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How Do People Find Your Blog? With Tips to Keep Them Coming Back

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By Steve Allen

Can you imagine starting a blog and having no one read your articles?

Maybe you’ve already written some, but you’re unsure how people will find them.

In this post, I’ll show you all the places people can find your blog and what you can do to improve your blog’s exposure.

You’ll learn:

  • How to get seen on social media including YouTube and LinkedIn
  • Increase your visibility on search engines like Google
  • Get more traffic from other blogs
  • Get visitors from forums and Q&A sites like Reddit and Quora

The best part?

You’ll know exactly how people can find your blog AND how to keep them coming back, convince them to join your email list, and transform them into loyal followers.

Let’s dive right in.

How Do People Find Your Blog on Google?

People will find your blog on Google in two ways:

  1. Organic results
  2. Paid results

Paid results are shown at the top of the page, like this:

And organic results show below:

To get your blog to show up under a paid search result, you’ll need to join the Google Ads platform.

It works by listing keywords you want your blog to show up for and paying Google each time someone clicks on your ad.

The cost of clicks will depend on your niche and the competition of the keywords you choose.

On average, ads get clicked 19% of the time compared to the rest of the page.

Organic Results

If you want Google to display your blog posts in the organic search results, then you need to optimise your blog for Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Organic results are free, but will take longer to show up.

To get the most organic blog traffic, you’ll want to show up in position one.

Here’s a breakdown of how many people click through the organic search results:

And here’s how you do it.

  • Then make sure you include your keyword in article titles and throughout the post.
  • For best results, publish as much content as you can around the same topic.

This will build up topical relevance for your entire blog and help you rank more of your articles higher in Google.

Another way to optimize your blog to increase your rankings is to get backlinks from other bloggers (more on this later).

How Do People Find Your Blog on Facebook?

There are four places people will see links to your blog on Facebook. They are:

  • Pages
  • Groups
  • Ads
  • Search

Facebook Ads

Like Google, Facebook ads are a great way to get your blog seen and result in more traffic.

You’ll need a page and an Ads Manager account to post ads:

An ad with the goal of sending people to your blog will cost money each time someone clicks on the URL.

Again, the costs will vary depending on a multitude of factors, but you are in complete control by setting a daily budget.

Facebook Search

Another way people can find your blog on Facebook is through the search feature.

If someone is searching for a topic relevant to a blog post you have shared on your Facebook page, they can be shown in the results.

Like this one here about growing tomatoes:

The more Facebook posts you share on your page and the more you optimize the post with the relevant keywords, eye-catching images, and engaging copy, the more traffic you’ll get from Facebook search.

Facebook Pages

Facebook pages are another excellent way to help people find your blog, build a social media following on Facebook, and drive more traffic.

Once you have a Facebook page, follow these tips to grow your engagement and drive tons of traffic to your site.

  • Post high-quality posts that grab your followers’ attention. The more engagement, the better.
  • Video has been on the rise in recent years, so why not turn your blog posts into videos and share those on your feed?
  • Recycle your best-performing posts.
  • You can also boost posts with an ad to kick-start your engagement.

Facebook Groups

Facebook groups are great for building a loyal community on Facebook and getting your blog seen by more people.

The best way to grow your reach in a Facebook group is to share a ton of value without always posting links to your blog. This will get the conversation going with other members and they will soon start promoting your stuff for you.

Then every so often, let them know about new articles to get more eyes on your blog.

Learn more about how to start a thriving Facebook group here.

How Do People Find Your Blog on YouTube?

There are quite a few ways people can discover your blog on YouTube.Here are the most effective places to link to your blog content:

  • In the video description:
  • Links in video cards:
  • In a pinned comment:
  • The end screen (you can place YouTube videos and other links here):
  • Your channel profile banner:
  • Your channel about page:

It’s a good idea to add a link to your blog and specific articles in these areas whenever you have the opportunity.

Then, you can focus on posting videos on your channel and using the YouTube algorithm in your favor to grow your engagement and reach.

Here are some ways to get the algorithm on your side to grow your channel:

Check Other Content to See What’s Already Performing Well

This helps your videos show up in the suggested sidebar when people watch videos similar to yours.

To find out what’s already performed well, go to a similar channel to yours and look at their videos with the most views.

Then open up a few of them and see which videos show up in the suggested section.

Creating videos like the ones suggested will help your own videos show up there.

Optimize Every Video

To increase the chance of your videos showing in search results, optimize your videos.

You can do that by talking about topics that people are searching for, including the keyword in the title, and saying the keyword and related terms in the video itself.

Also, make sure you add relevant keywords to the tags box under the advanced option of every video.

Niche Website Management

Keep People Engaged Throughout the Video

This is possibly the most effective way to grow your channel quickly because YouTube wants people to stay on the platform for as long as possible.

You can do this by starting your video with a pattern interrupt, a Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) technique that shifts a person out of their current state and helps them focus on what you’re saying.

Tell the viewer exactly what they’ll learn in the video early on and give them an incentive to stick around to the end.

That could be a gift you want to offer them or something insightful they will find interesting.

How Do People Find Your Blog on TikTok?

Did you know people can find your blog through your TikTok account?

It’s true.

Unfortunately, the only place you can put a link to your blog is in your bio. Not only that, but you need a business account and 1,000 followers.

There is another way to create a clickable link though, which is covered in another article called How to Add a Website To Your TikTok.

To get your first 1,000 followers so you can add a link in your bio and help people find your blog, you’ll need to post high-quality posts frequently.

Check out How to Make a Viral Video on TikTok to learn how to grow your following.

How Do People Find Your Blog on Pinterest?

There are just two places to link to your blog on Pinterest.

Standard Pins:

And your profile page:

But how do people find your blog when using Pinterest?

Like all social networks, the Pinterest algorithm determines the best content to show its users.

If you want to increase blog traffic with Pinterest, then you can improve your reach by optimizing your Pins and posting regularly.

To add your blog URL to your profile, edit your profile and enter it under the website option.

