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Clean Up Your Application Form

Clean Up Your Application Form

clean-up
The job application is something that becomes pretty familiar to most final-year students and the volume of forms the average graduate completes is quite outstanding. Given that the average form requires around seven questions to be answered in four or five hundred words and that students could write ten forms, the application form can quickly become more of a burden than a dissertation! In fact, a bad application form will usually just result in a potentially very interested applicant closing the browser and going elsewhere.

So how should you navigate the minefield that is the application form?

Make It Simple

Most interview processes are pretty gruelling as it is and time-pushed applicants won’t respond well to complicated, multi-part questions that require hours of technical research. Ask questions that are easily answerable and personal; simple questions like “why did you study your chosen degree subjects?” or “what are you passionate about?” can tell you plenty about a candidate without burdening their time.

Equally, it’s so common for an application form to be hidden away in the bottom corner of a UK-specific website, on a page only accessible if you’ve clicked through the ‘Contact Us’ link. Make it really, really simple to find a form with plenty of cross-links or, be assured, your applicants will give up!

Leave Room for Creativity

So many application forms really stifle the applicants personality and asking questions like “were you a member of any sports teams?” or “detail your work experience below” is both ambiguous and leaves no room for the imagination. In this market, almost every graduate has a wealth of extra-curricular activities to talk about and most will have some work experience.

On the other hand, if your questions are rivalling an Oxbridge entrance interview for abstractness, you need to be prepared for abstract and, possibly, obscure answers. Something like “detail your most rewarding experience at University” will help you glean plenty of concrete information but allows candidates to be a little selective with what they tell you.

Set Out the Parameters

Lots of application forms are ultra-interactive and rely on an embedded system, but there are just as many that are a simple A4 form. Whatever format you chose to use, make sure what you expect is clear. If you leave HTML forms unrestricted and infinitely long, expect 1000 word answers. If you don’t state you want bullet points or a .pdf file of your CV, you won’t get it! Be absolutely clear about these aspects of your form.

Also be very clear on time and deadlines. Set out an absolute final deadline—candidates will work to this—and remember to date everything with the year. Search engines are miraculously good at bringing up old .pdfs and you could find a mixture of prior years documents in your inbox if you’re not careful.

Branding and Investor Relations

binding strands together
Investor relations professionals constantly struggle with a key question:

How can I help investors form a coherent, long-term investment thesis about my company?

The branding concepts of marketing can help answer this question by tying together the various strands of a company’s operations, values, culture, financial position and market perception into a single financial brand. Attention to these concepts can help elevate discussions about the company from mundane quarter over quarter earnings comparisons to more meaningful discussions of long-term goals.

Much of what is done in investor relations tends to be tactically focused: quarterly reporting, press releases, speeches and conferences with associated presentation materials. Often, the messages conveyed by these communications are one-off in nature, with no attempt to express and describe the company’s longer-term value proposition.  Even annual reports, which used to be the place where a company could spend more time showing itself to investors, have in many cases been pared down to the bare minimum. In the United States, the use of 10-K wraps for annual reports limits general discussion about the company to 8 – 12 pages. When you subtract out the pictures, listing of officers and directors, and other various matters, very little room is then left for delivery of a comprehensive overview of the company.  The result of all of this is a somewhat disjointed message – people may know what industry you are in and something about your financial performance, but it may not be immediately obvious why your company’s stock represents a viable investment thesis.

In today’s investing environment, where fewer and fewer analysts are covering more and more companies, a company can easily be lost in the crowd.  Branding can help people understand and remember a company. This is done by creating a financial message that sums up a company as a whole and presents it in a way that is instantly identifiable.

Brands resonate with people, and contrary to common belief amongst investor relations professionals, analysts are people too.  The more analysts can understand a company as a brand concept, the more it will help them flesh out the longer term opportunities to the company and get them to focus less on the short term ups and downs that every company experiences.  For example, everything that Wal-Mart does is driven by trying to achieve lower prices for their customers.  Once an analyst understands this, they can see how the “brand concept” drives sales, expense controls, the store experience, corporate culture and many other aspects of the company’s performance.

Not all companies are quite so clear-cut in their outlooks; however, all companies seek to be unique in some aspect.  This is where financial branding should focus.

While I would like to make the assertion that financial branding will enable a company to gain a premium to its stock price, that ultimately depends on its long-term financial track record and the market’s perception of its future prospects.  In the long run, markets are relatively efficient.  Where financial branding plays a role is in making a company’s story stand out from the crowd and be more understandable. This then, will attract the attention of more investors.  And the more investors that know and follow the stock of a company, the more efficient the market will be at placing a fair valuation on it.

YouTube Ranks as the 2013 Top Youth Brand in the U.K.

youtube app ipadYouTube is the top youth brand in the United Kingdom. The results come from a survey of over 2,500 students from across the U.K. which was conducted by Voxburner in partnership with Thinkhouse’s “State of the Youth Nation” research. This is the second year the top youth brands have been ranked and the second year that YouTube took the top spot.

