Tag Archives: business

Content Marketing Trends of 2019

The ability for businesses to remain competitive and profitable within the modern marketplace is a challenge that all businesses are faced with.  In trying to achieve this goal  it is vital that these companies utilize existing tools within the marketing space to stay up to date with the latest trends. As it currently stands, there are four trends within content marketing that can allow your business to better connect with your customer base.  


1. Chatbots

There are many groundbreaking methods that can be utilized by marketing agencies to effectively communicate their message and of the many mediums they can use, one of the most innovative is a technology known as chatbots. Chatbots have quietly and discretely established itself as an incredibly viable way for marketing firms and companies alike to engage in more personalized exchanges with consumers. It has been shown that a large number of consumers are beginning to expect big companies to have chatbot accessibility. This desire by consumers has been reflected by companies’ plans for future innovation, a recent study by Spiceworks shows that 40% of large companies will be using chatbots in 2019. Clearly, the use of chatbots has quietly permeated the marketing sphere and the use of this method will only continue to increase as consumers seek a more personal encounter when shopping.

2. Long Form Content

This marketing method involves content that contains over 2000 words to explain or highlight the benefits of a particular product or service. This method has been shown to be incredibly successful for many reasons. By having such dense content it allows consumers to gain a comprehensive understanding of a company’s services, products, and messages. Furthermore, this method while simplistic has a huge technological upside, it has been demonstrated that long-form content is more likely to be shown by search engines making it an inexpensive and accessible way for marketing firms to communicate their message. 

3. Voice Search

While some marketing techniques rely on simple methods, this is the age of technological breakthroughs which presents a host of new and fertile methods, such as Voice Search engine marketing, for businesses to smash the glass separating businesses from consumers. Voice search is a relatively new technology that is quickly being integrated into many new devices such as Siri with Apple, Alexa with Amazon, and Google with Android. These operating systems are becoming the center for how consumers navigate not only their phone or television but also the marketplace. There is more than sufficient evidence to suggest that this technology will only continue to proliferate, some predicting the half of all online searches will be voice searches in 2020. This shows the incessant need for companies to acknowledge the rising supremacy and popularity of this marketing medium, and also to tailor marketing strategies to optimize existing voice search engine demands and queries. 

4. Video, Webinars and Webcast

In examining what methods are more effective at breaking the barrier between consumers and companies it is abundantly clear that videos, webinars, and webcasts are indisputably valuable to marketing firms and companies alike. To get a clearer understanding of the effectiveness of video marketing it should be noted that research conducted by Aberdeen showed, “marketers who use video increase their revenue 49% faster than those who don’t.” Video marketing comprises a large sector of the marketing sphere and its popularity will continue to rise. The continued use of video marketing is, “predicted to account for 82% of global internet traffic by 2021”. This boggling statistic demonstrates not only the opportunity for marketing firms but the necessity to get ahead of the curve to stay relevant in an ever-changing marketplace. 

The Branding & Identity Investment

A brand is a person’s gut feeling about a product, service or company. You can’t control the process, but you can influence it. – Marty Neuimeier, The Brand Gap

A company’s brand, before anything else, is the first thing a potential client associates with a company. It is the first thing they will come in contact with and begin to make a judgement as to whether this will be the company that is suitable for their needs. In regards to brand loyalty, will your brand be the one that they come back to each time, build their lifestyle around, or create an emotional attachment to? In short, having a substantial brand is extremely important.

How much does it cost for Brand Identity?

It’s time to take the plunge toward a lasting impression. So how much should you invest? Are you rebranding? Do you even have a logo to start with? It can be a very daunting task when trying to figure out where to begin in building your brand. Like any real investment, the prices vary depending upon your needs and current standing. For companies, it can vary by the size and how well established one is as a company.

Here’s an average consensus of brand identity costs for businesses:

  • General Start-ups / New Businesses – $1,500 – $7,000
  • Small Businesses – $7,000 – $10,000
  • Medium to Large-sized Business – $10,000 – $200,000

The Brand Identity Process

Your brand is a serious, long-time venture and an essential business activity that you will have to put a lot of time and effort into. You want a good brand identity and to get that, one must look at it as an important investment not only financially, but also from a manner of time, just as you would the selection of your office space or any business equipment that furthers your businesses growth. Treat brand identity the same, if not better, and do your research on reputable design firms who can meet your requirements and decide just how much you want to put into the future of your brand.

The general process of brand identity:

  • Research – Creative brief of what the business is and what their needs are. Clarify the vision and strategy.
  • Brand Strategy – Identify brand strengths and weaknesses, target audience profiles, and evaluate competition.
  • Sketches / Concepts – Imagine all the possibilities and placements of this brand as well as visualize the future of this brand.
  • Mocks – From colors to typefaces, choose the right visual elements to mock and start to bringing the brand to life.
  • Presentation – Present your new visual identity to the organization.
  • Finalize – Prioritize the brand and use the elements with real content.
  • Launch – Congrats! Your brand has an identity. Next: Brand Management 

Nine times out of ten, many established companies would rather not spend the money for a logo, let alone an entire branding package as it seems like a great brand identity is easy to attain since so many companies have great ones. This is the greatest lie one can tell themselves when trying to create a brand.

The bottom line is: clients with great brand identities invested a lot into making them great (aka you get what you pay for). The more money and time you put into a seasoned design agency, the more likely you are to attain the brand identity you’ve envisioned for your company and one that delivers results. And that’s any company’s goal, right?

Ready to spruce up your brand identity? Contact us today.