At E.B.B. Interactive, our Atlanta SEO experts have seen it all when it comes to search engine optimization and web marketing. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, Google pulls the rug right out from underneath you, and you’re left spinning in the dust. As Google becomes more and more like the federal government (making online marketing more complex and more costly for small businesses), it’s essential that you know how to survive no matter what changes come in the future, since they’re unpredictable.

Our Atlanta SEO company wants to help small businesses (and large corporations) understand how to survive SEO marketing not only for the remainder of 2013, but beyond:

Remember it’s all about content. Content everywhere – blog posts, landing pages, the home page of your website, frequency, quality, and quantity. Your website should have a home page, a blog, and landing pages for every keyword you are trying to rank for. Update your content often with valuable, unique content. When it comes to quantity, the more content you have on your website the better. Lots of pages filled with content give those little search engine crawlers more to munch on!

Meta description. While this tag has been around forever, it’s still important. This is what usually shows up in search results, so you want it to be enticing so that people click on your listing. Be sure your keyword is featured in the description!

Titles. Pay close attention to page titles, as they should contain the correct keyword for the page. The title should also match the content you have on that specific page to prevent confusion in both Google and your visitors.

Inbound links. While link building used to be an essential component of good SEO, not so much today. You still want valuable, relevant links coming into your site, but build them gradually over time. It is more effective to build 100 links each month for 6 months than to build 600 links in one month, as it looks more natural to search engines.

Make sure links are natural. It was effective not too long ago to use the keywords you were wanting your pages to rank for as the anchor text in nearly all of your links – but not so today. It doesn’t look natural to Google, as most people who are going to link to your site from their own will link using something like “click here,” “read this article” or “learn more about it here.” To impress Google, mix it up when you’re building links using generic words at least half the time and keywords in some links.

Diversify your link building efforts. In the “old days,” you could post a dozen articles on as many article directories and reap the rewards – not so today. Now it’s more effective to vary your link building efforts through article submissions, press releases, guest blogging and commenting, social media, videos, and web 2.0 properties.

Whoever said SEO was easy, especially when you never know what to expect next from Lord Of The Search Engines? Use these 6 tips for SEO survival in 2013 and beyond.

At E.B.B. Interactive, our Atlanta SEO firm is cutting-edge and constantly on top of all things search engines. Let us help you achieve top ranking!

As a highly trusted Atlanta SEO and marketing firm, one aspect of our business is managing clients’ PPC campaigns. Unless you’re highly versed in pay-per-click, it can be extremely complex and confusing – not to mention costly! Below we’ll talk about 3 of the top PPC mistakes companies often make so you can avoid them.

Keyword mistakes. It’s important to add negative keywords when setting up your campaigns, but be sure you don’t make the mistake of adding them as positive keywords! Your ad budget will be gone in a snap. Also, avoid relying solely on ads based on “broad match.” While using broad match keywords in your PPC ads may bring in the most traffic, how relevant is that traffic? If you’re an attorney who focuses solely on family law such as divorce or child custody, you don’t want your ads showing up when someone searches for a DUI attorney.

Sending PPC traffic to your home page. Unless your home page takes the visitor to the closest possible step in taking the action you want him or her to take, avoid linking your ad to it. Think about it; if you sell desktop scanners with advanced GI microprocessors and that’s what people are searching for, why wouldn’t you send them to the actual product page? By linking to your home page, you’re creating more steps for your visitor to get to what they actually want – and you could lose them in the process.

Bidding too high before identifying profitable keywords. It’s understandable that you want to get those highly coveted top positions with your ad, but not before identifying your most profitable keywords! If you fail to use keywords which are the most profitable, it means low – or no – conversions. A costly mistake! Start out using a variety of targeted keywords at a lower bid; once you see which are converting well, toss out the keywords that only bring clicks and bid higher on those that prove to be the most profitable.

There are plenty of Atlanta PPC management companies out there, but make sure the company you choose has a thorough understanding of how it all works. Even the smallest mistake can end up costing you a fortune!

At E.B.B. Interactive our Atlanta SEO firm is made up of a team of highly skilled and qualified professionals who specialize in all aspects of effective online marketing. Contact us today for outstanding results with your next pay-per-click campaign!

As a highly experienced SEO firm, we know that blog marketing can be an extremely important component of your overall marketing plan. Blogs are loved by search engines, because they offer up fresh content on a regular basis. People love them because they reveal a bit of personality, humor, even controversy on occasion. If you are blogging as part of your overall marketing strategy, how can you make your posts more ‘sticky,’ and what the heck does that mean anyway?

‘Sticky’ simply means that you retain visitors on your website by providing them with engaging content. In other words, the topic is so memorable and the content so compelling, those who come to your blog will think, “I gotta read this!” whether they have time or not.

