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How to Use Twitter Analytics to Improve Your Engagement
Do you need better results from your Twitter marketing? Want to use Twitter Analytics to guide your efforts? The data in Twitter Analytics reports can help you identify the content that resonates with your audience, so you can build a more active following. In this article you’ll discover four ways to use Twitter Analytics reports […]
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Bedside Manner and the Project Manager
Bedside Manner and the Project Manager
By Lonnie Pacelli
So we’ve all been to the doctor. We know the feeling of getting marched into a sterile examination room, given a gown that only covers the front half of your body, asked to step on a scale, prodded with a thermometer, asked to pee in a cup. Then […]
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Apple now offering two-year leasing option for iPhone SE customers in India amid slow sales
Apple has expressed a growing interest in India over the past year, but sales of its newest and more affordable iPhone SE have been lukewarm in the country so far, reports claim. In order to combat these less-than-spectacular sales, Apple is offering a new way for customers to purchase the device.
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: India, iPhone SE
Logitech to acquire Jaybird for $50M as it looks to expand active lifestyle wireless offerings
Computer peripheral company Logitech has today announced that it is acquiring popular audio company Jaybird. Jaybird, for those unfamiliar, has released a variety of headphone products over recent years, most of which have been wireless. Logitech says the deal is worth $50 million in cash, with an additional earn-out of up to $45 million based on achievement of growth targets over the next two years.
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: acquisition, Jaybird, Logitech
Survey: Apple Watch the most popular smartwatch among teens as iPhone stays strong & iPad lags
A report released yesterday showed that Apple will still growing in the PC market, and now Piper Jaffray has released its latest survey focusing on the company’s performance in the teen market. According to the survey results, gathered from 6,500 teens with an average age of 16 and a half years, Apple still dominates across all product categories.
Filed under: Apple Watch, iOS Devices Tagged: Apple, Apple watch, iPad, iPhone, survey
Here’s everything Facebook announced at F8 that’s coming soon to your iPhone
Facebook held its annual F8 developer’s conference today that laid out the foundation for what the company plans to accomplish as far out as the next ten years. Today’s keynote presentation focused more on what the next year at Facebook and its products would look like for customers. Putting a heavy emphasis on Messenger and Facebook Live, it’s fair to say that you’ll be seeing a lot of these changes coming to mobile very soon.
Filed under: Apps, Developers, iOS Devices Tagged: DJI, F8, Facebook, Facebook F8, Facebook Live, Facebook Messenger
Should You Pay for Content Distribution?
As content creators, we have no choice but to remain humble because every time we publish an article, it’s one of 2 million blog posts being published on the same day. Sure, we possess plenty of SEO know-how and a knack for delivering information in a way that’s entertaining and interesting.
But, after vehement denial, mini breakdowns and tearful calls to our moms, we content creators have had to accept a difficult truth: Our talent alone isn’t always enough to generate leads.
This doesn’t mean we’re throwing in the towel, though. Far from it, in fact. Content is still one of the leading drivers of conversions and overall revenue and, thanks to consumers’ love for innovation and wit, becoming even more important. We know someone has to win at content, so it may as well be us.
But how we get the right content to the right people at the right time is evolving. Content distribution is changing, and some channels are expecting you to pay.
If you feel backed into a corner, you’re not alone. Many (OK, most) businesses aren’t exactly thrilled about forking over cash to earn the engagement they feel they deserve. So, is there another alternative to paying for exposure? And does paying for distribution rob your content of its authenticity?
Let’s jump in and take a look.
“Pay to Play” is Nothing New
Remember social media marketing before 2012? Ahh, those were the days. With a clever quip and a nice visual, you could enjoy semi-viral exposure and earn your brand hundreds of likes for free. But along came the Facebook “reachpocalypse” algorithm updates and, by 2014, brands enjoyed an organic reach hovering somewhere around zero.
So millions of companies gave up and deleted their Facebook accounts.
Sike.
Actually, businesses begrudgingly began adding Facebook advertising and post promotion into their marketing budgets. Successful businesses still used the same great content strategy and that, combined with a budget to boost this content, helped bring engagement rates back to healthier numbers.
But Facebook wasn’t the first platform to require payment for space. It’s the same tactic used by Google AdWords—as well as newspapers, magazines, billboards and other types of media we enjoyed in the Stone Age. So, really, how long did we expect to get away with free exposure?
