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Virtual Vision: 5 New LinkedIn Features & How B2B Marketers Can Use Them To Succeed https://ift.tt/hXvsRcG What are the newest features on LinkedIn*, and how can B2B marketers best use them to attract, engage, and convert business professionals? As the world’s leading business social platform, Microsoft’s LinkedIn has released a surprising array of innovative new ways for B2B marketers and brands to build new connections and forge even stronger existing relationships. LinkedIn has undoubtedly witnessed numerous social platforms adding elements to attract B2B marketers, yet it remains the dominant player in the massive business sector. An important factor in LinkedIn’s continuing dominance and growth has been its steadfast determination to innovate with an abundance of new features. 75 percent of enterprise content marketers have said that LinkedIn produced the best results among social media platforms over the past year, followed by Facebook with 42 percent and Instagram with 32 percent. With so many new tools and options available on LinkedIn, it can at first seem somewhat overwhelming to know which ones to try first. Let’s take a look at a selection of some of the recent features LinkedIn has launched that are particularly well suited for B2B marketers looking to elevate connections, communities, and creativity. 1 — Robust LinkedIn Newsletters For Company PagesA powerful feature for connecting with audiences is LinkedIn’s on-platform newsletter creation and distribution system — a largely undiscovered gem for B2B marketers that has recently been expanded in scope. LinkedIn’s newsletter system lets users who qualify for creator mode access publish written content at regular intervals, which is a boon for subject matter experts and influencers looking for new ways to share and promote material they’ve written or co-created with others. The latest addition to LinkedIn’s newsletter offering, however, has expanded the system to qualified LinkedIn pages, allowing brands of all sizes to fully harness the professional platform’s powerful scope and reach. Initial newsletter qualification requirements included LinkedIn users and pages with over 150 followers or connections, a recent history of sharing original content on the platform, and adherence to standard LinkedIn community policies. LinkedIn’s newsletter feature offers a wealth of options for B2B marketers that go well beyond what’s available using the platform’s traditional article format, whether for individual users or through LinkedIn’s specific articles for pages offering. A robust array of personalization options are included when creating a newsletter as a company page, and when a page publishes its first article using the feature, all of the page’s followers automatically get a notification to subscribe. Those followers who choose to subscribe — and by already being a fan of a page, it’s much more likely that members will do so — will subsequently get both an email and a notification when new newsletter articles from the company page are published — both of which can optionally be turned off. The ramifications of B2B marketers and brands using LinkedIn’s newly expanded newsletter capabilities are far-reaching, and the coming months will be a fascinating time to observe the creative uses LinkedIn members find for newsletter distribution on the platform. When it comes down to it, your marketing message and how it drives your readers to action or even enlightenment is paramount to success, and not particularly the medium or format in which it’s delivered. There are, however, many positive things to be said for the venerable newsletter format, whether sent in the traditional email format or using a social platform-based system such as the one LinkedIn has made available. To learn more about how B2B marketers can craft a great newsletter that stands out and stands the test of time, here are four articles we’ve published that explore the art and science of newsletter content and distribution:
2 — Professional Skill Tool & Trend-Finding Data ResourcesLinkedIn recently launched an interactive “Future of Skills” tool, which is a helpful way for B2B marketers to learn precisely which skills are the most in-demand and relevant for careers in different parts of the world, in various industries, and perhaps most importantly, in particular job titles. The data-backed tool is also a good way to learn how demand for certain skills has grown or waned over the years, and LinkedIn has made it convenient to learn more about each skill by tying the system to selections from its comprehensive educational offerings through LinkedIn Learning. That makes the task of augmenting certain skills simple to begin, through the use of on-demand video courses that range in length from under ten minutes to over three hours. LinkedIn took the time to share a selection of its