Marketing

7 ways to optimize your video content for marketing

Video has become a cornerstone of modern marketing, transforming how brands engage, educate, and influence their audiences.

To maximize its potential, you need to produce video content that is not only compelling but also consistent, scalable, and brand-aligned. And that means having the right strategy and content creation tools from the start.

Why video matters

Consider these stats:

  • 91.8% of internet users worldwide watch videos online weekly (Datareportal, 2024)
  • 93% of marketers say video marketing has given them good ROI (wyzowl.com survey, 2024)
  • 84% of video marketers say video has directly increased sales (wyzowl.com survey, 2024)
  • YouTube is the world’s second most popular search engine behind Google (Search Engine Journal, 2024)

In short, video is not just another social media content trend. It is the new standard in creative content marketing. But with opportunity comes complexity. Video content creation is not just highly effective – it can be very expensive and resource-intensive as well.

To maximize the impact of what you create, while at the same time aligning video content with marketing objectives, your strategy must account for both the advantages and the limitations.

Advantages and disadvantages of video marketing

On the plus side, video:

  • Grabs attention more effectively than written content
  • Evokes emotional responses and improve message recall
  • Drives strong engagement and conversation
  • Suits mobile-first behavior and has cross-platform reach

The downside is that video:

  • Can be time-consuming and expensive to produce
  • Requires more planning and technical support
  • Is typically difficult to update post-publication
  • May be limited by bandwidth or device compatibility

How can you maximize the impact of video content while minimizing the production bottlenecks? The solution starts with smarter, more strategic video planning.

7 steps to increase your chances of video content success

1. Choose the right video format for your audience

The format you choose should reflect your message, your audience, and your brand voice. Not all videos serve the same purpose – and not all will resonate with your viewers. Pick ones that reflect your team’s strengths and can scale easily. Then build repeatable processes around them.

7 tried-and-tested video styles:

  1. Vlogs: personality-driven content that is cost-effective to produce
  2. Explainers: videos created to explain a product, service or brand to your audience
  3. Tutorials: showing viewers how to use a product or service
  4. Promos: videos that publicize the effectiveness of your brand’s offering
  5. Webinars: discussions or interviews that explore a topic important to your audience
  6. Testimonials: stories from real customers that highlight how working with your company benefited them
  7. Behind-the-scenes: glimpses into the culture and atmosphere behind your organisation
  8. Animations: for clear, visual storytelling

2. Analyze competitor video strategies for insights

If you want a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t, take a look at how other brands are using video in your space. What’s getting traction? Which formats drive the most views or engagement? Where are there gaps you could potentially fill?

You don’t need to copy. But nor do you need to be completely original. The most effective strategy may be to improve on what’s already there. You can follow a trend without being a follower, as long as you deliver more value or stronger execution.

3. Repurpose content across all key marketing channels

Video is beautifully versatile. With just one well-produced piece of video content, you can fuel multiple content streams. For example:

  • Add it to email campaigns
  • Feature it on landing pages for better search visibility
  • Break it into snippets for social media content
  • Embed in blogs to boost time on page and SEO

That said, you should always aim to adapt your video content for each platform’s format and audience expectations. While two-minute explainers thrive on LinkedIn, they may need trimming for Instagram or TikTok. Explore content creation tools that enable you to repackage video content quickly and consistently, without multiplying your workload.

4. Master video SEO essentials: titles, thumbnails, tags, and CTAs

For best results, every piece of video content marketing should have the following checked off:

  1. Clear storyboard: No matter how simple or short your video, it pays to have a plan.
  2. Attention-grabbing title: Describe what people will get by watching your video, ideally in fewer than 60 characters.
  3. Quality thumbnail: This will be one of the first things your audience sees, so make sure it catches the eye.
  4. Keyword-rich description: Crucial, because this is what Google uses to rank your video for keywords and phrases.
  5. Relevant tags: Another key SEO and GEO component (see point 5), especially on YouTube.
  6. Strong hook: Modern viewers have very short attention spans, so make sure you grab them from the start.
  7. Effective CTA: Don’t leave viewers hanging – lead them straight to the next stage, whether it’s another video or your website.

5. Optimize video content for generative AI and search engine visibility

As AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews reshape how people discover information, your video content must be optimized for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Unlike traditional SEO, GEO focuses on how AI models interpret, summarize, and surface your content in response to natural-language queries.

To improve visibility in this new landscape:

  • Use clear, conversational titles and descriptions that align with how your audience asks questions.
  • Include accurate transcripts and captions – these boost accessibility and provide rich context for AI models to parse.
  • Add structured data (schema markup) to your video pages so key information is easy for AI to identify.
  • Address common audience questions directly in your videos and descriptions to increase the likelihood of being featured in AI-generated results.
  • Prioritize technical performance: fast load times, mobile responsiveness, and minimal reliance on JavaScript.
  • Host on platforms AI models trust – like YouTube – and cite credible sources in your descriptions to reinforce authority.

