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  • Growing Number of Millennials and Gen Z’ers are Quitting Social Media According to New Research

    Growing Number of Millennials and Gen Z’ers are Quitting Social Media According to New Research

    Millennials and those in Generation Z are the most avid users of social media. Almost everyone in these demographics has one or more social media accounts. So the news that an increasing number of people from these two groups are quitting social media is surprising to many marketers.

    Millennials are known for their affinity for technology and communications. The same could be said for Generation Z, or those born around the mid-1990s to the early 2000s. Also dubbed the Linkster Generation for always being linked to social media, they have grown alongside the Internet and are very comfortable with it.

    However, a recent survey revealed that millennials and linksters are either taking a break from social media or deleting their accounts altogether. It also appears that Facebook and Twitter are bearing the brunt of the exodus. But surprisingly, SnapChat is still going strong.

    Why Are They Leaving?

    According to Origin, a Boston-based market research group, 34 percent of Gen Z’ers are saying goodbye to social media while 64 percent have decided to take a break from it.

    The respondents in their survey also shared what was motivating them to give up on social media. Forty-one percent said they were wasting too much time on these platforms while 31 percent admitted they weren’t using them often. Meanwhile, 35 percent said the negativity on the platforms was too much while 26 percent found the content uninteresting.

    The in-house research department of Hill Holliday also unveiled some interesting results. For instance, social media platforms caused 41 percent of the more 1,000 respondents to feel sad, depressed, or nervous, but 77 percent also said there are more pros than cons to having accounts on these platforms. Among the people surveyed, 22 percent said social media made them feel like they were missing out while 71 percent said they felt closer to their friends. It’s a clear case of “I can’t live with you but I can’t live without you.”

    Where are They Going?

    Technically, they are not going anywhere. At least, they’re not rushing to open an account on another social media platform. Millennials seem to have lost interest in social media for the aforementioned reasons while Gen Z’ers are more inclined to just take a step back from it.

    Twitter, Facebook and sister company Instagram have been struggling to retain their numbers recently. According to eMarketer, over 2 million users will turn their backs on Facebook in 2018. However, the decline will come mostly from teenagers as Facebook steadily loses its cool factor among this group. Instagram has also seen a recent downturn in engagement numbers. 

    Interestingly, Snapchat is still doing well. Only one in every five users of the picture-oriented app has left permanently.

    What Does it Mean for Businesses?

    It’s understandable that the news that millennials and Gen Z’ers are quitting social media raises concerns for businesspeople. After all, these are the two market segments that rely heavily on influencers and reviews they read on social media when making a purchase.

    The fact that most of Gen Z consumers are just putting their social media life on hold temporarily gives brands some breathing room. The research implies that these media platforms are still relevant and companies should still invest in them. But advertisers and marketers have to focus more on positivity, instead of magnifying the negative effect social media has on these young consumers.

    As Hill Holliday’s chief strategy officer Lesley Bielby explained, Gen Z’ers don’t put value in corporations. They instead align themselves with brands they believe in, and if they’re disappointed or the brand doesn’t reflect strong ethics and values, they can turn on them. So brands have to think about how they can utilize social media responsibly and how they can supplement relevant and good brand messages.

    Companies may also want to focus their marketing efforts on just one platform. That’s because social media websites like Facebook and Twitter are very different from each other in the way people use them to share and consume content. As a result, it can be challenging for brands to create content that works well on both platforms. Marketers would have an easier time and see better results from sending the right message about their product on the platform best-suited to their brand.

    [Featured image via Pexels.com]

  • Mark Zuckerberg Under Fire Over Facebook’s Data Breach During US Presidential Election

    Mark Zuckerberg Under Fire Over Facebook’s Data Breach During US Presidential Election

    Lawmakers from the United States and Britain are heaping criticisms on Facebook and founder Mark Zuckerberg after reports revealed that Cambridge Analytica, a data company said to have been instrumental in Donald Trump’s presidential win, received data from 50 million Facebook users through inappropriate means.

    The social media giant announced on Friday that it suspended Strategic Communication Laboratories (SCL) and Cambridge Analytica, its data analytics arm, for violating Facebook’s Terms of Service. It was alleged that the two companies gathered and shared the personal data of around 50 million Facebook users without consent.

    The decision to suspend SCL and Cambridge Analytica came one day before The New York Times and The Observer came out with reports detailing how Cambridge Analytica acquired and utilized private information of millions of Facebook users to develop voter profiles that were used to design highly targeted political ads during the last US Presidential Elections.

    Cambridge Analytica is partly owned by Richard Mercer, a billionaire who was previously involved in Ted Cruz’ 2015 presidential campaign before assisting Donald Trump’s presidential bid in 2016. The company was supposedly brought in by Trump’s campaign team to assist with its digital operations, which was being headed by Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.

    Facebook has admitted that the data Cambridge Analytica received came from Dr. Aleksandr Kogan, a psychology professor from the University of Cambridge, who designed an app that gave him permission to access the personal information of the users as well as that of their friends.

    According to Facebook, Kogan gained access to the data legitimately and “through the proper channels that governed all developers” on the platform at the time. But afterward, Kogan passed the data he gathered to Cambridge Analytica. This was a clear breach of the social media’s regulations.

    A former employee of Cambridge apparently said to the Times that the information collected from Facebook became the basis of “its work on President Trump’s campaign in 2016.”

    Cambridge Analytica’s suspension, coupled with The Observer and The New York Times reports, garnered some harsh reactions from lawmakers. Massachusetts’ Attorney General Maura Healey has said her office will investigate this situation while several congressmen want Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to appear and testify before their committees.

