In any job, it’s important to make sure you have the right tools on hand to effectively share your message with co-workers, clients or the public. Take your company communication to the next level (beyond the traditional PowerPoint presentation) with these innovative, user-friendly programs:

• Uberflip: Transforms your PDFs into an interactive online magazine.

• Visme: Creates infographics by using a library of customizable templates and icons.

• GoAnimate: Builds animated videos in minutes, allowing you to choose your own soundtrack, cast of characters and more.

Pro tip: Track tool metrics to monitor how your audience is interacting with your content.

— Devon Chestnut, APR, CPRC, Communications Manager, Cox Communications

There is no industry standard for how long you should wait between website redesigns. However, there are key questions you should answer before considering an update. Here are a few:

• Does your site look bad and function poorly on mobile devices?
• Does your site lack professionally produced content and images?
• Does your site load slowly?
• Has your company, brand, service or product changed?
• Do your competitors’ sites meet users’ needs better than your site?

If the answer is “yes” to at least three of these, it may be time to redesign. Check out this chart for three ways to prepare.

– Teresa Kriegsman, S&A Communications

April 15 isn’t the only deadline you have to worry about this month. April 21 marks the day Google will be changing its algorithm to use mobile-friendliness as ranking criteria. This change comes at a time when users are searching the web on their phone more than ever.

Luckily for those who aren’t yet prepared for mobilegeddon, the change is relatively narrow. The only results affected will be Google’s organic mobile search listings, or the “10 blue links.” Local pack ranking won’t be impacted by the change.

If you’re worried about your Google ranking, they have provided some guidance here.

– Haley Barton, SPR Atlanta

Building trust with prospects is one of the hardest things to do in business. To achieve it, you must demonstrate value and competence in a credible way.

Demonstrating client success though endorsement is called “social proof.” Social proof reduces risk by documenting the experience of others. Case studies describe your company’s impact and successes in an authentic way that your prospects understand. By enabling customers to tell their story, they can become your best marketing resource.

Case studies are the best way to document social proof, and according to The Content Marketing Institute, are the most effective online marketing tactic.

– Tom Barnes, Mediathink

MaxMedia is bucking the networking trend at today’s Unicorn Invasion: no shoptalk needed at this after-hours event. The Atlanta-based customer engagement agency is hosting its second meet up for those interested in customer experience. Attendees are encouraged to leave work at work and just kick back.

The event will be held tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Ormsby’s on the Westside. No presentations, just “beer, bocce & banter.” The first Unicorn Invasion, held in August, focused on the science behind the customer experience and attendees learned to better understand customers’ needs.

Everyone is invited to the free event. RSVP: event website.

– Emily Tracy, SPR

After testing a Twitter Video Card, Twitter released Promoted Video August 12 as a beta product that will be sold on a cost-per-view model. According to Twitter, “These tests have shown that Tweets containing native Twitter video generate better engagement and more video views than before.”

As we wait for the beta product to be rolled out, marketers are utilizing other creative promotion strategies. MaxMedia, an Atlanta-based consumer engagement agency, is promoting its You&Me Chat video series in conjunction with promoting its #youandme Twitter chat at 1 p.m. EDT today in an effort to create a seamless experience for users.

– Marnie Juster, SPR

According to MaxMedia, an Atlanta-based consumer engagement agency, “It’s not about B2B or B2C, it’s about You&Me.” You&Me, the agency’s innovative philosophy backed by data, focuses on putting the consumer first – online and offline.

In order to deliver consumers seamless experiences, MaxMedia has an expert team of “unicorns,” also known as hybrid designers. Join me August 14 at MaxMedia’s first Unicorn Invasion Meetup: The Brain Science Behind Customer Experience to learn more about the consumer journey and better your understanding of consumers’ needs and wants.

Need more convincing? In addition to unicorns, you can find beer and dogs at MaxMedia.

– Marnie Juster, SPR

Have you ever felt like the SEO game is a bit fishy? With algorithms constantly changing, it can seem impossible to keep up. Join me at the Georgia Aquarium from 5:30-9 tonight to find out if all of our effort is paying off.

At Inc. & Bing’s complimentary learning event, Search + Social: The Future of Your Business Online, you can get advice from SEO and social media experts including Bruce Clay, Duane Forrester, Maisha Walker and Marty Weintraub.

Not sold yet? There will also be an open bar and hors d’oeuvres.

Tickets are going fast, but walk-ins are welcome!

– Marnie Juster, SPR

Today’s the day! If you get your news from Twitter (and The Atlanta 100), then you’ve probably had 6-10 p.m. blocked off on your calendar for a while now. Social Media Day Atlanta is finally here!

Social media gurus will gather at Tongue and Groove to – you guessed it – socialize. Purchasing a ticket grants you access to the event as well as links to four webinars covering relevant topics.

But hey – don’t just take it from me; this event even made Mashable’s list of 5 U.S. Social Media Day Events You Should Attend.

Hurry up, and get your ticket here.

– Marnie Juster, SPR

To create buzz about this year’s Race for the Cure, Susan G. Komen Greater Atlanta has launched a social media campaign called “Do You Tutu?” #TutuTuesday began April 8 and will continue until this year’s race on May 10 at Lenox Square, which is currently featuring a giant tutu at its entrance.

