Inbound Marketing Feed

X Continues to Display Ads Alongside Harmful Content, with Another Major Ad Partner Pausing its Spend

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 03:49:28 +0300

Hyundai is the latest brand to pause its X ad spend.

Snapchat Shares Insight into the Performance of Direct Response and Brand Campaigns in the App

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 02:46:54 +0300

Some new considerations for your Snapchat campaigns.

Meta Shares New Lead Gen Ad Tips

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 02:20:41 +0300

Meta's Lead Gen ads can be a great way to get more info on your target customers.

TikTok Shares Insights into the Usage Behaviors of Canadian Users

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 02:00:53 +0300

The report looks at how Canadian users engage around key events in the app.

US Senate Looks to Advance TikTok Ban Proposal

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 00:03:27 +0300

The TikTok ban bill could come before the Senate sooner than expected.

Meta Brings its Most Advanced AI Chatbot to All of its Apps

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 23:30:31 +0300

Meta's keen to get more people using its latest AI chatbot - but will they?

How to Use AI For a More Effective Social Media Strategy, According to Ross Simmonds

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better.

It’s the age of AI, and our job as marketers is to keep up.

My team at Foundation Marketing recently conducted an AI Marketing study surveying hundreds of marketers, and more than 84% of all leaders, managers, SEO experts, and specialists confirmed that they used AI in the workplace.

If you can overlook the fear-inducing headlines, this technology is making social media marketers more efficient and effective than ever. Translation: AI is good news for social media marketers.

In fact, I predict that the marketers not using AI in their workplace will be using it before the end of this year, and that number will move closer and closer to 100%.

Social media and AI are two of the most revolutionizing technologies of the last few decades. Social media has changed the way we live, and AI is changing the way we work.

So, I’m going to condense and share the data, research, tools, and strategies that the Foundation Marketing Team and I have been working on over the last year to help you better wield the collective power of AI and social media.

Let's jump into it.

What’s the role of AI in social marketing strategy?

In a recent episode of my podcast, Create Like The Greats, we dove into some fascinating findings about the impact of AI on marketers and social media professionals. Take a listen here:

Let's dive a bit deeper into the benefits of this technology:

Benefits of AI in Social Media Strategy

AI is to social media what a conductor is to an orchestra — it brings everything together with precision and purpose. The applications of AI in a social media strategy are vast, but the virtuosos are few who can wield its potential to its fullest.

AI to Conduct Customer Research

Imagine you're a modern-day Indiana Jones, not dodging boulders or battling snakes, but rather navigating the vast, wild terrain of consumer preferences, trends, and feedback.

This is where AI thrives.

Using social media data, from posts on X to comments and shares, AI can take this information and turn it into insights surrounding your business and industry. Let's say for example you're a business that has 2,000 customer reviews on Google, Yelp, or a software review site like Capterra.

Leveraging AI you can now have all 2,000 of these customer reviews analyzed and summarized into an insightful report in a matter of minutes. You simply need to download all of them into a doc and then upload them to your favorite Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) to get the insights and data you need.

But that's not all.

You can become a Prompt Engineer and write ChatGPT asking it to help you better understand your audience. For example, if you're trying to come up with a persona for people who enjoy marathons but also love kombucha you could write a prompt like this to ChatGPT:

The response that ChatGPT provided back is quite good:

Below this it went even deeper by including a lot of valuable customer research data:

Demographics
Psychographics
Consumer behaviors
Needs and preferences

And best of all...

It also included marketing recommendations.

The power of AI is unbelievable.

Social Media Content Using AI

AI's helping hand can be unburdening for the creative spirit.

Instead of marketers having to come up with new copy every single month for posts, AI Social Caption generators are making it easier than ever to craft catchy status updates in the matter of seconds.

Tools like HubSpot make it as easy as clicking a button and telling the AI tool what you're looking to create a post about:

The best part of these AI tools is that they're not limited to one channel.

Your AI social media content assistant can help you with LinkedIn content, X content, Facebook content, and even the captions that support your post on Instagram.

It can also help you navigate hashtags:

With AI social media tools that generate content ideas or even write posts, it's not about robots replacing humans. It's about making sure that the human creators on your team are focused on what really matters — adding that irreplaceable human touch.

Enhanced Personalization

You know that feeling when a brand gets you, like, really gets you?

AI makes that possible through targeted content that's tailored with a level of personalization you'd think was fortune-telling if the data didn't paint a starker, more rational picture.

What do I mean?

Brands can engage more quickly with AI than ever before. In the early 2000s, a lot of brands spent millions of dollars to create social media listening rooms where they would hire social media managers to find and engage with any conversation happening online.

Thanks to AI, brands now have the ability to do this at scale with much fewer people all while still delivering quality engagement with the recipient.

Analytics and Insights

Tapping into AI to dissect the data gives you a CSI-like precision to figure out what works, what doesn't, and what makes your audience tick. It’s the difference between guessing and knowing.

The best part about AI is that it can give you almost any expert at your fingertips.

If you run a report surrounding the results of your social media content strategy directly from a site like LinkedIn, AI can review the top posts you've shared and give you clear feedback on what type of content is performing, why you should create more of it, and what days of the week your content is performing best.

This type of insight that would typically take hours to understand.

Now ...

Thanks to the power of AI you can upload a spreadsheet filled with rows and columns of data just to be met with a handful of valuable insights a few minutes later.

Improved Customer Service

Want 24/7 support for your customers?

It's now possible without human touch.

Chatbots powered by AI are taking the lead on direct messaging experiences for brands on Facebook and other Meta properties to offer round-the-clock assistance.

The fact that AI can be trained on past customer queries and data to inform future queries and problems is a powerful development for social media managers.

Advertising on Social Media with AI

The majority of ad networks have used some variation of AI to manage their bidding system for years. Now, thanks to AI and its ability to be incorporated in more tools, brands are now able to use AI to create better and more interesting ad campaigns than ever before.

Brands can use AI to create images using tools like Midjourney and DALL-E in seconds.

Brands can use AI to create better copy for their social media ads.

Brands can use AI tools to support their bidding strategies.

The power of AI and social media is continuing to evolve daily and it's not exclusively found in the organic side of the coin. Paid media on social media is being shaken up due to AI just the same.

How to Implement AI into Your Social Media Strategy

Ready to hit "Go" on your AI-powered social media revolution?

Don't just start the engine and hope for the best. Remember the importance of building a strategy first. In this video, you can learn some of the most important factors ranging from (but not limited to) SMART goals and leveraging influencers in your day-to-day work:

The following seven steps are crucial to building a social media strategy:

Identify Your AI and Social Media Goals
Validate Your AI-Related Assumptions
Conduct Persona and Audience Research
Select the Right Social Channels
Identify Key Metrics and KPIs
Choose the Right AI Tools
Evaluate and Refine Your Social Media and AI Strategy

Keep reading, roll up your sleeves, and follow this roadmap:

1. Identify Your AI and Social Media Goals

If you're just dipping your toes into the AI sea, start by defining clear objectives.

Is it to boost engagement? Streamline your content creation? Or simply understand your audience better? It's important that you spend time understanding what you want to achieve.

For example, say you’re a content marketing agency like Foundation and you’re trying to increase your presence on LinkedIn. The specificity of this goal will help you understand the initiatives you want to achieve and determine which AI tools could help you make that happen.

Are there AI tools that will help you create content more efficiently? Are there AI tools that will help you optimize LinkedIn Ads? Are there AI tools that can help with content repurposing? All of these things are possible and having a goal clearly identified will help maximize the impact. Learn more in this Foundation Marketing piece on incorporating AI into your content workflow.

Once you have identified your goals, it's time to get your team on board and assess what tools are available in the market.

Recommended Resources:

How to Write a SMART Goal

2. Validate Your AI-Related Assumptions

Assumptions are dangerous — especially when it comes to implementing new tech.

Don't assume AI is going to fix all your problems.

Instead, start with small experiments and track their progress carefully.

3. Conduct Persona and Audience Research

Social media isn't something that you can just jump into.

You need to understand your audience and ideal customers. AI can help with this, but you’ll need to be familiar with best practices. If you need a primer, this will help:

Once you understand the basics, consider ways in which AI can augment your approach.

4. Select the Right Social Channels

Not every social media channel is the same.

It's important that you understand what channel is right for you and embrace it.

The way you use AI for X is going to be different from the way you use AI for LinkedIn. On X, you might use AI to help you develop a long-form thread that is filled with facts and figures. On LinkedIn however, you might use AI to repurpose a blog post and turn it into a carousel PDF. The content that works on X and that AI can facilitate creating is different from the content that you can create and use on LinkedIn.

The audiences are different.

The content formats are different.

So operate and create a plan accordingly.

Recommended Tools and Resources:

5. Identify Key Metrics and KPIs

What metrics are you trying to influence the most?

Spend time understanding the social media metrics that matter to your business and make sure that they're prioritized as you think about the ways in which you use AI.

These are a few that matter most:

Reach: Post reach signifies the count of unique users who viewed your post. How much of your content truly makes its way to users’ feeds?
Clicks: This refers to the number of clicks on your content or account. Monitoring clicks per campaign is crucial for grasping what sparks curiosity or motivates people to make a purchase.
Engagement: The total social interactions divided by the number of impressions. This metric reveals how effectively your audience perceives you and their readiness to engage.

Of course, it's going to depend greatly on your business.

But with this information, you can ensure that your AI social media strategy is rooted in goals.

6. Choose the Right AI Tools

The AI landscape is filled with trash and treasure.

Pick AI tools that are most likely to align with your needs and your level of tech-savviness.

For example, if you're a blogger creating content about pizza recipes, you can use HubSpot's AI social caption generator to write the message on your behalf:

The benefit of an AI tool like HubSpot and the caption generator is that what at one point took 30-40 minutes to come up with — you can now have it at your fingertips in seconds. The HubSpot AI caption generator is trained on tons of data around social media content and makes it easy for you to get inspiration or final drafts on what can be used to create great content.

Consider your budget, the learning curve, and what kind of support the tool offers.

7. Evaluate and Refine Your Social Media and AI Strategy

AI isn't a magic wand; it's a set of complex tools and technology.

You need to be willing to pivot as things come to fruition.

If you notice that a certain activity is falling flat, consider how AI can support that process.

Did you notice that your engagement isn’t where you want it to be? Consider using an AI tool to assist with crafting more engaging social media posts.

Make AI Work for You — Now and in the Future

AI has the power to revolutionize your social media strategy in ways you may have never thought possible. With its ability to conduct customer research, create personalized content, and so much more, thinking about the future of social media is fascinating.

We're going through one of the most interesting times in history.

Stay equipped to ride the way of AI and ensure that you're embracing the best practices outlined in this piece to get the most out of the technology.

16 Best Bulk Email Services for 2024

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

You’ve seen that email marketing works wonders for your business. So, you doubled down and built a massive email list. However, you’ve now hit a roadblock. You can’t send bulk emails through providers like Gmail or Outlook.

Enter: Bulk email service providers.

Over the years of working as an email copywriter, I have had the opportunity to use some of these bulk email services. I was impressed to see how they are equipped to manage large volumes of email while offering top features to track performance.

In this blog, I have listed the key features to look for in a bulk email service and some of the top bulk email software available on the market.

Table of Contents

What is a bulk email service?
Reasons to Send Bulk Emails
Best Bulk Email Services
Top Features in Paid or Free Bulk Email Service

A mass email software helps you reach a large audience and nurture them one email at a time. In addition to getting direct access to your customer base, you can track how your emails perform and test various methods to increase clicks and conversions.

While traditional advertising methods, such as print ads and direct mail, can have a high return on investment (ROI), it can be challenging to understand how consumers interact with your materials. With a mass email software, you can find out what attracts consumers and what elements lead to more conversions.

Furthermore, many bulk email software offer automation tools — think workflows and sequences. You can more easily move leads down the funnel and retain your current clients.

My experience with email marketing has taught me that using a personal or business email can work in the first few months of starting a business but will quickly become ineffective as you grow. Bulk email services offer a long-term solution.

Reasons to Send Bulk Emails

Not sure if it’s the right time to try a bulk email software? The first question you should ask is, “Is our brand investing in email marketing this quarter/year?”

If the answer is yes, then I believe that’s your sign to invest in an email service.

Here are specific examples of when you would send out a mass email to your subscribers:

Sales promotions. Say you want to promote discounts on specific products or services. Sending a mass email to your subscribers is a great way to generate sales.
Newsletters. Do you want to send out exclusive content to your subscribers? Then, a newsletter is the way to go.
Product updates. A great way to announce a new product feature or line is via email. You can include previews to build up excitement and include calls-to-action (CTAs) for conversions.
Announcements. Are you updating your hours, prices, or services? Or perhaps there’s been a change in your policy. Notifying your subscribers in an email blast is an effective way to spread the news.

With every email you send to subscribers, you’ll want to remember your goals, audience, time and day, personalization, and compliance with data protection laws.

Best Bulk Email Services

1. HubSpot’s Email Marketing Tool

Start using HubSpot's free Email tools.

I absolutely love how you can create, customize, and optimize your emails with HubSpot without coding or design experience.

Here is how you can do that:

You can send up to 2,000 emails monthly, which doesn’t include test emails to check functionality. In addition, the platform offers a user-friendly interface, tools like drag-and-drop to design your email easily, tokens to personalize every email, and an A/B testing feature.

This is how the drag-and-drop feature works on the tool:

You can also use their AI Email Writer to help you write copy for your emails. In addition, you can create custom reports based on the data you want to collect and analyze.

What I like: I like how this tool allows you to personalize your bulk emails based on each subscriber's lifecycle stage. This enables you to deliver better content and effective CTAs that boost engagement.

Pricing: The best part? It’s free.

2. Sender

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Bulk emailing allows your brand to save time and effort by sending mass emails to your target audience at once. Leveraging your email lists increases sales and engagement with promotional offers, flash sales, product updates, newsletters, etc. You can do all that and much more with Sender.

You can not only send it to a large audience at once but also target the right subgroups with smart segmentation and automated triggers. That way, your audience will receive the message they want to receive and when they want to receive it.

This is an example of various automated triggers available in this tool. You can notice that there are different workflows for different events — for example, when a new subscriber gets added to your list or if an online store user abandons their cart.

You can also customize the automation workflow according to your needs.

Additionally, Sender provides premade, mobile-responsive templates for professional-looking emails with a drag-and-drop email builder. Their platform also offers various features such as SMS campaigns, high-converting popups, detailed analytics, a heatmap, and even more.

What I like: I'm impressed by Sender's omnichannel approach. It combines email and SMS marketing to deliver effective campaigns that produce great results.

Pricing: Sender offers a free plan with 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails per month. Paid plans start at $15.83 a month, billed annually.

3. ConvertKit

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As their name suggests, the platform is designed to help you earn more conversions and generate more revenue. ConvertKit is known for its advanced automation tools, including custom email funnels, smart filters, and link triggers.

Furthermore, the platform has a 98% delivery rate, ensuring that your emails will always reach your subscribers. In addition, the average open rate for ConvertKit emails is an astonishing 30%, according to their website.

What I like: I love how ConvertKit provides a visual automation library of pre-designed templates. This helps you kickstart your email campaign with ease, without worrying much about the designs of the bulk emails.

Pricing: ConvertKit offers a free version of its platform for up to 10,000 subscribers. Paid plans start at $25 a month, billed annually.

Here is an example of the various visual automation templates offered:

4. Mailchimp

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I highly recommend Mailchimp if you’re just starting out in email marketing. The platform offers a user-friendly interface and over 100 templates to choose from.

In just a few simple steps, Mailchimp lets you get started with your bulk email campaign.

Using its prebuilt journeys, you can set up your email automation with ease.

With their free plan, you can send up to 10,000 emails monthly to 2,000 contacts — an ideal option for small to midsize businesses.

Then, as your business grows, you can scale to the premium version. Here, you’ll have unlimited audiences, multivariate testing, and advanced segmentation with up to 200,000 contacts.

What I like: I love how you can customize emails for your prospects based on specific factors, such as spending amount, buying patterns, or predicted characteristics. This makes sure your communications are always targeted.

Pricing: A free plan is available. Paid plans range from $9.18 to $274.30 per month.

5. Drip

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If you have an ecommerce business, I strongly suggest trying Drip for your mass email marketing. The platform offers pre-built email templates that you can customize and a user-friendly workflow builder for automation.

Here is an example of their “Welcome Series” template:

In addition, you can schedule automation based on actions your subscribers take (like viewing a product, abandoning their cart, and making a purchase).
With Drip, you can easily integrate your online store (like Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce) to make gathering data easier.

What I like: Drip claims a 99.8% delivery rate, which I find to be very impressive for a bulk email software. Furthermore, I love the ease with which the tool creates behavioral and lifecycle segments that update automatically. This lets you send targeted emails to your audience easily.

Pricing: Prices start at $39 and go up based on your number of subscribers.

6. Insycle

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Insycle doesn’t fall under the email provider list. However, this software does work in tandem with providers like HubSpot and Mailchimp to keep your contact list clean.

In my opinion, one of the major downsides of having a subscriber list is the potential for duplicate contacts. This can impact your metrics and make it difficult to tailor your emails. Insycle allows you to clean your contacts in bulk, merge duplicate ones, and avoid overwriting data.

What I like: One of the things I like about Insycle is that it makes data exploration easy. Additionally, its Grid Edit is a great feature that simplifies data corrections, saving you hours of manual work.

Pricing: Pricing starts at $30 per month and scales up to custom pricing based on the services you want.

7. Brevo

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Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is one of the best bulk email software for small and large businesses. A drag-and-drop editor is one of the must-have features for a good email service, and Brevo features one of the most powerful editors on the market.

Aside from that, the service has segmentation features that let you send emails to a targeted audience. This feature helps to improve overall engagement with customers.

What I like: Brevo has a solid reporting system that gives insights about what your readers like. This helps you make better decisions and improve your bulk email campaigns.

Pricing: Brevo has free and premium plans. The free plan lets you send up to 300 emails daily, albeit with the Brevo watermark. The premium plan begins at $25 monthly.

8. Constant Contact

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Constant Contact is a bulk email service that’s great for small businesses and individuals. I love its simplicity and ease of use, features that make it great for beginners.

The service features built-in social media sharing tools, easy tracking and reporting, and integrations with ecommerce centers like Facebook and Shopify.

Its advanced features, like coupons, surveys, and event marketing automation, make it one of the best bulk email services.

What I like: Constant Contact has a wide range of email templates and design samples that fit every business. With just a few clicks, your email campaign will be ready to launch.

Pricing: This bulk email software offers a 30-day free trial, which you can upgrade to a premium plan. Paid plans start at $12 monthly for the Lite plan and can be further upgraded to the Standard plan or Premium plan for $35 per month and $80 per month, respectively.

9. Mailmodo

funds, and awareness marketing brings in.

Bookmark this guide for later and use the chapter links below to jump around to sections of interest.

Inbound Marketing for Nonprofits

Your nonprofit organization likely takes up all of your time, and building a marketing plan might seem like an added responsibility that’s just not worth it.

We’re here to convince you otherwise. Inbound marketing is all about creating valuable experiences that positively impact people and your business.

Inbound marketing for nonprofits can help you attract new supporters for your cause, connect to valuable donors, engage your constituents, and inspire your community.

Boost your organization’s awareness and compel action. See firsthand how HubSpot can transform your nonprofit organization.

Here's how else nonprofit marketing can help.

Nonprofit marketing raises awareness.

Your nonprofit organization is a brand. Therefore you need to raise awareness just like any other business or company. Marketing raises awareness, and brand awareness spreads the word about your organization and your overall cause.

Nonprofit marketing raises funds.

Nonprofit marketing and nonprofit fundraising go hand-in-hand. The more people know about your organization, the more potential funding you can bring in.

Nonprofit marketing drives donor memberships and recurring donations.

Many nonprofit organizations offer donation memberships and monthly giving programs, like this one from charity: Water. These programs are valuable because your organization doesn’t have to fundraise so actively and often. Also, they can actually help you raise more money — the average monthly online donation is $52 ($624 per year) compared to the average one-time gift of $128.

Marketing your nonprofit gets your cause in front of fresh eyes and informs your donors about how they can consistently contribute.

Nonprofit marketing recruits volunteers.

Nonprofit marketing isn't just for funding. It also drives manpower (and woman-power!) to your organization. Regardless of industry or size, all nonprofits benefit from volunteers, and marketing your organization can help bring in new hands.

Moreover, volunteers are twice as likely to donate as non-volunteers.

Nonprofit marketing promotes your services.

Awareness, funding, and volunteers are integral to your nonprofit, but what about the purpose of your organization? What about the people, animals, or cause you're helping? Marketing can help with that, too.

The more people who know about your nonprofit organization, the more people you can help.

These are just a handful of reasons you should invest in your nonprofit's marketing strategy (particularly inbound marketing).

What is a nonprofit marketing plan?

A nonprofit marketing plan is essentially your playbook for successfully executing your nonprofit marketing strategy and achieving results.

Your plan will consist of promotional materials and initiatives, marketing channels you'll use to engage your target audience, SMART Goals, and any other materials to aid your strategy.

Now, let's discuss how to build a nonprofit marketing plan so you can start bringing in new funds, volunteers, and constituents.

Components of an Effective Nonprofit Marketing Plan

Components of an effective nonprofit marketing plan include the following, some of which I will dive deeper into when I explain marketing plan templates:

Marketing SMART Goals

What are the goals of your nonprofit marketing plan? What are you hoping to achieve? Once you figure out your goals, dig a little deeper to make them specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely (aka SMART, but we'll get into that later).

Target Audience Information and Buyer Personas

Your plan should include relevant information about your target audience, such as their demographic, concerns, needs, and what channels they frequent.

Mission Statement

Your mission statement must include the purpose of your organization, the audience you serve, and how you serve them.

One of my favorite mission statements comes from the charity organization Cradles to Crayons:

"Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school, and at play. We supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities."

Stakeholders and Staff Structure

Your plan needs a breakdown of internal and external stakeholders, such as board members, managers, directors, paid staff, volunteers, and donors.

Furthermore, your plan needs to make clear how everyone's role comes together to carry out your organization's missions and achieve its goals.

Nonprofit Marketing Plan Template

Download your free nonprofit marketing plan template.

Hubspot’s nonprofit marketing plan template can help you organize your nonprofit’s budget, team structure, and channels of choice to create your marketing strategy.

The nonprofit marketing plan template includes sections for developing your nonprofit’s summary, business initiatives, target market, marketing strategy, budget, marketing channels, and marketing technology.

Our nonprofit marketing plan template can help you:

Complete a SWOT analysis for your organization.
Develop a marketing strategy.
Determine the industries and personas of your target donors.

Other Templates to Use

Trust me when I say your nonprofit marketing template will need to be thorough because you need to make sure everyone in your organization is on the same page about goals and your mission.

To make sure your plan is on point, here are some other templates you may want to consider incorporating into your plan.

Budgeting templates

Few things are free in this world, especially when it comes to marketing. So, make sure your marketing plan includes a budget and expenses. If you're not sure how to organize your budget, check out templates like the one above by clicking here.

Customer Profile Templates

As I said earlier, knowing your audience is crucial to a successful nonprofit marketing plan. If you're unsure how to set up customer profiles or buyer personas, then templates like the one above would be helpful to you.

Notice how the template includes information such as behaviors, demographics, and joyful/frustrating interactions.

Executive Summary

An executive summary briefly outlines to your stakeholders important information in your marketing plan, such as financial information, market analysis, and your organization's mission.

Crafting a nonprofit marketing plan might not be too different from a for-profit marketing plan, but debatably, it's more important. Increasing awareness and constituent engagement without exhausting your hardworking team requires approaching your marketing systematically.

That's where a nonprofit marketing plan comes into play. Putting systems in place to produce and distribute your marketing content allows you to focus on operating and scaling your nonprofit.

Here's how to create a successful nonprofit marketing plan.

1. Define your marketing goals.

Your nonprofit marketing plan exists to transform your organization's mission and big-picture objectives into strategic, actionable goals.

For example, let's say one of your objectives was to protect the welfare of animals in your community (like one of my favorite local rescues, ALIVE Rescue). I'd ask you to brainstorm three to five marketing ideas to advance that objective.

Some ways you could use marketing to advance that objective include:

Creating and publishing content that educates your community on the state of animal welfare.
Posting on social media about your organization and the animals you have for adoption.
Sending a weekly email newsletter sharing your content, adoptable animals, and volunteer needs.
Hosting a quarterly event with educational resources, foster training, and adoption opportunities.

Next, I'd ask you to turn these ideas into SMART goals. Let's use idea number one as an example:

acronym	goal
Specific	Educate the community on the state of animal welfare by producing one blog post per week.
Measurable	Increase traffic by 15%.
Attainable	Our blog traffic increased by 10% last year when we upped our publishing frequency to twice a month. A 15% boost in traffic with a 100% increase in production seems attainable.
Relevant	An increase in blog traffic will boost awareness of our organization, educate the community, and alert more people of our adoption opportunities — thus, saving more animals and bringing in more funding.
Timely	We will start producing one post per week and the start of next month.

SMART Goal: By the start of next month, our blog will see a 15% boost in traffic by increasing our content production from two posts per month to one post per week.

This increase will boost awareness of our organization, educate the community, and alert more people of our adoption opportunities — thus, saving more animals and bringing in more funding.

See how I turned the organizational mission into a marketing objective and a SMART goal?

SMART goals are especially important when it comes time to analyze and measure your marketing performance (which I will talk about later), so be sure to finish this step before moving forward in your nonprofit marketing plan.

2. Understand your audiences.

Nonprofit marketing is different from other types of marketing because your organization is likely targeting multiple groups: constituents, customers, volunteers, and donors.

It's imperative to define and understand each of these audiences (a.k.a. buyer personas) because your marketing will differ based on who you're talking to. (We'll get into key messaging next.)

For example, following our animal shelter example from above, an email targeting donors will have different messaging than an email calling for volunteers.

One easy way to organize your different audiences is using a CRM to segment the different groups. By separating contacts with tags and lists, you can easily send marketing messages to the appropriate groups.

3. Craft Your Key Messages

Key messages encompass the information you want your audiences to hear, remember, and share about your nonprofit organization. Crafting these before you employ your marketing is important for a few reasons:

Key messages keep your organization aligned. No matter who's doing the marketing, you can be confident the same thing is being said and promoted.
Key messages simplify your marketing. With these created ahead of time, you already know what you will say in your marketing messaging.
Key messages help organize your different audiences (as discussed above). As a nonprofit organization, you're likely talking to donors, volunteers, constituents, and your community — more personas than a typical for-profit business. Developing key messages for each audience informs your team and your marketing to make sure you're targeting the right groups.

Continuing with our animal shelter example, here's a look at how you can craft a key message for different audiences.

Key message: We protect the welfare of animals in our community through education, adoption and fostering, and animal advocacy.

For adoption customers/constituents: By adopting or fostering, or by alerting us of animals in need, you can help us protect the welfare of animals in our community.
For volunteers: We protect the welfare of animals through round-the-clock animal care and advocacy.
For donors: You can help us protect the welfare of animals by donating to support animal care, advocacy, and adoption promotion.

All of these key messages have the same purpose and undertone, but they vary slightly depending on your audience. Together with your nonprofit organization's mission, vision, and goals, these messages will help effectively communicate and market your organization's needs and purpose.

4. Choose, plan, and create your marketing strategies.

Many marketers jump right to this step — creating and publishing various marketing tactics. Marketing encompasses much more than an advertisement, blog post, or event. To execute successfully, you must complete all the steps before this.

Now that you've established your goals (what you want), your key messages (what you're going to say), and your audience (who you're going to say it to), you can determine your marketing tactics (how you're going to say it).

Marketing tactics refer to channels like email marketing, social media, events, and more. We've dedicated an entire section to these marketing strategies. Read about them in detail below.

Regardless of which tactic you choose, be sure to conduct thorough planning before and as you execute it. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you prepare:

What will you do with this marketing tactic?
When will these marketing activities take place?
Why is this tactic important?
Who will be responsible for these activities?
How much do we plan to spend?
How does this tie to our organization’s marketing goals?

Tactical planning is an integral part of your overall nonprofit marketing plan. How you approach your marketing strategies and how they impact your organization is just as important as how you execute them.

Before you hit the ground running on any of these strategies, be sure your team has a solid game plan and a full understanding of it.

Featured Resource: Free Marketing Plan Template

Download for Free

5. Analyze your marketing performance.

Your marketing probably won't perform perfectly from the get-go. That's OK. Routine reporting and analysis help you figure out what's working and what you need to change.

As you choose and establish your marketing channels, pay attention to their measurable performance indicators. Here'

UTM Codes: How to Create UTM Tracking URLs on Google Analytics

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

How do you know if Facebook is a worthy investment or if you’re getting enough traffic from your recent promotional campaign? The answer: UTM tracking links.

UTM codes help you track where traffic is coming from, allowing you to properly measure each campaign’s, platform’s, or medium’s ROI.

In this blog post, I will take you through what UTM codes are, how to use them, and how to build them in both Google Analytics and HubSpot.

Table of Contents

What is UTM code?
What is UTM tracking?
How to Build UTM Codes in Google Analytics
How to Build UTM Codes in HubSpot
How to Use UTM Links for Your Campaigns
UTM Tracking Best Practices

UTM codes are also known as UTM parameters — or tracking tags — because they help you "track" website traffic from its origin. Marketers customize this text to match the web page on which the tagged URL is linked in order to attribute the success of that campaign to specific pieces of content.

Below is an example of a UTM code attached to the URL of a blog post. (UTM code highlighted in yellow.)

Image Source

Now, you might be thinking, "I have HubSpot, so I already know if my website traffic is coming from Google, email, social media, and similar marketing channels. What does a UTM code tell me that I don't already know?"

While HubSpot Marketing Hub provides you with these high-level sources of traffic, UTM helps you drill down into specific pages and posts within these traffic sources.

If you're promoting a campaign on social media, for example, you'll know how much traffic comes from social media. Building a UTM code, however, can tell you how much of that traffic came from Facebook or even a particular post on Facebook.

Let me explain in-depth what a UTM code is with an example. Here's a URL with its own UTM code:

http://blog.hubspot.com/9-reasons-you-cant-resist-list?utm_campaign=blog_post &utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

Let’s break this link down.

http://blog.hubspot.com/9-reasons-you-cant-resist-list: This is the base URL of the page.
?: This signals to your analytics software that a string of UTM parameters will follow.
utm_campaign=blog_post: This is the first UTM parameter, specifically for the campaign the visitor engaged with (in this case, a blog post campaign).
&: This denotes that another UTM parameter will follow.
utm_medium=social: This is the second parameter, specifically for the channel the visitor came from (in this case, social).
utm_source=facebook: This is the last parameter, specifically for the website the visitor came from (in this case, Facebook).

In the example above, you're saying that once traffic comes in from people who click this link, the traffic should be attributed to Facebook. The "medium" is social media, while the "source" is Facebook.

Adding these snippets of code after the question mark above doesn't affect anything on the page — it just lets your analytics program know that someone arrived through a certain source inside an overall marketing channel as part of a specific campaign.

Now, let's take a closer look at the definition of UTM tracking and discuss the above-mentioned UTM parameters in detail.

Different UTM Parameters

Here are the five things you can track with UTM codes and why you might track them.

1. Campaign

Campaign-based tracking tags group all the content from one campaign in your analytics. The example UTM code below would help you attribute website traffic to links that were placed as a part of a 20% discount promotion you're hosting.

Example: utm_campaign=20_off

2. Source

A source-based URL parameter can tell you which website is sending you traffic. You could add the example code below to every link you post to your Facebook page, helping you track all traffic that comes from Facebook.

Example: utm_source=facebook

3. Medium

This type of tracking tag informs you of the medium that your tracked link is featured in. You can use the example UTM code below to track all traffic that comes from social media (as opposed to other mediums, like email).

Example: utm_medium=social_media

4. Piece of Content

This type of UTM code is used to track the specific types of content that point to the same destination from a common source and medium.
It's often used in pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns or with two identical links on the same page, as shown in the sample UTM code below.

Example: utm_content=sidebar_link or utm_content=header_link

5. Term

A term- or keyword-based tracking code identifies the keywords you've paid for in a PPC ad. If you pay for a Google Ads campaign to rank under the keyword "marketing software," you might add the following UTM code to the end of the link you submit to Google to run this ad.

Example: utm_term=marketing+software

The best part about UTM parameters is that you can make any combination you like of these codes — use the bare minimum (campaign, source, and medium) to track all of your links, or use all of them to get super specific about your tracking.

UTM tracking codes can basically help you determine:

Where the traffic is coming from: Source.
Which general channel the traffic come from: Medium.
What type of content people click on: Content.
Which term they use to access the page: Term.

Benefits of UTM Codes

Crucial aspects of being a great marketer are being able to measure your campaigns' success and impact. Here is how building UTM codes can help you do that:

Better tracking. UTM codes allow you to track exactly where your website traffic is coming from, so you can see which marketing tactics are actually driving results. With UTM codes, you can see which sources, mediums, and campaigns are bringing in the most traffic, leads, and sales.
More accurate attribution. UTM codes also allow you to give credit where credit is due. For example, if a visitor first finds your website through a Google search and then comes back later through a Facebook ad, you can see the entire customer journey and attribute the sale or conversion to both channels.

Okay, so you're on board with UTM codes and their benefits... but how the heck do you set them up? Well, let me explain.

Below are instructions for setting up and measuring UTM parameters in Google Analytics and HubSpot.

How to Build UTM Codes in Google Analytics

Here are the steps involved in building UTM codes in Google Analytics.

1. Open Google's Campaign URL Builder.

There are three different types of tracking tags you can create in Google, two of which help you track traffic to new apps on app marketplaces. You'll be using the Google Analytics Campaign URL Builder — the third option on this list.

2. Fill in each link attribute in the following form.

Visit the page linked above and click the link to see this URL builder. Then, you'll see the UTM builder shown below. Add the URL, Campaign, Source, and Medium information into their respective boxes.

3. Use the link in your marketing campaign.

If you'd like to shorten it, you'll need a tool like bit.ly ... or just use HubSpot's URL Builder if you're a HubSpot customer.

4. Measure your success.

If you already have Google Analytics set up for your site, Google will automatically track incoming campaigns. Like in HubSpot, you can access them under "Audience," then "Sources," then "Campaigns." Click on each campaign to view the source and medium.

And that's it — you'll have custom tracking codes set up and running in no time! In a few weeks, you'll be able to make a case for what you need because you'll have the right metrics available.

How to Build UTM Codes in HubSpot

Now, let's see how you can build UTM codes in HubSpot. I personally prefer Hubspot over Google Analytics as it offers vivid features to track your UTM codes.

1. Navigate to your Analytics Tools.

In your Marketing Hub dashboard, select "Reports" on the top navigation bar. Then select "Analytics Tools" in the dropdown, as shown below.

2. Open the Tracking URL Builder.

In the menu of analytics tools that appears, look to the very bottom right corner. You'll see the option "Tracking URL Builder." Click this option at the bottom of the page, as shown in the red box below.

3. Open the Tracking URL form to create a new UTM code.

Whenever you create a web campaign that includes at least one UTM code, you'll see this campaign listed on the page shown below.

This page outlines a tracking tag's source, medium, term, content, and creation date, which you can see along the bottom of the screenshot below. Click "Create Tracking URL" in the top right corner.

4. Fill in each attribute of your UTM code and click "Create."

In the form that appears, fill in the URL, Campaign, Source, and Medium fields. If you'd like to add Content and Term, you can do so in the bottom two fields of this form. When you're done, you'll see an orange "Create" button become available at the bottom.

Click it, and HubSpot will log your UTM code as a new campaign. This link will be ready to use on any web page from which you want to track the traffic.

5. Use the shortened link in your marketing campaign.

HubSpot automatically generates a shortened URL, which is better to use when promoting your tracked content.

6. Measure your success.

You can track your UTM parameters in your Traffic Analytics dashboard under "Other Campaigns," as shown below. Click on the individual campaign to break down the source and medium.

As you can see in the second image (below), the name of the campaign appears to the left — based on the text in the UTM code you created — with the traffic from people who used each URL to arrive at your campaign's main web page.

Now that you know how to set up UTM links, how do you use them? Let’s take a look.

How to Use UTM Links for Your Campaigns

You can use a combination of UTM codes and parameters in a lot of ways. Here’s how you can use them in your day-to-day as a marketer.

1. Track the success of a promotional campaign.

Dropping product prices or launching a new product can be daunting. Plus, if there’s no measurable ROI, it’ll be a wasted effort. Luckily, you can tell whether users are effectively arriving at your site from your promotional efforts using UTM codes.

Here’s one example for a product launch:

mywebsite.com/new-product?utm_campaign=product_launch&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=facebook

Or, if you’re running a discount campaign through Instagram influencers, here’s what a UTM link can look like:

mywebsite.com/sale?utm_campaign=20_off&utm_medium=paid&utm_source=instagram&utm_content=bio

2. See how well your social channels promote your content versus when your followers promote your content.

How do your organic social efforts stack up against your followers’ promotional efforts? You can create two UTM campaigns to find out.

For your own posts, you can share a link as follows:

mywebsite.com?utm_campaign=inhouse_social&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=post

Then, prompt your followers to share the word about you, but let them share the following link:

mywebsite.com?utm_campaign=followers&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=post

3. Measure the effectiveness of guest posting referral traffic.

If you’re guest posting on several industry websites like me, it’s essential to know whether those posts are driving traffic to your site.

Whenever you create a guest post for another publisher, ensure all the links pointing to your website on that post have UTM parameters that tell you where the traffic came from. Here’s one example:

mywebsite.com?utm_campaign=guest_post&utm_medium=paid&utm_source=guest_post_site&utm_content=body

4. Track the same piece of content across multiple marketing channels.

In my experience, this is probably one of the most useful ways to use UTM tracking codes: Creating different ones for the same piece of content, and using it across different platforms. You can drop the campaign parameter for this use case and simply track the medium, source, and content.

Let’s say you want to track referral traffic from a video you posted on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook. Here are the three different links you could use:

LinkedIn: mywebsite.com/my-content?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&utm_content=caption
YouTube: mywebsite.com/my-content?utm_medium=social&utm_source=youtube&utm_content=description
Facebook: mywebsite.com/my-content?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=caption

5. See where most people click on your internal links in a blog post.

As an SEO content writer, knowing if the internal linking strategy is working as intended is very important. Adding UTM parameters helps me track where my content gets the most clicks. Here are three examples:

Image: mywebsite.com/my-content?utm_source=blog&utm_content=image
Above the Fold: mywebsite.com/my-content?utm_source=blog&utm_content=above_the_fold
Bottom of the Post: mywebsite.com/my-content?utm_source=blog&utm_content=bottom

Note: I advise you to use this strategy with caution, as using too many UTM parameters in internal links can cause confusion to Google. You should use it on a small batch of internal links, collect the clicking patterns, delete th

X Announces New Info Session for Advertisers

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 03:35:54 +0300

X will be running the webinar next week.

X’s Swipe to Respond Functionality Is Coming, Replacing Action Buttons on Posts

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 03:00:36 +0300

X's new UI is coming.

X Banned in Pakistan Amid Ongoing Political Unrest

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 02:37:08 +0300

Pakistani officials have not yet clarified the full details of the ban.

Meta Faces Challenges in Europe Over Ad-Free Subscription Offering

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 02:14:18 +0300

EU regulators have argued that Meta's consent or pay approach is not in alignment with the intention of the law.

40 Free Resume Templates for Microsoft Word (& How to Make Your Own)

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

No matter what industry you work in (or your experience level in that industry), a plain, black-and-white resume written in Times New Roman font just doesn't quite cut it anymore.

But just because resumes have gotten more creative doesn't mean you need special design software to make your application stand out — some of the best Word resume templates allow you to develop your personal brand while also communicating your experience and career goals.

Read on to find the perfect template for your next resume, then learn how to write and create your own resume in Microsoft Word.

Download 12 free, editable resume templates.

This template is great for college students to demonstrate their internship experience. The volunteering section gives a rounded viewpoint of your accomplishments if you are just leaving college.

6. Strategist Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

Recommended for: Email Marketers

If you are an email marketer who wants to highlight successes in your previous campaigns without boring the viewer with the details, this resume template is perfect for displaying bite-sized information.

15. Teaching Resume Template

File type: .docx

Download this template here.

This simple resume template lets educators outline their goals as instructors, key teaching skills, and highlight the important experience that makes you the best fit for the role.

Recommended For: Teachers or educators

I like this template for teachers or educators because the additional sections for communication and leadership summaries let you expand on how you demonstrate the key expected qualities of any effective instructor.

16. Info Pop Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This one, also from Hloom, gives you exactly what the name suggests: ample space for the info you need, with headers that pop just enough to get your employer's attention.

Although the template fits a ton of text, its soft color palate prevents the document from seeming overwhelming.

Recommended For: Experienced Professionals

This resume gives a lot of information all at once, which is perfect for professionals with more than eight years of experience. The layout makes it easily scannable and easy for a recruiter to read.

17. Strong Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This resume template features bold sections of color that fill the page. This format is perfect for interns who don't have a lot of professional experience yet. It's also useful for roles where a portfolio or other resource is a priority for hiring managers.

Recommended For: Interns

Make the depth of your interest, knowledge, and creativity more important than how long you've been working with this template. Sections for education, learning more, and describing yourself and your brand make it easy to share what you're about.

18. Dark Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

Ironically, a dark background could be just the thing to ensure your resume doesn't fall into the black hole of resumes piled on the hiring manager's desk.

Using soft, yellow font, the resume template below inverts the usual color scheme of a resume without trying too hard to be creative.

Recommended For: C-Suite Executives

If you have years of experience in an executive

How to Create an Email Newsletter [+ Expert Tips & Checklist]

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

As the former head of marketing for two different tech startups, I learned firsthand that email newsletters can be an incredibly powerful tool in any marketer’s toolbox.

Plus, experts suggest that the ROI on email marketing may be as high as $40 for every dollar spent, and according to HubSpot’s global survey of marketing professionals, nearly 9 out of 10 marketers plan to continue or increase their investment into email marketing in 2024. So, how do you create an email newsletter?

In this article, I’ve put together a comprehensive checklist to help you get started with your email newsletter strategy. Drawing on my own experience, as well as expert tips and the latest data-driven insights, you’ll find everything you need to know about drafting, perfecting, and sending your very own email newsletter.

How to Start an Email Newsletter

Creating a great email newsletter is easier said than done. It’s not just about throwing together some content: You’ll have to proofread the copy, create compelling calls-to-action, design the email to work for multiple inboxes and devices, avoid spam triggers, brainstorm clickable subject lines, and so much more.

You’ll also have to make sure you stay within the confines of email law, and if you mess up any part of your email, there’s no undoing it once you send it to your subscribers — so the pressure’s on.

The good news is that if you follow the checklist below, you’ll be sure to remember all the steps involved in crafting a compelling, effective newsletter.

Ready to get started? Here’s everything you need to know to create an email newsletter that’s tailored to your business or personal goals.

Step 1. Choose an email newsletter tool.

The first thing you’ll need to do is choose the best email newsletter tool for your budget, goals, and level of technical skills.

HubSpot offers one of the best email marketing tools you can use to send optimized, well-designed newsletters. It’s part of Marketing Hub, which is a collection of marketing automation software for small-to-enterprise businesses.

HubSpot’s newsletter tool also offers a number of integrations and alternative email newsletter design tools, such as Beefree. This tool is easy to learn, and best of all, you can start for free. Throughout the sections below, I’ve included screenshots from HubSpot’s email newsletter tool to illustrate each step in action.

Step 2. Figure out your newsletter's goal.

Learn the types of newsletters you can send in our free email newsletter guide.

Once you’ve selected an email newsletter tool, it’s time to think about your goals. Don’t jump straight into writing. Instead, it’s important to ensure you’re fully aware of why you’re investing in your newsletter at all and how it fits into your larger content strategy.

As marketing expert Ammar Mazhar explains, “With clear goals, it can be easier to determine the campaign’s effectiveness and make necessary adjustments to improve its performance.”

Mazhar continues, “Goals also help to align the email marketing efforts with the overall business objectives and ensure that the campaign is aligned with the company’s goals and target audience.”

