Applecore Interactive Blog

3 Reasons to Visit Twillingate...In The Next Two Weeks

2011-07-19T11:26:00.008-02:30

1. Iceberg Capital of the World!

In the midst of peak iceberg season there's no better time to plan a trip to Twillingate, Newfoundland Labrador.You can witness first hand the wonder of nature through these 10,000 year old giants. You may even catch a glimpse of some of the 22 species of whales feeding in the nearby waters. Twillingate offers 3 iceberg and whale watching boat tours that can enhance your experience and get you up close and personal.

2. Fish Fun and Folk Festival

Happening this July 25th to July 31st, 2011 is Twillingate's annual Fish Fun and Folk Festival. This Festival is one of the largest and longest running folk festivals in the Province. The Fish Fun and Folk festival kicks off its celebration with a parade through town and is followed by traditional Newfoundland music, folk music, adult dances, a street dance, fireworks, bonfire, a craft fair, games, a variety of fish meals, and more! For a detailed schedule of events for the Fish Fun and Folk Festival click here.

3. WickedAltogether

And just when the Fish Fun and Folk Festival has come to an end the party starts up again with WickedAltogether. This August 1st, 2011 at the Anchor Inn Hotel, 8:00 pm, there will be an exclusive concert featuring Snook, Payne and O'Byrne. Jim Payne (Crowd of Bold Sharemen) and Fergus O'Byrne (Ryan's Fancy) are folk and traditional music legends. Add in the comedic stylings of the one and only Snook, and the evening will surely be filled with lively tunes and sharp comedy. Tickets are $25 and available at the Anchor Inn Hotel front desk or 1-709-884-2777.

Well there's 3 great reasons to pencil in Twillingate on your summer schedule. But that's not all Twillingate has to offer. From art galleries and museums, hiking trails and kayaking, to berry picking and beach bonefires, there's something for everyone in Twillingate. Looking for a place to stay? Twillingate has quality accommodations that will give you all the comforts of home away from home. For more information on the community of Twillingate, Newfoundland Labrador visit http://www.twillingate.com/

2011 George Street Festival!

2011-07-15T11:27:00.007-02:30

This July 28th - August 2nd will mark the 27th year of the annual George Street Festival in St. John's, NL. Each year the George Street Festival attracts tens of thousands of patrons including locals, business travelers, and tourists. Even Newfoundlanders living abroad return home during this 6 day celebration. Due to the coordination efforts of the George Street Association and Participating Partners, every year seems to be getting bigger and better!

Located in the center of historic downtown St. John's, George Street is one of the premier entertainment districts in North America. Featuring 25 pubs, clubs and bars, there's truly something for everyone- Irish, blues, country, dance, rock and roll and traditional music, just to name a few!

"The "Biggest Little Street in North America" parties for six straight days, featuring both big name bands, tribute acts and local favorites alike. GSA’s commitment to big name bands and quality entertainment has continued in 2011 and we look forward to seeing you on the Street."

- George Street Assciation

Playing this year's George Street Festival on opening night, Thursday July 28th, is none other than Newfoundland's favorite and undoubtedly most popular traditional/modern pop band, Great Big Sea. In their 18th year performing together it's no wonder why Great Big Sea never fails to satisfy a crowd hungry for upbeat, foot stomping, modern folk music.

Another big act gracing this year's George Street center stage, Monday August 1st, are the Dropkick Murphys. They have risen from their basic Irish-punk roots to become a rocking & rolling, raging, green-clover machine. The Dropkick Murphys are now one of the best-known rock bands in the world.

For a full list of performers or to get your tickets for the 2011 George Street Festival visit http://www.georgestreetlive.ca/

How Your Vote Can Help Marguerite's Place

2011-05-19T12:04:00.006-02:30

What is Marguerite's Place?

Marguerite’s Place is a new facility located in St. John's, NL which will house the offices and programs of the St. John’s Status of Women Council (SJSWC) and the Women’s Centre. This new facility offers affordable, fully accessible programming and supportive housing for women, by women.

This new facility, is named in memory of a friend and volunteer of the St. John's Women's Centre, Marguerite Dyson, who was murdered while living in unsafe housing.

Marguerite's Place

Marguerite's Place will consist of eight housing units. These supportive housing units on-site will be open to women over the age of thirty who are not accompanied by dependants, and who are experiencing difficulty finding or maintaining housing due to circumstances in their lives or the complexity of their needs. Housing at Marguerite's Place will operate under an independent living philosophy and in a manner that respects the diverse experiences and needs of individual women. Programming at the Women's Centre as well as programs identified by individual assessment of each woman will also be available.

Marguerite's Place is under construction and should be ready for occupancy in August 2011. The capital campaign has been ongoing for the last two years and has been supported by both Federal and Provincial government as well as donations from the business community and individuals.

The Keg 40th Anniversary Thanks a Million Grant Program

In celebration of The Keg's 40th anniversary, they're giving back $1,000,000 to the communities that have contributed to their history. The Keg 40th Anniversary Thanks a Million Grant Program. But in order to decide what programs receive grants you need to vote!

Marguerite's Place is a finalist for this region, sitting in 2nd place. In order to reach 1st place they need your vote! 1st place receives a $25,000 grant that Marguerite's Place plans to direct towards the furnishings required to support the housing and programming in the new facility.

Voting is now open and you can help Marguerite's Place! You can make an impact by voting once a day until June 14th. Voting is quick, simple, and only requires an email address. To vote for Marguerite's Place and aid them in housing and empowering women click here.

The St. John's Women's Centre and Marguerite's Place are projects of the St. John's Status of Women Council. As a forerunner in providing women-centred services, including housing, self-empowerment, and capacity-building initiatives, we have much experience in working with women who have been marginalized, including those at risk of homelessness.

If you'd like to contribute to Marguerite's Place or volunteer at the St. John's Women's Centre visit http://www.margueritesplace.ca/ for more details.

Lady Cove Women's Choir & the Pepsi Refresh Project

2011-05-06T12:36:00.009-02:30

Lady Cove Women's Choir has recently been chosen to take part in the Pepsi Refresh Project. In an effort to aid them in achieving their goal of placing in the top 3 and receiving $10,000, here's everything you need to know about Lady Cove Women's Choir, the Pepsi Refresh Project, Lady Cove's proposed project and how your vote can help.

Featuring Guest Blogger: Nicole Dawe, of Lady Cove Women's Choir

About Lady Cove Women's Choir

Lady Cove Women's Choir

Lady Cove Women’s Choir has become one of Canada’s leading women’s choral ensembles in a remarkably short period of time. Founded in 2003 and based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Lady Cove Women’s Choir's mission is to reveal the strength, versatility and beauty of women’s choral music. They also believe in giving back to the community and believe in fostering music education among the youth of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Pepsi Refresh Project

In an effort to support those who generate innovative, optimistic ideas, the Pepsi Refresh Project will award more than $1 million to move communities forward over the course of a year. Individuals and organizations can apply for grants to benefit a variety of projects, and Canadians can vote for the best ideas for funding at http://www.refresheverything.ca/ The Pepsi Refresh Project is an evolution of the Joy It Forward initiative that the Pepsi brand launched in 2009, which showed the brand as an optimistic catalyst for idea creation. The Pepsi Refresh Project will fund projects that make a difference in six categories: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighbourhoods and Education.

Lady Cove's Proposed Project

The collapse of the North Atlantic cod fishery in the 1990s has changed Newfoundland and Labrador forever. We are now exploring and benefiting from other natural resources. In a prosperous society traditional culture is at risk. How can our traditions be translated to remain relevant in the complex social environment of this century? Through folk music and new choral music, and using narration, creative staging, multi-media technology, and a new stage set the Choir will show the culture of Newfoundland and Labrador, the ingenuity and creativity of our people and place.

Curious about the traditions of the Inuit people, the Choir is including a new commission in its repertoire, based on the poetry of an Inuit woman and reflecting the traditions of Labrador. The Choir has engaged a young aboriginal artist to coach in Inuktitut.

People from across the globe will see the presentation at the 9th World Symposium on Choral Music, The International Council for Traditional Music World Conference and Festival 500 International Symposium.

How to Vote

Vote For Lady Cove Women's Choir

The choir is competing in the $10,000 category and needs to be in the top three to receive the grant. Visit the Pepsi Refresh Project and vote for Lady Cove by using your Facebook account and/or by creating a Pepsi Refresh account (if you have multiple emails register them all and vote more). If you vote with Facebook and your Pepsi account(s) that is two votes per day and every little bit will help! The voting will take place from May 1 until June 30.

Email Nicole at Lady Cove to receive a daily reminder to vote!

Excellent Cause, Elegant Campaign, & Ecommerce = Huge Success!

2011-04-25T10:56:00.005-02:30

The Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation is a shinning example of how a charitable organization and Ecommerce can work together to make a difference.

The foundations ongoing campaign, Sparkles of Hope Bracelets, has had tremendous success to date and continues to sell out orders in advance. The idea behind the bracelet campaign is that each colored Swarovski Crystal represents a type of cancer treated here at home, truly allowing for a united fundraising effort for all types of cancer. This holistic approach to fundraising combined with the use of an online ordering/purchasing system has generated great campaign buzz and results.

Give a bracelet in memory, in honour, or in support, there's no wrong reason to give. All proceeds from these bracelets help to further advance the quality of local cancer care, treatment and research. If you'd like to purchase your own Sparkles of Hope Bracelet and support the fight against cancer click here.

The Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation is a registered charity established to raise funds to support the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre (in St. John's) and its affiliate cancer programs throughout the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

All contributions to the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation remain in the province and are used to:

• enhance regional programs close to the patient's home;

• support local education and research projects;

• fund patient support programs and services; and,

• acquire cancer treatment equipment.

CODNL Launches New Logo

2010-12-04T20:24:00.000-03:30

As a part of the UNs International Day for Persons with Disabilities celebrations on December 3, 2010 Newfoundland and Labrador's Coalition for Persons with Disabilities launched its new logo. Working with Applecore Interactive, COD chose this as the new emblem for the work the organisation does in advocacy, education and support for persons with disabilities in this province.

The new logo is created out of two embracing semi-circles, completing a circle symbolic of two entities holding hands or connecting around a common purpose. The heads overlap to form a single central core as a single focus and a common goal.

The colours red and green are symbolic of "stop" and "go" with red representing the barriers faced by persons with disabilities and green representing the work of CODNL - the removal of these barriers. This abstract representation also represents the abbreviated name for the organisation - COD.

Present to do the unveiling was the new logo was COD founder Nancy Lear, president Michelle Murdoch and assistant deputy minister in the Department Human Resources, Labour and Employment Lynn Vivian Brook.

President Michelle Murdoch spoke about the realities encountered by persons with various disabilities and in particular the role of public transport in the lives of individuals depending on it for their mobility. Michelle also referred to her fondness of the Internet, a technology that has been a liberating force in the lives of many persons with disabilities.

The team at Applecore has been privileged to work with CODNL, as Applecore partner and co-founder Wilma Hartmann said at the unveiling. The creative process starts with active listening to develop a deeper understanding. In this case it has been an education of many misperceptions related to disabilities and the importance of public policies that protect and support the interests of persons with disabilities.

The unveiling of the logo was followed by the official launch of the new website and the cutting of a birthday cake in celebration of the 30th year of CODNLs existence.

The Value of a Cute Interface

2010-11-17T23:46:00.000-03:30

Are we more likely to forgive technical glitches that ask forgiveness with a cute picture?

As Twitter struggles to deal with the explosion in activity, its "fail whale" frequently has to be the ambassador-peacemaker for overloaded technology. This beloved whale has achieved near cult status and has appeared on clothing, in cake format, on mugs and carved into Halloween pumpkins. An image search on Google showed these neat eternalizations of the whale:

It is clear that "cute" trumps "glitch" and more often techno brands use cutesy imagery to build brand support. Just think about some of these.... can you name them?

How to Get More Comments on Your Posts

2010-10-04T19:15:00.001-02:30

Below is a taste of an insightful article written by David Smith on how to get more comments on your Blog posts. The tips in this article can also be applied to FaceBook posts, achieving more retweets and followers, and many other social network tools and marketing efforts. Some of the highlights from the article are listed below, for the full article visit:

18 Types of Posts That Get More Comments

About the Author: David Smith works for Conversion Optimization Company Invesp and enjoys writing on SEO, landing pages, conversion rate optimization and affiliate marketing.

