#wordstream

[wordstreamblog]

Good morning, everyone! ☀️

Kickstart your day with a dose of tech inspiration! Have you checked out WordStream, the best tech blogging platform around? It's packed with insights and tips to keep you ahead in the digital world.

Plus, why not gift yourself a skill this morning? Explore diploma courses that can elevate your expertise and open up new opportunities. Investing in yourself is always a good idea!

Here’s to a productive and learning-filled day! 🚀💻📚

[eightmakesonebraincell]

[fic rec mlist] member x reader | maknae line

main mlist | prev (member-specific cont) | next (scenarios)

only general themes and tags are listed - please read through the author's specific tags and warnings

both sfw and nsfw fics are included. minors please dni with nsfw fics and respect the age restrictions put into place by the writers (suggestive, smut, and trigger warnings are highlighted in red)

🩶 favourites

crescent | @sorryimananti-romantic

genre: prince!san x assassin!reader, fluff, angst, suggestive

length: oneshot - 17k

everyone is out for prince san’s head and you, wonderland’s assassin, known publicly as eunbi- silver rain- are chosen to be san’s personal bodyguard, to accompany him on his journey to eden to uncover secrets and a possible betrayal.

your fan, san | @hwaightme 🩶

genre: interpreter!reader, romance, fluff

length: twoshot - 9.8k

a bulletpoint-style wordstream of what it would be like if san was stanning you

sly san who sacrifices | @chaseatinydream

genre: badboy!au, romance

length: 6/6 chapters [completed] - 14.5k

to the school, he may be a bad boy, the worst of the worst, but to you, he’s choi san, father of three cats, your best friend and ultimately, the boy you love.

oh boy | @atxxzist

genre: farmboy!san, fluff, angst, suggestive

length: oneshot - 16.6k

your curious heart that's full of adventure and knowledge; of what's out there beyond the space of your room and farmhouse, find it in a boy who not only open your eyes to the world around you, but also to a longing you didn't even know was there

ch_i san | @atzfilm 🩶

genre: android!san, sci-fi, fluff, angst, smut

length: oneshot - 19k

it's 2135, one hundred years after the rise of the anarchist, a revolutionist group that tore the world in half. the creation of their andr_ids forced the poorer population to abide by the anarchist rules or face death. you, a lowly machinery worker, leave work to find a defective model, ch_i san. you're forced to make the decision of helping the andr_id model, or reporting it to the leading faction. of course you make the only sane choice – follow a robot into complete and utter peril.

in this place, full of lies | @wordstro

genre: post-apocalypse!au, ex!san, angst, trigger warnings

length: 20/20 chapters [completed] - 93.5k

when the world ends, you are left to wander like a ghost from town to town for so long, you start to believe you are the last person left on earth. at least until a group of men rob you at knifepoint, and one of the robbers is none other than your ex-boyfriend, choi san. while you spent too much time wandering ghost towns alone, the rest of the world learned to survive, for better or for worse. including san.

apple pie | @yoongiseesawmp3

genre: ex!san, fratboy!san, fluff, smut

length: oneshot - 11.5k

the cocky frat boy you dated in college might be the love of your life, but you’re not telling him that. if he wants anything from you now he’s gotta work for it, and he’s looking for a 9 to 5 in getting you back.

blushing red | @atozfic 🩶

genre: brothers!bf!san, fluff, angst, smut

length: oneshot - 11k

how did choi san go from wanting to protect you like a big brother to wanting to ruin you with his own two hands?

my way | @sorryimananti-romantic

genre: fluff, angst, violence, suggestive

length: oneshot - 18k

you, the princess of wonderland, have been betrothed to the prince of utopia for years now. however, the political relation between wonderland and utopia have never improved, and utopia keeps taking over wonderland’s land unlawfully. with your guard mingi who is also your best friend and who you have feelings for, you travel to utopia with a plan to deceive the prince and steal official documents that would be proof of their treachery, risking your life in more than one way when you can’t hold your feelings for your guard back anymore.

love you to death | @atzfilm

genre: deathreaper!mingi, fantasy, mythical, angst

length: oneshot - 25.5k

everyone who has ever loved you died horrifically. you’ve given up on love, until you find a man who keeps on saying he’s death, willing to help you. for a price, of course.

your fan, mingi | @hwaightme

genre: rapper!reader, slice of life, fluff, angst

length: twoshot - 6.7k

a bulletpoint-style wordstream of what it would be like if mingi was stanning you

hearts awakened, live alive | @sorryimananti-romantic 🩶

genre: demon!mingi, fluff, angst, suggestive

length: oneshot - 26k

you finally run away from the clutches of your stepmother and encounter mingi, infamously known as 'the child of shadows'. you join his gang of three- the high healer wooyoung and the white flame seonghwa and start living with them. you find out mingi is cursed to share a body with the shadow demon that goes by the name erebos and start falling for it and mingi eventually, though tragic consequences await you as you find out more about the demon's curse.

badboy!wooyoung | @ateezmakemeweep

genre: angst, fluff

length: oneshot - 5k

nil author synopsis

place in me | @starrysvn

genre: chef!wooyoung x chef!reader, angst, slow burn, fluff, ex to lovers

length: oneshot - 17k

nil author synopsis

crazy for you | @cosmicdumpling

genre: friends to lovers, romance, fluff, suggestive

length: oneshot - 8.0k

wooyoung seems to have harbored a crush on you for a while now, and as much as he hates it, he manages to hold out just fine. a trip to the beach with the rest of your friends, however, becomes a huge threat to wooyoung’s remaining resolve.

made for this | @yoongiseesawmp3

genre: churchboy!wooyoung, wingman!kyungmin, fluff, smut

length: oneshot - 10.5k

you’re volunteering for this year’s vacation bible school, and wooyoung’s little brother just so happens to be in your group. is it wrong of him to use kyungmin as his wing man? eh, who cares. wooyoung is just determined to get you to fall for him before the week is over, and he’ll do whatever it takes.

your fan, jongho | @hwaightme

genre: footballer!reader, romance, fluff

length: twoshot - 3.9k

a bulletpoint-style drabble of what it would be like to have jongho stanning you.

where do i go | @sorryimananti-romantic

genre: bodyguard!jongho, angst, fluff, violence, suggestive

length: oneshot - 23k

you’re the owner of hotel crescent in mist island, where secrets are traded. you’re infamously known as the gossip-dealer and known for manipulating people, which means you’re not safe. however, the last thing you expect is your power-hungry father to send jongho to be your bodyguard, but you suspect it’s not because he fears for your safety but because he wants to keep tabs on you as he joins prince woobin’s side while you join prince hongjoong’s side. as your father comes from eden to mist island to become the minister of foreign affairs, the political situation between the two nations worsen and you fear for war, but you risk your life for your homeland, and find jongho joining hands with you as you both uncover secrets and betrayals from your father.

time of love | @sorryimananti-romantic

genre: brother's best fried au, fluff, angst

length: oneshot - 19k

you are yeosang's little sister, adored by all his friends. you're concerned that's all you will be- even though you are close to them- especially to jongho, who you've liked since highschool. after a year gap and moving to yeosang's apartment for college, you find jongho's living with him for a few weeks as well due to a dorm situatuon. will your feelings for him resurface with all their might? will you be able to make him look at you as just you, and will you be able to win his heart?

[9:26 p.m.] | @mingtinys

genre: timestamp, sleepy!jongho, fluff

length: oneshot - 1.2k

nil author synopsis

last updated: 25 oct 2023

[copperbadge]

Radio Free Monday

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday!

Ways to Give:

penndragon is raising funds to help fix his LGBT+ family's car; they've recently been dealing with job loss and other unexpected expenses, and while they have found new employment opportunities, they require a running car. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

Anon linked to arlingtonchamberofgay, who lost their job in April and has been unemployed since; they are working towards attaining legal disability status but the process moves slowly, and they've been homeless and couch surfing for several months. They're raising funds for bills, gas money, and a storage unit; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

kitweewoos is raising funds to get her car back from repossession before it's auctioned in about three weeks; her partner has been on medical leave which has reduced their household income to hers alone, and her paycheck has been going towards keeping them housed and fed. They're raising money to pay the past due amount and repossession fees to the bank. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

stabbedinthenameofscience linked to a fundraiser for IronAngel Forge in Michigan, the longest continually operating forge in the state (founded in 1884). A neighbor's shed caught on fire and it leapt to the forge building, resulting in a near-complete loss of the building, although the anvil, several of the tools, and even some of the art escaped destruction. The current owner John and his partner Julie are raising money to rebuild the shop in order to continue the tradition and history of the site; you can read more and support the fundraiser here.

wordstreamer's cat Diva needs urgent medical care at a time when they are already in a bad financial situation; they're raising funds for vet bills and future treatment. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information and kitty pictures here.

Recurring Needs:

like-the-midnight-sun linked to a fundraiser for a close friend, Sydney, who is queer, trans, disabled, and currently homeless after leaving an abusive situation; they have a job but are living in their car and need help to keep their dog, Felix, safe during the day while they're at work. They're raising funds to board Felix during the day so that they can keep their job and get back on their feet; you can read more and support the fundraiser here.

chingaderita's partner recently lost their job due to a house fire that also destroyed the house, and his most recent job has not yet paid him; they're raising funds to keep food on the table for a family of nine, to try and get a supply of water to keep clean which is increasingly difficult during a drought, and for medications and bills until they can find new work. You can read more, reblog, and support the fundraiser here.

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form. If you're new to fundraising, you may want to check out my guide to fundraising here.

[hwaightme]

Your fan, Hongjoong (part 1)

(part 2) (your fan ml)

👘 pairing: hongjoong x fashion designer!reader 👘 genre: romance, fluff, mutual pining 👘 summary: a bulletpoint-style wordstream of what it would be like if hongjoong was stanning you 👘 wordcount: 5.5k (help) 👘 warnings/tags: language, radio shows, reader is goth, goth subculture, a bit of mutual pining, seonghwa aries rage, san is sus, jealousy, DRAMA(rama), hongjoong is starstruck, reader has her own fashion house/brand, photoshoots, brand collabs, demon line boutta act up 👘 a/n: Hello fabulous people <3 Here we have, the one, the only, the legendary, Hongjoong next in the Your Fan, ___ series! Thank you so much for your love and support, reblogs, likes, asks and comments all welcome

"So alongside your brilliant songs, you are also well known for having breathtaking performances, with an edge that only ATEEZ can do. Could you elaborate on what exactly goes into creating your unique aesthetic?"

Hongjoong looked around the studio. Him and Yunho, being the resident radio DJs, had been invited onto a show to promote their newest comeback, and talk all things creative arts.

There had been a number of guests before them who he looked up to, from others in the music industry, to visual artists, writers, and designers. This was the way in which he had discovered new changemakers, and got to know those stars he had deemed 'unreachable'. Breathtaking, but there to be admired from a distance.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the amazing designers and stylists that we work with. Really, without them none of this would be possible and ATEEZ would not be the same."

"Definitely, with each stage and comeback, it seems that there is no end to just how much they, and you, can wow the world. Now, there is a particular fashion house that ATEEZ has been collaborating with recently, could you tell us more about that?"

Now that was an interesting direction to steer into. This was very new on the horizon for ATEEZ, and few media had covered this so far. Hongjoong perked up, forgetting the tranquility that he had to normally adopt for such shows, instead letting himself bask in the rays of his passions.

More specifically, your brand. He had known of its existence, thanks to a serendipitous selection by his stylist, before he had even figured out who the brain behind the art was. He discovered the connection entirely by accident - through this radio show.

You had come in for an interview, much like Hongjoong and Yunho, and sat in one of these seats, telling your story. This same man who was asking them questions, had conversed with you. This appearance was like Hongjoong's little moment to connect with his unreachable star.

You were notoriously elusive, so public appearances were few and far between, and this explained why he had initially not even associated you and the brand together. But as it turned out, that had been the point. The lore was strong in this one.

You had explained during the show that you felt no need for your personal image to be connected to the brand itself, as the garments and those who wore them were the real imagemakers. You had also shown a deep understanding of the subcultures from which you took inspiration and, yourself, followed, diving into legends who had pioneered their popularisation over the decades. In all honestly, that had him hooked, and left him wanting to learn more about how your mind worked.

"Ah yes, more than happy! ARNURI is a brand that we only recently started working with, and could not be more happy. The brand has a world view and prides itself on destroying boundaries in fashion. There is no gender, no size, no limit to what can be achieved. It actually takes inspiration from the variety that is within goth subculture and totally redefines what is meant by luxury. I mean, their slogan is 'lead by antithesis' after all."