GEO isn’t a trend. It’s the next evolution of discoverability. And embracing it will ensure your video content stays visible – and valuable  – in the age of AI.

6. Ensure consistent video branding to build trust and recognition

Videos are one of the most effective tools for building brand equity. But only when they reflect your brand’s identity consistently.

With Papirfly’s Templated Content Creation tools, teams can produce on-brand videos quickly, complete with approved intros, outros, typefaces, and transitions. This not only protects brand integrity but also removes design bottlenecks.

Empowering teams with pre-built templates means more content, faster turnaround, and no compromise on brand standards.

7. Design videos for mobile-first viewing and user experience

With most YouTube views happening on mobile, optimizing for smaller screens is non-negotiable. Your videos must:

  • Play responsively across all devices
  • Display CTAs that are easy to tap, not just click
  • Use layouts and subtitles that are legible on mobile

Neglect mobile and you risk missing out on the majority of your audience – especially younger, on-the-go consumers.

Maximize marketing results with optimized video content

Video’s power lies in its ability to connect. But to unlock its full value, marketers must combine strategic planning with scalable production.

Papirfly helps you do just that.

With our Templated Content Creation solution, marketing teams can produce and personalize high-quality video content – on-brand and on-time. Whether for product launches, internal communications, or employer branding, your teams are empowered to create with confidence and speed.

Ready to streamline your video strategy?

Explore how Papirfly helps global brands create consistent, impactful video content, without sacrificing quality, speed, or control.

Does everyone create content that’s on‑brand, every time?

Find peace of mind with
better brand governance.

Find peace of mind with
better brand governance.

A template creation interface with customizable design options for content like ads and banners, showing smart controls for layout and branding.
Brand management

This is how easy brand control is with Papirfly

With Brand Management and Papirfly by your side, you make sure you have full brand control, every day and in every channel.  

A huge challenge for many organizations is how to keep track of branded material and digital assets. The system might be disorganised, and files spread all over, and as a result, unnecessary time is spent searching. Does this sound familiar?

Then a brand management solution might be just what you need. But how easy is it to use? And what are the benefits?

Continue reading “This is how easy brand control is with Papirfly”

With Brand Management and Papirfly by your side, you make sure you have full brand control, every day and in every channel.  

A huge challenge for many organizations is how to keep track of branded material and digital assets. The system might be disorganised, and files spread all over, and as a result, unnecessary time is spent searching. Does this sound familiar?

Then a brand management solution might be just what you need. But how easy is it to use? And what are the benefits?

Continue reading “This is how easy brand control is with Papirfly”

With Brand Management and Papirfly by your side, you make sure you have full brand control, every day and in every channel.  

A huge challenge for many organizations is how to keep track of branded material and digital assets. The system might be disorganised, and files spread all over, and as a result, unnecessary time is spent searching. Does this sound familiar?

Then a brand management solution might be just what you need. But how easy is it to use? And what are the benefits?

Continue reading “This is how easy brand control is with Papirfly”

Internal Branding

This is internal employee branding and how you get started

Your brand may be beautiful, but at the end of the day, it’s the inside that counts. It’s all about how your internal processes interact and most importantly how your internal branding actions reflect your external branding processes.

By, as we like to say, building your brand from the inside out, you’ll achieve a stronger and more distinct brand, and your employees will be unstoppable brand advocates.

Continue reading “This is internal employee branding and how you get started”

Your brand may be beautiful, but at the end of the day, it’s the inside that counts. It’s all about how your internal processes interact and most importantly how your internal branding actions reflect your external branding processes.

By, as we like to say, building your brand from the inside out, you’ll achieve a stronger and more distinct brand, and your employees will be unstoppable brand advocates.

Continue reading “This is internal employee branding and how you get started”

Your brand may be beautiful, but at the end of the day, it’s the inside that counts. It’s all about how your internal processes interact and most importantly how your internal branding actions reflect your external branding processes.

By, as we like to say, building your brand from the inside out, you’ll achieve a stronger and more distinct brand, and your employees will be unstoppable brand advocates.

Continue reading “This is internal employee branding and how you get started”

Content Creation

How to create display ads that customers love

Why digital display advertising matters

Digital advertising has long been a go-to for brands looking to expand their reach. While the spotlight often falls on emerging trends, new formats, and evolving channels, it’s crucial not to lose sight of what consistently delivers. Display advertising is one of those proven tactics.

