Have you ever wondered how you could improve your business by using SEO? Millions of businesses around the world are choosing to adopt better SEO practices in order to help their business succeed. (more…)
You can have a great product idea and excellent customer service and still fail as a business. In most cases, this failure originates from the inability to reach the right consumers with the right marketing messages. If the consumers you need don’t know you exist, you will never have a chance. Thankfully, the world of marketing is evolving for the better, and there are many great ways to reach new customers. Below are four you should consider trying. (more…)
In business, marketing is very important as it helps spread the word about the business brand with the aim of attracting clients to the business. Today, there has been a consistent advancement of marketing technology and software that almost every business incorporates in their marketing strategies. However, there are undervalued pieces of technology that are still very effective in marketing just about any business. This article covers some of these underrated technology platforms that every marketing department needs to attract more clients to the business. (more…)
You’ve worked hard to create amazing content and have spent thousands of dollars of your budget to hire writers, actors, and editors. Obviously, you want to make sure that your company is getting the most out of all that hard work. However, in order for that to happen, your video needs to get enough views to begin bringing in people onto your website/physical store. The best way to accomplish that is to ensure that your video is being posted within the right places where it can get as many views as possible. Read on to learn a few of the locations where your video can thrive.
Whether you are in the food or the hospitality industry, placing your videos within several travel websites is a great way to obtain a lot of views. This is because people traveling to or past your city want to know their needs are going to be met. This can be a great advantage to your business as many smaller companies tend to neglect this area as they believe search engines such as Google are going to be enough.
Every business, if they wish to be successful, will have an online presence. In fact, most people will likely follow their favorites companies on social media rather than waiting for official news and emails. Thus posting your marketing videos on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram can help you not only reach your core base but collect valuable data about who is actually interacting with your website.
When people say that television ads are dead, they don’t mean streaming channels. In fact, each year, more and more people are cutting the cable cord and relying on streaming services such as Hulu for their entertainment. Working with a media company such as DX Media Direct provides you with the opportunity to reach a large number of people. In addition, several streaming services such as Hulu even allow customers to click on the ads, which can greatly improve your website traffic.
As a business owner, ensuring that your marketing videos are being exposed to as many customers as possible is incredibly important to the success of your business. However, all that begins with choosing to place your videos within the right areas. That is why it is highly recommended to follow the information above and begin applying it to your next batch of marketing videos.
Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure. You can connect with her on Facebook right here and Twitter right here.
When it comes to creating advertisements, video has become a major way for brands, companies, and teams to communicate with their audience, or their target demographics. Video acts as a way for companies to communicate directly from a person or someone, to their target demographic. Video enables them to show the different results they’ve been able to produce, the different types of tasks they work on, and the different people involved in the process. Video allows you to display people in motion, and a variety of different slides or events within one creative. When it comes to creating an advertising video, there are a few different questions that can be worthwhile to consider.
Depending on the platform the video is going to be published on, and advertised on, different video lengths can prove to be more effective than others. Certain platforms do better with longer form video advertisements, say 10-15 minutes, while others might be more effective in a 30-90 second video ad. A lot of it depends on what the consumer is going to be doing during the video advertisement. Are they going to be just scrolling by? Are they going to be viewing a longer form video? Depending on what the target customer or demographic is doing at the time viewing, can play a role in which length is going to be more effective. Additionally, the duration of the video plays into what the video is trying to do, and the goal of the video. Certain companies or videos might need length time, in order to explain the problem, explain the solution, and provide more information about the company and what it does.
Each video advertisement often has a particular goal or agenda you’re looking to achieve, whether it’s to generate more awareness, create more sales, or drive more leads, each video can have a different objective. Videos that are more brand focused, or targeted to creating brand awareness and exposure, take on a different feel than ones that are trying to generate sales. Brand exposure or awareness videos often explain what the company does, the type of products and services they offer, and more information about the company. Whereas direct sales video advertisements are more often about a specific problem, or a specific issue customers have, and a solution that you or the company sponsoring the video provides. Factoring in what the objective is for a video advertisement, can provide you with more a framework of what the script should be, the type of video to film, and in creating the best possible final product.
