Christopher August

One of the natural challenges present in modern day marketing has to do with the fact that you’re essentially trying to hit a moving target at all times. Just when you think you’ve found THE single platform to get the attention of your base audience, consumer behavior shifts and you’re back where you started. Google Adwords used to be that platform, but enthusiasm has cooled recently. Before the Internet there was print, television and radio ads and more — all of which have fallen victim to the fractured attention of today’s digital-savvy consumers. These days, Facebook ads have quickly emerged as the go-to platform for digital marketers looking to increase revenue, engagement, conversions and more for a number of compelling reasons. Facebook Advertising: By the Numbers Why is Facebook an important platform for modern day advertisers? It has a lot to do with statistics like these: There are roughly 1.39 BILLION active Facebook users per month. The total number of active mobile ...

Website design and development is something that we do here at Christopher August and actually we were awarded top website design in Indianapolis 2016. This project was unique in that we had the opportunity to partner with two IPD SWAT team members and design a new website for their recently created product, Triggersafe™. ABOUT TRIGGERSAFE™: Triggersafe™ is a unique, patent pending device designed to safely and completely cover the trigger of AR-15 rifles. Triggersafe™ is designed to help avoid negligent discharges during times when we do not have positive control of the rifle that can occur during training, range time, dry fire, transportation or storage. Triggersafe™ was designed and used by veteran police officers who have been involved in lethal police action shootings with long guns. NEW SITE: Take A Look, HERE Learn More About Our Web Development And Design HERE

When most people think of optimizing blogs, they think of search engines being able to easily find and index all that amazing content you have. However, you also need to optimize your user (reader) experience so that readers don't abandon your blog even if they like your content. WHY OPTIMIZING YOUR BLOG IS IMPORTANT Engagement and retention. People are more apt to visit, re-visit, and link to a blog that looks fantastic and reads easily. Optimization leads to more conversions. If people like your content and stick to your site, they are far more apt to buy from you. HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR BLOG FOR READERS Appearances count . Hire a designer to get a custom interface for your blog. You don't want it to look like any other blog that uses the same exact design. Starting with a template is fine, but it should reflect your branding and/or personality that will make it unique. A generic-looking site doesn't get many repeat visitors. Put quality images in your po...

Make no mistake: SEO (also called search engine optimization) is by far one of the most powerful weapons that businesses have in order to gain the type of visibility they need to remain competitive in a crowded marketplace. If your business ISN’T planning on embracing SEO in 2017 and beyond, you could be leaving a lot of money on the table in a wide range of different ways. Why is SEO So Important? Learn About Our Agency, HERE SEO is so essential to any business’ marketing efforts because of how it allows them to connect with both potential and existing customers in powerful and organic ways. Consider the fact that according to one study , 93% of ALL online experiences begin with a search engine. This means that if someone is looking for a product or service like the one you offer, their journey to your business probably begins with an engine like Google. Now, consider the fact that between 70 and 80% of all users ignore paid ads and instead give all their attention to orga...

2017's going to be here before you know it, and as you finalize your holiday plans and think about New Year's resolutions it's also time to think about your social strategy for the new year. Social media is very flash in the pan and what's working now might not work over the next 12 months. Here's some aspects of your overall marketing strategy that you can't ignore in 2017 when it comes to social media. Learn More About Our Agency, HERE 1. Your content strategy and how it ties in with your social media presence. Content is king, and if you haven't jumped on the content calendar bandwagon yet then you really have to. Regularly posting helpful content goes a long way, and tweeting quality content that your following is hankering for 3 times a day strikes the right balance between silence and spamming. Content can also be evergreen and the best value for your time and money. 2. Live streaming is the hot new thing. Social media trends come and go, an...

There’s a lot of misconceptions about using the paid features of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. People frequently say that spending money on Facebook ads isn’t worth it and that promoted tweets don’t produce any action. But if that were true, why would these options be offered in the first place? Buying Traffic =/= Buying Followers There is also a darker side to the paid aspects of social media, one of them being followers. If your Facebook page has been lacking in likes and your follower count on Twitter isn’t very impressive, you might’ve been tempted by services that sell you followers. Never, ever buy followers! This is a dirty tactic that won’t actually do anything to grow your brand. The person selling you followers will artificially increase your count with bots that won’t actually engage with you or buy what you’re selling. However, when you do a promoted tweet or take out ad space on Facebook it’s not on the same page as this shady practice. Paid social...

