Author: Samuel Smusiak

Visit the St. Clair College website. Analyze it strictly from a visual marketing strategy perspective targeting Local domestic high school students.

You are to provide three strategic visual enhancement recommendations. For each recommendation: 

a) Clearly identify the issue or missed opportunity (3 x 2 = 6 Marks)

b) Propose a specific visual improvement (3 x 2 = 6 Marks)

c) Explain why it would improve recruitment effectiveness (3 x 2 = 6 Marks)

d) Connect it to student psychology and digital behaviour (3 x 2 = 6 Marks)

Missed Opportunity 1

Implement An Academic Reputation Section

High school students are unique individuals but many of them face the same barriers when it comes to choosing a college. A common one is trusting the academic reputation of a school, imagine you didn’t know if the school you were going to yielded real results? Colleges like Fanshawe address this incredibly well by implementing a section on their landing page that discusses graduate satisfaction rate, employment rate, employer satisfaction rate and alumni testimonials. St Clair does not offer anything on the landing page that builds trust like this, we have to remember that at this stage in the consumer journey they are somewhere at the middle of the funnel and they are either interested in going to college or they are ready to make the decision on what college to go to. Without trust building information that solidifies St Clair’s reputation and ability to produce satisfied and employed graduates then the competitors have an advantage. Highschoolers have time to look for the right college and if they can find one that immediately presents them with cold hard facts about success they are more likely to choose them over one that doesn’t highlight these statistics. 

Incorporating this visually would be as simple as adding a section in the hero or upper half of the page with bold text that shows the relevant statistics of success for graduates after college. By doing this, highschoolers will immediately be exposed to real results without having to dig through a pile of links. Another way to address this concern would be to implement a scrolling testimonials section with the alumni names and current positions in their field. It would be a small addition that makes a big difference and provides real trust building content.

This improves recruitment effectiveness because as I said before these highschoolers are sitting at the middle of the funnel, they are interested and some want to make a decision. By addressing a primary concern of the schools ability to produce real graduates and give real results. If a highschooler can see cold hard facts that the courses work and nearly guarantee results that is one less barrier to get through the funnel. College is expensive and students put a lot on the line when they decide on a college. Highschoolers care about their future, they want to succeed and trade their academic life for a fulfilling career. By immediately highlighting that what we do works and that they are almost guaranteed a career then it only logically follows they will be more likely to apply.

Missed Opportunity 2 

In Demand Courses Section

St Clair’s site does not address one of the biggest concerns of highschoolers “Will I get a job?” and “What courses will get me a job?” By implementing an In Demand Courses section that highlights the top courses where there are more jobs than students to fill those positions. We are talking to highschoolers who are ready to make a decision and instead of making them dig through courses and hoping they don’t land on a bird course St Clair should give them a list of the courses that employers are looking for. By addressing the need for a real career and almost eliminating the search process you create an easy to navigate funnel-pushing system that doesn’t deter highschoolers from the site and bouncing to the next one. 

Visually this can be implemented in a carousel format with the name of the course, a brief description, graduate satisfaction rate and an alumni testimonial. Incorporating a photo of a person working in that specific field to detail what the job looks like can help highschoolers visualize themselves in that specific career. Adding a button that will send you to the course page to learn more as a CTA will help simplify the user experience as they will not have to search through the site to find the course. 

By implementing this St Clair decreases the time it takes for highschoolers to find a course and keeps their attention. If highschoolers are looking for real results and a career out of college then why is St Clair not immediately giving this to them on the home page? It addresses the need for assurance that they are going to gain something out of going to St Clair. This is a major part of the decision making process for any highschooler and is a major barrier. St Clair can remove this barrier by providing this information immediately and by removing the barrier highschoolers are more likely to take action and apply. 

