While browsing through Internet Evolution, we picked up on an article called “Getting Ready for Smarter Commerce.”  We know that the Internet is always changing, the old Hollywood adage, “one day you are in, the next day you are out” comes to mind.  Todd Watson and his crew were down at the IBM Starter Commerce Global Summit for stories and interviews.  In the early days of the conference he noticed a few trends:

First, marketing is changing dramatically. Lower entry costs through the cloud and pervasive broadband and wireless, combined with social media and the emerging mobile extensions via tablets and smartphones, means you can (and should?) reach out and touch and communicate with your customers early and often.  But if you do so with a fragmented and uncoordinated approach, don’t be surprised when you read the hate tweets two minutes after the hour.

Brand and product quality still are important factors.  These are age-old marketing values that make a break a product.  A trusted brand means a quality product, ensuring more sales and profit.  If either of these go down, then quite quickly the buzz will be spread through the web.  Also, and most importantly, you have to be knowledgeable and way ahead of the game.  Keep yourself informed on the newest trends and content in your market niche, the smallest piece of information can make all the difference.  One way to help yourself find the best information for your company is through a powerful open source search, such as LucidWorks.

Whitney Grace, September 24, 2012

Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.