Paul Greenwood

About Paul Greenwood

Posts by Paul Greenwood:

May 15 2024

How to get a green SEO and readability score on Yoast

Yoast SEO is a popular WordPress plugin that helps users optimise their content for search engines and improve readability. The plugin provides a colour-coded system to indicate how well your content is optimised for SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and readability. Green indicates good optimisation, while red and orange indicate areas that need improvement.

Here are some tips to help you achieve a green SEO and readability score on Yoast:

Green SEO Score:

Focus Keyword:
Choose a relevant and specific focus keyword for your content. Ensure the focus keyword is present in the title, meta description, and within the content.
Content Quality:
Write high-quality, informative content that adds value to your audience. Aim for a sufficient word count. Long-form content tends to perform well in search engines.
Readability:
Use short sentences and paragraphs to enhance readability. Utilise subheadings (H2, H3) to break down content into manageable sections. Include bullet points and numbered lists to make content scannable.
Internal and External Links:
Include relevant internal links to other pages on your website. Add external links to authoritative sources to support your content.
Images:
Optimise images by adding descriptive alt text. Ensure images are relevant to the content.
Meta Tags:
Craft compelling meta titles and meta descriptions. Include your focus keyword.
Social Media Integration:
Make it easy for readers to share your content on social media by integrating sharing buttons.
Mobile-Friendly:
Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as mobile responsiveness is a factor in SEO.

Green Readability Score:

Sentence and Paragraph Length:
Keep sentences and paragraphs short and easy to understand.
Subheadings:
Use subheadings to break up content into sections. This helps readers navigate and understand the structure of your content.
Transition Words:
Use transition words to improve the flow of your content.
Passive Voice:
Minimise the use of passive voice. Opt for active voice to make your writing more engaging.
Flesch Reading Ease:
Aim for a Flesch Reading Ease score of 60-70. This ensures your content is easy to understand.
Consecutive Sentences:
Avoid consecutive sentences starting with the same word.
Use of Heading Tags:
Use heading tags (H2, H3) appropriately to structure your content.
Cheque for Typos and Grammar:
Proofread your content for typos, grammatical errors, and punctuation.

Implementing these tips can help improve both your SEO and readability scores on Yoast. Remember that while the plugin provides valuable guidance, it’s also important to use your judgement and ensure that your content is valuable and relevant to your audience.

Got a project in mind?

Kind people who improve the world hire us to take care of their design because it’s time to level up! If you have a project, want to create a buzz for your business and are serious about having professionally designed brand identity, learning how to grow your brand, or require a website and marketing literature to communicate with your audience, get in touch!

May 8 2024

5 Ways to improve your website’s Google search ranking

Paul Greenwood

5 Ways to improve your website’s Google search ranking

In the competitive world of online business and digital marketing, securing a top spot on Google’s search results is akin to claiming the holy grail. As the world’s most widely used search engine, Google serves as the primary gateway for users seeking information, products, and services. Thus, achieving a high ranking on Google can significantly enhance your online visibility, credibility, and ultimately, your bottom line. But how exactly can you ascend to the upper echelons of Google’s search results? Here are five tried-and-tested strategies to propel your website to the summit:

