Marketing

shady 1
  • Soula Spanorigas

Why You Look Shady: Website Trust Indicators
Why You Look Shady: Website Trust Indicators 840 1120 Soula Spanorigas

Imagine walking into a store only to find the staff avoiding eye contact, the return policy hidden in microscopic print, and the product descriptions riddled with misleading claims. You would probably leave.   

Unlike the brick-and-mortar experience, where a warm smile and a friendly handshake can go a long way, the internet lacks the same human connection. This makes it easy for even the most legitimate businesses to struggle against the inherent skepticism of online shoppers, leaving potential customers wondering: Can I trust this business? 

With digital business interactions, trust indicators are critical to ensure potential customers of your credibility and reliability. Among the many trust indicators, certain elements stand out for their impact in fostering trust. From social media profiles to Google My Business pages, each component serves as a pillar in constructing a trustworthy online presence. Let’s dive into why these trust indicators are indispensable for businesses and why we re-examined our own.

Social Media Profiles

Social media profiles that are lively and up-to-date create a sense of familiarity, making you feel at ease and confident in what to expect. Your business’s social media profiles aren’t just about racking up followers or likes — they’re about nurturing relationships and showcasing credibility in a digital world where trust is everything. That’s why we post on social media regularly and respond to those who comment. 

Correct Contact Information

It might sound obvious, but you’d be amazed at how many businesses miss the mark on this one. Making sure your contact information is accurate is crucial for earning trust online. Whether it’s your phone number, email, or where you’re located, having correct details that are easy to find shows you’re all about transparency and being there for your customers. People feel more confident in a business that’s easy to reach when they need help. Plus, having verified contact info squashes any doubts and proves your business is the real deal. Even if you do not have a dedicated office and you work from home, you should still list a virtual address and contact information so that customers know the best way to contact you. 

Privacy and Security Policies

Having clear and honest privacy and security policies is key for businesses to earn our trust. When a company lays out exactly how they handle our info — like what they collect, how they use it, and how they keep it safe — it shows they’re serious about protecting us. Businesses that make privacy and security a priority aren’t just following the rules — they’re building trust with their customers. By being open and accountable about their policies, they give us peace of mind that our data is in good hands.

Google My Business Pages

Think of a Google My Business page as a virtual storefront for businesses. It’s where you can find all the important stuff: where they’re located, when they’re open, and what other customers have to say about them. Having a top-notch Google My Business page not only helps a business show up higher in search results but also gives potential customers a sneak peek into what they’re all about. By making the most of this platform, businesses can make a big impression and win the trust of customers.

Ratings/Reviews Your Website

Customer reviews and ratings are super influential when it comes to deciding where to spend money. When a business takes the time to reply to feedback in a friendly and personal way, it shows they care about their customers. By staying on top of reviews on their website and Google My Business page, businesses can chat with customers, sort out any issues, and prove they’re committed to making people happy. This hands-on approach doesn’t just build trust — it turns happy customers into loyal fans. 

Case Studies/Showing Work

Case studies and portfolios offer tangible evidence of a business’s capabilities, expertise, and track record of success. When a business shares real stories of how they’ve solved problems and delivered results, it’s like saying, “Hey, look what we can do!” Whether it’s detailed case studies, quotes from happy, or visuals, showing off past successes is a great way to build trust with potential customers. By flaunting skills and achievements, businesses can stand out from the crowd. On our own website, we display our client work and what all we’ve done to improve our clients’ marketing strategies overall. This paints the picture for a potential new client in a visual way. 

Team Bios Showing Personality

Introducing the team members and sharing their backgrounds, expertise, and personalities humanizes the brand and fosters connections with customers. Team bios also provide insight into the individuals behind the business, showcasing their passion, dedication, and commitment to excellence. By putting faces to the brand, businesses can build rapport, credibility, and trust with their audience, creating a sense of familiarity and loyalty. Incorporating personality into the brand helps businesses stand out and forge meaningful connections. We made sure that everyone on our team is showcased on our website with information about what they do and a headshot so that people can match a friendly face to a name. 

