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Why You Shouldn’t Sleep on Digital Billboard Advertising
People don’t want to see your boring static billboard ads anymore.
They’re used to it. They see it everywhere. They’re tired of it.
And to be honest, they don’t even care about what you’re telling them (or trying to sell to them) because they’re too busy falling asleep from looking at your ad.
Yet, it seems most companies still haven’t gotten the memo. Did your 1995 fax machines finally give in?
Statistics report that static OOH channels can’t even grow half as fast as digital ones, so you’d be right to question why many businesses look the other way.
But with so many owners still stuck in the stone age, there’s many an opportunity to stand out. If you’re willing to invest in digital billboard advertising, that is. And in the last few weeks, this is an area we’ve put time, sweat, money, and some tears into, so we know a thing or two. Turns out, you’re not just born into a wealth of knowledge about digital billboards, even if you work in marketing.
But we did get many great digital ads out there, so it’s worth it.
Itching to know more?
Let’s break it down.
How Are Digital Billboards Different From Traditional?
Well, they’re digital. It’s right there in the name. Next question!
We jest, we jest.
Digital billboards are the fun, younger sibling of static billboards. They’re bright, dynamic, and constantly evolving. They can display multiple messages in rotation, change content remotely in real-time, and even interact with viewers through sensors and mobile integration (but this costs a pretty penny).
Now, we don’t want it to seem like we’re throwing shade at static billboards. Well, we are, but we acknowledge they have their charm, too. Hey, we still create many for our clients, so it’s not like we’re saying you should stop using them entirely.
We’re just saying that comparing static and digital is a lot like comparing a flip phone to a smartphone. Sure, they both make calls, but one does a whole lot more and looks way cooler doing it.
Benefits of Digital Billboard Advertising
As you probably already guessed, there are many advantages of advertising on a digital billboard. Attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, so it takes much more effort to capture that attention from people who are very selective about who they give it to.
But here’s how digital billboard advertising can help your business:
No Printing Costs
If you’re tired of dealing with the hassle of printing on giant vinyl sheets and the headache of manual installation, it’s time to say goodbye to your static billboard ads. Digital billboards ditch the old-school printing routine and save you a ton of cash. Plus, they eliminate the trouble of dealing with physical materials.
Just upload your content digitally (your agency does this for you) and see your ad in the wild. It’s like magic, but better.
Stronger Impressions
Vibrant animations and video loops are the kind of attention-grabbing spectacle you get with digital billboards. And that’s the kind of spectacle that turns heads and prompts conversations. A digital billboard refuses to be ignored, and you’ll find yourself unwilling to look away.
Quick Change of Content
Blink and you’ll miss it – that’s how fast you can update your content on digital billboards. You’ve already bought your ad space, so you can now respond to a sudden trend, announce a flash sale, or just change your ad after it’s run its course. Digital billboard advertising lets you switch things up at a glance – pure, unadulterated flexibility at your fingertips.
Customized Schedules
With digital billboards, you can be the master of your own destiny and find the people who are most likely to want what you have. Want to target morning commuters? Done, now your ad shows up only in the morning. How about advertising a promotion only on Wednesdays? Easy.
With customized scheduling options, you can tailor your ads to specific times of the day, days of the week, or even weather conditions. A whole new world of advertising!
Finishing Thoughts
So there it is – the benefits of digital billboard advertising laid bare for all to see.
Now you can see they’re not just billboards – they’re powerhouses.
So, the next time you’re looking to make a splash with your marketing efforts, remember: go digital or go home. Or call us, whichever works best.
What Are the Benefits of 3D Modeling for Businesses?
We’ve said it before, but we don’t mind saying it again – we’ve been working with some of the most prominent furniture manufacturers in the region for years now.
Some days, it feels like we’ve lived a few lifetimes.
But these collaborations revealed a new potential for us – 3D modeling. We have a whole blog post about why we, a marketing agency, started 3D modeling, something that’s not obviously marketing (but it very much is). Despite the production and sales process getting digitalized left, right, and center, we still get probed about the time we spend 3D modeling furniture and how that’s helped our clients.
So let’s talk about why we do it and what it’s done for us.
The Great Things About 3D Modeling
We get it, it’s a new(ish) concept, and you’re skeptical. But we’ll keep on doing it because:
It Saves Time
Does your team still build an entire product, cross their fingers, and then realize it’s a dud? That may not be horrible if you’re working with small products. But, if you’re in the furniture industry, it can set your production and launch back months. With 3D modeling, we can tweak and twirl things and slash the time it takes to get the perfect design. Plus, you’ll virtually eliminate those trial-and-error headaches. You’re welcome.
