Mediaboss Marketing

Coding makes it possible to access and interact with websites even this one. But how does coding work?

Software programming or computing programming involves writing instructions to communicate with machines. All devices laptops, desktops, phones, and tablets rely on code to operate.

Coding also runs cities. Computers operate traffic signals that have been programmed to perform certain operations. Even astronauts on the International Space Station need to know how to code. Coding offers many career opportunities in technology and elsewhere.

Every website and app operates because programmers write code. However, you do not have to work in technology to use coding. In fact, job hunters can find most coding jobs outside of the tech industry. What can you do with coding?

Learning to code serves as the foundation for lucrative career opportunities. Graduates of bootcamps may need to gain experience as junior developers before securing six-figure salaries.

What coding career you secure depends on your work experience, education, and knowledge of programming languages. Coding prepares you to launch a career as a web developer, game developer, computer network architect, and computer system analyst. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects computer information and technology jobs to grow at a rate of 13% from 2020-2030.

However, job growth varies by specific occupation. Computer programmers, who make a median annual salary of $89,190, will see a projected 10% decline in jobs. Candidates who hold bachelor's degrees or higher will have a better chance of securing employment.

All code tells a machine to perform a specific task. Whenever you use the Internet, your device uses binary code a sequence of "1s" and "0s" that tells your computer what switches to turn on or off. This serves as a reliable way to store data and process information.

This process works quicker with high-level programming languages, such as Python, Java, and JavaScript. Each programming language serves a different purpose, but they all take code that reflects human speech and translate it into machine code, or a low-level language. Programmers and developers write instructions for computers using high-level programming languages.

When bootcamps first opened in 2011, only tech junkies learned to code. Now industries outside of technology recognize the benefits of coding, and it's even taught at elementary schools from Alabama to Florida. Coding can teach important concepts applicable to a career in technology or to an entirely different field.

Learning to code provides the training needed for well-paying tech jobs. The most common career routes after bootcamp are: junior web developer, junior web designer, or data analyst. Coding teaches problem-solving skills, critical thinking, creativity, and persistence. These skills also prepare you for jobs outside of tech, such as healthcare, finance, and marketing.

Front-end, back-end, and mobile developers all write code that serves different functions.

Front-end developers handle a website's layout and functionality. They use front-end programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to write code to design a website. Their responsibilities also include optimizing SEO by improving a webpage's load time and mobile performance.

Back-end developers work on server-side development. They write code for web apps that control a website. Without this code, you could not log into a website such as LinkedIn or Facebook and create a user profile. Programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, Java, and Ruby allow back-end developers to write code that allows browsers to communicate with databases.

Mobile developers learn programming languages such as Java, C++, C#, SQL, and Python. The specific language used depends on if developers build apps for iOS or Android devices. Mobile developers often work with graphic artists and data scientists.

C

Scripting system applications

Efficient and portable, with built-in functions that combine high- and low-level languages

Does not support object-oriented programming

Python

General purpose programming language used for back-end development

Easy to learn and read, versatile, and portable with vast libraries

Can be slower than C or C++

JavaScript

Client-side and server-side programming language used to create interactive websites

Easy to learn and understand, powerful, popular, and flexible programming language that works with other languages

As a client-side script, users can view the code, which poses a security threat

Ruby

Creating web applications, web development, web servers, web scraping, DevOps, and automation

Widely used open-source programming language with a user-friendly syntax, a fast development speed, and powerful community

Limits on customization and runtime lags

C++

Popular in game development, but also used for operating systems, web applications, and browsers

Fast programming language with quick image processing and object-oriented features

Security issues, relatively slow, complex programming language with obscure rules

PHP

Server-side scripting language embedded in HTML that serves interactive websites such as e-commerce webpages

Versatile, easy-to-learn programing language with a vast online community; compatible with various operating systems

Common open-source security issues cannot support large applications and weak type causes bugs

C#

Created by Microsoft, this back-end, object-oriented programming language is used for game development, Windows applications, and website development

Versatile and efficient programming language used for many types of software and applications development; similar to C++

This complex language takes a long time to master and requires code to be compiled.

Programming languages come in two forms: low-level and high-level languages. Low-level programming languages, or binary code, look like a sequence of "1s" and "0s". Computers understand low-level programming code and can process it quicker. However, programmers can learn and use high-level programming languages faster since it looks like a human language.

