4 Things You Should Know About Advertising on the Radio

radio advertising

Advertising on any medium will take a lot of prep, strategizing, and effort from your business. Radio advertising is no different. Today we’re discussing everything you should know before looking into advertising your business on the radio.

Radio is very cost-effective

Digital and TV advertising are not as cost-efficient as radio advertising.  The costs associated with advertising on the radio have grown less than other common forms of advertising. Newspaper advertising rates continue to climb as circulation for printed newspapers has fallen. More viewers record shows so they can skip the commercials, which means costly Television commercial rates run the risk of being unseen.

It’s easier to have consistent messaging through Radio because it’s cheaper than other mediums.

If you’re looking into saving even MORE money with radio advertising, you should look into purchasing your ads further in advance. This will help reduce the costs of your time slots and could maybe convince your buyer to include a bundled service package or discount.

Radio advertising has the largest reach

According to a recent report from Nielsen, radio has the highest weekly reach across all American age groups, as more than 90% of all adults listen each week.

Reach is required if your objective is promoting your business. If you want to talk to a lot of people about your brand you should look into advertising over a longer period of time, advertising during multiple times of day, using a few different stations, and taking advantage of short-duration commercials. An advertising strategy using six-second ads at the beginning of every commercial break all day long. Or you could opt for: 15-second ads with a short and sweet message.

Radio is great for branding

With radio advertising, you are front and center in the listener’s attention span when your ad is on the air. You’re never buried on page 42 and you’re never surrounded by your competitor’s ads on the radio. You’re always on the front page with radio.

Radio advertising can be very effective for branding and awareness campaigns, or for specific calls to action. It’s important to remember the modern shopper and their journey. As such, only making use of one channel for any given campaign is lessening the success rate of the venture.

Brand recognition is fortified with radio advertising in ways other mediums just can’t compete with. More than 243 million American adults listen to the radio each month. Frequency is a specific component and kind of “secret sauce” when it comes to the principles of media advertising and is unparalleled anywhere else.

Great ROI

Additionally, radio is a great way to get the most bang for your bucks. The medium offers huge returns on your advertising investment. Radio can even deliver an average 8$ incremental sales for every $1 spent on advertising. 

As a small business owner, measuring the ROI of your advertising efforts is critical for success. You shouldn’t continue spending money on campaigns that aren’t delivering results. Even if the radio works for most businesses, you should analyze the ROI, and track how much business it brings you.

Have any questions about advertising on the radio? Contact us here. 

Why Radio Advertising Is Still Relevant

radio advertising

Advertise. Rinse. Repeat.

The great thing about radio advertising is that it generates substantial bang for your marketing buck. In fact, when done properly, businesses can experience exponential growth within the first year or two. Businesses that use radio experience tangible results in terms of metrics like brand visibility, website traffic, and overall revenue.

Radio matters to businesses. It reaches more people than any other medium, is relevant in today’s culture, and is highly trusted by loyal listeners. Most importantly, it helps businesses grow their bottom line.

Psychologists tell us that consumers need to be exposed to an advertising message at least three times before it begins to resonate. When businesses review their advertising budget and take this factor into account, radio is one of few mediums to choose from that offers an affordable, repeat-ad plan.

Brand recognition is fortified with radio advertising in ways other mediums just can’t compete with. More than 243 million American adults listen to the radio each month. Frequency is a specific component and kind of “secret sauce” when it comes to the principles of media advertising and is unparalleled anywhere else.

Targetting Your Radio Advertising.

You hear a lot about millennials, the so-called lucrative consumer segment that most brands spend all their money on. However, the over 50s are one of the fastest-growing and richest demographics in the United States, according to research. And with a great radio commercial, you can target this group effectively and generate more leads to your business. It’s not just the over the 50s, however. All age groups listen to the radio at some point, providing you with ample marketing opportunities.

Pinpointed advertising on the station or stations that best match your customer’s interests is like serving them their favorite meal at the time they expect to eat and that targeted effort can save you dollars. Even with all of these proven reasons, the method you will choose will depend on a number of factors – who your target audience is, and what your budget will allow.

Due to the targeting potential in radio, from access to the local community to the ability to address very specific submarkets using individual stations, a well-crafted radio message can provide the insight necessary to reach the right listeners – the individuals who likely will become customers. Once you know whom you’re talking to, it becomes much easier to determine an authoritative, trustworthy way to communicate.

