Search Results

With the rise of short-form video content on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, marketers have taken advantage of the opportunity to get their branded content into the algorithm. From jumping on trends to educational content, creating video content gives brands a higher chance of having their content seen and captivating potential customers. However, engaging consumers is one thing – converting them is another. In this blog, we’ll discuss some general video marketing tips and then dive into short-form and long-form videos individually to help you win with video marketing in 2025. Video Marketing Tips When developing your video marketing strategy, the first steps are to: Identify the platforms you want to post on Decide on your video marketing goals/content types Research your key competitors Step one is decided based on where your audience is. You can post high-quality video content, but it won't do you any good if it’s in the wrong place. The second step can also affect what platforms you post on. If your goal is to build brand identity and awareness, organic and trendy TikToks and Reels might be the way to go. However, if you are looking to drive product consideration or conversion, long-form how-to videos or product demonstrations might work better. Lastly, researching your competitors is key in any market, but when you're devoting time and money into video content, ensure you understand what is already out there and how to compete with it. Identify brands with a similar audience segment, and find their strengths and weaknesses. How can you take advantage of what they are not providing to consumers? Can you improve on what they are doing well? Once you have outlined your video marketing strategy, here are some tips to help you with creation and analytics: High-quality – high-quality content tends to be favoured by algorithms and audiences Make your goal clear – whether it’s participating in a trend or highlighting a product, don’t be overly complex with your messaging; stick to your main objective Captions – make your videos more accessible to a broader audience Sound – when the sound is heard, audio elements can help captivate your audience, reinforce your message, and even increase your algorithm performance Brand elements – ensure viewers will associate the video with your brand Platform-specific – use formatting and app-specific tools for each platform you post on Repurpose content – blog posts and other past content can be repurposed into video content as a low-cost opportunity to give them a second life Analytics – ensure you have clearly defined metrics based on your goals that determine your video’s success – how can you improve next time? Short-Form Video Moving on to short-form video more specifically, the most common social media platforms for these videos are TikTok, Instagram/Facebook Reels, and YouTube Shorts. All three of these options are optimal for mobile viewing, meaning you can reach your audience anywhere, at any point in the day. While this can be useful, keep in mind that this means they could watch your video very briefly, without sound, or without devoted attention. Consider posting times and video goals for these platforms with these barriers in mind. Further, many people come to these platforms for entertainment. This means they may be quick to scroll past a video that is obviously branded. Once again, align your video goals with this possibility and captivate quickly, ideally in the first 3-5 seconds. Another tool on these platforms is to pay attention to trending audio. Even if you are not participating in an audio-specific trend, using trending/recognizable audio in your video can help boost it in the algorithm. Long-Form Video On the other hand, long-form videos tend to be posted on YouTube or on a brand’s website. While other platforms do provide longer video options, they often do better in spaces designed for long-form content. Video goals and searchability are the most critical factors here. Consumers who are already interested in your brand, products, or services are more likely to take the time to watch a longer video, often to learn more about the product/service. While this is a smaller audience segment, they are also more likely to convert (if they like what they see). This brings us to searchability. When it comes to YouTube or videos on your website, the most common way people find them is by searching for them. This means that your video title, SEO, etc., must be optimized to ensure it can be found easily. And, of course, the video should be high-quality, on-topic, and informative, with a clear CTA to get the desired results. Video marketing can require significant effort, but can also yield significant results. Need more tips or marketing assistance? unLOCKEd is the "marketing agency near me" that actually works! Author: Sarah Murphy

