We are delighted to announce that Binate Digital will be joining the Dyjaho family to form a 360º digital and communications agency. 

Dyjaho’s vast range of expertise across strategic communications and marketing will now be available to Binate clients. 

Founded in 2016, dyjaho has worked with a number of high profile clients including, Laya Healthcare, Harris Group, Maxus, Dairygold and Demesne Electrical.

Founder and MD of dyjaho, Pat Kierans, said of today’s announcement: 

“This is a really exciting time for dyjaho and Binate clients. The past year has seen a radical shift in the way we communicate, and today’s announcement means that dyjaho and Binate are extremely well positioned to lead our clients through this critical transformation.”

We will be maintaining operations out of offices in Cork city and Dublin to service a portfolio of over 40 individual clients across a range of industries including hospitality, transport, property, and financial services, and will support a full complement of 10 full-time staff. 

We will also have opportunities available for a digital account management and a junior web developer as part of this exciting expansion.

We saw many trends in 2020, some for the better and some we would rather forget. With 2021 beginning we thought we’d share with you some trends we’ve spotted, took note of and can’t wait to put into action.

Muted/Organic Colour Palettes & Shapes

The use of muted colour palettes and organic shapes within design has been an emerging trend that we’ve been excited to see. This trend ties heavily with other minimalistic styles but incorporates a more welcoming, softer setting than what we are used to seeing. It is no surprise that people are taking inspiration from nature now more than ever.

Considering current travel restrictions, our own natural inclination towards the outdoors as well as the fact that Millenials and Gen Z, the most environmentally-conscious generations, are becoming most active in the workforce, it is no surprise that we are seeing these characteristics migrate from our real lives into our digital lives.

Serif Fonts

Serif fonts have been around since the 15th century and are known for their decorative stubs on typographic characters. Many Designers have conflicting opinions on this typeface but one thing that is universally agreed upon is that it’s timeless. It’s re-emergence every few years is expected yet never ceases to amaze us. The Serif font family has found itself among some of the world’s most iconic brands, Rolex, Vogue and Tiffany & Co. to name a few and this affiliation alone has caused the font to be perceived as a premium, high-end brand in itself.

The font is synonymous with tradition, trustworthiness and elegance but was put aside for more “modern” typefaces by brands such as Yahoo and Google when they rebranded to a sans serif font. It’s nice to see Serif typefaces re-emerge in popularity especially during a time when distrust and hostility are felt towards their industry.

When we see people using serif fonts lately it is often paired with the muted colour palettes and organic shapes mentioned above. This contrast of a classic style typeface with organic shapes and colours is securing the fonts place in today’s design world while giving your brand a reputation only time could afford.

Gold

The use of gold in design is nothing new. Coming from a print design background, I often used gold foil as an accent to elevate a brochure or menu design. With that said, I enjoy watching the use of gold emerge in a digital context as it adds a multidimensional aspect to any design. Gold in design is synonymous with luxury and wealth and when coupled with a minimalist style can add an interesting and unique element to any design.

On the opposite spectrum of this trend, we are seeing objects and products being completely submerged in gold. Having products dripping in gold is a great way to experiment with design and really adds a dynamic element which has been lacking in more recent minimal designs, not to mention that it is a completely unexpected trend and would definitely catch the consumers attention. We are uncertain on how long this trend will go on for but we recommend jumping on the bandwagon and experimenting in all its glory while reigniting this exciting aspect of design.

Geometric Designs

Geometric designs are a staple design style that has been around for years, however due to its surge in popularity it’s hard to deny that it is becoming one of the design trends in 2021. Geometric shapes are found everywhere in life, from nature to man made creations and they can range from incredibly simple to intricate patterns.

The possibilities are endless with what you can create, which is why it has become so popular. You can have multiple designs using geometric style, but due to intricacy, colour, white space and the shapes used, each design can be vastly different and evoke a different tone of voice.

Emoji Design

Emoji design is definitely the most fun design trend of 2021 on this list. Who knew that when Shigetaka Kurita, a Japanese interface designer, created the first emoji in 1999 they’d become as popular as they are today. Emojis are now everyday pictograms that we mostly see on social media platforms as well as messaging applications. Emojis allow us to communicate more effectively especially when we don’t speak the same language, which is quite common seeing as social media has made interacting with people from around the world much easier.

These modern-day symbols and icons create connections to people of all languages and cultures which is what makes them so powerful. Designers have been using emojis to express personality and feelings in a lighthearted way while also encouraging the desire to interact and respond with a piece of design. The use of Emojis in design is a great addition to this list for its variety and it’s incredible ability to connect emotions to digital design.

