Marketing is most effective when incorporating high-quality graphic design. Graphic design is the art of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content. It can include images, words, graphics, or a combination of all elements. Graphic design serves as the backbone of your brand by driving successful advertising and attracting consumers to what you have to offer. It’s fundamental to have graphics to support your product or service, regardless of the size of your...

Graphic design helps us communicate messages and ideas, persuade people to take action, and make the world a more beautiful place. We can break down the world of graphic design into two categories: print design and digital design. As the names suggest, print design is any design where the final form is intended to be in physical form, and digital design is any presentation or design that’s developed for use on digital platforms. They each have their own unique challenges and distinctions that...

Your competitors are increasing their marketing budget this year and so should you. As the economy continues to shift and evolve, marketers are shifting their focus to digital channels while simultaneously finding ways to get the most out of their marketing budget. Here is a recent study on marketing trends and budgeting changes.

Marketing shouldn’t be a daunting task, it should be a helpful solution that makes you money. Partnering with a trusted marketing agency is the first step to boosting your business in a stress-free way. With the increase in agencies, it can be hard to know which agency to go with. Whether it’s reputation, personality, or capabilities, here are the best ways to find the right marketing agency for you.

While it seems a lot easier to post the exact same content to all of your social media platforms, it is not beneficial. Your audience varies throughout the different social media platforms. Your audience on Instagram will be different compared to your audience on Twitter or Facebook. Each of those audiences has different expectations for your posts. The posts entail what you write and how it is written.

As technology advances, there are many more realities that have been created than most may realize. While marketing aspects like cohesive marketing are very important, it is also important to be well-versed in the changing world and technological advancements to ensure your marketing strategy is the best it can be. At Inner Spark, we stay updated on these advancements so you don’t have to. Continue reading to learn what the metaverse is and why it matters to marketing.

Your website is the foundation of your business, so maintaining it is crucial to finding success. With online traffic at an all-time high, many people use websites as a first impression of companies which is why your website should reflect your mission and values. Because it’s become so easy to find the information we’re searching for nowadays, the attention span of consumers has decreased greatly. There are many elements that turn customers away from a website or make them feel like it’s...

Twitter is among the most popular social media platforms used in today’s age. It has over 200 million users, and the popular social media platform is only going to continue to grow. When starting a business, there is a series of checklist items to make including making your brand, starting a website, and maximizing social media. In this article, we will go through how to make a marketable Twitter handle that can take your social media campaign to the next level.

Having an effective brand for your company can impact whether or not you will be successful and who you’ll be able to reach. It’s easy to overlook the importance of a consistent brand, and many people are even unfamiliar with exactly what a brand is. This big decision often determines what people think about you and your business and builds credibility over time. Being consistent is vital to developing a successful brand and makes a tremendous difference in your company’s marketing. Inner...

Customer reviews can be intimidating if you’ve never handled them before or are starting your business journey, but they are vital to reaching success. Having plenty of reviews for new and returning customers to look at will give them a greater sense of who you are and how you do business. In fact, people are likely to trust a company with positive reviews just as much as a recommendation from a friend. Whether you haven’t received any or you have endless reviews, there are plenty of ways to...

Zoom has changed the way businesses and organizations are able to communicate with employees and clients around the world. There are so many pros to hosting company meetings via this platform, which is why it continues to be used today. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoom became a solution for many businesses and schools that had to be closed or quarantined. Everyone met virtually through this video conference service and managed to continue their tasks from home, opening a world...

What exactly is the difference between reach and impressions? If you have just launched an advertising campaign, checking the reaches and impressions will help you understand how well your campaign is doing. Reach and impressions have different meanings depending on each platform you use. As social media platforms continue to grow it is important to be aware of how to read reach and impressions.

Mobile devices have easily become the most efficient way to advertise and communicate your brand with a broad range of audiences from around the world. Mobile marketing takes place through smartphones, tablets, and other handheld devices that continue to be introduced as time goes on. With this shift came all kinds of social media, websites, and apps that are used by companies for online marketing. These are some of the biggest ways the use of mobile devices has changed the world of marketing.

