When planning an epic event, you want everyone to know about it to ensure an excellent turnout. Aside from getting people through the door, you want them keen and excited. You're probably buried deep in figuring out how to create a buzz and build interest. Although you may have the whole kit, including social media, email marketing , and webinars, you must do something different from the usual to help your event stand out. Below are four creative ways to make your next event the talk of the town. 1. Create Anticipation Creating anticipation around your event will lead to a powerful force called FOMO the Fear of Missing Out. You've probably felt it at some point. It's like when you think you might be missing out on something super awesome and are eager to jump in. You can use this trick to amp up the excitement for your event. Show people why they absolutely can't miss it. Start by sharing high-quality pictures and engaging videos from your past events with captions like "You've got to be there!" To turn up the FOMO factor even more, you can give them a little taste of what's coming up, like a sneak peek of the event or quick chats with your awesome speakers. Share some juicy highlights so people can see how exciting and insightful the event will be. That is how you get them buzzing. 2. Score Big Savings with Early Bird Registration Everybody's getting savvy these days and always looking for the best deal. Let people know they are in for significant savings when they sign up for your event early. Offer a special discount code for every early signee and spread the word everywhere - in your videos, on social media, through email, you name it. However, this deal should not last forever. Make it a limited-time offer. This way, people will be motivated to get their tickets knowing they've missed their chance once the expiration date arrives or you run out of tickets, 3. Join Forces with Other Brands and Sponsors Sometimes, joining forces with others is the best way to get the word out about your event. First, consider having event sponsors who are excited to help spread the word about your event. But that's not all; collaborate with influencers and cool companies for brand collaboration and partnerships. They'll give your event a shout-out to their own audience, and that's a win-win. The people you partner with will largely depend on your industry or line of business. For instance, if you run a travel agency and decide to host a tourism event in Vermilion , engaging organizations like Discover West Tourism to assist you with your event promotion will prove helpful. They can help boost your reach and amplify your upcoming event. It's all about reaching people who may not have heard about your event yet. 4. Create a Unique Brand for Your Event Giving your event its distinct brand is a nifty trick to make it stand out. You can take a page from Hubspot's book with their INBOUND event. INBOUND, for instance, is more than just a gathering for their customers. It's a place for any marketing, sales, or service pro looking to up their game. The key here is to separate your event brand from your company brand. That means a new website, fresh colors, and a different messaging style. It's all about drawing people who might know your company but are all in for your event.
Let's face it: the Internet has drastically changed the way that we shop for everything from sneakers to carry out. In fact, most people now start their searches online. And oftentimes, this includes scouring through reviews that others have publicly posted. No billboard, online ad, or marketing strategy has as much credibility as the word-of-mouth of someone who has purchased a product or service. For brands, customers posting positive reviews are real-life celebrities and influencers with the power to make - or break - their businesses. They offer authentic insight that no marketing campaign could even come close to. At the end of the day, however, asking customers to spread the word is one thing. leveraging them is a different ball game altogether. Here's everything you need to know about how to successfully cull reviews and use them to improve your brand presence, as well as what to do when the unthinkable happens and someone leaves you a less-than-stellar review. How to Collect More Customer Reviews Jay Baer notes, "It's good business to ask your customers to provide reviews, as long as it isn't too aggressive or a quid-pro-quo." That means finding ways to encourage people to post reviews voluntarily. Here are a few strategic ways to start culling more reviews for your business: Provide outstanding customer service, as well as a superb product or service. This in and of itself gives people a good reason to post a positive review. Don't be afraid to ask people for their feedback. If you provide them with a forum where they feel valued and that their voices will be heard, you will be amazed at how helpful many people will be. Offer incentives on future purchases. Try things like a chance to win a prize or exclusive access to a can't miss offer. Just keep in mind that whatever you do should motivate customers without going against the review platform's guidelines. Make it easy for people to leave feedback. Streamline the testimonial-sharing process with a user-friendly feedback form on your website. You might also consider sending a follow-up email with a link to a review platform. Think of a way that enables customers to share their thoughts effortlessly. Encourage people to leave reviews in multiple places. Think beyond Google reviews because people also check places like Yelp, Facebook, and Instagram too. Educate people about the options and provide them with routes to reach them (through emails and platform links). OF NOTE: Keep in mind that review sites aren't designed to be one-size-fits all. For example, sites like Yelp won't be very helpful for an e-commerce seller. It's important to identify which platforms make sense for your unique business. How to Use Your Newfound Reviews to Maximize Your Digital Footprint Online Collecting customer reviews is only one step in the reputation management process, however. The real results come when potential new customers actually see these reviews. Here are some of the most popular ways to ensure that your business's reviews are visible at the right place and the right time: Display customer reviews prominently on your website. Try banners, pop ups, sliders and widgets. You may even want to consider creating a dedicated section to showcase them. Create social media posts and videos that feature glowing reviews and post them frequently to maximize your reach across platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Create paid targeted social media ads from your reviews, and then showcase them to people who are already interested in what your business has to offer. If you publish newsletters or push out email promos, also consider featuring a testimonial or 2 there as well. How to Deal with Negative Reviews Unfortunately you can't please everyone, and you are likely going to get some bad reviews here and there. First and foremost, when this happens, do NOT panic! Businesses that have all 5-star reviews aren't seen as genuine or authentic, since it's impossible ...
Let's face it: the Internet has drastically changed the way that we shop for everything from sneakers to carry out. In fact, most people now start their searches online. And oftentimes, this includes scouring through reviews that others have publicly posted. No billboard, online ad, or marketing strategy has as much credibility as the word-of-mouth of someone who has purchased a product or service. For brands, customers posting positive reviews are real-life celebrities and influencers with the power to make - or break - their businesses. They offer authentic insight that no marketing campaign could even come close to. At the end of the day, however, asking customers to spread the word is one thing. leveraging them is a different ball game altogether. Here's everything you need to know about how to successfully cull reviews and use them to improve your brand presence, as well as what to do when the unthinkable happens and someone leaves you a less-than-stellar review. How to Collect More Customer Reviews Jay Baer notes, "It's good business to ask your customers to provide reviews, as long as it isn't too aggressive or a quid-pro-quo." That means finding ways to encourage people to post reviews voluntarily. Here are a few strategic ways to start culling more reviews for your business: Provide outstanding customer service, as well as a superb product or service. This in and of itself gives people a good reason to post a positive review. Don't be afraid to ask people for their feedback. If you provide them with a forum where they feel valued and that their voices will be heard, you will be amazed at how helpful many people will be. Offer incentives on future purchases. Try things like a chance to win a prize or exclusive access to a can't miss offer. Just keep in mind that whatever you do should motivate customers without going against the review platform's guidelines. Make it easy for people to leave feedback. Streamline the testimonial-sharing process with a user-friendly feedback form on your website. You might also consider sending a follow-up email with a link to a review platform. Think of a way that enables customers to share their thoughts effortlessly. Encourage people to leave reviews in multiple places. Think beyond Google reviews because people also check places like Yelp, Facebook, and Instagram too. Educate people about the options and provide them with routes to reach them (through emails and platform links). OF NOTE: Keep in mind that review sites aren't designed to be one-size-fits all. For example, sites like Yelp won't be very helpful for an e-commerce seller. It's important to identify which platforms make sense for your unique business. How to Use Your Newfound Reviews to Maximize Your Digital Footprint Online Collecting customer reviews is only one step in the reputation management process, however. The real results come when potential new customers actually see these reviews. Here are some of the most popular ways to ensure that your business's reviews are visible at the right place and the right time: Display customer reviews prominently on your website. Try banners, pop ups, sliders and widgets. You may even want to consider creating a dedicated section to showcase them. Create social media posts and videos that feature glowing reviews and post them frequently to maximize your reach across platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Create paid targeted social media ads from your reviews, and then showcase them to people who are already interested in what your business has to offer. If you publish newsletters or push out email promos, also consider featuring a testimonial or 2 there as well. How to Deal with Negative Reviews Unfortunately you can't please everyone, and you are likely going to get some bad reviews here and there. First and foremost, when this happens, do NOT panic! Businesses that have all 5-star reviews aren't seen as genuine or authentic, since it's impossible ...
