Inspiration is everywhere. Of course it has always been everywhere but it seems to be more of a commodity these days thanks to the internet and social media.
Grandiose a term as it may be, inspiration is also somewhat wishy washy. Defined as “the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative”, it implies that the capacity for action exists but it doesn’t mean the action will happen.
Brand/branding is a sexy term. All the cool kids (Apple, Google, Nike etc.) are seen as brands, rather than businesses per se. Brands are what teenagers covet and trendsetters worship. But ultimately branding is what sets the brilliant apart from the bla.
Considered more severely, good branding can elevate an average product into something awesome and, similarly, a lack of branding or inappropriate branding can significantly devalue or diminish an amazing product.
As content marketers we believe there are plenty of, sometimes unexpected, opportunities to be clever about copy and content.
We’re talking about your newsletter popup, your contact page or your FAQs tab. Why should the nitty-gritty content stuff be boring as bricks? Why not use it as an opportunity to make people smile, or draw them into your brand ethos.
Here are a couple of fantastic examples of brands that have great copy on their newsletter signup forms. Since these kinds of popups can sometimes be rather annoying, if the content is interesting or unexpected it can really add to the goodwill of your brand – and hopefully get people to sign up to your newsletter!
The measure of excellent content is, arguably, its appeal to the reader who isn’t necessarily interested in the topic but becomes engrossed because it is well conceptualised, well researched, flawlessly written and beautifully presented.
Lately I’ve been particularly inspired by fashion brands that are doing a great job of content. Here’s a look at current favourites.
Today Instagram, the social media network that started out as a photo editing app for iOS back in 2010, has 500 million users, of which 60% use Instagram every single day, according to the official Instagram blog.
That’s an impressive number for a social media channel driven exclusively by photos and videos. It’s a channel that brands with a creative/design slant can’t afford to ignore. The key to a successful Instagram account is a strategic and consistent approach, underpinned by plenty of creativity and clear communication.
Strategy is a great word. It’s one of those mid-weight ones that can effortlessly be thrown into discussions to take it up just that notch or two.
But dig a little deeper and it soon becomes apparent that there is a lot of uncertainty around what strategy, and content strategy in particular, really means.
We invite you to join us for our 2016 Mandela Day project to bring the magic and power of books and reading to children of a disadvantaged community in Cape Town.
“What’s in a name?” Shakespeare famously asked. But that was hundreds of years ago. Perhaps the more prevalent question today is “what’s in a logo?”
On Thursday, 14 April 2016, Shopstar hosted prolific blogger Lana Kenney of Lanalou Style at their monthly Echat, held at Truth Coffee at Prestwich Memorial in Cape Town.
Lana’s been blogging since 2009, having grown her lifestyle blog into one of the biggest of its kind in South Africa. At this intimate event she shared tips with online shop owners for how to get their work noticed and featured by bloggers.
Here are some of the key takeouts she shared: