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B2B Marketing News: B2B Marketers Turn To Predictive, Twitter Adds New Analytics, & More Young Marketers Are Buying Via Smartphone https://ift.tt/3E7aFRa B2B Mobile Mania: Young Staffers Use Smartphones To Buy Business Products 53 percent of B2B buyers in the Gen Z demographic say they use their smartphones when researching and buying for business, and once a purchase has been made 50 percent see brand newsletters as very important — two of several insights of interest to digital marketers contained in recently-released survey data. MediaPost The Behaviors and Attitudes of U.S. Adults on Twitter [Pew Study] Some 69 percent of adult U.S. Twitter users say they utilize the platform to stay informed, with 45 percent looking to express their opinion, some of the findings contained in newly-released Pew Research Center study data examining Twitter usage. Pew Research Twitter Launches Updated Tweet Analytics Card, Providing More Specific Performance Insight Twitter has rolled out new tweet engagement metric data, including a variety of insights on profile visits, media views, new follower counts, link clicks and more, all featured in the social platform’s latest analytics update, Twitter recently announced. Social Media Today The Marketing Trends of 2022 [The Ultimate Guide] [HubSpot Report] Influencer marketing was the leading marketing specialty that marketers plan to invest in during 2022, with 46 percent of those already using influencers saying they plan to increase spending on influencer marketing next year, according to newly-released report data from HubSpot, also showing that 56 percent of marketers who invest in working with influencers work with micro-influencers who have less than 100,000 followers. HubSpot The New Business Climate for Marketing Agencies in 2021 A majority of agency executives have said that 2021 has provided more new business opportunities than last year, and that business from existing clients has been the most effective way for generating business — two of several statistics of interest to online marketers contained in recently-released survey data. MarketingProfs App Annie predicts TikTok to reach 1.5 billion active users in 2022 Gen Z mobile app users are expected to increase their financial involvement by 160 percent through the use of financial apps such as Coinbase and Robinhood, according to newly-released forecast data from app ranking firm Ann Annie, which also predicts that 2022 will see TikTok surpassing the 1.5 billion user mark. ZDNet Instagram adds TikTok-like Text-to-Speech and Voice Effects tools to Reels Facebook-owned Instagram has brought greater accessibility features to its Reels short-form vertical video format, with the roll-out of new text-to-speech and vocal effect tools, giving marketers additional options for reaching broader audiences with the format, Instagram recently announced. TechCrunch Brands Say They've Recovered From The Pandemic, But Risks Persist, Experian Reports 74 percent of brands have incorporated artificial intelligence (AI) tools, a five percent jump from 2020, and 59 percent of organizations have mostly or completely weathered the pandemic storm, according to recently-released survey data of interest to digital marketers. MediaPost Consumers Increase Their Video Use While Email Is Flat: Study 60 percent of consumers worldwide have said that they are utilizing more video chatting to communicate with businesses in 2021 than they did last year, while some 47 percent have increased their use of digital communication formats for engaging with organizations, according to newly-released survey data. MediaPost How Are B2B Marketers Going About Building ABM Target Account Lists? When it comes to how B2B marketers plan to grow their account-based-marketing (ABM) account lists, a leading 52 percent said that predictive data will be tops, followed by technographic, behavioral, and intent-signal data, while sales team-selected and firmographic data top the list of types currently in-use, according to recently-released survey data. MarketingCharts ON THE LIGHTER SIDE: A lighthearted look at the “black friday & holiday shopping” by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist Instagram asks suspected bots to verify themselves with video selfies — The Verge TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:
The post B2B Marketing News: B2B Marketers Turn To Predictive, Twitter Adds New Analytics, & More Young Marketers Are Buying Via Smartphone appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®. Mobile Marketing,SEO via Hubspot https://ift.tt/2wiHYzh November 26, 2021 at 05:39AM