Master the Art of SEO:
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) lies at the heart of any successful digital marketing strategy. In essence, SEO involves optimising your website’s content, structure, and performance to align with Google’s ranking algorithms. Start by conducting thorough keyword research to identify the terms and phrases your target audience is searching for. Integrate these keywords strategically into your website’s titles, meta descriptions, headers, and body content. Additionally, focus on improving your website’s loading speed, mobile-friendliness, and user experience, all of which are crucial factors in Google’s ranking criteria.
Create High-Quality, Relevant Content:
Content is king in the realm of digital marketing, and Google rewards websites that consistently produce valuable, relevant, and engaging content. Invest in creating informative blog posts, articles, videos, infographics, and other multimedia resources that address the needs and interests of your target audience. By offering unique insights, solving problems, and providing valuable information, you can attract more visitors to your website and increase your chances of earning backlinks—a key component of Google’s ranking algorithm.
Build Quality Backlinks:
Backlinks, or inbound links from other websites to yours, play a pivotal role in determining your website’s authority and credibility in the eyes of Google. Focus on building a diverse portfolio of high-quality backlinks from reputable websites within your industry or niche. You can achieve this by guest blogging, participating in online forums and communities, reaching out to influencers for collaborations, and leveraging social media platforms to share your content. Remember that quality trumps quantity when it comes to backlinks, so prioritise relevance, authority, and natural link-building practises.
Optimise for Local Search:
If your business operates within a specific geographic area, optimising your website for local search is essential for attracting nearby customers. Claim and optimise your Google My Business listing, ensuring that your business name, address, phone number, and operating hours are accurate and up-to-date. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on your Google My Business profile, as these can significantly impact your local search rankings. Additionally, include location-specific keywords in your website’s content, meta tags, and headings to signal your relevance to local search queries.
Leverage Social Media and Online Reviews:
While social media signals themselves may not directly impact your website’s search rankings, maintaining an active presence on popular platforms like Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and Instagram can indirectly influence your visibility and credibility online. Share your content across social media channels to amplify its reach and engagement, and encourage followers to visit your website and share your content with their networks. Likewise, online reviews and testimonials on platforms such as Google Reviews, Yelp, and TripAdvisor can enhance your reputation and trustworthiness, potentially leading to higher search rankings and increased organic traffic.

In conclusion, achieving a coveted top spot on Google’s search results requires a multifaceted approach encompassing SEO best practises, content creation, link-building efforts, local optimisation, and social media engagement. By implementing these five strategies consistently and strategically, you can elevate your website’s visibility, attract more organic traffic, and ultimately, outshine your competitors in the digital landscape. Remember, climbing to the top of Google’s search rankings is not a sprint but a marathon—a journey that demands patience, persistence, and ongoing optimisation.

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May 1 2024

A Step-by-Step Guide to Digital Marketing for Small Businesses

Paul Greenwood

A Step-by-Step Guide to Digital Marketing for Small Businesses

In the digital age, having a robust online presence is essential for small businesses to thrive. However, navigating the vast landscape of digital marketing can be daunting, especially for those with limited resources and expertise. Fortunately, with a strategic approach and the right tools, small businesses can effectively leverage digital marketing to reach their target audience, increase brand awareness, and drive sales. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the key components of a successful digital marketing strategy tailored for small businesses.

Define Your Goals and Audience:
Before diving into digital marketing tactics, it’s crucial to define your objectives and target audience. Ask yourself what you want to achieve – whether it’s increasing website traffic, generating leads, boosting sales, or building brand awareness. Additionally, identify your ideal customers, their demographics, interests, and online behaviours. Understanding your goals and audience will shape your entire digital marketing strategy.
Build a User-Friendly Website:
Your website serves as the digital storefront for your business. Make sure it’s visually appealing, easy to navigate, and optimised for mobile devices. Include essential information such as your products or services, contact details, and customer testimonials. Utilise clear call-to-action buttons to encourage visitors to take desired actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for your newsletter.
Develop Engaging Content:
Content is king in the digital marketing realm. Create high-quality, relevant content that resonates with your target audience. This can include blog posts, videos, infographics, case studies, and social media posts. Provide valuable insights, solve problems, and showcase your expertise to establish credibility and attract potential customers. Remember to optimise your content for search engines by incorporating relevant keywords.
Harness the Power of Social Media:
Social media platforms offer a cost-effective way to connect with your audience and promote your business. Choose the platforms that align with your target demographic and industry. Create compelling profiles, post regularly, and engage with your followers by responding to comments and messages. Use a mix of organic content and paid advertising to expand your reach and drive traffic to your website.
Implement Search Engine Optimisation (SEO):
Improve your website’s visibility in search engine results through SEO techniques. Conduct keyword research to identify terms and phrases your target audience is searching for. Optimise your website’s meta tags, headers, and content to include these keywords naturally. Focus on providing valuable, user-friendly content that aligns with search intent. Additionally, build backlinks from reputable websites to enhance your site’s authority and credibility.
Leverage Email Marketing:
Email marketing remains one of the most effective tools for nurturing leads and fostering customer relationships. Build an email list by offering incentives such as discounts or exclusive content. Segment your list based on demographics, purchase history, or engagement levels to deliver personalised messages. Create compelling email campaigns that provide value, such as product updates, promotions, and helpful tips. Monitor your email metrics and iterate on your strategy based on performance.
Analyse and Optimise:
Regularly monitor the performance of your digital marketing efforts using analytics tools. Track key metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, social media engagement, and email open rates. Identify what’s working well and what areas need improvement. Use data insights to refine your strategy, allocate resources effectively, and maximise ROI. Experiment with different tactics, A/B test your campaigns, and stay updated on industry trends to stay ahead of the competition.

