#activate media

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Our design philosophy.

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Our first digital roundtable. A lively debate on understanding your digital customer and digital strategy. With guest speaker Robin Hamman presenting to our customers, friends, and colleagues. View more pics on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152050274336797.1073741829.348747491796&type=1

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Weekly Blog Roundup - Friday 9th August 2013

eCommerce Checkout Tricks: Ask for Less and They'll Buy More

http://blog.kissmetrics.com/1step-checkout-right-way/

This article takes a look at the checkout process for e-commerce shops and how simplifying the checkout process can create a more streamline purchase for the customer. This article looks at four ways in which to create a smoother check out process.

This first of these looks at web forms used by the customer to fill out delivery details. These are all the same and ask for the details in the same format that people use on envelopes, it's what people are familiar with so therefore reduces the chance of error. However, in a world where we can deduce information and categorize relationships into tables, there's a better way to format the fields. By moving the postcode box to the front of the form the information entered here can then be used to fill out other areas of that form automatically i.e country, county thus speeding up the checkout process.

The next way to speed up e commerce check out looks at credit card information. Lots of checkouts are still asking for the credit card type upfront along with the number, expiry date and CVV digits. As with the postcode lookup, credit card type can also be calculated by the card number itself. By asking this first the other relevant information can be filled in without user interaction.

The next area of the e commerce check out process that is analysed is in regards to returning customers. Determining whether a customer is a returning one or not is another scenario where algorithmic detection can help work this out. The user's email address can be looked up automatically in the e-commerce store's database to determine whether they are a returning customer or not.

The final area of the check out process which is looked at is in regards to shipping method. Though most stores are corrected this some still fail to select a default shipping method for there user. By selecting the most inexpensive option by default the checkout does the work of filling in yet another form for the user.

3 steps to consistent omni-channel branding

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/34615.asp

This article discusses consistent branding and how it is vital for brand marketers and their retails partners to achieve this in today's multichannel shopping environment. If marketed successfully a retailers product can become more ingrained in the consumers everyday life. If they fall short the consequences can be severe. This post provides three steps which should be taken to deliver a consistent and effective branding strategy in a multichannel environment. These are as follows.

Leverage a central product database

To streamline the accuracy, efficiency, and reliability of product content, brand marketers can leverage a central database for product information. By doing so this creates a one-stop-shop for product content, allowing marketers to save time in their daily tasks to ensure the information that they provide vendors and partners is consistent, accurate and drives efficiency.

Commit to constant updates

It's often said the only constant in life is change. This is especially true in the world of consumer products. Brand marketers should put in place a system that helps guarantee that product information is constantly updated to maintain the validity of data.

Streamline distribution channels

The final step in the path to a consistent multichannel branding strategy is to distribute that information to the right sources. With new channels for product information popping up each day, such as, websites, social media, blogs, and mobile apps, it's important to focus on reach and efficiency in your distribution strategy.

Amazon's mobile shopping basket and consistent multichannel strategy

http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/10803-amazon-s-mobile-shopping-basket-and-consistent-multichannel-strategy

This article looks at Amazon's multichannel shopping experience as an example of the seamless experience retailers should be providing their customers. Amazon have hit the nail on the head with the way that they synchronises a customers shopping basket across its desktop and mobile app. This makes perfect sense given the research that shows a majority of shoppers switching between channels when researching, comparing prices and purchasing products.

This is a great example of offering a consistent experience across multiple channels rather than viewing on a desktop and mobile as separate elements. This article then goes on to look at mobile apps for eight other retailers to see whether they offered the same function. …

Responsive Web Design and The Future of Websites

http://www.creativebeacon.com/responsive-web-design-and-the-future-of-websites/

This article looks at responsive web design and what this means for the future of websites. Responsive web design is best described as a flexible framework that enables a website to dynamically change the look and usability for the user dependant on which device they are viewing your site on. No matter what the size of the screen or type of browser used the layout of the page will always look and work effectively. This approach to design has been born out the number of different devices that can now be used to browse the web.

