Ever pushed when you should have pulled – it's not you bad doors are everywhere!

The Buzz Behind Buzzwords…

Yes, we’ve all cringed at an Apprentice candidate talking about ‘low hanging fruit’, but do buzzwords have a place in your 2017 marketing plans? If we look a little deeper there can be a little bit of legitimate buzz behind some buzzwords and that explains why they can spread so very quickly. There’s buzzwords for all sectors, and even buzzwords for buzzwords – mediaspeak, jargon, fuzzwords anyone? So, which should you be paying attention to?

Here are a few buzzwords we love at One Line – we’re predicting big things for these concepts over the next 12 months:

1. User Experience – ever pushed when you should have pulled? It’s not you, bad doors are everywhere!

Okay, so not exactly a new one but the concept of User Experience UX is sure to get more recognition in 2017 as brands and businesses catch on more to the idea that function is just as important as form.

At the heart of UX design is a dedication to effectively addressing the needs and circumstances of your users. UX isn’t just about producing digital interfaces that are comfortable, logical and even joyful to use, it’s about real world application too – think signage, customer support and doors!

Here is Donald Norman of Norman door fame to tell us a bit more about why UX is so important in your design: https://youtu.be/yY96hTb8WgI

The importance of User Experience is set to be a growing trend… Buzzword 2018 alert – Human-Centered Design! You heard it here first.

Further reading Donald Norman, The Design of Everyday Things

**One Line Challenge**

— Read the Donald Norman article above and then try to find examples over the next week of exceptionally good or bad user experiences! We’d love to hear them, so get sharing in the comments or tweet us @OneLineStudio. We’ll be giving away tasty Fair Trade chocolate for the examples that make us smile the most – good or bad!

2. Social Branding – This traditionally refers to the concept that people and communities are composed of the brands they use, but we’re seeing a seismic shift in what it actually means.

While in previous years businesses might have looked outwards only, social branding is increasingly becoming a two-way dialogue, with brands becoming more thoughtful about what they tell their customers and in turn, how they’d like their customers to talk to them and about them.

It’s all about joining up your marketing by adding real meaning to your communications and being authentic and consistent with your online presence. From there, you can open up channels of communications and connect with customers, and stay relevant to their needs and interests. Most importantly, it works. According to a recent study by Pardot, 80 percent of consumers are more likely to evaluate solutions from the brands they follow on social channels.

At One Line, we believe in social branding that presents a coherent, consistent brand image and voice across your social media channels and Google profiles.

Doing so ensures that people understand what your business is all about and what your values are. It’s something perhaps best summed up by Jeff Bezos, who famously described your ‘brand’ as ‘what people say about you when you’re not in the room’.

**One Line Service**

— This is a buzzword that could add real value to your business if you apply the concept well, so if you’re keen to do more with your social branding, we’re here to help. Send us an email today at [email protected] for a complimentary consultation, we’d love to tell you more about how with a little work, we can improve the look and feel of your social branding in a measure way that makes a real difference to your bottom line.

3. Value Exchange – this goes back to the age-old question, ‘what’s in it for me?’ Advertisers previously answered it with traditional media, but now with the consumer’s desire for ad-free and cost-free digital content, advertisers need to find a new answer.

This particular buzzword has been predicted so we’re not surprised that it’s already causing a stir despite it only being January. Check out Morris Creative for more.

Value Exchange is probably one of the best buzzwords of all-time (in our humble opinion), as it aligns so closely to values-driven branding, which is our absolute passion and area of expertise.

**One Line Question** One of our favourite questions to ask clients when we start working with them is ‘why should anyone care?’ It sounds harsh, but it’s so true and really encourages clients to think about what they offer their customers. This forms a strong foundation for any branding, advertising or marketing messages, ensuring that customer wants and needs are always at the core of your communications. Value Exchange might be a new buzzword, but it’s certainly not a new concept!

Could that be the irony of buzzwords – are we now just creating catchy terms for concepts that already exist? Maybe the buzzword should be Why Should I Care? We’d even be happy to shorten it to the catchier #wsic; let’s see if it catches on!

With thanks to Ococo Media for editorial tweaks.