Over the years, influencer collaborations have become a game-changer for both large and small brands. and the numbers certainly don't lie. In fact, in 2022 alone, the global influencer marketing market was valued at a whopping $16.4 billion, more than double its value in 2019. Choosing the Right Influencer: It's All About Relevance & Authority When it comes to influencer collaborations, it's not about the follower count: it's about finding the perfect fit. Here's the secret sauce: relevance and authority. Relevance: Look for influencers who align with your brand's values, target audience, and overall impact. For instance, think of the magical partnership between Chrissy Teigen and the beauty brand BECCA, or how lifestyle blogger Kate La Vie nailed it when promoting Naked Juice. When there's a natural connection, your brand message resonates more effectively. Authority: The number of followers an influencer has can impact your campaign's success. While celebrity influencers might be out of reach for some, don't underestimate the power of micro-influencers. Take Tom's of Maine, for example. They leveraged micro-influencers and saw a jaw-dropping 600% increase in consumer engagement. Big or small, authority matters. To identify the right influencers, you can manually follow industry leaders on social media or rely on handy tools like BuzzStream, BuzzSumo, Hunter, Pitchbox, and Influencity. These tools do the heavy lifting, providing a list of relevant and authoritative influencers. Getting Noticed: Start with Authentic Engagement Sending a random email requesting collaboration might not be the best approach. Influencers receive countless requests, and yours might get lost in the noise. To stand out, start with authentic engagement: Follow them on social media Engage with their posts by liking, sharing, or leaving thoughtful comments Be consistent but avoid overdoing it As Lee Odden suggests, do your research and find common ground in terms of shared goals. Authentic engagement will make influencers notice you, setting the stage for meaningful relationships, even if it's a paid collaboration. Reaching Out Creatively: Crafting Your Message Once you've caught their attention, it's time to reach out creatively. Avoid generic direct messages or emails. Trust me, influencers receive plenty of those daily. Here are some tips for effective outreach: Make your first encounter as organic as possible Craft an impactful headline to grab their attention Clearly mention the deal, whether it's products or monetary compensation Highlight shared values and motivations Personalize your message; automated tools lack the human touch Diverse Forms of Collaboration: Think Beyond the Basics Influencer marketing is more than just social media posts and videos. Explore diverse forms of collaboration: Guest posts with brand mentions on their websites Interviews and webinars to create engaging content Modular approaches with multiple influencers Building Long-Term Relationships: Nurture, Nurture, Nurture Influencer partnerships are like any other relationships. they need nurturing. Don't take a set-and-forget approach. Stay engaged, share their content, and show appreciation. Your goal is to keep the door open for future opportunities. Authenticity Is the Key Influencer partnerships thrive on shared values and mutual benefits. When choosing influencers, focus on relevance and authority, but also ensure they genuinely care about your brand. That's the secret sauce for long-lasting, successful collaborations. Remember, influencer marketing is more than a numbers game. It's about building real connections that benefit both parties. So go ahead, find your perfect influencer match, and watch your brand shine!
Over the years, influencer collaborations have become a game-changer for both large and small brands. and the numbers certainly don't lie. In fact, in 2022 alone, the global influencer marketing market was valued at a whopping $16.4 billion, more than double its value in 2019. Choosing the Right Influencer: It's All About Relevance & Authority When it comes to influencer collaborations, it's not about the follower count: it's about finding the perfect fit. Here's the secret sauce: relevance and authority. Relevance: Look for influencers who align with your brand's values, target audience, and overall impact. For instance, think of the magical partnership between Chrissy Teigen and the beauty brand BECCA, or how lifestyle blogger Kate La Vie nailed it when promoting Naked Juice. When there's a natural connection, your brand message resonates more effectively. Authority: The number of followers an influencer has can impact your campaign's success. While celebrity influencers might be out of reach for some, don't underestimate the power of micro-influencers. Take Tom's of Maine, for example. They leveraged micro-influencers and saw a jaw-dropping 600% increase in consumer engagement. Big or small, authority matters. To identify the right influencers, you can manually follow industry leaders on social media or rely on handy tools like BuzzStream, BuzzSumo, Hunter, Pitchbox, and Influencity. These tools do the heavy lifting, providing a list of relevant and authoritative influencers. Getting Noticed: Start with Authentic Engagement Sending a random email requesting collaboration might not be the best approach. Influencers receive countless requests, and yours might get lost in the noise. To stand out, start with authentic engagement: Follow them on social media Engage with their posts by liking, sharing, or leaving thoughtful comments Be consistent but avoid overdoing it As Lee Odden suggests, do your research and find common ground in terms of shared goals. Authentic engagement will make influencers notice you, setting the stage for meaningful relationships, even if it's a paid collaboration. Reaching Out Creatively: Crafting Your Message Once you've caught their attention, it's time to reach out creatively. Avoid generic direct messages or emails. Trust me, influencers receive plenty of those daily. Here are some tips for effective outreach: Make your first encounter as organic as possible Craft an impactful headline to grab their attention Clearly mention the deal, whether it's products or monetary compensation Highlight shared values and motivations Personalize your message; automated tools lack the human touch Diverse Forms of Collaboration: Think Beyond the Basics Influencer marketing is more than just social media posts and videos. Explore diverse forms of collaboration: Guest posts with brand mentions on their websites Interviews and webinars to create engaging content Modular approaches with multiple influencers Building Long-Term Relationships: Nurture, Nurture, Nurture Influencer partnerships are like any other relationships. they need nurturing. Don't take a set-and-forget approach. Stay engaged, share their content, and show appreciation. Your goal is to keep the door open for future opportunities. Authenticity Is the Key Influencer partnerships thrive on shared values and mutual benefits. When choosing influencers, focus on relevance and authority, but also ensure they genuinely care about your brand. That's the secret sauce for long-lasting, successful collaborations. Remember, influencer marketing is more than a numbers game. It's about building real connections that benefit both parties. So go ahead, find your perfect influencer match, and watch your brand shine!
