Beyoncé Giselle Knowles Carter is the greatest entertainer alive — perhaps the greatest entertainer of our time. I wrote that as the opening statement in my piece for Blavity last year and 370days later, I stand by the statement. By now you might have heard that Mrs. Carter released a film documenting her historic performance at 2018’s Coachella Festival, affectionately dubbed Beychella, and will be known as that now and forever more. The Netflix film, HOMECOMING: A FILM BY BEYONCE', is accompanied by the surprise release of a live album. The film, like the event it documents, was a hella black experience, placing emphasis on celebrating the history and culture associated with HBCU’s, but more than that – it gives fans another, more intimate look into the mind and life of the world’s biggest star, examining the Beychella performance through the lens of those who took part in crafting it, while simultaneously showcasing Beyonce’ at her most vulnerable. From voiceovers discussing her journey back to the stage after giving birth to twins, vignettes showing her first rehearsal and failing to nail a routine, then more intimate breathless videos as she struggles through workouts, we are given a rare glimpse at just the toll it took to deliver the show that made the world STOP. Homecoming, like Beychella before it, is a love letter to Beyonce’s brothers and sisters throughout the world. She wanted to make sure everyone who had ever felt left out understood they belonged. The hours long rehearsals, the re-runs due to the performance not translating on screen, makes it clear, more than ever – that though Beyonce’ was performing on the stage of the festival, her true audience were the people who would be tuning in via live stream. “Instead of pulling out my flower crown, it was more important that I brought our culture to Coachella,” As I watched the film, absorbing every ounce of the artistry it took to bring forth that effort, I was also struck by the reality that, at 22 years of performing – we might be nearing the end of Beyonce’s gifted performances. Yet, seeing her fight back from a risky pregnancy, relearn her body, rededicate herself to her craft, and set the bar so high one would need the crane she flew over the audience during the performance to reach, made me realize the true significance of Homecoming exists in our privilege of baring witness to the greatness that is Beyonce. Here are some lessons we can take away from the additional insight provided. It's Important to know your vision. What was clear beyond any and everything is that Beyonce’, had a very clear vision on what she wanted to see on the stage which she articulated to her team at every turn. At one point in the film, she says during rehearsals that she is both in the stage and in the audience – simultaneously. She sees it from the audience’s perspective, often times at varying angles, at a viewpoint, that even her team has to marvel at. We know from past footage that she is a perfectionist, but what we learned is that her level of perfection is intent on raising the level work for everyone around her, and boy did they rise! Focus on the work 8 months. That’s how long Beyonce and her team prepared for the performance. Four months arranging the dancers and four months choreographing the movements, across three sound stages, 10-12 hours a day, 6 days a week. With 22 years in the industry, no one would have faulted Beyonce if she didn’t put that level of rehearsal in – after all, she has paid her dues and earned the respect of the masses; yet none of that stopped her from pushing herself and her team up to and beyond their limits. We’re not even going to discuss how, one year later, the content developed during that time is just now seeing the light of day, and will possibly breathe for another six months before dying down, so for those keeping track: we’re already nearing the two-year mark for this period of time and only NOW seeing the culmination of those efforts. Beyonce’s ability to utilize residual reach to connect with her audience means that while we are still discussing the content put in, she has room to breathe and transition to her next creative endeavor. Creatives – examine this cycle, study it as a blueprint on what effective marketing and rollout looks like – and understand the significance of focusing on the work above all else. I know I will be. Never stop raising the bar The only person that can even come close to competing against Beyoncé is Beyoncé. I believed this before the film and am now even more wholly convinced of this fact. Consider this, watching the 2019 Coachella performance live stream, though the artists were good and had a few memorable moments … they weren’t Beyonce’ good. We can be fans of those artists and still acknowledge that Beyonce raised the bar high and I doubt anyone will be able to surpass it, though, I hope they try to, because aspiring to the level of cultural significance of Beychella, even if not achieved would mean great things for consumers for years to come. At the end of the film, Beyonce’ acknowledges that she pushed herself to her limits, and that she will never push herself so hard again because, with the birth of her children and the evolution of her family, she herself has changed. Homecoming shows how much the performance was a labor of love for her fans, family, and the world that may end up being the one we send her off to retirement with, and so we receive it all as intended- with love and gratitude, for the culture.

