The year is almost done so let’s take a look back at what you wanted to know from us and a few tips to get you ready for 2013.

How is your technology? Mark Evans takes a look at when to upgrade your hardware. 

He also offers some tips on how to stay savvy with your social media plans.

Speaking of social media savvy, one of the best campaigns run in 2012 was  f the RedBull Stratos space jump with Felix Baumgartner.

How good was it? We used Sysomos’ MAP tool to track the worldwide response.

MAP was also used by Mark Blevis to track the social media buzz around the US Elections.

Also on our greatest hits’ list is our webinar on How to Get Journalists to Call You. Lisa Elia, founder and CEO of Lisa Elia Public Relations took us through tips on how to lay the proper groundwork so journalists and bloggers are motivated to call publicists.

Our top searches included how to write a boilerplate and how to use a boilerplate to tell your company’s story. Many people looked up how to write a press release, how to write a press release for journalists, and how to write a social  media press release.

Enjoy the last four days of 2012!

Google launched its Google+ Communities last week creating another way to connect with people who share the same interests.

It’s pretty easy to use. You search for an interest whether it’s skiing or knitting or Star Trek and join the community. Then you interact with like-minded people. If there isn’t a community, you can create one in less than ten minutes.

So you know what to do if you like Star Trek but Google+ Communities is also a great place to grow your brand. You can set up a community based on your products and invite your brand ambassadors to interact with you, your brand and your product. (more…)

This appeared on our Small Business blog but because it’s always relevant (and good) we’re putting it here as well:

By Mark Evans

The year is almost over and it’s time again for end-of-year lists. This one is most interesting for anyone in business, small or large. It’s a round up of social media blunders by big US corporations.

In the 7 Worst Tweets of 2012, Inc. outlines the big mistakes of the year and how they can be fixed.

While the stories are hilarious or worrisome, the solutions are a bit too high-end for a small business. But there are lessons to be learned that you can adapt for your own company. Here’s five ways you can avert social media faux pas: (more…)

By Deborah Baum, Supervisor, Editorial US West

So you work for a great company and you make an awesome product that can do some really cool stuff, what’s your next step? Getting your name and brand out to the public and letting everyone know what it is your company can do, how you do it, and how remarkably well your products and services will fulfill an industry niche. But wait! Before you jump into all the technical specs of how many bits, bytes, downhole drill meters or parts per million, remember the golden rule of all writing: keep it simple. (more…)

By Salena Barcenas, Associate Editor, Los Angeles

Writing a press release that is concise, clear and informative can sometimes be a challenge. Toss in numbers and it can be difficult to navigate through percentages, ratios, dollar amounts, profit and loss stats and numerals. Here are some tips to help when including numerous numbers in your release. (more…)

We received amazing feedback on our last Sysomos Industry Insider which took a look at the fast food industry. Our second Sysomos Industry Insider takes a look at the more than one billion smartphones in use around the world. (more…)