17 Oct

Posted at 12:59h in Copywriting

 

Talkbots. Chatterbots. IM bots.

Also known as chatbots, these computer programs are growing in popularity in customer service and information acquisition. Why? Because, with the ability to believably simulate human conversation, more and more brands are considering this technology.

While algorithms are definitely involved in writing the responses for the bots, humans are still needed to put together the phrases and ensure the all-important human element. Instead of seeing these bots as a threat, copywriters should view this emerging trend as an opportunity. Without the brain and heart of writers, interactions would be very cold and artificial. This is why brands need assistance from content creators and marketing specialists to ensure that chatbots have some brand personality and doesn’t sound like a cold and clinical computer.

 

Putting the chat in chatbot 

For chatbots to be truly engaging, they have to be able to pass as humans. This is where the challenge comes in. While AI (Artificial Intelligence) is rapidly growing and becoming part of the next paradigm shift in the Internet evolution, human intelligence is still needed to make the chatbot personable.

In many cases, the people writing the copy on behalf of the chatbots are the developers. Developers aren’t copywriters, and this is why it is important that content specialists are pulled in to make the conversations simple and engaging. Copywriters need to realise that this new revolution can hold vast opportunities for them if they learn the art of writing for chatbot conversations.

Here are a few things to keep in mind should you be required to write copy for chatbots:

Simple and specific

People aren’t talking to chatbots in order to get essays of information. The challenge with chatbots is to take a complex subject and make it very simple and short, but still powerful. The message needs to resonate with the user and the chatbot should ideally have a single-minded focus. Anything taking away from the core focus needs to be discarded.  

 

Add a little emotion

Emotional connections are key. When it comes to marketing, everything is moving towards relationship building with the customer. Connecting with your audience on a deeper, emotional level is what makes all the difference. Chatbots need to be personalised and personable to be effective for customer relations. Do this by always keeping the benefit of the brand in mind and focusing on the benefits that you offer.

 

Guide to a goal

Before you write any copy for the chatbot, you need to carefully consider what the chatbot’s purpose is and what the end goal is. Consider whether the chatbot is aimed at customer service or providing a certain, personalised shopping experience. Use this as a starting point to guide the user through the experience with your script. An important consideration is to always think of how the person will respond to the chatbot. By thinking this way, you will write copy that promotes conversation.

 

Upcoming opportunity

While many big brands may start to work on their own chatbots in the foreseeable future, creating effective, likeable chatbot behaviour is the real challenge. Instead of shying away from new technology, copywriters should rather embrace them. Change is the only constant, and because we live in a digital era, change will only increase. Fortunately, brands don’t have to shy away from new technology either; rather, approach professional copywriters that have decided to take on the challenge of understanding and creating chatbot conversations.

13 Oct

Posted at 13:25h in Content Marketing

 

As an entrepreneur, we know that converting your target audience into loyal customers can be daunting without the right tools. It can be frustrating being in the dark, so we’d like to shed some light on a crafty little tool to we like to use at BWD called ‘Customer Insight Mapping’.

 

What are the benefits of this tool?

Customer insight mapping takes your hard-earned data and turns it into a powerful marketing tool to find insights – a deep understanding of your potential clients. All great marketing starts with this deep understanding, which is why in our industry, insights are seen as advertising ‘gold’.

Insights help companies stay relevant and allow for marketing campaigns to resonate in a way that hits home for the consumer and establishes loyalty. However, discovering that deep understanding isn’t always easy. Most businesses intuitively just collect a mass of data – but data does not yet equate to insights.

 

Where do I start?

Research. Research. Research.

We recommend consulting a data collection company as they collect the right information about customers – such as behaviour, demographics, experiences, beliefs and even needs and desires.

They collect their research through methods like surveys, operational data, staff and customer feedback and other metrics. But insights are more than just raw data or research, they’re a multi-dimensional understanding of customers.

 

Where are my insights hiding?

Mapping your data helps you understand who your customers are, revealing these ‘golden insights’ and it identifies further areas of potential for your customers. Which means, you can match your customers’ needs better and fuel your penetration into the market.

Customer insight mapping

Here is a simple customer insight mapping process. It will take what you know about your customers and translate it into ‘actionable insights’ that you can use to make your marketing much more effective.

 

Who Are They?

 

  • Name and picture
  • Marital status, kids
  • Education, interests
  • What they do
  • Backstory – how they got to where they are
  • What makes them loyal?
  • Who or what inspires them?
 “Know and Feel”

 

  • What key pain do you address?
  • What gain do you help them achieve?
  • What impact does that have? How does it affect their personal “Bottom Line”?
  • What do they need to be confident about you and about themselves?
  • What risks do they worry about?
 

