A few weeks ago, your inbox was probably stuffed with GDPR emails. Mine was.
These emails, prompted by the European data protection and privacy law that took effect May 25, asked us to confirm our interest in continuing to receive email from the sender. Many asked us to review and accept new privacy policies. Some thanked us for being loyal subscribers. Some begged us to stay subscribed. Some let us know how so-and-so brand can help you, as a marketer, ensure GDPR compliance, avoid fines, and make millions of dollars using their tools.
A few warned we’d never get another email (please, say it ain’t so) unless we took action.
I even got an email from my mom asking if I knew anything about “this whole GDPR thing.” Bottom line, inboxes were flooded.
On the bright side, the onslaught means companies viewed the new law as an opportunity to reevaluate their business processes, work out a GDPR-compliance plan with their legal teams, and reaffirm audience interest in their content. On the not-so-bright side, some companies simply blasted out emails to anybody they could scrape from their databases. That’s never a great practice – and might have violated the law that prompted the email in the first place.
I’m not a lawyer. I am not giving legal advice on GDPR compliance (if you’re concerned about that, work with your company’s legal team).
Instead, I’m using the torrential GDPR outpouring to illustrate some do’s and don’ts for email marketing.
Use the flood of #GDPR emails as an opportunity to rethink your #email marketing, advises @jphautomation.
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One email I received included a call to action with these options:
I clicked opt out and landed on a page with no opt-out option. I left all checkboxes blank and submitted the form. Then I received a thank you … for opting-in. What?
If you require someone to take an action, emphasize the action in the subject line. “[Action Required]: GDPR” or “[Important Notice] Please Confirm Your Subscription.”
If you have an engaged audience (or audience segment) that reacts well to catchy non-specific subject lines, you can try that approach. But, for less engaged segments, clarity around the action makes sense. That’s why segmenting your engaged vs. unengaged audience is critical.
I’ve received numerous emails with content reading, “If you like hearing from us …,” or “let us know what you would like to read.” And I’ve been asked, “Are you still interested in us?” OK, but don’t you already have a sense of my interest or my historic engagement?
Your audience members who haven’t acted on your emails in the past will remain unmoved by a GDPR-related message. Instead of focusing on the less engaged, let your creative juices flow with your engaged audience. This is the audience you likely want to keep in your database.
Focus on engaged #email audience to ensure they recommit to your database. Forget non-engaged. @jphautomation
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HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT:
I didn’t recognize many of my GDPR-notice senders. Be consistent, especially because many people are white-listing sender addresses. Stick with the email distribution address that’s worked in the past.
Also, I get nervous when I receive an email from an individual (I don’t know) asking me to take an important action. In a world of phishing attacks and hackers, assume your audience is as skeptical as I am.
Most of the emails I received were either “review a privacy policy” or “stay or confirm subscriptions,” and sometimes companies sent both emails. Why not combine the request? Assuming you’re truly sending a confirm-your-subscription email to a previously consenting subscriber, asking the recipient to review a privacy policy link could be simply a secondary notification in the same email.
I’m a stickler for consistency. If you create a themed email with a pretty HTML design, see that design all the way through. Landing pages, return pages, and confirmation emails should have the same look even if it incorporates a slightly toned-down flare. That shows the recipient your process/request is well thought out and quickly connects to the path you want that person to take.
If you email a forewarning that if they don’t act, they will be removed/unsubscribed from your database, the next logical step would be to follow through promptly. If somebody responds by opting to receive emails about your newsletter, think twice about sending emails about webinars or events. Remember, every non-requested email in a person’s inbox is one more reminder they can unsubscribe or mark it as spam.
Every non-requested #email is one more reminder to unsubscribe or mark it as spam, @jphautomation.
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These email tips are common-sense ideas that work well with or without the GDPR mandate. New regulations and laws can force us to reevaluate how we conduct ourselves as businesses and data processors, but ultimately that review can lead to better relationship-building between us and our “true” subscribers.
Content Marketing Institute invites you, one of our engaged readers, to grow your relationship with thousands of your fellow content marketers and to learn from some of the brightest in the field. Register today for Content Marketing World Sept. 4-7 using code BLOG100 to save $100.
Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute
The post 6 Great Email Lessons From the GDPR Deluge of 2018 appeared first on Content Marketing Institute.
There is a common misconception that SEO simply involves link building and including relevant keywords in content. While these are two important strategies, search engines consider a lot more than this when ranking websites.
Elements of user experience (UX) have been rolled into SEO practices. Is your site fast, secure and mobile-friendly? Do you have quality content that engages users and encourages them to stay on your website? Is your site quick to load and easy to navigate?
