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5 Social Networks That Are Alternatives to Twitter (Plus, What You Need to Know)

August 14, 2023 No Comments

In this article, we dive into five apps that are similar to Twitter and share what you need to know about each one.

Ever since Twitter’s ownership changed in late 2022, several apps have sprung up offering to be alternatives with varying degrees of popularity. Some are so recent they’re not even at the beta testing stage yet.

It may be overwhelming trying to navigate the list, but thankfully, I’ve been keeping up with them and have noted five that you may want to keep your eye on. In this article, we’ll dive into these apps, what you need to know about each one, and share some advice for your potential future on these new platforms.

Mastodon

Starting with one most of us are familiar with; Mastodon saw an uptick in users when the Twitter takeover began and has been touted as the most likely platform for users to gravitate towards.

Mastodon is a decentralized network that allows users to create accounts in distinct communities while being able to access others. It’s based on an open-source, “federated” concept, where different servers use the same protocol to speak to each other and share content to one feed.

These servers (also known as instances) allow users to create communities through Mastodon without building the whole infrastructure from scratch. Server operators oversee the users’ activity registered and hosted on their respective servers.

Key Features

Users can choose the network they want to sign up on, and options abound with nearly 10,000 active communities. The default network for new users at signup is “mastodon.social”, but you can choose whichever you want.

There are no ads or plans to incorporate ads into Mastodon. Its founder has stated that he doesn’t mind if users publish ads on their servers but would do so at their own risk.
When you create an account on one server, you can still see and interact with the activity on other servers on your Feed.
Users can make up to 500 character-long posts and share images, videos, and links.

Some Use Cases

If you target highly specific audiences and communities, there’s a Mastodon server for you.
By creating an instance for yourself or your brand, you can make a personalized feed with all the content you want to serve your audience and conversations you want to have with them while reaching a wider audience.
Find the Mastodon version of your favorite accounts from Twitter – many people and brands that moved over cross-post their content to both platforms.
Focus on thought leadership by starting and contributing to conversations without worrying about selling something or needing great visuals since that’s not the platform’s focus.

💡 You can schedule posts to Mastodon in Buffer. Get started here →

Available on: Web | iOS | Android

Threads/Project 92/Barcelona

In January 2023, rumours began that Meta had started coding a “Twitter competitor,” and in May, the rumours were confirmed through a leak.

instagram barcelona app — Sneak peek at the UI of Instagram’s new app. Source: ICYMI newsletter

Currently referred to internally as Project 92, the platform has been referred to as Meta’s answer to Twitter and will be integrated with users’ Instagram information. According to The Verge, “The app will use Instagram’s account system to automatically populate a user’s information.” It’s also rumoured that the app’s public name might be Threads.

Meta’s chief product officer Chris Cox reportedly shared with employees that the company’s goal for the app was “safety, ease of use, reliability” and making sure that creators have a “stable place to build and grow their audiences.”

There isn’t much out officially about the app, but according to Lia Haberman’s ICYMI newsletter, it could be out as early as July 2023. Some other details she shared in her newsletter are:

It’s built on the back of Instagram, so you can sign in with your username and password, sync your follower list and even keep your handle, bio and verification status
Users on other apps will be able to search for, follow and interact with your profile and content (so it’s likely a decentralized app built on the ActivityPub protocol)
You’ll have multiple options to create content: text updates of about 500 characters, links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes
Sharing will remain standard with likes, replies, and reposts.
You’ll be able to control replies and mentions and easily block or report spam. Also, your blocked accounts and hidden words on Instagram will carry over
Finally, community guidelines will remain the same as on Instagram

The newsletter also shares that there are no current monetization plans, implying that there won’t be ads and the focus will be on organic content.

Available on: Nothing yet

Bluesky

Of all the apps on this list, Bluesky is second in popularity only to Mastodon, as the app has seen increasing hype, in part thanks to its Twitter co-founder and former CEO, Jack Dorsey, co-sign. The app has around 50,000 registered users but has reportedly been downloaded more than 375,000 times.

Bluesky is a decentralized social network, much like Mastodon, that allows its users to share short text updates through different providers instead of a huge central one. The default provider is bsky.social, where I’ve created my account. However, users can set their domain name as their Bluesky username while accessing the platform (instead of tami.bsky.social, I could be tami.buffer.com).

👀

We have a few teammates in Bluesky, so leave a comment if you’d like an invite code and I’ll share it with the first commenter!

Key Features

Users can create posts of up to 300 characters and add images and links.
Bluesky allows its users to choose and even create their own algorithms called “Feeds.” This means you can decide which type of content shows up on your feed. Some available options are: What’s Hot, which shows all the trending content on the app; Blacksky, which shows posts from the Black users of Bluesky, among many others.
Moderation is taken quite seriously, with users allowed to filter content, mute lists, block accounts, and more updates in development.

Some of the available custom Bluesky Feeds

Some Use Cases

Create an algorithm that shows you and your community content from your account and other related news. If I had the technical prowess, I would create a “Creator Economy” or “Social Media Updates” feed. Flipboard has created curated Feeds for different categories.

You can set and manage your account from a custom domain – see instructions here – which can help with verification. It could also create cohesion for everyone that works with or collaborates with your brand

Available on: Web (in progress) | iOS | Android

Post News

True to its name, Post News is a “social platform built for news,” according to its tagline. The main idea behind the platform is to replace the specific function of “trusted news source” that Twitter lost, along with the changes to how verification works.

Since its public launch in February, Post has welcomed over 440,000 users ranging from journalists, subject matter experts, and academics, and more than 30 premium publishers.

Despite serving a similar function to Twitter, Post aims to “develop a platform where publishers can generate revenue from micropayments — that is, where users pay some small amount of money to read individual news items,” according to TechCrunch.

Essentially, the platform seeks to aggregate every news platform that might put a paywall and let users choose when to pay for each news item they want to read instead of paying multiple subscriptions.

Key Features

Post allows users to write articles of any length, as well as like, repost and reply
Users pay with “points” to read articles which range in cost from 1-50 points
You’re gifted 50 points at sign-up, after which you have to buy a bundle from Post’s micropayments platform. One point costs $0.01 and you can buy a bundle of 300 ($4.20) to 10,000 points ($126.70).
Post gets a percentage of each sale of points bundles.
Users can also choose to tip creators and publishers on the platform.

Some Use Cases

If you already share paywalled content through your newsletter or Patreon, for example, Post could be a great way to send updates to your existing and new audience (if it’s a relevant platform) while also being able to keep monetizing your content.
Thanks to the lack of a character limit, you can post entire articles on the platform so people don’t have to click out, but your content still gets in front of the right audience.

Available on: Web | iOS | Android (coming soon)

T2 Social, founded by Gabor Cselle and Sarah Oh, is the closest platform to Twitter in terms of its user interface, the style of posts, and the general vibe on the platform. This can probably be attributed to Sarah Oh’s experience as Human Rights Advisor at Twitter.

The platform has one of the smaller user bases on this list, reporting 7,500 users in an email update as of June 2023.

Key Features

Write short posts of no more than 280 characters, add a photo, post replies, and repost or like content.
You can connect to your Twitter account to your T2.

how T2 social works — You can link and display your Twitter in T2

Users who are legacy checkmark holders on Twitter can claim their T2 checkmark by filling out a form. Others have to schedule an interview with Sarah and availability is limited – you can only get one as soon as August. I’ll let you know how mine goes!
There’s no clear “algorithm” yet – I get served content across different verticals and in different languages (Japanese is a constant on my feed). This is probably because I just joined, so my interests haven’t fully registered yet.

👀

I have access to T2, so leave a comment if you’d like an invite code, and I’ll share it with the first commenter!

Some Use Cases

If you’re looking for a centralized, clear alternative to Twitter with a simple interface, this is the platform for you
The T2 audience is small, so engagement is high and it’s easy to grow a following and connect with like-minded folks with a bit of consistency

Available on: Web | Desktop

Spill

Another entry from ex-Twitter employees, Spill is a social platform launched more recently than any other platform on this list. However, it’s the most different from Twitter, as it’s visual-first, putting it closer to Tumblr in look and feel.

When you open the app, you land on a feed that includes recent posts from people you’re “sipping” (the platform’s version of following, taken from the Kermit the frog meme) and algorithmically served posts. From there, you can pull down a top menu showing trending posts and hashtags. From the bottom menu, users can post text, gifs, videos, photos, links and polls.