Missed Opportunity 3

Linear Home Page Design

The biggest problem overall is the homepages design. I will use Fanshawe as a comparison because of their successful implementation of this method. The Fanshawe homepage follows a linear format that addresses primary high school student concerns without overloading the user with information in an organized and easily digestible way. When scrolling the Fanshawe page they address concerns one by one, starting with what programs are offered and the ability to find  a program that aligns with you, a costing section which addresses the highschoolers need to know how much they are financially investing, a careers section that lets you explore careers with a career coach which addresses the need for career assurance, a graduation statistics and testimonials section which builds trust and authority for the college, a campus life section that highlights the labs, study environments and campus life. At the bottom of the page they have a tour of the campus section. This is all done in a linear format that addresses highschoolers concerns in each section, nothing is hidden and it is laid out in such a way that if a highschooler faces a decision making barrier it is easily lifted. In comparison St Clair has designed the home page with tons of information and very few is relevant to the target demographic. In the hero section they choose to prioritize links over displaying relevant information. It’s full of links to pages that contain information but why would a highschooler take the time to look for information about success rates and career opportunities when they can find it quicker on Fanshawe’s site. 

Visually implementing this would mean removing content that doesn’t prioritize the target demographic. Highschoolers want to know what a school offers that’s relevant to them, this means jobs, costing, success rates and college life. By reformatting the homepage to address these four primary concerns the highschooler doesn’t have to feel overloaded with unnecessary information and makes it easier for them to be pushed through the decision making process. In the hero section you highlight the type of programs (full time, part time etc.) and add an in demand courses section that leads to jobs. From there you incorporate a statistics and testimonials section, this creates trust and builds confidence in the school. Add a costing section that links to course costs and highlights the average tuition fee along with a link to OSAP and this will address the concern of price. Finally talk about campus life and offer a virtual tour of the school. By following this linear format instead of cramming a bunch of links into the site you create a more fluid user experience that is designed for the target demographic.

This is the biggest implementation that can improve conversion rates. A user’s time is precious, if they can not find what they are looking for in just a few seconds they are way more likely to find a new site. By removing fluff and highlighting necessary information in a linear format the home page becomes clear and concise. Why are we making the user work for information? They do not earn anything from it and they are the ones who are facing a high risk high reward problem. By immediately addressing in a concise manner the concerns and questions of your target audience you lift barriers of entry and push through the funnel leading to higher conversions. A linear format is the definition of less is more because the less work a highschooler has to do the more likely they will apply for a course.

6 Nutritional Tips For After 40

Balanced Meals

Having balanced meals is better than cutting out certain foods. Making sure you have nutrients like protein, carbs and fats in all your meals means you will have a healthier diet in the long run.

Focus on Protein

Meals should be high in protein to preserve and grow muscles. Protein has been tested to be the most effective for muscle growth and preservation. This is important as muscle decreases with age.

Eat Organic Foods

Focus on organic and healthy foods to increase nutrients. Eating organic whole foods is a great way to avoid refined sugars and unnatural products in your diet. Helping you live longer and happier.

Easy-to-Cook Meals

Make low-stress, high-reward meals that are easy to cook. Nutrition is made easy when you make meals that aren’t complicated. It saves you time and helps keep you in a routine while being affordable.

Prep Your Meals

Prepare your meals in advance to save time. Meal prep allows you to store your daily meals so you don’t have to worry about the cooking hassle. It’s stress-free and a great way to stay organized.

Get a Trainer

Work with a trainer and have a set meal plan. This way, you can be kept accountable and on track. When you work with a registered Friendly Muscles trainer, we give you a full nutritional plan catered to your needs.

Check out friendlymuscles.com and book a free consultation today to get your own meal plan that meets your nutritional needs.

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1. Question 1 

Visuals are not decoration. They are communication tools. Provide three strategic reasons why visuals are essential to effective web content. For each reason: 

• Clearly explain the concept 

• Provide a real-world example (not generic statements) 

Marks are awarded for depth, not surface-level answers. (6 Marks)

Strategic Reason 1

Visuals Leave a Lasting Impact

With visuals you are able to leave a lasting impact on your audience as retention is increased compared to written information “People remember only 10% of information heard three days later, but retain 65% when paired with relevant images. Visual learning increases retention by 400% compared to text alone” (Briscoe, The Power of Visuals in Web Content Overview (W26).pdf, Slide 4) This shows that our minds desire visual stimuli and thus we can more easily recall information spread through images rather than something explained with words. “67% of consumers say product images are very important in purchase decisions, 84% of people have been convinced to buy after watching a brand’s video” (Briscoe, The Power of Visuals in Web Content Overview (W26).pdf, Slide 5) Visuals create trust when it comes to brand communication, it allows us to connect with a brand on a deeper level and drives us to want to purchase an item. If McDonalds had an advertisement out for its new burger but instead of their advertisements featuring a tasty burger they simply put text describing the burger. We may be able to imagine the burger based on words like brown juicy paddy or melted cheese but people will be less likely to remember the description. We are visual creatures “90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual” (Briscoe, The Power of Visuals in Web Content Overview (W26).pdf, Slide 1) So it is no wonder we gravitate towards visuals and why they leave an impact on us. 

