What Is Content Marketing?

admin - May 22, 2018June 20, 2022

Terms like Inbound Marketing and Content Marketing are often (wrongfully) used interchangeably. Inbound Marketing incorporates several techniques, of which content marketing is one.

It’s worthwhile looking into Content Marketing, the way it works and the benefits it can give. Currently, over 75% of marketers are increasing their investments in Content Marketing, and over half of those marketers publish weekly or more often. Furthermore, over 50% of companies have put in place an executive to control and supervise an overall content specific marketing strategy. So hop on this train, as we suspect that this isn’t just a short trend. It’s one of the new ways of digital marketing, like Search Engine Optimisation and the use of Google AdWords.

Content Marketing is a self-explanatory term: Marketing through content. This form of marketing focuses on the creation of all types of content. These types may include videos, blogs, e-books, pictures, you name it. Content Marketing focuses on this content so heavily, that the content pieces themselves become products. They become an extra service you deliver. A service on the basis of information.

The main purpose of content marketing is to service your clients with content. This content doesn’t necessarily relate directly to a product or service that the company sells, but rather to the company itself. To understand why this is, you need to understand that Content Marketing revolves around 3 main topics: Reputation, visitors and willingness to buy. You build a reputation for your company through the type, quality and quantity of content you produce. Your aim is to attract visitors by publishing this content and if you’re successful, you do. Lastly, the content is meant to create a so-called sense of “willingness to buy” for your customers or visitors.

Reputation

Reputation is one of the most important things when it comes to your brand or company. Your reputation is one of the first things that your potential customers come in contact with and it determines their attitude towards you for the remainder of the journey – it sets a precedent. Good news, you can control this precedent. We won’t go into the details on a brand’s reputation, and the PR complications and solutions that go hand in hand with this matter.

Content Marketing is one of the tools you can utilise to build your brands reputation in the way you’d like. You don’t need to be the cheapest to get most sales. Good advice, customer service and a customer-friendly approach are key – and Content Marketing can help you foster these aspects. Show off your skill and willingness to help in posting DIY videos or advisory blogs – you’ll find that the options are endless.

Visitors

It’s not just your reputation itself that is of importance. The actual visitors visiting your website, shop or company shouldn’t be forgotten. When it comes to the attracting of visitors, it becomes clear why the topics of your content might not be relevant to your product or services. Try and visualise your content as actual real life objects or things. You know those kiddie playgrounds they put in the middle of an aisle in a shopping centre? That is one of those things. The playground has no relevance to the shopping centre – you can’t buy anything there now can you? No you can’t, but if you’re a mum with 3 kids, it might be an incentive for you to visit that shopping centre.

Thus, playground = more visitors. Translate this into Content Marketing and the equation will read: Content = more visitors. Relevant or not.

Willingness to buy

In order for your products and services to sell, you need people that want to buy them. Simply said, Content Marketing can help you create enthusiasm, spike interest and generate willingness to buy. Make your customers feel like they ‘need’ your product, rather than just ‘want’. Inspire your customer, show them what your products or services offer and produce. Show them why they need it. Inspiration increases willingness to buy.

Examples

Companies like HubSpot have mastered the the intricacies of Content Marketing, and it has become one of their biggest assets. Also true for HubSpot, is the fact that their content has become a product on its own. Their blogs, whitepapers, PowerPoint templates, and other advisory or informative content are what have and continue to credit the company with the esteem it now holds.

Execute your content marketing strategy well, and you’ll find that it brings you more than you invest.

If you’re interested in more information on content marketing, or are looking for some help for your own brand or company, contact Digital8 today!

Interesting New Apps for Android and IOS

admin - May 8, 2018July 29, 2022

There are so many new apps launching every day. It gets hard to keep track of which ones failed their purpose and which are actually nice.

We’ve created a small list of recent app launches that we think are amazing.

1. Grasshopper

Grasshopper, a new app created by Google’s startup Area 120, is an easy and engaging way for beginners to learn JavaScript.

The app functions like a game, guiding you through different levels – each teaching you a bit more about JavaScript.