Kadeem Cobham, professionally known as Arrogant Watcher, is a prolific Florida-based photographer making waves for his ability to capture the essence of his subjects. Cohbam's eye has taken him from relative unknown to on the speed dial of anyone who had the pleasure of working with him earlier in his career before brands like Bacardi, Roc Nation, Revolt and Interscope started taking up his time. Kadeem sat down with us to discuss his motivations, inspirations, and what's next in his career as a #VisionaryCreative. ______ 1. Tell us a little about yourself? I'm Kadeem Cobham from The Space Coast. 27 years of age and a huge fan of seafood, discovering new music and going thrift shopping. Alot of my time is spent taking photos of the music, portrait and lifestyle variety and using said photos to feel good about what I create. 2. How did you get started as a creative? I've found my creativity at a young age when I would write stories and create books all from what goes on in my head: basketball and girls. As time went on my creativity evolved into visuals and wanting to get into photography at a young age. The most I've had to shoot with at the time was with a Kodak point and shoot that I took with me everywhere. Time went on, relationships were had and life was changed. 3. What and/or who are your influences? A lot of work's influence is derived from Nicholas Winding Refn, Hype Williams, Fred Stein, Timothy McGurr and Johnathon Mannion. 4. Who was your favorite client to work with in 2018? Shoutouts to Bacardi Fam. 5. What are your plans for this year since you set the bar so high last year? Continue putting myself in places and in front of people because I've put in the work to do so. To be in a space where my work can truly shine. 6. Who are some of your dream brands to work with that you haven't had a chance to work with yet? I dream to work on my own campaign with NIKE Sportswear and to be within the circle of Dreamville. 7. If you had to do anything other than what you're doing now, where would it be? A chef. 8. What's in your playlist right now? About 1600 songs all ranging from 2chainz to Your Old Droogs. 9. What's the biggest L you took in 2018 and how did it better prepare you for this year? Getting my car repossessed which prepared me to never go through that again and get more bags. 10.  What's a word of advice you would give to younger creatives just starting out and wanting to work with larger brands? Focus on your growth and enjoy its process. As you continue with this process, network and staying focused, brands will find you organically. View some of Arrogant Watcher's photos below: Connect with Arrogant Watcher on IG or arrogantwatcher.com. Listen to his philosophy + learn more about his artistic journey by checking out Episode 3 of Creatives on the Rise.

Branding – ahhhh, what a term. It seems everywhere we look these days, that term is being thrown around, but what exactly is branding and why is it so important? First off, instead of starting with what branding is, we’ll start with what it isn’t. Below is an excerpt from our Welcome letter we thought fit this article perfectly: “A brand is not: • your logo • your tagline • your product • your service All of these things can be expressions of your brand but they are not your brand. Here’s the simplest way we can define brand: Branding is about the promise of a distinct, memorable experience. It’s about creating an expectation and delivering it consistently every time anyone interacts with your brand whether it’s the way you answer the phone, how your website functions, your entire response process, and how you perform. It’s how you make people feel about themselves and their decisions when they are interacting with you. It’s why you shop at store A vs. store B even if the price or product might not be that much different.” Developing a strong, authentic brand and delivering it consistently is the foundation upon which every successful business is built. Having a partner like Visionary Rising, to lay that first stone in the development of building your brand is essential to success. We uncover what makes brands special, differentiates them from the competition, define who they are and what they want to be; then we develop a strategy to help tell that story to the target audience. Defining the elements of a brand are necessary to consistently deliver the right message to the right people to create the right reaction every single time. So, how does a business do that? Quite simply – if you brand it, they will come. A few questions to ask when building a brand are listed below: What’s my identity? As an artist or company, you’ll need to constantly ask and answer this question. The answer MUST BE CLEAR. There will be people who come along and attempt to persuade you, so you’ll need to be secure in who you are and who you want to represent. At the Visionary Rising Agency, we represent Art, Music + Technology, while focused on pushing creative endeavors forward. We’ve gone through pains to establish and link the brand to the belief that artists are and will continue to be at the forefront of this company; which means, we only work with the types of companies who understand this. As a result, we’ve seen our core customer base expand along with that brand identity. What makes me different? Whether it’s price, product, availability or overall quality. You’ll need to establish this early on – your website will need to reinforce what makes you different as a constant promise and reminder to your customers that you are different. Once you’ve established who you are as a brand, you’ll be able to get down to the nitty-gritty of branding via social media marketing. It’s more than just the “New Wave”, it’s fast becoming the most utilized wave of marketing strategies with large marketing firms adding Subject Matter Experts (SME) in social media to compete with the smaller boutiques; do yourself a favor and add a Social Media networking guru to your team, or seek out the smaller boutiques that specialize in this. Rome wasn’t built in a day and sometimes it’s best to just let the experts do what they know how to do. If you don’t have the budget for an SME, seek out someone who will be dedicated solely to updating your social networks. Anyone can have a Facebook fan page, and Soundcloud accounts are a dime a dozen; you’ll need to find a way to separate yourself from the pack. The prime thing we’ve learned from developing the various brands is people buy into the brand because they’re connected to the owner or enjoy the product, but they stick around because of the connections they establish with the brand AFTER the initial introduction. The point of social networking is to socialize; don’t be afraid to spread your personal message in addition to your company’s message. It has to be intrinsic and it has to be genuine or your customers will know. The first rule of marketing is understanding that people are buying you as much as they’re buying the product you’re selling – so be an authentic example of what your company and artistry represents, then build a team that supports that; the rest will take care of itself. Like what you've read so far? Sign up for our mailing list to receive our free guide to building and maintaining your brand.