Responsive web design means that online companies do not need to develop their website for individual platforms. This will affect online marketing agencies in terms of changing/adding to the services they currently offer. Responsibly designed website will ensure that all web pages correspond with each other, and therefore there will be less web development due to less coding involved as 'one size will fit all'. The article then goes on to look further at the advantages of this approach to web design, how it will affect online marketing and the future of web design and development....

3 Online Shopping Needs This Holiday Season

http://www.business2community.com/digital-marketing/3-online-shopping-needs-this-holiday-season

This article looks at three online shopping needs consumers will be expecting from e-retailers that will ultimately lead them to purchase. These are as follows.

Avoid the store

Last year 51% of shopper planned to do their Christmas shopping from home. This was due to the fact that they felt they were getting a better deal online. In addition to this other reasons included saving money on petrol travelling to the shops and avoiding crowds of other shoppers.

Painless Navigation

Making a purchase online can be a frustrating experience particularly in regards to the checkout process. A smooth checkout process is essential in making a sale online. Not only this but a seamless experience across the whole website including site search and category or brand pages should be in place to ensure a purchase is complete.

Lend a Hand

Just as you would in store make sure you provide the shopper with the information they require in making a purchase. Make sure you provide gift guides and great SEO for shoppers and customized product recommendations in order to help them make a decision.

The Branding Perfection Myth

http://www.business2community.com/branding/the-branding-perfection-myth-0570725

Rather than looking at how to perfect your branding, this article provides a refreshing read by discussing how the idea of 'branding perfection' is an unattainable myth. Individuals and companies looking for perfection in their personal or corporate branding are chasing a myth. People see branding as an attempt to be flawless or perfect, when in reality we're all human which means we are flawed. Businesses being a group of human beings therefore means they too are not perfect. The real challenge in branding is managing others perception of you over the long term. This begins with identifying and setting a set of values of which you stand for. Next is about managing your reputation and message to reinforce those values. If you have a positive and powerful brand then the market will be quick to forgive and forgot should actions, words or decisions go against you. Instead of chasing the unattainable, strive to have a great brand and a defensive game plan in place should you slip up.

Web Design Trends for 2013

http://www.webstarttoday.com/blog/2013/06/27/web-design-trends-for-2013/

This article looks at six trends that are likely to shape the face of the internet and the way in which web design is approached.

The first of these looks at responsive web design and how designing a site that dynamically adapts to various display sizes is if not already essential in today's multichannel environment.

The next looks at minimalist design and it's continued rise in popularity. We can already see this trend in the form of 'authentic design' and this trend continues to prove popular among the design community, this is said to be influenced by the demand for responsive designs due to the rise in mobile devices being used to browse the web. This type of design makes it easy for the user to navigate and interact with the brand whilst also making the content the star of the show.

The next trend seen in web design this year is increased interactivity. With the rise in mobile device adoption users can now simply tap their screen, access a dedicated app and perform virtually any task. To compete with mobile and web apps web designers and developers are including additional features and interactivity in their site designs. From mobile HTML optimizations for maps or contact information to dynamic content, these features are likely to become a standard part of the web in 2013.

The concept of 'endless pages' is another trend to be seen this year. Tumblr and Pinterest are two examples where this can be seen already. This eliminates the need for the user to constantly click to navigate to the next page and load further content. Although this will not be a perfect fit for all sites, many web 2.0 designers and developers will likely be adding this trick to their arsenal in the coming year.

The next trend this article discusses is CSS3 and integrated media. HTML5 and CSS3 offer a wealth of media and user experience options for web designers without the need for embedding, plug-ins or additional resources. Since many of the elements are rendered with the page this creates smaller pages, faster load times, cleaner code and more efficient management of web design projects. 

The final trend this article discusses in regards to web design is the trend of UX over UI. Interfaces are becoming simpler, increasingly streamline and offering core features with little fluff. The emphasis for many websites now is user experience over user interface.