Spill stands out from other platforms, including the ones on this list and its CEO’s former company, as a platform that immediately prioritizes diverse communities. CEO Alphonso Terell shared with TechCrunch that the driving ethos behind Spill is that “building for underserved culture drivers would create a superior platform for all.”

Spill is still in beta and is invite-only, so I’ll have to report back with my observations once I’ve been given access. Till then, some key things to know about Spill are:

Like Twitter, Spill will have a live news feed where users can post “spills” (the platform’s version of posts, taken from the phrase “spill the tea” popularized by Black creators).
It’s getting its own large language learning model for better content moderation that will reportedly understand Black dialects like AAVE.
The platform also plans to add blockchain-based creator features in order to reward users who originate viral trends.
It gives users a “rep score” to incentivize good behaviour and create a system for rewarding active users regardless of their audience size.
The platform is building a feature called “tea parties,” where users can host both online and offline events and then get in-app bonuses to apply to things like boosting their posts without having to pay.

Available on: iOS (beta)

A common theme across the apps on this list is the focus on decentralization. Users have become increasingly wary of big tech companies and their goals. Worries around data privacy and content moderation are driving user behaviour to platforms where they have more control.

Most of these apps have adopted open-source protocols to improve interconnectedness and allow users to control where they settle on the Internet and how they communicate. Mastodon and Meta’s secret project are all built with ActivityPub (which powers the “Fediverse”), while Post intends to adopt it eventually. Meanwhile, Bluesky is built on the ATProtocol, a social networking technology created by the team.

This push towards decentralization means two things for creators (including businesses) and users. One, watching the developments in these apps and technologies is important to understand them better. And two, you must take the time to try them out where you can, especially if users are gravitating towards them.

The more practice you have with using decentralized social networks, the better prepared you are for whatever changes are to come for how we communicate online.

Feature Image Credit: Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash

By Tamilore Oladipo

Sourced from Buffer

In News

Online Stores Like Amazon Are Robbing Your Brand — Here’s How AI Can Stop Them

August 11, 2023 No Comments

By Pavel Podkorytov

AI has enormous potential for sellers and vendors on marketplaces. By using AI to learn about customers, adjust rates, optimize pricing and manage inventory, brands can improve their competitive advantage, drive sales and increase overall profitability on online platforms.

Marketplaces have become extremely influential in ecommerce over the past three years. Major market players such as Amazon, Alibaba and JD attract millions of users, facilitating massive transactions across a wide range of product categories.

They also generate a wealth of data on consumer behaviour, preferences and trends. This strong market position gives them an advantage and the ability to charge unreasonably high commissions, basically robbing brands.

The rise of marketplaces

The journey of marketplaces goes back to the early days of the Internet when platforms such as eBay and Amazon pioneered the concept of online commerce. Founded in 1994 as an online bookstore, Amazon has evolved into a comprehensive marketplace offering a wide range of goods. eBay, launched a year later, popularized the concept of consumer-to-consumer online auctions. China’s JD.com and Alibaba also burst onto the market in the late 20th century.

With the growth of ecommerce, niche and vertical platforms began to flourish. They focused on specific industries or product categories. A prime example is Etsy, a marketplace for handmade and vintage goods founded in 2005. And as technology has evolved, so have the capabilities of marketplaces. The introduction of secure payment systems, improved search algorithms and user-friendly interfaces have provided a new level of convenience, trust, and efficiency in online shopping.

However, it wasn’t until after the pandemic that marketplaces took off. The year 2020 was a stellar time for them and e-commerce in general. Online platforms have become critical for brands to reach a broader customer base. In 2021, a whopping 42% of all online purchases were made through marketplaces. The convenience of shopping from home, the ability to compare prices and read customer reviews, and the seamless transaction process for customers have contributed to the rapid growth of online platforms. And in 2022, almost two-thirds of consumers said they were happy to be able to order everything they needed through one merchant.

By 2027, third-party marketplaces will become the world’s largest and fastest-growing retail channel, accounting for nearly two-thirds of online sales. Amazon, Alibaba, Pinduoduo and JD.com are expected to generate $4.3 trillion in global sales, up from $2.5 trillion today. Experts say that the most successful retailers, both now and in the future, will operate third-party marketplaces, and consumer brands must align with them to flourish in this new retail environment.

Although the concept of marketplaces itself is beneficial, including for brands, the strong position of online platforms has allowed them to dictate their terms to sellers and vendors and practically rob them.

How online platforms make money on brands

In the early days of marketplaces, when they needed to attract new suppliers to basically unknown platforms, contract conditions for vendors and commissions for sellers were usually based on a small percentage of the transaction amount. As marketplaces expanded and diversified, they introduced tiered commission structures to incentivize sellers with high sales volume. Those who achieved such volumes or met specific performance criteria could qualify for lower commissions, which offered a potential savings advantage.

With time, marketplaces expanded their revenue streams by introducing additional services. They included premium placement in search results, featured listings, advertising options, and other services such as fulfilment, delivery, and marketing support. With these, marketplaces generate additional revenue while allowing merchants to increase their visibility. The problem is that though online platforms aim to increase the effectiveness of services and tools offered to sellers, their main goal is still to earn more by raising the penetration of those products, not optimizing sales for specific brands.

As a result, Amazon, for example, now gets more than 50% of sellers’ revenue on average, compared to 40 percent five years ago. Sellers are paying more because Amazon has increased fulfilment fees, making advertising costs inevitable. The typical Amazon seller pays 15% per transaction, 20-35% for order fulfilment, and up to 15% for advertising and promotions. The cost of Fulfilment by Amazon, when Amazon stores, picks, packs, and ships orders, has been steadily rising, and there are few success stories of operating outside of this model. Advertising is optional, but it takes up most of the screen with the best conversions, so sellers inevitably have to buy Amazon advertising services to get noticed.

The company has even been sued recently. According to the claim, Amazon penalizes sellers for failing to set the optimal price for their products by demoting them in search results and disqualifying products from the “Buy Box” feature, a white box on the right side of the Amazon product detail page, where clients can add goods for purchase to their cart.

The power of AI

With the growing influence of artificial intelligence, companies can now leverage AI to expand their presence, optimize operations and ultimately generate more revenue. We estimate that the global retail AI market will be worth about $350 billion by 2032 as more companies realize the benefits of neural networks and take advantage of them.

Marketplaces already use AI-based tools that provide valuable insights into consumer behaviour, campaign performance, and keyword search. Their main goal is to increase sales, and algorithms help them calculate which sellers’ products are worth promoting to maximize overall revenue. Online platforms analyse customer buying behaviour, items in the shopping cart and the most viewed items to make recommendations, predicting what each client is likely to buy.

Brands, too, can use AI to get to the top of marketplace search and increase the share of sales in their categories at the expense of internal marketplace traffic. However, sellers cannot access marketplace AI models. Platforms keep information about their developments secret and notify merchants of updates only when they occur. In Amazon’s case, Amazon Vendor Service can be used to access some of the AI functionality, but it increases the cost of doing business. At the same time, the service itself remains a black box. It means that brands cannot use platforms’ AI to promote their products. It also means they need third-party solutions to do so. What exactly would such AI solutions offer them?

1. Intelligent and dynamic pricing

AI solutions enable brands to implement intelligent pricing strategies. By analysing market data, competitor pricing, and customer demand patterns, AI can determine optimal price points for products. Dynamic pricing allows sellers to adjust prices in real time based on factors such as supply and demand fluctuations, competitor activities, and customer behaviour. This ensures that sellers remain competitive and maximize their revenue potential on marketplaces. Our experience shows that using AI to determine pricing allows sellers to recover up to 6% of previously lost margins.

2. Intelligent adjustment for performance bids

Leading marketplaces usually use real-time bidding (RTB) systems allowing advertisers to bid to show their ads to buyers. For example, on Amazon sellers bid on keywords, and the one with the highest bid and the best-targeted keywords usually wins. In other words, the winning bidding strategy is when the buyer’s search query matches the seller’s target keywords.

With real-time data and advanced optimization techniques, businesses can ensure that their ad spend is used efficiently. AI algorithms can continuously recalculate billions of possible combinations of bids and amounts of budget, campaigns and segments, helping to rebound 20% of previously lost ROIC, based on our experience. Amazon, Alibaba, and JD already use such algorithms for in-house performance marketing.

