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The Power of Professional Email Signatures

JULY 4, 2023

A first impression is hard to shake. And while you can’t always control every detail of a first interaction, there’s a lot you can do to leave a positive imprint in someone’s mind. As an extension of your brand, every impression matters, and every detail makes a difference. Today, G2 is breaking down the power of professional email signatures.

Step 1: Include the crucial information in your signature

What’s the purpose of the email you’re sending? Is it your initial outreach? A follow up perhaps? It’s good practice to provide multiple contact options, but keep it succinct and relevant to your email.

Step 2: Design your email signature to represent your brand in the best way

Arrange the elements in a structured and readable manner, starting with your name and job title, followed by contacts and important links. Follow your brand style guide and ensure your signature does your brand justice.

Step 3: Avoid common mistakes that prevent you from emphasizing important things

Consider the number of links in your signature. Too many might come off as spammy; keep it neat. If you’re a sucker for a good quote at the end of an email, just make sure the quote supports whatever action you want your reader to take.

Step 4: Create an HTML email signature for email clients

Popular email clients like Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, and Yahoo all allow you to create signatures within the client, so take advantage of this capability if you haven’t already.

Step 5: Try an email signature generator

Automation to the rescue! If you’re stuck or just need some fresh ideas, a generator is a great route. It may not knock it out of the park, but you may be only a few small tweaks away from what you need.

Keep reading for some examples that you can use to create or refine your email signature.

How to take Better Breaks (and actually take them)

JULY 2, 2023

How many breaks do you take throughout your workday? We’re not talking about those 5-minute bathroom breaks where you catch up on a few Instagram stories or open up your email to read yours truly (we appreciate you, but please wash your hands on the way out 😉)

No, we’re talking about a little Y-O-U time – free from any screens and without any interaction with whatever work you’re momentarily stepping away from. That’s the sweet stuff, and This Too Shall Grow makes a compelling case as to why you need real breaks and how to properly take them.

Back-to-Back & Back Again

We understand that sometimes Zoom marathons wiggle their way onto your calendar leaving you no time in between meetings. According to research from the Microsoft Human Factors Lab, these breakless meeting sessions create a perfect snowball effect of stress. However, when test subjects took 10-minute meditation breaks between Zoom meetings, their brains had a chance to reset and there was no compounding stress.

So how do we ensure we take proper breaks?

This depends on you, but the better you know your own habits, the better you can devise a plan that works for you. Here are just a few ideas:

The Pomodoro technique: Determine a length of time after which you will take a short break. For example, you can do 50 minutes of work and take a 10-minute break to get some fresh air and stretch your legs.
Practice meta-awareness: Mindfulness does wonders. Digging into your current mental state to determine what your mind needs may be your key to knowing when to give yourself a break – no clocks needed.
Commit and block time: Respect your calendar. Just as you would commit to a team meeting you were added to, commit to a 5-minute recharge you allocate for yourself.

The important thing is to take the time to break away from the task at hand and really leave it all behind you – even just for a few minutes. There’s plenty more to uncover from This Too Shall Grow, so be sure to check it out. (And if you’re still in the bathroom on your break, again, please wash your hands. Thx.)

What is Customer Journey Analytics?

JUNE 28, 2023

You know the feeling when you walk into a room for a specific purpose, but the moment you breach the doorway, you can’t remember what the heck you were doing? Sometimes we tend to get lost even on the simplest of journeys.

Your customers often take paths fraught with obstacles in order to find your brand and your products and services. Knowing and anticipating these obstacles will help you to ensure your customers never lose their way on their journey to your business. Hubspot has some tips to get you started on understanding your customer journey.

Outline a customer journey map. This should include an overview of everything a customer will experience on their journey: the buying process, user actions, emotions, pain points, and solutions.
Identify the right analytics tools. There are a number of tools you can use to monitor customer actions across your site and the various channels that lead to your site. You likely have some in your arsenal already, but Hubspot has some recommendations to get you started.
Collect your data. You earned it! The focus here is on user data (info specific to the user), and interaction data (info about a user’s interaction with your products and services.
Analyze data. Now you have all the pieces to the puzzle and it’s time to put them together to see the big picture. This is where you’ll get to see which obstacles are turning customers away so you can clear a better path for customers moving forward.
Update customer journey map. Back to the drawing board! You didn’t think your job was done yet, did you? You know better than that (you’re a digital marketer after all). Insert your findings into your journey map to reflect a more realistic process.
Use customer journey analytics to test new strategies. With a few previous pain points eliminated, things ought to move a bit smoother. Craft an enticing abandoned cart email or decrease the steps needed for a customer to create an account.

Keep reading to uncover more of the benefits you’ll find by looking under the hood of your customer journey.

