There are lots of ways that the top designers and firms work to meet their clients goals and being successful in the world of design means having a handle on how to create original ideas. Most designers would agree that it’s the execution of a great idea that makes it a success.

The Hartford Business Review recently published an article on their website by Warren Berger entitled Four Phases of Design Thinking . Warren Berger is the author of GLIMMER: How design can transform, business, your life, and maybe even the world (Penguin Press). He edits the online magazine GlimmerSite.com too. His article was so informative, we thought it was well worth our time to review how designers work to create successful innovative ideas.

Throughout the world of design, there are some shared behaviors that top designers follow in order to achieve significant breakthroughs. Second nature habits that were found to be common among expert designers and to their ability to transform an original idea into a successful innovation included; asking questions, caring, connecting and committing. If you’re a designer you will recognize these shared behaviors and if you’re looking for design work to be done, these are the steps that a top notch designer will most likely follow.

Designers Ask LOTS Of Questions

• Seasoned designers ask lots of questions.
• They work to raise questions in order to begin their design project.
• Designers strive to challenge the current reality or assumption in an industry.
• The creative mind works to learn the mainstream obvious and then figures out a way twist or morph it into an original idea that will turn into a successful innovative idea.
• A creative individual will often ask basic “why” questions that might seem naive and sometimes puts people on the defense.

When a designer asks why, they are really encouraging people to step back and reconsider old problems or practices that might be out of date. This gives the designer the ability to re-frame and steer thinking in a new direction. By striving to stretch the question of why to all facets of a project, they are able to rethink the basic fundamentals of a business. In the current economy and ever so volatile marketplace, this breeds innovation that gives birth to success.

A Great Designer Cares

• Designers do their best work by stepping out of the corporate bubble.
• They immerse themselves in the lives of their target market or audience.
• By observing and paying close attention to the customer they are trying to reach, they are able to dig out the consumer’s deep unspoken needs.
• Designers work hard to be present in people’s lives.

Lots of companies can say they care about their customer’s needs. Focus groups and questionnaires don’t really scratch the surface as to what makes an individual choose to buy a product. In order to reach a consumer on an emotional level, you have to empathize with them. This is the leverage that a good designer brings to the creative table. They strive to learn how their customers feel, how they think and how they live. By doing so, a seasoned designer learns what pushes a person to buy a product, join a marketing campaign, or become a faithful follower and consumer.

Designers Are Able To Connect

• A designer works to synthesize ideas.
• The creative thought process can take existing elements or ideas and combine them together in new ways.

Hiring a designer doesn’t always mean that a business will be forced into a new set of marketing materials or professional identity. It’s the job of a designer to also consider their clients current business elements and think laterally. Sometimes new ideas are not born fresh or invented from scratch. New ideas can be found by searching for new ways to combine current or older ideas. Designers do this by connecting them in a new way. They generate a new idea that is often comprised of scattered or mismatched ideas that didn’t seem to go together. This can be a shortcut to innovation. By combining previous ideas, this can help a business retain their original identity and brand, and simply strive for a new look, new message or re-tool their branded look to be more attractive to the public.

Designers Achieve Success Through Commitment

Designers are able to commit early to an idea.

They take original ideas and move them beyond imagination by giving them Form.

This Form makes an idea Real.

Designers are comfortable with putting an idea out into the marketplace when it’s young and imperfect.

A designer knows how to accept short-term failure.

Creative professionals have the ability to “fail forward”.

Some of the greatest designers have gone back to the design board more than once to tweak an idea into success. With their focus on commitment, the creative mind is often very comfortable with risk, more so than the average person is. They know that small failures are useful tools that provide a process for learning what needs fixing. In times of fast dynamic change, many companies need a confident designer on their team that can operate in a “test and learn” environment. In this type of work situation a designer will be required to create multiple or rapid prototypes. In design, the name of the game is often—Change it—Revise it — Until it STICKS!

