How to Create a Comprehensive How to Guide [+Examples]

The irony doesn’t escape me that I’m currently writing a how-to guide on … how-to guides.

Fortunately, I’ve had my fair share of experiences writing how-to guides for HubSpot over the years — some of my favorites include How to Give a Persuasive Presentation, How to Develop a Content Strategy: A Start-to-Finish Guide, and How to Write a Request for Proposal.

Here, we’ll explore the right structure to use when making a how-to guide and how to write a comprehensive how-to guide. We’ll also take a look at some impressive examples of how-to guides for inspiration. Let’s dive in.

Benefits of Creating a How-To Guide

How-to guides are valuable opportunities to reach new audiences with useful, high-quality content. For both B2B and B2C businesses, how-to guides are often necessary for a healthy lead generation strategy.

For instance, consider how many people search “How to [fill in the blank]” on Google each day:

These search queries demonstrate one of the primary reasons people turn to the internet: to learn how to do something.

If your business can reach those consumers with informative, relevant answers to their questions, those users will begin to see your brand as an authority on the topic.

Down the road, those same readers you first attracted with a how-to guide could become customers and loyal brand advocates who spread the word about your products or services.

Suffice to say: How-to guides are worth adding to your content arsenal.

How to Make a How-To Guide

1. Conduct research to ensure your guide is the most comprehensive piece on the topic.

Depending on the topic, you want to write something that caters to the specific audience you’re targeting. For instance, if you’re writing a how-to guide targeted toward mechanics, there are certain terms and descriptions you can forgo, as you assume a mechanic is already well versed in this.

However, if you were targeting the average vehicle owner, your content will have to be jargon-free and descriptive enough to resonate with that audience.

As such, it’s important that your first step in how to make a how-to guide is making sure your content is comprehensive. Here’s how to do it:

• Conduct keyword research to see what people want to learn.
• Use Arel=”noopener” target=”_blank” hrefs, SEMrush, or another SEO tool to identify similar keywords and queries. This can help you create a well-rounded piece that will answer all your readers’ questions, and help you rank on Google.
• Look at your competitors to see how they write their guides.

For instance, let’s say you’re writing a blog post, “How to Make an Omelette.” Upon conducting research, you find Simply Recipe’s post is at the top of Google.

Diving into the post, you’ll see Simply Recipe has covered sections including “French Verses American Omelettes,” “The Best Pan for Making Omelettes,” and even “Ideas for Omelette Fillings.”

If you want to create your own how-to guide on omelettes, then, you’ll want to cover all – if not more – of the sections Simply Recipe has in its post.

Even if you know a topic incredibly well, research isn’t a step you should skip. In fact, knowing a topic well can make it more difficult to write a how-to guide on the topic, as you might make assumptions about what should be covered.

For that reason, rely on your research to ensure you’re including all relevant information.

2. Understand your target audience’s concerns and challenges.

For this step, leverage online community forums like Quora or internal, historical data to identify the concerns or challenges your target audience might have. That information will help you identify content to include in your guide.

If you’re writing “How to Create a Content Marketing Strategy,” for instance, you could follow these steps:

1. Start by looking at responses to “What is content marketing?” on Quora. These user-generated responses can help you identify common themes, misconceptions, or confusion around content marketing.
2. Reach out to your research marketing team to identify common pain points or questions they’ve seen in surveys or focus groups regarding “content marketing.” For instance, you might find that most of your audience says content marketing is a priority for them — but they don’t know how to do it on a budget.

Conducting qualitative research like this arms you with the information necessary to ensure your how-to guide addresses all relevant concerns on a given topic.

3. Structure your steps in the correct order for your reader, and when possible, use screenshots.

Your readers will bounce from your page if it’s too difficult for them to quickly find the answer to their question. With this in mind, deliver it as quickly as possible — and in the right order.

Many readers will use your how-to guide as a list of instructions. For instance, if you’re writing, “How to Take a Screenshot on a Mac,” you’ll want to write down each specific action necessary to take a screenshot. When possible, use visuals like GIFs, images, screenshots, and videos to supplement your instructions.

For less tactical, more ambiguous topics, use bullet points and examples for easy readability and understanding

4. Tell the reader why it matters.

The last step in writing a how-to guide is asking yourself: “Why do my readers need, or want to know, this?”

Understanding the high-level purpose behind a topic can encourage you to write with empathy. Additionally, it will help you create content that accurately meets your reader’s expectations and needs.

For instance, when writing “How to Create a Facebook Group for Your Business,” I took some time to identify that readers might search this topic if a) they are seeking out new ways to connect with customers or want to create a stronger sense of brand community, or b) they want to raise awareness about their products or services.

As a result, I wrote:

“A group is a good idea if you’re interested in connecting your customers or leads to one another, you want to facilitate a sense of community surrounding your brand, or you’re hoping to showcase your brand as a thought leader in the industry. However, a group is not a good idea if you want to use it to raise awareness about your products or services, or simply use it to post company announcements.”

In the example above, you can see I targeted a few different segments of readers with diverse purposes to help readers determine whether this how-to guide would even help them meet their own goals.

Ultimately, understanding the purpose behind your how-to guide is critical for ensuring you target all the various components or angles of the topic at hand.

How to Write a How-To Guide

Once you’re ready to start writing your how-to guide, you might wonder if your tone or writing style should differ, compared to other types of posts.

In short: Yes, it should.

When people search “How to …” they’re often in a rush to find the information they need, which means it’s critical you write in short, concise sentences to provide an answer quickly.

Additionally, how-to guides need to offer tactical, actionable advice on a topic so readers can begin implementing the steps immediately.

There’s a world of difference between readers who search “What is an RFP?”, and those who search “How to write an RFP.”

While the former group is looking for a definition of RFPs and maybe an example or two, the latter group likely already has a fair understanding of RFPs and needs to create one ASAP.

When writing a how-to guide, here are some best practices to keep in mind:

• Use verbs when writing out steps. Say, “Write a company background” rather than “Your RFP should start with a brief background on your company.”
• Use numbered lists, headers, and bullet points to break up the text and make your content as easy to skim as possible.
• Use both screenshots and written text for readers who can’t load the image on their screen or don’t understand what you’re trying to tell them from the image itself.
• Link out to other relevant blog posts, pillar pages, or ebooks so readers can find follow-up information on certain topics mentioned in your how-to guide.
• Provide examples to show your readers what you mean.
• Write with empathy, acknowledging it can be frustrating when learning or refining a new skill.

How-to guides often attract a wide range of readers, all with varying levels of expertise.

“How to Create a YouTube Channel,” for instance, likely attracts YouTube beginners who are simply interested in creating a channel to watch and comment on friends’ posts.

However, it probably also attracts professional marketers who need to create a channel for their business to attract and convert leads.

With such a diverse audience, it’s critical you write clearly, but not condescendingly, to ensure you retain readers regardless of skill level or background experience.

Is there a difference in how you would write a tutorial vs. a how-to guide?

Tutorials and guides are often used interchangeably to define content that explains how to complete a particular task. While some argue that one is more descriptive than the other, you’ll find that it varies from one brand to the next.

Perhaps the most distinctive difference is between a how-to guide and a user manual. A how-to guide is typically a top-of-the-funnel piece of content meant to attract users and generate leads.

A user manual is typically created for someone who has already purchased a product or service and needs step-by-step instructions on how to use it.

While one falls under marketing materials, the other relates more to the product.

How-To Guide Examples

1. The Recipe How-To Guide

McCormick’s “How to recipe guide on french toast” is neatly organized so readers can quickly determine a) how long the recipe will take, b) the ingredients they’ll need, and c) how to find the recipe.

If a reader already knows the ingredients necessary for french toast, they can click on “Instructions” to get started right away.

Alternatively, say a reader prefers viewing instructions rather than reading, they can click on “Watch How-To Video.” This offers a good variety for visitors who consume content differently.

Takeaway: as you’re structuring your own how-to guide, consider how you can best organize it so readers can jump straight to what they need. In addition, account for the medium that your target audience will prefer.

2. The B2B How-To Guide

Atlassian’s “How to Write the Perfect 90-Day Plan” provides important contextual details to the 90-day plan, including “What is a 90-day plan?” and “What should be included in a 90-day plan?” The piece is well-researched and written with empathy.

Best of all, the guide provides a downloadable 90-day plan PDF, so readers can immediately download and use Atlassian’s plan with their own team.

Takeaway: Consider what ebooks, PDFs, charts, Canva designs, or Google Sheets you can create internally and offer to readers to download. Readers will appreciate the option to immediately apply what they’ve learned.

3. The B2C How-To Guide

This “How to Become a Freelancer” guide from FlexJobs does a good job providing relevant links and data to create a comprehensive overview of what freelancing is.

Additionally, the post uses action verbs to inspire the reader.

Under “How to Start a Freelance Business.” you’ll see tips such as “Do Your Homework,” “Create a Brand,” and “Plan Ahead.” The language used in this post goes a long way toward encouraging readers to get started immediately.

Takeaway: Use action verbs and concise language to keep a reader engaged. When possible, start with a verb instead of a noun when listing out steps.

4. The Product-Related How-To Guide

This article by How-To Geek, titled “How to Find Data in Google Sheets with VLOOKUP,” isn’t necessarily the most interesting topic.

However, the brand effectively keeps the content engaging with empathetic statements like, “VLOOKUP might sound confusing, but it’s pretty simple once you understand how it works.”

Additionally, How-To Geek includes useful, original images to demonstrate each tip they’re describing.

These images don’t have to be state-of-the-art visuals created by a professional design team, either — as this post proves, a few simple screenshots go a long way toward helping readers understand a complex topic.

Takeaway: When possible, create your own visuals/screenshots to walk readers through each step-by-step instruction.

5. The Lifestyle How-To Guide

I recently saw this post in Medium titled, “11 Ways to Quickly Stop Stress in Your Life.”

I clicked on it expecting a few quick, easy tips for stopping stress. Instead, I was engrossed in the first section of the post, “The Effects of Stress in Your Life.”

While I previously mentioned the importance of starting with a quick answer to the searcher’s how-to question, there are exceptions to that rule.

In this case, it’s important readers understand the why before the how.