One of the hottest buzzwords floating around the internet marketing sphere is "influencer marketing". Influencers have large social media followings, frequent media appearances like TV spots and guest columns, and a great deal of respect in their industries and communities. What makes influencers special?... Influence marketers are respected experts because people listen to them opposed to being listened to for being an expert: many ace food bloggers don't have culinary degrees Latching onto an influencer's following is ideal because their words aren't interpreted as advertising. This has become the hot new thing. With their popularity comes challenges.  Their legion of followers also want their endorsement, so it's hard to get their attention. Here's some ways you can stand out to influencers in your niche: Start small.  Start with interacting in helpful ways on comment threads on the influencer's writing and videos. Make comments, like, ...

If there's one thing that's ever a constant in the fast-paced world of keeping up your online presence? It's change. When Google updates their organic search algorithms, it can seem veritably earth-shattering for small businesses and the search marketing professionals who serve them. The algorithm actually changes anywhere from 500-600 times a year. However, these changes are so subtle that users and SEO experts don't pick up on it. Major updates on the other hand can be a game-changer. With the arrival of Penguin 4.0, which you can read about on the Google Webmaster Central Blog , key changes include Penguin becoming more granular and working in real-time. Prior to unearthing Penguin 4.0, many site owners hit the panic button. You don't need to do this as it can just create unnecessary work. Now that we know what the story is with Penguin 4.0, you can focus on honing your SEO strategy instead of worrying about how these changes could adversely impact your website...

Is Your Social Strategy Minty Fresh? You read that right: only 3.5 billion people in the world own a toothbrush while 3.7 billion own smartphones. Whether that’s a testament to dedication to Rihanna’s Instagram in lieu of oral hygiene, or just plain forgetfulness, we don’t know. But we do know that with that many mobile devices out there to reach, you have to ask yourself if your social strategy is really taking advantage of that fact. Your social media use won’t affect your teeth but you can definitely bristle or sparkle depending on how you use it: here’s some other surprising facts you need to know. Please Buy A Toothbrush First!  Facebook and YouTube are the most widely-used apps in America. With 125.7 million and 98.9 million unique users per month respectively, Facebook and YouTube represent the glut of most peoples’ social activity. Video should be part of your social strategy if you can swing it, but Facebook is where most people go. Interestingly, 70% of questions ...

When even the legacy media catches up to current marketing trends, you know that the trend is solid. 60 Minutes’ recent interview featuring Kim Kardashian was actually a referendum on social media marketing and the individual content creators who are driving this new industry of social influencers. Lesser known but just as effective influencers King Bach and Amanda Cerny were also featured on the program. Remember These Guys?  Now Your Dumpster's BFF!  You don’t have to go watch the interview, but what you need to do is catch up to the future of advertising! Let’s take a look at what is replacing the old school TV/radio spot. SOCIAL MEDIA Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are now solid bets if you are looking to create a product buzz. They are no longer ancillary; they should actually be primary in your marketing structure if you are aiming at an audience with an average age less than 40. Keep your ear to the street for new social media, because it ...

If you are a business owner with a website, you have undoubtedly heard of SEO or Search Engine Optimization. You know that it is something that your website needs so that customers can find you online, and that it has something to do with keywords, but beyond that you may be scratching your head and asking, What in the world is SEO? And do I really need it? Let's look at some quick FAQs about SEO that will help shed a little light on this mystery. What is SEO? When someone enters a phrase into a search and hits enter, the search engine, probably Google, gets to work. Search Engines use certain algorithms to determine the order in which to place the sites that relate to that phrase. It isn't random. Very broadly, it is based on relevance, quality of content, how recently it was updated. But Google isn't really reading your website. Instead they are looking for certain things that tell them how relevant, how high quality and how current your content is. What is Go...

Once in a job interview, I remember saying to myself something along the lines of; “If I’m not creating, I’m dying.” So true. And much more eloquent than Andy from 40 Year Old Virgin saying, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” Shy With His Son, Hayden That’s how creativity works to me, the more you’re allowed to explore your creativity, the stronger and better that creativity becomes. On the other hand, if you are in a cookie-cutter environment that doesn’t truly allow you to push the individual boundaries of your imagination, you may soon learn that you are but a shell of the innovator you were born to be. I personally, feel a resurgence in my artistic vision since joining the team at Christopher August LLC. I’ve worked in media my entire adult life. From the age of 17 I was on the radio, on television or in print in some way shape or form. It was perfect for me, a right-brained guy, who never wanted work to feel like work. I just wanted to do with my career, what I’d love ...

