I wish I could post some of my photography from today, but it's a bit too specific so I don't wanna dox myself shkfkgkg but ahhhh man I love taking pics whenever I go to the city 🥰

Academia but you're in Cairo

staying up late looking up ancient jewllery, its symbolism and the stuff it was made from and the methods they used because that was some intricatte stuff you know

having an unhealthy addiction to tea. milk tea in the morning before stting off. plain tea in the afternoon when youre back. tea with mint in the chilly hours before sunset. tea with lemon when youre sick, with honey when youre sad...

listening to asmahan and laila mourad because their voices make flowers grow in your heart. you see abd el wahab or sayed darwish's names and you know youre about to heaar the most heavenly sounds you ever have.

constant debates about history (esp modern history! which is, regarless, my favourite to study!)

thrifting books from soor al azbakeyah and soor al sayeda zeinab and coming across literal gems that were sold for cheaper than dust

your uni is probably a historical site

just kidding your entire city probably is

long walks in old cairo's warm dusty mornings

constantnly stopping short to take in the glorious architecture you see before you. buildings brimming with equal parts menace and cordial affection that are simultaneously overwhelming and welcoming

does their age take your breath or does their sheer size? does their beauty make your heart flutter or is it the deep, undeniable knowledge that theres never going to be something quite like it ever again?

youre never really out of museums to visit. theres always going to be annother you just havent spotted yet

Did i tell what "cairo" means? It is derived from the arabic word "Al Qahira" meaning, She Who is Victorious. She Who Devastates. She Who is a Conqueress. She Who Is Meciless. a drop in the rich seaof her triumphant history

Visiting the ancient temples in upper egypt, the beauty of whom is so eternally breathtaking it makes you forget the tremendous amount of stairs you had to climb to get there.

Calling north Bahari (meaning "of the sea") even tho that could also be east. But you do it anyway.

The poeple going to and fro being endearing; shout/waving greatings to one another, so full of sincerity and hope in the early morning dew. It feels less lonely somehow

Romanticising everything about life as a form of conscious escapism, like all the poets and playwrights whose blood runs i your veins

there are translated works, and then there are arabic-ized wrorks of literature. its not hard to see that you prefer the latter.

also who came up with titles like "god of sword and quill" and "prince of poets"? we need to have a conversation. i love you and so does everyone else with a basic sense of art

visiting the old palaces and castles and always coming across abandoned ones. you wonder who would dare abpndon something so beautiful. you feel an immense sadness and and a crippling blow of yearning that do nothing to remove the dust coating everything or bring the music back to the pianoforte.

going to bazaars even if you knoe youre not going to buy anything. youre here for the copper, thr bass, the spices and occasional gleap of wine red jewllery. oh and the cat you befriended right outside the coffee shop!

buying jewllery and pottery from khan el khalili or el mo'ez streerts becaue everything is just so pretty and we shop local

going to century+ old cafes and sitting at a table that might have been naguib mahfouz's who knows

analizing the "foreign" words in your dialect and feeling an otherworldluy ense of knowing when you recognize wherethe come from! plage is french! shanta is turkish! em bu comes from coptic eb mu meaning water! nunu is ancient egyptian for fragile! and so much more!

an issue i have with movies

or, rather, that the movie industry has and im calling them out on it that the movie industry makes stupid assumptions about what does or does not work while ignoring the real reasons why a movie succeeds or fails because that would take too much effort and thought despite ‘filmography’ being a legitimate course of study that i would really hope that people paid tens of millions of dollars to make movies have some understanding of and/or hire people with the relevant degrees because i KNOW when a movie like ‘midway’ flops hard  the reaction of the movie industry is ‘i guess people dont like historical war recreation dramas’ instead of looking a bit harder and realizing ‘i guess people dont like a movie with no main characters, nothing to tie the existing cardboard cutout characters together beyond a vague setting, and a strange inability to make anything its showing on screen relevant as a plot rather then just listing things that happened with no explanation, narrative, or point of reference character’..... although im okay with ‘WW2 movies’ being put back into dormancy because theres more then enough of those and they have kind of messed up how every other war movie made after saving private ryan functions ive seen this time and time again that a movie that is badly made flops because its badly made, and the film industry then acts like some other element is why people avoided it its kind of crazy to think now but before LOTR came out the film industry had considered fantasy movies to be toxic for years, despite the 80s and 90s having some very well loved fantasy movies like ‘willow’, ‘neverending story’, and ‘labyrinth’ because of the number of really shit fantasy movies produced in that time. or if not shit then at least movies that didnt do well until much later when people started enjoying it for different reasons like ‘legend’.... but the sheer number of fantasy movies at the time that were given mediocre budget, garbage writing, and the only saving graces were how much effort the lead actors tried to give their inarticulate screams as the stabbening commenced made the industry think ‘i guess people dont like fantasy movies’ instead of ‘i guess people are not impressed by corny stories with no setup and are ultimately destined to be reviewed by drunk youtubers who heckle B-movies’. yall remember ‘deathstalker’? cause there were like 40 of that movie, conan was a rare gem in a sea of halfassery and then AFTER lord of the rings they try a fit of fantasy movies trying to cash in on this ‘hip new trend’ and while a few of them are okay, most of them are pretty blatantly trying to copy what LOTR did by the numbers as shamelessly as possible, then theres also quite a few that limply flop over the line of mediocrity until movies like ‘your highness’ where the drunk prince wears a minotaur wang around his neck as a battle trophy and ignores sexual molestation by a wizard (ah yes, great comedy recounting those times a wizard touched you when you were a young boy, hilarious for the whole family) ultimately bring people back to square 1 instead of asking ‘maybe if we made a -good- fantasy movie again instead of throwing larger piles of money at bad ones’ and so have movie genres been thrown under the bus for the failings of individual film studios making openly shitty decisions instead of acnowleging that a movie lives or dies on if its GOOD rather then by ‘i guess people dont like full costume period movies anymore’ and its the death of so much potential on the example of costume period movies you may have heard Lindsay Ellis talk about pirates of the carribean on this exact kind of concept, if you hadnt i will gladly add a link to her video on it upon request, but the point is that the assumption at the time was ‘people dont like pirate movies anymore’ because of the dearth of mediocre low budget and shit writing pirate movies made in the 60s-80s, and building on that people kept assuming that what we today would consider the ‘interesting bits’ about pirates of the carribean such as the zombies and jack being a loon the filmmakers at the time were considering ‘ruining the movie’. now i have many complaints about the pirates of the carribean franchise but the first movie is a cinematic classic that fully stands on its own merits, yet i would have been bored to tears trying to watch the version that would have been made if the cut out the zombies, curses, crazy people, and.... really what would be left of that movie? and yet still it happens time and again like clockwork when a robin hood movie is made once a decade, its either only alright or a complete flop, and then nobody wants to make that movie again for eight years then they make another robin hood movie copy/paste that last paragraph but replace ‘robin hood’ with ‘king arthur’ because holy damn are there a lot of bad robin hood/king arthur movies out there. granted theyre public domain so nothing to stop them but when will people learn? literally only two king arthur movies were unanimously good and one of those was monty python and the other was a disney animated classic. literally only three robin hood movies were any good and again one was a disney animated classic and one of the others was Mel Brooks making fun of the Kevin Costner one if public domain was the key element there then you would expect them to keep pumping out..... oh yeah, i forgot the movie where the frankensteins monster does parkour in modern cities to kill gargoyles was a thing, and the beauty and the beast remake where ‘the beast’ is a rich kid in suburban america who is ripped but bald and covered in tattoos and theres some shit about prom.... uuuuuuuugh, theres actually a lot of these ‘reimaginings’ that while the idea of reimagining a timeless classic is cool, they ultimately handle like a steaming turd and then, again, claim its that it failed not because they made a moist cowpat but rather it failed because nobody today likes the frankenstein monster- i for one would argue that an audience today would LOVE a faithful reimagining of frankenstein that really digs into the meat of that premise instead of making him a large green zombie that goes ‘fire bad’ and lets people get dug into the byronic shenanigans of that time im losing my train of thought but moral of the story is that people who make movies will always blame them failing on the -type- of movie it is rather then that they made a bad movie or draged something on way longer then it should be (just because one well written gritty retelling of batman did well does not mean every superhero movie must be dark and gritty without the well written, just because some of the marvel movies put the ‘fun’ back into comic movies doesnt mean we need 34 of them) blegh, i should have used visual aids for this but its too late to figure out what to use now discussion encouraged

Danny!! Oh heck, there's so many and by the time I read 100 I'd forgotten all the others 🤣 All of them... No I joke. OK for now erm... 3, 23, 31 (because LOL 🤣), 68, 90.

Bless you, Nic, you keep this from failing. And I know, l’m the same, mostly I choose random numbers because I cant remember the questions itself.

3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? 

mostly postcards or random paper available. I do have tons of bookmarks, but whenever I read an actual book I have no idea where my bookmarks have gone to. Its a mystery, I tell you.

23: what’s your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? 

hm, I guess reading while tugged in a warm blanket, drinking a cup of tea. Yeah, thats my favourite thing.

31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks. 

Okay, this is hilarious. You want an essay on socks? No problem, I can talk for hours about the most random things ever. My feet are always frozen, so I wear mostly at least two pair while being at home. And yeah I do sleep with socks on, because otherwise my feet are cold. And I cant sleep when I feel cold.

We actually have way too much socks. You can only wear that much different pairs, right? and you usually use the same ones again and again. So I have no idea why we do have that many socks, who bought all those socks? What the hell. And no, white socks are not allowed in this household, thank you very much.

68: what’s winter like where you live? 

Ugh, thats a good one. Our average temperature gets about -5 to -10 degree celcius over here. The window of the car freezes over at night and sometimes the streets are frozen as well. That kind of winter. And even while it gets cold and dark, I love it. I love scarfs, and being layered and hats, while being outside. We dont have that much snow, where I’m living since there are no mountains near and sometimes I feel sad about it, but lets be honest, snow is only lovely, when you dont need to go to work and drive or walk. Then its not that much fun.

90: talk about your one of you favorite cities. 

I can do that, I can do that quite enthusiastically. Its London and I’ve visited it countless times. The first time I was in my early twenties I guess and I fell in love from the start. I love the combination of all those historical places like the tower, the beautiful gardens and nearby all those new shiny skyscrapers. Its so faszinating for me. To have all those old monuments and houses and churches, but also having tons of new buildings with unique optics. Then theres the west end, which in itself is enough reason to love London. Whenever I’m there, I visit at least one play. The old bookshops, british tea. Eating scones with a nice cup of tea at some tiny place while wachting people running by, is something very dear to me.

London is my feel good city, whenever I’m there, I visit new places far away from tourist hotspotes, sometimes sitting for hours on the bus and watching sceneries drive by. I’m deeply in love with this city no matter if its december, may or whatever month. I miss it. Last time there was my birthday in march right infront of the lockdown. Felt strange back then.

Ask me

Namjoon Scenario: Vacations Together.

Request: A scenario of RM and s/o on vacation in Latvia! Please.

Genre: Fluff.

The clock tower was as imposing as the buildings around Town Hall Square, Latvia had all the charm you had expected from eastern Europe. Namjoon and you liked to go on trips together, to visit new and unexpected places, you wanted to visit Europe but this time you didn’t want to go to the most popular cities, not that there was something wrong with Paris, but you also wanted to know the often unseen lands of eastern Europe, and upon investigating those countries Latvia was the one that caught your interest the most. Latvia was a country, as many european countries, that was rich in history, but it wasn’t only that but the appealing of the picturesque outdoors scenarios what made you buy your tickets.

Namjoon went to you after he was done taking at least a dozen pictures of the clock tower and you in front of it, you had been in the town square for a while now, it seemed like every time you walked by there was something new to see, little details that compelled you to take more photos.

-You want to head for the museum or you want to eat first?- he asked looking around. The plan was to continue exploring the old side of Riga by foot, you wanted to get to know everything but… your stomach was already rumbling. -I guess I have my answer- he said with a smirk that made you laugh.

-I’m starving, you should be hungry too-

He leaned down still with the smirk in his lips. -I’m always hungry for you if you ask-

You rolled your eyes and laughed, this was so typical of him, always twisting everything to try to make you flustered.

