There’s no doubt that search engine optimization (SEO) is important for your brand’s digital presence. One of the key considerations involves using relevant keywords that guide users to your web content. In addition to increased visibility, implementing relevant keywords to target your user can enhance their overall user experience (UX) within your website. Choosing the most effective keywords to use throughout your website can be challenging. Whichever words or phrases you use should allow users to find you while also staying relevant to the content provided. Therefore, keywords should be selected intentionally with user experience in mind. The Value of Purposeful Keywords Keywords are, in short, the specific words that allow people to find websites when they use search engines. They can range from a single word to a focused phrase that relates back to the content hosted within your site. When used effectively, keywords can help users find what they are looking by connecting them to your site. Search engines like Google rank sites based on certain factors to determine how high it appears…
Dear Clients and Partners, First and foremost, we would like to thank all of our Frontliners and Essential Workers and express our gratitude for all you are doing throughout these challenging times. We have been very honored to be involved with all of you. With the collective mission of making the world a better place, this involvement has kept us inspired and creative during the last two and a half months working from home. On June 1, 2020 we will return to our offices to carry on with new missions. We have taken all the necessary precautions to ensure we are doing everything to promote the health and safety of our team. We have an ample supply of hand sanitizers, gloves, face masks, and face shields available in all common areas for our team members — in addition to HIPA and UV devices and frequent disinfection protocols. Both of our Chicago and Lake Bluff locations will remain closed to the public. During this time of social distancing, all office visits and meetings have been moved…
2020 has been a year of uncertainties, one that’s a reminder of just how critical it is to remain nimble & adaptive as a brand or business. Thus far, the state of emergency from today’s COVID-19 health crisis has been devastating enough to diminish the relevance of almost every economic sector imaginable. From travel to hospitality to restaurants to retail to entertainment and everything in-between, there’s been an abrupt disharmony in the traditional business-to-consumer model. Many of these industries long for a return to some form of “yesterday,” while others actively ride the wave in order to keep up with the rapidly shifting evolution of dynamic interactive services. The world of education favors the latter. While most industries absorb the impact and fight through to continue production despite the supply and demand uncertainties, brands are digging deep to apply capabilities and push creative boundaries. The reality is that consumer spending habits are unlikely to rebound in the near future, and this is especially true in the form of education. Drastic precautionary measures will be taken…
It’s no secret that in our rapidly changing world, having a dynamic brand strategy is a must. Companies that prioritize an agile brand strategy are better prepared to respond effectively when faced with disruptions or challenges. In order for a business to be sustainable, it needs to able to adapt when necessary. The market is constantly evolving as new technologies and trends emerge. Adopting an agile brand strategy can give brands the flexibility to adjust when the market shifts or consumer needs change. A Streamlined Strategy The traditional approach to strategy centers around a lengthy and hierarchical process. A team typically executes tasks one by one, with each step building on the last. However, the downfall to this type of strategic planning is that it is difficult to manage when a wrench is thrown into the mix. The plan is too structured and time-consuming to allow for quick adjustments. So what if, to speed up the process, you addressed all the steps in your plan simultaneously? This is where an agile brand strategy comes into…
It’s difficult to imagine a time when society wasn’t glued to a screen. The breakthrough of computers, engineered by the familiar tech giants of today (Apple and IBM), first accelerated medium- to large-sized business objectives in the mid-1980s. The emergence of mobile devices, expected to eclipse 3.8 billion global users by 2021, was unleashed when the world’s first SMS message was sent in 1992. Tablet usage spiked in 2014 and has seen an approximate 50% increase in total monthly users since that year. So what’s the common denominator in this generational transformation and unwavering demand for ingenious technology? The answer is user interface (UI) design, which has become an underlying factor for the success of user-centric brands that understand how to optimize consumer engagement. A user interface is the space where interactions between humans and such machines occur. Essentially, UI design relates to the way in which information is presented (and how users interact) within a website. With screen time skyrocketing, the influence of cohesive UI design on consumer affinity has become too palpable to…