Marketing is one of the best ways to get your brand out there and gain a wider audience. Specifically, social media can be brutal. A simple mistake can lead to losing many followers and audience members. It is important to make sure you are avoiding any mistakes that could damage your brand's social media presence. Some mistakes to avoid:

For many of us, imagining life without social media might be hard. It has become a part of most people’s lives due to the many benefits it brings. Whether you’re a business or an individual, there is a social media platform available for you. These programs have changed the way companies are able to do advertising and helped countless people connect with others. Even if you’re new to the world of social media, it’s easily accessible and pretty simple to understand. While all social media has...

As a business owner, you may wonder how much your website actually matters when it comes to making a profit. You may not realize it, but your website is often the first impression a potential consumer has of your business and can be one of the most important pieces of media that your company owns. A quality website is so important because it’s your main channel of communication with your consumers. Having a good web design directly impacts search engine result page rankings, traffic, how long...

Design trends come and go with the times. Retro design is becoming more alive than ever since 2019. Retro trends have popped up in all different segments of design from product and interior to graphic and social media design. Many big brands like Nike have been using elements of nostalgic design in ads, marketing campaigns, and products and receive positive feedback and success. The revival of retro motifs has been a huge trend in the past few years. So if you want to know how to get the...

Over time marketing trends change and new trends are created. There are many different ways to stay up to date with potential new trends or enhance the skills you already have within your marketing career. Whether it's taking an online course or enhancing the skills you already have, there are many ways to broaden your knowledge in marketing.

So, you are thinking about video marketing for your business. What platforms should you use? What platforms are available? Lots of vendors claim to be video platforms, but perform a variety of functions. Some are better for different types of marketing and who you are trying to reach. Inner Spark Creative has created this guide to video marketing including the pros and cons of each major platform of video marketing, Vimeo and YouTube.

Cohesive marketing is an important part of your marketing strategy. Social media and email marketing are important, but a cohesive marketing plan is more cost-effective and profitable. At Inner Spark Creative, we have put together a guide to learn more about a cohesive marketing plan and how to get started with one.

Having a team filled with knowledgeable professionals is key at a marketing or advertising agency. Whether you’re wanting to take on a job at an agency, or you’re a business that will soon be working with one, it's important to know the different job positions at the agency and what they do. Each person on a team will have a title and sometimes it's hard to figure out what tasks that job title entails.

What is the difference between in-house firms and agencies? Not many people know the difference between the two. When deciding which kind of advertising team for your business to use, choosing between in-house or agency firms is an important decision.

Are you thinking about how to spice up your marketing plan for 2022? Are you worried about changing trends in the industry? Here at Inner Spark Creative, we have compiled a list of the biggest marketing , advertising, and public relations trend predictions for 2022. We are ready to help you bring a new and improved marketing plan to life!

When looking at a logo, you might think that many of the design choices were made quickly. However, there is a lot of brainstorming and planning involved in the creation of a logo. Logos are a visual representation of the meaning behind a company and they are an integral part of a brand. By communicating the missions and values that a company was founded on, logos help audiences form a connection between a logo and the purpose of the company it represents. When a potential customer interacts...

As marketing trends evolve, it can be difficult to stay on top of the latest strategies. Developing a strong relationship with your customers is essential to the success of any business. Building your brand and creating strong brand awareness is our specialty. What is a Brand? A brand, in terms of marketing, is an identifiable mark of your company. Your brand is who you are, your beliefs, and your standards. When a potential client sees your brand, they should understand who you are, the...

Marketers have acknowledged the importance of utilizing social media in marketing since it was created. Social media is a useful resource that allows your message to instantly reach millions of people simultaneously which is impossible to do with traditional marketing tactics. Although its significance is widely recognized, businesses often overlook the benefits of social media marketing . Because there are several types of social media and different platforms to choose from, businesses often...

Marketing your product is a tricky thing to nail and needs to be done in a way that grabs your audience members’ attention. It is important to acknowledge the fact that your brand is not the center of your consumer’s world, and advertising is often seen as a nuisance to people who come across it. As technology continues to evolve, information overload has only become more and more prevalent. With endless amounts of material at our fingertips, it can be hard to pick and choose exactly what we...

Social media has brought about extensive digital transformation by providing a place where people can connect instantly with brands, stay up to date on current events, and say whatever is on their minds. In 2021, businesses cannot simply post at any given time and expect high engagement. Instead, businesses need to take a more strategic approach due to the ever-changing algorithms on social media and the increased volume of posts. Brands and consumers are often operating at different times...