Another important question to consider when it comes to creating a video advertisement, is what the script is going to be. The script is most often going to be what is said during the video, and what is communicated. Each script or copy can be different, working with the objective of the video advertisement. Certain scripts will be more effective in generating sales, while others will be more effective generating awareness and exposure. The script within a video advertisement plays an important role, because it’s what is communicated to the viewer or the target customer. That is how you’re able to speak and connect to the person viewing the video. The words, language, and sequences used in a video are how companies and brands communicate with their potential customers.
Building off one of our previous points, the dimensions of a video also play an important role in the crafting of a video advertisement. The dimensions a video advertisement is going to be, determines the amount of screen you have to use, and the type of video that may be most effective. Depending on where the video is going to be published or used, different video dimensions may need to be used. Certain platforms may be more vertically oriented or portrait mode focused, while others may be horizontally oriented or in more of a landscape mode. Figuring out where the video is going to be published, and on which platform, can give you more information on the type of dimensions the video needs to be filmed in, and whether it’s going to be vertical or horizontal.
Depending on the video advertisement used, there might be an introduction segment, where a particular issue or problem is communicated, a standard video roll or credit is used, or where the brand introduces themselves. The introduction within a video is important, because that’s one of the early times where potential customers are introduced to you, and is in the first few seconds of the video. Companies may be trying to make a point early on in the video, to get their videos to watch more, or to introduce themselves to the consumer. The introduction of a video often sets the tone, or the stage for the rest of the video.
Creating a video advertisement comes with a variety of questions to consider, and factors to evaluate. Whether it’s for an ecommerce company, a financial analyst company, or a marketing company, figuring out how long a particular video advertisement is going to be, sets the standard of how much content can be incorporated, the type of script they can use, and the length of the video. Clearly understanding what the goal of the video advertisement is, whether it’s to drive sales, create more awareness, or generate more leads, can give you a framework of what your video may be about, and it’s structure. The script within a video advertisement is often how a brand or company communicates with their target audience and is able to connect with their audience or viewer. The dimensions of a video determine the type of landscape the video is filmed in, whether it’s in portrait or landscape, influencing the type of content or structure that may be most effective. Figuring out if there is going to be an introduction within the video advertisement, can dictate the beginning of the video, and the first few seconds of it. All in all, when it comes to creating a video advertisement, there are a variety of different questions to consider, and factors to evaluate.
Howie Bick is the founder of theanalysthandbook.com. The Analyst Handbook is a collection of 16 guides created to help current and aspiring Analysts advance their careers. Prior to founding The Analyst Handbook, Howie was a financial analyst.
Starting out into the world of small business can be a daunting prospect. Without a degree in business management, which most of us do not have, we have to start from scratch with what we have available. However, it is a relief to know you are not alone. People across the globe are all starting small businesses. There is a massive boom. This means that many companies and software developers offer free marketing tools for small businesses online. Here is our comprehensive list of free marketing tools for your small business that you did not know you needed.
Sumo is an online resource to help small businesses grow their websites. It has a free version and a paid version. The free one is well-rounded and full of tools that will help you boost your marketing. Visit here for a look at the pricing list and what you get for free.
It has a fully customizable design and can be shared to socials. It comes with visitor targeting to help you grow your site and you can send 10,000 emails per month. You can create welcome emails and email campaigns which help you market your business.
It also has eCommerce features, including discount codes and a whole section for analytics. It is worth giving a go no matter what your business for the email features alone.
The Yoast Plug-In is amazing and completely free. Use it in combination with your Word Press site to fully equip your business with all the SEO weapons you can. It comes with a whole repertoire of tools, including ‘indexables’, update reminders for pages, full control over your breadcrumbs, markers for sponsored links, one-word keyword optimization, access to free courses and so much more. It has a premium version available that comes with real-time support and much more SEO capability.
Logo Creator is a great tool that is entirely free to use. You can create a professional and well-designed logo in minutes. Add your logo to the marketing you produce to create a professional look for your business. It will also help people remember who you are and feel as if they can trust you. Add it to your social pages, website and emails, plus it works as a free advert every time someone looks at your site.
Answer the Public is a fun, free tool that is simple to use and does not require a sign-up. You type in keywords from your business that you want to market and it will search the internet to find out questions people are asking in relation to those keywords. This means you can extend your keywords and create marketing and content that is related to the most searched questions, propositions, comparisons, ‘alphabeticals’ and related words.