People learn to code through different paths. Some are self-taught, and others go to college or bootcamp. Each route has advantages and disadvantages.

Websites such as Treehouse or GitHub offer the opportunity to learn to code for less money than bootcamps. Websites also offer limited free courses for a short time. Students can watch videos for free during a trial period to learn Python, front-end web development, full-stack JavaScript, and UX design.

You can also teach yourself to code for free with free tutorials on websites. This helps beginners to gain the foundation needed before enrolling in a full-time intensive bootcamp.

You can also learn the basics of coding through your smartphone. Apps available through Codecademy and Mimo allow beginners to practice coding through video and online exercises. Many apps can be downloaded for free.

Coding bootcamps train both beginners and advanced students. Popular bootcamps such as Flatiron School, Fullstack Academy, Bloc, and Thinkful require intensive training. Bootcamps run for weeks or up to six months, and often students must study full time.

Bootcamps require a large investment of both time and money. However, bootcamps, unlike apps or websites, also offer career services. Some bootcamps even provide job guarantees.

You can begin learning to code by reading and studying coding. Podcasts, YouTube videos, apps, and websites can provide the foundation needed to learn how to code. You will also need to have the software required to code.

Learning to code requires persistence and passion for technology. Mastering any new skill requires time and practice. Some programming languages are harder than others to learn. But you can learn to code, even if you do not like math.

Computer programmers earn a good living after they put in the time and gain work experience. Junior developers, a common position held by inexperienced coders, make an average annual salary of $53,803, according to PayScale. Computer programmers with 10-19 years of experience make an average annual salary of $79,000.

Go here to see the original:
What is coding and what is it used for? A beginner's guide - ZDNet

The need for digital marketers has increased multiple folds. As per LinkedIn, there has been a 63% hike in marketing jobs in the first 6 months of 2021. Marketing continues to remain as part of an elusive club of domains that have stayed resilient towards the unemployment hazards of COVID-19 and possess an unexplored capacity to grow further. As per a statistic, 3,81,000 marketing-related openings were posted within the last year.

However, this is not the digital marketing of old. There has been a paradigm shift in the industry following the onslaught wrought by COVID-19. Marketers are drifting towards newer toolkits, the ones that are full-stack and help them become day-1-job ready.

Upskilling is key to staying relevant in this competitive labour market. The internet is overcrowded with a stream of tutorials available on various platforms for interested learners. But such free-to-access content suits learner-needs only as long as they dont start looking for jobs.

If digital marketers want to be future-ready they must fulfill a list of prerequisites that includes:

Qualified applicants who fulfill the aforementioned requirements are consequently prioritized over the rest of the talent pool by MNCs. The NIIT Full Stack Digital Marketing Programme is a 20-week online course for entrepreneurs and aspiring marketers that aids them in accomplishing this task. This course offers transformative learning with a new-age dimension to it targeting high-value core competencies. Its marquee offerings include, but are not limited to:

You have successfully cast your vote

Designed in consultation with industry experts, the Full Stack Digital Marketing Programme builds conceptual, actionable, and cross-applicable expertise in learners with the following resume-enhancing skills.

5 High-Value Digital Marketing Skills for 2021

High-performance teams need cutting-edge knowledge to ward off rivals. With an emphasis on 1:1 mentoring, NIIT employs proven marketing maestros who combine theory with hands-on training to educate learners. The focus remains on the following set of skills that the upcoming generation of marketers should be friendly with.

Search Engine Optimization

Contrary to popular opinion, SEO is not a generalist profile. It involves a substantial amount of technique combined with the nuances of user-friendly content development. The NIIT-faculty disburses key on-page and off-page SEO tactics that improve organic page rank in the search engines, with emphasis on Google. Students pursue a basic-to-advanced roadmap for optimizing website content in conjunction with the latest/expected Google algorithm updates. When the batch shows signs of having developed strong fundamentals the session proceeds to cover the next category of skill-set.

Social Media Management

71% of consumers who have had a positive experience with a brand on social media are likely to refer the brand to their close ones. There is only one way to make promotions user-friendly and that is by tapping social media. To do so, we need to sync brand messaging with customer behavior. NIITs course modules on this topic help improve operational knowledge in 3 critical areas:

Learners move towards the next module as they begin showing signs of maturity.