Spend Your Money Where The Ears Are

Facts are facts. Radio is a top medium for adults of all ages, 93% of us listen to AM/FM radio over the airwaves, which is higher than TV viewership (88%), PC use (50%), smartphone use (83%), and tablet use (37%).

With radio advertising, you are front and center in the listener’s attention span when your ad is on the air. You’re never buried on page 42 and you’re never surrounded by your competitor’s ads. With radio, you are always on the front page.

The costs associated with advertising on the radio have grown less than other common forms of advertising. Newspaper advertising rates continue to climb as circulation for printed newspapers has fallen. Television commercial rates are costly and run the risk of being unseen as more viewers record shows on DVR just so they can skip the commercials.

Radio resonates for longer than other mediums. In fact, studies show that average radio listening times have more than doubled in the past five years. While a YouTube ad or banner ad might be momentary, radio commercials continue to produce results. Consumers hear the radio on their commute to work, for example, making this a profitable marketing opportunity.

Have any questions about radio advertising? Contact us here!

A Great Process Equals A Great Design

process

Great Process. Great Design.

Having a great process when designing is important to produce great work. You will have a smoother path from the beginning to the end. Everybody’s process is different, but there are some key points that you should remember: Research, brainstorm, creating a mood board, sketch, putting your design ideas into the computer, and refine.

Research

Researching before you jump into your design is important because it will provide you with an arsenal of inspiration and information to pull from for your designs. The more inspiration you have to pull from, the better. Your research process could be gathering images or written information. Putting together a visual library will help you get started. Some good places to look are designspiration.net and Pinterest. Designspiration.net has a wealth of images and designs from professionals to students of design in almost any subject you are looking for. Pinterest is great for keeping track of what is trending. Even using Google to find images works just as well. This is for you to help you in your process. You might learn something in your research and it may help you in another project or design in the future.

Brainstorm

This is when you take all the information you’ve gathered. You can make word webs or lists of keywords to get some general ideas out. This can help you think outside the box. See where your word web will take you. Brainstorming should be done quickly. Don’t dwell on something for so long and talk yourself out of an idea. At this point, no idea is a bad idea and you’re going more for quantity than quality. If you find yourself hitting a block go for a walk or take a break and clear your mind. Don’t feel pressured at this stage. After you’ve finished your idea generation talk it over with someone and see if they have any additional ideas to add to what you already have.

Mood Boards

Mood boards are helpful in that you can create a visual feeling and make sure you are on the same page as the person you are designing for. A mood board is a collection of images and typography to establish a feeling for your design. It can be structured into a grid or expressive. These boards can be made by hand using found materials or made digitally. Whatever way works best for you. There is no wrong way to put together a mood board if it is conveying a mood. You can reference your mood board throughout your process to make sure you are keeping on track. Making more than one with different moods can help you narrow down what direction you would like to go in.

Sketching

Sketching is important in design. This is a visual way to get your ideas out. At this point, it’s helpful to get out the good, the bad, and the okay at best. I find that if I can get my cliché ideas out of the way first I can move on to more creative ones. Just like with brainstorming you are going for rapid ideation and quantity over quality. You’ll worry about quality later in the process. I also prefer to do a lot of sketching or thumbnail sketches, which are ideas sketched out roughly. They don’t have to be finished, just enough to get the idea across. Don’t be afraid to draw from your brainstorms and research. Use different materials, such as pens, pencils, markers, even crayons. These may help to generate unique ideas and styles.

Computer

Putting your ideas into the computer is where you really start to see your ideas come alive. Take your best ideas and digitize them. Here they will begin to take shape into something more substantial. Sometimes what you think looks good on paper doesn’t quite work on the screen. That’s okay. You can try one of your other ideas. Something to keep in mind is that the design process isn’t always a straight path, sometimes you have to take a step back to get the most of your designs. When working on the computer, I find that working with several different unique designs and working on them helps to create variety to choose from.

Options

If you are designing for someone they are going to like options. Also, this is where you can push your designs. Don’t be afraid to break them and try something different. As long as you are saving copies you can always go back. Take risks. If you are working in Adobe Illustrator, you can create multiple artboards to test out your variations and in Adobe InDesign you can create new pages. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback, especially if you can find people who are in your intended audience for the piece. This will help you create a better design.