Mastering the TikTok Algorithm in 2023

JUNE 27, 2023

No, it’s not too late to grow on TikTok! However, competition exists, so consistent effort and adherence to best practices are crucial. By creating high-quality, engaging content and understanding the algorithm, you can increase your chances of success on TikTok. Here are 11 tips for improving your reach:

Post Consistently: Aim to post at least once a day to keep your content at the top of your followers’ feeds and increase your chances of being seen.
Use Relevant Hashtags: Use popular and niche hashtags that are related to your content to increase your chances of being discovered by new users.
Utilize the “For You” Page: Treat the “For You” page as a research tool to understand what other creators in your niche are doing and learn from their success.
Use Catchy Music: Incorporate popular and trending music into your videos to make them more engaging and increase your chances of going viral.
Use Effects and Text: Make your videos visually appealing by using filters, effects, and text to catch users’ attention and tell a complete story.
Post High-Quality Videos: Focus on good lighting, clear audio, and visually appealing graphics to create high-quality content that stands out.
Keep Your Videos Short and Sweet: Stick to videos under 60 seconds in length to maximize engagement and ensure viewers watch your entire video.
Tell a Story: Use your videos to tell compelling stories or deliver meaningful messages to captivate your audience and increase shareability.
Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments and messages to create more engagement, as it is a ranking factor in the TikTok algorithm.
Collaborate with Other Users: Collaborate with creators in your niche to expose your content to a new audience and tap into their followers.
Experiment with Different Styles of Content: Try out different types of videos to find your style and understand what content resonates best with your audience.

Want to know what’s trending on TikTok right now? From trending hashtags and formats to the top trending sounds, check out the hottest TikTok trends of the moment.

3 Compelling Use Cases for AI

JUNE 26, 2023

AI-powered products have become an integral part of marketers’ toolboxes, offering insights and increased conversions through optimized campaigns. As AI continues to evolve, it’s shaping the future of advertising and marketing in three significant ways:

Interactive Ads: Ever wondered what it would be like to have a heart-to-heart with an ad? Well, now you can. AI is paving the way for interactive ads that you can literally talk to, turning marketing into a thrilling choose-your-own-adventure experience. Case in point: Google Nest used speech-to-text API for a chat-it-up user experience leading to a significant lift in purchase consideration.
Creative Brainstorming: Who needs coffee for an ‘awakening’ when you’ve got a machine serving up hot and fresh ideas on demand? AI is playing a pivotal role in the ideation stage, helping creative teams generate verbal and visual prompts, and assisting in the visualization of concepts that don’t yet exist. AI-generated content is challenging creative teams to push their boundaries and conceive innovative ideas that set new standards in the industry.
Scaling Production: AI isn’t just a creative wizard; it’s also a meticulous planner and manager improving the quality and performance of creative assets, guiding the iteration of concepts, and strategizing large-scale production. That said, marketers recognize the necessity of understanding and properly handling the ethics of AI and potential biases in its use.

Get the full download on the transformative role of AI according to creative leads.

10 Must-Have Organic Video Types for YouTube

JUNE 25, 2023

With more than 500 hours of content uploaded every minute, YouTube is a crowded space. The key to successful YouTube marketing is to create high-quality, engaging video content and embrace the power of a paid strategy for faster results. Here are the top 10 video types that work like magic:

1. Social media videos (e.g., YouTube Shorts, Stories, and Community posts).
2. How-to videos and/or explainer videos.
3. Branded stories (e.g., short films, series, and/or documentaries).
4. Interviews with influencers and/or subject matter experts.
5. Thought-leadership videos with company leaders.
6. Stories about your organization.
7. Customer testimonials, case studies, and/or success stories.
8. Product demonstrations, either animated or actual.
9. External training videos and/or formal education on topics.
10. Livestreaming videos (e.g., YouTube Live and Premieres).

Check out SEJ’s guide to YouTube marketing for more tips.

Weather Can Help Your Message Resonate

JUNE 20, 2023

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and those iced latte ads are looking better than ever.

Factoring weather patterns into your strategy can help you drive engagement, brand loyalty, and revenue. Targeting by weather—down to the zip code—is a privacy-friendly way to deliver personalized messaging that meets consumers where they are. Consider the stats:

In 2023, weather is projected to generate $13.5 billion in spending.
75% of Gen Z consumers say good summer weather makes them more impulsive.
43% of Gen Z consumers say they are more likely to crave a snack during thunderstorms.
Ecomm spending spikes at +4.5% when it rains between 0.8 inches and 1 inch in 24 hours.
53% of consumers say they are more likely to choose a food or beverage when it’s promoted in relation to current weather.

Dig into more data from The Weather Company at Adweek.

Raise Brand Awareness with YouTube Shorts

JUNE 19, 2023

Looking for better reach and engagement from your YouTube Shorts ad campaigns? Follow these rules for winning Shorts:

Stay on trend. By hopping on trends like #SummerLoading, you can generate excitement, raise brand awareness, and drive engagement.
Hire a natural. Your video should feature someone who can communicate the brand’s message in a captivating, entertaining way to enhance viewer interest.
Leverage animation. Use concise, simple animation to effectively illustrate key features and benefits of your product or service.
Be funny. Infuse the video with emotions that resonate—humor, nostalgia, surprise—to build a positive association with your brand.

When you hit the mark, the YouTube Shorts format is well suited for brand awareness campaigns. Check out DMNews for more tips.

12 Tips for Better Email Subject Lines

JUNE 16, 2023

Email subject lines that get opens. Let’s get into it:

Get to the point in fewer than 50 characters.
Use a familiar sender name — avoid “no-reply.”
Use personalization tokens like “you.”
Don’t make false promises—tell ’em what’s inside.
Start with a verb.
Use words like “invited” and “exclusive” to make people feel special.
Create a sense of urgency or importance, but sparingly.
When applicable, include numbers, percentages, or prices. Data catches attention.
Ask a compelling question.
If you’re here, you already know this one. Puns.
Avoid all-caps and use exclamation marks sparingly.
What happens if you use a question mark and an exclamation mark? Straight to spam!