Internet Advertising

People interact with paid-search ads as they directly answer their questions. Businesses that lack the financial backing to push their campaigns online at scale, limit themselves to organic measures. But as the Google AI blog puts it, 89% of the website traffic produced by Google Ads, is not replaced by organic traffic when the ads are paused. Therefore, the rage about lead generation through sponsored ads.

The NIIT Full Stack Digital Marketing Programme makes incumbents confident advertisers by encouraging them to implement, evaluate, and improve paid ad campaigns. Students learn to run outcome-oriented ads to minimize inputs and maximize revenues. Course enrollees are trained in over 12 forms of ads that incumbents should know how to run. These include display ads, PPC, Google Shopping ads, video advertising, social media ads, push notifications, pop-ups, and dynamic remarketing ads.

Content Marketing

Content is considered king in digital marketing as it brings out the unstated side of the brand, helping it establish emotional touchpoints with customers. As per HubSpot, 70% of marketers are actively investing in content marketing. Content is an all-encompassing trait that you can refine over time. In its Jobs on the Rise report (2021) LinkedIn predicts the rise of digital content creators. For this reason, NIIT experts train students in establishing content differentiation, content monitoring tools, design thinking for creativity, and branding.

Lead Generation

Expert mentors at the NIIT Full Stack Digital Marketing Programme throw up hands-on projects simulating real-world scenarios for students. The learning curve includes exercises on how to score leads, process data, and bifurcate prospects as per identifiers like demographics, online behavior, and engagement rates. This deadline-bound project entails learners gaining functional know-how to filter leads through email marketing, social media, and online advertising. Personalized feedback is followed up with case studies that drive home key lessons on how to monetize content marketing and increase ROI.

Begin your Digital Marketing Career on a Strong Footing

The pandemic ran riot in the jobs marketplace. Mass lay-offs translated into fewer job opportunities, lethargic recruitment processes, and increased competition. This led to an urge to upskill particularly in the Indian youth cohort. As per a LinkedIn study, 48% of Gen Z Indians want to reallocate time towards upskilling.

While professional online programs are becoming popular for training incumbents in on-demand competencies, there are limited options that guarantee students a relevant job.

The NIIT Full Stack Digital Marketing Programme offers placement assurance* to students with a stipulated CTC threshold. NIIT is an established higher education institution with a 40-year legacy and tie-ups with over 1000 corporate partners across India. In the financial year ending 2020, it achieved the feat of placing over 9000 students across industries through its professional programs.

The program coordinators manage an end-to-end student lifecycle that ensures each candidate is well-groomed for interviews. Their initiatives include but are not limited to:

The Full Stack Digital Marketing Programme is a value proposition for anyone looking for a promising start to their marketing career. Apply now and leverage the global NIIT alumni network that is 35 million strong and growing.

*Terms & Conditions Applied

About NIIT

NIIT is a leading Skills and Talent Development Corporation that is building a workforce pool for global industry requirements. It ranks among the world's leading training companies owing to its vast and comprehensive array of talent development programs. With a footprint in over 30 countries, NIIT offers training and development solutions to Individuals, Enterprises, and Institutions. NIIT incubated, StackRoute, as a digital transformation partner for corporates to build multi-skilled full stack developers at scale.

Disclaimer: Content Produced by NIIT

View original post here:
5 Digital Marketing Skills to make you a Hot Commodity in 2021 - Times of India

Every brand is comprised of many moving parts: visual assets like logos and colors, audio assets, packaging and design, brand image, brand values, and the size and stature of the brand in the marketplace. All of these brand assets influence how customers think and feel about a brand. Ultimately, those thoughts and feelings will translate into sales, reputation, and the brand's overall health and longevity.

All of the components of a brand are used for building brand value. Marketers and brand specialists should pay attention to the brand value created. What is brand value, exactly? It's also referred to as brand equity, which is how you measure the qualitative (e.g., brand loyalty, brand recognition, etc.) and quantitative (e.g. market share, profit margin, etc.) values of a brand.

Here's a closer look at brand equity, the role it plays in your marketing and brand management, and how to grow your brand's equity.

Table of Contents:

What is Brand Equity?

What is equity? Equity in terms of a business is the value of a business if all the business's assets were liquidated and all the debts were paid off. It's the byproduct of assets minus liabilities.

So, what is brand equity in marketing? Just like business equity, your brand builds value, too. This value is determined by a brand's customers and how they have experienced your brand. If they have positive perceptions of your brand, then your brand equity is positive, too, and vice-versa.