-Since you are so hungry let’s go then- you kept laughing. -What about we take the chance to go to Jauniela? We can visit the street and eat once we are there?-

-Won’t you pass out by then?-

You took his arm and started walking. -Let’s go, it seems like you are the one dying- he laughed as it was probably true and you were on your way to Jauniela.

As most of the streets in Latvia, Jauniela was a cobble stone street that made perfect contrast with the colorful buildings that went down to the reach of your eyes, there were a splash of pinks,reds, greens and yellows. Also there were little balconies in must of the buildings filled with flowers, all in all you were loving the street view so far, the pictures didn’t make justice.

Namjoon and you walked for a while trying to decide in which of the many restaurants you wanted to eat at, all of them looked so cozy and at the end you chose one with traditional Latvian food since you wanted to have the full experience.

Recommended by the owners you ordered Speck and smoked fish with potatoes for the main course, that way you could share and taste different things at once. The Speck was a fatty dish but really tasty while the fish had an incredible flavor, it really showed the special touch of the smock in it, for drinks you ordered Kvaas the traditional beverage of the country.

-My manager would kill me in spot if he saw me eating this- Namjoon laughed.

You giggled too, glad that he didn’t restrain himself just because the usual ridiculous diet he followed. -This is good-

You didn’t stop there as you also ate dessert, it was a bread soup, at first you thought it was a little weird, especially as a dessert, but in these kind of trips you had to be open to try different things that maybe wasn’t what you would expect. The taste of the sweet bread, dry fruits and whipped cream was marvelous and you actually enjoyed it.

Now with your bellies full you could continue exploring the city.

Riga was a beautiful city, the more you saw of the old town, the more you wanted to continue exploring. You went to the castles, as there were many in the zone, you were loving it, feeling like you really had traveled in time to see these amazing architecture pieces. Even Namjoon was feeling the castles, keeping his intention to make you flustered because of your love for them.

-Would you want to get married in a castle Y/N?-

You looked at him feeling a little tingly. -You mean right now?- of course you’d love to marry Namjoon anywhere but marry in a castle would be amazing, you hadn’t thought about marrying yet so his question caught you off guard.

-Yes- he answered and you opened your eyes widely. -No, wait!- he rushed to say. -I didn’t mean it like that, but I mean if you want to, getting marrying in castle holds a lot of meaning Y/N because it is a historical place, if you think it through a lot of things have happened between these walls, theres a special energy in that Y/N, it would be awesome as it would give a marriage a lot to talk about, not that I’m saying we should get married now, or in a castle if you don’t want, but if you want, I mean, it could be awesome-

You just stared at him babbling in a nervous mess, you didn’t even know what was he saying, you were too giddy thinking about marrying him and him talking about it this openly, in the middle of your vacations.

You giggled, standing in your tip toes to kiss him. -I would love to-

He smiled, returning the kiss.

One of your must stops was the Latvian Opera House, eastern Europe had a distinct style for ballets and operas so you really wanted to go and see it for yourself. It was getting getting closer to the hour that you were close to finally see it, so you were checking you had all your essentials before going to get a cab, you were putting your lipstick shade in your little bag when you saw your boyfriend touching his pockets nervously to then jump around his things, going through his bag and wallet almost dropping all its contents on the mattress.

You just stared at him, gathering all your patience and love for that precious human being. You sighed and cleared your throat. -You lost them, didn’t you?-

Namjoon turned to you with a panicking face. -I swore I put them in my pockets but now I… I can’t find them-

You went to him and helped him search in the mess he had in his bag, but the tickets were gone and most probably you weren’t going to find them anytime soon.

Namjoon looked at you with a strained face, you sighed but tried to stay positive regardless.

-I’m so sorry Y/N, I should have given them to you as soon as I bought them, I was so dumb, I’m useless with these things I swear-

You caressed his hand, you were a little disappointed that you weren’t going to the ballet, but you really hated Namjoon beating himself up for this. -It’s ok Joonie, I should have taken them away from you- he gave you a hopeless smile and you giggled a little. -Besides, it’s not like its our last day in Latvia, we can go another day, and I will keep the tickets this time-

He smiled a bit more after that. -You are amazing Y/N, a saint-

You stayed sitting in bed for a while thinking what to do now, night would be falling soon and you were running out of ideas, but then Namjoon brighten up and told you he knew how to make up for this.

He didn’t tell you were he was taking you but when you arrived you recognized the place as you had wanted to visit it.

-I think we could take a walk around here and take some pictures, everyone says the sunsets are beautiful here, it’s not the ballet but…-

You smiled at him. -It’s perfect-

Namjoon had taken you to Kemeri Bog Boardwalk, it was in a national park a little bit retired from the city, so you could see the nature fully. The sky views were amazing and as you started to walk you realized everything around was.

It was literally a walk on a board through the bog, Namjoon and you soon started to make jokes about falling down in the muddy ground and sinking, your bets were on you and actually you were a bit worried he would actually fall down. So you were walking tightly holding onto each other, but of course taking a lot of pictures of the sun and of nature, and in Namjoon’s case of you as well.

You took one of him, catching him with closed eyes as the last rays of the sun of Latvia fell on his cheeks. You were glad you had taken this trip, to come here with him and experience so many things, and knowing that there was always something to be done when you embraced the unexpected, if there was something that Latvia had done for you was to bring you closer.

Dumb AC concept ideas

So this is basically a info dump of ideas for potential AC games and concepts that its been playing with in my head, it's mostly me nerding out about junk (look if I can info dump about Teotihuacan I’ll do it.) like it's ideas that I think would be cool and what id want to see in future installments, even if they aren't likely to happen. It's also written super casually cause I started making this in a burst of inspiration at like 2 am and yet still got distracted from it cause I started going on tangents. So it's a bit of a mess. I’m totally down for bouncing ideas around if anyone has their own concepts.

1920’s jazz age assassin from the beginning of unity and the abstergo employee handbook. "The lives and failures of the most degenerate Americans to ever grace the world's stage - Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Stein." please tell me how this doesn't sound cool as shit? Okokokokokokok SO… CARS. like this dude would have a car (and of course the player can earn different cars and looks for their car and junk, including a yellow Duesenberg… like come on if he knew Fitzgerald they gotta let this dude drive Gatsby's car.)  I think there can be an argument about him having a rope launcher attachment buuut maybe not??? I mean a car and a rope launcher would be dope as hell. The dude probably bounced between Paris and New York if he's a genuine jazz age junkie like how abstergo describes him and his writer pals. Also it would be cool to meet Picasso… also his base of operations should be a fucking speakeasy, like duh, like where else would a 1920’s assassin camp out? I don’t really have any plot ideas but the concept of a jazz age assassin is cool enough for me to want it this badly.

1970’s-1980’s William Miles in a corporate espionage type game, like i know he had Desmond in 1987 but he was an active filed assassin in 1977 when he was in Moscow so clearly he could've been doing other junk around then. It doesn't have to be him, i just want a 70’d-80’s assassin trying to fuck with abstergo and trying to steal animus research or something. Like Alieen Bock died in 81 and that was at the height of animus research before abstergo started really investing in it cause of Vidic. Like the surrogate initiative and the animus project are… basically the same thing really. Like knowing that Altair and Ezio were not actually related until their bloodlines crossed with Desmond. So with the memory keys being cited as an integral part of the animus project they obviously had a role to play in the surrogate project. Besides the newer games are pretty loosey-goosey with how the DNA and animus junk works now, with the spear having DNA traces or whatever and its corrupted enough that we could… choose things?? (don't ask questions just have fun i guess.) ok i’m over thinking this stuff… but come on… disco!!!!! Please please please have a disco assassination. Like… the idea of an assassin taking out a target at the disco is cool enough for me to want it. ALSO!!! If it goes into the 80’s then please for the love of god a Thriller inspired outfit would be to die for. Like i know getting the exact look would be a trademark nightmare but an inspired look may be able to get away with it. I just want some real corporate espionage type missions while dressed in some brightly colored dorky(cool as shit) 70’s/80’s fashion.

So like… ANYTHING from ancient Andean culture. So The Chimú or the Moche… that would be cool, but I'd settle for Wari and Tiwanaku. I just kinda want to see Chan Chan recreated. And Moche art was so fucking good like… idk man they're making video games that are mostly of ancient cultures now so the possibility of them making something in a more modern setting is slim to none. Like come on they're gonna want to make like idk maybe one more really ancient cultural game so they can still reuse assets again before making a whole new saga. That's just their track record. The problem with doing an ancient andean cultural video game is that there isn't a lot to work with other then our knowledge of the architecture and artistry of the ancient peoples. We have art documentary significant events but there isn't really any historical recordings so there's no significant figures to meet or events to take part in that we know of right now. BUT that also means that hey if Ubisoft wants us to have freedom of choice within the narrative this would be a great opportunity.

Speaking of ancient culturesssss ancient Mexican cultures would be REALLY cool too. Like obviously Mayans culture is the first to come to mind but AC already kinda explored the Mayans so idk maybe a more underrated ancient culture deserves the spotlight. The Zapotec and other civilizations in the Oaxaca. Like this would be really cool since we actually see a rise in raiding and conquest warfare, like theres these bas-relief stone carvings called Las Danzantes which are actually depictions of sacrificial victims, most likely foreign captives. The architecture is also to die for like i’m a sucker for talud-tablero style stuff popping up in ancient Latin america. Also do i gotta say it? BALL COURTS!!! A recreation of the ancient ball game in a video game would be cool as shit my dudes like… please i want this so bad. Like how origins depicted mummification with respect I’d love to see the same kind of loving dedication to the funerary practices of the ancient peoples. (off topic completely but some latin american civilizations had their own forms of mummification) like i wanna see the abandonment of Monte Alban and the later use of it by the Mixtecs. But the most important thing about the celebration of the ancient Zapotec would be the ability to celebrate the modern Zapotec culture, that would just be cool. Ok I’ll finish up this train of ideas with the one i really really really want to see recreated, the original Teotihuacan, before the Aztecs found it. With the pyramids being painted and covered in beautiful carvings and, of course, talud-tablero style architecture. It's basically the biggest ancient city in mesoamerica with hidden cave systems that we are still finding today and so much of the ancient city was built over because it might've been covered up or eroded to the point where no one knew it was there, or because there wasn't really anyone who cared enough to uh, not build on top of historical sites. Modern mexico city is built all around and on top of it (apparently you can see Walmart from the top of the temple of the sun…) so its a huge ancient city that was really colorful and really populated with crazy ancient tunnels underneath the pyramids that we’ve only discovered recently so how fucking cool are those possibilities? Like i just can't get over the idea of some assassin-esque person climbing up red pyramids and sitting next to statues and carvings of Queztalcoatl painted in a turquoise. Ancient farms and city life thriving. From what we know about it, like many other ancient latin american cities it was abandoned at some point, exactly why is unclear though (probably a mix of things cause there wasn't any kings really but more like… neighborhood councils (that's the best guess rn)). It was an actual city though, most archaeologists compare it to modern cities due to its city planning and its huge population. What was left behind was so spectacular that when the Aztecs found it they legit thought it was the city of the gods. This was a real fucking city and I’m crazy about it man i want it in a fucking video game my dudes.

COWBOYS PLEASE. Like i know rdr2 came out so they probably wont do it (for a while at least) and they already have the gold rush assassin so they've dabbled with cowboy stuff but… cowboys… like theres nothing else to say really… Cowboys. Also like i know how AC is pretty much ass melee combat and cowboys means guns and lots of guns and bows and probably rope darts. But… folding swords. That my shitty solution to have melee combat, like syndicate had melee and some gun stuff cause duh, but it was mostly melee. Like you can make the game centered around stealth so a lot more sneaking then combat, kinda like in unity. I have a few ideas for this one but most of them play into my own personal cowboy wish fulfillment fantasy of owning a farm with snakes for the production of venoms and other toxins. It's hard to explain but i kinda really want to see someone with a snake/spider enclosure where they produce venoms for the protag to use. The specific time period i have in mind is like 1870-1888 but it could defo go later. It's just that was peak for a lot of famous gunslingers and robberies. And Mesa Verde was basically rediscovered in the late 1880’s (its kinda weird like it was “officially” discovered in 88 but others saw it before that soooo. Also Montezuma Castle would be cool to visit in game as well. I dont have have a lot of knowledge about mesa verde or Montezuma but i know they're cool af.) the wild west is just ripe with possibility so i have some hope they’ll do one in the future but i don't see it happening anytime within the next couple of years.