These are all keywords and leading questions you can use that will help you climb Google rankings and get your marketing seen.
Utilizing free tools to market your small business can be a great way of saving your money for when it is needed. Remember to try out free trials and get a good feel for the tool before you decide to sign up. Once you have a few subscriptions in business, it can quickly mount up. Do not pay for something when you can get it for free elsewhere until you make enough profit to validate it!
Jenny has recently left a corporate gig to pursue her freelance writing career. She’s a passionate writer and covers topics in the finance, business, tech and advertising niches. If she’s not writing you can either find her reading, jogging or planning her next surfing adventure.
Practically every article about a company’s success or demise points a finger at culture. Corporate culture has become a popular umbrella term for the collective experience within the workplace. And it’s getting attention because it deserves it – a thriving culture can be an incredible asset, whereas a negative culture can be a company’s detriment.
So how does a company create a positive culture? By taking thoughtful, purposeful action to create meaningful change within the structure of an organization. Here we will highlight some of the prominent strategies many well-respected companies implement, and share our own tips in creating a thriving company culture.
Beloved online retailer, Zappos, is a popular and successful company that’s also a place where people love to work. And that’s not by accident. Its website explains the importance of the company’s 10 core values: “These values guide everything we do, including how we interact with our employees, how we interact with our customers and community, and how we interact with our vendors and business partners.” Zappos understands how these values shape its culture, and how the benefits of a values-centered approach stretch beyond the workplace, affecting the services it provides and the relationships it builds.
In order to create goals and a successful trajectory for your company, it’s imperative that your leadership, employees, and stakeholders know your values and the company mission. Collectively living those values is what can take a culture from fair to fabulous.
“You can’t create a great company culture simply by writing something cute down on paper about your core values, vision, and goals,” said mConnexions Principal Strategist and Owner, Julie Holton. “You have to live it and breathe it every day. If you have a positive culture — people know it just by being around you.”
“This is going to sound overly simplified,” continued Julie. “Our vision statement, in one line, is to be good people who do good work for good people. That’s it. We hire people who are kind and caring, exceptionally skilled at what they do, and then we put that to good use by supporting people and businesses that align with our core values. And it shows, in our work and in how we all feel about our work at mConnexions.”
Hiring a diverse workforce has become the norm for many companies, but for others, there is still much room for improvement. Diversity includes a range of various demographics such as race, gender, and sexual orientation. Having a diverse workforce opens the door to increased innovation, higher company morale, and hopefully, a culture of inclusion.
But what does inclusion really mean? Ella Washington and Camille Patrick describe this in their Gallup article entitled Three Requirements For Diverse And Inclusive Population: “Inclusion refers to a cultural and environmental feeling of belonging. It can be assessed as the extent to which employees are valued, respected, accepted and encouraged to fully participate in the organization.”
A diverse population that embraces the varying viewpoints and experiences of everyone on the team, leads to greater utilization and appreciation of the skills and talents they possess. And when employees feel welcome, included, and safe, a positive shift in culture begins.
The actions of leaders within a company make a massive difference in creating a thriving culture. In fact, it often starts with leadership. Employees will look to their managers and directors to set the example – the expectation of policy, how others should be treated, adherence to company programs, and living by the company’s values and shared purpose.
In his article, The Role Leadership Has In Company Culture, Forbes contributor William Craig shares his thoughts: “Leadership cultivates the foundation of culture to empower employees to achieve the company mission and realize how vital each of their contributions is to furthering those goals.”
When leaders are engaged and modeling the values of the company, employees will follow suit.
Think of your experience when sitting in a hospital waiting room. How does it look, smell, and feel? Perhaps the word “sterile” comes to mind, with white walls and outdated decor, cold in temperature and atmosphere. And maybe wafts of bleach fill the air. This kind of environment doesn’t invoke feelings of joy, productivity, or positivity, does it?
With many Americans spending their days in cubicles and office buildings, the environment makes a big impact within the culture, and on their health too. Some offices feel like hospital waiting rooms, instead of inviting and collaborative places to create and produce. Office environments should be warm, perhaps with color on the walls, nice decor, comfortable seating with ergonomic desks, healthy plants, and natural light. They also need to be places where people feel safe and have the ability to focus. Spending time and funds on creating a beautiful office may seem frivolous to some people, but if it creates an environment that encourages creativity and inspiration, then it’s money well spent.
