What is a creative brief?

A creative brief is a short document that sums up a project’s mission, goals, challenges, demographics, messaging, and other key details. Typically produced by the person heading up the project, a creative brief outlines the problems to solve and offers the tools they might need, without prescribing a solution. 

Why do you need a creative brief?

To start – you need a plan! A solid creative brief ensures everyone is on the same page before the project has begun and acts as a guiding north star throughout. Simultaneously allowing a project to stay on track, whilst underpinning the creative concept and strategic thinking.

A creative brief helps align everyone on the task at hand. Even the best creative minds in the world can’t solve a problem they don’t understand. More than just an arbitrary document, it is a tool that allows for clear and thorough communication from the very beginning of the design process. It prevents potential last-minute project changes, misunderstandings, and conflicting objectives along the way. 

Marjorie Newnham, Project Manager at Fiasco Design, adds: “With larger projects that involve multiple stakeholders and various rounds of creative, it’s especially important to agree on the deliverables up front, so there’s no potential for confusion later down the line.” Establishing parameters and crucially –  building trust, at the beginning will help ensure a smoother project journey.

Who is a creative brief for?

It’s quite likely that the people who will use the brief are an external creative agency who may not be familiar with language that is specific to your industry. So it should be accessible to a designer or web developer, for example, and avoid lots of acronyms or jargon. However, worth adding that this doesn’t mean a creative brief needs to be dry! It’s meant to incite enthusiasm and possibilities.

Hayley Yates, Account Director at Fiasco Design, adds: “It’s valuable for us to know if a client’s been through a similar creative process before, or if this is their first time. It allows us to tailor our approach based on their level of understanding of the process, as the acronyms and jargon exist in our industry too!” 

What should a creative brief include?

Whilst not an exhaustive list, including these key bits of information will help a creative agency to understand and work towards your project.

  1. Your company’s background, ethos, or mission.
    Firstly, begin with an introduction into who you are and what you do. This is particularly important when briefing an external agency who are likely to have limited information on your business prior to the project. Make sure to include the values that drive your business and your brand mission statement (if you have one), as well as unpacking the key products or services that you offer.
  2. An explanation of the project, and how it fits into the overall strategy of your business.
    The bigger picture helps to understand what you are trying to achieve and why. Maybe your business has changed route and needs a refreshed brand identity to communicate this shift?
  3. Your audience.
    Who is this even for?! Are you trying to tap into a new audience? It is helpful to share demographic information and any behavioural insights you may have already gathered.
  4. What are you hoping to achieve?
    Essentially this covers: why are you undertaking the project? How will you know if the project is a success? Are there any measurable goals you are hoping to reach? Alongside this, list an outline of any specific deliverables you are hoping for, as well as any ‘nice-to-haves’.
  5. Your competition and any challenges you anticipate.
    This is helpful to understand your unique position in the market, as well as the trends impacting your industry. If you have any particular elements you want to avoid as they are too close to a competitor, then you can note them here.

    In addition, if the project is large and there are various stakeholders involved, it may be worth listing them out. It allows the creative agency to understand who will be involved in the process and sign-off.
  6. Any logistical details, including budget and time frame.
    Finally, it is helpful to include an overall timeline and note any particular key dates when you will need deliverables. If there is a big product launch, for example, it’s important you outline this. The available budget is also crucial to ensure resources are properly allocated and to avoid overspending.

Although it might seem like a lot of information to convey in a relatively limited amount of space, a good creative brief stays focused and to the point. Pages and pages of additional information should be unnecessary. The more you are able to distill your thinking into clear and concise points, the clearer it will be to the creative agency you’re partnering with. The brief process in itself, might in fact help to refine exactly what you’re hoping to achieve. 

Working at the intersection of brand and digital, we take our partners with us at every step of the creative journey. Our open and inclusive ethos helps us to create joined up work that sparks change. Looking to start a creative project? We’d love to hear from you: hello@fiasco.design.

As a marketer with 20+ years’ experience, I’m a big believer in using an array of tactics to get your message to market. People will argue for and against print heavy or social media dominant campaigns, but I believe that the more tactics you use, the wider you cast your net, and the more successful you’ll be. Of course, your messages and your approach need to be targeted within this net, but there is rarely a one size fits all solution, so the more ways you can reach your known target market, the better.

