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How to Improve Your Instagram Marketing Strategy

January 26, 2023/in Instagram, Social Media Marketing /by Bright Age

Even though Instagram was one of the first social media platforms, it is still one of the most popular. It is essential to work with an Instagram marketing agency and have a planned strategy rather than posting sporadically.

Knowing how to utilize content is important when wanting to have a bold social media presence. This can be a hard task to complete if someone does not have the right knowledge about being strategic with content. Instagram marketing agencies trained and highly-skilled content creators on staff, so you don’t have to do any of your own hiring. People who work for these agencies, like Bright Age, know the best strategies for creating the best content for your business. They also consider the best way to work with the algorithm and understand trends.

Instagram marketing can be complicated to understand but can be used to grow brand awareness and sales. Brands use this to communicate and reach their target audience. Almost everyone uses Instagram these days, therefore your business is likely to reach at least part of your target audience through Instagram. This channel is used for sharing photos and videos, which is why product-based companies can easily show off their products on Instagram through stories and in-feed posts.

Man relaxing on hammock scrolls feed to strategize for an Instagram marketing agency.

Instagram Reels are a newer feature of Instagram that is like[2] the current popular social media platform, TikTok. Reels can expand a brand to the greater Instagram community. Instagram users feel more engaged when using reels because videos are more personal than photos. These fun, creative, and engaging videos help businesses not only reach their current followers but new ones as well. When a video is engaged with on Instagram, similar videos will pop up on users’ explore page. The explore page will help your brand reach a larger audience and help to promote products.

Along with this, it is important to create an Instagram profile that is a business profile. The benefits of having a business profile are worth making the switch. From someone on the outside, it might just look like part of the bio on the account has changed, but there is so much more to be done for a business when the profile is a business profile. A business profile has access to analytics; this will let a company know how well they are performing. This allows access to paid advertising, which can help a brand reach more of its target audience.

Instagram ads are an effective marking strategy; they can have a big impact on how successful a profile is. The only way to unitize the ad feature on Instagram is by having a business or creator profile. Boosting a post is one way to turn an existing post into an ad. Instagram made this feature user-friendly. This is a good and simple way to get started. When setting up an Instagram ad account, it will ask for your budget, duration, target audience, and assets. To create Instagram ads, it is essential to know the target audience. Instagram can automatically choose the audience, or a business can choose its own. Knowing the audience allows for the ad to reach a more curated group of people. Another way to utilize the ad features on Instagram is to launch a full ad campaign. This is more complicated and easier to do once a business has more experience.

Instagram Marketing Agency reviews data on phone.

After creating a business profile, a company is also able to add an Instagram Shop. This feature can help enhance your business. An Instagram marketing agency, such as Bright Age, can help you utilize the shop feature. This feature will tag the items directly on the post making it easier for the customer to shop. Creating a business profile, and utilizing Instagram Reels, shops, and ads can help your business grow. An Instagram marketing agency can help with all these features and more.

How to Get Your Account Instagram Verified

August 1, 2022/in Instagram, Social Media Agency /by Bright Age

Getting verified on a social media platform is a crucial accomplishment as a creator or business. One may question what exactly the verified badge is and what benefit it brings. This can be answered through Instagram’s Help Center. The platform clearly defines the badge as a helpful indicator that an account of a public figure or brand is real. In other words, the verification badge is an official sign that the platform recognizes the account, and no other accounts can completely impersonate it because the original is easily identified.

By validating the authenticity of a brand, other benefits can reel in. The blue icon allows a brand to stand out in their industry compared to blending in with the others. Additionally, it helps users know which account is the original and which ones are the impersonators or fake accounts, therefore, it automatically builds a level of trust between the audience and brand. The brand also gains more control over their online presence, allowing them to improve their brand’s reputation with the aid of their Instagram marketing agency, if they have one. However, to get this badge, a page must qualify for Instagram’s verification status by meeting the required criteria.

Basic Requirements/Qualifications

Instagram marketing agency image of check list blocks on blue background

Anyone can request for verification on Instagram, but as said, the account needs to meet the requirements to get approved for that status. An essential requirement that all accounts should already follow is conforming to Instagram’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Use. Other requirements include: (1) the account must belong to a real person, business, brand or entity, (2) it must be public, (3) it must have a completed profile with a bio and photo, (4) the account must be active, (5) it must be unique in that only one account represents the business, and (6) it must be a publicly known or highly-searched person or business.

