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Marketing Trends You Should Not Ignore When Crafting Your 2023 Marketing Plan

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By Roshni Wijayasinha

In an ever-changing landscape, today’s marketers are required to stay on their toes. As technologies advance and business conditions shift, so do the components that make up an effective marketing strategy. This is especially important for startup founders, who consistently need to find creative ways to market their innovative products. Despite operating on a limited budget, startups can indeed execute successful marketing strategies and campaigns by leveraging trending tactics while remaining up to date on evolving sociopolitical and legal changes that impact marketers.

As a fractional CMO at a number of growing startups, I too must stay on top of the constant evolution of the marketing space, strategies, tactics and tools to provide accurate and timely marketing guidance. Here are four of the most powerful marketing trends I have come across that you should consider when you’re developing your startup’s marketing plan in 2023.

1. Data Privacy And User Centricity

The last two years brought about major changes to the way user data is collected and used. These changes were driven by increased government legislation; consumer mistrust and an extreme level of competition in the technology industry may also have contributed. Consumers seem to be more aware and outspoken than ever about who is collecting their data, how it is being used and what rights they should have to protect it. From the death of third-party cookies to Apple making significant changes to its privacy features, the management of big data is becoming rapidly more user-centric. Companies are handing power back to the user and letting them control how much data they are willing to share. I think this trend is only going to continue through 2023.

These changes could impact your startup’s marketing strategy, as marketers must now meet consumers’ high expectations when it comes to safeguarding their data. You should cultivate trust among your customers by being transparent, such as by including easily accessible privacy policies and terms and conditions on your website. And without third-party cookies to rely on, your startup may have to target consumers differently, without using their specific data. For example, you might do so contextually. Additionally, consider incentivizing your consumers by offering them a discount or promo code in exchange for their email address or phone number, and always provide an option to opt out. This way, you are connecting with consumers who feel that they are gaining something in return for their data.

2. Podcasts And Audio Advertising

According to Statista, “the number of podcast listeners [could] surpass 160 million in 2023 after increases of around 20 million each year.” The versatility of podcasts makes them a great opportunity for marketers in that consumers can be reached anywhere at any time about virtually any topic. In the case of startups, you can use podcasts to showcase the innovations and solutions you provide, which can help position your brand as a thought leader in the industry. Consider starting your own podcast or have your startup’s founder be a guest on a podcast with an established following.

Audio advertisements in podcasts also flourished this year, and I expect this to continue into 2023. A study by Signal Hill Insights and Cumulus Podcast Network found that three out of four weekly podcast listeners say they have taken action after hearing a podcast ad. Podcast listeners can enjoy a seamless listening experience when the host integrates ads into the show instead of using prerecorded audio ads that do not fit in and disrupt the content. Podcast advertising can be an effective tactic in your startup’s marketing strategy, as it can raise awareness among your target consumers, especially if you run ads on podcasts with topics that are closely related to your product.

3. Augmented And Virtual Reality Experiences

The Covid-19 pandemic’s acceleration of all things virtual caused businesses to invest in innovative technologies that would help them weather the storm. When physical stores were forced to close, many brands developed augmented reality experiences so that consumers could get the in-store feeling at home. For example, Burberry’s Pocket Bag AR campaign in 2021 allowed consumers to design and view their own 3D handbag sculptures based on Burberry’s new campaign. In years to come, I expect that AR and VR technologies will only become more integrated into marketing campaigns as consumers signal that they want unique experiences and interactions with the brands they love.

AR and VR experiences can provide a space for startups to flex their creative muscles and do what they do best: innovate. From virtual try-ons to wearable NFTs, there are plenty of ways to incorporate augmented reality into your marketing strategy. While it can be expensive, startups may also be able to find more affordable options.

4. Purpose-Driven Marketing

While purpose-driven marketing is not a new strategy, it seems to have become more prevalent in recent years in response to consumers’ interest in social causes. Purpose-driven marketing involves centering your organization’s marketing and communications efforts around a social cause. This strategy not only humanizes businesses but can also help consumers foster a deeper connection with the brands they use and trust. There are copious examples of purpose-driven marketing from small and large brands alike, but one of the most famous is that of the footwear brand TOMS and its “One for One” model that donated a pair of shoes to someone in need for every pair it sold. Supporting a social cause through your startup’s marketing strategy is a great way to build consumer trust and brand loyalty, especially when the cause is something closely related to your startup’s core values.

Staying up to date on marketing trends in your respective industry can help you understand what channels and tactics are in demand. By applying this knowledge to your marketing plan, you can ensure that it is timely and relevant and allow your marketing communications to reach their target audience exactly how and when they need to. Startups working with limited resources can start by implementing one or two of the above trending tactics to strengthen their 2023 marketing plan.

Feature Image Credit: getty

By Roshni Wijayasinha

Founder of Prosh Marketing, a Fractional CMO & Marketing Agency that helps Startups & SMBs build their marketing practice and go to market. Read Roshni Wijayasinha’s full executive profile here.

Sourced from Forbes

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Forrester: Brands Shouldn’t Bail on Twitter Altogether

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By David Cohen

The research firm suggests treating the beleaguered platform like an emerging channel

A new report from Forrester, “Twitter Isn’t Canceled; It’s Downgraded,” stresses that Twitter is far more relevant to users than advertisers and provides suggestions on how marketers should treat the platform moving forward.

Forrester data reveals that 22% of online adults in the U.S. used Twitter weekly in 2022, well behind Facebook (63%) and Instagram (40%).

The company said in the introduction to its report, “Twitter ranks highly on the cultural relevancy scale but low on the advertiser priority list. It’s where news breaks, politicians debate, activists organize and niche communities meet. And despite Twitter users threatening to leave the platform, application downloads are up since Elon Musk took over. No other social media platform—not even Reddit, Mastodon or Hive—can replace Twitter for consumers.”