    It’s not just American lawmakers who are unhappy with Zuckerberg and his company. Their British counterparts are also demanding that Zuckerberg or another senior executive talk to them about the alleged data breach and the continued risk to user’s personal information.

    UK lawmaker Damian Collins said the company’s previous representatives gave “false assurance” that Facebook’s policies are strong and well-managed. But now he wants Zuckerberg to “stop hiding behind his Facebook page and actually come out and answer questions about his company.”

    [Featured image via YouTube]

  • Snapchat’s Stock Takes a Hit After Posting ‘Slap Rihanna’ Game

    Snapchat’s Stock Takes a Hit After Posting ‘Slap Rihanna’ Game

    The popularity of various social media platforms these days is a heaven-sent trend for all advertisers; their brand can potentially reach millions of users at lightning fast speed with just a single post. On the negative side, these platforms will also ensure that any social media faux pas get circulated just as fast.

    Despite employing teams of experts to handle their posts, cases of celebrities and companies posting something they shouldn’t have—and suffering the sometimes costly backlash—continue to rise. But even social media companies themselves are not exempt from committing blunders as proven by the recent plunge in Snapchat’s value which fell by around $800 million after the company allowed the posting of an offensive ad on its platform.

    The offensive post was an ad for a game called “Would You Rather?” where users are given the option to either “Slap Rihanna” or “Punch Chris Brown.”  However, the ad’s content is particularly a sensitive topic for Rihanna since it is obviously alluding to the 2009 domestic violence incident involving her and ex-boyfriend Chris Brown.

    Rihanna promptly issued a statement in response to the tasteless ad. In her Instagram story post, the singer expressed her shock why the platform allowed the ad’s posting and even wondered if it was because she is not a Snapchat fan.

    “Now SNAPCHAT I know you already know you ain’t my fav app out there! But I’m just trying to figure out what the point was with this mess! I’d love to call it ignorance, but I know you ain’t that dumb!”

    While the platform quickly pulled the ad and issued an apology, it failed to placate the singer. Rihanna even pointed out that Snapchat seems to be making a joke out of the very serious issue.

    “You spent money to animate something that would intentionally bring shame to DV victims and made a joke of it!!! This isn’t about my personal feelings, cause I don’t have much of them…but all the women, children and men that have been victims of DV in the past and especially the ones who haven’t made it out yet…you let us down!”

    Rihanna’s response to Snapchat’s “Slap Rihanna” ad

    Wall Street was also not pleased with Snapchat’s lapse of judgment. On Thursday, the company’s shares fell by 5 percent followed by a 2 percent decline the next day before it rebounded. The stock’s net decline for the two-day period was a massive 4.7 percent.

    [Featured image via ABC YouTube]

  • Twitter Tests Feature that Puts Breaking News at the Top of User Timelines

    Twitter Tests Feature that Puts Breaking News at the Top of User Timelines

    The latest news always breaks on Twitter faster than on any other social media platform. Now the company is working to solidify that edge by testing a breaking news feature that will deliver the hottest and most relevant stories straight to their users’ feed.

    As Facebook flounders on what kind of news or content to show their users, Twitter is trying its new feature on for size. According to the micro-blogging site, their latest method uses a newly designed algorithm that will pick the news and events that will be seen at the forefront of the user’s timeline.

    As Keith Coleman, Twitter’s product VP, proudly pointed out, “People come to Twitter to see and talk about what’s happening. We’re working on ways to make it easier for everyone to find relevant news and the surrounding conversation so they can stay informed about what matters to them.”

    The new feature was seen earlier this week when Twitter featured two news highlights—one covering the death of renowned scientist Stephen Hawking and the other one about Pennsylvania’s special election. When users tap on the news item, they will see a list of tweets related to the feature.

    This dry run of the breaking news feature is to further emphasize Twitter’s move towards current events while making it easier for users to receive or find news important to them. It comes on the heels of news video feature that appeared on the feed’s sidebar last month.

    Even though Twitter revealed its special algorithm, the company hired human moderators to curate content during the test. However, Twitter will reportedly utilize the all-algorithm method in the future if the feature is well received.

    The breaking news feature is currently being tested on Twitter’s Android and iOS apps in the US. There’s no report yet on when, or even if, the company will roll out the feature to all its users.

    [Featured image via Twitter Blog]

  • Facebook’s Plan to Include Videos in Its News Feed Draws Suspicion from Publishers

    Facebook’s Plan to Include Videos in Its News Feed Draws Suspicion from Publishers

    Facebook has been under pressure to combat the prevalence of fake news on its platform, which prompted the company to implement measures such as blocking ads from companies that shared unreliable content last year. But the social media giant is taking a step even further by making legit videos from trusted news outlets more accessible to its users.

    Facebook is currently wooing 10 major news organizations to supply its platform with news video updates daily. If the plan pushes through, these news videos will be 3 minutes in length which may also appear in the site’s News Feed.

    However, the main destination for these 3-minute videos will be the Watch tab, the site’s hub for original video content. Apparently, Facebook is planning to put up a section on the Watch tab that will host these news videos.

    Facebook is shooting for a summer rollout of the new feature. At the moment, the social media company is in negotiations with the news companies on how much it will pay for the videos as well as the possible revenue sharing arrangements.

    Incidentally, Facebook’s latest move is exactly the solution suggested by media mogul Rupert Murdoch. Last January, Murdoch said that the social media platform should be willing to pay news publishers for trusted content as a solution to the fake news problem.

    However, some publishers are a bit skeptical of Facebook’s latest pitch given the company’s history of enthusiastically introducing new initiatives then cutting back financial support afterward. For instance, the social media giant signed 12-month deals with a number of video creators which include The Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and CNN. However, the company did not renew after the contract expired which became a problem for these publishers.

