From a few hundred attendees in 1994 to more than 32,000 registrants in 2014, the history of South By Southwest (SXSW) Interactive echoes the history of the digital industry: a little rocky at times, but in the end victorious. Now that the interactive part of this year’s festival is over, we’re taking a look back at our four favorite tech bites from the SXSW Interactive 2015 panelists.

Meerkat Takes Center Stage

Since the launch of Foursquare in 2009, SXSW has been lacking in the emerging digital product department. But the magic came back this year with the development of Meerkat, a live streaming app that allows users to host spontaneous video sessions through Twitter.

The rules of Meerkat? Be kind. And buy a T-shirt.

Countdown to The Internet of Things

In the Internet of Things, data is gathered and used for a variety of devices. From fitness wearables and watches to food packaging sensors and appliance monitoring, real-time connected technology products are slowly changing the way we live.

Gartner Inc. has predicted that by 2020, nearly 26 billion devices will comprise the Internet of Things. Others estimate 30 billion. There’s still plenty of infrastructure work to be done, but technology leaders like Samsung are predicting that products will be connected within the next five years. At SXSW, CEO of Cotential Erica Dhawan also weighed in on the topic:

“Those who understand how to engage with these new tools and technologies—it will be like the printing press and the steam engine, where people will look to use them as a force for good,” she told Adweek in an off-stage interview.

How does digital mesh with everyday people? We look forward to helping companies and industries figure this out.

Get Ready For The Third Wave

In a SXSW keynote speech, AOL co-founder Steve Case took the stage to talk about the history and future of the Internet. He broke it down into three waves.

1. Wave 1: 1985-2000 — The Internet comes to life, with AOL being one of the leading pioneers
2. Wave 2: 2000-present — Entrepreneurs built on top of the existing Internet (think Google, Twitter, Facebook and big name apps) to expand digital industry
   1. Industry disruptions: communications, media, commerce
3. Wave 3: The future — Entrepreneurs think bigger, ushering in the rise of regional innovation economies and social-purpose investing.
   1. Every industry will be digitally impacted, including healthcare, education, transportation, energy and food.

Case says entrepreneurs will need to create strategic business partnerships —especially within government, healthcare and education — in order to thrive.

“The government spends more on health and learning than anybody else, by far. So successful third-wave entrepreneurs will need to engage more not only with governments as their principal regulator but also as their potentially largest customer,” Case said.

• Spyder Trap will be hosting its own event to talk about the future of healthcare innovation and its partnership with the digital industry. Click here to learn more.

Google X Gets Humble

After less-than-satisfactory performances from Google Glass and Project Loon, the head of the Google X division Astro Teller talked to SXSW attendees about his blueprint for success: failure.

“I don’t believe a mistake-free learning environment exists,” Teller said. “Failures are cheap if you do them first. Failures are expensive if you do them at the end.”

According to Teller, Google uses negative outcomes to fuel future success. As the age old saying goes, if you are going to try something new and fail, you should at least learn something from it.

What’s next from Google X? We’re looking forward to the self-driving cars everyone keeps talking about.

The post Seen and Heard: Highlights from SXSW Interactive 2015 appeared first on Spyder Trap Online Marketing Blog.

Spyder Trap is unlike any other firm out there. For starters we are the premier digital-only marketing firm of the Twin Cities. And then there is our company culture, which cannot be recreated elsewhere.

At Spyder Trap, we work hard and play hard too. That’s why we’ve been recognized by Minnesota Business Magazine and the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal as one of Minnesota’s top companies to work for the past three years in a row. Last week we celebrated spirit week: a week devoted to bonding together as a team while working hard as usual. Here’s what went down during the festivities:

“Spyder Trap spirit week mirrored our work culture so well. We had a lot of fun starting the week in PJs, and the rest of the week was packed with events that really sum up who we are: a fun, loving, extremely talented and super enthusiastic group of people working as a team toward a common goal.” –Ashish Patel, Developer

“Spirit week enforces the beliefs of culture, collaboration and family that are so extremely important at Spyder Trap. Because we value our clients and their needs as much as our own, many times our jobs don’t always start and end during the day; they carry over after “normal” working hours and into the weekends. But it’s important to strive for work-life balance and having our #SpiritWeek is just a small way to say “Thank you,” to all those who make Spyder Trap a truly special place.” –Jeff Wagner, Creative Director

“What I loved about spirit week was the way people came together across all the activities planned. From sport-like events to cooking and dressing up, it was great to see a group of vastly different individuals come together. It really showcases what a great community we have, and how truly accepting people are of others here, no matter their interests or background.” –Kim Hecomovich, Designer

Want to join our incredible team? We happen to be hiring for:

• Administrative Assistant
• Search Engine Marketing Strategist

Click the links to see a job description and apply today. Also, check out #STspirit on Twitter for more pictures and happenings from the week.