How much will design trends influence your design decisions this year?

Overview

The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI) has proposed this Scheme in response to the Covid-19 crisis and the urgent need for retail companies to achieve a step change in online capability.

This is a Competitive Fund which will be administered by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of DBEI with a total fund size of €2m.

Applications for funding will be invited through a public Call for submission of projects. This Call open and close dates to be confirmed.

The purpose of this fund is to enable Irish-owned retailers to enhance their digital capability and to develop a more competitive online offer, that will enable an increase in their customer base and build a more resilient business in the domestic and global marketplace both online and offline.

Successful applicants will be awarded funding to support a maximum of 80% of the project eligible costs with a maximum grant of €40,000.

Typical elements involved in developing a sophisticated and transactional online presence include research, consultancy costs for strategy development, implementation and training.

Who can apply?

The applicant must be an Irish-owned retail enterprise that had 10 or more employees on or before 29 February 2020 and has the potential to sustain or create jobs, generate growth in online transactions and with an ambition to internationalise their business in future. An application must be submitted in the name of a company registered with the Companies Registration Office and incorporated in the Republic of Ireland at the time of application. The business must also:

• have an existing online presence (e.g. website or social media);
• have a retail outlet and derive the majority of revenue from the retail outlet(s);
• Must employ at least 10 employees in the Republic of Ireland (on a full-time equivalent basis on or before 29 February 2020);
• Previous applicants of the Online Retail Scheme who were unsuccessful will be eligible to re-apply with a modified proposal under this Call. Successful applicants in previous calls are eligible to re-apply under this call, once they have fully completed the project funded, fully claimed all eligible costs and propose a clearly different project to that undertaken under previous calls.

The Scheme is NOT open to the following:

1. Applications which do not propose company expenditure on the project of a minimum of €12,500 (grant of €10,000) will be considered ineligible (the grant will reimburse up to 80% of eligible expenditure);
2. Franchisees of retailers for whom the franchisor provides material online support;
3. Projects which do not propose significant additional functionality to the online presence of the applicant company will be considered ineligible;
4. Applicants who were approved any other State or EU funding for the project for which they are seeking funding;
5. Companies active in the primary production of agricultural products, fishery and aquaculture;
6. Companies active in the provision of hospitality and leisure services (e.g. hotels, restaurants);
7. Companies active in the sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages where consumed on the retail premises;
8. Applications which include or relate to activities that Enterprise Ireland considers as ineligible or as involving an unacceptable reputational risk. Ineligible activities include activities relating to: the gambling sector, including ‘gaming’ (as defined in the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956), adult entertainment, tobacco products and cannibas-based products which are not authorised as medicines;
9. Companies which have previously availed of funding for an e-marketing improvement assignment from Enterprise Ireland or which are eligible for this grant from Enterprise Ireland;
10. Companies which have already reached their De Minimis aid limit. 

Eligible Activities

Typical elements involved in developing a sophisticated and transactional online presence include:

Research:

• In-depth analysis of the company’s current and potential online presence and capabilities, target audience and brand. This research should help the applicant make informed decisions about e.g. optimisation of online marketing channels, web functionality, payment systems specification, catalogue presentation, supply chain management, consolidated inventory systems, order fulfilment and consumer experience.

Strategy development:

• Development of a written digital strategy and a roadmap for implementation including resource and business process considerations;
• Identifying how the company’s value proposition should be demonstrated online, what aspects should be emphasised and how best to present this to online customers;
• Ensuring that the company’s online presence is being fully utilised / optimised to fulfil its overall potential, supporting the overall business strategy;
• Consideration of omnichannel offering (including marketplaces and social media).

Implementation:

• Optimising the company’s online presence to ensure domestic and international visibility (e.g. web enhancement and localisation, associated business process enhancements, search engine optimisation etc.);
• Enhancing related “back end” systems (e.g. product presentation, supply chain management, systems integration to improve consumer experience etc.).

Costs

Successful applicants will be awarded funding to support a maximum of 80% of the project costs.

The minimum grant amount payable is €10,000 under this Scheme.

Therefore, applications which do not propose company expenditure on the project of a minimum of €12,500 will be considered ineligible (the grant will reimburse up to 80% of eligible expenditure as set out below);

All eligible costs are required to be directly related to the implementation of the work programme.