Visuals have played a role in advertising even before the internet and when advertisers were competing for people’s attention on traditional media. The major difference between now and then is that the audience isn’t captive, they have more of a choice to scroll away from your ad and find something more entertaining. This is why impactful visuals matter “People form first impressions of websites in just 50 milliseconds” (Briscoe, The Power of Visuals in Web Content Overview (W26).pdf, Slide 1) This applies to all visuals and shows that the impact is almost immediate but this also means consumers are quick to judge a book by its cover. If the image catches our attention but it isn’t impactful it can be just as easy to forget as it was to process it.

Again it must be emphasized that the viewer only has so much time they can spare “The average attention span is 2.8 – 8 seconds” (Briscoe, The Power of Visuals.pdf, Slide 13) and its important to recognize the viewers time is sacred and if the visual is uninteresting or not impactful then they will likely not care to read or listen past the initial two seconds. Images are more than just a visual checkmark that accommodates your written work, if your visual doesn’t stick out then why should anybody read it? If you’re scrolling on TikTok or YouTube reels and an ad pops up but the first two seconds are just silence with no visual stimuli what’s the point of your staying on that video. If you are writing a blog post about a niche topic and instead of incorporating visuals, you simply have a wall of text in a basic font. People will take one look at that and not bother reading it because there’s too many words. People aren’t stupid they’re stingy and their time matters to them.

While visuals do leave a lasting impact this must be considered strategically. Visuals must feel relevant and appealing to be impactful. Without impactful visuals viewers are more likely to ignore or forget what is being offered to them.

Strategic Reason 2:

It Leads To Conversions

When discussing the strategic impact of visuals online it should be emphasized that incorporating visuals leads to a higher conversion rate “88% of people say they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video.. Landing pages with videos can increase conversions by up to 86%. Quality product photography directly correlates with purchase confidence” (Briscoe, The Power of Visuals in Web Content Overview (W26).pdf, Slide 5) Visuals like video demonstrations, product photography and other visuals create trust and reduce anxiety for the consumer. People want to purchase something that feels tangible and something they can visualize themselves using in their lives. The best comparison would be innovations in this area that uses your camera to generate a photo of how you may look wearing a product. Hair stylists have even incorporated using AI to let someone see what a hairstyle may look like on them. While these examples may seem above and beyond in some cases it still clearly emphasizes a consumer’s need for visual reassurance, it’s harder to trust someone who describes the mansion they own but never shows it versus someone who actually shows you the mansion in person.

Beyond images and video interactive content is another powerful tool in this regard, “Interactive Content generates 2x more conversions than passive content and increases time on page by 47%” (Briscoe, The Power of Visuals in Web Content Overview (W26).pdf, Slide 6) Consumers crave interaction, it feels unique and allows the user to immerse themselves in the content. By feeling as if they were part of the content they feel they have a stake in the information they are learning. Interactive content has been shown to work with cases such as Shopify Merchants who offered “360 degree product views that increase conversion rates by 27% and reduce returns by 22%” (Briscoe, The Power of Visuals in Web Content Overview (W26).pdf, Slide 9) by letting the user experience the product as if it was right in front of them, the user gains trust in the product.

When incorporating visuals the easier the consumer can visualize the product in their daily life the better. This variable can depend on the perceived cost, you likely wouldn’t need a 360 degree view for a burger from McDonalds but if you’re buying a car that’s a large investment and requires more reassurance. Visuals provide reassurance to consumers and reassurance creates conversions.

