04 Jul

Posted at 09:03h in Content Marketing, Social Media

Interesting fact, Social media users have risen by 176 million in the last year. A million new mobile social users are added everyday, specifically, that’s about 12 users per second. The growth of social media is exponential, and is only going to elevate as time proceeds.

People within business, or not, are familiar with the the usability of common social media platforms, it is likely that they use these platforms on a daily basis. With that being said, turning employees into social media advocates is not a far fetched idea, thus individuals are already familiar with the given platforms.

1. Social Media Brand Advocacy Can Be a Method Of Bringing In Extra Cash.

Employees can add to your cashflow, and possibly add to their own salary in turn (we hope).

Are you aware of what employees can achieve, for your company as brand advocates? It sounds like a pretty mundane thing to say, but in actual fact, one would be surprised at the outcome of this!

Employees have a larger reach through personal accounts compared to the brands reach through the brands social accounts.

In essence, the aim for any brand is to reach as many people as possible, although all people reached will not be customers, this will surely increase the chances of a potential client taking notice of your services, therefore bringing you closer to your business goals, such as reinforcing the key message of you brand, brand awareness and sales connections.

Have I sold this to you yet? If not, I can go on.

2. Advocacy Adds Credibility To Content.

Employee advocates (family as well as friends) rank above brands. An individual is more likely to read or look into something that was shared by an individual he knows, compared to coming across a “random” advertisement on social media. The truth about advertising, is that viewers are tired of it, so it is a natural reflex to skip or scroll past an advertisement.

How does one avoid this from happening? Besides advertising in an innovative way, you could simply get an employee to share your brand.When a friend or family member sees that something was shared or recommended by “my cousin”, I’m probably going to give it a chance.

3. Employee Shares Reach a Wider Range Than Brand Shares

Promotional content is generally shared 24 times more, when posted by an employee, opposed to the brand. Employee advocacy can multiply brand awareness rapidly through verbal evidence. People talk about what they see on social media, people also refer to a person’s social media posts when in search of conversation starters, this is a means of  introducing prospective customers.

4. Content Shared By Employees Attracts More Engagement

Let’s put it like this. Would you much rather, interact with a company  – you don’t necessarily know if you’ll get a response today, you don’t know who is behind the response, it’s like talking to someone imaginary, because you come up with your own conclusions, compared to interaction with a family member or a friend.

You are certain that the user will respond, and you are familiar with the tone of their language, you simply feel like you’re interacting with a human being, increasing comfortability and just overall engagement. What increased engagement is good for, is increasing the lifespan of your post.

5. Employee Advocacy Campaigns Show Improved Conversions.

Now that we’ve covered engagement, let’s talk about conversation. Your brand first needs to increase engagement prior to thinking about what conversation should “cloud” your brand.

At the end of the day, you are dealing with human beings, think of it like that as opposed to seeing people as potential customers. An individual is more likely to post negatively towards a brand because, well, he’s like an “imaginary person”, because of something that could potentially not be a big deal.

Speaking about human beings, you want to treat your employees as partners, and not just employees. If you can do this, employees will be more than willing to use their personal accounts to help increase the reach of your brand. Remember, these are their personal accounts (they could be promoting their own brands that clash with yours) , so ultimately they should have the choice to decline – give them the choice and they will probably be willing.

6. Point For Three Crucial Relationships.

In the business world, relationships determine a substantial amount of the overall success. Employee advocacy has the power to affect three crucial relationships.

  1. Employee & Management Relationship
  2. Brand & Clients Relationship
  3. Employee & Employee Relationship (Team work)

With all of these being the focus, sales should increase automatically.

 

7. Improves Employer Brand.

Companies generally  spend from 15% – 200% of an employee’s annual salary. Employee advocacy could definitely decrease that cost.

Turning employees into brand advocates is a great means of reaching a wider audience, and truly, there’s no reason not to give this a shot. There is nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

26 Jun

Posted at 13:35h in Advertising

Digital, digital, digital. Is the hottest thing since PB & J were put together, and rightfully so, millions use the Internet everyday to get information or to post their own.

Nowadays people will grab their phones, laptops or computers to search for whatever they may be looking for at that particular time. However, don’t be put off by this because print marketing is still a crucial form of marketing that can still be used today.

Finding information on a business today has become very convenient due to the Internet, but now imagine these scenario’s:

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  1. You have found the place you are looking for on the Internet, but have to venture out of your home or office to find the place and there are no sign outside the premises.
  2. If you are at a restaurant and you need the printed out menu.
  3. Having that voucher for your local gym.
  4. The flyer to learn about the special.

Without any of the signs, flyers, menu’s and vouchers we would be lost. Print marketing is still a very important method of representing your information.

THE TOP 5 REASONS WHY YOU STILL NEED PRINT MARKETING

  • Branding
  • Brand Visibility
  • Creating Engagement
  • Reaching Specific Marketing Segments
  • Niche Marketing reach

Branding

 

If you take a look at your company today and ask yourself, “Does my brand stand out from all the others?” If your not getting your name out there, it probably does not.