Internal Challenges and Issues

 

  • What are their goals and aspirations?
  • Their challenges and fears
 External Pressures

 

  • Business goals, eg growth/profit
  • Customer
  • Competitors
  • Industry changes
  • Regulations
  • Boss’s requirements

 

This exercise will help you discover new insights about your client every time and, often you’ll come across something surprising that’ll drastically alter the way you approach your marketing efforts.

For best industry practice, we recommend keeping this simple tool in your back pocket.

 

 

12 Oct

Posted at 13:48h in Thought Leadership

Someone asked a question…is there a need for a 100% black agency in 2017.

At BWD we believe yes. And on the contrary we believe we need more and more of them. There is enough for all of us to eat. We can all be brothers and sisters in arms to transform this industry. (visit; www.blackagencies.co.za)

Proof of the critical need for black agencies is more evident in what agencies are paid BIG BUCKS for: Creative work.

Every month there is a piece of work, which insults black people. It shows the lack of insight and understanding of black lives. It’s almost like #blacklivesdontmatter. Show them dance for a slice of bread on TV and they will buy it. It’s like let them eat cake. Yes I said it.

How do you explain that in 2017 we still have first base thinking? Let’s live the recent Dove campaign for another day, but does it make sense to clients that we still have ads with lobola, tokolosh, vuvuzela (yes in 2017, after Philip has long gone), a taxi driver?

This shows the lack of passion and understanding of the target market by the agency. This is disrespectful and must stop with immediate effect.

Creative agencies are there to show love to the brand and translate that love to consumers, and communicate in a way that shows what difference that brand  can make in their everyday living.

That love can’t be thumb sucked by  reading a copy of the Daily Sun, Drum Magazine or Sunday World, or doing a township tour to Mzoli’s and Vilakazi. You need people that live the life and the brand. You need Creative Directors that have lived the life to approve those concepts.

But unfortunately most creatives in agencies are white, with a few black juniors that don’t have power to bomb ideas.

So you ask again is there a need for a 100% black agency. The answer is simple: Now more than ever, but rather now, before black twitter reaps your brand apart.

PS: With the emergence of Brownsense, blacktwitter and #letsbuyblackyou better try to make sure that your brand is in good hands.

11 Oct

Posted at 09:09h in Advertising, Video Animation

Do you know how powerful a marketing video can be for your company? Why not make space in your marketing budget? Money is often spent on static designs, posters and online banners, which do bring in a lot of traffic however it doesn’t stimulate the viewer’s mind into trusting you or your company.

In this digital world, there are many mediums to communicate with when creating an explainer video: emails, calls, newsfeeds, and timelines. Don’t make your viewers feel that their time is wasted.

Video explainers have the ability to capture and inform viewers about your business. According to DaCast “the average length watched of a single online video was 2 minutes 42 seconds.” If someone already started watching your video then notices it is ten minutes long, they may press ‘stop’ within the first 30 seconds. However, if a person sees it will take them a maximum of two minutes to watch the video, their motivation to finish the video is much higher.

So how do you create a video that is to the point, effective and keeps your viewer’s attention? The ‘two-minute rule’ for the length of an explainer video is not set in stone, but it is important to keep it as short as possible. Here’s how:

Tell A Story

You want to get your viewers engaged from the get go. Facts can be boring, but stories do sell. Storytelling is needed to keep your viewers engaged and interested in the product/service you are selling.

Focus On Your Audience

Keep your audience in mind when creating the animated explainer video. Focus on solving their problems and how you can help them. For consumers to trust you don’t sell your audience, rather make them understand that you can help them. The solution you offer should be the focus of the video, don’t talk too much about the features of the solution.

It’s All About The Script

Before you start with the visuals you need a good script for your video. A successful explainer all comes down to the script. It is the foundation of your video and needs to be easy to understand. Keep it short and to the point to keep the viewer’s attention. Allow for editing to strip down the content to the most important aspects of your business, service or product that you want to showcase.

Use A Character

Using a friendly and fun character to tell your story help to lead viewers along the video which allows them to become invested, wanting more. The character will guide them through, which allows viewers to gain a level of trust and an emotional connection. The character can be developed in the storyboard.

Keep It Simple

A good explainer video focuses on 4 things to keep it short and simple:

  1. The Problem: Address the problem to your viewers.
  2. The Solution: Introduce the product/service that you offer as a solution.
  3. How it works: Briefly explain how your solution works in a simple and concise way.
  4. Call to action: Tell people what to do next – such as call, subscribe, enter, download.

