WebProNews

Category: BrandBuildingPro

BrandBuildingPro

  • Delta CMO: All 85,000 Employees Are Brand Ambassadors

    Delta CMO: All 85,000 Employees Are Brand Ambassadors

    “I have the opportunity to serve as Chief Marketing Officer, but 85,000 people are all brand ambassadors,” says Delta CMO Tim Mapes. “All 85,000 members of the company are selling, they’re promoting, they’re providing a brand experience in what they do each day,”

    Tim Mapes, Chief Marketing Officer of Delta Airlines, recently discussed how Delta uses its army of employees in its marketing:

    All 85,000 Employees Are Brand Ambassadors

    One of the dynamics of being in this role of Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Delta Airlines for ten years, when I think the average used to be 23 months, is the fact that Delta is such a values-driven organization and values transcend time. Marketing’s role within Delta is really seen to be everybody’s role. I have the opportunity to serve as Chief Marketing Officer, but 85,000 people are all brand ambassadors.

    All 85,000 members of the company are selling, they’re promoting, they’re providing a brand experience in what they do each day. That’s very much conscious on our part. We share that view with everybody that we’re all having a net impression. I say often within the company, everything communicates.

    Whether the flight attendants are happy, whether the coffee works, whether the lavatory is clean on the plane, whether the flights operate on time, all of that in your customer experience is a part of the net impression you have on your impression of Delta at the end of the day.

    Delta is Using Data to Drive the Customer Experience

    When you carry 185 million passengers a year and we know where you’re going when you’re going, whether you’re a Sky Club member, whether you have the American Express co-branded credit card, all of that data is resident in Delta.

    Taking that in and knitting it together horizontally, not just so that we in the loyalty program can know that you as a Diamond flyer prefer to sit on an aisle seat and like gin and tonics,  but also that the last three flights you took had your bag misdirected, so we’re able to say up or down what type of experience are we delivering.

    Prosperity Coming Out of the Roots of Austerity

    I think one thing that’s fascinating about Delta is you’re talking about a 90-year-old company that nonetheless in the last 10 years has experienced the best in the worst year in the history of the company. So 9/11 2001 you’ve got obviously all the fallout and the impact of that on travel and then experiencing record profits more recently.

    We’ve been paying our employees profit sharing in excessive of a billion dollars a year each of the past four years so even in a short decade of time you’re seeing prosperity coming out of the roots of austerity and problems.

    Delta CMO: How Cool is That…

    I grew up watching really two programs that I can consciously recall. One was Mr. Rogers. People think about puppets and silliness and kind of milk toast Mr. Rogers bless his heart. The transcendent qualities that he taught in terms of respect and that you’re special just the way you are, from a hospitality perspective and a diversity and inclusion, he was way ahead of his time. In a way, with kindness and grace that the company and all of our world would do well to have more of today.

    The other was Bewitched because I got to watch Darrin, and this as a kid, but he just looked like he was having fun in advertising with a great social life and great personal life. I just thought wow,  advertising art that actually generates commerce. How cool is that…

  • It’s Official: Bing Is Cool, and Google Search Is In Trouble

    It’s Official: Bing Is Cool, and Google Search Is In Trouble

    Microsoft’s AI-powered Bing represents an existential threat to Google’s search, with early reports suggesting Google may be in serious trouble.

    Microsoft unveiled its AI-powered Bing last week, using a new and improved version of the OpenAI tech behind ChatGPT. The move is largely seen as one of the biggest challenges Google has faced to its core search business and could help Bing make major headway against its rival.

    Early reports indicate that Microsoft’s AI-powered Bing is performing far better than critics anticipated and is serving up better results than an old-school Google search. In fact, CNET’s Stephen Shankland put ten questions to both search engines and came away preferring Bing’s response to eight of the questions. Interestingly, Bing did especially well on complex questions, as well as at providing information about recent events, such as the US shooting down a ‘high-altitude object’ over Alaska.

    Read More: Google Won the Search Wars, but Can It Win the AI Search Wars?

    Similarly, Android Central posted a poll to see how many of its readers would be willing to switch to the new Bing once it’s available to the public. A whopping 52% said they would switch and give Bing a try, with 11% already using Bing and only 30% saying they would stick with Google.

    Indeed, Microsoft VP Yusuf Mehdi revealed the company quickly saw more than one million people sign up to test-drive the new Bing.

    Needless to say, Google is not going to take this challenge to its business lying down. In fact, the company has been rushing to roll out its own ChatGPT challenger, Bard. Unfortunately, in its rush, the company bungled Bard’s unveiling. This led to a $100 billion drop in the company’s value and vocal criticism of CEO Sundar Pichai from Google’s own employees.

    The picture is clear: Microsoft has taken an early lead in the AI search wars and is moving quickly to capitalize on it. This has resulted in Bing being seen as cool — quite possibly for the first time ever.

    And Google? Google is in real trouble — quite possibly for the first time ever.

  • 7 Ways Realtors Can Use Digital Marketing to Boost Sales

    7 Ways Realtors Can Use Digital Marketing to Boost Sales

    Real estate is a competitive field, and success relies on staying ahead of the game. In today’s digital age, technology is making it easier than ever before for realtors to reach potential buyers and to network with peers in the industry. With so many effective digital marketing strategies available to them, there’s no excuse for not taking full advantage of this convenient platform.

    In this blog post, we’ll detail 7 innovative ways that realtors can use digital marketing to promote listings online, unlocking superior results for buyers and sellers alike.

    1- Mobile Friendly and Fast Loading Website

    A website is a crucial tool for real estate agents as it provides a platform to showcase their listings, provide information about their services, and connect with potential clients. A website is the hub of all digital marketing strategies and it should be fast loading, easy to navigate and mobile friendly as well. Availability of website builders make it easier for real estate business owners to create professional looking websites with zero coding skills and expertise.

    2- Search Engine Optimization

    Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a digital marketing strategy that helps improve the visibility of a website in search engine results. By optimizing their website for relevant keywords and phrases, realtors can increase their visibility to potential clients searching for properties online.

    Some of the ways SEO can help realtors increase sales include:

    • Improving Local Rankings
    • Driving Organic Traffic
    • Targeting Home Buyers and Sellers
    • Building Trust and Credibility
    • Generating Quality Leads

    However, one should use the right keywords to appear in relevant search results. For instance, if you are offering services in Jackson MS, you should optimize your website for keywords like best realtors in Jackson, MS and so on to drive more local visitors and generate more leads.

    3- Leverage Landing Pages 

    Landing pages are designed to capture leads and generate conversions. They should be used to offer prospects information about properties, services, and other real estate related topics and drive them toward making a purchase decision. Realtors can create landing pages that feature top listings or highlight the latest market updates. Landing pages can be used to collect contact information from prospects and segment them for future marketing campaigns. Landing pages should be well designed, visually appealing, and user-friendly. They can also be integrated with email marketing platforms and social media channels for greater reach. With the right strategy in place, landing pages can help Realtors generate more leads and close more sales. 

    4- Create Engaging Content 

    Content is king in digital marketing, and Realtors should make sure they are producing engaging content that resonates with their target audience. Their content should be informative and entertaining, while also providing valuable insight into the real estate industry. Realtors can blog about current market trends, share tips on buying or selling a home, offer their expertise in the local market and more. Creating engaging content can help Realtors gain visibility, build trust with prospects, and generate leads that could lead to sales. 