What is an Email Newsletter Based on current marketing trends, emails can seem behind the curb or outdated. Despite this perception, email newsletters have become an effective means of boosting branded content for your company. Essentially, email newsletters are mass emails that are used in scheduled marketing campaigns and are sent out to your mailing list. They can help build and maintain relationships with your audience to inform them of news, updates, or tips about your products or...

Chances are that at some point after browsing multiple sites when shopping online, you have suddenly decided against buying that item you had sitting in your cart. Removing this item from your cart or just leaving it in the cart without purchasing it has positioned you to be susceptible to remarketing. If you then return to your personal social media accounts, you may receive an advertisement that showcases the very item you were looking at.

While many people may be unfamiliar with the terms geofencing and geoframing, advertisers have been using these practices in recent years to create effective and personalized advertisements . Geofencing and geoframing are marketing techniques that effectively utilize tracking services to send targeted advertisements to people that physically enter a specific area. These are tactics that will often increase customer loyalty, provide an edge over your competition, and ultimately achieve a higher...

When it comes to marketing your business, it is important to consider your available options. A marketing agency can provide a number of benefits when it comes to advertising your business. Not every agency is the same, so if you’re considering partnering with an agency, it is important to make the right decision for you and your business. That is why we have compiled some of the benefits of working with an agency.

Mobile shopping has become the new standard and norm for retail, with customers purchasing anything from new clothes to their weekly groceries through a quick, keyword search in a search engine. It is for this reason that visual search has skyrocketed in popularity over the last few years, with one of its most popular apps, Pinterest Lens, reporting 100% year-over-year user growth—and accounting for up to 600 million visual searches monthly.

Digital content is constantly evolving in an effort to keep up with the ever-changing technological world. This means your marketing strategy has to work just as hard to stay up to date. Small changes are often made in content that can make it increasingly difficult to distinguish between the changing trends. However, 2021 has proven so far to be a year of major shifts in terms of the content that is produced and the trends that drive it. It can be challenging to produce successful content...

From grocery shopping to scheduling your next doctor’s appointment, many people are able to accomplish just about anything by utilizing digital means. However, our accessibility to these services is not equal across all realms or for all people, namely, those with disabilities. As a result, the Americans with Disabilities Act has become increasingly aware of and concerned with how websites and other virtual spaces should perform in compliance with the ADA regulations. This has never been more...

Social commerce is a $89.4 billion market right now and it’s projected to grow to $604.5 billion in just the next seven years. With such an easy way to enter the market, it’s an invaluable resource to incorporate into your business. Not only is it easy for your business to access and utilize, a large, all-encompassing age demographic participates in the use of social commerce. Moreso than other statistics that evaluate age demographics for other virtual industries, social commerce has a very...

Finding the right social media platform can help market your business, but social media can also be ineffective if your business isn’t distinguishable from others. Defining your target audience and setting goals for social media posts will help you determine which media platform is best. Understanding your audience and the purpose for each platform will help your business discover its place on social media.

Content quality is an integral factor in any digital marketing strategy. It establishes your credibility, reputation, and has a significant effect on your search engine rankings. Determining the best content for your brand is an important process that requires you to understand your target audience and the goals you want to accomplish.

Advertisements have always been an important part of gaining and maintaining customers for any business, but they are especially important in today’s digital world. Consumers are constantly bombarded with ads, making it hard for advertisers to create an advertisement that will stand out.

Marketing, when done well, encompasses many platforms and tactics in order to effectively reach your target audience and maximize conversions for your business. But, the implementation of a robust marketing plan takes lots of time and effort - often time we don’t have in an already busy day at work. So, wouldn’t it be nice to relax knowing that one, crucial component of your marketing strategy is automatically running for you?

Social media platforms that focus more on messaging can be extremely beneficial for advertising your brand or business. These platforms offer an array of advertising opportunities that target and engage with customers in multiple ways.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way businesses and consumers interact. While some people have concerns about the integration of AI into different sectors like social media and finances, the truth of the matter is that it is already heavily integrated into our daily lives. The assistance AI provides is unparalleled and will continue to grow in most industries, including digital marketing.

