PDC’s useful stretches while working from home

PDC’s useful stretches while working from home

New Year, New Trends – What are the Key Internet Marketing Trends for 2021?

New Year, New Trends – What are the Key Internet Marketing Trends for 2021?

6 Benefits of Using Images, Flat Graphics and Infographics on Your Website and Social Media

6 Benefits of Using Images, Flat Graphics and Infographics on Your Website and Social Media

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19 Jan
2021

PDC’s useful stretches while working from home

by Keely | in Marketing | on 19 Jan 2021

Studies show that regular stretching can help reduce neck and shoulder pain. Plus, regular breaks to stand and stretch increase productivity, allowing your eyes to rest and your entire body to feel more comfortable. With such big benefits, this should be something that all of us working from home should do. Here at PDC we’ve written a list of stretches that you can do with just the space behind your desk. Give them a go and let us know how you get on!

Ideally every hour of your working day, make a point to stop and hold each of these stretches for just 15 seconds each. You will soon notice that your muscles are less tight, and you are more productive when you do sit back down!

 

Neck

  1. Keep your head upright.
  2. Gently turn your head from side to side.
  3. As you turn your head, try to move it past your shoulder.

You should feel the muscles on the outside of your neck gradually stretching.

Forearms

  1. Extend one arm out with your elbow straight.
  2. Use the other hand to grasp it at the side of the thumb and bend the wrist downward.
  3. Repeat on the other side

 

Chest

  1. In a seated or standing position, take the arms behind you and try to lace your fingers together.
  2. Straighten the arms and gently lift your hands up a few inches until you feel a stretch in your chest.

Back

  1. Sit up straight and touch your fingertips to your shoulders with your elbows pointed out to the side.
  2. Keeping your fingers in place, exhale and slowly pull your elbows together in front of you until they touch.
  3. Breathe in and allow your arms to move to their original position.

 

Shoulders

  1. Bring your left arm across the front of your body at about chest height.
  2. Support your left arm with the elbow crease of your right arm or use your right hand to hold your left arm.
  3. Continue to face forwards, and apply gentle pressure on the left arm with your right until you feel a stretch.
  4. Repeat on the opposite side.

 

Ankles/Calves

  1. Keep your right leg forwards and foot flat on the floor while extending your left leg straight back, placing your heel flat on the floor.
  2. Keep the back leg straight, and lean forwards until you can feel a stretch in the calf of the straight leg
  3. Repeat on the other side

 

Hips/Glutes

  1. Sit with both legs planted on the floor.
  2. Raise one leg and rest the foot on the opposite knee
  3. Push your knee down gently and lean forwards until the stretch is felt along the crossed leg and glute

 

Give it a go, tag us and use the hashtag #stretchitout to be featured on our stories!

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06 Jan
2021

New Year, New Trends – What are the Key Internet Marketing Trends for 2021?

by Keely | in Digital, Industry, Marketing, Social Media | on 06 Jan 2021

2020 was the year that businesses, small and large, all over the world were forced to change their ways on how they operate, with many products and services moving to online platforms and employees continuing to work remotely as a result of the global pandemic.

In addition to this, lockdowns and isolation periods have also caused a change in customer behaviour, meaning all the necessary changes to digital marketing will continue to change and evolve throughout this year.

So, what are these changes to internet marketing and what is it that we need to look out for in order to engage new customers as well as to keep hold of existing ones? We’ve outlined 5 areas below:

1. Social Media Marketing

The pandemic has resulted in people spending more time online than ever before, so in order to keep earning a profit, it’s crucial that you commit to your social media marketing resources.

As we keep coming in and out of lockdowns, physically going to a shop to browse or buy is getting more difficult, especially when non-essential shops have to close. Many people don’t want to leave the house at all or unless absolutely necessary, resulting in the increased use of online platforms instead. This is where having a strong social media presence is necessary to reach your target audience, as well as ensuring that your company brand and products/services are getting noticed and then shared around by users and potential buyers.

2. Interactive Content

To get a higher rate of engagement in your social posts and/or website, you will need to increase the interactivity of your content. This is a good way to get your audience’s attention and engage with them, as well as showing that your business is up to date.

A few good ways to do this is by live sessions, surveys, asking questions and holding polls & quizzes. Another idea is to offer giveaways and create competitions to get people talking and sharing. A few prizes won’t break the bank, especially when it’s a great opportunity to build up the number of followers and potential customers.

