Kim's Blog

School’s Out for Summer…

Posted on June 21, 2010 at 12:44 PM

Today marks the official start of summer—the weather is warm, the days are long, and yet another school year has come to an end. But just because the school year is over, it doesn’t mean that the learning has to stop.

Here at Shakespeare Squared, we are big fans of “teachable moments.” Out for pizza?  Use it as an opportunity for a quick math lesson—if there are 6 of us eating and 20 slices of pizza, how many pieces does everyone get? As some of you probably know, many of my staff members are parents and former teachers, and they will be the first to tell you that learning can take place anytime and anywhere.

If you are trying to find activities to keep you and your kids busy, you need not look very far. Here are just a few other ideas that my staff came up with:

• Join a reading or book club.
• Go to a nature center.
• Plant a vegetable garden and a cook a meal with the food you grow.
• Go camping—in your backyard!
• Have a picnic.
• Go to the beach and have a sand castle competition.
• Start a summer business.
• Paint with water on your sidewalk or driveway.

Your local library and park district are great resources for some summer fun. Many libraries now offer free museum passes for members to check out, and my kids love the Get Out and Go outdoor treasure hunt that the Glenview Park District puts together every year. Chicago Parent and Oaklee’s Guide are two other great Web sites to check out for ideas, and they even offer coupons.

How to do you and your kids keep busy over the summer? Share your suggestions below.

The Sweet Spot

Posted on May 19, 2010 at 01:22 PM

My friends keep telling me that my husband and I are at the point in our lives known as the “sweet spot.” With three children ages 12, 6, and 5, we are apparently in parenting bliss—we have no babies in diapers and no teenagers.

However, while I will agree that this is a fun and exciting time, it definitely has its own unique set of challenges. I may not have a teenager, but I do have a tween: a full-blown teenager-in-training. Other parents with tweens understand the difficulties I am talking about. Many of these children are already going through puberty. They are technology savvy, having grown up in the age of smartphones and computers, and many companies are marketing their products directly to them.

In fact, even my youngest who is only 5 is already on board the digital media bandwagon. He is officially out of diapers, in all-day school, and ready to take on the world—via my iPhone. I found him the other day sitting in our family room with my cell phone, nonchalantly downloading games from Yahoo.

Thanks to advances in technology, children today are growing up faster than ever before, and in many cases, they know more than their parents ever will about this digital age. So while I am certainly enjoying this period in my life, if this truly is the sweet spot, I have a feeling it will not be lasting long.

A Family that Works Together…

Posted on May 5, 2010 at 07:06 AM

As our nation begins to look forward towards the recovery period, we will begin to assess the residual effects of this difficult time, both positive and negative.

I think we could all list some of the negatives because we have all experienced them in some way or another. Everyone knows someone who has been laid off or a family that is struggling. Each of us has a favorite retailer or restaurant that went out of business. For many of us, coupon clipping, once a casual pastime, has now become a necessity.

However, despite these many challenges, there is another more positive result that has come to my attention, too—a growing number of family-run startups. To a certain extent, it seems only natural. Imagine, for example, an uncle and his nephew sitting in the family room on Christmas Eve. A recent graduate, the nephew laments to his uncle about his inability to find a job. There is just nothing out there he says, nada. Then, the uncle confides that after 15 years at the same company, he has been laid off. A small severance package assures him some security for awhile, but he needs to figure out his next move. And suddenly, an idea is born. 

As many of you may know, Shakespeare Squared is a family business, too. Not only have I come to appreciate and value my employees like family members, but many of them are—my mother, two of my sister-in-laws, and my best friend from high school are all a part of the Shakespeare Squared team.

It may not always be easy, but it has truly been a remarkable and rewarding experience to work with people who you know that no matter what, they will always have your back. In good times and in bad, we are here for each other. And as I look ahead towards the recovery, I am grateful to be able to share these better times with all of them. 

Literacy in a Digital Age

Posted on April 5, 2010 at 12:00 PM

Now that my predictions are done, it is time for me to discuss other interesting trends happening in the education and content world.

I read an article in Education Week entitled, “Literacy Accountability in a New-Media Age.” In the article, Paul Barnwell, a middle-school teacher in Shelbyville, Kentucky, argues that it is the responsibility of schools to teach and foster student literacy in new forms of media.

