Mediastreet
Author

editor

Browsing
In News

Best reverse phone lookup services to find out unknown caller’s name

No Comments

Sourced from Pocket-lint

(Pocket-lint) – As convenient as cell phones are, it’s inevitable that you’ll get calls from unknown numbers. How many times have you looked at your phone and had no idea who was calling you? This is a daily occurrence for many, but the good news is there are tools to help you identify who called you.

A reverse phone lookup service is the best way to discover the identity of whoever called you. This will help you identify the caller without them ever knowing. You can use these services to identify an unknown number and protect yourself against spam, fraud, or more severe problems.

A reverse phone lookup is also handy for people who prefer online shopping. You can run a number to ensure that the website is legitimate or learn more about who runs an online store.

These services are rarely free. Some of them are, but they offer only a limited amount of information. Others charge one-off fees per search or a monthly subscription fee for as many searches as you want. Paid services typically have more information for you.

Top 3 best reverse phone lookup services

1. TruthFinder – Most Reliable

2. Instant Checkmate – The $1 Trial

3. Intelius – Five-Day Free Trial

In this article, we’ll be looking at the most reliable and best free reverse phone lookup services and paid reverse phone lookup with free trial options.

1. TruthFinder – Most reliable

TruthFinder

TruthFinder comes first and foremost in our list of the best reverse phone lookup sites. There are several reasons why we – and everyone else – rates this as number one. The service is US-based for finding information about a person using their phone number.

Hundreds of thousands of people have relied on TruthFinder in the past. The service has several offerings, including phone search, people search, and full background check services. The company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and handles over 9 million requests per month. The service has been fully vetted, tested, and featured by news services such as Uproxx, The Daily Mail, and The Huffington Post.

Reverse phone lookups have become more common since the turn of the century as more people have mobile devices these days. You might be wondering why you should use a paid dedicated service for a reverse phone lookup when you have access to things like Google for reverse phone lookup services. The answer is that Google doesn’t give you the most reliable information related to a cell phone number. The same applies to standard lookup services. These platforms don’t have access to the information you need. If anything, searching a number on Google will only redirect you to a service like TruthFinder.

If you want the most information about the person behind a phone number, then you need to take advantage of a reputable service such as TruthFinder. One problem people have with paid services is that the fees vary wildly. It’s easy to be put off by a high price. The good news is that TruthFinder is affordable and has a free phone number lookup trial to take advantage of.

The process to use TruthFinder is relatively simple. Open the official website, enter your chosen phone number into the search bar, and you’ll get a detailed report on everything associated with that number. Given how much data TruthFinder pulls, it could take a minute to get the full report. You can also order a full background check for a person. You’ll get a report including criminal records, traffic records, lien information, and more. Keep in mind that these full services typically cost more, and you’ll be unlikely to find anyone offering them for free.

These websites use simple but effective interfaces so anyone can use them without any prior technical knowledge.

What to expect from TruthFinder?

You can expect to get a fully detailed report about the person behind a cell phone number. Here’s everything included in the report:

Personal information

Reports contain basic information such as the full name of the phone number holder.

Education and employment history

See the educational background and obtain a complete job history of the person in your report.

Background record

Background checks are an advanced feature. These checks include personal details of the criminal history of a person, including criminal, court, official, and licensing issues they have faced in the past.

TruthFinder offers a free trial to new members. If you like what you get from the service, you can create a full account to keep using it. Membership costs just $4.99 per month, which is affordable for a service like this. A complete membership, including full access to criminal records and other advanced information, costs $30 a month. Stick with the basic option unless you need more information about a phone number.

What we like about TruthFinder

TruthFinder has plenty of great things going for it, including a loyal customer base, incredible ratings and reviews, and perfect feedback for its wealth of features and services.

Mobile apps

As well as making their website mobile-friendly, TruthFinder has a dedicated mobile app for on-the-go searching. The app is fully compatible with Android and iOS.

Recent and valid contact information

One problem with using reverse phone lookup services is that they regularly pull old information and contact details on a person. The numbers are likely not even used by the person anymore. It means that your whole phone number search was a waste of time – and possibly money. You can rely on TruthFinder to find the most accurate and up-to-date records.

Simple to navigate

TruthFinder has a user-friendly interface. All the information you need is clearly displayed and readable on the website, which is made so that anyone can read and understand it.

Authentic and accurate background checks

It’s difficult to get an accurate background check from a search engine because it takes a lot of authenticity and research to do. TruthFinder can meet those challenges and offer you nothing but the most accurate and authentic background report on someone. The company has garnered many positive reviews for the accuracy of these services.

What we don’t like about TruthFinder

Not every service is perfect. There are some drawbacks of TruthFinder that must be addressed:

Membership fees

While the service does offer a free trial, most people will end up with a paid membership. You can get a membership for either $4.99 for a basic membership or a complete membership with background checks for $30. There is no option to receive a single report for free at a reduced cost.

2. Instant Checkmate – The $1 trial

Instand Checkmate

Instant Checkmate proves there’s no shame in being second best. The website is easy to use and easy on the eyes to boot. The reverse phone lookup service runs a subscription model where users can find out most things they want about another person with basic information such as a phone number.