Let's talk about a secret that your favorite creators and brands swear by - content repurposing. You see, creating fresh content every single day is neither practical nor necessary, even for those with deep pockets and a sizable team. Instead, the real magic lies in repurposing content, taking one piece and giving it new life in various forms across different platforms. Why Should You Care About Content Repurposing? Before we dive into how to do it, let's address the "why." There are several compelling reasons why content repurposing is a game-changer: Maximize Your Investment - Content creation consumes precious resources - time, money, and effort. With content repurposing, you can extract maximum value from every piece of content. Imagine creating a blog post and then turning it into YouTube Shorts, IG Reels, and TikTok Scripts. It's like getting more bang for your buck. Breathe Life into Underperformers - We've all been there - investing in a project that falls short of expectations. Content repurposing offers a second chance. You can tweak and repost content without breaking the bank on something entirely new. Plus, experimenting with different formats on various platforms often yields surprising results. Expand Your Reach - Repurposing content exposes your work to new audiences. People who missed your content when it first came out, whether that was three months or a year ago, get a chance to discover and engage with it. This boosts your online presence and activity. Now, let's clarify a few things. What Content Repurposing Is Not - Content repurposing isn't just about shifting content from one platform to another What Content Repurposing Actually Is - Content repurposing is about adapting it to suit the medium and audience preferences So, now then the question becomes: how does content repurposing differ from cross-marketing or republishing? Repurposing vs. Cross-Marketing vs. Republishing Repurposing involves reshaping existing content while considering the platform and audience. It's about understanding what works best on each platform and tailoring your content accordingly. For instance, you can transform a YouTube video into bite-sized clips for YouTube Shorts. On the other hand, cross-marketing is simply posting the same content across different platforms. It's about sharing content as-is on different channels. Republishing, well, that's just reposting without any changes. The key distinction is that repurposing requires some degree of "transformation." How to Repurpose Content: A Guide with Examples Now, let's get practical. There are countless ways to repurpose content, depending on its form and media. Here are some common examples: Converting Blog Posts - Turn your blog posts into YouTube and Podcast scripts. Take your written content and bring it to life in audio or video form. Transforming Blog Posts into Slideshows - Consider creating slideshows based on your blog posts. This can be a powerful way to visualize your content and engage your audience. Crafting Infographics - For data-heavy articles, blogs, or ebooks, craft infographics. They present complex information in a visually appealing and easily digestible format. Sharing Quotes on Social Media - Extract quotes from your blog posts - whether they're your own words or from thought leaders mentioned in your content. Share them as tweets, LinkedIn posts, or eye-catching Instagram images. A Real-Life Example Let's look at AdEspresso by Hootsuite. They took one of their top-performing blog posts and turned it into a Slideshare presentation. The result? The Slideshare presentation brought in a whopping 3900 visits in just the first ten days. Infographics: Making Data Digestible Ever come across a long-form article packed with data and statistics that made your head spin? If so, you're not alone! Research shows that people are 65% more likely to remember information when it's presented in a visual format. That's where infographics come in as our trusty sideki...
Let's talk about a secret that your favorite creators and brands swear by - content repurposing. You see, creating fresh content every single day is neither practical nor necessary, even for those with deep pockets and a sizable team. Instead, the real magic lies in repurposing content, taking one piece and giving it new life in various forms across different platforms. Why Should You Care About Content Repurposing? Before we dive into how to do it, let's address the "why." There are several compelling reasons why content repurposing is a game-changer: Maximize Your Investment - Content creation consumes precious resources - time, money, and effort. With content repurposing, you can extract maximum value from every piece of content. Imagine creating a blog post and then turning it into YouTube Shorts, IG Reels, and TikTok Scripts. It's like getting more bang for your buck. Breathe Life into Underperformers - We've all been there - investing in a project that falls short of expectations. Content repurposing offers a second chance. You can tweak and repost content without breaking the bank on something entirely new. Plus, experimenting with different formats on various platforms often yields surprising results. Expand Your Reach - Repurposing content exposes your work to new audiences. People who missed your content when it first came out, whether that was three months or a year ago, get a chance to discover and engage with it. This boosts your online presence and activity. Now, let's clarify a few things. What Content Repurposing Is Not - Content repurposing isn't just about shifting content from one platform to another What Content Repurposing Actually Is - Content repurposing is about adapting it to suit the medium and audience preferences So, now then the question becomes: how does content repurposing differ from cross-marketing or republishing? Repurposing vs. Cross-Marketing vs. Republishing Repurposing involves reshaping existing content while considering the platform and audience. It's about understanding what works best on each platform and tailoring your content accordingly. For instance, you can transform a YouTube video into bite-sized clips for YouTube Shorts. On the other hand, cross-marketing is simply posting the same content across different platforms. It's about sharing content as-is on different channels. Republishing, well, that's just reposting without any changes. The key distinction is that repurposing requires some degree of "transformation." How to Repurpose Content: A Guide with Examples Now, let's get practical. There are countless ways to repurpose content, depending on its form and media. Here are some common examples: Converting Blog Posts - Turn your blog posts into YouTube and Podcast scripts. Take your written content and bring it to life in audio or video form. Transforming Blog Posts into Slideshows - Consider creating slideshows based on your blog posts. This can be a powerful way to visualize your content and engage your audience. Crafting Infographics - For data-heavy articles, blogs, or ebooks, craft infographics. They present complex information in a visually appealing and easily digestible format. Sharing Quotes on Social Media - Extract quotes from your blog posts - whether they're your own words or from thought leaders mentioned in your content. Share them as tweets, LinkedIn posts, or eye-catching Instagram images. A Real-Life Example Let's look at AdEspresso by Hootsuite. They took one of their top-performing blog posts and turned it into a Slideshare presentation. The result? The Slideshare presentation brought in a whopping 3900 visits in just the first ten days. Infographics: Making Data Digestible Ever come across a long-form article packed with data and statistics that made your head spin? If so, you're not alone! Research shows that people are 65% more likely to remember information when it's presented in a visual format. That's where infographics come in as our trusty sideki...
Are you keeping up with the latest buzz around artificial intelligence (AI)? It's literally everywhere you turn, from news headlines to casual conversations. so much so that it's hard to escape the AI chatter. What's even more astounding is how quickly it's become part of our everyday lives. Remember when AI seemed like science fiction, something reserved for tech moguls like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg? It felt out of reach for the average person like you and me. But boy, have things changed, and they've changed fast. Today, AI is right here, right now, and it's accessible to all of us. So, let's talk about how we can make the most of this incredible technology. Demystifying AI First things first, let's break down AI. It's not as complicated as it may seem. AI-generated content is born from something called a "large language model." Basically, it's a system that can process and generate human language. This system relies on a neural network architecture known as a "transformer" to analyze and comprehend text data. In its more advanced form, AI can create human-like writing that's pretty convincing. But you've probably encountered a simpler version of AI without even realizing it - think about predictive text on your smartphone. Yeah, it can be a bit of a nuisance at times, but it's there to help you type faster and more efficiently. Now, here's a cool fact: AI has gotten so good that someone actually used an AI platform called Midjourney to create an award-winning work of art! In recent years, AI has been making significant contributions across various fields, from healthcare and education to environmental sustainability. AI in Action Let's get even more practical. AI isn't just a buzzword; it's making real changes in the world. "Smart" technologies powered by AI are helping reduce carbon emissions and providing support to people with disabilities. And you've definitely seen AI in action with self-driving cars, voice-to-text speech recognition software, and market trend forecasting. The ChatGPT Revolution Fast forward to November 2022 when ChatGPT took the AI world by storm. Its open-source technology became accessible to everyone, and best of all, it was free. It was like opening Pandora's box, but instead of all evils, we got a taste of AI's immense potential. But like any great innovation, it came with its challenges. People started noticing quirks in ChatGPT's content generation, and AI detection software emerged to tell human-generated content from AI's handiwork. Google's Take on AI-Generated Content Now, let's talk Google. You'd think Google would slam the door on AI-generated content, right? Well, here's the twist - it doesn't. Google isn't thrilled with the idea of AI being used to churn out tons of content solely for the sake of better search engine rankings (a.k.a. "black hat" techniques). But here's the thing: Google doesn't judge content solely by its source. It sticks to its core criteria, including factors like user experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. In Google's world, experience and expertise go hand in hand. The more experience you have, the more expertise you can bring to your content. To keep Google happy, your content should be relevant, accurate, and rock-solid when it comes to fact-checking. That's what gives your content that stamp of authority Google loves. And finally, whether you're representing yourself or your brand, your content should embody these three elements, leading to the last requirement - trustworthiness. But here's the kicker: AI sometimes drops the ball on these elements. It's even been caught fabricating facts. So, don't blindly trust what AI generates. Fact-checking, proofreading, and editing should be non-negotiable steps when you're creating AI-generated content. Maximizing AI-Generated Content Okay, let's roll up our sleeves and dive into how to make the most of AI-generated content, whether you're the content creator or the collaborator. Here are s...