Then, linking to a blog post happens automatically when you or someone else shares your content on Pinterest.

Alternatively, you can include your blog post link when creating Pinterest Pins manually.

How Do People Find Your Blog on Twitter?

On Twitter, people can find your blog through the Tweets you post and from the link on your profile page.

Your profile:

In a Tweet:

It’s important to remember that people who use Twitter or any social network will need to grow their following to help people find their blog more frequently.

To grow your following on Twitter, follow other bloggers or influencers who are in your niche and comment on their posts with valuable insights.

The people who follow these accounts will soon start following you and find your blog that way.

People can also find your blog posts when searching for topics on Twitter.

The more you post relevant content that is well optimized, the more you’ll show up in the results.

How Do People Find Your Blog on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is the social media site for B2B professionals and business owners.

You can send traffic to your blog by placing a link on your profile page and in posts you share.

Also, make sure you create a company page for your blog because you can add a link here as well.

Then, you’ll need to grow your reach and engagement by posting content on the platform.

You can do this from your personal and company profiles. Provide original content that your connections will find useful and you’ll generate a steady flow of blog traffic.

How Do People Find Your Blog on Forums and Q&A Sites?

Want to get more traffic with Reddit or Quora?

These are also great sites where people can find your blog.

Reddit is like a modern day forum where people can discuss almost every topic under the sun.

You can create an account, add your blog URL in your bio, and join subreddits in your niche. Then share things that the users will appreciate. Some people can get thousands of visitors using Reddit.

Quora is a question-and-answer site that has become extremely popular in recent years. Instead of people having discussions on Quora, users ask questions, and bloggers, experts, and thought leaders answer them.

You can be one of those people who answer questions, sharing your perspective on topics related to your blog.

Then add a link to blog posts you’ve published that expand on the topics.

How Do People Find Your Blog Through Other Blogs?

So far, we’ve looked at all the ways people can find your blog through social media and Google search results.

But how do you get a steady flow of traffic from other blogs?

There are several ways to increase your visibility and traffic through blog marketing.

Blog marketing involves getting other bloggers to link to your content. When their readers see a link to your article, they will click through to your blog.

Here’s how you can do it.

Other Bloggers Linking to Your Content Organically

This is the most organic way to get consistent traffic from other bloggers.

The best way to accomplish this is to focus on creating quality content on your own blog.

Then, link to other bloggers’ blog posts and reach out to them, letting them know you linked to them. Some will soon return the favor and link back to your blog.

Guest Post

Another way to get links from other blogs to your blog is through guest posting.

This is where you create an article for another blogger in your niche for a link back to your blog.

Podcasts and Interviews

A little known strategy for getting links back to your blog is by being a guest on another blogger’s podcast.

They will usually link to your website, which can help grow your blog readership.

How to Get People to Read Your Blog Posts?

You can ask people to read your blog in direct ways without being pushy. The key is to write influential words that develop trust and motivate people to take action.

Here are three tips for getting people to notice your blog and read your content.

1. Focus on Great Content with Tons of Value

Learn how to create blog content and develop a consistent publishing strategy.

Make your articles as valuable as possible so your audience will read for longer and want to join your email list.

2. Hook Them with Your Titles

No matter where people see a link to your blog, you’ll need to grab their attention. To do that, use catchy headlines on social media and in email subject lines. Also, optimize your SEO titles to get more traffic from Google search results.

3. Ask Them with a Call to Action

Most people are busy and easily distracted, that’s why it’s important to prompt them to take action at every opportunity including in your social media posts, in your bios, in your blog post introductions, and in your emails.

People have doubts and need motivation to take action, so tell them what you want them to do. They will appreciate the confidence in you and see you as a leader they can trust.

Conclusion

How do people find your blog? Well, this post provided you with tons of ways – through social media, Google search results, and even places like Reddit.

Ideally, because you want people to find your blog, the most effective way to get seen in the long run is by publishing quality articles and increasing organic traffic.

Then you can focus on other means of traffic when search traffic is steady.

 

 

By Steve Allen

Sourced from Niche Pursuits

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A phishing campaign is spreading brand new malware targeting Facebook users

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By Sead Fadilpašić

Ducktail updates its arsenal with new weapons

Ducktail, a known phishing campaign that hijacks Facebook accounts running advertising campaigns for businesses, is now distributing a brand new infostealer malware.

According to researchers at according to Zscaler (opens in new tab), Ducktail previously used LinkedIn to distribute a piece of malware written in .NET Core that would steal Facebook Business account data stored in a web browser and exfiltrate it into a private Telegram channel which acted as the malware’s command & control server (C2), communicating with target systems to coordinate cyberattacks.

Now, however, Ducktail has been spotted distributing a new malware variant that can not only steal Facebook-adjacent data, but also other sensitive data stored in browsers, such as data related to cryptocurrency wallets, account information, and basic system data.

Stealing browser data

The C2 has also been changed – the data no longer goes to a Telegram channel, but rather to a JSON website that also stores account tokens and other data needed for on-device fraud.

Zscaler also claimed that the malware is being shared as an archive file uploaded to a legitimate file hosting service. The attackers, they say, made sure that the malware doesn’t get flagged by antivirus software by only loading in memory.

Users can mitigate the damage caused by Ducktail and other malware by switching to an anonymous browser, or simply making sure not to save sensitive information in their browser of choice.

This is especially important because, if malware compromises an endpoint with a Facebook Business account, they may search for additional sensitive financial details such as PayPal data. This includes amounts spent on certain purchases, verification statuses, and more.

In most cases, attackers using malware try to trick people into downloading it by presenting it as movie subtitle files, adult content, or cracks for illegitimate software.

While it’s true that Ducktail’s new infostealer could be evading antivirus software, software that comes with in-built web protection could still be of help against it by blocking access to suspicious sites that may be carrying it.