In today’s digital age, we all know how much importance a business's online media presence has. You may see influencers going to great lengths to gain a substantial following in hopes to gain revenue and sponsorships, but did you know it is possible to monetize moderate social channels?

Covid-19 has changed everyone's lives and has us all dreaming about getting “back to normal”. With that being said, it has also changed how businesses and brands market and advertise. We have never been so dependent on digital marketing as we are right now.

Devices like Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri are causing a rapid increase in the use of voice command. This could ultimately change the way Google implements Search Engine Optimization (SEO) due to the fact that people are relying on voice commands more, as speaking into a smart device is more convenient than typing. This behavior change is something that businesses need to be aware of and adapt their SEO strategy accordingly, to ensure they continue to rank well when people search on Google...

Marketing is the art and science of targeting and retaining profitable customers. In order for your marketing strategies to be effective it is important to be sure that you are targeting the right customers, and in order to do so there are a few things you need to consider. The main thing to keep in mind when constructing a marketing strategy is understanding your audience’s needs and wants and the best ways to effectively approach them.

With the rise of social media, online engagement is more prevalent now more than ever. People are scrolling through a sea of content and advertisements every day on multiple platforms, which makes it easy for your brand’s content to get overlooked if you are not actively engaging with your audiences. Online engagement is a major component to making money, but building lasting relationships with your consumers and audiences without the sole intention of selling can help create brand loyalty...

2020 was a year of digital trial and error for many businesses. Along with the challenging landscape that companies were presented with, the integration of new social media platforms and the shift in the way we use them caused a whirlwind of change in the marketing world.

With over 1 Billion users worldwide, Instagram is a social media platform that has the potential to bring your business new customers in 2021. It’s the perfect way to showcase your brand and target a more specific audience, while also getting in touch with your creative side. Here at Inner Spark Creative, we can help you create a content strategy that will have all your social media platforms engaging your audience while also looking outstanding.

As mobile device usage continues to rapidly increase, it has become evident that mobile marketing is essential and contributes significantly to a business's success. It is constantly evolving based on trends, consumer behavior and in 2020’s case, a pandemic. Mobile marketing became more crucial than before due to the population being confined indoors and using their mobile devices to do almost everything, virtually.

In today’s digital age, content creation has become something that is always evolving and is essential for branding a business. However, one thing that should never change is dependability. A business should always strive to ensure that their customers know who they are as a company and what they stand for. When you are constantly consistent with your brand, customers begin to put their trust in your business. This is when you begin to see loyal customers & brand retention increase. Here are...

Email marketing isn’t new, in fact, the number of businesses that utilize this marketing tactic is constantly increasing. While it may seem like an easy task to coordinate and construct a marketing email, it’s important to pay close attention to every aspect of your email and remember that whatever you publish will be seen by hundreds, if not thousands of eyes. With so many recipients, you have the potential to convert them from viewer to customer if the email is truly effective. Below is a...

The idea of incorporating artificial intelligence into your business’s customer support can seem like an overwhelming and confusing task. But while the concept of artificial intelligence sounds like a futuristic service that only the most advanced technology companies should attempt to implement, that is far from the truth. When running a business that receives a noteworthy amount of customer support inquiries, the use of artificial intelligence can be beneficial for both those on the business...

There is no doubt that we are all ready for 2020 to be over. Thankfully a new year is just around the corner, so it is time to catch up on all the new marketing trends that 2021 holds. With more businesses and individuals utilizing digital platforms this year, the effective ways to utilize them is ever-changing. Here are five marketing strategies to propel your business to 2021:

It is no secret that people are spending more time on their phones, and a lot of that time is spent on social media apps. According to Pew Research , nearly three-quarters of American adults are on social media.

Whether you like them or not, influencers seem to be here to stay. Coming in all shapes and sizes, the number of influencers on social media increase every day.

Auburn/Opelika is no doubt a special place to live and work. With various audiences and demographics to cater to, local businesses in the area are sure to succeed, right? Well with the help of marketing and advertising the answer to that question can be a yes!

2020 has thrown nothing short of a curveball at everything, and that includes marketing. With change in the way that people interact, spend time in public and receive their information, the way that you utilize marketing should be examined.

According to Hubspot , “content helps you attract, engage, and delight prospects and customers, bring new visitors to your site, and ultimately, generate revenue for your company.” When you create content you are providing free and useful information to your audience. Making sure that you are taking the proper approach within your content marketing strategy is vital to your overall marketing strategy.

