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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!

Find even more tips and hall-of-fame examples at HubSpot.

What is Contextual Advertising?

JUNE 14, 2023

Contextual advertising is simply the strategy of buying ad placements based on the context of your content—rather than personal data. In a privacy-oriented digital world, it’s regaining popularity.

We’re talking old school, obvious stuff, like a mayonnaise brand buying time on the Food Network.

As cookie alternatives become necessary, advertisers are increasing their investments in contextual advertising as they re-evaluate their data strategies.

Companies that specialize in contextual targeting use web crawlers and AI to scan websites for keywords, sentiment, and ad load to determine the context of a page, and publishers can label their own content for advertising purposes.

In essence, contextual advertising is a privacy-compliant solution—a vintage tool to keep in your collection—but it’s not robust enough to be effective alone.

Read more about the return of contextual advertising at Marketing Brew.

People Pay More Attention to Disappearing Content

JUNE 13, 2023

If you’re not taking your Instagram Stories strategy seriously, you might want to reconsider. Recent research has found that users pay closer attention to content that can be seen only for a limited time.

In a series of 12 experiments, users:

Recalled 9% more of the ingredients in a video recipe.
Watched a Facebook video ad for 25% longer on average in Story format.
Focused their eyes 5.76% more on key areas of a graphic when told they could only view it once.

Why? Similarly to how consumers are more willing to pay more for limited-edition products, the scarcity of disappearing content encourages us to consider it more closely.

Apply this insight by posting promotions, contests, and announcements to disappearing channels, like Instagram Stories.

Check out Ariyh for the full download.

Why You Should Work With a Nano Influencer

JUNE 12, 2023

Here’s why brands should consider working with them:

Nano influencers are budget-friendly. They’re just starting out, so they’re more accessible to small businesses and startups, and they’re more likely to work in exchange for free products or services.
Nano influencers have niche audiences. Their small following is appealing to brands looking to target a specific demographic.
Nano influencers have high engagement rates—averaging at 4% across platforms, higher than larger influencers.
Nano influencers are authentic. They’re less curated and subsequently perceived as more trustworthy than polished influencers working with big brands. In essence, they’re still relatable to the average social media user, which means their recommendations are taken seriously.

Check out Entrepreneur’s tips for finding the right nano influencer for your brand.