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How to Find the Best Affiliates for Your Program?

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By Vlad Orlov

In today’s digital landscape, affiliate marketing has emerged as a powerful tool for businesses to expand their online presence and drive sales. 

By partnering with affiliates, companies can tap into a vast network of marketers who promote their products or services in exchange for a commission. However, finding the right affiliates for your program is crucial to ensure its success.

While the idea of having numerous affiliates promoting your personal brand may sound appealing, not all affiliates are created equal. 

The key lies in attracting and working with high-quality affiliates who align with your brand values, have a strong online presence, and can effectively drive targeted traffic to your website.

Importance of finding the best affiliates for a program

Finding the best affiliates for your program is essential for several reasons:

  1. Enhanced Brand Alignment: after having started a business, partnering with affiliates who align with your brand values and target audience ensures that your products or services are promoted in a way that resonates with your target market. This leads to higher credibility, customer trust, and ultimately, better conversion rates.
  2. Increased Reach and Traffic: The right affiliates bring their own audience and can drive targeted traffic to your website or landing pages. By leveraging their reach and influence, you can tap into new markets and expand your customer base.
  3. Improved Conversion Rates: High-quality affiliates possess the necessary marketing skills to effectively promote your products and services. They know how to create compelling affiliate content using AI, optimize landing pages, and engage their audience, leading to improved conversion rates and increased sales.
  4. Cost-Effective Marketing: Affiliate marketing is a performance-based model, meaning you only pay affiliates when they generate a desired action, such as a sale or lead. By focusing on attracting the best affiliates, you can ensure that your marketing budget is invested in affiliates who have the potential to deliver real results.
  5. Long-Term Growth Potential: Building strong relationships with the best affiliates can generate ongoing revenue streams and establish long-term partnerships. These loyal affiliates can become brand advocates, consistently promoting your products and services, and contributing to sustained growth for your program.

In a nutshell, finding the best affiliates for your program is crucial for maximizing your program’s potential, increasing brand visibility, driving targeted traffic, and ultimately boosting sales and revenue. The following sections of this guide will outline the steps to help you identify and collaborate with top-quality affiliates for a successful affiliate program.

Utilizing search engines and affiliate directories

Utilizing search engines and affiliate directories can be highly effective in finding affiliates for your program. Here’s a brief explanation of how to make the most of these resources:

  1. Search Engines:

   – Identify relevant keywords: Start by identifying keywords related to your industry, niche, or specific products/services. Consider using variations like “affiliate program,” “affiliate partnership,” or “join our affiliate program.”

   – Conduct targeted searches: Use search engines like Google to search for these keywords along with terms like “affiliate,” “partnership,” or “join.” Visit the top-ranked websites and explore their affiliate programs or contact information.

   – Evaluate potential affiliates: Assess the websites and their content quality, traffic, engagement, and audience relevance. Look for potential affiliates that closely align with your target audience and have a strong online presence.

  1. Affiliate Directories:

   – Research reputable directories: Look for well-established affiliate directories that list reputable affiliates. Examples include ShareASale, ClickBank, CJ Affiliate, and Rakuten Advertising.

   – Explore categories and filters: Browse through the directories using relevant categories and filters that match your industry or niche. This helps narrow down the list of potential affiliates.

   – Review affiliate profiles: Evaluate the profiles of potential affiliates, checking their track record, performancemetrics, commission structures, and promotional methods. Look for affiliates that demonstrate a strong alignment with your brand and have a history of successful partnerships.

Analysing competitor’s affiliate programs

Analysing competitor’s affiliate programs can provide valuable insights and help you identify potential affiliates for your own program. Here’s a brief explanation of how to effectively analyse competitor’s affiliate programs:

  1. Identify your competitors: Start by identifying your main competitors in the industry or niche. Look for companies offering similar products or services and have an established affiliate program.
  2. Research their affiliate program structure: Explore your competitor’s website and navigate to their affiliate program section. Take note of details such as commission rates, cookie duration, payment methods, and any specific requirements or restrictions they may have.
  3. Evaluate affiliate benefits and incentives: Analyse the incentives and benefits your competitors offer to their affiliates. This may include exclusive offers, promotional materials, training or support, affiliate contests, or performance bonuses. Understanding what your competitors offer can help you create a compelling value proposition for potential affiliates.
  4. Assess affiliate qualification criteria: Look into the criteria your competitors use to qualify affiliates for their program. This may involve analysing factors such as website traffic, audience demographics, content quality, or social media following. Understanding these criteria can help you identify potential affiliates with similar qualifications.
  5. Analyse affiliate network presence: Explore the affiliate networks or platforms your competitors are using to manage their affiliate program. This can provide insights into where affiliates in your industry are active and which networks are popular among your competitors. Consider joining these networks or platforms to gain access to a pool of potential affiliates.
  6. Identify affiliates promoting competitors: Analyse the websites, blogs, or social media profiles that promote your competitors’ products or services. Look for affiliates who consistently drive traffic and generate conversions for your competitors. These affiliates may be interested in promoting similar products or services, making them potential targets for your program.

Using social media to discover potential affiliates

Using social media is a powerful tool to discover potential affiliates for your program. Here’s a brief explanation of how to effectively leverage social media:

  1. Define your target audience: Before diving into social media, clearly define your target audience. Understand the demographics, interests, and behaviours of your ideal affiliates to help you navigate through the vast social media landscape.
  2. Research relevant hashtags and groups: Search for hashtags and groups related to your industry or niche on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. These hashtags and groups can lead you to potential affiliates who are actively engaged in conversations and discussions related to your niche.
  3. Engage with relevant content and followers: Engage with posts, comments, and conversations related to your industry or niche. Connect with individuals who demonstrate knowledge and expertise in your field. This can help you build relationships with potential affiliates and establish yourself as a valuable resource.
  4. Explore influencer marketing platforms: Many social media platforms have influencer marketing platforms or directories that connect brands with influencers. These platforms often allow you to filter influencers based on industry, location, following size, engagement rate, and collaboration opportunities. Explore these platforms to discover potential affiliates with a strong social media presence.
  5. Utilize advanced search features: Platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn offer advanced search features that allow you to search for specific keywords, job titles, or industries. Utilize these features to find individuals or businesses who mention terms related to affiliate marketing, partnership, or specific industries relevant to your program. This can help you identify individuals or companies that may be interested in joining your affiliate program.
  6. Direct outreach and collaboration: Once you’ve identified potential affiliates on social media, reach out to them directly through private messages or by commenting on their posts. Introduce your affiliate program, highlight the benefits, and express your interest in collaborating with them. Personalize your message to show that you’ve done your research and understand their audience and values.

Pro tip: One often overlooked yet critical factor when qualifying potential affiliates is their marketing tech stack. Affiliates that leverage advanced conversion tracking software are typically more adept at optimizing campaigns and generating meaningful results. Such platforms allow for granular data analysis, better attribution, and ultimately, higher ROI. Brands should prioritize these tech-savvy affiliates as their expertise often translates into better performance and more successful partnerships.

Additionally, leveraging sophisticated tools can significantly enhance your ability to identify, vet, and manage potential affiliates. One of the standout platforms in this domain is Respona. This platform offers a comprehensive suite of features that streamline outreach, track communications, and provide analytics to gauge affiliate performance.

