Google has rolled out changes to this service as well as sponsored “tags” to keep your business listed in the Google 7 Pack. What you once knew as the “Google Local Business Center” is now referred to as “Google Places.” Additionally, those who are currently listed in Google Places can take advantage of a new feature called Tags.

Google rolled out the new advertising stream – similar to AdWords – for local businesses. This feature is geared for local businesses throughout the U.S. who wants to beef up their listings on Google and Google Maps.

If you’re running a local business and you have placed listings on Google, you can enhance your listing with a yellow “tag” emphasizing specific information about your business such as a coupon, video, website, menu, reservations, photos and even custom messages.

Getting this yellow tag to appear on your Google listings is not free though. You would have to pay a flat monthly fee of $25. The tags will not affect your listings’ rank and Google will clearly indicated which parts of the search results are sponsored when you’re local business is displayed. Check out an example of how local business tags are displayed in the sample below.

It’s just another effort by Google to create a very simple advertising vehicle for local businesses.

Bing's Apple iPad

We have been doing some extensive “hands-on” research with our own Kindle and Nick’s recent acquisition of an Apple iPad. Angela has learned how to convert basic HTML with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) into ebook format. She has been formatting documents ranging from a few-hundred-page paperback books to magazine articles to white papers and PowerPoint presentations with complex content, which may consist of images, tables, and graphs.

For the consumers there are many benefits for converting or using ebook readers. Here we highlight a few below:

1. Ebooks are portable. You can carry an entire library on your device!
2. The user can get instant access to scores of ebooks just by downloading it from the internet without waiting days and days for delivery of the book.
3. The price of ebooks is much less than any of the paper books as the costs of printing, shipping and distribution is almost eliminated.
4. The feature of hyperlinks gives the user the ability to shift to any section of ebook they want.
5. The user has the ability to choose the font that they like. From adjusting the font size to margin size to line spacing.
6. Ebooks are searchable. You can quickly find anything inside the book. Ebooks are globally searchable.
7. Ebooks make reading accessible to persons with disabilities. Text can be re-sized for the visually impaired. And for the hearing impaired, ebooks are capable of a text-to-speech option.

From Angela’s perspective, there is a lot on the back end to get familiar with. Since an intuitive workflow for converting layout files into ebook format has not yet been developed, much of the process involves trial and error and researching methods from many different sources online. A working knowledge of HTML programming also goes a long way. Although a rudimentary ebook can be created without too much effort, a well-designed ebook takes quite a bit more programming know-how, time and patience.

It is having said that, ebook readers will have a larger need for a market that has seen the closing of several library branches across America. For the future of the publication industry, there will be a need for design agencies to create and optimize formats for the affluent readers.

There are a number of ways to measure the success of email marketing. The fact that it is so measurable in so many different ways is one of the greatest strengths of using this medium. But because blog posts can get long-winded, we’ll stick with the open rates.

Email marketing has the power to help you sell products and services but you can’t get any results if your emails aren’t read, and your emails can’t be read if they aren’t opened. Ergo, your open rate is incredibly important. It’s the first step in the journey to email marketing success. If people don’t even open your emails, you’ll never accomplish your goal, whether that goal is to stimulate a conversation, to educate, to create brand awareness, to promote, or to invite.

First, what is an open rate and how is it calculated? An open rate is intended to show the percentage of individuals who actually opened your email and looked at it. Many things can affect your open rate, things you may not be able to control, such as:

The source of your list.

Purchased lists tend to have lower open rates than a list of your clients, customers, vendors, etc. Make sure to clean your list of any bounced emails or unreachable accounts to keep things fresh.

Your audience.

Whether you have a campaign for business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C), open rates can vary between them and various industries.

Your email format.

As a rule, email delivery systems can only track open rates on HTML emails. People who get your email in plain-text format will not be counted in your open rate, but may, in fact, have opened your email.

The email platform used by your readers.

When your email is viewed in the preview pane of a platform like Microsoft Outlook or Entourage, it will be counted as an open. If your readers use a Web-based email reader like Hotmail or Gmail, they usually have to click on the ‘from’ field or subject line to open the email. This is counted as an open.

