In today’s digital world, having a robust online presence is essential for businesses and individuals alike. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is vital in ensuring your website ranks high in search engine results— ideally, the first page, increasing your visibility and driving organic traffic.

To do this, common search engines, like Google, tend to use bots to explore all web pages, downloading and storing useful information into an index. This information is then used in an algorithm to determine which pages should show up at the top of a search page. 

While we cannot change the algorithm, creating a website that meets certain criteria is possible, increasing its chance of having a higher SEO. Here are some useful tips for optimizing your website.

1) Understand your audience

Understanding the needs of your audience or your customers is the first step toward improving your website. When looking to build a website or accomplish a goal, market research is the first step to success. This helps you understand your customers and their needs, as well as your competitors. A good tip is to consider why a customer may be seeking out your services and use that information to create keywords across your website to draw their attention.

2) Use keywords

By using keywords, you allow your website to be easily recognizable, which will contribute to the algorithm that determines your SEO. It is best to use popular words that relate to your services, or that people are likely to use in their search. Do research on which keywords will best represent your brand and showcase your services. AI tools can also assist in developing keywords.

3) Update Content

Keeping your website up to date, and refreshing it with new content regularly, will cause the search engine to visit your site more frequently to collect new data. In most cases, this will aid in optimizing your website, as the algorithm will pick up these changes and note the frequency of new visits. New content may include photos, recent testimonials, news related to your business, or anything that may be relevant to your services.

4) Website Referrals

When a search engine ranks web pages, they often factor in the number of times your site is referred to or linked across the internet. Websites with a high number of mentions are often seen as more reliable, essentially guaranteeing a vote of confidence from the search engine. By having your website linked to other reputable sites or even on social media, you will help to boost your own page’s ranking.

5) Use Meta Tags

Meta Tags are a part of the HTML code within your website. Complicated, I know. When you create a new HTML code, inserting keywords into the Meta tag will often help the search engines to better identify your website, and allow it to appear higher in search result rankings.

For example, on the search results for NP Strategy, our website appears like this:

Meanwhile, the Meta tag for this would appear in this format:

<meta name=”description” content=”NP Strategy | A Public Relations Firm with offices in Birmingham and Mobile, AL, Charlotte and Raleigh, NC and Charleston and Columbia, SC.”/>

By inputting this information, it becomes easier for users to find the website using the keywords within this tag.

If it’s time to boost your website ranking, SEO is the first step to driving traffic. 

CHARLESTON, S.C. [September 13, 2023] –  NP Strategy, a strategic communications firm providing crisis, media and public relations assistance, welcomes Morgan Grimes to its Charleston, South Carolina office. Grimes will serve as a Specialist, bringing three years of experience in Lowcountry government and community relations to her new role. 

“Morgan’s enthusiasm, experience and deep Lowcountry relationships will immediately add value to our clients and our team,” said NP Strategy CEO Heather Hoopes Matthews. “We welcome Morgan to our Charleston office.”  

Grimes previously served as the Communications and Outreach Specialist for the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) where she played a significant role with Lowcountry Rapid Transit, South Carolina’s planned bus rapid transit system. During her tenure with BCDCOG, Grimes developed impactful communication strategies, particularly geared toward stakeholder engagement.         

“I am honored to join NP Strategy and look forward to fusing my passion for strategic communications with the dynamic client mix of NP Strategy,” Grimes said.  

Born and raised in Charleston, Grimes graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations. During her time at USC, she served as Public Relations Chair for the National Association of Black Journalists and was also a Social Media Assistant for USC’s Alumni Association. Grimes is currently pursuing her master’s degree in strategic communication from Purdue University.

Reach Morgan Grimes at morgan@npstrategy.com.  

Our world is full of distractions, where attention spans are fleeting, competition is strong, and the power of visual storytelling cannot be overstated. As consumers are bombarded with a constant stream of information, brands need to stand out and build deeper connections. This is where graphic design comes into play, transforming generic marketing campaigns into captivating narratives that leave a lasting impact.