Every type of business, whether small or large, needs a marketing strategy to be successful. Marketing strategies can differ depending on what goods and services companies are offering and how each company is trying to brand itself. However, there is one aspect of marketing that every company should incorporate into their strategy and that is corporate social responsibility.

Everyday, new technologies and social media platforms are created, making it essential for your business to stay up-to-date with the latest trends. The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and what worked last year will definitely not cut it in 2020 and beyond. If you don’t adapt, you will be left behind. Here are the top 10 trends in digital marketing you cannot ignore:

Most things in life a person can outgrow. Whether it is clothes, people, their living space, it is human nature to keep changing and evolving with time. Your brand has a life too and is no different. Hubspot discusses the importance of this by stating how successful branding “gives your business an identity beyond its product or service. It gives consumers something to relate to and connect with”. Brands constantly should be reevaluated and redefined to ensure they are staying in tune with...

If your company uses any social media platform or has its own website, you need to be able to comprehend and properly execute insights. Insights allow you to better understand your audience, find ways to improve your online presence and see how your company compares to its competitors. Insights can be extremely intimidating to the average Joe. If words such as analytics, impression or reach go over your head, keep reading!

Are you a small business trying to build your brand? Are you unsure how to direct more traffic to your website? A company blog can help resolve these problems. Give your employees a voice on your webpage and a chance to brag about your company. Blogs can be fun, informative and a great way to build your brand. There are plenty of topics to write about no matter your business. Provide your readers with helpful tips that make life easier.

So you have just launched a brand new website for your company, but after reading up on your analytics you realize your website traffic is not at the level you’d like it to be. You could have one of the best websites in your industry, but if you are not utilizing the correct tools within it, there are very little odds of potential customers finding your site. Think of your website as a house for your company, the framework is there, but if you don’t build a road to your house how are people...

COVID-19 has resulted in most people having to stay at home for the past couple of months. Due to this, digital has taken over. Whether it is being used to receive news updates, stay in touch with friends and relatives or, how most brands are using it, to sell products and services. Audiences want to receive communications digitally now, leading to a shift in influencer marketing. If you thought you were seeing a lot of it before, be prepared for major changes and increases in this area.

Chatbots are artificial intelligence (AI) that simulate human conversation. They can also be known as digital assistants. But why are they important? Chatbots can be utilized in a company website or as a standalone app to answer customer questions with a series of programmed responses. They eliminate the need for someone to be sitting at a computer waiting for customer questions. Chatbots can be used on Facebook Messenger or Twitter and many standalone applications. They work in the same way...

Are you looking for a new and modern way of stepping up your business’ advertisement game? Do you want to jumpstart your company’s sales and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty? Then it is time for you to participate in one of the fastest growing marketing trends in the world: Geofencing.

The year 2020 certainly took a turn with the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. Seemingly all aspects of life were affected and had to be adjusted in order to follow new social distancing and quarantine guidelines. Some of our favorite brands took a big hit as well, which opened up some interesting opportunities when it comes to advertising. With product sales taking a large dip, but an audience that is watching up to 60% more than usual from remaining inside, brands took varying approaches...

It has happened to us all. Whether it was your Facebook account or your work email, almost all of us have fallen victim to internet hackers. One of the first things that might pop into our mind after realizing the misfortune is “Why me?” but to a hacker, the question becomes “Why not you and thousands of other people like you?”

Eager to help your community bounce back? Lee County Bounce Back is Inner Spark Creative’s most recent initiative to give back to the community during these challenging times. Lee County has endured challenges and there is a long road ahead to recovery. You can help preserve the great place we all live in and love!

Throughout the world companies are trying to come up with ad campaigns that raise brand awareness, boost sales numbers and ultimately increase the return on investment for their marketing efforts. There are many different strategies that are used, but brand characters have been an important aspect for several successful ad campaigns. Companies utilize these brand characters because people are instinctively drawn to characters in a story. Most of the time companies create a likeable character...

Digital marketing is an often overwhelming concept for a business as there are so many components to it. It is not uncommon for companies to hire a marketing agency to take care of this aspect of their business, as it can be better to leave your marketing strategy in the hands of experts who understand the landscape. This ensures you aren’t spending your marketing dollars in places where they are not going to be most effective, or, you aren’t accidentally convinced to pay for something you...