Free resources

Interested in getting free web design and branding resources?

- Get your free branding guide

- Contact us for a free digital review. You can also get an overview of what we do here

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Weekly Blog Roundup - Friday 2nd August 2013

The Impact of Simple Design

http://speckyboy.com/2013/07/24/simple-design/

This article takes a look at the simple design approach and why this approach is so successful. It does this by looking at examples of simply designed web and mobile apps and not so simply designed ones. The conclusion from this is that well designed web and mobile apps push their interface on the marketing front whereas others who do not place emphasis on design do not. At the end of the day simple design is so successful as it provides a clear path to the end goal for the user, whereas not so simply designed apps can cause confusion and very quickly lead to the user abandoning the process all together.

  Brand Awareness Helps Establish the Identity of a Business

http://www.business2community.com/infographics/brand-awareness-helps-establish-the-identity-of-a-business-0563712

This article focuses on brand awareness and how this is essential for a company's success. An infographic is used listing the top five most influential brands of 2013 and gives an overview of the overall concept of their marketing efforts. These top five companies were Apple, Google, IBM, McDonalds and Coca Cola.

  Mobile marketers must reach for the stars

http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/63065-mobile-marketers-must-reach-for-the-stars

This article focuses on mobile marketing and a new approach that is being taken within this area. This new approach to advertising on mobile devices gives the user the choice over whether and how they view an advert. Whereas traditional mobile advertising is very intrusive to the user and the content they are viewing this new approach eliminates this and the resentment for the brand that will naturally occur through such an overpowering approach.

The results for this approach are positive and research showed that 98% of users who viewed an advert in this way could recall the name of the brand advertised. Furthermore 23% were more likely to recall the brand message. The more marketers respect this desire to be in control of advert consumption the greater and more memorable the users experience of that brand will be.

  5 New Trends in Web Design Layouts

http://creativeoverflow.net/5-new-trends-in-web-design-layouts/

This article discusses 5 of the latest trends in web design layouts. This are as follow; minimalism, very detailed illustrations, typography, circles and photographs as backgrounds.

Minimalism

The impact of simple design is undeniable. Minimalistic sites do not date the way other sites do, they always look professional and the message of the website is the main focus without the viewer getting distracted by irrelevant material.

Very detailed illustrations

Not particularly a new trend but it's growing in significance. Many websites are turning to illustrations to create a mood that evokes nostalgia and a sense of well being. Often these illustrations are humorous with charming details. This makes the website feel friendly and accessible. This is trend that can clearly be seen in the new Activate Media website!

Typography

Again this is not something new and has been used for years to create a certain mood on a page. As the internet is still mostly a hub of text, giant text in a bold type will stand out, grabbing the attention of the user as something they should take notice of. In addition to this bold typography can have a big impact on the smallest of devices, something which is very important in today’s multichannel environment.

Circles

The use of circles is another trend that can be seen in web design today. Perhaps the reasoning for this is due to the rise in popularity of the accessing the web through mobile and tablet devices, the circle standing out as something the user can interact with i.e pressing it as a button. Put in even simpler terms circles stand out on a square laid out page with lines of text and rectangular images.

Photographs as backgrounds

Thanks to the speed at which images can be loaded on a web page these days, web designers are responding to this by making use of them as backgrounds. This creates an impact in several ways. When visiting a website a big image is attention grabbing and instantly gives the visitor an image to associate with the company. Selecting this image therefore is an important decision. The use of an image also creates a unique impression, which allows a company to establish itself almost immediately. Finally the use of a photograph as a background links the website to something real and tangible.

