7 Creative Company Profile Examples to Inspire You [Templates]

We all know about the infamous rivalry between Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks. At the end of the day, they both sell coffee -- but they've each cultivated strong, unique brands, and have attracted very different audiences as a result.

You can often overhear heated arguments regarding the topic, with people vehemently claiming one coffee chain to be better than the other.

But let's say you didn't know about the rivalry, and you'd never heard of either Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts before.

Instead, you stumble across these two very different company profile statements:

Image courtesy of Dunkin' Donuts

Image courtesy of Starbucks

From their opening paragraphs alone, I'm willing to bet you're persuaded to check out one brand in more detail over the other. It isn't just the language itself that gives you a sense of their business -- it's the design, the font, and the color.

Ultimately, your company profile matters. It can intrigue a new visitor to check out your products or services in more detail, and nudge potential customers into choosing your business over competitors.

What's a company profile?

A company profile is an introduction to your business, and aims to tell an audience about your products or services. However, a company profile shouldn't just tell your audience what you sell -- it should also tell viewers why you sell it. A company profile often includes a compelling story about how the company began, as well as the company's vision and values.

Here, we'll explore seven of the most creative company profile examples, to ensure you're able to create a company profile in 2019 that will attract and engage the right audience. Once you're done perusing these impressive examples, take a look at our template to get started designing your own.

 

Company Profile Examples

1. Starbucks company profile

Starbucks' company profile has it all -- the company's mission, background story, products, store atmosphere, and even folklore regarding the name. Best of all, they somehow manage to pull off sounding both genuine and grandiose. I don't know many other coffee stores that could claim, "our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit". Starbucks' company profile is a fantastic example of a store with a common household product -- coffee -- managing to stand out from the competition through their mission and values.

2. Nordstrom company profile

If your company has an interesting and lengthy history, you might consider creating a visual timeline, like Nordstrom did on their company profile. The profile reads like a creative story from the very first line -- "In 1887, John W. Nordstrom, at 16 years old, left Sweden for the United States. He arrived in New York with $5 in his pocket, unable to speak a word of English." With a good balance of image and text, the timeline serves as a reminder of Nordstrom's stability and growth.

3. Diehl Group Architects company profile

For both cleanliness and ease-of-use, take a look at Diehl Group Architects' company profile. The web page uses clickable boxes to separate topics, allowing users to choose which subject they'd like to learn more about. Additionally, the entire design -- including the page's background, which displays a floor-plan -- mirrors the company's purpose.

4. Bloomberg company profile

If both video and text are available on the same page, 72% of people would rather use video to learn about a product or service. You might consider using a compelling video to convey your company's story, like Bloomberg does in their company profile.

Additionally, Bloomberg's profile proves the company knows its audience -- they offer a few quick statistics, and then link to other areas of the site, such as Careers and Tech. While another business might do well offering a creative, long-form story, Bloomberg's typical demographic is likely more analytical.

5. Nike company profile

You can get a sense for Nike's two primary purposes almost instantly -- fitness, and people. When you first open their company profile you're greeted with videos of people of different ages, gender, and nationalities playing sports.

Additionally, their initial introduction is this: "Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world". Below, beside the asteric, it says, "If you have a body, you are an athlete". As you scroll, you'll see information on their internal diversity and inclusion initiative, their global community impact, and their sustainable business program, with very little mention of their products.

Nike's company profile portrays a larger, grander vision, compelling an audience to believe in their brand even before they purchase a product.

6. Seattle Cider company profile

Seattle Cider Company's profile is fun, and engages the user through compelling graphics that demonstrate the company's cider process. The page flows seamlessly, and provides critical information regarding the product before displaying the company's mission and values. This profile is a good example of a company that understands its users' concerns (in this case, quality ingredients), and addresses those issues while still displaying personality and flair.

7. Delta company profile

Delta's page is well-organized by topic, and showcases the company's values, including efforts to engage with the community and promote sustainability. They've included brief meta-descriptions below each category. The design allows for users to click-through if they want to learn more. Overall, Delta's company profile is simple and uncluttered, but includes all the necessary information to demonstrate why Delta is unique.

Company Description

While a company profile highlights many different aspects of your business, a company description is the piece of the profile that quickly and concisely describes what your business is or does. In place of a company description, businesses might also include a mission statement or summary of what the company does and what motivates it.

