Various Types of Commercials

Advertisements come in a variety of formats. In this blog, we will take a look at television advertisements. What comes to mind when you think of a memorable television advertisement? Is it that the ad was humorous, enlightening or had a celebrity endorsement? The idea of a commercial is to promote a product or company […]

Harnessing the Power of Promotional Items

In today’s competitive marketplace, businesses are constantly seeking innovative ways to promote their brand and connect with their target audience. One highly effective strategy that often gets overlooked in the digital age is the use of promotional items. These tangible, branded products not only serve practical purposes but also act as powerful tools for spreading […]

Stylize QR Codes with a Design for Higher Conversion Rates

QR codes have become a common sight in marketing as they help enable effortless digital interactions. Keep in mind, the traditional black-and-white look may not always complement your brand’s visual identity. To enhance the QR codes visual appeal and ensure they align with your brand, consider customizing them. Here are a few tips for stylizing […]

The Power of Proofreading

In the fast-paced digital age we live in, where information is constantly shared and communication is instant, the importance of proofreading cannot be emphasized enough. Whether you’re writing a blog post, sending an email, drafting a report or even posting on social media, taking the time to carefully review and edit your work, as well […]

The Impact of Marketing: The Importance of Branding

Over the course of the next few blogs, we are going to break down different aspects of marketing such as advertising, logos, branding and much more. This series will look at popular brands and why they have risen to fame. To start, what do Toyota, Louis Vuitton and Microsoft all have in common? They are […]

The Vital Link Between PHP and a WordPress Website’s Performance and Security

Hypertext Preprocessor, also known as PHP, stands tall as a foundational server-side scripting language dedicated to web development. Imbedded within HTML code and executed on a server, PHP acts as the engine propelling websites into existence. Its influence extends far and wide, powering over 80% of websites on the internet and forming the bedrock of […]

Elevate Your Lists: An InDesign Guide to Stylish Bullets

In the world of graphic design, every element must harmonize with a brand’s identity and the bullet point is no exception. Make your bullet point or numbers look professionally designed! Even changing the shape and color of the bullet points to match your brand will elevate your design to a professional level. Maybe you want […]

The Power of Brainstorming When Creating Successful Marketing Campaigns

In the ever-evolving world of marketing, creativity is the driving force behind successful campaigns. There is one tool every marketer needs to know to create a successful marketing campaign: brainstorming. This collaborative process brings together diverse perspectives and ideas, fueling innovation and paving the way for successful marketing campaigns. Promotes Creativity and Innovation Creativity is […]

Evolution of Website Design Trends

In the ever-evolving world of technology, website design has experienced significant transformations over the years. From the early 2000s to the present day, join Impact Marketing on a journey through the decades as we explore the fascinating evolution of website design trends. The Early 2000’s: The Age of Table-Based Layouts In the early 2000’s, websites […]

Look Great in Your Headshots With These 7 Tips

To capture the best photo possible, Impact would like to offer a few tips to help you prepare for your photography session. Check with your photographer beforehand to see if they are planning on taking full-body shots, cropped at the shoulders or somewhere in between. In order to use your photos in different types of […]

What Makes a Campaign Stand Out?

Marketing is everywhere. From television to radio to social media, it can be hard to stand out among a sea of advertisements. When creating a campaign, it is important to create something that catches people’s attention and starts a conversation. Cost of Beauty: A Dove Film The Dove Self-Esteem Project launched in April 2023 with […]

Building a Video Rendering PC

As a marketing company, we understand the importance of creating high-quality video content that stands out. That’s why we’re excited to share insight on how to build a powerful video rendering personal computer or PC, that will create stunning videos quickly and efficiently. When it comes to building a video rendering PC, there are several […]

WooCommerce vs Shopify

WooCommerce and Shopify are two of the most popular e-commerce platforms used by businesses around the world. While both platforms can create an online store, there are key differences between the two that should be considered when deciding which to use. WooCommerce is an open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress, which means it is free to […]

Tips for Marketing Students

Senior year of college is arguably the most stressful year. Not only are you trying to finish your academic career, but you are also deciding what you want to do after graduation. If you want to begin your career after graduation, here are a few things to consider and help prepare you for life after […]

Susan Kare: A Pioneer in Graphic Design

Every March, we celebrate Women’s History Month with a theme. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories” to recognize women in all forms of media, storytelling, news and art. In honor of Women’s History Month, we would like to highlight Susan Kare, a famous female graphic designer responsible for much of the […]

