The Best Platform for Your Business and Target Demographic

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From helping brands keep in touch with their audience to promoting themselves to more potential consumers, the only way that your company can truly succeed in today’s market is by taking the initiative in creating a strong online presence; marketing companies exist to help brands, no matter how big or how small, build brand recognition and a solid reputation.

So, where exactly do you start when it comes to making your online presence known?

Well, the first step is deciding what social media platform is going to work best for your business. Marketing companies will do all the research necessary to help you identify your preferred and most efficient platform. Here is a quick guide to finding the best social media platform for you.

Facebook

With over two million users, Facebook lets users share text, images, videos, articles and links to other forms of content. The social media giant has a strong presence in 137 countries and beats out all other social networks in 127 of them, making it a strong candidate for your social media go-to. Of course, it’s also important to take demographics into account. About 60 percent of the Facebook population are females, while about 40 percent are male. Further studies show that 65 percent of those users are over the age of 35.

So, if your brand is attempting to reach a more mature demographic, Facebook might be your best bet.

Instagram

Instagram will introduce your brand to a much younger demographic and primarily focuses on the sharing of photos and videos. The amazing thing about Instagram is that there are more than 500 million daily users, which makes this platform perfect for brand recognition. But just because there is an abundance of users doesn’t mean that your brand is going to see quick results. You have to be smart about posting content and know what demographic you’re attempting to target.

Marketing companies have come up with some numbers that show 72 percent of teenagers use Instagram, while adult users reached 35 percent in 2018. It is also worth noting that young adults users total 71 percent of all users. If you’re targeting a younger demographic, Instagram should be your primary focus.

Twitter

Facebook has cemented itself as a hybrid platform where users can share text, photos and videos, while Instagram has taken text out of the equation. Another semi-hybrid platform you should look into is Twitter. While the platform is primarily text-focused, users can still share videos and photos on the platform, making it a versatile option for marketing companies.

Twitter has a more mixed demographic, with 40 percent of users being between the ages of 18 and 29, and another 43 percent being between 30 and 49 years old. Marketing companies can be sure to find their fair share of older and younger consumers.

All of these platforms bring their own unique strengths, and it might be a wise move to utilize various different platforms when it comes to marketing your brand. However, you should analyze what platform your demographic spends the most time on and make it your primary focus. If you’re looking at marketing companies as a way to simplify the process of narrowing down what platform works best for you, make sure to give us a call here at Fusion 360 Studios.

Advertising Methods You Should be Using

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Advertising is always changing, and marketing companies know that to stay relevant in today’s industry, they have to be able to keep up with those changes. While there are staple methods that don’t change much, things like social media algorithms are constantly evolving, making it hard for marketing companies to thrive if they keep producing the same content and using the same strategies.

If your brand has been struggling to see results, you might want to take a step back and reconsider your current marketing strategy. Marketing companies can help you out and they’ll most likely recommend that you use a few of these advertising methods.

Use Banner and Display Ads

In a time where video is dominating the market, some marketing companies might forget that static, visual content like banners and display ads can still produce serious results. These types of ads are an extension of search ads and follow a PPC model, however, instead of text-based ads, users are presented with a more visual advertisement. If marketing companies have talented graphic designers, this is a sure way to drive more traffic to your client’s site by providing consumers with fresh visual content.

Try Appealing to Emotions

Commercials by organizations like The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), tend to appeal to consumers’ feelings. Though some of the commercials might be hard to watch, they tug at your heartstrings and make you more likely to donate to the organization.

This example is used to emphasize the fact that people rely heavily on emotion just as much as they do research. Marketing companies cannot forget about this. If you’re looking to mix up your advertising approach, try creating content that might emotionally appeal to your audience.