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Bountiful Thanks: What the TopRank Marketing Team is Most Grateful For https://ift.tt/3l5IJpn As the U.S. celebrates Thanksgiving Day this week, the world looks back at another year of challenges, changes in the marketing landscape, and workplace shifts. Despite the global challenges we’ve all faced, we’ve overcome, grown, and adapted, and now is the time to look back on those parts of our lives for which we're the most thankful. This year our team here at TopRank Marketing has continued to grow, and we'd like to take this opportunity to reflect on thankfulness in both our professional and personal lives, continuing our annual traditional post sharing messages of gratitude. Our ability to see and express gratitude in challenging times such as those we’ve all faced over the past two years can be especially meaningful and even replenishing. Let’s take a moment to open our hearts and take in sentiments of thankfulness from our team, shared with the hope that you’ll also be inspired to reflect on the silver linings that may be hidden in our lives if we simply take the time to listen. What the TopRank Marketing Team is Most Thankful for in 2021Lee OddenCEO and Co-Founder 2021 has been an eventful year and one in which many people have re-examined their priorities, goals and plans for the future. While it’s important to look forward, there’s also a lot of value in reflection and gratitude. The world in 2021 is very different than 20 years ago when TopRank Marketing was founded. Not only did we not anticipate there would be a global pandemic, we also couldn’t have imagined how well our team adapted, and excelled at the new normal of B2B marketing. I am incredibly thankful for the entire team at TopRank Marketing for their equal parts passion for the craft of search, content and influencer marketing with service to clients and to each other. All are instrumental in our efforts to help elevate the voices, experiences and humanity of B2B marketing. Of course success is great but it’s not worth much without health and family. I am incredibly thankful that I have been able to find a passion in running and be on track to run over 2,000 miles in 2021. I am also thankful for my amazing kids and supportive parents who continue to teach me invaluable life lessons.Lane R. EllisSocial Media and Content Marketing Manager 2021 held many new wonders and delights, a few sad losses, all coming together to form a year I’m thankful for I’m especially thankful for my wonderful family, friends, and associates. Celebrating 20 years of marriage with my amazing wife Julie Ahasay tops my thankfulness list, along with the continuing joy of having my parents Konnie and Bob in my life, as well as my astounding and always-inspiring 104-year-old grandma Lilly Haldorsen, who recently hosted her first Zoom talk and has taken up learning a new language. I’m thankful for nearly 38 years of using the Internet, and to still be able to run, mountain bike, and cross-country ski the beautiful trails of Duluth, and for our loving cat Kukla Francis Oliver. Sadness came in the form of losing several dear friends, and our beloved eleven-year-old cat Phineas Faustus Ellis, and these losses reinforce how fortunate we are to have the gifts each day offers to us. It’s a great time to reach out and give the world and its endless opportunities a cozy wintery embrace, so here’s a big virtual hug to all of you I’m fortunate enough to know, lovely family and friends. Thank you.Amie KroneSenior Director of Operations & HR With all of the changes that have happened in the past 2 years (almost!) I am most thankful for having a team of people, both personal and professional, surrounding me – giving me support, inspiration and motivation to do great things. My family always serves as my rock and reason for everything I do and I can’t be more thankful to have all of them in my life, cheering me on to see me grow. The team at TopRank Marketing continues to be some of the most intelligent, interesting, and driven people I have ever met. Many of whom I can truly call friends, not just colleagues, I am so thankful to have the relationships with them I do. Their drive and passion push me to go beyond what I think are my limits – to do bigger, better things – day in and day out.Maria KawaguchiDirector of Agency Marketing Never would I have imagined that 2021 would involve me moving across the country, to my hometown of Columbia, SC. This year has challenged me even more to step outside of my comfort zone, open my eyes, and welcome new possibilities. I'm most thankful for having more time to spend with family, the honor of caring for my parents, and the opportunity to tap deeper into my passion for dance. Moving to a new place has taught me the beauty of connection and building community. With that, I'm grateful for all the opportunities to volunteer on the healthcare front-lines and at local shelters. Here I've met so many like-minded individuals who are committed to giving back and helping the under-served. Professionally, I'm grateful to have joined the TopRank Marketing team! Despite the fact that I have never met anyone in-person, it has truly been a breath of fresh air with all-around good energy! Thank you!Mike OddenResearch Analyst I am very thankful for my wife Ruthe who has supported me all these 57 years, and also our children and grandchildren who we are especially proud of. Also the opportunity of working with a great team and company, TopRank Marketing.Anne LeumanSenior Operations Strategist Each year, I grow more and more thankful for my coworkers here at TopRank Marketing. The uncertain times we live in have not been easy - in life, or in work - and the support we have for each other has really shone through. I also am so grateful for our open-mindedness as an organization. From processes to resources to client programs and beyond, we are always willing to hear thoughts for improvement and make changes. That willingness to change and drive to improve makes TopRank an exciting and rewarding