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Brands’ metaverse leads: where are they now?

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By Webb Wright 

Until recently, many prominent brands including Disney, H&M and Coca-Cola were all-in on the metaverse. Now, times have changed and so have the business models within (some of) those companies.

Remember the metaverse?

Not so long ago, many brands were thoroughly fixated on this vague virtual world, a space that comprised both online gaming and virtual reality (VR) and that was typically conflated with blockchain-based web3 technologies such as NFTs and cryptocurrency. Though the concept of the metaverse has been around for decades, it was catapulted into the public psyche after Facebook changed its name to Meta – thereby signaling its pivot from being a social media-first company to being a metaverse-first company – in October 2021. Mark Zuckerberg, the metaverse’s most devoted proselytizer, painted his vision for the future of the virtual world as being one in which the humanity of the not-so-distant future would work, play, date and do just about everything else.

Many brands, captivated by the notion that there could soon be a virtual realm populated by throngs of (mostly young) consumers, were quick to drink the metaverse Kool-Aid. Wendy’s opened up a ‘Wendyverse’ in Meta’s Horizon Worlds; Miller Lite hosted a virtual bar in Decentraland; Playboy built a ‘MetaMansion’ in The Sandbox and so on. Every other day, it seemed, some new brand was eagerly staking its claim in what seemed to be a virtual gold rush.

Then, almost as quickly as it had materialized, the bubble popped.

Following a sharp decline in the crypto market, a general lack of popular enthusiasm for virtual reality-based ‘experiences’ such as Meta’s Horizon Worlds and a surge of popular interest around artificial intelligence, some brands that had previously seemed so enthusiastic about the metaverse dropped it like a bad habit. Others appear to be tentatively treating it as a phenomenon that, like a child’s forlorn toy, has been temporarily abandoned by the culture but might one day be embraced again.

“Many brands were excited about the metaverse … [and] their shift in attention makes sense with the current acceleration and adoption of generative AI,” says author and futurist Cathy Hackl, who has come to be known as the “godmother of the metaverse.”

Hackl believes that although the term ’metaverse’ has fallen into disfavour, it still points to some very real and ongoing technological trends. “It comes down to evolutionary and revolutionary technologies,” she says. “Generative AI went from evolutionary to revolutionary in the last year, and other technology sectors like spatial computing are still in their evolutionary phase. There’s [going to be] a future after the smartphone and a new version of the web will replace the current mobile internet; whether or not we’ll choose to call it ’the metaverse’ remains to be seen. The headlines have moved on from the term but the future has yet to be determined.”

Formerly the chief metaverse officer of Journey, a company that she founded, Hackl’s current job title is chief futurist. “The chief metaverse officer [title] was starting to limit me in some ways and was putting me in a box,” she says. “I felt the need to branch out further since my work encompasses so much more.”

Hackl changing her job title is also perhaps a reflection of a broader trend of tech and marketing experts who are shying away from the terms ’metaverse’ and ’web3.’ To explore this trend a bit further, let’s take a look at the recent career arcs of (in some cases former) metaverse leads within some prominent companies.

Mike White (Disney)

In February 2022, when metaverse fever was starting to heat up across the marketing landscape, Disney tapped Mike White to lead its in-house metaverse initiatives as the company’s executive vice-president of next-generation storytelling and consumer experiences. White had been with Disney by that point for more than 10 years.

The company’s metaverse division was dissolved under the newly reinstated Bob Iger in March and White was let go from the company earlier this month. Disney now seems to be shifting its technological focus to AI.

Pratik Thakar (Coca-Cola)

During his time as the Coca-Cola Company’s head of global creative strategy and content – a position he was first appointed to in January 2021– Pratik Thakar was, like so many marketers, excited about the metaverse. The brand moved quickly in its efforts to establish itself as a pioneer in the web3 space; it launched an NFT campaign way back in July 2021 and a little under a year later released a soda aimed at the gaming community, which it alleged to contain “the flavor of pixels.”

Today, Thakar is still with Coca-Cola as the company’s global head of generative AI.

Robert Triefus (Gucci)

Fashion industry veteran Robert Triefus, who first joined Gucci back in 2008, was appointed as the company’s chief executive of Vault (the company’s online concept store) and metaverse ventures last September. He parted ways with the company about six months later to “pursue another career opportunity,” according to a statement that Gucci provided to multiple outlets at the time. He’s now the CEO of the Moncler-owned fashion brand Stone Island.

Max Heirbaut (H&M)

Sparked by what seemed to be a surge in the market for digital fashion, H&M was another big-name brand that was quick to capitalize on the metaverse. In January, the fashion brand launched Loooptopia, a branded virtual experience hosted on Roblox that emphasized educating users about circularity, or the recycling and reuse of clothing.

Back in May 2022, H&M hired Max Heirbaut to spearhead the brand’s web3 and metaverse efforts as global head of brand experience. Heirbaut still occupies that role, according to his LinkedIn page, and the company as a whole still appears to be committed to building its presence in the metaverse. (“The metaverse offers a new way to look at personal style and the potential of ever-evolving, limitless wardrobes,” the brand wrote on its website earlier this month.)

However, it isn’t the only brand that’s still moving forward with its metaverse and web3 plans. And Heirbaut isn’t the only metaverse lead within a well-known brand who has retained their role, despite the broader cultural shunning of the metaverse; LVMH’s Nelly Mensah, for example, who was named as the company’s global head of web3 and metaverse in January 2022, still appears to be occupying that role, as does L’Oréal’s Camille Kroelly (chief metaverse and web3 officer) and Nike’s Eric Redmond (head of Metaverse Studio).

Feature Image Credit: Adobe Stock

By Webb Wright 

Sourced from The Drum

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A Photographer’s Guide to Pricing: Balancing Passion, Profit, and Personal Life

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Photography is as much a business as it is an art. Amid the myriad choices that shape a photographer’s journey, one pivotal decision looms large: pricing. For those straddling photography alongside another profession, striking the right pricing balance can be both an art and a science. Navigating my dual professional roles, I discovered that pricing isn’t merely a reflection of an image’s worth; it’s a strategic tool, ensuring equilibrium between passion, profession, and personal moments.

Every photographer’s journey is unique, yet we often tread common ground, especially when it comes to pricing. As a fresh face in the world of photography, I had a passion for capturing moments but a scant understanding of the business behind the lens.

When setting foot in the vast world of photography, the immediate instinct is to price low. This approach stems from a blend of humility, market assessment, and a desire to build a portfolio rapidly. For me, this strategy seemed flawless: I’d attract a clientele attracted by affordable rates, rapidly build my portfolio, and gradually increase my prices. And, for a time, it worked.

Getting Started

Life has a peculiar way of surprising us, leading us down paths we hadn’t anticipated. Such was my life as a PR manager at GE. One seemingly straightforward task—to find a professional photographer for our executives’ headshots—became a transformative experience. While the photos returned were technically impeccable, they lacked the vital element of capturing the essence of the subject. This revelation was a turning point, making me appreciate the intricacies of the art. As I delved deeper, I began to view photography as a powerful form of communication, akin to my PR responsibilities.

 

One of the first headshots I captured at GE

While the above headshot isn’t technically the best headshot, I realized I had an eye for the composition and could help serve a need in my local area of Richmond by providing actor headshots for the local acting community. So, I dove headfirst into YouTube videos on photography, learning the exposure triangle and some of the basics needed for headshots.

It was during these formative days of my photography journey that I confronted my first big hurdle: pricing my services.

The Dangers of Underpricing

While my “cheap” rates skyrocketed my bookings as word spread throughout the acting community, I soon faced a predicament. Overwhelmed with clients, juggling a demanding PR job, and spending hours commuting to work and to shoots, I was on the fast track to burnout. There was hardly any space for the things that mattered most.

Pricing wasn’t just about numbers; it was intrinsically linked to my quality of life. Every entrepreneur will tell you about the importance of work-life balance, but it’s the strategies you deploy—like pricing—that truly make it possible.