Via: BleepingComputer

Feature Image Credit: Pixabay

By Sead Fadilpašić

Sead is a seasoned freelance journalist based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He writes about IT (cloud, IoT, 5G, VPN) and cybersecurity (ransomware, data breaches, laws and regulations). In his career, spanning more than a decade, he’s written for numerous media outlets, including Al Jazeera Balkans. He’s also held several modules on content writing for Represent Communications.

Sourced from techradar.pro

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TikTok and others scrape your data, whether you use their apps or not

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By Cal Jeffrey

TikTok doesn’t have as many trackers out there as Google and Facebook, but its ad platform is young

A hot potato: Data collection has become so ubiquitous that most people just assume that any website or app they use is tracking them. Indeed, even after Apple’s recent privacy crackdown, Meta has been caught in the act of scraping personal data via a loophole. However, even the savviest users might be surprised that TikTok is tracking them even though they have never used the company’s website or app.

According to a Consumer Reports (CR) investigation published last week, TikTok has been planting trackers called “pixels” on hundreds of websites. Partnering with security firm Disconnect, CR looked into about 20,000 websites searching for TikTok’s pixels specifically. The pool included the top 1,000 most visited websites and many of the biggest, .org, .edu, and .gov domains since those tend to have more sensitive user data.

The study found that hundreds of companies share data with TikTok. Some prime examples of websites allowing TikTok to embed pixels include the United Methodist Church, Weight Watchers, and Planned Parenthood. Perhaps most disturbing is the Arizona Department of Economic Security’s sharing of user data regarding visits to its domestic violence and food assistance pages. By the way, none of these groups would respond to CR’s requests for comment. Big surprise.

“I was genuinely surprised that TikTok’s trackers are already this widespread,” said Disconnect’s Chief Technology Officer Patrick Jackson. “I think people are conditioned to think, ‘Facebook is everywhere, and whatever, they’re going to get my data.’ I don’t think people connect that with TikTok yet.”

“The only reason this works is because it’s a secret operation. It shouldn’t be happening in the shadows.” — Disconnect

Consumer Reports says that the number of Meta and Google pixels it found dwarfs TikTok’s by a long shot. However, it pointed out that TikTok’s advertising platform is just getting started, whereas Google and Facebook/Meta have been at it for years.

Consumer Reports was mainly concerned with personal data from organizations with which users would likely have an issue, like hospitals or advocacy groups. Analysts looked closely at the identified TikTok pixels to see what information they shared. TikTok pixels regularly transmit visitor IP addresses, unique ID numbers, pages users view, and what they click and type. It also has access to search requests. All of this is regardless of whether or not the user has a TikTok account.

When asked for comment, TikTok spokeswoman Melanie Bosselait said, “Like other platforms, the data we receive from advertisers is used to improve the effectiveness of our advertising services.”

Bosselait added that her company does not create profiles to sell to advertisers. She also claims that data from non-TikTok users is only used for “aggregated reports that they send to advertisers about their websites.”

“We continuously work with our partners to avoid inadvertent transmission of [certain sensitive] data,” TikTok claims. This type of information would include anything about health conditions, personal finances, or children.

However, CR states that previous investigations have shown that even though sites like Meta and Goole have policies barring transmitting sensitive data, trackers often send it regardless. TikTok’s pixels are no different.

For example, CR looked at the national Girl Scouts domain and found that TikTok has a pixel on every page of the website that can transmit personal information if a child is visiting. The analysts also found that searching for “erectile dysfunction” on WebMD resulted in the tracker reporting the query back to TikTok.

Those are just a couple of examples that returned sensitive information to the company despite its privacy statements and rules. If users knew a website they do not even visit had access to this data, they’d likely be outraged.

“The only reason this works is because it’s a secret operation,” said Jackson. “Some people might not care, but people should have a choice. It shouldn’t be happening in the shadows.”

Some company executives were unaware of what data their firm was sharing or to whom. Consumer Reports informed the Mayo Clinic that its public website (not the patient portal) was sharing data with TikTok. Disconnect checked later to find that the clinic had removed the TikTok tracker but that the site still used a “considerable number” of other pixels, including those from Microsoft, Google, and others.

Currently, there is not much that consumers can do about this situation. However, CR notes that switching to more privacy-friendly browsers such as Firefox or Brave and strengthening security settings can reduce a lot of tracking. Privacy-protecting extensions are helpful too.

Feature Image Credit: TikTok App by Solen Feyissa, Data Value Chain by Open Data Watch

By Cal Jeffrey

Sourced from TECHSPOT

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Hidden trackers invade your browser. Here’s how to delete them.

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By Kim Komando

As long as your phone is on, it’s sharing data. This happens whether you have an iPhone or Android, but one company is tracking much more than the other. Tap or click here to see if Apple or Google collects more data.

I bet your home address, phone number, and even more personal information is a search away available to anyone, often for free. I value my privacy, so my team and I put together a great resource to help you out. Tap or click here for steps to remove yourself from 19 of the largest people finder sites.

Advertisers are notorious for watching what you do and where you go online. That’s valuable and very profitable information. Here’s one way to stop some of the spying:

The bad kind of cookies

Think of cookies as the trail you leave behind when you’re online. A first-party cookie is created and stored in your browser when you visit a website. It keeps things like your login info and shopping cart, so you don’t have to fill them in again each time. First-party cookies also preserve options and settings.

That’s useful, but cookies can be invasive too. Companies use cookies to track where you go and what you do online. They’ll even do it on a website other than the one you’re visiting. Advertisers love cookies because they help customize the ads you see. If the ads appeal to you, you’re more likely to click them, which yields a higher return on investment.

Pro tip: You can block third-party cookies and other invasive tools through your browser. The level of protection varies, but it’s worth the time to change your default settings. Tap or click here for tips on changing your privacy settings in some of the most popular browsers.

Blocking third-party cookies and tracking is one thing, but how about not being subject to tracking methods, to begin with? That’s where AdChoices and WebChoices come in.

