Controlled Social Networking: Like, Comment, Share.
April 7, 2012
From the Federal Blue Print blog, November 4, 2011 This month, Market Connections released its annual report on social media in the public sector. Government employees and contractors are using social media more than ever before, both for personal use and in the course of their job responsibilities. In fact, the most common use of social media sites, particularly blogs, is used for information finding in the decision making process. In 2010 half of all users responded that social media sites were banned in the office, but in 2011 that has dropped to 19%. After hearing these results, we posed the ... Read moreSocial Media in the Public Sector 2011
April 7, 2012
Market Connections, in collaboration with Strategic Communications Group, presented an overview of findings from the 2011 Public Sector Social Media Study to a full house at the Marriott Tysons Corner on October 18, 2011. The overview includes: Who’s using social media and how among government and contractors Top devices and locations for accessing social media Most popular commercial and government-specific social media sites Top tools used to inform decision-making How organizations are measuring social media ROI Key takeaways and recommendations for government contractors using social media Simply click here to download an overview of the study results. Read moreThis Friday, Save Energy and Cut Costs on Power IT Down Day
August 23, 2011
One of the hot topics in federal circles this year is data center consolidation. Seen as a way to control costs and save energy – both admirable goals – consolidation is one of the pillars of the 25-point IT reform plan. As individuals, there are things we too can do to cut costs and control energy. Specifically, we can turn off our office equipment – computers, monitors, printers, etc. – and unplug the wall chargers for our cellphones and tablets at the end of the workday. It might not sound like much, but the ability of individuals to have an impact ... Read moreMarket Connections Partners with Strategic Communications Group to Track the Adoption of Social Media in the Public Sector
August 23, 2011
Market Connections will work with social media marketing consultancy Strategic Communications Group on the second edition of a social media study, which will examine the adoption of social media among government agencies and the companies that serve them. “Our research during the past two years has shown steady growth in the use of social media within the government. We’re looking forward to seeing how public sector agencies and employees have adapted their use and perceptions of social media, and how contractors are using social media to reach their target audiences,” said Market Connections President and CEO Lisa Dezzutti. This year’s study is ... Read moreFCW Announces Rising Star Award Winners
August 15, 2011
Market Connections would like to congratulate William “Jay” Huie, husband to Market Connections’ senior research analyst Molly Huie. Jay recently won an FCW 2011 Rising Star Award for his work at eGlobalTech. Read the full article honoring the 25 up-and-coming employees in the public and private sectors who have made an early — and substantive — mark in the government IT community. Read moreB-to-G Marketers Shift Focus to Digital and Social Channels
August 1, 2011
From Direct Marketing News, August 1, 2011 Business-to-government marketers must beware the bulk. Direct mail no longer headlines the b-to-g marketing mix. These days, print performs as a role player, supplementing a more integrated strategy that pivots on digital channels. Even document management company Xerox Corp. has revisited its traditionally direct mail-oriented approach. Read moreB-to-G Marketers Shift Focus to Digital and Social Channels
August 1, 2011
From Direct Marketing News, August 1, 2011 Business-to-government marketers must beware the bulk. Direct mail no longer headlines the b-to-g marketing mix. These days, print performs as a role player, supplementing a more integrated strategy that pivots on digital channels. Even document management company Xerox Corp. has revisited its traditionally direct mail-oriented approach. “It’s no longer the traditional one-dimensional mass production of hard copy direct mail pieces, where we print thousands of them and send them to government and commercial accounts all in one fell swoop,” says Edward Gala, VP of marketing at Xerox. “Today it’s much more about customized, cross-media marketing. ... Read moreSecurity Concerns an Obstacle to Overcome for Cloud Computing
July 28, 2011
New study finds comfort increases with familiarity for federal agencies Read moreQR Codes: What Are They and How Can You Use them?
July 27, 2011
Those strange white and black boxes are popping up everywhere. What are these pixilated and futuristic icons? They are Quick Response (QR) codes. Marketers use these two-dimensional barcodes, which allow for the inclusion of more information than traditional barcodes, to drive users to websites, micro sites, promotions and special offers. Special barcode readers installed on camera-enabled smart phones can read the codes and immediately load mobile-ready websites, apps, videos or other information. QR codes can help engage users with your brand, products and information—especially when you offer that information on a mobile-enabled website. Initially created by Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave in 1994, QR ... Read moreSecurity Concerns Deter Federal Agencies from Moving to the Cloud
July 25, 2011
Security remains the biggest deterrent to US government agencies using cloud computing, according to a survey by Lockheed Martin and its Cyber Security Alliance. From Infosecurity, June 23, 2011 Two-thirds of government IT decision-makers said that security was the most important factor in their evaluations of cloud computing, according to the survey of 196 government IT decision-makers conducted by Market Connections for Lockheed Martin. At the same time, 50% are considering going to the cloud, compared with only 12% in last year’s survey. Government IT decision-makers who are ore familiar with cloud computing are more than twice as likely to trust the security ... Read more