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Penji Review: Unlimited Graphic Design Details, Pricing, and Features

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Penji review

Move over Fiverr. Unlimited graphic design services are the newest alternative to hiring a graphic designer. But, these services bring up many questions. For example: How unlimited is unlimited graphic design?

We tried out one of the top services: Penji.

Like many of their counterparts, Penji offers graphic design work on a monthly subscription. We put their promise of fast turnaround, high-quality, and affordability to the test.

You can submit as many design projects as you want via their online portal, and they’ll complete your requests one at a time until your queue is complete. This type of service promises to be a great added resource for teams to improve productivity.

Does it sound too good to be true? We thought so too. So, we signed up to see for ourselves.

This article was updated on August 24th, 2022.

Quick Summary

As with any service, there are pros and cons. To help with your graphic design hiring decision, we decided to condense what we found in a bulleted list below. Here’s a quick summary of our review of Penji’s unlimited graphic design service.

(Still wondering what “unlimited graphic design” is? We explain what it is here.)

Pros

  • Easy and quick to create design projects
  • Storage for all my requested designs
  • VERY fast turnaround on most projects. I expected just 1 draft in 24 hours but instead received 3 drafts. Revisions were sometimes completed the same day I submitted them.
  • Helpful features such as a revision tool, ability to invite team members, brand profile, and more
  • Upbeat and direct communication from everyone I interact with
  • A dedicated and responsive account manager who replies within a few hours

Cons

  • Can’t call or talk to designers
  • Best if you have design projects ready to submit
  • Not available as an app

Overall Experience

Penji’s “unlimited” design model is a great choice if you have the right expectations going in. The service is affordable for growing businesses and their output is reliable. However, if you’re expecting to be on-call or face-to-face with your designer, this type of service is not for you.

Compared to designing yourself, hiring freelancers, or using Fiverr, Penji is a much better service and value by a long shot. Their team of designers lived up to the promise and exceeded my expectations.

Thinking of trying Penji out for yourself? Here’s a special Penji promo code for Owner’s Mag readers:

Use the Penji promo code “OMPNJ25” to get 25% off your 1st month.


PENJI FULL REVIEW

We created this Penji review by signing up, requesting a design, and examining the results. Here’s how it went.

Final Verdict

We get it. You want to know how it went without reading all the mumbo jumbo.

All four projects were completed within two weeks and I was impressed with how they all turned out. If I had paid hourly or per project, these would’ve easily cost me well above $1200+ to get done, and probably taken weeks.

With Penji, it took just a few days and I paid a fraction of what I would’ve paid elsewhere. Definitely impressed with both the turnaround, quality, communication, and value this startup has to offer.

But Penji isn’t without its flaws. The service definitely isn’t for everybody.

Who would benefit:

  • business owners
  • marketers
  • agencies
  • print on demand sellers
  • creatives with consistent design needs

If you don’t have a consistent need, the bill will start racking up after a couple of months and you won’t see the value in the subscription.

However, if you do happen to fit their target demographic, then there’s no better alternative out there. The speed and quality of their work easily rival other services I’d ever used. For $399 per month, this is an absolute steal.

What I Did Step by Step

Now, if you want to get into the meat of how it went, keep on reading for every detail of how I got from the sign-up screen to the final project.

Signing Up For Penji

Signing up for Penji was a relatively quick and painless process. All of my questions were answered in less than 5 minutes by customer support via Intercom and another 2 minutes to complete the checkout process.

Communication with Penji’s Support Team

How fast and reliable a company’s support team is before you are an active customer is a reflection of what’s to come. If they’re unresponsive now, it will only get worse once I’m a customer. I reached out to Penji’s customer support team via their Intercom chat popup and got a response within 30 seconds, which is pretty good. I asked basic questions and the agent seemed knowledgeable.

Communication as a Customer

All communication is done online through Penji’s proprietary online portal. That includes revisions, feedback, and answering any questions my designers may have.

Communication with Your Designers

Penji assigned me 1 designer, Billie, and communication with her was easy. If you have used any messaging platforms like Slack, Facebook Messenger, or Discord, you’d be familiar with this form of communication.