Keeping Up In An Everchanging World

Over the past 100 years, many things have changed, from technology to communication and everything in between. Marketing is no different. When many people think of marketing historically, they may think of characters portrayed from the Golden Age of Marketing such as Don Draper (Mad Men) or Darrin Stephens (Bewitched) working on advertising campaigns, slogans […]

AI in Marketing & Media As Told by AI

Note: This blog was written by AI software. It was prompted to describe an overview of AI being used for content creation. It was given further prompts to expand on subjects it had mentioned. This took five rounds of prompts and eight minutes to “write” with free AI software. The writing has been edited for […]

How to Create Multiple Animated Display Ads in Photoshop

How to Create Multiple Animated Display Ads in Photoshop Adding animation and motion to digital ads is an effective way to generate interest and increase your click-through rate. Plus, it adds a storytelling element to your static ad. If your design process is like mine, where you want all the different sizes of ads in […]

One Developer’s Journey

Choosing one path to follow in life, especially when you don’t have a distinct end goal, can be an overwhelming decision for any teenager. Our very own Ashley McDowell struggled with this decision throughout high school. Even though she was eager to learn and knew she was smart, she had trouble finding her rhythm. That […]

CSS: The Obscure, Weird and Underutilized

Calc() Historically, CSS has not been considered a programming language because it was not able to perform calculations or run formulas. With the introduction of the calc function, developers are now able to add, subtract, multiply, divide, etc. for sizing and positioning elements. As an alternative to the standard unit of an element, developers can […]

4 Ways to Personalize Your Company Photos

Company photos are a fantastic way to show the world who you are and what you do. The first step in doing so, is finding a great photographer. Next, is to sort out the details. Group shot or individual portraits? What is everyone going to wear? Of course, you can let the photographer decide some […]

Video Tips and Tricks for your Mobile Phone

The first camera phone was released by Samsung in June of 2000. Now, almost every phone on the market is equipped with at least one camera. If you want to create professional looking videos, there is value in owning a high-quality camera, but why not start by utilizing the device you have tucked right inside […]

7 Fall Color Schemes You Can Steal 

Break out your coziest scarf, pour a mug of warm apple cider and eat anything pumpkin spiced flavored because Fall is here. We mentioned the science behind color schemes and how to create them from a photograph  HERE but, with the changing of the seasons here are 7 fall inspired color palettes. Feel free to […]

Why Search Engine Optimization Is Essential

Ever wonder why when you search Google for an item or service there are businesses listed at the top? How did they get there? It is because the business is utilizing search engine optimization (SEO). The idea behind SEO, is to increase customer awareness through visibility. Millions of people across the globe access the internet […]

What Makes a File Print-Ready?

Let’s say you’re working on any sort of printed material for your company – signs, business cards, posters, etc. The design is completed, and you send to your contact at the local printer to get this project into production. You think everything is taken care of, and then you get a dreaded email – your […]

Get to Know Our Work: Impact Marketing Website

When I was hired at Impact in February 2021, one of the things that I knew right away was that I wanted to work on building a new website for the company. As a marketing firm, we invest our time into making sure our clients are getting the best of the best, which means that […]

Get to Know Our Work: National Cattle Congress “How Do You Fair?” Campaign

  The National Cattle Congress Fair is a local event that takes place every September in Waterloo, Iowa, and back in 2018, they contacted Impact about rebranding the fair. NCC wanted to work on attracting a younger audience, as they had been around for 100 years and felt they might be known for outdated attractions […]

Get to Know Our Work: Iowa Irish Fest Television Commercials

One of my favorite projects I’ve worked on here at Impact was a set of TV commercials promoting the 2021 Iowa Irish Fest, held annually in downtown Waterloo. The Fest is an extremely important part of the entertainment that provides family-friendly fun, cultural experiences, and lots of excellent music (with a fresh brew or two […]

How Social Media Messaging Can Help You Reach Your Target Audience

Do you or your team struggle with reaching your target audience on social media? We have the answers for you – or at least some things you need to think about when posting on social media. Platforms & Purposes Each social media platform can be useful if you know who your target audience is. If […]

Get to Know Our Work: Iowa Irish Fest Brand Identity

As a graphic designer, I get to take on multiple tasks, from logo design to social media. Recently, I worked on rebranding the Iowa Irish Fest, and I would have to say that this has been my favorite project so far with Impact. It has been a fun challenge to connect traditional Irish culture with […]