For businesses serious about maximizing their affiliate program’s potential, understanding and harnessing the power of such tools is crucial. For a detailed insight into how Respona can support your affiliate management process, we highly recommend checking out this comprehensive Respona review.

Crafting a personalized and compelling outreach email

Crafting a personalized and compelling outreach email is essential for inviting potential affiliates to your program. Here’s a brief explanation on how to do it effectively:

  1. Research the potential affiliate: Before reaching out, take the time to research the potential affiliate. Visit their website, blog, or social media profiles to understand their content, audience, and values. This will help you personalize your email and demonstrate that you’ve done your homework.
  2. Use a clear and attention-grabbing subject line: The subject line is the first thing potential affiliates will see. Make it clear and concise, highlighting the value or benefit of your program. A subject line like “Join Our Exclusive Affiliate Program for [Their Niche]” can pique their interest.
  3. Start with a personalized greeting: Address the potential affiliate by their name to add a personal touch. Avoid generic greetings like “Hello” or “Dear Sir/Madam.”
  4. Introduce yourself and your brand: Briefly introduce yourself and your brand, highlighting what makes your products or services unique. Provide a compelling and concise overview that grabs their attention.
  5. Highlight the benefits of your program: Clearly outline the benefits of joining your program. This may include attractive commission rates, access to exclusive promotions or offers, dedicated affiliate support, and any additional resources or tools that affiliates will have access to. Emphasize how partnering with your program can help them monetize their online presence or engage their audience.
  6. Mention specific reasons for reaching out: Explain why you specifically reached out to them. Highlight their expertise, relevant content, or audience alignment that makes them a good fit for your program. This shows that you’ve researched and selected them intentionally.
  7. Show familiarity with their work: Refer to specific examples of their content or campaigns that you found impressive or aligned with your brand values. This demonstrates that you’ve taken the time to familiarize yourself with their work and appreciate their efforts.
  8. Provide clear next steps: Clearly outline the next steps for joining your program. Include a call-to-action, such as a link to your affiliate sign-up page or a request for further discussion. Make it easy for them to take the next step without any confusion.
  9. End with a polite and friendly closing: Express your appreciation for their time and consideration. End the email with a polite and friendly closing, such as “Looking forward to the possibility of partnering with you” or “Thank you for considering our affiliate program.”
  10. Follow up: If you don’t receive a response after a reasonable period, consider following up with a polite and brief reminder email. Sometimes, potential affiliates may have missed your initial message or may need a gentle nudge to take further action.

Conclusion

Finding the best affiliates for your program is a crucial step towards achieving success in affiliate marketing. By attracting and collaborating with high-quality affiliates, you can enhance brand alignment, drive affiliate traffic, and boost conversion rates. Through this comprehensive guide, we have explored various strategies to help you identify and engage with potential affiliates effectively.

By Vlad Orlov

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After a rough few years, out-of-home advertising is back

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By Alyssa Meyers

The sector has fully recovered in the US and is expected to recover worldwide this year, one report says.

As summer roadtrippers likely know, out-of-home advertising is alive and well—or at least alive. The “well” part is up for debate.

Though OOH advertising is one of the oldest forms of marketing, it’s kept up with the times and has recovered from the massive downturn it experienced at the onset of Covid. Market research firm Magna called OOH “the success story of 2021 and 2022,” noting that in some countries—including the US—the sector reached pre-pandemic levels by the end of last year, and is on track to “complete a full global recovery” this year.

Other recent reports and OOH company earnings indicate brands will continue campaigning alongside highways, at transit hubs, on vehicles, in the sky, and anywhere else in the world they can find real estate, especially given digital advancements.

“Out-of-home really is a pretty durable, relevant portion of the entertainment and media ecosystem globally,” CJ Bangah, a principal in PwC’s customer transformation practice, told Marketing Brew.

Get out (of home)

In 2021, as Americans ventured back outside, marketers showed renewed interest in OOH campaigns.

As recently as this year, major OOH companies reported increases in Q1 revenue:

  • Outfront Media brought in $376 million in revenue in the US, up 6.3% year over year.
  • Net revenue at Lamar Advertising, a company that operates in the US and Canada, was $471 million, an increase of 4.4%.
  • Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, which operates internationally, reported a 3.8% increase in revenue to $545 million, excluding the impacts of foreign exchange rates.

Those three companies combined hold a 63% share of the US OOH market, which saw $10.1 billion in revenue last year, according to PwC, making it the biggest OOH market in the world.

That being said, OOH is a small channel compared to TV and online advertising. Global spend on OOH is expected to hit almost $40 billion this year, according to Dentsu’s global ad spend forecasts from May, representing about 5% of all global ad spending.

Room to grow

Though OOH doesn’t generate as much ad revenue as some other channels, it has the largest growth rate of any channel, according to GroupM’s midyear forecast, which predicts that global OOH ad revenue will increase by 12.7% this year to nearly $36 billion. Digital OOH (DOOH) is forecast to grow more than 26%.

PwC’s report says that “DOOH is the only growth area of the wider OOH market in the US,” driving growth for the overall market, which it projects will be worth $11.5 billion in 2027. Dentsu, which anticipates about a 3% increase in the global OOH market this year after two years of double-digit increases, also attributes much of this growth to DOOH.

Many OOH companies have recently upgraded their screens and software, according to Dentsu, changes that offered advertisers more digital opportunities in OOH with the likes of 3D projections and interactive experiences, plus better targeting capabilities.

Though the type of targeting that happens with OOH typically isn’t as granular as digital platforms like social, it’s essentially “immune” to issues like click fraud, according to PwC. “You may question the models of how cell-phone identifiers and other audience data is measured, but you can’t set up a server farm to have a bunch of humans drive their cars by your out-of-home billboard. It just doesn’t work the same.” Bangah said.

Still, OOH hasn’t been spared from the industry’s move toward more privacy-oriented ways of targeting audiences. While the sector might not rely on trackers like the third-party cookie, it still uses customer data—like mobile IDs from opted-in devices—in digital campaigns. Recently, companies like Clear Channel have invested in privacy-centric tools like clean rooms.

Looking up

Like any advertising channel, OOH is subject to changing economic conditions. For instance, PwC’s report points out that entertainment and media companies, who are among the biggest OOH spenders, would likely “refocus their budgets” if an economic downturn leads to fewer new movies and shows to promote (though the report does not take the current writers and actors strikes into account). But, the report says that digital OOH opportunities will “outweigh” that potential change.

Kevin Bartanian, founder of OOH media sales company Kevani, said 90% of its inventory is digital, which brands appreciate because it lets them create campaigns that are “contextually relevant” to changing situations, like quickly updating creative to incorporate masks during the early era of Covid.

Bartanian also said he hasn’t noticed a pullback in spending associated with talk of a recession, even though entertainment is one of Kevani’s biggest verticals.

Though OOH is “coming in from a place where we have a very small portion of the overall advertising pie,” Bartanian said the industry has a bright future. Recently, brands ranging from Supergoop to Tinder have upped their investments in OOH advertising.

“Digital tools are now helping us really make that transaction process a lot easier for brands and agencies to conduct, and the measurement is there now, and all sorts of attribution data is available,” he said. “I think all those things represent a lot of growth for us.”

