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elizabethcarter088 · 2 years

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Online Marketing in Uncertain Times: How Do You Do It?

To survive the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis, several organisations are actively reassessing their marketing strategies. Making your marketing budget work even harder in these uncertain times is crucial, especially when it comes to SEO in Sri Lanka and the expertise of any international SEO consultant.

However, it is not just a matter of investing more money in marketing and hoping for greater outcomes, because SEO packages in Sri Lanka can vary. Smart companies are taking advantage of these difficult times to reach out to customers in fresh ways, demonstrating their understanding of the value of proactive communication and disseminating words of encouragement and promotional offers. The virus is fostering a sense of community among businesses, which is boosting communication through regular website updates, greater social media activity, PR efforts, and personalised emails to loyal customers.

Launching marketing initiatives can be difficult. The job of a marketer is to sell a brand's product or service while simultaneously educating consumers about it and appealing to a wide range of demographics. Many businesses want to target and primarily market to a small segment of the population. However, as economic uncertainty increases, it gets harder and harder to persuade them to buy.

So, what do you do during these trying times?

SEO has always been a long-term endeavour, and profitability achieved by extreme cost-cutting techniques typically only yields a temporary advantage. Therefore, we would like to ask: Will you find yourself in a solid position within the industry when this challenging time is over, or will you need to rebuild your web marketing foundation from scratch?

Naturally, this does not imply that you should carry on in the same manner as before. The amazing thing about online marketing is the flexibility to adjust and alter techniques to keep up with them as the times and trends change daily.

Here are a few ways your business could use them to uplift your marketing needs:

To enhance your reputation, highlight your achievements.

Good and upbeat tales in times of turbulence, using encouraging case studies, newsletters, customer quotes, and business successes are reassuring, confident messages to share. They cut through the din of apprehension and reassure your customers and prospects. This is a fantastic way to enhance your reputation as a business that genuinely cares about its clients.

Increase your content marketing efforts.

People want to know that things are still going as usual during these difficult times. More information than merely how the virus is hurting every firm is what they want to know. Customers and clients require more access points to their favourite companies than ever before. By offering the most beneficial, entertaining, and captivating material you can, you may establish these points of contact.

Consider employing several forms of content as you adjust your content marketing strategy to suit this need and keep your messages pertinent and compassionate. Anything is acceptable right now, including videos, eBooks, presentations, podcasts, infographics, newsletters, etc.

Make certain to respond to client concerns.

Making sure you pay attention to and answer the needs of your clients or audience is more important than anything else. Disable your scheduled postings and re-examine your data. Is it pertinent to your customers? Is it pertinent to your industry? When the going is smooth, automation is fantastic, but when the going is rough, everything should be done by hand.

Incorporate more human elements.

In uncertain times, it is crucial to alter marketing to incorporate more human elements. The emphasis shifts from "we are in this together and we are here when you need us" to "we are in this together and we are here when you need us". It is always critical to ensure that your marketing initiatives reflect the ideals of your company, but this is especially true in difficult times.

Examine your visibility online.

It could be a good idea to revisit your website now to strengthen your internet visibility. Examine your search engine visibility to see how accessible you are to potential customers. Are the right teams receiving the incoming internet inquiries you receive and does anybody on staff check them? Additionally, it is important to verify that your website is mobile-friendly because, according to Google, 40% of users browse rival websites while 60% of users are reluctant to return to a mobile site that they had problems accessing.

Concentrate on the Channels with the Best ROI.

When the economy is uncertain, you might need to reduce your marketing budget and concentrate your limited resources on the channels that yield the best returns. When there is no margin for a mistake, use historical data and analytics to inform your choices. Set aside a little marketing budget for projects that produce results and spend it on media and content that appeals to your target audience.

Keep your current clients in mind

Getting new customers will be challenging during this period when everyone is being forced to cut back on their spending, bunker down, and try to wait for it all out. This means that businesses must put a lot of effort into retention. If you are unable to generate new money, you will need to put all your effort into maintaining what you currently have. Be sympathetic to their needs above all else. This is the moment for flexibility, even if they commit to paying a specific sum each month.

#SEO Sri Lanka #SEO packages Sri Lanka #International SEO Consultant

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embeanwrites · 4 years

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Finding Home Gavin Reed x Reader

Chapter 23

Masterlist

It took Gavin and me a total of 30 minutes to get dressed and head to the hospital my dad was at. I tried calling Connor in the car, but he didn’t answer, which caused me to worry even more.

Gavin was driving and he had one hand firmly on my leg that kept bouncing up and down. How did this happen? I kept asking myself as I stared out the window. I thought he was taking care of himself more. Why did this have to happen now? Right when things were getting better between us. Gavin pulled up to the hospital and stopped the car at the emergency room front doors.

“Go find Connor. I’ll park and catch up.” I nodded and jumped out of the car, practically running into the hospital. I followed the signs for the surgery waiting room. I looked through the door window and saw Connor sitting in a chair with his eyes forward. When I pushed the door open he quickly looked over and got up. I ran to him and hugged him tightly, trying not to cry. He held me equally as tight.

“What happened?” My voice was raspy, while my mind was racing the rest of my body was still trying to wake up.

“He got up in the middle of the night for a glass of water and I heard the glass drop from my room. I called the ambulance right away. They’re performing an atherectomy right now.” He pulled out of the hug and I reluctantly let go of him.

“Have…” I paused trying to stop myself from crying. “Have the doctors given you any updates?” I heard the door open again and in a second Gavin’s arms were around me. I grabbed his hands and held them tightly, welcoming the warmth and comfort. I noticed my hands were shaking, so I gripped his hands tighter in an attempt to steady them.

“No, nothing yet. I have only been here for an hour. The surgery takes about two and recovery is about three hours, but that’s according to averages. I don’t know if it will be shorter or longer.” I nodded. “I didn’t mean to make you rush here. Humans need sleep, (Y/n). You can go home and I can call you the moment I get any update.” Connor said softly, I quickly shook my head.

“No, I’m staying here with you.” He started to argue. “Connor, I’m not budging on this.” I untangled myself from Gavin and turned to look at him. I gently took my hands and cupped his cheeks, running my thumbs across his stubble. “Gavin, you have work in a couple of hours, you should go home and get some rest.”

“I’m staying with you for as long as I can. I’ve run on less sleep before.” He put his hands over mine and gently pulled them down. He squeezed my hands and I nodded, grateful he was willing to stay. Connor sat back down and I sat next to him. I grabbed both of their hands and held them.

I woke up still in the waiting room. I must have fallen asleep at some point. Groaning, I sat up and wiped my mouth. I looked over at Connor.

“Oh my god, Connor. I’m so sorry I drooled on you. You should’ve woken me up.” I looked over to my left where Gavin had been.

“He had to get to the precinct. We both decided it would be best not to wake you.” I nodded and yawned. “There have been no updates, but I expect we will hear something soon.” I laid my head back on Connor’s shoulder.

“Are you scared?” I asked softly.

“The surgery has a high survival rate and the ambulance got to the house in under five minutes. Despite those reassuring facts, I still find myself worried.” Connor whispered. I noticed his LED for the first time since arriving. It was red.

“He’s strong, survived a lot. This won’t be any different.” I tried to reassure him, but I knew he could tell I was equally worried.

Another half-hour passed before a doctor finally came to talk to us. Both us stood up and met him halfway. I had my arm wrapped around Connor’s to keep myself from shaking too much.

“Ma’am, are you a part of the Anderson family?”

“Yes, we’re both his kids,” I answered quickly, the doctor gave Connor’s LED a quick glance, but decided not to say anything.

“He got here just in time. The surgery took longer than expected, but there were no major complications. He’s in recovery now.”

“Can we see him?” I asked.

“He’s resting right now. He’ll be in recovery for a couple of hours and then he’ll be moved to an inpatient room. I can have one of the nurses come to get you when he’s been moved.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Connor said. He gave us a tightlipped smile and walked away. We both sat back down. I felt exhausted but relieved. “Maybe you should go home and get some rest.” I shook my head and pulled out my phone.

“No, I’m not leaving.” I went to my email and sent my students an email.

Hi everyone,

Due to a family emergency, we will not be meeting in person on Tuesday. Instead, I am going to post a movie, and then on Thursday, we will discuss how the themes of the movie apply to what we are learning. Don’t worry, the film’s target audience was kids so we should have no problem discussing it. If you’d like to get ahead the film is “The Iron Giant.”

I will see you all on Thursday,

Dr. (L/n)

I decided to send Gavin an update text while I was on my phone.

Dad’s in recovery, the surgery went well. We’ll be able to see him in a couple of hours.

thats good. how r u feeling

Tired and worried. I canceled my class on Tuesday.

im going to talk to fowler, see if i can get time off

You don’t have to.

i know

on a case, ill stop by on my lunch break text me the rm #

Okay, stay safe

I took a deep breath and looked at Connor, his LED was still red.

“Have you told Fowler?” Connor remained to look forward.

“Yes, I alerted him last night. He put us both on leave so I can stay with Hank while he recovers. Nines has also offered to help cover our cases.” I nodded.

“I'll be there for him too, you don’t have to do this alone. My class is only two days a week and I can do my research from home.”

“I appreciate that, (Y/n).” Connor gently reached over and held my hand, I gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand, hoping to show him that he’s truly not alone in this.

We both sat in silence waiting for the nurse to come get us. After what felt like 10 hours she finally came over and led us to his room.

It was weird seeing dad in a hospital bed. It reminded me of my mom. When she was sick I got so desensitized to hospitals. We were in and out so often that it almost became a second home, a lot of the nurses even knew my name and kept up with my life. However, being here now makes it feel like the first time all over again. I hadn’t realized I had still been holding Connor’s hand until he gave me a light squeeze. Dad looked to be waking up.

“Hey Dad,” I said softly, letting go of Connor’s hand to sit in one of the chairs near him. I reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Hey kids,” Dad said hoarsely. “Sorry for scaring you two.” I shook my head back and forth quickly, afraid if I tried talking I would start crying again. I looked up at Connor who took the seat across from me.

“We’re just glad you’re okay, Hank,” Connor said softly.

“Connor, I think we’re pass you calling me Hank.”

“We’re just glad you’re okay...dad.” The three of us smiled and my dad gave a light chuckle.

I’ve been staying at the house for about two weeks now. I had only seen Gavin briefly on Tuesdays and Thursdays when he would stop by my office on his lunch break to check in on me. I can tell that everyone around me was walking on eggshells, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. I felt as if I was coasting and I couldn’t seem to break out. Gavin was being extremely understanding of this whole situation. He’d even sent flowers to my office and some flowers to my dad. He also sent a bottle of whiskey that Connor immediately confiscated.

Connor ended up giving up his “room” so I could sleep there while I was helping him with dad. I tried to talk him out of it, but all he really used it for was to store clothes since he didn’t need sleep. He didn’t mind going into stasis on the couch. Connor seemed grateful that I stayed around to relieve some of the burden, besides it was nice being able to spend time with just Connor. I also think dad appreciated me being here to stop Connor from going crazy about his health and what he was eating. I did agree to an extent, but blanched chicken breast with no seasoning, not even a little bit of salt, is crazy.

Connor and I were sitting on the couch watching some forensics show, that Connor enjoyed picking apart, while dad was resting in the other room. He seemed to be doing a lot better, but I couldn’t bring myself to go back to my apartment except to get clean clothes.

do u wanna come over tonight? connor can handle taking care of ur dad for one night

I don’t know, I have a phone interview tomorrow for my research.

tomorrows saturday

I know, but I’m interviewing Chris and that’s his day off.

u can do a phone interview from my house tho

i know u dont want to leave him yet but its one night and u need a break

ask connor he agrees with me

I bit my lip and looked up at Connor. His brows were furrowed as he rolled his eyes at something the “detective” said on tv. I kicked him softly with my foot to get his attention.

“Do you want me to leave?” I asked tentatively. Connor gave me a gentle look and a small smile. He turned towards me and folded his hands in his lap.

“I think a break is healthy, (Y/n). You only leave the house to go to your class and office hours. I can handle things here. Plus I’m sure you miss Gavin and he misses you.” He said softly. I groaned.

“I don’t like you and Gavin planning things behind my back.” He smiled.

“It’s for your own good. Just go out for one night and come back tomorrow, even if you two decide to just hang out at Gavin’s home. You need to take a break.”

“Just one night,” I whispered looking at my phone.

Pick me up in 30 minutes?

got it pipsqueak. nines is coming over too, something about not wanting to stay at the precinct all night again. is that ok?

Of course!

Some part of me did agree with Connor and Gavin. I was antsy in the house, but I was still worried about not being there when I’m needed. What if something else happened to dad while I was gone? What if Connor needed help and I wasn’t able to get back in time?

“You’re biting your thumb, (Y/n).” Connor’s voice broke through my thoughts and I moved my hand away from my mouth. Connor had begun calling me out whenever I was becoming overly anxious, which was both sweet and annoying.

“Sorry, nerves.” I gave him a wobbly smile.

“He will be fine. I know you’re worried, but I promise I will contact you the moment I fear something may be wrong. He’s been doing really well, it won’t be long until he’s cleared to return to work for desk duty.” Connor put his hand on my shoulder and I nodded.

“I know you’re right. It’s just hard sometimes to turn off that part of my brain.” I gave a nervous chuckle and he nodded his head.

“You should pack a bag, I’m assuming Gavin will be here soon?” I laughed.

“Wow, you sure are in a rush to get rid of me!” Connor rolled his eyes and shook his head. I stood up and stretched.

“Self-care is important, (Y/n).” I waved him off as I headed towards Connor’s room. Grabbing my backpack I filled it with some clothes, a laptop, and my phone charger. I sat down on the bed and fiddled with my bag. The room was just as bare as last time. Once dad was better I wanted to take Connor shopping so he could make the room more his. It would be interesting to see what he would pick out.

Snapping out of my thoughts I put on my backpack and walked back to where Connor was watching tv. I knelt down and started petting Sumo. He was lazing on top of Connor’s feet. I looked up at Connor, he was still entranced by the tv.

“Hey, Con?” I heard him hum. “Once things calm down do you want to go shopping for some decorations for your room? To make it more...you.” He glanced down at me with a small smile.

“I think that could be fun.” I smiled back at him. Things between us felt so natural as a brother and sister duo. Sometimes it felt like we grew up together, I guess for Connor’s case that wasn’t too far apart since he’s only been around for about a year.