So, how can you write sticky posts? Here are a few tips:

1. Write a relevant, simple title that is strong and delivers a direct message. The title determines whether your visitor will read the rest of the post!
2. Let your visitor know right away that the post will be easy to read. Short, concise sentences are best. Write in a conversational tone, including a little slang or humor every now and then. Let your unique personality shine through.
3. Engage the reader. Be human – people like to know that there is a real person behind the writing. Make it exciting, use contractions and quotes. Informative, fresh content makes for good reading.
4. Let your visitor know there’s more great stuff coming. To hold the interest of your reader, use language like, “But here’s what’s really going on . . ” and other phrases that will capture their attention and compel them to keep reading. Don’t do this too often though, or it becomes obvious to the reader.
5. Make the good stuff easy to find. Most people, even though you may offer killer content, simply scan it so they can pick out what they want to read most. Language helps you accomplish this as we were talking about in the above point. Bullet points and sub-headings also help structure your content in sections so readers can easily scan the page.

It would be nice if every post were “sticky,” but that’s not reality. When you’re writing a post on a particularly hot topic and want to engage your readers, keep the tips above in mind.

Blog marketing can be highly effective for attracting traffic and engaging your audience, which results in increased leads and sales – but you have to do it right!

At E.B.B. Interactive, our Hawaii SEO company consists of a team of experts in every area of marketing online from SEO, web design and email marketing to social media, mobile marketing and more. Let us make your company more visible online!

If you’ve been around the internet for more than two days, chances are you’ve heard of keywords, a “key” component of any SEO strategy. So, what is a keyword? It’s simply a search term, word, or phrase someone types into a search engine (such as Google) when looking for a product, service, or information. When choosing keywords for your website, you want those that are relevant and ultimately direct the user to your website. So, if you own a hand-crafted jewelry company named Jillian’s Jewelry, a valuable keyword would be “hand-crafted jewelry” or “hand-made jewelry.” Make sense?

The thing is, there will be many words that are valuable to attracting targeted visitors to your website, some more valuable than others. If you choose the very best keywords and use them in your content, you will attract new leads and customers.

Now let’s get down to the basics: What makes a great keyword?

Competition and difficulty. The more competition you have for a keyword or search phrase, the harder it will be for you to compete and be found in the search engine results pages (SERPs). This is where the Google Adwords Keyword Tool comes in handy. It will give you the competition in terms of low, medium, or high, and even tell you how many people are searching for that keyword or phrase on a monthly basis.

However, even if you have a keyword that’s highly competitive, it doesn’t mean you have to disregard it. Simply go with a few long-tail keywords instead, which are longer phrases that contain the primary keyword. Going back to the jewelry example, if one of your keywords is “jewelry,” which is highly competitive, a good long-tail keyword phrase to use would be “silver hand-crafted jewelry” or whatever materials are used in making your jewelry.

Impressions. When a keyword shows up in the SERPs, it is called an impression. Naturally, keywords that are a single word rather than a phrase will have far higher impressions – but that does not mean you should choose those keywords and in all honesty, you probably shouldn’t. Conversely, you don’t want keywords that have few or no impressions either, so finding a balance somewhere in the middle is preferable.

Value. The Google Adwords Keyword Tool offers a world of data that will help you choose the best keywords for your company website, including factors that help you determine keywords that are valuable. Is the keyword relevant to the content of your website, and if it is found by searchers, will they find what they are in search of on your website? When you type in the keyword in a major search engine, are there ads running along the right-hand side and top of the page? If you can answer “yes” to these two questions, then consider trying a “test” Adwords campaign to see how well the traffic converts. During the campaign, track both the conversion rate and impressions but make sure you review this data over the course of a few hundred clicks for the best measurement.

E.B.B. Interactive is a highly regarded Atlanta SEO firm specializing in search engine optimization, web design and development, and more. We understand that for many who are just bringing their businesses online, finding effective keywords can be your worst nightmare! Let us handle your SEO while you concentrate on other aspects of your business.

Nearly every company with a website online knows of Facebook, so there really is no need for an introduction of this social media giant. However, as a trusted Atlanta web development and marketing company, we know the many benefits of using Facebook for business. You may have your own personal profile, but do you have a business page?

If you’re not sure what the point is of using Facebook for your business, here’s a quick overview:

Build communities and relationships with customers. Ultimately, Facebook is the ideal place to engage your customers (and potential customers) and add value. It’s all about creating your brand’s personality, demonstrating your expertise in your industry, and interacting with your community. But, be aware that building a community takes time and commitment; it is a long-term strategy that over time will be the basis of all of your social media activities. If you aren’t using Facebook pages for business, you should be – and it doesn’t end there. Facebook ads and promoted posts help enhance your presence even further!