top LinkedIn Learning courses for marketers, as Connie Chen, insights program manager, thought leadership and narratives at LinkedIn, explored in “Solidify Your Skill Set: The Top 10 Learning Courses for Marketers.” Another example of some of the recent insightful on-demand webinar content on tap from LinkedIn is the “2021 B2B Thought Leadership Impact Study,” of particular interest to B2B marketers. B2B marketers can use the insights from LinkedIn’s “Future of Skills” tool — which contains aggregated information from the past six years for some 800-million-plus users — in many ways, from expanding their own repertoire of expertise and audience research, to examining job trends and how they will interact with new brand marketing efforts in the future. When it comes to what the data reveals, digital marketing specialists and account executives joined social media managers as the most in-demand marketing occupations, while digital marketing, advertising, and social media skills had the biggest mismatch when looking at job supply and demand, according to additional recently-released LinkedIn survey data. Elevating careers is a win-win pursuit for everyone involved in B2B marketing, and we recently tapped some of the world’s top marketing executives for their key advice and insight, which our own CEO Lee Odden shared in “How to Elevate Your B2B Marketing Career: Advice from Execs at Top B2B Brands.” [bctt tweet="“Always seek the opportunity to acquire new ways to do marketing, because the ability to pivot & adapt to the unknown is the most valuable skill set.” — Som Puangladda @sompny" username="toprank"] LinkedIn has also focused on highlighting how the record number of career changes the world has seen over the past several years has affected particular demographics of professionals, such as woman in the world of marketing in its recent “The Great Reshuffle: What Women in Marketing Want From Their Employers,” by Tequia Burt, editor in chief of the LinkedIn Marketing Solutions Blog. To learn more about building skills for the future of B2B marketing, here are four pieces we’re published containing helpful tips and information:
3 — LinkedIn’s Intriguing New Podcast NetworkAnother recent LinkedIn tool that presents new opportunities for B2B marketers came in the form of the launch of the LinkedIn Podcast Network — a pilot program of podcast shows with an emphasis on professional career-building — that also encourages listeners to make connections and build community with show hosts. In the initial pilot, podcast listeners will have access on LinkedIn to programming and conversations from industry leading creators such as Winnie Sun, Morra Aarons-Mele, Jonathan Fields, Mita Mallick and Dee C. Marshall, as well as shows created in-house by LinkedIn News. The LinkedIn Podcast Network incorporates the full gamut of the professional social platform’s technology, such as the aforementioned newsletters along with live-streaming events plus video and written content — a potent combination that when fully rolled out will offer B2B marketers intriguing new options for podcast-related efforts. As we recently covered in our TopRank Marketing Friday news, 53 percent of marketers say they plan to spend more on podcast advertising in 2022, with listening having grown some 200 percent over the past five years. Additionally, overall podcast advertising spending climbed by 60 percent in 2021, with accompanying growth rate forecasts seeing $2.2 billion in spending by 2023. Podcasting for B2B marketers is an area we’ve also focused on over the years, and in that vein here are four helpful articles to get you started:
4 — LinkedIn’s Expanded Analytics Tools & DataLinkedIn has released a preview of an expanded set of analytics information that will offer new details on individual posts on the platform. In addition to singular post performance data, the expanded information will also allow LinkedIn content creators to view a new selection of overall analytics statistics. Combined, the expanded post and overall analytics will bring more detailed audience insight to B2B marketers, and help them find out more about the people engaging with their posts. Another new addition on the analytics front at LinkedIn came in its recent acquisition of marketing analytics platform Oribi, which has technology that focuses on finding key top-performing marketing efforts. By combining Oribi’s technology with LinkedIn’s vast data, marketers can look forward to enhanced measurement for maximizing return on investment (ROI). LinkedIn has also worked to augment its company pages with new features, such as more powerful forecasting for post reach and frequency. “One of the biggest challenges facing most organizations on social platforms is knowing whether you’re reaching the right people, and what exactly they’re seeing,” Mary Yang, director of product at LinkedIn recently observed in “LinkedIn Pages: Our Latest and Greatest Features.” “Reach Optimization is one of the tools offered by LinkedIn to maximize the potential for this engagement,” Yang added. When it comes to crafting successful LinkedIn posts that hit the mark and utilize some of the many new features to find the right audience, LinkedIn’s head of creator programs Callie Schweitzer recently shared a selection of tips in a helpful Forbes article, “LinkedIn’s Global Creator Programs Lead Shares 4 Tips For Crafting Your First LinkedIn Post.”5 — Keep Current With LinkedIn’s New Publications & ToolkitLinkedIn also regularly publishes insightful takes on not only the new features it has rolled out to users, but deep looks at industry shifts and trends. Keeping on top of LinkedIn’s latest feature updates and industry-specific publications can be a great way for B2B marketers to make the most of their marketing efforts, both on LinkedIn and in more general terms. For sales professionals, LinkedIn recently rolled out a new edition of its digital magazine — The Pitch — featuring an array of strategic marketing tips for utilizing the professional social platform, along with thought leader interviews and reports of interest to B2B marketers. For marketing professionals, LinkedIn recently published a collection of handy tips and best practices for using a variety of tools, along with insights on advertising on the platform. This has all been gathered together in a new technology marketing guide, covered in “Driving Technology Leads on LinkedIn: A Toolkit to Help.” Sometimes even small enhancements to a social platform can resonate particularly well with users, as has been the case with LinkedIn’s recent announcement about its expanded handling of career breaks in member profiles, as the firm shared in “LinkedIn Members Can Now Spotlight Career Breaks on Their Profiles.” Through both minor adjustments and truly innovating features, LinkedIn has continued to offer its members new ways to engage and connect.Eying Up New LinkedIn B2B Marketing Featuresvia GIPHY B2B marketers and brands have been wooed by the likes of TikTik, Pinterest, Snapchat, Clubhouse and many other social platforms with increasing frequency over the past five years. Despite this, LinkedIn has remained atop the social B2B mountain, and with the many new features we’ve explored here, there’s little question why successful B2B marketers continue to not only eye up but embrace the platform. We hope you’ve found this look at some of the latest LinkedIn features for B2B marketers to be helpful, and that you’ll be able to apply this insight to your own efforts throughout 2022 and beyond. Creating award-winning B2B marketing that elevates, gives voice to talent, and humanizes with authenticity takes considerable time and effort, which is why an increasing number of firms are choosing to work with a top digital marketing agency such as TopRank Marketing. Contact us to learn how we can help, as we’ve done for over 20 years for businesses ranging from LinkedIn, Dell and 3M to Adobe, Oracle, monday.com and others. * LinkedIn is a TopRank Marketing client.The post Virtual Vision: 5 New LinkedIn Features & How B2B Marketers Can Use Them To Succeed appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®. Mobile Marketing,SEO via Hubspot https://ift.tt/W7O4G5m March 30, 2022 at 05:36AM
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CRM Platform Optimove Acquires Mobile Firm Kumulos https://ift.tt/gVuXemW CRM marketing hub Optimove has acquired Kumulos, a platform messaging technology for mobile based in Dundee, Scotland. Terms were not disclosed. Kumulos co-founder Mark Petrie will join Optimove, serving as the director of engineering for mobile services. Optimove has raised $75 million in funding in the past six months and plans to in invest in platform development through M&A and strategic hiring. In addition, Optimove plans to invest in an R&D center in Scotland to complement its locations in Tel Aviv and Ukraine. The two firms have previously partnered. advertisement advertisement Optimove seeks to help clients reach customers in different ways. “We already do this in email and Kumulos was a natural fit to offer this across mobile marketing as they provide an easy way to build out sophisticated mobile and web campaigns,” states Optimove Founder and CEO Pini Yakuel. The Kumulos acquisition will enable Optimove to create email inbox messages for onboarding experiences, and in-app messages with brand overlays for re-engaging customers with mobile push notifications. It addition, users will be able to improve opt-ins and conversions with customizable permission overlays and soft prompts, along with personalized rich media web push messages that dynamically adapt to a person’s customer’s on-site behavior. They can also utilize geofences and beacon technology for automated messages, employing behavior, customer attributes and preferences.
Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/mGudWnR March 29, 2022 at 04:43PM
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Younger Consumers Are Most Likely To 'Churn And Return' To Subscription Video https://ift.tt/dQGVaBW As more media companies launch streaming video services, consumers worldwide increasingly are making choices about which ones are worth the monthly subscription fees. Churn rates among subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services are one indicator that some viewers may tolerate commercial breaks for lower fees. Alternately, they may seek out free ad-supported … Reminder: You are seeing this premium content because you are a subscriber to MediaPost's Research Intelligencer and/or a member of the Center for Marketing & Media Research. This content cannot be viewed by non-subscribers/non-members. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/mGudWnR March 29, 2022 at 02:32PM
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Angi Pushes 'Oddly Satisfying' Premise In New Brand Work https://ift.tt/h01KASp Ryan Reynolds’ creative agency Maximum Effort has just debuted a new brand campaign for Angi, the home-services marketplace. The creative, tagged “Oddly Satisfying” offers three new 30-second spots about home renovation — "Steam Cleaning," "Caulking" and "Painting." All underscore the idea that a feeling of calm ensues when a pro handles a job for you. advertisement advertisement “Our goal with this campaign was to not tell people about the benefit of using Angi, but rather have them feel the benefit for themselves. By leaning into the cultural trend that is “Oddly Satisfying,” we were able to create a compelling video that gives people a true sense of the calm and satisfaction that comes from using Angi for all their home projects,” she adds. Sivajee notes the company’s new offerings, Angi Key, a refreshed mobile app, lets homeowners book a professional just like they would get an Uber or order food delivery.
Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/o2SQaxz March 29, 2022 at 09:14AM
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Will Apple Give Away Apple TV+ Free To 133M iPhone Users - Forever? https://ift.tt/JgjbvTr Apple wants to change consumers' thinking about buying an iPhone -- and that may dramatically expand the reach of its Apple TV+ base of subscribers. Apple reportedly wants to shift the iPhone to a “subscription” plan. In effect, this may mean paying a nominal monthly fee -- maybe $12 to $15 a month rather than owners paying generally $25 a month on installment payments that a majority of iPhone users pay to own the latest version of the popular mobile device. For being on a plan, iPhone owners would expand on its Apple One subscription package, which includes a number of services like Apple Music, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Apple TV+, and other Apple services. Why this move? Apple may have consumer data revealing that there is a large segment of iPhone owners who regularly trade up to buying a new iPhone -- typically released every two years. That means many consumers are virtually always on installment plans -- typically packaged into mobile phone service plans sold by AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, or other communication monthly plans. advertisement advertisement And right now, many of those deals with communications companies also include free subscription promotions to many premium services -- such as Netflix, HBO Max -- anywhere from six months to one year. As part of a new “subscription” iPhone plan, consumers would also get extra services -- like Apple TV+, the thinking goes. Apple TV+ is regularly priced at $4.99 a month. From Apple's point of view, it would expand their consumers and revenue base -- now with 133 million iPhone users under an ongoing subscription plan. Apple does not reveal current Apple TV+ subscribers. It is estimated to have around 20 million to 30 million paying subscribers. Does that give Apple a better position for Apple TV+ when it comes, to, say, luring in big-time TV and movie producers looking for the widest possible distribution of their content? Sure. But don't discount that winning Best Picture Oscar for “CODA” this past weekend also could be a factor for producers and directors to now consider Apple. Packaging Apple TV+ tied with an iPhone deal on an ongoing basis could also boost casual viewership. It would give Apple TV+ something key to the TV programming operations: Sampling. And a wide-scale, successful subscription plan could give Apple the billions of dollars now needed every year to accelerate toward top streaming platforms Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, in terms of subscribers. Overall, for Apple, it’s more “plus”. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/o2SQaxz March 29, 2022 at 08:09AM