3. Efficient inventory management

AI can optimize inventory management processes for sellers and vendors operating on online marketplaces. By analysing historical sales data, algorithms can forecast shipments and sales by warehouse and SKU with granularity to organic and promotional sales and high accuracy, identify peak selling periods, and optimize inventory levels. This helps brands avoid out-of-stock or dead-stock situations, reducing storage costs and ensuring a seamless supply chain. Additionally, AI can automate inventory replenishment and order fulfilment processes, streamlining operations and minimizing human error.

AI vs. People

AI has enormous potential for sellers and vendors on marketplaces. By using AI to learn about customers, adjust rates, optimize pricing and manage inventory, brands can improve their competitive advantage, drive sales and increase overall profitability on online platforms.

AI models also allow brands to save on time and resources of in-house teams and agencies, which, in our experience, companies typically hire to get their products to the top of marketplace storefronts. Сonsider, a medium-sized company from the food industry. Typically, a marketplace team (the one working to distribute products through online platforms most efficiently) includes an e-commerce leader, a manager, a designer, and a marketer. In addition, the company may hire an outside contractor to help its internal team.

Nevertheless, these people are forced to engage in routine operations instead of using their time to solve strategic problems. With AI, teams can focus not on playing cat and mouse but on developing strategy and launching innovations, while algorithms will help implement them around the clock and in the most efficient way.

By Pavel Podkorytov

Co-founder of ElDinero AI

Pavel Podkorytov is a tech serial entrepreneur, a co-founder of ElDinero.ai, an AI sales office for SPG vendors on marketplaces, a former CEO of TalentService.com, and an advisor of Stanford’s R&D project Future Talents. He has more than 15 years of experience in the tech industry.

Sourced from Entrepreneur

In News

Brand Loyalty: What, Why, & How to Win Raving Fans in 2023

August 11, 2023 No Comments

By Sarah Cha

Looking to turn your customers into raving fans?

You’re in the right place! In this guide we’re going to demystify the concept of brand loyalty, bringing it down from abstract theory to practical, actionable steps.

Whether you’re running a start-up or an established business, these techniques will show you exactly how to cultivate that sought-after loyalty.

Think of it like planting a garden — with the right care and attention, you can reap the benefits of a dedicated customer base for years to come.

So, ready to sow the seeds of loyalty?

Let’s start planting!

What is Brand Loyalty?

Have you ever tried to dissuade a die-hard Apple fan from buying their latest iPhone?

Or tried to convince a fervent Harley-Davidson fan to trade in their bike for any other brand?

If so, you know that it’s a nearly impossible feat.

That’s brand loyalty in action: It’s a force that drives customers to repeatedly choose a specific brand, eclipsing alternatives even at higher costs or inconveniences.

But wait, isn’t that just customer loyalty?

Not quite. The line separating these two is more distinct than you think.

While customer loyalty focuses on transactional interactions (think frequent flier miles or buy one get one free deals), brand loyalty revolves around emotional connections.

In fact, brand loyalty is about creating that emotional bond.

It’s about a brand resonating with its customers on a personal level.

It’s about a shared set of values.

It’s not just about rewarding repeat purchases; it’s about kindling a deep-rooted affinity for your brand.

So why should anyone bother about brand loyalty?

It’s simple. Loyal customers may be rarer than casual buyers. But they spend much more money, advocate for your brand, and are willing to stick with you through thick and thin.

In other words, having enough customers with brand loyalty is a sure-fire way to drive sustainable business growth.

The Essential Types of Brand Loyalty You Should Know

Brand loyalty comes in different levels of intensity. Here’s a little about each type, and what you can do as a marketer to persuade them.

The Hard-Core Loyalists

Let’s start with the hard-core loyalists. These are the customers who have eyes only for your brand.

Come rain or shine, these loyalists are unwavering in their commitment.

They won’t switch brands for anything in the world, and they form the core of your brand’s loyal customer base.

Consider Apple enthusiasts: They’ll line up overnight for a new product launch, wear Apple merchandise, and defend the brand in any debate.

This fervour didn’t occur by accident.

Apple has consistently delivered innovative, high-quality products and backed them with top-notch customer service and an engaging brand narrative. As a result, their customers are die-hard loyalists.

The key takeaway here is consistency.

When you deliver consistently on your brand promise, customers develop trust in your brand, evolving into hard-core loyalists.

Remember, these customers are your brand’s best ambassadors. They will not only stick around but also bring in new customers through positive word-of-mouth.

The Split Customers

Next, let’s talk about split customers.

These customers have a few favourite brands and switch between them. They enjoy variety and are open to trying out new products if they match their expectations.

A perfect example of split customers would be those who shop for clothes.

They might love the trendy clothing line from Zara, the timeless classics from H&M, and the sustainable offerings from Everlane. Depending on the occasion, their mood, or the latest collections, they alternate between these brands.

To win over split customers, your brand needs to offer something unique and valuable that stands out from competitors.

Regular product innovations, seasonal collections, or exclusive benefits can entice these customers to choose your brand more often.

The Shifting Loyalists

Finally, we have the shifting loyalists, the explorers.

They’re always on the hunt for better products, superior service, or a more appealing brand story.

They’re not disloyal; but they simply value quality and are willing to change loyalties if another brand meets their needs better.

For instance, a shifting loyalist might visit a popular coffee chain one week, then switch to a local artisanal café that offers a more personal, unique, and high-quality coffee experience next time.

Winning over shifting loyalists is challenging but not impossible.

Strive for continuous improvement and be responsive to customer feedback. Show these customers that you’re not complacent, and you’re committed to offering the best.

They’ll appreciate your efforts and may even pause their quest to stick around!

Remember, understanding these different types of brand loyalists is the first step to developing a successful brand loyalty strategy.

By recognizing what drives each type, you can tailor your approach to appeal to each group and transform more customers into loyal fans.

3 Key Brand Loyalty Stages to Consider

Now that you know the different types of customer loyalty, how do you build them up to become the most loyal and reliable clients and customers?

Stage 1: Brand Recognition

Brand recognition is the ground level, the foundation of our skyscraper. It’s what allows customers to identify your brand among the sea of options.

Think about McDonald’s golden arches or the Nike swoosh — the moment you see them, you know the brand.

This recognition is critical because if they don’t know you exist, how can they buy products from you in the first place?

Creating a unique and memorable brand identity, including your logo, colours, slogan, and even your tone of voice, is a great place to start when attempting to enhancing brand recognition.

This isn’t just about being known; it’s about being known for something specific, something that resonates with your target audience.

Stage 2: Brand Preference

Next, we move up to where the magic starts to happen.

Here, your brand isn’t just known; it’s favoured over others.

You’ve managed to strike a chord with your audience, and they now appreciate your unique selling proposition. They consider you not just as an option, but as a viable, attractive choice.

Achieving brand preference involves delivering on your promises, offering a superior product or service, and ensuring customer satisfaction.

It’s also crucial to communicate what makes your brand different and why customers should choose you over others. Give them a good reason for a desired action, and more likely than not, they’ll take the action.

Stage 3: Brand Insistence

Now, let’s climb to the rooftop of our brand loyalty skyscraper — brand insistence.

At this stage, your brand isn’t just a preferred choice; it’s the only choice.

Your customers are so connected to your brand that they’ll walk an extra mile, literally and metaphorically, to stick with you. They’ll ignore cheaper options, overlook minor flaws, and stand as a bulwark against competitive forces.

Reaching the stage of brand insistence requires exceptional customer experiences, consistently delivered over time.

It’s about building emotional connections, exceeding customer expectations, and rewarding loyalty.

It’s the ultimate stage of customer loyalty and the most rewarding for your business.

Innovative Techniques (& Tips) to Foster Brand Loyalty

To foster brand loyalty, you need to go beyond the basics.

Here are a collection of powerful and practical techniques that can help build a steadfast relationship between your brand and your customers…

Craft a Powerful Brand Story: Your brand story should be compelling, relatable, and inspiring. This narrative will define who you are, what you do, and why you do it. Think of TOMS Shoes, whose mission of ‘one for one’ resonates deeply with their audience.

Offer Consistently Exceptional Customer Experience: Go the extra mile to exceed customer expectations at every touchpoint. This involves providing high-quality products, efficient service, and prompt support.

Harness the Power of Social Media: Social media platforms allow you to engage directly with your customers. Regularly posting relevant content and interacting with your followers can create a sense of community.

Build a Vibrant Community: Foster a sense of belonging among your customers. You could create an online forum, host events, or even start a brand-centric podcast.

Leverage the Principle of Reciprocity: This psychological principle states that people are more likely to give something when they receive something. So, reward your customers’ loyalty with exclusive perks, discounts, or freebies, and they may reciprocate your goodwill!