Choosing your brand colour palette can seem like an easy decision, but it holds a lot more weight than you might think. Colours have a significant effect on people’s perception, and can even cause someone to make a subconscious decision about your brand before they read your company name or slogan. Since your brand colours strongly affect people’s first impression of your company, you want to make sure you choose ones that accurately reflect your goals and values. Lucky for you, in this blog, we’ll discuss how colour affects people’s perception of your brand and how to choose the right palette for your business. First Impressions As mentioned above, a large part of the weight brand colours hold is their effect on your audience’s first impression. The first thing a potential customer is going to see is your brand colours, whether it’s in a social media ad, on your website, or on your storefront. Subconsciously, this immediately impacts their perception of your brand, so ensuring they have the right perception is critical. Make sure the colours you choose align with your brand identity, industry, and values – more on that later. Interior Branding Additionally, if first impressions didn’t hold enough weight, your colour palette will also affect your interior branding, an essential component of your in-person brand experience. When customers or clients visit your retail or office location, their surroundings play a big part in their experience. Colour and other interior design choices can affect their mood, comfort, and even purchase decisions! If your interior branding results in people feeling overstimulated or doesn’t match your products or values, customers may not be compelled to buy from your brand or make a return visit. The Psychology of Colours Colours can have a variety of connotations and reactions based on the societal meanings they carry, and can even change from culture to culture. Here are some of the most common connotations  associated with colours in branding, both positive and negative: Blue – security, strength, wisdom, trust, suppresses appetite, coldness, unfriendliness Purple – wisdom, wealth, sophistication, decadence, moodiness, excess, femininity Orange – confidence, creativity, courage, warmth, caution, frustration, deprivation, sluggishness, immaturity Red – excitement, energy, power, fearlessness, passion, urgency, hunger, anger, warnings, danger, defiance, aggression, pain Green – life, relaxation, health, prosperity, hope, freshness, boredom, stagnation, blandness Yellow – youthfulness, happiness, optimism, creativity, extroversion, warmth, fear, irrationality, anxiety Black – sophistication, power, elegance, luxury, oppression, coldness, evil, death, mourning White – clean, simple, pure, modern, innocent, pristine, sterile, plain, boring, empty Pink – femininity, youthfulness, imaginative, quirky, childish, rebellious As you can see, colours can carry multiple very different connotations. This is where your logo, brand name, shades of colours, combinations of colours, images, and your slogan can work together to clarify which association your audience should make. Combining Colours Now, just because two colours reflect your brand well, doesn’t mean they go well together. Most brands choose two or three colours that work well together and complement each other in various branding or marketing mediums. It can be helpful if one of these colours is more neutral to use as a background colour. Many brands also use different shades of their base colours to add variety and make their media more visually aesthetic. All that being said, here are some colours that work well together to give you a starting point: Blue and orange (complementary colours) Purple and yellow (complementary colours) Red and green (complementary colours but can feel Christmas-y) Blue and green (natural colours) Green, blue, and purple (cool colours) Red, orange, and yellow (warm colours) Yellow, blue, and red (primary colours) Blue and pink Yellow and red Purple and pink Black and red Blue and white We hope this blog has given you a better understanding of how brand colours can impact your audience and informed your decision-making. Need help with your brand colours or logo? unLOCKEd can help! Contact us today to schedule a kick off call. Author: Sarah Murphy

In a digital world overflowing with agencies promising fast results and flashy metrics, local businesses in Ontario are making a different choice: unLOCKEd Company. Based in Waterloo and proudly serving the Waterloo Region and beyond, unLOCKEd offers something more valuable than cookie-cutter campaigns—authentic partnership, strategic thinking, and real results. 1. We Understand Local Markets From the bustling tech corridors of Kitchener-Waterloo to the close-knit communities of Guelph, Cambridge, and Ayr, we know what makes Ontario businesses tick. Our experience with a diverse portfolio of local businesses means we can tailor strategies to suit regional demographics, buying behaviours, and community engagement norms. 2. Full-Service Support Without the Overwhelm unLOCKEd is your complete marketing department—without the overhead. We provide: Social media management Content creation (blogs, video, Reels, newsletters) Google and Meta ads Branding and logo design Website strategy and SEO Instead of juggling freelancers or managing multiple agencies, you get one point of contact, one team, and one clear strategy. 