Join now

This article has previously appeared on the ADLIB Blog.

Here’s our conversation with Samantha Merrett, Senior Accessibility Specialist at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

She shares her journey into accessibility, the role inclusion plays in her work, and how small design changes can make a big impact. Samantha also offers practical advice for designers looking to create more accessible experiences and highlights key resources to stay ahead in inclusive design.

Can you please introduce yourself, what you do and tell us about your experience?

Hi there, my name is Samantha Merrett, and I am a Senior Accessibility Specialist working at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). I have been at the MoJ for nearly a year now and I have worked in the Civil Service for more than 8 years.

Before joining the team at the MoJ, I was Accessibility Lead at the Food Standards Agency and GOV.UK Managing Editor at the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Whilst working at the MoD, I managed a small team of editors editing and publishing content on GOV.UK. The introduction of the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations (PSBAR) in 2018 required us to upskill quickly to understand how to ensure our content was accessible.

However, there was one specific moment that made me realise that accessibility was the career for me! I spent time working on the Armed Forces Pension forms to try and make them more user-friendly and accessible. We ran focus groups with users to understand the problem areas and then worked to fix the issues. We then presented the improved forms back to the focus group and the attendees was so thankful that they could now independently claim for their pension.

It was that moment for me that made me realise how important accessibility is. I might have only helped one person in that room but that was enough for me! What we do matters and it can have a profound impact on the users that we serve.

How important is accessibility and inclusion to your work?

For me accessibility and inclusion go hand in hand, if we make things more accessible, they should be more inclusive for all. In my current role, we encourage all colleagues to consider accessibility from the start, whether you work in design creating digital products or write emails and documents, accessibility should be front and centre.

Adding accessibility in at the beginning makes it much easier to ensure the final product or design is accessible. Addressing accessibility early in the design process is more cost-effective than retrofitting a product later.

Designing for accessibility can lead to innovative solutions that benefit all users. For example, adding captions to videos benefits not only those with hearing impairments but also for users in noisy environments.

Fundamentally, accessible design can enhance usability for everyone not just those with disabilities. This promotes equal access and prevents exclusion.

How are you promoting inclusive design through your work and what are some of the challenges you’ve faced?

Promoting inclusive design is a core aspect of my work. I strive to ensure that the information and tools I provide are accessible to everyone. This involves using clear and concise language, offering alternative text for images and ensuring all interactive elements are keyboard accessible. I also never stop learning; I continuously keep up to date with standards and best practices to provide the most relevant and effective support to my colleagues.

One of the main challenges I face is designing visually engaging content whilst making it accessible. I like to ensure that complex topics are explained in an understandable way. Infographics and visuals are often avoided when it comes to accessibility, but this overlooks the benefit they can provide for those who are visual learners or neurodivergent. If graphics are designed using the appropriate colour contrast, accessible font types and use clear and consistent layouts they should be accessible to users. Of course, to make the content accessible you must also provide an appropriate, equivalent text version of the content so users can read through the text if they prefer.

What are 2 tips you’d share to other designers trying to design in a more accessible way?

First, you need to understand your users. Take the time to learn about the different ways people with disabilities interact with digital products. This might include using screen readers, keyboard navigation or using voice commands. Talk to people with access needs about their experiences, specifically in the area that you are working in. It is important to truly understand your users and acknowledge that not everyone’s experience is the same. We are all individuals with our own needs and preferences, and we all deserve to have these needs considered.

Never stop learning and make sure you invest time and energy into your own self-development. Continuous learning helps you to stay up to date with the latest news, technologies and best practices making them more effective in your role. Accessibility is an ever-evolving topic, and it can sometimes feel difficult to keep on top of all the latest trends. If you can prioritise your own development, you not only advance your career but also help to contribute to the overall success and adaptability of your team and organisation.

What are some of the resources you’ve found helpful to develop your understanding of accessibility and inclusion when it comes to your design work?

There are so many amazing resources that I could share but these are a couple that I refer to time and time again.

Accessible Design Resources
Following the insightful recommendations from our Design For All participants, we’ve curated an extensive collection of tools, guides, articles, books, blogs, and videos. This resource is specifically designed to support accessibility and inclusion specialists at every stage of their journey.

View Accessible Design Resources

This article has previously appeared on the ADLIB Blog.

As part of the ‘Women in Design’ blog, we spoke with Kirsty Grafton, founder of Graft Creative.

Kirsty discusses balancing family life with running her own business, her passion for meaningful design, and the challenges she’s overcome as a female designer.

Could you please introduce yourself as well as your Background?

I’m Kirsty Grafton, I’ve been working for myself as Graft Creative for the last three years. Before working for myself, I worked at design agencies around Sheffield and Leeds for a decade, and also as an in-house designer for a university for a couple of years.

I initially wanted a career in design because it seemed like a perfect balance of creativity and logic. At school, my favourite subjects were always maths and art – it might seem like an unlikely combination, but I love how design uses creativity to solve problems and create clarity.