Implement Personalized Marketing: Tailor your marketing strategies to cater to individual customer preferences. With advancements in AI, personalized email marketing, and product recommendations are now easier than ever.

Institute a Robust Referral Program: Encourage customers to become brand ambassadors. Offer them incentives like discounts or exclusive products when they successfully refer others to your brand.

Gamify the Customer Experience: Games are engaging and addictive. Incorporate elements of games, like points, badges, or leader boards, into your customer interactions to make them fun and engaging.

Take Advantage of Scarcity: Limited-time offers or limited-quantity products can create a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to make a purchase.

Build Collaborations with Complementary Brands: This can add value to your customers by offering them more variety and opens new channels for customer acquisition. An example is GoPro and Red Bull’s collaboration on various events and projects.

Encourage Customer Feedback: Actively seek customer feedback and make visible changes based on their suggestions. This shows that you value their opinions.

Provide a Seamless Omnichannel Experience: Ensure that your customer experience is consistent across all channels — in-store, online, on social media, over the phone, etc.

Establish a Loyalty Program: Rewards programs, like Starbucks’ Star Program, can encourage repeat purchases and increase customer retention.

Utilize Social Proof: Testimonials, reviews, and user-generated content can significantly influence purchasing decisions by building trust.

Create Exclusive Content: Develop valuable content that is exclusive to your loyal customers. This could be in-depth guides, webinars, or behind-the-scenes videos, giving your audience a reason to stay engaged.

Each of these techniques forms a piece of the loyalty puzzle.

When implemented strategically and consistently, they can work together to create an unshakeable bond between your brand and your customers.

It’s all about creating value, building relationships, and keeping the lines of communication open. The better you treat your customers, the more likely they are to return the favour!

Achieve Unshakeable Brand Loyalty

You’ve been through the trenches, working tirelessly to get your brand up there. It’s no small feat, and this journey towards brand loyalty is a marathon, not a sprint.

But with the tips and strategies from this article in your toolkit, you’ll be miles ahead.

Keep nurturing those customer relationships, and before you know it, you’ll have a legion of customers singing your brand’s praises.

Now, go make some loyal fans!

By Sarah Cha

Sarah Cha is an avid writer, reader, and lifelong learner who loves making magic behind-the-scenes at Smart Blogger. When she’s not wrangling words onto a screen or page, you can find her strumming a guitar, tickling a canvas, or playing fetch with her favorite four-footed friend!

Sourced from SmartBlogger

In News

Level Up Your Resume Using ChatGPT In A Few Minutes

August 11, 2023 No Comments

By Jodie Cook

Your resume should be exceptional. It should grab attention, compel someone to keep reading and make them believe you’d be perfect for the role they have available. Recruiters receive thousands of applications for every posting, so standing out is imperative if you’re going to land an interview. You don’t need ChatGPT to create your entire resume, but it can certainly take it to the next level and keep you ahead of the competition.

Creating an exceptional resume is considerate. It helps the recruiter out. It frees the busy entrepreneur from wondering if you’ll be a good fit. Of course, it’s not enough to have a great resume, you have to show up and do the work to ratify your claims. Your resume gets your foot in the door and it’s up to you to prove you’re worth keeping. Here’s how to improve that all-important document to make sure it doesn’t let you down.

5 ways you can utilize ChatGPT to improve your resume

1. Improve the formatting and structure

Even to the most seasoned hiring manager, a big block of text can seem daunting. If your resume contains lengthy paragraphs, it’s unengaging and unappealing and something needs to change.

Use ChatGPT to optimize the format and structure of your resume. Paste in the content and ask for suggestions on organizing the sections, improving the visual layout, or making it more reader-friendly. If it’s friendly to the reader, it’s helpful to your job search. Don’t miss this step out.

Here’s an example prompt: “Please review my resume and suggest any improvements to the formatting and structure. I want it to be visually appealing and easy to read.” Then paste your words and see what suggestions the large language model makes.

2. Enhance the content

It’s highly likely you’re too familiar with your resume. It’s been dug out of your files haphazardly every time you want to apply for a role. Perhaps you wrote it years ago and have only made minor changes. Overlooking the basics will cost you recruitment success, so be prepared for a complete overhaul.

Ask ChatGPT to enhance its content. Ask it to help you refine the descriptions of your past roles, highlight your key accomplishments in a better way, and provide recommendations for incorporating relevant keywords and phrases.

Use this prompt: “Can you review my work experience section and suggest ways to make it more impactful? I want to highlight my achievements and emphasize the skills that are most valuable to employers.” And provide details of the type of role you are after. When you have a response, ask it to refine the content to sound like you, and replace those tired sections with fresh ones.

Level up your resume using ChatGPT in a few minutes. getty

3. Refine the skills and qualifications

You know that your skills and qualifications are relevant for the role, that’s why you’re going for it in the first place. But you’re one resume in a pile of hundreds. You cannot expect the recruiter to connect the dots. Make it easy for them by spelling it out.

ChatGPT can help you here. Ask it to refine the skills and qualifications section of your resume. Ask it for help articulating and prioritizing your skills, to make sure they align with the requirements of the position.

Use this prompt: “I have a long list of skills, but I’m not sure which ones to prioritize. Can you help me choose the most relevant skills for the position I’m targeting? My skills are [list of skills] and the position requires [requirements of role]” ChatGPT’s strength is language, and that’s what needed here. The language of your experience should match the language of their requirements. Make that happen with this simple prompt.

4. Make the summary more compelling

Many roles require a covering letter, or at least an opening statement. Don’t let these components detract from what is now a solid resume. Your opening statement or covering letter should be compelling and concise. It should capture your professional identity and career aspirations and help the recruiter or business owner picture you in the role.

Use ChatGPT for feedback and suggestions on what you have so far. You might already be there with the content, but need it delivered in a slightly better way. Here’s where ChatGPT reworks your words to be reader-friendly and easy to digest, for frictionless application to the role of your dreams.

Use the prompt: “Could you please review my summary statement and make it more captivating? I want it to immediately grab the attention of hiring managers.” Then paste your summary, see what comes out, and give further direction to adjust the tone up and down. Consider the formality, the friendliness and how direct you want to be. Match the vibe of the company you’re applying to for maximum points.

5. Proofread and spot errors

For an entrepreneur or hiring manager with a high attention to detail, one spelling error could cost you an interview. They see a misplaced apostrophe or typo and assume that you don’t care. They assume you overlook details and that the role isn’t important to you. They project this mistake forward, and predict that you’ll show the same lack of care in the role. They’ll throw your application in the bin and never email you back.

Enlist ChatGPT as your proofreading assistant to stop this from happening. It can find grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and language improvements. It can provide suggestions for clearer wording, concise phrasing, and enhance the overall readability of your documentation.

Here’s the prompt: “Please proofread my resume and suggest any improvements to grammar, spelling, or language usage. I want to make sure it’s error-free and professionally written.” Then paste your resume and see what it finds. Breathe a sigh of relief when the LLM spots errors you would have overlooked.

Use ChatGPT to help secure your next role

These five steps will help get you through the recruitment process, then it’s up to you to prove you’re the real deal. By leveraging ChatGPT’s capabilities and using really good prompts, you can get valuable insights and recommendations to refine and improve your CV or resume, increasing your chances of making a positive impression on potential employers and landing your dream gig.

Feature Image Credit: getty

By Jodie Cook

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

Founder of Coachvox.ai – we make AI coaches. Forbes 30 under 30 class of 2017. Post-exit entrepreneur and author of Ten Year Career. Competitive powerlifter and digital nomad.

Sourced from Forbes

In News

Social Search Techniques Using Instagram, from Henk van Ess

August 10, 2023 No Comments

By Henk van Ess

Editor’s Note: This post is adapted from a chapter of GIJN’s forthcoming Open Source Research Guide, by Henk van Ess. Posts on using Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter have already been published. The guide will be released in full this September at the Global Investigative Journalism Conference (GICJ23).

Methodology Note: I chose English language examples as our user interface because new search options often appear first in English. However, most examples will work in other languages. In addition, I included screenshots to capture how these examples looked at the time conducted the searches. These results may change over time, however.

A beginner’s guide on how to search on Instagram, published via GIJN, is available in All You Need to Know to Search like a Pro on Instagram, followed by a Part 2. We recommend both articles if you are new to Instagram; if you’re looking for more advanced advice, this chapter offers additional tips.

Date Search via Instagram

Instagram’s search functionality is primarily based on keywords like hashtags, usernames, and location tags. If you don’t know any of these details, then the search algorithm won’t be able to find it for you.