Visually engaging and cost-efficient, display ads continue to provide real value – raising brand awareness and sparking meaningful engagement across the multichannel customer journey.

What is display advertising?

Display advertising refers to visual or text-based ads that appear on websites or social platforms to build brand awareness or encourage specific actions. Typically, pricing is based on a cost-per-click (CPC) model, meaning you only pay when someone interacts with your ad.

Display ads are a core part of programmatic advertising strategies, but they’re also widely used for retargeting. These campaigns reconnect with users who have previously visited your site but didn’t complete an action, encouraging them to return and reconsider.

Because display advertising plays such a strong role at the awareness stage, it often targets users in an exploratory mindset. They might not be ready to purchase yet – but just a few well-placed impressions can be enough to influence future decisions.

5 business benefits of display advertising

Display advertising continues to play a vital role in modern marketing strategies. Here are five important reasons why:

1. It has outstanding reach

With Google Display Network alone reaching over 90% of internet users, the potential exposure of displaying advertising is hard to beat. This makes it ideal for building awareness at speed.

2. It captivates audiences through visual appeal

Display ads go beyond plain copy – they use engaging visuals to draw eyes to your brand. The best examples cut through the noise and convey a strong, clear message at a single glance. Tip for creative content marketing: make sure the visual element of your ad either speaks for itself or supports the story told by the copy.

3. It enables precision marketing

Responsible for digital content creation? Display advertising puts a sophisticated set of targeting tools in your hands, helping you reach the right people at the right time:

  • Contextual targeting – Show your ads to users based on keywords and themes from their search history.
  • Placement targeting – Select the specific websites or platforms where your ads appear to control visibility and alignment.
  • Demographic targeting – Focus your spend on audiences by age, gender, location, language, and interests.
  • Behavioral targeting – Serve ads based on past browsing behaviors and intent signals, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

4. It supports flexible, cost-effective pricing

One of the best things about display advertising is that you can spend what you want to – and all options are relatively low-cost. Whether you choose cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM), display ads typically outperform traditional advertising in terms of ROI.

5. It offers excellent tracking options

Digital ads provide clear metrics, so you can assess performance, refine campaigns, and optimize spend in real time. This includes knowing the exact number of impressions and clicks each ad receives.

Examples of effective display advertising

The Ridge Wallet

Ridge’s ad for its RFID-blocking wallet needs barely any copy – because the visual storytelling is so strong. All that’s required is a very brief product description and a simple CTA: “Shop now”.

Ridge wallet display ad

Why it’s effective:
– Shows rather than tells
– Reinforces the brand’s clean, functional style

Brita

Many people despair over the number of water bottles wasted each year. Brita taps into this shared sustainability concern to promote its filter bottle.

Brita display ad

Why it’s effective:
– The value proposition is tied to a social cause
– Tells a powerful story in just four words

Audible

Audible promotes its subscription model with a limited-time discount and an illustration of a popular title. The visual grabs interest, while the offer motivates action.

Audible display ad

Why it’s effective:
– Highlights content the audience already values
– Leads with a compelling incentive to try the service

How your brand can take control of display advertising with Papirfly

Looking to create effective display ads – fast? Empower your frontline teams to deliver studio-quality digital content creation.

With Papirfly’s Digital Asset Management and templated content creation tools, your teams can create high-performing display ads at speed – without relying on agencies. Produce consistent, on-brand content at scale, respond to trends in real time, and deliver more impactful campaigns across every digital channel.

Does everyone create content that’s on‑brand, every time?

Find peace of mind with
better brand governance.

Does everyone create content that’s on‑brand, every time?

Find peace of mind with
better brand governance.

Find peace of mind with
better brand governance.

Produce on-brand, high-quality display ads quickly with Papirfly's Digital Asset Management and Templated Content Creation

FAQs

What is display advertising in digital content creation?

Display advertising refers to visual or text-based ads shown on websites, apps, or social platforms. These ads build brand awareness and drive engagement, typically using cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM) pricing models.

Why is display advertising still effective today?

Display ads remain effective due to their wide reach, visual appeal, precise targeting capabilities, cost-efficiency, and strong performance tracking. They’re ideal for both brand awareness and retargeting strategies.

How does display advertising improve ROI for creative content marketing?

Display ads allow marketers to target users based on demographics, interests, behavior, keyword context, or specific website placements. This precision boosts ad relevance and return on investment.

How can brands create consistent, on-brand display ads at scale?

With Digital Asset Management and templated content creation tools like Papirfly, brands can empower teams to produce on-brand, high-quality display ads quickly – without having to wait for agency support.