Takeaway: Play around with structure. Consider what your readers need to know in order for the rest of the post to matter to them. For instance, you might start with a section, “What is XYZ?” and “Why XYZ matters” before diving into, “How to do XYZ.” This way, your readers are fully invested in finding out how these tips can improve their lives in some small (or big) way.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2021. It has been updated for freshness and accuracy.

source https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-guide

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TikTok and Snapchat’s first Congressional hearing shows how differently politicians view Facebook

It’s TikTok and Snapchat’s turn in the hot seat on Capitol Hill.

On Tuesday, executives from TikTok and Snapchat as well as a representative from YouTube answered questions from members of the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security surrounding the current hot-button topic: Kids’ safety on social media platforms.

The issue has been thrust into the spotlight recently due to internal Facebook documents leaked by former employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugen. These documents detailed how the social media company’s own research found that its platforms, such as Instagram, were having negative effects on the mental health of kids, especially young women.

The same subcommittee recently grilled Facebook and questioned Haugen earlier this month over the trove of internal company documents she leaked to the press.

In those initial hearings, there appeared to be a rare instance of bipartisan support for some sort of Congressional action to be taken over what was learned in the leaked documents. The Facebook hearings were focused on the issue at hand: child safety on social media platforms.

Yet, while watching the hearing with TikTok and Snapchat execs on Tuesday, some Senators, namely Republicans, lost the plot and were back to bickering over their old partisan pet issues.

With many issues facing children and these social media platforms, Republican Senators like Ted Cruz used their time to focus on TikTok. And, their focus wasn’t on the troubling eating disorder content or problematic challenges that go viral on the platform.

No, their focus was on TikTok’s ties to its Chinese parent company, Bytedance.

It was TikTok’s first time appearing before Congress, so questions about China were bound to come up. There are obvious privacy and data concerns there. But, the specific line of questioning seemed more as if those Republicans were continuing former President Donald Trump’s war on the social media app, where he sought to ban it from the country last year.

Tweet may have been deleted

For example, Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) grilled TikTok’s VP and head of public policy, Michael Beckerman, on whether users can make videos comparing China’s president Xi Jinping to Winnie the Pooh, a common satirical nickname thrown at him by his critics. How is this an issue facing 13-year-old American kids?

And, unlike the Facebook hearings, it also felt very partisan. Such as Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) referring to and emphasizing the “Chinese Communist Party” every time she brought up China when questioning TikTok.

In those moments, it was as if Congress was getting further away from a Big Tech issue they are actually so close to acting on.

However, there were relevant takeaways from the hearing.

It was interesting to see representatives from all three social media companies distance themselves from Facebook.

TikTok’s Beckerman honed in on how Facebook is based on a users’ relation with the people they follow and interact with online and that’s just not how TikTok’s algorithm works.

Snap’s VP of global public policy, Jennifer Stout, took aim at Facebook, saying that even beyond regulation, there should be a responsibility from the social media companies to moderate themselves.

The YouTube Kids app was often referenced by the company’s VP of government affairs and public policy, Leslie Miller, as an example of the company already taking action.

Yet even then, when Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) asked them simple questions about whether they would support a federal bill that protected children online based on the very things they were discussing, all three representatives balked at answering the question straightforward.

Facebook is the worst offender, but it’s clear that the issue extends beyond Mark Zuckerberg. This hearing showed that our political representatives may be able to unite on the issues when it comes to Facebook…but that’s about it.

source https://mashable.com/article/tiktok-snapchat-hearing

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TikTok is reviving the 2014 Tumblr-era aesthetic

In 2014, I was 16 and my Tumblr was four years old. There were thousands of posts: reblogged vintage photographs of Paris in the ’70s, of window sills littered with poetry books, of black boots against grunge city landscapes. The occasional indie song lyric (think The 1975’s brooding poetry) made a guest appearance every now and then.

This was the world of Tumblr at the pinnacle of its popularity, as any Gen-Z can attest to. The microblogging site, founded in 2007, swelled with a distinctive aesthetic (as outlined by the skeleton of my own page). By 2014, the Tumblr look was sealed, delineated by indie-pop and indie films, cracked iPhone screens painted in shades of neon, black American Apparel skater skirts and leather combat boots to match. Throw in Polaroid cameras and some dark eyeliner, and you’ve got the Tumblr aesthetic down-pat.

Now, this signature 2014 era Tumblr angst has found new life on TikTok. It seems it’s a year that still resonates aesthetically with TikTokers and very online humans.

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On TikTok, #2014tumblr has 83.9 million views, while its variation #tumblr2014 has 51.9 million views, and #tumblraesthetic is growing with 18.4 million views. The videos that reign are various vibes pulling inspiration from Tumblr’s heyday, from decor to daily outfits to makeup.

This subculture of TikTok has even been labeled Tumblrcore, a final stamp of approval of the new Tumblr renaissance.

Credit: Tiktok/ @kmcrli.

Take TikTokker Kirstin McCarlie, who frequently puts together outfits of this aesthetic, alluding to the Tumblr girl trope. “I think younger millennials and older Gen-Z are nostalgic about Tumblr era fashion and music, so I think TikTok has picked up on this and is promoting it,” she tells Mashable.

McCarlie, like so many others, enrobes herself in sheer black tights, the aforementioned skater skirts, and simple leather shoes, all reminiscent of Tumblr dressing. “I also think these are staple items that never go out of style,” she says.

According to the Aesthetics Wiki, an online encyclopedia for digital and offline aesthetics alike, 2014-era Tumblr is a pretty cemented lifestyle category. But it also encompasses a range of artistic tastes. After all, Tumblr may have had a definitive evocation, but it also offered hundreds of adaptations. The wiki describes the overarching aesthetic as an amalgamation of grunge, hipster, kawaii, and VSCO-girl trends, amongst others.

SEE ALSO: Tumblr died a slow and painful death. Here’s how TikTok can avoid the same fate.

The Digital Fairy, a creative agency and home to internet and youth culture specialists, recently went viral on TikTok for predicting the comeback of wired headphones, an apparently “vintage accessory,” and a component of the wider movement that is 2014 nostalgia. Their analysis, hinged on TikTok culture, Tumblr’s past, and celebrity street style, quickly amassed over 2 million views on TikTok.

@thedigifairy

🎧👁👅👁✌️##zoekravitz##coquette##2014tumblr##tumblrgirl##tumblr2014##trendcycle##twilightrenaissance##headphones##millennial##genzvsmillenial##lilyrosedepp

♬ 505 – Arctic Monkeys

“2014 aesthetics, for me, are taking a trope of fashion and culture that is definitely not part of our contemporary language, and removes all the problematic context of that moment in time. I don’t look back at ‘Indie Rock’ or the murky corners of Tumblr fondly, but to reimagine it must be a lot more fun,” says the Digital Fairy’s strategy director, Natalia Christina.

The agency also defined the Tumblr-era look as multifaceted.

“There is no singular Tumblr aesthetic, but the one experiencing the highest level of contemporary interest so far is ‘soft grunge’ — a nebulous aesthetic/subculture popular on the site in the 2010s,” explains the Digi Fairy’s in-house culture specialist, Biz Sherbet. “Aesthetically, soft grunge was defined by a wardrobe of ’90s “grunge” staples like well-worn flannels, band tees and clunky Doc Martens. However, soft grunge had a youthful, bubblegum twist — in the form of cotton candy tinted bleached hair, sporty American Apparel tennis skirts, and pops of pastels throughout. Soft grunge accessories included chokers, wired headphones, and a conspicuous display of cigarettes.”

Trend and fashion forecaster @oldloserinbrooklyn also took to TikTok to predict the resurgence of the “Indie Sleaze” aesthetic, another subculture of TikTok’s fashion scene. In a video, she said there is an “obscene amount of evidence” that characteristics from this era are coming back: “provocative”, grungy, and vintage. “TikTok has singlehandedly brought back [these] mashups into mainstream culture,” she says in the video, which has over 1.1 million views and counting. Commenters on her post are relishing in the return of the “glory days”.

She also mentions the 20-year trend cycle, a ubiquitous term in the fashion industry and digital spheres, referring to the cyclical nature of trends. The rule of 20 refers to the return of trends after a 20-year time period, reemerging as popular once again. If we’re to go off this rule, the Tumblr return is early, but poised to take over once again.

The cultural significance of Tumblr can hardly be denied, but it’s being given more than just a nod of acknowledgement. TikTok has reignited interest in the Tumblr era, pulling the internet back into the vortex of one specific year: 2014. It’s a throwback, yes, but also a sign of the times: nostalgia is rife.

Credit: tiktok / @rxneexx.

Any TikTok user is privy to the fair amount of nostalgia that underpins the app’s content. From reenacting the movies of the 2000s to recycling sartorial inspiration from the infamous Y2K period, TikTok is a mecca of the past.

The comeback of Tumblr culture is all the more interesting when you realize that Tumblr itself is not exactly thriving. The platform is far less active today as it was in 2014, while it still hosts 16.74 million active monthly users in the U.S. alone. Despite this, it has fallen in usership as a result of rampant content moderation issues, the adult content ban, and devaluing creators. In 2014, Tumblr was considered the internet’s fastest-growing social platform but currently doesn’t make the top 10 list of social media apps in the U.S. TikTok, on the other hand, has burgeoning numbers when it comes to monthly use, with a reported 1 billion active users globally.

Credit: tiktok / @helen.ros3.

Yet, the decline of the platform has clearly not led to a downtick in its influence. Age-old Tumblr controversies have made their way to TikTok. Discussions about TikTok-Tumblr have trickled onto Twitter. More widespread are the Tumblr-era aesthetics, which are a living testament to its rippling effects on 2021 culture. We’re simply reliving the old days, just via TikTok this time around.

TikTok, however, is a temporal space in itself, with trends emerging and fading rapidly.

“TikTok cycles through aesthetics incredibly quickly, severely contracting the trend cycle that dictates what’s considered ‘cool’ in fashion on and off the app. Therefore, styles from the 2010s, which still linger on in many of our wardrobes, are the last frontier of fashion that hasn’t already been recycled and over-exposed,” says Sherbet.

So is this nostalgia-fueled resurgence just another one of those trends? At the pace it’s going it may be here to stay for a while, but like most homes on the Internet, TikTok is a fickle one. For the Tumblr stans out there, it’s definitely time to enjoy the revival, while you can.

source https://mashable.com/article/tiktok-reviving-tumblr-aesthetic

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How to Become a YouTuber and Get Paid: 10 Steps to Success

As the second most visited domain in the world, it’s no surprise creators flock to YouTube.

