Monday 2 December 2013
Tuesday 12 November 2013
A Good Infographic Is Worth 1000 Words
A inforgraphic is a representation of information translated into charts, images and diagrams. Inforgraphics are intended to present complex data and knowledge in a simplistic form that can we read easily and quickly.
The greatest thing about infographics is that they are simple to create, and there are tons of free tools online to help you do this. Some are a little more complex then others but most are pretty easy to use for the first time. Just like everything practice makes perfect, after a few times you will get the hang of it and different programs.
2. If you are a teacher and you want to capture the attention of your students then show them a infographic that you have created. You can make an infographic about anything, so if you are teaching a lesson on social media, or writing you can turn it into a visual concept that can inspire more in-depth learning outcomes.
3. Now say you are an student who is more of a visual learner instead of someone who has to write things down and read them then infographics are for you. You can make a infographic full of creative images that have to do with a subject you are learning and hand it in as part of your assignment. If you have to make a chart, or diagram you can create a infographic instead to make things more fun and interesting and your teacher will also be impressed!
Now there are good and bad infographics just like anything. So I have posted an infographic below that will show you the things you need to create a great infographic!!
The greatest thing about infographics is that they are simple to create, and there are tons of free tools online to help you do this. Some are a little more complex then others but most are pretty easy to use for the first time. Just like everything practice makes perfect, after a few times you will get the hang of it and different programs.
So why should you make an INFOGRAPHIC ?? ... Here are three reasons !
1. If you have your own blog, website, or even a social media platform and you want to engage your audience in a completely different way then having an inforgraphic will definitely catch their attention. They are fun, bright and creative so your followers are going to want to check it out.2. If you are a teacher and you want to capture the attention of your students then show them a infographic that you have created. You can make an infographic about anything, so if you are teaching a lesson on social media, or writing you can turn it into a visual concept that can inspire more in-depth learning outcomes.
3. Now say you are an student who is more of a visual learner instead of someone who has to write things down and read them then infographics are for you. You can make a infographic full of creative images that have to do with a subject you are learning and hand it in as part of your assignment. If you have to make a chart, or diagram you can create a infographic instead to make things more fun and interesting and your teacher will also be impressed!
Now there are good and bad infographics just like anything. So I have posted an infographic below that will show you the things you need to create a great infographic!!
Monday 11 November 2013
How to Organize The Things You Love
One of the latest & greatest online tool out there to help you organize the things you love is...
PINTEREST !!!
Pinterest is an online media outlet that helps you collect things that inspire you, and provides you with ways to organize them. No matter what you are in interested in you will find what you are looking for on Pinterest. Not only can you check out and save the things you like but you can make a wishlist, plan a trip, organize an event, start a collection, and plan an object.
After you Pin your image it goes into one of your organized 'boards'. You get to name these boards whatever you want so its really easy for you to organize your inspired collections.
Then eventually after you start collecting the things that you like you will start to fill up your boards. They will start to look like this ...
Pinterest isn't just something that you can use to pass the time, millions of people use it in their everyday lives and for work.
PINTEREST !!!
Pinterest is an online media outlet that helps you collect things that inspire you, and provides you with ways to organize them. No matter what you are in interested in you will find what you are looking for on Pinterest. Not only can you check out and save the things you like but you can make a wishlist, plan a trip, organize an event, start a collection, and plan an object.
Simple, efficient, creative, effective = Pinterest
When you join Pinterest you can look through a variety of different images. These images are divided into different categories, this makes it very simple to find what you want. Once you go into these different categories and click on a image that you like you can 'Pin It'.After you Pin your image it goes into one of your organized 'boards'. You get to name these boards whatever you want so its really easy for you to organize your inspired collections.
Then eventually after you start collecting the things that you like you will start to fill up your boards. They will start to look like this ...
An awesome feature that Pinterest allows is the fact that you can follow your friends, and re-pin things that your friends have found.
Pinterest isn't just something that you can use to pass the time, millions of people use it in their everyday lives and for work.
Thursday 17 October 2013
This Noisy World...