Use The Power Of Symbols

A picture is worth a thousand words. Using  symbols and images allows people to get more information in less time. Let’s make the best of your viewer’s attention span by using symbols for easier understanding.

Hinting At Important Information

Waiting until the 2 mins are up to reveal all the information may stir the viewer off course, they are no longer enticed and may have already started to watch another video.Hints must be given to keep the viewer’s attention. Bits and pieces of information can be revealed throughout the video.  

The Shorter The Better

The less information you add to your video, the more viewers will be able to remember afterwards. Remember your video is an overview, you want it to be easily understood and not too dense. Doing it this way allows people get hooked and interested in your business further.

Try to keep your video short, the best thing is to keep it as short as you can make it relaying your message effectively.For video, the rule is to have 150 words per minute. This allows enough time for the message to sink in.

The hardest part is to keep it short and sweet. Yes, you want your customers to know all about your product or service, but it isn’t wise as viewers will switch off when too much information is relayed to them. Remember the longer the video is, the fewer people will pay attention to it. The trick is to keep the script short and concise to the most important parts of your problem and solution.

Benefits Not Features

When showing a product in your explainer video make sure to highlight the benefits, not the features. Instead of running off the features and technical jargon, tell people how your product or service will make their lives better.

The Video Animation Process

Remember video is a process that takes time and patience. Most people are not aware of the steps to create a successful video or animation and all the time and hard work that goes into it. Have a look at our video process here.

To see the cost of an animated explainer video go here.

To have a look at our video and animation work and processes go here.

Why not add the explainer video onto your website landing page?  It is a good way of increasing your conversion rate plus a video captures the viewer’s attention for longer periods of time and decreases the bounce rate of your site. For more information go here.

If you would like to view our other creative processes and see how we work go here.

If you are in need of any Video Marketing needs, feel free to contact BWD Advertising and Breeze Website Designers.

04 Oct

Posted at 17:19h in Thought Leadership

https://soundcloud.com/kayafm959/transformation-in-the-advertising-industry

Transcript

Man: Kaya Biz. Kaya Biz, Entrepreneurs On The Move.

Gugu: If you’re an entrepreneur and want to get some insight as to how your peers are getting it right and some lessons that you can learn from their activities, give us a ring 086-000-0959 as we sit down in a conversation today with Bongani Gosa. This is probably a name quite synonymous with many of you who work in the advertising or creative space. He is the owner as well as the co-founder, and CEO of BWD Advertising, one of the very few 100% black-owned South African advertising agencies. And if you don’t know them, you might have seen the billboard. If you haven’t seen the billboard, just Google BWD’s 100% black-owned advertising agency billboard. And maybe that’s where we need to start, Bongani. Good to have you with us in the studio.

Bongani: Thanks. Thanks, Gugu, for having me.

Gugu: You caused quite a stir excuse me, a few months ago with quite a provocative billboard, or that is what it was described at the time. A cup of coffee, black strong cup of coffee, next to, it said, “100% black-owned advertising agency, some things are better at 100%.” That essentially tells us your story and where your business comes from, right?

Bongani: A hundred percent. In fact, the thinking behind the billboard was overly simplistic because we believe that good advertising starts a conversation. So those are words of Pepe Marais, the guy that runs Joe Public, those are his words. So, we pretty much aim to start a conversation.

Gugu: For those of us who don’t know who Joe Public is, remind us.

Bongani: It’s the biggest independently-owned agency in SA. Yeah, so the idea behind the billboard was just to start a conversation around transformation because advertising industry is one of the most un-transformed industry in SA, so.

Gugu: Have you got stats as to how many black-owned or black-run, black-managed advertising agencies there are in South Africa?

Bongani: I don’t have the actual numbers if I have to be honest with you. But there is a website, blackagencies.co.za, that’s where you can check the bulk of the black agencies in SA. But there’s not a lot. And then in terms of size, most of them are small. So that’s why I’m saying transformation is a bit of a problem.

Gugu: Let’s talk about how you get it right. You’ve been running this journey for quite a few years in partnership with a lot of your colleagues. How did you step out of moving from your comfort zone in a corporate environment, where you yourself was working for an advertising agency and then decided, “You know what? Bite the bullet, let’s establish this firm,” and managed to get blue chip clients?

Bongani: It started a little bit early. I started, I think, maybe I was 22 or something like that because I started in 2006. So I always saw, like, a gap in the market because the company started mainly as a website design company. And then from a website design company, became a digital agency, just mainly adapting to the needs of the clients that we were servicing at the time up until now, we became a full-service agency. But [inaudible 00:03:00] that the chain has been easy. Because we had to close shop, like, twice in the past because of cash flow and complications.

