Say “hello” to the Age of the Machine.
Everybody has an opinion, but here’s a quick round-up.
AI – in the 1950’s?
You bet! The first researchers to take the field seriously (outside of sci-fi writers) decided that artificial intelligence covered any job performed by a program or a machine that would be described as “an intelligent process” if done by a human.
That opens the door to lots of questions over whether something is truly AI. So let’s stick to some easy factors that determine whether something is REALLY AI. To be “real” AI, a system will have to do things that show”
- Reasoning showing human-like logic
- Planning that involves some level of social intelligence and creativity
- Problem solving based on “knowledge” earning, reasoning
AI Applications
The industry has already come up with a broad differential between task-oriented “intelligence” and a general version, named Narrow and General, respectively.
Narrow AI has been at use for some time. It includes tasks done by computers or computer-based products that have been taught (programmed) or engineered to make “decisions” on how to carry out tasks without specific programming.
Look around – as consumers, you can already see accepted AI machines or processes like Alexa and Siri who actually recommend solutions to questions or answer trivia as well as making purchases and providing instructions.
You can also see it at work in the vision-recognition systems on self-driving cars, Unlike humans, these systems can only learn or be taught how to do specific tasks, which is why they are called narrow AI.
Behind the scenes, AI applications are used to find fraud.
Other Examples of Narrow AI
Taking data and figuring out what’s going on with things like video feeds and organizing calendars. There is also the annoying “Tell me what you would like to do” systems that make trickling sounds when you call customers service and MIGHT connect you with a human if you persevere.
GENERAL AI
Based on human intellectual functions, General AI can handle complex things like surgical procedures or even “reason” its way through a variety of topics and making decisions. This brings up the whole “Skynet/Matrix” scenario, originally suggested in 2001: A Space Odyssey with the HAL computer.
AI biggies take both sides of the “will or won’t the machines decide they don’t need us?” question. With the advent of more and more human-like robots, interestingly enough driven by the sex robot business, there is another whole line of concern.
Will we be able to download our consciousness, personality – soul – into a machine/android and live forever? That depends on neural network creativity levels.
Neural networks mirror the human brain, using interconnected layers of algorithms, which like their flesh counterparts, can carry out specific tasks. Linked together with some form of weighting – think about the pluses and minuses we humans use in decision-making—they could “learn” like we do.
Current types of neural networks have varied abilities. Recurrent neural function very well dealing with language processing and speech recognition, while conventional neural networks are more commonly used in image recognition. But, they have a long way to go. “Tell me what you would like to do” is till the current level of sophistication.
Stay tuned as they get “smarter.” And, they WILL get smarter, because despite some concerns, ranging up to paranoia, NOTHING will stop AI from advancing. Just like the internet, once you open the genie’s bottle, you can’t go back.
Back in the Day
| Web Designers – Art
Used to just concentrate on looks – created the layout and other visual elements of the website |
Web Developers – Code
Used “hard core” software – HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP and others – to bring make functional websites |
Issues for Clients –
- You had to work with TWO separate people/groups get a usable website.
- Changes were tough to make – and cost a FORTUNE (New artwork AND new coding)
- You were “Stuck” with the designer and the developer – THEY basically had complete control over YOUR website. Artwork had to be changed by the “Design people” and the “Development people” controlled the code.
These days – life has changed!
WordPress has changed the way the world works! Everything is easy to understand – doesn’t demand fancy art design OR code changes.
- ONE designer/developer “does it all” for your website
- BASED on PHP, but you don’t need a “coder”
- Thousands of themes (designs) are available
- Pictures, blogs, changes – all EASY and simple to add
- YOU “Own” your website – no longer “stuck”
That’s Why YOU should Use US!
Ultradata Research uses WordPress and has the capability to provide clients with literally hundreds of different themes that would work well for them.
“Custom” isn’t a code word for “hideously expensive” any more. You pick the “look” you want, and the “coding” is done by WordPress (although we do add touches to make sure your site is “found” by Google and other web browsers.)
Come see what we can do for YOU!
