Facebook this afternoon confirmed that it will now support animated GIFs in the Facebook News Feed. Not everyone will see the added functionality immediately, we understand, as the update is still rolling out. The move represents a significant change in direction for Facebook, which has historically made a conscious decision to avoid supporting GIFs, claiming that doing so would make… Read More
No other social platform provides an experience as incredibly focused and engaging as Instagram. With just a bit of creativity and thoughtful measuring, you can make some Insta-magic for your brand. In this infographic, discover the trends behind the big-brand Instagram experience and learn how you can catapult your company to new heights.
Click on the infographic below to view a larger image:
Prepare yourselves: Facebook now has serviceable GIF support.
That's right children, you can now post GIFs to Facebook and have them display not only inline, but in the mobile app as well.
Longtime Facebook users (read: old people like me who have been using the service since it was for college students only), will recall that if offered GIF support in the very early days. The ability to embed or upload GIFs was removed a decade ago, probably because of the negative impacts a ton of GIFs on the newsfeed had on the product.
A decade later, GIFs are bigger than ever and the ways in which a web service can deal with loading GIFs has improved too. Plus, virutally every other major social service now supports GIFs, so it's sort of time for Facebook to re-join the party. Read more...
More about Facebook, Facebook Gifts, Gif, Social Media, and Apps Software
Google has debuted a new product called “App Invites” aimed at helping mobile app developers grow their application’s user base. Now in beta for both iOS and Android, App Invites includes a set of standardized tools for sending out app invites over SMS and email, highlighting recommended contacts, creating personalized onboarding experiences for new users, and measuring… Read More
If you’re thinking about hiring a business coach, if you’ve ever wondered what to expect from working with a coach or if it’s worth the cost, this podcast episode is perfect for you.
We discuss our experience with coaching (both working with the coach and being the coach) and share what you need to know before you get started, answering questions like:
My personal hope for you on this one is this: if you’re thinking about hiring a coach this episode gives you everything you need to get started. Because the clarity and action that comes from coaching can be world changing. Enjoy!
It’s better to listen on the go! Subscribe on iTunes
How to Find, Evaluate and Work With a Business Coach
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If the paid search industry were Gotham City, Drunk PPC Girl would be Batgirl, the masked vigilante protecting it from the shadows. She may not be the heroine paid search deserves, but she’s the heroine PPC needs.
Like every good superhero, Drunk PPC Girl is on a mission: to save the paid search industry from boredom. Rather than batarangs and grappling hooks, Drunk PPC Girl’s weapons of choice are dry quips, witty observations, and shots of tequila.
Often imitated but never equaled, Drunk PPC Girl tweets about the PPC industry like nobody else, bravely asking the questions we’ve all thought to ourselves but lacked the courage to say out loud.
But who is Drunk PPC Girl, and what set her on the path to social media fame? I spoke with Drunk PPC Girl recently (on the condition that I wouldn’t reveal her secret identity) and asked her what it’s like to be one of paid search’s most renowned – yet mysterious – figures.
1. Can you tell us DrunkPPCGirl's backstory? I bet it's something cool, like Spiderman or Batman. Where did you come from?
My persona was born during an after party at SMX West. There's just something that happens to you when you are filled with so many great PPC thoughts and also so much alcohol. Things just come to light and you ask yourself, like, “Why aren't I tweeting these gems out to the world?”
2. How happy are you with the ROI on your remarketing campaign for boyfriends, and what tips do you have for other desperate singles in PPC looking to optimize conversions?
Ugh, not a lot of luck. ROI is super low right now. I don't understand why these guys I'm targeting keep telling me it's "creepy". Um, excuse me, I have a frequency cap, OK? I'm not an idiot. What's their problem?!? Can't a drunk girl get some love??
For my single PPC ladies, my advice is to just be yourself. A genuine value prop and a great CTA (like "CALL ME!") will get you the guy. Also, remember that vinegar helps get wine stains out of your dresses...
3. How on earth did you score all those extra drink tickets at the SMX After Party? There has to be a story behind that pocket full of Bing treats.
I'm a PPC profresh. People practically threw them at me.