The world changes at a faster pace than ever before, and your business especially need to take note. The ever-expanding world of digital marketing means that people are more likely to find out about you online first, even if you’ve got a brick-and-mortar location in a high-traffic area. If you’re still in analog, here’s some things you need to take note of. More SMB Tips, HERE 1. You are more likely going to take care of customer service on social media. If a customer has a particularly bad experience, they’re unfortunately more likely to take it online than they are to deal with it privately in email, over the phone, or in person. Complaining on the internet has pretty much taken the place of baseball as an all-American pastime. However, you can use this to your advantage by providing stellar customer service and going out of your way to make things right for the customer and people WILL see this. 2. Infographics are hot. Blogging can be an effective way to...

You’ve heard of Gen X, the Baby Boomers, and the Millennial generation, but if you are not marketing to Generation Z, then you are missing easy business. Let’s take a look at who Generation Z is and the kind of business you can expect to do with them. Learn About My Agency, HERE Who is Generation Z? Generation Z is not the Millennial generation — that is Gen Y. Gen Z is defined as those born after 1995, and in many ways, they are the exact opposite of the Millennial generation. Gen Z grew up in chaos, they are more mature than any generation in history at their age, they are looking to work early, they have babies early, and they have incredibly thick skin. How Does Generation Z Buy? “Vertical commerce brands,” or companies that begin online rather than in a physical storefront, is the term that you need to learn. You do not have to necessarily be a vertical commerce brand to sell to Gen Z; you just need to act like one. These are the young people who have no pro...

If you're a Quentin Tarantino fan, you undoubtedly believe that Jules Winnfield is one of the coolest characters ever brought to life. The man took no prisoners! Pulp Fiction was one of the defining forces of the 90s to boot. Consumer behavior happens to be one of the defining forces for not just getting your business noticed, but getting customers in the door and happily buying from you. In the digital age, knowing how consumers behave is critical for getting sales as their behaviors constantly evolve alongside technology. Learn More About My Agency, HERE Here's some ways that tapping into these behaviors is even cooler than Mr. Winnfield asking what Marsellus Wallace looks like. 1) 78% of shoppers don't look at a product in the store before buying it online. This may come as a surprising statistic in an age where online shopping is king, and both large and small businesses are subject to these sieges of customers only checking out the product in the stor...

I was driving to the grocery store this morning to pick up a side dish for one of my best friends 35th birthday party this evening.  It's a long drive from downtown to Broadripple, which is where I was headed, and it got me thinking… Perhaps it was because I kept seeing an  Indiana State University  commercial the night before, or it could have been because I was reminiscing about all the good times my friend and I had growing up, and when we decided to room together our freshman year at ISU. It's hard to say what train of thought led to my trip down memory lane, but it was that moment that started me thinking about how proud I am to be an alumnus of Indiana State University. And I think what I have to say will resonate with a lot of ISU alumni. I guess we’ll see!  When I was attending Indiana State, it was known as the red-headed stepchild of public state schools in Indiana. They had the "not so good" reputation of being where all the kids who wer...

When it comes to building the perfect website to represent a brand across all corners of the Internet, small and medium-sized businesses owners essentially have two core options available to them: Squarespace and WordPress. Both allow almost an unparalleled level of control over website design and creation, but each one brings something unique to the table that is worth exploring. Cost Perhaps the major factor that separates Squarespace from WordPress is also the most important to small businesses in particular — cost. While it’s true that you can get WordPress up and running for free, this doesn’t mean that your site will come at no cost. If you’re not self hosting, you’ll need to pay a hosting company. If you want a custom domain, you’ll need to pay for that. Themes, storage, bandwidth — everything will be purchased piecemeal. Squarespace is definitely more convenient in this regard, as everything is included in one of two website and two commerce packages that you can choose...

The KPIs that you choose will determine how effective your digital agency will be compared to its competition. Here are some of the best behaviors that can give you real insight into how your agency is performing. Total Website Visits The most simple metric is also one of the most important - over time, simple views will give you better trends when it comes to search engine optimization. You will also be able to find problems in your SEO before they cause you to lose out on weeks of visibility. Deep Page Views When your potential customers visit your website, you will achieve more of a connection if those people visit more than one page - your deep web pages with more information about your products. By tracking these pages individually, you can determine the most popular pages on your site. That information may cause you to change your landing pages or reorganize your sales funnel into a more successful order. Time on Website Time spent on the website does not lead d...