The benefit of great content – the written part of online (or offline) marketing — is hard to measure. But, it’s not “just a bunch of words.” Those words are what get visitors to stop, click through, read more, and best of all, contact you directly.
Think about it. One of the things that content does is to establish TRUST – at least enough to get people to actually stay on your website and look around.
Properly done, your content does more than just keep visitors looking at your site. It establishes initial trust, enough that they take the time to dig deeper and find out what your whole story is. Plus, over time it continues to REINFORCE that trust for prospects – and regular customers – whenever they read it.
More than Just “A List”
No offense, but there are probably lots of companies that do what you do. A simple list of offerings is not enough to get visitors to actually engage with you. You need to build a clear and consistent image of HOW and why you are unique. Lots of things factor into being unique, like the tone, style and how you talk about – and sell — your capabilities.
Story = Image
Your story should create an image for a visitor that says “Yeah, we have great stuff AND it’s just what you want.” The words need to hit the sweet spot – visitors have to GET IT – understand and believe that you can deliver WHAT THEY WANT.
Great pictures, videos and other graphics may catch the eye of a visitor, but content – your story – is what makes them consider doing business. Content is to websites, or any marketing piece really, what words are to songs, a way to create a clear and cohesive story. It bears repeating: Content works with all the other elements on your site to define you and what you do in a way that motivates CONTACT.
To discuss your content strategy or for more information, please feel free to call or click here.
The international economy to date consists of more than 12 million different online businesses in a wide variety of markets experiencing varying degrees of financial success. While the online economy is clearly booming and only projected to increase in subsequent years, it is important that online-only companies take advantage of the market brick-and-mortar companies have been working in for years…the offline sector. That is right folks, even if you are an online-only business, only marketing online to your consumer base will surely result in remaining stagnant in your profit margins, which is similar to a death sentence for businesses that wish to expand. Instead, read the article below to identify strategies your company can use to stay ahead of the game as well as connect with consumers/businesses you never knew were in your employee’s backyards!
Strategy #1: Establish Networks within your Local Community
When your company embarked on the monumental task of establishing your online presence, you likely considered which social networking websites were most likely to contain your customer base. You likely combed through social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and others to determine where your company was best positioned to make the most of their marketing dollars. This decision has obviously had important business repercussions due to the fact that a solidified social networking base often results in a core group of consumers who will purchase your products and help your company succeed in trying economic times. Where most online companies fail in this effort, is when they seclude themselves to purely online networks (Google’s AdWords is great but you cannot function on their services alone if you hope to stay competitive) and don’t attempt to broaden their horizons to the community of consumers they have around them in the offline world!
Within each sector of our international economy, whether it be online or offline, there are conferences where like-minded individuals and consumers unite to network! Sending you or your employees to these conferences with the goals of establishing new professional networks and connecting with consumers, should be one of your top priorities. If you are honest with yourself, you know that with your company’s online presence comes a certain degree of informality because your consumer base has never formally met you in person, neither have many vendors—the very people that sell you the products you need to be successful! That is why these conferences are so important, get out there shake hands with as many people as you can, engage in meaningful dialogue about them as people and the products they sell, and of course encourage them to check out your company as well! You won’t be disappointed by the results of this experience as many of these individuals will remember you at the next conference you attend and may even inform others they know to seek you out!
Strategy #2: Collaborate with Local Businesses to Establish Reciprocal Relationships
This strategy may need to be pursued in collaboration with your company’s marketing team because while you want to establish positive reciprocal relationships with others, their company’s beliefs or practices may not “play well” with yours. The image you portray to the public is oftentimes a result of partnerships you acquire in private, so using a thoroughly thought through set of criteria for establishing partnerships is highly encouraged. Once you have vetted through potential organizations to seek partnerships out with, send out your most talented employees to establish rapport with them so both your and their organization can develop in tandem. Once these relationships have been developed, maintain them by following up on requests, establishing work-related gatherings between the two organizations, offering them occasional discounts, and using other creative methods.
