Every digital marketer has heard about the benefits and best practices for email marketing, and many businesses have adopted these best practices (and more) to accelerate their digital marketing initiatives. But, what about email marketing and SEO?   While email marketing and SEO may be seen as working independently from each other — you can … Continued

    First impressions are everything. When you meet someone for the first time, you can get a fairly accurate pulse on how well you may connect with that person through a simple evaluation. What sort of style do they have? How do they dress? Are they quiet and reserved or loud and boisterous? Are … Continued

The goal of your business is to fulfill customer needs by selling the products and services that you really believe in. The first part of your marketing efforts might be dedicated to grabbing consumer attention, but what do you do once you have it? Nurturing current and past customers is important for keeping your loyal … Continued

  Congrats! You’ve landed a summer marketing internship — but, now what? The first, and most important thing I can tell you is that internships are really what you make of it. Take this opportunity to ask questions and learn from the people who have experience around you. You won’t always go on coffee runs or do … Continued

WHAT IS A/B TESTING A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a practice of comparing two different versions of a one campaign or webpage to see which has the best performance (and why). Optimizely defines A/B testing as “an experiment where two or more variants of a page are shown to users at random, … Continued

Creating an effective website design is key to driving sales and boosting engagement with your target customers. Reputable brands take time to optimize their customers’ digital experience, which can translate in having a website that people want to visit. Brands looking to be competitive have to know how to keep up. A website that is … Continued

Our latest project for Tradewind Energy has been one of MAKE’s most exciting and boundary-pushing projects to date. This interactive, experiential mini-site takes the user through the journey of Tradewind and how they thoughtfully develop each project with expertise while maintaining respect for the environment, communities, and land owners.   The Project Objective Educate landowners … Continued

Every business has a voice—a distinct way they communicate with their intended audience. But, not every business knows exactly how they’re being perceived by the outside world. Sometimes, what businesses think their voice is, and what customers actually hear, are two very different things.   WHAT IS BRAND VOICE? Brand voice is as much about … Continued

We are so excited to announce the addition of Kevin Awe to our team! Kevin will serve as director of client strategy for MAKE, overseeing the intersection of marketing initiatives and business planning, with a focus on tying execution to results. Kevin comes to Kansas City by way of Gainesville, Florida, where he oversaw a … Continued

Like most companies, you probably have questions about when to engage in social media & strategic services from someone on the outside of your organization. In this post, we provide answers to some commonly asked questions. These will help you figure out if you need a social media team.   Can I take care of … Continued

Here at MAKE, we’re lucky enough to work with some of the most incredible organizations. Many of our clients have made it their mission to add a little good to the world, and REACH Healthcare is no exception. As a nonprofit, REACH’s mission is to advance equity in health care coverage, access, and quality for … Continued

  If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that digital marketing is constantly shifting to strategically adapt to consumer behavior. What does this mean for companies? To be an effective and relevant brand in your industry, digital marketing can’t take a backseat. A sound marketing strategy should be a fundamental part of your … Continued

  You know that “New Year” feeling? The one where you see the potential and possibility that could come with the arrival of another trip around the sun. Businesses feel that too (we know we do)! The end of the year can be a time to reflect on the past 12 months and determine areas … Continued

Content marketing is the new black. For the last few years, it has popped up in marketing plans all over the business. Every brand has a content marketing plan, a blog, and an email campaign that supports both of these initiatives, or at least they should. So, when a sea of businesses is intentionally over-saturating … Continued

At MAKE Digital Group, we’re more than a digital marketing agency that simply works to get tasks done and deliverables out the door. We’re a team that leads with innovation and creative insight to help bridge the divide between companies and sound digital marketing strategies.     It starts with good leadership.   And – … Continued

Contrary to popular belief – email marketing is not dead. Nielsen even indicates that it’s one of the best ways to encourage your customers to take action. 81% of retailers have indicated that email marketing is their most effective avenue for driving customer acquisition and retention (followed closely by social media).     There are … Continued

We can confidently say that digital marketing is no longer the “wave of the future” — the future is now. And brands have been jumping on board with it in order to stay relevant and on pace. To be a key player in a crowded market, it’s vital to stay up to speed with the … Continued