All you must do is enter the phone number into the search bar and start your search. Instant Checkmate takes care of all the rest and generates a report on what it finds. The report includes basic contact information, criminal history, employment details, and more.

It operates an extensive database that puts other search engines to shame. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another service that has such accurate results and an attractive layout. TruthFinder may be the only service you could consider better, hence why Instant Checkmate is in second place.

Its database includes plenty of publicly available records, such as government databases, and federal sources of information. With so much information to hand, it’s easy to see why there’s so much demand for its phone number lookup services. This demand does mean that the price goes up a little too. You should know that the company has a relatively higher fee than other options on the market.

One thing we love is that Instant Checkmate offers a $1 trial for users. It also has apps on Android and iOS. There’s some vagueness about the features and user policies on Instant Checkmate, but the millions of satisfied customers show this is a service to be trusted. Instant Checkmate boasts an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

What we like about Instant Checkmate

Attractive user interface

User interfaces should be built around users. They should be easy for people to use. We like that Instant Checkmate offers a truly effortless user experience that makes it super convenient. The service also boasts an attractive Apple and Android app.

Detailed search results

You’ll get a wealth of information about someone from a single search.

Accurate results

Not only do you get plenty of information about your target, but that information is always reliable and accurate.

Excellent customer service

Users get access to an impressive customer support team. The team is ready whenever you need help through an online contact form, phone number, email, or social media. The website also boasts an impressive FAQ section with plenty of useful information for the most common problems.

Personal record removal

We recommend searching for yourself on Instant Checkmate. The website cares about user privacy. If you aren’t happy with how much information the service can find on you, you can request to have your personal records removed. All you must do is go through a simple step-by-step procedure to have all that data wiped.

What we don’t like about Instant Checkmate

Vague pricing information

We don’t like that there isn’t enough clear information about the charges and fees for using Instant Checkmate. A service like this should be clear and upfront about costs.

High subscription fees

Instant Checkmate operates as a paid subscription service. The fees are higher than you’d get from the conventional features. You also must pay more to access some special features.

Speed

It takes some time to get the results for your search, especially if you search multiple records at once.

3. Intelius – Five-day free trial

Intelius

Intelius is an established and respected public information provider. Users can search the database to learn more about who is phoning you. You’ll have no problems navigating through the service and getting the information you need. Intelius has garnered plenty of positive feedback for its array of features and accurate results, guaranteeing users accurate and reliable information.

Intelius stood the test of time, becoming one of the longest-running reverse phone lookup service providers. The service has been around since 2003 and offers affordable subscriptions compared to other services. Intelius garnered plenty of attention over time and has a high rating with the Better Business Bureau to show you how credible it is.

One small problem we had with Intelius is that the service lacks clear pricing on the website. We don’t like that level of vagueness. However, we do appreciate the wealth of search options. Enter the phone number in the search bar, hit search, and wait for the results.

You can expect to get a full detailed report of a person. There’s the option for more in-depth searches for more information including background checks and more. These detailed reverse phone number searches come at a premium. Only basic information is offered for free.

What we like about Intelius

Ease of use

It couldn’t be easier to search for someone with Intelius. Use a landline phone number, mobile number, or business number to get your report.

Excellent customer service

We appreciate that the website has interactive and supportive customer service options. You can reach customer support through phone or email and get a response in no time.

Dedicated apps

Intelius has dedicated apps for Android and iOS.

What we don’t like about Intelius

Unclear Pricing

We don’t like the ambiguous pricing model. You won’t get the complete bill until after the search.

Potential inaccuracy

Some users have complained the reports aren’t as accurate as advertised.

4. Spokeo

Spokeo is another established name. The business opened in 2006 but really burst into the public eye in 2008. The intelligence company has gone from strength-to-strength and earned plenty of positive attention and reviews from users. Spokeo processes over 20 million searches per month.

The Spokeo website makes it easy to find people based on their phone number. You can find out who called you or reconnect with long-lost friends and family members with Spokeo.

The data in your report comes from online and offline databases. The service collects and searches over 12 million data records to get your results. The information in your report includes basic contact information, criminal history, and more.

Spokeo is a little limited because of how the pricing works. You can subscribe for unlimited searches per month or get a single report for $49.99. It’s almost worth getting a subscription to save money even if you plan on doing just one or two searches.

5. TruePeopleSearch

TruePeopleSearch is a relatively new name in the industry. The company was established in 2017 but the founders have decades of experience in the industry. That the company has garnered such a strong user base in such a short amount of time tells you everything you need to know.

One thing we love about TruePeopleSearch is that you don’t have to get a subscription plan to run a search. You can search any US phone number you want for free. Just enter the phone number, name, or email address of a person in the search bar and await your results. The system checks the databases and gives you the appropriate information.

Your report includes information such as the name, email address, and more. You can expect a straightforward service here.

TruePeopleSearch processes millions of searches per month and has plenty of online visibility, including a strong social media presence. TruePeopleSearch claims to be the most liked phone lookup service on Facebook.

TruePeopleSearch garnered some negative attention after launching due to privacy concerns. People were alarmed that their information was so easily broadcast to strangers over the internet, even though all the information in TruePeopleSearch results comes from publicly available databases anyone can access.