So, brand equity can simply be defined as a brand's value.

We can narrow this definition further by including customer-based brand equity (CBBE). CBBE attributes a brand's success based on its customers' sentiments and perceptions of that brand.

When you have high brand equity, you can justify higher prices for your product, increase your stock price, and potentially spend less on marketing. Things like positive word-of-mouth, online reviews, and customer loyalty can help you continue growing your brand naturally.

Why Does Brand Equity Matter?

The benefits of customer-based brand equity are hard to ignore. High brand equity can lead to:

What's more, your brand's attempts to expand its product line may prove to be more fruitful. For example, pen maker Bic became well-known for inexpensive, no-frills pens that work reliably. As a result, the company was able to expand its offering to include razors and lighters, both of which maintain the reliable, no-frills image. Other pen companies may have found such a move to be out of reach since the products are so diverse. Bic's success would have been much harder to come by without solid brand equity.

At its heart, equity in a brand builds up a loyal customer base that will continue to bring in revenue. It's about creating a brand that people prefer over another, even if means spending more or going out of their way for something.

When you have this level of commitment from your customers, you can take advantage of all the benefits that positive brand equity brings.

How Brand Credibility Affects Brand Equity

Brand credibility is a key part of building brand equity. People favor and value brands they can trust. They don't want to be left on the hook for a faulty product or an overcharge. They don't want to do business with a company that closes its doors without warning.

When a brand builds enough credibility, it can leverage this perception to grow the business. Credible brands have a greater chance of building more loyal customer relationships. They may become more resilient in a crisis as customers shift to businesses that offer reliability and predictability. You might even be able to charge more for your products or services.

How to Create Brand Credibility

Sometimes, brand credibility comes from tenure in the industry. But for brands that haven't been around for years, there are other ways to build credibility.

Generate Positive Press

Positive media coverage in trusted publications makes your brand look good by extension. Think of it as the publication's endorsement of your brand, even if it doesn't explicitly recommend you. Your name is associated with other credible people, companies, and sources, and that's not something that just any brand can achieve.

Positive press starts with connecting with the right people - journalists, bloggers, and influencers, for example. You want to partner with people who have real influence and can move your brand story further. The right people will not only get you in front of the right audience to increase brand awareness but also share your story in a way that's impactful.

Create and Share Quality Content

The internet enables every brand to become a publisher. Nowadays, you no longer have to wait for a book deal or connect with high-profile publications to create and share valuable content.

Even though the bar is lower, it's still worthwhile for brands to create their own content to share with an audience. Content helps to position your brand as a thought leader and an authority in your space. It can also help improve your SEO and help people find you via online search, which gives you more opportunities to grow your audience.

Types of content to consider include:

Content is a great way to establish your brand's core values, influence consumer perception, reinforce your brand promise, and support your brand purpose. Establish an emotional connection with your target market and show what makes you different from other brands.

Be Transparent - Consistently

Transparency gives your target audience a clear look at your brand values. What are brand values, exactly? Think of it as your set of brand beliefs, the ones your brand lives by. It's a way for people to get to know the real you.

For example, Zappos.com has become the gold standard for customer service. Its customers favor the no-hassle return policy and the solution-oriented representatives. In fact, the longest customer service call took an impressive 10 hours and 51 minutes, proving that the company does anything and everything to make its customers happy.

But what happens if Zappos' customer service contact information suddenly disappeared from its website? Or the company charged for a return shipment, or tell you your time is up and you still haven't reached a resolution? None of these things would be on brand, and credibility would suffer.

When brands make and break promises, their image is tarnished. It's hard for the brand to re-establish its customers' sense of trust. That's why consistency is just as important as transparency.

Everything from a brand's policies to its blog articles to its merchandise should be in alignment. Together, these play an important part in how brands earn customer trust.

Listen to Your Customers

When building brand credibility, what you hear is just as important as what you say. While you're excited to talk about your brand to earn consumer trust, it's equally important to listen to what your customers are saying about your brand.

For example, branding juggernaut Coca-Cola caught a lot of flack when it introduced New Coke in 1985. The new recipe was the company's response to a slowly dipping market share and the subsequent belief that consumers' tastes were changing. But after customers expressed extreme dissatisfaction, the company increased its credibility by listening and bringing back the original formula, slightly rebranded as Coca-Cola Classic. Had the company ignored the warnings of its fans, the outcome might have looked much different.