    An unnamed publishing executive, which was quoted in an article appearing in The Wall Street Journal, sums up the cautious stance of these news organizations quite nicely.

    “I think anytime Facebook is willing to pay, we’re more willing to play. The problem is that when these pilot programs expire, there is still no clear revenue channel. Then you’re stuck.”

    At the moment, Facebook declined to comment on the concerns raised by publishers.

    [Featured image via Facebook]

  • Google Adwords Introduces ‘Chat Rate’ Metric for Click-to-Message Ads

    Google Adwords Introduces ‘Chat Rate’ Metric for Click-to-Message Ads

    To get the most out of marketing campaigns, it is sometimes necessary to do some tweaking and fine tuning before your ads connect with their targeted audience. For this reason, marketers must gauge the performance of their ad placements which can be gleaned from the reports provided by the ad platform showing data and statistics on specific ad metrics.

    Google Adwords is giving advertisers more ways to determine the performance of their click-to-message campaigns by introducing new ad metrics for the product. In a recent blog post, the company announced the addition of three new performance insights which will be available via Adwords’ message reporting service.

    The report will now contain the click-to-message ad’s Chat rate. With this data, marketers will be able to measure how often people will actually start a conversation with your company after seeing your message extension.

    example of a click-to-message ad

    Adwords also introduced a new performance insight called Chat start time which is basically a timestamp marking the time at which user initiates contact. Businesses might find the new ad metric very useful especially when it comes to scheduling their message extensions to maximize the performance of ad campaigns. For example, a company might learn from this metric that chat volume peaks at noon and, therefore, know that it should allocate more manpower during that time to answer customer queries.

    Lastly, there is also an insight on the number of messages exchanged between a business and a user during a single chat session. This could be helpful in determining which type of campaigns are able to generate longer and, hopefully, more in-depth conversations.

    The new performance insights will be available to Adwords clients in the next few weeks. However, they will initially roll out only to some areas such as the US, Australia, Canada, Brazil, France, and the United Kingdom.

    Introduced in 2016, click-to-message ads are considered to be the text message version of the older click-to-call ad formats. They will allow users to get in touch with an actual representative of a business instead of a mere chat bot resulting in a more natural interaction.

    [Featured image via Google Adwords]

  • Twitter Cracks Down on Tweetdeckers With Mass Account Suspensions

    Twitter Cracks Down on Tweetdeckers With Mass Account Suspensions

    Twitter continues its fight against spam and “tweetdecking” on its platform. On Friday, the social media website suspended a slew of accounts known for stealing and retweeting viral tweets without crediting their original creators.

    Included in the suspension are @Dory, @CommonWhit Girl, @memeprovider and a host of other accounts known for stealing jokes and memes from other Twitter users and retweeting them. Twitter had previously suspended some of these accounts individually, but it is the first time that the company suspended them all en masse.

    Apparently, stealing other people’s jokes without giving their creators proper credit is just one of the offenses of some of these accounts. According to BuzzFeed, Twitter targeted some of these accounts because they are known for “tweetdecking,” a practice where multiple accounts are used in mass-retweeting each other’s posts. The ultimate aim of the practice is to artificially induce these posts to become viral.

    At the moment, it is still unclear if Twitter intends to make these suspensions permanent.  What is known, however, is that by engaging in “tweetdecking,” these accounts have violated the company’s policies on spam specifically those that prohibit mass duplication and impersonation. If the social media platform decides to reactivate the suspended accounts, it is likely that repeating their offense will result in more stringent punishments in the future.

    Lately, Twitter has come under scrutiny over spamming and fake accounts on its website. Earlier this year, the company released the shocking statistics on its investigations over Russian propaganda campaign via the platform. More than 50,000 Twitter accounts were allegedly linked to the Russian government and may have been used to influence the 2016 US presidential elections.

    Under increasing pressure to eliminate spamming, Twitter announced last month that it has a new set of rules on how users and app can automate tweets. Now, third-party platforms such as Tweetdeck can no longer like or send identical tweets from multiple accounts; a move specifically implemented to target “tweetdecking.” The company is also now making greater effort to crack down on the use of bots on its site.

    [Featured image via Twitter]

  • Facebook Increases Job Search Capabilities to 40 New Countries

    Facebook Increases Job Search Capabilities to 40 New Countries

    Facebook users from different parts of the globe will soon be able to look and apply for a local job using the social media platform.

    The social media giant recently announced that its job search and application feature is being rolled out in more than 40 different countries, including Brazil, Spain, and the UK. The feature was initially only available in Canada and the US.

    The job search feature allows users to search job openings and apply for them directly on the company’s site or mobile app. Meanwhile, improvements made to the feature allows companies with Facebook pages to post their job openings online easily, go through the applications and reach out to shortlisted candidates through Messenger. What’s more, job applicants can also subscribe to a company’s job listings.

    According to Alex Himel, VP of Local at Facebook, the company has seen “a lot of organic activity of businesses trying to hire.” He even cited a Morning Consult Poll that showed that one in four people in the US alone had either looked for or found a job on the platform. And with more than two billion users globally, Facebook is perfectly placed to connect job seekers with local enterprises who are looking to fill low to medium-skilled job vacancies.

    The job search and application tool is a free feature. Companies and job seekers don’t have to pay anything to gain access. While companies can pay for Facebook ads in order to boost their job post to improve applications or target particular candidates, it’s not a requirement. Job postings can be seen on the user’s News Feed and on Facebook’s Marketplace and Pages.

    Facebook users can narrow down their job search based on job category and type. It should be pointed out that the job creator only has access to information on the user’s account that’s publicly available. Applying for a job reportedly takes just a few steps and the user has complete control over what personal information will be shown in the application.