I’m a married mum of one, enjoying the challenge of balancing family life with running my business, as well as fitting in as much travel and socialising as possible!

Since going freelance a few years ago I have gradually specialised more and more in working for the charity sector. Typically, I work with medium-sized charities that have limited design capacity in-house. Particularly, I love working collaboratively on their campaign designs, brand development, and bringing to life often quite hefty documents like impact reports. I love working with organisations with heart, making positive change in the world.

In your opinion, what unique perspectives or contributions do you think women bring to the design industry?

I think every woman is a unique being and brings her own experience and knowledge to the table. Some of the most inspiring women I’ve worked with have the attitude of getting cracking with work, being proactive and always pushing things forward. I also really respect any person who is straight-talking but without an ounce of ego or bravado. Someone who can empathise with everyone’s perspective, acting as a true team player by giving everyone in the room a platform to speak.

What is the 1 thing that you’d like to pass on to your peers as well as the future generation of talent within your sector?

Your style, preferences and opinions are as valid as anyone else’s. Just because your designs don’t fit into the ‘cool’ box, aren’t the latest ‘trend’, or look a certain way, doesn’t mean they should be discounted. It’s important to stay inspired by external influences, but also to be true to yourself. Keep pushing what you’re doing and trust your gut and opinions.

Have you encountered any specific challenges as a female designer, and how did you overcome them?

I found the transition to being a parent in the design industry a particular challenge. I really loved my previous agency role, particularly how sociable it was, but I just couldn’t see how the two worlds of parenting and agency life could comfortably co-exist.

Agency life often means being very responsive to clients’ needs, meaning that work can often land at the last minute, or jobs can take longer than planned. At the agency, my role was full-time – and I was concerned that if I returned part-time to the agency then I might miss out on the meatier projects because of being less responsive. I wanted to ensure I still got to work on creative, rewarding jobs, but respecting my boundaries and parenting balance.

Unfortunately, agencies were not designed to work alongside flexible working when I needed it, and I hope that this is now starting to change with the flexible working bill coming into place.

I would say to anyone in a similar position – remember that you don’t have to stick with the same setup forever. You can go back to work part-time, and then increase your days as your children grow or your situation develops. Don’t worry that your work-life decisions will define you forever. In reality, the period of having a young child or children is relatively short compared to your long working life.

However! Having said that… I think stepping out on my own was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I am naturally risk-averse so wouldn’t have made that step unless circumstances forced my hand, but I love the feeling of working with the clients I want to, planning my own time, and being in control of my own business and output.

What is your take on the importance of role models?

I’m sure the quote ‘If you can’t see it, you can’t be it’ has been brought up in this series before?! I think having women at all levels in the design industry is important for the next generation of designers to feel it is the right industry for them and that they can make valuable and meaningful contributions.

It’s a shame that over my experience in the design industry, I’ve not worked directly with many women who’ve progressed past management to leadership positions.

Personally, I don’t envision management as being part of my future, but I still think I would have benefitted from being around more women at the entry-level of my career. Agencies would benefit from having more women steering the ship, signalling to young women who are just starting out in the design industry that they will be taken seriously and can aspire to the senior levels in the future.

Sign up to the Women in Design newsletter

If you’re inspired by the stories and wisdom shared in our ‘Women In Design’ series and would like to contribute your own experiences, we’d love to hear from you. Creatives at all levels, please email us and your story could be the next we feature.

The West of England is one of the government’s 11 priority areas for the creative industries, culture secretary Lisa Nandy announced today.

The other areas, unveiled during an economic growth summit in Gateshead, are the North East, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, Greater London, South Wales, Glasgow, Edinburgh-Dundee corridor, and Belfast. 

The West of England is also one of six mayoral combined authorities that will receive additional funding, to be agreed as part of the government’s spending review. The others are the North East, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, and West Midlands.

Extra £40m for creative industries funding schemes

The government also announced £40m in funding over the next financial year for the following creative industries funding schemes:

Funding for cultural projects 

Another announcement is that four cultural projects, including one in the West of England, have received £16.2m from the Cultural Development Fund.

The Tropicana in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset has been awarded £2.7m to complete the final development phase of the Grade II listed seafront complex into a flagship cultural centre.

Councillor Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council’s executive member for culture and leisure, said: 

“The much-loved Tropicana is a key destination at the heart of Weston-super-Mare’s seafront. I’m delighted that our bid for £2.7m from Arts Council England’s Cultural Development Fund has been approved by the UK government.

“This now enables us to carry out additional work to the building including finishing, fit out and providing increased accessibility so that more people can enjoy cultural activities and entertainment there. Reinventing this iconic landmark building will create new jobs, support local businesses, and deliver a year-round experience-led economy for the future.”

The other priojects that have received funding are:

Funding from the Creative Growth Programme

A total of £3.6m in grants from the Creative Growth Programme has been provided to 127 creative businesses in 12 regions across England.

Recipients include these local businesses:

Creative sector plan, British Business Bank funding and apprenticeships

As announced in the industrial strategy green paper, the government is working on a full plan for the creative industries which will be published later this year. It will cover areas including funding and skills.

