hewholenotionofDataistheNewOilhasbeen
TveryfamousacrossthemoderneraoftheInternet andTV.Eventhoughdatainitsrawformis ineffectualasitisjustthebinaryofabunchof0’sand1’s; butyetitdidcompetewiththemostpotentresourceofthe world—Oil,leavingmanyamused.
Well,weallknowtheriseofArtificialIntelligence; everyoneisaccustomedtothedigitaleconomy,andthatis preciselywherethewholeconnotationof ‘Data is the new oil of the digital economy’ lies.
Speakingfurtheraboutthedigitaleconomyandtheinternet world,oneofthebiggestcontenderstochallengedatahas takenupthethrone.Iknow,Iexactlyknow,themuch-used phraseiscomingup.Butnoneofuscandenythis; CONTENTISTHEKING!
Contentnotjustinthepastbutincontemporarytimes backedbySearchEngineOptimizationhasbeen preeminentinitsownway,havingsurpassedthemost powerfulresourcesoftheworld.Withthedemocratization ofthemedia,datahasgainedafreehandofitsownand thushasevolveditselflikeneverbefore.Contentinitself hasopeneditselfsomuchthatthebranchesofitdon’tjust lieintheformoftextbutindiversestatesthatareinthe formofaudio-visualcontent.
Bhushan Bhad Managing Editor
Fromwrittenblogsandarticlestovideosandpodcasts,the scopeofcreativedevelopmenthasseennolimitations,thus, justifyingthethroneitachievedinthedigitalera.
Hence,weatInsightsSuccessthoughtofbringingintothe picturethevariouskeyplayersofthedigitalkingdomwho havehelpedthenetizenswithflourishingcontent.By launchingournewlyintroducededition,“MostPromising ContentCreationCompanies,”westrivetobringintothe limelighttheorganizationsthathavehelpedtheecosystem ofdigitalmarketingshine.
OnthecoverisInstinctiveSolutions,amarketingenabler focusedonprovidingreal-worldmarketingexpertiseand consultancytobusinessesintheareasthatmakea difference.
Inordertolearnmoreaboutthecoverandhowcontenthas transformedthedigitalworld,weurgeyoutometiculously gothroughtheprofiles.
Whileflippingthroughthepages,glanceatthearticles writtenbyourin-houseeditorialteamandgainperspective aboutthecurrentcontenttrends. Delveintoenjoyaninsightfulread!
, -ShrutikaKhedekar
,The practice of creating insightful and creative content has helped business bloom like never before in the contemporary times.
DigitalisaNYC-born
marketingagencywitha
presence,providingSEO,SEM,paidandmanagedsocial, analytics,creative,influencermarketing,andwebdesign anddevelopmentservicestoawiderangeofindustries.Itworksto createholistic,cross-channelcampaignsthatdrivenotjusttraffic, butpurchases,bytargetingtherightprospectsattherighttime.
isaB2BMarketplacefor FindingAgencies.Theyanalyzeandrankhundredsofagencies tohelpbrandsfindtopfull-serviceagencies,webdesign companies,digitalmarketingfirms&toptechnologycompanies.
isagrowthmarketingagencybasedinLagos, GhanaandLondon.Itwasstartedbyateamofgrowthengineers, marketingexperts,storytellersandbrandstrategistswithcombined experienceofuptotwodecades.
solutionasamarketenablerprovidesmarketing enablementservicesforyourbusiness.Theyprovidehighly tailoredmarketingforteamsandareamarketingenablement agencyfocusedondeliveringinnovativemarketingtoB2B companiesaroundtheworld.
Studiosisamarketingintelligenceagencybasedoutof Atlanta,Georgia.Theygobeyondtraditional placingastrong emphasisonrelationshipbuilding.
Instinctive Solutions lls a vital gap for software vendors. It bridges the chasm between the technical side of their business and the marketing side of their business.
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Marketingisapowerfultoolthatimprintsalongtermimpressiononconsumers'psyche,and strategizedmarketingactivitiescanskyrocket businessrapidly.
Asattractiveasmarketingis,itstillneedsthorough planning.Forthis,acompanyhastocreatemarketing contentthatisappealingandcreativewhilebeingaccurate andspecificabouttheproduct.Todoso,acontentmarketer hastohaveexpertiseinthenitty-grittyoftheproductin detail.
Manycompaniesmanagetosailthroughtheirproduct promotionbyapplyingtried-and-testedstrategies.However, thesameapproachtotechnologyproductmarketingisnot alwaysagoodidea.Duetotheircomplexandtechnical nature,creatingeffectiveplansandcollateralsfortech productsisawholedifferenttask.
Thebetteryouunderstandtheproduct,thesimpleryoucan makeitforotherstounderstand.Thatiswhytechnology marketingcangivebetterresultswhentechexpertscreate communicationcontent.
Withthehelpofitstechnologymarketingexperts, InstinctiveSolutionsLtd.enablestechnologycompanies tobuildcontentthatissimpleryetmoreengaging.
Instinctiveprovidestrategicandcontentmarketingservices thatcreateinnovative,informative,andengaging promotionalmaterials.Clientscanplugitdirectlyintotheir existingmarketingandsaleseffortstogetbetteroutcomes.
Instinctivewasestablishedbytheambitiousmarketing industryexpertDaveJones(FounderandCEO).Heis empoweringtechcompaniestoenhancetheirproduct communicationusingyearsofhisindustryexpertiseand innovativeideasattheagency
Let's explore some interesting insights about Instinctive's pioneering marketing content services.
InstinctiveSolutionsisacontentmarketingagencythat facilitatesitsmarketingexpertisefortechnologyvendors.
Instinctive'steamhaveworkedininformationtechnology marketingformanyyears.Theirunderstandingoftechnical concepts,languageanddriversenablesthemtoeasilygrasp complextechnologicalconceptsandconverttheminto simplerandmoreappealingconceptsforconsumersto understand.
Davesays,“We'reabletousethatexpertisetotake complex,technicalinformationanduseittocreate innovative,informative,andengagingmaterialsthatcan plugdirectlyintoourclients'existingmarketingandsales efforts.”
InstinctiveSolutionsfillsavitalgapforsoftwarevendors.It bridgesthechasmbetweenthetechnicalsideoftheir businessandthemarketingsideoftheirbusiness.