    [Featured image via Facebook Newsroom]

  • Social Media App Vero is So Popular it Might Kill Facebook and Instagram

    Social Media App Vero is So Popular it Might Kill Facebook and Instagram

    There is a new social media app in town that’s been making waves recently.  If you happen to use Twitter and Facebook, you may have noticed a lot of recent buzz over an app called Vero.

    Vero, which is the Latin word for “Truth,” is a photo-sharing social media app created by the Lebanese billionaire, Ayman Hariri. The app was actually launched in 2015, but it gained a flurry of new users over the weekend after several social media influencers posted that they would start using it.  In fact, the surge in traffic was so high that the app reportedly crashed in some areas.

    Only a week ago, Vero was a little-known app that didn’t even rank in the App Store’s top 1500 apps; it has since skyrocketed to the top.

    Apart from its endorsement from social media influencers, Vero’s sudden appeal seems to be due to the growing user dissatisfaction with Facebook’s service. Lately, Facebook has been criticized for a number of issues such as the spread of fake news on its platform, its user targeting techniques as well as the questionable algorithms governing its News Feed.

    And Vero was only too happy to use its rival’s current woes to its advantage, branding itself as the “Facebook killer” with a less cluttered appearance and better user experience.

    To distance itself from its competitors, Vero claims to offer a “social network that lets you be yourself.” In its manifesto, Vero laments that “most social networks reduce everyone to a friend or a follower” which encourages people to share only the parts of their lives they think is the most interesting.

    Vero’s brand positioning seems to be working. Not only is Facebook losing users to the newcomer, but Instagram users are switching to Vero as well. Some people are even calling Vero the “new Instagram.”

    One feature that distinguishes Vero from other social media platforms is that it has no mysterious algorithm in place for what users see when they open the app. User feeds on Vero are easier to follow as they show posts in a chronological order.

    In addition, the app promises a more gentle approach to how it collects user data. According to its manifesto, “Vero only collects the data we believe is necessary to provide users with a great experience and to ensure the security of their accounts.”

    But users should expect such “perks” to come with a tradeoff. Unlike Facebook or Instagram, Vero charges a fee to use its platform, which might not turn off some users in the long run.

    [Featured image via YouTube]

  • Facebook Takes Steps to Clarify Ad Metrics in Light of Complaints from Advertisers

    Facebook Takes Steps to Clarify Ad Metrics in Light of Complaints from Advertisers

    Facebook is finally taking steps to address advertisers’ concerns regarding ad performance. In the interest of transparency, the social media giant is set to clean up its ad metrics and clarify how campaigns are measured.

    Advertisers have been raising questions about Facebook’s metrics, prompting the company to admit to errors in how ad performance is measured.

    On Wednesday, Facebook revealed in a blog post that it will start labeling particular metrics in the Ads Manager as either in development or estimated. It will also be taking out around 20 metrics that are described as “redundant, outdated, not actionable or infrequently used.”

    A complete list of these metrics has been posted, along with explanations for their removal and possible replacements. For example, Button Clicks will be removed because of redundancy. As it turns out, its metrics intersect with others like Event Responses, Link Clinks, and Offers Saved. Facebook is recommending any of the aforementioned three instead of Button Clicks.

    Another change that Facebook will be doing is the labeling of metrics. Some metrics will be clearly labeled as either “estimated” or/and “in development.” Apparently, metrics not defined specifically as estimates have led to confusion among marketers. These metrics are calculated by using sampling or data modeling.

    Meanwhile, “in development” means the metrics are still in the process of being tested or rolled out. This implies that their results could change as the company tweaks its methodologies. Marketers won’t be receiving any notifications about changes or fixes Facebook would be making to this type of metrics.

    The two labels can be seen in the tool tips in Ads Manager and in the column selector for ads appearing on Facebook, its sister company Instagram, and the Facebook Audience Network.

    To assist advertisers and marketers in understanding the upcoming changes, Facebook will be launching “Measure What Matters” in a few weeks. The training program will offer two tracks—one for measuring branding focused campaigns and another for direct response marketing campaigns.

    According to the company’s Facebook page, each track will draw data from analysis and research “across creative planning, ad delivery, cross-channel measurement and video measurement.” Marketers can have access to this information through in-person events and on Facebook Live. Participants can also check it on the Facebook Business site.

    These changes are expected to be rolled out sometime in July. While it will take time to see improvements, Facebook is hoping that these enhancements will boost advertisers’ confidence in the site.

    [Featured image via Freepik]

  • Snap Inc. Responds to Critics of Its App’s Redesign

    Snap Inc. Responds to Critics of Its App’s Redesign

    They say humans are creatures of habit which explains why most people are a bit resistant to change. And Snapchat’s recent redesign proved to be a bit too much for its users to endure. A reported 1.2 million Snapchat users have now joined hands in a petition for the app to revert back to its old ways.

    However, it seems that Snapchat is bent on making those redesigns permanent. In fact, the company issued an official response to the petition by explaining that the changes are meant to enable users to “connect with the people you care about most.”

    While Snapchat said that it understands that some users might find the changes to be uncomfortable at first, it still maintains that the redesign is the best way for the app to be more “approachable to a wider audience.”  The company did not stop there and even hinted of a new feature that will soon be coming to Android and iOS users.

    “Beginning soon on iOS, and with Android in the coming weeks, we are introducing tabs in Friends and Discover, which will make it easier to find the Stories that you want, when you want them,” Snap Inc. responded to the change.org petition. The company promised even more customization options in the future by saying that “once you receive the update, you’ll be able to sort things like Stories, Group Chats, and Subscriptions, allowing you to further customize your own experience on the app.”

    Nic Rumsey started the petition to remove the new Snapchat update, a move which proved to resonate with most of the apps users. It seems that the features introduced in the update only made the app more difficult to use and some believe they may even defeat the purpose of Snapchat altogether.