At its core, visual storytelling is the art of conveying a message or narrative using compelling visuals. It’s about transcending mere information-sharing and tapping into the emotions and experiences that resonate with the audience. This technique draws the audience into the story, making them active participants rather than passive observers.

When it comes to storytelling, graphic design has the ability to:

Create an emotional connection.
Graphic design enhances storytelling by evoking emotions through imagery. Emotions are known to play a crucial role in decision-making. Well-designed visuals have the ability to trigger a range of emotions – from joy and nostalgia to empathy and curiosity. By strategically incorporating these emotions into marketing materials, brands can forge stronger connections with their audience.

Maintain a consistent brand narrative.
Visual storytelling hinges on maintaining consistency across various touchpoints. Graphic design ensures that the brand’s narrative is seamlessly woven into every piece of content. From social media posts to website banners, design elements should reflect the brand’s identity and story, reinforcing recognition and recall.

Create an engaging visual hierarchy.
Graphic design enables the creation of a clear visual hierarchy that guides the audience through the story. It helps direct the viewer’s attention to the most important elements, ensuring the narrative unfolds seamlessly. Through the strategic use of size, color, contrast, and placement, designers can guide the viewer’s gaze and emphasize key messages.

Convey complex concepts.
Complex ideas and information can be challenging to communicate effectively. Graphic design offers a solution by simplifying intricate concepts into easily digestible visuals. Infographics, for example, distill data and information into engaging, bite-sized graphics that communicate the essence of a story without overwhelming the audience.

Graphic design is a cornerstone of effective visual storytelling in marketing. It goes beyond aesthetics, serving as a bridge between brands and audiences. Through the strategic use of emotions, consistency, hierarchy, and simplification, graphic design elevates marketing campaigns from being merely informative to becoming immersive experiences that leave a lasting impression. As the digital landscape evolves, harnessing the power of visual storytelling through graphic design remains a potent strategy for captivating audiences and building meaningful connections.

In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, organizations face a multitude of challenges that can potentially harm their reputation and bottom line. Effective crisis communication is paramount to managing these challenges and maintaining public trust. At the heart of crisis communication lies the intersection with public relations and those of us at NP Strategy have experience and backgrounds in both. We believe the relationship between PR and crisis communication is crucial, and this article will highlight how seamless integration is vital for successful reputation management.

Building Strong Foundations: Public Relations as a Proactive Approach

Public relations forms the bedrock of a company’s reputation management strategy. It involves developing and nurturing relationships with key stakeholders, including the media, employees, customers, and the public at large. By consistently communicating positive stories, engaging in proactive media relations, and effectively managing brand messaging, public relations helps create a positive public perception of the organization.

The Dynamic Nature of Crisis Communication

 Crisis communication, on the other hand, is a reactive approach, specifically focused on mitigating and managing reputational damage during times of crisis. Crises can stem from various sources, including product recalls, natural disasters, executive misconduct, or cybersecurity breaches. The key objective of crisis communication is to protect the organization’s brand image, restore public confidence, and maintain stakeholder trust.

 The Synergy: PR’s Role in Crisis Communication

 During a crisis, the synergy between public relations and crisis communication becomes evident. Public relations professionals, like those at NP Strategy, step into action, leveraging our existing relationships, expertise in strategic messaging, and our understanding of the organization’s values and mission. We serve as a bridge between the organization and its stakeholders, ensuring that accurate and timely information is disseminated.

We also develop crisis response plans, establish clear lines of communication, and provide guidance on messaging consistency. Through proactive media relations, our team has helped shape the narrative surrounding a crisis, steering public perception towards a more favorable outcome.

The Importance of Preparation and Training

Effective crisis communication cannot occur without prior preparation and training. Our team plays a crucial role in conducting risk assessments, identifying potential crises, and developing comprehensive crisis communication strategies. We simulate potential scenarios and rehearse crisis response protocols. By doing so, we ensure that the organization is prepared to navigate any crisis that may arise, minimizing the impact on its reputation and stakeholders.