Is your newsletter meant to drive more traffic to your blog? Help you generate leads? Get more email contacts? Send traffic to your website? Promote new products and services? It’s essential to start by figuring out your goal (or goals). Then, the rest of your decisions can be informed by those larger objectives.

You should also define some Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs, for each of your goals. It’s important to go beyond “how many people opened my email” and instead come up with KPIs that are closely tied to your overall business goals. To be sure, email open rates can be a great indicator of a newsletter’s performance — but they shouldn't be the only number you track.

For example, one in three marketers report that click-through rate is one of the top two metrics they track when measuring the performance of an email campaign, while 31% list open rate as a top metric to track. If you’re not sure where to start, here are some more email marketing metrics that may be worth considering.

Image Source

Step 3. Choose a template and gather your content.

Now, after you’ve settled on your newsletter’s goals, you can choose a template and start finding content for it.

If you haven’t designed your own emails before, I’d recommend looking into pre-made templates — while they’re not required, these templates can save you a lot of trouble down the line. And if you’re using HubSpot, you can easily access pre-made templates right in the email tool.

Of course, once you’ve got a template, you’ll need to come up with some content. In general, there are two approaches to content creation: active and passive.

If you take an active approach, that means you’ll actively hunt for content that will meet your specific goals. In contrast, if you take a passive approach, that means you’ll just wait until you randomly stumble across content that could fit nicely for your newsletter.

Personally, I tend to do a lot of active searching for content, as I’ve found that this can be a great way to source the best ideas to meet my exact needs. That said, a more passive approach can save a lot of time. So, depending on how often you plan to send your newsletter, you can determine whether you’ll need to actively search for content, or will be able to rely on passively finding content in the time between when each email is sent.

For example, if you only intend to send a newsletter once per month, bookmarking relevant links throughout the month can be a good option. That way, once it’s time to come up with content, you can just go back through your bookmarks, rather than having to start hunting for content from scratch.

At the end of the day, how you prefer to gather content is up to you. But if you’re not sure where to start, I always recommend sifting through places such as your company’s blog, social media accounts, lead-generation offers, internal newsletters, and training documents for inspiration.

Featured Resource: Email Newsletter Lookbook

Need some inspiration for the content you can include in your newsletter? HubSpot’s Email Newsletter Lookbook highlights some of the best email newsletters across industries to help you plan out your email newsletter.

Step 4. Personalize your template.

A template is an important starting point — but if you want to create a great newsletter, some personalization is essential. In HubSpot’s Marketing Hub, you can adjust your template by clicking on elements and editing the specifications on the left-hand panel.

Of course, personalization doesn’t mean that your template should be flashy. Even newsletters with minimal text and color formatting can perform really well. Rather than adding lots of unnecessary custom features, the best designs make it easy for recipients to scan the email and click on interactive elements.

Pro tip: I like to use HubSpot’s AI Email Writer to help me design newsletters. This tool can generate a first draft of your copy, and you can then select a template that suits your needs.

Another key component of an email newsletter template is mobile responsiveness. Research shows that 41.9% of email views occur on mobile phones, making mobile-friendly email design a non-negotiable. So, as you personalize your template, make sure that it looks good, no matter the screen size.

Step 5. Set your email newsletter size.

When you send a regular email, you don’t usually have to worry about its size. But when it comes to email newsletters, it’s important to make sure you’ve optimized factors like the height, width, and resolution of your email.

This is especially complicated when you consider that different subscribers will likely open your email on different devices and through email clients. Given this variance, how are you supposed to know what size or resolution your email should be?

Most providers will default to a newsletter size of 600 pixels wide, with another 30 pixels of body padding on all sides. Unfortunately, when this adjustment happens, the content inside your newsletter might not look very good. As such, it’s essential to ensure that your newsletter design fits inside that standard 600-pixel width.

Email height (or rather, length) is a little more flexible: Ultimately, your email can be as long as you want it to be, and email clients are unlikely to distort its design.

That said, if your email goes on forever, people are much less likely to click through to your website or other CTAs. Moreover, email clients with sensitive spam filters might flag your email as spam if it’s excessively lengthy. If you’re not sure how long is too long, a rule of thumb I’ve found helpful is to try to make sure it doesn’t take your recipients more than a second to scroll through to the end of your email.

Step 6. Add in your body content.

So, you’ve got an email template, and you’ve made sure it’s a good size. Now it’s time for the fun part: filling in your template with words and pictures. This will be the meat of your email newsletter, so it’s worth spending the time to perfect it.

Ben Berkley, managing editor for The Hustle, says it should be clear to your audience what kind of value to expect from the newsletter but ensure the content isn't predictable. This way, readers never know what they'll get, but "they know it’ll be worth their while to read through it."

If you’re not sure where to start, this comprehensive guide offers some helpful tips and tricks for crafting email newsletter copy. I also love the email newsletter examples in this article, which you can look through for inspiration.

But in general, I’ve found that keeping the copy short and sweet is an effective way to encourage click-throughs (though there are certainly plenty of exceptions). In addition, including plenty of imagery can help support your copy and engage your readers. You can also consider leveraging generative AI tools like ChatGPT to help you craft a first draft. In fact, HubSpot’s recent survey of marketing professionals found that 32% of global marketers believe that generative AI is helpful for writing copy for emails.

Most importantly, don’t forget to edit your email content thoroughly. You might even want to share it with a teammate for a once-over, to get a fresh set of eyes and catch any errors you may have missed. After all, once the email is sent, you can’t fix those embarrassing typos — so it’s definitely worth double-checking everything before clicking send.

Step 7. Add in personalization tokens and intelligent content.

When I get an email newsletter that feels like it’s been written just for me, I open it, click on all the links, and share it with my friends. When it feels like a trusted friend or mentor took the time to put together a thoughtful piece of content with just the things I’m interested in, it’s a recipe for engagement.

As senior content writer Rebecca Riserbato explains, “One of the main benefits of email marketing is that your content can be highly personalized to your audience's needs. Your emails might have variations, including different images or subject lines to increase your engagement. You can even create segmented lists based on geography or engagement levels.”

So, what does it take to craft a newsletter that feels truly personal? Here are three of my favorite strategies.

1. Segment your emails.

The first strategy is to segment your emails into multiple groups. This will enable you to choose content that’s specific to each audience, rather than sending everyone the same thing.

As digital marketing expert Maggie Douglas describes in her comprehensive review of email segmentation, “If you get your email marketing segments right, your customers will receive relevant emails packed with information that they actually want. That personalization leads to more conversions, more purchases, and happier customers.”

2. Use personalization tokens.

Next, use personalization tokens to greet individual recipients by name, congratulate them on an anniversary or birthday, or reference particular topics you know they’re most interested in.

If your marketing software supports personalization tokens, this is generally fairly straightforward to implement — and it can significantly improve your conversion rates. In HubSpot’s Marketing Hub, you can add personalization tokens by simply clicking “Personalize” in the top navigation bar.

Pro tip: I don’t like to use too many personalization tokens. It’s all about balance: A bit of custom content is good, but you don't want to creep out your recipients.

3. Leverage smart content.

Finally, leveraging smart content is another great way to personalize your emails. Smart content makes it possible to show one piece of content to one segment of your audience, while showing other pieces of content to other audiences.

For example, a smart CTA could enable prospective customers to see a CTA for talking to a sales rep, while existing customers could see a CTA to get tickets for a customer-only event. Neither audience would want to see the other audience’s CTA, and with smart content like this, you can show each person only the CTA that’s relevant to their needs.

Step 8. Choose your subject line and sender name.

Most of us tend to focus on the body

General Cover Letter: 15 Cover Letter Templates to Perfect Your Next Job Application

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Are cover letters necessary? I'm not in HR, but I've been approached by applicants who wondered whether their cover letter would actually be read.

My answer isn't very popular: "Sometimes." Sometimes it will be read. Other times, you can get away with just sending in your resume — like when you network your way into applying for a position.

The truth is, you can't really predict on a case-by-case basis — and you're better safe than sorry. For the most part, having a cover letter will give you an upper hand in ways your resume doesn't.

It allows you to show off your writing skills, provide details that you couldn't fit on your resume, demonstrate your passion, and show your willingness to put in as much time and effort as possible.

If you’ve ever rolled your eyes or balked at an application that required a cover letter, this guide is for you. I’ll go over how to write a cover letter and provide cover letter templates to help you perfect your own.

Seems fairly basic, right? Cover letters can hold different levels of importance to an employer depending on your industry and the job you're applying for.

49% of recruiters say sending a cover letter along with your resume boosts your chance of landing the role.

If you do plan to write a cover letter, keep in mind there are certain qualities it should have that are not included in the definition above.

How to Write a General Cover Letter

Job searching can be tedious and timely, so you may find yourself applying for dozens of jobs in the process.

To make this process simpler, I find that having a general cover letter that you can easily tweak to fit different job openings is a game changer.

Here's how to write a general cover letter so that you don't to keep writing a new one from scratch with every application.

1. Write Your Heading

Your heading should always include your name and contact information. For years, it was also common to include your physical address and that of the recipient, but nowadays, it may not always be necessary.

"I used to always include my physical address and that of my employer, but I stopped after realizing it takes up so much room and just feels archaic," says HubSpot blogger Erica Santiago.

She says, "I've never gotten any mail sent to my home from prospective jobs, and I've never had to mail my application. So, I just include my city and state in my heading, especially if the job posting explicitly states the company wants some based in a specific region."

So, should you include the company's address in your cover letter?

"This is probably odd, but I always include the company's address because I like to think it shows I did my research," Santiago says. "I've sent probably over 100 cover letters in my life, and I eventually found myself at HubSpot, so I have to be doing something right (laughs)."

If you think physical addresses are taking up too much space in your cover letter, then consider omitting them. I'll touch on contact information again later.

2. Greet the recipient

Avoid "To whom it may concern" if possible. I find that greeting the recipient that way gives the impression that you didn't take the time to research who you should be addressing.

Instead, try to look up the name of the hiring manager or recruiter. Doing so shows attention to detail and care—qualities employers love to see.

If you can't find a name, "Dear Hiring Manager" is fine.

3. Introduce yourself and explain your intentions.

State early on who you are, what position you are applying for, and why. Often, businesses may be hiring for multiple roles, so you want to ensure whoever is reading your cover letter knows exactly why you're reaching out.

4. Highlight your qualifications, skills, and passion for the job.

This is where things get a little tricky. Your attached resume will also include skills and qualifications, so you may think you just need to regurgitate what's in your resume, right? Wrong.

Obviously, some information may overlap, but your cover letter is a chance to go into more detail than you could on your resume.

For example, Let's say a potential employer is looking for a self-starter and results-driven person.

This is a great opportunity to mention when you took it upon yourself to spearhead a project that generated more revenue for your previous or current company.

Connect your skills and qualifications to your unique accomplishments.

Finally, show that you are passionate about the opportunity.

"I once had an interview with a pet insurance company," Santiago says. "I worked into the cover letter my love for my two cats, how pet insurance grants me peace of mind, and how I want to help give that same peace of mind to others via the job position."

She explains, "Cover letters are a chance to show your personality, your sense of humor, your motivations, and your passions. All these things can make you stand out from other other applicants."

5. Leave space for customization.

Your general cover letter should be designed so that you can easily update it to appeal to whatever opportunity you're applying to.

So, leave a blank space for the hiring manager or company's name, and format it so you can add or remove skills and qualifications as needed.

6. End with a "thank you" and mention how to contact you.

Santiago says she always includes a variation of the following sentence at the end of her cover letters:

"I would love to discuss this opportunity more via an interview. I can be reached via email, LinkedIn, and phone at XXX-XXX-XXXX."

She explains, "I always hyperlink my email and LinkedIn profiles, along with having them spelled out somewhere in the heading."

General Cover Letter Example

The above general cover letter example includes many of the same points I made about how to create one.

Notice the company's address is included but not the applicants and that there are blank spaces for the writer to change information such as the recipient, positions, and skills.

My only critique of this example is that it could use more personality and a punchier hook (more on hooks later).

What to Include in a Cover Letter

So, what should you include? I covered a bit of this already, but I want to dive a little deeper.

Don't worry, I'll let the 11 templates below this list do most of the talking. No matter which one you download, pay attention to the following elements — all of which should shine through in the letter you send to your future manager.

1. Contact Information

Cover letters shouldn't just carry your contact information but also that of the company to which you're applying. Contact info includes your phone number, email address, and any social media accounts you're willing to share and receive connections to.

As I said earlier, home addresses aren't always required, but they can be a helpful reassurance to the employer that you already live nearby and would have no trouble coming into the office.

Avoid offering phone numbers, email addresses, or actual addresses that belong to your current employer.

Using your personal Gmail address over your work email, for example, ensures your correspondence with recruiters remains separate from all of your current work communication.

2. A Personal Address Line

For as often as you see "to whom it may concern" at the top of cover letters today, do your best to avoid writing this exhausted line.

Address lines that specify a person or company grab your reader's attention much more quickly, and show the employer that you've taken the time to tailor your application letter to them.

Don't have the name of the hiring manager? "Employers at [company name]" will do just fine.

3. A Hook

A "hook" is a clever introduction that "hooks" your reader into wanting to learn more. Think about yourself as a job candidate — what makes you unique?

What about your career might a recruiter be intrigued by that you can package into an interesting first sentence?

4. Why You're Qualified

Again, today's best applications describe why this experience qualifies the applicant for the job they're applying for.

For example, don't just state that you spent three years writing for a company blog. Explain that this type of work lends itself to managing your new potential employer's content calendar every week.

5. General Knowledge of the Business

Grammatical errors could mean your application is thrown in the trash, but that's not the only thing that could get your letter tossed aside.

Using a generic "one-size-fits-all" cover letter — especially if you forget to change the name of the company — will also hurt your chances of landing an interview.

So, if you take the time to write a cover letter, take the time to comment on the business itself. Why are you applying to this company? What about their business stuck out to you as a professional?

Now, let's take a look at an example cover letter, what makes it effective, along with 11 templates you can download or draw inspiration from.

Cover Letter Example

Image Source

The example above illustrates how to write a marketing cover letter using the elements I listed.

Besides the contact information and the address line, the first few paragraphs explain why the candidate is qualified for the position. This example uses specific data to show why they would be a good fit.

Additionally, in the second to last paragraph, the candidate discusses why they're interested in the specific company, demonstrating general knowledge of the business.

By combining all the elements to a cover letter, this is a great example to use for inspiration.

Featured Resource:5 Professional Cover Letter Templates

Download These Templates for Free

14 Free Cover Letter Templates for Your Next Job Application

Template 1: Basic

Image Source

The example above is a basic (but great) cover letter. The numbered sections are explained in more detail below.

1. Header

The level of formality your header has will depend on the company to which you apply. If you're applying to a formal business, it's important to use a formal header to open your cover letter, like in the sample above.

Put your address, the date, and the company's address. But if you're applying to a company that isn't as formal, you don't need to include yours and the company's addresses. You can still include the date, though.

2. Greeting

Using "To Whom It May Concern" is okay, but you may want to take the time to research the name of the recruiter or hiring manager online.

If you do your research and aren't confident you found the right name, then you should definitely use the generic greeting — but if you are sure, then it shows you put in the effort to find their name and it will catch the recruiter's eye.

If you have the recruiter's name, do you greet them by their full name, or by their courtesy title (i.e. Mr., Ms., or Mrs.)? Similar to the header, it depends on the company's level of formality.

If you're applying to a corporate business, you may want to consider using "Mr. Snaper" instead of "Jon Snaper." If you're applying to a start-up or a business with a more casual culture, you can use "Jon Snaper," as shown in the example.

3. Introduction

Your opening paragraph should, in 1-3 sentences, state why you're excited to apply and what makes you the perfect candidate. Get right to the point, and don't worry about explaining where you found the posting or who you know at the company.

This isn't a place to go into detail about why you're a great candidate — that's for the second paragraph. Here, simply list a few key reasons in one sentence to set up the rest of your letter.

Keep in mind that the recruiter may cross-reference your cover letter with your resume, so make sure the two sync up.

4. Paragraph 2: Why You're a Great Fit for the Job

Next, sell yourself and your experience by choosing one or two concrete examples that show why you're a great fit for the position. What did you do at a previous company that gave you relevant experience?

Which projects have you worked on that would benefit the new company? How will your prior experience help this company grow? Stay humble in your explanation of credentials while still showing that you would be an asset to the team.

Use this paragraph to show you're genuinely excited and interested in the position.

5. Third Paragraph: Why the Company Is a Great Fit for You

While it's certainly important you're a good fit for the job, it's also important that the company is a good fit for you.

"A cover letter typically describes why you're great for a company — but how will you benefit from getting hired?" asks former HubSpot Team Development Manager Emily MacIntyre. "We want to know why our company appeals to you, and how it will be a mutually beneficial working relationship."

In the third paragraph, show you're serious about growing and developing your career at this new company. What impresses and excites you about the company?

Is there something that you feel strongly about that aligns with the company's goals? For example, the candidate in the sample letter used this space to show his personal commitment to environmental causes aligns with the company's green initiatives.

6. Strong Closer and Signature

Don't get lazy in the final few sentences of your cover letter — it's important to finish strong.

Be straightforward about your interest and enthusiasm about the new position, and tell them you're available to talk about the opportunity at any time. Be sure to include your phone number and email address.

At this point, the ball is (rightly) in the recruiter's court to decide how to follow up.

Last but certainly not least, thank them for their time and consideration. Use a formal sign-off like "Best," "All the best," or "Sincerely," and finish by typing out your full name. You don't need to sign it with a pen.

Template 2: Data-Driven Marketing Cover Letter

Get it here.

When applying to a data-driven position, it might be tempting to inject your cover letter with, well, the data to describe what you've done for other employers.

But in an application letter — particularly for the marketing industry — how you convey this data is just as important as the data itself.

The cover letter template above, which we created here at HubSpot, can help you present the data that's most important to you as a candidate such that it'll matter to your future employer.

Notice the three bullet points near the center of the letter above, preceded by the statement: "... I've developed a strategy that has helped the company achieve ..."

This setup is important, because while you can add as many statistics as you want to this template, your data points should describe how your current/former business benefited from your work, rather than how you, yourself, benefited.

Template 3: Straight-to-the-Point Cover Letter

Get it here.

Harvard Business Review contributor David Silverman hailed the above cover letter example as "The Best Cover Letter I Ever Received."

For context, Silverman believes there are only a handful of times when writing a cover letter is actually necessary:

When you know the name of the hiring manager.
When you know something about what the job requires.
When you've been referred to the job personally.

Under those three circumstances, a straight-to-the-point cover letter like the one above could be your best bet. Because it's so concise, however, make a point to add your own letterhead above the message itself.

It might be easy for a recruiter to sift through a short and sweet cover letter like the one above, but it's just as easy for it to get lost in the shuffle of their application list without a unique design or format.

Template 4: Referral Cover Letter

Get it here.

Just because a friend or colleague recommended you for a job doesn't mean the company is all set to hire you. Therefore, the cover letter template above is written specifically for referrals.

We made this one here at HubSpot. Download it here (it comes with four other cover letter templates, too).

As you can see in the picture above, the first paragraph of the cover letter is dedicated entirely to acknowledging the circumstances of your applying: You know someone who works there — no harm in that.

But there might be harm in not mentioning it to the hiring manager. Telling the reader about your connection at the company shows you're aware and confident of the actions you take to get the opportunities you're interested in.

Ultimately, it's better than the recruiter hearing about your employee connection from somebody else.

As for the rest of the cover letter, treat your message the same way you would if you had applied with no connection from within. Your skills and successes are no less important because of your internal referral.

How to Build an Inclusive SEO Strategy That Attracts and Converts More Customers

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better.

I’m an inclusive marketing consultant and the founder of Thompson Media Group. I also follow a gluten-free diet for health reasons. When I go to a restaurant’s website, I’m wondering, does their menu work for "People like me?"

Your ideal customers are going to have these questions, as "people like me" often refers to an identity consumers hold.

And, people with underrepresented and underserved identities often wonder about how their identity might impact the degree of success they can achieve with your brand and, if it will impact whether they’ll feel like they belong.

It’s up to you to ensure your brand sends the right signals with your content — to communicate "You Belong Here," to all the people you want to serve. And, one of the best ways to do that is with an inclusive SEO strategy.

In this post, I’ll explain how to implement inclusive SEO strategies that help you draw in a diverse audience.

How to Communicate "You Belong Here" to The People You Serve

When you know the 'why' behind your customer’s questions, it's easier to create SEO-based content that gets to the heart of what they need to learn about you.

My pro tip is to focus your efforts on delivering experiences that make it easy for your ideal customers to feel like three key statements are true for your brand:

"This brand sees me and my identity."
"People like me have achieved success here."
"The customer experience for people like me has been considered."

Let’s dive into how you can deliver on these ideals.

1."This brand sees me and my identity."

No one wants to feel invisible but, unfortunately, people from marginalized communities often feel ignored by brands who focus all their attention on those who are part of the "mainstream."

That’s why people who are often ignored are so thrilled when a brand takes the time to "see them."

I keynoted a conference a couple of years ago. Afterward, I saw social media comments from attendees who had referenced how the speaker lineup at the conference made them feel.

Here’s one example where the attendee felt "seen" because she liked seeing women of color like her represented by conference speakers.

And in the other example, the attendee felt invisible because she didn’t see any speakers in her age group.

In the State of Representation in Marketing study I conducted, 63% of respondents over 50 said it was important for them to see people in their age group represented in the brands they buy from.

Overall, age was the second most important factor to them in terms of areas of representation consumers of all ages needed to see to feel like they belong.

Make your customers feel seen by using your content to acknowledge that your customers are different in a way that feels authentic.

2. "People like me have achieved success here."

The people you serve are coming to you because they want you to help them solve a problem, but not everyone achieves success at the same rate.

Over the years I’ve educated many clients about how consumers’ identities have a direct correlation to the degree of success they achieve.

As a brand, it is important for you to be aware of whether specific customers aren’t thriving as others are. This awareness positions you to put solutions in place to close any existing gaps.

Here’s an expert interview I conducted that explains this concept a little further, using an example called "The water vs. the fish principle."

In this episode of the Inclusion & Marketing podcast, I go deeper into various factors that influence your customers’ success, such as race, gender, and sexual orientation, along with advice on how to mitigate them.

In the State of Representation in Marketing study, 52% of consumers said customer testimonials were the area of representation most important to them for the brands they are considering buying from.

Showcase people from underrepresented and underserved communities achieving success with your brand. Doing so will give people who share those identities confidence that they can achieve success with you as well.

3. "The customer experience for people like me has been considered."

I haven’t met anyone who enjoys feeling like an afterthought.

But, far too often, consumers from underrepresented and underserved communities are treated like afterthoughts in the experiences brands deliver. This, in turn, results in a less-than-stellar experience when interacting with a brand.

In the video below, Erin Perkins, a disability advocate, shares her frustration with a common brand experience.

My pro tip is to show your customers they belong with you by delivering stellar experiences that work for all the identities you’re serving.

From talking to thousands of consumers, I’ve learned it is often the small details that make stellar experiences.

One consumer shared about a delightful experience at a hotel, "the towels were super plush and oversized to fit anyone’s size.

It is the small things." Another consumer expressed gratitude that she didn’t have to ask for an accommodation with one brand, because it "was already available."

And another consumer told me she wished brands knew "everyone is different, but we all wanted to be treated the same."

Your customers, no matter their identity, want to feel like they are important as they go through your customer experience.

When consumers feel they are important, they are more likely to be loyal to you as a result. Consumers who feel like a burden or an afterthought will go somewhere else.

Components of an Inclusive SEO Strategy

Once you’ve defined which identities your brand will champion, focus on delivering content that speaks directly to those consumers.

Below I’ll go over the key components of an inclusive SEO strategy that will help you do exactly that.

1. Include SEO-optimized content on your website that answers common identity-based questions.

Many people from marginalized communities are aware of the ways in which they are different and how that impacts their experiences as consumers.

To minimize friction and poor experiences, they will often do advanced research to find out whether or not a brand is for them before making a purchase.

Having SEO-optimized content on your website will help them find the information they need quickly.

In addition, the fact that you’ve taken the time to proactively provide content about the specific topic they’re concerned with showcases that you "see" consumers who have this need and that you considered their experience in advance.

For example, I follow a gluten-free diet. Anytime I’m considering a new restaurant, I need to browse their menu in advance to find out if there are options for me to eat.

However, restaurants often don’t have that information available on their websites. Sometimes I conduct a secondary search to try and find a menu, but I land on unrelated websites like Find Me Gluten-Free.

It’s a missed opportunity. And, almost every time this happens, I end up going to a different restaurant that caters to gluten-free diets and clearly highlights this in its menu options online.

This page from Google's website is a good example. It showcases the accessibility features of Google Pixel phones by including a sponsored video.

It also includes testimonials from individuals in the disability community who use the features to accomplish their goals.

My pro tip: Think about the various identities of the people who have the problem your brand solves. Then brainstorm what common identity-based questions they will have, and create content on your site that makes it easy for them to get the answers to their questions, so they can move forward with you.

2. Create an optimized Google Business Profile.

My husband once searched 'peluqueria' (the word for barbershop in Spanish) on Google, and got no local results. When I queried "barber shop," I got a result for a location less than 50 feet from where we stood.

Simple adjustments to that business’ Google Business Profile, would have helped it appear for my husband searching in Spanish.

Vero Massage Therapy is a great example of an optimized Google Business Profile, as it makes it clear to LGBTQ+ and Latino communities that they are welcome at the spa.

Salon 54, pictured below, also does a great job at this by including key accessibility information to let all visitors understand their options.

To activate this inclusive SEO strategy for yourself, create a Google Business Profile and add the attributes that make sense for your brand based on the customers you serve.

I have a podcast episode, linked below, all about how to optimize your profile for multiple languages and identity groups.

Real customers can also leave reviews (and you can encourage them to do so) of your business highlighting their experiences.

When prospective customers see uncurated reviews from people like them on your profile, it gives them the confidence they need to take the next step forward with you.

The image below is from Klickrr, a text-marketing software company that has customer reviews on its Google Business Profile.

3. Understand your brand’s values and how you live those values over time.

HubSpot’s Consumer Trend Survey found that consumers care that companies take a stance on social issues, and 42% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand based on their commitments to diversity and inclusion.

The people you serve want to know what your brand values are, and how you practice them on a daily basis.

This could look like creating content that talks about your journey to inclusivity and how you build relationships with and support different communities.

I think MindBodyGreen is a great example of doing this successfully, especially with their blog post highlighting why they removed the word "infertility" from their website.

Sephora also does this by highlighting their progress toward their diversity goals.

The Home Depot also communicates its lived values with content highlighting its "Retool Your School" program, which supports historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

The program has existed for 15 years, and the brand’s YouTube channel even has a playlist of the impact the program has had on campuses over the years.

My pro tip is to implement this component of an inclusive SEO strategy by creating content that highlights your values, and then continuing to publish SEO-optimized content that demonstrates how you’re living your values.

Your customers won’t know about your values or how you live them if you don’t tell them. It isn’t bragging, or being performative to talk about the work you are doing and the impact you are having on communities.

It’s an inspiring way for the people you serve to see what you’re doing and hold you accountable to your goals.

Besides, the more consumers are able to see your commitment to causes and communities that are also important to them, the more drawn they will be to your brand.

Small Tweaks Can Make Your SEO Strategy More Inclusive

Any effective strategy has to start by understanding your customers.

Acknowledge the diverse identities of your customers, and work to deliver experiences through your content that satisfy the questions people with different identities might have when it comes to your brand.

When you show that your values align, conversions increase.

How HubSpot's Social Team Grew Their LinkedIn Presence by 84% in Six Months, According to HubSpot's Director of Social

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Welcome to HubSpot's Expert Edge Series, where we interview top execs at major brands to explore their perspectives on the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the industry.

Over the past few months, you might've noticed a shift in HubSpot's social strategy.

The more traditional B2B posts have given way for a social media presence that is funnier, more casual, and definitely more meme-ified.

Which led me to wonder: What's the reason behind the shift?

As HubSpot's Global Director of Social Media, Bryna Corcoran, told me: "About seven months ago, we started to speak to the next generation of marketing or sales reps — we started to use the Gen Z and millennial tone-of-voice. We started to dabble in internet culture; we started to post memes, which, you know, definitely got us some questionable faces. We started to make it more of a conversational community. And it's working."

Turns out, it's more than just working. In the past seven months alone, HubSpot's social team has seen 84% year-over-year growth on LinkedIn.

Here, Corcoran shares with me her tips for growing a LinkedIn community, as well as her broader insights on how to succeed across social platforms in 2024.

HubSpot's Director of Social On Creating A Strong LinkedIn Strategy, Becoming Relevant to Gen Z, and Experimenting Constantly

LinkedIn's Audience Has Changed: So Your Content Should, Too

When I sat down with Corcoran, the first question I asked her was simple: Why LinkedIn?

She told me there are several reasons. For one, some users have found it harder to thrive on X (previously known as Twitter), so they've gradually migrated to LinkedIn for that similar "open-forum town square" feel.

Additionally, more Gen Z's and younger millennials are now turning to LinkedIn for career development and job searching.

So the social team saw an opportunity: Why not test out their Twitter tone-of-voice — short, text-only casual posts, or what she calls "shower musings" — on LinkedIn?

And it blew up.

Corcoran says, "In the beginning, we were unsure how our new strategy would perform, so we treaded lightly by posting only a few times a week. But I'm happy to report that we're gaining followers faster than ever, and that's because we're taking a personal approach."

She adds, "It's almost like we're turning HubSpot into a person, rather than a brand, by discussing the musings of how our customers are thinking or feeling on a daily basis as they try to grow their companies."

LinkedIn's Users Expect to Interact With Businesses on the Platform, So It's a Good Platform to Lean Into

There's another benefit to LinkedIn, too — while Instagram and Facebook are largely for personal connections, users expect to interact with businesses on LinkedIn. In fact, it's the purpose of the channel.

In other words: Businesses aren't breaking through quite as high of a barrier on LinkedIn when it comes to figuring out authentic ways for users to interact with them.

As Corcoran told me, "Don't sleep on LinkedIn — It is one of the most credible platforms. To be on the platform, you need to put your real first and last name, and your work history is accurate, and you're a reflection of the school you went to or the company you work for … so you're much more likely to contribute thoughtfully on LinkedIn compared to other platforms."

She continues, "So what we've found on LinkedIn is a vibrant community of people who just like being on the platform, and like sharing their thoughts. Of course there are debates, but they're healthy debates. And so we've found people who are inspired to engage with us, talk to us, talk to each other, have civil discourse, laugh with us, and thumbs-up each other's comments."

One other big plus and differentiation for LinkedIn? Its ability to amplify your content to new audiences simply by engaging with the content. If Corcoran and I are connected as colleagues but I don't follow HubSpot and she comments on or likes a HubSpot post, LinkedIn will auto-publish that interaction and post to my own feed. Which means LinkedIn provides incredible opportunities to broadcast your content to reach new prospects and leads simply through light-weight engagement.

Take an Audience-First Approach With Any Social Strategy — While Also Leaning Into Cultural Relevancy

Roughly six months ago, Corcoran and her team decided to develop new, fresh personas for their social channels to enable them to take an audience-first approach. Now, when they're crafting a piece of social content, they're able to keep that person top-of-mind.

For instance, one persona they've developed is the sales rep who is trying to get their cold calls answered. From there, it's easier to brainstorm clever, relatable text-based thoughts that could resonate with that persona and make her feel like HubSpot understands their challenges.

Corcoran told me she also looks at cultural moments. "We look at things that people are talking about outside of the HubSpot universe. What's top of mind for them? If we can connect to what's going on in culture, it's even stickier and more relatable."

She adds, "In the beginning, there was a little bit of the 'let's try everything' method, because it was uncharted. So we decided to test a lot: Does our audience gravitate to a Barbie meme? Are we rubbing people the wrong way if we lean into grammatical errors because that's how Gen Z types?"

Now, before Corcoran's team posts anything, they ask themselves three questions:

Who is this for?
What's the HubSpot way in?
How can we connect it to culture?

If they can strike those three things well, they typically find success. But, as Corcoran points out, they don't crush it every time — and they're still learning.

You Might Be Surprised By What Types of Content Performs Best With Your Audience, So Testing is Key

When HubSpot won a G2 award recently, Corcoran's team posted a traditional, official asset to highlight the award. And it got widely shared.

But then, later that afternoon, they decided to post a Miley Cyrus Grammy awards image with the caption, "buying myself flowers to celebrate all these G2 wins".

As Corcoran told me, "That blew up. People were really energized by the fact that we had a little bit of swag with our G2 announcement. And the more fun, personality-driven approach accomplishes the same goal for us as the more corporate-looking post: Driving awareness."

One thing we've found," She adds, "is if a post is too polished or clean on social, it gets misunderstood as an ad. So if we're doing a video, we take a TikTok or Reels approach where it's just 30-seconds shot on an iPhone and we put it out."

If you work for a B2B company, it can be tempting to pigeonhole your brand on social as polished, professional, and formal. But that doesn't necessarily have to be the case — the more you can personify your business, the easier it will be for decision-makers to connect with your brand.

Of course, what works best for one business will flop for another. So it's equally critical you continue to test and iterate over time. At the end of each month, for instance, Corcoran and her team look at every single post and say, 'Okay, how did this one perform? Was it short and easy-to-read? Was the graphic too corporate-y?'

As Corcoran notes, over time, you begin to notice themes. And those themes can help you get better at predicting what performs well with your audience … and what doesn't.

(Bonus Tip: Corcoran suggests posting on LinkedIn three to four times per week; but she encourages businesses to avoid posting on the weekends, since people typically aren't using the platform during their time off. Additionally, she's seen the most success posting first thing in the morning, around lunchtime, or around 5-6 PM — basically, when people are waking up, when they're taking a lunch break, or when they're winding down after work.)

Shares Means Your Content Connected Emotionally With Your Audience

Finally, I asked Corcoran how she measures success on social. How does she know her team's social posts are driving business impact?

Here's how Corcoran thinks about it: "We know a Miley Cyrus meme won't get you to purchase software, but we want you to be aware of HubSpot — that we're present, that we're culturally relevant — so that we're top-of-mind when you are in the buying motion."

She continues, "Our master goal is brand awareness and product consideration, and the way we measure brand awareness is through engagement: Whether that's liking, commenting, or sharing."

In particular, she told me she gets really excited about shares — because that tells her that the content connected emotionally with the user on some level. It means a user slowed down and said, 'This is so relevant to me that I need to share it with someone else.'

Corcoran says, "Oftentimes, that person will share with someone who hasn't heard of HubSpot, and suddenly they're curious about us."

With Social, Be Willing to Test the Boundaries

Ultimately, if there's one thing I learned from Corcoran, it's this: B2B businesses have historically played it safe when it comes to creating engaging content on social media.

But social media users' expectations are rapidly evolving, and it's critical your business continue to evaluate and iterate on its own social strategy to reach new audiences and drive brand awareness in 2024 and beyond.

What is an editorial calendar? Your Guide to Editorial Calendars [Examples + Templates]

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

If you're anything like me, you're consistently working out of at least 20 browser tabs, four journals, a yellow legal pad or two, and myriad Post-it notes stuck around your computer monitor.

To the average director, it's nothing short of chaos, but to the regular blogger—it's evidence of a (desperate) need for an editorial calendar.

Table of Contents

What is an editorial calendar?

Editorial Calendar Benefits

Who should use an editorial calendar?

How to Create an Editorial Calendar

Editorial Calendar Examples

Content Calendar Sample

My experience as a blogger has taught me that without a mutually agreed-upon system for planning, writing, and scheduling content every week, anyone can find themselves in a pile of missed deadlines, unedited blog posts, and a fair amount of team tension.

There's no such thing as a perfect editorial calendar — it all depends on the needs of your team. Nonetheless, there are several questions you should ask yourself to determine what your editorial calendar should look like. These include:

How frequently are you publishing content? Do you have stuff going live every day? Once a week? Perhaps multiple times a day? Find out how often you publish to figure out the best way to visualize your editorial calendar.
Do you create more than one type of content? If you upload as many videos to YouTube as you publish articles to your company blog, your editorial calendar will need to distinguish between the two.
How many people will use this editorial calendar? The best editorial calendars allow multiple people to brainstorm, collaborate, and offer feedback on assignments in real time — directly on the calendar.
What are the various stages content goes through before it's published? How complex is your content pipeline? Is there a substantial review or approval process that each piece of content goes through? Make sure your calendar can distinguish between two similar assignments that are in different stages of creation.
What format will you use to organize this calendar? You'll want to choose the system that best aligns with your goals and your team's workflows.

Put these points into practice by learning how to create your content calendar. Or, keep reading to learn how an editorial calendar can boost your business.

Editorial Calendar Benefits

While an editorial calendar can take time to organize and put in place, this strategy can greatly impact your content marketing.

Improves content quality and consistency.

Planning content in advance makes it easier to create consistent content an audience can rely on.

Plus, I can't emphasize enough how an editorial calendar gives much-needed structure for creating batches of content.

This lets you focus on ideation and content creation separately, giving you more energy and focus to create quality content.

More chances to innovate.

Change is the only constant in marketing strategy. With an editorial calendar, you have a clear view of what content aligns with your new strategy and where to innovate.

This approach also gives you time and space to think of creative angles for each piece of content.

Supports accountability.

Content marketing has a lot of details. Not everyone needs to know what blog or hashtag gets posted when, but an editorial calendar can help every member of your team stay accountable for their pieces in the puzzle.

Streamlines processes.

As your business grows, you might find some processes will also grow more complicated and tasks that were once simple will take up more time.

But an editorial calendar can simplify these processes. It can give your team an easy overview of an entire project, quarter, or campaign from start to finish. This helps different departments and teams coordinate and streamline their efforts.

Better teamwork.

Simplified processes and better accountability mean that your team can work better together.

This lets each member of your team spend more time using their unique abilities to create great content for your business. It also simplifies training and retaining your best employees.

Improves your team experience.

According to 2022 Reclaim.ai research, 76.6% of surveyed marketers say more time for focused work would resolve their burnout.

An editorial calendar creates a consistent plan and a better employee experience. This reduces the stress and uncertainty that can lead to burnout in marketing teams.

Offers clearer data insights.

Editorial calendars offer a clear record of:

Content types
Assets to include in published content
When to publish

This record makes it easier to track content performance. With this tracking in place, your team will be set to optimize and improve your content to meet your goals.

Who should use an editorial calendar?

There are many industries and professionals who benefit from using editorial calendars to organize, track, and post content.

Here's a brief list I made of businesses and industries that should use editorial calendars:

Public Relations

Editorials are a must-have in the public relations industry because professionals in the field must keep track of and schedule materials such as press releases and promotional content.

It's especially important because the materials are released through various channels such as social media, email, television, websites, radio, and more.

Newspapers/Magazines and Other News Outlets

"I used to write for a newspaper in my early career as a journalist," says HubSpot blogger Erica Santiago. "I needed an editorial calendar to track when my work would get published or when I had to publish another contributor."

Newspapers, magazines, and news websites are constantly fielding new content and an editorial calendar helps to ensure the right content is getting posted at the right time and the right place.

Corporate Communications Teams

Corporate communications teams need editorial calendars for the same reason public relations professionals need them. Editorial calendars keep the team organized and ensure content is posted timely and through the right channels.

Individuals and professionals who should use editorial calendars include:

Content Creators

Whether you're a blogger, YouTuber, TikToker, or podcaster — you absolutely need an editorial calendar. Content creators use editorial calendars to plan and schedule their content in advance.

Social Media Managers and Coordinators

"A friend of mine is a social media coordinator for a streaming company, and he uses an editorial calendar to manage and schedule the different posts he needs to put out to promote various shows," Santiago says.

"He manages at least five to 10 different TV show accounts. I can't imagine how frazzled he'd be without an editorial calendar," she explains.

How to Create an Editorial Calendar

A successful editorial calendar is a living project that your business will change as you grow and scale your social media and content strategy. To start the process of creating your own, I have some resources to simplify the process.

Okay, time for me to give you what you came for. With all the different types of calendars you can create, let's discuss the types you can choose and how to plan the rollout of your content.

1. Define your target audience and content themes.

Before you begin plugging content into your editorial calendar, be sure to review your content strategy. Scan for content topics, buyer persona needs, and training your team might need to create winning content.

Trust me when I say you'll need this information to schedule the right content at the right time.

2. Outline content goals and KPIs.

For effective resource management, I strongly suggest using your goals and metrics as a jumping-off point for your editorial calendar. This can simplify reporting and make it easier to quickly gauge the performance of new strategies.

3. Choose a format for organizing your editorial calendar.

Talk to your team about their preferences and work habits before picking a format. Ask each team member:

Where they're working from
What tools they're using
How they organize their content creation
Collaboration needs

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Types of Editorial Calendars

An editorial calendar is essentially a planning tool. Experience has taught me that there's no such thing as a perfect editorial calendar, but some formats will be better than others at helping you solve your team's goals.

Here are some of the different ways to format your editorial calendar and what I see as the pros and cons of each format:

Editorial Calendar Spreadsheet

A spreadsheet is a simple way to organize your content.

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Pros

Easy data aggregation and organization
Cost-effective
Short learning curve and accessible, making collaboration easy
Easy to customize
Integration with calendar apps and content management tools

Cons

Hard to visualize your calendar
Limited options for collaboration
Difficult to get a clear breakdown at a glance
Can be clunky for tracking multiple channels

Content Calendar

A content calendar is a more detailed version of the editorial calendar spreadsheet and helps users visualize content timing.

Pros

Makes it easier to organize content details
The most straightforward way to know what's going out and when
Can include keywords, color coding, tags, assignments, and content types

Cons

There's more to project and content management than publishing dates
Can be time-consuming to put together
A calendar may not always be effective on its own

Project Management Tool

Tools like Trello or Asana can be helpful for complex or multi-channel editorial calendars.

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Pros

Presents a clear editorial workflow
Designed for complex project management
Customizable
Offer collaboration and visualization like a Kanban board

Cons

Can be overwhelming
Has a steeper learning curve for new team members

Editorial Calendar Applications

I love project management tools like Monday.com or CoSchedule can also offer mobile applications. This on-the-go access can help streamline editorial calendar creation and maintenance.

Pros

Offers easy access to your editorial calendar
Has choices for content creation, planning, and assigning
Includes collaboration tools and analytics

Cons

Can be expensive
May be difficult to customize

Choose the best format and decide on how you'll implement it. Pick the tool or platform that offers the features or interface your company needs most.

4. Designate your main marketing channels.

Most businesses will be creating distinct content and messaging for each marketing channel. So, choose carefully.

Once you’ve selected your top channels, make thoughtful decisions about organizing this content in your editorial calendar.

Editorial calendars are highly visual tools. If you're not a visual thinker, keep in mind that 65% of people are visual learners, so other people on your team may be.

I also suggest making your editorial calendar easier to interpret with visual cues. Differentiating your calendar with a different color for each channel you post on can cut confusion for your team.

You can also divide post types or subject matter using visuals to ensure you schedule the right content at the right time.

5. Assign roles and responsibilities.

Roles and responsibilities can seem obvious when a content strategy launches, but this clarity can fade over time. That's why I encourage including details like writing, editing, publishing, and image creation in your calendar.

This simple step makes processes, roles, and deadlines clear. It also creates accountability for every member of your team.

6. Study your competition’s posting frequency.

We all need a little inspiration—including me!

Look to other businesses posting in the same industry or niche as yours. Then, study which competitors are successful in capturing attention and how they got to that level of success.

Let me be clear, I am not at all suggesting copying others’ content subject matter or the exact dates or times they post.

Instead, pull inspiration and make your own editorial calendar to grab attention on the days or times competitors aren’t posting. This tactic can also help you find gaps in your content strategy.

No one likes a copycat.

7. Plan your posts consistently.

Content planning is an incredibly important component of any strong marketing strategy.

As Carsyn LeClere, Strategist at Blue Frog, told me:

"Content planning helps provide a better view of all your marketing initiatives and how they play into each other. It's important to have because it ensures you don't duplicate content efforts, cannibalize a topic, miss any initiatives, or neglect any part of the buyer's journey."

