Making Sense of Social Media Sponsorships and Partnerships

Just a few years ago, a top brand or company might have talked about “sponsoring” a top social media influencer or thought leader. Now, however, the discussion has shifted away from “sponsorship” towards much more of a collaborative “partnership,” in which there is expected to be much greater alignment and collaboration between the two parties. That might sound like a scary new world for top social media influencers, filled with terms like return on investment (ROI) and key performance indicators (KPIs), but it can also be very liberating.

The changing dimensions of the social media world

So why has the thinking changed? One big reason has to do with the “growing up” of the social media sector. At one time, throwing money at a top blogger or social media influencer was considered par for the course, and nothing much was really expected of the relationship, other than perhaps greater brand visibility and new access to a coveted demographic. But brands didn’t do a lot of thinking about the actual ROI of the sponsorship. In fact, they viewed the sponsorship of a blogger much more along the lines of a charitable donation, where they were really just looking to support a worthy cause and maybe get some positive PR along the way.

But something very dramatic has happened over the past few years – the social media influencer game has become such big business, and so much money is being thrown around these days, that bloggers and thought leaders and social media influencers are actually expected to help drive product, boost sales, or increase total audience in tangible ways. If you’re “sponsoring” a top fashion blogger, for example, you want to make sure that you’re doing more than just giving a lot of free samples away.

The new world of partnerships and collaboration

As a result, the discussion has shifted much more in the “partnership” direction, as brands actively seek out thought leaders and influencers who can help to advance key business priorities. There is expected to be much greater alignment in goals and strategy, as well as much more “give and take” about what steps need to happen next. 

In the past, for example, sponsorships were basically what folks in the biz called “untethered funds” – once a blogger got the funds, he or she could spend it however they wanted. Those days are over, as evidenced by all the negative PR about Instagram influencers that document their lavish lifestyles online without actually producing any real results.

How to win social media partnerships

Going forward, then, it’s important to pay attention to this shifting dynamic. When you approach a company or organization, frame the discussion in terms of a “partnership” rather than a pure-play “sponsorship.” Be prepared to bring facts about the ways that you can help build audience, extend a brand into a new demographic, or create online events that are tied into specific causes near and dear to the sponsor. It might sound like a cheesy cliché, but here it goes: you need to be aiming for a “win-win” situation where both you and the sponsor benefit.

Just remember – it takes time to build up trust and support. It’s no longer just about touting your tens of thousands of followers, or your impressive list of viral hits online – it’s also about showing how your supporters are very similar to those customers a company might be attempting to court, and how your approach and philosophy are a very natural fit for the message or mission of a partnering organization.

Oracle Social Relationship Management (SRM) is the only solution ready to meet your immediate and future social media management needs, enabling your organization to innovate and extend social across your business.​ Learn more here.

from Oracle Blogs | Oracle Marketing Cloud http://bit.ly/2CRn39F
via IFTTT

Email design do’s and don’ts

Email marketing is an ideal and affordable marketing strategy for small businesses that want to quickly build a customer base and yield profits with minimal investment. But before you can get people to click on your messages, you have to capture their attention. Design plays a critical role in marketing success, so keep the following email design do’s and don’ts in mind when you develop your email campaigns.

Email layout design tips

From header to footer, your email layout should naturally funnel readers’ eyes through benefits that create desire and toward strong calls to action (CTAs) that motivate response.

Do’s

• Balance content and feature more text than images — at least 60 percent text to 40 percent images.
• Iincorporate plenty of white space for a clean look that visually separates design elements.
• Prioritize content hierarchy, with the most important content featured first — above the fold.
• Use a responsive template optimized for both desktop and mobile devices (50 percent of emails are opened on mobile).
• Make your content easy to scan, so recipients do not need to read every word to understand your email and click your CTA.
• Use headings and subheads to maintain visual organization.

The example below from Panera Bread has plenty of white space, expertly mixes images and text, and uses subheads to divide up sections. All of these elements work together to produce an email that is scannable and visually appealing.

