Insights

Tips + ideas from the frontlines of marketing

Over the last few decades, we've picked up a few tools and techniques to improve branding and marketing efforts. As we learn lessons and grow our skills, we'll share the best and brightest with you here.

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For over two decades, the team at Hemisphere Design + Marketing has operated on the frontlines of marketing, branding, and digital design. This Insights page is a direct reflection of our commitment to expertise, authority, and transparency. We don't just report on industry shifts; we execute daily strategies for businesses across the South Sound and Washington State.

This collection of articles offers distilled, proven lessons learned from thousands of successful client projects in the Tacoma area. You will find deep dives into every critical facet of modern strategy: from crafting compelling brand narratives and technical SEO best practices, to navigating the complexities of AI and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

Unlike generic national blogs, our content is grounded in real-world results specific to our local market's unique challenges and opportunities. We believe informed clients make the best partners. Use these resources to gain the tactical knowledge and strategic clarity your business needs, and leverage our certified experience to achieve measurable, sustainable growth.

Showing 41 articles

Real-time AI Video Chat

Imagine a concierge on your website that looks and sounds human, answers common questions instantly, and can speak multiple languages without hirin...

Updated: November 06, 2025

Strategies for Generative Optimization (GEO)

How do you make your content show up when people ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity for answers? Or when AI-overview panels, search assistants, or cha...

Updated: November 16, 2025

Using QR Codes in Marketing

If you’ve ever scanned a QR code to view a menu, access a coupon, or join a loyalty program, you’ve already experienced how simple and powerful...

Updated: November 03, 2025

Latest Trends in Graphic Design: Defining 2025

Graphic design is one of the most dynamic and fast-moving creative fields. As technology evolves, so does the visual language of branding, advertis...

Views: 5,480    Likes: 1,445

WCAG 2.2 Changes + Rules Explained

Digital accessibility is no longer optional. As websites and apps become essential for everything from shopping to education, ensuring they are usa...

Views: 4,993    Likes: 1,386

The Pitfalls of Using AI for Logo Design

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries from healthcare to marketing, its influence on creative fields like graphic design ...

Views: 4,475    Likes: 1,442

What is Schema and How it Benefits Your Website

In the ever-evolving world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), staying ahead of the competition means not just having great content but also struc...

What Makes a Good Logo?

A logo is more than just a visual mark. It's the face of your brand, the symbol customers associate with your business, and often the first impress...

Designed for Everyone: Inclusive Experiences

In today’s connected world, great design should be for everyone. Whether it’s a beautifully laid-out website, an engaging social media video, o...

Digital Accessibility in Government

In our modern society, many essential services are delivered online. For the government to truly serve all citizens, websites, mobile apps, online ...

Logo vs. Brand: What's the Difference?

Let’s cut through the fog. A logo is a symbol. A brand is a reputation. The two are related, but they’re not the same species. One sits on your...

Marketing Funnels: Attract + Convert Local Customers

If you're an entrepreneur in the South Sound (whether you're launching a startup, already running a local business, or managing a local branch), un...

Best AI Tools for Small Business Marketing

AI tools for small business marketing are more accessible, affordable, and powerful than ever. Here’s a breakdown of the best AI tools by categor...

5 Reasons Your AI Website Sucks

You launched your AI-built website three months ago, feeling pretty proud of getting online so quickly and affordably. But something's not right. Y...

Insider Secrets: Digital Advertising Tips

If you've ever wondered what really separates mediocre ads from the ones that flood a business with leads, you're in the right place. Agencies don'...

How to Write an Effective SEO Article

Writing for SEO isn't just about pleasing algorithms. It’s about understanding your audience, creating content that answers their questions, and ...

Multimedia Advertising Campaigns

From digital and social media to print, radio, and TV, multimedia campaigns offer the advantage of reaching your audience across platforms with a c...

AI Advertising Trends 2025

The South Sound is undergoing a quiet revolution in the world of advertising. With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and other ...

