November, 2021

Uses of motion graphics: 5 ways to make your online presence memorable

November 30, 2021

Motion graphics are a great way to make your online presence memorable. Whether you’re hiring new employees or selling products, they make a big impact.

People are hard-wired to pay attention to things that move. So if your message is dynamic, engagement will go up. This is not an opinion. Studies have shown this to be true time and again. And we have found it to be true at Furthr too.

What’s more, video continues to dominate the internet. The numbers can be staggering.

500 million people watch Facebook videos every single day. Youtube users upload 300 hours of video to the platform every single minute. An incredible 93% of businesses get new customers as a result of video content.

People spend an average of 6 hours and 48 minutes watching online videos every week. No wonder advertisers use motion graphics for campaigns. Designers use motion graphics to make content. for the same reason. It was what people love to watch.

What are the benefits of using motion graphics?

Motion graphics are great for highlighting key messages and breaking down complex arguments.

Visual cues and colours engage the viewer to take in what they’re hearing. When used right, motion graphics bring out the key points of an article or sales pitch in a memorable way .

By creating many videos, you can also enhance your brand and create a unified look. This is useful if you have many people pitching ideas on different projects. Having one unified look makes them more cohesive as well as engaging.

What are different types of motion graphics?

Draw on a whiteboard with the traditional whiteboard marker pens. Now imagine if your drawing started moving around of its own accord. That is whiteboard animation.

The idea is to help your audience understand what your company does.

Creating an engaging, light-hearted story makes your business stand out. It also makes it easy to understand.

Whiteboard animation is simple, clear and concise. It lends itself to social media advertising campaigns. Whiteboard animation is easy to share.

There is a downside. It can be time-consuming as there are no templates available. Each video must be hand-tooled for your business and its customers.

CBS Evening News used whiteboard animation. The news network were trying to explain how super-delegates operated when they attended the Republican Party conventions. It was a rather “dry” subject. It could easily lose their audience. CBS believed whiteboard animation could make the issue seem more interesting It could make it more digestible too.

By making the super-delegates resemble wizards, CBS News hoped their audience would grasp their role. Some viewers found the animations embarrassingly child-like. They thought CBS were “dumbing it down.” But other viewers found it a useful way to understand the issue.

2D animation is what you would see in what you’d call traditional animation. There’s rich vibrant colours and the characters are what many people consider to be ‘cartoon like’.

2d animation gives what you’re trying to show your audience more depth, colour and movement. It is a richer experience.

Examples of this include graphics parallax scrolling backgrounds. They add extra interest to what your business does.

This type of motion graphic is good for adding interest when you are explaining what you do.

Furthr made this 2D motion graphic animation for Brouns &Co

If you just talk through what you are doing, interest can wane. This is sometimes called chalk and talk.” Motion graphics is make the story more exciting. They are a great way to create impact in advertising. It can look stunning. Awesome Inc are a great agency with a long suit in 2d animation.

3D animation is what people think of when they hear the words ‘computer generated’.

This type of motion graphic is what you would use to create a Hollywood movie or other high budget film.

After Effects is the software package you can use to make 3D motion graphics. They do a great job of helping make what you do look realistic on screen.

Capacity Studios love using 3D modelling when they make animations for computer games.. That is what they have deployed in this 3D video for Lamborghini. The fast cuts between a multitude of camera angles makes your heart race with excitement.

Video production is live-action video. It features people instead of drawings or animated characters. There’s nothing drawn or animated in the background.

Video production can be inexpensive compared with Motion Graphics. It doesn’t need highly paid animators or clever 3D artists. You can shoot everything live. It doesn’t need as much post-production editing either. This can bring down the cost.

In this skateboarding video, director David Holm uses his skills as an animator. But instead of using cartoons, he films live action sequences. Each sequence has many different angles, fast cuts and shows the eye of a graphic artist. It could be motion graphics. But it isn’t.

What are the elements of good motion graphic design?

The number one ingredient for good motion graphic design is feeling.

