Category Archives: Digital Skills

Digital Skills, L&D, News

Creative Equals joins forces with Google to up skill UK talent in high-demand employment areas

  • New, UK-wide programme supports the professional development of underrepresented, vulnerable or otherwise marginalised communities*
  • CreativeEquals and Google have awarded 15 fully-funded and mentor-supported scholarships 
  • The cohort will receive specialist support and mentoring from experts at Creative Equals and Google.

 

Creative Equals – a global equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) consultancy – has partnered with Google to launch a scholarship programme that will provide individuals in the UK with the opportunity to develop job-ready skills in high-growth, high-demand employment areas.

The Creative Equals x Google Career Certificate Scholarship Programme will equip people – particularly those from underrepresented, vulnerable, or otherwise marginalised communities* – with tools, knowledge and support to enhance their professional development and provide bridges into employment.

Creative Equals and Google have awarded fully-funded and mentor-supported scholarships to a cohort of 15 people who will undertake a training course of their choice in one of eight key areas: UX Design, Digital Marketing and E-commerce, Project Management, Data Analytics, Advanced Data Analytics, Business Intelligence, IT Support, and Cybersecurity.

Throughout the training programme, candidates will receive one-to-one accountability support and mentorship from Creative Equals. In addition, each individual will be provided with access to Google mentors in their chosen subject areas, as well as technical support from a specialist team.

The programme will run virtually over a six-month period and all courses are self-paced, giving everyone in the cohort flexibility around when and where they complete their training.

The courses do not require relevant experience or a degree and are recognised by industry experts and employers.

Additionally, Creative Equals and Google will be offering 500 certificate-only scholarships, opening the opportunity for more individuals to upskill, re-skill and pivot their careers into key employment areas.

 

Ali Hanan, founder and CEO, Creative Equals, said: “We must work together to break down the barriers to opportunity so everyone has the chance to develop their professional skills, grow their careers and thrive. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Google to give individuals the opportunity to upskill, re-skill, explore other industries and, if they choose to, pivot their careers. Digital skills are crucial to building the workforce of tomorrow and it’s essential we help to upskill UK talent.

“Marginalised* and vulnerable communities are grossly underrepresented in the tech industry – data shows that just 28% of tech workers are gender minorities, only a quarter of tech workers belong to ethnic minority groups and ethnic diversity almost halves in senior roles from 25% to 13%. All efforts to increase innovation and productivity hinge on how diverse and inclusive our workplaces are. We must ensure people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to contribute to the tech economy.”

Nishma Robb, Senior Director Brand and Reputation Marketing, Google UK, said: “At Google, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to succeed in the digital economy. That’s why we’re excited to be partnering with Creative Equals to launch this scholarship programme which aims to give people from underrepresented communities the opportunity to gain the in-demand skills needed to kickstart successful careers in high-growth industries.”

The digital skills gap across all sectors has been a perpetual problem for UK employers and  estimates suggest it costs the UK economy as much as £63 billion a year in potential GDP.

 

A report published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), found that half of UK businesses have a cybersecurity skills gap that they are struggling to fill. In all, the UK requires an additional 11,200 people with suitable cyber skills to meet the demands of the market.

 

To find out more information about the Creative Equals x Google Career Certificate Scholarship Programme or to apply for a certificate-only scholarship, please visit: www.creativeequals.org/google-certification-courses

 

Digital Skills, Marketing, PR and SEO

The Digital Age Revolution: Disclosing the Power of Digital Market Research

In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving business landscape, staying ahead of the competition requires not only adaptability but also the ability to harness the vast potential of digital market research. As the digital sphere continues to expand its influence, companies are realizing the pivotal role that digital market research plays in shaping their strategies and decision-making processes.

 

In this article, we delve into the world of digital market research, exploring its significance, the key players in the industry, and how it’s transforming the way businesses operate.

The Foundation of Digital Market Research

Digital market research, often referred to as online market research, is a process that involves the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data related to consumer preferences, market trends, and industry insights through online channels. It provides businesses with invaluable information to make informed decisions, develop effective marketing strategies, and enhance customer experiences.