TruePeopleSearch made it clear in the “About Us” section that its main goal is to connect friends and family members. The website is committed to privacy and offers record removal. If you are worried about how much information TruePeopleSearch has on you, you can request your records be removed from the database. The process takes a few days to complete.

One limitation of the service is that there is no iOS app. There’s an Android one, but no iPhone support.

6. ZabaSearch

ZabaSearch is becoming one of the leading players in the phone lookup market. We love to see a website that has an eye-catching but easy-to-use layout, so we were impressed by the ZabaSearch website. We also love that it has full SSL encryption to ensure user privacy and security. A search through ZabaSearch offers basic publicly available information.

ZabaSearch makes it easy to reconnect with friends and family or find out about potential scam callers. All you must do is put the phone number in the search box and the system does the rest. ZabaSearch matches the number against its records and compiles a report for you.

The report includes basic information such as contact information, employment history, criminal history, and tax lien history.

ZabaSearch has a user-friendly interface, offers quick and effective reports, and has the trust of millions of users. The service has garnered positive ratings and reviews from users. If you aren’t sure about using ZabaSearch, you can check the testimonials for yourself and see what people who used the service have to say.

With such an extensive database, ZabaSearch offers information from up to 80 years ago in some cases. The website puts plenty of effort into getting nothing but the most accurate and detailed results for users. The process is also fully secure, so don’t worry about people knowing you searched for them.

Unfortunately, you will have to pay for a full report. You can look someone up for free but might have to pay to get all the details.

7. ZoSearch

ZoSearch is another way to find public information about people. The website is entirely free and lets you search any US-based phone number, mobile or landline, without having to worry about your privacy.

The information in the report includes the complete name of the phone number owner, their email address, and other information. All the details are included in a comprehensive report.

The website runs a simple but effective user interface. Anyone can use the website, even if they have little-to-no technical experience. All you have to do is open the website, put a name in the search bar, and search to get near-instant results.

You can search for people using a name, address, or email. Don’t worry about getting a virus or malware as this is a reputable site. ZoSearch services millions of visitors per month, which should serve as a sign of the credibility it offers.

While the company does have a significant user base, it is yet to publish a dedicated mobile app. This is a significant drawback because it limits users so much. Another downside is that you can search for free but may have to pay for detailed reports.

8. White Pages

White Pages is one of the oldest and most recognised names in phone number lookup. White Pages dates back to 1997 and serves over 35 million people per month. The service has been featured by many news outlets including NBC, Forbes, USA Today, and the New York Times. The service hosts a huge database of contact information about Americans, offering one of the most valuable record directories on the market.

If you’re tired of dealing with spam calls, then White Pages will help you discover their true identity. Just open the website, search for the number, and see the results you get. You’ll get some basic contact information for free for a landline number. This includes the name, business details, and more. You’ll need to use the premium package to get full details.

White Pages also operates a background check service to find criminal records about a person. This service is handy for fraud prevention.

One downside of White Pages is the cost of the premium services. It costs $29 per month for informative reports and $18.95 for additional inspections.

How do reverse phone number lookup services work?

Now you know more about individual phone lookup services, let’s look at how they work. These services scour public records to connect phone numbers to names. This includes mobile phone numbers from AT&T, Verizon, and other carriers.

Advanced services maintain individual data sources and scour the deep web to find more information about someone. However, you may not get all the information you want even with the most detailed report.

Why use a reverse phone lookup service?

There are lots of reasons to run phone lookups. Here are the most common ones:

To avoid scams

Most of these services tell you outright if the number you enter belongs to a known scammer and spam caller. If you have some missed calls and don’t want the person to keep calling you, look up the number and see if it belongs to a scammer.

To find friends and family

If you are looking for people to reconnect with, then a reverse phone lookup is a great tool to have. Even if the number isn’t in use anymore, a dedicated lookup service can find up-to-date contact details based on an old number.

To verify a company

Perhaps you’ve been recommended to a company by a friend or family member. You can’t find anything about the business online. All you have is a number. You can search that phone number on a lookup service to see more about the business.

Is a reverse phone lookup legal?

Some people are afraid to use phone lookup services because they are worried they might not be legal. The legality of these services depends on where you live.

They are completely legal in the United States because the information is often publicly available. It’s harder to find and use a phone lookup service in the UK. We recommend using a trusted name like TruthFinder or Spokeo if you are concerned about legal issues.

Conclusion: which one is the best phone number lookup service?

Every phone lookup service has different motivations behind them. Some people find these services intrusive, but they are a valuable tool for others.

If you have genuine reasons to use one of these services, then you can’t go wrong with any of the companies on our list. TruthFinder is the best option for a phone lookup service, but it isn’t the only one. Try a couple of services until you get the information you need.

Sourced from Pocket-lint

Read More
By
In News

Advertising’s Hybrid Future: Why Outsourcing Is Here to Stay

No Comments

By

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a drop in global advertising expenditures. To survive, many agency owners and department leaders had to trim their payrolls and restructure their teams.