There also exists a special opportunity for online-only businesses with regard to using this strategy. Your organization specializes in the online marketplace and that is a distinct advantage you hold! Consider whether there are brick-and-mortar businesses with little to no online presence that operate in the same business arena as you. If there are, consider providing them with some of your online business tips while they provide you with some marketing exposure to their customers! In cases like this, both parties win!
Strategy #3: Integrate yourself into your Local Chamber of Commerce
This strategy is unique in that many companies rarely consider the importance of establishing a positive rapport with their local Chamber of Commerce office. This office is specifically designed to assist you in making your business successful! Through establishing a positive relationship with the individuals who work here, you will both raise awareness that your business exists and also establish credibility for consumers who may have initially been hesitant to request your services/products. The great part about establishing a collaborative relationship with the Chamber of Commerce is they advocate for your business on both a local and statewide level. This means your company is heard about in government facilities and you didn’t even need to hire anyone special to lobby on your behalf!
Strategy #4: Contact your Local Newspapers to Publish Articles about Your Business
In the “Middle Ages” (alright, maybe just a decade or two ago) there were collections of paper called newspaper that dispensed news articles to the local community. Did you know that these newspapers are still very much alive and well!? We acknowledge their existence and actually encourage you to do so as well because you are missing a huge opportunity to get your company’s name out there if you do not. Have someone from your expert team of marketers contact the local newspapers in your area or areas where you believe your product will be well received so they can publish articles about your company in their newspapers. Word of your company will surely spread afterwards and you should see at least some uptick in the amount of people looking at your business.
Strategy #5: Business Cards are no longer just for Brick-and-Mortar Companies
When the image of a business card sneaks into your mind, we venture to guess that it is often attached to some type of brick-and-mortar company where employees use it to distribute to clients who they would like to stay in contact with. Once these business cards are distributed, chances are you may never hear from the person again…why is that you ask? We anticipate this is due to several reasons but one of the most commonly cited reasons is because it feels a little too involved. Most people in today’s society would like the opportunity to browse in private, you know, like they would on a website! That is your company’s area of expertise so use it to your advantage. When you create your business cards, use images of your product in the background, include your website address, etc. Your business card should be inviting and connect those who receive to what your company actually does. Also, consider this: it may be tempting to use your landing page as the web address you give on your cards, but is there another customer-based landing page they could be directed to instead?
Strategy #6: Utilize Everyday Items to Publicize your Company
The society we live in today requires that many people are constantly on the go, whether it be to an appointment or their full-time job. That is why it’s important to put a twist on ordinary items to help make your company standout. Take a bicycling company for example; they can have their employees wear t-shirts well at work and people will notice them if they come into their store to purchase a bike. You are an online company and do not have the same luxury. So instead, consider having a line of people all on bikes wearing the same shirt ride through a busier part of town. This way you will receive the publicity you need while at the same time having fun. Additionally, consider distributing t-shirts to your frequent customers or just as giveaways. Having them wear your shirts is basically free advertising for your business. If neither of the above ideas seem like they would work for your organization, consider contacting your local connections (think coffee shops), to see whether you might be able to place a t-shirt or other item inside their store window?
While there are a wide variety of useful strategies listed above, we realize that not every company can commit to following them wholeheartedly, nor do we want you to! In fact, we encourage you to mix and match the strategies listed above to tailor them to the way you do business. If you find additional methods you believe would be beneficial for our readers to know about, feel free to include them in the comments section of our article postings.
In any case, we want to repeat to you the importance of taking advantage of our strategies, especially if your business is purely online. Implementing these offline tactics will give you the distinct advantage over your competitors! We wish you the best of luck!
If you are considering providing your customers with premium content, doing so through a blog, written article, news release or other type of written source may no longer be the best way to go about it. Instead, consider the powerful new trend of video marketing that has become increasingly more accessible due to modern, more portable, technology. While you personally may not be the most adept at creating new and exciting videos, there are plenty of Apps, websites and professionals you can use to get your content published quickly and effectively. As you explore this topic with us, we encourage you to read the first section of this article to understand why Video Marketing is so important for your business to consider. Then, once you have done so, feel free to read into the second half of our discussion because we will teach you the necessary steps to successfully market your business through video! Enjoy!