3. Ensure your Business Information and Local SEO is Correct

One of the most essential things for small businesses is to ensure your company details and local listings are up to date and established across all platforms and search engines.

‘Google My Business’ listing is quite useful in giving valuable information about your company. Say you own a café for example, if someone is walking around a town and searches for café’s nearby, you will display on the search if your information is up to date – and obviously you would want the right contact details to be visible if they were to contact with any questions.

With this in mind, ensure that your local listings have a specific area to make sure your business is picked up and found in the ‘near me’ search, as well as keeping finer details up to date such as opening hours – you don’t want to be closed when you state to be open.

 

4. An increase in Voice Searching

Now that many people are using voice assistants like Siri and Alexa etc, it means that it’s not just text searches that your content needs to be optimised to.

With this in mind, you need to ensure that your content is available in both voice and textual cases, meaning a change in the types of keywords you use in your content. For example, when people speak to Alexa, they mainly use words like “why” and “how” in order to receive the answer they are looking for, so if your tone is more conversation-like, you are much more likely to be shown in voice searches.

 

5. Using Messaging Apps for Marketing

Messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are now two of the main platforms that this generation uses to engage with friends and family. However, with the ever-changing times there’s now huge potential for business as well, with Facebook continuously developing new features in this area, there’s a great opportunity to engage with a huge audience of where there is now over a billion users on both the above platforms alone.

Although Messaging apps are a huge part of communication, you still can’t be without the trusty email marketing platforms, which is also going to be a big part of 2021 as these instant messaging platforms are where people are most active day to day. And on the topic of instant messaging, live chat options are very popular for any questions from an extensive audience, so incorporating something similar using one of the common platforms could be a good option for your business.

All in all, digital marketing has no fixed approach or eternal rule book to abide by as it’s ever changing with the world around us, so all we can do is focus on our goals and follow the current trends where appropriate.

SEO and interactive content that gives informative and beneficial information to your market is crucial for engagement and maintaining your existing audience.

Dedication to your social media marketing resources and creating your own individual content by your distinctive brand will help to make a difference to your online presence.

We hope that 2021 is a better year for all!

(Images: undraw.co)

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18 Sep
2020

6 Benefits of Using Images, Flat Graphics and Infographics on Your Website and Social Media

by Keely | in Graphic Design, Marketing, Social Media | on 18 Sep 2020
  1. Why are images and graphics so important on websites, blogs and social media? One of the main reasons is readability.There’s nothing worse than landing on a page and there just being pages and pages of text, it puts people off as it’s too overwhelming to look at. However, adding visual assets to these types of pages allows it to be broken up into sections, making it so much easier for the reader to digest the information.

 

  1. An image can tell a thousand words. Sometimes an image can tell you about the information much quicker than reading a headline, as well as being much more interesting to look at. So, incorporating some of the text-heavy content into an infographic, is much more aesthetically pleasing for the reader, meaning they are more likely to read it and absorb what’s being said.

 

  1. Images can rank in Google search engines, as long as the images are significant, optimised and not a highly popular subject that’s being written about.
    A good example of this, is if you sell niche products on your website where there’s not much competition on the market, you should use the specific model/product name as a keyword, and this could become a good source of traffic.

 

  1. Stand out on social media. Everyone knows that images play a massive role on social platforms, not everyone searches for images on Google, but on social media you see things without even looking for them. When you come across a topic you’re interested in, or just a funny image you are likely to click on it, so depending on your topic, this can help you to get more views on your post content.

 

  1. Following on from the step above, these images that stand out to the reader are more likely to be shared, and therefore your content is spread out to be seen by a wider audience. Obviously presuming that the content is of value and is a topic people have interest in.

 

  1. Visual branding becomes your signature, this helps people to identify you easily, when they are used to seeing the same colours, graphics and styles repeated throughout your posts and content. As previously mentioned, an image sometimes does a better job of explaining something, so using things like character graphics is a good way to amplify your brand and make it much more visual and memorable.

  

 

With stock photos and free images sites (pexels.com, unsplash.com) now so available to us, creating blogs etc has never been easier.

The downside to this, is that because they are so freely available and easy to access, it means that a lot of people can be using the same images across their platforms – a bit like shopping at a high street store and then seeing everyone wearing the new top you just bought, it’s annoying!