Now, here’s what you want to AVOID with Facebook:

Because we are an Atlanta web development company that focuses not only on web design and marketing but social media as well, we understand the pitfalls that can befall companies who don’t use it the right way. Don’t . . .

Ignore your Facebook Wall. A hit and miss approach doesn’t work; it is essential that you monitor interactions on a frequent basis. This is particularly true if anything negative is posted on your wall, as when you catch it quickly with a good response you can avoid giving the impression that you don’t care about customers’ opinions, or responding to problems/issues. Check your wall two or three times every day.

Fail to engage. Social media is not one-sided, it’s all about two-way conversations! Engage with your fans and followers. Don’t constantly promote, but publish good content that’s informative, and then listen to the responses. When you listen, you learn in terms of what your fans like! This makes it easier to deliver what your target audience wants, which in turn transforms engaged fans into customers.

We could go on and on about the advantages of using Facebook for business, but you can already see the benefits – increased visibility, better brand awareness, an opportunity to really “connect” with your audience and build your reputation as a leader in your industry!

At E.B.B. Interactive, our Atlanta web development company is a team of experts dedicated to seeing your company succeed online. If you don’t succeed, we don’t succeed. Let us take your company’s online presence to a whole new level!

Choosing the right Atlanta web marketing company is critical to your success, and a decision that should not be taken lightly. At E.B.B. Interactive, we don’t just look at our clients as a “project,” we take your company and its success seriously. We understand that you are trusting us with the future of your company, and count on us not only for amazing web design and development, but to get a substantial amount of targeted traffic to that website.

Before you choose an Atlanta web marketing firm, here are 3 things you should consider:

Reputation. No matter how eye-catching your web design is, you must be able to trust their marketing capabilities. Get proof of their track record and reputation. Who have they worked with, and what were the results? Other considerations:

• Does the company keep in touch with clients following a project launch to see the results they are experiencing?
• Are relationships with past clients strong and solid?
• Once the work is produced, do you have access to or own it?

We stand staunchly by our clients and the work we do; our goal is to ensure you are satisfied with the results.

Capabilities. Some companies offer only SEO or search engine optimization, others do web design, others write content for web pages. When all of the components are broken apart, it’s sometimes hard to achieve the results you are looking for. As an experienced Altanta web marketing firm, we do it all so there is no chance of anything getting “lost in the cracks.” When you have two or three different companies working on your online presence, it can be like having too many cooks in the kitchen – the recipe can end in disaster.

When looking for the right company, ask these questions:

• Do custom web design and development services meet industry standards, or even go beyond?
• Will you have access to a simple-to-use CMS (content management system) making it possible for you to easily make changes yourself, so that you don’t have to wait on someone “in the know” to do it for you?
• Is the company cutting-edge, and up-to-date on the latest PPC and SEO standards and techniques?

Results. The best web marketing firm focuses solely on achieving the results the client wants, not what the latest marketing trends are. We work with our clients toward one common vision: to increase targeted traffic, leads, and ultimately sales.

Be sure the Atlanta web marketing company you choose can offer ROI figures to support results, and is capable of measuring results in terms of Google ranking, conversions, etc.

If you’re in the market for an Atlanta web marketing firm you can trust to deliver beyond your expectations, count on the team at E.B.B. Interactive!

As a highly trusted Atlanta website design company who also specializes in SEO and other aspects of effective online marketing, all too often we see mistakes being made in the optimization of blogs, mistakes that are easy to correct. Your blog can drive an enormous amount of traffic to your website or product, but not if you’re forgetting that SEO is important in blogging, just as it is with a website. On-page SEO is critical to making your blog visible online, attracting new visitors, and helping grow your business and brand overall.

While it’s almost as simple as clicking “Add New Post” adding some content and clicking “Publish,” there are a few more things you need to do to ensure your blog gets the attention (and traffic) it deserves.

Ignore optimizing your headline or title. Just as E.B.B. Interactive wants to be found by those looking for Atlanta website design companies, you want visitors to find your blog using search terms you are trying to rank for. When possible, try to include your most important keywords in the headline or title of your post, as close to the front as possible. Your headline is your title tag in a blog post, so this is important.

Ignore linking your posts internally. Interlinking your post pages makes your blog more “sticky,” which simply means visitors will hang around longer, because there is more great information to be found. When you’re writing about a topic and have other posts on your blog which are relevant, link to them. This is beneficial for SEO purposes, and keeps visitors on your site longer – another factor in the importance of a blog/website in Google’s eyes.