“What kind of things do you like? Like what would you want in your room?” His brows furrowed for a moment, but it quickly turned into a smile.

“I would like a lava lamp.” I laughed abruptly, causing Sumo to jump a bit.

“A lava lamp? Connor why?” I said in between laughs, where had he even seen a lava lamp? His face flushed a light blue.

“They look cool. One of the characters in this show has one.” He responded sheepishly. I shook my head and let out another laugh.

“You are the biggest dork I’ve ever met.”

“You’re the one showing her students old movies because she thinks they’re underappreciated.” He teased back.

“Wow, look at you! You’re learning how not to be so uptight all the time.” He frowned.

“I’m better than Nines!” Connor crossed his arms across his chest and huffed in defiance.

“Well, you have had more time as a deviant than him. I’m sure he’ll pass you at some point.” Before Connor could respond my phone went off. “Ah, Gavin’s here. Are you sure you’ll be okay for the night? It’s not too late for me to cancel.” Connor’s expressions soften.

“Everything will be fine. I promise” I nodded and got up.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, text me updates?” I nervously fidgeted with the front door handle.

“Of course, (Y/n).” He gave me a reassuring smile. I took a deep breath and walked to Gavin’s car. Nines was already moving to the backseat, I briefly wondered if he had decided to do that on his own or if Gavin had asked him. Gavin smiled and waved at me. It really had been a while since we’ve relaxed together. I smiled back and got into the car.

“Hey, pipsqueak.” Gavin greeted me, leaning over to give me a kiss on the check.

“Hi Gavin, hi Nines.”

“Hello (Y/n). Thank you for letting me spend some time with you two. I appreciate the break from the precinct.” I nodded, as Gavin started driving.

“Do you always stay at the precinct?” I asked, turning around to look at him. He was sitting up straight with his hands in his lap. As always he looked overly formal.

“Yes, there has been an android apartment complex go up and I have been thinking about getting an apartment there, but as of right now I am perfectly content at the precinct.”

“Except tonight.” I teased, for a brief second his LED flashed yellow and then back to a calm blue.

“If I’m honest I also wanted to check up on you and make sure you’ve been taking care of yourself.” I groaned and closed my eyes.

“Great now I have two overbearing androids worrying about me.” Gavin let out a small chuckle.

“Would you really want it any other way?” Gavin asked. I could hear the smirk in his voice.

“No, I wouldn’t,” I responded softly.

#gavin reed x reader #gavin reed #detroit become human #dbh #rk800connor #Connor dbh #hank anderson #x reader

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content-to-convert · 4 years

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VIDEO DIDN’T KILL THE RADIO STAR...

VIDEO DIDN’T KILL THE RADIO STAR it just made him dress nicer

By Pat Mellon

Speaking of your brand evolving, PODCASTS are now a wise bullet to have in the arsenal of promotional weapons. In the early 2000's, for instance, you didn't have the option to record and distribute a PODCAST. The technology didn't exist to even IDENTIFY, much less create one- if you typed PODCAST into an email in 2002, it would have been flagged as a misspelling.

But now, thanks to Audioblogging, re-branded as PODCASTING thanks to the iPOD, you can reach a targeted captive audience in a car on a long commute, with content that they've actually sought out. It's essentially a radio infomercial for the lifestyle of your product, without the PAID-PROGRAMMING aftertaste. Plenty of people have been slow to warm to the idea of such self-promotion and have waited to see if the technology and its effectiveness sustained or if it waned, the way QR codes did, or video discs did until the invention of the DVD. It can be an amazingly powerful part of your brand.

Many rejected podcasting, as I did initially, as a waste of energy. In fairness, early on when there were no networks for podcasting and its business model was less focused than now, it smacked of self-congratulatory volunteer work. I saw it as an infringement on my profession. I have 15 years of radio hosting experience. I saw podcasts as competition. In my short-sighted view then, I didn't see the full potential of a podcast. I just saw it as people wanting my job. But as time went on, I began to see the ways, at least in terms of in-car entertainment, that podcasting was the future. And like the cryptic fortune cookie says, "Kill Your Darlings". Or maybe go with the less-confusing, "Reinvent Your Business Constantly. The End Goal May Be The Same But The Tools and Methods Evolve Constantly" which is a Ken Tucker quote I saw on a Snapple Cap. Or even the more direct, "You Have To Reinvent To Stay Fresh and In The Game" which Madonna said once.

But early on, I saw it as the enemy - the way news journalists must have felt when FREELANCERS started getting a lot of the work in the late 90's. I thought, "If all you need to broadcast is a computer and an opinion, why the hell did I major in Broadcasting? It's like everyone becoming a Youtuber or a Social Media Influencer (seriously, that is NOT a good name. It's just saying what you're doing. It lacks creativity, like naming the glass thing you drink out of a "glass". Or the room with the bed a "bedroom". Or the thing you swing on a "swing". Or the... Sorry-I'll move on.) Anybody can become a Social Media Influencer these days, (and if they're under 14 and haven't been trying for half their lives then you might want to make sure they're breathing) and that means fame, sometimes money, but more important: LIKES. I overheard my 8 year-old playing with her friends and they were pretending there was a genie or something granting wishes and one girl asked for a pony, and another asked for a house of chocolate, and my daughter asked for a million LIKES on her video. LIKES are currency for pre-teen popularity. And LIKES or even merely PAGE VIEWS can be currency in the grown-up world of business. My point is that anyone with a computer and a camera can make money on Youtube if they hustle. It's simply the new normal. It's great, if not dangerous. We've yet to see the fallout of a generation raised on Youtubing, unless, of course, you count cautionary tales like Logan Paul or Jo Jo Siwa, both of whom are rich. It's simply another entertainment option for kids. I kinda thought podcasting was that, but for adults who only wanted quasi-fame; to show-off. But it's bigger than that.

If you're a plumber, for instance, and you want to maximize business, you probably want a decent social media footprint, some solid YELP reviews, and maybe even a podcast. Toilet clogged? Click here for an interview with master plumbers from all over. It's not the ONLY thing you should do. It's ONE of the things you should do.

On the consumer side, you have to realize that traffic, especially the bumper-to-bumper kind, is GOLD to a radio talk show host. People listen the most in their cars, so DJ's in New York and Los Angeles, the #1 and #2 radio markets depending on who you ask*, for instance, who entertain on the radio, are always on their toes to stay funny and relevant because it's so easy to push a button and change the station.

Then suddenly there was a new game in town. People were bypassing the radio altogether and plugging external sources into car sound systems, removing the commercials and unwanted Morning Zoo shenanigans, and rendering my entire college education and training void. My only hope was wishing death to the podcast movement, which I think I did a couple of times on the radio accompanied by a sound effect of a toilet flushing (Take THAT, Podcasting!). It didn't work. I kept hearing the word. Podcast. (eerie voice) PODD CAAAST! My head was in the sand. People would say to me, "you should do a podcast" and I'd cringe and wildly swing fists at imaginary ghosts who were accusing me of "Resting on your laurels" and "Holding on too tight.”

It took a while, but I get the appeal and, more importantly, the power of the Podcast. It's like a book-on-tape for the 21st century- 10 times as cool, though, because it's technologically relevant, and can be different every time you listen. So we agree that podcasts are real. And we acknowledge that there is room for many things on the dashboard of a car, be them outlets, or additional buttons. And we agree that the the way we do business is always changing and we have to adapt to some degree. So why all the hub bub? Because we can't have an intelligent conversation about the delicate existence of Podcasts without talking about Shane Gillis, the comedian who was hired and fired by Saturday Night Live in the same week last year. We need to understand the power of what it was that torpedoed his streetcar (tune into Mixed Metaphors with Pat Mellon Tuesdays on The Podd Couple, right after Poddamnit at 8, and Pod of Thunder with Gene Simmons at 8:17) He and a buddy do this show, this podcast, it's like a radio show but you don't listen to it on your grandpa's Victrola, you tether your MP3 player to the radio inside grandpa's Camry, and there's bad language, which there never is on traditional, boring old dumb talk radio, so right away, it's awesome (honestly, the only difference between Howard Stern on radio and Howard Stern on satellite is the F word) and the internet allows curses and take that, Mr. Suit and Tie, and this is going to be amazing. And on one particular show from 2018, Gillis said "chink" when describing someone in Chinatown. Not a huge scandal, but I guess you'd have to ask Roseanne Barr if the internet can get you into to any kind of trouble. She was exiled from the the entire US for a social media post that mentioned race and monkeys. And the same new normal that allows John Q. Anybody to do a podcast ALSO watches everything you do online and will sink you if it sees something it does not like. America can be confusing that way. Freedom of speech and freedom of complaining about freedom of speech are always at each other's throats, it seems. And you can't have it both ways. The guy who alerted the world to Bill Cosby's dating rituals online is loved by many but is also shunned by others, but that guy knows what he did and he knows not to complain about the ones who, well, complain. It's the price you pay.

The point is, you need to constantly be hustling and using all of technology’s modern tools to get your product out (they’re not burning DVD’s anymore) and maybe one of those avenues is a podcast with salty language, and maybe that podcast exists among your body of work that clients can enjoy whenever they want.

But we live in a new age of retroactive outrage. Eddie Murphy was on SNL and is arguably the most talented person the show has produced. He did a stand-up special in which he explores “What if Mr. T were a Faggot?” It was inflammatory and it was insensitive and it was homophobic (though that buzzword was still a decade from conception) because the premise of the joke- the attribution of homosexual behavior to a big, strong, black man being marginalized as solely predatory sodomy - crossed the line. When I spell it out like that it looks horrible. But it’s a simple comedic device: assigning unlikely behavior to someone for comedic purposes. It’s the fish-out-of-water gag. It’s why we had Mork, and Alf, and Balkie from Perfect Strangers. It’s Freaky Friday. It’s why The Rock playing a babysitter or a tooth fairy is funny. Murphy did this AFTER he was on SNL. But if has been released before he auditioned, do you think he’d have been hired?

Of course he would have. Because the Mr. T thing was a small part of that special (though, I recall, an extremely quotable part) and the people who didn’t like or appreciate the language didn’t have the bionic megaphone of the internet so they could get their outrage all over your conscience. The point is that your podcast is a reflection of your brand. You have to weigh your desire to speak freely and loosely with your desire to keep the Cancel Culture at bay. At a MINIMUM, though, you should keep things clean for your clients, listeners, and most importantly, your potential customers. Shane Gillis missed out of being on SNL and fame, instead on infamy because he broke one of society's biggest rules:he said something controversial out loud. Granted, it was in bad taste, but if that were a crime half of us would be in jail. It's just important to remember that your language on a work-based podcast should be professional, which I realize cannot be defined easily, but maybe stay away from slang and cursing. Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.

#podcast comedy hilarious

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makewebvideos-blog · 4 years

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mxliv-oftheendless · 5 years

Text

The Bridge of the Demonic Goatman (Part 1)

I thought of this a while back (specifically in the form of a hilarious mental image), and decided, “What the hell? I’m gonna write this.” It’s basically me combining two things I’m currently trash for (KISS and Buzzfeed Unsolved) into an AU, where my target audience is... well, me. On a side note, if you haven’t watched Buzzfeed Unsolved, I would definitely recommend it! It’s a great show, and they do episodes on true crime as well as supernatural cases. Here’s the link to the original episode if you want to watch it. Hope you enjoy!

Due to the sheer length of this story (it’s twenty fucking pages in the Word document), I’m going to have to post this in two parts. This is Part 1. Part 2 will go up tomorrow because it’s 11:30 PM rn and I’m too fucking tired to deal with this crap anymore.

Basic AU summary: It’s Buzzfeed Unsolved, but hosted by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Vinnie Vincent. Gene is the believer of the supernatural, Paul is the skeptic, and Vinnie is the neutral third party (although he does like to join Paul in messing with Gene when they’re on a ghost hunt).

Commentary text:

Paul

Gene

Vinnie (apparently Tumblr doesn’t offer yellow as a color)

Something said in unison (who says it will also be in parentheses)

----

[cold open: camera is in the backseat of a car between the driver and passenger seats, looking through the windshield at the twilight sky. GENE is driving while PAUL is in the passenger seat. Soft haunting piano music plays over the footage]

PAUL: Almost there, Gene… you nervous?

GENE: I’ll probably be more nervous when we get there. How about you?

PAUL: [gestures out at the sunset] How can I be nervous with a sunset like that?

VINNIE: Ah, but remember, Paul. [camera cuts to VINNIE, who is sitting in the backseat] Eventually, the sun will be gone from the sky, leaving us in the foreboding dark of night. Then you’ll be nervous.

PAUL: [turns to look at Vinnie] How poetic.

VINNIE: Thank you.

PAUL: What about you, are you nervous?

VINNIE: Uh… [shrugs] kinda. I mean, we’re potentially going to see a demon.

PAUL: Potentially.

GENE: Don’t worry, Vin. I’ll protect ya.

VINNIE: You say that now, and yet if we actually see it, you’ll probably be cowering behind me and reciting the Lord’s Prayer.

GENE: How can I do that when you’re such a midget?

[Paul laughs. Vinnie leans forward and smacks Gene’s arm.]

[Smash cut: it is now nighttime. Gene, Paul, and Vinnie are now walking through a forest, the only light being from the flashlights coming from the night-vision cameras they are holding. Camera focuses on an old-looking wooden bridge with newer-looking red metal ledges. Gene shines his flashlight on a nearby sign that has text and the Texas state government symbol. The title reads OLD ALTON BRIDGE.]

GENE: Well, here it is. The bridge.

[Cut: Gene, Paul, and Vinnie are now standing at the foot of the bridge.]

GENE: Ready?

PAUL: Yep.

VINNIE: Yep.

GENE: … Paul, you go first.

PAUL: [scoffs at Gene and steps up onto the bridge] Okay.

VINNIE: [steps up onto the bridge and turns to Gene expectantly] C’mon, Gene.

GENE: [sighs then mumbles] God dammit… [slowly steps up onto the bridge]

VINNIE: [grinning at him] See, that wasn’t so hard.

GENE: Shut up, Vinnie.

[camera follows the three as they walk across the bridge, swinging their camera flashlights around. It is so dark that the only parts we can see of the bridge are what shows up in the beams of the flashlights; the rest can only be vaguely made out. Haunting music continues]

PAUL: I’ll be honest, I was kind of expecting something more… I dunno, intimidating, I guess? But no, this seems like a pretty standard bridge. [jumps up and down on it] Sturdy, too.