 

This is why it’s important to be original and stand out amongst the rest. Using a mixture of imagery and graphics is a good option, as if you don’t have access to original photos like a lot of people don’t, you can bring out your identity and originality in graphics and infographics. Here at PDC, we can work with you to create your own brand and individuality that’s suited to your style of work. Contact us today to see how we can help you.

24 Jan
2018

8 Ways to Spot Fake News

by Charlie Jones | in Social Media | on 24 Jan 2018
8 Ways to Spot Fake News

Do you sometimes see a story on social media which you have to question to be true or fake news?

As you may have heard, social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, are trying their best to combat fake news being shared across their social networks.

What is fake news and how can you tell if a post is real or fake?

Fake news is exactly what it says on the tin; a news story that is fake.

The posts/stories can be about anything; weather (We bet you’ve all seen the ‘Britain suffers the coldest winter ever’ story, every December for the past couple of years), celebrity deaths, world events, etc. Whatever the story may be, it can easily be mistaken to be a real story which is then shared across social media for others to see.

However, as easy as it is to believe one of these posts, it is just as easy to spot a fake news post by looking out for some key features:

8 Ways to Spot Fake News Infographic

Untrustworthy Source

Have you ever heard of the source which the article is posted on? Do a quick search and figure out if the source is trustworthy or not. Have a look at what information the site provides and do they have legitimate contact details.

Unrealistic Headlines

Seem too good to be true? That’s probably because it is! If you spot a headline which makes you think ‘is that true?’, type the headline into a search engine to see if any other sources have posted about the same subject.

Unusual URL Link

Similar to spam emails and checking the email address, the best way to recognise if a news story is true or fake, is to look at the URL. Sometimes fake news sources will use a URL that looks similar to a legitimate one, so check for mistakes or unusual formatting within the URL.

Out of Date

As mentioned before, we bet you’ve all seen the ‘Britain suffers the coldest winter ever’ right? Stories like this tend to be shared around the same time each year, but will always have the same date. Before reading a news article, just check the date before you read and share it.

Poor Formatting

Fake news reports are usually written in a poor format. They tend to have spelling mistakes, missing grammar and sometimes even the way the report is laid out can appear to look slightly strange.

Unverified Images

Think you’ve seen an image before but to a different news article? It’s more than likely that this is the case. Fake news stories don’t tend to have their own imagery, so they use images that already exist but use them in a different context. Some images may also be edited to fit the fake news article.

Unrecognised Author

If you’ve never heard of the author of the article, do a quick search to see if they have written anything else that is credible.

Hoax or Humour

Can’t tell if the story is a hoax or for humour? Again, do a quick search of the source and see whether or not it is known for publishing humorous articles.

As much as the social media networks are trying to limit the spread of fake news, we are the ones who share these articles, so it is our responsibility to double check an article before sharing it with our followers!

05 Oct
2017

Why does Transparency Marketing appeal to Generation Z?

by Charlie Jones | in Marketing | on 05 Oct 2017
Why does Transparency Marketing appeal to Generation Z?

I came across an article by Neil Patel the other day about Transparency marketing, and one bit really stood out to me about how younger people have greater importance to transparency marketing.

“They value transparency and honesty, and they want brands to be real.” – Niel Patel

Now if you don’t know already, Generation Z is anyone who was born between 1995 and 2012. What’s the difference between people born before 1995 you ask? Technology of course!

Generation Z are all about technology! With 96% of them owning a smartphone and 85% using social media to learn about products they like.

As I was reading the article and finding out about the different stats regarding Generation Z, in my head all I could think about was ‘Yep that sounds like my younger sister’ – born in 1997 and is ALWAYS scrolling through social media and saying how much she likes this person’s outfits or wants to get the same object as another person.

This then gave me an idea – Rather than searching through even more stats on Google, I wanted to find out directly from a “Generation Z’er” (aka my younger sister) on what they look for when considering buying a product or service, and whether or not transparency marketing really works.

Here’s what I found out:

What’s your favourite social media platform and why?

“I mainly use Instagram and Snapchat, because it’s all pictures and videos and I don’t have to do much reading. Plus, it’s easier to look at a product/service and get an idea about them rather than reading some text about it”.

Who do you follow on Instagram and Snapchat?

“The majority of people I follow are some kind of fashion or fitness influencers”.

When you say influencers, do you mean celebs?

“Some of them are celebs, but I mainly follow bloggers/influencers who have built a following of their own”.

Why do you follow them?