Gugu: And those are the one critical rules about cash flow, right, for entrepreneurs?

Bongani: Yeah, no, no cash flows is a bit of tricky, tricky one. Like I was saying, I started without understanding how business works. That’s why, pretty much, we had to close shop, like, twice.

Gugu: What about skills? Because for a lot of entrepreneurs, for you to actually attract the right skills and the talent pool, especially in the advertising agency, which can help you reach your goals and objectives, is often quite challenging. Because as you say, you struggle with cash flow, which means you’re not the very sexy paycheck, but, of course, there are other incentives there. Well, how did you get it right and do it differently?

Bongani: I suppose it was a constant learning process over time, so…because we’ve been running without any interruption since 2010. So it’s, like, seven years without any issues.

Gugu: Kudos to you.

Bongani: Yeah. That doesn’t [inaudible 00:03:56] it’s because after closing twice, you learn quite a few things. So like you were saying, one of those issues is skills. Because I can tell you now how skills affect your cash flow. So if you’re working with, like, a team or maybe someone that’s not as competent as they should be, what then happens is that their work tends to get rejected by clients. And then if clients rejecting work, they can’t pay for stuff that’s not completed. And then the issue is that as that work’s getting rejected, month end is coming closer and closer and closer. And then when end month comes, you have to pay salaries, you have to pay rent, you have to pay pretty much, a lot of things. And then because you are running with stuff that is not up to speed, then you run into stuff like cash flow problems.

Gugu: Some key lessons here from entrepreneur Bongani Gosa, who is the founder of BWD Advertising, one of the very few 100% black-owned advertising agencies here in South Africa. And he joins us for our Entrepreneur On The Move feature here on Kaya Biz.

We’ve touched very briefly, obviously, on transformation, your journey so far as being an entrepreneur. But I also want us to get some market insight into the field that you’re in, especially you touched on digital just a moment ago, clients also being incredibly demanding. What’s that environment like for anyone, especially an entrepreneur like yourself who looks to retain clients? But, obviously, clients become incredibly more demanding and you have technology to contend with. What are the dynamics that we see with regard to digital, more demanding clients, and using technology as an enabler and not necessarily as a threat?

Bongani: There is quite a number of things that are happening, but I suppose, if I can maybe speak for us as a black-only agency, our biggest issue is just mainly getting new work. And that’s pretty much the same problem across the board for the bulk of black-only agencies, you know.

Gugu: Why is that?

Bongani: It’s just that big clients or marketing managers, procurement managers have found… I don’t know. They are struggling to give us opportunity to run with bigger campaigns because we often find ourselves planning with small campaigns that make it difficult for us to grow into, like, these massive, big agencies that are out there.

Gugu: Can we change that?

Bongani: Yes, we can change that if the government is also trying to change that with MAC Charter, so in fact…

Gugu: What is the MAC Charter?

Bongani: It’s the marketing, advertising, and communication charter that aims to kind of transform the marketing industry. It addresses, like, different things, like ownership, management control, and skills training, social responsible marketing and a lot of factors. So, yeah.

Gugu: So, what does that mean for someone who might be listening right now, might have an interest in joining the marketing and advertising space, what key considerations do they need to be in mind, given the structure that you’ve alluded to, and how they need to be agile and competitive enough with some of the bigger players in this industry?

Bongani: What I can say is that I suppose now, it’s pretty much the best time for new entrants to come into the market, as much as they will be competing with us.

Gugu: I like that you’re welcoming competition [foreign language 00:07:07].

Bongani: No, this is… I don’t want to lie. This is arguably the best time for them to do so. That’s why we also put up our billboard earlier this year because we could see that it’s probably the best time for black agencies to put their hands up and shine and do incredible work.

Gugu: But what needs to be the differentiator, though? I’m all for empowering black business. In order to ensure black businesses are sustainable, that they reach a significant level of growth as well, and, of course, that they have a competitive edge, you need to be more than black, right, come with something more to the table.

Bongani: A hundred percent. They need to create great work. They need to do good work. So there’s quite a number of other agencies, black agencies that are doing good work. In fact, two of them won awards earlier this year at the Loeries. So they just also need to do good work if they are going to come into the market. Because for us, as BWD, our slogan is that, “We grow when you grow.” So our aim is to grow our clients so that when they grow, we can also grow. Because, as they grow, then they increase the budget that they’re spending on us. So that’s pretty much how you approach that. I suppose that’s one of the reasons why we are still here. We haven’t closed up again because our objective is to help our clients grow.