9 times out of 10 people that see your branding will go with the one they recognize and the only way to make sure that they can recognize yours is by getting your brand out their to public and there are multiple ways of doing that which is online and print marketing which includes: Posters, flyers, billboards, signs etc.…

Brand Visibility

How do you get yourself out there to be seen by your clientele?  The answer is not as hard as one may think, it’s mainly about getting yourself out there with the many platforms available to us.

For starters your brand needs to be recognizable and the way you get that right is by having a mix of unique colours, an interesting typeface as well as a design agency like BWD for your marketing collateral. Marketing experts will have all your needs for the marketing platforms where you can put your best foot forward. This is just to make sure that all your printed goods such as: Banner, signs, poster, flyers, billboards, stickers etc. are all printed to the right size, correct spelling and legible for the public to read and understand.

Studies have shown that campaigns that one can physically touch do much better than ones like an email. Don’t get me wrong email marketing is great, but there is something special about getting something you can physically hold. 79% of consumers will act upon a printed post while only 45% will act upon an email.

Remember that consistency is key to a successful business brand.

Creating Engagement

Engagement is key to a successful marketing plan, well without it you would have no point in trying to advertise. Studies have shown that people read digital platforms 20% – 30% slower than what they do on printed items.

So if you want your text read properly, going print is a better plan but you can’t just stop there, you also need to make sure that your items are attention-grabbing before you reward them with a worthwhile offer or service. Print media is a trusted form of marketing and has a host of content areas:  news, information, education, inspiration, special offers and entertainment,

All of which will lead to an engagement between the reader and content.

Reaching Specific Marketing Segments

Knowing where your customers look is important because that is where you need to put your marketing whether it is in the yellow pages (yes people still use this), newspaper, neighborhood publication or the local magazine that is distributed throughout the local area. You need to make sure that you reach out to these publications so that you do not miss out on any potential clients you may not know of but could help you become a better brand.

Niche Marketing reach

This is not a straightforward form of marketing, this can get very tricky in the sense, this it can be very cost effective because you are going after a smaller group of people than when you would be going for the masses.

For one, you need to find out where your product will work in these smaller groups and then find out where your competitors are placing their ads and see if you can have yours there.

It’s about getting your message out to the right channels so that you can get the attention of the customers you want and this can be done well by advertising your brand in the areas that these groups are situated.

Overall, thinking that print marketing would be a waste of your time would be a big mistake and cost you more than you realize.

It is important to get your name out and have the ability to be seen. Without the use of all the marketing platforms you surely will not have a successful run.

22 Jun

Posted at 07:18h in Thought Leadership


Giving good feedback is integral to good design. While I’m sure all designers, myself included, would love to just come up with a gorgeous design without asking anyone else for their opinion, good design can be made better by working within limitations and incorporating the feedback of others. And of course, we generally want to make our clients happy and give them what they want. Accordingly, any designer worth his merit will make sure that the design process includes his client: we make mockups, ask for feedback, then refine, ask for more feedback, refine, until everyone’s satisfied

Sometimes everyone really is happy, and the end result is something that’s beautiful and usable. Other times, though, one of us is going to end up miserable. The design can end up so off the mark that your designer doesn’t even want to have his name connected to it. That’s a bad start.

I’ve been going through this process for a while now, with a whole range of different clients, both of the good and bad variety. Here are a few tips I’ve rounded up to make this feedback process as productive as possible.

1.Professionalism Matters

The first thing clients and designers need to realise, is that you need to be professional. This typically means you need to be restrained, calm and controlled. Sure, you hired the designer to design or overhaul. But that doesn’t mean they will get it right the first time. The truth is as with all things creative, you may need to try out different options to get the best results. So, shouting and screaming over the phone won’t do you both any good. After all you had your reasons for hiring the designer. Instead, if you’re not satisfied, tell them and let them know why.

2. Clear Guidelines

Completing a branding project only to miss the mark on the design is no fun. Unfortunately, it happens. To prevent this unnecessary mishap, make sure to communicate clear guidelines.

Clients should outline what they expect, and creative designers should communicate time and costs. This is where a contract becomes helpful. Make sure all necessary language is in the contract so there is no miscommunication.

3. Be Specific

For a web designer, there is nothing more frustrating than when the client says things like “I don’t like it”, “it’s all wrong”, “I can’t accept this”, “you need to do everything all over again” or “I’m not impressed”. Statements like that aren’t helpful at all. Here’s what you should do instead: tell them the things you liked about the design. Most clients often have no idea why they don’t like a design. So, pointing out what you liked automatically shows the designer the things you don’t because you’ll probably leave those out.

4. Impossible Requests

When a designer reads your brief, their only goal is to make your creative vision come to life. But that means you have to be sensible. Even though it’s art, design does have rules and not everything is possible.

Certain colors and shapes just won’t work together. Sometimes you can’t fit every single thing on one page.

And a lightning bolt logo can’t look realistic, minimalist and “hidden” all at the same time. It’s an impossible request.

There’s nothing wrong with asking your designers to do a lot. That’s their job. But sometimes even design can’t solve every problem.