Principal analyst Kelsey Chickering delved further into the advertising side in a blog post, writing, “The advertising community has given Twitter more oxygen than it deserves since Elon Musk took over. The reality is that Twitter has never been a critical media channel in the overall media mix, comprising just 1.3% of 2022 digital ad spend based on Forrester’s 2022 Advertising Forecast, U.S. Why? The ad experience on Twitter has never quite caught up with other ‘legacy’ social media platforms such as Meta’s family of apps. According to media buyers and social media strategists who spoke with Forrester, Twitter doesn’t quite deliver on lower-funnel performance.”

Forrester said in the report that advertising executives it spoke with believe Twitter’s direct-response ad products pale in comparison to those from Meta when it comes to meeting lower-funnel media goals, and they only rely on Twitter for mid- to upper-funnel media goals like awareness and consideration.

Advertisers also told Forrester Twitter’s targeting and personalization capabilities are less mature than those of other social media platforms.

Forrester suggested that marketers treat Twitter as an emerging channel within the advertising maturity spectrum, breaking out that spectrum as follows:

Always on:

  • Meta: Ad formats for every part of the customer lifecycle and proven performance

Campaign-dependent:

  • Pinterest: Original Pin formats still useful but finding its way in video and commerce
  • Snap: Leader in augmented reality and advanced in providing creative resources to brands
  • LinkedIn: Top channel to capture consumers when they’re in a business mindset

Test and learn:

  • Reddit: Rising star in advertising capabilities and advanced in brand safety
  • TikTok: Social media’s darling but hard to succeed without creator partnerships
  • Twitter: Unevolved ad experience and growing brand safety concerns, but still offers a unique experience for live updates and news

The research firm added that marketers should consider the following questions when planning for the remainder of 2023:

  • Will my brand consistently appear in a space that complies with our safety guidelines? Forrester noted that Twitter’s policy on brand safety and moderation is a moving target at best, suggesting that as these policies change, brands should evaluate them against their own overall digital media brand safety guidelines.
  • To what degree is my target audience spending significant time on Twitter? Forrester said even if an advertiser’s target audience loved Twitter before, they may be shopping around, so brands should determine if their time on Twitter is growing or waning and whether they’ve transferred that time to other platforms.
  • What share of social media spend has Twitter historically held on my media plan? If Twitter hasn’t taken up a large portion of a company’s media spend to date, the dollars are probably easily absorbed elsewhere.
  • What material impact has Twitter had on our business results? Forrester believes advertisers should look at whether they have seen a dip in brand health metrics or sales after shifting their Twitter budget to other channels.
  • Does Twitter deliver an ad or user experience that’s not available on other platforms? Forrester suggests keeping a pulse on Twitter’s changing ad experience and whether other channels can deliver on a brand’s goals and audience.

Chickering wrote in the blog post, “Advertisers such as Chevrolet and Chipotle paused their Twitter spend for fear of appearing beside extremist, racist and inflammatory content. The Washington Post found ads for over 40 advertisers on white nationalist Twitter pages recently reinstated by Musk. At the same time, not every major advertiser has decided that Twitter is unsafe. Amazon continues to run paid media on the platform. Musk also introduced a ‘flash sale’ in an attempt to lure lost advertisers back.”

She suggested that brands that are not comfortable with Twitter in its current state under Musk:

  • Refrain from posting any brand content to Twitter. Direct social media teams’ efforts to other channels that meet brand safety requirements.
  • Monitor and respond to customer-service-related questions. If customers are reaching out for help or have questions about products, continue responding in order to ensure a positive customer experience.
  • Listen for relevant cultural trends or product feedback. As usage continues on the platform, use social listening tools to find out what trends are popping and how consumers are talking about your company’s category to inform your marketing strategy.
  • Test other social media channels. Twitter has downshifted into a social media startup rather than an established platform. Roll your previously dedicated Twitter dollars into a pool of test dollars for channels including TikTok, Reddit and Snapchat.

Finally, Forrester shared the reasons cited in a survey last November of 101 adults in the U.S. who stopped using Twitter or planned to do so in the next month:

  • 31% found content on the platform to be too hateful
  • 29% said there were too many bots or fake accounts
  • 28% found content on the platform to be too political
  • 21% didn’t like the amount of misinformation being spread
  • 21% thought the platform’s moderation process was too strict
  • 18% felt they needed to stop for their mental health
  • 17% don’t support Musk as Twitter’s new owner and CEO

Feature Image Credit: tanyamcclure/iStock

By David Cohen

David Cohen is editor of Adweek’s Social Pro Daily.

Sourced from ADWEEK

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Welcome to the age of social SEO: how to maximize visibility on TikTok searches

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By Beth Simpson

More people are turning to social media, not least vertical video behemoth TikTok, for search queries far beyond entertainment. Beth Simpson of Connective3 tells us how to reach those searchers.

For years Google has held over 90% of the search engine market share. TikTok, meanwhile, labels itself as an entertainment platform, rather than a search engine. However, the latest research shows a shift in consumer behaviour, with 40% of 18-24-year-olds now turning to TikTok rather than Google for searches.

This shift should prompt brands to think about their own SEO strategies on the channel to ensure visibility across all aspects of the app, across all ends of the funnel.

The future of social SEO

In recent months we have seen a shift in consumer behavior, driven by gen Z wanting a more visual representation of what they are searching for. TikTok can fulfil these desires by providing short-form, quick, to-the-point videos as search results.

