On Our Minds

The development of apps for mobile shopping and the creation of mobile-friendly websites are becoming increasingly important for businesses wanting to keep up with competition, stay current in today’s changing technological landscape and adapt to new consumer buying behaviours.

We’ve outlined a few starting points below for those beginning to adapt: 

1. If you’re creating an online presence for your retail business, make sure that you incorporate a mobile-friendly site into the initial design discussions with your programmer. Thinking about this at the start will alleviate a lot of frustration down the road.
2. Develop a mobile application (app). The small screen size and limited processing power of smart phones versus desktops will have your customers giving up on purchasing through their phones very quickly if you don’t think of mobile ergonomics. Creating a user-friendly app that works on all platforms is a great way to remedy this. 
3. Go social. Having a strategic and well integrated social media presence can have a massive impact on your online awareness and, in turn, sales. Online shopping carts can now be integrated directly into your Facebook Timeline.

Need help with achieving any of this for your business? Zenergy can help! Email us at info@zenergycom.com for more info.

E-Blasts from the Past: How to Send Effective E-Blasts in 2012.

With micro-blogging platforms and unique social networks popping up each week, e-blasts are often seen as an aging form of communication. While we can’t stress enough how important it is to adapt to the ever-changing world of social media, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t save room for good old e-blasts. After all, elders deserve a little respect. We’ve outlined some helpful tips below to make sure that your e-blasts don’t show signs of aging.

Know Your Target | Make sure you know exactly who you’re talking to. Writing to the alumni of your graduate program? Don’t bore them with stats about this year’s graduation percentages. Instead, send them invitations to fun alumni nights and networking events.

Be Creative | Text-only e-blasts are what give e-blasts a bad rap. Go beyond simple text-heavy emails and push the limits creatively. Include attractive visuals, bright colours, and sleek design. This is not a job for your mail boy anymore; it’s definitely time to hire a professional designer.

Links, Links, Links | So you have some relevant information and a great visual – now what? Provide your customers with an enticing call to action. Include several links to different parts of your website, social media profiles and exclusive content.

HTML | One of the trickiest parts of sending e-blasts in 2012 is proper HTML coding. With so many different email platforms available, it can be very difficult to get your e-blasts to look right for everyone. Consult a professional programmer and always provide a stand-alone link.

Need help with your next e-blast? Contact us at info@zenergycom.com to see how we can help!

Google Virtually Steps into the Business down the Street 

Imagine this. A new furniture shop opened an hour transit ride away from your home. Interior Designers are calling it the “most spectacular furniture shop in town.’ But is it really? No one wants to take that long and lonely transit ride to the new shop only to find out that it’s a flop.

Enter Google Street View. Indeed, Google has their fingers soaked in this market and they have long been known for being more than just a search engine. Google broke into the virtual industry when they introduced Street View to the U.S. in 2007 and Canada in 2009. Users had the ability to look at an image of a map and were capable of virtually walking the streets of locations in Canada, U.S. and beyond.

Google has recently expanded this virtual meandering into the business market. Businesses are invited to contact a trusted Google photographer and develop a virtual page of their business online. The photographer will take photos to develop a 360 degree image of the business itself, similar to Street View but with the focus on the independent business. This new feature is only available in the U.S. for the time being but as demand grows, it will likely expand.

So instead of dragging your furniture-savvy self to the newest shop in town you will soon be able to check out the place virtually and share it with the world. 

What do you think?

Is this a step too far for virtual technology or is this a step in the right direction?

Let us know @zenergycom with your thoughts and insights!

Will McDonald’s ever learn? This week marks the second time in recent history that the fast-food giant has paved their path to a social media crisis. Last year, McDonald’s looked to social media micro-blogging platform Twitter to promote the massive re-launch of their infamous McRib sandwich.

For those who aren’t familiar with the concept, Promoted Tweets (with an estimated cost of over $100,000 per day) are words bought in advance and given top-line placement in the trending stream beside organically trending topics. Promoted Tweets are comparable to Google AdWords where companies buy keywords and search terms within Google.

McDonald’s McRib promoted tweet, #McRib, was met with harsh words in the Twitterverse. Examples included; “The #McRib is back, and so are the McRuns” and “Well, folks, it’s that time of year again. #McRib is back. Pfizer stock on the rise. #lipitor.”

In attempt to promote the menu’s new healthy options and farmer-grown ingredients, McDonald’s took to Twitter again this week with the hashtag #McDStories.  They were met with even harsher words. @SkipSullivan, now enjoying his 15 seconds of fame for his hilarious remarks on this topic, went as far to say: "One time I walked into McDonalds and I could smell Type 2 diabetes floating in the air and I threw up. #McDStories." 

What do you think? It is time for McDonald’s to give up on Promoted Tweets or can they make some changes moving forward? Tweet us @zenergycom with your thoughts!

Just a mere 5 years ago, social media was largely perceived as a fad that was strictly built for teens and college aged adults. One or two platforms led the market and interactivity was at a minimum. Social media was thought of as a cluttered and utterly useless online space secluded for nerds and gamers.

Fast forward to 2012 – Facebook is set to hit 1 billion users, new platforms such as Tumblr and Google+ are growing at an incredible pace, a blog is no longer a foreign object and YouTube has claimed, with reason, sole responsibility for Justin Bieber’s popularity. These effects have not only shaped popular culture, but have had drastic effects on the communications industry.

Companies now understand the role that social media can play in drawing media attention to their brands and creating conversations around their products and services. Tools such as Twitter and LinkedIn have even made historically bureaucratic corporations more transparent and available to their consumers. Even the U.S. Secret Service opened a Twitter account in late 2011. We now live in a time where every organization – from Joe’s Donuts to Coca-Cola – needs to maintain a robust online presence in order to stay competitive.

2012 will see even more advancements in the way people communicate. Geo-technology such as Foursquare and Gowalla (recently acquired by Facebook) are estimated to peak this year, while new industry specific social networks are popping up every week. These new networks will continue to develop as consumers look for innovative ways to interact online.