Banner Ads, Display Advertising, Template Technology

This is why Display Ads give your brand superpowers

In most industries there is fierce competition. If you want to stand stronger than your competitors, you have to stand out and preferably be one step ahead, so consumer preferences go in your favour.

One area where there is a chance to stand out is through display ads, or banner ads if that is your preferred naming. We’re taking a closer look at why you should put energy and work into display advertising and what advantages it provides, hang tight.

Does display advertising work?

The short and simple answer is: Yes. If you think about it, can you remember the last time you visited a web site where there were no display ads? When there is a mass of things, a quick rule of thumb – because it works! Display ads work very well which is part of the reason why 84% of marketers invest in display ads.

Continue reading “This is why Display Ads give your brand superpowers”

In most industries there is fierce competition. If you want to stand stronger than your competitors, you have to stand out and preferably be one step ahead, so consumer preferences go in your favour.

One area where there is a chance to stand out is through display ads, or banner ads if that is your preferred naming. We’re taking a closer look at why you should put energy and work into display advertising and what advantages it provides, hang tight.

Does display advertising work?

The short and simple answer is: Yes. If you think about it, can you remember the last time you visited a web site where there were no display ads? When there is a mass of things, a quick rule of thumb – because it works! Display ads work very well which is part of the reason why 84% of marketers invest in display ads.

Continue reading “This is why Display Ads give your brand superpowers”

In most industries there is fierce competition. If you want to stand stronger than your competitors, you have to stand out and preferably be one step ahead, so consumer preferences go in your favour.

One area where there is a chance to stand out is through display ads, or banner ads if that is your preferred naming. We’re taking a closer look at why you should put energy and work into display advertising and what advantages it provides, hang tight.

Does display advertising work?

The short and simple answer is: Yes. If you think about it, can you remember the last time you visited a web site where there were no display ads? When there is a mass of things, a quick rule of thumb – because it works! Display ads work very well which is part of the reason why 84% of marketers invest in display ads.

Continue reading “This is why Display Ads give your brand superpowers”

Brand management, Marketing Tools

How do you ensure an agile approach to your advertising strategy?

Being agile, changing your message and listening to what is happening in the market is extremely important right now. A study has shown that only 8% think that brands should stop advertising due to the corona pandemic. They do however expect them to adjust their tone and messaging to fit the current situation. Consequently, having the right tools and competencies to achieve results from your ads in the current landscape is a key factor for most marketers. At the same time, your brand should still be on point in your ads.

Adapt, but don’t change who you are. Communicate your brand values, but don’t make up new ones – the consumers will see through it.

How to stay agile yet cost efficient?

A study reveals that 91% of brands has moved at least some of their digital marketing efforts in-house. With the current market situation, this number has most likely increased, as brands are cutting their costs and striving to do even more in-house. 

Continue reading “How do you ensure an agile approach to your advertising strategy?”

Being agile, changing your message and listening to what is happening in the market is extremely important right now. A study has shown that only 8% think that brands should stop advertising due to the corona pandemic. They do however expect them to adjust their tone and messaging to fit the current situation. Consequently, having the right tools and competencies to achieve results from your ads in the current landscape is a key factor for most marketers. At the same time, your brand should still be on point in your ads.

Adapt, but don’t change who you are. Communicate your brand values, but don’t make up new ones – the consumers will see through it.

How to stay agile yet cost efficient?

A study reveals that 91% of brands has moved at least some of their digital marketing efforts in-house. With the current market situation, this number has most likely increased, as brands are cutting their costs and striving to do even more in-house. 

Continue reading “How do you ensure an agile approach to your advertising strategy?”

Being agile, changing your message and listening to what is happening in the market is extremely important right now. A study has shown that only 8% think that brands should stop advertising due to the corona pandemic. They do however expect them to adjust their tone and messaging to fit the current situation. Consequently, having the right tools and competencies to achieve results from your ads in the current landscape is a key factor for most marketers. At the same time, your brand should still be on point in your ads.

Adapt, but don’t change who you are. Communicate your brand values, but don’t make up new ones – the consumers will see through it.

How to stay agile yet cost efficient?

A study reveals that 91% of brands has moved at least some of their digital marketing efforts in-house. With the current market situation, this number has most likely increased, as brands are cutting their costs and striving to do even more in-house. 

Continue reading “How do you ensure an agile approach to your advertising strategy?”

Corporate communications and marketing

A year in review: 4 big moves that shaped the year in brand marketing

It’s safe to say that many of us will look back un-fondly on 2020 in a few years time. We have experienced some of the most tumultuous events that will ever happen in our lifetimes. But what has it taught us? What positives can we take away? And how have these positives helped shape marketing and the way brands interact with consumers? 