Don’ts

• Don’t use a single image for your emails; many email clients will not automatically display images.
• Don’t feature a long block of text anywhere in your email. Instead, break content into concise sections.
• Don’t make your emails too long. Some email clients clip long messages (Gmail, for example, clips any messages larger than 102 KB). Clipped messages are not only bad for marketing and forwarding, but they can violate CAN-SPAM rules because they hide unsubscribe links.
• Don’t stuff everything you can think of into your emails; instead, use emails as tools to motivate clicks for more information and purchases.
• Don’t use a dark, patterned or image background for your content (it’s OK to have a dark background behind a lighter main body content area, which can make your email pop, though it won’t show in all email clients).
• Don’t make your layout too busy — keep your emails simple with easy-to-digest summaries and clear calls to action.

Email color tips

Your choice of email color can help your brand and message stand out. While it’s fun to experiment with colors, your choices should be strategic.

Do’s

• Limit the number of colors you use (you can match your brand and website colors, or choose colors specific to your current promotion).
• Contrast dark text against a light background.
• Fill headers and footers with your primary color, if desired, or use colored lines to separate them from main body content.
• Use images to add additional colors to your email design.

The red and yellow in the Dr. Martens email below add a nice pop of color and complement the design’s black and white elements. The limited color palette draws the reader’s attention to the copy while a busier design might have pulled focus from the most important information.

Don’ts

• Don’t use colored body text – keep it black or dark gray.
• Don’t use a dark-colored background for your main content area.
• Don’t use more than two colors in your design (multi-colored logos and images are fine).
• Don’t use colors that clash or are otherwise unattractive.

Email fonts and typography tips

Keep typography simple for legible emails that engage readers.

Do’s

• Use only one or two fonts in your email.
• Use sans serif fonts for body text; either sans serif or serif fonts may be used for headers and subheads.
• Use simple, easy-to-read, web-safe fonts. Examples include Open Sans, Helvetica, Courier, Raleway, Droid Serif, Arial, Tahoma, Times New Roman, Georgia and Trebuchet MS.
• Size body copy fonts at 14- to 16-point, headline fonts at 22- to 24-point for best readability.
• Use fonts that align with your branding and messaging.

Domino’s has some fun with the fonts they use in this email. But even their more stylized text is easy to read.

Don’ts

• Use script fonts or other fancy fonts, which can be difficult to read.
• Use custom fonts that may not render correctly on all devices.
• Use colored fonts, except for headers (dark gray or black work best for body copy).

Email emojis tips

Emoji use by brands has risen 609 percent year-over-year in digital communications. Here’s how to use them properly.

Do’s

• Incorporate emojis to save space yet say more in email subjects (keep your subjects under the “magic” 49-character threshold).
• Use emojis to make email subjects stand out in recipients’ inboxes.
• Only use relevant emojis that help convey your message and create excitement.
• Add personality with emojis in salutations and signatures.
• Use emojis to highlight deals and special offers in body text.

The subject line above from Tarte Cosmetics, featuring two pineapple emojis, was the perfect lead-in to an email about their new pineapple-shaped makeup palette:

Don’ts

• Don’t overuse emojis – they should serve as meaningful accents, not the bulk of your message.
• Don’t use confusing emojis. Stick to emojis that are universally-recognized: smiley faces, coffee mugs, etc.
• Don’t rely exclusively on emojis to make key points. They may not render correctly in all email clients, so they should be used to reinforce your message.

Email image tips

Images are worth a thousand words, but within emails they should be used in moderation.

Do’s

• Save images at 72ppi/dpi and optimize for the web for quick-loading emails.
• Use JPG and PNG images in emails. Use GIFs sparingly and only if they aren’t too large.
• Stagger images and text for a clean, easy-to-follow layout.
• Use compelling images that create desire and tell your story: your products in use, for example, or happy customers.
• Use image alt text so readers can read what your images are about if their email clients do not display them. Good alt text will still motivate clicks.
• Size images for retina displays (twice the size of normal displays).