place to work each day.Elizabeth WilliamsSenior Account Manager My heart overflows with gratitude every year I get the chance to share on our annual blog. This year, I’m grateful for a brand new, healthy baby girl who’s already jumping and “talking” like crazy at 5 months. An energetic number-readin’ 4-year-old. A stretching 7-year-old sunshine. And the least thanked, superhero that makes our daily lives ‘go’ – my husband of 8 years!Sam KirchoffInternal Marketing Manager I'm thankful for life. I mean that in both the grandest and minute way: we've all gone through so much these last nearly two years in a chaotic, pandemic world... and many people didn't make it through. But I did, and my loved ones did. I'm thankful for the ability to roll my eyes when my parents don't know how to use technology, I'm thankful for dear friends who always respond to late night texts, I'm thankful for a partner who always does the dishes because I hate getting wrinkly hands, I'm thankful for a workplace that makes me feel not only welcome, but celebrated. I'm thankful for instant noodles, good books, and BTS. I'm thankful for my cats, my wool socks, and my space heater. I'm thankful for everything. Mostly, though, I'm thankful for my daughter. Without her, all the rest would fall away. With her, my life is golden.Debbie FriezSenior Influencer Marketing Strategist I am thankful for almost 7 years of working with the amazing, smart, talented team at TopRank Marketing. Every day I look forward to new challenges and exciting experiences. The best part of my job is learning from the many thought leaders some will call influencers. I truly treasure the relationships I’ve built with so many great minds. In a year that has brought so many health challenges for the world, I am thankful for my health and that of my family.TopRank Marketing Gives Thanks For YouAll of us at TopRank Marketing are grateful for you, and thank you for being the supportive fans, amazing clients, friends, and enthusiastic influencers that have allowed us to achieve personal, professional, and brand success. Happy Thanksgiving! Sincerely, The TopRank Marketing TeamThe post Bountiful Thanks: What the TopRank Marketing Team is Most Grateful For appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®. Mobile Marketing,SEO via Hubspot https://ift.tt/2wiHYzh November 24, 2021 at 05:39AM
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T-Mobile Should Stop Boasting Of 'Most Reliable' 5G Network, Watchdog Says https://ift.tt/3oOz47G T-Mobile should stop bragging in ads that it offers the "most reliable” 5G network, a self-regulatory group said Tuesday. The recommendation, issued by the National Advertising Division of BBB (Better Business Bureau) National Programs, stemmed from challenges by Verizon and AT&T to T-Mobile ads. Those ads included boasts like “Largest, fastest and now, most reliable 5G,” “New report finds T-Mobile 5G is America’s most reliable." Verizon and AT&T argued separately that T-Mobile lacked a reasonable basis for those claims. T-Mobile countered in both cases that its boasts were based on an audit by umlaut, which reported based on crowdsourced data that T-Mobile offers the fastest and most reliable 5G network. Verizon and AT&T questioned umlaut's methodology for several reasons, including that umlaut did not test whether people who connected to a 5G network were able to stay connected long enough to stream videos, browse the web, or accomplish other online activities. advertisement advertisement The National Advertising Division sided against T-Mobile, writing that said umlaut's methodology “was not a good fit” for the telecom's claims of most reliable 5G service. “There is no data to show that T-Mobile’s 5G network is superior to competing networks in allowing consumers to access the network and stay connected to complete a session or accomplish a specific data task,” the self-regulatory group wrote. T-Mobile plans to appeal both decisions to the National Advertising Review Board. The company said the umlaut applied “neutral criteria” to its test results and concluded that T-Mobile has the most reliable 5G network. “Like other similarly situated advertisers, T-Mobile should be able to advertise this independent award,” the company told the National Advertising Division. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH November 23, 2021 at 04:12PM Hallmark Channel Takes Top Holiday Theme Ad Impressions For 2021 Walmart Amazon Big TV Spenders11/23/2021
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Hallmark Channel Takes Top Holiday Theme Ad Impressions For 2021, Walmart, Amazon Big TV Spenders https://ift.tt/3HJKfr4 Heavy holiday-themed content, especially Christmas-themed movies, has boosted Hallmark Channel to again take a leading share of holiday-themed TV ad impressions, according to iSpot.tv. Through almost two months of airing (October 1 through November 18), Hallmark pulled in an estimated 4.4 billion impressions from holiday-related TV ad impressions -- a leading 10% industry just those TV ad impressions. Overall TV ad impressions for Hallmark Channel so far this year are higher: 41 billion impressions, up from 34.3 billion. After Hallmark, CBS was next (2.3 billion). Then came NBC (2.2 billion); ABC (1.96 billion); and ION Television (1.7 billion) . Research also shows Hallmark Movies & Mysteries was at 1.1 billion impressions -- adding another 2.8% share to the Crown Media Holdings TV networks. Walmart and Amazon -- two big retailers -- are the dominant marketers for estimated holiday-themed national TV ad spend -- up significantly, according to iSpot.tv, from a year ago. advertisement advertisement So far, Walmart is at $39.8 billion and Amazon, $30 billion. Further down the list are two other major retailers: Target ($14.4 million) and Macy’s ($13.5 million). Then comes Ram Trucks ($13 million); Peloton ($8.8 million); Kohl’s ($8.2 million); Lowe’s ($7.4 million); Starbucks ($6.9 million); and Samsung Mobile ($6.3 million). A year ago, per iSpot.tv, Peloton spent virtually nothing on national TV holiday-themed advertising. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH November 23, 2021 at 10:48AM
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Behind TikTok's Aggressive Push Into Connected TVs, Devices https://ift.tt/3DL76A1 Having taken on YouTube in the social media arena, TikTok is now pursuing the reigning short-form video app onto the big screen, via connected TV (CTV). Following its launch of an app on the Amazon Fire TV platform in the United States and Canada earlier this month, TikTok has now struck distribution deals with Google TV and other Android TV OS devices, as well as LG and Samsung smart TVs. Actually, TikTok — which in September trumpeted having surpassed 1 billion app users worldwide on the Android mobile platform alone — established a CTV foothold last December on Samsung smart TVs sold in Europe. But now it’s setting its sights on becoming a leader in streaming viewership, where YouTube commanded a 6% share in October (second only to Netflix, at 7%), according to Nielsen’s The Gauge. The TikTok TV app “is built for a TV home-viewing experience, making it easy to watch content from our 'For You' and 'Following' feeds on the big screen,” TikTok said in announcing the new smart-TV integrations. “This includes the most liked and viewed videos across a huge range of categories, from gaming and comedy to food and animals.” advertisement advertisement To date, however, TikTok is not supported by smart TVs and other devices powered by Roku, the No. 1 U.S. connected TV operating system. TikTok is already pushing to address obstacles to gaining greater share of ad budgets, and more aggressive participation in the streaming video viewership race may help. TikTok has said that it has attracted hundreds of thousands of advertisers since it began taking advertising in 2019. With the threat of its being banned in the U.S. now gone, and its startling growth since the pandemic, some advertisers now dedicate 5% or more of their social media budgets to TikTok. For some targeting young consumers, the app's share could approach as much as 20% in 2022. But at this point, TikTok still generates under $1.3 billion in U.S. ad revenue, versus $2.2 billion for Twitter, $2.6 billion for LinkedIn and $48 billion for Facebook and Instagram, according to eMarketer estimates. Half of 300 major brands recently surveyed by WARC reported having no presence on TikTok. To address this, TikTok is investing heavily in ecommerce and shoppable ads, as well as introducing better tools for controlling ad targeting and reporting. Still, according to Kantar research, it remains the least-trusted app, in part due to concerns over its privacy practices and in part because of its reputation for having spawned dangerous crazes among teens. That lack of trust represents a big problem. According to eMarketer, protecting privacy and data, trustworthiness of content, and a safe environment for engaging are the three most important factors affecting users' decisions to engage with ads or sponsored content on social platforms (chart above). Getting families to watch TikTok videos together on home screens could help allay parents’ — and advertisers’ — safety concerns about the app. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH November 23, 2021 at 08:52AM
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Study Finds Social Users Seek Inspiration, Many Plan To Unfollow Undesirable Accounts https://ift.tt/3CEQWqN There might always be mixed emotions surrounding the use of social media. Divisive, addictive, and harmful platforms also have the power to entertain and connect. In October, Playsee, a video sharing social media app, conducted a survey of 1,000 respondents through Pollfish that shows shifting attitudes amongst social media users. Key takeaways include users’ increased screen time over the past year and their need for more authentic, relatable, and positive content. Studies are now showing that over the pandemic, American teens’ screen time doubled, to 8 hours per day. Playsee’s findings follow these recent trends, as 65% of users between the ages of 18 and 54 reported one or more hours of increased screen time over the pandemic. Thirty percent reported more than three hours of increased screen time, and another 30% reported spending more than four hours on social media apps every day. advertisement advertisement That said, some of those surveyed reported being dissatisfied with the current social media landscape. A third (33%) of respondents agreed feeling a negative shift in their overall mood after long stints spent on social media, while 58% felt social media promotes standards that only favor a