Give the Bandwagon Effect a Go

It’s human nature for people to want to fit in, so if someone sees a group of people using a specific service or buying a certain product, they’re more likely to invest in that service or product as well. For example, Maybelline has been established as “America’s Favorite Mascara” because their top-selling mascara is purchased every two seconds. If your brand can offer a top-quality product or service and you come up with a solid marketing strategy, people will start spreading the word around and you’ll see the bandwagon effect in action.

If you don’t make an attempt to switch up your advertising game, you’ll soon find yourself falling behind. Marketing companies like Fusion 360 are here to help your brand come up with new strategies to help keep your brand relevant in an evolving industry.

How to Film a Stop Motion Video

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Video production companies utilize a variety of different video techniques to create the most engaging and visually appealing content possible for their clients. One of the most popular types of videos that video production companies tend to rely on when it comes to delivering a pleasing approach to visual data are stop motion videos. People tend to avoid these types of videos because they can be somewhat time-consuming, but if done properly they can be a creative approach to informational videos.

If your business hasn’t yet approached stop motion videos but you’re looking to ramp up your video production game, here are some tips to get you started.

Planning a Story

Just like any other video, you’re going to want to plan out your story. Video production companies will usually start this step by coming up with a purpose or objective for their video, and then the story tends to start flowing shortly after. Creating the story is going to be the first step in creating your storyboard, which is crucial in video production.

The beauty of stop motion videos is that you can use simple, everyday objects, an actual cast or you can get fancy with it and draw out your video content on a whiteboard or on paper.

Setting Up a Studio

The next step in creating a successful stop motion video is finding or creating a studio in which you will shoot the video. Video production companies like to set up indoors where they can utilize a stable surface to move the selected items around. Indoor lighting can be manipulated much easier than outdoor lighting can but it is important to have light balanced in the frame for the best result. Your studio can be something as simple as a table, solid colored backdrop, a soft-box or key light to create constant light and a tripod and camera set-up.

Shooting the Video

Once you have your story set and your studio ready, you can begin shooting your stop motion video. As mentioned before, you’re going to want a tripod setup for this type of video; you’re going to move the object around a lot and the camera cannot move! The tripod will ensure that your camera stays in the same position and that your final product looks flawless.
Video production companies like to shoot at higher frame rates so that the transitions look smoother, so you should aim to follow the same steps. In stop motion, slighter movements and more pictures make smoother animations — patience is going to be key.

Post-Production

When you’ve shot all of your scenes, you’re ready to start piecing them all together. Plug all your footage into your preferred editing software and start putting them together, making sure that the footage flows as smoothly as possible.

These tips will help you create smooth stop motion videos but if you feel like you need help creating the perfect video for your brand, contact us here at Fusion 360 Studios.

What Software Do Video Producers Use?

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Video content has come a long way and some of the videos we see today have incredibly beautiful cinematography. Although a good portion of a high-quality video is dependent on the camera you use, many of the video characteristics you see and love are done in the post-production phase. Editing is a crucial aspect of creating video content, even professional video production companies have to edit their footage to make it look as good as possible.

There’s a lot of different editing software out there, but there are a few common ones that most video production companies use. If you are looking for quality video editing software to use yourself, here are some of the best ones.

Adobe Premiere Pro

Premiere Pro is probably the most common video editing software and is known as the “industry standard.” Most video production companies are going to hire individuals who know the ins and outs of Premiere Pro, and bonus points if you know other Adobe programs like After Effects, Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator or InDesign.

Why is Premiere Pro so common? Well, it’s compatible with both Mac and Windows machines and it has the best selection of video editing features. You have unlimited video tracks, 3D editing, 360º VR content and Multicam editing. Not to mention it’s fairly easy to learn, especially if you are familiar with other Adobe programs.

Final Cut Pro X

Final Cut Pro is Apple’s top video editing software. Unfortunately, Final Cut Pro is only compatible on a Mac but if you use a Mac then Final Cut Pro will be your best friend. Because it was created by Apple, it syncs with your iTunes and Photos collection to help you import content. Video production companies love Final Cut Pro for this reason alone.