These changes forced them to rely on “rented” talent. Essentially, agencies owners and advertising leaders outsourced work to freelancers who could support their existing team members. They delegated noncentral responsibilities to third parties that were available on demand.

This isn’t the first time agency owners and advertising leaders have “rented” talent. The 2008 recession forced many businesses to outsource advertising work. At this point, I’d say that 99% of agencies and departments have a hybrid work model that includes W-2 employees and freelance workers. Not all work requires a full-time staff member, and that’s what the industry is figuring out.

While outsourcing seems to be here to stay, some agency owners and leaders are held back by lingering fears. For instance, what if the partner’s work isn’t up to par? It’s essential to set realistic goals for external vendors. I’ve seen people expect outsourced partners to nail projects on the first try but give far more grace to full-time employees. Instead, I recommend setting consistent expectations internally and externally.

Additionally, some agency owners worry their clients will want to hire their outsourced partners instead of their agencies. But the solution is simple: Include a provision in partners’ contracts stating they can’t work directly for clients. Clear contractual language can prevent this issue and any potential future problems.

I’d also recommend taking your time with any outsourced partner relationships. Clients come and go, but working relationships can last a long time. To ensure they’ve chosen the right partners, agency owners and advertising leaders should schedule regular candid conversations. How are things going? What’s saving time and money? Jumping from partner to partner won’t drive growth, so agency owners and advertising leaders should put in the time to cultivate their relationships.

The past year posed significant challenges to those in the advertising industry, but agency owners and department leaders can adapt accordingly by embracing the flexibility of freelance hires. These on-demand partnerships are perfect for businesses that might not have enough work or budget for a full-time team member.

While this hybrid work model is relatively new to many advertising professionals, there are ways to make it work. Outsourced tasks have been around for many years in the business world, so there are plenty of examples to learn what to do — and what to avoid. By leveraging the abilities of outsourced partners, agencies can cover skill gaps while making better use of full-time employees.

By

Sourced from MediaPost

Read More
By
In News

Three Ways SMBs Can Create Branded Video And Podcast Series That Drive Deeper Engagement

No Comments

By Chris Savage

If you know anything about trying to tell your story as a business, then you know getting started is the hardest part. But, I hope that doesn’t stop you. Over the last 15 years at Wistia, I’ve seen first-hand how good storytelling can build brand affinity for SMBs. If you can just push past that initial fear, the right video or podcast series can turn a simple story into more engaging, meaningful long-term brand connections.

But, will your customers actually spend that much time with your brand? They will — if you can tap into your niche.

It’s no secret that people are watching more videos than ever before, especially entertaining, long-form content. What does that mean for marketing teams? One report from Wistia found that the number of videos in the 30- to 60-minute category in 2020 grew 140% year-over-year and 446% since 2016. That’s huge and truly highlights just how much companies are investing in long-form series.

So, if you want to pull off a series that — to put it bluntly — doesn’t suck, you’ve got to think outside your product. Everyone has a product and can talk about it. That’s why we’re all in business, right? But, creating these connections is about more than that. If you want to make a video or podcast show that hits the right notes with your customers, you have to tap into a niche audience.

From pre-production to production to creating hype leading up to the launch, every step of the content creation process needs to be intentional and exciting. So, how can SMBs create interesting and engaging long-form content? Here are a few tips to get started:

1. Find your niche.

Here’s that mention of “niche” again. If you want to create a compelling narrative, you can’t aim for millions of impressions. SMBs often fall into the trap of casting their net too wide, trying to reach the biggest audience. If you’re getting little to no engagement, you simply haven’t targeted the right audience with the right message. Your story won’t resonate with everyone — and that’s okay.

It’s all about telling stories that your niche audience actually wants to hear. You have to think narrowly and really focus on the experience you’re providing. After all, 87% of brands expect to compete on customer experience in 2021. This could be a huge differentiator for your brand if you play your cards right.

How do you find your niche? Understanding what makes your audience tick is key. Don’t skip your research on this one. Personas will tell you a lot about audiences’ personalities, passions and behaviours. Make sure you define whom you’re speaking to, what you’re saying and why they should care. This is especially important before you even think of recording your show. Ultimately, creating content that speaks to people on a personal level and resonates with company values is what you’re going for here. It’s a win-win if you can achieve that.

2. Produce your show, but make sure it’s the right type of content.

Once you’ve identified your audience, you’ll need to decide what style — and format — of content will resonate the most to get engagement. The good news is that you’ve got options: Long-form video web-series? A podcast? A webinar series? Here’s how you can pick a path forward.

To get started, ask yourself: How competitive is this topic? What kind of content already exists out in the world, if any? What are your goals with this piece? How can this topic be broken into smaller supporting assets? When you answer these questions, you’ll start to get a sense of what format will be best for your story.

Then, it’s time to put together a show positioning statement. This describes who you’re creating content for, what message you’re communicating and why your audience should care. Creating a show positioning statement will guarantee that the show content reflects your company’s values and goals and whom you’re speaking to. It will also help solidify the type of show you’re creating.

Now let’s get to the fun part of making the right content: production. Whether you hire an agency or use your internal resources, the creative execution will include everything from casting to naming and branding the show. Don’t be afraid to go all-in. Get your team involved and make sure you have stakeholder sign-off. Share some snippets with the internet to get some early feedback. You’ll know you’re headed in the right direction if those snippets are striking a chord with a specific online community.

