Insights

So you want to start a blog, huh? That’s great. In fact, it’s an extremely useful and competitive way to reach your target audience—when it’s done correctly. Unfortunately, all too often we see marketing teams and content creators trading in strategy and targeted marketing tactics for brain dumps of things that sound interesting to them.  … Continued

There are more than 32.5 million businesses in the United States, all vying for customers’ attention online or in-person.  Think about the last thing you bought. Whether it was a coffee at the local cafe or a new pair of boots online, there was something about the brand that made you purchase its product.  Maybe … 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 digital natives can positively affect the changing workplace is … Continued

Can you believe that it’s almost the holiday season? Neither can we! If you’re like many companies this year, you’re just as surprised that it’s time to start planning your seasonal marketing for the holidays.  While we can’t provide you with specific holiday campaign ideas in a generic blog post, we can offer some tips … Continued

You think things are going great. You’re getting high engagement rates on some emails; blogs are being opened and hopefully read; you feel like this lead is going to convert. And then… They fall off the face of the earth. In dating, we call this ghosting—where one second you’re talking to the love of your … 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? How do you actually figure out how to sell in email … Continued

Every month, Austin (our SEO Manager) whips up an internal newsletter for our team that rounds up new and noteworthy SEO news that we should know about. Because the industry is always changing (and Google is constantly adapting and redefining its algorithm), there’s always something to learn when it comes to SEO. Read on to … Continued

  We all get emails from our favorite brands or businesses we frequent, whether they are talking about their next big promotion, trying to get you to schedule your next haircut, or telling you the new big industry updates. But how often do you actually click on the link?  And get to the place they’re … Continued

Every few years, it’s important that you take a step back and critically look at your branding and marketing. Does it still align with your mission and vision? Is it still relevant to modern times?  But today, we’re asking another question: Is your brand cheugy? This word, albeit made up by a TikToker named Gaby … Continued

It’s summertime—that means it’s time to put on sunscreen, hit the lake, and crack a cold one. And if you’re like many people in 2021, that cold one will be some type of seltzer. It seems like the popularity of these drinks has taken the world by fizzy storm. During the pandemic in the United … Continued

We’ve added a new member to our team: Faryle! Faryle is our new Senior Account Manager, meaning she’s going to be one of our go-to people on some of our biggest clients (in partnership with our other newbie, Ginny!)  Faryle is a journalism major and spent time at the Lawrence Journal-World in Lawrence, Kansas (her … Continued

If you haven’t heard, the battle between the top social media platforms has hit a turning point with the most recent Instagram updates: the platform is moving away from pictures and focusing on other avenues. According to the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, the app now identifies as an overall entertainment platform rather than a … Continued

We have a new Senior Account Manager to introduce you to: Ginny! Ginny came to us through our intern Maggie who said such great things about us that Ginny just felt like she had to apply.  Before MAKE, she worked in fundraising as a senior account manager, working on several annual and capital campaigns (some … Continued

Every month, our SEO wizard Austin puts together an Industry News newsletter for our internal team that rounds up the latest and greatest headlines from this world to help us average joes understand what’s going on in the ever-changing world of Google.  And this month, we thought it was time to finally share our inner … Continued

This month’s Meet Your MAKER features our new Intern Hannah! Hannah is going into her senior year at Kansas State University as a Marketing major. She helps us out with a range of different tasks at the office to get a feel for the areas of marketing that MAKE specializes in. 7:30AM Just like every … Continued

Fluent Consultants (formerly Trabon Solutions) came to MAKE with a unique situation: They were already working with another company to create a new brand logo and color palette, but wanted our help figuring out how to roll it out to their audience—fast.   Challenge: A company with ample experience in the Kansas City business landscape … Continued

  We have a new creative asset to celebrate: Travis! Travis joins our team as Senior Art Director and has already hit the ground running (sprinting, really) helping us refresh our approach to design. He especially loves 3D design, motion graphics, and animation. With a background in Fine Art and a passion for technology, Travis … Continued

In this month’s Meet Your MAKER, our Account Manager, Gage, gives you a look behind the curtain as he goes through an average day in the office.  7:30 AM This is about the usual time I wake up throughout the workweek. Yeah, yeah, I know this is later than my coworkers’ wake-up times from their … Continued

Well… it’s 2021 and the world of social media is continuing to grow as we know it. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that having some sort of social media will be essential for your business to be successful.  According to a recent study, 91% of businesses in the United States use social … Continued

We are so excited to welcome our newest project manager to the team: Autumn Reynolds! Autumn comes to us from Midtown Signs, a Kansas City institution known for its significant impact. We’re so happy for her to bring that same love for impact and the local community to our team! She’s just as excited about … Continued

Search Engine Optimization is an ever-changing practice. Therefore, it becomes essential to your overall marketing efforts to be on top of the latest and greatest changes in the field of digital marketing and SEO. This article will explain two different technical items that you should be aware of (if you aren’t already). By understanding and … Continued

