Blog Posts - Digital Brainchild Web Development

April 1, 2025

Consider Ten Key Factors for hiring a Digital Marketing Service

When thinking of Digital Marketing services, there are some key factors to consider ensuring you’re choosing the right one for your business needs. By considering these factors, you’ll have a better understanding of what you need from a marketing agency and whether they’re the right fit for your business.

Expertise and Experience

Industry Knowledge: Does the agency have experience in your specific industry or with businesses of your size?
Track Record: Do they have a portfolio of successful campaigns? Are they able to demonstrate results like increased traffic, sales, or brand awareness?
Specialization: Some agencies specialize in certain aspects of marketing, such as SEO, content marketing, or paid media. Ensure their focus aligns with your needs.

Services Offered

Full-Service vs. Niche: Does the agency offer a comprehensive range of services (SEO, PPC, social media, content creation, etc.), or are they specialized in a particular area?
Scalability: Can they grow with you as your business expands? Ensure they can handle the demands of scaling up campaigns when necessary.

Cultural Fit and Communication

Communication Style: Are they responsive and proactive in communication? Do they take time to understand your business and its goals?
Team Compatibility: Are you comfortable working with the team? Marketing is often a collaborative process, so having good rapport and understanding is crucial.
Transparency: How transparent are they about their strategies, timelines, and reporting? You should feel informed and confident in their approach.

Strategy and Approach

Custom Solutions: Do they offer tailored strategies based on your business’s unique needs, or do they rely on a one-size-fits-all approach?
Data-Driven: Are their strategies backed by data and analytics, ensuring decisions are based on measurable results?
Innovation: How willing are they to try new, creative approaches to help your brand stand out in a competitive market?

Pricing and Budget

Cost vs. Value: How does the pricing compare to the value provided? It’s important to assess whether the return on investment (ROI) justifies the cost.
Clear Contract Terms: Ensure there’s clarity about pricing, billing, and any additional costs (e.g., ads or software/tools used). Avoid agencies that have hidden fees.
Payment Structure: Are they offering flexible payment terms? Some agencies work on retainer fees, while others may charge per project or based on performance.

References and Reviews

Client Testimonials: Look for reviews or testimonials from past clients. Can they provide case studies or references to support their claims?
Online Reputation: Check the agency’s online presence for feedback. Websites like Google Reviews, Clutch, or LinkedIn can offer additional insights.

Tools and Technology

Up-to-date Technology: Do they use current marketing tools and platforms for analytics, automation, and campaign management?
Adaptability: Can they keep up with changing digital trends, algorithms, and marketing tools? Being adaptable to the latest marketing trends is essential.

Reporting and Metrics

Regular Updates: Do they provide regular updates on performance metrics and progress? The agency should offer insight into key metrics (e.g., conversion rates, ROI).
Clear KPIs: Are the key performance indicators (KPIs) agreed upon upfront? These help you track the effectiveness of the marketing campaigns.

Flexibility and Long-Term Commitment

Adaptability: Can they adjust strategies if something isn’t working, or if your business priorities change?
Contract Duration: Are you required to sign a long-term contract, or do they offer more flexible terms?

Crisis Management and Problem-Solving

Handling Issues: How do they handle underperforming campaigns, unexpected changes, or market shifts? Will they be proactive in suggesting adjustments or improvements?
Reputation Management: Do they help with managing your brand’s reputation online in case of negative press or customer feedback?

March 16, 2025

The Future of Google Search will be integrated with AI

The future of Google Search is likely to be shaped by several evolving trends and technologies, many of which are already in development or being tested. Here are some key directions where Google Search could be headed. Overall, the future of Google Search is likely to be more integrated with AI, focused on personalization, and designed to deliver results faster and more accurately. It will also be shaped by new technologies like AR, voice search, and evolving privacy expectations. Google Search will continue to adapt to the changing digital landscape, ensuring that users find relevant information in a way that aligns with their personal and contextual needs. Google Search will become:

More Personalized Search Results: Google’s use of AI (like RankBrain and BERT) allows it to better understand the context of search queries. This could evolve into even more tailored, hyper-personalized search results, taking into account user behavior, preferences, and intent at a deeper level.
Conversational Search: With the rise of AI-powered virtual assistants (like Google Assistant) and chatbots, the future of Google Search might become more conversational. Users could engage in more natural dialogues with the search engine, making queries in a way that feels less rigid and more like asking a human.

