Wishing you happy holidays!

Our office will be closed on December 23rd and will reopen on January 9th. For any inquiries, you can send them to team@virtualinnovation.co.nz
* All of your emails will be answered once we return.
 We wish you the very best for the Festive Season and a Happy New Year! See you in 2023! 🎇🎄🚀

Activate Auckland Business Advice, Funding & Implementation

Activate Auckland Business Advice, Funding & Implementation

At 10 am, 22nd of October 2022 the current government announced its traffic light plan.

As part of this, it means additional funding for companies in Auckland. Auckland seems to be the key focus – understandably.

We are still learning how this will look but it will be used with current RBP partners
(Virtual Innovation is one of these).

It is a mixture of advice & implementation (which is always welcome).

We will be ready for action after Labour weekend.

From the official press release here

 

Consistent Blog Content In addition, Ministers have agreed a $60 million package for business advice and mental health support will be made available to help Auckland businesses through this transition period.

Businesses will be able to apply for up to $3000 worth of advice and planning support, and then receive up to $4,000 to implement that advice through the established Regional Business Partners programme.

As part of the package, $10 million is available for mental health and wellbeing support through a programme to be designed with the EMA and Auckland Business Chamber of Commerce.

Small Business Minister Stuart Nash said the measures are designed to support Auckland businesses to deal with the uncertainties caused by the Delta outbreak.

“This will help build more resilient businesses, improve the ability to operate when COVID-19 restrictions are in place and position businesses better to seize future opportunities.

“The Regional Business Partners programme is a proven network of experienced advisors who can recommend tailored solutions to the issues faced by business owners.

“This will make a real difference in difficult times and ease some of the financial and wellbeing stresses faced by Auckland businesses under lockdown,” Stuart Nash said.

 

**With all Activate Auckland Funding in Auckland or around the country we can not guarantee approval it is at their discretion.

If you would like to enquire about any of the services we offer around Messaging, Creating visual inclusive websites & Digital marketing planning get in touch with team@virtualinnovation.co.nz

Update October 26, 2021 – As of now the Regional Business Partner Network have mentioned they are still working on the mechanism to deliver the funding.

We feel for them as it will be a lot of work so sending the team Aroha ❤️

They have provided this link to register interest – click here 

The minute we know we will let you all know. You can join our mailing list in the footer of our website.

Update November 16, 2021 – The Auckland team are still hard at work – we are hoping to know more this week. How we can help more Aucklanders impacted by Covid and Lockdown restrictions.

Activate Auckland Funding AucklandUpdate November 18, 2021 – The project is called Activate Auckland. Applications will be opening on December 1st for businesses. We are already an RBP Member and will be applying under the Activate Auckland applications when they open in the next few days. To find out more about how it will work visit the Activate Auckland page here.

Activate Auckland Funding will be able to be used with registered providers.

We will be looking to offer Digital Strategy Plans / Website Blueprinting Advice Plans & Implementing WordPress Website Upgrades and Fresh Builds. We are working on this so stay tuned. If it is of interest you can book a 15 minute initial call below.

Implementation will include – which we can deliver.

Implementation of Digital Marketing Plan (e.g. website design, build or upgrade, including e-commerce, software integration, booking systems, content development, social media management, SEO implementation, digital advertising spend)

Update November 30, 2021 – We are now registered with Activate Auckland. Which is fantastic. The team at Auckland Unlimited have done a great job pulling this all together. 

It looks set to be launched in the next few days for applications. We have included an infographic of the process below to apply. This is our first attempt and we will update this as we go to make sure it is super clear. 

We are aware due to the amount of work involved we can only take on 7 – 10 Approved Advice Clients per month (max) and 10 – 15 Approved Implementation clients so don’t wait too long.

Just note we can not guarantee funding (no provider can) but we are happy to help you get setup with the system. 

 

Activate Auckland - How To Apply
5 Things To Remember When Writing A Blog Post

5 Things To Remember When Writing A Blog Post

Today, we will be talking about things that will help you get sales digitally. We’re going to be looking at conversion rates on websites, the things you need on websites, articles, blogs, content and podcasting. Many different things that you can do to grow your business in these crazy times. So let’s dive into this episode.

We’re going to be talking about article writing and posting blog content. We get asked a lot about this topic: how often should we create a blog post? Should we write one weekly, monthly, yearly? How often should we share it? What type of content is required? Is there not too much content in the world?