Billie was responsive, attentive, and always seemed to have a positive attitude no matter how demanding my requests were. She had many questions about the projects, which I tried my best to answer as a customer. Though the back and forth took longer than I wanted, I realized she was just being thorough to get the design done right, which I appreciate.

Communication with Your Account Managers

They assigned me an Account Manager, Charmaine, who was very quick whenever I needed something. It usually takes just a few hours for me to get a reply via email from her. When I had an issue with one of the projects, she quickly stepped in and helped resolve the situation.

1. Choose the Right Package

All the packages are laid out with monthly, quarterly, and yearly pricing. Starting at $499 per month for the Pro plan, you’ll be able to make unlimited graphic design requests with a 24-48 hour turnaround. As your design needs grow, you’ll have the Team and Daytime packages to choose from.

2. Checkout

The form is straightforward and easy to fill out. Checking out was a breeze and took about 2 minutes.


3. Submit a Design Project

Clicking on the “+ Create new project” button, I’m presented with a visual chart of all the design categories they offer. They offer an extensive selection of options and even the ability to request a custom project.

4. Fill Out the Request Form

Next, I filled out a short form detailing what I wanted them to design. For those of you who hate long forms, this one from Penji is easy to follow and doesn’t ask too many questions. Most of the questions are actually optional so you can be as descriptive or non-descriptive as you like.

My test projects

As a digital publisher, we produce content on a daily basis and always have a need for on-brand graphic design. I created several projects to test how well-rounded Penji is and how they handle both simple and complex requests. A simple banner should be difficult, but can they handle a complex infographic with lots of texts and imagery?

Here are my test projects:

  1. Blog Graphic: Best DSLR Camera Equipment For Beginners
  2. Custom Illustration: Best Vacuum Cleaner Money Can Buy
  3. Facebook Post: Isometric Tech Gadget Graphic
  4. Magazine Print Cover (Owner’s Magazine’s 2020 May Edition

Despite creating four projects, the entire process was quick and smooth. It only took a few minutes to create them and their internal platform was lightning fast. At this pace, I can see myself submitting multiple projects on their platform with ease.


Turnaround Time

I expected at least one draft the next day. What I didn’t expect were three drafts ready for review. To give you a comparison, most freelancers and design firms we’ve hired take several days to submit just one draft.

The designs were surprisingly good considering that it’s the first draft AND they had a 24-hour turnaround. After reviewing, I realized how they did it. Every project had a different designer. I wasn’t assigned just one designer. It was like having my very own virtual design team.

4. Requesting Revisions

Though the designs were good, I still needed a few revisions. The drafts were turned around usually the same day or by the next day. Their support agent actually told me it will take 24 hours to turn around revisions. The revisions that took 24 hours were typically much more involved.

Overall, revisions were quick. Most came back within a few hours after I submitted them.

My one gripe would be that I prefer to have some sort of real-time chat with my designer or at least have a Zoom call. That’s one thing I like about working with my freelancers. Whenever they were online, we could just have a back and forth conversation to get the revisions across. I can’t do that with Penji.

Built-in Revision Tool

Penji has a built-in revision tool that lets me click anywhere on the design to leave a revision. I found this incredibly useful as it enables me to pin-point what I want to change.


The Results

It took about 1 week to go back and forth with revisions and edits for all 4 design projects. At the end of the week, I received the final drafts for all three. Here are the results of the three test projects.

1. Blog Graphic: Best DSLR Camera Equipment For Beginners

This far exceeded my expectations and will more than do for the blog I’m writing about DSLR camera equipment. I think most designers would probably just stop with 1-2 icons and graphics for this design. My designer decided to add the tripod, three lenses, drone, backpack, and a whole entire stage lighting kit.

I didn’t ask for those, but I’m impressed with the quality of the design. No revisions needed. I approved this project on the first try.

