Friday, 30 December 2016

Chart Toppers 2016: Our 25 most popular blog posts of the year

525,600 minutes

As the song from the musical Rent famously asks, “How do you measure a year?” For us here at VerticalResponse, we’re measuring the last 12 months in 109 blogs, 70,256 words, and 7,053 social shares… That’s what we published this year (save for this very post you’re reading now).

Now, we know you don’t have time to read them all, so we crunched the numbers and pulled our top 25 most popular blog posts of 2016. Read them again, discover something new, or just browse the list. We hope you enjoy, and we’ll see you in 2017!

General Email Marketing

General Email Marketing

Email Design

Email Design

 Subject Lines and List Building

Subject Lines and List Building

Nonprofit & Event Marketing

Nonprofit and Event Marketing

More Marketing Tips

More Marketing Tips

The New Year starts in just a couple of days, and we’ve got a fresh lineup of great content prepped to help you grow your business in 2017.

Until then, a very big thank you to our customers, newsletter subscribers, and blog visitors. From all of us at VerticalResponse we wish you a Happy New Year and all the best for 2017!

Start 2017 Right with New Marketing Insights

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© 2016, Tori Tsu. All rights reserved.

The post Chart Toppers 2016: Our 25 most popular blog posts of the year appeared first on Vertical Response Blog.



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10 Pieces of Gear We Rely on to Get Our Work Done (FS195)

I’ve been working for myself full time for a little under a decade now and I use tools to get my work done every day.

Some tools are essential, like, I wouldn’t be able to get my work done without them.

Others are just super helpful.

On the show today we talk about 10 pieces of gear we rely on to get our work done. Some are fun, some are serious, some are perfect for that Amazon gift card you’ve got burning a hole in your pocket :)

Be sure to subscribe and say hi in the comments below and enjoy this episode of The Fizzle Show!

It’s better to listen on the go!    Subscribe on iTunes 

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“10 pieces of gear we rely on to get our work done”

Show Notes

Future Plans – Day Designer

Simplified Planner – Emily Ley

Passion Planner

Roost Industries Corp. | Roost Laptop Stand: Portable, Lightweight, Adjustable, Ergonomic Stand

Amazon.com: Moleskine Classic Notebook, Extra Large, Plain, Black, Soft Cover

A video that Chase found inspiring about journaling

Amazon.com: Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB Mic

PODCASTERS: The Podcaster's High Quality Microphone Shootout

Amazon.com: Shure X2U XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter: Musical Instruments

Amazon.com: Bose SoundSport in-ear headphones – Apple devices Charcoal: Home Audio & Theater

Ulysses Writing App for Mac

Amazon.com: Nest Cam Indoor security camera: Camera & Photo

Aer Fit Pack Review (Minimal Everyday Backpack) – YouTube

Drafts | Agile Tortoise

Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Joining a Facebook group about creative productivity is like buying a chair about jogging."



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Thursday, 29 December 2016

Advanced Reporting Is Awesome: Part 5 — Comparison Reports

Here at VerticalResponse headquarters, we’re pretty excited about all the insights Advanced Reporting offers users. To showcase the unique edge Advanced Reporting brings to your email marketing, we’re examining each feature individually to highlight its advantages. 

Today’s feature is Advanced Reporting’s comparison reports.

Click on “Compare” in the Advanced Reporting toolbar to see how recent campaigns have performed by a number of different metrics: by the words and characters in their subject lines, by their open and click rates, and by the day and time you sent them.

In our example below, take a look at how our current email stacked up against recent campaigns that we sent on different days of the week. The current campaign performed well, but not as well as ones we sent on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

With this information at your fingertips, you can plan and schedule your emails to reach your readers on the days they’re most likely to open them.

Likewise, comparison reports show you how the time of day you send emails affects their open rates, and you can also see how the length of your subject lines affects your emails’ performance. You may find that shorter, more direct subject lines draw their attention; or that your readers are more likely to click when the subject lines are longer and convey a little mystery. (However, we typically find that shorter works better!)

By clicking on “Lists” in the Advanced Reporting toolbar, you can easily compare the performance of an email that you sent to multiple subscriber lists. For instance, let’s say you want to send an email to two subscriber lists: your in-store signups and your website signups. With Advanced Reporting, you can send the email to both lists simultaneously, and then see how it performs with each list. There’s no need to send the email to one list at a time and then try to compare performance manually. 

With this level of granular detail, you can easily see how your different lists react to your email campaigns. This information is one more factor to take into consideration when crafting your messages. When you know what works for your various lists, you can tailor your content to them.

Similarly, when you know which days of the week, times of the day, and types of subject lines resonate with your readers, you’re better equipped than ever before to craft emails that will capture their attention and entice them to take the action you want them to.