With 2 billion monthly active users, YouTube is only beaten in popularity by its parent company Google. And the global video sharing site promises fame, fun and quite a lot of money to anyone who makes it as a successful YouTuber.

But what is a YouTuber, how much does a good one earn and how can you become one? That’s what we’re about to find out.

Bonus: Download the free 30-day plan to grow your YouTube following fast, a daily workbook of challenges that will help you kickstart your Youtube channel growth and track your success. Get real results after one month.

What is a YouTuber?

A YouTuber is a person who produces content for the video sharing platform YouTube. For some, it’s a hobby – something they do to share their expertise, network and have fun. For others, it’s a full-time job that pays the bills and then some.

You might call yourself a YouTuber if you regularly post content to the platform or earn a living from your video content.

In 2021, the term “YouTuber” is synonymous with multi-millionaire unboxers, toy reviewers and more. But not every YouTuber brings home the big bucks. Which begs the question…

How much money do YouTubers make?

There are no hard-and-fast figures for how much YouTubers make, on average, because there’s no such a thing as an average YouTuber.

YouTubers make money in many ways. A successful YouTuber might earn money from:

• Advertising – joining YouTube’s partner program
• Affiliate sales – becoming an affiliate partner
• Merchandise – selling their own merch like mugs, T-shirts and toys
• Crowdfunding – joining a site like Patreon or using online tipping services
• Licensing – licensing their content to the media
• Sponsorships – creating sponsored content for brands

As it stands, all top-earning YouTubers use more than one of these methods to make money from their video content.

2020’s top-earning YouTubers include 9-year-old Ryan Kaji, who netted 29.5 million USD in a single year playing with toys, and amateur stuntman, The Beast, who turned over a respectable 17.5 million USD.

But, it’s important to note that Ryan’s income includes profits from over 5000 branded toys and The Beast has a long list of corporate sponsors.

If we only consider income from YouTube’s Partner program, YouTube content creators earn an average of $18 per 1,000 views. Meaning, a YouTuber getting 100,000 views per month would make a very modest wage of 1,800 USD.

How to become a YouTuber in 10 steps

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You’ll have plenty of time to think about how to make money from YouTube once you’re up and running.

Let’s backtrack a little and cover how you can kick off your new career as a professional YouTuber.

1. Pick a niche

All successful YouTubers have a niche.

A niche is your area of expertise. It’s the topic of focus for all of your video content, and it can be literally anything.

Don’t believe me? Take a look at these three unlikely YouTube stars for inspiration.

Unbox Therapy

This uber-specialized YouTuber creates unboxing content. That is, unboxing and reviewing new products like phones, gaming tech and other consumer items.

With 18.1 million subscribers, Unbox Therapy is a top 3 unboxing channel on YouTube (yep, there are many). And one of the biggest channels on the platform, period.

Você Sabia?

This Brazilian duo creates ‘random facts’ content. Their most popular videos include “10 deaths caused by video games” and “Disney’s 10 biggest secrets.”

To date, they’ve racked up 41.2 million subscribers from across the world.

FunToys Collector Disney Toys Review

This one-woman show makes videos about opening and playing with toys. Her most popular piece is a 9-minute video showing her making Disney princess dresses from sparkly Play-Doh. And it has topped 599 million views.

In 2021, the channel reached 11 million subscribers.

2. Define your “why”

Your niche can be anything, but you need to be clear about why you’re making that kind of content. When you have a clear reason, you can:

• Narrow your focus and stay on track when you’re creating.
• Save time and energy when you’re researching trends.
• Be clear about what people will get when they subscribe to your channel.

Let’s think back to those unboxing videos. Most unboxers aren’t creating content just for lols. They say they provide honest reviews about products consumers want, which helps them make better buying choices.

So, even if you only want to become a YouTube star to make money, it’s important to work out the purpose behind the content you want to create.

3. Know your audience

Once you decide what content you’ll make and why, you need to get to know your target audience.

Ask yourself:

• Who would watch my videos?’
• How old are they?
• What kind of job do they have?
• At what time of the day will they be watching videos?
• Why are they watching them?
• What do they gain from watching them?

Questions like these help you build what’s called an audience persona. An audience persona is a character you create that represents the characteristics of your ideal viewer.

Give them a name, a job, motivations and a salary. Because when you bring them to life, you’ll better understand who your content is “talking” to and you’ll be better able to meet their needs with your videos.

4. Know your competition

Your content sweet spot is somewhere between “tried and tested” and something original. In other words, you need to know what already works well in your niche and what you can do to stand out from the crowd.

To find out what already works, take a look at your competition. Find the top 10 YouTubers in your niche and look for similarities and differences in how they do things.

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Get the free guide right now!

They might use similar:

• Video effects (e.g. visual effects and sound effects)
• Video formats (e.g. Q&A, expert interview, storyline)
• Locations (e.g. studio, outdoors, on set)
• Sets (e.g. at home, workplace, designed set, animated)

But they’ll probably differ in their branding, presenting styles and more.

For example, Channel Awesome and Jeremy Jahns are both popular film review channels on YouTube channels.

Both have over a million subscribers and review movies by showing clips of the film in question alongside commentary. But the similarities end there.

Channel Awesome features a range of reviewers who review films (new and old) and shows, including live action and cartoons.

Video backdrops range from home office to your classic movie man-cave. And the reviewers are mostly comedic.

On the other hand, Jeremy Jahns is a one-man show and reviews only the latest releases across film and TV.

He almost exclusively uses a branded red-screen backdrop and, while he is funny, he takes a more analytical approach to reviews.

What does this tell you about how to become a successful YouTuber? You need to know what works and how you’ll tweak it to create your style.

5. Create a YouTube Channel Page

When starting a YouTube channel, it might be tempting to skip all of the above and go straight to setting up your Channel Page, don’t!

Your Channel Page is like a storefront. It needs to suit your style and be tailored to your audience. Finding your niche, defining your “why,” knowing your audience and understanding your competition will all help you create a seamless Channel experience.

Now is the time to create your brand. You’ll need a:

• Channel name
• Logo
• Banner image
• Color scheme

At the very least. Then, you can use these assets to create your YouTube Channel Page by following these simple steps.

Create a Google account

Since Google owns YouTube, you need a Google account to get a YouTube account. So, head over to Google and enter some basic details.

Create a YouTube account

A YouTube account is included in your Google account bundle. But you still need to set up a Channel.

To do it, go to your YouTube account page on YouTube.com and click Create a Channel. Simply enter your brand name and you’re in!

Customize your Channel Page

You can customize many features of your Channel page, including your name, logo, page banner and About info.

To design a page that hooks, check out these free YouTube channel art templates, and make sure you:

• Complete your Channel description (a.k.a. the About section)
• Use consistent branding
• Add a logo or high-quality headshot
• Include contact information

All successful YouTube channels do the above. And that’s regardless of niche. For example, let’s take a look at Learn Your Land, a 345,000 subscriber-strong channel that helps people connect with nature.

The logo, on-topic banner image and consistent video thumbnail graphics give Learn Your Land’s Channel Page a professional feel. Which is more likely to reel in subscribers.

6. Start a content calendar

A content calendar, or social media calendar, is an overview of your upcoming social media posts.

It might be organized in a spreadsheet, a Google calendar or an interactive social media management dashboard like Hootsuite. And you’ll use it to schedule and store information about your content.

Aim to plan your content at least a month in advance. This might sound like a big hill to climb, but it’s actually much easier than creating content ad hoc.

For one, because you don’t wake up each morning thinking, “what am I going to post today?” And for two, because you can be more consistent and more focused when you have a broader overview of your content output.

7. Schedule videos in advance

Remember that audience persona we talked about earlier? Here’s where it comes in really handy.

If you know who your viewers are, you can find out when they will be online looking for content — which days of the week and what times of the day.

Then, you can use a tool like Hootsuite to schedule posts in advance, so they land when your ideal audience is active.

Source: Hootsuite

8. Use CTAs (calls to action)

YouTube rewards channels that keep viewers on-platform by making their videos more prominent in search. In other words, the more your content keeps people on YouTube, the more YouTube promotes your content to people.

So, encourage your viewers to keep watching your content by including calls to action (CTAs) in your videos. You can do this by:

• Including CTAs in your video scripts
• Automating next actions using features like playlists
• Adding cards and end screens to your videos
• Including links to other popular content in each video description

Playlists, cards and end screens are more advanced YouTube features, but they’re easy to get to grips with (see YouTube’s Creator Academy for instructions).

This is what an end screen with a clickable card looks like:

9. Respond to comments

Just like any other social platform, YouTube prioritizes engagement. So, as you start adding content to your channel, you need a plan for keeping up with comments.

Replying ad-hoc might work at first, but you’re likely to feel the strain as you grow your channel. Using a tool like Hootsuite can take the pressure off.

10. Promote your channel

Once you’ve got the basics right, you can start promoting your work. The most successful YouTubers all invest in a little self-promotion.

You can promote your channel by:

• Advertising — a quick and easy win. Simply pay YouTube to give your videos a boost in search results.
• Networking — free, but first you gotta make friends. Then you can start creating videos like crossovers, guest appearances, mash-ups and covers with other YouTubers, and get your face in front of new audiences.
• Cross-promoting — an easy solution if you have a wider web presence. Use your other social channels, email list or website to tell people about your YouTube vids.

Source: Bear Grylls

Grow your YouTube audience faster with Hootsuite. From one dashboard, you can manage and schedule YouTube videos alongside content from all your other social channels. Try it free today.

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Grow your YouTube channel fast with Hootsuite. Easily moderate comments, schedule video, and publish to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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The post How to Become a YouTuber and Get Paid: 10 Steps to Success appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard.

source https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-become-a-youtuber/

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How the Twitter Algorithm Works in 2021 and How to Make it Work for You

Not everyone loves to have an algorithm determine the content they see online. That’s why Twitter gives people a choice: the Home timeline (aka Top Tweets) or Latest Tweets. In other words, Twitter algorithm or no algorithm.

But the truth is, Twitter algorithms are kind of unavoidable. From Trends to Topics to the Explore tab to recommended accounts, algorithms always show users personalized recommendations. Twitter itself says machine learning (aka algorithms) “can impact hundreds of millions of Tweets per day.”

This means that, as a business, you need to optimize your Tweets to be picked up by the algorithm to have your content seen by the right people.

