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Not All Social Media Platforms Are Created Equal
Storytelling is a cornerstone of any successful digital marketing strategy. One of the best media channels for telling stories, of course, is social media. But not all social media platforms are created equal. Understanding the nuances of each social media platform—user demographics, usage trends, formatting requirements, and engagement data—is crucial to being seen and heard on social media. One of the biggest social media marketing mistakes we see businesses make is posting the same exact...
Marketing Has Destroyed the Holidays. This is Our Apology.
On behalf of the entire marketing industry: we’re sorry. We’re sorry that commercialism has stripped so much meaning from the holiday season. We’re sorry that you’ve been getting pummeled by the big corporate holiday spirit since September. We’re sorry that special offers and one-day-only sales and ads upon ads upon ads are diluting a season that was once so focused on family and togetherness. We’re sorry. We know that a vast majority of marketing professionals don’t see the harm in all this,...
Emoji Marketing: The Stats Behind the Smileys 📈😁
Emojis are fun, plain and simple. In personal conversations, they add levity and lightheartedness, and can help convey feelings that may not come through clearly with text alone. Adding an eye roll emoji makes sarcasm more obvious, or adding a smiley face to the end of a direct statement ensures it will be received without any passive-aggressive undertones. But emojis are more than just fun characters to bat around with our friends—they actually play an important role in social media and email...
Mastering the Use of Color in Branding and Design
In the world of branding and design, color is a powerful tool that helps define your identity and influence the way people perceive your brand. Choosing the right color palette is like selecting a few perfect grains of sand from a vast beach—seemingly simple, but with endless options (and lots of opportunities to overthink your decision). Below, we'll explore the significance of color in branding, dive into color psychology, and learn how to create cohesive color palettes that uphold your...
5 Social Media Marketing Mistakes You’re Probably Making
Social media marketing doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Businesses that are active on social media (and, by “active” we mean posting regularly to their own profiles, engaging in meaningful conversations with their audiences, and interacting authentically with other business profiles) stand to gain increased visibility and brand awareness, stronger and more substantial relationships with their audiences, more profound consumer insights, and a considerable competitive advantage. The sum of...
Very Merry Marketing: A How-To Guide for Successful Holiday Marketing
Launching a successful holiday marketing campaign can make-or-break your entire year. It can also make-or-break you, if you don't keep a tight grip on the holiday marketing reins. But being stressed out, stretched thin, disorganized, and pressed for time are not requirements for a successful holiday marketing program. In fact, that's the opposite of what the holiday season should feel like... We've helped hundreds of small businesses launch successful holiday marketing campaigns, and we've...
AI is Not a Replacement for Human Writers (Unless your Goal is to Sound Unoriginal)
AI can do pretty much everything these days. When it comes to marketing, AI can help companies hyper-segment their audiences, make heads or tails of data analytics, outline the key learning points of a virtual training seminar, identify SEO keywords... The list goes on. Of course, one of the most popular applications for AI is content development. Need a witty social post to go along with a national holiday? ChatGPT can spit something out in seconds. How about a catchy email subject line for...
SEO vs. Branding: Which is More Important?
Small businesses are obsessed with SEO. We can’t tell you the amount of business owners who reach out to us and say, “I need SEO. I want to be #1 in Google.” Sound like something you may have said? Search engine optimization is important, but before putting all your eggs in the SEO basket, let’s back it up for a second and talk about your ultimate goal: generating more business. You want more exposure, more leads, more clients, and more money. We hate to be the ones to break it to you, but SEO...
Influencing the Consumer Decision Making Process: Which Marketing Tools to Use (and When to Use Them)
As marketers, our job is simple: to influence the consumer decision making process. Understanding the various phases of the consumer buying process—and knowing which marketing tools to employ at each stage of the process—is crucial to leading consumers towards making a purchase decision in your favor. Let's explore the different stages of the consumer decision making process, and the importance of employing the right marketing tools and messaging—in the right place, at the right time. Phase I:...
The Viral Success of Stanley®: Key Takeaways for Small Businesses
It’s not exactly a well-kept secret: innovative marketing and business strategies—coupled with captivating brand narratives—can drive enormous success. It’s also not exactly easy to pull off. Definitely easier said than done… So, when a brand like Stanley® comes along and absolutely nails it, it’s important to learn everything we can from their success. A modest brand with a rich history, Stanley has succeeded in accomplishing what most brands only dream of: they’ve repositioned themselves and...
GA-4 Migration: Everything You Need to Know
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, staying up-to-date with the latest tools and technologies is crucial. One such development is the migration from Google Analytics Universal to Google Analytics 4 (GA-4). With GA-4, Google aims to provide a more advanced and comprehensive analytics platform, which is great (though, a bit clunky to use, if you ask us). However, failure to migrate before the end of the month will leave you analytics-less, as the Universal platform will stop...
Social Media for Small Businesses: This Relationship is Getting Serious
Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, and its impact on business is significant. As a full-service digital marketing agency, we understand the importance of social media for small businesses. Here are a few reasons why having a social media presence is essential: 1. Increased Visibility Social media platforms are an excellent way to increase your brand’s visibility. With millions of users, social media platforms provide an opportunity for your business to reach a vast...
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