Admittedly, there is a lot of COVID fatigue and many tenuous links between ‘these times’ and the marketing world, but it’s something we need to be talking about as an industry. We’ve had a forced shift in attitudes and behaviours, and everything brands had deduced up until this year has been turned on its head. Everyone had been talking about brands breeding ‘real change’ and ‘authenticity’ for years, and this year more than ever, it has come to fruition. 

How has the global response to COVID-19 reshaped a year in marketing?

#1 Homeworking and lockdowns

What happened?

Unless you live under a rock, you have likely been subject to some kind of lockdown this year, or find yourself working remotely. This was unlike anything anyone had ever experienced, and made us act in ways we were unfamiliar with. There was, and is still, a heavy reliance on technology and video conferencing tools. Remote communication was a barrier we have had to embrace as we’re faced with an array of different emotions each day. 

How did it affect brand marketing?

Some brands had to pull campaigns that could have been considered insensitive, completely rethink messaging and find new ways to engage with audiences that were feeling less than themselves. There was less of a focus on selling and more on connecting with audiences, showing genuine empathy and sharing messages and stories of hope. Any fabricated attempts were quickly shot down.

Getting this right is a delicate balance. Back in May, Marketing Week UK found “brands that avoid generic messages about staying at home, togetherness or looking to the future with optimism are more likely to resonate with consumers during the pandemic”. By offering clear, helpful advice when people were concerned about new rules, this campaign by Tesco featured highly in their round-up of the best ads in early lockdown.

However, there have been exceptions from brands who’ve had to completely rethink campaigns due to restrictions. With sporting events cancelled, there wasn’t much to bet on this year. But Paddy Power still managed to find a way to stay in the lives of their audience with the usual sense of humour we’ve come to expect.

Like Paddy Power, Nike found a way to reach consumers without joining the sea of same in ‘these uncertain times ‘. Instead, they stayed true to their existing brand purpose to help encourage social distancing.

(R) a-year-in-review-4

All three are great examples of brands keeping their cool in a crisis, without claiming to be the solution.

#2 Community spirit

What happened?

While COVID can be blamed for keeping everyone physically apart, it’s also responsible for bringing us closer than ever before (figuratively speaking, of course).   

Many issues were catapulted into the spotlight, that has otherwise been left unaddressed in the past. In many parts of the world, a sense of community was reignited and people called upon big brands and corporations to help those in need. 

How did it affect brand marketing? 

Purpose is now much more than a buzzword, it’s an action and something every brand must embrace. If your purpose wasn’t established or front-and-centre prior to the pandemic, it can be difficult to launch it without seeming disingenuous. The best thing you can do in this situation is to hold a workshop with your teams to establish exactly what it is you stand for — if your purpose has come directly from your people, there’s nothing inauthentic about it.

Data analytics and research company, Kantar, put together a COVID-19 Barometer to explore how people have been feeling and acting throughout the pandemic, and what that means for marketing and comms.

A key finding is that consumers are expecting big brands and corporations to help; top three comms strategies among consumers include talking about how the brand is helpful in the new everyday, keeping them informed about the brand’s reaction to the new situation, offering a reassuring tone ”

Craft beer brand, Brewdog, have always been excellent at reacting to current events and were among the first to repurpose their production lines to supply the NHS, charities and people in need with hand sanitiser made at one of their distilleries.

Dyson also made a huge impact by using their engineering capabilities to manufacture ventilators and help tackle the nationwide shortage.

Building life-saving equipment isn’t a viable option for every brand, but even finding simple ways to make a difference to those most affected by the Coronavirus will affect long-term trust and opinion in a big way.

#3 Teams getting smaller

What happened?

The pandemic left many marketing team members furloughed or made redundant. There were also company-wide hiring freezes and freelance help put on hold or cancelled altogether. 

Those still in the office had to quickly adapt to working from home — with smaller teams, no face-to-face meetings and the added pressure on mental health and wellbeing from the pandemic.

How did it affect brand marketing? 

It’s been vital for companies to restructure their approach and support their teams working remotely.

Marketing teams around the world have had to face  problems head-on by:

  • Embracing digital productivity tools and instant messaging services.
  • Promoting empathy and clear communication between teams.
  • Providing more mental health and well-being initiatives.
  • Creating support networks for furloughed employees, people who’ve been made redundant, and freelancers worried about the future.

The way companies act now will have lasting effects on the success of their marketing teams. A robust remote hiring and onboarding process and empathetic work environments that offer extra support for parents and caregivers will be among the most important factors.


#4 Brands weighing-in on important issues

What happened

With global brands under a brighter spotlight to use their influence responsibly, they have been taking to various platforms to offer clarity among the chaos, encourage their audiences to do the right thing and call out those who aren’t.  