Top Marketing Trends + Tactics in 2025

Marketing in 2025 is more personalized, data-driven, and socially conscious than ever. While the tools may feel familiar, the strategies have evolv...

Better Content: A Strategic Approach

In today’s hyper-connected digital world, content isn’t just something you publish, it’s the foundation of your brand identity, customer expe...

Compare Tacoma Video Production Companies

The Tacoma area boasts a rich field of talented video production vendors. If you're a small or mid‑sized business seeking more than just a produc...

2025 Marketing Strategies for Tacoma Businesses

As Tacoma continues to grow and diversify, small businesses in the South Sound are entering a new era of digital marketing. With consumer habits sh...

Tacoma: Forged in Glass, Paint, Stage + Design

Tacoma is our home. Creativity is our passion. To celebrate our place and love, we've written this guide to our creative community, nestled on the ...

Increase Donations: Strategies for Nonprofits

Nonprofit organizations face a unique challenge. They are tasked with changing the world, often on tight budgets and with limited resources. Every ...

Email Marketing: Strategies That Work

Email marketing remains one of the most effective and affordable ways for businesses to engage with their audiences. Despite the rise of social med...

Webcam Tips & Tricks

It might sound obvious, but the rules for video meetings are different than traditional conference calls. Not only can people see you, but you can ...

What is Accessible Web Design?

The internet is for everyone, and the best websites are accessible to people of all abilities. Making sure your website is compliant with ADA, WCAG...

Video Production Best Practices

In today’s digital-first world, video is more than just content; it's a cornerstone of communication. For small businesses in the South Sound reg...

What Clients Really Want From a Marketing Firm

Choosing a marketing firm can feel overwhelming, especially when everyone promises the same thing: more traffic, better branding, higher sales. But...

Why Graphic Design Matters for Your Business

Discover why professional graphic design is essential for business success. Learn how expert design builds trust, improves branding, and drives sal...

Increase Your Leads + Sales

Whether you’re a small startup or an established mid-size business, one question keeps rising to the top: how do we generate more leads and conve...

Top 5 Videos Every Business Needs

Video has become a critical part of how modern businesses communicate, compete, and connect. It engages audiences, builds trust, and simplifies eve...

5 Questions to Ask a Commercial Photographer

In a world driven by first impressions, visuals speak louder than words. Whether you’re launching a product, refreshing your website, or running ...

Traditional Advertising in a Digital World

As social media, streaming platforms, and smartphones dominate modern life, traditional advertising methods like billboards, radio, and TV are bein...

Understanding ESSB 5814

Washington’s Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (ESSB) 5814 represents a major shift in how services are taxed in the state. Signed into law in May...

Smart Marketing for Businesses in Lakewood

Running a small business in Lakewood, WA, means competing for attention in a growing community while also building strong, loyal customer relations...

AI is Killing Your Search Optimization

Search optimization is no longer what it was a decade ago. In the early 2000s, the recipe for ranking well on Google was fairly straightforward: pa...

Better Search Results with Schema

Developed by Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo to standardize web content, schema ensures that content on websites falls into predictable formats, allow...

Strategies for Generative Optimization (GEO)

How do you make your content show up when people ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity for answers? Or when AI-overview panels, search assistants, or cha...

Motion Graphics + Brand Identity Trends

Discover how motion graphics, from animated logos to custom section titles and illustrations, can elevate your brand’s video marketing. Learn why...

Hiring a Marketing Team vs. an Employee

Between SEO/GEO, paid advertising, brand strategy, social media campaigns, and analytics, you need diverse skills to compete. Yet many businesses s...

Real-time AI Video Chat

Imagine a concierge on your website that looks and sounds human, answers common questions instantly, and can speak multiple languages without hirin...

How much does marketing cost?

When it comes to growing your South Sound business, investing in professional marketing can be one of the most impactful decisions you make. At Hem...

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Illustration: Downtown Tacoma skyline