The post Spirit Week Invades Spyder Trap appeared first on Spyder Trap Online Marketing Blog.

3 Takeaways From LocalUp Event Marketers Can’t Ignore

Seattle-based online marketing giant Moz and Local University partnered last weekend on the first ever LocalUp Advanced event. The event was a convergence of the top minds in local search and local online marketing, and attracted hundreds of expert practitioners, agencies and businesses looking to beef up their local SEO game.

Spyder Trap’s COO Aaron Weiche presented at the event, bringing his expertise on mobile design and mobile search. Aaron spoke on how to thrive in today’s complex mobile ecosystem. After getting the full event download via Aaron, we’ve compiled a brief list of takeaways not to be ignored!

1) Keep an eye on Google Maps
When Google Maps first arrived on the digital scene, it barely survived. But, as Mike Blumenthal (aka Professor Maps) pointed out in his presentation on the history of Google Maps, the possibilities for the future are endless.

Each year Google’s technologies continue to evolve and improve, and now they are a vital component of local search strategies. Google Maps ain’t going away. In fact, there’s more to Google Maps than meets the eye.

Learn more about how Google Maps affects your business and how to future proof for what’s coming here.

2) Yelp! Can Be An Advertising ROI Bust
According to David Mihm’s presentation, Yelp advertising is a rip-off for small advertisers. He cited a study of one client, who after spending $3,000 in six months only gleaned 450 impressions and 36 clicks. That put the cost per thousand impressions at $6,600 and the cost per click at $83 — a steep price for online advertising. What’s a better tool to utilize? Google Display Network ads with the Yelp website, which under the same campaign garnered a cost per thousand impressions of $1.58 and a cost per click of $4.32.

Numbers don’t always tell the full story, but the disparity here is something to consider if Yelp is in your digital marketing strategy and budget.

3) Build an ecosystem that will make your mobile efforts grow
Of course, we’re partial to Aaron’s presentation. But, from an objective standpoint it was right on target. While local search is highly granular and tactical, sound methodology and design are crucial to a great mobile web experience. The elements needed to thrive in a mobile ecosystem are Land (Website), Aquatics (Content & Usability) and Air (Google Search).

To be successful, the landscape of your website should be responsive for all devices; the content should involve deep experiences that are highly functional and do the work for the user; and the search strategy should be targeted and frequently analyzed for performance.

“If you only have one of these components in place, the mobile ecosystem will not be sustainable,” Weiche says. “If you have all these marketing pieces in place however, you have a much stronger environment that gives you reliability, longevity and growth.”

The bottom line? If you are missing water, land or air, you won’t have a complete mobile ecosystem — you’ll only have an element of it.

Tweet Highlights:
@Amitch5903: “Mobile content doesn’t mean less content” @AaronWeiche at #localup

@butchgle: People like to exercise their free will ~ “Give users a choice” in terms of options with where to leave a review #localup thnx @mblumenthal

@GregGifford: Make your website a topical authority in your industry AND your location @marybowling #localup

@paramaya: Google has control of local map data that no one else in the world has. @mblumenthal #LocalUp

@m_j_gregory: “The next 5 years will be some of the most exciting in local search.” – @mblumenthal #localup

Want to Read More?
Check out all the slide decks from Moz’s LocalUp Advanced event here.

The post Local Search History, Present and Future Represented at LocalUp appeared first on Spyder Trap Online Marketing Blog.

As you may already know, at the outset of each year we put our heads together at Spyder Trap and come up with a list of top digital trends for the year. With the Consumer Electronics Show behind us, the first month of 2015 has already delivered on some fascinating technology and marketing trends. So, what’s next? Read on to discover Spyder Trap’s predictions for the remainder of 2015.