Mosttechnologycompaniesarefullofdeeply knowledgeableexperts.Theyknowtheirsubjectmatterins andoutsandcreateincrediblyinnovativeproductsthatcan deliverhugebenefitstotheircustomerbase.However,this geniusdoesnotalwaysmeantheycanexplainthese benefitsinlayman'sterms.
Ofcourse,thosecompaniestypicallyalsohavegreat marketingteams.Theyareexpertsinareaslikecampaigns, events,andsocialmedia.Mostofthetime,however,they arenottechnicallyminded.
We help organizations translate their technical brilliance into tangible vision, messaging, and assets, and then pass these on to the marketing team that can use them to promote the business.
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Most Promising Content Crea on Companies
Dave Jones is the Founder and CEO of Ins nc ve Solu ons Ltd. He has spent more than two decades working with some of the industry's leading vendors. But, around 18 months into each role, he o en found himself ge ng frustrated.
Expanding on this, he quotes, “What became clear to me is that I need to make an impact. I want to make big changes and steer the strategy—all things that typically happen in the first 18 months of a new role.”
A er that, much of the ac vity in a role is related to finetuning and refining opera ons —areas that did not really interest Dave.
“There seemed to be only one way to ensure that I would never get bored – to start my own business,” marks Dave.
This approach has helped him posi on Ins nc ve Solu ons within the market. The way the company operates allows Dave to experience the pleasure of helping mul ple companies at once and seeing them experience the power of effec ve marke ng.
Ins nc ve works with organiza ons in specific areas where they most need it: strategy, messaging, and content crea on. It helps client companies to envision and create and then lets them get on with the execu on and finetuning parts of the work.
This symbio c rela onship allows Ins nc ve Solu ons to work in harmony with senior execu ves and marke ng teams. “Our clients recognize that we're there to help, not take over. It seems to be working so far,” says Dave.
Thereinliesthechallenge."There'sahugegapbetween productexpertsandmarketingexperts.Thisoftenendsup withthecompanyputtingoutsub-optimalmarketing messagesandthewrongleadsbeinggenerated.There's frustrationallaround,andnobodyishappy,"assertsDave.
ThisiswhereInstinctivecomesin.
Speakingaboutthefocusedefficiencybroughtby InstinctiveSolutionstotechnologymarketing,Davemarks,
"Wehelporganizationstranslatetheirtechnicalbrilliance intotangiblevision,messaging,andassets,andthenpass theseontothemarketingteamthatcanusethemand promotesthebusiness."
Therapidrateofadvancementinthemarketingtechnology stackmakesitbotheasierandharder,indifferentways,to deliverhigh-qualitymarketingsolutions.Speakingabout
variousmarketingtechnologytoolsthatexistthesedays, Daveshares,“There'ssomuchchoiceouttherethatforalot ofagencies—andalotofclients—identifyingwhichtools theyneedtouseforcontentcreation,socialmedia,email distribution,hostingtheirwebsite,andsoonisquite complex.”
Hefurtheradds,“WhatwetrytodoatInstinctiveisto sanitizethatconversation.Wetakethecomplexityoutof it.”
Daveputs,“Wehaveworkedwithanumberofdigital marketingsystemsovertheyears.Somearegood.Someare bad.Whatwehavelearnediswhichonesworkwell together–whichonesyouneedforaminimal configuration,whichonesyouneedformoreadvanced projects.”
TheCOVID-19pandemicposedmanychallengesforevery organizationincarryingoutitsdailyoperations.Thedigital technologyprovedtobeahugereliefinkeepingthework activitiesgoinginremotemode.Davefeltthatitwasa greattimetolaunchhiscompanysincethetechnology industryandspecificallyinformationmanagementproducts forremoteworkingwerebecomingagreatdealofpriority formanyenterprises.
“Instinctivewasbornduringandasaresultofthe pandemic,”saysDave.
Elaboratingfurther,heputs,“Inthebeginning,therewas justme,working100%remotely,andthebusinesswas formedtosupportorganizationsthatweresufferingfrom COVIDmuchmorethanwewere.”
Duringthepandemic,companieswerelosingkeypartsof theirmarketingteamsbutstillhadajobtodo.Instinctive Solutionssteppedintohelpanddeliverfocusedactivities thatwouldgetthemovertheCOVIDhumpfromadistance.
“Sincethen,wehavegrownasaremoteteam,takingon staffallovertheworld.Aswearenowcomingoutofthe pandemic,wehavetakenphysicalofficespace.Weare startingtocreateacenterofexcellence–ahubforallour staff,asandwhenitworksforthem,”statesDave.
Asfarasthefundamentalsgo,InstinctiveSolutionsis lookingtofosterstrong,sustained,andorganicgrowth.So far,thecompanyhasnottakenanyexternalfunding,and Daveplanstokeepitthatwaygoingforward.Davesays, “Instinctive'steamisgrowingalongsideourprojects,and wearemanagingourincomingsagainstouroutgoingsto ensurethatwestaystrongandstable.”
WhenaskedaboutDave'splansfortheexpansionofhis companyinthedaystocome,hesays,“Ifwearetalking moreesoterically,thegoalisforInstinctivetobe somewheremyteamcanhoneandrefinetheircraft.Weare buildingateamofhighlyskilledmarketers,ateamthat couldworkforanyoftheleadingtechnologycompanies.”
“Honestly,Ihopethatmanywillgoontoworkforthose companies!Atthesametime,though,Ialsowanttocreate anenvironmentwheretheywanttostayandworkwithme andtheirteammates,”notesDave.
Davehasimmenseexpertiseinthetechnologymarketing arena.His20yearsofexperienceintheindustryandhis innovativeapproacheshaveenabledhimtosuccessfully establishhiscompany.
WhenaskedDaveabouttheadvicehewouldliketogiveto thoseentrepreneurswhowishtomakeacareerinthe
We are starting to create a center of excellence – a hub for all our staff, as and when it works for them.
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"Marketingandmessagingisanever-evolvingthingfora company,soitisneverfinished".However,youneedtofeel comfortableexplainingwhoyouareasaproductand company.Daveassistedusinreachingthatcomfortlevel.
“StartupslikeGraplonlyhavesomanyresources.Dave reallyhelpedbridgethegapforGrapltogettheteam unifiedandonthesamepageastowhatGraplis.”
"Communicationbetweenourteamshasbeeneffortlessand seamless.Weseethemasanextensionofourownteam.