Gugu: Exactly. We literally have a minute to wrap this conversation up, but someone might be listening and have a keen interest in actually joining the advertising space. Other than having capital to start up the entity, what else is required?

Bongani: There’s quite a lot that is the required. What I would suggest is that…so there is this initiative that we are running at work is called Each One Teach One, so it’s eachoneteachone.co.za. It’s more of a mentorship platform where upcoming entrepreneurs can apply for mentorship to sit with guys like myself or pretty much anyone in the industry to say, “Hey, how can you help me set this thing up” or, “Can you help me take my business to the next level?” So what I would suggest is that they go to Each One Teach One, apply for mentorship, then we can have a discussion. Because there is no one quick thing that I can say, “Do X, do Y, do that, and the whole thing just runs smoothly.” Like I’m saying, we’ve closed shop twice.

Gugu: You need a formula, but you need to consistently remain very agile quite fairly to adapt to the environment.

Bongani: Hundred percent.

Gugu: Bongani, it’s always a pleasure having you. Unfortunately, always limited time, too, but fantastic having you on. And I like the fact that you’re encouraging other people to come into the landscape and growing the pie instead of [foreign language 00:09:24]. That was Bongani Gosa who is the founder of BWD Advertising, one of the leading black-owned advertising firms within South Africa.

28 Sep

Posted at 14:32h in Copywriting

George Gribbin, a previous chairman of Young & Rubicam, said that a copywriter “should have an understanding of people, an insight into them, a sympathy toward them." Understanding people have a great deal to do with firstly understanding their culture and language. As one of the most multilingual countries around the globe, South Africa’s various languages and culture are what sets
us apart. We should be proud of the fact that we are truly one of the most culturally rich and diverse nations in the world, and this diversity is something that must always be celebrated and appreciated.

However, when it comes to marketing, this unique and diverse rainbow of cultures can be a challenge for content creators, especially when they want to appeal to the masses. With so many diverse mind-sets, motivations, and cultural nuances, effective communication needs to be approached strategically. If not, copy will seem forced or fake. Fortunately, there are some strategic tactics copywriters can implement to overcome these cultural copy barriers:

Who are you writing for?

Before you can overcome cultural and language barriers, it’s extremely important to have a clear idea of who you are writing for. Without knowing where to start, you can’t begin to break through the barriers to create appealing, culturally-relevant copy. A simple yet effective tactic is to take some time to plan before you put pen to paper; sit with your client, go through the brief to assess who
they are trying to reach, conduct research and make sure you really understand the target audience and the write-up’s objectives.

Don’t think in clichés.

Copywriting for different cultures isn’t simple. You will very likely need to do a lot of research before gaining any valuable insight into the target audience. It will also be crucial for you to pay attention to the dominant cultures of the audience you are writing for. Take note of the established language, religions, customs and values of the audience – this will ensure you steer clear of clichéd understandings and LSM-thinking. Then, if it’s necessary, you might need to delve deeper into the various subcultures that you find within the culture. By doing this, you can tailor your copy even further. Look at the different groups that you find within the culture and how they differentiate themselves from the bigger cultural group. Language can be a big differentiator in these cases. Linguistic elements like slang words and sayings are indicators of culture and what makes the speakers unique.

Copywriters and most marketers often overlook subcultures, making this a great opportunity for content creators to stand out from the copy crowd. Apart from making it relevant to your audience, it will also breathe life into your words.

Language evolves, copy should too

Words like lit or yasss used by the younger generation might not seem like it belongs in any respectable copywriter’s dictionary, but learning about language evolution within a culture or age group might give you the upper hand. While I understand that copywriters usually strive for perfect grammar, sometimes there are exceptions to the rule. The best copy captures the essence of the
people they are writing for, without it seeming forced. But beware: Think before you try to make your copy cool. Only incorporate slang or colloquial language into your writing if it fits the brand. If the brand is more formal, don’t compromise the brand’s integrity just to try and appeal to a certain audience.

Don’t go with Google Translate.

When it comes to translations, use a professional translator. The risk of using something like Google
Translate is simply not worth the few rands you might save. Mistakes and miscommunication can easily slip into the copy if it’s not translated properly. Some big brands have burnt their fingers with poor translations, even insulting the audience or misrepresenting the product completely. In a country like South Africa with 11 official languages, it is crucial that when things get translated, it is
done correctly. Although it might seem like extra work or unnecessary costs, sometimes it’s even worth translating the translation back into the original language. This is a sure-fire way to spot those mistakes that could cost a brand a lot of embarrassment.