She adds, "Being able to plan content at a high level allows you to focus on content that matters and makes it easier to produce content that's consistent with your brand story."

Organizing your editorial calendar for posting on the same weekly schedule can drive exposure for your content and improve engagement.

Posting on a frequent basis keeps your followers coming back for more. Social media platforms reward profiles that drive this engagement with more visibility. And search engines reward content that searchers love to click.

After all, these platforms want to capture and maintain people’s attention too.

When you create a patterned or consistent posting cycle, you’re using each channel in an optimized manner.

For example, if you publish email tips on Tuesdays, your audience will rely on those tips and look for them. If you publish the same useful tips at random, your target audience might miss that content.

So, regular posting keeps your audience engaged and builds a stronger connection with them.

Creating a content calendar that has a clear schedule of posts will help you stay consistent and maintain a steady flow of content.

8. Audit and adapt your editorial calendar as necessary.

It may take some time to perfect your editorial calendar.

If you begin with low engagement in the first couple of months, run a content audit and adapt your content calendar to better engage your followers.

Then, schedule regular audits to measure your content performance and use your content calendar to track the value of any strategic changes.

This is how creating an editorial calendar will make your content marketing more streamlined,

The Best Times to Post on Social Media in 2024 [New Data]

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

As a social media marketer or someone trying to build your social media presence, you know that it isn’t enough just to post new content — the times you post also play a crucial role.

So, if you are wondering what the best times to post on social media in 2024 are, I have got you covered. In this post, I have compiled some of the key statistics from leading studies on the best times to post on social media.

Best Time to Post on Instagram

Instagram has surpassed 2 billion monthly users, with most of its base accessing the platform via mobile.

Here are some of the most recent and relevant studies around the best time to post on Instagram:

Based on analyzing 5.5 million social media posts, Buffer states that the best times to post on Instagram are 7 AM to 8 AM on weekdays.
According to the same report, the best day to post on Instagram is Friday. The worst day is on Sunday.
The worst times to post are 11 PM to 12 AM and 1 AM to 2 AM.
SocialBee suggests that the best times to post on Instagram are between 11:00 AM and 02:00 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, and at 10:00 AM on Saturdays.
According to a SocialPilot study on over 50,000 Instagram accounts, the best time to post on Instagram is between 7 AM and 9 AM.
Later states that the best time to post on Instagram is 4 AM.

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While posting at the right time is important, it is also important to optimize your posts with the right caption so that they reach the maximum audience. You can use tools like Hubspot AI Social Media Caption Generator to easily create engaging and impactful copy for your posts.

Best Time to Post on Facebook

When it comes to the best times to post on Facebook, marketers report almost identical numbers as they do on Instagram.

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According to Buffer, the best time to post on Facebook is between 9 and 10 AM.
The best days to post on Facebook are Fridays. The worst are on Saturdays and Sundays.
The worst times to post are 4 AM to 5 AM and 11 PM to 12 AM.
According to SocialBee, the best times to post on Facebook are between 8 AM and 1 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Best Time to Post on X (Twitter)

After analyzing over 1 million tweets, Buffer found that the best times to post on this text-based social media platform is 11 AM on Mondays and Fridays.

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SocialBee states that the best time to post on X is between 9 AM and 4 PM on Thursdays and Fridays.
For better engagement, SocialPilot suggests posting in the mornings between 8 AM and 10 AM and evenings between 6 PM and 9 PM on weekdays.
On weekends, it's best to post between 11 AM to 5 PM.

Best Time to Post on LinkedIn

Roughly 31% of U.S. adults use LinkedIn to network and share their professional endeavors. It’s no surprise that it’s the only social platform to report a weekday as one of the top days to post.

CoSchedule suggests posting on LinkedIn at 12:00 PM, 10:00 AM, and 1:00 AM.
The best days to post, according to them, are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Wednesdays.
The lowest-performing days are Sundays, Saturdays, and Mondays.
According to Buffer, you can get high engagement if you post between 9 AM and 5 AM on weekdays.
SocialPilot states the best time is between 10 AM and 12 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Best Time to Post on Pinterest

The best times to post on Pinterest, according to CoSchedule, are 12:00 PM, 6:17 PM, and 8:02 PM.
The worst times are 4:00 AM, 5:00 AM, and 1:00 AM.
The best days to post are Fridays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
According to SocialPilot, the best times to post on Pinterest are on Fridays at 3 PM.
On weekends, posting on Saturdays from 8 PM to 11 PM is ideal.

Best Time to Post on YouTube

82% of U.S. adults use YouTube and data from a 2023 Pew Research study suggests that its reach is growing. So, how can you get the best reach on the platform? Let’s dive in.

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Buffer states that videos shared between 3 and 4 PM on Fridays tend to get the highest number of views.
According to SocialPilot, the best time is between 2 PM and 4 PM on weekdays.
Sunday is the best day to post, between 9 AM and 11 AM.

While reports and surveys state one thing, YouTube experts have a slightly different opinion on the best time to post on YouTube.

This is what Robert Benjamin, a social media expert with more than 708K subscribers on YouTube, has to say.

"Personally, I have found the best time to post to be 10 AM - 12 PM, but this can be largely dictated by the relationship that you have with your audience. My recommendation to anyone uploading YouTube content is that they try to post on a regular schedule so that their audience knows when to expect a video."

Jensen Tung, a content creator and entrepreneur with more than 457K subscribers, believes that the best time to post depends on your audience demographic and time zone.

He states, "There is no one-size-fits-all best time to post. It depends on your audience's demographic and the time zone most of your viewers are in … YouTube Studio can show the exact hours your audience watches your content. Let that data inform your posting time.”

Best Time to Post on TikTok

Since 2020, TikTok has become the go-to short-form video platform for Gen-Z and Millennial consumers.

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Studies by SocialPilot show that the best time to post on TikTok is 10 to 11:50 AM, 2:30 to 4 PM, and 6:30 to 9:30 PM from Tuesdays to Thursdays.
Hopper states 10 AM to 11 AM mid-week as the overall best time.
According to Buffer, the best time is 2 PM on Mondays, 4 PM on Wednesdays, and 8 AM on Saturdays.

Creating an Effective Posting Schedule

Although each social network sees its engagement increase at specific hours and days of the week, you’ll still have to tailor your approach to your audience.

Use this data as a guide if you don’t have enough data yet. Once you start posting regularly and have collected data, review it to determine when your audience is most active on the platform and what posting schedule they respond to the most.

You may find that certain content types work better when posted at certain times. For instance, your videos may perform well when posting in the morning, while your images may do better in the late afternoon.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in 2017, but was updated for comprehensiveness.

Everything You Need to Know About YouTube Affiliate Marketing in 2024 (+ Expert Tips & Examples)

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

If I were a creator, one of the first channels I’d explore is YouTube affiliate marketing.

Think about it: Whether you’re sharing a tutorial or a product review, you can add affiliate links to every YouTube video description you create.

Not only that, but you can also stack multiple links to products you recommend without having to put them all in one “link in bio.”

Plus, you don’t have to worry about viewers leaving your page to go search for your product recommendations. Instead, all they need to do is scroll down while watching your video.

While affiliate marketing is often seen on other channels like Instagram, TikTok, or blogs, creators sometimes overlook YouTube as a worthwhile affiliate channel.

So, I want to explore whether or not YouTube affiliate marketing works and how to do it well, according to experts.

Table of Contents:

What is YouTube Affiliate Marketing?
YouTube Affiliate Pros and Cons
YouTube Affiliate Marketing Done Well
YouTube Affiliate Marketing Blunders
Does YouTube Affiliate Marketing Actually Work?

Like other affiliate channels, YouTube affiliate marketing relies on custom links to track the sales you generate from promoting to your audience.

On average, creators earn anywhere from $100 to $5,000 per month in affiliate revenue, according to data from Statista.

And while other channels like Instagram or blogs can be used for affiliate marketing, the industry’s investment in video is one reason creators and marketers should consider YouTube for their affiliate marketing platform of choice.

In fact, 52% of marketers leverage YouTube as part of their social strategy as video becomes a higher priority. You can learn more about YouTube marketing in this HubSpot Academy course.

YouTube Affiliate Marketing Pros and Cons

While I’ve watched many YouTube videos and purchased products using creators’ affiliate links, I’ve never experimented with YouTube affiliate marketing myself.

I was curious to learn what makes YouTube a good channel for affiliate marketing, who it’s best for, and why other channels may work better, so I talked to a few marketing experts.

Pro: Building Trust (with Users and Google)

The first advantage is that it allows creators to reflect their personalities and demonstrate their expertise and qualifications more easily.

“In the age of AI, consumers no longer follow text recommendations at face value,” suggests Austin Tuwiner, head of growth at Geniuslink and a long-time affiliate marketer and YouTuber.

“It’s more about who is behind those words. By establishing a history of videos and expertise in a niche, you will become an industry leader and a go-to source for information.”

Jesse Lakes, CEO and co-founder of Geniuslink, reiterates that trust is a factor not only with your audience but also with Google.

“YouTube’s search API isn’t experiencing the havoc caused by Google's recent updates for website search, where many affiliate-based websites are getting penalized, unlisted, or just seeing their traffic radically drop,” he says.

Pro: Clickable Links

I don’t know about you, but one of my pet peeves about Instagram is not being able to click on links unless they’re in the bio.

When I get product recommendations from an influencer’s video or post, I’m sometimes deterred from visiting someone’s “link in bio” if it means having to click away from what I’m doing.

One of the greatest benefits of using YouTube for affiliate marketing is that it allows you to add many links to the video's description.

Instead of having to click away from the video or open a new tab to search for the product mentioned, you can simply scroll down a bit to click on the affiliate links.

Plus, Lakes suggests that regular YouTube users are already familiar with the act of finding a product link, so there’s no need to “train” your audience to perform a specific behavior.

Pro: Long-form Content

Another advantage of using YouTube for affiliate marketing is the ability to thoroughly discuss and consistently feature the product in videos.

This is due to the long-form nature, suggests Samantha Zink, founder of Zink Talent, an influencer talent agency.

“Unlike static images or quick videos on platforms like Instagram or TikTok, YouTube allows for a vlog-style approach, providing ample time to showcase and sell the product effectively,” says Zink.

She adds, “Longer-form videos offer more opportunity to engage the audience and highlight the product‘s benefits. YouTube’s audience tends to appreciate vlog-style content, fostering a deeper connection and potentially increasing purchase likelihood.”

Con: Platform Risk

Like all other social media channels, you don’t own your audience. YouTube isn’t immune from algorithm changes, and most creators rely on the algorithm to drive traffic to their videos.

Tuwiner highlights this risk, saying that, “Even if you master the algorithm, it can change at any time, sending your traffic and affiliate commissions downhill.”

If you’re like me, this might make you a little uncomfortable and will be a risk that you have to weigh as you move forward with your affiliate marketing.

Con: Production Time

Another consideration while pursuing YouTube affiliate channels is that it usually takes much more time and resources to create content for YouTube than other channels.

Creating a long-form, high-quality video requires recording (which usually entails multiple takes), editing, and then optimizing for YouTube search.

Depending on the type of content you create, you may not want to spend a lot of time making this kind of video.

However, Tuwiner suggests that if the ROI is good enough, the time investment is worth it.

Con: Limited Tools

Lakes also suggests another potential disadvantage of using YouTube affiliate channels is the lack of platform-specific tools.

“YouTube has been trying to roll out tools for improved product recommendations but the general consensus so far has been that they aren’t great or very rewarding,” he says.

Affiliate Marketing Done Well

So, how does affiliate marketing on YouTube look in practice? I found some videos that demonstrate how to execute YouTube affiliate marketing successfully.

Life With Mar

Product reviews are some of the best types of videos for affiliate marketing, and I wanted to include an example of a product review video demonstrating how to successfully use YouTube as an affiliate channel.

Below is a clothing review and try-on video created by blogger and YouTuber Life With Mar.

In this video, Marlene Srdic, the creator behind the channel, reviews multiple items from the lifestyle brand Quince. I personally am a fan of that brand, so I was curious to hear someone else’s unfiltered opinion.

In the video, Srdic shares multiple outfits that she put together using pieces from her Quince haul. However, she also pairs the Quince pieces with clothing and accessories from other brands and adds those affiliate links to her description.

As you can see in the screenshot of her video description below, Srdic adds affiliate links and codes for everything she is seen wearing in the video, even if she doesn’t specifically mention it.

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In fact, Srdic shared with me that link organization is key for YouTube affiliate marketing.

“I usually number them on the screen and in the description box so people can find them easily,” she says. “I also try to describe the product if the product name itself isn't super clear.”

Why I think it works: Finding organic ways to include as many affiliate links as possible is a smart move on Srdic’s part. But it’s also helpful for viewers like me who may be looking for more shopping recommendations.

And when it comes to making recommendations that your audience trusts, authenticity is key, says Zink.

“The key is to authentically incorporate affiliate products into your content, ensuring that each mention feels natural and genuine,” suggests Zink. “By consistently featuring the product across multiple videos, viewers will develop trust in your endorsement and believe that you genuinely use and love it.”

Linus Tech Tips

How-to videos and tutorials are another type of video that works well for affiliate marketing. One channel that successfully shares these types of videos is Linus Tech Tips, an industry leader in consumer tech.

Here’s an example of one of their successful tutorial videos, which has 12 million views and counting:

I like this video because it’s a helpful tutorial for anyone interested in building a PC. But from a marketing perspective, it also offers an organic opportunity to link to specific products and parts mentioned throughout the video.

Why I think it works: Building a gaming computer is not an easy task. It involves many steps and many parts. This video solves both problems by breaking down the process step by step, mentioning every part involved, and letting viewers know where they can buy those parts.

This video also integrates both active and passive recommendations, which Lakes suggests are the main categories of affiliate links you can use on YouTube.

Active recommendations are the recommendations for the products and services used or highlighted directly in the video.

Passive recommendations are typically seen in the second half of the description.

These are typically the same for each video and can help answer more general questions and recommendations, such as what gear was used to create the video or what products or services the creator regularly recommends.

Affiliate Marketing Blunders

It can also be helpful to see how *not* to do affiliate marketing on YouTube.

Out of curiosity, I searched YouTube for “freelancing tools” to find a video that recommended freelancing products and services and included affiliate links.

I clicked on the first one I saw. (Since this is for research purposes and not to shame anyone, I have blocked out the channel name).

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The entire video lacks personalization. In addition to featuring stock video clips and quick product demos, I’m fairly certain it uses an AI voiceover to read its list of recommendations.

When it comes to the affiliate links, it’s clear that they were just dumped into the description in the order they were listed with no additional personalization.

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All of this to say, if I were in the market for new freelancing tools to add to my tech stack, would I trust the recommendations that came from this video? The answer is no.

There’s nothing compelling about this video from a viewer’s perspective.

While the thumbnail that says “13 Best Tools for Freelancers for 2024” may have encouraged me to click the video, hearing a robotic voiceover made me want to exit immediately.

What I’d Change: This video comes from a company channel and not a creator, but I think it would be worthwhile to designate someone from the company to be the face of the YouTube channel.

I am way more likely to trust a human who’s suggesting their favorite tools over a faceless, voiceless computer making recommendations.

As Zink says, “Affiliate marketing thrives with creators who possess the skill for selling, regardless of the size of their following. It's crucial for them to cultivate a loyal audience deeply invested in their recommendations.”

Does YouTube Affiliate Marketing Actually Work?

If you’re comfortable creating long-form videos and investing time into the channel, affiliate marketing on YouTube is worth it.

However, there’s one caveat: you have to build an audience *before* you try monetizing your videos. For affiliate marketing to work, you must first get traffic and views on your videos. This takes time and dedication.

You’ll have to figure out what types of videos drive the most traffic, try out various thumbnail designs to see what attracts viewers, and experiment with different content structures to understand your retention rate.

Lakes suggests, “Until you are actually getting some views on your videos, some engagement in your comments, and your subscriber count is beginning to grow regularly, it’s not worth focusing on affiliate marketing.”

Once you prioritize subscriber growth, views, and retention rate, you can gradually start adding affiliate links for products or services that make the most sense for your videos and audience.

Growing and understanding your metrics is also important if you want to get into YouTube ads, too. You’ll need to know what your CPM, or cost per 1,000 impressions, is to see how much advertisers will pay to reach your audience.

To sum it up, YouTube affiliate marketing works.

From what I’ve seen, you must put in the work to create valuable video content and build an audience. But once you do, YouTube affiliate channels can be a great way to increase your revenue and exercise your influence.

27 Best About Us and About Me Page Examples of 2024 [+Templates]

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

An About page is the perfect place to learn the ins and outs of a brand. It tells you their mission, values, journey, and what others think about them.

But condensing all of this into a few paragraphs is a tall order.

You need a solid structure and a creative layout for your About Us page to leave a lasting impression on visitors — and keep them coming back for more.

I reviewed dozens of About Us and About Me pages to handpick 26 awesome examples for your inspiration. You’ll also find ready-to-use About page templates to get started in minutes.

But first, I’ll share my best tips for writing and designing a stellar About page.

We’ll cover:

What makes a good About page?
How to Write a Winning About Page: A Plug-and-Play Guide
7 Tips for Designing a Beautiful + Functional About Page
About Us Page Templates and Examples
About Me Page Templates and Examples
Frequently Asked Questions on About Pages

Featured Resource: Our 29 Favorite About Us Pages

Download the guide to review what we love about these amazing about us page examples, plus a few tips about how to make one of your own.

What makes a good About page?

A good About page shares your unique story and gives people a glimpse into what it’d be like working with you (as an individual or company).

It should be equally fun and meaningful to resonate with the intended audience. You can document your journey of starting a business with visuals to make the page more appealing.

There’s no one-fits-all structure for About pages because they’re personal to you and your company. However, I’ve curated seven best practices after reviewing some of the best About pages.

Let’s break down the step-by-step process to design a stellar About page.

How to Write a Winning About Page: A Plug-and-Play Guide

I looked at dozens of About pages to understand exactly what goes into creating a beautiful yet functional page introducing you/your company.

I’ve condensed all my learnings from this exercise into a 7-step guide for building an excellent About page.

1. Establish your mission statement.

Your About page can and will be more comprehensive than a single mission statement.

However, to draw people in, you need to succinctly state your goals up top.

What is your business here to do? Why should your website visitors care? This information gives readers something to remember about your company long after they leave your website.

I found that the best About pages quickly tell you the individual/company’s big-picture goals. Here’s a great example from Cosmix — the About page gives you a six-word summary of their biggest goal and shares their three core values.

2. Create a narrative around your story.

Every business has a story to tell.

Even if you’re running a startup with a brief history, you’ll want to share why you started this company in the first place and how you’re planning to reach your goals.

Talk about how you reached where you are today and what you plan to accomplish next.

Miro’s About page shares a short snippet about the company’s origin story. It perfectly explains the problems that nudged their founder, Andrey Khusid, to build the tool and how it’s achieving this purpose.

23 Blog Format Examples That Drive ROI (+ Expert-Backed Takeaways & Tips)

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

As a blog writer, I see good and bad blog format examples every day.

While I like to think that the content is the only thing that draws people to a blog post and keeps them reading, I know that the layout and blog format also play a huge factor.

Images, text, and links need to be optimized just right — otherwise, readers might abandon your blog post if it’s not appealing and easy to follow or doesn’t generate more interest.

That’s why I’ve compiled some of the best blog format examples to help you design the perfect blog for your readers.

Blog Layout Tips

Coming from a blog writer and reader, I know that your blog layout is just as important as the content inside.

Not only is blog layout important for the reader experience, but some elements can also help you optimize your blog for search and make it easier to share.

If you want to improve your blog layout, I have a few tips to make it interesting and easy to read.

1. Create catchy titles.

Your blog title is the first thing people see.

Whether they’re scrolling through the search results or skimming your blog homepage, the headline must be strong enough to pique their interest.

Make sure your blog title is not only interesting but also accurately describes the article’s topic.

In my experience, I usually come up with at least five different title options when I’m drafting a new blog post.

And here’s good news for those who are particularly verbose: Research shows that longer is better when it comes to length.

A study by Backlinko found that blog headlines between 14 and 17 words generated the highest number of social shares.

2. Make it visual.

If you’ve written a long blog post, break up large chunks of text with images, infographics, videos, and charts.

Not only does this keep readers visually engaged, but interactive blog formats drive time on page.

According to benchmark data from Databox, the average time on page for a B2B blog post is one minute and 30 seconds. The average time on page for a B2C blog post is one minute and 26 seconds.

Here’s an example of how that looks on one of HubSpot’s blog posts:

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Educational content, like posts that explain why/what and include varied media, can also drive backlinks.

A content study conducted by Backlinko and BuzzSumo found that blog posts with infographics received 25.8% more links than those without.

Data aside, think about what you’d prefer when reading a blog post: 2,000 words of text with no visual breaks or a long blog post that uses educational or interactive graphics to help tell the story.

3. Make it skimmable.

In addition to using strong visuals throughout, you should also ensure your blog post is easy to read.

In my experience, if I can’t digest the main talking points with one quick scroll, then I’m more likely to leave the page.

You can improve your blog format by adding more structure and organization. Start by adding a table of contents or a quick summary at the top of your post.

Then, add plenty of headers and subheads to separate each section or idea.

Quick SEO tip: When formatting your blog post, your title should be in H1, headings should be in H2, and subheadings are in H3 and H4.

You should also be mindful of spacing and readability. To break up large amounts of text, add plenty of line breaks between thoughts and use bullet points when listing things.

4. Write long-form content.

If you want to increase your blog posts’ shareability, try making them longer.

Brian Dean of Backlinko found that blog posts with over 1,000 words received 56% more social media shares than content with less than 1,000 words.

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Essentially, the more you write, the more information people will find interesting and want to share on social media. More social media shares can lead to more traffic to your blog post.

As someone who regularly writes 2,000-word blog posts, I can tell you that the key to writing long blog posts is to make sure you’re actually providing value.

Value-packed blog posts are more shareable and engaging than those that don’t teach or provide the reader with anything.

If you can share something original — such as proprietary data, first-hand experience, or unique visuals — you’re giving the reader a reason to stay on your blog or take another action on your site.

That's because you’re providing something they can’t find on another blog.

5. Include strong CTAs.

A common mistake I see on blogs is not including a call-to-action (CTA).

You may write the most interesting and informative article, but if you don’t tell the reader what to do next, they’ll simply move on.

It’s essential to include a CTA on every blog post.

A CTA encourages readers to take another step. This could be checking out more posts, downloading your latest ebook, or subscribing to your newsletter.

Depending on your goals, a blog can sit anywhere in your marketing funnel. Most blogs are set up to be top-of-funnel (TOFU), meaning they generate traffic by covering topics people want to learn about.

However, I’ve seen plenty of blogs that are formatted to be powerful lead-generation tools.

HubSpot, for example, excels at weaving in relevant CTAs throughout every post. Like this one, which encourages readers to download free templates:

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Blog Format Examples

1. HubSpot

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HubSpot’s blog finds a way to pack a lot of exciting content into the page while still being easy on the eyes.

Notice that, above the fold, it features one blog post with a large image, title, and CTA to read more. The featured image is unique to the brand, with an appealing combination of photography and graphics to draw the eye.

To the right, there’s a list of top posts to engage readers with the wide variety of content on the blog. This makes it easy for readers to connect with HubSpot or learn more.

Plus, there’s consistency. As you scroll down the page, each section is visually consistent, no matter what topic, podcast, video, or blog post you’re looking for. This strategy can help you build brand trust.

2. Alloy

When I first landed on Alloy’s blog, it was clear the blog format was built with user experience in mind.

On the homepage, I could easily navigate to certain topics through tags or use the search function to find something specific.

On the individual blog posts, there’s a built-in sidebar that functions as a table of contents. This feature improved my reading experience by allowing me to seamlessly jump around to different topics within the article.

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3. Lendio

Lendio, a small business loan marketplace, has an active blog with topics that cover everything small business owners need to know about business loans, finance, and running a business.

One great thing about its blog format is its use of relevant CTAs.

In the blog post example below, Lendio integrated its business loan calculator into a post about getting a business loan.

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Not only is the calculator an interactive way to engage readers, but it also provides value and demonstrates what Lendio can offer.

4. Pluralsight

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Pluralsight is a great reminder that you don’t have to get super fancy with your blog format.

The clean fonts, for example, match the logo and stay in line with the brand’s clear, informative voice. The grid structure and headers for each section make it easy to understand what is on the blog.

I also like the list of topic filters, which makes it easy to find blog posts you’re interested in reading.

5. Pando

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An important aspect of a well-designed blog is a consistent color scheme and style. After all, 80% of consumers say that color boosts a brand’s recognition.

It’s interesting to see how color consistency can unify the more diversified elements of design.

Pando, a blog that explores the startup cycle, incorporates a set palette of colors — orange, green, pale blue, lavender, and deep yellow — in several sections of its site. These colors appear in the background, highlight bars, and certain text areas.

However, it also uses several different fonts — all of which look seamless when tied together by a cohesive color scheme.

6. Creative Circle

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If you’re looking for a blog format that drives time on page, it’s the estimated time to read feature.

Anytime I see an estimated time at the top of the post — in this example, it says the article will be a six-minute read — I can make the decision if I want to continue reading.

It also tells me how much content and information I can expect to find; a longer read means the post goes in-depth on a topic.

Adding this to your blog layout can improve your readers’ experience and improve your time on page.

How?

While some people may drop off upon seeing that, the readers who stay will help drive up your average time on page. Plus, you can use this metric as an indicator of people’s interest in the topic.

7. Bit.ly

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I’m a fan of Bitly’s blog format for a couple of reasons.

For starters, the orange accent color used in the imagery showcases cohesive branding. This motif ties together every blog post on the home page and shows me that they take their blog seriously.

Second, I like that the company seamlessly integrates a CTA box on the blog homepage. Not only is this a smart way to generate leads right away, but it also helps readers understand what you do.

Often, when I stumble upon a company’s blog after seeing one of their articles in the search results, I leave unsure of what they do.

8. Golde

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I love the way Golde uses images to communicate effectively.

Using the brand name as a starting point for its blog, “The Golden Hour,” Golde makes a featured image the focus of each post.

Featuring compelling images that showcase the brand’s product is a great way to improve the click-through rate of your blog.

The gorgeous photography uses yellow and green tones in each photograph. This creates a consistent, warm, and appealing feel that draws you into each blog post.

Once you click on a post, this blog makes perfect use of the space below the text to highlight products, recipes, and other useful resources.

Inspiring Examples of Beautiful Blog Homepage Design

1. Help Scout

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Sometimes, the best blog designs are also the simplest. Help Scout, makers of customer service software, uses a unique but minimalist design on its blog that we love — it limits copy and visuals and embraces negative space.

What we particularly like about this blog is its use of featured images for all posts, including the “Most Recent Posts” section that highlights recent or particularly popular entries.

These images catch the reader’s eye and signal what the post is about. And it works — everything about this blog’s design is clean and readable.

2. Microsoft Work & Life

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Full disclosure: We’ve totally gushed over Microsoft’s microsites before.

We can’t help it — what better way to revitalize an old-school brand than with a blog that boasts beautiful, interactive, and inspiring branded content?

Microsoft Work & Life is also a prime example of how a business blog can be a major asset for an overall rebrand. In recent years, Microsoft has worked to humanize its brand, largely in response to a rivalry with Apple.

The “Work & Life” microsite has a simple tagline — “Learn how we’re helping people stay connected, engaged and productive — at work, at school, at home, and at play.” It’s the softer side of Microsoft, so to speak.

When you're trying to convey a certain brand message, you can use your blog to communicate it — both aesthetically and content-wise.

3. Design Milk

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Design Milk, an online contemporary design outlet, uses a simple blog layout to highlight its posts.

If the arrow beside “Read” at the top left points down, you can scroll through featured images and teaser text for a variety of articles.

If the arrow beside “Read” points up, you see a perfect showcase of blog topics and highlighted posts.

That’s an internal link strategy, which helps to encourage readers to stay on the site longer.

The social icons at the top of each post are a pleasant addition to the overall look and feel of the site. They’re easy to spot and make it easy to share Design Milk’s content.

(And to learn more about adding social buttons to your blog, check out this post.)

4.

However, these two facets of inbound marketing can work together to amplify each other's results. In this blog, you'll realize that compromise is in sight.

This guide will help any marketer integrate their efforts across both platforms.

Below, we'll cover the following topics:

Social Media vs. SEO

What is social media SEO?

10 Social Media SEO Strategies

Social Media SEO Strategies in Action

Now you know the difference between social media and SEO. So, let's dive into social media SEO.

What is social media SEO?

Social media SEO allows you to optimize your social profiles so you can better attract potential customers through search. SEO best practices will vary across platforms.

However, the goal remains the same: finding the right audience for your brand and exposing them to products they could buy.

While social media management and SEO optimization tend to be two very different strategies, they can complement each other. Leveraging both can help you gain traffic from a variety of different sources.

Our survey in January, involving 1,528 social media marketers, emphasized the growing importance of social media in 2024.

42% strongly agreed that people now prefer finding brands on social media rather than traditional search engines.

What's more, our findings suggest that in 2024, more people will buy directly from social media apps than from other channels. 82% said they'd choose social media over a brand's website, and 84% said the same compared to third-party sites like Amazon.

It's becoming increasingly clear: Social media is not only a place to connect with friends anymore. It's a connection spot between businesses and customers.
And will social search replace search engines?

No, both hold their ground because they serve different purposes.

People use Google to find an answer to a question. On the other hand, they use social media to discover answers to questions they haven't yet thought of.

The difference between search engines and social media platforms is blurring.

10 Social Media SEO Strategies

1. Social Sharing Buttons on Your Website

There's a lot of debate regarding the use of social media sharing buttons. Are they powerful tools or just unnecessary clutter?

Well, social sharing buttons can be effective if you place them strategically — for instance, on blog posts.

Grammarly does a great job using this method:

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In other scenarios, social sharing buttons might not yield any results.

For instance, a VWO study suggests that removing those buttons from landing pages can increase click-through rates by 11.9%.

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This indicates that while blog posts benefit from social sharing buttons, pages with clear goals may perform better without them. Conducting A/B tests can help you determine the best placement for social sharing buttons on your site.

2. Integrated Keyword Strategy

As mentioned earlier, the line between search engines and social media platforms is blurring. Take the keyword strategy you use for your website and apply it to your social media engagement when appropriate.

Do research and find what keywords are most popular for a particular platform you use.

For instance, in January 2023, Statista found that “how to…” keywords were the most searched terms on TikTok during the examined period. Following closely behind was the term “what is…” with an index value of 10.

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Once you write the list of the top keywords for your social media posts, you can start creating them. But, don't overload your posts with too many keywords.

Instead, be aware of how you are wording social media messages. By incorporating keywords into social media content, you can increase the reach of your messages.

Here's how to identify the right keywords for each platform:

Reflect on phrases that people might use to describe your business if they couldn't recall its name. For instance, for a productivity tool, users might search for terms like “task manager” or “organizer app.”

Opt for more specific terms if there is significant competition. For example, a “budget-friendly travel app” might yield better results than simply a “travel app.”

Select keywords that align with the associations you wish to establish. For instance, if you offer discounts, use something like “discount app,” “best deal,” etc.

Revisit any previous SEO keyword research to incorporate relevant terms. Keywords that performed well in web searches may also be effective on social media.

Tailor your keyword selection to suit the nuances of each platform. For instance, a restaurant might use keywords like “best restaurant in New York” on Facebook to attract guests, while on LinkedIn, terms like “hospitality jobs in New York” could attract talent.

3. Include Links in Social Profiles

The links in social media messages, such as tweets and Facebook status updates, are traditionally no-follow links. This means they don't pass any SEO authority to the site they're linking to.

But, before we continue, let me first debunk two myths about nofollow links:

Nofollow links are useless. They may not boost your site's authority, but they can still drive traffic and potential customers.

Nofollow links hurt your site. Not true. When used correctly, they can even improve your search ranking and shield you from penalties.

For example, comments on social networks or forum posts should have a nofollow link. It tells search engines that these links “aren't meant for advertising purposes.”

On the other hand, it's important to understand that the URL in the actual bio of a social media account is a follow link.

Make sure you are taking advantage of these extra opportunities to draw your audience to your site.

4. Incorporate Links Into Video and Presentation Content

Our stats suggest that short-form videos, like those on TikTok and Instagram Reels, have given the biggest ROI this year, with 36% of respondents choosing them. So, sharing links to TikTok and Instagram is a good idea for better engagement.

You can do the same on other social media platforms, too. For example, on LinkedIn, you can use carousels to break down your blog article into a few engaging slides and link back to that article.

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You have two options for adding links to videos or presentations:

If the social media platform allows, you can embed them directly into the video or slides.

You can place the links in the description below/above the video or slides.

Both methods provide extra information or resources to your audience, improving their engagement with your content.

5. Optimize Social Profiles

Think of social media profile pages as extensions of your website.

Just as you would optimize website pages for page titles and keywords, audit your social media profiles to ensure they mirror your website's search engine optimization strategy.

This can fall under your About Us, Services, Products, or the other editable sections to help search engines further understand your website's relationship to those keywords.

Here are some tips on how to optimize it:

Don't be anonymous — a profile pic is a must to establish credibility. Use eye-catching, high-quality images.

Regularly update your cover photo on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. For instance, you can announce events or new releases.

Add social badges to your website and email signatures to direct traffic to your profiles.
Use SEO-friendly keywords in the About section. Remember — only the first 140 characters show up in search results, so lead with essential info.

Link your website in your bio sections and make sure your website is mobile-friendly.

Verify your account to get a verification badge. It helps to distinguish it from fake or fan accounts with your name. This study shows that verified badges on social media greatly affect how much consumers trust profiles and their posts. They also help make commercial posts more acceptable.

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6. Building Links and Social Media Reach

Search engine optimization has long been about inbound links to your website. While inbound links are still significant, a secondary metric for marketers looking to increase search traffic should be social media reach.

In order to get more people to share your content on social media, you need to increase the number of fans or followers of your account.

However, don't pay for fake followers or likes, as the platform will likely catch and penalize you.

The Artios' study came up with concerning results — the number of fake followers is getting higher every year. Across platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, there's a rising trend of people seeking to purchase fake followers.

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But trust me, buying followers doesn’t work. Sure, your numbers might look good, but what about the engagement? It's practically non-existent.

10k followers but only getting 10 likes per post? Doesn't add up, right?

Purchased likes are worthless as well. Those bots won't engage with your content, care about your brand, or turn into real customers.

Instead of enjoying fake fame, grow your reach through quality content creation and engagement. You will build not only social media reach but also inbound links.

7. Establish Relationships

Similar to sales, relationships are huge for driving inbound links and social media attention. Building relationships using social media can open opportunities for guest blog posts and other link-building opportunities.

You can also implement this by polling followers to drive engagement and responding to comments to show users there are real people behind the screen.

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You can also nurture relationships by setting up groups/communities.
For instance, consider creating a Slack community where you can post valuable content and initiate discussions in an #announcement channel.

Also, create a Facebook or LinkedIn Group, host live events on X, Instagram, or TikTok, and interact with your audience to keep them engaged and informed.

According to our research, Facebook is the most effective platform for communities, with 48% preference, followed closely by YouTube at 46% and Instagram at 40%.

Engage with your followers as much as possible and wherever possible. These activities provide you with more opportunities to share additional links with your users.

8. Boost Your Content Creators’ Profiles

Search engines pay close attention to the creators of the content on a web page. In addition to the web, search engine crawlers pull information from social media platforms to better inform the credibility of the author.

Include author bios in your articles or blogs that are linked to their social media profiles and tag them with each new piece of content they produce.

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9. Increasing Positive Mentions

As previously shown, having a robust social media presence can create a positive relationship with your audience.

A critical aspect of achieving this is to have online mentions that grow your brand's visibility and positive awareness.

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Having a good social listening system can help you understand what customers are saying about you, manage your reputation, keep an eye on competitors, and plan your content better.

Based on the Social Media Today survey, nearly 61% of businesses currently have a social listening system in place to monitor keyword mentions.

And, if you see some content has good engagement, don't be afraid to recycle it or repurpose it. You can extend the content's life by recirculating it.

Google reports that positive online mentions can help determine whether your site is relevant in search queries.

Encourage positive mentions through engaging content and customized posts to the platform.

10. Collaborating with Influencers

Influencers shape the market today, so make the most of it.

According to Statista, influencers wield significant power over purchasing decisions. For instance, in Italy, 24 percent of shoppers admitted to buying products based on influencer recommendations in 2023.

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Here are several ways to collaborate with influencers:

Pay them for featuring your brand.

Use them in advertisements.

Give them free products for reviews.

Co-create products or launch new lines.

Run giveaways together.

Invite them to your brand's events.

Establish a brand ambassador program for long-term relationships.

Overall, teaming up with influencers is a smart way to make more people aware of your brand, connect with your target audience, and drive meaningful engagement and conversions.

Social Media SEO Strategies in Action

Now that we understand social media SEO strategies in theory, let's explore how they work in practice and how popular brands implement them.

1. Adobe: Link Promotion & Influencer Collab

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In this post, Adobe has embraced two of the strategies we discussed earlier.

Firstly, it uses video content to promote a link directing users to its website to learn more about the AI Assistant.

Furthermore, the video itself is crafted by Justice Shepard, a popular influencer in the tutoring community with 1.7 million followers on TikTok.

But this post wasn’t an exception.

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5 Psychological Tactics to Write Better Emails

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better.

I’ve tested 100s of psychological tactics on my email subscribers. In this blog, I reveal the five tactics that actually work.

You’ll learn about the email tactic that got one marketer a job at the White House.

You’ll learn how I doubled my 5 star reviews with one email, and why one strange email from Barack Obama broke all records for donations.

5 Psychological Tactics to Write Better Emails

Imagine writing an email that’s so effective it lands you a job at the White House.

Well, that’s what happened to Maya Shankar, a PhD cognitive neuroscientist. In 2014, the Department of Veterans Affairs asked her to help increase signups in their veteran benefit scheme.

Maya had a plan. She was well aware of a cognitive bias that affects us all—the endowment effect. This bias suggests that people value items higher if they own them. So, she changed the subject line in the Veterans’ enrollment email.

Previously it read:

Veterans, you’re eligible for the benefit program. Sign up today.

She tweaked one word, changing it to:

Veterans, you’ve earned the benefits program. Sign up today.

This tiny tweak had a big impact. The amount of veterans enrolling in the program went up by 9%. And Maya landed a job working at the White House

Inspired by these psychological tweaks to emails, I started to run my own tests.

Alongside my podcast Nudge, I’ve run 100s of email tests on my 1,000s of newsletter subscribers.

Here are the five best tactics I’ve uncovered.

1. Show readers what they’re missing.

Nobel prize winning behavioral scientists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky uncovered a principle called loss aversion.

Loss aversion means that losses feel more painful than equivalent gains. In real-world terms, losing $10 feels worse than how gaining $10 feels good. And I wondered if this simple nudge could help increase the number of my podcast listeners.

For my test, I tweaked the subject line of the email announcing an episode. The control read:

"Listen to this one"

In the loss aversion variant it read:

"Don’t miss this one"

It is very subtle loss aversion. Rather than asking someone to listen, I’m saying they shouldn’t miss out. And it worked. It increased the open rate by 13.3% and the click rate by 12.5%. Plus, it was a small change that cost me nothing at all.

2. People follow the crowd.

In general, humans like to follow the masses. When picking a dish, we’ll often opt for the most popular. When choosing a movie to watch, we tend to pick the box office hit. It’s a well-known psychological bias called social proof.

I’ve always wondered if it works for emails. So, I set up an A/B experiment with two subject lines. Both promoted my show, but one contained social proof.

The control read: New Nudge: Why Brands Should Flaunt Their Flaws

The social proof variant read: New Nudge: Why Brands Should Flaunt Their Flaws (100,000 Downloads)

I hoped that by highlighting the episode’s high number of downloads, I’d encourage more people to listen. Fortunately, it worked.

The open rate went from 22% to 28% for the social proof version, and the click rate, (the number of people actually listening to the episode), doubled.

3. Praise loyal subscribers.

The consistency principle suggests that people are likely to stick to behaviours they’ve previously taken. A retired taxi driver won’t swap his car for a bike. A hairdresser won’t change to a cheap shampoo. We like to stay consistent with our past behaviors.

I decided to test this in an email.

For my test, I attempted to encourage my subscribers to leave a review for my podcast. I sent emails to 400 subscribers who had been following the show for a year.

The control read: "Could you leave a review for Nudge?"

The consistency variant read: "You’ve been following Nudge for 12 months, could you leave a review?"

My hypothesis was simple. If I remind people that they’ve consistently supported the show they’ll be more likely to leave a review.

It worked.

The open rate on the consistency version of the email was 7% higher.

But more importantly, the click rate, (the number of people who actually left a review), was almost 2x higher for the consistency version. Merely telling people they’d been a fan for a while doubled my reviews.

4. Showcase scarcity.

We prefer scarce resources. Taylor Swift gigs sell out in seconds not just because she’s popular, but because her tickets are hard to come by.

Swifties aren’t the first to experience this. Back in 1975, three researchers proved how powerful scarcity is. For the study, the researchers occupied a cafe. On alternating weeks they’d make one small change in the cafe.

On some weeks they’d ensure the cookie jar was full.

On other weeks they’d ensure the cookie jar only contained two cookies (never more or less).

In other words, sometimes the cookies looked abundantly available. Sometimes they looked like they were almost out.

This changed behaviour. Customers who saw the two cookie jar bought 43% more cookies than those who saw the full jar.

It sounds too good to be true, so I tested it for myself.

I sent an email to 260 subscribers offering free access to my Science of Marketing course for one day only.

In the control, the subject line read: "Free access to the Science of Marketing course"

For the scarcity variant it read: "Only Today: Get free access to the Science of Marketing Course | Only one enrol per person."

130 people received the first email, 130 received the second. And the result was almost as good as the cookie finding. The scarcity version had a 15.1% higher open rate.

5. Spark curiosity.

All of the email tips I’ve shared have only been tested on my relatively small audience. So, I thought I’d end with a tip that was tested on the masses.

Back in 2012, Barack Obama and his campaign team sent hundreds of emails to raise funds for his campaign.

Of the $690 million he raised, most came from direct email appeals. But there was one email, according to ABC news, that was far more effective than the rest. And it was an odd one.

The email that drew in the most cash, had a strange subject line. It simply said "Hey."

The actual email asked the reader to donate, sharing all the expected reasons, but the subject line was different.

It sparked curiosity, it got people wondering, is Obama saying Hey just to me?

Readers were curious and couldn't help but open the email. According to ABC it was "the most effective pitch of all."

Because more people opened, it raised more money than any other email. The bias Obama used here is the curiosity gap. We’re more likely to act on something when our curiosity is piqued.

Loss aversion, social proof, consistency, scarcity and curiosity—all these nudges have helped me improve my emails. And I reckon they’ll work for you.

It’s not guaranteed of course. Many might fail. But running some simple a/b tests for your emails is cost free, so why not try it out?

This blog is part of Phill Agnew’s Marketing Cheat Sheet series where he reveals the scientifically proven tips to help you improve your marketing. To learn more, listen to his podcast Nudge, a proud member of the Hubspot Podcast Network.

The Science of Productivity: How to Get More Done in a Day

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

It’s estimated that a shocking 60% (or less) of work time is spent productively, according to Atlassian. Time is our scarcest resource, yet we spend so much of it doing things that are unproductive — usually without meaning to.

Emails, meetings, endless notifications... We’re indeed being pulled in more directions than ever before, but it’s not just technology holding us back from making the most of our time. In many cases, we are the ones responsible for our own lack of productivity.

As a freelance remote worker, I’ve had to tango with my self-sabotaging productivity quirks more than most. I used to blame my workload and environment; it wasn’t until I was completely in control of those factors that I was left with the realization that I was the problem all along.

Like you, I’m more successful and happy when I’m productive. We’re all on the hunt for the magic bullet solution; this has led to the endless production of AI productivity tools and life-hack lists. How can we produce more while doing less?

