Proliferation

Apr 05
0

4 Reasons Your Marketing Department Still Needs an Agency

By | content marketing, digital marketing, SEO, Social Media | No Comments

As a marketing agency, we understand that a lot of companies have their own marketing department, but does that mean that they will never need the help of an agency like ours? Absolutely not. Here are four reasons your in-house marketing team will need the assistance of an outside marketing company.

During Turnover

The first and absolute, no arguments about it, time that an in-house marketing department will need to outsource some of their work is during turnover. No matter how successful or unsuccessful your business is, every company experiences times where they have parts of their staff leave. Once one or two individuals on your marketing team take their careers elsewhere, the workload does not wait for your team to rebuild. In these moments, a marketing team can temporarily turn to a marketing company to help fill in the gap.

During a Surge of Work

There are moments when your team might confront special projects, annual reporting, or a major rebranding phase. At these times, an internal team can find their hands full with additional research and work that adds on top of their daily 9-5 work. To help your team avoid late hours and high amounts of stress, outsourcing your work will ensure that all the routine work is finished in a timely manner and the special projects get the focus and work that they need. Instead of an entire team feeling overwhelmed, it’s much easier to simply rely on the help of a marketing company.

Additional Knowledge and Specialties

An in-house marketing team is likely to have the talent they need in order to run their social media platforms, create strategies to increase their list potential clients/consumers, and even continue to develop their website or app, but what about other marketing specialties? You can find an assortment of marketing companies that provide you with additional abilities that your team doesn’t have but needs. Specialties such as SEO work, radio advertisement, or video productions are just a few examples of additional marketing skills that an outside marketing company can give you. Like we said, you may have talented individuals that can create plans and strategies, but there are other areas that you will want to rely on the experience and knowledge of others.

An Outsider’s Vision

Along with the additional knowledge and specialties that an outside agency might give you, they can also give you a new perspective. While your company and its employees may know their own selling point, content and functions unlike anyone else, this can sometimes blind you. After years and years of coming up with new ideas for the same product, the results might become redundant and need a fresh look. An outside marketing company could give you a new idea that your company really needs, but without taking the chance to outsource your work, you will miss out on the opportunity.

Whether you have a large marketing team or not, you can always find a need for a marketing agency. If you need any additional knowledge, specialty or perspective, don’t hesitate to contact us, Fusion 360.

Apr 03
0

Questions to Ask When Selecting a Marketing Agency

By | content marketing, SEO, Social Media | No Comments

Working with any other company can be a little scary, however, going through a few simple questions can give you loads of relief. In this case, we assume that you are looking to work with a marketing company, but where do you start?

Below is a short list of questions that you need to ask yourself as you go about trying to find the right company for you.

QUESTION #1 — What Needs Do You Have?

If you are looking to hiring a marketing company to help bring more attention to your company or product, you probably have a variety of needs, but what are they? Are you looking to promote a specific product or service? Are you trying to establish your brand among potential clients/customers? Are you wanting to gain an online advantage over competitors? Or are you in need of professional help with video producing and social media? Marketing companies usually have a particular niche with something like video production, digital content, social media or product expertise. Whatever your needs are, you want to match that need with a fitting agency. Educate yourself on what capabilities these agencies have and how they might be a benefit to you.

QUESTION #2 — Who will Manage Your Account?

When you start allowing others to take on a role of representing your company name and product, it can take a minute to feel comfortable with it, after all, your product is your baby in a way. You wouldn’t let just anyone babysit your child — you need to find individuals that you trust. Whether it’s a babysitter or a marketing company, you will have a lot more confidence leaving your prized-possession in the hands of someone experienced and responsible. Try to find reviews or any other indicator that measures the quality of work of the agencies you are looking at.

QUESTION #3— Do They Communicate and Deliver on Their Services?

When you choose to outsource your marketing, the price you pay better be worth it. What services do they offer and are they able to back it up? A good indicator of this is how well they communicate with you. If they are responsive and punctual in initial meetings and communications, then they will likely stick to that consistency. If there are any foreboding signs, you may be wise to follow them.

