MelvinBlog

A blog that chronicles my journey on online marketing, blogging, social media, technology and life.

Guest Post

Evolution of the Smartphone: From Business Luxury to Everyman’s Essential

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This is a guest post by Pierre-Adrien Mongin.

From IBM’s Simon in 1993, the first phone to feature touch screen qwerty keyboard and email, to today’s Apple mania and continuous proliferation of new devices: we have witnessed the rapid evolution of the smartphone. Now that we are in a position where touch phones are essentially the norm, how much has really changed since its awkward beginnings? And what does the future of these wireless handsets hold? 

Callie Payne, the smartphone expert at PricePanda offers you an analysis of the evolution of the smartphone, from business luxury to everyman’s essential.

Wider reaching Technology

When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007 it had a 3.4 inch screen,  320 X 480 pixel resolution (one of the best at the time), 8GB expandable storage and a 2MP camera. Today, these specifications are run of the mill, if not poor. Even very low budget smartphones today, such as the newly released Samsung Galaxy Star II, a phone marketed with young teens, first time mobile users and so called “emerging markets” in mind, share identical specs with this first, revolutionary touch phone. It seems that the market is developing very quickly.

Today’s high end handsets favour much larger screens, with a new tendency towards so called “phablets” a new evolutionary strand which straddles the functionality of a phone and a tablet. The new iPhone 6, said to be released in September, is rumoured to have 13MP camera, 4.7” virtually unbreakable Sapphire glass screen screen and possibly 1704 x 960 screen resolution and an enormous 128 GB storage capacity.

Evidently, there is a large gap between luxury products and budget devices, but there has also been a certain tendency towards the democratisation of the technology recently with Samsung Galaxy’s choice to make all their new budget Galaxy devices compatible with the newest android (KitKat) and Androids choice to make its newest software optimised with 512MB RAM, i.e the cheaper smartphones.

The smartphone is a fashion accessory that everyone has access to, with the recent trend towards cheap devices. However, will these devices actually last or are we evolving into a disposable “planned obsolescence” stage of smartphone evolution? Is the phrase “buy cheap buy twice” really what we want for the future of our handsets?

Smartphone Usage in South East Asia and the Philippines

For markets in the South-East Asia, the smart gadget “saturation” brings not only the latest fashion accessory, but affordable access to the latest technology and personal development. In the Philippines smartphone usage stood in 2013 at 53% and is predicted to grow by a further 22% in just one year. With local brands such as Cherry Mobile and MyPhone dominating the Filipino market with low budget, yet high performing smartphones the potential reaches much further than non-stop access to beloved facebook.

According to a recent World Bank report (Download the PDF), the increase in portable wireless communication devices use equals across the board increase in productivity and benefits. Farmers have better access to information increasing agricultural productivity, taxi drivers have real time traffic updates and broader citizen engagement means wider reaching updates such as weather warnings. The devices are being used more as mini computers than they are telephones, particularly with the increase in free calls over Skype or Facetime. As the internet becomes more and more mobile, it makes sense that smartphones, with their continuous 3G connectivity and relative portability of size, proliferate.

The evolution of smartphones has reached a peak in its evolution where there is a significant turnover in products, bringing the prices down on the technology. While this has its downsides such as planned obsolescence and internet over dependency, the greater reach in market brings a giant step towards closing the information gap. Access to wireless internet has become more and more desirable in the 21st Century, and therefore more widely available thanks to the demands of the market, benefitting all.

Points To Consider When You Sell In Ebay And Trade Unwanted Items

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This is a guest post by Richard Peterson.

Ebay is one of the most popular and trafficked sites on the internet. The auctions on eBay can be the right time to make great deals on several products. If you want to set up your own store or sell unwanted products, you can explore the selling options which are provided by eBay. If you are selling for the first time take note of the fact that you have zero reputation. Start by selling small and cheaper items which buyers are more likely to gamble on. After selling the product make sure that you as ask for feedback from the buyers.

Ascertaining selling position

When you sell an unwanted item on eBay, there will be another 300 sellers who will be selling the same product. This makes it necessary that you do your homework and fix the price strategically. Before you list the product find out how common or unique it is on Ebay. Find out whether someone has sold the same product and at what price. eBay offers a feature with which you can search for past auctions and sales. You can conduct a search with the help of a keyword. By evaluation of the bidding activity, you can find out about the demand.

