Geolocation provides location data that allows social media platforms to connect users with others in their area. It also tells them about events and matches them to online activities that could be of interest. Geolocation first became popular back in 2008. Although many smartphone users have never used a geolocation application, many companies today are integrating geolocation into their social media applications and online platforms.

There are many reasons for marketers to use geolocation in their strategies. It represents data that enables companies to effectively target customers according to location, interests, and need. The Marketing Tech Blog describes geolocation as “the ultimate tool for nailing time and place: allowing businesses to promote their products and services in order to find the right market placement, and for their customers to receive tailored treatment based on their interests and needs.”

That said, although marketing has become not only instant, but location-based, geolocation is not being used to its full potential. Many consumers have privacy concerns about giving out their location. By sharing their location, they are essentially trusting the brand or company that is asking for their whereabouts. To make this work, marketers must use brand authority. They must give the consumer a trustworthy reason to share their location. To encourage users to give personal information, companies now integrate geolocation into their social media. In order to build geolocation into social media, one must remind consumers to check-in, encourage cross-promotion with social networks, and use geographic information from social media to encourage location-based participation.

Moxian, Inc. (OTCQB: MOXC) does just this. The social marketing and promotion platform integrates social media, entertainment, and business intelligence, helping merchants to accelerate and advertise through campaigns and promotions. The company has two products: Moxian+ User and Moxian+ Business. The Moxian+ User App has integrated geolocation, which allows consumers to search for merchants close to them. This feature not only gives users personalized information on events and promotions in their area, it also connects them to nearby friends. The application features a media messenger service, a gamification platform, a rewards platform, and a space for users to spend their virtual currency.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Moxian.com

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A traditional business partnership occurs when two or more individuals share management and profits of a business. Of course, not all businesses require more than one person to get started. That said, many large companies, such as Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY), and others, were built by more than one leader. Some of these partnerships started because of a friendship, but, regardless of personal relationship, both parties accepted that the other had something to bring to the table.

Monaker Group, Inc. (OTCQB: MKGI), the technology driven travel company, believed in just this when it partnered with a multitude of companies that could mutually benefit from the arrangement. Monaker believes in offering travel opportunities to all demographics. This requires Monaker to offer large and versatile search options to its various audiences, which has encouraged the company’s very productive partnerships.

Monaker has assembled multiple key partnerships to meet its objectives. With these partners, MKGI is creating the inventory and distribution linkage through its flagship NextTrip.com. The company considers itself to have a definitive strategic advantage with its strong partner base. Some of the key Monaker partners include: The Mark Travel Corporation, I.C.E., uBid and International Travel.

Monaker Group maintains a strong relationship with the Mark Travel Corporation. It offers a VAX system used by 85,000 travel agents and represents 60 million consumers including Hilton Vacations (NYSE: HLT), Hyatt Vacations (NYSE: H), and United Airlines (NYSE: UAL). I.C.E. has 55 million members worldwide and private label members such as American Express (NYSE: AXP), AAA, and USAA. Monaker also represents uBid products, with over six million active users. Finally, International Travel, with over 20,000 agents worldwide, has agreed to supply Monaker travel brand alternative lodging and tour products.

These four specific partnerships allow Monaker Group to reach a broader audience and market itself further afield. With this, the company is able to provide unique and competitive travel offerings and expand higher-margined inventory in alternative lodging. Monaker’s ability to work with trusted and established travel brands provides the company with significant inventory and distributions.

For more information, visit www.monakergroup.com

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Before the opening bell, Laguna Blends, Inc. (OTC: LAGBF) issued a news release recapping some of its recent milestones related to its planned entry into the $121 billion global skin care industry. The most recently announced milestone related to this goal was the company’s entry into a non-binding letter of intent to acquire the exclusive license brand name and existing inventory of CannaCeuticals of California, USA (“Canna”), which was originally announced in a news release issued on July 7. Under the terms of this agreement, Laguna will receive an exclusive license to sell Canna’s cannabidiol (CBD) skin care products in the United States and Canada for an initial period of two years, with license and marketing rights extending to Asia, Europe and Mexico, subject to Canna receiving regulatory approval in those markets.