Bonus: Download the free 30-day plan to grow your Twitter following fast, a daily workbook that will help you establish a Twitter marketing routine and track your growth, so you can show your boss real results after one month.

What is the Twitter algorithm?

First, let’s clarify one thing. Twitter is powered by multiple algorithms determining all aspects of how content is served on the platform. This includes everything from recommended accounts to top Tweets. Like most social media algorithms, Twitter’s algorithms are all about personalization.

When most people talk about the Twitter algorithm, they mean the one that powers the Home feed timeline (also known as the top Tweets view). Here’s how Twitter itself describes the algorithmic Home timeline:

“A stream of Tweets from accounts you have chosen to follow on Twitter, as well as recommendations of other content we think you might be interested in based on accounts you interact with frequently, Tweets you engage with, and more.”

The Twitter feed algorithm doesn’t affect the main timeline for those using the Latest Tweets view, a simple list of Tweets from followed Topics and accounts in reverse-chronological order. But it does structure the timeline for those using Home view.

Twitter algorithms also power Twitter Trends, Topics, and recommendations, which appear in the Notifications tab (and come through as push notifications), on the Explore page and in the Home timeline.

How the Twitter algorithm works in 2021

All social algorithms use machine learning to sort content based on different ranking signals.

The truth is, the fact that it’s machine learning means not even Twitter knows exactly what its algorithms will surface. That’s why Twitter is currently involved in analyzing the results of its algorithms as part of its “responsible machine learning initiative.”

This initiative has identified Twitter algorithm bias issues, including:

• The image-cropping algorithm showed racial bias, tending particularly to highlight white women over Black women.
• The recommendation algorithm amplifies right-leaning political content and news outlets over left-leaning content in six out of seven countries studied.

Twitter algorithm change is not taken lightly. Especially since the algorithm’s first appearance on the platform made #RIPTwitter a trending hashtag. But Twitter has formed a Machine Learning Ethics, Transparency, and Accountability (META) team to address inequities, which will likely lead to changes in the algorithm over time.

For instance, to address the image-cropping issue, Twitter changed the way it shows images. Now, Twitter presents single images without cropping and shows users a true preview of what images will look like when cropped.

I’m excited to share that we’re rolling this out to everyone today on iOS and Android. You’ll now be able to view single, standard aspect ratio images uncropped in your timeline. Tweet authors will be able to also see their image as it will appear, before they Tweet it. https://t.co/vwJ2WZQMSk

— Dantley Davis (@dantley) May 5, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

As far as right-leaning political content, that’s a work in progress. Twitter says, “Further root cause analysis is required in order to determine what, if any, changes are required to reduce adverse impacts by our Home timeline algorithm.”

Future changes will likely give users more choice over how the system surfaces content through “algorithmic choice.” Twitter says this “will allow people to have more input and control in shaping what they want Twitter to be for them.”

For now, here are some of the ways Twitter ranking algorithms power your experience on the platform.

Home timeline vs. Latest Tweets

Twitter users can toggle between two different Twitter timelines: Home or Latest Tweets.

Latest Tweets shows Tweets a real-time chronological timeline of Tweets from people you follow. Home uses the Twitter ranking algorithm to shuffle posts into what it suggests is a better order (i.e., “top Tweets”).

To switch between the Home timeline and Latest Tweets, click the star symbol on desktop or swipe between views on mobile.

Top Tweets first or latest Tweets first? We’re making it easier to switch between the two timelines and know which one you’re scrolling.

Now testing with some of you on iOS: swipe between "Home" and "Latest" on the Home tab to choose which Tweets you see first. pic.twitter.com/LoyAN4cONu

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) October 12, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Customizable Timelines

Twitter users also have the option to create a custom timeline using Twitter Lists.

You can pin up to five lists for easy access. Within them, you can toggle between Latest Tweets and Top Tweets, just like in the main timeline.

Tweets from the lists you follow also appear in your Home timeline.

Get to your favorite Lists quickly by pinning up to 5 on your Home timeline, so the conversations you want to read are just a swipe away.

Tap “Lists” from the profile icon menu, then tap the icon.

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) December 23, 2020

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Twitter Topics

Twitter uses an algorithm to suggest Topics based on what it thinks someone likes.

If you follow a Topic, then related Tweets, events, and ads will appear in your timeline. The Topics you follow are public. You can also tell Twitter you’re not interested in a Topic.

When Twitter first launched Topics last year, people complained their feeds were overwhelmed with Topic suggestions. Twitter has since scaled back on suggestions in the Home feed, but you can still find them in search results and when viewing your profile page.https://twitter.com/TwitterSupport/status/141575763083698176

To access and customize your Twitter topics, click the three dots (more) icon in the left menu, then click Topics. From here, you can follow and unfollow Topics and tell Twitter which topics do not interest you.

Source: Twitter

Trends

Trends appear all over Twitter: the Home timeline, in your notifications, in search results, and even on profile pages. On the Twitter mobile apps, you can find Trends on the Explore tab.

The Twitter trending topic algorithm determines which topics show up as Trends. Sometimes you’ll see some context about why a subject is trending, but sometimes you’ll have to click through to solve the mystery.

No more having to scroll through Tweets to find out why something’s trending.

Starting today, some trends on Android and iOS will show a Tweet that gives context right away. More on Trend improvements: https://t.co/qiGeL9Kg31 pic.twitter.com/Y9nilckl8B

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) September 1, 2020

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

By default, the Twitter trending topic algorithm shows Trends based on your current location. However, you can choose to see trends for a specific location. From the For You screen, click Settings and then choose the location you’d like to see.

Source: Twitter

Clicking on a trend reveals Tweets containing the relevant phrase or hashtag.

Recommended accounts (aka Who to follow or Suggested for you)

On your Home screen, the Explore tab, and profile pages, the Twitter algorithm suggests accounts it thinks you might like to follow. These recommendations are based on:

• Your contacts (if uploaded to Twitter)
• Your location
• Your Twitter activity
• Your activity on third-party websites with integrated Twitter content
• Promoted accounts

Twitter algorithm ranking signals

According to Twitter, top Tweets are chosen “based on accounts you interact with most, Tweets you engage with, and much more.” We can only guess what “much more” means. Every algorithm has its secret sauce.

Here’s what Twitter has shared about its Home timeline, Trends, and Topics ranking signals:

Recency

• For Trends: “topics that are popular now, rather than topics that have been popular for a while or on a daily basis.”
• Current events and topics may appear in a section at the top of the Home timeline called What’s Happening.

Relevance

• ​​Your previous actions on Twitter, like your own Tweets and Tweets you’ve engaged with
• Accounts you often engage with
• Topics you follow and engage with most
• Your location (for Trends)
• The number of Tweets related to a topic

Engagement

• For Tweets: “How popular it is and how people in your network are interacting with [the Tweet].”
• For Topics: “How much people are Tweeting, Retweeting, replying, and liking Tweets about that Topic.”
• For Trends: “The number of Tweets related to the Trend.”

Rich Media

• The type of media the Tweet includes (image, video, GIF, and polls).

Note that Twitter specifically says it will not recommend “content that might be abusive or spammy.” This should go without saying, but just in case: don’t be abusive or spammy.

10 Tips for working with the Twitter algorithm

Try these tips to increase reach and boost your amplification signals to the Twitter ranking algorithm.

1. Maintain an active Twitter presence

All good relationships require commitment, even on Twitter.

As the company explains on its blog, “Tweeting regularly and consistently will boost your visibility and grow engagement.” Visibility and engagement, of course, are key signals for the Twitter algorithm.

Hootsuite generally recommends posting at least 1-2 times per day and a maximum of 3-5 times per day (with multiple Tweets in a thread counting as one post).

The less often you tweet, the more likely your account is to be the target of purges and unfollows. Don’t feel overwhelmed, though. We can help you schedule Tweets.

Keeping your Twitter account regularly active is also a key requirement to…

2. Get verified

After a break of about three years, Twitter reopened its public account verification process in May 2021.

Dear “can you verify me” ––

Save your Tweets and DMs, there’s a new official way to apply for a blue badge, rolling out over the next few weeks.

You can now submit an application to request verification in-app, right from your account settings!

-Your verified blue badge source pic.twitter.com/2d1alYZ02M

— Twitter Verified (@verified) May 20, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

While getting verified won’t necessarily boost your content directly in the algorithm, it will help show that you’re legitimate and credible. This, in turn, can increase engagement and followers, which leads to higher relevance and engagement ranking signals.

3. Tweet at the right time

Especially since some people turn off the Twitter feed algorithm, it’s critical to tweet during peak engagement hours.

Hootsuite research shows that, in general, the best time to post on Twitter is 8 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. But if you have followers in multiple time zones, it’s important to post content throughout the day.

Twitter Analytics will help you learn when most of your followers are online and active. And Hootsuite’s Best time to publish feature can provide personalized recommendations about the best times to Tweet for your specific account.

4. Use tags purposefully

Hashtags are a great way to gain traction on Twitter — branded or otherwise. For example, Twitter data shows that the attention a Twitter ad gets increases almost 10% when it includes branded hashtags.

Are you a #SmallBusiness? Here are some tips & tricks from your friends at Twitter:

Share updates early and often
Showcase the people behind your business
Start and join conversations, like #TweetASmallBiz
Lean into your differentiators pic.twitter.com/Qq440IzajF

— Twitter Business (@TwitterBusiness) October 11, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Keep an eye on trending hashtags. Or even better, plan ahead with top hashtag and keyword forecasts on the Twitter blog. But don’t overdo it. Twitter recommends using no more than two hashtags per Tweet.

Then there’s the @ tag. If you mention someone, be sure to include their handle. Include a photo, and you can tag up to 10 people in it. Tagging someone increases the odds they’ll retweet and engage.

For example, this entrepreneur who scored on America’s Big Deal shared the news in a Tweet. She used a hashtag, @ tags and photo tags to draw attention, and Macy’s retweeted her post.

I won a BIG Deal with @Macys on #AmericasBigDeal, a new show on @USA_Network. Thank you @JoyMangano for creating this groundbreaking show for entrepreneurs. I'm grateful for this incredible opportunity…with @iamscottevans @MarisaThalberg and Durand Guion. pic.twitter.com/l0F0APRLox

— MinkeeBlue (@MinkeeBlue) October 17, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Here, Red Bull Racing combined trending hashtags with photo tags to highlight their team win at the U.S. Grand Prix.

