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Search-Proof Your Business Forever

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By David Amerland

Take these steps to break free from the SEO-chase game

When it comes to understanding the importance of search engine optimization (SEO) to a business the pendulum swings from “ignore it completely” to “understand and chase every Google update”.

The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in the middle. Certainly a website that is structurally flawed, slow to load and fails to display properly on mobile devices is losing an important chunk of online business. Similarly, a website that is search engine optimized to the gills but then fails to understand what those who find it actually want to do once they are there, is winning only one half of the online marketing game.

How to reconcile these two approaches requires a nuanced understanding of what SEO does and what a business exists for. Stripped of all its esoteric mumbo-jumbo SEO is there to help a business find its audience at the moment that audience is actively looking for it. A business, in turn, exists to solve a problem.

From this perspective search itself, for all its many iterations through Google updates over the years, has always been focused on delivering the best relevant results in response to a searcher query. Search becomes the bridging point between a business and its audience. This, logically, means that search is marketing. But that’s not all it is.

Human Behaviour Determines Search Use

The biggest threat to your business losing that bridging connection between itself and its audience lies in factors that are far outside the remit of search itself and, by association, any SEO activity you may engage in. Following the 2018 EU $5 billion antitrust enforcement against Android, Google is now making the placement of default search engine choices on its mobile devices free to competitors.

The majority of mobile device owners are not search experts. They don’t truly understand how search engines work which means qualified choices are based on purely subjective criteria. On that basis even at a conservative estimate, Google mobile search will experience a reduction in usage. The warning bells rang as far back as 2015 when it was flagged just how few mobile devices actually use Google search.

Back then Google search was dominant on mobile devices as it was the default setting that few mobile device owners bothered to change. In the years since Google has had to change that policy and the impact of that has not yet become obvious. In addition, mobile device owners use apps and social media accounts in lieu of a search engine to find what they need. Social media accounts connect them with friends and enable them to ask for recommendations while specific apps make it easier for them to engage in search behaviour.

How To “Search Proof” Your Business

The reason we are even talking about search engine optimization (SEO) right now is because, initially, as the web grew finding anything at all in it required the help of a search engine whose crawlers had indexed websites and organized the information they contained.

The web however, no matter how global in size, always has the most direct impact at a local level. The personal devices we use are geolocated and, increasingly, so are our laptops. This makes searching for something location-determined. The recommendations of friends and the ability of apps to know where we are at and use that knowledge to provide useful information make search the means through which we find solutions to problems we experience locally.

Google rose to prominence because of the quality of its results. Search results that are delivered within the tight boundaries of a location always have the potential to be higher in quality because the two bugbears of search: disambiguation and veracity can be resolved that much faster when the information from which a pool of answers, to a search query, is drawn, is limited by nature.

The limitation imposed by geographic boundaries reduces the level of ambiguity that is created by massive amounts of information that is similar in nature but does not amount to the same thing. It also makes it easier to filter what is real from what is fake. The context of local search then makes it easy to come up with a formula that helps “search proof” your business.

Whatever happens to search next, whatever fresh updates occur in Google’s algorithm or whatever app, recommendation engine or even human-word-of-mouth channel is used they all require the same two key ingredients to work:

  • Experience – A taste of what your business does, how it does it and why it does it.
  • Confidence – A sense that your business is capable of totally solving the problem the searcher is facing, easily, quickly and at level that is good value-for-money.

Find ways to make this come through the content you create. Truly connect with those who come to you to find the solution they need to the problem they experience and you will find that fretting over SEO will be a thing of the past for you.

Feature Image Credit: Getty Images

By David Amerland

Sourced from Inc.

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How To Succeed As A Digital Marketing Entrepreneur In 2022

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By Amine Rahal

There’s no doubt that we are seeing a surge in digital business and digital marketing needs from businesses that are not necessarily operating online. This is especially true when potential clients are millennials and Gen-Zers, as they are likely connected to social apps and digital environments in greater numbers than their older peers.

So, how can you successfully take advantage of the trend of digital marketing? Let’s have a look at what it takes to succeed as a digital marketing entrepreneur. To succeed, you should pay attention to the following aspects of digital marketing.

• SEO.

• Social media presence.

• Pay-per-click (PPC).

• Email marketing.

• Google-friendly website.

As a digital marketing business owner of over two decades, I have a lot of experience to lean on in these respects. Let me take you through each of these important channels to help bring you up to speed on the basics of digital marketing entrepreneurship.

SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the best free tools you can use in digital marketing. SEO can help you drive organic traffic to your websites, create more leads and generate new clients. What you need to know about SEO in 2022 is that it is becoming more and more competitive.

Thousands of websites are optimized for Google’s PageRank algorithm to appear as high up on the search results list as possible. Many companies are targeting the same words, creating a tougher environment for ranking your content at the top. So, use online keyword research tools to research keywords you can target that have a low difficulty. Basically, you should look for keywords that don’t have so much coverage.

You can also use online tools to help monitor the traffic your site receives and to find keywords and topics that you can target. There are many tools you can pay to use, or you can use Google Analytics, which offers a free version.