    5- Utilize Email Marketing 

    Email campaigns are an effective way for realtors to reach prospective clients, stay top-of-mind, and offer relevant content to their database of contacts. Emails should be personalized and sent with a frequency that does not overwhelm prospects yet keeps them informed about the latest listings and offers. Realtors can craft emails that feature new property listings, open houses, and other real estate related events. They should also ensure their email content is relevant to their target audience and offers valuable information and resources. By utilizing email marketing, Realtors can stay connected with potential buyers and sellers and increase their chances of closing sales. 

    6- Make Use of Social Media Platforms 

    Social media has become an effective way for realtors to reach out to potential buyers and sellers. They should create profiles on the major social media platforms and share content that is relevant to their target audience. Realtors can post updates about listings and open houses, promote blog posts, share industry news, and interact with prospects to build relationships. Social media can also be used to showcase properties in a visually appealing way and generate more interest from potential buyers.  By leveraging social media, Realtors can increase their reach and boost sales. 

    7- Track & Analyze Results 

    Last but not least, Realtors should track and analyze their digital marketing efforts to ensure they are producing desired results. They should monitor website traffic and conversion rates, review email open and click-through rates, measure social media engagement, and analyze the performance of their campaigns to determine what is working and what needs to be improved. Tracking and analyzing results can help Realtors make informed decisions about their marketing strategies and optimize them for better results.

    Conclusion

    Digital marketing offers realtors and real estate agents a wide range of opportunities to reach potential clients and boost sales. From social media platforms to websites, email campaigns, and search engine optimization, agents can leverage technology to showcase their properties and connect with potential buyers. By staying up-to-date on the latest digital marketing trends and techniques, realtors can differentiate themselves from their competition, establish a strong online presence, and ultimately close more deals.

  • eCommerce Email Marketing: Why Do You Need It?

    eCommerce Email Marketing: Why Do You Need It?

    eCommerce email marketing is one of the earliest forms of internet advertising, and studies show that it’s still just as effective today. Social media advertising may be new, flashy, and appealing to younger audiences, but when choosing between an eCommerce email marketing agency and a social media marketing agency, there are a few other factors to consider. Emails have been a tried and true method of marketing for a long time and are trusted by many generations of consumers. While social media allows for more creative expression in terms of graphics, gifs, and video—as well as the interactive nature of comments—social platforms like Instagram are quickly becoming oversaturated with ads. Not all of these ads are trustworthy or legitimate, and it’s not infrequent for scam ads to appear on social feeds.

    Partially due to the increasing scams and oversaturation of ads on social media, eCommerce email marketing is many consumers’ preferred form of advertising. While you do want to use marketing mediums that fit your team members’ expertise, your consumers are the ones who are ultimately exposed to the finished product. Moreover, if you or your team members are struggling considerably with writing creative email copy, it may be worthwhile to invest in an eCommerce email marketing agency. But why is email marketing such a preferred advertising method by employees and consumers alike? What makes it superior?

    What is the Difference Between eCommerce Email Marketing and E-Marketing?

    Before exploring the ways in which eCommerce email marketing can improve your business, it’s essential to understand what eCommerce email marketing does. Any company can use email marketing—that is, sending product information or ads for new products via email. It’s becoming increasingly rarer for a store to have a physical shop without an online shop, but those stores that do can still make sure of email marketing. If you have a business, you can send out marketing emails. Similarly, if you have an online store, you can send out eCommerce marketing emails. This means that a non-profit can use email marketing but not eCommerce email marketing. E-Marketing, on the other hand, refers to any online marketing medium, including social media platforms and email. eCommerce email marketing can include general emails about upcoming sales in an online shop or emails that are tailored to a shopper and the items in their cart.

    Consumer Control

    Unlike social media marketing, email marketing allows consumers more control over the advertisements, coupons, and deals that they receive. Because consumers are required to subscribe to your company’s mailing list or newsletter in order to receive emails from you, consumers are less likely to receive emails from brands that they don’t know and trust. Any scam emails are directed to spam, and consumers have the freedom to unsubscribe from a mailing list in order to stop receiving product information.

    More Trustworthy

    While it may seem counterintuitive to allow consumers to stop receiving product information from your company, it is imperative to win their trust. In fact, 77% of consumers prefer to receive marketing information via email. It makes sense that emails are the most trustworthy. We’re already using our email addresses for work and networking so it feels professional whereas social media ads are fun, but a little too casual to be legitimate. Email marketing feels trustworthy and professional, but how can it work for your business? How do you ensure that your emails are being opened and your content consumed?

    High Open Rates and ROI

    It’s more likely than you think that consumers will open your marketing emails. According to Forbes, 65% of small businesses report that between 11 and 50% of their marketing emails are opened. It’s easy to track open rates using tools like Cirrus Insight. Even if a customer doesn’t open your email as soon as they receive it, there is a potential that they may do so later. Social media posts, on the other hand, disappear as soon as someone refreshes their feed—meaning they might never even see it. It’s also hard to beat the price and return on investment of marketing emails.

    Forbes tells us that you earn $42 for every dollar you spend, and most email marketing campaigns cost very little. You might find that your open and click-through rates become even higher when you put effort into the design and layout of your emails. As long as you don’t flood your consumers’ inboxes (40% of small businesses send marketing emails weekly while 30% send them at least once a month), your clients are sure to appreciate a thoughtfully made email with memorable colors and graphics. Cleverly worded subject lines that include slang and emojis are especially popular with more “hip” brands like skincare lines and fashion companies.

    Conclusion

    Even with the rise of social media, eCommerce email marketing is still a trustworthy form of marketing—and, in fact, one that is usually preferred by consumers. The return on investment and ease of content creation makes email marketing a no-brainer for your next campaign.

  • Using Corporate Gifting to Advance Your Branding

    Using Corporate Gifting to Advance Your Branding

    A good gift isn’t just something the recipient can use. It’s also something they were unlikely to buy for themselves. On top of both those things, the best gifts reflect well on the person who sent them. 

    It’s for that last reason that companies sometimes send gifts to their customers. Corporate gifting provides a measurable return on investment for the companies who engage in the practice. Customers who receive gifts feel valued by the company who sent them. This leads to positive word of mouth and strengthened touchpoints, which drive repeat sales. Meaningful and memorable corporate gifting can lead to 40% higher ROI for the company.

    If your company decides to send gifts to customers, it needs to make a number of decisions. First, what gift will it give? The best gifts fit the conventions described above while fitting with the company’s brand. 

    Brand Archetypes Matter

    Before deciding on gift ideas, ask yourself: does your company have a strong, identifiable brand? If you aren’t sure, consider the major brand archetypes. According to renowned psychologists Carl Jung, there are 12 major personality archetypes seen throughout history. Find the archetype that fits best with your company’s offering and style and embrace it. 

    After all, 90% of customers want brands that feel real to them. Aligning your brand with an archetype humanizes the company and makes it relatable to customers. Brands that use well-defined archetypes to personify themselves rise in value by 97%. 

    How does this relate to gifting, though? A brand’s “personality” guides every interaction it has with customers. The brand image drives advertising and marketing decisions. It controls how social media accounts engage with the public. It can influence how stores are laid out, how websites are designed, and even how employees speak to customers. Naturally, a company’s brand informs the gifts it gives as well. The idea is that the “personality” of the brand will draw in customers who share that archetype.