There are several reasons brands need a digital footprint. If you're serious about your business and attracting interest in your brand that translates to increased revenue, you need a place that tells your story. The only thing worse than not having a website is having a poorly built website. With the digital landscape in constant flux, and the discussion of what constitutes an ad view continuing, companies and brands should get serious about updating their site and digital marketing plans every 6 months (faster in recent years). "Outdated sites receive outdated results." The first quarter is the perfect time to maximize the potential of your business by completing a quality check on the current website and web marketing plan. We’ll start by breaking down the key elements that make websites successful: 1. AETHESTICS. This seems like a no-brainer, but the first thing a company should do is make sure the website is pretty. Employees are customers as much as they are members of a business. When designing a site our primary question is always would we want to look at this site? This is also a question business owners should ask when reviewing current, or planning for future, sites- DO I WANT TO LOOK AT THIS SITE? And, would I really spend time on your site if it wasn’t my site? There shouldn't be a seamless color palette throughout the site , functioning buttons and no overlap. I f you're utilizing older versions of HTML/CSS, then you'll want to have that updated to the industry standard HTML5/CSS3 that is currently recognized by all search engines. Is your site enabled to be shared on social media with a site explanation? That's the 2-3 sentence blurb about what people can expect to view on your site, usually accompanied by an image you'd like associated with your business. 2. ACCESS. Can people find you EVEN if they don’t know they are looking for you? Sure, having a budget to run advertising campaigns across multiple search engines is great- but, it’s also time consuming and a lot of trial and error (mostly error) goes into becoming an expert on what content ranks. What if there was a way to limit the number of ads you run per month and increase viewability across these search engines? There is- it’s called Search Engine Optimization, SEO for short. SEO has absolutely nothing to do with running costly ad campaigns and absolutely everything to do with optimizing the keyword usage within your Metadata (the backend framework of a site that communicates directly with search engines). Industry standard websites have 500-1000 keywords located within the framework of their website. Most template based platforms limit the number of keywords a programmer can enter (roughly 30-40, depending on what site you use) and force consumers to go the secondary route of generating traffic via CPM advertising, which can be a waste of money in the long run. 3. ANALYTICS. Check the data - it doesn't lie. If you had analytics implemented on your site when it was initially created, or at any point after, check the Bounce rate to identify the total number of people accessing your site on a daily basis. How long do they stay? Where do they go? This trail will start to tell a story. If your bounce rate is over 60%, and users stay for less than 5-6 seconds, they aren't interested in what you're selling or the content you use to sell it. So, it's time to make some changes. 4. RESPONSIVENESS. Is the current site able to be viewed across multiple platforms WITHOUT the need for additional plugins? Hopefully the answer is YES. In 2013, 996 million people accessed data using their mobile phone. 996 MILLION! That number was up 19% from 2012 and an exponential increase for 2014 is expected once data is reported. In short, a website should be functional to someone using their tablet, cell phone browser or desktop. It’s no longer a maybe, it’s a definitive requirement. That’s different than having an app, which is my next point. 5. INTEGRATION. Does the website easily interact with other applications? Is the current platform prime to have an iOS or android application added should the company need to expand in the future? The answer should be YES. Because the future is NOW. As more and more clients access their data via phones and tablets, businesses with application-enabled sites are poised to increase revenue. Spending money on a site without this capability now, will cost down the road when (not if) an app is built – why? Because a new site will also need to be built. Save time and Money by investing in this NOW rather than later. These are just a few of the items business owners will want to review when assessing the current website. If the answer is YES to all the questions above, you’re in great shape to flourish. If the answer is NO. Call Us. Now. We specialize in BIG PICTURE BUILDS – that is, building from DAY ONE, the framework required to support the growth of a business down the line within the digital sphere. We've pioneered "client-side optimization" which focuses on comprehensive designs that take the guess work out and create demand generation platforms that increase brand awareness and revenue. We focus on doing the work, so you can focus on creating.

