable content—short, relevant and sweet. See the lack of attention as the opportunity to get creative, and take advantage of all of the tools at your disposal. Just because your content is short doesn’t mean it can’t be every bit as powerful as a page (or pages) of content. Here’s how:

1. Get visual.

Using pictures, drawings, graphs and videos is the best way to turn a lot of information into a quick burst of content. Find ways to format the information that you want to send out in a visual manner. Take advantage of fun, new social trends that are visual, like SnapChat, Instagram and Twitter Vine. Be creative with this transition to visual content, and you’ll get noticed through the clutter.

2. It’s a snack, not a meal.

The point of snackable content is to not overload your followers with content. Don’t worry if you can’t fit everything that you wanted to into one tweet, post, video or image. Feed your followers with bits and pieces of your content. This will keep them interested instead of feeling suffocated by information.

3. Pay attention to your analytics.

Why spend time spinning out content for your social media pages when you could be focusing your efforts and catering to your followers’ preferences? Pay attention to how much time visitors spend on certain types of content and which posts get the most likes, retweets, favorites and comments. See what time of day your followers are most engaged and what style of post they enjoy. Be grateful for the endless amount of tools we can use to track our social campaigns, and take advantage of those tools.

Social Media Minneapolis

Need help creating and posting snackable content? Snap Agency’s social media experts can help. Give us a call at (763) 548-2297 or contact us online to learn more.

getCurrentCategory() returns the registry key for the current category view and, inherently, the Category Model Object:

$this->setData('current_category', Mage::registry('current_category'));
return $this->getData('current_category');

Knowing this, we can call a Category attribute from almost anywhere that falls within a specific category. For example, we could display additional content on each product page related to its category and help the user with more information and possibly boost SEO rankings from the increase in content.

Within the /catalog/product/view.phml, let’s make a call to the registry with our key from above and get some data:

<php 
    $current_cat = Mage::registry('current_category');
    echo $current_cat->getData('name');
    echo $current_cat->getData('description');
?>

Please note that I’m using the getData() method rather than getName() and getDescription(). Though the shorthand is easier to remember, Each of the latter two actually make a reference to the getData() method anyway. Magento is beastly enough so removing intermediate steps is a plus.

Minneapolis Magento Ecommerce Website Development

Snap Agency is a Minneapolis marketing company that offers professional Magento ecommerce web design and development services for online retailers. Give us a call at (763) 548-2297 or contact us online to request a free consultation and estimate.

<?php foreach ($this->getStoreCategories() as $_category){
    echo $this->drawItem($_category);
} ?>

The getStoreCategories() method is a reference to /Mage/Catalog/Helper/Category.php. Within this method is quite a bit of stuff

// Get the Root Category for the Store in view
$parent = Mage::app()->getStore()->getRootCategoryId();
$cacheKey   = sprintf('%d-%d-%d-%d', $parent, $sorted, $asCollection, $toLoad);
if( isset( $this->_storeCategories[$cacheKey])) {
    return $this->_storeCategories[$cacheKey];
}

/**
* Check if parent node of the store still exists
*/

// Get the Category Model
$category = Mage::getModel('catalog/category');

if( !$category->checkId( $parent ) ){
    if ( $asCollection ){
        return new Varien_Data_Collection();
    }
    return array();
}

$recursionLevel  = max(0, (int) Mage::app()->getStore()->getConfig('catalog/navigation/max_depth'));
$storeCategories = $category->getCategories($parent, $recursionLevel, $sorted, $asCollection, $toLoad);

$this->_storeCategories[$cacheKey] = $storeCategories;
return $storeCategories;

Google Person Finder

First introduced in 2010 after the earthquake that devastated Haiti, Google Person Finder allowed runners, spectators, and their families to search for information regarding the status of loved ones at the Boston Marathon. With cell service unreliable, many turned to the Google Person Finder to track over 3,300 people that were entered into the system.

Twitter

Official sources, such as the Boston Police Department (@Boston_Police), turned to Twitter to give real-time updates on verified information surrounding the bombing. More recently they’ve posted surveillance footage to ask the public for help in identifying known suspects. The Boston PD requested Twitter users to use the hashtag #tweetfromthebeat to share tips, photos and videos of the bombing. Furthermore, people all over the world turned to Twitter to express their condolences for the victims and their families.

Facebook

The Boston Marathon Facebook page became a source for runners to get logistical information following the bombing. The account posted information regarding street lock-downs, transportation information and locations of their personal belongings. Like Twitter, Facebook quickly became a gathering place for those impacted to post their thoughts and prayers for all affected.

Social Media’s Role

While these outlets allow information to spread quickly, this inevitably results in misinformation being shared as well. This led to confusion as to what exactly occurred, misreporting of identified suspects, and scammers posing as charities to capitalize on the tragedy. However, by following trusted sources, social media can be the most effective means of providing the public with up-to-the-minute news and requesting assistance from the public.

Social Media for Business

Businesses joined the conversation as well to share their sympathies. In times both good and bad, be sure that your business has a voice in social media. Engaging with customers online builds credibility and gives insight into the personality of your business. Contact Snap Agency at (763) 548-2297 or online to learn more.

Image credit: Elvis Santana

The new analytics feature for Pinterest includes information about the number of people pinning from your website, your reach, and your impressions. It also shows which pins get the most repins, who pins them, and what content is pinned next to them; this information can all be filtered by a select time frame.

Want to use Pinterest to improve your social media marketing? You can evaluate your effectiveness on Pinterest using the new analytics tool with the following tips:

1. Update your account settings.

Make sure that you are a verified business account. If you have a personal account, this feature is not available. If you have a preexisting account, you can change the settings to update it to a business account. You must verify your website for your business account so that the analytics tool can track the flow between both websites.

Not verified? Here’s the link: http://business.pinterest.com/verify/

2. Analyze the data.

Ask questions to refine your content.

• What type of content is getting the most attention?
• What type of content leads pinners to go to my website?
• What content are pinners pinning with my pins?
• Am I missing something that could be more engaging?

Compare and contrast different time frames to see what is working and not working in your marketing plan.

3. Refine your content strategy.

Time and day can make a big difference on the impact of a pin; take this into account and be aware of when your followers are the most active.

Use the insights you gain from Pinterest’s analytics tool to weed out any content that’s not relevant to your boards. By cleaning out unnecessary content and adding content that your followers are most interested in, you will be able to attract more followers and increase sales tied to Pinterest.

Social Media Marketing Minneapolis

Snap Agency is a Minneapolis online marketing agency dedicated to helping ecommerce and local businesses get more leads and sales online. Our social media marketing team can manage and create content for your Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, and Pinterest accounts. Give us a call at (763) 548-2297 or contact us online to request a free consultation.

Image Credit: Pinterest.com