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How to Win Influencers and Friend People
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How to Win Influencers and Friend People

If this headline sounds familiar, it's because Dale Carnegie wrote the bestselling book about social influence, “How to Win Friends and Influence People in 1937. Even though digital influence wasn't around back then, the basics of human connection remain the same: How you choose to connect with people (online or offline) influences your business.

content marketing

When you win influencers and friend people you bring your A+ game to the (poker) table. This allows you to: 

  • Gain new insights into your industry
  • Have fun
  • Win new business along the way

It's like getting dealt the joker in every play.

But not everyone is so lucky.

It takes charisma and wit to get the joke(r). And the stats prove it:

  • Crowdtap, a company that helps businesses run influence marketing initiatives, polled 1,000 people to share how they were influenced to make a purchase in the past three months. Their research found that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from peers over all other forms of advertising.
  • According to Branderati, marketing-induced consumer-to-consumer word of mouth generates more than 2X the sales of paid advertising.
  • Offers shared by trusted advocates convert at 4-10x higher rate than offers sent by brands.
  • According to studies made at the Carnegie Institute of Technology, 85% of one's financial success is due to skill in human engineering – to personality and the ability to lead people

And “leading people is Dale Carnegie's 1937 term for “influencer marketing” (he just didn't know it at the time).

It's all about engaging people within your niche, building solid relationships, and shaping buying behaviors in an authentic way. When you use your authenticity, you set a strong foundation for your content marketing strategy, and you empower your consumer to tell your brand story. This allows you to always play the winning hand to set your business up for future success.

Poker cards

Here are some ideas for how to win influencers and friend people (the authentic way): 

1. Create User-Generated Content

One of the best ways to hit the trifecta at Vegas is to create User Generated Content (UGC). Or as I like to call it: Undeniable Glorious Connections.

Here's why: Millennials are spending over five hours a day consuming UGC. It's this content that influences what they buy.

When you make UGC the center of your content marketing strategy, you create content that acts as memorable experiences for your brand. The bonus is that UGC is 40% more trustworthy than traditional media sources.

But don't just keep up – keep honest. Dale Carnegie would file this concept under basic “relationship management” because it's this type of trust that keeps your customers coming back. He describes it as “the legal tender that all souls enjoy.” Mmmm….legal tender.

2. Come to the (poker) table with a (soulful) strategy

The best influencers and content marketers (and dare I say it, growth hackers) have a pre-established audience who are already receptive to their ideas and recommendations. So you'll want to align with those who have similar values to your brand. Don't collaborate with someone because he or she is “insta-famous.” Instead, strive for a meaningful collaboration so that you find the right influencers to mutually benefit from the relationship. Always position yourself in the seat of your customers to create the most meaningful strategy.

But don't just “add more stuff” to your strategy. Create minimalist content so that you can live a life that's an authentic expression of your Truth. It's from this space that we can create content with context from your unique perspective (preferably one with a view of the strip!)

Vegas

The above photo was my view the last time I was in Vegas, taken from the 61st floor of The Cosmopolitan during CES (I think I'm still recovering from this trip!)

With a good view, you can build the best user experience so that you can..

3. Focus on the entire user experience

Despite the scene of Vegas, content marketing is not just a wham, bam, thank you ma'am approach. It's more meaningful than a one-night stand, so you'll want to think about what happens after the act of publication.

Yeah, that (the fun stuff!)

Keep in mind that 90% of Millennials are brand agnostic. So here some questions to consider.

How will your content help your customers:

  • Learn
  • Entertain
  • Buy

Answering these questions shows that you have a genuine interest in your customers – which helps not only their success but yours too – regardless of what hand you play. 

Want to talk Carnegie and Content? 

Email: hello@jessicaannmedia.com. 