Back to basics

Copywriting for different cultures and languages boils down to the basic principles of copywriting: Understand your audience. Make sure you understand why you are writing the copy in the first place and for who, and then write your way towards this goal. With thorough research and understanding, you will be able to write copy fit for both the masses and the niches – even for a diverse and culturally-rich country like South Africa.

28 Sep

Posted at 09:06h in Social Media

 

When people land on your Facebook page, the first thing they see is the image that takes up nearly a quarter of the page, your Facebook cover.

 

Over the years Facebook has gone from connecting the average student to becoming a very handy marketing tool that can help your business connect to it’s customers.

 

If you don’t use this tool for your business where you can promote, advertise and represent your brand, I think it is time that you do.

 

 

From the stats gathered from Tech Crunch, Facebook has the most active users then any other social media even with some of them combined and they explain further that these numbers are actually on the rise with no decline in sight.

 

 

With Facebook on 17% a year rise the numbers could be the whole population in just a couple of years.

 

Even with the rise it shows that 66% of users are active daily which is a giant leap from what it was in 2013 when it hit the billion user mark, so despite popular opinion the numbers truly do not lie, meaning that your current clients or future ones will definitely give your page a visit to see what is going on and since the first thing that they will see will be your Facebook cover it’s essential to have one that helps you place a your best foot forward.

 

Creating an Effective Facebook Cover Photo

 

When picking your image you have to make sure you have the one that is appropriate to the customers that you are trying to attract, put it this way you can not attract new mothers by putting a picture of women in bikini’s that will just end up attracting the wrong demographic. In this instance you should more likely use a picture of a mother caressing her child so that it cant convey a the right message in a powerful emotional way as well as attract the appropriate people so that they can relate.

 

Do not know you’re demographic?

Don’t worry because Facebook has a nifty tool in which you can use to narrow down yours.

All you have to do is when you are on your page go to the insights tab, which is at the top of your page; there it will open up a summary of your page. You will see that a vertical tab will be produced to the left of your screen and that is where you click on people and then see your fans.

 

From there you will be able to narrow down your demographic from the people who have been on your page from there age, gender, country, city and language.

 

 

This is a very important tool because now you have the means in which to choose the correct cover photo for your business page as well as have an idea of who your target market actually is.

For example:

If you discover that 80% of the audience is female and 60% of them speak Afrikaans as their primary language.

 

90% of them are between the ages of 25 – 35 years old. So taking this in account it would not be a bad idea to have a cover image of a woman in that age bracket and some text written in Afrikaans.

But chances are that your numbers will not be as black and white as these ones are because data may also not be 100% accurate.

 

For instance, the information is based on what people have placed in their profiles.

For example if someone lives in South Africa, but their profile states they are in England your number will be slightly off.

 

So with your data you should just narrow it down to which demographic will visit your page the most. So know your audience because your cover photo should represent them.

 

Keeping it Simple

 

Remember that old saying that “the simpler, the better”, well that is a great way to live by when creating your cover because going crazy trying to fit all your information will distract your clients from the main point that you are trying to make. So in this case creating a simple cover that has a clear vocal point to draw your visitor’s attention.

 

 

See how simple the BWD cover photo has been made, this helps getting the point across with the text and as you can see they are not competing with each other.

 

According to the Facebook insights 74% of BWD’s page fans are male and the prominent language is English, which is why the cover works well because who does not like a good cup of joe.

And as you can see the company logo has been used to compliment the cover picture by placing it in the profile picture. This helps to make the cover image less busy and help put the message forward with a clearer vocal point.

 

Just because there is text in the cover image does not mean that you cannot have one that is just an image both options can work well but having something similar to the cover photo in the profile will just make the idea redundant and not effective at all.

 

Facebook Guidelines

 

When creating your cover image you need to make sure that it adheres to the guidelines set out by Facebook.

 

Here are some quick takeaways and points you should know about your Facebook cover photo:

  • Your cover photo is public.
  • Cover photos cannot infringe on someone else’s copyright.
  • You cannot be deceptive or misleading with your cover photo.
  • You are not allowed to encourage other people to upload your cover photo to their own personal timelines.

 

 

If your cover photo violates any of these terms, Facebook can suspend or terminate your account.

 

Remember picking the image is only half the battle; you still need to make sure that the image is the correct sixe:

Desktop: 851 pixels wide and 315 pixels tall.

Mobile: 640 pixels wide by 360 pixels tall.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Using Images on Facebook is an important part of your brand because studies have shown that it generates a higher engagement then just a normal post does.