It is a bunch of different questions we get asked. So I wanted to touch on this and give three or four straightforward tips that will help you make better decisions regarding blog posts.

The first tip I want to give you is to make sure that you don’t create a blog graveyard. I see this when we build websites. I see this on other customers’ websites, which come to us, blogs that never get posted.

If a customer comes to your website, and you’ve got a blog, and your last article was two years ago. What does that say to the customer? It either says that you’re not focused on keeping what you do up to date. If clients think about that, they might say to themselves, is that really whom I want to be working with, someone who can’t update their website with a blog? Or are they not aware of what it looks like?

You know, probably not. They’re probably not going to work with you a lot. We’ve seen this happen when many people go from websites that look a bit outdated. Or are they still in business?

Consistent Blog ContentIt’s essential to make sure you are posting regularly. Even if you start off doing it every two or three months, at least you’ve got a regular system. And that brings us to the second point, consistency. Whatever framework you use for how often you post a blog post, make sure it’s consistent.

We recommend doing a post every month, which keeps it new, fresh, and updated. Google likes it more often than not.

 

Google would prefer every day if you had that level of content, but it’s not practical to do that. So we recommend either two weeks or a four-week decision to do them. So you don’t want to do it too often.

We have started doing podcast posts. So this is a podcast post, I’m recording my thoughts, and then the team turns this into a blog post. It’s a lot easier for us to get two of these up a month than if we’re sitting down and writing them from scratch every time. Plus, many people prefer to hear this spoken. There are ways to become more consistent with your blog posting. So that’s the second tip.

The third tip is to make it easy to digest. And when I say that, making it easy to digest allows people to skim read it. Many people won’t read 1000 1500 words, and Google requires or once more words than less. Speaking it for many people can mean you can end up with a 1500 word article that Google loves.

Without having to sit there and try and drag it out, you naturally will drag it out a bit by speaking. That’s a significant factor to think about. Just see me there, drag it out a little bit. So that you know the bigger, the better. Using things like tips, if you will record an article like this, look at five tips or four tips on a specific topic.

What I will naturally do is I will pick a topic. And I will write down those five tips that I want to talk about. I’ll bring up stories, explanations as I go with it. It leads to an interesting podcast. But what I’m after more than a podcast. I don’t mind if anyone listens to this. I’m looking to create blog content in an easy, systematic way.

The fourth thing is Calls-to-Action. It’s super important to make sure you put Calls-To-Action. For example, if you are looking for a website, or looking for consistent blogging content, get in touch with us in Virtual Innovation. We would love to help you. You know we’d love to help people, be more consistent because we know it’s the most challenging thing and busy times.

A call to action is like that. If someone has read a few tips and gone, this looks good. It is what I’ve been looking for. Make it easy for them to go to the next step, book a phone call with you, or send an email or make. Think about the most likely thing for them to do to take this relationship to the next level.

Share Blog Post on Social MediaThen the last tip, when once you’ve started getting these beautiful posts up with images and alt tags and all the SEO stuff in the background. You need to share it on social media.

I remember years ago that people thought it was going to be a bit of a fad. If anything it’s become, it’s just taken a life of its own. It’s going to be around for a long time and different versions. But it’s vital to make sure any blog posts are shared.

 

Now, we use Facebook and LinkedIn as our two core areas. And we’re going to start to do a bit more on Instagram soon. But this depends on what your industry is, where your audiences are.

Don’t forget that newsletters are a great place to share articles. If you’ve done voiced recordings, making it a lot easier for people to look at and understand and digest the information you’re sharing.

Another tip I would also give you is using a social media tool like Publer or Hootsuite. There’s a bunch of tools that will aggregate all of your social media platforms. And they’ll allow you to share once, and it’ll go to three or four different places.

Those places also allow you to use Evergreen content, which will enable you to share one post you wrote in January. You could also share it in March and September maybe, three or four times in the year, because most people won’t have seen that article. So you can share it on a more evergreen basis if it’s quality content.

It’s essential to make sure the content that you’re producing is valuable and not just blah, blah, blah, boring, boring, boring. So that’s what I want to share today. Guys, I hope this has been valuable to you.

I hope this has got you thinking about how to post your next blog post. What is your list of five tips you would like to give to your listeners or your readers? Have an epic day, and if we can ever help you at Virtual Innovation, you can contact us below.