QUESTION #4 — What will the Contract Consist Of?

Going right along with being confident in their services, be sure that the contract gives you everything you want. This includes things such as performance indicators, no hidden fees, and secret cancellation processes. You will be bound by a contract and, to avoid any future disaster, give yourself the surety that you are not getting involved in anything you don’t want to be.

Like we said before, hiring a marketing company can be a little daunting at first, but asking yourself a few of these questions will go a long way. When you are able to answer these questions with confidence, you won’t have any trouble. If you are looking for the right marketing company for you, contact us, Fusion 360.

Apr 02
0

Utilizing Memes to Increase Engagement

By | content marketing, digital marketing, SEO | No Comments

The new word, “Meme,” is one that you’re going to hear more and more in this day and age, and whether you know about them or not, they engage their viewers. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are littered with memes; you probably scroll past hundreds of them every day. While they might just seem like silly pictures with clever captions, did you know that marketing companies use them to create a better connection between their clients and consumers?

Since memes are so popular today, marketing companies have figured out that they can utilize them to their advantage. If people are going out of their way to look at memes, and if they’re so prominent on social media platforms, why not take those memes and fit them to your brand? Here are some ways you can utilize memes to increase your engagement.

They Act as a Mild Form of Advertising

Advertising isn’t always received in a positive manner, and this generation is finding new ways to block and ignore online ads. However, memes are tailor-made for social media content. This makes your post — or “ad” — feel genuine and therefore easier to engage with, share, and attract more attention with very little effort. This is where companies can capitalize on creativity, or else, they can find themselves suffering in terms of engagement. Marketing companies, for example, take advantage of their appeal — humor and entertainment — and use it as a method of grabbing and retaining the consumers’ attention.

Memes Can Make “Boring” Subjects Entertaining

If you’re looking to connect with a younger audience, memes are going to be your best friend. However, there is one thing that you need to remember before you start creating memes — they HAVE TO be funny. Memes rely heavily on humor, and if you don’t have that in the mix, you’re going to see very little engagement; always aim for the quick laugh.

Something to Look Out For

When you create a meme in the hopes of producing a reaction, they need to be current/relevant to what’s trending, sharable, easy to digest, simple to read, and straight to the point. We can’t emphasize enough that memes have a very short lifespan. They usually come in waves, and you cannot show up late to the party.

Memes are great because they provide a comical value to your brand, which appeals to a large audience. If you’re wanting to add that extra oomph to your social media game, make sure to check out some memes that you could potentially use — just make sure you’re keeping up with what’s in and what’s not.

Mar 31
0

Cameras Used for Video Productions

By | content marketing, SEO, video production | No Comments

With visual images at an all-time high, cameras are used now more than ever before. News broadcasts, live sporting events, YouTube videos and brand films all call for different types of cameras, and the thing is, if you are not apart of a video production company, you may have no idea what kind of cameras are used for the variety of productions you watch. Here is a short list of all the different types of cameras that are used in video productions.

**Disclaimer — we are specifically talking about cameras that video production companies use to shoot brand videos, interviews and commercials, not news broadcasts, live sporting events or movies**

DSLR

The most common camera that video production companies use is a DSLR, or a Digital Single-Lens Reflex. Anyone that is starting to create their own videos will want to use a DSLR. There are different types of DSLR cameras but they ultimately have the same function: the ability to grab the subject of a shot with a sharp focus. Usually, DSLRs focus on the forefront of a shot because they do not have a great depth field but can capture high-quality images on the area they are focused on. In order to record the shot they need, video production companies will apply different lenses that give them the depth they need.

