Gel
89 Collier St, Suite 201 L4M 1H2 Barrie, ON, Canada

Who’s been window shopping lately? This pandemic has thrown us all for a loop. We don’t shop the same way anymore. How’s a retailer who relied on dramatic window displays and the in-store experience supposed to stand out. Even more, the online store used to supplement/complement in-store. Now it drives sales. So what’s a business owner to do? Enter the homepage. Your shop window. The office lobby. The hotel bar. It used to be you could get away with a site that ...was thrown together. Not anymore. Your homepage is prime real estate. It will grow your business and drive sales. Yes, it’s a piece of an integrated multi-platform marketing strategy, but it’s mission critical. It’s the first impression. So let us ask you. When was the last time you invested in your website? We’re in the digital marketing business. No surprise we’re building a lot of websites right now. @oliveoilcoinc is a recent example. They wanted to level up their online customer experience and they’re not alone. Retailers need an e-commerce site that converts. Service businesses have less than 3 secs to make a first impressionsize, scale, experience, authority. EVERYONE needs a site that stands out. That communicates the brand. Serves the end user, the people that are contemplating doing business with you. 2020 is the year to strengthen your online presence. Start with the prime real estate that you OWN. Your website. Do it. Don’t wait. See more

Dishing about post-COVID SEO. For anyone who thought it didn’t matter, newsflash! SEO is back. 3 tips to up your SEO game fast!

Dishing about post-COVID SEO. For anyone who thought it did it matter, newsflash! It’s back. 3 tips to up your SEO game fast!

Anyone confused by the Google algorithm? We get it! Ranking on Google is getting harder every day, but that doesn’t mean we throw our hands up and quit. Heck no! It means our marketing must be more strategic. Our content must be more relevant to the people we hope will read it. Keyword research is the place to start. Knowing what your target market is searching for, the intent behind the search terms, what we call USER INTENT. The good news is there are tools that can... help. The real work comes in finding the right mix of keywords. We wrote a blog that can help. Link in bio See more

Anyone thinking about taking an online course? You keep hearing how now’s the time to level up your skills. Launch that side hustle Get your business online. ... We’ve heard it too and we’re doing it! We’ve got an online marketing course in the works and we’re excited to share it soon. Why this? Why now? It’s simple. We’re passionate about marketing. Been teaching marketing to college students for years. It just makes sense for us. We feel compelled to share what we know, especially right now. It’s how we can best serve. Our hope is that we help entrepreneurs like you apply what they learn to level up their digital marketing and grow their business. It’s time to grow! See more

Want to know how to grow your business? Invest online. If you've been waiting, now's the time. Here's why. ... In 2019, the stats were staggering enough. Now we've reached the tipping point. It's not just early adopters shopping online. It's everyone. Shopify's Q1 results say it all. E-comm growth is unprecedented and rapidly accelerating. The time is now. Don't know where to start? Try just ONE of these ideas. WEBSITE Secure your .ca domain name. Canadians prefer buying from brands. Update your homepage. Start "above the fold"where a visitor first lands on your site. Write better copy. Hook them with a compelling statement or question. Add a video, even if it's not professionally produced. Change up the images. Update your hours. Add e-comm. Create a frictionless purchase experience for your clients. Check analytics. Which pages are getting the most engagement? Why? CONTENT MARKETING Update your strategy. Set new objectives. Revisit your avatarwho's your ideal client right now? Commit to a level of quality and a volume of content that's sustainable. Better to be consistent on fewer platforms than inconsistent on many. EMAIL MARKETING Start growing your list. Offer a freebiepromo code, discount, e-book, checklist. Something to entice them to opt-in. SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING Update your profiles. Consistent bios, cover photos and banners, links that work! Commit to regular posting. GOOGLE MY BUSINESS Claim your listing. Complete your profile. Update your hours. Pick your categories. Upload images. Post content weekly, especially promos. AD CAMPAIGNS Advertising works, but before you invest, solidify your brand strategy. Set clear objectives. Get your online house in order. No sense driving traffic to a site with a poor user experience. If you're doing all of the above, give yourself a pat on the back. If you aren't and need help or have a question, DM us. Source: cira.ca