Please for the love of god give me a AC3/unity dual sequel. Set in 1798 Egypt before during and maybe a little after the french invasion of Egypt. There would be a ton to work around and justify to get that to happen in universe buuuuut… i want it so badly. I have a shit ton of ideas but im saving all of that for a rainy day. 

I wouldn't mind if they actually did stuff with WWI, mostly cause i really like that one WWI assassin from project legacy and Lydia's whole thing was really cool.

Ok I’m kinda on burn out after all that cause I just… its 4 AM and i’m supposed to be writing a paper but I made this big fucking oops.

Tagged by: @musical-jim (Sorry I used most of your questions, but theres no way I could think of 20 original questions) 

Rules → answer 20 questions and tag 20 followers you would like to get to know better. 

•Name: Bethany 

• Zodiac Sign: Scorpio 

• Height: I honestly don't know how tall I am, but I assume I'm average height 

• What languages do you speak?: I only know english at the moment, but I want to learn another language eventually. 

• Nationality: Australian 

•What does your hair look like: My hair is long and brown with these natural golden highlights

• Favourite Fruit: I'd say either strawberries, raspberries or watermelons (berrys and melons are fruits right?) 

• Favourite Season: I'm a bit biased here because of my birthday, but spring's always a pretty nice part of the year. You got flowers starting to appear and the weather starts to get warmer and it starts to be suitable beach weather (also Halloween's during this time where I am) 

• Favourite Colours: Dark blue and purple! Also if you count black as a colour then definitely that too 

• Favourite Animal: I like lots of animals, but some of my favourites are otters, cats, lizards, african painted dogs, foxes and crows 

• Coffee, Tea or Hot Chocolate: Hot Chocolate! Sipping hot chocolate while wrapped in a blanket when it's raining is the best feeling! 

• Average Hours of Sleep: 7 and a half hours on a typical day 

•Is it day or night where you are right now: It's pretty dark out there right now 

• Dream Trip: A massive trip around Europe! There's so many cool and historic places I want to go there! Ireland is beautiful, The Netherlands and Germany's interesting, Scotland seems cool and It'd be cool to see my relatives who live in England and Wales. I'd probably need to break up the trip in parts though because it'd be such a huge trip 

 •Blog Created: I think it was sometime during 2016. I’ve deleted lots of my earlier posts though so its hard for me to tell the exact month

 •Random Fact About Where You Live: The state I live in has a capital city that might as well be a regular town with some tall buildings because it's about as interesting and big 

 •Is Australia Really That Dangerous: Oh god yes. 

 •Skills you want to improve on: My writing is okay, but I really need to write more so I can improve. I'd love to be able to draw and sing as well, but I'm a bit discouraged to practice 

 •Favourite instruments to listen to: I used to play cello and now I love the sound of string instruments. Bass, cello, violin, acoustic guitar and double bass are so nice sounding. Trumpets in certain situations can also sound really good 

•Favourite thing about yourself: I'd have to say my hair. I love the shade and I'm so happy with how it is (Only problem is that it knots easily and takes forever to dry) 

(Sorry it took me so long to answer this) 

Tags: @indycat11 @kissing-monsters @etheartist26 @fafnir-the-golden-dragon @majorly-confused-nerd-demon @rabidrabbitrabato @asecretmarkiplier @gamerwolf17 @sarcasticlicorne @its-a-face-off @taylormademediocrity @cats-n-cas @myhomosexuallyfakeromance @trashbird-s @iiiim-ethan @melissatreglia @nekogen @bzz-knzz @samakel02 @loki-isnt-so-lucky

MY PRESENTATION- IT’S NOT JUST A HAIR STYLE

My topic is identity. My project has mainly focused on how race and gender are part of my identity. I’ve looked at other black artists, feminists and how important I think that those communities are and how they impact me. But also how being a person of colour, being mixed race, and a woman have affected me. And addressing somethings like my hair growing up and my hair now as a part of my identity and also about inclusivity, wanting to see people who looked like me growing up in books and on television. I’ve been exploring this from a personal perspective and also looking at other theorists and also artists who look at similar themes.

For a lot of people culture, race , ethnicity is part of their identity. Its part of your history, your lineage and for some people a huge sense of pride. For my presentation I will be focusing on a reading called “ Hair matters”.

Below there are some terms in the reading and terms I will use to discuss my topic.

CULTURAL APPROPRIATION-

“the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture:"

BLACK FACE-

“black makeup worn (as by a performer in a minstrel show) in a caricature of the appearance of a black person

also : a performer wearing such makeup

NOTE: The wearing of blackface by white performers was, from the early 19th through the mid-20th centuries, a prominent feature of minstrel shows and similar forms of entertainment featuring exaggerated and inaccurate caricatures of black people. Its modern occurrence in imitation of such performers is considered deeply offensive.”

WHITE PRIVILEGE-

“the fact of people with white skin having advantages in society that other people do not have:

The concept of white privilege explains why white people have greater access to society's legal and political institutions."

MELTING POT-

“A melting pot is a metaphor for a society where many different types of people blend together as one. America is often called a melting pot. Some countries are made of people who are almost all the same in terms of race, religion, and culture. Historically, it is often used to describe the assimilation of immigrants to the United States.[1] The melting-together metaphor was in use by the 1780s.["

CULTURAL EXHCHANGE-

“provide an opportunity to explore other cultures, traditions, customs, beliefs, societies, languages and much more. Hence, such opportunities make you view the world with a different lens. This provides alternative perspectives! It broadens one's horizons and increases the tendency of acceptance.  “

TRANS-CULTURATION-

“ is a term coined by Cuban anthropologist Fernando Ortiz in 1947 to describe the phenomenon of merging and converging cultures.”

THE READING-

these extracts are from a book called Hair Matters, written by Ingrid Banks in 2000.

The reading I will look at further and more in depth in my blog. But I just wanted to refer to some parts from these extracts, which build a picture of how hair plays a big part in identity for other people.

The introduction explains there’s a lot of anecdotes from different people. And  “ their experiences with hair, intersecting with race, gender, motherhood, freedom, law, appropriation and identity”

Straight away it highlights all the issues surround hair and black women. It is not as simple as just hair- it can cause discrimination, law suits with work or education, cultural appropriation, gender and hair length, and cultural aspects of how women wear their hair. And how all these different personal experiences build a very individual picture of what hair means to them and how it plays a part in their identity. And because it can be individual and personal how these discussions need to start .

In some instances for people of colour hairstyles can result in certain prejudgments being made and stereotypes being assumed. The extract states “ I infer that hundreds, perhaps even thousands of Afro- wearing Black women were arrested, harassed and arrested by the police, FBI and immigration agents during the two months I spent underground” which is in reference to natural hair at the time immediately being associated with “ radical black groups”.  And today, other assumptions may be made about class, hygiene, and other things based on someones dreadlocks or braids. Also resulting in discrimination and job loss.

“ Understand how hair meanings represent broader articulations about beauty, power and a black woman’s consciousness “  then going on to explain the consciousness as something“… that represents difference and the multiple realities that black women face” and that “ A social and political history and reality exist that constitutes what is meant to be black and female within a racist and sexist society”. Showing that a hair style should not just simply be taken at face value. That it can be a paving journey for some women to finding self love, or acceptance. It can be a hair care change or be and this is known as a “ hair journey” for many black women.  And say how their hair can define their “blackness”. Whether there’s a certain image of the time period or wanting to look different and stand out like the afro , where the civil rights movement inspired people to wear their hair naturally.

And even though this book was written in 2000, I would like to highlight the relevance. This month, February 2019 it was made illegal to discriminate in a work place for people of colour in New York City. Which is shocking to me because that means it is still legal in many states to fire an employee based on their hair in other states in America, in 2019. People are loosing their jobs for what is a hair style. Below are some extracts from the reading “ hair matters” where I have got the quotes from.

Personally I can’t agree that when it comes to dreadlocks and braids that  “ its just a hair style”.  The problem stems from generations  of discrimination but also the Eurocentric beauty standards. When for two reasons it isn't as simple as that for us. One there may be generations of culture or history behind that item of clothing and/or hairstyle.

Two, for the fact that it would be nice if it was “just hair” but the simple fact it isn’t unfortunatlety. But there are literally thousands of articles and stories of people being discriminated against for having dreadlocks or braids. From being kicked out of school, loosing a job, all because of a hair style,. Furthermore,  for many this hair style may be used as protective styling for many people, braids and cornrow are to maintain the condition of their hair and essential in order to manage their hair. Others have their hair for spiritual reasons, like dreadlocks for people who are Rastafarian.

To go further back to slavery cornrows were used as a protective styling and essential for them. They were only allowed one day of the week, Sunday. To do their hair, which meant they had to maintain the same style for a whole week. And this was after a few years. When slaves first were taken to America they were forced to shave their heads. Which stripped them of any choice, any identity. Because from the tribes in Africa people coloured their hair, weaved materials into their hair and braids which were used to signify who you were, where you were from and your status in the society.

The problem sets in when this is normalised or ‘white washed’ it in turn wipes away the culture. In this photo Kim Kardashian is wearing Fulani braids. I Some may argue that she has a black husband and mixed race children, and she wants to be inclusive. But the problem prevails when the disregard for where it came from arises.

But Kim posted the photo on Instagram with   M followers she said “ bo braids”...

*Fulani Braids come from the fulani tribe. “Fulani. Fulani, also called Peul or Fulbe, a primarily Muslim people scattered throughout many parts of West Africa, from Lake Chad, in the east, to the Atlantic coast. They are concentrated principally inNigeria, Mali, Guinea, Cameroon, Senegal, and Niger.” https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fulani

However, the Bo braids Kim was referring to was in reference to actress Bo Derek who had Fulani braids for the 1979 film 10. She said in a video she's wearing “ bo braids” and “ she's really feeling this look”. Not only is it not the correct term, or giving recognition to where it actually originated from. But after the film 10, people of colour were getting fired from jobs for their hair style. Even having court cases rejected because the court deemed people to be “ copying from the film not culture” . And thats where it becomes a problem, because bo Derek had the opportunity to be “ deliberately provocative” and wear a black hairstyle at the time was un common. And it became a trend, a trend which had repercussions for the lives of black women. Who were wearing their hair in a style of their culture for maintainace, protection or even just styling, were denied the right to do so.

And still from 1979, it wasn't learnt that this blatant disregard and ignorance for black culture, is damaging. Kim references it in 2018 as “bo vibes” as if its history repeating its self and no-one has learnt.

What is evident is that designers have a blatant disregard for consideration of their customers who are of colour, their customers who and worse, an almost arrogance amongst the fashion industry to continually insult and disregard the feedback and backlash that they recieve from the black community. And for me that comes from a stand point of being  in the position of a white privellage. Where it is allowed to disregard and not consider the effect on the black community .

And then theres the infamous Marc Jacobs SS17 runway show where he had all his models wearing dreadlocks attached to their heads. Which caused a lot of controversy.

Designer Marc Jacob responded “ funny how its not a problem when people of colour straighten their hair”

Firstly not all “ people of colour” have curly hair , many hair textures which vary between person to person. Not only is the comment ignorant to the disregard that P.O.C can have straight hair it is worsened by the fact that “ straightened hair” is not a culture, it’s a genetic factor, similarly to having curly hair. Because it is not a culture it is not being appropriated. DR DELICE said that cultural appropriation  "happens when there are power inequalities between different cultures” and that is the problem here. Furthermore, this is comment comes after years and years of people believing that it was more desirable to have straight hair. Generations of instilling that it is better to be white and more beautiful to be white. Even after slavery was abolished and black people were moving from Southern States more North to cities like New York. And it was encouraged to wear wigs and perm your hair as it was seen as more Hollywood more glamorous. Women used knives and hot combs to get straight hair back in the 1800’s and then later in the 1860’s people were using potato, egg and lye. Which often caused severe burns to the scalp . People went to extreme lengths to conform to beauty standards and these attempts often resulted in people loosing their hair https://www.bustle.com/articles/189044-a-brief-disturbing-history-of-all-the-times-society-straightened-afro-textured-hair .  And therefore, I believe the criticism he received was justified because even when confronted on the matter Marc Jacobs, did not credit where the style was influenced from him and his stylist said “ rave culture” and then made his uninformed remark about straightened hair.

