Most would agree that looking at streams of pictures is far more enjoyable than reading lines of text.  When Instagram launched in October 2010, the new app was perceived to be just another product whose popularity would quickly fade.  But little did they know, Instagram would become one of the most admired social media platforms and acquire over 100 million active users in the short two years the program has been active.

So, what is Instagram exactly?

As stated on their website, “Instagram is a fun and quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures.”  The app is very similar to Twitter in the sense that the pictures posted by your followers are displayed in “feeds.”  But it also provides its users with the capability to “like” and comment on your favorite pics, a similar characteristic of Facebook.  BUT, not only can you post pictures in an instant, you also have the ability to choose from a variety of 17 different filters to make each photograph unique and eye-catching.

Can Instagram be used as a marketing tool for your Company?

Of course!  Instagram is one of the leading social media platforms today and is a perfect way to market your company. With the ability to link your photos to Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter or Pinterest, you are able to create a vast amount of reach without a whole lot of effort.  Instagram allows a company to display their culture, highlight their employees and advertise their work.  About 40% of the world’s top brands like MTV and Starbucks are dominating the app and about 25% of those brands are posting at least once a week.  In a study conducted by Facebook, it was found that photo posts received 50% more “likes” from viewers than text posts, so by using Instagram you are bound to gain more interest from customers.

Anything else you should know about Instagram?

Not only is Instagram enjoyable, but it provides an opportunity for your company to increase SEO.  But how, you ask?  By using alt tags, keywords and geo-tagging gives followers and those surfing the app an opportunity to come across your photos.  Are you interested in joining the Instagram phase?  All you have to do is download the app (which is free I might add), create an account, and start posting pictures.  With that said, start snappin’ some pics and join in the fun. But first, make sure to follow us on Instagram @hmgcreative!

The OneStar Foundation, a preeminent state-wide organization based in Austin, TX providing resources for the entire nonprofit sector recently abandoned old, cumbersome technology to better serve its public.  The shift is one that sets an ambitious tone for outreach and opens up increased opportunities for all nonprofits in the state.

This week OneStar announced the launch of an updated, redesigned website and a refreshed brand image through a partnership with Austin-based HMG Creative to further initiatives for nonprofits in Texas.

OneStar Foundation connects faith-based and community organizations,one of the best car accident solicitor businesses, government and foundations to resources and information about the nonprofit sector as well as facilitating public-private partnerships to drive community solutions and ultimately, build a better Texas.

In efforts to stay ahead of toll free numbers technology and better serve its audience, OneStar Foundation and HMG Creative partnered for the robust rebranding and web development project.

“We conducted several interviews but selected HMG Creative because we wanted the best end-product possible; we believe that their services will result in a long-term advantage,” said Elizabeth Darling, President and CEO of OneStar Foundation.  “Among many requirements and expectations that are necessary to be a leader in our sector, the most important are an easy-to-manage web platform and an impressive brand image, HMG gave us exactly that.”

HMG Creative increased site functionality, accessibility to information and updated the overall look and feel of the brand to connect with OneStar Foundation’s central audience.  With a refreshed online image and updated technology, OneStar Foundation can further their mission of educating, connecting and providing resources to build a stronger nonprofit sector in Texas.

Check out OneStar Foundation’s new website at www.onestarfoundation.org.

OneStar Foundation’s thrive for innovation continues with the launch of the Texas Connector, an online nonprofit mapping tool which boasts the most comprehensive nonprofit statewide database of any state in the country. Texasconnects.org goes live today after its debut at the Texas Nonprofit Summit in Austin.

To learn more about this project or how we can develop solutions for your company email: amy@hmgcreative.com

Mobile marketing has received a lot of press lately, so much so that some short-sighted marketers have loftily proclaimed email marketing to be dead. But before you send flowers, stop and check the pulse of your email marketing campaign. It may be much more alive than you think.

Is Texting Messaging the New Email?

I’ll admit it. I don’t have a smartphone. I was the last of my friends to get a cell phone of any kind. And at the end of the day, I still prefer sitting down at my computer to texting. I realize I’m not the typical consumer (there are now more people using smart phones than basic cell phones and texting is the most popular use of phones of any kind), but think about it for a minute. If you don’t have a smart phone and you receive a text with a link or URL in it, how likely are you to go find a computer and type that URL in so you can shop? Not very. That means that for the 41% of people who still use basic cell phones, your marketing message was wasted.