 

 

The Bar chart above is from HubSpot study, which concludes that there are 53% more like and 104% more comments when pictures are used instead of standard posts. With subscribers putting so much emphasis on picture it makes sense that the first thing people see on your page should be a image and it is also very important that it is the right image. These making your cover image the most significant part of your page.

 

In the end you just have to make sure that your image been made for the correct demographic and that it is following Facebook’s guidelines so that you can have a page that helps you put your best foot forward.

13 Sep

Posted at 13:16h in Content Marketing

 

We can’t argue the competitive nature of the marketing environment. The trick lies in knowing how to get the relevant information to your target audience.  Before the dynamics of the marketing game changed, marketers had to search for their customers. Inbound marketing flips the script; here you are given the opportunity to let your customers find you. One of the major objectives of inbound marketing is increasing sales, which is achieved by directing traffic to your website through content marketing.

 

You’re probably wondering, why inbound marketing? Well, there are multiple advantages but I’m going to highlight affordability. When you pitch to your head of Marketing and Finance departments, their first concern will be the budget and the costs related to this suggested marketing strategy. The best thing is, you can tailor make your content to suit your budget. Below is the methodology we use at BWD for our inbound marketing.

 

  • Attract – Strangers

 

 

The idea is to influence people who have had no interaction with you, get them to acknowledge your existence, paying particular attention to your product/service. We use effective tools such as blogging, SEO – effective use of keywords and social media posting.  After these strangers have interacted with you through your content, they immediately become visitors. Now that they have given you their attention, it’s up to you to impress them with your content.

 

  • Convert – Visitor to lead

 

 

Any marketer will tell you about the challenges of converting a visitor into a lead. This is where the landing page does all the work on your behalf.  You want your visitor to get a clear picture and understanding of what you’re about in order to simplify their decision making process. 

 

The question then becomes, “how do you ensure that you make it to their list of options?” Calls to Action get the visitor to take action. After your visitor has been surfing and searching, ultimately the goal is to have them contact you. You can also make use of forms as a means of getting the visitor to convert to a lead.

 

  • Close – Lead to Customer

 

 

You have done well thus far. After converting your visitors to leads, you now need to convert your leads to customers.  Making use of a Customer Relationship Management system increases your chances of success in interacting with your prospects. Apply this and you might just be updating your list of customers.  

 

  • Delight – Customer to Promoter

 

 

Do not cut ties. The point of this stage is to keep customer engagement flowing. To create opportunities for business in the near future, a chance for up selling, as well as showing your customers that you haven’t forgotten about them. A valued customer is a happy customer. Use this opportunity to strengthen customer relationships, doing this increases the level of trust and improves their perception of the brand.

 

This is where your customers become your advocates – word of mouth, referrals and recommendations. Remember to use surveys as a tool to get feedback from your customers as well. You can also engage with your audience through social platforms, who knows, they might just give you a call the next time they need one of the services you offer.

 

We at BWD, create customer focused content guaranteed to yield favorable returns in due course. If you want to drive the right kind of traffic to your website, you should consider investing more on your inbound marketing methodology.

 

11 Sep

Posted at 20:13h in Advertising

Good morning Rico,

 

A lot has happened since the last newsletter. Our billboard promoting the agency got us reported to the ASA for racism. Fortunately the case was dismissed by the ASA and here’s the link where you can read both the complaint and ruling. We put up the billboard again after the ruling.

 

We’ve also placed an advert in the September edition of Forbes Africa magazine. Please get yourself a copy.

Our advert in Forbes Africa magazine, September 2017 edition.

Our advert in Forbes Africa magazine, September 2017 edition.

 

I’ve done a couple of interviews talking advertising and encouraging entrepreneurship, especially amongst the youth. You can have a quick listen to the interviews I did on CNBC Africa and Motsweding a few weeks ago.

 

As a country we’re still going through a tough period economically, with limited employment opportunities. Our youth are desperate for jobs and as an agency we always look to give 3rd year students that have marketing related degrees a 2-week internship during school holidays. It’s our contribution to help equip them with the necessary skills and improve the prospects in the job market. In June this we hosted Ndamu Pandelani, a Grade 10 pupil for job shadowing and I also got my sister Vuyelwa who’s studying towards her law degree to join us during the same period. She worked with our receptionist for a week to learn basic office and telephone etiquette.  You can read about her experience here.

At the Loeries, Durban 2017.

At the Loeries, Durban 2017.

 

This year a couple of colleagues and myself attended the advertising industry awards (Loeries) and it’s safe to say we still have a long way to go as black owned/black run agencies. The awards were dominated by the usual winners. Out of more than 300 winners, only 2 were black-owned agencies. This is below 1%.