It Makes Fantastic Prototypes
It just makes sense, doesn’t it? You can visualize your creation before spending a dime on manufacturing. It’s like you can see the future – the bed would be too bulky, the chair wouldn’t go with that dining table in a set, etc. With 3D modeling, your business won’t have to invest in creating costly physical prototypes – it’s all digital. Maybe it’s time to add ‘manufactures furniture’ to the CV…
It Saves Money
We know you business owners will love this one! If your agency can prototype and experiment with your product digitally, you won’t have to shell out big bucks for physical trials. Traditional prototyping involves not only the cost of materials but also the labor-intensive process of physically building the product. 3D modeling won’t make your accountant sweat bullets because the development process is leaner, faster, and cheaper.
It Allows for Customization
We’ve heard it loud and clear from our clients – generic solutions are out. Nowadays, every business wants tailor-made solutions and custom features to stand out. Well, 3D modeling can do just that – offer you a customized solution with a few clicks. Imagine you’ve got a design on the screen, and something doesn’t quite sit right. With 3D modeling, you’re not stuck with a ‘take it or leave it’ scenario. You can change it. And then you can change it again. Sure, it might test the patience of the designer, but they knew what they signed up for, right?
It Makes for a Great Online Presentation
As we said, a good 3D render can show the product from multiple angles. This experience mimics the way a buyer would inspect a product before purchasing it in the store. While they can’t touch it, they can see it in a dynamic environment – rotate it, zoom in, and scrutinize every detail. After all, you wouldn’t buy a shirt without checking if it has an open chain back, would you? That’s exactly how your customers feel when they can only see your product head-on. Digitally though, customers can visualize the product because the renders are exceptionally lifelike.
It Boosts Sales
A survey conducted by The Harris Poll reveals that 60% of online shoppers are more likely to buy a product if they see it in 3D or augmented reality (AR). Online shopping is quickly becoming our ‘default’, so visualizing the products you’re buying is crucial. This is a testament to the power of giving your consumers a closer look at your products without hauling them to your physical store. In the end, you must make the experience smooth. Don’t make your customers jump through hoops to buy your product. We’re all getting lazier anyway!
Why Our Marketing Agency Started 3D Modelling
You know, marketing agencies are a dime a dozen.
And more often than not, they’re all the same. With the same services, the same offers. Heck, even the same prices.
We could’ve stuck to the same-old, same-old, too. God knows it would’ve been easier.
But following the sheep is just not our thing. We’ve never been content with blending into the crowd. So, we made a decision to start doing something that no other agencies around us were – 3D modelling.
We raised a few eyebrows. But where’s the fun without it?
Ready to find out how this came to be?
Well, we’re telling you anyway.
What is 3D modelling?
Let’s break it down in the simplest terms possible.
3D modelling is digitally sculpting objects and spaces in three dimensions. If you want it even simpler, it’s when someone creates a visual representation of real-life items or scenes that allow you to rotate, zoom in, and interact with on a screen.
Now, if you’ve read a thing or two about our agency on this site, you’ll know that we’ve got long-standing working relationships with some of the best furniture manufacturers in the country. We create their marketing materials, run their online stores, and engage their customers. But from 2023, we started 3D modelling their furniture for easier visualization.
We got tired of calling it a day after a standard photoshoot of a chair or a table. We wanted potential customers to spin the furniture around, zoom in on it, and picture it in various settings.
Sounds intriguing? We thought so too. And that’s why we took a deep dive.
Why It Makes Sense for Our Agency
Why It Makes Sense for Our Agency
So, you know that we don’t play it safe. But there’s a method to our madness, and it all comes down to why 3D modeling made perfect sense for EON.
We Work With Furniture Manufacturers
Some of the most prominent furniture manufacturers in the country were our very first clients. After working with a few of them over the years, we saw the untapped potential in the industry. Online furniture shopping in the region was growing by the minute, but the customers still went in-store to see the products set up before buying.
We thought we could reduce the length of the process by helping buyers visualize their purchase in their space.
We Love a Challenge
Many associate 3D modeling with architects. But since we can’t legally claim to be ones, we had to settle for the next best thing – using our graphic design team. So, it wasn’t just about seizing a market opportunity.
For better or worse, we’re a bunch that thrives on challenges. We don’t accept limiting beliefs. The status quo? We don’t know her.
3D modeling pushed the boundaries of what was possible in marketing and what we thought we should be doing. It was too tempting, we couldn’t help but jump.