2. Custom Illustration: Best Vacuum Cleaner Money Can Buy

For this project, I asked my designer Kei to do a custom illustration of a man vacuuming his floor. He actually drew it up and sent me a rough sketch first before he started coloring it in. That was an extra layer of care and attention to detail I wasn’t expecting. Needless to say, I approved of his drawing and he delivered this draft the next day.

Revision

Everything in this graphic was hand-drawn and then colored digitally. Like the first project, I couldn’t think of any revisions except asking him to put the texts “Best Vacuum Cleaner Money Can Buy” on the graphic.

He went the extra mile and designed the text to fit the graphics. See for yourself above. It’s details like these that I would have had to harass my freelancer and he would try to nickel and dime me for every revision. Great work Kei!

3. Facebook Post: Isometric Tech Gadget Graphic

My designer Jave’s first draft amazed me because of how much detail he put into this project. I had asked for an isometric graphic with various tech products laid out on an isometric glass plane. I honestly thought my description may have been a bit too vague, but he understood my vision even better than I did.

4. Magazine Print Cover (Owner’s Magazine’s 2020 May Edition)

My designer Billie gave me 3 versions of the magazine cover. I don’t like version 1 at all. It looks too templated. I personally like version 2 and 3 and left revision notes accordingly. The coronavirus image was entirely her idea and I love it.

Revision

This project took a bit longer than the others because my designer Billie had questions and we had a lot of back and forth. I didn’t mind at all since she was asking good questions that I should’ve included in my design request. Overall, I appreciated the extra time she took to understand me and the project better.

About three days later, I received another draft which blew everything before it out of the water.


Reviews From Other Sources

Because you may not take our word for it, here are some of the most recent Penji reviews from other sources:

Jan Kartusek

Jorge Vila

IM Nights

Disclaimer: we receive an affiliate commission when the Penji promo code is used, however, the review is based on our experience.

3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Priya nallathambi

    April 22, 2021 at 2:59 am

    We would like to add our product too. Please let us know your process.

  2. Elena Wilson

    January 28, 2022 at 6:33 am

    This was the kind of thing I was searching for, truly accommodating, and incredible work done. Continue to share incredible substance like this.

  3. Kathleen Peterson

    September 29, 2022 at 4:21 pm

    Penji is a great choice for businesses that need reliable and affordable graphic design services.

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Business

Why Use Video Marketing: 8 Compelling Reasons to Convince You

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Video marketing is one of the latest trends in business strategy. As it progresses rapidly, 83% of businesses believe that adding videos to their advertising and marketing strategy gives them good ROI. Do you still have doubts? Why use video marketing for promoting your business? The answer is simple. Adding video to your promotion checklist is worth it. Not only because everyone is doing it but because the video is an excellent digital marketing tool. Here are eight reasons to convince you to start working on your video marketing efforts. 

1. Video Increases Conversions and Sales 

person writing on a paper

Videos are crucial to the online customer journey and can make you serious money. Consider adding a product video on your landing page and increase conversions by 80%. The percentage shows that people who watch your videos are more likely to purchase your product or service. Wyzowl’s November 2022 survey shows that 89% of people say watching a video has convinced them to buy. 

2. Video Builds Trust 

Trust is the cornerstone of conversions and revenues. However, building trust should be the ultimate goal. The idea of content marketing relies on trust and creating long-term relationships. That’s why video content is likely to engage and convince the audience. 

YouTubers have become the most influential social media personality when discussing audience segmentation to help you promote your product or service. So, if you decide to invest in content marketing, you must also be serious about video marketing. 

Promotional videos can foster trust as well. Some consumers are still skeptical about buying online products and services because they fear fraud and cheating. But compelling marketing videos present your products in a conversational form. 

Overall, video content is an effective way to build trust with your audience. It allows you to communicate authentically, transparently, and credible, create an emotional connection and establish consistency with your brand.

3. Video Ranks Better in Google 

wooden SEO blocks

Video content can rank better on Google due to higher engagement rates, improved user experience, diversified content, social signals, and video SEO. You should create and optimize video content for a higher ranking in Google search results.

