Social Media & Your Next Business Relationship

By Brittney DeRuiter

According to a recent Pew Research Center finding, approximately 68 percent of all Facebook users graduated from college. This fact holds relevance when you consider the growing number of individuals using Facebook and other social media platforms in terms of job searching.

Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn continue to gain significance as research hubs and networking tools for employers and potential employees, thus allowing career opportunities via social media to grow quickly. The following are a few key observations of business relationships online and how they affect one’s professional world.

Networking
Social media is a fantastic method for businesses and people to connect. Involvement in groups and discussions allow individuals to display their skills and knowledge. Similarly, frequent commenting and participation can lead to a network of possibilities. The key is to remember that whatever is posted on the internet has a life far outliving anything on paper.

The "First" Interview
Prospective employees and employers are looking at social media as a critique for resumes and character. A nonexistent or bare-bones social media presence may portray a company as “not forward thinking” or a bad profile can say, “We’re not serious or true to our goals.”

The same can be said for future employees. A profile displays one’s character and lifestyle without being able to defend it. Therefore, a personal profile lacking in correct grammar, spelling or moral compass can reduce job opportunities. This also rings true with photography and videos that one either posts or is tagged within.

Sealing the Deal
Displaying appropriate content is key to surviving the social media microscope. Companies must utilize messages, which are cohesive to their mission and goals. Future employees need to ensure that every message and photo posted (personally or by others) displays the person as he or she would want to be seen in the professional world.

Recent world events have demonstrated the hold social media has over our society in terms of sharing and learning information. As this hold continues to tighten, the significance that our personal and corporate social media policies have in our careers and professional lives will also continue to increase. Paying attention to current business relationships via social media content and messaging now, will have a direct effect on our future relationships.

Adventures in Life

By Zach Knutsen

By day, I'm a graphic designer and front-end developer at Morse + Harris. I sit behind a desk for hours at a time, feverishly using some of my favorite things (color, texture, typography and pixels to name a few) to funnel my thoughts into cohesive and (hopefully) inspiring ideas for our clients. As a designer I pretty much draw upon the world around me to breathe life into the details of my work. When I got the opportunity to go to Morocco with a group of friends ... soaking up life like I've never done before ... I jumped at the chance! From Marrakech to the beautiful Atlas Mountains, we explored it all. What a dream!

Now that I'm back home, I'm feeling extremely inspired. Life changes when you experience the world outside. You can't even help it. It just ... happens. (Love it!) So enjoy some photos from my adventures in life, and begin preparing your adventure. You won't regret it!

Survive the Convenience of Fast-Forward

By Brittney DeRuiter

Super Bowl Sunday – the one day of the year when people just might give the fast-forward button a rest in order to watch the commercials. While true that most individuals watch the Super Bowl in real-time, it is safe to assume that DVR’s everywhere will still get a workout. If history repeats, then Super Bowl XLVII is going to have everything from pistachios and chips to soft drinks and beer, but despite the best attempts to have funny commercials less than 50% of the products and brands will be remembered.

In today’s world, technology has assured that there is a lot of noise with little retention. Thus to increase the awareness and viewership of an advertisement – especially on TV – the message must be wrapped in an entertaining package. With fast-forward and other ad skipping devices, 2 seconds is all a commercial has to capture the audience. So now the question becomes – how. How does one create a commercial that is both entertaining and enhances brand awareness?

One example is Allstate Insurance. Allstate has found a way to walk the fine line of entertaining and brand awareness. Not only are their commercials entertaining, but they also include a simple message: “Accidents happen, so get Allstate to be protected from Mayhem.” The message is simple with a direct call to action serving as the main focus. Allstate increases brand retention because the entertainment evolves around the industry and expresses the message directly through imagery.

The key to making a commercial, which can survive the convenient fast-forward button, is to remember that simple is best and entertainment is a must. Create a direct message first and then find a way to creatively display that message through entertainment – not the other way around.

Hit the Ground Running in 2013 – Start Social – Start Small

By Brittney DeRuiter

Based on current marketing trend reports, 2013 will continue to capitalize on the popularity of social media marketing.

Part of the allure –social media marketing tactics are budget conscious by taking advantage of platforms such as Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. The beauty of social media is two-fold because not only can you reach a wide, engaged audience, but you can do so affordably.

The best way to decide where to start is to evaluate which platforms are optimal for reaching your target audience. For example, Pinterest rose in 2012 to be the second largest utilized social media platform. However, it is not necessarily the best avenue for every type of business. Evaluating the different social media offerings and their reach will help you decide where you should invest your time and efforts.

Once you know which social avenues to travel, it’s time to make a commitment to create continuous and current content. Without this continuous effort negative impressions can occur. Simply placing messages on Facebook or other sites is not enough to create a relationship with consumers. If social media is going to be part of your company’s 2013 marketing plan, have an outline of how it fits into your overall marketing efforts and be ready to stay committed. With that commitment, you will be able to capitalize on the opportunities given through social media. The best strategy is to start small, be engaging and be visual.

Introduce one social media avenue into your plan each quarter and focus on just that. Start with one outlet. Engage users by sharing, liking and placing comments to enhance your awareness levels and credibility. Share videos, photos and ideas. Once you have a strong following on one medium, move to another that can be easily intertwined.

The 2013 online marketing trend will continue to spotlight social media, so profit from starting small, being engaging, and using visuals to push your business’ presence to the next level.

Making Websites Work

By Stacey Harris

According to BusinessInsider.com, there are currently more than 644 million active websites on the internet with more than 6 million new URLs registered in the fourth quarter of 2011. To say that consumers are bombarded with digital information daily is an understatement, and the competition for their attention continues to grow.

Therefore, it’s never been more important to ensure that your company’s website is working for you.

What makes a website effective?

Think like your customer and take a good look at your company’s website.

• Is the site easy to navigate?
  Visitors need to be able to easily find the information they are looking for – and quick! Make navigation simple. Make it easy to find and clearly defined. Put important information on multiple pages with clearly labeled links.
• Is it attractive?
  Websites are sometimes the first and only impression a potential consumer receives about your organization. Make that impression count! Use appropriate color schemes, fonts and meaningful graphics. Don’t clutter the site. Quality photography, line breaks, and bullet points can capture the visitor’s attention.
• Remember content is King (or Queen)
  Content rules when it comes to the quality of your site. Is the content meaningful? Useful? Does it serve the purpose? Is there a call-to-action? Content must hold value for a site’s visitors. Provide truly interesting and valuable information and visitors will be back again and again.
• Is it Dysfunctional?
  Each component of your website should work accurately and quickly. Poorly constructed or broken components will lead to frustrated and disenchanted customers. Links and items such as site search, event registrations, and contact forms should work as expected. In addition, double check all copy, figures and facts. Functionality is about making the site work for your purpose.
• Usability
  Usability includes content, functionality, navigation and more. The best way to make sure visitors stay on your site is through valuable content, clear organization and attractive design. Pages should load in less than 20 seconds and offer minimal scrolling. Layout and navigation should be consistent, and the site should be compatible on all browsers.