Voice Search Dominance: As smart speakers and voice assistants become more ubiquitous, voice search will continue to rise. Google might refine its ability to interpret voice commands more naturally and accurately, even for more complex queries.
Visual Search: Google already supports visual search through tools like Google Lens, and this capability will likely expand. Users might increasingly search using images or videos, not just text.

Enhanced Location-Based Results: As more users rely on mobile devices for local search, Google will likely become even better at offering hyper-local, real-time results. Expect even more tailored information based on location, time, and immediate context.
Augmented Reality (AR): Google’s AR initiatives could transform how search results are presented, with more interactive and immersive content delivered through AR, especially in areas like shopping, travel, and navigation.

Deeper Understanding of Queries: Google will continue to refine its ability to understand not just keywords, but the meaning behind a query. This will lead to more accurate results, even when queries are ambiguous or complex.
Answering Questions Directly: Google’s “featured snippets” and “Knowledge Graph” already aim to provide direct answers to questions. This could expand, with Google becoming even more capable of summarizing and providing comprehensive answers right on the search page, potentially minimizing the need to click through to other websites.

Seamless Ecosystem: Expect deeper integration with Google’s other services, such as Google Maps, YouTube, Google Photos, and Google Shopping. Search might not just return text links but could pull in richer results from these services, offering a more interconnected experience.
Google’s Own Content: With the growing importance of Google products like YouTube, Google News, and Google Shopping, the search engine could continue to promote its own content more prominently.

Privacy Enhancements: As privacy becomes a growing concern, Google will likely offer more granular control over user data and search history. Search results might be more focused on privacy, allowing users to limit data tracking or choose different levels of personalization.
Combatting Misinformation: With the increasing spread of misinformation, Google Search will likely incorporate more tools to provide reliable sources and counteract fake news, potentially partnering with trusted organizations to filter content.

Competition and Diversification: While Google remains dominant, the rise of alternative search engines like Microsoft’s Bing (now powered by GPT) could influence how Google evolves its own offerings. Innovations from competitors could push Google to develop more cutting-edge features faster.
ChatGPT and AI-powered Search: With large language models like ChatGPT emerging, there might be a shift in how information is retrieved, with AI models delivering direct answers or even full conversational experiences, impacting Google’s traditional search model.

Search for Apps and Content in Ecosystems: With the rise of app stores and closed ecosystems like Apple’s App Store, Google might evolve to include searches for apps, content within apps, and other non-web-based resources.
Search for New Content Formats: Expect Google to refine its search for emerging content types like podcasts, VR experiences, and gaming content, expanding beyond just websites and blogs.

Search for the Metaverse: Google might introduce search capabilities that can help users navigate virtual worlds, providing ways to search for experiences, avatars, digital goods, and more within immersive environments.

November 24, 2024

Rapid Growth of Social Media in 2025, how and why

Social media’s rapid expansion can be attributed to a combination of technological advancements, human behaviour, and societal shifts. Below are key factors driving this growth:

Increased Connectivity

Smartphone Proliferation: The widespread adoption of affordable smartphones and mobile internet has made social media accessible to billions globally.
Internet Penetration: Expanding internet infrastructure in developing regions has introduced new populations to social media platforms.

Human Psychology

Need for Connection: Social media taps into the human desire for social interaction, validation, and belonging.
Instant Gratification: Likes, shares, and comments provide immediate feedback, creating a dopamine-driven cycle that encourages frequent use.
Curiosity and FOMO: Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) compels people to stay connected and updated.

Technological Innovations

User-Friendly Interfaces: Platforms continually improve usability, making it easy for anyone to join and engage.
AI and Algorithms: Personalized feeds keep users engaged by showing content tailored to their interests.
Video Content and Stories: Short videos and ephemeral content, like Instagram Stories or TikTok’s, cater to users’ decreasing attention spans.

Cultural and Societal Trends

Globalization: Social media facilitates cross-cultural exchange, allowing people to connect across borders.
Shift to Digital Life: From work to leisure, digital spaces increasingly dominate everyday life.
Influencers and Social Proof: Celebrities and influencers promote social media adoption, especially among younger generations.