Here are two examples:

HubSpot

On HubSpot's company profile page, you can find a quick description of the company's mission and what it does. In just a few words, HubSpot explains that the company's goal is to help businesses grow through its specialized inbound software.

Tesla

In this description, Tesla explains when it was founded, the company mission, and what types of products it specializes in. It also gives added information about the history of the company and how it has continued to grow with the same values. 

How to write a company profile

1. Focus on a high-level overview of your company.
2. At the beginning of your company profile, include important information such as your company name, your business's physical location, a website URL, contact information, and an established date.
3. Consider adding a timeline or synopsis of your company's history, including information regarding expansion or growth.
4. Aim to express your company's values or mission in your company profile, rather than just your products or services. A user won't care about what you're selling until they believe in your brand.
5. Include any awards or recognition you've received, and highlight what makes your company different from your competitors.
6. Depending on your audience, you might choose to include graphics, visuals, or video.
7. Add statistics to back up your claims.

Company Profile Templates

• Company name
• Established date
• Physical address per location
• Contact information

About Us / Our Story / Our Beginning

Here, you'll want to include a brief introduction to your company, including where, when, and by whom the company was founded, the company's mission statement, and/or the company's vision and purpose. In this section, you don't necessarily want to include products or services -- instead, focus on your bigger meaning, and how you stand out from competitors. Tell your story in a compelling way -- for instance, HubSpot starts their About Us section with, "More than ten years ago, we had a vision -- an inbound world". HubSpot doesn't mention their products until further down the page.

If you want to add your company history in a more compact way, consider adding a company timeline, like this one:

Our Mission / Values

Here, you'll want to say what your company stands for on a larger scale. What is your ultimate goal, and what do you hope your products or services will give people? Take a look at 17 Truly Inspiring Company Vision and Mission Statement Examples for ideas. Here's an example:

Our Team

Provide a picture or brief paragraph describing your team -- you might focus on leadership, or provide an explanation of your company's culture. Ultimately, this section should help users understand how your employees can uniquely serve them.

Our Product / Services

Describe a high-level overview of what your product is, and how you hope it will positively impact the user's life. You can link to a Product page if necessary, so keep this section relatively general.

Start Your Company Profile Today

Ready to get your company profile started but still need some added guidance? Check out this free, downloadable collection of company profile templates.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in January 2019, but was updated for comprehensiveness in February 2020.

7 Creative Company Profile Examples to Inspire You [Templates] was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

The Best 16 Landing Page Builders for Any Business

Lead generation is essential for driving sales and growing an online business.

There are plenty of different methods for generating leads, but one of the most effective options is a well-designed landing page.

Building a fully-optimized landing page has never been easier -- in fact, it's now possible to create a lead generation gold mine using drag-and-drop tools without seeing a single line of code.

Whether you're managing one or multiple pages, there are now so many options available that it can be tricky to find the best one of your needs.

More than likely, the hardest part of designing a landing page is choosing the right tool to get started -- plus, you don’t want to waste months designing a landing page before realizing the software simply isn’t up-to-speed with what you need.

To ensure you’re able to choose the best landing page builder for your team's goals, we've cultivated a list of the 14 best -- but first, let's explore some key features to look for in a landing page builder.

Key Features of a Landing Page Builder

Although there are many landing page builder options with unique strengths and weaknesses, there are certain features you'll want to see in any landing page builder.

Here are four:

1. Easy-to-use visual builder.

These days, users demand ease-of-use, and landing page builders tend to feature a drag-and-drop interface which makes it easy for anyone to build a landing page quickly -- without coding. You'll want to ensure your landing page builder offers a simple and intuitive interface. If it doesn't, you should check out alternatives.

2. Integration with CRM software.

The point of a landing page is to generate leads or make sales, so it's vital that your landing page builder integrates with software that can store those leads and allow you to analyze data on potential prospects.

Ideally, a landing page builder will link to a powerful CRM that can pull together a customer's data and integrate with marketing, sales, and customer management software.

3. A/B testing and optimization.

Testing and optimizing your landing page is an integral part of the process.

It's unlikely you’re going to nail it on the first try, so you want software that enables testing customer behavior and optimizing the content and layout to maximize conversions.

This can either be a part of the product itself, or provided by a third-party, as long as your landing page builder offers the option to integrate with third-party A/B testing tools.