Social Media Presence

Social media is also a very valuable tool and will likely become more central to any digital marketing business as time goes by. Data from Statista shows that there are 3.78 billion social network users globally, and the largest social media ad market is in the United States.

Having a strong social media presence is, therefore, a must to help grow your digital marketing business while keeping in touch with customers and building customer loyalty. Social media can help you create brand awareness and give your customers a better overall experience.

This digital marketing tool has the following advantages for your clients and leads.

• Quick interactions for feedback and answers to questions.

• Easy access to your brand’s services and products.

• Social engagements with your business brand.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC)

PPC digital marketing allows you to get your brand, services and products at the top of Google’s search page with the use of paid ads. Every time a user clicks on your ad, they are redirected to your page, and you are charged a fee.

Using a PPC marketing tool allows you to grow brand awareness and attract new leads. PPC marketing tools allow you to track the performance of your ads. This allows you to calculate your return on investment, as you can see how many clicks turn into sales.

These tools also allow you to choose which geographic location you want your ads to appear in, what time of the day they’ll appear and the amount of cash you wish to spend for a given period.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is another important part of any digital marketing campaign. It may not bring the wide impact social media can create, but it is still an important tool. You can use email campaigns to create brand awareness, nurture leads and connect with active users from your website.

Various companies offer solutions for entrepreneurs to manage, construct and send their emails. You will need to investigate which service would work best for your digital marketing business. They often offer very different features with different target audiences. So, you will need to find the best match for your needs.

Google Friendly Website

Nowadays, just about every business, even a local brick-and-mortar store, has a website. This is good, as they are all potential clients of a digital marketer. But how do we get people searching on the internet to find them?

Google took around 85.5% of the desktop market share of internet search engines as of January 2022, according to Statista data. So, it is fundamental that your website is Google-friendly. When you run a digital marketing business, having a website that can rank as high as possible in a Google search is central to success.

Make sure the website loads quickly and is safe to use. If you are getting started, pick a website builder that has a secure and reliable hosting service. Improve the website’s performance with appropriate SEO tweaks to make it more attractive for Google’s algorithm.

If possible, add videos to the website. For example, you can add videos explaining what the company does and its services. The Google ranking algorithm also takes into account the amount of time users spend on your website. Therefore, adding a short video of a few minutes in length can improve the website’s ranking if people spend time watching the video.

Bottom Line

The digital marketing business is a great area to work in for various reasons. You have a potentially global reach. The power of the internet is that you are only as far away as the time it takes data to reach your clients. It is extremely cost-effective; with small amounts of money, you can get started and progress toward making your initial revenue.

Monitoring results could not be easier, as everything is digitalized. You know exactly what you put in and exactly what you get out of every action and investment. Digital marketing can have a great and verifiable impact on any business and can help it build a network of repeat customers.

Feature Image Credit: getty

By Amine Rahal

Sourced from Forbes

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In leaked memo, Facebook tells managers low performers don’t belong

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By and

The message comes as the company seeks to rein in costs during an economic downturn in the long-booming tech industry

Facebook is instructing its engineering managers to identify and weed out their lowest-performing employees as the company seeks to rein in costs during an economic downturn in the long-booming tech industry.

Facebook’s head of engineering, Maher Saba, sent a memo on Friday to managers urging them to identify anyone on their team who “needs support” and report them in an internal human resources system by 5 p.m. Pacific time on Monday.

“If a direct report is coasting or is a low performer, they are not who we need; they are failing this company,” Saba wrote. “As a manager, you cannot allow someone to be net neutral or negative for Meta.”

The memo, which was first reported by the Information, is one of several messages from Facebook executives warning about the need to cut costs as the social media giant seeks to shore up its stagnating digital advertising business and reinvent itself as a virtual reality-powered device maker. Its arrival shocked many employees, who are concerned about potential layoffs, reduced bonuses and fewer promotions.

“The reaction from folks that have seen this is that this will be used to create a bunch [of] ‘performance improvement plans’ that will result in mass layoffs,” a person familiar with the matter said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive conversations.

Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Facebook, which last year renamed itself Meta, spent years raking in digital advertising dollars as it became the go-to platform for businesses of all sizes to tailor their marketing campaigns to niche audiences. Early on, Facebook and other social media companies benefited from pandemic as more advertisers shifted their marketing dollars online to reach customers spending more time at home.

The company’s stock price has fallen nearly 52 percent since the beginning of the year as it faces threats to its social media business. Apple imposed new privacy rules on app makers on its iPhone devices, which aimed to reduce data collection on its users. Apps such as Facebook were forced to ask users if they wanted their activity tracked across the internet for the purposes of targeted advertising — a request many users rebuffed.

During the final three months of last year, Facebook reported that it lost daily users for the first time in its 18-year history, sending its stock price plummeting. While the social media outlet’s user growth numbers held stable early this year, company executives have warned that it is facing intense competition for users’ attention from social upstarts such as TikTok.