Each year since launching in 2016, I've sat down and written out Visionary's company commitments. As the company has grown and shifted over the last three years, the prior commitments served as a reminder of what we were building and a commitment to stay on course. The company I launched is much different than the company I lead today, and I am sure, will be much different than the visionary of the future - but one thing has remained true: we are a company by creatives for creatives. At our core, even as the structure of what our target customer looks like has changed, our commitment to creativity for creativity's sake has not. 2018 was a trying year for the company. Growth is a beautiful, yet painful thing - so even as we grew: taking on larger client projects, expanding our services, growing our team and technology capabilities - it was also necessary to make adjustments. Those adjustments came in the form of parting ways with clients who had been with us from the beginning and others who no longer fit the direction we were headed, while preparing for the next phase of business. As anyone who has ever made a change can tell you, change is not easy. So, as we made these changes, we took our time ensuring the changes would benefit the end goal. I'd like to introduce you to Visionary Rising, Incorporated. We're still a creative agency at heart, but now with so much more power behind us to do the work that is needed of us. Visionary Rising, Inc., is home to a suite of companies focused on serving the multi-layered needs of underrepresented creative entrepreneurs no matter their medium. We've worked with the brands who want to represent them in the marketplace to help to tell those stories, and now we want to work directly with the creative entrepreneurs to craft new stories that center the voices of the multicultural world around us. We are building the future of work for the creative class one idea at a time. So, whether you've known Visionary Rising from the beginning or are just now joining us, my hope is that you'll give us a chance to show what we can do. 2019 will be a year filled with new services, projects, and team members, who you'll get to know intimately - my promise, in this next phase is the same as it has been since launching: to bridge the gap between brands, creatives, and the audiences they covet while using art, music, tech + a little bit of magic along the way. Welcome - let's get started.

Happy New Year, people! In case you haven’t noticed, the clock turned over and it’s officially 2019. Whether you were happy to kiss 2018 goodbye or reticent to turn the page and head to a new year, 2019 is upon us, and so is the looming of those lofty AF goals you’ve set. Each new year brings with it a new opportunity to begin again; if you’re an entrepreneur or aspiring one, this reset is much needed! We’ve been busy transitioning, expanding, and preparing for a massive year – and so have our clients. In October, the Visionary team began our 2019 strategic planning by asking clients and partners their goals for this year. Our Strategists urged clients to set actionable goals prior to the clock turning over for many reasons, but the primary one was because we wanted to enter the new year already at a full sprint. The holidays can be a time where many, many, many businesses stop operating. As a matter of fact, unless you’re in Retail, or entertainment, your year ends around 12/21 each year. A lot of times, the season lulls us into a sense of comfort that makes creating goals a very hard thing to achieve; that’s why most diets go out of the window after Halloween, never to be seen again until March or April, after several false starts. We know, because we’ve been guilty of this behavior for years (and in many areas, are still a bit of procrastinators, as a way of appeasing the rebel within. We are creatives after all). We wanted this year to be different, so the transition to 2018 began in September of last year, whereas the last quarter of the year is usually spent in “reeling mode”, the last quarter of 2017 was spent in transition and preparation for what is to come. There was a lot of time spent thinking about business goals and the things yet to achieve, then there was a little more time spent thinking about our clients, partners, and their goals. We realized something very important during this time: many of our clients were in a free fall, just coasting along on the plans and ideas set almost a year earlier. That’s what happens when you achieve a level of success previously