3. Flexible, Scalable Solutions Whether you're just getting started or scaling up, our services are designed to grow with you. We offer project-based packages, monthly retainers, and strategic consultations—all customized to your goals, capacity, and budget. 4. Real Results from Real People Our clients have seen incredible results: Increased organic traffic by 260% for a Kitchener-based B2B company Doubled social engagement for a Cambridge venue Helped a Waterloo therapy collective launch their brand and fill their client list But it’s not just the results. It’s the way we get there—with care, collaboration, and creativity. 5. We're Local, Too We’re not just another agency with a local keyword on the website. We live here. We work here. We volunteer here. Our roots in the Waterloo Region mean we’re invested in your success because it's our community, too. Let’s Build Something Together If you're a local business in Ontario looking for a partner who actually understands your challenges, unLOCKEd is ready to help. Let’s bring your brand to life, grow your online presence, and turn your goals into wins. Book a free strategy call today  or explore our services to see how we can unLOCK your potential. unLOCKEd Company — Marketing Made Simple. Results Made Local. Author: Victoria Wheal

Many businesses are considering a brand adjustment or full rebrand as they attempt to negotiate the economic uncertainties of 2023 and beyond. The world of small business is in a constant state of evolution with the emergence of new social media platforms, the rise in ecommerce, and many other innovative variables that are changing the way business can be done. But does all of this disruption justify a rebrand? At unLOCKEd we take the decision to rebrand seriously, looking at 4 key factors when working with clients considering this option. These factors are: Factor 1: Your core business offerings have changed Prior to the pandemic, your core business was a contemporary diner with a dedicated community of regulars and steady growth of new dine-in customers. When lockdowns hit, you pivoted nicely and saw your delivery business take off in unexpected ways. Currently your business is 60% dine-in and 40% delivery or take-away. In this case you might want to rebrand your business to communicate more clearly that your diner is both a great place to dine-in on date night but can also be your first choice for delivery as you Netflix and chill. Factor 2: Your logo feels outdated The best-case scenario is that your logo is a strong, fully aligned visual representation of what your business does. Does your current logo reflect what your business offers as well as the style that you deliver these services? Does the logo for your diner reflect that you emphasize contemporary rather than nostalgic diner fare? Does it capture in any way the fact that your business is now as much about delivery as it is in-house dining? Would a refresh of the colour, font, or design enhance the alignment between the current state of your business? Factor 3: Your branding does not stand out from the crowd Branding is important as the first introduction that many customers have to your business, so standing out from the crowd is vitally important. It is, in fact, one of the key goals of any branding. To stand out. To be different. To be unique. As I explained in discussing the importance of a fresh logo, if your branding and messaging is becoming static (instead of dynamic), outdated (instead of current), or just lacks the energy that you bring to your business every day. Factor 4: You are struggling to attract new customers or expand your local market Your diner’s in-house business has returned to almost pre-pandemic levels. Your delivery business has levelled off nicely as a stable revenue stream. While it is tempting to just the course and retain your current business, a business must always be looking to evolve, gain more market share, and be resistant to ebb and flows of the market as new competitors enter the market. When undertaking a full or partial rebrand, we always recommend balancing the integrity of your current brand with updated elements. You need to continue to get the word out about your diner fare, the cool vibe you have worked years to develop, and the long-standing reputation that it has in the community. You cannot simply sit back and let word of mouth do the work of introducing your business to new customers. Your brand (from social media posts to logo design) has to do the heavy lifting so that people know what your core business is, how well do deliver on hat your business promises to deliver, and where to find you. In the end… The decision to rebrand is never an easy one. But as young Hamlet learned (too late) and too many businesses have learned (the hard way), delaying a decision can be fatal. At unLOCKEd, we have the expertise and experience to help any business ensure that their branding works and, more importantly, continues to work as the business and market evolves. Regardless of what your business sells or what service it provides, we can help. Whether you are a one-person start-up or long-established enterprise, we can help. Contact today to get the word out about your business and build a brand that continues to grow as your business does.

