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Perspective: Upper Management vs Information Technology
2009-09-14 21:34:00
Just received this story and thought it was too funny not to share. Hopefully you'll get a laugh too, whether you work in Information Technology or upper management.
More About: Management , Information Technology

Layar ? Mobile Augmented Reality
2009-08-19 17:52:00
The first mobile Augmented Reality browser is derived from location based services and works on mobile phones that include a camera, GPS and a compass.
More About: Mobile

Video Commerce Consortium interview on Vacations Canada TV
2009-05-12 20:55:00
Last week I was interviewed by Justin Foster, Founder of the Video Commerce Consortium. The Video Commerce Consortium is the world?s largest and fastest growing group of e-commerce professionals, online marketers, and technologists dedicated to advancing the use of video in e-commerce.
More About: Canada , Interview , Vacations

How to Explain Social Media in a Sales Driven Organization
2009-05-12 20:08:00
There is a conversation already taking place on the web about our products and brands, and experts warn businesses can ?ignore this conversation at your own peril?. We will NEVER have the ability to ?control? consumer opinion or negative feedback (nor would we want to) ? whether it happens on our site or other websites ? we must respond to it and that means correcting problems and issues and then communicating publicly.
More About: Social , Media , Organization , Sales

Celebrity Twitter Overkill
2009-05-12 19:20:00
In this sequel to the Twouble with Twitter s, we see the Celebrity Twitter Overkill with Ashton Kutcher, P-Diddy and more!
More About: Video

Facebook Manners & You Video
2009-04-20 02:07:00
Learn manners and common courtesy expected on the "electric friendship generator" Facebook .
More About: Video

Online Revealed 2009 ? Canadian Online Travel Conference
2009-04-09 22:13:00
The 4th Annual Online Revealed conference begins Tuesday April 13, 2009. I head out tomorrow for a quick visit home to the little Scottish town of Fergus, Ontario and then off to the mighty Niagara Falls.
More About: Travel , Canadian

Vacations Canada TV - Canada Travel Videos
2008-05-15 03:43:00
Vacations Canada TV is now LIVE providing viewers with unique holiday ideas and vacation experiences in Canada.Now you can hop aboard a VIA Rail train in the Canadian Rockies, or relax to soothing massage on a spa vacation in Banff Canada. Immerse yourself in vacation experiences in Canada before you book! Exclusive vacation packages are available below each episode. Check it out now - click here to visit Vacations Canada TV.
More About: Videos , Travel , Vacations

Vacations Canada - New Package Website LIVE
2008-04-26 20:31:00
Vacations Canada is now LIVE! This new Canada vacation package website features the best of Canada including train vacations, motorcoach tours, self-drive holidays, golf packages, and much more!Canada travel planners can now view enhanced planning content including pricing, itineraries, pictures, videos, dynamic maps, and even traveler reviews and photos. Vacations Canada TV episodes have also been integrated into relevant packages so users can get a real feel for their vacation experience in Canada BEFORE they travel.Click here to visit the new Canada Vacation Package website.
More About: Website , Vacations , Live

2007 Canada E-Connect Conference Video
2008-04-07 01:04:00
If you missed the Canada E-Connect Conference this past November in Vancouver, you can check it out here. It was a fantastic event and I'm already looking forward to the 2008 conference...
More About: Video

Enter to WIN - Lake Minnewanka's Name that Boat Contest
2008-03-13 17:59:00
This spring Lake Minnewanka Boat Tours in Banff National Park will launch a brand new Lake Cruiser. This new tour vessel seats 65 passengers and will be a welcome addition to the fleet in the Canadian Rockies.Lake Minnewanka needs your help naming the new boat - Enter your three boat name ideas and you'll have a chance to WIN prizes.Click here to enter now!
More About: Contest

Dot Travel - Future Uncertain for Travel Domains
2008-02-10 21:19:00
Following recent news surrounding dot travel domains, travel marketers are questioning the value of adopting a proposed common domain extension for the travel industry. Ironically these questions have likely contributed to the slow adoption and changes occuring.The dot Travel (.travel) domain was launched globally to the travel and tourism industry to create a trusted standard by which consumers could rely on. In order to secure a dot travel domain, travel and tourism companies were required to pass an authentication process. This ensured that consumers could rely on the fact that once they reached a dot travel domain, they would be dealing with an offical and authentic travel provider or destination company.About a year ago, I was surprised when a representative contacted me (YES they called ME!) to let me know that many dot travel domains were being released and the authentication process would be 'relaxed'. I have been a strong supporter of the concept since inception so I was...
More About: Future , Domains

Vacations Canada TV - Coming Soon
2008-01-10 01:57:00
Check out the new teaser on Vacations Canada TV. This new Canadian travel web tv will featured hosted shows providing users with travel tips, vacation destinations and unique holiday experiences in Canada. Exclusive vacation package ideas will also be available during upcoming themed travel spots (derived entirely from high-definition footage). Make sure to subscribe to be notified when new shows go live and stay tuned to have a chance to WIN prizes and much more!