There is the increasing realisation that if a brand is putting profit over people during the COVID-19 crisis, they will lose consumer trust forever.

How did it affect brand marketing? 

Countless brands focussed on sharing social distancing reminders and information, or finding a link to certain aspects of life during the pandemic. What’s proved more important, is the ability to show empathy on a personal level, being useful and being part of a community.

Heinz maintained brand awareness through their partnership with Magic Breakfast — a UK non-profit providing healthy school breakfasts to children at risk of hunger. When schools closed nationwide, Heinz committed to providing 12 million free breakfasts for children who would usually benefit from breakfast club programmes.

heinz-1

As the UK’s first lockdown eased and the government encouraged people back into the office, Dettol misjudged many people’s concerns about returning to normality a little too soon. 

The ads at Euston underground station went viral for all the wrong reasons (with Twitter taking particular anguish at the thought of ‘putting on a tie’ and ‘proper bants’). 

We can learn from both examples when it comes to how people react to brands using a sensitive issue to promote themselves. If it’s genuine, helpful and well-thought-out, the brand will come across as a warm and positive influence in their lives. If a campaign wrongly assumes how people are feeling, then the opposite is true.

The events of this year are no longer a temporary disruption to the marketing norm, brands are now seriously rethinking their purpose, strategies and overall marketing direction. These moves are no longer considered to be simply adapting to a temporary situation, but wholesale mindset changes that will affect the way we interact for the foreseeable future. 

It’s already becoming clear that the way marketing teams react to current events and adapt to change — and how fast they do it — will have a huge long-term impact on their consumer perception and success post-COVID.

Brand management

This is how you implement a brand management system

The implementation of any new software can be overwhelming. The challenge is in ensuring seamless processing and creating a system that your employees will actually use.

We have made a small guide that shows how to implement a brand management system in the best possible way.

Establish why you need a new brand management system

You have your reasons for needing a brand management system, but no one will use your system if they don’t see the utility value. Sending an email with information that a new system is on its way is in other words, not the way to go.

Continue reading “This is how you implement a brand management system”

The implementation of any new software can be overwhelming. The challenge is in ensuring seamless processing and creating a system that your employees will actually use.

We have made a small guide that shows how to implement a brand management system in the best possible way.

Establish why you need a new brand management system

You have your reasons for needing a brand management system, but no one will use your system if they don’t see the utility value. Sending an email with information that a new system is on its way is in other words, not the way to go.

Continue reading “This is how you implement a brand management system”

The implementation of any new software can be overwhelming. The challenge is in ensuring seamless processing and creating a system that your employees will actually use.

We have made a small guide that shows how to implement a brand management system in the best possible way.

Establish why you need a new brand management system

You have your reasons for needing a brand management system, but no one will use your system if they don’t see the utility value. Sending an email with information that a new system is on its way is in other words, not the way to go.

Continue reading “This is how you implement a brand management system”

Brand management

What is Brand Management?

Brand management cannot be explained in one single page. Afterall, there are full time studies for this subject. So why this blog? As a marketer, you have probably experienced the challenges with managing a brand while staying consistent and sticking to your brand development strategies. And most likely you have run into a few obstacles on the way? 

We can’t cover the entire subject of brand management in this one blog post, but what we can do is explain the basic principles and why it is important to get control of your branding processes. We’ll also give you a few tips on a brand management platform can boost your initiatives without much effort. 

What is Brand Management?

Brand awareness doesn’t occur overnight. Building a brand that is embraced by consumers and taking its piece of the pie called market share doesn’t happen by chance – and this is what Brand Management is all about.

Continue reading “What is Brand Management?”

Brand management cannot be explained in one single page. Afterall, there are full time studies for this subject. So why this blog? As a marketer, you have probably experienced the challenges with managing a brand while staying consistent and sticking to your brand development strategies. And most likely you have run into a few obstacles on the way? 

We can’t cover the entire subject of brand management in this one blog post, but what we can do is explain the basic principles and why it is important to get control of your branding processes. We’ll also give you a few tips on a brand management platform can boost your initiatives without much effort. 

What is Brand Management?

Brand awareness doesn’t occur overnight. Building a brand that is embraced by consumers and taking its piece of the pie called market share doesn’t happen by chance – and this is what Brand Management is all about.

Continue reading “What is Brand Management?”

Brand management cannot be explained in one single page. Afterall, there are full time studies for this subject. So why this blog? As a marketer, you have probably experienced the challenges with managing a brand while staying consistent and sticking to your brand development strategies. And most likely you have run into a few obstacles on the way? 

We can’t cover the entire subject of brand management in this one blog post, but what we can do is explain the basic principles and why it is important to get control of your branding processes. We’ll also give you a few tips on a brand management platform can boost your initiatives without much effort. 