Understanding how your business is doing online isn’t always easy. Knowing whether your website is showing up in search engine results or if people are receptive to a new marketing campaign isn’t obvious at a glance. The good news is, Google Analytics can help. Google Analytics provides website owners with valuable insights into how users are interacting with their digital assets and marketing campaigns which can help them improve. But if you’re not sold, here’s what you can learn from Google Analytics to help your business. Making Data-Based Decisions Google Analytics provides website owners with data from users’ activity and interactions on their website. This allows businesses to make decisions with accurate data rather than guessing what customers will respond to. If a product is doing well in-store, you can use this observation and make the decision to stock more of it. Likewise, if a blog or product is attracting a lot of traffic on your website , you can make marketing decisions, such as writing similar blogs or advertising that product, based on the data provided. Google Analytics takes out the guesswork. Understand Client Behaviour Between economic struggles, changes in spending throughout the pandemic, and rapidly changing trends, it can be difficult to understand your customers’ behaviour. However, Google Analytics includes user IDs that aid in tracking behaviour with regard to your business . This allows you to see user activity beyond singular interactions. Instead, you can track user behaviour from acquisition to purchase to retention. This data can help you understand where in the process your website may need to improve and the demographic of customers that come back to your business repeatedly. Targeted Marketing Further than benefiting the improvement of your website, this data can help with your marketing strategy. The demographics and activity of the users on your website can be used for targeted marketing. These data sets can be used for ad personalization, which plays a significant role in marketing. For example, Google gives you the option to set up personalized ads relevant to the geographical data collected from your clients . Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Of course, we can’t forget SEO. Using Google Analytics can help you understand how your website pages are doing in the search engine results – you can’t track users’ activity if they never find your page! The tool gives insights regarding the pages of your website that are gaining a relative number of visitors and your best-performing pages . This can help you strategize what kind of content to invest in and how to allocate your efforts accordingly. In the past, business success was simply measured by sales . Today, the name of the game is digital marketing. You can learn a lot about the activity on your website through Google Analytics, but if you want to go the extra mile, unLOCKEd can help. Benefiting from years of experience in the management process, Victoria LOCKE understands the core competency of owners and managers and works on your behalf. Author: Sarah Murphy

First impressions are everything; anyone in the business world knows it. That’s why companies go out of their way to create an enticing logo, come up with a catchy slogan, and hire the friendliest customer service agents. But what do your clients and customers think when they enter your business? Are the lights too bright? Too white? Too yellow? Are the walls boring and plain? Is the furniture generic and drab? More and more, businesses are realizing that interior branding is an integral part of their first impression. Interior branding should say everything a client needs to know about a brand off the bat because it could determine whether they come back. This blog gives an idea of how interior branding can help your space and some important components to consider. Interior Branding Aesthetically Interior branding is essential to a business’ aesthetic to create an enjoyable and engaging space for both customers and employees. If a customer walks into your space and the interior does not align with the type of business you are conducting, it will immediately throw them off. If the aesthetic does not match what you are selling or promoting, customers are less likely to see themselves using your product or service. The same goes for employees – as it is a space where staff spend a large portion of their time, their surroundings affect both their mood, productivity, and job satisfaction. Additionally, by creating an aesthetically pleasing space, customers can see the effort that is put into your business. If you aren’t putting effort into your interior, customers assume the same goes for your product or service and the rest of your brand. If you want to show the quality of what you’re selling, create a quality space to sell it in. Interior Branding and Values While interior branding is important for aesthetic purposes, that is not the only place where it can be helpful to your brand. Interior branding can be used to showcase and demonstrate your brand’s values and principles, building credibility and authenticity. If your brand is all about environmental consciousness, use eco-friendly materials in your interior design. If your brand promises class and luxury, create a space that makes clients feel that way. It is important that both your product or service and your interior branding reflect the message you are trying to get across to create consistency and integrity. In other words, practice what you preach. Design Elements There are many elements your brand can play with and incorporate in your interior branding to create the feeling you’re looking for. Instead of going for the generic, cookie-cutter look, interior branding can be customized to make your business stand