    Consider the Magician archetype. According to Jung, this archetype values mastery and uniqueness. The best gifts for this type are unconventional novelty items. One possible gift is a kaleidoscope. With a kaleidoscope, you can turn reality into a spellbinding possibility that changes with every angle.

    Another archetype on Jung’s list is the Everyman. This type values belonging to a group and appreciates more classic gifts. A courant classic catch enables clients to make happy memories with your brand in mind. With these examples, you can see how having a brand archetype can guide gift selection for your customers. 

    In Conclusion

    Once you decide on gifts for customers, you also need to decide on the occasion for them. Some companies send gifts to loyal customers who have spent a certain amount of money with them. Others send gifts on customer birthdays to add a personal touch to the relationship.

    The most important part of corporate gifting is making the customers who receive their gifts feel special. Even standardized gifts should feel personal in some way. Connect with clients beyond the close of a sale.

    Choosing the right gifts for your brand archetype
  • The Power of Color Psychology in Marketing

    The Power of Color Psychology in Marketing

    Color has quickly become one of the most important factors that modern shoppers consider when purchasing a product or service. In fact, color accounts for between 62% and 90% of the decision to purchase. The psychology of power of color in marketing is overwhelming, and it can be used to evoke a number of emotional and physical responses in humans. In some cases, the use of color can change one’s appetite, enhance their mood, increase their memory, or boost their attention span. In addition, colors can calm down customers, reduce the perception of wait times, and even encourage sales and conversions. 

    Color’s Impact on Your Brain

    Color has a direct effect on the human brain and the responses that it stimulates in the body. For example, red increases pulse rates by 0.356 points and increases systolic blood pressure. Orange stimulates circulation, increasing oxygen to the brain and boosts productivity. Yellow increases metabolism and can actually trigger a hunger response in humans. Walking in a green environment can reduce one’s heart rate by 11 points in comparison to red or white environments. Blue is encouraged for bedrooms, as studies show that 60% of people who sleep in blue painted rooms wake up happy. Purple is a children’s color, with 75% preferring it to any other color. White has the power to make rooms look larger than they are by reflecting sunlight, and the color pink reduces juvenile aggression by 45%.

    It is because of these responses in humans that color is an important factor in many different settings and industries. Real estate, for example, is one that can be heavily influenced by color as it relates to home design. High performing colors in a home are light blue, gray, and black. These colors are popular and comfortable, seen as neutral and clean, and can even denote a feeling of luxury or high value. On the other hand, low performing colors like brown, red, and cream yellow sell for less, are associated with unfavorable emotions, and are not popular colors amongst the general population.

    Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde once said “Mere color, unspoiled by meaning and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways.” It is from this idea that color theory and color in marketing was born. Experts were able to grasp which colors maximize marketing value and put those facts into motion. 

    Brands and Their Use of Color

    Brands like Target, Ikea, Sesame Street, Roku, Prada, and The Home Depot use the most popular marketing colors to elevate their business. More specifically, Target’s red leads to more conversions and sales than any other color. Ikea’s yellow and blue combination is the most readable to audiences and quells feelings of buyer’s remorse. Sesame Street’s iconic green makes wearers and recipients more creative and encourages action. Roku’s purple denotes power and luxury, and is one of the colors that caters most to women. Prada’s black is a favorite amongst men and denotes strength and sophistication. Finally, The Home Depot’s orange is an extremely rare brand color that stands out against other competition and speaks for itself. 

    Bringing it All Together

    Using color in marketing is the new age of business. Those who learn to harness this power will be exponentially more successful in their endeavors, winning over both the hearts and the brains of their loyal customers.

    Learn about the psychology of color in marketing, what color does to the brain, and colors that maximize your marketing value
    Source:LUXURYSOCALREALTY
  • TrenDemon CEO: We Connect Content Marketing to Sales

    TrenDemon CEO: We Connect Content Marketing to Sales

    The CEO of TrenDemon, Avishai Sharon, says that they created their cloud-based software solution in order to help companies prove that the marketing content they produced also achieved business goals and sales. In order to show this correlation, the TrenDemon software analyzes all of the different touchpoints the customer has had over his lifecycle and then reverse engineers those successful journeys in order to find out what content is working.

    Avishai Sharon, Co-founder & CEO of TrenDemon, discussed their software on ILTV:

    How Do You Connect Content Marketing to Sales?

    My personal background was heading a marketing agency for many years and one of my biggest struggles was how do I prove our value and our effort to our customers and how do you connect the impact of what we call content marketing to business goals and to sales? When we couldn’t find an easy way to show that correlation three and a half years ago we went ahead and founded TrenDemon to help companies do just that.

    We connect their marketing efforts, which today rely mostly on content, you want your audience to consume valuable content, as opposed to just advertising. The big challenge is how do you attribute those efforts to sales? There’s actually a prior problem, how do you actually map the customer journey? How do you track those different touch points into one picture?

    Reverse Engineering Successful Customer Journeys

    The first thing we do is look at all the different touchpoints that a customer has had over his lifecycle. We ask the question, not just where do they come from, but how deep was their engagement? Did they actually watch the video? Did they actually read the article? Then you can start reverse engineering those successful journeys and say what’s common about all of these successful journeys.

    What we found, and this is the interesting thing, we’re working with over 90 companies today worldwide and the vast majority of content the companies produce, over 90 percent, is ineffective at driving business goals. As you guys know it’s very expensive to create quality content and it takes a lot of effort.

    If People Read the Right Content They Will Covert to a Sale

    The second interesting thing is that if you do manage to find those 10 percent and you find a way to get it in front of the right people you’re actually able to improve dramatically your results. So there’s not just a correlation between what buyers did beforehand, there’s also a causation, a causal relationship, that if people read the right content at the right time they’re more likely to follow a path. We’re not probably as sophisticated as we believe that we are.

    We’re a SaaS company, a cloud-based solution. We’re working a lot in the US and one of our biggest markets and growing markets is Japan. They’re investing a lot of content and a lot on technology. Essentially, because we look at the customer journey and not necessarily specific languages we can operate in any environment which allows us to grow pretty much anywhere. As long as they have content, which means that they’re producing something other than just advertising, they want people and audiences to actually engage with what they’re producing and they do have some business outcomes that they’re looking to measure.

    About TrenDemon:

    Founded in 2013, TrenDemon is the world’s leading content marketing attribution and optimization solution, helping marketers prove and improve their content’s impact.

    TrenDemon insights can help you uncover your content marketing ROI, impact on business goals, and engagement to help guide the content strategy. Our optimization units will help you increase conversions and shorten time to convert on your owned assets.

    TrenDemon proudly serves a wide range of customers, from Fortune 500s and brands to SaaS, B2B, and financial companies and is backed by leading VCs.

  • Microsoft Advertising Adds Target Impression Share Automated Bids

    Microsoft Advertising Adds Target Impression Share Automated Bids

    Microsoft has released its August product updates, including Target Impression Share automated bidding.

    Manually managing a search campaign can be a tedious process, especially when trying to stay at the top of the results. Microsoft’s August update aims to help address that with Target Impression Share automated bidding.

    “A new addition to our suite of automated bidding strategiesOpens in new window is the exciting new Target Impression Share strategy, now available in Microsoft Advertising online and Editor,” writes Kevin Salat, Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft Advertising. “With this strategy, you set your budget, where you want your ads to appear, and your Target Impression Share, and Microsoft Advertising automatically sets your bids.”

    Microsoft is a distant second to Google in search market share. Nonetheless, rolling out features that continue to make it easier for customers to use its services can only help it gain ground.

  • How the Ecommerce Theme You Choose Helps to Deliver the Best Brand Experience

    How the Ecommerce Theme You Choose Helps to Deliver the Best Brand Experience

    Ecommerce is a lucrative market for many businesses. By now, nearly every retail brand has either started or is working on launching an ecommerce store.

    Global ecommerce revenue is projected to reach 5.4 trillion US dollars by 2022. Therefore, more and more retailers have jumped into the ecommerce space to make more money. With increasing competition, however, it has become crucial for ecommerce businesses to deliver the best brand experience for improved customer retention and brand loyalty.

    The choice of your website’s ecommerce theme plays a vital role in preparing an UX-friendly digital destination that helps to acquire more customers.

    What is an ecommerce theme?

    An ecommerce theme is a pre-built design that you can select for your online store. It helps to deliver the best user experience to your customers.

    Why is the choice of your ecommerce theme significant?

    Around 40% of site visitors will stop interacting with your site if the layout is unattractive. Selecting the right ecommerce theme for your online store helps your customers to do business with you with ease.

    What features should you look for in your ecommerce theme?

    The features that you should have in your site depends on the kind of website that you are looking to build.

    That having been said, here are the top features you should look for in every ecommerce theme:

    Responsive Design

    A responsive website is mobile-friendly. Having a responsive site design ensures that your website’s look and functionality stays the same irrespective of the browsing device. It doesn’t matter whether the visitor is visiting your store using a mobile device or a desktop, they will be able to complete the purchase easily.

    A responsive design also has a positive impact on Google rankings, because Google and other search engines consider site design, user experience, and mobile browsing experience before ranking a website.

    Hence, a responsive website has more chances of ranking higher in the search results as compared to a non-responsive site. Besides, a responsive site is easy to maintain and cost-effective.

    Speed

    Faster loading websites naturally offer a more smooth user experience. Google and other search engines now consider site speed in their ranking algorithm.

    The recent Page Experience update from Google takes into account Core Web Vitals as a key ranking algorithm factor. Core Web Vitals comprises metrics such as LCP (Largest Contentful Paint), FCP (First Contentful Paint), and FID (First Input Delay), which collectively measure the real world user experience. Sites that pass the Core Web Vitals test have the best chances of being placed higher in the search results.

    You can use the Page Speed Insights tool to check the page speed score of a website. The higher the score, the better would be the UX and organic rankings.

    Therefore, before selecting a theme, you should conduct some research on the theme loading speed. Sometimes, fancy elements and design don’t matter much when compared to simple site design with a high speed.

    Ease of Use

    You should always select an ecommerce theme with a simple and easy to use navigation.

    For example, your theme should have a search bar, because often visitors are looking to search for a particular product to complete the purchase. If your site doesn’t have a visible search bar, then it might lead to poor conversions and a high bounce rate.

    Opt for a theme that has nicely designed “breadcrumb navigation” and prominent category and subcategory links. Besides, the CTAs should be large and clear. There are maximum chances of conversions when the CTAs are placed higher in the page leading to more clicks.

    Security

    Website security is crucial for a good user experience. Google takes website security very seriously. Make sure your ecommerce site offers good security.

    Opt for an SSL certificate and pick a trustworthy web host. Ensure, your ecommerce theme does not have any vulnerabilities that makes it easier for hackers to steal customer data.

    Support for integrations and widgets

    Most of the time, you will realize that it is much easier to install a widget or an app to add an additional feature to your online shop.

    You can find essential apps and plugins in the respective directories of your ecommerce platform. Plugins are powerful because they let you add beneficial functionalities to your store without the need to hire a developer. You can easily search and install a plugin of your choice to add different functionalities to improve UX and SEO.

    Hence, you should see whether your chosen theme is compatible with the plugins you plan to use. You should select an ecommerce theme that offers the support for maximum plugins, apps, and widgets.

    Final thoughts

    Building and managing your ecommerce business is challenging nowadays. The choice of your ecommerce theme decides the future of your online business.

    An SEO friendly store layout helps to acquire relevant organic traffic to your site. Besides, an UX-friendly theme keeps customers happy as it improves conversion and retention, which are significant to boost your online revenue.

    You should have a brilliant online marketing strategy, powered by a robust ecommerce theme to drive more qualified traffic to your site.

  • Why Is Appealing To Human Emotions In Branding Campaigns Important?

    Why Is Appealing To Human Emotions In Branding Campaigns Important?

    Marketing is a multi-dimensional business entity and is crucial for any company’s development. Companies use various methodologies to run their campaigns, depending on their goals. One of the most common strategies companies are now using is Emotional Branding.

    What is Emotional Branding?

    As the name suggests, emotional branding is a branding technique that tries to trigger various emotions in people. Happiness, love, and peace are the main emotions we think of when we talk about positive emotional branding, but they aren’t the only branding emotions you will find.

    Experts believe that positive emotions extend from these basic feelings to more complicated ones. A full spectrum of positive emotions would include:

    • Euphoria
    • Happiness 
    • Inspiration 
    • Joy
    • Kindness to pride
    • Optimism
    • Satisfaction
    • Serenity, interest
    • Awe 
    • Relief 

    Understanding Emotional Branding and its Benefits

    A wider range of emotions in branding provides companies with the tools to run more diversified branding campaigns and get the desired results. Emotional branding is a successful branding technique that the world’s leading brands follow. 

    For example, Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign revolved around emotional branding. Their bottles had the most common names worldwide printed, and the company asked their customers to post their names on social media. The campaign was a major hit and increased Coca-Cola’s brand reputation.

    Emotional branding has much more to offer, and campaign runners should know the full benefits of this branding technique. We’ve listed down some of these benefits for you, so have a look.

    Conceptualize Every Strategy

    The main purpose of using emotional branding is to elevate and enhance any business-related change you wish to make. It adds more ground to your business decisions and helps people connect with you better. 

    Many companies also use social incidents as an inspiration for their branding methods. A common example is Umber’s renowned anti-racism billboard which said:

    If you tolerate racism, delete Uber. Black people have the right to move without fear.

    The company tapped into the emotions around the “Black Lives Matter” movement and helped people feel valued. Yes, some people may have also deleted the application, but the overall result was still in Uber’s favor.

    Creates more Usability

    Such a diverse range of emotions can be challenging for brands to utilize in their campaigns. Fortunately, adding emotional branding to their marketing campaign helps brands get actionable insights in their campaigns too.

    It can show you how the visitors on your website interact with the platform and help you advance with future tactics accordingly.

    Provides better Storytelling

    The emotional narrative of any branding strategy needs to connect with the brand’s target audience. 

    A successful example of good storytelling is Heineken’s ‘Worlds Apart ‘, which revolves around the idea that despite differences among different countries, we still unite as one. The campaign helped their audiences see others differently and resonated pretty well with the audience. 

    This kind of branding technique merged with an advanced video advertising solution can help reap better results. 