Are you tired of seeing no or very less comments on your blog posts? Do you feel sad when you find out that no one wants to spend his 2 minutes in leaving a comment on the post which took hours of your efforts? If the answer to above questions is Yes, then here is good news for you, on average more than 80% of blogs suffers from “No Comments” disease. And to help you in getting rid of it, we’ve compiled a list of 18 types of posts that always gets lot of comments.

Below are Applecores Favorite Tips From: 18 Types of Posts That Get More Comments

#3. Lists and Useful resources post – No other marking campaign can beat a useful and well researched list relevant to your niche in getting number of comments and links. Such lists can easily go viral and can help you in building a loyal following. Example – 30+ principles to a better landing page design.

#6. Series of Posts – Series of posts have a great power to keep the readers engaged. Not only they help you in breaking longer posts in to short ones and explaining things in a better way, but also help you to build a loyal following for your blog. Example – Website Traffic Series at DailyBlogTips

#7. How-to Guide posts – Does your target audience is facing a common problem then write a detailed How-to guide on it covering solutions that can help them in solving their problems. Example – How to Blog: Blogging Tips for Beginners

#10. Humorous/Funny posts – Posts that can make your readers laugh can also force (in a good way) them to leave comments. Example – This is why I don’t clap along

#13. Ask a question post – Ask a question to your readers. Asking a question that readers are interested in answering can easily increase the number of comments by 2-3 times. Example – Ask the readers section at GetRichSlowly

#15. Real-time posts – Posts about hot trends and latest happenings that are taking place in the niche. Example – Thoughts on Google Instant (It is also an opinion post)

For the complete list visit The Blog Herald: 18 Types of Posts That Get More Comments

Uninvited Guest- Igor Pays a Visit to Applecore

2010-09-22T20:07:00.010-02:30

The aftermath of Hurricane Igor can be seen across the capital city today, and although St. John's was not one of the hardest hit areas it's a grave reminder of the power of mother nature. The staff and neighbours of Applecore seen her wrath first hand when a large tree in the front of Applecore's parking lot entrance on Quidi Vidi Road in St. John's, came crashing down and brought a few unsuspecting power lines with it.

Uprooted Tree Blocking Applecore Parking Lot Entrance- Parking Lot View

Uprooted Tree and Power Lines Blocking Applecore Parking Lot Entrance- Street View

Applecore was fortunate enough to escape with minimal disruption or damage and is back to business as normal. Unfortunately other businesses and residents in Igor's path didn't fair as well and the clean up continues. For more images of Igor's effects in Newfoundland click here. For YouTube videos of the flooding in St. John's click here.

Uprooted Tree- Applecore Parking Lot Entrance

About Igor

Hurricane Igor Made landfall in the province of Newfoundland late Monday night and lasted through Tuesday bringing strong winds and heavy rain. Rain accumulated up to 239 mm in the area of St. Lawrence, and in the area of Cape pine the winds reached 172 km/h. Just as an example of the magnitude of Igor's strength.

Extensive flooding, wind damage, and power outages were reported from all over the eastern half of Newfoundland Monday night and Tuesday as a result of hurricane Igor. Estimations for damage and suspected recovery times have not yet been determined, but it's for certain that Igor's path of destruction will take weeks if not months to repair.

For more information and unofficial storm totals on Hurricane Igor click here.

Make Your Website a Daily Destination

2010-09-13T20:24:00.002-02:30

5 simple strategies to keep people coming back

The following article gives some great advice on how to increase and maintain traffic on your website. This article was written by Scott Steinberg, Columnist for Entrepreneur.com

Every small business loves the exposure, empathy and sense of community that having a website that's a daily destination for consumers can generate. But getting people to visit on a regular basis can be a challenge, especially if updates are infrequent or all you have to offer is the occasional monotone press release or product announcement.

Thankfully, building a website that's "sticky" enough to keep users engaged and coming back doesn't have to require investing thousands or reinventing yourself as the next online media empire. All it takes is a little elbow grease and personal touch, as indicated by the simple strategies below, each designed to send your homepage's daily number of visitors soaring:

Connect and Communicate: Make no bones about it: Blogging should be an essential part of any modern website. After all, a few clicks is literally all it takes to post updates in real-time around the clock, creating a steady stream of content that promises something new and exciting with every visit. Better still, professionals at all experience levels have the capability of readily doing it, and the practice also helps put a personal face on your organization, shining the spotlight on the individuals behind it. However, to really captivate an audience enough to keep them returning, take note: You'll also need to provide content that's dynamic, unique and offers measurable informational or entertainment value, plus speak in a language that all can understand. In short, the occasional pre-approved sound bite from the HR guy or gal won't cut it. Rather, you need to address audiences like you're having a normal conversation, and provide content with meaningful substance to the reader. Making-of articles, features detailing how to get more from your products, partner profiles, project diaries, step-by-step how-to guides, interviews with notable personalities or internal stakeholders: All present compelling ways to connect with audiences while also keeping them interested and informed, providing ample incentive to keep coming back.

Use Targeted Demonstrations: While special membership options, premium subscription packages and frequent buyer programs can all prove great incentives, services that you freely give away are often just as important as those that you reserve for more exclusive clients. Whether you're looking at offering complimentary computer virus scans by having users visit your homepage, providing a suite of free continuing education resources or simply hosting an archive of complementary, corporate-branded webinars on software engineering, realize: Providing helpful services or information at no charge that solve pressing, evergreen problems or answer important questions can all serve to generate a steady source of online traffic, and provide a ready supply of leads to upsell on premium services. Sometimes you have to give in order to get. It may seem counterintuitive, but ultimately, the practice makes a ready way to demonstrate your organization's capabilities to a potentially lucrative client base, while also giving them a taste of the benefits to be had by partnering on more advanced or long-term services.

Emphasize Community Building: As social media insiders well know, creating a sense of community around your website is one of the most powerful tools for engaging and ultimately enthralling prospective fans. But doing so doesn't simply mean throwing up a sponsored message board then leaving it to stagnate, or e-mailing customers sporadic newsletter updates that regurgitate existing material easily found elsewhere. Rather, you have to not only encourage discussion and actively take part in conversations by dedicating internal time and resources, but also make customers feel as if they truly have a voice in the discussion by listening to their concerns, responding and sourcing feedback at every opportunity. Implementing programs that recognize and reward valued contributors is also vital, as is creating fan-based initiatives that allow community members to contribute and share ideas, concepts and creations of their own. Even simply giving enthusiasts the chance to submit designs for your next fundraiser's logo or arranging times where they can chat with top execs to provide input on upcoming ventures won't just engender goodwill. They'll also excite and empower a legion of amateur brand ambassadors--an essential source of free ongoing updates and constructive conversations, which will both attract users to and keep them enamored with your site.

Focus on Value: Exclusive specials, contests, promotions and timed discounts can all be powerful drivers of website traffic, especially in these cost-conscious times. By offering direct bargains and rebate programs on both an ongoing and sporadic basis through your online headquarters, you can keep customers' interest piqued, and generate additional sales. These marketing programs become even more valuable when coupled with Facebook, Twitter and other social marketing tools, which have the potential to help news spread like wildfire online. Just make sure that the only place such bargains can be found is on your homepage, and be consistent in terms of the pages to which you drive this traffic, to establish in shoppers' minds the importance of regularly checking a certain destination. Similarly, establishing relationships with key bloggers and members of the media can also help reinforce the message, as can a regular series of e-mail or newsletter updates designed to inform current and prospective buyers. Customers get to save on purchases while you benefit from enhanced publicity and heightened sales, creating a win-win situation for all.

Design for Mass Distribution: Sharing is good--even more so if you've got a message worth spreading and it winds up in front of millions of eyeballs. As such, you should be not only updating your website with unique pieces of content (surveys, research reports, custom editorial clips, guides to solving common problems, unique looks behind-the-scenes, etc.) designed to grab viewers' attention, but also making everything from blog posts to pictures, photos, PDF documents and videos shareable, embeddable and ready to be commented upon or re-tweeted via social media platforms. When it comes to corporate assets, the tendency--especially among hyper-competitive start-ups--is always to tightly hold and control. But often, the more powerful strategy is to design pieces of content with the specific idea in mind of seeding them throughout the user community, as it's a great way to build brand awareness. Beyond heightened exposure and additional media mentions, using your website to disseminate unique, specially branded pieces of content can also lead to improved search engine optimization results through a larger number of incoming links. And, more important still, generate heightened word of mouth surrounding your homepage, letting countless potential readers know exciting things are happening there on a regular basis.

For more business tips and advice visit Entrepreneur.com

A Wonderful Site for a Picnic

2010-08-29T20:46:00.000-02:30

When Lighthouse Picnics in Ferryland launched their new website earlier this summer, it was just one more great thing added to the already wonderful experience.

Jill Curran,
'Lighthouse Picnics Keeper'

From Website to Picnic Site
Working with Jill Curran, the charming owner of Lighthouse Picnics, was invigorating and Applecore Interactive could not wait to get out to experience this outdoor delight personally. The beautiful summer Sunday finally arrived!

A spectacular hour drive from St. John's wound through places like the Goulds, Bay Bulls, Tors Cove - all designed as an appetizer for what was waiting in Ferryland. The drive meandered along the coast, blue skies above and white caps licking on pebbled shores.

Route 10 continues to Ferryland and at the Colony of Avalon archeological site which is well marked, we turned towards the lighthouse we spotted at the point. After parking the car, the 15 minute hike on a narrow gravel road to the site was rewarded greatly.

Ferryland Lighthouse

Lighthouse Picnics
Lighthouse picnics is housed in a quaint restored building right next to the lighthouse. One the menu was a choice of 4 delicious sandwiches. We were given a little naval flag as a marker and asked to wait in the vicinity - our food would find us. All around the site picnickers with food baskets and blankets dotted the slopes overlooking the ocean.

Our basket arrived and we followed the trails in search of the perfect spot. Seafood salad sandwich with smoked salmon and avocado; curry chicken and mango salad sandwich; chocolate ganache cake; ginger cake and vanilla sauce, orzo salad and a mason jar with home made lemonade. Drooling yet?

Lighthousepicnics.ca

Be Sure to Visit
Was Canadian Living wrong to name this the number one spot to picnic in Canada? We think not!

And if you plan your picnic on the slopes, start by checking Lighthouse Picnics in Ferryland on the web.

7 Steps to Measuring Your Brand’s Social Media Health

2010-08-17T10:40:00.003-02:30

Written By: Maria Ogneva
Mashable

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should measure everything. Social media is very easily measured with various indicators like share of voice, reach, retweets, and comments. However, measuring without a clear objective in mind won’t bring you closer to success.

Nowadays, its not enough to have and execute a social media policy. You need to be able to gauge its success, measure it, and see that it remains healthy and vibrant.

Having already written about the differences between “monitoring” and “measuring” and how to properly conduct the former. Now, we turn to some best practices to help you measure your brand’s overall social media health, as well as the effectiveness of your various online initiatives.

Read on for the seven steps to getting the most out of your social media measurements.

1. Have a Goal

In order to properly measure your social media efforts, you need to know why you are engaging in social media in the first place. This objective will dictate not only what you do, but also how you measure what you do. Let’s take a look at some objectives and the corresponding metrics you’ll measure for each.

If your goal is driving awareness, you will be looking at metrics like share of voice, reach, readership and engagement with content (measured in action vs. views).

If you need to increase satisfaction through better support, you need to look at sentiment, satisfaction rates in surveys, speed of resolution and percent of queries resolved.

If creating better products and doing market research is a goal, you need to focus on top market trends and satisfaction with various competitive products.

If developing customer advocacy is a goal, you should be looking at who your advocates are, measuring their influence and reach and their engagement with your product and content.

All or none of the above could apply to your particular objective. It’s important to be specific about your purpose and to measure towards that end.

2. Get Your Departments on the Same Page

Social media is not a silo. You need to set up your organization for success by better aligning necessary departments to work as units towards a common goal. Understand what goals are important for each department, and set them up for success with strategies and metrics that make sense.