We See Potential for Growth
We’d go stir-crazy if we just stayed put. Our team saw the potential in 3D modeling to grow our skills and help the furniture manufacturing industry as a whole by cementing the importance of a webshop and digital visualization. It’s a dynamic, ever-evolving field and a playground for inspiration.
This is not your run-of-the-mill job. With a myriad of tools and innovations sprouting up year after year, it keeps our team on their toes and sustains our enthusiasm for longer.
3D modeling was the highlight of 2023.
Today, our 3D team consists of just a handful of people, but our doors are always open for young starry-eyed talents that can propel us even further. We love that 3D modeling has grown into a full-time position at EON and we’re ecstatic to see where it could lead us.
We promise we’re not switching industries. But we might be expanding…
Your Company Is Using LinkedIn Wrong and This Is Why
Are your LinkedIn followers more interested in watching ants run on the ground than reading your posts? Are you actually wondering if LinkedIn has it out for you?
Well, sorry to break it to you but it’s not LinkedIn’s fault your posts are flopping. It’s yours. Tough pill to swallow, I know.
For many companies, LinkedIn is an untapped goldmine. It can draw in potential clients, partners, and opportunities. At the very least, it helps you build authority and share your thoughts on trends in your industry.
But even though there are over 875 million members and more than 58 million companies on LinkedIn, only 1% are using it effectively. And you can be one of those.
Get reading.
Why Your Company Posts Are Duller Than a Butter Knife
Here, I’ll dissect why your posts make people yawn. But I’ll also give you some tips to make sure your posts start sizzling with personality.
So, this is why your LinkedIn followers don’t like your posts:
People Don’t Trust Companies
These days, people don’t like being on the receiving end of corporate sermons. Trust in companies has been in a gradual decline for a while, and the game has shifted towards building authentic connections.
But here’s the thing – how can a faceless company build genuine connections?
Well, that was a rhetorical question. It can’t. A corporate entity is not personable. It can’t relate. It can’t share experiences. And that’s why your LinkedIn followers don’t trust you. But they do trust your employees.
People Trust People
The antidote to your corporate insipidness sits right within your own ranks – the members of your team. They make the magic happen, and they’re the reason why a reevaluation of your LinkedIn presence is in order.
You’re not on LinkedIn to show how great you are. People see right through that. And to be blunt, they don’t care.
You’re there to share the human in you, along with all the ups and downs. That is what people relate to. We all go through ebbs and flows, and it’s those stories that resonate most. So, if you think that harping on about your unbroken string of successes will win you a tribe of genuine followers, you’re lying to yourself.
People Love Originality
Stifling formality on LinkedIn is no more.
Your business should treat LinkedIn just like any other social media platform – by showing personality. This is about using the people who work for you as a means to build relationships. And they shouldn’t toot the company’s horn either.
Your employees should speak for themselves. It’s your team that should be in the spotlight. They’re the ones who can provide insights on current trends, offer a unique perspective, jump into conversations, and share their highest and lowest points.
The goal is to show that your company is a melting pot of diverse individuals who bring real value and connect on a deeper level. They’re not after the money; they’re after a shared experience and the opportunity to learn from others in the community.
People Associate
Your employees can revive your LinkedIn presence. But they’re not there to shower your company with divine praises because, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not exactly the Eighth Wonder of the World.
What will truly build trust is having employees who are enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and adept at connecting with the movers and shakers in your industry. When they speak, they’re not just sharing words; they’re weaving a narrative that intertwines with your company’s story. It’s this connection that makes others associate your employees with the company.
As a result, what’s written on your team’s individual LinkedIn pages carries more weight than the corporate megaphone.
So What Should Your Company Do?
Now, here’s your most important actionable tip: empower your employees to build their personal brands on LinkedIn. This is the best way to do LinkedIn well.
But don’t police your employees and don’t pressure them to sing the company’s praises day in and day out. Instead, encourage them to share their experiences, weave in mentions of the company where relevant, and not shy away from being real and raw.
When you trust your employees to be their real selves, they’ll trust you back. When they trust the company, they influence other people to do so as well, even if they aren’t on your payroll.
And remember, earning trust is a slow burn, but pays dividends over time. It won’t magically flood your inbox with new customers begging to give you their money after your CMO shares a few opinions on marketing.
Building relationships takes time, and often, the only tradeoff you’ll see is trust and relationships. But if your company has long-term plans, these are the most precious assets you’ll ever own.
Best Visual Content to Use in Your Content Marketing: 6 Popular Methods
Nobody cares.
