A DEEPER INSIGHT

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We make sure we remain at the cutting edge of the digital landscape so we can continue to give our clients the best service possible. Our Insights section is our content hub for our thoughts and advice on all aspects of digital marketing.

Levelling up your UX maturity

Levelling up your UX maturity

We previously looked at UX maturity, what that looks like at different levels, and how you can enhance this in your own business. Here we look at the timescales you may have to expect at each level. Stage 1: A company can remain hostile toward usability for decades,...

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How mature is your UX process?

How mature is your UX process?

So you're thinking about implementing a UX strategy at your company – whether it's through outsourcing all the work, getting an agency to audit your current site and train your team, or by recruiting a UX team directly. Before deciding which path to follow, or even if...

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Cognitive Biases and UX testing

Cognitive Biases and UX testing

Fundamental Attribution Error We judge others on their personality, but we judge ourselves on the situation. In website testing, this can come back to haunt us because we ignore the feedback of other team members based on our view of them. “Of course they found the...

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Sticking to the DMA Code

Sticking to the DMA Code

As a member of the IDM, it is important to me that Theme abides by the code of conduct set out by the Data & Marketing Association – a code which acts as an agreement between Theme, the DMA and our customers. The code gives guidance on how we can use our...

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Maximise your customer data with Opt-in marketing

Maximise your customer data with Opt-in marketing

Opt-in marketing is a type of permission marketing where you offer a formal opt-in process for consumer/users to receive follow-up communications and offers. It has become more important than ever in modern day marketing due to GDPR. With Data protection coming into...

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Benefits of Bing Ads in your PPC strategy

Benefits of Bing Ads in your PPC strategy

When considering your search ad strategy, of course, most of your budget should be allocated for Google Ads, however Bing AdWords should never be forgotten. With cheaper ad costs and over 100 million unique searches a month, Bing AdWords provides a useful platform to...

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How fancy can my email really get?

How fancy can my email really get?

When you think of email, even designed ones, you're probably still thinking of something pretty basic, where even putting a video header in makes it look flashy. While it's true that email has some way to go before it can do the same things as websites, there are some...

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SEO jargon buster.

SEO jargon buster.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of making your site nice and easy for the likes of Google and other search engines – and in turn your customers or prospected customers – to find you. But it’s pretty jargon-heavy and sometimes complex to understand so...

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Don’t be a Defender of Ideas.

Don’t be a Defender of Ideas.

Given the huge success of both the film and the book, it’s likely that many of you will have enjoyed ‘The Big Short’ – the frankly shocking tale of the 2008 financial crash – in one medium or another. In the book version Mark Burry, played by Christian Bale in the...

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Quick UX tips that everyone should know.

Quick UX tips that everyone should know.

User Experience or UX should be at the heart of everything we do as businesses, and it doesn’t have to be overcomplicated. Here are some tips to point you in the right direction. Know your audience Cultural differences have a big impact in how people perceive and use...

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Putting the good in social good.

Putting the good in social good.

We live in a world where everyone has an opinion on everything from politics to parenting. So, it is understandable that brands want to align themselves with certain messages, ideals and credentials for social good. It helps to position themselves within a crowded...

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What content does my site need?

What content does my site need?

Your website may look great. It may have the right colours, correct branding and images your target market will understand, it may have super whizzy animations – but still you’re struggling to gain any traction when it comes to traffic and potential buyers hitting...

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The social media evolution.

The social media evolution.

There’s no denying that social media has become commonplace in our lives. It is the cornerstone of any marketing campaign – digital or otherwise. Around 42% of the world’s population uses social media. However, social media is constantly evolving. There are so many...

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Taking digital out of digital marketing.

Taking digital out of digital marketing.

In today’s world, our lives revolve around digital communications. It’s hard to think of a day which doesn’t involve some form of interaction with something digital – whether that’s our phones, a computer, or even an interactive billboard. It wasn’t always be this...

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A straightforward guide to SEO.

A straightforward guide to SEO.

  For many, SEO is still seen as a bit of a dark art, with people huddled in smoky rooms trying to game Google and get their site ahead of the competition at all costs. If only our daily working life resembled a Hollywood film that closely, but alas, it doesn’t....

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Top tips to simplify Google Ads.

Top tips to simplify Google Ads.

After another digital meeting with one of our long term clients this week, we are again being told how confusing the Google Ads platform can be. It will really bamboozle even the most efficient marketer, leading to lost budgets, lost campaign ROI and lack of trust in...

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Balancing needs and desire in marketing – part 4

Balancing needs and desire in marketing – part 4

So if needs should trump desires when it comes to our interaction with marketing material, does that mean there’s no point in spending on design? Absolutely not. Firstly, our desires still remain, no matter how much the practicalities of achieving a goal may intrude....

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Balancing needs and desire in marketing – part 3

Balancing needs and desire in marketing – part 3

We previously spoke about how needs and desire will impact your online presence, and how this is the case for both your customers and your business. But the user experience doesn’t just affect the online world – your customers will have the same needs when going...

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Balancing needs and desire in marketing – part 2

Balancing needs and desire in marketing – part 2

We previously spoke about the general premise of needs and desire, and how these two push and pull against each other, vying for your customers’ attention. Now we’ll take a more in-depth look at how these needs play out online. User experience and the need for...

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Balancing needs and desire in marketing – part 1

Balancing needs and desire in marketing – part 1

We all like things that look great. What ‘great’ means varies from person to person, but when we’re looking to spend our hard-earned on something, looks play a part. But for the most of us, the desire for something that simply looks good is counter-balanced by our...

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The importance of content marketing.

The importance of content marketing.

We’ve all heard the adage that ‘content is king’. It’s the marketer’s golden ticket. It allows you to nurture brand loyalty by giving current and potential audiences something that they will enjoy, find useful and may even make a purchase or two because of it. But, in...

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Tool focus – MailCMS

Tool focus – MailCMS

We’ve discussed in the past how effective a good email strategy can be, with some reporting 4400% ROI. While not as flexible as web design – with some email service providers not showing all the fancy features you’ve spent ages crafting – you can still create...

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UX heuristics and what they mean for you.

UX heuristics and what they mean for you.

UX guru Jakob Nielsen created a list of ‘heuristics’, rules of thumb to ensure that your website meets the most basic user needs. Here’s what he suggests, and what this means in layman’s terms for your site: Visibility of system status Does your site have a search...

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What is Yoast – and what isn’t it?

What is Yoast – and what isn’t it?

When designing and building a new site for clients, we're often asked: "And will it be all SEO'd up from the start? Do you do all the SEO?" This somewhat confusing question seems to stem from the belief (which still persists despite a huge shift in search technology)...

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Google Analytics jargon buster.

Google Analytics jargon buster.

If you have a physical shop or showroom, you know exactly who’s come to your premises, what they did and what impact that had on your business. Google Analytics helps you do the same thing on your website – but it can be a bit jargon-heavy! We’ve created a cheat sheet...

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