VINNIE: It’s a little scary, I guess. Though, the fact that we’re here when it’s nighttime probably has a factor in that. In the day time, this probably wouldn’t be scary at all.

[they reach the middle of the bridge]

GENE: Well, now that we’re on the bridge, I guess I should tell you why this bridge is so notorious.

[Vinnie nods]

PAUL: Okay. Enlighten us, Gene.

[haunting music stops. Gene stares at Paul, who looks calmly back at him]

GENE: Can you even look a little bit worried? Or just… you know what, never mind.

[Intro sequence, then title card]

[Gene, Paul, and Vinnie are now sitting on the foot of the bridge. From left to right: Gene, Vinnie, Paul]

VINNIE: This week on Buzzfeed Unsolved, we investigate Old Alton Bridge, aka the Goatman’s Bridge, as part of our ongoing investigation into the question, “Are ghosts real?”

GENE: [nods at the camera]

PAUL: [shakes his head at the camera]

VINNIE: [shrugs at the camera] Well, we may find out tonight. Gene?

GENE: Although that is our overall question, this bridge and the woods surrounding it are said to harbor something much more sinister than ghosts.

PAUL: [sounding maybe too light given the context] Demons!

GENE: [rolls his eyes but nods] Yeah, demons. As we’ve stated before, I will only consent to one demon episode per season, and this is that episode.

PAUL: You look pretty nervous. [looks to the camera and points at Gene] I dunno if you guys can tell, but Gene is looking pretty nervous right now. He’s just good enough of an actor that only Vinnie and I can tell.

VINNIE: I think we’re all a little nervous, to be fair. Just sitting on the foot of the bridge is making me feel slightly nervous. [pause in which he looks over at Gene and laughs] You’ve got kind of a glazed look, Genie.

GENE: I just—okay, I am getting kind of nervous. Let’s just get this over with.

PAUL: All right. Let’s get to the background stuff so we can dive right into the summoning part and see if any of us get possessed and/or murdered.

[Gene and Vinnie stare at him]

GENE: … Please don’t put it like that, Paul.

[Paul laughs]

[screen cuts away from the three to a black background with the shape of the state of Texas in white. Text and images appear on screen as Gene’s voice narrates]

GENE [voiceover]: In 1884, Old Alton Bridge was built in Denton, Texas, to connect the town of Alton to Denton. Alton was an extremely small town that consisted of only one person when it was established in 1848.

Wait, there was only one person in the entire town?

Yep.

Seriously? One person? And that was enough for it to be a town?

Yeah. One person.

*wheeze* Ha ha, that’s great.

Also, isn’t Denton the town from Rocky Horror Picture Show? The one Brad and Janet are from?

Oh yeah, it is! Oh my God, what if we did the Time Warp on the bridge?

Oh hell yeah, let’s do that!

*sigh* Dammit.

(Paul and Vinnie) Janet!

It was chosen as the legal center of Denton County. After the county seat was moved to Denton, residents of Alton moved to other towns, and Alton eventually disappeared. Today, the bridge is no longer permitted for vehicle use. But lucky for us, the bridge is available for pedestrian crossing.

*snorts* “Lucky for us”… the sarcasm.

You’re a master of sarcasm, Genie.

[Paul, Gene, and Vinnie are standing by the parked car. The trunk is open, and Gene is rummaging through the contents of the trunk while Paul and Vinnie watch]

PAUL: I swear I’m not trying to scare you, Gene, but… I genuinely am getting a bad feeling about this place.

GENE: I am not listening to you, Paul.

PAUL: No, I’m actually serious this time! Vinnie, you can tell I’m serious, right?

VINNIE: I mean, I am getting kind of a bad feeling as well…

GENE: Don’t worry, guys. [straightens up] I came prepared tonight. [starts to unbuckle his belt]

VINNIE: I’m flattered, Genie, but I thought we were hunting down a demon. Plus, Paulie’s with us. And what would Shannon think?

GENE: [stops and stares at him in confusion] What would she think about… [he slowly realizes what Vinnie means] No! Not like that, Vinnie!

[Paul laughs. Vinnie smirks at Gene]

GENE: Both of you shut up, that’s not what I meant at all! I mean I brought protection!

VINNIE: [grinning] Oh, well at least we won’t have to worry about that. I still think the setting is rather inappropriate, though.

[Paul continues to laugh]

GENE: I mean—I didn’t—shut the fuck up! This is what I’m talking about!

[Gene holds up a leather holster. In the holster is a squirt gun made of blue plastic]

PAUL: [stares at it, then bursts out laughing again] What the hell, Gene?

VINNIE: [trying not to laugh] Gene… why do you have a squirt gun?

GENE: [talking as he attaches the holster to his belt] It’s filled with holy water. I thought of it yesterday. It started out as a joke, but then I thought about it, and it’s actually a pretty good idea.

PAUL: [still laughing] You’re going to protect yourself against a dangerous demon… with a squirt gun filled with holy water?

GENE: Laugh all you want, Paul, but at least I’ll be safe from any demon that tries to sneak up on us. Just think, our backs will be turned, the demon’s sneaking up on us… [acts out this scene] I’ll just go, “Hey, guys, look at these bushes—[whirls around and whips out his squirt gun] freeze, demon!”

VINNIE: Smart.

GENE: I know, right?

GENE [voiceover]: Obviously, we didn’t travel all the way down to Texas to observe just a plain old bridge. What brings us to Old Alton Bridge is the meaning of its nickname, “the Goatman’s Bridge.” There are many legends of bridges acting as gateways to another realm, and perhaps this bridge is one of those gateways. Old Alton Bridge and the surrounding woods are said to harbor a dark entity: a demon, that is half-goat and half-man. The Goatman is said to have, quote, “glowing empty eyes” and goat-like horns. The reason for this entity’s existence is unknown, but has many iterations. One common story is that Satanists have carried out rituals on the bridge, that opened the door for this demon and perhaps many others.

There are actually records of people practicing rituals in the forest and on the bridge.

Really?

Yeah.

Oh, so your kind of people.

My kind of—how am I a Satanist?

Because you believe in all the crap they believe in.

Yeah but—I don’t go around performing rituals to summon demons. I respect it, and stay away from it. That’s completely different.

Okay, you’re right about that. That’s fair.

You also go to the synagogue.

*snorts* Yeah, I also go to the synagogue.

GENE [voiceover]: Another popular story is that a successful African American goat farmer was lynched and hanged on the bridge by Klansmen, returning from the dead as the Goatman.

Fuckin’ assholes…

Do we know why they lynched him?

Yeah, because he was African American and he was doing better than them. That’s it. That’s why.

… Okay, fair enough.

Yeah, that’s fair.

GENE [voiceover]: If this story is true, then it would explain why the Goatman looks as it does, since once again, the African American was a goat farmer. However, there are no records of an African American goat farmer living or even existing in that area anywhere in the 1930s or in prior decades. Furthermore, if this story is true, then the Goatman would simply be the ghost of the goat farmer, instead of a demon like the Goatman has been claimed to be. Additionally, demons are preternatural beings, and therefore not human.

So you don’t think the Goatman’s the goat farmer.

Uh, no, I don’t. See, the thing is, if it was just the ghost of the goat farmer, then the Goatman would be just…

A man.

Yeah, just a man. There really wouldn’t be any reason for him to become some version of a Minotaur.

Yeah, that makes sense.

However, the fact that it’s half man and half goat makes it more likely that it’s a demon.

Plus, aren’t there medieval drawings showing Satan with goat legs?

Yeah, that too.

I just have to object to one thing you said. You said it was some version of a Minotaur.

And?

And that is a false statement. A Minotaur is half-man-half-BULL.

Oh—Oh, well excuse me—

Then it would be the BULLman.

—Mr. Greek Mythology Expert.

Paul, you don’t even think the GOATman is real, why are you so stuck on details?

I’m just trying to make sure everything that’s said is accurate.

You wouldn’t think it was real even if it WAS the Bullman.

That’s true. I wouldn’t think it’s the Bullman. I’d think it’s BullSHIT.

*laughter*

GENE [voiceover]: But tonight, our goal is not to find out why this demon exists. Tonight, our goal is to make contact and try to catch footage of this elusive and dangerous demon, as proof that it is real. We can only hope that this evidence does not come at a great cost…

[cut to Paul, Vinnie, and Gene walking on the bridge]

PAUL: Are there any demons here with us? Perhaps a demon formerly known as the Goatman?

VINNIE: Prince reference?

PAUL: Yeah, thanks for noticing.

GENE: Let your presence be known… say something… make a noise…

PAUL: Throw us off the bridge…

GENE: Shut up, Paul. [speaks aloud] Why are you on this bridge?

[silence]

GENE: One of you ask it something.

PAUL: Why are you on this bridge?

[Gene rolls his eyes at Paul while Vinnie snickers]

PAUL: [in a dramatic voice] Goatman! [still silence] Nothing’s happening.

VINNIE: Well, obviously.

PAUL: What if we try yelling at it?

GENE: What?

PAUL: I mean, what if we try and agitate it? To try and bring it out?

VINNIE: Like, egg it into showing itself?

PAUL: Yeah!

VINNIE: Yeah, that could work! Can I do it with you?

PAUL: Yeah, let’s do it. Gene—

GENE: I’m just gonna… gonna let you guys do it. I don’t wanna be part of what you guys are doing.

PAUL: Okay.

VINNIE: Yeah, you stay out of it, that way if anything happens to us you can call our families.

PAUL: You want to go first?

VINNIE: No, you go first.

PAUL: Okay… [a few beats of pause] Fuck you, Goatman!

GENE: Oh my God—

VINNIE: Oh, we’re just gonna go all-out? Okay, let me try. [shouts] Hey! Hey, Goatman! You’re no good, Goatman!

PAUL: You’ll never be shit!

VINNIE: You’re just like your father!

GENE: Oh for fuck’s sake—

PAUL: Goatman! [starts dancing in place] See that? I’m dancing on your bridge!

GENE: Paul!

VINNIE: [also starts dancing] We’re dancing on your bridge because we don’t believe in you! Fuck you, Goatman!

PAUL: This is our bridge now! We claim this bridge for ourselves!

GENE: Jesus Christ, we’re gonna die—

VINNIE: You want us off this bridge? You’re gonna have to kill us! Whatcha gonna do, throw us off the bridge?

GENE: He did throw someone off the bridge once.

PAUL: Nah, he’s not gonna throw us off the bridge, y’know why? [shouts] ‘Cause he’s a CHICKEN! [starts clucking like a chicken]

GENE: I swear to God, both of you…

VINNIE: Paulie, c’mere. [they start doing a tango] See that, Goatman? We’re dancing on your bridge!

PAUL: We disrespect your bridge, Goatman!

GENE: Oh, for Christ’s sake—he’s taking names right now, you two.

PAUL: You ain’t shit, Goatman! We own your bridge now!

VINNIE: You hear that, Goatman?

PAUL: Me, Vinnie Vincent, and Gene Simmons own your bridge!

GENE: Paul, don’t you dare loop me into your shit. Stop it.

PAUL: Well, tell him you’re not part of it!

GENE: [speaks aloud] I’m not part of this! Okay? They’re just being assholes.

PAUL: You’re talking to Goatman now. [Paul and Vinnie grin at him]

GENE: … You son of a bitch—

VINNIE: Goatman entrapment, Genie, you’ve been caught. [high-fives Paul] Goatman!

GENE: Guys, stop it.

PAUL: This is our bridge now, Goatman! [Paul and Vinnie continue dancing and jumping up and down on the bridge]

GENE: I swear to God, you two—

VINNIE: They’re gonna write OUR names in graffiti!

GENE: If something appears and kills you, I’m not giving your eulogies.

PAUL: People will come here and tell tales of US!

PAUL and VINNIE: What do ya say to that, Goatman?

[silence]

GENE: I hate you both.

GENE [voiceover]: People have reported a growling voice telling them to “get off the bridge.” One person said that after he and his friend heard the voice, he ran off the bridge while his friend stayed. He then watched as his friend was seemingly dragged off the bridge and thrown into the river below. People have also heard hooves following them across the bridge, as if they were being chased off. It’s often said that the Goatman can be conjured by knocking three times on the bridge.

[on the bridge, Gene goes up to one side of the bridge and hesitantly raises a fist]

GENE: All right. I’m gonna… knock three times on the bridge… and we’ll see what happens.

PAUL: What if the Goatman bites your hand off?

GENE: Paul—

PAUL: And then he stuffs it in your mouth and makes you eat it?

[Gene and Vinnie stare at him]

VINNIE: … What the fuck, Paul?

PAUL: What? He might do that. He’s a demon.

GENE: Fuck you, Paul. You’re making this worse.

PAUL: Fine, sorry.

GENE: [turns back to the side of the bridge] Okay… here we go…

[Gene knocks on the side of the bridge three times. They all stand back]

GENE: Now it’s said that when you do that, you can see his glowing eyes. [glances around]

PAUL: [laughing] What a load of horseshit…

VINNIE: Quiet, Paul.

[silence. Nothing happens]

GENE: Well, I’m not doing it again. Either of you want to?

VINNIE: [shrugs] I’ll do it. [goes up to the side and knocks three times. Steps back.]

[silence again. Nothing happens]

VINNIE: All right, Paul, now you do it.

[Paul goes up to the side and raises his fist. Then he stops and looks around in a theatrical way]

GENE: For fuck’s sake, Paul, just do it!

PAUL: [shrugs] Hey, Goatman! [knocks three times]

[silence again. All three look around. The camera passes over parts of the bridge]

PAUL: You know, if you want me off this bridge, you’re gonna have to throw me off.

[still silence. Nothing happens. There is a long stretch in which none of them move or speak]

GENE: Okay, we’re done with that. Let’s go into the woods.

VINNIE: We’re going into the woods?

GENE: Yep. Let’s go.

[they all turn and start to walk off the bridge. Paul turns around and looks out into the darkness]

PAUL: We’ll be back, Goatman. After all, this is our bridge now.

VINNIE: Yeah, remember that, Goatman.

GENE: Would you both shut up?

PAUL: That’s how you get them to come out, Gene.

GENE: That’s not how you get them to come out, that’s how you get them to kill you.

PAUL: Assuming you don’t kill me first, right?

GENE: Exactly.

To be continued in Part 2!