Businesses and designers can look forward to forging a profitable partnership when they work towards a common goal. One way to do that is for the designer to explain what they will be doing, how they work their process and why they follow certain steps to achieve success. Through the use of an open line of communication, businesses can learn how to apply their designers behavioral habits to their own creative process. Being able to generate innovative and fresh ideas that  are attractive to consumers can push a business from hum-drum to sensational and victorious!

We welcome new ideas and you might inspire us for our next blog post! Share your thoughts and tips by posting comments for us. Thanks for reading!

By Sara Hassler

If you’re thinking about including social media into your marketing plan, here are some great trend reports and statistics to put that thought into action. Finding the time and dollars to allocate to social media marketing is on the tip of every marketing executives tongue. One reason is that social media is trending and is not just a trend. The digital age is evolving and we are finding that we can reach out and touch someone through being a friend on Facebook, linking to them on LinkedIn or posting a blog for them read at their convenience. Through these social media networks, businesses have found a new way to communicate with their target markets to grow their business. Check out how social media is currently trending and the stats that back it up.

Social Media Marketing Is On The Rise

“The State of Small Business Report”, by Network Solutions, LLC and the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, showed that the downed economy has contributed to the popularity of social media networks.  The study reported that:

• Small businesses increased their use of social media from 12% to 24% in the last year.
• An estimated 1 out of 5 small businesses are involved in using social media as a part of their marketing strategy.

How Businesses Use Social Media

Small businesses reported the following:

• 75% have a company page listed on a social networking site.
• 69% post updates or articles on social media sites .
• 57% build out a professional  network through a site like LinkedIn.
• 54% closely observe the feedback they receive about their business.
• 39% have set up and maintain a blog.
• 26% tweet about their area of expertise.
• 16% use Twitter as a service channel.

Social Media  Expectations

The report showed  businesses who have worked with social media as part of their marketing plan had mixed reviews on how it met their expectations.

• 58% felt that social media had met their expectations.
• 25% felt that social media had fallen short of what they had hoped for.
• 12% reported that social media network sites had exceeded their expectations.

For businesses that reported social media had fallen short of their expectations:

• 50% said that social media had used more time than they had expected.
• 19% thought social media had lost them money.
• 17% felt that social media networks allowed people/customers to criticize their business.

Messages Sent Through Social Media

eMarketer showed that social media marketing does not choke innovation out of existence. Instead some of the most successful small businesses are able to compete by offering superior services. The small business model has embraced social media as a means to keep themselves tied to their customers. Businesses felt that they could engage their audiences through social media. They also reported to use social media to tap into knowledgeable resources.  

How Social Media Budgets Will Rise

Over the last several months marketing professionals have been found to be leaning towards the importance of creating a budget for social media marketing. Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the American Marketing Association, “The CMO Survey” reported that social media marketing budgets are on the rise. The report showed that businesses currently budget 6% of their marketing dollars to social media. They expect this amount to increase 10% in the next year and 18% over the course of the next 5 years.

In August 2009 marketing professionals had also been found to have planned to incorporate a higher budget dedicated to social media marketing efforts. In February 2010, those marketers had reported that they would be budgeting one-fifth of their dollars to social media marketing over the next 5 years.  Current social media marketing budget trends are:

• August 2009: 3.5% budget allowance was spent on social media marketing.
• February 2010: Social media marketing budgets had risen to 5.6% .

Social Media The Big Buzz

According to the Marketing Executives Networking Group and Anderson Analytics, their report entitled “Marketing Trends 2010″ found that mastering social media was high on the priority list for marketing professionals. The number one  buzzword to keep on the tip of the tongue in 2010 was Marketing ROI —rate of return on marketing efforts.

• 58% of marketing executives thought social media was a trend to keep an eye on.
• 42% of marketing professionals chose social media as a top trend to watch which made social media marketing hit the list of the top 10 productive marketing initiatives.
• 72% of professionals in marketing reported that they work with companies that have planned a social media marketing program for 2010.  

Social Media – Who Is Using It & How

The study by Anderson Analytics also showed the differences on how social media marketing was being used. Individuals and professionals were found to use social media networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. Companies were found to utilize the blog as their main social media tool.