To compete in the crowded market, Facebook is aggressively promoting its short-form video service known as Reels. Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has argued that the company will be able to monetize the product in the same way it once did for its news feed. Facebook is also trying to stake its future on creating the metaverse — a term used to describe immersive virtual environments that are accessed by virtual and augmented reality.

This month, Zuckerberg told staffers during a companywide call that not everyone was meeting the company’s standards and that some might want to leave voluntarily as the it faces an impending economic downturn, according to media reports. Zuckerberg told staffers they would reduce their plans to hire engineers by at least 30 percent this year, according to Reuters.

“If I had to bet, I’d say that this might be one of the worst downturns that we’ve seen in recent history,” Zuckerberg told workers. “Realistically, there are probably a bunch of people at the company who shouldn’t be here.”

Facebook’s belt-tightening mirrors the cost-cutting happening elsewhere in Silicon Valley. After a decade of exuberance, venture capitalists and established tech companies alike are cutting back on their investments and firing workers. More than 300 start-ups have laid off over 50,023 workers since the start of the year, according to Layoffs.fyi, which tracks cuts in the tech industry.

Feature Image Credit: Susan Walsh/AP

By and Elizabeth Dwoskin

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Naomi Nix is a staff writer for The Washington Post, covering Meta and other social media companies. Before joining The Post in 2022, she was a reporter for Bloomberg News and the Chicago Tribune.  Twitter

By

Lizza joined The Washington Post as Silicon Valley correspondent in 2016, becoming the paper’s eyes and ears in the region. She focuses on social media and the power of the tech industry in a democratic society. Before that, she was the Wall Street Journal’s first full-time beat reporter covering AI and the impact of algorithms on people’s lives.Twitter

Sourced from The Washington Post

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How can marketers harness our obsession with nostalgia?

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By Sam Anderson

At 63, Kate Bush recently claimed a UK number one thanks to 80s nostalgia-fest Stranger Things. Trends all across media and marketing point to a mania for the cultural touchstones of years gone by. How can marketers ride this retro wave? What does our preoccupation with the rear-view mirror say about what people want from their media and ads? We asked seven leaders from The Drum Network.

Kate Cliffen, senior creative lead, Jellyfish

The retro wave shows that people of all demographics are still leaning into nostalgia for relief and comfort because, let’s be honest, the future is scarier than ever.

Brands can ride this wave by creating media that matches their audiences’ moods, but it’s all about finding a balance. Content should not just be about the past, or even pinpointed to a certain era. We can combine the old and new, embracing modern technology and mashing decades together to create something that re-imagines the future that we want to see, rather than the one we’re living in.

The world has changed a lot since the 80s, so while nostalgic content has to feel comforting, it must also be forward-thinking and inclusive to hit.

Music is a form of escapism. If Stranger Things had chosen Rock You Like a Hurricane to save Max, it likely wouldn’t have had the same effect. In Running Up That Hill, Kate Bush is asking God to switch places with a man so he can understand how difficult things are as a woman. Perhaps accidentally, that perfectly lines up with our very current conversations about bodily autonomy. This, combined with the fact that it’s harnessing the power of audio in a time where we have more screen fatigue than ever, creates something powerful.

As marketers, we should be thinking about how we can lean into this even further with 3D audio to create meaningful and dynamic experiences for fans.

Daniel Liddle, search engine optimization lead, Impression

Cultural moments that are considered retro, vintage or passé are often labelled nostalgic, or a pastiche of the past. Often, we’re haunted by a past that is no longer there, or nostalgic for something that never existed (hauntology) in some recent trends.

The key thing with nostalgia is the feeling that something has been lost.

The global pandemic, the war in Ukraine, internet discourse and general economic imbalance are making consumers feel grim about the future, so we’re looking back (rose-tinted-ly) to these imitations of positive cultural events.

With digital marketing, we could cynically tap into this with content and ads that cement the idea of cultural bereavement. It would be more progressive to look to the future than the past. Whether that’s some sort of ecotopia or something else, brands can be drivers of this force. In the words of another Kate Bush song: “I just know that something good is gonna happen.”

Jamie Maple, managing director, Wilderness

The wave that current moments are riding has been cresting for a long time. Back in the early 2010s, almost every band from the 90s got back together and went on tour. Then Disney started to make live-action remakes of every beloved cartoon property. Since then, it’s been a steady stream of reissues, remakes, films, TV, albums and theatre based on pre-existing (and, importantly, pre-sold) intellectual properties.

It has always struck me (a cynic) that the place nostalgia marketing comes from is the fear that unless you have something recognizable and comforting (with a readymade audience) brands are far less likely to take a risk.

Where the creativity and excitement comes from on social is the fan groups curating detailed and niche collections of curiosity for other like-minded culture vultures to engage with and explore: channels such as synthwave1989 (compiling the best 80s aesthetics in one place), retro1sheet (taking classic movie posters and giving them new life) and italysegreta (bringing together beautiful images of an idea of Italy).

It’s not for every brand to jump on a retro trend. What brands can take from these examples is that there’s joy (and engagement and brand loyalty) to be had in exploring the details that make you and your audience unique. Showing passion and knowledge about your area of expertise will bring other passionate and knowledgeable users to your channels, who will be given a reason to follow a brand.