By following these steps and continuously adapting to the evolving digital landscape, small businesses can effectively harness the power of digital marketing to achieve their goals and grow their brand online. With dedication, creativity, and strategic planning, even the smallest of businesses can compete and thrive in today’s digital marketplace.

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April 24 2024

10 Essential Tips for Optimising Your Website for Success

Paul Greenwood

10 Essential Tips for Optimising Your Website for Success

In today’s digital landscape, having a website is fundamental for any business or individual aiming to establish an online presence. However, merely having a website is not enough; it needs to be optimised to ensure maximum visibility, user engagement, and conversion rates. Website optimisation involves various strategies and techniques aimed at improving its performance and effectiveness. Whether you’re a seasoned webmaster or just starting out, here are ten essential tips to help you optimise your website for success.

Mobile Responsiveness: With the increasing use of smartphones and tablets, ensuring that your website is optimised for mobile devices is crucial. Choose responsive design templates or customise your site to adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes and resolutions. This ensures a consistent user experience across all devices, leading to higher engagement and better rankings on search engines.
Fast Loading Speed: Users expect websites to load quickly, and search engines penalise slow-loading sites. Optimise your website’s loading speed by compressing images, minifying CSS and JavaScript files, leveraging browser caching, and using content delivery networks (CDNs). Tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights can help identify areas for improvement.
Keyword Research: Identify relevant keywords related to your niche or industry and incorporate them strategically into your website’s content, meta tags, headings, and URLs. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to discover high-volume keywords with low competition, increasing your chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
High-Quality Content: Content is king when it comes to website optimisation. Create informative, engaging, and valuable content that addresses the needs and interests of your target audience. Regularly update your website with fresh content, including blog posts, articles, videos, infographics, and case studies, to attract and retain visitors.
Optimised Metadata: Optimise your website’s meta titles, descriptions, and tags to accurately reflect the content of each page and entice users to click through. Include relevant keywords naturally within these elements to improve visibility and click-through rates in search engine listings.
User-Friendly Navigation: Design a clear and intuitive navigation structure that allows users to easily find the information they’re looking for. Use descriptive labels for menu items and organise content logically into categories and subcategories. Implement breadcrumbs and internal linking to facilitate navigation and improve user experience.
Secure HTTPS Protocol: Enhance the security of your website and build trust with visitors by implementing HTTPS encryption. SSL certificates encrypt data transmitted between the user’s browser and your website, protecting sensitive information such as passwords, payment details, and personal data. Many users now expect to see the padlock icon indicating a secure connection before interacting with a website.
Optimised Images and Multimedia: Optimise images and multimedia elements on your website to reduce file sizes without compromising quality. Use descriptive filenames and alt tags to make your media accessible to search engines and visually impaired users. Consider lazy loading techniques to defer the loading of non-essential media until it’s needed, improving overall page performance.
Social Media Integration: Leverage the power of social media by integrating sharing buttons and widgets into your website’s content. Encourage visitors to share your content across their social networks, increasing visibility and driving traffic back to your site. Engage with your audience on social media platforms to build relationships and foster community around your brand.
Regular Performance Monitoring: Continuously monitor and analyse your website’s performance using tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, and heatmaps. Track key metrics such as traffic sources, bounce rates, conversion rates, and user behaviour to identify areas for improvement and refine your optimisation strategies over time.