The Anderson Analytics study also reported that social media marketing plans were handed to internal employees, social media consultants and interactive agencies. Marketing professionals that were in charge of carrying out social media initiatives were not found to be looking to PR or ad agencies to head their social media campaigns.

So if your business is working to plan a social media marketing program, feel confident that you are not diving into a trend that will disappear any time soon. Many studies have been performed to analyze the worth of social media marketing and have found that businesses all over are planning to incorporate social media into their marketing budgets. Reaching out to your customers, target marketed and creating an open line of communication through social media is here to stay.

The foundation of successful companies has always been to become a reliable source for their customers.  Long standing businesses look to become a resource in which customers can count on and communicate with. Social media networking allows a business the open line they need to communicate the message that their customers need to hear—you can count on us and you can rely on us. A message that can now be broadcast through social media networks 24 hours a day, 365 days a year— which is more than a stamped postcard can offer.

The world of traditional marketing is ever-changing and as it leans into the digital online world, we encourage you to dig your business heels in and enjoy planning your social media efforts!

We welcome new ideas and you might inspire us for our next blog post! Share your thoughts and tips by posting comments for us. Thanks for reading!

By Sara Hassler

Enjoy the value of Facebook and build your business by creating a Facebook business page. By having a Facebook business page you can increase your online presence and gain even more exposure by; including  your Facebook page link in your email signature, posting your link on your business website and adding it to your print and advertising materials. Facebook can be an excellent and valuable business tool if used properly. Check out the research and stats below to find out just how powerful Facebook is in the world of social media networks.

Recent studies performed by Edison Research showed:

• 48% of Americans, over the age of 12, had a profile page set up on a social network site.
• 30% of those same individuals logged on to their social network page multiple times each day.

The statistics from  Facebook are astounding:

• There are more than 400 million active users.
• The average user has an estimated 130 friends.
• People are found to be spending over 500 billion minutes per month on Facebook.

Use Facebook to Build Your Business

In order to use Facebook so it benefits your business you can incorporate these ideas:

• Choose a keyword name that will improve your search engine ranking. Try matching your Facebook name to your business name so folks can find you online in cyberspace and on Facebook under the same name.

• Work on creating a comment posting schedule that fits into your work schedule. Posting  on a regular basis can help others get to know you and your business. It will also increase your chances of gaining followers.

• Ask you Facebook friends to interact with others on your page. You can do this by posing questions to spark conversation. The idea is to create a conversation that encourages multiple replies.

• If friends post on your page, respond to their comments as often as possible. This will let them know your available.

• Text is great for getting things started, but make a concentrated effort to share photos and videos so your Facebook business page is interesting and stimulating.

The Importance of Maintaining a Business Website & Blog

Once your business is set up on Facebook with a custom page, turn your efforts to expanding your online presence with a solid foundation like a website and blog. Many businesses wonder why they should spend the time in creating a business blog when a Facebook business page appears to be more interactive. The answer is that you don’t own your Facebook page. You are using Facebook as a place to simply interact and connect with others. They key to using Facebook is to make it beneficial to building your business and that is done by driving your Facebook friends to your own website and or blog.

Think of your website as a central hub for your business and your blog as your social outreach for your marketing and public relations. Since you own your website and your blog, it’s yours. You have complete control of the changes, the longevity and the future of your site and blog. On Facebook, you don’t own your page and any content created on your Facebook page could disappear if Facebook vanished.

Be in Control of Your Destiny

Choose to be self-reliant and maximize the time you invest on your social network pages by creating a strong central business homepage, website and up-to-date well- managed blog. Brand your business by creating an internet storefront. Your store can be filled with creative content that describes your business mission, goals , products and services. At the end of the day, your cyber shop will also be in place for as long you own your business!

We welcome new ideas and you might inspire us for our next blog post! Share your thoughts and tips by posting comments for us. Thanks for reading!

