Monday, July 31, 2017

Jay Acunzo on How to be an Exceptional Marketer

Do something different, they say. Be bold. Stand out from the pack! The list of clichéd instructions on how to improve just about anything according to them is, well, endless. So, when all the “expert” advice becomes white noise, we might as well render it meaningless. If we’re all following the same guidance, aren’t we all a bunch of followers?

Instead, marketing and sales pros must dig deeper to uncover what can truly set initiatives apart. And no, these won’t come from yet another blog.

What differentiates best practices from the right practices comes down to what Jay Acunzo, an award-winning podcaster, and dynamic speaker, says is not much more than your intuition. As the former digital media strategist at Google and head of content marketing at HubSpot, he knows a thing or two about what it takes to be the difference. I interviewed Jay to find out what marketers can do to break away from banality in a way that really matters to themselves and their customers.

Q: You’ve been quoted as saying, “It has never been easier to be average.” Expand on how this applies to today’s digital marketing landscape. How do we prevent mediocrity from creeping into the creative output?

Think about the amount of information you have access to and the speed at which you can access it. It has never been easier to find and follow someone else’s idea or answer. You need direction and someone else has pretty much handed you a “how-to.” Done. Simple.

Unfortunately, generalized advice is the best these so-called expert opinions can provide—without knowing your context, who you are, who your team is, who your customers are, etc. You can’t remove an individual from the situation, and because experts make their living providing broadly applicable knowledge, you’re just defaulting to whatever latest trend they report. You’re doing commodity work.

With more and more experts coming out of the woodwork, it’s never been easier to be average. So, the question is, what does it take to be exceptional in a world where average is now table stakes?

"It's never been easier to be average."

Q: But how can marketers initiate acting on something differently? How do we acquire the confidence to push back on the status quo?

Those doing the work have to unleash their full potential. Stop obsessing over some guru’s answers, and start asking yourself the right questions. Then almost naturally, you’ll start to focus less on generalized advice and more on the specifics of your own context, as well as the abilities of your aspirations.

Q: You host the Unthinkable podcast. What’s been your favorite strategy or guest story? What lessons can we pull about standing out in increasingly noisy digital ecosystems?

We’ve had so many incredible guests, from Disney to TED speakers to best-selling authors. But one of my all-time favorite stories involved Lisa Schneider, Chief Digital Officer at dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster. You’d never expect someone from Merriam-Webster—a brand not known to be particularly exciting—to engage in this crazy, imaginative work. But they’ve differentiated so successfully due to readjusting their focus on their team and audience, ignoring industry precedents and current digital marketing trends.

Merriam-Webster had an ordinary, corporate Twitter account that posted similar stuff and automated the same old thing, daily. Until one day, Lisa checked out the company’s internal chat groups and noticed how lively, fun, smart, and witty they were. She realized if we acted like our true selves in public, more people might enjoy what we have to offer. Fast forward to today: Merriam-Webster has over 550,000 Twitter followers and received around 7,000% more press this year than last year.

Merriam Webster Twitter Account

Q: What channels offer marketers the most opportunity to stand out?

Look, if somebody on a blog post tells you that a certain channel or tactic is the answer and you follow it, you’re doing commodity work. Because that expert doesn’t know your context. Unless you focus on your team’s abilities, your brand’s aspirations, and your customer’s ongoing experiences, it’s virtually impossible to apply generic answers from a blog post and succeed at a rate that’s anything but average.

Because you have so many channels, you’re all looking for a single answer. Instead, you should celebrate all possibilities. The digital age bestows us with countless options to vet for our own situations.

Ask yourself:

  • Which of these possibilities match my team and the way I speak to the world when I’m not a marketer?
  • What is it about ME that’s different?
  • What do I bring to the table?
  • Which of these channels can best amplify my unique attributes?

Q: Let’s talk automation. We can’t live without it. How can we use automation to better our marketing and creativity?

Effective automation can be indispensable—if put on repeat. You start by asking questions, you find an answer, and then you funnel the answer through automation so it continues to spit out the same answer. This can be powerful, but only if you regularly revisit the answer and make sure it applies to new scenarios.

Successful marketers must own their problems, questions, and audience insights. Automation is a fast track to complacency unless you commit to asking the right questions of various human sources and continuously update your technology.

Q: We know a big tenet of yours is trusting intuition and not settling for mediocre work. What’s more important—the message or the methodology of how it’s spread?

Intuition is often misinterpreted as being the muse that gives you the answer. In reality, the Latin root means knowledge from within or an ongoing process of thinking for yourself. So, if you’re pumping out copy, good things will happen. However, if you truly understand and articulate the process and seriously consider the “why,” you create a kink in the curve and start improving exponentially.

If you look to achieve a goal by relying on how people reached it in the past, you contribute to conventional thinking. Instead, add your own questions and consider all the different ways you could accomplish your goal. Treat gurus as just one source for identifying all possibilities. Remember, the key is to question and test everything.

Jay Acunzo belief quotes

Want to learn more about becoming exceptional in the world of marketing? Check out Jay Acunzo at ZoomInfo’s 2017 Growth Acceleration Summit on Sept. 13-14 in Boston where we’ll be covering best practices, growth strategies, and the future of data.

Do you have an example of exeptional marketing? I’d love to hear your example in the comments below.

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Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Became World's Richest Man for One Day

Move over Bill Gates. Someone finally managed to topple the Microsoft founder from his number one spot on the world’s richest list; a spot that he has occupied since 2013.

Jeff Bezos, the founder of online retail giant Amazon, briefly became the world’s richest man last Thursday after his net worth surged by an astounding $2.5 billion. Before the company released its earnings report, Amazon shares rose to an intraday high of $1,083.31 which translates to Bezos’ net worth escalating to an unprecedented $92.3 billion, according to Bloomberg. This amount overtook Bill Gates’ net worth, computed to be $90.8 billion as of Wednesday.

However, Amazon was not able to sustain Thursday morning’s rally. By the end of the day, its shares fell by 0.7 percent, eventually settling to $1,046 per share, as reported by the Seattle Times. Thus, Bezos has settled to the number two spot on the list while Gates reclaimed the number one spot that he has held since May of 2013.

The price of Amazon’s shares has been steadily rising in recent years, eventually moving past the $1,000 per share mark. Jeff Bezos, who is also the CEO and Chairman of the Seattle-based behemoth, owns a substantial 17 percent of Amazon and has greatly benefited from the meteoric rise of its shares.