May 16, 2016 0 comment
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How to Tastefully Use GIF Humor in Content Marketing
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How to Tastefully Use GIF Humor in Content Marketing

GIFs have been the go-to format for many artists on Tumblr for years. Recently many other platforms started accepting the GIF format, including Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook who all allow the GIF auto-play to happen. But if you're one of the many folks who still doesn't understand what these weird letters mean, let's start with the acronym (Tip: it's more fun to say GIF than the actual words – you'll see what I mean).

IMG_8431

GIF stands for Graphic Interchange Format (yawn) and it's an image format that's used widely on the web. The more exciting way to look at GIFs is like you're giving your viewers a “gift” (minus the “t”). According to The Guardian:

The gif has evolved from a medium for pop-cultural memes into a tool with serious applications including research and journalism.

So, how do you use GIF humor in a tasteful, informative way? Here are some tips:

1. Serve the Larger Story

Even though GIFs are meant to be funny, remember that you're introducing a new activity to the screens of your audience. Cue the serious face: This is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

Erich Nagler, the previous art director for The New York Times, believes that GIFs need to serve the story rather than just bring more bells and whistles and visual noise, which the Internet certainly does not need.

Nagler is right. The Internet does not need more noise. If you're going to create a GIF (which is often seen as noise if it's not done right), make sure that the noise serves a higher purpose. While GIFs often don't have literal noise, it's the visual noise (with the movement) that can create clutter in the mind of the viewers. Make sure that your animation serves the larger story that your brand tells. You don't want to have unnecessary movement or noise for the sake of it. You want the movement within the animation to add value to the story.

Example: Office Depot

This brand didn't create a GIF for the sake of being clever. Office Depot created a GIF that tied in perfectly for National Doodle Day. They wanted to show that they're participating in a fun day of doodling while simultaneously (and slyly) promoting one of their products (Tul pens). Notice how there's no mention of the price of the pens. The brand stuck with good ole fashioned marketing simplicity so that the story could be seen and sketched (literally and figuratively).

2. Do the Unexpected

The best GIFs have an element of surprise. This is usually done through a looping GIF or a seamless animation that at first looks like still photography shot but then unexpectedly starts moving. This tactic is naturally full of humor because it's slightly shocking and a bit mysterious.

The 19th Century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer believed that humor is a result of a violated expectation. When GIFs suddenly move, it violates the expectation that the photo was going to stand still. MedicalDaily agrees: A sense of humor is a reaction to unexpectedness. But how do you “do the unexpected” in a way that's not gimmicky?

Example: Frank Underwood's side eye from House of Cards

This tactic works because the leading character of House of Cards is staring at us, the viewers, directly in the eye. His stare into our screen is so unexpected that it violates our expectations of what animation can do.

3. Be Subtle

Cinemagraphs are a combination of both still photography and video, and they do the best job of featuring subtle movement (compared to the more animated GIF cousin). According to Ogilvy, cinemagraphs are deemed more as an art piece and they're all the rage. Its file format is still .gif, but it is conceptually different from actual GIFs. (Here is more information on the difference between GIFs and cinemagraphs).

The subtly of a cinemagraph adds a level of tasteful elegance that's hard to create with GIFs (even though it can still be done).

Artist Ann Street created this eye-catching cinemagraph for Chanel. It works because the animation draws the viewer into the sparkle of the brand story. The nonchalant blink of the model, coupled with the sparkly, firecracker logo conveys the dichotomy between nonchalance and elegance “a vibe that can only be captured through the subtle nuance of a cinemagraph.

4. Be Tasteful

Tasteful GIFs are a powerful way to add personality and flair. According to The Next Web, one or two tastefully placed GIFs can add interest and act as a call to action, prompting click-through. The key word in that quote is tastefully because well, let's be real: GIFs often get a bad reputation of being, well, not so classy at times. Instead of using GIFs as a way to share funny Internet memes, think about how they can be used to enrich the experience of your customers.

For example, a company called Invision incorporates GIFs into their website, enriching the user experience.

The design of this website is top-notch, and when it's coupled with an animation, the content truly comes alive.

Remember to treat the GIF medium like a gift to your customers.