Winners Announced - Canadian E-Tourism Awards 2007
2007-11-27 03:11:00
What a fantastic inaugural event! The Canadian e-Tourism Awards ceremony took place on November 8th at the Telus World of Science in Vancouver, BC. Category finalists were announced and Miss Canada was there to help present the awards.In the spirit of Web 2.0, a Travellers category was appropriately introduced and Mike Earle won the top prize from finalists entered in video, storytelling and photo categories. His video of a collapsing iceberg off the coast of Labrador was awe-inspiring and reactions from passengers put viewers right along side him in the boat.From the Industry category, Nahanni River Adventures took Best in Show and the Yahoo! Big Idea Chair award (and a real comfy Yahoo! purple chair) for their new website which boasts some great content and some really neat features. They were up against some stiff competition from several industry categories.Visit the Canadian e-Tourism Awards website to see all the winners!
More About: Winners

Save Energy with Blackle
2007-11-26 16:46:00
If you're an environmentally friendly 'pencil-pusher' and you haven't heard of it yet - make sure to check out 'Blackle'. In January 2007, a blog post proposed that a black version of Google could actually save energy since "a given monitor requires more power to display a white (or light) screen than a black (or dark) screen". Since Google's traffic is significant, Heap Media developed Blackle - the first black search engine powered by Google. Click here to check out Blackle.com now
More About: Energy , Save

Canadian E-Tourism Awards - Vote now!
2007-10-15 01:38:00
Industry category finalists for the prestigious new Canadian e-Tourism Awards have been determined!The Industry Awards recognize excellence in website design, online campaigns and innovation for three sectors: public, private and small and medium-sized enterprises.Consumers from around the world can now view the submissions from 18 finalists within the Website Design and Online Campaigns categories.Help determine who will receive the Yahoo! Canada "Big Ideas Chair Award". Yahoo! Canada's "Big Ideas Chair Award" is the Industry category's best-in-show accolade. YOUR votes will help decide which organization will WIN.Cast your vote now at www.CanadianEtourismAwards.com - until October 21st.It's so easy to vote. What are YOU waiting for?
More About: Vote , Adia

SEO: Domain Authority vs. Keywords in your URL
2007-09-27 16:53:00
I just finished reading this great post from Rand of SEOmoz where he explains the 4 most significant factors for search engine rankings. (actually the comments and discussion are very amusing as well) SEO/SEM's are aware of these and various combinations of other factors that contribute to a website's page ranking, but this made me recall a little test I launched about 3-4 months ago.The question I wanted to answer is, which is more effective; a domain/URL that includes the keywords to which I'm targeting OR a domain/URL that's been online for 5-10 years. There are many other factors of course (relevant links, etc, etc) but I wanted to try a little test of my own. I spent a grand total of about 1-2 hrs putting up a one-page site (if 'content is king' - this site is a peon for sure). The URL is www.traveldealscanada.com. I put a bit of text in, title and metatags, and mostly it's quite 'spammy' in my opinion. All it really contains is Google Adsense and some links to a fe...
More About: Domain , Keywords , Authority

Photosynth - The Future of Search?
2007-09-15 21:14:00
Check out this incredible demonstration of Photosynth ! Blaise Aguera y Arcas, an architect at Microsoft Live Labs, architect of Seadragon, and the co-creator of Photosynth, provides a demontration on a monumental piece of software capable of assembling static photos into a synergy of zoomable, navigatable spaces. It has incredible implications for the near future enhancing the way we locate, manipulate and relate information and images.
More About: Future , Search , The Future , Synth

The Future - Microsoft Surface
2007-09-07 21:27:00
Want to see what your computer will look like in a few years? It could happen sooner than you think! Microsoft Surface will change the way we think of our old computer... allowing users to interact with digital assets and media by touch - without a keyboard or mouse! It appears to be the natural evolution of computers when you see it in action.It won't be long till multi-touch screens are everywhere replacing manual buttons on our phones and elevators, providing directions on street signs and buildings, and allowing us to load, synchronize and teach our electronic devices simply by touch. 'Plug and play' will become 'Touch and play' by allowing the user to transfer digital assets between two devices without wires, cables or annoying software and driver updates. It might not be long till we're shopping for the latest, greatest Dell DESK or TABLE? Could paper become a thing of the past?The possibilities seem endless for marketers and consumers alike. The customer service appli...
More About: Future , The Future , Microsoft Surface