Get to Know Our Work: Kryton Engineered Metals Website

Over my seven years here at Impact Marketing, I have worked on many projects from start to finish. You can probably imagine that picking a favorite would be difficult. However, if I was to pick one project, it would be the Kryton Engineered Metals website. When simply looking at the website, one will notice the […]

The Ideal Length of a Social Media Post

Some people love it, some people avoid it, but regardless of your personal views on it, social media is necessary to establishing a riveting marketing campaign. Whether you’re trying to convince a college student to buy the latest laptop or a retiree to book a vacation with their grandkids, social media can be quite the […]

How Digital Marketing with Impact Can Help Your Small Business

Have you tried multiple marketing tactics for your small business and felt it wasn’t working? Digital marketing may be the solution. Digital marketing is when a person or company uses online platforms such as social media, email and web-based advertising to get their idea or message across. It can be difficult for a small business […]

Growing Your Social Media Presence

If you search “how to grow my social media presence?” you will be bombarded with articles like “The Top 10 Ways to Increase Your Engagement” ” and “Secrets to a Strong Social Media Presence.” After scrolling for what feels like hours, you’ll usually have no clear understanding of what you really need to do. We […]

In Conversation: Meet Alek

Year Started at Impact: 2015 What was your first job? Office IT. Someone would drop off a van full of computers at an empty office and leave me for the day to mindlessly plug them all in and install Windows. Do you collect anything? YoYos, watercolor paintings, silver, high-top sneakers, failed 3-D prints and half-finished […]

How to Make Edits on Your New Site

If you just got your new site built and would like to make a copy change or swap out a picture, don’t worry – we’ve got you. keep reading to get a quick rundown on how to access your site by logging into the backend and navigating it to make small changes. Accessing Your Site […]

In Conversation: Meet Jeremy

Year Started at Impact: 2004 Before Impact: Financial Advisor & Small Business Owner If you could own a mythical creature, what would it be? Sasquatch What’s the longest amount of time you’ve gone without sleeping? 36 hours for the birth of my first child Name one celebrity or historical character you would like to meet […]

Sharing Your Company’s Story

A company is more than the products or services it offers. It’s more than the profit margins, the hours of operation or the brick-and-mortar store. A company is more than all these things – it’s built from passion, designed through careful (and sometimes not-so careful) planning, and molded from challenges. So, why don’t more businesses […]

Why You Should Shoot in Manual Mode

A photographer’s worst nightmare is coming home from a photoshoot to find the pictures overexposed. To avoid this, the best photographers shoot in manual mode. Before discussing manual mode on your DSLR Camera, let’s discuss exposure. Exposure Exposure is how much light your camera lets in when capturing a photo. There are two different outcomes […]

In Conversation: Meet Annika

Year Started at Impact: 2020 Education: B.A. in Journalism & Communication with concentrations in Multimedia Journalism and Organizational/Public Relations from Wartburg College Before Impact: Page Designer for Lee Enterprises What did you want to be when you grew up? Paleontologist, genetic counselor, sports information director or writer If you could only keep one of your […]

Simple Logo Usage Rules to Follow

Having a great logo for your new business is enough, right? It looks great and matches your business’ mission. Now all you need to do is throw it on your products and marketing materials and call it a day, right? You’re close, but not done yet. You also need to know how to display it […]

How a Marketing Company Can Help You Find Your Local (or Global) Audience

Marketing comes in all shapes, sizes, forms, colors and campaigns. Marketing can also be done on a multitude of different scales – one can choose any size, from local or regional to national or global. But they all require different things, and the right campaign size can depend on what you are trying to sell. […]

Are Billboards Right for Your Brand?