  How Global Brands Fail On Facebook

http://www.ukmarketingnetwork.co.uk/profiles/blogs/how-global-brands-fail-on-facebook

Rather than looking at big brands who are successful in their social media strategies, this article looks at some of the flaws that could damage a brand and some of the big brands that have made these flaws. According to Econsultancy Sony is one of these brands that should not take pride in its Facebook presence. Despite having almost 4 million fans on Facebook, providing a great opportunity to engage with thousands of users, Sony is completely wasting its time. The issue here is with the tone of voice and language used by the brand, something which I've looked at when researching branding consistency in the past. Although content is posted on a daily basis the quality of this content is poor. The company relies almost entirely on self-promotion, closely focused on its own products and the messages are rather dull and anything but creative. It's no surprise therefore that the engagement rates are significantly lower than other brands on the same level as Sony.

One final issue with Sony's presence on Facebook is that the images they post are poor quality, low resolution images, which for Sony who are supposedly selling high quality electronics is not an impression they should be giving.

  Design and Navigation – Key to Better Websites

http://thedigitalconnection.net/design-and-navigation-key-to-better-websites/

This article discusses web and how websites should be easy to look at and browse through, therefore it's essential to find a balance between the two elements of design and navigation. It begins by stating web design is like the design of a t-shirt, it is made for the sole purpose of wearing but people who purchase it can be swayed by the design of it. One person may find a certain design attractive whilst another person may not. In terms of web design, a website needs to be designed in such a way that appeals to the certain segment of society you want it to. You should be yourself in the shoes of your visitor to know whether or not the design of your website is effective or not.

Moving on to navigation, before you can manage your navigation you should first have a good idea of what the purpose of the website is. Your website and its navigation should reflect the main target your aiming for. Anything unnecessary or irrelevant to the purpose of your site should not be included, this will only ruin the navigational experience. By keeping things simple you'll end up with a site that’s message is not lost or confused by irrelevant material. The article then goes on to say that you should remove anything that does not have a purpose on your page as much as possible. This is a trend which can be seen at the moment in web design in the form of authentic design.

  Fat Fingers: A Look Into Responsive Navigation Trends

http://designwoop.com/2013/07/responsive-navigation-trends

This article focuses on responsive navigation which is a hugely important element in a multichannel environment. Without a responsive navigation system users often end up being taken to the wrong page due to the 'clumsy fat fingered iPhone stabbing' that a non-responsive navigation system causes. How this responsive navigation is designed depends on the size of the menu and the hierarchy of the different elements. The article then goes on to look at different ways responsive websites are presenting their menu structures.

The first of these is the 'condensed' navigation. This approach is more suited for smaller and simpler menus, only showing a few menu links.

The second responsive navigation site is the 'drop down toggle'. This is something which I have noticed Activate Media use on the new website when accessing it from my iPhone. This again is a style used to display simple but also more complex menu structures. This responsive navigation system is ideal for presenting a multi-level menu of smaller screens. In addition to this it also saves valuable screen space when the menu is not in use.

Free resources

Interested in getting free web design and branding resources?

- Get your free branding guide

- Contact us for a free digital review. You can also get an overview of what we do here

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Weekly Blog Roundup - Friday 26th July 2013

How to Build a Brand Bible & Visual Style Guide

http://designshack.net/articles/graphics/how-to-build-a-brand-bible-visual-style-guide/

The main focus of this article is how a company’s branding guidelines affect its design. These guidelines should establish a set of rules for creating a uniform and identifiable brand presence. These rules dictate everything brand related including the design of the logo, how it can be used, letterhead, the website design and personal communications.

This not only acts as a guide for employees on how to properly use and communicate the message of the brand but also serves as a guide for designers. For designers this will inform them of what typefaces they can use, styles, colour palettes, images, text, tone and the emotion that should be portrayed by the brand.