“Themostimpressivethingwashowquicklytheygotto gripswithourtechnologyandthepersonaswithinour customerbase.Accessibilitycanbeatrickydisciplineto master,butthispresentednoproblemsatall.”
marketingindustry,Davesaid,“Youneedtofindaniche. Findwhereyouhavetheexpertise,anduseittodevelopa trackrecord(andyourpersonalbrand)inthatniche.”
Addingtothis,henotes,“Ofcourse,whatyou'llfindisthat youwon'tjusthaveclientsinthatniche,whateveritmight be.But,thatnichewillhelptoserveupreferralsandrepeat businessbasedonyourcredibilityandreputation.”
“Essentially,findthatniche,runasfastasyoucaninthat groove,butdon'tbeafraidtojumpoutofthatgrooveifthe situationcallsforit,”concludedDave.
We are building a team of highly skilled marketers, a team that could work for any of the leading technology companies.
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Onlinepresencehasbecomethemostsignificant
O factorforbusinessgrowthintoday’stimes.Dayin anddayoutorganizationsareformingstrategies anddevelopingcontenttoenhancetheironlineplatforms andattractmaximumattentionfromthedesiredcustomers.
Managingwebsiteseffectivelywhilekeepingproductivity intactrequiresaproductiveContentManagementSystem thatplaysakeyrole.Withasystemtomanagecontent,it givesanedgeoverothersforthebettermentofthebusiness.
Whenacompanyhascontentforabusinesswebpage,it comescrucialtomanageitefficiently That’swherea ContentManagementSystemcomesintothespotlight.It givestheaccesstorectifycontentonawebsitewithout muchbackgroundinthetechnicalaspectsofdoingthat.
Let’s take a dive into content management and enlighten on how it works.
Doesasystemallowtomakeallchangesthatexistonthe website?Yes,that’sacontentmanagementsystem. A ContentManagementSystemissoftwarethatallowsusers tocreate,modifyand,collaborateonvariousdigital platforms.Changescouldbemadewithouttheneedtowrite
codefromthescratch.Thesesystemsusuallyhelpwith EnterprisesContentManagement(ECM)andWebContent Management(WCM)
TheContentManagementsystemconstitutestwoparts,like ContentManagementApplication(CMA)andContent DeliveryApplication(CDA).Eachoneofthemworksonits designatedfunctions.ManagementApplicationhasa graphicinterfacethatenablesuserstodesign,modifyand removecontentfromawebsitewithoutHTMLknowledge. Ontheotherhand,theDeliveryApplicationsuppliesthe back-endservicesthatsupportthemanagement,and deliveryofcontent.
Thetermwebsitemayseemlikeasmallterm,butit containsalotofaspectsthatleadtofullbusiness orientation.Itincludesgivinganinsightintoitsdigital presencealtogether.Wheneveraproblemarisesina businesssector,itneedsauniquesolutiontoone.Tohelp solveproblems,andinreturnprovidesmartsolutionsto mostofthem.
Whenawebsiteisbackedwiththebenefitsoftechnology.It bringsalotofeasetomakechangeswhenandwherethey arerequiredtobedone.Let’sgothroughsomeofthemajor rolestechnologyplaysincontentmanagement.
Workflowisanessentialpartofanycontentmanagement system.Ithelpseveryteammembertohaveaccesstoaset ofareasandlimitssomeparticularareasforupdatingcode bythespecialists.Itprovidesauthoritytocreatechange, updateandpublishcontentthatremainsonthedraftuntila checkhasbeendone.Themanagementmakessurethe contentgoesliveonlywhenchangesaredoneentirely.
ThebestpartabouttheCMSisthatitgivesanoverallview andstatusofthecontentinasinglewindow.Italsoshows thechangesmadeandwhatisyettobepublished.
Whenabusinesswebsitedoesnotprovideaguaranteeofa securedwebsite,ittherebyneedsasoundcontent managementsystem.Thatprovidesregularupgradation withspecificissues. CMSlikeMarketpathoffersa managedinfrastructurethattakesofallthesupportand securityalongwithitsavailability.Itmonitorsdowntime andtroubleshootshosting,andotherissuesrelatedtotheir business,onwhichtheuserscanfullyfocusontheir businesswithoutworryingaboutinfrastructure.
Whenwespeakaboutbusinessanditsmanagement,speed isacrucialfactortoit.Theexponentialgrowthofthe websiteintermsofupgradationalsodependsonit. Businessownersandcustomersexpectaquickpublishing platformthatiseasytousetopublishvaluablecontentand doesnotconsumetime.Anexcellentcontentmanagement systemgivesawindowtomakechangesandspeedupthe processofpublishing.
Instantupdatesmean,quickremovalofpublishedcontent thatisalreadyoutofdateandupdatingitwiththelatest one.Withthisaccessitispossibletounpublishcontent immediatelyaftertheseasonendorwhenitnolonger impliescurrentoffersofthewebsite.Theautomatedupdate getspublishedofferingagoodsiteexperiencetocustomers.
Withtechnologygivinguseasetoperformtasksand functions,nonelikessomethingdifficulttouse.Whenever there’sanewupdatetophonesoranyotherelectronic devicethere’salwayssomethingnewtoexplorethatmayor maynotliketoexpect.
Sohavinguser-friendlysoftwaremakeseverythingalot easierthantryingtofigureoutthingsandwastingtime guessinghowitworkswithtrialanderror.Auser-friendly allowsmakingchangeswithoutadeeptechnicalknowledge withmoreaccessibleusage.Thismakesiteasierforany memberofstafforawebdevelopertomakeanywebsitein contentcreationchangeswithoutthehassle.
Makingchangesthroughoutthewebsitewouldturn problematicwhendoneonanordinarystaticsite.Without thepresenceoftheCMS,onemightneedtotrawlthrough severalpagestomakesmallchangesbutitisboundto exposethewebsitetothevulnerabilityoftheentiresite.
Toavoidmishapstothewebsite,thesystemprovidesa websitewithone,centralizeddashboardwherethecompany canrewriteandmodifythechangesandalsoadd componentsthroughoutthewebsiteatonce.Doesn’tthat easecompany’sworktomakechangesontheentire website?Definitely.Changescanbedonewithoutbreaking thewebsitewhilemaintainingtheconsistencyofthesite.