The Key Players: Digital Market Research Companies

The Powerhouses

In the realm of digital market research, several companies stand out as industry leaders. These companies specialize in gathering data, utilizing advanced analytics, and providing actionable insights to clients across various sectors. Let’s take a look at some of the key marketers:

  1. Marketo Insights

Marketo Insights is renowned for its comprehensive digital market research solutions. They employ cutting-edge technologies to analyze consumer behavior, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions.

  1. TrendWatch Analytics

TrendWatch Analytics focuses on trend analysis and forecasting. Their expertise lies in helping businesses anticipate market shifts and adapt proactively.

  1. InsightHub Connect

InsightHub Connect offers a unique blend of qualitative and quantitative research. Their tailored approach caters to the specific needs of each client, delivering precise insights.

The Transformative Impact

Revolutionizing Business Strategies

The advent of digital market research has transformed how businesses formulate their strategies. By tapping into the power of real-time data, companies can make agile decisions and adjust their approaches to meet dynamic market demands.

Enhanced Customer Engagement

Understanding customer behavior and preferences through digital market research allows companies to tailor their products and services, resulting in higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Competitive Edge

Staying competitive in today’s market requires a deep understanding of the competition. Digital market research equips businesses with the knowledge needed to outperform rivals.

The Role of Creativity

Crafting a Creative Image

In the digital age, visuals matter more than ever. Incorporating creative images into your digital market research can make your findings more engaging and memorable.

Can digital market research benefit small businesses?

Absolutely! Digital market research is scalable and can be tailored to suit the needs and budgets of small businesses, providing them with valuable insights.

What role does AI play in digital market research?

AI is instrumental in automating data collection, analysis, and pattern recognition, making digital market research more efficient and accurate.

Conclusion

Digital market research is the cornerstone of success in the digital age. It empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions, adapt to market changes, and ultimately thrive in a competitive landscape. Embrace the power of digital market research, and your business will undoubtedly reap the rewards of staying ahead of the curve.

 

Data & Analytics, Digital Skills, IT Support

Protection of the personal data of students in the online environment

We all have the right to privacy, the right to keep our private life only to ourselves, and to share information about ourselves with people around us. It’s a basic right of any person that is usually guaranteed by the Constitution. But at the same time, many people voluntarily or sometimes, without knowing it, share their private information online. The situations can be different, starting with some online payments and finishing with interaction with other users. Students, as one of the most active users of the Internet, should care a lot about the protection of their personal data, and this article was created in order to explain how to do it and why it is important.

What do we understand under personal data?

Personal data is everything that can be used to identify the person, like first and last names, citizenship, place of residence, email, IP address, geo location, etc.  Information regarding your race, religion, sexual orientation, state of physical and mental health, and biometrical data are also considered to be personal data and are supposed to be protected. Some people think that it is not a big deal if someone knows about your religion and has your picture, but all this data is used to create detailed profiles of Internet users. The most simple and innocent way to use it is when Google is showing you targeted ads. And other ways to use this info can be multiple. 

How do we leave our personal information online? 

The strange thing about sharing our personal data is that in real life, we all are very conscious about telling someone too much. It’s very easy to notice when we talk about students; they try to keep their personal lives secret from their parents, but they eagerly share the same info online. To make it clearer how you can unwillingly leave too much info about yourself, here is the explanation: you can do it when buying something online, creating profiles on different social networks, downloading something from the Internet, or vice versa, uploading some pics of yourself (active digital footprint); when you use smart things, like for example smartwatch or some toy, via cookies, or data about your location you are living so-called passive digital footprints. Let’s imagine you need to order term papers online, so for sure, you will Google and look for some reliable companies that can do this job for you. In this particular case, you will leave both your active and passive digital footprints. After making your decision and choosing the writing service, for example, Writemyessayforme cheap, you will share some of your private information, at least when you create an account to pay for the service. In this case, it will not be used against you because the service is reliable, and in the future, Google will inform you about similar companies just in case you need to find another service; it is not always that safe.  

        What can students do to protect their data?

Parents who worry about their children can talk to them and share these simple rules that will help them not to share too much private info with the digital world.

– If you are creating an email to exchange emails with the teachers in your school or college, then, of course, it’s reasonable to use your first and last name. But if this email is needed to register an account on some social network, then it’s better to go with some nickname. Just remember that it’s important not to use the real name of any of your acquaintances or relatives; invent something randomly. 