Criticism

Criticism doesn’t have to be a bad thing. You also have to use your best judgment for what is a good critique and a not so good critique. If you are designing for print, print it out and mark it up. Your colors will be darker on paper and you can catch little things that just don’t look right. A computer screen is lit from the back making everything brighter and more vibrant.
Once a single design has been decided upon, you can make revisions and refine it. Really nitpick. You want your design to communicate clearly and concisely. This is when you will finalize your design and present it.

These key points will help you stay on track on your designing journey and make it a smooth process from beginning to end. Remember to research, brainstorm, create a mood board, sketch, put your ideas on the computer, and refine. Don’t be afraid to take risks. The most important part of the process is to have fun with your designs.

Have any questions about designs or marketing? Contact us here. 

3 Ways To Improve Your Selfie Game!

Guy in red shirt taking a selfie.

The first “selfie” was taken in 1839 by an American photographer, Robert Cornelius. I won’t go into details, but the process of creating a photograph used to be a difficult, time-consuming task. Nowadays, taking a stunning selfie is a lot easier, but there’s still room for improvement.

Whether you’re looking to improve your Instagram feed or Facebook timeline, here are three tips on taking a great selfie!

Lighting

Poor lighting can make the most attractive person look bad. If possible, find a window to stand next to. Natural, soft light is the best to show off your features. Avoid harsh lighting, like the sun at noon, because this will create bad shadows. Also, try not to use your flash because it produces an unflattering light.

Selfie Angle

The angle is almost as important as lighting, and it’s a close second. Lower angles will almost always make the smallest person appear they have a double chin. Make sure to hold the camera at least at eye level and extend your head/chin up slightly. Holding the camera a little above your head can slim down your face.

Facial Expressions

Be yourself and be natural! The whole point of a selfie is to show who you are. Try smiling naturally. A smile isn’t solely visible on your lips but also in your eyes and face. Be confident and don’t be scared to take more than one picture.

(bonus tip!) Rules are meant to be broken. Be creative while taking your selfies!

If you’re interested in learning more about photography, marketing, or anything else we do contact us here!

killer selfie
“Killer” Selfie with some of the Killerspots Team!

 

What Instagram In-App Payments Could Mean for Business

Instagram In-App Payments

An Instagram in-app payments feature was just added early this month.

This new feature allows social media users to make purchases on Instagram. How? Users can add a credit/debit card to their account, with a pin for security. After they set-up and verify the accounts, users can make purchases through their Instagram account.

Instagram hasn’t stated when it plans to roll out this service.

Weaving commerce more deeply into social media apps offers potentially huge rewards for companies behind the apps, as well as those with products to sell.

Instagram says that more than 80 percent of its 800 million-plus users follow a business on the social network. With numbers like that, the Facebook-owned company will be keen to build out its shopping services to draw in more advertisers and boost revenue even further.

What does this mean for businesses?

You’re able to show your product and store where your customers already are.

One of the biggest challenges businesses face is getting your customer to your store and check out.

While Instagram already offers shopping opportunities via tagged items shown in an image, making a purchase currently involves navigating a pop-out page and completing various steps, including entering payment details for each new merchant.

Instagram in-app payments are now erasing that hurdle for businesses. Your customers won’t even need to leave Instagram to purchase the product you’re showing on your feed. The more steps involved in the buying process, the more likely a customer is going to fall out of the funnel.

It might not seem like Instagram is the place for businesses to communicate with their audience, but Instagram reports that over 200 million Instagrammers actively visit a business profile every day.

How will Instagram in-app payments work?

One of the first equipped is a dinner reservation app Resy. Some of its clients’ Instagram Pages now offer this native payment for the booking. And in the future, Instagram says you can expect direct payments for things like movie tickets through the app.

A tap through to the terms of service reveals that Instagram Payments are backed by Facebook’s Payments rules.

With its polished pictures and a plethora of brands, shopping through Instagram could prove popular and give businesses a big new reason to advertise on the app. If they can get higher conversion rates because people don’t quit in the middle of checkout as they fill in their payment info, brands might prefer to push people to buy via Instagram.

The whole point of Instagram not allowing links in captions is to keep you in a smooth, uninterrupted browsing flow. Getting booted out to the web to buy something broke that. Instagram Payments could make impulse buys much quicker, enticing more businesses to get on board. Even if Instagram takes no cut of the revenue, brands are likely to boost ad spend to get their shoppable posts seen by more people if the native payments mean more of them actually complete a purchase.