You’ll be presented with an example, followed by a partially finished piece of code. When starting out, you’ll be able to pick from blocks containing elements of code to finish the full piece.

As you’re progressing through the levels, you will start to actually write the code yourself. In this way, you will become more and more proficient in using JavaScript – and will eventually be able to use it independently.

The app is great to learn more about JavaScript, as it’s being used more and more. Even if you’re completely unfamiliar with programming, the app is suitable for you!

The app is free to download from the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

2. Google Tasks

Whilst Google Task is basically a simple task manager app, it is extremely useful for those who use Gmail or Google Calendar as it synchronises with G Suite. Google Tasks works with easy-to-understand cards, including subtasks, due dates, and additional notes.

However, as mentioned before, Google Tasks’ power is derived from the synchronisation with G Suite apps. If a due date is created in a Google Task card, it will automatically be added to your Google Calendar.

Google Tasks is also integrated with your Gmail, so it can be used on your desktop. It can be found on your right-hand sidebar. Rearranging tasks is done by simply dragging them into a different position.

Google Tasks is still a very simple app, with few multifaceted functionalities. For example, the app does not allow you to share cards with others or to make tasks recurring. Nevertheless, the app is useful and it is likely to grow into something that can be used at company levels.

The Google Tasks app is available to download in both Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

3. Do Not Disturb Companion

Do Not Disturb Companion is consistent with both a Mac and iPhone app that will help you check whether your laptop is still closed and disconnected. The app is useful if you find yourself leaving your MacBook unaccompanied at times.

If your laptop gets opened, the iPhone app will show a notification. After such a notification, you are able to activate your MacBook’s camera to see who is active on your laptop.

Additionally, you can set up the MacBook app in such a way that it logs all activities on the laptop while it is deemed ‘unaccompanied’. Also, via the iPhone app, you can shut down the MacBook, and activate possible disk encryption to secure your data.

The app is developed by Digita Security, a company owned by former NSA employee Patrick Wardle. You can try the app for free for one week, after that it will cost $0.99 monthly or $9.99 annually.

You can download the app in the App Store.

Do you have an idea for an app? Contact our expert app developers today and we can help bring your idea to life!

Augment General Counsel Website Launch

admin - May 4, 2018June 20, 2022

In April we launched a brand new website for Augment General Counsel, and with great success!

Digital8 was asked to create a new website for Augment General Counsel, as their old website was outdated and did not represent the brand well enough anymore. Augment provided us with a mood-board, in order to make sure we understood how they envisioned the website to look like in the end. Lynne, one of our developers who worked on the website, found the mood-board extremely useful – as it helped the developers to quickly recognise what the company wanted in terms of the designs.

The new website had to present the same information as the previous website, but in a more interesting way. This was done by using a variety of visuals and an alternating lay-out, creating a visually enticing look for the website – without it being disturbing to the visitor.

Augment General Counsel is a law firm based in Sydney, New South Wales. Augment General Counsel is a segment of Augment, a knowledge services firm operating in the Asia Pacific – offering services such as legal, governance, and business consultancy.

The new Augment General Counsel website has a straightforward but engaging design, leading the visitor through the pages – making sure they are handed the information they are looking for in a delightful manner. The website header helps the visitor navigate their way through the website, while the footer shows the visitor all necessary information to get in touch with the firm and its three locations.

The website’s team page features members of the Augment team, including a photograph of each member and a description of their academic and professional path so far. The resources and contact page both include optimised forms, set up in such a manner that all necessary personal information from the visitor is collected – whilst also enhancing the ease of filling out the form for the visitors.

If you would like to see some of our other work, visit our portfolio page. It includes case-studies on some of our success stories like Goodstart Early Learning, Liquor Legends, PC Case Gear, Coronis, and many more.

6 Interestings Ways HubSpot Can Help You Market Your Business

admin - May 1, 2018July 12, 2023

Last week we wrote an article on the benefits of inbound marketing, in which we briefly mentioned that this figment of pure genius originated from the virtuous minds of HubSpot – yes we like HubSpot, is it that obvious?

