May means the full onset of spring, and that means increased mobility. As warmer temperatures and dryer days become more frequent, we find ourselves getting out every chance we get. Let May be the month you do a thorough examination of your website and content to ensure everything is mobile friendly. Over half of all internet traffic occurs on mobile devices, and a steady one third of all online purchases comes from smartphones.
Site optimization for proper viewing on different size mobile devices has become almost a standard feature for website developers. Written content should be broken into smaller chunks for easier reading, and images should shrink or grow to fit accordingly. But, video is by far the mobile media of choice. Check out these staggering statistics:

• 87% of online marketers use video content
• One third of online activity is spent watching video
• 85% of the US internet audience watches video online
• 92% of mobile video viewers share videos with others

Obviously, if you are not creating and sharing video content, it’s past the time to begin. Designate this month as Mobile May and create your first video. Highlight a product or service you provide, give a behind-the-scenes tour of your business operation, or give a brief overview of a popular blog post from the past. Why not challenge your readers to record their own video review of your products or services and send them to you? Choose a winner to feature on your site and award a coupon for discounts.

Holidays and Special Days

May 1, 2018 May Day – May Day, the first of May is celebrated around the world. It has a number of meanings. In many other countries it is a celebration of spring and the coming of summer. It is celebrated with many spring flowers, many of them blooming right in your own backyard. To communist and socialist countries, it is a celebration for the workers. #MayDay
May 5, 2018 Cinco de Mayo – On May 5, 1862, the Mexican army defeated the French army at the Battle of Puebla. This single military battle meant the defeat of a strong European colonial power and a victory for the Mexican people. This is the root of Cinco de Mayo. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the celebration of Mexican Independence, which is celebrated on September 16th. #CincodeMayo
May 13, 2018 Mother’s Day – The first Mother’s Day was May 10, 1908 in Philadelphia. This special day is always on the second Sunday of May and is a grand day to honor the most significant person in our lives. Mothers the world over deserve our respect and honor for the selfless role they play. If possible, spend time with your mother on this special day. #MothersDay
May 28, 2018 Memorial Day – Memorial Day is officially celebrated on the last Monday during the month of May. It is dedicated to service men and women who gave their lives for freedom and country. The roots of Memorial Day observance, goes back to 1865 and the end of the Civil War. Memorial Day was traditionally held on the 30th of May. In 1971, Congress changed it to the last Monday, in order to afford a three day holiday weekend. #MemorialDay

Birthdays

• May 1, 1916- Glenn Ford, actor
• May 1, 1967- Tim McGraw, country western singer
• May 2, 1729- Catherine II Empress of Russia (Catherine the Great)
• May 2, 1903- Benjamin Spock, physician, author, child-rearing expert
• May 2, 1904- Bing Crosby, singer, actor
• May 3, 1921- Sugar Ray Robinson, champion boxer
• May 3, 1937- Frankie Valli, singer, the “Four Seasons”
• May 3, 1946- Greg Gumbel, sportscaster
• May 4, 1929- Audrey Hepburn, actress
• May 4, 1959- Randy Travis, country singer
• May 5, 1818- Karl Marx, socialist, political theorist
• May 5, 1913- Tyrone Power, actor
• May 6, 1895- Rudolph Valentino, actor
• May 6, 1915- Orson Welles, actor, director, “War of the Worlds” radio hoax on October 39, 1938
• May 6, 1931- Willie Mays, baseball player
• May 6, 1945- Bob Seger, singer, songwriter
• May 6, 1961- George Clooney, actor
• May 7, 1812- Robert Browning, poet
• May 7, 1833- Johannes Brahms, composer
• May 7, 1840- Peter Tchaikovsky, composer
• May 7, 1901- Gary Cooper, actor
• May 8, 1884- Harry S. Truman, 33rd U.S. President (1845-1853)
• May 8, 1926- Don Rickles, comedian/actor
• May 9, 1949- Billy Joel, singer, songwriter
• May 10, 1838- John Wilkes Booth, actor, assassinated President Abraham Lincoln
• May 10, 1899- Fred Astaire, dancer/actor, born Frederick Austerlitz
• May 11, 1888- Irving Berlin, songwriter
• May 12, 1820- Florence Nightingale, a pioneer in the field of nursing
• May 12, 1907- Katharine Hepburn, actress
• May 12, 1925- Yogi Berra, baseball player, manager
• May 13, 1961- Dennis Rodman, NBA basketball player
• May 14, 1686- Gabriel D. Fahrenheit, physicist, mercury thermometers, created Fahrenheit scale
• May 14, 1944- George Lucas, filmmaker
• May 14, 1969- Cate Blanchett, actress “Lord of the Rings”
• May 15, 1969- Emmitt Smith, NFL Running Back
• May 16, 1905- Henry Fonda, actor
• May 16, 1953- Pierce Brosnan, actor, “James Bond”
• May 17, 1936- Dennis Hopper, actor
• May 17, 1956- Sugar Ray Leonard, champion boxer
• May 18, 1897- Frank Capra, director
• May 18, 1946- Reggie Jackson, MLB player, “Mr. October”
• May 18, 1952- George Strait, country singer
• May 19, 1968- Kyle Eastwood, actor, son of Clint Eastwood
• May 20, 1908- James Stewart, actor
• May 21, 1951- Al Franken, comedian, actor, writer
• May 21, 1952- Mr. T (Lawrence Tero), actor
• May 22, 1859- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, writer, detective stories
• May 22, 1907- Lord Laurence Olivier, actor, director
• May 23, 1954- Marvelous Marvin Hagler, boxing champion boxer
• May 23, 1958- Drew Carey, actor, comedian
• May 24, 1940- Gary Burghoff, actor, “Radar” in TV series “MASH”
• May 24, 1941- Bob Dylan, singer, songwriter
• May 24, 1946- Priscilla Presley, actress , ex-wife of Elvis Presley
• May 25, 1803- Ralph Waldo Emerson, poet
• May 26, 1907- John Wayne, actor, best known for westerns
• May 26, 1923- James Arness, actor
• May 26, 1949- Hank Williams Jr., country singer
• May 27, 1794- Cornelius Vanderbilt, financier, railroad tycoon
• May 27, 1837- Wild Bill Hickock, frontiersman, lawman
• May 27, 1911- Hubert H. Humphrey, Minnesota senator, presidential nominee
• May 27, 1911- Vincent Price, actor
• May 27, 1915- Herman Wouk, novelist
• May 27, 1936- Louis Gossett Jr., actor
• May 28, 1908- Ian Fleming, novelist
• May 29, 1903- Bob Hope, comedian, actor
• May 29, 1917- John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. President, assassinated in office (1960-1963)
• May 30, 1909- Benny Goodman, bandleader, musician
• May 31, 1819- Walt Whitman, poet
• May 31, 1898- Rev. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, religious leader
• May 31, 1930- Clint Eastwood, actor, director

What special days or observances help mobilize you in May? How can you leverage these holiday events or happenings to attract customers and impact your business? Share them in the comments and of course, share them with your readers! Until next month, get those videos created and uploaded and as always, keep writing!