Upon closing of this transaction, Laguna plans to leverage its rapidly-expanding affiliate marketing network to sell Canna’s innovative products in North America. The addition of the skin care products would offer entry into a sizable international industry while also building on the company’s existing presence in the functional beverage space. Just last month, Laguna gave prospective investors some insight into the strong growth of its affiliate marketing network when it announced the generation of $105,000 in unaudited sales during the 11-week period ended May 31, 2016. In addition to exceeding internal sales goals, a high reorder rate reiterated the positive product experience and strong demand that exists for Laguna’s two hemp-based functional beverage products, according to company president Ray Grimm Jr.

The addition of Canna’s CBD face serum to the company’s affiliate marketing network is expected to play a key role in Laguna’s ability to promote sustainable growth moving forward. In a recent clinical trial studying the efficacy of the serum, 100 percent of test subjects reported an overall improvement to the appearance of skin within 14 days. Of those, 85.71 percent noticed an improvement during the first week. Look for the company to lean on these findings while continuing to promote heightened brand exposure following the anticipated finalization of the manufacturing and exclusive license agreement with Canna.

“The momentum we have gained in the last 30 days is testament to our commitment to the Laguna Blends brand, our affiliates, and our shareholders,” Grimm concluded in this morning’s news release. “The achievements noted above cast significant light on the high-potential future of Laguna Blends, as well as our ability to rapidly yet successfully execute an aggressive growth strategy. With regard to our negotiations with Canna, we have a lot more potential and milestones on deck, and we look forward to updating our shareholders in the near future.”

For more information, visit www.lagunablends.com

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Earlier today, eXp World Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: EXPI) continued the rapid expansion of its real estate division when it announced the launch of eXp Realty in New Jersey. Including the Utah launch, which was announced earlier this week, the company’s Agent-Owned Cloud Brokerage™ is now operational in 43 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Alberta, Canada. In total, EXPI’s innovative brokerage now includes more than 1,400 real estate professionals, an increase of over 60 percent from the beginning of 2016.

EXPI’s pioneering agent-owned business model has proven successful in attracting some of the leading real estate professionals across all of its markets, and New Jersey is no different. The company’s broker of record for the state, Jeanne Borgers, brings more than 12 years of New Jersey real estate experience to the eXp Realty team. During this time, she worked with Keller Williams NJ Metro Group, earning the nickname of ‘Short Sale Queen’ for her ability to navigate the challenging realty landscape ushered in by the Great Recession.

“We are fortunate to have experienced and talented leadership in place with Jeanne as we enter a highly competitive market and a state where the practice of real estate varies significantly from the north to the south,” Jason Gesing, chief executive officer of eXp Realty, stated in this morning’s news release. “We look forward to offering new opportunities to and welcoming entrepreneurial professionals across the state into our community of agent owners.”

Over the past two months, EXPI’s realty division has experienced tremendous national growth, expanding into an impressive six states since early May. This growing national presence has set the stage for considerable financial growth in the months to come. In the first quarter of 2016, the company recorded a year-over-year increase in revenues of 107 percent. This coincided with an increase in agent count for its real estate division of 106 percent from the previous year. eXp Realty has already added roughly 300 new agents to its Agent-Owned Cloud Brokerage since the end of the first quarter, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down.

In a recent news release, Glenn Sanford, chairman and chief executive officer of EXPI, stated, “Our internal mantra of ‘We want the value proposition of eXp Realty to be so good that it would be irresponsible for an agent and broker to hang their license anywhere else’ has and will continue to drive innovation around the Agent/Owner model.” If financial performance continues to mirror this growth in agent count, the company could be primed for record results moving forward.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://investors.exprealty.com

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Stem cells have near-limitless abilities. They divide, reproduce, and build on each other to repair and regenerate tissue. Stem cells are most interesting for their ability to renew themselves and to differentiate into specific cells. Every single time a stem cell divides it can become a different stem cell. These are just some of the reasons stem cells have become so popular in the research and medical world. Human stem cells are currently being used to test new drugs and find new treatments for a range of diseases, including Parkinson’s, ischemic strokes, metabolic liver diseases, retinal blindness, corneal blindness, and many more.