Billboards -, you see them everywhere. On the highway, downtown and even on the way to work. But are they the right form of advertising for your brand? In today’s climate a billboard can be one of the best ways to get noticed but it can also hurt your advertising budget if used haphazardly. The […]

After Effects: Add Pizzaz with Adobe’s Most Powerful Tool

Pizazz. It’s a pretty big part of any marketing strategy and a major buzzword for clients. However, adding this bit of zing with reckless abandon can cause everyone to lose sight of the campaign’s purpose and messaging. This balancing act can be a tricky one – and that’s where Adobe After Effects comes in. After […]

How to Create a Letterhead in Microsoft Word

Did you spend money on new branding and have a new letterhead you want to use, or have an old one that doesn’t get used because you can’t figure out how to type on it? We can help with that. All you need is a jpeg and knowledge of the resolution (ppi or dpi) of […]

Over-The-Top Video Marketing

Digital marketing can be daunting for a small business and often comes with many new terms and platforms to learn. Over-the-top video (OTT) is a great starting point for those who are more comfortable with traditional broadcast media, but would like to branch out into more modern advertising. What is OTT? OTT advertising refers to […]

Social Media Concepts to Implement Today

Social media: the ever-changing marketing beast. Over 3.5 billion people (or 45% of the world’s population) use social media, making it essential to any company’s marketing plan. It can come across as intimidating, but below are three social media concepts you could implement today. Behind-the-Scenes Content Going behind-the-scenes on social media provides several options for […]

In Conversation: Impact Throughout the Years

Since starting Impact Marketing over 20 years ago, Founder and CEO James White has experienced a menagerie of difficulties and stepped up accordingly. Recently, Annika Wall, Impact’s creative director and project manager, sat down with White to have a conversation about Impact’s past, present and future. These are the results. Annika Wall: So, walk me […]

Make Your Designs Pop with a Color Scheme

Everybody knows the color wheel; we’ve been painting it since kindergarten. But how do we use it to choose our color scheme? A color scheme is an arrangement or combination of colors and can be used in a variety of situations. Whether it’s for your company branding, an individual design project or even painting your […]

Adding Infographics to Your Website

Infographic (noun): a chart, diagram, or illustration (as in a book or magazine, or on a website) that uses graphic elements to present information in a visually striking way. That’s the official definition of an infographic, according to Merriam Webster. Infographics are a great way to make your website stand out with engaging content, and […]

Catch Your Customers’ Eyes with Innovative Product Packaging

On a recent routine grocery shopping trip, a rack of colorful cans caught my eye. As a perpetually impatient person, it’s rare for me to stop and examine anything in a grocery store, but this time I stopped for several minutes to study the products. I ended up buying one of these new, interesting-looking energy […]

CMYK vs. RGB: Making Sense of a Designer’s Alphabet Soup

It’s every non-designer’s worst nightmare: the one day your (extremely talented) graphic designer takes a vacation day, a client contacts you and says they need a design done as soon as possible. While design takes years of experience and hours upon hours of practice, there are certain things even a non-designer can do to help […]

Our Favorite Free Web Tools for Marketing, Development, & Design

Whether you’re a working professional looking for a quick solution, a curious hobbyist, or a cash-strapped student, we all at times turn to the vast number of free tools available online. These free tools are often too good to be true or hide real features behind the premium pay walls, but they can be useful […]

Analyzing Your Strengths: 3 assessments to enhance your team’s success

Let’s be honest: working in a team environment can be one of the most difficult things about a workplace. Everyone’s been in a group that doesn’t work to its highest potential, whether it is because someone doesn’t pull their weight or others are unwilling to compromise. Teamwork is essential to a company’s success, and having […]

Client Communication: When to text, call or email

How many times have you struggled to communicate with a client (or marketing agency, if you’re the client)? Now, how many of those struggles happened in an email, over the phone or through another virtual platform? Communication is one of the most essential parts of a healthy agency-client relationship, but it can be a struggle. […]

How Ancient Greek Philosophy can Help in Today’s Marketing

What is it about advertising that convinces people to spend their hard-earned money on (sometimes) superfluous items? You’re bound to get different answers depending on who you ask, but from a technical standpoint, a successful advertisement relies on the balance of three concepts: ethos, pathos and logos. If you haven’t heard those terms since your […]

How to Be a Better Blogger Pt2

So, after reading our last post, you’ve decided to take the plunge and start a company blog. Great! Keep this in mind, though: blogging isn’t as easy as it may seem. To help you out, we’ve compiled three tips to help your blog reach success. Have a purpose When you’re creating something for your company, […]

7 Reasons to Start a Company Blog

What content marketing strategy can be done with limited technical knowledge in any location – and be adjusted to suit your tone? If you said blogging, you’re 100% correct. Blogging (and writing in general) can take a lot of time. With that in mind, we’ve compiled seven statistics to show why your business should dive […]

What to do Instead: 3 Marketing Myths that are Throwing off your Strategy

Marketing in its many forms has been around for centuries, and it’s safe to say that things have changed. What was effective 20 years ago may no longer work for your company. We’ve sorted out three marketing myths some companies still practice to help improve your advertising efforts.   Myth: More Content = Better Content […]

Is Pinterest the Right Place for Your Business?

