The skinny:

In June 2013, Facebook announced the addition of hashtags to its platform. Hashtags are words or phrases with the pound symbol # at the front of the word , such as #marketing, #lifeisbeautiful, and #follow. The hashtags render the words searchable within the Facebook news feed.  This makes profile and fanpage posts containing the words discoverable, leading to potentially more visitors.

Google has also begun to permit hashtags to its Google Plus platform.  The hashtags make posts discoverable to Google Plus users, leading to more connections.

Both Google Plus and Facebook, among other platforms, use hashtags similarly to that on Twitter.  A hashtag such as #cars would feature tweets and links on the subject of automobiles.  Twitter became more associated with "hashtag success" as TV programs begun to host twitterchats during program air time.

The Takeaway:

So hashtags do seem to impact the reach of a post.  Inserting them into a few Facebook page posts can improved the reach of the post.  I am not sure if engagement is increased. The likelihood of gaining followers is uncertain as well.  While Facebook has improved the user interface for Facebook Insights, the metrics do not offer an opportunity to correlate a singular hashtag.  Without a plan of hashtag usage, it can be confusing to really discern which hashtag is working.

Without a hashtag plan in Facebook, it can be difficult to know what hashtag is working best for your page strategy

Some ideas in using hashtags effectively:

• Place up to four hashtags in a post so that readers can clearly see the tags. Keep ingthe number to a reasonable level (and consistent in multiple post) can help see to some extend i, and be reasonably consistent on topics.
• Click on a hashtag to see who else is associated with the topic. Make sure the pages and persons revealed are
• Facebook Users: Keep in mind that many Facebook readers have seen a hashtag when a Twitter post has been shared on Facebook, but may be uncomfortable with reading a ton of tags while reading a post. Be prepared to explain a hashtag if it is new.
• Post less - let posts linger longer on a newsfeed. Many people discover posts even days later from a publication time. Moreover, every platform has a different algorithm, meaning hourly posts on a microblog (Twitter) does not translate well on major blogs (Facebook, Google Plus, even your own).

A website is just a must for being in business these days.  With customers increasingly researching online, no business exists without one.

But owners of a small business can’t do everything, and that everything sometimes is called “updating a website”.  Many owners rethink attempting website updates, thinking a site should just be like any other business asset – used to death!  They’re concerned primarily about earning and retaining cash.  Getting stuck on developing a website is essentially getting stuck on one operation within a business. Suddenly earnings become stuck too.

But not every business needs to be stuck.  There are a few steps a business can take to update the site.  The basic and most important step is understanding a bit of HTML.  Programming languages like Javascript, PHP, and Python require meaningful skill to generate useful applications, but basic text and link changes should be manageable.  If you’re a bit unsure of how things link together, there are sites that can help – click here for some great online resources.

To maintain the “health” of a website, keep a few basic tips in mind.

1. If possible save website pages where access for making updates is easy for your team. For example, HTML pages can be saved in a cloud storage service, like Egnyte, Google Drive, or Dropbox.  Doing so will minimize delays in updating site content.
2. Maintain access to a website editor, like BB Edit, for fast changes.  Editors can display the appearance of CSS and HTML files in a browser without being online, permitting you to review updates and remove kinks like code conflicts and misspellings before anyone sees it online.
3. Keep a good digital camera or smartphone camera with high resolution available for capturing events.  The images can be used in a website montage or a blog to display what services a customer will receive.   They can also be used in Pinterest to tell a story about your business and how customers benefit.
4. Video extends a time saving convenience with regards to images  - With many editing programs, images can be extracted from a video, so you have the option of pulling an image for Pinterest as well as a media for sight and sound for YouTube.
5. Consider which social media platform your business will continually use. Widgets displaying your account activity will tell researching customers which platforms you normally participate.  The result is being able to communicate customer service responses; if positive, the response can garner even more support from followers.
6. For optimizing your site from a SEO perspective, develop a list of topics you can blog about for the next several months.  You can then monitor the post-related metrics in an analytics solution to determine which topics consistently drew traffic for your site.
7. Monitor page speed as you add badges, plugins, and video embeds. Some additions can increase the number of calls between browser and server – slowing down a page load and thus slowing down a customer.  If you find your site slowing down, note the files which may be affect it through Pingdom or Yottaa.  Gather your observations so that a programmer can address elements in one sitting.