Are you keeping up with the latest buzz around artificial intelligence (AI)? It's literally everywhere you turn, from news headlines to casual conversations. so much so that it's hard to escape the AI chatter. What's even more astounding is how quickly it's become part of our everyday lives. Remember when AI seemed like science fiction, something reserved for tech moguls like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg? It felt out of reach for the average person like you and me. But boy, have things changed, and they've changed fast. Today, AI is right here, right now, and it's accessible to all of us. So, let's talk about how we can make the most of this incredible technology. Demystifying AI First things first, let's break down AI. It's not as complicated as it may seem. AI-generated content is born from something called a "large language model." Basically, it's a system that can process and generate human language. This system relies on a neural network architecture known as a "transformer" to analyze and comprehend text data. In its more advanced form, AI can create human-like writing that's pretty convincing. But you've probably encountered a simpler version of AI without even realizing it - think about predictive text on your smartphone. Yeah, it can be a bit of a nuisance at times, but it's there to help you type faster and more efficiently. Now, here's a cool fact: AI has gotten so good that someone actually used an AI platform called Midjourney to create an award-winning work of art! In recent years, AI has been making significant contributions across various fields, from healthcare and education to environmental sustainability. AI in Action Let's get even more practical. AI isn't just a buzzword; it's making real changes in the world. "Smart" technologies powered by AI are helping reduce carbon emissions and providing support to people with disabilities. And you've definitely seen AI in action with self-driving cars, voice-to-text speech recognition software, and market trend forecasting. The ChatGPT Revolution Fast forward to November 2022 when ChatGPT took the AI world by storm. Its open-source technology became accessible to everyone, and best of all, it was free. It was like opening Pandora's box, but instead of all evils, we got a taste of AI's immense potential. But like any great innovation, it came with its challenges. People started noticing quirks in ChatGPT's content generation, and AI detection software emerged to tell human-generated content from AI's handiwork. Google's Take on AI-Generated Content Now, let's talk Google. You'd think Google would slam the door on AI-generated content, right? Well, here's the twist - it doesn't. Google isn't thrilled with the idea of AI being used to churn out tons of content solely for the sake of better search engine rankings (a.k.a. "black hat" techniques). But here's the thing: Google doesn't judge content solely by its source. It sticks to its core criteria, including factors like user experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. In Google's world, experience and expertise go hand in hand. The more experience you have, the more expertise you can bring to your content. To keep Google happy, your content should be relevant, accurate, and rock-solid when it comes to fact-checking. That's what gives your content that stamp of authority Google loves. And finally, whether you're representing yourself or your brand, your content should embody these three elements, leading to the last requirement - trustworthiness. And finally, whether you're representing yourself or your brand, your content should embody these three elements, leading to the last requirement - trustworthiness. But here's the kicker: AI sometimes drops the ball on these elements. It's even been caught fabricating facts. So, don't blindly trust what AI generates. Fact-checking, proofreading, and editing should be non-negotiable steps when you're creating AI-generated content. Maximizing AI-Generated C...
Unless you were living under a rock mid-to-late summer of this year, you probably know that Meta unveiled Threads to facilitate more seamless communication and text sharing. It's essentially like Twitter, sans the Elon Musk circus going on in the background. In fact, on the surface, it certainly has a Twitter-like feel, but it gets some brownie points for a better user experience featuring ease of use and privacy for your more private conversations. Threads reportedly witnessed a staggering 30 million downloads within only 16 hours of its launch on July 5. The number of Threads users as of now is well past the 120 million mark. According to Neil Patel, "People thought it was impressive how ChatGPT crossed 1 million users in five days. but Threads by Instagram blew everyone out of the water, and even Facebook didn't expect it to do this well early on." After its initial meteoric rise, however, Threads witnessed a massive drop of 70% in July and 79% in August 2023. Average time spent on the app has also plummeted to 2.9 minutes a day (as of August 2023). Many hail it as a fantastic alternative to Twitter, which has recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons, including multiple technical outages, revenue losses, and mass layoffs. As someone who uses social media regularly, you might be wondering why you need to download another communication app, when you're already using WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, and perhaps even Twitter. And that's truly a valid point since everyone has limited time and bandwidth to navigate multiple platforms on the regular.. Not to mention, even the most avid social media users need to have some boundaries in place. So, before hitting the download button, it just might be worth taking a few minutes to learn more about the in's and out's of the platform, to make sure it's truly worthy of your time. Meta Threats: Instagram's Best Friend Since Instagram users must use their Instagram credentials to create a Threads account, both of these apps co-exist in the same complex social media ecosystem. A verified Instagram user is automatically verified on Threads during account creation. Threads users can then seamlessly import their Instagram followers. The catch here is that users cannot delete their Threads account without deleting their Instagram account. It's either both. or nothing! While Threads and Instagram are heavily tied together, Threads is more like Twitter. It facilitates real-time conversations with users sharing their thoughts, photos, and videos. Users can keep them private within a select group of users from Instagram's close friends list. Privacy is the main selling point of Threads, which was designed to serve as a dedicated space for trusted conversations. Threads Features: What to Expect While Threads is still a new kid on the block, it offers some impressive features that set it apart as a communication app: Quick follow to follow accounts in your feed by tapping the plus icon in the corner without navigating to their profiles Mute specific profiles by tapping the three-dot menu on posts for such Threads accounts Hide words and phrases from appearing in your feed by tapping Hidden words in the Privacy menu Use Reply controls to control who can engage with your posts Tap the Share button to share Threads to your Instagram Story or grid Send text messages privately to close friends directly within the app Generate automatic context-based status updates to share your current status without manually inputting it Customize your notification preferences to avoid unnecessary distractions Use easy shortcuts for a quick photo and video sharing These features make Meta Threads a great choice for privacy-conscious users. For businesses, it offers the benefits of real-time updates, community-building, and public conversations. Threads also emphasizes simplicity and ease of use for a high-value user experience and meaningful connections within a trusted group. The First Step: Getting Started...