4. Analytics tools. 

Most services offer built-in, specialized landing page analytics tools which enable you to dig into your user data.

Whether providing detailed reports, heat maps, or plain old page-views, analytics tools are essential in assessing how your landing page is doing.

Now that we've explored four key components of any landing page builder, let's take a look at 14 of our favorite options.

1. HubSpot Landing Pages

HubSpot offers one of the most feature-rich, intuitive landing page builders on the market -- which becomes even more useful when combined with HubSpot's free CRM. As with most things HubSpot, the landing page builder is slick, easy-to-use, and powerful.

The software is suitable for single users, small teams, large teams, and even agencies managing multiple pages. You can simply add more paid features as you need them.

For beginners, the software walks you through the process of building a fully-customized landing page, starting with one of the hundreds of tried-and-tested templates.

For more advanced users, there are a host of tools and technologies to play with. One of the most advanced features is the capability for personalization to individuals, utilizing your existing HubSpot contacts and data. The builder also features HubSpot's advanced analytics tools and testing software so you can optimize your page to capture as many leads as possible.

Pages are fully responsive on all devices, as you would expect, and it's possible to create professional looking pages in minutes.

2. Landingi

Landingi bills itself as the "landing page builder for non-programmers" -- it's all about ease-of-use, and offers more than 200 templates. The interface is drag-and-drop, which enables you to build a page in minutes. It also offers A/B split testing and optimization features.

This is a cheaper option and one that's good for beginners, but if you are looking for more advanced features or scalability, the premium tiers quickly bring you up to the price of more powerful tools without offering the same functionality.

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3. OptimizePress

OptimizePress is a WordPress-based landing page builder with hundreds of templates for lead generation pages, sales pages, and more. It has a library of graphic elements and useful plugins for easy customization, and also integrates with email marketing services like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign.

It operates on a one-off fee structure, which includes one year of support and updates. This means you only pay for the features you need as you grow.

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4. GetResponse

GetResponse is a good option if you want to quickly build optimized and responsive landing pages. It has a user-friendly interface and allows you to publish your page to your own domain.

Along with landing pages, you can also create webinars and email marketing campaigns. Additionally, GetResponse has built-in analytics features and the ability to add a PayPal button for easy mobile payments.

Although it offers an intuitive landing page builder and an all-in-one marketing suite, landing pages are not what GetResponse specializes in -- but it's still a good option for marketers at this price point.

The most basic option offers email marketing and landing pages for up to 1,000 responses. If you grow beyond this point, you will have to go for the more expensive Pro tier, which offers the full landing page building capabilities.

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5. Mailchimp

Mailchimp's landing page builder, unsurprisingly, is geared towards email marketing. It's all about building pages that visually match your Mailchimp email campaigns, and enable you to easily add contacts to your existing lists.

The software is easy-to-use and offers impressive support with a ton of troubleshooting content available. The seamless integration with the Mailchimp suite is a plus if you already use the software, but landing pages are not Mailchimp's main focus, so the editor is limited. In fact, it's not much more advanced than Mailchimp's simple email creation tool.

It is good for email campaigns but a bit limited as a landing page builder. More advanced users will want to go with the optimization, testing, and analytics features of some of the other options in this list.

On the plus side, for novices, you can get a landing page built for free on the most basic tier and build up from there.

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6. Unbounce

Unbounce was one of the first dedicated landing page builders to come to market and remains one of the leaders. It features an easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor, custom plugins, mobile optimization, and the ability to add pop-ups and sticky bars.

The product is feature-rich -- it offers WordPress integration, A/B testing, and dynamic keyword insertion for SEM campaigns. While it doesn't offer its own analytics tools, it can be integrated with other services like Mailchimp, HubSpot, or WordPress to achieve this.

Overall, Unbounce is one of the best tools out there -- but it comes at a premium. It is favored by larger marketing agencies with a focus on search engine marketing, but doesn't have the all-rounder capability of tools like HubSpot.

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7. Instapage

Instapage is another leader for landing pages, with a user-friendly drag-and-drop builder and the option to easily integrate your landing pages into your website without coding. It is one of the easiest tools to use, comes with a host of plugins for maximum customization, and offers a simple analytics tool and report generator.