thought impossible – you slow down. And, this is where most businesses fail: the slowing down after a victory. The best business strategy and marketing plans need to constantly be reworked, reviewed and rewritten, but many clients simply don’t have the time to do it. At the very least, the new year is the perfect opportunity to spend time creating goals for your business. Whether it’s getting closer to starting that business you’ve been dreaming about, growing sales in the one you’ve already started, or finding the budget to hire the subject matter experts you’ve been dreaming about to get your business to the next level - it will not happen unless you CREATE THE PLAN. Below we’ve included our proprietary action plan designed to help clients achieve their top five goal, measure growth, and take one step closer to achieving more in a year than most people do in a lifetime. 1. Create specific goals The key is to set realistic, achievable, actionable goals! The more specific your goal, the better. You want something you can come back and look at in the future that will help hold you accountable. No matter how smart you are, with everything else in your face in running your business (and the rest of your life) it’s possible those well-thought-out goals of yours will actually slip your mind come March if you don’t write them down! Don’t just focus on blanket statements like “Increase brand awareness”; instead put a tangible figure beside that. It’s all about accountability, so you’ll want to remind your future self that you WANTED to increase brand awareness by “increasing website traffic 15% month over month”. Pro tip: Don’t forget that it’s not all just sales. Most business books tell you that you must increase sales at all costs, but the truth of the matter is there are any number of goals you may decide are better for your business at this point in its life. This may include winning industry or local awards, lowering your costs, getting into a certain number of new stores or farmers’ markets, or doing a better job of engaging with your customers via Facebook or Twitter. Just make sure that the goals you write are specific so that down the road you can accurately tell if you achieved what you wanted to. 2. Detail the actionable steps you will take Now that you’ve decided to “Increase website traffic 15% month over month”, how do you intend to do that? Write 5 or 6 things you can do that will help you achieve this goal. Think through the steps you are going to take to help achieve the goal; sometimes seeing yourself actively pursuing the goal makes for a far better motivator than I simply writing it down. Do not be afraid to think outside of the box either. The beauty of being an entrepreneur is that entrepreneurs have more flexibility to try things that can take Corporations 200 days to get approved through red tape (We’ve worked in enough corporate offices to know this as FACT). If you think something might work, list it in your actionable items. The worst thing that can happen is you try, and it fails. If it fails, you can just chalk that up to a lesson learned. After all, most successes are just failures you learned from. Do not be afraid to dream big. 3. Review your goals frequently Visionary's clients understand that the plans developed as a cohesive team are a living document. These goals (or a fully reworked business plan) are utilized to help guide through the coming year, and used frequently to evaluate if we are making progress towards achieving those goals; if not, then, it is utilized to determine how (and why) we will need to change course while there is still time to make a difference. Why is this significant? It’s only the first week of January and we have clients who have ALREADY reached some measurable goals, set new ones, and still more action plans being delivered. We set the tone in 2018 and discussed it weekly thereafter. It’s our job to help them reach those goals, and then set new ones once the goal is achieved. If you’re an entrepreneur, you may not have time to keep a steady eye on your goals, then actively work toward them with everything else that’s going on. If you’re just now setting business goals for 2019… you’re already behind. Let us help you catch up. Even if Visionary Rising isn’t the firm to help you do that, we urge every business owner to invest in an outside source consultation. At the very least, you’ll walk away with an action plan that can carry you in to the last quarter of 2019, then prepare you for the transitional phase of 2020 and beyond.

