The American League’s Eastern Division may be the most difficult one in all of professional baseball. With the deepest pockets this side of the Mississippi, the Yankees and Red Sox alone assure players and fans alike that this division is no walk in the park. The Blue Jays are [...]]]>

The American League’s Eastern Division may be the most difficult one in all of professional baseball. With the deepest pockets this side of the Mississippi, the Yankees and Red Sox alone assure players and fans alike that this division is no walk in the park. The Blue Jays are usually competitive as now are the Rays. The Orioles have finally come of age and are giving them all a run for their astronomical salaries. It’s not only expensive to watch every game in person, but with everyone’s busy schedule it is darn near impossible. Make sure to download your favorite team’s iPhone app. Stay in the loop for what promises to be some exciting baseball drama in the 2012 season and beyond.

Baltimore Baseball

Baltimore Baseball sheds the light from the Sun newspaper into your iPhone. Illuminate your display with the best coverage from the city’s local rag. The newspaper has traditionally provided baseball’s best and most in-depth coverage of the Orioles. With a near storybook beginning to the 2012 season for the O’s, this is one year that fans will want to follow things very closely. It has been a long time since the Orioles were competitive. Viewers of the 17 inning contest on the WJZ TV network were shocked when coverage was discontinued for ‘60 Minutes’ instead. Get this app to fill in the X’s and O’s when other media sources drop the ball.

Tampa Bay Baseball Live

Tampa Bay Baseball Live brings you the coverage that you just cannot get anywhere else. Find the exclusive and the elusive all in this one dedicated app. This list is certainly no place for meandering bible thumping, yet since they dropped that awful devil name, the Rays have ascended the baseball standings like they have been possessed. Joe Maddon seems to have formulated the east coast version of Money Ball. Whatever the secret of their success, this is your app to follow and appreciate its manifold manifestations as applies to the Rays.

Toronto Baseball

Toronto Baseball gives you the straight dope to enable you to be an informed fan. Fated to be in perhaps the most difficult division in baseball, where they must annually duke it out with the likes of the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, to name a couple of the culprits, the Blue Jays never seem to complain. Every year they give it their best shot. Which has been to little avail of late. The true secret to their difficulties is that during the 1993 World Series they jinxed their karma. By taunting the Braves with the ‘tomahawk chop’; while circling the bases for their game winning home run and continuing to do so even after the final game, in the locker room celebrating their World Series triumph, they thus angered the so-called baseball gods by displaying poor sportsmanship.

New York Yankees on NJ.com

New York Yankees on NJ.com will keep you dialed in on all of the details surrounding most every aspect of the team and its ongoing adventures in Major League Baseball. Share all of the fun with the Yankees as they embark on their yearly quest for World Series glory. The rival teams in their league are not going to lie down and allow them to add still more trophies to their display case without a fight. Yankees fans have learned that they aren’t totally entitled to the championship every year. Keep this app handy to stay abreast of all of the action.

Marketing your ecommerce store can be difficult. Since you’re selling things online, it’s best to market yourself online. One of the most common forms of online marketing that ecommerce merchants use is pay per click (PPC) advertising. PPC, however, can be a financial investment, and it can be an [...]]]>

Marketing your ecommerce store can be difficult. Since you’re selling things online, it’s best to market yourself online. One of the most common forms of online marketing that ecommerce merchants use is pay per click (PPC) advertising. PPC, however, can be a financial investment, and it can be an investment that doesn’t always pay off significantly. Why? PPC requires a lot of analysis and effort before it makes you any sort of profit. If you’re deciding whether PPC is right for you, keep reading.

Two reasons you might want to use PPC

1. Traffic to your store is low – If your social media efforts haven’t paid off, and traffic to your store is minimal, it may be time to consider PPC. PPC will undoubtedly bring you some traffic, especially if you’re willing to spend a good amount of money on it. Just remember that traffic doesn’t always equal sales.

2. You rank low in the search engines – If you sell rugged laptops, and you rank low for all the terms associated with rugged laptops on Google, you could launch an SEO campaign to try to get your store to rank higher for relevant terms. However, getting organic search traffic takes time. Even if you search engine optimize all of your site’s content and start networking with other sites to get some link juice, you’re still going to have to wait a few months for the search engines to catch on and move you up the ranks. PPC is instantaneous. As soon as you sign up, people will be able to see your store when they search for certain terms on search engines.

Of course, PPC isn’t right for everyone.