Nobody cares about what you have to say. I know reading this sucks, but it’s the truth. And the sooner you accept it, the sooner you can shift your focus to something that will make people want to care.
That something is visual storytelling.
It isn’t a sort of dark magic (that we know of); it’s just visual content at play.
Plus, you don’t need the brain of Stephen Hawking to visually communicate a complex concept; you just need a few ideas.
The water’s warm and we’re diving headfirst.
What Is Visual Content?
Visual content (or visual content marketing if you want to get fancy) means conveying your story using compelling visual elements. Unlike text content, visual content hinges on imagery, design, and aesthetics to communicate ideas and information.
But if your audience doesn’t care about what you say, why would they grace your visual content with a second glance?
Well, if you insist on going sciencey – a study found that people who follow directions presented with text and illustrations do the task 323% better than those who follow plain text. Studies like these are even more prevalent in this era of information overload, as brands need to capture and retain the audience’s attention with a visually stimulating and resonant experience. Studies also show that people remember 65% of the visual content they see 3 days later.
Let’s take Apple’s product launches as an example. When the company reveals its latest gadget, they don’t throw a wall of text at you. While you will eventually read the text specifications, Apple will draw you in with animations, short videos, and scenography.
Do you think they would’ve generated the same buzz with 20 lines of sterile text?
Debatable.
What Are the Best Types of Visual Content Marketing?
The key to success in visual content marketing lies in harnessing different tools and tactics. Although there are many out there, here are the 3 favorites that yield the best results:
1. Infographics
Infographics are royalty and we will bend to their every will and desire. They convey information in an easily digestible format and increase the drive to read an article by 80%. This is because it boosts information retention and is 3x more likely to be shared on socials.
the drive to read an article increases by 80% when an infographic is included
2. Videos
Video accounted for 82.5% of internet traffic in 2023. What does that tell brands?
It says that your audience are likely to spend much longer on your website or social media platforms if you engage them with video. Not only that, but video content helps build brand awareness and interest in your product or service. Plus, it’s a great way to show off your personality and values.
Video accounted for 82.5% of internet traffic in 2023
3. Photos
Although the popularity of a regular photo has waned a bit, we still have to underscore the significance of high-quality images as part of your content strategy. Photos and screenshots contribute to a positive user experience and have been shown to boost engagement time and time again.
For example, some case studies cite that tweets with images get 313% more engagement than those without. This isn’t a statistic to sneeze at.
3 Tips for Using Visual Content in Your Content Marketing
To create successful visual content, you need strategic choices and creative decisions. Here are 3 tips to make the transition easier for you and your brand.
Remember – creating content doesn’t have to be complicated, so don’t overthink it.
Use UGC
UGC (User-Generated Content) is a goldmine for any content marketing strategy. According to studies, up to 93% of customers mention it informs their purchasing decision. This content showcases your customers’ experience with your brand and isn’t just you shouting about how awesome you are.
Here, you leverage authenticity. Use case studies of before-and-after images to create powerful narratives that resonate with your audience or use branded hashtags and challenges to get your community involved. Who knows, you might even go viral.
Maintain Your Visual Identity
Consistency in visual identity is a non-negotiable element of effective branding. A cornerstone, so to speak. Your brand’s colors, fonts, and design style are the language your brand speaks. It’s how you convey your brand’s personality, values, and message.
If your brand colors are green and orange, for example, posting visuals doused in red and blue can create confusion and dilute your recognition. This is not to say you should ONLY post content in your brand colors, but make sure that when you venture beyond your primary palette, there’s a thread that ties everything back to your identity.
Repurpose Written Content
Turning your text content into engaging visuals like infographics or videos is a tactic that can elevate your content marketing efforts. Like a good teacher, you’re giving your students (readers) an opportunity to take in the information in a manner that suits them best, whether through text, images, or audio.
For example, since infographics can simplify complex topics and make data more understandable and memorable, you can summarize your blog posts and integrate the image at the top. This way, you’re delivering information in a format that’s not only aesthetic but also effective.
Strategy for success in Macedonia
What’s the right strategy for success in Macedonia? Why is it hard to make it here?
Essentially, it’s down to two things:
- Your definition of success (which conditions need to be satisfied, which goals need to be achieved)
- Your plan for success (how you plan to achieve the goal)
Ultimately, if you don’t know where you’re heading, you will always be in the wrong place. Therefore, you’ll need to define:
- Where you want to go
- The turnover you want to achieve
- The services you offer
- The products you produce
- How many people you want in a team
For the best results, we always aim to define the deadlines beforehand and allocate members of the team for each goal.