    Improves the Product Design 

    The best way to improve your product design is to create the one that the audiences love. Identifying the right product design is challenging since it won’t reflect well on your brand if you do not understand the audience’s requirements. The product design options are virtually limitless, making it pretty challenging for companies to find the right one.

    Improving the product design requires understanding the customer’s expectations from the brand and delivering accordingly. Nike is one of the few brands that quickly mastered emotional branding and the right approaches. 

    Their “Just do It” campaigns are among the most well-renowned emotional branding campaigns. It focuses on athletes that have suffered injuries and how they have bounced back from these challenges. 

    Stand out with your Social Media

    Social media is one of the most viable tools for brands wishing to better connect with their audiences. It allows direct engagement, content sharing, collecting real-time feedback, and much more with your target audience. 

    However, branding your products through social media doesn’t always have to be direct. The “Unsung Hero” by Thai Life Insurance is a perfect example of this technique. It doesn’t mention the product directly, but it discusses the importance of human belief in values.

    Social media allows brands to connect with their audiences personally, increasing the number of conversions towards their brand without direct advertising. 

    Creates Experience Dialogue

    Working on your emotional branding technique can help increase dialogue around your campaign. People have more things to say about your brand, and if these responses are good, they will improve how the industry sees your company as a whole.  

    The more people talk about your brand, the more they know. Customer feedbacks are one of the simplest types of dialogues that you can advertise on your websites too.

     Mistakes to Avoid in Emotional Branding

    Running an emotional branding campaign is great for a company’s brand reputation and overall stature in the industry. However, there are some mistakes you need to avoid, while emotional branding can be counterproductive for you. These include:

    • Focusing on the features of your business instead of the values behind it
    • Trying to address the audience in a technical or tactical language
    • Failing to tell a compelling story to the audience
    • Thinking of emotional branding as academic alone
    • Trying to replicate what others may be doing with their brands
    • Failing to launch a new product or brand internally may lead to inconsistencies within the company.
    • Compromising on the branding budget 

    Bottom Line

    Emotional branding is a simple yet effective technique for resonating with audiences. It lets companies connect with their target groups on a more personal level and help them achieve better results. 

    Emotional branding campaigns vary for each brand, and so does the message they want to put across. Some companies consider social movements as their primary emotional branding, while others may consider success stories or battling struggles their main selling point. Nevertheless, the fact remains that you can use emotional branding to effectively change the customers’ perception about your brand. 

  • Is TikTok Replacing Google?

    Is TikTok Replacing Google?

    Digital marketing entrepreneur Eric Siu, asks an interesting question, “Is TikTok the NEW Google?” The idea is that younger people are starting to search immersive social apps like TikTok and Instagram directly instead of searching Google.

    “Is TikTok going to replace Google? 40% of 18-24-year-olds report that they are using apps like TikTok to search for things like lunch. The engagement on Google Maps is also starting to grow down. In addition, people are now using fewer keywords to discover. They prefer immersive experiences instead.”

    “Now, things are changing quite a bit because Google is actually starting to index Instagram posts and TikTok posts. If you use Google as much as I do for my business or you do any search marketing at all, stay tuned.”

  • Walmart is the Roman Empire of Retail

    Walmart is the Roman Empire of Retail

    Walmart is the Roman Empire of retail, says Burt Flickinger, Managing Director of SRG. Walmart announced an impressive earnings and revenue beat that told the story investors want to hear. Walmart is winning the retail wars, especially against arch-rival Amazon. “Like Hannibal and the Carthaginians, Amazon is starting to go the wrong way.” says Flickinger. “Big win for Walmart today and they will accelerate that in the next two to seven years.”

    Burt Flickinger, Managing Director of SRG, a consumer industry business consulting firm, discussed how Walmart is winning the retail wars in an interview on Fox Business:

    Walmart is the Roman Empire of Retail

    This earnings report just reinforces its winning. Amazon is going sideways. This is a reenactment of the Punic Wars, Rome versus Carthage. Walmart is the Roman empire of retail. Like Hannibal and the Carthaginians, Amazon is starting to go the wrong way. Big win for Walmart today and they will accelerate that in the next two to seven years.

    What’s doubly impressive, we talk to a lot of vendors and shoppers around the world, what the vendors are saying is Walmart is reinvesting all the PPA (price and promotional allowances) in lower prices. Lower prices normally mean lower margins and lower revenue. But in this case, the shopper is shifting to Walmart.

    Walmart strategically saw all the land-based businesses like Payless and all the retailers from toys to sporting goods going out of business. They had great sales on land and not so good online. Walmart is winning both ways. Amazon, with all the trouble they’re having with Whole Foods, can’t capitalize. Walmart is running the table.

    This Says it All for US Retail

    This says it all for US retail. The well capitalized highly capable retailers are winning and if it’s a one man show, like Bezos running the show, you could be Alexander the Great, you could be Hannibal out of Carthage, but one general isn’t going to win a war. Recent (lower) retail sales numbers were a combination of a couple things. One is Jerome Powell scared the market, especially high to mid-end, didn’t spend as much. Also, consumers were a little bit scared toward the end of the year. Walmart, off price, low price, did very well, but full price full service struggled and that’s why the numbers were bad.

    Walmart comp sales increased 4.2 percent, just like Steve Jobs and Apple with their great campaign Think Different with Muhammad Ali, Walmart is thinking different with Doug McMillon. It’s evolved from a company of family management to professional management. Walmart had 40 percent growth online.

    Walmart Ads Are Really Connecting

    Before, Walmart looked at advertising as an expense. But as Jerry Della Femina said, most of the Super Bowl ads were pretty pathetic. Walmart was one that stood out because it advertised Walmart online and Walmart in-store. The Walmart ads are really connecting with consumers, a United Nations of consumers.

    They’re reaching everybody around the world with better prices and better service. Doug McMillon has invested in inventory and has invested in store staffing, first to raise wages with some push from the UFCW. They are hitting on all cylinders. The biggest problem now is they can’t handle all of the volume they are seeing on the weekends.


  • How the Metaverse Will Affect Brand Loyalty

    How the Metaverse Will Affect Brand Loyalty

    It’s hard to predict the future. When science-fiction writers have tried to imagine what life will be like 50 or 100 years from now, they’ve come up with some shocking possibilities: hoverboards, a moon colony, robots that fold our laundry for us, etc. Some predictions have come true (minus the laundry-folding robot), and others linger in the realm of possibility. But one thing is certain: the metaverse will be a force.

    What’s the metaverse? It’s a term coined by Neal Stephenson in his 1992 sci-fi book “Snow Crash” to describe an interconnected virtual universe where humans can socialize, shop, and do all sorts of other things at any time of day or night with anyone else in any location across the globe.

    The metaverse is the concept of a shared, persistent, and connected virtual world. It’s a world in which users interact with the environment through their avatars, or digital representations of themselves. Think about how that would change your experience if you were playing a game or participating in an event with other people around the world simultaneously — you’d be able to talk via voice chat or text chat regardless of what platform they’re using.

    The metaverse won’t just change how you interact with people; it will change how brands interact with customers. How will all these advances affect brand loyalty?

    Consumers Expect Brands to Enter the Metaverse

    In the metaverse, you can expect to see brand experiences in new ways. Brands won’t just sell products; they will also create a sense of community and connection with other people. In fact, it’s likely consumers will expect brands to enter the metaverse and expect their experience to be interactive and engaging.