out. Material, texture, and colours can all be tailored to your brand and can even be used to create statement pieces such as a moss wall, a wall graphic, a mural, custom wayfinding signs, and even acoustic design. By utilizing elements such as these, you can create a unique space that is aesthetically pleasing, showcases your values, and is completely functional for your business. Multiple Locations Another consideration is interior branding across locations. While creating a unique look is important, brand consistency is critical. Your interior design should stand out from other businesses but align with your branding to create a coherent image of your business. This look should also be somewhat uniform across locations. While the design can be modified to fit the specific space each location is in, it should be recognizable to customers. This sets your business apart from competitors and, if it is a positive experience, encourages customers to return or visit another location, building brand loyalty. In short, set your business apart from the crowd, but keep your look consistent. Interior branding is one of unLOCKEd’s specialties. Let our experts help you choose the best elements to display your brand values and aesthetics. From custom wayfinding to preserved moss walls, we can do it all, and we know just how to make sure your business gives the perfect first impression. Author: Sarah Murphy

Google, as the number 1 search engine, may have seemed irreplaceable up until now, but there appears to be a growing shift in where the younger generations are choosing to type their search queries. While Google isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, this is still a matter that affects businesses that rely on Google and SEO to get their names out there and end users who may not realize how trustworthy this new source of information is. In this blog, we’ll take a look at the implications of this switch, both positive and negative, for businesses and consumers. The Business Side – Social Media SEO By now, you’ve heard us say it a million times – SEO is essential for businesses. It assists with general user navigation on your website and helps to make sure your business shows up in Google search results. But what happens when the search results aren’t on Google anymore? With social media becoming the new search engine, businesses' use of social media is more important than ever. Social media SEO is the art of optimizing your profiles to reach customers who are searching for terms relevant to your products and/or services . In the past, optimizing your social media might have meant using it to connect with customers and foster engagement. Now, it means utilizing it to acquire new customers. To do so, posts should be the best quality they have ever been to entice users to click on them in the search results. However, even getting your post into the search results is reliant on the caption. Similar to blog posts or website content, captions should now contain keywords and even hashtags that users might be searching for. Additionally, to turn those page visits into conversions, be sure to include your website in your social media bio! The Consumer Side – Amplifying Misinformation According to HubSpot , 31% of consumers now use social media to find answers to their questions. Millennials and Gen Z tend to prefer this option because  it has not yet been optimized for businesses. While the Google search results page is filled with sponsored sites and keywords to get you to click, social media is more likely to provide unbiased answers from transparent, authentic people . This feels like a more reliable and accurate answer for many. However, this new way of searching does not come without its issues. Social media is one of the primary platforms where misinformation often spreads. While Google may have sponsored sites, their search results are more likely to be evaluated for factual information and reliable links. Of course, there are still scammers and fraudulent activity on Google, but it’s a little bit easier to weed through. It can be much harder to tell the difference between an authentic answer and deceptive misinformation on social media, especially with the rabbit holes that social media algorithms tend to create. While social media search engines can act as valuable tools, users should be cautious about how quickly they believe the answers they get. When social media has this big of an impact on your business’s performance, you want it in the best hands possible. Here at unLOCKEd, our marketing experts are on top of the newest trends and have the experience to put them into action (and so much more!) Contact us today!   Author: Sarah Murphy

We’ve discussed SEO – setting up your business profile, using keywords, SERP rankings, and so on – but there’s also something to be said about keeping a user or potential customer on your website. Certain SEO tricks can help with this, such as internal linking and improving navigation, but another tactic is leveraging feedback and online reviews. In this blog, we’ll discuss how to navigate online reviews for marketing success and how it benefits your business! Building Trust Leveraging feedback and online reviews shows that you are a business to be trusted. When you search for a business on Google, and they have limited or negative reviews, many people will turn to a competitor that looks more reliable. Showing that real people have left positive reviews proves to potential customers that you are a trustworthy establishment or source of information. Although you can use other marketing tactics to try to communicate this, nothing says it quite like someone else saying it. Furthermore, don’t stop at having positive reviews on your Google Business Profile – share them on other platforms! Sharing positive feedback