These are all elements that are considered by Google and other search engines when determining how to rank your website. With that in mind, read on to discover more about how UX fits into search engine optimization.
Google has changed considerably over the years. The search engine giant constantly updates its algorithms to ensure users are provided with the best possible results. Each and every update that Google has made has been geared towards providing more user-focused and user-friendly results. We have seen changes to SERPs, like knowledge panel and rich snippets, and algorithm updates that have shown just how critical UX has become to Google. You only need to look at RankBrain to see that this is the case.
RankBrain was introduced in 2015, and it was considered the third most significant factor in determining the SEO value of your website, only falling below links and content. RankBrain is driven by behavior metrics, including pages per session, bounce rate, dwell time, and organic CTR. Essentially, these metrics inform the search engine as to whether users enjoy their experience on your website.
After all, if a user visits your website again and again, spends a good chunk of time on it, and moves through the website with ease, it tells Google that you provide a good UX, and as a consequence, your ranking will improve. On the flip side, if someone leaves your website as soon as they enter it, returning back to the search results, it indicates that they did not find relevant information, and this can cause a drop in your ranking.
UX also fits into SEO because they both share common goals. If you have been following SEO over the past few years, you will know that it has moved away from solely ranking for search terms. Now, it seeks to provide searchers with information that answers their queries. This is where UX and SEO start to interact. Both share the goal of helping users to complete their tasks by providing them with relevant information. SEO will lead a person to the content they need, and the UX answers their queries once a user ends up on the webpage.
It is important to understand the common SEO and content practices that influence UX:
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding regarding the importance of UX in terms of search engine optimization. So, where should you begin in terms of improving your website’s UX so that it has a positive impact on your ranking?
When it comes to ranking your website on the search engine result pages, there is no denying that UX is one of the most critical factors. If you want to increase your online visibility and ultimately boost your conversion rate, you need to align your UX and SEO strategy.
Use the advice that has been provided as a starting point, but make sure you continue to test your website and make improvements. After all, if you remain stagnant, you will only get left behind.
Podcasts are a unique medium.
When people listen to podcasts, they’re able to connect with hosts in a way that’s hard to replicate on any other platform. There’s a strong level of intimacy that’s built between hosts and listeners.
The rise in podcast advertising stems from a rise in popularity in the medium itself. Consider these numbers:
As the popularity of podcasts grow, advertising on podcasts is expected to grow, too – and at a rapid rate over the next two years. According to Bridge Ratings, podcast ad spend will cross the half-billion mark ($534 million) by 2020. For 2018, spend is expected to hit $316 million.
Podcast ads are different from ads on other platforms. For instance, unlike platforms such as YouTube, it’s impossible for listeners to download software to “block” podcast ads. There is no “adblock” for podcasts. The context around podcasting also makes it difficult for listeners to ignore the ads. More than 25% of podcast audiences listen during their morning commute or while doing other tasks (like chores or working out). That makes it inconvenient to manually skip the ads.
Secondly, listeners actually enjoy listening to ads: 67% of podcast listeners don’t mind sponsorship messages (compared to 6% of TV or commercial radio listeners). Part of the reason is because of the bond that listeners develop with their favorite hosts.
Podcast audiences don't feel like they’re listening to an advertisement; they feel like they’re listening to a recommendation from a friend. This makes podcast ads a powerful tool for marketers.
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In this post, we’ll talk about how to craft and run podcast ads on podcasts that are the best fit for your specific audience.
There are terms for different types of ads that are helpful to know before getting started.
Pre-roll ads are 15 to 30-second ads at the beginning of a podcast and are placed either before or after the host introduces the show. Pre-roll ads are a bit more formal than the others, and usually feel like an advertisement.
Mid-roll ads are 60 to 90-second ads that are typically run during the middle of an episode. The host will pause the show to talk about the product, similar to a commercial break on a TV or radio show. But in this case, instead of a marketer advertising the product, the host will advertise it.
Mid-roll ads feel the most native, but are also the most expensive out of all the ads.
Post-roll ads are 20 to 30-second ads that run at the end of a podcast. Because post-roll ads appear when the show is over, driving listeners to a CTA can work especially well. Listeners will still be engaged with the show, but won’t have to keep it top-of-mind as it’s ending. They’re more receptive to going to a website, remembering promo codes, etc.
“Live read” ads are ads that fit naturally into the flow of the podcast. The host promotes the product live on the show during the “commercial break”, then picks up the show afterwards. Live reads also allow opportunities for the host to go off script and include a personal story or some anecdote that ties into the product. Live reads feel like they’re part of the show’s content.