    Brands Are Already in the Metaverse

    You may wonder how the metaverse is already affecting brand loyalty.  Some brands have a presence in the metaverse and are already interacting with users in it. They’re doing so by creating virtual stores, distributing branded products, and even designing experiences that combine real-life social interaction with VR technology. As such, brands have started using this new medium to interact with customers, and they will continue to do so as more people get into virtual reality.

    How Brand Loyalty Will Change With Virtual Reality

    In the past, brand loyalty was limited to physical products or services that could be offered in exchange for money. With the rise of digital marketing and social media, businesses have created new ways to interact with their customers — and thus offer new incentives for brand loyalty. The metaverse offers an entirely new way for businesses to interact with their customers — through a simulated environment where they can meet up and discuss anything.

    The Metaverse Will Change How Users Interact with Brands

    The metaverse is the ultimate brand experience, and it will change how people interact with their favorite brands. Instead of being bombarded by traditional advertisements or promotions from big companies, users will only see what they want to see when they want to see it. In this way, brands will be forced to adopt strategies and design experiences that resonate with their audiences, a challenge many have struggled with for years.

    While things will evolve over time, it’s important for brands to interact with customers in a way that doesn’t disrupt the consumer’s experience. That would be obtrusive in the same way a telemarketing call is when you’re trying to relax. It should also involve consumer interaction. By creating immersive and interactive experiences, you can build brand awareness and customer loyalty.

    The metaverse can also mirror and reinforce the marketing you do in real life. In the metaverse, you can sell virtual goods to digital avatars and create your own virtual stores and venues that are similar to your physical ones to further reinforce your brand’s message.

    The other major shift will be how brands advertise in this new environment. Instead of passively pushing out marketing messages through traditional channels like TV commercials and billboards, metaverse companies will create experiences based on what fans actually like and encourage them to engage with that experience.

    Conclusion

    As discussed, the metaverse has great potential to transform how users interact with brands. Consumers are already entering and engaging in VR worlds and expect brands to follow them. Many brands are responding by creating unique experiences that build loyalty through fun and interactivity, instead of traditional advertising techniques such as ads, discounts, and free trials.

    It’s clear consumers want more from their favorite companies than just a transaction. They want an experience that helps them feel connected, whether it’s to a product or another user who loves it, too (or both!). The metaverse will help make this possible in unprecedented ways, and your brand can start taking advantage now!

  • Microsoft Advertising Can Now Import Facebook Ads

    Microsoft Advertising Can Now Import Facebook Ads

    Microsoft has announced its Advertising platform can now import Facebook Ads.

    Many companies live or die by their online advertising. Especially in the wake of the pandemic, many small businesses have increasingly shifted to online sales, making their advertising more important than ever.

    For companies looking to expand their advertising reach, recreating a successful campaign on another platform can be a time-consuming proposition. Microsoft is hoping to make it easier, releasing Facebook Import to help companies import their Facebook ad campaigns into the Microsoft Audience Network.

    Are you new to audience campaigns, or looking to expand your existing presence on the Microsoft Audience Network? Using Facebook Import, it’s now easier than ever to get audience campaigns up and running by importing from Facebook Ads. Now rolling out to all advertisers in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France and Germany, this new feature is designed to save you time and maximize ROI by seamlessly bringing over your campaigns from the Facebook Audience Network into the Microsoft Audience Network. Facebook Import can be used as a standalone tool, as well as a powerful complement to any existing Google Import strategy.

    The new feature can be accessed via the Import menu in the Microsoft Advertising dashboard.

  • How Brands are Adapting to Appeal to Gen Z

    How Brands are Adapting to Appeal to Gen Z

    While Millennials currently hold the most purchasing power, this dynamic will change by 2031 when Generation Z becomes the age group with the most income.  By that time, Gen Z will increase their income by five times, growing to over $2 trillion.  As such, many companies find themselves gravitating towards this younger generation that continues to grow in global importance.  

    Who is Gen Z?

    Gen Z accounts for roughly 2 billion people worldwide and is on pace to be one of the most well-educated and highest-earning generations.  As this generation moves into the professional workforce, their income will increase dramatically in the coming decade.  With a new influx of disposable income, the consumers of Generation Z will have to decide where and how to spend their money.  Brands who look to the future will soon try to attract the attention and business of this important upcoming generation.  

    Currently, Gen Z’s favorite brands (in order) are Google, Netflix, and YouTube.  Clearly a technology focused age group, Gen Z relies on social media to connect with not just each other, but businesses as well.  And given that roughly half of Gen Zers get their news from social media, businesses who promote themselves online have a direct pipeline to this increasingly important target audience.  

    What Gen Z Values About Brands

    There is more to a brand than just a strong social media presence.  Gen Z, more than any other age group, cares more about a company’s values than the product or price tag.  These values include environmentalism and diversity, among others.  In fact, 73% of Gen Z consumers said they would pay more money for a sustainably sourced product, more than any other generation.  Ethical business models are paramount to a brand’s success, as large corporations are under the watchful eye of Generation Z consumers.  

    Inclusivity is also important to Gen Z, as more than half of them want brands to support wider inclusivity initiatives.  This makes sense, given that Gen Z is by far the most diverse generation in terms of both race and sexual orientation.  If brands can connect to this diverse community, they will have a far easier time creating long lasting business relationships with these young consumers.  

    With the increase in online shopping, connecting technology and business is a clear route to the ever-important Generation Z.  Nearly half of all teens in the United States are online more than 10 hours a day, and two out of three are interested in making a purchase through social media directly.  

    In Conclusion

    While this new business model may be a difficult adaptation for some brands, these changes are essential as the younger generation accumulates global wealth.  The online world is the best method of connection between businesses and consumers, as social media platforms act as a two-way street of communication.  Businesses can target digital advertisements to the best audience for them; and with 44% of Gen Z consumers purposefully interacting with posts to influence the algorithm and reach the content they are looking for, young consumers are able to find the brands that align best with their own values.

    How Gen Z Relates To Brands and How it Will Disrupt Global Markets
  • How To Get PR For Your Tech Startup

    How To Get PR For Your Tech Startup

    PR is the most cost-effective strategy for an early-stage tech startup.

    Press placements have 6x the visibility and 3x the credibility of an advertisement of the same size or length.

    Hence, PR means more brand awareness and new customers.

    The significance of PR cannot be underestimated, especially when the tech industry is witnessing fierce competition post-pandemic and showing exponential growth with an estimated CAGR of 5% through 2024.

    However, getting PR for a startup tech company is challenging if you are not aware of the strategies to impress editors.

    This article will help you understand what PR is, the advantages of PR, and share some of the best tips to acquire great PR for your startup.

    Let’s begin!

    What is PR?

    PR stands for public relations which is the strategic communication by the company to the public to educate the consumers about new product launches or features.

    PR has the ability to build your brand’s credibility that your consumers can trust because it is also driven by factual reviews and opinions by third-party.

    Why PR Is Essential For Startups?

    Here are some solid reasons why PR is essential for startups:

    1- Increases Credibility

    PR has the ability to build your brand’s credibility that your consumers can trust because it is driven by factual reviews and opinions by third-party. Therefore, PR content are considered unbiased and genuine.