Kinship caregivers: Growing number of grandparents are raising grandkids — and it’s sending them into poverty

Banish tracking cookies from your browser

AdChoices is a program from the Digital Advertising Alliance, a group of advertising and marketing companies that self-regulate to offer you choices for targeted advertising. Why would they self-regulate? So, no one else steps in to do it, of course.

Try it out next time you see an ad online. Look for the small AdChoices icon. It looks like a blue triangle with a lowercase “i” in the middle.

Click that to get information about the ad, change its settings and block it. Not all advertisers participate in the program, but you’ll know it when you see the symbol.

Go further: Delete this secret ID hiding on your phone that gives away your personal details

Within AdChoices is a tool called WebChoices. You can use this tool to opt out of many companies in one step. As with AdChoices, it only works for companies that participate in the program.

Get this: I used it to kick out 144 different tracking cookies!

Here’s how to use WebChoices:

• Go to https://optout.aboutads.info. WebChoices will scan your browser and computer to find out whether first-party and third-party cookies are enabled, along with a list of companies creating targeted ads for you. You’ll also see which companies you have already opted out of if you’ve used the tool.

• After the status check is complete, click Continue.

• Look at the Customizing Ads on your Browser column to see which companies use targeted ads. If it says Yes, you can opt out of that company by checking the box under the Opt-Out column.

• Or you can select everything by clicking Opt Out of All.

• After making your selection, click Submit Your Choices. (You can skip those steps by clicking Opt Out Of All as a first step.)

• The website will process your selection, and you click View Updated Results to see how it turned out.

The WebChoices tool works for the browser you’re currently using, so run it for each if you use more than one browser. If you didn’t catch every company the first time, try rerunning the scan.

If you delete cookies, you may not see the opt-out choices for the company, so run the scan now and then.

Keep your tech-know going

My popular podcast is called “Kim Komando Today.” It’s a solid 30 minutes of tech news, tips, and callers with tech questions like you from all over the country. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts. For your convenience, hit the link below for a recent episode.

PODCAST PICK: GPS survival tip, sign digital docs, Google Photos update

In this episode, Google updates Photos with redesigned Memories and a new collage editor, use your photos for a virtual clothing fit at Walmart, Keurig’s new smart brewer makes a mind-blowing amount of coffee and how to get your real signature on digital docs. Plus, a rescue helicopter nearly abandoned a stranded man by mistaking his distress call.

Check out my podcast “Kim Komando Today” on Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player.

Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for my last name, “Komando.”

Learn about all the latest technology on the Kim Komando Show, the nation’s largest weekend radio talk show. Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today’s digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website at Komando.com.

Feature Image Credit: Getty Images

By Kim Komando

Sourced from USA TODAY TECH

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5 Steps For Building A Personal Brand As A Web3 Founder

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By Himanshu Bisht

Personal branding is essential for any entrepreneur, but it’s especially important in the world of Web3. With blockchain technology estimated to grow exponentially in the coming years, thought leadership in this space can offer a big advantage to founders and builders.

In my experience helping Web3 entrepreneurs build successful brands and creating my own niche presence, there is one common pattern I have found: People follow people. They don’t follow lifeless company logos and brands. Perhaps this is why more and more founders are spending significant time building their personal brands now.

Personal Branding Myths Busted

Personal branding is often seen as narcissistic and self-indulgent. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Personal branding is one of the most effective marketing tools available, and it’s a key driver of success for entrepreneurs.

A personal brand is not about having millions of followers. It’s about authority, trustworthiness and relatability. It’s about building a genuine fan base that appreciates your content and looks up to you as a thought leader in your space.

Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of personal branding for entrepreneurs in Web3.

My 5 Steps For Building A Personal Brand As A Web3 Founder

1. Define Your Niche

The first step to building a personal brand as a founder is getting clarity. Be precise about what you’re passionate about and what you want to be known for. This will help you attract the right followers and build a personal brand that is unique and authentic.

Remember, personal branding is a two-way road. Whether you want to talk about DeFi, or you are more excited to talk about cryptocurrency, it is important to choose a topic that you are interested in talking about and is something people want to hear about.

2. Choose Your Social Media Platform

Social media is a powerful tool for personal branding. In fact, most of the Web3 audience is hanging out either on LinkedIn or Twitter (also known as “crypto Twitter”). By being active on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn and Medium, you can reach a wider audience and share your ideas with the world.

3. Create Content That Educates And Entertains

Once you’ve defined your personal brand and chosen your platform, it’s time to start creating content—but not just any content. Make sure your content is engaging, informative and entertaining.

The best personal brands are built on a foundation of great content. If you can consistently produce high-quality content that educates and entertains your audience, you’ll be well on your way to building a personal brand that people know and trust.

4. Attend Web3-Specific Industry Events

Your personal branding journey doesn’t stop at content creation. To really take your personal brand to the next level, get out there and meet people face to face. And what better way to do that than by attending Web3-specific industry events?

By attending events and networking with key players in the space, you’ll not only gain valuable insights, but you’ll also make important connections that can help you further your personal brand.

5. Collaborate With Other Thought Leaders In The Industry

As you start building your personal brand, it can be helpful to collaborate with other thought leaders in the industry. You can do this through guest blogging, co-hosting events or even just engaging in thoughtful debates on social media.

Not only will collaborating with other thought leaders help you further refine your personal brand, but it will also help you reach a wider audience and solidify your position as a thought leader in the space.

Final Thoughts

For Web3 founders, there are big advantages to building a personal brand and providing thought leadership in the space. In fact, these are key factors in attracting the right investors, customers and followers when you are starting something new from scratch.

By following the steps outlined above, you can start building a personal brand that will help you attract your desired audience. So what are you waiting for? Get started today.

Feature Image Credit: getty

By Himanshu Bisht

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.