You will need to establish a process by which your departments can communicate and share the right metrics with the right people on demand. Will you create a dashboard that’s easily visible by every department or simply send email recaps? Will they be customized to match the interests of each department?
Can you export raw data and easily share charts and graphs?

3. Always Consider Context

Metrics without context are meaningless. If you know your share of social media conversation is 35%, what does that mean compared to your competitors’ shares or their change over time? Always look at metrics over time and inside of a competitive landscape.

4. Select Your Platform Wisely

Just like with monitoring, selecting the right tool for the job is the next step after figuring out your strategy. Here are some aspects you should consider when selecting a platform:

Data – Which data do you need? Which channels are you going to measure?

Reports – Identify how you want to share and present information. If you are going for a premium tool you should definitely be receiving embeddable and emailable charts and downloadable raw data. You can even automate delivery of reports and dashboards via email.

Actionable insights – There’s a big difference between data and insights. Don’t forget the importance of an analyst within your organization, even if it’s a part-time effort of your social media specialist.

Budget – Do you have a budget or can you only afford a free tool? Keep in mind that cheaper tools can sometimes be harder to use or come with less features. “Free” may cost you more time in the long run.

Ease of use – If you have limited resources, your platform must be easy to use and allow you to get your job done quickly. Consider productivity-boosting alerts and workflow modules, automation and advanced analytics.

5. Conduct a Full Social Media Audit

Now that you have selected your platform, start by conducting a full social media “audit” with the specific metrics you are measuring. Note where you and your competitors are today and use this as a baseline against which you will measure at least once a month.

Conducting a social media audit can also help you monitor the current share of conversation of various players and channels. Through this process you can find where to listen for service issues and where you should be building relationships with thought leaders and influencers.

6. Dig Deeper in Your Channels

Start by measuring volume of conversation in aggregate, across all channels. You should also evaluate performance by channel, for yourself and for your competitors, to find which sections are performing well and to help give your numbers specific context.

A surface look at metric like share of voice, buzz and sentiment allows you to understand what’s happening during an identified period of time. However, to get the most out of your social media analysis, you need to dig deeper. If you discover a spike in negative sentiment or a spike in buzz for one of your competitors, you need to dig in and find out what’s driving it.

7. Do A/B testing

Do you have a couple of campaigns out there? Are you curious about the adoption of certain product features or what content is getting the best response? Social media measurement can help you conduct the right analysis to figure out what’s working and what isn’t. Similar to how you can test web traffic patterns against website copy changes, you can measure the public’s opinion of things you try.

Remember to measure your general social media health comprehensively at least once a month and track responses to particular programs more frequently. Commit the right resources and choose your platforms wisely. Don’t be afraid to experiment and always measure!

Maria Ogneva is the Director of Social Media at Attensity, a social media engagement and voice-of-customer platform that helps the social enterprise serve and collaborate with the social customer. You can follow her on Twitter at @themaria or @attensity360, or find her musings on her personal blog and her company’s blog.

5 Tips for Aspiring Social Media Marketers

2010-07-29T09:23:00.000-02:30

Are you a Social Media Master? It takes more than just knowing how to use tools such as Facebook, Twitter, or a Blog to be Social Media Savvy. Social Media Tools are complex, diverse, and can evolve quickly. Mashable has 5 great tips to get you started.

Erica Swallow from Mashable Writes,

Within the past few years, it seems that social media positions are popping up everywhere, in all types of organizations, from The New York Times, to Pizza Hut, and even in the White House. Businesses of all types are identifying the need to stay connected with their communities because they recognize the benefits.

Social media marketing is just a slice of the social media industry, but it’s a very important piece of the story. Businesses see social media as a platform for engaging with consumers and informing them of the latest company news and products. Marketers are blazing trails in the social media marketing sector, creating campaigns that are interactive, shareable and inclusive of the online community. For the most innovative of marketers, the focus isn’t on campaigns, but on letting consumers take the reigns in guiding a brand’s social presence.

For aspiring social media marketers, there are no strict rules for becoming successful. But we’ve gathered eight of the brightest minds in the social media industry to elaborate on five helpful tips for landing a job in social media marketing.

For the Five Tips for Aspiring Social Media Marketers visit: mashable.com

Applecore's Sea Kayak Adventures

2010-07-23T11:15:00.010-02:30

(Left to Right) Adventure Tourism Guide Connor, Alicia Fudge, Trent Skanes, Laurie Butler, John Feltham, Curtis Au, Andrew Janes, Deborah Bourden, & Lisa Smart.

On Wednesday July 21, 2010 Applecore took to the Sea for an Adventure to remember provided by Stan Cook Sea Kayak Adventures. Some of Cape Broyle's most spectacular scenery, creatures, and geological finds were a part of this amazing afternoon on the water. Starfish, 400 million year old rock formations, waterfalls, and stories of buried treasure were just a few of the highlights. This expedition will not be forgotten!

Stan Cook's knowledgeable and humorous Adventure Tourism Guides, Chris and Connor, gave the afternoon on the sea that extra special touch. We'd like to thank Stan Cook and his staff for a fantastic afternoon of adventure and exploration.

Stan Cook Sea Kayak Adventures is a family owned and operated business. Owner and head guide Stan Cook, a recently retired physical education instructor, has been professionally offering wilderness adventures since 1970. His top priority has always been safety and decades of wilderness travel has taught him a lot. For more information about tour packages visit www.wildnfld.ca

This Kayak expedition was a invigorating way to say, not good bye, but best wishes and farewell for now, to one of Applecore's team, Trent Skanes, who is pursuing a career in law.

Sea Urchins, Jelly Fish, Crabs, and More

Venturing Through Sea Crevasses

Stories of Cape Broyle & Buried Treasure

Catching the Mist, Refreshing Waterfalls

Adventure Tourism Guide Chris

Cliff Formations in Smugglers Cove

Crossing the Bay

Starfish

Team Work, Featuring a Crab

Rooms and Sites Come True

2010-07-21T11:16:00.019-02:30

Rooms Come True is more than a furniture store. In fact, as their name suggests, it is about making dreams come true for parents of infants, little girls and boys, tweens and teens. Whether the dream centres around an animal kingdom, a sport or superhero, a princess or hues of pink, Rooms Come True provides the design elements and furniture to make it happen.

Owner of St. John's children's furniture store, Michelle Collins, says: "At Rooms Come True we want customers to relax, enjoy and walk away with great ideas for a room that they are excited to create and the products necessary to bring it all together

Michelle's vision for her store became the inspiration for her new website that Applecore is pleased to have created in collaboration with Michelle. The challenge was to create the same feeling of excitement, adventure, design and magic that a visitor to Michelle's store experiences. The website offers only a taste of the in-store experience where friendly and knowledgeable staff wait to listen, provide advice and ideas and help to create the perfect room for kids, from infant to teen.

Visit Rooms Come True at 585 Torbay Road St. John's after visiting the Rooms Come True website, or call Rooms Come True at 709-722-7788.

Applecore Interactive is pleased to have collaborated with Rooms Come True on another successful web project.

Social Media Challenges- A List to Help You Overcome Them

2010-07-19T13:47:00.018-02:30

Jeremiah Owyangn, Industry Analyst, Founding Partner for Altimeter Group, and Columnist for Forbes CMO Network writes:

Matrix: Challenges of the Social Technology Industry, July 2010 Edition

While the opportunities for social technologies to change the world, business, and our individual lives continue to unveil, it’s also key to focus in on the challenges that impact the industry. For many folks who have decided to invest in social technologies to improve their careers and business, it’s even more important to pay attention to these challenges.

First of all, have the right mindset. The savvy person will realize this isn’t a list of gripes, but instead an opportunity list. Leaders at vendors, agencies, or brands will see these list of challenges of problems to fix and monetize. If you’re in this space, you’ll want to send this list to your product teams, or strategy teams so they can think about how to solve many of these issues –or at a minimum,be prepared for it.

For the detailed list of social media challenges visit:

http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2010/07/05/matrix-challenges-of-the-social-technology-industry-july-2010-edition/?utm_source=feedburner

5 Key Trends of 2010: Half-Year Report for The Web

2010-07-16T14:27:00.007-02:30

An interesting article on some trends that have developed thus far this year. Which trends are you following?

It's now a little over 6 months into 2010, so a good time to reflect on the highlights of the year so far. At the beginning of the year, we identified some key trends to track: (in alphabetical order) Augmented Reality, Internet of Things, Mobile, Real-Time Web, Structured Data.

Mobile and Real-Time Web have been particularly eventful in 2010. Augmented Reality and Internet of Things are both early stage trends, but have continued to edge towards the mainstream this year. The movement towards Structured Data has made significant progress in 2010, primarily thanks to RDFa and the adoption of that Semantic Web format by Facebook, Google and other big companies.

To read the full article 5 Key Trends of 2010: Half-Year Report for The Web on Read Write Web visit:

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/5_key_trends_of_2010_half-year_report_for_the_web.php?utm_source=feedburner

10 Lessons of Web Start Up

2010-07-15T10:03:00.008-02:30

Be Narrow, Be Different, Be Casual...

Just a few of the ten lessons that Evan Williams, creator of Blogger and Twitter, gives on Web Start Up.

#1: Be Narrow - Focus on the smallest possible problem you could solve that would potentially be useful. Most companies start out trying to do too many things, which makes life difficult and turns you into a me-too. Focusing on a small niche has so many advantages: With much less work, you can be the best at what you do. Small things, like a microscopic world, almost always turn out to be bigger than you think when you zoom in. You can much more easily position and market yourself when more focused. And when it comes to partnering, or being acquired, there's less chance for conflict. This is all so logical and, yet, there's a resistance to focusing. I think it comes from a fear of being trivial. Just remember: If you get to be #1 in your category, but your category is too small, then you can broaden your scope—and you can do so with leverage.  

For all 10 great lessons to a Successful Web Start Up read the full article:

http://davidhieatt.typepad.com/doonethingwell/2010/01/10-lessons-of-a-web-start-up.html

Hitting the High Notes

2010-05-03T19:36:00.009-02:30

“For me, Lady Cove Women’s Choir celebrates the joys of sisterhood. Our music-making is the truest expression of respect, trust, friendship and joy!” This quote from one of the members of one of Newfoundland and Labrador's finest cultural products, the Lady Cove Women's Choir, captures the essence of what this young choir is about.

In its just over six years of existence, the choir's achievements are astounding. Its international and national acco mplishments are a testament to the spirit behind the work of this group of very talented women.

Applecore is privileged to have worked with the choir in developing its brand new web site. Choral music comes alive through the "Featured Track Listing" on the front page. Twitter, Facebook and RSS connections ensure that every web viewer can easily slot into the choir's online community.

E-commerce has been integrated into the site - support and even buy the Lady Cove Specialty Teas online. A members' only section allows choir members to share information such as sheet music and documentation. Applecore is always happy to rub a bit of its "green" onto its projects!

Thank you for wonderful project collaboration - don't miss the Choir's two upcoming performances - RhythmSong on May 8 2010, and SummerSong on June 5 2010.

Sponsors and Partners

2010-03-31T15:38:00.009-02:30

The Kids Eat Smart Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador is a provincial organization that ensures that children attend school well-nourished and ready to learn. Its breakfast clubs across the province are supported by more than 4,000 volunteers.

Sponsorship as a Way to Give Back

Kids Eat Smart is only one of the causes Applecore Interactive has actively supported over the past decade. "Sponsorship is one of the most rewarding promotional partnerships any business can experience," says C.O.O. Wilma Hartmann. "It is a way to give back to a community and to make a difference to those causes that are important to us."

Being a Part of Successful Growth

In the early 2000's Applecore worked with the Kids Eat Smart Foundation in its rebranding which now flourishes in the hands of the organization's own staff. Watching the organization grow and support more than 200 breakfast clubs today is great reward to any sponsor and partner.

Camaraderie Amongst Sponsors

The Foundation keenly recognizes the value of its sponsors and partners - something every business looks for when it chooses to partner. The camaraderie amongst Kids Eat Smart donors bridges the divide between business rivals - recognition of a great cause taps into the very best in corporate spirit. Says Wilma, "It has been a privilege to rub shoulders with the some of the region's greatest corporations in unified support of a great cause."