Feature Image Credit: Kevani

By Alyssa Meyers

Sourced from Marketing Brew

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Alex Winter’s ‘The YouTube Effect’ Takes a Tough Look at Everyone’s Favourite Cat-Video Platform

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By Brent Lang

Most people know that social media has become a cesspool of disinformation, a digital hydra that feeds off toxicity and conspiracy theories. But somehow YouTube, the second-most-popular site in the world, has avoided the scrutiny that’s come Twitter and Facebook’s way. “The YouTube Effect,” a new documentary from Alex Winter, could change that. It takes a tough look at the role that the Google-owned service played in everything from the Jan. 6 riot to the 2019 New Zealand mosque shooting by promoting election denialism and white supremacy.

“People don’t know that YouTube and Google are the biggest purveyors of disinformation,” Winter says. “One reason is people don’t understand what YouTube is. Is it just a place to watch cat videos, or is it something else? And the second reason you hear about it less is because Google is so deep-pocketed that it has some of the strongest lobbyists in the world working for them. That’s made them less likely to be legislated against.”

“The YouTube Effect” argues that the most polarizing and provocative content tends to get the widest viewership. Since the platform is ad-based, creators are rewarded for espousing fringe views. Plus, the lo-fi quality of some videos lends them a greater sense of authenticity.

“There’s something about using a webcam and the false sense of intimacy and proximity it conveys that works incredibly powerfully on the brain,” Winter says. “It gives these creators an amazing amount of power.”

And Winter thinks that Google hasn’t done enough to deplatform its most dangerous voices. The reason, he says, is money: “If they take some of these people off YouTube or they change the ad model, it will cut into profits.”

In making his film, Winter spoke to YouTube stars such as Anthony Padilla, who sounds the alarm, as well as Susan Wojcicki, the platform’s former CEO, who emphasizes its sense of community. While Wojcicki may be downplaying the risk YouTube poses, Winter believes a great deal of good does come out of YouTube.

“From its inception, YouTube was wonderful at knocking barriers down for marginalized groups,” he says. “From members of the LGBTQ+ community to BIPOC creators, everyone had a voice here. And that happened long before the rest of the entertainment industry embraced these people.”

Winter, who is still best known for starring as one-half of the zonked-out duo in the “Bill & Ted” movies, knows a lot about tech, having made documentaries on Silk Road and Blockchain. He didn’t approach the subject as a Silicon Valley sceptic, but he is concerned about the direction YouTube is taking.

“YouTube and sites like it are new places for people to congregate,” Winter says. “People are messy, and when they congregate, messy things happen. So now we need to get some traffic lights in before people get hurt.”

Feature Image Credit: David Buchan/Variety/REX/Shutterstock

By Brent Lang

Brent Lang is the Executive Editor of Variety, covering the major Hollywood studios, as well as their corporate parents. He joined Variety in 2014. He was previously a senior reporter at TheWrap. Other stops include CBSNews.com, The Patriot-Ledger, and Forbes. Lang is a graduate of Brown University and the Columbia University School of Journalism. Twitter: BrentALang

Sourced from Variety

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How to use Google Bard for affiliate marketing

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This guide is designed to show you how to use Google Bardf for affiliate marketing. In recent years, affiliate marketing has risen to prominence as one of the most profitable means of generating income on the Internet. This model allows individuals to champion and advocate for products or services offered by third parties. In return, affiliate marketers receive a commission for each successful transaction that occurs through their distinct referral links. The process, while promising, is not without its hurdles. From the initial phase of pinpointing the perfect product to the intricate task of crafting captivating content and then ensuring its effective promotion, the journey is filled with potential pitfalls.

This is where Google Bard, a state-of-the-art language model birthed from the innovative labs of Google AI, steps in. This ground-breaking tool is poised to transform the landscape of affiliate marketing, offering solutions that were previously unimaginable. Throughout this piece, we will explore in-depth the myriad ways in which Google Bard can be a game-changer, enhancing and refining your affiliate marketing strategies.

Use Google Bard for product research

Before diving into the world of product promotion, it’s imperative to identify the ideal product that aligns with your audience’s needs and preferences. This is where Google Bard comes into play, serving not just as a tool, but as your dedicated research companion. It offers an in-depth analysis of various products and services, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of what you’re endorsing. Curious about the specific features, advantages, or cost structure of a certain product? Pose your questions to Bard, and it will furnish you with the information you seek. But that’s not all; Google Bard’s capabilities extend beyond mere product details. It has the ability to delve deep into the vast expanse of the internet, retrieving genuine reviews and feedback. This invaluable feature aids you in discerning the true value and reputation of products, ensuring that you only champion those that are truly commendable and resonate with your target audience.

Create your content with Google Bard

At the core of successful affiliate marketing is the ability to produce content that not only captivates but also deeply connects with your intended audience. This content can take various forms, be it insightful blog posts, detailed articles, informative videos, or catchy snippets for social media platforms. In this multifaceted landscape of content creation, Google Bard emerges as a reliable ally. Instead of struggling with the nuances of content formulation, you can entrust Bard with your specific needs. By inputting your criteria and expectations, Bard takes on the role of a seasoned content creator, meticulously designing content that accentuates the unique selling points (USPs) of the products or services you’re championing. With Google Bard by your side, you’re equipped with a tool that understands the essence of your promotional efforts and amplifies them through tailor-made content.

Amplify your Rrach with effective promotion

After meticulously crafting your content, the subsequent crucial phase involves ensuring it reaches the eyes and ears of your desired audience. This is where the prowess of Google Bard becomes indispensable. It aids in formulating effective promotional strategies that are not just generic but tailored to your specific needs. Whether it’s about creating compelling email sequences that entice readers to click through, designing visually appealing landing pages that retain visitor attention, or masterfully managing social media advertising campaigns to maximize reach, Google Bard stands ready to shoulder these responsibilities. But its capabilities don’t end there. One of the standout features of Bard is its adeptness in analytics. It provides robust tracking mechanisms, granting you the ability to closely observe the performance metrics of your affiliate links. By doing so, it offers insights into what’s working and what might need tweaking, empowering you to continuously optimize and enhance your promotional endeavours for maximum impact.

Pro Tips for affiliate marketing using Google Bard:

  • Transparency is Key: In the realm of affiliate marketing, honesty isn’t just the best policy; it’s essential. Always maintain an open dialogue with your audience regarding your affiliations. Make it abundantly clear that you stand to gain a commission when they make purchases using your referral links. Such forthrightness not only adheres to ethical standards but also nurtures a foundation of trust and establishes your credibility in the eyes of your followers.
  • Prioritize Quality Above All: While it might be tempting to promote a plethora of products in the hopes of increasing potential commissions, it’s vital to remember the significance of quality. It’s always advisable to endorse products or services that you have either personally experienced or have thorough knowledge of and genuinely vouch for. Recommendations that stem from genuine belief and experience resonate more deeply with audiences, fostering a sense of trust that invariably leads to higher conversion rates.
  • Stay Vigilant with Analytics: In today’s digital age, data is a goldmine of insights. Tools such as Google Analytics offer a window into the performance of your affiliate links, giving you a clear picture of user interactions, click-through rates, and conversions. By regularly monitoring and analysing this data, you’re better positioned to understand the nuances of your audience’s behaviour. This data-centric approach ensures that you’re always equipped with the knowledge to adapt, modify, and perfect your strategies, ensuring optimal outcomes.