minority of users. And 45% planned on unfollowing accounts that make them feel down. These results are particularly telling in lieu of so many recent reports on social media’s negative effects on body image and mental health. Just last week, the state of Ohio sued Facebook’s parent company Meta for $100 billion in damages, claiming that the social media platform misled the public on the effects of their products on children. The lawsuit is largely in response to the internal documents leaked by Frances Haugen, which showed the potential harm Instagram might have on teenagers, especially girls. Playsee’s study also gathered data on what users want from social media in the future. Post-pandemic, representation and relatability rank, with 86% of users wanting to see less filtered, more authentic content and videos that closely reflect “real life experiences.” Three-quarters (74%) of respondents unfollowed specific social media accounts that didn’t “represent” them in their content. More than half (56%) plan to follow more accounts that inspire and uplift them over the next year. The survey shows that the shift toward more realistic, casual, less curated online content is already upon us, with more than half (60%) of respondents feeling as such. Some positive outcomes of social media and general screen time amongst those surveyed involved travel and personal interaction. Seventy-eight percent of users reported discovering new travel spots via their social media feeds, and 34% of users said their online interactions prompted in-person plans one to two times per week. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH November 23, 2021 at 08:02AM
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T-Mobile's New 5G Toy Is Old-School Hasbro Lite-Brite https://ift.tt/3DLCfn4 Toys from the 1960s continue to mine nostalgia for brand tie-ins. Last month, Mattel’s Fisher-Price launched a limited-edition, fully working version of Chatter Telephone, first offered in 1961, and today Hasbro rolled out a limited-edition T-Mobile version of Lite-Brite, which was launched in 1967. The $19.99 product, featuring 200 Magenta-colored pegs (over 400 pegs in all) that produce four different glowing designs via custom T-Mobile design templates, is available through Cyber Monday only from t-mobile.com/5GLiteBrite. Shipping is free. The templates include a map of the U.S. with the words “5G” inside, a “T” logo, a cell phone, and a cell phone tower. Replacement templates are also available from the site. advertisement advertisement In addition, four of the Lite-Brite boxes will include a “Magenta Ticket,” good for a “5G Experience of a Lifetime.” This includes an all-expenses-paid trip for two to an event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, or T-Mobile park in Seattle; two smartphones with a free year of Magenta service; an HD TV set; and a free year of home Internet service. News of the T-Mobile/Hasbro tie-in will be broadcast through both companies’ social channels, the product has been sent to social influencers, and it will be featured at activations and events over the next few weeks, including the SEC Championship this weekend and the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit. T-Mobile, which recently announced that its 5G service now covers 308 million people nationwide with Extended Range and 200 million people with Ultra Capacity, has been on a joint marketing limited-edition tear this year, with previous efforts including a Take 5G candy bar with Hershey’s Reese’s, 5Ginger Beer with Jones Soda, and 5Gin with Heritage Distilling. Like Chatter Telephone, Lite-Brite has never gone away. Now manufactured under license by Basic Fun, the “Ultimate Classic” edition is available at such stores as Target and Walmart for as low as $12.00. And Basic Fun’s Lite-Brite Oval HD, with a different shape and more peg holes, was recently named a holiday 2021 favorite in the DIY category by Toy Insider. It lists for $19.99 at such retailers as Target and Amazon. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH November 23, 2021 at 07:04AM
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TikTok And The Growth Of Unfiltered UGC https://ift.tt/2ZhvfiU There used to be a line between “professional” content, and “user-generated content,” known as UGC. Today, the extraordinary growth in content created by real people has set the media world on fire. And there's no better way to explore this fast-moving trend than to look at TikTok. Let's start with the data. TikTok has over 1 billion users and is available in more than 150 countries. It's already bigger than Snapchat, Pinterest, and Twitter, and is quickly about to eclipse Instagram. Users spend an average of 52 minutes per day on TikTok, and younger users aged four to 15 are on Tik Tok 80 minutes per day. If you check out TikTok, you might think the content seems a bit handmade or even amateurish -- but that's the point. TikTok's homemade feel embraces individuality over professional polish. It's full of memes and challenges to invite participation and embrace makers and viewers' authentic selves. Old world media's authoritarian monologues have been replaced by a group dynamic. advertisement advertisement Of course, TikTok isn't alone in this. Twitter, Reddit, and a slew of other chat platforms all embrace user content. But in terms of user-generated