Comparison reports are just one more way that Advanced Reporting lets you focus your time and effort on emails that make the maximum impact. Upgrade to a Pro plan to start using Advanced Reporting right away. 

Don’t Have a VerticalResponse Account Yet?

It’s easy to use and free to get started. Sign up and send up to 4,000 emails per month for free.

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© 2016, John Habib. All rights reserved.

The post Advanced Reporting Is Awesome: Part 5 — Comparison Reports appeared first on Vertical Response Blog.



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The Difference Between Cheap and Good

The Difference Between Cheap and Good

You’ve probably noticed how much cheap marketing and writing advice is out there. So many hypey “hacks” … so few results.

We’re much more into the long game. It takes time and energy to produce good content, which is why we like solid, proven strategies that are actually worth your time.

This week, we have some deep dives for you.

On Monday, Beth Hayden shared some thoughts on promoting your content to improve your SEO. (Like all good SEO recommendations, content promotion isn’t just for search engines — its most important function is to find more humans who would love to read, watch, or listen to your content.)

On Tuesday, Aaron Orendorff wrote about one of our favorite things — evergreen content. Instead of trying to chase news (along with thousands of other sites in your topic), with evergreen content, you develop a thoughtful, compelling angle on a subject and put in the extra work that lifts it above the usual noise. Aaron gives 20 ideas you can use to shape content that will work for the long haul.

I have a suggestion for you: Take Aaron’s list of 20, pick the ones that resonate with you, and get one onto your calendar for each month of 2017. They won’t be 12 easy posts to write … but if you put real effort into them, they’ll bring genuine, long-lasting authority to your site.

On Wednesday, I pulled together some of my favorite Copyblogger posts from 2016, with a few words on each one. (In other words, it’s a bit like this post, but for a whole year.) It’s divided into sections, so you can find your favorite topics more easily.

On the podcasts, The Showrunner shared their favorite audio production tips with you, and Members Only gets real about what it takes to create a product page that actually sells something.

Next week, we have some fun news that I think you will love. The whole editorial team is looking forward to all kinds of amazing conversations with you in 2017.

Enjoy this week’s goodies. Thank you so much for your time and attention in 2016, and I’ll catch you next year!

— Sonia Simone
Chief Content Officer, Rainmaker Digital

Catch up on this week’s content

help readers find your content4 Creative (and Aboveboard) Ways to Improve Your Search Engine Rankings

by Beth Hayden

20 Types of Evergreen Content that Produce Lasting Results for Your Business20 Types of Evergreen Content that Produce Lasting Results for Your Business

by Aaron Orendorff

catch up on our top picks for 2016The Best of Copyblogger: 2016 Edition

by Sonia Simone

Are You Losing Sales Because Your Purchase Page Sucks?Are You Losing Sales Because Your Purchase Page Sucks?

by Sean Jackson

Professional Podcasting Tips for Pristine Production (and Hosting Hacks)Professional Podcasting Tips for Pristine Production (and Hosting Hacks)

by Jerod Morris & Jon Nastor

The post The Difference Between Cheap and Good appeared first on Copyblogger.



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Wednesday, 28 December 2016

4 Design Terms Every Marketer Needs to Know

The transition from text-based to visual marketing is already well underway, as customer demand drives organizations to rethink how people communicate on the most basic level.

Cisco estimates video will constitute 80% of all consumer Internet traffic by 2019, and although marketers are racing to catch up, they’re still behind the times: in 2015, 52% of senior marketing executives believed that visual assets such as infographics, photos, videos and illustration could help them tell their brand story. But given that human attention spans dropped a whopping 33% between 2000 and 2015, from 12 to 8 seconds — and some report its dropped even lower — marketers no longer have any choice in the matter: eye-catching visuals that are quick to digest and easy to share will be an essential tool for any brand moving forward.

But what’s a brand to do when you have no idea what visual assets will be both effective and the right fit for your organization? This post will explain a few essential terms and tips you’ll need to get started.

1. Visual Communication

Visual communication may be the most form of all.

It may sound simple enough: visual communication uses images and visuals to create meaning.

Why?

Because it is likely to become the only way that the majority of marketers communicate with their audiences — so you need to know it when you see it. This isn’t just because people prefer video to text, and are more likely to share photos. It’s also easier than ever for any brand to reach an international audience. Just take a look at Google AdWords, which (finally!) launched a redesign in March, of which an essential part of the design was making it language-agnostic to remove obstacles for audiences with a wide variety of backgrounds and skill sets.

new-adwords-design
The new Google AdWords features clean visualization and icons that communicate the type of information being mapped, no matter what language you speak. Image Source

When necessary, limited text is included to explicate the meaning. Take a look at Starbucks’ visual communication strategy: one tweeted image incorporates autumn leaves combined with moss emblematic of their Pacific Northwest roots, announcing that the drink in hand is both seasonal and rooted in Starbucks’ larger tradition.