Withthehelpoftheabove-mentionedtechnologyupdates, businesswebsitesarereapingtowebpresencewhiledriving moretraffictotheironlineportal.AContentManagement Systemgivesfullcontroloverthewebsiteandkeeps businessinthedrivingseatwithitsmanagement.This allowsasupremeimpactoncompanieswithhandlingvast content,videos,andotherdocumentsaswell.Itsimplifies themanagementofinformationbybuildingawebsitethat iseasilyoperatable.Itiseasiertouseacontentsystem wherethewebsitedoesn’thavetoatech-savvyandyet makethechangesaccordingtorequirements.
- Shreyasi Shelke
Sometimes,despitetakingeverymeasure,itisharder tobreakthelimitsandachievegrowthforbusinesses. Thisistheresultoftheunpredictablenatureofany oreverybusinessmarket.
Everyglobalmarketisacrowdedplacetoday Togain targetconsumers’attentionandconvertthemintoloyal customersinsuchamarketplaceofcutthroatcompetition, oneneedsanoutstandingmarketingstrategythatcan delivertheneededgrowthasandwhenasked.
Wheredosuchoutstandingmarketingstrategiescomefrom thatcandelivermaximumresultsinthequickestpossible way?
Thesimpleansweristhatitcomesfromthosemarketing leaderswhopossessnotonlytheexperiencebutalsothe passionfortakingonchallengestoguaranteesuccess.In ourquesttofindsuchageniusmarketingleader,wecrossed pathswithDamilareFakorede.HeisaMarketing& GrowthLeader,BrandEngineer,andYouthAdvocacy professionalbasedinLagos,Nigeria.
Damilareisapassionatemarketingleaderwithareputation fordeliveringmaximumgrowthtohisclient’sbusinesses. WithhissuperbrilliantteamatGrowthMaxAfrica,hehas managedprojectsintheIT,Retail,Fintech,Agric-Tech, EdTech,Logistics&SupplyChain,Healthcare,Non-profit, andRealEstatesectorsintwocontinents-AfricaandNorth America.
WehadtheopportunitytointerviewDamilare,inwhichhe shedslightonhissuccessfulandflourishingcareer,his passions,andmuchmore.
Let’s know Damilare through the following interview excerpts.
Damilare,kindlytellourreadersaboutyourselfand yourprofessionaljourneysofar.
MynameisDamilareFakorede.Mostpeopleknowme professionallyastheBrandEngineer
Drivingrevenuegrowthforbusinessesthrough performancemarketing,consultingforcorporationsand governmentsonbrandandstrategy;buildingnewand highlyeffectivecustomeracquisitionchannelsfor exponentialresultsaresomeofthethingsthatexcitemethe most.
I’vebeenactiveinthebrandmarketingand communicationsspaceforaboutsevenyearsnow,andit’s beenquiteanexcitingjourney
Whatwasyourinspirationtostepintothemarketing profession?
I’vealwayslovedbuildingandtinkeringwiththings.Asa child,Ilovedreading,andIgotreallycuriousaboutmaking thingsbetter
I really admire great brands, and I’ve always loved helping customers discover remarkable products built for them.
Damilare Fakorede Marke ng Leader | Brands & Growth Expert | Youth Advocacy
InterviewWithInsightssuccess
Damilare and the team received the Nelson Mandela Leadership Award of Excellence and Integrity, awarded by the ECOWAS Youth Council. This came for their contribu ons in working with governments to empower youths in ci es across Africa with tech skills.
So,whenIgrewolder,IrealizedIwantedtobein consultingorsomethinglikethat.Iwantedtobeableto solvepracticalbusinessproblemswithmyinsights.That’s reallyhowitallstarted.Ireallyadmiregreatbrands,and I’vealwayslovedhelpingcustomersdiscoverremarkable productsbuiltforthem.
Iwasquitefortunatetostartearlyenough,andIdecidedto focusonBrandandMarketingasadiscipline.It’sthebest decisionI’vemade.
Tellusaboutthevariousorganizationstowhichyou provideyourservices.Andhowdotheybenefitfrom yourservicesandexpertise?
Ourcompany,GrowthMaxAfrica,hasworkedwithovera 100brandslocallyandoutsideAfrica.Someofthenotable namesincludeCordrosCapital,CovenWorks,Inc.,Azapay, MeristemNigeriaandahostofotherbusinesses.
Someoftheservicesweprovideforourdiverseclients oftenincludemanagingfullmarketingcampaigns,product launchesandGotoMarketprojects,brandactivation campaigns,digitaltransformationcampaigns,amongst others.
Theresultswe’vehelpedourclientsachievearetruly astounding.Forsome,we’vegrownrevenuebymorethan 50%yearonyear.Forsome,we’vealsoachievedcustomer acquisitiongrowthofmorethan2000%. We’vealsomanagedsomehigh-impactbrandandtech empowermentprojectsforOyoStateandPlateauState Governments.
Damilare,inyouropinion,whatarethecurrent challengesthatstart-up’sarefacingintheAfrican region?Andhowdoyouthinkthestart-upmarketwill shapeupinthecomingyears?
Greatquestion.TherearemanychallengesAfricanstartup’s havetodealwith.I’lltrytofocusonjusttwoofthese.
First,there’sahugetalentprobleminAfricacurrently.I understandthatbothestablishedbusinessesandstartupsare confrontedbythis,buttheimpactisfeltmostlybystartups thatdesperatelyneedthetalenttogrow Thisisespecially trueinthecoretechnologyandproductmarketing spectrums.
Thesecondandperhapsmostcriticalchallengemost Africanstartupsfaceiswhatwedescribeasthe“ProductMarket-Fit”problem.Thisissuperimportantbecauseyou can’tsuccessfullyscaleaproduct,nomatterhowgreatitis, beyondacertainlevelifyoudon’tachievePMF.Oneofthe waysthiscanbesolvedisbybuildingabrandthat resonateswiththeaudienceyourproductisbuiltfor,such thatyou’reabletoattractthemtoyourproductas effortlesslyaspossible.Thinkaboutorganicgrowthatan exponentiallevel.
Andabouthowthestart-upmarketwillshapeupinthe comingyears?Weshouldanticipatemassivemarket expansion.Thereareseveralindustriesthatwillbe disruptedbyunprecedentedtechnology,fromhealthcareto financeandtransportation.We’reinexcitingtimes,and Africaisready.
Inyourview,howismoderntechnologyenabling Africanbusinessestoreachandprovideforthe worldwideindustryefficiently?Andinwhatwaysis technologyhelpingyourcurrentorganizations?