Pure brilliance! This is what solid brand strategy looks like. Byron Sharp’s 7 RULES TO GROW YOUR BRAND 1. REACH ... Be continuously seen and heard. 2. BE EASY TO BUY Be where the buyers are. 3. GET NOTICED Good creative is cost of entry. 4. REFRESH & BUILD MEMORY STRUCTURES Link your campaigns to your brand. They need to remember your brand when it comes time to buy. 5. CREATE & USE DISTINCTIVE BRAND ASSETS Branding matters! It helps them remember it’s YOUR brand, not the category they love. 6. BE CONSISTENT, YET FRESH. Tell the same story over and over in a new way. 7. STAY COMPETITIVE. The battle for attention never ends. See more

We always have this much fun at work! Seriously though. A lot of you are working at home with your partner right now and likely in close quarters! We’ve been at it a while and thought we’d share a few things that have helped us not just tolerate, but actually enjoy working together. ... 1. Respect one another. 2. See the humour. 3. Give each other space. 4. Listen with your full attention. 5. *Go for a walk together. 6. Weekly debrief happy hour. *There’s something about getting outdoors. It relieves stress, makes us feel good, stimulates curiosity, relaxes us. If you’re not doing this together, start today! The debrief’s a game changer, whether you’re in business together or not. Setting a weekly meeting to review what we call WWW and EMEI is a great way to take stock and set intentions for the coming week. WWW Celebrate WHAT WENT WELL. But more than that, we reverse engineer the situation-which factors contributed to the win so we can operationalize it, if we can, and do it again. We do it for home too. You start to look for the good. And guess what? You start seeing it too. EMEI EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE IF. We table the things that didn’t go as well as we’d hoped that week. It’s the issue, not the person. Same process of reverse engineering, but we add the ‘5 Whys’, a strategy to get to the root of the problem. You simply ask ‘why’ 5 x. It’s easy to find the surface reasons, but 5 why’s later, you get to the heart of the matter. Helps a lot with parenting too! One last point. The ‘fake it til you make it’ actually works with happiness. If you smile at someone, it’s really hard for them not to smile back. So if all else fails, try that! See more

Tom Peters wrote it back in the '80's and it's true now more than ever. Branding is about HEART. What does this mean? Well, a business doesn't have a heart. It's an inanimate object. It's the people that own and operate and work for a business that have heart. And it's these PEOPLE connecting to the hearts of their customers that builds a lasting brand. So let's add a new phrase to the business lexicon.... ' . . Not B2B or B2C. P2P. Leave a if you agree. See more

Check out our web design/build for @obiaa_. BIAs are appreciated now more than everamazing organizations tirelessly supporting local business. Send some #locallove to your fav business today. Every purchase makes a difference. #webdesign #websitedesign #customsite #customwebdesigns #modernwebdesign #modernwebsitedesign #webdesignagency #webdesigncompany #marketingagency #webdesigninspo #canadianwebdesigner #digitalbusiness #websitedesigner #web #ontario #digitalbusiness #ecommerce #smallbizmarketing #community #supportlocal #canadianbusiness #strongertogether #locallove #supportlocal #business

Who else is missing the office? As creatives, we need focused time alone to do the work, but the best magic happens when we share ideas. Sure we've found productive ways to collaborate remotely, but can't wait to get back to the white board. . . . .... . #agencylife #officespace #getcreative #entrepreneurship #collaboration #teamwork See more

Two words powerful enough to change society's behaviour almost overnight. . . . .... . #socialdistancing See more

Marketing serves. Advertising sells. . . . .... . #marketing #marketinginspo #marketingwisdom #marketingadvice #marketingguru #marketingwisdom #marketingcoach #brandingcoach #personalbranding #brandingagency #marketingagency #sethgodin See more

Hey! We’re smiling at you from over here in our makeshift home offices. We’re rooting for you too! All the business owners out there adapting as fast as you can, finding new ways to serve your customers. We’re doing the same. It’s Friday and we made it through another week! High five your partner. You juggled work and kids and figured out where to look during Zoom calls. Every week we’re getting better! Nat Caron Photography Thanks for making us look so much better than we do right now!

