The Found Gen

Marketing That Works.

Digital Marketing

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5 Tips to Create a Cozier Home Workspace

Working from home comes with all sorts of distractions — dogs barking at the mailman, the temptation of binge watching Netflix shows, and the many chores that need to be done. The key to ultimate concentration and productivity at home is having a cozy workspace.

The more you can focus on your work, the more you will obviously get done. It’s all about getting organized. The best way to be productive while working at home is to structure your workspace in a way that makes you comfortable and helps you focus.

These five tips can help you make your home workspace cozier:

Make the Most of Your Space

The size of your home workspace doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you fill the space with the things that you need most, such as a desk, file cabinet, and a comfortable office chair. If you previously worked in an outside office, think about what items there made you most productive and add them to your home office.

Brighten Things Up

If it’s possible, always choose a space that has at least one window. The natural light will perk you up and make you more productive. If your home office has a window, position your desk to face it. That way, you can take short breaks from the computer screen and see some natural light. Plus, it’s always nice to have greenery, birds, and other natural elements in your line of vision. If your space is windowless, a good trick is to put a small mirror on your desk to reflect the room’s entrance.

Stock Up on Supplies

Make sure your workspace is fully stocked with all the supplies you need, including paper, your favorite pens, scissors, clips, and phone and computer chargers. You don’t want to have to stop working every time you need something. Having everything on hand will help you stay productive.

Get Comfortable

Since you will probably spend most of your day in your workspace, make it as comfortable as possible. Keep the area tidy and at a cozy temperature. Opt for a comfy office chair and always keep a bottle of water on your desk.

Create a Cozy Atmosphere

Setting up a cozy atmosphere will keep you motivated and help you be more productive. Put on your favorite playlist and decorate with photographs and art that inspires you, as well as inspirational quotes.

Creating a cozy home workspace will help you stay focused and relaxed so that you can be productive and avoid distractions.

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6 Subreddits All Writers Should Know About

All writers can benefit from honest feedback and a community of support. One of the best places for writers to find this is on Reddit.

No matter what type of writer you are or what type of writing most interests you, Reddit and its numerous Subreddits have a lot to offer, including writing prompts, ideas, and lots more. Here are six Subreddits that every writer should know about and subscribe to:

/r/Writing

This Subreddit /r/Writing is a place for general writing discussion. Users share tips, articles, and other information that relates to writing. This is a good place to start as a writer using Reddit, because you can find a wealth of resources and links to other useful (and often more specific) Subreddits.

/r/ShutUpAndWrite

Too often, people spend more time talking about writing than actually writing. But, the private /r/ShutUpAndWrite  focuses on encouraging writers to put their pen to the page. Productivity is a major topic, and writers often upload their work to receive feedback. It’s a great place to get real, unbiased opinions on your work — and, whether feedback is good or bad, the most important thing is that you’re writing.

/r/AskReddit

/r/AskReddit  is a fantastic place to get multiple perspectives on a topic. Simply ask a question and random, but intriguing, responses will start flowing in. Questions range from silly to thought provoking to seriously fascinating. It’s a great place for writers to gather some unique perspectives and get ideas for things to write about.

/r/WritingPrompts

As a writer, sometimes it’s difficult to get started. Finding subjects to write about can be intimidating. The /r/WritingPrompts Subreddit, as its name suggests, offers creative writing prompts, eliminating the problem of not knowing what to write about. You can write stories or submit ideas for other writers to build upon.

/r/WriterMotivation

Every writer has been plagued by writer’s block or a genuine lack of motivation. You have the ideas, but you can’t get the words on the page how you want them. The /r/WriterMotivation Subreddit is all about encouragement and getting writers writing again.

/r/DestructiveReaders

When you write something and ask friends or family what they think, it’s rare that you’ll get accurate feedback. That’s not the case with /r/DestructiveReaders. This Subreddit encourages readers to avoid holding back in giving honest feedback. While this may seem spirit crushing at first, you can gain a true understanding of what’s good and bad about your work. This can help you identify areas that need improvement.

Most writers need some level of support — whether it’s encouragement, overcoming writer’s block, help with coming up with ideas, or getting unbiased feedback. Reddit and its many Subreddits for writers are a great place to get this level of support, so that you’ll keep writing and find your voice.

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Authenticity Rules: 5 Ways to Reach Millennials with Content Marketing

A quick search for Marketing to Millennials yields more than 38 million results on Google, so it’s safe to say that the topic is something a lot of businesses are paying attention to (when they’re not trying to market to Baby Boomers, that is). Millennials represent $2.45 trillion in spending power, so businesses want their attention, which makes complete sense.