The Value Behind the Frame

Every photograph, every shoot, brings with it a plethora of costs – both evident and hidden. Beyond the tangible expenses of equipment, location, and post-processing, there’s the intangible yet invaluable cost of time, creativity, and energy. Recognizing this was my first step out of the “affordable” trap.

Transitioning to a pricing paradigm aligned with my evolving expertise and the actual value I offered was an uphill task. It demanded a shift not just in my rates, but also in my branding, marketing efforts, and the narrative I presented to prospective clients.

Delving into Pricing Psychology

Price Anchoring: This is when the first price a customer sees (the “anchor”) influences their perception of subsequent prices. My initial low rates set a particular expectation. When I decided to raise them, breaking that anchored perception was challenging.

Value Perception: Clients often equate price with value. Offering services at a very low price might unintentionally signal lesser quality or value, while higher prices can convey expertise and premium service.

Pricing Models Dissected

Understanding and choosing the right model for your photography business is crucial. Here’s a detailed look at the options I explored for my side-hustle-turned-six-figure business:

  1. Package-Based Pricing:
    • Pros: Streamlines decision-making for clients. Ensures a baseline revenue.
    • Cons: Too many choices can deter clients, and psychologically, they often come in expecting to leave with only the pre-agreed number of photos. Potential earning caps if clients adhere strictly to the base package.
    • My observation: Setting a fixed number of images in a package anchored client expectations. Selling additional images became challenging, even when they were genuinely valuable.
  2. Per Image Pricing:
    • Pros: Highly rewarding, especially with a polished sales strategy. Allows tailoring to different client budgets.
    • Cons: Requires adept sales skills and tactics.
    • My observation: The session fee plus image fee model I adopted from Tony Taafe’s TNT program offered a more profitable way and client flexibility. You can add image bundles at the time of sale to encourage the customer to purchase more images.
  3. Hourly Rate:
    • Pros: Guarantees compensation for all working hours. Transparent and straightforward.
    • Cons: Can deter clients wary of a mounting bill.
    • My observation: I discovered that an hourly rate often underrepresented my effort, particularly when intensive post-processing was involved.

Targeting the Right Audience: Aligning Price with Value Perception

One of the most crucial aspects of a successful photography business, or any business for that matter, is finding the right clientele. It’s not just about finding people willing to pay your prices, but about finding those who recognize and value the expertise, dedication, and unique perspective you bring to the table.

  • Research and Niche Identification: Begin by identifying your niche in photography, whether it’s corporate headshots, candid wedding photography, high-fashion shoots, or local actor portfolios. Once you have a clear understanding, dive deep into market research to understand the specific needs, preferences, and spending patterns of your target audience.
  • Positioning and Branding: Your brand speaks volumes. Every aspect of your branding – from your website design, portfolio presentation, to social media presence – should resonate with the kind of clientele you aim to attract. A luxury wedding photographer’s branding, for instance, would be vastly different from someone specializing in candid street photography.
  • Build Authentic Relationships: Networking plays a vital role. Attend industry-specific events, seminars, or workshops. Building genuine relationships can lead to word-of-mouth referrals, often bringing in clients who align well with your pricing strategy and value your work’s inherent worth.
  • Educate Your Potential Clients: Sometimes, the perceived value can be enhanced through education. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses, breakdowns of your post-processing work, or even snippets of your thought process during a shoot. This can help potential clients understand the hard work and creativity behind each photo.
  • Tailored Marketing: Utilize targeted marketing strategies, be it through social media ads, blogs, collaborations, or content marketing. Ensure that your marketing efforts reach those who are most likely to value and afford your services.
  • Quality Over Quantity: It’s tempting to cast a wide net, but remember, you’re looking for clients who see the value you offer and are willing to compensate fairly for it. It’s more rewarding, both financially and creatively, to work on fewer projects that truly appreciate your worth than to juggle numerous assignments that undervalue your skills.

In the vast sea of potential clients, it’s essential to find those who not only match your aesthetic vision but also recognize the value behind every click. By positioning yourself correctly and ensuring your efforts target the right audience, you can ensure a harmonious balance between your artistic vision and commercial viability.

Achieving Work Life Balance Through Pricing

For some, photography is a side business or a passion. But passions and side hustles can overwhelm you if not managed wisely. Strategic pricing was my way of ensuring I wasn’t consumed and I didn’t lose sight of my career in PR. By adjusting my rates and communicating value, I made space for myself. Instead of squeezing in every possible client, I started selecting projects that aligned with my vision and schedule. This meant I could reclaim my personal life: date nights, Braves games, culinary adventures, and all.

Power of the Value Conversation

When we discuss pricing, especially in a domain as personal and intimate as photography, the dialogue goes beyond mere monetary metrics. It encompasses an entire spectrum of value, from the palpable worth of the images to the intangible aspects that shape the experience. It was vital for me, and for any photographer, to recognize and communicate this spectrum to clients. Here’s a breakdown:

  • Monetary Value: This is the direct financial cost tied to the service, which includes equipment, studio rentals, post-processing software, and more. It’s the tangible aspect that most clients initially focus on.
  • Time Value: Every hour dedicated to a project is an hour away from other professional or personal pursuits. This includes the time spent in conceptualizing, shooting, editing, and even the back-and-forth communications with clients. My need to get back time prompted me to establish a studio environment in my home.
    • Personal Time: Time away from loved ones, hobbies, and personal growth.
    • Professional Time: Time that could have been invested in other projects, upskilling, or even the primary career, especially for those balancing photography with another profession.
  • Experiential Value: The client’s experience from the first interaction to the final product delivery. It encompasses the ease of communication, the comfort during the shoot, the efficiency in post-production, and the joy in the final reveal.
  • Emotional Value: The innate ability to capture not just images but emotions, stories, and moments. It’s about the feeling an image evokes every time a client looks at it.

Through these layers of value, the conversation shifts from a mere transactional exchange to a holistic understanding of the service’s depth and breadth. It was essential for me to frame my services not just as photos delivered but as a comprehensive experience enriched with dedication, expertise, and personal investment. By communicating these varied facets of value, clients could appreciate the entirety of the work involved and form a deeper, more meaningful connection to both the process and the final product.

 

One of my most recent headshots

Pricing as a Tool for Growth

Your pricing strategy is a testament to your growth as a professional and individual. It should reflect your evolving skills, ambition, and the personal life you envision. As you navigate your photography journey, remember that your prices aren’t just tags on a service; they’re markers of the life you wish to lead, the value you offer, and the balance you aspire to achieve.

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20 Real Ways to Make Money While Being at Home

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By Erik Emanuelli

Are you looking for ways to make money while staying at home? You are not alone! The pandemic has caused many people to lose their jobs or have reduced income. Fortunately, there are plenty of options available that allow you to earn money without having to leave your house.

From selling handmade products online, starting a blog, offering virtual assistant services, consulting businesses, and more; the possibilities are endless when it comes to making money from home.

This post will discuss 20 ways in which you can start generating income right away without leaving your comfort zone!

1. Start a Blog

If you have something interesting to say and want to share it with the world, starting a blog is a great way to get noticed.

Start with keyword research to find profitable long-tail terms with low competition. Then, create awesome pieces of content around them. Remember the on-page optimization rules – include keywords in titles, headings, and article bodies.

When you have enough traffic coming to your blog, start monetizing it with ads or affiliate links.

2. Sell Handmade Products

Selling homemade products is one of the most popular ways to make money from home. Etsy, for example, provides a platform for creatives to turn their hobby into a business. You can create and list your handmade items on the website and start making profits in no time!

Remember to promote your items on social media to increase visibility and generate more sales.

3. Offer Consulting Services

Are you an expert in a certain field?

Start consulting businesses and offer personalized advice in exchange for money. Many useful services can be provided online, such as social media marketing, web design, copywriting, etc.

You can also target specific companies and offer your services to them.

4. Become a Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants are in high demand, especially during the pandemic. Companies can hire virtual assistants for various tasks, such as data entry, scheduling appointments, setting up meetings, or creating presentations in PowerPoint.

You don’t need any special skills or qualifications to become a virtual assistant. All you need is a computer and internet access.