By implementing these ten essential tips for website optimisation, you can enhance your site’s visibility, usability, and conversion potential, ultimately driving success for your business or personal brand in the competitive online landscape. Remember that website optimisation is an ongoing process, so stay informed about the latest trends and technologies to stay ahead of the curve.

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April 17 2024

Finding Your Blogging Rhythm: How Often Should You Post Articles?

Paul Greenwood

Finding Your Blogging Rhythm: How Often Should You Post Articles?

Blogging has become an essential aspect of many websites, whether they’re personal blogs, business sites, or news platforms. It’s a way to engage with your audience, share valuable content, and establish authority in your niche. However, one common question that bloggers often grapple with is: how frequently should I post articles on my website? Finding the right balance is crucial for maintaining reader interest, search engine visibility, and overall website health.

Quality Over Quantity

First and foremost, it’s essential to prioritise quality over quantity. Posting subpar content just for the sake of meeting a posting schedule can do more harm than good. Your audience will quickly lose interest if they find your articles uninteresting, irrelevant, or poorly written. Instead, focus on creating high-quality, valuable content that resonates with your target audience.

Consistency is Key

While quality is paramount, consistency also plays a significant role in blogging success. Regularly updating your website with fresh content keeps your audience engaged and signals to search engines that your site is active and relevant. However, consistency doesn’t necessarily mean posting every day. It’s more important to establish a realistic posting schedule that you can maintain over the long term.

Frequency Guidelines

The ideal posting frequency can vary depending on your niche, audience preferences, and available resources. Here are some general guidelines to consider:

Daily Posting:
This frequency is suitable for news sites or blogs covering rapidly evolving topics. However, it requires a dedicated team of writers and editors to maintain quality and relevance.
2-3 Times a Week:
For many blogs, posting 2-3 times a week strikes a good balance between consistency and quality. It allows you to maintain a regular presence without overwhelming your audience or sacrificing quality.
Once a Week:
Posting once a week is a common frequency for many bloggers. It provides enough consistency to keep your audience engaged while giving you ample time to research and produce high-quality content.
Biweekly or Monthly:
If you’re unable to commit to a weekly posting schedule, consider posting biweekly or monthly. While less frequent, it still demonstrates consistency and allows you to focus on producing comprehensive, well-researched articles.
Irregular Posting: While consistency is ideal, sporadic posting is better than no posting at all. If your schedule is unpredictable or you’re unable to commit to a regular posting frequency, aim to post whenever you have quality content ready.

Monitor Your Analytics

Ultimately, the best posting frequency for your website may require some experimentation. Monitor your website analytics to track audience engagement, traffic patterns, and content performance. Pay attention to metrics such as page views, time on page, bounce rate, and social shares to gauge the effectiveness of your posting frequency.

Conclusion

In the world of blogging, finding the right posting frequency is a balancing act. While consistency is important for maintaining audience engagement and search engine visibility, quality should always take precedence. Experiment with different posting frequencies, monitor your analytics, and adjust your strategy accordingly. By finding your blogging rhythm, you can effectively engage your audience and achieve long-term success with your website.

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November 17 2022

Five reasons your website is pointless

Paul Greenwood

Five Reasons your website is pointless

Here at Hive of Many, we have designed quite a few websites. The opening question we usually ask is do you need a website? It’s not that the client doesn’t want a website, it’s more that they’re looking for a solution for a business problem. More often than not, what we’re being asked to deliver is to meet a marketing objective. Increased brand awareness, build know, like and trust factor, generate leads, grow an email list or sell more products. In the client’s head, the website is going to do something. That something is a creative problem we’re being hired to solve.