Keeping Content Up to Date

Keeping content fresh, relevant, and up-to-date is essential for maintaining trust and credibility. Outdated or inaccurate content can break trust and undermine the perceived reliability of a business. Fresh content not only enhances search engine visibility but also signals to customers that the business is active, responsive, and invested in providing value. By prioritizing content freshness and relevance, businesses can reinforce their credibility and trustworthiness. Even if you don’t think you have anything to share, you probably do!

Trust is everything when it comes to convincing potential customers that a business is reliable and legit. Among all the signals that help build this trust, some really stand out. These trust indicators are like the building blocks of trust. So, it’s super important for businesses to pay attention to them and keep improving, just like we’ve been doing ourselves.

Versa VideosTall 1
  • Jared

Size Matters When Filming Interviews
Size Matters When Filming Interviews 960 1200 Jared

An often-overlooked fact about those not used to being on camera: An interviewee’s “comfort level” during a conversation is set from the moment they walk in the room — determined by the amount and size of equipment setup.

While hiring a professional video service seems smart… there’s one thing they ALL bring to the table: The Fear Factor.

If the interviewee is like most people, odds are those bright lights, long mics, and big ‘ol cameras are going to be the first and only thing on their mind until the moment they walk out the room.

With over a decade of client work clocked in, our team has heard all the horror stories about a coworker, client, or consumer interview gone wrong. And might we just say:

Intimidating your interviewee is one of the best ways to tank the quality of their responses before even asking your first question!

Talk about blowing an opportunity:

  • 79% of consumers claim to watch testimonials to learn more about a company, product, or service

  • 66% report they’re more likely to make a purchase after watching testimonial of how a product/service has helped someone else like them

Those are not numbers to ignore.

While a smaller setup, like a “SmallRig,” may not look like much, that’s the whole point now, isn’t it? With a tool like this, your team has everything it needs to film a quality interview… without the whole fear factor!

{ To clarify, this is NOT an ad. We are just adamant believers in quality content marketing and speak from experience that this is a great tool to help teams capture high-quality content. }

The SmallRig includes:

👉 A mount for your phone (easily adjusted horizontally + vertically)

👉 Mounted light (with adjustable brightness + color temperature)

👉 Mounted microphone (that links to your phone’s camera)

👉 Mounted battery pack

👉 All housed on tripod legs with easy-to-hold handles

To be clear, a camera is not included. The SmallRig is intended for use with a phone as the camera. That’s right, no big, expensive cameras required — nearly any smartphone camera captures high-resolution video!

Remember: The less-intimating your setup, the more comfortable your interviewee will be — meaning better conversations, and better marketing materials.

architecture 1
  • Shout Out Studio

Considerations for Marketing Your Architecture Firm
Considerations for Marketing Your Architecture Firm 1700 537 Shout Out Studio

You’ve worked hard to build your firm’s reputation in the architecture industry. But now, you may want to enter a new market—or simply grow your business. As competition increases, you may be finding it harder to rise above the noise. 

Whether your key challenge is attracting the right types of clients, closing sales, growing a new line of business, entering a new market, or moving into a niche, strategically marketing your architecture firm can help get you to where you need to be. But, like with the spaces you design, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Let’s explore a few areas of opportunity where you can get more from your marketing.

Branding


Branding vs. Marketing

If marketing is the what and how, branding is the why—why you exist, why clients should believe in you, why first impressions lead to RFIs and RFPs. Brand is more than a name or logo; it’s the firm’s values, philosophy, positioning, and promise–the foundation upon which effective marketing is built. 

For architectural firms, a clearly defined brand that accurately reflects the people and purpose behind the work can fuel marketing communications and attract more of the right kind of client partners. Brand perception may feel abstract, but the results are quite real.

A recent BCG + Google study revealed that “companies with strong brands show a
74% higher return on their marketing investment,and hold a 46% larger market share,
than weaker brands.”

The case for strong branding is clear—it helps connect with your clients emotionally, can create clarity for your internal team, and, most importantly, gets you recognized by potential customers.