The email below from Whosits & Whatsits uses high-quality images to promote its new line of hats. The models are shown in action, which brings the photos to life.

This email from Whosits & Whatsits uses high-quality images to promote its new line of hats. The models are shown in action which brings the photos to life.

Don’ts

• Don’t use images as your entire email, since they may not automatically display in many email clients.
• Don’t use images for call to action buttons, since they may not render.
• Don’t rely on images to tell your story; it will be lost by email clients that do not automatically render images.
• Don’t use complex or confusing images that risk alienating customers.
• Don’t increase image size for emails — always size down for crisp, captivating email images.

Email call to action (CTA) tips

Your CTA fuels email success. Make sure it’s effective with these tips.

Do’s

• Make your call to action a color button that stands out from the rest of your email content.
• Keep your CTA text short and meaningful: buy now, learn more, read more, etc. Check out this list of 50 calls to action that sell for more ideas.
• Place your first CTA above the fold, and repeat it below if necessary (two or three CTAs per email is a good rule of thumb).
• Make your buttons large enough that readers don’t miss them.

Uniqlo’s dark gray call to action buttons are above the fold and stand out against the email’s light background:

Don’ts

• Don’t overload your email with different calls to action. Instead, focus on driving readers toward a single action. If you have more, send more than one email.
• Don’t bury your call to action. You want your CTA to stand out, get noticed and get clicked.
• Don’t deviate from your subject. Your CTA should align with your subject so readers know what to expect when they open your email and to comply with CAN-SPAM regulations (no trickery!).

Email header and footer tips

Achieve a professional look with these tips for designing email headers and footers.

Do’s

• Incorporate your logo or company name into your header to identify your brand.
• Add teaser text before your header, which will show up on the subject line in many email clients and give you another opportunity to influence opens.
• Apply the same header and footer across all campaigns for consistent branding.
• Include contact information, additional resources such as social media links and value-added links, unsubscribe links and any legal fine print in the footer.

In the promotional email below, the Lucky Brand logo is the first thing you see when you open it. The clothing retailer always includes social media links in its email footers, too.

Don’ts

• Don’t create a complex design for your header or footer — keep it simple so readers can get to the meat of your email.
• Don’t add a lot of navigation to your header or footer. Simplify as much as possible, so you can effectively brand your emails without getting in the way of your message.
• Don’t include too much text in your header or footer — again, simplicity is key.

Whenever you’re tinkering with email design, remember that it’s best practice to make sure new design elements look right across every platform and browser; fortunately, VerticalResponse’s Test Kit makes that part easy. And, armed with these tips, you can design compelling emails that get opened, motivate clicks and fuel sales.

Join 140,000 small business owners

Get expert tips and email inspiration delivered to your inbox every two weeks.

Subscribe

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2016 and has been rewritten for accuracy and relevance.

© 2019, Brian Morris. All rights reserved.

The post Email design do’s and don’ts appeared first on VerticalResponse Blog.

from VerticalResponse Blog http://bit.ly/2sNAsew
via IFTTT

The Top 10 Tactics for the Retail Marketer in 2019: A Video Infographic

A new year means new opportunities for marketers in the retail, ecommerce, CPG, and adjacent spaces. 2019 offers unprecedented potential for brands to connect to customers and improve their bottom lines—if they know where to look.

Last year retail sales made the strongest gains in six years. However, fears of a U.S. recession following a year of healthy consumer spending has retail experts “cautiously optimistic” about 2019. Still, the prospect of a still-healthy economy should translate to a better-than-decent year for many retailers with positive predictions coming in for both online and retail sales.

So, let’s start the year off right.

Even though we don’t yet know exactly what the economy will look like for the 2019 Peak Season, there is still a real opportunity for retail marketers to connect with shoppers and hit their sales goals.

Out with the Old: Marketers Need New Strategies for Success

The opportunity for substantial growth is there, but retail marketers can’t expect to capitalize on it using stale approaches that may have worked in the past but don’t compete with cutting-edge brands today. For example, focusing on positive channel-specific experiences rather than a holistic customer experience just isn’t as effective as it once was.