Blogging has absolutely exploded over the last few years. Its so hard to gain a legitimate following, as well as making your businesses or companies blog/website stand out.
Today I was searching the web and came across a great marketing speaker named Marcus Sheridan. He has an entire video blog on ways to make your businesses blog stand out. The video is about 45 minutes long so I decided I would shorten down for all of you and get right to the point!
One of the main reasons why people read blogs is because they want answers on specific subjects. Our blogs need to help people find what they need quickly, and they need to be straight to the point.
The most essential business blogging philosophy in the world is...
THEY ASK. YOU ANSWER
Three principles that will help you improve your blog are:
1. Honesty in content
2. Honesty is Approach
3. Honesty in sales
Having these three principles in your blog will truly make your blog stand out. Having great content is key, but having honest and truthful content is number one in gaining followers. You want your consumers to trust and believe in your business or company, and most importantly you want them to believe what you have to say is true. In your business blog you want your consumer to be able to approach you with questions, problems and concerns they may have about your product or service. last but not least you want to be honest with your sales, product or service. Don't let your consumers down with false advertising.
Five main components that need to be covered in a business blog include:
1. Cost
2. Problems
3. Versus
4. Reviews
5. Best
When consumers are on your website or blog they want to be able to find these 5 components easily and quickly. Cost is extremely important because money really determines whether or not your consumers are going to buy your product or service. Problems with your product or service isn't really something you want to display on your website or blog. But if you are having some sort of problem make sure you try and make it into a positive situation. So let your consumers know that you are fixing the problem, making changes, and improving it. Versus is when you take your product or service and compare it to a similar product or service in the same market. Reviews can also fall under customer testimonials; this is the real raw, truthful information from actual consumers. Best is when you get to brag about your product or service and let your consumers know why they should buy with you instead of your competitor.
To really get straight to the point...
Honest, transparent and helpful content is the greatest sales and trust building tool in the world.
The End.
Wednesday 9 October 2013
When Designing a Website . . .
When a business is creating a website for their company they want to make sure they include all the important details - of course. Also all the creative content has to be there, which includes the companies products, services, contact information, testimonials, social media networks etc. After all this information is included into the website, the design aspect comes into play.
When designing a website you want to make sure you are using the latest software. So using HTML 5 instead of Flash is definitely preferred. You also want to make sure that your website is designed for a variety of computers and programs. This does cost more money, but you will have happy consumers as an end result. Make sure that you website is compatible with both Mac's, and PC's as well as Chrome and Firefox.
The 2013 design colour of the year is called PANTONE, emerald 17-5641. This would look great as a background or boarder colour around your companies photos. Large photo back drops is a huge trend in 2013, having an transparent image over a pantone emerald backdrop would look great! Flat design is also a huge trend this year. Everything should look crisp, concise, and flat lined.
A really neat tool that is taking off this year is having a fixed header bar. So when you scroll down the page the header still stays at the top of the page. Which is extremely convenient because if a website has a continuous scroll down the page then going back to the top of the page may take a while. On that note the next trend of the year is having a continuos scroll, clicking is out and scrolling is in.
If you follow these design steps your website will look great, and it will follow all the awesome trends for 2013 !
When designing a website you want to make sure you are using the latest software. So using HTML 5 instead of Flash is definitely preferred. You also want to make sure that your website is designed for a variety of computers and programs. This does cost more money, but you will have happy consumers as an end result. Make sure that you website is compatible with both Mac's, and PC's as well as Chrome and Firefox.
The 2013 design colour of the year is called PANTONE, emerald 17-5641. This would look great as a background or boarder colour around your companies photos. Large photo back drops is a huge trend in 2013, having an transparent image over a pantone emerald backdrop would look great! Flat design is also a huge trend this year. Everything should look crisp, concise, and flat lined.
A really neat tool that is taking off this year is having a fixed header bar. So when you scroll down the page the header still stays at the top of the page. Which is extremely convenient because if a website has a continuous scroll down the page then going back to the top of the page may take a while. On that note the next trend of the year is having a continuos scroll, clicking is out and scrolling is in.
If you follow these design steps your website will look great, and it will follow all the awesome trends for 2013 !