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Fast-Forward: 4 Business Problems Solved by B2B Content Marketing https://ift.tt/XSE4yf1 For B2B business, the pandemic was a magnifying glass pointing out the cracks in systems. We discovered just how fast digital transformation can be when our livelihoods are on the line. We found that global supply chains aren’t as resilient as we thought. We found that remote work is far more viable an option than we’d been led to believe. None of these realizations were brand new — we were just able to see them clearly for the first time. The same is true of B2B buyer behavior. When we talk about how the pandemic changed B2B sales and marketing, what we mean is that we can finally see what we have missed before. As we rebuild what’s broken and seek to evolve to the next level, we have a chance to put the buyer at the center of our efforts. Here are some of the biggest challenges ahead, and how we can meet them. Solving B2B Business Problems with Content Marketing1 — Communicating EmpathyYou don’t get through collective trauma like we’ve all experienced for the past two years without a few scars. People are still adjusting, processing, struggling, even grieving. At the same time, businesses have needs that your solution can meet, problems you can solve. But how can brands help without seeming insensitive? Content marketing is our most powerful tool for communicating human-to-human, offering actual value. Now is not the time for bland corporate-speak, either — showcase your people in your content, along with others in your industry who have earned respect and trust. Be helpful and kind in your content. Be a caring companion to your audience. After all, marketers are the keepers of data — we know these people and what they’re struggling with. We’re in a unique position to create uplifting content. [bctt tweet="“Be a caring companion to your audience. After all, marketers are the keepers of data — we know these people and what they’re struggling with. We’re in a unique position to create uplifting content.” — Joshua Nite @NiteWrites" username="toprank"] 2 — Leading with PurposeLately, businesses have come to the groundbreaking realization that people care deeply about social issues. This is a discovery on par with the earth-shattering epiphany that B2B buyers are human beings who need emotional appeal as well as facts. This epiphany has led to serious discussions about “purpose.” What does your brand stand for besides shareholder profit? What issues are top of mind and how is the brand helping address them? How can we let people know that we share their values? Content is key for a brand that’s looking to lead with purpose. It’s the medium to tell the brand’s purpose story, of course. But we can go deeper: Content can be a way to amplify other voices and help tell their stories. A brand can post a Martin Luther King, Jr. day message, complete with one of his safer quotes. But a content marketer can publish a blog post from a leading voice in the Black community. A brand can say they stand with Ukraine. A content marketer can bring refugee voices directly to a sympathetic audience. That's leading with purpose, not purpose as an afterthought. 3 -- Humanizing the BrandI’ve written before about humanizing B2B marketing — specifically about how easy it is to overthink the whole thing. What’s the line between relatable and unprofessional? Will we lose trust in our competency if our content is too lighthearted? How do we relate to our entire audience without alienating a segment? Here’s the thing: You can’t humanize a brand. I say again: You CAN’T humanize a BRAND. [caption id="attachment_30862" align="alignnone" width="300"] The exception that proves the rule.[/caption] Brands are not humans. People are. Content marketing can feature people on behalf of the brand, rather than attempting to speak for the brand. Bring your executives into your content. Bring employees, influencers, external experts. Bring — I’m begging you — your customers and prospects in as well. If you want to truly humanize, let the humans come out from behind the brand. Content marketers can lead the way. 4 — Building RelationshipsI have talked more about building relationships in a decade of being a marketer than I did in a decade of being single. But in the world post-pandemic (and our current world of ongoing but milder pandemic), relationship-building is an even more crucial part of success for B2B business. Repeat customers, referrals and brand advocacy are all a more reliable source of revenue than even the most targeted advertising. Content marketing can help build these relationships. The first three points I made are all about laying the groundwork for a relationship. Content can offer helpful advice, information about the state of the industry, best practices — in other words, what your audience needs to succeed in their professional and even personal lives. The quickest way to build a relationship? Give your potential customer that crucial bit of advice to make them look brilliant in front of their boss. Give your existing customers recognition and highlight the awesome success your brand helped them achieve. The more you lift up and celebrate your buyers, the more they are likely to do the same for your brand. [bctt tweet="“Content can offer helpful advice, information about the state of the industry, best practices — in other words, what your audience needs to succeed in their professional and even personal lives.” — Joshua Nite @NiteWrites" username="toprank"] Elevate Your Content to Solve B2B ChallengesIt’s been a rough couple of years. Human beings have experienced individual and collective trauma, and we’re still processing and rebuilding. That’s true both of the marketers creating content and the people consuming it. The way forward is to use content for what it’s really good at: Telling stories, amplifying human voices, and providing value. That’s not to say content should be doing all of the above instead of driving a business outcome — I’m saying that helpful, human content is the way to drive a business outcome. We have the privilege, as content marketers, to create something that serves both the brand and the audience, and might even be fun for us to create. It’s a unique opportunity and one we should all embrace. Check out our Content Marketing service page for more inspiration. The post Fast-Forward: 4 Business Problems Solved by B2B Content Marketing appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®. Mobile Marketing,SEO via Hubspot https://ift.tt/aEP5h6F March 28, 2022 at 07:54PM