There are only a few whose names are synonymous with success, but Jay Z, Mr. “I just signed a new deal”, is one of those whose name should go alongside Webster’s definition of the term. Since his entry into the rap in 1994, his success has been unparalleled. From being considered one of the G.O.A.T’s, to inspiring artists, businessmen and fans a like -Shawn Carter has become the definition of success for many. With business ventures like Roc Nation and Tidal under his belt, an amazing wife, Beyonce’, by his side and an equally successful bevvy of friends in his circle, Jay Z has become one of the most respected men in the world. His success, though others may offer conflicting points of view, is not by coincidence. One listen to his songs and you will learn so much about life, relationships, and how to hustle. So, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most memorable quotes from Jay, along with our interpretation so you, too, can follow Jay Z’s blueprint to success. Feel free to voice your opinion in the comments section below and play along. The Lessons: 1. “…just remind yourself, nobody built like you, you designed yourself” – Our interpretation: At the end of the day, there is no one on this earth like you. The decisions you make influence the life you have – good, bad, or indifferent – your fate is in your hands. This is not only good news for life, it’s GREAT news for business. Especially if you’re an entrepreneur or artist. 2. “…I can’t help the poor if I’m one of them” – Our interpretation: It’s cool to have your ideals and dreams, but you have to be willing to implement them, and once you reach a certain level, it’s your responsibility to help those less fortunate than you, but you can’t do that if you’re poor yourself. Build wealth, focus on your goals, reach a certain level, and then, look to give back. Jay expounded on this belief in depth on 4:44's Legacy. 3.“Love me or leave me alone” — Our interpretation: Either respect what I’m doing, where I’m going and who I am, or leave me alone. It’s simple, really. If you can’t get on his level, then just leave him alone. We’re sure a lot of entrepreneurs and artists have come to that point at one time or another. The lesson here is to stand firm in your intent to move forward without those who don’t approve of your process. Sometimes, elevation requires isolation. 4. “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business…man” – Our interpretation: You’re a brand. Anyone can be a business man, but you have to build a business, man. Brand yourself, brand your business, create the plan and get out there. 5. “Everybody can tell you how to do it, but they never did it” – Our interpretation: In life, there are always going to be those people who offer unsolicited advice. You’ll recognize these people by their “I would never…” judgments on your decisions – but until a person has walked in your shoes, or is attempting to attain the things you are attempting to attain, who are they to speak in your life? This goes for your career, relationships and business. 6. “I’d rather die enormous than live dormant.” – Our interpretation: Life is short, indulge. 7. “I’m not afraid of dying. I’m afraid of not trying” – Our interpretation: There are a lot of things that are certain in life, but none as certain as – One day, you’re going to die. Morbid, we know, but absolutely true. Would you rather live a life afraid to take risks, or one in which you tried most of the things you conceived? 8. “I will not lose, for even in defeat, there’s a valuable lesson learned so that evens it up for me” – Our interpretation: Failure is essential for success. To succeed at a dream, you must fail at it, learn from the failure, and grow. The best lessons are the ones that are discovered through a difficult loss. Success is guaranteed if you can bounce back from failure and learn from it. Fail forward and do it fast. 9. “Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week” - Our interpretation: Nothing is impossible. Why put limitations on what can be done? The concept of “impossible” is destroyed on a daily basis. They put a man on the moon, explored Mars, found out there may be life in other planets and you think your dream is impossible? The only thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve is the belief it cannot happen. 10. “Far from a Harvard student, just had the balls to do it” – Our interpretation: You don’t have to be a genius to obtain the life you want. The people who “make it” in this world are the ones who make it happen. Don’t worry if you don’t know everything. The answers will present themselves through the work. There is no such thing as a perfect moment. Start now. It is the only option if you want to reach your dream. 11. “Tried to teach people how to be Kings and all they ever wanted to be was soldiers. So the love is gone until blood is drawn because we no longer wear the same uniform…And truth be told, after all is said, I still have love for you” – Our interpretation: There will come a point, in business or relationships, where the parties involved will have to part ways – you can’t be afraid to make difficult decisions or part ways with people when your visions no longer mesh. In doing so, understand, there are no easy roads to success – it may mean losing friends and relationships that you’ve cultivated for years. The departure may be forever, or it may be temporary to move into your new season. One thing is certain – successful people learn to make the difficult decisions when it matters most.