He had paraphrased your introductory speech from one of your first exhibitions after you had your big break at one of the Fashion Weeks. It had been a solo show, organised outside of any specific season, every detail paying homeage to what had been advertised as 'embracing the darkness of nature'. For this show, you had scouted models among your friends, among the myriad of citizens of Seoul, and used those same city streets as your catwalk.

Maybe the reason why that particular event had spoken to Hongjoong was because it reminded him of the street busking he had done in his early days. The days of when one risked it all for a future that was not guaranteed, simply because they had hope.

Hongjoong could go on, but Yunho's shift to balancing his head on his hand as he rested his eyes on the captain, and batted his eyelids like a Disney princess made him stop abruptly.

Not that the host had noticed.

"Ah yes! And isn't the name, ARNURI, a play on "Our World?"

"Uh, yeah!" caught off-guard by the follow-up since he was trying to telepathically communicated to Yunho to cut whatever he was trying to do out, he stumbled over his words a little. But it was easy enough to settle back in once he thought of the moment KQ management had shared the official communications between the two companies with him.

"So it was quite funny when the brand approached us for this, they actually quoted our song 'New World'. Really if it were up to me I wouldn't even ask for a portfolio at that point."

"Of course you wouldn't..." Yunho whispered, leaning away from the mic so it barely caught, serving like background noise more than anything.

Hongjoong's head snapped in the other member's direction, but he was met with legendary nonchalance. Truly, the epitome of 'it's not awkward unless you make it awkward'. The guy even raised an eyebrow back at him as though Hongjoong was acting out of line.

"That is magnificent, it was meant to be! Maybe there are some ATINY in the company!"

"Oh we wish!" Yunho interjected, a chuckle escaping him as he glanced in Hongjoong's direction.

"Well, we are very much looking forward to seeing more of these fantastic designs, and the photoshoot that ATEEZ will be doing with ARNURI! Maybe you will be able to create some items together? Can ATINY hope for a new line in the future?"

"Hah, I do enjoy altering clothing and really letting creativity run free, but I am looking forward to the learning-".

"Oh yeah, Hongjoong has been a fan of the brand for quite some time, so finding out that we are now working together is a dream come true!"

Hongjoong lowered his eyes and let his fingers flitter across the table in front of him. There went his opportunity to be all slick and cool. Or was he over-reacting? Again, Yunho was unreadable.

The host then quickly rounded off that segment of the discussion, and cut to an ATEEZ song break, in honour of the guests.

Confirming that the mics were indeed off and he wasn't about to cuss out the entire nation, Hongjoong turned to his 6'1'' headache and hissed:

"Let's keep this about ATEEZ, shall we?"

"Why so serious, bro? Don't you like ARNURI?"

That, he did. The problem was that it was no longer just ARNURI he liked. To borrow some fandom-speak, he had abandoned the 'casual fan' territory, and had found himself quite a few clothing items and accessories-deep, and with a bias.

And since he would rather have Yeosang feeding him sour candy than revealing that he liked ARNURI more than he probably should, any joke in that direction was like an arrow that he felt the desperate need to dodge.

"Yeah, of course I do. I mean, we are working with them right?"

"Riiiight. And you are wearing their jacket. That you literally do not let anyone touch."

"What? I like clothes."

"And you keep said jacket in a plastic bag from the dry cleaner's because suddenly you are Seonghwa two point oh."

"Is that not... normal?"

"Rich to ask for a person who spray paints shoes in the living room at three in the morning."

"Hey I ventilate."

"BY TURNING ON THE EXHAUST VENT IN THE KITCHEN?"

"Shh, Yunho, we good. We can discuss this later-"

"Oh no I like your discomfort shawty talk to me."

Hongjoong pinched the bridge of his nose. This kid with his surprise attacks. Before he could think of a way to get himself out of the hole he dug, the host was suddenly showing that they had thirty seconds before going live. So he settled for:

"We'll continue this conversation later."

"And I chose Seonghwa over you."

"Choosing violence... I swear to-"

"And we are back! I hope you, dear listeners, enjoyed the wonderful-"

You paused the podcast. So, your personal assistant was not kidding when she ran into your office, waving her phone side to side as though she was at a concert, saying that Kim Hongjoong knew a lot more about ARNURI than you assumed.

Really sometimes you thought you hired her not for her abilities as a PA, but because she made you feel a tiny bit more sane. But at the same time, you were one in the same - who was listening to the recorded radio broadcast right after she left your office, reduced to a fit of giggles, sitting in total solitude? You.

Quite the contrast to how you normally were - zoned out due to exhaustion, brutal because that was how your business worked, or totally unreachable because 'the vibe was right and you were in a creative flow state'.

But this was how you got that bread. And had taken ARNURI to new heights. You continuously sacrificed yourself for the art.

There had never been another option for you - ever since you were a kid there was only one thing you were interested in, and that was fashion. You were that one kid who shamelessly stole (and wore) her parents' and siblings' clothing, modifying it so that it looked more like you.

You had 're-designed' your school uniform which had nearly led to your suspension. To this day you were confident you had done the right thing remaking the outfit to being pitch black - it was not your fault that the school had no sense of taste and had chosen such a horrid shade of grey.

And aside from becoming the 'adopted child' of some goth clubs in the city, you had crashed fashion show after fashion show to just see how the legends did it. You were taken by the stark contrast between what was classically accepted and popular on the runways versus the enchanting amalgamation of Victorian era dress, New Romantic, punk and new wave.

You had sworn to yourself that if there was one thing you were going to do, it was be one of the designers to fuse the worlds together. So you gave all you had to this dream. You had completed fashion school, worked in Finland to immerse yourself in the nation's vibrant, borderline mainstream goth scene, and had participated in many art exhibitions and avante garde fashion shows to make yourself known.

This was your calling. Your everything. So when you finally managed to get your brand up and running, bringing your vision to South Korea, you were shamelessly promoting it as best you could. Sending samples, contacting influencers, knocking on all the doors until SOMEONE answered.

And that someone turned out to be a stylist at KQ Entertainment, working with a group called ATEEZ. After a few exchanges on Instagram, they had agreed to use a couple of items, and let the media do the promotional magic.

You were desperate, having not had much success in the country due to difficulty in finding early adopters of the brand, so you agreed.

Turned out it was a much better investment than you had initially thought. A few members had sported ARNURI wear for a fansign, and pictures from the event FLEW around the internet. Eventually, the clothing was discovered, and your site started getting more and more hits.

You assumed it was just a fluke, but that fluke turned into one of the members, who you learned to be Kim Hongjoong, starting to make regular appearances in ARNURI, especially when it was evident that he had the final say in what to wear - airport looks, more casual events... black-clad, supporting you more than he could imagine.

Inadvertently, he had turned into a motivation for you. He had given you the hope that you could reach the stars if you so desired, and so you began to build up.

Season after season, you worked tirelessly, and eventually broke into Seoul Fashion Week. Your daring showcase of your 'ANTITHESIS' collection had gathered a large audience, and soon enough, you had to step into the spotlight, and reveal your identity.

You could remember it as clear as day, 'She Sells Sanctuary' by The Cult roaring in the background as you stepped out, every bit ARNURI, an overnight neo-goth sensation.

As your brand got bigger and bigger, and you were now leading a business of nearly 100 people strong, you had to become colder and more distant. It was a sort of self-preservation, since fashion was not an industry where one could escape criticism and blatant slander, especially when your primary goal was to be yourself.

But that one idol. The one who had agreed to wear your brand, and then continued to do so voluntarily, Kim Hongjoong, still remained special to you. He was your quiet encouragement.

So when you heard from your marketing and communications team that they had scouted out an opportunity to work with ATEEZ, you gave them the green light almost instantly, and much to their surprise, participated in crafting out the perfect proposal.

And when you received an agreement and contracts in response, you needed to excuse yourself and locked yourself in your studio, letting yourself squeal. Just a bit. And then walked back out - she is beauty she is grace.

The first stage of the collaboration was going to be a nice and simple photoshoot. You said simple but you were running around the building like a headless chicken making sure everything was ready.

It was going to be for a new line, 'PHANTASMOS', an ode to phantasmagoria, horror theatre and the portrayal of all things fantastic, strange and ghoulish. And who would be a better group of models than ATEEZ?

As the day approached, Hongjoong was becoming considerably more nervous, and that was only exacerbated by the announcement that you personally would be attending the shoot.

He did not want to come across as a fool of some sort, wanted to be a serious leader, really leave the impression that he meant business. To him, you were elegance itself, a tranquil beauty in black, and he wanted to match that to the best of his ability.

Which was exactly why he had turned his and Seonghwa's dorm into a fabric skip, with shirts, trousers, t-shirts... all of his prized possessions were strewn around the perimeter and occupied nearly every inch of the floor. Hell, even his customised Doc Martens were lying miserably on his bed.

Just as he was contemplating between a blazer with lines of safety pins as decal on the lapels or a classic leather jacket with more zippers than ways his children could annoy him, Seonghwa returned from his trip to the LEGO store.

Hongjoong had never seen every single stage of grief flash across a person's face in one second. But there it was. He gave the eldest member a sheepish grin, subconsciously cowering away closer to the windows - as far away from the evidently not too pleased Seonghwa.

"Kim. Hong. Joong. What kind of fuckery is this?"

"Oh. OH! Amy Winehouse! Yes, big fan, that's uh, that's Me & Mr. Jones right?"

"I will use you as a broom stick Joong."

"Look I just got carried-"

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU? PLEASE LET ME KEEP AT LEAST SOME OF MY NERVE CELLS!"

"What's happening- oh Joongie is in trouble~" Mingi poked his head in through the door, making it look as though it was the Teletubbies sun floating above Seonghwa's shoulder.

Hongjoong really wished he could laugh. He really did. But he was afraid he was about to be forced to eat the starship that his roommate bought.

So much for trying to be 'chic' and impressing you. Now he had the goal of making it to the shoot in one piece.

"Mingi. Exit. Now." Seonghwa commanded, jaw clenched, which made the younger member quite literally bolt, slamming the door so hard that the items that were hanging on the stuck-on hooks slid off and fell behind Seonghwa.

There was a mass meeting audible right outside of the room, and a very distinct seagull laugh penetrated the walls. Hongjoong cursed his bad timing. Had he only started early, maybe he would have had time to shove at least some of the items under the bunk so it didn't look too bad.

"Right. You know what. I am zen. I am the calmest of the calm. You take care of others, I take care of you. Right? Now. Wait, you know what I need to just-"

Seonghwa picked up a large pillow off one of the beds, eyed it, looked at Hongjoong once more, and then PUNCHED it with blinding rage, sending it flying right back into the bed.

"Okay now I am fine. Care to explain when you were planning to sort this shit out?"

There was another wave of mumbles outside, to which Seonghwa responded by making the door fly open and shouting out "we are having a VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION."

Before closing the door entirely, a quiet comment from Yeosang could be overheard: "they're getting divorced in there," leading to some giggles, and pitter-patter of footsteps away from the door. They probably just chose a slightly different location to camp and snoop.

Hongjoong decided to sink into one of the clothes piles, motioning for Seonghwa to take a seat next to him. He was in a dilemma, unsure of what sort of explanation would be the most effective for Seonghwa. So he just settled for the truth.

"You know the shoot that we are going to do?" he began, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yes, I do. What, is the aesthetic landfill-chic?" Seonghwa motioned at the explosion over the room.

"No, not at all! Don't even. You have seen the clothing, right?"

"Of course, I wore ARNURI before. Must say, very flattering. And fashionable. That one overcoat made me feel like a vampire prince."

Hongjoong raised an eyebrow, but chose not to comment on that. Seonghwa was Seonghwa, he had his own agenda and his own interpretations.

"Right, so... well, you know I have a lot of ARNURI stuff? It's not just that... I have um... sort of become a... fan? Of the designer? L/N Y/N? She is just... her vision... her style is just... yeah she is great."

"Oh my gosh my boy Kim Hongjoong actually wants to meet someone outside of ATEEZ, this is legendary, I should post this on Universe."

"What in the- hey I meet people! And don't you dare"

"When, mister 'I don't really have many friends' and literally getting jealous over me talking to Minho from Stray Kids?"

"Hey, being a best friend is a responsibility, and you are my best friend!"