4. How can your dates improve their Quality Score, and do you reward them for doing so with a discount?
I'm kind of like Google in that I don't ever fully reveal exactly how I calculate QS. But every date definitely gets a number. You're definitely getting at least an 8/10 if you buy me drinks.
5. I keep getting these late night phone calls... someone sobbing and mumbling about Mobilegeddon and asking whether they're pretty. Would you happen to know anything about that?
Do you have caller-ID? Asking for a friend...
6. If you were designing a calendar featuring the men of the PPC marketing industry, who are some of the guys you’d include and why? (I’d include John Gagnon from Bing Ads because he’s so dreamy…)
Um, DEF John Gagnon. What a Bing Ads dreamboat. Also love Matt Umbro, Steve Hammer, Greg Gifford, Frederick Vallaeys, John Lee, Luke Alley, Brad Geddes, Matt Van Wagner, Larry Kim :)
#knowledgeissexy
7. Where will DrunkPPCGirl strike next? How will I know it's you?
I'm always a ~*~mystery~*~. You may catch wind of me at SMX Advanced this year ;)
8. What do you think of ppc_cat?
OMG, super cute and super pun-ny. One day I'm gonna buy that cat some catnip, take it to a bar, and we're gonna tear up the town!
Sincerely,
Data is more than just facts and figures. Data analysis can improve your business’s bottom line. Your team members may deviate from the intended purpose, but you can veer them back on track with the numbers. Avoid company mishaps by driving your managers toward data-driven decisions.
Humans are creatures of habit. Mainly, we play nice and follow the trail of our predecessors. However, business leaders should not rely heavily on the past actions of their companies. By following tradition and not the data, you could be stifling your company’s growth.
Source: The 7 Business Goals of Content Marketing: Inbound Marketing Isn’t Enough
Don’t get trapped in the ol’ days. For example, advertisements might be the long-standing marketing strategy for your business. But based on research by Roper Public Affairs, 80 percent of business decision-makers prefer to receive company information in a series of articles versus an advertisement. Be ready to adjust your strategy to transform your visitors into evangelists.
Tips to Support Data-Driven Decisions
In business, we sometimes focus too much on the surface elements, such as SEO, social media, or paid advertising. More Facebook ‘likes’ are great, but what does that really mean for your company’s brand? Managers need to dig deeper to understand the entire data story. Find the underlying factors that are driving your business forward.
Source: Infographic: Big Data Iceberg
For instance, if the data shows a need to rev up content marketing, don’t automatically assume that means more blog posts. Demand Gen Report’s research study found that the top 3 content formats that B2B buyers seek out to research a purchase decision include: Whitepapers (78%), Case Studies (73%), and Webinars (67%). Adjust to the data by learning all the pieces of the puzzle.
Tips to Support Data-Driven Decisions
Data should help you make a decision, not necessarily support a ready-made plan. Good managers can make bad judgment calls by offering data only to justify their decisions. This same issue became prevalent at one of the big tech companies—Microsoft. Executives hired researchers to lend credibility to the their decisions.
So, your team may be headstrong on selecting website color schemes. Redirect their attention to the 2014 Mobile Behavior Report: 54% of consumers believe that it is easier to find information on mobile-optimized sites. Furthermore, give your team projected outcomes of how this data offers value to the company.
Tips to Support Data-Driven Decisions
Every business leader shows an inclination towards a particular outcome or idea. Cognitive bias can emerge when we make decisions based on limited information or apply non-relevant facts to a particular situation. One major example is groupthink—the desire for everyone to conform. Without any naysayers, your business could become stagnant.
Throw out the bias; instead, use the data as your competitive advantage. According to HubSpot, tweets posted around 4 p.m. Eastern time tend to get more retweets than those posted at other times. So, why would your social media team agree to post tweets at noon or midnight? Correct this bias with the data.
Tips to Support Data-Driven Decisions
Data can help your business if used correctly. Don’t let your company get bogged down with these common errors. From lackluster traditions to cooked data, you can guide your employees towards making sound, data-driven decisions—without the stubborn traction of a few. Refocus your team and benefit from the results.
About the Author: Shayla Price lives at the intersection of digital marketing, the law, and social responsibility. She inspires a new breed of innovative attorneys at Hearsay Marketing. Connect with her on Twitter: @shaylaprice.