When you serve the larger story and are unexpected, subtle, and tasteful, you can elevate the conversations in your industry in a classy, engaging way without causing a ruckus.

via GIPHY

Learn more about my content marketing services here.

 

April 15, 2016 1 comment
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Why is Everyone Using Growth Hacking?
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Why is Everyone Using Growth Hacking?

Why Is Everyone Using Growth Hacking?

Growth hacking is:

1) a new tool that allows you to add Miracle Gro to your website
2) the moment you put on heels
3) the buzzword du jour or
4) something you say in a conversation to make it seem like you're a smart marketer.

If you answered 3 and/or 4, you're right. This term is sprouting up (forgive the pun) on conference calls and meetings every second of the day and it carries a significant amount of danger with it. So, why is everyone using the term “growth hacking” in marketing? And what do you need to know about it if you're looking to be seen online?

Many marketers rebrand themselves as growth hackers these days as a way to attribute success to the product (and not to marketing). Growth hacking is a self-taught skill and mentality in which you're endlessly adding value, building communities, and driving traffic to bring in money to scale a start-up.

Everything that these growth hackers do is measured by its impact on scalable growth. Since it involves endless iterations on new ideas (that thrive on the web), many believe that you must be a formal engineer to be a growth hacker. But that's not the case. According to Gagan Biyani, the co-founder of Udemy:

Many of the growth hacking descriptions on the Web are unnecessarily restrictive. I don't believe growth hackers must be formal engineers when many of the most well-regarded growth hackers don't code regularly.

While you may not need to be an engineer, you do need to be a web wizard who can combine the art of marketing with the science of product engineering to create a winning trifecta of:

  • Clever marketing (yes, it is marketing)
  • Intuitive product development, and
  • In-depth analytics.

Back in 2010, Sean Ellis, the first marketer at Dropbox, coined the term in an article on “How to Find a Growth Hacker for Your Startup.” Growth hackers scale quickly through creativity to endlessly and efficiently iterate on new ideas to “hack” business growth.

Danielle Morrill, CEO and Cofounder of Mattermark, believes that:

The best growth hackers are questioning marketing as we know it today, because the online tactics that were once the territory of a select few are now table stakes. Metrics, scalability, lean, and iteration used to be words that came from a product team. With growth hacking, the best marketers sound like product gurus and software engineers.

If you're looking to be the next big growth hacker, get out your cape (because all the best growth hackers wear capes). If this sounds like nonsense, it's because it is. According to this thread on Quora titled “Is Growth Hacking Nonsense?, 24 people chimed in to share their opinion on whether they believe the term is rubbish. The gist? The term loses its value when it's used as a self-promotional tool.

Andy Johns, the Former Product Manager of Growth at Facebook, Twitter, and Quora believes that using the term may undermine your own legitimacy. Johns states:

It's very clearly a method of self-propagandism since the people who most aggressively cast themselves into the growth hacking culture are those who don't have a background that demonstrates they've actually grown anything to significant scale.

The thing is, if you're a good marketer, you are already building a product that's useful and interesting – and you're scaling and iterating. In fact, you're so busy doing this that if you're a really good marketer, you don't have the time to scream from the rooftop that you're a “growth hacker.” (Real growth hackers don't have time for that).

Will the Real Growth Hackers Please Stand Up?

Despite the wannabe growth hackers of the world, building an online empire with millions of users is a pretty good skill to possess. But what makes someone a true growth hacker? The real growth hackers are the ones who have already proven that they can scale.

Screen Shot 2015-11-13 at 5.50.36 PM

To get a better idea of what it takes to be a true growth hacker, Kissmetrics put together an infographic that shows modern-day growth hackers and how they're interconnected. The people on this list helped grow companies like Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, and Microsoft into what it is today. There's also this growth hacker mafia list, curated by Aaron Ginn (a growth hacker himself), with leaders in the space who have seemed to demonstrate the proven skills of a growth hacker. And then there's 16 Growth Hacking Tools Used by the Best Digital Marketing Startups in 2021.

