Webinar: How Does Video Improve SEO? Get A Lot in a Little Time!

Off2On eCommerce Webinar Series Programed by Above the Fray in Portland OR. Speakers, Anna Madill, Ben Friedle, Ben Herman, and host Jessica Kienzle. "Offline to Online 20/20, a no-fluff eCommerce series for Growth" is all about leveling up your B2B eCommerce. In this episode, we'll cover everything you need to create a healthy relationship between your website and search engines (ok mostly Google with its +/-90% market share). Jessica Kienzle, Digital Manager at Above the Fray hosts the 5th installment of the series as we tackle SEO for your eCommerce and B2B sites. Outlier's own Ben Friedle put some brain-busting thought into creating a dense…

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New White Paper: How COVID-19 Has Changed Workplace Wellness

COVID-19 has changed everything about the way we work, including how we think about workplace wellness. Today, businesses must find new ways to foster wellness and address new threats to employees’ mental, emotional, and physical health. In our newest white paper, we’ll explore how the COVID-19 crisis has affected workers’ health and how video can be used as an effective tool to engage distanced workers and help them improve their health and mental resiliency. What's Included A look at the history of corporate wellness programs in the USNew challenges created by COVID-19 and working from homeImportant ways video and other virtual tools can keep employees…

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Financial Resources for Black & Minority-Owned Businesses

After weeks of seeing the largest corporations commit to substantial and numerous funds for black communities, businesses and organizations, we asked Paige to do some research and learn more about these funds, the application process and ways to learn more.  She compiled a list of 34 organizations where black and minority business owners and entrepreneurs can apply to receive funding and other types of support. The list spans organizations from Grameen America, which provides business support and funding to underrepresented female business owners, to Upwork, which grants pro-bono professional services to businesses impacted by COVID-19.  Tracking the corporate pledges has proven to create a web…

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New White Paper: Repurposing, Reusing, Rethinking – How to Get the Most Out of Your Content (and Budget)

New White Paper: Repurposing, Reusing, Rethinking How to Get the Most Out of Your Content (and Budget) We don’t always get to control whether budgets get cut, sometimes we just need to find the best way to make those cuts work for the business. This is certainly the case when the economy takes a dip and many businesses instinctually cut their marketing and advertising budgets. In Outlier's latest white paper, we'll explore the value of content marketing during a downturn and discuss tactics to help you get the most out of your content AND your marketing budget. What's Included The 3 Stages of Content Marketing…

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what is a sizzle reel text with flames

What’s a Sizzle Reel? Do I Need One for My Business?

Ever been asked if your company has a sizzle reel?  And you thought, uh… isn’t that a type of candy? (Spoiler: nope, that’s a Twizzler.)  A sizzle reel, on the other hand, is a short (three minutes or less) promotional video that highlights your business, product, or service. Known alternatively as highlight video, demo reel, or pitch video, the sizzle reel shows potential clients or investors what it will be like to work with your company or use your product or service. https://vimeo.com/335279894 Our clients at MarketCraft use their sizzle reel or "showcase" video to get audiences excited about the amazing displays they can create…

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3 tips to help non actors on camera

3 Tips to Help Non-Actors Ace On-Camera Interviews

Helping non-actors get comfortable in front of a video camera can make all the difference when it comes to a successful interview. Their voice is cracking, they’re avoiding eye contact and giving unenthusiastic answers. These are just some (of the many) potential outcomes of interviewing people on camera who are not actors.  No matter who you are, it’s nerve-wracking to be in a literal spotlight. Even professional actors must learn to manage stage fright. Working in the video production space, we see this frequently and it is our job to help people navigate it and feel more comfortable on camera.  Thankfully, there are a handful…

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shop open sign in window

Reopening Retail: Using Video for Customer and Employee Safety

Reopening Retail: Video for Customer & Employee Safety Outlier is keeping a close eye on the retail industry. Today, we released a new report looking at consumer and employee health, creating an engaging in-store experience, and using video to improve the return to retail as stores begin to reopen. What's included: Current State of the Industry3-Step Approach to Training, Driving in-Store Traffic, and Engaging with CustomersInspiration for Providing Your Own One-of-a-Kind in-Store Experience View the report, "Reopening Retail: Video for Customer & Employee Safety," online or download a copy at the link below. Get the Full ReportThe full report is now available for download. Get…

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Outlier Turns 15!

Outlier is now 15 years old! What a reason to celebrate our clients and this team. For us, the journey is definitely the destination. We have been incredibly fortunate to be able to employ ourselves in the pursuit of creative industry. The community in Portland has been great to us. We have been able to document so much of our community and to create work that our team is passionate about. Having worked with over 200 businesses in the past 15 years, Outlier has had a unique opportunity to get a behind the scenes look at how these companies operate and what makes them successful.…

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5 Tricks to Extend the Life of Your Video Content

5 Tricks to Extend the Life of Your Video Content

With most of the world in lockdown, our ability to film new video content has been temporarily nixed. On top of that, many companies are reducing their marketing spend. This time has forced us and many other companies to dive back into our content libraries. Repurposing, Reusing, Rethinking:Learn how repurposing and reusing content can help you stretch your marketing budget.Get the White Paper For us, that means reinvigorating existing content and pre-existing footage. In 15 years of business, Outlier has amassed extensive video footage that we can recycle for new marketing purposes. It’s not just a second resort. It can--and should--be a strategic tool to…

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3 Step Plan

3-Step Plan for Effective Communications in Times of Need

How do you effectively plan to communicate and market your business in times of crisis? Every company has been asking themselves this as we navigate these unchartered waters. We all want to make sure that we are communicating effectively to customers, vendors, employees, and friends. While the tasks have changed and the urgency has increased, the method by which we strategically communicate remains the same. When confronted with a problem, whether a small one or one on the scale of a pandemic, it is helpful to break out your needs into stages.  Step 1: Define Immediate Communication Needs Priorities should center around consistent, clear communication…

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