How can businesses utilize Instagram in-app payments?

Whenever a new trend or update comes to social accounts, your first thought should always be “How can this benefit my account?”?

Once Instagram opens up the payment option to the general public, you’ll be able to enable your audience with the ability to purchase your products and services directly on Instagram.

Until then, there are things you can do to prepare for the upcoming update.

Make sure you have an Instagram Business account

Business accounts provide businesses a lot more flexibility when it comes to managing your account and presence on Instagram.

They allow you to have an office location and hours in a separate section from a regular Instagram bio. Business accounts also have access to helpful analytics and promotional tools.

You’re also able to boost specific posts that will help you reach a wider audience.

Make sure your site is mobile-optimized.

Since you’re wanting to drive your audience to purchase from you online, the first step is to drive them to your site and store. Instagram is a mobile app, so visitors will be accessing your site from their phone or another mobile device.

Giving them a poor first impression will seriously hurt your chances of ever nurturing them into a customer.

Looking to the Future

Overall, the Instagram in-app payments update is very exciting for businesses and customers alike. Instagram is helping streamline the buyer’s journey through their app, and we’re excited to see how this will pan out.

Do you have any questions about marketing on Instagram or other social sites? Contact us here!

3 Brands with Killer Social Media Strategies

social media

There are hundreds of social media platforms out there. Among the most common are Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.  People view advertisements and engage with content on these outlets daily.  Because of this, it’s important that brands make sure their content is memorable and unique with social media strategies.

Below is a list of a few popular brands that demonstrate successful social media strategies. Check out the list below to see what you or your brand can learn about social media from them!

  1. Wendy’s

In 2017, Wendy’s was recognized by its followers for their use of humorous sass on their Twitter account. In one example, a follower tweeted at Wendy’s, asking, “If the beef is never frozen, then how do you guys keep it fresh?” Wendy’s reply was smart and sassy: “R E F R I G E R A T O R S”.

Another instance where they clapped back happened when a user tweeted at them, “@Wendy’s How much does a Big Mac cost?” Wendy’s responded, “Your dignity”.

These examples show that Wendy’s social media strategy is different from other brands in that it is quirky and unforgettable. They also target other competing restaurants, like McDonald’s in this case. The whole point of their tweets was to get people talking. Clearly, it worked.

  1. Airbnb

Another brand that uses its content in a crafty, strategical way as Airbnb. Their Instagram is filled with beautiful images of different places around the world. They engage their audience by creating captions that catch their attention. For example, one photo states, “Forever is how long you’ll want to stay in the infinity pool at Lebah Villa. But – trust us – you’ll want to dry off and take the short walk to Ubud village, soaking in the Bali rice paddy view.” Each photo includes a storytelling aspect to it, which lets the viewer imagine that they are in that location.

In addition, Airbnb started a campaign using the hashtag #WeAccept. With this, the brand intended to show their audience that they support all types of people and backgrounds. This was an effective social media strategy to engage users and promote diversity.

  1. GoPro

Instagram has proved to be a successful social media platform, as it includes contests and other user-generated content. GoPro, a technology company that designs cameras for sports, activities, and travel, maintains an inspiring Instagram account for this reason. Each day, they run two contests called “Photo of the day” and “Video of the day”. Users from around the world can upload their personal photos or videos, and GoPro picks the best ones. Not only does this literally engage followers, but it promotes a lifestyle of adventure and fun for prospective customers. In a way, this is better than simply showcasing a certain product. This allows viewers to picture what their life would be like if they had that specific product.

 

These three brands are role models that anyone can look up to for social media tips and ideas. If you or your company is out of ideas for your social media strategies, we can also help!

5 Ways to Make Your Email Marketing Strategy a Success

email marketing strategy

Not only does email marketing build credibility and strengthen customer relationships, but it is unique from other marketing strategies. Here’s why: it’s either very inexpensive or free, meaning you have nothing to lose if it fails. On top of that, studies have shown that a successful email marketing campaign can produce up to 4,300 percent return on investment.

Sadly, not all email marketing approaches are effective. People find them to be annoying, due to excessive floods of emails, cheesy wording, and the possibility of spam. However, there are ways to change attitudes regarding an email marketing strategy. Here’s a list of tactics that will pique your consumers’ interest as well as keep them engaged in the content.