As a small, or even medium-sized business, you know the drill. Your day is filled with anything from business finances to (attempting) social media curation. You grow accustomed to doing most everything yourself. After all, who knows your business and customers better than you? If that weren’t enough, you don’t have the funds to bring … Continued

  So you’re stuck. Truthfully, we’ve all been there. You’re supposed to be racking up content for the brand or agency that you represent, and the ideas just aren’t flowing. No worries, you’re not alone. We’ve all been there. The expectations of consumers are getting higher and higher, and it’s your job to create engaging … Continued

Handling your SEO in-house as a small or medium-sized company can be a stressful experience. You might not know where to start or what will actually help your search ranking. The web is over-saturated with content about SEO (some of it wrong). So, we’re hoping this will give you a place to start.     … Continued

  Digital marketing is an undeniable element of successful marketing. Yet, 49% of organizations admit they are doing digital marketing without a strategy. If you’re pursuing digital marketing without a plan of action, it can leave you without a sense of direction or leave different elements of your strategy disintegrated. Without a strategy, organizations aren’t … Continued

You’re probably not surprised to read about our push for video marketing. We’ve already talked about some cool video facts, and why we use motion graphics to connect with consumers. Already a large majority of the digital content consumed on the internet is video. In a few years, that’s probably all that consumers will be viewing. … Continued

  We can often feel like we’re suddenly scrambling around trying to get our final things done in the last few minutes of our workday. Many of us even look up and it’s five minutes past our leave time, so we shove everything in a bag and head out. Even though there are only so … Continued

  We’ve established that it’s vital for brands to be visual (and if you don’t know why check out our post here). What we haven’t shared is one of the most effective ways to visually connect with your consumers. Motion graphics entail animations that combine illustrations, 2D and 3D designs, music, and often voiceovers to … Continued

Usually, when we think of SEO the first thing to come to mind is content. And that’s right, the words you use play a significant role in your site’s positioning on Google. Yet, there are other things that impact SEO as well. Some of the more hidden potential for optimization lives within the code of … Continued

Digital Marketing is a constantly changing field. In a world where Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk have brought innovation to the forefront of community engagement, of course we will modify the way we reach consumers. As each company focuses their marketing efforts on SEO and digital strategy, it’s easy to forget the marketing basics. It’s … Continued

1. MOBILE-FRIENDLY SITES   Do we really need an explanation here? Long gone are the days when searching was done on a PC. Most search is now done on mobile devices. If your site is not mobile friendly, not only will you get penalized by Google, but you might as well be telling your visitors … Continued

Help us welcome the newest member of the MAKE team, Gaby! She’s joining us this summer as a copywriting intern. Gaby is originally from Kansas City, Kansas and is happy to be back close to home in a city with ample places to eat! Gaby graduated from Kansas State University (go ‘cats) with a major … Continued

By the end of 2018, mobile devices are to represent 79% of global internet use. That’s huge! Plus, most people won’t even recommend your business if they’re not able to properly view your site on the go. This makes it crucial that your site is easy to maneuver, is visually appealing and keeps users engaged … Continued

Back in April, our very own founder and fearless leader Andrea Kirsch had the opportunity to speak to the Senior Capstone Students of communications studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and gave the students some advice on what to expect post graduation from the perspective of someone who’s in the Kansas City Digital Marketing … Continued

This is by no means a guide on how to dominate SEO in 2018. What it actually is, is a list of important factors to consider as you tackle SEO in 2018. So, go ahead! Pick and chose the strategies you want to put forth into your strategy this year… we won’t be offended.   … Continued

  By now you should be aware that the landscape of social media is ever-changing, ever-evolving, and rapidly transforming into new avenues for businesses to grow. Facebook in and of itself has seen such massive growth and changes to its platform, particularly in how businesses are utilizing it. Facebook’s growth seems endless. As mentioned prior, … Continued

  So you hire a website design and development agency to create a custom website for your company. You procure the web design agency to help you in planning, designing, strategy, creation, development, testing, approvals, tweaks, and final deliverables. But, it’s not enough to “deliver” a website to a user. You should also make sure … Continued

Marketers define brand personality as a set of human characteristics associated with a brand. Having a defined brand personality guides your brand’s expression and representation in the real world. It actively shapes the way people feel about and interact with your company, and makes sure your company resonates with the right customer. Your brand personality … Continued