Unless you were living under a rock mid-to-late summer of this year, you probably know that Meta unveiled Threads to facilitate more seamless communication and text sharing. It's essentially like Twitter, sans the Elon Musk circus going on in the background. In fact, on the surface, it certainly has a Twitter-like feel, but it gets some brownie points for a better user experience featuring ease of use and privacy for your more private conversations. Threads reportedly witnessed a staggering 30 million downloads within only 16 hours of its launch on July 5. The number of Threads users as of now is well past the 120 million mark. According to Neil Patel, "People thought it was impressive how ChatGPT crossed 1 million users in five days. but Threads by Instagram blew everyone out of the water, and even Facebook didn't expect it to do this well early on." After its initial meteoric rise, however, Threads witnessed a massive drop of 70% in July and 79% in August 2023. Average time spent on the app has also plummeted to 2.9 minutes a day (as of August 2023). Many hail it as a fantastic alternative to Twitter, which has recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons, including multiple technical outages, revenue losses, and mass layoffs. As someone who uses social media regularly, you might be wondering why you need to download another communication app, when you're already using WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, and perhaps even Twitter. And that's truly a valid point since everyone has limited time and bandwidth to navigate multiple platforms on the regular.. Not to mention, even the most avid social media users need to have some boundaries in place. So, before hitting the download button, it just might be worth taking a few minutes to learn more about the in's and out's of the platform, to make sure it's truly worthy of your time. Meta Threats: Instagram's Best Friend Since Instagram users must use their Instagram credentials to create a Threads account, both of these apps co-exist in the same complex social media ecosystem. A verified Instagram user is automatically verified on Threads during account creation. Threads users can then seamlessly import their Instagram followers. The catch here is that users cannot delete their Threads account without deleting their Instagram account. It's either both. or nothing! While Threads and Instagram are heavily tied together, Threads is more like Twitter. It facilitates real-time conversations with users sharing their thoughts, photos, and videos. Users can keep them private within a select group of users from Instagram's close friends list. Privacy is the main selling point of Threads, which was designed to serve as a dedicated space for trusted conversations. Threads Features: What to Expect While Threads is still a new kid on the block, it offers some impressive features that set it apart as a communication app: Quick follow to follow accounts in your feed by tapping the plus icon in the corner without navigating to their profiles Mute specific profiles by tapping the three-dot menu on posts for such Threads accounts Hide words and phrases from appearing in your feed by tapping Hidden words in the Privacy menu Use Reply controls to control who can engage with your posts Tap the Share button to share Threads to your Instagram Story or grid Send text messages privately to close friends directly within the app Generate automatic context-based status updates to share your current status without manually inputting it Customize your notification preferences to avoid unnecessary distractions Use easy shortcuts for a quick photo and video sharing These features make Meta Threads a great choice for privacy-conscious users. For businesses, it offers the benefits of real-time updates, community-building, and public conversations. Threads also emphasizes simplicity and ease of use for a high-value user experience and meaningful connections within a trusted group. The First Step: Getting Started...
As a business owner, the easiest path to success is to know who your ideal target audience is. Unfortunately, however, this is something that many businesses - perhaps even yours included - struggles with. At the end of the day, unless you know who you are trying to sell to, it'll be damn near impossible to reach them, let alone try to get them to buy something. And no, we can assure you, not everyone is your target audience. Nice try though! According to Craig Rosenberg, "Content marketing is a discipline where organizations provide their target buyers the content they want when they want it to help them advance through the buying process." That's the reason most marketers pick marketing intelligence or audience research as the first step of their strategic plans. And you should do it too! Reddit is a treasure trove for market research due to the sheer size of the user base, as well as the diversity encompassed there. From caring for betta fish to dating over the age of 40, there is literally something there for everyone. So, how can you tap into all of this information to help amplify your marketing efforts? Read on to find out. Why Use Reddit for Audience Research? Reddit may not be on top of mind in terms of popularity since it's only the 8th most popular social media website. But don't let that fool you: Reddit has 52 million daily users, with 48% of them being based in the US alone. Outside of active forums related to an almost endless number of topics, the platform is also great for conducting audience research. With more than 140,000 subreddits across various niches, it is a true melting pot for learning more about people, as well as what they care about. So, what makes Reddit great for research? Let's break it down: Niche-specific communities, which give you the ability to learn more about a specific target group. Popular examples include things like r/LateStageCapitalism, r/Futurology, r/disneyvacation, and r/UnresolvedMysteries. High engagement through interactions. Redditors can post text, links, images, and videos, as well as comment on posts and responses of others. This provides a wealth of information about the things people are interested in, care about, and feel are important. Now that you know the value of Reddit as an audience research platform, you need to understand how to use it for this goal. Here are some tips to leverage it for actionable insights about your target buyers. How to Use Reddit for Audience Research Now that you know the WHY of using Reddit to know your audience better, it's time to delve into the HOW part. Step 1: Find Relevant Subreddits With millions of monthly active users and countless communities in diverse niches, Reddit is undoubtedly a rich data source for business owners and marketing professionals alike. But being spoiled for choice may be overwhelming. unless you know how to pick wisely. Maximize the opportunity by finding relevant subreddits where your ideal customers are likely to be. For example, a fashion magazine running a campaign directed at female empowerment is a large subreddit. Fashion brands will likely follow it, which means popular discussions will happen around the topic there. This subreddit would be ideal for retail businesses that cater to women to network and follow. Planning to launch a tech startup? Subreddits like r/startups, r/Entrepreneur, and tech-industry-specific subreddits are fantastic options to gauge whether your idea is even viable. So, now that you better understand the value of subreddits, here's how to find the best ones to suit your needs: Identify communities centered around your audience's interests, demographics, and professions Look for the most popular subreddits by tracking their engagement metrics and date of most recent activity Read through posts and comments to gauge whether people are even talking about things in your business's niche Step 2: Perform Keyword Research Social media users tend to stick with a pretty relaxed and in...
As a business owner, the easiest path to success is to know who your ideal target audience is. Unfortunately, however, this is something that many businesses - perhaps even yours included - struggles with. At the end of the day, unless you know who you are trying to sell to, it'll be damn near impossible to reach them, let alone try to get them to buy something. And no, we can assure you, not everyone is your target audience. Nice try though! According to Craig Rosenberg, "Content marketing is a discipline where organizations provide their target buyers the content they want when they want it to help them advance through the buying process." That's the reason most marketers pick marketing intelligence or audience research as the first step of their strategic plans. And you should do it too! Reddit is a treasure trove for market research due to the sheer size of the user base, as well as the diversity encompassed there. From caring for betta fish to dating over the age of 40, there is literally something there for everyone. So, how can you tap into all of this information to help amplify your marketing efforts? Read on to find out. Why Use Reddit for Audience Research? Reddit may not be on top of mind in terms of popularity since it's only the 8th most popular social media website. But don't let that fool you: Reddit has 52 million daily users, with 48% of them being based in the US alone. Outside of active forums related to an almost endless number of topics, the platform is also great for conducting audience research. With more than 140,000 subreddits across various niches, it is a true melting pot for learning more about people, as well as what they care about. So, what makes Reddit great for research? Let's break it down: Niche-specific communities, which give you the ability to learn more about a specific target group. Popular examples include things like r/LateStageCapitalism, r/Futurology, r/disneyvacation, and r/UnresolvedMysteries. High engagement through interactions. Redditors can post text, links, images, and videos, as well as comment on posts and responses of others. This provides a wealth of information about the things people are interested in, care about, and feel are important. Now that you know the value of Reddit as an audience research platform, you need to understand how to use it for this goal. Here are some tips to leverage it for actionable insights about your target buyers. How to Use Reddit for Audience Research Now that you know the WHY of using Reddit to know your audience better, it's time to delve into the HOW part. Step 1: Find Relevant Subreddits With millions of monthly active users and countless communities in diverse niches, Reddit is undoubtedly a rich data source for business owners and marketing professionals alike. But being spoiled for choice may be overwhelming. unless you know how to pick wisely. Maximize the opportunity by finding relevant subreddits where your ideal customers are likely to be. For example, a fashion magazine running a campaign directed at female empowerment is a large subreddit. Fashion brands will likely follow it, which means popular discussions will happen around the topic there. This subreddit would be ideal for retail businesses that cater to women to network and follow. Planning to launch a tech startup? Subreddits like r/startups, r/Entrepreneur, and tech-industry-specific subreddits are fantastic options to gauge whether your idea is even viable. So, now that you better understand the value of subreddits, here's how to find the best ones to suit your needs: Identify communities centered around your audience's interests, demographics, and professions Look for the most popular subreddits by tracking their engagement metrics and date of most recent activity Read through posts and comments to gauge whether people are even talking about things in your business's niche Step 2: Perform Keyword Research Social media users tend to stick with a pretty relaxed and in...