We look over at the person who seems to get it all done while still managing to have a life, and we ask ourselves: What does she know that I don’t? Is there a secret to high productivity?

With some work, many of the barriers to productivity are solvable. However, to truly enhance productivity, you need to first understand it. Here’s what science says.

Table of Contents

The Science of Productivity

9 Science-Proven Ways to Get More Done in a Day

Data-Backed Productivity Tools

The Science of Productivity

“Productivity is the art and science of reshaping yourself and the world around you in a way that makes the world work better,” shares author and organization expert Frank Buck, Ed.D.

“While the literature on productivity is massive, it all points back to that one definition. Psychological research dating back to at least 1966 (J.B. Rotter) suggests that those who feel they can control their surroundings act upon those beliefs, persist longer, and achieve greater results,” Buck concludes.

Society has long been aware of a shared desire to improve productivity, yet the modern world has moved us further away from that dream.

Technology provides constant, endless distractions — and we feed into this by being subconsciously addicted to information.

Scientists have discovered that the dopamine neurons in our brains treat information as a reward.

While this makes sense evolutionarily — having access to relevant information like the location of food sources means we make better decisions and are more likely to survive — it also means we’re naturally attracted to distractions outside our primary objectives.

Insert: our phones. Smartphones are a distraction disaster. Here’s how to overcome the hurdles that technology presents.

9 Science-Proven Ways to Get More Done in a Day

A quick Google search will show you that most productivity lists recommend artificial intelligence software (AI). I’ll share some of the top AI productivity tools in a minute, but I encourage you to take AI tools with a warning.

An unproductive person throwing AI apps at their workload is like applying wax to a car before washing the dirt off. All of the AI capabilities in the world won’t boost productivity if you still undermine your own success. Start with these tips instead.

1. Use a to-do list.

Create a task list for yourself that includes ALL of your to-do’s, no matter how small. Each item on your list should be independently achievable. Break big tasks into small, individual steps.

The benefits are three-fold:

Know what needs to be done. Task creation is a step in the decision-making process, and it’s more time-consuming than it looks on the surface.

Remove the risk of forgetting. Relying on a mental to-do list creates unnecessary strain and stress, and trying to ad-lib your workload will result in missed tasks and poor time management.

Create a workload that you can achieve. Writing unachievable task lists creates the feeling that you’re perpetually behind, and the inability to estimate your work output will eventually create a genuine problem. Technology writer Steven K. Roberts nicknamed this “The Roberts Law of Fractal To-Do List Complexity: Each item on a list is merely the title of another list.”

Why It Works

Imagine if you wanted to make a loaf of bread. You would never choose to guess and stumble your way through the process: “What comes next? Milk? I wonder how much I should use?”

No one would choose that path, yet many people approach their workload with this ad-lib mentality. A to-do list is like a recipe for your work, and it’s extremely effective when used properly.

Harvard Business Review says there are endless upsides to using to-do lists, with the only potential downside being that they don’t go far enough to push us to follow through.

“If every time we added an item to our to-do lists we also came up with a plan to specify what actions we need to take and when those actions need to be taken, that would help minimize the odds of our to-do lists becoming graveyards of unfinished items,” researcher E. J. Masicampo shared with Harvard Business Review.

Testing It Out

I’m no stranger to to-do lists. I fell in love when I was in college. I’m confident my to-do lists are the only reason I graduated, held down a job, wrote a book, or have ever done anything else productive in my life.

However, the Harvard Business Review interview made me realize that I wasn’t leveraging the full potential of to-do lists by not adding a timeframe to my intentions.

Normally, I create a to-do list for the week but don’t assign those tasks to a specific day. For the upcoming week, I tried assigning each task to a day of the week. I didn’t adhere to this perfectly, but this did eliminate the decision-making part of my morning, where I thought about what I felt like working on.

2. Just get started.

While it’s human nature to postpone tasks that feel intimidating, it’s incredibly counterproductive. Simply starting a task is a surefire way to kickstart your productivity.

For some, this might mean diving right in, even if you’re not sure where to begin. HubSpot UX Editor Beth Dunn told me that when she gets writer’s block, she just opens Google Docs and starts typing away, even if the words don’t mean anything.

For others, it might mean splitting big projects into smaller ones. HubSpot Co-Founder and CTO Dharmesh Shah said he likes to “deconstruct” the large problem at hand into smaller, bite-sized chunks.

Each of the individual, smaller things seem surmountable on their own, and it calms him to know that if he conquers all of those small things, he’s essentially conquered the big thing.

Why It Works

According to a study by award-winning psychology researcher, Dr. John Bargh, before we embark on big projects, our brains attempt to simulate real, productive work by focusing on small, mindless tasks to pass the time.

Consequently, this prevents us from getting real work done. Now it makes sense why my college dorm room was never cleaner than during finals week!

Once you get over that hump of starting, there’s good news: We feel naturally compelled to finish a task once we’ve already started, thanks to the Zeigarnik Effect.

According to Social Psychology and Human Nature, the Zeigarnik effect is “the tendency to experience intrusive thoughts about an objective that was once pursued and left incomplete.”

Testing It Out

I tested this theory out by making a strict plan for my Monday morning workload. In advance, I decided:

What I would work on.

Where I’d work from.

Exactly what time I’d begin working.

Which music I would listen to.

This amount of structure was foreign so I felt some natural resistance to it, but it did keep me from falling into the trap of busy work at moments in the day. When I woke up and thought about my day, I had immediate clarity.

3. Work with others.

Make yourself a part of a group, and you’ll be impacted by the focus and good habits of those around you. This can be done in person at the office or in a coworking space, or you can virtually co-work 24/7 through platforms like Study Together.

Why It Works

When you see others modeling good habits, there’s subconscious pressure to conform. You’re less likely to bust out your phone and browse social media posts when everyone in your direct vicinity is doing their work.

It’s a grown-up version of peer pressure, which Brett Laursen, Ph.D. said is really defined as influence. When interviewed on the American Psychological Association’s podcast Speaking of Psychology, Dr. Laursen said that “peer pressure follows people across their whole life course” and can be positive.

Testing It Out

As a remote freelance writer, I haven’t experienced coworkers in seven years. I’m accustomed to working alone, but I still eagerly tested out the virtual coworking space Study Together.

While this group was designed for students, I still carry a backpack and love a library work session as much as anyone, so I entered the virtual coworking session on a Saturday morning along with 213 others in my study room (pictured below: me about to enter my study room).

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When I joined, there were an astounding 17,801 members active across all rooms. I was surprised to feel a sense of belonging as a result of the group size. We all worked silently alongside each other, and I really enjoyed the effect this had.

However, I think it’s much more powerful in person.

It’s important to note that coworking can also work against your productivity. The psychology of peer influence works both ways, so if you’re surrounded by unfocused individuals, you may feel yourself being negatively impacted.

4. Work in sprints.

We all know that an eight-hour workday isn’t meant to be swallowed in one bite; it needs to be broken up, but how? Improve productivity by breaking your day into predetermined work sessions with planned breaks.

Why It Works

Have you ever heard of the “basic rest-activity cycle” humans experience when we sleep? Physiologist Nathaniel Kleitman, the pioneering sleep researcher who co-discovered REM sleep, is also well known for observing that humans alternate progressively between light and deep sleep in 90-minute periods.

According to a Harvard Business Review article by Tony Schwartz, Kleitman found that we operate by that same 90-minute rhythm during the day by moving progressively through periods of higher and lower alertness.

After working at high intensity for more than 90 minutes, writes Schwartz, we begin relying on stress hormones for energy. The result: Our prefrontal cortex starts to shut down, and we start losing our ability to think clearly and reflectively.

“We move from parasympathetic to a sympathetic arousal — a physiological state more commonly known as ‘fight or flight,’” Schwartz says.

So instead of artificially overriding periods of low alertness with caffeine, sugary foods, and stress hormones, you can better manage your time at work by respecting the human need for rhythmic pulses of rest and renewal.

Testing It Out

I’m a seasoned sprint worker, so I didn’t need to test this technique. However, I was surprised to learn that this has yielded results across diverse fields.

A man named Anders Ericsson conducted a study of elite musicians and found they don’t necessarily practice more — they just practice more deliberately. “

They focus their energy in packets,” says Gregory Ciotti in an explanation of Ericsson’s study.

This means “periods of intense work followed by breaks, instead of diluting work time over the whole day. They don’t rely on willpower — they rely on habit and disciplined scheduling.”

Ericsson’s study of elite violinists found they tend to follow 90-minute periods of hard work with 15- to 20-minute breaks.

Rest periods get a bad rap in today’s working world, but it turns out they are integral to high productivity over long periods.

5. Don’t eliminate old habits; change them.

For some of us, it’s bad habits like checking email every few minutes or opening up social media that cost us (and others) precious productivity time.

Sometimes, these habits become so automatic that we don’t even realize we’re doing them. Identify the habit that disrupts your productivity the most and replace it with something else.

Why It Works

Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Charles Duhigg spent years researching the power habits have over us. He found that rather than trying to eliminate an old habit, people find more success in changing that habit by replacing it with a new, less destructive one.

Why? Because every time you have an urge and you do something about it, the reward you get from it creates a neurological pathway in your brain.

When you repeat that action and experience the same reward again, that neurological pathway gets a little bit thicker; and the next time, even thicker. The thicker that pathway gets, the easier it is for impulses to travel down it.

So when you try to extinguish a habit completely, you’re actually trying to use willpower to destroy a neural pathway. It’s possible, but it’s ineffective.

So if you’re having trouble eliminating a habit that’s keeping you from being productive, here’s what Duhigg suggests you do:

Diagnose the “cue” or the urge that sets off the habit.

Diagnose the reward you get from doing that habit.

Replace your habit with an activity that’s both triggered by the old cue and delivers the old reward or a version of it.

See the full flow chart here.

Testing It Out

When my brain buffers and I want a quick dopamine hit, I reach for my phone without thinking. Instead of trying to quit this behavior, I replaced checking my phone with checking my laptop background.

Using Canva, I created a collage of images that cause feelings of gratitude, happiness, and anticipation. Instead of reaching for my phone, I now press “windows+M” (to minimize all tabs) and get a dopamine hit that makes me feel grateful, centered, and excited about the plans I have ahead.

Image Source

Not only do I waste less time on my phone, but I’ve also replaced my normal social media scroll with something that leaves me feeling better.

6. Create productive rituals.

Speaking of building better habits, Schwartz says the best way to get things done “is to make them more automatic so they require less energy.”

As President and CEO of The Energy Project, he advises his clients to develop rituals: highly specific behaviors done at precise times that, over time, become so automatic that they require no conscious will or discipline.

For example, Schwartz makes a habit of immediately writing down new tasks he needs to accomplish and new ideas that occur to him. That way, he never has to walk around preoccupied with the burden of remembering something.

David Allen, productivity consultant and author of the best-selling book Getting Things Done, would agree: “People don’t capture stuff that has their attention. And it keeps rolling around in the organizational psyche as well as the personal psyche, draining energy and creating incredible psychic residue.”

According to Allen, when people say they’ll do something but don’t write it down, it goes into a black hole.

“That would be fine if it were just one thing, but it’s hundreds of things ... Your head is for having ideas, not holding them,” Allen says. “Just dumping everything out of your head and externalizing it is a huge step, and it can have a significant effect.”

Why It Works

We mentally pick up pieces of information all day and let them slosh around our subconscious minds. Emails, tasks that you realize need to be completed — they accumulate like picking up groceries at the store until your arms are overflowing and you start to drop things.

Without rituals that dictate when you answer that email, which order to tackle your to-do list, and every other micro-decision in your day, you’re repeatedly half-handling tasks all day long.

Another version of Schwartz’s philosophy is what Harvard Business Review’s Gretchen Gavett calls OHIO: Only Handle It Once.

For example, when you go through your email, decide immediately what to do with each one — immediately respond to the ones that need answering, and delete the unimportant ones on the spot. Never read an email and think, “I’ll circle back to this later.”

Rituals are theorized to be the secret to productivity and happiness itself. “In an age of choice, rituals are the key to happiness,” The Guardian’s Tomiwa Owolade writes.

Testing It Out

For a week, I applied the OHIO technique to my inbox management system. I was guilty of checking emails around the clock just to feel updated, but I never replied to them right away. Without realizing it, I was handling every email multiple times.

This goes directly against the OHIO principle, so for a week, I only checked my email at the beginning and end of my workday, and I handled every email immediately.

My inbox anxiety essentially disappeared, and I replied to everything in a more timely manner. After a week of testing this, I removed my email accounts (both work and personal) from my phone altogether to make this a part of my routine.

7. Leverage peak productivity hours.

Everyone’s willpower is limited and generally stronger at the beginning of the day when they haven’t expended any energy yet.

You can leverage these peak productivity hours by scheduling your most important or most difficult tasks for the beginning of the day when you have the greatest willpower to avoid distractions.

Why It Works

Studies HubSpot.com.

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Besides our website content, our practical content marketing approach helps us get millions of YouTube views.

So, if you want to learn how content marketing can

Improve brand awareness,

Establish your company as an industry leader,

Increase conversions,

Get you more revenue,

— then this is the guide for you.

Whether you’re devising or refreshing your strategy, this guide will help you reassess your process and come up with new ways to create and share content with your audience.

Here‘s what we’ll cover:

What is content marketing?

The definition of content marketing is simple.

Content marketing is the publishing of written and visual material online with the purpose of attracting more leads to your business.

These materials can include blog posts, ebooks, infographics, videos, web pages, and more.

However, content marketing is not the publishing of a thin piece of content that offers little value. The focus is on making valuable materials your audience can discover themselves while they browse.

Today, outbound marketing strategies (marketing tactics that interrupt your audience) aren’t as effective at resonating with and converting audiences. This is where inbound, the opposite of outbound, shines.

A common way of using inbound is by creating a narrative for your content — or telling a story. In doing so, your content will feel more authentic, engaging, and tailored to your audience.

So, what defines content marketing anyway?

Why is content marketing important?

2024 HubSpot research shows that 29% of companies use content marketing.

Let’s explore some reasons companies do this.

1. Modern consumers prefer informational content over intrusive Ads.

Years back, the Content Marketing Institute found that 70% of consumers prefer to learn about a product or service via an article rather than an ad.

This is still true today because 44% of buyers consume three to five pieces of content before engaging with a vendor.

These stats suggest consumers like me would actively avoid unsolicited marketing messages, such as cold calling and paid ads.

For instance, I didn’t mind buying a YouTube Premium subscription to block interruptive ads.

And I’m not alone.

One study revealed 290 million people use ad blockers on their desktops.

2. Less costly but more effective lead generation method.

Demand Metric established that content marketing generates over three times more leads than outbound marketing and costs 62% less on average.

Anecdotal evidence proves this is still correct.

A popular entrepreneur, Alex Hormozi, recently revealed that he and his wife, Leila, spend about $70,000 monthly to produce 160 content pieces.

This content saves the Hormozis over $2 million that they’d have spent on paid ads to get leads.

Besides the Hormozis, 67% of B2B marketers say content marketing was an effective lead generation strategy in 2023.

3. Builds Brand Awareness

Content marketing expands your reach and increases your chances of being discovered by a new audience.

The result? You increase your brand recognition and recall.

To maximize this benefit, publish and distribute your content consistently.

4. Builds Trust and Establishes Brand Authority

Consistent sharing of educational content positions you as an expert advisor.

It shows your audience that you value them and are interested in their success.

This grows brand trust, keeps you top of mind, and makes your audience more likely to choose you when ready to make a purchase decision.

Content Marketing Statistics

In September 2023, HubSpot surveyed 1,400+ B2B and B2C marketers across 14 countries and 23 industries. Here is some of what they said:

30% of marketers will start using short-form videos in 2024.

56% of marketers using TikTok will increase their investment next year, the highest on any platform.

45% of marketers use AI for ideas and inspiration, 31% create outlines, 18% to draft their content, and 6% use AI to write content.

14% of marketers say creating content that generates leads is one of their top challenges.

87% of social sellers say social selling is effective, and 59% say they made more sales on social media in 2023 than 2022.

24% of marketers with effective strategies in 2023 list increasing revenue and sales as their top goal for 2024.

16% of marketers plan to try experiential marketing (engaging audiences in real life.

with pop-ups and events) and influencer marketing for the first time.

To get more insights, download the 2024 State of Marketing Report.

Now let’s look at types of content marketing.

Types of Content Marketing

There are many types of content marketing you can incorporate into your strategy. Here are some of the most common.

1. Online Content Marketing

Online content marketing refers to any material you publish online, but more specifically, it refers to your web pages.

A strong online content marketing strategy will help you rank higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs). The outcome? You get in front of the right people at the right time.

HubSpot’s homepage is one example. This page immediately engages visitors with specific content about our products.

2. Social Media Content Marketing

With over 4.5 billion global social media users, it’s easy to understand why many businesses invest in social media marketing.

There are many platforms to work with, including Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, X, LinkedIn, and Snapchat. Each platform offers several ways to create and share content, such as photos, live videos, pre-recorded videos, and stories.

Featured Resource: Social Media Content Calendar

3. Infographic Content Marketing

Infographics display content, information, and data in an easy-to-understand graphic format. With a mix of simple wording, short statements, and clear images, infographics are a great way to communicate your content effectively. They work well if you’re trying to simplify an educational or complex topic so all audience members can understand it.

Featured Resource: 15 Free Infographic Templates

4. Blog Content Marketing

Blogs are a powerful type of inbound content that allows you to be creative in your choice of topic and writing.

With a blog, you can promote your related content with links, add social share buttons, and incorporate product information.

Featured Resource: Start a Successful Blog

5. Podcast Content Marketing

Experts predict that over 71 million people will listen to podcasts in 2025.

That’s 10 million more than the current listeners across the Spotify and Apple Podcast platforms. For this reason, many businesses and media outlets create and share their own podcasts.

Podcasts allow for a lot of creativity, as they can be about any topic of choice.

Plus, you decide on other factors related to the podcast. These factors include the cadence of episodes, podcast guests, where you advertise the podcast, and each episode’s length.

Featured Resource: How to Start a Podcast

6. Video Content Marketing

According to Wyzowl research, 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool.

Video marketing can help build a strong bond with your audience, boost conversions, and improve ROI. You may choose to share your video content on social media platforms, landing pages, or on a co-marketer’s website.

Featured Resource: The Ultimate Video Marketing Starter Pack

7. Paid Ad Content Marketing

Paid ads can help you reach a broad audience and allow you to position yourself in all the places you want to be seen — paid ads are especially beneficial when paired with inbound marketing.

There are many places you can share paid ads, including on social media, landing pages, banners, and sponsored content.

Featured Resource: The Ultimate Google Ads PPC Kit

Content Marketing and SEO

When creating content for your blog, making it helpful is a start.

However, “helpful content” is not enough to guarantee online visibility. A 2023 report by Ahrefs shows that 96.55% of content gets no organic search traffic from Google.

To join the winning 3.45%, you may need to invest in SEO. SEO is the optimizing of a website to make it visible in the results of search engines like Google and Bing.

Implementing SEO is beneficial for your content because 85.19% of all blog traffic comes from organic search. Our State of Marketing also shows SEO (16%) and content marketing (14%) are the two top channels that drive the biggest ROI.

To attract traffic from organic search, I recommend you learn how to create an SEO strategy. That said, below are some high-level tips for bolstering your content marketing efforts using SEO.

Start a blog. Having a blog on your website increases your indexed pages, which improves your chances of ranking on Google.

Conduct keyword research. Identify terms or phrases your target audience is likely to use when searching for information.

Create high-quality content. Google prioritizes content that provides value to users. Such content must also satisfy a user’s search intent. My recommendation? Aim to create content that wins you a heap of praise from readers. Then, strategically incorporate related keywords and do on-page SEO to improve your ranking chances.

Build backlinks. Backlinks refer to links from other websites that point to your site. They’re historically considered a major Google ranking factor. Google recently claimed it’s deemphasizing backlinks as a ranking factor. However, a recent Backlinko study reveals that pages with lots of backlinks (still) rank above pages with fewer backlinks.

Content Marketing and Social Media

Beyond SEO, social media is another channel brands use to distribute their content. Data from our 2024 State of Marketing Report shows:

Social media shopping tools (e.g., Instagram Shops) drive 16% ROI.

14% of marketers want to sell directly on social media.

Facebook (29%), Instagram (29%), YouTube (26%), and TikTok (24%) have the strongest ROI.

Like blogging, social media is easy to set up. Unfortunately, many brands go about it the wrong way.

Here are a few tips to help you nail your social media marketing game.

Don’t use social media for overt product promotion only.

Smart marketers use social media to interact with their audience. They also use it to build an online community around their brand.

Whatever your goal is, remember to stick to the basics of content marketing. Prioritize helpful educational content over intrusive promotional content.

Focus on a few high-impact channels.

From text-based platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook to video-based platforms like YouTube and TikTok, there are over a dozen social media platforms in the market.

And it’s tempting to focus on all of them. But this approach will prove ineffective unless you have a huge budget and team.

Alternatively, research the social media platforms that your target audience uses frequently. Then, focus on about three of them.

Infuse humor and personality.

Audiences crave funny content.

According to our State of Consumer Trends Report, it’s the number one type of content they want the most from the brands they patronize.

It’s difficult to inject humor into long-form articles while maintaining professionalism. However, it’s easier to achieve this on social media. Here’s an example from our social media team:

Next, let’s talk about how content marketing works and look at some content marketing examples.

How does content marketing work?

Content marketers attract an audience with compelling stories and by sharing valuable information. They also use content channels to build community.

So, content marketing for business isn’t just a technique or strategy but a unique form of communication. With that in mind, people have different needs at different stages in the buying process.

To make sure your content meets a need at every stage, you’ll want to think about your conversion funnel.

Top of the Funnel (TOFU)

The top of the funnel is to build awareness with your content.

At this stage, your target audience might know they have a problem, but they aren’t sure how to solve it. As such, you can focus on broad pain points and common questions.

TOFU content should pull potential customers in to help them better understand a specific problem. This gives you a relevant opportunity to introduce them to your solution.

Common challenges for TOFU content include competition, balancing educational and promotional content, and tracking ROI.

To address these issues, create a content strategy that grabs the attention of a specific audience. Your strategy will also help you create a plan that aligns content topics and formats with business goals.

Then, create a list of KPIs to track your content performance.

Useful content types at the top of the funnel include:

Blog posts.

Social media posts.

Short-form video.

Podcasts.

Infographics.

Checklists.

Ebooks.

Webinars.

Video ads.

Middle of the Funnel (MOFU)

Once a prospect passes to the middle of the funnel, they’re considering your product. They may have visited your site more than once, or they’re engaging with your social media accounts. They might have signed up for your email newsletter.

MOFU content should build a relationship with that person. At this point, they understand their problem and are comparing possible solutions.

So, your content should educate them on the specifics of your solution and show how it meets their unique needs.

This is also an important moment to build trust. A prospect might not be ready to buy, so pay attention to changes in user behavior.

It can be tempting to make assumptions or go for a quick conversion, but that can damage the relationship. Instead, offer in-depth information and value to nurture your lead.

Great middle-of-funnel content types include:

Email newsletters.

Product demos.

Landing pages.

White papers.

Case studies.

Longer-form videos.

Blog posts.

Interactive content.

Webinars.

YouTube Ads for Beginners: How to Launch & Optimize a YouTube Video Advertising Campaign

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Running YouTube ads is one way to ensure your target audience finds the videos you worked hard to script, storyboard, shoot, and edit.

When you embed your videos on your website or share them on social media, that’s only a start. By doing YouTube ads, you don’t just hope someone watches; you get who you want to watch your videos.

In this post, we'll explore the cost of YouTube ads. You’ll learn how YouTube ads work, all about YouTube ad pricing, how to advertise on YouTube, and YouTube ad optimization tips.

After reading this guide, you'll be ready to launch advertisements across your YouTube channel and improve the effectiveness of your YouTube marketing strategy.

Let’s get started.

What’s New With YouTube Advertising

Google owns YouTube. However, advertising on YouTube differs from running a pay-per-click (PPC) or paid social media campaign.

There are specific creative constraints and many options for this platform.

So, you need to have basic knowledge of what works before you scope out your next video project and make the most of the paid possibilities.

In recent years, Google has rolled out a series of changes that make YouTube advertising a worthwhile investment. Here’s some of what Google did:

More Rigorous Brand Safety Efforts

Since 2020, YouTube has announced major updates to protect viewers and advertisers from harmful content. One of the latest updates addresses the use of “inappropriate language.”

For instance, if you use the f-word in the first seven seconds or in most of your video, you may earn limited ad revenue rather than no ad revenue.

Targeting Based on Users’ Search History

A few years ago, Google announced it would allow advertisers to reach more viewers on YouTube — especially across mobile devices, where 63% of YouTube views take place.

Among the changes it rolled out, possibly the biggest announcement was that advertisers could target viewers based on their Google search history, besides their viewing behaviors, which YouTube was already targeting.

Marketers can now target ads at people recently searching for a product or service.

If viewers see a video ad whose content relates to what they’ve been researching, they might be likelier to watch the entire ad or click through it to the website.

Audio Ads

Audio has grown lately — you needn’t look further than podcasts to confirm audio content works.

To keep up with the changes, Google now allows YouTube advertisers to create audio-only ads.

While we’d recommend starting with a video ad first, you can later consider using audio once you’ve perfected your brand voice and learned what your audience likes to engage with the most.

Upgraded Data Attribution Models

Google has also upgraded YouTube’s data attribution model so you can better measure how users engage with your ads.

You can also determine cost-per-conversion and see your YouTube ads’ performance alongside your Search and Shopping ads’ attribution reports.

How YouTube Advertising Pricing Works

YouTube uses two ad pricing models:

Cost-per-click (CPC).

Cost-per-view (CPV).

Both ad pricing models mean the advertising cost of YouTube ads depends on a user's action — meaning, if you choose the cost-per-click pricing model, you’ll pay when anyone clicks your ad.

Choosing the cost-per-view model means you pay when users interact with your ad or view your ad for 30 seconds (or the ad duration if it's shorter than 30 seconds).

YouTube lets you use the CPC or CPV pricing model depending on your ad goal and campaign subtype.

For example, if generating brand awareness is your YouTube ad goal, you’ll use CPV. If getting website traffic is your YouTube ad goal, you’ll use CPC.

YouTube Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

Irrespective of your ad pricing model, you need to know your ROAS. ROAS is the chief of all YouTube metrics. This metric shows the effectiveness or performance of your YouTube ad campaigns.

High ROAS = Excellent YouTube ad campaign

Low ROAS = Poor-performing YouTube ad campaign

With your ROAS, you can identify campaigns to pause and improve. You'll also see which you can further spend on because of their great performance.

Here’s a formula to calculate your YouTube ROAS:

As an example, if your weekly YouTube ad spend is $500 and your revenue is $1000, your ROAS will be $1,000/$500=2

A good rule of thumb is to aim for an ROAS that’s above 2.

What Dictates the Cost of Advertising on YouTube?

There are a few factors that dictate how much your YouTube ads will cost. They include:

Ad bid.

Bidding strategy.

Targeting options.

Ad type.

Let’s explore each of these.

Note: If it’s your first time advertising on YouTube, you can invest at least $10 for your daily ad campaign. After assessing the campaign's performance, you can increase the budget.

Ad Bid

When setting up YouTube ads, you need to specify the amount you’re willing to pay for either a click or a view.

This limits the maximum amount you spend and prevents you from overspending your campaign budget. That said, if the cost of a click or view exceeds your bid, your ads won’t run.

This can happen when your target keywords are highly competitive or when many other advertisers target your audience (which makes gaining an ad spot more expensive). In such cases, you need to increase your bid.

Bidding Strategy

Four bidding strategies affect the cost of your YouTube advertising campaign. They include:

Target CPM (cost per thousand impressions). This bidding strategy involves paying for every one thousand times people see your ad thumbnail or title. Use this strategy when you’re running top-of-the-funnel campaigns. Note that the target CPM strategy doesn’t allow Google to optimize your ad for views, just impressions.

Target CPV (cost-per-view). This bidding strategy lets Google and YouTube optimize your ads for views and not only impressions.

Target CPA (cost-per-action). Use Target CPA if your campaign’s goal is to drive sales, leads, and even website traffic. This bidding strategy lets Google optimize your ads for conversions based on the average amount you want to pay.

Maximize conversions. This works like the Target CPA, except that you give the reins to Google and let it automatically set bids that get you the most conversions within your budget.

Targeting Options

YouTube ad targeting options have undergone updates that’ll help you get better returns on your ad spend.

Within each ad group, you can define your target audience and state where your ads should display. Let’s go over the different targeting options.

Demographics

This broad targeting option lets you reach your audience based on their gender, age, and household income.

However, it can also offer the lowest returns and engagement. Why? Your ad contains the same message that may not resonate with people of different genders, ages, and incomes.

Audience Segments

Audience segments let you reach people with detailed demographics, certain interests, and behaviors.

Detailed Demographics

The demographics targeting option lets you reach your audience based on their parental status, marital status, education status, home-ownership status, and employment status.

To get the most from this targeting option, you can create ads that appeal to a specific set of people.

For instance, if you are selling a service suitable for people in different industries, you can create ads tailored to those in construction, education, real estate, finance, etc.

This will help your finance-related ad attract the finance person, and so on.

Affinity Audiences

Affinity audiences let you reach an audience with certain interests and habits. This includes banking & finance, beauty & wellness, food & dining, home & garden, and more.

In-market Audiences

These audiences are people who are actively researching or planning to buy a specific product or service. For conversion-focused campaigns, this option is fantastic because it’ll drive engagement and purchases.

Your Data and Similar Segments

This targeting option is great for remarketing to an audience that visited your web property but didn’t convert.

Combined Segments

This is the targeting option in the audience segment. It allows you to define your ideal audience more accurately by combining existing segments.

Keywords

Keyword targeting with YouTube ads is contextual. For instance, if you decide to target “email marketing,” YouTube will place your ad on videos and channels that are related to “email marketing.”

Note: You can only do this for awareness, not conversion campaigns.

Topics

This is like keyword targeting. If you choose to target some topics, YouTube will show your ad on videos and channels that are related to your selected topics.

Note: Like keyword targeting, you can only do this for awareness, not conversion campaigns.

Now, the last element that dictates the cost of advertising on YouTube is the type of video ads you create. Let’s discuss it below.

The Types of YouTube Video Ads

You can invest in many types of YouTube video ads. Google outlines the basic formats here. Below, we go into more detail.

1. In-Feed Video Ads

In-feed video ads show up on the YouTube homepage, search results pages, and as related videos on YouTube video watch pages.

This ad appeared after performing a YouTube search:

Once a user clicks on the ad, the destination video page features a spot on the right-hand column where a companion banner display ad will appear. You can pay for these videos with CPV bidding.

2. Skippable In-Stream Ads

Skippable in-stream ads are the standard video ad type on YouTube.

Advertisers only pay for these ads when a user watches the ad for at least 30 seconds, until the end of the video, or if the viewer takes an action, such as clicking on a call-to-action (CTA).

Advertisers can choose between Target CPV, CPA, or CPM bidding strategies for these ads. YouTube requires skippable ads to be between 12 seconds and 6 minutes.

You'll see these ads play before someone watches the video they’ve selected on YouTube. Viewers sometimes have the option to skip the ad after watching it for five seconds.

You can also have them play anywhere in the Google Display Network (GDN) — or sites that purchased Google video ad space.

In-stream ads also let marketers customize video ads with different CTAs and overlay text, as highlighted in this skippable in-stream ad example below from Grammarly:

Notice that there’s another CTA from Grammarly on top of the right-hand suggested video columns.

What Skippable In-Stream Ad Videos Can Include

Skippable ad campaigns can include videos with people, dialogue, and music that were retrieved with permission — or considered royalty-free. However, it's best not to run a standard promotional commercial.

Since people can skip these videos, you need to give your audience a reason to keep watching, and product plugs historically don't get the views you might expect.

Instead, tell a story with this video. People love seeing case studies of those who faced a struggle that they can empathize with. It's a source of entertainment that makes your brand memorable and less tempting to skip.

With skippable in-stream ads, advertisers can gain a ton of information about their ad performance, making it useful for optimization and testing purposes.

Using their Google Ads account, YouTube account managers can collect data on an ad:

Completed views.

Partial views.

Channel subscriptions.

Clickthrough rates on CTAs.

Views sourced from a user sharing the content.

Views on the brand's other content that can be attributed to a person initially viewing a video ad.

These actions help advertisers better understand the full value of their video ad spend and where to allocate their budget to increase results.

3. Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads

Non-skippable ads can play before, mid-roll, or after the main video. They can be 15 to 20 seconds in duration. Here’s an example:

Non-skippable mid-roll video ads appear midway through a YouTube video that's 10 minutes or longer. On the desktop, viewers will see a five-second countdown, and on the app, they’ll see yellow markers where the ads are placed.

What Non-Skippable Videos Can Include

Non-skippable ads give you as much freedom as skippable ads in their allotted content. You can include people, dialogue, audio, and more elements that best represent your brand in 15 to 20 seconds.

Because people can’t skip non-skippable ads, these videos are best created with a CTA so you can optimize the attention you have from the viewer. In other words, encourage viewers to click on your ad and receive something in return.

Perhaps you've released a new product or are promoting a major event this season — use non-skippable ads to get those clicks.

4. Bumper Ads

Bumper ads are the shortest type of YouTube video ads. At just six seconds per bumper, these ad spots play before a viewer's chosen video. It’s also non-skippable.

Bumper video ads obviously can't tell a good enough story in just six seconds, but they make terrific complements to larger video campaigns on a new product launch or event.

Just be sure to use the six seconds wisely and include only the components of your brand you want your audience to re

How to Create a Social Media Calendar to Plan Your Content

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

What do cross-country road trips, wedding speeches, and social media marketing have in common? Planning. I definitely can’t help you with your road trip or wedding speech (sorry), but I can help you create a social media content calendar to organize your next marketing campaign.

As marketers, we recognize that social media is integral to an effective inbound marketing strategy. With so many social networks available to us, staying organized and planning for when and what we share is crucial, which is exactly where a social media calendar enters the picture.

Before we dive into our list of top tools to stay organized, here's what you need to know about social media calendars and why they're essential.

What is a social media calendar?

Benefits of Using a Social Media Content Calendar & Content Planner

How to Create a Social Media Calendar

Social Media Templates

Social Media Calendar Examples

Social Media Content Calendar Tools to Plan Your Messaging

How To Create a Social Media Posting Schedule for Your Business

How To Create a Content Calendar

What is the best social media calendar?

What is a social media calendar?

A social media content calendar is a rundown of your upcoming posts organized by date and time. A social media calendar can be a spreadsheet (HubSpot offers a free one that you can download here), digital calendar, or interactive dashboard.

To get the most value out of your social media calendar, it may include the following:

The date and time a post will go live

The social media account or network each post will go live on

Materials to include, such as copy, hashtags, links, and graphics

Benefits of Using a Social Media Content Calendar & Content Planner

We're all busy, and inevitably, tasks can slip through the cracks. Social media content is no exception.

A successful social media strategy requires regular publishing and engaging with followers to see positive results — whether you're looking for sales, brand recognition, lead generation, or all three.

So, if you're not already using a social media content planner, here are a few advantages to pique your interest:

Easily pivot when plans change.

With a social media content calendar, you can plan out posts for entire weeks or months in advance, freeing up your working hours to strategize for the future.

The best part is that you can always leave space for breaking news or current events in your industry. Otherwise, you'll spend valuable time searching the internet daily for content to share, a known productivity killer.

Curate content just for your audience.

I recommend that all social media marketers take time to craft custom messages for each network because each audience expects to see something different on each one.

For example, your Instagram followers want to see Reels and Videos, while your Twitter followers like quick sound bites and shareable quotes. Planning this content using a social media content planner will save you time throughout the week. It will also make drafting thoughtful and intentional content for each site easier.

A social media content planner can help you post consistently on each social channel. This consistency creates a routine for your followers and helps you build trust.

Improved collaboration.

A shared calendar can improve collaboration with internal teams and external stakeholders. It gives everyone access to what's on the calendar and gives you a reason to reconnect.

Skip waiting or sending last-minute emails for links, project status, or partnerships. Your social content planner gives you a simple way to let everyone know what you'll need well before you need it.

Simplified performance tracking.

Without a calendar, we're all publishing content into the void, and we cannot track big-picture and past performance.

With a calendar, you analyze which content performed best to adjust your strategy accordingly. If a particular type of post received significant views, you can recreate it for a different topic and potentially see the same success.

Content planning with a calendar can also help you track impact and ROI for social media efforts.

Reach new audiences.

With the help of a content planner, you can plan for holidays, events, and observance days, such as National Cat Day or Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day . This makes it easy for you to tailor your content and engage with a broader audience.

How to Create a Social Media Calendar

To create an effective social media calendar, you should:

1. Conduct a social media audit.

A social media audit assesses your social media presence, accounts, and engagement. This lets you see what's working, what's not, and where to improve.

In my experience, an audit is about more than just analyzing your social media performance. It can also help you better understand your target audience's interests, habits, and expectations and give you crucial clues about how they engage with your content.

Auditing your social media channels can also make it easier to see how competitors' social media presence could affect your performance. It's a great way to understand what social media trends, tools, and features you should be pay attention to.

As you complete your audit, be sure to:

Review and analyze your current social media content performance.

This includes metrics for:

Engagement

Conversion

Clicks

It’s also important to do some post-level analysis. Take a closer look at your top-performing posts and find out what made them successful. Ask yourself — does your audience love educational content or do they want to be inspired or entertained?

Connect your social content strategy to business goals.

Find the KPIs that are important for your business, then make sure your social strategy supports those KPIs.

Run a competitive analysis.

Review your competitors' social media accounts with these competitive analysis templates and check:

The types of content they're sharing

Posting frequency

Audience engagement

Want more details? Click here to learn how to conduct a social media audit step-by-step.

2. Choose your social media channels and the content you'll post.

Once you've completed your audit, it's time to use what you learned. Your audit should give you a sense of what you're doing right, where you should experiment, and which channels are best for your audience.

For example, say that Instagram has historically been your top social media channel for engagement, but you've seen a drop in the last six months. Your audit should show you what engagement on IG looks like for your competitors, plus what is and isn't working for your business now.

Choose your social media channels.

Target audience demographics are need-to-know information for planning your content because you’re much more likely to achieve your marketing goals if you share content you know your audience enjoys.

You’ll want to do some market research, which can help you find the most popular social media platforms for your audience. For example, say my target audience is Gen Z. I’m sharing Instagram Reels and posting on X, but nothing is taking. I know from our Consumer Trends Report (which is market research) that Gen Z’s favorite social media channel is TikTok, so I would be better off pivoting my marketing strategy to that channel to drive results.

As you research, don’t forget to assess platform features and strengths.

Next, match your top content types and budget with the platform that best fits your needs.

For example, local coffee shop Café Grumpy focuses its social media presence on a single platform: Instagram. But, cosmetics brand Glossier has a powerful social media presence on many platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, and LinkedIn.

Health and beauty brand Golde strikes a balance with a presence on multiple platforms. But it focuses on content publishing and engagement with Instagram Reels.

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Remember that with each platform you add, you're increasing the number of posts you'll need to create and manage — thankfully, this makes a social media calendar even more useful

Plan what content you want to create for each channel.

Once you've chosen your platforms, it's time to plan your social media content. To begin the planning process, review your team and budget to get a realistic sense of how much high-quality content you can produce.

You can often produce more high-quality content for less money if you create in batches, which makes careful content planning essential.

Then, use your brand guide and social audit analysis to create content that resonates with your audience. Continuing with my example from above, our research shows that Gen Z prefers funny content and relatable content, so I’m more likely to see the results I’m looking for if I focus on that.

Create a smart mix of social content.

It's best to create a variety of content. Videos are popular, but images, text-based posts, infographics, testimonials, and live streams are potent too. Mix it up to keep your feeds fresh and appealing. It’s also a handy way to stay up on trends that make the most of each platform.

For example, Instagram is ideal for visual storytelling. With that in mind, Café Grumpy's social posts feature drawings and art from customers, employee stories, and vendor highlights.

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Glossier uses a unique content strategy for each social audience. For example, its YouTube channel features a "Get Ready with Me" playlist of videos of influencers, actresses, and CEOs using its products.

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Over on LinkedIn, Glossier uses its social feed to highlight its take on culture and events. And on Reddit, the content engages the community with prompts for conversation and critique.

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These content creation templates can speed up the process if you create unique content for multiple platforms.

3. Decide what your calendar should include.

Regardless of how you plan your social content (like by season, strategy, campaign, etc.), I recommend deciding what content you want in your calendar for your desired results to keep things organized.

To start, your calendar should include the following:

The platforms you're using

The day and the time your posts will be published

Links, graphics, videos, and copy

Having platform image sizes, campaign hashtags, and quick tips on hand makes it easier to build your social media calendar.

Color coding is also great for at-a-glance decision-making each month. This is how we color-coded content in our monthly social content planner:

As you become more adept with your calendar, you may want to expand it to include the following:

Platform-specific materials include Reels, TikTok LIVE, polls, shoppable posts, etc.

Geo-targeting

The associated or vertical campaigns, such as product launches and contests

4. Get feedback.

Once your calendar is complete, share it with your team and stakeholders to get their feedback and make sure it meets everyone's needs.

Your social media calendar should be an easy-to-understand plan that aligns with your social media strategy. If everything aligns, there shouldn't be any big surprises or confusion when colleagues review your plan.

The monthly template in our social media calendar is helpful when sharing your plan with stakeholders who want a sense of the big picture but don't need to get into granular details.

The other sections of this tool are useful for social media managers who are planning, creating, and posting to social media.

Once you’ve completed all these steps, the next move is to actually create your calendar with a template or tool.

Social Media Templates

Before working at HubSpot, I handled social media for a small nonprofit. I built its social media presence from zero, so planning and creating a calendar for myself (and the nonprofit leaders) was important.

I did my planning with a template I found online (which, coincidentally, was HubSpot’s template), and it helped me stay organized and on top of when I needed to share content.

Overall, a social media calendar template will help you plan and organize the content you’ll share across your social media channels. Most templates include sections for each platform you use, links to media you’ll include in your posts, and posting schedules.

Below I’ll dive into two of HubSpot’s free social media calendar templates for you to download and their best features.

1. HubSpot's Social Media Calendar Template

If you're new to setting up social media calendars, HubSpot offers a free, pre-made downloadable template that you can use to schedule out full weeks of posts.

With the download, you’ll get access to multiple sheets that are helpful for your planning process, including:

Platform-specific tabs to plan and organize posts for each platform you use.

The download comes with tabs for the most popular platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and you can simply duplicate a sheet and change the name for any other channels you use. This was the best part of the template for my social media work. I created separate plans for the platforms I used, then added the scheduled posts to the monthly calendar for a four-week overview.

A monthly planning calendar, where you get a high-level overview of your planned social posts for the month, color-coded for easy reading.

This part of the template was extremely helpful for sharing with stakeholders who wanted to know what to expect to see on our channels but didn’t need access to the platform-to-platform breakdown.

Downl

26 Conversion Rate Optimization Tools for Research, Feedback, Analytics & More in 2024

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Driving traffic to your website is just the first step in sustaining your business. You must reliably convert those visitors into customers, and that’s where conversion rate optimization tools come in.

The list below outlines many helpful conversion rate optimization (CRO) tools to help you gain new customers and improve your bottom line.

From high-level changes like landing page and email design and inspiration to in-depth insights into how your visitors navigate your content, these tools will help you turn your site into a conversion machine.

To help you understand the tools and their uses, we’ve also broken this list into a few major categories:

Lead Capture Tools

Research Tools

CRO Analytics Tools

Mouse Tracking and Heat Maps

Feedback Tools

Experiment Tools

How to Shop for Conversion Rate Optimization Tools

The Benefits of CRO Analytics Tools

Ready? Let’s start converting.

Lead Capture Tools

You will use these tools to capture more leads on your site, thus improving your CRO analytics.

While most conversion-focused content has a built-in form or call-to-action (CTA), these tools act as additional lead capture mechanisms to boost the number of leads that convert on your content.