Amazon shares rose by a whopping 40 percent since the start of 2017, adding an enormous $24.5 billion to Bezo’s fortune. The increase helped him dislodge famed investor Warren Buffet of Berkshire Hathaway from the number two spot.

According to IndependentAmazon’s market performance was buoyed by its media streaming services, the popular home digital assistant Alexa, as well as its Prime shopping club. However, investors are still vigilant about the company’s long-term prospects as they keep a close watch on the performance of Amazon Web Services, the company’s cloud-computing business, which accounts for nearly 10 percent of their revenue. In fact, Thursday’s correction already reflects the company’s failure to meet estimates and the projected possibility of a third quarter operating loss.

[Featured Image by Steve Jurvetson/Flickr]

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Sunday, July 30, 2017

War of Words: Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg Spar on Importance of AI

Nothing gets a geek's dander up than a discussion of whether a Skynet-like AI will become part of our future, as seen in the beef apparently brewing between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.

The two billionaires have opposing views with regards to artificial intelligence. While Musk is known for issuing warnings regarding the dangers of artificial intelligence, Facebook's CEO has expressed optimism on how AI can improve people's lives. A mindset that Tesla's chief thinks is a pretty “limited” understanding of the topic.

The word war apparently started after Zuckerberg conducted a Facebook Live session. As he relaxed at home and manned the grill, the tech icon answered various question, including one about AI.

According to Zuckerberg, people who keep trying to drum up fear of AI are “really negative” and “pretty irresponsible.” He emphasized that any technology, including AI, can be used for either good or bad and that it's up to designers and developers to be careful of what they create.

Zuckerberg added that he has a hard time understanding those who are against the development and evolution of AI technology, saying that these people are “arguing against safer cars that aren't going to have accidents” and “against being able to better diagnose people when they're sick.”

It's safe to assume that Tesla's boss was among those people Zuckerberg is talking about. Musk met a group of US governors earlier this month and proposed that regulations on artificial intelligence should be enacted.

Musk explained that AI technology posed a huge risk to society, hinting at a future similar to what the Terminator movies have implied.

“I keep sounding the alarm bell, but until people see robots going down the street killing people, they don’t know how to react, because it seems so ethereal,” Musk said then.

Upon hearing Zuckerberg's comments on AI, Musk hit back on Twitter, saying that he has talked to his contemporary about this. He also said that Zuckerberg's “understanding of the subject is limited.”

However, Zuckerberg is sticking to his guns as he once more defended his views on AI in a recent Facebook post. He reiterated his optimism about AI and the technology's potential to improve the world.

[Featured image via YouTube]

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HTML or Text Emails: Which is Better?

It may not seem like it, but email marketers have a nerve-wracking job. How’d you like to pour your heart and soul into email copy, send it to 500,000 people and then see that nobody opened or clicked it? Believe me, when I say this, it (pause for emphasis) hurts. You’ll lose sleep, you will find yourself knee deep in ice cream to cope, and you might feel like you won’t be able to write an email ever again.

You see, we just want people to like the emails we produce and for that very reason, we tend to send HTML-based emails. They can be visually captivating, represent the brand, and downright pretty. The question is though does the pretty email get the job done? In this blog, we’ll explore whether HTML or Text emails are more effective.

Emails Are Like Landing Pages

Yep, you read that right. Emails are just like landing pages. They share a common goal: a conversion. When we think about the elements that make up a strong landing page, we think clear copy, an obvious call-to-action, visual cues like arrows or contrasting colors, and a form. Are emails so different? There’s a simple formula that works for most landing pages.

Reduce distractions, increase conversions. Let’s look at an HTML-based Marketo email.

Screenshot of campaign email

At first glance, the email above seems to have a clear CTA, minimal distractions, and purpose-built layout for a single offer. But if we challenge ourselves to look past this visually pleasing layout, here’s what we see:

  • 5 different links (Marketo logo, 3 social network buttons, and 1 offer link on the banner, copy, and CTA)
  • A 564×355 pixel header banner (this means it takes at least 355 pixels before the recipient begins reading)
  • A 564×65 pixel footer banner
  • A 564 pixel width layout, which confines our copy to a set width, pushing it down into more lines of text

While many of these features help to accommodate key elements for visual branding and different device widths, they also can prevent the subscriber from focusing on the most important element: the main CTA or offer. So now we ask ourselves the hard question. Does including/hyperlinking elements like our company logo and social buttons hurt email performance? Are we losing out on clicks for the main offer?

What Does the Data Say?

Over the course of 5 different email drops, we have found text emails to do the following:

  • Roughly the same open rate as HTML emails
  • 11% higher click to open rates (95% statistical significance)
  • 8% higher click through rates (86% statistical significance)

Now, those stats aren’t a confidence booster! 95% statistical significance for click to open rates is at the low end of the spectrum, meaning I wouldn’t be confident calling it a better email. The click through rates definitely need more testing. But let’s dive deeper into the data.

CTR and Lead Gen Data for Marketo

If we move beyond aggregated clicks for the HTML email and look at individual link performance, we find that not every email click goes to the offer. In fact, nearly 16% of clicks went to other links like social buttons. When the purpose of our email is to promote a specific offer, we want clicks on the offer, right?

When we rerun the numbers solely looking at unique offer clicks, the data strongly favors text-based emails. Text emails show the following performance:

  • Roughly the same open rate as HTML emails
  • 21% higher unique click to open rates on the offer link (100% statistical significance)
  • 17% higher unique click through rates on the offer link (99% statistical significance)

In the end, we found that focusing a subscriber on a single-link, text based email produced higher clicks on the call-to-action. Sure, a little bit of my soul cried knowing that all this time, the pretty emails weren’t as good as a simple text email. But isn’t that what email marketing is all about? We must constantly challenge our beliefs to find the absolute best process for every campaign we run. And if we let our opinions get in the way, we miss out on easy wins just like this one.

What do you think of these results? Have you run the same test and found a different conclusion? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please share below!

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Microsoft Develops New Chip for Hololens 2; Promises No Lag, Real-Time Processing

Microsoft revealed that its next-generation Hololens will pack quite a punch. Scheduled for a 2019 release, the new gadget will arrive with an all-new, more powerful artificial intelligence (AI) chip.

