Everything You Need To Know About Google Glass

After a successful social media campaign, Google is excited about its upcoming product — Google Glass. These smart glasses will allow you to do many of the things that your smartphone can already do, but is the rest of the world as excited about the product as Google is? With a price tag of $1500 for developers, everyone is curious how much Google will charge consumers when Google Glass finally hits the market. Consumers also wonder just when that will happen and whether this product is worth that much cash.

If you’ve somehow managed to avoid news about this upcoming products, here’s what you missed. The smart glasses, which you can wear with your regular prescriptions, allow you to do everything from take photographs or videos to send messages. Voice commands are at the core of Glass, which can share all the content you create right from the device, along with checking the weather, performing Google searches, hosting video chats and even providing driving directions. In fact, the newest reports show code buried within Glass that would allow you to take a photo simply by winking. There’s no doubt that Google Glass is a techie’s dream device.

Skeptics don’t think that Google Glass will really catch on, at least, not permanently. In the past, Google has been slow to back away from projects, even if they seem doomed. One critic, Haydn Shaughnessy from www.Forbes.com doesn’t think that glass will stand the test of time, which may very well be true. Nevertheless, Google isn’t the only company hoping to strike it big with wearable computing. Apple is also working on a smart watch.

If the recent social campaign, which Google used to provide developers with a chance to get their hands on Glass, is any indication, then Google plans to see Glass through for quite a while.

Perhaps one of the more interesting questions is what might stop Glass from becoming the next big thing. Certainly, price is a factor, but it’s not the only one. Google’s PR campaign shows Glass as unobtrusive as worst and stylish at best. However, the photos that real developers have begun to post after they received their test units have some people thinking that Google Glass is just too uncool to achieve success. From photos to users wearing Glass in the shower to a Tumblr blog that exists solely to make fun of men wearing wearing the glasses.

Still, most of those people are developers who have seen fit to shell out 1500 clams for their newest gear, and once they start tearing apart the source, they’re sure to find ways to make Glass do things that even Google hasn’t dreamed…yet. The ability to show picture-in-picture, which is the basis of video chat, could work for television service. Many basic television packages, which start at $30 according www.Direct.tv, currently allow subscribers to also view select shows online. In the future, could you instead port programming to Google Glass when you leave the house? Unfortunately, Google’s product VP Mario Queiroz is keeping his lips tight when it comes to how Google Glass might work with Google TV, but he does admit in a Fast Company article, there’s potential there.

In the mean time, Google Glass might seem a little foreign or look a little dorky, but it’s something new, and everything that you love now was once something that no one had ever heard of before.

Google glass photo from Flickr user loiclemeur / Loic Le Meur.

Consultation Hours with Virtually Savvy and Katie Kay

Stuck? Bewildered? Lost? Confused? Need some guidance, brainstorming, training, or just good old fashioned advice on your Social Media, Website, Blog, and Online Presence? YOU have come to the right place my friend!

Picture this…You’re relaxing in your home office, living room or out on the deck soakin’ up some rays, you’re in your sweats (or a bathing suit WOOT!) laptop on your lap, kitty or pup snuggled at your feet. Suddenly!
Katie Kay (me) appears on your computer through Skype. We start chatting about your online presence, your social media profiles…all while screen sharing and viewing your sites together. We solve problems, we strategize, we plot, we learn, we discover, we figure out the best ways to improve your online presence. SOUND GREAT?
Or…
Picture this…Your CEO (that may be you!) says “Hey! we’ve got to get this social media stuff figured out! Who knows what to do?” silence…flash forward one week; you and your fellow staff members, and the CEO if she/he has time, huddle up around a computer and we hash it all out over Skype screen sharing (see above for all the fancy details of what we will do). SOUND GREAT?

I love to solve problems and strategize with businesses to help them increase their online effectiveness. For $75 an hour we can work on whatever platform (or all) that you need help on. I offer a free 15 minute phone chat to “get to know each other” and review your needs and set an appointment to get started. No judgments, no criticism, just understanding, patience and support…Let’s do this!!!