5. Never Use the Phrase “you’re the designer.”

In theory, this would mean that you trust my decisions, value my input, and recognize that, since I’m a professional that you’re paying to do this work, I must know what I’m doing. In actuality, it means that you’re going to be the epitome of a Difficult Client: you’ll constantly say the designs I present to you are no good, but you won’t give any concrete explanations of why; you’ll insist that I make every single tiny, micro-managing alteration you request, then complain when the design starts to erode and the whole thing ends up a giant mess; and you’ll ignore all of my advice and opinions.

6. Never Copy Designs

Your competitor may have the most amazing looking logo or product design you’ve ever seen, but there are ways of achieving the same outcome without making a carbon copy of their design. One of the reasons you hired a designer is to reach such feats, or rather surpass them.

Designers are creative, so if you show them something or rather a desired outcome, we use it as reference. Usually when you give them guidelines, you’ll add a few logo’s that you would like your logo to resemble or are the benchmark for your desired look. Asking a designer to copy a logo can be viewed as undermining their capabilities. Most times a seasoned designer will even go to the extremes of refusing to work with you

7. Conclusion

Change is tough. After you’ve gone through a tough process of change, be sure to celebrate. You may find you’ve developed an awesome relationship through this experience.

15 Jun

Posted at 13:25h in Content Marketing

If your idea of content marketing entails dropping the occasional blog post online and hoping it makes a splash, you may need to rethink your strategy. Taking your content-marketing campaign from good to great means always being on your A-game, focusing with laser-like precision on your target audience and constantly refining your methods until you find the perfect combination of strategy and tactics that helps you achieve your goals.  Content marketing is a way to produce what people want (interesting, useful content) instead of producing what they ignore (pushy, arrogant, or clumsy advertising). It also shows (rather than tells) potential customers that you’re the right choice to solve their problems.

Good content is inherently worth reading, listening to, or watching. It delivers an enjoyable experience for the audience. It’s entertaining. It might make the audience laugh, or cry, or stand up in righteous outrage, but it must move them in some meaningful way. The smart content marketer thinks in terms of an audience, rather than “prospects” or “leads.”

First, pay attention to customer role in content marketing.

Overall, you absolutely must pay attention to audience profiles, also called customer roles. Sound marketing strategies always begin with customers’ needs, an important element in content-marketing campaigns. Without a well-developed customer role, your content will settle at “good” when it should be “great.”

So, just what is a customer role? It’s a comprehensive and detailed picture of an imaginary target customer. The Content Marketing Institute provides a round-up of resources to help you develop insightful profiles to refine your content-marketing strategy. They’re worth checking out before you proceed with your own content marketing plan. Once you’ve got your customer role squared away, you’re ready for those five tips to great original content.

       1. Meet weekly with your team.

Great content marketing is often shared content. Many people think of creativity as something that happens in isolation, but often complementary talents on a team can build something bigger and better than can its individual talents. Meeting weekly enhances creativity, forges connections and improves content marketing for many companies.

       2. Build on your brand strategy.

The best content is built on an existing brand strategy. Know what your brand stands for and what values it represents to your target customer. Any content created for your campaigns should reflect core brand values so deeply that, at first glance, your customers know immediately that the content is yours. Every touch point, every connection should enhance brand value to build loyalty among your customers. 

       3. Stick to a schedule.

This sounds so basic, but few people do it! Make a schedule . . . and stick to it. Content marketing is more effective when you regularly engage with your audience. Customers begin to look forward to your content, and this hope increases engagement, which is the golden rule for great content.

Develop your own content schedule and follow it without fail. Use scheduling tools like HootSuite and others to drip messages into your social media channels. Release new content on predictable basis. The more routine you build into your content marketing campaigns, the better the engagement.

      4. Confront the brutal facts.

Being honest with yourself may be challenging for you. In order to make your content marketing strategy a success, you need to face the facts. Even if you think a content piece you’ve created rocks, your target audience may not find it useful at all.

Don’t let that get you down, though. Being honest not only helps you come up with better content ideas, but honesty will also help save you time. If you blindly create content and share it without thinking about its effectiveness, you only waste your time and energy on something that won’t work for your vision.

Be honest with your situation right now. Do you have content ready? Do you know exactly what you want to do for your content marketing? Do you have content created by other people you’ve hired, but it’s not any good? Know where you’re at with content marketing, and figure out what you need to do to move forward.

If you’re stuck, ask yourself these two questions:

  1. Would I share this content with my customers?
  2. Would they think it was a useful piece?. 

     5. Use different mediums.

When you hear “content,” you probably imagine written material such as blog posts, white papers, case studies, free eBook’s and so on. Perhaps you’ve added “video” as an afterthought. But here’s another idea to consider: Broaden your content-marketing spectrum by using different mediums.

Different people prefer to receive materials in varying formats. Some auditory learners prefer podcasts, while visual learners may prefer reading about a topic or watching a video. Still others like tip sheets, checklists, and workbooks or learning by doing. Shake up your content marketing by using different mediums to engage different learning styles among your audience.  Audience will be good

       6. Take risks.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” This old saying applies as much to content marketing as it does to other things in life.