  • How Your Business Can Identify and Capitalize on Micro-Moments

    How Your Business Can Identify and Capitalize on Micro-Moments

    There’s no question that smartphones have become a ubiquitous part of our daily lives. Studies have shown that 46% of Americans reach for their phones first thing in the morning, while 91% of people automatically reach for a mobile device to check on something when doing a task.

    This reliance on smartphones has become so pervasive that many industries are putting more effort into targeting mobile users than those on conventional devices like a desktop. It’s a smart move since turning even a small segment of these users into customers can yield huge profits. An effective way for companies to profit from this group is to take advantage of “micro-moments.”

    What are Micro-Moments?

    Google coined the term “micro-moments” in 2015 to identify the exact points in time that lead to a consumer finally making a purchase. The company described these moments as “critical touch points within today’s customer journey, and when added together, they ultimately determine how a journey ends.”

    Essentially, these are the critical points where someone takes to their device (which is most often a smartphone) and takes steps regarding a need. It’s the intersection of what a customer wants and needs at the moment and what they know.

    Google has determined four key moments based on the consumer: “I want to do,” “I want to know,” “I want to buy” and “I want to go.” Most decisions made by shoppers can be traced to one of those four moments. For instance, a shopper who’s headed to Turkey would research on what to “do” in that country. A travel agency can come up with a promo that will arrange a trip to Istanbul’s famous Blue Mosque.

    Image result for micro moments

    [Graphic via Think with Google]

    How to Capitalize on Micro-Moments

    Now that the importance of micro-moments have been established and their constant evolution noted, companies have to think about how they can use these instances to their advantage. Here are some things to consider if you want to catch that perfect micro-moment with a customer:

    1. Put Your Business Profile Out There

    It pays to ensure that your business profile is accurate and completely filled out on Google, particularly if you have a physical storefront. There has been an increase in “near me” or “right here” searches, as more users are looking for a place to go for a certain activity. Getting your business profile up will help with micro-moments where a customer wants to “do” something or “go” somewhere. Google’s Local Guides program assists users in verifying if your profile information is accurate.

    2. Flaunt Your Value With Original and Significant Content

    The need to know is one micro-moment that could hit you several times a day. This is why people are always looking for content on eCommerce sites. Having unique and relevant content is a great way to introduce your business to shoppers who are searching for information on either a particular product or on something that has captured their interest. Regardless of whether it’s a short how-to video or some DIY tips, make sure to flaunt your value by offering good content that appeals at the moment.

    3. Speed is of the Essence

    Speed is key if you want to use micro-moments to your advantage. When asked, almost half of customers admit that they will leave a website if it’s unresponsive or takes too long to load. People also don’t like having to go through different windows or steps just to get information. Optimizing your site for mobile devices and streamlining your buying process is a good way to entice consumers to go to your page and stay.

    4. Improve User Interface

    Another area that brands should focus on is how the user experiences their website and content. When a potential customer goes to your site or a specific page, what will they see? Will they be able to find what they’re looking for quickly or are they going to spend time wading through redundant information?

    Aside from ensuring that information is accessed quickly, transactions should also be simplified. Complicated checkout pages or a cart that requires several clicks in order to finish a purchase will turn consumers off. There should also be fewer distractions on the checkout pages, especially those on mobile devices, as these further cut down the odds of conversions. The goal is to make shopping quick, fun, and simple.

    Companies have to be ready to take advantage of micro-moments. This means that business has to do some forward thinking to anticipate what their customers would need. Changes may also need to be made to ensure that websites are optimized for mobile.  

    [Featured image via ThinkWithGoogle]

  • Former Facebook and Google Employees Form Coalition Against Tech Addiction

    Former Facebook and Google Employees Form Coalition Against Tech Addiction

    If there’s one group of people who best know the negative effects of tech addiction, it would be the Silicon Valley technologists who helped companies like Facebook and Google implement methods to steer the public’s attention. Now, former employees of these tech companies have banded together to speak against the addiction they had a hand in creating.

    “We were on the inside, we know what the companies measure,” former Google in-house ethicist Tristan Harris explained. “We know how they talk, and we know how the engineering works.” Harris is the co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, a group of former Google and Facebook employees who joined forces to form an anti-tech addiction lobbying effort. The group, along with Common Sense Media, a non-profit media watchdog, plans to target around 55,000 schools in the United States in its effort.

    To fund the campaign, which is titled The Truth About Tech, Common Sense and the Center for Humane Technology managed to $7 million. Common Sense has been active in campaigns against the dangers of technology especially on heavy social media use which has been known to trigger depression. The group already received $50 million in donated airtime towards its cause after partnering with media companies like Comcast and DirectTV.

    Harris is a vocal critic against his former employer and has made it his goal to expose what he views as Google’s manipulative design techniques. In fact, he called the search engine’s tactics as a “civilization-scale mind-control machine” in a Bloomberg interview.

    “All the tech companies profit the more attention they extract out of human vessels,” Harris said in an interview with Quartz. “They profit by drilling into our brains to pull the attention out of it, by using persuasion techniques to keep them hooked.”

    Ultimately, the group wants legislation to regulate the activities of these tech firms. At the moment, the group is focused on banning the use of digital bots as well as a bill that will commission research on the impact of technology on children’s health.

    [Featured image via Pixabay (1), (2)]

  • Snapchat is Now Selling Merch with Launch of New Snap Store

    Snapchat is Now Selling Merch with Launch of New Snap Store

    Is Snapchat trying its hand at eCommerce? That just might be in the works with its launch of a new feature that would essentially enable the company to sell merchandise through the messaging app.