The key to user-centered design, as the name suggests, lies in fundamentally understanding the user. Acknowledging their goals by anticipating the user touchpoints within the design can pave the way to achieving unparalleled user experience (UX). Mapping the user journey is crucial to optimizing interactions and improving UX design. It encourages designers to be mindful of user pathways as they outline the ideal layout and structure of the website. However, representing the entirety of the user journey can feel like a daunting undertaking. So to begin, it can be helpful to start by focusing user touchpoints. What are Touchpoints? The touchpoints within a website build the foundation for the whole user journey. They are essentially the specific interactions that a user has as they navigate throughout the site. This can include everything from click-able items in the menus and pages to engaging micro interactions accomplished through animations. Each interaction within the user interface plays an important role in the overall satisfaction of the user and, ultimately, the user experience. Considering each touchpoint can reveal what…
While the economy is on hold, we see innovation flourishing during the Coronavirus fight. In these unprecedented times, those that are resilient and adaptable are the ones that change the world. Companies are exploring new methods and tools that didn’t exist before. Talking about being adaptable, innovative, and resilient, during these unprecedented times, take a look at what our friends from New Orleans, Louisiana are doing. With printing temporarily on hold, eighteen-year-old direct mail and commercial printer, MediaBlink retooled their production on a whim. Beginning at the time of announcement of the worldwide PPE shortage. MediaBlink started the production of high-quality face shields for wide distribution in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. By utilizing tools and equipment available and designing a unique face shield, the first set of prototypes they distributed were to those on the frontlines. Continuing with innovation and out-of-box thinking, our agency helped them design the site that is as unique as their face shield design, promoting smiles, colors and good vibes. In record time, we helped with branding, design and launched a new…
As a majority of the global population remains grounded in a home setting, observant (from at least six feet away) about the surrounding world from a distance, the ways in which brands are reacting, adapting and interacting is suddenly under a microscope. With eyeballs on out-of-home media fading and targeted messaging starting to blend together, it’s difficult to imagine a time period in the digital age that’s forced more pressure on brands to get creative about connecting with consumers. Some brands are demonstrating just how instrumental they are within shaken communities by shifting strategy to address COVID-19-related challenges. Others are similarly rising to the challenge with a sharp, content-centric approach characterized by a timely jolt of cultural relevancy. By eliciting an emotional response, the word-of-mouth aftermath becomes more measurable. This time, it was a familiar sports media heavyweight with a calculated display of creativity. Savvy brands like State Farm can realize a captive audience, pinpoint their attention, then challenge that audience to synthesize information quickly. The brand is suddenly weaved into the buzz authentically, in…
The customer experience is the foundation underlying any business. Whether the customer is a market consumer or the user on a website, delivering a positive experience is vital to a business’s long-term success. A detailed understanding of customers and their experience is critical then to successful business outcomes. To understand the customer, a business must evaluate all the potential interactions a customer has with the brand through customer journey mapping. The customer journey tells the story of their overall experience with a brand. Mapping it out allows businesses to view their own brand from the customer’s perspective, seeing the highlights as well as the pain points. Understanding the customer journey is the key to fostering meaningful interactions and optimizing the customer experience. Understanding Motivations The primary goal in business is obviously to make a profit. For a business to continually increase in value, it is essential that they stay in touch with their customers. Knowing what customers want is what allows brands to ideate and market solutions to fill those needs. Perhaps even more important…
To our Clients and Partners, We know that organizations and companies depend on ArtVersion as a technology provider for the essential infrastructure, business continuity and communication services we provide. We understand the critical role we play in the functioning and operation of a companies’ communication and information channels and we are incredibly honored by the trust you have all placed in us. Due to the latest COVID-19 guidelines set forth in the Executive Order 20-10, our business operations have been identified in the Professional Services and Supplies for Essential Businesses and Operations categories and will remain open. Providing business continuity, our services to Media Publishers, Healthcare Providers, Financial Organization, Educational Institutions, Non-Profits, Manufacturers and other Essential Businesses will remain uninterrupted with all staff members working remotely at full-capacity. We have taken all necessary precautions to ensure we are doing everything in our power to promote the health and safety of our team and their families, as well as of our clients and partners. Finally, we recognize that this emergency has put tremendous strain on company…