But are business blogs widely accepted as part of this marketing mix, or are they a nice add-on as and when marketing teams have the time? If blogging doesn’t have a regular spot in the marketing plan, should it be given a little more credence?

How important is blogging to your business?

Some people may wonder whether blogging for business is as relevant in 2022 as it was in the mid 2000’s when blogs were the up and coming ‘fashionable’ thing to do. In an era of podcasts and video streaming, you could be forgiven for thinking written blogs have lost their way and are now irrelevant in the marketing mix.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

According to a study conducted by Data Box entitled The Shift in Your Content Marketing Mix: 25 Marketers On What’s Changed in 2 Years 68% of marketers find blogging more effective than they did 2 years ago.

In addition, according to DemandMetric  70% of people prefer to learn about a brand through articles, rather than through an advert.

A changing picture

As with most things in life, achieving success from business blogging is a changing phenomenon. What worked 20 years ago, might not work as well today, but that doesn’t mean we should throw away the potential that exists in blogs.

For example, it used to be the case that the more blogs you could produce, the better. But that is no longer the case. It’s still true that consistency matters – out of date blogs are not a good look on any website – but quality has risen in importance.

Consumers today are looking for advice.

They want to conduct in-depth research before they buy, so if they can find everything they need from one website, they are more likely to trust that brand, revisit the site, and probably make their purchase. There are a couple of ways you can build this trust through quality blogging, and this might be through one or two longer blog posts, or it could be through a series of interlinked posts that cover different aspects of the same topic.

Whichever you choose, make sure you keep the customer in mind, because they are looking for more factual, helpful information and advice, than they are heavy handed sales and marketing messages.

Spread the word

Business blogging earns a spot at the marketing table for the content it generates for a company website and for the SEO benefits it brings, but it has also become increasingly useful for social media content too.

In 2022, more people are buying through social media channels. Accelerated by the Pandemic, more of us are opting to buy from brands we get to know online. So, the more information you can offer up online, the more trust you can build with your audience.

With longer, quality content being generated for blog posts, there is more to disseminate into smaller social media posts. These could be promotional posts to drive traffic to the blog, teasers about what’s to come, or multiple excerpts from the blog to continually drive the message to your target audience.

It’s a two-way relationship

Building a relationship with your existing and potential customers is an ongoing process of give and take. Having more of a presence online via a business blog and the resulting additional social media content, allows you to interact with your audience and gather invaluable feedback about their likes, dislikes, and requirements.

Analyse the data you get back from each post. What have people responded well to and what hasn’t gone down so well? Create polls and ask direct questions in your posts to find out what your audience would like to hear more about. This can help you give them the advice that they need, and of course generate even more content for your business blog and social media channels.

Need a little back up?

Of course, it’s easy to say that blogging is a great element to add into your marketing mix, but who has the time to stay on top of regular, informative blogs? Blogs are like feature articles. They require time to think, plan and research. And unless self-imposed timelines are set, they are not deadline driven. Which is why they often slip down the priority list of marketing agencies that are managing entire campaigns, or busy team-members within the business who have been recruited to populate a business blog alongside their day job. If this sounds like you, don’t despair.

You can have all the benefits of blogging without the hassle.

Believe it or not, many companies outsource the copywriting of their blog to external writers. Some people think it’s not a task that should be outsourced because it’s too personal. And if you hand over the reins of your business blog to a third party, it will no longer sound like you.

But a good blog writer will portray all the information you want to portray and more and ensure your blog sounds like it’s been written by you, but even better – read more about how we learn your voice here. Not necessarily because they are a better writer, although hopefully they do have more experience in writing if that’s their day job, but because they are able to give your business blog the time and attention it needs and deserves.

Add blogging to your marketing mix

If you haven’t included a business blog in your marketing plan before, or you have and it’s continually slipping down the priority list, perhaps now is the time to start.

In case you hadn’t heard, we’re currently looking for a first-rate Digital Project Manager (DPM) to join our talented team here at Proctor +Stevenson. To give you a personalised insight into the role, we caught up with Billy Black – one of our stellar DPMs, who works across so many of our client accounts.

You can hear all about Billy’s work, the clients and projects he manages, and life at Proctors in our latest vlog, but be sure to read on to learn more about the role, plus a few insights from the P+S team.