TikTok also allows people to produce user-generated content providing reviews, tips and advice on products and services. This appears to be the future of social SEO, with 79% of users admitting that UGC impacts their purchase decisions. Users are turning to TikTok for a more authentic experience, sharing content with like-minded individuals. TikTok operates by word of mouth, which we know 92% of consumers trust above other forms of advertising.

Understanding the algorithm

What distinguishes TikTok from other social channels is its algorithm. The algorithm quickly learns what type of content users want to consume, and displays content accordingly. If these preferences change overtime, the algorithm will adapt.

But what factors influence the algorithm? The largest influence is user engagement: accounts you follow, likes, comments, shares and saves. The algorithm also works with keywords in video captions, hashtags and audios to identify what videos are about and assess what content you may be interested in.

Joining the search

TikTok is an enormous contributor of new customers to all sorts of brands. Your marketing strategy on TikTok should be a combination of both paid ads and SEO; this will help you leverage new audiences across the funnel.

With search ads beginning to roll out across the channel, there is yet another opportunity to get in front of your target audience, with a high purchase intent. However, this is based on intent through search queries, rather than user behaviour (in comparison to standard social ads).

Effective SEO strategies on TikTok: 4 steps

This is still a very new feature to TikTok, which gives brands the opportunity to test, learn and make mistakes while cost per mile (CPM) is still low. Your first priority is to understand your audience and what they are searching for, understanding their intent.

Second, research and understand the keywords your audience will be searching for and capitalize on this. Consider search volume and relevance.

Third, Incorporate keywords into your video. In September 2022, TikTok increased post descriptions from 300 characters to 2,200, allowing brands to make their videos more discoverable and reach a larger audience. Don’t forget to incorporate hashtags.

Finally, as with all marketing strategies, learn from your mistakes and continue to test. TikTok search tools are constantly evolving, and new features are being implemented. Don’t be afraid to try new things and see what drives results for your brand.

While TikTok remains a relatively new space to test, now is the time for brands to make mistakes and develop a strategy that works while remains low. There is also a huge opportunity for brands to get ahead of competitors who have not yet established a presence on the channel and get in front of a new audience. An SEO strategy should therefore be just as important as a creative strategy when it comes to being successful on TikTok.

Feature Image Credit: Firmbee / Pixabay

By Beth Simpson

Sourced from The Drum

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Following in Amazon’s Footsteps, MercadoLibre Just Made a Genius Move

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By Jeremy Bowman

MercadoLibre could have a multibillion-dollar profit stream on its hands.

Plenty of companies like to compare themselves to Amazon (AMZN 2.99%), and sometimes the comparisons are apt. Take MercadoLibre (MELI 5.72%), for example.

The leading Latin American e-commerce company operates with a similar playbook to Amazon’s, often with great success. Like Amazon, MercadoLibre operates both a first-party e-commerce business and a third-party marketplace, meaning the company sells its own products and allows other vendors to sell on its platform.

It also layers other complementary businesses on top of that, most notably Mercado Pago, its digital payments platform, which also reaches brick-and-mortar businesses through its point-of-sale machines. And like Amazon, it has its own logistics operation, Mercado Envios, as well as a lending arm, Mercado Credito, and even an asset management business, Mercado Fondo.

MercadoLibre has quietly launched a new Amazon-like business, advertising, and the early results are promising.

Bring on the ads

In its third-quarter earnings report, management said that MercadoLibre’s ads business reached 1.3% of gross merchandise volume (GMV), up from 0.9% in the quarter a year ago. Considering that GMV grew 31.5% to $8.6 billion in the quarter, that means that ad revenue nearly doubled in the quarter, reaching $112 million. That might sound insignificant, but it’s more than 4% of MercadoLibre’s third-quarter revenue.

Management also said that it’s accelerating its investments in advertising, moving more engineers to that segment to improve the product with better automation and personalization. And it expects those investments to increase ad sales and profitability. Growth in the ads business also helped improve its e-commerce take rate and its overall profitability as operating margin reached 11% in the quarter.

On the earnings call, chief financial officer (CFO) Pedro Arnt said that it rolled out many of the new ad tools at the end of the month, implying that growth in the ads business should accelerate in the fourth quarter.

Arnt also explained the appeal of advertising, saying, “I think what we see in the third quarter is just the natural evolution of an advertising business that there’s very strong demand for despite the macro backdrop given where we play along the conversion funnel.” The conversion funnel is an e-commerce term that describes the different stages in a buyer’s journey toward a purchase.

Like Amazon does, Arnt sees MercadoLibre providing valuable real estate for the brands that advertise on its platform since customers generally come to MercadoLibre knowing what they want to buy.

In fact, Amazon’s own CFO, Brian Olsavsky, made a similar statement about the strength of its advertising business on his company’s third-quarter earnings call: “Advertisers are looking for effective advertising, and our advertising is at the point where consumers are ready to spend.”

Both Amazon and MercadoLibre benefit from being at the bottom of the conversion funnel since advertisers want to be at the point of purchase.

Why ads are a big deal

Amazon’s advertising business is only a decade old, but it’s become a juggernaut for the e-commerce giant, on track to generate more than $30 billion in revenue this year. Though Amazon doesn’t break out profits in its ads business, it almost certainly generates high margins based on the performance of digital ad peers like Google and Facebook, which generate operating margins of 30% or better from advertising.

With a 30% operating margin, Amazon’s ad business would bring in about $10 billion in operating income this year. Its own advertising business has also proved to be more resilient than that of Alphabet‘s Google or Meta Platforms‘ Facebook in part due to its position at the bottom of the funnel. And MercadoLibre’s ad business has performed well in a challenging environment, too, as Arnt’s comments above indicate.