2⃣0⃣0⃣ #F1 podiums #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/vGFzMUNIzB

— Red Bull Racing Honda (@redbullracing) October 24, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Signal boosting of this kind is bound to score a few points with the Twitter algorithm.

5. Use photos, videos, GIFs

A boost in engagement can help your Tweet’s ranking with the Twitter algorithm. And it’s well known that Tweets with photos, videos, and GIFs tend to get more attention.

Twitter data shows a 95% increase in video views on Twitter in 18 months, and 71% of Twitter sessions now involve video.

Twitter recently began testing an expanded amount of space for visual content with edge-to-edge Tweets on iOS and Android, so graphics will be even more thumb-stopping.

Now testing on iOS:

Edge to edge Tweets that span the width of the timeline so your photos, GIFs, and videos can have more room to shine. pic.twitter.com/luAHoPjjlY

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) September 7, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Use captions in videos: this results in a 28% longer view time.

6. Encourage followers to engage

When it comes to soliciting engagement on Twitter, it’s simple. Ask, and you shall receive.

Ask a question. Ask for feedback. Ask for replies in GIFs or emojis.

"When you think Tim McGraw, I hope you think of me."@taylorswift13's self titled debut album turns 15! What's your favorite track?

Take a stroll down memory lane and listen on Amazon Music: https://t.co/zjvTKweQzI pic.twitter.com/4PKS7sDE6A

— Amazon Music (@amazonmusic) October 24, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The best part of a social media manager's day is…

— Hootsuite (@hootsuite) October 19, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Hosting a chat or “ask me anything” is another good way to get a convo rolling.

Add an incentive with a Twitter contest. The engage-to-enter format is a tried and true way to boost likes, retweets, or comments.

Obviously, if you ask for engagement, be prepared to return it. Retweet relevant posts. Respond to questions. Show appreciation. There’s no such thing as a one-way conversation.

7. Try a Twitter Poll

Another thing you can ask for: votes. Polls are a quick and easy way to ask for input on something. It could be anything from a thematically on-brand survey, to a request for concrete feedback.

Samsung Mobile poll:

All these colors to make it uniquely yours! How will you be coloring your #GalaxyZFlip3BespokeEdition? #SamsungUnpacked

— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) October 20, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Mailchimp poll:

What’s more important for a small business owner? #Passion or #Persistence?

— Mailchimp (@Mailchimp) September 13, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Twitter Business poll:

What is your favorite thing about #Fall?

— Twitter Business (@TwitterBusiness) October 20, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The added benefit of a call-and-response strategy is that it provides you with tons of customer feedback. Make sure you’re prepared to make the most of it with listening tools like Hootsuite.

8. Join relevant trends and topics

Look for trends and topics that your brand can contribute to — or better yet, lead. Plan ahead with Twitter’s Q4 2021 holiday marketing calendar or our complete list of social media holidays.

Source: Twitter Business

Keep an eye on the Trending tab on the Explore page for the latest trends in real-time. But don’t trend-jack or news-jack your way into every conversation on Twitter. Find the topics and themes that make sense for your brand. Doing this will also increase your odds of appearing in a Twitter Moment.

9. Repackage top content

Even if you tweet at peak times, chances are many followers may have missed your Tweet. And if it performed well the first time, it likely will again.

Don’t simply Retweet or copy your top-performing content. Find creative ways to repackage and re-share what works. Leave enough time and contrast from the original so as not to appear spammy.

The New Yorker’s Twitter account often shares the same article at different times. But they choose a different pull quote or tagline to hook you in each time.

In a new interview, Fleur Jaeggy, the author of “The Water Statues,” discusses writing, the soul, and a swan named Erich whom she loved. “People think that they like their brother, their father, their mother very much,” she says. “I prefer Erich.” https://t.co/WfkLG91wI0

— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) October 24, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

“She writes all my books. So perhaps she has a soul somewhere,” the reclusive author Fleur Jaeggy says, about her swamp-green typewriter, which she has named Hermes. “She’s going to be very happy we’re talking about her!” https://t.co/xbSjSUOy7l

— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) October 24, 2021

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

10. Apply insights from Twitter Analytics

When it comes to algorithms, there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Use Twitter Analytics to track what works and what doesn’t for your specific account, and tailor these tips accordingly.

And for a bird’s eye view of how all of your content is performing across different social media platforms, choose a social media analytics tool like Hootsuite.

Manage your Twitter presence alongside your other social channels and save time using Hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can schedule and publish posts, engage your audience, and measure performance. Try it free today.

Get Started

Easily manage all your social media in one place and save time with Hootsuite.

Try it for Free

The post How the Twitter Algorithm Works in 2021 and How to Make it Work for You appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard.

source https://blog.hootsuite.com/twitter-algorithm/

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What Is CPM and Why Your Marketing Team Should Care

As an advertiser and marketer, it’s important to understand the impact of your campaigns and content on your target audience.

It’s also important to know how much money you need to invest to ensure those campaigns and content are actually seen by your audience.

You may have heard of CPM before — it’s a formula and metric that tells you exactly that.

In this article, we’ll review what CPM is, how to calculate it, and tips on how you can get the best CPM.

CPM Meaning

CPM in marketing is cost per thousand, also known as cost per thousand impressions or cost per mile. It’s a formula that calculates the total ad spend per 1,000 impressions on a web page.

How does CPM work?

CPM is often used in advertising, marketing campaigns, social media, and digital marketing. It tells you the total ad spend for every 1,000 impressions. An impression in CPM is how many views/ engagements an ad receives — it’s when an ad is successfully displayed to a visitor or audience member on a web page.

Impressions are small units of measure in marketing which is why they’re calculated by the 1,000 — this gives advertisers and marketers a better idea of the impact their work is having on audience members.

CPM is an effective top-of-funnel strategy because it helps advertisers garner a lot of attention from a large audience on one piece of content, all on a pre-determined budget.

As a result, you’ll increase brand awareness and recognition as well as develop an understanding of which ads and content types are most successful among your audience so you can improve upon

CPM Advertising

Advertisers often use CPM. They select an ad publisher to work with based on where they want their ads published and the specific audience they want to get those ads in front of. Then, advertisers pay the ad publisher, often $1-$10+, for every 1,000 ads that are displayed to viewers.

This method of advertising allows advertisers to stick to a set budget while ensuring their target audience is seeing their ads and campaigns on a large scale. Especially when used on mobile — CPM ads are an effective way for advertisers to determine the impact of their in-app ads.

How to Calculate CPM

To calculate CPM, you need to use the following formula which states CPM is equal to the total amount spent/ total ad spend divided by total impressions multiplied by 1,000.

CPM Formula

How to Get the Best CPM

There are a number of tips and techniques you can apply to help you get the best CPM possible — here are some examples.

1. Choose an ad network.

There are several networks and publishers available for your CPM ads. Here are five popular options:

• Google AdSense: Video ads, mobile ads, display ads, text, in-feed ads, in-article ads, matched content ads, games ads
• Criteo: Digital ads, contextual ads, mobile app ads, dynamic ads, video ads, self-service ads
• BuySellAds: Native ads, sponsored content, podcast ads, display ads
• Media.net: Contextual ads, display ads, native ads,
• SmartyAds: Rewarded videos, native ads, banners

2. Pick an ad tool.

You’ll also want to identify a CPM and ad tool to help you plan, run, monitor, and analyze your campaigns.

CPM Software

CPM software is typically ad software — meaning it can help create, publish, and report on your ads.

For instance, you might choose to use HubSpot Ads Software to support your CPM strategy.

HubSpot is unique because it enables CRM-powered marketing — meaning, you can use the data from your CRM to create personalized and targeted ad campaigns and report on the ads that are turning prospects into customers.

With HubSpot Ads Software, you can also…

• Segment audiences.
• Personalize ads.
• Report on leads and ROI generated by every Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google ad.
• Understand attribution of revenue from specific ad campaigns and platforms.
• Log lead information into your CRM automatically.
• Create journey-based advertising campaigns for Facebook audiences.

How to Apply CPM Software to CPM Ads:

Here are some specific examples of how you could apply a tool like HubSpot Ads Software to your CPM strategy and ads.

• Refer to your contact data to effectively target your audience.
• Apply the results of past campaigns to create ads that you know will resonate with your audience.
• Use the knowledge you’ve gathered from your CPM campaigns about what works best among your audience to create and share more specific campaigns through HubSpot (since CPM campaigns are broad — more on this below).
• Review your CPM results alongside your attribution of revenue from your other ads and campaigns in HubSpot to determine overall ad spend versus your budget.
• Input contact data gathered from CPM ads in HubSpot so all contact and customer data across the entire business are organized in a single platform.

3. Use CPM in broad ad and marketing campaigns.

CPM campaigns are best for broad marketing ads and campaigns. That’s because their main function is raising brand awareness and recognition. They offer the insight and data businesses need to then get more specific with follow-up ads and who they’re targeting with those ads.

4. Highlight your point of difference.

Since your CPM ads are bound to be broad, be sure to highlight your product’s point of difference.

For instance, if you’re running a CPM ad on a training sneaker, ensure your ad makes the training shoe’s unique feature(s) (e.g. it’s ideal for all CrossFit athletes for X reason).

5. Think about ad format and placement.

When it comes to your CPM ads, it’s critical you consider ad format and placement.

Perform research on your buyer personas and target audience as well as competitive intelligence— this will provide an understanding of what will work best among your audience as well as what’s working well for your competitors.

This research will also help you decide which ad publisher you’ll use to share your CPM ads based on the audience you can target via that publisher as well as the format in which you can publish your ads (e.g. display ads, mobile ads, etc.). 

6. Consistently analyze your results.

Similar to all strategies in business, you need to analyze your results. Be sure to track the success of your CPM ads and campaigns — report on what’s working and what isn’t hitting the mark.

You can do this by calculating your CPM regularly (while ads are live and once campaigns end), sharing that information with team members, and iterating as needed. Most ad software also has reporting capabilities that can help you track, record, store, and share CPM results.

You can also log this information in your marketing software and/or your CRM so all things related to your marketing work and your customers are stored in a single platform.

Start Calculating CPM

CPM is a valuable metric for marketers and advertisers — it gives you an accurate understanding of your impressions.