“Recorded read” ads are pre-recorded ads that are read by the host and inserted into the show at appropriate times. Pre-recorded ads still leave room for anecdotes from the host, but don’t feel as native as a live read does. Recorded reads can be effective for lengthier ad copy, or ad copy that seeks to achieve a particular set of outcomes. The only downside is that because the ad feels more like a “commercial”, it makes it a bit easier for listeners to tune out mentally.
Further Reading:
When you craft a Facebook ad or a YouTube ad, you’re able to use an “ads manager” tool within the platform to create and distribute your ad.
But when it comes to podcast ads, it’s not possible to use platforms like iTunes or Stitcher to create and distribute your ads. Instead, marketers use podcast networks. These specific networks act as middlemen, matching advertisers with podcasters.
One example of a podcast ad network is Midroll, which helps advertisers run podcast ads on shows that match their specific audience. The biggest benefit of going through podcast networks like Midroll is that advertisers get access to podcast hosts who may otherwise reject them if they reached out independently.
Hosts like Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Bill Simmons have made money by promoting content from Midroll advertisers. And companies like HBO, Toyota, T-Mobile, SquareSpace, and more have used Midroll to deploy ads across a variety of podcasts.
Midroll provides a “create-a-campaign” flow for podcasts, similar to how Facebook or YouTube provide flows for creating ads on their platforms.
For example, advertisers are able to create campaigns and define which type of ad they want (pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll):
Advertisers can also select start dates and end dates for the campaign, just like a normal paid ad.
Next, advertisers can select which podcasts they’d like to advertise on:
Finally, once the campaign is live, advertisers can log in and check the cost, number of downloads, and cross check how many listeners completed the CTA that was mentioned in the ad.
When deciding on your ad criteria (i.e. length, style, where to place the ad, etc.) it’s important to keep a few best practices in mind:
Further Reading:
Podcast advertising isn’t just for branding. It can also be immensely profitable.
For example, Bombas, a company that makes athletic leisure socks, used Midroll to distribute their podcast ads.
According to VP of Marketing Kate Huyett, Bombas had a tough challenge – they had to convince people that buying a special pair of socks would really add value to their lives. Most people look at all socks as being the same. So how could a company like Bombas differentiate themselves?
According to Kate, podcast ads that are read by hosts feel more like a recommendation from a friend than a Facebook or Instagram ad. Doing it this way created a stronger desire to check out Bombas and people overcame the initial skepticism that the product wasn’t different from anything else that was out there.
The case study also mentions that the format of podcast ads made it easier for Bombas to tell their story. The company is driven by a social cause – for every pair of socks the company sells, they donate a pair to sock charity companies which help people suffering from abuse or poverty.
Heartfelt stories like this are easier to get across in a podcast because of the intimate, personal nature of the medium. Listeners feel as though hosts are their friends, which makes it easier for them to relate to personal backstories.
And it’s paid off. According to Bombas, all data suggests that their podcast advertising efforts have been profitable.
They measure ROI through “vanity URLs”, which are URLs that are custom-made for the show. For example, they offer a promo codes or discounts to listeners who visit bombas.com/showname, and sign up with their email. These custom promo codes help them track the sales they get from each specific podcast.
For Bombas, 50-60% of revenue comes from paid traffic, and podcast advertising makes up between 15-40% of that.
Mack Weldon, the other Midroll advertiser we mentioned above, says that podcast advertising doubled their sales. Their “secret” was to let the hosts be themselves. Instead of providing an ad script, they let podcast hosts promote their product in whatever way they see fit for their audience. They trust that the host knows the audience best.
When hosts are free to be themselves on a live read, the ad sounds more native to the show, and listeners are more likely to stay tuned.
In many ways, podcast ads are the closest thing to paying for word-of-mouth marketing. When listeners tune in to a podcast over time, they build a sense of intimacy with the host. And when that host promotes a product, it feels like that recommendation is coming from a good, trusted friend – especially when it’s done through a live read.
Entire companies are being built on the back of podcast advertising, like Onnit which grew to $28 million in revenue primarily by getting ad spots on major podcasts.
If your company has a story to tell, podcasts can be an effective (and profitable) way to get in front of the right people.
Need help with podcast advertising? We’ll get your products and services in front of a captive audience with our podcast advertising services. And we have a competitive edge: Our CEO puts out two 5-star rated podcasts (so we know this niche inside and out!). Get a free consultation here!
The post The Ultimate Guide to Podcast Advertising appeared first on Single Grain.
“Reading List” is our occasional series where we ask ecommerce professionals to name some of their favorite books and blogs. For this installment, we corresponded with Al Keck, founder and ...
The post Reading List: Al Keck, Founder of Infinity Nation appeared first on Practical Ecommerce.