on your website and social media is a great way to market your business and show you value your customers. Building and Leveraging Relationships Online reviews are an excellent opportunity for you to build relationships with your customers. Make a habit of responding to reviews and thanking customers for leaving them. This will show current and potential customers that you value and appreciate them. In addition, this can be an opportunity to set any negative reviews straight. An apology or implementing feedback to improve can go a long way in the eyes of a consumer and can even show you where your business’s weak spots are. However, be careful not to get sucked in – getting into a commenting war with a customer or offending someone is not worth it to prove your point. The other side of the coin is leveraging current relationships. Those positive reviews to share or respond to won’t be there in the first place if your customers don’t leave them! The majority of satisfied customers are happy to leave a review when they are asked to do so. However, if you don’t ask, most customers will not bother. Customers often do not understand how much it helps a business to leave a review, so leveraging your current customer relationships by requesting they do so can be half the battle. Building Brand Presence and Values Finally, reviews can be a great way to build your brand presence and values. In addition to showing that you are trustworthy and value customer relationships, other brand values such as eco-friendliness, accessibility, comfortability, and more can be highlighted by reposting a review that has taken notice of them. This can even create a sense of authenticity in your audience’s mind since others are praising your business rather than you boasting about your own success or values. Online reviews can be leveraged to benefit your company substantially, but they also require consistency and time. If you’re looking for someone to help manage your marketing, check out unLOCKEd today! Author: Sarah Murphy

While we’ve discussed SEO many times and even have a blog called SEO 101 , truly mastering SEO requires more than just the basics. You want your website seen by the most people possible, and to do that, you need to understand how to optimize it for the algorithm. So, in this blog, we’ll cover some more advanced tips to help you unlock your website’s visibility and traffic. Bounce Rate While minimizing your bounce rate seems like a pretty basic tip, actually understanding what is causing those bounces is a little more complicated. Figuring out why people click off your page is the first step to solving the problem. This may be due to anything from poor navigability to your content’s time to value. In SEO, time to value is the time it takes for a user to gain value from a piece of content . If page visitors have to scroll and scroll (especially on mobile devices) to find the answer they are looking for, they are more likely to click off and look at a different website for the information. This increases your bounce rate and is bad for your SEO. Ensure the most important information on a page is concise and included at the top to help improve this. Internal Linking Once again, a simple idea, but mastering it can be more complex. While internal linking throughout your website is already a good practice, there are ways to go about it to improve your SEO further. One way to do this is by using topic clusters. A topic cluster is a group of articles or pieces of content that share a central topic and strategically link to and from one another . The best way to format this is to have a pillar page which targets a broad topic and other cluster pages that cover related topics, linking to and from the pillar page. These internal links are great for SEO, and the wealth of information they provide makes you seem more credible about the topic! Structured Data Using structured data on your website is a more technical SEO tip, but it isn’t difficult to implement. Structured data (or schema markup) is a type of code that helps Google understand your content better . This allows Google to pull more information from your website to display on the search engine results pages (SERPs). This means your website is taking up more room on the SERPs and displaying more information that may encourage users to click on it. Anyone can add schema markup to their website using tools such as the one provided below. Visuals Visual elements are great additions to your page to attract and engage your visitors. However, almost every website these days has visuals. So, you need to make yours stand out. A great way to do this is to add dynamic visuals, such as GIFs, animated images, and videos . These are excellent for keeping your visitors interested and to convey more information! Utilize Tools Not everyone is an expert at website design or coding – and that’s okay! You can still achieve excellent SEO results by implementing tips like these and taking advantage of the many tools out there! Here are just a few to get you started! Internal Linking – Backlink Analytics   Schema Markup – Structured Data Markup Helper Tool A/B Testing – SplitSignal ,  Optimizely , or VWO Finding Unlinked Brand Mentions – Brand Monitoring   These tips are great ways to help you master SEO, but they do take time and focus to implement. For the best marketing and SEO results without taking time away from running your business, contact  unLOCKEd today! Author: Sarah Murphy

