QR Codes: Amazing Cell Phone Technology

December 7, 2010 — Mrs. Mecomber
matrix

This technology just blows my mind. Not that I cannot comprehend it– the basics are rather simple– but just the fact that this can be done. Remember, I can recall the days before the VCR and CD!! But anyway, there’s this amazing technology called Sparqcode. It’s a form of qr code advertising:

A QR Code is a matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code), readable by QR scanners, mobile phones with a camera, and smartphones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data.

Common in Japan, where it was created by Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave in 1994, the QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional barcodes. QR is the abbreviation for Quick Response, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.


So perhaps you’re wondering what’s so amazing.

Well, qr codes can do anything. Let’s say a billboard has a qr code on it. You can scan that code with your smartphone, and the phone will activate something according to the data on the qr code (it may open a web page, or tweet your location, or whatever). This technology can be extremely convenient, as it does simplify mobile technology. There’s room for abuse, of course, such as tracking and etc….

If you are a business owner, you can also create your own qr codes (with SparqCode, a popular qr code management company), and track data for analytics later. It’s all just amazing to me.

Qr codes are being touted as our “mobile future.” What do you think about it? If you have a business, would you invest in this technology?

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Posted in computers, marketing, networking, surveillance, technology. Tags: , , , . 1 Comment »

Mixed Media Marketing- Got That?

October 23, 2010 — Mrs. Mecomber
semarke-0w-0

Internet media marketing is HOT, ladies and gentlemen. Finally.

I tentatively entered the world of media marketing thanks to my New York Traveler.net travel blog, which got the attention of advertisers and marketers in the travel arena. I quickly realized the vast potential before businesses (very small and very large and everyone in between), where they can increase exposure for a business or website or online niche. The Internet today is not your father’s Internet— the Internet has matured into a totally new animal. In the past, getting the word out about a product meant paying for expensive newspaper or TV ads. Today, this is not so. Today, a business may choose to focus entirely on an Internet audience, or they may even choose a blend of viral marketing with traditional marketing outlets (such as magazines and other printed material). The sky is really the limit. But know that the Internet cannot be overlooked anymore.

Honestly, I think it’s difficult to straddle the traditional marketing strategies with the new online ones. In my experience with marketing my travel website, I found that many in the advertising field still cling to the traditional “brochure/magazine/glossy junk mail” routine, and old fogies in the tourism departments had no idea of the power of viral marketing. But people are going online for more and more information. Those old ways of brochures and mailers are fading away. Of course, with the rise of Internet marketing comes the need for Internet marketing experts. I saw this very entertaining video by That! Advertising Agency. In true Internet style, they blend the whimsy and energy of the Internet generation with the savvy determination of the marketing industry. I like how they try to blend in both the “old media” and the “new media” as part of their brand of mixed media marketing.

Internet marketing is a little baffling to me, honestly. All those graphs, stats, strategies… truly this is the lair of media experts! If you are tired of the poor results of the old media and want to spice things up a bit, check out That! Advertising Agency. They offer one hour of free consulting, so you can test the waters. I like their emphasis on creative advertising campaigns. But for pete’s sake, DON’T throw your advertising dollars away for $2,000 for a full page ad in the New York Times until you’ve talked to a marketing consultant!

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Posted in business services, Internet, Make Money Blogging, marketing. Tags: , , . Comments Off »

Good Tool For Online Business Owners

August 21, 2010 — Mrs. Mecomber

Got an online business? These days, it’s very easy to start one. Many of my blogging friends have started up small businesses for selling their crafts, such as handbags, soaps, jewelry, and etc. The online market can be quite lucrative for the small business owner! I think it’s terrific that any handy person can start a business from home, and present their products to the world for sale.

However, offering payment options are a little trickier. I, for one, am loath to dole out my credit card number to any Joe Brown from Anytown. I must know that the means through which I order is safe and secure. I think that may be the stickler for many small business owners; they do not know where to begin when it comes to Merchant Processing.

If you are in search of merchant processing services, BluePay is an example of a good provider. They’ve made it very easy to sign up and get going. Some of the features with BluePay:

  • All credit card types are accepted.
  • Manage your account online.
  • Transactions are encrypted and secure.
  • BluePay is PCI certified.
  • BluePay is accredited by the better Business Bureau, with a score of A+.

It’s nice to know that online business owners have options. Check out BluePay, see if they are right for you.

This post is brought to you by BluePay. All opinions are mine. :D

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Posted in business services, marketing, technology. Tags: , . 2 Comments »

Build Great Backlinks

June 2, 2010 — Mrs. Mecomber

If you are a blogger, you want amazing backlinks! Backlinks are links that people place on their websites that link back to your websites. Quantities of good backlinks are good for your blog– your blog gets more attention, your content gets read, and maybe advertisers want to give you money. :D

Here’s a good, basic article on how to get “Amazing Backlinks.”

I have found that this kind of stuff can easily be a full-time job in of itself. Building a hugely popular website can consume countless (precious) hours as you monitor every blip in your stats, monitor search engine keywords, and more. And I find it a boring chore. I prefer the more passive route: writing good articles and *hoping* that people discover you. :) It’s not rocket science, but at least I get some sleep.

Give the article a read, if you are a newbie. Then stand back in awe at how seriously people take the Internet. lol.

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Posted in Internet, Make Money Blogging, marketing, websites. 1 Comment »

Make Money With Twitter

November 17, 2009 — Mrs. Mecomber

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Sponsored Tweets. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have a career in pro-blogging; I make a part-time living, making money online by promoting various advertisements and endorsements, and writing reviews and articles. If you are an enthusiastic blogger or writer, there IS money to be made. So far, the marketplace has been geared for paid blogging, ghost writing, or article writing. But the Internet is changing, once again. Leave it to the folks at IZEA to invent another excellent way to make money online.

The latest thing to come down the pike is Sponsored Tweets. Sponsored Tweets, at its very basic, is a way for you to get paid, promoting various products or services by your tweets at Twitter. IZEA is the middleman, providing the means of communication and payment from advertiser to blogger. Twitter is HUGE, its the biggest thing in social networking, and your tweets can reach thousands, if not millions, of people. The concept of connecting the vast audience of Twitter with knowledge about good products and services is brilliant.

Here’s how the system works, in a nutshell:

  • Sign up for Sponsored Tweets. It’s free. Offers await you.
  • Oh yeah– you have to have a Twitter account, too! Go do that first, eh?
  • Determine your pricing. There is a recommended price for you, but you can go as high or low as you want. IZEA has a very good help page if you need advice, and the Get Satisfaction forums are outstanding for finding quick help and tips.
  • Wait for offers from advertisers. You can choose to create your own sponsored tweets, or have them pre-written by advertisers. It’s up to you, and only you can give the final stamp of approval before it ever gets released into the Twittosphere. Disclosure is mandatory, however. IZEA has some very witty and unique ways to disclose; I enjoyed reading them, and you can tell that whoever did them definitely does a lot of tweeting!
  • There are some celebrities who have joined Sponsored Tweets. This adds a lot of clout, and you can also learn some tips of the trade on improving your audience. ;)

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There’s a very strict Code of Ethics for the Sponsored Tweets program (as well as all the IZEA ventures). There is always transparency and disclosure, but there is also freedom for expression and choice.

You won’t get rich with Sponsored Tweets, but you WILL make some very nice money on the side. And it’s a great way to supplement any income, online or not. And in this economy, every dollar counts! Check out Sponsored Tweets, it’s a REALLY easy way to make some money. Sign up for Sponsored Tweets here.
SocialSpark Disclosure Badge

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Posted in Make Money Blogging, marketing, Twitter. Tags: , . Comments Off »

Making the Most of Your Advertising Strategy

November 9, 2009 — Mrs. Mecomber

I am in the advertising business, of a sort. I write advertisements, both on my blogs and as an independent contractor for various advertising firms. It is not an easy business (but I suppose none is). It’s even more difficult, creating and implementing an advertising strategy. The Internet has opened up a new world for advertising, yet due to the vastness of the Net and it’s fluidity, it is difficult getting concrete results. How do you know that your advertising reaches the segment of people you aim for? How do you even begin to create a strategy, let alone implement it? The Internet has radically altered advertising for small and large businesses alike; and because the Internet is constantly developing, strategies or programs that worked in the past are no longer as effective. For example, several years ago, it was advised to any serious business that it get a website to offer information about services and “get the name” out there. Today, the Internet is glutted with websites. Now the issue is getting your website and/or product or service visible, and more. The advertising scene is constantly changing; how does a company manage it all?

One answer is to partner with a marketing strategy team, such as C-4 Analytics Measured Social Media Marketing. Internet advertising has become a science, and teams like C-4 have attentively studied and implemented a successful method. They offer some of the following:

  • On-staff psychologists who study patterns and adjust online experiences to increase sales and your return of online investments (ROI).
  • Contribute to viral campaigns, social media (which is extremely hot right now), search engine optimization (SEO), press releases, and more.
  • C-4 follows users from initial clicks to sales, giving their analysts all the more information to determine and tweak successful campaigns and strategies.
  • Save you money on outdated methods (such as PPC clicks, which are not as effective and can be very costly– some as high as $50 per click!).
  • and more…

Advertising is not an easy method, not in this new vast, diverse world of online marketing we have today. Check and see if partnering with marketing strategists will save you money– I’ll bet it will!

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Posted in business services, Internet, marketing. Tags: , , . 2 Comments »
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