The best motion graphics convey human emotion. It could be surprise, love, hate, anger or anything else. Without emotion there is no communication.

The vehicle for conveying emotion is stories. Storytelling can be a confusing term but actually it means something very simple. Storytelling follows a structure hard-wired into the human brain. That structure is The Hero’s Journey.

The topic of the Hero’s Journey is a post in itself. You can look it up online. All the stories that mean something to humans follow this rigid structure. The best motion graphics – those that engage our emotions – follow this structure too.

5 ways you can use motion graphic videos to engage an online audience.

1. Social media videos

These can be a great way to drive viewers to engage with your company on social media. People love receiving rewards for engaging with companies. Why not create a quick video in response to their post/question/comment?

2. Product explainers and tutorials

People like learning new things. Tutorials are an ideal way to get people interested in your product or service. You can then use that interest to lead into sales or other uses for the product.

3. Customer testimonials

To build trust in your brand you need to put your customers front-and-centre. Spice up video testimonials by highlighting the key words and messages used.

4. Event and webinar invitations

Draw attention to important events by creating motion graphics to advertise them.

5. Logo animation

Bored of using the same email signature? Make yours stand out by creating an exciting logo animation with motion graphics.

These are 5 different uses of motion graphics to make your business stand out online

You can use motion graphics for marketing to product explainers and tutorials. Using them will engage your audience and establish a cohesive brand. That will make it easy for viewers to remember you in future.

Business intelligence tools give your business a competitive advantage

6 undeniable reasons why Power BI is a good skill to have for any marketer

Everything you need to know about advertising on one annotated slide

About the author

My name is Andy Pemberton. I am an expert in data visualization. I guide global clients such as Lombard Odier, the European Commission and Cisco on the best way to use data visualization and then produce it for them: reports, infographics and motion graphics. If you need your data visualized contact me at andy@furthr.co.uk or call 07963 020 103

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Business intelligence tools give your business a competitive advantage

November 26, 2021

The ability to use data and information to make good decisions is invaluable. That’s why it’s so important for businesses to choose the right tools. That is the only way to get the insight they need.

This blog post will explore the main benefits of business intelligence tools. It will show you how they will help your business grow in 2022.

But business intelligence is not just about using tools to collect data about your business. It is also about using that data as the basis for decisions. If we ground our decisions in good data we will make good decisions. And the secret to running a successful business is to make more good decisions than bad decisions.

What is business intelligence?

Business intelligence describes strategies and technologies used by firms to analyze business data. BI technologies provide a view of the past, the present and even the future. It can sometimes predict business operations

What is an example of a business intelligence tool?

The market for data visualization software and Business Intelligence tools is busy. No players are popping up everywhere. Microsoft Power BI and Tableau are the biggest players.

Power BI is one of the most powerful tools that you can have in your marketing toolkit.

Power BI is Microsoft’s data visualization tool. It creates interactive visualizations and business intelligence. Its’ interface is simple enough for end users to create their own reports and dashboards. It is part of the Microsoft Power Platform

Power BI includes data preparation and visual-based data discovery. It features interactive dashboards and augmented analytics. It is software that runs on Azure. If you prefer you can run it as an on-premises option in Power BI Report Server.

Power Bi is big. Very big. 1.2 billion people worldwide use Microsoft Office product or service. There are 60 million monthly active Office 365 commercial customers. 50,000 small business customers get Office 365 each month. Power BI is included in Office 365 E5. This means that Power BI sells itself. Millions of other users of other Microsoft office products receive prompts from Power BI. They are nudged to “visualize in Power BI.” That means that everyone who uses Microsoft Office can see Power BI. And that is a lot of people. Microsoft Power BI is not going away anytime soon.

Tableau is Power BI’s main competitor. It is easier to use than PowerBI. And it offers marketers a more powerful insight into customer behaviour than they might have ever seen before..

It means business users can access, prepare, analyze and present their data. Tableau uses visualization to show your data to the world. It gives your data meaning. It also makes it impactful and persuasive. That is why marketeers love Tableau so much.

