Google’s Knowledge Graph: It’s all about discovery

Google is always evolving. Admittedly, some of my favorite innovations from the search engine giant are the interactive logos that appear every so often (did you see the zipper Google created last month in honor of Gideon Sundback’s birthday?).

Logo design aside, the company is trying constantly to create ways to search better, faster and more efficiently. There’s no stronger evidence of this inventive spirit than Knowledge Graph, Google’s latest and greatest in search result delivery. Continue reading

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Happy five-year anniversary to Chris and me!

Chris, our senior designer, and I have been working for The Simons Group for five years, and our fearless leader, Lee, decided we should celebrate. Last Friday, we closed the office early and assembled at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab for the anniversary festivities. Our staff has been growing at such a brisk pace in recent months, and it was certainly exciting to meet everyone’s significant others and have some fun away from the office.

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for helping us celebrate. The past five years have flown by because it’s truly fun to come into the office every day. I’ve never worked with such a talented and caring group of people, and I can’t wait to see what the next five years have in store!

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Don’t let spell-check make you look dumb

Spell-check is like a friend who wrecks your car and then repairs the damage to disguise the accident: It seems like she has your back, but she ultimately lets you down.

A writer sent me a draft of a magazine article he wrote recently so that he could get my feedback about the content. It was well-written and engaging, but it’s a good thing he sent it to me. He overlooked the punctuation and grammatical errors. Continue reading

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Why infographics?

What’s an infographic?  A very valuable marketing tool, if wielded properly.

An infographic displays a high volume of data or information visually to  explain a message quickly and clearly.  Many companies are using infographics for advertisements, signs, maps, case studies, technical writing and sales. And why not? They’re easy to read, visually compelling and convey a large amount of information in a memorable way.  Continue reading

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Pinterest: It’s more than pretty pictures

I have a confession to make: I can’t stop using Pinterest. Since I signed up, I barely go on Facebook anymore. Instead, I spend hours filling my pinboards with photos of cute dresses, Crock-Pot® recipes and kitchen cabinets made from reclaimed wood. It’s become an obsession.

According to recent stats, my Pinterest addiction is totally normal. The startup hit the 10 million user mark faster than any social media site in history, digital business analytics source comScore reports, and is rapidly approaching 20 million users. Continue reading

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If you’ve got it, flaunt it

Just because you build it, doesn’t mean they’ll come. New websites don’t promote themselves – people do. If you’re not getting the kind of traffic you expected, you’re probably not marketing the new site, or you’re relying on Uncle Henry to spread the word.

Big mistake.  Killer landing pages, blogs with bells and whistles and fresh content don’t do any good if no one knows about your new site. Continue reading

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Get marketing mileage from your business’ birthday

Remember counting down the days until your birthday as a kid? Exciting things awaited, like the cake with your favorite cartoon character, the party with all your classmates, maybe even a new bike from your parents. For 24 hours, you were on top of the world.

While you may have eaten your last slice of Bugs Bunny-themed dessert, there’s still plenty of room for birthday celebration at your business. Continue reading

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Facebook Timeline: Love it or leave it?

For months, the Facebook team has been holding a virtual sword of Damocles over the heads of users who obstinately refuse to transition to the new Timeline layout. Though March 30 was touted as D-Day for the full-blown Timeline conversion, many users still haven’t taken the plunge. Once you’ve opted in, there’s no turning back.

But what does this mean for businesses? Continue reading

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Your website: The great differentiator

Many companies are spending time and money to create customized websites that show off their products and services, and what makes them unique.  Once you get customers on your website, it helps to offer content that adds extra value. Even if clients don’t want a personal relationship with your company, they want to know you understand their needs. Continue reading

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Professional etiquette: How to follow up properly after a meeting

So you just had a great meeting.  What should you do next?  No matter what type of meeting or interview you attend, follow-up is important. Not only will it help your contact remember you, following up appropriately also demonstrates your professionalism.  Here are some basic rules to help you stay ahead of your competition. Continue reading

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