4 steps to improve your Customer Experience

http://www.smartinsights.com/user-experience/customer-experience-management-cxm/4-steps-to-improve-your-customer-experience/

This article was about the 4 steps that can be taken towards a better customer experience in multichannel commerce. In a nutshell these four steps were as follows

Plan for change. A successful project has frameworks and procedures in place to manage the key performance factors (scope, quality, time and cost) should there be changes in the project. The agile approach was also mentioned as a way of planning for change. Redefine the rules of engagement. It is becoming increasingly difficult for retailers to compete based on pricing architecture strategy as a result of ‘search’ behaviour. Retailers must now focus on their standard of service in order to differentiate from competitors. Brand personality is key. Apply the multichannel prism framework. In the search for consistent personality across channels multichannel brands are putting their values at the centre of everything. Questions like how the brand should ‘behave’ in terms of products, price, supply chain and services are defining the agile market leaders of today. The final step to be taken towards a better customer experience in a multichannel commerce is to move away from silos. Decide your business case and design the service.

Consistency: Online Branding Matters

http://vbbadirect.com/consistency-online-branding-matters/

This article focused on businesses online presence and how there should be continuity across all online platforms. The three areas this posts talks about is ensuring that branding appears uniform on each social networking site in terms of design. Where possible, keeping account names on these social networking sites the same allowing people to access them with ease. Finally this post summarises with making the point that to build a successful online brand campaign it take time or money.

The Negative Impact of Inconsistent Branding

http://socialmediatoday.com/ubersocialmedia/1574646/negative-impact-inconsistent-branding

This article focuses on the negative impact branding inconsistency can have on a business. If branding doesn’t appear consistently it makes it harder for people to verify the authenticity of the brand. A lack of consistency also appears careless and unprofessional creating a very negative perception of the brand from the consumer’s point of view.

The article then goes on to lists the positive impact consistency of a brand can have. These were as follows.

Helps differentiate the business, standing out in the customers mind

It gives the business personality and an identity

Effectively delivers and reinforces the businesses message

Creates a sense of trust in the brand from the customers point of view

Drives customer loyalty

Tabletop Matters Minute: Branding Consistency

http://www.tabletopjournal.com/2/post/2013/06/tabletop-matters-minute-branding-consistency.html

This short video drives the message of consistent branding and how this consistency creates a strong brand. This consistency should be present across all platforms including website, catalogues, business cards and even as far as the people you hire to work for the brand.

Focus on Brand Consistency to Improve Brand Recognition

http://www.business2community.com/branding/focus-on-brand-consistency-to-improve-brand-recognition-0542368

This article focuses on improving brand recognition through social media. It states that there are three key branding elements that should be focused on. These are as follows.

Voice and tone. The style in which a brand communicates with its customers can evoke emotion. Through doing this a strong relationship can be built between brand and customer. This voice and tone should be reflective of the target market and their culture. Logo. Again like the voice and tone a brand conveys itself in, visually the brand logo should be a visual representation of your brand. Colours. There is a lot of psychology behind colour and the chosen colours for your brand should speak to your audience, evoking moods and emotions.  

Business Branding: Why Consistency is Key

http://www.entrepreneurmomnow.com/calgary/2013/business-branding-why-consistency-is-key/

The message to be taken away from this article is that you should be consistent in everything you do because every action you make sends a message. The article goes on to make an example of how Hitler created a personal brand for himself through his actions and agendas. Looking at photographs of Hitler they convey him a way that made him look powerful and in control. Had a picture of Hitler snuggling puppies been publicised, this would be very inconsistent with his actions and agendas in turn would create confusion in his audience. This point just reiterates the fact that for a brand to be successful and get the recognition it needs for success, it can achieve this through consistently marketing itself.

Branding creates trust and consistency creates loyalty

http://ganaderiamexico.blogspot.mx/2012/08/branding-creates-trust-and-consistency.html

This article focuses on the economic crises retailers and growers are facing and how they can attract consumers back to the fresh produce section. The post highlights the issue of consumers seeing the potato as a simple process whereas growers see it as very complex. This is a consumer habit which needs to be broken. Rick Bourne (Category Director for Asda UK) believes this can be done through branding to establish trust and consistency in this branding to create loyalty with the consumers.