Sophie Lewis, chief strategy officer, M&C Saatchi London

Ahhh nostalgia. Warm, rose-tinted perfection. Looking back and forgetting all the crap bits. A piece of music, a sound, a smell. A place, a person, a chocolate bar.

But beware nostalgia in communications. It’s a dangerous game.

For legacy brands, it’s a tempting place to go. Let’s remind people how much they loved us way back when. Let’s take them back to that school disco, that first kiss, that family dinner around the table – and they will want us again.

But everything is different now, and you can’t go back. Yes, I know things are difficult and we all love the comfort and stability that the ‘old days’ provide. It is a lovely warm feeling in a sea of rubbish.

It’s not that you shouldn’t understand or think about the past. As Sir John Hegarty says: “You’ve got to understand the past to move forward.” But you have got to be moving forward – taking those elements of the past that are still motivating now. Trying to recreate the past will take you down a cul-de-sac. Try it at your peril.

I speak from experience. I’ve tried it. For jeans, for a kids’ chocolate bar, for salad cream – the list goes on. Oh, and Kate Bush? In 1985, Running Up That Hill was a banging track. Go and have a listen now. Still a banging track. It’s not nostalgia. It’s brilliance.

Anna Beynon, strategy director, Anything is Possible

Every generation thinks it invented retro. Marketers need to know how to frame this recurrent behavior to their advantage. In the 00s ‘vintage’ was coined as a new category to create a positive movement around embracing the trends of previous decades. Positivity is key: fond memories, stories from ‘the good old days,’ 80s-themed parties, outfits and hairstyles. In uncertain times that comfort in the known, in what we shared before, is vital for social cohesion.

Generation Z embracing the mid-80s via Stranger Things is interesting: the last pre-internet days. The final moment before we all began living in the permanent ‘now’ of digital. The secret paradox of nostalgia is that it’s not really about a longing for the past, but how we can evolve the now. Sometimes you have to go back in time to find a future that looks more open, positive and full of possibility than our view of it today.

This tells us two things about how to reach gen Z. They grow weary of digital experience, but crave authentic in-person connection. And they want the future to be a better version of what we had before.

Jim Bowes, innovation director at TPXimpact

Tapping in to nostalgia is about taking an edited or curated look at a moment in time and representing that authentically but with a sense of knowing fun. You can’t pretend your audience is a 1980s audience, so breaking the4th wall can offer great results.

This means picking out little details that demonstrate the difference between then and now, while still creating an authentic experience that doesn’t mock what went before. You need to hit notes that appeal to a wide audience, from those that remember it first time around, to those that have no idea. That’s about the narrative being as strong as the context you set it in.

Amy Naughton, client services director at Jaywing

With political turmoil, a cost of living crisis and the backdrop of Covid-19, we’re craving normality: the ability to enjoy experiences, family and friends, or tomorrow without the tempestuous shadow of ‘the world’ hanging over us. Nostalgia isn’t new; every generation looks to the past for comfort in the present.

Even if it’s never been lived in person, the past can feel relatable, and discovering past icons opens gateways for escapism to another time and place. Music especially evokes a time, place and feeling of being where we can self-identify. When you can’t figure out ‘forward’, bind people by looking ‘backward’.

For advertisers, it’s about leveraging that connected feeling. Don’t just pop some neon in your social posts, expecting a facet of your brand that was never iconic to become so now. Take influence from popular culture; use heritage brands; unearth your own classic ads. Find the levers that will collectively connect people with times they remember fondly, not the future that they’re unsure of.

By Sam Anderson

Sourced from The Drum

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Drupalizing your content

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Sourced from SWAPPS

The digital world is made up of infinite ways to present information and interact with it: social networks, videos, learning platforms and a long etcetera.

One of the most common ways to expose or share information is a written presentation through articles, blogs, frequently asked questions and other information that may be of interest.

Although at first glance this presentation may seem exclusive to the news media, more and more business sites have a news and article section with topics related to their niche.

Thus, thanks to the publication of written content on their website, they can attract visitors, who in turn are potential customers, and provide the Internet community with useful knowledge.

However, managing this content can be a daunting task as it grows daily, and along with it, your needs grow.

For this reason, one of the most common types of platforms on the internet are the CMS – Content Management System – or content management systems.

According to the latest BuiltWith report, more than 73 million pages in the world use one of these systems.

One of the most used and most popular CMS on the market is Drupal.

Drupal, which is written in PHP, is a free and open source CMS and is the engine for government websites, such as the official website of London and various US government websites, media websites such as the BBC and NBC. and many others such as pages of universities and NGOs.

Its popularity lies mainly in three main features:

Flexibility

According to the Drupal website, one of its basic principles is modularity.

Its core is made up of independent modules integrated with each other, which allows the website to be customized depending on the needs of the organization.

You can create different types of content, different levels of user access, different languages, among many other possibilities.