Thanks to the nature of stem cells, they are often used in cosmetics. This is due to the fact that stem cell extracts can lead to renewal, regeneration, and repair of the skin. In actual fact, cosmetics do not have stem cells in them. Rather they are actually made using extracts from where the stem cells were grown. These extracts are used as a supplement to help grow and naturally repair the skin.

When stem cells first started getting used for medical and cosmetic purposes, they were embryonic stem cells. These stem cells have the ability to reproduce at an exceptional rate, but they require many growth factors, such as nutrients, vitamins, salt, and oxygen. In addition, these first pluripotent eggs were taken from donated human embryos, otherwise known as ESC. Due to the fact that creating ESC involved destroying a human embryo, there have been moral issues associated with their fabrication.

International Stem Cell Corp. (OTCQB: ISCO) has pioneered a new type of pluripotent stem cells from unfertilized eggs. These new cells are known as human parthenogenetic stem cells (hPSC). ISCO’s new cells have not only cut out all the ethical issues associated with embryonic cells, they also retain many of the factors that make them important within the medical and cosmetic industries. ISCO’s subsidiary, Lifeline Skin Care, Inc., is a cosmeceutical business that develops, manufactures, and markets stem cell derived cosmetics. Lifeline Skin Care uses human stem cell extracts and non-embryonic cells. The company uses small molecule technology to help smooth, repair, and restore the skin to give all the benefits that most people buying cosmetics are looking for.

For more information, visit www.internationalstemcell.com

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Before the opening bell, Agora Holdings, Inc. (OTC: AGHI) reiterated its intentions to uplist to the OTCQB Venture Market in the coming months. In line with this goal, the company has signed an engagement letter with Bart and Associates, LLC, a Denver-area law firm specializing in securities and investment-related law, outlining plans to commence preparation of a Form 10 Registration Statement, followed by ongoing quarterly and annual reports and 8-K filings. When this process is completed, Agora will be positioned to offer continuous reporting and improved transparency to its shareholders and the investment community at large.

“The company is excited about this next milestone,” Dan Terziev, chief executive officer of Agora, stated in this morning’s news release. “The filing of the Form 10 and all required audited financials mean that we can aggressively pursue the move to a more senior exchange.”

Agora’s goal of uplisting has been evident in recent months, as the company has continued to place focus on auditing its financial statements. In early April, Agora engaged an independent accounting and auditing firm, BF Borgers CPA PC, to complete audits of its financial statements under PCAOB and US GAAP auditing standards. In June, the company announced the completion of audits stemming from this agreement before posting the audited findings on the OTC Markets site.

“The Company is moving in a very positive direction,” added Terziev. “As we keep moving forward, we are confident that our shareholders will be rewarded given the performance of our company in the marketplace and its future potential.”

In addition to its ongoing efforts to uplist to the OTCQB Venture Market, Agora, through subsidiary Geegle Media, continues to make progress toward the commercial release of its FRAME platform. Upon release, FRAME will allow companies and individuals to better control their social media marketing efforts by conveniently distributing brand-relevant messages to a variety of networks from a single, centralized dashboard. Agora’s management team expects the introduction of FRAME to “revolutionize the way brands interact via social media” while providing “long-term value for [Agora] shareholders.”

According to a report by Simply Measured (http://dtn.fm/xpY7v), roughly 62 percent of businesses implement social media management platforms in order to fine-tune and measure the results of social media marketing campaigns. When combined with the knowledge that an enormous 93 percent of marketers are currently using social media for business, FRAME has expansive market potential as a solution for businesses, public relations firms and investor relations agencies to engage customers, track and measure social media campaign performance, and execute the strategic distribution of branded content.

For more information, visit www.agoraholdingsinc.com

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Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of the active cannabinoids present in cannabis, as well as in hemp, a variety of cannabis. Although many people focus on THC, the key psychoactive component in cannabis, CBD, offering medical benefits without psychoactive properties, is becoming increasingly popular. Since a report by the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (http://dtn.fm/xX8mG) was published in 2013 suggesting positive CBD applications, including reducing nausea and vomiting, suppressing seizure activity, combatting psychosis, combating tumor and cancer cells, and helping with anxiety and depression, CBD has made significant progress in the world of medicine.