Facebook Extends Public Search
2007-09-05 18:22:00
Facebook is still growing in more ways than a few... and growing outside of it's own community. A while back, the giant allowed users to share photo albums with non-Facebook users. Starting today, Facebook will allow the public (non-registered users) to search for people and view a public profile listing.Public profiles will soon also be found from search engines! By simply typing someone's name into Google, you'll be able to find a long lost friend or business contact on Facebook. This should translate to a great deal of traffic and search engine referrals for Facebook and potentially expand this network even further.Don't worry, users who are concerned about privacy will have the opportunity to change their settings to allow or NOT allow their profile to be viewable by the general public OR search engines.My hope is that Facebook 'Groups' will also be found on search engines soon, and could be leveraged by companies for SEO and community building. For more, read John Batte...
More About: Search , Facebook

Share your Canada Travel Stories and Photos!
2007-08-29 02:26:00
Did you or someone you know capture a fantastic photo on vacation in Canada ? Perhaps you posted an amusing story in your blog? Or maybe caught it on video? The point is you got it, you posted it. Now Canada wants to recognize you!For the first time ever, a national travel and tourism industry organization will recognize individuals for telling their travel stories online. The Canadian e-Tourism Awards, hosted by the Canadian Tourism Commission and Yahoo!Canada, is looking to recognize the best Canadian travel experiences being told online through words or images. They are looking for links to travel photos, stories, and videos that show the most moving and thrilling moments of Canadian travel adventures.Apply now through midnight PDT, August 31, 2007 at www.canadianetourismawards.com at no cost to individual travellers from all over the world and Canadian residents. The C$95 submission fee is waived for individual travellers and non-marketing agency travel and tourism businesses. En...
More About: Travel , Photos , Stories , Share

New Features in Google Earth & Google Maps
2007-08-23 16:48:00
Google has just released some cool new features. The new version of Google Earth includes the new Sky feature which allows you to explore the stars and distant galaxies. Zoom in on constellations and even see the movement of planets! The new addition utilizes images from NASA and will provide a great learning tool for kids.Perhaps more interesting to you e-marketers, Google Maps has just made it easier to add an interactive map to your website. Webmasters no longer require a Google API or even knowledge of javascript to embed a map. Maps can be embedded quickly and easily much like sharing a YouTube video. Way to go G!
More About: Google , Features , Google Earth

Canada-e-Connect e-Tourism Strategy Conference
2007-08-15 16:56:00
If you haven't registered yet, make sure to do so - you won't want to miss this upcoming event. Presented by the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), the Canada -e-Connect Conference relates to individuals within Canada's Tourism industry who look to enhance e-Marketing and online strategies. This premier event will allow travel industry professionals from various tourism sectors, the chance to share and develop new ideas related to online strategies, emerging technologies, and much more! Check out the interview below with Jens Thraenhart, Excecutive Director of Marketing Strategy and CRM for the CTC...To date, keynote speakers include Anthony D. Williams (co-author of Wikinomics) and Jeremy Gutsche (CEO of Trend Hunter Publications). I will provide updates as more distinguished keynotes are added.In addition, I am honoured to be part of the first-ever Canada e-Tourism Council representing marketing professionals from various sectors and regions of Canada. The council will convene ...

Travel 2.0 and the new Rocky Mountaineer Guest Lounge
2007-08-10 17:25:00
This week, Rocky Mount aineer launched their new online Guest Lounge . Rocky Mountaineer's venture into Web 2.0 looks to be a perfect fit.The new guest area includes the usual; a blog, features that allow guests to post and see photos, comments, and travel experiences. A loyalty program that periodically features a returning customers with stories and a map of their travels. The Trip of a Lifetime book provides a few short stories from the people who were integral to the company's beginning and growth.A simple but cool Map feature; "Voices from Around the World" allows viewers to click on a particular country and read guest comments from the corresponding country.It seems there are several contests which include a smart referral feature allowing previous guests to recommend a trip to friends and family in return for a chance to win a train vacation. Also, the "Best Idea" contest encourages customer suggestions and recommendations in return for a chance to win.It's a simple, clean a...
More About: Travel