Applying for Verification Badge

Once a brand is certain that they have completed all the requirements, the next step is simple: just log into Instagram and submit the request! This can be found through the Settings menu on Instagram. Once there, select “Account” and find the “Request Verification” option. It will automatically prompt the Request Verification form, so take the time to complete the required fields and submit it for Instagram to review the request.

Remember that even though the account may be eligible for the verification status, it doesn’t mean it will automatically be given to the account. There is no guaranteed timespan for the results, therefore, take the time to increase your brand’s awareness. If denied, the account must unfortunately wait 30 days before reattempting to apply for the verification badge again.

If, however, the verification status was given, always keep in mind that it can be taken away if the brand refuses to follow Instagram’s Terms of Uses and Community Guidelines in the future. This can also occur if the brand used false information on their verification request form. Therefore, stay active and continue to publish the unique and engaging content your targeted audience has been looking forward to see!

Tips for a Secure Verification

If a brand is not sure if they will get verified despite completing all the requirements, or if they have been denied, here are some extra tips that may secure that verification status. Other than completing the profile, be sure to continue and build your brand’s social profile by establishing that strong following on other platforms to increase that authenticity in your brand. You must also improve your brand’s searchability, because one of the requirements is to be well-known. So, be more active and get your brand’s name out there! Instagram admins look for regular activity, so increase that engagement by engaging with your audience and by posting often.

Partner with an Instagram Marketing Agency

Lastly, hire an Instagram marketing agency to help! It is better to partner with a digital agency who has knowledge in nearly every subject including digital marketing, designing, advertising, and communicating. Just like our other tips, though it may not guarantee an Instagram verification, it will highly increase your chances. Request a consultation with Bright Age to get the help you need today!

The Difference between Digital Creators and Influencers

February 2, 2022/in Digital Marketing, Digital Marketing Agency, Instagram /by Bright Age

Social media content has grown exponentially over the past decade. Likewise, the need for content coming from businesses demands to be fulfilled. Businesses can normally reach out to advertising and marketing agencies to help promote products and services. Nowadays, however, the more convenient choice is to get in direct contact with digital creators or influencers. A digital marketing agency is also a possible choice to get both sides of the spectrum. Not only is the agency working with the business, but they also share strategies from both viewpoints as digital creators and influencers.

If you’ve been on social media for the past decade, you most likely have heard of these two job positions. The terms “digital creator” and “influencer” are the general titles of those who work digitally on social platforms. Although the two terms may be used interchangeably, there is a fine line between them. Learning more about these two types of creators and how businesses can collaborate with them can be beneficial to achieving goals and bringing social media pages to life.

Digital Creators: Who Are They?

Digital creators are artistic souls who love to make content. They push the limits creatively by using a variety of media that are specific to their interest. Photographers post photos, videographers release films, and graphic designers upload visual concepts. The main focus as a digital creator is not to grow in followers, but to simply create art that educates their audience.

A digital creator known for his visual storytelling skills is Josef Adamu, a Creative Director and the founder of Sunday School. Working with digital creators like Josef offers a wide range of skills to promote your product. Depending on the digital creator, not only can they make content about your product or service, but they can also offer videos, photos, graphics, and resources to provide a high-quality content piece for you.

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A post shared by Josef Adamu (@josefadamu)

Zach King is another digital creator well-known on social media for the illusions and magic he presents in his short video clips. With the combined work of filmography and editing, he makes videos that intrigue audiences of all ages. As described, most content creators are amazing storytellers. This is beneficial to many businesses because digital creators will be able to improve your business’ story. Additionally, digital creators are known to save time and money while still serving the quality you need.

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A post shared by Zach King (@zachking)

Influencers: What Are They?

Influencers are like the media. They are the people who share their lives with the public while influencing their audience by promoting the products and services they use. Their focus is to not create art but to test their impact as a self-made brand through the clicks, the swipe-ups, and the number of brands they are working with. For that reason, influencers have a great connection to their audience.