Today, numerous trials are taking place around the world to understand the positive effects of cannabis and its components. Laguna Blends (OTC: LAGBF), a network marketing company based in the U.S. and Canada, focuses on the nutritional benefits of hemp and hemp based products. After the launch of its two products, Caffe and Pro369, the company took its passion for hemp a step further. Shares in Laguna Blends, Inc. shot through the roof as it announced the results of Cannaceuticals’ clinical trials of a cannabis extract facial serum, which showed 100% improvement of the skin of each subject.

The serum was tested on 21 women. Every single woman involved in the clinical trials witnessed an overall improvement in the appearance of their skin. With this, Laguna shares rose by 12.5% to $0.27. With these developments, Laguna Blends could become a player in the skincare industry as well as the functional beverage industry.

By the end of 2016, the skincare market is expected to grow to $121 billion. This growth is expected to reach a huge $154 billion by the end of 2021, according to Statista (http://dtn.fm/V70hE). With Laguna entering into a non-binding letter of intent with Swiss-developed care line Cannaceuticals, the group could incorporate itself within the skincare and beauty industry, as well as the direct sales industry. Ray Grimm Jr., president of Laguna Blends, had this to say in a recent news release: “Management believes that this proposed acquisition will immediately establish Laguna as a player in the skincare category”.

For more information, visit www.lagunablends.com

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Since the release of The Ten Commandments starring Yul Brynner and Charlton Heston in 1956, the faith-based movie industry has had many ups and downs. At the time of its release, the movie, which cost $13.5 million, was the most costly ever made, according to Life Magazine. This year marks the sexagesimal anniversary of that Paramount Pictures blockbuster, as well as the release of a new film of the same name. Os Dez Mandamentos (The Ten Commandments) made its debut in Brazil in January 2016. Thus continued the legacy of Cecil B. DeMille’s 1956 classic, which shows that the faith-based movie industry is alive and well with prospects that are looking increasingly brighter. Positioned at the cusp of this revival is Momentous Entertainment Group (OTC: MMEG) with its faith-based, family-oriented product lineup.

The Ten Commandments turned out to be the seventh most successful film of all time. In 2014 dollars, its worldwide gross would be $2.19 billion. It was the first of many successes for the faith-based movie industry. The biggest of them all since then has been Mel Gibson’s 2004 saga The Passion of the Christ, which has, according to Box Office Mojo, grossed over $370 million in the U.S. and Canada alone. Yet, in one way, the C.S. Lewis movies have been even bigger. The Chronicles of Narnia trilogy scored a stupendous $538 million at the box office. War Room, although released to generally negative reviews in 2015, also became a hit and has so far brought in close to $62 million. Hot on its heels are two 2014 releases, God’s Not Dead, which made $61 million and Son of God, which earned $60 million.

A Wikipedia piece claims that ‘all five of the major Hollywood studios have created marketing departments to target the growing demand for faith-based and family fare’, although there is no evidence that the largest, Disney Film Studios (NYSE: DIS), with its Buena Vista brand, actually does have a separate unit for faith-based enterprises. Some commentators have, nevertheless, discerned distinctly religious or Christian themes in many Disney films. Disney’s first animated movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937, shows Snow White, with head bowed and hands clasped, beseeching God to bless the seven little men who have shown her so much kindness, a scene as profoundly moving and Christian as anything in an openly religious epic. And who has seen The Lion King without noting how its draws on the Christian ethos?

Momentous Entertainment Group has embarked on an aggressive marketing strategy in this faith-based, family-oriented market. Its first venture, The Greatest Story Every Sung, is a celebration of the life of Jesus Christ. It is a compilation, on compact disc (CD), of 34 songs, each introduced by Stephen Baldwin. A second faith-based product is a double CD album, titled Tim Storey presents Daily Reminders from Scripture, which consists of recitations of bible passages on the themes of hope, love, peace and joy. Tim Storey is a pastor and motivational life coach to many of the top names in the entertainment industry, including Oprah Winfrey. A third faith-based offering from Momentous is a music video with the title I Believe. I Believe is sung by Suzanne Olmon, who is music director at the Church of Faith United Methodist Church in Richmond, Texas. An audio track of I Believe originally appeared on the album The Greatest Story Ever Sung.

