When you’re creating the look for your business or it’s time for a brand refresh, AI can produce a logo faster than it takes to brew the coffee for a creative meeting. It’s on trend. It’s fast. It’s efficient. It’s … missing something.

While there are times AI gets the assignment and nails deliverables, there are also times when an AI-generated image just feels off. Your sixth sense tells you a computer spit it out.

A logo is more than just a graphic and too important to leave to an algorithm’s whims. It’s often the first connection people make with your brand and the image that lingers in their mind. That’s why a truly effective logo needs more than speedy sparkle. It needs insight, strategy and, above all, a human touch.

Working with an agency like Ideality means you are hiring a real person — a creative professional with lived experience, intuition, curiosity and feeling that goes into every design. They don’t just generate images based on prompts. They interpret. They refine. They understand the nuances that can translate that ‘feeling’ you can’t quite articulate into a logo that’s intentional, memorable and unmistakably yours.

Ideality’s process can help build a full visual system: a logo and simplified submark for branding on socials and in tight spaces, color palette, fonts, even a brand style guide to ensure consistency everywhere the brand appears. And unlike AI’s pixel-based images, human designers deliver vector files that can stretch, shrink and adapt to everything from letterhead to billboards without losing clarity.

We aren’t swearing off AI altogether. Times change, and we know AI can be a powerful tool in the brainstorming process. Maybe it can provide the spark for early inspiration or generate quick variations to kickstart the creative process. It’s a good support tool — but don’t let it be the author of your brand’s identity. AI produces images, but only humans create meaning.

The best logos aren’t built from prompts alone; they’re built on brand insight, emotion and a deep understanding of what makes your business unique. That’s why working with a human design team ensures your logo isn’t just seen — it’s felt.

Check out our logo design work; and reach out to our (very human) team at Ideality to get started on a logo as unique as your brand!

The post Time for a New Logo? Consider the Pluses and Minuses of AI appeared first on Ideality Communications.

All of a sudden, marketing starts to feel like a far more pressing matter, and by that time, it might be hard to even know where to begin. A good marketing agency at your side can help bring strategy and clarity right when you need it most!

What Is a Marketing Agency?

Thanks to the glut of social media options and web design software, it’s easy for a business owner to think of marketing as a DIY job. But marketing is so much more than a presence on the web.

Think of a marketing agency as a one-stop shop dedicated to your company’s growth. A marketing agency helps you connect with your current customers, attract new ones and build your brand identity. From public relations to SEO, social media to advertising and everything in between, a marketing agency does it all behind the scenes, all while you do what you do best — run your business!

At Ideality, we start by getting to know your brand inside and out — your goals, your audience, your past marketing efforts and where you want to go next. We dig into your industry, evaluate your competition and assess your current strategy to find out what’s working and what’s wasting your time.

From there, we help you set realistic goals and develop a marketing strategy designed just for you. Whether you need a full brand overhaul or just a fresh set of eyes on your messaging, we’ll build a plan that fits.

Don’t Go It Alone!

One of the biggest benefits of working with a marketing agency? You don’t have to hire an in-house team (or add to your responsibilities!) to make it happen. We bring the designers, copywriters, strategists and brand champions to the table so you don’t have to scramble to find them yourself. Plus, we keep track of every campaign — so you know what’s working, what’s next and how your marketing investment is paying off.

If you’re ready to take marketing off your to-do list and start seeing real results, reach out to Ideality. Whether you are launching a business, growing it or just trying to get it back on track, we can help you reach your goals with creativity and confidence.

The post Ditch the DIY Marketing — Why It’s Time to Bring in the Pros appeared first on Ideality Communications.

You don’t see the best-known brands sitting on their laurels. Labels like Coca-Cola and McDonald’s already have enjoyed decades of market dominance, but they continue to advertise as if the success of their brand depends on it. There’s a reason … it does!

These household names know consistent advertising helps them maintain market share and brand loyalty with existing customers — while also reaching new generations of customers. It helps them grow their business by introducing new products and positions them as a leader against their competitors.

Smaller businesses should follow the same blueprint for success. You may be getting plenty of referrals or may even have more business than you can handle during busy periods. But, marketing does more than simply attracting new clients.

Continuity in your marketing:

• Increases the value of your business. When clients see your great work product and success stories, they know you’re “worth” your price.
• Strengthens client connections. You communicate with your clients about their projects, but they still can be inspired by your work with others. Your marketing continually reinforces that your clients can trust your quality and professionalism.
• Positions you as a trusted resource. Your marketing is designed to build a following around your brand. When you’re as an expert in your field, paid advertising keeps you top of mind for free publicity like speaking engagements and TV or print interviews.  