Our Other Partnerships

Applecore's current sponsorships also includes the 2010 Juno Awards Ruckus on the Edge, the Health Care Foundation, Prof. TA Loeffler's 2010 Everest expedition and the Applecore Women's Hockey team (whose favourite place is the top of the women's recreational league!)

De-stress Online with StressChat.ca

2010-03-21T10:55:00.008-02:30

Every day thousands of employees, managers, customer service representatives, health care workers and emergency response professionals are faced with work-related stress that over time creates mental and physical illnesses.

Ontario stress counsellor Heidi Cowie realized that there is a big need to provide help in a different way. She decided it was time to act and started Stress Chat, a web-based counselling service available through online appointments and through live online chat. Stress Chat offers individual counselling as well as corporate programs. Clients are in control through making appointments online or through anonymous online chat in the case of an emergency. Stress Chat has a group of qualified and experienced stress counsellors on staff - an individual is paired with the most suitable counsellor after an initial online assessment.

Applecore is pleased to have partnered with Heidi to create her new website. Considering the health impact of unmanaged stress, this web-based service can prove to be invaluable to you and your work place. It is available when needed, offers help and is anonymous.

If you are considering personal counselling or a corporate program for your organization, visit stresschat.ca.

Countdown to the Big Ruckus

2010-03-10T21:24:00.014-03:30

One big Ruckus is about to hit the Rock - a week long music fest with Canada's best and most popular musicians rocking it out in a grand finale on 18 April with the 2010 Juno Awards.

Applecore recently launched the new website, Ruckus on the Edge, for Juno Week.

But today no website is happy alone. To round out the effort, we also created a social media strategy with its own Facebook page (join more than 1700 other fans!), a Flickr photo stream (the pictures you see there is nothing compared to what is about to be added!), YouTube video channel (the party has already started!) and a Twitter stream (you got to stay up to date with the action!)

Canada's top musicians are coming to St. John's for the Junos - and so is a crowd of other people... see the week's schedule on the site. If you're one of the unlucky ones, don't feel left out - join the action online.

TA Loeffler and Flat Stanley visit Applecore

2010-02-13T22:18:00.013-03:30

Applecore's team was delighted to have adventurer and Everest climber, TA Loeffler, visit on Friday. She brought with her a special guest: Flat Stanley, who will be climbing with her in March this year in an attempt to summit Mount Everest - a first for Flat Stanley.

Flat Stanley is a flat character that travels all over the globe and writes about his travels and collects photographs as part of an education initiative on behalf of K-12 students. A school in Corner Brook, Newfoundland approached TA with a request to take Flat Stanley with her on her arduous training schedule and on the expedition planned to start at the end of March.

Applecore has been sponsoring professor in Outdoor Recreation, TA Loeffler on expeditions to 6 of the world's 7 tallest peaks and our flag will travel with TA once more on her second attempt to summit Everest.

TA's inspiring message to our team on Friday again asked the question of what our individual and collective Everests are. She shared her lessons from high places - wisdom collected about holding the vision of the the peak while taking the steps - with Applecore's team who has been supporting her marketing and PR online and offline since 2005. Visit TA's website for more photographs and information.

TA Loeffler and the Applecore flag at the summit of Mount Elbrus in Russia, Europe's highest peak.

Summit of Kilimanjaro 2008, highest peak in Africa.

Ojos de Salado, Chile, highest peak in South America.

Not a flag this time, but an apple that mysteriously disappeared from our board room - on the summit of Aconcagua in Argentina.

5 More Reasons Why IE6 Must Die

2010-01-25T12:53:00.004-03:30

It’s no secret that we don’t like Internet Explorer 6 (IE6), the outdated 10+ year old browser still used by 15-25% of people on the web. Last year, we called for IE6 to die so that the web could move on with new innovations such as HTML 5.

Now Internet Explorer, specifically IE6, is under fire again after a critical IE vulnerability was implicated for the attack on Google’s infrastructure by Chinese hackers. While IE6 criticism is not a new phenomenon, last week’s events give those of us who advocate for the abolition of IE6 (myself included) new ammunition.

Whether you work for a company that won’t get rid of IE6 or have parents that just don’t see the need to ugprade, here are five new reasons to upgrade or switch browsers:

1. Your security and your company’s security are at risk: There’s no other way to lay it out: if the security of Google, Yahoo, and around 20 other companies were compromised due to people still running IE6, then your security is at risk too. Upgrading after a hacker uses this exploit to steal your information is simply too late, especially if you hold sensitive customer data.

2. World governments are suggesting you switch browsers: Both Germany and France have issued warnings about Internet Explorer, asking citizens to switch to prevent the same type of breach that affected Google.

[ Read Entire Article ]

Success for 2010!

2010-01-05T21:04:00.009-03:30

We've made our resolutions... what do yours look like? It is the year for integrating media across platforms and bringing it all together on your website. Integrate your blog with your site, as well as your tweets and other social media.

Keeping your website fresh and up to date has become as easy as thumb typing a few sentences on a smart phone before boarding a plane. May we suggest a few items for your 2010 list?

Update the footer of your website to 2010 (one of the small things that is so easily overlooked)
Refresh at least your front page content with a new message
Add your latest photos and testimonials
Make sure your business is added to Google Maps
Update your online marketing plan
Write a guest contribution to a high profile blog
Google, Yahoo and Bing yourself and check what search engines reveal about you.

Season's Greetings

2009-12-21T08:25:00.005-03:30

Applecore Interactive wishes all its clients, suppliers and supporters a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Successful 2010.

Our offices will be closed from 25 December to reopen on Monday January 4, 2010.

We look forward to achieving great things together in the New Year!

Applecore Joins WEConnect

2009-12-10T17:08:00.002-03:30

Applecore Interactive has become certified by WEConnect Canada as a Women Business Enterprise. This process lists Applecore Interactive as a certified supplier of web and interactive marketing services with multinational organizations and government in Canada and the US who seek to purchase services from women-owned businesses. Says Deborah Bourden, Applecore CEO: “These large organizations have a mandate to diversify their supply chains. As a certified supplier Applecore Interactive is excited about these new partnership opportunities.”

Learn more about WEConnect Canada.

Health Care Foundation Virtual Tree of Memories launch with NTV

2009-12-04T11:01:00.004-03:30

Sharon Snow interviews Catherine Barrett and Lisa Gushue from the Health Care Foundation during the launch of the Virtual Tree of Memories on the Foundation's new website. Watch for Applecore's Trent Skanes giving a demonstration on how to donate to the fundraiser online.

We were thrilled to be included! Our offices were in full holiday regalia for the event--and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Thanks to NTV and the Health Care Foundation for the opportunity.

Amazing Resources for the Curious Designer

2009-11-23T09:23:00.006-03:30

by J. Butler, Content Development Specialist

Any Creative will tell you-- sometimes the only thing that will get your juices flowing is to take a break and dig for inspiration in other places. And what better place to do that than online, where the only limit is your imagination? There are tons of resources out there for even the most discriminating designer.

We asked our art department for a few of their favorites.

Smashing Magazine
If you haven't heard of this website, that won't be for long. One of the staples of the online design community, Smashing Magazine produces unbeatable and comprehensive posts on all things design, from web design to blog trends to Photoshop tips. Bookmark this and you'll find yourself constantly revisiting.

Veer Ideas: The Skinny and The Fat

From type-seller and merch giant Veer comes two blogs: The Skinny and the Fat. The Skinny displays inspirations and updates from the company at large, while the Fat is an online community made up of Veer members. Both blogs are amazing resources to inspire and keep you in the know with offbeat, unconventional design around the globe.

Information is Beautiful

Maybe not strictly a design resource, but a great way to refresh your mind. Creator David McCandless wanted to create a site that conveyed a wealth of stats, ideas and issues in a beautifully designed package; thus, InformationIsBeautiful.net was born. If you need to see design in a fresh light, click over to this site to get a new perspective.

Fuel Your Creativity

Part of the Fuel network, this site is dedicated to focusing your creative mind into productivity and discipline. With simple solutions to common problems that plague creatives, Fuel Your Creativity is a handy resource indeed.

The Die Line

On the surface, a simple collection of beautiful product design from around the world--most of which, chances are, you've never heard of. But look closer, and observe the use of color, the streamlined finished product, the clean, minimalist web design...what's that? It may be inspiration calling.

Logo Design Love

Innovative, way outside the box logo design and branding. Covers not only actual examples of logos, but interviews with important names and branders the world over.

Other Great Resources:

One Xtra Pixel

My Ink Blog

Vanderlay Design Blog

Creative Nerds

Just for Fun:

Arial or Helvetica?
Think you know Arial from Helvetica? Test your typography know-how with this quick and simple quiz.

Now get out there and get inspired!

Fixes to Common Internet Explorer Bugs

2009-11-17T15:40:00.004-03:30

by Gregory Pike, Web Developer

I cannot imagine there is a web developer out there who has not experienced their share of CSS headaches with Internet Explorer browsers. Rendering issues in Internet Explorer are rampant.

Developer Siddharth has compiled a list of the most common IE Bugs as well as multiple options for fixing them. His examples are concise and easy to follow using css and imagery to guide the reader.

Some of the topics he touches on include:

Centering a layout
Staircase effect
Double margin on floated elements
Inability to have elements with small heights
Auto overflow and relatively positioned items
Fixing the broken box model
Setting a minimum width and height
Floated layout misbehaving
Space between list items

The article is 9 Most Common IE Bugs and How to Fix Them.

Twitter's Newest Feature!

2009-11-16T09:45:00.002-03:30

by J. Butler, Content Development Specialist

Logging into the Applecore Twitter account this morning, I noticed a new addition that had popped up unexpectedly: the Lists feature.

Lists simply let you group the people you follow on Twitter into shorter, easier to follow lists. Like "Sports" "News" and "Entertainment," maybe. Or "England" "Canada" and "St. John's." Perhaps "Friends" "Family" or "Co-workers." What's more, any lists that you make or are featured on are also viewable via your profile...there's a new link next to your followers that tells you exactly how many lists you're on.

However you use it, it's sure to make the wide world of Twitter more personal and useful across the board.

CWT Harvey's Travel Refreshes Website

2009-11-13T16:19:00.006-03:30

CWT Harvey's Travel is a travel booking agency that offers many unique and valuable services to its travelers to ease the stress of trip planning. The company operates from 22 offices throughout Atlantic Canada, with their headquarters in St. John’s.

As leaders in corporate, leisure and group travel, their website needed to be streamlined to better suit that identity. And now, the refreshed online face of Harvey's Travel is complete! Clean, bright and a dream to navigate, the site now reflects the fast-paced, fun world of travel. Refitted with a newly designed Content Management System, updating the freshest vacation offers in a timely fashion has never been easier.

With bright colors working alongside the streamlined interface, the website now better reflects the personality of Harvey's Travel: on the one side, an exciting, helpful place to plan a memorable vacation, and on the other, a professional, accommodating resource for the seasoned business traveler.

Check out the finished product here.

Harvard Explores the Future of Social Media

2009-11-10T15:14:00.011-03:30

by Jill Butler, Content Development Specialist

A remarkable social media experiment is happening on the campus of one of America’s most prestigious universities.

Harvard University has made Justice, one of the school's most popular courses, available online. Professor Michael Sandel is an internationally renowned mind, and explores political philosophy through thought-provoking topics such as same-sex marriage, civil rights and whether lying can ever be good. It’s a great way to educate Harvard students, but then, distance courses are nothing new on any university campus, even before the internet.

If the story stopped there, Applecore wouldn’t be writing a blog post about it.

Because this course isn’t only a course for Harvard students. This is available to anyone with the inclination and an Internet connection.

Each lesson—which run about 55 minutes each—has been loaded onto YouTube and posted to its website, which also features reading lists, pop quizzes and a discussion circle.

So really, it’s like you’re attending Harvard, but without paying the sizable tuition or stirring from the comfort of your own home.

What’s the Why?

My first thought when I heard about this was trying to figure out why Harvard would do this. And after much reflection, I think it can be explained in a word: exposure.

After all, the press coverage of this virtually unprecedented move by an Ivy League college has been extensive, and very positive.

But isn’t Harvard essentially trading their intellectual advantage for a couple of press releases? After all, prestige and exclusivity is what makes Harvard an impressive note on your resume, not that just anyone who’s willing to listen can benefit.