An alternative is to allow employees to work remotely. Many people would rather work from home, or another location that provides them with the type of environment that is best for them personally. Plus, what employee doesn’t love to have options and flexibility? This option can also save the company money, as there will be less funds spent on overhead when employees are remote.
It’s also becoming more common for companies to go completely virtual. Scopic Software is one of the largest virtual companies, currently with 230 employees in over 20 countries. It takes a specialized focus on creating a strong culture with untraditional ways of staying connected, in order to make a company like this work. With no signs of slowing down, businesses like Scopic, Buffer, Basecamp, and Zapier offer these basic principles for success in a remote worker environment. A virtual agency ourselves at mConnexions, we offer our own additions to the list, such as weekly video conferencing calls, coffee shop huddles, and digital applications that keep our team connected online throughout the workday.
“Working remotely sounds great in theory, but it isn’t the best choice for everyone,” said Julie. “Some people thrive with a flexible schedule, and are more productive without an office full of distractions. But others find that they need the strict routine of going to the office in order to stay on track, and the lack of social interaction can feel isolating. We put a lot of thought into this when we’re hiring. We know that for our team, this has been an incredible experience to work virtually. But it also takes work to make it a success.”
Both appreciation and gratitude are paramount when building a thriving company culture. Kira Newman, in her article in Greater Good Magazine, How Gratitude Can Transform Your Workplace, writes: “Yet evidence suggests that gratitude and appreciation contribute to the kind of workplace environments where employees actually want to come to work and don’t feel like cogs in a machine.”
People want to feel that their work matters, and know they’re appreciated. When a company realizes that their employees are their greatest asset, beautiful things begin to happen, and a tremendous ripple effect can be felt company-wide. This may include increased recognition for jobs well done, better personal interactions, promotions, improved benefits packages and flexibility, and so much more.
What comes next is gratitude for the company. When employees are appreciated and respected, they are grateful and loyal to their employer, followed by decreased rates of turnover and burnout, health care claims, and time off work. With gratitude, the culture and health of the population improves — and productivity goes up.
So what can you do to improve the culture of your company?
You can create big, positive changes in your company culture by starting with these concepts and policies. Shifting culture can take time, but studies show it is well worth the effort.
A storyteller at heart, Julie Holton is the Owner and Principal Strategist of mConnexions, a full-service marketing and communications agency that focuses on developing digital marketing solutions for clients. Before launching mConnexions in 2017, Julie led the strategic marketing directives for a mid-sized law firm of nearly 50 attorneys practicing 70+ areas of law at three offices across Michigan. Prior to that, Julie spent more than ten years working in top television newsrooms across the country, as an Emmy award-winning writer, producer, and executive producer. Julie worked with her news teams to develop digital and social media strategies – even before social media sites began to peak in popularity.
Whether you are a business owner or a new blogger, you need to learn about SEO link building. As a business owner or a new blogger, you want to enhance your online visibility. The only way to do it is to improve your ranking on the search engine results page (SERP).
To reach the first page of the SERP, you need to learn how SEO works and apply it to your website and content. There are several ways that you can improve your website SEO. You can use keywords, improve the loading time of your website, or use Google Map for your business.
However, these methods are not enough to establish authority and credibility. You need to build links.
As we approach the one-year mark of the first statewide restrictions enacted due to the pandemic, it has become more important than ever to make sure people have access to the resources they need to cope with the changes brought on by COVID-19.
A new TV show scheduled to launch on Monday, March 15, 2021 aims to help people navigate the pandemic. Expert Connexions will bring the experts to you every Monday morning, immediately following Good Morning America at 9 a.m. on WLAJ-TV in the Greater Lansing viewing area. It will also be streamed online at wlns.com/expertconnexions.
No matter what business you run, your website needs images. These images give your customers an idea of who you are and help you show off your products. However, many businesses struggle to appeal to customers because they have failed to optimize their images properly. This can hinder your success, so here are the top image SEO optimization tips to boost your website’s fortunes. (more…)