Customers Like Having Things Delivered
It’s a rainy Sunday, and you’re craving pineapple pizza. You begin to weigh your hunger pangs against your desire to avoid putting on pants, and then you remember—it’s 2016, and you don’t have to choose. With a few taps on your screen, a friendly Domino’s employee can be at your door with a fresh pie to quell your craving in 30 minutes or less.
But what if you’re craving Tom yum and your favorite Thai spot doesn’t deliver? Have no fear—GrubHub has your back. Out of toothpaste? Amazon Prime Now will drop a package outside your door within two hours. Not sure what to binge-watch next? Netflix has plenty of recommendations.
You get the picture.
Today’s consumers are so used to having things delivered, they’re spending less time seeking them out. Sure SEO best practices will launch you to the top of search engine results—but what if your content doesn’t even make it to the search engine?
Thanks to everyone’s favorite buzzwords: programmatic marketing and big data, there’s a good chance relevant content from your competitors is being delivered into your audience’s most frequented spaces—like their Facebook newsfeed and email inbox—before they’ve even made it to Google. Why? Because they’re paying for placement.
This isn’t a case of “everyone else is doing it, so you should, too.” This is a case of “everyone else is doing it, so you must do it better.”
How can you get engagement from the right people at the right time? By selecting the right demand generation channels.
What Does Paid Content Distribution Look Like?
Done well, paid content looks like, well, regular content. It’s interesting, it’s enjoyable and it blends within the platform. So long as you’re not attempting to “trick” your audience with cheap gimmicks, and so long as you’re publishing the same high-quality, relevant content typically associated with your brand, you don’t have to lose your authenticity. In fact, you can even grow brand loyalty.
Here are a few types of paid content distribution to consider…
1) Sponsored Content Within a Publication
Sponsored content is similar to what used to be known as “advertorials”—but even less salesy. It’s content that looks and feels much like the content usually found in a publication, but published by a brand. Take, for example, this BuzzFeed post by Discover. The brand created this BuzzFeed-esque listicle of gifs, interspersed with financial advice and a CTA to learn more about FICO Credit Scores.
2) Facebook Sponsored Posts
Paying for a spot within your audience’s newsfeed is a great way to grab their attention in the same way you did before the algorithm update and, in many cases, even better. Not only can users like, comment and react, the post also includes social proof so you can see which of your friends also like the brand. For example, this Lululemon Athletica post introduces us to a helpful blog article.
3) Twitter Engagement Tweets
Like Facebook promoted posts, Twitter engagement Tweets allow brands to directly target audiences that are likely to engage with their content. The Vice post below linked me to a Las Vegas city guide shortly after I returned from a trip to Sin City. (Apparently, what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas if you Tweet with geolocation.)
4) Linkedin Sponsored Update
If you’re a B2B company, and you’re looking for super-duper targeting when sharing your content, LinkedIn may be your new bff. Radius Intelligence did a great job with this Linkedin sponsored update. Not only am I a marketer who works primarily in the B2B space, but I am interested in learning more about predictive analytics.
5) Outbrain
Often, the best time to present fresh content to a prospect is just after they’ve finished consuming another piece of content—and that’s exactly how Outbrain works. For example, after reading about the upcoming Apple Spring event on Mashable, I was presented with this list of promoted stories, including both industry-related pieces and celeb slideshows sure to prolong my procrastination.
What’s Next?
The key thing to remember in all of this is, just because a piece of content is disseminated using paid distribution doesn’t mean it’s going to automatically enjoy heaps of engagement. You have to follow the same rules of great content: It has to be relevant, shareable, enjoyable and help solve a problem or meet a need. If you’re going to boost boring content, you may as well just start flushing $20 bills down the toilet. It’ll achieve the same effect.
If you’re unsure about how much to spend? Learn more about how to budget for content distribution here.
Finally, don’t be afraid of paying for content distribution. Instead of nostalgically yearning for the days when things were free, wake up to the opportunities before you. So long as you create great content, promote it on the right platforms and use your data, you’ll enjoy such tremendous ROI the money you spend on promotion will feel like a drop in the bucket.
9to5Toys Lunch Break: iPad Pro 12.9″ 128GB Wi-Fi + Cell $860, MagSafe 2 Adapter $27, Cable Modems from $30, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:
Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular in all colors: $860 shipped (Reg. $1,079)
Daily Deals: Apple 60W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter for 13-inch MacBook Pro $27, more
Save $120+/yr. by owning your cable modem: refurb Motorola DOCSIS 3.0 options from $30 shipped
Apple’s latest 256GB Retina MacBook Pro: $1,200 (Reg. $1,499) – $99 less than list price of 128GB model
Apple 12-inch MacBook w/ Retina display 1.2GHz/8GB/512GB: from $1,250 w/ .edu
What if I told you that you could get a great Apple Milanese Loop knockoff for a tenth of the price ($16 Prime shipped)?
Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)
App Store Free App of the Week: Cut the Rope Time Travel for iPhone and iPad goes free for the very first time (Reg. $1)
Anthill for iOS drops down to its lowest price in years: $1 (Reg. $2)
Apple’s Pay Once & Play 50% off iOS game sale: Transistor, Brothers, Rules!, Implosion, Radiation Island, more
Brothers A Tale of Two Sons iOS puzzle-adventure game gets its first price drop: $2 (Reg. $5)
Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)
MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:
Smartphone Accessories: Lumsing Wireless Bluetooth Audio Stereo Receiver Adapter $17 Prime shipped, more
- It’s free cone day at Ben & Jerry’s! Here’s how you can grab a dip on the house
- Games/Apps: Ratchet & Clank (Prime only) $32, iOS freebies, more
- Huawei Watch Stainless Steel with Leather Strap + extra Mesh Band: $300 shipped ($449 value)
- Fashion: Haggar dress clothes 60+% off at Amazon, Tommy Hilfiger 40% off w/ free shipping
MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:
Twelve South brushed metal HiRise Apple Watch stand: $40 Prime shipped (Reg. $50)
Philips Hue discounted bundles: 4-pack A19 white & color bulbs (2nd gen) $199 shipped (Reg. $240), more
- Audio-Technica ATH-M30x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones: $49 shipped (Reg. $69)
- Audio-Technica’s best selling ATH-M50x studio headphones + FiiO A3 amp $130 ($180+ value)
- Samsung HDTVs: 65-inch 1080p Smart $799, more
- TP-Link Archer C7 AC Gigabit Wi-Fi Router + DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem $110 (Reg. $145+)
- Affordable RCA 4K Android TV will be available in June, starting at $499 for 50-inch model
- Green Deals: 2-pack Litom LED Solar Outdoor Spotlights $26 Prime shipped (Reg. $35), more
- Sports/Fitness: $50 Cabela’s gift card for $40 (20% off), more
- Upgrade your TV audio w/ Sony’s Bluetooth 2.1-Ch. Soundbar System for $90 (Orig. $140)
- Canvas Vintage-Style Messenger Bags: 15-inch $45 (Reg. $60), 13-inch $20 (Reg. $44), more
- Green Deals: Aukey 20W Solar Dual-USB Port Charger $39 (Reg. $47), more
- Bags: Tamrac Messenger for 15-inch MacBooks $25 (Reg. $43), more
- Add Bluetooth to nearly any speaker w/ the Mpow Streambot Mini for $14 Prime shipped
- LEGO Deals: Big Bang Theory Living Room $46, Minecraft Ender Dragon $49, more
- Mojang reveals 27 new skins for Minecraft Story mode, here’s how you can get them for free
- Browse reddit like a boss with a free 3-month gold membership upgrade ($12 value)
- iPhone SE and Galaxy S7/Edge cases in a variety of styles/colors from $3 shipped
- Walmart launches iPhone SE $100 discount, other Apple/Samsung devices too!