By Sara Hassler

SEO, otherwise known as Search Engine Optimization, refers to the steps followed to optimize a website. Websites  are optimized by changing or improving parts of their internal or external features, like improving website copy text, keyword tags(internal) or web hosting controls(external). SEO also works to improve site design and content that will increase traffic. The ideal traffic that the optimization targets is search engine traffic.

There are individual consultants, small businesses and large firms that specialize in SEO. Some Search Engine Optimization specialists are focused in one specific area and others are broad and generalized. Because optimizing a website requires attention to a variety of unique elements, some specific and others general, many SEO professionals describe their work as being in the open field of website optimization.

Companies and individuals need Search Engine Optimization because web traffic is controlled and “driven” by the top commercial search engines, AskJeeves, Yahoo!, Google and MSN (AOL pulls about 10% of searches and is powered by Google results). Web users who are looking for content, services, products or information are generally using a key method of web navigation—search engines. If a website can’t be found by these major search engines or the content of a website can’t be put into their databases, then those sites lose out on valuable traffic.

To simplify, the words we use when we type letters into the search box are valuable. These searches are called search queries and usually contain a phrase that is then best matched to a specific website. Many people agree that their experience has proven that search engine traffic can have a tremendous impact on a website’s success. Since targeted visitors can offer publicity, revenue and exposure, Search Engine Optimization offers a substantial rate of return on investment.

Search engines like Yahoo!, AskJeeves, Google and MSN need SEO help because they are limited in how they operate. Search Engine Optimization helps to make content available to the search engines and can also boost search engine ranking. With content that is easily found, sites are placed where web users can see it – page one of a search, instead of page 32. Organizations, businesses and individuals can pick up visitors, attention and lift a website to gain more visibility by performing Search Engine Optimization.

As you begin on your journey into the wide world of Search Engine Optimization here are a few quick tips on how to make website text search-friendly!

Search engines cannot index certain text styles and as a result, many sites struggle with making their text search-friendly. Search engines cannot read, index or pull the following text styles:

• Text embedded in a Java Application or Macromedia Flash file
• Text in an image file – jpg, gif, png or other image.
• Text accessible only through a form or other on-page action

Search-friendly text can be described as text that the search engines can spider and index. When creating text in HTML it’s critical to website rank and getting indexed properly to make your website text search-friendly. Search engines measure the phrases and terms in text copy and pull information about that page based on their findings. Finding the right balance of how to create content that is reader friendly and “search-friendly” could be considered both an art and a science. The following rules apply when working to optimize on-page text for search rankings:

Create and make the primary phrase/term stand out.

Keyword density is now considered useless. General frequency is what helps ranking.

Create web content that is high quality and on-topic.

Search engines are sophisticated and analyze content to find quality pages. They also have teams of researchers that work to find quality writing.

Structure your text/document.

A journalistic format is common and preferred. The copy starts with a description and then moves from broad to narrow in subject and content.

Cozy content works so keep website text together.

When creating a document or on-page content, it’s important to avoid breaking text through coding. One way to do this is by using tables that have text sections like content, ads and navigation that flows.  Too many “nested” tables can create broken sentences and paragraphs that are not search-friendly.

Layout and keyword usage has little value.

Website layout and keyword usage used to be considered important in search engine ranking. That’s no longer the case. Structure and keywords offer a slight boost in ranking, but the overall benefit is low.

By following these basic search friendly rules when creating your online copy content, you will enjoy higher search engine rankings, increased traffic and possible income potential and growth. The World Wide Web is forever evolving and keeping up with the newest and most up to date information is crucial to successful website design and development. Search Engine Optimization is for people, businesses and organizations that want to grow their online presence through the use of technical, creative and structured content.

We welcome new ideas and you might inspire us for our next blog post! Share your thoughts and tips by posting comments for us. Thanks for reading!

By Sara Hassler

Color speaks volumes when you are trying to attract an audience, friends or work on your social network marketing campaign. Refer to the characteristics of color when creating business graphics, website designs, blog layouts and social media pages. It’s been reported that color can evoke an emotional response within 90 seconds of viewing.