If you are faced with poor technology, see the post How To Keep Small Business Technology Up To Date.

Zimana has launched a digital marketing survey, thanks to the talented effort of its first interns.  The survey examines family sentiment towards digital advertising and how those values are developing.

Teens and preteens in families today most likely have a mobile device. And if they don't have one, certainly they want one. Tablets and smartphones offer freedom, fun, and convenience for the youngster wishing to stretch their independence. In many ways digital devices are as valuable to today's generation as getting a first car.

But given the proliferation of tech devices sold on the market, combined with increase internet availability, parents must manage parental guidance for their children against the widespread appearance of digital advertising and content. So how do parents control what marketing reaches their children?

This survey was created with the help of two Hult MBA interns, J. Tomas Mendez Perez and Karla Puga.

To participate, go to the survey through this link: The Digital Family.

The survey results will be made available in a written report after the survey is gathered and analyzed (No data will be shared with third parties).

If there are any questions or concerns, please forward them to the email address survey(@)zimana.com.

The closing of Borders Books & Music, the second-largest bookstore chain in the U.S., has been on my mind. I used to shop there, long before its bankruptcy and its long fight against growing consumer trend of e-book purchases that ushered new competitors like Amazon. The decision liquidated inventory at 399 stores and eliminated more than 10,000 jobs.  You can read a great post from USA Today on the impact of Border’s demise.

The post caught my attention mostly because of a strategy question it raises, the implicit need to change a business model.  How do you know when a change is needed?

One challenge is not just knowing the need for change, but implementing tactics after deciding to enact a change.  Chasing every shiny new technological bauble, be it social network or application, can become a goose chase and distract your business.  You’re in business to construct a home, run a restaurant, or provide professional services.  You don’t want to build your business around Google Plus “just because”.

Yet slow technological adoption can destroy a once well-operated process, so how does your business keep up?  Here are some steps small business owners can use to develop means to consider new technology and incorporate ways to improve its tech assets for the long haul.

1. Recognize that your available technology can limit the options available. Check your computers to see if the amount of RAM installed permits needed software to run effectively – limited drive space can be addressed with online storage solutions.   Evaluate your phone options to allow communication through social media. If photos are needed for your product and service, consider a camera with at least 6 Megapixels for photos suitable for websites and for further resizing if necessary.   You should not have to obtain the latest and greatest, but if the computer is over 5 years old or the phone over two, question the capability. Don’t be surprised that the answer is that replacement is needed.
2. Take a day to read and discover new information sources.  Or have someone within your team dedicated to identifying and developing new ways to adopt technology within your business.  This can be nebulous, but it is essential. Even engineered products, such as automobiles, are developed outside of a manufacturing environment, to get the basics of vehicle technology and functions developed (I’ve seen this first hand).  CNet, Gigaom, and Mashable are terrific starting points. Small Business Trends, Small Business Technology, Succeed As Your Own Boss, and DIY Marketers are among the best small business resources started by small business owners (Note: all have been a Zimana client).
3. Look for moves from large companies and try to understand their interest in a technology.  Ignore any alarmist posts, and seek details behind the alarm.  For example, this article on HTML5 discusses why a growth in its usage is expected.  Apple is one of many corporations pushing the standard.  A bias may exist in a corporation’s investment, but the rule is that investment in a standard from a corporation or a group of corporations influences the material that trickles to small businesses.
4. Talk to your customers about why they use a certain device. Do this if you are noticing widespread usage.  When you record the answers, treat the response as a brainstorming perspective - you won’t get a specific idea, but a general trend or observation.  Before cupholders and consoles were added to auto interiors, surveyed customers indicated they wanted more storage because of the long commutes and the time spent in an automobile.  The desire for more room was the trend. The answer was interior storage.  Apply a similar logic with discovering new ideas to deliver your service or product.