Here are our five reasons your website is pointless. They’re common side effects of websites without a strategy. It’s when we fail to solve that creative problem. When things are built without a clear objective in mind.

1. Your website exists but you don’t share it with people

What’s the point of being the best-kept secret on the internet? If you’ve gone to the effort of creating a website, surely you’d want to tell people about it. It sounds simple but telling people about your business is essential in generating revenue. It’s easy to think that “I’ve shared it with everyone already” or “everyone has seen it”. The opposite is probably true. It’s the simplest form of marketing. If you have it, share it!

2. You don’t add valuable content or share articles

Having a website is great – having a content-rich website is better. Adding valuable content to your website gives you more chances of being discovered online. Google, for example, loves websites with new content. If you desire SEO on your website, start by adding new content. If you want people to visit your website from other places, share it on social media or send the link to someone you know via email.

3. You tried designing it yourself but don’t know about web design

When my car breaks, I ask a mechanic to fix it. If I need a new boiler, I hire a plumber to fit one. The same should be true for designing websites.

As tempting as it might be to cut corners and save a few extra pounds by designing a website yourself, it can be detrimental to your business. When you design a website yourself and you don’t know what you are doing, your website is at risk of showing you’ve done this yourself and don’t know what you’re doing. This reflects on the professionalism of your business and brand. Are you willing to take that risk?

4. Your website doesn’t generate a passive income or capture marketing leads

What’s the point of your website? Did you think about the role it served within your organisation or do you just have a website? Why would anyone visit your website today, and then maybe again in the future? What purpose does it have?

You have a great opportunity to use a website to benefit your business. Is there a shop where people can try your products? Do you have resources they could try in exchange for an email address? Could I get a taste of your services at a low cost before I purchase your premium service? Why not use your website as more than an extension of your business card?

5. People visit your website but they don’t know what to do

People are lazy. We want things in an instant. When we look for things, our brain is hardwired to get what we want in the shortest amount of time.

When people come to your website, they want to solve an issue in the quickest time. It needs to be obvious where to click and what you’d like them to do to get what they want. Use call to action and make navigation simple. If you want them to sign up for your email newsletter, make it prominent, not tucked away. If you want to increase sales, position your shop front and centre. Get people where they need to go or they will leave and find an alternative.

Conclusion

Having a website is great but there has to be a point to it. Don’t miss out on having something working for you while you sleep. There are infinite ways to design a website, landing pages or eCommerce sites. It can be confusing and fiddly to set up. Your time is better at creating products and delivering services, it’s why you started a business in the first place (not to become a web designer).

If you want some strategic direction for your website, please get in contact for a brew and a chat.

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Essential design elements for small business success by Hive of Many

July 9 2020

5 Essential design elements for small business success

Paul Greenwood

5 Essential design elements for small business success

Running a small business is a busy task, and there is always something to learn or invest in next. Therefore, you look for what is required to take your business to the next level. In this article, we look at the five essential design elements for small business success.

01 Logo Design

Every business needs a logo. Whether that’s just your company name in a specific font and colour or an iconic emblem, you will need one.

When starting, it doesn’t need to be too fancy. Your focus will to will test the viability of your business idea. However, over time you will need to invest in something that will positively represent your brand values in visual form. Something that speaks volumes about your company and what it stands for.

If you have read any of our articles before you will know that we always say ‘a logo is not a brand’. To learn more about branding, take a look at the following article: Branding beyond logo design.

02 Font & Colour Palette

There are millions of font and colour combinations available. But, which works for your business?

Think about the style of business you have. Is it fun and quirky, formal and professional, established and traditional? The font and colours you choose should reflect this.

