QR codes: They’re not just for retail anymore!!! May 20, 2011

What’s a QR code?  It’s those square boxes that look like a crossword puzzle on steroids.  Been noticing QR (quick response) codes everywhere you go?   Shareology was on her way to MIMA this week when she spotted this apartment building sign:

So lately, besides in-store information, I’ve seen QR codes in magazines, newspapers, and my personal fav, on business cards.  I use Barcode Scanner and TagReader as QR code readers on my Droid X and am now decoding messages left and right.   I asked Lisa Foote (@FooteNotes) for her favorite QR code resources:

Interesting article on performance of a Boots QR campaign in UK:
http://shkspr.mobi/blog/index.php/2011/05/are-qr-codes-effective-for-advertisers/

Astounding 4,500% growth in QR code scanning, first quarter 2011:
http://www.mobioid.com/reports/naked-facts-whiplash/

Article citing these stats w/ additional quotes:
http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/research/9918.html

Hope that helps! I’m sure you saw the Pioneer Press article today on QR as well. happy blogging! – Lisa

Thanks, Lisa!!   Well, there it is!!  More than you could possibly want on QR codes!!!  Thanks to Lisa and Julio Ojeda-Zapata at the Pioneer Press for superb resources!! 

Where will YOU see your next QR code?

Update July 19, 2011:  USATODAY published a piece on QR codes today which spotted a QR Code on a tombstone in Seattle.  Yep, a tombstone.  Small, quite tasteful, and leading to pictures and a life story of the deceased. 

Kay Roseland   @KayLoire

Happy 40th! Wood Lake ! May 16, 2011

Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield, MN celebrated 40 years yesterday….since Shareology is currently the Mayor of Wood Lake via foursquare, we thought we’d share with you some shots of Spring in Wood Lake.  But first, here is a list of birds and animals Shareology has seen in Wood Lake:

Deer, muskrats, squirrels, rabbits, garter snakes (yikes!), toads, ducks, geese, egrets, snapping turtles, red wing blackbirds, tadpoles, raccoons and robins!

Here are snaps of spring at Wood Lake:

Dragonfly gate

For more information, check out:  http://www.woodlakenaturecenter.org/

Kay Roseland    @KayLoire

Master of Social Media May 11, 2011

I passed!   Just got the word that after three days of classes and an exam, I am now a Master of Social Media.

After two years of LinkedIn, Twitter, Shareology, Facebook and, yes, three videos on YouTube, I am now certified. (Write you own caption….) 

Two years ago, I attended my first Social Media Breakfast Minneapolis St. Paul and promptly declared myself a Social Media Enthusiast.  (Yes, it went on my business card.)  Gistr came calling and asked me to prepare and implement a social media strategy for their website.  (Never did get around to ordering cards with Social Media Strategist on them; it did, however, land on my Twitter profile.)  Two days after the exam results (a 95!!!) I ordered new cards with Master of Social Media on them.  Thus you can track my social media history in a progression of titles and business cards, and now classroom learning.

To learn more about this program, cosponsored by Social Media Breakfast Minneapolis St. Paul and Dakota County Technical College, check out:  http://smbmsp.org/2011/05/whats-a-cmsm-and-why-do-you-want-one/

Kay Roseland    @KayLoire

Minnebar 6: 1200 geeks strong!! May 8, 2011

Shareology took GistrMN off with her to Minnebar 6 at Best Buy HQ in Richfield, MN on Saturday, May 7, 2011; they were joined by 1200 geeks bent on learning, pizza and beer consumption.  Nine different locations offered tracks on Development, Design, Startups, Social Media and (my personal favorite) Other!!

My seven sessions included:

• Six Reasons to open an “Offline” Store (Especially if you Sell Online)
• I Yam What I Am
• Facebook:  Fan Pages versus Tabs versus Apps
• Content is a Banquet:  Trends, Tactics, Tools
• Why Don’t You Blog More?
• What does Lean Even Mean? Or Bootstrapping Your Way to a Pivot
• S is for Strategy

Below are some views of our Saturday:

 

Luke greets the swarm!

 

Thanks to Adrienne, Ben, and Luke and the Minne team for another great Day!!!  For more information go to:

http://minnestar.org/minnebar/        or on Twitter at:        @Minnebar    #minnebar

Kay Roseland    @KayLoire

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!! May 5, 2011

 

 

Now I know why they call it hat hair......

A tip of the hat to Steve Jewell who lent me this hat when I begged…..well, I was dressed in black and white…

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!

Kay Roseland     @KayLoire