1. HubSpot

Get started with HubSpot’s CTA Tool

It’s Google Analytics meets SumoMe meets a CRM. Sounds cool, right? It starts with an exit intent pop-up CTA, then syncs with your website’s existing forms to learn about your site visitors and their path through your pages.

HubSpot’s tools give you in-depth contact insights on prospects and current contacts in your database.

It also pairs its contacts database with a dashboard that shows you a high-level view of which marketing efforts are paying off and converting and which ones aren’t.

What we like: HubSpot is an all-in-one solution that allows you to convert customers and nurture them throughout their entire lifecycle. The CTA Tool will enable you to create conversion points for leads in seconds.

Pricing: Free

2. HelloBar

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HelloBar is a lead capture tool that allows you to add a pop-up form to your website to grow your email list, promote your social pages, showcase a sale, or other lead generation strategies.

The free version allows you to create one modal that’s shown to every 10th visitor. However, premium plans offer more advanced CTA options. Pop-up styles range from bars, modals, alerts, sliders, and full-page takeovers.

What we like: Hello Bar’s practical and easy-to-use pop-ups are backed by analytics and optimization features.

Pricing

Starter — Free

Growth — $29 a month

Premium — $49 a month

Elite — $99 a month

3. Sumo

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Sumo offers a suite of free tools to help you increase your site conversions. For lead capture, it provides a “Welcome Mat” pop-up CTA, a “Smart Bar” to increase email subscribers, a scroll-triggered box, and a “Contact Us” form.

Along with their Google Analytics research tools, the Sumo suite helps you gain on-page insights and increase your email list.

Best for: Small- to medium-sized ecommerce businesses looking for an all-encompassing suite of CRO tools.

Pricing

Free plan available

Pro — $39 a month

4. Picreel

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Picreel is a versatile conversion rate optimization tool that helps capture leads and maximize conversions through engaging pop-ups.

The tool’s exit-intent technology lets you target leaving visitors with attractive offers and convince them to share their contact details.

The data collected is automatically pushed to your integrated CRM account, where leads can be nurtured and converted.

The exit overlays can be enriched with personalized messages based on visitors’ click behavior and previous purchases.

What we like: Picreel features many useful integrations with CRMs, like HubSpot and Salesforce, and email marketing systems, such as MailChimp and Adobe Marketo Engage.

Pricing: $49.97 a month

Research Tools

Before you create any content, call upon these tools to draw inspiration and check out what other intelligent marketers have seen success with in the past.

5. BuzzSumo

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The best content gets shared and linked the most. So, what better way to gain preliminary insights than to compile all of the most shared content on your particular topic?

With BuzzSumo, all you have to do is enter the keyword or topic. Then, it’ll pull together the most shared and linked content on that topic. Time frames range from the last day, week, month, or year.

So if you’re trying to optimize the landing page for your new webinar on cat fashion, all you have to do is enter “cat fashion.” BuzzSumo will then give you the best articles, resources, videos, and more on the fascinating topic of cat couture.

BuzzSumo also features a keyword tool, trend analysis, and other valuable features to supercharge your content research and CRO.

Best for: Content marketers looking to stay on trend and ahead of the competition.

Pricing

Basic — $119 a month

Content Creation — $249 a month

PR & Comms — $249 a month

Suite — $499 a month

Enterprise — $999 a month

6. SimilarWeb

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Knowing where your website visitors come from can (and should) significantly impact the type of content you create.

With SimilarWeb, you can see where your traffic is coming from, which keywords fuel your organic traffic, and what other sites are most similar to yours.

You can also compare analytics to determine the website conversion optimization by looking over data.

With this information, you can optimize content for your most significant traffic sources and dig in to see what competitor sites are doing to drive conversions.

Best for: Teams with a generous marketing intelligence budget looking for best-in-class digital traffic data.

Pricing

Starter — $125 a user per month

Professional — $333 a user per month

Team — pricing upon request

Enterprise — Pricing upon request

7. Land-book

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Getting started can be difficult if you’re creating a landing page from scratch.

Luckily, there’s Land-book, a free collection of the web’s best-designed landing pages.

With Land-book, you can explore how top companies use copy, positioning, layout, and design to drive conversions. Pick and choose your favorite elements from the Land-book database and incorporate them into your landing page.

Pro tip: Land-book has more than just landing pages. Use the site’s filters to view blogs, stores, portfolios, and other pages. You can even sort by industry, color, typography, and style.

Pricing: Free

8. Really Good Emails

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In today’s marketing landscape, if you want to get your message across, you’d better know a thing or two about visual communication and design.

Don’t know a thing or two about either? Enter Really Good Emails.

Like Land-book, Really Good Emails is a database of the web’s best-designed emails from the world’s most innovative companies.

Use this as a resource to see how you can design your email to get your message across in the best way possible, as fast as possible.

(Check out this post for even more resources to find great marketing examples.)

Best for: Email marketers and designers looking for inspiration on their upcoming blasts.

Pricing: Free

9. SubjectLine.com

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When sending an email, the subject line can either make or break your performance. Before you choose which one to send, check them out using this excellent resource.

SubjectLine.com has tested over 15 million subject lines and has a tool to evaluate your potential options. It gives a deliverability and marketing score, plus advice on improving.

What we like: Their new ChatGPT integration lets you leverage the power of AI to create compelling subject lines, even when you have writer’s block.

Pricing: Free

10. Attrock Headline Analyzer

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Attrock’s Headline Analyzer is a tool that helps you analyze the effectiveness of your headlines by giving them a score between 1 and 100.

It looks at the headline type, readability, sentiment analysis, and more to help you create a click-worthy headline for your pages.

The tool also suggests improvements that you can make to your current headline to improve its score, which, in turn, can help drive more significant traffic to the page and boost conversions.

Best for: Content marketers who want to ensure their headlines are click-worthy and optimized for SEO.

Pricing: Free

11. CoSchedule Headline Analyzer

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CoSchedule’s headline analyzer gives a score of 1–100 to gauge the effectiveness of titles. The score is calculated based on word usage, grammar, vocabulary, type of headline, and character and word count.

The tool shows you your headline on Google and in an email subject line. This tool is a great litmus test to determine how well your headline will perform.

Pro tip: Consider running your headline through both CoSchedule and Attrock’s headline analyzer tools to determine the most valuable results.

Pricing: Free

CRO Analytics Tools

You will use these tools to measure and track your content’s performance.

You can use CRO analytics to comprehensively analyze your conversion rate’s dips, jumps, and fluctuations.

12. Kissmetrics

Kissmetrics is a powerful analytics tool that illuminates people’s behaviors on your website and lets you leverage that data to increase revenue.

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With Kissmetrics, you can learn the path your customers have taken through your website. You can also conduct A/B tests, build data sets (without SQL), perform website conversion optimization, and assess the ROI from your campaigns.

What we like: Simplicity. Kissmetrics empowers non-technical teams with insights and analytics that increase conversions.

Pricing

Silver — $199 a month

Gold — $499 a month

Platinum — Custom pricing

13. Google Analytics

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Google Analytics is a free way to track your website visitors. You can see how long it takes visitors to bounce from your pages, if they complete goals from a specific path, and which sources bring people to your website.

What’s great about Google Analytics is that it lets you see which keywords people use to find your page, what devices they’re searching on, and uncover demographic data.

However, no specific emails or contact information are associated with your site visitors.

Pro tip: Google Analytics free tools are incredibly useful for 99.99% of teams. Their premium offering, Analytics 360, is costly and only recommended for large enterprises.

Pricing

Free

Enterprise pricing upon request

14. HubSpot Website Grader

Website Grader is a great way to get a quick snapshot of a website’s overall performance.

It gives insights into performance factors (speed, page size, and page requests), mobile responsiveness and appearance, SEO (page titles, meta descriptions, headings, and site map), and security.

It’s great for website conversion optimization.

From there, the tool devises a grade and provides suggestions on improving, making it easy to come up with some quick wins that’ll help you boost conversions.

What we like: HubSpot’s t

70 AI Prompt Examples for Marketers to Use in 2024

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Garbage in, garbage out. While that’s certainly true of coding, that now applies to marketers who want to make the most of AI. I’ve written dozens of iterations of the same prompt, refining my query until I could strike the right balance.

When used right, AI saves me time on routine tasks and sparks my thinking. I can then focus on sprucing up the bot’s output or funnel my energies to the more creative, engaging parts of my job.

However, the right prompts are essential to make the most of AI’s capabilities.

In this article, I’ll share examples of AI prompts marketers that marketers can use to make the job easier. We’ll also share essential data on how marketers are using AI today.

What we’ll cover:

How do AI prompts work?

AI Prompts in Marketing Today

Marketing AI Prompt Examples

How do AI prompts work?

All AI tools share a commonality: “great prompt = great output.”

A great AI prompt is specific, straightforward, filled with relevant information, and uses complete sentences. If your AI prompts deviate from the above qualities, the odds of getting unusable responses increase.

AI Prompts in Marketing Today

Our recent State of AI survey shows that hundreds of marketers benefit from artificial intelligence solutions. We surveyed 1,350 U.S. business professionals.

Marketers from our survey found that AI helped their teams automate manual tasks, save time, create personalized content, and better understand customer needs. That all relies on writing prompts that are specific and clear.

We asked marketers for their most effective when writing prompts for general AI. Of respondents, 53% suggested offering relevant context or background information. That includes specifying the target audience, describing the themes to cover, and providing additional notes.

Other best practices included using follow-up prompts to expand on previous outputs (43%) and providing specific prompts (45%). Another 55% recommended experimenting with different prompts to see what works best for your specific use case.

When using generative AI to write copy, the majority of marketers (51%) needed to write three prompts in order to achieve the desired result. When writing messages, 63% of respondents said they only needed to make minor edits to the text.

So, the prompts you use make all the difference. To learn more about how marketers leverage AI, download the State of AI report.

Marketers use AI for more than one purpose. They can use it to brainstorm entire processes or series if done correctly. So, as you find inspiration for your AI prompts, ‌try them out in HubSpot’s Content Assistant.

Join the waitlist for HubSpot’s Content Assistant today

This content assistant tool natively integrates with the HubSpot products you know and love, allowing you to toggle between manual and AI content creation to generate copy for blogs, emails, and more.

Now, let’s explore the different prompts you can use for your marketing strategy.

Marketing AI Prompt Examples

Examples of AI Prompts for Marketers

Educational Prompts

These prompts are useful for writing drafts of top-of-the-funnel content about popular topics. Here are some examples:

1. What is [topic]? Write a blog post of [number] words introducing the reader to [topic].

2. Briefly explain the stages of the [topic].

3. List the key elements of effective [topic].

4. What is the difference between [topic 1] and [topic 2]?

5. Outline how [topic] trends have influenced [another topic].

Informative Prompts

Informative prompts let you generate content that offers valuable insights to readers on a topic. Here are a few examples:

6. Create content for our help page that explains how [popular software feature] works.

7. Explain what [your company] can learn from [competitor] optimization of its user experience.

8. What are some popular myths about [topic]? Write a strong essay under 1,000 words that dispels all myths.

Listicle Prompts

These prompts help you outline ideas and create drafts for a list blog post or social media post. See some examples below.

9. List [number] must-have tools for beginner [topic] enthusiasts.

10. List [number] blog post titles on the benefit of an effective [topic].

11. List the major themes in our recent customer review below: [review].

12. List [number] common misconceptions about [topic] and debunk them.

13. List [number] frequently asked customer questions about our [topic]. Provide answers under 100 words to each question.

Technical Prompts

AI tools help write drafts of technical materials. Below are some technical AI prompts.

14. Write a [user manual] for [product feature] that guides users through its use.

15. Attached is the raw data of a survey we conducted. Our company’s name is [name]. We surveyed [user groups]. Analyze the survey data and outline the key findings.

16. Create a business proposal for a new content management system in a hypothetical company. Address costs, timelines, and expected benefits.

Art AI Prompts

Creating great art with AI is both a science and an art. Before creating an art prompt, you need to set up an account with tools like Midjourney. Here’s how an AI expert, Ruben Hassid, recommends you do this:

1. Open Midjourney and Discord accounts.

Google Midjourney.

Click Join Beta.

Create a Discord account.

Subscribe to any of their plans.

2. Use Midjourney.

Invite Midjourney to your channel.

Start a prompt with “/imagine.”

Use descriptive words and techniques.

Select the best variation out of 4.

Upscale it or create variations of it.

3. Upscale the image or create variations.

U = Upscale = Make an image bigger.

V = Variation = 4 new images based on that one.

U1 = Upscale the top left image.

U2 = Upscale the top right image.

U3 = Upscale the bottom left image.

U4 = Upscale the bottom right image.

V1 = Create 4 variations from the top left image.

V2 = Create 4 variations from the top right image.

V3 = Create 4 variations from the bottom left image.

V4 = Create 4 variations from the bottom right image.

Examples of AI art prompts

17. An image for a [content type] showing a researcher engrossed in their work.

18. An image of a bold [color] lady for a web page. Lady should wear a jacket, look forward, smile, have dark hair, fold her hands, and stand in a library setting.

19. An image of nine professionals in a Zoom call setting. Blur the images a bit. Place the image of a [color] man in front of the image. The man should have a bold, bright smile and should be in a suit.

20. Image of cartoon researching with their computer. A ghost caricature behind the cartoon shows the researcher is a ghostwriter.

Examples of AI Prompts for Lead Generation

Lead generation is attracting prospects to your business and increasing their interest in becoming customers.

AI can empower marketers to attract more potential customers based on buyer persona characteristics if specified in the AI prompt. The following examples showcase how to get those customized results.

21. Generate ideas for a new product launch in [month] that incorporate the theme of [season] and [tone].

22. Brainstorm content ideas for a blog post about [topic] in [number] of words or fewer that is search engine optimized in formatting using H2s and H3s accordingly.

23. Suggest high-volume keyword clusters for [topic] to optimize search engine rankings.

24. Identify popular trends in the industry of [product or service] that an audience of [target audience] will be interested in this [upcoming season].

25. Generate ideas for an upcoming marketing campaign about [new product] with a marketing mix comprising [product] [price] [place] [promotion channels].

26. Suggest [number] ways to improve website traffic during [holiday season].

27. Identify potential target audiences in [location] that would be interested in buying [product] to solve [pain point].

28. Suggest new strategies for lead generation in [market] and [industry].

29. Generate ideas for creating a viral social media campaign using recent [social media platform] trending audios or popular memes from [month] [year].

30. Identify new channels for advertising [product] aside from [current platforms already in use].

Examples of AI Prompts for Social Media Posts

Did you know that AI can recognize different social media platforms? Marketers benefit from using AI prompts for their preferred channels instead of basing strategy on generalizations.

Here are some excellent examples to follow for social media drafts.

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31. Write a tweet promoting a new product suited for a target audience in [industry] and [location].

32. Generate a post for Instagram featuring a customer testimonial about [product] in under [number] words.

33. Write a Facebook post introducing a new product feature and rephrase its current description to sound more exciting and effective: [insert current product description text].

34. Create a LinkedIn post promoting a new job opening in [number] words or less with a strong call-to-action at the end.

35. Draft a Pinterest post featuring a new product line and provide tips on improving product photography for [type of aesthetic].

36. Write a YouTube video description for a new product review that links to [insert links] for viewers to go to the product landing page for more information.

37. Draft a TikTok video script showcasing a product demonstration for 2 minutes at maximum.

38. Create a Snapchat story promoting a limited-time offer and describe the type of stickers or filters that can improve it.

39. Write a blog post title to promote a new social media campaign in [number] characters or less.

40. Draft an email subject line to promote a new blog post that feels personal, enticing, and not spammy.

Examples of AI Prompts for Podcast or Video Content

Developing ideas for podcasts or videos on your own can be exhausting. Thankfully, AI can provide ideas for them and even walk you through the script and development process if you specify it in your prompt.

See the different prompts that can help you create multimedia content.

41. Draft a podcast episode about the latest [industry] trends and innovations that contains [number] minutes of dialogue.

42. Produce [number] of topics for a video series featuring interviews with thought leaders in [industry].

43. Develop a podcast episode discussing the benefits of [products or services] divided into four chapters.

44. Create a video series that showcases customer success stories.

45. Produce a podcast episode on the history and evolution of [brand or industry].

46. Develop a video series on best practices for using [products or services] in [number] of different ways.

47. Create a podcast episode that features an expert roundtable discussion on [industry topics].

48. Produce ideas for a video series featuring a behind-the-scenes look at your company’s operations.

49. Develop a podcast episode that offers tips and advice on succeeding in [industry] as an entrepreneur.

50. Create a video series highlighting the impact of [products or services] on the lives of customers or clients in [demographic].

Examples of AI Prompts for Content Promotion

Marketers looking for more effective ways to promote their products or services can use AI for best practices. Explore the different channels, tips, and methods this technology can yield using solid AI prompts.

51. Suggest the best time and day of the week to publish a blog post about [topic].

52. Write a press release announcing a new product launch geared toward [target audience] that sounds confident, exciting, and interesting.

53. Generate ideas for outreach emails to promote a new product, including [number] of attention-grabbing subject lines and [number] of clear calls-to-action.

54. Write a guest post for a popular industry blog discussing the impact of [product] on [marketing strategy].

55. Suggest the [number] best hashtags for a social media campaign on [social media platform] to reach [target audience].

56. Draft a script for a 60-second podcast ad [for service/product] that has a friendly tone and witty humor fit for [target audience characteristics].

57. Create a landing page for a new product promotion divided into [number] sections about different benefits based on this description: [insert new product description].

58. Write a script for a TV commercial involving [number] actors in [setting] that promotes [product/service].

59. Draft a product description for an ecommerce site that is [number] sentences long and enticing to [target audience].

60. Generate ideas for cross-promotion with other businesses in the [market], specifically with brands such as [brand names].

Examples of AI Prompts for Repurposing Content

AI can allow marketers to reuse and refresh outdated content to make something new or more useful in the current year — a process we call historical optimization.

When making AI prompts for content repurposing, be creative and see how you can transform your old work into something new.

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61. Repurpose a blog post into a video script using this article: [insert old blog post].

62. Turn a webinar into a podcast episode using this pre-existing transcript: [insert old webinar transcript].

How to Add Social Media Icons to Your Email Signature [+ Free Resources]

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Using social media icons for email signatures is a simple yet effective way to make it easy for your recipients to find and connect with your brand on social media.

To help you do that, I share the easiest ways to add social media icons to your email signature, plus offer a few free resources to get it done.

Throughout this blog post, I’ll cover the following topics:

Why use social media icons in email signatures?

How do I add social media icons to my email signature?

How can I create custom social media icons?

Free Social Media Icons for Email Signatures

Should I put social media icons in my email signature?

Why use social media icons in email signatures?

Statista predicts global social media users will reach almost 6 billion by 2027.

But even as we speak, the sheer volume of people already on some form of social media means it just makes sense to do business there in 2024.

That's especially true if you want to increase brand exposure and improve traffic and lead generation.

According to Statista, these were the most commonly cited advantages of using social media for marketing purposes among global industry professionals.

And that's not all. Did you know that nearly 80% of consumers are willing to purchase from a company after having a positive experience with them on social media?

But here’s the kicker: That can‘t happen if consumers can’t find your company's social media channels in the first place.

So, from a business perspective, yes, you want to be on social media. But you should also actively direct people to your channels, and you can use your email signature to do just that.

Let’s dive into both methods one by one.

Method 1: Use an email signature generator.

I recommend using a signature generator, like HubSpot’s free signature generator, for a few reasons. A generator will:

Automatically size the social media icons properly.

Make sure your icons match your theme.

Align the icons properly with the rest of the signature.

Ensure your links are active.

Otherwise, you’ll have to manually add the social media icons to your email signature as images and link these images with your social profiles. This method requires more effort and technical know-how.

Using HubSpot’s free signature generator, you can save a lot of time and effort.

Follow these steps to add social media icons to your email signature with HubSpot’s free signature generator:

1. Choose your preferred email signature template.

2. Simply paste your social links into the correct fields. The generator does the rest. (I’ll cover where to find your social links below.)

3. Adjust the look to suit your brand or style.

4. Add your headshot, company logo, and CTA (optional).

5. Copy the image or the source code and paste it into your email client.

Make your email signature for free.

Method 2: Add an Image Within Your Email Client

Maybe you’re already happy with your existing signature, and you just need to add social media icons.

If that’s the case, most email clients (like Gmail, Outlook, etc.) will allow you to add them as an image to your signature. You can then link them with your social media channels.

But there’s a problem with this approach. Adding images as attachments to your outgoing emails can affect your delivery rates.

While Gmail allows you to add social media icons as images using the image address or URL, that’s impossible for other email clients like Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail.

To add social media icons as images to your email signature, follow these steps:

Find icons of the right size, shape, and color. (I’ve shared some options below).

Right-click the image of the icon and select “Copy image address” or “Copy image URL,” in case you’re looking to upload to Gmail. For other email clients, you’ll have to download the social media icons as images and link them to your profiles.

In your email client’s signature editor, click on “Insert image.”

Paste the image URL into the field given (in Gmail) or upload social media icons as images (in the case of other email clients).

Adjust the placement and alignment of the icon if needed.

Copy the social link that matches the icon you’re adding.

Highlight the newly added icon image and click “Insert link.”

Paste the social link into the field.

That being said, let’s understand how to add social media icons to your email signatures across Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail.

How to Add Social Media Icons to Gmail Signature

To add social media icons to your Gmail signature, follow these steps.

1. Click on the settings icon in the top-right corner.

2. Click on “See all settings.”

3. Scroll down until you see the email signature editor.

4. Click on “+ Create New” button.

5. You’ll be asked to name your new signature. In this case, I’ll name it “John Smith.” Once you type in the name, click on “Create.”

If you’re looking to add social media icons to your existing signature, just click on the edit icon for that particular signature.

6. Now, you can either paste the signature from HubSpot’s free signature generator. Or you can follow the instructions in Method II to add social media icons to your existing signature in the form of images.

7. Under “Signature defaults,” select your new signature. You can do it for both — new and reply/forwarded emails.

8. Scroll to the bottom and click “Save changes.”

See more detailed instructions on how to add a signature in Gmail.

How to Add Social Media Icons to My Outlook Signature

To add social media icons to your Outlook signature, follow these steps:

1. Click on the gear icon in the top-right corner.

2. Click on “View all Outlook settings.”

3. Select “Compose and reply.”

4. Under “Email Signature,” add your Signature name. In this case, I’ll name it “John Smith.” On the other hand, if you’re looking to edit your existing signature, choose the name of the signature you’re looking to edit from the drop-down menu.

5. Paste your email signature (the one we created in HubSpot’s free signature generator.)

Or, if you’re just looking to add social media icons to your existing signature in the form of images, follow the instructions mentioned in the Method II section.

6. Under “Select default signature,” select your new signature. You can do it for both - new and reply/forwarded emails.

7. Click on “Save” to save the changes.

See more detailed instructions on how to add a signature in Outlook.

How to Add Social Media Icons to Apple Mail Signature

1. Click on “Mail” and then “Settings” in the top-left corner.

2. Click on the “Signatures” tab.

3. Click on the “+” button, as displayed in the screenshot below.

4. Name your email signature. In this case, I’ll name it “John Smith.”

5. Paste your email signature (the one we created in HubSpot’s free signature generator). Or follow the instructions in the Method II section to add images.

6. Uncheck the box that says “Always match my default message font.”

7. Close the pop-up window.

How can I create custom social media icons?

If you want to create custom social media icons and have the budget, I recommend working with a graphic designer.

They will a) know how to keep your custom social icons in line with your brand and b) have paid versions and knowledge of tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.

Overall, a good designer will make sure the icon designs are eye-catching, sleek, and professional.

That said, if you want to take a DIY approach, you can use Canva’s free plan to do simple icon customizations like color changes.

To create custom social media icons, load up Canva and then follow these steps:

1. Search for “email signature templates.”

If you don’t already have an email signature template, you can search for an existing one through Canva. To do this, enter “email signature” into the search bar.

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Note: You can use Canva to create individual social icons so that you can use them for purposes outside of an email signature. For the purpose of this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to customize social media icons directly on an email signature template so you can see the whole thing in context.

But remember, adding images as attachments to your outgoing emails can affect your delivery rates.

2. Choose your preferred email signature template.

Now, there should be a range of templates to choose from.

If you have basic design skills, it’s probably best to choose an existing template that catches your eye. If you’re feeling confident, try a blank email signature.

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(I’m going to choose a blank one so it’s easier for you to see what I do with the social icons.)

3. Choose your social media icon(s).

So, your email signature template (in my case, a blank one) should be loaded up on the screen.

Now it’s time to browse social media icons. I’m starting with Instagram. To do this, I selected “Elements,” added “Instagram icon” into the search bar, and then clicked “See all.”

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(For context, I added that line into my blank template to help me visualize the email signature, specifically where to put t

How to Create a Landing Page with High ROI [Expert and Data-Backed Tips]

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

As a marketer, I understand the importance of landing pages. A landing page can be the designated page visitors are taken to when they click on an ad.

It can also be the page that follows a call-to-action button or serve as the homepage of a website.

Regardless of how my audience “lands” on a landing page, it encourages them to convert to a lead or customer. Hence, landing pages are uniquely powerful components of a business' digital marketing strategy.

Table of Contents

What is a landing page?

How to Create a Landing Page

Why do you need a landing page?

Landing Page Best Practices

How to Design Your Landing Page

Landing Page Copywriting Tips

A/B Testing Your Landing Page

Landing Page Metrics to Track

How to Make Your Landing Pages More Effective

What to Do Post-Conversion: Lead Nurturing

What is a landing page?

A landing page is a website page with a specific purpose — the objective of a landing page is to convert visitors into leads. While there are many landing pages, the intent is the same — get more leads.

Landing pages contain lead forms that ask visitors for their contact information in exchange for something of value, otherwise known as an offer.

The video below will help drive that definition home.

How to Create a Landing Page

Creating a landing page doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some actionable, step-by-step instructions to help you create one.

1. Define your goal and audience.

Before you start creating your landing page, you need to define your “why,” “who,” and “what.”

Why are you making this landing page?

Whom do you want to visit your landing page?

What steps do your landing page visitors have to take to help you achieve your goal?

Your answers will guide the process of writing your copy, creating a lead magnet, and adding the necessary elements to your page.

For example, say the reason you’re making your landing page is to generate leads for your upcoming book launch (your “why”). This means that you’ll be targeting people who love to read books in your genre (your “who”).

And to get them on your email list, you’ll have them fill out a form once they land on your page (your “what”).

Here are some CTAs you can use on your landing page to collect leads:

Subscribe to a newsletter.

Download a free ebook/guide.

Sign up for a free trial.

Register for a webinar.

Download a coupon.

Pro tip: To get the most results from your landing page, stick to one goal (or one CTA). Not only does this make it much easier to create an effective landing page, but it also reduces the amount of work your visitors have to do when they arrive on your page.

2. Choose a platform.

After setting your goal and defining your audience, the next step is to select the platform you’ll use to create your landing page.

You can use popular content management systems like WordPress and Wix or dedicated landing page builders like Unbounce or Leadpages.

Unbounce and Leadpages, however, can be really expensive, and while WordPress and Wix are free, you’ll likely have to pay for functional landing page templates — which isn’t feasible if you’re new to creating landing pages.

You can work around this problem by using HubSpot’s Free Landing Page Builder.

This tool has the following features:

A WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor that makes it easy to build stunning, yet professional, landing pages.

An extensive landing page template library so you don’t have to create a landing page from scratch.

Built-in personalization so you can tailor your page’s content to fit your target audience.

AI copywriting tools that help you generate compelling copy in just a few seconds;

Robust analytics so you know who’s visiting your landing page and what they do when they get there.

Integration with Salesforce and HubSpot’s CRM tools so you can manage the leads your page generates.

With this tool, you can build beautiful, effective, and mobile-responsive landing pages for free. You can also test and optimize these pages yourself. No previous IT experience required.

3. Customize your landing page design.

If you choose to use a landing page template, you should customize the design to match your brand. This includes the colors, fonts, layout, and visuals. Here are some tips to help you with customization:

Choose a captivating hero image (the large image that’s typically in the area above the fold, right underneath the website header) that shows visitors what your offer is about.

Use images (product images and stock photos) and illustrations to show the benefits and values that your visitors will gain from your image. Let these visuals tell a story.

If applicable, include real photographs of people using your product/service (e.g., reading your book, using your face lotion, etc.) to help your landing page visitors connect with you on a personal level.

Use a color palette that’s a mixture of bright colors and muted tones to create balance and make your overall design more memorable.

Optimize your images for web loading speed. If not, they might bog down your landing page and make it load very slowly.

4. Write compelling copy.

After customizing your landing page website, it’s time to include some actual content in it.

The first step to writing landing page copy is to structure it; the typical structure involves a headline, a tagline, the actual copy, visuals (images and videos) and a CTA.

An engaging headline and image can be crucial, but experience has shown me that it can fall flat without well-crafted copy. Your copy must be clear and concise and guide your visitors to the action you want them to complete.

Compelling copy also speaks directly to the visitor using “you” and “your” to engage them. We’ll go more in-depth on copy tips below.

Pro tip: Speed up the writing process by using generative AI to create a rough draft of your landing page copy and refine it to match your brand voice and tone.

With Campaign Assistant, HubSpot users can plug in their main points, features, and CTA and generate a first draft in seconds.

5. Add a persuasive call-to-action (CTA).

After telling your visitors all about your product/service and how they can benefit from it, you’ll need to show them the action you want them to take.

This is your call-to-action (CTA), and it is arguably the most crucial element on your landing page — it’s one of many elements that encourage conversion.

It’s usually in the form of a click-through button, which should stand out on the page, meaning you should use a color contrasting with other elements on the page.

The call-to-action (CTA) should clearly explain what you want visitors to do; that is, use an action verb that spells it out for them, like “submit,” “download,” or “get it now.” More on CTA best practices below.

6. Create a form (if needed).

Sometimes, a CTA button alone would not suffice, especially if you’re targeting different kinds of people with the same landing page. In this case, you’ll need to create a form, like this:

Before creating one, however, determine what information you need from visitors. If you only need their full name and email address, ask for those only.

Don’t ask for their phone number, home address, company name, and job title unless you absolutely need this information to tailor offers to them correctly.

If you’re not sure how to approach this, remember: shorter is better.

In July 2023, we surveyed 101 marketers and advertisers in the U.S. to learn about trends in landing pages. Of respondents, 30.7% said the ideal number of questions on a landing page form to get the best conversions is four.

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Beyond that, 10.9% of marketers report only the name and email are essential for a landing page form.

Pro tip: Connect your form to your email marketing and CRM tool to manage and nurture your leads.

7. Test and preview.

Now, you’re ready to launch your landing page!

But before you do that, though, do a final check to ensure that everything looks and functions the way they’re supposed to on the landing page.

Check your copy and ensure that there are no grammatical or spelling errors that will make a bad impression on your audience.

Also, check your design to ensure that all elements are correctly placed and formatted. Verify that all links, forms, and buttons work as expected.

Then, make sure that the contact information of visitors who click your CTA button is safely situated in your email marketing and/or CRM tool.

When you’ve confirmed that everything is as it should be, click “Publish.”

8. Monitor and optimize.

You thought we were done, right? Not quite.

After publishing your landing page, you shouldn’t just forget it; instead, monitor and test it to figure out ways to continue improving upon your landing page elements. The best way to do this is through A/B testing.

Some important elements you should run experiments on include:

The headline. Try different headlines to see which one resonates best with your audience.

Visuals. Change the hero image and other illustrations you use on your landing page.

Form. If you have a form on your landing page, change the number of form fields and the form placement to see which one(s) convert better.

CTA. Design a different CTA button and tweak the accompanying copy and bit to see which one visitors click on more.

When you conduct these tests and implement your results, you’ll be able to get the best out of your landing page, no matter what your goal is.

Pro tip: Also analyze performance metrics and user feedback, and make necessary adjustments to improve the effectiveness of your landing page over time.

Why do you need a landing page?

Why would you create a unique page for people to complete a form? Why not just use your homepage or About page?

Still, the short answer is this: A landing page eliminates distractions by removing navigation, competing links, and alternate options so you capture your visitor’s undivided attention.

Complete attention means you can guide your visitors where you’d like them to go, i.e., to your lead form. In sum, landing pages are specifically designed to create conversions.

Our July 2023 survey found that the average landing page conversion rate across all industries is 5.89%. If you’re seeing conversions beyond 10%, you’re hitting (and exceeding) this benchmark. We found that 43.6% reported generating leads as their goal, while 33.7% said direct customer purchase is their top priority.

Beyond that, landing pages are working. Of marketers, 33.7% saw higher conversion rates in 2023 than in 2022.

Now that you understand their importance, let’s cover landing page best practices to ensure your pages are set up to convert.

Was that a lot? I’ll break down these landing page best practices below.

1. Craft a benefit-focused headline.

Over the years, I've learned that for every 10 people visiting a landing page, at least seven will bounce off the page. To keep that number low, visitors must understand what’s in it for them within seconds of arriving.

My headline is the first thing they’ll read, and it should clearly and concisely communicate the value of my landing page and offer. The same goes for your own landing page, so craft a clear, direct, and engaging headline.

2. Choose an image that illustrates the offer.

I always include images in my landing pages. The purpose of an image is to convey a feeling — it should illustrate how visitors will feel once they receive the offer.

Specific images may work better than others, so you should always split-test your options (which we’ll cover below).

3. Include the lead form above the fold.

Your lead form needs to be readily accessible should your prospect want to convert immediately — you don’t want them searching and scanning your landing page to find your offer.

“Above the fold” means visitors don’t have to scroll to get to the form — it’s in view when someone hits the page.

This could be a form or an anchor link to the form. Even better: Design your layout to scroll with the user as they move down the page.

4. Give away a relevant offer.

Think of your landing page as part of your lead’s journey to your ultimate offer — your product or service. Your offer is the thing you give in exchange for your lead’s personal information.

Not only should it be compelling enough for your visitor to provide their contact info, but it should also be relevant to your business. Say you sell horseshoes.

Your offer might be something like “10 Simple Ways to Size Your Horse’s Hooves” because, ultimately, you will ask that lead to buy your horseshoes.

You wouldn’t hook them with an offer about organic farming because that puts them on a different path.

We’ll talk more about how compelling offers are below.

5. Only ask for what you need.

You want to gather as much information as possible about your lead, but how much you ask for depends on several factors: how well-acquainted they are with you, where they are in their buyer’s journey, and how much they trust you.

Ask for as little info as you need in your lead form to create a low barrier to entry. A name and an email are more than sufficient to nurture a new lead.

6. Remove all navigation.

Your landing page has one objective and one objective only: to convert visitors into leads. Any competing links — including internal links to other pages on your website — will distract from that goal.

Remove other links on your page to draw your visitors’ attention to your call to action.

7. Make your page responsive.

Like every other page on your website, your landing pages must be responsive to accommodate every viewing experience. The last thing you need is for your form to fall out of view on mobile devices.

Give your visitors every possible opportunity to convert, no matter how they view your page.

You can use tools to help accomplish this. For example, HubSpot's drag-and-drop landing page editor, available in Marketing Hub Starter, makes creating mobile-optimized landing pages and forms effortlessly easy.

8. Optimize for search.

Sure, you’ll be driving visitors to your landing page through email blasts, social posts, and other marketing methods, but your page should also be optimized with target keywords for your paid campaigns and organic search.

When someone searches for your key phrase, they should find your landing page. Similarly, when you target a keyword with paid ads, those words should exist on your landing page.

9. Remember to use a thank you page.

A thank you page is where you send leads once they’ve completed your form. Now, you could just show a thank you message on the same page or ditch the thank you altogether, but there are many reasons why that’s not the best option.

A thank you page serves three essential purposes:

It delivers the offer that you promised (usually in the form of an instant download).

It allows you to interest your new lead in additional relevant content.

It serves as a chance to thank them for their interest, which goes a long way in promoting them to a customer.

How to Design Your Landing Page

Often, design means creativity, colors, and pretty pictures. We take design a step further for a landing page to mean functional, direction-oriented, and practical.

So, to craft a well-designed landing page, you’ll have to tap into both your right and left brain.

But don’t get me wrong — you still need fantastic imagery and attractive colors to convert your visitors. We’ll touch on how to incorporate all of this below.

Landing Page Structure

Often, design means creativity, colors, and pretty pictures. We take design a step further for a landing page to mean functional, direction-oriented, and practical.

So, to craft a well-designed landing page, you’ll have to tap into both your right and left brain.

But don’t get me wrong — you still need fantastic imagery and attractive colors to convert your visitors. We’ll touch on how to incorporate all of this below.

Landing Page Structure

The good news is you don’t need to get too creative here. I've found that most landing pages follow a very similar structure because it’s been proven to work.

You can infuse your creativity through branded elements and images, but stick to a landing page format people are used to seeing.

A good landing page has five elements (check out the landing page example below to see these elements in practice):

Headline that grabs the visitors' attention.

Relevant image that is relevant to your audience.

Lead form that sits above the fold to capture visitors’ information.

30+ Best Free Online Marketing Classes to Take in 2024

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Staying on top of the latest strategies and trends has been crucial for keeping my knowledge and skills current as a digital marketer.

Whether it’s learning new SEO techniques or understanding changing social media algorithms, free digital marketing courses have been an invaluable resource throughout my career.

While traditional options such as boot camps or university programs offer valuable education, they also often come with a hefty price tag. In contrast, online courses offer a more affordable and accessible alternative.

But with so many options, how do you pick the right one for you?

Table of Contents

Why take a marketing course?

How I Chose the Best Online Marketing Courses

Free Online Marketing Courses (jump ahead below):

Free Content Marketing Courses

Free Social Media Marketing Courses

Free SEO Marketing Courses

Free Email Marketing Courses

Free Web Development and Site Design Courses

Free Online Advertising & PPC Courses

Free Affiliate Marketing Course

Other Free Digital Marketing Courses

Getting a Digital Marketing Certificate

Where to Find Online Marketing Courses

Why take a marketing course?

While it's possible to learn new skills through blog posts and ebooks, I’ve found that this method often leads to overwhelm.

Although these resources can be helpful, the most effective way to master a skill, in my experience, is through a structured learning process.

Instead of piecing together information haphazardly from various sources, taking a course offers a clear path forward and ensures you’re covering topics in a logical order.

Whether you’re interested in a refresher course or want to learn something new — like creating a website from scratch — taking a marketing course provides the structured guidance and expertise you need to truly learn and master a topic or skill set.

That said, not all courses are created equal. So, how do you know what courses are worth your time?

Don’t worry. I’ve done all the heavy lifting and handpicked some of the best digital marketing courses currently available.

How I Chose the Best Online Marketing Courses

The word “best” means different things to different people.

For some, it's all about the reputation of the person or organization that created the course. For others, it might be how well a course helps to achieve a specific goal.

With these diverse definitions in mind, I've included a range of courses to help you find the right course for your unique interests, needs, and budget.

Also, to make it easier for you to browse through my selections, I've organized this roundup into broad “topic categories” and included the following criteria for each course recommendation:

How much the course costs. While most of the courses on this list are free, some require payments or memberships for the platforms they’re hosted on.

How the course is delivered. This section will provide information on how the course is formatted and delivered (video, text, audio, etc.)

Instructor. If you're new to marketing, this section can help you decide whether the instructor is the best person for you to learn this topic from.

Required prerequisites. Most of the courses on this list have no prerequisites. That said, I've included a note if having some prior knowledge about the topic might improve your learning experience.

Certifications. For learners who prefer or require accreditation, this section will tell you whether the course offers a certificate.

How long it takes to complete the course. This is an estimate of how long it will take you to review the course materials. Note that in reality, this number will be highly dependent on several factors such as your current skill level, engagement with the course, whether you complete the more intensive projects or assignments, etc.

Who is this course for? This provides a high-level target audience for each course.

What the course covers. Some courses teach a range of specific skills, while others cover broad topics across multiple chapters. This section will give you a clearer picture of what each course covers.

Why do I recommend the course? This section will provide a quick summary of why I believe the course is worth taking.

Now let’s find the right online marketing course for you.

Free Content Marketing Courses

Successful marketing efforts begin with excellent content. Whether you’re just starting your content marketing journey or need a quick refresher, the courses below will help you up your marketing game.

1. Content Marketing Certification - HubSpot Academy

Quick Overview

Level: Beginner to intermediate

Cost: Free

Format: Includes 12 lessons, 54 videos, and 11 quizzes. The program is also available in English, German, Spanish and French.

Instructor: Taught by various instructors from the HubSpot team, including content experts like AJ Beltis and Justin Champion.

Prerequisites: None

Certifications: After completing this course, you can get your Content Marketing Certification by passing a one-hour exam.

Course duration: 8 hours 34 minutes

Who is this course for?

This program is perfect for anyone looking to learn the fundamentals of content marketing.

Whether you're a marketing intern starting your first campaign, a business owner exploring new growth tactics, or a seasoned marketing professional looking to expand into content, this course will teach you how to create and implement a content marketing strategy.

What does the course cover?

The program begins with foundational lessons on content frameworks, storytelling, and idea generation. As you progress, you'll delve into practical lessons on strategy development and content creation.

Lastly, the course concludes with in-depth sessions that explore strategies for content promotion, amplification, and optimization, ensuring you have a holistic understanding of the entire content marketing workflow.

The program includes additional resources such as a content marketing workbook and quizzes to test your knowledge of the course material. It also incorporates expert insights and real-world examples to offer practical strategies that can be directly applied to your content marketing projects.

Finally, alongside the course material, you’ll also gain access to an exclusive online content marketing study group with over 18,000 members.

Why do I recommend this course?

This marketing course offers direct, clear, and easy-to-understand lessons.

It’s also incredibly comprehensive, which means that even an absolute beginner will walk away understanding how to manage an entire content marketing campaign effectively.

The HubSpot Academy also has over 550 five-star reviews on G2, with many learners praising the programs for their relevance, usefulness, and timeliness.

2. Copyblogger Academy

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Quick Overview

Level: Beginner to advanced

Cost: $199 for a yearly membership which provides access to training, masterclasses, and tools. Cancel at any time.

Format: Includes a training library and live monthly masterclasses.

Instructor: Taught by instructors from the Copyblogger team and external experts such as Steph Smith and Jacob McMillen.

Prerequisites: Your learning experience will go much smoother if you’re already a competent writer.

Certifications: No

Course duration: Self-paced training available year-long.

Who is this course for?

This course is great for marketers who are already proficient in writing but want to understand how to develop and implement a proper content marketing framework.

What does the course cover?

The course covers three key skills for successful content marketing: strategy, traffic generation, and audience engagement. You’ll learn these skills through a mix of courses like “Content Marketing Mastery,” “Creative Foundations,” and "Content Marketing Bootcamp.”

You’ll also have the opportunity to attend expert-led live classes and participate in personalized “hot seat” sessions.

Overall, the course is designed to help learners develop a strategy that fits their business goals and learn how to use technology (specifically automation) to grow their audience.

Why do I recommend this course?

While the course content on its own is pretty great, a standout feature of this program is the “built-in” mastermind.

This feature provides a valuable community of like-minded individuals who can offer ongoing support and share timely insights.

This makes it a great choice for people who are looking to connect with others in the field, expand their network, and gain diverse perspectives.

3. The Strategy of Content Marketing by Copyblogger and UC Davis

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Quick Overview

Level: Intermediate

Cost: Free with a 7-day free trial or $59 a month for a Coursera Plus subscription.

Format: Includes five modules with a combination of videos, assessments, and readings.

Instructor: Taught by instructors from the Copyblogger team and external experts such as Steph Smith and Jacob McMillen.

Prerequisites: None

Certifications: A certificate of completion is available.

Course duration: Approximately five weeks of study if you dedicate two to three hours per week or three weeks of study if you dedicate six hours per week.

Who is this course for?

This is primarily a “strategy-focused” course, which makes it great for learners looking for a more actionable, clinical approach to structuring and managing a content marketing campaign.

What does the course cover?

This course is a collaboration between UC Davis and Copyblogger designed to help you use content marketing to generate leads effectively.

It covers a range of topics, from the basics of content creation to developing strategies, mapping out customer journeys, and managing your content.