Instead, marketers must embrace innovative new tools and strategies to create compelling new experiences, engage consumers with highly personalized messages, and transform cold prospects into loyal brand advocates. If they can accomplish these goals, retail marketers will truly stand apart from their competition and position their company to achieve the best results possible.

In with the New: “The Top 10 Tactics for the Retail Marketer”

As retail marketing teams come back from the holidays, energized and focused on the year ahead, what can they do to learn more and implement these new marketing strategies?

A new infographic can help. Oracle Marketing Cloud recently partnered with Liveclicker, a leading provider of real-time email personalization solutions, to produce “The Top 10 Tactics for the Retail Marketer.”

To borrow from the old Buick tagline, this is not your grandfather’s infographic. Instead, it’s completely animated to deliver a highly engaging experience that highlights 10 important ideas any retail marketer can and should implement to hit the ground running and gain a new marketing advantage in 2019.

Deliver a Better Experience

We don’t want to ruin the surprise, but it is worth noting that that the entire infographic focuses on the themes of improving customer engagement and the overall customer experience.

These are objectives we fully support, especially when it comes to retail marketing campaigns. Consumers today are overwhelmed with so many marketing messages, which all usually look and sound the same. They eventually become white noise to consumers, making it challenging for marketing teams to connect with customers in a meaningful way.

Yet like so many other marketing challenges, this situation can become an opportunity. For example, if retail marketing teams can create innovative, engaging email experiences that surprise and delight customers and prospects, they are much more likely to stand out in the crowd of voices and develop an ongoing relationship with the individual consumer.

Interested in learning more? Download and view this new infographic now. It’s one of the best ways to start planning for a more successful - and more profitable - 2019.

Find out more about creating a better customer experience with “Go Further with Customer Experience Optimization.”

Read the guide

 

 

from Oracle Blogs | Oracle Marketing Cloud http://bit.ly/2CqJ5ju
via IFTTT

Are You Making These Authority-Crushing Mistakes with Your Content?

Throughout the years, Copyblogger has been here to give you lots of advice on what to do to improve your...

Continue Reading

The post Are You Making These Authority-Crushing Mistakes with Your Content? appeared first on Copyblogger.

from Copyblogger http://bit.ly/2RJxMgT
via IFTTT

No, Content Marketing Is Not a ‘Soft Skill’

We tend to divide business writers into two types. “Hard” writers are the conversion copywriters. The gangsters, the ones who...

Continue Reading

The post No, Content Marketing Is Not a ‘Soft Skill’ appeared first on Copyblogger.

from Copyblogger http://bit.ly/2sH8lNK
via IFTTT

Are CMOs Losing Their Best Ideas to The Competition?

In my previous article, I discussed how CMOs can lead more diverse teams and elevate employee engagement in 2019. Last year around this time, I took a hard look at the ways CMOs can mitigate risks when bringing in outside teams.

A fresh calendar year is fast approaching. So, I’d like to dive deeper into ways CMOs can protect both their ideas and talent from falling into enemy hands. And I’ll provide an update on how data security is changing in 2019, which is also creating new threats and opportunities for CMOs looking to protect their golden playbook.

Blockchain Could Help CMOs Protect Their Team’s Intellectual Property in 2019

The media is reporting breathlessly on the rollercoaster valuations of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. That might get the ratings, but I’m more interested in the technology behind bitcoin and other crypto currencies.

Blockchain is the digital ledger system that allows for digital currency to be mined and transferred between internet users. For content marketers, this same technology could help reduce the risk of content being ripped off and duplicated by less scrupulous marketing teams, often overseas.

CMOs know that developing cornerstone content for a marketing campaign requires a serious investment of skilled labor. Great content requires in-depth research and multiple drafts to finely tune the message it conveys to the reader.

Unfortunately, content theft is a major issue for content that’s published online. I think it is highly likely that we’ll see¾as part of the effort to combat fake news a public blockchain ledger that shows when original content has been published online. The source and timestamp can serve as a proof of intellectual rights to the content.