MercadoLibre is just starting to go down the same path as Amazon, and its recent investments in its ad products should only accelerate its growth. Amazon’s advertising revenue is about 5% of its estimated $600 billion in annual GMV, so 5% of GMV seems like a reasonable goal for MercadoLibre’s ad business as well. With its GMV now at an annual run rate of $34 billion, that would be equal to $1.7 billion in ad revenue, or roughly $500 million in operating income, assuming a 30% operating margin.

MercadoLibre’s e-commerce business is still growing rapidly, and it would only need to grow 25% annually to triple over the next five years. If the company hit that 5% target in five years, assuming GMV triples, it would have $1.5 billion in operating income from advertising.

Considering MercadoLibre had just $685 million in operating income in the first three quarters of 2022, that shows advertising could have a huge impact on the bottom line.

With profitability already surging and the company posting strong growth in a difficult environment, the emergence of the ad business is one more reason to buy the stock while it’s still on sale.

Should you invest $1,000 in MercadoLibre right now?

Before you consider MercadoLibre, you’ll want to hear this.

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just revealed their 10 Best Buys Now… and MercadoLibre wasn’t one of them.

Feature Image Credit: Getty Images.

By Jeremy Bowman

Sourced from The Motley Fool

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It’s Time for Advertising to Try Harder, Again

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By Vida Cornelius

A blueprint for making cultural progress in 2023

We are 63 years past what advertising historian and author Lawrence Dobrow’s book referred to as “The Golden Age of Advertising.” An era where creativity abounded amidst the backdrop of dramatic economic and societal changes, human rights activism, and a burgeoning interest in alternative lifestyles. What was once the product-as-hero creative style of the 1950s was evolved by creative minds welding the emotive power, persuasion, irony and cynicism of changing times. Bill Bernbach famously penned the word “Lemon” in a single-word headline to describe the Volkswagen Beetle, starting a creative revolution.

Advertising’s creative minds gave birth to the spokesperson, the mascot and the brand personality. These fictitious characters entered our homes, their shiny, smiling faces stared back at us every time we opened our pantry. They took up space in our consciousness, to forever conjure feelings of nostalgia. Even if a mascot had overt racial or sexist overtones, we turned a blind eye to the offense. And it would take decades for the bitter history behind those characters to be challenged. Because in 1960, unlike in 2023, we just wanted to eat those pancakes in the box.

Advertising creativity evolved again in the 1970s and ’80s with the support of consumer insights. It went beyond staking a claim on demographics to owning and manipulating our psychographics. Insights became the fertile ground to plant creative seeds. Pepsi claimed to be for the young and fun, and created the “Pepsi Generation.” This was a defining moment in how a brand and its advertising messages could shift a societal construct—redefining what it meant to be young vs. old, celebrated vs. obsolete, and in the know vs. out of touch. For brands, it made the proposition of owning a mindset, and building brand perception based on that mindset, more coveted than selling the product itself.

Fast forward to today, amid cultural conversations driving societal re-examinations of representation and equity, what is our creative responsibility now?

As history has shown us, advertising retains its power to make indelible imprints on society and on self-perception. When this power is used irresponsibly, the impact is irreparable for a brand. Trust is lost, credibility is annihilated, and regaining a position of relevance is an arduous, upward, often unsuccessful climb. But advertising creativity, when held in conscious, empathetic hands, has the unique ability to not only reflect society but to course-correct its ills and potentially shapeshift them into a more enlightened, inclusive standard. The 1990s mantra of “Just Do It” encouraged us to run more than the corporate “rat race,” but shifted to running as a source of joy.

Our responsibility now is to use culture to guide us toward unearthing the unseen moments of innovation and inclusion that exist. We must look beyond the familiar, to make way for stories that are complex, varied and truly representative of the whole of humanity. Apple’s “The Greatest” sheds an empowered light on accessibility by dialing down the limitation of disabilities to celebrate the exponential possibilities. We are better brand stewards if we do the work to understand consumer voices of all walks of life and at all times of life, not just when there is a “bandwagon cultural moment.” The last three years have forced us to reflect on how we see the world around us and participate in cultural conversations we were never invited into before. As creators, our job is not to be opportunistic but to always see where an opportunity for understanding is needed and make a path for it. To bring divergent points of view, histories and experiences together, and to create thoughtfully shared realities.

As creatives, we must push our craft and guide our clients to try harder:

  • Try harder, at being conscious and inclusive by delivering purposeful, representative storytelling.
  • Try harder, at knowing how to hold UP the mirror versus trying to BE the mirror of customers.
  • Try harder, at making an impact by showing up with a purpose to serve society first, not themselves.

Make “action” the strategy. When a brand is committed to being creatively conscious by design, only then can they lean into the spaces and sometimes uncomfortable places where their actions and voices can authentically be heard, be useful, and empathize with the consumers they aspire to serve.

Committing to building conscious creative is how we move forward and how we make advertising truly try harder, again.

By Vida Cornelius

Vida Cornelius is VP creative at New York Times Advertising.

Sourced from Muse by Clio

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12 Easy Steps To Build Your Personal Brand On Social Media

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By Bernard Marr

Building and maintaining my personal brand is an important part of my job. But it’s becoming important in so many professions, way beyond the realms of influencers, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. Whether you’re an architect, entrepreneur, designer, blogger, lawyer, or whatever, your personal brand can help you stand out from the crowd and attract exciting new opportunities your way.

If you think about it, you already have a personal brand. Everyone has one. If a potential employer or client were to Google your name, they’d probably find your LinkedIn and social media profiles, perhaps followed by any news articles featuring your name or any other websites that mention you. What impression would someone get of you based on the search results? This, essentially, is your personal brand. It’s your online reputation.

Personal branding means taking control of your online reputation and shaping it, so people see you in the way you want to be seen.