Fees you have to pay

When you sell on eBay, you will have to pay a listing fee and a final value fee. PayPal is the preferred payment method in eBay. You can consider taking a photograph of your product in a white background. Visuals play an important role as you interact with an online audience. A strong and high-quality image will have a stronger impact. Make sure that there is adequate lighting when you take an image of your product. You can consider taking images with your phone. You can make use of eth filters and applications to create better images. You can make use of the Ebay mobile app and upload images directly from your phone.

Attracting buyers

Include all details about the product which you want to sell. This will make the item more searchable on the internet. Include relevant words in the listing title. Address the questions which arise in the mind of the buyers. You can make use of a colorful image to describe your item. Describe the product in bullets and include information on the brand and features. Include words which attract the attention of the buyers. If you are planning to sell a designer tem you will have to tell the buyers where you got it from

Selling products successfully

On eBay, you can see how much the other items have sold for. You can find out how other sellers have described their products. If a product is listed in red, it indicates that the product did not sell. When you sell a product on eBay, you will have to pay an insertion fee and a final value fee. The insertion fee is the basic fee which you have to pay to sell an item. If your item sells successfully, you will have to pay 10% of you final sales price as the final value fee. Selling in eBay will be easier if you take note of the policies.

Fixing suitable prices

When you plan to sell a product, you must lower the start price. It will lower the listing fee and your product will attract greater attention. An auction on eBay with modest start price will bring about more bidding and high final price. When want to sell a product think about the season. Make sure that you sell the product at the right time of the year. Be careful with the descriptions which you include with the product. Buyers will be eligible for refund if the product is not as described.

Author Bio: Richard Peterson wanted to sell some of his unused garments in eBay. Selling in eBay was easier for him when he described the garments in details and included eye-catching images. He received several bids when the products were auctioned.

Advantage Of Phones For Visually Impaired In The Life Of The Users

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This is a guest post by Tom Harrison.

Smartphone has in store various advantages. It has the power to expose you to the world of entertainment and connect with the friends all over the globe. For the visually impaired the Smartphone offer more than this. The use of the phone is not restricted to connecting people but also it has become a guide that helps them to conduct their daily activities seamlessly. So be it counting the bills after any transaction, or locating any bus-stop in any unknown location, they can do the same by touching the icons on the screen. Connecting the internet and seeking information is also easy with this phones

Use of touchscreen

It might seem that the flat glass screen of the Smartphone might not be the best option for the visually impaired people, but in reality it is not so. This touchscreen has turned out to be of great benefit to the blind users. It is known that the blind user generally use their sense of touch to navigate through the Smartphone and also perform different functions. The Smartphone uses this concept and couples it with the voice commands for the convenience of its users. Only the phone that uses braille does not use the voice commands.

Aids in various activities

The manufacturers of the phone have also introduced apps that can help them to gather different information and perform various actions. Audio books, playing games with the help of sound and touch and matching the color of clothes are few of the function that can be conducted with these apps. If you are planning to visit a new locality, then with the help of voice command, the phone can guide you towards your destination. So, when you are out just switch on the GPS and you can reach the desired location without getting lost.

Spots your bus easily

Few of these phones come with in-built applications that can guide you to appropriate bus terminus or bus-stop. Al you need to do is feed in the details or the number pertaining to the bus fleet. You can also mention the nearest stop or your destination. You can hear a recorded voice directing you to the top and also the details of the route and once you are on the bus, it will tell you the number of stops that you need to cover to reach your destination. In this software or application, information related to the routes is already recorded.

Various other benefits

There are also applications in these phones that forecast the weather of a particular area. If you want answer to your queries, all you need to do is ask a question and you will receive an answer in an audio format. If you need any assistance for any task, you can also seek the same with the application. Connecting to the social media sites is easy with the phones for visually impaired. Your photographic spree will also be answered by the applications. You can click the photograph and you will be told what it is about. You can also transform a sound clip to an audio aid and the same can be saved and can be utilized later.

No need of any human help

The general functions of the phone that is calling up people and sending messages and emails can be done with ease with the help of voice command. A Smartphone loaded with these applications can help you to enjoy the world without the help of any third person or human assistance. Another worth mentioning help catered by these phones and their apps are that the bill that you pay as part of the payment can be counted easily by them. They can also recognize the currency easily.

Author Bio: Tom Harrison writes blogs regardingSmartphone and the different applications that are built in the same. In his latest one, he has written about the phones for visually impaired and the advantage they have.

Remote Tech Support Cutting Last Ties To Remote Employees

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This is a guest post by Amanda Green.

The irony of the term “information superhighway” is in how it’s making real highways obsolete.

For quite a few years now, workers have become less office-dependent, gaining freedom in where and how they can work.

It has benefited them and their employers in many ways, saving money and time in everything from office overhead to commuting costs.