5. Teach Online Classes

Are you an expert in a certain topic or subject? Share your knowledge with others and get paid for it!

You can teach online classes via Zoom or Skype. You can also create video courses that students can purchase and learn from.

6. Sell Stock Photos and Videos

If you have a good eye for photography or videography, you can sell your photos and videos online to make money from home.

There are many websites that allow you to upload and sell stock photos and videos. All you need is an impressive portfolio!

You can start with marketplaces like Shutterstock, AdobeStock, or Getty Images.

7. Become a Freelance Writer

Are you an experienced writer? Start offering your services to websites and companies in exchange for payment. There are plenty of websites that offer freelance writing opportunities such as Upwork, Fiverr, and many more.

You can also create content for blogs or websites. Again, keyword research will help you find profitable topics to write about.

8. Invest in Stocks and Cryptocurrencies

Investing in stocks and cryptocurrencies can be a great way to make money from home. You can open an account with your preferred broker and start investing right away!

Do your research and choose stocks or cryptocurrencies with potential for growth. Stay updated on the latest news in the markets and always invest responsibly.

9. Start a YouTube Channel

If you have something interesting to share, start a YouTube channel! You can upload videos related to topics that you are passionate about or provide tutorials on different skills.

Monetize your channel by joining the YouTube Partner Program and start making money through ads.

10. Create an Online Course

Creating and selling online courses is a great way to make money from home. You can create courses on topics such as photography, web design, cooking, etc.

Start by creating content for your course and then upload it to a platform like Udemy. If you have an email list, promote the course to your subscribers and get more sales.

11. Become an Affiliate Marketer

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money from home. All you need to do is find products that you can promote on your blog or website and get paid for every sale you generate.

Choose products that are related to the topics of your blog and start promoting them through banners, social media posts, or blog posts.

12. Start Dropshipping

Dropshipping is a business model where you don’t need to keep inventory or manage the shipping process. All you need to do is find products from suppliers and list them on your website. When customers make orders, the supplier will take care of the shipping process and you will get your commission.

Shopify is a great platform to start your dropshipping business. Or Amazon FBA if you want to go the popular route. To get started on your Amazon business, you might want to leverage a tool such as Jungle Scout or its alternatives.

13. Become a Social Media Manager

Social media is an important part of any business’s marketing strategy these days. If you are experienced in social media management, you can offer your services to companies and get paid for them!

You will be responsible for managing all aspects of their social media accounts such as creating content, responding to comments, engaging with followers, etc.

14. Create an App or Website

Are you tech-savvy?

You can create apps or websites from scratch and make money by selling them or charging people for using them.

This type of venture requires some technical skills and knowledge, but it can be a great source of passive income.

15. Sell E-Books

If you have a knack for writing, consider writing and selling e-books.

This is a great way to make money from home as you can write about any topic that you are passionate about or knowledgeable about.

And today, it’s even easier thanks to the help of AI writing tools.

Once your e-book is ready, consider publishing it on Amazon Kindle.

16. Design Logos and Websites

Are you good at graphic design?

Offer your services to companies who need help with logo creation or website design.

There are many websites like Fiverr where you can list your services and start making money right away!

17. Transcribe Audio/Video Files

Transcription is an in-demand service these days, as companies need to transcribe audio and video files for various reasons.

You can start your own transcription business from home and offer your services online.

18. Start a Podcast

If you have something interesting to share, why not start a podcast? All you need is a microphone and some recording software.

You can monetize your podcast by using sponsorships or ads or giving away premium content on Patreon.

19. Become a Virtual Event Planner

Virtual events are becoming more popular, and companies need help planning them. If you have experience in event management, consider offering your services as a virtual event planner.

You can offer services such as helping companies plan the content, creating visuals for presentations, finding the right speakers for their events, etc.

20. Rent Out Your Home/Room

If you have an extra room or house, you can rent it out and make money from home. Airbnb is a great platform that allows you to list your properties and start earning rental income.

You can also use platforms such as VRBO or Homestay to list your property and get bookings from travellers.

Are You Ready to Make Money From Home?

These are just some of the ways that you can make money from home.

Which one will you choose?

With a bit of hard work and dedication, you can start making money without leaving the comfort of your own home!

Featured Image Credit: Pexels

By Erik Emanuelli

Erik Emanuelli has been in the online marketing game since 2010. Visit his website to learn more about SEO and blogging.

Sourced from readwrite

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How Many Social Media Platforms Should a Small Business Be Active On?

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By Kirsti Lang

From platform demographics to features, plus a deep dive into important factors to consider, here’s what you need to know to find the social media sweet spot for your business.

Question: How many social media platforms should a local business be using? Realistically, it is a challenge to manage multiple platforms well with the limited resources of a small business. – Keegan Edwards

There’s no end to the tasks small business owners have to juggle daily. When you’re managing everything from strategy to sales, adding a dozen social media accounts into the mix is just not sustainable.
Good news: it’s not necessary, either.

While social media is a powerful marketing tool, plenty of entrepreneurs have proved that quality over quantity is key when it comes to using social media to maximize their reach – and sales.

So: how many social media platforms should you be using? Keegan asked this great question as part of our #AskBuffer series. He went on to share his own stance on the topic: “I’ve always recommended picking two that make sense for your type of local business. Two is feasible to keep up with and do well.”

We agree that making a selection you can keep up with is key – but there’s a whole lot of nuance when it comes to exactly how many platforms to spend your time and resources on and (perhaps more importantly) which ones you choose.

In this article, we’ll dig into the factors that you should consider when making this important marketing strategy decision and help you find your social media sweet spot.

How many social media platforms should small businesses be using?

Ultimately, there is no right or wrong answer that applies to all small businesses.

To answer how many platforms you need to cultivate a social media presence on, your first port of call should be figuring out which ones you need to prioritize.

To dig into that, first ask yourself: where is your target audience?

Think about it this way: even if you have the resources to commit to, say, five platforms, are those resources well spent if your target customers aren’t hanging out on three of them?

From there, you need to consider your own business goals, the resources you have at your disposal, and what you have time for to make the best decision.

The only real mistake you can make here is to spread yourself too thin. We recommend starting smaller, and perhaps adding another channel or two into the mix if you find the effort manageable (and worth it!).

Let’s explore each social media platform to give you a better idea of where your audience hangs out, plus share a variety of factors to consider when it comes to your business and how many profiles will work best for you.

Which social media platforms should you be using?

As a small business owner, you likely already have a good idea of who your ideal customers are. (If you don’t, fear not; we have guides to defining your target market and creating marketing personas).

Once you know who they are, you can begin to uncover where those customers are. To help you answer that question, here’s a birds-eye view of some of the most popular social platforms, who frequents them, and what they’re used for.

Facebook

About Facebook’s users*

  • Monthly active users: 2.989 billion
  • Breakdown by gender: 77percent women, 61percent men
  • Dominant age group: 77percent of 30 – 49-year-olds
  • Nearly one-third of global online shoppers use Facebook as their preferred social platform for purchasing.

Facebook’s features for businesses

  • Meta has grouped Facebook and Instagram’s business tools together in Meta’s Business Suite.
  • Facebook also offers Commerce Manager, a shopping catalogue, and an inbox to chat directly with customers, meaning that business owners can literally set up shop on the Meta-owned platforms, as well as cross-post between them.
💡
Interested in cross-posting? You can use Buffer to repurpose your content beyond the Meta-verse, too.

What performs well on Facebook

Creating quality content to share on your Facebook page is the best way to drive potential customers to your social storefront or website. To put your best foot forward with the Facebook algorithm, make sure you’re sharing:

  1. Meaningful, informative stories
  2. Accurate, authentic content
  3. Safe, respectful behaviour

Baby carrier brand Ubuntu Baba taps into authenticity on Facebook by interspersing model shots of their products with content creators by their users and even heartfelt posts from their founder, Shannon McLaughlin.

Facebook supports a host of content formats, so you’ll have everything from video to photo- to text-based posts to play with. Video content still sees the highest engagement (and thus reach), but as we unpack in our Facebook Guide for Small Businesses, every format can be valuable on this versatile platform.