Marc Jacob in ANOTHER instance got recignition for the “ mini bun” a “ new trend”. Which is also known as bantu knots.

Jane kellock works in the fashion industry, she has worked for Topshop and many other brands.She said...

"Design is a mish-mash of different styles, cultures, ideas - and that's what makes it interesting," she says.

"I really, genuinely don't think that designers look at other cultures and think 'I'm just going to copy that and I'm going to rip off that culture'."

JANE KELLOCK- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-46297329.

Which I believe would be a lot of peoples response that cultural appropriation is sometimes appreciation. And a lot of people may consider that in the world we live in, that there is an amalgamation of people and cultures and that its only right to share and appreciate what else is around you. And I am not suggesting that all designers deliberatly “ rip-off” cultures. But whether intentional or simple ignorance the problem still stands, it is happening. 

But she then went on to say...

"Fashion brands have to be more aware and diverse in general, because they're not. They're really not.”

"They'd rather use a celebrity that they know will get lots of people interested in it, rather than the original source of the idea.”

"In most cases, unfortunately, designers don't even have time to undertake proper research and appreciate a culture.”

She acknowledges the lack of diversity and inclusivity for P.O.C in these industries. 

Going back to the earlier point about Eurocentric beauty standards. Even amongst the black community there are issues surrounding  colourism, without including other races. There is an ideology amongst a lot of people of colour that it is more desirable to be lighter it is more desirable to have a paler complexion than to be a dark skin woman. Which is relevant again for me and my project more personally women of colour. There is often a sense of inadequacy. I didnt really notice too much until I was older the distinction with “ light skin “ or girls being “ lighties” and this being a sexualised preference for some men.  And also the term “exotic” and the derogatory undertones of highlighting that essentially you’re “ different”. That the lighter you are the more attractive you are which also ties into hair. Black hair is often described as messy, nappy, frizzy often quite negative descriptions people pay a lot of money to get hair relaxed, treated or wigs or weaves to achieve a different look. And of course, for a lot of people this is a choice, and some people do like change. But it stems from certain beauty standards which we are upheld to. With hair shops throughout the UK selling bleaching and lightening creams and even ‘celebrities’ like Blacc Chyna selling lightening cream in Nigeria to impressionable followers, who will believe this light skinned sucessful rich blonde woman is the standard of woman they’re against. 

As it said in the extract also black hair comes with stereo types and labels. And after years of women trying to conform to the Eurocentric beauty standard people do wear their natural hair more than in previous decades and it is frustrating to often hear these styles are ghetto or hood or ratchet but may be called “ urban” “raw” when not referring to a person of colour with the same styles.

Recently more so there has been a celebration of natural hair, curly hair,  with yearly conventions like “ CURL FEST” and other festivals encouraging embracing who you are and what you were born with . A lot of people are transitioning their hair back to natural and stopping using harsh relaxers which are very damaging to afro hair.

On top of all of this, I think that there’s also a blatant disregard  for black customers and black people in general for a lot of high end brands.

Recently a lot of designers have been called  out for creating racially insensitive clothing . Even last month, it was Black History Month and people were highlighting on twitter and other social media platforms which then led to the companies often removing the stock and following with some kind of apology.  But Prada, have released the “ black monkey red lips” Gucci last month the black balaclava with red lips,  chanel and their urban tie cap ( du rag you can get anywhere for a pound) , D&G and their $2,395 SLAVE flip flops, Moncler and their “ penguin Malfi, from friendswithyou” a campaign from Moncler who said the aim was “global friendship”, and Burberry and their “noose” which people were offended at the history of lynching and even insensitivity also towards suicide victims.  

These brands announce diversity education and initiatives  in order to “ stop these kind of events happening again”.  But it seems unnecessary   for these things to ever occur in the first place and to believe its even accidental in the first place seems naive. And makes it hard to want to “share” braids, and dreadlocks, and dashikis when high end brands also sell wolly wog printed items and blackface. 

So it calls me to ask how will society move forward as a melting pot of cultures or a society built on difference but acceptance. Holding the title ‘ white privilege  ’ isn't a fault of anyone now but it is deep rooted into society but to me, it should just be handled well and with consideration. And SHOULD therefore prioritise the other cultures before taking casual wear and someones hair style at face value. And to wear it as though it is simply just a costume, or just an accessory. A lot of people will argue its not our job to educate others, but I think it’s good to start the discussion .

 bada bing bada boom a few days late but heres a new layered map with the 10.0 map. you can tell where i actually stopped caring. the lakes and st louis match up and you can kinda tell the general position of the rest. ive given up on being productive so ive made a list of the named cities/present day names and any significant or interesting things i can find about them. theres only so many wikipedia pages i can read before i go insane so def add your own comments if you know shit i didnt talk about. kinda long so ill put it under read more

Houst = Houston - largest city in Texas, home of the Johnson Space Center aka Mission Control, gorgeous skyline, p dope looking city culture, god why are the big Texas cities so pretty, fuk u Bloodworth why do u get to live in such a pretty place

Jeffers = Jefferson City - capital city of Missouri, called America’s Most Beautiful Small Town, in the wine area of Missouri, home to the oldest operating prison west of the Mississippi where Emma Goldman was held

Bluff = Poplar Bluff - not in Missouri, in Missourah, pretty Art Deco theater, honestly i got nothing else its in the Ozarks, actual quote from the wiki page “Poplar Bluff is the meth capital of the world”

Field = Springfield - birthplace of Lincoln, the capital city of Illinois, all i found was about Lincoln, every kid from St Louis has been there at least once

Milk = Milwaukee - according to my friend from there its hecka gay, got a solid brewing culture, the tallest building is v ugly so im not gonna talk about it, the art muesum is so dope yall look at it, this plant place has some sci fi shit going on,

Cago = Chicago - not as cool as St Louis, fuck the cubs, fuck the blackhawks, white soxs ur cool, its got a pretty skyline ill give it that, its got good pizza too, still not as amazing as St Louis

Polis = Indianapolis - bigger than St Louis wth, the Children's Museum was my shit growing up, zoom zoom home of the Indy 500

Ville = Louisville - baseball bats are made here and theres a big bat outside the factory, horse races and shit is held here, super old water tower

Lexi = Lexington - more horse racing, wikipedia aint really giving me shit sorry

Cinn = Cincinnati - check out this hella dope building, got a bunch of colleges

Ayton = Dayton - big on aviation, pretty skyline

Annar = Ann Arbor - i got nothing sorry

Knox = Knoxville - i want to see how this survived the end ngl

Leston = Charleston - capital of West Virginia, home to McLaughlin Air Force Base, large amount of historically significant buildings (im a fan of St. John's Episcopal Church), home of the University of Charleston, about 20 high rises 

Burgh = Pittsburgh - so many damn bridges, big in the steel industry, historically industrial city, the Dark Knight Rises was filmed here, moved from industrial to technology, lots of jobs in hospitals and medical areas, home of the world’s largest furry con, the Cathedral of Learning, heavy in education, home of Sharon Needles

Rich = Richmond - got a lot of cast iron architecture which is cool af, got an art deco high school, idk what this building is but i love it

Ton =  Washington DC -*screaming* theres so much shit can i just not?, but imagine different factions in each of the muesums like how cool would that be, i could make a joke about famine nobles and politicans but im above that

another interesting thing is Node Omega looks like its in Atlanta

took me like 5 fucking days to do this im never going to do this again

10 of the worlds best city views: readers travel tips

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10 of the worlds best city views: readers travel tips

These stunning viewpoints put the fun into funiculars and the drama into panorama and many have art, bars and cafes to enjoy, too

Winning tip: Jaipur, India

Nahargarh Fort sprawls around a rocky outcrop above the Pink City of Jaipur in Rajasthan province. Take a rickshaw up the hairpin road or go in the evening and tackle the stiff 20-minute hike up the path from the citys northern edge. Wander the extensive battlements and find an empty rampart or dome-covered lookout for incredible views over the constant tumult of Jaipur. Grab a late beer at the forts Padao Cafe and watch the famous pink render of the citys buildings glow in the evening sun. SPD

Havana, Cuba

Photograph: Kate Hockenhull/Alamy

The best views of the colourful houses and sparkling blue bay of Havana can be found hiding in plain sight on the corner of the Plaza Vieja in Old Havana, at its tallest building: Edificio Gmez Vila. It was surprisingly bereft of visitors when I visited: after ascending in the lift and paying the two pesos ($2) to enter the terrace, I had the large terrace with its amaing views to myself. The panorama is worth the entry fee alone, but the show inside guiding you through live views from the only Cmara Obscura in the Caribbean, which offers 360-degree views of the city at 30x magnification, are worth a look too. lahabana.com Anna

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Verona, Italy

Photograph: Don White/Alamy

We discovered an extraordinary view over the rooftops of Veronas historic heart when we visited a wine festival there, with tasting stations throughout the city. The final tasting involved crossing Ponte Pietra and taking the funicular up to Castel San Pietro. Terraces extend in front of the castle, from where the view over medieval Verona, its towers and palaces all tucked inside a loop of the Adige river, is a stunner. Romantics should aim for sunset. The Reteodorico restaurant at the top of the funicular has garden terraces perfect for enjoying the panorama over a meal. Funicular 1 each way, funicolarediverona.it, reteodorico.com Martha

Bergen, Norway

Photograph: Yvette Cardozo/Alamy

Bergen after dark, viewed from near the top station of the Flibanen funicular railway, is a magical sight. The daytime view is impressive, but its as evening draws in that the lights of the city and ships around the harbour sparkle, especially if its cold and clear. If my partner and I hadnt had already had the talk about not getting married, that view might well have brought on a bended-knee moment You dont have to take the train to see it: you can walk up to the viewpoint from the city centre and head back down for a coffee, or another expensive beer, afterwards. 125kr return (11), 65kr single, visitbergen.com Keith Rickaby

Valparaso, Chile

This city is full of fantastic viewpoints, and you get a different sense of the place from each of them. A favourite was the terrace of Fauna, a hotel/restaurant that did excellent pisco sours in Cerro Alegre; depending on which direction you look, you either enjoy the sight of hundreds of colourful houses perched haphazardly on the citys 42 hills or, if you time it right, watch the moon rise over the mountains across the bay. The poet Pablo Neruda so loved looking over Valparaso that he built an amazingly surreal house (open for tours) high above it. Mains at Fauna from $9, faunahotel.cl Carly

Bilbao, Spain

Photograph: Paul Adams/Alamy

Whenever we take friends to Bilbao, our starting point is the Mount Artxanda funicular, providing them with a glorious perspective of the entire city and the way it sits perfectly between the encircling peaks. The funicular journey takes less than three minutes and costs 3.60 return, a far cry from rather more expensive counterparts in other cities. The view from the top is truly spectacular, taking in the whole city including the Casco Viejo, the Guggenheim museum, San Mams Stadium and countless bridges across the River Nervin. As an added bonus, the park at the summit is a perfect picnic spot. bilbaoturismo.net Stuart La-Ffin

Hanoi, Vietnam

Photograph: David Harding/Alamy

Check out the excellent observation deck at the top of the Lotte Center. An 8 ticket (adult) and a 50-second elevator ride will whisk you up to the 65th floor, where you can gawp at panoramic views across the city. The most spectacular elements are the two vertigo-inducing glass sky decks. You can spend as little or long as you want up top theres a bar, fast food stall, and cafe to keep your energy up for all those photo calls. Deck open until midnight. lottecenter.com.vn Jo Ditcham

New York City

Photograph: Yooran Park/Alamy

After paying $25 to shuffle around the Museum of Modern Art (Moma) with the hordes in the afternoon, we went in the evening to a free session at the Whitney Gallery of American Art in the Meatpacking district. On a Friday evening from 7-10pm it is pay-what-you-like in the stunning Renzo Piano-designed building. The views from the rooftop terraces over the lights of the Hudson, New Jersey and downtown were amazing. Better yet we had the place and exhibitions virtually to ourselves. And for a different city view, the High Line walkway just around the block allows a glimpse into the apartments of the rich and probably famous as you stroll by their windows. whitney.org Joanne Welding

Kyiv, Ukraine

Photograph: Grant Rooney Premium/Alamy

Pastel-hued St Andrews Church, at the top of a steep hill in the historic Podil district of Kyiv, has wonderful baroque architecture. But what really sets this church apart from the many others is the viewing platform, accessed for a mere 60p, which affords magnificent 360-degree views of the city. You can gaze down upon the colourful old houses, domed churches and the cobbled street known as the Andriyivskyy Descent before turning around to discover the river and modern city. Charlotte

Cape Town, South Africa

Photograph: National Geographic Image Collection/Alamy

This must be one of the most beautiful cities on Earth and the view from the top of Table Mountain is an obvious one. But not many people know its even more beautiful from neighbouring Lions Head. At almost 700 metres, Lions Head has the most breathtaking vistas of Cape Town below and the mountain above. The two-hour hike entails some steep ascents and, on one route, holding on to chains close to precipices (the main route signposted to the left is much easier) but its all very rewarding and lots of fun. The trail twists around the peak so you get views of the whole area. For the brave, theres also a vertigo-inducing rocky outcrop at the very top, perfect for posing on the Insta! Erika Lelovicova

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Affordable, Stat-Based Retail Strategy For Your Agency’s Clients

Posted by MiriamEllis

Retail clients are battling tough economics offline and tough competitors online. They need every bit of help your agency can give them. 