Feeding into the sector plan is the recently announced Creative Industries Taskforce, led by Baroness Shriti Vadera and Sir Peter Bazalgette. Sir Peter, the former chairman of Endemol UK and creative director of Endemol Group Worldwide, was last year appointed as chancellor of UWE Bristol. Read our interview with him here. In that interview, he said:

“Private investment is currently not good enough. The British Business Bank, which encourages investment in small and medium sized enterprises, is not really attuned to the way the creative industries run, the way small creative businesses work, and the criteria by which they have to be judged and invested in. We need to make progress on public and private investment.

“We also need to make progress on research and development tax credit definitions. The UK has a narrow definition of R&D, which is different to the one in other countries in Europe which includes the creative industries so creative businesses can claim tax credits for the innovation that they carry out.

“We need a more flexible apprenticeship scheme because small companies find it difficult to use the apprenticeship levy.”

Another member of the taskforce is Lynn Barlow, UWE Bristol’s assistant vice-chancellor for creative and cultural industries engagement.

In announcements ahead of the sector plan, the government says the British Business Bank, which supports £17.4bn of finance to smaller businesses, will increase its support for creative companies, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which has an annual budget of £9bn, will strengthen its support for the creative industries.

The culture secretary will also announce that shorter apprenticeships will be be available from August 2025, which the government says “recognises the particular needs of the creative industries, as one of our first steps towards a more flexible growth and skills levy”. 

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said:

“From film and fashion to music and advertising, our creative industries are truly world-class and play a critical role in helping us deliver on this government’s mission to drive economic growth in all parts of the UK.

“Our £60m funding boost will support creative and cultural organisations across the UK to turbocharge growth by transforming local venues, creating jobs, supporting businesses and spreading opportunity across the country.

“But this is by no means the limit of our ambitions, which is why the creative industries are at the heart of the forthcoming industrial strategy and will continue to play a key part in this government’s plan for change.”

If you’re in Year 11, have a creative passion and you’re thinking about what comes after your GCSEs, come and see us at our Open Day on 25th January.

At Access Creative College (ACC) Bristol of Broadmead, we offer courses in music, media, games, esports, and computing. Our industry expert tutors teach from a bespoke, creatively designed campus tailored to  maximise your learning experience so you leave us set for success.

Our campus is fully kitted out with all the tech you need to kickstart your career, including the below, plus much more!

When you study at ACC, you join both a local and national collaborative community of passionate, like-minded creatives with a shared goal – to build a successful career and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Over the last 30 years, some of the creative industry’s biggest names have passed through our doors and gone on to shine in their respective fields including Ed Sheeran, Rita Ora, Jess Glynne and more. Will you be next?

Throughout the year, we run two different types of events – Taster Days and Open Days. Our  next event in Bristol is an Open Day, giving you the chance to experience first-hand what it’s like to study with us.

On the day, you’ll get the chance to tour the campus, try out our tech, learn more about us and our courses, meet staff and student ambassadors and get a chance to ask any questions you may have.

Find out where your creative talent could take you. Book your place at accesscreative.ac.uk/eventsnow.

Nine Tree Studios, Bristol’s biggest independent studio, has launched a WhatsApp Community to give back to local filmmakers, photographers, creatives, and production companies.

Primarily it’s a free loyalty programme offering studio discounts and freebies, including:

There’s also groups for advice and jobs, and private channels for production companies and studios to collaborate and share advice.

“We’ve always wanted our space to be able to support Bristol’s creative community” said Russell Jones, Co-Founder of Nine Tree Studios.

“Nowadays email newsletters feel old and clunky and aren’t really suited to what we wanted, like offering free studio hire to those who need it, and promoting and discussing events.”

“By virtue of having members we also hope it’ll be a space for freelancers, screen professionals, studios and production companies to share advice, post jobs, collaborate, and generally chit-chat.”

You can join the community at  https://chat.whatsapp.com/D64qZ5CmnxCASYEevxDFEV and visit https://www.ninetreestudios.co.uk/community for more information and terms.

***

Nine Tree Studios is Bristol’s largest independent studio.

Suitable for set builds, commercial productions, photography and HETV, the space features two main studios – a 4,640sq ft soundstage and a 567sq ft infinity cove – plus a podcast suite, green rooms, production offices and a 9,000sq ft backlot.

For more information visit www.ninetreestudios.co.uk or email [email protected].

Most businesses now know about the power of content. But not all content is made equal.

Different types of content serve different purposes and audiences. So content, for content’s sake is not the best way to run your content marketing strategy.

What type of content marketing should you be creating? Which formats will work best for your audiences? Where should you be activating it for maximum effect?

These are all valid and common questions when approaching a content marketing strategy… and it all starts with understanding your audience.

Understanding Your Business and Audience

Knowing your audience is crucial to building out a strong and effective content strategy.

You need to know a couple of things before you start producing any content.