Instagram

About Instagram’s users*

  • Monthly active users: 2 billion
  • Breakdown by gender: 44 percent women, 36 percent men
  • Dominant age group: 71 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds
  • 83 percent of Instagrammers use the platform to discover new products and services
  • 54 percent of users report having made a purchase after seeing the product on Instagram

Instagram’s features for businesses

  • Unique to Instagram is Instagram Shopping, which makes your products directly shoppable within your feed. Instagram Ads are also popular as a pay-to-play option that allows you to target a specific group of users with your relevant content, even if they’re not following you.
  • If you regularly work with creators or want to start, Instagram’s Branded Content tools make it easy to partner up.
  • Instagram recently launched a new feature worth exploring for your business: Broadcast Channels. These channels allow brands or creators to send mass messages directly to followers who have opted in to receive them – great for preventing big announcements from being swallowed by the Instagram algorithm.

What performs well on Instagram

As a highly visual platform, it’s generally beautiful, aspirational content that resonates on Instagram. According to an analysis by influencer marketing platform Heepsy based on number of profiles and engagement rates, the top 10 categories are media, fashion, music, arts, fitness and wellness, photography, food, travel, cinema and acting, and make-up.

Formats supported on the platform include images and short-form videos via posts or Reels on the feed or within Instagram Stories that disappear after 24 hours. Birch & Bramble makes the most of all three by showcasing their work in photo posts and behind-the-scenes Reels and stories.

TikTok

About TikTok’s users*

  • Monthly active users: 1 billion
  • Breakdown by gender: 24 percent women, 17 percent men
  • Dominant age group: 48 percent of 18 – 29-year-olds
  • Just under half (49 percent) of users have said they have bought a product after seeing it on TikTok.

TikTok’s features for businesses

What performs well on TikTok

A hashtag analysis revealed entertainment, dance, and pranks take the top-three spots on the short-form video platform, but fitness/sports, home renovations/DIY, beauty/skincare, fashion, lifehacks/advice, and pets are also contenders.

Fashivly CEO Ashlyn Greer (who recently starred in our Creator’s Unlocked series) found success by rejecting perfectly polished brand content in favour of a grittier, more off-the-cuff style that creators tend to favour.

Ashlyn regularly features in content herself and uses creator staples like greenscreen to create the kind of authenticity and spontaneity that thrives on TikTok.

X (formerly Twitter)

About X’s users*

  • Monthly active users: 564 million
  • Breakdown by gender: 22 percent women, 25 percent men
  • Dominant age group: 42 percent of 18 – 29-year-olds
  • Both traffic and ad revenue are declining – but so far, none of the Twitter alternatives out there are coming close to the platform’s current active monthly user base.

X’s features for businesses

What performs well on X

As we unpack in our Guide to Twitter for Small Businesses, you’ll go far with pop culture trends and news, thought-provoking content, and, of course, humor and wit.

A great example is workout app Sudor’s quirky tweets, which rely on trending memes and gifs to connect with their followers.

LinkedIn

About LinkedIn’s users

  • Monthly active users: 310 million
  • Breakdown by gender: 26percent women, 31percent men
  • Dominant age group: 36 percent of 30 – 49-year-olds
  • Brands have seen a 33 percent increase in purchase intent from ad exposure on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn’s features for businesses

  • Showcase pages make it easier for brands to segment their audience by creating dedicated spaces for specific projects, while Product pages will help you highlight special features and recommendations. Both are sub-pages of a company’s primary LinkedIn page.
  • You can also send newsletters to your followers directly within the platform
  • LinkedIn Ads will allow you to target specific groups, even if they don’t follow you.

What performs well on LinkedIn

B2B (business-to-business) brands and career-related industries are finding success on the Microsoft-owned channel.

This is particularly true when their employees build personal brands and share their expertise on the platform. We recently spoke to three founders in these industries who have seen phenomenal success on the platform by doing just that.

The data shows the platform is powerful for more than just gathering a following, too.

While LinkedIn is the preferred stomping ground for B2B marketers, there’s potential for B2C (business-to-customer) brands to gain traction there too.

B2C company Lavender has helped cultivate personal brands on LinkedIn around their small team (or hired people with big followings already behind them) and takes advantage of the reach of their profiles, plus their own brand account.

YouTube

About YouTube’s Users

  • Monthly active users: 2.5 billion
  • Breakdown by gender**: 46 percent women, 16 percent men
  • Dominant age group: 48 percent of 18 – 29-year-olds
  • 70 percent of people say they’ve bought something as a result of seeing it on YouTube
  • 51 percent of US and UK buyers use YouTube to find products or research them

YouTube’s features for businesses

What performs well on YouTube

The world of long and short-form video is your oyster on the multi-faceted platform. Content that performs well on Youtube – and lends itself to business – are how-to or educational content about your business or product, demos, and creator product reviews or unboxings. Our comprehensive guide to the YouTube algorithm will help you uncover opportunities for your channel.

A great example of YouTube done well is sustainable menstrual product brand, DAME. They use their channel to share helpful how-to guides.

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Pinterest

About Pinterest’s Users

  • Monthly active users: 463 million
  • Breakdown by gender: 46 percent women, 16 percent men
  • Dominant age group: 48 percent of 18 – 29-year-olds
  • 85 percent of weekly US pinners have made a purchase based on Pins from brands

Pinterest’s features for businesses

What performs well on Pinterest

Types of content that perform best on Pinterest are aspirational and inspiring, with high-quality images and short-form videos the order of the day.

KINDRD Studios’s home decour and digital download planners really lend themselves to the platform, which they use to drive pinners to their Etsy shop.

Here’s our guide to creating compelling content on Pinterest digs into that a little more. This very handy live trends board, which you can filter by age and gender, is also worth exploring.

Mastodon

About Mastodon’s Users

  • Monthly active users: 1 million
  • Breakdown by gender: 34 percent women, 66 percent men
  • Dominant age group: 33 percent of users are age 29-34

Mastodon’s features for businesses

Mastodon is a decentralized, open-source platform that allows users to set up their own servers or instances to communicate. It currently doesn’t have any features for advertising or in-platform shopping. As a non profit organization, these seem unlikely for the future.

What performs well on Mastodon

The platform does support images and gifs, but favours text posts. While it’s been reported that “news and publishing” is the most popular category on the platform, there’s no definitive data out there just yet.

While it’s worth exploring if your particular niche has a popular server you can join to meet users where they are, Mastodon may be one to watch rather than a social platform to jump on if you have limited resources for social media marketing.

What to consider when choosing social media platforms

So you’ve pinpointed multiple platforms that would be a good fit for you: this doesn’t necessarily mean you should be spinning up accounts for all of them.

There are factors beyond demographics to consider:

Choosing content formats that suit your business

What type of social media content best supports your business? Many product-based businesses will find they’re best suited to a visual platform, while a service-based offering could lend itself to thought leadership text and video.

The time and effort each platform requires

Video-first platforms like YouTube and TikTok might require more of your time if you don’t already have video content you can repurpose into social media posts. Think through the effort that will be needed to truly succeed on each platform and how it aligns with the amount of time your business can invest into social media at the moment.

The potential for repurposing

If your business regularly hosts video workshops you can turn into content, that will help you save on time. You could share those easily on YouTube and pull out highlights from these videos to feature as short-form videos on other platforms like Reels, TikTok, or even clips on LinkedIn.

Or if you’re sharing expertise on LinkedIn: could the longer post be chopped up into a Twitter thread? Before choosing social networks, make sure to think through how you can repurpose content to help make it easier to stay consistent.

Which platforms you’re most familiar with

While the learning curve of a new platform is not insurmountable (and the links to guides we have peppered throughout this article will help!), you’ll be up and running much faster with a familiar platform.

Sticking to platforms you use often will also help with posting consistently, and regularly replying to comments and engaging with followers.

What your customers want

While platform demographics will allow you to create a useful hypothesis about where you’ll find new customers, there’s another way to uncover which social media sites are best for your business: ask them.