3. Create hype: Determine your launch and distribution plan.

If I could give one piece of advice (besides finding your niche), it’s to plan your launch and distribution as early as possible. One benefit of early planning is that you can snag all the promotional clips and assets you need while recording the show.

The launch and distribution is arguably the most exciting and most important part of creating branded shows. To make the most of this moment, make sure you:

• Establish a hype page on your website, which will later redirect visitors to the main landing page when your show officially launches.

• Create an email strategy that is targeted at your specific audience. You don’t want to blast emails to your entire list of email subscribers. Be strategic!

• Utilize your social pages. Hosting daily takeovers and sharing teaser content across channels will help generate more hype and excitement.

Doing all this work ahead of the launch date will not only bolster your efforts but also help keep you engaged with your target audience. The main goal is to ensure your audience keeps coming back.

Driving lasting brand engagement isn’t so hard when you have content that’s created for a niche audience with a clearly defined value proposition. There are a ton of resources you can find online to help you create the best long-form content. All that stands in your way is getting started.

Feature Image Credit: Getty

By Chris Savage

CEO and Co-Founder of Wistia. Read Chris Savage’s full executive profile here

Sourced from Forbes

Read More
By
In News

Why The Ad Industry Needs More Of A Collective Consciousness

No Comments

By  

 

By now, it is little surprise that the programmatic advertising marketplace underwrites lots of nefarious activities, including various forms of ad fraud, organized crime and a variety of publishers of misinformation. But who knew it was all being funded by legitimate advertisers? Apparently, NewsGuard did.

To put some dimension around the role legitimate advertisers play in supporting illegitimate information publishers, NewsGuard teamed with Comcscore to conduct a unique analysis correlating NewsGuard’s database of bad actors with Comscore’s estimates for digital advertising value. The result: advertisers are sending $2.6 billion annually to misinformation sites.

While the report does not make a case that many — if any — advertisers are doing that wilfully, it sheds light on the unintended consequences Madison Avenue plays in disrupting the world’s knowledge by placing programmatic media buys to reach the right audience, but in the wrong places.

“The data underscore the scale at which online misinformation and disinformation is unintentionally bought and paid for by major advertisers, who place their ads on thousands of websites using programmatic advertising, a byzantine, computerized process — leaving brands with little idea where their ads are appearing and what messages they are financing,” NewsGuard states in the report, adding an even more ironic implication: that much of that spending is coming at the expense of authentic publishers of information: newspaper websites.

According to NewsGuard’s analysis of data from eMarketer and the Pew Research Centre, “for every $2.16 in digital advertising sent to legitimate newspapers, U.S. advertisers are sending $1 to misinformation sites.”

Now, after covering media planning and buying for more than 40 years, I know as well as anyone that when it comes to such things, Madison Avenue doesn’t have a collective consciousness — or a conscience — and that the results of this unintended underwriting of bad actors is at worst, simple negligence driven by ignorance, marketplace pragmatism, or most ironic of all, misinformation.

But maybe it’s time for advertisers and agencies to develop more of a collective approach to solving this problem. We are already seeing some signs of that in both individual agency (some of the biggest have already signed up to NewsGuard’s data to create whitelists and blacklists for filtering misinformation sites from their media buys) and industry initiatives like the World Federation of Advertisers GARM (Global Alliance for Responsible Media).

Those efforts aren’t just good corporate citizenry, but also good business practice. For a variety of reasons, including economics and especially in regard to one of the ad industry’s favourite Holy Grail acronyms: ROAS (return on advertising spending).

How do I know this, because I was also sent an analysis conducted by audience research lab MediaScience, which found that ad spending on legitimate news outlets outperforms ad spending places on illegitimate ones.

The analysis measured 5,350 participants and ran across 42 newspaper print runs and 252 websites for a total of 6,037 unique brand exposures, comparing a variety of brand exposure and lift metrics for ads placed on news publishers vs. ads placed on Facebook and YouTube.

The results:

  • Newspaper ads outperform Facebook ads of all types by up to four times.
  • Combined news formats are twice as effective as combined Facebook formats.
  • Ads in news are as good as (or better than) ads on YouTube.
  • News offers a stronger ROI than social media.

Sourced from MediaPost

Read More
By
In News

Relevance remains in retail as marketers juggle to balance physical and digital outlets

No Comments

By Olivia Atkins

The physical demise of high street clothing brand Topshop signalled the turn of the UK’s retail sector. As the flagship store closed in 2021, the physical became digital, and the brand was picked up by online retailer ASOS – a move demonstrating the appetite and continued willingness of UK consumers to shop virtually. As the rise of online shopping continues, how can marketers seize the digital opportunity? And is there a role for the physical store anymore?

In a panel discussion spearheading The Drum’s latest Deep Dive: The reinvention of retail and ecommerce, The Drum’s Olivia Atkins speaks with experts from VMLY&R COMMERCE and Heal’s on how to assess the changes in customer experiences; the technology pushing the sector forward; and how agencies and retailers can prepare for what lies ahead.