HubSpot defines itself as an inbound marketing software platform, which is what it is, but it is also so much more. And if you know how to use it, the software will help you work all of that magical digital marketing goodness that we discussed earlier.

First of all, let me explain what HubSpot’s biggest asset is. Well, it’s data. Just plain and simple data. However, when using HubSpot, that data quickly transforms into information – and not just information, it turns into actionable information. So all there’s left to do for you, is action.

1. CTA’s

CTA’s and landing pages are used to convert visitors into leads. A CTA is a ‘call to action’, which really is a self-explanatory term. Do you ever see those buttons that say: ‘Click here to download our guide!’, ‘Subscribe now!’, or others like that?

Well those, my friend, are CTA’s. And they work. HubSpot helps you in creating these CTA’s, as well as tracking them: How many times was the CTA viewed? How many clicks did it get? Did it actually prompt people to take action?

Also, a CTA is one of those things that’s crucial to your website, like we mentioned in one of our previous blogs.

2. Landing Pages

A landing page is usually created to generate conversions and is connected to a marketing campaign. A landing page is a page that is set apart from your website, meaning it can’t be reached from the main website – there is no navigation on the actual website that leads to this page, and vice versa. .

The pages usually contain offers, which you put on there in exchange for data of your customers. The offers can be accessed once the visitor enters their personal information – which can then be used for marketing or sales purposes.

Once again, HubSpot will help you in creating these. They have pre-set designs, and can even help you create ones that fit your current website design. Keep in mind, they’re the leaders in their field – they know what they’re doing.

3. Ads

If you are already working on some of your stuff in Google Adwords, Facebook ads, or any other platform, try using the HubSpot Ads tool. The Ads tool lets you track, analyse, adjust, and create your ads from one place.

You’ll be able to cumulatively go about your ad business, or take each platform on its own. By using HubSpot for your ads, you’re also able to integrate other pieces of HubSpot wizardry into your Ads, such as the buyer personas or the inbound strategy discussed in our Inbound Marketing blog.

4. Strategy and SEO

Well say you’ve integrated Google Adwords, let’s start using HubSpot for content marketing and SEO keywords ranking purposes as well – and it’s absolutely amazing. This is simply because HubSpot is a marketing company at essence, let’s not forget about that.

Their content topic clusters are an absolute lifesaver. By visualising the content structure, making sure it is all linked, and using the HubSpot suggestions to ensure you create SEO suited content, you will succeed.

5. Email Marketing

Not only does HubSpot help you in creating and designing emails, it does a really good job at tracking and analysing emails.

It will tell you whether the email was read, skimmed or glanced at – based on how long the email was opened for. It will tell you when it was opened, which platform was used, which device, and all of this on top of the basic statistics such as delivery rate and bounce rate.

hubspot interface

6. S-marketing

Lastly, there’s Smarketing. S-marketing stands for the alignment of sales and marketing. Cringy, I know. But give it some thought, it makes sense right? Marketing and sales have always had this kind of ‘rivalry’, whether it was conscious or not.

This rivalry is not just bothersome to the people witnessing it, it can also damage business. In an optimal situation, marketing and sales work hand in hand.

It is the job of marketers to make sure the right product or service is at hand and is presented to the right people, in the right way. The sales department will then sell this product or service, and accompany the buyer through the journey of becoming a customer.

Now imagine having all relevant data on how the buyer was found, attracted, targeted, however you wish to call it. Having this data available to the sales department makes it so much easier for them to sell, as they are already aware of who they’re selling to, meaning they know how they should sell to them.

This also works in reverse, if marketing is presented with data from the sales department, it can spot gaps or peaks when it comes to buyer personas or target groups, it can find patterns within these segments and adjust its strategy.

HubSpot does this for you. It shows you the relevant data to a variety of situations and lets you control both marketing and sales processes at the same time through a variety of functionalities: lead intelligence tool, lead notifications, contact/lead updates, closed deals revenue chart, channel reports, and many more.

So get your marketing back on track, and get in touch with one of Digital8’s team members today!

Check out more about our inbound marketing service here.