Augmented reality (AR) technology has been steadily gaining ground in recent years. Among its most recent successes is in the gaming industry, where Niantic Lab’s AR mobile game Pokemon Go became a huge success, dominating the gaming charts in 2016.

However, Microsoft is betting that, aside from gaming, the AR technology will have more practical applications in the real world. Thus, the software giant introduced the Hololens, a pair of AR smart glasses that can be programmed to assist users in a variety of tasks such as guiding tourists who are unfamiliar with a city, fixing engines, and even surgical operations using visualization tools.


More Powerful Processor

At the heart of the Hololens 2 is a new AI chip that will power the new device. According to Time, the coprocessor's main task is to run deep neural networks, a process that parallels how the actual human brain works. The more powerful processor enables the new device to handle large amounts of data that one can expect to come from an ever-changing world at lightning fast speeds.

No Lag Time

Users of this new device will benefit greatly from its upgraded AI chip. The dedicated processor will ensure that the upcoming gadget will process data in real time without any lag, a necessary quality especially in systems that require split-second decisions like driving.

Self-Contained System

According to ARN, another advantage is that with the new AI chip in place, the Hololens 2 can be self-contained. Simply put, since the device has its own CPU, it is basically untethered and will not have to depend on a PC or a cloud service to function.

This advantage is highlighted by Tirias Research’s Jim McGregor in a Seattle Times report. “For an autonomous car, you can’t afford the time to send it back to the cloud to make the decisions to avoid the crash, to avoid hitting a person.”

[Featured Image by Microsoft]

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How Social Media Is Changing the Way Businesses Conduct Customer Service

Social media has become more than just a networking platform. They’ve become an ecosystem where friends, family, consumers, and brands interact with one another at lightning speed. In this age of hyper connectivity, brands are slowly realizing the potential of social media when it comes to providing customer service.

According to a study by Lithium Technologies, 70% of Twitter users expect a response from brands they interact with online. The same study also revealed that 50% of those users expect the response within the first hour. The need for a prompt response to customer inquiries has skyrocketed over the past few years and brands need to step up their game.

Today, consumers are quick to share their sentiments—whether it be negative or positive—on social media. Brands need to develop a more agile strategy that allows them to moderate these comments without damaging their reputation.

Image result for social media customer service

Because customer support through social media is still an emerging trend, not a lot of brands have expertise on the topic. Consumers, however, understand the power of social media and they use public posts as leverage in order to get the response they deserve.

Once unanswered questions and unaddressed concerns queue up on a brand’s social media page, their reputation is sure to take a hit. This shows the explicit need for brands to quickly allocate energy and resources in improving how they provide customer support through various social media channels.

Negative consumer sentiments shared online can hurt a brand’s online credibility. What makes them even more dangerous is their viral element. Each post has the ability to reach millions of existing and potential customers, giving brands often undeserved bad publicity.

For brands to come across as more responsive and approachable to consumers, they need to have a community manager who can focus on providing prompt and adequate responses to customer inquiries.

Aside from responding to messages being sent in by customers, community managers also play a key role in establishing a better relationship between brands and their target audience. They are also responsible for developing a more relevant tone that resonates with customers.

Once a brand figures out the right tone to use on social media, they can easily communicate with their audience in a more organic way. This tone helps brands stay consistent to the image they want to project to their target audience.

Staying on top of customer support requests are made easier by automation tools that can be integrated into social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Chatbots can perform basic inquiry ticketing to help community managers address the most urgent inquiries first. Both social media sites are already conducting experiments and studies that can further improve the reliability of chatbots.

Image result for social media customer service chatbots personality

Using sophisticated machine learning and AI technology, these chatbots are also being trained to engage in more natural-sounding conversations with customers. The better these chatbots perform, the more they’ll be able to help brands increase customer satisfaction.

Given the cutting-edge tools and accessibility of websites like Facebook and Twitter, providing customer support through social media has never been easier. The rising trend in customer support through these platforms is bound to change the way brands establish a relationship with their customers and target audience. When used properly, social media can help brands give customers a more pleasurable experience with their products or services.

Social media is becoming one of the most accessible channels for conversations between brands and consumers. Whether brands are ready for it or not, social media will become a place where consumers will express their thoughts and grievances regarding their experience.

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How to Create a Digital Marketing Strategy for Your Startup

Launching a startup is exciting for entrepreneurs, especially in this day and age where technology has made doing business easier and more efficient than ever before. Technology has opened up a ton of marketing methods that allow you to sell your products and services and build your brand. These days, a startup may be able to bypass traditional marketing tactics via print and TV but most will need to utilize a digital marketing strategy to reel in and retain customers.

If you have noticed the term “digital marketing” being used more often recently, it's because this is the engine that drives today’s businesses, big and small. Digital marketing uses digital technologies, mainly on the Internet, but also mobile phones and other digital mediums to reach customers. According to Google, companies that use digital marketing strategies have 2.8 times better revenue growth expectancy than those that don't. This is because customers rely heavily on the internet when it comes to making purchasing decisions.

With all the opportunities that exist online, startups should be asking the following questions: what are the digital marketing activities that require low investment but let you reap maximum benefits, and how can you create a digital marketing plan for your startup? Here are some useful insights to help you in creating a digital marketing strategy that will bring you closer to your goals.  

Establish Brand & Web Presence

Image result for brand

In creating a digital marketing plan, it is crucial to define a category for your product or service and map out its key benefits. Ask yourself this, “who is my customer and what exactly should they buy from me?” This is a necessary step in order to structure the right look and feel for your brand, from the name, logo, URL address, and others. You can then apply it to your digital marketing strategies.

Next is to establish your web presence. At least 80 percent of consumers use the internet to make their search for information more convenient. Create not just a functional website for your brand but also one that is accessible in multiple platforms including smartphones, tablets, and Smart devices.

Blog, Digital PR & SEO Marketing

Part of digital marketing is promoting brands and services through one or more forms of electronic media. This means you will need a rich blog site, a Facebook fan page, and a Twitter account at a minimum. Some businesses even create an Instagram account. These channels allow you to regularly communicate with your customers. Whatever it is you share on your profile, your followers will see, increasing brand visibility and retention.