Click on the “Contact Katie” button to request an appointment:

Choose the number of hours you would like to purchase below and click “Add to Cart” to purchase consultation hours:

Consultation

One Hour $75.00 USD Two Hours $150.00 USD Three Hours $225.00 USD

 

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Addiction? Huffington Post – How To Overshare: 7 Things We Forget We Do Daily On Social Media

I just had to share this! I’m guilty of this…checking my Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest repeatedly for cool pic’s and such. I can even be a little obsessive sometimes. I used to share where I was dining, drinking, shopping ALOT! BUT, I have had to re-think when and why I do this, and I have actually stopped sharing a lot of that info. Not for the reasons you may think; I am not paranoid, I’m not anti-social (by a long shot)I just think that people don’t really care where I’m eating, drinking etc (unless it’s on foursquare of course!). When I see some of the things that people share, frankly I am baffled, and find myself saying “Dude, really?”.  Social media is for fun, not serious, even for business…it is not meant to be super serious, it is for sharing and caring and connecting. No one really wants to hear your pontificating, rants, religious and political beliefs, we have to hear all that from our spouses, families and good friends, ha! Bottom line, be careful what you share…

Take a look at this new article from The Huffington Post (amazing news source, love them) on oversharing. It starts out; “Let’s own up to it: Social media is an addictive part of our everyday lives. In fact, habits like flipping through Facebook or Instagram have become almost second nature — 40 percent of Americans even admit to checking their smartphones while on the toilet. The problem with living simultaneously in both the digital world and reality? Sometimes we end up sharing way more than we realize.” read on…

What’s the hottest new social app? SnapChat, typically appeals to the younger crowd, check it out!

Marketing your Business Online…It’s Not Just One Thing that Works!

Marketing your business online can be quite confusing, a bit frustrating, not to mention time consuming, especially if you’re just not sure what to do and where to do it. Learning what works and what doesn’t for your particular business and industry is the key to a successful plan and will also ensure you stick-to-it.  That is THE most important part of a successful marketing plan, starting a marketing strategy and sticking to it!!

I see many businesses try various platforms and strategies; a friend will suggest something that worked for their biz or someone plants a grand idea in your head in a blog post, sometimes it works out…and that’s great! Sometimes you end up spinning your wheels, frustrated, patience dwindles and you just don’t get the results you want. So, you end up scraping it or letting it just sit there with no updates on it and eventually no online marketing plan going, at all.  I really do understand when businesses give-up on certain platforms or let things slide and eventually go dormant, it’s a commitment and there’s a learning curve to it for sure, and it really does need to be part of your day-to-day business activity. Keep in mind that it also takes time for a marketing plan and platform to work for your business and to bring measurable results. Some platforms take months, some take a year or more.

If you stick to an on-going marketing strategy according to the list below (tried and true platforms and methods) and test out a new marketing task or platform every now and then, you will definitely see results.

Updating Your Websites Content- keep your website current, use relevant keywords and keyword phrases on all your pages, add new images (optimize the images with titles, alt tags and descriptions), add new content regularly
Blogging On Your Website - push out content from your website through a blog (content is king with search engines) use images, good keywords, share it to bookmarking sites and social media sites
Social Media Posting - find the platforms you like best, ones that you will use.  Or if you just don’t love social media have someone post for you. Work up a strategy, schedule posts at optimal times, run promoted posts and ad’s to attract new followers. Participate in the content, get others in your company to contribute posting materials and content. Interact on SM (put it on your calendar to do once or week or more) follow others, re-tweet, re-pin, re-post, comment, like and share
Email Marketing – this is a no-brainer…your email list is like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. These people gave you permission to contact them, they are your best resource for return business and referrals
Testimonials and Reviews - this is important content to include in your online profiles. People look for referrals when they are thinking of hiring someone new. Ask for recommendations on LinkedIn, via email to your past clients, put them on your website

My top profile platform choices;
WordPress Blogs & Websites – Facebook – Twitter – YouTube – LinkedIn – Google+ – Pinterest – Tumblr – Foursquare
My top bookmarking sites to share your blog on;
Stumbleupon – Reddit – Digg – Delicious (there are more but don’t make yourself crazy)

Hope this helps get you motivated and inspired to start an online marketing strategy in 2013. Have a great marketing day! -Katie

Get Yourself Started on a Marketing Strategy for 2013!