TechnologyisenablingbusinessesinAfricatoscalemore efficientlythaneverbefore.Fromprovidingaviablesource oftechtalentfortheglobaltecheconomy,toincreasingly democratizingaccesstofinanceandventurecapital, technologyishelpingAfricanstartupsinwayswe’venever imagined.
Mostofourclientsarefullytech-drivenbusinessesin diversesectors.We’reabletohelpsomeofourclients’ scaleandreachnewmarketsthroughe-commercesolutions. Forsomeothers,wecollaborativelybuildandlaunch productswithteamshalfwayacrosstheworld.Infact,our entirebusinessismostlypoweredanddrivenbyproprietary techtoolsandresources.
Sharewithusthemajorprofessionalchallengesyou havefacedinyourprofessionaljourney.Andwhat lessondidyoulearnfromthemtobecomeaninfluential leader?
Thisisveryinsightful.AmajorchallengeIhadtowork throughearlieronwasgettingAfricanbusinessestoseethe valueofbuildingabrand.Mostpeoplethinkthatallthereis tobrandingislogosandcolors.Butthere’ssomuchmore.
WhenIstartedoutmanyyearsago,therewereveryfew brandexpertsinNigeria.So,itwastoughtoreallyget businessestoseevalueintheservicesweprovided.But overtime,fromoureffortsateducatingtheentirebusiness communitythroughdiversemeans,thesituationimproved, andit’smuchbettertodayaswe’refullymaximizingthe benefitsoftheknowledgeeconomy AnimportantlessonI learnedfromthisisbeingabletounderstandthatmarkets matureovertime.Andthisistrueformostindustries.
Asanexperiencedleader,whatadvicewouldyouliketo givetoaspiringentrepreneursandenthusiastswhowish toventureintothecompetitiveindustrythatyouare serving?
Doyourhomework.Getsomesuccessunderyourbeltearly enough.Iterateandimprovefasterthantheindustry.That’s howyouwin!
The results we’ve helped our clients achieve are truly astounding. For some, we’ve grown revenue by more than 50% year on year. For some, we’ve also achieved customer acquisi on growth of more than 2000%.
Wheredoyouseeyourselfinthefuture?Also,howdo youenvisionscalingyourbusinessoperationsand outreachinthecomingyears?
WehopetobeabletobuildGrowthMaxAfricaintoa leadingfull-servicedigitalagencythatservesclientsacross theglobe.Ourmissionissimple:tohelpourclientswinin clutteredmarkets.Wehopetodothisforthebiggestbrands inAfricaandbeyondinthecomingyears.
I’malsopersonallyinterestedinthefutureofmarketing, especiallyleveragingfuturetech.Wehaveahandfulofnew productsintheworksthatwehopetolaunchsoontohelp brandswininsupercompetitivemarkets.So,let’skeepour fingerscrossed.
ntherecenttimesofthedigitalage,technologyhas
Ibeenaboomineveryindustry.Businessesgetmore audiencesbypavingadifferentpathtogetattention throughrelatableengagement,whichaidsinincreasingthe communalinteractivityofthebrand.Thus,toinitiatea brand,itisimportanttohaveawellthoughtsettingupof brandidentity.Havinguser-friendlycontentmakesthe brandmoreprominentamongtheotherbrandsinaunique way.
Withemergingtimes,thenecessityofbrandinghasbecome anextensivereachingpointforbrandidentity The evolutionofthebrandalongwithdigitalplatformshas takenahypeholdingforthebiggerpieceoftheslice.
Let’s slide through some of the hacks which contribute to evolving into a better version and showcase a solitary identity of the brand:
ABrandlogounwrapsobviousvisualcuesaboutits identity.Itallowspeopletomakeareceptivejudgment aboutthebrandanditsproducts.Itbroadcaststhebrand’s transparency,reliability,andevenmoreinexchangeforthe generalizedbeliefofitsservicesandofferings.
Acustomizedlogogivesthebrandarecognizablepresence amidstthecompetition.Creatingapersonalizedlogo
portraysaspecifiedidentificationthroughoutthedigital platform.Thus,makingauser-friendlylogoisamustwhile workingonenhancingbrandidentity.
Peopleconsiderabrandseriouslywhenthefounderstryto picturetheirbrandwithitsfoundersorfeatureapersonin thespotlight.Todothat,thebrandneedstogetprofessional headshots.
Beitthebrand’ssocialmediadisplaypicture,guestpost, authorbio,orbrandbio,doinvesttimeandmoneyintoit. Thequalityofthephotoisn’twhatpeopleconsider,butit revampshowthecompanyhaspositionedthebrandina picture.
Whenitcomestobranding,thefirstimpressionisthelast. Itdoesmakeadifferenceinhowtheconsumersperceiveit asabrand.Ifabrandwantstowintheheartsofits customers,itdoesamplyhowapproachableandfriendlyit appears.Apicturewithasmiledoesworkwondersthana frownorapokerfaceanytime.Professionallyshotphotos doholdanimpactwhenitcomestobrandidentity.
Manypersonalbrandsdomakeapresentableapproach withoutaspecifictagline,butitdoesnotworkwith
professionalbrands.Comingupwithacatchytaglinedoes haveamemorableimpactonitsconsumers.Brandsdo pioneerandmanagetosetthemselvesapartearlyonwithan upbeattagline.
Giventhecompetitioninthedigitalworld,thetaglineneeds tohaveapersonaltouchwithitsrelevantandhonest connectionwithitsaudiencebasedontheinterests, expertise,andvaluesitthrowslighton.Takeextraeffortto makeitself-explanatoryandsimpleforpeopletoremember thoroughly.
Alongwithheadshotsandtaglines,well-researchedcontent isanothercrucialaspectofabrand.Thelevelof professionalismabrandprovidestotherespectiveclients withitsvaluableinformationintheformofcontentis equallyimportant.
Offeringwell-researchedandorganizedcontentisan importantpartofthemarketingprocesswhileswaying decisionsinthebrand’sfavor.Itiscrucialbecauseastudy suggests81%ofdecision-makersconsiderresearch conductedbythevendortodiscusstheproject.Also,it needstobepresentedinbite-sizedinformationdelivered throughinfographicsandvideosratherthandetailedblogs.