Some of the best features that Final Cut Pro offers are different effect options, simple ways to add and edit audio, and keyword tag media. Final Cut Pro is a great option for beginners and is very easy to learn. If you are a beginner and don’t want to spend the money on Final Cut Pro, Apple’s iMovie is very similar and free for Mac users.

Adobe After Effects

As popular as Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro are, they can’t do everything. Adobe After Effects is a program for creating motion graphics. Once you create a motion graphic in After Effects, you can easily import it into Premiere Pro and add it to the rest of your video. Video production companies love to use motion graphics in their videos to display a logo or add some moving text.

By using these video editing software, you can create beautiful videos and really transform your online image. Video production companies like us at Fusion 360 can help you create an incredible video (or videos) to boost your online image and help you stand out amongst your competition. Contact us today to get started!

Are TV and Radio Still Effective?

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The words “traditional media” are starting to get a bad rap in the marketing and advertising world. Traditional media includes print, TV and radio. There are some marketing companies that think traditional media like TV and radio are old fashioned and not effective in today’s digital world. Although many people spend the majority of their time online or on their mobile devices, traditional forms of media are still widely used. If you are planning a new marketing campaign for your company, here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t throw out traditional marketing efforts.

Still Relevant Platforms

Radio and TV have been around for decades, and are still around even with all the technological advances. There’s a reason they haven’t been replaced yet and that is because they are still used frequently. Many people are still using radio as it is an almost free service (as long as you have a device to listen to it). There’s also the popular trend of podcasts and online radio stations where marketing companies can display radio ads.

TV has and always will be popular with so many individuals watching shows and movies. With online streaming sites like Hulu, advertisements can be displayed on these sites before, in between and after your favorite shows. In addition, many of our favorite TV shows are still broadcast on popular networks like NBC, ABC and Fox. Think about how many TV’s are in your own house. People still rely on TV stations to get their news and weather updates. By choosing to advertise on TV and Radio, you are still reaching a pretty wide audience and, depending on your campaign and target audience, you can outperform some of your digital marketing efforts.

Major Brands Still Use Radio and TV to Advertise

If you are watching TV, you will notice that a lot of the ads you see are from big companies like Apple, McDonald’s, Google and Microsoft. If these big brands are having success using traditional forms of advertising, then you will too. TV is one of the best ways to advertise, and you are making a mistake if you think that it won’t be effective for your brand. Radio and TV have the power to introduce people to a new brand or product. Chances are if someone sees your ad on TV or hears about it on the radio, they will have their phone or computer next to them to do some research on your product.

Traditional Media Pairs Well with Digital Marketing

Many marketing companies believe that traditional forms of advertising do best when paired with online efforts. Social media and other online platforms actually have the ability to boost TV and radio results. You can create a marketing campaign that covers many different platforms and mediums and they will all support one another. The most successful campaigns are the ones that are spread across different mediums.

One great example of this is Apple. When they come out with a new product, they create billboards, TV ads, web ads and even social media ads to get people aware and hyped about their product. They spread their new product across multiple platforms, getting the most awareness and leading more people back to their website or other online spaces.

Don’t get too caught up in the digital side of marketing. Although it is successful and leads to quick results, there is still a lot of good that can come from TV and radio. There’s a reason that traditional media is still in play, and that’s because it’s effective. If your company is in need of a traditional advertisement or even digital help, marketing companies like ours, Fusion 360, can help create an ad that perfectly captures your brand.

Three Ways to Set Your Brand Apart

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One of the biggest challenges that marketing companies face today is standing out from their competition. In a world where thousands of brands are trying to set themselves apart as a unique business, it can be hard to find a niche that isn’t already being explored and marketed, but we have a few tips that will help.

Setting your brand apart from the competition is a key part of building a successful brand. While there is an overwhelming amount of competition across the board, there are still methods of separating yourself from said competition and becoming a leader in your industry. Here are just three examples of efficient ways to set your brand apart.