So back to the question: How can I improve my open rate? There are things you do have control over that can help you increase your open rate:

Use a recognizable “From” name.

Make sure you use a “From” name and address that includes your name, company, product, or service name – whichever the recipient will know best. When you repeatedly brand the “From” line like this over time, you assure the recipient that the email is coming from a reliable and trusted source and builds familiarity and credibility. It may be the only name they see in their inbox, so don’t send your newsletter from sales@mycompany.com. The funniest address I ever got was an institution – that will remain anonymous – from nobody@______.com. I was quick to unsubscribe because it didn’t feel personable to me.

Grab them with the “Subject” line.

Make sure the subject is short and to the point, no more than 5-8 words, and state a clear benefit to opening the email. Make sure the subject line does not look like spam. You do not want to use any unnecessary punctuation, all capitals, or have your email come across as a trick or gimmick. Remember, the first thing the recipient is going to see is who it is from and the subject line.Personally, I received a plethora of marketing emails one afternoon. I was overwhelmed and decided to delete most and open a couple, the main factor that determined which ones I opened were that of the subject line caught me as relevant to me. But that leads me into my next point.

Consider your delivery day and time.

Constant Contact is one of the services we use and they offer some insight into this:

Tuesday through Thursday were considered to be the best performing days. Recent surveys indicate Monday may be the new favorite. Because the volume of email sent is highest between 10am and 2pm, your emails may have a greater chance of being seen from 8am – 10am or 4pm – 6pm.

Most importantly, know your readers and adjust your subject line to them. In most industry standards, men prefer subject lines that communicate news or compelling information, while women prefer discount offers, but before you go with my word on this, leverage market research to fine-tune your subject line. Email is an ongoing conversation, be sure to incorporate ways your recipient can keep the conversation evolving.

I hope these little tidbits help as you reach the marketing effectiveness of your email campaigns.

Browser: Firefox

Because of the useful options already provided by Firefox, its popularity is growing. There are numerous free downloadable extensions and add-ons available on the web for Firefox. Here are just a few add-ons that keep my productivity levels high:

PDF Download – Lets you convert any (unsecured) Web page into a high-quality PDF that’s great for archiving, printing and sharing.

Firebug – Firebug integrates with Firefox to put a wealth of development tools at your fingertips while you browse. You can edit, debug, and monitor CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live in any web page.

Read It Later – Save pages of interest to read when you have the time.

Word Processing: Google Docs

I use Google Docs for word processing. Sure, it doesn’t offer every feature that MS Word does, but it contains almost every necessary feature, function and utility to make it the best online word processor. You can export files in all the necessary formats — .doc, .txt, .rtf, .odt, .pdf and more! — and the online storage is easy to organize, safe and secure, and conveniently tied to your Gmail account.

Online Storage: Dropbox OR YouSendIt

For small files, it’s easiest to just .zip them and email them. For big stuff, you’ve either got to go with one of the many free upload websites (YouSendIt) or get your own upload space (Dropbox). Both allow you to send files up to 2GB. Even the most frugal of online workers can find ample space to store work-in-progress designs, documents and other important files. This also reduces the risks and costs with secure managed file transfer that seem like hours when trying to send via FTP.

Presentations: Prezi

Powerpoint and Keynote are great tools. But with Prezi is a browser-based application. Instead of putting every mindless detail on a separate slide, Prezi allows users to lay out your presentations on a single plane and move through them at their speed, in their own order, and if required, change the presentation on the fly.

Calendar and Scheduling: Google Calendar

This one’s nice and simple, with features that will keep you remembering dates and appointments. Simply set your schedule in the simple interface, decide whether or not you want SMS reminders, and leave it for the week. Check out some features we highlighted using our Google Calendar.

These tools are all part of my office suite. Once you implement all or even just a few of these tools, I hope you will see a dramatically increase in your productivity and make your work easier than ever. Would love to hear what applications or platforms keep you productive.