Google Bard stands out in the crowded landscape of digital tools; it’s a transformative force specifically designed for affiliate marketers. Rather than being a mere utility, Bard acts as a comprehensive assistant, adeptly managing multiple facets of the affiliate marketing journey. From the initial stages of in-depth product research to the intricate art of content formulation, and all the way to the strategic promotion of affiliate links, Bard ensures every step is optimized. The result? A more streamlined, efficient, and potent approach to affiliate marketing.

By fully integrating the advanced functionalities of Google Bard into your strategies, you’re not just keeping up with the competition; you’re surging ahead. Embrace the power of Bard and watch as your affiliate marketing endeavours soar to unprecedented levels of success! We hope that you find this guide on how to use Google Bard for affiliate marketing helpful, if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please leave a comment below and let us know.

Feature Image Credit: Jason Goodman

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Unlocking the power of generative AI to improve paid social media strategies

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By Josh Dorward

Generative AI tools promise to solve digital marketers’ creative challenges, but they fall short on brand consistency and quality, says Josh Dorward (general manager, Creative Automation). Here’s the missing piece of the puzzle.

Imagine that you’re a digital marketer responsible for managing paid media across Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.

Chances are that at least three of your hair-on-fire problems boil down to not having the video and image assets that you need, on time, at scale.

  • Ad fatigue: The dropoff in performance (and the related increase in cost per result) when your audience has been overexposed to the same creative. This is primarily driven by a shortage of fresh campaign creative. (Meta’s guidance on combating ad fatigue: “Create a new ad with a new video or image that is materially different from the original creative.”)
  • A/B testing limitations: A/B testing is wildly popular – with 77% of companies reporting running A/B tests on their homepages. But it’s less common to see robust A/B testing in digital advertising – with ads missing from the list of most common A/B testing domains (website, landing page, email, and search). That’s because ads are significantly more resource-intensive, as they require tens–if not hundreds–of alternative video and image assets to properly test everything from calls-to-action and headlines to product displays and vfx overlays.
  • Personalization challenges: Every digital marketer dreams about delivering perfectly tailored ads based on everything from the local weather to a user’s next-best action. But it can be time-consuming and impractical to create multiple versions of a creative asset for each granular audience segment.

So, you’re under the gun to deliver ROAS and can’t magically multiply your creative team.

What can you do?

Where generative AI soars – and where it falls short

Generative AI (genAI) tools – like Dall-E and Midjourney – promise to transport digital marketers to a paradise free of creative bottlenecks. (Check out this article for a breathless review of the march of progress and some cool inspiration.)

Here’s the premise: instead of requiring costly photoshoots and dedicated design work, what if genAI tools could enable marketers to automatically specify every element of their ideal digital ad?

Want to alter the look of your model based on the demographic of a customer segment? Easy. Change the background of your photoshoot based on the weather conditions across 50 local markets? Nothing simpler.

It’s a great vision. The problem is that, well, it doesn’t work all that well. (Yet.)

As recapped here, generative AI tools tend to struggle with brand consistency (e.g., making sure that images match your e-commerce brand’s winky, irreverent personality) and quality control (e.g., making sure that all humans have five fingers).

It’s clear that there’s a missing piece in the creative stack for marketers to truly take over.

Marketers need creative “connective tissue”

Digital marketers need a new type of technology to help connect the raw potential of genAI platforms with the practical constraints and needs of digital advertising platforms.

Think of it as creative connective tissue. The translation layer between raw creative assets – whether it’s manually-shot photos or genAI-produced imagery – and the specific requirements for scaling on-brand imagery for digital advertising. The glue that brings together your brand’s creative DNA (look and feel) and the specific requirements (size, resolution, etc.) of your ad platforms.

Platforms like Creative Automation – the latest offering from image and video leader Cloudinary – exist to transform output from generative AI platforms into immediately useful digital ads at massive scale. Creative Automation takes your favourite design and maps each element to a spreadsheet, leaving marketers and creatives to simply add new data rows to quickly generate your new design variations. In the process it offers digital marketers:

  • Brand control: Full control over design elements in templates created in popular Adobe design tools, and the power to determine its placement, size, animation style, and final appearance without dragging and dropping for every variation.
  • Dynamic templates: Creative Automation streamlines tasks such as resizing, substituting, moving, and translating visual elements across different aspect ratios for all your audiences, products, etc.
  • Streamlined quality control processes: Generating and testing on-brand design variations is as easy as editing a spreadsheet, allowing marketers to overcome the back-and-forth with designers that come with scaling to all audiences.

Revolutionizing the digital ad world

GenAI has the potential to unleash digital marketers’ imagination and ultimately deliver ad experiences that are more relevant (and enjoyable) to consumers.

But for now, digital marketers need a creative translation layer to go from raw genAI output to on-brand experiences at scale. Platforms like Creative Automation can unlock immediate performance improvements across your ad landscape by harnessing – and channeling – the power of genAI today.

By Josh Dorward

Sourced from The Drum

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A How-to Guide for Local Marketing

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By Scott Clark
Local marketing aims to build a strong presence in the local market, increase brand visibility, attract local customers and drive traffic to physical stores.

The Gist

  • Geo-targeting essential. Social media offers geo-targeting for precise local advertising, increasing community engagement.
  • SEO optimization. “Near me” searches are frequent, making a Google Business Profile and mobile-first strategy critical.
  • Traditional Tactics. Traditional methods like radio and event presence alongside digital strategies amplify local marketing reach.

Local marketing refers to the strategies and activities that are used by businesses to target and engage with customers in a specific area or local community. It focuses on promoting products or services to customers within a particular region or area. Local marketing aims to build a strong presence in the local market, increase brand visibility, attract local customers and drive traffic to physical stores. This article will examine tactics, strategies and tips for brands interested in local marketing.

What Are Some of the Types of Local Marketing?

Many types of marketing practices are included under the umbrella of local marketing. One example is a brand that sells gift products that tourists often buy when they visit destinations such as the beach, the mountains or specific locations, such as the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls. In each case, businesses that sell such products simply reach out to companies near each locale to see if they would like to carry the brand’s tourist products in their stores. Additionally, they participate in Facebook Groups for each tourist destination.

Another example of local marketing is when businesses adjust the products or services they sell based on the tastes, habits, culture and beliefs of the people living in the area of the service. Such a business would also adjust the marketing or advertising copy to reflect the social norms of the people in the area. One can see examples of this in international brands that sell their goods or services across the globe to people with very different tastes, habits and beliefs.

Yet another example of local marketing is the use of geolocation apps that send customers a text message or alert when they are physically near a brand’s location, such as driving by in their car, walking past a store or restaurant, or strolling through a large store that has other businesses within its premises. One example would be a fast food restaurant in a Super Walmart. When a customer that has downloaded the restaurant’s app to their mobile device is in Walmart, the app sends an alert to the customer’s phone, letting them know that they are offering a two-for-one deal on Quarter Pounders, for instance.

Finally, many businesses operate exclusively as local brands. Buckeye Donuts, which is located in Columbus, Ohio, is not trying to market its goods to people in other states. Its marketing and advertising campaigns are mainly based on word-of-mouth, local advertising, radio, local periodicals and participation in community events.

How Are Brands Using Local Marketing?

Many brands today are using local marketing in their communities and around the world. One unique instance of local marketing involves a collaboration between Mattel and Airbnb. Initially launched in October 2019, Airbnb announced that the Barbie Malibu Dreamhouse, located in Malibu, California, would be available for rent by one lucky guest, who could bring along three guests of their own, for the low price of $60 per night. It was designed to raise awareness of The Barbie Dream Gap Project GoFundMe initiative, which aims to help level the playing field for young women so they can follow their dreams.

We recently looked at another excellent example of a brand’s use of local marketing in an article on cultural intelligence. McDonald’s demonstrated the importance of adapting to different cultures in its marketing practices, product offerings and even its pricing. In India, where religious prohibitions prevent adherents from eating beef, McDonald’s introduced vegetarian options and replaced beef patties with mutton, chicken or fish.

mcdonalds

In Thailand, where the minimum wage is much lower than in other parts of the world, McDonald’s lowered the cost of its Big Mac to approximately US $2.20 (contrasted to Switzerland, where Big Macs sold for around US $6.20). In order to adapt to local culture in China, McDonald’s offered rice as a french fry alternative.

Additionally, McDonald’s uses different media personalities and influencers to promote its brand based on the cultural tastes of the locale. Its ability to adapt and change its products, marketing practices, pricing and advertising strategies to suit different geographical and sociological differences is a good indication of why it has become a hugely successful global brand.

Often, local marketing is not about reaching customers in their locale, but rather, bringing them to the brand through community building. The US Sports Network, Bally Sports, was interested in finding a better strategy to understand and engage its local fan base through the use of third-party data, but very quickly this became extremely costly. Instead, Bally turned to its online customer community, FanZone. This inclusive online community became the place where Bally’s diverse fans could get together with other fans, share their thoughts and experience a feeling of belonging.

Sports fans cheering their favorite team, representing the power of local marketing.

Using its FanZone community, Bally Sports enhanced and improved its ability to connect with regional fans in new and unique ways. It obtained on-demand feedback from customers, enabling them to gain a deeper understanding of its audience’s preferences and doubling its fan community through targeted live on-air promotion efforts.

Use Social Media for Local Marketing

Most brands today have a social media presence, but for local marketing, social media is a necessity rather than an option. The benefits of social media for local marketing include:

  • Geo-Targeting: Many social media platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, offer geo-targeting features for advertising. This enables businesses to target users in a particular location or radius specifically.
  • Local Engagement: Social media enables local businesses to engage directly with their community. Businesses can foster a sense of community and build local loyalty by sharing local news, participating in local events or spotlighting community members.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Social media can be cost-effective compared to traditional advertising channels like TV or print. Businesses can start with a small budget and scale up based on results.
  • Real-Time Feedback: Local businesses can receive immediate feedback from their community. This can be invaluable for understanding the needs and preferences of local customers.
  • Word-of-Mouth Amplification: Satisfied customers can easily share their experiences and recommendations, resulting in word-of-mouth marketing.
  • Versatility: Social media provides a platform for various content types, from videos to images to stories, enabling businesses to be creative and diverse in their messaging.

Aside from advertising on social media and regularly contributing appropriate content, many brands use the community aspects of social media to engage with and attract customers. Ashley Mason, marketing consultant and founder of Dash of Social, a social media management consultancy, told CMSWire that she built the client base for her business through the use of Facebook groups.

“For me, as a Massachusetts resident, I started joining several Boston-based Facebook groups revolving around entrepreneurship, business, etc. in 2016,” said Mason. “Because many members in these groups were often business owners looking to hire social media managers or marketers for their companies, I was able to use these communities to my advantage to establish thought leadership, build trust, gather leads, and grow my business.”

Mason attributes much of her revenue to Facebook groups and wrote about her success on Instagram. “Approximately $630,000 of my total business revenue came from Facebook groups, either by working with people who were in the same Facebook groups as me, or getting referred to other businesses by people I met in those Facebook groups.”

Optimize SEO for “Near Me” Local Searches

Consumers today often search for local businesses by using the phrase “near me.” In fact, a 2022 Statista survey revealed that 82% of US consumers who used their smartphone to shop had used near me searches.

Local businesses trying to increase their online presence and show up more often in near me searches should create a Google Business Profile. It’s free, and once a business has been verified, it will appear in near me search results. The name, address and phone number displayed on a brand’s Google Business Profile should match what is displayed on the brand’s website and any promotional material.

google business profile

 

A 2023 BroadbandSearch report indicated that 54.4% of web traffic was conducted on mobile devices (compared to 0.7% in 2009). Additionally, a recent Hubspot report revealed that local searches are what lead 50% of mobile users to visit stores within 24 hours. Brands today should create their website with a mobile-first strategy, optimizing for mobile devices as a priority, rather than optimizing for desktop displays.

Amy Jennette, senior director of brand marketing at the popular web host GoDaddy, told CMSWire that ensuring your website is mobile-friendly is a key part of the equation. “Consumers want information on the go, so double check that your site has mobile-friendly text, menus, forms, and buttons that make it simple for your audience to browse site information on the go.”

Jennette said that businesses should localize their website to make the content relevant to their target community. “For example, if I was the owner of an electric bicycle shop in my hometown of Seattle, I may rephrase the terms on my website’s homepage to say, ‘bringing our community the greenest bikes for a greener Seattle’ rather than simply putting ‘electric bike shop.’ And this moves beyond just your website —localizing your marketing should be applied across your digital and print ads, social media pages, and other public marketing materials,” said Jennette, who added that these simple tweaks could make a major difference for your audience as they research online local businesses that best fit their needs.

Leverage Traditional and Non-Traditional Advertising

Local marketing often relies on more traditional methods of obtaining the eyes and ears of customers and leads, such as TV and radio advertising, having a visible presence at local events, word-of-mouth, billboards and collaborations with other local businesses. “Whenever possible, join in on local industry-specific events, fairs and festivals, and neighborhood gatherings to boost your brand awareness, show off your locality, and further press the importance of supporting small, local businesses,” said Jennette. “In no time you’ll be the local authority in your industry, and you’ll have the local marketing tools in your toolbelt to thank for it.”

Other brands are using local marketing strategies that include digital displays located in areas where potential customers will see them. Geoff Crain, senior director of sales and marketing at Kingstar Media, a digital marketing and video production agency, told CMSWire that his business uses digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising for local marketing due to its ability to target local audiences precisely, deliver contextually relevant content and allow real-time updates. “By strategically placing digital displays in specific locations, we have the ability to reach specific and local communities effectively,” said Crain.

“DOOH also allows for dynamic and tailored messaging, incorporating local references and promotions to establish a deeper connection with the local community.” Crain explained that the real-time capabilities of DOOH enable businesses to adapt campaigns quickly, providing timely and accurate information to their desired local audience, enhancing engagement, and driving positive business outcomes in specific local markets.

Traditional marketing and advertising mediums can still be effective strategies for local businesses. Although many may not recognize radio’s reach today, a recent Statista report indicated that radio is one of the most powerful mediums in the United States, with a weekly reach of around 82.5% among adults, and 78% of those under 18. “Radio is another form of media we utilize for local marketing due to its ability to reach a wide and diverse audience within a specific geographical area,” said Crain. “With radio, we can effectively target local audiences, delivering our advertising messages directly to potential customers in their communities.”