Firstly, you need to have a very clear understanding of your audience’s habits, behaviours and browsing patterns. What are the things they like? What don’t they like? What are their preferred channels?

There’s no benefit in creating a series of long-form blogs and whitepapers, when you’re audience prefers video content. There’s also little benefit if ploughing resources into channels and outlets that your audience simply does not exist in.

Understanding your business in relation to your audience is also very important.

You need to identify the needs of your audience; their pain points and what motivates them to take action. Then you have to overlay this understanding with content ideas on how you can answer those questions and fix their problems.

When you clearly understand these things, you’re on the first step to developing a content strategy.

Next, you need to understand the buying journey.

How The Buyer Journey Impacts Content Marketing Efforts

Principles such as the 95 – 5 rule outline that only 5% of your audience is ready to purchase at any given time. 95-5 states, that because of this, you should not spend all of your time and efforts trying to convert that 5%. Rather, you should spend it engaging with the other 95.

Now the buyer journey does vary from business to business. For some, it can be days, for others, years.

So what this means, in real terms. Is reducing the amount of hard sales content marketing you produce, in favour of more content that builds relationships, and loyalty and fosters engagement.

Producing high-quality content is great. But if all that content does is try to land a sale, your audiences are going to become very fatigued, very quickly.

What Makes YOU, different?

Finally, you need to understand and clearly establish your unique value proposition (UVP).

What sets you apart from your competitors? What makes your products or services unique?

By understanding your UVP, you can create content that showcases your unique strengths and differentiates your business from others.

This is what’s going to make you stand out!

 

Shaping Your Content Marketing Strategy

With an understanding of your audience’s interests and your own UVP, it’s time to start thinking about what content you can make,

A well-planned strategy will help you create content that resonates with your audience, aligns with your business goals, and sets you apart from your competitors.

Content creation is an extremely helpful way to drive prospects through the buying process, but also an incredible way to build brand loyalty. Rather than think about the quick wins, you should be thinking more in the long term.

Think about ways you can engage, entertain, delight and educate your audiences, rather than just trying to make a sale.

It’s not about conversions… it’s about conversations.

What content should you be making?

So, the Million Dollar Question… what kind of content should you be making?

Well the answer to that question, should become apparent once you’ve done all the appropriate strategic research and planning.

Depending on the content format and type you choose, you can appeal to buyers at different stages of their journey. From awareness and consideration, through to the final decision, different content types can have varying effects.

The awareness stage

At the awareness stage, potential customers realise that they have an issue that needs a solution.

They won’t be looking for answers at this stage but will turn to search engines and social channels to contextualise their problem.

The best type of content that would help generate leads at this stage is top-level informative and relevant content that will explain their problem, concern or situation. It won’t seek to offer immediate answers and solutions or try to push the issue.

It’s about educating and informing… and you can do this in a number of ways.

Blog posts

A blog post or article falls under the category of awareness stage content. Writing blog posts allows a marketing team to target a specific pain point or problem that your audience is experiencing. You may also use search engine optimisation to target keywords that match the search turn. This will assist you in creating valuable content that search engine users may find, in turn potentially generating leads.

White papers

White papers are a form of long-form material, similar to blog posts. However, they differ from blogs in that they provide a comprehensive answer to a specific issue. They can be used to inform, clarify and educate prospects during the awareness stage. They are especially helpful for B2B companies because they cover specific issues related to the industry.

Video Content 

For the awareness phase of the buyer’s journey, the following types of video content work best:

  1. Brand films: These videos share your company’s values, mission and brand story to introduce yourself to potential customers.
  2. Explainer videos or animations: These introduce your product or service by focusing on the audience’s pain points
  3. FAQ videos: Short videos that answer common questions to educate searchers about their problems and potential solutions
  4. Ads: Short, attention-grabbing videos that grab the viewer’s attention and send them to your website for more info

Keep these videos short, educating and engaging not hard selling. The goal is to present your best content, as the solution to the viewer’s problem and make them aware of your brand.

The consideration stage

This stage of the buying process is when your customer starts to think about which service or product to solve their issue.

With extensive research and careful consideration of all available options, it is regarded as the lengthiest phase of the buying process. During this phase, your content marketing strategy should include quality content that is as informative as possible, but content that also flexes your knowledge and expertise around the question at hand.

Social media

Social media can help reveal more about your product and brand.

It can also be the place where your audience can discover more about your brand’s reputation. Social media has an impact on consumers at the awareness stage, but it can also move people from the awareness stage to the consideration stage.

Successful social media marketing, for instance, can show competitive value, increase brand awareness and facilitate decision-making.

Video content

For the consideration phase of the buyer’s journey, consider the following types of video content.

  1. Explainer videos: tell your product or service story, and how it solves the customer’s problem.
  2. Demo videos: give customers a full view of how your product works, so they know what to expect.
  3. Webinars: give customers in-depth information and engage with them live.
  4. Comparison videos: compare your product or service to others, and show off your unique selling points.
  5. Brand videos: show off your company’s values, culture and expertise to build trust and authority.