And when moving towards success, we shouldn’t only be motivated by the end goal. Instead, we should look forward to the way there and cherish every small success and every solved problem. And, of course, we should be driven by the consistent desire for a new, better goal.
So, where’s the challenge here?
Finding the right team, of course!
Usually, people with the same vision and enthusiasm are not found, but made. By focusing our attention on the big picture, describing it well, and being consistent with our promises, the right people will join and propel us further. Everything else will simply follow.
Overall, the greatest challenge is that we don’t have resources to learn from. As a result, we grow by trial and error. Unfortunately, when we learn from online resources, follow world trends, attend numerous webinars and buy hundreds of courses, our service may still fall flat in Macedonia. In fact, it will either be too expensive to implement or it won’t yield any results.
Therefore, it’s crucial to adapt world trends to suit Macedonia and the Macedonians, as one trend doesn’t work everywhere and appeal to everyone.
Trends that will dramatically change Digital Marketing in 2021
Trends That Will Dramatically Change Digital Marketing in 2021
As we look upon 2021, we must ask ourselves:
Which dramatic changes in consumer behaviour and marketing strategy will have a positive impact on campaigns and digital marketing in general?
Luckily, there’s reason to believe that the future in the digital world will be bright. In fact, many digital channels have significantly benefited from an unfortunate situation, one being Zoom, which experienced a dizzying share growth during the pandemic.
Let’s look at some trends we predict will dramatically change digital marketing in 2021:
Change in Consumer Behaviour
Although additional effort and research will be needed to predict consumer and user behaviour, it’s certain that companies and brands will have to undergo drastic changes in their approach to marketing.
Traditional event types and sale lounge visits will adapt to the ‘new normal’, subsequently bringing in a dramatic increase in virtual events and online sales.
Businesses Will Digitise
The pandemic has forced companies to digitise and a large number have begun heavily investing in digital platforms, e-commerce, bots, e-mail marketing, apps, artificial intelligence and the like. We expect this trend to continue well into the future.
Focus on Social and Ethical Responsibility
Studies have shown that business ethics will be at the forefront of marketing. Thus far, companies have somewhat neglected broadcasting their ethics and morals, which has, in turn, driven their customers away.
Nowadays, more brands have begun practicing anti-consumerism, an approach that didn’t make sense in the past.
Influencer Marketing Will Be Crucial
Although consumer brands have been using influencers in their campaigns for a while, the pandemic and physical restrictions have boosted influencer marketing to new heights.
Hopefully 2021 will be full of optimism, with a focus on digitisation and digital services, and with consumers striving for a faster and more simplified online experience.
Why Should Your Business Be on Social Media?
It’s almost certain that one of the first things you’ve heard about building a business is carving a social media footprint. It seems as if businesses wouldn’t be able to survive without it!
Although that’s not entirely true, social media will undoubtedly be a valuable asset to your marketing strategy and an indispensable link to your strategy chain.
But social media is not a one-and-done solution, neither is it a one-size-fits-all. So, to use it to its full potential, you need to think about your goals.
In general, there are 9 goals for being present on socials:
- Raising brand awareness
- Attracting visitors to your website
- Creating potential clients
- Growing revenue
- Raising brand engagement
- Building a community around your business
- Offering customer service
- Increasing your presence in print
- Talking with customers about your brand
These points will probably have more than one goal, but that’s fine. In fact, it’s generally encouraged.
However, you should focus on only a few goals until you’re confident enough that you (or your team) can handle more.
Are Businesses Without Digital Marketing Doomed to Fail?
Nowadays, it’s almost unthinkable for a business to neglect digital marketing. Even companies that have observed fantastic results with their campaigns will be forced to continuously adapt to stay in the game.
The automobile industry is a great example of this, i.e., Tesla has developed an innovative approach for constructing vehicles to resemble smartphones in that they contain touch screens and lack dealerships. In the beginning, everyone thought this was impossible, but Tesla has remained the fastest-growing vehicle manufacturer.
We can see a similar trend with many other businesses. The pandemic has shown us that business models which cannot be modernised or digitised will be left behind and forced to shut down to avoid unnecessary repercussions. In fact, underdeveloped countries are the only ones allowing state intervention for failing businesses under the pretext of protecting employees. Unfortunately for those involved, this inadequate practice leads to further indebtment and a more catastrophic collapse in the coming years.
Business leaders who want to maintain a competitive edge and keep up with trends need to ponder which aspect would benefit from automatising, new technologies, and digital marketing.