What is Brand Management?

Brand awareness doesn’t occur overnight. Building a brand that is embraced by consumers and taking its piece of the pie called market share doesn’t happen by chance – and this is what Brand Management is all about.

Continue reading “What is Brand Management?”

Marketing

Understanding the roles within your marketing team structure

As the need for brands to produce more and more content to keep audiences engaged grows ever stronger, as well as balancing this with the desire to stay consistent across all channels, the emphasis on a well-built, organised marketing team is more pressing than ever before.

But, what is the ideal marketing team structure? As the responsibilities and functions of marketing continue to expand, knowing the roles you need when building your marketing team is critical to covering all bases and guiding the growth of your brand.

Explore our insight into the role of marketing for an organisation and how to structure your team to deliver the most effective output.

What is the role of a marketing department?

So let’s start with the million-dollar question: what does a marketing team actually do? The specifics of this will vary from company to company – what you consider the role of your marketing department could be very different from another company in your industry.

But, as a broad summary, we can define the role of a marketing department as the promoters of your brand to your audiences worldwide.

It crafts the face of your company. It reaches out and attracts leads to your company, its products and its services. It plans, creates, and coordinates the materials that represent your brand. In many ways, your marketing team is the bridge between your brand and your customer.

Due to this weighty responsibility, a marketing department’s functions are often extensive and demand specialists drive them. So, before you can consider the roles and structure of your ideal marketing team, you have to first establish what functions they need to fulfil…

Establishing your marketing department functions

Here is a snapshot of the various functions today’s global marketing teams are expected to perform to connect audiences to their brand:

Define and manage your brand

One of the key roles of a marketing department is to establish exactly what your brand stands for – its values, characteristics, visions – so you can translate this to your audience.

Develop marketing strategies

From determining the price of your products/services to cementing what channels your brand should focus on, marketing teams should make data-driven decisions to inform your overall strategy.

Plan and oversee campaigns

As part of your overarching strategy, the marketing team will also take responsibility for individual campaigns and initiatives – the resources required, how long they will run, the milestones across this timeframe, and analysing the results.

Research your target market

The best marketing teams understand their target audience inside-out, and conduct thorough research into the demographics, behaviours and motivations of your market, as well as what your competition is doing on this front.

Produce assets for your marketing channels

A critical function of the marketing department will be developing content and assets across the spectrum of your marketing network. Social media, email marketing, blogs, print and digital adverts – it’s a long list (and is only getting longer).

Drive traffic to your website

One of the most important marketing team goals is to generate more high-quality leads towards their brand and nurture these for as long as it takes to score those all-important conversions.

Coordinate your social media presence

Everyone needs to be on social media nowadays, so an increasingly vital marketing role is managing and monitoring these platforms to keep these up-to-date and protect your brand’s reputation. 

Identify and utilise advertising opportunities

Marketing teams should be actively locating opportunities to advertise their brand, be that through digital or print platforms, and communicating with organisations that can afford them that space.

Organise internal communications

As well as connecting customers with your brand, marketing departments are also responsible for keeping employees continuously aware of the organisation’s values, goals and priorities.

Act as your media liaison

When your brand is mentioned in the media, either in a positive or negative light, a marketing team member will often be in charge of coordinating with the media and preparing communications on these platforms.

Planning and handling events

When you host an event, seminar or webinar, it will typically be your marketing team that will organise and manage these.

Manage third parties

Particularly for small or mid-sized businesses, marketing departments will need to work closely with outside vendors, be they agencies, PR companies, influencers or freelancers, and ensure they produce work in-line with your brand’s values.

Defining your marketing department roles

With a clearer perspective of the functions of modern marketing team structures, you will be in a stronger position to outline the roles you need to build your marketing team.

Of course, the breadth and of your marketing team positions will depend on the scale of your company. The marketing team structures for a large, globally recognised organisation will be far different from a smaller company. Smaller firms will typically have more dual-role positions and generalists in their marketing teams, supported by specialist agencies and freelancers.

small-businesses-marketing-roles

Meanwhile, larger organisations will often have a range of specialists in-house to fulfil the functions mentioned earlier. However, they may face greater challenges collaborating across locations, and still may look to support from external agencies and freelancers to deliver work.

marketing-roles-in-medium-businesses

In order to cover the broadest range of marketing roles here, we will focus on the largest of these marketing structures and the individuals you could expect to find within it.

marketing-roles-in-large-businesses

Marketing Management/Strategy Team

This strand of your marketing team structure will be responsible for developing, adapting and refining your overall marketing strategy, and conducting the research informing that. In addition, they will also oversee the work of the other segments of the marketing department, maintaining a birds-eye view over all operations.