Hear about your customers' experiences. Accept their compliments. Acknowledge their complaints and work with them on a resolution. This can be as simple as replying to comments and DMs on social media or as thorough as managing your online reputation.

Your customers are going to talk about your brand, regardless of whether you are part of the conversation. The best thing you can do to build credibility is to take their conversations seriously. Social media monitoring tools and services can help you stay in touch with what's being said so you can decide what to do next.

3 Steps for Building Brand Equity

There's an old saying in marketing that companies don't build brands, customers do. While there's a lot of truth to this, building brand equity still takes proactivity and thought. You can influence your customers' perceptions of your brand based on your own priorities in managing your brand.

Keller's customer-based brand equity model illustrates how a company builds a strong brand foundation and works upward to create brand 'resonance,' where customers can actively identify with and advocate for a brand.

This brand equity pyramid provides a great starting point for companies to start building brand equity. Let's start from the ground up:

Step 1: Establish a Brand Identity

Who are you as a company? What do you stand for? What do you do better than anyone else? Why should people choose you?

These are just a few of the questions that can help to shape your brand identity. Your brand identity is its personality, tone of voice, audience, and the way it looks and functions to customers.

Creating your brand's identity is the first step in developing awareness, which will later grow sales, loyalty, and advocacy.

Step 2: Communicate Brand Meaning through Products

Next up: How do you want your customers to feel and think when using your products? What image should they associate with your brand?

In Keller's customer-based brand equity model, brand meaning includes both performance and imagery. Nike is a great example of how a brand communicates meaning through its products. Their advertising and marketing focus largely on athletes in training or playing sports, not necessarily the products themselves. In the customer's mind, though, we tend to think of high-quality products that perform well under pressure.

How you communicate your products can support your brand's meaning. Include influencers, social media, and SEO in the mix to get your products in front of the right people to start building awareness.

Step 3: Grow Your Relationships through Brand Response

Once you've established your brand's identity and are conveying its meaning through awareness campaigns, customers will have a chance to react and respond. In Keller's model, this phase includes judgment and feelings-how people will perceive your brand.

Brands can influence this phase by connecting with customers on a personal level, taking stock of their feedback and becoming part of conversations. You can also initiate conversations and spur engagement by building communities, hosting live events, providing good customer service, and making people feel part of the brand you're building.

As you build relationships, your brand equity will start to grow as you gain more loyal customers. The more advocates you create, the more people you can get in front of that will potentially do the same!

Let's start building your brand equity strategy. Get in touch today to learn more!

Excerpt from:
Brand Equity: What it is and how to build it - Marketscreener.com

-- Program Delivered Through a Highly Interactive Online Bootcamp Model

-- Online Masterclasses provided by the Knowledge Innovation Center, using top instructors from the "University of Arizona Global Campus"

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Simplilearn, the world's number one online bootcamp for digital economy skills training, in collaboration with the Knowledge Innovation Center through its partnership with the University of Arizona Global Campus Forbes School of Business and Technology (UAGC), launched its Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing. The Knowledge Innovation Center, in collaboration with Simplilearn, provides learners the unique combined advantage of academic excellence from the University of Arizona Global Campus and Simplilearn's award-winning curriculum to help learners master a set of fundamental and highly critical digital marketing skills. With over 100 hours of learning, requiring 4 to 5 hours weekly from the learners, the program is best suited for students or professionals looking to jump-start a career in digital marketing, especially in roles such as Digital Marketing Manager, SEO/PPC/Social-Media Manager, Content Marketing Manager, and Growth Hacker.

Simplilearn Logo

The University of Arizona Global Campus is often featured at the top of business school rankings and ranks #2 in the U.S. with 318 Quality Matters (QM) certified courses (Ref link). The Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing is delivered via Simplilearn's bootcamp-style learning delivery model. This high-engagement learning model provides learners with an effective combination of online self-paced videos, live virtual classes, and online masterclasses conducted by top academicians of the University of Arizona Global Campus and industry experts.

With this intensive 5 to 6-month program, learners will gain knowledge on the practical aspects of Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, Web Analytics, and Social Media Marketing through tools and hands-on practice. Learners will be further equipped with the fundamentals of digital marketing and receive training in content marketing, PPC, and digital analytics, leading to mastering social media, mobile marketing, and digital strategy. The program also offers a digital marketing Capstone project that allows learners to perform a project in a domain of their choice among Online Fashion, Smartphones, Electronics, FMCG, and Software.