Business and Marketing Incentives

Brand Presence: Businesses use social media for advertising, customer engagement, and brand building, which increases platform relevance.
Monetization Opportunities: Platforms incentivize creators with revenue-sharing models, attracting content producers.
Data-Driven Insights: Companies value the consumer data generated by social media users, driving investments in these platforms.

Pandemic-Driven Acceleration

Remote Interaction: COVID-19 lockdowns pushed people to use social media for communication and entertainment, increasing adoption rates.
Virtual Communities: Social media became a lifeline for many to maintain social connections during isolation.

Accessibility to Diverse Content

Multimedia Platforms: Integration of text, images, videos, and live streams caters to varied user preferences.
Niche Communities: Platforms enable users to find and engage with communities that align with their specific interests.

Evolving Platform Features

Gamification: Features like badges, rewards, and leaderboards encourage engagement.
Interactive Tools: Polls, quizzes, and live streams make interactions dynamic and engaging.
E-commerce Integration: Social media now serves as a marketplace, with features like in-app shopping and live selling.

Youth Adoption

Peer Influence: Younger generations drive social media trends and are more likely to adopt new platforms quickly.
Creative Expression: Platforms like TikTok and Snapchat encourage creativity, attracting younger audiences.

Conclusion

The expansion of social media is a complex interplay of technology, psychology, and culture. As platforms continue to innovate and integrate deeper into everyday life, their influence and reach are likely to grow even further. Contact us to share you views.

August 26, 2024

Future of Artificial Intelligence in the United Kingdom

The future of artificial intelligence (AI) in the UK is poised for significant growth, with substantial economic potential and evolving regulatory frameworks.

Economic Impact

AI is projected to substantially boost the UK’s economy. Research commissioned by Microsoft indicates that AI could enhance the UK’s GDP by £550 billion by 2035, provided there is prompt investment in digital technologies and skills.

This growth is expected across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.

Government Initiatives and Funding

The UK government has demonstrated a commitment to AI development through various initiatives. The National AI Strategy outlines a 10-year plan to position the UK as a global AI leader, focusing on long-term investment, widespread AI adoption, and a pro-innovation regulatory framework.

However, recent developments have seen the government withdraw £1.3 billion previously pledged to AI and tech development, a move criticized for potentially hindering the UK’s competitive edge in the AI sector.

Regulatory Landscape

The UK is adopting a “pro-innovation” approach to AI regulation, emphasizing principles over strict rules to foster innovation while addressing potential risks.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle announced plans to introduce legislation within the next year to address AI risks, aiming to transform voluntary AI testing agreements into legally binding codes and establish the UK’s AI Safety Institute as an independent government body.

Sectoral Developments

Creative Industries: The government is considering introducing a “right to personality” to protect artists and celebrities from unauthorized AI-generated imitations, aiming to balance innovation with the rights of content creators.
Legal Sector: AI is expected to revolutionize the legal industry by automating routine tasks, enhancing efficiency, and making legal services more accessible.

International Collaboration

The UK’s ambitions in AI are influenced by international dynamics. Efforts to establish a global leadership role in AI regulation face challenges, including differing approaches from key partners like the United States.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite the promising outlook, the UK faces challenges such as ensuring adequate investment, addressing ethical concerns, and developing a skilled workforce to support AI growth. Balancing innovation with regulation will be crucial to harness AI’s benefits while mitigating associated risks.

In summary, the UK’s AI future holds significant promise, contingent upon strategic investments, thoughtful regulation, and effective international collaboration. Contact us for more details.

May 22, 2024

Empower Your Life with ChatGPT, 11 Goal Oriented Points

Transforming your life using ChatGPT can be an empowering experience. ChatGPT can assist you in many ways, from improving productivity and learning new skills to boosting creativity and providing support for personal growth. Here are some practical steps to use ChatGPT to transform your life:

Personal Development and Goal Setting

Create SMART Goals: Use ChatGPT to help you define SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). ChatGPT can guide you in setting both short-term and long-term goals, breaking them down into actionable steps.

Stay Accountable: Share your goals with ChatGPT regularly, and it can help track your progress, offer motivational advice, and suggest adjustments when needed.