SEO


Be Where The Search Begins

More than 60 percent of all B2B relationships begin with an online search. Do you know where your firm ranks in Google’s search results? Pull up an incognito tab in Google and search “architecture firm” and “your city.” If you aren’t on the first page, there’s marketing work to be done, and that work begins with the right SEO (search engine optimization) strategy. A marketing partner can create a customized plan that considers all of the factors that influence SEO ranking including content, links, domain authority, and more. Improving your ranking for searches related to your firm’s services can help drive high-quality leads at certain points in the decision-making cycle. 

Important Note: Marketing is not a one-time thing you do–it’s a long game. It doesn’t happen overnight or with the click of a mouse. It takes sustained effort to see results. For sustainable growth to occur for your architecture firm, you have to keep your marketing engine running. But the good news is that you don’t have to waste time on tactics that won’t be effective. 


Let’s work together to craft a
custom marketing plan!

Contact Us
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Build an Audience

So where can you build your audience? The better question is: Where should you build you audience? The answer to that will depend on your brand positioning, target audience, and many other factors. Maybe Architectok needs another star. Then again, LinkedIn tends to work best to engage B2B audiences. Choosing the right social media platforms to engage your unique audience and drive them to your website is essential. 

You may be wondering if your firm needs a social media presence. Regardless of how you feel about using it in your personal life, when you look at it through a business lens, it’s valuable, as 40% of B2B buyers use social media to help inform their purchasing decisions, according to a recent Gartner Digital Markets Insights.

While your business won’t be a fit for every social platform out there, the visual nature of your business makes social an ideal place to give your audience the first look at a new design and to show off your completed projects. Building your audience, learning what resonates with them, and doing more of it is how to nurture your audience and move them closer to contract.

design


Educate Your Prospects

If your architecture firm is like most, at any one moment in time, about 90% of your prospects are in the information-gathering stage. We know that, from years of marketing research, this is the most critical time to engage your prospect—and not with a hard sell. 

Most architects don’t long to be salespeople in addition, but one thing we find that many architects love—and are usually really great at—is educating. Audiences love to hear architects discuss their philosophy, their process and share details about the projects they have brought to life. Digital marketing can bring these personal stories to the masses and promote your firm simultaneously. For architects resistant to appearing on social media, it may require a simple mindshift from thinking of marketing as selling to thinking of it as educating. This shift has made the difference for many architects who struggle with the “s” word (selling). Marketing is educating! Say it with us!  

Now that you have your educator’s hat on, think about the questions that your prospects have while gathering information online. What can you teach them—that they want to know—that could make your firm stand out? That information can form the basis of your firm’s new content (articles, videos, social media posts, blogs, etc.). If done correctly, all of that educating will drive new traffic to your website, increase your rank in search results and land you more of the right kind of inquiries. 

Just by sharing the information prospective clients want to know (and some things they haven’t thought of yet), you will have gotten them to your website, where the right conten

Marketing Your Architecture Firm


Wow Them with Your Website

Your website should accurately reflect your brand and your work and encourage prospective clients to reach out for a conversation. It’s important to note that the nature of your business carries higher expectations for the website experience. Much like successful architectural design, the website should strike the right balance of form and function, and the quality should align with the quality of the work you produce for your clients. It’s an opportunity to translate your firm’s brand values to digital.

In this industry, proof points are important. Your website is the ideal place to showcase large, quality images of your work, speak to process and approach, as well as highlight the talent behind the output. An experienced marketing agency will ensure your website not only reflects your brand, but is also user friendly, visually appealing, and informational.


Choose The Right Partner

In the end, marketing is just like any other aspect of your business: it takes time, effort, and resources to succeed. That said, the rewards of successful online marketing can be great. The right marketing agency can help you boost your brand, grow your business, and generate leads to change the trajectory of your architecture business.

Whether your marketing team needs support or you are the marketing team, a highly skilled, knowledgeable marketing partner can tailor a custom strategy to your firm that aligns with your business goals.

Let’s discuss how we can create a tailored marketing strategy together. Contact us.

© 2024 Shout Out Studio, LLC
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