Forgetting to include a meta description. Meta keywords aren’t really a big deal anymore, but the meta description is critical – this is what those searching see in the SERPs, what compels them to click on your blog. Keep your meta description to about 155-160 characters, and include relevant keyword phrases.

Never linking to other blogs or websites. Some people simply refuse to link out to relevant blogs, because they are afraid they will “lose” some of their traffic to another site. The fact is, linking out to highly trafficked blogs can increase your visibility in the blogging community, and Google likes to see blogs that link out to trusted, relevant sites.

It’s also important to optimize the blog post itself, using relevant keywords you have researched to ensure people are actually searching on those keywords. However, don’t go overboard and “stuff” your content, just let keywords flow naturally.

A popular blog that’s packed with engaging, informative content can be a huge boost to your company’s success. On the flip side of the coin, when you ignore SEO you may find that your blog is as deserted as a ghost town!

E.B.B. Interactive is an Atlanta web design firm focused on all aspects of online marketing. Our mission is to take your company to the top in terms of visibility, better brand recognition, and targeted traffic!

As trusted Atlanta SEO service providers who are dedicated to delivering exceptional results to clients, we understand that SEO is a tough concept to grasp for many people. What worked like a charm just yesterday may not work today, and the rules are constantly changing. Some trends come and go, other strategies work for the long-haul. When it comes to optimizing your website for search engines, we want to warn you about a few mistakes that could prove to be disastrous when it comes to SEO.

Here are our top 3 picks for SEO strategies you want to avoid at all costs:

Keyword stuffing. Remember back not too long ago when you would come across a page on a website that read something like this:

“Sara is a Los Angeles makeup artist who specializes in artistic make-up. If you need a Los Angeles makeup artist who is passionate about her work, Sara is a trusted make-up artist in L.A. who has done makeup for many special events and occasions.”

Not only does Google now abhor this type of gibberish, it’s apparent to readers that whoever wrote the content really went overboard. Keyword stuffing used to be effective; today, it will simply get your website penalized for over-optimization. Include your keywords in the meta description, title tag, and h1 or h2 tags (headers) here and there – but DON’T over-do it!

Optimizing for search engines instead of users. Today, Google is the number one search engine and wants to stay that way. Therefore, they want to deliver the best possible results to users, websites that really provide useful, informative, engaging content that isn’t the same rehashed stuff every other website provides. This means that first and foremost, you should keep the user in mind when optimizing your website. Is it easy to navigate and simply designed? Does it answer your visitors’ questions and engage them? A website that is well designed will enhance your SEO efforts, because visitors will return regularly – and will stay on your site longer, an important factor in ranking.

Using Flash instead of HTML. Sure, Flash looks great to the eye – but how does it look to search engines? While Google has made great strides in understanding the content on websites built using Flash, it’s still a long way from HTML, which search engines understand well and can process.

When it comes to SEO, it’s basically very simple – don’t over optimize your website, avoid keyword stuffing, and DO offer your visitors the best possible user experience! Aside from building a few quality inbound links, this is the “gist” of search engine optimization.

Want your website to soar high above the rest, both with search engines and your visitors? At E.B.B. Interactive, we are an Atlanta SEO company who specializes in taking our clients to the top!

When you think of website design, you may think about how the pages look visually – the color scheme, logo, layout, header, and other visual components. As a team of highly skilled web designers, we know that all of these things are essential to a company’s success and visitor engagement. However, without great content the rest is simply decoration!

While it’s true that visual appeal is important to capture your visitors’ eyes and attention, the content is what they really come for. It’s been proven time and time again that quality, useful content is the most important element in user interface design by far. Put a website with less than quality content and a nice layout next to a site filled with informative, engaging content and a simple structure, and which will perform better? The one that engages the reader through compelling, informative, or even entertaining content.

Here are a few reasons it’s important to use content as the foundation of your website’s design:

Web design should highlight copywriting, not the other way around.

When users notice your design’s interface too much, it’s likely due to the fact they don’t like it. Your website should be simply designed and easy to navigate; users notice when a site feels “clunky” or awkward and it’s nearly impossible to find what they’re looking for. The same goes for content – bad copywriting will kill your website, because far more users know now to read and write than to interpret great design.

Users see a website, the “whole” of it. They see the colors, graphics, content – all of it. Design and content are inseparable; they are essentially two sides of one coin.

Great content communicates your primary message; therefore, your site’s design structure should highlight and communicate this message. How your content reads plays a critical role in whether your website will attract more leads and customers, and how well it converts.

Ultimately, the goal of your website’s design should be to reinforce the content on your pages.

At E.B.B. Interactive, our San Francisco web designers understand the importance of great copy in designing an effective, highly converting website. Contact us today, we are confident we will exceed your expectations!