Blogging should also be part of your plan. Around 53% of marketers say that blog content creation is their top inbound marketing priority. Why not, when it is one of the best ways to increase traffic to your site. To further support your web presence and social media activities, you will need to plan out your digital public relation efforts, which include techniques like crowdsourcing. This will allow you to monitor your online reputation.

Digital marketing won’t be complete without incorporating search-engine optimization (SEO) and link building strategies. The main goal is to top the rankings in the search results when a customer types in keywords associated to your business. Early-stage companies should start with the on-page optimization of their site. Combine it with a strong social media presence, an engaging company blog, and strategic keywords and you’re looking at a plan that has a high potential for success.

Online Advertising for Greater Exposure

Image result for your ad here

Lastly, your digital marketing plan should include the development of an effective online advertising program. Startups can take advantage of Google AdWords since it’s cost effective, flexible, and results-oriented. It is also highly-scalable, as it allows you to measure traffic to your site. You will know in real time what is or is not working for your online business. Thus, you will be able to find immediate solutions to improve your results.

Technological advancement has enabled more consumers to rely on handheld devices, web searches, and other online tools to make purchasing decisions. In today’s startup industry, you need to be competitive for your brand to be a hit. Get into the trend with digital marketing solutions. If you are not the strongest marketer, you can hire a professional outside of your organization.

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5 Things New Marketers Can Learn from Broadway’s Hamilton

The hottest ticket on Broadway, even after two years at Richard Rodgers Theatre, is still Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award winning Hamilton. Not only has the show attracted a stellar list of celebrity audience members and won 11 prestigious Tony Awards, but now with productions in New York, Chicago, and London, as well as not one but TWO National Tours with stops scheduled across the country we, “normal people,” finally have the chance to maybe snag a ($400) ticket, if we’re lucky.

If you’ve been living under a rock for the last two years and haven’t heard of Hamilton, here’s a 26-word summary for you: The story of immigrant, orphan, Founding Father Alexander Hamilton’s successes and failures while he helped create our nation, sung through hip-hop by an ethnically diverse cast.

Hamilton_Giphy

With creator Lin-Manuel dipping his quill in the inkwell of the smash hit Disney’s Moana and actor Leslie Odom Jr. singing sweet jingles about which insurance company you should choose, Hamilton’s success is no secret. But what can new marketers learn from this smashing sensation? Here are 5 tips from Hamilton that marketers just getting started can use to move their career forward:

1. What Comes Next?

So, you’ve just entered the wild and ever-changing world of marketing. Congratulations and welcome!

“What comes next?

You’ve been freed

Do you know how hard it is to lead?”

One of the biggest mistakes I see early career marketers make is not taking the time to recognize the importance of how difficult it can be to lead a group of creative people. Take time to pick your boss’s brain about how they lead and what they’ve learned from the leaders that came before them. It will help you stand out from the pack and give you a chance to understand how your boss came to lead the way she does. Whether your boss is great or terrible, there is always something you can glean from their experience and by observing their leadership style.

2. (Not throwing away) My Shot

As an early career marketer, you have the opportunity to learn not only from your own mistakes but also from those around you. In Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda raps:

“I’m young, scrappy, and hungry

And I’m not throwing away my shot”

Use your hunger to your advantage! Early in my career, I sent bold emails to those I admired. I couldn’t believe how many responses I actually received! Work your networking magic and lean into your scrappiness.

“I’m a diamond in the rough, a shiny piece of coal

Tryin’ to reach my goal”

There’s no shame in being new to the game. Look for opportunities to learn in your day-to-day—practice presenting in front of a group, take a seminar offered by your company, take a class outside of work. Lean in and accept that you’ve still (thankfully) got a lot to learn.

3. Say No to This

Don’t jump at the first opportunity that presents itself unless it’s truly the one you want. It’s tempting to be romanced by a company that will hire you TODAY, by a bigger salary than you were expecting, or by a desire to enact real change within a struggling organization. Take your time in making the decision of where you will spend roughly 25% of your time each and every week. It’s okay to say no to an opportunity that just doesn’t feel right to you or one that goes against your personal brand. In the musical, Hamilton cheats on his wife repeatedly while knowing all along that he should Say No to This. Don’t cheat on your long-term goals with something temporary.

4. The Room Where it Happens

Make sure you’re getting out there. Keep up with your networking and make time for fun as well. As marketers, the easiest thing to do is become comfortable in your current situation, allowing your creative juices to become stale. Tap your friends in other industries for happy hour, attend an event, check out a new bar, or visit a new store. Be in The Room Where it Happens. You never know when a new opportunity might present itself or what you might grab inspiration from!

5. Blow Us All Away

If we lay a strong enough foundation

We’ll pass it on to you, we’ll give the world to you

And you’ll blow us all away…

Someday, someday

Remember when you were a little kid and you would complain to your mom about all of the cool stuff that adults got to do that kids weren’t allowed to do? “Don’t be in such a hurry to grow up,” she would say, “being an adult isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Enjoy being a kid.”

Enjoy being a kid in the marketing world. You have so much to learn and so much potential. I know that you’ll blow us all away, someday…but for now, be a kid! Don’t be afraid to embrace your inquisitiveness and ask as many questions as possible. Learn, grow, and lay that strong foundation to build your career upon.

If you’re an early career marketer who can’t afford a ticket to a Broadway show quite yet, you can wait for the movie or live vicariously through the soundtrack (and mixtape!) on Spotify. But if you follow this advice, I’m certain you’ll be able to afford front row tickets next to Beyoncé in no time at all. When you do, let me know what marketing advice you grabbed from the show. I can’t wait to hear what you thought!

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7 Ways to Improve Customer Service for Your eCommerce Business

Online businesses have been booming in recent years due to the conveniences they offer. If you're planning to enter this industry, you should bear in mind that an online shop is significantly different from a physical store. Unlike the latter, where location and the establishment itself plays a role in attracting customer, online businesses rely mostly on the products and customer service.

To help you conquer this industry here are seven ways you can improve customer service for your eCommerce business.

1. Personalize Each Customer’s Experience

Nearly 80 percent of customers from the U.S. expect a personalized shopping experience when visiting an online store.  If you want to stand out from other eCommerce companies, you must reach your customers on a personal level remotely.

You can offer this by providing an account for each customer where they can see their past purchases and save personal information for easier checkouts. You could also call customers once their order has been completed to verify their orders and to inform them of the delivery date. There are many ways to make shopping at your online store more personal for your customers, so don’t hesitate to experiment.