Ready for an annual marketing plan that will keep current and potential customers engaged with your business year-round?

The post But I’m Too Busy for More Marketing! appeared first on Ideality Communications.

PR gets a bad rap. Yeah, we said it. We know it. But that doesn’t mean it’s completely true.

Public relations representatives in the corporate world are often seen as money-hungry manipulators who put the profit of their company before what is good and right. Negative stereotypes of PR professionals abound the media — look no further than the villainous flack in your favorite Netflix drama or romcom.

To be sure, there are definitely dishonest public relations representatives. There are also dishonest CFOs, lawyers … even dishonest burger-flipping 14-year-olds. But we can confidently tell you there are just as many — if not more — honest, hardworking and transparent PR pros who push out positive content with approachability and authenticity.

As a PR agency, our focus is finding the best way to accurately and positively represent our clients to their target audience and connect wholeheartedly with that audience, regardless of the current political or economic climate. A good PR firm is a bridge builder, creating strong connections between company and consumer so the consumer truly understands the company’s story, while the company learns how best to serve the consumer.

Building that bridge, however, is more than just press releases, sound bites and story pitches. It begins with critical foundational work we do with our clients during our Brand Platform development process.

A Brand Platform encompasses the key components of what the brand stands for and literally stands on. It is the foundation and measurement for all marketing, advertising and PR campaigns, and the very first step we take when we agree to represent a company. After all, to best represent your company, we have to know your company! During the Brand Platform process, we identify attributes, values, cultural pillars, voice and character, not just mission and vision. We weave these elements into an emotion-evoking, customer-connecting brand story and infuse company cultural fibers into every message we release, both internal and external.

And the best way to preserve, promote and protect those identifying features of a brand is to incorporate them from top to bottom, wrapping elements into internal training materials and posting them in company break rooms for true embodiment of the brand.

At Ideality, we’ve heard all the PR stereotypes. But the truth is public relations can be a powerful tool for fostering real connections between companies and their audiences. By developing a strong Brand Platform reflecting a company’s values and culture, we are able to craft compelling narratives which resonate with consumers on a deeper level. If your company is ready to build a bridge to customers through better branding and authentic storytelling, contact Ideality to get started with Brand Platform development.

The post Truth, Authenticity, and … Public Relations? appeared first on Ideality Communications.

#Hashtag101

Let’s face it: If you are on social media, chances are you’ve encountered a post with a hashtag or two … or twenty (#Yikes!). Simply put, hashtags are a way to group similar texts/posts together and make topics easily searchable within social platforms. Most social media platforms allow users to search by hashtags, allowing people to seek out topics of interest to them while exploring unique content from individuals and brands.

Smart and relevant hashtags give posts an extra level of visibility and allow viewers to better engage with your content. Even better, a good hashtag can bring new eyes to your profile, increasing your reach while sharing a little insight into your brand’s identity and personality.

#HashtagHangups

For all the benefits of adding hashtags to social media, there are limitations — and some could actually negatively impact your content. Follow these dos and don’ts to make sure you’re making the most of your tags.

• DON’T add any punctuation to your hashtags, meaning no commas, apostrophes, periods, etc. Special characters will not work in a tag. Neither will any spaces. Instead, DO capitalize each word in your tag to improve readability and eliminate any confusion, i.e., #CapitalizeEachWord.
• DON’T inundate your message with too many hashtags. It ends up looking spammy and can drive readers away. DO stick to one or two relevant tags and keep them short and sweet. One or two words will do.
• DON’T piggyback on trending hashtags if they are not relevant to your business or your content. DO stay true to your brand identity and consider using brand attributes as hashtags. Keep a bank of commonly used tags and share them within your marketing team to make sure everyone is on the same page.

#HashtagHeroes

At Ideality we specialize in helping businesses leverage the power of social media — including hashtags — to achieve their marketing goals. Algorithms on social media are always changing and an effective hashtag one day can lead nowhere the next. Our team can help you identify relevant tags for your target audience, create effective social media strategies and help you optimize your content for maximum visibility. To read more about the importance of developing and staying true to your written brand identity, check out our blog on protecting your brand. Contact Ideality today to learn more about how an effective social media strategy can help you #GrowYourBrand!

The post Craft a #Winning Social Media Strategy with Hashtags appeared first on Ideality Communications.

• Spellcheck is your friend … sometimes. Did you check all those red squiggles under your words? How about the blue ones? Running your work through grammar and spellcheck is a great first step, but don’t rely on it to check for everything. You could end up with an embarrassing miss steak you wouldn’t wish on your worst enema. (See what we did there?)