"Oh wait... I get it... I don't think you are aiming for friendship here... isn't that right?" a grin started spreading over Seonghwa's face as he looked like he discovered a new planet.

"I am just a fan of hers! Don't twist this!"

"Sure... okay now I get... this," he gave a judgmental side eye to the pile of sweaters that had made their home right by his display cabinet. "You are like a middle schooler before a first date, I swear. This is definitely because she's going to be there, right?"

"You know what? Yes, yes it is. And I might not have had my growth spurt yet but I am not a middle schooler." Hongjoong said, standing up as straight as possible, putting his hands on his hips.

"That's exactly what an angsty middle schooler would say." Seonghwa looked him up and down, stifling a laugh.

"You are on a power trip aren't you?"

"Hell yeah I am, and I will be for the entire shoot and beyond."

"Park Seonghwa why you do this to ME?"

"If you don't want the others to get the details I have an offer."

This made Hongjoong stop on his tracks and retract his 'leader card'. He did not want to lose face in front of the 'teezer crew entirely, so keeping this information in confidence was enticing.

"Yes?"

"First off, clean your shit. And second, I get that spot on the dresser for the Imperial All Terrain Armoured Transport model I've been hunting down."

"First, deal. Second, say that one more fucking time dude I dare you."

"IMPERIAL ALL TERRAIN ARMOURED TRANSPORT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE AT-AT WALKER, IS A FOUR-LEGGED TRANSPORT AND COMBAT VEHICLE USED BY THE IMPERIAL GROUND FO-"

"Did you legit memorise Wikipedia or something?"

"May the force be with you, bitch. Now you clean, I will go chill outside so I don't have an aneurysm because of how you do it. And by the way, I'd pick the leather jacket if I were you. Classic, timeless and looks good."

"Thank you man, you are the best."

"I know, now impress me with how you can make this room spotless."

And with that, Seonghwa left Hongjoong alone in the room. From what he could hear, there was a circus outside, with the other members having gathered around, interrogating about what had just unfolded. but Seonghwa was keeping his word, for now at least. He knew that he did not have to try too hard, since Hongjoong would probably expose himself as soon as he were to see you anyways.

And Seonghwa was more than right. The next day, when ATEEZ arrived to the studio, Hongjoong was very jittery. Alert to any and all people and sounds, he was looking around as if he was expecting someone - well he definitely was. As soon as they stepped into the ARNURI office, he was convinced that you could be around any corner.

The other members were beginning to catch on that this hyung was acting odd, to the point where Yeosang commented on Hongjoong looking like he was playing Alien Isolation in real life. The reference flew right over the leader's head, but he tried his best to tone his Pink Panther-style snooping down.

And instead focus on the many photos that decorated the walls of your house of fashion. Memories of particularly memorable parts of a show, awards, red carpet events... club nights, themed evenings, collaborations... this was your life. Right there, immortalised in tasteful monochrome.

The boys were in awe of the refined interior - strictly monochromatic, any accents in the otherwise white rooms and corridors were done using the colour black. Although it was not a rule by any means (in fact, you encouraged being as daring as one wanted), the majority of ARNURI employees were clad in the colour, fitting right into the brand and the aesthetics.

They were led up a couple of flights of stairs, and as they were making their way down one corridor, Hongjoong began to catch snippets of lively conversation, the occasional staff gliding a clothing rack past them or across the hallway, and... shouts of 'yes ma'am'?

Initially he was confused, but as they were getting closer to the photo studio, it clicked in his head: you were in there. Who else could be referred to as ma'am?

"Hey, Hongjoong, I think we are -actually- meant to... walk in the hall to do the shoot." Jongho walked up behind the leader, fake whispering, causing a round of chuckles from the other members. The only member who was not as smiley (except Hongjoong himself, that is) was Seonghwa, and it was because Hongjoong not so little infatuation was old news to him, and the room had been cleaned to a very satisfying level, much to his surprise.

"Woah no way, Jongho, that's insane. I was sure that this was a new technique or something..." Yunho piped in, glancing at Hongjoong, lips curling up.

He had a couple of sneaking suspicions about Hongjoong's behaviour whenever ARNURI, or more specifically the founder and lead designer, were mentioned or he was given the chance to gush about it.

The radio appearance was the closest to a confirmation that he could get - Hongjoong getting shy over being a big fan... what a sight to see. But seeing the post-discussion silent conversations between the two eldest members, and some signal exchanges while they were driving up to the venue really sealed the deal. There was something really fun going on with Hongjoong, and Yunho needed the deets.

For research purposes. And who was he to pass up on a ship in the making?

Finally, their manager, after finishing up a conversation with some of the relationship management staff from ARNURI, who had greeted them, decided to speed up the process and usher the kids in.

To soothe his nerves, Hongjoong picked at a bracelet he had selected for completing his 'first meeting and first impression' look. He had worn it many times over, and had even taken it with him on tour before, so it was a little ball of positive energy for him.

But nothing could prepare or prevent the Error that Hongjoong.exe experienced as he finally saw you in your element.

There was something spellbinding about the way you looked. Head to toe in your own creations, you were wearing an onyx-hued Victorian era inspired suit, matched with military boots that had immaculate metal detailing.

He could not stop staring, even if it could be perceived as rude, or too forward. There you were.

"Oh, guys, man down, man down, our captain's overboard~" Wooyoung taunted, shouldering San and Yeosang who were on either side of him.

It really was a sight to behold. Hongjoong, entirely captivated as you stood in the middle of the photo studio, guiding the entire room like a conductor would lead an orchestra.

He ignored the youngers' attempts to get his attention, much to their utter disbelief and resulting giddiness. If there was a definition of starstruck. This was it.

You appeared to have a pulse on EVERYTHING, down to the tiniest details, pointing out that there was a very specific prop missing, adjusting accessories, exchanging one scarf for another. It was the most organised chaos that Hongjoong had ever seen, and he was amazed at how you could keep it under control.

The star he had deemed unreachable was right there. Right in front of him.

"Joongie, I think you can leave your drooling until after the shoot. You don't want your makeup ruined."

"Oh Hwa is this how it is?" he looked at his friend in disbelief.

"I think you exposed yourself enough, no?"

"Ew, Hongjoong come on don't traumatise your wife." Wooyoung was not giving up on his mission to annoy Hongjoong into early retirement.

"GUYS please don't embarrass me-"

"Oh so you admit it?" San questioned, smirking like the devil.

"Admit what?"

"That you are doing some shady shit."

"Where did this even come from, San."

"So the studio then, no wonder you come back from there at like four in the morning."

"You guys are making me lose brain cells that I need to get instructions from the photographer." Yeosang deadpanned, nodding towards the set.

"I don't even want to begin imagining what sort of things you are thinking about, but I can assure you I will annihilate you if you start kindergarten season here." Hongjoong threatened but it fell short as Mingi grinned and joined in the ambush:

"Say 'aye' if you think this minion is invested into this shoot." the way he said it almost sounded like an innuendo, making Hongjoong scowl.

The most deafening collection of 'ayes' resounded around Hongjoong, and caused you to shift your focus to the newly arrived group. He noticed your expression soften, shoulders roll a little further back as you ambled towards them, the thuds of your boots setting his heart's pace.

"Ah good morning to you all! It is such a pleasure to be working with you. Did I make you wait for long?"

"Not at all, the pleasure is all ours." Hongjoong forced out, pushing the snickering members out of his sphere of attention.

"Great, well it is wonderful to finally meet you, I am L/N Y/N, the mad scientist behind ARNURI!"

"Very much the same here, Miss-"

"We'll be working closely enough to be informal, no?" you interjected before Hongjoong could call you by your last name.

Your allure was more powerful than he had hypothesised, to the point where some of the other members, more specifically San and Seonghwa, could not look away from you either - it seemed that you had the energy for attracting demons. The way you carried yourself, poised and courteous, demanded nothing less than respect.

At the same time, there was nothing demure about you. If anything, you resembled a cat that was ready to pounce any moment. As though there was a coil within you, permanently tense and even slightly dangerous. But that was thrilling.

Hongjoong cleared his throat, and corrected himself, "Yes, of course, sorry, Y/N. Shall we do the official greeting or-"

"Let's keep things personal for now, and once my lovely colleagues are done with the final checks, we can get started with eight makes one team." you winked, and suggested, quoting the greeting.

It was beyond entertaining for Wooyoung to see just how putty-like Hongjoong had become in your presence. He was just playing by your rules at this point, without questioning them. But it was understandable, who wouldn't get weak when their type was right in front of them and said 'let's keep things personal'?

"Well then let me be proper, I am San!" whilst you were exchanging words with Hongjoong, the member had time to slip from where he originally stood, and was now almost right in front of you, beaming.

Hongjoong chortled, but at the same time wanted to kick his fellow member in the shins because of the interception. What was his game here exactly?

Ever so politely, you greeted San back, not giving away that you were interested in continuing your chat with Hongjoong. It was second nature to you to blend one interaction into another without revealing any preferences - otherwise you would have a lot more enemies in the industry.

Then you simply proceeded to greet each ATEEZ member separately, your attention shifting entirely each time. You had a way of making people feel like, for even if just a moment, they were your universe.

It came from your tendency of seeing people both as perfect canvases, and as living works of art. You enjoyed the challenge that working off a person gave you, and this was mainly why you wanted to give each ATEEZ member a final once over - to see whether what you had planned was even right.

Each member gave you a unique impression, ranging from mischievous to shy to strictly professional. Seeing as you had never actively followed their activities, aside from their leader's, you were fascinated by the dynamic they were displaying, taking note for who you wanted to see in the camera together, and maybe even matching in some accessories.

Hongjoong was nearly holding his breath as he saw you reading ATEEZ like an open book. You were scanning everyone in the way he had seen renowned critics do while inspecting models on the runway. A Mona Lisa smile, and conclusions no one would know except yourself.

When it was finally his turn, he said his name as brightly as possible, faltering only towards the end as your eyes locked. He swore his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. It did not last long though, as you glanced down, and appeared to be incredibly happy because of something you spotted.

San was taking a particular interest in this silent mental tango, intently following your every move, while Wooyoung cupped his hand around his friend's ear and whispered.

"The bracelet."

"Ah, yes, it's uhm, should I say yours?"

"I guess so! It is from the limited edition MEDUSA collection. It suits you well. And the condition is impeccable though it's been what, a couple of years?"

"It's very precious to me, I try to take good care of it."

Seonghwa pursed his lips, the chaos of their dorm room clouding his vision. He imagined that you probably would go ballistic if you were to ever see clothing being treated in that way. Though Hongjoong did have separate storage for accessories and jewelry - that much was true.

"That means a lot. Thank you-" you turned as someone called out for you, alerting that everything was ready to go, "it's time, gentlemen, let's get this party started!"

As you clasped your hands together and moved away to join the lead photographer, allowing stylists to guide the group away and begin working their magic, San peered at Hongjoong once more.

When he made sure everyone else was out of earshot, he placed a hand on the captain's shoulder, and muttered:

"If you don't ask her out, I will. No hierarchy on this battle field."

[iamzainrefat]

65 Digital Marketing Tools To Simply Your Life

(Instant Bookmarked it)

SEO

1. Google Search Console

2. Keyword Planner

3. Moz

4. Ahref

5. Semrush

6. Keyword Everywhere 

7. Ubersuggest

Paid Advertising Tools

8. Google Ads

9. Facebook Ads Manager

10. Wordstream

11. Bing Ads Editor

12. AdEspresso

Analytics & Reporting Tools

13. Google Analytics

14. Kissmetrics

15. Zoho Analytics

16. Spring Metrics

17. Social Blade

18. Iconsquare

19. Facebook creator studio

Social Media Marketing Tools

20. Buffer

21. Hootsuite

22. Sprout Social

23. Buzzsumo

24. Mention

25. Facebook Business Suite

CopywritingTools

26. Hemingway Editor

27. Grammarly

28. Thesaurus

29. Wordcounter

30. Subject Line Tester

31. Copi ai

32. ChatGPT

33. Wordtune

Graphic Design tools

34. Canva

35. Adobe Photoshop

36. Adobe Illustrator

37. Figma

38. Gravit Designer

39. Corel Draw

40. Pixlr

41. Gimp

42. Crello

43. Snappa

Email Marketing Tools

44. Mailchimp

45. SendinBlue

46. Hubspot

47. Hotjar

48. Getresponse

49. MailerLite

Video Editing Tools

50. Adobe Premiere pro

51. Shotcut

52. Filmora

53. Veed io

54. Blender

Marketing Automation Tools

55. Hubspot Marketing Automation

56. ActiveCampaign

57. Drip

58. Autopilot

59. Marketo

60. Zapier

Branding Tools

61. Adobe Spark

62. Tailorbrands

63. Brandmark 

64. Namecheap

65. LogoMaker

[rajmithwebagency]

What is the best place for doing digital marketing 2023?