Himanshu Bisht is an experienced startup marketing expert. He helps entrepreneurs build impactful companies & powerful personal brands. Read Himanshu Bisht’s full executive profile here

Sourced from Forbes

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Evercore: Apple’s App Store is headed for its first quarterly decline

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“The slowdown should be well understood by investors as… Apple guidance indicated Services growth should decelerate further in the Sept-qtr.” — Analyst Amit Daryanani

From a note to clients that landed on my desktop Monday:

All You Need to Know: App Store revenue [fell] for the second straight month in September. Revenue declined 4% in the month, which brings the Sept-qtr revenue growth rate to -1.5%, the first quarterly decline in the history of the App Store.

The slowdown should be well understood by investors as the App Store grew only 5% in the Jun-qtr and Apple guidance indicated Services growth should decelerate further in the Sept-qtr.

Gaming was the main culprit for the decline as revenue from gaming apps was down 13% and the non-gaming part of the App Store grew 10%. Gaming revenue growth has been low single digit or negative since April-21 as we began to see a hangover effect from the significant pull forward driven by COVID. Declines began to accelerate in May-22, likely due to worse macro, especially in the critical Japanese and Chinese markets and the negative impact on the mobile gaming ecosystem from ATT.

The App Store remains the largest component of services revenue, but it has become less important to the overall services growth rate and Apple was able to post 12% Services growth in June-qtr despite App Store growth of just 5%. New opportunities (payments, advertising) are becoming more significant drivers of growth…

Net/net: Consensus is calling for 11% Services growth which is slightly above our +9% estimate, but should still be achievable despite a 1.5% decline in App Store revenue. We would caution investors against making a call on Services purely on the App Store data as it is only ~30% of revenue and it is difficult to forecast the other components.

Maintains Outperform rating and $190 target.

Cue the bar chart:

My take: If those other Service components include advertising, they may be a mixed blessing.

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Sourced from Philip Elmer-DeWitt APPLE 3.0

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5 Gamechanging Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Insights For Entrepreneurs

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By Jodie Cook

If you’re running a business that has a website, you need analytics. Knowing how people are finding and engaging with your website is golden information that you can build on. Understanding which pages resonate the most and the least with your target audience and finding new pockets of potential customers can scale a business far faster than anecdotal evidence and trial and error.

Julian Juenemann knows about Google Analytics, one of the most popular web analytics tools. He learned about digital marketing through various startups he cofounded, and quickly became fascinated by a data-driven world. Launching JJAnalytics in 2013 saw him helping other business adopt his methods, to grow their businesses to new heights. He has since launched the MeasureSchool YouTube channel to teach this way of marketing to others. With over 150,000 subscribers, it’s become the leading source for marketers to learn data-driven analysis.

The new update of Google Analytics, GA4, has created exiting potential for entrepreneurs to improve how well their website converts and, therefore, the profitability of their business. Juenemann shares how the data can be applied to grow your business.

1. Visualize your funnel with GA4

“A funnel is a series of pages or actions your user takes to reach your goal,” explained Juenemann. “Not everyone will enter or even complete all steps.” With GA4 it’s possible to visualize your funnel and gain insights to improve it. Having an understanding of how customers are progressing through your site and converting to sale is valuable information to see laid out.

“In the Exploration section of GA4, select to create a new funnel exploration report,” instructed Juenemann. He explained that a pre-configured report will show by default, but “the magic lies in customizing it.” Customize your report by changing the steps on the left-hand side. Select the pages you want users to go through, to reach the desired conversion. For example, downloading your ebook, visiting a series of checkout pages, or reading a product page before putting it in the cart.

Once you have selected the steps of your funnel, it’s time to study it.

2. Understand and reduce drop off to increase sales

Before figuring out how to improve your funnel, it’s important to understand drop off. No website in the world has a 100% conversion rate because, “not every user will end up buying your product or submitting your form.” With the funnel visualization you have just created, you can now see the percentage of your website users that are dropping off on each step and understand which steps need improving.

GA4 portrays your funnel as a series of blue bars, each of which represent people who have visited that page. “Underneath each blue bar, you can see the percentage of users that dropped off on that step.” From here you can understand your most significant drop-off pages. This should involve looking at the page yourself and perhaps getting a second opinion from someone in your target audience, then reworking the page or making small tweaks. Edit the copy, add an explainer video, refresh the colour palette or add some images or diagrams that better explain a concept.

Improving your funnel’s pages will help more users travel through to sale. A tiny percentage improvement at each stage will make a dramatic difference to your overall conversion rate.

3. Retarget abandoned users

By now, you have identified which group of users haven’t progressed through your funnel to the end, and figured out where they are dropping off. You have your plan to improve your conversions. Next, it’s time to retarget those users who did drop off to entice them back in.

“GA4 has a great way of bringing abandoned users back to your site, made possible by the connection to Google Ads.” Connect the dots as follows. “Right click on the abandonment number and you’ll see an option to create a segment from these users.” A segment is a portion of people you can group together. “In the menu that opens next, you can mark this segment of people who dropped off as an audience.” Next, connect your Google Ads account to GA4 (if it’s not already) and upload this audience to your advertising account.

You can now set up a remarketing campaign to show ads to these people, meaning you have another chance to get them back.

4. Figure out where users come from

Getting in the heads of your website’s users means understanding where they have come from. GA4 tells you this information, so you can work out which traffic channels you should optimize or turn off. For example, if you’re spending to advertise on a certain website but not seeing the traffic, that budget might be spent elsewhere. Similarly, if you’re seeing a high proportion of traffic from Instagram or TikTok, you want to make sure your website matches the visual, short-form layout of those platforms.

“In the Breakdown section of your funnel exploration report created in the first step, add the user’s session medium.” Once you have done this, the table underneath will populate with the traffic sources by which your users entered your funnel. “This data is broken down by the different steps they took and gives you information about how different user groups find you.”

Knowing where users come from brings insight into what they expect to find when they arrive, so you can make sure they see what they want.

5. Improve your funnel

“Making any kind of changes to your funnel will impact the data,” said Juenemann. “An improved site layout might lead to more people entering step two of your funnel from step one.” Keeping a log of the changes you make will enable you to see which have likely been effective and which perhaps had the opposite effect.