According to Ginn, they all possess a mindset of data, creativity, and curiosity to accomplish the feat of growing a user base into the millions.

Growth Hacking vs. Marketing: The Difference

According to this Quicksprout guide, the one word that separates growth hackers from marketers is: analytics.

Analytics is the blood that flows through the veins of a growth hacker. Almost everything they do has an element of analytics either in the foreground or the background. Without analytics a growth hacker feels naked.

Sure, many marketers today understand analytics. But growth hackers have a deep understanding of analytics so that they can:

1) Make success repeatable

2) Predict the future

In other words, a growth hacker knows how to translate audience data (using both sides of the brain) to improve content marketing – which, in turn, drives traffic and brings in money. They mix their right-brain whimsy with left-brain practicality to build an audience of millions. But they don't let one side of the brain lead before the other. They leave a great amount of room for curiosity so that they can simultaneously ask questions to determine which marketing efforts are most effective. This helps to constantly evolve the business model so that money comes in and customers stay happy.

Growth hacking success stories can be attributed to acquiring new users quickly and efficiently. The thing is, there's not one way to do this. Growth hacking depends on the industry and the nature of the company. (For example, technology-centric companies can experiment with viral and paid acquisitions). The good news is that any kind of company can learn how to turn visitors into engaged users through a solid content marketing strategy. When you leverage blog posts, infographics, and videos you can increase brand awareness and website traffic.

The secret of growth hacking is in the mindset. Sure, everyone may be spewing the words “growth hacking” around your office (and online). But unless you have a solid success story or two, you may want to lay off using the term as a self-promotional tool. Instead, use your curiosity, creativity, and analytics to miraculously grow your company (with or without Miracle Grow).

Contact us to learn how to improve your content strategy today.

November 13, 2015 0 comment
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What is “Quality” Content?
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What is “Quality” Content?

Quality over quantity always wins. But what exactly is “quality” content?

It's the elusive golden word tossed around at least 20 times a day.

If you're the type of human being who refuses to roll with a mediocre definition of “quality” you probably came here to define and learn what makes something “quality.”

Quality: The standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something.

quality content

The thing is, quality content is entirely subjective.

But there are a few objective and scientifically proven traits that make quality content, well, quality. Here are some tips on how to make your content full of quality:

1. Credibility

Let' go into an alternate universe and pretend that this post was about dogs that dig deep-dish pizza (bare with me here). It's a great post, and you found yourself devouring the content so readily that you forget to check out the credibility of the author. You do a quick Google search and discover something shocking: The author is a cat lover who is allergic to pizza. The credibility of the author would immediately take a nosedive, wouldn't it? (for the record, this writer you're reading is a dog lover who loves pizza).

my dog

this is my dog, Karma. (She loves pizza too!)

This example demonstrates the need for credibility in your content. But for better or worse, credibility almost never has a tell. It just is, and it's up to the readers whether they believe it to be credible. The easiest way to do this is by doing your own research.

Here are some ways to make sure your credibility is on point:

  • Writer. It's the writer's job to keep the content honest, real and relevant.
  • Tone. This means a balance between serious information and voice. Let's be honest: Most online content is way too serious. Whether your natural writer voice is funny, frank or motivating, you should use it freely when you write. Your voice adds authenticity, which easily translates to credibility.
  • Subject matter. Make your content meaningful to your readers. Always offer value in a clear way. Whether you're giving career advice or supporting a controversial viewpoint about cats (who eat pizza), you need to come across as an expert about your subject matter without sounding condescending.
  • Unique perspective. If you're rehashing the same material as everyone else in your industry, your content may not be perceived as quality because nothing sets you apart. Instead, infuse your content with your personal or professional perspective. When you integrate your personal experiences with your professional perspective, you can create content gold.

2. Virtuosity

Virtuosity is an appreciation for fine objects of art. So what in the world does it have to do with content?