These videos should educate the audience about your solution, address their specific problems and differentiate your offering from competitors. The goal is to build trust, give detailed information and convince customers your product or service is the solution to their problem.

Email marketing

Email can be utilised at any point during the buying process, but it’s most effective during the consideration stage.

Your customer might not be prepared to make a purchase at this time. But any queries they might have can be addressed in your emails. Email also allows you to learn more about your audience. Click-through-rates, web traffic, bounce data, email opens and behaviours on your site can provide valuable insights.

To move buyers through the process, you can start introducing your product or service in more detail.

Decision time

This is the most valuable stage of the consumer buying process.

It’s where the buyer will evaluate all of their options and decide on the right provider for a solution. At this stage, your buyer knows about your brand through reading your social media network, digital content and high-quality blog posts, and now intends to make a purchase.

Here’s how you can make a difference at this stage

Free trial

Offering a trial is the best method to address any last-minute queries your customer may have about your service. It’s like how car dealerships give test drives. Many software companies free trials to potential customers to give potential customers increase their customer base and widen their market appeal.

Coupon or voucher

Because it appeals to your customer’s fear of missing out, a coupon or voucher is an excellent marketing strategy for the decision stage. Your customer is already fully informed about your company or product at this point in the process. They are now seeking an excuse to make a purchase. At this point, a short-term offer or deal can frequently earn their business.

Case study

A case study can be used in both the consideration and decision-making stages of the buyer’s journey. They’re essentially a kind of research report that focuses on how your solution helped business at another company. They’re excellent for demonstrating how and why your good or service is superior to those of your rivals. By analyzing these case studies, businesses can identify gaps and areas of improvement which can then be utilized to enhance their own strategy.

Video Content

For the decision stage of the buyer’s journey, the following types of video content work best:

  1. Video testimonials: real testimonials from happy customers build trust and credibility and get the potential buyer to take action
  2. FAQ videos: Answer any last questions or concerns customers may have before they buy
  3. Product videos: show off your product’s features and benefits, so customers know why it’s the be
  4. Comparison videos: Show a side-by-side comparison of your product or service vs competitors and your advantages

These should be high quality, short and focused on getting the prospect to buy your product or service. Get them to take action.

 

Timing is key

Creating content is always designed for the personality and interests of your target audience segments.

But always remember the 95-5 rule, not everyone is ready to buy from you right away. Warm up your audiences and work hard to endear them to your brand during this incubation period.

Wherever you post your content, be it on YouTube, LinkedIn or Facebook use proprietary analytics to monitor the reception of your content. Different channels often have different windows of opportunity for the most effective posting.

Test and learn with this, mix up your posting schedule and try to learn what times work best for you and your audiences.

 

The Prominence of Video

Now, you’ll likely have noticed the repeat mentions of various types of video content throughout the buyer journey.

Video is more than just a useful tool for conveying information. Video is one of the best ways to tell a story It also has the highest interest level out of any other content form. Making it one of the most valuable and effective parts of your content marketing efforts.

Video content is incredibly versatile and offers a wide variety of creative opportunities for video marketers. A YouTube video, for example, can educate customers on how to use a product, while also entertaining and engaging.

But, there can often be some confusion and concern about producing content like this. You want to be producing quality content. But a lot of people correlate quality content, with extremely high production value and an associated high cost. That’s not always the case.

For example, TikTok can be a very effective source of video content throughout the buyer journey. But TikTok videos don’t need massive production value… if anything, lower production value content works far better here, than something slick and shiny!

YouTube, is becoming increasingly important and quality is important here. It has to look great and something people always overlook, it has to sound great too!

If you’re committed to making video content, know also that sweating the assets is a good thing. Just because you’re making a YouTube video, doesn’t mean it should just be a YouTube video. Consider how you can slice and dice your assets to be used on different channels.

The greater your format variety, the greater your chance of cutting through.

Measuring and Improving Performance

Measuring and improving performance is critical for content marketing success. By tracking your performance, you can identify what’s working and what’s not, and make data-driven decisions to improve your strategy.

To measure performance, you need to track key metrics, such as:

By tracking these metrics, you can identify areas for improvement and make adjustments to your strategy.

To improve performance, you need to analyze your data and identify opportunities for growth. This may involve:

By continuously measuring and improving performance, you can optimise your website content creation and activation, ultimately driving better results.

In summary

Content marketing isn’t about creating content for content’s sake – it’s about strategic storytelling that resonates with your audience. The key is knowing your unique value proposition and your audience’s journey, and focusing on the 95% who aren’t immediately ready to buy.

In the vast world of content creation, video content is king, it’s versatile and highly engaging across all stages. Remember, it’s about conversations not just conversions.

The ultimate goal? Content that educates, entertains and connects with your audience!

One of the big benefits of Bristol Creative Industries membership is the ability to self-publish content on our website. We’ve seen lots of great content published in 2024 including some brilliant business advice.