  In 2017, 81 percent of U.S. Americans have a social media profile, representing a five percent growth compared to the previous year, according to Statista. Whether it’s your personal account or for your business, your social media matters. We made a list of the top 10 ways you can improve your social media platforms. … Continued

. The rise of video marketing has been one of the most exciting trends in recent years. And it isn’t slowing down anytime soon. The U.S. digital video marketing industry is expected to reach more than $135 billion this year, according to Magisto. The pace of video creation is getting faster as companies seek to … Continued

  Before jumping into which metrics are vital, let’s first establish what social media metrics even are. According to TechTarget Network, social media metrics are described as the use of data to gauge the impact of social media activity on a company’s revenue. Measuring or metrics tools are usually set up within a social media … Continued

  As an evolving industry, changes in the web design field are almost inevitable. As we approach the beginning of 2018, everyone is once again looking forward to emerging technologies, design ideas, and platforms to use. There has never been a more exciting time for brands with the number of opportunities to connect with existing … Continued

  WHAT IS BRANDING AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? There is confusion around branding because there are multiple definitions of it. Branding used to be defined as a name, slogan, logo, or design that identifies products or services of a company. It was also identified as the elements that differentiated the goods or services from … Continued

  So you have a website? That’s a great first step, but – it’s like having a store, and no one knowing anything about it. So, the real question is how do you attract people to visit your website like you would attract people to visit your store? First things first… You’ll want to develop … Continued

  WHAT IS DATA-DRIVEN WEBSITE DESIGN Data-driven website design is the process by which the structure, layout, and functionality of a website are considered, based on actual usage and site analytics. In a time when we have more data than we know what to do with, how can you use all that information to improve … Continued

  The 2017 Digital Trends Report, based on the seventh annual trends survey conducted by Econsultancy and Adobe, highlights the key digital trends for 2017. This includes challenges and opportunities that marketers need to be aware of and covers topics like customer experience, personalization, mobile, and data-driven marketing. The report is based on a global … Continued

  A shopping basket in one hand and a smartphone in the other. Shoppers are now using mobile devices to do research, compare prices and make their final purchase. While people use mobile in 45% of all shopping outings, the majority of sales still happen in-store. As a matter of fact, more than 90% of … Continued

  “Hey Siri, what’s the weather like today?” Sound familiar? It’s called voice search. “Voice search” refers to your smartphone or desktop computer that has a digital personal assistant or an entry point that uses voice, like Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Echo, Alexa. Here are some voice search statistics that you should know… Voice search … Continued

.    83% of marketers believe that a cross-channel marketing strategy is critical to creating a successful marketing campaign. A well-delivered cross-channel marketing campaign is about understanding your customer first – their demographics, past purchasing history, needs, wants, and more. Every consumer has their own preferences. So, it takes a unique path to purchase that … Continued

With today’s growing e-commerce shopping trends, 87% of consumers would rather purchase directly from a brand online if available. From the first cash register invented 137 years ago to mobile payment apps in today’s world, technology and digital advances have revolutionized the way we pay. Going digital is vital to many business’ long-term success in … Continued

  At MAKE, we’re pretty much obsessed with Adobe Character Animator. It’s user friendly, and when we use it to create content for clients, we get the best feedback. However, a solid video strategy doesn’t always start with understanding the tools used to create it, but rather, the client. When creating an animated video, a … Continued

Do you know the difference between content marketing for B2B (business-to-business) versus B2C (business-to-consumer)? While B2B and B2C content marketing share a lot of common ground, B2B content typically focuses on informing and educating while B2C content focuses on inspiration. This is usually because a B2B purchase is based more on logic and a B2C … Continued

    Snapchat is still somewhat new to the social media scene. Yet, it has grown to be one of the biggest competitors for users’ attention. It’s an app known originally for its popularity among pre-teens and teenagers as a key instrument used for taking bad selfies. Its appeal is in the fleeting existence of … Continued

  Do you own a business that needs great marketing efforts? Are you not sure which ones to implement? Some businesses have a marketing team within the company, some hire a digital marketing or advertising agencies to help them out. If we can answer one question that you might have, the answer is that every … Continued