In turn, this flexibility, and the fact that it is open source, allows for thousands of community-created modules to solve common and not-so-common problems without the need to write code.

Performance

Drupal uses a series of cache layers, distributed in the different components of the site, which allows the site to support a large number of simultaneous visits with little effort.

Security

A part of the Drupal development team is dedicated solely and exclusively to security issues.

Thanks to this, it is a reliable CMS, with few known vulnerabilities and a constant flow of updates that prevents sites from being exposed on the web.

drupal characteristics

Thanks to these features, and many more not to mention, Drupal is the best choice for almost any organization that requires a website.

If your organization requires a website:

  • Trustworthy.
  • Flexible.
  • That allows managing different types of users and content.
  • Open source.
  • Scalable.

Drupal will be your best companion.

Sourced from SWAPPS

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TikTok launches Follow Me to support SMBs growth in community and business

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Sourced from Mediaweek

Follow Me serves as a guide for SMBs looking to translate their stories into creative videos

TikTok has launched Follow Me, a multi-channel global program to help and drive awareness of small-and-medium businesses (SMBs) in Australia by using the platform.

SMB owners wear an endless number of hats and TikTok recognises that many of them have many role to juggle. Follow Me will provide SMBs with the knowledge and understanding they need of the platform to effectively utilise it as a launch pad to supercharge their growth.

The six-week program runs until early August and provides SMBs with resources on how to get started on TikTok as well as tips and insights from existing users on the platform. Follow Me will serve as a guide for SMBs looking to translate their stories into creative videos and build their own community on the platform.

With the platform’s large, multi-layered ecosystem of creators and communities, this program will help SMBs get acquainted with newfound consumers as they discover new brands and share these fresh finds with others.

Resources and Guides made available to SMBs to get started on TikTok

To help SMBs access the resources to kickstart their journey on TikTok, the platform has created a dedicated page that curates different learning roadmaps based on visitors’ goals, in addition to directing SMBs to a six-week email series that will outline the best practices for running their first-ever TikTok campaign as well as integrating their brand’s story into their videos.

This includes directions to set up a free Business Account, access to the Creative Centre for content inspiration, and insights into how TikTok’s Ads Manager and Promotion features can be leveraged to further reinforce campaign outcomes.

SMBs can also go to tutorials from Melbourne-based bakery Goldelucks, where they will be charting their personal journeys on TikTok, on top of providing tips on how to best tap into the power of community and entertainment to win the hearts of consumers online.

Phillip Kuoch, owner and founder of Goldelucks said: “I posted my first video on TikTok about 12 months ago and took me less than 10 minutes to record and edit using the TikTok editing tools.

“The video ended up reaching over 500,000 people and sent through thousands of clicks to our website. TikTok has been a game-changer for my business and can for yours too,” he added.

With Follow Me, businesses can integrate the diverse and creative formats available on TikTok into their marketing strategies to involve, connect, and engage with the massive audience base available on the platform.

Sourced from Mediaweek

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Storyboard18 | The Great Skill Reset: How are companies hiring for marketing and brand roles these days?

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By Saumya Tewari

Marketing has become more customer-centric, the skill sets in demand today include ‘analytics’, ‘data’, ‘statistics and ‘systems thinking’.

The marketing and brand management function in companies across various industries is witnessing a significant change in the way their roles are evolving. In the wake of the pandemic, as rapid digitization has taken over various industries, there has been an evolution of the traditional marketing roles as well.

With marketers of today wearing multiple hats, companies are now tweaking the way they hire candidates. There is a willingness to hire from new-age industries, look for unique skills and pick candidates who will bring innovative thinking to the table.

Experts that Storyboard18 spoke to share that as marketing becomes more customer-centric, the skill sets in demand today include ‘analytics’, ‘data’, ‘statistics’ and ‘systems thinking’.

Customer-centricity matters 

Mercedes-Benz India, which launched direct-to-customer business model ‘Retail of the Future’ (ROTF) in 2021, highlights that this model provides real time customer data that enables the company to sharpen its campaigns and CRM initiatives.

“This has led to our marketing efforts evolving from traditional mass market campaigns to targeted, one-to-one customer focused, customized initiatives,” says Santosh Iyer, vice president – sales & marketing, Mercedes-Benz India. He says, “Today, we have ‘Customer Journey Managers’ as opposed to ‘Brand Managers’. The ‘Customer Journey Managers’ now play a key role in curating end-to-end customer experiences which align with the luxury quotient associated with the brand,”

Customer centricity scores high for fast moving consumer goods firm Nestlé India as well. The company, which sells products such as Maggi, Nescafe and Kit Kat, emphasizes that its hiring function is led by customer understanding and centricity along with the ability to leverage data-centric approach to finding consumer first solutions.

“The core aspect of consumer-centric approach still remains crucial and is at the center of our selection strategy. With the changing media habits of our consumers, we are keen on exploring talent who are exposed to omnichannel approach to brand design and digital to understand the new-age consumer deeply,” says Anurag Patnaik, director- human resources, Nestlé India.