One of the most overlooked social media channels for marketing is Pinterest. It might not fit into the standard mold of a social media platform (think Facebook) but can be just as important to your marketing strategy. Pinterest is the fourth most-used social media platform in the United States and is more popular than Twitter, […]

What Goes Into Making Your Video

Every second, one hour’s worth of video content is uploaded to YouTube. Seems a little outlandish right? That would mean that every 24 seconds, a whole day’s worth of new content is uploaded. That statistic, which was accurate in 2012, has only increased. Nine years later, that number has catapulted to nearly 10 hours per […]

Font Psychology: How your Words Look Matters

Font (noun) An assortment or set of type or characters all of one style and sometimes one size. That’s the definition of font according to Merriam-Webster. When used with other elements in design, font does an excellent job of conveying different feelings or purposes.   Associated with tradition and reliability, serif fonts are identified by […]

How to Increase Productivity

Tick, tock. Tick, tock. The clock’s constant ticking looms in the background. Work keeps piling up on your desk, but you can’t identify what to begin with. Ding! The light in your office is too bright, so you get up and close the blinds while another email from your boss comes through. You turn on […]

Keeping your Copy Concise & Creative

When you think of advertising, what comes to mind? Is it billboards splashed along the highway on your way home from work? How about social media posts available at your fingertips? Both are prime examples of advertising, but one thing ties them together. Copywriting is writing that is done to sell a product or service […]

Utilizing Video on Social Media

When you’re scrolling on social media, what grabs your attention? What makes you stop what you’re doing? What kind of content are you thinking about, even hours or days after originally seeing it? If you’re like most consumers, you’re thinking about video-based content. In 2020, 85% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, proving […]

Why Companies are Drafting Marketing Contingency Plans – and Why You Should Too

The Super Bowl is historically one of the biggest advertising opportunities of the year – but with the uncertain nature of the coronavirus pandemic, some companies, such as SodaStream and Avocados from Mexico, are dropping out entirely. Others, like TurboTax, have focused on marketing contingency plans. While these plans may seem like something only national […]

Using GIFs in Marketing

With the influx of information people consume daily, it can be difficult to stand out from other brands. One easy way is by utilizing GIFs (otherwise known as a graphics interchange format). A GIF is, simply, a video or series of photos on a loop. They’re easy to make – there are several smartphone apps […]

Get The Full Instagram On Desktop

Instagram from the beginning has been what’s referred to as a “Mobile First” platform. Meaning that the general goal for the structure is to assume that users are accessing the service via a mobile device, or to encourage them to do so by adjusting the interface and limiting features on their desktop version. The most […]

Back to School Marketing in 2020

Back to School is one of the biggest business times of the year for many brands, but COVID-19 is changing what it will look like this year. While states, cities, and school districts continue to make plans for this upcoming school year, parents’ and students’ stress levels are rising as they try to prepare. So, […]

Is Tik Tok The New Place for Your Business to Be

Although rumors have recently swirled about TikTok’s demise in the US, it is likely here to stay. TikTok has quickly become one of the most-used social media platforms, with its 60-second or less videos getting thousands, sometimes millions, of views. Brands, entrepreneurs and influencers have been using the platform to promote themselves and have seen […]

Targeting Your Audience on Facebook

With more than 1 billion daily users on Facebook, it is crucial to know and target your business’ audience. You could just create an ad and throw it out into the void, but Facebook offers many helpful tools to make sure your ads end up in front of valuable potential customers. Take a look at […]

Binge-Worthy Marketing Documentaries and Shows

Unless you were an essential worker, you’ve had lot of extra time on your hands lately, and while it’s been great to sit back and relax, you might as well put the time to good use and learn a little something. We’ve compiled a list of binge-worthy documentaries and shows so you can learn about […]

Brands That Are Getting Twitter Right

With its more than 330 million active users, Twitter is a platform that you don’t want to forget when it comes to your business. However, you can’t just send out a tweet once in a blue moon and hope to grow a following. Engaging with your audience is the best way to gain traction on […]