2. Provide a 24/7 Live Chat

This is one of the customer service platforms you must invest in if you have the means to do so. Having 24/7 chat Image result for eCommerce customer servicesupport readily available will provide your customers with peace of mind.

Try putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. Would you prefer waiting for an email response over a real-time conversation with a customer service representative? Sites like Influx can handle chat support for your online business.

3. Establish an Easy-to-Understand Return Policy

There are few things that can earn a customer’s trust better than a simple return policy. Make sure that your customer is properly informed about the terms and process of the after-sales service. About 15 to 30 percent of online purchases are returned and 68 percent of online purchases are influenced by the availability of easy and free return options, so this is something you shouldn't overlook.

4. Create a FAQ Section on Your Page

Although some may find this hard to believe, many online buyers look for a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page before attempting to contact you to inquire about certain items or services. Setting up a FAQ page will save both you and your customers time and effort in the sales process.

5. Open Customer Service Through Social Media

If you have social media accounts like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram set up for your business, establish a direct Image result for customer service social medialine of communication with your customers using these platforms. While chat support on your website is useful, some customers prefer not to leave whatever social media site they're in to make inquiries. This is also an excellent way to update your customers on policy changes, new deals, and other developments in your operations.

6. Provide a Billing History

Transparency is everything when it comes to customer service. Provide your customers with the means to access their account information. More often than not, customers need to have an account where they can access their preferred payment method, order status, and billing history. An eCommerce business that fails to deliver this will pale in comparison to its competition and customers will most likely flock elsewhere.

7. Measure & Analyze Customer Satisfaction

You deserve a good pat on the back if you’ve established all the customer service improvements stated above. Related imageHowever, there will always be areas for improvement and what better way to find them than by measuring customer satisfaction?

There are plenty of ways to do this. One way is to send out customer satisfaction surveys after every completed order or inquiry. Your customers, regardless of how good or bad their shopping experience was, will appreciate this.

Customer service will set your eCommerce business apart from the others. You have to be prepared to invest finances, time, and effort to provide your customers with a unique shopping experience. Remember that your business is as much about your products or services as it is about your customers.

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Content and the Knowledge Economy

The term ‘knowledge economy’ was coined and used sneeringly as a term to denote the monetization of education. In reality, the knowledge economy is so much more, and it is something many marketers can capitalize upon to drive growth for their business and better serve their customers.

The modern knowledge economy is an economic state in which growth depends on information and data as much as physical products.  With the huge surge in content and data available to us, knowledge has become more valuable than ever. Leading to the question: How can you harness this (information and data) for your business and use it to achieve your growth goals?

A world oriented towards a knowledge economy gives brands the chance to embrace content creation. Content is, after all, an effective form of knowledge if it is properly produced, and all brands should be looking for ways to position themselves as experts in their field. The evidence proves it, organizations that share valuable knowledge via content marketing experience nearly 8x the site traffic of organizations that do not.

The modern customer wants information, and they want it quickly. They are constantly consuming information and looking for more relevant and reliable content sources. As such, a provider of quality information soon develops a reputation for being trustworthy and then becomes a source that people can rely on and trust. Sounds easy, right? But maybe, like me, you are becoming increasingly frustrated with the sheer volume or poor content being churned out and distributed. “Thought leadership” and “influence” are vanity monikers claimed by many, but delivered by the few.

Nevertheless, maximizing the value of your most powerful assets should be a focus for your business. And if knowledge is key to your success then why not make the most of it?

The Content Cash Cow: Can Knowledge Be Monetized?

Many people have argued that knowledge cannot and should not be monetized, but if it leads to growth and success, and lends a certain viral quality because of its value, then why not? Think about it—we’re in business, right? You sell “stuff”—whether it’s physical products or virtual cloud-based services, which means you need to prove your worth and expertise. Knowledge in itself is an abstract concept, which is why it needs to be transformed into meaningful content that consumers can benefit from.

Taking a concept or idea that sits at the heart of your business and expertise, and transforming it into valuable content allows you to physically ‘sell’ your knowledge. eCommerce isn’t just about what objects can be bought or sold anymore; there is absolutely no reason you can’t sell your ideas. The tools are out there to turn your content into products—you simply have to be ready to monetize and choose an effective platform designed to host, promote and deliver your knowledge-based content.

There’s No Success without Sharing your Knowledge

Knowing stuff is great, it allows you to get your business out there, set up, and perhaps even start making sales but let’s get real—if you want to succeed in business, knowing stuff is not enough on its own. You’ve got to want to share your learning, educate others and create experiences. Your knowledge needs to be transformed into actionable, effective, advice that can drive the business forward and deliver growth. Sharing your knowledge and positioning yourself as an expert is one of the best ways to grow your business.

Sharing Knowledge through Content

There are many ways of sharing your knowledge—specifically if it’s packaged as an effective and targeted piece of content. To successfully share your knowledge and grow your audience with content you should ensure these core functions are part of your organization:

Content Marketing

Content marketing is many things to many people but for most content marketing remains one of the most effective, personalized, and direct methods of getting your knowledge out there. With the right, plan your wisdom can be transformed into actionable content that drives sales. As it has evolved, content formats have become more personalized, relevant and interactive. In fact, 75% of marketers already using an interactive content plan are looking to increase their use of this medium.

List Building and Email Marketing

There’s no use shouting about your skills and experience if no one is listening. Actively building your lists and reaching out to your audience is essential. Email marketing is a key way of doing this because it allows for an extremely targeted and segmented approach. This approach enables you to share the same information in different, specialized ways to suit different audiences and achieve better results.

Marketing Automation

Marketing automation helps your organization more effectively share their knowledge–adding analytics and scale where you may have manual processes today. Research has found that marketing automation drives a 14.5% increase in sales productivity and this alone is a reason to get it in place and find the right solution for your business. It is also a great way to reduce your marketing costs and allows the talent in your business to focus on generating leads and sales, rather than carrying out tedious processes that are easily automated.

Landing Pages

For effective conversions and to deliver exactly what your audience expects, landing pages are a tried and tested method. Directing your visitors to targeted landing pages through email marketing, social media or other methods allows for very targeted content messages, calls to action and high conversion rates.