In a previous blog, we reviewed the marketing trends and predictions for 2023 , but somehow, it’s already time for 2024. Time goes by fast, but the world of marketing is faster! So, to help your company stay ahead of the game, we’re going over some of those 2023 trends that will continue to be important in the new year, and discussing some additional ones for 2024. Let’s get into it! 2023 Recap Managing The Digital Customer Experience In a society of speed, digital experiences, and constant connectivity, consumers have high expectations for companies’ digital presence. Companies that can’t deliver will quickly fall behind. These expectations will continue in 2024. Working On Authority and Authenticity In Your field Customers continue to value quality and transparency, building a trusting relationship with the companies they are loyal to. If your company wants that customer loyalty, they have to earn it. Low prices may be a strategy for short-term gain, but value is the name of the game in the long run. Customers Will Practice Smarter Purchase Choices Due to these customer values, they make smarter purchase choices. These decisions begin long before they enter the store – that is, if they don’t just purchase online in the first place. This means companies’ marketing needs to portray the values and benefits consumers desire before they go to make the purchase. Balancing Physical and Digital Connections Both physical and digital connections have their own values that they bring to the consumer relationship. While people enjoy the convenience and stock of digital purchases, there are many cases where they like to interact with the product or with someone who can answer their questions. Continue to balance these connections in 2024. Influencer Marketing and Social Commerce Will Become Common Practice Consumers’ want for transparency and authenticity can often be fulfilled through influencer marketing. These ‘real people’ are easier for consumers to trust and build relationships with than a brand logo. Influencers will continue to be an important part of marketing strategies in 2024, especially with the emergence of virtual influencers or AI characters  on social media. New in 2024 AI and Automation While AI and automation are far from new concepts in 2024, they will be increasingly utilized and normalized. This will result in highly personalized, real-time content  enabled by AI algorithms, chatbots, and data analytics. Keeping up with this technology and implementing it in thoughtful ways  will be essential for companies this year.  SEO and Search Results AI and other technological advances are also shaking things up for SEO. In 2024, there are many more ways to search for information other than typing . Searching with voice and images are just two ways companies will have to start considering. As well, AI is making it easier for search engines, such as Google, to understand queries , resulting in more information being found more easily. Companies will need to be extremely up-to-date and innovative with their SEO practices to stay on top of these changes. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Integration Advancements in VR and AR should be top-of-the-mind tools for marketers in 2024. Integration of these technologies can make marketing more personalized and customizable, whether it’s a VR showroom tour for a car company or an AR app that lets users visualize how furniture will look in their home . Utilizing these tools can set your company apart from others.  Sustainability, Social Responsibility, and Ethical Marketing Although these ideas are not new to consumers or marketers, they are increasingly important. Purchase decisions now go far beyond the realm of price and quality . Consumers want to understand brand values, beyond their products and services,  particularly concerning environmental and social responsibility . While quality is still important for consumers, marketing in 2024 is as much about values as it is about value .  Dominance of Video Content Finally, video content, especially short form, will be the dominant content format in 2024. The rise of short-form video platforms has made this type of content particularly enticing for consumers and marketers alike. This dynamic and visually appealing content  is perfect for advertising, storytelling, product launches, and even customer testimonials .  Even with these predictions, the ever-changing marketing world can be tricky and confusing. Luckily, unLOCKEd can help with that! Contact us  to ensure your marketing doesn’t fall behind while you’re busy running your business. Author: Sarah Murphy

Welcome to unLOCKEd’s Marketing Mindfulness Series! In today’s hectic digital world, mindfulness practices can provide relief from the chaos when you can’t just shut it off. Mindfulness can benefit your personal and professional life, which we discussed in more detail in July’s Marketing Mindfulness blog . If you haven’t read it yet, be sure to check it out! We are sharing one mindfulness practice a month to help you gradually implement mindfulness into your daily life. Trying to make a big change all at once can be daunting and frustrating, but with one small change each month, you can make a big difference! January Mindfulness Practice: Consider a Digital Detox This month’s mindfulness practice is to consider a digital detox . We understand that this can sound impossible in today’s connected world, especially as a marketer. However, a digital detox doesn’t need to last a long period of time or even be a complete detox to provide some benefits. And what better time to start than as your New Year’s resolution? Benefits Taking conscious breaks from the digital world or even just from your work world can reduce stress and enhance your overall well-being and satisfaction in both your professional and personal life . A mindful approach to your screen time and professional availability can help you better enjoy your offline time and recharge. Moreover, this can help you feel rejuvenated for the day and use your online time more effectively. Finally, breaks from the digital world can help your creativity flourish and