1) MOBILE PAYMENT SYSTEM GROWTH
When Apple unveiled Apple Pay in October 2014 many retailers, including CVS and Rite Aid, blocked customer usage of the mobile payment system. But the tides are slowly turning. According to McDonald’s, Apply Pay accounted for 50 percent of its mobile payments in November. And in early December, dozens of banks and other retailers signed on to work with Apple Pay. With competitors like Google Wallet and Softcard also gaining speed, 2015 will see large growth in the mobile payment space. Among all of the 2015 digital trends to watch for, this one will be paramount.

2) EMOTIONALLY DRIVEN CONTENT
Forget the catchphrase, “supersize me.” Simply providing more content is not the answer to a company’s marketing problems anymore – it’s personalized content that will take center stage in 2015. Think about it. Consumers are already inundated with obscene amounts of content on a daily basis. But massive amounts of content won’t captivate a consumer unless you make it emotional and tell stories that are authentic and reflect brand values. It’s time to get real, people.

3) CONTEXTUAL RESPONSIVENESS
It’s not enough to reorganize content based off of the size of a device anymore. Responsive sites are no longer cutting-edge; they are quickly becoming industry standard. A newer digital web design trend revolves around contextual responsiveness. Imagine a restaurant site that knows whether you’re looking for the happy hour menu vs. the breakfast menu based off of the time of day you’re online. Or sites that change colors because they know it’s after sunset, and they can improve readability knowing that you’re viewing your screen in artificially lighted environment. Sites could also change content based off of your location. Take for example, Wonderful Colorado‘s site (below), which changes content based on the season and time of day. Fun stuff indeed.

4)  USABILITY INFLUENCES SEARCH
Among this year’s digital trends to watch for, the confluence between usability and search engine marketing will prove one of the most talked about. Why? Last year, Google began testing its use of “not mobile-friendly” icons next to poorly optimized sites. In the past, Google has penalized sites that produce errors for mobile users, therefore de-prioritizing them in mobile search. Not convinced that your site should be optimized for mobile? According to Ovum, one billion people will use mobile as their only form of Internet access in 2015. That means a lazy or difficult online experience could dissuade a consumer from engaging with your brand and keep your website from being seen in search engines.

5) CONTENT QUALITY TRUMPS KEYWORD SATURATION
In the wake of the Panda 4.1 Google Algorithm update, topic targeting has become more important than page-by-page keyword focus targeting for SEO. The quality of content is now more important than keyword saturation. But, how will Google gauge quality? They will look at the amount of sources cited within the content, authorship and in some cases, they will have real people review a site’s material. Panda 4.1 also penalizes sites that lack content, display duplicate content or produce machine-generated content. Domain authority, which is partially based on backlinks, will also be important and sources should be linked to establish quality. Among 2015’s many digital trends, this one may impact businesses that rely on the web more than any other trend.

6) WEARABLES EVERYWHERE
Despite the lack of widespread adoption, the wearables fitness trend isn’t going anywhere. Technology is continually being improved to support it. We saw the success of wearables with the FitBit in 2014, and we’ll see more fitness devices become available this year. Keep an eye out for the Microsoft Band, Apple Watch, Salesforce Wear Developer Pack, and Samsung Gear and Jawbone devices.

7) RESPONSIVE & INTERACTIVE WEB EXPERIENCES
The need for responsive websites that tell interactive stories is nothing new – we get that. Even more so this year, brands are going to have to understand this necessity, or pay the cost. If you want to be seen as unique and offer a friendly user experience, responsiveness and interactivity are core website requirements.

8) BEACONS GALORE
Beacons made a splash as one of the most talked about digital trends in 2014. This year, we will continue to see a rise in applications that rely on beacons (low-cost transmitters that operate via Bluetooth technology). Look for innovations in retail, healthcare and home appliances. Keep an eye on Apple’s iBeacon, Estimote, Gimbal beacon, Swirl networks and PayPal’s beacon.

9) R.I.P. GOOGLE+
We believe Larry Kim says it best when it comes to this one: “In 2015 Google+ will die a slow death. Integrations with existing Google products will be removed or made optional. The most popular components of Google+ like photo sharing and hangouts will be de-bundled and made available separately. G+ engagement will fade over time.”