    Snapchat Inc. just opened up the Snap Store today, a new feature that lets users buy merchandise. Currently, it appears that the company is still testing the waters as the online store does not yet offer a lot of items for sale. For now, you will be able to purchase a Dancing Hot Dog Plushie that costs $20 and  Dog Lens T-Shirt costing $30 among others

    The new store can be accessed on the messaging app’s media section, which is called Discover. Before the store’s arrival, the section was reserved solely for video and articles of channels run by media companies such as BuzzFeed, Conde Nast, Hearst, and Vice. Channels for the National Football League, NBC, and ESPN can also be found in the Discover section.

    It is not Snapchat’s first time selling merchandise under its own brand. Previously, the company sold branded items via Amazon such as the Spectacles, a video-recording pair of sunglasses. However, with the introduction of the Snap Store, it would be its first time selling items inside its own app.

    But Snapchat is not really expected to make serious money from selling these items. An unnamed spokesperson for the company confirmed that it did not open the store to see some serious revenue stream but rather it is something it did for the Snap community. It’s mainly a strategy to drive loyalty to the brand and get some free marketing courtesy of the people wearing the branded merchandise.

    But of course, the company could just be testing out the eCommerce potential of the app. A more serious revenue stream could be coming its way if the idea catches up and it could start charging other brands for selling their stuff through the app as well.

    [Featured image via Snap Store]

  • Why Your Brand Should Consider Podcasting in 2018

    Why Your Brand Should Consider Podcasting in 2018

    Companies who want to succeed online in 2018 need to have a firm digital marketing strategy. Luckily, there are a number of strategies and tools open for marketers, like blogging, content marketing, email marketing, social media, and paid search.

    Another prime vehicle for content marketing today is the podcast. Besides providing relevant information about your brand or product, podcasts come in an easily digestible content format and doesn’t need a customer’s undivided attention, unlike text-based or video content.

    There are several reasons why your brand should consider delving into podcasts this year. Consider the following:

    It’s Easy to DevelopImage result for podcasting statistics 2018

    Making a podcast is relatively easy. You basically just need a high-quality microphone and headset to create your podcast. The software needed to edit it is free and easy to use and all you need to upload it is a solid WiFi connection.

    It can be Distributed via Multiple Channels

    Aside from being easy to create, podcasts are also easy to promote. It’s common for companies to broadcast their podcasts on their blog or website. But services like iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher helps in expanding the reach of your podcast. You can also use different social media platforms to share your podcasts.

    It Establishes Your Authority

    A podcast gives you an arena to show your expertise and passion for your niche. Your enthusiasm and speaking prowess also adds an authoritative air to the topic, something that the written word can’t express. And coming out with regular podcasts that have sound information and good ideas helps establish you and your brand as market leaders.

    There’s a More Intimate Connection with the Audience

    Listening to someone on a regular basis can lead to a more intimate and stronger connection. Broadcasting podcasts regularly give listeners the chance to become more familiar with the podcaster’s style and voice. This familiarity and connection keeps your brand in mind and helps the audience have a better understanding of the company’s values.

    Don’t be left behind by the other brands that have already discovered the power of podcasting. Start integrating podcasts into your marketing strategy and reach more people.

    [Featured image via Pixabay]

  • Facebook Sees Growth in Ad Sales Despite Drop in Usage

    Facebook Sees Growth in Ad Sales Despite Drop in Usage

    Facebook saw a decline in usage for the first time in its history, undoubtedly brought about by certain changes made to its News Feed. Despite that, the social media company’s digital ads remained profitable, stemming any concerns investors might have.

    Facebook recently released its earnings report for the last quarter of 2017. The report underlined the effects of Mark Zuckerberg’s campaign to improve his company while also emphasizing the social media giant is still a force to be reckoned with in the business sector.

    Facebook’s founder mentioned in the report how the company made changes so that fewer viral videos were shown. The changes “reduced time spent on Facebook by roughly 50 million hours every day.” Those hours showed up as a decrease from 185 million daily active users (DAU) in the US and Canada to 184 million users.

    It’s the first time that the company has reported a reduction of users in any of its market. Some sectors could even have been alarmed by the fact that this decline happened in the region where Facebook earns the most from advertisements. The company makes an average profit of $26.76 per user in the region, as opposed to the worldwide average of $6.18.

    However, the reported dip in users and time spent on the social media platform didn’t seem to hurt Facebook’s bottom line. According to the company’s earnings report, revenue in the last quarter of 2017 hit $12.97 billion, up from the $8.81 billion it garnered during the same period in 2016. This was an increase of 47% and it topped the $12.55 billion average projected by the analysts over at Yahoo Finance.

    The boost was apparently due to Facebook’s mobile ad sales, which included that from its sister company Instagram. The increase was also aided by the company’s marketing tools, which are steadily becoming more precise.

    Revenue from its mobile ad sales represented around 89% of the last quarter’s total ad sales and is up to 84% compared to the year before. It has been estimated that Facebook’s profits from its global ads this year would reach $53.84 billion, placing it behind Google as the biggest ad seller in the world.

    More changes are expected to come to Facebook, as Zuckerberg wants it to be more than just a fun platform. In his statement, he said he wanted his brainchild to also be “good for people’s well-being and for society” and plans to do so via more meaningful connections.

    He parlayed any concerns investors might have by saying that the user drop was just temporary and was needed to make a stronger product. Zuckerberg also emphasized that worthwhile interactions would lead to a stronger community and that the care users would have for this group would make them more amenable to seeing ads.

  • Twitter Users are Buying Millions of Fake Followers, Black Market Exposed

    Twitter Users are Buying Millions of Fake Followers, Black Market Exposed

    Twitter is a platform that has always encouraged—perhaps unwittingly—competition in terms of user popularity. These days, fellow users of the social media platform will gauge your online status based on the number of likes your tweets generate, the number of times they are retweeted and, most importantly, the number of followers you have.