Two reasons you might be better off without PPC

1. Your marketing/advertising budget is limited – PPC requires that you spend money each and every day to attract visitors to your site. If your budget for marketing is rather limited, PPC probably isn’t for you. The ROI of PPC can be considerable, if you have enough cash freed up to invest. If you don’t, that’s ok. You can pursue other avenues. SEO and social media marketing, for instance, might be better matches. All it takes to launch a successful SEO campaign or social media marketing campaign is time and research. So, costs for that type of marketing are nominal (unless you hire an agency or employee to help you out).

2. Your site still needs some work – The first thing you should do when you open an ecommerce store is make sure that your site is attractive, professional-looking, and easy-to-use. If your site isn’t quite there yet, hold off on PPC. Your conversion rate will be low if you people visit your site and then leave it because it doesn’t look credible enough. So, spend some time working on your website and building your store’s brand. Once you have the basics in place, you can move on to aggressively marketing your store.

Takeaway

Consider the reasons PPC might benefit your store and the reasons it might not. And remember that you don’t want to spend any of your funds on a marketing campaign that may not have much ROI.

Author’s Bio: Carolyn is a guest blogger on the subjects of marketing, ecommerce, and software for ecommerce merchants, like the software provided by Ordoro. 

Besides Google Android, the tablet king Apple iPad is about to get a taut rival in Windows 8. A row of Windows 8-based tablets are to enter to the scene later this 2012. Microsoft has already previewed its ARM compatible Windows 8 and a dedicated app store called the [...]]]>

Besides Google Android, the tablet king Apple iPad is about to get a taut rival in Windows 8. A row of Windows 8-based tablets are to enter to the scene later this 2012. Microsoft has already previewed its ARM compatible Windows 8 and a dedicated app store called the Windows Store for it. Most analysts think that Windows 8 and Windows Store will haul up crucial threat to iOS and its App Store. Maybe, Google’s Android might not have overcome Apple iPad in number of products sold. But the open source firmware enjoys a clear edge over iPad in escalating popularity. But when it comes to Windows 8, iPad may be grounded on the fact that Microsoft’s firmware is more enterprise friendlier and innovative.

New iPad Vs Windows 8 tablets

Apple has just unveiled its third generation iPad, called the new iPad. Indeed, the new iPad is a big game-changer with a whopping 2048 x 1536 Retina Display, A5X processor and other incredible features. No one will be doubtful of the fact that Apple can sell tens of millions of new iPad units even before any Microsoft OEM starts assembling its first Windows 8 tablet. As per reports, Microsoft has tied up with a number of OEMs including the Asian giants like Asus, Huawei, ZTE and Acer. Even if, Nokia, Microsoft’s official partner will evidently come up with the first Windows 8 tablet.

As noted above, the new iPad may have advantages like early availability, record breaking screen resolution and the market supremacy. But Windows 8 is to come with some path-breaking bonuses that include enterprise friendly apps, a new and game-changing user interface, Android-esque hardware distribution, variety of tablets under different price tags and screen sizes and others. Best of all, most Windows PC users in the world (of course, they are in majority) will accept Windows 8 tablets with a feel of domesticity.

Windows 8 Vs iOS (iOS 6)

Microsoft’s Windows 8, the first unified version of the operating system, is all set for official release. The Redmond software giant will likely unveil it anytime late this year. Microsoft has been creating huge hype over its upcoming Windows 8 for a while. Recently, the company previewed and launched Windows 8’s developer version. So, who will be Windows 8’s competitor in the Apple side? Definitely, it will be iOS 6.

As per Apple’s habit, we will be introduced of the next version of iOS at the company’s forthcoming Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The iOS 5’s successor needs to be armed up with enough features to fight Windows 8, which highlights its business friendly features. To beat Windows 8 in this regard will certainly be an intricate job for Apple, though. Because, Windows 8’s special apps like MS Office, Internet Explorer 10, OneNote and Windows To Go are invincible in business use.

App Store Vs Windows Store

Everyone will be aware of App Store’s predominance in the count and quality of apps for iOS devices. As of February 2012, App Store listed more than 725,700 apps and 25 billion apps were already downloaded by users. Anyway, Microsoft is to launch Windows 8 and Windows 8 tablets with a cutting-edge Windows Store. So as to promptly gain ground in market with enough apps, Microsoft has even allowed third party open source developers to post apps on Windows Store. Microsoft’s Windows President Steven Sinofsky announced Windows Store for the first time at the BUILD developer conference in September 2011. In February 2012, the company previewed Windows 8 Store with a great layout and high security potentials.

Microsoft Store at the Westfield Century City Mall in Los Angeles, CA.

