Long gone are the days when we sat and waited for our dial-up Internet to connect. Enter the world if instant communication and knowledge through the use of cell phones. The advancement of cell phone technology allows people to stay connect with the world around them at all times. Businesses tapped into this trend with the creation of mobile marketing to stay connected with their consumers and expand their brands. Mobile marketing is a direct form of marketing where companies can create an open line of communication with their customers make each experience personal. With mobile marketing customers can access the company and its brand anytime, anywhere.

Mobile Marketing Trends

Mobile Websites
It used to be that if you weren’t on the web, you didn’t exist. Now if you aren’t on the “mobile” web, you don’t exist. Mobile sites are a great tool for any company so customers don’t have to go to the nearest computer, they can access the website from their phone. Customers can look up inventory, get contact information, or order a product from their phone in the matter of minutes.

Text Messaging Marketing
Short Message Service (SMS) is a great way for companies to instantly connect one-on-one with their customers. SMS is the most commonly used wireless data service because every phone can receive and send SMS messages whether it is a Smartphone or the standard cell phone. Through SMS messaging, companies can send their customers promo codes, daily specials and discounts.

Mobile Advertising
Mobile advertising is a growing trend among advertisers and a way to reach out to new demographic for selling and promoting. Game downloads on cell phones are rapidly increasing and advertisers have tapped into into this new market by integrating company ads and banners throughout the games.

Geo-Location
Geo-location is the latest way to for companies to market toward their target audience at an instant, in a specific place. Not only do Smartphones have the capability to “check in” their location, companies are now able to send coupons and discounts through the phones GPS. When a customer walks by a store with GPS activated, that store can pick up the signal and send a message directly to the phone with deals and specials the customer would otherwise not know about.

QR Codes
Quick Response Codes are a simple and easy way for customers to obtain information about a company or product. QR Codes can be placed in a variety of places such as posters, billboards, business cards, and in store promotions. There are several different downloadable QR Codes applications available for Smartphones. The customer can then scan the code, which takes them directly to the company’s assigned link.

All those are five mobile trends you need to know

Real Life Sharing rethought for the web

If you haven’t heard of Google+ or understand what exactly it is, don’t worry because you will know soon enough. Google+ is sweeping through the social media realm and is emerging as one of Facebook’s biggest rivals and achieving this in only a few short weeks since its inception. Launched at the beginning of this summer (June 28, 2011 to be exact), Google+ is a social media phenomenon reaching over 20 million users in three weeks.

? What is Google+
Google+ is the newest and fastest growing social media service and network owned and operated by Google Inc. Similar to Facebook, Google+ allows users to invite friends to create accounts, share pictures, and talk amongst friends through chats, videos and messages. Google+ users are able to easily access other Google applications such as Gmail, Calendar, Documents and Buzz from the main page.

? What does Google+ do
Google+ offers a wide variety of applications and services for users to communicate and share with others. Google+ introduces a list of new features and lingo for their social network:

Circles
A way to organize friends into groups named and selected by the user. The user is able to select friends and add them to the group, which allows group members to share information and chat in private. Each circle is private and only group members can see the list of names within the circle.

Hangouts
This feature is unique to Google+ and makes it possible for circles to group chat with one another. Hangouts have a 10-person limit for each video chat at a time.

Sparks
Similar to Google’s search engine, sparks evaluates the users interests and finds items on the Internet such as blogs, videos and books with those commonalities.

Huddle
Huddle works through the users cell phone for group messaging. The application is available for the Android, iPhone and SMS messaging.

Stream
Through Google+’s stream, users can update status, photos and videos for circle members to read and comment.

? Should we care about Google+
You should give Google+ try if you love Google, Gmail or any other Google related application and product, because you wont be disappointed. If you think you would be the only person on Google+ you are surely mistaken. Check out Facebook and look at your friends’ recent statues and I bet at least 10 people wrote a status about their Google+ account. Don’t hesitate – do it as soon as you’re done reading this. It’s simple and quick to set up your account and profile and with a couple clicks of the mouse you will be a Google+ pro in no time.

We were lucky enough to be interviewed by Shel Holtz for a podcast for his blog, For Immediate Release. The interview highlights the social media work we did with Uni-ball and explains some of the philosophy behind the campaign and initiative. Check out the podcast and let us know what you think!

This is an update to an older video…and completely worth the watch!

Rate and Review sites are becoming more and more important in consumer decision making (it’s a fact).

Check out my most recent blog post “In My Opinion” for SocialMediaMarketing.com

How important are others’ opinions to you?