March 2012
1 post
“Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you...”
– Mark Twain
February 2012
10 posts
Critical thinking explained in six kid-friendly... →
This is an absolutely brilliant series of short videos on critical thinking.
Send an instant voice message (without waiting for... →
I tried this - I have to admit, it’s pretty cool. Yet another level of granularity in terms of communication discovered.
Focus on photos after the fact →
This technology just removed another barrier to photography: focusing.
Automatic cameras removed the need to worry about exposure. Digital cameras eliminated the need to worry about film costs. Now with Lytro, there’s no need to focus. I figure the last frontier is removing the need to point AND shoot. I expect 360-degree photography in the next decade at this rate.
Social Media In the Sky: KLM 'Meet and Seat'... →
Would you participate in this program? Part of me thinks this a cool idea - I mean when you are on a long flight, it seems to be a great way to kill time and make business connections. On the flip-side, I’m not sure I want to be pitched by vendors the whole time or have no real exit strategy (literally). Furthermore, what if no one wants to meet with you? Ouch,
Either way, I love the...
10 Difficult Employees (and How to Handle Them) →
Even if you don’t manage anyone, it’s good to know how to deal with these challenging personalities.
The Social Media Salary Guide [INFOGRAPHIC] →
Social Media Week is upon us, so we thought it would be appropriate to delve into the social media industry and see how its salaries stack up. Social media is an evolving and cutting-edge field, so it should come as no surprise that you can make a great living managing a brand’s presence on Twitt…
Three steps to keeping email marketing simple but... →
Nice recap of things those in eCommerce should explore.
Don't Confuse Passion with Competence →
Mike Tyson puts it another way: “Everybody has a plan, until they get punched in the face.”
Essential resume tips →
A wonderful article on how to prevent your resume from getting rejected by automatic screeners. It echoes so much that I’ve always told people, namely, don’t be fancy with your layout and be sure to echo important keywords from the job posting.
January 2012
21 posts
Study: Only 1% of Facebook 'Fans' Engage With... →
Interesting. This suggests not reaching out to loyal customers, but to light and medium buyers.
“Sometimes at work, I feel like a brain surgeon. A brain surgeon who’s been...”
– Rommil Santiago
Opt-out of receiving the Yellow Pages Directory... →
I know my books have gone straight into the recycling bin for years. Finally, this form will keep me off the mailing-list for 5 years.
An Introvert's Guide to Networking →
“I have met so many introverts in business who talk about introversion as if it’s a malady that one must get over in order to be successful. This is wrong.”
Online Ad Spending to Surpass Print for First Time... →
This is only the beginning.
“For the first time in U.S. history, marketers are projected to spend more on online advertising than on advertising in print magazines and newspapers.”
What teachers want to tell parents →
This one is for all my friends who have worked as teachers. Having only taught a handful of times at the graduate level, I feel lucky to have avoided these issues. But I’ve heard enough stories from friends that have taught high school and college that convince me that parents need to start doing their fair share in helping their children develop in the education system. This includes...
The Secret to a Great Place to Work. →
Leadership is all about building trust, “…leaders do not “lead” money; they lead people.”
Test of the Week: Landing Page A/B Test: Which... →
This one is pretty straightforward. Always remove as many distractions as possible.
“Today, I coin the term, “Social Media Optimization” or SMO for...”
– Rommil Santiago
Google Merges Search and Google Into Social Media... →
I’m not convinced it’s a “Facebook Killer” per se, but it should be interesting to see how this unfolds.
An Introduction To Object Oriented CSS (OOCSS) →
For those looking to clean-up their CSS stacks.
Is gamification right for your business? →
I think this is interesting, but it is not worth the trouble for many companies. Unless the game is in line with your business needs, your customer needs and the expectations of your brand, it is pointless.
“A business without a path to profit isn’t a business, it’s a hobby.”
– Jason Fried
Reflecting and communicating with virtual teams
Miscommunication happens, especially with virtual teams. But there are definitely ways go improve matters - namely, by reflecting.
My job requires me to work with many people remotely, on a daily, if not hourly, basis. In fact, most of the people I work with are remote. I have co-workers and contractors in: San Francisco, Florida, Minnesota, Seattle, Switzerland, Singapore, and of course,...
The Value of the Designer Who Codes →
Designers who code are invaluable, so are web analysts who can write JavaScript. Finding people with both skill sets is very difficult.
The 7 types of effective retargeting →
Forget traditional funnels, retargeting is the new black.
SnapTags →
SnapTags are clever, but unless they go open-source or super-cheap, I doubt it will gain steam. Something like this needs to lower the barriers to entry.
December 2011
32 posts
Web Analytics Year in Review 2011 →
Having tried out SC15, I have to admit it has been a good year for Analytics for the most part.
The Power of A Dissenting Voice →
Neuroscience and science aside, we all have a duty to decent. Speaking your mind respectfully is never a bad move.
AddThis sharing trends: infographic →
The kinds of stuff we shared in 2011.
Recruiting’s Dirty Little Secrets — What You Don’t... →
For those on the job-hunt, here are some truths about how your applications are reviewed.
Evolution of advertising →
The milestones are going to come fast and furious in the next few years with mobile growing so quickly.
14 Easy Ways to Get Insanely Motivated →
My favorite: “Don’t wait for perfection; do it now!”
Winter always reminds me of Calvin and Hobbes →
A short featuring the snowmen from Calvin and Hobbes.
Honeypot Captcha →
I’ll come straight out and say I’ve never thought of this solution. The post is a few years old but the idea seems like it would work.
14 sign-up form tips →
I would have never thought to have tried the Mad Lib form.
7 signs you shouldn't be an entrepreneur →
Having started a company once, this is spot on. So true: work will eat life for breakfast.
Klout has no clout on me
There’s been a bit of buzz around Klout recently. Having changed its algorithm a couple of times, users’ Klout scores have fluctuated and caused an uproar. All this fuss has got me a bit perplexed. Despite having a Klout account for quite some time - I can honestly say that Klout has no clout on me.
What is influence?
Marketing communications has always had the problem of measuring...
Flout - for those of us who think Klout is silly →
Klout is cute, but in the end it’s silly. I’ve never believed in these social influence measuring tools. The very nature of social is in flux daily - thus the metrics become less and less relevant on a daily basis. Measure conversions that make sense to your company - period.