Brand purpose is here to stay

E-commerce in the UK grew by 46% last year as the pandemic forced stores to close, driving consumers online from the lockdown convenience of their homes.

“People who buy online now are used to buying online – they’ve adapted to the price and the convenience of it; and recognize the advantages of doing so,” said Debbie Ellison, global chief digital officer at VMLY&R COMMERCE, who believes these habits may be here to stay.

Online shopping saw many customers become more aware of their purchases and look into the purpose of the brands they’re buying from – a trend perpetuated by Gen Z.

Ellison recognizes the spending power of Gen Z and their influence in pushing retail trends forward. She suggests brands need to become more relevant to their audiences or risk seeming redundant.

She thinks, “retailers should respond to their shopper’s needs and communicate their brand purpose at shelf – whether that’s in a physical or digital space. In physical retail environments, marketers easily understand their local community and how to engage there. This same logic needs to be applied in the digital sphere.”

David Kohn, customer and e-commerce director at furniture retailer Heal’s, agrees: “Purpose is the single biggest social consumer trend that we’re seeing at the moment. In retail, that translates to being a brand that stands for something – whether that’s environmentalism, diversity or even quality design.”

Physical versus digital

Despite the surge in online shopping, retailers should work to embrace both virtual and physical spaces for their brand, as certain purchases may require prospective customers to shop in-person to get a sense of their desired products.

Ellison said: “Over the last year, there’s been a pent-up demand globally to get back in-store with consumers wanting to experience something special. Retailers will be listening to that and thinking how to differentiate their offerings across channels.”

The focus for retailers is to understand the role and purpose of every space they have. Ellison suggests that in-store offerings could feature more sensory experiences where the social aspect of shopping is considered along with how to improve the service and looking at how consumers interact. Technology also works to scale up connected experiences, by automating backend processes and improving the consumer’s experience.

Kohn adds: “Technology in-store can be useful for getting your consumers to imagine. At Heal’s, we try to bring them into our world and get them to visualize our products in their home.”

He’s excited about the prospect of incorporating new technology like virtual reality (VR) in stores, believing it will be a great device for reviving storytelling methods in retail.

Merging e-commerce with in-store

“We’ve all moved online; we’re all inspired and purchasing within milliseconds,” says Ellison. “But now that the gap between inspiration and purchase has converged, how is that going to translate into the physical retail space? How will creativity be brought through each touchpoint to deliver on both the emotional and functional aspects of buying?”

Despite this change in habitual consumer behaviour, Kohn suggests that retailers need to reassess how they use each space and set them up accordingly to ensure they cater to customer needs. He gives the example of Heals’ online in-store teams who work to connect customers online with relevant store team members.

“As a brand, you’ve got to think carefully about your customer’s purchase journey,” he says. “Try to understand where the customer fits in and what you can do to move them along that process. That’s where the fusion between in-store and online can come into being.”

It’s been a trying time for retailers but having a clear understanding of what consumers need and want from each space will only help brands to move more seamlessly between their online and physical offerings. Customers are already overwhelmed by the amount of choice available to them in the marketplace, so brands need to work hard to stand out.

“Selling products is not enough anymore,” said Kohn. “You’ve got to look at the wider needs of your customer and work towards fulfilling those.”

Ellison agrees and concludes: “Brands need to walk in their customers’ shoes and really look at how they will show up in a connected way across all their different channels.”

By Olivia Atkins

Sourced from The Drum

Read More
By
In News

There’s a hidden iPhone app that doesn’t appear on your home screen – here’s how to find it

No Comments

By Yoni Heisler

A somewhat quirky aspect of iOS 14 is that there are some hidden apps lurking beneath the surface. They are impossible to access, however, unless you know where to look. One representative example is an app called “Code Scanner.” You can access it by activating the Search menu (swipe down from the middle of the home screen) and typing in the name of the app. Upon doing so, you’ll see the “Code Scanner” icon and you can open the app. Then, as the name suggests, you can use it to scan QR codes.

Hidden app in iOS 14

It’s worth noting that Code Scanner isn’t a new app. Apple called it “QR Code Reader” in iOS 13. Also, you had to add it to the Control Centre in order to use it. And of course, you can add the new app to the Control Centre in iOS 14 as well.

So is there a reason to use this hidden iPhone app? Well, that answer depends. As most people have figured out by now, Code Scanner’s functionality is already built into the iOS Camera app.

So what’s the benefit of using the Code Scanner app? Well, there are two main aspects that differentiate Code Scanner from the Camera app’s built-in QR scanning functionality.

Scan a QR code with the iPhone camera and a notification asks to open the corresponding link or app. If you scan a QR code with this app, however, the link opens up immediately. Second, using the camera app will open up links within Safari. As a result, it can clutter up your tabs over time with things like restaurant menus. Using Code Scanner, meanwhile, opens links via an in-app browser that conveniently goes away when you’re finished.

All in all, it’s a much more streamlined QR code experience.