Onewaytoconveythemessageofyourbrandcouldbe doneeffectivelythroughanemotionalconnectionwiththe audience.Connectcanbeestablishedthroughstorytelling involvingapersonalstoryofthebrand’sfoundation. Narratehowthebrandgotwhereitisandwhythebrand doesthingsacertainway.Throwlightonaturningpoint thatleadsthebrandtothewayitiscurrently
Thechallengesandstrugglesthebrandfacedbeforeitcame intoexistenceandtestimonialsofpeoplewhohavebeena partofthestruggleandpavedthebrand’swaythroughit. Engaginglyconveythatjourneywithadditionalsocialproof thattowinpeople’strust
Itisnearlyimpossibletogrowabrandorganicallywithout socialmedia,andeffortsweretakenwithatonofpatience. Toimposeabiggerimpact,investinginadvertisingwould doit.Socialmediaservethebesttodothesamewhile
targetinghighcampaignstogothroughandreachtheright typeofaudience.
Peoplewhoseetheadvertsareprobablytheoneswhoare mostlikelyinterestedintheservices.Promotingsomeposts onFacebookandrunningadshares.Onecanevenremarket peoplewhohavealreadyshowninterestinsimilarbrands andengagewithyourcontentorbydivertingpeopletovisit thebrand’swebsite.
Withtheaidoftechnologyandsocialmedia,peoplehave changedthewaytheyappreciateandexpandtheir networks.ThesocialmediaplatformslikeTwitterhave achievedmoreexposurethanotherplatforms.Thechat featureprovidesanincrediblechanneltonetworkwithits correspondingaudiencetocatertoinfluentialexpertsinthe industry.Itstrengthensthebrandanditsmissiontogain moreaudience.Takeinitiativetointroduceaspecific hashtagandletothersfollowandpromoteitsocially Participateinchatsthatarerelevanttoabrand’snicheand interests.
Thesearethecreativehacksthathelpgrowabrand’s identityandgrowexponentially.Thesehacksneedtimeand effort,whileothersrequireafinancialinvestment.Proper andcarefulplanningcanhelpyoutakeyourbrandtonew heightswiththehelpoftechnologyanditsadvancements, makingauser-friendlyimpact.
Bconsistentneedtofindthemostrelevant partnershipstogrowtheirbusiness.TheInternetis thebestandquickestwaytofulfillthesecollaboration requirements.Therefore,havingacarefullybuiltdigital presenceisamustforeverybusinesstobeopentothe worldofopportunities.
eitabrand,anagency,oranindividual,allhavea
search for projects, how companies send RFPs, and how people consume online content. The global surge in remote work and the digital transformation made B2B marketplaces like ours become more than just a trend – they became a necessity.”
Thebeststrategytogetquicklyfoundinthecrowdedonline marketplaceistogetthebusinessoragencylistedona digitalplatformthatiscredible,honoursquality,and consistentlyworkstowardsconnectingclientswithone anotherasandwhenneeded.Onedigitalplatformthathasit alltohelpclientscreatetheiruniqueidentitiesinorderto effectivelycollaboratewithoneanotherisDesignRush.
ItisaB2Bmarketplacethatconnectsbrandswithagencies. Theplatformhasfifteenthousandplusverifiedlistingsof full-serviceagencies,webdesigners,digitalmarketing firms,andtechcompanies.Alongwithlistings,DesignRush alsoprovidescontentthatiscurrentlytrendinginthe marketorrelevanttoyourconsumers’needsintextand videoformats.
WehadtheopportunitytointerviewDesignRush’sgrowthfocusedGeneralManager,GianlucaFerruggia,wherehe discussedwithusdetailedinsightsaboutthecompany’s services.Alongwiththis,healsosharedhisviewsonthe changingtrendsinthedigitalcontentmarket.
Let’s get to know more about DesignRush, its specialized offerings, and more about the content industry through the following story.
DesignRushisaB2BMarketplaceconnectingbusinesses withagencies.Speakingabouttheinspirationbehindthe foundationofthecompany,Mr.Ferruggiashares,“Since our inception in 2017, we have seen a shift in how agencies
“We decided to cater to this growing need by offering more services to provide what we call ‘a digital community’for agencies and businesses worldwide.”
DesignRushproducesdiversecontenttosupportvarious featuresandservicesonthewebsite,primarily:
Agency Directory:Businesseslookingfortherightagency partnercanbrowsethelistofserviceprovidersexpertly curatedbyDesignRush.Theycanfilterthembylocation andareaofexpertiseorsortthembyreviews,teamsize, budget,andhourlyrates.
QuickSights:Videoistakingoverthecontentspace,and DesignRushisawareofthistrend.That’swhyithascreated QuickSightsvideos—bite-sizedcontentthatfeatures exclusiveinterviewsorinformationavailableonits platform.
Online content gets more personalized and targeted by the day. It is, therefore, the most effec ve way to build a connec on with customers.
Mr. Gianluca Ferruggia, the General Manager of DesignRush, entered the digital marketing industry after studying Business Management with Marketing at a British university. His career started at a leading marketing agency in the UK before venturing on his own. After that, he had the opportunity to work on DesignRush and has been with the team since then.
According to Mr. Ferruggia, DesignRush’s success boils down to having like-minded experts who pull their weight in to push the company forward. He believes that “building content is not linear. It involves a lot of departments, and being able to work together, despite the challenges of remote work, is critical.”
Best Design Awards:Byrecognizingsomeofthebest designsworldwide,agenciesgarnerindustryexposure,and clientsreceiveinformationthatwillguidethemindeciding whichagenciestopartnerwithbasedonthequalityofits work.
Andfinally, Spotlight:Thecompanybringsthelatestand hottestnewsfromglobalagencies,Fortune500industry leaders,andthetrendingtopicsinbusiness,marketing,and technology.InSpotlightareexclusiveinterviews,brand features,andindustrynews,includinginformationalcontent spanningfromcompleteguidestoin-depthpieceson relevantB2Bcontent.
Theimportanceofengagingcontentacrossonlinemediais growingeveryday.Sharinghisopiniononwhy engagement-worthycontentisnecessaryformodern businesses,Mr.Ferruggiastates,“Asreportedby We Are Social and Hootsuite,globally,peoplespendanaverageof sevenhoursonline.So,ifyou’renotconstantlybuilding andproducingcontenttoengageyourcustomers,chances aretheywillforgetaboutyouormoveontomorevisible brands,tosaytheleast.”
Headds,“Online content gets more personalized and targeted by the day. It is, therefore, the most effective way to build a connection with customers.”