The trick is reaching them and providing the information that they need and want. And, what they most want is authenticity.

Older generations continually find fault with millennials. But, millennials embody many positive characteristics that marketers should embrace. Millennials have a strong sense of social justice. They approach information with some skepticism and embrace facts. And, millennials are the most tech-savvy generation.

Here are five ways that you can embrace millennials’ best qualities and reach them with content marketing:

Avoid Selling

No one likes a sales pitch, but millennials especially hate it. In fact, 84% of millennials say they distrust traditional advertising: if you’re planning on marketing to millennials, you should keep this in mind.

Be Present on Social Media

Millennials are probably the most engaged age group on social media, and they make up the largest audience segment on Instagram and Snapchat. So, the best way to reach millennials with content is via social media channels. The priority for every campaign should be production and distribution using social media (and a hipster-friendly Instagram feed wouldn’t hurt)

Make Sure Messaging is Mobile Friendly

Most people are glued to their smartphones these days, but millennials are the most mobile-obsessed. Reaching millennials depends on having a mobile-friendly website with fast-loading content that is easy to read on mobile devices.

To engage millennials through content marketing, the content must have a clear, but non-sales-pitch, motive. It should inform, entertain, or offer some other value. Gaining a new customer or selling a product or service should not be the primary concern.

Offer Instant Gratification

Millennials often prefer mobile devices because they are usually on the go and need quick access to information. Marketing to Millennials  (like marketing to any age group) should keep content concise that provides useful information that can immediately meet their needs.

Show Off Your Values  

Social consciousness is a huge part of millennials’ value systems. Surveys show that 70% of millennials are more likely to spend more on products and services when the brand supports causes that they care about.

Brands and businesses that give back to the community or are involved with specific causes can make an impression on millennials. Incorporate themes of volunteerism, donating, or raising awareness into the content in an organic way. Just be sure to practice what you preach and be as authentic as possible.

At The Found Gen, we “get” millennials. We can create content and develop content marketing strategies that will reach this social-conscious, technology-focused generation.

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What Content Marketers Can Learn from Fake News

Fake news was probably the top cultural development of 2016. It played a strong role in the presidential election, much to the ire of legitimate news outlets and media experts, who are working to stop its spread. But looking at fake news and content marketing requires a deeper look.  

Fake News Explained

As its name suggests, fake news relies on sources and articles that are inaccurate and intentionally misleading. It takes the form of professional journalism, but it’s anything but. And, researchers are discovering that many Americans find it challenging to identify fake news. To help combat its spread, Facebook and Google are working on ways weed it out.

The concept of fake news is not new — think about the National Enquirer and other celebrity-focused tabloids. But, its recent rapid spreading is what is causing concern. Some fake news has attracted impressive numbers of shares and likes.

When you take away the agenda and the actual content these fake news publishers are creating, you actually see that they are running effective content marketing campaigns.

Fake News and Content Marketing

Content marketing can actually borrow a few principles that fake news producers seem to be perfecting, particularly how people react to content. We should emphasize — content marketing is in NO WAY related fake news. Content marketing encompasses educational and entertaining messaging produced by experts.

So, what can content marketers actually learn from fake news?

Audiences Crave Shareable Content

Sharing information via social media is incredibly powerful. Within a short time frame, a piece of content can make its way around to literally millions of people all over the world. Fake news producers regularly illustrate the power of social sharing by producing content that often elicits a shock factor and encouraging people to share it without regard to its truthfulness or origin.

Social media audiences crave content that’s surprising or cutting-edge. They like to share content with their friends that makes them appear interesting or intelligent. Content that incites an emotional reaction will always be seen and shared.

Headlines Are Powerful

Headlines are content’s first impression and what entice readers to click on the article. Many readers make judgments about the content based solely on the headline. Content marketing writers should use this quality of readers to their advantage by taking the time to craft powerful headlines that are shareable.  

Being Ethical Matters

Great content is persuasive, but, unlike fake news, it should never be manipulative. Be responsible and use ethical skills of persuasion. Use credible sources, and be honest and transparent.

Understanding how fake news has permeated social media and garnered so much attention can help create successful and ethical content marketing strategies. To get the most out of your content, examine the fake news phenomenon.

At The Found Gen, we understand how and why stories are view and shared, so we can create the best content to spotlight your business. Let us help you create the best strategy possible. Get in touch today.

 

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Words Matter

2016 was not a great year for words. According to Dictionary.com, there was an overarching theme in trending lookup data that wasn’t too surprising, but was terribly disappointing. The Word of the Year was xenophobia, defined as the fear or hatred of foreigners, people from different cultures, or strangers. It also refers to fear or dislike of customs, dress, and cultures of people with backgrounds different from our own.