For more information, visit www.momentousent.com

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Last month, Content Checked Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: CNCK) secured coverage in another widely-read publication when its Director of Nutrition, Tory Tedrow, RD, CNSC, was interviewed for an article posted on Examiner.com. The piece, titled ‘Allergies and pregnancy’ detailed the importance of a healthy, balanced diet during pregnancy. In the article, Tedrow offers suggestions on foods that should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding. She also uses the platform to dispel a common myth relating to food allergies.

“Current research shows that there is no reason to avoid highly allergenic foods during pregnancy or while breastfeeding,” Tedrow stated in the article. “Some research has shown that avoiding those foods can actually increase your baby’s risk of developing food allergies.”

To view the full article, visit http://dtg.fm/ZQL5p

In addition to offering a few healthy tips for expectant mothers, the Examiner.com article also provides valuable exposure to Content Checked and its family of health apps. SugarChecked is mentioned multiple times throughout the article, and a link to the Content Checked website is also included. Examiner.com serves as a daily news and entertainment hub for an estimated 4.8 million unique monthly visitors.

Content Checked has found great success in securing coverage in a number of high-profile media outlets in recent months, including Forbes, USA Today, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Los Angeles Business Journal and Yahoo, among others. In May, CEO Kris Finstad noted this progress in an interview on the UPTICK Network Stock Day Podcast. Finstad also used this platform to give prospective investors some insight into Content Checked’s headway toward building a sizable presence in the roughly $13 billion U.S. food allergy and intolerance market. Currently, the Company’s apps boast a combined userbase of approximately two million people in the U.S. and Norway, largely due to its growing database that includes information on approximately 70 percent of conventional U.S. grocery products and is updated regularly.

Building on its current momentum, Content Checked is moving toward the impending release of revamped versions of its apps complete with a library of new features and improved usability. Alongside this release, the company plans to launch an extensive marketing campaign while eyeing international expansion in Canada, the U.K. and Australia in the coming months.

To view the company’s full financials, visit the following link: http://dtn.fm/sIJ7M

For more information, visit www.contentchecked.com

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Earlier today, eXp World Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: EXPI) announced that its full-service real estate brokerage, eXp Realty, has commenced operations in the State of Utah. The company’s operations in Utah will be overseen by managing broker Rick Southwick, a recognized leader in the local real estate community with more than 30 years of experience. Among his achievements, Southwick was named 2015 Utah Realtor of the Year and served as the 2014 president of the Utah Association of Realtors. Prior to joining eXp Realty, he worked as an owner and team leader with Keller Williams for 15 years and as associate vice president for Coldwell Banker for approximately 16 years.

“The industry has been hungry for a business model that is wholly different from anything that its members have been presented with before,” Southwick stated in this morning’s news release. “eXp is that business model and agent ownership provides the greatest opportunity for agents that I’ve seen during my years in the business.”

To date, eXp Realty has commenced operations in nearly 40 U.S. states, as well as Alberta, Canada, attracting more than 1,240 real estate professionals with its innovative Agent-Owned Cloud Brokerage™ business model. The company has found similar success in recruiting industry leaders in its operating markets. Late last month, EXPI announced that Sally and Stephen Koss of the venerable Landmark brand in Greater Boston had joined the eXp Realty team after more than three decades within the RE/MAX (NYSE: RMAX) system.

“The Company continues to attract highly-respected, strong, and established leaders who share our passion for and commitment to agent-ownership and utilization of technologies that will position agents well as the industry continues to evolve,” Jason Gesing, chief executive officer of eXp Realty, stated in this morning’s news release.

EXPI’s recent progress toward expanding its presence in the real estate sector has also translated into considerable financial growth. In the first quarter of 2016, the company recorded revenues in excess of $7.1 million, an increase of 107 percent from the previous year. This performance was attributed to EXPI’s success in increasing its sales agent base and, as a result, realizing a greater sales volume through its brokerage division. The company’s agent count at the conclusion of Q1 2016 was up 106 percent from the comparable period of 2015.

With recent news in mind, this rapid growth seems set to continue. Last month, eXp Realty was named among the best places to work by both The Washington Post and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, based on the feedback of workplace members. This marked the second consecutive year in which the Agent-Owned Cloud Brokerage was recognized as one of the best places to work in Atlanta.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://investors.exprealty.com

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