  Data and analytics are changing the game in today’s marketing campaigns. Whether it’s the next presidential election or a witty Mother’s Day campaign. Measuring the way customers interact with your marketing campaign has never been more complex. Luckily, with evolving technology and analytics tools, marketers are closing the gap between themselves and consumers.   CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS … Continued

  While holograms and flying cars may still be a vision of a George Jetson lifestyle, ads and notifications tailored to your exact location are a very real aspect of the future that is present now. Location-based marketing is capable of changing our world forever, but what exactly falls under this category, and how does … Continued

WHAT’S NEW WITH FACEBOOK? As Facebook is ever-changing we never know what the platform might look like. Next time we log in you can see what new feature it may have. For now, what we do know is that they rolled out a new update last week; its new algorithm will exclude links to low-quality … Continued

myth /miTH/ noun : a widely held but false belief or idea. The myth is that when you add a person to a project that you will get that person’s worth of productivity.  In fact you get less than that. If you’ve ever worked on a project under a time crunch, then you may have … Continued

  Online shopping and eCommerce is a multibillion-dollar industry. It’s expected to grow by more than 20% in just this year. Sure, it all starts with a great product, but a powerful site supports its customers through every step of the way by creating a positive, effortless user experience. Here are some eCommerce website best … Continued

  Say hello to our newest MAKER, Brie! She recently joined us as the Digital Marketing Assistant. She’s a Kansas City native, fashion lover and travel enthusiast. Brie graduated from Mizzou with a degree in Journalism and minor in Textile and Apparel Management. She has previously done marketing and event planning for local Columbia businesses … Continued

As popular as online shopping is becoming, users are continually searching for more ways to easily purchase their favorite items with just the click of a button. Imagine how efficient it would be to be discussing a product with a company representative over instant messaging, then all of a sudden be able to click-to-purchase the … Continued

The Kemper Gala The whole Delorean time machine hasn’t worked out quite yet. However,  Kansas City did its own time traveling at this year’s annual Kemper Gala. Held on October 8th at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, the Kemper Art Institution held it’s yearly fundraising bash. The 2016 Kemper Gala celebrated art, music, and … Continued

  Malls and shopping districts used to be the top tier of how a retailer could reach consumers. But now, brick and mortar stores alone just don’t cut it anymore. There are several fast-growing digital trends that are becoming the norm in the market.  Keeping up with them is a must for companies to stay … Continued

  Say hello to Corey, our new addition to the MAKE Digital Group design team since this fall. Joining us in the role of Interactive Developer, Corey comes from an experienced background working with the Natural Baby Company over 2 years doing, well, everything. Graphic design, website development, product design, print media, digital marketing – … Continued

The workforce continues to grow with the incoming generation of millennials, who are projected to be the largest generation by 2028. Businesses capitalizing on the opportunity of this demographic are already seeing positive innovations internally and externally. To seize this opportunity, a fundamental understanding of how millennials can positively affect the changing workplace is vital to attracting these game changers … Continued

Hello, sweater weather and hello to our newest MAKER. Meet Ryan, MAKE Digital Group’s Interactive Experience Designer! Ryan has only been in the Kansas City area for 9 years, but he’s a Kansas born, Midwest native –  his love for K-State sports would probably tip you off in a quick convo. Ryan gained amazing experience … Continued

Futurists have been telling us about the death of the print medium for years. The rise of Millennials and digital natives as growing market populations has led many to speculate that print channels were going to be obsolete. You remember when Newsweek went purely digital, right? (And then called take-backsies a year later) Some of … Continued

“Docker is an open platform for developing, shipping, and running applications. It is designed to deliver your applications faster.” – Raison d’etre Docker is a startup, open source project that took the development world by storm in early 2016. Companies adopted the project at an incredible rate and Hacker News’ listed it as the top … Continued

  Competition in the startup arena can be, well as Beyonce puts it,  fierce.  Everyone has an idea that’s going to change the world. Whether it’s a foolproof value proposition or a brilliant plan to get their company to become the next household name. But when your startup enters that arena, you’re another competitor among … Continued