#kiss unsolved #kiss unsolved supernatural #that's what i'm calling this au #so just to recap their roles #gene is the believer #paul is the skeptic #vinnie is neutral #originally I was going to have heather as the third one instead of vinnie #but then I got to thinking and decided vinnie would be better #paul likes to troll gene #mostly because again he's the skeptic and doesn't believe all of that is real #gene is exasperated #and also in denial about being scared #but we all know he was scared the entire time #vinnie likes to join paul in trolling gene #lol I stg writing the 'dancing on the bridge' sequence was my favorite part #once again I definitely recommend watching the actual buzzfeed unsolved #ryan and shane are hilarious and they do a great job on their true crime episodes #if you think I should write another thing for this au then let me know!#though it probably won't be in the near future #the entire episode is in script style and it ended up being twenty pages in the word document #hope you enjoyed!#paul stanley #gene simmons #vinnie vincent #kiss au writing #my writing

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gumroad · 5 years

Text

Bad*ss product ideas that have turned into giants on Gumroad.

One question we get again and again over here at Gumroad is... What are some product ideas that will make me some moolah?

It is a great question, a lovely question. It is the type of question we like to hear. In fact, we like the question so much that we created this massive article to better answer it.

But, let’s hit pause for a moment.

For those of you who have never heard of Gumroad... we don’t sell bubble gum. But, we can certainly help you sell your bubble gum. That is... if you are a bubble gum craftsman.

We can help you sell anything, actually.

We are a super simple e-commerce and audience building software for creators, educators, writers, designers and influencers looking to make money doing whatever it is they love.

Thus far, we have helped thousands of creators collectively make over $200 million (that is million with an “M”).

Now, where were we?

Oh. Yes. Product ideas to sell on Gumroad.

5 product ideas selling like crazy on Gumroad that you can draw some serious inspiration from.

It doesn’t matter how sweet Gumroad is. If you don’t have a product idea you are crazy about, then our platform isn’t going to do you much good.

Fortunately, we are going to play cupid for the next fifteen minutes and introduce you to a few creators on our platform that have created wildly awesome things that are now selling like hotcakes... Chocolate chip hotcakes.

(Side note: who the hell calls pancakes, hotcakes?)

While we would prefer you don’t just outright steal any of these product ideas –– that’s a big no-no–– we are extremely confident they will spark some serious inspiration in you.

Or, at least we hope so.

Without further ado, here are some product ideas on Gumroad we ourselves are chomping at the bit to buy...

1. A series of illustrated essays about The Office (the TV show not the actual office, that would be boring).

Shea Serrano is a former teacher that today makes his living slinging words as an author and journalist. He is extremely well known for his works over at The Ringer and ESPN’s Grantland (RIP).

In his spare time, he will entertain the Twittersphere with his hilarious thoughts on sports, culture and everything in-between.

And, when he isn’t doing that, he is writing essays about The Office.

In July of last year, Shea chose Gumroad of all places to shower the world with his Dunder Mifflin riffings. We were beyond flattered.

Shea’s ten brilliantly illustrated essays about The Office made its debut with a single tweet...

“we made a thing it’s 10 illustrated essays about The Office and you can pay $20 and then own it and look at it on your phone or computer or whatever it’s beautiful go get it... http://scrantonproject.com”

And, it was all history after that as Conference Room, Five Minutes took Gumroad by storm.

You can buy this digital product for the paperless world, here. Or, you can start selling a digital product (or a paper product), here. Decisions, decisions.

In all seriousness, what product ideas can you pull from Shea Serrano’s recent essay series?

If you have a favorite TV show (and don’t we all have a favorite TV show?)... share your thoughts about it, craft some pretty pictures and illustrations around it and then just make it into a digital downloadable product like an ebook. Chances are if you love the show, others do, too.

And, in Shea’s experience, people will pay a pretty penny to read things about things they love.

2. A comic book about falling in love with a vampire at a blood drive.

Marketing gurus adore firing off phrases like “find your niche”... “niche down”... “there’s money in the niches”.

If you are one of the lucky few that have never heard these phrases, what they mean is to find a small segment of the human population that is willing to cough up their hard-earned money for whatever the heck it is you are selling... and market to them.

The problem many creators run into is attempting to create a product that appeals to everyone. And, in doing so, they end up creating a product that appeals to absolutely no one.

But... but... what if there aren’t enough customers in my niche for me to make a living (or half of a living)?

Our answer to that is... My Very First Vampire Blood Drive... a comic book about a girl that goes to a blood drive and ironically falls in love with a vampire.

Who is the target market?

Folks who enjoy comic books about mortals falling in love with vampires.

This little masterpiece has sold like crazy and it’s proof to the Gumroadsphere, and really the world as a whole, that there is money in the niches.

If comics about vampires make your mouth water, you can get your hands on My Very First Vampire Blood Drive, here. Or you can sell a comic book of your own (or really anything for that matter), by gently rubbing your thumb, here.

Vampires aside, comic books tend to do really really well on Gumroad.

If you tore through comic books as a kid and have a cool niche obsession... create a story around it, turn it into a comic book and sell it on Gumroad. There is a good chance others have that cool niche obsession, too.

As Fred, the serial-entrepreneur, says in the tightly packed coffee shop in Silicon Valley to the young aspiring wide-eyed entrepreneur... “there is money in the niches, young blood.”

3. An alternative indie comedy channel with a cult following.

Sam Hyde is a comedian birthed from the Rhode Island-based comedy group, Million Dollar Extreme or MDE. The three-man comedy squad ignited the web with giggles during the early 2010s as they captured videos of themselves hilariously screwing with random unassuming folks.

Hyde, in particular, gained a cult following as he pulled bigger, badder, much more public facing stunts like his “2070 Paradigm Shift” TEDx Talk speech at Drexel University. Give it a watch. It’s incredibly uncomfortable.

By 2015, Hyde’s career had reached an all-time high after he sold a show to Adult Swim. Unfortunately, what goes up... has a way of eventually coming down. Shortly after it aired, Adult Swim decided to cancel the show due to Hyde’s extremely controversial humor.

Hyde is still chugging, though. The comedian has now thrown a price tag on his giggles and has placed his shows and stunts behind a paywall on Gumroad, charging his fans $5 a month.

While here at Gumroad we certainly don’t support Hyde’s more controversial humor, we do support creative expression.

Regardless of your stance on Hyde’s humor, his success on Gumroad’s platform is hugely inspiring, which we will touch on in greater detail here momentarily.

But, first, if you have a dark twisted sense of humor, Hyde can be found here. And, if you want to create your own comedy show, you can get the ball rolling over on Gumroad, here.

Now, back to the inspiration. Whether you’re the next Kevin Hart or the least funny person in the world, there is one major lesson that can be pulled from Hyde...

Youtube Channels, podcasts and blogs have allowed creators to build large followings... but they have made it very difficult for these creators to monetize these followings.

Whether you’re a comedian creating skits on Youtube or some thinker that is sharing her insight on her blog, why not offer exclusive content to your audience behind a paywall on a platform like Gumroad?

You can still record your regular show or write your weekly blog post... but maybe, in addition to this, you offer exclusive content just to your paid subscribers.

Mark Manson, the author behind the New York Times Best Seller, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, does this on his website.

He has published hundreds of articles for free. But, offers exclusive content to subscribers who are willing to cough up a few extra dollars each month.

It seems to be working well for him. It probably would for you, too.

4. A digital handbook that teaches folks how to sketch like an architect.

Besides having a name right out of a 007 movie, David Drazil knows a thing or two about architecture. And, more specifically, sketching architecture.

Drazil is a budding architect, graphic designer and CG artist from the Czech Republic currently living, working and creating really awesome Gumroad products in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Somewhere on Drazil’s path as an architect, he had a very exciting and lucrative realization... architects can draw really well and there are probably a few people out there that would be willing to pay to learn how to draw like them.

No, we aren’t for certain if his realization was this long-winded nor worded quite like this (we can’t read minds, after all)... but you get the idea.

Ultimately, some thought of Drazil’s led him to create the hugely popular digital handbook, Sketch like an Architect, where he teaches both aspiring architects or just folks looking to draw like them, how to breathe life into beautiful architectural pictures.

What product ideas can be inspired from Drazil’s work?

If you’ve lived on this Earth for at least a decade, there is a good chance you have a hobby or a skill or a passion that you are better at than 99% of people.

So... make a handbook.

If you know how to whittle wood… make a handbook.

If you know how to care for succulents... make a handbook.

If you know how to make delicious homemade ice cream... make a handbook.

If you know how to make backpacks out of recycled cement bags... make a handbook.

Sometimes, the best product ideas are simply sharing what you already know and slapping a price tag on it.

Heck, you don’t even have to slap a price tag on it. Drazil, for example, let’s his customers choose what they want to pay for his Sketch like an Architect handbook.

You’re a good guy, Drazil. And, a gosh darn good architect.

Anyway, if you’re a horrible drawer and want to change that, you can get your hands on Drazil’s handbook here. And, if you have a handbook you want to create yourself, why not sell it on Gumroad?

5. A piece of software that helps writers (and non-writers) write better.

We are sure you have probably heard of the acronym “K.I.S.S.” before... and no, we aren’t talking about the iconic 80s rock band.

It stands for Keep It Simple Stupid. We like to play nice here at Gumroad so we use the word “Silly” rather than “Stupid”. But, you get the idea.

Anyhow, it is advice often given to novices overcomplicating things that don’t need to be complicated.

When it comes to writing, both writers and non-writers tend to struggle with the acronym, using big complex language and jargon that is difficult to understand.

If you are in business, you’ve probably been a victim of this.

Do any of these ring a bell?

Circle the wagons.

Low-hanging fruit.

Move the needle.

Core competency.

Open the kimono.

Put out some feelers.

Thankfully, there is an app for that. Brothers Adam and Ben Long created Hemingway, an application that proofreads writing for wordy sentences, adverbs, passive voice and other horrible lexical atrocities.

In a lovely interview with The New Yorker, the Long brothers shared some of the back story behind their creation…

“After spending our days writing, we realized a common mistake: sentences easily grow to the point that they became difficult to understand. The worst part is we didn’t realize we were doing it. Our text was more clear and persuasive when we kept it simple. While complaining about it on the phone, we decided there should be an easy way to help people realize when their writing was too dense.”

The duo decided to create a product that would scratch their own itch. And, thus, the Hemingway App was born. Obviously, named after Ernest Hemingway, the author known widely for his tremendous brevity.

While not everyone is capable of creating a software application, the Long brothers are certainly not technology whiz kids. Nope. Adam works in marketing in North Carolina and Ben is a copywriter living in the big apple.

A lovely aspect about being alive in 2019 is that it is possible to create a software application... even if you don’t have the chops to built it yourself.

If you have an idea, sites like Toptal, Guru and Upwork allow you to breathe life into that idea... and sites like Gumroad let you sell it.

If you tend to get a bit long-winded with your writing and are guilty of getting a little fancy with your language, you can check out the Hemingway app right here. If, on the other hand, you have an idea you’d like to turn into a piece of software, get set up on Gumroad so you can sell it once it is alive.

Which of these product ideas are right for you?

Gumroad is wonderful in that it offers everything you need from an e-commerce and audience-building standpoint whether you’re selling software or coloring books.

However, this makes coming up with the perfect product idea to sell on the platform, challenging. Hopefully, you were able to draw some serious inspiration from the product ideas we just shared that have turned into giants on Gumroad.

Quickly, let’s do an episode recap before you dive into ideation mode, shall we?

One...

Product ideas don’t always have to be crazy original. They can simply be you sharing your thoughts on a popular TV show, movie, book or sports team in pop culture. That’s what Shea did with Conference Room, Five Minutes.

Two...

Product ideas don’t have to appeal to everyone. In fact, it might be better if they only appealed to a select few people. Niching down (oh lord we hate that word) is good for business. If you’re skeptical, My Very First Vampire Blood Drive should dissolve this skepticism.

Three...

Product ideas can be as simple as offering great exclusive content to the audience you’re already giving away free content to. If you have an audience, be it large or small... there is a good chance you have some super fans existing somewhere in there. Ask those fans to pay for exclusive content... they just might. Ask Sam Hyde.

Four...

If you know how to do something reasonably well, you know how to do that something better than 99% of people in this world. Why not charge to teach that skill by making a handbook like the architect that might be an undercover 007 agent, David Drazil. Better yet, if you don’t know what to charge, just ask customers to pay what they can...

Five...

Scratch your own itch. And, if you don’t know how to make a back scratcher yourself, you can always hire someone else to make it for you. The Hemingway Editor is a great example of a marketer and copywriter deciding they were fed-up and downright tired of long-windedness, jargon and complex language. So, they created a back scratcher. And, if you by chance aren’t technically savvy... find someone who is.

And, once you create a product that just might change the world, don’t forget to sell the damn thing on Gumroad.

By Cole Schafer.

Cole is a marketer and ink-slinger that runs a tiny (but mighty) creative writing shop called Honey Copy that helps brands grow with pretty words.

#gumroad #marketing #design #productdesign

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yay855 · 6 years

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World of Final Fantasy: What They Did Right, What They Did Wrong, and What They Could Do Next Time

Every so often, I like to write out a post detailing a game I’ve recently played, and how I believe that future sequels could improve upon it. Well, as I recently started replaying World of Final Fantasy, I feel like I should start on that, now that it’s both fresh in my mind, and yet I’ve experienced it all.

First off, What They Did Right:

* The number of mirages out there is surprisingly large, numbering at 180 total (not counting DLC and unique mirages). And yet, each one feels rather enjoyable; either they fall under the same family (and thus, are excusably just recolors of a different mirage, as is tradition for the series), or they feel genuinely unique in look and use. In addition, many mirages can easily switch between multiple different families, allowing many to find further use even in an area where their element wouldn’t be that great.

* The characterization is great. Lann is a jokester who’s simple but lovable, Reyn is a braniac who gets frustrated at others but is also eager to join in on their fun, and there’s a lot of lively NPCs out there- like Vivi, who’s so eager to please and just so adorable. Many characters feel like actual people, even some that get little screen time.

* The skill trees feel so wonderful. Though they’re a bit confusing, and filled with a lot of “filler” skills (aka minor stat boosts), it’s still enjoyable to fill it all out, only to receive a special skill or major stat boost as a reward.