Eligible costs include:

• Salary costs of a senior project champion (manager level or above) in the applicant company to work with an external service provider on this project. The costs to support the salary of the project champion must not exceed the external service provider costs. A maximum of 1 internal champion per company is eligible for salary costs;
• Fees of established external service provider(s) to develop a digital strategy;
• Fees of established external service provider(s) to further develop / enhance the company’s transactional website or online presence. The grant must be used to introduce additional functionality; and
• Training Course fees are not eligible, however in-house training provided by an external provider to enable a company develop and maintain a robust online retail operation are eligible. This could include training for CMS, eMarketing, catalogue management, e-commerce systems, SEO, etc.

Ineligible costs include:

• Upgrades to existing online channels that would happen anyway or could be considered business as usual;
• The purchase of hardware or “off the shelf” software package licences or subscriptions e.g. for Customer Relationship Management (CRM); and
• The funding of online advertising campaigns e.g. pay per click campaigns.

Any expenditure incurred prior to the close of the Call at (date TBC) is not eligible for support.

Eligible Expenditures and Limits

Expenditure claimed must be incurred by the legal entity to which the grant is offered

Consultancy Fees:

• The daily rate is to be inclusive of service provider’s time and all associated travel, subsistence and out-of-pocket expenses.
• Consultancy rate is a maximum of €900 per day. Where 2 or more service providers are engaged from the same firm, the daily rate of €900 per day is applied to the firm.

How do I apply?

Application must be made via the Enterprise Ireland Online Application System during the Call open dates.

The Application System will be launched via the Enterprise Ireland website shortly.

• Call open date: To be confirmed
• Call close date: To be confirmed

How is my application evaluated?

Enterprise Ireland will carry out an evaluation of all eligible applications using the following criteria:

Evaluation Criteria

Quality of the proposal and the potential impact on the business demonstrated in the proposal – 40%

Impact of proposed changes on the competitive position and viability of the company – 40%

Ambition to internationalise the business – 10%

The company’s financial track record – 10%

For information, download Scoring Criteria for Online Retail Scheme (Word format)

All applicants will be notified by Enterprise Ireland by email of the result of this assessment following evaluation of the Call.

When is the call closing date?

The call closing date is yet to be confirmed.

More information

• Download List of Consultants (Word format) who may be interested in performing work under this initiative. 

Not sure what to do or where to start? Talk to us, we’d be happy to help: 01 245 3246 or info@binatedigital.ie

In line with advice from the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Irish Government we will be activating our COVID-19 business continuity plan and enabling our staff to work remotely where possible from 6pm this evening.

Binate Digital always aims to ensure that we can continue to provide our expert services to our clients in every situation. In consideration of the continued spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) globally, we have put together a plan for a both our offices in Dublin & Cork. In this event, our employees are equipped with all the hardware required to continue operating remotely and securely when required. 

We have ensured that our staff will be able to connect remotely and securely and continue to access all the resources required to continue operating as normal.

We are confident that it will have minimal effect on our services. Clients will still be able to call us on our usual office numbers (01) 245 3246 for support.

The best way for your business to capitalise on word-of-mouth is with a modern, dynamic website that increases trust with outstanding design.

Some industries run on word-of-mouth. One of the most common questions we get asked when first meeting a client from one of these industries is “if our business comes from word of mouth is there really a need to prioritise our website?”. The short answer is YES!

Granted, word-of-mouth is the holy grail of marketing. Nielsen’s research shows that 92% of customers trust word-of-mouth above all else, so if you’ve got a strong reputation, then you’re onto a good thing. But research conducted by online customer service experts, Synthetix, shows that 91% of consumers will check a business’s website before calling or emailing. But if you don’t have a website? They might not call at all.

A website capitalises on word-of-mouth

Why does a business that depends on positive word-of-mouth need a website?

1. It increases trust.

Few things matter more in business than trust. A personal recommendation certainly gives you a leg-up in the credibility department, but that’s not always enough. Having a website shows an enquirer that you’re a legitimate business they can trust.

2. It gives more information.

Word-of-mouth may be valuable but it’s not always comprehensive. Not every referral will include a detailed customer review, cost estimate, and contact details. Sometimes all a would-be customer knows is your name. They’re still left wondering what you offer, what distinguishes you from the competition, and how to get in touch with you. A website is by far the best way to give potential customers the information they. In fact most users these days will take a good website for granted, but they will immediately react to a bad website, usually by leaving it!

3. It’s easier to remember.

Even in the off-line world, web addresses beat phone numbers just for sheer memorability. Imagine a satisfied customer is taking a road trip with a buddy, raving about what a fantastic job you did for them, on-time and under-budget. How are they going to put them in touch with you? Probably not by dishing out your phone number, right there on the spot. People can instantly communicate to each other online now and as a result nobody remembers phone numbers anymore . More often than not, they’ll give your web address or tell them to “just google you”.