    Also, when a third-party writes or speaks positively about your brand, they endorse your company’s expertise and leadership, which makes content more valuable.

    As a result, consumers show interest in engaging with such content and get into conversation, which further helps the brand boost their credibility.

    2- Positions Your Brand as a Category Leader

    PR content pieces demonstrate your expertise and specialization in the form of news, which adds unique touch and value to your content.

    They explain how you are different from the rest of your competitors in the market and why someone should choose your company.

    It helps separate your company from your competitors in a positive way and position your brand self as an expert in your field.

    3- Boosts Lead Generation

    Well-planned PR strategies comprise the right messages and convincing call-to-action.

    They work together to make your brand more discoverable and attract more leads while developing your company’s credibility and reputation in the market.

    4- Attracts Investors

    PR can also overcome the most challenging part of funding a startup.

    A masterful PR campaign ensures you get plenty of buzz and get your company introduced to potential investors.

    PR content creators also leverage the power of your past investors to encourage new investors to support your company.

    Since PR is an effective means of getting publicity, it helps you to attract the attention of investors looking for the next promising startup to back.

    Tips To Acquire PR For Your Startup

    Here are some proven tips you can use to acquire PR for your startup:

    1- Find Journalists Who Cover Your Niche

    Look for journalists who write for businesses in your industry.

    Experienced and niche-expert journalists will provide you with press content that is industry-specialized and explain your business well. Plus, they will get you faster press coverage through the right channels.

    2- Pitch A Story

    Instead of simply asking a journalist to write about your business, pitch a story.

    Stories catch attention and create an emotional connection. Also, PR is mostly about a story. Therefore, it is essential to learn the art of pitching a story. Take a look at these pitch email examples and learn how to approach journalists with your story.

    You can start with sharing your company’s mission or an innovative vision that revolves around the reason or purpose of launching your product or services. Moreover, the purpose should be intended to help others. Remember to avoid any sales pitch to avoid boredom. 

    3- Share Quality Content Consistently

    Journalists look for the reputation or the market presence of a company before accepting PR requests or writing about them.

    Hence, develop an online presence by sharing ongoing changes in your company and information-packed content consistently through social media channels or your own website.

    This way editors will find your company’s information newsworthy and get a reason to write about you. 

    4- Follow-Up Emails Wisely

    Follow-up emails are highly effective in landing responses that you missed out in the first round.

    When you send your first mail, wait for a few days before following up. It is a good idea to have a tool to track email activity so that you get a notification if the recipient opens your email.

    If you do not receive any response even after the recipient opens your email, send a follow-up mail with more information.

    It is recommended to follow up at least three times for each contact.

    Several Examples of PR

    Let us check out the best examples of PR that tech startups can learn from:

    1- Happsy

    Happsy is an organic mattress manufacturer that planned to utilize a press release to announce its launch but with a twist.

    Instead of simply announcing their product launch, they found an angle to hook a vast audience and leverage product pricing as their USP.

    Here is a press release with the heading containing the words accessible to everyone to get the attention of the journalists.

    Since organic products are usually expensive, the press release hit the journalists’ and audiences’ attention by presenting Happsy organic mattresses’ affordability as an USP in the news.

    2- Gerber

    Gerber, a brand for early child nutrition experts, released news that narrated a well-rounded story. It was touching, had a compelling image, and had feel-good quotes from key players.

    The story not only left the readers satisfied but also made them look forward to more. Plus, the narrative prompted journalists to cover follow-up stories.

    3- Gojo

    This press release by Gojo immediately grabbed news reporters’ attention because the news covered the story of donating 16,000 liters of hand sanitizer to local hospitals.

    The news spreads the message that everyone should care about society during adverse conditions.

    In Summary

    Reputation is one of the primary pillars for any successful tech company. This is true for every company, no matter the size or industry.

    While it is possible for a tech startup to operate a business with little or no PR efforts, it is unlikely that the company will ever succeed in the industry or key markets.

    Using the above tips and examples, tech companies can actively engage in highly effective PR and capture the attention of customers and prospects.

  • Salesforce Focused On ‘Driving Success From Anywhere’

    Salesforce Focused On ‘Driving Success From Anywhere’

    On the heels of a “phenomenal quarter,” Salesforce is doubling down on its hybrid work model and “driving success from anywhere.”

    Few companies have gone all in on remote and hybrid work as much as Salesforce. The company has been helping customers transition to the cloud, and has been rolling out tools aimed specifically at mobile workers. The company even purchased Slack, the poster-child of remote work, for a whopping $27.7 billion.

    According to Steve Brashear, Salesforce SVP, Global Real Estate, the company is continuing its “Success from Anywhere” approach, giving employees “the flexibility to work how, when, and where works best for them.”

    At the same time, despite being digital first, Brashear says the company is not digital only. In fact, the number one request from employees is to come in to the office for collaboration with teammates. In response, Salesforce has been reimagining its workspaces to make them more conducive to flexible work schedules and collaborative meetings.

    “Individual desks will still have a role, but we’re prioritizing more breakout and collaboration spaces,” writes Brashear. “We’re increasing our social space from 40% to 60% — adding more booths, cafes, communal tables, focus pods, and mobile audiovisual equipment to enhance the connection, camaraderie, and innovation that comes from gathering in person.

    “We are future-proofing our design with a flexible layout so we can adjust as we go.”

    Salesforce has been firing on all cylinders in its embrace of remote and flexible work, and could serve as a template for other companies looking to do the same.

  • 4 Ways to Fuel Your Content Creation Process

    4 Ways to Fuel Your Content Creation Process

    Writer’s block is no joke. Even the best content managers and editors can come up dry after a while. Add in the pressure of client demands and the ever-changing search engine optimization efforts, and it’s easy to understand.

    But the need for fresh, engaging, and effective copy doesn’t stop. In fact, content marketing is easily one of the most in-demand components of successful organizations’ growth strategies. Instead of shaking your head in disbelief that another editorial calendar is due, consider implementing new approaches to developing topics. Using a fresh strategy, you may be surprised at the angles you unearth, potentially renewing your energy and enthusiasm for the task.

    1. Batch Content Needs

    The overwhelmed feeling that sets in when looking at an empty content calendar can be paralyzing. To tackle the beast, consider using content clusters to wrangle your thoughts. Content clusters identify a core topic that feeds into more narrow topics, which maintain a common thread that links them together. In application, this process is ripe for a whiteboard, which provides a visual manifestation of the various components and the links between them.

    For example, if your team is tasked with tackling mental health services content, you’d place that in the center. Next, you’d build out narrow topics like therapy, medication, self-care, exercise, and meditation. These clusters focus on the detail level, eventually feeding the reader back to the parent topic of mental health services. Leverage SEO keywords in alignment with your content strategy, and you’ll create useful and strategic content that engages your audience.

    2. Review Social Channels and Comments for Inspiration

    One of the best and worst things about social media is that most users engage without a filter. Comments, reviews, and direct messages are ripe with inspiring — and maybe even shocking — content ideas. Customer pain points and perceptions are enough to drive action in your organization’s daily content efforts. But using this convenient sample of qualitative feedback can offer a double-whammy benefit. 

    At the onset, these feedback portals give you an indication of unmet needs. Whether it’s dissatisfaction with a product, misunderstanding of a process, or a request for a solution, such comments offer grist for the content mill. 