As a former teacher, it did make me wonder: In an age in which students are searching the Internet, reading blogs, checking their Facebook pages, and watching online videos as part of their daily activities, do we need to expand our understanding of literacy and literacy standards to best serve students? Barnwell states, “Redefining literacy standards does not mean throwing away measures to assess whether a student comprehends the main idea of a passage of fiction or the purpose of a how-to feature article. But it should include an acknowledgment that our students are reading, interpreting, and creating new forms of media that require as much attention as books.”

As the RTT, STEM, and common core standards initiatives continue to push forward, it may be that literacy does in fact become an all encompassing term—students will have to analyze and critique YouTube videos, blogs, and Web sites just as they do essays, short stories, and novels. On the other hand, there is no point in assessing other forms of media if students lack proficiency in more traditional forms of reading and writing. But are the two mutually exclusive?

In this digital age, what skills and assessment practices are necessary to ensure the future success of our students?

Videos and Marketing

Posted on March 24, 2010 at 10:47 AM

Now that we have officially rung in the new year, it is time for me to make some new predictions for 2010. And as I look back into my crystal ball, I have 10 predictions for what the coming year will look like—both for Education and content.

What is my fifth prediction for content?

Video will become a hot source of viewership.

If you have ever seen a YouTube video, you know the immense popularity of videos right now. According to ComScore, nearly 178 million U.S. Internet users watched online videos in December 2009. In fact, 33.2 billion videos were watched during just this month.

Believe it or not, I expect an even greater surge in video marketing in 2010—videos have the power to emotionally engage people in a way that is just not possible with fixed text. Studies show the effectiveness of videos in increasing customer interaction, boosting sales, promoting viral sharing, and expanding brand awareness, and new services on the Web make it easier than ever before to create a marketing video.

Companies can embed videos on their Web sites or add them to their online ads to help show off their new products and services. As long as their done right, videos are a powerful tool for businesses to engage their customers and build their brand.

This marks my final prediction for 2010. I look forward to seeing what the coming year brings and whether my predictions come to fruition. Check back next week as I discuss more issues regarding Education and content.

Content and SEO

Posted on March 15, 2010 at 12:09 PM

Now that we have officially rung in the new year, it is time for me to make some new predictions for 2010. And as I look back into my crystal ball, I have 10 predictions for what the coming year will look like—both for Education and content.

What is my fourth prediction for content?

Companies will demand higher quality content to boost SEO results.

If you have ever searched for information on the Web, you know how frustrating it can be when all you find is junk—nothing but a long list of computer-generated articles and unreliable Web sites. And with the seemingly endless amount of information available via the Internet nowadays, it is becoming increasingly difficult to sort through all of the spam.

However, companies with a strong online presence understand the saying, “Content is King,” and I expect more and more businesses to recognize the value of content in the coming year.

The bottom line is that consumers are sick of all the white noise out there. They fast-forward through commercials, tune out advertising messages, and delete spam from their e-mail inbox without even reading it. If your company expects to reach your customers, you have to create engaging content that they will find relevant and meaningful.

Here at Shakespeare Squared, we recognize the importance of content everyday through the work we do for our clients. As businesses continue to push social media, SEO, and other online marketing initiatives, it is the companies that focus on quality content that will stand out. To learn more about why content matters, read the S2EO blog here. 

Check back next week to find out my last prediction for content this year.

Quality Content and Lead Generation

Posted on March 3, 2010 at 02:58 PM

Now that we have officially rung in the new year, it is time for me to make some new predictions for 2010. And as I look back into my crystal ball, I have 10 predictions for what the coming year will look like—both for Education and content.

What is my third prediction for content?

Companies will focus on quality content to improve lead generation.

In the 1990s, every company was debating whether or not it needed a Web site. Companies had meetings about it, discussed the pros and cons, and pondered it for months. If your business did not have a Web site back then, your customers probably had a difficult time contacting you. If your company does not have a Web site today, your customers might not even know you exist.

For most companies, building a Web site is not the problem—but how do you drive traffic to it? With a plethora of information available to consumers via the Internet, it is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to distinguish their message from the messages of others. And as more businesses continue to push online marketing initiatives, SEO, and social media campaigns, establishing your company as the authoritative voice in your market is becoming much harder.

The best way for companies to develop a successful marketing strategy and increase lead generation is to focus on developing quality content, and I expect more and more companies to recognize its value in the year ahead. If companies want to separate their brand identity from the other the white noise out there, they have to create engaging content that their customers find relevant and meaningful. Quality content will increase conversion to sales, the amount of time consumers spend on your Web site, and the number of unique visitors to your page. Smart businesses will find companies who will not only build their digital presence, but who will get them the traffic they need to grow.

Check back next week to find out my next 2010 prediction for content.