“In order to see the effect of your changes in GA4, switch your funnel visualization to a ‘trended funnel’ to see the steps in a timeline chart.” GA4 presents the results of your tweaks and shows you the impact since the changes were made. You can then work out which to optimize further and which didn’t move the needle.

Keep making small edits until your drop-off rates decrease and you’re making more money or attracting more enquiries through your site.

Seeing and understanding data is a powerful tool, not to be dismissed by marketers and entrepreneurs. Knowing what is going on means making small, incremental changes that could vastly affect the popularity and success of a website. Understand these game changing features of GA4 to take control of your site and steer the ship accordingly.

Feature Image Credit: 5 gamechanging Google Analytics 4 (GA4) insights for entrepreneurs. Julian Juenemann

By Jodie Cook

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

Author of Ten Year Career: Reimagine business, design your life, fast track to freedom. I founded a digital agency in 2011 that was acquired in 2021 and write books and articles on entrepreneurship. Forbes’ 30 under 30 social entrepreneurs in Europe 2017.

Sourced from Forbes

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Humans are irrational – here’s why your business should be too

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By Collette Eccleston

Rational thinking might be overrated – especially during a recession, argues Collette Eccleston, senior vice-president of Material.

For many businesses, it can be difficult to resist that gut instinct to “batten down the hatches” at the first sign of trouble. But playing it safe isn’t what makes a brand recession-proof. The truth is that times of uncertainty can offer one of the best opportunities for your brand to make new connections with customers – that is, if you’re willing to think outside of the box.

If you’re a car rental company in bankruptcy, would buying 100,000 Teslas make any sense? Anyone would find it to be completely irrational and totally reckless. Yet Hertz made this decision as part of its bigger vision, which in turn led to a remarkable turnaround for the company in just over a year.

Like something straight out of a science fiction movie, Hertz now owns the largest fleet of autonomous vehicles. Thanks to a $4.2bn investment, Hertz has managed to propel itself ahead of the pack in a race to transform the car rental industry.

Hertz’s recent move shows that decisions that may seem irrational on the surface can often pay off. So, why do the rest of us judge irrationality as a flaw in human behavior? Irrationality in our professional lives is often exactly what’s needed to unlock the next million-dollar idea.

To be irrational is to be human

Running your business on rationality alone assumes that the people you serve are also rational. Humans make tens of thousands of decisions each day – most of which are not driven by logic at all. It’s our gut instinct that gives us the ability to quickly assess how we feel about the many choices that cross our paths.

That’s not to say rational considerations such as affordability don’t matter. For example, if someone needs a pair of shoes, they might select the $24.99 pair over the $25.99 one. It’s only a dollar less, but they could rationalize cost savings as the motivator. What about choosing a pair of shoes priced at $100 more? Emotion becomes the motivating factor in making that purchase. This is where behavioral science and psychology shed some light.

The four fundamental human needs – belonging, appeal, security and exploration – are a helpful lens for interpreting the motivation behind certain behaviors. When seen through this perspective, splurging $100+ on a pair of shoes starts to make sense; it just follows a different set of motivations. For example, this pair of shoes might unlock a consumer’s need to be a part of a community (belonging) or improve their confidence (appeal). Perhaps they find security in paying a little more for a brand they trust (security). Maybe they’re drawn to an innovative design that promises to boost performance (exploration). This is where an otherwise thrifty customer might be tempted to replace a functional need with a pair of high-end kicks.

Humans simply are not rational beings, so it makes little sense to appeal to consumers through rational means alone. It takes tapping into unconscious and emotional needs – irrational needs – to change behavior and benefit brands. By embracing irrational thinking, we expand what is possible in the process of designing products, services and experiences for our customers and employees.

Irrationality belongs in business – especially during a recession

Some of today’s most successful brands were built on once irrational concepts. And in fact, we’ve seen how times of uncertainty can provide the best opportunity to take that calculated leap. Airbnb is one such success story.

During the Great Recession of 2008, the brand got its start by tactically driving consumers to do something we’ve all grown up being told not to – enter a stranger’s home. Since then, Airbnb has not only been successful in effectively changing the industry and our cities, but also consumer minds and habits.

Behavioral science and psychology help brands, such as Airbnb and Hertz, decode ‘irrational’ consumer behaviors and provide context for the human experience: why we say one thing and do another is irrational, but when applied to business, it expands innovative thinking.

Here’s a formula for escaping this rut and bringing structure to the process:

  • See the world devoid of constants. Get into the required headspace for irrational thinking. Set aside all assumptions about ‘absolute truths’ and give yourself room to play in a world without limits
  • Create an irrational vision statement. Create a vision to be your North Star. Identify your role and purpose and what you want to achieve in this ideal and limitless world. If a decision doesn’t move you in the desired direction, then don’t do it
  • Stay the course with one-degree decisions. This is how you complete the equation, taking the small steps that will get you closer to making your irrational vision a reality

Returning to the example of Airbnb, we could imagine a world where it’s possible for people to truly feel at home everywhere. Through this perspective, we can see how Airbnb’s vision of belonging was born. It’s simple, compelling and deliciously irrational (you can’t really belong everywhere, can you?). But it comes to life through a series of one-degree decisions: services and features executed through design and technology that deliver on one of the most fundamental of human needs – community.

Reaping the benefits of irrationality will require more than an exercise in creative thinking. Brands need to commit to embracing irrationality before they have proof of what can be achieved. When brands move past the status quo and champion deep human understanding, they’ll find themselves among the most influential companies of tomorrow.

By Collette Eccleston

Collette Eccleston, senior vice-president, behavioural science, and Ben Gaddis, executive vice-president, digital products and experience at Material.

Sourced from The Drum

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30 Ideas from Psychology That Will Make You Saner and More Successful, Explained in 280 Characters or Less

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By Jessica Stillman

A clinical psychologist and founder offers tweet-length explanations of some of the most useful concepts in her field.