Digital marketing is the use of digital channels to reach and engage with your target audience. It includes a wide range of activities, such as search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, and content marketing.

● Why Choose a Digital Marketing Agency?

There are many benefits to choosing a digital marketing agency. First, agencies have the experience and expertise to help you reach your target audience and achieve your business goals. Second, agencies have the resources to create and execute effective marketing campaigns. Third, agencies can save you time and money by taking care of all of your marketing needs.

● How to Choose a Digital Marketing Agency

When choosing a digital marketing agency, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

Experience: Make sure the agency has experience in your industry and with your target audience.

Reputation: Check online reviews to see what other businesses have said about the agency.

Services: Make sure the agency offers the services you need, such as SEO, PPC, social media marketing, and content marketing.

Price: Get quotes from several agencies before making a decision.

Here are a few of the best digital marketing agencies in 2023:

Google Ads: Google Ads is a great option for businesses that want to reach a large audience. They offer a variety of PPC advertising options, and they have a team of experts who can help you create a successful campaign.

HubSpot: HubSpot is a full-service digital marketing agency that offers a variety of services, including SEO, PPC, social media marketing, and content marketing. They have a team of experts who can help you develop a custom marketing plan that will help you achieve your goals.

WordStream: WordStream is another great option for businesses that want to improve their SEO. They offer a variety of SEO services, including website audits, keyword research, and link building.

Marketo: Marketo is a leading provider of marketing automation software. They help businesses automate their marketing tasks, such as email marketing, lead nurturing, and social media marketing.

Adobe Marketing Cloud: Adobe Marketing Cloud is a suite of marketing software that helps businesses create, deliver, and measure marketing campaigns.

These are just a few of the many great digital marketing agencies out there. When choosing an agency, it's important to find one that has the experience, expertise, and services you need to help you achieve your business goals.

In addition to the factors listed above, you may also want to consider the following when choosing a digital marketing agency:

Culture: Do you feel comfortable working with the agency's team? Do you share their values?

Communication: How well does the agency communicate with you? Do they keep you updated on their progress?

Flexibility: Is the agency willing to work with you to develop a custom marketing plan that fits your budget and your needs?

Availability: Is the agency available to answer your questions and address your concerns?

Choosing the right digital marketing agency is an important decision. By taking the time to research your options and find an agency that meets your needs, you can be sure that you're getting the best possible service.

Here are some of the benefits of working with a digital marketing agency:

Increased website traffic: A good digital marketing agency can help you increase your website traffic by optimizing your website for search engines and running effective PPC campaigns.

More leads and sales: A good digital marketing agency can help you generate more leads and sales by creating and executing effective marketing campaigns across a variety of channels.

Improved brand awareness: A good digital marketing agency can help you improve your brand awareness by creating and executing effective marketing campaigns that position your brand in a positive light.

Enhanced customer loyalty: A good digital marketing agency can help you enhance customer loyalty by creating and executing effective marketing campaigns that keep your customers engaged and coming back for more.

If you're looking for a way to improve your business's online presence and achieve your marketing goals, then working with a digital marketing agency is a great option.

Useful Links: Best Digital Marketing Agency 2023

[madhukumarc]

What is product launch videography?

Product launch videography is a crucial aspect of any successful product launch. It involves creating a video that showcases the features and benefits of a product in an engaging and visually appealing way.

The purpose of a product launch video is to generate excitement and interest in the new product, while also educating potential customers about what it can do and how it can benefit them.

This type of video is typically used as part of a larger marketing campaign to promote the product and build buzz leading up to the launch.

“Over 84% of customers say a brand's video convinced them to buy a product! And let's not forget, video content has more reach and shareability than regular posts” – Planoly

Image Source - The State of Content Marketing 2023 Global Report by Semrush

When creating a product launch video, it's important to consider the target audience and what they want to see. 

This may involve highlighting specific features or benefits that are particularly relevant to their needs or interests.

It's also important to keep the video concise and engaging, with a clear call-to-action at the end to encourage viewers to take the next step (such as visiting a website or making a purchase).

There are many different elements that go into creating a successful product launch video, including scripting, storyboarding, filming, editing, and post-production.

It's important to work with a skilled videographer or production team who can help bring your vision to life and ensure that the final product is polished and professional-looking.

“Wordstream reports that videos on landing pages can increase conversion rates by up to 80%. That means you can increase brand awareness and drive conversions by creating high-quality video content” – FoundationInc

Ultimately, product launch videography is an essential part of any successful product launch strategy. 

By creating a compelling video that showcases your product in the best possible light, you can generate buzz, build excitement, and ultimately drive sales and revenue for your business.

Here's related information that you may find helpful – Company Branding versus Product Branding [Know the difference].

[ogadaedwine]

YouTube Video Optimization: the Ultimate Guide

The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Video Optimization, and Building a Brand Through YouTube

YouTube is one of the most visited websites, reporting approximately 2 billion monthly users all over the world. The platform has become a vital part of the internet and has had a significant impact on the way that people consume and create content. It's been the most prevalent creators' hub ranging from entertaining to educational content. Most YouTube spend most of their time on the platform watching videos and news bulletins. For content creators and agencies, YouTube is not only a medium to build an audience, but also an income generation base.

Why is YouTube Important?

YouTube is significant for many people of different diversities, from creators to viewers and marketers. YouTube is important for several reasons. Content Creation and Distribution YouTube has given people the ability to create and share their ideas with the world. This has led to a constant increase in the amount of video content available online and has created opportunities for people to become pro-content creators, entertainers, and even celebrities in their own way. Education and Learning YouTube is an excellent source of information and education, with countless instructional videos, tutorials, and educational content. The ability to share information in the form of any language and style has made an accommodative platform even for people who can not express themselves in major languages. Marketing and Advertising The platform is crucial for individuals, businesses, and agencies looking for an opportunity to reach out to a large and diverse audience. Companies can use YouTube to promote their products, and services, build brand authority and can use the platform targeting features to reach specific demographics. YouTube has influencers and affiliate marketers with a range of subscribers and intuitive PPC marketing opportunities. Entertainment Are getting bored all the time? YouTube is a source of entertainment for billions of people worldwide. The platform's content creators produce a spectrum of topical videos from music, movies, comedies, video blogs, and many more. YouTube can also be a source of misinformation and violations if not fact-checked.

How to Optimize and Increase the Visibility of your YouTube Videos

There are several ways to optimize a YouTube video to increase its visibility and engagement rate: Keyword Research Use keywords in the video title, description, and tags to make it easier for people to find your video when searching for related content. Keyword research is a very important aspect of optimizing your YouTube videos for search engines. Before embarking on keyword research, you need to identify the target audience, which will help you to determine what video keywords they are searching for. Keyword tools like the Wordstream keyword tool can help you identify relevant and long-tail YouTube keywords. Use Google Trends to help you understand the popularity of keywords over time. When you search for a keyword on YouTube, you'll see a list of related searches at the bottom of the search bar. These related searches can give you an idea of what other keywords people are searching for that are related to your niche. Finally, analyze your competitors: Look at the keywords your competitors are ranking for in their videos. This will provide you with knowledge about how competitive that keyword is and competitiveness overtime. Video Content Creating high-quality, engaging video content that is relevant to your target audience and provides value should be of the utmost goal. The quality of the video will tell the search engine how expert and experienced you are, thus suggesting to the searcher. While creating videos, ensure that you find a better video editing tool with advanced features. Filmora by Wondershare is one the best free YouTube video editing software with intuitive templates to help you stand out strong. Ensure the quality of the video is outstanding and relevant to what the target audience is looking for. The background must be clear with plenty of light while creating the video. Video Title and Description Writing clear, concise, and compelling titles and descriptions that accurately reflect the content of your and include relevant keywords. Use catchy and SEO-friendly titles and video descriptions based on keywords or topics. With everything almost going in the AI direction, there are incredibly free and paid AI tools you can leverage to generate rich titles and descriptions. The structure of your titles relates to successfully your video will appear at the top of search results on YouTube and search engines. The ability to click videos on YouTube depends on how enticing your title appeals even when the content is gibberish. Use hyping words like "shocking", "the complete...", "how to..." and many more to increase the clickability of your YouTube videos. YouTube titles cannot go beyond 100 characters, but make it a bit lower than the maximum, at least 65 to 80. Video Thumbnail Creating eye-catching and visually appealing video thumbnails that grab the attention of viewers and encourage them to click on your videos. YouTube thumbnails are the first impression of what your video is about and decide whether to watch it or not. While designing your YouTube thumbnail, consider who your video is targeting. Creating interesting images with unique branding and descriptive texts and readable fonts. Create an optimized image that works across all devices with moderate dynamic use of colors to make it catchy. Create a thumbnail while keeping in mind the thumbnail policy that applies to sorts of images. Finally, Canva can help you create sizable, unique, and authentic YouTube thumbnails freely or affordable cost if you subscribe to the premium plans. Video Tags Adding relevant tags to your videos helps YouTube and viewers understand your content of your and discover it in search results. Tags are can help your audience find your content because they describe the context of the video. Tags are relevant when used explicitly and not overly. Too many tags on a single video or playlist are irrelevant for viewers looking for the content. Your playlist tags should not go beyond 60 hashtags, lest your content get ignored by the search engines or removal of the video from the uploads. Getting the right and SEO-optimized might be a daunting task when starting. Without overthinking about the right tags to use, you can use YouTube tag generators like TubeRanker, RapidTags, YTubeTool, and many more. Video Duration When you are new, you'd probably ask yourself what the best video length for new channels is. Or how long should a YouTube video be? There is no ideal length for a YouTube. video, however, it depends on one context of your content. Some experienced users suggest that your video should be between 2 to 15 minutes in duration. Videos like, "how to develop a website or an app" will take longer time, even hours compared to "how to create a Facebook page." There is a set upload video length for both non-verified and verified accounts. Non-verified have a maximum of up to 15 minutes length o while verified accounts have a maximum of 12 hours. However, optimize the length of your video for engagement, making sure it is not too long or too short. Video Transcription and Captions Adding a transcript of your video and closed captions, which makes it easier for people to understand your video and can improve its accessibility. Use closed captions or subtitles to make your video accessible to a wider audience, including those who are hearing impaired or non-native speakers. Transcribing your YouTube videos increases the chances of getting a positive impact from viewers who enjoy your content. Users may choose to read the transcripts alongside the video for an in-depth understanding of the message. Uploading your playlists with transcripts can increase your chances of ranking higher on search engines faster. Captioning also makes it easy for multi-language translation which can benefit a wide range of people around the world. The enacted anti-discrimination laws that protect the rights of individuals with disabilities require equal access to the same information as the rest of the people. YouTube has an inbuilt transcription feature that can help you do the task. However, the automatic captioning is not flawless, and don't depend on it. The best way to transcribe your Youube videos is to do it manually or uses third-party services like otter.ai and verbit.ai. Social Media Promotion Promote your video on social media and other platforms to increase its visibility and drive more traffic. Promoting your social media account on other social media platforms is what is referred to as, cross-promoting. Building followers takes time and patience, but with the need to get noticed, you have to share your content with a wider audience. If you are having great fans on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and other socials, then you need to share YouTube videos broadly. The share button on YouTube allows creators and viewers to share videos on various social media platforms, but at the time, you copy the link and manually share it. You can also embed YouTube videos ok your website if you have one, which will redirect your visitors to the channel. Influencer Collaboration Collaborate with other YouTubers or influencers in your niche to reach a larger audience and increase your visibility. Influencer collaboration is instrumental for YouTubers who are just starting out. This type of collaborative content creation strengthens the foundation of newbies and exposes them to the actual space of content development and intriguing content. It is like B2B marketing where brands thrives at the expense of benefiting one another and building a mutual and authoritative brand perspective. Developing your Channel through this method requires that you have one select one running the same niche as yours, and at least have a good number viewership. It can also help in elaborating the topic and in-depth understanding of the subject matter. YouTube Video Call-To-Action Create a video and end the video with a call-to-action, encouraging viewers to watch the next video or subscribe to your channel. A CTA is an interactive element that appears and asks viewers to perform specific actions that are most essential to the channel owner. CTAs can boost video engagement rates when implemented by those watching the videos. It can be in a form of animation or spoken remarks encouraging viewers to subscribe, like, share, and hit the notification button. A CTA can also recommend users visit your website and other social media platforms. A call-to-action is important because it can help you get more video views, subscribers, likes, and comments. It also increases the watch time and high ranks in YouTube's search. YouTube's search algorithm recommends your videos to their viewers faster when it has the highest watch time, comments rates, likes, and subscribers. This reflects the strength of your channel and videos on a particular topic. Encouraging your audience to hit the notification button will make a good number of them return when you post a new video, and this can help you to build a permanent audience. YouTube Video Analytics Use YouTube analytics to track the performance of your video and make adjustments as needed to improve engagement and increase your chances of getting recommended by the search algorithm. The analytics helps creators understand the demographics, behaviors, and responses towards the video. When the is pathetic and doesn't contribute well to the needs of the people, you may receive more dislikes and negative comments. Demographics let you know the regions, age range, and gender mostly interested in your content. Authoritative content is poised to get more shares, likes, subscriptions, and positive comments when it adds to the values of the people. The analytics tool also tracks the divides used, returning viewers, and the average time they spend on your videos. YouTube Community Guidelines Keep in mind YouTube's community guidelines and make sure your video is in line with them to avoid getting flagged or removed. YouTube is a community of billions of people around the world, and the guidelines are there to make it friendly and accessible to all. Not to mention all, YouTube's policies apply to thumbnails, links, comments, and private content. The platform does not allow spam and deceptive practices, misinformation, harmful content, and sensitive ones. Keep in mind that YouTube doesn't allow the selling or promotion of regulated products like firearms, counterfeit documents organs, and endangered species. Many creators have fallen short of these guidelines and have had their channels suspended, content flagged, or complete deletion. This is something that you have to consider when getting started if you want to go far.