Roles within this team may include:

  • Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
  • Marketing Manager
  • Marketing Strategist
  • Marketing Analyst
  • Brand Manager
  • Product Manager
  • Project Manager

Web Design Team

Every business needs a website, and that website needs to be maintained, updated and protected. Some of the roles within your marketing team may be dedicated to this responsibility if you wish to manage your website in-house.

Roles within this team may include:

  • Web Developer
  • Front-End Developer
  • Back-End Developer
  • Web Designer
  • UX / UI Designer
  • Graphic Designer

Content Marketing & Design Team

This component of your marketing team structure will be responsible for producing the array of content, copy, assets and more required across your various marketing channels and campaigns, executing on the direction provided by your strategy strand.

Roles within this team may include:

  • Head of Content
  • Creative Director
  • Art Director
  • Designer
  • Copywriter
  • Video Editor

Digital Advertising Team

The role of the advertising team within a marketing department would be to produce and oversee the paid advertising promotions that your brand is running at any given time.

Roles within this team may include:

  • Paid Media Specialist
  • PPC Executive
  • Performance Analyst

Social Media Team

With such an emphasis on social media in today’s landscape, the role of this segment of your marketing team is to monitor your profiles on these platforms and manage relationships with your followers to protect your brand’s reputation.

Roles within this team may include:

  • Social Media Manager
  • Digital Marketing Manager
  • Social Media Executive
  • Community Manager
  • Account Manager

SEO Team

The role of the SEO team within your marketing department will be to drive organic traffic to your website by guiding and supporting the production of optimised, keyword-driven content on this vital platform.

Roles within this team may include:

  • SEO Strategist
  • SEO Executive
  • SEO Copywriter
  • On-Page SEO Specialist
  • Off-Page SEO Specialist

Lead Acquisition Team

Your lead acquisition strand of your marketing team will consist of those who live and breathe techniques that keep customers engaged across their journey with your brand, maximising every touchpoint in your bid to secure actions and conversions.

Roles within this team may include:

  • Lead Acquisition Specialist
  • Customer Acquisition Specialist
  • CRO Specialist

This is just a glimpse at the different job roles in marketing, and the role each plays in fulfilling the wide range of functions explored earlier in this article. As marketing departments are constantly evolving and introducing new roles, this is by no means exhaustive, but it illustrates just how broad departments can be when trying to meet their responsibilities.

Marketing team structure charts templates

So, with this span of marketing roles in mind, how should you contain them within one unified structure?

There is no one-size-fits-all marketing team structure chart or model – the right fit for your organisation will depend on what you believe will best organise your team to work at their most efficient.

Here are a few examples of ways that you might approach organising your marketing teams based on the roles you need to fulfil and your company’s priorities:

  • A functional organisation chart: marketing team structure that is broken down by sub-teams under the marketing umbrella (e.g. content, social, paid media, etc.)
functional-marketing-team-structure
  • A product-based chart: where teams from across the marketing spectrum are brought together to specifically push a particular product or service
product-focused-marketing-team-structure
  • A geographical organisational chart: for large organisations with a worldwide reach, marketing teams might be structured by the different markets they’re dedicated on
geographical-marketing-team-structure
  • A channel-specific chart: constructing teams of relevant professionals in different disciplines to oversee your various marketing channels (social media platforms, website, email marketing, etc.)
channel-marketing-team-structure

Would your marketing team work best focusing on their functions or their specific roles? Will you blend together different disciplines for your various channels and campaigns, or keep a more rigid, top-down structure?

All models have their strengths and weaknesses – based on what you’ve picked up here on the wide range of functions and personalities within a marketing department, you can be more assured on which would work best for your organisation.

Digital marketing team structure

What about your digital marketing team structure? With a digital-first mindset imperative to success in today’s landscape, the structure of your digital marketing team is essential to optimising budgets and delivering optimal ROI.

While there is as broad a variety of department structures as we’ve discussed earlier (all with their positives and negatives), something like the below functional structure that organises based on disciplines and expertise could be a useful starting point for larger marketing teams looking to add more structure to their team:

digital-marketing-team-structure

This approach enables digital specialists in each respective discipline to support relevant campaigns, as well as all contribute to the development of holistic digital marketing strategies.

Empowering your marketing team

We hope you can use this greater understanding of the roles and responsibilities across marketing teams to find the structure that best fits your organisation, helping your marketing department deliver more and work at their most efficient.

And if the efficiency and effectiveness of your marketing teams is a pressing issue, then considering an all-in-one brand management platform can empower anyone in your team to create on-brand, studio-quality assets in minutes. You can produce more materials and more campaigns than ever before – all in a fraction of the time.