Marketing Strategy versus Tactics
2007-08-06 00:03:00
Here are some very basic points small businesses should consider before they begin marketing on the web. Similar to developing an initial business plan or marketing plan, start thinking big picture and then drill down to specific activities. Careful planning in the beginning will save you a great deal of time and money - and provide a greater return on investment in the end.1.) GOALS and OBJECTIVES - What do you want to accomplish? Build traffic? Increase sales? Or perhaps you simply want to generate inquiries from your website?2.) STRATEGY - Next you'll need to develop an overall strategy or plan that will allow you to accomplish these objectives. Focus your plan of action around your target audience.3.) and finally, define several effective TACTICS to support your strategy. These are the nuts and bolts of your action plan. These are the activities that you can test, track and measure to determine their effectiveness related to your overall strategy. Tim Berry does a great job of ...
More About: Marketing , Marketing Strategy , Strategy , Tactics , Versus

The Future of Media - Movie Predictions
2007-07-22 19:45:00
Well - sorry it's been a while since I've posted anything. This month was a busy one! I got married in Puerto Vallarta at Dreams Resort and Spa.If you haven't seen this already - I encourage you to check it out. I thought this video was very intriguing and especially the parts related to living life in a virtual world. Since I'm a movie buff, I had to relate some of these predictions to big-screen movies that provided us with a glimpse of what the future might be like.I have read about e-paper and realize it's not too far off where interactive ads will appear on our cereal boxes - like in the movie Minority Report.We already have numerous online identities and it's only a matter of time before these translate to representative digital 'agents' or 'entities'.Way back in 1983, Brainstorm told the story of a group of scientists who invent a device which allows sensations and higher brain functions to be scanned directly from the brain, recorded, and played back, allowing anot...
More About: Media , Movie , Future , The Future , Predictions

Banff Refreshing - Banff Gets a Facelift
2007-07-02 03:25:00
Jay Hay explains a bit of what's going on in Banff these days. It's a little unpleasant but when is construction NOT? When it's all said and done in a few months, I think it will be a welcome change...(there's a couple nasty comments on YouTube about this. Wonder where he lives?? I guess they don't have any construction there?!!! right)
More About: Facelift

New Website Launched - Banff Custom Jewelry
2007-07-02 00:52:00
xSite Marketing is pleased to announce the recent launch of the new Banff Custom Jewelry website.The site was developed to showcase custom gold jewelry and hand-carved rings created by custom goldsmith, Douglas Bell."We wanted a rich, classy and elegant look and from the comments we've received, I think xSite Marketing has acheived that." said Sharon Doupe, Doug's partner and business manager.The site was developed with search engine friendly urls/page names to capitalize on specific keywords and phrases related to the product offerings. As time goes on, pages will be added featuring jewellery on topics including wildlife, mountains, nature, pets and more.The custom jewelry Doug offers is very unique and xSite wishes him the best of luck in his new business.
More About: Website , Launched

Online Revealed 2007 - Online Travel Marketing Conference
2007-06-13 03:10:00
Online Revealed 2007 took place May 27-28 at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto, Ontario. It was nice to return 'home' and I was happy to tie in a visit with my family.Monday morning opened up with a lively debate titled "Selling Complex Travel Products Online". Speakers included Sean Shannon, Managing Director of Expedia Canada, Amber Hayes, CEO of Adventure Engine, Krista La Riviere from Hot Banana, and Eric Barber, Senior Director of Operations at Realstar Hospitality (Starwood Resorts). They debated a topic I am very interested in with my new position at Brewster Inc. since many of our vacation packages are comprised of more than 30 components.Eric, who was a lively and intelligent speaker and had us laughing at times, pointed out that OTA's (Online Travel Agencies) will need to put a great deal more effort into keeping customers (providing more value and better service). As soon as the intermediary's customer walks into that hotel lobby, it's obvious that the hotel (and suppli...
More About: Marketing , Online , Conference

Canadian Online Travel Marketing Conference
2007-05-20 03:38:00
In just over a week, I'll be heading to the Online Revealed Conference in Toronto. This is the second annual event, and my first time attending the conference.There are some great keynote speakers attending including Hunter Madsen, the Head of Marketing and Martin Byrne, National Director of Search Marketing Operations from Yahoo, Canada. John Bray, a senior consultant from PhoCusWright will surely provide some great insight. Ron Andruff, president and founder of the Tralliance Corporation will give us an update on the global use and direction of the .travel initiative.I'm especially interested in some of the workshops from HSMAI (Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International). I've opted to attend some of their workshops related to online travel booking and distribution. I'm certain social media content and sites will be a hot topic and of course SEO.I'm looking forward to connecting with new faces and catching up with others with whom I've spoken but not yet met,...
More About: Travel , Canadian