Color can motivate, persuade, impress, influence and encourage. It can change behavior, bring to mind emotions and can impact a physical response.

Color is also cultural and specific to regions and is also age related. Your location and target audience should always be considered when choosing the right colors for communication. Make an impact and send a subliminal message to your audience by knowing the secret language of color.

Blue

Blue is a popular color for business. It suggests financial responsibility, security, trust, reliability and dignity. Dark “corporate” blue is important and confident. In general blue is calming and a natural universal color associated with the blue sky above all of us. In culture it symbolizes religious beliefs, is thought to bring peace, and keep evil spirits away.

Brown

Brown speaks of kindness, cooperation, efficiency and wealth. It has been associated with stimulating appetite and is found in living and non-living materials. Universally it is associated with being wholesome and earthy. It is a dependable color.

Black

Black is bold, powerful and elegant. It is authoritative, seductive and sophisticated. It is a classic color and is also associated with evil. In nature, black is thought to be the absence of color. In western countries, black symbolizes mourning. For young people it is rebellious.

Gray

Gray is a serious color that quietly suggests authority and practicality. It is honest, traditional and conservative. In our culture, dark gray is used for mourning and light gray for celebrations. Overall it is a formal color.

Green

Green has been reported to be the easiest color on the eye. It  symbolizes wealth, status, freedom and growth. It is often associated with health, fertility and nature. It’s naturally a restful color and calming. In cultures it symbolizes the environment and the Spring season.

Orange

Orange is a vibrant playful color that suggests pleasure and cheer. In nature it’s associated with warmth and stimulates the senses. Cultures recognize it as a color that represents the changing of the seasons, the sun and good health.

Pink

Pink is feminine and nurturing. It is associated with being sweet and innocent. It suggests well-being. In nature pink is seen as soft and culturally pink is delicate.

 Purple

Purple is an upscale color, artistic, spiritual and dignified. It is luxurious, wealthy, authoritative and sophisticated. In nature purple is thought to be sacred and precious. Different cultures think of this color in a variety of ways, some use this color for mourning, royalty or authority.

Red

Red is aggressive, strong and dangerous. It is associated with sex, passion, excitement and speed. Red has been reported to stimulate a faster heartbeat and increase breathing. It is naturally a hot color. In culture it is powerful. Some countries think of this color as pure and joyful and use it for celebrations or to attract good luck.

White

White is pure, clean and honest. It is contemporary, loyal and affectionate. In nature white is brilliant. Some cultures think of white as innocent or for royalty, others use it for mourning.

Enjoy creating your own special message about your business, goals and products by engaging your audience through the use of color. Color speaks to us in a non-verbal communication that is strong and emotional. Use color to your best advantage by being sensitive to how color can impact your print materials, online presence and social media networks. Be creative and color your business to success!

We welcome new ideas and you might inspire us for our next blog post! Share your thoughts and tips by posting comments for us. Thanks for reading!

By Sara Hassler

Social Media Networks like Twitter, Facebook and Linked In are great places to advertise your business services and products . This type of business networking or advertising is called Relationship Marketing. In the digital age, Relationship Marketing is a powerful tool that breaks all the traditional marketing rules. In order to connect with your target audience online the keyword is YOU.  Relationship Marketing is about focusing your web content, your blog comments and all other marketing efforts on who YOU are, what YOU are offering and how YOU are able to help your customers.

In general people are overwhelmed by how many ads they are exposed to. In order to stand out, focus on branding yourself and your business as someone who people would be interested in. Today it’s important for people to know who they are dealing with, they want to be able to trust and become friends with whoever they are buying their products or services from.

Not many folks are going to pay attention to ads that are self-serving. Being boastful about how great your product is or how fabulous your services are pushes people away. It’s important to note that in order to gain public attention that converts into additional business, you have to literally connect with your customers. Attract large groups of people, market your services and promote your products by creating a Social Media Marketing Campaign.