Habit Formation: ChatGPT can suggest techniques for building good habits and eliminating bad ones. For example, you can create daily routines or establish habits that align with your goals, such as mindfulness, exercise, or reading.

Learning and Skill Development

Learn New Skills: ChatGPT can teach you a wide range of skills, from languages to coding, writing, or even soft skills like communication and leadership.

Master a Subject: Ask ChatGPT for explanations of complex topics or for suggestions on resources like books, articles, or online courses that can help you develop a new area of expertise.

Personalized Learning Plans: If you’re learning a language or working toward a certification, ChatGPT can assist in creating a learning schedule or offering quizzes and practice exercises.

Health and Wellness

Physical Fitness Plans: ChatGPT can suggest workout routines based on your goals (e.g., weight loss, strength building) and your available time and resources.

Nutrition Advice: It can help you plan meals, suggest healthy recipes, or track your calorie intake and nutritional needs.

Mental Well-being: ChatGPT can offer mindfulness exercises, stress management techniques, or even assist in journaling to improve your mental health.

Productivity and Time Management

Prioritize Tasks: Use ChatGPT to organize your to-do lists, prioritize tasks, and break large projects into manageable chunks. It can help you avoid procrastination by creating structured daily or weekly plans.

Time Blocking: ChatGPT can assist you in creating time blocks for focused work and personal activities to maximize your productivity.

Eliminate Distractions: It can suggest ways to reduce distractions, stay focused, and build a work-life balance.

Financial Growth

Budgeting and Saving Tips: ChatGPT can offer financial advice on how to create a budget, manage debt, and save money. It can even help track expenses and suggest ways to reduce unnecessary costs.

Investing and Wealth Building: Ask ChatGPT for basic information on investing principles, stock market strategies, or tips for building long-term wealth.

Creativity and Inspiration

Writing and Storytelling: If you’re an aspiring writer, ChatGPT can help generate creative ideas, structure stories, or even help with writer’s block.

Artistic Projects: Use ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas for visual art, music composition, or other creative endeavours.

Innovation: ChatGPT can serve as a sounding board for your entrepreneurial or innovative ideas. It can help you think through problems, test assumptions, and even design a prototype of your business idea.

Decision Making and Problem Solving

Pros and Cons Lists: ChatGPT can help you weigh the pros and cons of a decision, whether it’s a career change, relationship decisions, or financial choices.

Insightful Questions: It can ask you probing questions that help clarify your priorities and values, making it easier for you to make aligned decisions.

Solutions for Challenges: ChatGPT can suggest strategies for solving problems, whether personal, professional, or creative, by thinking through different angles.

Building Positive Relationships

Communication Skills: ChatGPT can offer advice on improving communication, active listening, and conflict resolution.

Networking and Social Skills: Use ChatGPT to improve your networking strategies and learn how to engage with others more effectively.

Mindfulness and Emotional Growth

Meditation and Reflection: ChatGPT can guide you through meditation techniques, mindfulness exercises, or journaling prompts to help you become more self-aware and emotionally balanced.

Cognitive Behavioural Techniques (CBT): ChatGPT can introduce you to CBT techniques to challenge negative thoughts, reframe your thinking, and manage anxiety or depression.

Self-Reflection and Journaling

Daily Reflection Prompts: ChatGPT can provide you with daily or weekly reflection questions to help you evaluate your personal growth, reflect on your achievements, and identify areas for improvement.

Gratitude Practice: Use ChatGPT to track things you’re grateful for each day, which can help increase overall happiness and satisfaction.

Career Advancement

Career Planning: ChatGPT can help you assess your career path, suggest industries or roles you might be interested in, and help you strategize for career growth.

Job Search Assistance: Use ChatGPT for job search advice, resume building, and interview preparation.

Skill Enhancement for Promotion: It can suggest specific skills or certifications to pursue for career advancement.

By integrating ChatGPT into your daily routine, you can access personalized guidance, support, and tools to transform various aspects of your life. The key is to take a proactive approach and engage regularly to keep progressing toward your goals. Contact us if you have any question.

February 17, 2024

The Future of Human and AI Robot Interactions, not far away!