A day in the life of – Billy Black, Digital Project Manager P+S 2022 video here.

What does a Digital Project Manager do?

At P+S, our DPMs are tasked with planning and delivering digital projects, working with our in-house teams, account managers and clients to ensure everything’s executed on time, within budget and to the client’s brief. We’re ambitious here, so ideally we’ll exceed expectations. But it’s also up to the DPMs to manage those expectations, so that everyone knows what we’re hoping to achieve, what’s possible (considering deadlines and resources),and what’s needed of them.

There’s plenty of organisation, budgeting and scheduling that goes into project management, but something that’s often overlooked is the opportunity to build relationships. At Proctor + Stevenson, we take the time to forge strong relationships with our clients – DPMs play a really important role in this.

“Building relationships is a really rewarding part of the job, and it’s always interesting getting to know people in different parts of the world. It also means that even if the project is challenging, there’s still a foundation of mutual trust and respect.”

What does a typical day look like at P+S?

Like most of our teams, DPMs at Proctors have really varied roles. One day you might be meeting with one of our clients before briefing the design team, and the next you’ll be overseeing a website project for a global tech heavyweight. You’ll work across our different teams and pickup a wide range of briefs, big and small.

But it’s not all about the work. A huge part of our day to day is our sociable culture – something we’re really proud of.

“Because everyone’s so nice you can’t help but enjoy the day-to-day atmosphere. There’s a real buzz around the office and people really take pride in the work they’re doing.”

We also have a hybrid working policy, so you’ll work three days in our vibrant Bristol office, and two from home.

“I love being in the office, but the option of working from home for a couple of days a week really comes in handy. As do the flexible working hours – especially if you have kids.”

Tell us more about the fun stuff

If you’re in the office, you can have a catch up in the cafe over lunch and compare notes on the latest Netflix documentary – the jury’s usually out, but you can’t agree on everything. We also have regular pop-up lunches from fab local eateries, and we finish early for Proctors Quiz on a Wednesday. It’s a great way to flex your trivia muscles or simply have a drink and give it your best guess, depending on the theme.

There are also some great lunch and learn sessions, where one of us educates the rest of the team about a specific area of knowledge or interest, and workshops from external speakers.

“It’s always nice to see what other members of the team are up to and learn something from them. Everyone has useful skills and expertise both job-related and outside of work and we’re always encouraged to share them.”

We also recently had our first collaboration day, which was a great way to find out what people do across the different teams and departments. It also opened the floor for insightful conversations about how we can build on our culture, reduce our environmental impact and support our local community.

But enough about us! We want to hear from you.

Think you might be our next Digital Project Manager? Check out the full job description and send your CV and cover letter to [email protected]

The founders of The Big Plastic CountGreenpeace UK and Everyday Plastic appointed purpose-driven creative agency, Enviral, to create its latest national campaign, which has lifted the lid on the country’s recycling rates and exposed that the government is talking trash about our plastic problem.

Through their launch video, The Big Plastic Count and Enviral encouraged 31 MPs and 97,948 households to take part in counting their plastic for a week in May, which equates to 1 in every 262 households in the UK. This was the biggest ever investigation into UK household plastics and the data uncovered will be crucial in convincing the government, big brands and supermarkets to take ambitious action on reducing plastic packaging.

Throughout the investigation, participants counted over 96 billion pieces of plastic and uncovered that only 12% of our plastic waste is actually recycled with 17% exported abroad, 25% sent to landfill and 46% incinerated.

Working in close partnership with the The Big Plastic Count team, Enviral developed the creative, the narrative and oversaw the shoot productions to create three hard-hitting films; a launch film, a how-to film and a shocking results film which puts pressure on the government to act.

Chris Thorne, Plastics Campaigner at Greenpeace UK said: “The plastic crisis is out of control but if the government acts we can get a grip on the problem. That’s why The Big Plastic Count is so important. Getting the narrative right on a campaign like this can be make or break. Through Envirals understanding of our needs and their collaborative approach they’ve helped us create assets we know the public will connect with and will lead to more and more people pushing the government to take ambitious action to end the plastic waste problem.