Hybrid DSLR

The hybrid version of DSLR cameras differs in quite a few ways. Rather than having to constantly adjust the focus on a regular DSLR, hybrids have a greater depth of field and can keep focus on different subjects within a shot. With a larger depth of field, hybrids are also able to zoom in on subjects a lot better than regular DSLRs. Further, hybrids have more storage on their device; DSLRs have around 15 minutes of total recording life. While the hybrid seems a little more user-friendly with its greater depth and longer recording life, it does not perform as well. Don’t take this wrong, hybrids can still capture amazing images, but they have a smaller sensor than a DSLR and therefore do not do as good in lower light.

Live Sensor

These cameras are like DSLRs but perform more like video cameras. They give you more functions, like extended recordings that go beyond 30 minutes and the use of a microphone.

Drones

To continue to show that there are different types of cameras based on the video’s purposes, we will briefly discuss drones as well. Video production companies use drones for great sweeping shots that give you an aerial viewpoint. Drones give your video a setting or place of reference, as well as more motion. Just like the DSLR cameras, there are a wide array of drones that you can use.

Conclusion

These four cameras are just several different types that are utilized when making promotional videos for other businesses, but there are even more cameras out there that are used for movies and live events. If you are looking for a video production company to help you produce a video, contact us at Fusion 360. We have the expertise and experience you need when using cameras like these.

Mar 28
0

A Guide to Visual Content Marketing

By | content marketing, SEO, Utah | No Comments

A study by Social Media Chimps has shown that 83 percent of learning occurs visually, thus visual content is arguably the most important form of content out there ⎯ it’s more digestible and more memorable. That’s why the most efficient way to get people’s attention today is by creating the best visual content possible. Marketing companies across the nation know this and utilize visual content in order to thrive in our digital world.

With that being said, marketing companies have to ensure that they’re not just creating content blindly but following a strategy or guideline that will ensure their content’s success. If brands really want to connect with their audience and draw in new consumers, they have to be efficient with their content creation. Here is a quick guide to visual content marketing and how you can achieve marketing success through powerful, engaging visuals.

Some Quick Facts

In 2018, 500 online marketers participated in a survey about how visual content influences their marketing strategies, and below are the following results:

  • 45% of the surveyed marketers said 91-100% of their content contained visuals
  • 56% said that they used visuals in their content 100% of the time
  • 88% said that they used visuals in more than half of the articles that they published.

The visual content that these marketers said they use are as follows:

  • Stock photography — 40% of content
  • Original graphics — 37% of content
  • Charts and data visuals — 12% of content
  • Videos and presentations — 7% of content
  • Gifs and memes- 4% of content

How Do You Create Efficient Visual Content

Not far behind stock photography, original infographics are a huge chunk of what makes up a brand’s visual content. But, how do you make sure that your content is unique and effective? Well, here are some characteristics of great visual content:

Appeal: Visual content needs to be attractive and presentable; it needs to be stimulating for the consumer, otherwise, they’ll be put off and take their attention elsewhere.

Comprehension: Our mind is designed to interpret visual information with minimal effort and almost instantaneously, so if your audience is having a hard time understanding your content, you may be doing something wrong. An MIT study conducted in 2014 found that the brain can process an image in as little as 13 milliseconds — crazy fast!

Retention: Memorable content is good content, and if you can get the content to stick in your consumer’s mind, you’re on your way to visual excellence.

Your visual content should meet these basic quotas if you’re going to want to be a leader in your industry, and marketing companies are always ready to help you make that happen. If you’re looking for one of the best marketing companies, give us a call here at Fusion 360.

Mar 14
0

Exploring Non-Traditional Social Media Platforms

By | advertising, content marketing, digital marketing, SEO | No Comments

Marketing companies are constantly trying to figure out new methods of utilizing popular social media platforms to boost clients’ numbers. Whether that be in sales or engagement, these marketing companies know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, but there are still some platforms out there that aren’t being given the attention that they deserve.

When the popular social media platforms aren’t doing enough for your brand or you feel that the market on them is oversaturated, your company should turn to some non-traditional sites and apps that could help boost your online presence. Here are just a few different platforms you can explore.