1. Directly address the consumer’s name at the start of the email

Even using an automated system that includes each person’s name at the beginning of the message makes it more likely for people to open an email. When a message is personalized, people feel special. This also helps strengthen customer relationships, because they feel valued as a client.

2. Don’t flood your consumers’ inboxes

When targeting a specific audience, take into consideration how large or small it is. The larger the audience, the more emails you might have to send to get your message across. If it’s a smaller population you want to reach, send fewer emails. Better yet, give your customers the option of how often they want to receive emails.

3. Make the “unsubscribe” button clearly visible

How many times have you not been able to figure out how to unsubscribe to an unwanted email? Many times, companies trap their email recipients into receiving excessive messages. Making sure you implement a large, clear “unsubscribe” button in your message builds trust with your customers.

4. Keep your email marketing strategy content simple

The more words and visuals your message contains, the more distracting it is. Simply including just two or three sentences makes it more likely for consumers to be interested in the message. Another tip is to avoid stock photos. Instead, use original images that people have never seen before.

5. Scrap the “click here” option

To put it simply, people associate sketchy links with spam. A “click here” option will turn people off if they think it will lead to a virus. Rather, what you should do is use a different phrase. Make them an offer they can’t resist by using persuasive language. Like “sign up now” or “learn more here” and direct them to your website. 

Since email marketing is a great way to build rapport with your clients for free, make sure you do it the right way. If you have questions regarding email marketing tips or software, contact us!

Videos and Your Content Strategy

videos

People decide whether or not they are interested in something within the first 10 seconds of viewing it. In advertising, that leaves no time for anything else. The 30-second to 1-minute commercials we see on TV and the Internet are rarely watched all the way through. Fortunately, there is a solution for catching your audience’s attention: ultra-short videos.

What They Are:

Short-form videos last about 10 seconds or less. They try to get a message across to its viewers, whether it be an advertisement or just a simple story that encourages a certain behavior, thought, or feeling.

Why Videos are Important:

In the marketing and advertising world, content is key. Video has recently become one of the most prevalent ways to pique an audience’s interest. Therefore, it’s only fitting to create something that immediately appeals to consumers.

Since the average attention span is decreasing rapidly, it’s crucial to keep all forms of content short, sweet, and to the point. The shorter the content, the easier it is for people to remember it.

Short-form content has the power to get right down to the point, which first catches viewers’ attention, and ultimately leaves them wanting more.

Another perk of the short-form video is that smaller file sizes are easier to upload. In the end, that saves you time!

How to Create Them:

Reevio, a web-based video-making platform, allows you to create and edit professional-quality animations. It has the largest library of templates of any online video software. Additionally, Promo by Slidely lets you create customized marketing videos that include music and logos.

All in all, short videos are the best way to grab attention online. The best part? Shorter equal less work for you!

Have any questions? Contact us here! 

Benefits of Using Google My Business

Woman working on laptop

Google My Business is a free tool that helps businesses and organizations manage their online presence on Google. It helps customers find your company’s information, such as hours, recent updates, photos, etc. Also, it allows you to respond to reviews, update information, and add posts.

Why use it?

Having a Google My Business sidebar appear after someone searches for your business makes it appear more professional. It can also improve its local rankings. Additionally, it provides viewers with quick and short information so that they don’t have to dig too deep to find what they are looking for.

Advantages

With the new Posts feature, users can create and update more information on the business sidebar. For example, posting about sales, promotions, or upcoming events is a good way to attract customers.

Recently, Google added a Q&A feature, which displays frequently asked questions to viewers right away. This makes it easier for them to decide if they are interested or not. In addition to Posts and Q&A’s, Google has created a real-time chat mode with customers and businesses. This allows for more client engagement and increases brand loyalty.

In short, Google My Business is a great way to keep your small business or organization at the forefront of peoples’ minds.

Want to find out more about best practices on Google? Ask us!

3 External Communications Apps for Your Business

communications

External communications are as important as internal communication. It’s about sending messages to your audience. Such as your clients, investors, suppliers, members of the community, or others.

Certain software can aid in effective communication with people outside of your business. Here’s a list of 3 helpful applications that can benefit your business’ external communications.