But many supervisors are still unwilling to have staff out of sight and out of earshot. The various reservations they have are all but myths.

How Can I Fix Their Problems?

Perhaps the most legitimate concern is that computer issues can’t be easily dealt with for off-site staff.

The whole heart of effective telecommunication beats with computers. If a worker’s computer is not performing the way it should, he or she is left with little opportunity to be productive.

Now what? All the productivity saved by letting the worker operate off-site is now in peril, all because he or she can’t figure out a software problem.

In the earliest days of telecommuting, that fretting would be justified. But like all technology, it has pushed past this disconnect.

In the last few years, remote IT support has even made it possible for a technician hundreds of miles away to access an employee’s computer and conduct a multitude of tasks, such as software updates and virus removal. This type of support software allows you to use a remote workstation to access customer’s computers so that you can solve problems quickly, or to demonstrate how they can fix these programs in the future.

How Do I Know They’re Working?

That’s the most obvious concern. Are my employees awake and being productive?

Fortunately, it’s easy to track the answer. Microsoft Lync and other communication networks highlight each person’s status; if their mouse or keyboard has been touched in the last five minutes, the person shows as active.

Most of these systems also incorporate instant messaging, voice-over-internet telephone functions, and file-sharing as well. Those components make the virtual office even more functional.

How Can They Get To Their Stuff?

Somewhere in many employers’ minds remains an image of the office worker who dutifully totes a shiny briefcase to and from the house each day, completing some work in the evenings after a slice of apple pie.

These days, electronic files are the norm, but some supervisors can’t seem to snap that 1958 scene from their minds.

That’s not to say that everything is always at arm’s length, as in Ward Cleaver’s attache. Access to files is a challenge. Nobody wants to spend the entire day emailing attachments to workers who should be at an adjacent desk.

But secure cloud storage and other networking methods have made file transfer as easy as it is in the office with a shared server.

How Can We Communicate?

Nobody wants a semi-square callous on the ear from an entire day on the phone with telecommuting workers.

But the aforementioned Lync, as well as a veritable army of other remote conferencing systems, make it simple and seamless to video conference or chat with workers anywhere. Text messaging and social media simplify mobile contact as well.

Remote workers are not without their headaches. Their home DSL can fail while office-based co-workers can remain online. Some telecommuters allow too many distractions to endure.

But the larger barriers have been breached with technology, and perhaps most importantly, the ability to service and repair that technology ensures that the system remains strong.

Leveraging Mobile App Discovery

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This is a guest post by Paul Malicki.

On October 30-31, the 7th Search Engine Marketing Conference took place in Hotel Intercontinental. The event featured some of the biggest digital marketing agencies and speakers from the Philippines, US, Australia, and Europe. Among various theme related primarily to new trends in SEO and search engine advertising, only a few speeches extensive elaborated on mobile marketing. My topic, i.e. “Leveraging Mobile App Discovery” was probably the only one, which fully focused on mobile.

Marketing objectives VS app discovery

Any business engaging in mobile app industry (on a different note, isn’t it a right time to start referring to it as an “industry”?) should start with defining the objectives of their campaign. There are two main marketing objective, one being direct response and the other– branding. Let’s treat SEO as an external universe to these two, although we all know that SEO primarily aims at increasing conversion rates. Thus, during the user acquisition stage most of the efforts should focus on the former. Branding is a great way to increase the brand loyalty and brand awareness and it should be underestimated. However, still many businesses underestimate the fact that user acquisition demands separate type of marketing. Whether these are Facebook ads or AdWords or even social media content, choosing the right type of bidding, tracking and target URL is a must. Once we define the objectives we can finally understand what app discovery is all about. Just look at the definition below:

Most successful app discovery channels

How do most of the users find out about your app? The results shown by the biggest research I found on this topic, suggest that mobile is a totally different world. Remember all those articles about how great Google AdWords and SEO is for the desktop conversions? Leveraging mobile app discovery is not anymore about Google AdWords and SEO. Focusing on app reviews, positive word-of-mouth, and social media seems to be key to increasing the user base. As much as 63% of the users find out about the app through… searching in the online store! Nearly 50% – by speaking with their friends or family, while another 34% – browsing through certain categories in the app store. The fact that a typical digital marketing channel comes only on the 5th place signifies to the fact that creating good vibes and optimizing app store present are a must!

How do we do it at Easy Taxi?

Let me briefly introduce you an interesting startup. Easy Taxi is world’s biggest taxi hailing application, available on iOS and Android devices. With the app you can easily, with one-click, request for a taxi (and track it in real time). Although the company has been present globally for nearly 2 years, the local operations and marketing are so unique, that each local branch we initiate is a true startup.