Looking for more semi-hidden iOS functionality. in addition to this cool app? We recently stumbled across an iPhone tip on TikTok that legit blew our minds. As we detailed here, there’s actually an incredibly easy way to record video without having background music from Spotify or Apple Music automatically turn off:

All you have to do is open up the Camera app and instead of navigating over to the Video setting, keep the Photo setting at the forefront. Now, with your background music still playing, simply press down on the white button and drag your finger to the right. The white selection button will quickly turn into a red “Recording” button as you drag your finger towards the edge of the display. Once there, you can release your finger and your phone will keep recording with the background music of your choice in full effect.

For as powerful as iOS is, it’s still somewhat peculiar that Apple doesn’t outwardly make some of its more power-user-oriented features more discoverable. Add the Code scanner app to your iPhone’s Control Centre so you can easily use it anytime.

By Yoni Heisler

A life long Mac user and Apple enthusiast, Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large for over 6 years. His writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and most recently, TUAW. When not writing about and analysing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions, the most recent examples being The Walking Dead and Broad City.

Sourced from BGR

Read More
By
In News

I’ve Gone Viral in 4 Different Markets. Here’s How I Do It

No Comments

By Geoffrey James

These five simple rules can help you bring your content to the widest audience possible.

Feature Image Credit: Getty Images

By Geoffrey James

Sourced from Inc.

Read More
By
In News

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Fonts for Your Creative Project

No Comments

By Jessibelle Garcia

With millions of fonts to choose from, which do you use for your project? This guide will help narrow down your search.

Font selection may seem like a trivial part of the graphic design process, but in reality, it can make or break the visuals of a creative project.

There’s only so much you can clearly communicate through images. Text can provide context and other specific details. Here’s everything you should consider when picking out fonts.

1. Prioritize Legibility

The letter 'A' written multiple times on a black BG

There’s no point in having text that nobody can read. One of your top priorities (if not the top priority) when selecting a font should be legibility. This is especially true for lengthy blocks of text.

In addition to choosing a simple and easy-to-read font face, you better ensure that your text can be read by making minor adjustments. It may not seem like it, but fiddling with settings like font size, line spacing, and letter spacing can truly make all the difference.

2. Learn Basic Typographic Terms

Looking for the perfect font can take time, but there is a way to prevent your search from going on forever. We recommend taking a minute or two to familiarize yourself with common words associated with fonts, so that you can filter results when you’re searching for a certain style in particular.

Here are some terms that you’ll probably want to remember:

  • Font or typeface: the style in which the characters are written (font and typeface referred to different things back in the days of the printing press, but now they’re used interchangeably)
  • Serif: a line attached to or extending from the ends of letters (e.g. Times New Roman, Cambria, Garamond, etc.)
  • Sans-serif: the word “sans” means “without,” so this refers to non-serif letters (e.g. Arial, Verdana, Calibri, etc.)
  • Baseline: the imaginary line on which a font’s characters sit
  • Cap line: the imaginary line where a font’s tallest characters reach

3. Have Variance, But Keep It Under Control

Multiple fonts on one page

Don’t write everything in the same font—that’s boring! Spice things up by using a few different font styles that complement or have stylistic contrast to each other. Try not to go overboard, though. It can be confusing to look at a graphic that uses too many different fonts.

Strive to achieve visual uniformity and balance. If at any point, reading your text starts to feel like work (as your mind processes how to interpret the next font), then you need to cut down on how many fonts you’re using.

A good rule of thumb is to assign different font faces, sizes, and typographical emphasis (e.g. bold, italic, etc.) to different elements or purposes. Think about what information is the most important, and make it the most prominent out of all the typography.

4. Consider Special and Alternate Characters

Most fonts will have the 26 letters in the English alphabet, as well as the common base 10 numeral system, so you likely won’t have to worry about those as you search for fonts to use on your creative project.

However, if you use any special characters like symbols or accented letters, you’ll want to check what characters the font has before downloading it. Paid fonts are more likely to have complete sets, inclusive of everything you can type on most standard keyboards.

5. Match Your Fonts to Your Themes

When creating a graphic, it’s important to consider the style of every element, and how all the elements (fonts, colours, and designs) mesh together. It’d be a little awkward to use thick, blocky text on a dainty wedding invitation. Or child-like scrawl on a company statement.

In selecting your fonts, pick ones that go with your project’s overall theme or message. Think about your target audience, too, and what would most appeal to them.

You may even want to consider creating your own custom fonts to really contribute to your project’s own unique visual identity. This is especially true for brands, companies, and names trying to break into a particular market.

6. Have References

Same Energy Image Search

Take inspiration from other things that have typography similar to the kind you want to have for your own project. You could create a mood board with the Same Energy visual search engine, or make use of a site like Pinterest.

On the flip side, you can also search the web for creative projects that have typography that you definitely don’t want to have. The clearer your vision, the easier it is to avoid stress during the design process.

7. Read the Font License(s)

You’d be surprised at how many people gloss over this part of using fonts, even though it’s arguably the most important. Just because you can freely download a font, doesn’t mean that you can use it for anything you want. Like images, brushes, and other digital art resources, every font comes with a license that details how it may be used.

There are many fonts online that are available for commercial use (for projects that turn a profit), but even more that can only be used for personal use. Reading font licenses can be a little tedious, but it’s something you’ll want to do to avoid legal trouble sometime down the line.