Entrepreneurial mindset, agility in demand

Companies are also looking to hire candidates who would take ownership of products or services they work on. They live, breathe and understand the products/services they work on and take full ownership even if things go south.

“It’s equally important to see that the candidate just does not fit the role but also has a potential to grow in it as well over time. We also look out for traits that are important to ensure that the candidate can fit into the PepsiCo culture based on attributes like ownership, being consumer centric, etc.,” says a PepsiCo India spokesperson.

Mercedes’ Iyer also emphasises the company’s focus on hiring candidates who display ownership. “There is a clear focus on candidates to have an entrepreneurial mindset as marketing extends beyond traditional domains and incumbents need to add value in business,” he adds.

Agility is another trait that companies mentioned as a desired trait.

“The biggest challenge that pandemic has posed is to deal with uncertainties. Hence, to get talent from diverse backgrounds who have a strong ability to deal with business uncertainties with utmost agility is key,” adds a PepsiCo India’s spokesperson.

Upskilling is critical

Digital skill set is a pre-requisite for all companies today and emphasis is being given for candidates who are passionate about customer experience. Companies are also investing in upskilling their existing workforce as well.

Mercedes-Benz, for instance, has tied up with LinkedIn Learning to provide an access platform for people to upskill themselves.

Iyer tells us how it works. “Managers plan each individual’s growth trajectory by strategically mapping courses which will help them transition to the future of marketing, Data, Martech.” he adds, “From the organization standpoint, it is essential that the candidates are also upskilled in the future of mobility, Industry 4.0 and marketing luxury EVs.”

While the fundamentals of how a solid marketing engine works hasn’t changed, the various parts of the marketing machine need to be upgraded in a fast-evolving consumer and media landscape. And as some of the country’s biggest brands look to switch gears, they are on the look out for talent that will fit in the new engine.

What top marketers are looking for in the next-gen marketer

– Skill sets in demand today include ‘analytics’, ‘data’, ‘statistics and ‘systems thinking’.

– ‘Customer Journey Managers’ as opposed to ‘Brand Managers’

– Ability to leverage a data-centric approach to finding consumer first solutions

– Talent who are exposed to omnichannel approach to brand design and digital to understand the new-age consumer deeply

– Candidates who would take ownership of products or services they work on

– People with an entrepreneurial mindset

– Candidates who are passionate about customer experience

– Agility and attitude to learn and upskill

Feature Image Credit: Adeolu Eletu via Unsplash

By Saumya Tewari

Assistant Editor of Storyboard. Storyboard is Network18’s flagship platform focussed on the advertising & marketing community and a leading source of news and analyses on the business of brands.

Sourced from Money Control

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New Gmail experience starts rolling out — here’s how to customize it

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Google’s updated Gmail interface comes with Material You and a big side bar

Google is rolling out a new Gmail experience that makes it easier for users to switch between other apps including Google Meet and Chat in the same window or tab, and it comes with Android 12‘s Material You and a noticeable second sidebar.

Introduced back in February, Gmail’s new integrated view started rolling out to users on June 28, and is expected to come to everyone over the next couple of weeks. Once available, users will automatically see the new Gmail interface, but will have the ability to opt out and revert back to the old Gmail view we’re used to. However, there’s more than one way to set it to the way you want.

The big changes include a new navigation sidebar that lets you switch between other Google apps, including Gmail, Google Chat, Google Spaces, and Google Meet. Instead of going to the apps menu and opening a new app in another tab or window, you can now switch between apps in the same window. It’s handy if you’re not happy with a cluster of open tabs.

Google notes that apps available on the sidebar will vary depending on your Google Workspace edition, meaning if you only have Gmail, then you’ll have a Gmail-only navigation menu (similar to how the usual Gmail looks).

Apparently, the new navigation interface also features Material You, the colour-themed feature that was introduced with Android 12. So far, it only seems to turn Gmail’s colour scheme grey or blue, but this can be customized by heading into settings (the gear icon on the top left), clicking “View all,” and picking a theme.

Not a fan of the new layout? You can easily revert back to the classic Gmail layout.

How to revert back to the classic Gmail

  • In Gmail, click on Settings (the gear icon) on the top left.
  • under “See all settings,” there will be a block that says “Go back to the original Gmail view.” Click on it and you’ll have classic Gmail back.
  • You can also click on “See all settings” to revert back. Click on “See all settings.”
  • Under the “General” tab, navigate to “Main menu” and click on “Original view.”

(Image credit: Future)

For those who want to stick with the new Gmail but find the second sidebar annoying, there’s a way to get rid of it, too.

How to customize the sidebar

  • In Gmail, click on Settings (the gear icon) on the top left.
  • Click on “See all settings.”
  • Navigate to the “Chat and Meet” tab.
  • Switch “Chat” to “Off” and “Meet” to “Hide the Meet section in the main menu.”
  • Once done, the sidebar will only feature the Gmail menu bar.

(Image credit: Future)

Whether Google will keep the original Gmail view or completely overhaul Gmail to the new design? Only time will tell. However, if you prefer to have your apps in different windows or tabs, there’s a way to keep Gmail the way users are used to. As for other handy Gmail tips, check out how to delete spam mail in Gmail once and for all.