Mobility is another benefit of radio advertising. “Radio also offers the advantage of being a mobile medium, reaching consumers in their cars, homes, or workplaces, allowing our clients to stay memorable and top-of-mind throughout the day,” said Crain. “Radio also allows for the creation of engaging and memorable audio content, leveraging the power of storytelling, music, and personalities to connect with the local audience on an emotional level, making it an impactful and cost-effective medium for local marketing.”

Final Thoughts on Local Marketing

Local marketing provides brands with the unique opportunity to intimately connect with their surrounding community, addressing its distinct tastes, cultures and preferences. By using a blend of traditional and digital strategies, from SEO and mobile optimization and social media engagement to radio advertising and participation in community events, businesses can effectively bolster their local presence.

Feature Image Credit: TensorSpark on Adobe Stock Photo

By Scott Clark

Scott Clark is a seasoned journalist based in Columbus, Ohio, who has made a name for himself covering the ever-evolving landscape of customer experience, marketing and technology. He has over 20 years of experience covering Information Technology and 27 years as a web developer. His coverage ranges across customer experience, AI, social media marketing, voice of customer, diversity & inclusion and more. Scott is a strong advocate for customer experience and corporate responsibility, bringing together statistics, facts, and insights from leading thought leaders to provide informative and thought-provoking articles. Connect with Scott Clark:

Sourced from CMSWIRE

local marketing, social media, marketing, social media marketing, digital marketing, advertising
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The Power Of E-Commerce: How Small, Local Businesses Can Expand Online

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By John Hall

If you run a small, local business, chances are you’ve got some sort of a website. You may even be set up to sell a few products online, here and there. But you may not have tapped the massive potential of building out a real e-commerce arm for your business. And you might not realize just how easy — or how lucrative — it’s become for small, local businesses to move online.

If you’re still mostly bound to brick-and-mortar, it’s time to consider a change. Here are some low-risk, high-reward ways to successfully scale into the digital world.

1. Do a Digital Reboot

As noted, you may already have a great website or even a decent online store. But it’s likely you could be doing much more to make it competitive with other e-commerce sites in your niche.

If it isn’t already, your site should be hosted on—or at least integrated with—a platform that’s designed for e-commerce, like Shopify, Squarespace or BigCommerce. Make sure it’s easy to use, intuitive to navigate and has a clean, simple design. It might be worth having a specialist conduct a user experience audit.

Perhaps most importantly, ensure your site is optimized for mobile users. Remember that 91% of Americans ages 18 to 49—likely the bulk of your target customers—shop on their smartphones. Most web design platforms let you convert your desktop designs to mobile layouts almost automatically. But you still need to make sure the mobile version is attractive and usable.

2. Leverage the Power of Online Testimonials

Getting good product reviews on your site and on other platforms can do wonders for your business. Consumers don’t trust brands, but they trust other people’s experience of a brand or product. Positive reviews can be just as effective as hearing directly from people they know in real life.

Smallbiz Technology recommends that businesses feature reviews and testimonials directly on their website and social media channels, natch. But they also note that positive reviews on third-party sites like Google, Yelp, and Trustpilot can generate tons of traffic.

To encourage customers to write reviews, they suggest offering customers free products or discounts as incentives. But note that if you sell products through a marketplace like Amazon, exchanging gifts for reviews could violate their policies. Alternatively, you can reach out and simply ask customers who like your product to take a moment to do a short write-up.

3. Offer Convenient Payment and Shipping Options

Your customer won’t buy from you online if you don’t make it as easy for them as shopping on Amazon. It’s imperative to offer fast, free or cheap shipping and eliminate any trace of friction from the shopping experience. The smallest details can send a customer packing even when they were already pretty serious about making a purchase.

Whatever you do, don’t force your customers to create an account before checkout. That’s one of the fastest ways to turn a ready-to-buy customer into one who’s just closed your site’s browser tab. It’s also vital to offer a number of convenient payment options, including PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay in addition to the standard credit cards.

Packing and shipping your own orders in-house may save you money when you’re just starting out. But as a small business, you don’t have the infrastructure to keep doing that at scale. Eventually, you’ll need to contract with a third-party fulfilment service. Shopify offers its own in-house option and maintains a list of other recommended fulfilment services you can try.

4. Be Smart About Email Marketing and Social Media

One advantage you have as a small local business owner is that you already have a devoted following. You’ve got people in your corner who support your business and want to see it flourish. If you create content that speaks to your biggest champions, they’ll be excited to share it with others.

Email marketing remains one of the best ways to drive engagement and sales for your brand. After all, it’s one of the few forms of brand communication that customers actually enjoy receiving. Still, carefully consider your content—you don’t want to irritate your loyal fans with ads for the same old products. Use email to make announcements, share informative blog posts or offer valuable discounts. That’s the kind of content your devotees will be happy to pass along to their friends.

Social media is likewise a powerful tool for bonding with current customers and reaching new ones. This is especially true if you actively engage with users, such as responding to Instagram comments or stitching videos on TikTok. Partnering with influencers through a platform like Grin or Afluencer could also help drive engagement.

Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

As recently as five or 10 years ago, small businesses had to transition to e-commerce on their own. They needed their own systems for everything from packing and shipping to handling customer service to accepting credit card payments.

All that has changed. Now, there’s an easy, affordable third-party solution for just about any e-commerce problem you can think of. You’ve already got a small, likely overworked staff. Don’t make them—or yourself—create systems from scratch when there’s probably a ready-made solution a short Google search away.

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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YouTube’s Advice for Shorts Creators, Including Hashtags, the Algorithm and More

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Looking to get into YouTube Shorts and build a Shorts presence for yourself or your brand?

You should probably consider it. Shorts is the fastest-growing content type on YouTube, and is now driving over 50 billion daily views in the app. Built in the mold of TikTok, Shorts leans into the growing trend towards more succinct, attention-grabbing clips, and it could be a valuable pathway towards increased brand awareness and perception.

If you can create good Shorts content.

This will help. Today, YouTube has published a new interview with Shorts Product Lead Todd Sherman, in which Sherman answers some of the most common questions about Shorts, including how they’re using hashtags, how often you should post, the Shorts algorithm, and what’s coming next.

There are some interesting notes. Below are some of the key highlights.

On the Shorts algorithm

YouTube advises that creators should “think audience, not algorithm” within their creative process.

Sherman says that the Shorts algorithm is different to the regular YouTube feed, because it’s an entirely different format, with different consumption behaviours.

“For example, on long form, a lot of the times people are choosing which video by tapping on it on their phone, or clicking on it on the web, and that choice is something that drives a lot of engagement. On short form, people are swiping through a feed, and discovering things as they go. That’s one important difference.”

The variance means that YouTube can’t use the same explicit usage indicators as it does in the main feed, so the algorithm is focused more on engagement elements, while the Shorts feed is also broader reaching, meaning that YouTube has to match more content to Shorts viewers.

In essence, this means that YouTube is getting smarter about showing users what they like, based on what they watch, factoring in watch time and re-watches, along with likes, shares, and comments. A big part of that comes down to entity recognition, and YouTube is still building its algorithm to highlight more content based on these measures.

How Shorts views are counted

Sherman says that Shorts views are not measured when a Short appears on screen, but are more aligned with actual viewer interest.