One of the factors of Google’s algorithm for search rankings is “dwell time,” or how long visitors stay on your website. This may also be called “long clicks vs. short clicks.” If people spend a lot of time on your website, it must have quality content. A short, compelling video is a great way to capture viewers’ attention.

4. Video Shows Higher Return on Investment (ROI)

Statistics show that 83% of companies believe video provides a good return on investment. Even though video production is yet to be the easiest task, it can generate more revenue. Plus, online video editing tools are constantly evolving and have become accessible. Even your smartphone can make decent videos already.

Another good news is that your videos can be imperfect. It’s the content that matters! The latest research shows that users are mostly put off by videos that need to explain the product or service more. Low quality and poor design only matter a little. So the video is like pizza. Even if it tastes terrible, it still looks pretty good.

5. Video Marketing is Versatile

Video marketing is a versatile tool that can be used to achieve different marketing goals. Video can work well when launching a new product or service. More businesses using video marketing said they have an explainer video on their homepage. 

You can create animated videos if you’re trying to explain a difficult concept to your audience. Animation can bring ideas to life that no text or live video can. Besides, more than boring talking heads are needed to break through the clutter. Animated videos give a perfect mix of entertainment, education, and simplicity. And they work.

6. Mobile Users Love Videos

people using their phones

Video and mobile go hand in hand because people enjoy watching videos on the go. And as the number of smartphone users continues to increase, the video audience keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Google says smartphone users are twice as likely to watch videos as TV viewers. Likewise, mobile phones are more accessible than desktops, where viewers can easily connect to brands that show video content or ads.

The keyword here is convenience. Videos are easy to consume on mobile devices, requiring minimal effort, and can be viewed on the go. With the increasing number of mobile users, video content has become a popular and convenient way to consume information.

7. Video Marketing Captures a Wider Audience

Video content is an excellent tool for learning, but it’s also super easy to consume. In today’s fast-paced world, people don’t have enough time to read long product descriptions or service manuals. The modern customer wants to see the product in action. This trend has become one of the most fundamental driving forces in video content marketing.

Video marketing can capture a broad target audience and works on many levels, even the laziest ones. Ensure you target not only the eyes but also the ears of the potential client. Your competitive advantage gets double power!

8. A video is an Effective Tool for Social Media Marketing. 

Social media channels also encourage video content with their new features. Plus, YouTube is the second most popular social network in the world. Video content is more likely to be shared on social media than text or static images. This means that videos have the potential to reach a larger audience than other types of content.

Conclusion

Video advertising is becoming more and more affordable and widespread. It’s an excellent way for marketers to reach people. It is easier than ever for businesses to create and share high-quality video content. We believe this article helped wipe out your doubts and answered the question, “why use video marketing.”

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Typli.AI Review: The Best AI Content Writer?

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Typli.AI is an AI-powered software that helps you write content for your business in minutes. The tool is designed for professional writers and marketers who are looking for an easier way to generate ideas and content for blog posts, articles, emails, social media posts, and more.

Yes, it’s designed to make work easier, but all AI writing tools have a learning curve. Some are simpler than others, and no tool generates usable content every time. Before you dive into using Typli.AI, let’s see if it stands up to the test: Is Typli the best AI content writer?

Typli.AI Review: How it Works

In this review, we’ll go over what Typli does, how it works, and why this tool is worth checking out if you want to create more content faster.

Typli is an AI powered software that uses natural language generation (NLG) to write content for you. This AI technology can create unique articles, blog posts, and even sales pages on a wide range of topics like travel, finance, technology, and marketing. It’s all automated, so once you set up your account, you can let it do the heavy lifting while you oversee the writing process.

Typli can be used from a variety of angles. For example, you might write an outline for a blog post and then let Typli fill in the content. You might generate an email or come up with some snappy phrases for ad copy and marketing campaigns. The trick is to give AI all the information you can. The more specific you are, the easier it is for Typli to generate accurate content.

Getting Started with Typli

typli ai review

Once you start your free trial with Typli, you’ll notice right away how simple the platform is. On your lefthand side is the menu. The rest of the space is your textbox for generating content. 

