BizNOW

BizNOW

BizNOW is a new kind of business magazine in the Sioux Falls Area. They are about insight, inspiration and innovation and will go out of their way to achieve all three. They just started up in the past year but have already become one of the top business magazines in Sioux Falls and their ratings are still climbing.

BizNOW helps people that have smart business ideas but don’t know what to do about them. They use a variety of different creative methods and strategies to help you make your dream a reality. They are dedicated to inspiring the creative spirit in every business leader.

They have a local distribution that they have at different business and books stores around the Sioux Falls metro area. They can be found at any places where business people meet. They have both a printed and online publication and both are easy accessible and easy to navigate. Subscribing is easy and pain free. All you have to do is long on to their website and fill out the brief information card they have available for you.

BizNOW website: http://biznow.teambluefire.com/

Robin's Blog Post- Telestory

Telestory

Everyone has a unique story. When Sioux Falls advertising agency Fresh Produce began doing a radio campaign for the local business Rugs & Relic, they realized the potential behind that one line. Rugs & Relic owner Steve Bormes bought an old telephone booth from out of state with plans to create it into a safe haven for local people to tell and record their story in. After teaming up with Fresh Produce, a new idea flourished.

Telegraphic is the upcoming exhibit at Fresh Produce’s Ipso Gallery. Thirteen local graphic designers were asked to find inspiration in the stories that have been recorded within the booth and portray those into art. The Telestory Booth will be at Fresh Produce, as well as the art displays, this Friday May 6, with the creators there to share their inspiration and drive for the idea.

I had the opportunity to talk to an SDSU Journalism graduate, Kyle Jameson, this week about the Telestory-Telegraphic event. He recently began working at Fresh Produce as a writer and, as he would say, “wears many hats” at the agency. He acts as a wordsmith, historian, and a researcher making him “the closest thing to a modern renaissance man”. Because he recently started his Fresh Produce work, he has had a minimal roll in the actual Telegraphic event planning. However, Kyle explained to me that the Ipso Gallery is a unique way to showcase local artists and to share Fresh Produce’s love for art. It is a way for the agency to connect with people in a different way. Ipso also has its own element of promotion for the overall agency. Telestory is a great way to tap into all of the untold stories around Sioux Falls and, hopefully, across the country. Who knows, maybe Telestory could connect with the entire world someday.

Check out Telegraphic-Telestory Friday May 6^th from 6-8:00 p.m. to hear about it firsthand.

Facebook Page for Telegraphic:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=188949864485322

Telestory Website:

http://www.telestorybooth.com/

Fresh Produce Website:

http://www.pickfresh.com/

Welcome to the 'Hood

No, I am not welcoming you to the inner city streets of Sioux Falls, but rather I am welcoming you a different type of hood, a family type of ‘hood. The ‘Hood is a South Dakota magazine that celebrates family togetherness, bringing all of the ‘hoods together- parenthood, childhood, motherhood, fatherhood, and grandparenthood. The ‘Hood wants to advocate for stronger families and create better family togetherness. The magazine achieves their mission by allowing parents and families to share their experiences and learn from others from the stories published in their magazine. The magazine calls on local people and organizations to fill the magazine with ideas, information and stories that advocate stronger families through togetherness.

‘Hood magazine is fairly new to the South Dakota neighborhood with the first issue hitting the racks August 2010. It is a free publication distributed in high traffic areas such as Sioux Falls area school districts, YWCA’s, Hy-Vee’s and many more places. The magazine also made their mark in social media by having a Facebook page promoting their magazine and local family events. The Hood can be found at any of these locations or on their website at http://www.thehoodmagazine.com/index.cfm.

Video Interview - Future of Journalism with Corey Vilhauer

Corey Vilhauer is a User Experience Strategist for Blend Interactive, a company that specializes in custom design and development for web and mobile, including social marketing. Blend Interactive, in my opinion, seems like the perfect company to ask about the future of journalism with the advances in technology in society. The interview covers the movement of media going to the "portable device" like the iPad and smart phones, social networks like Facebook and twitter, and the overall future of journalism and advertising in this new "portable device" era. Lastly, we cover if print media, like newspapers, will survive the future change of journalism and advertising. There is also some witty banter included in the interview.

The following video interview is done with the help of Skype.