Tableau is very popular with its users. Customers show a fanlike attitude toward Tableau. An incredible 20,000 users attended its 2019 annual user conference. These users are strong champions for Tableau.

The are more business intelligence tools beyond Tableau and Microsoft’s Power BI. They include XL charts, Datapine, yellowfin BI. The list goes on and on.

Why do you need a business intelligence tool?

Data discovery was once the province of advanced analytics specialists. But now is something almost anyone can do using tools like those listed above.

These tools will give anyone insights you need to achieve business growth. It will collect all your data in one place. It will help you identify and resolve urgent issues. You will be able to forecast future outcomes and track past mistakes. It will identify trends that you would otherwize have no idea about.

How exactly does business intelligence improve efficiency?

Business intelligence improves decision making. It makes it faster and easier. That means you can deploy your workforce or resources without hesitation. You will be able to analyze your business processes and boost efficiency.

The main advantages of using a business intelligence tool in your company:

Accurate data analysis

A business intelligence tool means your employees can up to date use data. With accurate data you make better decisions using the results of analysis. And that does not mean only analyzing past data. Predictive analytics means you can predict future events based on detailed research.

New insights for better business growth

Business Intelligence means you can discover your company’s hidden treasure. You will locate areas with potential for growth. PowerBI will help you anticipated market changes. That means you will come up with effective strategies before it’s too late.

Alerts for real-time data means faster decision making

One of the advantages of an enterprise business intelligence tool is alerts. They let you receive alerts every time your data changes fast. This allows you to make better business. You can react fast or and find out what led to those changes – immediately after they happened.

Improve customer satisfaction

An advantage of an enterprise business intelligence tool is tracking customers. You will be able to see how they are reacting to certain services or products. You will see what customers think about their experiences. That will help you make better decisions . Especially when it comes to designing new product packages or running events.

By watching customer data, you can make sure your product aligns with their needs and wants.

Engage employees by removing data entry

Employees that use spreadsheets waste a lot of time inputting data. A lot of advantages come with enterprise business intelligence tools. They mean employees access information fast. So they can improve their productivity by having more time for other important tasks.

Help cut costs

Good business intelligence software helps you keep an eye on cash flow. That helps you reduce costs. Insight into how your company is performing will help you see where you can make cuts. You will be able to keep a close eye on the money earmarked for future growth.

Consider the advantages a business intelligence tool could bring to your business. If you think it can help – and it can – then get to it.

But remember, collecting data is only half the story. It is also necessary to use it. You need to make data and Business Intelligence a focal point of your team’s strategic thinking. You must ensure that you use it to craft smart business policies.

The advantage of enterprise business intelligence is clear. It helps you make more good decisions. And less bad ones,.

Over the long haul, that will safeguard your company from unnecessary failure.

More than that, you will be able to get an edge on business rivals.

Business intelligence tools give your business a competitive advantage

6 undeniable reasons why Power BI is a good skill to have for any marketer

Everything you need to know about advertising on one annotated slide

About the author

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The simple secret of redesigning websites? Headlines are EVERYTHING

November 19, 2021

I have worked in content for my entire adult life. And I have found one thing to be true.

Headlines are everything. Everything.

Let me give you an example. Right now, I am working on the redesign of a financial website. The client would like the website to appeal to a younger demographic

There are many ways to effect this change. First you identify which sector of the audience you cannot live without. In this case, it is graduates who have a background in tech.

Safe, Exciting or Superior

Next, you could figure out how they want to feel when they visit the site. That sounds like a broad question. But in reality there are only three fundamental options. They can feel safe, excited or superior. We could call these the Volvo, BMW or Mercedes Benz options.

It does not take a genius to see that graduates would rather drive an exciting BMW than a safe Volvo.

(Fun game: which of these three values does the brand you work for represent?)

So we start to turn the fonts, colours, photos and sitemap to appeal to these tech graduates. (Of course we also do not want to lose the existing audience.)

(The font that represents “Excitement” is sans serif? “Superior” is serif. And “Safe” – think NHS – is slab, a mixture of the two).