Joss Ford, Enviral Founder, comments: “We’ve been consistently beating the drum around the role of creatives in fighting the climate crisis and in connecting hearts and minds. So being able to partner with such an impactful organisation like Greenpeace UK really is a huge moment for our team and one which we hope brings real impact and holds those in power to account.”

This project embodies Greenpeace UK’s wider mission to defend the natural world from destruction, with a vision for a greener, healthier and more peaceful planet that can sustain life for future generations to come. The campaign evolved out of The Everyday Plastic Survey, pioneered by Everyday Plastic, a research-led non-profit focused on evidence-based education and campaigns. With the aim of mobilising and inspiring the UK population to help lift the lid on our recycling, it’s hoped this campaign will hold the government to account and bring real, positive change.

Enviral was awarded the contract after a competitive pitch process. With previous agency nominations including The Drum’s Best Use Of Video For Digital Advertising, Enviral is a full-service ethical brand communications agency based in Bristol that leverages the power of storytelling to effect real change for future generations.

Watch the launch video in full here.

 

There has been a lot of hubbub in the marketing world recently about the upcoming Government campaign encouraging businesses to cut their marketing spend to allow them to cut prices for consumers amidst the cost of living crisis. Is this a sensible move for any business, and should all marketing activity be treated equally in this scenario? How will business blogs fare in these discussions and how will you weigh up your options?

Yet again we find ourselves in an unprecedented situation – this time with the cost of living increasing exponentially. You hear about these things on the news and brace yourself for change, but when you go to the petrol pump and it costs almost £90 to fill up your family car with petrol, the pain is real! So, the fact that the Government is attempting to affect change for the masses is a necessary course of action. However, is cutting marketing spend really the best way to go?

Don’t take your eye off the future

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t claim to be a political expert and I wouldn’t want to be making these decisions. But I do know marketing and anyone with any experience in the field will know that promotional activity has a lead time. If industry cuts marketing spend now, business won’t stop overnight, but gradually the pipeline will dry up. Conversely, more money spent on promotion now will result in more business further down the line. Many industries are still in very fragile states of recovery after the pandemic, so to pull back on marketing now, could be damaging to their future prospects.

Whether to cut back on marketing or not, is of course not just down to the Government either. Businesses always need to keep an eye on every line in the budget, and especially over the last two years will have wanted to make sure there is no wasted spend and every part of the business is as efficient as it can be. And of course, when making decisions about your marketing spend, it’s not necessarily an all or nothing scenario.

Manage your mix

The best marketing campaigns consist of a mix of marketing tactics including public relations, direct mail, telemarketing, advertising, and online campaigns. If you are committed to best practice and you are already measuring the success rate of each tactic, perhaps there is an area you can easily cut back on because you can clearly see in your metrics it’s not performing as well as other activities in your marketing mix. Or perhaps you need to review your mix to make sure you’re getting the most for your marketing spend.

Blog it

If business blogs don’t yet form part of your marketing mix, now might be an excellent time to instigate one. Business blogs are a fantastic low-cost option to build and maintain a consistent presence online, while creating content to use on social media platforms. An increasing number of businesses are moving their marketing spend online anyway, so whether you need to cut, adjust, or increase your marketing budget in 2022, business blogs are a fantastic, cost-effective option to have in the mix.

A dive into video performance from AUK Head of Digital, Adam Connett & Art Director, Nix Boulton.

Video marketing is fundamentally the use of video content to promote and market products and services, increase social and digital engagements, and educate and reach target audiences. That’s a lot of potential uses, which is why video marketing is becoming ever prevalent with our clients and the brands of today. Audiences are also watching more online video content than ever before. This growing appetite in viewership and engagement has made it an ideal channel for performance marketing.

Something that has become crucial to the acceleration of video’s success within marketing is that now it is truly measurable like the other more established performance channels. Marketers and brands are now able to feel more assured by results like Return on Investment (ROI) and Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) offered by video, as we’re able to effectively see its influence on traffic, leads, sales and audience impact. Video is a tried and tested way of driving high performance ads and generating results across a variety of metrics.

What are we trying to do?

Performance-driven creative and creative-driven performance.

What? Well, traditionally campaigns have either been led around an innovative creative idea, but this idea, whilst it may be unique, or eye-catching, lacks value if it doesn’t lead to tangible actions or results. At the other end of the spectrum we see campaigns heavily led by KPIs, but lacking creativity. We believe in finding a sweet spot; we’ve proven that great things happen when you find a balance and believe that brands of today will need to shift their focus from one or the other and merge the two.