AI robots can interact with humans, and this capability has been advancing rapidly. These interactions range from basic conversations to complex physical and emotional engagements. Here’s how AI robots are able to interact with humans:

Communication Through Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Conversational AI: AI robots like chatbots and virtual assistants (e.g., Alexa, Siri, ChatGPT) can understand and respond to human language.
Real-Time Language Translation: Robots equipped with NLP can bridge language barriers, enabling seamless communication across cultures.
Emotion Detection: Advanced NLP systems can detect emotional cues in speech, tone, and choice of words, enabling more empathetic interactions.

Emotional Intelligence and Empathy

Affective Computing: AI can analyse facial expressions, vocal tones, and body language to gauge human emotions and respond appropriately.
Social Robots: Examples like SoftBank’s Pepper are designed to recognize emotions and engage users in empathetic conversations, often used in customer service or caregiving.

Physical Interaction

Human-Robot Collaboration: Robots working alongside humans in manufacturing, healthcare, and retail industries are programmed to safely interact with humans.
Gesture and Body Language Recognition: AI robots equipped with sensors and cameras can interpret gestures and body movements to react or assist effectively.

Personalized Interactions

Learning Human Preferences: AI systems can remember individual preferences, making interactions more tailored and meaningful over time.
Dynamic Adaptation: Robots can adjust their behaviour based on the specific needs or emotional state of the human.

Practical Applications

Healthcare: Robots like those used in eldercare can provide companionship, monitor health, and assist with mobility.
Education: AI robots such as NAO and Einstein are used to engage students in interactive learning.
Customer Service: Humanoid robots are increasingly used for handling customer queries in banks, airports, and hotels.
Entertainment: Robots like Sophia from Hanson Robotics engage in public events and interviews, demonstrating conversational abilities.

Advanced Robotics for Human Interaction

Haptic Feedback: Some robots can simulate touch or physical sensations, enhancing human-robot interaction.
Autonomous Navigation: Robots that navigate physical spaces, like delivery robots or robotic guides, use AI to interact seamlessly with humans.

Challenges and Considerations

Trust and Acceptance: People may feel uneasy interacting with robots due to the “uncanny valley” effect or concerns about privacy.
Ethical Concerns: Ensuring that AI respects boundaries and avoids misuse is critical.
Technological Limitations: Understanding context, complex emotions, or unpredictable human behaviour remains a challenge.
Safety: Ensuring robots interact safely in physical environments is a top priority.

Future of Human-AI Robot Interactions

With advancements in AI, robotics, and neuroscience, human-robot interactions are expected to become more natural, intuitive, and emotionally rich. Innovations in areas like brain-computer interfaces, enhanced emotional AI, and robotics design will likely redefine how robots and humans collaborate in everyday life. If you have an IA idea to share with us, feel free to contact us.

January 25, 2024

Harmony of Colours admired by the Designers

Harmony of colours in graphic design refers to the aesthetically pleasing and balanced arrangement of colours that create a sense of order and visual appeal. It is achieved when colours are combined in a way that feels natural, cohesive, and supports the design’s message or mood. Here are 5 main aspects of colour harmony.

Colour Schemes

Colour harmony often involves using predefined schemes based on the colour wheel. Common schemes include:

Complementary: Colours opposite each other on the colour wheel, like blue and orange. Creates high contrast and vibrant designs.
Analogous: Colours next to each other on the colour wheel, such as green, yellow-green, and yellow. Evokes a calm and harmonious feel.
Triadic: Three colours evenly spaced around the colour wheel, like red, blue, and yellow. Offers a dynamic and balanced palette.
Tetradic/Rectangular: Two complementary colour pairs forming a rectangle on the wheel. Offers a rich and varied palette.
Monochromatic: Variations of a single colour (different shades, tints, and tones). Creates a subtle and cohesive design.

Psychology of Colours

Understanding the emotional and psychological effects of colours helps achieve harmony. For instance:

Warm colours (reds, oranges) evoke energy and excitement.
Cool colours (blues, greens) bring calmness and serenity.
Neutral colours (greys, whites, blacks) balance and ground the design.

Proportions and Balance

Using the 60-30-10 rule can create harmony. This rule suggests using 60% of a dominant colour, 30% of a secondary colour, and 10% of an accent colour.

