Sage Island has been given a special discount code just for our Facebook fans and customers, so if you are in the area and want to attend,  register with the code: sagebiztech. This waives the $5 entry fee to attend both the Expo and the after hours event. We hope to see you there!

Major news organizations including, ABC, CNN, BBC, ITV, Sky and others have been working extremely close with Twitter’s Media Team on new ways to integrate live media coverage and Twitter. As of last week, Twitter experienced its widest television integration to date with live coverage surrounding the royal wedding. According to Twitter Media, Royal Wedding related hashtags dominated the conversation with over 5.8 million tweets in a little over four days, with peak activity at 16,000 tweets per minute between 5 and 6am ET on the wedding day. On-air integration of Twitter hashtags were made very prominent within the live TV broadcasting of the Royal Wedding events, turning normal viewers into engaged participants. As part of the new media marketing environment, it was very exciting to witness.

There are many other successful campaigns integrating Twitter and TV – the Royal Wedding was just one example that reached new heights. Twitter reports that they have found that when TV shows bring Twitter elements into a broadcast, there is a direct and immediate increase in engagement on Twitter – that can ultimately drive higher TV viewership.

These media platforms are finding ways to complement one another more and more every day. Broadcasters are eager to develop new ways to encourage engagement, and utilizing social media marketing is certainly one way to do just that.

Some may believe that this feature is not as helpful in settings like the office, but for the people that can speak much faster than they can type, this feature could be fully utilized. A voice search desktop widget could also be in the works for this product. Google has given no statement that they plan to permanently include this feature on their site, but for now it is released to a select amount of users.

What do you think about Google Voice Search?

It is said that most deaths and injuries happen to people who are uninformed and unaware. Having access to social media can help you stay alert. To track the weather conditions in your state via Twitter, you can follow #(state abbreviation)wx. For instance, our Sage Island office is in NC, so we are following the hashtag #NCwx very closely. We hope everyone stays safe until these storms pass!

Facebook launched their Deals site earlier today to a small group of cities including San Francisco, Dallas, Austin, Atlanta and San Diego. The new Groupon competitor site fully utilizes all of the social features of Facebook, such as Notifications, Sponsored Stories, Likes and Shares amongst friends, email blasts and more.  Within the Facebook Deals Guide for Business they describe the Deals feature as a way to create unique social experiences for friends to enjoy together. Deals encourage people to share their excitement about your business, creating word-of-mouth for your business and can help you build long lasting relationships with your customers.

We believe this new Facebook feature is a great way to increase new customer reach, as well as increase your brand and customer loyalty. Facebook seems to be making it increasingly easier for people to recommend your business through several different sharing options within their platform. These days it is crucial to utilize the marketing features of Facebook and other social media channels because of their endless opportunities and simpler marketing tactics.

If you have any questions about Facebook Marketing, please feel free to contact us here at Sage Island.

Focusing on information technology, Wilmington area industry leaders will demonstrate the technologies they are developing, and how technology is being integrated into industry applications.

As an experienced internet marketing professional, Sage Island’s very own Mike Duncan will participate on a panel specific to Social Networking and Collaboration Tools at 3:45 p.m. In this session, Mike will provide insightful information on current social media platforms. You won’t want to miss it!

Following this panel, students, faculty and local technology companies have the opportunity to network and share collective technology experiences in an open networking forum. Jason Dudley, UNCW IT student and Sage Island employee will be showcasing a project alongside other students from the Information Systems and Computer Science Department.

While the exhibit and networking opportunity is free of charge, the panel presentations require registration and seats are quickly filling. Register today and reserve your spot.

Local Business Owner to attend China Action Sports Retail Summit

WILMINGTON, NC, September 16, 2010 — Wilmington native and local business owner Mike Duncan will be a presenter at the China Actions Sports Retail Summit and CASE this month. Held September 25th-28th in conjunction with a Surfing Festival in Hangzhou, China, the Summit will bring together experts in the actions sports industry to focus on how action sports retail is evolving in the country and how US retailers can grow business in China during these fundamental, early years. The summit will include panels and Q & A on how US brands and independent retailers can partner to grow their business. “The potential for growth in this new, growing market is unlimited, and we are excited to be a part of this conference,” said Duncan.

Mike will be attending the summit on behalf of Board Retailers Association – a nonprofit organization that represents over 3,500 US storefronts in the action sports industry. The association is recognized nationally as the representative of surf, skate, snow, wake, wind and kite specialty retailers. BRA identifies ways of lowering the day-to-day costs of doing business and negotiates on behalf of the group to strengthen the specialty retail distribution base and grow the industry. The Board Retailers Association serves as the preeminent voice for independent retailers with manufacturers, trade show representatives and other associations. Mike’s experience in the action sports industry does not stop with BRA. He is also CEO of Warehouse Skateboards, an online skateboard store with over 15,000 products, all skate specific. WarehouseSkateboards.com is the go-to place on the internet to buy anything from decks, wheels, and accessories, and for skaters to immerse themselves in the online community Mike has created. Mike is also CEO of Sage Island, a local marketing agency with a large action sports client base

WILMINGTON, NC, August 30 2010 — Sage Island is happy to announce the addition of three full-time employees to our team. “After a strong summer and increased demand in our services, we have decided to bring on additional staff to strengthen our team and better serve our customers,” said Mike Duncan, CEO of Sage Island.

Spike Bachman has joined the Graphic Design team at Sage Island. Spike has over 14 years in the design and marketing industry creating for print, packaging, environmental graphics and the web. His professional background includes positions as Associate Creative Director at Morvil Advertising + Design Group and Senior Art Director at D3, Inc. He has managed both regional and multi-national accounts with great success and specializes in corporate identity, new product initiatives and online business development. His experience and leadership make Spike an invaluable and complimentary asset to our team at Sage Island.

Matt Miller also joined the design team at Sage Island. Matt graduated from Radford University with a BS in Media Studies, Web Design Concentration and a Minor in Graphic Design. He gained his experience not only in school where he was awarded the Silver ADDY for packaging design among other graphic design awards, but also as a freelance designer providing art direction, branding, and consulting services for commission projects. Matt has quickly become an important member of the Sage Island team.

Patti Ginsberg joins Sage Island as Financial Analyst and brings with her a strong background in accounting and finance. Patti graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia with a Master of Taxation and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Her prior experience includes Corporate Controller of Kempsville Building Materials Inc. in Virginia Beach, VA among other leadership positions. Her impressive background make Pattie a great fit at Sage Island.

Bachman, Miller, and Ginsberg each bring unique talent and experience to Sage Island. “We are fortunate to have such positive growth and are excited to continue providing our customers with the best service possible,” said Mike Duncan.

In an effort to compete with advertising across a social platform, Downy is promoting a new way to stay connected with friends and family. Until May 31, those who enter a snapshot photo with a pledge caption are automatically entered to win the ultimate reunion trip. Downy, the fragrant fabric softener, wants you to share this pledge with the world and connect with family and friends in a whole new atmosphere. So check it out, submit your own Downy pledge and stay connected with family and friends in a whole new way.