May 11th, 2010


Microsoft Dishes Up New Flavor of SQL Server 2008

The latest revision of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 includes two new features: StreamInsight and PowerPivot. One feature is designed for developers, the other for data junkies. Scalability was also a focus -- now it can support up to 256 processors; the previous version maxed out at 64. Availability is slated for early next month.  

Please see: SQL Server - TechNews World Article



Social Media for B2B: This Time It's Personal


For B2B marketers, social media has quickly become a desirable component of most cross-channel marketing campaigns. According to an August 2009 survey by Mzinga and Babson Executive Education, the vast majority of professionals worldwide are using social technologies for business purposes. Eighty-six percent of survey respondents said they had adopted social media networking applications, and fifty-seven percent of those professionals indicated that the tools were being utilized for marketing purposes.

Please see: Social Media - TechNews World

Action Item: Call (813) 321-1300 today for help with Social Media strategies.



Should You Keep Your Company's Blog?

A recent Pew Research Center survey found that interest in writing and commenting on blogs among younger generations is declining. Meanwhile, the survey notes that teens and young adults are increasingly attracted to social networks such as Facebook. The ability to post quick, social-network status update has “kind of sucked the life out of long-form blogging,” says Amanda Lenhatr, a Pew senior researcher and the study’s lead author, as quoted by the Associated Press. Given that younger generations are sometimes seen as harbingers of emerging technology trends, you might wonder if it’s time to abandon your small business blog and just post updates to Facebook or to Twitter instead. The answer can depend on your business goals and target audiences. But in general, small business blogs are still an effective way to attract and engage with customers." This article cites three reasons why business blogs remain useful.

Please see: Company Blog Useful? - Small Business Computing Article

Action Item: Call (813) 321-1300 today for help with Blogging strategies.

Handy Google Apps You've Probably Never Used

By now, most know that Google is much more than just a search engine. Many are now familiar with some of Google's additional applications, such as Gmail, Google Maps, and Blogger. But those apps are just a small sample of what this Internet behemoth offers under the hood of its famous search engine. Here’s a rundown of some useful Google gems that you may not know about, but probably should.

Please see: Handy Google Apps - CIO Today Article

Action Item: Call (813) 321-1300 today for help with Website improvements and Internet Marketing strategies.

Test the Effectiveness of Your eCommerce Site with Google Website Optimizer

“A lot has been written about Google Website Optimizer. It’s easy to use, so give it a run. It’s great for testing different Add to cart buttons to see which gets a better conversion rate...The main advantage of Google Website Optimizer is that you can test things on your actual market (whereas services like UserTesting.com merely attempt to match your target market). This also means that you’re able to choose how large a percentage of your traffic to test and thus achieve statistical relevance.”
                  

Please see: Google Website Optimizer - Smashing Magazine Article

Action Item: Call (813) 321-1300 today for help with eCommerce Website Optimization strategies.

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