* Tama is a wonderful talking mascot, being adorable but not annoying, even despite her verbal tic. Her banter with Lann and Reyn is always fun, and she’s a very good battler as well, with very high stats.

* The encyclopedia entries are filled with little jokes that make them enjoyable to read.

* The game returned to an Active Time Battle System, something they haven’t done since Final Fantasy 9, though X had something similar, and the Active Dimension Battle System didn’t even have random battles or special battle screens. Still, the system feels good to use, and the UI for it really helps make it clear who goes next.

* The user interface is easy to use. It has a lot of screens to push through that each take a moment to pull up, but you never get lost in it. The only real issue is that it pushes that weird four-button-prompt UI at first, though it’s easy enough to switch to the classical style.

* The stacking system is an interesting way of both simplifying and complicating battle strategy, and makes you really think about what stacks you make. It allows you to even combine abilities together to make more powerful ones, which I enjoy.

* The AP system, while flawed, provides an interesting way of using abilities, due to it slowly regenerating over time, and even some mirages having abilities to restore it further.

* The Jiant/Lillikin transformation system is neat, and allows for more unique combat styles with the stacking system. Furthermore, many characters are admittedly suited for being so small and adorable, such as Vivi and Bartz.

* Mega Mirages are fun and enjoyable, and really make you feel their worth.

Next, What They Did Wrong:

* There are a lot of mirages that are difficult to find. This might not be much of an issue, if not for the fact that many elemental attacks are difficult to come by, especially Light. And Light-element attacks are almost necessary later in the game to beat a lot of difficult bosses. There are a grand total of two monsters you can find in the wild which can even use Light attacks, one of which a rare random encounter, the other an optional and easily missed boss, both in the exact same area.

* The Stacking System is 100% necessary for combat in almost every case. The only real use for it is in capturing certain mirages, and restoring AP quickly. But the former is extremely situational, and the latter leaves you weakened and defenseless. Stacking should not be a mandatory feature.

* Your two protagonists are forced to be part of the stacks until you beat the game- and there’s no New Game+ mode which lets you keep the ability to not use them. Maybe there will be with the upcoming Maxima expansion, we’ll see.

* The skill trees are rather unclear in terms of what does and does not carry over between forms. Is it all green-colored tiles, or only green-colored skills? Why would you have some skills and abilities not carry over at all? Why not just let all mirages have access to every skill you’ve unlocked on their family tree?

* Many mirages have limited skill trees, which don’t fully unlock until very late in the game. This ends up causing many of your more-powerful mirages to simply not be used, in favor of ones you can continue to upgrade, leaving them underpowered in the late-game. Furthermore, all new mirages you capture start at level one! And leveling is very slow in this game, at least until you reach the mid-end game.

* I’m personally not a fan of random encounters. I prefer Dragon Quest 9′s version, where the enemies are visible on-screen, and the player can avoid them if they want.

* There’s an area in early-to-mid-game where you lose all your mirages, skills, spells, and abilities... including skill trees. They give you new mirages to use, but you’re still forced to use melee and whatever damaging items you have on hand. Furthermore, in this area, they introduce the Eldboxes and Machines... and then don’t even bother using them again until much later in the game.

* The user interface, and even some of the dungeons and towns, can get laggy. It isn’t enough to make it bad, but it’s still unpleasant. Though keep in mind, I play on the PC version; I don’t know if others have a similar experience.

* You never get more AP. There are ways to get around that, but the fact is that your AP is always stuck at 4 per party member, with a total of 12 for a full stack. This is simply unacceptable; you end up having to rely on either Ethers, or specific abilities to get by; otherwise, you wouldn’t make it to the final boss of the dungeon with even half AP.

* Magic is almost necessary in this game. While there are a decent number of mirages with a melee focus, there are far, far more that use magic, and very few that use elemental melee attacks. And given that you can’t check your foe’s stats other than their resistances and weaknesses, this ends up making you steer towards magic for both characters. Furthermore, Lann is built for melee combat, and Reny for magic... except that they never explain that, and you can’t easily find their stats.

* So many characters simply don’t look good in Lilikin form. While it can be amusing in some cases, the fact is that characters like Cloud, Lightning, and others simply look ridiculous, and you can’t take them seriously.

* The ending cinematic looks terrifying. It has photo-realistic levels of detail on top of an almost storybook-type design on top of chibi characters; this causes an intense uncanny valley effect, where you’re forced to look away in disgust while these characters are singing and dancing in celebration. It’s fine in the game CG and anime visual styles, but that ending is just.... eugh.

* Mega Mirages are often not very useful. Even when they’re at your level, they tend to be overly specialized in one area, even though many of them have abilities in each category. But the end result is that, at least in my experience, Cerberus (which is the only XL-size mirage you can get until the mid-late game) has three different magic skills, and yet deals less damage with them than I would deal without using it in the first place.

* At the endgame, you are forced to play through multiple minigames to proceed. This might not be such an issue, if not for the fact that they’re all ridiculously difficult and poorly-explained. The Cactuar Mini-game has the foes disappear far too quickly to actually hit them, and so you’re forced to just attack one specific area before they even pop up in the hope that you get lucky and hit something; the Blitzball minigame has its shots fire far too slowly to be at all accurate; and the Figaro one is just minesweeper, something that the target audience of the game have never played, and it also has poor UI.

Finally, What They Should Do Next:

* Tweak the mirage rate, and add detailed explanations of where to find them. Or at least provide hints of where to find mirages of certain families and powers. Don’t make any one type difficult to get, especially if you have an area full of mirages weak to that type.

* Allow for up to nine characters in your battle party at once, making for a max of 3 full stacks.

* Change the stacking system in the following ways:

1. Make stacking a special ability tied to Joyride and Follow. Those with Joyride can have others stack on top of them, while those with Follow can stack on top of others who don’t have Joyride.

2. Stacking should cut the values of each stat (though not weakness) by 25%, save for Agility, which is determined solely by the mirage on the bottom.

3. High-topple attacks should be far more common.

4. You can use your turn to alter your stacks- not just stack and unstack, but to choose who gets on, who gets off, and who replaces who.

5. Show the exact effects of stacking in the menu. Let us see what skills we would gain by stacking certain characters together, as well as the full changes to our stats and resistances.

6. As a result of this change to the stacking system, Reyn and Lann won’t need to be part of any stacks in the party.

* Make AP a stat itself, similar to health. While it shouldn’t increase like health does, at least make mirages have a varying amount of AP, perhaps ranging between four and ten.

* Make all skills carry over between mirage forms.

* Instead of mirages being able to switch between different families, make it so that mirage families are completely open, perhaps with branching paths between each form.

* Replace random encounters with respawning enemies visible on-screen.

* If there has to be minigames, at least make them fun and optional, instead of overly frustrating and mandatory.

* Add in more elemental melee attacks.

* Add in multiple playable human characters who can replace the main protagonists, perhaps with each human character functioning as a different class. I understand that Maxima will add this, but it really should have been in the base game, instead of having Lann be melee-focused, Reyn be magic-focused, and neither one have any actual special abilities beyond what Mirajewels they equip.

* Increase EXP scaling for under-leveled mirages. If you’re going to add elemental-themed areas, then at least make it much easier for our mirages to get to the appropriate level before we hit the boss.

#world of final fantasy #woff #final fantasy

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safeenaposts · 3 years

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ADVANTAGES OF “DIGITAL MARKETING”

The Internet is a very important part of our life in this digital age. The mass adoption of the internet in everyday life is one of the biggest events that has affected the world of marketing over the last few decades. The average time spent in front of the screen by People is about 5.4 hours in a day, in a world with100 million users of social media regularly. Surfing the internet for information and buying has become the norm of the present generation. People’s outlook on different products is influenced by social- media, every industry is trying to take advantage of the present trend. Therefore digital marketing is the need of the hour. Digital marketing is promoting products over any sort of electronic media.

In the beginning, we would read the day-to-day news in the newspaper, now we have smart-phones we have tablets everything is revolving around online activity, the traditional marketing platforms are disappearing replacing it with digital marketing, which has taken over the industry. Gone are the days when marketing was done by physical means, newspaper, radio, and Television. Digital marketing can improve one’s business multi-fold by utilizing this attitude of people. The advantages are so many which is unimaginable.

Digital marketing agency or digital platforms like a mobile, laptop, tablets from which the websites, social media, Google search, blogs, videos one can use to promote their business or brand and thus increase the reach of the product to the right customer and increase its sale which is the main role of digital marketing

Digital marketing has been evolving over the years. Digital marketing is the fancy new buzz that is used in recent days.

Why do you need digital marketing? It encompasses all marketing efforts that promote your product or brand using electronic media. Digital Marketing has a lot of options, it is always related to the strategies associated with it and you can also get creative and experiment with every little aspect of the marketing campaign but when it is compared with traditional marketing this is impossible. The tasks that you can complete online cannot be done with traditional marketing. The traditional marketing methods are printing ads, phone communication also physical marketing.

Digital marketing is known as data-driven marketing and operates over the digital platform that is the internet for the introduction and promotion of various goods and services. The digital marketing industry is at its peak

-It is highly flexible….you don’t need a particular place, you can be in the office or home…all u need is have a device that is connected to the internet and one is sorted

-It is extremely easy-accessing the digital media

– High engagement

-High job opportunities

-The result generation is very easy and immediate when compared to traditional methods

The advantages of digital marketing are enormous

The benefit of digital marketing services is immense be it an app development company or a service provider the advantages are,

Low cost: The biggest financial burden any business has to bear is the cost of marketing and advertisement. Advertising on digital platforms is way cheaper than the traditional ways. They create a great impact at a low cost.

Easy to measure: With a digital campaign you can know immediately how an ad is performing, compared to traditional methods where you have to wait weeks or months to evaluate the credibility of a campaign. It allows users to track the performance of their emails; they can know how many were delivered, how many were read and learn all about their conversion rates.

Easy to adjust: Knowing how the ad has performed one can get a fair idea as to how to proceed. For ads that are performing well, more can be invested just by a click, and the non-performing ads can be removed or can be adjusted accordingly with ease. When your ads not working as expected one has a scope to improve it. Traditional marketing is more rigid and there is a lot of paperwork, subscribers will still have to wait even if a campaign is not performing as hoped.

Brand development: In a newspaper, you can have only a column or page but in digital platforms, you can have a whole website itself. Building a brand and reputation can be done on digital platforms with a well-developed website, and blogs that feature useful articles and on social media. You can build a consistent image of your company.

Easy to share: Sharing capabilities allow campaigns and articles to be shared with multiple followers. It can improve sales tremendously.

Digital marketing is non –intrusive: The digital advertising one can choose whether they want to see or not, unlike traditional marketing. You can choose to ignore an e-mail or opt-out of social media discussions on a particular page. Social networking sites keep an eye on what you are interested in and it will show only the things you are interested in. Digital marketing does not annoy people and is not intrusive other than a few annoying pop-up ads.

Precise targeting: The interested audience can be precisely targeted. Targetted marketing can be done by ads presented to the customers depending on their preferences or their initial action. Social media platforms usually have a very intelligent algorithm that studies and gathers user preferences. Such specific ad campaigns are shown only to users with a specific liking. This helps to increase the possibility of sales as well as cuts down on the cost of marketing.

Segmentation: Customer segregation is often done which helps improve sales. Segmentation is that the process during which large customer groups are further made into smaller groups. E-mail marketing solutions, allows the business to send emails to a specific group or to only certain regions or residents of given areas who will be the only ones who will be getting the e-mail.

Greater engagement: Constant engagement with the customers in this highly competitive business world is extremely important. As there are numerous options customers change if they are not satisfied. Good marketing allows businesses to remain competitive and relevant by engaging with customers through different digital media channels. Customers’ questions are answered by these platforms, reducing misconceptions, and even generating sales. This can be achieved via regular useful blog posts, newsletters, shows, promotions, and special offers. A credible reputation is very essential to enhance one’s business.

Global: The planet has become a global village. Digitization has made this possible. Digital marketing allows ad campaigns to be visible in any part of the earth, this provides small start-ups companies the opportunity to be known globally.

Innogenx is a leading Digital Marketing Agency in India offering 360° concepts to varied clients across e-Commerce, health sector, Technology, Finance, Travel, Hospitality, and more. Innogenx is a great team of specialists when it comes to performance marketing with its creative and strategic approach.

We are led by technology, strategy, design, content, and most significantly our clients.

We understand our clients and deliver the most effective services tailored to promise you optimum growth of your business, we provide solutions for social media marketing, video marketing, and influencer marketing.

Want to make your brand known on social media, our marketing team knows how to do it.

Grow your business with InnoGenX.

For more information,

Visit us at www.innogenx.in

Call:9901972889

#products #digital #website #video #InnoGenX

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mrchristianaxavier · 3 years

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Reflections on Anti-Blackness as a Black Trans Artist & Entrepreneur

Last year, I decided to define liberation for myself, as a Black Trans individual living in a white supremacist society. I was tired of being in survival mode and being poor. I was tired of being exploited and tokenized by non-profits that employed me. I was tired of working at non-affirming organizations and companies. I was tired of dealing with anti-Black supervisors and managers. I was tired of being close to death. As a Solutionary, I committed myself to diving deeply into my artistry and entrepreneurship, for these were in fact ways in which a Black Trans individual like myself, could gain financial security and freedom…creating more opportunity for myself, my loved ones, as well as my community.

FrootFly LLC was founded by myself and my partner, who is also a Black Trans woman, to create a Fresh Fruit Distribution Resource for BlPOC, Individuals with Health Immune Deficiencies, Youth & Elders and Everyone open to embracing and honoring the natural goodness the Earth provides. We chose to sell high-quality tropical fruit, not normally found in the convenient and grocery stores that are accessible to marginalized individuals, such as Soursop, Jackfruit, Mamey, Sapodilla, Cacao, Nam Wah Bananas, Yellow & Red Dragon Fruit, Passion Fruit and more. Growing up and living in the hood, my partner and I understood the frustration of not having access to healthy quality fruits and vegetables and wanted to increase access to those who need it most, especially during COVID-19. In addition, we wanted to help build our ancestral and cultural connections through the variety of items we offer. With our Fruit Share Program, FrootFly also aims to provide marginalized individuals with Organic Tropical Fruit boxes, monthly.