– The password must be reliable. Yeah, it’s difficult to invent something new every time because you end up having like one hundred passwords, and you don’t know which exactly you should use in each case. That is why you can make two or three reliable passwords using capital letters, special symbols, and digits. And set a rule to check using a special program whether the passwords were compromised and change them, for example, once every half a year.  

– If there is a possibility, use an avatar and not your picture. Of course, it doesn’t make any sense if we are talking about Instagram or TikTok, where you post your videos or pics, but for other profiles, it’s better to use a picture of a kitty or a daisy instead of your own face.   

– and, of course, it’s necessary to talk to your child about privacy settings; for example, explain everything about the importance of two-step verification, especially for those applications where scammers can somehow get access to your financial data. Another thing you should never skip is reading carefully the Privacy Policy of any service you are planning to use. In most cases, we all just skip it and put the tick without even reading the beginning of the conditions. And believe us, you can find a lot of surprising, and not in a good way, conditions. 

 

Business, Cloud Platforms, Data & Analytics, Digital Skills

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Dynamics 365 Business Central

In the competitive world of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, there are a plethora of options to choose from. However, when it comes to striking the perfect balance between functionality, integration, and cost-effectiveness, few can compete with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. If you’re on the fence about which ERP system to implement, here are the top 10 reasons why Dynamics 365 Business Central stands out from the rest.

1. Comprehensive Integration

One of the main advantages of Dynamics 365 Business Central is its seamless integration with other Microsoft products, such as Office 365, Power BI, and Azure. This makes data flow effortlessly between systems and allows businesses to create a holistic, connected ecosystem.

2. User-Friendly Interface

Business Central boasts a modern, intuitive interface that even newcomers find easy to navigate. With its role-tailored dashboards and visuals, users can easily access the information they need, when they need it.

3. Dynamics 365 Business Central scalability

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to business. Dynamics 365 Business Central understands this and offers scalable solutions. Whether you’re a startup or an established enterprise, the system scales according to your needs, ensuring it’s a good fit no matter how big or small your operations.

4. Cloud Capability

Operating in the cloud has become the new norm for many businesses. D365 BC offers a robust cloud-based solution, which means you get instant updates, reduced hardware costs, and the flexibility to access your data from anywhere.

5. Robust Financial Management

The financial management capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central are top-notch. With real-time financial metrics and built-in analytics, it provides businesses with an edge when managing their financial operations.

6. Tailored Solutions

Not all industries have the same requirements. Business Central offers industry-specific solutions, catering to sectors like manufacturing, retail, finance, and more. This means the software aligns with your industry’s unique challenges and needs.

7. Secure and Compliant

Security is paramount in today’s digital world. Dynamics 365 Business Central provides a highly secure environment, adhering to the strictest of compliance standards. Regular updates ensure that your data is always protected against potential threats.

8. Streamlined Supply Chain Management

For businesses that rely on efficient supply chains, D365 BC offers a comprehensive supply chain management module. This helps in optimising inventory levels, improving lead times, and enhancing customer service.

9. Affordability

Compared to other ERP solutions in the market, Business Central offers a competitive pricing model. It provides a high return on investment, ensuring that businesses get the most bang for their buck.

10. Continuous Innovation

Microsoft’s commitment to innovation means D365 BC is always at the forefront of ERP technology. Regular updates, new feature roll-outs, and a robust support community ensure that your ERP system is always up-to-date and capable of meeting emerging business challenges.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Dynamics 365 Business Central ERP system stands out as a comprehensive, user-friendly, and scalable solution. With its integration capabilities, real-time insights, and robust features, it’s no wonder that businesses across the globe are opting for D365 BC. Executing a system is frequently more efficient when guided by a licensed Microsoft Partner.

A suitable collaborator grasps your business objectives, guarantees harmonious amalgamation with current operations, and provides essential instruction and assistance. With a licensed Microsoft Partner like Nav24, system implementation becomes efficient and aligned with business goals. Nav24 not only ensures seamless integration with existing operations but also anticipates potential challenges, ensuring optimal system performance. Their track record and expertise make them a top choice for those seeking a dedicated partner to maximise their Business Central’s success.

