Going Live: 3 Brands Using Live Video Successfully

Live video is taking over the online marketing community. Since the introduction of Facebook Live in 2016, live video has given online marketers a sensational new outlet for promotion and engagement. According to data released by Facebook in 2016, users are 10 times more likely to interact and comment on a live video than a regular video.

Makes sense though, right? Video appeal is a major draw for marketers because (let’s face it) most people prefer watching a video to reading pages of written content. Live video folds in an “in the moment” value. Users love being able to soak in the moment and engage with content as if they were right there. One of the greatest payoffs for live video is user interaction and instant feedback, which takes the guesswork out of what audiences want to see.

By Courtney Feairheller

Content Marketing

Aug 11, 2017 10:23:07 AM

Use These 4 Tools to Generate Better Content Marketing Ideas

You’re hosting a dinner party, and you decide to put your baking skills to the test and wow your guests with a mouth-watering cake for dessert. You put hours of time into perfecting your dessert 一 selecting the prizewinning recipe, shopping for the finest ingredients, carefully measuring out them out, combining the essentials, and finally popping it into the oven.

The cake cools, and you artfully frost it with your homemade dark chocolate icing. As the evening draws to a close, you rave about the soon-to-be cut Triple Chocolate Cake, only to discover none of your party guests like chocolate (what are the chances?!). You’re left wondering, “How could this possibly have happened?”

By Courtney Feairheller

Content Marketing

Aug 4, 2017 11:00:35 AM

How to Extend the Life of Your Content Marketing

Think back to a time when you explored the dark, dusty corners of an attic, a basement or wherever you store your long-forgotten keepsakes and household items. You may have stumbled upon a veritable treasure trove of sentimental and useful artifacts just waiting to be discovered, repurposed and used again.

Content marketing is similar (but, thankfully, without the cobwebs and creepy crawlies). When you invest so much time and resources into creating content, the last thing you want is for that content to sit in a neglected corner of the internet. Why not take those forgotten stories off the shelf, dust them off and breathe new life into them just as you would an old picture frame or a cracked plate?

By Courtney Feairheller

Inbound Marketing

Jul 21, 2017 12:34:26 PM

Build the Most Effective Inbound Marketing Strategy with These 4 Steps

Inbound marketing is one of, if not the, best ways to reach your customers and grow your business faster. It focuses on educating and engaging your audience at every stage of the buyer’s journey, leading to better revenue and improved conversions. Take these stats for example:

93% of companies are using inbound marketing to generate more leads.
One-third of marketers think outbound marketing tactics are overrated, with 32% saying outbound marketing practices are the top waste of time and resources.
Inbound leads cost 62% less on average than outbound leads.

By Judy Norkin

Marketing Tips

Jul 14, 2017 1:07:46 PM

Four Ways to Disconnect From Technology

By now it’s no secret that most of us spend more time staring at screens than is good for us. Researchers have confirmed what most of us intuitively know — excessive tech use atrophies the brain’s frontal lobe and shrinks the outermost area of the brain, the region controlling how we process information. If that isn’t bad enough, the neurological changes can alter how we regulate emotion and pay attention, which negatively affects our social interactions.

Our team here at Stratus (all of whom are obsessed with tech toys and tools) are frequent users of technology. It’s a digital agency — it’s what we do. But we also cultivate the art of disconnecting. A (very unscientific) survey of our team showed most of us attain a state of non-digital bliss away from technology by doing something physically active like exercise or housework. Other favored remedies for tech overload were spending time with family, friends, and pets. Some preferred more extreme measures like “accidentally” losing their phone or turning off all notifications and leaving the country.

THE MISSING INGREDIENTS TO A KICK A** COMPANY CULTURE

Going Live: 3 Brands Using Live Video Successfully

Use These 4 Tools to Generate Better Content Marketing Ideas

How to Extend the Life of Your Content Marketing

Build the Most Effective Inbound Marketing Strategy with These 4 Steps

Four Ways to Disconnect From Technology