If you’ve checked out The New York Times recently, you may have noticed the paper just launched a big new package on the root causes of America’s mental health crisis. As this is a problem that touches just about all of our lives, I clicked through. As I scrolled, I came across a link that interested me more as an Inc.com writer than as a concerned citizen.

“We are talking more and more about our mental health,” writes psychologist Huw Green in one article (this is very much true in the world of entrepreneurship). “In the United States, Dr. Emily Anhalt produces elegant aphorisms and promotes the virtues of psychodynamic psychotherapy on Twitter,” he adds, in the course of listing a number of experts who excel at popular communication around mental health issues.

As someone who is fascinated by the human side of business and who often writes about the benefits of bringing psychological insights to work, I speedily clicked on the link. And what a gold mine I found.

Anhalt is a clinical psychologist and co-founder of Coa, a startup that bills itself as the first ever “gym for mental health.” As Green noted, Anhalt is also a social media pro tweeting pithy, entertaining insights. Perhaps the most useful of these were pinned to the top of her timeline — a long thread offering succinct explanations of dozens of the most useful concepts in psychology all explained in 280 characters or less.

Some of them — such as “evenly suspended attention” — appear quite therapist-specific at first, but quick reflection indicates they could be just as useful for performance review conversations as psychotherapy. Other concepts, such as gaslighting and omnipotent fantasy, are workplace standbys.

Taking the time to understand them will make you better at understanding human beings, and that will make you better at just about any job, so here they are in an easy-to-read format. You can check out the complete thread on Twitter to see the jokey memes and real-life examples Anhalt links to, as well as the fascinating conversation her tweets kicked off. I’ve added my own links to further reading or examples in a few instances as well.

  1. Intellectualization: “using reason & intellect to avoid feeling our emotions. Intellectualizers are more comfortable with logic & rationality than emotionality and are good at speaking through things without actually feeling them. This can be a strength but also a problem.” Meditation teachers also caution against letting your cleverness get in way of your wisdom.

  2. Fear of Breakdown: “the things we fear the most are things that have already happened to us but were too painful to consciously experience at the time. Ex: my fear of bad things happening is a fear of facing the bad things I’ve already experienced.”

  3. Sublimation: “one of the healthier defense mechanisms — taking socially unacceptable impulses or desires and channeling them into socially acceptable actions or behaviors. Ex: taking a boxing class to deal with anger and aggression.”

  4. Acting Out: “when we are unable to voice repressed thoughts or feelings, we sometimes act them out through behavior. Ex: showing up late to therapy or forgetting payment instead of realizing and telling the therapist that we’re upset with the treatment.”

  5. Survivor Guilt: “a feeling we sometimes have when we survive or thrive in ways that loved ones are not surviving or thriving. We might unconsciously avoid or sabotage success to get rid of this guilt. Ex: not going after a promotion because your partner just got fired.”

  6. True Empathy: “allowing yourself to actually feel what someone else is feeling in order to understand them. If you intellectually understand what someone is feeling but don’t feel it yourself, that’s not empathy – it’s sympathy. True empathy can be uncomfortable and difficult.”

  7. Capacity to Be Alone: “a paradoxical ability to be alone while someone else is present. This is a developmental achievement that not everyone reaches. Imagine the child who can self-entertain while parents are nearby vs. the one who needs to be entertained in every moment.”

  8. True Self/False Self: “when we’re young, we borrow our identity from others (our false self). If given the freedom to explore, we get rid of false parts as we discover our true self – but, we often hold onto false parts (w/out realizing it) out of fear of disappointing others.” Tons of research suggests you’re really going to regret not letting go of that false self.

  9. Psychosomatization: “physical manifestations of emotional states – often happens because we’re unable to feel things emotionally. Ex: feeling nauseous when what you really are is anxious. ‘We store our issues in our tissues.'”

  10. Complex Trauma: “when something traumatic happens before we’ve had the time, resources, & support to recover from a previous traumatic experience (ad infinitum). Becomes increasingly difficult to heal (think of a repeatedly injured muscle that is never given any recovery time).”

  11. Repetition Compulsion: “our tendency to recreate things over & over until we understand them. Ex: finding yourself in the same kind of relationship again & again but not understanding why/being unintentionally attracted to work environments that mirror your family dynamic.”

  12. Parapraxis: Also Known as a Freudian Slip. “A parapraxis is an unintended action that might seem like a simple accident or coincidence but actually points to a repressed or uncomfortable truth that we are avoiding.”

  13. Flight Into Health: “occurs when we seem to make a ‘spontaneous recovery’ when faced with addressing particular issues in therapy. Ex: I’ve been talking about something painful when suddenly I feel ‘totally better’ & decide that therapy has worked and I’m ready to stop going.”

  14. Gaslighting: “a manipulation technique in which we use psychological means to trick someone into questioning their own sanity. While gaslighting is sociopathic in its extreme form, we all engage in subtle forms (Ex: saying, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’ when you do).” As many of us unfortunately know, gaslighting is a workplace staple at some companies.

  15. Extreme Envy: “envy that leads to a desire to destroy something another person has that you want, not because you don’t want the other person to have it, but because them having it forces you to confront your feelings about not having it.” Note: Experts claim there is also such a thing as healthy envy that pushes us to become better versions of ourselves.

  16. The Good Enough Parent: “a ‘perfect’ parent does not prepare their child for an imperfect world. The ‘good enough’ parent meets their child’s needs enough of the time that the child feels safe, but not so often that the child never learns to adapt to unfavorable circumstances.” Here’s a huge study saying much the same thing.

  17. Autoplastic Versus Alloplastic Adaptation: “appropriately & advantageously adapting our own self to our environment (meditating so we can handle stress) vs. appropriately & advantageously adapting our environment to meet our needs (choosing a job that complements our work style).”

  18. Reaction Formation: “a defense mechanism where we worry that our true feelings or desires are unacceptable, so we attempt to convince ourselves or others that we feel the opposite way, often in a very exaggerated performance.” The example Anhalt gives is rabidly anti-LGBTQ+ politicians who get caught having furtive same-sex encounters.