Every business owner or team experiences SBS - Shiny Bauble Syndrome – that feeling of euphoria over a new device or tool. Well one tool certainly has come a long way from generating its initial SBS symptoms.

Websites are no longer that shiny bauble of a technology item that they were when they were first introduced in 1990. They are now the essential business asset. Combined with widespread Internet access, websites level the playfield regarding marketing exposure for small and large businesses.

But it’s been over 20 years since the Internet was first created, according to Wired. Since that time, more programming language have expanded the websites role to become the aforementioned asset.  My thoughts are turning to the most recent few years – How do experienced web designers see the consequence of these changes to web design and in many ways web analytics?   I asked this question on Linked In, as well as from other professionals around New York and assembled responses and thought on how this transformation is altering websites and business.

The digitalization of media clearly is an influence to expanding information consumption. Unlike the first website of 1990 we are no longer bound by using a document. Take video for example.  Ursula von Rydingsvard, Chief Operating Officer and founder of YouHere Productions, an award winning video production firm based in Manhattan, noted that “Video is now an integral part of web design. If your business wants to attract sophisticated clientele you must have video on your landing page. The stats are astounding in that a person will spend a longer time on a page if there is video on it.”

Michelle Greenlee, an All Analytics contributor, noted how mobile has “changed web design by requiring developers to think beyond the browser. Smartphones adoption rates are on the rise but not all are able to serve up a decent, usable, version of every website…..Reviewing site analytics to determine devices currently accessing a site before committing to features for the mobile version is very helpful. You may be able to provide a better experience through a dedicated app than on a mobile browser. These were not concerns of web development even six years ago.”

William T. Cooper, CEO of ChristiaNet, has found success using the integration aspects Greenlee mentions.  “We have 820,000 Facebook Fans with 70,000 daily interactions (Likes + Comments + Shares). Proof that proper web design and social media integration works.”

One end result of this transformation is  designers widening their inspirational scope to solve business objectives in the context of website code.  Carol Lawson, a 12 year web design veteran and owner of Studio150, a design studio in Brooklyn, noted on her blog that for web design “there is always inspiration right at your fingertips. If you’re stuck thinking about a design often you can find solutions and ideas that address that same problem within a few clicks. While looking at other websites can be inspiring, it’s important that designers seek out other non-web related sources as well.”

Despite the inspiration, businesses still struggle with appreciating the value in websites, and in many way consequentially web analytics. I have heard various statistics regarding whether small businesses in particular operate without a website.   Google, while announcing a joint program with Intuit called Get Online, noted that its research revealed that an astonishing 69% of small businesses in North Carolina do not have a website .

Natasha N. McEachron, another New York web designer, summed up the crucial need for businesses to develop their sites. “Internet users spend a lot of their time on social networks and with apps which put them in control of the content that they come into contact with. I think it would be expected that a company or brand would carry over understanding (or their openness to understanding) their customers on social networks / apps to the way in which they communicate and interact with customers on their website.”

With these aspects of web design evolving, web analytics practitioners must convey how analytics solutions and the subsequent analysis unlock value from websites. Not every business will be on board – businesses have traditionally had difficulty determining the value of a website.  But to determine value, business must deploy analytics to match the dynamics from a customer’s website experience to the brand and business model an organization is seeking to establish profitably.  To borrow the Pareto theory, explained by John Barnes’ post, web analytics can guide a business onto the right 20% that can lead to discovery of that precious 80% effect.

Search engines have evolved over the last few years, but fortunately man's quest to understand the evolution of any subject has not abated. So with that, let's thank Monetate for this in-depth infographic on search.
The infographic revealed the milestones that altered search algorithms, up to date influences on search results, and tips for improving search performance on your digital properties.

Monetate Marketing Infographics