The great leaders, thinkers and artists of the world are risk-takers. Beethoven took a big risk when he completely changed the form of the symphony from the tried and true Classical period symphony with its scripted movements, orchestrations and expectations. Steve Jobs changed how we view personal computers by focusing on what his company, Apple, did best, and encouraging his teams to think that way, too. Others throughout history have excelled because they decided to take a risk and move in a different direction from the herd.

But doesn’t stay lock in a self-imposed box forever. Break free and try new things to truly set your work apart from the rest. If your competitors are all blogging, try micro blogging or long-form copy to stand out. If others say Instagram is the way to go, choose Twitter. Experiment and monitor your successes. Learn from what works and what doesn’t.

With these tips and the basics of content marketing under your belt, you’ll be well on your way to harnessing this promising marketing method. But, don’t stop there. Continue to educate yourself, try new ideas and keep one foot in front of the other.

      7. Be consistent and disciplined with content marketing.

What’s the key to content marketing success? It’s consistency. If you want to achieve your goals with content marketing, you need to be consistent. You need to have a schedule that supports a consistent content marketing strategy.

Even if you have a ton of great content ideas lined up and ready to go, you still need to continue publishing valuable content for your target market. There are no shortcuts, you (or someone on your team) just has to do it.

  Conclusion

So what do you need to do now? Have a BHAG – big, hairy, audacious goal. Get organized, and develop your content marketing plan around that goal. Follow the seven steps for good-to-great to enhance your plan.. Take time to plan tactics you want to implement in your content marketing strategy and what you need to do to make your vision become reality. Lastly, aim to influence!

07 Jun

Posted at 14:13h in Thought Leadership, Video Animation

Were you born between 1960 and 1980? If so, you’re the middle child of our current generations and what an exciting time it was! The baby boom was slowing down, working individuals were on the rise and best of all, the internet was a brand new concept.

We saw the rise of internet users and the upcoming age of the digitally-savvy consumer that now dominates the marketing sphere. Yet many years later, marketers are still finding it challenging to reach specific target markets and in this case, it’s Gen-X.

Luckily, BWD has three simple tips for you to keep your Gen-Xers and ensure you carry them with you on your marketing journey.

 

Marketing to Gen-X

Gen-Xers are often perceived to be slow on picking up new trends – but the numbers are talking and these individuals are far savvier than you thought! So while we were all focusing on the Millennials, we accidentally left out a chunk of marketing potential.

But now how do we unlock this new potential and market to Gen-X?

Well, ever noticed how Facebook has become the new YouTube? That’s because right now, video is king. It’s also the most engaging, entertaining and informative way to get your brand’s message across and according to YouTube stats, 75% of Gen-Xers enjoy, share and engage with videos they find relatable.

 

Making Video Marketing Memorable

Gen-Xers love a good throwback.

Borrow content from their teenage years or use storytelling to take them back to some of their best memories so that they can make a sentimental connection to your efforts. Use the ultimate music jams from the 60’s all the way to the early 90s and enjoy reliving past pop culture moments to relate to your target audience.

When in doubt, just remember the golden rule. Keep your content relevant and relatable to your audience in a positive manner.

 

Keeping it Current

Keeping up with the latest trends isn’t easy. It’s almost as if as soon as you catch on to one its already on its way out because there’s a new, hot trend on the horizon.

But that doesn’t mean Gen-X won’t keep up, 68% watch YouTube videos to stay on top of news and in the know of pop culture. And on the flip side of this, most parents are part of Gen-X too so for them staying in the loop means staying their children’s world as it helps to connect with them.

 

Making it Educational

YouTube figures show that 73% of Gen-Xers use videos to learn, so by allowing your videos to be educational or informative, you bring your audience along with you as your company changes, innovates and creates new products and service offerings.

Plus, making your audience feel like they are in the know and relevant to your message is important to any marketing plan.

Conclusion

And there you have it! The three easy steps to begin your Gen-X marketing journey. For more information on how to make your videos more relevant try this or contact us!

26 May

Posted at 13:26h in Copywriting

We have all experienced it in some way, shape or form: the dreaded writer’s block. Even forming the simplest of sentences seems like a task that Shakespeare wouldn’t be able to overcome. Although to some it may seem like an easy task, writing professionally can be more challenging than it appears.
There are many situations that you can find yourself in, where quickly jotting down a few words yourself may not be the best idea. In these situations, it is a better idea to get some help.
Here are a few situations where a professional copywriter should come to your rescue:

When your inner wordsmith is missing in action

The first situation, albeit the most obvious one, is when you simply aren’t a great writer. This is a perfectly understandable situation and nothing to be ashamed of. We all have our unique talents, and if writing isn’t yours, it’s always best to ask for some assistance.
Not everyone is logophiles (lovers of words) and when you lack passion for something, putting pen to paper will probably end in disaster. Rather admit your shortcomings and hire a professional. You may be surprised to find that not only does it take some unnecessary stress off of you, but it could also result in copy that benefits your business and brand.