    Identify customer issues in full and review your ability and authority to answer them through dynamic content. If some topics are too risky, shift them to your product or legal team to bring their expertise to bear.

    3. Interview Your Customer-Facing Team for Hot-Button Issues

    Just as social media can be a window into customer realities, so can a conversation with your front-line employees. Call center representatives and account executives face the brunt of customer feedback. These daily interactions may get monotonous to them, but their insight can be invaluable when filling out an editorial calendar. 

    Use their insights to inspire curiosity among your content team. Weave real-life pain points into potential topics, ranking them in alignment with what you know is on the horizon for the company. 

    For example, if your team is releasing an enhancement soon, elevate content in support of that effort to the top. If a new product feature satisfies a persistent customer demand, be sure to tell the world. When release day arrives, your fresh, relatable content will be in high demand, potentially driving engagement in the near term.

    4. Look at Competitor Sites, Then Outdo Them

    Knowing where you stand against your competitors is essential when it comes to both products and content. But understanding where your organization can outshine them is the goal when it comes to analyzing your rivals’ content. 

    Your marketing and sales teams likely have clarity on what your company offers over others. Use that lens and internal information as you assess and review what others in your industry offer through content. Log your findings in a spreadsheet, noting links, keywords, and reach throughout the web.

    Once you’ve reviewed competitor sites, do a content analysis of your own site to see where you line up. Compare and contrast your content against theirs, identifying gaps where you can outdo their efforts. If they provide a text tutorial on ways to use their product, develop a how-to video to demonstrate yours. Track competitor content over time as a part of your regular process, and you’ll stay ahead of the game.

    Keeping Content Fresh, Even While Managing High Volume

    Fresh, relatable, and relevant content can open up a new prospect to the possibility of engaging with your organization. When teams focus on adding value through their content, the solution your product or service offers becomes the consumer’s natural choice. But achieving this is easier said than done, especially when the need for new content is unending. 

    Aim to create a cadence for developing content, setting a recurring content generation methodology that’s manageable. Log ideas that bubble up as teams write new content, identifying potential stories unearthed by the creative process. Categorize your ideas into digestible pieces and assign work in a way that accounts for your review process and delivery needs. Once you’ve established a robust content generation process, your team can focus on creating high-quality content that drives results every time. 

  • Epic Receives $2 Billion to Invest in Metaverse Development

    Epic Receives $2 Billion to Invest in Metaverse Development

    Epic has received $2 billion from Sony and KIRKBI to help it invest in metaverse development, a major focus of game studios.

    The metaverse is becoming an increasingly important area for the tech industry, and especially game studios, as companies races to stake their claim. Epic is already the creator of one of the most immersive, traditional games on the market, Fortnite. Sony and KIRKBI, the company behind the LEGO brand, obviously believe Epic is in a good position to capitalize on the metaverse, with each company investing $1 billion in the game-maker.

    “As a creative entertainment company, we are thrilled to invest in Epic to deepen our relationship in the metaverse field, a space where creators and users share their time.” said Kenichiro Yoshida, Chairman, President and CEO, Sony Group Corporation. “We are also confident that Epic’s expertise, including their powerful game engine, combined with Sony’s technologies, will accelerate our various efforts such as the development of new digital fan experiences in sports and our virtual production initiatives.”

    “Epic Games is known for building playful and creative experiences and empowering creators large and small,” said Søren Thorup Sørensen, CEO, KIRKBI. “A proportion of our investments is focused on trends we believe will impact the future world that we and our children will live in. This investment will accelerate our engagement in the world of digital play, and we are pleased to be investing in Epic Games to support their continued growth journey, with a long-term focus toward the future metaverse.”

    This latest investment brings Epic’s valuation to $31.5 billion, and should help position for the next evolution of immersive experiences.

  • BMW CEO Not a Fan of EV-Only Strategies

    BMW CEO Not a Fan of EV-Only Strategies

    Automakers may be racing to transition to electric vehicles (EVs), but BMW CEO Oliver Zipse isn’t a fan of that approach.

    Many automakers, from Subaru to Bentley, have committed to EV-only lineups within the next decade or so, but Zipse believes an EV-only strategy may leave automakers vulnerable. In particular, he has concerns the various components required for EV production are under the control of just a few countries, most notably China.

    “When you look at the technology coming out, the EV push, we must be careful because at the same time, you increase dependency on very few countries,” Zipse said, according to Reuters.

    “If someone cannot buy an EV for some reason but needs a car, would you rather propose he continues to drive his old car forever? If you are not selling combustion engines anymore, someone else will,” said Zipse.

    Instead of EV-only, Zipse is a fan of highly efficient combustion engines, which he believes are both environmentally responsible and more viable financially.

  • The Business of Energy Drinks

    The Business of Energy Drinks

    Energy drinks and pre-workout drinks are often used by athletes before a big game or before they start a heavy workout. The ingredients that are found in these drinks claim to help increase stamina and endurance, and even virtual athletes can benefit from these drinks. With such a large consumer base, do these ingredients actually do the things they claim? And why are these drinks growing in popularity so rapidly?

    The Science Behind Energy Drinks

    Athletes tend to reach for pre-workout drinks before any strenuous activity because the amino acids that are found in them can help increase energy, stamina, and help prevent damage to cells. 87% of pre workout drinks contain  beta-alanine, an amino acid that improves strength and endurance. 71% of these drinks also include citrulline, another amino acid that can help increase stamina and energy. Some of these drinks also include taurine which can help prevent cell damage that can occur during exercise. All of these amino acids working together along with caffeine can lead to an overall more intense workout with less fatigue. 

    Looking at athletes off the field, esports players also reach for energy drinks when it comes time to play in virtual tournaments. Many energy drink companies sponsor some of the biggest esports teams today, and gamers tend to use these drinks for the same reasons athletes on the field do. Energy drinks include some of the same ingredients as pre workout ingredients and offer similar benefits. Gamers use these drinks to increase focus, reaction time, and stamina which are all important in maximizing their overall gaming performance.

    Athletes both on and off the field are using energy drinks and pre-workout in order to improve their performance, but there are still people who oppose drinking these beverages. Long term use of pre-workout can increase muscle mass and strength, but using large doses in a short time can lead to adverse effects. It is important to remember to use energy drinks and pre-workout in a safe and healthy way in order to reduce the likelihood that these side effects will occur.  Opponents of energy drink use have also noted that these drinks are too caffeinated and too artificial. In fact, many pre-workout brands have many ingredients that aren’t even listed on the label! 

    What’s in an Energy Drink?

    In getting criticism about ingredient use and the amount of caffeine in their drinks, many energy drinks companies have started making changes to their recipes. Many brands are switching to using more plant-based energy ingredients such as guarana and green tea. This allows for less artificial caffeine ingredients to be used and leads to an overall healthier product for consumers to enjoy. Brands are also using nootropic elements that are used to increase focus, and are using overall better quality and organic ingredients. 

    In Conclusion

    With these changes being made to already popular products, it is expected that even more people will be using energy drinks and pre-workout to help in their daily routines or before exercise activity. With so many benefits now being packed into a healthier product, it’s no wonder athletes on the field and gamers on the virtual field are using energy drinks to boost their performance.

    Learn more about energy drinks and how they can help your workout in the infographic below: