Yesterday, as you've probably already noticed in your back office, we released our new Add-Ons store. In the Add-Ons store you will find some of our major free, as well as paid features.  Each feature has a detailed description to help you understand how to take full advantage of it and where it can be found in your back office. If you don't see certain connectors or menus anymore in your back office, this is where they went ;) 

Everyone knows that there is an extraordinary bond between children and their parents. It's strong, beautiful, and nothing (or almost nothing) can come between them...well let me tell you, it's also good for business! Why? Simply because if children are too young to be consumers, their parents have no problem doing it for them. And in this case, there are no feelings of guilt. They aren't consuming for themselves, but for the well being of their little ones, and that makes the difference.  The change today comes with the increasing emergence of technology gadgets for children. This market is undoubtedly growing, and the industry is finding more and more ways that represent children in terms of sales opportunities. Parents today are part of the generation that grew up with the Internet and technology, so it is natural for them to use these tools in educating their children. Wearable devices, mobile apps, or connected objects are all innovations that can be adapted to the childhood industry, and that can easily appeal to this new generation of parents due to three fundamental characteristics. 

In May, Google Play will introduce a new content rating system for apps and games that will help consumers with their purchases. The main goal of this new rating system is to improve app engagement by better targeting the appropriate audience. This will be done by evaluating content and respecting each country's internet advertising policies. Since the current Google Play rating scale will be replaced by this new system in May, this rating is mandatory for all developers. Google says that the “Unrated” apps may be blocked in certain territories for specific users. If your app is not rated, Google Play has the right to delete it from the Play Store, so be sure to rate it now. The rating will be calculated based on rules defined by an international organization (IARC), based on informations given to google by the developers about the content of their app.  The International Age Rating Coalition (IARC), born from a global initiative, gives a classification for games and apps, depending on the minimum age requested to use them, according to the territory where they will be sold.   The IARC is composed by different classification institutions, each one corresponding to a different area in the world : - the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) - North America - Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) - Europe -  Australian Classification Board - Australia - Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK) - Germany - Classificação Indicativa (ClassInd) - Brazil An app can get different ratings depending on the territory it will be downloaded from. This new way to rate apps will, as Google says, " inform consumers about the age appropriateness of your app, block or filter your content in certain territories or to specific users where legally required, evaluate your app’s eligibility for special developer programs."

The remains of the first toys date date back over 2,000 years and include many indications of hide and seek and ring around the rosie. But it was not until the 17th century that the first studies were done proving the importance of play in the learning and developmental process of a child. J. Goldsteins declared that "the game is the prism through which children experience their world and the world of others".  Playing is a vital part of a child's health, as it generates positive emotions. As an only child with no cousins nearby, my childhood required a little imagination and creativity. My bunk bed became my dream home, my lamp was my friend the owl, I mixed magic potions to defend myself from monsters, all with a princess braid in my hair. 

Facebook has recently reminded us that it will be releasing the new version of its Graph API at the end of April, which will affect all apps that include integration of the popular social network.   As experienced GoodBarber users, you know that our system currently supports Facebook integration for the Like and content sharing features.   In order to integrate Facebook in its apps, GoodBarber is using some of the V1 features (the one that will expire at the end of April 2015). But don't worry, not all Facebook integration will be compromised! There are some new and exciting features that will be presented in the coming weeks.   However, for the moment we are forced to temporarily disable the Like feature, in order to update our system with the new Graph API. All other functions will remain the same.   Stay tuned to this blog for more updates.

In honor of the recent buzz over wearable devices, it seems like the perfect time to delve into this topic. “Wearable Device” is a term that gets thrown around quite often, but until just recently, it’s been more of a figment of the future. There have been some attempts here and there, and we often hear all about cutting edge gear that’s on the brink of becoming huge, but whether or not wearable devices are on their way to becoming integrated parts of our lives in the way that smartphones have is something worth wondering about. Up until now, the two most well-known wearable devices have been the Google Glass and the FitBit, and I think it’s safe to say that one has been more successful than the other. While the FitBit can be seen sporadically amongst groups of everyday people, I cannot think of one single person I know who has been audacious enough to sport the Google Glass. Why has everyone shied away from such an impressively capable product created by a company that we all know and trust? I think Google really missed the mark in terms of relatability—it seems to have taken the futuristic concept and run with it, forgetting that its customers are humans, not wealthy robots. The term “Glasshole ” became popular for a reason—it’s not easy to wear this device without emitting a pretentious, Inspector Gadget aura that makes one unapproachable at best.

Mobile devices have been seen as the bad guy in schools for quite some time now, and administration has fought long and hard to stop kids from bringing their beloved smartphones to class (I definitely endured a gloomy detention or two back in the day for texting during Calc). I think we can all agree that mobile devices can certainly play a negative role in school (they can be a major distraction, facilitate bullying/other inappropriate behaviors, the list goes on..), but the reality is that they are not going anywhere. Diane Barry, an 8th grade Spanish teacher describes prohibiting kids from using their phones as “an uphill battle that can never be won, but if kids can put aside their desire to text, check e-mail, and watch Netflix, mobile devices can be a great tool for everyone”. This is perhaps indicative of the fact that it’s time to start embracing smartphones and tablets in school and explore what kind of benefits they can offer in this previously controversial setting. The spread of technology is only going to increase, especially amongst youth, so if you can’t beat them, join them.

Hey GoodBarbers, are you ready?! We're going to Barcelona, and are ready to start another adventure at the long-awaited MWC.  There will be four full days of new encounters, prominent speakers, and very little sleep, but we are ready! You'll find 4 members of our Beautiful crew on site : Dominique Siacci , Jérome Granados , Arianna Testi , and Deborah Ferri-Pisani . It's time to go...see you in Barcelona!  

Hey GoodBarbers, My name is Vanessa and I just started this week as the new Country Manager for Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Originally, I am from Hungary, but have spent almost my whole life in the Black Forest in the south of Germany. Besides my two native languages, German and Hungarian, I learned English, French and Latin. Currently, I am studying International Business Management with concentrations in Marketing and French. During my studies, I worked for two years as the Marketing Manager in a small German company and I had the chance to gain a lot of work experience. To improve my language proficiencies and marketing knowledge and to meet new people from all over the world, I decided to do my internship in Ajaccio at GoodBarber. I have already been to Corsica twice and I really enjoyed the island, so it is a great opportunity for me to work and live on this «Île de Beauté».  In my free time, I am passionate about motor sport, travelling, volleyball, HipHop/R&B music and dogs.  I am looking forward to working in an international and dynamic team and enjoying the Corsican way of life!

We often speak about the strategies that brands use to increase their visibility. Many of them have managed to create a very loyal client base, generate much buzz, and sometimes even strategically transform bad buzz into something positive. However, today I don't want to talk about the social network success stories of these brands. Rather, I want to speak to you from the perspective of a social network user about the behaviors of certain brands that drive me crazy, ultimately leading me to unsubscribe from their updates. When these behaviors are constantly recurring, they can create a negative feeling towards the brand amongst customers, even outside of social networks.  This happens to me often, and I think it occurs with a lot of you as well, so I believe it is very important to understand the magnitude and effects that certain behaviors may have on your customers' perception of your brand.  Therefore, I thought making a list of social network behaviors that agitate me the most could be useful for giving you an idea of exactly what not to do in your own business' social networking strategy.   

It's here: the new and improved version of your back office, GoodBarber 3.5! Our team of developers has put itself into the mindset of a GoodBarber user and spent a lot of time exploring the platform in search of ways it can be simplified and made more enjoyable. We think the result is pretty great!  Lesia Pietri, head of the project, describes 3.5: “The goal of 3.5 is to give users a straightforward, guided path to the creation of their apps through clearer steps and updated tools. With creating the most Beautiful Apps always being our objective, we are now offering the Unsplash photo feature—something that emulates the definition of beautiful design”.   

GoodBarber on AIR!  Today we are synching our showcase to a radio that is boosting the moods of young listeners all across Portugal. Hiper FM is a special radio that not only broadcasts pop and rock music, but also provides content about the entertainment industry and brightens the lives of its listeners on a daily basis! Let's turn the station to Hiper FM team's interview and find out what they had to say about their GoodBarber app! 

Hey GoodBarbers, My name is Silvia; I am the new country manager who has just landed in Ajaccio to take care of the Italian market. I was born in a small village near Vincenza (not far from Venice) where I spent my childhood daydreaming. As soon as I had the chance, I started travelling and spending time living in different cities. I spent the past two years in Paris, which I love everything about..the little back alleys and beautiful perfumes will always be close to my heart! However, I'm not afraid of change, and I can't wait to discover the magnificent views in Corsica. Between Paris and Bologna, I did a Bachelors in Communications and a Masters in Film. For the past couple of years I have worked in several fields: theatre film production, public relations at communication agencies, event planning for social networks, as well as in journalism.  After having covered the full spectrum of the Communications field, I fell in love with digital. I worked at an e-commerce website for almost a year, and now I'm ready for a new challenge! In my free time I like to lose myself in a book, discover everything around me, take little trips, and write  :)   

2015 will be a year full of important events and changes. The mobile market is growing faster than ever, and to make a name for yourself in this industry a lot of hard work and great ideas will be required.  Last week I asked my Beautiful Country Managers to make a list of the most exciting events coming in 2015. It's unnecessary (and impossible) to participate in all of them of course, but following them and staying informed about what's happening in the tech, mobile, and communication markets is imperative.  This information will help you to build your business and strengthen your presentation strategy.  Let's take a look at what's on the program for this year.   