Strategic Reason 3

Visual Makes Up The Modern World 

Everybody is a photographer, designer, cinematographer or essentially anything that used to cost thousands of dollars to produce in the past visually. Just take a look at the apps we use like TikTok, YouTube Reels, Instagram Reels and other short form video content apps. “Instagram has 2.5 billion active monthly users” (Briscoe, W9 – D – Enhancing Content (W26).pdf, Slide 19) “10% of all pictures taken by all humankind were shot in the last 12 months” (Briscoe, W9 – D – Enhancing Content (W26).pdf, Slide 15) These stats highlight a powerful truth, visual is the dominant medium in the modern day and if you still prioritize written content alone you are being left in the mud. With everyone else being able to share visually it means that visuals are a necessity in web advertising and it helps create a clear picture of the extreme amounts of information people are processing on a daily basis.

“Tweets with images receive 150% more retweets than text-only-tweets” (Briscoe, The Power of Visuals in Web Content Overview (W26).pdf, Slide 9) The thing with twitter is that when somebody uses the app they are effectively ‘doomscrolling’ they are quickly running through content, processing everything in milliseconds and will only stop if they are captivated by a post. The best way to get someone to stop scrolling is to incorporate a visual element that engages the user and captures their attention. This is not news, you are competing with everyone who has posted a photo on their feed so why put yourself at a disadvantage by not adding a visual element to your post. 

This rule should go for any bit of content that you make. If you know you’re competing with 2.6 billion other people and brands then you should be doing anything to get an edge against your competition. By incorporating visual elements you immediately eliminate competitors who did not utilize them.

4) For question #2, what did you do differently from the original post? Please outline, explain and justify what you changed & why. Essentially, what did you learn from this new topic and what did you change and why. (8 Marks) 

I totally changed my approach by refining my core message, keeping the content clear and concise and prioritizing information that my audience is looking for. My original post lacked clarity and used flowery language that bores the reader but it also didn’t clearly state the core message and why they should take action. I addressed the market persona I developed and realized that the best method of approaching my audience is by appealing to fear and gain. I made my core message address  a primary pain point of my audience which is getting older, the I offer the solution and what they should do to attain the solution. 

By having my core message outlined it made it easier for me to narrow my content, remove unnecessary and unclear wording, and develop an overall more concise and to the point piece of copy. With this more concise message I was able to develop a more powerful CTA that uses plain english to tell my audience what they stand to lose if they don’t sign up ‘Don’t let your best days waste away’. This theme was a lot easier to convey in plain english because it wasn’t trying to appeal to multiple problems or something general but it found an exact issue and honed in on it.

I modified the content to prioritize easy readability by keeping important information where the reader is most likely to scan it, this meant important content was placed in the first few words of paragraphs and I incorporated bullet lists that provide breathability and scannability. 

All of these changes were necessary as it makes for a more relevant, concise and clear message that provides the reader what they want to know and why they should act on this knowledge. Compared to the original which used flowery language and buried the message under unnecessary wording and an unclear structure, the revised copy is written to highlight important information, capture and keep the users attention and provide an easy and scannable read.

3. For question #2, explain how your new post successfully addresses the three main objectives of Plain English writing as discussed in class. Provide a detailed breakdown of each objective. (9 Marks)

a. Describe one specific technique you used to improve readability in your revised version and explain why it is effective. (4 Marks) 

One specific technique I used to improve readability was my wording choice. By removing or changing unnecessary words that either tried to make me sound smarter or were generally just fluff. Clear wording allowed me to effectively write so my reader doesn’t feel they are wasting time or not understanding the core message. It respects the reader and gives them the answer they are looking for without doing too much work and by doing this the reader is less likely to stop reading and more likely to fulfill the desired action. It keeps the messaging clear, doesn’t make the reader feel dumb and guides them through the content.

b. What was the most challenging aspect of applying the F-Pattern and Plain English writing principles? How did you overcome it? (5 Marks)

One of the most challenging aspects of applying both the f-pattern and plain english was knowing what to remove and what to keep. This was hard because it required me to think critically about what my audience is looking for in my content and how I can move them to take action without removing any important information. It meant I had to constantly go back, revise what I wrote and determine if what I am saying aligns with my audience and keeps the core message clear and concise. It also meant recognizing where I put important information and how I convey necessary information in a quick and digestible way. To highlight important information I made sure to keep important content closer to the top, easily scannable and avoiding or removing content that buries the important information.