Instagram’s date search feature is limited because the platform’s search algorithm is primarily designed to help users discover new and popular content, rather than retrieve specific content from the past. It’s optimized for speed and efficiency, rather than accuracy. Instagram always shows, like Twitter, the “Top” posts first. If you want the latest posts, scroll down a bit and look for “Most recent.” That is far from perfect.

Date Search via Google

Use Google to search Instagram for certain dates; Google may be able to find content that isn’t readily available through Instagram’s own search functionality. Google, by default, won’t see everything because Instagram doesn’t allow full access, but it’s worth a try. Say you want to find posts about an accident in Phoenix last week. Do this in Google:

Image: Screenshot, Henk van Ess

As you can see, when we did this search, we got two (not so good) hits.

Date Search via Google Images

If you’re struggling to search for dates on Instagram, there is a more effective solution. Google Images uses a distinct search algorithm and criteria, allowing it to locate images and photos from across the internet. Given that Instagram is also focused on visual content, Google Images may be a useful alternative for finding what you’re looking for.

Due to its fine-tuned search engine, Google Images may find more relevant images from Instagram than the regular Google search engine. Let’s repeat the search we just did.

Image: Screenshot, Henk van Ess

The same search for “accident” in “Phoenix,” the week before, on Instagram has better and more results now. Google Images is clearly the winner in this date search.

Both methods — searching on dates via Google and Google Images — can complement each other and be used together to enhance your search experience. It ultimately depends on what you’re looking for and what approach works best for you.

Location Search via Mobile App

It can be easier to find breaking news stories on Instagram, but investigative journalists may need to dig deeper. Using Instagram can be challenging, especially when trying to find evidence of activity across a wide area. The lack of specific search criteria, such as date ranges and advanced filters, can make the process slower and less effective.

Image: Screenshot, Henk van Ess

Instagram’s Map Search feature saves the day. It’s an excellent way to find photos in a broader area.

Use the mobile app for Instagram for this. Tap the looking glass, search for “Aleppo” and tap “Places.” Tab on “Aleppo, Syria.”

Image: Screenshot, Henk van Ess

Now you get a hit based on those keywords. Tap twice on the map now, click on the divider to see the full screen. There it is: your area map of Instagram, with the photos shown on a map.

You will now get a bigger map and more accounts, based on geolocation. You can search for specific keywords in that area if you want.

Image: Screenshot, Henk van Ess

Location Search via Desktop

The drawback of the “Location search via mobile app” is that it’s labor intensive. It is possible to do the same on your desktop. For that we need a tool, called instahunt.co.

1. Choose an area

Image: Screenshot, Henk van Ess

Click on the map of instahunt.co or search for a specific location.

Image: Screenshot, Henk van Ess

2. Activate tool

Click “Find Places.”

This will prepare a set of coordinates you need later.

Image: Screenshot, Henk van Ess

3. Get Instagram data

Now click on “Get Instagram Place Data” – be sure you already have your Instagram account open.

4. Copy the code

You will see all kinds of location codes around the place you picked. Just copy those.

5. Paste it into the tool

Image: Screenshot, Henk van Ess

It’s now up to you to decide which accounts would be interesting to study. Facebook photos will also be displayed if there are any.

Image: Screenshot, Henk van Ess

Feature Image Credit: Shutterstock

By Henk van Ess

Sourced from Global Investigative Journalism Network

In News

7 Effective Ways That Photographers Can Use Pinterest

August 10, 2023 No Comments

By Danny Maiorca

Pinterest has a lot to offer both beginner and experienced photographers. Here’s how you can make the most of this undercover social media site.

Pinterest is a network where many people seek inspiration for their own creative ideas, and it’s also a spot where those with an open mindset can successfully promote their photography skills.

Whether you work with clients or create your own products (or both), you’ve got plenty of opportunities to use Pinterest effectively. In this guide, you will discover seven possible things you can try when using the platform.

1. Finding Inspiration From Other Photographers

A Pinterest board showing different photography styles

If you’ve ever used Pinterest in a smaller capacity before, it was probably to find inspiration. It’s a great place to look for ideas related to travel, food, lifestyle, and much more. And whether you’re a beginner to photography or a seasoned professional, Pinterest can help you advance your skills even further.

When using Pinterest, you can find inspiration from other photographers in your field. For example, you can look for new locations to capture in your local area or potential ways to place items in a photoshoot if you want to improve your product photography.

Pinterest is also useful if you want to look at new aesthetics to adjust your editing style. You can then advance your editing skills in Lightroom once you’ve saved some ideas.

2. Learning More About Photography as a Craft

Photo of a photographer inside a greenhouse surrounded by plants

Finding inspiration from other photographers is one way to get better at your craft, but it’s not necessarily the most efficient way to do so. For many people, the best way to become a better street photographer (or excel in any genre, for that matter) is to absorb information and put it into action.

Pinterest might not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking about where you can learn more about photography. However, it’s an excellent place to find practical resources, such as blog posts, YouTube videos, and podcast episodes.

Many creators publish pins of what they share elsewhere on Pinterest, and you’ll also find the outbound link here. You can use the search bar on Pinterest to find topics (such as “photography tips”). When you see something that you want to refer to later, save it as a pin within a mood board.

If you enjoy using Pinterest, and your favourite browser is Firefox, consider trying these Pinterest add-ons for Firefox.

3. Drive Bookings for Photoshoots

An external hard disk drive plugged into a laptop

For many photographers, photoshoots are a popular income stream. In addition to being skilled at your craft, you also need to market your services to your target audience. Social media in general is ideal for doing that, and Pinterest can help you get your work in front of others who may wish to do business with you.

When using Pinterest as a photographer, you can share your best work in separate pins. To bring all of these together, consider creating a board that others can access. Each time you share a pin that includes a portfolio piece, you can provide a brief description of what you do. If a user likes what they see, they can click on the link you include and book a shoot directly with you.

If you use pins for photoshoot bookings, it’s worth mentioning the locations you’re willing to work in. Giving others an idea of where you’re based is also wise.

Are you trying to build your portfolio? Consider trying different creative photoshoot ideas at home.

4. Promote Products From Your Online Store

Although many photographers begin their careers with client work, running a business has the beauty of opening your eyes to plenty of other income-generating opportunities. It’s not uncommon for experienced photographers to launch their own products later on, including selling prints and photography books.

When promoting your photography services, you’ll need to build awareness around the products in your store if you want to maximize your earning potential. Pinterest is a handy place for doing precisely that.

To help promote products from your online store, you should think about what the end result is for the buyer. For example, if you create and sell Lightroom presets, showcase what a picture looks like before and after applying it. Similarly, if you sell prints, you can show how the photo looks when it appears on someone’s wall

5. Finding Other Local Photographers

Search results on Pinterest for Copenhagen photographers

Although many people have a camera on their smartphone these days, being truly passionate about photography—to the point of learning more about the craft—is a lot more rare. As a result, you may find your life as a photographer quite lonely if you don’t make an effort to meet like-minded people.

There are many ways that social media brings people together, and one of its greatest benefits is that you can find people living near you with related interests. If you’re looking for other photographers, you can use Pinterest in a similar way to Instagram by typing your location followed by “photographer” in the search bar.

When you see a photographer that interests you, you can send them a message on Pinterest. Alternatively, see if they have any other social media accounts and contact them on those.

6. Asking Clients to Find Photoshoot Styles That Interest Them

A Pinterest board with different photoshoot ideas

Like selling a service in any other business, it’s essential that you understand what your client wants from a photoshoot. The best way to do this is by asking in advance—or even better, asking your client to provide examples of what they’re looking for.

You can tell clients to create a board with different ideas on Pinterest, and once they’ve done this, they can provide you with the link. Alternatively, you can create a board of ideas you’ve got and send your proposals to see if the other party is happy.

When creating boards for this phase, you can always make them private if you want. You can find out how to use secret boards on Pinterest in a separate guide.

7. Promoting Pins via Advertising

Like many other social media networks, Pinterest offers an avenue for paid advertising if you want to get in front of more people. Of course, you’ll need a budget to use Pinterest advertising—but once you’re established, you may find that this is a useful option for getting in front of more users.

When advertising on Pinterest, make sure you understand who you’re trying to reach with your photography. Moreover, you should set a clear limit on how much you’re willing to spend in advance.

