The Blog: Digital

Have you ever watched a vintage 1950s television commercial from a well-known brand? Outside of the obvious technological limitations, the way the marketing message was conveyed probably feels simple or even patronizing.

Customer engagement is the connection between customer and brand. It encourages customers to interact and share their experiences with the brands they support. Positive and strong customer engagement can grow a brand substantially, while lackluster or negative customer experiences can potentially deal businesses a fatal blow.

The Agile methodology has become very popular in software and digital development over the past few years. And rightly so. It provides increased speeds, improved collaboration and the ability to react quickly to changing market trends. However, it was built mainly for developers, not UX professionals.

Creating websites with great user experience means focusing on the humans that will be using the site. Understanding human psychology is important for anyone who is involved in the design, content, information architecture or strategy of a website.

Content marketing could seem overwhelming as a concept. However, if broken down properly, it’s much more palatable and can be the largest weapon in your marketing arsenal. Whether you are looking to increase awareness, drive lead generation or create conversions, content marketing can provide the results you’re seeking.

One of the biggest tech trends gaining steam in 2018 is the rise of artificially intelligent chatbots. Thankfully, none are hunting Sarah Conner or trying to run over Will Smith just yet, but the technology driving chatbots has made some impressive strides in the last few years. 

Experiences with any brand touchpoint (including digital products) can either reinforce user perceptions of the brand or break them down. It's vital to a brand’s reputation that users have not only positive experiences with a company’s digital products, but experiences that reinforce the brand. Brand experience is user experience. 

A user’s experience with a website or app is made up of a variety of elements and moments in time. Every detail--from load time to aesthetics--has an impact. Luckily, Semantic Studios has created a big picture model of the components that influence user experience, also known as the UX Honeycomb.

By now most of us have heard of goat yoga, the animal-snuggling fitness sensation that has taken the nation by storm. But how did it become a craze seemingly overnight?

In the blink of an eye, we’re back to the holiday season. That’s right. It’s fourth quarter. Every year brings a host of new challenges for brands, and every year the online world takes a bigger piece of the holiday pie. If you don’t already have a digital marketing strategy in place, you're certainly cutting it close.

The criteria might surprise you. We find that the most dangerous clients are those who try to control the internet. Yes. You read that correctly. Those who try to control the internet. If you are guilty, it’s understandable. A brand can get crushed out there without a plan.

We all like websites that are easy to use better than hard ones, so it seems obvious to take the advice: “Make your website easy to use.” But it is truly worth the time and money?