Starbucks’ visual communication strategy ensures every piece of visual content is immediately identifiable with their brand. In one of Starbucks’ most-liked tweets of the last few months, autumn leaves communicate the seasonality of the drink while moss connects to the company’s Pacific Northwest roots — no text necessary.

Another tweet reminds customers (without using a single word) that the brand is famous for just how personalizable their products are. Their stores and products project the same visual identity as their social pages. You know a Starbucks image immediately when you see it. That’s effective visual communication.

Starbucks communicates its reputation for personalized drinks, the breadth of its product offerings, and its release of seasonal cups — all in a single, text-free illustration.

But it’s easy to fall short of this goal. A great piece of visual communication should communicate in just the same way as the AdWords interface now strives to: without reading a word, you should be able to look at the design and tell what the graphic is about — what message it’s trying to send.

Here are a few questions to ask to determine whether your visual content meets the standards that your audiences will hold you to. If the answer is “no” to any of these, rethink whether your content is really communicating effectively:

  1. Ask someone unfamiliar with the graphic or video to glance at it for 5 seconds. Can she tell you what the theme is?
  2. Are you using illustrations and assets custom-made for the content, as opposed to cookie-cutter graphics or clip art?
  3. Is the content targeted toward achieving a single goal?
  4. Are both the design and the copy calibrated to attract and interest your target audience?
  5. Have you kept text to a minimum?

2. Visual Storytelling

Every brand has a story to tell, but with more stories to choose from than ever before, keeping an audience engaged can be a challenge.

The answer lies in what’s already interesting to your viewers: we’re living in the golden age of television and online video; game and virtual realities are becoming more complex every day; and websites encourage visitors to interact actively with their content. Storytelling today has to be something users can see, interact with or hear before they’ll share.

Take a look at Carrington College’s informational motion graphic on springtime allergies:

It transforms pollen, white blood cells, and even mast cells into humorous characters to reframe what could otherwise be a boring explanation as a story. Every audience is attracted to stories — it seems to be a part of our human DNA. And with the help of clever visual storytelling strategies, anything can become a story.

Visual storytelling uses visual communication to craft a narrative that explains a concept and often evokes an emotional response. It’s ideal for those marketers seeking to share an idea, promote a point of view, or convince potential customers of the quality and effectiveness of their product. As with visual communication, education is one of the end goals, but this approach aims to persuade the viewer to reach a specific conclusion.

Here are a few elements that make for a great visual story:

  1. Plot: You should carefully guide your viewers from beginning to end.
  2. Priorities: Only use the strongest data and arguments. Too much information is overwhelming.
  3. Audience: Identify a single target audience and create a story they can relate to.
  4. Goal setting: If you’re trying to make too many points at once, or share too many ideas, you’ll end up turning viewers away. A targeted, single goal promotes shareability and engagement.

3. Information Visualization

You’ve got more data than ever and no idea how to cull meaning from that data. Or maybe you do know what it means, but it’s nearly impossible to get your colleagues interested in what that data has to say — much less get your customers so excited that they’re willing to retweet that data to their followers. This is where quality information visualization comes in — and “quality” is the keyword.

Information visualization aims to convey meaning as quickly as possible. The primary focus is to educate the viewer, not to persuade them to form a specific opinion. Information visualization can also be aesthetically engaging and even interactive, as The New York Times proves with its visualization of deportation numbers.

trump-deporation-nytimes

Massive amounts of data are made meaningful in The New York Times’ visualization of U.S. deportation numbers. The graphic transforms as readers scroll down. Image Source

But to be effective, you need to use visualizations that stand up to scrutiny, follow mathematical and scientific best practices, and quickly communicate the big picture. Not everyone is up to this task. Here are a few essentials for when you’re visualizing information:

  1. Check your graphs: Using a pie chart for something that’s not a percentage or setting inconsistent scales for your graphs are both big errors that could take center stage instead of your actual message.
  2. Keep it simple: Don’t try to pack too much information into one image. One graph should have one takeaway.
  3. Focus on the message: Getting lost in the data is the opposite of the point. Help readers understand what’s important and why through careful organization of the content, as well as icons and illustrations when necessary.

4. Visual Campaigns

What if you have a more complex story to tell? Most companies do. One piece of content just can’t say everything you need to say.