“I follow celebs for an entertainment purpose, whereas with bloggers and influencers, I like to see what the latest trends are in the fashion world, and a lot of the bloggers have discount codes they give out which is an added bonus! The fitness influencers also give me ideas about workout routines and what food or supplements to have”.

You mention discount codes, so would you buy what that influencer is posting about?

“Well yes. I can see what the product looks like and the influencer mentions what is good about it. You can’t always see what a product is like on a website because they are made to look good on a model or a celeb for their advertising but then when it arrives to your door it looks completely different! It’s the same with services, a lot of companies will use typical advertising images or use a celeb so you don’t know if their service is the real deal or not. I’d much prefer to go with a service that I have seen evidence of on a ‘real person’ who has used it themselves. It’s sort of like being recommended by a friend”.

What about promotional posts, would you buy something from them?

“Hmm I tend to just skip ads if I’m honest as they get on my nerves, especially before videos!

What about websites themselves, does the look of a website influence your choice on whether or not to buy from that site?

“Yes! If a website looks old then I won’t use it. It’s the same if a website doesn’t appear properly on my phone – if I have to constantly zoom in on stuff then I just come away and find a different site to go on”.

Why won’t you use a site that looks old?

“Well if their website is old or looks old then I tend to relate that to their products or services. It almost comes across that they ‘can’t be bothered’ so why should I be bothered about buying something from them? Not only that, but old sites do not feel trustworthy for some reason”.

So why does Transparency Marketing appeal to Generation Z…

It seems the Generation Z have a slightly different outlook on social media and the web as to what older generations do. With so many different companies now offering products and services, I guess you would like to know what you are buying beforehand by some sort of recommendation, and with so many influencers around who are giving their own opinions and photos of products or services, you can see why the younger generation follow these people to get an idea of what to buy.

However, this is our assumption based on just one person’s view…

Now we want to get you guys involved and help up conduct some more research into how transparency marketing works on you! Whether you are a “Generation Z’er” or not, we want to hear your thoughts! Leave your comment below.

07 Sep
2017

6 Ways to use Live Videos for Business

by Charlie Jones | in Marketing | on 07 Sep 2017
6 Ways to use Live Videos for Business

Live videos aren’t something that are completely new to social media but they are becoming more and more popular, not only with the general use of social media but they are now playing a major part in marketing for businesses too.

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – three of the biggest social media platforms to use for marketing – all now have the live video feature.

By now, we know that video is one of the, if not THE biggest and most engaging trend on social media! So by having a video that is in ‘real-time’, it is the perfect function for an audience to engage with a business with an immediate reaction.

Ways to use Live Video for a Business

Events

Have an event your business may be attending? Or maybe your business is running an event itself. Whichever one it may be, events are the perfect way to use live video. From huge well-known events like London Fashion Week to small business insider events, keeping your audience involved is a great way of engagement. Show your audience what you’re up to or who you may be talking to.

Tutorials

Do you have a product or service in which you can offer a tutorial? Perhaps you’re a beauty business who are about to launch some new make-up, if so, why not stream a live video of how to use the make-up or show different ways in which the make-up can be used.
Work with food and have a new recipe to try out? Record a live video of making the dish.
Maybe you’re a personal trainer and people keep asking you about home workouts? Stream a live workout and get people at home to join in.

Q&A

Live videos are great for Q&As. Tell your social media audience in an earlier post that you will be running a Q&A, then state a time in which you will be going live for them to ask you questions. This is the perfect way to not only interact with your audience but to get an idea of what they want to see from your business (a good tactic to help with your marketing strategy too!).

Competitions

Everyone loves a giveaway! The moment someone sees the word ‘FREE’ it grabs their attention.
A lot of competitions on social media have some kind of time scale that you have to enter by and then wait for the outcome. However, a live competition will have a shorter time frame meaning more people may be interested in joining in with because the outcome of a winner is quicker.

Interviews

If you have an important and recognisable person within your niche that you are interviewing, ask if you may stream the interview live to your social media. Not only will this allow for your audience to watch the interview, but maybe your viewers will have some questions for the person too? The more ways you can engage with your audience and help them in any way you can, the better!

Special announcements

Does your business have something new that they want to ‘rave about’? Send out a pre-live video post to say your business has some exciting news and that you will explain all in a live video at a particular time. This will make people feel intrigued and think – what are they about to announce?? – and the only way to find out is to tune in to your live feed.

With live streaming being such a popular trend online and there being different ways to use it, why not try it within your business marketing strategy.