“What we try and do with a view is have it encode for your intent of watching that thing, so that creators feel like that view has some meaningful threshold that the person decided to watch. It doesn’t mean it’s their favourite video ever, it just means that they are deliberately watching it.”

Sherman says that YouTube doesn’t publish its actual calculations on this, in order to stop people trying to game the system.

Extending Shorts length

Sherman says that this is not something that they’re considering, as YouTube already has other long-form options. As such, Shorts will remain 60 seconds max for the time being.

Thumbnail options

Sherman says that the Shorts team has opted not to add specific thumbnail creation tools for Shorts because most Shorts views come from people swiping through the Shorts feed, which means that most people won’t see your thumbnails anyway.

YouTube has added the capacity to select a frame from your clip as the thumbnail, but there are no plans to add custom thumbnail options.

Hashtag usage

Sherman says that hashtags are not required on Shorts, but they can be helpful in certain application.

“Sometimes a hashtag can be associated with a real world thing that’s happened, like an event, and you wanna’ associate it with it. Other times they’re focused on topics, and I think in both those cases, creators should consider using them.”

So not exactly concrete advice on whether hashtags offer any value, but they may be worth experimenting with, in terms of trending discussions and/or niche topics.

Shorts volume

Sherman says that there’s nothing in the algorithm that dictates expanded or reduced reach if you post more Shorts, but he advises that there can be negative impacts for posting lots of lower quality clips.

“If you generated a bunch of relatively lower quality videos and then posted those, and got meager engagement on them, that energy is probably better spent in just making a better video and fewer of them.”

So quality over quantity is, in general, the better approach.

Deleting and re-uploading to maximize reach

Sherman also addresses the suggestion that deleting and re-uploading a Short can help to boost its reach.

Some creators claim that re-uploading can effectively re-trigger the algorithm to expand your distribution, but Sherman says that this is not a great strategy.

“I would not advise that. I’ve heard people talk about this as like a growth hack on Twitter or something [but] I think that there’s also a risk that it gets seen as spam in our systems.”

The future of Shorts

Looking ahead, Sherman says that Shorts will integrate AI elements, though he’s fairly vague on what exactly that means.

You would assume that this would incorporate AI creation tools of some kind, generative elements that can assist in your process, but we’ll have to wait and see what YouTube has in store on this front.

It’s an interesting overview of the current stats of Shorts, and how to best approach Shorts engagement, which could help guide you in your efforts to make the most of the option.

You can view the full interview clip above.

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Sourced from SocialMediaToday

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‘I feel manipulated’: The ‘debt help’ ads targeting struggling mums​​

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By Lora Jones, Deirdre Finnerty & Maryam Ahmed

“Debt help” social media posts are aggressively targeting people in financial trouble. The posts claim to help end money worries but charities warn some companies are misleading people who are struggling.

Some who sign up to the products on offer, known as IVAs, could end up worse off, a BBC investigation has found.

short presentational grey line

Shauna was £17,000 in debt with car and furniture loans when a specific sort of social media post started to appear in her feed. As she scrolled online in the evenings while her three children were in bed, she was drawn to pictures of worried-looking women alongside claims of wiping away financial troubles.

It was autumn 2020, and Shauna, then 23, was on maternity leave from her job as a care worker in a supported living facility. Costs had started to mount when she was pregnant and the bills and reminder notices were clogging up the letterbox of her south Wales home.

“I saw no end to it,” she says. “It was just building and building… I didn’t know how to cope.”

A company called Mums in Debt, she remembers, caught her eye on Facebook. It promised to write off up to 85% of debt. The more Shauna searched, the more it seemed like the perfect solution. One amount she could budget for. The belief she was taking control of her finances.

“I thought… ‘this is something for mothers, struggling'”, she explains. “That’s what sold it to me”.

She says she answered some questions from Mums in Debt on Facebook Messenger and a representative gave her a call. She was passed on to another company, which signed her up to an Individual Voluntary Arrangement – a court-approved debt solution in which debts are combined into a single monthly payment. The arrangement, she was told, would last for five years.

Shauna kept up with her agreed payments of £185 a month. But after a year, she realised her debts had barely budged.

Short presentational grey line

What is an IVA?

  • An individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) is an agreement between a person in debt and their creditors
  • The person in debt agrees to make payments to an insolvency practitioner (IP) who is authorised to act on behalf of people in financial difficulty. The IP divides the repayments between the creditors, if they agree on the amount to be paid back. Interest on debts is frozen for the duration of the IVA and contact from creditors and bailiffs is stopped
  • IVAs appear on an individual’s credit file and will affect their credit score. The repayment period usually lasts five to six years and at the end of the term, any debt not covered by payments already made is written off by the creditors
  • People taking out IVAs can sometimes pay thousands of pounds in frontloaded fees. If an IVA fails, an individual might have spent months or years paying fees and still be liable for the remainder of their debts
Short presentational grey line

Set up in the 1980s as a way to help owners of small companies keep trading and deal with their debt, IVAs are a booming business. Almost 90,000 were registered in England and Wales in 2022, compared to about 50,000 in 2014, according to figures from the Insolvency Service.

Although they can be a welcome solution for people who want to protect their assets, like their homes, IVAs are unlikely to be suitable for people with low levels of debt, people without much disposable income, or people whose income solely comes from benefits.

But the Citizens Advice charity says IVAs are being aggressively marketed at people in vulnerable situations by companies seeking to earn referral fees.

“You can just search online, on Google for debt advice and the [sponsored] ads will typically be from IVA firms”, explains its head of policy Morgan Wild.

“We’re seeing worrying trends of companies making false claims about IVAs, and even posing as charities on social media… these tactics lure people into IVAs which they simply can’t afford”.

Shauna, pictured in her home, looks at her phone

The BBC asked three independent debt advisers to review Shauna’s case. They expressed concerns about the affordability of her IVA payments because it was set up when her outgoings were smaller because she was living with her mother.

Fourteen other people who said they had signed up to IVAs after seeing social media posts also told the BBC they were struggling with repayments.

‘Stop bailiffs’

In a recent report, Citizens Advice deemed a sample of Facebook and Instagram IVA ads to be “misleading”. Some ads failed to mention IVAs, while others used names that could be confused with charities or claimed to offer, free, impartial debt advice.

Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, declined to comment when asked about social media adverts promoting IVAs on its platforms.

The BBC decided to investigate what was happening on TikTok. In June 2023, the BBC’s data team searched TikTok for videos promoting IVAs, by typing in keywords like “debt help UK”, “stop bailiffs” or “debt advice”.

Of more than 400 videos the team looked at which directly promoted IVAs or linked to IVA websites, more than 75% appeared to breach Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rules.

Most of the videos that appeared to break the rules did not mention the risks, terms and conditions or fees associated with taking out an IVA, while about a third overstated the speed or simplicity involved in setting one up.

An illustration of a TikTok video indicating IVA claims to watch out for. This includes "debt write-off claims without evidence", "free advice claims", "claims IVA process is quick or easy" and "no mention of risks, restrictions or fees"
line

The ASA reviewed a sample of the videos. It said it had concerns about “irresponsible ads” and was “continuing to monitor and take action where they appear”.

It said: “Advertisers need to be responsible. They shouldn’t exploit consumers’ fears or lack of experience, or trivialise the decision to use IVAs.”