How did I address the three main plain english objectives

I made this piece of content concise by writing only the necessary information and decreased the word count. All important information is easily scannable. The core message (to feel younger you should train with us, sign up here) is clearly outlined and there is no fluff words or unnecessary information that wastes the reader’s time. 

The messaging is clear as I removed or changed fluff words or uncommon vocabulary. It avoids being too smart for the audience which makes it easier to read and requires little thinking. By avoiding complicated reading I allow my reader to digest my content without getting annoyed or feel like they are wasting time. 

The content is designed around the user taking the action of visiting our website to sign up for our services. This is accomplished by clearly showing what they gain from signing up with us in the intro and the bullet points. In the CTA I illustrate what they stand to lose if they don’t sign up ‘Don’t waste away your best days’. The content is wholly written to have the user take action by leveraging their fear of old age.

2. In a previous assignment, you wrote an introduction article in the “F” pattern. Based on what we discussed in class and based on the feedback provided in class, write a new introductory “content” incorporating “plain English writing for the web” in the “F” pattern including visuals. You are to include your “revised version” (if the version you submitted was not in the F-Pattern). Ensure that it addresses the three main objectives of plain English writing. As a reminder, this is an introductory post for your business. Ensure you list it in your hardcopy. (12 Marks)

blog.friendlymuscles.com

(ORIGINAL)

Reasons To Choose Friendly Muscles As Your Personal Trainer

With our certified friendly trainers, portable gym and plans designed for you, we make living a fulfilling life a reality.

Life is full of wonderful moments, and we want to help you live to the fullest. You want to be here for the long run, and we can make that happen. It’s not just about looks or how much you lift, it’s about being your best self, no matter age or health. We got you covered.

It’s time to make a change in your life and really see the results. Give us a call at 226 935-9688 and try training the friendly way.

Why this one didn’t work was because the core message was buried under flowery wording, unnecessary content and doesn’t clearly guide the reader to a desired action. There is no real motivation and if there is it isn’t clear. It wants to sound unique or smart and because of this it says nothing at all. The reader can’t find important information clearly so they are more likely to stop reading. It doesn’t incorporate any of the audience’s motivations to drive them to take action. It tries too hard to appeal to everyone and so it appeals to no one.

(REVISED)

Getting Older? Feel 21 Again When You Train With Us 

Friendly Muscles is a well respected Personal Training Service in Windsor, Ontario Canada. Our expert trainers give real results making you feel younger and healthier. Kick aging out the door by eating healthy and living an active life.

Train with us and get

• Stress free training
• The gym comes to you
• A healthy new way of life
• Live longer and feel younger

Starting your training is no sweat with our free sign up. Don’t waste away your best days and visit friendlymuscles.com to train the friendly way.

1. We spoke about Plain English writing in class. Please answer the following in detail: 

a. How would you explain to someone what “Plain English writing” is? (4 Marks)

Plain English writing is almost exactly as it sounds, plain. When writing for an audience we are vying for their valuable time and the modern reader is incredibly stingy. If they get bored, confused or annoyed by the content they are reading they will certainly read something else.This is why we write in plain and simple wording instead of complex flowery language. The best way to do this is to siphon the most valuable information from a piece of writing and siphon all of the other unnecessary content.

Example:

Non plain language: The fox had to leap over the grand white fence

Plain language: The fox jumped over the big fence

Something to note is that I did not make it dumber or assume the reader is to dumb to understand the first example. In fact by writing in plain language I am telling the reader that I value your time and I know you want the facts without the fluff. Plain writing is simply taking the most necessary information and giving it to the reader. By doing this people find what they need, understand what they’re reading and can use it to fulfill whatever we need them to do.

Imagine if LEGO instead of giving easy to understand and digestible graphics showing you how to complete the build, they gave you only words and had to describe every brick, how to place it, where to place it and why it matters. This would infuriate you and make what was supposed to be a delightful hobby into a drawn out and arduous chore. This is what plain english writing is for.

b. What makes plain English writing different? (4 Marks) 

Plain English is different then simply writing because it is catered to the modern reader. The modern reader has less time they are willing to spend on reading articles and simply want their information quickly. This means that plain english is writing for the users interests first. When we write we normally go on tangents or we might add extra words to sound smarter, a student might use multiple words in his essay to reach a word count. A modern internet reader doesn’t read through content that wastes their time so instead of looking to fill a word count plain english forces you to actually remove unnecessary information or flowery reading to keep it concise and to the point. The difference is that plain english writing is writing for the modern internet reader.

c. What is plain language writing for the web and in detail and in your own words, why is it important?