The use of hashtags in social media isn’t a 2016 phenomenon. From #Kony2012 to #ShareaCoke, brands and users have been hashtagging their social media content since Twitter introduced it in 2007. In the same way, a well-timed hashtag can make a tweet go viral, poor use of hashtags can tank the credibility of a brand … Continued

Where malls and shopping districts used to be the top tier, brick and mortar stores just don’t cut it anymore. There are several fast-growing digital trends that are transforming shopping. These trends are becoming the norm in the market and keeping up with them is a must to stay competitive. But the demand goes both … Continued

It’s no doubt that Pokemon Go has taken the world by storm. With more than 20 million daily active users and 75 million downloads, everything points to the app being a runaway success. Throw in the fact that it’s being used twice as much as the Facebook app on 5.38 million Android devices. It’s kind … Continued

Another day, another MAKER to welcome to the team. Say hello to David, our newest member of the MAKE Digital Group web development team! David has known a couple of us from working together on past projects but we’re happy to have him officially on Team MAKE. David has past web development experience with some … Continued

This year, international relations seem to be at fever pitch. The 2016 Olympics are, in our opinion, a welcome balm to the global community. The social media component plays into our globalized community’s interaction with each other on a daily basis. This is going to be more important than before. Even locally-based businesses like KC’s … Continued

  Sometimes it doesn’t matter how well you market or what your product does: if your website is too difficult to work with, users won’t bother. User interface (UI) design and user experience (UX) design are two areas that are critical to the success of a website or app. UX design is the process of … Continued

Receive a FREE Digital Marketing Audit From a Leading Digital Marketing Agency to Help You Build More Traffic, Better Conversions, and More Sales.   ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING? Low traffic Poor click-through rates and cost per click? High cost per conversion or no conversion? Wasted ad budget? Marketing that just doesn’t … Continued

  Have you noticed a drop in organic reach from your Facebook Page? If so, you’re not alone. Over the last several years, Facebook changed its prioritization algorithm, so organic reach on Facebook pages has been in decline. The newest Facebook algorithm change will cause the organic reach for many pages to drop to near … Continued

This June, two of our MAKERS, Andrea and Evan, attended the NYC Sales Machine Summit. This is the biggest convention that’s been held to date with the whole focus being on sales. Created by the minds behind Sales Force and Sales Hacker and with a keynote speaker roster that included the likes of Arianna Huffington … Continued

  Any speaker worth their salt can make an impact with their message, however, research shows that what really packs a punch in any presentation is visuals. Having complementary, fluent visuals that precisely sum up what you’re communicating to your audience can make a world of difference when it comes to people actually comprehending the … Continued

First, WordCamp Kansas City is an annual conference focused on the software, WordPress, and the people who use it. You may find it’s also for businesses, agencies, and individuals who have taken an interest in digital marketing. This may include blogging, social media, content creation, and distribution, etc. This is a great opportunity for decision-makers … Continued

How Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn are Transforming the Content Game with Instant Articles   By now, every company around the world learns that a social media presence is a necessity. One of the major platforms that established itself as a social media must-have is Facebook. One of the first social media sites to be used across not … Continued

  Facebook has become the U2 of social media platforms. It’s constantly reinventing itself to stay relevant. But, at the same time, making us scratch our heads at some of the newly added updates and materials. There’s new social media platforms coming out all the time. Predictions are already being made on who the next … Continued

If you’re in the web development scene like we are at MAKE Digital, you’ve probably run into a fair share of developers. Many developers participate in what they call a “hackathon”. Now, when most people hear the word hackathon (us included), they automatically think something bad.  “Did this guy just spill his secret plan to singlehandedly break … Continued

Drink at these Hidden Gems in Kansas City The last stop on the best, hidden gems of KC tour is one of the most important. When the sun goes down, Kansas City lights up with some of the best places to grab a drink and have a good time. Whether you’re looking to catch a movie … Continued

Shop at Kansas City’s Best Hidden Gems Up next on the hidden gems in KC, we’re talking about the best places to sate your retail therapy. Just like the rest of our Hidden Gems series, we consulted some KC locals for advice (fellow MAKERs). From Midtown to Overland Park, these shop #KC at the best of local … Continued