For optimization, there are heatmaps, A/B split testing, dynamic keyword insertion for PPC campaigns, and codeless integration with Google Analytics and Facebook ads. For more advanced options, you'll have to contact the sales team for a tailored price, but you'd be looking at upwards of $175 per month for an agency or team plan.

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8. Squarespace

Although Squarespace is considered a website builder, not a specific landing page tool, it has all the functionality of a landing page builder -- including the benefits of hosting your site and providing you with analytics, G Suite, integration with other CRM's, and much more.

Squarespace is a great option for beginners who don't need all the specific optimization features of a dedicated landing page builder. With the Cover Pages tool, it's easy to create a page using one of the hundreds of templates and drag-and-drop tools.

There is a built-in analytics tool. Additionally, you can hook up Squarespace with a CRM software to use the CRM's optimization and email marketing tools on your Squarespace page.

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9. Leadpages

LeadPages is a cheaper option with a fairly easy to use drag-and-drop builder. However, the interface is a little awkward to use at times and looks a little outdated.

If you want to publish to your own URL, it's not as easy, although if you are a WordPress user there is integration with your site. Overall, it's a reasonable value option if you don't need the higher-end functionality and support of the market leaders -- but it's tricky to get the page looking exactly as you want. 

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10. Thrive Architect and Thrive Optimize

Another WordPress-based builder, Thrive Architect is probably the best bargain option available, especially when combined with Thrive Optimize, its optimization tool.

It offers a simple drag-and-drop builder with 250+ templates and a number of conversion elements including testimonial blocks, timers, and CTAs to choose from. This makes it a good option for a quick build at a low price.

Best of all, you can get it for life for a one-off fee.

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11. Lander

Lander targets small businesses and entrepreneurs with a rock-bottom price point and simple builder. Although it doesn't offer the best customization or advanced features like some of the others in this list, it's nonetheless a good option as a simple landing page at a low price.

The app offers over 100 SEO-optimized templates, and supports A/B split testing. It also offers a rare feature among landing page builders -- Facebook integration. Without any coding, you can build your own Facebook tabs and connect them with your account.

Pricing tiers are limited by the number of visitors and domains, so it's prohibitive to larger businesses and agencies.

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12. LaunchRock

If you're looking to quickly create high-converting landing pages for free, LaunchRock is the most basic option in this list.

With a focus on simple but impactful visuals, it comes with loads of customizable templates and is an effective starting point for small businesses to jump into the world of landing pages and lead generation forms. Plus, it includes promotional features for running competitions.

It lacks A/B testing and customization is limited, but the super-quick builder is perfect for those who need a landing page without all the bells and whistles, fast.

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13. KickOffLabs

KickOffLabs is based on the idea of generating leads via viral marketing campaigns -- it allows you to run appealing contests, sweepstakes, and product launches.

It also happens to be a decent landing page builder in its own right, but focuses its marketing efforts on the promise of viral traffic generation.

The templates are mostly geared towards coupon giveaways, referral rewards and the like, so if this is something you're interested in, KickOffLabs helps you quickly and easily create a professional-looking landing page. Whether or not it will go viral -- who knows?

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14. ShortStack

Shortstack specializes in landing pages for contests, giveaways, and quizzes.

It includes email marketing tools to run the competitions and keep contact with participants. The drag-and-drop builder is focused on speed and offers a multitude of templates.

With built-in analytics, you can keep track of your campaigns. Plus, integrations with email services like Mailchimp make it easy to store the leads you collect.

You can build all the pages you want with the free tool, and upgrade at any time for additional features and tools.

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15. ConvertFlow

ConvertFlow is a fantastic option when you need both the power of an easy visual builder as well as more complex features suxh as multi-page forms, conditional logic, and automation.

You can have prospects skip steps based on previous actions, add automation for list segmentation, run custom code for event tracking and retargeting, and increase conversion rates by providing a personalized experience. Best of all, it integrates with CRMs, allowing you to get a comprehensive understanding of your leads' behavior.

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16. involve.me

With this tool, you can create landing pages without a developer and either host them as standalone pages or as part of your existing website.

One powerful feature of involve.me is the ability to get data from partial submissions that can lead you to conversion optimization insights. In addition, the software comes with the ability to create automated drip sequences to collected leads.

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There are so many tools available to build landing pages, but it ultimately comes down to which is right for your specific purpose.