10) BIG BRANDS BECOME BEHEMOTHS
Four companies have dominated – and will continue to dominate digital trends in the technology sector: Apple, Google, Amazon and Facebook. We predict these brands, which make up what some are calling the new tech bubble, will become more rounded all encompassing platforms and behemoth companies that make significant investments in 2015. Each is continuing to diversify and play in each other’s space as they buy up competition, drive innovation and grab land. They want to be everything to everyone, and this year the race will really heat up.

The post The Top 10 Digital Trends of 2015 appeared first on Spyder Trap Online Marketing Blog.

We know how hard it can be to find time to build a website and market your business online. In fact, we’re pretty small and incredibly busy ourselves. The financial and resource-based challenges we face as a small company are one of the biggest reasons we built Spyder Site. 

Front-end Flair & Back-end Optimization

That’s why we’ve created a solution to simplify website building for small and medium-sized businesses and nonprofits. The new “Spyder Site” is the first Content Management System constructed and supported by our team of digital experts. With Spyder Site, you receive all of the benefits of affordable, responsive and mobile-friendly web design, with the additional support services of search engine optimization and Google Analytics.

What’s It Look Like In Action?

The first Spyder Site website our team created was for Harding’s Hope, a nonprofit whose mission is to help support people living with multiple sclerosis. From the homepage, users can watch a short video, donate, and learn more about the nonprofit’s backstory and goals. The website is a branded experience and our team worked closely with Harding’s Hope to ensure the creation of a cohesive, well-designed product.

According to Gwyneth Dwyer, on behalf of Harding’s Hope, “Working with all the smart, strategic people at Spyder Trap was a wonderful experience. They created a great responsive site for us that’s on brand and easy to manage.”

A website is at the heart of all marketing and business objectives. If your business’ website has been neglected, it’s time to bring it up to speed and into the 21^st century. Get started with us today by requesting a quote here.

The post Introducing Spyder Site: A Streamlined Website Builder For Small & Mid-Sized Businesses appeared first on Spyder Trap Online Marketing Blog.

Digital reigns, in today’s media landscape. The opportunity for online communication, learning and connection are limitless. Unfortunately, this buffet of opportunity has yielded a proliferation of data, conversations and an overall fatty excess of content. The need for quality content has never been greater. And the simplest path to producing quality content is an audit of your current efforts.

It’s not good enough to slap up a blog post, or migrate old content to a new website. No one wants to nosh on your lukewarm patty of mediocrity. Unfortunately, if you’re not doing your homework, your website or communication strategy probably falls short.

Every piece of content your organization creates is competing against an ocean of data. Some of it is irresistibly delicious. Other bits, not so much. So, how can you ensure your content is on the cutting edge and reaching its maximum potential?

The first step in evaluating your organization’s effectiveness online is a professional content audit. Throughout the audit process, our team of content strategists works to qualitatively and quantitatively review, evaluate and provide feedback on all of your content.

What does a content audit include?

• Content audience, theme, length, keyword focus terms
• Images, external and internal links
• Social Media
• Performance Metrics / Analytics
• Editorial Review/Gap Analysis: What’s good, what’s bad, what’s missing
• Brand Consistency
• User Experience Considerations
• Research audit (qualitative or user interviews)
• Key stakeholder interviews

What are the benefits of a content audit?

An audit should result in an actionable content plan that will ensure your audience is getting the delicious and digestible content meal they seek.

A content audit will reveal gaps to be filled and provide a map for creating targeted, and well-balanced content. According to ContentPlus, interesting and targeted content is one of the top three reasons people follow brands on social media. But it doesn’t stop with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Tumblr. Targeted content blogs on company sites results in 55 percent more visitors. A content audit will put strategy behind your content, strengthen your brand image, improve audience engagement, and allow you to organize and create a site that is valuable and effective for your business.

If your company is serious about improving traffic, conversions and the overall user experience, a content audit is not something you should avoid.  It is a necessary part of your overall online strategy — and it could mean the difference between serving your customers a McDonald’s quarter pounder or a Juicy Lucy.

The post Your Content Is Like A Burger: Audit It, Before Serving It Up appeared first on Spyder Trap Online Marketing Blog.