Eat at Kansas City’s Best Hidden Gems When you find yourself hungry in Kansas City we find it helpful to ask yourself: Where can I eat in Kansas City that I’ve never been? One of the most important parts of what makes Kansas City special is the amazing and diverse food scene we have. Yes, … Continued

EXPLORE HIDDEN GEMS IN KANSAS CITY  For the month of April, we want to talk about something important: Kansas City. The coasts may think we’re Cowtown, USA, but Kansas Citians know our city is a hidden gem that shines brightly from where it’s nestled between the plains of Kansas and the winding Missouri River. MAKERs … Continued

We at MAKE love being located in the heart of Westport. Even better, we are located in a building that has such an interesting history behind it. The space that now holds MAKE Digital Group used to be an old fire station that was built during Roosevelt’s WPA (Works Progress Administration) in 1939. Firefighters used it … Continued

What is Live to Bloom?   Live to Bloom is a program that helps young women discover their unique strengths, develop their innate talents, and follow their passions with the goal to obtain a job that fits their personality and skills. They partner with fellow non-profits to provide workshops for the participants. During these workshops, professionals … Continued

Social media trends are constantly adapting to new innovations. A new year means a whole new frontier for social media and technology to grow. With the inevitable innovations, it’s important for us to stay ahead of the curve on what to expect in the future of the industry. For 2016, here are several ideas for … Continued

A new chapter in mobile development has recently come on the scene in the form of Facebook’s React Native framework, a tool used for building mobile applications. Their framework lets developers write high-quality apps that work universally across iOS and Android apps using the same core technologies as the web.   ABOUT REACT NATIVE So … Continued

Posting images to social media is one of the most important parts of successful social engagement. However, to take your brand a step further, you have to learn how to use photos in the most efficient way possible. It’s statistically proven that images evoke a stronger emotional response from people. They also form stronger connections … Continued

In today’s business world, it’s virtually impossible to be successful without the now vital tools that social media have become. These tools of communication reach both consumers and fellow businesses, which can make or break a company. There are several factors to consider if you want to maximize the impact of your social media presence. … Continued

A vital part of running any business. Here at MAKE Digital Group, we believe “process MAKES perfect!” We have discovered some of the best processes/organizational management tools and put them to test. Below are some of the most important and favorite tools we use on a daily basis.   ASANA – PROJECT MANAGEMENT Asana is … Continued

Our team of MAKERS loves First Fridays! Today, for our September First Friday, we are excited to be going to REACTOR Design Studio. Trials, Many Kinds by Jeran Avery. Check it out: REACTOR DESIGN STUDIO 1817 Grand Blvd Kansas City, MO 64108 Join REACTOR and Jeran Avery for September First Friday Show, Trials, Many Kinds. Today, … Continued

STELLAR IMAGES When looking through a website for the first time, people will generally be more drawn to an eye-catching image rather than a full page of nothing but text. For your website to be most effective, you should make sure that you have enough relevant imagery to get your idea across. It is also important that … Continued

Every Friday, the MAKE team gets together to enjoy some great Westport food and talk about the progress of the week. We love to eat, that’s no secret, and choosing just one meal to talk about was a near impossibility, but there are a few locations we keep coming back to, from Friday lunches to … Continued

Part of the MAKE crew attended the July Social Media Club KC Breakfast on Visual Resonance in Social Media. We had a great time and want to share what we learned on the importance of the visual side of social media… “Statistics tell us that posting images and videos significantly increase social engagement. But will … Continued

CHECK OUT KC’S LIVE MUSIC SCENE  With a concert for every palate and every budget occurring during the summer months around Kansas City, even the pickiest music snob can find a live music venue or artist to love this summer. Head out to Cricket Wireless or the Sprint Center for big-name acts, or just chill … Continued

As you may have heard, Google recently announced its stance on mobile-friendly websites. Starting April 21st, brands that don’t update their website may experience less site traffic than they were organically seeing before for new and returning visitors. This is because Google can’t serve up the results or website because the site doesn’t have the same credibility or relevancy. … Continued

You’ve battled the construction, heard the hype, and wondered when it will finally be here. A streetcar is coming to Kansas City, slowly but surely (of course, it feels like slowly more than anything). Located in the middle of the much talked about streetcar plan, our office is excitedly awaiting its arrival, expected in late … Continued