Ok, I’ll admit it. I own a web development agency, and I am lucky if I check my Facebook account once a month. I feel ashamed. Because when I do check my page, I find myself being an avid consumer of everyone else’s updates and photos, but then I’m too busy to put anything new up about myself. I’ll toss a photo or two up every month or so, but I enjoy seeing what all my other friends are up to, and where they’ve been. I guess in that way I am quite voyeuristic.

In the micro-blogging world, Twitter has become a competitive environment where I feel challenged to be as creative or funny as many of the people I follow. It’s quicker and easier to contribute. I read tweets from people like Shaquille O’Neal (who is actually really funny!) and it feels so strange that he’s telling me what an NBA superstar is doing in his regular day-to-day life. It feels like I’m being a Peeping Tom, but it’s okay. We’ve all signed up for it. I never rooted for the guy as a basketball player, but I love hearing him chat about random stuff. It’s my glimpse behind the magic curtain.

We’ve begun to advise the majority of our clients to do the same thing: embrace Twitter as a way to give real information to customers in an easy-to-digest format. It’s an easy way to share behind-the-scenes information: stuff that will excite and entice people. So why not jump out there and direct some of the traffic yourself? It only takes 140 characters.

Even though Facebook is still in the lead as the most visited social networking site in the US, Twitter marketing power is growing strong.  A recent study showed that of Fortune 100 companies, Twitter was the outright winner for online social networking presence. 54% of companies surveyed had Twitter accounts, as opposed to only 29% with Facebook accounts. So why Twitter over Facebook? Short, digestible bits of information are becoming the best way for companies to share their messages. Studies show that companies are using Twitter for everything from marketing messages to posting job opportunities, all in 140 characters or less.

Click here to view the full eMarketer article.

Do I need a Newport or Newport H2? Which sandal is best for hiking?

We recently added the ability to compare products on the KEEN website to answer questions like these. Shoppers can easily add products to their comparison chart from the product wall, detail page and search results page.

The chart displays a photo of each product being compared along with bright green dots that clearly show the features of each product in an easy-to-read format. To give shoppers the most flexibility, the cart can be printed, saved to a KEEN account for later use, or emailed to the customer or a friend. Shoppers can also buy products directly from the chart! It’s a friendly way for KEEN to help customers compare lots of important information and make informed purchases.

Behind the scenes, extensive CSS work allowed us to make the comparison chart information rich and easy to read. When more than three items are being compared, the chart automatically adjusts to a scrollable frame for easy viewing, and the printed version maintains the same clear format. Check out KEEN Footwear to compare products now.