Due to the fact that public relations (PR) often gets a bad rap for “spinning the truth”, businesses - especially small businesses - are anxious about hiring someone to handle their PR. However public relations entails much more than that. In fact public relations can be defined as the management of communication between a company and their customers to create mutually beneficial relationships. PR is about making sure your brand's reputation, values, and products are known by your target...

LinkedIn is a social media platform that is rapidly growing. According to LinkedIn, it can connect your brand with more than 450 million professionals across the globe. Easily mistaken as the Facebook of the professional world; LinkedIn is a platform more suitable for sharing business information and accomplishments, rather than socializing specifically.

In the technological world that we live in today, almost everything has switched to digital and marketing is no exception. In the past fifty years, marketing has evolved from the traditional era, which included using billboards, flyers, pamphlets, newspapers, and radio to the digital era, which includes online channels such as social media, email, SEO, websites, etc.

Content marketing is an essential part of marketing for businesses . Every business will have different strategies for content marketing. However, if successful, they will focus on providing relevant and useful content to customers and potential customers.

For most businesses, being present on social media is a must. However, you have to do social media right. It is better to choose two or three platforms and be active on them, rather than try to be present on all platforms but do a poor job. It is recommended to post at least once a day, however, posting more than once a day has been shown to be even more beneficial.

Marketing is an area of business that, while essential, can be difficult to understand especially for small businesses. Small businesses often have shortages in workers, money and time. This makes it hard to have a knowledgeable, dedicated, full-time marketing employee. Here at Inner Spark Creative, we are a full-service advertising agency that can assist with any and all marketing needs. These are our five essential tips to help your small business begin its effective marketing:

“Search engine optimization” or SEO might sound a little intimidating if you are not familiar with it, but it certainly doesn't have to be. Essentially, SEO is the action of getting unpaid traffic from search engines. It is convincing the search engine that your site is the best one to display for a particular search.

There are many facets involved with running a business, which can become overwhelming to one person or team. It is not expected that you should be proficient in every single area of a business or you may simply lack time and resources to be able to execute everything effectively. This is when outsourcing can make your life much easier. Outsourcing allows you to you hire another company in a specialized field to help you with your own business growth. Outsourcing for different jobs can be very...

When you think of all of the things you need to create or update for a business, new or old, a logo may not be number one on the list of priorities. We believe it should be. While thinking of logos, take some time to think about the ones that really stand out to you. It may be the Nike Swoosh, the iconic McDonald’s Golden Arches, or the traditional Coca-Cola font logo that comes to your mind. Think about why that logo stands out to you. The truth is, a logo means more to your business than...

Your company voice is a part of all of your content for your brand. Advertisements, social media posts, and your website all showcase your company voice. It is important to create a cohesive and consistent voice for your company that is specific to your company beliefs and interests. This requires clear goals, personality, and teamwork to create a consistent voice. Your company voice is an element of your brand as a whole and creates a personal connection between your company and your clients....

Everything man-made that you own, every product you see at the grocery store, every machine, every building is a product of design. The technology allowing me to type and for you to read this blog is because of design. The shirt you are wearing right now was designed, so was that spoon you used this morning to eat your cereal. Pretty crazy to think about, right? We live in a world of production, and with production, there has to be design.

Trends for marketing and advertising are constantly changing. A little less than ten years ago, advertising and marketing efforts were predominantly placed within traditional media outlets. These “traditional” outlets include: television, radio, print and billboards, to name a few. With the evolution of the internet and new technological devices taking over everybody’s daily life, marketers have needed to shift their focus from traditional media towards new media. Businesses need to remain...

Many businesses believe that quality goods or services will bring in customers naturally, and that over time their company will grow through word of mouth. This strategy may work in the short term for your business, but digital marketing has become the key to expanding a company’s audience and gaining new customers. In order to keep up with the growing number of small local businesses, digital marketing is a targeted and efficient way to stay relevant. The rise of digital marketing has allowed...

Without information technology, or IT, computers would not run efficiently. Therefore, websites would not exist and in turn, neither would website development. While information technology is needed for web development to function, they are commonly thought of as the same thing. This is not the case. While both are important for a business, it is important to understand the difference to communicate and engage with the right people when reaching out for these services.