Soy Nguyen is a foodie influencer who gained popularity during quarantine through her kind act of promoting small restaurants throughout Los Angeles County and sharing the different types of cuisines they served. With each short video she uploads, she talks to her audience as if she is talking to a friend over lunch. She encourages her audience to try new cuisines and, most importantly, to take care of their physical and mental health.

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A post shared by Soy (foodwithsoy) (@foodwithsoy)

Nikkie de Jager, or “NikkieTutorials” as she is known online, is a popular beauty influencer and changemaker in the industry. Though she joined YouTube in 2008, she first gained popularity in 2015 and is still uploading makeup tutorials to this day. With her strong interest in beauty products, many beauty brands have worked along with influencers like Nikkie to promote their products.

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A post shared by NikkieTutorials (@nikkietutorials)

Influencers are another option to collaborate with when businesses want to increase their brand’s awareness. Because of their strong relationships with their community and followers, influencers can lay a foundation of trust between old and new audiences. Influencers also work within different interests, such as Soy with food and Nikkie with beauty. It would be advisable to reach out to influencers that share similar interests with your business’ particular brand.

How To Choose Which One To Work With

There are many similarities between content creators and influencers. Working and collaborating with both can benefit businesses, but choosing which one to work with will depend on your goals as a business. There are some influencers who are content creators, and content creators who are influencers, but this is not always promised. Instead, work with a digital creator when you need high-quality content surrounding your brand’s products and story. On the other hand, reach out to an influencer to improve trust within your brand and increase your brand’s awareness.

Consider a Digital Marketing Agency

A digital marketing agency can work on both sides of the spectrum as digital creators, influencers, and partners. Bright Age works with all sorts of brands. Our main focus is to work with businesses and present our insights and strategies as to what content creators and influencers can do. We can work along with you to encapture what you want your Instagram business page to look like. Bright Age has also worked with clients to grow their social media platforms and gain awareness. Reach out to Bright Age to have your goals met this year.

Instagram Reels and Why They Should Be in Your Marketing Strategy

January 11, 2022/in Content Creation, Instagram, Social Media Marketing /by Bright Age

Instagram recently introduced a new creation tool to the platform called Instagram Reels. Much like TikTok, Instagram Reels are a new way for users to create video content and share it on the app. While TikTok is constantly growing in popularity and offering new ways for marketers to promote their products on the app, Instagram has been a popular marketing platform much longer than TikTok has. Reels are a new way for marketers to utilize video on Instagram to promote their brand and increase their chances of going viral. Utilizing an Instagram marketing agency will help brands take advantage of Reels to grow their social media presence.

What are Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels allows users to create short 15 second multi-clip videos with different tools that makes each video unique. Popular tools that creators use to enhance their videos are audio, AR Effects, Timer and Countdowns, and Speed.

Audio: Users have the option to search for audio in Instagram’s music library to use in their video or create an original audio. Users can also make a video with the audio from videos published by public accounts.
AR Effects: Users can choose effects from Instagram’s gallery or effects made by other creators to change the appearance of the video.
Timer and Countdowns: The timer tool can be used to record videos hands free. A countdown is used after pressing record to give the creator time to get in place before it starts filming.
Speed: Videos can be sped up or slowed down. Users can use this tool to match certain parts of the video with the beat of the song, or to get a slow-motion effect.

Instagram Reels can be shared to followers or to a greater Instagram community. Reels offer public users the chance to grow their global audience by featuring their Reel on Instagram’s explore page. Brands should take advantage of using Reels in their marketing strategy because it is a creative way to engage social media users, and it gives them the opportunity to grow and expand their reach to a wider audience.

How to Create a Reel Marketing Strategy

There are a few ways to incorporate Instagram Reels in your marketing strategy. One way is to follow popular trends. Music trends are generally the most used type of trends. One particular sound might be going viral for a certain period of time and brands can use this sound to join the trend and receive views. Many brands have actually created their own songs or audio pieces to use in videos, and some have gone viral which starts a trend of its own.

Another marketing strategy is to utilize the knowledge and expertise of an Instagram marketing agency. Bright Age Digital Creative Agency is a good example of an agency that is educated on Instagram marketing and can help your brand grow on social media. An Instagram marketing agency that specializes in social media marketing knows all the ins and outs of the different platforms and can work with brands to grow their presence online.