Digital Skills, International News

Berlinale International Film Festival brings Asian filmmaking talent to Berlin with Colt’s international fibre optic network and on-demand service

Filmmakers from Asia can deliver their films to the festival through a digital hub in Singapore, as Colt is Official Digital Cinema Partner for the 15th consecutive year

Colt Technology Services, the digital infrastructure company, announced that the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival – the Berlinale – is using its international fibre optic network and on-demand service for the first time for the delivery of film contributions from Asia, via a hub in Singapore. This enables film producers from the APAC region to transfer their work to Berlin faster and more securely. The service supports Berlinale’s strategy to make it as easy as possible to upload contributions from around the world, especially where stable bandwidth capacity is a challenge. The digital infrastructure integrates Colt’s existing High Bandwidth Service, a direct line between Berlinale servers and the DE-CIX central Internet hub in Frankfurt, which studios around the world use for uploads.

Filmmakers from the APAC region upload their work via the Internet to a server at the partner data centre in Singapore. From there, Colt establishes an end-to-end on-demand connection via Ethernet between the data centre and the Colt node in Berlin, where the Berlinale’s film servers are located. For this purpose, the Berlinale cinema technology team commissions a DC Cross Connect in the data centre in Singapore via Colt’s on-demand portal, which connects the server with the Colt end device. The Berlinale uses the “Bandwidth Boost” function to transfer the data. This allows the bandwidth capacity to be flexibly scaled between 10 Mbit/s and 1 Gbit/s according to demand. Data rates of up to 10 Gbit/s are possible with the “Boost” option.

“It is important to us to make delivery as easy as possible for film producers and to create a level playing field. Producers have more time to film, and we have more flexibility to respond to potential film file issues. As a global provider of digital infrastructure, Colt is the ideal partner because we want to make the service possible uniformly worldwide,” explains Ove Sander, Technical Director Digital Cinema at the Berlinale.

The new application of Colt’s On-Demand digital infrastructure demonstrates Colt’s strategy to use its expertise, global partner network and intelligent network services to enable its customers to expand their business model further. Among other advantages, they benefit from flexible, scalable on-demand connections, as well as Colt’s global network presence, which offers a consistently high quality of service, especially to companies with international operations.

Keri Gilder, Chief Executive Officer, Colt Technology Services, said, “We have a special partnership with the Berlinale, one of the world’s finest film festivals and a true digital pioneer. We’re very proud to have played a strong supporting role in bringing digital cinema to life at the festival over the past fifteen years. This year is a celebration of global talent as filmmakers from across Asia showcase their diversity and creativity to a wider audience using our On Demand network capabilities. It’s a perfect example of technology innovation connecting the world for good.”

As the Official Digital Cinema Partner of the Berlinale for 15 years, Colt has provided network services with high bandwidths of up to 10 Gbit/s and Internet access to enable the transmission and distribution of film data from Colt’s network node in Berlin to the 20 venues with 47 screens in the highest quality. By connecting to Colt’s on-demand portal, Berlinale can also increase or decrease the bandwidth of individual connections itself in near real-time. In addition to the technological advancement of digital cinema, Colt is also driving innovations in its own fibre network at the Berlinale, such as – most recently – quantum-based encryption.

Colt has a special connection to the Berlinale and the capital itself: Colt has laid around 1,900 kilometres of fibre in Berlin and Potsdam. A total of around 2,600 company buildings are connected. Colt also supports the gigabit strategy of the state of Berlin and will connect a further 350 commercial customers by 2025. Colt is also working with the Berlin Broadband Portal, a Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Operations initiative through which companies can register their bandwidth requirements. Berlin also plays an important role in Colt’s network expansion into Eastern Europe. The German capital is part of a network ring that includes Warsaw, Krakow, Brno, Prague and Dresden.

View the video focused on Colt’s support as Digital Cinema Partner to Berlinale here.

To learn more about the digitisation of the Berlinale film management process, see our interactive timeline at https://www.colt.net/de/berlinale-2022/ and our case study at https://www.colt.net/de/resources/berlinale-case-study/

Digital Skills, Marketing, Marketing & PR, News

Seren Global Media launches training division: Seren Digital

Swansea-based PR agency Seren Global Media has recently launched a new training division, Seren Digital, following the acquisition of significant contracts in the public sector.

Along with Seren Digital, the company unveiled its inaugural online course, focusing on the importance of businesses embracing a digital strategy and expanding digital marketing knowledge.