Indeed, the tablet fight between Apple and Microsoft is yet to set off. Now it is only a word war; it will begin on the day we will get the first Windows 8 tablet PC. Of course, an Apple Vs Microsoft battle will have a clear impact in global tablet market, which is currently ruled by Apple iPad with callous market share. Microsoft, which has decided to foray into the tablet market to fight both Google and Apple, will mainly focus on Apple, simply because it is the current market leader and is more fragile to take horn with than Google.

About the author: Claudia is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on luxury and technology. She recently read an article on iPad docking stations that attracted her attention. These days she is busy in writing an article on New iPad.

Major League Baseball’s American League Western Division teams each have only three other teams to contend with in their annual hunt for playoff gold. Some teams have all the luck. It could be the Milwaukee Brewers’ fault for defecting to the National League a while back. Now there are 14 teams [...]]]>

Major League Baseball’s American League Western Division teams each have only three other teams to contend with in their annual hunt for playoff gold. Some teams have all the luck. It could be the Milwaukee Brewers’ fault for defecting to the National League a while back. Now there are 14 teams total in the AL to the NL’s 16 teams. Everything seems to work out and if the Western Division get’s a pass by only having 4 total teams, then that’s how the baseball cookies crumble. Install these four apps on your iPhone to become the baseball analyst supreme.

Texas Baseball Live

Texas Baseball Live sends you the newest facts and figures about the 2011 American League Champions right to your iPhone for perusal at your convenience. Can Ron Washington pilot those Rangers to still another 1^st place finish in the AL West? They are the team to beat this year. Don’t miss the trials and tribulations of the champs’ dramas. Download this app to receive the best, news, blues and gossip about the Rangers 2012 season. Program it into your Twitter feed to make sure that you cover all of the bases.

Oakland Baseball Live

Oakland Baseball Live is the app that you need for the best coverage of A’s baseball. The team that brought you ‘Money Ball’ is a perennial contender in the AL Western division. Brad Pitt has exquisitely brought to life the savvy business decisions of Oakland’s Billy Beane. How he gets the most for the least has confounded the experts and deep pocketed teams to distraction. Yuan Ventures is a leader in baseball apps for the iPhone. Download this app and learn the whys and the hows. The news centric data feeds and collection of content-rich sources shines in the Oakland sun.

Seattle Baseball

Seattle Baseball is the next best thing to being at Safeco Field. The app gives you the complete low down on the team. Get it to learn the entire goings on of this outstanding baseball team and their efforts to turn around a disappointing stretch of baseball purgatory. With a dedicated fan base leading the way, anything is possible in this new 2012 season. Remember always that it’s how you play the game and to always root for your team no matter what. With a beautiful park like Safeco, you can still count your blessings. Say a prayer for Wedge and hope for a miracle.

Anaheim Baseball

Anaheim Baseball tells it like it is. The Angels are a baseball team from Anaheim, not really Los Angeles. They are different cities aren’t they? They shoot horses don’t they? Oh well. I know that it isn’t the fans’ fault. They are victims of baseball’s rampant commercialism. The players and the fans are what it is all about. If the owners seek to distance themselves from their true roots, then that is their right I, I reckon. It is pretty cool that they got that big fancy home run hitter from the Cardinals. I suppose he will start hitting some time during the season. In the meantime, if they can just keep throwing those no-hitters, they just may have a shot at the playoffs.

With the SEC’s recent probe into Groupon, here is  a closer look at Groupon’s troubled history. This infographic illustrates more simply the SEC’s problem with Groupon.

(Click for larger image)

Via: Courtesy of: [...]]]>

With the SEC’s recent probe into Groupon, here is  a closer look at Groupon’s troubled history. This infographic illustrates more simply the SEC’s problem with Groupon.

(Click for larger image)

Via: Courtesy of: BackGroundCheck.org

QR codes are a good way to get consumers involved, to keep them engaged and interested in what you have to offer.

Here are 8 tips for using QR codes in your marketing campaign.

Use a QR code on business cards or on your website so [...]]]>

QR codes are a good way to get consumers involved, to keep them engaged and interested in what you have to offer.

Here are 8 tips for using QR codes in your marketing campaign.

1. Use QR Codes for Contact Information

Use a QR code on business cards or on your website so that individuals scanning the code can instantly download your contact information to their phone – for example, if you own a plumbing company, enabling consumers to instantly download your contact details to their phone as ‘ABC Plumbing Company’ means that your company will be top of the list when/if they need your services in the future.