As part of the research, students were asked to rank brands based on a number of factors to determine what makes a brand relevant to young audiences.

The most important reasons that youths like brands based on the research results are:

  • Young people can relate to the brand.
  • The brand offers value for the money.
  • The brand’s marketing work entertains youths.

The overwhelming use of social media by U.K. youths also played a big role in shaping this audience’s opinions about brands. The study found that nearly 75% of students claim to spend more time on social media than with parents or in lectures, and more than one out of three young people check social networks at least every few hours (38%).

The top 20 youth brands in the U.K. based on this study are (follow the link at the beginning of the article to see the full list):

  1. YouTube
  2. Amazon
  3. Google
  4. BBC
  5. Ben & Jerry’s
  6. Cadbury
  7. Facebook
  8. Pringles
  9. Wikipedia
  10. Channel 4
  11. Cancer Research
  12. eBay
  13. PayPal
  14. Walkers
  15. Sony
  16. McCoys
  17. Doritos
  18. Apple
  19. Skype
  20. Coca-Cola

The top fashion brand among U.K. youths, according to this study, is Converse at #55, and the top non-alcoholic beverage is Coca-Cola at #20. However, many brands didn’t rank as high among students who responded to the survey as you might think. Twitter ranked 60th while Starbucks ranked 70th. Even brands that target youths didn’t rank as high as you might expect. Spotify ranked 75th and Red Bull ranked 92nd.

As you look through the top 10 brands in the ranking above, you’ll notice brands that offer utility and entertainment performed particularly well among the youth audience. Similarly, brands that offer “one-stop shopping” for finding information, being entertained, making purchases, and so on, performed well.

In fact, there is a common thread among many of the brands that young people ranked high in the study—convenience. Want to be entertained? Visit YouTube. Want to find information about anything? Go to Google of check Wikipedia. Want to connect with other people? Log into Facebook or Skype.

What do you think of the ranking of brands by U.K. students? Do any of the brands on the list surprise you? Leave a comment and share your thoughts below.

Image: Yutaka Tsutano

5 Reasons Brands Should Prioritize Global Video Marketing

webcam blackToday, online video has given brands a huge opportunity to build emotional connections with consumers, increase message retention through visuals, and enable global audiences to have tactile relationships with products on their computers, tablets, and smartphones. That’s just one of the highlights from Lionbridge’s new ebook, The Fundamentals of Global Video Marketing.

There is no denying the growing importance of online video content. The ebook cites a number of statistics that prove the critical importance of video content publishing to brands. For example, Cisco Visual Networking first reported that by 2017, online video will account for 69% of total consumer Internet traffic. Already, 52% of consumers say that watching product videos makes them feel more confident about their online purchases (via Internet Retailer).

Despite all of this proof that brands should be prioritizing video marketing, only one out of four brands are using online video as part of their marketing strategies according to Kantar Media. The Lionsbridge ebook identifies five key reasons why brands must prioritize global video marketing today, including:

1. Brand Communications

Video gives you another way to communicate your brand messages. Leverage the power of brand storytelling in your video content to appeal to consumers’ emotions and build stronger connections with them.

2. Visual Learning

Many people learn more effectively and have better recall when they receive information visually rather than in written form. Adding audio, motion, and color via video marketing can have a significant effect in the overall consumption and virality of your brand’s content.

3. Search Engine Optimization

When you embed video content on your brand website, your overall search engine rankings and traffic will improve. The ebook cites research from Bubobox which found that embedded video increases the amount of time visitors spend on page by 800%.

4. Speed

Today, people are very busy and they want to consume a lot of useful information quickly. By including running times with your brand videos, people can instantly decide whether or not they’re willing to invest that amount of time and watch those videos. The cost-benefit analysis happens within seconds, so it’s critical that you match video length with the added value the video delivers to consumers. Most importantly, make sure consumers understand what that value is so they’re motivated to click through and watch the entire video.

5. Convenience

Online video content is easy to view and share through multiple devices. The user experience can be equally good on a computer monitor or an iPad. Allowing consumers to consume your video content anytime and anywhere opens the doors to new ways to communicate your brand messages.

The ebook also discusses a problem that brand marketers need to understand before they dive into video marketing: “When videos are introduced to international audiences, the visuals translate across languages but narratives often get lost in translation.” Remember, there is more to successful global video marketing than translating a single script into multiple languages.

Follow the link at the beginning of the article to download the complete ebook.

Image: Abric Armand

Half of Digital Ad Expenditures Come from Auto, Finance, and Retail Industries

advertising revenues moneyThis month, the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) released its mid-year 2013 Internet Advertising Revenue Report. While the key finding most people will talk about is the significant increase in ad revenues during the first half of 2013, which climbed 18% from $17 billion mid-2012 to $20.1 billion for mid-2013, there are a few findings that are actually more impressive.