When your stamina and patience have gone astray

Copywriting is not always a walk in the park. It requires a lot of mental stamina and the ability to handle stress. Writing copy is not as simple as just writing the copy and sending it off. No, writing copy requires various steps and skills, reverts and checkpoints before it’s ready for publication. Copywriting is also usually required within a short space of time, because many clients underestimate the process or don’t plan for it properly. Despite the short timeframes, a high quality is still expected.
This can also quickly lead to burnout, which is why a professional is the best route for most projects.

When your industry knowledge is inadequate

If you don’t have knowledge about what you are required to write about, it can lead to serious problems, and a Google search can’t always solve the problem. If you require copy that is optimized for search engines, but you have no idea what SEO even means, then it may not be the best idea to take on this widely-misunderstood topic by yourself; your lack of knowledge or understanding will clearly show in your copy.
When it comes to a topic that you don’t feel comfortable writing about, rather get a specialist to assist.

When your watch is already running in the red

We all understand that time flies, but sometimes it’s not just when you’re having fun. If you can relate to this, don’t add writing copy to your to-do list if you’re not a professional writer. Trying to save money by doing it yourself, may end up costing you in the long run.
Time is money, and if it takes you considerably longer than a professional to get the job done, it’s not a good business decision. Frugality can sometimes be fatal for a business.

When your subjectivity is getting in the way

We get it. You are extremely passionate about your brand or business. That is why you started it in the first place. But this zeal might impact the copy that you write about it. Your enthusiasm also makes you bias when it comes to writing copy. A professional copywriter isn’t emotionally involved in your business and therefore they can write copy subjectively, which is also usually cleaner and more to the point. They also have the experience of looking at businesses through the eyes of a consumer and can write accordingly. Professional copywriters understand what sells and can translate that into words, ultimately making the copy much more impactful.

Leave it to the professionals

No matter what situation you find yourself in – whether writing copy just feels too overwhelming or you simply don’t have time – a professional copywriter, is just that… a professional. A professional copywriter is there to help simplify the process and deliver the best results possible.
You don’t have be lost for words, because a copywriter will be able to help you find the perfect ones.

25 May

Posted at 08:35h in Video Animation

Ludwekazi: Hi, and welcome to the BWD Blog. Today on the hot seat we have designer gem, Kutloano Tshabalala. Kutloano, how are you?

Kutloano: I’m awesome. How are you?

Ludwekazi: I’m well. Thank you. So tell us about Kutloano, and what do you do at BWD?

Kutloano: Okay, my name is Kutloano. And I studied at the Open Window School of Digital Sciences where I obtained my qualification in Graphic Design and Illustration. And I’m currently a web designer and graphic designer at BWD Advertising.

Ludwekazi: So what is brand consistency, and why should marketers care about it?

Kutloano: Brand consistency refers to the visual elements that your company has and uses throughout different platforms. For example, on their website the corporate identity, corporate stationery. I can think of an example, Coke. If you look at a Coke ad on T.V. or Coke ad on a magazine, and even a billboard Coke has been used the same throughout each and every different platform. And that’s just basically what brand consistency is. The same font, seem red has been used. And this is so important, because when you’re consistent within your brand you’re actually reinforcing the message of the company. And this is like the vehicle of authority and trust within your brand.

Ludwekazi: Do you, perhaps, have any example of a company that maintains a consistent brand identity on their social media?

Kutloano: Examples of consistent brands, I would say adidas, Nike, Tshepy Boutique. If you look at Tshepy Boutique and their Twitter page, their Instagram page are literally, exactly the same. And if you put the website against the Facebook page it’s, kind of, like a very similar look and feel. So, yeah, Nike, adidas, Tshepy Boutique, very good examples of companies that have been able to maintain brand consistency throughout different social media platforms.

Ludwekazi: So what steps does one need to follow to maintain brand consistency throughout their social networks?

Kutloano: Step one, I would say finalizing your corporate identity or your style guide. Corporate identity, in short, refers to CI. And your CI is basically something that you refer to to maintain the uniformity of your company’s brand. And you can actually look at a CI from a human perspective in the sense that it is the face of your company. When you first meet someone the first thing you see is their face. Same thing applies with your business. Your CI is the face of your company, and it’s the first impression. And actually this is an opportunity for you to dictate what messages you want to emphasize on, or you want to communicate about your brand. For example, if your brand is elegant you can communicate elegance through the font that you use or the images that you use for your logo.

Your CI is basically how your company presents itself. And I can think of examples like Apple, BMW, Simba. The Simba, lion, we all know that guy. Not because that we want to, not because we like Simba, but because it has been continuously used in the packaging. And, yeah. Your tomato flavor, and your cheese flavor has the same lion. So, yeah, it’s just repetition. Corporate identity, that would be your step one.

Step two would be working with templates. Your templates are your working files that are accessible by your designer. And, I mean, that’s actually your designer’s best friend, because of how much time you save from working from a template. And, yeah, it’s basically making sure that you work within the same frames. Replacing texts, replacing imaging within the same frame. And this actually does not necessarily imply that you would be working with one template. You can have a million templates just as long as it is somehow similar to your corporate identity. And this is where step one and step two are closely related. Because you can’t really choose a style for your template if you don’t have your style guide or your corporate identity in check, first.