How to help others during the coronavirus crisis. Shop local. Shop online at your favorite local shops. Buy gift cards. Tip generously. If you order floral delivery, takeout or any local service to your door, give a little more. Support musicians and artists of all kinds. Buy from their online shop. Support them on Patreon. ... Pay it forward. If you have to cancel an appointment, consider paying for it or sending the tip you would have paid. Stay home. Follow the social distancing protocol. Take it seriously. People a lot smarter than us decided it was necessary. Stay connected. This is a moment to leverage tech to Facetime a family member, send a text to a friend. Only buy what you need and offer to pick up supplies for someone less healthy or mobile as you. Make your contribution net positive by being kind, considerate, patient, and pragmatic. Elevate. We're all in this together. Let's do the best we can. #supportlocal

This moodboard’s giving us all the Friday feels. We love working with BIAs, especially our local one! ... Building community. Supporting local. Making downtowns the place to be. #biamarketing #bia #biabranding businessbranding #brandinginspiration #brandinglesson #content #brands #brandstory, #brandstorytelling #marketing #marketingdigital #digitalmarketing #brandagency #brandingagency #onlinemarketing #brandingconsultant #marketingstrategy #marketingagency #digitalmarketingagency #brandingexpert #branding101 #marketingconsultant #marketing tips See more

How'd ya like them apples? Our client @heritageestate knows a thing or two about quenching thirst! This web project is the result of our collaborative approach. Here's the formula. Harness the client's passion for their business.... Clarify business objectives. Apply our creative intelligence . Roll it out. brandingagency #branddesigner #brandingconsultant #brandstrategy #responsivedesign #responsivedesigner #webdesign #webdesigner #webdesigners #webdesigns #webdesignagency #webdesigncompany #webdesignservice #digitalmarketingagency #digitalmarketingstrategy #marketingstrategy

Sending some love to all you entrepreneurs. You're brave souls stepping into this arena. Blood, sweat and tears and you wouldn't have it any other way! Tag an entrepreneur you admire. ... ##entrepreneurlife #enttrepreneurship #entrepreneurlifestyle #businessowners #businesspassion #growthmindset #brandingagency #brandconsultant #brandcoach #brandcoaching #personalbrandingcoach #personalbrandcoach #boss #brandstrategy #brand #branding #businessbranding See more

New decade, new visual identity? It may be time for a brand refresh. The logo that launched your business may not be the one you need now. As we move into web 4.0, brands need to keep up. You want to look modern, not dated. That's what we did here! . . . .... . #rebrand #rebranding #brandidentity #brandingdesign #brandstrategy #brand #branding #businessbranding #brandinginspiration #brandinglesson #content #brands #brandstory, #brandstorytelling #marketing #marketingdigital #digitalmarketing #brandagency #brandingagency #onlinemarketing #brandingconsultant #marketingstrategy #marketingagency #digitalmarketingagency #brandingexpert #b2bmarketing #branding101 #marketingconsultant #marketingtips #brandingtips See more

Is 2020 the year to rebrand your business? There are no hard and fast rules, but there are signals. Check out our recent post on rebranding here https://www.gelagency.com//2020-01-07-7-signs-your-busine/

Merry Christmas to our amazing clients, colleagues, and friends! Wishing you all the best in the next decade!

How well does your website tell your company's brand story? It's one of your most powerful tools. Make sure it's working for you! Take a minute before the new year to take stock. Consider what's working and what isn't. A few things to consider: The right design... The right visuals The right language The right experience Once you know what you'd like to change, make a plan and block the time. Start the year off right by updating your content and make the changes right away. And if you don't have the time or interest, hire an agency to do it for you. . . . . . #webdesign #websitedesign #webdesigncompany #webdesigns #uxdesign#uxuidesign #uxui #ux #marketing #marketingideas #contentcreation #marketingidea #digitalmarketing #mark#publicidaddigital #marketingtips #instagrammarketing #miamidigitalagency #branding #marketingconsultant #marketingdigital #brandinglogo #brandstory #brandstrategy #brandstorytelling #brandinginspiration #branddesigner##branddevelopment #branding