So, if you search for my name online, you’ll see my own website, then my latest tweets, my LinkedIn profile, my YouTube channel, and then my other social media profiles. Even just a quick glance at these results is enough to tell you I’m an expert in future technologies, digital transformation, and driving business performance. You’ll see the same (professional) photos of me and read the same voice (mine). All of that contributes to my brand. It’s consistent. It tells a story about who I am and what I do.

Of course, social media isn’t the only way to establish your brand, but it does play a huge role. Here are 12 ways you can use social media to your advantage and sharpen your personal brand.

1. First things first, get your profiles in order. Add a professional, up-to-date photo to your social media profiles, using the same photo across different platforms to ensure consistency. Then clean up your profiles by deleting any content that you wouldn’t want potential employers or clients to see. (You can always maintain a private profile for sharing personal things that you don’t want employers or clients to see.)

2. Be yourself. While you want to cultivate a professional brand, it’s important to let your personality shine through in your social media posts. Write in the way you’d normally speak. Be authentic. Be honest. Talk about things that really matter to you (rather than trying to hop on the latest trends). And don’t pretend to be someone you’re not. This is all part of ensuring your brand stays consistent.

3. Share what you’re learning. Something that I’ve found impactful – and easy – is sharing interesting and relevant news stories from my industry on social media. This really helped me build my profile and stay knowledgeable on what’s happening in my field. To keep up to date with interesting and relevant news stories, you can subscribe to industry newsletters or, even easier, set up Google alerts for certain keyword topics. Do be sure to add your own message when you share something on social media – even if it’s just “I came across this today and thought I’d share it. What do you guys think?”

4. Join industry groups on social media platforms. Then make yourself known by engaging with posts, answering questions, and liking, commenting, and sharing other people’s content in the group.

5. Be generous with your time and knowledge. Be helpful to others online by responding to questions and comments and generally engaging with them. And do take the time to like or amplify other content that you found engaging, inspiring, or useful. Basically, be reciprocal.

6. Make new contacts as often as you can, especially on LinkedIn. You can do this by identifying people you want to connect with in your field and sending a certain number of invites each week, with a short personal message. Make a habit of this, and your network will soon grow.

7. Create quick polls to pose interesting questions and boost engagement. You can always mix it up by posting a mixture of professional and more general questions.

8. Post quality photos and videos from your work life. People love visual content, so if you’re at a work conference, attending an industry event, on the way to visit a client, or whatever, share it. You can mix it up with occasional “everyday” photos and videos while still keeping it fairly professional (think your morning cup of coffee when you’re working from home, that sort of thing).

9. Really, you can post any sort of content that will help to cement your reputation – it could be advice, thought-provoking questions, excerpts from presentations you’ve given, pro tips, how-to content, or whatever.

10. If you really want to establish your expertise, consider writing longer-form articles and sharing them on LinkedIn. I did a lot of this – still do, in fact – and it has played a huge role in growing my personal brand.

11. Use cross-platform tools to make your life easier. For example, you can use a tool like Hootsuite to schedule your posts in advance and share posts across multiple platforms, such as Instagram and YouTube, all from one place. This means you can get maximum value from each piece of content without having to physically post it in multiple places.

12. Try pencilling in a specific time each day or week for social media. You may actively want to limit the amount of time you spend on social media (it can be a huge time suck). So, I find it helps to schedule posts in advance and block out specific times to check in with social media, reply to comments, and see other people’s posts.

Feature Image Credit: Adobe Stock

By Bernard Marr

Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, blockchains, and the Internet of Things. Why don’t you connect with Bernard on Twitter (@bernardmarr), LinkedIn (https://uk.linkedin.com/in/bernardmarr) or instagram (bernard.marr)?

Sourced from Forbes

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The Harsh Reality About Lead Generation and Why It Still Matters For Business Growth

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Despite popular opinion, social media is not the answer to all your lead generation. Here are five other ways to use contact information to nurture and convert leads successfully.

Not all lead generation is created equal. As digital marketing continues to evolve, marketers are doubling down on social media. While those platforms may be great for brand awareness, they still fall short regarding one of the most critical growth metrics for a budding business — engaging your audience.

One of the biggest reasons creating engagement is tough on these platforms comes down to supply and demand — every friend, family member and company is also on these platforms, competing for your potential customer’s attention. There’s a lot of noise, and the algorithm ultimately decides who sees what.

Building an audience and selling to them is essential for any company to grow, which is why business owners need to focus on generating leads through channels they own and control.

Critical metrics for business success

We know that to sell to a potential customer or an existing one, you need to be able to reach them. We can identify success in reaching our leads by tracking engagement and open rates.

Instagram users will spend an average of 30 minutes daily on the platform. While that’s a significant amount of time, businesses aren’t getting that much of their attention. According to BazaarVoice, the average reach rate for brands with large followings is 12% for posts and 2% for stories. The median engagement rate across all industries on Facebook is 0.08%.

Those numbers are sobering and a big wake-up call for small businesses and startups spending energy and budget trying to drive revenue through organic social media channels. Instead, let’s focus on the channels we own and can control.

Controlling the conversation with leads

When you build an email list, you own those emails and have a direct way to communicate with your audience — but it’s not the only way. You can also capture a person’s phone number or address. The key is gathering contact information so you can communicate 1:1 instead of relying on an algorithm.