Well, like art, content creates conversation and connections, both of which lead to business. And since I believe that marketing your business is an art form, virtuosity is the path to connect.

sunset in NYC

Some ways to determine if your content has virtuosity:

  • Design. Your content should live on a website that has a simple, stunning design. High-quality images (that you create yourself) always help too. You don't always need flashy colors (or God forbid, flash) to make your web design stand out. You just need simplicity. Let your words be the focus of your site.
  • Grammar. Grammar is a staple of quality content. Just keep in mind that some of the best writers follow in the footsteps of Pablo Picasso, who encouraged learning the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. You don't always have to worry about misplaced commas when writing for readers of the web but please, please avoid lazy, purposeless typos.
  • Story. If design is the heart of quality content and grammar is the mind, then stories are the soul. Just like a good movie or book, stories reveal the invisible lines that tie your content's purpose together. Regardless of content format, be clear about your story before you write a single word, or design a color palette.

3. Engagement

Raise your hand if you like engagement. Now, raise your hand if you raised your hand.

If you just raised your hand at any point, great news! We're engaged. Not in the sense of if you like it, put a ring on it kind of way, but rather the we're actively getting to know one another sense of the word.

hashtag

Image credit: Thinkstock

Engagement is one of the most crucial aspects of quality content because it's the main method for adding context. In other words, when you create a piece of content, you've got the content itself and then everything else that makes it high quality and shareable. Engagement is the everything else.

Here are a few tips to engage with your audience on the most popular distribution platforms:

  • Blog Content. There are a million reasons to start a blog. You're a whip-smart human, so you may already know this: One of the easiest ways to engage on your blog is to allow comments. This builds a two-way connection with your readers, where comments allow the writer to see the reader and vice versa. (Just make sure the writer of the article replies and interacts with the commenters).
  • Facebook. Facebook is one of the noisiest platforms, so create a value plan before you publish anything. Don't just post a link to an article. Rather, create context for everything you share. Make a bold statement or ask a question. Whatever you do, don't push the publish button until you have clarity around your message, and you know what action you want to incite.
  • Twitter. Twitter is a fantastic tool to make an impact in the world. But it's a tough nut to crack if you're just getting started. So here are some basic tips: When sharing an article on Twitter, tag the author. If the article is relevant to certain influencers, tag them, too. This increases engagement and lets the author know that you’re reading and sharing his or her work.
  • Instagram. Instagram has a whopping 300 million engaged users each month. To engage on this platform, you have to be selective about what you share. Only post high-quality images, and be sure to target your desired audience by utilizing hashtags and trending conversations.
  • Pinterest. On Pinterest, each article that you create must have a beautiful image to go with it. Consider using a plug-in like the Pinterest Pin It Button for Images, which allows readers to pin your images onto one of their boards using a single click.

Now that we know the objective aspects of quality content, is there anything to be done about the inherent subjectivity of quality content? Well, for better or worse, it will probably always be just that: subjective. But by laying an objectively high-quality foundation, you can feel free to have fun and experiment knowing that its quality will shine.

October 30, 2015 0 comment
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How to Create Undeniable Glorious Connections
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How to Create Undeniable Glorious Connections

Are you down with UGC?

It's not just another . It's naughty and unpredictable by nature. And it wants you to come out and play.

You don't have to be naughty. But you do need to understand the nature of how it works and how it will evolve.

UGC is the acronym for user-generated content. But let's be real: Can you say “user-generated content” aloud without squirming due to the tone that your all-knowing marketing mouth gives it?

So let's swap the overly professional voice of user-generated content into what it actually means in today's content environment: Undeniable, Glorious Connection. Say that aloud. You feel better already, right?

So, now that we're on good terms with our fun new acronym, let's understand the evolution of UGC and how to create undeniable, glorious connections for your content marketing strategy.

Photo Oct 16, 1 03 27 PM

Glorious (dis)connection: The early days

UGC was born into the mainstream around 2005. It gained rapid popularity among Internet users because of the instant gratification factor: It allowed users to quickly broadcast their text, audio, video, and images on large content platforms like YouTube and Facebook.