Social media has become an integral part of not only our everyday lives, but running and advertising a business effectively. According to Global Web Index , users spend 30% of their time online on social media platforms. Effective digital marketing requires reaching your audience where they already spend the majority of their time. Though every brand’s social media should be unique, if you are unsure where to begin, there are some core components that will help create a positive social media...

How much does your website really affect your business? When creating any new business, or revamping an established one, websites are an important asset to gain new customers. Websites have become one of the most important aspects of any company to gain a following and to maintain a company image. The design of any website can make or break whether your target audience is interested in reading more or clicking away. According to Adobe , 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the...

Outsourcing for graphic design is one of the most necessary steps your business can take. Strengthening your brand can not only maintain your reputation but also make your company recognizable among others. Outsourcing will give you a team of professionals who will listen to what you want and create something unique to really engage with your audience.

There are multiple ways a marketing strategy can be beneficial to a business and its success. But first, what exactly does a marketing strategy entail and why is it so important? A marketing strategy is a business strategy that is employed in order to accomplish certain goals. The plan contains various objectives, strategies and tactics that are directly attributable to the specific goals the business wishes to achieve. Taking this first strategic step before engaging in other marketing...

Relationships are the most fundamental aspect of any business. Without a mutually beneficial relationship there is no trust, and without trust there is no success. At Inner Spark we value each and every relationship. We strive to be more than a vendor: a partner. Instead of solely offering services, the agency aims to be a partner to the client, guiding the them through the various processes and keeping an open flow of communication as it happens. In a perfect world, a client/agency...

During at least one point during your educational or professional career, somebody had to take a chance on you, and that one chance hopefully helped push you to where you are today. The team at Inner Spark believes it is important to take time to invest in the up and coming professionals within the Auburn community, to share the skills and knowledge that come with working in a professional environment. Helping students at Auburn University learn and develop their advertising and public...

As some social media users say, if you went somewhere and didn’t take a picture, did it actually happen? The same thing goes for posting on social channels, and if you post something and no one in your target audience saw it, did the post have any sort of effect? The short answer is no.

It is easy for people to confuse public relations with advertising because they have similar qualities. Both share the same goals: promoting a product or service and making them seem as successful, honest, important, exciting or relevant as possible. But the paths to creating awareness are vastly different. Public relations is focused on raising your company’s authority through building and maintaining relationships and managing your company’s reputation. It is “earned” media and credibility,...

Social media was originally created to provide a space for users to communicate, network, and make new friendships and maintain old ones. However, recently in the past few years, it has become a successful avenue for companies to advertise and grow their business as well. Facebook pioneered this frontier breaking out their advertising capabilities, but with the recent acquisition of Instagram, Instagram has become an extremely effective advertising platform for businesses of any size. Social...

When it comes to your business one of the first things you should look at is who you are trying reach. This is otherwise known as your target audience. A target audience is defined as the specific group of people you want to reach with your marketing message. They are the people who are most likely to buy your products or services, and they are united by some common characteristics, like demographics and behaviors. No one, neither small businesses nor large businesses, can afford to target...

Every bit of information from a restaurant review on Yelp, a price comparison on Amazon, or a network saturated with advertisements on Google is available with a few taps of a button on the internet. Unlimited access to the internet makes it crucial for businesses to capitalize on their internet presence and pay keen attention to the benefits of reputation management. Before the internet, it was more difficult for unhappy customers and clients to make their experiences known. However, the...

The American Advertising Federation is a nonprofit national advertising trade association that was established 114 years ago. They're headquartered in Washington, D.C. and branching off from the headquarters are 15 district operations across the nation. The mission of AAF states that they “protect and promote the well-being of advertising. We accomplish this through a unique, nationally coordinated grassroots network of advertisers, agencies, media companies, local advertising clubs and...

In the fast-paced world of today, where social media is constantly growing and an abundance of information can be found at the click of a button, it is no wonder video is so popular. For one thing, video is an easy-to-digest format that gives our eyes a rest from the oversaturation of textual information online. According to the Digital Marketing Institute, the world reportedly watches 1 billion hours of YouTube social videos per day. These numbers may be surprising, but when you think about...