Social media participants are encouraged to wear a pink tutu and share the photo on Facebook or Twitter on Tuesdays with the hashtag #TutuTuesday along with a message about “why you tutu.”

Don’t worry if you don’t have a tutu – virtual tutus are available for download at www.komenatlanta.org.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White doubted that Mercer stood a chance against Duke in the NCAA basketball tournament. And, like most of us, he was wrong.

Roddy made a bet with Falcons fan Dylan Hoyt via Twitter prior to the game promising season tickets on the 50-yard line if Duke lost. Following the major upset, Roddy initially didn’t pony up, but ultimately delivered more than he’d wagered after being criticized on social media for backpedaling.

Dylan will collect season tickets as well as Super Bowl tickets, sideline passes to a Falcons game and a day at Roddy’s camp.

We’ve all met people who only want to talk about themselves. It feels like they’re just waiting for a chance to speak again rather than listening to what you have to say. These people are, quite frankly, annoying.

This habit is easy to recognize and avoid face-to-face, but many of us disregard it once we get online. When managing a company or personal social account, be sure that your communication is two-way. Start focusing on listening and engaging and not merely publishing content about yourself.

And don’t forget: social means social. Learn more on the social media marketing blog Soshable.

We’ve all been told “there’s no such thing as a free lunch,” and soon this saying may be modernized to “there’s no such thing as a free app,” as more and more developers begin to take advantage of the “freemium” pricing strategy.

The idea is to provide software, games, tools, etc., free of charge to entice numerous users, but require payment for additional features including enhanced features, more game-playing time and levels, minimal ads and even just functionality.

This strategy is definitely receiving mixed reviews with some users irritated by additional fees and others looking forward to more “free” apps.

Our world is developing quicker than ever, and it’s our job to keep up. When your brand or clients’ brands are well known and established, it’s often tempting to get comfortable, but digital platforms and opportunities are constantly evolving and if you want to stay relevant you have to stay in the game.

Luckily, the majority of our clients recognize this challenge. For instance, our client AT&T took advantage of what’s going on in the world – right now – and developed the #ItsOurTime app to show support for the U.S. Olympic Athletes. View the promo video we created for #ItsOurTime here.

I commend brands for trying to be clever on Twitter. Arby’s shined during the Grammys; Denny’s has been knocking it out of the park; and who could forget Oreo’s at last year’s Super Bowl.

While real-time tweets are clever, sometimes brands try too hard. During this month’s Super Bowl, @JCPenney tweeted seemingly drunk tweets, like “Who kkmew theis was ghiong tob e a baweball ghamle.” JCP revealed later the tweeter wasn’t drunk, but wearing mittens.

Unfortunately, its “don’t type while wearing mittens” narrative didn’t work, leaving customers confused – and let’s face it, not going to buy JCPenney’s mittens anytime soon.

My mother always says the most successful people can make something from nothing.

Not only do I agree, but I believe this applies wonderfully to cooking. Pinterest must have a similar mindset based on the new filters and search capability it released Tuesday.

Next time you fail to plan ahead for dinner, rummage through your fridge (throw out that expired yogurt) and search for recipes using ingredients you find.

Pinterest now offers the option to filter results by dietary needs. Or break your New Year’s resolution and choose “indulge me” to find a bit more scrumptious recipes and, well, indulge!

Since we last distributed The Atlanta 100, the world has met Justine Sacco, the now-former director of corporate communications at IAC.

Boarding a plane to South Africa, the supposed PR expert tweeted an extremely insensitive comment, turned off her phone and went on her way. While aboard the 12-hour flight, the Internet exploded when her tweet went viral.

Fortunately, with each story of thoughtless tweets, there can be a silver lining – this scandal brought awareness for AIDS charities. Aid for Africa actually crashed due to traffic, and www.justinesacco.com was bought and redirected to a page for donations to the charity.

Bored with traditional album marketing, Beyoncé released her new self-titled album as a surprise midnight last Thursday. Clearly, she would have had no problem selling her album, but the unannounced release is telling of what’s happening in marketing.

The trend of “anti-marketing” is on the rise – businesses and brands appear to deliver messages and products directly to the consumer, without media.

In the same vein, Anchorman 2’s cast has promoted the new film by engaging fans with unusual marketing techniques – and it seems to be working.

To  try anti-marketing, consider what customers want and what their social behavior is like.

Facebook introduced a new feature that offers users the ability to directly contribute to non-profits using a “Donate Now” button on partnering non-profits’ posts and pages.

Facebook users can choose a preset amount or enter a custom amount to make a contribution via credit card, debit card or PayPal. Partnering non-profits currently include the Boys & Girls Club of America,DonorsChoose.org, Kiva, Livestrong Foundation, Red Cross, UNICEF, the World Wildlife Fund and more.

   This new feature may or may not be a ploy to collect more users’ credit card information; regardless, it will encourage donations and help philanthropy go viral!

One could attend a panel discussion of Atlanta business executives nearly any day of the week, but Resource Branding & Design’s Jae Robbins counseled local Hines real estate leaders to take the concept a step further.

Set in a more intimate environment at Midtown’s Olmsted, Hines invites prospects and clients to learn about non-real estate issues such as technology and design and then graces guests with a trending bestselling hardback book on the way out.

Video recordings of the series are archived on a standalone website. We photographed Hines’ John Heagy at yesterday’s event with Jessica Childers, left, and Jae.