Three online services, Twitter, Facebook and Linked In, can create a massive online marketing strategy when used together. If used creatively, appropriately and constructively, these services can send massive traffic to your website, increase sales and get people buzzing about you, your products and your services. Follow these steps when dealing with Social Media Networks.

Three keys to being successful online are to:                            

• Be credible
• Be trustworthy
• Be interested in the general welfare of others

Become a Friend on Facebook

Facebook is a place where you will communicate with your target audience. Add as much information about yourself as possible while still maintaining a keen business profile. Your likes, dislikes, pictures and videos should all be chosen with your audience in mind. If your interesting, you will gain a following. Link to your website and blog on your profile. When posting to Facebook keep your  posts friendly, professional, interesting and informative – remember be credible, be trustworthy and be interested in the general welfare of others.

Tweet on Twitter

Twitter is a tool that will feed traffic to your Facebook profile and blog. Add pictures, use keywords in your character bio and add your blog as your site. Create a background with a standard background or load a custom image from your personal files. It’s ideal to upload a background image that incorporates a link to your Facebook profile and has a bold bio about yourself.  Make your tweets interesting, short and informative – remember to be credible, be trustworthy and be interested in the general welfare of others.

Link in on Linked In

Your Linked In account will be your professional network tool. Here you will add your job history, pictures and information about what your interests are. Think of this network as your online resume and a way for current and potential business associates to contact you. Create a professional profile that is business orientated. When posting messages keep it friendly and maintain your professionalism – remember to be credible, be trustworthy and be interested in the general welfare of others.

Internet marketing is about helping other people. The days of blanket advertising, well designed print ads, and bragging about your new business is over. We have gone digital, we want more from our companies and when we spend a dollar we want to know we’re investing, not just splurging. Being friends no long means we share our deepest secrets, we want to be friends in order to have contacts, connections and we want a network of our own.

When people have a network to join they feel like they are a part of something. Be bold and create a world that welcomes new business and offers a place for your customers to connect. Above all, become a trusted resource that is credible and works to help others.

We welcome new ideas and you might inspire us for our next blog post! Share your thoughts and tips by posting comments for us. Thanks for reading!

By Sara Hassler

Make Your Blog Content Count —Be Social & Syndicate!

If you’ve toiled over the content for your website, written articles or are building a blog, you should be thinking of syndicating your work.

What is syndication?

Content syndication is a term used to describe the process of content distribution. Whether it is video, audio or text copy, syndication is how you move your content so that your content is seen by as many viewers, listeners and readers as possible. If you’re not syndicating your content then the investment of time you’ve spent working on that content is low. To raise your rate of return and make larger gains in your time investment, syndicate!  

What syndication can do:

• Attract highly targeted visitors to your website.
• Increase the amount of people that read and comment on your blog.
• Give your website a higher ranking in the search engines.
• Create and build a constant following of like-minded people interested in your content.
• Help you build a platform that makes you an expert in your field of interest.
• Increase your rate of return on the time invested in creating your content.

All of the above are great business goals and solid reasons to syndicate your content. But how do you go about getting syndicated? 

Repurpose your content:

Current or new content can be re-formatted or re-used. This is an effective way to maximize the value of your content. Here are a few ideas on how to repurpose the same content so it becomes the right type of content and ready for syndication:

• Take your website copy and break it down into blog posts.
• Break up text articles and turn that into website copy and blog posts.
• Create an audio version of your blog posts.
• Turn your blog posts into a slideshow.
• Convert your slideshow into a short video with audio narration.

How you can syndicate your content:

Most content can be easily syndicated and here’s three easy steps on how to syndicate your content:

1.       Learn what an RSS feed is and then use it.

• RSS stands for “really simple syndication”.
• RSS takes your content and puts it into a special format so your content can be shared across the internet.
• Many of the social networking sites use RSS.
• Take your RSS feeds and submit them to RSS search engines like Bloglines, Blogpulse, DayPop and Feedstar.

2.       Forward your blog posts to your Twitter feed.

Twitter updates are searchable in the search engines and tweets are updated regularly. By sending your blog posts to your Twitter feed, you can stay on top of your search engine ranking and your content will get in front of many more people.