Sigh.

It doesn’t get much better when we consider the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year 2016 is post-truth, an adjective defined as relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief. The runners up are equally dismal, from coulrophobia (an extreme or rational fear of clowns), glass cliff (used with reference to a situation in which a woman or member of a minority group ascends to a leadership position in challenging circumstances where the risk of failure is high), and alt-right (we can’t even write that definition).

Even Merriam-Webster issued a warning in late November: “Fascism is still our #1 lookup. Number of lookups is how we choose our Word of the Year,” they tweeted. “There’s still time to look up something else.”

In other, better news, The Association of National Advertisers chose transparency as their Word of the Year. Consumers want to do business with brands they can trust, which speaks to the heart of transparency. It’s about honesty, integrity, and a true message.

At The Found Gen, we believe in the power of words and meaningful, intentional substance. Transparency is a good start. But we’d also like to see a few more content trends take tight hold in 2017.

  • Less us, more you. We gravitate toward brands that treat their customers like people.
  • Localism. The world can be pretty overwhelming. Why not start small, but with oversized ideas?
  • Buoyant projects that rise and work for us. (See also: unsinkable.)
  • Personalized, custom content. No more mass customization and wild attempts at reaching customers. You talkin’ to me? Yeah, I’m talkin’ to you. (Name that movie, friends.)
  • Expiration dates. Snapchat is on to something. Content that self-destructs creates a fresh sense of urgency. Catch us if you can. We’re going somewhere awesome.

Until then, we’ll be here, focusing on the positive: a sharp rise in the number of people using “woke” as an alert to injustice in society, especially racism. That’ll do, 2016. That’ll do.

Because T.S. Eliot said it perfectly. “For last year’s words belong to last year’s language, and next year’s words await another voice.” We are looking forward to hearing yours. If you’d like to borrow some of ours, just contact us. We’ve got a lot of excellent words in these parts.

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Facebook Live: Changing the Face of Your Business

Everyone’s on Facebook. All ages, every demographic, and every interest group you could ever imagine. It’s a built-in audience of clients and customers and pure potential.

And now there’s Facebook Live, a feature that offers live-streaming video capabilities to users. Because who hasn’t dreamed of being a star? Facebook Live could certainly deliver such a result: just look at Chewbacca Mask Lady.

Video is a powerful tool in the marketing and messaging of your business, no matter what industry you may call your own. Think about it: If given the choice to either read a blog post about, say, how to renovate your kitchen, versus watching entertaining live feeds from the cabinet demo to the granite install…you’d probably watch the video, right?

And that’s exactly what makes Facebook Live brilliant for your business: the behind-the-scenes peeks into your company’s personality, in real time.

A successful Facebook Live video leads to higher engagement rates, as well as actual leads and sales, because your viewers have now met you. You’re human, you seem quite nice, and you’re coming off as an expert in your field. Excellent!

But sometimes Facebook Live doesn’t maximize your professional message. In fact, it doesn’t do a thing for your image, and may even hurt your branding. Here are a few tips to getting it right. In five, four, three…

  • Have a plan. This is not the time to fly by the seat of your pants and wing it. Prepare your topics, write down key phrases you don’t want to skip, and adjust all the external elements before you go live. Shifting positions because of aggressively shiny sunlight that’s turning you into a golden-white blur should’ve happened two minutes ago. Same with turning off your alerts, putting your pets in another room because the beeping garbage truck is headed down your street, or shutting your office door and posting a note outside alerting others you’re Facebook Living. (Yes, it’s a verb. Or, it will be.)
  • It’s all about the benefits. Give your audience a reason for watching and a reason for staying interested in you. Whatever industry insider information you’re highlighting, would viewers benefit from your live share of projects and trends, and prompt them to keep tuning in for more? Make sure the answer is yes.
  • It’s quality, not quantity. Build your audience slowly and organically. Don’t try to attract numbers of viewers with ambiguous and untrustworthy click bait. Instead, set yourself up as a generous information sharer who tells a good story.
  • Interact with your viewers. As I mentioned earlier, the positives with Facebook Live increase with your exposure and interaction. When viewers put a face to the company, they respond more intensely. Same goes for your engagement with your viewers, so be ready with questions and greet people who comment by name. You’ll be surprised by the uptick in loyal viewership.

Above all, be yourself. Talk to your potential clients as you would any industry peer. But be careful! Any slightly controversial comment could land your brand in hot water. So maybe our advice is to speak on Facebook Live as you would any industry peer you’re meeting for the first time, sans cocktails!

And remember: If you need help crafting your message and telling your story, just ask us for help. It’s kind of our thing.