Feature Image credit: Google

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Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it’s connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.  

Sourced from Laptop

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The Least-Awful Social Media Sites for Anyone Who Wants to Be Less Unhappy

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By  Stephen Johnson

There is no law that says you have to use Twitter.

Almost everyone agrees that large swaths of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit are terrible, each in their own way. But these monolithic social media platforms are so ubiquitous, it’s easy to forget that you don’t have to use them. Which isn’t to say that you have to swear off of social media forever: There are less odious alternatives that will still let you participate in online life.

These smaller, scrappier social media platforms aim to either correct the most egregious mistakes their big brothers and sisters make, or to provide niche experiences that the larger social media companies can’t/won’t. Below are alternatives to five of the most popular social media platforms. None of them are perfect, but they’re at least different, and probably less terrible. Plus, if any of them really catch on, you can be first to complain about how they used to be so much better.

Ditch Facebook for MeWe: Freedom from advertising and tracking

There are tons of reasons to join the crowds fleeing Facebook—its terrifying targeted advertising policies, rampant misinformation, people use it to plan genocides, your cousin Gary—and only one reason to stay: The sheer number of users. Everyone is on Facebook, and maybe that’s the problem.

My suggested Facebook alternative, MeWe, offers a lot of features that will be familiar to Facebook-users—groups, private chats, tagging, content permissions—and boasts a Facebook-like look and feel, but WeMe is less evil. It’s completely advertising free and doesn’t track or sell its users’ data, staying afloat by offering for-pay premium services. On the downside: There are reportedly 16 million users of WeMe, which might sound like a lot, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to Facebook’s nearly 3 billion users.

Switch from Twitter to WT.Social: News with less misinformation and hysteria

I’ve had a Twitter account since 2010, but I can’t anymore. I just want links to interesting news stories and the occasional cute cat pic, but Twitter seems intent on serving up maddening, toxic nonsense. The site is awash in hysteria, misinformation, manipulation, and bitterness. If you’re just sick of it like I am, check out WT.Social.

Launched in 2019 by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, WT.social is completely ad-free and dedicated to combating misinformation by allowing users to flag and edit any post, like a certain famous online encyclopedia. There are no advertisers to appease, since the service is paid for through voluntary donations, and WT.social says its mission is to “foster an environment where bad actors are removed because it is right, not because it suddenly affects our bottom-line.”

Switch from Instagram to 500px: Better photos, less psychological trauma

Instagram has long been known to be devastating to the mental health of young people. The photo-sharing platform has been associated with depression, self-esteem issues, social anxiety, and other issues. It’s run by the same people who run Facebook, who seem bent on making social media experiences as addictive as possible. If you’re a photographer and you don’t want to support any of that just to show off your pics, you should switch to 500px.

The platform’s philosophy is built around quality pictures, so you can view and post pics in high resolution. The algorithm that determines which photographs are widely shared is based less on your number of followers and more on “likes” from people who don’t follow you. There are even opportunities to monetize your work.

While 500px is geared toward photographers, if you just like looking at pretty pictures, it might be the service for you too. Unlike Instagram’s mix of pictures, ads, and videos, 500px’s feeds feature only photographs, and it feeds aren’t based on Zuckerberg-style algorithms, so you’ll see only what you want to see.

Switch from TikTok to, well, something

TikTok is the nearly universal choice of young people eager to watch and share shorter videos. TikTok is so huge at the moment, it has no realistic challengers (other than old-school YouTube), and none on the horizon—but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any alternatives. Here are a few video sharing apps that offer things TikTok does not.

  • Triller. This app makes the already easy process of posting videos online even easier. Triller uses AI to edit videos in time to pre-selected music.
  • Clapper. If you’re worried that your important political views are being censored by TikTok, this moderation-light platform will let you spout off whatever dumb nonsense you’d like.
  • Clash. Created by one of the co-founders of Vine, Clash focuses on short form videos, and isn’t designed as a challenger to TikTok as much as a sidecar: It allows creators with existing followings to interact with and monetize their audience in exciting new ways. But that also means users can interact with their faves more easily, too.

Switch from Reddit to Discourse: Less dumbness, more smartness

It’s hard to believe now, but for a couple years after Reddit launched in 2005, it was a discussion forum for smart people. Unfortunately, popularity and an aversion to curation and moderation lead to a dumbing down of content and a proliferation of hateful and boring users. For a smaller, more focused discussion-based community, try Discourse. This open-source forum platform’s stated goal is to “raise the standard of civilized discourse on the internet through seeding it with better discussion software.” In practice, that means trusted, frequent users have a say in how communities are managed; it’s easy to flag bad content; and there exists robust and user-customizable curation. Plus, fewer people use it, so it hasn’t been ruined…yet.

Feature Image Credit: Chernousov family (Shutterstock)

By  Stephen Johnson

Sourced from lifehacker

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Commentary: In this post-COVID economy, job seekers have more bargaining power

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By Chris Lau

Whether you’re a first-time job seeker or thinking of a mid-career switch, you have more bargaining power now that employers are trying to fill vacancies. Workforce Singapore career consultant Chris Lau shares how to go about your job search.