TikTok said it was “committed to working with the Advertising Standards Authority to ensure advertisers and creators comply with their guidelines”. It added that adverts promoting debt consolidation and debt assistance programs, which IVAs fall under, “are not allowed on our platform and are removed”.

Debt Trap: Who’s Cashing In?

As the cost of living crisis deepens, Panorama investigates the booming debt management industry and the companies signing up people for Individual Voluntary Arrangements.

Watch Debt Trap: Who’s Cashing In? on BBC One at 20:00 on Monday 24 July (20:30 in Wales and Northern Ireland) and on BBC iPlayer afterwards (UK only)

BBC iPlayer

After three years of repayments, Shauna now says she feels “manipulated” by the claims she saw on social media and says she would not have gone ahead with the IVA if she had known about other options.

A statement she shared with the BBC from 2021 showed that she had paid £1,537.99 of the £3,650 in fees that she owes, with just £360 knocked off her debt.

With prices rising, she says she has found it harder and harder to make ends meet and has had to use a foodbank for the first time.

“I couldn’t afford [the food shop] because the IVA went out [of my account],” she says. “I just feel ashamed of myself.”

The BBC wrote to Mums in Debt about Shauna’s case but did not receive a response.

Shauna in her kitchen

Experiences like Shauna’s are familiar to Morgan Wild of Citizens Advice. He says cracking down on social media content is “much needed”, but also calls for greater regulation of the IVA sector itself.

BBC Panorama called several companies in the IVA industry to see what happens when they are approached by potential customers. The team heard high pressure sales tactics being applied in some cases, with a reference to bailiff action if a potential client didn’t go ahead.

It is a complex field to navigate. Two types of companies – lead generators and debt packagers – can pass on potential customers to companies which provide IVAs. But lead generators are not regulated by the UK’s financial watchdog – the Financial Conduct Authority. They typically earn up to about £1,000 in fees for finding a customer who signs up to an IVA.

Separately, insolvency practitioners, who set up the IVAs and earn money in fees, are not overseen by a fully independent regulator, but are members of professional membership associations who oversee their work.

The patchwork of regulation could mean that people like Shauna are falling through the cracks.

The government agency the Insolvency Service acknowledged there are concerns about the use of IVAs, but said when used appropriately they are an “effective way for someone who is in financial difficulty to… pay their creditors”. The FCA said it was doing everything within its remit to ensure firms “really are supporting borrowers in financial difficulty”.

For now, Shauna is in touch with Citizens Advice and is considering her options – she could cancel the IVA and negotiate with her creditors directly, or see if she is eligible for another debt solution. Cancelling the IVA would mean she loses any money she has paid in fees so far.

She has always dreamed of owning her own home, with a bedroom for each of her three children but now feels the prospect is growing ever more distant.

“[I’m] living from pay check to pay check,” she says. “I feel like I’m getting absolutely nowhere.”

To anyone in a complicated financial situation, she urges them to think carefully before signing up to a debt solution.

“If you see an ad [online], do your research and find out exactly what you’re getting yourself into.”

What to do if you find yourself in debt

It is important to seek advice about financial difficulties before debts escalate. The earlier, the better.

If you think you cannot pay your debts or are finding dealing with them overwhelming, seek support straight away. You are not alone and there is help available. A trained debt adviser can talk you through the options available.

Information and support is available and free of charge – click here to find out about organisations who may be able to help.

By Lora Jones, Deirdre Finnerty & Maryam Ahmed

Sourced from BBC News

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4 Expert-Tested Ways to Get More Freelance or Contract Work

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By Amanda Pressner Kreuser

More than a third of the U.S. workforce are freelancers. Here’s how to set yourself apart–and up for six-figure success

The benefits of becoming a full-time freelancer or independent contractor are clear and compelling: being your own boss, setting your own schedule, and potentially working from your dream location anywhere in the world!

And the freelance market is growing steadily. In 2022, 60 million Americans performed some kind of freelance work, which represents an increase of three percentage points from the prior year.

However, with that growth comes increasingly fierce competition for work. I get a glimpse of that every time my content marketing agency has new work to assign; we often have hundreds of talented freelancers who are skilled and ready to take on those projects.

So how do you become the go-to freelancer who’s at the top of everyone’s lists for interesting, well-paying work? I asked some of our top contractors to share their best tips for building and scaling a top-notch freelance business. Here’s what they had to say.

Build your brand.

There are a few key ingredients to setting the right foundation for independent contractor work. A great place to start? Polish your website and LinkedIn profile.

Because you’re representing yourself as a business, it’s important to have a website showcasing your work, including some copy about the type of projects at which you excel. This is also an opportunity to highlight any key results from your projects. Did your ad copy double traffic to your client’s website? Was your article featured on the homepage? Don’t be afraid to brag–a little self-promotion goes a long way.

For LinkedIn, include an email address to make it easy for potential clients to get in touch, a few LinkedIn recommendations from your clients, and a link to your website.

Build your foundation.

As you develop your business, look for work from reputable organizations. You can get a sense of who those companies are by joining freelancer groups on Facebook and LinkedIn. Signing up with agencies (like Masthead Media, the agency I co-own) is a great way to learn about a variety of projects and clients.

Many of the most successful full-time contractors I know started their businesses as side hustles while they continued working at another job. This is a great approach if you need some time to build up your client base and get a better sense of what a full-time freelance income might look like. As you increase your client list (and earnings) from freelance projects, you may naturally shift into the mindset of a small-business owner and transition into independent contractor work full-time.

Finally, lean on technology to help you stay organized as you grow your business. Project management tools can provide structure to help you stay on top of assignments, deadlines, payments, and more.

Build your network.

Relationships are everything in business, and this is especially true for independent contractors. Fostering strong client relationships and building your network are keys to any successful freelance career.

Keep in touch with your clients, get to know their business goals, and check in on a quarterly basis. For example, did a client receive positive press or launch a new product? Did you come across an article that’s relevant to their business? These are all perfect opportunities to touch base so your contact will keep you front of mind when new projects arise.

If a potential new client reaches out with a business inquiry, even if it’s a cold email, be sure to respond! This is still true even if you’re not interested in the opportunity or don’t have the bandwidth for new projects at this time. A professional response goes a long way, and you never know where that connection may lead. Pro tip: Organize these kinds of emails in a separate folder in your inbox to keep track of potential opportunities for the future.

Build your reputation.

How can you become the type of independent contractor clients want to work with again? Submitting high-quality work is crucial, of course. But there are a few other elements that can take a freelancer from good to go-to.

First, meet your deadlines, plain and simple. If, for any reason, you’re concerned about missing a deadline, let your client know as soon as possible and propose a suitable solution. Perhaps that means offering a new timeline or sharing an abbreviated version of the work on the deadline and submitting the full version two days later. Whatever it is, be proactive and keep your client informed.

Another reputation-building tip: Take time to understand your client’s processes. Make sure you know when and where to send your invoice, and track your time, if the client requests it. Confirm how long it takes the client to pay their freelancers. If your agreement says you’ll be paid within 30 days of submitting your invoice, don’t send a reminder about payment before that time is up.

Finally, communicate! Ask questions to make sure you understand expectations, keep your client informed of your progress, and ask for feedback during and after the project. This shows your client that you value your work and the relationship–and that’s a win-win for everyone.

Feature Image Credit: Getty Images

By Amanda Pressner Kreuser

Sourced from Inc.

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