Killer Brownies, YouTube Live Streaming and More


Killer Brownies, YouTube Live Streaming and More

Keeping up with the latest is important for your small business’s success. Here are the top stories of the week from the Small Business Trends editorial team:

Marketing & Branding

Local grocery bakeries battle over “killer brownies.” Or not. Actually this is the story of how cooler heads prevailed in a dispute involving the branding and geographical marketing of a very special bakery product. And we even throw in a recipe for good measure. Enjoy!

The Scary Snowman teaches business lessons — with some fun. There are probably harder gigs than dressing up like a life-sized snowman and scaring people silly. But even this business has some things to teach the average business owner about interacting and making an impression.

Online Services

YouTube offers streaming video to all users. Though you must have a verified account in good standing as far as YouTube is concerned, this is importance news for businesses and marketers. YouTube introduced streaming video for selected users in 2011, but is now rolling out the feature for everyone.

Google Talk in Windows to be silenced. If you’ve gotten use to the Windows version of Google Talk for communicating with your team, here’s some bad news. The Google Talk for Windows app is going away in the next few months. Happily there are some rather simple alternatives.

Tech

Apple’s Mac Pro may face delivery delays. It’s a very niche product with a premium price tag. And those pros who need it will have to wait longer than they might have expected to get their devices. But most probably feel it’s just as worth the wait as it is the investment.

Mobile

AT&T wants to dump phone subsidies. And they aren’t the only ones, it turns out. Businesses in need of regular smartphone and mobile device upgrades to keep up with the technology may have a problem. But there are some options.

Nokia is developing an Android phone. Yes, you heard right. The company most closely associated with mobile products running on Windows is making an Android phone. And this is at the same time the company is being acquired by Microsoft. Learn more.

Content & Communications

Reverse guest blogging may be the next content marketing trend. As search engines change the way they evaluate content, you must re-evaluate the way you create it. In this new environment, it’s no longer sufficient to publish just anything guest posters submit. Here’s an alternative.

What is a “selfie?” And should you use them to promote your business? “Selfie” is the new trendy term for a self portrait. It should be distinguished from self-portraits in traditional photography by the fact that it is generally taken with a smartphone camera or front facing camera on your laptop or tablet. Small Business Trends CEO Anita Campbell asks whether these often-used photos really present the most professional impression of your business.

Franchise

This franchise could rock your world. See this post on the School of the Rock franchise, a unique business that combines music and creativity with a franchise model. The business offers camps and music lessons for rock musicians in training.

Reading via Shutterstock

5 Comments ▼
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  1. Ooooh, brownies. I need to go read that article. The recipe too. 🙂

    I’ve read the Scary Snowman article. I found the video a chuckle!

    Selfies are the present and the future, whether appropriate in some instances or not. I find them amusing, although some can be questionable.

    • It’s a really interesting article. It is how two bakeries claim that they own the recipe when it is really from Betty Crocker. I love to bake myself and I love reading Betty Crocker books. She makes the best recipes.

      • In which case, neither of them own the recipe, no?

        Glad they managed to sort things out though, even though I could just about get my head around it.

        I don’t have a baking bone in my body. Another lifetime, perhaps 🙂

  2. I saw that about the Mac Pro on a forum I was reading and thought it was just a bunch of hype but now that I have seen it here, it must be real. It seems like there are a lot of delays with Apple lately.

    • Release date delayed ’til February/March? A whole Apple? Hmm.

      They’re pushing it, but I guess it’s better than releasing something that’s not ready for the market.

      If a further delay comes up though, I don’t think things will go down well.