In addition to creating a small business with my partner, I also released a children’s book, entitled, My Name is Troy. My Name is Troy is a book specifically for young Black Trans boys, about a Black Trans boy named Troy, who is loved, protected, and affirmed by his family. The children’s book was an envisioning of the love I never received from my family, while growing up and a gift to young Black Trans boys who may grow up thinking they are alone or who are told that they are wrong about who they know themselves to be.

With efforts rooted in health, wellness, equity, and overall liberation, many would assume community to be supportive. But unfortunately, within this beautiful journey of reclaiming our time in a world where many are rooting for the demise an overall genocide of Black Trans people, I (as well as my partner) have experienced much anti-Blackness from many who claim to stand in solidarity with Black Trans Lives and Black owned businesses.

Here are just a few DONT’s when supporting Black Trans Artists and Entrepreneurs:

Being Blocked from posting in Facebook Groups

When my partner and I launched FrootFly, the first places we went to promote our new business were social media platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Social media allows artists and entrepreneurs to meet and engage with potential customers where they are at.

Paid Facebook advertisements are good for creatives and businesses because they allow you to target a specific audience. Facebook claims that they are 89% accurate when it comes to targeted campaigns. However, as Black Trans individuals in survival mode, securing funds to consistently pay for Facebook ads proved to be difficult. Therefore, much of our Fb promotion occurred via our personal pages, our business page and by posting in various community-based groups.

After a few weeks of posting, I noticed that many of my posts in certain Trans and LGBTQIA+ groups were being reported and marked as spam, not by Facebook but by so-called community members and group admins, themselves. The same people known to hashtag #BlackTransLivesMatter and show up to community rallies, vigils, and marches with a quickness, were also quick to further oppress and marginalize the very people they claim to stand in solidarity with, on social media. Stopping me from posting in groups, stopped potential income from getting to 2 Black Trans individuals striving to live full lives, and not solely survive.

It was especially disheartening for me personally to experience because as a Trans advocate and freedom fighter who has positioned himself on the frontlines many many times, I knew if I were an admin of a LGBTQIA+, Trans or Queer Facebook group, I personally would let Black Trans artists and entrepreneurs post their items for sale freely (regardless of the purpose of the group) because I’m conscious and aware of the experiences of Black Trans individuals and understand the necessity and importance of closing economic gaps and increasing equity for those most marginalized.

White Cis-centric Expectations for Operations

Good customer service means meeting customers' expectations. And meeting customers' expectations pays off for all businesses. Customer support is more than just providing answers; it’s an important part of the promise a brand makes to its customers.

Most large companies and corporations have customer service departments to handle inquiries and complaints. They have shipping departments that track packages, manufacturers to produce items at rapid rates and in bulk quantities, and huge warehouses to hold these items. However, when you’re a small business, oftentimes it’s the owners who have to make sacrifices unknown and wear multiple hats, especially when first launching a brand. But things can become even more difficult and stressful when you’re a small business owner who is also a part of several marginalized communities.

When shipping items from FrootFly, as well as copies of My Name is Troy, many customers, and so-called supporters, after only a few days, sent emails asking where their items were. Initially, in the name of good customer service, we would respond with our processing time, tracking info and shipping process, but after a while I soon noticed that many of these inquiries were accusatory and filled with anxiety rooted in Anti-Blackness.

It is a fact that Black businesses struggle in ways that white owned businesses do not. One of the reasons that Black businesses struggle to succeed is due to a general distrust of Black people. In general, society views Black people as “unprofessional”. From the way we wear our hair to our diction and ability to code switch, Black people in business realms are constantly policed and expected to fit tightly and neatly in line with corporate norms established by white elites.

Most people who reached out to us did so because they did not trust us as Black people, who owned a business. They did not trust me, as a Black person, who was an author of a children’s book. They assumed that they were getting swindled for their money, scammed, and robbed…because in their eyes, that is what Black people do. It was evident in their typed microaggressions, the way things were phrased and phony excuses. Studies have shown that people of all ethnicities and backgrounds have stated that they rather do business with a white owned company than a Black owned company. If it is hard for Black cisgender-owned businesses…imagine the experiences of a Black Trans owned business.

Understanding the experiences of Black Trans individuals and supporting Black Trans businesses go hand-in-hand. Instead of getting angry and impatient with Black Trans business owners, when products are seemingly delayed, email response time is not immediate, or when operations seemingly do not imitate that of a large corporation…in my opinion, a person who truly stands in solidarity would consider what that person is also experiencing daily. Has that Black Trans individual eaten today? Has that Black Trans individual experienced violence today? Do they have consistent access to Wi-Fi?

Most Black Trans owned business will look a bit different than cisgender owned businesses in terms of operations, due to an extreme difference in access and lack of equity. For many Black Trans individuals, each day is literally a fight to survive…and as entrepreneurs, this is what my partner and I are committed to overcome.

Reported PayPal Disputes

When I wrote My Name is Troy, I did so out of love for self and Black Trans youth, specifically Black Trans boys. I did not write the book to make a profit, but to leave something behind in the name of legacy that was beautifully made for Black Trans youth for generations to come. I priced the book at a rate that I felt was accessible specifically for Black families of all incomes, but also leaving me with little profit. For me, the book was bigger than profit. Ultimately it was a gift for young Black Trans boys…a reminder that they matter, while living in a world that seemingly forgets that they even exist.

Upon releasing the book, many people who purchased the book were white and/or cisgender members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Hundreds of orders poured in unexpectedly within the first 2 weeks of accepting pre-orders. The book had done better than I expected in terms of units sold but wasn’t reaching the demographic I had hoped...young Black Trans boys.

I knew that shipping so many books would take me some time. For one, each set of books I ordered from the printer took 2 or more weeks to get to me, due to COVID-19 related shipping delays. There were further delays once I shipped the books to those who purchased them. The profit left over from each book sold only covered shipping fees but did not cover my travel to and from the post office nor the shipping materials used to mail the books. But I committed myself to getting a book to each person who placed an order, no matter how long it would take me. And why wouldn’t I?

After two weeks of releasing my book, more emails began pouring in about the whereabouts of their items. Apparently, I was not moving fast enough. But what people were not being truthful about was that to them I was not moving at a pace that they were used to…a pace that is easily kept by the white owned companies and corporations they usually support.

When I responded to some of the email inquiries, some people encouraged me to be transparent with my customers to make it easier on both myself and patrons. But explaining to hundreds of so-called community members that Black Trans individuals have it harder than most and that their bias is causing their anxiety became exhausting. Many people became combative, but a few actually did admit to their anti-Blackness, claiming they would do better. I knew the anti-Blackness I experienced was real, despite most people’s denial, projection, and dismissiveness.

Several customers even went to the extent of reporting my PayPal account, claiming they never received an item…a claim rooted in Anti-Blackness, impatience, and the expectation for Black Trans entrepreneurs to deliver things at the same rate as white owned corporations. Most of the disputes ruled in my favor, as I explained to PayPal that there were shipping delays. But some did not, causing my account to go into the negative several times, with security measures added that made receiving and transferring funds extremely difficult. With each negative transaction, PayPal also threatened to send a report of owed funds from refunds sent to collections, negatively affecting my credit. This frustrated me for many reasons, but mostly because I stressed myself out trying to get out as many books as I could as often as I could, despite my lack of income and resources.

Is this how community stands in solidarity with Black Trans entrepreneurs? The distrust and bias from so-called allies and accomplices in my opinion, is ultimately violence. Where were the emails from community members asking me if there was anything anyone could do to help me ship things faster? This is what happens when so-called community is not intentionally mindful of the experiences of those most marginalized and when support is performative rather than an investment in Black Trans communities.

When you’re buying something from a Black Trans artist or entrepreneur, you’re not just purchasing a product. You’re helping a Black Trans person eat that day. You’re helping to provide a Black Trans person with another day of shelter. You’re helping a Black Trans person purchase their meds and pay bills. You’re literally helping a Black Trans person to live.

Do better.

#blacklivesmatter #blacktranslivesmatter #antiblackness #equity buyblackandtrans

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aion-rsa · 4 years

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Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 13 Review: Children of the Forest

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This Attack on Titan review contains spoilers.

Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 13

“We’ve got to at least get these kids out of the forest…”

In an episode where Levi, Zeke, and other literal children are currently in a forest, “Children of the Forest’s” namesake is actually in reference to a metaphor that’s cast by Sasha’s father. Mr. Blouse laments that despite Sasha’s nature and best intentions, the very nature of her pursuit was inevitably cursed. Sasha came back with victories, but she’s someone that would never completely remove themselves from the line of fire. Her very existence dictated that she go on further. Sasha’s father elegantly articulates that sometimes people can think that they’ve left the forest, but it turns out that this clearing is really just another part of an even larger woodland.

There’s a beautiful moment where Mikasa and Armin reflect on the actions of Eren and the Survey Corps as a whole in regards to whether they’ve acted on their own free will or been too systematically deceived and controlled to realize that the opposite is true. Eren is still in the forest, but he doesn’t realize it. Other characters like Sasha were never able to escape from the forest and as Attack on Titan gets closer to its ending it begins to seriously question whether Eren will ever get out or forever remain a “Child of the Forest,” too.

“Children of the Forest” rolls around in palpable tension as soon as “Ben” and “Mia” enter a quaint restaurant with the Blouse family. It’s surprising just how quickly the danger in this episode springs into effect and how it almost works in a way that’s completely counterintuitive to how the past few episodes have operated and conditioned the audience.

Attack on Titan wasn’t able to go full-on Last House on the Left or A Clockwork Orange during its meditation on revenge back in “Counterfeit” when the Blouse family inadvertently housed the very person who killed their daughter, Sasha. However, “Children of the Forest” is very much the other side of that coin and visits a scary place as multiple characters are forced to pay for their actions. There’s been such a retributive attitude in Attack on Titan’s final season where characters almost feel compelled to keep fighting and creating more conflict because of the ingrained sins of the father that have now been in place for generations.

Attack on Titan has strangely reached a place where it’s easier to pull a trigger and take a life than it is to offer a hug and attempt to understand and offer up compassion. Characters like Eren and Niccolo (and even Kaya, in what’s a heartbreaking attack) have turned to bloodshed as the only thing that makes sense anymore because if that’s not the right answer then everything they’ve done has been a messy lie. Amidst all of the pain, Sasha’s father is a character that’s arguably suffered more than many others have on a personal level, which is why it’s such a bold, benevolent gesture that he chooses to not take Gabi’s life even though she’s resigned to the fact that it’s justified. It’s a decision that’s even harder to make when Niccolo is screaming in his face why it’s important that he ends this child’s life.

Mr. Blouse is one of the few individuals that actually has the foresight to see that Gabi’s death only perpetuates the cycle that led to his daughter’s death in the first place. He chooses empathy and thinks about the future rather than fulfill base instincts of revenge and satisfy his emotions in the heat of the moment. If more characters acted like Blouse then Marley and Eldia wouldn’t be in such poor shape and they might actually have a chance at a future where they can believably co-exist in harmony.

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Attack on Titan has always been excellent with how it shows the ripple effect of actions, even when sometimes it takes a while for that second domino to fall over. The kindness of Sasha’s father here is beautiful and gives hope towards a happy ending, but it’s even more frightening to wonder how the causal reaction of sparing Gabi’s life will manifest.

Gabi is just as wound up and inspired as Eren at this point and sadly it doesn’t look like Mr. Blouse’s empathy is suddenly going to transform her into a pro-Eldia player. It’s getting easier to picture a version of the show where Gabi takes out Eren or other pivotal players, which means that if Mr. Blouse removed her from the equation at this point then there’d be a very different series of events that follow. Blouse might have even sealed his own fate without realizing it and it should be fascinating to see where this one simple action will take the series.

Niccolo’s impulsive attack on Falco and Gabi with a wine bottle leads to a disturbing twist that unveils just how many layers of deception the public has been submerged beneath. In a turn that’s more disturbing than “Soylent Green is people,” it turns out that Eldian wine is actually Zeke’s spinal fluid. Bon appetit. Enjoy the taste of rich tannins and biological manipulation. This information also echoes what increasingly appears to be the answer to this war, which is that someone else needs to literally eat their problems.

This power just gets redistributed and hopefully things turn out better the next time around and the person in question doesn’t go mad. Somehow the best answer to this problem turns out to not be a solution so much as it’s just a way to bide time until it’s necessary to do all of this over again. Titan, rinse, repeat.

The news regarding Zeke’s spinal fluid in the wine compliments another major revelation that’s made over just how drastic his actions have been to control the masses. He’s had a major hand in the current shape of the Titan landscape and these decisions are far past the point of haunting him, but seriously affect those that learn the truth for the first time.

“Children of the Forest” is full of tension and chaos, but the muted moment between Levi and Zeke while they bide their time in the forest is oddly soothing. Everyone is stuck compromising their values to some degree or forced to trust someone or something that they don’t fully understand, but there’s both genuine animosity and respect between Zeke and Levi that makes these scenes really resonate.

A small, but integral piece of character interaction during this conversation is that Zeke coldly refers to the target of his attack as a nameless town, yet Levi interjects and tells him that it’s name was Ragako. Levi still sees the faces of the people who have become victims over the years, but Zeke is far beyond that point and closed himself off to only deal in absolutes.

Zeke’s admission over the Ragako incident and the Titan gas that he released on the public is horrible, but at this point it’s also no worse than anything that Eren has done. He even explains this tragic war crime in a detached and direct nature that doesn’t sound dissimilar to Eren. These two estranged brothers continue to blue together in an unexpected way this season. It creates even more curiosity over what Zeke and Eren’s master plan will be and just how many “necessary casualties” will be involved.

All of the chaos from the first half of the episode reaches its boiling point just as several of Attack on Titan’s parallel storylines collide together with each arrival being more surprising than the last (also that fucking face that Floch makes at the Survey Corps is a lot). This season has worked hard to make all of these threads function on their own, but it’s extremely exciting to have the Survey Corps present with Gabi, Falco, and Eren and Floch’s new extremist crew.

Eren claims that he wants to talk, but what’s to come feels like it will be more destructive than the attack on Liberio. In a rare moment of clarity, Gabi pleads with Niccolo that the most important thing here is to not let the devils win, but with each passing episode it’s becoming more difficult to identify those that don’t qualify as such.

Oh, and Levi Ackerman apparently used to do pretty decent with the ladies. Big surprise.

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The post Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 13 Review: Children of the Forest appeared first on Den of Geek.