As a result, you’ll gain insight into your level of brand awareness, which of your content and campaigns are being viewed the most, and what’s working well among your audience.

source https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/cpm-meaning

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Mark Zuckerberg angrily insists Facebook is the real victim here

Mark Zuckerberg is sick and tired of all the harm caused to Facebook.

Yes, you read that correctly. At the top of his company’s third quarter earnings call, the Facebook CEO broadly railed against the 17 news organizations working together to report on a massive trove of leaked internal documents dubbed the Facebook Papers. The problem, as Zuckerberg described it, is not the multiple terrors revealed by the reporting, but rather the media witch hunt targeting his well meaning trillion-dollar company.

“Good faith criticism helps us get better,” huffed the clearly indignant Zuckerberg, “but my view is that what we are seeing is a coordinated effort to selectively use leaked documents to paint a false picture of our company.”

Facebook has tried, and failed, to use this line of attack before to discredit reporting it views as unfavorable. On Oct. 18, the company’s PR team was roundly mocked for railing against media outlets agreeing to an embargo — a standard journalist practice that Facebook itself routinely asks of reporters.

Tweet may have been deleted

But past failure didn’t stop Zuckerberg from trying the approach once more. With his broadside against the vast media conspiracy out of the way, Zuckerberg then pivoted to conflating the fact that Facebook does internal research — the very research leaked by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen — with taking meaningful action on the findings of that research.

“The reality is that we have an open culture where we encourage discussion and research about our work so we can make progress on many complex issues that are not specific to just us,” he dissembled. “We have industry-leading programs to study the effects of our products and provide transparency to our progress.”

Notably, we know that Facebook-employed researchers tried time and time again to get Facebook leadership to act on their findings — often to little or no avail.

Oh, and seemingly for good measure, Zuckerberg also took a moment to let everyone listening know that this polarization thing has little if anything to do with him personally.

“Polarization started rising in the U.S. before I was born,” he stressed in a definitely not-protesting-too-much kind of way.

In the end, the CEO wanted any and all haters to understand that no coordinated effort is going to slow him down.

SEE ALSO: 5 damning revelations from the Facebook Papers

“We can’t change the underlying media dynamic, but there is a different constituency that we serve that has always been more important and that I try to keep in focus,” he said before pausing dramatically, “and that’s people.”

That’s right, insisted Zuckerberg, Facebook cares about people — his own company’s documents to the contrary be damned.

source https://mashable.com/article/mark-zuckerberg-reacts-facebook-papers

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7 Steps to Create a Complete Marketing Strategy in 2021

How many times have you seen a killer marketing strategy and thought to yourself, “Wow, I wish I would’ve thought of that!”

(Glossier, I’m looking at you.)

We’ve all been there. The truth is, when you’re just starting out, it can be tough to know whether your strategy is as comprehensive and powerful as it can be.

To help ease some of that uncertainty, we’ve created this guide that’ll show you step-by-step how to create a marketing strategy that leaves no stone unturned.

Let’s dive into the critical components of a complete marketing strategy in 2021, followed by some examples for further inspiration.

The Importance of Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Steps

A robust marketing strategy will reach your target audience – this includes those who have never heard of your brand all the way to those who have purchased from you before.

Without a defined strategy, you’ll essentially be throwing things to the wall to see what sticks. And it’s costing you cost, time, and resources.

A marketing strategy will:

• Align your team to specific goals.
• Help you tie your efforts to business objectives.
• Allow you to identify and test what resonates with your target audience.

There are seven key steps to crafting a successful marketing strategy: Build your marketing plan, create your buyer personas, identify your goals, select the tools, review your existing resources, audit and plan media campaign, and lastly, execute your strategy.

Let’s get into the details of each step in the next section. Or you can jump to the section you’re most interested in.

• 7 Steps of a Marketing Strategy
  • Build a marketing plan.
  • Create buyer personas.
  • Identify goals.
  • Select the appropriate tools.
  • Review your media.
  • Audit and plan media campaigns.
  • Bring it to fruition.

• Examples of Succesful Marketing Strategies
• What to Do After Following Your Marketing Process Steps

1. Build a marketing plan.

Wait, I have to make a plan for my strategy? What’s the difference?

Your marketing strategy provides an overview of the reasons why your marketing team will need certain resources, take certain actions, and set certain goals over the year. Your marketing plan is the specific actions you’ll take to achieve that strategy.

Not sure where to start? This free marketing plan template can help.

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The right template can help you build a marketing plan that identifies your budget for the year, the initiatives your marketing organization needs to tackle, and the marketing channels you’ll use to implement those initiatives.

Plus, it’ll tie everything back to a business summary, to keep you aligned with overarching company goals.

2. Create buyer personas.

If you can’t define who your audience is in one sentence, now’s your chance to do it. A buyer persona is an example of your ideal customer.

For example, a store like Macy’s could define a buyer persona as Budgeting Belinda, a stylish working-class woman in her 30’s living in a suburb, looking to fill her closet with designer deals at low prices.

With this description, Macy’s Marketing department can picture Budgeting Belinda and work with a clear definition in mind.

Buyer personas have critical demographic and psychographic information, including age, job title, income, location, interests, and challenges. Notice how Belinda has all of those attributes in her description.

You don’t have to create your buyer persona with a pen and paper. In fact, HubSpot offers a free template you can use to make your own (and it’s really fun).

Buyer personas should be at the core of building your strategy.

You can also use a platform like Versium, which helps you identify, understand and reach your target audience through data and artificial intelligence.

3. Identify your goals.

Your marketing strategy goals should reflect your business goals.

For example, if one of your business goals is to have 300 people attend your annual conference in three months, your goal as a marketer should be along the lines of boosting online registration by 10% at the end of the month to stay on track.

Other marketing goals might be to increase brand awareness or generate high-quality leads. You might also want to grow or maintain thought leadership in your industry or increase customer value.

Whatever your goals, identify what they are and how your marketing organization can work to achieve them over the next year.

4. Select the appropriate tools.

Once you have your goals identified, make sure you have the right tools to measure the success of those goals.

Online software like social media schedulers gives you analytics to help you keep track of what your audience likes and doesn’t. Alternatively, you might consider Google Analytics to measure blog and web page performance.

Additionally, make your goals SMART – to do so, take a look at How to Write a SMART Goal [+ Free SMART Goal Template].

Here are a few tools that can help you track and measure the success of your marketing goals:

HubSpot Marketing Hub

The Marketing Hub allows you to consolidate all of your marketing tools into one centralized platform.

Too often, you’ll find a tool that’s powerful but not very easy to use. With this tool, you can attract users with blogs, SEO, and live chat tools. You can then convert and nurture those leads through marketing automation, the landing page builder, and lead tracking features.

With custom reporting and built-in analytics, you can analyze your data and plan out your next move. Plus, HubSpot Marketing Hub integrates with over 500 tools.

Pricing: Free; Starter, $45/month; Professional, $800/month; Enterprise, $3,200/month.

Trello

Trello keeps your marketing team on track and openly communicating about the projects they’re working on. Create boards for individual campaigns, editorial calendars, or quarterly goals.

Built-in workflows and automation capabilities keep communication streamlined, and simplicity keeps your marketing team focused on the work that matters.

Pricing: Free; Business Class, $9.99/user/month; Enterprise, $17.50/user/month for 100 users.

Monday.com

Everything on Monday.com starts with a board or visually driven table. Create and customize workflows for your team and keep groups, items, sub-items, and updates synced in real-time.

You can also transform data pulled from timeline and Gantt views to track your projects on Monday.com and ensure deadlines have been met. Plus, with more than 40 integrations — from SurveyMonkey to Mailchimp and, of course, HubSpot — you can visualize your data and ensure your whole company is collaborating.

Pricing: Basic, $8/month/seat; Standard, $10/month/seat; Pro, $16/month/seat; Enterprise, contact for pricing.

SEMrush

SEO continues to be a huge factor in the successful ranking of your website.

SEMrush allows you to run a technical SEO audit, track daily rankings, analyze your competitor’s SEO strategy, research millions of keywords, and even source ideas for earning more organic traffic.

But the benefits don’t stop at SEO. Use SEMRush for PPC, building and measuring an effective social media strategy, content planning, and even market research.

Pricing: Pro, $99.95/month; Guru, $199.95/month; Business, $399.95/month.

Buzzsumo

BuzzSumo allows you to analyze data to enhance and lead your marketing strategy, all while exploring high-performing content in your industry.

Use the platform to identify influencers who may help your brand reach, monitor comments, and find trends to make the most of every turn.

As your needs evolve, you can also leverage their crisis management and video marketing tools.

Pricing: Pro, $99/month; Plus, $179/month; Large, $299/month; Enterprise, $499+/month.

Crazy Egg

Need to optimize your website this year? Consider getting started with Crazy Egg. You’ll be able to identify “attention hotspots” on your product pages, track ad campaign traffic on your site, and understand if shoppers are clicking where you want them to.

You can even make sure your “Buy Now” buttons are in the best place.

Crazy Egg also offers recordings, A/B testing, and more to help ensure your website is offering the best user experience.

Pricing: Basic, $24/month; Standard, $49/month; Plus, $99/month; Pro, $249/month; Custom options available upon request.

5. Review your media.

Decide what you already have in your arsenal that can help you create your strategy. To streamline this process, think of your assets in three categories – paid, owned, and earned media.

• Paid media means any channel you spend money on to attract your target audience. This includes offline channels like television, direct mail, and billboard to online channels like social media, search engines, and websites.
• Owned Media refers to any of the media your marketing team has to create: pictures, videos, podcasts, ebooks, infographics, etc.
• Earned media is another way to say user-generated content. Shares on social media, tweets about your business, and photos posted on Instagram mentioning your brand are all examples of earned media.

Gather your materials in each media type and consolidate them in one location to have a clear vision of what you have and how you can integrate them to maximize your strategy.

For example, if you already have a blog that’s rolling out weekly content in your niche (owned media), you might consider promoting your blog posts on Twitter (paid media), which customers might then reTweet (earned media). Ultimately, that will help you create a better, more well-rounded marketing strategy.

If you have resources that don’t fit into your goals, nix them. This is a great time to clean house and identify gaps in your materials.

6. Audit and plan media campaigns.

Cleaning house segues straight into this step. Now, you must decide which content is going to help you.