Website Conversions

Some content conversion will come straight from your website. This is yet another tool where you can transform the stuff you know into the stuff you do and therefore, the stuff you sell. Your website should be the clearest and most concise example of knowledge as content.

Web Data and Analytics

Do you know whether your campaigns are working? How many people are visiting your website or your newly designed landing pages? A good handle on the data and analytics around any campaign is key to making it work, driving growth and being able to iterate on your content. Almost all marketing tools and platforms are complete with analytic features, allowing you to track what is good and what is bad about everything you do. With this data, you can further target future campaigns and continue to impart your knowledge in a way that makes good business sense.

Your Knowledge Sharing Arsenal

To create the wealth of content needed to make a serious impression and generate growth can take some time but it’s more efficient if you have the right arsenal of productivity tools. The point where knowledge and creativity meets technology is an opportunity to streamline your content creation and make the most of automation tools to facilitate better, more measurable results.

Knowing stuff is great, it’s probably what got you started in business in the first place, but it is not enough on its own. To embrace the digital knowledge economy, you have to be ready to convert and repurpose your knowledge into content that’s valuable enough to turn heads and get people to buy into.

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Saturday, July 29, 2017

War of Words: Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg Spar on Importance of AI

Nothing gets a geek's dander up than a discussion of whether a Skynet-like AI will become part of our future, as seen in the beef apparently brewing between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.

The two billionaires have opposing views with regards to artificial intelligence. While Musk is known for issuing warnings regarding the dangers of artificial intelligence, Facebook's CEO has expressed optimism on how AI can improve people's lives. A mindset that Tesla's chief thinks is a pretty “limited” understanding of the topic.

The word war apparently started after Zuckerberg conducted a Facebook Live session. As he relaxed at home and manned the grill, the tech icon answered various question, including one about AI.

According to Zuckerberg, people who keep trying to drum up fear of AI are “really negative” and “pretty irresponsible.” He emphasized that any technology, including AI, can be used for either good or bad and that it's up to designers and developers to be careful of what they create.

Zuckerberg added that he has a hard time understanding those who are against the development and evolution of AI technology, saying that these people are “arguing against safer cars that aren't going to have accidents” and “against being able to better diagnose people when they're sick.”

It's safe to assume that Tesla's boss was among those people Zuckerberg is talking about. Musk met a group of US governors earlier this month and proposed that regulations on artificial intelligence should be enacted.

Musk explained that AI technology posed a huge risk to society, hinting at a future similar to what the Terminator movies have implied.

“I keep sounding the alarm bell, but until people see robots going down the street killing people, they don’t know how to react, because it seems so ethereal,” Musk said then.

Upon hearing Zuckerberg's comments on AI, Musk hit back on Twitter, saying that he has talked to his contemporary about this. He also said that Zuckerberg's “understanding of the subject is limited.”

However, Zuckerberg is sticking to his guns as he once more defended his views on AI in a recent Facebook post. He reiterated his optimism about AI and the technology's potential to improve the world.

[Featured image via YouTube]

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Microsoft Develops New Chip for Hololens 2; Promises No Lag, Real-Time Processing

Microsoft revealed that its next-generation Hololens will pack quite a punch. Scheduled for a 2019 release, the new gadget will arrive with an all-new, more powerful artificial intelligence (AI) chip.

Augmented reality (AR) technology has been steadily gaining ground in recent years. Among its most recent successes is in the gaming industry, where Niantic Lab’s AR mobile game Pokemon Go became a huge success, dominating the gaming charts in 2016.

However, Microsoft is betting that, aside from gaming, the AR technology will have more practical applications in the real world. Thus, the software giant introduced the Hololens, a pair of AR smart glasses that can be programmed to assist users in a variety of tasks such as guiding tourists who are unfamiliar with a city, fixing engines, and even surgical operations using visualization tools.


More Powerful Processor

At the heart of the Hololens 2 is a new AI chip that will power the new device. According to Time, the coprocessor's main task is to run deep neural networks, a process that parallels how the actual human brain works. The more powerful processor enables the new device to handle large amounts of data that one can expect to come from an ever-changing world at lightning fast speeds.

No Lag Time

Users of this new device will benefit greatly from its upgraded AI chip. The dedicated processor will ensure that the upcoming gadget will process data in real time without any lag, a necessary quality especially in systems that require split-second decisions like driving.

Self-Contained System

According to ARN, another advantage is that with the new AI chip in place, the Hololens 2 can be self-contained. Simply put, since the device has its own CPU, it is basically untethered and will not have to depend on a PC or a cloud service to function.

This advantage is highlighted by Tirias Research’s Jim McGregor in a Seattle Times report. “For an autonomous car, you can’t afford the time to send it back to the cloud to make the decisions to avoid the crash, to avoid hitting a person.”

[Featured Image by Microsoft]

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How Social Media Is Changing the Way Businesses Conduct Customer Service

Social media has become more than just a networking platform. They’ve become an ecosystem where friends, family, consumers, and brands interact with one another at lightning speed. In this age of hyper connectivity, brands are slowly realizing the potential of social media when it comes to providing customer service.

According to a study by Lithium Technologies, 70% of Twitter users expect a response from brands they interact with online. The same study also revealed that 50% of those users expect the response within the first hour. The need for a prompt response to customer inquiries has skyrocketed over the past few years and brands need to step up their game.

Today, consumers are quick to share their sentiments—whether it be negative or positive—on social media. Brands need to develop a more agile strategy that allows them to moderate these comments without damaging their reputation.

Image result for social media customer service

Because customer support through social media is still an emerging trend, not a lot of brands have expertise on the topic. Consumers, however, understand the power of social media and they use public posts as leverage in order to get the response they deserve.

Once unanswered questions and unaddressed concerns queue up on a brand’s social media page, their reputation is sure to take a hit. This shows the explicit need for brands to quickly allocate energy and resources in improving how they provide customer support through various social media channels.

Negative consumer sentiments shared online can hurt a brand’s online credibility. What makes them even more dangerous is their viral element. Each post has the ability to reach millions of existing and potential customers, giving brands often undeserved bad publicity.

For brands to come across as more responsive and approachable to consumers, they need to have a community manager who can focus on providing prompt and adequate responses to customer inquiries.

Aside from responding to messages being sent in by customers, community managers also play a key role in establishing a better relationship between brands and their target audience. They are also responsible for developing a more relevant tone that resonates with customers.