improve your mental health. How to Implement This Practice We will be discussing two ways to implement this practice. It is important to take a practical approach when implementing mindfulness practices, so they don’t feel overwhelming and counteractive. As we mentioned, a lengthy or comprehensive digital detox is often difficult or even impossible. However, short detoxes can have plenty of benefits as well! Make a conscious decision to stay off of devices during your lunch hour or off your phone when possible during work. An offline lunch can allow for creativity and connection rather than stress and isolation. Your phone can often be a distraction, even if you use it as a tool for your work. Take a mindful approach to the time you spend online during your work and personal day to have a more productive and enjoyable experience! The second way to implement a detox is to avoid work during your personal time. This can mean turning off notifications, setting an out-of-office message for your work email, or even removing your work email from your phone. While a marketer’s job can require unconventional hours, be mindful of setting boundaries to allow yourself some offline time. After all, all it takes is one angry message from a client to ruin an otherwise blissful weekend away from the desk. Although social media never stops, you have to have times in the day and week when you can get away from your phone . Take this month as an opportunity to incorporate mindfulness into 2025. We hope this mindfulness practice helps! Be sure to look out for next month’s blog to continue this series with us! Author: Sarah Murphy

When you think of media and marketing, most of what comes to mind is likely digital. Whether the newspaper or magazine you keep up with has gone online or the business you’re looking for tends to advertise on social media, a lot of what we consume is found on our phones or computers. However, this does not necessarily mean that printing is dead. Print media and marketing continue to be made and distributed despite the misconception that it is being replaced. Here are a few reasons why printing has not yet reached its end. Direct Mail vs Email Contrary to the increasing number of businesses turning to email campaigns for marketing, both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. While direct mail is more expensive and its effectiveness is more difficult to trace, it tends to have more impact due to the lower volume of mail than email . Further, mail is kept around and looked at for longer than emails are, which can improve its effectiveness and increase the attention it receives. On the other hand, email campaigns are more cost-effective and can be personalized, but it is overused, and the repetitive and overwhelming daily task of sorting through emails can turn many people off. Marketing emails are also often deleted without being opened, and even if they are, privacy advancements are making it harder to trace links and track emails opened. A survey of words customers associated with these marketing methods showed that email is viewed as quick, spontaneous, interesting, informative, smart, and informal, and direct mail is viewed as formal, official, considered, believable, important, reliable, informative, and personal. It was also discovered that many find physical mail more engaging and memorable than email and social media advertising. A Needle in a Haystack As mentioned above, while digital marketing seems to be the more popular option currently, it is overused, and it can be challenging to be noticed in such an oversaturated medium. Both social media advertising and email campaigns have this issue, and using this method can be like dropping a needle in a haystack and hoping your desired audience finds it. While there are specific metrics and features built into social media apps, such as target advertising, to help with this, it is becoming an increasingly difficult space to be noticed in. Direct mail or print advertisements may stand out or be seen as more appealing simply because they are not on our digital devices. The Paper Experience Many people prefer a physical copy of the book they’re reading; the same can be said about print marketing. The tactile and sensory experience of print should not be overlooked and cannot be entirely replaced by digital media. Physically holding a piece of paper in your hand is more concrete and permanent than an advertisement that can be scrolled past, and this can make a significant impact on your audience. Print media also offers a break from your phone . Once your eyes hurt and you’re sick of scrolling, print media offers a less demanding option which allows you to pay attention to every page rather than an endless scroll. There are also fewer distractions of notifications and ads popping up than its digital counterpart. Finally, not everyone is online. Despite the popular idea that the world is now online, depending on the demographic, this is not always the case. Print media is an accessible option for those who choose not to use the internet, do not understand how to use the internet, or live in a remote or low-income area where they do not have access to the internet. Conclusion So, is printing dead? The answer seems to be a resounding no, and some say it never will be. Instead, it appears that the best strategy is a combination of print and digital content to reach the largest audience effectively. However, what weighting of each works best varies from company to company. unLOCKEd marketing experts have experience with all kinds of content and distribution, both print and digital, and know how to get you the best results. We hope we can help with your next marketing endeavour, providing the support and insight you need while you’re busy running your business. Author: Sarah Murphy