This is where the extraordinary part comes in.

Harvard Leads the Future

The Ivy League hasn’t exactly built a reputation for going with the flow. Introducing this high-production, universal course offering demonstrates that Harvard is not just some stuffy out of touch institution unable to keep up with new media and the latest technologies.

But what’s more, this website could go a long way for improving public opinion of the school, which goes a long way in a recession when many people question spending thousands more on an education which no longer guarantees success. Now, everyone can have a taste to see what all the fuss is about.

And let me tell you—this online course is not filler. It’s thought-provoking and intellectually vigorous, demanding you pay attention from the word go. It’s a great chance to see why a Harvard education is so valuable.

Where’s the Real Lesson?

But most of all, this legitimizes social media in a way that is unprecedented. YouTube isn’t just clips of animals doing funny things; Harvard University, the creme de la creme, uses it to teach its students! Comment boards aren't just a haven for slang; it can be the birthplace of carefully considered philosophical discussion!

This goes a long way in demonstrating the real future of social media. When YouTube was first introduced, did anyone really imagine that it would be adopted by a prestigious college to explore complex ideas of human development? To reach and educate a global audience?

Beyond instant messaging, Facebook pokes, or retweets, this makes it clear that the future of social media is as limitless as our imagination. Or perhaps, more accurately, our ambition.

Why Your Company Needs a Website

2009-11-09T14:14:00.005-03:30

Applecore Interactive CEO Deborah Bourden was a guest on Roaring Women Radio this weekend, discussing the importance of company websites and figuring out why your company needs one.

Find the interview here.

How to Create a Facebook Fan Page for Your Small Business

2009-10-26T08:31:00.005-02:30

So you’ve got a business. If you’re playing your cards right, your company is going to have at least a few people who are big fans. But what can you do with this goodwill, and how can you channel something as abstract into a positive opinion of your company?

That’s easy. Create a Facebook fan page!

It’s a great way to gather all your biggest fans in one place, not to mention promote your business. It’s not the time to ignore Facebook—doing that means missing out on catching the attention of potential clients for your business.

The Very Basics

First of all, Facebook only lets a user have one fan page at a time, so make you’re not admin of one already!

You’ll need to log in, and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There, you’ll see these icons:

You’ll want to click on the one that says “Ads and Pages.” From here, you’ll be taken to a screen like this:

You’ll see two options: one to create a targeted ad and one to create a page. This second one is the one you want. You’ll be taken to the screen below and asked to fill out your page’s information. You’ll need to provide your full name so that Facebook can authenticate you; fake pages and unofficial fan pages are not permitted under Facebook’s Pages Guidelines. But you’re creating a fan page for your business, so you have nothing to worry about!

From there, you’ll be able to customize your page, adding your company logo, some employees, maybe a mission statement or two. Here’s ours:

Beyond the Basics

Congratulations! You've just created a fan page of which others can “Become a Fan.” A basic fan page includes a wall, newsfeed, photos, videos and list of fans—it’s basically a profile page for your business. But if you really want to make the most of your page, you’ll want to investigate different Facebooks applications, widgets and Flash boxes to liven up your page and make it a place your fans will check up on regularly.

Some suggestions to get you started:

If you have a company blog, why not add an RSS Feed to your page to tell all your fans when there’s a new post?
Try holding a contest to get your fans involved with the page; the aim here is not to wow your customers with something flashy, but to reward their loyalty.
Browse through Facebook Application Database to get a better idea of what’s out there…there are hundreds of apps!

Just remember: don’t go overboard. Keep your page’s usability in mind at all times, and loading it with too many gadgets will take away from that. You want your page to be a place that fans like to visit, not something that confuses them with flashing lights or intrusive sounds!

Make membership of your fan page like a special club anyone would want to be a part of by updating often, with lots of great links or company news. Got a launch happening soon? That should definitely be on your page. But if you ate a big lunch and are now stuffed full? Better save it for your personal Facebook account.

To wrap up, treat this page as an extension of your brand. This fan page is your company’s ambassador on Facebook, and you should keep it fresh, updated and always interactive.

A Word of Advice...

Of course, this is all on a very small scale. The bigger your company is, the more work your social media ventures require. Why not consult the people in the know?

9 for '09: Current Web Trends

2009-10-16T16:09:00.011-02:30

by Jill Butler, Content Development Specialist

Our art and tech department banded together for this blog entry-- a survey of the top web design trends for 2009. Read on to find out all about how Technology, Creativity and Strategy are changing online.

TECHNOLOGY

1. Mobile Compatibility

Site: Pizza Hut

With more and more users getting their daily web surfing done on their iPhones or Blackberrys, smart websites have made the leap to offering content that either works well with or is specifically designed for these devices. Check out Pizza Hut's innovative iPhone app, that allows the user to order their pizza from the palm of their hand.

2. Online video/ Internet TV

Site: NBC.com

Regular TV-watching has become a thing of the past. After all, with the busy schedules and tightening household budgets of many tech-savvy TV lovers, cable just isn't convenient. So they turn to the Internet, which offers full episodes, either for download or streaming, whenever and however you want them. The smart networks, like NBC or the CW, have turned what might look like a cash-drain into an opportunity, offering exclusive content online and becoming the best source for reliable, quality online programming. As the old saying goes: if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

3. Personalization

Site: iGoogle

The web can only be what you make it--and the trend towards making it your own has been growing steadily. With leaders like Google, even the browser you use to surf the web can be completely customized to suit your taste and needs. That's more or less the entire purpose of iGoogle--one stop for local weather, custom features, and news feeds that cater you YOUR every demand.

CREATIVITY

4. The Big Picture (layouts)

Site: The White House

This is a hot one: designers have been going for the high impact statement more and more, with bold, eye-catching banners and header that incorporate content and are more than a pretty face. The White's homepage is a great example of that--using their carousel-style banner to display important links and information.

5. Minimal: White Space and Then Some

Site: Concentric Studio

Clean, straightforward and useful--the trend to have more of nothing has been catching on for a while now, as more designers opt to de-clutter their web spaces and put focus on only the most important elements of the website. The upside? The user doesn't get overwhelmed by too much information only choice -- there is only where you want to guide them.

6. Big and Bold: HUGE typography, illustrations and vibrant graphics

Site: National Television

If you want big, eye-catching communication, there's nothing like a sure bet. Placing emphasis on words and putting illustration front and center has a fresh, almost European feel, giving the website an equal focus on design and communication.

STRATEGY

7. Keeping up with social media

Site: Fuel Your Creativity

More website are realizing the power of putting social media front and center--like Fuel Your Creativity has done here. It's wise to put these hotlinks in a very visible place, making it as easy as possible for any interested users to click on your blog, visit your Facebook page, or subscribe to your Twitter. There's no point in hiding these links-- you want people to use them, so gathering them into a one-stop corner of your website is a smart move.

8. Closing the Back Door

Site: Web Design Ledger

The "back door," in this case, refers to ways that stop your readers from clicking away from your blog or website--namely, by getting them interested in something else they'll find useful. There are many ways to do this, but one that is gaining speed is the "Related Links" widget. By using this feature, placed at the bottom of a blog post or page, you can catch your user's attention while you've still got it, and point them in other directions they may find helpful. It's good for them--they find out more about a topic they're interested in--but it's great for you--you get to keep your reader for a longer visit.

9. “Speaking” navigation

Site: Intereactive

Looking for clarity? You can't go wrong by adding this feature. "Speaking" navigation is more or less what it sounds like--instead of having simple, one or two word navigation (such as "Home" or "About Us") you use the coveted space to expand just a little on your company. This is especially helpful if the navigation your company has chosen is unconventional. It also gives you another chance to be personable and really connect with the people using your website--which is never a bad thing.

That's our top nine web design trends for '09. Got anything to add? Leave it in the comments; we'd love to hear your thoughts.

Interactions Issue 4 is Out!

2009-10-13T09:52:00.001-02:30

We just launched our fourth issue of the Applecore newsletter, Interactions. It's filled with lots of tips and tricks for navigating the tricky terrain of businesses online and off, including learning opportunities and workshops. The central theme of this issue is passion and energy, and how the two work together to guarantee the output of your very best self. The topics this month:

Creating a Community: profile of local businesses doing it right online

Complimentary Workshop: Expanding Your Digital Footprint

St. John's Events (October)

This is your chance: why not sign up now and get in before the next issue? Make sure you're in for the latest in interactive tips, brand secrets and design innovation!

Watch this space for the announcement of our Interactions archives.

Microsoft Gaining Momentum in the Search Engine Ring

2009-10-09T15:10:00.005-02:30

by Greg Pike, Web Developer

Typically when people think about search engines, they think of Google. In the past few months Microsoft has been working hard to reset that mentality, but even the successful launch of Bing left critics forecasting the search engine was nothing more than fresh hype.

They were wrong.

Microsoft’s Bing continues to collect more and more market share. So much in fact that the search engine giant Yahoo joined forces to take a stab at Google’s incredible market share.

Note: Microsoft attempted to purchase Yahoo! last year for $44.6 billion. At the time Microsoft was running two ailing search engines, MSN and Live. Yahoo! turned down the offer.

Bing’s beautiful new brand, successful hype, and innovative new search technology are not the only reasons they are closing the gap on Google’s market share.

Recently I received a phone call from Microsoft welcoming me and our company to Microsoft AdCenter, Microsoft’s version of AdWords. We signed up to start using AdCenter as soon as Bing started making an impression in the search engine world.

The phone call I received was not just any generic call. I was asked for by name and the lady on the line complimented the website we were advertising, which happened to be a tourism website, and said that she and her family had already made plans to visit that destination for next year.

She also told me about the different free services available to us.

When I got off the phone I came to the realization that not only would Google never make that call, but they make it impossible to obtain personable support...no matter that their online support documents are still second to none.

Suddenly, Microsoft’s continuing momentum in the search engine ring is no longer a puzzle to me.

Want to Get Caught Up?

2009-09-28T13:02:00.000-02:30

New to the Applecore blog? Catch up up with our must read posts:

Technology
Which Mayoral Candidate Get Top Marks for Social Media?

Google Does It Again

What is gooleads.g.doubleclick.net?

Creativity

See What's Fresh in Logo and Branding 2009

Our Favourite Type

Strategy

That's It: The Twitter Conversation

Turn the Bad into Good: Using Online Feedback to Help Your Business

10 Harsh Truths About Corporate Websites

How To's and Tutorials
Understanding Bounce Rates

Using Gmail for Internal Email

Tourism: A Social Media Butterfly

Happy reading!

The Top 25 Global Brands

2009-09-18T14:04:00.007-02:30

Interbrand has released its annual top Global Brands for 2009. We've listed the top 25, as well as what Interbrand had to say about the five leaders.

1. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is 123 years old and shows no sign of relenting. It is the

number one producer of sparkling beverages by volume and dollars.

It has launched more than 700 products in 2008 around the world,

and its edgy campaigns continue to push boundaries, showing the

rest of the marketing community what it really means to manage a

brand.

2. IBM

In this tough market, Big Blue’s revenue is at an all-time high. IBM

received the most U.S. patents (more than 4,000) for the 16th year

in a row, investing heavily in innovation as it continues its progression

from a hardware provider to a software and services solutions

brand.

3. Microsoft

2009 marks the first year-on-year decline in Microsoft’s public history,

despite a game console division that continues to be profitable. As

the market matures, the giant faces stiff competition from faster,

quicker rivals.

4. GE

Despite GE slipping in its position of technology leadership, it is still

better equipped to support future innovations and brand evolution

than other traditional competitors, due to its ability to touch

consumers on an emotional level.

5. Nokia

Nokia seems to be trailing behind more dynamic smartphone

innovations like Apple’s iPhone and RIM’s BlackBerry. The N97, a

flagship Nseries mobile computer that was first unveiled in December

2008, is designed to address competitive technologies but debuted in

2009 at a much higher price point than Apple’s or RIM’s new offerings.

And the rest...
6. McDonald's
7. Google
8. Toyota
9. Intel
10. Disney
11. HP
12. Mercedes-Benz
13. Gillette
14. Cisco
15. BMW
16. Louis Vuitton
17. Marlboro
18. Honda
19. Samsung
20. Apple
21. H&M
22. American Express
23. Pepsi
24. Oracle
25. Nescafe

This just goes to show how crucial a strong brand can be in times of crisis, with nearly every one of the top 25 reporting growth in the midst of a worldwide recession. Read the full report.