So, you have your website up; it’s mobile friendly and looks awesome (if you do say so yourself), but that phone still isn’t ringing, at least not as often as you would like. For the life of you, you can’t quite understand why your website isn’t attracting the kind of traffic you would like: high qualified leads (HQL) that you can convert to buyers. This is an issue we encounter a lot with customers; while the answer is usually multifaceted in nature, it comes down to a few key areas: 1) Your Local Search Engine Optimization plan is not effective. 2) Search Console and/or Google analytics is not setup correctly, and 3) You’re not generating enough organic content to rank. Alone, these areas may not cause problems; but encountering the trifecta (which is often the case) creates the perfect storm for web properties that are as effective as paper weights. Below, we dive into things to look out for and ways you can optimize your local efforts to start ranking in as little as 4 – 6 weeks. 1.) Your SEO plan is not effective: The product you’re marketing, and overall goal, will determine whether you need to focus on a Local SEO plan or an SEO plan that ranks nationally. Our advice is to always focus on a “Think Local. Grow Global” approach; that is identify 5-7 keywords in your local area that you want to focus on ranking for, and 7-10 words to rank Nationally. For the purposes of this example, we’ll focus on LOCAL SEO. LOCAL SEO: Choose keywords that are specifically used in your area and ensure BOTH the meta tags AND page on your website display references to the keywords. This will determine your relevancy score within Google. The HIGHER the score, the more relevant the content and the more likely Google will display your site when people search. Example Meta Tag Description for Keyword “Digital Agency”: Title: Tampa Bay Digital Agency Description: We are a Tampa Bay based Digital Agency with focus on mobile app and website development. Bonus Points: If the page it directs to also has full length article directly linked to your web content, and/or a blog post specifically touting the services you offer. 2.) Search Console and/or Google analytics is not setup correctly How often is your site being crawled? You, and your webmaster, should know the answer to this question, but in the event you don’t, it’s pretty easy to find out. Google’s Search Console allows users to do the following: view how often their website is being searched, the keywords associated with that search, who is linking to your page, whether or not there is duplicate content and, any issues Google discovers during the hundreds of times they crawl your page. Sites that are updated with content daily can expect to average between 300 – 400 crawls per year. You can increase or decrease that number based on the amount of times you submit updated content to Google. That’s right – you can submit manual updates to Google by following a few easy steps, ensuring your sitemap is up-to-date and making sure all of your properties are connected to your Search Console dashboard. 3.) You’re not generating enough organic content to rank. This seems like a no-brainer, but is often the most overlooked aspect of content management. To achieve the maximum level of engagement across platforms, you need a mixture of organic (natural and original content) and paid content linking to your website. This can be achieved a number of ways, but our tried and true is always maximum use of the following channels: -Your blog is your best friend. It’s more than just where you update people on what’s going on with your company; this is the space you prove to existing and potential clients, why you are the best at what you do. Whether it’s providing educational or informational content, updates on changes you’re making or upcoming releases – linking people to different spaces in your website and generating content that links back in Search Engines, will help to increase your overall ranking. – Your social media accounts. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat, all come equipped with offsite linking capabilities. Yes, a great digital plan includes aspects of paid and organic, but the higher and more engaging your organic content, the less expensive your paid advertisements become. If you really want to achieve maximum engagement, increase traffic and get that phone to ring – we’d recommend completing the steps outlined here as quickly as possible. If you don’t have the time, let us take this off your hands with a 1-time Digital Audit and Analytic update.

Here’s a fact that should shock no one: Social Media is the fastest, most direct and unarguably best way to reach consumers. Here’s a fact that might surprise you: most people are using it wrong. Granted, most smaller brands are doing relatively well in reaching their customer base, but more than likely aren’t doing the kind of numbers that would warrant/justify continuing to invest in this marketing route, but pulling the investment after only a few weeks of testing (which 60% of owners end up doing) is the wrong thing to do. What should they do instead? The answer is simple: Adopt an all-inclusive strategy that utilizes the Social Media funnel as 1-part of a much larger marketing schema. I know what you’re thinking “well, how do I do that?” It’s not as hard as it sounds, but TRUST US, it is also not as easy as you think. Below, we break down the 7-things you can do today to get your Digital Strategy in order and start capitalizing on the vast world of social media marketing: 1. Know What You Want Knowing is half the battle, so start with understanding exactly what it is that you want to achieve across your social platforms. Set measurable goals, also known as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), that you can refer to on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis to assess whether you’re on task with your goals. If our client wants to increase their user base by 30% in 3 months – this gives us something to work with, and so, we'll establish KPIs based on the conversion cycle. 