And in a world dominated by Google’s search algorithms, this type of information can help ensure original content producers are not penalized when others rip-off their work, creating duplicate copies online without crediting the original author(s).

A potential side-effect of this blockchain ledger will be a race to pump out content before the other guys. And there will always be efforts to steal content from other people before they hit the publish button on their own sites effectively establishing ownership of stolen content.

Again, I think this type of activity will be most prevalent overseas where bad actors can retreat beyond the reach of law enforcement or judicial proceedings.  

Corporate VPNs Will Continue to Benefit From the Rise of Consumer VPN Services

For CMOs, VPNs are essential tools for providing their entire workforce with secure access to internal corporate resources. It’s no secret that governments and corporations are collecting data and logging our use of the internet whenever possible.

And, just as unscrupulous websites plagiarize costly pieces of content, corporate espionage is alive and well as we head into 2019.  

The most effective content marketing strategies come from diverse teams of skilled creative. Freelancing is a powerful ingredient, but remote workforces force CMOs to electronically send bits and pieces of their playbook around the world.

Encrypting this kind of sensitive corporate data is a cat-and-mouse game. Corporations roll out new pieces of defensive technology, and hackers find more sophisticated approaches to breaking through. Or they just send Carl in account services a phishing email, which is not always sophisticated, but devastatingly effective, if they can score login credentials.

So, say it with me now, “Two-factor authentication is now mandatory!”

If your team can keep their access credentials out of enemy hands, the latest generation of VPN protocols support bank-grade AES-256 encryption with IKEv2 for fast, secure reconnection. This means that the data being sent around the world is only visible to the source and the authorized recipient.

These newer protocols are the result of an increased public awareness around data security and privacy. The consumer VPN services are contributing to and spurring new corporate VPN enhancements that will continue to make it safe for CMOs to leverage the benefits of outsourced labor.

CMOs Will Have the Power to Defend Their Intellectual Property in 2019

To summarize, 2019 will be an exciting year for CMOs. The type of content that is being consumed, and how we are consuming it is changing. The labor market for skilled content marketers has never been hotter. And we are finally going to start building a better online system for accurately attributing content to the right people.

If CMOs can keep the talented members of their team happy and engaged, the only way internal campaign information will fall into enemy hands is if it is digitally intercepted. However, enhanced encryption and more user-friendly VPN platforms are proving to be reliable tools for staying ahead of the black hats. 

Data is one of your most powerful tools. See how you can put it to even better use with “Go Further with Data Management.”

Read the guide

from Oracle Blogs | Oracle Marketing Cloud http://bit.ly/2Hp31cd
via IFTTT

Capture customers’ hearts and sales this Valentine’s Day with email marketing

Did you know that in 2018, Valentine’s Day spending hit a record-breaking $19.6 billion? It’s no wonder that Valentine’s Day sends business owners’ hearts aflutter.

According to a study by Prosper Insights & Analytics for the National Retail Federation, the average person planned to shell out more than $140 on traditional Valentine’s Day merchandise, with customers aged 25 to 34 being the biggest spenders. Consumers, on the whole, planned to spend a total of:

• $4.7 billion on jewelry
• $2 billion on flowers
• $1.8 billion on candy
• $894 million on greeting cards
• $1.5 billion on gift cards

The objects of their affection included spouses and significant others, children and parents, classmates and teachers, friends and even Fido — with an estimated 20 percent of consumers buying Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets. What’s more, 27 percent of consumers planned to celebrate the holiday by treating themselves or getting together with family and friends.

Valentine’s Day can be lucrative for nearly all businesses

Because it’s not just for sweethearts, Valentine’s Day can be lucrative for almost any business, from restaurants and retailers to auto shops and coffeehouses. So, don’t be shy! Win customers’ hearts and business with swoon-worthy email marketing promotions. Read on for inspiration:

The RealReal: No Partner? No Problem — Shop Valentine’s Gifts to Give Yourself

The RealReal takes a fresh approach to Valentine’s Day by celebrating singlehood. The subject line appeals to people who don’t have partners but still want and deserve gifts. Why not treat yourself?