Which Mayoral Candidate Gets Top Marks for Social Media?

2009-09-16T13:17:00.006-02:30

by J. Butler, Content Development Specialist

Election fever has taken over St. John's, Newfoundland. With the St. John's mayoral election in less than two weeks' time, it seems like a great time to take a step back and assess how our local candidates are using social media to their advantage.

Let's see how the candidates for the St. John's Mayoral race shape up:

Dennis O'Keefe

Claim to Fame: As the incumbent, O'Keefe already has a significant head start over his opponents with the voters of St. John's. In addition, O'Keefe has a long record of service to the city, including a stint as a consumer advocate and tourism supporter.

On Facebook: No.

On Twitter? No.

Blog Status: None.

Personal Website: http://www.dennisokeefe.ca/

Google Results for "dennis o'keefe mayor": 70,000

Overall Social Media Grade: D+
While he does have a website, it seems mostly static and full of basic campaign rhetoric. With no Facebook, Twitter, or blog, there's no real online way to support him--voters will have to rely on the ol' standby: those annoying lawn signs.

Ron Ellsworth

Claim to Fame: City Council member since 2005 and an active member of the community.

On Facebook: Yes. His Group page, "Team Ellsworth," has 719 members and is active updated.

On Twitter: Yes.

Blog Status: No blog, but his website does feature a downloadable booklet called "The Ellsworth Essentials."

Personal Website: http://www.ronellsworth.com/

Google Results for "ron ellsworth mayor": 922,000

Overall Social Media Grade: B+

Making his campaign booklet "The Ellsworth Essentials" available for download was a great use of the wide reach of the web. His website also features a place online where interested parties can sign up for the campaign. Ellsworth is clearly making an effort, something that will surely mean come Election Day.

Mark Wilson

Claim to Fame: The lead singer for local band The Idlers, Wilson is currently trying to tap into a demographic that is often ignored in municipal elections, the young and tech-savvy.

On Facebook? Yes. His Fan Page is active and well-populated, with nearly 250 supporters. Plus, there are two unofficial groups for his campaign with 40 members between them.

On Twitter? Yes.

Blog Status: 5 posts. He's also been a popular topic on St. John's-focused SignalBlog.

Personal Website: http://www.mayormarkwilson.com/

Google Results for "mark wilson mayor": 843,000

Overall Social Media Grade: A-

His website is more or less an example in how to do social media right. From the forum to the Media sections filled with YouTube campaign clips, everything about Wilson's website is interactive and informative. He even walks voters through the steps to signing up to vote--very important when your vote may rely on young, not yet registered voters. But these social media ventures were somewhat underpopulated, with only 35 tweets and a handful of blog posts. Still, all these social media efforts are reaching out to young voters in the city--whether or not they'll show up to support him on election day is yet to be decided.

When you think about it, it makes sense to see more and more social media creep up into our elections: it worked beautifully in the recent American Presidential race, helping Barack Obama spread his message of change to a wide, receptive audience. Social media, after all, is about participation, and one of the chief problems plaguing voter turnouts in recent is lack of involvement. Hence, involve people online and watch them tune in to the issues and ultimately, Election Day.

Any verdict on whether or not social media will have a huge impact on the St. John's voters will have to wait until September 29th--the day of the elections. For the full, official list of candidates, visit the City of St. John's website.

Agree or disagree with the grades? Speak up in the comments!

New Look for Vulcan Minerals

2009-09-16T09:52:00.003-02:30

Vulcan Minerals is an up and coming junior exploration company based in Newfoundland and Labrador, exploring locally to discover major petroleum and mineral deposits in Western Newfoundland and Northern Labrador.

Recently, the company decided to streamline their website to make it more accessible and intuitive. Important pages were moved to a central location on the homepage, accompanying the added dimension of multimedia and an updated and efficient news section. The result is a balanced, project-driven website that reflects their place as a promising name in the industry.

Take a look at the new face of Vulcan Minerals.

See What’s Fresh in Logo and Branding for 2009

2009-08-31T16:43:00.001-02:30

by J. Butler, Content Development Specialist

Branding has always been one of our passions, so we keep on top of industry-wide trends. Our art department gives us the scoop on what they’ve noticed has become the new hot trends for logo and branding in 2009.

The Circle of Life

Circular patterns have become the new staple in logo design. There’s a reason why these are so popular: they’re simple, effective, and transfer well to other mediums, like business cards, billboards or even television.

Don't Delay the Overlay

Mixing 60s flair with modern technology, these logos pop in a sea of minimalist monochrome.

A One Line Drawing

Intricate and bold, these logos create a dynamic image for a brand that implies constant motion and never-ending connection.

The Linking Letters

Modern and sleek, interlocking the letters create a bold pattern from a key part of a company: the name.

Fun With Shapes and Space

These logos use negative space as part of the letter, forming a deeper meaning with the imagery. These are clever in execution, but also offer a multi-layered brand experience.

Off-Set Color

Retro and chic, these logos hint at a sophisticated, intentional sloppiness that can add charm and urban style.

Illustrate Your Point

Traditional and fun, using an illustration places your brand as part of an established, timeless aesthetic.

All logos courtesy the artists at Logo Pond.

Turning the Bad into Good: Using Online Feedback to Help Your Business

2009-08-21T14:27:00.005-02:30

by J. Butler, Content Development Specialist

It’s a fear that keeps a lot of businesses, big or small, offline: what happens when you bring your company on to the World Wide Web? Whether it’s through social media or a website, the reality is that going online can feel like losing control over how your business is seen or heard.

This can be especially true when it comes to feedback. Hopefully, most feedback would be positive, chances are sooner or later your business would see the unthinkable: negative feedback online, in a very public forum.

Your kneejerk reaction may to ignore it or delete it, but you’d be missing out on a great chance to connect one on one with a customer. So why not turn a bad thing (negative feedback) into a good thing: showing your customers how much you care.

Responding head-on to negative feedback gives you a chance to not only redeem your company but also fix whatever went wrong. Offering a solution tells your customer that you are accountable for your product or service and also shows you really believe in what your business is trying to do. Ignoring or downplaying any problems that emerge could suggest something to your customers you don’t want to suggest: namely, that you stopped caring about them the minute they gave you their business.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you own a paper business, Sterling Paper Co.—it could be a small 10 person operation or a large, multi-level corporation. A customer (Mr. Smith) leaves a negative but fair comment on your company blog, explaining that not only did their order arrive a week late, but the boxes had been badly damaged in transit!

From here, you can really only do one of three things:

1. Ignore it, delete it or block the sender.

2. Respond, but defensively (that is, blame the problem on the post office or a heavy backorder)

3. Address the problem, find a solution and satisfy your customer:

Dear Mr. Jones,

I was sorry to hear of the damage that occurred to your order while in transit. We always try to package our goods carefully so they arrive in perfect condition, ready to be enjoyed. Thank you for notifying us of this problem, as I will be looking into the packing or your order to ensure it does not happen again.

Sterling Paper Co. prides itself on ensuring the satisfaction of each customer. If you will agree to send the damaged goods back, I will arrange for a new delivery to be shipped to you free of charge, as well as a 15% discount for any future purchases.

Sincerely,

John Johnson
Sterling Paper Co.

This response accomplishes the following:

• It will help the customer feel that his or her problem has been heard and acknowledged.

• It shows you are accountable and eager to fix problems to guarantee great service.

• It shows you believe in your product or service, enough to offer not only a replacement but also a discount.

• It maintains a professional, courteous demeanor that will reassure your customer

• It builds your reputation as a company that cares about what people are saying about them, and is willing to help their customers.

Obviously, it’s up to your business to determine what kind of compensation (if any) you will offer your unsatisfied customers. This example is meant only to illustrate the great gains your business can make online if you choose to listen to the feedback your customers are giving you.

Remember the old adage: a happy customer may tell two people. An unhappy customer will tell twelve. Which would you rather have talking about you?

Microsoft and Yahoo! Join Forces: So What's Next?

2009-07-29T14:42:00.021-02:30

by J. Butler, Content Development Specialist

The big news in the air this week is the announcement of the 10-year merger of Microsoft's Bing search engine and Yahoo's premium search advertising tools. While rumors of this deal have been floating a long time, the official announcement unleashed a storm of web articles, blog entries and news stories.

Obviously, the people this affects most directly is the minority of users that still prefer Yahoo—roughly about 20% of the Internet community. And, it’s worth noting that in the span of time since the announcement was made, Yahoo’s stock plummeted—while Microsoft’s has stayed relatively untouched.

But the real question is-- how does this affect Search Engine Optimization campaigns currently underway? Here at Applecore, we’ve done our research and reached our own conclusions…

Is Google in Trouble?
Hardly. Google has been turned into its own verb, turning the search engine into a synonym for 'searching on the Internet.’ That kind of ingrained loyalty doesn't erode overnight. What early speculations suggest is that this could spark a competitive era the likes of which Google hasn’t yet seen: since it garners most of its revenue (up to 90%) from their search ads, any dent in their top dog market position could prove more harmful than it would have been a year ago. But a dent--rather than a wide-gaping hole--is all it would be.

Where’s My Data?

Does this merger affect the way the search data of users is used? Well, in a nutshell, not really. Smart consumers already know that “free” services—Facebook, Google or even social sharing sites—are never really “free.” Calling them low to no cost would be more accurate. Any search engine we use on the Internet is still, at the end of the day, a profitable enterprise. Whenever you use a search engine, assume that somehow, somewhere, it’s being looked at for potential revenue. But rather than be terrified of the implications of that statement, try seeing it as a great tool for your business.

Does This Affect My SEO Campaign?

The one thing this merger will definitely change will be all current Yahoo ranks and costs. Some speculate that since the cost of Google keywords can average 25% more than either Yahoo or Microsoft, the deal could create a tempting alternative for marketers hoping to lower their costs.

But at the end of the day, it's not because Google owns the greater market share that you pay for each click. Whether your budget is $5/day or $500/day, you won't get more than $5/day or $500/day worth of clicks regardless of market share. It's all relative, and still mostly unknown whether the deal will have any effect on PPC.

It seems unlikely that Google could be usurped anytime soon, but for the first time in a long time, it may not be for lack of trying.

In the News

Bing! Yahoo, Microsoft exchange vows for search and ads (Ars Technica)

Microsoft and Yahoo: Search partners (CNN)

Microsoft-Yahoo Search Deal: The Official Press Release (TechCrunch)

Using Flickr to Promote Your Small Business

2009-07-24T14:47:00.008-02:30

by J. Butler, Content Development Specialist

Here's a great idea for local businesses around Newfoundland and Labrador--and even beyond: get yourself a Flickr account. Flickr is a popular website for users to pool photographs in one convenient online space. Long used by bloggers as a photo repository, now you can learn to use it as a low-cost, simple way to build on the web presence your company already has.

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4!

1. Open a Flickr account.

It’s quick and easy. Each photo in your Flickr pool will have its own web page; it will be up to you to provide clear titles, descriptions and tags. The trick is to fill your Flickr space with photos that really capture the heart of your business.

2. Figure out why your business needs Flickr.

Are you a tourism operator with lots of beautiful pictures of your destination but nowhere to put them? Are you a small crafts store with lots of product images? Or maybe your business is known for being a fun, social place to work and you want to show it off! Whatever your reason, figuring it out will save you a lot of confusion and second-guessing in the long run.

3. Tag everything properly.

Organize everything very clearly—don’t assume that your customers will have the patience to sort through 200 pictures before getting what they want. If you’re sharing this on social media, keep all your links and redirects straight. Giving your photos plenty of relevant keywords will also make it easier for search engines to find, improving your ranking on search engines like Google and Yahoo!.

4. Just jump in and get started!

Find out if any of your customers or fellow businesspeople are on Flickr and link to them. It’s a great opportunity for networking and spreading the word about your business. Provide plenty of ways for your customer to get back to your website. And most of all—be creative and have fun.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, get ready for your business to write a whole novel!

Wanted: A Brilliant Technical Mind

2009-07-23T11:30:00.004-02:30

Applecore is currently accepting resumes for a Senior Web Developer position in its Technical Department. We are always interested in connecting with creative, technical and strategic minds. Forward your résumé and portfolio to careers@applecore.ca.