You're overwhelmed at the prospect of tackling SEO and digital marketing so you're looking at various marketing agencies. You pop "small business marketing" into your search engine of choice and pore over the results, and pick the most impressive-looking agency you can find that looks like it's well-staffed. Little do you know that you basically just hired Kim Kardashian. GIF CREDIT-GIPHY AND GQ PIC CREDIT: GQ & GIPHY Well, maybe not Kim Kardashian per se..... But chances are that you just hired a salesperson who presented just as much shiny veneer and even hype, but wound up just being all gloss and no substance. Your small business isn't likely to benefit from the general marketing services that they're trying to sell you: those large agencies mostly sell things like directory listings and bare basic social media management. You're fulfillment team is likely out of state and being managed by recent college grads with zero experience...

If you don't believe social media has an effect on your business, think again! It doesn't matter whether you're a B2B or a B2C establishment: social media platforms are how people find out about your business and get an impression. Your social media presence everything to do with whether or not your business will grow aggressively or keep treading water. The days of finding out about a business by coming across a page in the phone book or being greeted by a newspaper spread are gone. Social media can and will change the face of your business, and it's up to you to put the power of social media engagement into your hands. The days of customers passively looking at your ads in the newspaper are over. Current Trends and Growth Rates for Social Media There are currently approximately three billion internet users around the world. That's about 45% of the world's population. Of that three billion, 2.1 billion of them have social media accounts with Facebook at the...

You’ve surely seen the word “GIF” or heard of an animated GIF before but what is a GIF and what does it do? GIF is an acronym that stands for Graphics Interchange Format. GIFs are essentially moving images and these moving images have revolutionized today’s most popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. If you’ve ever wondered how to engage more users on social media, GIFs may be part of your solution..... *GIF Credit- Giphy WHAT’S MAKES GIFS SPECIAL? As moving images, GIFs  serve as interactive engagement tools extended from you to your audience. Instead of long, drawn-out responses, many modern texters, tweeters and Facebook posters prefer to just respond in emoji or meme form. GIFs are an upgrade from this as they move in a manner similar to video files but with much smaller file sizes. Thousands of new GIFs are created every single day from buzzworthy moments in pop culture and you can even use websites or software to create your own. WHAT IS THE ...

There's a lot of buzz about content marketing: after all, over 4.6 billion pieces of content are created per day! Content marketing actually isn't as young as other forms of digital marketing and has interesting history. It goes as far back as the Jell-O recipes as a means to sell the product. Content is how brands develop a voice by telling stories, whether these stories are entertaining, inspiring, timely, helpful, or some combination of the above. Blogs, site copy, e-books, stories, tutorials, guides, recipes, and so much more can be part of your content strategy. Why Do I Need Content Marketing? PROVIDES QUALITY LEADS Content strategy is integral in the digital age to both engage your current customer base as well as gain more leads.  B2B companies that have regularly-updated blogs generate 67% more leads than companies that don't, and 70% of consumers prefer getting to know a company via its blog posts, articles, social media posts, and other content that com...

Social media is extremely important to your business. It's demonstrative of your brand voice and how you face the public, and effectively using social media is how you can find followers who could convert into paying customers. Depending on your product and point of view, it can even be fun! But if there's one thing that anyone can agree on when it comes to social media, it's that it can become extremely time-consuming. When you've got a time-consuming obligation like social media management, it's important to outsource it to a skilled social media manager. Here's why you should do just that..... ARE YOU POSITIONING YOUR BRAND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS? Social Media Experts Know Exactly How To Find Your Target Demographics Targeting your demographics is tricky given the billions of people who use social media platforms. Social media professionals know what they're doing when it comes to drawing extremely targeted traffic to your website through social...

Web Design/Development That Positions Your Business For Long-Term Success When it comes to web design, one size rarely fits all. In order to create a website that is as beautifully designed as it is functional and optimized for all viewers, on all devices,  you will need a website that is designed to attract, creates stickiness, converts, and keeps users coming back! SO WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? To start, it is responsive, meaning that your website is designed in such a way as to offer a great user experience no matter what device it is viewed on. If you've ever viewed a website on your smartphone that was clearly not designed to be viewed on smaller devices, you've witnessed first hand the importance of responsive web design. With more and more people relying on their smartphones and tablets as their primary web-surfing device, it's now more crucial than ever to have a website optimized all variety of devices.  THERE IS A SECOND PART OF EFFECTIVE DESIGN... One ...