video and mobile creation, TikTok leads the pack. The platform is driven by participation -- a factor that Netflix is paying attention to, because peer-to-peer participation is VERY different from old-style broadcasting to a passive audience. Here's just one example. If you don't have Tik Tok on your phone, download it and then search for the hashtag #Maincharacter. Users have created videos in which they perform as the main character in a Hollywood movie. How popular is this storytelling frame? It's been viewed 5.2 billion times. Just for comparison, Netflix has stated that "Squid Game" had "reached" 111 million viewers, making it the biggest series launch in the streaming service's history. It's TikTok's billion versus Netflix's million. And then there's the business model. According to The Guardian, "Squid Game" cost about $21 million to make. On TikTok, the creative content is all provided to the platform for free. The makers are engaged in creative play, and while some users are building influencer brands to monetize, the large majority aren't in it for the money. TikTok pays influencers $500 to join the platform -- little more than beer money. TikTok had 4 million downloads in the U.S. in November, second only to Disney+. And TikTok's Q4 2019 revenue grew over 300% from the previous year. TikTok runs ads. There are several kinds of TikTok ads, among them in-feed ads, brand takeovers, and branded hashtag challenges. The growth of user-generated content is driven by a powerful nexus of technological innovations and social changes. When I launched "MTV News: Unfiltered," the iPhone had yet to be conceived. The idea of having a broadcast platform in your pocket wasn't even imagined. Still, viewers were hungry to be participants, not observers, of media. Here's just one example: "FreeStyle Walking." These kids wanted their story told, they wanted authenticity, and they wanted to be playful and authentic content creators. After four years on MTV as an eight-episode per-year series, we reached out to grow the UGC franchise and got two offers to make the series weekly on prime-time television. The first was from Fox, which fell apart in the contractual negotiations, and the second was Barry Diller's IAC, then branded Studios USA. Diller, who hadn't seen the pilot until we met at NATPE in Las Vegas, shrugged his shoulders and said with an air of certainty, "I just don't think real people are that interesting." He may not have been interested in “real people” -- but here we are, with consumers evolved into creators and audiences growing at a massive scale, challenging the time new audiences spend with so-called professional content. There is a driving drumbeat of change in how video is made and shared. People are using the tools of TikTok to create provocative, playful, engaging content, with their phones as both creative platforms and broadcasters. And there’s one certainty for advertisers and conventional mass media: We only have so many hours in the day. So when users are on TikTok 80 minute a day, we know they're not watching Netflix, Hulu or HBO Max during that time. UGC is here to stay, and the connection it makes between makers and audiences is sure to have an expanding impact on how we create and consume media. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH November 22, 2021 at 10:39AM
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13 Top Strategies For B2B Marketers To Host & Promote Live Virtual Events https://ift.tt/30P13fq
Not-so-great news! Every B2B brand you’ve ever heard of is ALSO hosting virtual events. And most of us are sick to death of staring at a screen 24/7. That doesn’t mean to not do virtual events. But it does mean we have to be more strategic about putting one together. You have to bring all of your marketing might and prowess to bear in order to make sure your event is attended, and that the attendees have a great experience. Let’s take a look at a few things you can do before, during and after a virtual event to kick it up to the next level. 13 Top Strategies for Virtual EventsFrom content marketing to organic social, a successful virtual event uses every tool in your marketers’ toolkit. In addition, there are a few considerations that are unique to this particular channel. Before the Event: Strategy & Promotion1 — Set Goals Start your event process by setting goals for the business purpose you want to achieve. For example, if you’re raising awareness of the brand, you’ll want to have influencers and thought leaders that appeal to a broad audience. But if you want attendees to book a demo after attending, you’re looking for a smaller but highly targeted audience. This is the first decision that will shape your promotion strategy and even your content. 2 — Choose a Platform There’s a potentially bewildering array of virtual platforms out there right now. They range from something as simple as live-streaming on Facebook or Instagram, all the way to enterprise-level virtual conference halls with multiple customizable rooms. We find LinkedIn Events to be a good middle ground between these extremes. There are plenty of easy-to-use tools built in that make it more customizable and interactive than a flat live-stream, but it doesn’t have budget-busting bells and whistles. That said, if you’re an enterprise looking for an all-inclusive hosting solution, there are plenty of options. This blog post has the rundown on some of the most popular. No matter which platform you choose, make sure to have a backup plan in place. If your LinkedIn Livestream fails, for example, be ready to roll on YouTube. 