It’s worth noting that this course is rated 4.5 with over 4,000 reviews and is taught by Sonia Simone — who brings a wealth of experience as a co-owner of The Offer Accelerator, a founding partner of Copyblogger, and an independent content marketing coach.

Another standout feature of this course is its active discussion forums, where you can engage with other learners, troubleshoot issues, and build your network.

Here you'll have the opportunity to participate in discussions and complete assignments, such as sharing a website for feedback from your peers.

It’s important to note that while this course provides a solid foundation in content marketing, you may need to supplement your learning with additional resources if you're looking for the latest trends and cutting-edge topics.

Why do I recommend this course?

This is just one of many excellent courses you can use to supercharge your marketing.

Coursera offers a wealth of content marketing classes — so many that it might be dizzying to the first-time entrant.

For example, once you've finished this course, you may want to try Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content next.

If you’ve ever come across a piece of viral content and wondered how you can create something similar, this Wharton-taught course is for you.

4. Copywriting For Beginners: How To Write Web Copy That Sells Without Being Cheesy

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Quick Overview

Level: Beginner

Cost: Free with a 7-day trial or $32 a month.

Format: Includes 17 video lessons.

Instructor: Taught by Jesse Forest, a professional copywriter, educator, and the founder of Copywriting Crew.

Prerequisites: None

Certifications: No

Course duration: Should take approximately one hour to complete.

Who is this course for?

This course is great for beginners looking for a resource that covers fundamental copywriting principles.

If you’re someone who struggles with “blank screen anxiety,” this course is a great resource for developing the skills and techniques to overcome it.

What does the course cover?

Copywriting is the lifeblood of any content marketing effort. It‘s the art of crafting compelling messages that resonate with your audience and drive them to take action.

In this course, you’ll dive deep into the basics of copywriting, tailored for online marketing.

The course is specifically designed to help you stand out in your niche. You'll learn strategies to ensure that your message cuts through the noise, captivates your audience, and leaves a lasting impression.

One of the highlights of this course is the hands-on project and worksheet included to help you practice and apply what you've learned.

This practical approach ensures that you not only understand the concepts but can also confidently implement them in your marketing efforts.

Finally, more than half of the learners who have completed the course say it exceeds expectations. They specifically highlight the practical examples, clear explanations, and engaging teaching style as standout features.

Why do I recommend this course?

Jesse’s course offers a quick introduction to the core principles of copywriting that sell products and services. If you're new to writing for business, this is an excellent way to learn the basics of copywriting.

5. Content Marketing for B2B Enterprises

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Quick Overview

Level: Intermediate

Cost: Free

Format: Divided into six sections with a total of 19 video lectures.

Instructor: Taught by William Flanagan, the Founder and CEO of Audienti.

Prerequisites: Experience with social networks and search engines, moderate understanding of marketing concepts, and user-based experience with analytics platforms like Google Analytics.

Certifications: The free course doesn't include a certificate, but you can get a certificate of completion with the paid version of the course.

Course duration: 35 minutes

Who is this course for?

If you're part of a B2B company and you’d like a glimpse into the inner workings of an actual content marketing strategy, this course is a must.

What does the course cover?

This course covers several aspects of building a content marketing system, such as understanding your target market, creating engaging content (even in less exciting industries), and building a system for continuous improvement.

It also covers topics like content types, managing a content calendar, finding promotional channels and influencers, etc.

Additionally, the course offers a practical learning experience by showcasing the content marketing process that William’s company, Audienti, uses to drive B2B lead generation.

Why do I recommend this course?

It can be tough to get B2B-specific instruction on content marketing. This is because the specifics are unique for each business, and some leaders are hesitant to share their best strategies.

However, this evergreen course offers an excellent set of tools for B2B marketers to refine their understanding of this approach to content.

Pro tip: If you liked this Udemy course, you m

How to Develop a Content Strategy in 7 Steps: A Start-to-Finish Guide

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Whether you‘re just starting out with content marketing or you’ve been using the same approach for a while, it never hurts to revisit your content strategy plan and make sure it's innovative and engaging for your prospects and customers.

If you're having trouble planning for the upcoming year or need some fresh ideas to include in your plan, read on.

In this post, we'll dive into what content strategy is, why your business needs a content marketing plan, and what steps you need to take to create your strategy.

Plus, we'll explore some examples of effective content marketing strategies for inspiration.

Table of Contents

What is content strategy?

Why Marketers Need to Create a Content Marketing Strategy

Elements of a Content Strategy Plan

How to Create a Content Strategy Framework

Content Marketing Strategy Statistics

Questions to Ask When Creating a Content Strategy

Content Strategy Template

Content Marketing Strategy Example

Content Strategy Tactics

Say your business goals include increasing brand awareness.

To achieve this, you might implement a content strategy that focuses on SEO to increase your website's visibility on the search engine results pages (SERPs) and drive traffic to your products or services.

New business owners might assume a content strategy is a nice-to-have, but not necessary early on. However, producing high-quality content can be invaluable in building trust with new audiences and succeeding in the long haul.

In essence, a good content strategy is the foundation of your Attract and Delight stages in a buyer's journey that follows the inbound marketing framework.

Along with attracting prospects to your brand, you can leverage a content strategy for sales enablement and customer satisfaction.

Plus, with 70% of marketers actively investing in content marketing, it's critical to develop a good content strategy to compete in your industry.

Why Marketers Need to Create a Content Marketing Strategy

A couple of years ago, I worked as a content writer for a literary company that just launched.

Despite all the meetings the team had before the launch, the founder and CEO of the company didn’t understand why it was important to create a content marketing strategy we’d adhere to when the website went live.

Three months after the launch, the CEO called another meeting and expressed their dissatisfaction with the poor performance so far.

Both the website and the company’s social media profiles were receiving crickets by way of organic traffic, and the paid ads were not converting at all.

I suggested that we create a content strategy plan for the next quarter and see what happens.

We did that, and sure enough, by the end of Q2, we recorded an increase in traffic and conversions from both the website and social media profiles.

No matter the kind of company or industry you work in, a content marketing strategy is integral for the success of your digital marketing efforts.

Here are some reasons why.

1. It aligns the team on goals and objectives.

A content marketing strategy ensures that everyone on the marketing team understands the overarching goals and specific objectives of the business.

When content creators, social media managers, writers, and other team members are aligned on goals such as brand awareness, lead generation, or customer engagement, they can produce content that consistently supports these aims.

This increases the chances of getting tangible results.

Carl Broadbent, a digital marketing expert, values content marketing strategies for the alignment they bring.

“After years of publishing blogs, ebooks, and videos, I‘ve learned that a strong content strategy acts like a guiding compass. It points you towards topics and formats aligned with business goals, so you’re not just cranking out content for content's sake,” Broadbent says.

Broadbent also notes that teams will make mistakes along the way.

He recalls, “‘I've made that mistake! Last year, we invested heavily in podcasts, thinking it would attract our target buyers. Turns out our audience preferred snappy infographics. Our podcast push fizzled out fast without the right strategy in place.”

2. It guides content creation and distribution.

Ayomide Joseph, a freelance content marketer for SaaS companies like Aura, Nextiva, and Trengo, explains the purpose of a content marketing strategy:

“The concept of ‘strategy’ in content marketing is simply to give you a roadmap that’ll guide you from where you are to where you want to be,” Joseph says.

For example, Joseph notes that if you’re looking to drive more inbound leads via content, ideally, creating bottom-of-the-funnel content is the way to go.

“A content marketing strategy answers the questions, ‘How do you go about it? What’s the keyword you’re going to target, search volume, difficulty — and what distribution approach will you utilize?’” Joseph says. “If you don’t have a content marketing strategy, you’ll be working blind.”

A content marketing strategy requires you to plan the type of content to create, such as blog posts, infographics, videos, and podcasts.

You’ll also determine the most effective channels for distribution, whether that be social media platforms, email marketing, or the company’s website.

This planning ensures that content is consistent, timely, and relevant to the audience’s interests and needs, fostering brand loyalty and advocacy.

3. It optimizes resources.

When you map out a fully-fledged content marketing strategy, you’ll be able to allocate resources more efficiently, whether those resources are time, budget, or manpower, to bring the strategy to life.

By knowing the type of content you need to produce and the platforms through which you’ll distribute it, you can direct your efforts and budget toward activities that offer the best return on investment (ROI).

4. It improves online visibility.

A well-executed content marketing strategy can alleviate this problem by improving a brand’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs).

High-quality, optimized content is favored by search engines and ranks higher in search results, which leads to increased organic traffic.

By targeting specific keywords and topics relevant to your target audience, you can attract more qualified leads to your website.

5. It builds brand authority and trust.

By consistently producing high-quality, relevant, and valuable content, you can establish your business as a thought leader in its industry.

This authority builds trust with your audience, which is crucial for long-term relationships and customer loyalty.

A content marketing strategy ensures that your content not only attracts attention but also provides value and encourages your audience to return and interact with the brand further.

Elements of a Content Strategy Plan

Since a content strategy plan is a roadmap designed to guide the creation, publication, and governance of useful content, here are some key elements you should include when creating yours.

1. Goals and Objectives

What do you want to achieve with your content?

Do you want to increase brand awareness? Generate leads? Or maybe, improve customer engagement? Is it all three — or something else?

When you define the goals and objectives you want your content to help you achieve, you’re establishing your North Star.

So, if you’re not sure whether to include a certain type of content in your strategy, you can look to your North Star and determine if that content type will lead you in the direction you want to go.

2. Audience Persona

An audience persona (or buyer persona) is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on data and research.

It helps you understand who you’re creating content for.

To create an accurate audience persona, you’ll need to conduct research through surveys and interviews and analyze your social media engagement to gather insights.

These insights include your audience’s demographic information, interests, pain points, and content preferences, to mention a few.

Knowing this information will help you understand the content types, topics, and marketing channels that will help you reach your goals.

3. Content Audit and Analysis

Once you’ve gotten your audience persona down, review your existing content to determine what’s working and what’s not.

This way, you’ll be able to identify gaps and opportunities for content.

In the Content Audit section of your content strategy plan, explain:

The kinds of content and topics that are already working well for you (e.g., blogs that discuss web development, micro-videos that explain coding tips and tricks, etc.)

The kinds of content and topics that are not gaining traction (e.g., white papers about the evolution of programming)

The content gaps and opportunities you’ve discovered

Pro tip: Use tools like Google Analytics and social media analytics to evaluate the performance of your content. Look for patterns in what types of content perform best and use this to inform future content creation.

4. Content Types and Channels

Next, decide on the types of content you will create (e.g., blog posts, videos, infographics) and the marketing channels through which you will distribute them (e.g., website, social media, email).

Ensure that you choose these content types and channels based on your audience’s preferences and where they spend their time online.

Consider experimenting with different formats and channels and measuring their effectiveness before choosing your ideal marketing mix.

5. Content Creation Process

This section of your content strategy plan outlines the steps for producing content, from idea generation to publication. This process includes assigning roles and responsibilities to other team members or freelancers.

Pro tip: Develop a content calendar to plan and schedule content in advance. Use collaboration tools to streamline the content creation process and ensure that team members (and/or freelancers) are on the same page.

6. Measurement and Analytics

Now you know your audience personas, the topics that make your audience tick, the channels you’ll use to distribute your content, and the content creation process.

The next step is to establish the metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the success of your content.

Define clear metrics for each goal, such as engagement rates for brand awareness or conversion rates for lead generation.

Use analytics tools like Google Analytics and native social media analytics tools to regularly monitor performance and adapt your strategy as needed.

7. Content Governance

Content governance involves setting standards and policies for content creation, publication, and maintenance to ensure consistency and quality over time.

In this section of your content strategy plan, you’ll develop and include content style guidelines, tone of voice guidelines, and content quality criteria.

This ensures that your team members and/or freelancers create consistent and cohesive content.

Now, let's dive in to learn the specifics of how to create a content marketing plan.

Curious how former HubSpot Senior Director of Global Growth Aja Frost put together our content strategy? Here it is.

1. Define your goal.

What's your aim for developing a content marketing plan? Why do you want to produce content and create a content marketing plan?

It may seem obvious, but these questions are the core of a useful content strategy.

Look at high-level business goals, notes from meetings, and notes from your team, then do some solo research to make sure your goals have staying power.

Organize goals by priority.

Once you have a list of goals, rank them from most to least important.

This can help you decide which parts of your strategy are an immediate need and which are for long-term action.

This step can also help with resource questions later in the process.

Use the SMART framework to define goals.

The SMART framework can help you make broad goals more specific and actionable.

Know your goals before you begin planning, and you‘ll have an easier time determining what’s best for your strategy.

Download this goal-planning template to you figure out the right content goals.

2. Conduct persona research.

To develop a successful plan, you need to clearly define your content's target audience — also known as your buyer persona.

This is a crucial part of the planning phase of content strategy.

This is especially important for those who are new to marketing. By knowing your target audience, you can produce more relevant and valuable content that they'll want to read and convert on.

Collect data and analyze it to find patterns.

If you don‘t already have defined personas, you’ll want to analyze your data to find who you want to create content for and the types of content they enjoy.

This post has some useful tips for how to create buyer personas using your data.

As you analyze metrics like contact trends and demographics, group your leads by what they have in common first.

Then, look closely at these groups to find other similarities.

Use your research to refine buyer personas.

If you're an experienced marketer, your target may have changed.

Do you want to target a new group of people or expand your current target market? Do you want to keep the same target audience?

Revisiting your audience parameters by conducting market research each year is crucial to growing your audience. Taking a closer look at your current customer segments can also help you refine your personas.

Featured Tool: Buyer Persona Generator

3. Run a content audit.

Early on, many brands start with blog posts or social media.

If you want to venture out into different formats, you can run a content audit to assess your top-performing and lowest-performing content.

If you've been in business for a while, you should review your content marketing efforts and last year’s results.

Find topic and formatting gaps.

As you review your content, be sure to record page titles, content formats, word counts, and a summary of what your content covers.

This can help you find areas for improvement.

Review content for quality and relevance.

Next, analyze content quality and whether your content reflects what's most important to your audience.

Then, use that information to inform which direction you take next.

Look for repurposing opportunities.

There are many ways to repurpose content.

This strategy can help you optimize your content on multiple channels.

It might mean grabbing your most popular blogs and creating YouTube videos, an ebook, or launching a podcast with that content.

Check out this post for more content-recycling ideas.

Create a content workflow.

Another way to approach your audit is to look at your team's process.

Your content workflow impacts how you come up with ideas, what you publish, and the quality of your work.

Do you have a strategic workflow in place, or is your workflow organized around the habits of your team? An audit can help you see blocks and slow-downs that can affect your content long-term.

Use your content audit to figure out what you can do differently in the upcoming year and set new goals. Now is also a great time to align your team‘s goals with the rest of your organization’s goals.

Whatever stage you're in, a content audit will help you decide what resonates best with your audience, find gaps in your topic clusters, and process and brainstorm fresh content ideas.

4. Choose a content management system.

A few vital parts of content management include content creation, content publication, and content analytics.

You want to invest in a CMS to create, manage, and track your content in an easy and sustainable way.

Figure out specific CMS needs.

Finding the right CMS for your team may take some time.

First, talk to your team about their current processes to get a sense of the top features you'll need. Then, start researching the best CMS for your needs with this list.

A CMS for a business should be easy to use, customizable, secure, and cost-effective.

Choose the right content management system.

With the HubSpot CMS, you can plan, produce, publish, and measure your results all in one place.

Another popular CMS is WordPress, to which you can add the HubSpot WordPress plugin for free web forms, live chat, CRM access, email marketing, and analytics.

This list of the best content management systems offers a comparison b

21 Email Newsletter Examples We Love Getting in Our Inboxes

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 23:29:00 +0300

It’s often challenging to navigate the information overload you experience, thanks to the never-ending updates from social media, news, and emails.

Subscribing to the right email newsletter ensures you get the information you need in your inbox. Like a hot knife through butter, the best email newsletters help you cut through the clutter to ensure you don’t miss out on anything important.

This blog post provides tips and tricks for creating a newsletter that delivers value to subscribers. I also include examples of exemplary newsletters and explain what makes them work.

The curation serves to level up the journalistic quality of your content, which results in two things:

Increases the value you provide.

Improves your authority and credibility in your audience's eyes.

While newsletters and email marketing can be effective, many newsletters flop.

These newsletters become an uninteresting mush of content people automatically ignore, archive, delete, or straight up unsubscribe from. And this isn't great for you, your metrics, or your company's success.

So, if you're considering creating an email newsletter, keep reading. In this post, we'll cover:

Email Newsletter Ideas

Email Newsletter Design

21 Top Email Newsletter Examples

Email Newsletter Ideas

Email newsletters can include a weekly round-up of blog posts, case studies regarding your product or service, upcoming company events and webinars, or even a behind-the-scenes look at your company.

Of course, you don't want to create a newsletter just to create one — instead, you should thoroughly research what your audience might prefer and what your company is well-suited to offer.

You're in luck if you're looking for inspiration for a general email newsletter. Here's a list of some of our favorite ideas for email newsletters:

Round-up of popular or recent blog posts or videos.

New job openings at your company.

New case studies or product launches.

Membership/customer deals and promotions.

New best practices or tips.

Industry news.

Quotes.

Recent survey results related to your industry.

Internal employee news, including anniversaries, promotions, and birthdays.

Listicles (e.g., "10 Best Vacation Spots of 2020" if you work for a travel publication).

A team spotlight with pictures and bios.

Photos or stories customers have shared.

Behind the scenes at your company or interviews with company executives.

Monthly business recap.

New training opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Answers.

Upcoming webinars or recordings of past webinars.

Let's now explore some newsletter designs to inspire the aesthetic of your newsletter.

Featured Guide: Email Newsletter Design Examples Lookbook

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This free guide teaches you how to build an email newsletter from scratch and includes dozens of examples from real businesses.

Email Newsletter Design

While you can get creative with the structure of your email newsletter, the general anatomy typically includes:

Your logo or masthead.

A featured image and other eye-catching visuals.

Top stories.

Additional content and promotions following.

An email footer with social links and subscription information.

From a design standpoint, your company's newsletter should truly reflect your brand.

For instance, if your website features a minimalist design and clean, plain black-and-white text, you want to avoid creating a super colorful newsletter, which might confuse new subscribers.

However, there are a few best practices you can employ to ensure your design is up to par regardless of your audience's preferences:

Clean, crisp images (no blurry images).

Text (use same text throughout), company logo, and icons.

Try filters, memes, or videos.

Make the call-to-action (CTA) clear and obvious — and just have one (e.g., "Click here to shop" or "Click here to read").

Create a hierarchy with a CTA early on.

Mobile-responsive.

Test the length of your newsletter to ensure it's not too short or too long for your audience.

Of course, the design of your newsletter will depend on your brand, as well as the message.

For instance, if your newsletter primarily focuses on visuals of new products, you should create a colorful, attention-grabbing newsletter. Alternatively, if it's a round-up of recent blog posts, you could try a more minimalist look to mimic the appearance of a letter.

You should A/B test whichever design(s) you choose to ensure they resonate with your audience.

If you're unfamiliar with designing emails, I recommend looking into pre-made templates. If you're a HubSpot customer, the email tool will have a bunch of pre-made templates.

However, if you still need to figure out your newsletter design, there's nothing better than looking at examples for further inspiration.

Take a look at the following newsletters that were outstanding, and consider using some of their design elements as inspiration for your own.

21 Top Email Newsletter Examples

Each newsletter on this list works for different reasons. Some have exceptional design, some have exceptional copy, and some have exceptional CTAs, but all are exceptional at satisfying their subscribers' needs.

1. The Hustle

The Hustle is a daily newsletter that promises "business and tech in 5 minutes or less."

While there are many business and tech newsletters out there, what makes The Hustle remarkable is its tone, which is at the intersection of information and humor.

Take two recent headlines as an example:

"The con man who sold the Eiffel Tower — twice."

"Why you almost never see the clock at the mall."

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What I like: Despite targeting the business and tech audience, The Hustle often uses informal language such as “dude” or “damn” in its newsletter. I love this informal tone! I feel connected to the news and the writers. Plus, puns and witty humor in the headings and content make this email newsletter the favorite of startups and entrepreneurs.

The Hustle also allows subscribers to customize the content they receive to fit their interests.

Most of The Hustle’s readers hope to scale their startups or are looking for a business idea. The witty tone blended with knowledgeable insights makes it one of this competitive niche's most influential and most-read email newsletters.

Further, the newsletter is structured with the best stories at the top. And the best part: The stories start with captivating titles.

The formula of great content + unique tone + personalization works well for The Hustle's audience as they've grown to more than 2.5 million subscribers.

The Hustle stands out from others in its style and unique content. It doesn’t target only startups and entrepreneurs but has also grabbed massive eyeballs from company execs, growth managers, salespeople, and marketers.

Best for: That said, it isn’t just limited to the tech niche. SaaS businesses can also imitate this type of email newsletter to address industry problems, potential solutions, and benefits to reach out to the masses.

2. Atlas Obscura

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Atlas Obscura’s newsletter provides more than travel recommendations—it also delivers compelling stories about the world to your inbox.

Atlas Obscura is a perfect email newsletter guide for frequent travelers who want to explore off-beat locations around the globe.

What I like: I love a scary story, weird fun fact, or creepypasta. With stories like “Spotting Squid in the Tides of Oahu” and “Dreaming of Spaghetti and the Sea,” the Atlas Obscura newsletter is a portal for exploration.

They do an excellent job of writing attention-grabbing headlines and finding unexpected, delightful details — library apartments, haunted coffee, and 19th-century skulls are just a few examples.

Their unique value proposition lies in the quirky subject and the short but captivating headlines like “Deadly Shortcuts” and “World’s Oldest Edible Ham.”

What’s most appealing about this newsletter is the style and story plots. I know I’m in for a treat, and I never get bored exploring these mysterious travel tales.

Combining interesting stories, captivating photos, and incredible destinations, the Atlas Obscura newsletter reels me in.

Along with the exciting content it covers, Atlas Obscura is unique in its flexibility in choosing newsletter types. The site offers six different types of newsletters, including weekly, daily, or twice-weekly.

It’s a win-win situation for both the readers and the newsletter provider.

Best for: Atlas Obscura is a great inspiration for businesses with large audiences and a wide variety of topics to cover. Notice how they have categorized the topics based on locations, archives, and even podcasts.

Businesses covering such large topics can segment their audiences by allowing them to navigate the resources they want to read.

3. Buffer

Buffer does a great job at keeping the newsletter concise, making it easy for readers to get the knowledge they need with a skim.

They understand that readers want to catch up on the fast-paced and ever-changing social media landscape, so they break down the newsletter into easily navigable sections and short phrases.

What I like: The newsletter is packed with information without feeling overwhelming due to its simple and organized structure.

One thing worth noticing is its simple yet powerful design. At the core, it has a white background with basic fonts that are spaced and include bullets.

Furthermore, Buffer’s newly revamped email newsletter has a short yet powerful intro that covers an index of what’s included in this email.

Another noteworthy thing is their “zero-click content.” Instead of summarizing various topics with a “Read More” CTA, the email shares a single cover story with a large description and a CTA that says “Dive Deeper.” It’s a great way to interest your readers in a single topic instead of distracting them with multiple blog posts.

What’s most effective is their social media manager’s advice at the end that most businesses will love to turn their attention to.

Buffer’s newsletter is a perfect example of how to gain more subscribers using a simple design but powerful content and structure.

Best for: SaaS businesses that want to bring their visitors to their blogs can look up to Buffer’s newsletter strategy. Moreover, the latest trends and industry insights can interest the readers in further reading.

4. The Washington Post The 7

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The news is overwhelming, and trying to scroll through Twitter to catch up on what’s happening can lead to distractions. The Washington Post understands this and created “The 7” to break down the seven most important stories of the day.

The idea of the two supposed “dead media” — news and email — coming together to deliver something valuable makes this newsletter worth reading.

What I like: Like everyone else, I’m busy. I don’t always have the time to pursue the Washington Post’s home page (let alone a physical newspaper). With this newsletter, I get exactly seven stories sent to my inbox every weekday morning. And it takes merely three minutes to cover this 400-word newsletter.

The listicle format makes the newsletter skimmable. Under each story, they include bulleted points like “why this matters,” “why now,” and “the numbers” to get the point across succinctly. Complex news is made digestible.

I love The 7’s short yet informative and detailed articles. What sets this newsletter apart from others is its end goal, which is to get more readers to consume the content from the newsletter instead of jumping on the site.

Lastly, the heavy heading texts followed by thin fonts and a clear CTA make this newsletter sober yet effective.

Best for: Newsletters focused on delivering succinct content to their readers should follow this example. Whether news, blog posts, or stories, making your content easily digestible is vital for a successful newsletter.

5. Why We Buy

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Why We Buy is a biweekly (twice a week) newsletter in which “Customer Whisperer” Katelyn Bourgoin shares tips that help marketers understand buyer psychology.

The newsletter comes across as fun and engaging, with real-life examples and scenarios from brands most people are familiar with.

What I like: Each newsletter edition is bite-sized. I finished reading it in less than four minutes. In those few minutes, readers learn one core thing about their customers that’d help improve their marketing efforts.

Best for: Marketers and business owners who want to sell more by truly understanding the science behind what makes people buy things.

6. The New York Times Cooking

A picture is worth a thousand words, says the adage. This couldn’t be truer for newsletters — if your content lends itself to imagery, use it to your advantage, like The New York Times Cooking newsletter.

The New York Times may be known for delivering news, but it also has a robust cooking section packed with creative, multicultural recipes that are beautifully photographed.

Highlighting new recipes from different chefs, The New York Times Cooking newsletter is always fresh. They expertly include a variety of recipes so readers get value out of finding something new to try.

What I like: I love a good recipe. But with so many sites out there and so many types of cuisine, making a choice can sometimes feel like a burden. The New York Times Cooking offers a curated option that always keeps me inspired.

When I open the newsletter, I’m welcomed with a mouth-watering image that will entice you to scroll down further. Plus, the clean and uncluttered design makes reading more skimmable.

The lengthy blog text is engaging, personal, and conversational for the readers. However, the newsletter is shorter than other similar magazine newsletters. This email newsletter wins in its yummy visuals and enriching content.

Best for: This newsletter styling is perfect for businesses that engage with their readers using more visuals than text. For instance, a graphic design or fashion company may want to display more visuals and appealing elements than text.

7. Quartz Daily Brief

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What I like: The newsletter is straightforward, like a brief, without being dry, and it uses visuals like charts to help pique the reader’s interest.

Sections for need-to-know news, what to watch for, top reads, and surprising discoveries keep things organized. The breadth of material means I can choose from various topics to investigate further.

Though the news

Learn from My Mistakes: 7 Digital Course Pitfalls to Skip

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better.

Mistakes are part of the journey for every digital course creator, and trust me, I've made my fair share of them as I’ve built my business. But for every one of these missteps, there’s been a valuable lesson.

My name is Amy, and I help entrepreneurs grow their businesses with digital courses. So I’d love to walk you through some of the lesser-known mistakes I’ve made, so you can avoid them entirely. Sound good?

The 7 Biggest Mistakes I’ve Made as a Digital Course Creator

1. Launching without hands-on experience

While your digital course topic may evolve with your business, it’s important to have hands-on experience in whatever it is you’re teaching.

Want to teach a course about real estate investing? Fantastic, but make sure you have experience as a real estate investor. Want to teach hair stylists how to successfully open their own salons? Do it. But you should have opened your own salon first.

I launched my first digital course without any prior experience in the niche I was teaching about. In my hurry to establish myself as an expert, I overlooked the importance of having hands-on experience. Can you guess how this turned out? Yep, my first course was a total flop.

Beyond the obvious, here are a few reasons why you should get some hands-on experience in your niche before launching a course:

Credibility: To build trust with your future students, you need to show them that you're the real deal. Having actual experience in the subject matter is the first step to gaining their confidence.

Effective Teaching: When you have demonstrated experience, your teaching becomes more powerful. You can relate to the challenges your students might face and provide practical, real-world solutions for them.

Problem Solving: As an experienced practitioner, you've likely encountered and conquered the hurdles in your field. This experience allows you to anticipate the common issues your students might encounter and equip them with solutions — kind of like what I’m doing in this blog post.

Confidence: When you've been through it and come out the other side successfully, it boosts your confidence as a teacher. Confidence helps you present information with clarity and assertiveness, inspiring your students to trust your guidance.

Building a Reputation: Over time, your reputation as an expert in your field grows, opening up new opportunities like speaking engagements, collaborations, and consulting. It can also pave the way for a dedicated and loyal audience.

You don’t need to be the leading expert in your field, you only need what I like to call a 10% edge. However, you should have hands-on experience to draw from before you build a digital course.

2. Letting Imposter Syndrome Rule

Even when I had relevant knowledge, I struggled with imposter syndrome. I doubted my ability to teach, and I questioned what others might think. Ultimately, this slowed down my progress.

Here are a few tips you can use to overcome imposter syndrome:

Embrace your wins: Remind yourself of your accomplishments and successes, no matter how small they may seem.

Focus on progress, not perfection: Perfection isn't attainable. Strive for continuous improvement, instead.

Practice self-compassion: Be kind to yourself, recognizing that everyone has moments of doubt.

Keep a "brag file": Document praise and positive feedback to counter imposter feelings.

Many people let their lack of marketing or technology experience hold them back from course creation. Trust me, you don’t need to be a digital whiz to be successful.

Heck, you don’t even need to have your course topic idea perfected before you get started! That’s what resources like Digital Course Academy (DCA) are for. DCA provides a complete roadmap for validating, creating, launching, and selling your digital course.

3. Creating a Course I Wasn't Passionate About

Talk about a waste of time and resources. I once created a course on a topic I’d lost interest in, and I never ended up launching it.

Before you get into course creation mode, it's essential to find your "sweet spot." This is where your course aligns with your passion, your audience's needs, and your expertise. In other words, you’ve got to discover what ‘your thing’ is. This ensures you remain motivated and can deliver on your topic with enthusiasm.

4. Spending Too Much Time Outside of Your 'Zone of Genius'

Your Zone of Genius is where you deliver the most value. It’s typically a combination of:

Your Passion: What you’re deeply passionate about and genuinely love doing.

Your Skills: Where you excel and have honed your expertise through learning and doing.

Your Impact: Where your talents and passion intersect with what your audience needs.

As an entrepreneur, you’re spinning a lot of plates. It’s easy to spend time on things outside your Zone of Genius. For example, I spent years editing course videos when I could have delegated the task and spent more time on higher-value tasks.

Don't fall into this trap. As your business grows, outsourcing tasks that aren’t the highest use of your time frees you up to focus on more critical aspects of your business.

5. Thinking My First Course Was The End-All-Be-All

I definitely made this digital course mistake in the beginning. It was like my course had to be the masterpiece of every course ever created. I threw everything I knew and the kitchen sink into it because I wanted to prove how knowledgeable I was.

Here’s the truth: Your first course doesn’t need to be everything.

Your courses can evolve and improve over time. Don't aim for perfection. Focus on delivering value, and enhance your course with each iteration.

Remember: All you need to do is create one digital course to be profitable. The key is to improve your course with each relaunch.

6. I Played It Too Small

Have you ever heard the phrase "Go big or go home?" That should definitely apply to your digital course launch.

If you’re playing small by just sending a few emails, doing a mini-launch, or skipping social media or webinars because you’re ‘not ready,’ you’re only delaying your success.

In my early days, I played it safe with my course launches. I only sent a few emails, and I refused to show up on video because I wasn’t comfortable.

Video is a powerful tool for connecting with your audience, and it’s a critical aspect of growing your business and selling your course. Don't do what I did and wait too long to put yourself out there.

Start small, practice, and gradually increase your presence. When you’re ready to launch, you’ll be comfortable playing in the big leagues.

7. Not Nurturing My Audience Enough

Speaking of launches, your email list is one of your most valuable assets, and neglecting it can severely hurt your launch results. Consistently engage with your subscribers, offer valuable content, and build a relationship with them over time.

By the way, if you think your email list is too small to launch your digital course, think again. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that you don’t need a huge email list to have a successful launch. I’ve had clients with only 120 email list subscribers earn thousands of dollars in just a few days.

If you’ve engaged with your email list, the response will be much better when you actually launch your course.

In fact, having a highly intentional onboarding process — or getting your audience excited about your topic ahead of time — is essential for a successful launch. I found this out the hard way after having a few Masterclasses with dismal attendance rates.

Don’t make the same mistake I did. Engage your registrants before your course launch to get them excited.

You’re Ready to Build A Successful Digital Course

Alright, you’ve learned the bad and the ugly. It’s time for you to implement the good and build a highly successful digital course.

Remember, it's a journey filled with valuable lessons, so keep learning as you keep growing. Now, go out there and create a profitable and enjoyable business that exceeds your wildest expectations.

If you want guidance from someone who’s gone before you, come join me in Digital Course Academy.

9 Advertising Trends to Watch in 2024 [New Data + Expert Insights]

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

Advertising is an ever-changing beast — with those on ad and marketing teams working hard to stay ahead of trends.

In 2023, we saw the emergence of AI in all forms of content, the rise of personalization, augmented realities (including the metaverse), and the explosion of short-form video.

As a seasoned content marketer working in tech, I’ve noticed that advertising trends in 2024 seem to respond to the trends we saw in 2023.

For example, if my ad team was firmly against using artificial intelligence last year, I’d need to catch up with everyone who initially embraced it.

You might even be using AI without knowing it, with Google using AI in paid search to create relevant ads.

In 2024, advertisers will need to stay on top of trends, or their ad money won’t go as far. In this article, I’ll discuss upcoming advertising trends and how you can leverage these stats to increase engagement, value, and sales.

Digital Advertising Trends in 2024

Social Media Advertising Trends in 2024

Other Emerging Advertising Trends in 2024

Understanding Ad Trends in 2024

Digital Advertising Trends in 2024

While ad spending is predicted to spike in 2024, teams will likely be more responsible for how ads perform as companies tighten their budgets in anticipation of a recession.

Knowing and using the latest trends to your advantage can help you get more value out of the money you spend on advertising this year.

1. Artificial Intelligence

"40% of Companies have hired dedicated AI experts to support their marketing teams." (HubSpot State of Marketing)

Artificial intelligence has existed, to some degree, for the last 70 years. Yet, it’s only in the last couple of years that it’s become a mainstream idea in the advertising space.

Many business leaders believe we underestimate AI’s impact on companies, with 65% reporting that AI will rival the Industrial Revolution in its impact on productivity.

What does this mean for you?

In 2024, AI will be one of the best ways businesses can scale their growth and increase the quality of their advertisements.

If you want to leverage AI more than you currently do, consider hiring an AI expert or consultant to help you integrate AI into your work processes and advertising efforts.

I may not have an AI expert on staff, but I definitely experiment with these new tools to see where they work best. I’m not alone. HubSpot Program Manager Kaitlin Milliken also takes the time to test AI solutions like ChatGPT.

"AI may not be the best at coming up with creative concepts or writing the copy itself, but I use AI to eliminate manual tasks and supplement my skills," Milliken says. "I had to work with large sets of images for a project. I used ChatGPT to create a Python script that managed the files for me. That’s saved me hours."

If you don’t have the budget to hire an AI expert right now, there’s no reason why you can’t start consulting AI programs like Gemini or ChatGPT during every stage of the advertising process.

I like to use AI during brainstorming, ideation, content writing, planning, and more. Check out this blog on AI in Digital Marketing for more information.

2. Integrating Email Marketing With Other Channels

"While 87% report email is critical to their success, only 24% of email marketing programs are integrated into other marketing channels." (Litmus)

It’s no secret that email marketing has one of the best ROIs of any digital marketing channel. Unfortunately, most marketing teams aren’t integrating email marketing programs into other marketing channels, limiting email’s impact.

How can you integrate email into your other marketing channels?

The first step to successfully integrating email programs into other channels is segmenting your lists (of emails) by audience type and making sure advertisements and content fit their needs.

For example, in my email lists, I will segment by industry, size of their business, products purchased in the past, and areas of interest. If you don’t know the answers to these questions, adjust your forms to require these questions.

Once you’ve segmented, you will then want to optimize your email delivery and automate your distribution. If you’re running an advertisement that’s costing you a fortune in PPC, be sure those on your email lists know about it first.

For more ideas on integrating email campaigns, check out this blog here.

3. Social Media Advertising

"Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok have the strongest ROI — and these align with where marketers are investing in 2024." (HubSpot State of Marketing)

I’ve found that where I choose to display my ads is just as important as the actual ads. If you’re not currently investing in one of these platforms, there’s a good chance you’re missing out on potential leads.

In fact, 27% of marketers who don’t use YouTube plan to start in the year ahead.

There’s also the looming possibility of the U.S. government banning TikTok, which could, in turn, skyrocket the cost of advertising on remaining platforms and oversaturate those markets if you aren’t ahead of the curve.

How can you get a strong ROI from social media platforms?

In 2024, a deep understanding of social media buying is vital for getting a good ad ROI. Careful planning and organization will ensure you’re investing in the right platforms. Check out this free media buying template to get started.

Be sure to monitor your ads’ performance to identify which platform provides the best bang for your buck. If a certain platform is lagging, consider investing in organic content marketing on that website instead of paid ads.

Social Media Advertising Trends in 2024

Creating a video-centric social media strategy might be the most crucial trend you will follow in 2024.

While certain social media platforms have always favored video (Youtube, TikTok, etc.), platforms that haven’t always done so now do favor video (Instagram, Facebook, X). Here are some social media ad trends you need to know.

4. Consistently Post on X

"66% of marketers will keep their brand on Twitter/X." (HubSpot)

Despite Twitter’s rebranding to X and extensive layoffs last year by owner Elon Musk, the majority of marketers intend to keep their brand on X.

This is likely due to how simple the app is to use for quick updates, PR, and conversion, even with minimal time and money.

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How should you use X in 2024?

Consistent posting is one of the most important strategies when using the app. X also has an ad share revenue program for those who meet the requirements. In my experience, an active account on X can boost brand awareness while not costing you a lot of time.

While X certainly shouldn’t be your business’ only social media, nor its main focus, it’s great for the quick tweet here and there.

Remember, X is all about what’s going on right now, so don’t spend too much time on evergreen content; rather, share the latest news. Check out this blog to discover more ways to use X in 2024.

5. Sponsored Videos on Instagram

"82% post video content on Instagram, and the content formats they use most are video-based." (HubSpot)

There are two different types of video ads that marketers can use on Instagram: traditional advertisements, which can be static images or videos, and sponsored video content.

Sponsored video content is when your brand pays an influencer with either product, money, or both to talk about your brand. Most social media platforms require influencers to use hashtags that identify the video as a paid advertisement so viewers will know that the influencer was compensated to say what they’re saying.

Why Sponsored Video Content Works on Instagram

Many have speculated that Instagram changed its algorithm to favor video content as a response to the growing popularity of TikTok.

With the introduction of the “Instagram Reels” feature, brands have begun publishing short-form video content on the app.

2024 is likely to bring a lot of competition to the Instagram Reels scene, particularly if a TikTok ban does occur. So get started on posting on Instagram today with these helpful tips.

6. Influencer Marketing

"30% of brands already work with influencers/creators, and 42% plan to begin this year." (HubSpot Instagram Marketing Report)

Influencer content is predicted to have a high ROI in 2024, so it makes sense that more brands plan to work closely with creators. There are many ways to work with influencers.

While most influencer-involved content has to be labeled as an advertisement, you move into the gray area of advertising by sending influencers Public Relationship (PR) boxes.

PR boxes are a way for influencers to try new products and give their honest review. However, there’s no guarantee that they will review your PR box, so be sure to do your homework and pay careful attention to personalization.

Check out this blog on influencer marketing in 2024 for more ideas.

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Influencer Content Example: How a Tarte trip to Bora Bora took over TikTok

Tarte, as a brand, has worked closely with influencers since 2015, with budgets for the trip getting larger over the years. The 2024 Tarte trip included flying around 30 influencers and their plus ones to a retreat in Bora Bora.

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CEO and founder of Tarte, Maureen Kelly, explains their strategy, stating, "The idea from the beginning was to invite innovative creators from all over the world to join us in an intimate setting where they can relax, and I can connect with them 1:1. This time together builds deeper relationships and strengthens the story behind the brand."

Because so many famous TikTok influencers were on the Tarte trip, everyone’s "for you" feed was flooded with Tarte-sponsored content.

While the Tarte trip must have cost a pretty penny, in my opinion, they likely made this back tenfold with the brand and product awareness they got.

Other Emerging Advertising Trends in 2024

Other ad trends in 2024 include marketers’ preferred audiences, experiential marketing, and the importance of personalization. Keep reading to learn about other emerging trends in advertising.

7. Experiential Marketing

"16% of marketers plan to try experiential marketing (engaging audiences in real life with pop-ups and events) for the first time." (HubSpot)

Experiential marketing is the actual experience your audience has at events, trade shows, or during campaigns.

The 2020 pandemic canceled most in-person events or forced marketers to make them virtual events, putting experiential marketing in the back seat.

However, now that restrictions have been lifted, experiential marketing is having a hay day, with 77% of marketers using it as a key part of their plan.

How can you use experiential marketing in 2024?

If you’re planning on attending any shows this year, make sure your booth is both eye-catching and memorable. If you’re marketing a new product this year, think outside the box and really consider your user experience.

Some past experiential campaigns have included branded filters on social media, fun pop-up shops, interactive content, giveaways, and more. You might also consider how virtual reality can improve your marketing.

8. Personalization

"73% of marketers say personalization is important, but only 35% believe their customers get a very personalized experience from their brand." (HubSpot State of Marketing)

Personalization is an important aspect of marketing in 2024 because most industries are supersaturated with similar products, and it’s getting harder to stand out.

While creating a personalized experience can be time-consuming, there are now several tools that can assist in the process.

For example, I was once contacted by a marketer from Reachdesk (a company that specializes in personal gifting), and the marketer sent me a watercolor set because my profile described my love of painting.

This attention to detail and personalization got my attention and my interest in their product. If you’re new to personalization and want to consult an expert, consider trying Hubspot’s Technical Consulting.

Check out 73% of consumers prefer to watch short-form videos to learn about a product or service, and 56% of marketers reported that short-form video was the top trend they planned to invest in in 2024.

So, why are short-form videos so popular? Turns out there are a few reasons, one of which involved a bit of psychology. Let's get into it!

What are short-form videos?

Why are short-form videos so popular?

What are short-form videos?

Short-form videos are videos that are less than 60 seconds in duration. However, some marketers and content creators agree that short-form videos can be up to 3 minutes. But, if you want my opinion, I would stick to the 60-second rule.

I take this stance because attention spans are getting shorter, but we'll get into that later.

Anyway, short-form videos deliver information in a digestible, bite-size format so viewers can quickly watch and bookmark the content if they're on the go or watch it multiple times.

Why are short-form videos so popular?

There are a few reasons short-form videos are more popular than ever among consumers and marketers, and I‘ll visit those in a bit. For now, I want to get into the psychology of it all—that’s why we're here, right? Walk with me.

Consumer Attention Spans are Shrinking

Science tells us that one of the crucial reasons we love short-form videos is that our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter.

Dr. Gloria Mark, a psychologist, recently wrote a book called Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness, and Productivity, and she says her research indicates people's attention spans have been shrinking over the last 20 years.

Dr. Mark shared her findings on Speaking of Psychology, an American Psychological Association podcast.

Her findings came from a decades-long experiment she participated in, which was first conducted by shadowing participants and tracking their activities via stopwatches.

“We would record the start time and the stop time,” she said.

She explains, “So you're on a screen where you're working in a Word doc. As soon as you get to that screen, we click start time. As soon as they turned away and checked the email, we clicked stop time for the Word document and start time for the email.”

Over time, logging techniques became more sophisticated as technology advanced, and it only made the pattern of shrinking attention spans clearer.

“So back in 2004, we found the average attention span on any screen to be two and a half minutes on average,” Dr. Mark recalls during the interview. “Throughout the years, it became shorter. So around 2012, we found it to be 75 seconds.”

Dr. Mark says the number continued to dip as the years went on.