But the early UGC attempts by brands and publishers too often looked like the ugly Seinfeld baby crying, ugly, and a little off.

Baby crying out loud

These companies would use UGC to start two-way interactions with customers, but the end result usually appeared as if they were trying way too hard (and executing it all wrong).

For example, some companies paid people to talk about their products or bought fake customer reviews (which still happens on user-review sites such as Yelp). They hoped the positive posts would create customer trust, but often experienced the opposite effect.

In other words, experience has revealed that sincerity isn't just ideal for successful UGC; it'scrucial.

Trust regained

A major shift has started bringing about a new, prettier UGC. Now, customers are slowly beginning to trust UGC again, mostly because of a rise in transparency.

Also, not only are potential contributors less likely to accept (or be offered) payment, they are more likely to share their authentic ideas. This is especially true of commerce sites such as Amazon, Netflix, and Groupon, where user reviews are requested after almost every purchase.

Ahh, trust regained on the Internet. Now we're feeling good. And the studies prove it: According to Nielsen, online consumer reviews are the second most-trusted source of brand information and messaging.

In other words, your best UGC should be front and center in your content strategy. For brands that don't traditionally collect user reviews, consider obtaining a few testimonials from notable or loyal clients.

Power to the (pretty) people

Content marketers should take notice of this brave, open world. For example, UGC (aka undeniable, glorious connection) that comes from social influencers can be a huge boon to content strategy.

Why? Because content marketing isn't just about creating content for the sake of it. It's about connection. When influencers connect over conversations about your product or service, you're more likely to make a sale at that moment or in the future when customers need your product or services.

Let's take a look at how to execute UGC for your brand:

1. Answer the how

Before you start writing a UGC strategy, dive deep into your customers' heads and figure out how you want to connect with them.

Here are some questions to get started:

  • Where do your customers hang out? For example, users hang out on YouTube for different reasons than those who hang out on Twitter or Facebook.
  • Why will your customers be creating content? Product expertise? Self-expression? Social interaction? Or maybe they hope to win a prize? (Pizza is always a good prize – just don't eat mine). 

Knowing the why behind what you're doing will help you form a clear, effective strategy.

2. Focus on quality, quality, quality

After you determine how you want to approach UGC, quality is the next thing to evaluate.

Put on the shoes of your potential contributors. Let's say you're a professional photographer and a camera company is running a photography contest. The company wants its customers (you) to submit their best photographs. While you peruse the other submissions, you notice that the pictures are not beautiful. At this point, you assume that the contest is for amateurs and choose not to submit your photography. In the worst case scenario, you become turned off to the company entirely because you think it sells products for amateur photographers.

According to the Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, high-quality content strongly influences the undeniable, glorious connection that companies should strive to achieve. It may seem superficial, but the power of pretty pictures (and high-quality everything) should never be underestimated.

And while you can't eliminate all low-quality photos in UGC campaigns, you can establish a few ground rules or tips to reduce the risk. For example, tell users to submit photos with only one main subject in them.

3. Create a holistic strategy

Integrating UGC into your social media maximizes brand loyalty. For example, eyewear company Warby Parker proactively listens to its customers on all social channels and runs multiple UGC campaigns in a year. It even encourages users to model their new specs and post to their social channels, creating fun and entertaining content.

warby-parker-facebook-example

You can also cultivate online conversations by using hashtags to humanize your brand on Instagram or Twitter. Just make sure that someone from your company is monitoring these hashtags and engaging with your customers. This will help you understand the motivations of your customers and  what they're saying about your brand, both of which are incredibly important.

Most importantly, UGC is one of the best options for adding some fun. Remember: If your customers perceive your content as interesting, they're more likely to connect with your company (online and offline) in the future.

Whether your company is seeking to connect more deeply or bring in more sales, it's undeniable: User-generated content is glorious for connecting.

This article originally appeared on The Content Marketing Institute.

October 16, 2015 0 comment
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