Contrast and Accessibility

Proper contrast ensures readability and visual clarity, especially for text.
Harmony includes considering the needs of diverse audiences, such as those with colour blindness, by using tools to check contrast ratios.

Cultural and Contextual Relevance

Colour meanings can vary across cultures and contexts, so harmonizing colours to suit the target audience is crucial.

By using these principles, designers ensure that their work not only looks good but also effectively communicates the intended message. Got a question, contact our designers team !

July 22, 2023

Core Algorithm, Google’s Biggest Update in 2023

Google has recently updated it Core Algorithm, it can impact search rankings, making it crucial for SEOs and website owners to stay informed and adapt strategies. The update launched on March 15 and completed rollout on March 28, 2023. It targeted all content types within all regions and languages, promoting and rewarding high-quality and high-value web pages. Google’s March 2023 broad core update is set to prioritize the ranking of pages that provide more value compared to those currently ranking on Google. This update may lead to a significant reshuffling of SERP rankings.

Google makes significant changes several times in a year. We refer to these as core updates, and we give notice when they happen on Google search ranking updates. Core updates are designed to ensure that overall, we’re delivering on our mission to present helpful and reliable results for searchers.

How core updates work

There’s nothing wrong with pages that may not be performing as well as they were before a core update. They haven’t violated Google spam policies, nor been subjected to a manual or algorithmic action, as can happen to pages that do violate those policies. In fact, there’s nothing in a core update that targets specific pages or sites. Instead, the changes are about improving how our systems assess content overall. These changes may cause some pages that were previously under-rewarded to do better in search results.

One way to think of how a core update operates is to imagine you made a list of the top 100 movies in 2021. A few years later in 2024, you refresh the list. It’s going to naturally change. Some new and wonderful movies that never existed before will now be candidates for inclusion. You might also reassess some films and realize they deserved a higher place on the list than they had before.

Assess your own content

As explained, pages that experience a change after a core update don’t have anything wrong to fix. That said, we understand that those who may not be performing as well after a core update change may still feel they need to do something.

We suggest focusing on ensuring you’re offering the best content you can. That’s what our algorithms seek to reward. It has questions that you can ask yourself when assessing your own content

Also consider an audit of the drops you may have experienced. What pages were most impacted and for what types of searches? Look closely at these to understand how these pages may perform against the self-assessment questions. For example, there may be other pages that are doing a better job of helping the searcher because they have first-hand knowledge on that topic. You might also have others you trust provide an honest assessment.

Recover from a core update

Broad core updates tend to happen every few months. Content that was impacted in Search or Discover by one might not recover, assuming improvements have been made, until the next broad core update is released.

However, we’re constantly making updates to our search algorithms, including smaller core updates. We don’t announce all of these because they’re generally not widely noticeable. Still, when released, they can cause content to recover if improvements warrant.

Do keep in mind that improvements made by site owners aren’t a guarantee of recovery, nor do pages have any static or guaranteed position in our search results. If there’s more deserving content, that will continue to rank well with our systems.

September 19, 2022

Thinking of hiring a marketing agency

Sometime we think bigger is better and we tend to prefer the big traditional agencies over the smaller boutique ones. It’s true that they have all the recognition, formidable track records, shiny awards, certificates and so on, but the question is, are big agencies really better?

While choosing an agency, big or boutique, there are certain questions that we must ask ourselves. Why do we need agencies in the first place? How do they help us? What are the fundamental differences between a big and a boutique agency? How do these differences affect us, or our campaign?

Let’s review some concerns so that we make an informed decision, without going through this laborious thought process. Instead, you can focus on what you want from your campaign. Primarily, we hire agencies to help us with the creative, innovative, strategic, communicative, and technical aspects of a campaign. In short, agencies do all the running around needed to run a successful campaign.

In this way, they share your burdens, allowing you to focus on the next great thing in your business.

Obviously, the agency at work must have a profound understanding of the business they are working with. After all, a campaign doesn’t only promote a product. But, also the brand. The business that strives to bring this product to the people and thrives upon their positive response.

It is only in doing justice to the essence of your business, that an agency can run a successful campaign. In other words, it must always strike the right chords and hit the right notes. Agency must have a fluent communication, both with the business, and the potential clientele, the target audience of the campaign.

So, now that we know what they “must” do, we can discuss how they do it. But, before that, let us try and characterise the two for what they are.