It’s advice you’ll often find in our various platform guides. Engaging with customers about which platforms they regularly use will help you meet them where they are – and find others like them.

How your posts are performing

Choosing social platforms is not a one-and-done job – you’ll need to keep a close eye on platform performance to assess whether your digital marketing efforts are worth what you’re getting out.

To drill down on the specific metrics relevant to each platform, we suggest checking out our guides for TikTok, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Ultimately, you need to know: is the time and effort you’re putting into your platforms paying off?

Buffer’s analytics features can help you make the call. It’s a powerful partner in analyzing all your content: think custom reports so you can monitor what really matters, plus centralized performance tracking to allow you to keep an eye on all of your social media platforms in one hub.

Another handy feature: Our analytics will examine your data and tell you when, what, and how often to post to make sure the effort you’re putting in matters – definitely worth trying before you pull the plug on a platform.

With all that in mind, you may think you can manage three social media platforms with liberal repurposing. Or perhaps you think you’d rather zero in on one platform for now – whatever feels sustainable is the right call for you and your business.

Whatever your decision, don’t be afraid to experiment. What works for one business might not work for you – and finding the sweet spot for you will almost certainly involve stepping out of your comfort zone and having some fun!

💡Buffer helps you work smarter, not harder, when it comes to managing all your social media accounts. Get access to our scheduling, repurposing, analytics, and more to help your drive sales.

* Data as per 2021 Pew Research Center Social Media Fact Sheet,

** percent of US women/men on the platform

Feature Image Credit: Georgia de Lotz / Unsplash

By Kirsti Lang

Sourced from Buffer

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How To Monetize Content And Boost Your Audience As A Blogger

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By Mustafa Saeed

We live in a time where anyone can attract a large audience by sharing content online. Even the most innocent product review blog can attract millions of monthly visitors. This can be very lucrative, with some bloggers earning six figures—although this isn’t the case for everyone. But even smaller, more local/niche bloggers can earn a living and attract large brand deals.

As a creator, the bond you have with your audience can be invaluable—it enables you to build a trusting relationship focused on a specific niche or shared interest. Your audience can be an asset to brands—especially those in the beauty and personal care, fashion and apparel, and health and wellness categories. Having an army of bloggers ready to share the latest and greatest about their brand is an advantage many companies are willing to pay a pretty penny for.

There are many ways to monetize your blog content and garner an audience on multiple platforms. Below, I’ll share the tactics I recommend to the bloggers I work with. Many of these tactics are used by well-known bloggers as well.

Brand Sponsorships

Sponsoring posts is a common way that brands work with bloggers. For example, brands may share upcoming product launches early for bloggers and pay them to write honest reviews. You can make hundreds if not thousands per post—depending on your audience size, engagement, niche and the scope of the sponsorship. However, smaller bloggers may only be able to secure free products in exchange for a review.

To tap into brand sponsorships, create a list of brands that align with your niche and shared interests. Then send each brand a tailored pitch highlighting your audience reach, engagement and ideas for the partnership. Reach out through email, social media or special events/meetups.

Networking and building relationships are important for cultivating brand sponsorships. By forging strong relationships with brands, you can tap into a powerful synergy that not only benefits your blog’s profitability but also offers brands a unique and compelling partnership opportunity.

Affiliate Marketing

Instead of brands paying for a post upfront, you can work together through affiliate marketing—meaning you make a commission whenever your readers purchase a product using a unique tracking link or discount code. This creates a flexible relationship with the brand and can allow you to make more money as there’s often no limit to how many sales you can generate and when you stop earning commission from your posts.

Showing Ads

You also can make money by showing ads on your blog. Google AdSense is a popular tool to enable this. With AdSense, you can display ads that are tailored to your site’s content and audience. These ads, which may include text, images, videos or interactive media, are managed and sorted by Google. You can earn revenue either through clicks on the ads or through ad impressions.

While AdSense is widely used, one alternative is Media.net, which provides contextually relevant ads that seamlessly integrate into your content. Another option is Ezoic, a platform that uses AI to optimize ad placements for maximum revenue potential.

Email Marketing

The most successful bloggers usually have multiple mechanisms for bringing visitors back to their site—you can’t count on them coming back organically. Publishing an email newsletter and prompting your readers to subscribe gives you another way to communicate with your audience, and it can help increase your ad revenue by boosting your site traffic.

An engaged list of email subscribers can also be attractive to advertisers and gives you another platform to monetize. You can sell email placements as part of affiliate or brand sponsorship deals.

Optimizing For Search Engines

Use SEO tactics to increase your visibility on search engines and attract new readers. Most successful bloggers are constantly optimizing their posts and website for search engines. Make your blog more searchable by optimizing your content with relevant keywords, meta descriptions and internal links. Ensure fast loading speeds and responsive design. Invest in high-quality backlinks and monitor search performance through Google Search Console to adapt to evolving search algorithms.

Social Media And Community Groups

Create communities outside of your blog where readers can share like-minded content and interact with you and each other. This gives you additional platforms to monetize and promote your blog posts—similar to an email list. Popular platforms include Facebook, Discord, Slack and more. This also creates places for you to host engaging discussions, livestreams and events.

Be Transparent About Brand Sponsorships

Ensure that you disclose paid sponsorships, affiliate deals and endorsements to maintain trust with readers. This is especially important with the increased public scrutiny around celebrity-owned brands and paid influencer endorsements. Your ability to source sponsorship and affiliate deals depends on the trust you have with your readers. If they don’t trust you, they won’t buy from you.

You also need to be transparent to adhere to guidelines set by the Federal Trade Commission and other regulatory bodies. Clear, conspicuous and accurate disclosures are essential to ensure legal compliance and prevent misleading audiences.

Final Thoughts

The world of blogging presents a remarkable opportunity for both content creators and brands. As you build trusted relationships with your audience and hone your monetization strategies, you can achieve financial success through brand sponsorships, affiliate marketing, showing ads on your site, email marketing, SEO optimization and community engagement.

Other avenues to explore include courses, coaching programs, podcasts and memberships. These can help you diversify your income stream and solidify your position in the ever-expanding digital landscape.

Whichever monetization methods you use, make sure you’re being transparent about brand partnerships and complying with advertising regulations to preserve the essential trust you build with your readers.

Feature Image Credit: getty

By Mustafa Saeed

Co-Founder & Growth Chief at Paul Street. Read Mustafa Saeed’s full executive profile here.

Sourced from Forbes

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Reaching Gen Z & Millennials: Different Social Platforms Call for Different Content Every Time

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By Catherine Salfino

There are 8 billion people in this world. And of them, 60 percent, or 4.88 billion, are active social media users. In the U.S., that number jumps to 74 percent. This poses a great opportunity for brands to connect with consumers. However, there is a bushel of social media platforms. And the users differ for each platform based on age as well as the content they want to see. That’s especially true for Gen Z and millennials. For marketers, knowing the difference can make all the difference in connecting and capitalizing on social platforms.

YPulse data shows Gen Z and millennials are active on an average of six different social media platforms. And they’re going to each platform for different content.

“For brands, this means that content can’t be one size fits all,” states the YPulse Insights article. “They’ve got to pay attention to exactly what purpose each one serves for young audiences.”

Fully 81 percent of young consumers don’t want to see the same kind of content on every platform, according to the YPulse research. The firm also found 65 percent of young users don’t like when social media platforms create new features that replicate other social media sites—meaning, they want different content on each.

For example, in a YPulse survey of 13 to 39 year olds, users went to TikTok for memes and viral content (66 percent), content from online influencers (58 percent), random people they don’t know (57 percent), celebrities (49 percent), and their friends (46 percent). But when the same generations go to Instagram, they mostly seek content from their friends (66 percent), followed by celebrities (63 percent), online influencers (55 percent), brands/products (52 percent), and memes/viral content (51 percent).