Rethinking the way we approach creative to be optimised for performance is not about being less creative or restricting big ideas, it’s about bringing data to the forefront and using that to inform our decisions and learnings. By re-prioritising the way we approach creative, with data-led insights upfront helps ideas reach the audience effectively, resonate emotionally with their needs and drive the desired outcome. By no means should data mean ‘do the same as everyone else’, it should give you the ground to understand what resonates and how to differentiate yourself in your market. Ultimately, performance-driven creative is focused on the end result, the desired action, therefore for the concept to work, it needs to deliver results.

Bringing this back to video, with an ever-changing landscape of video trends and platform capabilities, even on a daily basis, our creative intuition of how to capture attention best can be subjective, emotionally led and provide a narrow view. This is where data helps to steer our vision towards what is proven to be most effective, ensuring that ideas are backed by something more than instinct. As well as steering the idea, it’s also important to be aware of the best practices for each platform with a generic view and specifically for your audience – for example, are the majority of your audience watching on a mobile device or desktop, do they perform better with or without sound, what length is most effective? Each of these data points can inform how to optimise your video content.

Our approach to video marketing

When it comes to optimising channel-specific content, take this example from Mercedes Benz. This YouTube pre-roll concept has really embraced the requirements of this format and engaged the audience in a creative way that directly links to their specs. The ad creative makes clever use of quick video cuts and great sound design of a roaring engine to engage its viewers’ senses. This way, its audience can actually see and hear the intensity of reaching 60 MPH in only 3.8 seconds.

However, from our experience this also works on a much smaller scale, with more agile budgets. Take one of our consumer brands, independent, family-run company Cotswold RAW. We’ve been working with them since they started up and video was a new consideration for them – something we were keen to grow to differentiate them in the pet market and demonstrate their expertise, unique offering and quality of product. Working within a limited budget from a one day shoot, we managed to create two master ads (one consumer focused and one for their retailers) social cuts (for Facebook & Instagram) and cut downs for YouTube pre-roll ads – that’s a lot of content! When it came to results, we managed to get tails wagging. On a limited ad spend over a highlighted month period, this led to an incredible conversion rate of up to 46.6%. Off the success of this campaign, we are now currently in the production process for a new video series.

On the other side of our client roster, Cytel, the largest provider of statistical software and advanced analytics for clinical trial design and execution, looked to us to develop and support their new brand messaging. For this we took a multi-channel approach to video, we utilised LinkedIn to ensure we could reach their defined target audience within the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. We also created additional uplift in awareness by integrating YouTube into our approach, which allowed us to target specific relevant video content to generate the most effective levels of engagement and retention. This gave us a multilayered approach and therefore greater depth to our brand awareness results.

Finally, test and learn, test and learn. A huge part of the success of our campaigns relies heavily on optimisations and an integrated approach to reporting. Feeding back learnings to evolve existing campaigns as well as using them to inform new development of visuals and messaging is a huge part of creative performance. Testing and analysing efficiently is the best way to be effective.

Our approach

Historically video is (generally) approached by the industry as “part of a wider campaign” and often handed to a one-off production agency and director who haven’t been involved in the same brand journey and strategy as the creative agency.

Being fully integrated at AUK, our unique approach helps us to ensure video is ingrained at the heart of our brands journeys and considered as part of a wider marketing strategy, not just a singular campaign activation. We think beyond just making amazing content, we also consider how and where to use it for maximum impact and results.

Digital marketing agency Noble Performs has announced that it is bringing its ‘Noble Deeds’ programme to Bristol this summer. Already well established in North America, the programme which upskills charity & not-for-profits’ in-house marketing teams, will launch in the UK at an exclusive summer drinks event at the Bristol Observatory on Wednesday 6th July.

Launched to mark the programme’s 10-year anniversary and reinforce the agency’s commitment to Bristol as its UK home, the Noble Deeds initiative will see one local charity secure £12,000 worth of digital performance marketing support.

Noble Performs is inviting Bristol-based charities to attend the launch event on the 6th July, when entries will open, with the winner announced in August and work beginning in September.