With all of the hoopla last year regarding Google’s Panda and Penguin updates, it’s easy to understand why many people feel that SEO, or search engine optimization, is dead. Hardly! The simple truth is that it’s evolving into something much better than before, when pages were keyword-stuffed and inbound links came from all over the place in an effort to obtain quantity over quality. What should you be focusing on today in order to get an edge over the competition? As a trusted Atlanta SEO company, we know that today it’s all about merging effective SEO strategies with social media.

If you’re one of the many who believes that search engine optimization is dead, chances are you’re one of the ones who centers your efforts on building backlinks manually and writing pages that are stuffed to the gills with keywords. THIS type of SEO is definitely dead, but what’s working today is integrating real relationships and social engagement into your marketing strategies . . . hmmm, isn’t that a fresh idea? Actually engaging with your target audience? Now there’s a new twist – and it’s been a long time coming.

Let’s put it this way. If you want to build your brand and optimize your web presence today, it’s all about creating meaningful connections rather than focusing on search engine manipulation. The old days of obsession over keywords, their density in your web pages, where they’re placed and whether you’ve used them one too many times or not quite enough are over. At E.B.B. Interactive, we are a SEO company that knows how search engine optimization and social media are integrating today to help companies build their brands and presence online.

Knowing how to use Facebook, Google Plus and other social media platforms in combination with a fresh content marketing strategy is essential in today’s internet marketing world. To sum it up, SEO is evolving to be what you might refer to as “real marketing,” where companies actually engage and build relationships with potential clients, maintaining strong relationships with existing customers as well. The days of chasing down customers and breathing down their backs like a used car salesmen are over; today, it’s all about attracting the customer to you!

E.B.B. Interactive is an Atlanta SEO and web design firm specializing in all aspects of effective online marketing. Our cutting-edge team is dedicated to helping companies of all shapes and sizes reach unimaginable success online!

As a trusted Atlanta custom web development company, we know that when it comes to developing a website, new design technologies and user engagement standards are changing almost constantly. Online, competition is tough; companies must be able to stand apart from the rest, and the design of a website must integrate with the company and brand positioning. A website that is appealing to the eye and engaging is not an option – it is a must.

How many custom web development companies are there online today? We couldn’t even begin to count them, but we do know that not all are capable of providing customers with made-to-order solutions. Many companies today from the smallest to the largest corporations have exact requirements in regards to the design and development of their websites. This is why it’s critical that you research the company you are considering to make sure they have the skill, experience, and proven track record when you’re looking for amazing results that are anything but ordinary.

Our Atlanta custom web development services really ‘push the envelope’ when it comes to staying on top of the latest design and development technologies. Some that have come to the forefront recently include:

HTML5 – While HTML coding has been around for what seems like forever, HTML5 is the latest edition, and is capable of running on tablets, smartphones and other low-power devices. Some of the latest elements provided by HTML5 include canvas, audio, video, and Scalable Vector Graphics which offer numerous advantages over raster-based graphics.

CSS – Currently, website developers are applying CSS3, the most modern version of CSS which provides for a balanced appearance and formatting of the content on the pages. CSS3 is feature-rich and includes outline, font, color, and other elements that make for comprehensive designing and styling.

Responsive layouts – While this isn’t really new, the importance of responsive web design cannot be stressed enough as the use of smartphones, laptops, tablets and other devices continues to grow. Essentially, responsive web design makes it possible for a company’s website to run perfectly in all environments.

Sounds like Greek, doesn’t it? At E.B.B. Interactive, we really don’t expect most business owners to understand what goes on ‘behind the scenes’ with developing an effective website – but we do want you to understand that the custom web development firm you choose makes all of the difference in the success you achieve online!

As a trusted Atlanta web design company, we want online businesses to understand the importance of effective website structure. Imagine if you were to go to your favorite store – maybe Walmart – and could barely find your way in, let alone locate what you were looking for. You walk in and no one is there to direct you; all of the aisles are set up at strange angles, the lights are out, and instead of being where they once were, the products are strewn in floors, out of place, in helter-skelter fashion. What would you do? No doubt look for the “exit” sign – and that’s just what your visitors will do if your website isn’t well-structured so they can quickly find what they’re looking for!

In reality, Walmart is set up to entice visitors to buy, to welcome you to browse the aisles (and buy more than you went in for). Special “deals” are set up as soon as you enter the store, aisles are clearly marked with the merchandise you will find on those aisles – and this is exactly how your website should be structured!

Establish your website’s architecture

Simple navigation is a must. Talented website design firms in Atlanta know that no one wants to dig through dozens of pages in search of the information they’re looking for, and they won’t – they will leave and go to your competitors. Keep your site’s navigation tabs to a minimum; if you have a huge site with many pages, consider a dropdown menu to consolidate secondary pages or move them to the bottom of the page, at the footer section. Users should be able to reach all internal pages of your site in no more than two to three clicks.