And, yeah. Step three, I would say get a competent designer. Get someone who actually knows what they’re doing, and someone who has some experience in the given industry.

Ludwekazi: So lastly, what tools does one need to maintain brand consistency throughout their social media?

Kutloano: Tools that you can use are basically cloud storage. That is the number one tool you can go for. Cloud storage refers to a network where you can place your files, access your files, invite people to share files. It’s really awesome, because it’s on a cloud. So you can’t really lose anything, or, you know, files don’t get corrupted easily. So, yeah, cloud storage is a really great tool. An example of this is actually Google Drive which is what we use at BWD Advertising.

Ludwekazi: So I’m picking up that it has a lot to do with systematic approach?

Kutloano: One hundred percent. One hundred percent. Be systematic, be organized. Number one method.

Ludwekazi: So do you have anything else that you want to emphasize?

Kutloano: In conclusion, brand consistency is extremely important. I mean, this is like the biggest favor you can do for your company, for your brand. And if you need any advice on this contact BWD Advertising, or just get a competent designer in your hood, and you’ll be good.

Ludwekazi: Well, there you have it. That was Kutloano giving us insight on how to maintain and keep a consistent brand identity across your social media platforms. I hope you were able to gain valuable information. This is how we at BWD continue to think, create, and inspire. Until next time, goodbye.

24 May

Posted at 14:01h in Advertising

Switching from Finance to Marketing

“A month ago I took a leap of faith and made a life changing decision that can either make or break me” This is probably you after signing that big contract. Starting a new job can be highly nerve-wracking and intimidating. You would know this from experience. Remember the high levels of anxiety that came with your first day in “The World of Work”? Well, the same applies to making that big switch from one career path to the next.

Moving from the field of Finance to Marketing is both risky and exciting. The goal for any working professional is to reach the pinnacle of their careers. Changing lanes could almost scare you into questioning whether or not switching is the right decision to make. As long as your decision to change is influenced by passion, drive and a love for this new career path, you have nothing to worry about.

 

The Transition

 

Finance is known to be a challenging field which comes with responsibilities. It encompasses mostly money, risk analysis and time, and of course, how all these variables are factored into the investment decisions made within the company and thus, development, profitability and growth. Marketing on the other hand involves the product/service, the customer, communication channels and how all of these variables are factored into the growth and development of the company. While these two distinct fields may seem unrelated, they are both highly valuable.

These functions are important as they work towards achieving one common goal- that of growing the organization. Marketing within a digital advertising agency  lifts the stakes a notch higher. The expectation is that one comes into the role knowing exactly how a digital agency operates, technologically savvy and ready to bring innovative ideas into the mix.

 

 

 

Understanding that an advertising agency is a more creative space in comparison to finance, this might breed fear and create uncertainty. You cannot prevent the inevitable but you can work towards managing expectations. As soon as the feeling of uncertainty creeps in and you’re too nervous to go on with the bold step, take a moment to assure yourself that through preparation, you’ll ease into the transition.

All you need to do is to take things one step at a time. Bobby Unser hit the nail on the head when he defined success as the point where preparation and opportunity meet. When you prepare yourself for this career move, you’re increasing the chances of a smooth transition and a beautiful bright future ahead.

Here’s how you can prepare yourself for the big switch:

 

1) Research

 

 

The most important thing about jumping into a new ship is understanding the dynamics of the environment you’ll be moving into. This encompasses a lot of research. Unlike finance, marketing is highly susceptible to change and involves a great deal of technology. Unless you research properly, you will not know what’s expected of you in your new role.

You need to acquaint yourself with the rules and regulations of the industry, procedures and protocols. Research everything there is to know about your employer, your new role and organizational culture. This could be achieved through reading books, blogs, articles and case studies on subjects related to your new job. You could also watch videos which could give you a better understanding and clearer picture of what it is you are to do.

 

2) Ask questions

 

 

If you’re one of those people who are afraid of asking questions because you do not want to appear stupid, then you need to get rid of that mentality and start speaking up. What you need to acknowledge is that you do not know everything and you definitely won’t be an expert on a position you have never occupied in your entire existence. This is where asking questions when there’s something you do not understand, becomes key. If you’re unclear about something, seek clarity, then tackle it head on.

 

3) Get a Mentor

 

 

A mentor is somebody who takes up the role of your adviser. This individual has more experience in the field and will provide guidance where guidance is needed. They show you how things are done. It is advisable that you get a mentor with extensive experience in the field you’re moving into, so that you have someone who’s able to correct your wrongs while they speak of something they are confident about and they have specialized in.

 

4) Convey confidence but do not be arrogant

 

 

No employer wants to regret the decision of bringing on board someone who can not even say their name without crumbling. However, this doesn’t mean that you should be arrogant. Majority of employers evaluate attitude to determine who is likely to last longer within the organization. It is therefore also important to remember this during the salary negotiating stage.