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michaelandy101-blog · 4 years

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How to Run a SWOT Analysis for Your Business [Template Included]

New Post has been published on https://tiptopreview.com/how-to-run-a-swot-analysis-for-your-business-template-included/

How to Run a SWOT Analysis for Your Business [Template Included]

A SWOT analysis is a useful technique to evaluate a new project or objective your business faces, or your business as a whole.

Essentially, a SWOT analysis is a roadmap for how you should move forward with your business, which opportunities you’re missing out on, and which challenges you should tackle.

It’s an effective method to maximize opportunities while minimizing negative factors associated with a given project or objective. Plus, it lets you unbiasedly evaluate your business’s strengths and weaknesses, which is key to avoiding unnecessary errors down the road from lack of insight.

Here, we’ll provide a SWOT analysis template, and conduct SWOT analyses on major brands Apple and Starbucks. When you’re done reading, you’ll have all the inspiration and tactical advice you need to tackle a SWOT analysis for yourself.

What is a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis is a method used to evaluate your business’ Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Using a SWOT analysis helps you identify areas your business can improve and maximize opportunities, while simultaneously determining negative factors that might hinder your chances of success.

You know a SWOT analysis is important, but, how do you conduct one?

There are four steps you’ll want to take when evaluating your business as a whole, or your product in particular. Before you start, you’ll need to figure out what you’re evaluating with your SWOT analysis. Creating a social media program, launching a new product, or considering a brand re-design are all good reasons to conduct a SWOT analysis.

Use this SWOT Analysis Template.

To visualize your SWOT analysis, it’s helpful to make a table. Here, I’ve created a sample using a simple Google Doc table — feel free to use the model yourself, or create your own as it suits your needs.

Make a SWOT Analysis Table

Download a free, editable SWOT Analysis template.

Use the four steps below as a references when filling in your table.

1. Identify your strengths.

Let’s say you want to use a SWOT analysis to evaluate your new social media strategy.

If you’re looking at a new social media program, perhaps you want to evaluate how your brand is perceived by the public — is it easily recognizable and well-known? Even if it’s not popular with a widespread group, is it well-received by a specific audience in particular?

Next, think about your process: is it effective, or innovative? Is there good communication between your marketing and sales to ensure both departments use similar vocabulary when discussing your product?

Finally, evaluate your social media message, and in particular, how it differs from the rest of the industry. I’m willing to bet you can make a lengthy list of some major strengths of your social media strategy over your competitors, so try to dive into your strengths from there.

2. Identify your weaknesses.

If you’re examining a new social media strategy, it’s critical to foresee any potential negative factors that could mitigate your success.

Start by asking yourself these questions: First, if I were a consumer, what would prevent me from buying this product, or engaging with this business? What would make me click away from the screen?

Second, what do I foresee as the biggest hinderance to my employees’ productivity, or their ability to get the job done efficiently? What derails their social media efforts?

When identifying weaknesses, consider what areas of your business are the least profitable, where you lack certain resources, or what costs you the most time and money. Take input from employees in different departments, as they’ll likely see weaknesses you hadn’t considered.

3. Consider your opportunities.

This is your chance to dream big. What are some opportunities for your social media strategy you hope, but don’t necessarily expect, to reach?

For instance, maybe you’re hoping your Facebook ads will attract a new, larger demographic. Maybe you’re hoping your YouTube video gets 10,000 views, and increases sales by 10%.

Whatever the case, it’s important to include potential opportunities in your SWOT analysis. Ask yourself these questions: What technologies do I want my business to use to make it more effective? What new target audience do I want to reach? How can the business stand out more in the current industry? Is there something our customers complain about that we could fix with our social media strategy?

The opportunities category goes hand-in-hand with the weaknesses category. Once you’ve made a list of weaknesses, it should be easy to create a list of potential opportunities that could arise if you eliminate your weaknesses.

4. Contemplate your threats.

It’s likely, especially if you’re prone to worrying, you already have a good list of threats in your head.

If not, gather your employees and brainstorm: what obstacles might prevent us from reaching our social media goals? What’s going on in the industry, or with our competitors, that might mitigate our success? Is there new technology out there that could conflict with our product?

Writing down your threats helps you evaluate them objectively. For instance, maybe you list your threats in terms of least and most likely to occur, and divide and conquer each. If one of your biggest threats is your competitor’s popular Instagram account, you could work with your marketing department to create content that showcases your product’s unique features.

SWOT Analysis Examples

The template above helps get you started on your own SWOT analysis.

But, if you’re anything like me, it’s not enough to see a template. To fully understand a concept, you need to see how it plays out in the real world.

Here are two examples of SWOT analyses on major corporations, Apple and Starbucks. The list of strengths and weaknesses is not exhaustive, and I’m sure you could add some yourself, but hopefully, it’s enough to inspire your own SWOT analysis.

Apple’s SWOT analysis

Here’s how we’d conduct a SWOT analysis on Apple.

First off, strengths. While Apple has many strengths, let’s identify the top three:

Brand recognition

High prices

Innovative products

Apple’s brand is undeniably valuable, and was named the world’s most valuable brand by Forbes. Since it’s easily recognized, Apple can produce new products and almost ensure a certain degree of success by virtue of the brand name itself.

This degree of recognition lends itself to Apple’s ability to sell products at extremely high prices. For instance, in 2016, Apple sold 78 million iPhones, the average cost of which was $695. In comparison, Samsung sold their smartphones for $500 less. And yet, 92% of the profits in the smartphone category for 2016 went to Apple. Often, people don’t care about price as much as they care about brand recognition.

Lastly, their innovative products: Apple didn’t earn its reputation for nothing. They create highly innovative products, which are often at the forefront of the industry.

Next, let’s look at three of Apple’s weaknesses.

High prices

Closed ecosystem

Lack of experimentation

While the high prices don’t deter Apple’s middle and high class customer-base, they do hinder Apple’s ability to reach a lower-class demographic.

Apple also suffers from its own exclusivity. Apple controls all its services and products in-house, and while many customers become loyal brand advocates for this reason, it means all burdens fall on Apple employees.

Ultimately, Apple’s tight control over who distributes their products limit their market reach.

Lastly, Apple is held to a high standard when it comes to creating and distributing products. Apple’s brand carries a high level of prestige, but that level of recognition inhibits Apple from taking risks and experimenting freely with new products that could fail.

Now, let’s take a look at opportunities for Apple.

It’s easy to recognize opportunities for improvement, once you consider Apple’s weaknesses. Here’s a list of three we came up with:

Expand distribution options

Create new product lines

Technological advancement

One of Apple’s biggest weaknesses is its distribution network, which, in the name of exclusivity, remains relatively small. If Apple expanded its network and enabled third-party businesses to sell its products, it could reach more people globally, while alleviating some of the stress currently put on in-house employees.

There are also plenty of opportunities for Apple to create new products. Apple could consider creating more affordable products to reach a larger demographic, or spreading out into new industries — Apple self-driving cars, perhaps?

Finally, Apple could continue advancing its products’ technology. Apple can take existing products and refine them, ensuring each product offers as many unique features as possible.

Finally, let’s look at threats to Apple.

Believe it or not, they do exist.

Here are three of Apple’s biggest threats:

Tough competition

Lawsuits

International issues

Apple isn’t the only innovative tech company out there, and it continues to face tough competition from Samsung, Google, and other major forces. Many of Apple’s weaknesses hinder Apple’s ability to compete with the tech corporations that have more freedom to experiment, or that don’t operate in a closed ecosystem.

A second threat to Apple is lawsuits. Over the last few years, Apple has faced a bunch of lawsuits, particularly between Apple and Samsung, and so far it has only won one case. These lawsuits interfere with Apple’s reputable image, and could steer some customers to purchasing elsewhere.

Finally, Apple needs to improve its reach internationally. It isn’t number one in China, and doesn’t have a very positive relationship with the Chinese government. Then, in India, which has one of the largest consumer markets in the world, Apple’s market share is low, and the company has trouble bringing stores to India’s market.

If Apple can’t compete globally the way Samsung or Google can, it risks falling behind in the industry.

Starbucks SWOT Analysis

Now that we’ve explored the nuances involved with a SWOT analysis, let’s fill out a SWOT template using Starbucks as an example.

Here’s how we’d fill out a SWOT template, if we were Starbucks:

Dine-In Thai Restaurant SWOT Analysis

Some small-business marketers may have difficulty relating to the SWOT’s of big brands like Apple and Starbucks, so here’s an example of how a restaurant might visualize each element:

While a Thai or any other restaurant might not be as worried about high-level lawsuits like Apple, the small business might be more worried about competitors or disruptors that might enter the playing field.

Local Boutique SWOT Analysis

In another small-business example, a local boutique might be well known in its neighborhood, but it also might take time to build an online presence or get its products in an online store. Because of this, some of its strengths and opportunities might relate to physical factors while weaknesses and threats might relate to online situations.

When to Use a SWOT Analysis

Ultimately, a SWOT analysis can measure and tackle both big and small challenges, and opportunities, and both big and little strengths and weaknesses.

While the examples above focus on businesses in general, you can also use a SWOT analysis to evaluate and predict how a singular product will play out in the market.

Hopefully, our SWOT template will supplement your market research and business analysis, and provide fair insights into how to optimize your products for bigger payoffs, and less hurdles.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in May, 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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cocoaswatches · 7 years

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Beauty Branding 101 : Finding and Growing Your Audience

Let's talk shop. In addition to the growing number of black female entrepreneurs out there, many of us in the beauty community are creators. If you have your own YouTube channel, or dedicated beauty Instagram page, or Twitter account, you have a brand. Our latest Beauty Branding series will focus on tips and tricks to strengthen your beauty brand.

While things like Instagram algorithms and shadow bans can be discouraging, having a strong brand presence will help your brand continue to expand, grow in the long haul.

Today's topic is all about finding & growing your audience. A common misconception is that you should try to make your brand reach as many people as possible, however, a small but loyal fan base is much more impactful than a large one that doesn't engage with you or your products. The following tips will help you find which people to target so you can effectively grow your business.

1. Stay true to yourself - Watching YouTube videos all day can make you feel like you have to have a certain type of personality to get views or engagement. While there are people who may have the "x factor," being true to yourself will be much more beneficial to you in the long run. Can you imagine becoming insta-famous based on a fake personality? Your life would soon become torture and your brand will eventually seem disingenuous. Trust me, there are people out there who are going to resonate with your aesthetic, and your personality.

2. Find your niche - Whenever you start a brand, you should establish something you feel like you do really well to get people in the door. For me, it was swatches on my complexion. For others it may be creating cool liquid lipsticks shades, or creating innovative cut creases. Find out what you are really passionate about and then find the tribe of people who are passionate about the same thing. Search reddit groups to see what people are saying about the subject you are interested. Follow influencers whom you look up to. Join communities on Facebook that discuss your niche. Once you have a grasp on what you a really good at, you can invite others who are super passionate about whatever it may be to follow you and/or buy from you.

3. Pay attention to your analytics - Checking your statistics can help you determine what types of content does well and where your audience is located. These days, most social networks and website hosts offer a basic level of analytics. They can help inform what types of content or products you should continue producing, and help determine what you should ditch. Let's say, for example, you post a YouTube video about a Swedish brand and it does super well. You might want to check your statistics and see if you have a large following in Sweden. If so, it might be worth it for you to invest time in reviewing/utilizing more Swedish products. Your analytics can tell you a lot about who your current audience and give you the clues you need to grow.

4. Concentrate on more than just demographics - To expand on the point above, demographics (someone's ethnicity, age, marital status, location, etc) are important, but as your brand grows, you are going to want to dig deeper. Behavioral and psychographic traits is extremely important when honing in on who your true audience is.

For a beauty brand that sells eye shadows, behavioral traits would mean looking at your audience's shopping patterns. Are they more likely to shop online or would they rather purchase beauty items in store? Are they more likely to purchase new beauty items once a month or once every six months?

This type of knowledge might help you plan out your product releases or help you determine what type of brand partnerships you want to go after.

For an Instagramm-er who posts lip swatches, psychographics are all about the way your audience thinks and the attitudes they have toward certain things. It might help you determine whether or not you would do something drastic like get lip injections. Or let's say your audience cares about black owned makeup brands--that might be a sign that you should start posting more of them.

It will be harder to obtain this type of info, but it might be as simple as surveying your audience through a Twitter poll. Learning these key insights can help you really hone in on who your true audience is.

Hope y'all enjoyed the first of our Beauty Branding series! Let us know if you have any further questions below or any topics you might be particularly interested in.

And remember, contrary to popular belief, its not all about the numbers. A small but mighty, loyal audience will serve you better than thousands of bought followers.

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williamexchange · 5 years

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Everything You Need to Know About Influencer Marketing on Spotify

When we talk about influencer marketing, what platforms come to your mind? Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, maybe LinkedIn or even Twitter. Did you even think of Spotify? No, right? Well, you should. Brands and consumers are flocking to Spotify and influencers should follow suit.

Spotify is grabbing the limelight for a number of reasons:

Spotify is the world’s largest audio platform with 217 monthly active users (MAU).

Users are spending 25 hours a month listening to music on Spotify and 44% of users visit Spotify daily.

Spotify’s monthly active user (MAU) base grew by almost 26% YoY in Q1 of 2019.

User-generated playlists attribute to one-third of the total listening time on Spotify. This means you can get great organic reach for virtually no cost.

Is Spotify the Right Platform for You?

As a smart marketer, you need to take a deeper look at Spotify’s user composition to understand if your target market overlaps with the user base of Spotify. Only then, it makes sense to jump onto the Spotify marketing bandwagon.

Research has revealed the following facts about Spotify users:

Region demographics: Spotify users and subscribers are mostly from Europe (36%), followed by North America (29%), Latin America (22%), and then the rest of the world (13%).

Age demographics: 39% of music listeners below 30 years of age consider Spotify as their favourite channel, making Spotify the top choice of millennial music lovers. Further age breakdown of Spotify users shows that the platform is most popular among these age groups (in decreasing order): 25-34 years, 18-25 years, and 55-60 years.

Gender demographics: A Statista survey shows that 23% of males and 20% female in the US are Spotify users.

If your audience falls into the above-mentioned groups, you need to be more active on Spotify. But that isn’t all.

What’s more, you ask? Your content and industry need to match too.

Spotify’s content is dominated by music and podcasts. If your audiences are avid music lovers, Spotify is your ideal match. If your existing and prospective clients are either from the music or the over the top (OTT) media industry, Spotify is tailor-made for you. But this doesn’t mean that other influencers can’t capitalise on Spotify’s popularity.