Public relations and crisis communication are two inseparable components of a comprehensive reputation management strategy. While PR builds strong foundations by proactively managing public perception, crisis communication steps in to address and mitigate reputational threats during times of crisis. The seamless integration of these two disciplines is crucial for effective reputation management and can mean the difference between weathering a storm with minimal damage and enduring irreparable harm.

Organizations that understand and invest in the intersection of public relations and crisis communication are better equipped to protect their brand, maintain public trust, and emerge stronger from challenging situations. Through partners like NP Strategy, businesses can harness the power of PR and crisis communication to navigate turbulent times while safeguarding their most valuable asset—their reputation.

The beloved Barbie doll has taken the world by storm, this time outside of her box and on the silver screen.

It is not likely to find someone who hasn’t heard about the new film, mostly because Warner Bros. left no stone unturned when it came to marketing the highly-anticipated movie adaptation of one of the world’s most well-known dolls. The movie’s promotion has been widely regarded as one of the most creative and successful modern movie campaigns, especially after dominating the box office by grossing over $356 million worldwide on opening weekend.

Hot (Pink) Marketing Tactics

The tactics went far beyond typical cinema or plastic children’s toys. The movie had its first viral moment with the “This Barbie is…” posters and seized that moment by joining forces with PhotoRoom to create a free online poster generator. 

The blitz didn’t end with social media. More unique Barbie collaborations followed across multiple industries ranging from cosmetics and clothing lines to home goods and even gaming. By producing tangible products and interactive experiences like the creation of a life-size Barbie Dreamhouse available for vacation rentals, many people felt connected to the upcoming film.

The strategies implemented weren’t the only thing out of the ordinary. The more intriguing concept is that the buzz didn’t have the qualities of your classic fads that have a quick rise and fall. Rather, Barbie kept momentum and continued to gain popularity for months. Josh Goldstine, Warner Bros. President of Global Marketing, attributes this to the use of “breadcrumb marketing.” Each promotion added something new for the audience while never giving away the plot. With our population’s decreasing attention spans and rising love for bite-sized media content, the Barbie team’s clever decisions to keep the public interested in what they had to offer further proves the need for companies to think outside of the (doll) box when it comes to selling your brand. You don’t need a major blockbuster event or a multi-million dollar budget to take your marketing to Mattel level, but you can take cues from their actions to engage your following. 

The “breadcrumb marketing” of Barbie serves as a blueprint for companies to hack the code and get on the path to maintaining – and more importantly, gaining – interest in your product. While this idea may be contrary to traditional advertising methods, the ever-changing world of social media looks for allure now more than ever. Today’s consumers love the feeling of being “in the know” and tend to want to follow along so they don’t miss out on the most current updates. 

Have Your Own Barbie Moment

When looking to build anticipation for exciting new company announcements or events, you too can create a series of posts that leave a breadcrumb trail of details leading up to the big reveal. This will also allow you more time to grow your reach and increase conversation prior to releasing all the information. 

1) Create a sense of urgency by including a clear call to action, whether that be directing followers to a link to a website, product, other social channels or simply the next piece of content. This enables the users to feel they have the ability to interact and that the decision to learn more is theirs to make. You can even go the extra mile with this approach by having others place a few crumbs for you. 

2) Take a page out of Barbie’s book and get creative with fun, shareable content that followers can post to their accounts to contribute to your community, or even venture into thoughtful collaborations with other brands or influencer partnerships that drop some of the details for their followers to find. It’s no longer just about one big viral moment that can be quickly moved on from. 

3) Prioritize consistent engagement by carefully planning how to get your audience excited and eager to be on the lookout for your next updates. In Hollywood terms, consider these the teaser trailers before the movie’s premiere. 

Hansel and Gretel’s breadcrumb trail led them back home, but Barbie and Ken’s will lead your key consumers straight to you!