    This explains why some Twitter users even go as far as to buy fake followers. However, it’s not just regular users doing the deed. According to a report by Slate, well-known actors, models, businesspeople, athletes and adult entertainers are loading up their accounts with fake followers.

    In a New York Times exposé, Devumi, a Florida-based firm, allegedly sells fake “Twitter followers and retweets to celebrities, businesses and anyone who wants to appear more popular or exert influence online.” According to the report, the company has provided more than 200 million fake followers to its customers.

    Devumi’s scheme has been likened to a large-scale social identity theft. The report revealed that at least 55 thousand of the fake Twitter accounts managed by the company actually contained pictures, names, and other personal details of real-life Twitter users, which include even minors.

    Despite the well-research piece, Devumi still denied any wrongdoing and insisted that it had not sold fake followers and had no knowledge of any social identities being stolen. “The allegations are false, and we do not have knowledge of any such activity,” Devumi founder German Calas responded via email to NY Times in November.

    Responding to the recent expose, business mogul Mark Cuban suggested that it is now the right time for social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to be more stringent in their screening process.

    Meanwhile, the various celebrities and personalities dragged into the controversy reacted differently to the report. Some offered various excuses such as blaming their subordinates for buying fake followers while others totally ignored the report and posted tweets like nothing had happened.

  • 13 Ways to Grow Your Brand With Pinterest

    13 Ways to Grow Your Brand With Pinterest

    Pinterest is not quite a social media behemoth like Facebook and Twitter, but with 200 million users a month, it can certainly hold its own. The platform’s user base also covers a wide demographic, making it an ideal place for businesses of all kinds to find new customers. As a matter of fact, 50 percent of all millennials in the U.S. use Pinterest. Older people use the platform as well, with 68 percent of American women aged 25 to 54 happily pinning and creating boards. Men are getting into the action as well, with 40 percent of new users being males.

    If you never considered using Pinterest as a marketing tool before, here are 13 ways you can use the platform to grow your brand in 2018:

    How to Grow Your Brand With Pinterest

    1. Integrate Save Buttons to Your Website

    It’s always a good idea to make it easy for people to take action, and adding a Pinterest Save button allows them to Pin your content. You can even choose between using automatic or hover buttons. The former appears on every image on your site while the latter appears when the mouse hovers over an image.

    2. Concentrate on Amazing Visuals

    Pinterest is a largely visual medium, so you have to make sure you’re using well-crafted images. Use photos that are bright, have good composition and are in focus. You can also add some text to give people an idea about your content.

    3. Pin Daily and Wisely

    Consistency is critical when it comes to Pinterest. The best practice is to have a minimum of one Pin day. If you’re planning on posting a lot of content for the week, divide them up so you’ll have several posts per day. Meanwhile, post seasonal or themed Pins about 45 days ahead of the event.

    4. Have Good Timing

    When to Pin and post largely depends on your target demographic. You’ll have to do some testing to identify which times are ideal. But generally, the optimal times to post are between 2-4PM EST and 8PM-1AM EST and on Saturday morning.

    5. Utilize Rich Pins When Necessary

    Rich Pins are upgraded Pins that utilize metadata from your website to give additional information on what Pinners will find when they click on the Pin. These Pins can be used for apps, articles, recipes, and products. More importantly, it highlights the link to the article and has a clear call-to-action button.

    6. Optimize Pins

    All Pins have a uniform width, although the length varies. Pins that are 800px by 1200px are considered the perfect size. Long pins are also good and are shared more.

    7. Try Instructographics

    A term coined by Pinterest, instructographics/infographics are very popular with users. Advertisers also love it because of the platform’s length allotment. So if possible, try this style with your content.

    8. Take Advantage of Analytics for Better Results

    Pinterest analytics can provide you with crucial information, like the most popular Pins and content. From there you can tweak and enhance your strategy so that you’ll target the right audience.

    9. Re-Pin Regularly

    You want to keep your brand in people’s minds, and re-pinning content from other users can do that. It also keeps your own page populated with new content. But never re-pin posts from rivals.

    10. Encourage Engagement

    Never forget that Pinterest is a social platform so you have to be engaged and engaging. Follow relevant boards and engage with Pins in your niche. Encourage employees and influencers to join an share something on your group boards.

    11. Try Out Promoted Pins

    Also known as Pinterest Ads, Promoted Pins are another way to give your brand more exposure. These posts are clearly distinguished by the “Promoted” tag underneath the Pin and when clicked, shows your brand name. Data has shown that companies using these ads received a 20 percent boost in organic clicks.

    12. Diversify Your Board

    Don’t limit yourself by focusing on Pins about a specific niche. Branch out to slightly different topics as they can draw in a different audience. If you’re selling kitchen appliances, Pins about recipes can pave the way for other groups to become interested.

    13. Include Pins in Your Newsletter

    Help your customers find your Pins by sending it directly to them. Include the latest ones in your newsletter. It will also lead your direct subscribers to your account.

    Pinterest is a very diverse platform, giving you the perfect opportunity to reach different demographics. Grow your brand and become a force to be reckoned with in the Pinterest community with relevant content and well-crafted images.

    [Featured image via Pixabay]

  • Google Just Made it Easier to Mute Unwanted Ads

    Google Just Made it Easier to Mute Unwanted Ads

    Google is finally listening to the countless complaints of its users regarding intrusive ads. The search giant now has a new and improved ad-muting feature to make those unwanted ads go away.