Do you have a marketing strategy for 2013? Get started today! Make a list of the marketing ideas that you implemented in 2012, now cross out the ones that did NOT work. List new ones you would like to try or ones you have not implemented but know you should do along with the ones that worked. Here are some I know work; email marketing, events, social media strategy, a blogging calendar, hire an assistant or intern, virtual help (from me), PR, ad’s, postcards. Make the list, when you write (or type) something out it really helps log it into your brain. You may not get to it today, but January is a great time to start a new plan! Let me know if you need help. Email me!

Seventh Annual Professional Women in Building Conference

This is THE best conference and networking event you will attend this year!

Professional Women in Building of Master Builders of King/Snoh County is hosting it’s Seventh Annual Conference this year on October 25th at the Redmond Marriott Town Center.  The “Framing a New Future” conference is an event you won’t want to miss! Purchase a ticket for you and a friend or reserve a table for your staff, friends and colleagues. *Register here; MBA King/Snoh County Website

• Keynote speaker Patti Dobrowolski of Up Your Creative Genius, will be presenting “Drawing Solutions: How Visual Goal Setting Will Change Your Life”.

The conference also offers 3 break-out sessions (choose 2) with local professional speakers and authors;

• Whitney Keyes marketing expert, professor of strategic communications and author of the book, Propel: Five Ways to AMP Up Your Marketing and Accelerate Business will be presenting “Mentoring That Works: Five Steps to Creating a Powerful Professional Relationship That Gets Results”.

• Melanie DePaoli founder of Omicle, a culture and branding firm will be presenting “Creating a Culture of Strong Customer Service”.

• Villette Nolon with over 20 years of experience leading growth at successful technology companies and named in the top 100 women in tech by the Puget Sound Business Journal, will be presenting “Bold Leadership for Women”.

The conference opens at 11:30am with a trade show and networking followed by the keynote speaker and lunch, and then 3 break out sessions (choose 2) and a cocktail/appetizer networking reception from 4:30-6:00pm.

Click images to view larger…

 

*Pre-registration is required, no walk-ins at the event. Register here; MBA King/Snoh County Website and we will see you there!

 

Keep Your WordPress Website and Plugins Updated or Google Might just Alert the Public

Here is a great reminder of what can happen with the #1 search engine in the world (Google) if you let your WordPress website become vulnerable to hackers. Take a look at this blog post by my friend Jill at Aldebaran Web Design. She states that a clients WordPress site was hacked and Google became aware of this and posted “This Site May be Compromised” in blue underneath the Google listing for their website.

Get your website updated as soon as possible. Be sure and take all the necessary precautions before clicking the update button. Need to know what those recommended precautions are? Take a look here…WordPress

 

Daily Social Media Marketing Tips and Tasks on Facebook

Follow my daily marketing tips and tasks on Facebook! If you need a new online marketing, posting or promotion idea or maybe just a little encouragement, get on over to my Facebook page, “like” and subscribe so you can see what I have posted for the days online marketing task or tip.  Not only that, I share the latest cool tech gadgets and news on social media, search, and the whole online marketing enchilada.

Need a little more than that? I offer one-on-one and group social media training and consulting. Shoot me an email or ring me up at (206) 920-2442 and we can get you up and going and perfect your online presence.

Graphic Design Products and Websites by Virtually Savvy and Katie Kay

 

Is Google Giving Google+ Clicks An UnFair Social Signal Advantage? They Say No!

Well…this is good to hear! Google says they are not giving unfair advantage to Google+ clicks over other social signal content, and I believe them! I have always been a Googler (big time Google Fan) and I trust them, I think they have integrity and I can’t imagine that they would knowingly sku their scanning system to favor Google+ clicks.

Check out this quick write-up on Geek Wire that says Google engineer Matt Cutts was careful to say that that the company isn’t giving undue weight to +1′s from Google Plus, its own social network, in its algorithmic results. GOOD!!!

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