How Optimized YouTube Videos increase Brands' Productivity

Optimized YouTube videos can increase a brand's productivity by: Increasing brand awareness: With the use of keywords and promotional videos on social media, brands can reach a larger audience and increase their visibility, which can lead to more people becoming aware of their products or services. YouTube is the most efficient way to improve brand visibility because the presentation is normally both instructional and experimental at the same time. Many people are looking for what they can see and the methods involved in its making. For a brand to stand out clearly, it has to deploy tactics that will draw the attention and interest of viewers. Having catchy titles, descriptions, tags, and appropriate thumbnails should be the utmost focus for brands that wish to enhance their popularity. Creating a video with incomplete illustrations, poorly edited audio, and fumbling clearly exposes the gullibility of the content creator. Driving website traffic: One of the rules of successful blogging is to spend over 80% of your efforts promoting it, and there are several ways to do this. Social media marketing is the most proven and prevalent method most website owners can use to drive traffic, and here, YouTube is among the social media giants. YouTube is the second-most popular website in the world, with over 2 billion monthly active users. This makes it feasible to reach many people in a span of a few months to build your popularity. Businesses that do video marketing generate more traffic and revenue and build brand awareness compared to those that rely on text only. Driving traffic to your website works better by including a call-to-action throughout your videos. A CTA must be one that gives your viewers the next step to perform an action. For example, "Click the link to my website and sign up for more courses, buy the product, or find more information." By including a link to the brand's website in the video's description, brands can drive more traffic to their site, which can lead to more sales or conversions. Building trust and credibility The most important factors that most businesses and individuals seek are credibility and trust in a brand. YouTube is a hub for millions of product reviews in all languages and regions. Brand reputations evolve around actionable factors, primarily done by the brand itself. As a customer, I'd want to know the basics of customer service, price, the proactiveness of the customer response team, and the effectiveness of a particular product or service. A brand that produces high-quality videos in an explanatory manner gains recognition faster as compared to those who just dump their videos on the platform. Content creators should be able to respond to queries and clarification in the comment section to prove their customer productivity stance. A good product and service will purportedly make users give a detailed review of your product that would more beneficial. By creating high-quality, informative videos, brands can establish themselves as experts in their field and build trust and credibility with their audience. Enhancing customer engagement Engagement improves with the informativeness of the videos you create. Very helpful and contextualized videos will gain more shares, likes, comments, and subscriptions. Again, viewers tend to return to content sources to look for new ones due to the trust they have in you. Poorly edited and presented work takes to be recognized, and therefore ranking on the search becomes a menace too. Brands that create engaging and interactive videos, can encourage and increase the audience's interactability with their content, which can lead to increased engagement and a stronger connection with their customers. Improving lead generation Lead generation begins with the nature of the content itself. CTA still plays a vital role in improving the lead generation for your brands. Use YouTube cards that allow you to share clickable links at the end of your video. YouTube cards play a critical role in enhancing audience retention before the end of your video. The links must be blog content-related and valuable to the audience, which directs them to a certain landing page. However, YouTube lets you add up to 5 cards only per video. By including a call-to-action in the video, brands can encourage viewers to take a specific action, such as signing up for a newsletter or visiting their website, which can lead to more leads and sales. Cost-effective marketing Creating and uploading videos on YouTube is relatively low-cost and can reach a large audience, which can make it a more cost-effective marketing strategy than traditional forms of advertising. Advertising and targeting audiences with your ads has never been easy because you need to spend more to reach out to a larger audience. Though YouTube takes time, consistency, and patience to rank and get noticed, you do not need to have a monthly or annual ad budget. Read the full article

[squideo]

Motion graphics is, in its simplest terms, graphics (images) with motion (movement). Unlike live-action, motion graphics is rooted in graphic design. From cartoons to memes, from animated infographics to television adverts, there is no shortage of motion graphic content on our billboards, televisions and phones. 

Motion graphic content usually incorporates additional features, such as animated text, music and voiceovers. They can also be spliced with or overlaid on live-action footage and animation. 

Using motion graphics, especially in a video, is an effective way to communicate information and capture a large proportion of modern internet users. In 2022, 82% of all internet traffic were video views. YouTube remained the second most popular website in the world and the average view time of video rose to a worldwide total of 1 billion hours every single day.

What are the Benefits of Motion Graphics?

The versatility of motion graphics and wide viewership of motion graphic video is just the start of this medium’s benefits. Whatever your requirements, motion graphics can get your message across effectively and creatively. 

1. Educate, Don’t Exterminate

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a deluge of information trying to explain what the virus was and how the public could protect itself. Thinking back on those early months, what video helped you to understand what was going on? A short motion graphic video? Or one of Jonathan Van-Tam’s PowerPoint presentations?

A short motion graphic video easily distils a complex process, reinforcing content through imagery, onscreen text and audio. In 2021, Insivia reported that viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to just 10% when reading it in a text. 

2. Once Upon a Time

For over a century, moving images have been used across the globe to tell stories. More accessible than ever before, motion graphics can encapsulate a brand, propel a narrative and enrapture an audience. It’s not necessary to hire an A-list cast, high-budget director and sound studio to tell a story though. 

Particularly effective when paired with narration or music, graphics can be used to tell a story and reinforce the message to an audience. 

3. What’s the Point? 

A call-to-action is important with any medium, and motion graphics are no different. Creating motion graphics is an investment in time and money, as such there should be a measurable outcome. Whether its converting viewers to customers, boosting subscriber numbers or raising awareness, underline your point with a call-to-action. 

Visit our website! Subscribe! Buy Now! …You get the gist. Whatever your choice of CTA, if it is said through a motion graphic your point will be memorable. 

4. Reuse. Repurpose. Recycle.

Once made, a motion graphic can be shared repeatedly on your platforms, shortened for distribution on social media, or even inserted into new content. 

The easy reusability of motion graphics makes them an effective long-term investment, particularly when compared to live-action material. Live-action footage has the potential to quickly date, especially if it features a changeable workforce, location or branding. Motion graphics are more enduring, and easily updated if required. 

5. Sharing is Caring

In 2021, Wordstream reported that 92% of users watching video on mobile will share it with others. Video is considerably easier to share than most other formats, as they can be distributed across social media platforms, text messages and emails. 

Consider the platform your motion graphic will be uploaded to in order to determine whether it needs to be produced in multiple dimensions for ease of sharing. 

What are Motion Graphics Used For?

Motion graphics have a host of benefits, but how can you use them to your advantage? Here are some of Squideo’s tips on the most popular placements and uses of motion graphics. If you would like additional expertise, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

1. Advertisements

Motion graphics were, once upon a time, the poorer relation of live-action in the world of advertisements and Mad Men; used by businesses with limited marketing budgets. Nowadays, its possible to create high-quality, creative and entertaining advertisements solely with motion graphics. 

2. Explainer videos

Explainer videos are a fantastic marketing tool and can either be distributed externally to customers or shared internally with staff. Explainer videos combine a script, storyboard, background music, voiceover, sound effects, animation and motion graphics to bring together your ideas.

3. Infographics

Seeing the cost of gas soar then watching the value of the pound tumble, news channels love to put a motion (info)graphic to terrifying use. Whether you’re looking to raise awareness with shocking statistics or share the excitement of growth with charts, animated infographics make the biggest impact when brought to life with motion. 

4. Logos

We’ve already mentioned that YouTube is the second most popular website in the world, so let’s mention the first: Google. And when we say “Google!” you say “Doodle!” The Google Doodle has become synonymous with logo motion graphics, and for good reason. They’re eye-catching and fun, which makes the Google logo memorable. 

Do the same for your brand with a motion graphic logo. No longer limited to website pages, motion graphic logos can also be implemented on select social media platforms and are likely to become supported on more platforms over the next few years. 

5. Presentations

Avoid the risk of ‘Death by PowerPoint’ by adding motion graphics to presentations. Whether delivered face-to-face or virtually, motion graphics help capture an audience’s attention and add dimension to a presentation. 

6. Short films

Motion graphics can be used solely or in combination with animation and live-action to create short films. When set to music, combined with narration, or accompanying powerful imagery, motion graphics can be used to highlight important parts of a story or simplify an intricate narrative. 

For a quick overview of the difference between motion graphics and animation, look at the difference between these two videos. 

7. Title sequences and credits

You decided, despite everything, to go with live-action over motion graphics at the end of this blog. But did you really escape motion graphics? From the 1950s onward, motion graphics have been the cornerstone of title sequences and credits. Pioneered by the likes of Saul and Elaine Bass, graphic design changed these sequences from monotonous lists to entertaining segments which set the tone of an entire production. 

8. UI animations

User-Interface animation is motion graphics designed for interaction with a viewer. Simply put, UI makes graphics move either in response to a user, or to prompt interaction from a user. There are three main uses of UI animations: 

Loading and progress. Typically a loading bar or status wheel showing the progress of a download or installation. 

State changes. Commonly found on a digital form, these UIs change as information is added. Think of a red line around a box that remains until you enter the required information: that’s a state change UI animation. 

Navigation. Designed to help users find their way through a website, programme or game. It can come in the form of moving arrows or pop-up graphics and text. 

UI animations not only simplify processes for your userbase, but their interactive nature makes them more stimulating which in turn helps retain your customer’s attention. 

Get Started with Your Motion Graphics Marketing Video

Watch our video below to get a better understanding of how we can create motion graphics and motion graphic videos to suit your project brief. 

If you want to discuss how a motion graphic or one of our videos can benefit your business, get in touch with the Squideo team today!

Blog Sources:

Adobe, ‘Motion graphics explained: definition, history and examples.’ URL [Accessed 01/11/2022]

Biteable, ‘Video marketing statistics: The state of video marketing in 2021.’ URL [Accessed 01/11/2022]

InVideo, ‘What are Motion Graphics?’ URL [Accessed 01/11/2022]

UXPin Studio, ‘UI Animation – All You Need to Know and Examples.’ URL [Accessed 02/11/2022]

Video Arts, ‘The science behind the effectiveness of video in learning.’ URL [Accessed 01/11/2022]

[abdurrahimseo]

6 SEO Experts You Should Follow for Brilliant Insights

There are plenty of SEO experts out there to follow on social media and learn from, but these six are the best of the best. Each one has the experience and knowledge to help you master search engine optimization, whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been doing it for years and want to bring your game to the next level. Follow them all or just one, but learn from them because it will take you from an amateur to a pro in no time at all.