Which One Is Better?

Although it’s a natural question, it’s really not the right one to be asking. Don’t think of email and texting as being in competition with one another. Think of them as being partners on the same team, with different jobs.

• Email Marketing: Your Online Powerhouse

Email marketing lets people click on a link immediately, visit your full website, and take action. There are no usability problems and no worries about whether the subscriber has a phone with web browsing capabilities. People can visit social media pages, interact with your call to action, browse your website, and make a purchase using a coupon much more easily via email. You can see a wide variety of affiliate marketing apps to choose from.

• Mobile Marketing: Your On-the-Go Solution

Mobile marketing, on the other hand, is perfect for quick, on-the-go messages. People tend to check their phones more when they’re out and about, and texting is the communication medium of choice for those situations. Use white label SMS reseller messaging for appointment reminders, quick alerts, interactive messages, and instant access.

Which Basket Gets Your Eggs?

Dividing your marketing efforts between texting and email marketing is a smart move, but how do you know which basket gets the most eggs? You’ll need to observe your audience, learn how they typically interact with your content, and invest the most resources in the medium that promises the greatest return.

Both texting and email bring benefit to the marketing table: determining which one is best for you is simply a matter of determining objectives, knowing what each tool can do, and using the right one for the job.

You may remember the “Operation Ghost Click” in November of last year when the FBI tracked down hackers who were attempting to control over 570,000 computers worldwide through malware causing a DNS change. Unfortunately, shutting down the malicious hacker servers also meant shutting down the thousands of users’ internet that were infected with the DNS change, with the majority of users not aware the change occurred.  To buy time and protect the affected public from the numerous scams they were now susceptible to, the FBI launched a safety net bringing in a private company to launch two clean servers to redirect thousands of computers from the hacker’s server and maintain internet access.

The temporary solution shuts down on Monday July, 9 and will leave thousands without internet should they not diagnose and fix the malware before the deadline.

Despite all the warnings from the FBI and notices from Facebook and Google if they suspect your computer has a DNS change, the AP reports that 227,000 computers are still infected and 64,000 being in the US, including 50 Fortune 500 companies. Internet providers like Comcast are also doing their part in educating and warning their customers through letters and messages, however thousands are still in the dark and will be on Monday as well.

If you haven’t already, visit the site below that the FBI set up to check if your devices are infected:

http://www.dns-ok.us

If the screen shows up green, you are good to go. If the screen is red, your computer or other device is infected. Remember, even if you check your computer manually (see below) and the DNS comes up clean, another device could be the problem if you are using a wireless router. The router could even be infected spreading the malware to any device, laptop, game platform that connects to it.

If you are infected: The most comprehensive resource I found is afterdawn.com. James Delahunty gives straight forward, step-by-step instructions on how to switch back your malicious DNS back to normal settings on a PC or Mac or fix your malware infection on a wireless router.

Users who want to check their configuration manually need to look out for the following IP address ranges:
• 85.255.112.0 to 85.255.127.255
• 67.210.0.0 to 67.210.15.255
• 93.188.160.0 to 93.188.167.255
• 77.67.83.0 to 77.67.83.255
• 213.109.64.0 to 213.109.79.255
• 64.28.176.0 to 64.28.191.255

Check DNS on Windows XP
• Click Start Menu.
• Click Run.
• Type “CMD” (without quotes).
• Type “ipconfig /all” (without quotes) and press Enter.
• Look through the results for Local Area Connection settings. Find “DNS Servers”.
• If the DNS server ranges match any of the malicious ranges shown above, then you are affected.

Check DNS on Windows Vista / Windows 7 Ultimate Download
• Click the Orb/Start Menu.
• Type “CMD” into the search box (without quotes).
• Run CMD.exe from the results.
• Type >”ipconfig /all” (without quotes) and press Enter.
• Look through the results for Local Area Connection settings. Find “DNS Servers”.
• If the DNS server ranges match any of the malicious ranges shown above, then you are affected.

Check DNS on Mac OS X
• Click the Apple icon on the Desktop (top left).
• Click System Preferences.
• Open the Network preferences.
• The DNS Server information will now be shown. If either IP fall within the malicious ranges shown above, then the system is affected.

I urge you to share this with any friends and family that may be unaware about this issue. Let’s not participate in this Malware Monday. Read more about cloud storage reviews .