The old year is fading away, but social media marketing most decidedly is NOT. Facebook may tighten visibility again and the popularity of various platforms may wax and wane, but online engagement with your clients will continue to be an important part of your marketing mix. Are you failing to make the most of this opportunity?

As 2014 winds to a close, let’s take a look back before jumping into 2015! We pumped out an article at least every other week for you the whole year through. Let’s glance back at the top 10 DIY Sprocket Solution articles of 2014. Just like last year folks –see the ones you missed, the ones you loved, and the ones we really had no clue would become so popular.

Next week is Black Friday and while everyone is scrambling to decide where they're going to spend their money, on what, and how long ahead of time they have to get in line to get it -you should be checking off the boxes to make sure you're up and running for those customers to burst in.  Or click in, if they're just visiting your site...

One of the biggest mistakes people make with their first website is buying by price instead of by features. But trying to save a few bucks now can bring you a world of trouble later. Here are three case studies of clients who came to us when their first websites failed them.

I work from home.  I'm not sure about you, but there's one thing I want to do when I have 30 things on my to do list for the day.  Clean.  I want to clean the house.  Organize everything all around me.  Why?  To feel organized and in control.  On a day that I'm being pulled in 324 different directions, I want a clear mind, clear living room floor, clear windows... you get the point.  Does it hack away at my to do list for the day?  No.  Does it keep me from pulling out all my hair and throwing the computer out the window?  So far, yes.  So what can you do?  What can you do tame the days you know you might have a crazy-stressedout-meltdown-throwyourcomputeroutthewindow-shovechocolateinyourface kind of day?  Set yourself up for success -start the day before.

Every website should have some kind of traffic measurement, and many websites actually do! Google Analytics is a popular tool because it’s free to install and it offers incredible insight into your web traffic. But if you never look at the reports or can’t figure out what they’re telling you, Analytics can’t help you.

The holidays are approaching and social media doesn’t just stop because the date is November 27th or December 25th. Halloween is right around the corner and before we know it we’ll be in full holiday swing. This means several things for brands and companies. The holiday season can be an unbelievably useful marketing time. It’s also an incredibly busy time as well. How do you balance promoting your business and getting through the holidays in your personal life? Priorities –and there are a few that should top your list.