Buffer

If you’re looking for a way to create and update social media content on multiple platforms at a time, try Buffer. It’s the easiest option for communicating information to prospective or current clients. When using the application, you can schedule posts to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more.

Canva

Canva, a free graphic design website, is a valuable marketing application. It lets you create marketing and advertising materials such as posters, flyers, invitations, etc. Additionally, the best thing about Canva is that even non-designers find it simple to use. Providing the user with premade templates makes it easier on those who aren’t very artsy.

Facebook Pages Manager App

Finally, this app from Facebook allows you to oversee up to 50 of your Facebook pages from your smartphone or tablet. Therefore, it proves to be an efficient social media platform for managing your company’s external communications. You can check activity and keep up-to-date with the page insights.

Overall, if you’re searching for the right communication to reach your intended audience, we recommend you try one of these. If you have questions, let us know! Contact us.

3 Communication Apps for Your Business

Communication

Effective communication within an organization is essential for it to function correctly.

A quick but efficient way to communicate with other employees within your business is to use digital applications. Here are a few examples of useful apps that your business can use:

Skype

Let’s start with the simplest software. Skype is an application that provides video calling between devices. Additionally, it serves as an instant messenger, so you can quickly send information to other employees in (or out of) the office without having to get out of your chair.

Trello

One way to keep employees organized is to use Trello. It’s a web-based project management application that allows members to collaborate by adding projects to “boards”. In short, it tells you who is working on certain tasks within your organization, and when they are completed.

Infusionsoft

Finally, Infusionsoft is an email marketing platform and a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software all-in-one. Therefore, this means that you can manage your clients’ contact information, interaction history, and other individual records. Infusionsoft saves you hours of time by making your customer details simple and well-organized.

Without a doubt, these three applications are helpful tools that aid in managing your business’ internal communications. For more information about these platforms, contact us here.

Why Search Engine Optimization is Crucial

search engine optimization

When you search Google for the best Italian restaurant in town, a list of results appears. The results at the very top are the ones that most closely match the words you typed into the search box. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is what helps those restaurants appear at the top of your search results.

Why care?

 For over ten years, search engine optimization has served as a valuable tool for businesses. In short, it directs more people to your website based on relevant keywords or phrases that they search. It can even help you monitor progress. SEO also helps with reputation management. Therefore, the more your business appears on a search results page, the more reputable and credible it seems.

What to expect

Getting acclimated to SEO takes a long time. It’s an ongoing process that involves choosing and editing specific content for your website. Because it can be such a tedious job, a lot of companies hire people specifically for the role of SEO. The benefits, however, pay off. SEO can increase brand exposure and awareness as it reaches new markets. Additionally, it makes your website more attractive and easier to navigate.

Overall, investing in search engine optimization can be a beneficial opportunity for your business to grow. As the Internet continues to change, it’s important to make sure your brand is still being noticed.

Need assistance getting started with SEO for your business? We can help.

Social Media Marketing Trends for 2018

Social Media Marketing

Social Media Marketing

Trends, like seasons, are constantly changing. Fashion trends, for example, are only popular for a few months or years at a time. The same circumstance applies to social media marketing and the digital world.

Since inventions in technology are endless, it’s important to keep up with modern trends and ideas. Below are some social media tips to help keep you up-to-date in 2018.

Video

According to Forbes, more than 80% of marketing consumers would rather watch a live video than read social media updates. The creation of live video streaming on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook allows marketers to reach people in a more modern way. Businesses can post 24-hour video “stories” to their profile, or opt to the live-stream material to their audience. Video is a useful marketing tool that catches the attention of younger audiences, as well as visual learners.

Engagement

Social media marketing is the quickest and most efficient way to reach customers. It’s important to take advantage of this by engaging with them directly. Outlets such as Twitter and Facebook make it easy to keep up with customers by responding directly to their complaints or praises. It’s commonly mistaken that gaining new followers is more important than engaging with existent customers or clients. Social media interaction with followers yields more brand loyalty and gives your business more of a personality.

Have any questions about social media? Don’t hesitate to contact us here! 

 

3 Tips for Creating Killer Content

Guy looking at plans for content.

Content is everywhere. From viewing street signs to reading articles on websites, content is a major part of our day-to-day lives.