When most people think of marketing and branding, they'll focus on bringing in new customers. While that's natural, it isn't the only thing many entrepreneurs will need to focus on. Instead, they'll need to worry about their employer brand. This dictates whether potential employees will want to work for your company, as well as whether you'll get high-quality applicants for jobs. You'll need to create an employer brand that attracts these potential employees and makes them want to work for you. While this can often be complicated, you can be practical about it and take a few specific steps. You'll end up bringing in more than a few potential employees once you do. Create An Employer Brand: 5 Practical Steps 1. Define Goals & Objectives When you're creating an employer brand, it's worth spending some time figuring out what your goals are. See these as things you should work toward and a measurement of your success when you're creating the brand. Some of the more notable of these goals include: Increase traffic to your career page Improve the quality of job applicants Reduce your cost per hire Increase the offer acceptance rate Once you've defined these, you can figure out the best path forward to actually meeting them. You'll be in a much better position to create an employer branding strategy that works for you. 2. Engage With Employees One of the more notable places to start when you want to create an employer brand is with your current employees. They can serve as advocates for your business and testify about what it's like to work for you. When people want to find out what this is actually like, they'll naturally start with the people already working for you. When your employees - both current and former - talk about this, you'll want this to be positive. The only way to actually do that is to engage with employees and treat them well. Do that from the moment you hire them, and you'll have nothing to worry about. 3. Offer Flexible Schedules Speaking of engaging with and treating your employees right, it's worth going out of your way to offer them the right benefits. While many of these will relate to their compensation, they're not the only things you can focus on. Working conditions can be some of the best areas to look at. With workforce scheduling software, you can offer flexible schedules that your employees will appreciate and be happy with. They'll be more likely to actually like working with you, improving your employer brand as part of it. Add in similar initiatives, and they'll even work better for you. 4. Ensure Positive Candidate Experiences At some point or another, you'll get applications for various jobs. While you'll naturally focus on filling the roles, it's far from the only thing you'll have to worry about. Make sure that the people who apply for the jobs have as positive an experience as possible, even if you don't hire them. Once you do, they'll be far more likely to think better of you in the long term. They could even end up wanting to apply for other roles in the future if they're not successful the first time. It'll end up working much better for your business. 5. Optimize Branding Channels You'll use more than a few channels when you're creating and enhancing your employer brand. It's the same when you're marketing to customers. Like traditional advertising, you'll have to put time and effort into optimizing the channels you use. Make sure they actually work for you and represent you well. Your website, online professional networks, and social media will be the most notable areas to focus on. Spend some time investing in these and making sure they make your business as attractive as possible for employees. While this could mean investing in them, you'll be in a much better position because of it. Create An Employer Brand: Wrapping Up You'll need to create an employer brand that potential applicants like if you want to bring in high-quality employees. That can often be easier said than done, but i...
Meta Description - Learn color preferences across the different generations and how to use them to better connect with your audience. Your brand color can make or break your marketing campaigns. Yes, your customers make buying decisions based on your brand's color(s). This is not a conscious decision but is based on a simple concept called color psychology. Different colors create different emotions, perceptions, and behaviors from individuals. For example, blue instills trust and reliability and is often viewed as a calm and analytical color. Red, on the other hand, elicits feelings of excitement, passion and energy. The right color choice will create the right emotions before they read or hear the ad's content, regardless of whether it's a physical or digital product. What's more, recent studies have found that different generations react very differently to various color choices. It's vital to use the right colors for the right audience. Whether you are targeting Baby Boomers, Millennials, or Gen Zs, this article explores the subtle nuances of color so that you can connect with your target audience on a much deeper level. Baby Boomers Tend to Prefer Neutral, Earthy, and Corporate Tones Baby Boomers, also known as "Boomers," were born between 1946 and 1964. This generation of consumers prefers more traditional colors when making their purchasing decisions. According to NASDAQ, Baby Boomers own almost 50% of the United States' wealth, a market that most businesses - perhaps yours included - cannot afford to ignore. Baby boomers have an eye for muted and calm earthy tones like: Beige Brown Volcanic ash gray Forest green So, why do psychologists think Baby Boomers prefer these muted neutral colors? Because they are traditionally associated with comfort, stability, and reliability, all of which are values that Baby Boomers hold near and dear to their hearts. Incorporating these colors in your marketing materials will create a sense of familiarity and comfort, increasing the likelihood of your messaging tapping into their emotions and inner psyche. Fashion influencers and brands leverage this with the "old money" trend. The internet is currently littered with outfit inspirations, all in neutral and earthy tones that give off a vibe that resonates with the Boomers. Gen Xers Are Drawn to Bold and Vibrant Colors The Generation X age set falls between 1965 and 1980; statistically, they own around 30% of American wealth, which means they have significant purchasing power. This generation is closely related to the Boomers, but we see some additions of brighter nature-centric hues, like Turquoise Mimosa yellow reddish-pink Honeysuckle Generally, opt for brighter versions of natural colors when designing your marketing materials, as they appeal to this generation of consumers. These vibrant colors capture Gen Xers' attention as they create an atmosphere of excitement and energy. You will notice a significant increase in the engagement you will receive from this generation. Millennials Like Bright and Cheerful Color Palettes Millennials are a more recent age set; their birth dates fall between 1981 and 1996, and they own around 8.5% of the US wealth. This may seem little until you realize it's about $13.3 trillion. For this generation, we see a more drastic change in the color preferences. Millennials have proven to have an eye for bright and energetic colors, colors that portray a sense of positivity. The generation even has an unofficial trademark color, "The Millenial Pink." But while they enjoy bright colors like Pink Orange, Teal They tend to use them as highlights and have cooler colors as the base color. Such base colors include: Soft blue Brown Grey When tailoring your marketing strategies for this generation, use energetic and bright colors. Take, for instance, Apple and Nike, whose target consumer base is mainly millennials. You will notice that Apple and Nike's products have various color options that satisfy Millennial pref...