Story continues

On the completion of the program, learners receive a joint Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing by the Knowledge Innovation Center through its partnership with the University of Arizona Global Campus and Simplilearn. Certificates are awarded prior learning assessment credits toward a UAGC degree. Learners will also receive certificates from Simplilearn for all modules in the learning path.

Speaking about the program, Anand Narayanan, Chief Product Officer, Simplilearn said, "As economies evolve and businesses become digital-first, reaching audiences through relevant online and social platforms is no longer optional. With these platforms being constantly flooded with content, promotional communication, it is critical for today's marketers to have the skills to ensure they are heard and sustain a strong presence in this environment. Our latest program in Digital Marketing ensures that learners develop relevant and the key digital marketing skills for real career growth, learn them from experts active in the field, work on real-world problems, and get structured guidance, ensuring that learning and career success never stops."

"While the pandemic has disrupted ways of working, it has also pushed companies and educators to be innovators who think and act fast. We are pleased to be working with Simplilearn through our Knowledge Innovation Center to bring digital upskilling to the global audience. Digital Marketing skills will enable the new-age employee to stay ahead of the curve with the advantages of having the latest knowledge in the field. We look forward to working with Simplilearn and to bringing job-relevant learning to aspirants around the world," said Dr. Paula J.Zobisch, Vice President, Knowledge Innovation Center.

About Simplilearn

Founded in 2010 and based in San Francisco, California, and Bangalore, India, Simplilearn is the world's #1 online Bootcamp for digital economy skills training. Simplilearn offers access to world-class work-ready training to individuals and businesses around the world. The Bootcamps are designed and delivered with world-renowned universities, top corporations, and leading industry bodies via live online classes featuring top industry practitioners, sought-after trainers, and global leaders. From college students and early career professionals to managers, executives, small businesses, and big corporations, Simplilearn's role-based, skill-focused, industry-recognized, and globally relevant training programs are ideal upskilling solutions for diverse career or/and business goals.

For more information, please visit http://www.simplilearn.com/

About KIC & University of Arizona Global Campus:

The University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC), formerly Ashford University, is an online university operated in affiliation with the University of Arizona. It is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

The Knowledge Innovation Center (KIC) and the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC) have formed a strategic alliance to deliver a variety of "continuing education" options ancillary to degree programs. Every KIC course undergoes a prior learning assessment by the University and is focused on in-demand skills development.

For more information, please visit https://knowledgeinnovationcenter.com/about-us/

Cision

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/simplilearn-and-the-knowledge-innovation-center-through-its-partnership-with-the-university-of-arizona-global-campus-launch-professional-certificate-in-digital-marketing-301372892.html

SOURCE Simplilearn Solutions Private Limited

Go here to read the rest:
Simplilearn And The Knowledge Innovation Center, Through Its Partnership With The University of Arizona Global Campus, Launch Professional Certificate...

I recently completed my first full year after joining Coast Digital, which meant I was one of the team members who, until recently, didnt really know what it meant to work at our agency in the real world. Having been one of the handful of employees who joined during the pandemic, Id been used to working from home and meeting almost every one of my peers via video call!

In my role as a Digital Account Manager, cultivating client relationships is a priority, and trying to establish and develop rapport through a webcam can be challenging. Not only is it important to build trust and work well with clients from the off, but we also benefit from developing strong, social friendships with peers all of which are easier when time is spent together. This was life as I knew it up until recently when our team was encouraged to return to the office on a part-time basis.

Like it or not, the world has changed, and technology has made it possible for most of us to operate efficiently in our roles directly from our homes. At Coast, we were one of first businesses to make the decision to encourage staff to safely return to work, and we did so by adopting a hybrid model of 2 days in the office and 3 days working from home. In this blog, we showcase some employee opinions about our new way of working and the impact this has had on our business.

I myself had mixed feelings on my first official day in the office, which was understandable as I had been used to the comfort of being at home and commuting just a flight of stairs each day. But there I was, being woken by my 6:30 alarm to reach the office by 7:45am. Despite my reservations, its surprising just how quickly I saw the benefits of being back in the office.

Not long after I first arrived, I shared a challenge I had with another Account Manager whose perspective was one I hadnt considered and was a welcome point of view. Later that morning, whilst in the kitchen making a coffee, I began chatting with our Strategy Director. A few moments later, my notepad was full of valuable insights ready to share with a client.