Conclusion: it’s about trust

There’s a common theme here: trust. Would-be customers are looking for somebody they know they can trust to get the job done. Designed well, a website will give you credibility, reassuring the customer that you’re the right person for the job and even prove that you have done it before. A word-of-mouth recommendation gets them thinking about your business; a beautiful modern website gets them making contact with you.

Want a website but not sure where to start? Get in touch with our team today!

Trading Online Voucher Scheme – up to €2,500 grant available

Grow your business with help from this Government grant scheme, designed to assist small businesses. It offers financial assistance of up to €2,500 along with training and advice to help your business trade online.  Participating in this scheme can make the process of trading online much easier for you.

Making informed decisions is vital for all business, so the free help and training provided by your local enterprise office puts you in a position to decide what is best for your business.

Cutting the cost of developing your online trading capacity by up to 50% can make the investment very affordable for many small businesses out there. 

Information sessions cover various topics, including developing a website, digital marketing, social media for business and search engine optimisation. The information provided is impartial and will help you decide on what trading online options, are right for your business.       

To qualify for the scheme, businesses must have:

• no more than 10 employees;
• less than €2m in turnover;
• be trading for at least 6 months and
• be located in the region of the local enterprise office to whom they are applying.

Over 2,000 businesses, just like yours, have already benefitted from the scheme. Don’t get left behind. Your Local Enterprise Office can help and support you throughout the process. Voucher numbers are limited so contact your local enterprise office today for more information and application details.

Businesses that participated in the scheme reported that, on average they saw their sales increase by 20%, with an 80% jump in sales leads and 3 in 5 exporting for the first time.  

For many businesses, the question is not whether to trade online, it’s how to start.  At least 2,000 small businesses have found answers to that question and a helping hand to take that step through the Trading Online Voucher Scheme. Some of them are your competitors.

The first port of call for any small business thinking of developing their trading online capacity is to contact their LEO.

To download the Trading Online Voucher application form click here.

Binate Digital is pleased to announce a new partnership with UKFast.

Just like Binate Digital, UKFast has a passion and commitment to help businesses grow, working closely with clients to develop and design a hosting solution that actually helps solve business problems. We can now provide hosting from the UK’s leading provider, serving managed and scalable solutions ideal for larger websites, whether bespoke or commerce.

Our Partnership with UKFast means that we can now provide network flexibility and scalability, allowing our clients to draw upon UKFasts hosting expertise to deliver solutions that exceeded all expectations.

The business model and growth of UKFast is surely something to admire, and is just one of the many reasons why we have jumped at this opportunity, amongst other web designers, web development agencies, digital marketing agencies, software consultants and IT specialists.

• ISO 27001:2013, ISO 9001:2008 and PCI DSS
• ISO 14001: Environment Management System
• BSI PAS 2060: Carbon Neutral
• Multi-Factor Access Control
• Staffed 24/7/365 by SIA-accredited UKFast staff
• CCTV internal and external with >60 cameras
• Site specific dedicated firewall technology
• NICEIC approved contractor
• On-site technical support available 24/7/365

What creativity is and where it comes from is one of life’s great unsolved mysteries.

The scientific study of the creative process (and the creative personality) has arguably given rise to more questions than answers. But here’s what we do know about creativity: It involves a multitude of different personality traits, behaviors, and thinking styles coming together in a single person.

Psychologists say that creative people have a tendency to avoid habit and routine—which means we’re constantly changing. We often feel misunderstood because we see the world differently from others—and indeed, neuroscience shows that our brains are literally wired differently.

The Creative Types test is an exploration of the many faces of the creative personality brought to you by Adobe Create Magazine. Based in psychology research, the test assesses your basic habits and tendencies—how you think, how you act, how you see the world—to help you better understand who you are as a creative. Answer 15 questions and you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your motivations, plus insight into how to maximize your natural gifts and face your challenges.

These personality types aren’t black-and-white labels. Think of them more as signposts pointing you toward your full creative potential. While there’s probably one core type that best describes you, you may change types at different points in your life and career, or even at different stages of the creative process. As a creative, you have a little bit of all eight Types inside you.

We took the test and got “The Dreamer” – Using dreams to fuel real-world action.

Give it a go: https://mycreativetype.com

Adobe Create: Community ChampionCreative Types is brought to you by Adobe Create Magazine. Through the lenses of craft, culture, and career, we celebrate and fuel creative minds with inspirational stories, Creative Cloud how-tos, and more. Visit Create.