Keurig: From Keurig, With Love

This Valentine’s Day, Keurig is making it easy for customers to order a coffee maker, plus a variety of tasty beverages. The email is easy to navigate, just like Keurig’s auto-delivery service, so customers won’t have any trouble stocking up on their favorite brews.

HelloFresh: Put Love On The Menu: Your Valentine’s Guide

This email from HelloFresh features clever copy and an irresistible call to action: “Save my Valentines Day.” Nobody wants their romantic dinner spoiled, so if the alternative is to go to an overcrowded restaurant, HelloFresh just might be a viable option. 

Minibar Delivery: Kissed by a rosé

  

Minibar uses a cute pun in the subject line and a funny and original poem to make this email POP. 

Molekule: A Valentine’s message from Molekule

Molekule takes an extremely unromantic product (an air purifier) and turns it into a perfectly practical Valentine’s Day gift. It’s a great reminder that you don’t have to sell flowers and candy to celebrate the holiday.

Maison Impeccable: MI Intel | Love is Afoot

Aside from the playful subject line, Maison Impeccable has a conversational, click-worthy call to action.

Gymboree: Goodbye, Free Shipping! Goodnight, Valentine!

Gymboree downplays Valentine’s Day but goes bold with a huge, attention-grabbing ad for a 70 percent off, store-wide sale.

Francesca’s Collections: Valentine’s Day Picks For You!

Francesca’s Collections does a great job of showing customers the love with discounts and deals, wardrobe fashions for a romantic night and last-minute gift suggestions.

JR Cigars: Join the Romeo Lovefest & Get 20 Free Cigars!

JR Cigars uses humor to create a catchy subject line that attracts star-crossed Romeos and Juliets. Of course, there’s also a great reason to shop — 20 free cigars!

Modkat: Valentine’s Special – Love at first sight.

Modkat definitely knows its audience and recognizes the fact that cat lovers won’t forget their furry friends on Valentine’s Day.

Lensabl: From Lensable With Love: 25% Off All Lenses!

Lensabl combines a heartfelt Valentine’s Day greeting with a sweet one-day deal. Gift or no gift, why not send your customers a valentine?

SinglesSwag: February Box Reveal 

Everybody loves a surprise, right? SinglesSwag piques customer interest by giving customers a sneak peek of their February box chockfull of goodies. The message contains a sense of urgency to appeal to people’s fear of missing out and get them to act fast.

Get customers to cozy up to your business

Here are some ideas for content and promotions that will get customers to snuggle up to your business:

• Offer a buy-one-get-one treat to share with their valentine
• Invite customers to your anti-Valentine’s celebration
• Appeal to lovelorn folks with a “broken-heart brunch”
• Promote a “Love stinks!” stinky cheese sale
• Send diners a voucher for a free heart-shaped dessert 
• Email a Valentine’s Day gift guide
• Promote early bird specials for cakes, flowers and gifts
• Hold heartwarming events like a cooking class or wine tasting
• Offer an auto detailing special for customers’ sweethearts
• Offer a pest control service special, so customers can enjoy a romantic Valentine’s Day without being bugged

If this Valentine’s Day is anything like last year’s holiday, you definitely don’t want to miss out. Remember, you don’t need to sell flowers, cards or chocolates to celebrate. Focus on showing your customers how much you love and appreciate them. But don’t wait for Cupid to work his magic on potential customers. Make the most of the day with email marketing promotions your customers are sure to love.

Join 140,000 small business owners

Get expert tips and email inspiration delivered to your inbox every two weeks.

Subscribe

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2011 and has been rewritten for accuracy and relevance.

© 2019, Bella Girardi. All rights reserved.

The post Capture customers’ hearts and sales this Valentine’s Day with email marketing appeared first on VerticalResponse Blog.

from VerticalResponse Blog http://bit.ly/2AWYc3Y
via IFTTT