2. Always Provide Quality Content

Many companies using QR codes for the first time make the mistake of directing consumers straight to their desktop website without offering an incentive or interesting content. Always make sure your site is mobile-friendly and that you are offering consumers something more entertaining or educational than a basic website as you’ll quickly lose interest otherwise.

3. Know Your Target Market

Targeting QR codes to anyone and everyone may seem like a good idea, but if you’re targeting them to people without smartphones you run the risk of alienating part of your audience. Use QR codes only where you know they will work.

4. Make it Natural

Just putting the QR code anywhere or making it especially large will seem a little obnoxious – instead, make it seem natural by incorporating it into the design of your packaging or advertising or keep it small and use it at the end of your final sentence, as this is a natural place for consumers to want to go on to seek more information about your product or brand.

5. Use QR Codes to Direct-Dial

If you want to encourage people to phone your sales center, encode the QR code so that scanning it will automatically dial your phone number. This is a superb call to action and an easy way to connect consumers directly to your customer support or helpline.

6. Make Your QR Code Accessible to As Many People As Possible

Some QR codes cannot be scanned by older smartphones or by phones with poor quality cameras. Try to make your QR codes accessible by making them easy to scan by as many different smartphones and applications as possible.

7. Use QR Codes to Offer Discounts and Coupons

All consumers like special offers so give them an incentive to scan your code and interact with your product or brand by offering a discount or coupon after scanning.

8. Make it Interesting

Older QR codes were only available in a black and white checkered design, but with newer QR codes you can experiment with colors, styles and even by adding your own logo – just make sure that your codes stand out enough from your branding so that the consumer spots them.

About the Author

Johannes Ahrenfelt is co-founder of the 99SQUARED LTD. Their first product SQUARE:CODE offers a unique QR Code management system for QR Codes, giving you complete and flexible control of how you communicate with customers.

Welcome to the second installment of lists of iPhone apps that you need to follow your favorite baseball team to glory or to that proverbial agony of defeat. Thanks to the many readers who have made this series the awesome success that it is. It ain’t over until it’s [...]]]>

Welcome to the second installment of lists of iPhone apps that you need to follow your favorite baseball team to glory or to that proverbial agony of defeat. Thanks to the many readers who have made this series the awesome success that it is. It ain’t over until it’s over. So ignore the naysayers and root for your team until every statistical probability is exhausted. That is the way of the true baseball fan. It is about hope and optimism. These apps will give you the low down on the home town boys of summer.

Braves Ball 1.0

Braves Ball 1.0 is the way to go to get all of the data that you so earnestly desire about the Braves. It has been a while since that stretch of 14 first place finishes out of 15, when Braves fans were plenty spoiled. Back in 1991-2005, the Atlanta baseball fan could sit back fairly unconcerned for the regular season, secure in the knowledge that their overpowering pitching would always carry the day over their opponents. Braves fans are probably not quite so self assured these days. Braves Ball 1.0 will go a long way towards reassuring fans of the team with the empowering knowledge of statistics. In the current Fredi Gonzalez era fans need to step up to the plate themselves to encourage their Braves to be, well, brave.

The Nats Blog

The Nats Blog is unsurpassed as the most informative and fan-friendly iPhone app for the Washington, DC baseball fan. Not that there are many to choose from. Still, the best way to instill baseball fever in novice and expert alike is to stay abreast of the fun facts and figures provided by the Nats Blog. One fine day Washington baseball will be respectable instead of laughable. That day may be here if the early 2012 baseball season is any indication. Contrary to popular baseball belief, winning isn’t everything. How about good sportsmanship, is that a tired old ideal?

New York Mets on NJ.com

New York Mets on NJ.com sounds like one of those anomalies that I hear tell about. There are many reasons why New Jersey may appreciate the Mets baseball team more than the residents of New York City and state do themselves. You always want what you can’t have. New Jersey gave a home to the wayward New York Giants. It hasn’t come to that for the Mets, though perhaps some fans in New Jersey are hoping otherwise. The New York Mets have always played second fiddle to those damn Yankees. Not on this app though, check it out. It’s an excellent information source for Met fans.

Philadelphia Baseball App

Philadelphia Baseball App will keep you in the know on those amazing Phillies. After five consecutive first place finishes, the team and their fans may beginning to feel entitled to their yearly title. This is a nice app to add to your iPhone to keep up with Phillie-fever. The Tweets, the blogs, the pictures and videos are all there to impart in-depth knowledge for the fan and novice alike. Be the first with all of the important facts and figures that you need to determine if Charlie Manuel can continue to work his magic pulling the strings.