If you or your brand partners deal with a lot of user-generated content, you have a chance to score on Spotify as user-generated playlists are extremely popular on Spotify, as stated earlier. So, how exactly can you start with influencer marketing on Spotify?

How Can You Do Influencer Marketing on Spotify?

Are you ready to turbocharge your influencer campaigns through Spotify?

To connect with users organically, you have two options:

Playlists

Podcasts

Let’s discuss them one by one, with examples.

Playlists

Playlists are the main attraction on Spotify. It has almost two billion playlists. What are your chances of standing out in that ocean of content? To get the answer, you need to understand some basic facts about Spotify playlists.

There are two types of playlists on Spotify:

Spotify-curated playlists: These are recommended by Spotify through its AI-powered algorithm. Brands can also sponsor some of Spotify’s flagship lists.

User-generated playlists: These are created by users or subscribers.

Although you can’t exactly crack Spotify’s algorithm, you can hope to score in the user-generated department. There are added advantages of leveraging user-generated content like the freedom to experiment, negligible production costs, and ease of setting up.

Gymshark, a fitness apparel brand, gets influencers to create branded playlists for promotion. Since workouts and music go hand in hand, promoting on Spotify makes sense for Gymshark. Their team of ambassadors and influencers are fitness models like Mr.Olympia, Christopher Bumstead. They use their personal favourites to build audio playlists.

Gymshark pitches the playlists via Twitter to their consumers, who are mainly fitness freaks. Partner influencers also spread the word via other social channels like Instagram.

Now, let me guess. You’re thinking you and your clients have nothing to do with music or bands. So, can you make it big on Spotify?

Want to know the good news? It’s not only music-inclined brands that are using Spotify playlists to engage audiences. Spotify is becoming a favourite of people from all walks of life. For instance, fast food brands like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola are thinking of innovative ways to appeal to music-loving foodies.

McDonald's wanted to liven up customers' in-restaurant experience in Latin America using Spotify. They launched a campaign that turns its french fries into a Spotify playlist. They challenged customers to fit their fries on outlines that are printed on their tray liners. Enter Spotify. Customers are told to scan the code on their tray liner to call up a playlist titled "FriesList" containing themed tracks, such as "FriTops of the Moment" and “I'm Out of Fries." While McDonald’s didn’t hire influencers to do the job for them, they came across as a fun brand.

As artists make money out of Spotify playlists, adding them to playlists on your client’s brand page can result in infringement issues. Unlike Instagram, there is no option of declaring “sponsored” posts or reposting on Spotify.

To avoid disputes, Spotify has prescribed some best practices:

Try to include 20 or more tracks in your playlists so that there is no implication of endorsement contracts with a particular artist.

Don’t add more than one track by a single artist.

Avoid tracks by artists who are collaborating with competitor brands or have publicly expressed aversion to values, products, or services that your brand is providing.

Don’t treat your playlists as commercials. They should portray your brand’s personality and vibe, rather than trying to sell anything. You have the option of buying ads on Spotify.

Spotify Stories is the newest update on the platform and it’s a great opportunity for influencers to bundle content based on themes and purposes. Currently, Spotify is testing the Stories feature with select influencers, such as YouTube megastar, Summer Mckeen.

Similar to Instagram and Facebook, Spotify Stories will contain short video or audio clips that users can tap on, watch, and to move to the next. You can use album art or animation to make your Story cover photo. By including captivating content in Stories, influencers and marketers can keep followers engaged for longer.

Sponsored playlists provide another avenue to grab consumer attention. Spotify allows brands to sponsor platform-recommended playlists and personalise them for more targeted messaging.

Recently, Spotify opened up its hugely popular Discover Weekly playlist to brands. What is the Discover Weekly playlist?

Every Monday, Spotify greets its users with a Discover Weekly playlist that contains a collection of 30 tracks specially curated by Spotify’s AI engine. The Discover Weekly playlist displays on users’ pages for one week.

For influencers and brands, this week-long window is an opportunity to get more consistent engagement for their content. They also get to extract more returns for their ad spend.

The high level of personalisation is bound to delight consumers. Owing to the personalised quality of Discover Weekly, listeners are streaming twice the amount of content than users who don’t use the playlist.

Podcasts

Spotify is investing big bucks into podcasts after acquiring podcast startups like Gimlet and Anchor earlier this year. For brands and influencers, this is another avenue to connect with their audiences. With the revival of radio culture, especially in Latin America, podcasts have also risen in the popularity charts.

Unlike social platforms where users spend maximum time browsing and swiping, podcasts get undivided attention from listeners for 30, 60, or even 90 minutes. This sort of engagement is almost unheard of among digital circles.

Spotify is planning to insert targeted ads into podcasts in real-time after collating its rich customer insights. Using the Streaming Ad Insertion technology, Spotify will study a user’s tastes, location, and age to identify ads that will be received favourably by the user. So how can influencers leverage podcasts on Spotify?

Besides creating great content for podcasts, influencers need to pay special attention to distribution methods. An efficient distribution will ensure that your podcasts reach the right audiences.

You can use these battle-tested hacks to perfect your podcast distribution strategy:

Promote your podcasts across channels: You can collaborate with cross-channel podcasts specialists such as Phoebe Robinson to get more visibility for your podcasts. Of course, you will have to spread the word through your website, blog, and social channels too. Apps like Anchor and Simplecast will upload your podcasts and publish them on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and other hosting platforms. They also offer real-time analytics on your show’s performance.

Optimise your podcast’s title and the headline: You can research names that are creative, unique, and contextual for your podcast episodes.

Ready to Start Your Spotify Influencer Marketing Campaign?

Nobody would have imagined that Spotify would become an influencer marketing platform, but it has. If done well, marketing on Spotify is a sure-shot way of reaching out to music-loving audiences. Using the right influencers can further widen your reach. So, what are you waiting for? There’s no better time to get started with influencer marketing on Spotify. And armed with the guide above, you’re ready to get started today.

If you are an individual or company looking for web designing services Avon, CO, Advanced Digital Media Services is the company with the web designing solutions that can help your company grow its online presence. Consult with us when looking to optimize a small business website.

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thehenrythomas · 5 years

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7 Principles of Kick-Ass Logo Design

5) Make it Proportional and Well Balanced The best logos are designed using principles of proportion and symmetry. Illustrated below, you can see how both the Apple logo and the Twitter logo utilize circles of proportionate values as well as symmetry to create a pleasing, balanced aesthetic quality.4) Make it Modern Yet Timeless “Modern” is “today,” but not so “today” that in five years your logo will look silly.And, modern is different than trendy. A trend is “hot today” and will naturally (sometimes thankfully) run out of steam – probably sooner than later. Modern, on the other hand, is less stylized and more restrained; it captures the relevant characteristics of the times without losing itself in detail.A logo should be modern in that it should be contemporary, yet not so nuanced with “hot” components that when that trend has run its course you’ll be left with something that feels outdated. Because then your company feels outdated to your prospects.Your overall approach should be modern as should specific elements, colors and typefaces.Some logos have changed little over time, only tweaked to make them more modern but keeping essential elements intact, like UPS, Starbucks and Burger King.Remember that logos are used in a variety of ways, on different platforms and in various formats and sizes, so fine details will be lost. A strong logo will have few elements, each of which can be identified easily and integral to what you’re hoping to communicate. If you have elements that don’t contribute to the whole, get rid of them.The logos below are trying to stuff a whole lot into their logos. No one has the time to spend trying to figure them out:Apple’s logo reflects how the company thinks and how its products perform: simplicity, artistry, and user-friendliness.That’s a whole lot of power for such a singular piece of graphic design to hold all on its own. Knowing the goal is to create something intended to carry this massive responsibility, graphic designers approach these projects with a mix of thrill, dread, anxiety, fear and pride.

Fortunately, there are principles (how many and what they are depend on who you’re talking to) that guide the development of effective logos, seven of which we’ll cover in this post.

The Thinking That Leads To Effective Logos

If all you’re hoping to do with your logo is stand out, your designer’s job is blissfully simple. Doing something outrageous graphically will make you stand out; creating something painfully minimalist will make you stand out, too. But “standoutability” is just one element of good logo design. There’s much more to consider before you get a designer working on your brand’s logo.

For a logo to function effectively it has to make a strong statement – and the right statement – the first thing you must do is figure out what you’re trying to say.

What Do You Want to Stand For?

Logos are symbols, and as such should tell people what you mean to them (or what you hope to mean to them – logos should be somewhat aspirational).

Understanding your meaning and value to customers and prospects will help you pinpoint what you stand for (or should stand for). If you’re not sure, ask yourself what makes your company better than competitors; better yet, ask your customers.

Depending on your product or service, your competitive advantage might be speed, authentic old-world craftsmanship, precision, attention to detail, reach, intelligence, variety, coolness, good health, power, innovation, elegance, efficiency or one of a thousand other characteristics. What you choose should be important to your prospects and customers, not exclusively to you. Having been in business for 57 years might be a point of pride for you, for example, but probably means very little to prospects looking for solution.

Apple’s logo reflects how the company thinks and how its products perform: simplicity, artistry, and user-friendliness.

Evernote, a popular notetaking app, uses an elephant with a dog-earred ear as its logo. The app is used to gather and remember lists, images, ideas, etc.

Once you’ve established the attributes that make your company valuable to customers and prospects, use them as communication goals for your logo.

Understand your audience

A logo should not only reflect the company for which it stands; it should reflect its target audience, too. If your audience is middle-aged male gun owners who take part in the annual deer hunting season, your logo should be designed to appeal to them, with elements that suggest things like ruggedness, nature/outdoors, camaraderie, strength, etc.

7 Principles of Kick-Ass Logo Design

Once you’ve taken the time to understand what you need your logo to “say” and to whom it should mean the most, you can start directing a designer. As you review the options presented to you, evaluate them with these 7 principles in mind:

1) Keep it Simple

The best logos – the ones that give the viewer an immediate and clear sense of “you” – are clean and uncluttered. In general, less is more and simplicity is more impactful. Like these:

Remember that logos are used in a variety of ways, on different platforms and in various formats and sizes, so fine details will be lost. A strong logo will have few elements, each of which can be identified easily and integral to what you’re hoping to communicate. If you have elements that don’t contribute to the whole, get rid of them.

The logos below are trying to stuff a whole lot into their logos. No one has the time to spend trying to figure them out:

2) Make it Memorable

A logo should be easily recalled after just a glance. A glance, after all, is typically all your logo is going to get from most people.

Like any symbol, it should stand for something singular, and it should be easily recalled if, after a person looks at it, he or she can immediately describe its basic elements (“It’s three interlocking circles” or “It’s a dog with a bone”). A logo that’s complex, fussy, has multiple parts and pieces or is overly stylized will be difficult for the viewer to “get” and, as a consequence, easily dismissed.

3) Make it Fresh

Don’t settle for a me-too logo. Do a quick search of logos in your industry and look for patterns and avoid mimicking them. Telecomm is filled with logos featuring globes, technology and electronics with logos that involve swooshes, and dentistry with logos of teeth or smiles (or both – see below).

These all make sense and communicate what the companies want them to, but if you do the same you lose all hope of getting noticed.

4) Make it Modern Yet Timeless

“Modern” is “today,” but not so “today” that in five years your logo will look silly.

And, modern is different than trendy. A trend is “hot today” and will naturally (sometimes thankfully) run out of steam – probably sooner than later. Modern, on the other hand, is less stylized and more restrained; it captures the relevant characteristics of the times without losing itself in detail.

A logo should be modern in that it should be contemporary, yet not so nuanced with “hot” components that when that trend has run its course you’ll be left with something that feels outdated. Because then your company feels outdated to your prospects.

Your overall approach should be modern as should specific elements, colors and typefaces.

Some logos have changed little over time, only tweaked to make them more modern but keeping essential elements intact, like UPS, Starbucks and Burger King.

5) Make it Proportional and Well Balanced

The best logos are designed using principles of proportion and symmetry. Illustrated below, you can see how both the Apple logo and the Twitter logo utilize circles of proportionate values as well as symmetry to create a pleasing, balanced aesthetic quality.

6) Make Sure all The Pieces Work Together

Your logo’s graphic device and your typeface work together (in what’s typically called a lockup) and enhance one another. Or they should. If your graphic device is clean and linear, don’t select a typeface that’s complex and playful (Fajita comes to mind). The two elements are really one, even if you determine times they can be used separately, and they must be complementary.

7) Make it Versatile

Your logo will be used in a number of ways and in multiple contexts. Here are just a few:

On t-shirts, baseball caps and, alas, fanny packs

On pens, keychains and water bottles

On very horizontal and extremely vertical banners

On both black and white backgrounds (make sure your designer creates your logo in black and in white to satisfy these needs if necessary)

Very large and very, very small

Alongside other company logos, like those for specific products and services

Imagine how these logo would look on pens:

Your logo has to maintain its integrity and serve its purpose no matter what the use. A good designer will understand all this and create a logo that works in all situations. He or she will also take into consideration any other branding elements, like textures or patterns, that are part of your brand and create a logo that complements them.

So, how do you know if it “works”?

Here are two quick tricks that tell you if the logo design you’re considering fulfills the “make it memorable” and “keep it simple” principles:

Trick #1

Print your logo on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper (don’t fill up the page – make it about 1 inch high)

Hand that paper to people who haven’t seen the logo or been a part of conversations about the design project (in other words, pull a guy off the street)

Ask these people to look at the logo – for just 3 seconds!

Now ask each to describe it to you

If your logo’s intended meaning was immediately clear to them, you’re onto something!

Trick #2

Put your logo and 8 others on a piece of paper (arranged in 3 rows of 3); make sure they’re about the same size

Show this to as many people as will participate; let them view it briefly – no more than 30 seconds but at least 15

Take the paper away and ask viewers to recall and describe as many as they can – is yours among them?

This is a poor-man’s research that replicates (somewhat) what your customers and prospects go through every day: they have just seconds to consider a logo and it’s often at a time when other logos are competing for attention.

The Takeaway

For your logo to do what it’s expected to, you first must understand what your value and meaning is to your customers and best prospects. Then, by following design principles that are the foundation of some of the world’s best logos, you’ll have a symbol that stands for something. A logo can never represent everything a company is, offers or wants to be, but a good one will say something distinct that your target will naturally respond to.

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