For marketing materials, use a font that you will have access to across all the different platforms and applications. Be that a presentation, website, headed paper or business card try to use the same font. The consistent use of fonts (weights, sizing and alignment) and colour will display the professionalism you have due to the considerations you make.

For everyday use, it’s fine to pick a standard font such as Arial to write a newsletter in Word or compose an email. Use one font consistently rather than always switching. Changing font all the time confuses and breaks the reader’s attention. Remember, the use of type is to communicate, the simpler you make it, the easier it will be.

03 Promotional Materials

Promotional materials take many forms – marketing emails, printed brochures, flyers, posters, videos and landing pages. Each different promotional material you invest in will have a different level of impact on the people who interact with it.

For example, a well-structured brochure with great photography, printed on a quality paper stock will have a different impact than a half-page ad surrounded by lots of other ads. A quickly put together social media post verses a professionally produced video will also have another outcome.

Invest in the right promotional materials for your business and concentrate on getting them in front of the right people. If you are unsure which would suit your business or budget, get in contact today.

Take a look at this promotional brochure we recently created for one of our clients.

04 Website

We’ve left this separate from promotional materials because websites perform so many functions. Depending on the purpose your website plays in your business will depend on the type of site you need. It could be an e-commerce shop, a blog, a portfolio or an online brochure style website. You must know the function from the outset so that it has the right features and functionality.

Your website should be an asset to your business. When was the last time you reviewed the content and made changes that reflect where you’re at on your business journey? Is it time you handed it over to an expert to handle rather than designing it yourself?

Drop us an email for a free website consultation today.

05 Shared Content

Creating quality content that others find valuable is a form of design communication. And, as a small business owner, you will need to create content that lets others know what you do and what you stand for.

Thankfully there are many tools available for creating content. Chances are the device you are reading this article on will have that capability. To build your influence and become visible, publishing your work, ideas and showcasing expertise is essential.

You must make yourself visible to get noticed. You might have all of the other four essential design elements but, if you don’t publish or share what you know or do, how will people know you exist? A business card in your jacket pocket, a brochure in your bag and a blog post not shared, are all pointless.

Combining these elements will enable you to become more visible and known for what you do. Therefore, opening you up to new opportunities and options otherwise unavailable to your business.

Invest in the five essential design elements for your small business success today! Connect with us on social media and let us know what stage you are at and ask us a question, we’d love to hear from you.

Got a project in mind?

June 26 2020

Branding beyond logo design

Paul Greenwood

Branding beyond logo design

When we talk to small businesses, it seems there is still confusion as to what branding is. They say, ‘we’ve got our branding sorted’ and what they mean is, ‘we have a logo’. In this article delve beyond logo design and look at how you can improve your branding.

So first, like many other articles on branding, we’ll start at the beginning:

What is a brand?

To quote branding expert Marty Neumeier “a brand is a person’s gut feeling about a product, service or organisation”

Basically, when a person experiences, interacts or sees a product, service or organisation, they get a gut feeling about it. This gut feeling is decided through many factors. Visuals, sounds, language, reputation, colours, photography, packaging, price, fonts and even smells. Every little element makes up a position in the minds of customers.

What is a logo?

A logo is a symbol made up of shapes, colours and letters that identify a business. A good logo instils the values of the business within its mark and becomes iconic and instantly recognisable to its intended audience.

What is branding?

It’s said that ‘a brand is not what you say about your business, it’s what others say about it’ (Marty Neumeier – The Brand Gap). If that is the case, how do you influence what others say about your business? This is where the term ‘branding’ comes in.

Branding is that art of creating a business’s visual identity, characteristics and persona. A combination of company values encapsulated in every aspect of what it does. Its services, delivery, language, marketing, price point, how it sounds, how it makes people feel and the impact it has. It’s the combined effort of every considered element playing together in a symphony for an intended audience.

How can I improve my branding?

Here is a short list of things to consider if you want to improve your branding:

Are your visual elements consistent?