Here are a few ways that you can use contact information to nurture and convert leads successfully:

  • Email. A survey conducted by Mailchimp tells us that the average open rate for emails across industries is just over 21%. While reaching only a fraction of the audience that you worked so hard to build may feel frustrating, this is a reality marketers must face. It highlights the importance of continually growing your audience. (i.e., 20% of 1,000 means you have the attention of 200 people. 20% of 10,000 means you have the attention of 2,000 people.) Email remains one of the strongest channels for nurturing and converting leads. There are many strategies you can use to increase your open rates and improve the effectiveness of your email blasts.
  • SMS. Text messaging has open rates as high as 98%. Consumers spend more and more time with their phones, so it’s easy to see why sending text messages would be the most effective way to reach them. SMS is an excellent channel for communicating with your customers and potential customers if you are intentional about the messages you send and how often you send them.
  • Social advertising. While it may be tough to reach your audience organically through social media, that’s not quite the case with advertising on social media. You can create an audience on Facebook’s platform with your email list. This will allow you to put your advertisements directly in front of the people who have purchased from you in the past or have already expressed interest in your brand.
  • Community platform. It’s tough to overstate the importance of community when growing a brand. If you can create a space where your customers can connect and get extra value from the brand, it’s a win-win for everyone. Within this space, you’ll have a direct line to share updates with community members or send them direct messages if needed. Platforms like Circle and Mighty Networks are great for housing your brand’s community.
  • Direct mail. Traditional marketing strategies like direct mail have fallen out of favor recently, but the pandemic has changed this in many ways. Spending more time on their devices, potential customers are overwhelmed with seemingly similar content. Sending an intelligent, targeted campaign via direct mail can be a fresh and fun way to capture their attention.

Social media can be a great tool for building an audience. Still, if your audience is only accessible via social media, you are always at risk of losing control of the conversation.

If Instagram shuts down tomorrow, you can’t reach that massive audience you worked so hard to build. If TikTok decides to prioritize advertising in the future, your organic reach could disappear overnight.

Businesses in today’s digital climate, it must be a top priority to move prospects from social media to a place where the business can capture contact information. Nurturing potential customers via direct communication will help you build trust, value, and community, ultimately leading to sales and growth in your business.

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10 Ways You Are Ruining Your Personal Brand

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Do you minimize the worth of your brand? If you’re doing the following, you could be doing it.

Increasing your personal brand’s value in the eyes of your prospects, in-person or virtually, is the goal of brand building. Prospects will be more eager to pay more for your goods and services and more devoted to your brand, and the value of your rivals’ brands will seem less valued in contrast to the more valuable your brand is regarded to be.

Unfortunately, many people (personal brands) systematically undervalue themselves without even being aware of it. And before they even understand what is happening, their brand has lost all value, and it will be tough to get it back.

Do you minimize the worth of your brand? If you’re doing the following, you could be doing it.

1. Having a poor presentation

Your audience’s attention will be lost due to poor presentation flow. People will have difficulty understanding you, and rather than trying to figure out what you’re saying, they will tune you out.

When a presentation has a natural flow, and the information is organized logically, it is simpler to express your argument. When your sales executives’ presentation abilities are lacking, your sales proposals lose their effectiveness, and you fall short of your sales goals, affecting your revenues and brand development.

In addition, it affects repeat business, cash flows and lost opportunities when your personal brand fails to make an impressive presentation to customers and investors.

2. Poor grooming and hygiene

Qualifications, experience and skills all matter, but so is how your brand is presented. Who we are is revealed by how we look. Perceptions matter and personal brand grooming should project a professional image at work.

Therefore, we must pay close attention to how we look (visual image) and stand (body language). Style and discipline come together to make up grooming. Maintaining personal cleanliness is essential for a variety of reasons — personal, social, health, psychological or just as a matter of everyday living.

To make a good impression and get respect at work (and in life), one must maintain proper grooming and a professional look. First impressions count, and how businesses present themselves and behave impacts current and potential customers.

All brands value professional appearance and proper grooming. The absence of these may result in a negative perception and interfere with the company’s reputation and brand.

3. Letting yourself get behind the times

Your competition will overtake you as soon as you stop moving forward and trying to better your goods and services. You cannot simply take it easy.

Prospects now have more options than ever, and your rivals constantly look for ways to outdo you and gain an advantage. To keep your brand valuable and relevant, you must continue innovating.

4. Being a sell-out

Ever had a favourite brand that abruptly altered its sound and shot to fame? We all detest it when it occurs, known as selling out.

Unfortunately, businesses also carry out this. They begin seeking financial gain, and to win over more clients, they alter their identities and compromise their values. You lose the trust of your devoted customers when you betray your brand interest to increase your income, which eventually destroys the value of your brand.

5. Offering too many deals

Most brands frequently lower their pricing with special discounts to attract more customers. With the advent of daily deal websites like Groupon and LivingSocial, you’re starting to see this even more. When you run too many sales, buyers begin to think that your product is only worth the sale price, not the total price, since they see you selling it at such a low price.

People also do this. Never undersell your value; it will damage your reputation.

6. Social media conduct: inflammatory content

Social media networks, mainly those often targeted toward a kind of media that favours a broadcast approach, such as Twitter or Instagram, are one of the most open spaces where your behaviour will be on show.

This shouldn’t, at its most fundamental level, offend anyone. However, it is up to you and your organization to decide whether to individually reveal any sensitive information, such as your opinions on social or political topics.

Sharing material about divisive issues frequently runs the danger of alienating a portion of your audience. On the other hand, consumers like businesses that take a stand, which has sparked the growth of value-led branding tactics.

7. Inconsistency

Maintaining a consistent persona across your targeted social media outlets is crucial since muddled messages and a confused persona may be highly detrimental to your company.

In addition, a consistent identity across your online presence must also extend to how you act in person; otherwise, your performance at a networking event or business meeting may quickly undercut it. Tone, style, and substance are all governed by consistency.

8. Lack of professionalism

The perception of unprofessionalism might be highly detrimental to your brand.

Although various types of behaviour might be considered unprofessional, general guidelines disallow excessive alcohol use, sexual or improper statements and insulting behaviour.

In addition, remember that rumours can spread quickly, so inappropriate conduct in a low-stakes setting could be reported promptly to more significant individuals.