Otter: The AI-Powered Work Assistant You Need

Otter: The AI-Powered Work Assistant You Need

Are you looking for a way to make meetings more productive and efficient? Recording and transcribing audio meetings or interviews is a huge pain point for sales teams, marketers, recruiters and anyone who needs to capture their conversations.

Some applications are expensive, complicated, time-consuming, and it doesn’t always work well; this is when Otter.ai comes in handy! Otter is a promising AI-powered assistive technology that helps you work smarter and faster.

It makes it easy for your team to record, share, search and transcribe any conversation in real-time. It enables you to get accurate transcripts from the comfort of your home, office or wherever you are.

Watch the below to learn more about Otter:

Here are some of Otter essential features:

  • Share rich meeting notes with summary keywords, highlights, photos, and full audio transcripts.
  • Transcribe interviews, podcasts, and videos.
  • Provide live captioning for accessibility at events and conferences.
  • Record and review in real-time.
  • Search, play, edit, organize and share your conversations from any device.
  • Otter supports your workflow, so you stay productive. Integrate with your organization’s Zoom, Dropbox, and calendar tools.

Gone are the days of worrying about being misheard and wasting time going back over recordings for accuracy. With Otter, there are no more missed opportunities because of poor audio quality or lousy handwriting.

You can now have all your conversations recorded and transcribed with just one tap on your phone screen! And if you ever want to go back and review something from an old meeting – it’s right at your fingertips! The app is free; try it out for yourself – https://otter.ai.

The Best Ways To Start A Podcast

The Best Ways To Start A Podcast

Content marketing is the future of advertising. As more and more people turn away from traditional media, they turn towards digital media for entertainment and news. If you have a business, you must produce trustworthy content as soon as possible to grab your share of this growing market.

With benefits like mobility and flexibility, today’s successful companies adopt innovative solutions to keep up with the changing market. As an increasing number of businesses begin to think outside the box, podcasting is becoming a popular way for companies to stay in touch with their customers and grow their brands.

Podcasts started as a geeky way of providing information to niche audiences. Today, podcasts have become mainstream and are now the fastest-growing media format, reaching more than 60 million people each month. Podcasts have seen a steady rise in popularity over the last couple of years.

Here are the Reasons Why You Should Start a Podcast

  • Podcasts are the perfect way for businesses and individuals alike to share their knowledge, expertise, and stories with the world.
  • They are one of the best ways to increase brand awareness for your business, provide much-needed traffic for your website, or even give you the exposure needed to gain new clients.
  • They have a long shelf life.
  • They can take less time than writing blog posts or making YouTube videos.
  • They allow people to learn about industry experts’ information interactively without feeling like they’re selling something.
  • Podcasts are a great way to connect with customers and prospects.
  • Podcasts can be listened to on the go, meaning they’re perfect for people who work or commute.
  • Podcasts allow you to stay connected on your current projects by listening whenever it suits your schedule.

Today the entertainment industry is becoming more and more saturated with content. As a business owner trying to get your name out there on the internet, I’m sure you can appreciate what we’re all feeling – It seems impossible to stand out amongst the competition on social media.

With 2021 being an actual year of content, podcasters are in high demand. Starting your podcast might be the best way for you to make yourself stand out!

Podcast Microphone
Start a Podcast in Only 9 Steps:

1. Find a topic you’re passionate about

2. Ask yourself some questions: What type of personality do I have? Do I want guests or just me interviewing myself? Who am I trying to reach?

3. Get your equipment together like microphones, mixers, cables, and editing software.

4. Find out if you need any special permissions to record in public areas or online.

5. Create an outline of the episodes, including topics and potential guests for each episode

6. Record episodes in advance to save time when it comes time to publish them

7. Create a website for your podcast and upload episodes there, or use another service that lets you host podcasts online (e.g., SoundCloud)

8. Upload each episode to your social media or blog for people to listen on their computer or mobile device

9. Promote, promote, promote!

It’s hard to come up with a good idea for a podcast and keep it fresh! It’s always been challenging coming up with an exciting vision for a new show, but now that 2021 is finally here, the challenge has never been more demanding. But as any business owner knows, all you need is one great idea to stand out from the crowd.