Started originally by Noble Performs Nevada Headquarters, the Noble Deeds programme has upskilled dozens of charities & not for profits during the past decade, and scaled as Noble’s US business has grown, now donating in excess of $200,000 a year of services to worthy causes.

Noble’s UK managing director, Kate Sikora, explains;

“Ever since we first established our Bristol base in 2018 we’ve wanted to bring our Noble Deeds programme to the city. With charities and not-for-profits struggling more than ever to secure vital donations due to the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis it felt like the right time to be trying to help charities look at how their digital marketing efforts can help crucial fundraising efforts

“One of the reasons we chose the city as our UK home is it really resonates with our ‘Be Better Every day’ philosophy. Bristol is such a melting pot of businesses and not-for-profits of all shapes and sizes but there’s a real sense of genuine community and shared responsibility around making the city a better place to live and work for everyone.”

Helping clients such as Adobe, Rolls Royce, Air Asia and Yosemite with their international digital presence, Noble’s ambition is to replicate the scale of its Nevada Noble Deeds programme in Bristol as its UK footprint grows.

To enter registered charities or not-for-profits must be Bristol-based and complete a simple application form, which will be available on the Noble Performs website on July 6th, 2022.

The Bristol-based charity that wins a place on the programme will secure a package of digital marketing support and skills training tailored to suit its specific needs, however this could include; SEO, PPC, Analytics and Paid Social.

Charities who wish to register their interest in the Noble Deeds Programme and attend the launch event at the Bristol Observatory on Wednesday 6th July (6-8 p.m.) should email [email protected] to receive an invitation and secure their place.

To find out more about Noble Performs go to https://nobleperforms.co.uk/

It’s time to make the move to GA4

We have been helping our clients to prepare to transition from Google’s Universal Analytics to their newer platform Google Analytics 4 for the past couple of years. And, as we move through summer 2022, the need to make the switch to GA4 is becoming increasingly time critical.

Why do I need to switch to Google Analytics 4?

Google’s friendly and familiar web stats platform Universal Analytics is going to be switched off in just over a year. If you’re a digital marketeer who uses Google Analytics to track website performance, you will need to make the switch to GA4 sooner rather than later.

We recommend turning on Google Analytics 4 asap so that when Universal Analytics becomes redundant in July 2023, you will already have collected a year’s worth of data in GA4. That’s why now is the time to make the move!

What is the timeline for moving to Google Analytics 4?

We’ve put together an overview of the key dates you need to be aware of, to help you plan the transition. Not sure how to get up and running on GA4? Take a look at our guide to setting up Google Analytics 4 to get you started.

2020: Google Analytics 4 was launched.

The new analytics reporting platform was announced two years ago, shortly followed by the news that Google would eventually turn off Universal Analytics completely. At this point, the team here at Varn set ourselves the challenge to learn all we could about Google Analytics 4 in preparation.

July 2022: Our recommended deadline for setting up GA4.

We think switching on GA4 in summer 2022 is the most logical timeframe for all businesses who rely on monitoring website traffic, conversions and user behaviour. This will mean that you will have year-on-year data available when Universal Analytics gets switched off the following summer.

Setting up Google Analytics 4 in July 2022 will mean that you can run both UA and GA4 in parallel for a year while you get trained up on how to use the new platform and move your regular reporting to GA4.

1st July 2023: UA properties will stop receiving data.

At this point, you will still be able to access historic data in your old Universal Analytics account. However, no new data will be received. So it will be essential to have GA4 fully configured, with all your necessary reporting set up by this point.

1st January 2024: UA properties will be deleted.

From the start of 2024, you will no longer be able to access Universal Analytics, and all historic data will be deleted. We would recommend you export all historic data from your account before this date. Not sure how to do that? With a little bit of Varn magic and technical know-how, we can help you to pull your historic web data into a useful Google Data Studio report.

It’s time to start getting to grips with GA4. The new interface can be intimidating, as there are less out-of-the-box reporting options available and more custom configuration is required. However, Google Analytics 4 is the future of website analytics, so it is important not to be caught by surprise or left behind!

Feel free to contact the Varn team for help and support setting up your account, learning how to use GA4, and creating any custom reporting solutions you need.

According to HubSpot, marketers that blog consistently are 13 times more likely to see a positive return on investment. Business blogs are a fantastic way to make your marketing spend go a long way, but the generation of content is an ongoing commitment.