Focus on your owned media and marketing goals. For instance, will updating the CTAs at the end of your blog posts help you increase RSVPs to your event?

Next, look at your buyer personas. Let’s say you work for a video editing software company. If one of your persona’s challenges is adding clean sound effects to their videos but you don’t have any content that reflects that, make a 15-second demo video for Instagram to show how great your product is at solving that challenge.

Finally, create a content creation plan. The plan should include topic clusters, goals, format, and channel for each piece of content. Be sure to include which challenge it’s solving for your buyer persona.

For ideas on content creation or a more in-depth look at how to create a content plan, check out our post, The Ultimate Guide to Content Creation.

7. Bring it to fruition.

At this point, your market research and planning should help you visualize how your strategy will be executed – and by which teams.

The final step is to bring that all together and assign actions to your plans.

Create a document that maps out the steps you need to take to execute your campaign. In other words, define your strategy.

Think long-term when creating this document. A standard strategy document is 12 months. This structured timeline should be the home base for your strategic marketing efforts.

To paint an example, let’s go back to the video software company.

Maybe in January, you will launch a software update that improves the exportation process for users. In April, you want to publish an ebook that explains editing terms to your buyer personas, and in September, you plan to launch an integration with other software.

Remember, your digital strategy is unique to your business, so the document should be as well. As long as the strategy includes the pertinent details outlined in previous sections, you’ll be set.

Now that we’ve explored the critical steps of a complete marketing strategy, let’s look at some “Why didn’t I think of that?” strategies to inspire your own.

Examples of Successful Marketing Strategies

1. Regal Movies

Digital strategy: Owned media

Regal Movies took the Halloween spirit to a new level, even renaming its Twitter account to reflect the spirit of the season. This “Monster Madness” poll is a fun, interactive way to get followers invested in Regal’s content:

Image Source

Regal’s tweet is an example of owned media because the company was in full control of the answers followers gave (and, apparently, American Werewolf didn’t stand a chance).

Regal effectively kept true to their brand by using only classic movies in their poll while still putting a modern spin on it.

This is also a good example of how retweets don’t necessarily equal success. While four retweets aren’t that big of a deal, check out the votes: 461. That means there were over 400 interactions with a single tweet.

2. Pipsnacks

Digital strategy: User-generated content, earned media

User-generated content is one of the best ways to gain traction in your strategy.

It demonstrates your appreciation for loyal customers and also incentivizes other users’ to promote your products for the chance at a similar shout-out.

Plus, sometimes the content your brand loyalists create is really, really good.

Image Source

In this case, the consumer is praising the brand’s product. Doesn’t get better than a fantastic review like that.

3. Small Girls PR

Digital strategy: Event marketing

Wait, is that Keke Palmer?

Image Source

Small Girls PR is a boutique PR company based in New York, and one of the company’s talents is throwing amazing events for their clients, like Olay. This event recap carousel on Instagram is an effective event marketing example, as it boosts awareness for your brand and offers social proof by featuring a public figure.

4. Superside

Digital strategy: Paid media

Design agency Superside launched an Instagram ad to promote a lead magnet: Their digital ad design guide. While the brand may have created the guide specifically for paid promotions, it’s also possible that they repurposed a high-performing blog post into a downloadable ebook.

In this case, all they had to do was repackage their current content, build an ad around it with creative assets, and run it.

In previous sections, we discussed the power of leveraging multiple forms of media in your marketing strategy. This is a great example of it.

5. Target

Digital strategy: Paid media, Twitter cards

If you’ve got the budget for paid media, take full advantage of it.

Paid media is when you pay social channels, like Twitter, to promote your content on their site. By doing this, your content reaches new audiences you might not be able to reach organically:

Image Source

This inclusive ad from Target about fall shopping uses Twitter cards to promote the brand and make shopping easy with the click of a button.

More social channels are offering ways for shoppers to purchase in-app or close to it, driving sales and boosting exposure for brands.

What to Expect After Following Your Marketing Process Steps

Ultimately, creating a complete marketing strategy isn’t something that can happen overnight. It takes time, hard work, and dedication to ensure you’re reaching your ideal audience, whenever and wherever they want to be reached.

Stick with it (and use some of the resources we’ve included in this post), and over time, research and customer feedback will help you refine your strategy to ensure you’re spending most of your time on the marketing channels your audience cares most about.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in October 2019. It has been updated for freshness and accuracy.

source https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/marketing-strategy

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Content Mapping 101: The Template You Need to Personalize Your Marketing

Content mapping allows you to deliver highly targeted, personalized content at every stage of the buyer’s journey, pushing leads and prospects toward a purchase decision. In this post, we’ll go over what a content map is and how you can start content mapping for your brand.

Let’s get started.

Why are content maps important?

Creating a content map is important because it personalizes your audience’s experience with your brand. They’re not receiving a one-messaging-fits-all offer or email. Instead, they get content that speaks to them at the right moment.

The idea of a content map may seem new, but it’s not. Marketers hear it all the time: The content you create needs to be personalized. It needs to be aligned with the wants and needs of your customers (and prospective customers). It needs to resonate with them. It needs to feel like it was created just for them.

On its surface, this sounds like great advice. Personalization, giving people content that they’re actually interested in … it makes perfect sense. But coming up with the actual topics that make for a highly targeted content strategy isn’t that easy.

To help you brainstorm and map out content ideas for targeting specific segments of your audience, we’ve created a new free template resource: Content Mapping Template: Using Buyer Personas & Lifecycle Stages to Create Targeted Content.

Download Your Free Template Now

I’ll talk more about how you can use this template in a bit. But first, let’s take a look at how this whole “content mapping” business works.

And when you have this concept down, you’ll want to check out HubSpot Academy’s free content marketing training resource page to learn how to map a content strategy for your business.

Content mapping supports the customer journey and creates a more cohesive, personalized customer experience.

When it comes to content, one size rarely fits all. To ensure that your company’s content is effective at generating and nurturing leads, you need to deliver the right content, to the right people, at the right time. Content mapping is the process of doing just that.

With content mapping, the goal is to target content according to:

• A buyer persona, e.g. The characteristics of the person who will be consuming the content.
• The buyer’s lifecycle stage, e.g. how close that person is to making a purchase.

Let’s go over these two qualities right now.

Buyer Personas

Buyer personas are fictional, generalized representations of your ideal customers. They help you understand your customers (and prospective customers) better, and make it easier for you to tailor content to the specific needs, behaviors, and concerns of different groups.

The strongest buyer personas are based on market research as well as on insights you gather from your actual customer base (through surveys, interviews, etc.). Depending on your business, you could have as few as one or two personas, or dozens. If you’re just getting started with personas, don’t go crazy! You can always develop more personas later if needed.

Lifecycle Stages

The buyer persona you target with your content is just one half of the content mapping equation. In addition to knowing who someone is, you need to know where they are in the buying cycle (i.e. how close they are to making a purchase). This location in the buying cycle is known as a lifecycle stage.

For the purposes of our Content Mapping Template, we’re divvying up the buying cycle into three lifecycle stages: Awareness, Consideration, & Decision.

• Awareness: In the awareness stage, a person has realized and expressed symptoms of a potential problem or opportunity.
• Consideration: In the consideration stage, a person has clearly defined and given a name to their problem or opportunity.
• Decision: In the decision stage, a person has defined their solution strategy, method, or approach.

By combining buyer personas with lifecycle stages, you can really hone in on specific segments of your audience and tailor content to resonate with each of those segments.

As you get more acquainted with content mapping, you’ll want to consider website content mapping as well.

Website Content Mapping

Website content mapping is the process of planning the pages, blog posts, and offers you’ll publish on your site and identifying which buyer personas those pages and posts will serve. Website content mapping also identifies which pages and posts address different lifecycle stages.

Website content mapping is a key element of website personalization. In essence, you’ll create different pages, posts, and offers to address different buyers at different points in the buyer’s journey.

But before you can write all of that content, the content map comes first. Luckily, you don’t have to create one from scratch.

With the right content mapping template, you can get create a content map that resonates with your audience.

Content Mapping Template

Download Your Free Template Now

To help you create a content map for your own team, we’ve created a downloadable content mapping template. The template includes an introduction to content mapping, a crash course on buyer personas and lifecycle stages, a content mapping template (plus examples), and bonus buyer persona templates.

With the template, you’ll:

• Learn how to understand buyer personas and lifecycle stages.
• Identify problems and opportunities that your audience needs help with.
• Brainstorm highly targeted content ideas that incorporate personas and lifecycle stages.

This template is available in both Google Docs and Microsoft Word.

Whether you want to download our content mapping template or create your own, let’s dive into the structure of a content mapping template.

HubSpot Content Mapping Template: How to Use

In our content mapping template, we created a simple grid system. The buyer persona (and a key problem or opportunity that persona is struggling with) is at the start of the grid. As you move from left to right, you’re effectively moving down the funnel.

Here’s how to fill out each of the sections in the template.

Awareness Stage Content

Your awareness stage content should target the top of the funnel (TOFU). People in this segment are just becoming aware that they have a problem. At this stage, don’t try to beat them over the head with product-focused content. Instead, think of how your content can help people become more informed about the problem in general, and you’ll (hopefully) find that they continue moving down your funnel as they search for solutions.

Consideration Stage Content

Your consideration stage content, in comparison, can more explicitly mention how your product or service could potentially solve a problem. Keep in mind, however, that at this point in the buying cycle, people are still evaluating their options. So while case studies and demo videos are fine, save your more sales-focused content (estimates, free trials, etc.) for the next stage.

Decision Stage Content

At the decision stage of the game, you can really lean into marketing your products or services. If someone has reached this stage, they’ve already identified a problem and a solution, and are now getting ready to pull the proverbial trigger. You can begin to send more “salesy” emails and offers that push the buyer toward a purchase decision.

Unsure of what this all can look like when put together? Let’s take a look at an example below.

Content Mapping Example

You now know what content mapping is, and you have the template you need to get started. What type of tools can you use to start content mapping?

Content Mapping Tools

Content mapping may seem like a difficult task that requires highly specialized software. It’s not true — it requires simple business tools you may already be using in your day-to-day.

We’ll start with the most basic tools you need to start content mapping, such as word processors and visualization tools. Then we’ll move into the tools that will get you the data that you need to address different buyers, such as a CRM.