The most popular social media platform for clothing ideas among Gen Z consumers is Instagram (74 percent), according to a 2023 Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor™ Survey. That’s followed by TikTok (71 percent), Pinterest (52 percent), YouTube (36 percent), Snapchat (18 percent), Facebook (13 percent), X—formerly Twitter (13 percent), and Tumblr (2 percent).

Among consumers ages 25 to 34, the top platform is also Instagram (78 percent), according to the Monitor™ research. That’s also followed by TikTok (57 percent), Facebook (51 percent), YouTube (43 percent), Pinterest (38 percent), X (22 percent), Snapchat (19 percent), and Tumblr (5 percent).

Simon Kemp, founder of Kepios, a strategy consultancy, and DataReportal, an online reference library, says social media user numbers continue to grow. He says his firm’s latest research shows social media adoption accelerated +1.5 percent over the past three months. Total social media adoption increased 3.7 percent since July 2022.

“This figure marks another momentous milestone along our journey towards universal connectivity,” Kemp said in a recent video when the company presented its quarterly digital report.

In the last quarter, DataReportal’s research shows females ages 16 to 24 spent the most time on social media, at 3 hours and 10 minutes per day. That was followed by females ages 25 to 34, spending 2 hours and 49 minutes per day on social platforms. Males ages 16 to 24 were next, at 2 hours and 35 minutes, followed by males ages 25 to 34 at two hours and 32 minutes. By comparison, men and women ages 55 to 64 average 1 hour and 40 minutes on social platforms per day.

That time spent on these platforms can translate into sales for apparel brands, especially among younger consumers. One-fifth (20 percent) of shoppers ages 13 to 24 say they have purchased a product directly from a social media post by clicking a link or image, according to 2020 Monitor™ research. The number increases to 23 percent among millennials.

Two-fifths (40 percent) of young consumers (ages 13-24) add that they’re likely to buy a product directly from a social media platform, according to the 2020 Monitor™ research.

Perhaps that’s why Pinterest is so popular with the younger set. YPulse research shows young consumers like that Pinterest offers in-post shopping where both creators and brands can tag the items they show, allowing users to purchase directly from the post. Gen Z and millennials put Pinterest in the number one spot for the kind of content they want from brands, including product recommendations that are linked within aesthetically pleasing pictures.

YPulse research shows the other top platforms Gen Z and millennials turn to for content from brands are Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. Where Instagram is concerned, 52 percent of young consumers say they want to see brands and products in the app. They like that social shopping also doesn’t waste their time or divide their attention by bringing them to another site. Also, these shoppers want to see niche or personalized content on Instagram, versus viral posts.

When it comes to advertising, young consumers are most open to watching it on YouTube (63 percent), followed by Instagram and Facebook, according to YPulse’s Social and Mobile Marketing Preferences report. And they’re open to content from online influencers on every platform except Facebook and Snapchat—two platforms where they prioritize posts from family and friends. Whether it’s a major celebrity or micro influencer, more than half of all young people (54 percent) say they have purchased something after it was touted by an online celeb on social media.

Social media holds the top spot for young shoppers when it comes to a source of clothing ideas. Over two-fifths of all Gen Z shoppers (43 percent) and 37 percent of millennials say they turn to social platforms for clothing inspo, according to 2023 Monitor™ research. That compares to 23 percent for Gen X and 7 percent for boomers. Celebrities also hold more sway with younger consumers. Among Gen Z, 17 percent look to celebs as a source of clothing ideas, as do 17 percent of millennials. That contrasts with 10 percent for Gen X and just 4 percent for boomers.

Brands should keep in mind the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says the influencer marketing industry is expected to grow to $21.1 billion in 2023, citing data from The Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report.

Finally, YPulse says Gen Z and millennial consumers love viral content, which explains why TikTok is so popular with these cohorts.

“Lucky for brands, this kind of content is easy to get in on if done right—and is yet another way to blend ad and brand content into their feeds,” YPulse states in its Insights article. Since 49 percent of TikTok users want to see humour from brands, funny content is one way to connect with them. “But even if a brand doesn’t think humour is part of their identity, there’s viral potential for everything—wholesome, lifestyle, DIY, you name it—and as long as it’s entertaining and personal, young consumers will be interested.”

The Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor™ Survey is an ongoing research program that measures consumer attitudes and behaviours relating to apparel, shopping, fashion, sustainability, and more.

For more information about the Lifestyle Monitor™ Survey, please visit https://lifestylemonitor.cottoninc.com.

Feature Image Credit: Getty

By Catherine Salfino

Sourced from Sourcing Journal

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Free Followers are Your Ticket to Social Media Fame (Here’s How to Get More)

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By Jeff Bullas

In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, free followers play a crucial role in determining your online presence and influence.

Try these social media tools:

  • UseViral can enhance your social media presence by increasing your followers, likes, reach, views, engagement and more.
  • InVideo generates fast videos with an AI talking avatar presenter, no video production needed. Customize using pre-sets or your own style.

The concept of gaining followers has transformed from being a mere vanity metric to a powerful tool for personal branding, business growth, and content dissemination.

In this article, we will explore the dynamics of acquiring free followers across various platforms and how it can significantly impact your social media journey.

Additionally, we will provide you with insights that will lead you to our comprehensive guides on gaining free followers on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

The new currency: Social media followers

In a world where digital interactions have become increasingly dominant, social media platforms have become virtual stages for individuals and businesses to showcase their stories, products, and ideas.

The number of followers you have often equates to your potential reach and impact. With each follower, your content gains a wider audience, increasing the likelihood of engagement, shares, and conversions.

As a result, the quest for followers has become more than just a pursuit of popularity; it’s a strategic move to leverage the power of social media to your advantage.

Free followers: More than just a number

While buying followers might seem like a shortcut, organic followers are the true driving force behind meaningful engagement.

Free followers represent individuals who are genuinely interested in your content, increasing the chances of interactions that matter.

These interactions can range from comments and likes to shares and direct messages, fostering a sense of community around your profile. The real value of free followers lies in their potential to become advocates for your brand, ultimately contributing to sustainable growth.

Unlocking Twitter‘s Potential: A Guide to Free Followers

Twitter, with its real-time conversations and concise messaging, offers immense opportunities to connect with a global audience.

Our detailed guide on gaining free Twitter followers will delve into strategies such as crafting compelling tweets, utilizing hashtags effectively, and engaging with trending topics.

By following these techniques, you can organically grow your Twitter following and maximize your reach within the platform.

The Instagram Edge: Mastering Free Follower Growth

Visual storytelling finds its zenith on Instagram, making it a platform of choice for creators, businesses, and influencers.

Our dedicated article on securing free Instagram followers will walk you through tactics like optimizing your profile, creating captivating content, and engaging authentically with your audience.

These methods are designed to not only attract followers but to foster a community that resonates with your brand’s narrative.

TikTok Triumph: Your Path to Free Followers

TikTok’s explosive rise has introduced a new era of short-form video content. To help you harness its potential, our comprehensive manual on obtaining free TikTok followers will provide insights into leveraging trending challenges, perfecting your video style, and capitalizing on the platform’s algorithm.

By embracing these strategies, you can stand out in the TikTok crowd and gather followers who resonate with your creative expression.

The Twitch Advantage: Unlocking Organic Follower Surge

Twitch stands as the ultimate realm for interactive live streaming, drawing in gamers, content creators, and communities alike.

In our comprehensive guide to gaining free Twitch followers, we delve into strategies that encompass refining your channel presentation, crafting compelling broadcasts, and establishing genuine connections with viewers. These approaches aim not only to amass followers but also to cultivate a loyal community that aligns seamlessly with your streaming persona. Just as Instagram thrives on visual storytelling, Twitch thrives on immersive live experiences, making it a prime platform for those seeking to expand their influence through genuine engagement.

Final thoughts

The era of free followers has transformed the way we view social media engagement.

As you embark on your journey to gain free followers on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, remember that these individuals aren’t just numbers; they’re the key to unlocking your digital influence.

By implementing the strategies outlined in our guides, you’ll not only expand your follower count but also cultivate a thriving community around your online presence.

So, whether you’re a business aiming for brand awareness or an individual sharing your passion, the power of free followers is your gateway to social media success.