In the earliest forms of advertising, copy was king. Strong use of words and typefaces would be effective in your marketing piece, but not everyone understands concepts and information at the same rate. Some people can understand messages quickly while others need help to grasp what is being said. Visual aids are a way of further explanation. Nowadays, we’re able to relay much of what we once had to explain through the written word with the use of images.

Consumers have seen themselves moving away from wordy messaging and finding that most engaging piece of advertising in a graphic or photograph. You might recall a spoof we posted about how Microsoft would redesign Apple’s iPod packaging.

The very best visuals take a complex idea or series of connected ideas and make them instantly understandable. Just the right visuals make those ideas even more memorable. Use of visual tools led to longer retention of information. Visual aids allow a speaker to use verbal and nonverbal communication to solidify the message and provide a point of reference for the mind.

Visual representations of information, or infographics, are often used to support information, strengthen it and present it while leaving the amount of explanation required to a minimum. Using appropriate visual aids are the essential ingredients. Here’s a good reference to infographics to see how effective they can be without an explanation.

So when you have an advertisement that you want to convey to your consumers, give serious thought to using accompanying illustrations that will complement what you are trying to convey.

Here’s a video from the 2008 TED Conference of Chris Jordan on how he takes raw data and depicts it in his art in a more visual language. Notice how using visuals that integrate just enough to clarify his presentation. This makes for a powerful communications combination.

Map Illustration Software

Anyone who has ever had to produce a location map knows how much time can be used up on the simplest things! MapDiva sounds like it will give Adobe Illustrator, the current software of choice, some competition! Touted as simple to use and priced low, with the emphasis on map creation, Ortelius not only allows designers to use their own geographic information, but includes fully editable, royalty-free vector outline maps of regions, countries, continents, and the world, to get you off to a quick start.

Thanks to the program’s 20 tools, designers have open options of choice of colors, fills, strokes, and adornments that allow them to assemble unlimited style and symbol combinations. Ortelius also includes WYSIWYG drawing and editing; layers and layer groups; and automatic junctions and style transitions.

Read all about it, and try out a free trial of the Ortelius Standard Edition for the MAC.

The Google Local Business Center is a must visit for your business then. In general, it’s good to add any business to it, but certainly for businesses attempting to attract customers in their local community. As you may know, Google allows you to add your business to a directory and then enhance your profile with all kinds of information about your business, products, and services. This is a free listing and every small business should take advantage of it.

Google shows these listings when someone makes what is a geographic based search, for example “Dayton banks“. The results show in what is called the “Google 10-Box” above other listings. When someone clicks on one of these results they are taken to the profile through Google Maps. Check out Bing Design’s google listing.

Here’s a short clip showing the features Google Local Business Center added recently that can greatly benefit your small business, helping you to effectively promote, analyze trends, and cater to your niche.

Need some more advice? Check out a recent post for some simple tips you can do to improve your search results.

As a brand steward or brand manager, it is your role to recognize that consumers and their buying decisions are being influenced by a variety of people and/or media through conversations with them, both online and off.

Social Influence Marketing is about employing social media and social influencers to achieve the marketing and business needs of an organization.

As brands are being defined in real-time by an increasingly vocal audience, brand management will require greater transparency, access and response to connect with consumers. Fluent, a report recently published by Razorfish, touches on the need for Social Influence Marketing. Here are the few takeaways from the report … there are over a dozen good implications for any brand, no matter what industry or size:

• Brands must socialize with consumers. It won’t be enough for brands to craft powerful messages and push them through different media channels. They will need to participate directly in conversations with consumers and provide more meaningful value exchanges.
• Brands must develop a credible social voice. Regardless of the industry, brands will need to focus on developing credible voices. These voices will need to be more engaging, personal, humble, authentic and participatory than traditional advertising messages.
• Brands must provide a return on emotion to their consumers. Social media is a great tool for building brand relationships in which both the brand and the consumer reap equal returns. This goes back to my post on measuring the value of engagement with your consumer and what the ROI of social media means to your brand.
• Brands must know the effect of influencers throughout the marketing funnel. It is essential to know how influence changes in each stage of the marketing funnel. That information should drive when to focus on which influencers and how to surface content from those influencers on corporate-owned digital properties.
• Consumers look for brands that help them connect. People naturally gravitate toward brand categories that can help them converse and connect with others, such as music and entertainment, food and beverages, gadgets, arts, non-profits and causes.