I was heartened when 75 percent of the 1,400+ respondents to the Moz State of Local SEO Industry Report 2019 shared that they contribute to offline strategy recommendations either frequently or at least some of the time. I can’t think of a market where good and relatively inexpensive experiments are more needed than in embattled retail. The ripple effect of a single new idea, offered up generously, can spread out to encompass new revenue streams for the client and new levels of retention for your agency.

And that’s why win-win seemed written all over three statistics from a 2018 Yes Marketing retail survey when I read it because they speak to motivating about one quarter to half of 1,000 polled customers without going to any extreme expense. Take a look:

I highly recommend downloading Yes Marketing’s complete survey which is chock-full of great data, but today, let’s look at just three valuable stats from it to come up with an actionable strategy you can gift your offline retail clients at your next meeting.

Getting it right: A little market near me

For the past 16 years, I’ve been observing the local business scene with a combination of professional scrutiny and personal regard. I’m inspired by businesses that open and thrive and am saddened by those that open and close.

Right now, I’m especially intrigued by a very small, independently-owned grocery store which set up shop last year in what I’ll lovingly describe as a rural, half-a-horse town not far from me. This locale has a single main street with less than 20 businesses on it, but I’m predicting the shop’s ultimate success based on several factors. A strong one is that the community is flanked by several much larger towns with lots of through traffic and the market is several miles from any competitor. But other factors which match point-for-point with the data in the Yes Marketing survey make me feel especially confident that this small business is going to “get it right”. 

Encourage your retail clients to explore the following tips.

1) The store is visually appealing

43–58 percent of Yes Marketing’s surveyed retail customers say they’d be motivated to shop with a retailer who has cool product displays, murals, etc. Retail shoppers of all ages are seeking appealing experiences.

At the market near me, there are many things going on in its favor. The building is historic on the outside and full of natural light on this inside, and the staff sets up creative displays, such as all of the ingredients you need to make a hearty winter soup gathered up on a vintage table. The Instagram crowd can have selfie fun here, and more mature customers will appreciate the aesthetic simplicity of this uncluttered, human-scale shopping experience.

For your retail clients, it won’t break the bank to become more visually appealing. Design cues are everywhere!

Share these suggestions with a worthy client:

Basic cleanliness is the starting point

This is an old survey, but I think we’re safe to say that at least 45 percent of retail customers are still put off by dirty premises — especially restrooms. Janitorial duties are already built into the budget of most businesses and only need to be accomplished properly. I continuously notice how many reviewers proclaim the word “clean” when a business deserves it.

Inspiration is affordable

Whatever employees are already being paid is the cost of engaging them to lend their creativity to creating merchandise displays that draw attention and/or solve problems. My hearty winter soup example is one idea (complete with boxed broth, pasta, veggies, bowls, and cookware). 

For your retail client? It might be everything a consumer needs to recover from a cold (medicine, citrus fruit, electric blanket, herbal tea, tissue, a paperback, a sympathetic stuffed animal, etc.). Or everything one needs to winterize a car, take a trip to a beach, build a beautiful window box, or pamper a pet. Retailers can inexpensively encourage the hidden artistic talents in staff.

Feeling stuck? The Internet is full of free retail display tips, design magazines cost a few bucks, and your clients’ cable bills already cover a subscription to channels like HGTV and the DIY network that trade on style. A client who knows that interior designers are all using grey-and-white palettes and that one TV ad after another features women wearing denim blue with aspen yellow right now is well on their way to catching customers’ eyes.

Aspiring artists live near your client and need work

The national average cost to have a large wall mural professionally painted is about $8,000, with much less expensive options available. Some retailers even hold contests surrounding logo design, and an artist near your client may work quite inexpensively if they are trying to build up their portfolio. I can’t predict how long the Instagram mural trend will last, but wall art has been a crowd-pleaser since Paleolithic times. Any shopper who stops to snap a photo of themselves has been brought in close proximity to your front door.

I pulled this word cloud out of the reviews of the little grocery store:

While your clients’ industries and aesthetics will vary, tell them they can aim for a similar, positive response from at least 49 percent of their customers with a little more care put into the shopping environment.

2) The store offers additional services beyond the sale of products

19–40 percent of survey respondents are influenced by value-adds. Doubtless, you’ve seen the TV commercials in which banks double as coffee houses to appeal to the young, and small hardware chains emphasize staff expertise over loneliness in a warehouse. That’s what this is all about, and it can be done at a smaller scale, without overly-strapping your retail clients.

At the market near me, reviews like this are coming in:

The market has worked out a very economic arrangement with a massage therapist, who can build up their clientele out of the deal, so it’s a win for everybody.

For your retail clients, sharing these examples could inspire appealing added services:

A small pet food chain is offering health consults in addition to selling merchandise.

Even small clothing boutiques can provide personal styling sessions.

I know of a particular auto parts store where salespeople show you how to change windshield wipers and headlight bulbs for free and it brings our household back almost every time..

It’s common for shops like toy stores to have kids’ birthday clubs, but sophisticated businesses offer loyalty programs, too

I wrote about offering shipping last year as an additional service with self-evident value in this age of convenience.

The cost of these efforts is either the salary of an employee, nominal or free.

3) The store hosts local events

20–36 percent of customers feel the appeal of retailers becoming destinations for things to learn and do. Coincidentally, this corresponds with two of the tasks Google dubbed micro-moments a couple of years back, and while not everyone loves that terminology, we can at least agree that large numbers of people use the Internet to discover local resources.

At the market near me, they’re doing open-mic readings, and this is a trend in many cities to which Google Calendar attests:

For your clients, the last two words of that event description are key. When there’s a local wish to build community, retail businesses can lend the space and the stage. This can look like:

Any type of class, like these ones that teach how to operate an appliance or machinery, how to re-skill at something like wilderness survival, or how to cook/make things.

Any type of event, like the open mic night I’ve cited, above, or celebrations, or appearances by well-known locals such as authors, or ongoing club meetups.

Any type of special appeal, like this recycling deal gifting participants $20 off new jeans if they donate their old ones, or housing a drop-off point for light bulbs, batteries or charitable giving, or hosting the kick-off of a neighborhood cleanup with some added benefit to participants like a breakfast or discount.

Again, costs here can be quite modest and you’ll be bringing the community together under the banner of your business.

Putting it in writing

The last item on the budget for any of these ventures is whatever it costs to publicize it. For sure, your client will want:

A homepage announcement and/or one or more blog posts

Google Posts, Q&A, photos and related features

Social mentions

If the concept is large enough (or the community is small) some outreach to local news in hopes of a write-up and inclusion of local/social calendars

Link building would be great if the client can afford a reasonable investment in your services, where necessary

And, of course, be sure your client’s local business listings are accurate so that newcomers aren’t getting lost on their way to finding the cool new offering

Getting the word out about events, features, and other desirable attributes don’t have to be exorbitant, but it will put the finishing touch on ensuring a community knows the business is ready to offer the desired experience.

Seeing opportunity

Sometimes, you’ll find yourself in a client meeting and things will be a bit flat. Maybe the client has been disengaged from your contract lately, or sales have been leveling out for lack of new ideas. That’s the perfect time to put something fresh on the table, demonstrating that you’re thinking about the client’s whole picture beyond CTR and citations.

One thing that I find to be an inspiring practice for agencies is to do an audit of competitors’ reviews looking for “holes” In many communities, shopping is really dull and reviews reflect that, with few shoppers feeling genuinely excited by a particular vertical’s local offerings. Your client could be the one to change that, with a little extra attention from you.

Every possibility won’t be the perfect match for every business, but if you can help the company see a new opportunity, the few minutes spent brainstorming could benefit you both.

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

from The Moz Blog http://tracking.feedpress.it/link/9375/11109719

Affordable, Stat-Based Retail Strategy For Your Agency’s Clients

Posted by MiriamEllis

Retail clients are battling tough economics offline and tough competitors online. They need every bit of help your agency can give them. 

I was heartened when 75 percent of the 1,400+ respondents to the Moz State of Local SEO Industry Report 2019 shared that they contribute to offline strategy recommendations either frequently or at least some of the time. I can’t think of a market where good and relatively inexpensive experiments are more needed than in embattled retail. The ripple effect of a single new idea, offered up generously, can spread out to encompass new revenue streams for the client and new levels of retention for your agency.

And that’s why win-win seemed written all over three statistics from a 2018 Yes Marketing retail survey when I read it because they speak to motivating about one quarter to half of 1,000 polled customers without going to any extreme expense. Take a look:

I highly recommend downloading Yes Marketing’s complete survey which is chock-full of great data, but today, let’s look at just three valuable stats from it to come up with an actionable strategy you can gift your offline retail clients at your next meeting.

Getting it right: A little market near me

For the past 16 years, I’ve been observing the local business scene with a combination of professional scrutiny and personal regard. I’m inspired by businesses that open and thrive and am saddened by those that open and close.

Right now, I’m especially intrigued by a very small, independently-owned grocery store which set up shop last year in what I’ll lovingly describe as a rural, half-a-horse town not far from me. This locale has a single main street with less than 20 businesses on it, but I’m predicting the shop’s ultimate success based on several factors. A strong one is that the community is flanked by several much larger towns with lots of through traffic and the market is several miles from any competitor. But other factors which match point-for-point with the data in the Yes Marketing survey make me feel especially confident that this small business is going to “get it right”. 

Encourage your retail clients to explore the following tips.

1) The store is visually appealing

43–58 percent of Yes Marketing’s surveyed retail customers say they’d be motivated to shop with a retailer who has cool product displays, murals, etc. Retail shoppers of all ages are seeking appealing experiences.

At the market near me, there are many things going on in its favor. The building is historic on the outside and full of natural light on this inside, and the staff sets up creative displays, such as all of the ingredients you need to make a hearty winter soup gathered up on a vintage table. The Instagram crowd can have selfie fun here, and more mature customers will appreciate the aesthetic simplicity of this uncluttered, human-scale shopping experience.

For your retail clients, it won’t break the bank to become more visually appealing. Design cues are everywhere!

Share these suggestions with a worthy client:

Basic cleanliness is the starting point

This is an old survey, but I think we’re safe to say that at least 45 percent of retail customers are still put off by dirty premises — especially restrooms. Janitorial duties are already built into the budget of most businesses and only need to be accomplished properly. I continuously notice how many reviewers proclaim the word “clean” when a business deserves it.