By Jeff Bullas

He is the owner of jeffbullas.com. Forbes calls him a top influencer of Chief Marketing Officers and the world’s top social marketing talent. Entrepreneur lists him among 50 online marketing influencers to watch. Inc.com has him on the list of 20 digital marketing experts to follow on Twitter. Oanalytica named him #1 Global Content Marketing Influencer. BizHUMM ranks him as the world’s #1 business blogger. Learn More

Sourced from jeffbullas.com

 

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If Social Media Didn’t Exist, How Would You Share Your Photography?

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By Simon King

Social media is an incredible tool for propagating ideas, allowing the potential for mass outreach to anyone with an Internet connection and something to say.

People without a background in advertising or public relations can go viral simply by making the right meme-worthy content and sharing it at the right time, in the right place, without a real penalty for getting it wrong, leading some to treat posting to social media as almost a one-armed bandit, with the built-in reward mechanisms seeming just as addictive for some.

However, it is only really across the last decade or so that this status quo has been balanced, and within that span, the “town square” for photography content has shifted constantly. Flickr, Facebook Groups, Twitter, Reddit, 500px, Instagram, and various other forums and sites that have popped up, claimed to be the next big thing, then vanished without a trace.

Communities have usually migrated towards whoever is offering the most eyes on posts with low barriers to entry, and potential to gather new members. Some remain in the abandoned ruins of groups that have long since moved on, while others try and co-opt sites that aren’t really intended for sharing high-quality imagery (media) and are more concentrated on networking and communication (social).

A Shifting Social Media Landscape

The current landscape of social media seems to be undergoing some pretty significant changes, away from still images (which occupy a tiny fraction of attention as you scroll past) towards video content (spend longer with each morsel of content, including branded deliveries), which means still photography has been cut loose to an extent.

Combine these strategic and deliberate medium-based changes with other decisions, like fundamentally altering the ways communities behave on Reddit, or profile “hierarchies” on Twitter, and the result is a bit of a mess. It is not easy to find firm and confident footing on a path towards a photography-centric space, the digital Promised Land that ticks all boxes of image quality and audience quality.

It’s easy to be blinded by the potential a digital space seems to offer; global reach, unlimited customer base, acclaim, and recognition. But achieving these relies on standing out from the noise because you’re effectively competing for attention against every single other person who is trying to do the same thing as you, and everyone else who is trying to do something different than you.

No one is going to “solve” the algorithm any more than they will solve a roulette wheel. These social media platforms are not “your platform”, they belong to someone else. If tomorrow a company decides to remove all instances of the letter “A,” they will be entirely able to do so. They choose what they want their platform to be a reflection of.

If you have the option to buy an advertising spot and actively market your photographs that way, then people will certainly see the advert – it won’t be “organic reach” or free-range audience, or whatever else people call posting and hoping, but at the same time how many of these people who see the work will actually convert into an audience member, let alone a paying customer?

The Challenge of Getting Seen

When was the last time you bought a print or a book from a photographer you’d never heard of just because you saw their sponsored post on social media? If you haven’t, then why would you expect someone else to purchase your product when you promote it in a way that you haven’t personally responded to?

Some creators, instead of paying to have their work shown to people in the form of an advert, will “buy followers” which inflate the number shown on their profile, as well as view and like counts, sometimes even comments. But you can’t really pay someone to be your customer, for that you need advertising or an equivalent form of marketing. This undermines the accuracy of the assessment of actual popularity, which means potential clients or brands looking for a legitimate audience to harness are dissuaded from using follower counts and other numbers games for a real sense of legitimacy.

Despite all of the shortcomings, that underlying sense of potential remains for the digital space: if I’m not there, where will I be? If I don’t share my message where everyone else seems to be shouting, how will I get heard (even if no one is hearing what anyone else is saying anyway)?

What are the non-digital spaces that don’t cost money to access? What is the equivalent of a work re-sharing hub, boosting their own audience using that very audiences content? Who are the gatekeepers, and what are they gatekeeping if not just an audience you may not have reached yet?

Outside of the digital-but-not-social media options, like blogging or YouTube (which are increasingly populated by social-media-like tools), how does your physical real day-to-day existence differ from the way you behave on social media? How often do you speak to someone you’ve never met or seen before, make a new connection? How often do you involve yourself with your local community, in whatever form that may be? Would these interactions still be focused on photography? Are you showing them your photographs within moments of getting their attention?

Without the boundaries of a digital frame restricting you to one method of interaction, what new potential opens up to you? Without those digital tools would you even call yourself a photographer as an initial introductory label?

With these as a starting point, the real question becomes obvious. Is your goal only to have your work seen? Remembered? Purchased? Is social media really the best path to achieving any of these?

What’s the last image you’ve only seen on social media that you really remember?

What’s the last one you bought?

Image credits: Photographs by Simon King

By Simon King

About the author: Simon King is a London-based photographer and photojournalist, currently working on a number of long-term documentary and street photography projects. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. You can follow his work through his documentary collective, The New Exit Photography Group, and on Instagram.

Sourced from PetaPixel

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3 Ways Ecommerce Brands Can Use AI for Personalization

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By Shane O’Neill

How AI is revolutionizing ecommerce, from personalized ads to dynamic pricing and enhanced customer support.

The Gist

  • AI powerhouse. AI for personalization enhances individualized ecommerce experiences.
  • Tech advantage. Machine learning dynamically adapts prices, boosting consumer appeal.
  • Customer support. AI-enabled chatbots provide personalized, emotionally intelligent assistance.

Attention ecommerce brands: The days of blanketing consumers with vaguely relevant ads are over.

Seven out of 10 consumers now expect brands to personalize ads and product recommendations, and 76% get frustrated when this doesn’t happen, according to McKinsey research.

In response, nine out of 10 businesses, including Coca-Cola, Netflix and Sephora, are investing in the practice of using artificial intelligence (AI) for personalization to give consumers a one-to-one experience, or something close to it.

In a nutshell, personalization in ecommerce uses data to show customers products and deals tailored just for them. Instead of asking shoppers to sift through a list of products, personalization uses a customer’s purchase history and browsing behaviour with the brand to suggest the most likely item that person would buy.

To return the favour, 78% of consumers are likely to make repeat purchases from companies that personalize, according to the same McKinsey report mentioned above.

Yet personalization will only boost customer satisfaction, brand loyalty and sales if it’s executed precisely. And to do that requires culling insights from droves of customer data that humans simply cannot process and analyse manually.

And this is where artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) come into play for ecommerce brands.

AI for Personalization in Ecommerce

Personalization in ecommerce is still possible without AI, but it relies on grouping customers into “personas” based on shared demographics or interests. While this is an adequate approach, today’s consumer can sniff out when they’re being marketed to as a persona rather than an individual.

AI-based personalization is much more specific, using advanced algorithms to scan volumes of customer data and deliver information to you based on your own specific behaviour.

“AI’s ability to process data in real-time and adapt on the fly to create personalized experiences is a key advantage for ecommerce brands,” said Kristin Smith, managing director and retail commerce lead at Deloitte Digital. “It also helps that AI isn’t prone to human mistakes and can work 24/7.”

With advanced personalization now expected by the majority of consumers, ecommerce brands have a variety of ways to utilize AI to deliver tailored shopping experiences. Here are three of them.

1. Product Recommendations for the Individual

One of the clearest examples of using AI for personalization are the tailored product recommendations we see in emails or when logging on to our favourite ecommerce brand’s web site.

Here, complex machine learning algorithms mine your previous purchases, cart adds, product reviews, and product interactions, and generate personalized product recommendations in real time.

This customer data becomes the basis for training an algorithm that continues to learn and improve on the accuracy of recommendations as it receives new data.

Example to Emulate: Netflix

Netflix is a recommendation trailblazer. The streaming giant’s recommendation engine, called NRE (Netflix Recommendation Engine), uses algorithms to analyse data from each member’s viewing history and generates hyper personalized movie and TV show recommendations.