2. Don’t be afraid to look in the rear-view mirror Establishing an effective digital strategy starts with understanding what you’ve done (or haven’t done) in the past, and being brutally honest about the results you did or didn’t get. Some of the questions you’ll want to ask during this portion of the review are: how well did the past campaigns perform? Was there a period of sustained growth? (where your followers were growing every week/month) Were there points of stagnation? (instances where engagement was low/nonexistent) What content performs the best for me? (video, blogs, direct posts) 3. Speak the Language Don’t let the planning and review of content take your focus off those you’re trying to reach with your content. You already know your audience (at least we sincerely hope you do – otherwise, we need to have a very different discussion), but the audience is often the first thing people forget amid the KPI setting, budget examining, and chaos that is trying to get your digital plan right. 4. Develop Useful Client Profiles Whether you are a business entity or an individual brand (musician, artist, creative, etc.) it will be important to establish as least 3-7 profiles for the type of buyer you want to target. The profiles don’t have to be too intensive, but you’ll want to include enough information in them so that your targeting on future campaigns will make sense down the line. For example: A small business whose ideal clients are creatives, entrepreneurs, and tech-savvy startups, will want to develop personas for each of these areas, and a painter whose ideal clientele consists of people between the ages of 24-36 with disposable income, of a certain lifestyle type and with certain likes/dislikes, will need to get granular. 5. Understand Your Limits There are two things you need to understand to have a successful strategy – your budget and your channels. Your budget will provide a realistic view of what you can expect from your marketing efforts. A client with a weekly budget of $30 will get very different results from a client who has $300 or $3,000. Your channels (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc) are going to dictate a lot. $25 per week across Facebook and Instagram goes a long way … $1,000 goes further. 6. Stop Wasting Time – Create the Damn Plan Knowing what you want to achieve, reviewing your past performance, understanding your audience and content they like, and knowing your budget and channels you want to use are all great steps on the journey to creating a viable strategy – now you’ll need to actually create a plan. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to get great results, you just need to know who/when/how to target to achieve the maximum results, and where to spend the money to ensure you receive a return. 7. Get Out There + Solicit Feedback The final step to take is to launch. Choose a date to release your new strategy and then solicit feedback from your audience. Ask them what they like, what they want to hear, and how often they want to hear from you. Including them in the content you produce will ensure their engagement down the line. Keep in mind, that you can’t please everyone all the time, but there’s a large portion you can please by delivering content that’s consistent and relevant to what your audience needs. There you have it, our 7 things you can do today to get you on the track to creating a digital strategy that is going to launch your business into the next phase. If you get stuck on any one of these, contact us today. We have Digital Media specialists who can help to create the type of strategy that will save you time and make you money because, in the end, it should be about increasing your bottom line. Don't forget to subscribe to our mailing list below to receive updates like this, opportunities to expand your brand, and ways to collaborate, direct to your inbox. Whatever the mission, you need an agency with a vision.

Allow us to introduce ourselves : we are the Visionary Rising. A creative design agency based in Tampa, Florida, with offices in Austin, Los Angeles, and Dallas. We are proud to join the 3% of women-led agencies and creative directors in the world of advertising and design. Our mission is to Cultivate, Innovate and Elevate in every thing we do from the content curated across all platforms, to the influencer installations across all disciplines. This agency links together two distinct business models into one cohesive plan where business and creativity coexist. The first model was established in October 2011 to provide business and brand development to individuals and small companies who did not have access to traditional funding. Under the umbrella of Visionary Logistics, our team worked on, consulted, curated and developed campaigns for 150+ companies and entrepreneurs intent on launching new products and/or applications. In 2014, a second tier was formed - Creative Rising Management, it's mission was to assist performing artists with the tools required to build their business and provide the ability to launch + sustain a career in entertainment. What sets either of these companies apart you ask? Aside from the proven track record of launching independent brands + securing funding for entrepreneurial pursuits - is the fact that the founder, LaTecia Johnson, has had a career, that for the last 14 years has spanned both Entertainment + Digital Advertising. LaTecia has worked with top-tier brands to create memorable campaigns that push the gamut and propel their businesses forward. Her time spent at Fortune 100 companies convinced her of two things: 1) Large brands had the marketing strategy + revenue to reach new markets but lacked the creativity required to sustain interests and 2) Smaller brands had the creativity but lacked the revenue + marketing strategy. She realized that if there were a way to bring the two worlds together, there was no limit to what could be achieved. Fast forward to 2016, and the founding of Visionary Rising Agency, with the intent to do just that:bridge the gap between strategy and creativity. Take one part innovation and business strategy, another part creative design, add a dash of cutting edge analytics, and what we have is a firm intent on elevating the standard by working with the types of businesses, entrepreneurs, and artists that truly drive the needle forward to change the landscape of advertising. Our philosophy "Work Less. Create More." was born out of an intent to help businesses + individuals do less of the work they don't like (understanding end-to-end amalgamation, strategy + brand development, etc.), so they can focus on creating more of the things they love (content, music + innovative products). We hope you'll join us on the journey of blending these worlds together and experience the rise of the creatives for yourself. #RiseOfTheCreatives #ThisIsVisionary