Influencer marketing is a great way for brands to promote their products online by indirectly using Reels. Brands can partner with an influencer and have them make Instagram Reels that either promote the brand’s products or use one of its audios. If an influencer uses an audio created by brands, it will instantly go viral.

Instagram Reels are a great way for brands to connect with their target audiences. Similar to the TikTok algorithm, Instagram shows its users content that they would be interested in based off of different types of engagements. If a scrolling user comes across an unsponsored Reel from a brand, they are more likely to relate to the Reel and engage with it because it was shown to them based off of their activity online.

What’s New with Instagram and What Else to Expect

November 13, 2019/in Instagram, Social Media Management /by Bright Age

With the ever-competitive digital age, social media sites have high expectations to live up to, and that includes the regular implementation of new features to improve the user experience. Earlier this year at Facebook’s Developer Conference, exciting updates were announced to be coming to Instagram, and since then, we’ve seen a lot of these already implemented in the app. Familiarize yourself with a few of the newest features the platform has to offer, and what we can expect to be released in the near future.

What’s New

A brand-new camera for Instagram Stories gives users access to a feature called Create Mode. Create Mode allows you to share stories without videos or photos, and it includes templates such as polls, questions, and countdowns, and even lets you randomize ideas. For example, if you wanted to post a story with questions, you could press the randomize icon and receive questions such as “What’s one thing you wish people knew more about you?” that your story viewers can respond to. Brands working with a social media company may take advantage of this new feature to foster more interactions with followers and target audiences.

Another exciting addition to the camera is the new donation sticker, which allows people who view your story to donate to a nonprofit of your choice. According to Instagram, “all nonprofits are reviewed by Instagram and receive 100% of the money you raise.”

A more surprising change comes in the form of hiding like counts, an integral feature of the platform. The purpose of this functionality is to create a less “pressurized” social media environment, where the focus is taken off of numbers and shifted onto more meaningful engagements. However, this feature is still being tested, and as far as how this will change the way brands handle Instagram management, the results are still unclear.

What Else to Expect

Beta testing has commenced for a new Instagram dark mode, which is now available for IOS 13 and Android 10 users. Similar to the dark mode on other apps, this feature simply turns the interface of Instagram from light to dark, allowing for an app experience that’s easier on the eyes.

New and upcoming features to social media platforms, including Instagram, are continuously being uncovered by Hong Kong based hacker, Jane Wong. According to CNBC, Jane was the one who leaked Instagram’s tests to hide like counts twelve days before the platform officially announced it. Even Facebook employees follow her updates to snoop at what other teams are developing.

Jane recently uncovered a new Stories capability currently being tested internally, called “Clips.” Clips is meant to rival TikTok, allowing the user to time, overlay music, and control the speed of a video. This sort of “cloning,” as Jane calls it, is common in the world of social media—LinkedIn has “cloned” Facebook’s reactions, and Instagram “cloned” its stories from Snapchat’s stories, so Instagram trying to gain a competitive edge on TikTok should be no surprise.

You may only be using Instagram scarcely, but to fully take advantage of all the features Instagram has to offer, collaborate with a social media company like Bright Age that stays up to date on new changes to social media. We can help coordinate an Instagram management strategy that will best suit the needs of your business.

How Recent Instagram Updates Will Affect Businesses

July 30, 2019/in Digital Marketing, Instagram /by Bright Age

In order to stay relevant and keep its users interested, Instagram must constantly change its features and improve itself. With Instagram continuously evolving, it’s important to stay current on all of the updates in order to use them to benefit your business. With assistance from an Instagram marketing agency in Los Angeles, your content will revolutionize simultaneously with Instagram’s updates.

Instagram Hides Likes

Instagram users often depend on the amount of likes a picture has in order to dictate whether the product or service being promoted is credible or not. The higher the likes, the higher the popularity, the more esteemed a photo seems. Instagram has commenced a trial of hiding the number of likes on each picture and video. As of now, this test only reaches some countries across the world including Australia and Japan, along with a few others. While this trial has only been live for a couple of weeks, there are many mixed emotions about whether or not this change will improve the overall structure of Instagram and how it will affect businesses. However, you can still see the amount of likes on your own photos, which means you can still see how well your posts are performing. Although it may seem like this could have a negative effect on businesses, it may actually drive followers to engage more by commenting on posts rather than merely liking it andcontinuing scrolling. Moreover, you can still share your statistics with other clients and partners if you wish.