• If your blog has been built in WordPress, configure a plugin like Twitter Tools to send your blog posts to your Twitterfeed.
• This feed can increase your website traffic.
• Be careful to not overtweet your new content.

3.       Import your content into Facebook and Linked In

By focusing on strong titles and compelling content you can count on seeing click throughs to your website. You can also look forward to establishing yourself as an expert with credibility by growing your brand on these two sites.

• In Facebook, publish your blog posts to your Notes application.
• For Linked In, use the WordPress application to place your blog content.

You can create profitability for your business by sending your message to as many people as possible. Syndication is a powerful tool to increase your brand and grow your online following. As you work to increase your audience there is more opportunity for your business to expand. Make your content count and syndicate so your business can flourish and grow!

We welcome new ideas and you might inspire us for our next blog post! Share your thoughts and tips by posting comments for us. Thanks for reading!

By Sara Hassler

Apple Inc. has announced its new multi-touch iPad will be available for sale in March of 2010. The tablet-style computer will have print, video, photo, multimedia and Internet browsing capabilities, and can also run most iPhone apps.

At just 1.5 pounds, it’s more portable than a laptop, and the 10-hour battery far exceeds the typical laptop experience, which drains after a couple or three hours. It’s even thinner than the super-thin Macbook  Air.

CEO Steve Jobs is touting the iPad as a fantastic web browsing device. “iPad offers the best web browsing experience there is-way better than laptops,” Jobs says. Yet, it didn’t take long after the oohing and aahing for the criticisms to roll in, and most of them are focused on what the iPad can’t do: can’t take pictures, no video chat, no Flas, etc.

Why are some people downright giddy with excitement over the iPad while some are saying “pish-posh?” Because it’s not for everyone, and therein lies the genius of the iPad. Apple has had the forethought to make a product specifically for the group of people who need it, tapping a niche market in the process.

Sure, there are things an iPad can’t do –things a computer already does. A large number of people around the world daily are using a piece of equipment that is expensive, complicated and cumbersome, and they’re using it to check their Facebook status and watch YouTube videos.

It’s like using a bazooka to kill a gnat.

Consider toast. If all you want is toasted bread, it would be silly to buy a toaster oven. It would be a waste of money to be talked into a wide-slot bagel toaster. You just want toast; you just need a toaster. Period.

Car manufacturers are doing the same thing when they target specific audiences with specific features, and its a brilliant way to market. Lately, you’ve probably noticed a lot of car commercials touting innovative stereos. You may have even thought, “Hey, that looks handy.” At the same time, some folks are sitting on the couch grumbling that they don’t care about the stereo when they’re buying a car.

When a company markets specifically to a niche group, it’s naturally going to alienate those who don’t fit in.

Apple itself is focusing on the iPad’s use for emails, browsing and photos, and for a lot of consumers, that’s exactly what they need and want. Do you think that doesn’t sound like enough? Then the iPad isn’t for you. Move on.

For those who just want toast, though, this is one helluva toaster.

By Elizabeth Kelly

At the beginning of a new year, it seems like everyone puts out a list of “best ofs” for the previous year, and 2010 is no exception. No need to sift through every single one, though: Oozil has compiled the best lists for you, so you can skip from “Best 2009 Exhibits of Byzantine Mosaics” and “Best Sound Effects Editing in Romantic Comedies” to get straight to the good stuff.

Time’s 50 Best Websites of 2009

This website roundup gets extra kudos for variety: Time has included nifty choices for cooking, crafting, silly video-watching, and time-watching in addition to top choices for networking, news, research and trend-spotting. You’ll find a few here you never heard of (California Coastline? Visuwords?), so be prepared to spend some time cruising the links.

Time’s 25 Best Blogs of 2009

Things get a tad more serious with Time’s blogroll, with news sites Talking Point Memo and Huffington Post topping the chart, but there are some fun gems to glean as well, like Said the Gramaphone and BoingBoing. Don’t miss Time’s picks for “Most Overrated Blogs of 2009.”