2. Automated Dynamic Pricing

Constantly adjusting product prices is a necessary but time-consuming task. By incorporating machine learning into pricing, ecommerce brands can automatically adjust prices in real time based on their own manufacturing costs, competitor’s prices, market demand and seasonality.

AI-based dynamic pricing benefits consumers by:

  • Monitoring the competition and adjusting prices to ensure customers get a fair price.
  • Offering real-time personalized discounts based on a customer’s behavior. For instance, if a person continually shows interest in a product, a dynamic pricing algorithm could entice that person with a time-limited discount.

Example to Emulate: Amazon

Amazon is the king of AI-based dynamic pricing. The ecommerce giant uses machine learning to update the prices of millions of products several times every day. Its repricing algorithm factors in product demand, stock availability and customer behavior. This allows Amazon to consistently offer the most competitive prices.

3. Personalized Customer Support via AI-Powered Chatbots

Using NLP and sentiment analysis, today’s chatbots understand not just text but also the emotion behind customer support requests.

When you combine sentiment, access to customer data and speedy responses, it’s easy to see why chatbots are now a personalization tool. Today’s chatbots can greet customers by name, recommend products and discounts based on purchase and browsing data, and even help customers complete online purchases.

Example to Emulate: Sephora

Most ecommerce chatbots can handle rudimentary customer inquiries, but the more innovative chatbots also serve as shopping assistants.

Cosmetics retailer Sephora is a prime example. Sephora’s website chatbot answers questions about returns and exchanges. But it’s also a virtual assistant that asks customers questions about their skin tone and makeup preferences and then gives tailored recommendations.

The Big AI Personalization Challenge: Relevant Data

The benefits of using AI for personalization are clear, but the success of your strategy hinges on your data.

Kristin Smith of Deloitte recommends that ecommerce brands ask themselves the following questions regarding customer data:

  • What is the quality and source of the data your brand is trying to use?
  • Does the brand have permission to collect and use the data they have?
  • How actionable and granular is the data?

“Many organizations have customer data only at a high level,” Smith said. “But high-level, demographic data does not always translate to actionable insights for personalization.”

In addition to having the skilled staff in place to implement and maintain AI tools, the entire marketing and data team should always ensure that the data the AI algorithms are using is unbiased and specific enough to actually help the customer connect with your brand and buy from you consistently.

“There will be a rabbit hole of ideas for data points AI can collect for personalization,” said Derric Haynie, head of demand generation at Pipe17 and co-founder of Ecommerce Tech.

“Maybe you’re going to test new products based on previous purchase history. Or test personalized emails based on when customers last visited the site. There’s a lot to personalize, and the nature of personalization is recognizing each person has a different customer journey, and catering to it.”

Feature Image Credit: Blue Planet Studio

By Shane O’Neill

Shane O’Neill is an award-winning journalist and content marketer with more than 20 years of experience covering digital transformation, content marketing, social media marketing, artificial intelligence, and ecommerce. His work has been recognized nationally, earning an ASBPE Award for Blogging and a Min Editorial & Design Award for Best Online Article. Shane’s experience as both a B2B journalist at CIO.com and InformationWeek and as a content marketing director at tech startups gives him a unique insider/outsider perspective on tech innovation. Connect with Shane O’Neill: https://twitter.com/smoneill 

Sourced from CMSWIRE

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How To Leverage An Omnichannel Marketing Strategy To Reach Your Audience Wherever They Are

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By John Hall

The data shows that omnichannel marketing strategies have power. When implemented successfully, they increase ad-driven store visits by 80%. With consumers relying more on their mobile devices and expecting tailored, seamless experiences from brands, failing to embrace omnichannel marketing seems like a wrong turn. Omnichannel strategies can boost sales, personalize the customer experience and increase retention rates.

Another positive is that using multiple channels to deliver individualized messages lets you reach audience members wherever they are. Whether they’re using their smartphone in your store, opening their inbox or browsing social media, your messages get seen. And ultimately, they bring your audience closer to making a purchase. But omnichannel marketing involves more than simply blasting your content onto every available platform. Here’s how to do it with thought and effectively increase your reach.

Amplify Your Content

Amplifying your content doesn’t mean simply making more of it. That strategy could backfire if you’re not talking about what’s relevant to your audience. Sometimes less is more when you can use what you already have in different ways.

Repurposing your content is something Casted, an amplified marketing platform that a company I advise works with, recommends for reaching customers more effectively. Think about the channels your ideal buyer uses and modify your content to fit each channel’s mould. Amplifying your content library can also include returning to topics you’ve talked about before. If something resonates strongly with your audience, they’re probably hungry for more. You just have to dig deeper, expand and adapt.

Say you have a high-performing blog post. It brings people to your website and pads your lead-gen results. But search engines aren’t the only place your audience hangs out. You can take the same post and turn it into a video on TikTok, a social snippet on Instagram or an infographic on LinkedIn. If there’s potential, you might turn the topic into a series by involving more than one subject matter expert.

The key is to extend your efforts beyond a single format or channel. That said, you’ll need to be strategic about it. Look at where your audience is, what formats they respond to best and what topics draw them in.

Walk In Your Target Consumer’s Shoes

Before someone buys something, they’ve likely seen multiple ads and pieces of content about it. They’ve also probably interacted with your brand in person and online through different channels. Marketing touchpoints are no longer limited to one or two. Today’s consumers are bombarded with online posts, emails and mobile app notifications on top of traditional ads.

The mobile channel alone drove 41.8% of retail e-commerce sales in 2022. While this figure is impressive, you’ve got to determine how channels like mobile apply to your audience members. Pretend you’re one of them, searching for information on the problem your product or service solves. What channels does your audience interact with, what touchpoints do they see and how effective are they?

Walking through your ideal shopper’s journey is one way to identify what touchpoints are missing from your strategy. Say you’re an online bank, such as SoFi, that offers loans, savings accounts and investment products. Perhaps your website analytics show visitors are spending more time exploring content about high-yield savings and investments. It may be the time to target these consumers with personalized touchpoints like emails.

Collecting visitors’ data through short surveys and email signup forms allows you to customize your messages, better matching their interests and behaviours. For instance, you could offer a higher interest rate if they open a savings account through your app. You could also extend a bonus for opening investment accounts with a minimum balance. Either way, you’re leveraging data to appeal to your audience’s preferences through their favourite channels.

Analyse Feedback to Optimize Performance

You won’t know what parts of your omnichannel marketing strategy are working if you don’t analyse the data. More importantly, you won’t know what you should tweak so they can work. Stats you’ll want to look at include conversion and retention rates. But customer satisfaction, general brand sentiment and customer lifetime value are additional data points to consider.

For example, a video with low conversion rates may present several opportunities. Maybe the format or length isn’t appropriate for your goal. Perhaps you want to educate your audience to convince them your brand offers the best solution. You might test the same content as a webinar and a how-to series. You can optimize your strategy to increase conversion rates by seeing which format performs better.

Likewise, you can look at your overall approach’s impact on customer lifetime value. What role do different touchpoints play in incremental sales if you’re a mass-market retailer like Target? Maybe app notifications about sales and gift card incentives are more effective than direct mail. They’re immediate, using past browsing and purchase history to deliver individualized savings. However, customer sentiments from surveys reveal that too many notifications turn shoppers off.

Combining your data sources, you might find two app notifications a week is the sweet spot. With this frequency, you can positively impact customer lifetime value and brand sentiment. You’ll be reaching your audience how—and how often—they prefer.

Achieving Omnichannel Marketing Reach

Omnichannel marketing strategies often have the same effect that multiple product displays in a store do. No matter where consumers turn, you’re constantly reminding them of your brand’s existence and the value it can offer. With well-thought-out and refined approaches, omnichannel marketing can help extend your reach to those ready, willing and able to buy.

Feature Image Credit: getty

By John Hall

John Hall is a top motivational speaker and the co-founder of Calendar, a scheduling and time management app. He’s also an adviser for the growth marketing agency Relevance, a company that helps brands differentiate themselves and lead their industry online.You can book him as a keynote speaker here.

Sourced from Forbes

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