Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Digital Marketing Overview

Design an A3 illustration covering all the major aspects with your Digital Marketing course.

Use photoshop and illustrator together to map Digital marketing, 
Collect the logos of the most important social media channels and use photohop to create
images to PLACE into illustrator.

Set the image size as 50,50 pixels, 72dpi and RGB.
Create logos with transparent backgrounds using layers.

Start building your Graphical Map

1. Facebook:

When did it begin?
Who uses it...(target audience)?
How many users?
What is facebook, and how is it used?
Whats the best time to post?
What countries use Facebook the most?




Facebook owns the following apps
Their numbers are also large by any measure.
  • Instagram with 300 million+ users
  • WhatsApp with 700 million
  • Facebook messenger has 600 million users
20 Facts about Facebook

  1. Worldwide, there are over 1.79 billion monthly active Facebook users (Facebook MAUs) which is a 16 percent increase year over year.(Source: Facebook as of 11/02/16) What this means for you: In case you had any lingering doubts, statistically, Facebook is too big to ignore.
  2. 4.5 billion likes generated daily as of May 2013 which is a 67 percent increase from August 2012 (Source: Facebook)
  3. 1.18 billion people log onto Facebook daily active users (Facebook DAU) for September 2016, which represents a 17% increase year over year (Source: Facebook as 11/02/16) The Implication: A huge and vastly growing number of Facebook users are active and consistent in their visits to the site, making them a promising audience for your marketing efforts.
  4. There are 1.66 billion mobile active users (Mobile Facebook MAU) for September 2016 (Source: Facebook as of 11/02/16) an increase of 20 percent year-over-year.  There are 1.03 billion Mobile Daily Active Users (Facebook DAU) for June 2016 which is an increase of 22% year-over-year.
  5. On average, the Like and Share Buttons are viewed across almost 10 million websites daily. (Source: Facebook as of 10/2/2014)
  6. In Europe, over 307 million people are on Facebook. (Source: Search Engine Journal) The Takeaway: This isn’t just a U.S. phenomenon – a worldwide market is available via Facebook.
  7. Age 25 to 34, at 29.7% of users, is the most common age demographic. (Source:Emarketer 2012) What this means for you: This is the prime target demographic for many businesses’ marketing efforts, and you have the change to engage these key consumers on Facebook.
  8. Five new profiles are created every second. (Source: ALLFacebook 2012) The Implication: Your potential audience on Facebook is growing exponentially.
  9. Facebook users are 76% female (out of 100% of all females) and 66% male (out of 100% of all males).This is stat is one that you really have to think about because it’s comparing the percentage of all females against the percentage of all males who are on Facebook. Sorry for the confusion. To dig a little deeper take a look at this study which does a much better job at explaining the nuances – Source: Brandwatch – https://www.brandwatch.com/2015/01/men-vs-women-active-social-media/) The Takeaway: Since this isn’t a large statistical difference, you should be able to effectively reach both genders on Facebook.
  10. Highest traffic occurs mid-week between 1 to 3 pm. (Source: Bit.ly blog) On another note, a Facebook post at 7pm will result in more clicks on average than posting at 8pm (Source:  Forbes). Go figure.  How this can help you: You have the potential to reach more consumers and drive higher traffic to your site during peak usage times, but people may be more likely to be more engaged in the evenings. This statistic may be a factor when you are planning social communication scheduling. (Also consider that Facebook has a global audience, so you may want to plan around the time zone of your key market.)
  11. On Thursdays and Fridays, engagement is 18% higher. (Source: Bit.ly blog) The Implication: Again, use this information to determine when to post in order to optimize your social media marketing efforts.
  12. There are 83 million fake profiles. (Source: CNN) The Takeaway: Nothing is perfect, so always remain thoughtful and strategic in your efforts. Also, fake or not, these are still potential consumers. There are various reasons for fake profiles, including professionals doing testing and research, and people who want to segment their Facebook use more than is possible with one account.Role of Facebook in Internet Marketing
  13. Photo uploads total 300 million per day. (Source: Gizmodo) The Implication: Again, this is an indication of engaged users; also, it is an indication that there are a lot of photos, as well as other information, competing for users’ attention, so target your efforts strategically.
  14. Average time spent per Facebook visit is 20 minutes. (Source: Infodocket) What this means for you: You could have a short time period to make your impression, so use it wisely with relevant, interesting and unique posts and offers in order to get the most return on your efforts.
  15. Every 60 seconds on Facebook: 510 comments are posted, 293,000 statuses are updated, and 136,000 photos are uploaded. (Source: The Social Skinny) The Implication: Again, there are a lot of engaged and active users, but also a huge amount of information competing for their attention, so quality and strategy on your part matter.
  16. 4.75 billion pieces of content shared daily as of May 2013 which is a 94 percent increase from August 2012. (Source: Facebook)
  17. 50% of 18-24 year-olds go on Facebook when they wake up. (Source: The Social Skinny) What this means for you: Facebook is important to these users, and potentially, if done correctly, so is the content you post on it.
  18. One in five page views in the United States occurs on Facebook. (Source: Infodocket 2012) How this helps you: This is a huge market on the web; if you use social media marketing efforts on Facebook well, you could have huge returns to show for it.
  19. 42% of marketers report that Facebook is critical or important to their business. (Source: State of Inbound Marketing 2012 The Takeaway: This is a crowded marketplace, but you can’t afford to sit it out, because odds are fairly high that your competition is there. The key is to use Facebook marketing correctly and make sure that your efforts stand out from the crowd.
  20. 16 Million local business pages have been created as of May 2013 which is a 100 percent increase from 8 million in June 2012. (Source: Facebook). Facebook marketing has transformed how business is conducted, and its use by local businesses to extend their markets continues to explode.
Thought to take with you:  At 1.79 billion, Facebook has more monthly active users than WhatsApp (500 million), Twitter (284 million) and Instagram (200 million)—combined. (Source: CNBC) Facebook continues to reign in popularity over other social media channels.


Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Digital Graphics for Print

Digital Graphics for Print

Unit aim

The aim of this unit is to give learners the knowledge and skills needed to
produce, process, control and manipulate digital graphics used for a range
of print, interactive and moving image media.

Unit introduction

The inclusion of appropriate graphics in a print, moving image or interactive
media product is often crucial to its ability to attract the right audience and
to communicate effectively the desired message. Print-based products such
as newspapers, magazines, posters, flyers, DVD and CD covers all include
graphics and illustrations that are there to grab the reader’s attention and
communicate a specific message. Interactive products such as websites,
computer games and CD ROMs will all incorporate some form of digital
graphics, and many films, videos and television programmes will include
sequences that include some form of digital graphics, particularly in the
opening titles and closing credits.

Producing and manipulating effective graphics for print and digital media
products is a skilled job that requires not only creative graphic design skills
but also practical skills and experience of using a range of image design and
manipulation software that is at the heart of most media production
processes today.

The increased use of computer hardware and image design software means
that a graphic designer working in the industry today needs to be familiar
with a number of different graphic files and formats, and have the necessary
skills and knowledge to be able to process, control and combine these files
into effective and aesthetically pleasing media texts.

Through completing this unit learners will gain a practical understanding of
the principles and conventions underlying effective digital graphic design,
and will be able to apply the skills and techniques learnt to a range of
different contexts

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

In order to pass this unit, the evidence that the learner presents for assessment needs to demonstrate that they can meet all the learning outcomes for the unit. The assessment criteria determine the standard required to achieve the unit.

On completion of this unit a learner should:

Learning outcomes Assessment criteria

1. Understand graphic file formats and applications


1.1 describe graphic file formats and their applications with some appropriate use of
subject terminology

2. Be able to use appropriate image design and manipulation software

2.1 use appropriate image design and manipulation software working within appropriate
conventions and with some assistance

3.  Be able to produce digital graphics in response to a brief

3.1 design and produce digital graphics in response to a brief working within appropriate
conventions and with some assistance

4. Be able to reflect on own digital graphics work.


4.1 comment on own work with some appropriate use of subject terminology.