You can start by writing a ‘project title’ for your content piece at the top. Next, just type into the textbox what you want Typli to talk about. For example, “How to write the best SEO content” and follow it up with “1.” This lets Typli know you want to create a list article – or at least a list of bulletpoints. Then click “Generate AI content.” Once the bulletpoints are generated, you can get Typli to fill in content for each one to create a blog. 

The dropdown menu is especially useful if you don’t know what to write about. Some of the options include:

  • Give me a list of misconceptions about…
  • Give me a list of synonyms for…
  • Give me a list of 5 reasons why…

You can add stock photos to your content right from inside the textbox. 

The pricing options are also quite simple: 

  • $29 gets you unlimited credits for a month
  • $290 gets you unlimited credit for a year

Affordability is definitely one of the upsides to Typli. But other platforms like Rytr and CopyAI have similar rates, so check them out too before making a decision.

Typli integrates with Mozilla and Chrome, and a WordPress Plugin is available. This allows you to bring AI writing into other platforms you use regularly and streamline the writing process. 

Is It the Best AI Content Writer?

Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding… probably not. While Typli is decent at what it does, AI content writing is now a competitive market. There are plenty of other tools that do the same or even more than Typli – tools like ChatGPT, CopySmith, Jasper, and Longshot AI.

Typli is known for generating subpar content – not every time, but enough times that it makes you question the tool. Another downside is that it only writes in English, whereas other tools can write in many different languages.

Again, unlike some other AI writers, you can’t sort your content into folders or categories – another easy feature Typli could’ve implemented but didn’t. But in Typli’s defense, you can export your content as PDFs or Word docs, which automates organization to an extent.

Despite the downsides, reviews for Typli are all over the board, so we encourage you to try it for yourself. One reviewer called Typli a “game changer” and another even claimed that it helped him raise his conversion rates.

typli ai content writer

As far as negative reviews, most of the feedback centered around the quality of the content. These reviewers claimed the quality just wasn’t consistent enough to keep using the platform.

As with any AI writer, the quality of the content is largely dependent on the user: what they’re writing about and how they set up the document is going to have an impact. Some topics are way easier to generate content about (eg. factual information that can be found online). On the other hand, more nuanced topics could go either way – the generator might pull it off, or it might fail miserably. 

Typli.AI: Worth Your Time?

Overall, Typli.AI is a decent tool for content writers and marketers. It’s easy to use, affordable and can be used on any device. There’s also a free trial so you can test it out before making a commitment. But keep in mind, there are plenty of other AI writers out there, and several of them look almost identical to Typli. 

The software has been backed by a 7-day money back guarantee from its developers, so you have the peace of mind to try it out.

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10 Examples of Successful Animated Marketing Videos: Inspiration for Your Next Business Campaign

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Successful business owners attribute their growth to effective marketing campaigns. With the rise of digital media and social platforms, animated marketing videos have become an increasingly popular and effective tool for engaging audiences and promoting brands. Read on as we explore the power of animated marketing videos together and take your marketing efforts to the next level.

1. Google Voice

video screenshot

One of the biggest reasons animated marketing videos are popular is their ability to complex ideas and concepts. In Google Voice’s promotional video, animation was used to explain the idea of a cloud-based communication platform in a simple, straightforward way. It broke down the technology and infrastructure behind Google Voice, making it easy for viewers to understand how the service can improve communication.

The video was effective in helping viewers understand the benefits of a cloud-based communication platform in a way that is engaging and easy to understand.

2. Amazon One

video screenshot

The 1-minute animated video promoting Amazon One showcases the innovative payment system in a concise and visually appealing way. With vibrant colors and a great storyline, the video demonstrates how customers can use their unique palm signature to pay for purchases without needing cash or cards. 

The animation style is aesthetically pleasing and effectively communicates the use case of Amazon One to its audience. This video is an excellent example of how animation can promote a product and simplify a complex concept in a visually engaging way.