What’s In A Logo

What makes a logo stand out from the crowd? If you are starting a business or rebranding, your logo is going to be the first thing that consumers notice about your brand. Consider these aspects when creating a logo: Typography When it comes to typography, there are endless options. Think about how the typefaces used […]

Make Use of COVID-19 Downtime

Since mid-March of this year, the U.S. economy has slowed almost to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many small businesses that were deemed “non-essential” have closed until further notice. Others are dealing with a sharp decline in business. Numerous companies have had to lay off employees. In fact, 26.5 million Americans have applied […]

5 Things Every Business Needs on Their Website

In the internet age, everyone is used to having information accessible at their fingertips. So, if a potential customer visits your website and can’t find the information they need right away, they’re likely to leave your site and find a competitor whose website does answer their questions. To make sure you aren’t losing customers, make […]

Divide Your Audience to Reach Them Better

Marketing is all about reaching people, and the best way to reach anyone is to find them where they are. But not all groups of people can be found in the same place, so how do you efficiently tell many groups of people about your product or service? That’s where segmentation comes in. By dividing […]

How to Stay Positive and Productive During Social Distancing

Whether you are practicing social distancing, working from home, or unfortunately taking time off work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of us are spending most—if not all—of our time at home lately. Here are some tips to stay productive at home and keep a little sanity in these uncertain times. First, establish a routine […]

The Top 7 TED Talks on Marketing

It seems like there’s a TED talk for everything. There are talks on the way language develops, stay-at-home parenting, the perfection of the pencil, jumping rope, open water swimming, dust bunnies, yo-yo mastery, and more. In fact, if you can name it, there’s probably a TED talk devoted to it, and that includes talks on topics like business and marketing. While a business and marketing-themed TED talk may […]

It’s Not Where You Start

When you first meet the employees here at Impact Marketing, you’ll probably assume we’ve been in marketing our whole lives. After all, we’re experts at web development, graphic design, media buying, video production, writing, and so much more. Believe it or not, it took a lot of work and experience to get where our team […]

2020 Marketing Trends

As the new year rolls in, it’s time to look at some growing trends likely to influence marketing throughout 2020. Customer Experience Showing that your company can provide a stand-out experience for your customers is going to be increasingly important in 2020. Businesses have to offer more than just information. 73% of people say that […]

The Fall of Facebook

For years now we’ve been bombarded with information about millennials. Headlines like “Millennials are the first generation to do worse than their parents,” and “Millennials are ruining the (insert virtually anything) industry,” and “Millennials are obsessed with avocados!” (we really aren’t) are everywhere. Now, with the eldest of Gen Z in their early twenties, they […]

Favorite Thanksgiving Food

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, all of us at Impact Marketing have our favorite holiday meals in mind. Can you hear our stomachs grumbling already? Keep reading to see our choices, and maybe even get some ideas for your family Thanksgiving this year! James James’ favorite Thanksgiving dish is Grandma Beard’s homemade egg noodles. […]

5 Marketing Tips You Can Be Thankful For

With Thanksgiving approaching, many of us take some time to reflect on our friends, family, and many life aspects that we are thankful for. Building success in your business can easily be on this list with these tips to help your company grow and prosper. 1) Know Your Audience Who is buying what you’re selling? […]

The Origin of Black Friday

The biggest eating day has all but been taken over by the biggest shopping day—Black Friday. Whereas shoppers used to line up early Friday morning for the best deals, they’re now ducking out of Thanksgiving dinner early to head to the stores. There are plenty of myths about how Black Friday started, and how the […]

Has Your Website Turned into a Ghost Town?

With Halloween just around the corner, you may be realizing that ghouls and goblins aren’t the scariest thing on your mind. Have the clicks slowed down on your website? Are you seeing less and less interaction with your content? Here are five things to think about if you want to build your online presence. SEO: […]

What We Can Learn From Carson King

Carson King, a 24-year-old Iowa State fan whose ESPN College GameDay sign sparked nearly 2 million dollars to be raised so far for the Iowa Children’s Hospital, has dealt with more social media exposure recently than anyone could have ever expected. Busch Light teamed up with King and promised to match the donations to King’s […]

Your Business Needs to be on Twitter

It’s Where Everyone’s At:  Twitter has 330 million monthly users, with 68 million of those users coming from the U.S. With so many people using the popular social media app, you definitely want your company to be a part of that community.  Reach a Growing Community:  80% of Twitter users are affluent millennials, so if this is your target audience, this is […]