Pinterest: A Powerful Platform for Photographers

Pinterest has several uses for photographers, and it can help both those who work with clients and photographers who sell products. Even if you’re only in your early days as a photographer, you can find significant value in using Pinterest to discover different photography styles and resources.

Now that you’ve read this guide, you should have a better idea of how you can make the most out of this still-underrated social media platform. Why not experiment with each of these tips?

By Danny Maiorca

Danny specializes in writing about productivity and also enjoys exploring different creative disciplines, especially photography. He has a degree in Sports Journalism and has been writing professionally since 2016.

Sourced from MUO

In News

Adobe’s awesome new wordmark is not its new logo, but maybe it should be

August 10, 2023 No Comments

By Jesus Diaz

Have you seen the new Adobe *logo*? It appears in promotional videos introducing Adobe’s Photoshop and Illustrator with generative artificial intelligence, and it looks more luscious than a doughnut at a gluten-free convention.

Instead of using the classic red “A” graphic mark that Adobe users know from the company’s arsenal of creative tools, the videos show a new design: A sleek, slanting “A” that precedes the letters “dobe,” which are set in a bold typeface. It looks so cool that I thought Adobe had at last updated its brand.

Except, well, it’s not the new Adobe logo. According to Heather Combs, Adobe’s head of brand strategy and customer insights, it’s not a logo at all. Rather, she says, it’s a wordmark. “It’s not replacing the logo; it’s just a new expression in the way that we are creating the way our brand shows up in the world,” she says.

Combs popped my happy bubble over a video chat last week, after I inquired about the new look, casually (and hopefully) asking if this was the dawn of a new branding era at Adobe. Combs emphatically told me that this glorious new mark, seen across Adobe promotional videos, is not a logo; it’s simply a new part of its brand tool kit. “We’ve had a logo for a long time. A beautiful logo, which is still our logo moving forward. We’ve just added a new piece to the tool kit so we can express the brand in multiple ways,” she says.

[Images: Adobe]

Combs is referring to the corporate logo that illustrator Marva Warnock (wife of the company’s cofounder John Warnock), designed in 1982 for Adobe’s launch. Warnock’s design featured a slanted “A” whose crossbar formed an open triangle. Though Adobe updated Warnock’s design in 1990 to the red, white, and black logo still used today, the company has had a shockingly consistent visual language from its earliest days. Which is why a new logo would have been so exciting.

Combs’ distinction between logo and wordmark rests on intention. A wordmark can be a logo. Just look at Coca-Cola, Google, and FedEx—designs that are made with letters set in a typeface. A logo—a term that comes from Greek for “word”—is generally understood by most humans to be anything that represents a brand. That can be a graphic mark (Apple’s bitten apple), a logotype (IBM), or a combination of both, sometimes called a graphical logo (Nike, Target, and Unilever).

In the case of Adobe, this wordmark isn’t the official corporate logo, and therefore, by the rules of corporate branding 101, it cannot be considered a logo at all. Combs says the company toyed with its new design at last year’s Adobe Max conference, but there weren’t any “hard rollouts.” Not until these new generative AI promo videos, that is. It’s really a shame because this design is better than any logo refresh I can think of in recent memory.

The new Adobe wordmark is modern and futuristic, yet it looks so classic that it could have easily been Adobe’s first logo from the ’80s. Just look at the perfect way the classic “A” mark integrates with the “dobe” set in a heavy weight of the Adobe Clean typeface.

“We felt that we were missing a bit of a bolder version of Adobe Clean,” Combs explains. This led Adobe’s typography team to craft a new version that was bolder and took up “a bit more presence,” as Combs describes it. As a result of this exercise, Combs says they are “also looking at the weight of the corporate mark as well.” It seems like the right move because, right now, the official “Adobe” feels rather anaemic and more boring than beige.

[Image: Adobe]

Even though it’s not a logo, the new mark does feel like it’s coming at a pivotal time for the company as it enters its AI era. When I asked Combs if this wordmark was the herald of the new generative AI Adobe, she deflected, saying that while she could see different places where they would use the mark, she won’t confirm it as a mascot for Adobe’s generative-AI tools.

Still, she concedes: “With what we were doing around generative AI and Firefly, we wanted to be more on the edge. And I think we see the wordmark as being a very fresh, bold kind of way to express the brand. Again, not in replacement of the corporate mark, but a really interesting and intriguing way to express the brand.”

When I told her that the wordmark is awesome and perhaps it would confuse people who might mistake it as a new official logo, she says she doesn’t believe that’s the case. “Our objective is to put the Adobe brand in people’s mouths to make them think about us and want to talk about us,” she says. “If this new wordmark creates a point of interest, then it’s doing its job.”

Combs insists that Adobe has no plans to quietly swap its current logo to the new wordmark. She believes its merits are clear. “It’s not broken. Our corporate mark is widely recognized. It is something a lot of people see and feel very positive things about. And I want to continue to sort of build off of that,” she says. Though, she does admit, the wordmark is a bit more scalable to social and places where the current Adobe logo can feel a bit cramped. “This wordmark gives us a bit more of a compact way to express the brand,” she says.

Exactly! Combine that with the cool factor, the classic look, and the obvious tie into the new generative AI era, and you’ve got a rock-solid case to evolve the corporate brand. As an Adobe fan since Photoshop version 2, I sure hope that happens.

By Jesus Diaz

Sourced from FastCompany

In News

3 open source NLP tools for data extraction

August 9, 2023 No Comments

By Isaac Sacolick

Unstructured text and data are like gold for business applications and the company bottom line, but where to start? Here are three tools worth a look.

Developers and data scientists use generative AI and large language models (LLMs) to query volumes of documents and unstructured data. Open source LLMs, including Dolly 2.0, EleutherAI Pythia, Meta AI LLaMa, StabilityLM, and others, are all starting points for experimenting with artificial intelligence that accepts natural language prompts and generates summarized responses.

“Text as a source of knowledge and information is fundamental, yet there aren’t any end-to-end solutions that tame the complexity in handling text,” says Brian Platz, CEO and co-founder of Fluree. “While most organizations have wrangled structured or semi-structured data into a centralized data platform, unstructured data remains forgotten and underleveraged.”

If your organization and team aren’t experimenting with natural language processing (NLP) capabilities, you’re probably lagging behind competitors in your industry. In the 2023 Expert NLP Survey Report, 77% of organizations said they planned to increase spending on NLP, and 54% said their time-to-production was a top return-on-investment (ROI) metric for successful NLP projects.

Use cases for NLP

If you have a corpus of unstructured data and text, some of the most common business needs include

Entity extraction by identifying names, dates, places, and products
Pattern recognition to discover currency and other quantities
Categorization into business terms, topics, and taxonomies
Sentiment analysis, including positivity, negation, and sarcasm
Summarizing the document’s key points
Machine translation into other languages
Dependency graphs that translate text into machine-readable semi-structured representations

Sometimes, having NLP capabilities bundled into a platform or application is desirable. For example, LLMs support asking questions; AI search engines enable searches and recommendations; and chatbots support interactions. Other times, it’s optimal to use NLP tools to extract information and enrich unstructured documents and text.

Let’s look at three popular open source NLP tools that developers and data scientists are using to perform discovery on unstructured documents and develop production-ready NLP processing engines.

Natural Language Toolkit

The Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK), released in 2001, is one of the older and more popular NLP Python libraries. NLTK boasts more than 11.8 thousand stars on GitHub and lists over 100 trained models.

“I think the most important tool for NLP is by far Natural Language Toolkit, which is licensed under Apache 2.0,” says Steven Devoe, director of data and analytics at SPR. “In all data science projects, the processing and cleaning of the data to be used by algorithms is a huge proportion of the time and effort, which is particularly true with natural language processing. NLTK accelerates a lot of that work, such as stemming, lemmatization, tagging, removing stop words, and embedding word vectors across multiple written languages to make the text more easily interpreted by the algorithms.”

NLTK’s benefits stem from its endurance, with many examples for developers new to NLP, such as this beginner’s hands-on guide and this more comprehensive overview. Anyone learning NLP techniques may want to try this library first, as it provides simple ways to experiment with basic techniques such as tokenization, stemming, and chunking.

spaCy

spaCy is a newer library, with its version 1.0 released in 2016. spaCy supports over 72 languages and publishes its performance benchmarks, and it has amassed more than 25,000 stars on GitHub.

“spaCy is a free, open-source Python library providing advanced capabilities to conduct natural language processing on large volumes of text at high speed,” says Nikolay Manchev, head of data science, EMEA, at Domino Data Lab. “With spaCy, a user can build models and production applications that underpin document analysis, chatbot capabilities, and all other forms of text analysis. Today, the spaCy framework is one of Python’s most popular natural language libraries for industry use cases such as extracting keywords, entities, and knowledge from text.”