Here are the 30 most popular advice posts of the year. The list includes some posts from 2022 and 2023 that have continued to attract views thanks to their great tips.

Want to publish business advice on our website and make it into the top 30 most popular content in 2025? Become a member of Bristol Creative Industries.

—-

1. Current landscape for freelancers

Written by Moxie and Mettle

Click below or read the article here.

Current Landscape for Freelancers

 

2. Mastering the art of pop-up experiences: A guide for experiential designers

Written by Imagineerium

Click below or read the article here.

Mastering the Art of Pop-Up Experiences: A Guide for Experiential Designers

 

3. Six brand strategy models for focus and structure

Written by Halo

Click below or read the article here.

6 Brand Strategy Models For Focus And Structure

 

4. How does Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) work?

Written by Varn

Click below or read the article here.

How does Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) work?

 

5. How to measure SEO success: 7 key metrics

Written by Varn

Click below or read the article here.

How to Measure SEO Success: 7 Key Metrics

 

6. Transferable skills in the creative sector

Written by Moxie and Mettle

Click below or read the article here.

Transferable skills in the creative sector

 

7. The top transferable skills in TV production

Posted by Carnsight Communications

Click below or read the article here.

The top transferable skills in TV production

8. Here are 7 steps to PR yourself

Written by Carnsight Communications

Click below or read the article here.

Here are 7 steps to PR yourself

9. Podcast vs broadcast: Spot the difference

Written by David Sheppard

Click below or read the article here.

Podcast vs Broadcast: Spot The Difference

 

10. PR touchpoints: what are they and why are they important?

Written by Carnsight Communications

Click below or read the article here.

PR touchpoints: what are they and why are they important?

 

11. Exploring experiential design trends shaping 2024

Written by Imagineerium

Click below or read the article here.

Exploring Experiential Design Trends Shaping 2024

 

12. Shopify for SEO: Top 10 benefits and three mistakes to avoid

Written by Varn

Click below or read the article here.

Shopify For SEO: Top 10 Benefits & 3 Mistakes to Avoid

 

13. What is greywashing and why is it important?

Written by OggaDoon

Click below or read the article here.

What is Greywashing and why is it important?

 

14. The challenges of crafting a brand story and how to overcome them

Written by Bopgun

Click below or read the article here.

The challenges of crafting a brand story & how to overcome them

 

15. Leveraging machine learning algorithms in a cookieless future

Written by Superb Digital

Click below or read the article here.

Leveraging Machine Learning Algorithms in a Cookieless Future

 

16. How organisations can build higher levels of trust

Written by Rich Roberts

Click below or read the article here.

How organisations can build higher levels of trust

 

17. Apprenticeships? It’s time to bust some myths

Written by Vid Communications

Click below or read the article here.

Apprenticeships? It’s time to bust some myths…

 

18. 5 ways AI can enhance creativity and engagement in experiential design

Written by Imagineerium

Click below or read the article here.

5 Ways AI can enhance creativity and engagement in experiential design

 

19. Apprenticeship: Finding your next star

Written by Vid Communications

Click below or read the article here.

Apprenticeship – Finding Your Next Star

 

20. A creative freelancer’s guide to a mid-year review

Written by Gather Round

Click below or read the article here.

A Creative Freelancer’s Guide to a Mid-Year Review

 

21. Why TikTok has to be part of your content strategy

Written by Ambitious

Click below or read the article here.

Why TikTok has to be part of your content strategy

 

22. Greenwashing: Walking the line between authenticity and deception

Written by OggaDoon

Click below or read the article here.

Greenwashing – Walking the Line Between Authenticity and Deception

 

23. SEO for beginners: Unravelling the mysteries of SEO for up-and-coming businesses

Written by BrisTechTonic

Click below or read the article here.

SEO for Beginners: Unravelling the Mysteries of SEO+ for Up-and-Coming Businesses

 

24. A comprehensive guide to outbound links for SEO

Written by BrisTechTonic

Click below or read the article here.

A Comprehensive Guide to Outbound Links for SEO

 

25. How to position yourself as an expert in your field

Written by Blog Write

Click below or read the article here.

How to position yourself as an expert in your field

 

26. DEI – a quick-sprint guide to inclusive brand language

Written by SIM7

Click below or read the article here.

DEI – a quick-sprint guide to inclusive brand language

 

27. Spring cleaning 101: how to organise your email inbox

Written by Carnsight Communications 

Click below or read the article here.

Spring cleaning 101: how to organise your email inbox

28. How to write copy in the right tone of voice for your brand

Written by Blog Write

Click below or read the article here.

How to write copy in the right tone of voice for your brand

 

29. To B or not to B? Our journey to B Corp certification

Written by The Discourse

Click below or read the article here.

To B or not to B? Our journey to B Corp certification

 

30. The ultimate guide to TV advertising costs

Written by South West Film

Click below or read the article here.

The Ultimate Guide to TV Advertising Costs

 

Want to publish business advice on our website and make it into the top 30 in 2025? Become a member of Bristol Creative Industries.