The Big Three Verticals

First, nearly $1 out of every $2 in digital advertising revenue realized during the first six months of 2013 came from three verticals:

  • Retail = 20% of advertising revenue
  • Financial Services = 14% of advertising revenue
  • Automotive = 12% of advertising revenue

Competition is fierce for digital consumers’ attention, but there are big opportunities for brands in other industries to claim the digital space with targeted advertising.

Mobile

Second, mobile is exploding. During the first half of 2013, mobile revenues jumped by 145% to $3 billion, which is significantly higher than other areas tracked in the IAB research. For example, search advertising revenues rose by just 7% to $8.7 billion during the same period.

Video

Third, digital video advertising (part of display-related advertising) continues to attract advertising budget investments. Digital video advertising climbed 24% to $1.3 billion in revenue during the first six months of 2013 while overall display-related advertising revenues climbed 9% to $6.1 billion.

Consumers are living in a multi-screen world in 2013, and brands need to be present when and where consumers want the kind of information, help, products, and services those brands can provide. Advertisers are finally starting to make a shift in large numbers, and they’re following customers rather than hoping those customers will revert to the old ways of consuming content, finding information, researching products, and making purchases.

Digital Advertising Since 1996

The IAB report also offers a yearly analysis of digital advertising revenue growth. When the IAB report was first published in 1996, digital ad revenue for the first six months of the year was $82 million. The following year, digital ad revenue grew by 320% to $344 million during the first six months of 1997. The accelerated growth rate piqued in 2000, when a 147% year-over-year growth rate brought half-year digital advertising revenue to over $4 billion. Thirteen years later, mid-year digital ad revenue has surpassed $20 billion.

A lot has changed in the world of brand marketing and advertising since 1996, but two things are certain—digital video advertising and mobile advertising will continue to grow very quickly. There is no stopping progress, and savvy brand marketers know that simply keeping up with that progress isn’t good enough.

Image: Levy Choi

Top 100 Most Loved Brands of the Past 10 Years

walt disney companyAPCO Worldwide released its ranking of the top 100 most loved brands of the past 10 years this week, and The Walt Disney Company took the top spot. While that news probably doesn’t come as a surprise to you, the brand in second place might. Yahoo! ranked as the second most loved brand in 2013 despite its struggles in recent years.

To create its list, APCO surveyed 70,000 consumers in 15 major international markets asking them about 600 of the biggest global brands. The company measured eight separate emotions as part of its emotional linking model over the course of ten years. Using those findings, the top 100 most loved brands were ranked.

The eight emotions  in APCO’s emotional linking model include:

  • Curiosity – The brand piques consumers’ interest and they want to know more about it.
  • Pride – Consumers are proud to be associated with the brand and feel like they’re part of a special group.
  • Admiration – Consumers admire the brand, like a friend.
  • Empowerment – The brand helps consumers accomplish their goals and feel confident.
  • Relevance – The brand fits with who consumers are. It speaks to them and plays a meaningful role in their lives.
  • Approachability – Consumers think the brand is accessible and within their reach.
  • Identification – The brand reflects who consumers are. It shares their values and personality.
  • Understanding – Consumers understand what the brand stands for.

According to the APCO study, the top 25 most loved brands are (follow the link at the beginning of the article to see the full list of the top 100 most loved brands):

  1. The Walt Disney Company
  2. Yahoo!
  3. Google
  4. Sony
  5. Nestle
  6. Auchan
  7. Netflix
  8. Whole Foods
  9. Apple
  10. Lowe’s
  11. Microsoft
  12. Kellogg’s
  13. Hershey’s
  14. Coca-Cola
  15. Dell
  16. Sharp
  17. Pepsico
  18. Nike
  19. HP
  20. Costco
  21. Target
  22. Amazon
  23. General Mills
  24. The Hartford
  25. IKEA

Taking a closer look at the top 25 companies listed above, I’d argue that a different emotional factor is actually at work driving the other emotional factors for a number of these brands—reliance. I’m not sure that consumers actually “love” Yahoo!, Google, or Sony the same way they “love” Disney. Instead, I’d argue that it is consumers’ reliance on some of these brands that causes consumers to rank them higher on APCO’s emotional linking model. For example, a large number of consumers rely on Google to find the information they want online, but at the same time, they don’t love how Google accesses and uses their personal information, tracks their behaviors, and so on. For many, it’s a love-hate relationship.

You can follow the link to see how each of the top 100 most loved companies ranked in terms of the eight emotions in APCO’s emotional linking model. One thing is certain. Based on this ranking, Netflix (ranked #7) certainly did a great job of quickly winning back the love of consumers after its disastrous mistakes in 2011.

Image: Susan Gunelius