Tutorials for spaCy show similar capabilities to NLTK, including named entity recognition and part-of-speech (POS) tagging. One advantage is that spaCy returns document objects and supports word vectors, which can give developers more flexibility for performing additional post-NLP data processing and text analytics.

Spark NLP

If you already use Apache Spark and have its infrastructure configured, then Spark NLP may be one of the faster paths to begin experimenting with natural language processing. Spark NLP has several installation options, including AWS, Azure Databricks, and Docker.

“Spark NLP is a widely used open-source natural language processing library that enables businesses to extract information and answers from free-text documents with state-of-the-art accuracy,” says David Talby, CTO of John Snow Labs. “This enables everything from extracting relevant health information that only exists in clinical notes, to identifying hate speech or fake news on social media, to summarizing legal agreements and financial news.

Spark NLP’s differentiators may be its healthcare, finance, and legal domain language models. These commercial products come with pre-trained models to identify drug names and dosages in healthcare, financial entity recognition such as stock tickers, and legal knowledge graphs of company names and officers.

Talby says Spark NLP can help organizations minimize the upfront training in developing models. “The free and open source library comes with more than 11,000 pre-trained models plus the ability to reuse, train, tune, and scale them easily,” he says.

Best practices for experimenting with NLP

Earlier in my career, I had the opportunity to oversee the development of several SaaS products built using NLP capabilities. My first NLP was an SaaS platform to search newspaper classified advertisements, including searching cars, jobs, and real estate. I then led developing NLPs for extracting information from commercial construction documents, including building specifications and blueprints.

When starting NLP in a new area, I advise the following:

Begin with a small but representable example of the documents or text.
Identify the target end-user personas and how extracted information improves their workflows.
Specify the required information extractions and target accuracy metrics.
Test several approaches and use speed and accuracy metrics to benchmark.
Improve accuracy iteratively, especially when increasing the scale and breadth of documents.
Expect to deliver data stewardship tools for addressing data quality and handling exceptions.

You may find that the NLP tools used to discover and experiment with new document types will aid in defining requirements. Then, expand the review of NLP technologies to include open source and commercial options, as building and supporting production-ready NLP data pipelines can get expensive. With LLMs in the news and gaining interest, underinvesting in NLP capabilities is one way to fall behind competitors. Fortunately, you can start with one of the open source tools introduced here and build your NLP data pipeline to fit your budget and requirements.

Feature Image Credit: TippaPatt/Shutterstock

By Isaac Sacolick

Isaac Sacolick is president of StarCIO and the author of the Amazon bestseller Driving Digital: The Leader’s Guide to Business Transformation through Technology and Digital Trailblazer: Essential Lessons to Jumpstart Transformation and Accelerate Your Technology Leadership. He covers agile planning, devops, data science, product management, and other digital transformation best practices. Sacolick is a recognized top social CIO and digital transformation influencer. He has published more than 900 articles at InfoWorld.com, CIO.com, his blog Social, Agile, and Transformation, and other sites.

Sourced from InfoWorld

In News

10+ Email Deliverability Tips to Evade the Spam Folder (2023)

August 9, 2023 No Comments

By Sam Driver

Navigating the tricky landscape of email marketing?

Email deliverability is your secret weapon to bypass the dreaded spam folder and land directly in your audience’s inbox.

Packed with actionable insights and techniques, our guide will transform your emails from avoidable spam to must-read content.

Ready to unlock your email potential and boost your marketing game?

Let’s jump in!

What is Email Deliverability (& Why it’s Important)?

In the labyrinth of email marketing, email deliverability stands as your secret weapon.

But what exactly does it entail?

At its simplest, email deliverability refers to the ability of your emails to land directly into subscribers’ inboxes.

Seems straightforward, doesn’t it? However, the subtleties in the concept beg for a deeper understanding.

Consider this… studies reveal that an acceptable email delivery rate hovers around 95%.

To break it down, for every 1000 emails you send, approximately 950 should hit the bullseye — the inbox.

But what about the elusive remaining 50?

These strays might find themselves lost in the wilderness of the spam folder, a destination dreaded by every email marketer.

Now, you might be asking yourself, why does email deliverability hold such weight?

The reason is quite simple…

Even the most creatively engaging email crafted with finesse amounts to naught if it doesn’t reach the recipient’s inbox. It’s akin to writing an excellent novel that no one reads.

Plus, understanding the importance of email deliverability sets a sturdy foundation for your email campaign.

Now, let’s delve into the tips…

12 Email Deliverability Tips That’ll Elevate Your Delivery Rate & Avoid the Spam Folder

A hand clicking a glowing email icon in the air.

Now that we understand the basics of email deliverability let’s discuss the actionable strategies you can adopt to avoid the spam folder and elevate your delivery rate…

1. Understand ISP Guidelines

Every Internet Service Provider (ISP), like Amazon SES, Google Workspace, or Constant Contact, has a unique set of guidelines that they use to determine what emails get delivered and what emails get marked as spam.

These guidelines often include technical aspects like IP and domain reputation, the relevance of your content, and your history of following CAN-SPAM laws. Ignoring these guidelines can result in a decrease in your delivery rate.

For instance, if you’re using Google Workspace, it’s crucial to be familiar with their bulk sender guidelines.

Google evaluates emails based on factors like authentication, list quality, and sending practices.

So, by tailoring your email marketing campaign in line with these guidelines, you can improve your chances of avoiding the spam folder.

2. Authenticate Your Emails

Email authentication is like a digital signature; it proves your emails originate from a legitimate source.

Techniques like Sender Policy Framework (SPF), DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) play a pivotal role in maintaining your sender reputation.

Let’s say you are sending an email from “[email protected]”.

With SPF, you can authorize your domain to send emails, effectively preventing spammers from using it.

DKIM, on the other hand, allows you to add a digital signature to your emails, validating your domain name identity.

And DMARC, a protocol that uses SPF and DKIM, helps protect your domain from phishing scams and spoofing.

When implemented correctly, these authentication techniques tell ISPs that you are who you claim to be, increasing the likelihood of your emails landing in the inbox.

3. Maintain a Good Sender Reputation

Maintaining a robust sender reputation is essential for high email deliverability. Your sender reputation is like a credit score; it demonstrates your trustworthiness as a sender.

Factors contributing to this reputation include your email volume, complaint rate, bounce rate, and whether or not you’ve been blacklisted in the past.

For instance, if your emails frequently bounce because the recipient’s addresses are incorrect or no longer in use, ISPs might see this as a sign of poor list management and flag your emails as spam.

Thus, it’s crucial to regularly check and clean your email list to maintain a good sender reputation.

4. Manage Your Email List

monitor your list to improve email deliverability

Your email list is a valuable asset. However, it’s not just about size; it’s about quality and engagement.

Regularly cleaning your email list of inactive subscribers, addresses that bounce, and spam traps can increase your sender score, which ISPs use to determine if your email is spam or not.

For example, if a user hasn’t opened your emails in the past six months, it might be worth removing them from your list or placing them in a re-engagement campaign.

Similarly, if an email bounces more than once, it’s best to remove it to prevent harming your sender reputation.

By managing your email list effectively, you not only improve deliverability but also ensure that your content reaches engaged and interested parties.

5. Monitor Email Deliverability

Monitoring your email deliverability is an integral part of your email marketing strategy.

So, consider using email deliverability tools such as Postmark, Mail-tester, or GlockApps.

These tools not only track your delivery rate and inbox placement but also identify issues in your emails that could trigger spam filters.

For example, they can evaluate your subject lines, content, and email list health, providing actionable feedback to improve your deliverability.

Regular monitoring and troubleshooting can help you understand your email performance better and address any potential issues early, ensuring your emails reach their intended inboxes.

6. Content Matters

Content is the heart of your email. It can either make your email a hit or a miss with ISPs’ spam filters.

When crafting your emails, avoid phrases that are commonly used in spam messages, such as “get rich quick,” “risk-free investment,” or “save up to.”

ISPs have advanced spam filters that are triggered by such phrases, which may lead to your emails landing in the spam folder.

Furthermore, avoid using a single large image in place of text. If your email is just one big image with minimal text, spam filters may become suspicious and flag it.

Instead, maintain a healthy text-to-image ratio and use ALT text for images, ensuring your message is still conveyed even if the images don’t load.