The course was born out of a surge in demand not only for businesses to embrace digital marketing, but for easily accessible online resources for both marketeers and company directors seeking to expand their knowledge and upskill from the comfort of their home or office.

The course – Digital Communications Made Simple – will be conducted via Zoom on Friday 23rd September from 1 pm – 3.30 pm, and is aimed at professionals, marketeers and company directors who wish to enhance their knowledge of digital marketing, public relations, and gain a better understanding of digital communications strategies.

Digital Communications Made Simple highlights how you can leverage digital communications to grow your business, with attendees gaining a new set of tools that will help them enhance their digital capabilities and the confidence to successfully deliver their organisations’ messaging successfully into the online world.

Topics that will be covered in the course include: researching competitors and discovering exactly who your service users are; devising an organisation’s tone of voice, brand identity and client relationships; exploring the role of blog content, social media, e-shots, and proactive digital communications management in a comprehensive digital strategy.

Grant Nicholas, Creative and PR Director at Seren Global Media, said:

“Access to quality online learning is an important step in helping people future-proof their skills and seek new opportunities for growth and development at a time where upskilling has seen an increased focus in society. We are hoping that our new online course will give marketeers and company directors the skills they need to implement a focused digital strategy that can become a lucrative revenue stream for their business.”

Digital Skills, Diversity in Tech, News, Social Media

Teen pioneers design the world’s next gen social media networks

Judgement-free, gender positive, no-filter platforms get thumbs up from young Digital Disruptors

A group of young Digital Disruptors tasked with creating a handful of new social media networks have plumped for judgement-free, gender positive, no filter platforms to build a more positive global theme for their futures.

The 15 young digital pioneers put their heads together in a mentored brainstorm session as part of this year’s annual Digital Disruptors’ programme, a three-day event hosted by digital marketers, the Tomorrow Group.

The youngsters, aged 14 to 16, all from south and south-east London, came up with fresh ideas for social media platforms which ranged from employment to fashion.

 

Tina Judic, co-founder and chairman of Tomorrow Group, organiser of Digital Disruptors, said: “This year’s young Digital Disruptors were utterly inspirational, inquisitive, innovative and incredibly hard-working. Their ideas for the next generation of social media networks show that they are determined for a more positive and friendly, less negative and fake view of the world than some platforms are renowned for today.

“It’s always a privilege to host this annual programme which helps young people, who may not know or believe what might be possible for them, to realise that there can be a very bright future ahead.”

 

Four ideas stood out for the panel of judges:

 

  • Itfitz – a fashion platform designed to help people overcome their fears of purchasing online and which focuses on providing a judgement-free, positive network for people to try on an augmented reality of clothes, shoes, hairstyles and nails.
  • Apply – professional network designed to minimise the gender gap and barriers created as a result of professional competitiveness and which places a higher priority on skills and attributes over experience and qualifications.
  • Interlink – a network to educate and develop young people’s skills, reduce procrastination and enable more school aged students to have their say and build confidence through lifestyle lessons.
  • BeWe – a no-filters, moderated network, helping young people to be who they are, in a safe but entertaining environment without the pressure of perfectionism, common in mainstream social media platforms.

 

Prizes from the House of Marley for standout contributions and performance were awarded by the judging panel, made up of  Tomorrow Group’s digital growth, marketing and data technology companies, Found, Disrupt, and Braidr, along with Digital Disruptor charity partners, The Hebe Foundation.

 

Dora Moldovan, co-founder and managing director of Braidr, one of the judges, said: “I was incredibly impressed by how much the young innovators have already learnt about advertising – from influencer to pay-per-click and social. They are social media natives, so I would have expected them to default to this, but they considered real-life scenarios and they crave human interaction.

“I’m also very proud of the Braidr team and our sister companies who took part through mentoring, delivering talks, judging and inspiring the next generation. The opportunity to give back to young people and share our enthusiasm for the digital sector was invaluable and thoroughly enjoyed by all. Credit is due to our chair and the Tomorrow Group for helping to nurture our youthful pioneers and we’re looking forward to doing it all again next year with the next generation.”

 

Amie Buhari, founder and CEO of The Hebe Foundation, said: “It’s been encouraging to have young people back, and face to face for Digital Disruptors, for the first time since the pandemic.