Mobile ads

Our approach to marketing is very holistic. In the explanation below I would like to focus on my favorite user acquisition channel, which is Facebook ads.

Have you noticed that social media was mentioned as the 5th most popular channel in the diagram above? Not without a reason. One unique thing about using Facebook as an acquisition channel is that it creates a brand environment that surrounds an ad. Each viewer is able to see the fan count, company description and additional graphics, which accompany brand’s Facebook presence. This makes them more convinced about the product. And although the relative conversion rate is quite low, in the developing countries, where advertisers don’t fully utilize that platform, you can easily get a Click-Through-Rate on mobile of 2%+, which assures the Cost Per Click which is close to zero.

What are the features of a good mobile ad on Facebook? Let’s analyze a sample ad of Easy Taxi.

1. Pricing Model

Choose Cost per Install. It’s good for user acquisition since Facebook will automatically optimize the best performing ads.

2. Campaign Structure

This is a general structure I recommend to all advertisers. It’s simple and straight to the point. At the same time it allows you to distinguish between the test and main campaigns and track what works and what doesn’t.

3. A/B Testing

I don’t recommend doing the test without accruing at least 50 clicks. Just choose the best ad and replace the current if it’s underperforming. You can follow this diagram to better understand the process:

4. Targeting

  • Please note the following:
  • Target competitive fan pages and phrases
  • Consider targeting users with higher education
  • Technology Early Adopters tend to produce lower CPA
  • Target precise interests and job positions

5. Creatives

A good ad is engaging and has a call-to-action. It also features an image which clearly explains app usage or a user case.

6. Others

On the top of that don’t forget about the following features / functions:

  • High Ad Rotation
  • High CTR = low CPC. Quality Score matters
  • Register your app with Facebook. Use native SDK or third-party SDK for tracking, not iTunes or Google Play ID
  • Understand Facebook bidding model
  • Make sure you don’t display your ads towards existing users
  • Analyze. Analyze. Analyze.

On a final note, let me outline a few recommendations to anyone who wants to start with mobile marketing. The main one is to try different things and stick to those that work. But before you do that, calculate your Customer Lifetime Value. It might happen that your app just won’t monetize and then your efforts will be pointless.

  • Before you start, calculate your cLTV (Customer Lifetime Value)
  • Measure your results regularly and make sure that your CAC (Cost per Customer Acquisition) is low
  • The only right approach is a holistic approach which puts an emphasis on various mobile strategies
  • However, there are usually 1 or 2 channels that work best
  • Find a partner
  • Humanize your brand and do something for others
  • Offline is not dead

How B2B SaaS is Stimulating Entrepreneurial Growth

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This is a guest post by Danny Roberts.

Becoming a small business owner is both challenging and exhilarating. It often represents the coming to fruition of what started as an idea and is now a reality. You now have offices, a legitimate business, letterhead, staff, etc. But with great power comes great responsibility, and so the entrepreneur is also in need of making decisions regarding services, applications and infrastructure needed to support the business.

A trend that is continuing to gain momentum among small business owners and entrepreneurs is the incorporation of B2B SaaS applications into one’s startup or growing enterprise. SaaS entails the hosting of software on the cloud that is accessible to anyone (with the proper credentials) from anywhere around the globe (provided they have an internet connection). Mostly handled through subscriptions and memberships, SaaS has gained in popularity because of its flexibility and affordability for many small entrepreneurs. There are many advantages to using SaaS apps for small business, a handful of which are outlined below.

Before SaaS came into the picture, deploying a new system in an organization could be extremely costly in terms of time and resources required to manage a full-fledged implementation. Customizing a software product to a business was normally not within reach for smaller businesses, and even larger ones struggled with the cost of consultants, IT resources, and upkeep. Now, with the advent of SaaS, these barriers-to-entry have been all but eradicated. Smaller companies are able to pay a subscription and have access to software solutions that would have been previously out of reach. Providers take care of updates, patches, and other technical maintenance needed for the software, which frees up resources that were once designated for costly IT departments. Additionally, unlike the implementation of a proprietary application which requires a significant commitment of company funds and resources, SaaS solutions can be terminated or shifted as the business requires. By capitalizing on the advantages of cloud hosting, the business owner can explore new products with far less restrictions than a proprietary product would allow.

