Some interesting stats:

• There were 12.8 BILLION Google searches in June 2013.
• Google owned 66 .7% of the US search market in June 2013.
• There are 10 million Google Drive users, and 425 million Gmail accounts.
• 343 million people actively use Google+ (surprising, no?).
• 6 billion hours of videos are watched each month on YouTube
• 100 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube each minute.

Check out the infographic below from wishpond.

In the PR industry, it’s essential to be organized and on the ball. Our clients expect us to be up-to-date and relevant in a variety of industries; so there are a few apps that we have come to rely on here at the office that help us to bring our ‘A’ game every time.

1. HootSuite has many functions. It allows you to monitor multiple Twitter feeds for your different clients and you can schedule tweets ahead of time. You can also monitor mentions and you can select certain news feeds to follow (like a competitor) to stay up-to-date with the conversations surrounding your industry.

2. Zite is a useful tool for compiling top news stories in one app. You can choose the industries you would like to hear about, like social media, politics, current events, PR news, etc., so you can stay up-to-date with what’s going on in the world.

3. Google Drive allows you to store all your documents in one place. On the go a lot? This app is definitely a life saver when you need access to a document but are away on business. It’s also incredibly easy to file share with this handy app.

4. Flipboard is useful for putting all of your interests into one place. Similar to Zite, Flipboard chooses the top news stories based on your selected interests. It also displays your Twitter news feed and you can make your own magazines by saving stories and sharing them with selected friends. It’s great for sharing event ideas!

5. Trello a fancy to-do list and notepad for recording ideas. This app is useful for tracking what you need to do during the day, items that need to be picked up and projects completed. A great app for staying organized while on the go!

6. Facebook Pages is useful if you manage multiple pages on Facebook. Here, you can monitor conversation about your client/business and respond to fans. You can upload and edit photos, send private messages and create posts all from your phone!

Now more than ever: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+ (among others) are the dominant place for consumers and advocates alike to engage with your brand. It’s so important that these destinations fully reflect your company in a seamless way, and maintain the consistency of your current web and offline materials.

Lucky for us, tentsocial has put together a blueprint that outlines almost all of the specs you’ll need when designing creative for your social-sphere. Have a look below, and be sure to bookmark this post – you never know when you’ll need this helpful infographic again!

This year all that is going to change. Atleast that’s what the strategic partners behind Paperless2013.org are hoping for. Heavy hitters like Google Drive, Hello Sign, Fujitsu ScanSnap have teamed up to provide a seamless organization of green-savvy crusaders striving to provide paperless solutions for small and large businesses alike.

How can you get in on the action?

It’s simple really – just sign up! Paperless2013.org will provide you with new monthly tips and services that will help enhance your green efforts. Google Drive is always going to be a fantastic tool (one we use constantly at EDPR), but we’re really excited about the prospect of using HelloSign – a paperless way of getting those pesky contracts signed.

Our efforts will continue in 2013.

From collaborating on documents in the office, to sending out contracts and agendas – we’re constantly optimizing and encouraging further use of technology to reduce our corporation’s carbon footprint. As we go through 2013, we’ll keep you updated from time to time on the different services we’re using to maintain our efforts – and shed some insight on what works, and what doesn’t. Here’s to a Paperless 2013 – now.. on to conquer the Diet Soda.

One of the most important tools that I use in my daily work life is the Google Drive service (formerly Google Docs). For those of you not familiar with Google Drive, it’s a collaborative space to keep shared documents, pictures, etc – while seeing updates from the users you share these files with in real time!

Google recently released an app companion that brought together some of Drives’ best features for on the go usability.

Google Drive’s Opening Screen

As you can see below, I have a ton of collaborative documents that I access on a regular basis – this app makes it SUPER EASY to access them on my phone.

Here’s the preview shot of a document I was using earlier today. It’s super simple to navigate and edit, and beats trying to access it on the mobile web. The best part? You can choose to make certain documents available offline, so you can edit even without a WIFI or 3G connection.

And I love that I’m able to upload photo, video and create new documents to share right from my phone. Commuting, travelling, and even working at home in front of the TV just got a little bit easier.

Definitely check out the Google Drive App in the App Store - available for Android and iPhone!