Note that big agencies are those which have hundreds of employees working for them. At any point in time, they are simultaneously working on four, seven, ten, who knows how many projects. The more, the merrier! Usually, these agencies offer a wide, yet fixed, range of services. Their “best selling” products, smartly catalogued in expensive-looking brochures. Indeed, whatever shows, also sells.

Now how about the small agencies, the term boutique means unique, and it is uniqueness that they thrive upon. After all, if you are not big, you must be unique.

More often than not, they work with small, yet dedicated teams of innovative designers, managers and others. Being closely knit, imparts a dynamic nature to these agencies, as the employees constantly interact with each other.

If there’s one thing that all good boutique agencies have, it’s subtlety. Subtlety in design, in style, in approach and, basically, in everything they do.

Until this point, we have seen what agencies must ideally be, and what the two major types of agencies usually are. Now, it’s time we saw how their differences affect our purpose.

We can go about a point-to-point differentiation of the two types of agencies. Yet, it isn’t arguably as fruitful as a thematic differentiation. After all, it’s upon these thematic differences that we must base our choice.

If you remember the ideal conditions, an agency must work in close communication with your business. In this regard, boutique agencies are often more accessible than the big ones.

Certainly enough, a big agency assigns a relationship manager or a project coordinator for your campaign. Yet, as we know well, the same person is also working on other projects at the same time. Thus, the commitment is more professional than personal. And, this is both good and bad.

Good from a service perspective. But, successful campaigns often require the personal touch which big agencies fail to provide. And, we can’t really blame them for that.

Working with a boutique agency, often allows us to communicate with the entire team, and not with a single point of contact. Such holistic discussions often widen the scopes and open up unprecedented avenues for your campaign.

Working with a big agency inevitably involves strict formalities and policies. Consequently, you’ll have to invest a lot of time, even before the campaign actually begins.

Moreover, these policies often aren’t bendable in the slightest to suit your needs. Boutique agencies bring a major relief in this regard.

While big agencies often tend to be the jacks of all trades, the boutique ones have their specialised niche. The former might be good or even great at everything they do. But, the latter is the best at what it does.

Needless to say, the overall costs of running a campaign with a boutique agency is much lesser than with a big one. The benefits are more than obvious.

Irrespective of whether your project is big or small, it’s always the top priority for a boutique agency. This might not be the case with the big ones. After all, they will obviously prioritise projects that are bigger, and more profitable, than yours’. So, to conclude, it’s more than safe to say that unless you have a resource-intensive campaign which only a large agency can support, it’s often more beneficial to go with a boutique agency.

March 18, 2022

Starting up new business requires solid planning

Starting your own business requires careful planning, research and preparation. UK Government provides all required info on its website, one can easily find information on how to set up and register a company, what steps that you will need to take to turn your ideas into a business. Just to summarise in bullet points;

1. Let HMRC know you’re becoming self-employed.
2. Decide on the best legal structure for your business.
3. Choose a business name to represent yourself.
4. Set-up a business bank account.
5. Get compliant as different types of business have some pre-requisites.
6. Start book keeping for everything or hire an accountant.
7. Sort out your work space, working from office or home.
8. Sort out insurance cover, workplace, equipment, indemnity.
9. Do some advertise and marketing to acquire business.

To elaborate on some points:
What you need to do to set up depends upon the type of business, where you work and whether you take people on to help. Most businesses register as a sole trader, limited company or partnership. It’s simpler to set up as a sole trader, but you’re personally responsible for your business’s debts. You also have some accounting responsibilities.

If you form a limited company, its finances are separate from your personal finances, but there are more reporting and management responsibilities. A partnership is the simplest way for 2 or more people to run a business together. You share responsibility for your business’s debts. You also have accounting responsibilities.

If you rent or buy a property, you may have to pay business rates. Small businesses can apply for a discount on business rates and some may pay nothing. Check if you can claim office, property and equipment as expenses.

If you take on agency workers or freelancers you have some responsibilities, for example their health and safety. There are things you’ll need to do if you take on your own employees. You’ll have more responsibilities, including:
1. Running payroll
2. Paying for their National Insurance
3. Providing workplace pensions to eligible staff
4. Taking care of their health and safety.