We can add the right colour, the right images all to boost excitement on the site.

But whatever we do, it has to work on mobile. That means this design work must fit into an oblong about three inches by six.

As I am sure you are aware, over time, websites have begun to conform to a series of best practice frameworks. The logo goes top left, the line under the logo goes beneath it. There is a nav bar.

Once you have obeyed the rules of best practice there is really no other design work to do that is going to make a difference on mobile. It’s just headline image text from here on in. Your hands are tied.

There is only one dynamic element that will truly make a difference.

The way you write the headlines.

Everyone reads the headline

Everyone reads the headlines.

Almost everything else on your average website is static. The about page rarely changes. The homepage is always the same. The only bit that moves is the content. Humans are hard-wired to look at the bit that moves.

Eye-tracking surveys reveal that we all look at the headline first. And here is the important bit: it does not matter what we are reading

When you read this article, you read the headline first. When you look at data visualizations you read the headline first. Then you scan the visualization to see if it supports whatever you read in the headline.

Most recruitment consultants will tell you to write a headline on your CV. (Mine says “Creating content that attracts new customers”). The rest of the CV is evidence that supports the headline.

Next time you give a PowerPoint presentation take a look around the room. You will notice that everyone is paying attention at the start of your talk. How long before they start to switch off? A generous assessment might say ten minutes. Two minutes is likely closer to the truth. That’s two slides. That’s why we put the best thing we have got on the opening slide. AKA the headline.

In the days of print, the headline came first and the image a close second. The picture reflected the headline. if a man catches a fish, man and said fish go in the photo.

But digital has cut off the relationship between headline and image. Sometimes headlines will be all you see of a story before you click on it. That’s why headlines rule the digital world.

The body of the article merely stands up the headline. And reading rates drop off fast. Sixty percent get a third of the way down. Ten per cent read to the end.

Everything else is supporting cast

Do you remember anything about the Tory party conference? The one held in Manchester before the 2019 election? Nothing? How about the headline “Get Brexit Done”?

Content is the headline and headlines are the content. Everything else is supporting cast.

So how does this look in the real world? Take a look at these two headlines, both taken from the same website.

As a 22 year-old at JPMorgan I earned $155k & life was not bad
The art of leaving an investment bank in Hong Kong

Both these headlines come from the same site. One of these is the most popular headline on the site. The other is not. One is emotional, vivid and aimed at younger people. The other is not.

Emotional and vivid

Now imagine taking the tone of one of these headlines and driving it through every story on the website. The rest of the site could be completely unchanged – same fonts, colours and sitemap. But by tweaking the headlines, you will have altered the character and appeal of that website forever.

No other piece of content has the power to change our perceptions . No other single piece of content can set the agenda. No other piece of content can change the level and nature of our engagement.

And to be frank, we can’t remember any other piece of content anyway.

Whether the medium is video, live events, website or data visualization. No other single force has the power to change the game. Instantly.

Headlines are everything.

It’s that simple. That is the game.

The simple secret of redesigning websites? Headlines are EVERYTHING

Everything you need to know about advertising on one slide ANNOTATED

About the author

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7 simple data visualization techniques to win more business today

November 4, 2021

When you’re selling your product, each touch-point with your prospect must be engaging.

The last thing you want is for your prospects to not understand what they’re buying and choose a competitor.

Data visualization can help clarify things. It can make your sales materials stand out from the crowd.

Data visualization makes it easier for people to understand the differences between products. It can explain how each option will work for them.

In this blog post, we’ll share 7 simple data visualization techniques. They will transform your sales materials. They will make it easy for your prospects to choose your company.

Why is data visualization important for presentations?

Let’s start with the basics. Data visualization is important because data is important. And data is everywhere.

There is no sector in which data is unimportant.

If data isn’t present in sales materials, you’re missing out on an opportunity. Data helps your prospects make their decision.

Above all data visualization is a reassurance tool. It is best used towards the end of the sales funnel, before conversion. Data visualization provides proof the customer’s decision to buy is the right one.

