If there’s one thing on every techie’s mind this week, it’s the launch of Microsoft’s latest Windows-8 based tablet, the Surface. This new tablet will sport a 10.6-inch display, a kickstand for tabletop viewing, and an ultra-thin keyboard case that attaches to the device. Weighing only 1.5 pounds, measuring at 0.36 inches thick, and being offered in either 32GB or 64FB, the Surface will ultimately become Apple’s iPad newest competitor.

Although the Surface’s cost has not been officially announced, Microsoft announced that the Surface Pro would be priced similar to Ultrabook PC’s. What does the release of the Surface mean for Apple and for businesses in general? Will more people be inclined to buy the Surface for its price and design or will the iPad continue to dominate the tablet market?

We may not know these answers as of yet, but we do know that the Surface is one technology to keep our eyes peeled for. Will you be purchasing the Surface when it’s released on the market? Let us know and comment below! 

After a month of using HootSuite Pro, our trial has finally come to an end. You may have read about our first two weeks using HootSuite Pro here, but most recently we experimented with creating our first HootSutite Pro Analytical Report. Because of HootSuite’s point system, I found myself making a decision as to which type of report to execute. Would the Google Analytics 50 point report benefit TRA360? What about the proposal report for 45 points? How about the click summary report? Ultimately, I decided to use all of our allotted points for the month to create a Google Analytics report. However, when it came time to link up the company’s analytics to the report, the report would not execute with our correct analytics. Through countless tries of re-doing the report over and over again, I continued to see “error, error” popping up on the screen. Frustrated that my monthly report points were not only used up, but on a report showing me an “error” sign, I turned to HootSuite’s Help Desk.

HootSuite’s Help Desk may seem like a standard “tell us your problem and we’ll look at it” type of system at a first glance, but I’ve learned not to judge a book by its cover. After submitting a request “ticket” with specifics about the issue I was coming across, filling out my name and contact information, I was contacted less than 24 hours later by a real life human who was working with me, digitally, to solve my problem. Several e-mail exchanges later, my personal HootSuite help had solved the TRA360 analytics mystery—apparently two of our accounts were connected to HootSuite Pro, making Pro confused and ultimately resulting in an inconclusive report. Tah dah, problem solved and report successfully finished!

So there you have it, our experience with HootSuite Pro. It’s true, this trial was not a smooth ride down Easy Street. However, the kinks in the road were met with fantastic and incredibly helpful resources right at my fingertips. HootSuite is looking to help you succeed in your social media and digital life. Thinking of going Pro? Try it yourself, free of charge for a month and let us know what you think! 

WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger…have you heard these words before but don’t understand their meaning? Do the terms “widget” or “social plug-in” scare you? The world of blogging can be daunting to many business owners; the ones who know they need a blog but are lost at where to begin or the ones who don’t have a clue why they should be blogging or what to blog about. That’s where TRA360 comes in. Let’s take a look:

First, let us take a look back to a previous post informing readers what to blog about and when to post it. Blog about industry trends, personal experiences relating to your business, a new product launch or even create a mini “how-to” series! Creating content is fairly simple if you can put your own creative twist on it. Corporate blogs don’t always have to be boring and strictly factual. Let your company stand out from the crowd by using your own “voice”.

So…why should your company have a blog?

To be part of a team

Blogs are great to relay a certain tone of voice to your audience. Have all of your employees blog on behalf of your business! By enabling other members of the brand to blog, you are showing a more three-dimensional element to your brand. Not only will your web traffic increase, but it’s always fun to hear other people’s perspectives, especially within a single organization.

To become trusted in your industry

Blogging daily or weekly can help your brand become a major player in your industry. Becoming a credible source of information and presenting your brand as a thought leader, will begin to grow your audience’s trust. Be open and honest when blogging- your readers will appreciate it and your numbers will drastically increase over time!

Are you thinking of starting a company blog? Let us know if our tips and tricks on corporate blogging helped you out!

Emily Correia comes to TRA360 this summer as a Social Media/Marketing Intern through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Summer Internship Challenge. Emily recently completed her sophomore year at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. She will graduate in 2014 with a Degree in Sociology with a Pre-medical and Pre-business concentration. As part of the Pre-Business program she has participated in business and executive leadership courses that enhanced her leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills.  

In her role as Social Media/Marketing Intern, Emily will work with Amanda Pensack, TRA360 Social Media Strategist, to develop better ways to communicate with TRA360’s clients and prospects, to market through social media and determine how different social media platforms can be best applied to the company. Emily will focus on ways to expand TRA360’s current social media presence on Twitter, Facebook, TRA360Network on YouTube, and LinkedIn. She will also advance her skills in blogging and learn to make audio and video podcasts.

For the last year, Emily has worked within the Holy Cross Admissions Department where she focused on social media strategies including online chats and Facebook forums to aid prospective students in their college decision-making process. In 2011 Emily also participated in an internship project with BioScale, Inc., an innovative life science instrumentation company, to research YouTube channel usage by its competitors and created the company’s YouTube channel.