Tohelpclients’businessesstayrelevantandbuzzingon digitalplatforms,DesignRushbuildscontentbasedontwo factors.Theyare:“What our audiences are looking for and what we provide. These two help us identify what needs to be communicated to our audience,”highlightsMr. Ferruggia.
Discussingexamples,heshares,“Doweseeagrowing demandforwebdevelopers?Sure,here’sourlistofthetop agenciesin2022.DidGoogleupdateitsalgorithms?Here’s anarticleonwhatyoucanexpect.Inarushtofindtheright agencyforyourproject?Here’showwecanhelp.Andthe listgoeson.”
Technologyisbecomingacorepartofeverycompany At DesignRush,thelatesttechnologysolutionsare implementedtoenhanceitsoperationsandofferingsas well.Speakingoftheimportanceoftechnologyforthe
company,Mr.Ferruggiasays,“Asaremoteworkforce,our boutswithtechnologycan’tbeoverstated.Ourwholework processreliesonstabledevicesandinternetconnections. OurteamisnostrangertoZoommeetings,Teams notifications,andthelike.”
“Tofurtherimproveouronlinecollaborations,weuse projectmanagementtoolslikeClickUp.Havingsohelpsus stayontrackwithdifferentprojectsandpublishcontentas scheduled,”addsMr.Ferruggia.
Althoughonemayencounteraseaofcontentalloverthe interneteverymoment,someuniquechallengesexistinthe industry.Ifnotdealtwithexpertise,theycouldlimita company’sgrowth.Mr.Ferruggiaexplainsthechallengesin thecontentcreationspace,andsays,“For starters, making your content stand out in a sea of similar pieces published daily is challenging. We need to optimize for the right keywords based on the topic and search intent, among others. We’ve worked hard to get our domain rating to where it is now, so ranking on the top SERPs is possible for the keywords we’re aiming for.”
Thenextchallengewithintheindustry,accordingtohim, wouldbeensuringthatcontentisuniqueandprovidesmore valuethancompetitors.Heunderlinesthat“You don’t need to constantly reinvent the wheel regarding content, but there’s no winning formula. Proper research, content format, timing, etc., all go together to ensure your content works as intended.”
Speakingaboutthecurrenttrendsinthecontentindustry, Mr.Ferruggiastates,“As mentioned previously, video is taking over the content space. If Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts are any indication, people want their content in a jiffy while being engaging.”
It’swhyDesignRushstarteddoingQuickSightsvideos,and it’sproventobeahit.“We are only getting started and developing more content to leverage this medium,” emphasizesMr.Ferruggia.
Foragenciesthatwanttosharetheirinsightsandexpertise onspecifictopics,DesignRushoffersexclusivevideo contentcreationservicesbasedontheirneedsandmarket trends.
“Within one month, the article attracted around 200 users to our site. They were mainly from industries we hadn’t worked with before. And the main project we got was 25k USD. Winning the Best Design Award, alongside the rest of our marketing action plan, has supported reaching our KPIs. We got access to a new pool of clients we wouldn’t have reached otherwise. We find the exposure and generated traffic valuable for the SEO and the Agency.” - Kattalin Idarreta, Marketing Director at Lift Agency
“We enjoy working with DesignRush whose dedicated team has helped us to effectively promote our agency” - Robert Laplante, CEO and Founder of Workshop Built
“The quality of developers that were recommended by them [was] by far the best ones.” - Sakshi Sodhi, Senior Technical Assistance Advisor at EduFinance
Sharingtheyearsofexpertisetoguidetheaspiring entrepreneursoftheindustry,Mr.Ferruggiaadvises,“Know youraudience.Youcanproducethemostexpensivevideo orwritethemostin-deptharticle,butyoureffortswillbe futileiftheydon’tmeetyouraudience’sneedsand expectations.”
Therefore,hesays,“Knowing whom to target is critical in starting a media venture. Who are you talking to, and what are they looking for? Your content should cater to that, primarily.”
DesignRushisexperiencingrapidgrowth,notjustinthe piecesofcontentthecompanyproducesbutalsointhe servicesitprovides.Forthenextphaseofthecompany’s growth,Mr.Ferruggiasays,“We aim to build a digital community where businesses and agencies can thrive. We have a lot of projects in the pipeline, and we wouldn’t spoil them for you. But rest assured, you’ll see more of DesignRush online.”
Onlinepresencehasbecomeoneofthemost significantrequirementsforbusinessesworldwide.
Totargetpotentialcustomerswhomightbe interestedinitsbrands,acompanyneedstobuildstrong andcompellingonlinecontentonvarioussocialmedia platforms,websites,andblogs,ultimatelybuildingupthe brandidentity
Inaddition,themoreusableandinteractiveyourdigital contentis,themoreitimprovesyourbrand'ssearchengine resultpage(SERP)rankingsanditsvalue.However, buildingadigitalmarketingstrategyisnotaneasytask.It demandsyearsofexperienceanddetailedinsightsintohow digitalbusinessworks.
Forinitiatinga360-degreeonlinemarketingcampaign, businessesneedtohireagenciesthathaveexperienceand expertiseincontentcreationandsocialmediamanagement.
Tohelpbusinessesincreaseconversionsfromdigital marketingefforts,SocialMedia55wasestablished.
Thiscompanyprovidesdigitalmarketingserviceslike omnichannelcontentcreation,socialmediamarketing, websitedesignanddevelopment,SEO,AdWords,andmany more.Itenablesbusinessestoefficientlypresenttheirbrand infrontoftheirtargetaudience.
AtthehelmofSocialMedia55'saward-winningservicesis itsexperiencedandvisionaryCEO,JosephRothstein
Let's explore more insights about the company's journey that made it an impact-making digital marketing agency
Foundedin2014,SocialMedia55isanaward-winning full-servicedigitalmarketingagency Withadecadeof experienceinthespace,SocialMedia55isinspiredtohelp
businessesfocusonwhattheyaregreatatwhileleavingthe contentcreationanddistributiontoitsspecialistteam.
"Through helping businesses one at a time, we decided to brand and offer our service and strategy to the world,"says Joseph.Socialmediaplatformsplayedaninstrumentalrole inthecompany'sfoundation.Theyhelpeditdiscover businesseswithoutthebandwidthandknowledgetorun thesesocialchannelseffectivelysoitcouldofferthemits services.