Meta Description - Learn color preferences across the different generations and how to use them to better connect with your audience. Your brand color can make or break your marketing campaigns. Yes, your customers make buying decisions based on your brand's color(s). This is not a conscious decision but is based on a simple concept called color psychology. Different colors create different emotions, perceptions, and behaviors from individuals. For example, blue instills trust and reliability and is often viewed as a calm and analytical color. Red, on the other hand, elicits feelings of excitement, passion and energy. The right color choice will create the right emotions before they read or hear the ad's content, regardless of whether it's a physical or digital product. What's more, recent studies have found that different generations react very differently to various color choices. It's vital to use the right colors for the right audience. Whether you are targeting Baby Boomers, Millennials, or Gen Zs, this article explores the subtle nuances of color so that you can connect with your target audience on a much deeper level. Baby Boomers Tend to Prefer Neutral, Earthy, and Corporate Tones Baby Boomers, also known as "Boomers," were born between 1946 and 1964. This generation of consumers prefers more traditional colors when making their purchasing decisions. According to NASDAQ, Baby Boomers own almost 50% of the United States' wealth, a market that most businesses - perhaps yours included - cannot afford to ignore. Baby boomers have an eye for muted and calm earthy tones like: Beige Brown Volcanic ash gray Forest green So, why do psychologists think Baby Boomers prefer these muted neutral colors? Because they are traditionally associated with comfort, stability, and reliability, all of which are values that Baby Boomers hold near and dear to their hearts. Incorporating these colors in your marketing materials will create a sense of familiarity and comfort, increasing the likelihood of your messaging tapping into their emotions and inner psyche. Fashion influencers and brands leverage this with the "old money" trend. The internet is currently littered with outfit inspirations, all in neutral and earthy tones that give off a vibe that resonates with the Boomers. Gen Xers Are Drawn to Bold and Vibrant Colors The Generation X age set falls between 1965 and 1980; statistically, they own around 30% of American wealth, which means they have significant purchasing power. This generation is closely related to the Boomers, but we see some additions of brighter nature-centric hues, like Turquoise Mimosa yellow reddish-pink Honeysuckle Generally, opt for brighter versions of natural colors when designing your marketing materials, as they appeal to this generation of consumers. These vibrant colors capture Gen Xers' attention as they create an atmosphere of excitement and energy. You will notice a significant increase in the engagement you will receive from this generation. Millennials Like Bright and Cheerful Color Palettes Millennials are a more recent age set; their birth dates fall between 1981 and 1996, and they own around 8.5% of the US wealth. This may seem little until you realize it's about $13.3 trillion. For this generation, we see a more drastic change in the color preferences. Millennials have proven to have an eye for bright and energetic colors, colors that portray a sense of positivity. The generation even has an unofficial trademark color, "The Millenial Pink." But while they enjoy bright colors like Pink Orange, Teal They tend to use them as highlights and have cooler colors as the base color. Such base colors include: Soft blue Brown Grey When tailoring your marketing strategies for this generation, use energetic and bright colors. Take, for instance, Apple and Nike, whose target consumer base is mainly millennials. You will notice that Apple and Nike's products have various color options that satisfy Millennial pref...
Marketing for non-profit organizations has evolved significantly over the years. Gone are the days when non-profits relied solely on traditional methods like flyers and word-of-mouth to promote their causes. In today's digital age, creating a robust marketing strategy is essential for non-profits to reach their target audience, raise funds, and achieve their mission. But, what do you need to consider when creating a strategy for a non-profit? While there are many aspects that are similar to businesses looking to make profits, a non-profit organization might need to tackle some areas differently. Here are some of the things to think about when creating a marketing strategy for your non-profit enterprise. Understand the Main Goals Before you start creating a marketing strategy for the next quarter or year, it is essential to remind yourself of the main goals and purpose of your organization. You will likely have a mission statement which should be the keywords to help you gauge what you want from any marketing efforts. Ask yourself the following: What is the core purpose? What specific goals are we trying to achieve from our marketing campaigns? Who is our target audience? Once you know where you stand with some of these questions, it can help you decipher where to focus your attention and how to market your non-profit successfully. Create the Brand Story For some enterprises, it can be an overcrowded and saturated market. So your brand story will be able to help your organization stand out. Your brand story should be able to convey what you are all about and what you are trying to achieve. It needs to be compelling and have the heart of what you do at its core. You also need to ensure that the key message is what you want from your target audience. How can they support and how can they help? Here are a couple of factors to consider when creating your non-profit brand story: History and background - How did this organization come to fruition? Impact - What impact have you had? Make it personal - Are there any personal stories that you can share? Vision for the future - What are you hoping to achieve? Build Relationships with Donors and Supporters Building strong relationships with donors and supporters is vital for non-profit sustainability. Effective donorship involves more than just asking for donations; it's about building trust and long-term connections. You may want to consider some of the following things to help establish those relationships with donors and supporters: Personalized Communication - Send personalized thank-you messages, updates, and impact reports to donors. The way you do it can also be unique such as looking at Handwritten notes for Nonprofits. Transparency - Be transparent about how donations are used and the impact they've made. Engagement Opportunities - Offer opportunities for supporters to get involved beyond financial contributions, such as volunteering or advocacy. Events and Fundraisers - Organize events and fundraisers to engage with your community and donors in person or virtually. Storytelling Is Your Secret Weapon Storytelling is a powerful tool in non-profit marketing. People connect with stories on a deep emotional level, making them more likely to support your cause. Share stories of real individuals or communities who have been positively impacted by your work. Use storytelling in your website content, social media posts, and fundraising campaigns. When telling stories, focus on the transformation your organization has brought about. Describe the challenges faced, the solutions implemented, and the resulting positive outcomes. Make sure your stories are relatable and authentic. Don't Forget the Budget Non-profits often have limited resources, so it's crucial to allocate your budget wisely. Prioritize your marketing activities based on their potential impact and alignment with your goals. Consider both paid and organic marketing methods, and be strategic in your spending. Additionally, e...
What does digital marketing during inflation have in common with a triathlon? In both, you're playing to your strengths, mitigating your weak points and budgeting your fuel or resources so that you can pull through. Inflation, the general increase in prices and the decline of purchasing power, negatively affects marketing. Specifically, when there's inflation, marketers are gun-shy about increasing their marketing spend since their customers are buying less. However, contrary to this knee-jerk reflex of reducing marketing activity in the face of inflation, businesses should consider each inflationary period as a rich vein of innovation and creative marketing. Going back to the triathlon analogy, you wouldn't entirely take yourself out of the race. Instead, you would pace yourself until you reach your final sprint. What we're saying is that contrary to popular belief, inflationary periods, no matter how long, can still facilitate tremendous growth for your business. The caveat is that you must optimize your digital marketing strategy to offer customers solutions for inflation-based challenges. We'll break down marketing strategies that can help you: Cast your net marketing wider to access underserved markets Optimize your digital marketing strategy for various market segments Keep your customers' interest in your brand Restructure Your Product Mix to Maximize Marketing Spend Consumers are unhappy when brands raise their prices because they see this as passing the cost burden onto them. Worse yet is shrinkflation, the quiet reduction of package sizes without lowering prices. Reevaluating your product mix is a great way to make these cost savings on the product and marketing without burdening your customer. What does this look like in practice? The 80-20 rule probably applies to your product offering. Identify the 20% of products yielding 80% of the output and focus the marketing spend on them. Back burner the rest. During an ongoing inflationary period, you want to focus your marketing message to the masses around affordability, so keep prices steady. Leverage the upmarket segment of your customer base. The top 5% income bracket hardly changes their spending habits because of inflation. In fact, they expect prices to go up. Choose a product in your inventory that can be marketed as a marker of success and innovation and charge a premium for it. Kraft Heinz exemplified the last tip by introducing a more expensive, chef-inspired line of sauces, the Heinz 57 Collection, to elevate their customers' culinary experience. Think Globally Shifting focus towards a global marketing strategy can open up avenues for growth while your stronghold undergoes economic disruption and cannot yield the return you're used to. Marketing globally provides: New revenue growth opportunities Increased awareness of your brand and credibility Insights into where your product can improve Lego, the toy company, is a stellar example of this. Lego limped into the 2008 financial crisis, mostly servicing the North American market, burdened with debt and an overloaded product portfolio. When the toy manufacturer refocused on marketing their classic products in European and Asian markets, their sales rose by a third in 2009 despite the economic downturn. With the reach of digital marketing, targeting the global market has never been easier. Optimizing your marketing strategy globally isn't so much about pushing new products; rather it's repackaging your existing product for a new demographic. If you're in e-commerce, Shopify and similar platforms can yield analytics on the locations where you have the biggest draw. This is a great place to start your new market research. For digital marketing campaigns, whether pay-per-click, email marketing, or content marketing, tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, Semrush, and others can give insight into your untapped or under-serviced markets. Localize your differentiation and branding to fit the needs and culture of the s...