Landscape in IGTV

Instagram’s IGTV is now able to feature videos in landscape format rather than vertical. Viewers can turn their phones sideways so that the video takes up the entire screen. With this new addition to Instagram, businesses can show more detail in the screen space and are no longer restricted with what they post by the dimensions of vertical videos. IGTV is a great way to show demonstrative videos, DIY videos, and can help give viewers a closer look into a brand’s overall personality. Plus, with horizontal videos now, Instagram users can be more creative with what they desire to post on IGTV, which is another key reason to hire an Instagram marketing agency to help actualize your innovative ideas.

Donation Stickers

There are a multitude of reasons people log on to Instagram: to find inspiration, for a quick way to learn about what their friends are doing, to find food recipes, and much more. Rather than using Instagram for personal reasons, the app now includes a feature called “Donation Stickers” to help users positively impact others and think of a greater good. Users can add these stickers to their stories by choosing a legitimate nonprofit charity to help raise funds for. Those viewing the story simply click the sticker and are taken to a page that lets them donate whatever amount they wish. Businesses can use this feature to help raise awareness of a cause they are supporting, which benefits the business in return by showing a more genuine character to its followers.

Sit back, relax, and let an Instagram marketing agency like Bright Age work on discovering the most recent social media updates to enhance your media platforms. Utilizing these new features will increase the amount of engagements your posts receive, which will ultimately promote your brand!

Benefits of Implementing User-Generated Content for Social Media

July 3, 2019/in Content Creation, Digital Marketing, Instagram, Social Media /by Bright Age

Social media has become a very competitive platform for brands to market products and reach potential customers. As a result of companies utilizing social media, the average user is exposed to roughly 5,000 ads daily. People are constantly targeted with advertisements. So how can your brand stand out and encourage people to follow and interact with your account? User-generated content creation has proven to be a successful method for companies to attract and keep their online communities engaged.

User-generated content (UGC) is any form of content, such as images, videos and text that have been posted by people on social media about your company. Let’s take a look at the benefits of using UGC to strengthen your brand’s online presence and how you can encourage people to post content to build a stronger brand.

Pros of User-Generated Content

UGC Helps Save Time on Content Creation – If your company is in need of more original posts for your social platforms, utilizing your fan base’s shared photos and videos is a great place to start. This will allow your company to get unique and personalized content. Partnering with a social media agency in Los Angeles can help you navigate the entire process from discovery to reposting.

UGC Helps Build Brand Trust – According to the Nielsen Consumer Trust Index, 92% of consumers trust organic, user-generated content over traditional advertising. Most people don’t trust online ads but will listen to influencers and online reviews. By reposting someone’s positive experience with your brand, UGC has the ability to attract potential customers who are on the fence about your product and boost your credibility as well.

Reposting Builds Customer Relationships – People often get excited and share when their posts are used by a company which increases social traffic and brand awareness. UGC humanizes your brand and gives it a personality that can engage and build a community of users. When sharing UGC, you’re interacting with your audience and giving them a voice at the same time.

How to Encourage User-Generated Content

Create a Custom Hashtag – Hashtags can be very useful for a brand. When clicked on, Instagram displays all photos posted under that hashtag. There is also a new feature which allows people to follow hashtags. Companies have used hashtags as a campaign to create a social buzz. The #AerieReal campaign on Instagram and Starbucks’ #RedCupContest are two examples of companies that successfully used hashtags to engage with customers and collect UGC.

Influencer Marketing – According to Forbes, influencer marketing is growing faster than digital ads. People trust influencers more than they trust online ads. By giving your ad a face, people are more likely to trust the product and your brand. This is a fast way to reach multiple audiences that are already established and build brand awareness.

Launch a Photo Contest – This strategy is like killing two birds with one stone – you are engaging with users while obtaining content at the same time. Social media contests that encourage people to follow your page, tag friends, and/or post a picture will also result in brand awareness. This is a great way to get people involved with your company and spark conversation.

