Automatic Image Sliders or Carousels: More Confusing Than Informative

Website developers continually seek new and innovative ways to display information that reaches audiences in an efficient and effective way. Occasionally, usability and design meet to create a new layout or format that revolutionizes the way websites are built. Some updates, however, seem useful in theory, but are not in practice. One recent trend uses automatic image sliders or carousels that seem useful for providing a large amount of information while taking up limited space above-the-fold.

By |June 21, 2018|Articles of Interest, Just for Fun, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology, Website, Website Design|Comments Off on Automatic Image Sliders or Carousels: More Confusing Than Informative

Email Marketing Part III: Formatting for Success

Once your platform is set up and you have selected the strategies that work best to optimize your marketing efforts, it is time to write the content. Based on the current email marketing landscape, the following formatting trends are crucial to the usability and ROI of modern digital communication initiatives.

By |June 15, 2018|Articles of Interest, Email Marketing, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology, Website|Comments Off on Email Marketing Part III: Formatting for Success

Ocreative Takes Home Three International Awards of Distinction From the 24th Annual Communicator Awards

Ocreative has been recognized for groundbreaking work in print media and web design at the 24th Annual Communicator awards. Receiving two coveted Silver Distinction awards for our print work with a few of our favorite nonprofits, INPEACE and the Funeral Service Foundation, and a third Silver Distinction for our work on the Oconomowoc Chamber website.

By |June 5, 2018|Articles of Interest, Just for Fun, News/Announcements|Comments Off on Ocreative Takes Home Three International Awards of Distinction From the 24th Annual Communicator Awards

Email Marketing Part II: Types of Email Campaigns

Carefully choosing the goals and structure of your email campaign while considering important formatting trends are key factors in creating successful email campaigns. Setting up the appropriate framework initially will save on time and expense later. Well-built email marketing campaigns can be adjusted based on response rate, while poorly structured initiatives require complete reorganization. In part two of our series, we will explore six different types of email marketing campaigns.

By |May 31, 2018|Articles of Interest, Email Marketing, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology|Comments Off on Email Marketing Part II: Types of Email Campaigns

GDPR Compliance for US Businesses

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was a new law passed by the European Union in April 2016, affecting all businesses large and small. The GDPR law will come into effect on May 25th, 2018. Summary of the new legislation states that all companies that collect data on citizens of the European Union will need to comply with the new rules which set strict standards for collection of consumer data.

By |May 24, 2018|Articles of Interest, News/Announcements, Trends and Technology|Comments Off on GDPR Compliance for US Businesses

Email Marketing Part 1: Choosing the Best Platform

Any Google search for “email marketing” returns a staggering amount of hits including a wide variety of email marketing platforms bidding for your attention and your money. While choosing the right email marketing platform is essential, it is only half the battle. In part 1 of our email marketing series, we help you choose the right email marketing platform for your business and key factors to consider.

By |May 18, 2018|Articles of Interest, Email Marketing, Just for Fun, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology|Comments Off on Email Marketing Part 1: Choosing the Best Platform

Cutting Through the Digital Clutter – the Reemergence of Direct Mail Campaigns

While digital ads can be a useful and successful component in marketing to new customers, the time-tested nature of print ads are more relevant than ever. Buying ad space in magazines, newspapers, and popular print are already considered commonplace, but businesses often forget the power of direct mail. So much so, that there is a widespread assumption that direct mail is dead.

By |May 3, 2018|Articles of Interest, Email Marketing, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology|Comments Off on Cutting Through the Digital Clutter – the Reemergence of Direct Mail Campaigns

The Importance of Business Cards in Today’s Digital World

Business cards continually remain an important piece of business collateral, even as we evolve digitally. As a first impression, business cards are the first step in introducing your brand to a new contact. Business cards are tangible items that carry more weight than a quick email or contact share on a smartphone. Different design elements ensure your business card attracts attention and drives recipients to your online presence.

By |April 26, 2018|Articles of Interest, Branding, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology|Comments Off on The Importance of Business Cards in Today’s Digital World

Connecting Online and Offline Branding for a Seamless Brand Experience

Consistency in brand messaging is nothing new to the marketing arena, but there are still lessons to be learned, especially in the small business community. Smaller marketing budgets require that every piece of print collateral, and every online experience, count. Ad pieces that land outside of an already recognized brand have little to no impact, and generally lack any real return on investment. In short, the details matter.

By |April 19, 2018|Articles of Interest, Branding, Color Consulting, Marketing Ideas, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Website, Website Design|Comments Off on Connecting Online and Offline Branding for a Seamless Brand Experience

Top 5 Common Google AdWords Mistakes

Unfortunately, setting up AdWords campaigns isn’t always the easiest process; it requires knowledge and understanding of the platform to ensure campaigns are set up correctly. As a Milwaukee-based marketing agency, we constantly conduct audits and edit clients’ existing campaigns, and see a large variety of mistakes.

By |April 12, 2018|Google Series, Search Engine Optimization|Comments Off on Top 5 Common Google AdWords Mistakes