Roger Ebert’s Best Films of 2009

Every list of film bests inspired argument and controversy. Ebert nips some of it in the bud by separating picks for mainstream movies and independent films. See if you agree with his choices, and get ready to rent some of his under-the-radar choices.

Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Books of 2009

The book industry magazine has come up with a refreshing book list, choosing titles believed to be the actual best rather than merely the biggest-selling. You won’t find Twilight, but you will find plenty to convince you that good literature isn’t dying.

Gizmodo’s Best Gadgets

The smart folks behind Gizmodo know their gadgets better than anyone in the biz, and this list proves it, covering everything from phones, computers, audio and video, to more-overlooked items like vacuum cleaners and chairs.

Project Censored’s Top Censored News Stories of 2009

You already know what the biggest news headlines were –they were everywhere. But what about the stories you never got to read? Project Censored fills you in on the stories your paper wasn’t allowed to run.

Videogum’s Best Viral Videos of 2009

It’s getting harder and harder to know how we got through the stress of everyday life before YouTube. Videogum has compiled the best viral videos of the year into one, with handy links to the full versions of the ones you missed. Expect plenty of cats, lip-syncing babies and moronic newscasters. (As is typical of viral videos, there is some language.)

Oozil wishes you the very best of 2010.

By Elizabeth Kelly

At year’s end, a flurry of articles surface with predictions about the hottest trends for the upcoming year, and the cusp of 2009/2010 is no exception. These are some of the well-spotted trends we can expect to impact our lives in 2010, chosen by those who have their finger on the pulse.

Embedded Generosity

The minds at trendwatching.com recently released their list of “10 Crucial Trends for 2010,” including the concept of embedded generosity. Noting that it was huge in 2009, they predict an even bigger boom in 2010, as consumers look for painless ways of making a difference. Examples inlclude Tom’s Shoes, the company that donates a pair of shoes to a needy child for every pair sold, or Pampers diapers, who donate the cost of a vaccine for each package purchased.

Local Pride

Also on the list at trendwatching.com is what they call “urbany”: city-specific products and services that are already cropping up in bigger cities across the country. Its already been tapped by companies like Absolut Vodka, who launched a mango and black pepper-flavored vodka inspired by the city of New Orleans (and later a flavor custom-made for Boston), and Guerlain perfumes, who sell city-themed scents at Harrod’s. In London, some bank ATMs have an option to receive your instructions in Cockney rhyming slang.

Real Time

Pete Cashmore, the founder and CEO of Mashable’s social media blog, wrote at CNN that “the real-time trend has been to the latter part of 2009 what “Web 2.0″ was to 2007.” Facebook and Twitter updates are just the beginning of a burgeoning public desire for immediacy. Consumers can expect a tidal flow of applications that only increase the ability to share now. (And don’t forget real-time collaboration, either. The Google Wave phenomenon is just beginning.)

Cloud Computing

2009 made cloud computing a buzzword, but expect to see it around even more in 2010. The ability to use virtual servers available over the Internet to make data accessible from anywhere will continue to fuel collaborative projects around the world. Cashmore says we can also expect the cloud trend to see “a major leap forward in the first half of 2010 with the launch of “Office Web Apps,” free online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote released in tandem with Microsoft Office 2010.”

Social Networking, Marketing Edition

Sure, social networking isn’t just coming, it’s here. But, Stuart Parkinson of VCCP  says that 2010 will be the “the year that people get to grips with marketing on social networks.” This past year, we’ve seen companies using Facebook and Twitter campaigns to enormous success (and also several that are completely fumbling with it.) Expect businesses to start mastering social media –for better or worse– in the upcoming year.

The new trends in 2010 haven’t just appeared out of nowhere; they’ve been building over time. Have you seen it all coming? If you’re the kind of person who keeps their eyes in the future, welcome to Oozil. We’re going to get along just fine.

What trends do you see making an impact in 2010? Share your ideas in the comment section.

by Elizabeth Kelly