“And then in the last five, six years, we found it to average about 47 seconds—and others have replicated this result within a few seconds. So it seems to be quite robust,” she says.

And this trend of dwindling attention spans is affecting how we consume content. And I'm not just talking about social media videos — even television and film shots are getting more brief, according to Dr. Mark.

“They started out much longer. They now average about four seconds a shot length,” she says. “If you watch MTV music videos, they're much shorter. They're only a couple of seconds. So we've become accustomed to seeing very fast shot lengths when we look at TV and film.”

Dr. Mark explains during the interview that it‘s a chicken vs. egg situation — she’s unsure which came first or what's influencing the other.

However, the fact remains that we‘re becoming more accustomed to shorter bursts of content, and it’s bleeding into the kind of content we consume and what's being created.

Studies found that most consumers will only watch an entire video if it's less than 60 seconds long. Then you have apps like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels that push short-form videos to users in an infinite scroll format.

Furthermore, our 2024 Marketing Trends Report found that almost a third of marketing professionals say their company will leverage short-form video content in 2024, and 53% said they'll boost their investment in the content type this year.

This makes sense since most marketers in our survey say short-form video content yielded them the highest ROI last year.

In case you're curious, here are a couple more reasons why many of us love short-form videos.

1. They are cost-effective and easier to create than long-form videos.

With long-form videos, marketers and creators must work extra hard to keep their audience engaged. That means strengthening the content with dynamic shots, mood-setting music, and a long but compelling script.

All that takes more time, effort, and (most importantly) money.

Short-form videos are more to the point and often require fewer frills to be effective.

For example, language learning platform Duo Lingo's TikTok account has over 10.8 million followers and is one of the most well-known accounts on the app due to its short, funny, and slightly unhinged videos.

Its most popular video has 57.7 million views and is super simple in terms of execution.

It shows a plushy of the Duo Lingo owl getting tossed down the stairs at the company's office, sitting outside on a rainy day, and getting soaked in a shower.

The caption of the video is “When you ignore my notifications.”

The video was clearly shot on someone's smartphone without fancy angles or lighting. The music is from a viral song already available via its sound archives. So simple, so cheap, yet so effective.

@duolingo sad g(owl) hours #duoplushie #duolingo #languagelearning #emo

And finally, we leaned in as OpenAI unleashed generative AI into our world at the end of 2022.

When I think about all that we experienced since then — and what we're likely to see in the year ahead — all I can think is: be ready for more change.

As marketers, we live and breathe customer focus, and this year, we will be put to the test. Wondering what the future of marketing will look like in 2024?

In this post, I'm delighted to share some top trends to keep in mind from some truly exceptional marketing experts.

Top Marketing Trends to Watch in 2024, According to Experts

1. Doing more with AI — with empathy.

HubSpot's State of Marketing Report for 2024 found 64% of marketers are already leveraging AI in their roles.

Many marketers have already begun exploring AI's powers when it comes to content creation, market research, administrative tasks, and even upleveling the user experience with their brands.

My guess? This number will continue to grow in 2024 and beyond.

Sean Downey, Google's president of Americas and global partners, agrees with this sentiment.

As he puts it: “It should come as no surprise that in 2024, the biggest marketing trends will center around the possibilities of AI. Today, marketers are faced with pressing challenges to navigate evolving consumer expectations and consumption habits in today's media landscape, which is fragmented and shifting dramatically — all while delivering business outcomes more efficiently.”

Downey adds, “The AI opportunity is coming at a time of transformation for everyone, including marketers. In fact, in addition to connecting brands and products to people, more than ever before, marketers need to be growth drivers for their companies.”

Rafael Schwarz, executive director of sales & marketing TERRITORY Influence (a Bertelsmann group company), also predicted that in 2024 he expected marketers to pay special attention to content creation through generative AI, the personalization of the user journey via data and AI, campaign measurement and return on advertising spend.

Even our 2024 State of Marketing Report shows that globally, 24% of marketers believe that leveraging AI has become more important in any marketing strategy.

Given the prominence of generative AI — since ChatGPT’s emergence — this impact was expected.

Here’s what an expert had to say about staying ahead in the AI revolution.

At many organizations, marketers will need to lead the charge when it comes to implementing AI into their workflows and demonstrating true impact before AI is adopted throughout the org.

You can learn more about how you can integrate your marketing efforts with AI from HubSpot’s CMO and Zapier’s CMO in their INBOUND 2023 session “The Future Of AI.”

AI will also shift the advertising landscape. In fact, Downey mentioned nearly 80% of Google's advertisers already use at least one AI-powered Search Ads product.

And marketers who use Google's AI-powered video reach campaigns see 3.7X return on ad spend compared to those who don't.

Even further, 33% actually found that content created with generative AI performed somewhat better than content created without generative AI.

Downey says, “The days of guesswork to find your most valuable customers are behind us. This means you can get back to doing what you do best: Marketing.”

He continues, “Now here's where we flip the script. Despite all the exciting things AI can do, it can't work on its own. It takes people with expertise, creativity, and empathy to harness AI's potential. It isn't about the technology itself. It's about what you, as marketers, will do with it. AI can't do anything without you — but you can do so much more with AI.”

2. Harnessing generative AI to improve messaging performance.

46% of marketers report that AI tools help them with content creation. If you’re curious to learn more about this angle, check out the podcast, “The Future of AI Art Generation And How Production Companies Are So Profitable.”

One of our experts, Christy Marble, 3X CMO at Pantheon, Visier, and SAP Concur, says this is a big trend her team is watching as well.

She told me, "Marketing adoption of generative AI will accelerate as more experiment; learn to use it responsibly; and tell their friends — a transformative opportunity to improve brand and messaging performance. Solid messaging frameworks are essential to brand consistency, and paired with generative AI they're game-changers."

Marble also provides some tips for making content review meetings obsolete by making it easy for every marketer to create messaging that's on-brand:

Use your messaging frameworks as core parameters in AI-enabled content platforms to ensure message differentiation and consistency.

Empower your teams with messaging rubrics, enabling them to use generative AI for self-review, and continuous improvement.

Use generative AI not to create more content, but use it to land context — to hone your craft and deliver value to your target audience with the right message, through the right channel, and at the right time in the customer journey.

3. Crafting unique branding with “human intelligence.”

As more marketers begin incorporating AI into their writing processes, we'll see a rise in low-value, generic content across the internet.

To stand out, it's critical you continue to create high-quality, human-led content that isn’t simply copied and pasted from a chatbot.

To dig into this trend, I spoke with Holly Bowyer and Julie Neumark, partners at Media & Marketing Minds.

They told me: “AI is clearly the darling of 2024 trends. Your challenge? Don't get so seduced by its shimmer that you neglect ‘human intelligence.' You need to be at the helm in order to maximize the efficiency AI brings by gathering and processing massive amounts of data.”

They add, “Before you start churning out prompts asking for ‘witty, clever, and unique' messaging ideas, you need to know your audience, competition, and core differentiators. Think of AI as your assistant, capable of expediting the laborious research process and distilling it down into consumable pieces.”

In line with this, we found that 60% of marketers see AI working in conjunction with them, assisting them in performing most of their job duties. This was expected since AI technology is now used in almost everything.

In other words: Prompting an AI chatbot should not be the crux of your messaging strategy. It should be used to research, brainstorm, and refine messaging — but each step of the process needs to be human-first.

Not only that, but if you think about it, even your consumers prefer to use AI tools when interacting with your brand. So, in addition to giving your clients the impression that they are speaking with a human, a strong chatbot strategy will allow them to find the answers they need.

As Bowyer and Neumark say, “Remember that human beings — including your target audience — can smell inauthenticity from miles away. So, embrace AI … just know that everyone else is, too. Stand out this year by anchoring your brand messaging to your uniquely human voice.”

Keep in mind that 25% of marketing professionals also think that creating content that reflects your brand’s values is important. Explore the TED Talk below to explore some more ways marketers can leverage AI to ensure they build a strong brand.

4. Becoming more purpose-led as generative AI transforms buyer journeys.

Marketers across the globe have been tasked with drastically shifting their SEO strategies to make way for generative AI in search.

Creating how-to content won't be as powerful as it used to be for capturing leads. In 2024, personality-led thought leadership content will be the main type of content that helps brands stand out on the SERPs.

As Nikki Lam, senior director of SEO at Neil Patel Digital, said: “Your success is going to be tied to whether you can create content that's much better than AI-generated content.”

Aligning with this, our 2024 State of Marketing Report found that 23% of marketing professionals believe that creating personalized content tailored to the interests and needs of your audience has become more important.

Andrew Wheeler, CEO at Skyword, agrees with this sentiment.

As he puts it, “In 2024, marketers must wake up to the fact that their mass-produced content is becoming obsolete with AI tools emerging as the go-to for buyers seeking instant answers, suggestions, and problem-solving advice.”

He continues, “Savvy marketers will adapt by leaning into purpose-led content that resonates in ways AI can't. Purpose-led means you have an exact understanding of who your brand helps and why it matters. It means you're exceptionally dialed into the context in which your audience needs you, what they hope to gain, and how you make their lives better. And it means 100% of your content is focused on fulfilling their functional, emotional, and social needs in that context.”

He adds, “Genuine purpose equals genuine relevance. Especially in a tough economy, brands will have to ditch the distractions and deliver standout content that's indispensably relevant alongside the influence of AI tools.”

Watch below how generative AI might influence the future of marketing and what’s to come.

5. Owning the customer experience.

I believe marketing leaders' scope will expand to (finally, formally) own or influence every aspect of the customer experience flywheel – from the first moments of awareness, through acquisition, and into the product itself.

Unfortunately, only 52% of marketers feel that their customer’s experience with their brand is somewhat personalized.

So, we will need to elevate our contributions to customer advocacy to truly influence customer loyalty through brand-consistent experiences throughout the product and the professional services that surround it: onboarding, implementation, and customer support.

In the words of Christina Mautz, growth CMO, startup advisor, and consultant, “We must stay abreast of the multitudes of new strategic frameworks, GTM approaches, and technologies like generative AI. But we need to not become so entranced with the shiny new penny that we lose sight of the fundamentals: Like taking the time to deeply understand our customers.”

In short, Marketing will become responsible for the end-to-end customer experience. As a matter of fact, putting customers first has become the modern way of marketing, and lots of brands are making headway with this.

6. Making more decisions with less data.

Over the past few years, we've all seen click-through rates continuously drop as social media and search features aim to keep users on-site.

Additionally, privacy laws and cookie policy changes means that many marketers now need to learn how to get by on less data.

To support that, we’ve seen 16% of marketers feel that their biggest challenge in understanding their target audience is just poor data quality.

For Andy Crestodina, co-founder and CMO at Orbit Media, this isn't an issue as much as an opportunity.

He says, “We're in a low-data era of marketing, so get ready to make more decisions with less decision support. It's going to be like the old days of advertising. Do the things that have always built awareness and trust. Create videos, publish research reports, get active with PR, collaborate with influencers. You won't be able to connect all the dots, but strategy and fundamentals still apply. Those will never change.”

7. Preparing for generative AI in search.

Google's SGE roll-out in 2024 will cause monumental changes to content marketing and SEO. SGE will open up new opportunities for your content to be discovered.

At the same time, we'll see major shifts in terms of what content performs best on search engines.

Nikki Lam predicts that Google’s new ‘AI snapshots’ will have a huge impact on search. She says, “From a traffic perspective, we are anticipating this could potentially decrease clickthrough rates for websites below this snapshot, which is scary for us in SEO.”

It makes sense that globally, 47% of marketers want to increase their budget to update their SEO strategy to prepare for generative AI in search.

This doesn’t come as a shock, as AI and SEO are now key pillars of any content marketing strategy.

Marketers will want to re-think their existing SEO and content creation strategies to lean into more personality-driven content — something AI can't replicate.

To dig into this, I also spoke with Casey Carey, CMO at Quantive. According to Carey, there are four things you can do early in 2024 to prepare:

Plan for the potential impact and communicate expectations to stakeholders and executives.

Update your strategy to focus on unique and late-stage content such as templates, checklists, buying guides, calculators, etc.

Invest more in rich content experiences — primarily video and images — as the top assets will be included to augment the user experience.

SGE will outweigh results from high authority sources.

Now is the time to rethink the role of media and 3rd-party sources in your strategy. It‘s critical you consider how you'll get ahead of this in early 2024.

To prepare, you’ll need a strong understanding of the basics of content marketing.

(Want to know more about how to prepare? Check out Which Types of Content to Lean into Ahead of Google's SGE — and What to Avoid.)

8. Using an account-based approach for more than just enterprise.

Account-based marketing (ABM) used to be reserved for enterprise customers. But Sydney Sloan, CMO at Drata, believes that won't be the case in 2024.

She says that “platforms have evolved, making it easy to set up segments of similar accounts or buyers and target your ads and messaging to them. Stop throwing all your budget at PPC; there's a smarter way!”

Sloan continues, “By segmenting your target customers, you can create campaigns with messaging and offers that truly address their challenges. Work closely with the SDR team to align their warm outbound cadences, leveraging keyword insights to personalize their messages.”

Lining up with this, we found that 52% of marketing professionals who use ABM look to create custom content for their customers.

Sloan also adds, “I'm thrilled to see that platforms like Google are tightening up limits to prevent spam — this is the new way. In the era of tighter budgets and a drive for efficiency, this is a great method to drive higher-quality opportunities into your funnel!”

PPC advertising platform. If used effectively, you can generate significant profit for companies. But wrapping your head around it can be hard.

Google Ads requires a lot of testing and experimentation. Or, at least, it did until now. Google Ads has recently launched a conversational experience for advertisers, which lets users create their ads by using text prompts.

However, Google Ads Intelligence, as it’s broadly known, offers way more than just being an interactive campaign builder.

In this post, I explain what Google Ads Intelligence is, the key features it includes, and Google Ads AI best practices.

Table of Contents

What is Google Ads Intelligence?

When did Google roll out AI for ads?

AI Features in Google Ads

Best Practices When Using Google Ads Intelligence

What is Google Ads Intelligence?

Google Ads Intelligence is an umbrella term for a set of AI-powered tools Google launched to help advertisers create effective campaigns. Their motto is to help businesses reach the right people with the right creative at the right cost.

While, in recent years, it already included some intelligent features like Smart Bidding, it will now be helpful at a whole new level.

Advertisers will be able to use a conversational interface, which will guide them through the entire ad design creation process, from suggesting headlines to selecting the right keywords, writing copy, and creating imagery.

Just like in the case of ChatGPT, advertisers can use text prompts to communicate to Google Ads AI what content and visuals they’d like to feature in their ad — or set of ads.

The conversational bot will keep generating text and images until the person or team launching the ad is happy with the result.

Google assures creators that they’ll always use unique images. This avoids situations where two completely different businesses have the same creatives. The conversational AI experience is available for Google’s Performance Max users.

When did Google roll out AI for ads?

Performance Max was the first-ever AI-powered campaign solution from Google.

It premiered in its experimental form in 2021 and was rolled out for a number of Alphabet, Inc. platforms — not only Google ads inventory but also Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, and Search.

In a blog post from late 2023, Google said that the reason why they decided to launch it was to let their advertisers stay on top of changing market conditions.

They realized that businesses, both small and large, would need access to smart engines, i.e., ones that would allow them to quickly adapt to new consumer trends.

What we see today in Google Ads Intelligence is the result of user feedback that the company collected over the years. It gave birth to features like search themes, asset group reporting, and campaign-level brand exclusions.

The newly added features were introduced at the Google Marketing Live event in May 2023. As mentioned earlier, these will first be available to U.S. customers who use Performance Max.

Google hopes that the upgrades they’ve made to Google Ads Intelligence will help marketers create assets that perform well, contributing to business growth.

AI Features in Google Ads

Broad Match

Broad match helps advertisers automatically extend their ads’ reach by having it shown to people who searched not only for the exact term but also used synonyms and contextually connected keywords.

As in the example below, someone who taps in “carb-free foods” could see an ad launched for the term “low-carb diet plan,” as it fits the searcher’s overall intent.

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Marketers who use this feature can shorten the time needed to research additional keywords and manually verify their intent.

They can also use the suggested phrase lists to understand what phrases their ideal customers tap into Google to find products and services like theirs.

Broad match can be particularly powerful if used in sync with smart bidding, which I discuss next.

Smart Bidding

Google uses automated bidding strategies to help advertisers optimize conversions on their PPC campaigns.

Every single auction gets a precise bid, which either drives more conversions or lowers the cost. It uses machine learning to analyze data from all previous campaigns to achieve the best results.

So, even if you’re starting a new campaign and don’t have any data available, it will use findings from the previous campaigns to improve the performance of your new ads.

Here is what you expect, thanks to smart bidding:

Improving your chances of meeting your business goals by selecting the right bidding strategies, whether it’s increasing sales or leads or boosting your profit margins.

Real-time bid optimization. You can set more specific bids for each auction that will be tailored to the user's search context.

Query-level performance modeling. Some keywords lack data, but because Smart bidding relies on search queries’ performance, it can still accurately bid on keywords that have no or little performance history.

More contextual signals. Many factors can influence a person to either click or not click on an ad, for example, a device, location, or time of day.

On top of these, Smart bidding also takes into account language, operating system, browser, etc. It analyzes data to figure out which factor combination has the biggest impact on conversion. It uses the results to boost ad performance in real time.

Continuous learning. Google’s algorithms learn constantly. Smart bidding reviews your ads performance data alongside market trends, competitive landscape, seasonality, etc., to refine the bidding strategy and maintain good campaign effectiveness.

Ad Strength

As part of building out the Google Ads Intelligence experience, Google has also introduced a feature called Responsive Search Ads (RSA).

Marketers can provide up to 15 headlines and four descriptions for a single ad and have a machine learning engine analyze its strength value and mark these variations as “Incomplete,” “Poor,” “Average,” “Good,” or “Excellent.”

This way, advertisers can decide which version to go with to boost the campaign's performance.

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Conversational Experience in Google Ads

It’s a tool that uses a chat to speed up the process of search campaign creation by supporting your expertise with Google AI.

It’s called ‘conversational experience’ for a reason — since it’s able to understand human language, you can communicate with it freely, just like you would with a real person.

To get started, you need to enter your landing page’s URL, and it will automatically generate a short description of your business, which you can then edit to your liking.

It will also provide you with headlines, suggest images and site links, and generate the right keywords.

All you have to do is accept or reject the suggestions. Here are a few tips that will help you get the best results:

Use natural language in your prompts.

Keep them short and clear.

Make sure that your campaigns follow Google Ads’ policies.

If you’re unhappy with the result, try to modify your prompt.

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Automatically Created Visual Assets

There’s a lot of hype around conversational AI’s capability to turn text into visuals. Google Ads’ text-to-image ability is no different.

If you provide a text prompt in the context of your ad, it can generate fitting visuals. In the image below, you can see some suggestions from Google’s image library:

What if you feel that the images are a bit too generic for your taste?

You can ask Google to make edits — for example, tweak the background or even select a single element from the image to create a new one.

Here’s an example of how a group stock photo can be turned into a summer or Christmas photo of an individual:

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Optimized Targeting

Perhaps the most impactful AI feature in boosting ROI, optimized targeting lets marketers enter a whole other level of detail in selecting audiences.

Instead of relying only on the audiences you’ve already established, this Google Ads Intelligence feature also dives into its data to suggest new lead segments.

How does it work?

Google makes suggestions based on what you already know about the traits of high-conversion lead segments and uses its own data from Google Ads to point you to new ones.

The ability to merge your own information with broader market insights from Google shows just how powerful AI can be in boosting your return on ad spend.

Best Practices When Using Google Ads Intelligence

1. Focus on understanding your target audience's interests.

Before you start running your ad campaign, you need to gain a good understanding of your target audience’s interests — and that’s exactly what Google Ads Intelligence lets you do.

You can get insights into the types of content and keywords that resonate most with your ideal customers. By analyzing this data and optimizing your ad campaigns accordingly, you can create messaging that truly speaks to their needs and motivations.

This is the approach that Dmitriy Bobriakov, marketing manager at RealEstateU, follows. Bobriakov once worked with an online retailer selling home goods and furniture.

Using Google Ads Intelligence, he discovered their target demographic was very interested in interior design trends and DIY projects.

“Based on this, I recommended refocusing their ad messaging to highlight the stylish, contemporary furniture designs they offered. I also suggested targeting keywords related to interior design themes, like ‘bohemian decor’ and ‘modern farmhouse,’” he says.

What was the result? A 21% decrease in cost-per-click and a 34% increase in conversion rate.

Bobriakov adds that “the key was taking the time to really understand the audience and what motivated them, instead of making assumptions. Google Ads Intelligence provided the insights to make our ads more compelling and effective.”

2. Use negative keywords to limit wasteful impressions.

To maximize your ad spend and get the best results from your campaigns, you need to know which keywords to target and which to ignore.

And the latter is as important as the former. It will help you eliminate searches and, therefore, people who aren’t looking for what you’re selling.

For example, let’s assume you’re running a campaign for a local bakery from Austin that specializes in custom cakes.

While selecting keywords, you might want to go with custom wedding cakes, birthday wedding cakes, bespoke wedding cakes near me, etc.

Exclude keywords like free, how to, cheap, etc., as these are usually associated with people who want to make cakes themselves and have a limited budget.

Joanne Highland, content writer and yoga teacher at Mind is the Master, says that she uses negative keywords to limit wasteful impressions. It allowed her to decrease unnecessary click-through rates by 15%.

3. Use historical data to train the AI bidding system better.

Some of Google Ads’ Intelligence features are already gaining ground, even among advertisers who prefer to manage campaigns manually.

“One such tool is the AI-powered automated bidding, in particular, the Maximize Conversion Value,” says Eliza Fillo, senior digital ads coordinator at Online Optimism.

She says that they were able to use significant amounts of historical data on conversion actions. This allowed the company to train the AI bidding system to better evaluate which users they want to bid higher for, boosting efficiency.

“I would recommend using Google Ads’ AI bidding system if you have historical data and there are multiple actions you’d like a user to take. But, since some of those actions are more valuable than others, when starting off, I recommend monitoring the bidding closely so you can intervene as needed,” Fillo says.

4. Generate high-intent keywords to boost ad relevance and improve budget allocation.

High-conversion phrases are the holy grail in marketing, which is why Google Ads Intelligence's ability to suggest keywords with a high-purchase-intent holds such huge potential.

Many companies, including Najeeb Ur Rehman’s Digital Auxilius, are now experimenting with Google’s AI within the Keyword Planner feature.

“This ensures that individuals seeking our products or services see our ads, increasing CTR and conversions. Incorporating these high-performing keywords into our ad content improved the ad's relevance, engagement, and conversion rates,” he said.

Mike Bullen, director at Eurisko, agrees, underlining that “having Google AI’s broad match functionality recommend a tighter number of keywords, based on our seed list, is critical with regards to identifying new trends and keyword opportunities, without losing too much of our budget to irrelevant search terms.”

5. Analyze your Google Ads Intelligence reports regularly.

According to Sai Blackbyrn, CEO of Coach Foundation, it’s key to continuously review insights from Google Ads Intelligence reports and make data-driven optimization decisions.

He says that “the Intelligence reports provide insights into how your ads are performing and opportunities to improve results. For example, the ‘Opportunities’ report showed me that by increasing my CPC bid for one of my top converting keywords by 30%, I could gain an estimated 15% more conversions at a reasonable cost.”

Blackburn adds that he tested the change and ended up gaining closer to 20% more conversions for that specific keyword.

6. Limit your headline and description variations in RSA to avoid the paradox of choice.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, Google Ads Intelligence lets you provide up to 15 headlines and four ad descriptions so you can see performance predictions.

While it might be tempting to use up these up to its limit, Eurisko’s Mike Bullen advises against this.

“We use Google Ads for several clients and have been pushing leads into HubSpot to help close the loop on customer conversions and customer value. We’re very hands-on as an agency, and we balance the Google Automations with our own best practice procedures,” he says.

When asked about how many ad copy variations should be used, Bullen responds: “We test the Google AI against a responsive ad group with only three headlines and two descriptions to see which ad generates the best engagement and conversions.”

These variations can present two or three different directions, so it's easier to test them out and spot which ones have a higher chance of converting.

This is a very smart way of using the AI feature most effectively. If you were to create 15 or even 10 versions, the differences could be so subtle that you’d face the dilemma of which copy to run.

Using Google Ads Intelligence to Win Over More Clients

Google Ads Intelligence is making the work of advertisers much easier and more effective. It’s particularly a game-changer for those who aren’t performance marketing pros.

Thanks to its data analytics capabilities and access to global data, it’s able to point to people who are responsive to your campaigns, as well as expand to new audiences that have a high probability of converting.

This significantly enhances your profit generation potential, helping you allocate your budget more efficiently in the long run.

What’s great about Google Ads Intelligence is that, since it uses Natural Language Processing, it’s able to understand human speech.

This means you can communicate with it like you would with a real person and treat it as your personal assistant.

Ultimately, all the decisions regarding the ads are still yours.

To answer your question, here are my guesses based on the latest research, data, and current advancements in social media.

Table of Contents

What is the future of social media?

Search on Social Media Instead of Engines

More Reliance on Influencers Over Celebrities

Seamless Shopping Experience on Most Socials

Short-Form Video Will Become More Important Than Ever

AI Will Become a Helpful Tool for Boosting Social Media Strategies

Greater Focus on Building an Active Social Media Community

What is the future of social media?

Through our multiple surveys, research, and additional data, here's what I predict for the future of social media:

Consumers will search for information on social media or via AI instead of traditional search engines.

Brands will rely on influencers, especially micro-influencers, rather than celebrities.

Consumers will enjoy a seamless shopping experience on social media.

Brands will create more short-form content to connect with their audiences.

Brands will leverage AI tools to create personalized content for their audiences.

Brands will place a greater emphasis on creating an active social media community.

Now, let's dive deeper into each of these trends.

Search on Social Media Instead of Engines

A few weeks ago, I posted to Facebook asking for the best local photographer for new headshots. Using my friends’ suggestions, I found a great photographer who blew me away with the quality of her work.

I’m not the only one who uses social media for recommendations and reviews. It's becoming more common for consumers to search for products, recommendations, or reviews on social media rather than search engines.

According to our 2024 Social Media Trends Report, 87% of social media marketers believe consumers will search for brands more often on social media before turning to a search engine.

In a TechCrunch article, a Google exec suggested apps like TikTok and Instagram are threatening two staple Google discovery apps: Google Maps and Google Search.

“In our studies, something like almost 40% of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search,” said Senior Vice President Prabhakar Raghavan, who runs Google’s Knowledge and Information sector. “They go to TikTok or Instagram.”

Why is this happening? Raghavan believes it’s because young adults prefer visual-forward content when it comes to discovery.

With more people using TikTok as a search engine, it makes sense the app added more search features to keep users engaged.

In August 2022, TikTok tested a feature in which keywords from video comments are highlighted and linked to search results. This serves as an additional way for users to discover new content while scrolling on the platform.

Now, when you‘re watching a video on TikTok, you’ll notice a small search bar at the bottom of the screen with a keyword or topic associated with it. When you click on that search bar, the app will take you to more videos associated with the keyword.

If traditional search engines fail to meet consumer needs, TikTok and other social platforms may take the lead in product and content discovery as they prioritize visual content.

Another rival for search engines is AI chatbots like ChatGPT. Users can ask ChatGPT questions in the form of prompts, and the bot will generate answers to their queries.

Though data is limited regarding how often people use ChatGPT instead of search engines, ChatGPT currently receives about 1 billion monthly website visitors and has an estimated 100 million active users.

More Reliance on Influencers Over Celebrities

According to our 2024 Social Media Trends Report, 84% of brands plan to work with influencers and creators to be the face of their brands.

31% of marketers say working with smaller influencers, particularly those with followings between 1K and 100K, is a great investment. Working with smaller influencers is more cost-effective for brands than working with celebrities.

More importantly, consumers trust influencers and creators. From my experience, I’m more likely to be interested in a product if someone who’s relatable to me endorses it. Truthfully, that’s how I landed on the Curly Girl Method and totally changed the health of my hair!

This is likely because, with influencers specializing in an area, their opinions are more valuable than those of a faceless brand.

Say, I’m looking for hiking gear. A hiking influencer who hikes all year long and has a history of reviewing hiking products will probably offer more insight than a friend who went hiking once.

As a result, influencers – although strangers – can be deemed more valuable than loved ones. In the future, that trend will likely continue as content creators are popping up every day.

Seamless Shopping Experience on Most Socials

31% of marketers are interested in using their social media platforms to sell directly to their customers, according to our 2024 Social Media Trends Report. 27% of survey respondents told us that selling their products directly on a social media platform is more effective than driving traffic to their webpage.

Instagram was one of the first social platforms to offer a seamless shopping experience and integration. Now, other platforms have jumped on the bandwagon, too, for good reason.

Let’s set the scene: In a couple of years, Gen Z will have fully joined the working class and will have tremendous spending power.

Our consumer trends report found that most Gen-Zers prefer to discover new products on social media — specifically short-form videos.

This means that to remain competitive, social platforms will have to offer integrated shopping experiences to keep consumers on the platform. And, it also means brands need to pivot their marketing strategies.

Although Instagram pioneered a social media shop, 38% of marketers say they spend most of their sales efforts on Facebook.

It’s safe to say social selling is here to stay and will continue to shape social media trends.

Short-Form Video Will Become More Important Than Ever

If the saying, “Content is king,” is true, short-form video is next in line for the crown. According to our research, 29% of marketers say short-form video is more important than ever. And 57% of brands plan to incorporate this content into their social media strategy.

Short-form video encompasses everything from shopping ads to entertainment to explainer videos. 24% of marketers agree funny videos yield the highest ROI.

It makes sense that marketers plan to place a higher focus on creating short-form video content, considering they also report that Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are the top social media platforms.

Like TikTok, which is the fourth-ranked platform, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram all feature their own version of a short-form video platform.

I’m sure there are other social media users like me who get stuck watching videos as they pop up in the feed. Because short-form video is easily consumed, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that 71% of marketers agree it has a high ROI.

67% of respondents to our survey plan to invest more of their marketing dollars in creating short-form content in 2024.

AI Will Become a Helpful Tool for Boosting Social Media Strategies

Our Social Media Trends Report shows that 73% of marketers use generative AI tools to create social media content. And 81% of marketers already using AI say it positively impacts their work.

What’s surprising is that marketers are using generative AI tools for more than creating social media copy and adapting the tone of their copy to better resonate with their social media followers.

In fact, 48% of marketers say they use AI to create images for their posts, and 55% of marketers use AI to create short-form videos. I personally use AI-powered video editors to create my short-form content, and it’s never been easier — especially since I’m a novice at video editing.

AI tools aren’t fail-proof, though; they’re constantly adapting to new data sets and algorithm changes. However, even with AI’s limitations, 54% of marketers say AI can help them create content that better aligns with their target audience’s interests.

Creating targeted social media posts is crucial because 34% of marketers agree that focusing on their audiences’ interests is a key part of their 2024 social media marketing strategy.

Given that the market for AI technology is expected to grow to 1.4 trillion dollars by 2030, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that AI tools will become a large part of any marketer’s social media marketing strategy.

Greater Focus on Building an Active Social Media Community

With an estimated 5.17 billion social media users worldwide, according to our 2024 Social Media Trends Report, more and more brands plan to spend time cultivating an active and engaged social media community.

79% of markets say an active social media community is integral to their overall social media strategy. To create an active community, marketers are diversifying their community-building strategies.

Here’s how:

18% of marketers say they’ll focus on growing a social media following.

25% of social media managers plan to create better brand awareness and target a new audience.

21% of marketers hope to understand their customers and their needs better.

26% of survey respondents plan to incorporate influencer marketing to grow their community.

With these strategies in play, 87% of social media marketers believe their brand will have an active social media community in 2024.

Social media moves incredibly quickly, so we can’t say with certainty what the future will look like. But given recent data, we can say it’s likely headed in this direction.

Check out our 2024 Social Media Trends Report to gain more insights to planning your social media strategy.

60 Remote Work Stats to Know in 2024

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

My first marketing job was as a contract writer for an agency on the opposite side of the world. This also happened to be my first “real” job and, consequently, my first experience of remote work.

Since then, I’ve worked with several other companies across multiple time zones and, as a result, experienced everything remote work has to offer — from the challenges of setting up a home office to the joys of location independence.

But more importantly, I’ve also gotten to consciously observe the growth and impact of remote work over time.

In this post, I’ll be sharing 60 statistics to help you understand the evolution, opportunities, and challenges this unique mode of work offers.

Each section is designed to provide more than just statistics and instead offer you a cohesive, research-backed narrative on each sub-topic.

Table of Contents

The Introduction and Evolution of Remote Work

How Companies Have Responded to Remote Work

Why Workers Prefer Remote Work

The Business Impact of Remote Work

Collaboration in a Remote Work Environment

Challenges of Remote Work

The Introduction and Evolution of Remote Work

According to Hubspot, the most popular work model today is a hybrid model, which is preferred by 41% of employees. This is followed by the fully remote work model (32%), and, finally, on-site work (27%). However, interestingly, before 2020, most employees had fully on-site jobs with no immediate plans to switch to alternative models. So, what changed?

The 2020 lockdown mandated a complete shift to remote work across most industries, introducing many to remote work for the first time. Consequently, an Owl Labs survey found that this experience led to 70% of employees wanting to maintain a hybrid or remote working arrangement even post-pandemic.

By 2021, an Accenture study found that 83% of global workers viewed this hybrid model of work (a mix of remote and on-site work) as ideal.

As time went on, worker preferences kept evolving. A 2022 study found that the preferred working styles shifted a bit from the previous year. Remote work was favored by 34% in 2021 but dropped to 29% in 2022. Hybrid work went from 31% to 36%, and in-office work went from 29% to 22%.

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Breaking it down by gender, women seemed to favor remote work more (46%) over men (39%). On the other hand, in-office work seemed more appealing to men, with 24% preferring it compared to 19% of women.

This study also found that around 29% of workers changed jobs, with remote workers being twice as likely (37%) to switch compared to those working in an office (21%). The top reasons for changing jobs were better pay (84%), better career opportunities (82%), and better work/life balance (78%).

But what was even more interesting was that according to participants in the study, if the option to work remotely in their current jobs was taken away, 66% said they would start looking for a job that offered more flexibility, while 39% said they would simply quit.

Similarly, another 2022 survey found that 63% of workers would choose a better work-life balance over better pay.

And these sentiments weren’t short-term. A 2022 study by Buffer found that 98% of respondents wanted to work remotely in some capacity for the rest of their careers.

Similarly, another study found that 88% of workers considered hybrid work as a leading benefit they'd expect in a new job.

Remote work options were so positively received that only 1% of participants in a study by Buffer reported having a negative experience with remote work.

Additionally, the study also found that 98% of remote workers would recommend remote work to others.

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Studies continue to consistently show that many workers prefer a remote or hybrid arrangement over on-site work. For instance, Atlassian’s State of Work study showed a notable shift in the preferences of remote, office-only, and hybrid workers between 2021 and 2022: 22% in 2022 versus 34% in 2021, 35% in 2022 versus 39% in 2021, and 43% in 2022 versus 27% in 2021, respectively.

Overall, the hybrid model of remote work appears to be the happy medium between workers and employers, with 45.5% of remote workers having hybrid arrangements compared to 20.5% who work fully from home, according to a January 2023 survey.

How Companies Have Responded to Remote Work

Before the 2020 shutdown, just 8% of companies had flexible workplace policies.

By 2021, nearly two-thirds (62%) had implemented some level of flexible work. Mid-size companies (501-5,000 employees) specifically, were particularly proactive, with 70% implementing flexible work policies.

However, employer sentiments toward remote work continued to evolve. That same year, a report by OwlLabs found that 73% of those who worked from home during the pandemic eventually returned to the office at least one day a week.

In reality, while 74% of companies promised some level of flexibility in work schedules at the time, 82% were also planning a return to pre-pandemic work schedules after the lockdown.

By 2022, the State of Remote Work report found that only 31% of employers were offering fully remote working options, with 41% of small companies (10-50 employees) requiring employees to return to the office.

So, where exactly does that leave us today? It honestly depends on who you ask. On one hand, 58% of participants in a McKinsey survey reported having the opportunity to work from home at least one day a week.

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On the other hand, several studies have found that remote work is the exception and not the norm. According to a study by Accenture, as of 2022, 36% of workers worldwide had returned to a fully on-site work model across all industries.

Another survey by Atlassian also revealed that 82% of all knowledge workers had some form of “in-office mandate,” while 25% of workers who supposedly had the choice to work remotely still felt pressure to go into the office.

Finally, a 2022 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey found that only 27.5% of private sector businesses (2.5 million) had employees teleworking all or some of the time.

So, how do we interpret this seemingly conflicting data? Well, all perspectives may have merit. By examining each industry individually rather than collectively, the data aligns better.

The same study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that professional and business services, educational services, and wholesale trade boasted the highest percentage of teleworkers at 67.4%, 49%, 46%, and 39%, respectively. This suggests that remote work opportunities are simply more prevalent in certain industries, and study results will often vary depending on the industry surveyed.

Why Workers Prefer Remote Work

For many workers, the appeal of remote work lies in its flexibility. According to Hubspot’s Hybrid Work Report, 90% of employees are dealing with some level of burnout and believe that flexibility, especially in taking time off, could significantly reduce their stress levels.

But flexibility isn't just about when you work. According to findings from a Buffer study, the biggest remote work benefits for workers include being able to manage their time (22%), choose where they live (19%), and decide where they work (13%).

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Atlassian's research provides further insight, showing that the primary reason US knowledge workers prefer remote work is that they are simply happier working from home (47%).

But beyond happiness and flexibility, remote workers also report higher productivity levels. According to a study by Owl Labs, a large majority (62%) of workers feel more productive when working remotely, compared to just 11% who feel less productive.

A Buffer study also found that 70% of workers find it easier to focus, 65% manage stress better, and 50% avoid distractions better when working remotely.

Finally, while the office is seen as the most productive environment for certain activities, such as meeting new people (59%), managing others (51%), and team meetings (51%), workers are split on where they prefer to innovate and brainstorm. Some thrive in the office (39%), while others seem to find their flow better at home (37%).

The Business Impact of Remote Work

Remote work, whether fully remote or hybrid, often incurs expenses that are not typically associated with traditional work models. According to findings from Buffer’s State of Remote Work Report, 64% of employees indicated that their companies paid for hardware such as monitors, while 40% reported that their companies covered costs associated with home office equipment.

Interestingly, home internet, which is arguably the most crucial remote work tool, is only covered by 28% of companies.

Another additional remote working cost companies often have to cover is coworking memberships. 22% of respondents in the Buffer survey indicated that their companies cover their memberships, while 38% expressed a desire for their companies to do so.

Now, other than employee expenses, businesses also need to consider how remote work might affect profitability. For example, HubSpot's 2024 State of Sales Report revealed that 46% of salespeople perceive selling remotely as less effective than in-person sales.

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So, what does this mean? Is remote work simply an added expense with no real benefits to the bottom line? On the contrary, remote work also offers major financial benefits. According to a study by IWG, more than four-fifths of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) (82%) believe that remote work, specifically in a hybrid format, is a more cost-effective business model compared to traditional office setups.

This line of thinking is supported by findings from Global Workplace Analytics, which suggests that hybrid working arrangements can save organizations more than $11,000 per employee annually on average.

But how exactly does remote work deliver cost savings for companies? Firstly, there's the potential for substantial savings on office rent. The IWG study found that two-thirds (65%) of CFOs aim to reduce facility spending by more than 10% per year.

Similarly, another study found that 60% of U.S. executives plan to reduce office space by up to half or more.

The rationale behind these cost-saving measures is clear. By eliminating or significantly reducing office space requirements, companies can avoid committing to expensive, long-term leases, adjust their space requirements as needed, and enjoy huge cost savings. For instance, Cisco's adoption of hybrid working practices has resulted in savings of $500 million over the past five years.

But there's more to it than just saving on office costs. Worker costs alone reveal an interesting trend. An Owl Labs study found that more than half of all workers (52%) would be willing to accept a pay cut of 5% or more in exchange for the flexibility to choose their working location. In fact, 23% indicated they would accept a pay cut of 10% or more for this benefit.

Conversely, if workers were no longer allowed to work remotely or in a hybrid setup, 67% would expect a pay increase to cover additional commuting expenses.

Finally, beyond cost considerations, recent research conducted by IWG and Arup revealed that hybrid working has the potential to reduce urban carbon emissions by 70% in the UK and up to 87% in the U.S.. These findings suggest that the environmental impact of fully remote work could be substantial for businesses that choose to adopt remote work models.

Collaboration in a Remote Work Environment

According to a recent HubSpot survey, the number one pain point for companies in the remote work era is disconnected systems. Specifically, the survey found that the top problem for remote companies seems to be difficulties with communication and collaboration between teams.

But why is this a problem? One possible reason could be how distributed teams are nowadays. For example, Buffer’s State of Remote Work survey found that 74% of respondents worked in companies that operate across multiple time zones. Additionally, over half of the remote workers (62%) in that study reported having people in their immediate teams distributed across multiple time zones.

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This distributed setup impacts the story about Plato’s cave? Here’s a refresher. One group of people lives in a cave only sees shadows; the philosopher who escapes can see things for what they are.

That’s somewhat how it feels when making conclusions about B2B marketing without the right stats.

You simply have no ground to stand on, no lifeline to grab, before the naysayers and doubters sway your decision-making and alter the success of your strategies.

With data, you’re able to see the big picture. Buckle up, leave your preconceived notions about B2B marketing at the entrance, and let’s get into the nitty-gritty. All of the stats below come from HubSpot’s original research.

B2B Marketing Strategy Stats

66% of B2B leaders and 62% of B2C leaders say their companies have leveraged AI tools, while only 57% of sales leaders responded positively to the same question. (HubSpot’s State of AI Report)

74% of B2B leaders and 68% of sales leaders deem AI/automation tools important to their overall business strategy. (HubSpot’s State of AI Report)

69% of B2B leaders say they have the necessary data to reach their audience effectively, 19% are unsure, and 12% say that’s not the case. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

A noticeably smaller 68% of sales leaders think they have all the data necessary for reaching target audiences in an effective way. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

68% of B2B marketers say they possess high-quality data on their target audience, while 32% disagree or are unsure. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

74% of them can turn that data into meaningful insights, while 26% can’t or can’t tell with certainty. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

73% of B2B marketers understand the customer journey their leads take, while 27% either don’t or are still on the fence. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

Even though a whopping 76% of B2C marketers say their niche changed more in the past three than in the past 50 years. Only 68% of B2B marketers agree. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

15% of B2B marketers highlighted aligning sales and marketing (smarketing) as their biggest issue, with keeping up with trends, generating traffic and leads, and lack of high-quality data coming in at a close second at 14% each. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

27% of B2B marketers singled out planning ahead in case pivots are necessary, which is the biggest way that the industry has changed. That involves changing plans for major events like recessions, pandemics, and political turmoil. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

What This Shows

What’s immediately apparent from these strategy-related B2B marketing stats is that B2B leaders have to think ahead. That includes planning for changes in an uncertain market and adapting to new technology like AI.

However, what’s paramount for any AI-powered B2B marketing strategy to work is data.

Although it’s become the new gold, a whopping third of B2B marketers don’t have data that’s good enough, while a fourth has the data but doesn’t know how to turn it into something usable.

So, in 2024, data makes all the difference. That’s especially true when B2B marketing stats keep showcasing the changing nature of the industry. So, marketers should learn how to use that data quickly.

B2B Lead Generation Stats

16% of B2B marketers say that lead generation is the primary marketing goal for 2024. (HubSpot)

Lead generation is considered the most important metric for measuring the effectiveness of content strategies, according to 29% of B2B marketers. (HubSpot)

44% of marketers most commonly try to generate leads with landing pages — followed by customers or direct purchases at 34%. (HubSpot)

51% of marketers use social media promotion to drive traffic to landing pages — followed by 44% who use email promotion, 36% who use SEO practices, and 33% who use paid advertising. (HubSpot)

According to 39% of marketers, videos on landing pages positively impact conversion rates. (HubSpot)

Lead generation is the most important metric for measuring the effectiveness of content marketing strategies, according to 29% of marketers. (HubSpot)

AI saves about 2 hours and 16 minutes for manual tasks. (HubSpot’s State of AI Report)

What This Shows

Surprise, surprise, another year, another survey where the importance of lead generation is reinforced.