Without access to my home fridge, I took a welcome walk at lunch with a colleague and, whilst chatting, they recommended a new Asian fusion restaurant which later turned out to be possibly the best meal I have ever had in Colchester!

It occurred to me that taking a lunchtime walk, hearing a new point of view, collating valuable insights, and eating an amazing meal simply wouldnt have happened had I still been working solely from home.

So, is it possible that this hybrid model is actually providing the best of both worlds? I asked some other Coasties their experiences of returning to the office

Answered by: Georgina Phillips, Senior Account Manager

Returning to the office was daunting at first, although virtually my whole career has been office based. They say it only takes 6 weeks for new habits to become behaviours, so whilst it was a huge change to start working from home, I feel like theres an even bigger journey to re-learn the ways of office working.

One part of my role that I missed the most when working from home was collaborative workshops, both with the internal team and with clients. Im a people person, and although working from home has its benefits, when you need to really hash out a campaign strategy or something similar, meeting in person is, I feel, a much better approach and a more efficient way for everybody to play a part in the creative process.

Here at Coast Digital, we run dedicated learning and training workshops for those who would like to enhance their knowledge of digital marketing.

If you have a particular area of interest be it SEO, social media, digital copywriting, email marketing, or something else we can offer personalised training courses tailored to your (or your teams) specific skillsets or level of understanding.

Find out more >

Answered by: Stacey Gregory, Account Manager

(Like me, Stacey joined the Account Management team during lockdown, so I was keen to see if shed had a similar experience to me.)

Joining Coast Digital in the height of lockdown was daunting! Its been said that only 7% of communication is verbal. The remaining 93% of non-verbal communication is broken down as 55% body language and 38% tone of voice. Luckily for me, Coast provided me with an amazing onboarding process, I was lucky to meet a few people in person (socially distanced of course) and received everything to equip me for a modern work from home office. I was really surprised that all the agency advantages; creative workshops, collaboration from specialists and expert knowledge were still at the forefront & the digital agency had taken on remote working so flawlessly.

Here at Coast Digital, we run dedicated learning and training workshops for those who would like to enhance their knowledge of digital marketing.

If you have a particular area of interest be it SEO, social media, digital copywriting, email marketing, or something else we can offer personalised training courses tailored to your (or your teams) specific skillsets or level of understanding.

Check out our digital marketing services >

Answered by: Sam Bonner, SEO Specialist

Working from home has had its benefits, however, there were big things that I missed from the office environment which I didnt quite realise until I returned. Having people around to talk to face-to-face was a big one.

One of the key benefits of engaging with colleagues at an agency is getting the collective expertise of the whole team, rather than being limited to the knowledge of an individual specialist. This is particularly important when we think about search engine optimisation because its a discipline thats constantly moving and changing. Coming in the office sometimes helps us all to share knowledge, strategy and approach in person.

Our SEO specialists ability to create outstanding content, build an effective backlink strategy, and implement best practice SEO techniques to help drive organic traffic to your website and achieve measurable, meaningful results.

Find out more >

Answered by: Darren Bond, Digital Strategy Director

I would say that its noticeable how workshops and meetings are more productive in person than online, as its easy for both clients and colleagues to be distracted by something like an email, a child, or a doorbell ringing. Especially during internal whiteboarding and planning sessions, its much easier to reach a consensus face to face, for sure.

The other obvious thing for me is the spontaneous support that the team can offer which benefits everyone collectively. Two people talk through a challenge or opportunity and, just because of proximity to the conversation, other experts will then usually feed in to offer their experiences, which ultimately drives a better outcome for the client.

Were all about supporting our clients and helping them and their businesses make the most of their digital marketing opportunities. Why not see how weve helped other clients by checking out some of our case studies. Or, take a look at our guides

Browse case studies >

Browse guides >

It may feel like working from home individually means we can work without interruption, but by working in the office together, we can work collaboratively. By regularly sharing our knowledge, we collectively grow as a team which, in turn, benefits our clients as well. And as far as were concerned, thats what agency life is all about!

If youd like to learn more about adapting to the post pandemic world, why not check out our free guide: The Essential Digital Marketing Toolkit for Coming Back Stronger.

Follow this link:
Why We're Fans of Hybrid Working - Coast Digital