Applecore's vision has always been to be a great place to work and a great place to do business. Want to be a part of it? Click here for the Senior Web Developer job description.

TA Climbs Mount Elbrus!

2009-07-21T10:11:00.010-02:30

On July 12^th, 2009, Memorial University professor, adventurer at large and dear Applecore friend Dr. TA Loeffler successfully reached the summit of Mount Elbrus at 10:23 Russian time, the highest peak in Europe.

A huge congratulations to TA, seen here planting the Applecore flag at the top of Mount Elbrus.

In the wee hours of the morning, seven of their group of eight attempted their summit climb and five of these (including TA) were successful. In a conversation via satellite phone, TA said she was thrilled with the amazing progress her team had made, and that the weather was “very windy and cold.” The team made it safely down the mountain and TA was back in St. John's by Sunday, July 19th.

Tourism: A Social Media Butterfly?

2009-07-15T10:57:00.006-02:30

As promised, here's the Applecore article that ran in the June 2009 issue of the St. John’s Board of Trade Business News Magazine. The theme of the month was Tourism, and since that's a subject which we know well, we just had to weigh in!

Tourism: A Social Media Butterfly?
Social media – it’s a phrase that people are beginning to recognize! In fact, many people use social media every day, though they may not call it that. Social media is an umbrella term for all the technologies that allow social interaction online. In other words, it’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and blogs, and it may just be the best way to talk to consumers.

Social media has been an area of marketing many businesses have been more reluctant to adopt, for lots of reasons: they worry about losing control, about getting caught up, about taking on too much too fast. But it’s getting easier and more essential than ever to get involved. Otherwise, as consumers demand that companies engage in more direct interaction, we risk being left behind. A new business model is developing that gives more power to the consumer.

But it’s nothing to be afraid of! For industries like Tourism, which is not only the world’s largest industry but also a top online sector, learning how to have these conversations with travellers is crucial. The statistics are compelling: 3,000,000 messages are sent over Twitter every day, Facebook is used in over 170 countries, blogs have 346,000,000 daily readers and YouTube boasts over 100,000,000 videos. In most cases, start-up costs are minimal. With all this potential for consumer/company interaction, social media is becoming the natural, low cost platform for marketing a destination in a way that is honest, informative and transparent.

NewfoundlandLabrador.com is a great example of a tourism destination using social media. The province’s online tourism destination marketing has grown to include social media distribution channels like a YouTube channel, a Facebook page with almost 5,000 fans, a custom Twitter account, Travel Blog, a Virtual Scrapbook that features user-uploaded photos and comments/ratings.

Think of how far a good review can go when it comes to social media and trip planning! Online features like user reviews, peer to peer communication and fan comments hold a powerful influence over the average traveller. For example, a Jupiter Research study says 58% of potential travellers trust content from users, like consumer ratings or traveller reviews, for trip planning. The same study also said 36% named this user content as an influence in the final decision-making process, ahead of factors like brand awareness (21%) or even a friend’s recommendation (14%).

Beware of the “island effect”—or, letting social media platforms stand on their own with no interaction. Using social media right means connecting each channel – embedding your uploaded YouTube videos into your Facebook page, posting links to your blog on Twitter, redirecting from YouTube to your website. Each bridge you build between your “islands” makes it easier for the user to experience all your business has to offer.

So dive in—just take your social media in steps. You don’t have to master every platform at once. When it comes to social media, getting started is the hard part— riding the learning curve is fun and exciting. Remember--social media is a powerful marketing engine, but one that needs regular fuel and a willingness to learn.
Originally published in the St. John's Board of Trade's Business News Magazine, June 2009. All rights reserved.

Learn more about the St. John's Board of Trade.

e-Newsletters and Your Company

2009-07-10T10:21:00.000-02:30

Very recently, we launched our company newsletter, Applecore Interactions, with three issues to date and many more to come. And really, what better time to bring it up: the e-newsletter is a subject that needs a little love.

First of all, it’s a great way to keep in touch with your customers. An e-newsletter keeps the connection you’ve built with your customers lively, and will hopefully give them a valuable taste of your expertise that leaves a favorable impression in their minds.

Plenty of readers still prefer e-Newsletters over the headlines-only approach of RSS feeds. A newsletter allows you a lot of creative freedom, and with formats that are often are a lot easier to digest.

Many businesses have struggled with the real purpose of a newsletter, both in current email format and its older paper cousin. What kind of information should it contain? How much are you writing for you…and how much for your company?

Of any good newsletter, 20-30% is promotion and news about the company. Beyond that, the most important thing is to always keep the reader in mind! It should be informative, entertaining and most importantly, worth their time! Offer articles that tie closely in with your line of business and suggest your company’s expertise in your field.

Newsletters give great feedback: you can keep track of the open rate, giving you exact numbers of how many people your newsletter is reaching. Make sure you give credit where credit’s due, linking to the full text of any article you mention or allude to—including your own blog or website!

Why not sign up for Applecore Interactions, our exclusive company newsletter? It’s full of great tips and tricks, as well all the things we stumble across in the interactive world.

Our Very Own Prince of Pop

2009-07-08T15:06:00.008-02:30

Last Halloween, one of our web developers at large Gregory Pike made a video with his friends as a surprise for a big Hallow's Eve bash. It was a remake of Michael Jackson's infamous Thriller video, filmed entirely on location in St. John's, with Mr. Pike as the leading man. It was an office favorite for a long time. We thought the story ended there, but we were very mistaken.

It was eventually posted to Facebook, then YouTube, and this week, it caught the eye of a CBC producer. Before we knew it, he was asked to take part in a story about Michael Jackson tributes in the wake of the pop star's sudden and tragic death last week. Next thing you know, he's appearing on CBC's The National, busting out some pretty hip moves and making us awfully proud.

See the National clip here.

So here's a big congratulations to Greg! Not only is it great to see one of our own recognized, anything that calls attention to the wit, talent and creativity of Newfoundland's residents is a very good thing.

Note: this picture is just a joke. It was cooked up by the Art Department for the occasion.

The Thriller Video

Part One

Part Two

10 Harsh Truths About Corporate Websites

2009-07-06T11:00:00.002-02:30

One article that has made the rounds of Applecore’s inboxes is Paul Boag’s 10 Harsh Truths About Corporate Websites, which we originally found on Smashing Magazine. As Boag states in his introduction:

We all make mistakes running our websites. However, the nature of those mistakes varies depending on the size of your company. As your organization grows, the mistakes change. This post addresses common mistakes among large organizations.

We took these 10 harsh truths and added our own viewpoints, and what your company can do to change them.

1. You Need a Separate Web Division

There needs to be one division for web. Period. And it’s for this reason that outsourcing your web needs is so helpful: no one trespasses on anyone’s turf, and decisions are made for the benefit of the website, rather than anyone’s ego. A single unified team means that the website won’t be a brochure, or an extended resume: it will be an accurate representation of your company’s daily life, and often, objective outsiders can provide the best picture.

2. Managing Your Website is a Full-Time Job

This is self-explanatory. In order for a website to be truly useful, it needs to have a dedicated team. But something else to think about: it needs to have a dedicated team that’s empowered to make forward-thinking changes.

3. Periodic Redesign is Not Enough

Careful consideration through every stage of the website’s life, along with a willingness to tweak minor things that don’t seem to need drastic makeovers, can save so many hours of redesign in the long run. Sometimes, the only way to get this kind of insight is by asking a third party to consult.

4. Your Website Cannot Appeal to Everyone

A website designed without this in mind will be too incoherent to serve your business well. You can’t please everyone. You can, however, determine which of your demographics is the most important to your business.

5. You are Wasting Money on Social Networking

In other words, when you proceed into social networking, make sure you understand what makes social media work: that it’s people connecting to people, not just another venue to talk about your company. Use social networking to make your company more human, because at the end of the day, no one wants to visit your blog or Twitter account if they don't get anything in return.

6. Your Website is Not All About You

Self explanatory. No jargon, no insider acronyms. Your website isn’t being designed to suit the tastes of your staff; it’s being built to cater to the needs of your users. After all, they’ll be the ones spending their time there, so their requirements shouldn’t be ignored.

7. You’re Not Getting Value From Your Web Team

A web designer brings much more to the table than simple programming. They understand what makes a website work, what translate best to the web and what features are most helpful to a user. Use this amazing resource to produce the best possible website.

8. Design by Committee Brings Death

Harsh, but accurate. Design by committee is well-intentioned, meant to give everyone a fair stake in the decision making process. However, often what’s required is an educated, objective decision.

9. A CMS is Not a Silver Bullet

A Content Management System is like any tool— it won’t make the decisions for you; it can only make the decisions easier to implement. You need to have the resources in place for timely, relevant updates.

10. You Have Too Much Content

Constant review of content ensures that there’s no useless information taking away from your most important messages—only what is fresh, relevant and useful.

Does any of this sound familiar? If so, interact with us--the solution is closer than you think.

Victory is Ours!

2009-06-25T09:21:00.010-02:30

Our venture up Signal Hill was a great success—everyone managed to make it up the hill with minimum difficulty, and to top it all off, there was birthday cake with the most delicious cream cheese icing waiting for us at the top.

Fresh off the presses (or would that be the USB port?) here are some pictures from the AI 4 TA walk yesterday!

The boys making their way up Signal Hill.

Wilma presenting the crucial element--the birthday cake.

TA blows out the candle and makes a wish. True story: the wind (notoriously high on the Hill) probably makes this the worst place to blow out a birthday candle west of a sand storm. But TA managed to get hers out just before the breeze took it!

The whole team. Congratulations on the summit!

Counting the efforts of everyone involved, 74 walks up Signal Hill were completed. A feat that TA insisted was at least the height of Mount Everest. And I guess if anyone would know, it would be TA! A big thanks to everyone who took part. Donations to the Canadian Prostate Cancer Network can still be made here.

That's It: The Twitter Conversation.

2009-06-19T11:11:00.004-02:30

Twitter founder Evan Williams on listening to Twitter users.

This brief video dives into an overview of Twitter’s birth, but what’s more interesting about this clip is how Williams expands on how Twitter is being used, in ways he never imagined when he first got the idea. Especially when he arrives at how businesses have begun to use the low-cost service:

Among the other interesting things that have cropped up is [sic] many things from businesses, from marketing and communications and predictable things to an insanely popular Korean barbecue taco truck that drives around L.A. and Twitters where it stops causing a line to form around the block.

Interesting, right? But what stands out is the subject matter of the talk: listening to Twitter users. Why is that important? Because quite frankly, that’s it: that’s the way that businesses can use Twitter to their advantage. Twitter is a conversation, one you have to learn how to have, but can benefit your business immensely.

And it does need to be learned, at this point anyway: it takes a little out of the box thinking to see how 140 word status updates can benefit your company. But here’s a great example. Applecore posted a few days ago about our friend TA Loeffler’s plan to climb Signal Hill ten times to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer. We took that blog post and posted a link to our Twitter account. But then we took it one step further, addressing local news outlets and media personnel via their own Twitter accounts. By the end of the day, those outlets had begun to repost out initial tweet.

And voila: a press release via Twitter. It’s simple, it’s direct, and most importantly, it’s taking place in a space where people are already prepared to receive it.

Other companies use their Twitter accounts for customer service: @comcastcares (Comcast) and @SouthwestAir (Southwest Airlines) are two leaders in Twitter as CSR. They were early adopters of the trend, and have given hope and a voice to lots of customers who are frustrated with the normal route for customer service. By simply addressing the Twitter account by name (an '@' symbol plus the Twitter account name) these companies have given their customers the power to make themselves heard and leads to less frustrating and more proactive customer services, which in the end makes all parties much happier.

So that’s it: that’s the conversation that businesses should be aiming for with their customers. What are you waiting for?

Just One Question....

2009-06-18T10:57:00.000-02:30

500 people in Times Square were asked a simple question: what is a browser? Let's see what happens.

For the record, a browser is a computer program used for accessing websites or information on a network (as on the World Wide Web). And you could have asked us; we totally knew that already.

AI Supports TA!

