Last week AOL Advertising, the largest online ad network, released a study revealing that Spanish-language online ads are not only failing to connect with Hispanic audiences, but actually alienating them. These ads are typically translated from English to Spanish, segmenting the audiences only by the languages they speak with little regard for their life stages, interests, or other psychographics… No wonder they’re turned off.

This report begs us to examine the way we build foreign language websites and how we speak to our multi-cultural site visitors. At Boston Interactive, we receive frequent inquiries from companies looking to expand their web presence into multiple languages. And as we operate in a global economy and a world that is so connected by the web, more and more organizations have to consider this every day. Even if your company does not need a foreign language site today, it’s important to consider whether it may need one in a few years. That way you can build your website to accommodate future phases. Read More…

If you’ve been to an airport or taken a train in the past few months, you’ve likely noticed the increasing popularity of the e-reader. The Kindle was Amazon.com’s best selling product across all categories this holiday season, dozens of so-called “Kindle cousins” took CES by storm earlier this month, and this week Apple unveiled its long-awaited iPad, leaving many organizations wondering whether content for these devices should be a part of their digital marketing and communications strategies. Read More…

When it comes to websites, real beauty is not on the inside.  If your homepage is dated, you don’t have the youthful glow of online video, and your HTML is showing (oh my!) then it sends a negative message to your website visitors. Palomar Medical knew this and recognized that their own website needed a facelift.  One of the world’s leading cosmetic laser companies, Palomar develops and sells a few big name products in non-invasive cosmetic procedures such as SlimLipo which has been getting a lot of buzz lately as a top aesthetic trend for body shaping. Read More…

Starting a website redesign can be quite an undertaking.  At my interactive agency, we like to think of building a website like building a house.  You need architects, general contractors, and interior designers.  If building a site is analogous to building a house, then let’s think of a redesign as moving your house.  You’re going to need to get some things in order before the movers come. Read More…

Although the recovery process after Haiti’s 7.0 earthquake last Tuesday is going to be slow and difficult, I have found hope in the ways that new media and technology is being used to spread awareness, information, and support.

After a bit of investigation, I’ve put together a quick list of some interesting interactive channels that are being used very well to facilitate communication, donations, and support.

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Inevitably, you are going to come to a point where you need to make a decision about how to grow your website or online communications efforts. Do you buy an off-the-shelf product or build a custom solution for content management, member management or an online community? There are a lot of options out there from Software as a Service (SaaS) models to open source tools. Read More…

Last year, we gave you the Last Minute Gift Generator - an interactive gift finder for the last person on your list. We had tons of fun creating a way to spread holiday cheer on the web. But this year we decided to take a different approach and do print. I know what you’re thinking… we’re a web agency - why go to the other side?  Well with a bit of ingenuity, we made print interactive.  Check out the making of our holiday card from the first photos to the final product.  Read More…

Last week, I attended the MITX Awards, and while the awards ceremony was very well done – great presenters, finalists and overall event production – what really stood out to me was the collaboration that made several companies and organizations standout this year: ASPCA, Dunkin Donuts and ZipCar.  It was clear that their success was not due to any single person or any one agency, instead it was a combination of agencies and people that made these brands, sites and campaigns noticeable. Read More…

With Facebook Pages, organizations have a way to interact with their audience on a much deeper level than other traditional (and non-traditional) forms of media.  For cause-based organizations, the need for a Facebook Page should be a no-brainer.  I mean, think about it: What fuels your mission? It’s your members, supporters, users who are the backbone of your organization and who support you both fundamentally and financially.  Read More…