Tuesday 8 October 2013
You Can’t Have Content If You Have Know Where to Put It !
You may not know it, but content plays an extremely crucial role in digital marketing and social media.
In the digital marketing aspect, content is a very general term that refers to basically anything that has been created and uploaded onto a website or some form of social media outlet. Content can be anything from the words that you type onto your blog or the pictures that you upload onto Facebook. Videos, Webinars, White Papers, Podcast, E-books, etc are also considered content.
Everything we do online, whether its writing to a friend, posting a picture or liking a comment, we are publishing content. So how do we know we are displaying great content, and really how crucial of a role does it play in digital marketing? Now that is the real question!
The main point of having amazing content is essentially to convert store or website visitors into product or service BUYERS! In order to do this we have to build a relationship with our future consumers, this relationships needs to evolve into a strong bond over time. This is all made possible by repeatedly and consistently (frequent and regular contact helps build relationships) creating content that the customer can really connect and relate to, this content also needs to show them that we care about them. Having great content for your company or business will not position you to sell your products or service but you will become a reliable source of information that they TRUST.
In the 21st century one of the only ways we trust people is either by trying something out ourselves or by having a friend, family member or acquaintance refer something to us. By having trust we can start to build a relationship with our future consumers. If you are using social media, a website or even newsletters to contact your potential consumers you have to make sure the content is suitable for them. You want to make sure it not only grabs their attention, but that it also make them feel safe, happy and at ease shopping with you.
Generating creative content will allow your business and company to:
1.Attract Customers
2.Educate your buyers about a purchase they are considering
3.Tell your story
4.Establish your credibility, trust and authority in your business
5.Build buzz via social networks (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc)
6.Build a fan base and inspire them to love you, your products and services.
7.Inspire impulse buyers
By keeping all 7 of these cornerstones in the back of your mind you will be able to develop and create a foundation for meaningful conversations that will allow you to engage with your customers and potential consumers. The main idea is to inspire your consumers to read more about your products and service, and to get to know about your business.
A great way to get your customers involved in your brand is by allowing them to comment, share, like, and engage in your companies social media conversations. The content that you will be developing will drive conversation, the conversation will then engage your customers, this is how your company will have a competitive advantage and become successful above the rest in the social media world.
Social media is one of the easiest ways to advertise your brand and have an online presence. Its also one of the easiest ways for free advertising, by word of mouth. If someone likes your product or service they will be sure to let all their friends and family know over some form of social media.
So how does social media and content marketing go hand in hand?
Well, for one you can’t have content if you have know where to put it. You wouldn’t come up with a brilliant story about your brand if you didn’t have an outlet to show it off on. Social Media is a great way to market your business, especially because 1.73 BILLION people use social media. The fact that your products and service can be found all over the world in just a single click of a button is an amazing way for you to have a successful business.
Being a marketing and advertising student I know that social media is absolutely crucial in having a successful business, especially in the world we live in now. Social Media is growing and forever will be. Within the next year more than 1 in 5 people in the world will have a smartphone. The power of a smartphone is unbelievable because you can access any social media network in the world. Whether you are an entrepreneur or company of 5,000+ you can still use Twitter the same way. Share your story, brag about how fantastic your products are and how your service is incredible. Make sure people see it, read it, like it, share it, this will only benefit you more.
The fact that so many people are using social media creates a perfect opportunity for businesses to bloom. It opens a whole new window of opportunity, the more social media outlets you have the better. Its great to have an online presence on as many networks as you possibly can, because every social media network specializes in something different. When using Twitter you have to make sure your content is clear, concise and catchy because you only have 140 characters. Facebook is great for sharing, commenting and liking. While Instagram is the perfect way to show off your product with a great photo. The great thing about these three social media outlets specifically is the fact that they can be all linked together. So when you post something on one site, it shows up on all the others. (Keep in mind, that you don’t want to be flooding peoples accounts, there is definitely a limit of too much).
Social media and content marketing are like two peas in a pod, you can’t have one without the other. They go hand in hand are a great asset for your developing business or company.