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Big Bang Budgets: Firms Plan To Spend More On Martech This Year https://ift.tt/5gaGO3h Brands expect to spend more on technology this year, according to marketing trends 2022, a study from Oracle Marketing, conducted by Ascend2. Of those polled, 82% plan to remove or replace parts of their current martech stack to improve performance, with 36% strongly agreeing with this statement. Moreover, 64% are increasing their overall marketing budgets, while 11% are keeping them intact and 25% are penciling in a decrease. What are they investing in? Email platforms are among the top three martech solutions:
advertisement advertisement Email is also one of the top two marketing solutions they cannot live without:
This occurs as 37% of marketers are confident in their chances of meeting their objectives this year, 31% hopeful and 24% excited. Only 4% are nervous, 3% indifferent and 1% panicked. But they face challenges, including:
Still, 88% believe they have access to the right data to make critical marketing decisions, with 42% strongly agreeing. They see the following first-party data sources as valuable as third-party cookies disappear:
Many firm are deploying artificial intelligence, particularly for email marketing. They would trust or already use AI to do the following:
These capabilities will grow in importance as 43% add personalized content or offers to their strategy in 2022.
Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/o2SQaxz March 28, 2022 at 03:54PM
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Braze Groups New And Existing Tools In Bid To Help Clients Use First-Party Data https://ift.tt/NMt2eaz Customer engagement platform Braze has launched a suite of new products and enhancements titled Braze for Commerce that is designed to compensate for loss of third-party data. The goal is to help brands “unlock the full potential of their first-party data, delivering contextually relevant experiences that empower shoppers to quickly find and buy what they need, when they need it, from wherever they are,” says Kevin Wang, senior vice president, product at Braze. The development comes as 90% of retail and eCommerce brands expect to increase their marketing budgets to meet third-party cookie deprecation, iOS 15 and other changes, according to recent research by Braze. Among the new tools is Braze Catalogs, which enables marketers to inject personalized product data into cross-channel messages, the company says. Another is Braze Content Blocks for Drag and Drop Editor, which allows users to build branded recommendations from catalog data, it says. advertisement advertisement In addition, the enhanced Braze Audience Sync links native Braze email, two-way SMS, mobile, and web, with paid social channels. In a related development, the products are now generally available through the Shopify App Store, allowing Shopify’s merchants to sync their customer and purchase data with no coding needed. Another new tool is SMS click tracking, an enhancement of Braze’s SMS performance metrics, which supports retargeting of consumers based on their actions. In addition, the company is offering Segment Extensions, a segmentation tool that facilitates a deeper customer understanding based on behavioral data, Braze says. Brands can also capture data in compliant ways with existing tools such as Braze Surveys. Pressed, an omnichannel retail brand, uses Braze to support its digital presence. “Braze has played a key role in our customer engagement strategies as we’ve seen a 10% increase in engagement and almost 40% increase in open rates year over year since onboarding with Braze,” states Georgia Price, director, digital and CRM at Pressed.
Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/o2SQaxz March 28, 2022 at 01:09PM
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Alpha’s Clienteling App For Luxury Brands Is An Exclusive, Modern Way To Shop https://ift.tt/VFuhSne Digital personal service platform Alpha is reinventing the way luxury brands and their shoppers interact. Get More Ideas With The PSFK Daily Newsletter Mobile Marketing via PSFK http://www.psfk.com/ March 26, 2022 at 08:02AM
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Animatico Is Improving Customer Interactions With AI-based Avatars https://ift.tt/ucAFfOb By combining artificial intelligence and voice control technology with fun, engaging and customizable avatars, Animatico creates seamless interactions for store and brand customers and visitors. Get More Ideas With The PSFK Daily Newsletter Mobile Marketing via PSFK http://www.psfk.com/ March 26, 2022 at 08:02AM |
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