User experience matters, perhaps more than anything else

For users, the experience is emotional before anything else (although they probably don’t realize it). The color, design, and copy make all the difference in whether the visitor will remain on your site, or leave – within a few very short seconds.

• Color – Color evokes emotion, sets the mood. Bright colors are cheerful and energetic; subdued tones make a user feel relaxed and at ease. When you want a visitor to take action (make a purchase, sign up to your email list, etc.) consider bright, catchy colors that get noticed.
• Design – Great design is critical – it is, in essence, the “face” of your website. The right messaging and layout are key to the success of your website, and determine how long your visitor will stick around. A simple, aesthetically pleasing website with the right balance of style, color and other page elements will ensure your website does its job – attracting the visitor’s attention and keeping him/her on your site.
• Content is King, and clutter a definite turn-off. Your content should be informative, engaging, magnetic, and most of all unique. Write great content, but keep it to the point and address your visitors’ questions. Avoid clutter as it only confuses your visitor as to which direction he/she wants to go, which will lead in one direction – the exit sign (otherwise known as the “back” button).

At E.B.B. Interactive, we are an Atlanta web design company focused on one thing – success for our clients! If your website’s structure is lacking, it’s likely running off potential customers. Let us put our expertise to work for you.

On February 4, Bloomberg announced that social media giant Facebook is said to be creating a location-tracking app for mobile use that makes it possible to track the location of users. While the plans are not yet public, reliable sources have revealed that the app will run even when the program is not open on the handset, and will assist users in locating friends who are nearby.

Considering there are more than 1 billion users of Facebook today, the new app will be beneficial not only to users, but to the site itself as Facebook will be able to sell advertising based on users’ daily habits and their whereabouts. Privacy advocates and some consumers may not be too thrilled about the app, as many are already concerned about how Facebook handles private information. However, according to Facebook’s data-use policy, they may already have permission from users to run an app of this type, as the policy informs users that data may be used regarding location to help the company “serve ads that might be more relevant,” and to offer or suggest deals or events in the nearby area that may be of interest to users.

The new app, which thus far hasn’t been named, will allow users to find where their friends are located in “real life.” Users’ most recent location will be shared with friends within close geographical proximity.

According to CNET, Facebook’s new project is similar to apps such as Apple’s Find My Friends, Google’s Latitude and Foursquare. CNET calls these types of apps a “privacy minefield and battery drain” at their worst. Will Facebook release the new app inside their mobile app, or as one on its own that users opt into explicitly by downloading it? Guess we’ll see what happens later this month, when the new app is revealed!

Are you considering your own mobile application? At E.B.B. Interactive, our mobile app developers have the skill and experience essential to reaching the level of success you expect! Contact us today to discuss your project or idea.

If you guessed Facebook, you’re right – and it’s fairly obvious to most people, considering that nearly everyone uses the social media giant to communicate with family and friends, even advertise their businesses. For the time being, Facebook is the most popular mobile app in terms of unique users in the United States.

Back in October of 2012, Google Maps was passed in popularity by Facebook’s app, which remained number one for the rest of the year according to an article published recently at comScore.com. The article also indicates that one factor in the position swap was Apple’s decision to use Apple Maps on iOS 6 rather than Google Maps, which meant reduced usage of Google Maps for the month of October.

comScore first began tracking mobile app data in March of 2012; at that time, 65 million unique users used Facebook’s app. In December, there were 85.5 million monthly unique users in the U.S. across mobile platforms including RIM, Android, and iOS. After being removed from iOS 6 as a default app in October, Google Maps users declined from approximately 80 million in August and September to just over 70 million in October.

comScore’s Vice President of industry analysis Andrew Lipsman said that until Google Maps was removed from the iOS 6 platform, Facebook and Google maps were both experiencing good growth. Google Maps is making a comeback, though, after launching a new iOS 6 Maps app in December.

Still, there’s no reason to feel sorry for Google. Even though Facebook may have claimed top spot in the apps department, Google still came in strong in the next most popular app spots which include Gmail, Google Maps and YouTube. It looks like Facebook and Google will remain in fierce competition for some time to come!

Ready to create your own mobile application? At E.B.B. Interactive, our mobile app developers have the skill, experience and personal approach to deliver the results you expect. Contact us today!

Today, technology is an essential component of running a successful small business, whether you like it or not. Smartphone apps make it possible to run your business more efficiently than ever before, and many are free. If you’re up on the latest technology, you know that a smartphone offers most of the functionality you enjoy with your laptop or desktop. If you’re not up on the incredible things you can do with a smartphone, you should be. So, let’s get down to the three must-have smartphone apps for small business owners!

