It’s nearing the end of the year, 2015 has gone by fast and so has the changes in design trends. Now its time to take a look at what we think will be the next up and coming trends of 2016! In 2015 we saw some of these trends take shape and we expect them to continue into the New Year. Flat Designs and Geometric Shapes Flat designs have been trending for a few years now. Ever since the launch of this simple and clean design, it’s no doubt that it’s a favorite among designers. The simplicity and elegant use of colour in the flat designs help to convey a certain honesty and visual harmony in design. Less is really more in this case and it’s no wonder that this design will probably gain more exposure and variability in the upcoming year. Along with flat designs usually comes with geometric […]
Creating An Effective Icon
What makes a good icon? It should be something that is memorable as well as simple. It should also be something that compliments the exiting theme of where this icon will be used. Whether its an app or website, the app should be carefully designed to fit into these themes. An icon is basically a visual metaphor for a subject or item. Here are some steps to take when designing an icon. Research and define keywords that will define your icons. Find symbols or images that will associate with the concept you are communicating. Objects can be depicted in their original manner and activities or actions can be eluded with related objects. Shapes and abstract symbols can help with more complex concepts. When the subject of the icon is defined, graphics can then be drafted. Different variations of the icon should be made and put side by side to compare […]
Videos are the Future of Content Marketing
It’s easy to see that online videos have worked its way into being the top most effective method of marketing. As long and short videos populate the interwebs, the potential reach from videos is increasing and that makes it an ideal platform to market on. Not only is the audience vast but also the content is attractive. It’s no doubt that video marketing is the future of content marketing. Videos engage viewers and encourage them to spend time on your website interacting with the brand. They are naturally appealing and present content seamlessly. Just as a painting can paint a thousand words, a minute of video is worth much more in addition to the impression it leaves. Over the recent years the production cost of videos has decreased and the amount of affordable equipment has allowed small businesses to delve into video marketing. Just as any other method of marketing, […]
Making a Memorable Brand
In this day in age, brands are everywhere from a logo to a specific style or design, its hard not to blend in with the rest. Now when we speak of a brand we are not talking about a logo. A brand is not a label or graphic, it is more than that. It’s the idea, theory and innate soul, of the company. A logo on the other hand is the graphical element that depicts this and communicates the brand visually. It’s the first impression you get with a brand. In other words you could think of the brand as a rounded and dimensional person and the logo as something that represents this person. Here are some things to think about when creating a successful brand identity. Colour Colour is something that sticks with you and is something that many brands use to make themselves memorable. Colours evoke feelings and […]
Social Media and Marketing
How does social media affect marketing nowadays? How do we successfully market in a digital era? Nowadays when people spend most of their time attached to a device connected to the Internet, you can’t expect marketers not to catch on and use it to their advantage. The digital world has pretty much changed all of our lives and allowed for a platform of marketing. You could say social media is a kind of addiction. I mean having the ability to be connected to anyone, anywhere, and at all times is pretty amazing. Marketers have targeted it as the best place for advertisement. But why not? When Facebook has 1.49 billion users monthly, and Twitter and Instagram with 300 million. So how do you go about being successful in the new age of social interaction? Social media isn’t just a popularity contest; it’s about making a memorable experience and […]
A Brief Overview of SEO
SEO; it might sound like a fancy executive position in a company or maybe even a high tech, sci-fi piece of equipment, but SEO has quickly become the foundation for a multi-billion dollar industry that is growing rapidly by the second and revolutionizing personal customer experience on all electronic platforms. Standing for Search Engine Optimization, SEO is a powerful tool that is a must for any digital marketing pursuit. Exactly as it sounds, SEO focuses on optimizing sites for search engines as a means to gain organic, audience-driven traffic. Websites rely on SEO tactics in order to boost their ranking on search pages and ultimately their business, because let’s face it, unless your site is on the first few pages you haven’t a hope of being noticed. With SEO, here are a number of ways to achieve a higher ranking, one being the relevance of the site to the search […]
Extra! Extra! Google Launches Mobile Algorithm Update
Google is no stranger to algorithm updates with a long history that has contributed to its rise and current status as a search engine powerhouse. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that given our current mobile focused way of life, it was only a matter of time before Google pounced on creating an algorithm for optimized mobile search. Nonetheless, the announcement had the interwebs abuzz, primarily from a business standpoint. From a consumer perspective it sounds like a great opportunity, but what does it mean for businesses? To provide a bit of background, in 2014 research showed that 30% of internet searches came from a mobile device and since then, that number has increased to over 60%. As a result, Google naturally decided it was time for an update as a means of accommodate the masses. Having already launched 3 days ago (we’re a little late on the mark), […]