Let’s be honest, the answer to that question depends entirely on who you ask… and when you asked it.

If you’d asked that question before May 2024, you’d have gotten an answer about domain authority, keywords of all shapes and sizes and various other technical seo aspects.

After this, things got a little hazy. As you may remember, Google suffered quite a large leak of indexing data and ranking factors. There were a lot of things in there, that gave people pause for thought… and more. The big thing was E-E-A-T.

Now we’ve covered E-E-A-T, what it is and what it does extensively, so you can find out more about it here;  but essentially, E-E-A-T is a trust and authority ranking from Google’s Search Quality Raters.

Now Google had been telling people for a long time that E-E-A-T was not a direct ranking factor. The information within these leaks, was quite the opposite.

E-E-A-T was far more important than people realised.

E-E-A-T Vs Ranking Factors

Before this leak many experts had extolled the value of E-E-A-T and how it can be used to build a brand – personally and professionally.

In the financial sectors, where practices and information are highly regulated, E-E-A-T is far more prolific. To the point where, we are seeing organisations with far inferior technical SEO, outperforming their competition in the SERP.

Case and point, when running the search ‘who can I go to for financial advice.’ At the time of writing, the two top-of-the-fold results, are Citizens Advice and MoneyHelper… and the latter is particularly interesting.

Digging just a little deeper into MoneyHelper, it soon becomes apparent that its ‘ranking factors’ are beyond inferior, bordering on non-existent. So why is it so high?

The answer to the question lies in the foundations of MoneyHelper itself.

It is a free-to-use resource, created by the Money and Pensions Service. A statutory organisation formed to develop and coordinate a national strategy to improve people’s financial capabilities.

This statutory obligation makes it a fundementally more trustworthy resource, in the eyes of Google.

It outranks Natwest, Which.com, any and every investment business going… and it does this because the basis of its ‘brand’ is that strong.

A societal shift in the flow of information

In recent years, our online spaces have become awash with misinformation and more sinister disinformation.

By rating the quality of the source, Google essentially inhibits the flow of what it deems to be not relevant, helpful or harmful information. Creative something not dissimilar from a backstop.

A growing distrust amongst the general public, for online information is a big factor here.

It could be a news outlet, a social media channel, or an everyday business. There is a growing level of scepticism towards what people see online. Also, it’s well known that the younger generations are far more discerning when it comes to the brands and businesses they associate with.

The knock-on effect means that people have their tribes. They know the things they like, they know the things they don’t.

Their affiliations are built more on trust, than ever before.

So, to combat this, businesses need to see their online presence not as one-dimensional. But as a multi-transactional opportunity.

Trust is (and will always be) everything

Experience, Expertise, Authority & Trust…. we’re back at E-E-A-T again.

But only briefly, and just to talk about one of those four letters.

Trust.

You can hire experience. You can train and develop expertise. Which, logically, ultimately builds authority. The more experience and expertise you have on a subject, the more authority you have on that subject. Because you have all the experts!

But trust… that’s different.

You can’t hire it, you can’t coach it…. you can only earn it. Trust and brand go hand in hand.

Ultimately, trust is built through authenticity. If your content and your communications are inauthentic, disingenuous, or outright false. Then it’s way more likely you’ll alienate your audience over time.

The knock-on effect here could be negative reviews & hostile responses, creators putting out content against your business and online community abandonment.

In turn, this translates into fewer branded searches, a damaged reputation and the loss of an existing and prospective customer base.

Whether you’re looking for a local plumber, trying to hire a lawyer or buying a pair of Air Jordans. Everyone wants the same thing.

A fair price from someone they can trust.  Trust is everything!

It’s not a perfect science!

In the case of financial information, this is a clear-cut. Businesses are bound by organisations like the FSA. Therefore the information they put out, has to follow a certain set of protocols.

But there are still some areas where it’s a little murky… and consumers can get stung by ‘false brands’

The world of ticketing is where this happens quite a lot.

There are businesses out there which use black hat SEO strategies and sponsored SERP placements to game their way to the top of the search engines. So that when you search for tickets to your favourite act, they appear top…

And because consumers have been conditioned to search engines top of the fold functionality, the automatic assumption is, that if it’s top of the search, then it’s the right thing.

Because of this people have been extorted by online touts. Only to have their show tickets turn up at their door, under a different name, and printed with a face value cost that is far, far less than what they paid.

So it’s not fully perfect science. There are those out there, manipulating a false brand. But as Google’s updates broaden and deepen, we’d hope these kinds of tactics become harder to achieve.

Dovetailing brand into SEO Strategy

SEO strategy shouldn’t be just about long tail keywords and clusters.

Technical SEO is important, but so is building out content threads that show your quality and authenticity.

This can be achieved by creating valuable and trustworthy content that mirrors your values and your mission. Have the right people, speaking – or writing – on the topics they know best. But most of all make sure this comes from a place of authenticity.

Don’t veer from this path.

Focus on consistency across all your platforms. This will ultimately help you engage with your audience and build your tribe. Try to show your E-E-A-T as much as you can and where possible, lean into user-generated content as this can be a great trust signal.

