The very moment I'm in the process of brainstorming a new blog post I aim for relevance, level of interest, personal experience and what our target audience is looking for. Always analyze your ideas from all angles! What topics are going to generate views yet, empower the reader? It hasn't always come naturally! In fact, in the midst of strategizing each post I've came upon several moments where I debated whether anyone would remotely read what I had to say. I constantly questioned if blogging was a complete utter waste of time.

When you take on the chore to blog for your business you're not simply writing about anything. You are giving the public a reason to visit your website. You must deliver insight, awareness and knowledge on a subject relevant to your reader that's beneficial to their needs. Keyword, BENEFIT. But, is blogging only about the reader? What about you? How is writing about different topics even benefiting your business? Well, listen up.

Generic, one-size-fits-all emails don't cut it anymore. People expect more. They want messages that are relevant– ones that cater to their interests, consider their location, and offer them products and promotions that make sense for them.

The dreaded email newsletter: both loved and loathed, it has come to symbolize the yin and yang of  restaurant email marketing. If you want to stay in the light and avoid the darkness, we suggest these ten tips to keep those open rates high and your subscriber list growing.

Its been 6 months leading up to this big day! You couldn't sleep all night thinking about today and what would happen if your giant rebrand project launched into the eyes of the public.  You have crossed your "t"s and dotted your "i"s  and it is time to soak in all the praise and accolades!  But wait,  you think to yourself, did I make sure all 300 employees have been fully onboarded into the new rebranding program? *GASP!*...  turn-on-panic-mode NOW!

We have been through quite a few rebrand projects over the years and these are the top 5 things that most business executives struggle with during the painful tides of change. So, weare hoping that if you become aware of these BIG No-No's ahead of time, there will be a better chance  of a smooth  transition in your near future.

1. Do not get nostalgic

Change is difficult for everyone, but it will be counter productive if you fight change during the rebranding process. According to google, Nostalgia means "a sentimental longing or

Your first impression matters.

This saying is as true as it can ever be when it comes to website design. But who are we impressing? For a website, it's the world! And the world in this case is composed of an amalgam of ever-changing beliefs, opinions and ways to consume content and cat-related videos.

When it comes to designing your website, it is important to stay modern ahead of the game. Website design should be reviewed every two to three years, and for good reason! With just 15 minutes of time, two-thirds of readers would go for something aesthetically pleasing than something ordinary. (Source: Adobe).

As a business, you are on a mission to measure your social media efforts and deliver its success. There are several indications that your social media efforts are working, naturally some are more effective than others. There's a little more to it than noticing your social media notifications going off every five seconds. Even though it might be great feeling to know you are receiving engagement on your social media channels we want to make sure you are focusing on the right signs.

So, how do you know if it’s working? Here are 5 sure signs that will tell you if you’re bombing or killing it. 

We are living in a time where selfies and documenting your every moment on video has become a phenomenon. The popular social media application known as Snap Chat has exploded through the years with users sharing photos from snapping buffalo wings from Buffalo Wild Wings or taking a selfie drinking their morning coffee using a Starbucks filter to complete their snap shot. Snap Chat filters have become a popular trend among users and restaurants find it as an opportunity to gain exposure. So, why not make your customers' experience a little more interesting? With Snap Chat reaching over 150 million users, your filter can potentially be seen by thousands.

If you are interested in purchasing a spot to feature your filter on Snap Chat, here are several important tips you'll want to examine when designing your restaurant filter.

The restaurant industry rules a large portion of the social media market, but not all restaurants are  successful when it comes down to marketing on social media. For one, restaurants might find themselves only focusing on their target audience and not necessarily understanding the psychographics of who they are facing as an audience on social networks. 

Why are certain restaurants struggling to find a strong presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or even SnapChat? What are they doing wrong that blurs out their social media presence?

Let’s look at the Top 5 social media mistakes that restaurants commit when marketing: 

Social media graphics such as GIFs, static images and even flow hyper lapse video (also known as time-lapse videos) are meant to grab your audience's attention in a second, and let them go in a minute. My first suggestion when creating any social media graphic is go simple, yet powerful and memorable. We talk more about this in my video. Consistency is also important. If you are always thinking of your consumers, they will always be thinking of you. Social media is a great platform to reach a wide audience. It also allows you to provide information to close followers, clients, and customers. It is a great tool to get your company culture “out there" and it’s interactive. Social media graphics are an important part of building your business on social media since it attracts attention and helps with:

• Brand awareness

• Brand promotion

• Brand recognition 

Watch my video above as I go through tips and examples of what makes an excellent shareable social media graphic to promote your brand.

With over 4 billion internet users today, and around 80% of that using Facebook and other social media platforms, it's simply a fatal mistake for a business, big or small, to ignore the importance of social media engagement and how it impacts overall web presence.

With that in mind, it's understandable that confusion and heated debates ensue when the topic of a website launch versus social media  arises. What are you to focus on? What is more important?

The simple answer to these questions is both.

To provide a clearer picture of why this is, here are 3 points to consider where a website and social media differ and why ultimately they are made to be used together.