The font choice, colours palette, logo placement and photography style need to be consistent. Review your marketing materials, website, social media feed, business cards. Are they on point and playing like a symphony? Or are they all playing a different tune? Take time to fix this and pay a designer to do this for you. It’s their job to do design, not yours!

Does your branding reflect your price?

It’s easy to think you can charge premium prices for your products or services. It may well be that you are the best at what you do in your locality. If your branding looks cheap, can you expect a customer to pay an expensive price? Probably not.

Premium price point businesses pay a premium price for their branding. They want to attract high net worth individuals because they are the intended audience. That’s why the entire experience is different when purchasing and wearing Tiffany products vs a cheaper alternative.

What does your branding say about your price point? Too cheap? Ask someone to give you honest feedback on your branded elements and inform them of your price, see if they match.

Brand your business for your audience, not for you

It’s not what you might like, it’s what the customers like. If you brand your business the way you like it, you will only attract people like you. If you brand your business for the customers you want to attract using the right visuals, language and colours etc, you are more likely to get the results you desire.

We recently made an entire video about this subject, check out the video below:

Using the right language

Are you consistent with the language you use? Is what you put out a reflection of you personally or the values of the business? If you know the ‘tone of voice’ of your business this should be an easy question to answer. If you haven’t defined this from the outset, you might find it trickier.

Your audience expects you to be consistent in how you do things. It might be as simple as choosing between being a helpful and informative brand vs being a comedic entertaining brand. Don’t be all things to all people as this breaks your audience’s understanding of what your brand stands for.

In conclusion

When you combine all these elements (consistency, visuals, price, audience, language) over time, it adds up to create a robust brand. When your brand represents the values of your business, you will achieve the intended gut feeling you were looking for from your target audience.

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June 8 2020

It’s all about communication

Paul Greenwood

It’s all about communication

If you have a website, joined a zoom call or attended a business networking event, it’s all about communication. If you write an email, create a newsletter or make a promotional video, it’s all about communication. If you have a professional brand identity created, post on social media or do a weekly podcast, you guessed it, it’s all about communication. Communication is key to everything you create or design.

When we communicate on a daily basis with friends and family, it’s simply an exchange of words that help us to understand one another. Where we are going, what we will be eating or what time we are going to be home. The thing about communication is that it’s not a one-way street. It’s an exchange from both sides.

When you create designs and media for your business or organisation, you are still looking to form a dialogue with the person consuming the information. The difference is that rather than the communication being conversational, it helps the user form an understanding. It’s an understanding of key information that helps them to move forward.

When you are lost you look for directions to help you get to where you wanted to go. When you’re in a restaurant you look for a menu to help you order something. And when you’re searching YouTube to learn how to solve a problem, you are looking for information as a solution. These are all forms of communication.

Are you communicating with your audience?

When you post on social media, are you communicating with the people you want to connect with? Do people know what to do when they’re on your website? Is what you are creating of use to others? If your answer is no, it poses the question to why you are doing it in the first place.

If you know the purpose of what you are creating and have an outcome you want to achieve, things become clearer and you are more likely to get results.

Purpose

What is the purpose of the design, post or marketing you are doing? Are you trying to help others achieve something? Do you want them to place an order? Do you have a new service you want to tell people about? What is the purpose?

The purpose of this article is to help you learn about communication and enable you to think differently about the effort you are going to with your marketing and design.

Starting with the end in mind

What are you wanting to achieve? What outcome do you want? What action do you want people to take? When you start with an end in mind, you have a target. When you don’t, people don’t know what to do next. It could be as simple as ‘book now’, ‘join our mailing list’ or ‘watch this video’. Without clear instruction, you will lose the interest of your audience and they will move on.

The action we want you to take is to join our mailing list or contact us about your next branding, design and marketing project. We believe we can help your business and improve your communication.

What to do

When you come to do your next blog, social media post or video, think about your communication. Don’t simply post content and expect the result if you haven’t thought about the action you want others to take. Set clear call to actions so your communication isn’t wasted and this will enable the user to get to where they want to go.