Plain language writing for the web is geared towards having an online user fulfill a desired action. When writing for the web we need to keep what we say simple and to the point as we want the reader to fulfill a goal that we have for them. Using plain language online we can provide clarity and make our content digestible. It is so important that when writing content online it is written in plain language because we are all fighting for a user’s short attention span and people are absolutely willing to move on to the next thing if they are bored or frustrated. This means using words that resonate and are familiar to our audience and getting straight to the point will keep a reader engaged and more likely to complete the desired action. 

4. Second-Year Course Headline (4 marks) 

Create one headline promoting second-year digital courses in this program, targeted to first-year students.

You must provide

1. Provide the heading
2. Explaining your reasoning clearly using 

7 Reasons You Should Be Excited For Digital Classes In 2nd Year

7 Reasons You Should Be Excited For Digital Classes In 2nd Year

After analyzing the target audience I realized there’s a major factor in their decision making which is uncertainty. First years are in the course, yes but there’s still a point of uncertainty for many of them so they would be more adverse to a headline that comes off as a warning to them for the second year. By having a headline that leads to content that highlights exciting parts about the course you create a more positive impression. 

Of course using the number 7 will immediately catch their eye but more subtle wording like incorporating ‘You’ creates a more inviting and personalized headline. The headline is designed to add the most relevant information first and the least relevant last. It also has a promise for information about the Digital Classes and what they should expect from it.

3. SCC Advertising Program Headline (6 marks)

Create one headline for an article about the SCC Advertising Program, targeted to local graduating high school students.

You must provide: 

a) The headline

b) An explanation of the information missing from the instructions

c) A detailed justification for your headline choice based on course concepts 

How You Can Make 107K A Year After Graduating This Course

The question I derived from the goal and the audience was ‘what are highschool grads looking for after college’ and a few answers came to mind but the most obvious was a job, but not just any job. They are looking for success and prosperity.

The headline focuses on creating curiosity, develops an emotional pull while still being relevant to the target audience. It creates curiosity by promising a solution to a relevant problem for the target audience, that being what course would get me the best job after college. I also decided not to directly mention the name of the course and instead create intrigue by giving the reader just enough relevant information to get them to click and learn more. I used the number 107k because not only is it a relevant number for a highschooler looking for a high paying job but by using a specific number it creates a sense of trust and authority. The number feels like a stat or even more realistic and less boring by adding that 7 at the end, instead of just saying 100k. Another factor would be that 107k looks bigger than 100k even though the difference is only 7 thousand dollars. I focused on making the headline clear to avoid having the reader think too much. The one thing I want them to think is ‘What course would this be?’ thus creating an incentive to want to click and learn more about the possibility. The headline is a lot like a carrot on a stick that leads the reader to a certain point.

Choose one headline you created in Part B, Q#1 Part B and answer the following:

a) What is the primary intent of this headline? (e.g. curiosity, urgency, clarity, relevance, emotional pull)

b) What action or response is the headline designed to trigger?

c) Explain why this intent is appropriate for the target audience you selected.

The 3rd headline: Do You Know These 12 Facts That These People Didn’t? Has the primary intent of creating curiosity in the reader. By the headline being proposed as a question while offering a promise of 12 facts it creates intrigue. Starting with a question will lead the reader to read the rest of the headline because it immediately follows with the incentive. ‘Do You Know’ leaves the reader wondering what they don’t know which creates a need to know. The headline urges the reader to click and learn about facts in a way that places them within the equation. The target audience who is looking through Buzzfeed wants to find an article that feels important to them and the headline creates importance by using curiosity and suspense.

For Buzzfeed clicks are everything and the target audience is looking for information. By promising information those who are curious will click because the headline is descriptive enough about the content while still not overbearing the reader or revealing what they are about to read.