Once a brand figures out the right tone to use on social media, they can easily communicate with their audience in a more organic way. This tone helps brands stay consistent to the image they want to project to their target audience.

Staying on top of customer support requests are made easier by automation tools that can be integrated into social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Chatbots can perform basic inquiry ticketing to help community managers address the most urgent inquiries first. Both social media sites are already conducting experiments and studies that can further improve the reliability of chatbots.

Image result for social media customer service chatbots personality

Using sophisticated machine learning and AI technology, these chatbots are also being trained to engage in more natural-sounding conversations with customers. The better these chatbots perform, the more they’ll be able to help brands increase customer satisfaction.

Given the cutting-edge tools and accessibility of websites like Facebook and Twitter, providing customer support through social media has never been easier. The rising trend in customer support through these platforms is bound to change the way brands establish a relationship with their customers and target audience. When used properly, social media can help brands give customers a more pleasurable experience with their products or services.

Social media is becoming one of the most accessible channels for conversations between brands and consumers. Whether brands are ready for it or not, social media will become a place where consumers will express their thoughts and grievances regarding their experience.

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How to Create a Digital Marketing Strategy for Your Startup

Launching a startup is exciting for entrepreneurs, especially in this day and age where technology has made doing business easier and more efficient than ever before. Technology has opened up a ton of marketing methods that allow you to sell your products and services and build your brand. These days, a startup may be able to bypass traditional marketing tactics via print and TV but most will need to utilize a digital marketing strategy to reel in and retain customers.

If you have noticed the term “digital marketing” being used more often recently, it's because this is the engine that drives today’s businesses, big and small. Digital marketing uses digital technologies, mainly on the Internet, but also mobile phones and other digital mediums to reach customers. According to Google, companies that use digital marketing strategies have 2.8 times better revenue growth expectancy than those that don't. This is because customers rely heavily on the internet when it comes to making purchasing decisions.

With all the opportunities that exist online, startups should be asking the following questions: what are the digital marketing activities that require low investment but let you reap maximum benefits, and how can you create a digital marketing plan for your startup? Here are some useful insights to help you in creating a digital marketing strategy that will bring you closer to your goals.  

Establish Brand & Web Presence

Image result for brand

In creating a digital marketing plan, it is crucial to define a category for your product or service and map out its key benefits. Ask yourself this, “who is my customer and what exactly should they buy from me?” This is a necessary step in order to structure the right look and feel for your brand, from the name, logo, URL address, and others. You can then apply it to your digital marketing strategies.

Next is to establish your web presence. At least 80 percent of consumers use the internet to make their search for information more convenient. Create not just a functional website for your brand but also one that is accessible in multiple platforms including smartphones, tablets, and Smart devices.

Blog, Digital PR & SEO Marketing

Part of digital marketing is promoting brands and services through one or more forms of electronic media. This means you will need a rich blog site, a Facebook fan page, and a Twitter account at a minimum. Some businesses even create an Instagram account. These channels allow you to regularly communicate with your customers. Whatever it is you share on your profile, your followers will see, increasing brand visibility and retention.

Blogging should also be part of your plan. Around 53% of marketers say that blog content creation is their top inbound marketing priority. Why not, when it is one of the best ways to increase traffic to your site. To further support your web presence and social media activities, you will need to plan out your digital public relation efforts, which include techniques like crowdsourcing. This will allow you to monitor your online reputation.

Digital marketing won’t be complete without incorporating search-engine optimization (SEO) and link building strategies. The main goal is to top the rankings in the search results when a customer types in keywords associated to your business. Early-stage companies should start with the on-page optimization of their site. Combine it with a strong social media presence, an engaging company blog, and strategic keywords and you’re looking at a plan that has a high potential for success.

Online Advertising for Greater Exposure

Image result for your ad here

Lastly, your digital marketing plan should include the development of an effective online advertising program. Startups can take advantage of Google AdWords since it’s cost effective, flexible, and results-oriented. It is also highly-scalable, as it allows you to measure traffic to your site. You will know in real time what is or is not working for your online business. Thus, you will be able to find immediate solutions to improve your results.

Technological advancement has enabled more consumers to rely on handheld devices, web searches, and other online tools to make purchasing decisions. In today’s startup industry, you need to be competitive for your brand to be a hit. Get into the trend with digital marketing solutions. If you are not the strongest marketer, you can hire a professional outside of your organization.

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7 Ways to Improve Customer Service for Your eCommerce Business

Online businesses have been booming in recent years due to the conveniences they offer. If you're planning to enter this industry, you should bear in mind that an online shop is significantly different from a physical store. Unlike the latter, where location and the establishment itself plays a role in attracting customer, online businesses rely mostly on the products and customer service.

To help you conquer this industry here are seven ways you can improve customer service for your eCommerce business.

1. Personalize Each Customer’s Experience

Nearly 80 percent of customers from the U.S. expect a personalized shopping experience when visiting an online store.  If you want to stand out from other eCommerce companies, you must reach your customers on a personal level remotely.

You can offer this by providing an account for each customer where they can see their past purchases and save personal information for easier checkouts. You could also call customers once their order has been completed to verify their orders and to inform them of the delivery date. There are many ways to make shopping at your online store more personal for your customers, so don’t hesitate to experiment.

2. Provide a 24/7 Live Chat

This is one of the customer service platforms you must invest in if you have the means to do so. Having 24/7 chat Image result for eCommerce customer servicesupport readily available will provide your customers with peace of mind.

Try putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. Would you prefer waiting for an email response over a real-time conversation with a customer service representative? Sites like Influx can handle chat support for your online business.

3. Establish an Easy-to-Understand Return Policy

There are few things that can earn a customer’s trust better than a simple return policy. Make sure that your customer is properly informed about the terms and process of the after-sales service. About 15 to 30 percent of online purchases are returned and 68 percent of online purchases are influenced by the availability of easy and free return options, so this is something you shouldn't overlook.

4. Create a FAQ Section on Your Page

Although some may find this hard to believe, many online buyers look for a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page before attempting to contact you to inquire about certain items or services. Setting up a FAQ page will save both you and your customers time and effort in the sales process.