9. Wardrobe – your visual power

What you see is what you get when it comes to branding. That is, at least, how prospective consumers will feel. It’s up to the brand to gain that type of trust. They won’t have any reason to give a visually unappealing brand the benefit of the doubt. A brand’s visual identity is “what you see” in branding.

First impressions are crucial and always will be, especially while developing and growing your personal brand. Whether you like it or not, your work outfit reflects who you are and how you do business.

10. Lack of direction

Consider the audience that your branding is intended to reach. Trying to please everyone is a definite way to lose a reputation. Instead, choose and stick to a specialty, then use this niche to find related content and create relevant networks in-person and on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter.

Conclusion

Developing your brand would be a fatal blow because its worth should increase along with your career or business’s growth. But unfortunately, any of these outcomes are possible.

For your insurance, you must be alert and take all necessary precautions to safeguard your personal and business brand against these potential sources of brand depreciation.

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10 Powerful Digital Marketing Examples to Inspire You (2023)

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By Marisa Murgatroyd

So, you’re after a few digital marketing examples to inspire your next campaign.

You understand the need for a digital marketing presence, as every statistic you see points towards it…

But where do you start?

Luckily, I’ve picked some of the best examples to get your creative juices flowing.

Let’s jump in!

1. Volkswagen Beetle: The Last Mile

In 2019, Volkswagen (VW) sought to give the iconic Beetle the send-off it deserved after 80 years of production.

They created the digital marketing masterpiece, “The Last Mile.”

You only need to watch the first 30 seconds to be drawn in by its relatable family story.

But why is this a powerful digital marketing example?

What Makes Volkswagen’s Digital Marketing Example So Powerful

Well, where do you begin?

You’re already captivated by its moving story, imagery, and elements of nostalgia.

You’re engaged.

But, the online video was only the beginning…

The campaign included an interactive website where you could “Build Your Own Beetle.”

Further engagement.

Also, VW prompted users to share their designs via social media, creating a sense of community and buzz around the brand.

Engagement times 100, plus increased brand awareness!

What You Can Takeaway from Volkswagen

Yet, what can you takeaway from this?

VW effectively utilized multiple online channels to engage its consumers.

They tapped into social media and leveraged the Beetle’s history and nostalgia to create an emotional connection with their target audience. It generated a sense of community unlike any other.

So, understand your target audience and create content that resonates with them.

2. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

In 2014, The “Ice Bucket Challenge” was born.

The ALS Association produced a social media masterclass to raise awareness and funds to support research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The challenge went viral.

It was a fun and light hearted way to raise awareness about a serious illness.

Everyone from your next-door neighbour to Bill Gates participated.

But why?

What Makes ALS’s Digital Marketing Example So Powerful

For one, they kept it simple.

The challenge was easy to understand and participate in.

Simply sit (or stand) and wait anxiously for a bucket of cold icy water to be poured over you.

Easy…

It evoked many crazy reactions, each with an element of comedy and competition.

Secondly, ALS added a clever call to action (CTA) at the end of each video — nominating others, via social media, to take the challenge.

People nominated friends, family and influencers. It enabled ALS to expand their reach and quickly gain popularity.

What You Can Takeaway from ALS

Regardless of your niche, the “Ice Bucket Challenge” shows you can raise awareness and drive engagement around anything.

Ensure your content is straightforward and resonates with your target audience.

Equally, your content should have a crystal clear CTA.

3. Red Bull’s Stratos Campaign

The highly innovative Red Bull Stratos campaign captured the imagination of viewers by enlisting the help of Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner.

In 2012, he jumped from a helium-filled balloon 39 kilometres above the earth’s surface…

Setting a new world record and becoming the first free-falling human to break the sound barrier.

It became the world’s most-viewed live stream event.

What Makes Red Bull’s Digital Marketing Example So Powerful

Yet, why was the “mission to the edge of space” a resounding success?

The hype was real.

Red Bull took to social media to build anticipation for the event.

Not only that, content was king.

They produced a lot…

From a dedicated website full of in-depth statistics to daily updates leading to the live event — readers felt like they were part of the mission.

Moreover, they encouraged readers to share at every opportunity, using hashtags.

The result…

#LIVEJUMP and #STRATOS was trending.

What You Can Takeaway from Red Bull

Red Bull thought outside the box and created a blockbuster campaign that piqued the interest of even the most sceptical of readers.

But it’s not achievable by all.

Yet the lessons are…

Quality content is king.

So, understand your product and continually provide great content that impacts your users.

4. Dove’s Reverse Selfie

In 2021, Dove launched its Reverse Selfie campaign to combat the increasing pressure on young people to look their best online.

The YouTube video features a 13-year-old girl who drastically modifies her appearance before posting a selfie on social media.

As the title suggests, Dove cleverly reversed the editing process to give viewers a glimpse of the number of modifications.

Ending at the beginning.

What Makes Dove’s Digital Marketing Example So Powerful

Dove headed straight to the root cause…

Social media.

They repurposed snippets of the video on Instagram, posted shocking statistics, and sought the help of influencers to boost awareness.

It worked.

Viewers were emotionally charged — many shared unedited photos of themselves and encouraged others to do the same.

#TheSelfieTalk

What You Can Takeaway from Dove

Dove zoomed in and focused on one digital platform…

Social media.

Specifically, Instagram because of its focus on sharing photos.

So, you should too.

Don’t spread yourself too thin.

Pick a digital marketing platform that fits your demographic.

For example, if your brand has a strong visual element, promoting through Instagram or Pinterest may be more beneficial than LinkedIn.

5. Blendtec’s Will It Blend?

Founder of Blendtec, Tom Dickson, created the Will It Blend video series to spice up the appeal of the blender.