Within the world of marketing, there are many different jobs and possibilities that make marketing for a brand work. From social media, to brand audits, to design and building websites, the array of services is vast.  So vast that our parents are constantly asking us “so what exactly do you do?” when we talk about … Continued

In this month’s Meet Your MAKER, our Search Engine Optimization Manager, Austin, gives you a behind-the-scenes look into what an everyday reality looks like for an SEO professional. 7:00 AM As most days start, I am woken up not only by my alarm but by my two very hungry (and very cute) cats, Mimo and … Continued

I hear it a lot: “Why hire a copywriter? I am perfectly capable of writing myself!” And the conversation naturally lends itself to breaking down what a copywriter does outside of just putting words on paper. For example, these questions can usually differentiate between an average writer and someone whose job it is to convert … Continued

How the basics of leadership apply even more during a pandemic.    It’s not over yet, but maybe we’re starting to see peeks of light at the end of the tunnel. How is it March when it was just March? Really? Can it have been a year already?  A year. A year of working from … Continued

We have a new Digital Marketing Intern on our team: Maggie Mahr! Maggie comes to us after graduating from the University of Kansas with a Strategic Communications degree with a minor in Business. While she was initially a business major, she switched to strat com after realizing that business didn’t offer her the real creativity … Continued

In this month’s Meet Your MAKER, our Copywriter Taylor lifts the veil on her day-to-day work to give you a behind-the-scenes tour of what it looks like to be a copywriter at MAKE. And while copywriting is a pretty straightforward job description (if it involves writing words, a copywriter usually does it), there’s a bit … Continued

Why Personalization and Unique Attributes Stick With Customers   Wow, Wow, No Cow. Is the song from the Oatly Super Bowl commercial still stuck in your head? Yeah, it’s stuck in ours too.  Oatly CEO Toni Petersson is, to say the least, a brave soul to blast that singing voice out to the entire nation. … Continued

In the digital age, many believe social media to be the most effective form of marketing communication. But what if we told you that there was a form of marketing that was even more effective?  According to Smart Insights, email marketing has become one of the most effective communication channels, even outperforming social media and … Continued

  In this month’s Meet Your MAKER, we offer you a look into the day of our Digital Marketing Coordinator, Brandon. Since starting at MAKE 8 months ago, he has worked on a myriad of projects for us, ranging from email marketing funnel strategy to implementing content marketing pieces. In fact, we call him our … Continued

City Rent A Truck is a family-owned truck and van rental operation in Kansas City, Missouri. Named initially South Town Leasing, the company got its start as the leasing department of a local Ford franchise in 1964. Today, it’s a thriving nationwide business (seriously, after reading this, you’ll see their vehicles everywhere) with a passion … Continued

Despite the dumpster fire that was 2020, it was also a massive year for our team. From adding new members (Austin, Brandon, Denise and Gage) to taking on new clients and new opportunities, 2020 gave our team the chance to really flex our creative muscles when it came down to getting quality work done.  And … Continued

As a veteran-owned company, service is woven into iResQ’s foundation. But when the job is as big as prioritizing an entire community, there can be little room left over for thinking about how to create a cohesive approach to brand voice. That’s where our team at MAKE Digital Group comes in.   Challenge: Take a … Continued

Working at MAKE this fall has given me firsthand experience in the exciting and creative world of marketing. I’ve been pushed to meet higher standards and encouraged to think more critically. Each day was new, and I truly enjoyed learning about this industry and gaining valuable experience. As MAKE’s Digital Marketing Intern, I worked on … Continued

Here at MAKE, our team wanted to find a unique way to give back during the holidays. This year, eight of our employees will be counting down to the holidays with their favorite tips for the season.  Countdown with us by following along here and on our social media throughout December! Day 1: Denise’s Top … Continued

We just can’t stop growing! Gage Brock has joined our team as an Account Manager and we are so excited to have him! Gage comes to us from SMG, a local experience management and insights company in Kansas City, and is excited to leverage his background in strategy to help our team MAKE things happen. … Continued

Marketing doesn’t have to be scary. With the right SEO tips and tricks in place, you and your team can take flight in the night and start magically moving your marketing efforts in the right direction.  Unfortunately, there are millions of blogs on the topic of SEO tips and tricks. It can be hard to … Continued

Help us welcome Austin Montgomery to the MAKE squad! Austin comes to us with more than 10 years of experience and is ready to put that knowledge to good work in SEO and strategy!  As SEO Manager, Austin will work with the team to provide high-level website optimizations and strategies to help our clients populate … Continued

“A logo is an intentional story that a customer can associate with a brand.” That’s how our graphic designer Gabbi approaches the logo design process. We sat down with Gabbi to discuss what went into the logo design process for iResQ and how every step played an important role in the final deliverable.  Start THE … Continued