Inspiration is affordable

Whatever employees are already being paid is the cost of engaging them to lend their creativity to creating merchandise displays that draw attention and/or solve problems. My hearty winter soup example is one idea (complete with boxed broth, pasta, veggies, bowls, and cookware). 

For your retail client? It might be everything a consumer needs to recover from a cold (medicine, citrus fruit, electric blanket, herbal tea, tissue, a paperback, a sympathetic stuffed animal, etc.). Or everything one needs to winterize a car, take a trip to a beach, build a beautiful window box, or pamper a pet. Retailers can inexpensively encourage the hidden artistic talents in staff.

Feeling stuck? The Internet is full of free retail display tips, design magazines cost a few bucks, and your clients’ cable bills already cover a subscription to channels like HGTV and the DIY network that trade on style. A client who knows that interior designers are all using grey-and-white palettes and that one TV ad after another features women wearing denim blue with aspen yellow right now is well on their way to catching customers’ eyes.

Aspiring artists live near your client and need work

The national average cost to have a large wall mural professionally painted is about $8,000, with much less expensive options available. Some retailers even hold contests surrounding logo design, and an artist near your client may work quite inexpensively if they are trying to build up their portfolio. I can’t predict how long the Instagram mural trend will last, but wall art has been a crowd-pleaser since Paleolithic times. Any shopper who stops to snap a photo of themselves has been brought in close proximity to your front door.

I pulled this word cloud out of the reviews of the little grocery store:

While your clients’ industries and aesthetics will vary, tell them they can aim for a similar, positive response from at least 49 percent of their customers with a little more care put into the shopping environment.

2) The store offers additional services beyond the sale of products

19–40 percent of survey respondents are influenced by value-adds. Doubtless, you’ve seen the TV commercials in which banks double as coffee houses to appeal to the young, and small hardware chains emphasize staff expertise over loneliness in a warehouse. That’s what this is all about, and it can be done at a smaller scale, without overly-strapping your retail clients.

At the market near me, reviews like this are coming in:

The market has worked out a very economic arrangement with a massage therapist, who can build up their clientele out of the deal, so it’s a win for everybody.

For your retail clients, sharing these examples could inspire appealing added services:

A small pet food chain is offering health consults in addition to selling merchandise.

Even small clothing boutiques can provide personal styling sessions.

I know of a particular auto parts store where salespeople show you how to change windshield wipers and headlight bulbs for free and it brings our household back almost every time..

It’s common for shops like toy stores to have kids’ birthday clubs, but sophisticated businesses offer loyalty programs, too

I wrote about offering shipping last year as an additional service with self-evident value in this age of convenience.

The cost of these efforts is either the salary of an employee, nominal or free.

3) The store hosts local events

20–36 percent of customers feel the appeal of retailers becoming destinations for things to learn and do. Coincidentally, this corresponds with two of the tasks Google dubbed micro-moments a couple of years back, and while not everyone loves that terminology, we can at least agree that large numbers of people use the Internet to discover local resources.

At the market near me, they’re doing open-mic readings, and this is a trend in many cities to which Google Calendar attests:

For your clients, the last two words of that event description are key. When there’s a local wish to build community, retail businesses can lend the space and the stage. This can look like:

Any type of class, like these ones that teach how to operate an appliance or machinery, how to re-skill at something like wilderness survival, or how to cook/make things.

Any type of event, like the open mic night I’ve cited, above, or celebrations, or appearances by well-known locals such as authors, or ongoing club meetups.

Any type of special appeal, like this recycling deal gifting participants $20 off new jeans if they donate their old ones, or housing a drop-off point for light bulbs, batteries or charitable giving, or hosting the kick-off of a neighborhood cleanup with some added benefit to participants like a breakfast or discount.

Again, costs here can be quite modest and you’ll be bringing the community together under the banner of your business.

Putting it in writing

The last item on the budget for any of these ventures is whatever it costs to publicize it. For sure, your client will want:

A homepage announcement and/or one or more blog posts

Google Posts, Q&A, photos and related features

Social mentions

If the concept is large enough (or the community is small) some outreach to local news in hopes of a write-up and inclusion of local/social calendars

Link building would be great if the client can afford a reasonable investment in your services, where necessary

And, of course, be sure your client’s local business listings are accurate so that newcomers aren’t getting lost on their way to finding the cool new offering

Getting the word out about events, features, and other desirable attributes don’t have to be exorbitant, but it will put the finishing touch on ensuring a community knows the business is ready to offer the desired experience.

Seeing opportunity

Sometimes, you’ll find yourself in a client meeting and things will be a bit flat. Maybe the client has been disengaged from your contract lately, or sales have been leveling out for lack of new ideas. That’s the perfect time to put something fresh on the table, demonstrating that you’re thinking about the client’s whole picture beyond CTR and citations.

One thing that I find to be an inspiring practice for agencies is to do an audit of competitors’ reviews looking for “holes” In many communities, shopping is really dull and reviews reflect that, with few shoppers feeling genuinely excited by a particular vertical’s local offerings. Your client could be the one to change that, with a little extra attention from you.

Every possibility won’t be the perfect match for every business, but if you can help the company see a new opportunity, the few minutes spent brainstorming could benefit you both.

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

from The Moz Blog http://tracking.feedpress.it/link/9375/11109719

Affordable, Stat-Based Retail Strategy For Your Agency’s Clients

Posted by MiriamEllis

Retail clients are battling tough economics offline and tough competitors online. They need every bit of help your agency can give them. 

I was heartened when 75 percent of the 1,400+ respondents to the Moz State of Local SEO Industry Report 2019 shared that they contribute to offline strategy recommendations either frequently or at least some of the time. I can’t think of a market where good and relatively inexpensive experiments are more needed than in embattled retail. The ripple effect of a single new idea, offered up generously, can spread out to encompass new revenue streams for the client and new levels of retention for your agency.

And that’s why win-win seemed written all over three statistics from a 2018 Yes Marketing retail survey when I read it because they speak to motivating about one quarter to half of 1,000 polled customers without going to any extreme expense. Take a look:

I highly recommend downloading Yes Marketing’s complete survey which is chock-full of great data, but today, let’s look at just three valuable stats from it to come up with an actionable strategy you can gift your offline retail clients at your next meeting.

Getting it right: A little market near me

For the past 16 years, I’ve been observing the local business scene with a combination of professional scrutiny and personal regard. I’m inspired by businesses that open and thrive and am saddened by those that open and close.

Right now, I’m especially intrigued by a very small, independently-owned grocery store which set up shop last year in what I’ll lovingly describe as a rural, half-a-horse town not far from me. This locale has a single main street with less than 20 businesses on it, but I’m predicting the shop’s ultimate success based on several factors. A strong one is that the community is flanked by several much larger towns with lots of through traffic and the market is several miles from any competitor. But other factors which match point-for-point with the data in the Yes Marketing survey make me feel especially confident that this small business is going to “get it right”. 

Encourage your retail clients to explore the following tips.

1) The store is visually appealing

43–58 percent of Yes Marketing’s surveyed retail customers say they’d be motivated to shop with a retailer who has cool product displays, murals, etc. Retail shoppers of all ages are seeking appealing experiences.

At the market near me, there are many things going on in its favor. The building is historic on the outside and full of natural light on this inside, and the staff sets up creative displays, such as all of the ingredients you need to make a hearty winter soup gathered up on a vintage table. The Instagram crowd can have selfie fun here, and more mature customers will appreciate the aesthetic simplicity of this uncluttered, human-scale shopping experience.

For your retail clients, it won’t break the bank to become more visually appealing. Design cues are everywhere!

Share these suggestions with a worthy client:

Basic cleanliness is the starting point

This is an old survey, but I think we’re safe to say that at least 45 percent of retail customers are still put off by dirty premises — especially restrooms. Janitorial duties are already built into the budget of most businesses and only need to be accomplished properly. I continuously notice how many reviewers proclaim the word “clean” when a business deserves it.

Inspiration is affordable

Whatever employees are already being paid is the cost of engaging them to lend their creativity to creating merchandise displays that draw attention and/or solve problems. My hearty winter soup example is one idea (complete with boxed broth, pasta, veggies, bowls, and cookware). 

For your retail client? It might be everything a consumer needs to recover from a cold (medicine, citrus fruit, electric blanket, herbal tea, tissue, a paperback, a sympathetic stuffed animal, etc.). Or everything one needs to winterize a car, take a trip to a beach, build a beautiful window box, or pamper a pet. Retailers can inexpensively encourage the hidden artistic talents in staff.

Feeling stuck? The Internet is full of free retail display tips, design magazines cost a few bucks, and your clients’ cable bills already cover a subscription to channels like HGTV and the DIY network that trade on style. A client who knows that interior designers are all using grey-and-white palettes and that one TV ad after another features women wearing denim blue with aspen yellow right now is well on their way to catching customers’ eyes.

Aspiring artists live near your client and need work

The national average cost to have a large wall mural professionally painted is about $8,000, with much less expensive options available. Some retailers even hold contests surrounding logo design, and an artist near your client may work quite inexpensively if they are trying to build up their portfolio. I can’t predict how long the Instagram mural trend will last, but wall art has been a crowd-pleaser since Paleolithic times. Any shopper who stops to snap a photo of themselves has been brought in close proximity to your front door.

I pulled this word cloud out of the reviews of the little grocery store:

While your clients’ industries and aesthetics will vary, tell them they can aim for a similar, positive response from at least 49 percent of their customers with a little more care put into the shopping environment.

2) The store offers additional services beyond the sale of products

19–40 percent of survey respondents are influenced by value-adds. Doubtless, you’ve seen the TV commercials in which banks double as coffee houses to appeal to the young, and small hardware chains emphasize staff expertise over loneliness in a warehouse. That’s what this is all about, and it can be done at a smaller scale, without overly-strapping your retail clients.

At the market near me, reviews like this are coming in:

The market has worked out a very economic arrangement with a massage therapist, who can build up their clientele out of the deal, so it’s a win for everybody.

For your retail clients, sharing these examples could inspire appealing added services:

A small pet food chain is offering health consults in addition to selling merchandise.

Even small clothing boutiques can provide personal styling sessions.

I know of a particular auto parts store where salespeople show you how to change windshield wipers and headlight bulbs for free and it brings our household back almost every time..

It’s common for shops like toy stores to have kids’ birthday clubs, but sophisticated businesses offer loyalty programs, too

I wrote about offering shipping last year as an additional service with self-evident value in this age of convenience.

The cost of these efforts is either the salary of an employee, nominal or free.

3) The store hosts local events

20–36 percent of customers feel the appeal of retailers becoming destinations for things to learn and do. Coincidentally, this corresponds with two of the tasks Google dubbed micro-moments a couple of years back, and while not everyone loves that terminology, we can at least agree that large numbers of people use the Internet to discover local resources.

At the market near me, they’re doing open-mic readings, and this is a trend in many cities to which Google Calendar attests:

For your clients, the last two words of that event description are key. When there’s a local wish to build community, retail businesses can lend the space and the stage. This can look like:

Any type of class, like these ones that teach how to operate an appliance or machinery, how to re-skill at something like wilderness survival, or how to cook/make things.

Any type of event, like the open mic night I’ve cited, above, or celebrations, or appearances by well-known locals such as authors, or ongoing club meetups.

Any type of special appeal, like this recycling deal gifting participants $20 off new jeans if they donate their old ones, or housing a drop-off point for light bulbs, batteries or charitable giving, or hosting the kick-off of a neighborhood cleanup with some added benefit to participants like a breakfast or discount.

Again, costs here can be quite modest and you’ll be bringing the community together under the banner of your business.

Putting it in writing

The last item on the budget for any of these ventures is whatever it costs to publicize it. For sure, your client will want:

A homepage announcement and/or one or more blog posts

Google Posts, Q&A, photos and related features

Social mentions

If the concept is large enough (or the community is small) some outreach to local news in hopes of a write-up and inclusion of local/social calendars

Link building would be great if the client can afford a reasonable investment in your services, where necessary

And, of course, be sure your client’s local business listings are accurate so that newcomers aren’t getting lost on their way to finding the cool new offering

Getting the word out about events, features, and other desirable attributes don’t have to be exorbitant, but it will put the finishing touch on ensuring a community knows the business is ready to offer the desired experience.