    The “Mute This Ad” feature is not exactly new and has been around for quite a while now. Introduced in 2012, the feature allows users to remove ads from specific overly enthusiastic advertisers from YouTube, Gmail, Maps and Search as long as you are signed into your Google account. However, the search giant is about to make the feature more responsive to your wishes.

    The “Mute This Ad” tool will now work with any device that is logged on to a Google account. For instance, if you decided to mute a particular ad via your laptop, it will stay muted even when you log onto your Google account using a different device such as a smartphone.

    Furthermore, you’ll start to notice the “Mute This Ad” feature pop up in more places than before. The company announced that the option will appear in more apps and websites outside of Google.

    Image result for google mute this ad

    Of course, Google knows that we’ve been blocking or ignoring ads since ads were invented. In fact, a 2017 adblock report by PageFair revealed a not-so-surprising trend—people have been blocking ads more and more. In 2016, 11 percent of global internet users blocked ads, a 30 percent rise from the previous year. At the moment, there are 615 million devices worldwide that have installed various adblocking software.

    Ads work if people care enough to watch them. Otherwise, it’s all pointless. And Google users have been particularly helpful in weaning out which ads work and which do not. In fact, the company received feedback from more than five billion users on why they decided to block specific ads.

    [Featured image via Google]

  • Twitter is Reportedly Trying to Copy Snapchat’s Video-Sharing Feature

    Twitter is Reportedly Trying to Copy Snapchat’s Video-Sharing Feature

    Twitter may soon be introducing a new feature to its platform as part of the company’s strategy to boost user growth. The San Francisco-based social media company is reportedly working on a feature that will mimic rival Snapchat making it easier for users to post videos.

    The rumored Snapchat-like feature will cut down the number of steps required to open the camera inside the app. Currently, posting a video on the Twitter platform requires users to make several taps on the compose tweet icon before accessing the live button or camera. On the other hand, Snapchat has a more streamline video posting process as users only need to tap or swipe once to access the smartphone’s camera in the app.

    Twitter already has a working demo for the upcoming camera-focused update, according to a Bloomberg report citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. However, the same report cautions that since the final design of the new feature is not yet available, the tool may be significantly altered by the time it launches. In fact, the timing of the rumored feature’s release is still uncertain at the moment.

    The report also did not specify just how similar Twitter’s new feature will be to the Snapchat app. Snap videos are available only for a very limited period of time but disappearing content may not be suited to its rival’s platform since viral videos are a big part of the Twitter culture.

    This new Snapchat-like feature is definitely in line with Twitter’s efforts to improve user experience on the platform. For instance, the company recently doubled its character limit and also added a threading feature allowing users to post multiple consecutive tweets.

    At the moment, Twitter has declined to comment on the matter.

  • 4 Tips for Personalizing Your Next Email Campaign

    4 Tips for Personalizing Your Next Email Campaign

    When it comes to online marketing, setting up an effective email campaign frustrates many business owners. Most operate under the assumption that having an email opt-in plugin and signing up with an email marketing service is enough to get high conversions. What they have failed to grasp is the importance of email personalization.

    One study has revealed that 70% of businesses neglect to personalize their emails. Making this mistake significantly undermines your campaign, considering that personalized emails boost revenue six times more than generic ones. Personalization yields a 41% higher click-through rate and recipients are also 29% more likely to take action to your message.

    Image result for email personalization

    [Graphic via FormGet]

    So how can you personalize your email marketing to boost your campaign? Here are four tips:

    Tailor it to the Demographic

    One of the best ways to boost response rates is to tailor your email’s look and message to specific demographic elements, like age and gender. If you’re selling care products, cosmetics would grab the interest of women while men would want to know more about shaving products. Making use of a distinct appeal to the preheader can also encourage open rates. For instance, referencing winter when selling snow boots and winter jackets to people in states experiencing cold weather will catch their attention.

    Come Up with the Right Questions

    “Ask and ye shall receive” is a good mantra to remember when designing your email marketing campaign. A lot of businesses simply assume they know what the customer wants only to have their messages ignored. Instead of assuming, ask your audience key questions, like their reason for becoming a user, subscribing to a newsletter or visiting their website. It’s simple and can give you valuable data.

    Wedding specialist Paper Style hit the goldmine when they asked visitors on their site whether they were preparing for their wedding or someone else’s. Not only did the simple question quickly segmented probable clients, it also gave them insight on the type of correspondence to send to their prospects.

    RewardStream - 45 Examples of Personalized Marketing2

    [Graphic via PaperStyle case study]

    Time it Well

    Timing is everything, especially in email marketing. Every customer has a distinct routine when it comes to emails. Some check once in the morning while others look at their inbox every half hour. Sending an email when your client is most likely to check their inbox and will help boost sales.

    Related image

    [Graphic via Fusion BPO]

    However, finding the right time can be challenging. A number of email service providers are now offering tools that can study when subscribers check their inbox and make adjustments to the delivery time.

    Personalize Your Brand

    Don’t limit personalization to emails or to how you use your customer’s data. Your brand can use a personal touch as well. Personalizing your brand humanizes it, making it easier to connect with your customer. It could even boost your click-through rate.

    This was clearly shown in an experiment conducted by HubSpot. The company sent two emails to test what else could be done to make them feel more personal and to enhance customer engagement. One email was from the company itself, while the other was from someone in HubSpot’s marketing team.

    sender name test resized 600

    [Graphic via HubSpot blog]

    Interestingly, the results showed that more people clicked on the message sent by a person than the one sent by a business. This demonstrated that people were more amenable to a more personal touch in business. So if you want a more positive response, a personalized email is the way to go. Aside from using a real person, you can also try making it more informal. Using a conversational tone or the pronouns “I” and “we” can also improve your response rate.

    [Featured image via Pixabay]