Category: Business & Career

The US security systems industry has a long and interesting history going back to the mid-1800’s. And the name of the largest US security systems company, ADT, actually stands for American District Telegraph. Yup, the basic technologies, and even some of the players, have been around for a long time. But until the past few years, home security systems services were provided for the most part by companies that specialized in electronic security. That’s no longer the case: now there are new kids on the block!
New Entrants
For a variety of reasons, the home security systems industry has seen a rash of new entrants over the past several years. Some of these recent additions to our sector include telephone companies, cable companies, and a bewildering array of small start-up technology companies. Here’s a partial list of what is attracting them to home security systems:

• Recurring revenues from monthly fees are predictable, and subject a company to much less cyclicality than other business models.
• Declines in other types of business (such as the cable industry’s ongoing loss of subscribers) have caused these companies to search for new areas where they can play.
• Penetration of the US market for home security systems is still under 30% of homes – so there is lots of room for growth.
• Security systems technology has evolved to the point where the systems do a lot more, increasing the potential of the market.

Focus on Expanded Services
Perhaps the biggest driver for all this new competition is that the systems themselves do, in fact, provide a lot more functionality today. The expansion includes interactive monitoring, smart video services, and even home automation features (such as remote control of lights, locks, and thermostats). That connectivity that is facilitated by highly-intuitive apps. And now that so many people have smart phones, the homeowner with one of these systems can feel not just protected – but also connected.
Security is Still at the Heart
But the fact remains that at the heart of these smarter, expanded offerings lies a basic need: peace of mind. In fact, numerous surveys performed by players from the security systems industry (and even some outside it) have demonstrated that homeowners view the protection of the home and family as job #1, and the other features as the icing on the cake. In fact, a telling recent quote from an article in an security systems industry publication says it very well:
Consumers today have an expectation that the system they install in their homes can be remotely managed with a smartphone or tablet, and also have the ability to easily interface with other devices and appliances within their residence. At the core of this technology revolution, security remains one of the cornerstones upon which the larger smart home industry has been built.
That makes the point: it all starts with peace of mind.
Good Service Really Matters
Another issue that has arisen with the new entrants is the level of service that the homeowner can expect. Some of these companies now selling home security systems as part of a broader service offering are in truth the poster children for just how bad service can be: among them, notably, are several of the largest cable providers. It’s a well-documented fact that consumers are less than satisfied with their cable company: and if you can’t get good service when it comes to home entertainment, you do really want to trust the protection of your home and family to that same company? That is why those companies are having a tougher time attracting security systems customers than they expected.
Shop for the Best Service
So, read those review, and do your research on-line to find the best security systems company to meet your needs. The good ones are offering the latest technology, so you won’t need to worry about whether you are getting an integrated solution that does it all – but you’ll also be getting the level of service that you expect – and deserve.
Check Frontpoint for more information today.

Let’s face it, the most important brand asset of your business is your logo.
It goes everywhere: your website, business cards, product, and even your car. It’s probably the first thing that comes to people’s minds when they think of your brand, and rightly so.
Even if you’re doing just a little bit of marketing, then I’m guessing you’re already using video, one way or another; whether as explainer videos, tutorials, testimonials or short video ads, I’m pretty sure they all probably contain your logo at the beginning or end.
We’re here to discuss how you can spice up your future and even existing video content with an animated version of your logo. Besides that, we’ll go over what other cool stuff you can do with the animated logo once you have it.

So, what is an animated logo?

Whether displayed as an animated GIF or created using CSS & SVG, an animated logo is the result of static elements coming to life, being animated in an engaging way that results in presenting a logo. This animation is often spiced up by sound effects and subtle music which makes it a more dynamic way to start or end a video.

6 Reasons you need an animated logo

1. Original/Unique – Let’s face it, many logos are similar or nondescript as the design is subject to trends and sometimes even subject to specific elements within an industry. We sometimes see very similar logos, even of competitors (sometimes on purpose even!)
   Adding motion to your logo brings that unique flavor as you can really go wild with the elements that lead to showcasing your logo. Such elements and movements create the unique, original feeling to your logo.
2. Higher brand awareness – Video is engaging, there’s no need to convince you here, right? Because of that, animated logos are usually more memorable, especially when the animation is cool and engaging. Know those looped gifs you keep staring at? Now think they’re your logo.
3. Great first impression AKA – Professionalism – People tend to refer to animated logos and intros to the big players, so the overall perception of having a well-animated logo is a very positive one, so if you have it, you’re definitely in good company (literally!)

   

4. Storytelling – is everywhere – Your brand has a story, your logo has a story. That story, or part of it, can be facilitated into an animated logo that will tell it in an engaging, fun way.

   

5. Consistency – As a business, you probably created a few different videos in the past, whether these were made by yourself or by a professional, it’s always recommended to make these videos feel consistent. Having an animated logo as an intro and outro definitely makes your videos feel more consistent in building that brand image throughout.
6. Value for money – Piggybacking on the consistency note above, the good thing about an animated logo is the fact that it’s a one-time investment. you can use this animated logo in so many ways that it’s probably one of the most value-for-money types of digital assets that you can buy.

Where can I use an animated logo?

1. Videos – We already discussed that, but animated logos are the perfect intros and outros for your videos
2. Apps & Websites – We all know these visually addicting beautiful loaders and UI elements that we see when we use apps, websites and online products in general. These animated loops are another type of animated logos and are a very popular asset for web designers.

   

3. Social networks – Gifs and looped videos are a great asset to share on social. It definitely helps with brand recognition and the fact these videos/gifs are super short, makes them a perfect fit for all sorts of social networks.
4. Screensavers – Many companies are using animated logos and videos in general as screensavers in the company’s computers and screens, this could be a great way to increase that brand awareness among the random people that visit your office and even your employees.
5. Email signature – Recently, we’re seeing more and more companies using an animated logo gif at the bottom of their email signature. Seeing a moving image at the end of an email really stands out and drives attention to your brand.

Animated logo formats – Get your format right!

• MP4 – One of the most common video file formats, this is the format you’ll need in order to use the animated logo/intro for your videos and Instagram posts. Also, this format should work as a screen saver if needed. Using a video format such as MP4 will also enable using sound effects and music while the other formats won’t.
• GIF/APNG– These are the most popular image formats (GIF being the most popular) that display motion. Useful for social networks, banner ads, and presentations. The good thing about GIFs is the fact that in most cases it will automatically play. Important to note though, that gifs won’t play any sounds, while video formats – will.
• CSS/SVG – Vector based graphics and even pure CSS are the best formats for animated UI elements, so if you’d like to use your animated logo/element in your product, make sure you work with someone who can actually create such formats. One of the main advantages with these formats is the fact that they are resolution-independent, which is very important for online products, so no matter what size the screen is, it will always be crisp and sharp.
  

How to get an animated logo on Fiverr?

Getting your animated logo/intro on Fiverr is pretty easy, so we’ll explain it in a few simple steps

1. Go to the Intros & Animated logos subcategory on Fiverr.
2. Filter the Gigs according to what you’re looking for (if you’re not sure, you can skip that part), note that you can switch on the PRO toggle in order to see our vetted animators, first.
3. Now that you can see the Gigs that fit your budget and specific needs, you can hit “Play” and watch the different samples of the sellers offering their services.
4. Saw a seller you like? Go to his Gig and order the gig or start chatting about your need. Please note that each seller might have different requirements, most of them will need you to send them your logo so they can animate it, while some sellers might also offer logo design, as well.

Start ordering your first gig at Fiverr today.

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