One of the most important ways to lure in potential clients or customers is to make sure your content is catchy, consistent, and entertaining. Here’s how:

Catch Their Eye

8 out of 10 people won’t read an article/blog /social media post if the title isn’t appealing to them. So, focus on creating a catchy, relatable title. Some ideas include: stating an unknown fact that will entice the reader or create a list-style subject line. List-style articles make it easier for people to skim.

Less Content is More

When writing, make sure to keep sentences and paragraphs short. Most people skim over what they read in order to save time. It’s important to be consistent, so keep paragraphs to a 3-4 sentence maximum. Another option is to use bullet points. This way, readers can jump right to what they want to read.

Don’t be boring!

If you want your readers to stay interested,  you need to write content conversationally. Nothing is worse than reading something boring and awkwardly formal. If you write as though you’re addressing a good friend, people are more likely to be absorbed in your writing.

Do you have any questions about creating content for your business? Contact us here!

Why You Should Use Email Marketing and How to Do So

email marketing

In today’s market, email marketing is one of the most effective ways to pique the interest of consumers.

How?

Not only does email marketing build credibility and strengthen customer relationships, but it also gets them to comply with your message. Whether it be purchasing a product, attending an event, or donating to a specific cause.

A fast and efficient option for reaching consumers, email marketing is actually the most effective channel of communication with retailers, according to millennials.

So, how should you get started?

Finding the right software for your business is the first step. One reputable software system is Infusionsoft.

Infusionsoft also reviews what you write to make sure that the email doesn’t go into the spam folder. Also, the software uses a calculation to determine the best times to send out mass emails. In other words, they tell you when people are most likely to open emails and click on the links.

Overall, email marketing gives businesses the potential to increase sales, customer satisfaction, and build relationships.

With current technology is at its peak, utilizing email to market products is the best way to get people to pay attention and go to your website.

If you have any questions you can contact us here.

The 3 Best Graphic Design Practices for Marketers

Low Fidelity Sketch Image

From school textbooks to social media platforms, the most effective and engaging form of content nowadays is visual. This is why graphic design is more important than ever before.

What comes with visual content, of course, is the good and the bad. Maybe you’ve been on a website that you can’t navigate because the layout is too distracting, the fonts are invisible, or the pictures used don’t even relate to the topic.

In order to avoid those costly mistakes and keep your audience engaged and focused, here’s a list of 3 best practices for Graphic Design in Marketing.

1. Design for your audience.

It’s important to keep in mind and who you are trying to reach with your design. If you are creating a flyer for an event targeted toward children, would you use a plain black font without pictures? No, of course not. You would use bright colors with big fonts and include images or symbols on the flyer. Remember that even if your design looks great, it may not suit the correct audience.

2. Choose the right background/font color combinations.

One of the most crucial pieces of advice for designing is to make sure that words/images are visible. So if you choose a red background with an orange font, no one is going to be able to read the text. The best color combinations for background and font are black/white, black/yellow, blue/white, etc.

3. Arrange visual elements in a hierarchical way.

Purposeful placement of elements might not be something you think about when designing, however, it stresses the importance of certain content. Think about it this way: if you open an invitation to a party, and the top of the invitation states, “YOU’RE INVITED TO… KATIE’S 21st BIRTHDAY” in bold, large letters, you’ll catch the reader’s attention.

If you follow these three rules for Graphic Design, the message of your content is sure to get across to your audience.

Have any questions about design or advertising material? Contact us here!

Must Have Social Media Tools for Small Businesses

social media tools

Must have Social Media Tools for Small Businesses

Here are some must-have social media tools for small businesses

Twitter

You can use Twitter to build connections with a relevant audience. These connections can lead to actions across a network of loyal customers for your business. As a local business, you can use Twitter to promote special promotions, deals and or coupons to your followers and audience. There are a lot of different strategies to use for this.

Facebook

Facebook is a great opportunity for a company to make online sales, get a following around the brand, and create a platform where customers can discuss products. Marketing on Facebook has become essential for any business to have a strong social media presence in the digital world. Therefore, with over 2 billion monthly active users, there’s no reason to leave this section of your audience potential untapped.

Instagram

Instagram’s highly curated and personal environment is more likely to inspire action. The content is seen as trustworthy, authentic and relevant. Additionally, over the past couple of years, Instagram has become a powerhouse in the realm of social media. With over 700 million monthly active users, the platform has become a great place to share content with your audience.