When having the salary discussion with your potential employer, it must be evident that you understand the market, the industry and your role. They must be able to tell that employing you will be an investment to their company. The common saying “Know Your Worth” emphasizes how you should refrain from selling yourself short. This means you should be able to keep yourself within the boundaries of confidence and arrogance.

 

5) Focus and give it your best.

 

 

When starting out in this new role, it is important to focus all your energy into learning as much as you can, as fast as you can. This unfortunately may not be possible with a busy schedule. You need to dedicate time to learning the ropes and putting in a lot of work. The last thing you want is being a jack of all trades and a master of none.

Work at mastering your new role first. You might just want to keep a clear schedule for the first few weeks, put in those early morning and late nights, just to grasp the workflow- you will not regret this as it will be to your benefit later on in your career. Another tip to help you stay on top of your game is to be efficient-  work on those deadline and give 100% at all times.

24 May

Posted at 13:25h in Thought Leadership, Video Marketing

Did you know that every minute, there are over 100 hours of video that is uploaded on YouTube? There are over a billion users on YouTube that amounts up to about one third of the world’s’ internet population. One would mistake these stats as those of a platform that makes videos become overnight sensations, viral videos as some would call them.

Since 14 February 2005 the inception of YouTube, videos have become more and more influential in the corporate world. Viral videos are the past and now YouTube channels are the latest trend that viewers prefer.

With great power comes great responsibility and the odd myth or two that audiences will entertain. YouTube has come under the light when talking about using it as a corporate tool.

Think with Google recently posted an article on The latest YouTube stats. The article speaks about where, when and what people watch on YouTube. It delves into some myths portrayed on the video giant.

Debunk Myths

 

The first myth that people tend to entertain, is that people that watch YouTube on their mobile devices usually watch during the day and only on the go. This myth is supposed to discredit the fact that YouTube is a credible platform that organisations can invest in and use to create awareness for their brands or organisations. The reality is that YouTube viewing is more like TV viewing and users use it at home, during prime time and for horizontal viewing.

The second myth is that YouTube is only for watching viral videos. The reality is that users may end up spending a lot of time on YouTube for numerous reasons. Some use it for educational purposes, streaming music or watching music videos. They would be even caught watching shows trying to catch up on missed episodes. YouTube boasts a lot of different visual information that one can want over and above viral videos.

Interesting fact is that YouTube has cemented its role in the consumer purchasing decision.

Why your videos aren’t being watched?

Ever uploaded a video on YouTube and days later not a single view or even a like? A few months later and 30 videos later and still no change. Well although YouTube is a platform that has over a billion pair of eyes watching. Audiences are picky on what they want to see and they pay attention to what interests them.

So before you go and delete your channel on YouTube or blaming lack of video success on viral videos taking preferences consider the following:

Your fan base does not exist – the first mistake people make is that they think any video will create a stir and when you check on the amount of people that subscribe to that specific channel they are little to none. So first create a following to your channel. Work on your audience so that you can have someone watching.

You’ve based your goals on viral videos – The word itself has a negative connotation and any video that has become ‘famous’ and I do use the word loosely, has to be to people latching onto the wrong reason the video was made. This is why viral videos have an expiry date and they don’t last. Make content that is consistent and has a purpose. Give your audience a valid reason to want to share your video (because it’s good). As the quality of your content increases so will the views.

 

Self-promotion is a recommendation – the last thing a viewer wants to see is a click on tab in the middle of the screen urging the viewer to purchase your product while your brand is supposed to be making a point on the screen. Respect your audience and give them an experience not just a sales pitch every video.

Optimize your videos so that they can be easily discovered – There are so many ways in which you can make sure that video gets picked up. I know you must be asking how I optimise a video. Well it’s not like text which it’s easy to use to expose your post. So for a quick and easy way in get into optimisation start here.

Understand how corporate counts to 10

These are the list of benefits your company/organisation or brand can count as valuable to your marketing budget.

  1. Cheap – Forget spending loads of money web hosting for a large amount of videos, once your video is uploaded on YouTube, you can link that video to your website
  2. Mass Audience – YouTube is available to a wide audience a billion to be exact
  3. Loyalty towards your brand – Customer love a brand with a story, a brand that is real, sharing your corporate videos online gives the customer of a view of your corporate culture.
  4. Coach your customers – Teach your customers on how to use your product or how they can benefit from your offering.
  5. Search engine – YouTube belongs to the largest search engine company in the world which means your brand or organisation will benefit from the exposure.
  6. Brand awareness – You can customise your YouTube channel to represent your brand. With the large audience means more people can be exposed to your brand.
  7. Easy to measure – YouTube offers analytic options so that you can evaluate the success of your videos.
  8. Hear from your customers – Most online platforms offer the option for your customers to communicate with you so it gives you the opportunity to know what your audience thinks.
  9. Be innovative – If you don’t recreate or go to new and charted territory how can you expect to stay afloat in this competitive environment.
  10. Easy to use – You don’t need a lesson on how to use YouTube, it’s as simple as using Google.

