I’ll admit it, I’ve neglected this website since August. But, there is a good reason! I’ve started a new position as a social media specialist and have been busy learning the ropes of the company. I work with an amazing team of really talented people, and I am thrilled to have this opportunity. I’ve also been traveling a good bit on the weekends for friends’ weddings and UGA Football games. Here is a little recap through photos of the last few months:

I had a fun little photo shoot at my apartment. A big thank you to my friend and photographer, Lindsey. You can view all the pictures on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/lcoudriet/my-abode/.

My friends Karli and Jeff were married in September and had a gorgeous wedding in GA. This is a nice picture of Max and I before the ceremony.

Everyone teases me about all the food photos on Instagram - But, I can't help it! Sometimes my cooking looks too good not to take a picture.

In August, my family took a week long vacation on Hilton Head Island. This picture perfectly captures the easy, end of summer feel at the beach.

Here are a few neat things I have run across online (when I’m not watching Olympics highlights…)

Earth Illuminated: ISS Time-lapse Photography from NASA

From high above the Earth, the International Space Station (ISS) provides a unique vantage point to view our home planet. Stunning time-lapse photography of cities, aurora, lightning and other sights are seen from orbit. Famed astronomer Galileo imagined these views from space and now through the technological marvel of the space station, we can see them for ourselves. For more time-lapse imagery, visit the NASA website: http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/Videos/CrewEarthObservationsVideos/

40% of Top Brands Are on Instagram [REPORT]

By Todd Wasserman – If you’re on the fence about putting your brand on Instagram, consider this: 40% of the top 100 brands are already there, according to new research.
Simply Measured looked at the Interbrand Top 100 Global Brands list to determine how many were on the platform already. The rate pales in comparison to Facebook’s 98% and Twitter’s 94%, but Adam Schoenfeld, CEO of Simply Measured, points out that Instagram is still an up-and-coming platform.

Read the Entire Article at: http://mashable.com/2012/08/08/40-of-top-brands-instagram/

Should Your Small Business Be on Google+?

By Alex Fitzpatrick – Google+, which recently celebrated its first anniversary, has gained a reputation as a desolate wasteland of a social network. Google has fought back, claiming an ever-growing userbase (75 million daily active users today) but the calculation methods are sketchy at best.

Given the platform’s lack of popularity, should you bother maintaining a Google+ presence for your small business? Absolutely.

Read the Entire Article at: http://www.openforum.com/articles/should-your-small-business-be-on-google

Put Zombies Back

I might have  a slight obsession with zombies… I mean who doesn’t have a zombie apocalypse survival plan?

This video from AMC is part of their “Put Zombies Back” campaign in response to Dish Network’s cancellation of the channel, and its pretty awesome…

Brands are starting to pick up on Instagram. Like Facebook and Twitter before it, Instagram is being looked at as another venue for connecting with an audience.

Instagram makes sharing visually appealing content simple, and brands are using it as a creative way to expand their business. Big brands like Starbucks, Sharpie, Red Bull, and GE are ahead of curve and are strategically using Instagram as an integral part of their social media marketing.

Before you jump on the bandwagon, make sure you don’t make the mistake of “selling” on Instagram and instead share and connect. Share what is interesting to the brand and your core demographic.

Post engaging images with an editorial eye. Remember, it’s more than just product shots, make your brand human! Capture images of your employees and behind the scenes shots. Show your brand’s point of view. By doing this you will grow and engage your audience, building good pr and buzz around your brand.

Once you have that part down, consider how you can appeal to your brands loyalists. Maybe you’re a specialty grocery store (ahem, Trader Joes), and you can create a website featuring your customer’s cooking creations with #traderjoes. Or maybe you’re a hotel in a key vacation destination with lots of competition. Why not show-off your recent customers vacation shots. Instagram allows users to enter a location, so make sure your hotel is on the location list!

There are so many creative possibilities with Instagram! And if you want to see my food pics, travel shots and other moments captured on Instagram, follow me at lcoudriet.

Pinterest is definitely getting my attention (and a huge chunk of my time online), as well as the attention of online marketers.

Who doesn’t love Pinterest?

From web design agencies using Pinterest to share work and find inspiration, to homeowners planning their next DIY, to future brides planning every aspect of their wedding like the food, decor, and design of the wedding invites.  Pinterest is a great place for companies to promote their products and services.

I see home furnishing and decor companies like West Elm smartly using Pinterest by posting their products in beautifully styled rooms, allowing professional (and the amateur) interior designers to pin and share away.  Or retailers like Nordstroms and Madewell featuring the next seasons styles on boards sorted by trend.

Recent stats provided by Shareaholic shows the power of Pinterest as a referral traffic source:

January - June 2012 Traffic Sources Break-Down

]]> http://lizcoudriet.com/who-doesnt-love-pinterest/feed/ 0 http://lizcoudriet.com/a-faster-simpler-google-search-app-for-iphone/ http://lizcoudriet.com/a-faster-simpler-google-search-app-for-iphone/#comments Thu, 24 May 2012 01:43:32 +0000 Liz Coudriet http://lizcoudriet.com/?p=140

Google announced today that launch of their re-designed iPhone application that is more user friendly, faster, and combines all of Google’s services in one convenient place.  They also optimized the image search with a grid-layout, faster loading, and user friendly features like ability to swipe from image to image and taping to save images to your camera roll, wallpaper, or to share with a friend.  The app also pushes their Google+ product, which I haven’t fully embraced.  Maybe this app will get me on the Google+ bandwagon.

You can download the application at http://itunes.apple.com/app/google-search/id284815942?mt=8.

Or read more at Google’s Official Blog.

What are your thoughts on Google’s Search App For iPhone??

Latest QR Code implementation by Guinness. Its an clever idea, but I think most would just try to steal that pint glass…

See the full story on AdWeek.

I am the Director of Production at DealerActive, and VP at Interactive Media Group in Charlotte, NC.  I always find it difficult to write about myself, so here is an excerpt from a press release about my hiring.

Welcome to my new website featuring my work and blog.  Why is that it is always hardest and takes the longest to finish something for yourself?  This new site came about as from a New Year’s Resolution to keep my website updated with posts and my recent work.  Then I realized I wanted to re-design the site.  So, here we are 5 months later with a brand new LizCoudriet.com.  Thanks for visiting and check back as I continue to add items to my portfolio and add more content!