If you’d have told me I’d be alcohol-free and FOMO-free a decade ago, I would’ve laughed so hard, I’d spill my drink. For most of my twenties, my life revolved around alcohol. I couldn’t fathom facing life’s challenges without an anesthetic. But today, I’m 4.5 years sober… and thriving. Life hasn’t gotten any easier, but I’m more resilient, stronger and happier. Because when you numb the discomfort, you numb the joy, too. I know I wouldn’t be the wife, stepmom, employee, friend, daughter and sister I am today if I were still drinking. Here’s what I’ve learned over the course of my sober journey, along with advice from other people in recovery! 

Join VI Marketing and Branding beginning April 1 for a month-long effort to collect food and hygiene items to benefit local non-profits — and Oklahoma families!

For International Women's Day, we sat down with a group of women at VI to talk about what it means to be a woman in 2022. These creative, badass marketers shared the challenges they face, the women that inspire them, their favorite things about womanhood, their best advice to young women, and more. 

VI Marketing and Branding has achieved 2022 Premier Partner status in the Google Partners program for the 4th year in a row.

The VI Travel and Hospitality team recently had the opportunity to attend the eTourism Summit in Las Vegas. The conference was packed with lectures from the top travel marketing experts in the industry. After a week of networking with DMOs, travel associations, and agencies from around the world, one thing was apparent – travel is on the rebound, and industry experts are working tirelessly to re-imagine the future of tourism.

If marketing agencies were cars, project management would be the fuel. Agency marketers know that project management is an essential part of any project or campaign, and without it, nothing would get done on time...or correctly...or within budget. 

No two projects are the same, but the keys to execution come down to a few crucial components.

It has been over two years since Google introduced App + Web properties in Google Analytics (GA), and one year since the property type was aptly reintroduced as Google Analytics 4 (GA4), the fourth generation of the leading web analytics platform. GA4 has already proven to be a vital tool for every marketer’s toolbox, especially as we venture further into the increasingly mobile, privacy-first era of digital marketing.

VI is so proud to announce that Erin Robinson, local artist, and VI Creative Director, is creating change in our community with a collaborative, free art show, You & Me: The Art of Grief and Joy After Loss.

TikTok: Everyone’s favorite video app. And when I say everyone, I do mean everyone—at the time of this writing, TikTok has 689 million active monthly users from from 10 to 110. People like the app so much that 90% of TikTok users open it every. day.

It’s totally understandable that now, brands want a piece of those eyeballs. But before you start lip syncing or dancing for your brand, here are 3 things to keep in mind when creating branded content on TikTok.

1. Cut through the clutter...by blending in. 

I know, I know. Everything we’ve ever wanted as marketers is to stand out from the cluttered media landscape. What I mean is this: Create content that doesn’t automatically out itself as an ad in the first few seconds.

In this case, be entertaining, educational, informative, and creative, but don’t be sales-y. Shoot your TikToks as though you’re an average Joe. Use an iPhone, a ring light and trending sounds available in the Commercial Music Library. Be mindful of the safe areas for text, and for heaven’s sake, make your TikTok videos vertical.

2. Use royalty-free music & audio to your advantage.

As a business account, you have access to TikTok’s Commercial Music Library—meaning you can use any song within the library without worrying about licensing. This is nice because it removes some of the hassle, but the library is limited and generally doesn’t have mainstream, trending songs.

Unfortunately, you can’t use trending sounds created by users, either. When an incredible lip syncing opportunity comes by, you may have to settle for sitting it out or posting from your personal account.

3. Paid strategies give you a boost.

Partnering with influencers, running in-feed ads, and promoting branded hashtag challenges are all great ways to gain traction on TikTok. Like most social platforms, your media spend is scalable, so no matter your budget, you can make magic happen.

Ready to dive into TikTok?

We can help you create and execute a plan that’s not cheugy. Give us a call!

Your website is often the first, and sometimes the only, content to receive organic optimizations. But did you know your YouTube channel should receive the same attention? That’s right, off-site SEO is just as important as on-site optimization! Many brands and content owners don’t realize the robust SEO capabilities available on YouTube.