Customers will take a look at the data just before they decide to buy. If the data is right, they will go ahead with the sale. That is why data visualization is so important in sales.

Data visualization closes the sale.

What data should you visualize?

If data isn’t represented in a way that makes sense, customers won’t care about it. You don’t want your data visualization to be boring or hard to understand.

Data can be used in sales. It can be used in other places.

Data from data visualization can be a starting point for future product iterations. It can keep track of performance over time. Data can predict trends and is useful for internal use to understand what is important to the market.

What data should I visualize in my sales materials?

You should visualize data about your product in your sales materials. You can include data about your company. You can also feature data highlighting trends in your industry. You can include any data that your prospect will care about.

But the most effective data visualizations show the benefit of the product or service.

There are a million ways to visualize data and every situation is different, but here is an example.

Imagine you were considering sending your child to a school. You’d start looking at local schools in your area. You would tour them. The school may allow you to chat to a pupil that takes you and your partner around. You can speak to the head teacher.

Towards the end of this process you will study the schools’ results in detail. What A’ level results did pupils who attend the school get? What about GCSE’s?

This data is shown in graphs. Want to know how how the school has performed over a period of years? A line graph could be helpful.. If you want to know the percentage of students who got top grades at GCSE the school may use a pie chart. If the data is strong, and all other factors are equal, you will choose the school.

That is one way you can use data visualization to reassure customers – or in this case parents . With data visualziation, they are sure they are making the right choice.

Here are 7 data visualization techniques. You can use to upgrade your sales materials today

1) Bar charts

Bar charts are a popular data visualization to use for presentations. They are simple and effective. Everyone understands them. It is wise to never underestimate simplicity. You can compare data from different categories or from the same category with ease.

A bar chart is great for data comparison. Does your company makes several products? Data about each product must be part of the data visualization.

A bar chart is great for showing growth or quantity. This stacked bar chart shows almost every career in the US and how much you can earn doing it. You can understand it without thinking. The reason it is is deliberate. It shows you what inequality – the different earnings between careers – looks like.

2) Line charts

Power BI is one of the most powerful skills that you can have in your marketing toolkit.

One man made billions from monetizing line charts. He is Michael Bloomberg. He popularized the Bloomberg terminal. Stockbrokers use it. It shows the price of a stock over time, depicted as a line graph. Line charts are great for data that has a natural order.

A line chart is helpful when you want to show the data over time,. You can use it to show how much your company is growing in comparison with its competitors.

Recently line graphs have hit the news. The have showed us the progress of Covid-19 infections in different countries.

3) Pie charts

We all know pie charts from school. Pie charts are great for showing percentages or how a market divides.

It is always advisable to use charts that everyone understands. A Sankey diagram may look exciting. But it is possible that many of your readers will not understand how to read it.

Pie charts are a data visualization technique that everyone can understand.

4) Treemaps

Treemaps are data visualization charts that use the size of data to tell a story. They help your prospects understand data spread out over many categories fast. Treemaps break everything down into manageable, bite-sized chunks.

5) Wordcloud

Wordcloud data visualizations are great for data that’s not quantitative. The data may be qualitative. They could use text data about your prospects or their opinions on different topics. Or, the data may be words in general, such as data about the products you offer or company data.

6) Heatmaps

heatmpas are a great data visualization technnique

Heatmaps use different colours to represent different values. They’re helpful to visualise intensity.

Heatmaps make intuitive sense. It is no surprise data scientists use them much. Governments have used Heatmaps to tell the story of the spread of Covid 19.

7) Correlation Indices

Correlation data visualizations represent data in a coloured grid. Data scientists split the data into different categories. They assign a colour to each category, such as data about your company.

They fill the grid with dots that show the correlation in the data.. The data is from different categories. Or the data is identical across all categories.

Learn these seven data visualization techniques. They will ensure you improve your sales materials . They will help your company stand out from the competition.

Business intelligence tools give your business a competitive advantage

6 undeniable reasons why Power BI is a good skill to have for any marketer

Everything you need to know about advertising on one annotated slide

About the author

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