Steps to Utilizing User-Generated Content

Choosing Which Social Platform to Use – The first step you need to take is to find out where your audience lives on social media. It is important to know where your brand has the most influence and which social network will help you reach your goals and target audience.

How to Find UGC – The most effective way to find what people are posting about your brand is to see what posts you have been tagged in. Another way is to look under the location of your company or any hashtags that involve what you sell or promote. Using a social media agency in Los Angeles makes finding UGC easier.

Always Ask for Permission – Make sure you send a message to a person or tag them in a comment before using their post. Most people will be happy you like their content creation but it’s better to take precautions. The exposure to your followers is usually enough of a compensation but some people may want you to pay them to use their content. When reposting make sure to tag that person to give them credit.

Hire a Social Media Agency – There is so much that goes behind gathering content for social media and engaging with your audience that you might feel overwhelmed. But we’re here to help! Bright Age is a social media agency in Los Angeles that has experience in all areas of social media marketing and content creation. By working with us, your online presence and relationships with customers will strengthen and grow.

5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Brand Using Instagram Highlights

July 2, 2019/in Instagram, Social Media Marketing /by Bright Age

Since its release in December 2017, the Instagram Highlights feature has proven invaluable in cultivating a user’s first impression of an account. This feature allows users to permanently save their stories and display them in folder-like sections on their profile, which can each be named and have their own cover photos. Instagram Highlights can be thought of as virtual billboards – they should be eye-catching enough to capture a user’s attention, but they also must be informative and engaging enough to maintain it. Many companies use Instagram Highlights to their advantage by utilizing it to aid with branding, to boost consumer retention rates, and to keep users up to date on their new products and services. Working with an Instagram marketing agency is the best way to achieve these results and develop your brand on this platform. Here are five simple ways to grow your brand using Instagram Highlights.

Categorize Your Content

Through sorting and organizing your content into separate Highlight “folders” on your profile, users are able to quickly locate and access the information they want to see, rather than sift through all of your past posts to do so. Based on the products and services your company provides, it may be beneficial to create separate Highlights for each of them so users can see what your brand is all about in just a few clicks. Additionally, companies can employ the Instagram Shopping feature in these Highlights by tagging their items in the picture, which users can then click and purchase with ease.

Behind-the-Scenes

An important idea to think about in the realm of social media management is the fact that people are drawn to familiarity. New users are more likely to trust a brand if it feels familiar in some way, which is why it is imperative to build a sense of relatability around your brand on social media platforms. Creating a Highlight with behind-the-scenes footage of your workspace or a day in the life of one of your team members is a great way for users to view a raw, authentic, and ground-level perspective of your company and how it operates. This way, it becomes easier for users to humanize your company, which will subsequently breed familiarity and foster higher retention rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Providing an accessible Highlight dedicated to FAQ’s is a quick and efficient way for users to obtain answers to common questions/concerns without having to do any separate research. An FAQ section that is front and center on your company’s profile can create a sense of transparency between your company and consumers, which will then increase consumers’ sense of trust. It will also keep your direct message inbox from overflowing with many of the same questions, which will save you time and effort as well.

Show Off Your Fans

Another way to grow your brand using Instagram Highlights is to create a Highlight that showcases customers’ posts that tag your brand or use your brand-wide hashtag, if you have one. This is an easy way to show your appreciation for loyal fans who interact with your company’s content and build relationships with them. Moreover, positive customer reviews will help build credibility for your brand, which will make it easier for newer users to trust you.

Sales, Contests, and Giveaways

A useful tactic to promote higher user retention rates is to give consumers a call to action. Many brands encourage this by posting stories about upcoming sales, contests, and giveaways that they will be hosting, and then subsequently saving them into a Highlight dedicated solely to that information. This allows quicker and easier access for people who want to participate in these functions than if the information were not as readily accessible.

It is crucial to utilize new advances in social media marketing, such as Instagram Highlights, in order for your brand to stay afloat in the digital world. Working with a creative team that specializes in social media management is the easiest way to boost your brand’s image and generate a loyal following for your accounts. With new updates constantly on the horizon, an Instagram marketing agency might be exactly what your company needs when looking to grow and expand in this manner.