If you're looking for a user-friendly landing page builder that integrates all your customer data and analytics tools from HubSpot's market-leading software suite, get started with HubSpot Landing Pages today.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in May 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

The Best 16 Landing Page Builders for Any Business was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

10 Zoom Backgrounds HubSpotters Love

When I first started working remotely, I quickly realized that I didn't like the available backdrops in my house.

First, there's the cluttered living room. Then, there's the rarely spotless kitchen. Or I could go with the yellow wall.

That's when I started looking into Zoom backgrounds.

I found a few funny ones, some professional ones, and even a couple of creative options. It turned out to be really fun to express myself with a Zoom background.

If you're in the same predicament, look no further.

Below, let's learn how to set up a Zoom background, and then we'll show you our favorite ones.

1. Open Zoom

Before we dive into our favorite Zoom backgrounds, let's learn how to set one up. To start, open your Zoom app and log in.

2. Go to Zoom "Preferences"

Once you're logged in, click "zoom.us" on the top left and then hit "Preferences." You can also get to this page by clicking your profile image on the top right corner, and then clicking "Settings."

3. Click "Virtual Background"

When you've opened your settings, click "Virtual Background" on the left-hand side.

4. Click the "Plus" sign and "Add Image"

Now, click the plus sign on the right, and click "Add Image." Voila. Now you can add any image that you have the rights to and that meets the image guidelines.

Tips for Determining When to Use a Zoom Background

So, when should you use a Zoom background?

Well, some days you might wake up and your living room is a mess, or the dishes haven't been washed, or your roommates are walking around.

In fact, I've actually had to take meetings in the bathroom because it was the only empty room in my house and I had an important meeting.

Whether it's a noise-related issue or you want to limit distractions in the background, that's when Zoom backgrounds come in handy.

Plus, these backgrounds can be a great way to break the ice. They can often be used as a conversation starter. A lot of people on my team were actually surprised when they learned that my house did not look like the Zoom background I always use (see screenshots above).

However, it's important to remember the tone of the meeting when you're choosing a background.

If there's a professional meeting, it probably isn't time to break out a Taylor Swift concert background (which I have and use for informal meetings).

Additionally, your Zoom backgrounds shouldn't be distracting. In fact, sometimes the point of the background is to lessen distractions.

So try to avoid super bright, or complex images. Also, make sure you have the rights to use the images you've downloaded. Your images shouldn't require licensing or attribution.

How to Troubleshoot Glitchy Backgrounds

Now, this probably isn't a surprise, but sometimes technology doesn't work as planned. If your background is glitching, try a few of these quick options to fix it.

• Sign out and sign in again
• Ensure virtual backgrounds are enabled
• Make sure your background meets the image requirements
• Update your Zoom app

Our Favorite Zoom Backgrounds

Now for the fun part. Choosing Zoom backgrounds is one of my favorite activities. Below are some of our top picks at HubSpot.

Zoom Backgrounds for Casual Meetings

1. Vacation Vibes

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2. Cute Animals

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3. Nature

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4. Concert

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Zoom Backgrounds for Formal Meetings

5. Library

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6. House

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7. Minimalist Architecture

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8. Splash of Color

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Original Zoom Backgrounds from HubSpot

9. Colorful Background

10. Bubbles

Zoom backgrounds can be a great way to limit distractions and start a conversation. Just remember to think about the tone of the meeting when you're choosing your background images.

10 Zoom Backgrounds HubSpotters Love was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

8 Innovative & Inspiring Examples of Augmented Reality in Marketing

For now, augmented reality (AR) is still largely a novelty -- AR's newness alone contributes to its ability to surpass print, online, and television advertisements in terms of shock-factor. As The Drum reports, AR can capture people’s attention for over 85 seconds, increase interaction rates by 20 percent, and improve click-through rates to purchase by 33 percent.

Right now, people will stop and look at AR-inspired experiences, regardless of the campaign's overall quality. But as more companies incorporate AR into their marketing strategies, and as AR technology becomes more ubiquitous, you’ll need to produce more thoughtful campaigns to impress your audience. Eventually, AR will become mainstream, and its prevalence in the industry will make it harder to compete.Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, has said that AR will one day be as important in our everyday lives as “eating three meals a day.” So, the question is -- how can your marketing strategy effectively capture an audience’s attention, once AR has become commonplace?