Clearly Develop the Voice of Your Brand

Something that marketing companies focus on most when doing work for their clients is developing a clear voice for the brand. Today, companies might be in such a rush to get their name out there that they might be ignoring one of the most important aspects of a successful business: a clear voice. Developing a clear, consistent voice will help you target your audience efficiently through well thought-out content, and you’ll be able to really let potential clients know what your brand is all about.

When first finding your voice, analyze your psychographics and demographics to determine what kind of voice your current customer base will respond positively too. Of course, still add your own personal flair to the brand, but take inspiration from your audience’s interests as well.

Make Your Brand Personal on All Aspects

Aside from developing a clear and concise voice, your brand should also have a strong, visual presence. A good example of this can come from something as simple as an email address or a URL. For example, if your company is using a Gmail, AOL or yahoo email address, you might not get as much business as a brand who has a personal email address. People tend to look for professional presentation when shopping around for a brand, and marketing companies will tell you that if you have a personal email address and a professional URL, you’ll almost always beat out someone using a standard email address being hosted by Google or Yahoo.

Show Consistency in Your Services

When potential customers are drawn to your brand, it’s because they see potential and quality in your work. One of the best ways to set your brand apart is by staying consistent with your work in order to maintain that trust with your current consumers, who will in turn recommend you to new potential consumers.

These three tips are going to be some of the most efficient ways to set your brand apart, and if you’re looking to thrive in your respective industry, marketing companies recommend that you do all that you can to be different. If you need help finding your voice, contact us here at Fusion 360 ⎯ we’ll help you not only stand out from the competition, but also help you become the flagship company in your market.

How SEO Works

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When it comes to building your brand’s image, you want to show the public what you are all about in the best possible way. A good way to do this is through efficient, on-brand marketing. It might seem simple, but it is more than just plastering ads everywhere and building your social media presence. One of the most important things you can do to build your brand is to use SEO. In order to use SEO you have to know how SEO works. Marketing companies use SEO to effectively build their brand’s image.

So, if your company is still learning the ropes of content marketing, here are some pointers when it comes to SEO.

What SEO Can Do

Implementing SEO tactics is the organic way to increase the visibility of a company’s link on search engines. This includes image, video, news, academic and local searches. If a company takes time to optimize their site, it will be seen as more reputable by search engines. The more SEO content you create, the higher you will rank and the more you will appear in relevant searches. Marketing companies use the tactic of Search Engine Optimization heavily in order to keep your business on top. The SEO process is a measurable, repeatable process used to send signals to search engines indicating that your site is worth showing in Google’s index.

Optimization

So, how do you optimize a website? Creating high-quality infographics, video, images and blogs that include keywords is the first step. After that, marketing companies can edit a site’s HTML and associated coding to also increase its relevance through keywords. Search engines look at factors like these in order to analyze where a site should fall in its search results.

How to Utilize SEO

Another element considered in SEO is the speed of the webpages. If your site doesn’t load quickly, visitors won’t stick around and search engines won’t appreciate it either. Marketing companies use these tools in order to utilize all the benefits that SEO can bring for a company. These basics are determining factors in SEO and can greatly affect your website’s traffic.

If you are looking for a professional digital marketing company to manage your SEO campaign, it is important to find a marketing company that can help you. Marketing companies like Fusion 360 can help you to build your SEO and in turn, successfully build your brand’s online image.

The Benefits of Hiring an Agency

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When it comes to your brand’s image, you want to show the public what you are about in the best possible way, and the only way to do this is through efficient, on-brand marketing. Sounds simple, right? Just start plastering ads all over the place; spam your social media and bother the living daylights out of people online. Well, it doesn’t quite work like that. There are proper ways to market your brand, and some of the tasks that come with it might be best if left to professional marketing companies.