2009-06-17T10:15:00.010-02:30

Just another adventure for Applecore’s longtime friend TA Loeffler. Starting at 12 noon on June 24^th (which just happens to be her birthday) TA Loeffler will be climbing Signal Hill 10 times to raise funds for prostate cancer research. In addition to spreading awareness, this is also the final preparation for TA's forthcoming effort to summit Mount Elbrus (Europe's highest peak) an adventure that will be beginning in July. You can read all about that particular adventure at TA’s website .

If there’s one thing Applecore can get behind, it’s a good cause, so the entire office will be joining her on the last leg of her climb. We’re excited to play even a tiny part in such a useful, awareness-building cause… and we’ll definitely be snapping a few pictures after we’ve finished the climb!

TA is inviting us to join her for a leg of the walk or two (which takes about 20-25 minutes) and wear sky blue (the awareness colour of prostate cancer). TA is also asking well-wishers to consider making a donation to the Canadian Prostate Cancer Network in lieu of a gift or card.

As extra incentive, birthday cake is waiting at the top. Check back here for the wrap-up!

Join the Facebook event.

Learn more about TA Loeffler.

Donate to Canadian Prostate Cancer Network.

Launch of the Canadian Breast Cancer Tour for the Cure

2009-06-10T09:02:00.004-02:30

At ten o'clock this morning, our own Deborah Bourden will be kicking off the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Tour for the Cure on the steps of the Newfoundland House of Assembly in St. John’s. Joining her will be the Hon. Danny Williams, Hon. Ross Wiseman (Minister of Health and Community Services), Nancy Margeson (CEO, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Atlantic Region) and emcee Betty Ann Vater.

The Tour's goal is to raise awareness about something that affects a large portion of women and their families --a problem that's largely preventable. Screening rates in Atlantic Canada are at a low, something that's true of Canada at large, but the reality is that early detection is a woman’s best defense against breast cancer.

The Tour for the Cure hopes to spread awareness about that and wants to have 85 percent of eligible women in Atlantic Canada screened regularly for breast cancer by 2010. Head down if you get a chance, or even just check out the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation website to see how you can make a difference.

Best of luck to a wonderful cause!

June 1-7: Tourism Awareness Week!

2009-06-05T16:36:00.003-02:30

This past week has been something that naturally catches our eye: June 1st - 7th is Tourism Awareness Week, sponsored by Hospitality Newfoundland & Labrador. Tourism is such a huge industry—not only internationally, but online as well. Not to mention that it’s always been such a vivid factor in the economy of Newfoundland & Labrador.

The week was host to many talks and seminars about the direction that the tourism industry is moving in, capped off with a luncheon on the 3rd attended by the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. Spreading tourism awareness is an exciting topic, especially since there’s never been a better time to spark conversations about the future. The industry has been taking huge steps online, embracing social media and interactive communities.

Of course, Applecore had to get in on the action as well. We were so inspired that we've written an article on that very subject, to be published in the St. John’s Board of Trade Business News Magazine. We decided to tackle the subject of social media and why it works so well withtourism, since it’s a topic we’re exploring every day. Social media—things like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs and peer reviews—are making amazing leaps in the industry and shaping the future of how people travel.

Check back next month for full details, but here’s a teaser for now: the future of social media and tourism relies on being flexible, transparent and ready to have a conversation with potential travelers. How can you prepare?

To be continued…!

Give Credit Where Credit's Due: Duping the Media with Wikis

2009-05-25T14:02:00.003-02:30

by J. Butler, Content Development Specialist

When notable French composer Maurice Jarre died on March 28th, 2009, Dublin university student Shane Fitzgerald saw a golden opportunity to test accountability in an age of instantly updated global news --a community that's become more and more reliant on Internet research.

And how did he do this, exactly? Easy: by changing the composer's Wikipedia entry, and in the process, duping journalists all across the world.

After a class studying how information traveled through the public sphere, Fitzpatrick saw the opportunity for a curious social experiment. He simply inserted a quote he'd written himself into the Wiki page-- the entire process, from composition to posting, took less than 15 minutes--and then watched as the quote was used repeatedly not only on blogs, but on official news sites. The quote in question:

"One could say my life itself has been one long soundtrack. Music was my life, music brought me to life, and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz playing in my head that only I can hear."

...was clearly angled to appeal to the average obituary writer working on a deadline. He left it deliberately without any citation--a fact which quickly caught the eye of the thousands of 'voluntary' editors that monitors and edits the public pages of Wikipedia. Administrators promptly removed the unsubstantiated quote, but only after it had begun to circulate in emerging obits and memorials as one new piece cited the older piece.

From MSNBC:

Fitzgerald said one of his University College Dublin classes was exploring how quickly information was transmitted around the globe. His private concern was that, under pressure to produce news instantly, media outlets were increasingly relying on Internet sources — none more ubiquitous than the publicly edited Wikipedia.

When he saw British 24-hour news channels reporting the death of the triple Oscar-winning composer, Fitzgerald sensed what he called "a golden opportunity" for an experiment on media use of Wikipedia.
[...]
If anything, Fitzgerald said, he expected newspapers to avoid his quote because it had no link to a source — and even might trigger alarms as "too good to be true." But many blogs and several newspapers used the quotes at the start or finish of their obituaries.
Wikipedia spokesman Jay Walsh said he appreciated the Dublin student's point, and said he agreed it was "distressing so see how quickly journalists would descend on that information without double-checking it."

I worked at a university-funded writing centre during my undergrad, and I can't tell you how many times a week I'd have to explain to a student that Wikipedia is an unacceptable source. So a part of me isn't surprised that journalists are still figuring out how to negotiate the cluster of facts we call the Internet. Amid the temptation of so much information, and working against a tight deadline, it can be easy to let something slip and trust that the information is sound.

But it still puts the problem of accountability into glaring perspective, and makes you wonder how often facts like this, no matter how small, go unchecked. My knee jerk reaction is when in doubt, cite it. No one can really fault you for giving TOO much credit.

Source: Student hoaxes world's media on Wikipedia (MSNBC)

The Degrees of Social Media

2009-05-21T10:30:00.005-02:30

by J. Butler, Content Development Specialist

As of this year, Birmingham City University will be offering a one-year Master's program priced at about £4,400 ($7838.87 in Canadian dollars).

The subject matter? Social Media.

It's no joke. Students will be able to perfect their netiquette in exchange for university credits. Arguably, most students spend a generous portion of time they should be studying on Facebook or YouTube, so it seems like a time-saver to simply surf the web for the sake of academics (ha ha). Students enlisted in the program will be taught the ins and outs of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Bebo, as well as how to maintain a blog and produce podcasts and other media projects.

Course convener Jon Hickman calls the courseload "very relevant and very scholarly," exploring "the techniques of social media, consider the development and direction of social media as a creative industry, and will contribute new research and knowledge to the field."Social media will be studied through an intensely academic eye, with a focus on scholarly research and critical analysis. Hickman feels the course holds a great deal of appeal for students, particularly those intent on entering fields like journalism or PR.

While many already in the industry have lauded the course for focusing on the scholarly aspects of social media (without any limited focus on results or metrics), the question remains: is it worth putting in that much time, money and effort for the program, especially when you consider the practical experience you lose by being in school? As Dan Thornton from Way of the Web so succinctly points out:

Certainly anyone already established in a social media role at a managerial level should be able to tick pretty much all the boxes the MA aims to deliver - and are those roles going to be offered to those graduating the course, or people more like myself who spent time in journalism and publishing, gaining additional experience in marketing and social media, before making the switch?

In addition, some students have complained the coursework is too basic, as many of those enrolled have been self-taught for years. Some critics derisively call the programs a "Master's in Facebook." But, I've heard of plenty of new, experimental college courses in my time, and enrolled in even more of them (including one on comic books, one on the philosophy of modern horror films and a course in circus stunts) and more often than not, they get off to a wobbly start. Usually all these wobbly starts levels out and the course either works, or it doesn't. If the course is truly a worthwhile "academic exploration of communication ," as Hickman says, then it will surely survive the criticism once it finds its stride.

See It Here: The Birmingham City University MA in Social Media

Making the Ordinary Extraordinary

2009-05-19T14:52:00.000-02:30

This is truly worth a few minutes out of your day: Wired.com's Gadget Lab has posted some footage from a high-speed camera, along with an article that details the history of a camera that can shoot up to 86,000 frames per second--keep in mind, the average movie reel only needs 30 or so. From the article:

A hummingbird’s neck is structured like a bucket holding liquids that slosh back and forth to stabilize its head. Because it evolved this way, the bird has an adaptive advantage to find flowers and food that other animals can’t reach.

This accidental discovery was observed not by human eyes, but through the lens of a super high-speed camera. It’s just one example of interesting phenomena revealed when video is played back in extreme slow motion. The hummingbird clip appeared in an episode of Time Warp, a show whose premise is to make the ordinary extraordinary with one trick: slowing it down.

“We’ve evolved for 5 billion years just to do what we needed to do to be alive … and we can see 30 to 50 things a second,” said Jeff Lieberman, co-host of Time Warp. “With high-speed cameras we can see a million things a second, and we’re looking at everyday things and seeing an entire world that exists underneath.”

Typically costing upward of $100,000, high-speed cameras are capable of shooting at amazingly high frame rates, stretching a single second into minutes of super slow-motion playback. In order to achieve this feat, each of these cameras draws its powers from a unique, highly advanced complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) — or, in simpler terms, an extremely beefed-up pixel sensor. The cameras were designed for military testing, scientific research and other industry applications.

The article features some truly amazing footage of a hummingbird, a tattoo, a high dive, and blowing bubbles, all in slow motion. But what I really recommend is checking out the footage of a gigantic 12-foot wave, from the inside out--a BBC promo for their upcoming series South Pacific.

High-Speed Cameras Reveal the World Inside Time (Wired.com)

Our Favourite Type

2009-05-04T16:28:00.023-02:30

by J. Butler, Content Development Specialist

ty·pog·ra·phy noun

Pronunciation:: \tī-ˈpä-grə-fē\

One of the things that's become standard for a designer to dote on is typography--whether web-based or traditional. In fact, you could ask most of the people in Applecore's office, design or otherwise, about what things bother them most in bad design -- 'font choice' will almost always be one of them. Bad typography sticks out like a sore thumb, making it hard to read and often just frustrating to look at. This, of course, means that the design has failed in its primary goal: to communicate.

Good typography, on the other hand, is virtually invisible. You can observe it, especially if you know what you're looking for. But the best typography is something you never have to think about--it reads effortlessly, doesn't set off any inner design alarm bells and most times, never gets the attention it deserves.

Until now! Here are Applecore's favorite examples of typography, whether it's print, web or graphic design.

The Volkswagen Campaign, 1960s

Beginning in the 1960s, when Volkswagen first applied the minimalist principles popular in German design to their American print campaign, heads definitely turned. The simplistic, no nonsense ads made generous use of white space and straightforward copy (usually 30 words or less). In the process, the success of Volkswagen's approach is largely considered to be the father of the postmodern age of advertising--not to mention convincing America that a small car was also a great buy.

I Love Typography

Hands down, the site for typography fans. Informative, constantly updated, and always inspiring, this blog serves up not only fonts but also the designs they inhabit.

The London Underground

When Transport for London set out to design the face of its underground subway system, they turned to Edward Johnston. He then designed the distinctive sans-serif typeface in 1916. It's still the font you see today, albeit modified; it was substantially retooled in 1979 by Eiichi Kono and renamed "New Johnston."

Adobe Font Finder

A great tool when you have a general idea of what you want--say, an elegant script typeface for a romantic logo, or a bold sans-serif for an eye-catching header.

Penguin Books

Founder Allen Lane had a simple goal when Penguin Books began in 1936: to remove the stigma from cheap paperback novels and make reading readily available for anyone. Design took on an essential role in what would become the "Penguin" brand. The basic design was simple: three horizontal bands in colors assigned by genre (orange and white for fiction, green and white for crime fiction, etc)-- with none of the gaudy, lurid photography that gave paperbacks a bad reputation in the first place. In the 1940s, under Swiss typographer Jan Tschichold, a set of rules and design principles was compiled as the Penguin Composition Rules, a four page booklet of typographic instructions for editors and compositors. Maybe that's why the brand is still easily recognizable, even today, and retains a classic, clean look that most designers envy.