Here, we’ll look at eight companies that use AR in innovative and inspiring ways. These examples should be all the inspiration you need to brainstorm and execute a brilliant long-term AR marketing strategy.

Augmented Reality Examples

Augmented Reality for Product Marketing

1. Home Depot

Decorating a home isn’t easy -- how do you know if you’ll actually like the yellow paint that looks beautiful online, but might be too bright in your bathroom? What if that coffee table doesn’t fit in your living room like you’d hoped?

In 2015, Home Depot released their Project Color app, which uses patent technology to show users what a paint color will look like in their home. The AR technology takes into account lighting, objects, and shadows in the room, so you can see how that yellow shade will look in real life. If you don’t trust your own judgment, you can also share images from the app on social media, to get a friend’s opinion.

In 2017, Home Depot took it a step further -- now, you can also use their app to check out how objects like patio furniture, faucets, and other products look in your home.

Home Depot isn’t the only home furniture store to use AR to create value for their users -- Lowe’s and Ikea have similar AR technology built into their apps.

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2. Timberland

If you’re anything like me, the idea of trying on items in the dressing room can sometimes deter you from shopping at all. More than once, I’ve said, “I’ll buy it, try it on at home, and return it if I don’t like it,” just to avoid the hassle of carrying a pile of clothes into a dressing room line.

In the interest of convenience and comfortability, Timberland created a virtual fitting room in Moktow Gallery in 2014. Using Kinect motion sensing technology, Timberland’s virtual fitting room allowed shoppers to see an image of their face, and a similarly-sized model body, in different outfits.

If you’re going to use AR, you’ll want to brainstorm unique ways to help your customers avoid an otherwise burdensome process. While fitting rooms might not be the end of the world (first-world problems?), Timberland stands out as a helpful brand by offering customers a fun and useful alternative.

3. Sephora

There’s a reason many women don’t buy makeup products online -- it’s impossible to know if you’ll like the lip color or foundation coverage if you don’t try it on, in-store.

Sephora understands this struggle, and created an augmented reality experience, Virtual Artist App, with ModiFace to ensure Sephora app users can see how makeup products will look on their face via their phone’s camera. Users can also find out which tools or products they’ll need to apply certain products.

Additionally, Modiface’s augmented reality technology can show users the effects of months of skincare on their skin -- a visual they won’t find in-store.

Bridget Dolan, Sephora’s head of innovation, appreciates the necessity of a long-term AR strategy. “When it comes to augmented and virtual reality, it can only be successful if it’s truly useful,” Bridget told Glossy. “We weren’t interested in just buzzy. A lot of things like technical accuracy and timing had to come together, and there was a time last year when, during testing, we hit a tipping point.”

Sephora’s use of augmented reality isn’t just helpful for users -- it also drives sales by appealing to Sephora’s more tech-savvy consumers, and encouraging those consumers to become brand ambassadors by recording and sharing their augmented reality experiences online.

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4. AMC Theaters

Delivering a message when and where your audience wants to receive it is a critical component of a successful marketing strategy. This is especially true when it comes to AR.

AMC Theaters, understanding their audience is most interested in upcoming movie trailers when they’re at the movies, incorporated AR technology into their AMC app. When a user sees a movie poster in a theatre, they can open the AMC app on their phone, scan the poster, and receive relevant information, including a cast list and a trailer.

If they’re interested in the movie after scanning, they can also purchase a ticket immediately, within the app.

Ultimately, AMC Theatres is providing optimal convenience with their use of AR -- while a user can YouTube a trailer or Google a review, there’s an added incentive to check the movie out and purchase a ticket when the user can do it all in one place.

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5. Taco Bell

There are two big reasons you’d visit a Taco Bell in 2012 -- to try their new Doritos taco shell, or to play with their augmented-reality packaging.

Taco Bell placed an AR feature on each Locos Tacos box and soda cup for their Doritos shell campaign. When a user scanned the box with the Taco Bell app, they could see product-related Twitter and Facebook content on their phones.

By connecting their users with live social media content, Taco Bell successfully used AR to cultivate a stronger sense of community. They also showcased their brand as a major player in innovation, particularly in the fast-food industry.

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6. StubHub

Augmented reality enables you to both visualize and interact with a space -- two critical functions when choosing how much you’re willing to pay for a stadium seat.