Seeing opportunity

Sometimes, you’ll find yourself in a client meeting and things will be a bit flat. Maybe the client has been disengaged from your contract lately, or sales have been leveling out for lack of new ideas. That’s the perfect time to put something fresh on the table, demonstrating that you’re thinking about the client’s whole picture beyond CTR and citations.

One thing that I find to be an inspiring practice for agencies is to do an audit of competitors’ reviews looking for “holes” In many communities, shopping is really dull and reviews reflect that, with few shoppers feeling genuinely excited by a particular vertical’s local offerings. Your client could be the one to change that, with a little extra attention from you.

Every possibility won’t be the perfect match for every business, but if you can help the company see a new opportunity, the few minutes spent brainstorming could benefit you both.

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

Affordable, Stat-Based Retail Strategy For Your Agency’s Clients

Affordable, Stat-Based Retail Strategy For Your Agency’s Clients

Posted by MiriamEllis

Retail clients are battling tough economics offline and tough competitors online. They need every bit of help your agency can give them. 

I was heartened when 75 percent of the 1,400+ respondents to the Moz State of Local SEO Industry Report 2019 shared that they contribute to offline strategy recommendations either frequently or at least some of the time. I can’t think of a market where good and relatively inexpensive experiments are more needed than in embattled retail. The ripple effect of a single new idea, offered up generously, can spread out to encompass new revenue streams for the client and new levels of retention for your agency.

And that’s why win-win seemed written all over three statistics from a 2018 Yes Marketing retail survey when I read it because they speak to motivating about one quarter to half of 1,000 polled customers without going to any extreme expense. Take a look:

I highly recommend downloading Yes Marketing’s complete survey which is chock-full of great data, but today, let’s look at just three valuable stats from it to come up with an actionable strategy you can gift your offline retail clients at your next meeting.

Getting it right: A little market near me

For the past 16 years, I’ve been observing the local business scene with a combination of professional scrutiny and personal regard. I’m inspired by businesses that open and thrive and am saddened by those that open and close.

Right now, I’m especially intrigued by a very small, independently-owned grocery store which set up shop last year in what I’ll lovingly describe as a rural, half-a-horse town not far from me. This locale has a single main street with less than 20 businesses on it, but I’m predicting the shop’s ultimate success based on several factors. A strong one is that the community is flanked by several much larger towns with lots of through traffic and the market is several miles from any competitor. But other factors which match point-for-point with the data in the Yes Marketing survey make me feel especially confident that this small business is going to “get it right”. 

Encourage your retail clients to explore the following tips.

1) The store is visually appealing

43–58 percent of Yes Marketing’s surveyed retail customers say they’d be motivated to shop with a retailer who has cool product displays, murals, etc. Retail shoppers of all ages are seeking appealing experiences.

At the market near me, there are many things going on in its favor. The building is historic on the outside and full of natural light on this inside, and the staff sets up creative displays, such as all of the ingredients you need to make a hearty winter soup gathered up on a vintage table. The Instagram crowd can have selfie fun here, and more mature customers will appreciate the aesthetic simplicity of this uncluttered, human-scale shopping experience.

For your retail clients, it won’t break the bank to become more visually appealing. Design cues are everywhere!

Share these suggestions with a worthy client:

Basic cleanliness is the starting point

This is an old survey, but I think we’re safe to say that at least 45 percent of retail customers are still put off by dirty premises — especially restrooms. Janitorial duties are already built into the budget of most businesses and only need to be accomplished properly. I continuously notice how many reviewers proclaim the word “clean” when a business deserves it.

Inspiration is affordable

Whatever employees are already being paid is the cost of engaging them to lend their creativity to creating merchandise displays that draw attention and/or solve problems. My hearty winter soup example is one idea (complete with boxed broth, pasta, veggies, bowls, and cookware). 

For your retail client? It might be everything a consumer needs to recover from a cold (medicine, citrus fruit, electric blanket, herbal tea, tissue, a paperback, a sympathetic stuffed animal, etc.). Or everything one needs to winterize a car, take a trip to a beach, build a beautiful window box, or pamper a pet. Retailers can inexpensively encourage the hidden artistic talents in staff.

Feeling stuck? The Internet is full of free retail display tips, design magazines cost a few bucks, and your clients’ cable bills already cover a subscription to channels like HGTV and the DIY network that trade on style. A client who knows that interior designers are all using grey-and-white palettes and that one TV ad after another features women wearing denim blue with aspen yellow right now is well on their way to catching customers’ eyes.

Aspiring artists live near your client and need work

The national average cost to have a large wall mural professionally painted is about $8,000, with much less expensive options available. Some retailers even hold contests surrounding logo design, and an artist near your client may work quite inexpensively if they are trying to build up their portfolio. I can’t predict how long the Instagram mural trend will last, but wall art has been a crowd-pleaser since Paleolithic times. Any shopper who stops to snap a photo of themselves has been brought in close proximity to your front door.

I pulled this word cloud out of the reviews of the little grocery store:

While your clients’ industries and aesthetics will vary, tell them they can aim for a similar, positive response from at least 49 percent of their customers with a little more care put into the shopping environment.

2) The store offers additional services beyond the sale of products

19–40 percent of survey respondents are influenced by value-adds. Doubtless, you’ve seen the TV commercials in which banks double as coffee houses to appeal to the young, and small hardware chains emphasize staff expertise over loneliness in a warehouse. That’s what this is all about, and it can be done at a smaller scale, without overly-strapping your retail clients.

At the market near me, reviews like this are coming in:

The market has worked out a very economic arrangement with a massage therapist, who can build up their clientele out of the deal, so it’s a win for everybody.

For your retail clients, sharing these examples could inspire appealing added services:

A small pet food chain is offering health consults in addition to selling merchandise.

Even small clothing boutiques can provide personal styling sessions.

I know of a particular auto parts store where salespeople show you how to change windshield wipers and headlight bulbs for free and it brings our household back almost every time..

It’s common for shops like toy stores to have kids’ birthday clubs, but sophisticated businesses offer loyalty programs, too

I wrote about offering shipping last year as an additional service with self-evident value in this age of convenience.

The cost of these efforts is either the salary of an employee, nominal or free.

3) The store hosts local events

20–36 percent of customers feel the appeal of retailers becoming destinations for things to learn and do. Coincidentally, this corresponds with two of the tasks Google dubbed micro-moments a couple of years back, and while not everyone loves that terminology, we can at least agree that large numbers of people use the Internet to discover local resources.

At the market near me, they’re doing open-mic readings, and this is a trend in many cities to which Google Calendar attests:

For your clients, the last two words of that event description are key. When there’s a local wish to build community, retail businesses can lend the space and the stage. This can look like:

Any type of class, like these ones that teach how to operate an appliance or machinery, how to re-skill at something like wilderness survival, or how to cook/make things.

Any type of event, like the open mic night I’ve cited, above, or celebrations, or appearances by well-known locals such as authors, or ongoing club meetups.

Any type of special appeal, like this recycling deal gifting participants $20 off new jeans if they donate their old ones, or housing a drop-off point for light bulbs, batteries or charitable giving, or hosting the kick-off of a neighborhood cleanup with some added benefit to participants like a breakfast or discount.

Again, costs here can be quite modest and you’ll be bringing the community together under the banner of your business.

Putting it in writing

The last item on the budget for any of these ventures is whatever it costs to publicize it. For sure, your client will want:

A homepage announcement and/or one or more blog posts

Google Posts, Q&A, photos and related features

Social mentions

If the concept is large enough (or the community is small) some outreach to local news in hopes of a write-up and inclusion of local/social calendars

Link building would be great if the client can afford a reasonable investment in your services, where necessary

And, of course, be sure your client’s local business listings are accurate so that newcomers aren’t getting lost on their way to finding the cool new offering

Getting the word out about events, features, and other desirable attributes don’t have to be exorbitant, but it will put the finishing touch on ensuring a community knows the business is ready to offer the desired experience.

Seeing opportunity

Sometimes, you’ll find yourself in a client meeting and things will be a bit flat. Maybe the client has been disengaged from your contract lately, or sales have been leveling out for lack of new ideas. That’s the perfect time to put something fresh on the table, demonstrating that you’re thinking about the client’s whole picture beyond CTR and citations.

One thing that I find to be an inspiring practice for agencies is to do an audit of competitors’ reviews looking for “holes” In many communities, shopping is really dull and reviews reflect that, with few shoppers feeling genuinely excited by a particular vertical’s local offerings. Your client could be the one to change that, with a little extra attention from you.

Every possibility won’t be the perfect match for every business, but if you can help the company see a new opportunity, the few minutes spent brainstorming could benefit you both.

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

from The Moz Blog https://ift.tt/2H3SEsm via IFTTT

Affordable, Stat-Based Retail Strategy For Your Agency’s Clients

Posted by MiriamEllis

Retail clients are battling tough economics offline and tough competitors online. They need every bit of help your agency can give them. 

I was heartened when 75 percent of the 1,400+ respondents to the Moz State of Local SEO Industry Report 2019 shared that they contribute to offline strategy recommendations either frequently or at least some of the time. I can’t think of a market where good and relatively inexpensive experiments are more needed than in embattled retail. The ripple effect of a single new idea, offered up generously, can spread out to encompass new revenue streams for the client and new levels of retention for your agency.

And that’s why win-win seemed written all over three statistics from a 2018 Yes Marketing retail survey when I read it because they speak to motivating about one quarter to half of 1,000 polled customers without going to any extreme expense. Take a look:

I highly recommend downloading Yes Marketing’s complete survey which is chock-full of great data, but today, let’s look at just three valuable stats from it to come up with an actionable strategy you can gift your offline retail clients at your next meeting.

Getting it right: A little market near me

For the past 16 years, I’ve been observing the local business scene with a combination of professional scrutiny and personal regard. I’m inspired by businesses that open and thrive and am saddened by those that open and close.

Right now, I’m especially intrigued by a very small, independently-owned grocery store which set up shop last year in what I’ll lovingly describe as a rural, half-a-horse town not far from me. This locale has a single main street with less than 20 businesses on it, but I’m predicting the shop’s ultimate success based on several factors. A strong one is that the community is flanked by several much larger towns with lots of through traffic and the market is several miles from any competitor. But other factors which match point-for-point with the data in the Yes Marketing survey make me feel especially confident that this small business is going to “get it right”. 

Encourage your retail clients to explore the following tips.

1) The store is visually appealing

43–58 percent of Yes Marketing’s surveyed retail customers say they’d be motivated to shop with a retailer who has cool product displays, murals, etc. Retail shoppers of all ages are seeking appealing experiences.

At the market near me, there are many things going on in its favor. The building is historic on the outside and full of natural light on this inside, and the staff sets up creative displays, such as all of the ingredients you need to make a hearty winter soup gathered up on a vintage table. The Instagram crowd can have selfie fun here, and more mature customers will appreciate the aesthetic simplicity of this uncluttered, human-scale shopping experience.

For your retail clients, it won’t break the bank to become more visually appealing. Design cues are everywhere!

Share these suggestions with a worthy client:

Basic cleanliness is the starting point

This is an old survey, but I think we’re safe to say that at least 45 percent of retail customers are still put off by dirty premises — especially restrooms. Janitorial duties are already built into the budget of most businesses and only need to be accomplished properly. I continuously notice how many reviewers proclaim the word “clean” when a business deserves it.

Inspiration is affordable

Whatever employees are already being paid is the cost of engaging them to lend their creativity to creating merchandise displays that draw attention and/or solve problems. My hearty winter soup example is one idea (complete with boxed broth, pasta, veggies, bowls, and cookware). 

For your retail client? It might be everything a consumer needs to recover from a cold (medicine, citrus fruit, electric blanket, herbal tea, tissue, a paperback, a sympathetic stuffed animal, etc.). Or everything one needs to winterize a car, take a trip to a beach, build a beautiful window box, or pamper a pet. Retailers can inexpensively encourage the hidden artistic talents in staff.