QuickOffice

Imagine being able to look at documents or spreadsheets without having to go into the office! You can, with QuickOffice, an application which offers support for the majority of Microsoft Office file types. You can even edit and save files.

Square and Intuit GoPayment

Need to accept credit card payments or checks while on the go? Mobile payment processing makes simple work of sending receipts, creating invoices, and accepting payments. These specialized apps offered by payment processors work by simply plugging a card reader into your smartphone’s headphone jack, then swiping the card.

LogMein

If there are times you would love to be able to access your office computers from wherever you may be, the LogMein app makes it possible. Once installation of LogMein is complete, you can control almost any aspect of your business computers using your smartphone! Perform backups while relaxing at home or away on vacation, look at that file you forgot to bring home, or access other vital information whenever and wherever you want.

As a business owner, you may also want to consider Skype for VoIP and video chat services, K9 Mail for checking or drafting emails, and networking apps such as LinkedIn, WorldCard Mobile and CamCard to help you share and stay connected. Today, business is going mobile, so stay on top of the latest trends in technology.

E.B.B. Interactive specializes in smartphone application development, helping make keeping track of your business easier, even on the go. Let us help you with your app idea!

It may sound a bit crazy, but search engine giant Google is at it again – now they’re profiting from developing apps for the iPhone, their direct competition. Today, most people choose between two choices when shopping for a smartphone; those powered by Google’s Android software, and the Apple iPhone. So, what’s up?

Essentially, those in the market for a smartphone can buy an iPhone and fill it with Google. While the relationship between Apple and Google has definitely gone south recently, Google has pressed forward in the past few months, improving on old iPhone applications and pumping out a few new ones that many consider major. In the past few months, the Google maps app for iPhone, released last December, has been downloaded more than any other program. Google has also come out with an improved software which enables iPhone users to gain access to its Gmail service, and has cranked out a YouTube application.

Why would Google help the competition? It’s not that they’re really trying to boost the popularity of Apple’s iPhone, but rather reach an audience of dedicated iPhone users who are ideal targets for their ads. By providing all of these services and apps for iPhone users, Google will essentially be able to access data that helps the company improve on the online products that provide a large percentage of the company’s profits.

Even though it looks like Google’s “helping,” Apple, the opposite could actually be true. According to Chris Silva, mobile analyst at Altimeter Group, the best way to recruit users from iPhone to Android smartphones is to get them using Google’s services. Ultimately, when iPhone users spend substantially more time in Google apps, Apple will be deprived of essential data necessary to improve the company’s own online service. In a nutshell, through creating apps and an improved user experience for iPhone users, Google is giving those users great products, building a connection that will likely lead to many switching over to Android smartphones.

At E.B.B. Interactive, we find stories like this very enlightening. Considering an iPhone or Android app of your own? As leading smartphone app developers, we’re ready to help!

It’s easy for nearly anyone to see (whether you’re someone who’s trying to “go green” or not) that the world’s becoming more environmentally aware. Canada’s definitely making strides toward a safer environment for future generations as well. Recently, a website and smartphone app was launched by the province of Manitoba’s government, making it easier for residents to recycle.

The new website, Manitoba Eco-Depot, lets visitors enter information such as the items they want to recycle and their location. After the user’s information is entered, the website generates a list showing the closest recycling centers relevant to what the item is that the user wants to recycle, such as pharmaceuticals, cell phones, or plastic bags.

The Manitoba Eco Depot App made for smartphones, like the website, allows users to locate the recycling centers closest to their locations, but provides driving directions to the recycling centers as well. Those interested will be happy to know the app is free, and available for download at the iTunes store.

Manitoba offers many recycling depots, according to Gord Mackintosh, Manitoba’s Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister. Mackintosh stated in a news article, “If you need to find a place to recycle your phone or laptop – now all you need to do is ask them.”

TomorrowNow is Manitoba’s green plan, an eight-year strategic plan developed by the government for ensuring an economy which is prosperous and protecting the environment. The new website and smartphone app are part of the TomorrowNow plan. This sounds like a strategy that perhaps those of us in the U.S. should take under consideration!

Smartphone app development is our specialty at E.B.B. Interactive. Have what you believe is a fantastic and maybe even profitable idea for an app? Contact our team of developers today to discuss your creative thoughts and ideas. You take care of the creativity, we take care of the technical end of things!

At E.B.B. Interactive, we’re a mobile development team all about not only developing apps for iPhones, Androids, iPads and other mobile devices, but staying on top of the latest news in apps. There are tons of apps which are focused on health, and since they help make exercise more fun, you’re more likely to stick to it instead of dropping out from boredom. So, without further ado we want to share six apps that will help you get (and stay) fit in 2013!