Tumblr

Tumblr is the best place for creators to find an audience for their content. There are over 200 million blogs publishing 80 million posts per day. Therefore, it’s a great way to get your content seen by a large number of users.

Pinterest

Finally, Pinterest is an online tool for collecting and organizing images. The platform has become important for some people to find inspiration and new ideas, particularly designers.

Have any questions? Contact us today! 

Website Design Trends for 2018

website design trends

Website design trends are constantly changing from year to year. This makes it hard for designers and agencies to keep up with the latest web design and tech advancements.

We’re here to help though. Let’s take a look at some notable web design trends coming poised to take over in 2018.

Website Design Trends

Bright Colors and Bold Fonts

To complement these modern design styles, you’ll need type font that stands out. Bold font styles help users focus on your content, while the whitespace makes it easier to read and skim through.

The goal is to create an easy and enjoyable experience for the user to keep them on your site for as long as possible and eventually convert them into paying customers.

In 2018, we may also see these fonts and colors taking the place of images. This makes sense for mobile especially. Unlike images, which slow pages down, scaling the size of your typography won’t impact performance.

Sticky Elements

All those tiny ads at the bottom of apps and mobile websites are making their way to desktop and tablet designs as well. And it’s not just ads in this down screen location, chat boxes, pop-ups, notifications, and even navigational elements are sticking to the bottom of the screen.

This less obtrusive location is a prime viewing area and mobile usage has trained users that these types of placements are acceptable.

Animation

Small, simple animations can surprise and delight users. They can also help provide information and lead the user through more active engagement with the design.

But subtle animation isn’t about a loading feature that hides logging time, it’s movement within the design itself.

To make the most of subtle animation in the design stick to a couple of basic rules: pick just one animation “trick” and stick to it, animation should feel realistic and mimic the laws of physics, don’t force sound or click actions to motion and make sure the animation plays on a reliable loop so users know when the animation is complete.

Interested in improving the design of your site? Contact us here!

Facebook Marketing Do’s and Don’ts

Facebook Marketing

facebook marketing dos and donts

Facebook Marketing Do’s & Don’ts

Facebook marketing has become essential for any business to have a strong social media presence in the digital world. Therefore, with over 2 billion monthly active users, there’s no reason to leave this section of your audience potential untapped.

Here is a list of do’s and don’ts

Do’s

Keep It Short

Fewer words get more engagement, think of Twitter.

Post Frequently

Keep your Facebook audience informed by posting photos, promotions, and special offers. Also, provide relevant links.

Be Genuine

Connect with your user in a non-robotic way. Also, talk in a conversational way.

Get Feedback

Listen to your users, it will help you develop new products and improve on the existing ones

Respond

Don’t get tired of answering questions and responding to feedback on Facebook. Also, never forget to say thank you.

Don’ts

Always Sell

Use the 80/20 rule, 80% content, 20% product

Spam Your Audience

Don’t overpost and annoy your Facebook audience. Also, avoid oversharing or ranting about employees or customers

Talk Politics

You may lose potential customers whose opinions differ from yours

Go Dormant

Fewer posts, less value for future posts from Facebook’s algorithm. Users will also forget about you.

Ignore

Finally, ignoring may only add fuel to the fire, respond with your email and settle the matter privately

Have any questions about Facebook Marketing? Contact us today!

Visual Content Marketing Facts

visual content

Visual Content Marketing

Discover why you need a better visual content marketing strategy

Content is everywhere. From viewing street signs to reading articles on the internet, content is a major part of our day-to-day lives. Anyone can start a blog and create content, but great content marketing is about creating stellar content with a purpose and strategy. This past year, we’ve seen the importance of visual content emphasized by the changes that occurred across almost every major social network. Including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. At the same time, both video and infographics have become powerful tools for brands looking to communicate more easily with their readers with visual content marketing.

Social Media Stats

Tweets with images received 150% more retweets than tweets without images.

On Instagram, photos showing faces get 38% more likes than photos not showing faces

Facebook posts with images see 2.3x more engagement than those without images

57% of teens use Instagram, and nearly as many as (41%) use Snapchat.

46% of marketers say photography is critical to their marketing and storytelling strategies.

34% of marketers selected visual assets as their most important content

73% of content creators plan to prioritize creating more in 2016

Have any questions about visual content marketing? Contact us today!