1) Neil Patel

Neil Patel is the co-founder of Crazy Egg, Hello Bar, NP Digital, and KISSmetrics. Recently NP Digital claimed one of the best SEO-oriented free keyword research tools (Answerthepublic). He is an entrepreneur, author, blogger, and speaker. His blog covers a variety of topics: marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, etc. He has also been recognized as one of the top 100 most influential people on the web by Business Insider and one of the top 50 entrepreneurs under 25 by Inc. Magazine.

2) Brian Dean

Brian Dean is a renowned digital marketing expert and entrepreneur. His blog, Backlinko, covers SEO and link-building tactics such as finding the best link-building services, creating content that attracts links, dofollow vs nofollow links, how to get guest posts on major blogs, and much more. If you're not sure where to start with your SEO, check out his free 7-lesson email course. Plus he also has many helpful videos on YouTube if you prefer watching to reading.

3) Rand Fishkin

Rand Fishkin is the founder and CEO of Moz, a company that provides software to help with search engine optimization. 

He's also a blogger, podcaster, speaker and author. He is also co-founder and CEO of SparkToro, a strong audience research tool.

 His blog features loads of great insights about how to approach SEO and what you need to know about it. One of his recent posts was about how to use Google Analytics for better insight into your business data.

4) Jayson DeMers

Jayson DeMers is the founder of AudienceBloom and the author of How to Grow Your Audience. He has consulted with a variety of small businesses and Fortune 500 companies to help them grow their audiences. Jayson’s insights are always spot on and you will learn some tips that are sure to help you out.

5) Larry Kim

Larry Kim is the founder and CTO of WordStream, an online marketing company. He is also the founder and CEO of MobileMonkey, the best chatbot platform in the world.

He has been named a Top 25 Social Media Influencer by Forbes, a Top 50 Twitter Power User by Twitter, and one of the Top 10 Most Valuable Content Marketing Speakers.

 Larry is also a Google Adwords Certified Individual & Partner as well as Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Professional. 

His knowledge in search engine optimization (SEO) can be found on his blog on The Huffington Post, Quora, Medium or LinkedIn. If you're looking for advice from an expert who knows what he's talking about then Larry is your man.

6) Danny Sullivan

Danny Sullivan is the founding editor of Search Engine Land and one of the most well-known experts in search engine optimization. He provides great insights into all things related to internet marketing, search engines, and online business topics. Danny's blog is a must-read if you want to stay up on what's new in the world of SEO. His posts are always educational and informative.

7) Abdur Rahim (Bonus)

Abdur Rahim is a professional SEO expert in Bangladesh who has only recently begun his career, but his strategy and innovative ideas set him apart from others in the country. He keeps him super fast in the SEO journey to navigate a prominent reputation worldwide as an early bird. He has gained valuable experience in a relatively short period of time. You can grow alongside him by following him.

Wrap Up

Successful people emulated their idols in order to improve their abilities. Because it is a very effective method that will lead to your success, just like your idol. You can learn a thousand things from someone in your niche who has achieved success in their journey, which is far superior to a book and a course. You can learn new techniques every day to improve your skills. They frequently share a case study or experiment that is more valuable than everything that helps to master a skill.

So you can learn from them and become an SEO master.

[bellewannabe]

It's real my dudes.

https://www.autism-products.com/product/autism-steam-roller/?keyword_session_id=vt~adwords|kt~|mt~|ta~&_vsrefdom=wordstream&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyMKbBhD1ARIsANs7rEHUS14WXG6JvVF2jbsow4U8fgO09e8GXV_1U9JPqqrR1ZZMNT4C87kaApmsEALw_wcB

Weighted blanket is not enough I need someone to do this to me

[peakverse-digital]

Amplify Your Reach with Cross-Platform PPC

Achieving meaningful growth through pay-per-click (PPC) advertising isn’t just about running a single platform campaign—it’s about creating a unified presence across the digital ecosystem. Businesses today have the opportunity to harness the power of cross-platform PPC, blending Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more, to develop a cohesive strategy that goes beyond siloed success. Leveraging this integrated approach can make PPC campaigns more impactful, extend brand reach, and better target specific audience segments. But how can businesses tie it all together?

Why Cross-Platform PPC Matters More Than Ever

While each PPC platform offers unique benefits, running them independently can create fragmented messaging, inconsistent brand presence, and potential overlaps in audience targeting. As PPC expert Larry Kim, founder of WordStream, says, "Integrated marketing ensures you're always delivering a unified message to your audience—wherever they may be.” Cross-platform PPC combines the strengths of each platform, helping businesses expand reach and engage users at different stages of their purchasing journey.

For instance, Google Ads is excellent for capturing high-intent searchers. Meanwhile, Facebook and Instagram excel at building brand awareness and retargeting with visual storytelling, while LinkedIn is optimal for B2B lead generation. Integrating these platforms creates a stronger PPC strategy that resonates with various audience touchpoints.

Key Steps to Build a Cohesive Cross-Platform Campaign

Set Clear, Consistent Goals

Begin by defining your campaign’s overarching goals. Whether it’s lead generation, brand awareness, or conversions, aligning your objectives across Google, Facebook, and other platforms ensures a unified approach. For example, a brand running pay-per-click marketing services can use LinkedIn to attract B2B clients, while Google Ads and Facebook focus on broader lead acquisition.

Craft Tailored Yet Cohesive Messaging

While messaging should be consistent across platforms, it should also cater to each platform's strengths. On Instagram, leverage visual narratives for brand storytelling; on Google, prioritize keyword-driven text ads that respond to search intent. By adapting to each platform’s format, you maintain brand alignment while optimizing engagement. As PPC specialist Brad Geddes notes, "Adapt your ad message to suit each platform while maintaining core brand values."

Leverage Audience Insights for Precision Targeting

Each platform offers powerful audience insights that can reveal what messaging resonates most. For instance, using Google’s keyword data combined with Facebook’s interest and behavioral insights can create a more comprehensive customer profile. This helps you avoid redundant spending and maximize relevance across your ads.

Monitor and Optimize Performance Across Platforms

Monitoring results is essential to keep your campaigns relevant. Use analytics tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and LinkedIn insights to track conversions and make informed adjustments. Cross-platform PPC requires consistent evaluation and adaptation, allowing you to cut costs on underperforming ads while amplifying successful ones.

A Cross-Platform PPC Success Story

Imagine a software company offering pay-per-click marketing services. They run Google Ads targeting users searching for PPC tools, while Facebook and Instagram ads focus on retargeting users who previously visited their site. Simultaneously, they use LinkedIn ads to attract marketing managers from potential partner companies. With this layered approach, they reach users in various stages of their journey, increasing the likelihood of conversions.

Final Thoughts

In an era where consumers interact with multiple touchpoints, cross-platform PPC allows brands to present a seamless experience. With a cohesive approach, businesses can make the most of each platform's unique strengths, maximize reach, and drive better results. By combining the best of Google, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, you’re not just running ads—you’re building a robust, interconnected marketing engine.

[hwaightme]

Your fan, San (part 1)

(part 2) (your fan ml)

💬 pairing: san x interpreter!reader 💬 genre: romance, fluff, mutual pining 💬 summary: a bulletpoint-style wordstream of what it would be like if san was stanning you 💬 wordcount: 5.3k 💬 warnings/tags: language, simping, hopeless romantic, linguistics, interpreter/translator reader, duo bird terrors, ateez wingman alliance, concerts, public speaking, job stress, slow burn, falling in love hard and fast 💬 taglist: @acciocriativity, @senpai-of-doom, @layzfeelit @jcngh0-hq @black--awsum @honey-lemon-goose @i-luvsang @jackinmyarea💬 a/n: Hello there <3 we all know the standard languages, but how will Choi San, our next Fan in the series, go about learning the language of love? Let's find out! Thank you so much for your love and support, biggest hugs and stay tuned <3<3<3

ATINY were overwhelmingly supportive when San spoke a foreign language.

But he disliked it.

Because it meant that you had to stop.

And San loved nothing more than to see you gaze at him, fully focused, professional, and practically reading his mind as you translated his words at record speed.

Well you did that for every single member of ATEEZ, but that was besides the point. His focus was always on you.

You reminded him of a river. Gentle in your appearance and demeanour. At the same time, you possessed a unique turbulence, you could stand strong and proud, a fire in your eyes - the embodiment of passion as you spoke.

But exclusively if you felt the moment called for it. You were always transforming. Fluid. You were an ever-changing season. An unstoppable current. San wholly believed you had the power to see right through people because of how well you captured their sentiment.

San had always valued communication, and wanted to be on the same page as anyone he talked to. But unfortunately, that meant spending long hours hunched over books and staring at a demonic green owl on his phone.

In the early days of his career, that had been enough, but as the fanbase grew larger and more international, the pressure he had begun to feel when it came to simply talking and delivering a message was unprecedented.

He was not able to joke around, not able to say exactly what he wanted, and more often than not gave up and said something easier. But the passion was still there. Very much alive. So, San kept at it. Trying not to make Duo sad.

Of course, he was well aware that no matter how hard he tried, he and the rest of the members would not be able to become perfectly fluent by the next promotions and world tour, so having an interpreter on board was a must. This was so that they could focus on connecting with the audience on a much deeper level, so they would not be hindered either by vocabulary or by worry (even if they could explain themselves well).

Hence why it had not come as a surprise that the selection process for an interpreter, according to some staff San was friendly with, had been immensely difficult. So much so that apparently, a high percentage had quit before even making it close to the final rounds, and then those in the last selection stage had to risk facing humiliation, the test being interpreting at a live, high stress event.

And then, with only a few days before ATEEZ were meant to depart to Japan, they had received the news that an interpreter had been picked out. Prior to the concerts, you had barely interacted - only a couple of waves here and there. San noticed that you were on the quieter side, an avid reader, and had a habit of making notes on your phone.

He had initially assumed you were always texting someone, but after curiosity got the better of him and he had decided to at least become acquaintances, he was shown the insanity that was literary Japanese, reviews of honorifics and formal speech, colloquial phrases and translation of slang. You had even gone so far as to create your own guide for finding local analogies to different mythological or popular media references.

That was strike one.

Every single concert you were adaptive, and attentive to ATEEZ. You had even begun to check in on them prior to know what emotional landscape they wanted to deliver. You knew the setlist off by heart, had memorised the pauses between songs and when the members were to have live interactions with the audience that would require your participation.

When in your role, your demeanour changed entirely. Your voice was level, pronunciation like that of a native, and well measured out. San swore even he had begun learning Japanese passively simply because it was so easy to understand you.

Then, after the concerts were done, you did not take any compliments, merely smiling them off, instead being proud of everyone around you. You thanked the sound engineers, the technical staff, the security... anyone who you had the chance to thank, you did. It was a given that you congratulated ATEEZ after their performances, commending them for their hard work. When San had attempted to return the praises, he was met with that same bashful grin, and you explaining that you were merely extending their hearts out to the audience.

That was strike two.

And finally, there was the last concert. Sold out, with tens of thousands of ATINY, there to spend this amazing time together with the idols. And then, to deliver a surprise gift in the form of an animated video created by a group of dedicated fans who had painstakingly adapted submissions into the style of an animated film. It was a story of how important ATEEZ were to the fans, how they were heroes, how they deserved infinite amounts of love.

Each of the nation's prefectures had been represented, and at the end there was a 'handover' to the rest of the world, sending appreciation to other ATINY who will be meeting ATEEZ next. The majority of the group was tearing up, and while delivering their speeches, struggled to control their emotions. Each phrase was a cry from the soul, and San was not sure how it was possible to translate something like this.

And yet, you did. In that mellifluous voice, now holding a tinge of melancholy, you patiently collaborated with each member, listening to them pour themselves out, and pouring yourself out eightfold. Those who were able to understand Korean had already been misty-eyed, but as you included the others, the atmosphere changed completely.

It was a total unity. That complete understanding. The communication that San was always seeking. It did not matter how many people there were in a given place. What mattered, was that you were the key to reaching them all. So, on a whim, instead of letting Hongjoong do the honours like he normally would, he overtook the leader in announcing you. In thanking you for your hard work and for being the link between them and ATINY. Please applaud L/N Y/N, master interpreter.

That was strike three.

San was ready to risk it all, became the president of your growing fan club, and hearing your voice stopped being a want. It became a need.

--

To this day you were confused as to how your life had unfolded. To an extent, it was like you were put on standby and then watched someone who looked just like you go and do cool things with your life.

You had joined KQ Entertainment on a contractual basis to support ATEEZ in the Japan leg of their tour, and technically, were supposed to part ways as soon as it was over. But as luck (or someone else's unfortunate series of events) would have it, due to the incredibly short time between schedules, unexpected illnesses and conflicts, you were offered to join the group in the US as well.