- Learn to build amazing apps with the Apple TV Developer Course: $19 (Orig. $199)
- Buy 3 accessories, save 20%: iPad Pro Keyboard $143, Apple Pencil $87, more
NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:
You probably won’t own Lytro’s new 755MP Cinema Camera but you’ll enjoy its benefits
- GoPro’s new Omni Virtual Reality rig leverages six HERO4 Black action cameras
- Epson’s latest ‘Small-in-One’ printer weighs in at a fraction of the competition
- Twelve South introduces new TimePorter capsule for Apple Watch and charger
- Ryobi’s new Ultra Quiet Garage Door Opener has a Bluetooth speaker and more
- Roku introduces a new quad-core streaming stick with a slimmed down design
- Apogee releases its most affordable full-featured Mac recording interface yet
- The Yecup 365 travel mug uses your iPhone to heat or cool your drink
- ROAM-e follows you around in the sky and takes selfies on demand
- Sprint customers can now (but probably shouldn’t) pay monthly for Amazon Prime
- Seagate unveils the “world’s first” USB-powered 8TB desktop hard drive
Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: 9to5Toys, Amazon, app deals, Apple watch, Apple Watch dock, Best Buy, Daily Deals, free apps, Gold Box, Lytro, MacBook, video games
How-To: Quickly switch between audio input and output options on OS X [Video]
If you have multiple audio inputs or outputs connected to your Mac, then you’re probably aware that you can visit System Preferences to manage and switch between interfaces at will. But wouldn’t it be nice if there was a quicker way to switch to a set of speakers or a microphone without venturing all the way into the Sound panel of System Preferences? In this post, we’ll share with you a handy shortcut that we use every day to do just that. more…
Filed under:
How-To Tagged: Mac, Menu Bar, OS X, shortcut, System Preferences, Tips and Tricks
iPad Pro 9.7 analysis shows record display performance, iPhone 7 screen upgrade possibilities
DisplayMate is out today with its usual in-depth analysis of new Apple products, this time examining the display on Apple’s latest tablet, the iPad Pro 9.7-inch. The result? DisplayMate says the new iPad’s display isn’t just the best iPad display yet, but that it also includes record setting performance among all tablets it’s tested as well as hints at iPhone 7 screen upgrade possibilities.
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: DisplayMate, iPad Pro
Opinion: Here’s what I’d do to rationalize Apple’s MacBook lineup
Apple has long been about simplicity and minimalism. Steve Job’s philosophy was effectively that usability trumps choice. Sure, you lose the ability to customize your iPhone or iPad in the way you can an Android device without jailbreaking it, but what you gain in return is a device that is both more reliable and a lot more secure.
Jobs applied that same philosophy to Apple’s product range. When he returned to Apple in 1997, one of the first things he did was to rationalize the company’s product lineup, paring it back to the essentials. In 2008, he proudly told Fortune that “Apple is a $30 billion company, yet we’ve got less than 30 major products.”
Apple has, for the most part, maintained that approach ever since, famously saying ‘no’ to a thousand product ideas for every time it says ‘yes.’ But I still think there’s a little more work to be done in terms of rationalizing the company’s MacBook lineup …
Filed under: Mac, Opinion Tagged: 12-inch MacBook, 13-inch macbook air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, 15-inch MacBook Pro, 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, Mac, MacBook, MacBook line-up, MacBook range, Opinion
Airmail lands on iPad with Touch ID support, iOS 9 multitasking, & much more
Airmail made its way from the Mac to the iPhone a couple of months ago, and today the popular email app is completing the suite and releasing the first version for iPad. Airmail for iPad supports keyboard shortcuts and iOS 9’s multitasking features like Split View and Slide Over, so you can triage email in Airmail and browse Safari or Twitter at the same time. And the free update includes loads of other new features for both the iPad and iPhone versions including Touch ID support, custom shortcuts, a new gesture for moving between messages, and tons of new integrations and improvements.
The HTC 10 is the first Android device to ship with native AirPlay audio streaming support
Android has featured the ability to stream to AirPlay devices like the Apple TV by means of third-party utilities for some time now, but no Android device has ever shipped with native AirPlay support in tow. That’s all changed with the announcement of the HTC 10, the first device to ship with native AirPlay support.
Filed under: Apple TV, iOS Devices Tagged: AirPlay, Android, Apple TV, HTC, HTC 10
Cellebrite could give NY cops the ability to partly hack phones to check for text-driving
A proposed bill now in committee in the New York State Senate could give NY police officers the ability to plug smartphones into a ‘textalyzer’ following a motor vehicle accident. The device would read data from the phone to determine whether or not the driver had been texting or otherwise using the phone at the time of the crash.
ArsTechnica reports that Cellebrite, the Israeli company believed to have cracked the San Bernardino iPhone, is developing the technology required for the checks. Such checks without a warrant would normally violate the Fourth Amendment right to privacy, but Cellebrite believes it has a solution to that …
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Cellebrite, Distracted driving, Evan’s Law, iPhone, New York State, New York State Senate, NYPD, Textalyzer
BBC launches iPlayer Kids, a child-friendly version of its popular iPad app
British parents have long known that handing your kids an iPad full of children’s TV shows is a good way to keep them quiet for a while appropriately entertained and informed. The BBC has made that job even easier today by launching a special iPlayer Kids app. The iPad app, which has a user-interface suitable for young children, features only age-appropriate TV shows.