For Super Bowl LII, StubHub introduced an AR feature on their mobile app that allowed ticket buyers to see a virtual 3D model of the U.S. Bank Stadium, as well as nearby parking garages and concession stands. This enabled potential buyers to visualize their full experience before purchasing, and minimized the risk of paying for a subpar seat.

StubHub’s reliance on AR solved for a common customer problem -- as StubHub CTO Matt Swann points out, "We’re solving for real pain points, not just tech for the sake of tech. For a lot of people, it's not an event you just show up for, it's kind of a bucket list item."

Particularly for out-of-towners, the ability to virtually compare different seat locations adds a level of comfort for hesitant buyers.

Back in 2016, the company also introduced a “virtual view” option on their app, letting ticket buyers preview their view from their seats before purchasing. The results were tremendous -- StubHub saw app engagement more than double within one year.

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AR and Experiential Marketing

7. Netflix

To market season two of the Netflix original series Stranger Things, the streaming company launched a series of AR/VR lenses on Snapchat. With the lens shown in the video below, users could record videos of themselves walking through one of the houses seen in the show, as monsters called Demigorgons pop out of the wall. 

Aside from this lens, which is incredibly immersive for a mobile app, Netflix has also leveraged AR filters to promote its content.  The video below highlights just a few that were featured on apps like Facebook and Snapchat. 

8. Pepsi

In 2014, Pepsi installed AR technology in a London bus shelter, making it appear as if a lion, UFOs, flying saucers, and other objects were headed straight for Londoners.

The production showcased Pepsi’s playful personality and provided the audience with an exceptional experience. Afterwards, a video of the bus shelter’s AR technology attracted over six million views on YouTube -- making it one of YouTube’s most viewed advertising campaigns.

Pepsi’s campaign highlights the effectiveness of AR when a company truly knows their audience. Pepsi didn’t need to use AR to advertise their products -- instead, they trusted their consumers to appreciate the surreal experience and naturally share the story with friends, creating buzz around their brand as a result.

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The State of AR in Marketing

While a number of brands still can't access AR quite yet, marketers can still take a note from how these brands creatively implemented a new technology into their content marketing strategies. 

Ultimately, as the media landscape changes and technology gets more advanced, marketers at business of different sizes might have more opportunities to implement technology. And, when they do, they'll need to think creatively and innovatively about how they invest in it. 

To learn more about AR in marketing, check out this ultimate guide. If you want to dive deeper into virtual reality, you might enjoy this list of examples.

 

8 Innovative & Inspiring Examples of Augmented Reality in Marketing was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

Bing PPC Ads: How They Work (and Compare to Google Ads)

If Googling has ever let you down, you may have come across another search engine called Bing.

This search engine is powered by Microsoft and strives to outdo Google at every turn. Bing wants to revolutionize digital search and rival the industry's long-standing powerhouse.

It's an ambitious goal, but one place where Bing differentiates itself is through its Pay Per Click ads, or PPC. According to our guide, Pay Per Click ads are, "a form of search engine marketing (SEM) where the advertiser pays for clicks on an ad."

Simply put, the advertiser has to pay the publisher whenever a visitor interacts with the ad. In exchange, the ad is added to the search engine's database, which displays the ad whenever the content matches a visitor's searched keyword.

While Google Ads offers a popular PPC feature, Bing's has unique advantages that distinguish itself from the search engine giant. And, if you're the owner of a small- to medium-sized business, you may be more interested in Bing's PPC benefits than Google's.

In this post, let's break down how Bing PPC ads work, as well as how they compare to Google Ads.

Bing PPC

Bing PPC ads operate on Microsoft's three popular search engines: Bing, Yahoo, and AOL. When you use Bing campaigns, your content is shared across all of these platforms at once. With over five billion monthly searches being made on the Microsoft network, this makes Bing PPC a notable marketing tool for paid ad campaigns.

In terms of functionality, Bing PPC ads work similarly to Google ads. You bid on keywords based on their traffic volume, then your ad is displayed when that keyword is searched, and finally, you pay Bing whenever a visitor clicks on your ad. Like Google, your ad's copy can have up to 80 characters and Bing even has support tools that can help your team build a cost-effective keyword list, so you never waste money on ads that aren't being displayed.

