Got a new buzzword for you today. Technically, it’s two words so…it’s a…buzzphrase? IDK.

Anyway, the new buzzphrase is: Facebook Zero. It sounds intense, but it’s actually nothing new. It’s just the intimidating way to explain Facebook’s News Feed update that finally killed organic reach.

Now that Facebook has killed organic reach, if you want to make Facebook work for your business, you’re going to have to advertise effectively. Today, we’re giving you the scoop on Facebook’s Lead Gen ads. They’re underutilized but work really well for B2B, B2C, B2whoever.

Facebook Lead Ads are basically landing pages that are built directly into Facebook. This allows users to convert on one of your offers without having to leave Facebook. Someone could download your shiny new eBook without having to leave the comfort of Facebook. The best part is that Facebook can connect to Mailchimp, Salesforce, etc. and deliver the user’s info directly to your CRM.

Here’s what you need to know about these ads:

• They’re typically used for signing up for newsletters, downloading content, registering for conferences or webinars, inquiring about a product, signing up for a deal, and a whole bunch of other things.
• You can ask for email, name, phone number, address, birthdate, company name, and more. Facebook also gives you 15 custom questions that you can write yourself.
• You’ll need a privacy policy. Facebook is going to ask for the URL to it before running the ads. If you don’t have a privacy policy, write one now.
• Target a warm audience. The way these ads run, it’s unlikely that you’re going to get a great conversion rate from a cold audience. We recommend running these ads as some form of retargeting campaign. Whether that’s based on website visitors, video watchers, past customers, that’s all totally up to you.

If you need to know how to set these ads up, hit the button below for a step-by-step walkthrough.

Raise your hand if you’ve seen just about as many “Trends of 2018” blog posts as you can handle? You can’t see us, but we are waving our hands in the air (like we just do care).

That being said, we wanted to give this article a pass today because it’s a topic we rarely get to cover.  You might not be a designer yourself, but as a marketer, you likely work very closely with one or a whole design team. Marketing goals would only reach half as far (if you’re lucky) without implementing a solid UX design—especially on mobile. Take this newsletter for example. Its mobile UX design went from zero to freakin’ hero after a gorgeous redesign. 

All right let’s crack this bad boy open.

1. User Journey Simplification – For example, linear user flow allows users to estimate how much time it’s required to complete a task. Uber’s got it figured out.
2. In-app Gestures Paired with Animation – Now that the iPhone X doesn’t have a Home button, most basic interactions with the device must be gesture-based. This means that designers will have to pay more attention to gestures, like using animation to make it clear what interactions are available.
3. Full-Screen Experiences – With the release of Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone X, frameless design became a trend. With more screen space available, users will expect to have full-screen experiences. So make sure those images and videos are in HD.
4. Better Way To Express Emotions – One way to do this is with natural interactions inside apps. For example, instead of tapping on the button or icon, it’s possible to make it more natural by drawing ‘heart’ icon on the screen.
5. Adapting Video For Portrait Orientation – Mobile phones are used in portrait orientation 94% of the time, so your content should be adapted for to be viewed in portrait mode. 
6. Conversational Design – Think: Chatbots as assistants integrated with messaging platforms (such as FB Messenger). People love using messaging apps. That’s why chatbots and voice-activated assistants are gonna make it big, meaning more businesses will be able to have real-time automated conversations with their customers.

Six more trends you and your design team will want to follow!

It’s an all-out junk food battle in the two latest spots by PepsiCo. In the Doritos corner, we see Peter Dinklage, best known for his role as Tyrion in Game of Thrones, throwing flames (Daenerys would be so proud). In the Mtn Dew corner, we see Morgan Freeman, best known for his role in everything, giving an ice-cold delivery.

Both Super Bowl ads work in tandem as the two stars appear to be in an icy-hot feud. In their separate spots, the actors lip-sync rap lyrics to famous verses by Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott, both of whom make cameos in their respective arenas. 

Naturally, PepsiCo’s ~elemental~ ads are promoting new snack flavors, Doritos Blaze and Mtn Dew Ice.