SaaS solutions afford business owners a greater flexibility to grow. The way usage is structured, SaaS is able to meet a company’s needs in the now, in terms of size and number of users; but should the business grow, cloud-based solutions are inherently scalable and can thus relatively easily serve the needs of the organization in the future. Knowing that the incremental cost of growing an IT infrastructure that supports the business is manageable, the entrepreneur can spend more time on the organization’s core business rather than being held back by the cost of expanding. What’s more, because SaaS solutions are able to handle the needs of a growing workforce, more customers, increased inventory, etc. the marginal cost of hiring one more worker, or adding additional clients becomes more economical.

The multi-tenant model in which SaaS applications are offered is another way these solutions are stimulating entrepreneurial and small business growth. By engaging clients from several industries and organizations, these solutions promote a constant two-way flow of feedback. This allows the user to enjoy a state-of-the-art SaaS application that is continuously updated by like-minded business owners, making it a better and more up-to-date product. Because SaaS applications are being constructed and renovated based off of crowd-sourced wisdom, this essentially makes them tailored solutions for specific types of business problems.

Business owners looking for SaaS solutions should take advantage of online marketplaces to research and compare SaaS apps that can suit their needs. An extremely flexible and affordable alternative to proprietary applications, SaaS allows the entrepreneur to devote more time to core business functions while being assured that support systems are safely in place. The future for small business owners is looking bright indeed!

What Is Small Businesses Take In Mobile Apps

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This is a guest post by Katie Lewis

Today a larger crowd depends on mobile to access Internet than laptops or desktops and the number of smart phones and tablets hitting the stores are just mind boggling! Undoubtedly, applications on these devices can get business go pro with the marketing efforts. What more we need to bring a mobile app strategy, if not the data which affirms the importance of apps.  The big brands are already there and we have to before our competitor does.

Irrespective of the industry, gaining loyal customers stays the priority goal. And mobile apps have turned more a vendor-agnostic tool for marketers to carry out tasks and reap customers from their fingertips. From hr apps to event apps to the ones you can save money, they make it happen- render support, services smooth and amass loyal customers. Remember, it is always easier and cheaper to keep your existing customers than finding new. Don’t you think the smart solutions are making day-to-day business operations way smarter?

Appsbar co-founder Scott Hirsch said, “apps are the fastest growing thing in the history of consumer products. Everyone is impressed by how fast it’s growing and I think it’s just starting.”

Let’s see what apps can do for you and why your small business need to plan on your app based marketing strategy.

Reach Customers

Understanding the location of your customers’ helps update them with offers relevant to the specific area. Customers love simple, fun and engaging apps that can provide instant perks, which can be a way to keep them happy, entertained and delighted. Business apps help you reach a wider customer base, than with a traditional website. Also, new users can find you via generic search by integration of social networks to expand the scope and reach of your business.

Face Competition

Small businesses still lag behind in developing a mobile strategy to gain a significant edge over competition. As users are clamouring for mobile interaction, they will favour the business that facilitates it. When you’re the only one in your industry, or one of the few with an app, helps secure your reach for paramount or if you are already there, you won’t risk what you have discarding the mobile.

Build Trust, Credibility

An important reason why people have put their trust and time in using mobile apps is the user experience. Custom mobile apps provide customers a one-on-one experience which cannot be found with generic websites. Due to effective interaction and engagement, mobile apps are more likely to bring interest to your services, enhance credibility and reputation.

Generate Extra

There are different ways to monetize business app. When you charge for the app on the marketplace, it will allow you to bring some extra revenue when customers download the app. Also, you can offer products through the app along with purchasing solutions for the customers. No matter how you monetize the app, it makes an extra revenue option.

Invigorate Business

Testing out new business strategies can boost innovation, and open up your thinking to energize your business. With mobile apps, it is easier to find out who is accessing your content, also helps to improve the way you relate to your clients. Keeping contact with current customers will be a platform to expand and expose your brand to potential customers, by leveraging the fastest growing technology of time. Mobile apps are effective and affordable investment that will invigorate your business to enter the new age of media and marketing technology.

Branding

Brand building and extension comes easy with a custom app, where you can exhibit your products and services, how it best converts. This will provide customers the kind of user experience that will make them come back and spread the good word – reputation to the brand. Remember, people trust friends and family more; you have to earn it.

Know Customer Behavior

Being on page with customer behavior is the key to deliver the service that is expected and beyond. Business apps provide you with right insights and info on customer behavior, shopping patterns, letting you tailor everything they want. Proactive communication with customers will help to know them better and provide timely response to their needs. You can say no to guessing, but trust data to improve customer satisfaction and retention.

At least 89% customers started doing business with a competitor on account to a poor customer experience. Yes you always have to do better than your competitor.