SINGAPORE: Job vacancies in the first quarter of 2022 reached a record high, with resident employment 3.9 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels. All signs point to a tight labour market as Singapore continues its economic recovery from the pandemic.

And since Singapore does not expect a recession or stagflation in 2023, job seekers will likely continue to hold considerable bargaining power. It is no surprise employers are competing to fill the vacancies by offering generous salary packages and retention bonuses.

Of course, the financial factor will be an important consideration for many, especially with prices on the rise. But the pandemic has made workers rethink what they want from work.

Whether you are a fresh graduate or are thinking of a mid-career switch, how can you identify opportunities that best match your interests and values?

The workplace and jobs have transformed, perhaps irreversibly so, because of the pandemic. The ability to multi-task in a hybrid environment and take on myriad roles to meet the organisation’s evolving needs is an asset. Retail workers, for instance, no longer just serve customers in a store, but might have to handle e-commerce operations from marketing to logistics.

Besides staying nimble and open-minded, candidates need to assess job suitability based on their own skills and competencies. Here’s how those new to the job market or the industry can go about researching prospective careers.

BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT FROM YOUR CAREER

Flexibility is one aspect of work that has received much attention since the pandemic. According to a study by HR company ADP, about half of global respondents would take a pay cut if it meant more flexibility to choose where and when they work.

(Photo: iStock/M_a_y_a)

For some, such as those with caregiving responsibilities, flexibility may be a starting point. While more employers are aware of the benefits brought about by remote work and flexible hours, they aren’t obliged to provide them.

But for most, the first step is being clear about what you are looking for. Find out what you want to get out of a job, which can help you narrow down your career path and roles you will find fulfilling.

Take stock of your values, interests, personality and strengths: What do I enjoy doing? What am I passionate about? What are some of my best skillsets and strengths? Would I prefer to specialise in a certain area or do I prefer to wear many hats?

You may see your work aspirations have changed. Drawing on past work experience can be helpful to decide whether pandemic-related changes have affected what you enjoy (or not) about work.

Fresh graduates can reflect on previous group projects, volunteering work, extra-curricular activities, internships – or even newfound passions when academic and social life were disrupted.

Explore careers by visiting job portals and keep a lookout for growth sectors in Singapore, such as fintech and green technology where new jobs draw on diverse skill sets.

UNDERSTAND THE JOB LANDSCAPE

Once you have narrowed your focus to certain sectors or roles, start researching positions and assess whether you have the relevant experience.

Determine what transferable skills you can bring to the role: How much of your know-how forged from work experiences, internships, volunteering and hobbies is relevant to the job description?

Soft skills, such as communication and project management, are transferable across many sectors. Consider expanding your skills repertoire – whether through courses or workshops – to fill gaps. This can show prospective employers that you have the initiative to learn and adapt, an advantage in a tight labour market.

For instance, with footfall shrinking during the pandemic, retailers had to acquire new competencies in digital marketing instead of relying on traditional advertising like handing out flyers. Government-supported training programmes helped them learn more about digital engagement and search engine optimisation to reach larger audiences.

About half (51 per cent) of respondents in an Institute of Policy Studies study felt they had learnt new skills during the pandemic which will help in their careers.

BUILD AND TAP ON YOUR NETWORKS

Of course, there’s a limit to how much research can tell you about job roles. Sniff out opportunities from people you know – work contacts, neighbours, schoolmates or lecturers.

Even if you aren’t close to them, people are often happy to share information about jobs, industries and even give referrals.

If they might have a lead to share, let them know you’re actively seeking employment. They are more likely to help and support you if you’ve been in active contact with them.

But for more dormant connections, be sure to reconnect with them over various stages and platforms to warm up the relationship and establish trust instead of abruptly going into your career aspirations.

Now that in-person gatherings have resumed, look out for networking sessions organised by the trade associations and chambers to understand more about the industry you wish to enter. Prepare a 30-second “elevator pitch” about yourself and some questions to ask during the session. A business card can be useful with a visual resume that summarises your qualities.

Consider questions to industry participants about their role and experience. What is the most challenging or exciting part of their work? What is the company’s mid- and long-term direction? What do they look for in a candidate? The research you would have done earlier about the sector and companies will come in handy to solicit insightful responses.

Ensure your online profile and resume are updated as many employers trawl through platforms like LinkedIn to seek suitable candidates.

It is never too late for job seekers to transit into a new job role or industry, as long as they adopt a growth mindset and stay open to opportunities, including contract roles which help bridge the gap in their resumes.

There is always uncertainty and anxiety when taking the plunge in a new field or a career change. But the pandemic has shown that many have done it successfully. And the best way to do it is jumping in with your eyes and your heart wide open.

Feature Image Credit: iStock/Wormphoto

By Chris Lau

Chris Lau is Principal Career Consultant at Workforce Singapore.

Sourced from cna

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