Are People Interested in Video Marketing?
If you are like many business owners nationwide, you want to know whether creating a few videos for your business will be worth your initial time investment of time and energy. We are here to assure you that you will most definitely see a return on investment but only if you follow some of the tips we have outlined in this article. According to comScore, a company which tracks internet user’s engagement with different content, over 45% of internet users viewed at least a single video per month while on average a single user is exposed to over 32 videos per month. If you dive into that data a bit further, you will soon come to find that over 90% of shoppers indicate that videos played an important role in their decision to purchase a product. That is a very significant percentage! You can’t ignore this fact when you are deciding whether or not to make videos a portion of your marketing campaign.
Who is my Competition?
When entering into another marketing territory you need to consider who your competitors will be. With that being said, consider a survey conducted on over 400 marketers by a company called Demand Metric. This survey indicated that over 69% of respondents had already begun to make use of video marketing. While that number is fairly high already, consider the fact that an additional 31% of people involved in this survey were intending to implement video marketing in the near future. With so many people moving towards this new trend, it is hard to ignore the fact that video marketing is the newest way to provide valuable content to your readers. Don’t get left behind by sticking to the old ways of distributing information to your audience.
What Types of Videos should be Produced?
The same company who brought forth the data mentioned above also stated that video is the preferred form of content for building brand awareness (52%), followed by lead generation (45%), and then online engagement (42%). If your company is considering providing content in any of these areas, know that they are ripe for videos. Additionally, it is important to note that where you place these videos is just as important as creating them. Continue reading to find out where the best places to put videos are with regard to your company.
Don’t Create Videos without Considering Interaction
If you have visited YouTube recently, you will see that the ability to leave a comment on the video is half of the fun of watching it in the first place. Research has proven time and time again that the ability to interact with companies allows them to become more personable in the eyes of consumers. It is for this reason, that businesses should consider placing quizzes, surveys, forms, and other interactive devices into their viewer’s experiences so that they can test their knowledge of your product. While you may be tempted to place several of these activities within your video remember that moderation is key. Customers don’t want to feel like they are taking their SATs all over again, they just want a fun way to interact with what you are selling.
Outsourcing is a Viable Option
- Consider hiring a professional to help you create your video message. Working with a small video production company can be the best solution to putting your thoughts into action – telling your story!
- There may be some of you out there thinking to yourselves that your business is doomed because you can’t afford a professional and you don’t know how to create videos that will get your company’s message across. That mentality is actually far from the truth due to the fact that there are many freelancing websites available for you to outsource your work to. These websites included Freelancer.com and Fiverr.com to name a few. Simply create an account, specify the work you want done, then select one of the people who is willing to assist you. If outsourcing isn’t your thing, consider looking for free apps that assist you in designing your video ideas. In most cases, these applications will allow you to publish your videos online without many issues. Whatever method you decide to try, video marketing can be accomplished.
Now that you understand why video marketing is absolutely vital to your business’s success, read on to determine exactly how you can make your own video marketing campaign stand apart from your competition.
Keep Videos Short and Sweet
Several Video Marketing Committees in successful companies around the world struggle with the temptation to provide excessive amounts of information in a single video. This temptation is understandable as it is often a less time consuming process to edit, splice, and input voiceovers into a single video than it is to do the same for multiple videos. However, when these individuals consider the fact that the BBC News reported the average web user’s attention span to be around eight seconds, why would they want to put their efforts into something their viewers likely wouldn’t watch? Instead, the rule of thumb most Video Marketing Committees work under is creating videos that are less than three minutes with a compelling call to action at the end!
Connect with your Target Audience from the Start
In business settings across the world many leaders operate with the old philosophy of “if a big enough net is cast into the ocean, then we will have an abundance of fish to choose from”. While we don’t mean to compare our customer base to fish, we do want to illustrate the point that many leaders have this outdated way of thinking. Instead, consider the following perspective: create videos where the first sentence or so of the message identifies the audience you are trying to reach. If you pursue this option of video content marketing, you are bound to attract those people in your niche who are actually interested in what you have to say. If you consider the “8 Second” statistic above, having viewers of your videos stay longer than 8 seconds could also be a good indicator that you are appealing to the right audience.