“In a society that often stunts creativity, this project enables our young people to imagine, to dream, and to create; putting their unique stamp on the things that matter to them. The quality of learning from the Tomorrow Group inspires our young people to be positive disruptors in the spaces they inhabit.”

 

The overall winner of Digital Disruptors 2022 is due to be announced in the next few weeks.

London-based Braidr, part of the Tomorrow Group, launched last year and has won some big name customers. The agency acts as an outsourced ‘chief data officer’ for customers, and is the all-important bridge between non-data expert IT and marketing teams.

 

Digital Skills

Where to find digital specialists online

When you are running a business, especially a start-up, there may be areas in which you lack crucial skills. This is where outside freelancers and specialised workers can help you to resolve these issues.

Finding the right person for a given role isn’t always easy, and you may have to look around to find the right one. Here are some tips on where to find digital specialists online.

 

What is a digital specialist?

Digital specialists are those that work in online data analysis, content designers, programme managers, lyric video freelance producers, and more. There are many different roles that can be classed as ‘digital specialist’ jobs, and they typically require a high level of training.

Such seasoned specialists will be able to come in and deal with those specialised areas of your company and online business that might not be working as they should.

 

Know what you need

Before you can start to look for your digital specialist, you first need to identify what it is that you need. Look at your online presence and see what areas need to be addressed and what skills you will need to complete the given project.

As an example, you may need someone to look at your website or before you create one, see what elements it needs to have in order to achieve the maximum impact possible. Those elements could include video, audio and written content.

Once you have identified what you need, you can then start to look for who would be the best person to complete this job for your company.

 

Where to find digital specialists online

 Internet search

 One of the first places to look is by searching on the Internet. This will give you a list of companies that all have digital specialists working for them. They could provide the right person for the work you need.

Even though this may seem like an easy task, it is still vital that you are asking the right questions to ensure they are going to provide what you need.

One of the benefits of using a company like this is that they will be able to cover all aspects of your request, as they will have technicians who are skilled in many of the digital specialist areas.

 

Recommendations

Recommendations from friends or colleagues or via a platform such as LinkedIn can be a good way to find the right person. You can trust their judgement more than a review on a website, plus they will be able to tell you how the work was completed and the results afterwards.

Once you have found someone or a company that has given you good results, you can then start to recommend them to others who are in your situation. This will help to give others the chance to build their online presence.

 

Conclusion

 Finding the right digital specialist for you can be a long process. Knowing what you want will be a big step in the right direction. However, you should always try to find a good recommendation if possible so that you can know more before you hire them.

Digital Skills, Europe, London, News, Tech Education, Technology

Top Digital Agency Extends ‘Firepower’ and Rebrands as SQLI  

  • UK’s Redbox Digital rebrands to SQLI Digital Experience 
  • Rebrand follows the firm’s acquisition by SQLI Group, one of the biggest digital forces in Europe with offices in 13 countries to extend its ‘firepower’

The UK digital solution provider behind the online transformation of classic British brands like Fortnum & Mason, Hamleys and Tesco Mobile has rebranded as SQLI Digital Experience.http://Https://wwwh.sqli.com/int-en 

Redbox Digital which saw demand for its services soar by 90 per cent in 2021, is the latest agency to rebrand under the SQLI Group umbrella, creating one of the largest digital forces in Europe with offices in 13 countries, collectively responsible for the online performance of key major global brands.  

London-based SQLI Digital Experience specialises in providing end-to-end digital consultancy, design and technology with ongoing expert support. It joined the France-based SQLI Group two years ago and has created commerce experiences for Seasalt, Church & Dwight, Nespresso, Daylesford, Sephora and OKA. It completed the rebranding process last month, which will see its original management team and core structure remain unchanged. 

SQLI UK CEO, Jonty Sutton, founded Redbox Digital in 2004. He said: “Redbox has built a reputation for exceptional design and technical know-how, which has seen us create extraordinary digital solutions for some of the world’s top brands such as Nespresso, Sephora, Tesco Mobile, Fortnum & Mason, Seasalt and Hamleys. 

“Now, as SQLI, we can offer more firepower and market penetration, combined with a broader suite of skills and services, to provide an even more-rounded customer experience for our clients. We consider the deal as complementary rather than conflicting, both geographically and from a skillset perspective. 