7. Personalize Your Emails

Personalized emails resonate more with your subscribers and have a lesser chance of being marked as spam.

Rather than sending the same generic message to everyone on your list, use personalization techniques to make your emails more relevant and engaging.

This could be as simple as addressing the recipient by their first name in the subject line or as complex as using behavioural data to customize the content to each recipient’s interests or past actions.

For instance, if a subscriber recently purchased a coffee maker from your website, you could send them an email with tips on brewing the perfect cup of coffee.

Not only does personalization improve engagement, but it also helps to build a deeper relationship with your subscribers.

8. Ask to be Whitelisted

Whitelisting is like having a VIP pass to your subscriber’s inbox. When a subscriber adds you to their email provider’s whitelist, it tells the provider that they want to receive your emails, significantly reducing the chances of your emails being marked as spam.

You can encourage subscribers to whitelist you by including a simple request in your welcome email or in the footer of your newsletters.

For example, “To ensure our emails always reach your inbox, please add our email address to your contacts or safe senders list.”

The process of whitelisting varies between email providers, so it’s helpful to include a link to a page with step-by-step instructions for different providers.

This proactive step can greatly enhance your email deliverability and ensure a consistent subscriber experience.

9. Respect the Unsubscribe

Honouring your subscribers’ wishes isn’t just about goodwill; it’s also a solid strategy for email deliverability. If a subscriber wants to leave, make it as straightforward as possible for them.

This may seem counterintuitive, but in reality, it’s better than getting a spam complaint which can tarnish your sender reputation.

Besides, an unengaged audience can harm your open and click-through rates. Implement a one-click unsubscribe option in a clear, easy-to-spot area in your email. Also, consider having an exit survey.

This optional feedback form can provide invaluable insights into why subscribers are leaving, helping you to improve and adapt your content strategy.

10. Use a Reputable Email Service Provider (ESP)

Your choice of ESP could make or break your email deliverability. A good ESP, not only offers robust infrastructure but also provides valuable advice and support to improve your email deliverability.

They manage relationships with ISPs and stay updated on the ever-changing landscape of email regulations, ensuring your emails are always compliant. Moreover, top-tier ESPs offer comprehensive analytics tools.

These tools can help you monitor your email campaigns, enabling you to spot any potential issues and adapt your strategy accordingly.

11. Test Your Emails

Regular email testing is a must for achieving high deliverability rates.

This is more than just sending a test email to a friend. Services such as GlockApps or Mail-Tester allow you to check if your emails are landing in the spam folder, if your IP has been blacklisted, or if you’re encountering other deliverability issues.

It’s also crucial to test your emails across different email clients (like Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook) and devices to ensure your content displays correctly.

Use A to B testing to see what subject lines, email content, or sending times resonate most with your audience, further optimizing your email marketing strategy.

12. Monitor Your Metrics

Metrics are your North Star in the realm of email deliverability. Key metrics such as delivery rate, open rate, click-through rate, and bounce rate can offer valuable insights into your performance.

For instance, a high bounce rate could indicate an outdated email list, while a low open rate might suggest your subject lines aren’t captivating enough.

Monitoring these metrics allows you to identify trends, spot issues, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your campaigns.

Remember, continuous improvement is the name of the game in email marketing.

Use these metrics to guide your strategy, refine your messaging, and ultimately, deliver emails your audience is eager to open.

Mastering the Art of Email Deliverability

You’ve weathered the storm, wrestling with frustration as your meticulously crafted emails vanished into spam.

But cheer up, there’s a silver lining.

With our email deliverability tips, your emails will no longer be the wallflower at the party, but the guest of honour in your recipient’s inbox.

So, stand tall, and let’s conquer that spam folder together!

By Sam Driver

Sam is an Associate Editor for Smart Blogger and family man who loves to write. When he’s not goofing around with his kids, he’s honing his craft to provide lasting value to anyone who cares to listen.

Sourced from SmartBlogger

In News

Good news – WhatsApp will soon let businesses send you personalized messages

August 9, 2023 No Comments

By Craig Hale

But, you’ll have to pay

Meta is looking to capitalize on the 200 million users now catered to by WhatsApp Business, which previously stood at 50 million in 2020.

With ‘click-to-WhatsApp’ ads now accounting for a healthy part of the platform’s revenue, the Meta-owned messaging platform is now looking to expand that to allow users to generate ads without needing a Facebook account.

As part of the revisions to WhatsApp Business, companies will also be able to create ads for Facebook and Instagram from within the app.

WhatsApp Business is getting better

The news comes as Meta continues to battle a tough and changing economy during its so-called ‘Year of Efficiency’ which has seen it lay off thousands of workers and cut funding to several projects.

While the company has stated that it remains committed to artificial intelligence and the metaverse, ensuring a diverse selection of revenue streams is vital for sustainability, and given the four-fold increase in WhatsApp Business users, trying to eke out more money from SMBs and larger enterprises is a no-brainer.

The company has not confirmed how much the changes to its messaging app will cost, but we do know that the services will be chargeable thanks to a Reuters report.

Personalized messaging is also set to come to the platform, with the messaging app soon to be able to generate messages to customers to notify them of upcoming appointments, or for ecommerce businesses to advertise new products and sales, for example.

These changes represent an entire shift for the company as CEO Mark Zuckerberg looks to make more money from Meta’s messaging platforms, including WhatsApp and Messenger.

The company has not announced details on pricing as yet, but testing for the new features is expected to follow imminently before a full release, likely later this year.

After a more familiar marketing approach? Here are the best email marketing services

Feature Image credit: Pexels/Anton

By Craig Hale

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

Sourced from techrador.pro

editor

In this article, we dive into five apps that are similar to Twitter and share what you need to know about each one.

Mastodon

Threads/Project 92/Barcelona

Bluesky

Post News

T2 Social

Spill

The future of social media might be decentralized

By Tamilore Oladipo

Sourced from Buffer

AI has enormous potential for sellers and vendors on marketplaces. By using AI to learn about customers, adjust rates, optimize pricing and manage inventory, brands can improve their competitive advantage, drive sales and increase overall profitability on online platforms.

The rise of marketplaces

How online platforms make money on brands

The power of AI

1. Intelligent and dynamic pricing

2. Intelligent adjustment for performance bids

3. Efficient inventory management

AI vs. People

By Pavel Podkorytov

Sourced from Entrepreneur

Looking to turn your customers into raving fans?

What is Brand Loyalty?

The Essential Types of Brand Loyalty You Should Know

The Hard-Core Loyalists

The Split Customers

The Shifting Loyalists

3 Key Brand Loyalty Stages to Consider

Stage 1: Brand Recognition

Stage 2: Brand Preference

Stage 3: Brand Insistence

Innovative Techniques (& Tips) to Foster Brand Loyalty

Achieve Unshakeable Brand Loyalty

By Sarah Cha

Sourced from SmartBlogger

5 ways you can utilize ChatGPT to improve your resume

1. Improve the formatting and structure

2. Enhance the content

3. Refine the skills and qualifications

4. Make the summary more compelling

5. Proofread and spot errors

Use ChatGPT to help secure your next role

By Jodie Cook

Sourced from Forbes

By Henk van Ess

Date Search via Instagram

Date Search via Google

Date Search via Google Images

Location Search via Mobile App

Location Search via Desktop

By Henk van Ess

Sourced from Global Investigative Journalism Network

Pinterest has a lot to offer both beginner and experienced photographers. Here’s how you can make the most of this undercover social media site.

1. Finding Inspiration From Other Photographers

2. Learning More About Photography as a Craft

3. Drive Bookings for Photoshoots

4. Promote Products From Your Online Store

5. Finding Other Local Photographers

6. Asking Clients to Find Photoshoot Styles That Interest Them

7. Promoting Pins via Advertising

Pinterest: A Powerful Platform for Photographers

By Danny Maiorca

Sourced from MUO

Sourced from FastCompany

Unstructured text and data are like gold for business applications and the company bottom line, but where to start? Here are three tools worth a look.

Use cases for NLP

Natural Language Toolkit

spaCy

Spark NLP

Best practices for experimenting with NLP

By Isaac Sacolick

Sourced from InfoWorld

What is Email Deliverability (& Why it’s Important)?

12 Email Deliverability Tips That’ll Elevate Your Delivery Rate & Avoid the Spam Folder

1. Understand ISP Guidelines

2. Authenticate Your Emails

3. Maintain a Good Sender Reputation

4. Manage Your Email List

5. Monitor Email Deliverability

6. Content Matters