It's been a few years now that we've been participating in this event, and every time it's a pleasure!  This year, two Beautiful members of our crew will be present at the event:  Jérôme Granados and Jérôme Pietri . With International Radio Day approaching, we expect great things from this event, as well as to meet some great people. ​See you in Paris ;)  

Has your app been in poor health lately? Low percentage of downloads? Less traffic than before? No reviews in the stores? Perhaps your app has a weak immune system and could have a nasty case of “Lack of optimization”.

Mobile applications have experienced huge growth over the past few years. There have not only been lots of new features to improve user experience on mobile, but new and great design ideas that catch our attention with their amazing effects have been implemented as well. Everyone has their own favorite mobile effects, and now it's time to discover some of the favorites of the members of our Beautiful GoodBarber Crew.  

2015 is officially here and so are the new innovations and trends to follow. We already have an idea of the major design trends for the Web, but what about for apps? I will turn it to Lesia, our expert artistic director, who is nice enough to share the best advice out there with us on creating a Beautiful App design that is on point style-wise.

A few years ago, creating an app for one’s business was something only for the most dedicated of techies—it would surely set you apart from your competition, but it was nowhere in the realms of your customers’ automatic expectations. Nowadays, without an app you are easily set apart from your competition in the complete opposite direction; customers may not even bother with your company if it is not available to them through a smartphone-friendly channel. To further understand why having an app is a huge advantage to your business, and what you risk by not having one, read on. 

Everybody is wondering what the next big thing in the app world for 2015 will be. We aren't psychic, but we have a few ideas based on our expertise, our market analysis, and the evolution of technology about the most exciting inventions big companies and brands will bring us during the next year, as well as the needs and concerns of consumers. We have known one thing from the start: mobile will lead. Mobile is like a little computer that we bring everywhere with us. It's becoming smarter, more relevant, and let's face it—something we are completely dependant on.  What we expect to see this year is apps that are much more customized to consumer needs. They will provide more relevant and personal information, geo-targeting content, app extension for wearable devices, more mobile security, and more opportunity for engagement. Today, we are offering you a look inside the future technology market. So, be our guest and jump into our time machine to discover the next App Trends for 2015.

A huge trend of 2014, videos have become an unavoidable means of communication. Read on to find out why and how to use them efficiently... The video has the ability to greatly increase the popularity of a site, and there are many who can attest to this. The video is a multipurpose communication tool that proves to be pertinent to several stages of client relations: it encourages interactiveness and increases user engagement on sites.  Video content can also, under certain conditions, boost the SEO of your site.  In fact, a video has 53 times more of a chance of coming up on the first page of a Google search than written content does.  However, remember that only written characters are taken into account by Google search algorithms. To improve your SEO through a video, you will have to pay a lot of attention to the title, the description, and the key words you have chosen. If you take this criteria into account, your video should be able to considerably increase your visibility on the internet. To give you an idea of the super powers that video content has in strategic marketing, a study done by Forrester  revealed that "from this point on, an online video may have more of an impact than a 30 second television commercial". So, are you convinced by the considerable advantages that video content is offering us? Now we will have to develop a strategy that defines the type of video and the channels of communication that you should use.  What better way to enlighten you than to show you how we, at GoodBarber, have decided to use the video?

This month, Facebook introduced a new algorithm for News Feed algorithm for 2015 that will change the way we receive content on the most prominent page on Facebook. If you don’t know about the new guidelines yet, this will be a valuable article for you. We will explain in detail what you should know about the new guidelines for Promotions and Advertisers on the News Feed and how you can optimize your mobile campaign.

As there are 1.3 million apps available in the market, user engagement has become a key factor in the success of an application. Today, I'll show you how to achieve this engagement on social networks through five steps (Exist, Know, Offer, Identify, Award).  

Voilà! The last features released for this 2014, plus the recap of all the most important features released during this year.