Thankfully, most font websites allow you to filter search results by license type. If you’re a Windows user, Microsoft has an FAQ on the distribution of fonts that came pre-downloaded on your PC. Mac users, meanwhile, can look up a font’s information by viewing it in the Font Book.

Don’t Underestimate the Power of Fonts

Fonts add value to text—not only do they help readers perceive info, but they can also elicit emotions and express your project’s sentiments. People are attracted to things that are visually appealing, which is why artists and designers spend so much time studying aesthetics.

You could have the most amazing project in the world, and yet, if you can’t present it well, no one will pay attention. Don’t trust your own judgment? There’s a surprising number of online tools you can use to help you select fonts, such as FontPair, FontSpark, and Better Font Finder. Still, having a basic understanding of how to mix and match fonts is never a bad idea.

By Jessibelle Garcia

Sourced from MUO

Read More
By
In News

4 Pointers To Help You Get Hired In The Post-Pandemic Era

No Comments

By William Arruda

“Help Wanted” signs are everywhere, and they’re not going away anytime soon. A shortage of workers is gripping the nation: April saw a new record of 9.3 million open positions.

As employers struggle to fill critical roles, the time is ripe for you to pursue your dream career. Just remember that you still have competition. Anthony Klotz, an associate professor of management at Texas A&M University, says the business world is entering a “great resignation,” as more and more workers seek to switch jobs.

What does this mean for you? If you’re interested in starting post-pandemic life in a new position, don’t wait. The most coveted roles with the most in-demand benefits (yes, including remote work) are likely to attract hundreds of qualified applicants. You have to find a way to stand out from the crowd. Here’s how:

1. Highlight transferable job skills on your résumé.

According to Isaiah Hankel, founder and CEO of Cheeky Scientist, today’s employers are less worried about highly specific skills. “You might have been told to tailor your résumé for each role you apply for, but from what I’ve seen, that strategy won’t work in 2021,” Hankel says in his recent article for Harvard Business Review. “Many companies are nervous about hiring more specialized candidates because they’re unsure what the business landscape will look like after the pandemic. To show you are adaptable, generalize the skills on your résumé into three main areas: systems-oriented, people-oriented, and self-oriented.”

A study by global staffing firm Robert Half found that 84% of companies are willing to hire and then train candidates who might not meet specific job requirements. Considering 62% of employees reported landing a position they weren’t qualified for, it appears companies are largely being honest about their intentions.

2. Focus on personal branding by updating your online presence.

Anne Pryor, a Reach-certified personal branding strategist shares my passion for urging all applicants to spend time working on their digital personal brand. “Regardless of the current economic climate, it’s absolutely critical for all professionals in job search mode to understand their unique promise of value and be able to express it in the virtual world,” Pryor says.

Today, your personal brand is intrinsically tied to your online presence. In fact, your first impression will be delivered online. A study by CareerBuilder indicates that 58% of employers use social media to verify candidates’ qualifications—and 50% see a professional online presence as a reassuring sign of a candidate’s potential. Tailor your profile on broad networking platforms like LinkedIn and other mediums that fit your desired position or industry. An established GitHub profile, for example, can cement your status as a software engineer.

3. Go beyond the traditional résumé format.

Remember when a résumé had to fit on a single page with your entire work history neatly organized in chronological order? As proof that these formats have gone out the window, check out TikTok Résumés. The popular video-sharing platform is partnering with companies like Chipotle, Shopify and Target to invite job seekers to apply for in-demand positions.

Today, your imagination is the only thing limiting what form your résumé can take. A video résumé might be a great way to show off your visual work if you’re applying for a role as a videographer, graphic designer, or illustrator. If you’re looking for a job as an accountant, make a résumé in Excel that shows off your highly relevant knowledge of complex or obscure formulas. One student applying for a position at Spotify even made a playlist-themed résumé—and it’s fantastic.

4. Use stories to convey experience during the interview.

Storytelling isn’t just an interesting way to convey information. Research indicates stories can be 22 times more memorable than facts on their own. When hiring managers think back to interviews with dozens or even hundreds of different candidates, your ability to tell a story will make you and your experience stand out from the crowd.

Lily Zhang, a career counsellor at the MIT Media Lab, understands the power of a compelling story. “A good place to start when preparing your narrative for a particular interview is to figure out what main points—personal experiences, skills or qualities—you want to get across to show the interviewer you’re right for this job,” Zhang advises. “Then, look for opportunities to tie these points together in a cohesive way and find supporting stories from your work experience that back these points up. Connecting your career story to the job you’re applying for to create a bigger narrative is the goal.”

If you’ve been thinking about applying for a new job, now might be a good time. But the abundance of opportunities shouldn’t make you feel complacent. Instead of relying on a cookie-cutter approach, make yourself stand out by incorporating these four key ingredients. After all, effective personal branding is about authenticity and differentiation.

Feature Image Credit: Getty

By William Arruda

William Arruda is a keynote speaker, author, co-founder of CareerBlast.TV and creator of the LinkedIn Profile Type Indicator (LPTI) which measures your LinkedIn profile likability and credibility. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website. 

Sourced from Forbes

Read More
By
Load More