It was an easy decision for you.

Firstly, because you had gotten close enough with the members, since your job was to deliver not only the words, but also their emotional weight.

Secondly, bold of anyone to assume that you had other job offers lying around when most companies had hiring freezes and could not care less for your work experience and skills.

But no one needed to know about that second part.

Instead, you simply agreed, and as such, signed yourself up to way more than you had ever expected.

And what was that exactly? Your own strange version of fame in the form of ATINY calling you the ATEEZ Megaphone, the Voice of Reason, 8 Makes 1 Voice, Miss Worldwide (which officially imprinted the rapper Pitbull into your head), ATEEZmind... among many, many others.

You had become a kind of staple to ATEEZ performances abroad, with fans cheering when you made appearances for the interludes between songs. And the couple of times that you had been asked to be on standby for fan signs, there had been some ATINY who came up to you, as though you were the ninth member of ATEEZ, just to thank you for being there for the fans, for making the connection so much more special, and for working so hard to make ATEEZ global.

Did you cry a bit in your hotel room after that had happened? Yes - what could one say? You were very sentimental, and this kind of softness just did it for you. Also you had made a small plushie, a big-eyed, adorable kitten that an ATINY in the US had given to you, a permanent travel companion.

--

At the very start of your time at KQ, your insecurities had been running high, and you would spend sleepless nights reviewing just what you had translated, convincing yourself that you could have done a better job, writing ceaselessly on receipts, envelopes, in notebooks and in notes on your phone the myriad of alternatives your could conjure only after the event.

You had never thought that after completing your higher education in linguistics you would end up being a moderately high profile interpreter. At best, you had laid out a peaceful, uneventful life as a translator in some publishing house, spending your days in front of a computer and stacks of dictionaries. You imagined yourself to be a theorist, a silent practitioner of the craft rather than an attention-demanding performer.

That was how you had been throughout your early years. Reading. Writing. Speaking when necessary, afraid of saying the wrong thing. It was a vicious cycle. You dedicated yourself to classics, finding tranquility and reassurance in complexity and archaic passages (a stark contrast to the slang and inside jokes that you were now having to process at high speeds).

It was only in later years of university that you started breaking out of your shell, after you and a couple of your peers had been scouted to aid in an international conference. You had agreed since it would be a glorious add-on to your CV, but did not expect for it to take you as far as it had done.

If you had to use an analogy for how you felt, it would be like a surfer who just kept on living through fluke after fluke. The waves that you were being hit with were more and more menacing, approaching tsunami heights, but you were still standing, amazed that you had not been swept under.

Maybe no one was going to stop you, or talk to you on the street, ever, but the sheer thought was enough to throw you through a loop. You were not there to be a persona, nor a star. You were there because you loved languages, for goodness' sake, and had been selected to use that love in a way that helped those who actually wanted to be and were stars to connect with their fans.

Interestingly, from the beginning of your journey, you had found reassurance and comfort in one of the unlikeliest people. And really, it had been him who had ended up making a lot of things in your life just fall into place.

San.

Aside from Hongjoong, who, being the captain, was constantly interacting with all staff even outside of the immediate circle, San had been the first to take an interest in what you were doing, and why you were loitering around the corridors backstage, eyes glued to your phone.

You had at first assumed that he was going to scold you, having seen a couple of live shows where he was more than displeased about fellow members not paying their full attentions thanks (or no thanks) to the mobile phones in their hands.

But the look of genuine curiosity in his eyes quickly cleared up your concerns, and when he had begun to ask questions... you had gone on a roll. Conclusion: if someone were to ask you about linguistics, they better prepare themselves for a TEDx Talk because you were not going to serve them any less.

Although you had tried to convince yourself all throughout your higher education and work life that you did not need validation, the passionate encouragement that San had given you that day was a big driving force for you to try even harder for the Japan concerts. And even to you, your own biggest critic, the change had been noticeable. And nothing short of exhilarating.

By the last concert in the country, you were excited to step on the side of the stage. You wanted to speak to ATINY, you wanted to share the beautiful words ATEEZ were sending their way, with them. It was your duty and your desire. And it is a commonly known fact that a job that is loved, is a job that turns into fun.

It was that exact concert that had become your 'break'. Right at the end, when everyone was saying their goodbyes, San decided to give you a special mention, to which the lighting team had responded by, quite literally, putting the spotlight on you.

Over thirty thousand people in the arena, and even more online, now knew who the woman behind the voice was. They knew who was, effectively, dubbing their favourite K-Pop group.

The shoutout had been entirely unexpected, sure, and it had made your confidence crumble a little as you struggled to find the right words to both thank San and translate what was happening. It felt like two conflicting signals were entering your brain at the same time.

But at the same time, it made you feel real. It made you feel like you really had been speaking. And that you had been heard. The beauty and the curse about language, was that it was a tool to connect. Even in written form. It's perception and appreciation could only be achieved if there was a person to do it. And in spoken form, seeing the nods, hearing the sighs, any reactions from another, that was the way you knew you had done your job.

So instead of cowering away, like you would have done only a couple of years ago, you stepped into the light, in front of the audience. You thanked them from the bottom of your heart, bowing, and then, turned to do the same to ATEEZ, with perfect grace, and honest appreciation. The photographs of you had rapidly made rounds around the internet, and the hashtag #thankyouYN had climbed up in trending on Twitter for a short while.

It was odd to think that you felt at home in the environment that you had been afraid of, and that people praised you for what you had been insecure about all your life. At the same time, you did not want to be a star, and even when ATINY sent you messages, or cheered for you, you kindly tried to switch the attention back to ATEEZ. You were there because you loved languages, and had been selected to use that love in a way that helped connect the real shining, talented and hard-working stars with the loyal, brilliant and kind fans.

If your short progression from a nervous new hire to a fully-fledged interpreter with a tour under your belt were to be simplified, one could say that San had been a catalyst for your opening up. Thus, he might have been the reason why you had been made a permanent member of staff.

it was only so far that luck could carry you, and without having the skill and dedication to your name, KQ had the power to dismiss you with a click of a finger. There were undoubtedly thousands of talented interpreters out there, who would have dropped everything to go to the US and beyond. But KQ had settled for you. And you wanted to do your best to do everything in your power to make ATEEZ perfectly international.

And just like that, a whirlwind of a world tour had passed, and you, plushie in hand, and heavy luggage rolling behind you, were on your way home to an apartment that probably forgot that it even had an owner (who - shocker - still had to pay rent even when continents away). You were told that you were to have a 'bit of a break' since the group was to firstly rest, and secondly focus on local promotions for the next couple of months.

What did that mean for you? It was time to become a social recluse and freelance some translations. Another side benefit that had come from your increase in popularity was that you had come to get more commissions both through your independent channels, and through company requests.

It was easy enough to plough through the standard documents that publishing houses sent you, the only difficulty being if say, you had been translating from Korean to Japanese for hours on end, and then your next project asked you to translate English to Spanish, you would need a moment to rewire a bit. But at the same time that was the fun bit - keeping up fluency to a top-level professional standard in as many languages as you could.

What was a little less easy, but had grown to be your guilty pleasure, was the private commissions you received. Of course, you had your set of rules, limitations, restrictions - whatever one wanted to call it, but undoubtedly, the individual was more creative than the corporation. You had received requests to translate long paragraphs of breakup texts, fan fiction - though you did have to put an end to that era since you had begun to receive... interesting ATEEZ content, love poems, dark poems, essays... if it was written, you had probably received it at least once.

Since starting this little side adventure, you had been quite selective, as this was still a portfolio of your work, and you needed to keep a good image. So you were no stranger to dismissing orders if they did not sit right with you.

This was exactly what you were doing, early morning upon your return. The sun was streaming into your bedroom as you were sat at your desk, clicking and typing away response after response, deletion after deletion... until one particular request had caught your eye.

It had been sent at an odd time of night, but who were you to judge - you had not even slept yet. The writing felt familiar, friendly, open. The greeting and explanation were all respectful, and they had even commented on some of the work you had previously done.

They were also honest about how they had discovered you - they were a dedicated ATINY, and a big reader, so when they found out who the skilled Korean to Japanese interpreter for ATEEZ was, they really wanted to get to know your work better. And after doing so, felt it only right to request your services.

You were flattered, and after looking through the file they had sent - which turned out to be an excerpt from a very recently published Korean book that had not been translated to any language yet, you agreed to help. With a smile on your face, you sent back an email accepting the order, adding a reminder of expected timescales and fees.

--

"OH MY GOSH YOU GUYS IT IS HAPPENING IT IS HAPPENING IT IS HAPPENING SHE RESPONDED AND SHE ACCEPTED AAAAAAH"

San yelled at the top of his voice, nearly approaching Wooyoung's witch laugh register. Seonghwa, who had made the mistake of sitting right next to him rapidly covered his ears and winced as the action did not help - the man took him by the shoulder and started shaking him excitedly, while rereading the standard business email from you as though it was a Nobel laureate's magnum opus.

With the hoots of support from the rest of the members, they were sure to have scared off any form of wilderness and other visitors in the vicinity - since they had a few days off, on a whim they decided to get out of the dorms and enjoy nature by going on a camping trip.

Though this action seemed to result only in higher phone use than usual, particularly from San, who had reached his breaking point when it came to you.

It was obvious from the start that he was not indifferent towards you. From the quick glances in your direction, to the efforts that he had made in secret to try and improve both his English and Japanese (to the point of changing language settings on his devices and getting some novels and textbooks in the respective languages), he was always paying attention to what you were doing.

During concerts, when he knew you were out there on the stage, ready and in place before a talking segment, he would perform with even more vigour, sending the cameras his most alluring glances. He knew you would be looking at the screens, and he wanted you to focus on him.

And then there was his new role as president of the interpreter fan club. This was an inside joke floating around the fandom, becoming more popular when during a concert in the US, he had decided to jokingly test you by saying pickup lines he had learned in different languages. Everyone had taken it to be 'classic San being playful', but his intention was to just shamelessly flirt with you.

But he was the one who had ended up being flustered as you translated all that he said without your eyes leaving him a single time, a hint of a smirk on your face. It was almost like you were saying it all right back to him. Only him. He hoped that were the case.

If he were to be any more obvious, Hongjoong personally would make a public service announcement about San being all up in his feelings for you. He had busted through the wall of being just a fan like a monster truck, and was already a few months deep in the infatuation phase.

"Who's the simp now, huh?" Hongjoong could not resist taking a jab at the younger member, out of respect for the nerve cells he had lost.

The only downside was that San was not even denying it, nor fighting against the label. Instead he just kept on showing those near him the fact that he had an email from you, and in the future he would have a translation, done just for him, by you. And what fun was it if the person you were trying to roast had no verbal ammo at the ready?

"At least it's not bath water he is buying..." Seonghwa whispered, still unable to fully recover from the shake-up and massaging his now sore shoulder.

"We couldn't find it, that's next on the list." Wooyoung picked up on the retort. He approached San and patted him on the back, "Isn't that right?"

"Oh fuck off... but for real this is so cool. She is going to be doing what she loves, and doing it for me~" in a sing-song voice, he recounted, again, the battle plan that he and the rest of ATEEZ had conjured.

"See? I told you it would be a good idea." Yunho commented proudly, while climbing out of his tent. Mingi followed suit, though he did not get out fully, instead choosing to sit right at the entrance and applaud himself from there:

"And look at me go with that perfect book choice."

It had been a very spontaneous decision to pick it, but he did not have to market it as such. Since he was the one to actually go into book stores at least sometimes, the members trusted him well enough to go with what he proposed.

"Well executed, lads. Mission successful, we are levelling up." Wooyoung clapped his hands and gave a quick salute, while San was still in his own reality.

A rare silence fell upon the group. But, just as they were about to move on, with some of the members being on 'response-crafting duty', Yeosang, after much pondering, stated:

"Senpai is finally noticing you after like... a year," which finally snapped San out of his enchantment.

"HEY it's only been like... nine months... and a bit... that isn't a year!" he tried to sound convincing, but it just came out as desperate. At least he stopped himself from saying the exact number of weeks and days since he had first met you.

"Yeah, yeah, keep saying that."

"This is exactly why we are doing operation 'Love Language'." to come to the smitten one's defense, Yunho piped in, now having managed to wedge himself between San and Seonghwa, the latter mouthing him a 'thank you' with a pained smile.