*If you want great tips on how exactly to write this “creative content” look for Content Rules written by Ann Handley & C.C Chapman.
In the digital marketing aspect, content is a very general term that refers to basically anything that has been created and uploaded onto a website or some form of social media outlet. Content can be anything from the words that you type onto your blog or the pictures that you upload onto Facebook. Videos, Webinars, White Papers, Podcast, E-books, etc are also considered content.
Everything we do online, whether its writing to a friend, posting a picture or liking a comment, we are publishing content. So how do we know we are displaying great content, and really how crucial of a role does it play in digital marketing? Now that is the real question!
The main point of having amazing content is essentially to convert store or website visitors into product or service BUYERS! In order to do this we have to build a relationship with our future consumers, this relationships needs to evolve into a strong bond over time. This is all made possible by repeatedly and consistently (frequent and regular contact helps build relationships) creating content that the customer can really connect and relate to, this content also needs to show them that we care about them. Having great content for your company or business will not position you to sell your products or service but you will become a reliable source of information that they TRUST.
In the 21st century one of the only ways we trust people is either by trying something out ourselves or by having a friend, family member or acquaintance refer something to us. By having trust we can start to build a relationship with our future consumers. If you are using social media, a website or even newsletters to contact your potential consumers you have to make sure the content is suitable for them. You want to make sure it not only grabs their attention, but that it also make them feel safe, happy and at ease shopping with you.
Generating creative content will allow your business and company to:1.Attract Customers
2.Educate your buyers about a purchase they are considering
3.Tell your story
4.Establish your credibility, trust and authority in your business
5.Build buzz via social networks (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc)
6.Build a fan base and inspire them to love you, your products and services.
7.Inspire impulse buyers
By keeping all 7 of these cornerstones in the back of your mind you will be able to develop and create a foundation for meaningful conversations that will allow you to engage with your customers and potential consumers. The main idea is to inspire your consumers to read more about your products and service, and to get to know about your business.
A great way to get your customers involved in your brand is by allowing them to comment, share, like, and engage in your companies social media conversations. The content that you will be developing will drive conversation, the conversation will then engage your customers, this is how your company will have a competitive advantage and become successful above the rest in the social media world.
Social media is one of the easiest ways to advertise your brand and have an online presence. Its also one of the easiest ways for free advertising, by word of mouth. If someone likes your product or service they will be sure to let all their friends and family know over some form of social media.
So how does social media and content marketing go hand in hand?
Well, for one you can’t have content if you have know where to put it. You wouldn’t come up with a brilliant story about your brand if you didn’t have an outlet to show it off on. Social Media is a great way to market your business, especially because 1.73 BILLION people use social media. The fact that your products and service can be found all over the world in just a single click of a button is an amazing way for you to have a successful business.
Being a marketing and advertising student I know that social media is absolutely crucial in having a successful business, especially in the world we live in now. Social Media is growing and forever will be. Within the next year more than 1 in 5 people in the world will have a smartphone. The power of a smartphone is unbelievable because you can access any social media network in the world. Whether you are an entrepreneur or company of 5,000+ you can still use Twitter the same way. Share your story, brag about how fantastic your products are and how your service is incredible. Make sure people see it, read it, like it, share it, this will only benefit you more.
The fact that so many people are using social media creates a perfect opportunity for businesses to bloom. It opens a whole new window of opportunity, the more social media outlets you have the better. Its great to have an online presence on as many networks as you possibly can, because every social media network specializes in something different. When using Twitter you have to make sure your content is clear, concise and catchy because you only have 140 characters. Facebook is great for sharing, commenting and liking. While Instagram is the perfect way to show off your product with a great photo. The great thing about these three social media outlets specifically is the fact that they can be all linked together. So when you post something on one site, it shows up on all the others. (Keep in mind, that you don’t want to be flooding peoples accounts, there is definitely a limit of too much).
Social media and content marketing are like two peas in a pod, you can’t have one without the other. They go hand in hand are a great asset for your developing business or company.
*If you want great tips on how exactly to write this “creative content” look for Content Rules written by Ann Handley & C.C Chapman.
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