Make More Sales By Teaching Customers Brand Consistency

http://www.business2community.com/branding/make-more-sales-by-teaching-customers-brand-consistency-0416463

This article again drives the messages that brand consistency is key for success. It also explains how teaching brand consistency to clients can ultimately turn one job worth a couple of thousand pounds into multiple job would could be worth up to tens of thousands of pounds. This can be done as it is inarguable that brand consistency is ideal for companies that make it an easy sell for graphic designers.

8 Businesses That Nail Social Media Brand Consistency

http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/34231/8-Businesses-That-Nail-Social-Media-Brand-Consistency.aspx

This article provides an insight to 8 businesses that have hit the nail on the head when it comes to brand consistency across various social media networks. It mentions how the experience from one social network to another can feel ‘disjointed’ and how despite this how these 8 businesses have managed to create consistency.

The case studies look at Google, Target, Etsy, Coca Cola, Disney, Amazon, The New Yorker and SEOmoz. Their various social networking profiles are analyzed all with a similar conclusion. Although restricted to how personalised each account can be, they all still manage to maintain a consistency through the use of colour, fonts, icon styles and logos.

Brands face up to key mobile optimisation decisions

http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/62986-brands-face-up-to-key-mobile-optimisation-decisions

This article highlights the importance of having a mobile strategy in your brands business plan and the decision that needs to be made in terms of whether an app or mobile optimised site best serves your customers' requirements. It states that a successful mobile strategy should aim to eliminate the issues that cause customer struggles on mobile devices.

There are three key objectives brands need to work with in order to make the most of mobile. These are as follows.

1. Start with the consumer: get insight into your mobile consumers.

Mobile customer is still some what of a grey area. Research by IBM, Tealeaf and Econsultancy in 2012 found 41% of businesses rated their understanding of online customer experience as good while just 15% said the same of mobile user experience.

The resolution to this is that mobile use should be intent-based or task oriented. Essentially working out the path you want the customer to take and ensuring this is a clear and simple one.

2. Decide up front which works best for the customers, an app or mobile optimised site?

There is still uncertainty around this area, whichever approach businesses chose it must be the right fit for the target audience.

3. Optimise your mobile site presence: identify mobile adoption struggles.

Poor mobile site optimisation means cart abandonment rates are still high. Keep customers on the mobile site relies on stripping the complexity from the site and therefore making it mobile optimised.

Retailers Find Solace in Solid Brands

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/07/17/retailers-find-solace-in-solid-brands/

This article highlights the benefit of brand consistency and how even in today’s economic climate the businesses that are achieving this are still seeing an increase in sales. The consistency brands such as Gap and Costco are conveying is comforting to consumers amongst economic confusion, this shows branding has never been as valuable as it is at present.

What's the language of your brand ?

http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/trends/whats-the-language-of-your-brand/4007277.article

This article again is about being consistent across all channels but focuses on the 'tone of voice' and language used. For brands trying to reach out to new and existing customers, verbal and written language is becoming as important as visual identity in marketing communications. 02 describe the right tone of voice as a 'weapon' for brand building.

Five Ways Marketing Can Manage Its Digital Content Assets

http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2013/11206/five-ways-marketing-can-manage-its-digital-content-assets

This article provides 5 ways in which businesses can manage the various digital assets (image, audio, video, documents) they have in an effective manner. These are as follows.

Centralise your media library Doing this avoids any confusion that may be caused by having digital assets spread out across more than one location.

Get a handle on your re purposing processes. This point highlights the importance of being represented consistently across all platforms. In this example this is being made a point of in terms of print, web or video and how the size, colour and other relevant specifications should be as uniform as they can be.

Collaborate around your library. Having collaboration tools integrated with your system of managing assets ensures users don't struggle with new learning curves and eliminates danger of conflicting versions of assets.

Know the numbers Ensuring web traffic, ad conversions and view count figures are being tracked will allow a greater understanding of your digital assets and the effectiveness of you DAM system.

Get people excited Without taking this steps the efforts prior to this will have been for nothing! 

Free resources

Interested in getting free web design and branding resources?

- Get your free branding guide

- Contact us for a free digital review. You can also get an overview of what we do here