The Impact Process

If you’re thinking about hiring a marketing agency but aren’t sure what to expect, you’re in the right place. Since 2001, Impact Marketing has been offering full-service marketing to the Cedar Valley, including print, digital, and air media. Here’s the process you can expect when you work with Impact:   1. Reaching out The first […]

Reasons to Rebrand

Branding—your logo—is critical to the success of your business. It gives your potential customers a simple way to identify you amidst a sea of modern commerce, helps solidify the loyalty of current customers, and offers a defining feature that is all your own. Despite the importance of your logo to your company, branding is often […]

8 Signs You Need Help

You’re an entrepreneur. You work 60+ hours per week to ensure that your business is running like a well-oiled machine, but you still aren’t consistently attracting new customers. The problem could be your marketing—or a lack thereof. In a perfect world, your products and services would speak for themselves. A good company would bring in […]

Get More Online Reviews

Before even entering a business, 9 in 10 consumers will check out their online reviews.¹ Think about it—90%, that’s almost everyone in a business’ base of potential customers. If your business doesn’t have online reviews, or has a low overall rating, you’re losing potential revenue each day. Businesses with a 4-star rating attract twenty percent […]

No One Escapes Negative Reviews

Are you panicking because your business got a negative review? Stop, breathe, and take your fingers off that keyboard! Every business gets a negative review at some point. Yes, every business.  Consider, for example, the Colosseum in Rome. The almost 2,000-year-old Italian icon has pages and pages of 1-star reviews on Google, with comments ranging from:  to architectural critiques such as: Or, [...]

Color Conscious

Psychology When you look at this photo, what do you see? What characteristics do you think this car has? Some words that come to mind are powerful, fast, and aggressive. But why? There’s no text that says this car is fast or powerful. It’s not moving, so we can’t see how aggressively it can drive. [...]

Marketing Agency vs. In-House

For new and existing businesses, the decision to market often begins with the question of who will handle your marketing: an in-house team or a marketing agency? Both have pros and cons, but we suggest hiring a marketing agency for the following reasons. 1. The Cost The cost of hiring a full-time marketer, let alone […]

Get Your Name Out

Often overlooked and underused, business cards may seem like an old-school marketing technique, but they’re still very relevant. In fact, compared to the vast field of digital communication tools, having something physical a customer can hold in their hands may actually make you stand out. It may seem very basic but if you’re struggling to […]

Super Bowl

Super Bowl commercials are some of the most-watched advertisements of the year. In fact, studies show that millennials tune in more for the commercials than the actual game.* We rounded up our favorite commercials from this year and past years to share with you. Dave’s Pick: Easy one…begins and ends with Terry Tate office linebacker. […]

It’s All About Strategy

Did you know that many of today’s marketing tactics date back to the 1800s? The limited time offer and the installment plan both date back to the nineteenth century. The free gift with purchase method dates to this time as well, when it was a favorite of newspaper owners: Buy their paper and receive a […]

What file type do you need?

Can you send me a vector file of your logo? Is this logo rasterized? Is this image at 300 dpi? If you have heard these questions before and were lost then this is the cheat sheet for you. What is a Vector file? Vector files use mathematical equations translated into points that are connected by […]

Concept ONE 2018

Part of being a professional in an industry like marketing is keeping up-to-date on the latest best practices, trends, and technology. A few months ago, I attended the Concept ONE conference in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to see what industry experts were saying about marketing in 2018. The conference featured keynote speakers Douglas Karr, Andrea […]

The Words We Use

Dashboard The UI interface for many pieces of software including CMSs like WordPress are referred to as a “Dashboard”. Obviously the leap from car dashboards come to mind with its similar elements such as dials, gauges, and instrument panels. But the term goes back much further, which is apparent when the word is broken down. […]

Our Favorite Holiday Ads

One of the best parts of being in the advertising industry is themed ads, especially holiday ads! In that spirit, we’ve rounded up some of our all-time favorite holiday ads. Check them out! Alek’s Pick: “Despite the growth of new media, for decades families still spend time together looking through the stack of printed sales […]

HIPAA Compliance for Social Media

For most companies, interacting with customers on social media is a comparatively simple process. For those in the healthcare industry, it’s much more sensitive. Clinics and doctors must comply with HIPAA rules 24/7- even on social media. Here are a few ways you can ensure that you aren’t breaking HIPAA rules when interacting with patients […]