Quora

Quora is one of the most popular Q&A services around and while it may not seem like something that marketing companies should be using to market themselves, there are a few ways you can utilize the site to amass a larger online presence.

Brands can use Quora to create content ideas, interact with audiences on questions that are specific to the brand’s industry, and most importantly to establish authority.

Monthly, 775,000 people use Quora to ask questions about things that are important to them. If your company has the answers to these questions, you can answer them and gain the trust of potential consumers.

Reddit

This platform is regarded as the front page of the internet, and for good reason. With thousands of subreddits, you can find everything on this site. It’s also worth noting that the platform attracts 164 million unique visitors every month.

Using Reddit is simple, all you have to do is create a genuine profile and follow and interact with subreddits that are within your brand’s industry. For example, if you’re a car detailing company, you might want to subscribe to various auto threads.

Google+

Google+ has grown dramatically and now boasts an impressive 250 million users. Though many see this platform as a direct competitor to Facebook, it’s so much more than that. Marketing companies can use Google+ to upload photos, vote on content they like, watch videos, share blogs and links and even watch full-length films.

Mix

Formerly known as StumbleUpon, Mix is a social media bookmarking platform that allows users to “like” websites and add them to their individual profiles. Marketing companies can benefit from this platform in the sense that their client’s websites, as well as their own, can gain a good amount of attention if others add the sites to their profiles. There are over 30 million users on Mix, and like other social media platforms, it continues to grow.

These are good examples of non-traditional social media platforms that can benefit your company if your business gives them a chance. If you’re looking to explore new options when it comes to marketing your brand, contact us at Fusion 360.

Mar 13
0

The Best Platform for Your Business and Target Demographic

By | content marketing, digital marketing, SEO | No Comments

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.

Mar 11
0

Why You Need a Video Distribution Strategy

By | advertising, SEO, Utah, video production | No Comments

Everyone knows just how important videos are when it comes to marketing, but do you know how to fully utilize your completed project to get the results that you’re looking for? Video production companies work hard to create high-quality videos that help brands reach new audiences and connect with their current consumers, but it takes more than just uploading your video to YouTube and Vimeo. This is why video production companies use what are called distribution strategies.

Distribution strategies are the reason marketing companies are so successful. The way that a company strategically distributes their content is what draws in audiences and keeps current ones loyal to your brand. If you’re looking to use video content to market your brand, here is why you need a video distribution strategy.

It Targets Your Users

Distribution strategies make it easier to target users that will potentially be interested in your content. It also helps your brand easily recognize what these potential viewers want to see, which helps video production companies create the perfect content tailored to those audiences.

When posting on social media, tools like Facebook’s Ad manager can help you target certain interests or likes so that you can build up an audience and increases your post engagement. You should also use SEO strategies to optimize your videos so that your search engine ranking rises.

You Can View Metrics

Outlining your metrics is essential in creating a solid distribution strategy. Once your video is posted online, you’ll use the metrics to gauge your videos’ success. While looking at the videos’ reach and engagement is important, you should also pay attention to stats such as the number of video starts, average view times, and the number of viewers.

You’ll Achieve Your Marketing Goals

Creating a distribution strategy also helps you achieve your marketing goals. Video production companies will always ask you what the main purpose of your video is, and that will determine what approach they will take in creating your video project. By creating a quality distribution strategy, you’ll be able to narrow down the appropriate platforms to post on.

Going Viral Takes Work

The most experienced video production companies know that going viral is a lot harder than it sounds; going viral isn’t a strategy, more so a goal. You have to ask yourself questions such as how you’re going to achieve that goal, how you’re going to reach your audience, and if you’ll use paid or earned media.

Creating a distribution strategy will help your brand grow indefinitely, and you’ll see an opening in your creative and communication channels. If you’re in need of a professional video production team to help you create a distribution strategy, give us a call here at Fusion 360 Studios.

Mar 05
0

How to Film a Stop Motion Video

By | digital marketing, SEO, Utah, video production | No Comments

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.