In history classes growing up, we’ve studied the importance of the printing press and how it led to a revolution: the rise in literacy rates and the spread of knowledge across the world. More recently, however, we have encountered another revolutionary invention that democratized the digital world and pioneered graphic design. The introduction of the Macintosh computer in 1984 changed the design world forever with its featured font menu. After taking a calligraphy class at Reed College, Steve Jobs understood the importance of typeface and later integrated this feature into his computer. This type menu has transformed design forever and become an integral part of artistic composition. As you devise your branding and marketing efforts, keep in mind the importance font plays in identifying with target audiences, gaining the attention of consumers and creating an image that resonates with them.

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In today’s fast-paced, deadline-driven work environment, we have little time to write a well-crafted paragraph when conversing with our colleagues. Messages need to be written and exchanged quickly, with no time for too much detail. Keep things at work moving with our list of workplace acronyms:

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It’s the beginning of October and every Austinite knows what that means—the first weekend of Austin City Limits. Whether you’re a festival goer or festival avoider, this weekend will impact us all. ACL brings people from around the country to the city of Austin, giving our businesses and the city itself unique exposure. This weekend, the city will be packed with music, events, locals, and travelers from around the world. With hundreds of festival-goers hitting the streets of Austin, this is the perfect weekend to take advantage of blockchain marketing and consulting opportunities for your business.

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Digital acronyms are heavily used as a way to simplify digital language in most workplaces today. In the marketing and advertising world, it is important to be aware of as many digital and workplace acronyms as possible in order to stay up to speed. Broaden your knowledge of the digital space by familiarizing yourself with acronyms from programming to social media metrics.

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Over the past decade, social media has become the most vital communication platform for most businesses. Social media has become a platform in which brands interact with their consumers on an intimate level. Sprout Social conducted this study on how businesses engage with customers on social media. They found that 90 percent of consumers engage with brands on social media and that social media is the first place customers go if they have an issue—surpassing phone and email.

As customer service expectations become greater, it is imperative that brands take this direct communication with their consumers seriously. We’ve laid out a few steps you can follow to ensure your community management is on the right track:

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As artificial intelligence continues to advance, we’ve found ourselves new best friends with intelligent personal assistants such as Siri, Alexa, Cortana, and Google. The way people search the web for information is changing from the traditional search engines. Nearly 60 percent of searches today are performed through mobile devices. Mobile devices are becoming our key source of knowledge and consumers are increasingly using their voice over their fingers to search the web. Asking questions and receiving answers has never been quicker or easier. As voice search continues to gain market share, it is imperative that we as marketers understand how to optimize our websites in order to stay ahead on SEO best practices.

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Having taken two advertising classes before beginning my internship with HMG, my knowledge of the marketing industry was limited. I remember sitting in the conference room listening to all the tasks I was going to take on and all of the social media accounts I was going to manage and being so excited to expand my knowledge in the field of marketing. Fast forward seven months, and I can honestly say I’ve gained value far beyond the tasks given to me.

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Let’s be honest, life is hectic. Between work, home, kids (if you have them) and trying to have a social life, everything can blend together and it can become hard to stay organized. While work-life balance is important, work is a large contributor to our attitude, happiness and overall outlook on life. If you are one that wears many hats at work, here are five ways to relieve the stress of having what seems like one million things to do. Disclaimer: random tedious and sometimes unpleasant things are inevitably going to pop up, but turning these tips into habits will make it more bearable.

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For the third year in a row, HMG Creative has been named one of the top digital marketing agencies in Texas. Clutch is a research and review firm that identifies and ranks top service agencies that produce high-quality results for their clients. The ranking is based on a matrix of factors which include company experience, client list, industry recognition, market experience, and client reviews.

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What’s up? My name is Anna Vehslage and I am thrilled to join the team at HMG Creative as the new Marketing & Social Media intern. I am entering my senior year at the University of Texas at Austin and will graduate in May with a B.S. in Advertising Management and a Certificate in Business Foundations. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, I made my way to Austin in 2014 as a 3rd generation Longhorn. Although the football team has been disappointing, I still have high hopes they will pull it together for my final season as a student #TeamHerman. I will be sad to leave my 40-acre home in nine short months, but I know “What starts here, changes the world.” When I’m not studying or at work, you can find me at pilates just before I scarf down my weekly cheeseburger—I’m all about a balanced diet.

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