3. RealtyNinja

video screenshot

For its new website, RealtyNinja released an animated marketing video to explain to prospects what services they offer. In a concise and visually engaging way, the video takes a less formal approach to showcase a relatable case study that illustrates what it’s like to use the service rather than just describing features and benefits.

This approach is effective, as studies show that homepage explainer videos can increase conversions by 300%. The video is an excellent example of how a well-executed explainer video can simplify a complex concept and increase audience engagement.

4. Starbucks

video screenshot

The “Why does Starbucks Blend Coffee?” campaign is an introspective and innovative approach to explaining how Starbucks’ coffee blend works and how they have developed new flavors through blending experimentation. The video takes a simplistic 2D animation style with a fantastic voice actor explaining the campaign’s purpose. 

This video is an excellent example of how a well-executed 2D animated marketing video can be unique and engaging for the audience. Using an idea-centric approach and simple animation style, Starbucks effectively communicates the message of its coffee blending process to its audience.

5. Spotify

video screenshot

This marketing video from Spotify is an excellent example of how animation lends a playful, memorable touch to marketing videos, letting viewers know your business isn’t all business. As an audio streaming service, the video puts music front and center, accompanied by vibrant animations and their signature green color, bringing their visual signature to life. 

The use of animation in this video showcases the power of visually engaging content in promoting a brand and its products. It is a great example for businesses looking to create animated videos that effectively capture their brand identity and connect with their audience.

6. Samsung 

video screenshot

In 2022, Samsung released its animated explainer video for its mobile security platform Knox. The video is an excellent example of effectively showcasing a product feature through animation. It takes the audience on a journey across the use cases of the Knox app, with a well-narrated script that makes it engaging and informative. 

The use of 2D animation with a subtle color scheme adds to the overall aesthetic appeal of the video, making it a visually pleasing experience. The video’s quality and attention to detail compel viewers to watch it, making it a great example if you want to create animated videos that showcase your product features effectively.

7. Slack

video screenshot

This explainer video from Slack is an excellent example of how animation can effectively showcase how a platform streamlines team communication to make it more efficient. The video’s message is conveyed through clear and concise visuals highlighting the platform’s key features and benefits. It shows how it can seamlessly integrate with various tools and services, simplify communication, and enhance organizational efficiency.

The video’s style is simple and fast-paced yet engaging. It beautifully takes viewers on a journey through the magic of Slack, showcasing how it can make team communication more straightforward and effortless.

8. Razer Naga

video screenshot

A 3D animated masterpiece, the Razer Naga promotional video showcases stunning visuals and a captivating soundtrack to keep viewers spellbound. It effectively highlights all the key features of the mouse, providing a comprehensive understanding of its capabilities.

What’s impressive is that the quality and special effects used in this video are on par with those in a blockbuster movie. Interestingly, this video does not have any background voiceover, which is a rare and bold choice that further emphasizes the power of the visuals. This video is an exceptional example of how you can use animation to create an engaging and informative marketing video.

9. Intercom

video screenshot

A renowned business communication management tool, Intercom stands out in the crowded marketplace. Thanks to its product overview video, the brand has taken on an interactive journey that effectively showcases its unique selling propositions. 

To hook the audience right from the start, the video opens with a captivating 2D animation sequence. It then seamlessly transitions to basic animations, including screen recordings of the tool, to provide a clear and concise understanding of how the product works. Overall, this video is a great example of how a mix of animation styles can create an engaging and informative marketing video.

10. Microsoft

video screenshot

This animated marketing video from Microsoft effectively illustrates how their suite of apps can simplify everyday tasks and make work more efficient. The video takes viewers on a journey, highlighting common challenges people face in their daily lives and how Microsoft’s suite can solve them.

The animation style used in the video is 3D and features playful effects and a fun background score that keeps the audience engaged. Overall, it’s a great example of how animation can simplify complex ideas and make them more relatable to the audience.

Final Thoughts

These animated marketing videos showcase how animation can be a powerful tool for explaining complex ideas, promoting products or services, and engaging audiences. Whether highlighting the benefits of a business tool or showcasing a new product feature, animation can make the message more engaging, memorable, and effective.

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