Music thanks to www.freeplaymusic.com

Advergaming: The Ultimate Interactivity

As use of technology, social media, and the Internet begin to change the landscape of advertising, one new and effective tactic has emerged. That tactic is advergaming. Zodiac Interactive defines advergaming as the use of video games to advertise a product or viewpoint. This new practice is on the rise and has become a surefire way to reach consumers, especially teenagers or men in their early twenties.

According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, over 120 million people play video or computer games in the United States and over 40% of households have a video game console system. These numbers indicate that advertisers would be wise to consider advergaming as a way to appeal to consumers. Pepsi, 7up, the National Football League, and Burger King are using simple commercial-type advertisements. In EA Games’ football game, Madden 2011, Old Spice Red Zone is promoted with logos and the Old Spice theme being whistled. Old Spice even is included in each player’s attributes by giving them an “Old Spice Swagger” rating. In these ways, Old Spice has integrated ads in a way that doesn’t annoy the person playing the game. The image above is courtesy of Softpedia.com

According to Green Lion Digital Marketing, advergaming is quickly proving itself an effective way of boosting brand familiarity, brand rating, and purchase consideration. It provides a new way of using technology to connect with both potential and existing consumers. It will be interesting to watch this new method of advertising to see if it continues to skyrocket in the future.

What SEO Means to Your Business

In the rapidly growing online market, many businesses are trying to keep up with the trend. Few fully understand the importance of being visible online or know how this is accomplished. Even fewer people understand how search engines work and how they can use them to their advantage.

Kathy Spolum, an in-house marketing specialist from Daktronics, a digital LED display company based in South Dakota, is very familiar with this process. “When creating content and text for the web, it is crucial to include keywords in order to increase the chances of it being found,” said Kathy. “Although it can sometimes feel unnatural to the writers, it makes all of the difference.”

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is defined by SEOWorkers as the method of analyzing and constructing individual web pages, as well as entire sites, so that they can be discovered, analyzed, then indexed by various search engines.

Why does this matter? When someone does a search, there are two types of results shown. Sponsored links appear at the top and to the right side of the browser and are paid for by the advertisers. The organic links are listed in order of relevance, and are often more trusted by consumers. The big question is how do you get your site to the top of the list.

The search engine has a database of websites that contain the keywords that the searcher typed into the query. By properly phrasing the text and links on your site, you can enhance your chances of appearing near the top.

South Dakota Tourism Media Strategies

Have you ever wondered what it's like to implement a national advertising campaign for an entire state? Well, wonder no more. Wanda Goodman, Media and PR Manager for the South Dakota Department of Tourism, has been busy putting the current summer campaign together, which carries the theme, "The Places of a Lifetime" or "The Memories of a Lifetime."

"The campaign includes several elements, including newspaper inserts, national magazines, television and online advertising in various markets, social media integration, and cooperative marketing with partners throughout South Dakota," Goodman said. Some of the past SD Tourism campaigns have included Vikings game sponsorship, tailgating at three Vikings games, and a pheasant hunt giveaway, and other contests and promotions through Facebook.

Because of the current economic status, the tourism industry has become even more competitive. Goodman said South Dakota markets heavily in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Colorado because "they have the highest propensity to travel to South Dakota, and they consistently show up in our top states for inquiries, booking, and web traffic."

Frequency and consistency are very important when advertising tourism. "People in these markets recognize our ads, they relate to the product we offer, and will sometimes even come up to us at a travel show booth and start singing our jingle. That's when you know you have fantastic brand recognition and you're making an impact," Goodman said. Research is also key to getting return on media in any business. Goodman and the media/PR department conduct focus groups, website usability studies, and audience profiling to determine who to target, what media they use, and where they are located.

Along with the developing public relation strategies for campaigns, handling media communication, and ensuring a positive reputation and brand image, Goodman and her team are responsible for monitoring traditional and social media coverage to see what's being said about South Dakota as a travel destination. "All of our traditional efforts plant the seed, and drive people to our website, which is where they continue the process of planning and purchasing by way of our online trip planner and booking capability. In addition, our social media efforts are good ways to promote short-time offers and upcoming events," Goodman said.

To learn more about South Dakota Tourism, follow them on Twitter, "Like" their Facebook page, subscribe to their YouTube channel, and visit their blog.