What does digital marketing during inflation have in common with a triathlon? In both, you're playing to your strengths, mitigating your weak points and budgeting your fuel or resources so that you can pull through. Inflation, the general increase in prices and the decline of purchasing power, negatively affects marketing. Specifically, when there's inflation, marketers are gun-shy about increasing their marketing spend since their customers are buying less. However, contrary to this knee-jerk reflex of reducing marketing activity in the face of inflation, businesses should consider each inflationary period as a rich vein of innovation and creative marketing. Going back to the triathlon analogy, you wouldn't entirely take yourself out of the race. Instead, you would pace yourself until you reach your final sprint. What we're saying is that contrary to popular belief, inflationary periods, no matter how long, can still facilitate tremendous growth for your business. The caveat is that you must optimize your digital marketing strategy to offer customers solutions for inflation-based challenges. We'll break down marketing strategies that can help you: Cast your net marketing wider to access underserved markets Optimize your digital marketing strategy for various market segments Keep your customers' interest in your brand Restructure Your Product Mix to Maximize Marketing Spend Consumers are unhappy when brands raise their prices because they see this as passing the cost burden onto them. Worse yet is shrinkflation, the quiet reduction of package sizes without lowering prices. Reevaluating your product mix is a great way to make these cost savings on the product and marketing without burdening your customer. What does this look like in practice? The 80-20 rule probably applies to your product offering. Identify the 20% of products yielding 80% of the output and focus the marketing spend on them. Back burner the rest. During an ongoing inflationary period, you want to focus your marketing message to the masses around affordability, so keep prices steady. Leverage the upmarket segment of your customer base. The top 5% income bracket hardly changes their spending habits because of inflation. In fact, they expect prices to go up. Choose a product in your inventory that can be marketed as a marker of success and innovation and charge a premium for it. Kraft Heinz exemplified the last tip by introducing a more expensive, chef-inspired line of sauces, the Heinz 57 Collection, to elevate their customers' culinary experience. Think Globally Shifting focus towards a global marketing strategy can open up avenues for growth while your stronghold undergoes economic disruption and cannot yield the return you're used to. Marketing globally provides: New revenue growth opportunities Increased awareness of your brand and credibility Insights into where your product can improve Lego, the toy company, is a stellar example of this. Lego limped into the 2008 financial crisis, mostly servicing the North American market, burdened with debt and an overloaded product portfolio. When the toy manufacturer refocused on marketing their classic products in European and Asian markets, their sales rose by a third in 2009 despite the economic downturn. With the reach of digital marketing, targeting the global market has never been easier. Optimizing your marketing strategy globally isn't so much about pushing new products; rather it's repackaging your existing product for a new demographic. If you're in e-commerce, Shopify and similar platforms can yield analytics on the locations where you have the biggest draw. This is a great place to start your new market research. For digital marketing campaigns, whether pay-per-click, email marketing, or content marketing, tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, Semrush, and others can give insight into your untapped or under-serviced markets. Localize your differentiation and branding to fit the needs and culture of the s...
Social media is both a science and an art. The art is the ethos and spirit of your brand. It's your job to bring that to the table. Today, I want to look at the more practical things you can include in your content marketing strategy to grow your social media presence. We're going to look at how SEO, consistency, authoritative content and getting offline can help you grow your social media channels. Optimize Your Profiles for Search Visibility is key to growing on social media. Search engines almost entirely control how visible your content is. One of the most common ways to make social media content searchable is to use hashtags. That said, long gone are the days of flooding your post with generic hashtags in order to get traction and engagement. The trick with hashtags is to narrow down the niche of the hashtag as much as possible. The lower the volume of people using the hashtag, the more your content will show up in top searches and receive engagement. What about optimizing for search engines? Use the same profile picture and brand graphics across all social media channels. Don't forget to size them up or down accordingly so that they're not blurry or truncated. Google loves backlinks. By creating valuable content that people want to share and link to, you're creating backlinks and telling search engines you're worth ranking well. Another way to do this is to outreach content to key influencers in your niche. Serve informational as well as transactional content. Your audience will go to you as they gather information in their buying journey. Search engines love a good mix of content and prioritize user satisfaction while ranking. Diversify With Industry-Adjacent Content No-one loves a self-obsessed person who can't stop talking about themselves. This is a hidden pitfall for businesses on social media because you may genuinely feel you have tons of value to share about your business. To avoid this risk, curate and share valuable content that is industry-adjacent and rouse the interests or answers the needs of your audience. The best example of this is Nike. Of course, the sportswear giant shares posts about its products. However, they also create an overwhelming amount of digital content, amplifying the stories of athletes from all sports and walks of life. Yes, we know Nike is probably endorsing some of these athletes, but it's still refreshing for the product to take the back burner and to hear some inspirational human stories. You may not have Nike's blockbuster budget. What can you do to diversify your business's social media content? Collaborate with businesses adjacent to your industry for fun and informative Q&A or deep-dive posts. For example, a restaurateur could host a nutritionist on their social media to dissect nutrition and their menu. Amplify the voices and work of local charities and community-based organizations that align with your mission. A teen clothing brand may look into local youth initiatives. Comment on current affairs, such as national holidays or global happenings. An important caveat here is to do your research and avoid sharing opinions that hurt your brand image. Post Consistently Without Spamming Your Audience You never want your audience to think, "Oh! I had forgotten about this brand," when your posts pop up on their feed. If you haven't already, put together an editorial calendar detailing posts, captions, and hashtags for each social media platform. Planning your content on an editorial calendar will enable you to: Schedule your posts in advance to maximize timing for your audience and to avoid the time suck that is churning out posts in real time. Collect data and analytics on what parts of your content strategy actually works and then rinse and repeat. Have a bird's-eye view of your content, which will help you maintain consistency in your brand messaging and to avoid repetition or any disparities. Provide valuable content because you have the headway to plan ahead and discover ste...