The new child-friendly app is safe and easy to use. With over 10,000 episodes being made available this year alone, it has all of BBC Children’s world-class content in one place, allowing kids to discover and enjoy both new and old CBeebies and CBBC favourites including Wolfblood, Blue Peter, The Dumping Ground, Topsy & Tim and Go Jetters.
Each child in the family creates their own profile, complete with their age and a cartoon character to represent them, and the app them automatically filters the shows offered.
Pre-school children (under five) are only shown CBeebies content, while children over five are shown both CBBC and CBeebies content (customised to be suitable for their age).
The BBC says it created the app in recognition of the fact that children’s programs are the most popular genre watched through iPlayer.
Filed under: Apps Tagged: BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC iPlayer Kids, CBBC, children, iPlayer, iPlayer Kids, Kids, on-demand TC, TV
London’s Met Police abandons plan to issue 15-20,000 iPads after spending $13k/iPad on a trial
London’s Metropolitan Police service has apparently abandoned plans to issue iPad minis to 15-20,000 frontline officers after spending a total of £6M ($8.58M) on a trial of just 641 devices. This means that the trial ended up costing the taxpayer £9,360 ($13,397) per iPad.
The Inquirer obtained the information using a Freedom of Information request.
The Met spent £1.2m on hardware during that time, including the iPads and supporting servers and accessories, £4.1m on custom software development, which included the databases to support mobile operations, £600,000 on business and management activities and £100,000 on licences. The costs also include the replacement of 12 tablets during the trial period …
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: iPad, iPad mini, London, Met Police, Metropolitan Police, police
17 Website and UX Design Statistics That Make the Case for Smarter Web Design
Nowadays, getting a website up and running isn’t nearly as difficult as it once was. Optimizing the design of that website for improved user experience (UX), on the other hand, continues to be something that marketers struggle with.
In fact, according to a report from the Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA), 77% of agencies believe that poor website UX is a weakness for their clients, making poor UX the most significant weakness agencies identified.
Download our free guide to web design here for more tips on how to design a smarter website.
To help you better understand what today’s emerging web design trends are and where you should be focusing your energy, we’ve compiled some of the most recent stats and data on website design, website optimization, and UX. Let’s dive in …
17 Statistics That Make the Case for Smarter Website and User Experience Design
General Web Design Stats
1) Given 15 minutes to consume content, two-thirds of people would rather read something beautifully designed than something plain. (Source: Adobe)
2) 39% of people will stop engaging with a website if images won’t load or take too long to load. (Source: Adobe)
3) 51% of people think “thorough contact information” is the most important element missing from many company websites. (Source: KoMarketing)
4) 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content/layout is unattractive. (Source: Adobe)
5) 44% of website visitors will leave a company’s website if there’s no contact information or phone number. (Source: KoMarketing)
Website Optimization Statistics
6) Between December 2013 and December 2015, tablet internet consumption grew by 30%. (Source: comScore)
7) Between December 2013 and December 2015, smartphone internet consumption grew by 78%. (Source: comScore)
8) Between December 2013 and December 2015, desktop internet consumption dropped by 1%. (Source: comScore)
9) Mobile devices now account for nearly 2 of every 3 minutes spent online. (Source: comScore)
10) 13% of adults access the internet via mobile only. 11% access the internet via desktop only. (Source: comScore)
11) 40% of smartphone and tablet owners search for B2B products on those devices. (Source: KoMarketing)
Usability and User Experience Design Stats
12) 47% of website visitors check out a company’s products/services page before looking at any other sections of the site. (Source: KoMarketing)
13) Once on a company’s homepage, 86% of visitors want to see information about that company’s products/services. (Source: KoMarketing)
14) Once on a company’s homepage, 64% of visitors want to see the company’s contact information. (Source: KoMarketing)
15) Once on a company’s homepage, 52% of visitors want to see “about us” information. (Source: KoMarketing)
16) After reaching a company’s website via a referral site, 50% of visitors will use the navigation menu to orient themselves. (Source: KoMarketing)
17) After reaching a company’s website via a referral site, 36% of visitors will click on the company’s logo to reach the homepage. (Source: KoMarketing)
What other interesting stats have you seen about website design and optimization? Share them in the comments section below.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2013 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.
Facebook Messenger iOS app now lets you share Dropbox files from within the app
It’s easy to drop recently-taken photos and videos into your Facebook Messenger chats directly from the camera roll, but it was less easy to share Dropbox files. This previously required you to open the Dropbox app first to grab a link to share.
Filed under: Apps Tagged: Dropbox, Facebook, Facebook Messenger