Despite the AI fanfare, the staples are still there — good, fleshed-out landing pages with the occasional video and sufficient social media promotion, of course.

B2B Marketing Team Stats

50% of all B2B marketers deem sharing data with other teams an easy affair.

The goodwill works both ways, with 52% of marketers saying getting that same data is easy. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

Even though 56% of marketers said their teams have become more aligned with sales, 31% stated the relationship hasn’t changed. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

At the same time, the importance of alignment has changed according to 53% of marketers, while 33% consider the alignment to be status quo. More alarmingly, 14% state the importance of that alignment has further decreased in 2023. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

Why is this alignment important? 29% of marketers said it benefits lead quality, while 26% each have selected customer experience and strategy execution as one of their biggest benefits of sales-marketing alignment. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

If the machine isn’t well-oiled, calamity ensues. 39% say the biggest damage comes in the form of lost revenue, while 38% believe the poor impression it leaves is crucial. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

But then again, it’s also the area of alignment that’s important. Sharing customer data and overall strategy led the way by being picked by 39% of marketers each, while content creation was the choice of 37% of them. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

Despite all the benefits, 32% of surveyed marketers say that a lack of communication was their biggest obstacle on the road to team alignment. Different tools and the lack of alignment on goals are other culprits, according to 29% of marketers. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

What This Shows

Contrary to popular belief, Skynet hasn’t subjugated us all, and jobs haven’t been replaced by AI.

It’s the exact opposite, really, with interaction between teams becoming an even bigger factor in the successful implementation of automation-aided strategies. We have more time now, right?

Yes, but almost a third of B2B marketers have stated that their teams haven’t become more aligned with sales teams.

In an environment where production is ramping up, this might present itself as an issue that might manifest in lost revenue and a deteriorating brand image.

Once again, we circle back to the issue of sharing and giving data. Whether it’s due to the creation of data silos, a lack of communication, or simply incompatible software, the gap is still a wide one.

Fortunately, the influx of various AI solutions, as well as open-source LLMs, provides hope that marketing and sales teams will be able to coexist on a single platform, without a hitch in communication.

B2B Social Media Strategy Stats

Facebook and Instagram seem to be the best social media channels in terms of ROI — 29% of B2B marketers saw the greatest returns there. YouTube comes in third place with 26%, while TikTok was the most profitable avenue for 24% of B2B marketers. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

TikTok and Discord are the channels that will see the most increases in activity from marketing teams. 53% and 46% of B2B marketers plan to increase budgets for these platforms, with LinkedIn following closely at 45%. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

16% of B2B marketers plan to start leveraging YouTube for the first time in 2024 — slightly ahead of TikTok and Twitter/X at 15%. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

LinkedIn is the hotspot of B2B marketing — 17% of B2B marketers plan to invest the most in this platform, followed by TikTok and Instagram at 13%. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

97% of B2B marketers consider generative AI tools either effective or somewhat effective. (HubSpot’s State of AI Report)

However, this doesn’t mean that human oversight is unnecessary. When using AI to write copy, 52% of marketers make minor edits to the text — while 41% make significant changes, with an additional 7% changing it completely. (HubSpot’s State of AI Report)

Surprisingly, a slight minority of companies work with influencers — with only 46% of polled marketers saying that their company worked with creators or influencers in 2023. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

In terms of audience size, micro-influencers (with 10,000 to 100,000 followers) were the most utilized, with 61% of marketers collaborating with this category. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

Micro-influencers were also the most successful category, with 48% of marketers being satisfied with the provided results. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

50% of all B2B marketers deem sharing data with other teams an easy affair.

What This Shows

Meta retains its dominant position as a social media channel for marketing. Although Facebook and Instagram drive the biggest returns, those markets are mature and saturated.

Newcomers in the space like Discord and TikTok are the new frontiers where businesses will vie for visibility.

The rise of TikTok is even more notable. The platform barely lags behind YouTube in terms of popularity. It will also receive plenty of new attention from marketers in the coming year.

To supplement this, it is also the platform that will derive the biggest investments from marketers after LinkedIn.

YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter/X surprisingly seem to be underutilized — with double digits of respondents saying that they will leverage these platforms for the first time this year.

Two more broad insights can be derived from the showcased data. Generative AI tools are broadly accepted as effective, although human oversight and editing are obviously still necessary.

In terms of influencer marketing, micro-influencers, the hot topic of yesteryear, seem to have paid off.

The smaller communities associated with them, such as meme pages, provide better results compared to online presences with larger reaches, like celebrities.

B2B SEO Stats

Website and blog SEO is the second-most leveraged marketing strategy in the B2B space, with 32% of marketers reporting having used it. It is only slightly surpassed by physical events and tradeshows at 33%. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

In tandem with this, updating SEO strategies to prepare for generative AI in search (like Google Search’s Generative experience) will cause 40% of B2B marketers to increase their budgets. (HubSpot’s State of AI Report)

50% of B2B marketers plan to increase SEO budgets in 2024. An additional 43% plan on investing the same amount as they did before. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

With regard to content marketing, improving SEO performance is a big priority — 11% of B2B marketers singled it out as their biggest challenge. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

39% of B2B marketers consider sales the most important metric for measuring the success of content marketing strategies — 30% consider web traffic more important, and 20% consider conversion rate the most important metric. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

46% of polled marketers believe that the advent of generative AI will make SEO more effective. 39% think it won’t have much of an impact on SEO, while just 15% think it will have negative impacts on SEO. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

Updating SEO strategies for Google’s algorithm changes is being undertaken by 22% of marketers, while updating strategies for generative AI is being leveraged by 21% of marketers. (HubSpot’s State of AI Report)

This isn’t just being forward-thinking. For 6% of B2B marketers, keeping up with Google’s algorithm resulted in the biggest ROI in 2023. Updating SEO strategies for generative AI was the biggest driver of growth for 8% of marketers. (HubSpot’s State of AI Report)

12% of B2B marketers believe that AI-driven SEO optimization tools would help their business the most out of all AI tools. (HubSpot’s State of AI Report)

Among bloggers and SEOs who use AI tools, automating time-consuming tasks such as meta tags, alt text, and link descriptions is the most common use case, along with analyzing website data. Both uses account for 42% of our polled sample. (HubSpot’s State of AI Report)

80% of polled bloggers and SEOs that already use tools agree that these tools will be able to do most SEO-related tasks completely independently by the end of the year. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

There are also worries in the air — 78% of bloggers and SEOs who use automation tools are concerned that these instruments will eventually make SEO obsolete. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

69% of bloggers and SEOs who use AI agree that automation tools can optimize a website for SEO better than a human can. (HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report)

What This Shows

SEO is still one of the most dominant approaches to marketing in the B2B space, and updating SEO strategies to better fit search engine changes is a widespread priority.

In terms of AI use, the automation of time-consuming manual tasks and the analysis of large quantities of data are the most prevalent use cases.

Data shows that we’ll see budget increases industry-wide. Metrics that relate to SEO, like traffic and conversions, are notable priorities for B2B professionals.

Making the Most of Data

The B2B industry has undergone a massive change since the pandemic and the advent of AI. AI is seeing widespread adoption.

While it might be a bitter pill to swallow, this is the new normal, and the Luddites among us, like their namesakes, will unfortunately be left behind.

Adapting to these new realities isn’t a matter of optimization or peak performance anymore — it’s a question of being able to just stay in business. Marketers are in broad agreement here.

Learning how to effectively utilize these tools is do or die in terms of staying competitive as a business and retaining employment as a professional.

We’re on the cusp of a significant transformation, and keeping up is essential.

Is TikTok Becoming the Next QVC? All About TikTok Live Shopping

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

When I was growing up, QVC was the channel my mother would watch to discover new products and deals. From hair straighteners to trendy blouses to jewelry, QVC would display everything during its 24/7 live broadcast.

Fast-forward to 2024, and I thought the live QVC era was long gone, thanks to the rise of online shopping. However, it looks like it is making a comeback via TikTok Live Shopping.

I can't scroll for more than a minute without coming across a TikTok Live event showcasing products and services that viewers can purchase directly from the live broadcast.

So what is TikTok Live Shopping, and is it the new QVC? More importantly, should your brand give it a try? Here‘s what I’ve found:

What is TikTok Live Shopping

Why should brands experiment with TikTok Live Shopping?

TikTok Live Stream Shopping vs. QVC

What is TikTok Live Shopping?

TikTok live shopping allows brands to showcase and sell products in real time during live streams on the platform. The experience enables TikTok users to purchase products without leaving the app.

Viewers can also wait until after the live stream to browse all the items mentioned during the event. This is done by tapping the shopping cart icon in the bottom left corner and selecting the items they want to buy.

Moreover, it allows customers and businesses to interact with each other during the process, fostering a connection between consumer and brand.

For example, I was scrolling through TikTok Live and came across a company called Wicked Misfit Shop, selling quirky handbags and purses.

Viewers commented on the live feed and asked the hosts to pick up different bags displayed in the background to explain to the audience.

The hosts answered questions, told viewers how to style the items, and gave vital information such as the items' materials, features, and uses.

Why should brands experiment with TikTok Live Shopping?

The better question would be, “Why not?” There are so many benefits to selling products during a TikTok Livestream, so I can‘t see why a brand shouldn’t give it a try. Hosting a TikTok live shopping event can:

Expand your audience.

Many TikTok creators suggest going live at least a few times a week to boost reach and increase follower counts.

TikTok content creator Coach.Stone says going live on TikTok between 3-5 times a week is an underrated technique to expand your audience.

“I recommend going live about an hour after you post a video so that when that video is pushed out to people's For You Pages, they see that you're live,” he says. “If they're interested in your video, they'll want to learn more about you, pick your brain, and they'll join your live.”

If your live stream is engaging and entertaining, viewers will want to follow your account to tune in for more. Ensuring your livestream offers your audience some value is critical to making it enjoyable.

In the case of live shopping, the value is your product and how well you showcase it. For example, I often see live shopping events from wig companies like the one below.

Hosts of the streams will typically try on the wig themselves, show how to style it, and discuss the kinds of outfits or events in which the wig would shine best.

And each time a wig is purchased during the stream, hosts often ring a bell or shout out the buyer by thanking them live.

They also answer questions from viewers in the comments.

All of this keeps your audience entertained and will attract followers.

Increase sales.

Most TikTok users are Gen Z, making up 44.7% of the platform's users. Moreover, 46% of Gen Z consumers in the U.S. have participated in live shopping events.

And finally, 47% of Gen Z consumers in both the US and UK have made a purchase from a live stream. So, what does this all mean?

Well, it means livestream shopping can increase the sales and purchase potential of your products or services, especially since Gen Z's buying power is growing yearly.

And let's not forget about us millennials, who make up 33.7% of TikTok's users. I admit I've been influenced quite a few times by social media when purchasing a product.

I bought my favorite skirt from Midnight Hour after seeing it pop up on my Instagram several times, and I've made a note to buy this adorable pink clock purse after seeing it promoted in a TikTok Live shopping event.

And I'm not the only millennial influenced. 38% of millennials in the UK and US have purchased via a social media platform.

TikTok Live Stream Shopping vs. QVC

Of course, it's time to answer the leading question — is TikTok live shopping becoming the next QVC? To answer that, I need to do some comparing and contrasting.

Where They Compare

Both QVC and TikTok live shopping involve showcasing a product during a live broadcast. On both platforms, viewers can purchase the item immediately via the broadcast.

Perhaps the most crucial similarity is that QVC and TikTok Live Shopping feature genuine, conversational approaches to e-commerce. Look at the clip below of a classic QVC moment.

Host and stylist Nick Chavez speaks to a caller about his product, answers her questions, and even laughs off a live tumble.

Conversations and unscripted, authentic moments like the one above made QVC popular among consumers for decades.

And the same can be said about TikTok Live Shopping. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any funny video compilations to share in this post, but believe me when I say TikTok Live can be hilarious, random, and unhinged.

I always wonder what I'm going to see during a live broadcast. Will the host say something wild? Will they accidentally drop a product? Or, will a viewer join the live and completely change the atmosphere?

That's the beauty of any live broadcast and what makes live shopping all the more fun.

Where They Contrast

Historically, viewers would have to call QVC viewers must call a number on display during the live event to make a purchase or ask the hosts questions. On TikTok, viewers can tap the item on their screen to buy it directly via the TikTok app.

TikTok viewers can join the live by requesting to do so, or they can interact with the hosts via the comments section.

Another difference is the quality of products and sellers between QVC and TikTok. Remember when I said some of my favorite clothing came from shopping on platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Well, it's not all rainbows and butterflies.

To be a QVC vendor, a businesse must submit an application and meet specific requirements. The opposite is true for TikTok Live Shopping.

TikTok‘s business account and live shopping features are much more accessible and require no proof of the product’s quality.

This means shoppers have to take extra precautions when buying from a business on TikTok because there's a chance the items may not be as advertised or could be of shoddy quality.

A fashion content creator who goes by Yves Saint Laurel voiced her concern in a recent TikTok.

“I know [live shopping streams] can be weirdly hypnotizing, and I even find myself watching them sometimes,” she says, “but most, if not all, of the brands I've seen doing this, are low-quality drop shippers that prey on your impulsiveness and manufacture a false sense of urgency.”

So, if you go the TikTok Live Shopping route, make sure to stand out amongst the scammers and the frauds by being honest about your products, their quality, and what buyers can expect.

OK, enough stalling, so is TikTok becoming the next QVC? In my opinion — yes!

Whether you‘re scrolling through TikTok Live, your For You page, the Shop tab, or the Following tab, you’ll come across someone selling you something, and you'll have the opportunity to buy directly from within the app.

Social media e-commerce is a growing industry and will likely continue to grow as more consumers use social media on the buyer's journey. TikTok is revolutionizing e-commerce with TikTok Live Shopping, or the QVC-ification of TikTok.

So, if you‘re a brand looking to expand your audience, boost sales, and further streamline your consumers’ buying experience — consider leveraging TikTok Live Shopping.

Creating an HTML Email: The Design Guide You Need [+ Free Templates]

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

When you create an email using a drag-and-drop or module-based tool, you’re actually generating an HTML email.

As a marketer, you’ve probably compared HTML emails versus plain text emails and realized that each type has different benefits.

HTML emails aren’t inherently better than plain text emails, and in different situations, both types can be part of a successful email marketing program.

In this article, we’ll cover how you can get started creating HTML emails, regardless of your experience level and comfort with coding, and share some free templates you can use. Let’s dive in.

Plain Text vs. HTML Emails

How to Create an HTML Email

HTML Email Best Practices

Simple and Free HTML Email Templates

Plain Text vs. HTML Emails

There are two main types of email you can send and receive: plain text emails (these are exactly what they sound like — any email that contains just plain old text with no formatting) and HTML emails, which are formatted and styled using HTML and inline CSS.

HTML emails are easy to spot — most of the styled, multimedia marketing emails in your inbox are HTML emails.

Here’s what an HTML looks like on the front end. Click on the HTML button to see the code behind it.

See the Pen HTML Email Template from HubSpot by Christina Perricone (@hubspot) on CodePen.

How to Create an HTML Email

Good news: You actually don’t need to know how to code to create an HTML email.

Most tools that create and send email (like HubSpot) will offer pre-formatted, ready-to-go HTML templates that enable you to design emails without ever needing to access the actual code on the back end.

As you make changes in the email editor, those changes will be automatically coded into the final product.

Email-building tools like this are an ideal option if you don’t have an email designer on your team, but you still want to send professional-looking marketing emails.

Pro tip: Need help with the content of your email? HubSpot’s Campaign Assistant can create a customized first draft in just a few clicks— so you can get back to the fun part.

Still want to create an HTML email from scratch?

If you’re comfortable with HTML and want more direct control over the code of your emails, most email tools will allow you to import HTML files directly for use as custom email templates.

There are a wide variety of free HTML email templates available on the web (some of which we’ll share below), and if you know your way around an HTML file, it’s usually quite straightforward to adapt the template to the email-building tool of your choice.

If you want to learn how to create an HTML email template completely from scratch, you’ll need to have an advanced knowledge of HTML (or work with a developer who does).

This guide offers a solid overview of coding a basic HTML email.

Because the process of creating an HTML email from scratch can be quite involved, we recommend working with a developer or using a pre-made HTML email template instead.

Developing an HTML email specifically for HubSpot?

If you want to know how to create an HTML email template specifically for use in HubSpot, you’ll want to make sure you include the required HubL tokens (these ensure your emails can be customized and are compliant with CAN-SPAM laws).

You can find a complete guide to coding HubSpot-specific HTML email templates here. Or alternatively, just use our simple what-you-see-is-what-you-get email editor.

Now that you understand the basics of what goes into developing an HTML email, let’s go over a few important best practices you should keep in mind.

No matter what method you plan to use to learn how to create an HTML email template, these best practices will help improve the design, user experience, and deliverability of your emails.

1. Make sure your HTML email is responsive for different screen sizes and devices.

The way your email looks in a user’s inbox depends on a wide variety of factors.

One of the biggest and most obvious factors is the screen size of the device it’s being viewed on.

An email that looks amazing and well-formatted on a desktop can easily devolve into a tangle of illegible, overlapping text and images when viewed on a smartphone screen.

To ensure your HTML emails look the way you intended across a wide spectrum of screen sizes, the best thing you can do is keep your layout simple and straightforward.

When you start adding more complex elements like multiple columns and floated images, it becomes more difficult to translate the format of your email for different screen sizes.

If you decide to develop a more complex layout, make sure you’re actively solving how the elements will be rearranged to suit different screen sizes.

For example, if your email displays as multi-column on desktop, that same structure won’t fly on mobile — you’ll need to use media queries to define how elements will be displayed on different screen sizes.

Let’s look at this template from HubSpot. You can see how the image and the copy have switched layouts when it’s on different screens.

What I like about this is its ability to look at the template through a user’s lens to identify what piques their interest to click or subscribe.

Remember, developing truly responsive HTML emails goes beyond the structure and format of your message. Think about how the overall user experience of your email will be perceived on different devices.

Make sure your font choices are just as legible on mobile as they are on desktop, and use mobile-friendly buttons or calls-to-action (CTAs) in place of hyperlinked text (have you ever tried to tap a little line of hyperlinked text on mobile? It’s not very easy).

You can find our more in-depth guide to mobile email best practices right here.

2. Make sure your styling works for different email clients.

Another big factor that heavily impacts the way your HTML emails appear in your subscribers’ inboxes is the email client they’re using to open the message.

Every email client loads emails slightly differently, so an email that looks a certain way in Gmail will likely look different in Outlook.

Luckily, if you know how most popular email clients load particular HTML and CSS elements, you can create a pretty consistent experience across different users’ inboxes.

It’s all about knowing which unsupported tags to avoid and adapting accordingly.

This comprehensive guide explains how the most popular email clients (including Gmail and multiple versions of Outlook) support and render different styling elements.

If you’re wondering how it’ll look, HubSpot actually works with multiple email clients to make sure you’re aware of your email preview.

You can also check out an article we wrote on optimizing emails for different email clients.

3. Be conscious of how long your HTML emails take to load.

How long your email takes to load could very well be the difference between gaining a new customer and losing a frustrated subscriber.

While it can be tempting to take advantage of all the different styling options and opportunities to incorporate visuals that HTML emails offer, none of that matters if your email takes too long to load.

As you design your HTML email, remain conscious of how long your email will take to load — especially if someone is, say, opening your message on their morning subway commute with a weak data connection.

Here are a few little steps you can take that will go a long way toward improving load time.

Use images sparingly.

That way, you’ll bolster the message you want to get across to subscribers. Always use an image compressor (like Compressor.io) to reduce the file size as much as possible.

Most image compressors can significantly reduce the file size of an image without compromising on quality, so taking this extra step won’t hurt the visual integrity of your email.

Use standard web fonts.

Custom fonts are great for spicing up a landing page, but they can add an extraneous layer of complexity when added to an email.

As we talked about above, all email clients handle style elements differently, and this especially extends to fonts.

To be safe, use standard web fonts and check to make sure the email client most of your subscribers use supports a particular font.

Try an HTML minifier.

An HTML minifier (like minifycode.com and smallseotools.com) automatically removes code that isn’t needed in an HTML file.

Repetitive, extra elements will be stripped out, but the actual rendering of your email should remain the same (always test it out!).

Each line of code impacts how long an email takes to load, so taking the time to remove junk code can have a positive effect on load time.

Here’s the code I used to make my email template. look how much junk code Smallseotools removed:

And look how much junk code Smallseotools removed. This not only saved me from importing unnecessary lines of code, but it also improved overall email loading time.

Keep your message focused on a single objective.

The best way to reduce email load time is to reduce how much content you add to each of your email sends. It might seem obvious, but too many marketers try to stuff too much content into their emails.

Not only does that lead to an off-putting user experience (nobody wants to read a novel in email form), but it can send your load time off the charts and cause users to abandon your email. Keep it simple, and your users will thank you.

4. Plan (as much as you can) for end-user inconsistencies.

The screen size and email client aren’t the only factors that can alter the way your HTML email renders in your subscribers’ inboxes.

Elements like the version of their email client, their operating system, their unique user settings, their security software, and whether or not they’re automatically loading images can all impact how your email loads.

As you can probably guess by that hefty list of factors, trying to solve for all of them (every single time you send an email) would probably be enough to make you throw your computer across the room.

But you don’t have to be completely helpless in the face of these variables — you just have to do a little pre-planning.

Consider creating a webpage version of your email.

This is kind of like giving your email a fail-safe button.

If for some reason — due to one of the many factors discussed above — your lovingly designed email renders like an absolute mess when a subscriber opens it, they will at least have the option to click “view as web page” and see the email as you intended it to be.

Since style elements render much more consistently across web browsers versus email clients, you’ll be able to have way more control over the web page version of your message.

In HubSpot, there’s an option you can turn on that will generate a web page version automatically.

Create a plain text version of your email.

A plain text version is exactly what it sounds like — an alternative version of your HTML email that renders in completely plain text.

Adding a plain text version of your HTML email is important because some email clients and user settings can’t (or choose not to) load HTML.

If this is the case, the client will look for a plain text alternative version of your HTML email to load for the user. If one doesn’t exist, it could signal to the recipient’s email server that your message is spam — or potentially dangerous.

Most email tools like HubSpot will automatically provide a plain text version that displays if a recipient’s email server requires it. Here’s an example of what it looks like on desktop:

But if you’re coding an HTML email from scratch, you’ll need to create something called a multipart MIME message.

A multipart MIME message is an email that contains both a plain text and HTML version of the same email. The plain text version will be displayed if a recipient’s email client or security system doesn’t allow HTML email.

This is a process that requires an advanced knowledge of coding, so we recommend working with a developer.

Make sure your email still makes sense if the images don’t load.

Some users have automatic image-loading turned off, which means they’ll see your email without images when they open it.

For this reason, don’t rely entirely on images to get the meaning of your message across, and always add alt-text to the images you do include.

Alt-text will load even when images don’t, so your subscribers can get the general idea of what the visuals include.

5. Conduct thorough testing.

Finally, you’ll need to test your HTML email at every stage of development to ensure it works across different email clients, operating systems, and device types.

Don’t wait until the very end of the process to test out your email — testing as you work is the best way to spot inconsistencies between different email clients and ensure you’re creating the most consistent experience possible for your recipients.

Some email tools (like HubSpot) offer in-app testing within their email builders to make the process easier.

If you’re working from scratch, you can use a tool like HTML Email Check or PreviewMyEmail to get a better idea of how your email will look in different email clients and devices.

See below:

Using the same code from before, I reviewed the email’s display/appearance across different devices. This gave me a better idea of what my subscribers are looking at, plus I didn’t even have to upgrade to the paid version.

Simple and Free HTML Email Templates

There are an overwhelming amount of HTML email templates available on the web as you can see below, and they vary in quality, responsiveness, and price.

We’ve pulled together a selection of free HTML email templates that provide a responsive user experience. Be sure to read the terms and conditions on each individual template before use.

1. Product Promotion HTML Email Template by HubSpot

Whether you’re launching a new product or simply advertising your existing offerings, this email template is a great place to start.

Included in the free version of Marketing Hub’s

The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Influencer Marketing for Brands

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

In my agency days, I once woke up at 5:00 am to meet a TV host at my client’s donut shop for a behind-the-scenes first look at their pumpkin-spiced lattes and donuts. (In Indiana, we love our donuts.)

The TV coverage was great, but you know what made an even bigger impact? The Instagram stories the media personality shared.

In the last five years, influencer marketing has come a long way from an experimental content-for-product swap to a full-fledged marketing tactic.

Influence Marketing Hub estimates that the industry will total $24 billion by 2025, up from $1.7 billion in 2016.

Instagram influencer marketing is one of the most popular ways to work with influencers, and I’ve compiled all the details you need to know to get started with any budget.

With this guide, you won’t need to trek out at dawn to launch your campaign — you can do it right from your computer or phone.

What is Instagram influencer marketing?

Why use influencer marketing on Instagram?

How much does Instagram influencer marketing cost?

How to Find the Right Instagram Influencers to Promote Your Brand

How to Work With Instagram Influencers

What is Instagram influencer marketing?

Instagram influencer marketing is a social media tactic in which brands collaborate with influencers to feature or review a sponsored product or service with their followers.

Most Instagram influencer campaigns are paid and require the influencer to generate original or co-created content around the brand.

Why use influencer marketing on Instagram?

The power of influencer marketing comes down to one word: trust. People want to hear advice recommendations from friends, family, and people they admire — not brands.

As consumers, we can’t connect on the same emotional level with brands as we can with humans. We also trust what a third party says about a brand more than the brand itself. Giving a recommendation carries far more weight.

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So, why Instagram? According to our Global Social Media Trends Report, Instagram is the best source of ROI among social media platforms and has the biggest potential for brands to grow their audience.

Instagram is the most popular influencer platform (27% of brands have run influencer campaigns on Instagram), though TikTok is hot on its heels.

Shoppable Commerce on Instagram

Another reason to launch your influencer marketing strategy on Instagram is because of the e-commerce potential it offers. You can set up an Instagram Shop for users to browse and buy without going to your website.

80% of social media marketers say that customers now prefer to buy in-app.

Instagram is saturated with millennials and Gen X, who have more disposable income than Gen Z.

And influencers earned their name for a reason: We found that 21% of social media users have made a social media purchase influenced by influencer content in the past three months.

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Best Instagram Features for Influencer Marketing

Beyond shopping, Instagram offers several effective influencer marketing tools for content collaborations.

1. Stories

Instagram posts shouldn’t stop with photo posts.

“Stories are gold for working together with influencers,” shares Kate Ross, hair and beauty specialist for hair brand Irresistible Me. “They're perfect for sharing quick, engaging content that disappears after a day, making things like promos feel urgent and exclusive.”

2. Links

In the past, story links were limited to a “swipe-up” feature that was limited to accounts with 10,000 or more followers. This feature retired in 2021. The replacement, the Instagram link sticker, serves the same function.

Folks can now encourage viewers to click on a link sticker and venture to an external site.

“We've doubled down on this by collaborating with audience-targeted influencers to share personal finance tips or card reviews, directly linking to our site and resulting in huge engagement and traffic,” says Gareth Boyd, head of growth for Credit Card Compare.

3. Reels

“Reels have become a game-changer for brand collabs,” argues entrepreneur and digital creator Udemezue John.

“They‘re a fantastic way to showcase products or services creatively, and the reach can be incredible. I’ve partnered with a clothing brand to create Reels showcasing their new line, and it generated tons of buzz.”

4. Branded Content (Paid Partnership Label)

Instagram has specific policies and ways that it wants influencers to disclose influencer marketing posts. Influencers must tag posts for paid content using the paid partnership label.

This is a plus, though — the content is distributed to both of your audiences, making it easy for the influencer’s audience to discover and follow your account.

5. Partnership Ads

With partnership ads (previously called branded content ads), influencers can grant permission for brands to boost their influencer posts across Instagram and Facebook.

That means you can go beyond organic content with the full force of your ad budget.

How much does Instagram influencer marketing cost?

Everyone wants to know how much to budget or charge for an Instagram post, but the typical response applies here: It depends.

First, let’s take a look at payment structures for influencers and how much to pay for different types of influencers.

Do you need to pay influencers?

It’s a best practice to pay influencers for content, but not all businesses do.

Influence Marketing Hub found that 50% of brands now compensate influencers with a sales commission from their campaign, while 24% pay a flat fee to influencers.

Others offer discounts or free products or services, but that isn’t a best practice anymore.

If you want the best quality content and to build a long-term relationship with an influencer and their followers, you need to compensate fairly.

“Top brands understand that content creation is a job, and almost all their creators are self-employed,” says Olivia McNaughten, director of product marketing at creator management platform GRIN. “As such, negotiate rates respectfully, provide clear compensation timelines, and pay creators on time.”

Compensation by Types of Instagram Influencers

If you are imagining Kylie Jenner or Lionel Messi plugging your brand, put that fantasy aside for now. Only the biggest brands can afford the price tag of major celebrity influencer campaigns, but that isn’t a bad thing for your business.

There are influencers available for every size of business and budget. Working with nano-influencers and micro-influencers isn’t just a consolation prize.

44% of brands say they prefer nano-influencers, followed by 26% who target micro-influencers.

Why? Nano-influencers and micro-influencers have loyal, engaged followers and are perceived as more authentic. Let’s look at the data: the average engagement for a post on Instagram is 2.05%.

But for accounts with a million followers? It’s just 0.95%. While famous influencers have a wide reach, they don’t always produce the best results.

Types of Influencers

Size of Accounts

Nano-influencers

1,000 - 10,000 followers

Micro-influencers

10,000 - 100,000 followers

Macro-influencers

100,000 - 1 million followers

Mega-influencers/Celebrities

1+ million followers

How much should you pay for a sponsored post on Instagram?

According to Izea, brands pay an average of $1,311 for a sponsored Instagram post and $2,784 for an Instagram story. You can use a rough estimate of $100 per 10,000 followers to set your rate.

Expect to pay more for an Instagram story or reel than a photo post and pay even more for multichannel posting (like Instagram with Facebook or Instagram with YouTube) because of the higher engagement rate.

How to Set an Influencer Marketing Budget

If you’re setting your first influencer marketing budget, take inspiration from the chart below. The top 15% spend over $500,000 a year, but the normal range– nearly half of influencer marketers– spend less than $10,000 a year.

I’ve seen brands start influencer marketing with as little as $50 or $100. Start small, focus on the basics, and measure your ROI. As you see results and hone best practices, scale up your influencer program and budget.

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How to Find the Right Instagram Influencers to Promote Your Brand

First, finding the right influencers is crucial to make your campaign successful. Of brands, 48% say that finding influencers is their top challenge in influencer marketing.

I chatted with Olivia McNaughten about why fit matters.

“Consumers are savvy. They can spot transactional content from a mile away, such as product placements that miss the mark or dishonest endorsements,” she says.

McNaughten notes that your audience can identify when a partnership is inauthentic or feels forced. This can actually damage your brand.

“So, brands must ask themselves: Is there brand alignment? Are our values aligned? Is it a good fit? And if yes, then brands should focus on building a direct relationship with that creator to cultivate a true advocate of your brand. That is the key to authenticity,” McNaughten says.

1. Define your ideal creator profile.

McNoughten advised that brands identify their top values and goals before searching for influencers. Then, they can envision their ideal creator profile.

“Your ideal creator profile should specify the type of influencer you are looking for, such as ideal engagement rate, what sort of content the creator should be posting, desired audience demographic, and so on,” McNoughten says.

2. Practice social listening.

The best starting point for finding like-minded influencers is to pour through Instagram to see who’s creating great content in your industry.

Instagram’s search bar and the HubSpot Marketing Hub are two simple places to start. Follow common hashtags, start making influencer lists, and consume lots of content before approaching an influencer to make sure they’ll be a good fit.

Pro tip: Find influencers who are already talking about your specific product category or the brand itself.

If you can find someone who already knows and loves your brand, you’ll have a high chance of success of them agreeing to partner with you and creating authentic, engaging content.

3. Use an influencer discovery platform.

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If sifting through millions of accounts sounds too overwhelming, there is a more systematic way to approach finding influencers.

Use an influencer discovery management platform like GRIN, HypeAuditor, Brandwatch, or Upfluence to search for influencers by category, demographics, reach, and engagement rate.

These platforms recommend potential matches and let you filter down results, but they also help by flagging potentially fraudulent accounts.

72% of marketers worry about influencer fraud, and these platforms show you an audience quality analysis so you aren’t wasting your money.

Influencer management platforms are also useful for managing influencer marketing at scale. Speaking of scale, let’s get into the nitty-gritty practical items: how do you work with Instagram influencers?

How to Work With Instagram Influencers

Ready to get started? Hold onto your wide-brim fedora, and make sure you have a plan before you jump in.

1. Outline your goals.

Before you start, define your goals and which KPIs you’ll use to measure success. Is the goal of the campaign to grow your brand through impressions? To gain more followers? To sell a specific item?

This will set the stage for everything to follow, from your compensation structure to your creative brief for influencers.

2. Structure your influencer marketing program.

Now, let’s look at how you’ll structure your influencer program. Answer these questions to give parameters to your program.

What will your compensation structure be?

Choose between a flat rate, affiliate commission, or other non-monetary compensation.

What is your campaign frequency?

Many influencer campaigns are structured per month, per quarter, or even per year. The frequency gives influencers a timeframe they must post within and a cadence for sending new, timely campaign briefs.

How will you track results?

The most popular success metric for influencer campaigns is views/reach/impressions, followed by engagement, then clicks.

A smaller number of brands judge success by sales. Just remember that if you need to track sales for affiliate commission, make sure you have a watertight attribution system in place.

Pro tip: Use UTM codes, coupon codes, or another method to make sure you can track all transactions.

What contracts or legal documents do you need your influencers to sign?

Since you are paying influencers to represent your brand, you need to get a few things in writing to protect yourself. Here are some common ones brands ask influencers to sign:

Terms and conditions for your partnership.

An image release so you can use the branded content videos without copyright concerns.

A non-disclosure agreement to keep the terms confidential.

Your brand or content guidelines.

Pro Tip: If you work with dozens or even hundreds of influencers, find a way to automate your workflows so you aren’t tracking myriad conversations and contracts across DMs and email.

How will you communicate and set expectations?

Think about the experience you want to create for influencers since this will indirectly sway their opinion of your brand and bleed into their content.

Prioritize timely communication with creators such as approving content, discussing payments, negotiating, and collecting contracts while remaining approachable and trustworthy.

Set clear expectations on content guidelines, deadlines, payments, and shipments to ensure there are no hidden surprises. Brands who put the effort into a white-glove influencer experience will build long-term relationships and reap the rewards.

3. Make personalized outreach.

When it’s time to make contact, don’t just send the same templated message to everyone. Personalize your outreach based on their content. Explain why you like their content and why you think they’d be a good fit.

If you can, go the extra mile by contacting influencers outside of Instagram DMs. Take an extra minute to find their website or email address, or use a platform to reach out.

This saves you from getting lost in a sea of messages and shows professionalism.

Be upfront on whether an opportunity is paid or not. “Paid partnership opportunity” is a door-opening subject line, but don’t bait-and-switch.

4. Let them be themselves.

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The worst thing you can do in influencer marketing is to hand your influencer a script. That’s a suref

16 Best Email Previewing, Testing, & Rendering Tools

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0300

You know the expression, “What you see is what you get”? Well, an email preview makes sure that’s the case when it comes to sending email marketing campaigns.

In this post, we'll discuss the best free and paid email testing, previewing, and email rendering tools you can use to make sure your emails are ready for the eyes of your leads and customers.

Table of Contents

What is an email previewer?

Why use an email previewer?

HTML Email Preview

Best Email Preview Tools

Free Email Preview Tools

Paid Email Preview Tools

What is an email previewer?

An email previewer is a tool that helps you preview your messages before sending them to your list. Previewing your messages ensures your emails are professional, error-free, easy to read, and ready for your leads and customers.

Why use an email previewer?

Since everyone uses different email providers such as Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo, emails can appear differently for various subscribers.

Sometimes, images are blocked, alt text is missing, or fonts won‘t render. If this happens, you could damage your credibility and lose subscribers. That’s why it's essential to test your emails before you send them.

Now, let's take a moment to review HTML email rendering versus plain text emails and previews.

No matter which email type you choose, you should preview your emails to make sure they're ready for your audience.

This is especially important if you go with an HTML email since it inherently includes multimedia elements, colors, fonts, branded elements, images, and more.

HTML Email Preview

As your HTML emails become more sophisticated, it's important to preview and test your emails before sending them to recipients. An HTML preview allows you to adjust anything necessary before the final version is sent to your audience.

That way, you can send your messages to the people who matter most — your customers — with complete confidence.

From HubSpot to GlockApps, here’s how to choose the right email previewer for your needs and budget. Aside from previewing emails, many suggested tools also include other email marketing features, like advanced testing.

1. HubSpot Email Marketing Tool

Start using HubSpot's Email Marketing Software.

Price: $18 per month to $800 per month.

We’ve baked HubSpot’s Email Marketing Tools into your CRM plan. You can use authentic and accurate customer data to power your email marketing efforts.

Because the CRM platform scales with your business, HubSpot’s Email Marketing Tools are ideal for growing companies.

As your subscriber count increases, you have the flexibility to adjust your lists accordingly. Plus, our drag-and-drop email builder simplifies the process of previewing emails across various platforms and devices, as you can see here.

With the added benefit of the HubSpot AI Email Writer, managing and creating engaging email campaigns has never been easier. In fact, I used their AI tool to generate the subject line for this email template. Isn’t that convenient?

Pro tip: You can actually use pre-made filters to customize your contacts and analyze the patterns in unopened or bounced emails.

2. SendX

Price: Ranges from $7.49 a month for 1–1,000 subscribers to $142.49 a month for 30,001–35,000 subscribers.

SendX is an email marketing software for experienced email marketers. There’s only one plan (Business Plan), and the price varies based on your volume of subscribers. The Business Plan includes all software features and unlimited emails per month.

SendX caters to “unfairly banned” niches, including “cryptocurrency” and “afﬁliate marketing.”

Their product offers a heatmap report featuring an overview of call-to-action (CTA) success across campaigns. You can use the feature to see which visuals inspire readers to take action. Here are some button options you can explore if you’re using Sendx:

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Pro tip: You should whitelist your domain before starting any email campaigns on SendX; otherwise, your limit will be 10 emails. As a matter of fact, you need to do this even when you upgrade to any of the paid plans. Something I learned the hard way.

3. Campaign Monitor

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Price: $11 monthly for their Lite plan; $19 monthly for their Essentials plan; and $149 monthly for a Premier plan

Campaign Monitor’s Inbox Preview tool shows what your email will look like when sent to all major email providers and when viewed on various devices, as shown below.

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You simply have to click the view you’d like from the options listed on the left. It’s even possible to view your email without images.

In addition, this tool can check to see if your email will pass popular spam filters to ensure it lands in your audience’s inboxes.

Pro tip: Campaign Monitor also provides A/B testing features based on your campaign goal. Since adjustments cannot be made while an A/B test is running, the campaign checklist comes up so you can review everything you've already set up. I find this feature extremely convenient!

4. Mailosaur

Price: $9 a user per month for a starter plan; $16 a user per month for a business plan; $20 a user per month for a professional plan; and custom pricing for enterprises

Mailosaur allows you to instantly see how your email will appear on all popular email clients, allowing you to catch any mistakes and to feel confident that your email will look great in any inbox.

It further allows you to view your email on different devices and different browsers. You’ll be sure to correct any errors before sending out your emails.

Pro tip: As previously mentioned, the Mailosaur Dashboard allows you to produce email previews. However, as you can see below, the API may also be used to build end-to-end email testing in multiple coding languages.

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5. GlockApps

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Price: $59 monthly for a basic bundle; $99 monthly for a business bundle; $199 monthly for a custom bundle

GlockApps is a deliverability tool that helps marketers in the tech space preview and test their emails. Aside from testing for spam scores, you can preview and analyze email content.

Once you run the tests, GlockApps will provide you with action steps to improve your emails before pressing send.

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Pro tip: In addition to these features, using its spam checker, you can track the location of your email, including the inbox, promotion, and spam folders, after you push send. As someone who’s used the platform before, I think this helps solve deliverability issues while giving you the best conversion rate possible.

6. SendForensics

Price: $39 monthly for a brand plan; $63 monthly for a company plan; $159 monthly for an agency plan; $279 monthly for an enterprise plan

SendForensics is an all-in-one email deliverability tool for in-house marketers and agencies. SendForensics’ tool is mainly for email testing, but the paid plans also offer a previewing feature.

Because the previewer doesn’t use an emulator, you’ll see your email exactly how it’ll look on a device or browser.

Pro tip: As you can see, you can use the Content tab in SendForensics to check your email for any spam-causing factors. Although their content-checking feature isn't as robust, I think their advantage is that every suggestion comes with a justification, so you can use your judgment to filter the results.

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It's important to note that the following free email preview tools are also free email testing tools. Meaning, they have the ability to assist with email previews and email testing.

1. HubSpot Email Marketing Tool

Get Started with HubSpot's Email Marketing Software for Free

With HubSpot's Email Marketing Tools, you can create, personalize, and optimize your marketing emails without the need for any code or help from designers.

Since this tool is part of the HubSpot CRM platform, you‘ll know the data you’re using to customize your emails is accurate. For instance, personalize emails by referring to the recipient's lifecycle stage or membership status — then schedule your campaign so your customized emails are sent automatically.

Pre-made, customizable email templates, and the tool's drag-and-drop editor allow you to quickly create beautiful emails for your recipient list.

Lastly, A/B test different elements of your emails — such as subject lines or the time that you send your emails — to determine what works best for your audience.

Pro tip: By adding smart rules, you can choose personalized CTAs for users based on their contact lifecycle stage, device, country, and more. I found this really useful, as I could also preview what each email looks like when sent.

2. SubjectLine.com

Testing the visual design of your emails is important. However, don't forget to preview your actual content as well.

With SubjectLine.com, you can test your subject lines and receive a free rating out of 100. The tool considers the total length, word length, urgency, and more.

Word choice matters in your subject lines, and this tool will help you develop more clickable subjects so your readers are more likely to open.

Pro tip: You can test out your original subject line and choose other options generated by their AI tool. The only thing I’d change is that the BETA feature sometimes creates very similar copies, as you can see.

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3. MailNinja Email Previewer

MailNinja is an free-to-use email testing tool and uncluttered in how it works. With this tool, you can see instant previews of your HTML emails. Additionally, you can double-check your alt text, send test emails, and see how your email will look on different devices.

This is a simple, free option if you don't trust or want to use a different preview tool than your email marketing software.

Pro tip: You can quickly preview emails with MailNinja by simply pasting the HTML code of the emails. There’s no need to do anything else, so I find it quite hassle-free.

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4. Inbox Analyzer

Inbox Analyzer, another free email testing tool, helps take the pain out of inbox and spam testing your emails.

Send your emails to the most popular inbox providers to see how they appear and if they deliver — this tool will let you know if your email hits the inbox, spam folder, or is undelivered.

Additionally, you‘ll receive instant reports on your sender scores, reputation alerts, and even blocklists. With this tool, you’ll be able to find issues and learn how to resolve them.

5. PutsMail

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PutsMail is an email testing tool by Litmus. Plus, PutsMail lets you see how your email will look across 50+ platforms and devices. This is a great tool if you’re just looking for a quick and easy way to preview your emails.

Pro tip: You can add a Chrome extension to your browser using a Litmus account. In my experience, this makes verifying your links, photos, and tracks easier. You can ensure every email is inclusive by using email accessibility checks for color vision deficiencies and other issues.

Types of Influencers	Size of Accounts
Nano-influencers	1,000 - 10,000 followers
Micro-influencers	10,000 - 100,000 followers
Macro-influencers	100,000 - 1 million followers
Mega-influencers/Celebrities	1+ million followers