The Browser Wars

To the average consumer, the differences between browsers have become marginal.  Historically, most of you used whatever Microsoft gave you because you really didn’t have a particular need to switch to something else.  But this has changed dramatically in the last couple years.  People have awoken to the fact that their web browsing experience can be faster, lighter and cleaner.  Now more than ever, the browsers are fighting for a bigger piece of the usage pie.   The graph below shows Worldwide Usage from Nov ’09 to Nov ’11 according to StatCounter.  With the rise of Chrome, IE has gone from nearly 57% to 40%.  Firefox (25.56%) and Chrome (25.31%) are in a dead heat for 2nd place.

Facebook’s Comments Box Now Indexed by Google

Posts made via Facebook’s Comments Box are now being read and indexed by Google’s search bots. This is highly significant, as this added data will affect search engine optimization (SEO), therefore adding value to every discussion, both inside and outside of Facebook.

What is Comments Box?

A common discussion thread on Facebook using Comments Box

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Inside Facebook: At its core, Comments Box is what allows for discussion threads on Facebook itself. The ability to comment on Wall Posts, Status Updates, and so forth is made possible by Comments Box.

Social Media and SEO

Many of our clients are confused about social media. Is it just a fad? Doesn’t it represent a casual or unprofessional environment? How will this help our business?

Many social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, flickr, MySpace, Last.FM, blogs, SlideShare, digg, and more exist in the corporate world.

Allow me to tackle just one facet of the many benefits of corporate social media pages: Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Twitter to add photos and video

On Wednesday, Shaquille O’Neal announced his retirement from the NBA through a vlog blasted via tweet. He used Tout, a third-party service which enables users to share video on Twitter since the latter’s format doesn’t support photos or video.

Until now, that is.

Forbes: More C-Level Execs Seek Web, Video

Believe it or not, professionals whose careers have blossomed alongside the establishment of Netscape and growth of public Internet are at the age to reach the pinnacle of their work efforts: the C-suite. 

As 40-, 50-, and 60-somethings achieve C-level (CEO, CFO) executive positions, they are changing the face of business research and communication. A study by Forbes surveyed over 350 top executives at large American companies. (Large, as in $1 billion+ in annual revenue — just the type of prospect you’re after, right?) They found that America’s CEOs, CFOs, and COOs are relying more heavily on search engines and online video to research competitors, customers, and trends in technology and politics.

Measuring your social media’s ROI

A common question between businesses and marketers alike is “How do I measure the ROI of my social media campaign?” Well, folks, I have the answer:

You don’t.

A common myth about social media is that it can be the end-all solution for advertising. Plus, it’s free — perfect, right? Wrong. While social media can be part of your marketing campaign, it cannot carry the ship.

New Logo, New Emblem, New Icon – OH MY!! | when to re-brand and why

Starbucks is evolving their logo once again this year

Image is everything.  Who hasn’t heard that a million times?!  

While substance is what ultimately matters, if your first impression doesn’t attractively and informatively communicate that substance…nobody cares.  That’s why every business, product, film, music group, etc. needs a brand.  A face to put to their name.  A personality to put to the person.

Walmart and Starbucks – a couple of the largest, most successful companies our country has seen – have re-branded within the last two years.  Why is that?

Let Your SEO Blossom Through Creative Writing

Creative writing serves a dual purpose as it applies to the web.  It is imperative that your web copy communicates a clear, concise message to the reader, and at the same time the search engines must identify it as relevant content in order to drive the correct audience to you.

Tips for Tagging

Let’s say your company has just decided to make a marketing video. 

First of all: Awesome! You’re already ahead of the curve. (Virtual high-fives all around.)

Second of all: What are you going to do with it?

As our customers know, the best thing about online video is that you can deliver it in multiple platforms, such as:

Look for us on Vimeo!

The team at Prizm is doubling our efforts to share online video by now using both YouTube and Vimeo. We love YouTube for its populartiy and reach, but we love Vimeo for these reasons:

• Compatibility: The growing number of web browsers, tablets, and mobile phones are making the compatibilities and optimizations for online video more complex than ever before. YouTube and Vimeo are thankfully taking a lot of the work off our hands by managing all the different formats and resolutions by themselves.