Look at it this way:

71% of respondents share product and service recommendations in the social media-sphere at least once every few months.

When new media catches on, it spreads everywhere. And fast. Conversations about YouTube! were rare at first, but once we saw how quickly these videos loaded and how well they played, we wanted to tell all our friends about them!

We’ve experienced the same phenomenon with Flash, AJAX, Google, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and nearly every type of social media you can think of. We say “ooooooh! that is COOL!” then we dive into it.

Trouble is, that while we are swimming deep in the new technology we find nifty, most of our friends are doing the same (and we all keep sharing it). The result is a saturation of media.

Ad columnist for Entrepreneur.com, Roy Williams, wrote about “Advertising Trends: Publishing Past Media Overload“. In the article, he shines a spotlight on problems we face today in advertising that have only grown worse.

The more we have to look at and react to, the harder it is to see things individually. Say we go to a sports arena and have 30-70,000 people around us … ever noticed how really tough it can be to find a buddy (or wife) in the crowd?

Flip that around: in that same arena when you leave your friends (or your husband) to go grab a bite/drink/restroom break, it’s equally hard for them to see you. Getting noticed takes a LOT of effort. (And “hey I forgot my wallet” can be a painful trek back across the crowd!)

With all the new technology we have, often being force-fed to us (see how much you get hit with on your local news station’s web site!), it is no wonder those wanting your attention (and your money), have such a difficult time reaching you.

In Roy’s article, he suggests we all spend a bit more time writing headlines to get attention, then proceed to take that reader’s attention to inform them what you can do for them.

Be fun, smart, and innovative, but make sure you can back-up your headline with reality! Find what you want to get your readers to react to, and grab their attention. They are likely reading e-mail, checking in on Facebook, sending out a Tweet, checking the team scores on ESPN and doing some online shopping. Will you be seen?

Remember, there is a lot more to advertising than a pretty picture, cool graphics, or some well-written copy. It takes a balance of it all to get noticed!

As a designer, I frequently need to Photoshop images for compositions and artwork that require removing the background in the images, so they can be combined with other images, colors, and text. When I was able to use the Eliminate White plug-in (pre Adobe Photoshop CS1), you could open an RGB image in 8-bit color mode, make a layer out of it, and then use the plug-in filter to strip all hints of white out of the image, leaving only the pixels with color and tone. Most often this was used when taking a photo of a model on a white backdrop, and getting rid of the white background so the person did not have a halo around them.

This was often a pain because models (unless they are bald) have hair, and hair is NOT easy to clone out of a background unless you leave the model looking as if they have a round head of hair!

Sadly, once Adobe started with the CS suite for Photoshop, the new software would not support the Eliminate White plug-in any longer.

However, I recently found a plug-in by Bergdesign, that is Freeware, and it does what the Eliminate White plug-in did! I contacted the Author of the plug-in, Brock Brandenberg, and and offered to send him some money for the plug-in development. He simply stated that he had used so many Freeware and Shareware plug-ins from others, he felt obligated to ‘give back’ to others. What a guy!

The images below show how the Bergdesign plug-in works, in comparison to doing background removal with Photoshop’s Magic Wand or Color Selector.

Below is a logo we recently had to remove an all-white BG from, shown here at 400% using the Magic Wand with a selection range of 15 pixels (notice how there is a white halo around the small copy and the small text characters are filled with white):

Next is the same logo, with the white BG removed, using the Color Select drop-down at 400%, set to a range of 100 pixels (again notice how the art is showing a light white halo):

Now the same logo, using the Bergdesign plug-in at 400% with all hint of the white background eliminated!:

The plug-in also removes Gray and Black backgrounds, as well as White. You can learn more at the Bergdesign.com website by clicking here. He shows additional samples of what this great, FREE, plug-in will do for you, and you can download it and try it out for yourself!

If you do happen to try this plug-in, and like it, be sure to leave some comments on this and Brock’s site! Good luck, and thanks again Brock!