5. Open Customer Service Through Social Media

If you have social media accounts like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram set up for your business, establish a direct Image result for customer service social medialine of communication with your customers using these platforms. While chat support on your website is useful, some customers prefer not to leave whatever social media site they're in to make inquiries. This is also an excellent way to update your customers on policy changes, new deals, and other developments in your operations.

6. Provide a Billing History

Transparency is everything when it comes to customer service. Provide your customers with the means to access their account information. More often than not, customers need to have an account where they can access their preferred payment method, order status, and billing history. An eCommerce business that fails to deliver this will pale in comparison to its competition and customers will most likely flock elsewhere.

7. Measure & Analyze Customer Satisfaction

You deserve a good pat on the back if you’ve established all the customer service improvements stated above. Related imageHowever, there will always be areas for improvement and what better way to find them than by measuring customer satisfaction?

There are plenty of ways to do this. One way is to send out customer satisfaction surveys after every completed order or inquiry. Your customers, regardless of how good or bad their shopping experience was, will appreciate this.

Customer service will set your eCommerce business apart from the others. You have to be prepared to invest finances, time, and effort to provide your customers with a unique shopping experience. Remember that your business is as much about your products or services as it is about your customers.

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Friday, July 28, 2017

War of Words: Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg Spar on Importance of AI

Nothing gets a geek's dander up than a discussion of whether a Skynet-like AI will become part of our future, as seen in the beef apparently brewing between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.

The two billionaires have opposing views with regards to artificial intelligence. While Musk is known for issuing warnings regarding the dangers of artificial intelligence, Facebook's CEO has expressed optimism on how AI can improve people's lives. A mindset that Tesla's chief thinks is a pretty “limited” understanding of the topic.

The word war apparently started after Zuckerberg conducted a Facebook Live session. As he relaxed at home and manned the grill, the tech icon answered various question, including one about AI.

According to Zuckerberg, people who keep trying to drum up fear of AI are “really negative” and “pretty irresponsible.” He emphasized that any technology, including AI, can be used for either good or bad and that it's up to designers and developers to be careful of what they create.

Zuckerberg added that he has a hard time understanding those who are against the development and evolution of AI technology, saying that these people are “arguing against safer cars that aren't going to have accidents” and “against being able to better diagnose people when they're sick.”

It's safe to assume that Tesla's boss was among those people Zuckerberg is talking about. Musk met a group of US governors earlier this month and proposed that regulations on artificial intelligence should be enacted.

Musk explained that AI technology posed a huge risk to society, hinting at a future similar to what the Terminator movies have implied.

“I keep sounding the alarm bell, but until people see robots going down the street killing people, they don’t know how to react, because it seems so ethereal,” Musk said then.

Upon hearing Zuckerberg's comments on AI, Musk hit back on Twitter, saying that he has talked to his contemporary about this. He also said that Zuckerberg's “understanding of the subject is limited.”

However, Zuckerberg is sticking to his guns as he once more defended his views on AI in a recent Facebook post. He reiterated his optimism about AI and the technology's potential to improve the world.

[Featured image via YouTube]

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HTML or Text Emails: Which is Better?

It may not seem like it, but email marketers have a nerve-wracking job. How’d you like to pour your heart and soul into email copy, send it to 500,000 people and then see that nobody opened or clicked it? Believe me, when I say this, it (pause for emphasis) hurts. You’ll lose sleep, you will find yourself knee deep in ice cream to cope, and you might feel like you won’t be able to write an email ever again.

You see, we just want people to like the emails we produce and for that very reason, we tend to send HTML-based emails. They can be visually captivating, represent the brand, and downright pretty. The question is though does the pretty email get the job done? In this blog, we’ll explore whether HTML or Text emails are more effective.

Emails Are Like Landing Pages

Yep, you read that right. Emails are just like landing pages. They share a common goal: a conversion. When we think about the elements that make up a strong landing page, we think clear copy, an obvious call-to-action, visual cues like arrows or contrasting colors, and a form. Are emails so different? There’s a simple formula that works for most landing pages.

Reduce distractions, increase conversions. Let’s look at an HTML-based Marketo email.

Screenshot of campaign email

At first glance, the email above seems to have a clear CTA, minimal distractions, and purpose-built layout for a single offer. But if we challenge ourselves to look past this visually pleasing layout, here’s what we see:

  • 5 different links (Marketo logo, 3 social network buttons, and 1 offer link on the banner, copy, and CTA)
  • A 564×355 pixel header banner (this means it takes at least 355 pixels before the recipient begins reading)
  • A 564×65 pixel footer banner
  • A 564 pixel width layout, which confines our copy to a set width, pushing it down into more lines of text

While many of these features help to accommodate key elements for visual branding and different device widths, they also can prevent the subscriber from focusing on the most important element: the main CTA or offer. So now we ask ourselves the hard question. Does including/hyperlinking elements like our company logo and social buttons hurt email performance? Are we losing out on clicks for the main offer?

What Does the Data Say?

Over the course of 5 different email drops, we have found text emails to do the following:

  • Roughly the same open rate as HTML emails
  • 11% higher click to open rates (95% statistical significance)
  • 8% higher click through rates (86% statistical significance)

Now, those stats aren’t a confidence booster! 95% statistical significance for click to open rates is at the low end of the spectrum, meaning I wouldn’t be confident calling it a better email. The click through rates definitely need more testing. But let’s dive deeper into the data.

CTR and Lead Gen Data for Marketo

If we move beyond aggregated clicks for the HTML email and look at individual link performance, we find that not every email click goes to the offer. In fact, nearly 16% of clicks went to other links like social buttons. When the purpose of our email is to promote a specific offer, we want clicks on the offer, right?

When we rerun the numbers solely looking at unique offer clicks, the data strongly favors text-based emails. Text emails show the following performance:

  • Roughly the same open rate as HTML emails
  • 21% higher unique click to open rates on the offer link (100% statistical significance)
  • 17% higher unique click through rates on the offer link (99% statistical significance)

In the end, we found that focusing a subscriber on a single-link, text based email produced higher clicks on the call-to-action. Sure, a little bit of my soul cried knowing that all this time, the pretty emails weren’t as good as a simple text email. But isn’t that what email marketing is all about? We must constantly challenge our beliefs to find the absolute best process for every campaign we run. And if we let our opinions get in the way, we miss out on easy wins just like this one.

What do you think of these results? Have you run the same test and found a different conclusion? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please share below!

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