Alexa Matia says, “Thanks to the constantly changing digital landscape, advertisers have been forced to get more and more creative with their advertisements, all while looking for the next great advertising idea. Now that virtual reality headsets are rising in popularity, the next step seems clear: VR ads. Virtual reality users are a captive audience: they’re fully immersed, and they aren’t going to take a headset off until they’re done—not even because of an ad. But in an age of ad blocking, how do you get customers to like advertisements they’re forced to watch within the headsets? For... [...]

Drew Himel says, “As technology advances, consumers are becoming experts at blocking out content that appears fake or gimmicky. Tech-savvy consumers want a relationship with a company that is built on trust, not sales tactics2, and consumers don’t want to wait for that trust. (highlight to tweet) These are big changes, to be sure, but today’s technological progression is also an incredible opportunity for marketers to give their consumers cutting-edge content and strategies tailored to fit their new behavior. Businesses that focus on an incredible customer experience will be able to maintain... [...]

Ray Beharry says, “Content marketers have been warned for years to get ready for mobile marketing. Mary Meeker’s 2008 pronouncement that mobile would “overtake fixed Internet access by 2014” came true; we crossed that threshold at full steam to navigate our way through “Mobilegeddon” and beyond. Google’s 2015 changes to its mobile search algorithm caused collective palpitations over the potential damage it could (and did) do to small businesses. As the changes continue—and best practices regarding new tech adoption and media channel preferences evolve more and more rapidly—it’s... [...]

Dan Hanrahan says, “Whether you’re a marketer at a startup, scaleup, or enterprise company, creating meaningful marketing messages and finding new channels to promote those messages is key—but it’s hard work! With more and more digital channels being introduced to the market, it’s often hard to ensure your company’s most important initiatives are communicated broadly to your audience of prospects, customers, and partners. But more than that, you need to ensure your messages are noticed and actionable. Employee email has been a mainstay in the marketing toolbox, and it’s no wonder:... [...]

Lauren Teague says, “As mid-year approaches, you may be looking back at your social media plans and goals for the year and realizing they need attention. What was set in motion less than six months ago now causes us to pause. In this ever-evolving industry, key social media networks consistently pivot, refresh, or introduce new features that require social media marketers to change their strategy on the fly. So far in 2016, we’ve already seen the following moves: – Facebook launched Reactions and Facebook Live video to all users, and doubled down on Messenger. – Instagram expanded... [...]

Steve Olenski says, “This particular post is a bit of an anomaly. See, I am writing this with just two percent of CMOs/marketers in mind. That may sound odd—why would I write something aimed at only two percent of anything? I get that. I understand why you would question that logic. I questioned it myself before deciding to take this approach for this particular piece. I did so because I felt compelled to direct this squarely at you: the two percent of marketers who don’t think that offline and online marketing are merging. And just where do these two-percenters come from? They come from... [...]

Kristen Matthews says, “Why do some brands seem too intimidated to own influencer marketing in-house? Perhaps because the term has gotten too sexy and, therefore, too intimidating to add to their already hectic marketing strategy. Influencer marketing works best when a brand owns their relationships and brings the strategy in-house. This overwhelms a lot of marketers in theory, and they resist adopting this type of marketing when, really, every brand is capable of building a network of influencers right now. To get you started, this guide outlines the most crucial steps for brands who want to... [...]

Kevin George says, “First impression may not be the last impression in the world of emails, but it always matters—mainly because user behavior indicates that the maximum chance of emails being opened is only once. So what is it that ensures maximum open rates? Designing the perfect email isn’t just about finding the right images and colors for the message you want to deliver to your subscribers. The process includes everything from choosing a familiar “from” name to crafting the perfect subject line and ensuring your email does not look like a spam mail. Crafting the Perfect Email Visually... [...]

Tim Copp says, “May is my favorite time of year. In Indianapolis, it means everything is in bloom, Memorial Day is around the corner, and you can literally smell the burning rubber from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway! In my house, it also means it’s time to fire up the grill. I must have had marketing on the brain during my last cookout because the gears started to turn on why I love them both. Then it occurred to me—they’re actually more similar than you might initially think. Here’s why. 1. Both Require the Best Ingredients “Good” truly is the enemy of “great.” It’s the... [...]

Jay Baer says, “Facebook (and its sister network, Instagram) are beginning to dominate how social marketers spend their paid amplification budgets. As we know, paid amplification of social media is more important than ever in this era of disappearing organic reach. As I’ve written about many times, Facebook’s goal is to increase their revenue, not yours, and when they shut off the free impressions spigot they gambled that social marketers would grumble for a while but eventually pay up. And of course, they were right. The same thing is now playing out over at Instagram, with the new, non-linear... [...]