You have an opportunity every time you create something to make someone’s life easier by solving a meaningful problem. Think about what problems you are in a unique position to solve and build your content around that. Create something that communicates with your audience’s needs and let your design fulfil its true purpose.

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May 27 2020

5 Reasons Why You Should Start Using Video

Paul Greenwood

5 Reasons Why You Should Start Using Video

In the time of writing this article, video content makes up over 80% of all internet content. And with most people being able to access video over fast broadband or mobile data, it’s no wonder this media has grown in popularity.

With time being at a premium and your attention a new currency, the way we communicate and share information has changed. At a moment’s notice you can flick open an app on your device and share yourself with the world. You can learn how to do pretty much anything via YouTube and create an educational course using only a mobile device and a laptop.

If you’ve never considered trying video or you’re completely scared about getting on camera, our 5 reasons why you should start using video might just be the inspiration you need.

Here are 5 Reasons Why You Should Start Using Video

01 Like, know and trust factor

Having that know, like and trust factor is essential if you are a freelancer, solopreneur or small business. Therefore you need to be able to show people who you are, what you can do and what your brand stands for. Video has the power of showing people all of these things.
People get to know you without meeting you which helps them form an opinion about you and your business. If they like what you have to say and what you stand for, it builds trust. As a result, when people require services that you provide, they are more likely to use you or recommend you to others.

02 Easy to consume information

YouTube is the worlds second biggest search engine. This is because it’s full of easy to consume information. Creators from all over the world are making videos that solve a problem in every niche imaginable. Where reading takes time, video is quick and easy, repeatable and super shareable.

With everyone’s attention span getting shorter, people want information that is quick and easy to consume. This is why video has become the popular media that it is. It enables people to learn quickly and get what they require within minutes.
If you can make simple, easy to consume information for your audience and potential customers, this will you make more visible and more influential.

03 Build your influence

There are many ways to build your influence – speaking at events, having the right pitch and partnering with the right people for example. However, publishing video content consistently and solving meaningful problems doesn’t just build your influence, it creates assets for your business.
With video, you can create it, publish it on YouTube, and once shared with the world, it can continue to help people. You can be tucked up in bed and your videos can teach people anywhere in the world with no extra effort.

04 Global audience

You don’t have to get on a plane to cross the world. Publish a video on social media and it is instantly global. And, with subtitles, your videos are accessible in many languages.
Being able to operate globally takes you out of a limited, local mindset. It frees you up to think bigger than the place you live in. It allows you to work remotely, flexibly and from anywhere in the world.

More and more influencers are now being booked to speak all over the world because they’ve built a global audience. Those who use video are more likely to get known in this way. As a result, they charge a higher premium for their services. If only you had the right equipment to get started on this global journey!

05 You already have the equipment you need

It’s highly likely that you have a mobile phone with decent enough camera capabilities to make the simplest of videos. It’s also probable that you have filmed other people doing something on your mobile phone.

Your mobile is the perfect starting point for creating videos. If you’re somewhere quiet you don’t need a microphone. If you want good lighting, move closer to a window. It’s simple to get set up and you can do it pretty much any time.

Yes, to begin with, it will seem strange. You’re having a one-way conversation with your device. However, like more things in life, once you become confident with presenting information, it becomes easier.

You have what you need, just make a start! However, if you want to take your video to the next level, check out our Best Budget Video Equipment for Beginners.

To summerise

If you want to build influence, that like, know and trust factor, you should start using video. Everything you need to make a start, you already have. When you help others by creating easy to consume content, you have a higher chance of getting booked, recommended or a new customer. You can be anywhere in the world once you publish your videos online. You can build a global following, opening you up to more fans and followers.

There is no time to make a start that now, so go press record and give it a go!

Still struggling to make a start?

Check out our video: Start Filming & Get Over It – Top 5 Tips: Getting started making videos