Ultimately, this is about building trust… and it’s always good to remember that trust is hard earned and easily lost.

In Summary

Brand and SEO are connected. As search engines get smarter and prioritise trustworthy and authoritative sources, businesses need to focus on building a strong brand that matches E-E-A-T.

By combining brand with SEO you can have an online presence that ranks well and resonates with your audience. Remember, trust is the foundation of a brand and is built through consistent, authentic and valuable interactions with your audience.

As you go through the ever changing world of SEO, keep your brand top of mind and you’ll be ahead of the game.

If you’d like to find out more about the role of brand identity and why brand-building is a non-negotiable in 2025, download our Insight Report here: https://www.ambitiouspr.co.uk/our-insight/

Following a competitive pitch, SIM7 has been selected by SNG (Sovereign Network Homes) as a key agency on its framework to supply property branding services over the next four years.SIM7 will work in partnership with SNG’s marketing teams, providing creative, branding and design services to drive the off-plan sales of Shared Ownership and private sale homes. This work will involve branding SNG’s schemes, developing high-profile digital and OOH campaigns, and creating assets across all channels.

SIM7 will join a handful of leading UK agencies, selected to support SNG’s ambitious growth plans.

One of the UK’s largest Housing Associations, SNG will invest £9.2bn in the next decade, building 25,000 new homes – as well as regenerating estates and improving the sustainability and quality of existing homes.

Says SIM7’s Simeon de la Torre, “As an agency with extensive property sector experience, not to mention specific knowledge of the Shared Ownership market, this is a perfect partnership for us. We’re excited about working on some of the biggest schemes in the UK, and empowering property branding by delivering the effective, messaging-driven creative that we’re known for. From property CGIs and video to scheme-specific branding, we’re looking forward to capturing and conveying the essence of the new communities that SNG is building.

“SNG is one of the best names in the industry for sustainability and social value, and the SIM7 team are all keen to help SNG deliver good, affordable homes for all.”

SIM7 is an award-winning creative agency that uses language to empower design. We drive growth by creating brands, campaigns and strategy – for marketing teams around the world. Our experience in the property sector extends to estate agents, national associations, Registered Providers, mortgage brokers and more.

For more information, contact Simeon de la Torre [email protected]

Not you. Of course, we’re not talking about you! We’re aiming that one at the bot. It’s a tool. And a bloody good one. But don’t be fooled. Like a sword, you must learn to wield it, and understand when to use it. You wouldn’t use a sword for cutting bread. In the same way, AI can be a powerful instrument but it’s knowing where and when to use AI in the creative process that’s key. Read on for our take…

There’s no two ways about it, AI is not going away. It’s now part of our creative armoury. But it is NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR CREATIVES. And just before we continue, let’s get one thing straight. This is not an AI review. ChatGPT could write that for you in seconds. This is an article for humans, by a human, about the rise of AI and why human creativity is more important now than ever.

Hallelujah! Yep, that’s how you spell Hallelujah. I checked Grammarly! It’s a great time for our industry. Let’s throw another “bloody” in there. It’s a “bloody great” time for our industry.

You see, AI is a learning tool. What does that mean, I hear you ask. Well, it lives in the familiar. It spits out what it knows, what it has learned. Dave Trott (legendary Adman) was once said creatives need to know the rules, so they can break them. AI is all about the rules. Creativity, more specifically, human creativity, looks the other way. The famous levis ad campaign, ‘When the world zigs, zag’ springs to mind. Could AI have written this?

The bots are setting the bar

The bots can help us create a presentation quicker. They can give us nicer visual references, moodfilms, and even help us create a copy structure. Or if we’re clever, we can use them in our comms, like this recent Barnardos campaign. It started with a traditional photoshoot and then fed the images into a specially-built AI model alongside their childhood images to create portraits that represented stages of trauma, whilst protecting real-life cases.

But it’s important to remember, humans are still the controllers. The directors. The editors. And when it comes to “big idea” thinking, it’s our job as Creatives to beat the bots. Or your brand just ends up becoming bland.

We have feet. Bots don’t. Let’s use them (and our brains) to stand out.

Prompt vs provoke

Think of the recent Burger King post-birth “arrival” campaign. You can bet your bottom dollar ChatGPT wouldn’t have taken the brand there. That doesn’t mean you can’t use the generative AI chatbot to give you thought-starters. But know you’ve got to beat the bot. The human touch is paramount.

This author will never forget the first time it made a client cry. Happy tears that is. It was for a domestic abuse brief. Something that needed to be handled delicately. With nuanced language. And great human insight. All done with a significant amount of empathy. The script made the client feel something. They bought it in the meeting. It ran. Calls went up. And back in 2011 it made it into the coveted D&AD annual.

With AI there’s a skill to prompting, but as Creatives it’s our job to provoke and make people feel. Care about your copy, your concepts and your work, and it really shows.

Generating an ending Steve Jobs would be proud of