Building a new website for a client can get complicated long before pixels are allocated and development environments are fired up.   From answering client comments ranging from “wow that’s smart” to “what are they thinking” to finding the perfect spot for that perfect keyword, the website building process is unlike anything else. And according … Continued

OUR CTA MUST’VE WORKED IF IT GOT YOU HERE! That means we’re off to a good start when showing that we really are conversion experts.   Writing a CTA in email marketing is how marketing strategists aim to engage customers in their marketing efforts. While these are a seemingly simple part of an email marketing … Continued

We’re just growing like crazy over here at MAKE! Please join us in welcoming Tyler Daughtery to our team! Tyler joins us as an excellent web developer with a unique background.  Before starting his journey toward Javascript, Tyler joined the military right out of high school, where he was on the USS Forrest Sherman in … Continued

Every two seconds, someone new joins LinkedIn.  Every new follower on LinkedIn is an opportunity for a broader audience. But how do you find and connect with these new professionals? When you learn how to amplify your brand on LinkedIn, you maximize your ability to meet people where they’re at and get more followers on … Continued

We’d like to welcome Brandon Alejo-Morgan to the MAKE team! Brandon joins our team with experience at an agency in Lawrence, Kansas, right at the beginning of the #StayHomeKC. Lucky for us, he hit the ground running and helped us stay strong through a pretty weird time in the world. Brandon came to our team … Continued

Help us welcome one of our newest members of the team, Denise Dibben! Denise comes to us with a background in agency marketing and will join us as our Senior Account Manager. Denise is a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University, where she double-majored in Business Administration and Marketing with a Minor in Art. AKA … Continued

It seems like every day we are hit with new avenues and opportunities for marketing, from TikTok to guerilla marketing to everything in between. But like that friend you’ve had since elementary school who has been with you through the ups and the downs, email marketing still remains a top contender in the digital space. … 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

Nothing about this time is normal. From our entire team working remotely to figuring out that many of those meetings could have actually been emails (who feels that with us?), marketing during COVID-19 has shaken up our traditional strategies and ways of working in more ways than one. And we know we’re not alone. Companies … Continued

There are a lot of moving parts to sort through when managing an ever evolving brand or business. We hone in on your goals and provide metrics of value to you and your stakeholders. An extra set of eyes and hands can go a long way when reaching maximum effectiveness with your audiences. Performance data, … Continued

  Tools & Tricks to maximize productivity An essential part of business now and in the future is being able to effectively and efficiently work from home or away from the office. When you work remote you have to adjust accordingly to your new schedule and way of communication with your peers and team members. … Continued

We are proud to announce that MAKE Digital Group’s CEO, Evan Kirsch has been accepted into the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP), a prestigious three-year mentorship program. Founded in 1995 by former Founder and President of Helzberg Diamonds, Barnett Helzberg Jr., the competitive program is designed to strengthen businesses and members by cultivating relationships between … Continued

When it comes to social media strategy, not all industries are created equal. At MAKE Digital Group, we treat each customer’s social media strategy differently depending on their industry and their business goals.  Here are a few facts about social media strategies for restaurants: 93% of consumers say online reviews impact their decisions 84% of … Continued

Brie Stiens is MAKE Digital Group’s Marketing Project Manager. She works with Asana each and every day to make sure tasks are neatly organized, correctly allocated, and properly notated.  When deciding which marketing project management software to use, our team landed on Asana because of its clean and user-friendly format and its ability to effectively … Continued

Digital marketing is an ever-changing industry that provides ample opportunity for change year over year. To keep up with trends and harness the power of your 2019 data, your digital marketing strategy should be updated every single year.    To make sure you’re in-the-know on everything 2020 has to offer digital marketing, here are six … Continued

You’ve heard it before. Blogs have said it before. We’re getting so tired of it that it honestly hurts to say—but content truly is king. No robust marketing strategy is complete without content marketing that elicits clicks and converts sales. The best part? Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing efforts—and generates nearly 3x … Continued

MAKE had the opportunity to design, develop, and dream up new ideas for the launch of Fun Farm’s new website. If there’s one thing we learned while working on our latest project for the Fun Farm Pumpkin Patch, it’s that hard work can and should be fun. But the truth is: 94% of customers judge … Continued

You’ve done the hard work—now it’s time to see if it paid off. There are many traditional ways you can measure the success of your website redesign, including surveying the increase (or potential decrease) of sales and the number of visitors in a given time frame. But looking past dollars and sales conversions when it … Continued

A new website is similar to revamping your work wardrobe when you accept a new position. While a new wardrobe can make you look good, feel good, boost your confidence, and improve your professionalism — it’s still up to you to deliver excellent work in your new role. This is easily comparable to how we … Continued

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

  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

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 … 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

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