• Want to run with friends – and even strangers – from all over the world? Yog lets you join an existing race, schedule one of your own, look at those that are starting currently, and those you can choose to run in later. The best part? You can actually see the other runners who are participating on your phone in real-time. How cool is that?
• Eat a little too much . . . and don’t really keep up with it? Thryve helps you track your eating habits. Snap a picture of the food, then enter ingredients or other details. Did eating the food make you feel happy, guilty, or sad (faces you click on indicate how you felt after eating the meal)? Thryve works by helping you focus on food groups, and makes suggestions about what you could eat instead so that your diet is balanced and healthier.
• Fitsquare is where you can gain or lose points, track your progress, earn exclusive badges and compete against friends. You simply check in to the Foursquare healthy venues, then Fitsquare analyzes your check-ins and gives you a score determined by how healthy your check-ins are. Want an app that “nags” you about your health habits? Fitsquare is still in beta, but it’s definitely a unique approach to healthier habits.
• Nike+. Known for fitness gear for decades, Nike isn’t slowing down when it comes to being king of the tech-fitness space either. Earlier in 2012, Nike launched its Nike+Fuelband, which took the app world by storm. Want an app that tracks every movement you make, and measures it? You don’t have to be one of those who run 5 miles a day or is obsessed with working out. Nike+ gives you a good idea of how much you’re moving even when you’re simply doing everyday chores or activities.

Who would have ever thought that apps could help you get fit? There are really no limits when it comes to peoples’ unique ideas and creativity.

Ready to take your own “neat’ idea to the next level? At E.B.B. Interactive, we’re the mobile application developers who have a passion for what we do, which is take your creative app ideas to incredible new heights.

A new app made it possible for you to be right in the middle of the celebration as the ball dropped in Times Square this past New Year’s Eve! The free app for Android smartphones, iPod touch devices, iPads and iPhones also made it possible to celebrate the coming in of the New Year with all of your social media family and friends via Twitter, Facebook, and Foursquare.

The Times Square Ball Drop app offered lots of other features, including:

• The ability to watch the events leading up to the ball drop in Times Square via live streaming video along with other exclusive video content.
• A Toshiba Countdown Clock allowed for customization with your own time zone and personal photo.
• Photos, an event schedule, weather, news, map and history let you discover all you were curious to know about the New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square.

The app let you enjoy a live, 6 1/2 hour mobile stream of the event including celebrity appearances, performances by musical guests, opening ceremonies and of course, the big countdown at midnight as the year rolled over to 2013!

Pretty cool that you could join in the Times Square countdown live, wasn’t it?

iPad or iPhone users could download the app at iTunes; Android users could get it at Google Play. President of the Times Square Alliance Tim Tompkins said that revelers around the globe had the opportunity to experience the excitement and energy of New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

New iPhone and Android apps are being developed every day, some free, others at a low cost. Are you considering a great app idea that could be potentially profitable? At E.B.B. Interactive, our iPhone and Android application developers have the skill, experience and technical know-how to bring your ideas to life.

For the first time in mobile phone history, smartphones became the mobile of choice for mobile phone users in 2012, according to MacDailyNews. During the first quarter of this year, smartphones accounted for 49% of subscribers, and jumped to 56% by the third quarter. The popularity of mobile applications is also on the rise, and 10 were particularly popular for 2012 according to Nielsen. Facebook Messenger experienced the fastest growth among iPhone apps, and for Android? The winner was Twitter.

In the race between Google and Facebook, Google remained the top web brand, boasting 172 million unique visitors per month between January and October, with Facebook coming in at a not-too-shabby 153 million. Was video popular in 2012? You bet – and YouTube stayed on top in the online video world with a whopping 132 million viewers so far in 2012.

So, for the big question – what were the top 10 iPhone apps of 2012?

Maps came in at number one, with Facebook coming in second place followed by YouTube in third. Stocks took fourth place, weather fifth, and Facebook Messenger sixth. The Weather Channel came in number seven on the list of the top 10, followed by Twitter, Pandora Radio, and Instagram. As far as year-to-date growth, Facebook Messenger grew by an incredible 544%, averaging 10,458,000 unique users every month.

It’s clear to see that users of iPhones want to check on the weather, find their way from one location to another and keep an eye on their investments – but it’s also clear (and no surprise) that social media is huge, even for those on the go. Seems like Facebook and Twitter have become a natural part of the daily routine!

Have you had a “light bulb” moment of your own and thought of a possible iPhone application that would potentially be a big hit? Contact the professional team of iPhone app developers at E.B.B. Interactive today.