• Make yourself an editing “cheat sheet.” At Ideality, we create unique copy edit checklists for each client to keep track of frequently used names, phrases, odd spellings or capitalizations and style preferences. Referring to the copy edit checklist ensures we get it right each time and achieve a consistent style, tone and voice. Create your own list to make double checking tricky items easier. Your future self will thank you!

• Read your words out loud. And then read them again. Errant commas, changes in voice, omitted words, double words… the same errors you might gloss over when reading to yourself often stand out when spoken aloud.

• Make those mistakes stand out on screen.  Change up your formatting, at least temporarily. Bump up the font size or change the font altogether. Reduce the margins so you are looking at a skinny column of text instead of one spanning the screen. Sometimes a change in how the words are displayed can help you see what is actually written — not what you meant to write.

• Put it away for a bit. Seriously. Yes, you’re on deadline. But stepping away for a few minutes, whether to spend time on a different project or just to stretch your legs, may be just what you need to bring fresh eyes and a fresh perspective to your work.

You made it — whew! With your copy editing complete, we’ve got just one more tip for the next assignment. Call Ideality! Being your own editor isn’t easy. So let our team of writing wizards and editing experts tackle your toughest projects.

The post Be Your Own Copy Editor: Tips and Tricks for Polishing Your Writing appeared first on Ideality Communications.

Snackable chunks of information are key to drawing people to your business. Check out our Pittsburgh content creation agency’s top three tips for giving social scrollers an appetite for your brand.

1. Think charcuterie board, not Thanksgiving feast.

Your content needs to be short, sweet and memorable to cut through the social clutter. Aim for bite-sized nuggets of easily digestible info. Keep content varied – give them an olive one day, prosciutto the next, throw in some goat cheese to make them want to keep grazing.

Looking to drive people to a long-form blog post? Give them a few nibbles from the main course throughout the week and send them to your site for the entrée! 

2. We eat with our eyes, not just our stomachs. 

Do you want fruit salad out of a foil pan or out of the carved watermelon basket? Is your eye drawn to a naked baked potato, or one slathered with butter, sour cream and bacon bits? Pair your information with drool-worthy images for better engagement! Dress your social posts with fresh infographics, motion graphics, gifs or memes.

3. Sharing is caring!

We all love to share treats with friends. Social snackers are always on the lookout for something funny, clever, useful or poignant to share with their network. Share-worthy posts increase your engagement and your audience, attracting new leads.

Looking for enticing graphics and videos to make your social content irresistible? Need to trim the unnecessary words off your pudgy posts? Contact Ideality today to see how our team can craft snackable content that will keep people coming back for more of your brand!

The post Three Ways to Grab Social Grazers with Snackable Content! appeared first on Ideality Communications.

Have an “Out of Body” Experience

It’s so easy to focus on the body of your text and gloss right over headlines and other call outs. It’s like errors hide in areas that are bigger, bolded or italicized! Always double check headers, photo captions, URLs, pull-out quotes and text included in visuals. 

Take a Breather

Don’t copy edit your text immediately after writing. Taking a quick pause to work on something else before editing will help you see it with fresh eyes. This is also a helpful tactic if you’re grappling with writer’s block! Sometimes walking away from a project helps you see past frustrating sticking points. 

Use the Buddy System

Always have another person proofread your copy. Remember, the copy lived in your brain before it lived on the page. It’s easy for your mind to read “what’s supposed to be” on the page without noticing typos, extra spaces and the like. Someone less familiar with the text will spot errors more easily, and make sure your message is clear to others.

Go Offline

Step away from the computer! Print out your copy, and you’ll likely catch errors your eyes somehow glossed over on the screen. Even better, read your copy aloud, and you’ll hear the mistakes jump off the page.

Make a List. (Check it Twice.)

When you write about a topic or person frequently, it’s convenient to have a copy edit checklist tailored specifically for those jobs. Having a handy reference for checking the spelling of important names, commonly misspelled or misused words (stationary/stationery), industry jargon or style preferences (which side of the Oxford comma debate do you fall on?) makes the editing process quicker and easier. Copy edit checklists will help everyone who edits your copy operate from the same playbook, adhering to the correct standards and tone. 

Looking for more ways to streamline and refine your text? Contact Ideality today to learn the one word to eliminate from almost every piece of writing − and find out how Ideality’s team of experienced writers and journalists can transform your challenging topic into an enjoyable read keeping your audience waiting for more.

The post Five Easy Ways to Tighten and Brighten Your Marketing Content appeared first on Ideality Communications.