1. Google Docs

First up in your content mapping tech stack is your preferred word processor. This is where you’ll outline your content map and write out the actual content once it’s time to create it. We highly recommend Google Docs because it makes it easier to share work across your team, and you never have to worry about backing up your content map.

Pricing: Free

2. Lucidchart

If you’re more of a visual person, then a flowchart tool is a must. Also, if you’d prefer to create an actual content map — with lines and diagrams — then you need a more sophisticated tool than Microsoft Paint (and Microsoft Paint is great, but it may not be what you need). Lucidchart’s flowchart maker is a top-of-the-line tool that also allows you to connect different apps and services. Like Google Docs, it allows you to work collaboratively.

Pricing: Free; $7.95/month (Individual); $9/month (Team); Custom (Enterprise)

3. HubSpot

HubSpot’s CRM is the one tool you need to compile all of your data from current and prospective customers. You’ll have access to names, emails, prior engagements, and website visits all in one intuitive place. HubSpot will allow you to discern different lifecycle stages and pinpoint commonalities between customers who are ready to purchase — and customers who are not. As such, you’ll be able to make data-driven decisions as you create your content map.

Pricing: Free

4. Marketing Hub

Once you have access to the customer data that you need, it’s time to write the content and distribute it. For that, you need a marketing automation tool. Marking Hub comes bundled with everything you need to create a personalized experience for your leads and prospects, such as email marketing tools. It’ll help you execute your content map once it’s ready for deployment.

Pricing: $0/month (Free); $45/month (Starter); $800/month (Professional); $3,200/month (Enterprise)

5. CMS Hub

A content management system is probably the most important tool for your content mapping efforts. A CMS will allow you to publish personalized content that targets different site visitors at — you guessed it — different stages of the buyer’s journey.

CMS Hub is fully integrated with HubSpot’s CRM platform and Marketing Hub, allowing you to create a seamless experience for your customers as they receive the content you’ve designed for them. It will help you execute your content map flawlessly. Even more importantly, with CMS Hub, you can continue testing and re-testing your content for better results.

Pricing: $23/month (Starter); $360/month (Professional); $1,200/month (Enterprise)

Not quite convinced that content mapping is worth it? Let’s hear from some marketers who are actually doing this stuff …

Content Mapping Tips From the Pros

1. Educate your audience.

“We all have to create compelling content to attract our ideal clients, build an active and engaged audience, and get daily sales. Spend time building your audience by educating them and engaging with them. No one has built a business by posting the same image or type of image everyday on socials and not having convoys with their audience. It is not just about showing up, but doing so with intention so you can attract your ideal clients who will buy from you.”

– Adanna Austin (Business Coach and Consultant, Marketing Dynamics Business Solutions)

2. Give your prospects the information they need before they ask for it.

“With content mapping, you can give your prospects the information they are asking for before they even ask for it. Buyer personas and lifecycle stages allow you to be one step ahead of the game by mapping out what your prospect’s next steps are and delivering them the content from numerous different avenues.

We create buyer personas as part of our onboarding process and everything we do from content offer to daily tweets is centered around that document. We also always ask ourselves, ‘Would business owner Bob open this email, click this tweet, or download this offer?'”

– Laura Hogan (Founder, Digital Atlas Marketing)

3. Provide different conversion paths for different personas.

“When mapping out content for your site’s visitors, it’s important to remember that when it comes to purchasing decisions (BOFU conversions, especially for B2B and high-priced items), there are some personas out there who would rather speak to someone on their terms rather than fill out a form for a consultation. Understanding how they are most comfortable when it comes to making decisions can help you understand what points of conversion will be the most relevant and successful for that persona.

Optimizing your site pages (landing and thank you pages, as well), TOFU & MOFU offers, and workflows with direct contact information (phone #, email, etc.) is a great way to ensure that visitors, prospects and leads who may shy away from form submissions still have readily available, alternate means of converting.”

– Marc Herschberger (Director of Operations, Revenue River Marketing)

4. Create specific content that appeals to specific personas.

“Mapping out buyer personas and lifecycle stages is extremely important when creating content. In terms of buyer personas, it’s easy to see that a Marketing Director will have different questions, information needs, and interests compared to a CEO. Both of these personas may be searching for your product or service, but they’ll be looking for different topics. By creating content that appeals to each audience, you can be more effective in attracting that specific audience.

By the same token, each persona of yours may be in a different stage of the buying process, so it’s important to think through and create content that appeals to someone looking for basic, high-level information such as an ebook, as well as specific information like a pricing guide or case study.

One tip I’d suggest for anyone with pretty different personas would be to dedicate an entire section of your site to each audience. That way, when you pull in your audience, all the content is directed toward them.

We actually took this concept and went a step further by creating unique brands for each one of our vertical markets. Each brand has its own section of the website, its own blog content, and its own premium content (downloadable offers). It’s really helped us attract and convert visitors at a higher rate because all the content is more relevant to that persona.”

– Spencer Powell (Chief Executive Officer, Builder Funnel)

4. Pull content topics from your sales process.

“By taking the buyer and buying stage into account when creating content, you can be sure that you’re designing content to help move them through the buying process.

In addition to mapping content to the buyer profile and buying stage, we regularly pull topics from the sales process. Then we offer the content in later sales calls. This helps us not only evaluate the relevancy of the content but also the interest of the buyer. We encourage clients to do the same.”

– Diona Kidd (Managing Partner, Knowmad)

Content Mapping is Key to Your Company’s Growth

Delivering the right content at the right time can do wonders for your company’s growth. By meeting prospects’ needs based on their persona and lifecycle stage, you’re delighting them at every turn, boosting your chances of winning a loyal customer and turning them into a brand evangelist.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2014 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

source https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-mapping-template-personalize-marketing

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5 damning revelations from the Facebook Papers

No matter how bad conditions appear on the surface, it’s even more treacherous below.

That’s the disturbing takeaway from the Facebook Papers, a collection of internal Facebook documents leaked by whistleblower Frances Haugen and reviewed by 17 news organizations. Their stories paint a picture of a company broken beyond repair, that, despite scandal after scandal, still has the power to shock.

A small taste of that reporting, summed up below, proves just how bad the situation truly is.

1. Facebook’s leaders ignored their own employees’ cries for reform

The people who work at Facebook are not a monolith, and the Atlantic reports that company documents show some employees calling out real-world harm caused by the platform — only to be brushed aside by higher-ups.

“How are we expected to ignore when leadership overrides research based policy decisions to better serve people like the groups inciting violence today,” a Facebook staffer wrote in the fallout of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. “Rank and file workers have done their part to identify changes to improve our platform but have been actively held back. “

2. Mark Zuckerberg personally approved censoring anti-government posts abroad while masquerading as a free speech advocate in the U.S.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t want to be in the business of censoring political speech, he has repeatedly insisted. And yet, according to the Washington Post, he’s personally done just that when it suits his company’s bottom line.

The Post highlights a particular nasty example of the CEO’s duplicity in Vietnam, where, according to people familiar with the decision, Zuckerberg himself made the call to censor anti-government posts on behalf of the ruling Communist Party in 2020.

Vietnam is an important market for Facebook. A 2018 Amnesty International estimate found Facebook earned approximately $1 billion in annual revenue from the country.

3. Facebook’s own researchers were shocked by its algorithm’s recommendations

That the Facebook algorithm amplifies divisive content is now a widely understood fact. Even so, the horrific nature of that content still has the power to shock even Facebook’s own researchers.

“On Feb. 4, 2019, a Facebook researcher created a new user account to see what it was like to experience the social media site as a person living in Kerala, India,” reports the New York Times. “For the next three weeks, the account operated by a simple rule: Follow all the recommendations generated by Facebook’s algorithms to join groups, watch videos and explore new pages on the site.”

I’ve seen more images of dead people in the past three weeks than I’ve seen in my entire life total.

According to internal Facebook documents, the experiment laid bare just how skewed Facebook’s recommendation systems are.

“Following this test user’s News Feed, I’ve seen more images of dead people in the past three weeks than I’ve seen in my entire life total,” wrote the Facebook researcher.

4. Facebook puts politics front and center when enforcing its own rules

Reporting has shown that Zuckerberg feared the wrath of Facebook’s conservative users, and thus would personally intervene on behalf of right-wing pundits and publishers. Leaked documents contained in the Facebook Papers and highlighted by Politico show that even Facebook’s own researchers were aware of this, and repeatedly called it out internally.

“Facebook routinely makes exceptions for powerful actors when enforcing content policy,” wrote a Facebook data scientist in a 2020 internal presentation titled Political Influences on Content Policy. “The standard protocol for enforcement and policy involves consulting Public Policy on any significant changes, and their input regularly protects powerful constituencies.”

Notably, as Politico points out, the Public Policy team referred to by the researcher includes Facebook lobbyists.

What’s more, Facebook researchers confirmed that Zuckerberg himself often got involved in deciding whether a post should stay or go — suggesting a two-tier system of enforcement dependent on unwritten rules.

In multiple cases the final judgement about whether a prominent post violates a certain written policy are made by senior executives, sometimes Mark Zuckerberg. If our decisions are intended to be an application of a written policy then it’s unclear why executives would be consulted. If instead there was an unwritten aspect to our policies, namely to protect sensitive constituencies, then it’s natural that we would like executives to have final decision-making power.

5. It took a threat from Apple to prompt a Facebook full-court press against human trafficking

Human traffickers have used Facebook’s tools to power their work. As CNN reports, a 2020 internal Facebook document made clear that Facebook was long aware of this fact.

“[Our] platform enables all three stages of the human exploitation lifecycle (recruitment, facilitation, exploitation) via complex real-world networks,” reads the internal Facebook report in part.

And yet, while human trafficking has long been explicitly banned on Facebook, it took Apple threatening to boot Facebook and Instagram from the Apple App Store in 2019 for Facebook to muster the type of response one might have expected much earlier.

“Removing our applications from Apple platforms would have had potentially severe consequences to the business, including depriving millions of users of access to IG & FB,” reads the document reviewed by CNN. “To mitigate against this risk, we formed part of a large working group operating around the clock to develop and implement our response strategy.”

SEE ALSO: Facebook announces $50 million distraction

Importantly, Apple wasn’t the first to bring the issue to Facebook’s attention.

“Was this issue known to Facbeook [sic] before the BBC enquiry and Apple escalation?” the internal Facebook report asks. “Yes.”

source https://mashable.com/article/facebook-papers-revelations

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