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"What new technology does is create new opportunities to do a job that customers want done." -Tim O'Reilly 

Businesses sometimes have a hard time adopting new technologies like social media, mobile optimization, analytics tools or customer management systems. There are a lot of reasons why businesses struggle with this, but the truth is that in order to make business improvements, new technologies have to be a part of the plan. Today we'll go over some of the reasons why businesses aren't keeping up technologically and give some advice on how to overcome those hurdles.

Are you on Instagram? Why not? And if you are, have you run a contest yet?

Instagram contests (as long as you have enough followers) (by the way you should totally follow us on Instagram! @gladworks! GO!) are a lot of fun for both you and your clients. GLAD WORKS has spent the summer running one for a very special client. Here's what we did and how you can do it too!

Adobe Flash has been the standard that has animated the web since the early days. But now, it's showing some security vulnerabilities as well as some cumbersome and outdated functionality. Many websites still rely on it, but is it time to say goodbye to the old standby in favor of something a little more nimble like HTML5? 

A record player vs. and iPod

Just when you thought you were up to date on everything now that your website is mobile friendly, think again! Enter wearable tech: the next big thing that marketers are going to be wrapping their heads around in the near future. Don't worry if you're overwhelmed at the thought. Everyone panics a little when some disruptive new technology starts smashing things up, but this is actually a really exciting time. Let's dig in and see what potentially lies ahead. 

We've all seen the advertisements on television for free custom websites. They feature shiny happy small business owners talking about how amazing their new free website is and how they got professional copywriting, state-of-the art design, promotion, hosting, support and maintenance all without paying a single penny. Does it sound too good to be true? That's because it is. Here's why.

If you’re an agent, a contractor, a consultant, or even a small business owner, you’ve undoubtedly dipped a toe into online marketing and lead generation. As the Internet has evolved, so have its requirements for staying current and rising above the signal to noise ratio. 

From having a top-level domain name to being present on current social media networks, the bar to be seen online is constantly rising. Investing in a solid SEO strategy can do more than just get you noticed, it can get you business!

Many people have been coming down on Apple lately, calling it a "Haunted Empire" that's doomed in the post Jobs era. We think this is unfair. Tim Cook is a different person with a different management style. He's also inherited a lot of problems left behind by Jobs. Yes, Apple as it is right now is not the hot racecar tearing up the track that it once was, but nothing can keep up that kind of intensity forever. Right now, they're taking a bit of a pit stop, keeping that car idling while developing the next big, huge, awesome idea. Apple is loaded with some of the most brilliant people alive. Something big will happen.

Frank Coletta, the news anchor on NBC 10 News Sunrise and NBC 10 News at Noon calls technology "dastardly computers."  Many of us would agree that computers and other technologies can indeed be "dastardly" at times and frustrate us to no end when things don't work correctly. But, it can also be argued that technology can make us tremendously happier too.

So to test this theory out, we gathered the gang together to see what kinds of technology makes their lives easier, healthier or happier and today we're sharing what they had to say.

A few weeks ago we did a roundup of our favorite apps. We asked the team to share with us the apps they found really useful, and the crowd went wild!  So today we thought we'd share with you what we each like in a website. From design to functionality and content, each team member has a cool site they'd love to share with you. Check them out!  You might get some inspiration for your next site redesign!

Mattie:

In case you haven't noticed, things are changing quickly in the world of technology. The number and variety of mobile devices is exploding and they are able to collect mind-boggling levels of data as more consumers connect their physical bodies to electronic devices known as "wearables."  We're also seeing a huge increase in "smart" homes that are connected with heat, air conditioning, refrigeration and lights. But what does all of this connectivity mean for marketers and advertisers in the not-so-distant future? 

A ton.