SocialMedia55'steambelievesincreatingcompelling digitalmarketingstrategiesforclients'businesses.The contentprovidedbythecompanyenablesitsclientsto efficientlysharetheirbrand'smessagewiththeirconsumers.
"Our five core services have one common denominator, and that's content,"underlinesJoseph.TheseservicesareWeb Design&Development,SocialMediaManagement,Social MediaAdvertising,SEO(SearchEngineOptimization),and GoogleAdWords.
Having a true talent is essential to delivering quality websites that function and index in the right places.
Joseph Rothstein is the CEO of Social Media 55. He founded the company in 2014. The initial strategy to start providing service was to offer a 30-day free trial. This allowed the executive team to build a book of business right out of the gate.
The company's retention from free trials to converting them into paying clients was roughly an 80% success rate through its first year in operation. This allowed the company to work on over 100 different files. It provided Social Media 55's team with the means to create a wonderful portfolio where they had a track record and were no longer the new kids in town.
Joseph Rothstein was absolutely relentless when it came to building up Social Media 55's online presence, from social media following to news articles and everything in between. By the middle of 2017, Joseph and Social Media 55 dug so deep that they had finally hit gold. The company was being revered as a leader in the industry, which was triggering businesses from all over to reach out in hopes of working with it.
The pandemic did not slow the company's progress; in fact, it did quite the opposite. "We entered into an age where businesses needed to play catch up, and Social Media 55 was in the driver's seat leading the charge like a champion Formula One driver," notes Joseph.
Joseph Rothstein CEO
Managingcontentforsocialchannelscanoftenbea dauntinganddisorganizedtask.ButSocialMedia55has beenabletosavethedaywiththeassistanceofsocial mediamanagementsoftware,HeyOrca!
Itsupportstheagencyforthepurposesofpopulating contentinamonthlycalendarandprovidingaccesstoits clients.Thisallowsclientstoview,requestedits,orsimply makeeditsimmediately,allfromasimplelink.
Theagencybelievesincreatingbalancedcontentinsucha waythatitinstantlycatchesconsumers'attention.CEO Josephsays,"Developing strong visual content is vital to capturing the attention of viewers instantly."
Thenextmostimportantfactorfortheagencyismaking surethecopycomplementsthevisualsthatarebeing presented."We believe in having unity between both the copy and the creatives in order to capture and retain the reader's attention,"addsJoseph.
Creatingappealingandinformativecontenthasbecomeone ofthemostimportantfactorsforbusinessesintheir marketingandsalesefforts.Talkingabouttheimportanceof contentfortoday'sbusiness,Josephtellsus,"We are in a digital world, and we are only moving forward. Content is being consumed at an incredibly fast pace, so it's crucial to develop compelling content that people receive as an added value."
Hefurtherpointsout,"Original content is crucial because re-purposing or copy-pasting is simply not going to cut it. It's simply a quick way to get sent to the bottom of the list."
Commentingoneffectivecommunication,Josephhighlights that"Accurate and effective content will help deliver the messages that your company is trying to get across."He notes,"It is also going to be indexed in search engines and allow people to find you and access more information about your business and the services or products you offer."
Additionally,hesays,"Content creation and distribution allow you to open the global gates to your business and welcome in people from all walks of life, places you've never heard of, and people you could not have otherwise reached.”
"The software makes our lives easier, and the clients have received it well. This also allows for our agency to keep control in the hands of the company that hired us without them needing to do much heavy lifting,"Josephmarks.
Furthermore,heput,"Using applications like Slack allows our team to communicate and work with each other quickly and efficiently. That being said, the applications we choose to undertake at Social Media 55 provide a great amount of efficiency and convenience."
Contentcreationhasbecomehighlycompetitive,andthe waypeopleconsumecontentischangingrapidly What usedtobesimplearticlesandcopyisnowvideo,podcasts, andlivestreaming,whichisoccupyingmorepeople's attentionandforcingcontentcreatorstotakean omnichannelapproachtocontentcreation.
SocialMedia55believesinnotonlyhavingwrittencontent likeablogbutsupportingitwithsocialmediaposts,both writtenandvisual.Inadditiontothis,Josephsays,"We are strong believers in the endorsement. Having other venues promoting your work and bringing over their audience is another way to stay innovative and capture a larger audience.”
BenjaminOhayon,theVPofOperations,hasbeenleading thechargewiththeexpansionofthecompany'svideo productionandeditingdepartment.Benjaminhasbeenwith SocialMedia55andisoneoftheoriginalfounders.
WitheightyearsofexperienceatSocialMedia55, Benjaminhasbeenabletoforecastthecompany'sneeds andtheclient'sdesireforvideoproductionearlyon. Throughhisexpertcontribution,thecompanyhasbeenable
“
tohitthegroundrunningoverthepastfewyearswiththe developmentofcorporatevideos,productvideos,andmore.
SocialMedia55'steamseesincredibleopportunityinthe contentandstrengthofabusinesswebsite,whichiswhyit isstillquitedriveninthissector.BretJohnsonistheVPof WebDesign&Developmentatthecompany.Hehasbeen buildingsomeofthecountry'sleadingsitesforwellovera decade."Having a true talent is essential to delivering quality websites that function and index in the right places," underlinesthecoremanagementofSocialMedia55.
Manyprofessionalsaspiretobeinthecontentcreation space.Establishingasuccessfulstartupcomesdowntoan entrepreneur'spassionanddrive.Providinghisvaluable inputfortheaspirantsinthecontentindustry,Josephsays, "A successful business comes from discovering an effective path and going for it relentlessly."
Heputs,"You may not discover the most optimal ways at first, but if you put the pedal to the metal and you do research and discover ways to improve, you will eventually get there."
Another great way to gain experience is by going and working for an agency like ours, so you may strengthen your ability to see what works and what doesn't,"adds Joseph.
Hemarks,"The power of knowledge will save you time and money, so getting an education in it from hands-on experience in the industry is the best way to get started. Learn from others and find your path to success."
Foritsgrowthplans,theteamofSocialMedia55hasput morefocusasanagencyonservicingenterprise-sized businesses.Theexperiencethattheagencyhasenablesitto performatthelevelofFortune500companies.
Thishasalloweditsteamtoexpand,alongwithSocial Media55.Theyareabletoofferalargerarrayofdigital marketingandcreativeservices."As we expand, we will continue to open offices in as many major cities across North America,"concludesJoseph.