 

According to Adex, “Total ad spend in South Africa in 2016 was R43bn”. Black Agencies got less 0.1% of this huge pie. This was clearly reflected at the Loeries Awards looking at the number of awards entires and winners. There wasn’t much entries by small black-owned agencies because they lack big accounts where they can do more work.

 

There seems to be a misunderstanding of what transformation is about, which has contributed in holding us back. We need to give it more clarity and emphasize that transformation is not a win for blacks and a loss for whites but bridging the gap between the rich and the poor. It’s within everyone’s interest for the country to transform and the sooner we share a common understanding the sooner we will progress and work together without anyone fearing to lose anything.

 

The time for blaming past leaders is gone. Those leaders are no more and not coming back, so let’s take charge and work together for the benefit of all. Last but not least, we are just a phone call away for all your marketing and advertising requirements.

Keep well and God bless.

 

Bongani Gosa
Creative Director
Email: bongani@bwdadvertising.co.za
Phone: 011 321 0193

04 Sep

Posted at 16:46h in Content Marketing, Digital Marketing, Social Media

 

Regardless of your industry, you will have to eventually have to give in. The opportunities that come with social media are endless. If you want people to know who you are, then it’s important to put yourself on these social media platforms and exploit them to the fullest. Social media is not a fad, people. It is real and it is happening, fast. If Facebook were a country, it would be the 3rd largest country in the world, after China and India. That should give you an indication of how many people you will have access to. How can you expect to get ahead if you are not engaging with your customers? Your customer are online. You should be too.

 

Before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s talk about social media. By definition it is just a manner of communication and a means to interact online with your stakeholders and consumers. Over the past 10 years, social media continues to expands and explode. Social media platforms are increasing as well as the number of people using them.  It is a way to decrease the gap between your business and your consumers. People have access to information instantly and can engage with it at any time. Let your social media to sell for you. You will be able to promote yourself without even leaving the office or your home. The key to this is ensuring that you manage your social media successfully.

 

The consumer experience, which has always been important has shifted onto a different space. The business has to shift with it so that they ensure that they can still contribute to the consumer experience.  If your business has no online presence then the likelihood of people recognising your brand decreases. This ultimately means that people will not be talking about your brand.

 

Your social media should be an extension of your current brand. Social media cannot replace it. It merely solidifies your brand and projects it forward. Embracing the online space opens up even more doors. Your company can elevate themselves further by considering branding, SEO, public relations, sales and so much more. Ultimately, the end goal is building relationships with your online customers. Relationships grow the more you cultivate them and the cultivation process occurs on social media.  The relationships you build will lead to advocacy and loyalty. Advocacy occurs when people start sharing and commenting on your brand without a technical intervention or call-to-action from the business. This is when your consumers start doing the advertising for you. Who doesn’t want that?

 

The benefits and opportunities are becoming more apparent, aren’t they? Feedback from your target market is almost instant. People are communicating and sharing at all times all across the world. Your store is never truly closed. Trading hours are going to be a thing of the past. This is good for business. Your brand presence grows while you sleep at night. Sounds good to me, get involved. That feedback can become a part of the phase of product development. Social listening or feedback can also act as a warning and save you costs on customer service. Remember, social media needs to be a part of your marketing, branding, PR and advertising efforts. It needs thought and time. Integration is the way forward. This where we, BWD Advertising, comes into play.

 

What we can do for you.

 

The business of social media is so much more than marketing. For you to use social media effectively, content is required. Meaningful and authentic content. Content creation is a big deal now, it’s a necessity now. Your social media presence and the audience’s engagement with it can help you determine what your target market’s needs and wants are.

Your content creation can fall under these categories “Learn and Improve”, “Explore and Discover” and “Question and Answer.”  These are the types of content that could be created depending on the needs and wants of the customers.

 

  1. Learn and Improve

 

This kind of content makes your customer’s lives easier and better by optimising their tasks. You are building authority, driving connections and increasing engagement.

 

  1. Explore and Discover

 

Here, you help the customer’s use your product more creatively. Offer them ideas and breed ideation and community.

 

  1. Question and Answer

 

This content serves to meet the customers’ support needs. Have your solutions ready for when something goes wrong. There will always be a customer who needs answers. Set up a forum thread on resolving technical issues, or we can do it for you.

 

Believe it or not, there are analytical tools that measure the conversations that are being had over various social media platforms. This is a major starting point for content creation. Listening to these conversations will reap great benefits for your business and its brand. Let us listen for you. BWD Advertising has got you!

 

Pop in, in a few days. I’ll have more for you on content creation. When you grow, we grow.