  19. Bastion: “when a therapist doesn’t see an unhealthy dynamic with a patient because they’re invested in it continuing. Ex: patient is being excessively complimentary to avoid facing their anger toward the therapist (see ‘reaction formation’), but the therapist doesn’t realize.” I can imagine there are quite a few bosses guilty of this too.

  20. The Frame: “anything that provides reliable structure in therapy. Ex: starting & ending on time, being in the same room every week. If we can trust the stability of the frame, we are more likely to ‘come apart’ in therapy & thus access messy but important parts of who we are.”

  21. Nameless Dread: “the dreadful feeling of emptiness and non-understandable anxiety that we face as infants (because we don’t understand our environment) but that we also face periodically throughout life.” Other people have this too? What a relief.

  22. Manifest Versus Latent Dream Content: “the literal subject matter of a dream vs. the underlying meaning being symbolized. Ex: I dream of a motorcycle (manifest) to represent my desire to escape (latent).”

  23. Healthy Narcissism: “narcissism has a bad rap but we all need a bit of it. Healthy narcissism is believing in yourself while maintaining an ability to enjoy the success of others. Kids whose belief in themself is not supported seek validation in unhealthy ways throughout life.”

  24. Evenly Suspended Attention: “the therapist’s attitude of not directing their attention to any one thing in particular while listening to the patient. This prevents them from prematurely foreclosing the possibility of surprise and discovery of other important things.” This reminded me of a lot of career-related advice on how to be a better listener.

  25. Omnipotent Fantasy: “the belief (which at its core, is really a wish) that we have more power over something than we actually do. Ex: Believing we can save people in our life from their pain, believing that if we worry enough bad things won’t happen.”

  26. Transitional Object: “an object that represents a parent, which allows a child to transition from being totally dependent to somewhat independent. Ex: teddy bear or blanket. Adults have them too. Ex: keeping a memento from a loved one so you feel close to them in their absence.”

  27. Free Association: “a technique in therapy where you freely share any thoughts going through your mind without censoring yourself – your words don’t need to be coherent or ‘relevant.’ This allows you to access deeper unconscious material & discover unexpected thoughts.”

  28. Splitting: “putting all of our good feelings in one place and our bad feelings in another, because it’s difficult to hold them at the same time. Ex: being very angry with one of your parents while being very forgiving of the other, even though neither is terrible or perfect.”

  29. The Depressive Position: “when we can stop splitting (see above) & tolerate the fact that nothing is all good or all bad. Called the depressive position because it’s depressing! Holding both at the same time requires maturity and compassion.”

  30. Reality Testing: “the process of helping someone distinguish their thoughts, feelings, & fears from what’s objectively true in reality. Ex: If a patient says everyone hates them, a therapist might point out external evidence that suggests otherwise.”

Feature Image Credit: Getty Images

By Jessica Stillman

Sourced from Inc.

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I Ran the First Version of TikTok. Here’s What I Learned About Spotting Viral Trends.

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Follow your users’ interests. They’ll show you the next big thing.

There are different approaches to innovation: You can either create something completely revolutionary, like Snapchat. Or you can develop a product that people are somewhat familiar with, watch how they use it, and then lean heavily into building out the features they enjoy most.

From what I have seen, the latter has a higher chance of success. It’s what has guided my career in consumer apps — including my time as president of Musical.ly in 2015 through its ByteDance acquisition and rebranding as TikTok in 2017, to my current endeavour building new products that connect people, like Wink (a friend-making app with 2 million users) and Summer (today’s fastest-growing new dating app).

Think of innovation like this: Imagine you are a DJ and there are 500 people in the audience. If you start the night by playing very edgy, unfamiliar music, then chances are you won’t get people dancing. But if you lead with something everyone knows, they’ll start moving — and then you can see what sounds and beats they’re really jamming to and bring in new selections based on what you’ve observed from your audience.

This is exactly what we did at Musical.ly. The app didn’t start at all like TikTok is now. In the beginning, it was a simple platform with one familiar purpose: People could choose a song, then create short videos of themselves lip-syncing to it. We looked closely for what we called “musers” — users who, like muses, were inspiring others to think creatively. As they kept playing with the app in innovative ways, like creating incredible transition videos using unique phone angles and jump cuts, we kept evolving it by adding different features, filters, and effects.

After leaving TikTok, in 2018, I started a company called 9count with cofounder Joe Viola. We continue to follow this same innovation formula. For example, with our app Wink, we watched as more and more users put “looking for a FaceTime buddy” in their bio. That gave us the idea to add audio and video calling into the Wink messenger — with the proper safety measures, of course. But we never want to create a jarring experience for users, so we’ll gently introduce new things every month, see how they respond, and then act quickly: We double down on what gets high engagement, and remove what doesn’t.

I’ve come to think of this as the “bread-and-butter approach.” Most people like bread and butter, so let’s give them that first. Then, once they’re here, we can see what else they like.

My thinking about innovation has evolved. Before, it went something like this: I’m at point A. I imagine what point B is, and now start moving toward point B. But I’ve come to realize that many of the best products didn’t have a clearly defined end goal. That’s because, if I were to envision exactly where Summer or Wink were going, then those apps can only become as good as my imagination — and my imagination can never be as good as where our users will lead us!

We also need to take the current culture into account and create something that mirrors it. If you look at the top app charts and music charts in any country, you will gain an understanding of what is important to people at that point in time. With all of this in mind, we start with an idea of where we’d like to lead an app, but then view it as a totally blank canvas. Our users will color it in with their passion and creativity.

So far, it’s working. Across our portfolio of apps, we have more than 15 million downloads and are on track to make around $10 million this year.

We believe in co-creation. We put something out there and invite others to help us evolve the idea, so it becomes something they love. There’s nothing like taking your passion and watching the world run wild with it.

Feature Image Credit: Alex Hofmann

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