"I thought it was because we are sick and tired of his shit?" Jongho asked monotonously, head perched on his hand while he had at the far end of the picnic table ATEEZ had expropriated.

"That too! But-"

"And that if he goes any harder on stage he'll turn into Magic Mike?" Yeosang took Jongho's side in a split second, them exchanging a knowing look of comrades in misery.

"Careful, ATINY might ask for that."

The captain attempted to get the discussion back on at least some kind of track, while being well aware that this group had a special talent in de-railing. And his comment did not help a single bit, instead provoking Wooyoung.

"They already do, ever been online?"

"I have, and it's either cursed conspiracy theories about our lore or thirst edits." Hongjoong pinched the bridge of his nose, getting flashbacks to an impossibly long Twitter thread that he spent half an hour of his life on, just to confirm that at this point, him and CEO Kim Gyu Uk were alone in big-braining the universe.

"I bet you watch demon line edits Joongie-" Wooyoung winked at him, and sent some finger guns.

"Right this is OFF TOPIC!" the captain attempted to rein the kids in, albeit half-heartedly.

"There's a topic?" Yeosang leaned over to Jongho and asked him, not expecting a response, since it was obviously 'no'.

"Yeah, and it is that Y/N and San are going to be in closer contact now." Wooyoung addressed the group, stretching his hands out, every bit a narrator on stage.

"But isn't it more like: Y/N being in contact with San who is parading as an ATINY with an interesting taste in books?" Mingi raised an eyebrow and questioned.

"Tom-ay-to tom-ah-to, whatever. At least they're going to be talking more personally."

"And not in front of my fuckin' salad," the maknae asserted, "I am seriously surprised she has not caught on that you are trying to pull moves all this time."

"Maybe... just maybe... I have a sneaking suspicion... that it could be the million-person audience that does it. Really sets a romantic, and intimate mood." Seonghwa added, words dripping with irony.

"Well, you guys, there isn't much that I can really do about that, can I? This is what our jobs and lifestyles are."

With an exasperated sigh, San shut off his phone and slumped down on the bench, just nearly missing Yunho. He cupped his head in his hands, and gazed off, wistfully, into the distance. As of late, when he was not practicing or performing, he would be be daydreaming, just like this.

"Maybe you could just forget that and... ask her out?" Hongjoong verbally knocked San back into the ring,

"SAYS WHO? My man, do you want me to remind you of a couple of things?"

"Yeah, please do, and I will remind you of your shamelessness and the death wish you apparently still have."

"Gents, gents! We still have a 'thank you' email to write, we need at least one brain cell for that."

Yunho's call for action ended up being the most effective of all, as the group gathered around San, and commenced shouting over one another in an attempt to write a single coherent line acknowledging that the information has been received, and that they will be paying half the fee shortly.

Why had the call been effective? Because San managed to do the impossible. He managed to drive his fellow members up the wall with his pining to the point where they could not take it anymore, and made it their mission to save San.

It was Y/N this, Y/N that. All. The. Time.

"Y/N taught me some English slang the other day, do you want to hear?"

"Did you know that Y/N co-translated this bestseller?"

"Have you heard her speaking in French? I am out here only knowing 'Paris Baguette' and she is like a native - while saying that she barely knows it."

"Did you see how she looked at me after that performance? Told you it was a good idea for me to change the outfit up!"

"Wait I'll be back in five minutes I want to say hi to Y/N!"

Even Wooyoung minimised his teasing, simply because the man was totally gone. There had been a phase for about a month where his affection towards you maybe was within the realm of reasonable, and 'light' enough for the rest of ATEEZ to poke fun at him.

But San being San, that changed fast. The more chances he got to speak with you, the more he got to find out what you liked, the more certain he became that 'you were the one', you were 'talent and skill itself' and you were the dream alive.

At the same time, San being San, he was not verbal about his feelings. Not even a bit. In his mind, that was over-stepping, and was off limits. So he did everything else 'over the top' instead.

The peak of it had of course been the 'putting you on a (well-deserved) pedestal' in front of ATINY. That had been a cry of a man who fell hard and fast in love, and that same night, ATEEZ had hosted a UN-level meeting around how to proceed. Hongjoong had already been aware that you were going to be extended a permanent offer, so timelines did not matter much - except for the remnants of the members' sanity.

Wooyoung ended up interrupting the proceedings with his screech of "IT IS OKAY TO FALL IN LOVE", and as such, the action was let go, only to see it become a much adored trend in the fandom. The members thought that this would mean major progress. But no. No, you had to be the oblivious one.

Had to be the one so dedicated to her job that you interpreted San's signals as general friendliness and support. You respected him, yes. You most definitely were grateful to him, and out of all ATEEZ members you spoke to him the most. But to none of them was it ENOUGH.

Even when he had made you to interpret his flirtations (as prompted by Wooyoung), you took it just as 'a regular day with ATEEZ', whilst making him nearly go into cardiac arrest.

That was when the plan came about. To strike through literature. Through language. To express love through the pages of a book, in the hopes of translating that to real feeling. It was convoluted, and had no real outcome except trusting chance, and fate, but San was enough of a hopeless romantic to agree to it in a heartbeat.

Because what was the fun in confessing over text, right? He had your number, you messaged one another before, but again, 'what if he ruined something by messaging the wrong thing'? Besides, he could not think of an excuse to text you outside of work without feeling like he was being too pushy.

Thus, operation 'Love Language' became everyone's problem, and everyone's daily dose of drama.

Except for you, without a clue, having brewed some tea, sat down like L from Death Note on your chair, and got to work.

[metromax-solutions]

10 Digital Marketing Hacks for Small Businesses

Are you a small business owner struggling to find an effective Digital Marketing strategy? We understand Digital Marketing can be daunting or even scary for small businesses.

Here are ten powerful digital marketing hacks that can help small businesses boost their online presence for better visibility and reach.

WARNING! Never rush into a Digital Marketing spree without the following.

Well-Defined Brand Identity: Logo, color scheme, typography, and brand voice. Mobile-Responsive Website:You can instantly test the mobile-friendliness of your site with Google-Mobile Friendly Test. Clear Business Objectives: Knowing your target audience and business goals are essential to shaping your digital marketing efforts. Now, let us get into the Digital Marketing hacks!

Adopt Smart SEO According to Neil Patel – a well-known marketing guru and entrepreneur, five factors determine the SEO success of a business – Brand Popularity, Good Content, Quality Backlinks, Clean Code (website loading time), and Consistency.

It takes a multifaceted approach and several insights to boost your Search Engine Ranking.

Kickstart your SEO journey by exploring some free SEO tools in Brian Dean’s Backlinko blog.

Create Compelling Content to Engage Your Audience Before you generate content, ask yourself – How will this benefit my target audience? People look for valuable takeaways in every piece of content found online.

Share valuable and engaging content on your website and social media platforms. Use different formats like blog posts, videos, or infographics to attract visitors and expand follower base.

Amplify Your Reach through Social Media Create profiles on the platforms your audience uses the most and share your content regularly.

Engage with your followers. Respond to comments. Bring out the human side of your brand. These techniques help you build lasting relationships and turn your audience into loyal customers.

Use Paid Advertising Paid Advertising gives you the instant boost to reach your target audience quickly. Google Ads and Facebook Ads offer targeted advertising options, which help you target and reach high-potential customers.

Wordstream’s blog on Facebook ads Vs. Google Ads can give you some clarity on paid ads.

Join Online Communities to Build Connections Get involved in online communities, participate in discussions, and showcase your expertise in forums aligned with your niche. By building connections and providing value, you become a credible authority in your field and gain visibility for your business.

Leverage Email Marketing Never underestimate the power of email marketing strategies in keeping your customers engaged.

Send out informative and relevant emails to your subscribers. Offer exclusive deals, updates, and valuable content. Personalize your emails for better engagement and customer retention. Retarget Potential Customers Sometimes, potential customers may visit your website but leave without making a purchase. With retargeting, you remind them of your brand by displaying relevant ads as they browse the web. It encourages them to return to your site and initiate purchases.

Partner with Influencers Influencer marketing has become a game-changer for many businesses. Identify influencers who align with your brand and have a considerable following in your niche. Collaborate with them to introduce your products or services to a broader audience.

Analyze and Optimize with Data-Driven Insights Tools like Google Analytics provide valuable insights into website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates. Use this data to identify what works and what does not work to make smarter marketing decisions.

Embrace the Power of AI in Your Digital Marketing Strategy Never forget to embrace the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your digital marketing strategy. AI can

Personalize customer experiences and analyze data for insights. Automate tasks like chatbots for instant support and email marketing. Aid in decision-making through predictive analytics and competitor analysis. Here is a BONUS HACK that is the most effective of all!

Outsource your digital marketing needs and happily ignore all the effective yet complicated hacks given above.

The ever-expanding scope of digital marketing demands time, effort, and dedicated resources. Many organizations find in–house solutions extremely expensive, with limitations in expertise. In 2022, 60% of businesses outsourced digital marketing to access skilled expertise and save costs.

At MetroMax, our experts craft tailored, cost-effective digital marketing strategy for small businesses, driving remarkable results. Save time and effort by outsourcing your digital marketing needs to MetroMax, while you focus on

[bytelogictechnologies]

The Secret to Finding the Best Digital Marketing Company for Your Industry

In today's fast-paced digital world, businesses are continually seeking ways to enhance their online presence and connect with potential customers. The right digital marketing company can make a significant difference in achieving these goals. However, choosing the best digital marketing company for your industry can be challenging. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate this crucial decision.

Understand Your Needs

Before you start your search, it’s essential to identify your specific digital marketing needs. Are you looking for SEO services, social media management, content marketing, or paid advertising? Knowing what you need will help you narrow down your options. According to a study by HubSpot, 61% of marketers believe that improving SEO and growing their organic presence is their top inbound marketing priority. This statistic highlights the importance of prioritizing your marketing objectives.

Research and Referrals

Start your search by gathering information. Ask for recommendations from friends, colleagues, or industry peers. Referrals often lead to trustworthy companies with proven track records. You can also search online for the best digital marketing company in Noida. Look for companies with a strong online presence, positive reviews, and case studies that demonstrate their success in helping businesses similar to yours.

Check Their Portfolio

Once you have a list of potential companies, it’s time to evaluate their portfolios. A reputable digital marketing company should showcase their previous work and provide examples of campaigns they have successfully executed. Look for diversity in their portfolio; they should have experience in various industries, indicating their ability to adapt their strategies to meet different needs.

Analyze Their Online Presence

A digital marketing company’s online presence can tell you a lot about their expertise. Check their website for user experience, design, and the quality of content. Their blog should provide valuable insights and tips, showcasing their knowledge and commitment to the industry. According to a report by Clutch, 68% of small businesses invest in digital marketing, which means a digital marketing company must practice what they preach.

Evaluate Their Strategies

Ask potential digital marketing companies about their strategies and how they plan to achieve your goals. A good company will tailor its strategies based on your unique needs and industry. They should use a mix of SEO, content marketing, social media, and paid advertising to create a comprehensive plan. Ensure they stay updated with the latest digital marketing trends and algorithms to provide the best service possible.

Transparency and Communication

Effective communication is vital in any partnership. The best digital marketing company will maintain transparency regarding their processes, timelines, and pricing. Ask about their reporting practices; regular updates on campaign performance are essential for measuring success. Look for a company that prioritizes communication and is open to feedback and adjustments along the way.

Check Their Pricing Structure

Digital marketing services can vary significantly in price. It’s crucial to find a company that offers quality services at a reasonable rate. Avoid companies that provide too-good-to-be-true prices, as they may cut corners or use unethical practices. Instead, focus on the value you will receive. A study by WordStream found that businesses earn an average of $2 for every $1 spent on Google Ads, indicating that investing in digital marketing can yield significant returns.

Look for Client Testimonials

Client testimonials can provide valuable insights into a digital marketing company’s effectiveness and reliability. Look for reviews on independent platforms, not just on the company’s website. Satisfied clients often share their experiences, highlighting what they loved about the services provided and how their business benefitted from the partnership.

Conclusion

Finding the best digital marketing company for your industry may take time and effort, but the results are worth it. By understanding your needs, conducting thorough research, and evaluating potential partners, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals.

If you’re looking for a reliable partner to boost your online presence, consider Bytelogic Technologies. As the best digital marketing company in Noida, we offer tailored solutions to help you reach your target audience effectively. Contact us today to discuss how we can elevate your digital marketing strategy!