“This latest step isn’t simply a branding exercise. We believe that creating a unified omnichannel approach is the key to engagement and that vision begins by presenting the group agencies to the market as a single, united brand, as opposed to a collection of brands operating in the same markets.” 

Over 18 years, Redbox has grown to become one of the top global Adobe partners, with Platinum Solution Partner status in the UK and Middle East.  

The SQLI Group, was founded in 1990, and has a strong reputation across Europe – and an impressive client list to match. Customers include Airbus Group, Carlsberg, LVMH, Nestlé, Miele, L’Oréal and Adidas. It has already acquired and rebranded several large agencies in mainland Europe including Amsterdam-based Osudio and Star Republic in Gothenberg, Sweden.   

SQLI service centres in Morocco and Mauritius offer everything from 24/7 support and consulting, to design, rollout and optimisation – in Arabic, English and French. Two sites in Morocco, alone, employ 750 technologists, providing a large-scale support option, allowing teams of up to 200 to work for a customer at one time.  

Digital Skills, Marketing, PR and SEO

Ten Powerful Digital Marketing Techniques To Grow Your Small Business Or Startup

It is not that you always have to spend fortunes to enjoy the benefits of marketing to let your business grow. On the contrary, Digital Marketing is now a boon for all small businesses and startups who can utilize it in the best possible way to reach out to all who matter.

Here are some powerful techniques that every small business and startup should apply for better marketing.

1.  Google My Business

The most crucial step to grow your small business or startup is to create a Google My Business account for free. Given the high rate of search engine find of Google pages, this will help you to increase your presence by spreading your online visibility among the potential audience. The higher the visibility, the greater are the chances of growing your online business.

2.  Make the Most of Social Media Platforms

As a seller of products and services, this is the most result-oriented technique that you can not afford to miss. There are several popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, whose biggest USP is to enjoy undeterred high traffic flow. The best way to grow your business is to tap the traffic across platforms to spread awareness about your brand and products. Social media is an affordable option for all marketers. You can create your own pages, promote your websites, sell your products, talk about your offers and incentives, and keep a close eye on the competitors.

3.  Content is the King

Having the right content to promote your small business brand and products is another crucial aspect of marketing. Content marketing can become the mouthpiece for your brand and help you propagate your ideas when used correctly. Contents ranging from ebooks to infographics to videos should educate the target audiences about your presence and products to turn them into potential customers. The modern market has seen a significant rise in video content. Videos are especially effective in developing a direct connection with the audience. Several online video editor tools are being designed to help business newbies to create engaging and sensible content that can turn the market around.

4.  SEO

SEO is a highly effective and cost-friendly marketing technique. Ever wondered how to flourish among millions of businesses selling similar products and striving to be unique online? The answer is SEO. It will help viewers searching for a particular thing on the internet know about what you are selling if the search result is related to your business. SEO optimization of your page or website is highly advisable as it will help you grow by garnering more traffic than expected.

5.  On-Page Optimisation

Just having the right keywords to support SEO optimization is not enough. On-page optimization should go hand-in-hand with SEO search results to make your website surface higher. The title, meta description, keyword density, loading speed of the site’s social sharing icons all together helps to attain the required On-Page optimization to increase the number of visitors to your page.

6.  Email Marketing

Since these are the beginning phase of your business, you cannot miss the importance of email marketing. Sending your customers a weekly or monthly email newsletter to let them know what is new with you is an effective technique to grab their attention. Make the newsletters informative and interesting so they cannot be ignored easily. With a rightly prepared email list, you can tap the potential market by sending customers an email newsletter to influence their purchase decision. And this, you can do without any additional marketing cost.

7.  Automated Marketing

Scheduling bulk messages or automatic sending of emails to people who visit your website to do anything is a great technique that is highly beneficial for small businesses and start-ups. It is like you are always reaching out to those showing some kind of interest in your page or products without having to deal with it every time personally. By hiring a marketing agency that works for businesses like yours, you can attain the best outcome for your business via the automation of posts and emails.

Conclusion

What matters is that your small business or startup has to grow by spreading awareness amongst credible audiences and by upholding the good name that it earns for future expansion. Therefore, try more than one of these above-discussed techniques and select the ones that prove to be most beneficial for the growth and sustainment of your business. With little analytical observation over a given time, you should be able to identify the most bankable marketing techniques for your business.