3 — Pre-Record and/or Rehearse A virtual event doesn’t have to be 100% live — in fact, it might be a better audience experience if it’s not. You can present a few pre-recorded sessions livened up with b-roll and music, to balance out the talking heads. Whether you choose to pre-record or not, it’s a good idea to rehearse your segments before the event itself. 4 — Plan Your ‘War Room’ During the event, you will want to have a team of folks coordinating behind the scenes (more on that next section). Now is the time to figure out who will be on duty, which tasks they’ll be taking care of, and how the team will communicate if you’re working remotely. Some of our clients work with an instant messaging platform, combined with an internal video call to keep everyone connected. 5 — Set an Agenda Your virtual event should be highly structured — guests should know exactly what they’re getting, and be able to plan for the times they want to attend. When you set the agenda, make sure to plan for interactive segments, too. Give the audience a chance to add to the conversation and be active rather than passive. [bctt tweet="“Your virtual event should be highly structured — guests should know exactly what they’re getting, and be able to plan for the times they want to attend.” — Joshua Nite @NiteWrites" username="toprank"] 6 — Promote & Amplify The above tips will help make the webinar run smoothly. Now it’s a question of getting people to attend. Start with a little content marketing: Use your blog to introduce the speakers and subject matter. Add a notice to your newsletter, too. On social media, post organic posts asking your audience to submit questions, and consider paid ads to register for the event. If you’re on LinkedIn Events, you can offer a seamless registration process. And of course, our agency always includes influencers as part of the promotion strategy. Equip your presenters with social media images and messages they can use to amplify the even to their audiences. During the Event: Support and Engage7 — Screen Questions and Engage in Chat I mentioned the ‘war room’ up above — during the event, there should be a few moderators devoted to managing audience engagement. These folks can ask for feedback in the chat, post key takeaways in real-time to social media, and screen audience questions for a Q&A. This team makes it easier for your presenters and host to focus on what they’re doing, rather than trying to engage the audience. 8 — Have a Dedicated Socializing Space One thing that makes a virtual event feel more like a physical one: A place to chat, socialize and network. Some virtual platforms have these spaces built in — they’re virtual rooms with spatial audio that allows people to break into small conversation groups. If your platform doesn’t have this feature, consider a service like Gather, Topio or Bramble. Make sure to have a moderator or two in that space as well, to answer questions and keep order. 9 — Keep Promoting throughout the Event Just because the event has started, doesn’t mean the promotion work is done. Your team should be posting on social media — especially Twitter, for immediacy — sharing takeaways and linking back to the event itself. You can keep inviting people to join as long as the event is running. After the Event: Review and Repurpose10 — Debrief Your Team While the event is fresh in everyone’s mind, have a meeting to discuss what went well, what could go better, and what you can improve for next time. It’s also a good opportunity to pull out key takeaways and spot opportunities for repurposing. [bctt tweet="“While the event is fresh in everyone’s mind, have a meeting to discuss what went well, what could go better, and what you can improve for next time.” — Joshua Nite @NiteWrites" username="toprank"] 11 — Create a Highlights Post Round up the key takeaways from your virtual event into a blog post. You can share the post with your influencers to reactivate them and start raising awareness for your next event. 12 — Share Influencer Highlights Create social media posts with images that feature quotes from the event. Make sure to equip your influencers with images and messages they can use to promote the takeaway blog, too. 13 — Send a Thank You Email If your virtual event required registration, you now have an email list that can be used (judiciously) to promote future events. Send an email thanking people for attending, and allow them to opt into emails from the brand, or just emails about future events, or to opt out completely. A Virtually Perfect EventVirtual events have evolved a lot in the past two years — it turns out necessity really is the mother of invention. As long as you approach a virtual event with the same depth of strategy that you would use for an in-person one, you can make it memorable for your guests and worthwhile from a business perspective. Check out Lee Odden’s post on virtual events, podcasting and Clubhouse to learn more. The post 13 Top Strategies For B2B Marketers To Host & Promote Live Virtual Events appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®. 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