22 May

Posted at 10:50h in Video Marketing

Video Marketing Funnel: When To Use Different Types Of Video Content

 

Have you considered that knowing which type of content to use can convert into sales? Usually when a company or organisation wants to create or manage content they employ CMS (content management solutions). Having the knowledge to create the right content mix for your strategy will make the added difference. We currently find ourselves in the digital age, where flyers and everything made of paper is slowly becoming obsolete. People spend less time on large amounts of information presented with a whole lot of words. The internet and social media have made consumers more drawn to convenience. But unless you are skilled and clued up on how to use the tools at hand to better attract your audience, instil interest and still keep the communication going, you will lose traction and eventually relevance. Images and moving pictures (video) are paving the way to a new method to relay information quickly.
Since the early 90’s there has been a 400% growth in the amount of images found in literature. The internet has boasted a 9900% increase in the availability of images online and newspapers, an increase of 142% in 9 years. Yes that sounds like a lot of numbers to crunch on but all it means is that the usage of visuals over written information has largely been growing. The human brain can process an image in less than a tenth of a second. That is possible as fifty percent of your brain is involved in process, thanks to seventy percent of your sensory glands that are found in the eye. Simply put visuals are more powerful than words because the mind processes them faster.

 

Video marketing funnel

Marketers are now using visuals to their advantage this has increased amount of marketing content to be more video marketing. Good strategists know that when conducting a content strategy video plays a crucial role. Yet great strategists are able to unpack and use trends to forecast how to go a step beyond content strategy. Enter the stage of video marketing funnel. Which is more a method than anything else. The funnel is the fundamental manner in planning how the strategy should flow.

The funnel is made up usually of three tiers that essentially can be further extended

The layer at the top is the entry point. It is the level at which you try to reach as much of your audience as you can creating as much awareness as possible. Some of your efforts may fall on audiences who have no intention to purchase from you. But at this point you are not necessarily going to convert all you’re doing is creating awareness. This step is also considered as the consideration point.

The second level is where you concentrate on the part of the audience that you have connected with. At this point your audience is facing the decision whether to make a purchase or not. You will need to use your efforts to make the customer convert and in a sense commit to your product or offering.

The third and last tier is more one-on-one and more two way. Once your customer has now made a commitment to you and the offering that you made. You will work at creating a loyal customer base and have them advocate for your brand at their own will.

Video Content : Where? When? How?

So now you know the what. Yet most of people wouldn’t know where to go from this point on. Now imagine a funnel, as you start your marketing funnel, you will initially target a mass audience. They might not all get the message but you give them the opportunity to be aware of your product. In this instance you would use a 30 second video posted say online or preferred platform. Then as we move to the next step the group becomes less and so you increase the length of your videos, adding more content to them. And as you reach the last step you now give as much information using an explainer video which will help convert your leads into sales.

 

To help you make it even easier. Here is a video menu made available by a colleague of mine. This menu assists you in choosing different video types which would make planning your video content that much more easier. See every video type has a unique placement and also a unique use. For a detailed explainer visit

 

 

Attract

Promotional Video – A video that promotes your brand, a competition or offering. These are engaging and very attractive, use bright colours and interesting transitions which will catch the eye of the viewer. Branded Video – A branded video sells the brand. The video doesn’t give away the brand away at all until the end. Having an authentic, entertaining, well thought out story that is clever will attract viewers. Animated Explainer Video – An explainer video is designed to explain your company, product, service or subject in a way that your audience can understand. Animation helps to create other worlds that don’t exist which can attract the viewer.

 

Convert

Company profile video – A company profile video introduces staff, the company’s mission and other business type information. Using upbeat, interesting music will entice people to watch. Using more interesting transitions between shots and creating a storyline that is unique. Product Demo – Promoting a product showing how it works. Have a user experience the product and give word of mouth on how to use it (borders on customer testimonial). Interview Video – a video where you interview people on a show etc to show their expertise. Have an interesting graphic behind the subject or possibly use green screen to change background – could show a video playing whilst person is speaking – attract attention.

 

Close

Educational Video – a video that educates people such as discovery channel videos etc – can show how to use something or how something works such as cog and wheel. Using interesting angles and lower third graphics to make it interesting. Infographic video – turning an infographic into a video as to elaborate and make parts move. It’s more interesting and consuming as parts move and information can be timed to visuals. Tutorial Video – Showing how to do something such as software. The topic must be interesting to attract viewers. Certain things can be highlighted to emphasize what’s going on.

 

Delight

Behind Scenes Video – Showing personality and culture in the office environment – can usually include pulling pranks or bloopers from shooting. Sound and the type of footage(funny etc) can attract viewers. Testimonial Video – The experience of using a product or service and how that person experienced it. Can have interesting questions to ask to make participants laugh – not make it too serious will attract attention. Event Video – capturing a certain event such as an award ceremony or competition etc. Quick edits with a good mood making the event interesting to watch.

These can help me manage your content and ensure the right video is used to attract the right person, keep them attracted, close the sale and convert them into advocates for your brand. Still not convinced watch this to help you further.