Virtual Innovation is the best place to start your podcast. With our help, you’ll be able to create a fantastic show that will resonate with your audience and get them excited about what you have to say. We know how difficult it can be to find the time or resources needed for this project, so we offer affordable pricing and flexible scheduling options.

You won’t have any trouble finding content ideas when we take care of everything from scripting, recording, editing and distributing your episodes. Let us help you get your first episode up in no time at all and enable 2021 to be the year that you can finally start a podcast!

Are you looking to start a podcast, need some coaching, and improve your video before uploading your podcast? Then get in touch with our friendly team for coaching sessions and quotations. You can email us at stephen@virtualinnovation.co.nz or book a call below.

Why Visitors Leave Your Website & How You Can Fix It

Why Visitors Leave Your Website & How You Can Fix It

Nowadays, people can make snap judgments. Did you know it takes only seconds to form a first impression of a person? Websites are no different.

According to a Google research, it only takes about 50 milliseconds – that’s 0.05 seconds – for visitors to form an opinion about your website. An opinion that determines whether they’ll stay and find out more, or leave and never come back.

First impressions matter. The better the first impression, the longer visitors are likely to stay on the website and possibly get in contact.

Are people spending a long time on the page? Are they converting on a goal?


Here are the 2 main reasons why visitors leave a website:


1. Poor design and user experienceCommon Problems Encountered

Visual appeal and website navigation have the biggest influence on people’s first impressions of a website. Common problems encountered by some website’s visitors include:

  • Busy layout
  • Boring web design
  • Slow-to-load page or a page that has technical errors
  • Isn’t mobile-friendly


2. Poor content 

One of the most important strategies to improve your engagement rate is to ensure your website content is engaging, optimized and it resonates with your visitors. Your content has to engage customers’ emotions and let them know why you’re the answer to their problems.


What you should do to make it better 

Capture your visitors’ attention in 5 seconds! There are 2 main changes you can apply to create a user-friendly engaging website that your visitors will enjoy.


1. Make sure the look and feel of your website is driving positive first impressions
.

Keep your website up to date and use a straightforward layout and design. 

A good first impression leads to a longer visit. According to a study, first impressions are 94% design related. Make sure the six elements listed below look great on your website:

  • Company logo
  • Main navigation menu
  • Search box
  • Site’s main image
  • Site’s written content
  • Footer

Homepage Features
2. Make sure your homepage features the following core content:

  • Logo and name of your company
  • Headline or your tag line that tells the core idea of your company
  • What you do and who you do it for

Getting your visitors to interact with your website is an integral part of your website’s design and content strategies. It is vital to continue to generate informative and insightful online content and provide the best user experience.

Let’s make your website interactive and make your content enjoyable and engaging. Contact us below!

5 Tips To Remember When Creating A Lead Magnet

5 Tips To Remember When Creating A Lead Magnet

Why Lead Magnets Still Work in 2021

The first question you may ask is what is a lead magnet? The answer is…

Lead Magnets are like asking if you can buy someone a drink on a first date. The person looking at you goes ‘Ok there is not too much commitment in that and I’m interested to learn more’.

Once they have the lead magnet (that drink and a chat), they are in a much better place to decide if you can help them.

Here are 5 tips to remember when creating a lead magnet:

1. Identify your buyer persona. Watch your ideal clients’ behaviours and create personas for the different people who interact with your business. Your lead magnet needs to be extremely specific to the people you want it to attract.

2. Decide the value proposition. Figure out what unique value proposition you are going to offer to each buyer persona. Identify where your buyer personas are in the buyer’s journey: Awareness, Consideration Stage and Decision Stage.

3. Choose what type of lead magnet you will offer. A lead magnet should deliver one quick win. It should help your audience to easily achieve something and solve a problem.

4. Create a quick to digest and instantly accessible lead magnet. Remember to keep it concise and straightforward. Checklists or eBooks tend to convert really well because they are so quick and easy to digest and can be delivered right away. Make sure to deliver what you promised.

5. Demonstrate your expertise. Your lead magnet should demonstrate your expertise and your unique value proposition for it helps to turn leads into customers.

Ready to create your lead magnet?

Remember, no matter what type of lead magnet you create, as long as you know who you are trying to serve and know what their pain points are, you’re on the right track. Your lead magnet should solve your audience problems and help them become an ideal client in the future.

Our team can help you boost your lead generation and increase overall conversion rates in your marketing funnel. Book a FREE consultation below.