Distribute your Videos Intentionally
In order to reach a high level of acclaim with your audience, you must avoid sticking to only one form of video marketing such as posting your videos on YouTube. Instead, consider embedding those videos on your website, placing them inside relevant blog articles you have written, posting them on other social media websites, and talking about them in press releases. Through diversifying the way you market your videos, you are more likely to reach your intended audience, which most often results in you increasing your bottom line.
Assessment is the Key to Success
In order to understand how great of an impact your video marketing campaign is having on your audience, you need to tie it to actual business goals. Once you have determined that you would like to have 350 new leads and 600 people actively engaged with your video, you can determine through website analytics whether or not those goals have been met. As your organization attains its goals more often, you can start seeking out more lofty goals such as having over 60% of video viewers watch until the end. Through consistent and purposeful assessment, you will begin to notice patterns from your viewers that you can then predict to make better business decisions.
Through doing your own research into this topic and reviewing these extremely practical steps to ensuring your next video marketing campaign is successful, you will inevitably grow your business by leaps and bounds. We encourage everyone who is pursuing video marketing for the first time to consider the fact that the road to creating the perfect video will be long and fraught with challenges. With this in mind, know that it is still possible to be successful in this area. Experimentation is the key to success. While you may not get it exactly right the first time, continuing the press on will perfect your skills and help your company become the next big video content provider.
The creation of meaningful and engaging content online requires ample amounts of time, energy, and effort on behalf of the content creator. The conservative estimates indicate that articles ranging from 1000—1500 words can take upwards of 2 to 5 hours, oftentimes longer, to reach the quality worthy of holding readers’ attention. While investing your time into a project is a worthy endeavor, it means nothing if people never pass the title or click on the links you provide to guide them to your content.
Additionally, according to research conducted by the popular website Hubspot, over 60% of readers never read more than 40% of any individual blog post. This is both astounding and disheartening news for those individuals who have opted to require their organizations to develop content because it seems to indicate that increasing content consumption will be a more difficult task than originally believed. In reality, most website content can be easily connected with by readers if the content creator makes a few small tweaks to the way the content is displayed! Throughout the remainder of the article, you can expect to receive a series of tips that will increase the readership of your most recent posts with relatively few adjustments needing to be made! Enjoy!
Don’t Let Design Distract from your Content:
In order to entice readers into reading your content, you need to provide them with clean formatting that is as clutter free as possible. In order to manage this, your content designer should consider sidebar placement, minimizing the number of pages someone needs to scroll through to access all of your content, and adjusting fonts/spacing so that they allow for easy readability. Through your consideration of design and content, you will limit the seemingly endless amount of distractions present in the online environment.
Research and Create Content People Read:
Once you have limited the amount of distractions present on the portion of your website that displays your blog posts, it is time to ensure that your content itself is presented in a manner that promotes readability. Although different depending on the niche of your article, research indicates that Ultimate Guides, Expert Round-Ups, and list articles attract the greatest levels of interaction among site visitors. It is highly encouraged that business owners pay close attention to this data as doing so could advance your bottom line. It may also increase the possibility of your blog being shared with other individuals in that site visitor’s friend group.
Create Tantalizing Titles:
While browsing your favorite news source you have likely noticed shortened article titles that seek to draw you in with catchy phrases or sudden cliff hangers. These titles alone often entice you to read the article further or pass over it completely, a decision made in a matter of only a few seconds. With the survival of your blog at risk, it is vital that you devote a countless amount of effort to developing a title worthy of catching a readers’ attention. Read and implement some of the following tips to ensure your titles are absolutely tantalizing:
- Create headlines that are around 65 characters (they draw in the most visitors)
- Limit titles to a maximum of 6 separate words
- Use colorful adjectives (Ex. beautiful, cold-blooded, well-behaved, etc.)