One piece of content — even if it’s a social post that goes viral or a video that gets thousands of likes — also isn’t likely to assure the long-term success of your company. That’s why more and more organizations are looking at improving their branding by placing more emphasis on visual content and creating a consistent look and feel that will span multiple marketing campaigns and a variety of content types, from motion graphics and interactive pages to infographics and social posts. At the same time, marketing campaigns are now expected to have a consistent and recognizable visual element — something that can be recognized instantly.

Take a look at how Coca-Cola’s one brand campaign launched this year. Its products were available in dozens of countries, with dozens of looks designed for maximum appeal wherever they were sold. It was a massive undertaking, but the company pared down its product design to just four universally recognizable packages.

coca-cola-one-brand

Image Source

Coca-Cola’s old strategy was to create new branding for each new product. Now, they’ve united their global branding with four consistent, and instantly recognizable, colors, each of which is visible on all sides, no matter which way the bottle or can is turned on the shelf.

“When people see this new brand identity, they’ll know they’re buying a Coca-Cola,” explained James Sommerville, vice president of global design.

This is all to say that companies are redesigning all their customer-facing content to offer up a consistent visual message. Here are just a few of the benefits of undertaking a visual campaign:

  1. The consistent use of quality assets across your brand communicates an overall dedication to quality that customers today are equipped to recognize and prepared to appreciate through engagement and sharing.
  2. A single face for your visual content communicates that you’re committed to authentic and honest communication — not changing your stripes with every new piece of content.
  3. Multiple visual assets can reach a broader audience because of their adaptability to different platforms.
  4. A consistent look builds brand awareness.

Conclusion

In the end, visual communication is an indispensable tool for any marketer, but execution is key. Not just any visual content will do the job. Consumers ignore sloppily designed or cookie-cutter graphics in favor of those that inspire — not only in how they look but also in how they deliver their primary message. Armed with these essential terms and a list of dos and don’ts, you’ll be well prepared to avoid the pitfalls as you navigate to the visual communications agency that’s right for your brand.

About the Author: Erin McCoy is the Public Relations Manager for Killer Infographics.



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Top 10 Modern Marketing Blog Posts of 2016

As we approach the end of the year it is always instructive to review the top performing blog posts of the past twelve months. As Modern Marketers we need to know what types of posts resonate with our readers. This understanding of our audience helps us plan for the coming year. When things work, you want to do more of them. When they don't, you stop.

The following are the top performing posts from 2016, that were published this year:

Demandbase Launches ABM Solution for Oracle Eloqua Marketing Automation

This product announcement was the top performing post for the year. As we focus most of the content on the blog at the top of the funnel, without a heavy dose of product information, it is instructive to analyze why this post out-performed all others. In a word, or an abbreviation, ABM. The announcement that you could finally do account-based marketing within Eloqua was a really big deal for our audience. This post resonated so much with our audience that we added an ABM category to blog, where we regularly publish stories on the topic. It was a big thing for Modern Marketers in 2016 and it was a big thing for us.

Announcing the 10th Anniversary Markie Award Finalists
Markie Award Winners Show How Modern Marketing is Done

Everyone loves the Markies, and the coverage of the 10th Anniversary of these coveted awards earned two of the top spots in our top ten posts. Both the announcements of the finalists and the winners showed that readers are interested in companies that are executing marketing strategies better than others. These are also posts that appeal to both customers and prospects.

5 Strategic Business Lessons From Game Of Thrones

Pop culture references drive traffic, but they really drive traffic when the posts provide real insights into the topic. This was masterfully demonstrated by one of our strategic consultants. Plus it has a picture of a dragon.

5 Reasons I’m Unsubscribing From Your Emails
Gmail, TLS Encryption and Why Email Marketers Need to Know About It

These two posts are how-to posts for email marketers, both written by internal subject matter experts. The mission of our blog is to help Modern Marketers do their jobs better. These posts show that our readers respond to our mission.

5 Simple Marketing Automation Tips to Improve Conversion

Another how-to post that provides some practical advice from a marketing automation professional.

5 Ways Video will Transform Digital Marketing in 2016
2015: The Modern Marketing Year in Review

Our readers like to know what's coming and where we have been. The first post is from the CMO of one of our partners who stressed the importance of video in the coming year. The second post was part of our look back/look ahead series of content. This was part of an award-winning content campaign with lots of campaign elements driving traffic back to this blog post, among others.

New Gartner Report: Build Your Digital Marketing Hub

And finally, we make sure we share the latest industry analyst reports on our blog to help our prospects learn more about they types of products that they are considering and to help our customers be confident that they have made the right choices in their martech solutions.

Make sure that you don't miss any of the top posts of 2017 by subscribing to our weekly blog newsletter. 



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