1. Understand graphic file formats and applications

File formats: range of common formats, eg raster, vector, metafiles; file extensions

Applications: vector-based applications; raster-based applications; use in different media forms (print, moving image, interactive)




2. Be able to use appropriate image design and manipulation software
Workspace: work area; toolbox; status bar; file information; tool option bar; palette well; window control; floating palettes



Tools and features: palettes (colour, layers, objects, brushes, history,actions, size, resolution); tools (marquee, lasso, magic wand, magnetic lasso, selecting, cropping, clone tool); layers (transforming layers,copying and saving layers, arranging layers, opacity and blending modes, layer effects); manipulation (feathering edges, filters, brightness
and contrast, hue and saturation, masks, paths, textures, effects); save;undo


3. Be able to produce digital graphics in response to a brief

Develop ideas: establish concept; select format; length and nature of content; consideration of audience usage; layout design; input and manipulation of images; selection of style and tone; consideration of limitations and advantages of format; deadlines; schedule. Production of graphics: selection of file formats; conversion to
appropriate formats; embedding and encoding of required elements;
testing and troubleshooting; uploading; exporting and outputting to file

formats.


4. Be able to reflect on own digital graphics work


Effectiveness: extent to which brief has been realised; use of appropriate methods and techniques; skill level evidenced; level of professionalism achieved; what final version communicates; processes undertaken;

problem solving; skill development; areas for improvement 
Sources of information: self-evaluation; documentation, eg notes,sketches, production logs; comments from others, eg audience, peers,tutors, client
Production process: pre-production, eg planning, preparation;production, eg time management, project management, monitoring work in progress, technical competencies, creative ability, own work,teamwork.
Finished product: compared with original intentions; appropriateness to audience; technical qualities; aesthetic qualities; content; style


Assignment 1 – Investigating Graphic File Formats and Applications.
Learners are given a brief from a design magazine to write an article on the
main graphic file formats and applications that are used in the production of
media products.

Learners will:
• receive assignment overview
• research and investigate the main graphic file formats and applications
used in the production of media products
• write the article
• receive assessment

Assignment 2 – Skill Development.
Learners are given a brief from a prospective employer to produce a portfolio
of work that showcases the development of skills in using image design and
manipulation software.
Learners will:
• receive assignment overview
• develop software skills through the design and production of a range of digital graphics, experimenting with a range of different tools and features
• collate final portfolio
• receive assessment feedback and have further opportunities to address
grading criteria.

Assignment 3 – Design and Produce Digital Graphics.
Learners are given a series of briefs from a media production company to
design and produce digital graphics for inclusion in a range of their products.
Learners will:
• receive assignment overview
• design and produce a series of digital graphics in a range of file formats
• collate final portfolio
• receive assessment feedback and have further opportunities to address
grading criteria.

Assignment 4 – Review of Own Work.
Learners are given a brief from the media production company to write a
report that reviews and evaluates the work undertaken for them, with
consideration of the production processes undertaken, the finished products
and their effectiveness.
Learners will:
• receive assignment overview
• gather relevant material and feedback and evaluate the work undertaken
• write the report
• receive assessment feedback and have further opportunities to address
grading criteria.

Assessment

Evidence for assessment

As is the case for many of the other practical-based units, learners should
be developing and building a portfolio of their work throughout the duration
of the unit. This portfolio should contain evidence of all the required
understanding and skills detailed in the grading criteria.

Evidence for the achievement of learning outcomes 2 and 3 might include
examples of the learner’s completed work together with examples of ‘work
in progress’ and the various planning, preparation and developmental
stages undertaken. Screenshots and printouts can provide explicit evidence
of learner achievement.

Evidence for the achievement of learning outcomes 1 and 4 might be
submitted as a report, essay or presentation, or in some other appropriate
form such as a suitable audio, moving image or interactive medium.
Presentations must be recorded for the purposes of internal and external
verification.