So, with that being said, here are the benefits of hiring marketing companies like Fusion 360 instead of trying to do everything on your own.

You’ll Save on Salary Expenses

Let’s face it, you can’t just dump all of the marketing tasks on your current employees — they have other things to do and doubling their workload will burn them out. The next option that you may consider is hiring a team to do marketing in-house but that might not be the best idea either. Unless you’re prepared to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, this idea might not work. By hiring a marketing company, you won’t have to pay a yearly salary, all you have to worry about is the contract pricing.

You Get a “Package Deal”

When it comes to marketing companies, you’re paying for a wide array of services that are going to boost your brand’s image. Agencies are usually comprised of content writers, SEO teams, social media experts, graphic designers, web designers and videographers. If you choose to build an in-house team, that’s a lot of salaries you’ll have to cover, and if you want the best of the best, they won’t come cheap.

You’ll Get Top-of-the-Line Tools

Marketing companies don’t mess around when it comes to their client’s success. Hiring a marketing agency will guarantee you the latest tools and technologies in the world of digital media so you can reap the benefits of beautiful content. These tools aren’t cheap; your company will save big on these tools by hiring an agency.

Marketing Companies Don’t Need to be Trained

If your current employees don’t possess the necessary marketing skills to successfully market your brand, you’re going to spend a lot of time and money as you experiment with your own marketing ideas. Instead, just hire a marketing agency ⎯ they require no training, which means you can get to marketing your brand sooner.

You’ll Benefit from an Outside Perspective

Lastly, by hiring a marketing company, you’re going to benefit from an outside perspective on current techniques, style and branding. By bringing in a marketing agency, they can help you brainstorm new ideas and provide their input on what you can do to improve your brand.

There are so many benefits that come with hiring marketing companies rather than trying to do everything yourself. If you’re in need of a marketing agency to help build your brand, contact us here at Fusion 360.

Apps and Sites to Track Your Social Media

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The most successful marketing companies are constantly tracking their social media statistics in order to achieve greater success online. Social media stats help brands see what they’re doing right, as well as what they can improve on to boost their engagement. This is why marketing companies help their clients by utilizing proper tools provided online.

If you’re looking to expand your social media arsenal, we can tell you what tools to look for.

In-App Statistics

Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook provide companies with in-app statistics that they can use to get a general idea of how their content is doing. These stats will show you things such as website and profile clicks, as well as impressions. The reports are not as detailed as a full web report but they still give you quick and convenient information.

Some of our favorite apps include Analytics Pro, Hootsuite and Reports Plus.

Google Analytics Pro: an app for the popular web application Google Analytics that presents data in a meaningful way, rather than just simply listing your data in an unorganized fashion.

Hootsuite: A Social media management platform used to submit messages to a variety of social media services including Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus.

Reports Plus: An app that allows a business to securely access and transform data to gain new insights on content performance.

Website Tracking

If you’re looking to get a more detailed social media report, you may want to consider using websites to analyze your statistics. Marketing companies often opt to use websites such as Social Bakers, Sprout Social, Report Garden and Google Analytics to examine social platform growth. Another great thing about these websites is that they can self-generate a report for you, which compares growth from all your accounts.

Social Bakers: A global, AI-powered social media marketing company that measures everything from social media to your audience in one simple place.

Sprout Social: A website software that helps your brand improve in social engagement, social marketing, customer care and data intelligence.

Report Garden: Aids marketing companies in creating performance reports, invoices, campaign budgets, site audits and more.

Google Analytics: Perhaps the most popular statistic tracking website out there; it tracks and reports all website traffic.

There are tons of tools out there that are available to help marketing companies track their statistics. While these are some of our favorite tools, you should definitely experiment with several apps and websites to find out which one works best for you. If you need help managing your social accounts and tracking analytics for your accounts, make sure to contact us here at Fusion 360, we can help take your company’s social media to the next level, it’s what we do.