Feeling stuck? The Internet is full of free retail display tips, design magazines cost a few bucks, and your clients’ cable bills already cover a subscription to channels like HGTV and the DIY network that trade on style. A client who knows that interior designers are all using grey-and-white palettes and that one TV ad after another features women wearing denim blue with aspen yellow right now is well on their way to catching customers’ eyes.

Aspiring artists live near your client and need work

The national average cost to have a large wall mural professionally painted is about $8,000, with much less expensive options available. Some retailers even hold contests surrounding logo design, and an artist near your client may work quite inexpensively if they are trying to build up their portfolio. I can’t predict how long the Instagram mural trend will last, but wall art has been a crowd-pleaser since Paleolithic times. Any shopper who stops to snap a photo of themselves has been brought in close proximity to your front door.

I pulled this word cloud out of the reviews of the little grocery store:

While your clients’ industries and aesthetics will vary, tell them they can aim for a similar, positive response from at least 49 percent of their customers with a little more care put into the shopping environment.

2) The store offers additional services beyond the sale of products

19–40 percent of survey respondents are influenced by value-adds. Doubtless, you’ve seen the TV commercials in which banks double as coffee houses to appeal to the young, and small hardware chains emphasize staff expertise over loneliness in a warehouse. That’s what this is all about, and it can be done at a smaller scale, without overly-strapping your retail clients.

At the market near me, reviews like this are coming in:

The market has worked out a very economic arrangement with a massage therapist, who can build up their clientele out of the deal, so it’s a win for everybody.

For your retail clients, sharing these examples could inspire appealing added services:

A small pet food chain is offering health consults in addition to selling merchandise.

Even small clothing boutiques can provide personal styling sessions.

I know of a particular auto parts store where salespeople show you how to change windshield wipers and headlight bulbs for free and it brings our household back almost every time..

It’s common for shops like toy stores to have kids’ birthday clubs, but sophisticated businesses offer loyalty programs, too

I wrote about offering shipping last year as an additional service with self-evident value in this age of convenience.

The cost of these efforts is either the salary of an employee, nominal or free.

3) The store hosts local events

20–36 percent of customers feel the appeal of retailers becoming destinations for things to learn and do. Coincidentally, this corresponds with two of the tasks Google dubbed micro-moments a couple of years back, and while not everyone loves that terminology, we can at least agree that large numbers of people use the Internet to discover local resources.

At the market near me, they’re doing open-mic readings, and this is a trend in many cities to which Google Calendar attests:

For your clients, the last two words of that event description are key. When there’s a local wish to build community, retail businesses can lend the space and the stage. This can look like:

Any type of class, like these ones that teach how to operate an appliance or machinery, how to re-skill at something like wilderness survival, or how to cook/make things.

Any type of event, like the open mic night I’ve cited, above, or celebrations, or appearances by well-known locals such as authors, or ongoing club meetups.

Any type of special appeal, like this recycling deal gifting participants $20 off new jeans if they donate their old ones, or housing a drop-off point for light bulbs, batteries or charitable giving, or hosting the kick-off of a neighborhood cleanup with some added benefit to participants like a breakfast or discount.

Again, costs here can be quite modest and you’ll be bringing the community together under the banner of your business.

Putting it in writing

The last item on the budget for any of these ventures is whatever it costs to publicize it. For sure, your client will want:

A homepage announcement and/or one or more blog posts

Google Posts, Q&A, photos and related features

Social mentions

If the concept is large enough (or the community is small) some outreach to local news in hopes of a write-up and inclusion of local/social calendars

Link building would be great if the client can afford a reasonable investment in your services, where necessary

And, of course, be sure your client’s local business listings are accurate so that newcomers aren’t getting lost on their way to finding the cool new offering

Getting the word out about events, features, and other desirable attributes don’t have to be exorbitant, but it will put the finishing touch on ensuring a community knows the business is ready to offer the desired experience.

Seeing opportunity

Sometimes, you’ll find yourself in a client meeting and things will be a bit flat. Maybe the client has been disengaged from your contract lately, or sales have been leveling out for lack of new ideas. That’s the perfect time to put something fresh on the table, demonstrating that you’re thinking about the client’s whole picture beyond CTR and citations.

One thing that I find to be an inspiring practice for agencies is to do an audit of competitors’ reviews looking for “holes” In many communities, shopping is really dull and reviews reflect that, with few shoppers feeling genuinely excited by a particular vertical’s local offerings. Your client could be the one to change that, with a little extra attention from you.

Every possibility won’t be the perfect match for every business, but if you can help the company see a new opportunity, the few minutes spent brainstorming could benefit you both.

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

Affordable, Stat-Based Retail Strategy For Your Agency’s Clients

Posted by MiriamEllis

Retail clients are battling tough economics offline and tough competitors online. They need every bit of help your agency can give them. 

I was heartened when 75 percent of the 1,400+ respondents to the Moz State of Local SEO Industry Report 2019 shared that they contribute to offline strategy recommendations either frequently or at least some of the time. I can’t think of a market where good and relatively inexpensive experiments are more needed than in embattled retail. The ripple effect of a single new idea, offered up generously, can spread out to encompass new revenue streams for the client and new levels of retention for your agency.

And that’s why win-win seemed written all over three statistics from a 2018 Yes Marketing retail survey when I read it because they speak to motivating about one quarter to half of 1,000 polled customers without going to any extreme expense. Take a look:

I highly recommend downloading Yes Marketing’s complete survey which is chock-full of great data, but today, let’s look at just three valuable stats from it to come up with an actionable strategy you can gift your offline retail clients at your next meeting.

Getting it right: A little market near me

For the past 16 years, I’ve been observing the local business scene with a combination of professional scrutiny and personal regard. I’m inspired by businesses that open and thrive and am saddened by those that open and close.

Right now, I’m especially intrigued by a very small, independently-owned grocery store which set up shop last year in what I’ll lovingly describe as a rural, half-a-horse town not far from me. This locale has a single main street with less than 20 businesses on it, but I’m predicting the shop’s ultimate success based on several factors. A strong one is that the community is flanked by several much larger towns with lots of through traffic and the market is several miles from any competitor. But other factors which match point-for-point with the data in the Yes Marketing survey make me feel especially confident that this small business is going to “get it right”. 

Encourage your retail clients to explore the following tips.

1) The store is visually appealing

43–58 percent of Yes Marketing’s surveyed retail customers say they’d be motivated to shop with a retailer who has cool product displays, murals, etc. Retail shoppers of all ages are seeking appealing experiences.

At the market near me, there are many things going on in its favor. The building is historic on the outside and full of natural light on this inside, and the staff sets up creative displays, such as all of the ingredients you need to make a hearty winter soup gathered up on a vintage table. The Instagram crowd can have selfie fun here, and more mature customers will appreciate the aesthetic simplicity of this uncluttered, human-scale shopping experience.

For your retail clients, it won’t break the bank to become more visually appealing. Design cues are everywhere!

Share these suggestions with a worthy client:

Basic cleanliness is the starting point

This is an old survey, but I think we’re safe to say that at least 45 percent of retail customers are still put off by dirty premises — especially restrooms. Janitorial duties are already built into the budget of most businesses and only need to be accomplished properly. I continuously notice how many reviewers proclaim the word “clean” when a business deserves it.

Inspiration is affordable

Whatever employees are already being paid is the cost of engaging them to lend their creativity to creating merchandise displays that draw attention and/or solve problems. My hearty winter soup example is one idea (complete with boxed broth, pasta, veggies, bowls, and cookware). 

For your retail client? It might be everything a consumer needs to recover from a cold (medicine, citrus fruit, electric blanket, herbal tea, tissue, a paperback, a sympathetic stuffed animal, etc.). Or everything one needs to winterize a car, take a trip to a beach, build a beautiful window box, or pamper a pet. Retailers can inexpensively encourage the hidden artistic talents in staff.

Feeling stuck? The Internet is full of free retail display tips, design magazines cost a few bucks, and your clients’ cable bills already cover a subscription to channels like HGTV and the DIY network that trade on style. A client who knows that interior designers are all using grey-and-white palettes and that one TV ad after another features women wearing denim blue with aspen yellow right now is well on their way to catching customers’ eyes.

Aspiring artists live near your client and need work

The national average cost to have a large wall mural professionally painted is about $8,000, with much less expensive options available. Some retailers even hold contests surrounding logo design, and an artist near your client may work quite inexpensively if they are trying to build up their portfolio. I can’t predict how long the Instagram mural trend will last, but wall art has been a crowd-pleaser since Paleolithic times. Any shopper who stops to snap a photo of themselves has been brought in close proximity to your front door.

I pulled this word cloud out of the reviews of the little grocery store:

While your clients’ industries and aesthetics will vary, tell them they can aim for a similar, positive response from at least 49 percent of their customers with a little more care put into the shopping environment.

2) The store offers additional services beyond the sale of products

19–40 percent of survey respondents are influenced by value-adds. Doubtless, you’ve seen the TV commercials in which banks double as coffee houses to appeal to the young, and small hardware chains emphasize staff expertise over loneliness in a warehouse. That’s what this is all about, and it can be done at a smaller scale, without overly-strapping your retail clients.

At the market near me, reviews like this are coming in:

The market has worked out a very economic arrangement with a massage therapist, who can build up their clientele out of the deal, so it’s a win for everybody.

For your retail clients, sharing these examples could inspire appealing added services:

A small pet food chain is offering health consults in addition to selling merchandise.

Even small clothing boutiques can provide personal styling sessions.

I know of a particular auto parts store where salespeople show you how to change windshield wipers and headlight bulbs for free and it brings our household back almost every time..

It’s common for shops like toy stores to have kids’ birthday clubs, but sophisticated businesses offer loyalty programs, too

I wrote about offering shipping last year as an additional service with self-evident value in this age of convenience.

The cost of these efforts is either the salary of an employee, nominal or free.

3) The store hosts local events

20–36 percent of customers feel the appeal of retailers becoming destinations for things to learn and do. Coincidentally, this corresponds with two of the tasks Google dubbed micro-moments a couple of years back, and while not everyone loves that terminology, we can at least agree that large numbers of people use the Internet to discover local resources.

At the market near me, they’re doing open-mic readings, and this is a trend in many cities to which Google Calendar attests:

For your clients, the last two words of that event description are key. When there’s a local wish to build community, retail businesses can lend the space and the stage. This can look like:

Any type of class, like these ones that teach how to operate an appliance or machinery, how to re-skill at something like wilderness survival, or how to cook/make things.

Any type of event, like the open mic night I’ve cited, above, or celebrations, or appearances by well-known locals such as authors, or ongoing club meetups.

Any type of special appeal, like this recycling deal gifting participants $20 off new jeans if they donate their old ones, or housing a drop-off point for light bulbs, batteries or charitable giving, or hosting the kick-off of a neighborhood cleanup with some added benefit to participants like a breakfast or discount.

Again, costs here can be quite modest and you’ll be bringing the community together under the banner of your business.

Putting it in writing

The last item on the budget for any of these ventures is whatever it costs to publicize it. For sure, your client will want:

A homepage announcement and/or one or more blog posts

Google Posts, Q&A, photos and related features

Social mentions

If the concept is large enough (or the community is small) some outreach to local news in hopes of a write-up and inclusion of local/social calendars

Link building would be great if the client can afford a reasonable investment in your services, where necessary

And, of course, be sure your client’s local business listings are accurate so that newcomers aren’t getting lost on their way to finding the cool new offering

Getting the word out about events, features, and other desirable attributes don’t have to be exorbitant, but it will put the finishing touch on ensuring a community knows the business is ready to offer the desired experience.

Seeing opportunity

Sometimes, you’ll find yourself in a client meeting and things will be a bit flat. Maybe the client has been disengaged from your contract lately, or sales have been leveling out for lack of new ideas. That’s the perfect time to put something fresh on the table, demonstrating that you’re thinking about the client’s whole picture beyond CTR and citations.

One thing that I find to be an inspiring practice for agencies is to do an audit of competitors’ reviews looking for “holes” In many communities, shopping is really dull and reviews reflect that, with few shoppers feeling genuinely excited by a particular vertical’s local offerings. Your client could be the one to change that, with a little extra attention from you.

Every possibility won’t be the perfect match for every business, but if you can help the company see a new opportunity, the few minutes spent brainstorming could benefit you both.

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!