If learners have worked in groups on a particular brief or project, then
individual learners must clearly document their own contribution to the
group project and identify the different roles they undertook at each of the
production stages.

To achieve the unit learners must achieve all the criteria. For each of the
criteria learners must present evidence that addresses each italicized subheading
of the content for the learning outcome.

1.1: learners will describe accurately the main file formats and applications
used in digital graphics work. All aspects of the descriptions will be accurate
and relevant and will be substantially — though not necessarily absolutely —
complete. For example, the description should include both vector and
raster file formats and applications. However, these descriptions will lack
detail and relation to illustrative examples.

2.1 and 3.1: learners will have used appropriate image design and
manipulation software, employing relevant tools and features to produce
and refine their designs. The digital graphics presented will not fully realise
what was intended, but will show that they have been produced with some
sense of purpose and the deliberate application of some relevant techniques
and conventions. Learners will need to keep all associated supporting work,
which should show the different stages of progress and development. In
terms of the imaginative qualities of their work, learners will not move
beyond the conventional, but the conventions applied will be appropriate to
the form or genre within which they are working. Learners may require
frequent assistance and support throughout the production process, though
they will take note of and make use of this help when it is given. If they are
in frequent need of such help but fail to make positive use of it, they should
not be considered for a pass for this unit.

4.1: learners will consider their own work in such a way that they move
beyond merely describing it. They will make evaluative comments upon
what they have done but these comments will be assertions that are not
supported by evidence or exemplification.

1.1 and 4.1: evidence will show a basic understanding of technical
terminology but learners will generally be unsure about this vocabulary and
will make fairly frequent mistakes when they do use it.






Monday, November 14, 2016

Social Media Statistics

Whether you’re creating a social media marketing strategy, designing a campaign, or making a business case for using a particular platform, you need to start in the same place: research.
The basis of any successful social activity is understanding the platforms, who uses them, and how.
That’s why we’ve compiled this list of social media statistics to show what sets each platform—and its users—apart. Whatever idea you’re cooking up, we’ve got the stats to help you plan.
The statistics in this post are organized by network and sorted into two categories: users and usage; and businesses, brands, and marketing.

Facebook statistics

Facebook is still No. 1. Despite what you may have heard, everyone uses Facebook. Everyone. And they use it a lot. And because everyone uses Facebook, it’s a big deal for brands.

Users and usage

Businesses, brands, and marketing

Twitter statistics

The majority of Twitter users are news junkies who use the network to seek out information about what’s happening in the world. The micro-blogging platform is also a place for people to connect with brands.

Users and usage

Businesses, brands, and marketing

Instagram statistics

Five years in, Instagram’s still a hot network. It’s one of the five most-used apps and it continues to grow in popularity. And it’s an up-and-coming destination for advertisers.

Users and usage

Businesses, brands, and marketing

Pinterest statistics

Pinterest remains one of the most fundamentally useful social networks. It’s the network of choice for planners—pinners use it to plan for holidays, travel, and special events like weddings. It’s primarily popular with female users (but men are catching on).

Users and usage

Businesses, brands, and marketing

Linkedin statistics

Perhaps more so than any other social network, LinkedIn’s purpose is clear. It’s a place to connect with colleagues and professional contacts. Many businesses use it for hiring. It’s also a destination for brands in the B2B sector.

Users and usage

Businesses, brands, and marketing

Snapchat statistics

Snapchat’s users may skew younger, but they’re not the only ones who use the app. Increasingly, older users and brands are jumping on the bandwagon.

Users and usage

Businesses, brands, and marketing

YouTube statistics

Social video is a big deal. A really big deal. And YouTube is the social web’s destination for video.

Users and usage

Businesses, brands, and marketing

Orthographic Drawing

Orthographic Drawing

An orthographic drawing is a method that allows someone to represent a three-dimensional object on a two-dimensional piece of paper. By drawing the object for a various angles, the artist is able to show how the object looks in the real world. The process is called orthographic projection.


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