Idea rich, time poor

Many small business owners and marketers for larger organisations have lots of ideas they would like to implement but little time to implement them. They have multiple balls in the air at any one time, including clients, prospects, and media outlets, so keeping the business blog up to date can be hard. Some may feel like it’s enough to post every now and then when they have time, while others want to do more but simply can’t justify prioritising it over existing and potential clients’ needs. I know how that feels. I have my own blogging business, so my blog is an important part of my portfolio, but when I have multiple client deadlines to hit, of course I am going to prioritise their needs over my own. However, that’s not to say that neglecting your business blog is a good move.

Drive traffic and build trust

Consistency in business blogging is an excellent way to drive traffic to your website and promote your brand. It also builds trust with your target audience as they continually see that you are supplying useful information to them. If blogs appear on an ad hoc basis, they don’t receive the same recognition from Google, but they also don’t create the same perception among web visitors. People buy from people they trust and a business blog is a bit like providing a window into your business, for prospects to peer through to get an idea of what it’s like inside. If there are reams of useful information that have clearly been updated regularly and recently, it paints a picture of a company that is up to date, on trend, and in touch with the market and its customers. If there is a blog with the most recent post dating back to last year, you probably wouldn’t come away with the same impression.

Hold onto the visitors you get

Additionally, a consistent business blog is a good way to keep visitors on your site because you can direct them from one article to the next, to the next, and before they know it, they have spent half an hour delving into your knowledge and expertise. This only works with a well populated blog though. If you only have a handful of posts spread over the course of a few years, visitors will soon realise that much of the information they’re reading is outdated and go elsewhere to find what they need.

Keeping visitors on your site for longer allows them to build a better picture of who you are and what you stand for. Think about the difference between meeting someone in person for 30 seconds, and spending time with them for 30 minutes. While first impressions do count, the longer you can engage with your audience, the more chance you have of selling your expertise and building trust in your brand.

Budget for blogs

Regular blogging is also better financially too. If you outsource the copywriting of your business blog as many companies do, it may feel easier to commission a blog every now and then, but it’s far better value for money if you commit to a regular program. As well as ensuring you have a consistent blog on your site, if you establish an ongoing commitment with someone, you know there is a third party who will drive the schedule on your behalf, chase for any information they need, and make it happen with minimum hassle. All for a set monthly fee that you can budget for without worrying about variable fees from one month to the next.

So, when it comes to the question of ad hoc vs regular blogging, it really is best to keep it consistent.

As part of their ‘better businessproduct launches, Six has released a CX Mapping product  to help businesses focus on the people who matter most: their customers.  

The product 

Working together with Six, businesses are guided through the process of insight gathering (both internal and external), CX mapping distillation and visualisation, and playback workshops with key stakeholders to explore the map and to determine quick-wins to longer-term priorities. Businesses are given the chance to see what their customers see – the good and not-so-good – and supported by Six to turn this human-based insight into real-world action. This programme can be completed in as little as 6 weeks.  

Why invest in CX? 

The line between B2B and B2C customer experience (CX) is blurring. B2B customers are now looking for more than just a good product or service – they want to buy into businesses. And they expect consistent, personalised, and human experiences when they interact with organisations. 

Getting CX right is about building insight across the customer lifecycle and creating the right business ecosystem to deliver against customers’ evolving needs. Once it is known what customers feel about a business and why, changes can be identified that will seriously improve their view of a business. And where customer satisfaction leads, business growth nearly always follows. 

Better business  

CX Mapping is the first in a series of offerings that Six are launching. Each one will answer a specific industry need to help brands and businesses connect with their customers on a more human level. After all, whether businesses are talking to an individual or communicating with an organisation, they have one thing in common: people sit at the heart. And this is just one of many ways Six is inspiring brands and businesses to be more human. 

A strategic creative partner 

Over the past 28 years, Six has partnered with local and global organisations to help grow and deliver value for their clients. And they’ve been doing it in three ways:   

It’s this strategic, creative capability, coupled with their CX experience with the likes of bp, Lloyds Bank and St Modwen, which makes Six the go-to agency for customer and user-focused expertise.   

Ready to start your CX Mapping project? Or want to find out how Six can partner with your business? Get in touch with [email protected]