- Utilize percentages or numbers within your title to increase your article’s credibility.
- Engage your customer base by using language directed toward them such as I, You, We, etc.
Create a Mobile Platform for your Content:
With an increasingly mobile society, many customers who interact with your product will do so from a mobile device such as a cell phone or iPad. The number of searches currently generated from a mobile device on popular search websites such as Google are estimated to be around 60% of the overall traffic. With this number increasing steadily on a daily basis, creating a mobile platform for your content is very important. As we have mentioned in our other articles, making sure your article is optimized for mobile use will be worth your time as a company. This includes limiting the amount of ads you might have on your company’s blog because these ads may actually be hurting your customer’s ability to interact with your business. The last thing you need is a negative review on your company’s customer service due to an easily correctable concern.
Make Promises Upfront, Deliver throughout the Document:
If you are confident in your product as well as the message you are producing, make promises to your readers that you can deliver if they continue to read your document. With only a few seconds to grab the attention of most visitors to your website, you need to focus on providing them with an exciting introduction that will encourage them to read further into your document. We have outlined a few tips for encouraging this engagement below for your convenience:
- Give them a summary of your article upfront that expands on the problem or topic you will be addressing. Don’t go into too much detail though because you want your readers to read on!
- Limit the fluff! Nobody wants their time wasted by unnecessary language. Just inform them about what they need to know then move on!
- Clearly identify your post’s objective! By doing so, your readers will know why they are reading, isn’t that great!
- Incentivize reaching the end of your article by providing content that will benefit your readers.
Design Short Paragraphs:
If your readership is short of time like many modern day internet users are, limit your paragraph sizes to only a few sentences! If you must create larger paragraphs use them sparingly and interject them with smaller paragraphs to make them easier to digest. If you use this strategy, readers who like to skim through articles will LOVE your posts!
Speak to your Readers Directly:
It is difficult to create a personal connection with anyone online but you have the power to do so by writing as if you are speaking directly to your readers. We have been doing this throughout our article by using words such as you, I, and we. These words help create a relationship between the content creator and those reading the content. This relationship is obviously of great importance because it will make the foundation your company is built on.
Sub-headers are your Friend:
Several company leaders elect to have their blog posts focus on broad topics such as criminal justice reform. While these topics are worthy of discussion, it is important to break them into manageable sections using sub-headers. Through providing sub-headers in your document, you will improve your readers’ abilities to follow along with your topic. The use of sub-headers is especially important when your blog posts are lengthier because they will allow readers to start off from a section they may have stopped on at an earlier point in time.
Research and Provide Credible Quotes/Research:
Without data to validate one’s claims, words tend to hold little weight if any at all. Instead of stepping out to the end of the branch without a parachute, equip yourself appropriately with credible quotes and research that will help the branch hold your weight! If you can secure enough credible data in your posts, your readers will be sure to implement the changes you speak about because they are more likely to work! Remember, giving your readers actionable data will increase their trust in your company!
The Addition of Images will Reinforce your Point:
We have to admit that there are times when a blog post can use images to boost its readability. Who wants to read an article with only words anyway? If you find yourself wondering whether or not an image is necessary for your post, consider the fact that nearly 65% of individuals who read articles prefer to read those that contain infographics or other relevant images. Remember the old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words”….add a few images to your blog posts and you can exponentially increase the amount of information you share!
Summarize your Article:
In order to close your posts effectively, you should provide your readers with a strongly worded conclusion that pulls your overall ideas together. If your summary is filled with key takeaways, your readers will be left feeling as if you have gently yet metaphorically placed them into a comfortable bed for an amazing night’s sleep. Who doesn’t want to feel that way after a nice read?
Through applying your knowledge of each of these tips to your current webpage, you will most certainly grow your reader base as well as increase the amount of content they are able to access and understand. Once readers trust that they can go to you for straight to the point information on topics they find relevant, they will continue to seek you out. This will of course increase engagement with your company’s brand, which in turn will increase your company’s success.