It consists of Tom adding unusual items to show off its ability…

Have you ever wondered if your iPhone would blend?

Or even your Amazon Echo when Alexa decides to play a completely different tune to the one you asked for?

What Makes Blendtec’s Digital Marketing Example So Powerful

But what makes Will It Blend a content marketing hit?

Well, each video packs a punch…

The YouTube videos are short and simple yet authentic and entertaining.

This creative recipe draws the viewer in and you really do wonder — @willitblend?

Also, the tag prompts viewers to interact at every opportunity by sharing suggestions.

Plus, Blendtec ensures you don’t miss it. They’ve added the tag to the Youtube channel logo, each video, and webpage.

What You Can Takeaway from Blendtec

Blendtec thought outside the box to increase brand awareness using video marketing and social sharing.

Plus, they’ve proven that you don’t need a flashy, high-cost video campaign to capture your audience’s attention.

So, grab your smartphone and start recording content that peaks your audience’s interest.

6. Smart Blogger’s Affiliate Marketing

Smart Blogger’s affiliate marketing efforts are a prime example of digital marketing done correctly.

Furthermore, they highlight a key point that is worth remembering when considering affiliate marketing:

“You’re earning a commission in exchange for giving readers valuable insights on products or services they were already thinking about purchasing.”

Great!

So what can we learn from one of the world’s largest websites dedicated to writing and blogging…

What Makes Smart Blogger’s Digital Marketing Example So Powerful

Well, Smart Blogger backs up its key point by offering exactly as they state:

Giving readers valuable insights.

Whether it’s a specific review for a product or a collection of products, they ensure value is at the forefront of everything they do.

They soft sell through education.

What You Can Takeaway from Smart Blogger

Smart Blogger proves you don’t have to head straight for the hard sell with ads plastered over your page.

Instead, opt for the soft sell.

Educate.

Offer a resource and tools webpage with snippets of golden information…

Or dive in and create custom content that provides value to your audience.

7. Buffer’s Guest Blogging

Buffer is a social media toolkit for small businesses.

So, why are we talking about guest blogging?

Because they used this content marketing technique to rapidly grow their user base, and we can learn a few things…

What Makes Buffer’s Digital Marketing Example So Powerful

Buffer took a proactive approach.

They continually sought out and pitched to sites that fit their target audience. Knowing that writing for them will help establish themselves as an authority.

Not only that, consistency and personalization were vital.

Guest posting daily, building momentum, and establishing long-term relationships with others transformed Buffer into an industry leader.

What You Can Takeaway from Buffer

The key takeaway is to find out which digital marketing channel works for you and double down.

Don’t spread yourself too thin.

If you choose content marketing and find guest blogging is for you, great!

But don’t reinvent the wheel. Send out personalized messages to find opportunities and follow up with quality content.

8. Old Spice’s The Man Your Man Could Smell Like

Old Spice was predominantly associated with the scent of older men.

But that changed in 2010 when they launched the YouTube video, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.”

It went viral.

Old Spice’s website traffic grew by a whopping 300%, and the brand became the #1 body wash for men.

But how did this simple form of content marketing garner such a response?

What Makes Old Spice’s Digital Marketing Example So Powerful

Old Spice used a clever mix of humor and marketing know-how to appeal to its target audience.

But that’s not all.

They backed up their immediate success and kept the viral ball rolling by interacting with their audience on social media in real-time.

Users posted questions and the “Old Spice Guy” answered with personalized videos.

What more could you ask for?

What You Can Takeaway from XYZ

The key takeaway is it’s not enough to create a piece of digital content and expect a response — even if it’s positive.

Follow up, continually engage with your audience, and leave a positive, lasting impression.

Go that extra mile…

Personalize your interactions, and if you can, promptly respond in real-time.

9. Dollar Shave Club’s Our Blades Are Great

In 2012, Dollar Shave Club (DSC) shook up the male grooming industry.

They infused humour into a seemingly dull product.

And the result…

An instant hit.

Their YouTube video amassed millions of views and continues to be shared across social media.

What Makes DSC’s Digital Marketing Example So Powerful

DSC jumped on the social media bandwagon early.

They knew the marketing and advertising space was shifting to its digital counterpart and created content to suit.

Equally, they knew their target audience and products’ unique selling point.

As a result, “Our Blades are F***ing Great” was born on YouTube.

Choosing the digital platform allowed DSC to interact and engage with its audience.

Also, it allowed users to share through social channels easily.

What You Can Takeaway from DSC

Yet, what can you takeaway from this experience?

Adopting change in your niche is crucial.

Whether it’s technology-based or simply a shift in customer demand, you should pivot.

Doing so will allow you to tailor your content and give your customers what they desire.

10. Apple’s Shot On iPhone

Primarily targeting Instagram, Apple’s Shot On iPhone created a digital marketing storm.

They took the term “customer engagement” to a new level with a simple challenge to their audience…

Use your iPhone to capture a photo and submit it by sharing on social media using: #ShotOniPhone

What Makes Apple’s Digital Marketing Example So Powerful

Apple proved your digital marketing campaign can be simple when showcasing a product or service.

They planted a basic idea and allowed their audience to do the rest through participation.

This engagement was vital to building a loyal fanbase.

As a result, Apple’s reach grew, which allowed their product to be viewed by millions of users on digital channels.

What You Can Takeaway from Apple

Apple effectively used digital marketing channels to showcase its product and build brand awareness through customer engagement.

So, take a proactive approach and prompt your audience to participate in your campaign.

What challenge could you present to your audience?

What’s a Great Digital Marketing Example I Missed?

You’ve made it!

So, it’s time…

Time to take action and consider which digital marketing example will inspire your next campaign.

By Marisa Murgatroyd

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