With Bing, you can also set up targeting filters that determine where and when an ad will be published. For example, if you want your ad to only appear on mobile devices, you can select the mobile traffic option. Or, if you want the ad to appear solely on Yahoo, you could filter it from Bing and AOL. This gives your team more flexibility and optimizes the effectiveness of your PPC campaign.

Bing PPC ads present a timely opportunity for marketing teams. It's less competitive than Google AdWords, and its users shop online 36% more than any other search engine. While Google AdWords is still a very powerful tool, there are some advantages of Bing that makes it attractive for small- to medium-sized businesses. So, now that we're familiar with how Bing PPC ads work, let's discuss some of the key differences between Bing PPC and Google AdWords.

1. Bing Ads offers unique filter options and social extensions.

While both Bing PPC and Google AdWords allow you to filter your ad's targeting, Bing's software has a unique innovation that sets it apart from Google. With Bing, you can set age filters for your search ads, so only visitors of a certain age group will see them. Or, you can set up a location filter so visitors in a certain part of the world see your content. This way, you'll ensure qualified leads are being exposed to your marketing campaigns.

Another key feature that Bing has an advantage in is its social extensions. Social extensions are a line of copy on your ad that tells the visitor how many social media followers your business has. On Bing, this feature shows your social following for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Google AdWords, however, can only show you the number of Google+ followers.

2. Google has a bigger reach, but Bing's audience is older and tends to have higher income.

According to Microsoft, Bing represents more than 34% of the world's desktop search engine marketplace. That means about one in every three people will use Bing over another search engine.

And, more importantly, Bing's PPC ads can reach 60 million users that Google AdWords cannot.

In terms of the largest audience, Google is the outright favorite. But, that doesn't mean Bing isn't worth your investment. Bing has over 137 million users who search roughly six billion times each month. These people tend to be older than Google's users, and have an income of more than $100K.

So, even though Google has a larger audience, Bing works with users who have substantial buying power.

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3. Bing users are interested in financial and shopping services, so you might see higher conversion rates on Bing depending on your industry.

When tested by Blue Corona, Bing PPC experienced a 34% higher click-through rate than Google ads.

Additionally, new research found that financial and shopping services have experienced the most success with Bing PPC. This is mostly attributed to MSN's and Yahoo's popular financial reporting, which yields more keywords related to online shopping and business reports.

Bing users tend to be more engaged with sites after ad clicks, as well. In one industry, Bing ads had a 56% higher conversion rate than Google AdWords. That's because Bing users typically have more interest in e-commerce and are willing to spend money online.

4. Bing Ads often appear higher on the search results page.

Since there are fewer users on Bing, its ads tend to display higher on search results than Google AdWords. In fact, Bing ads appear 35% higher in search results than Google ads.

Bing copies Google's keyword auction technique, which favors its users because they don't have to outbid Google's massive user base. With Bing's less-competitive market, you won't have to bid as much on keywords to maintain your spot on the search results page.

5. Bing has lower cost-per-click.

With fewer competitors bidding on keywords, you can expect to spend less on your Bing ads. In fact, one business spent 35% less on Bing ads than it did on Google AdWords.

In terms of cost-per-click (CPC), ReportGarden found that the average CPC for Bing was $7.99 whereas Google's was $20.08. Since there's less overall traffic occurring on Bing, CPC is typically less expensive.

This presents an opportunity to obtain a strong ROI if you can capitalize on the right keyword at the right time.

Google Ads vs. Bing Ads: Which One is Right for Your Business?

If you're choosing between Google AdWords and Bing PPC, both tools can be valuable assets to your marketing team.

With Google, you have access to a massive audience with users from many demographics, and you can trust that your content will be displayed on the world's preferred search engine.

However, this space is highly competitive, and you'll need to monitor your campaign diligently if you want to see a positive return on your investment. Your marketing team will need plenty of means and experience to make Google AdWords a reliable source of lead generation.

Bing PPC presents a lower-risk option for paid ad campaigns. You still have access to a large audience, but keyword bidding isn't as competitive as Google.

The tradeoff here is that Bing traffic is significantly lower than Google's. So, while your ads may be positioned higher and cost less, they may not be seen by as many people. That limitation may be discouraging to larger companies that have bigger marketing budgets.

For more information about PPC ads, read these PPC campaign tips.

Bing PPC Ads: How They Work (and Compare to Google Ads) was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns