Categories B2B

What Is Linktree + 8 Steps to Set It Up

If you’re like me and waste far too much time on Instagram, you’re well acquainted with the phrase “link in bio.” So why does seemingly everyone use a linktr.ee URL, and what is Linktree exactly?

In this post, I’ll tell you everything worth knowing as you decide whether to use Linktree or its alternatives. I’ll also give you advice on how best to use Linktree for social media marketing and more.

Download Now: Free Instagram for Business Kit + Templates

Here’s exactly what I have in store:

What Is Linktree?

Linktree is a tool for creating a personalized link that acts as a menu — in other words, a page that lists several other links of your choice. There’s a free plan and a paid plan. People typically put a Linktree link in their profile description on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, and other social networks. Users click it to navigate to a homepage, shop, other accounts, and more.

With over 40 million users, Linktree is a hugely popular fixture on social media profiles. I’ve noticed it in the Instagram bios of everyone from small business owners to A-list celebrities. If you want your followers to navigate to your Patreon, business webpage, ecommerce page (e.g., Amazon, Etsy), podcast, or another social media platform, Linktree is perfect.

Still confused? Hold tight. You’ll find out more as I walk you through setting up Linktree.

Should You Use Linktree for Marketing?

If you have a social media presence for your brand, I recommend using Linktree as a digital marketing tool, whether you’re a content creator, ecommerce store owner, or working for a marketing agency.

Here are the features I appreciate the most when I use Linktree.

Free Linktree Features

When you’re running a marketing campaign, you need to move quickly. Linktree lets you do that; as you’ll see soon, there are no roadblocks to setting up Linktree. Even a free account lets you easily add all your links to a customizable, branded Linktree page.

Sure, the free version doesn’t allow you to change the button and font styles or hide the Linktree logo. In my opinion, that doesn’t matter, especially for a freebie.

Paid Linktree Features

If you’re serious about Instagram marketing — or you leverage Facebook, LinkedIn, X, or TikTok to build an online presence — you may need the paid version of Linktree to reap the max marketing rewards.

The starter plan ($5 per month) supports affiliate marketing. It has a handful of other features, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

I was much more impressed with the additional features of the Pro version ($9 per month). With this option, I can connect Linktree to my Google Analytics account and access Linktree’s array of built-in analytics features, like conversion tracking and location-based analytics.

However, I was disappointed that, on the Pro plan, I couldn’t export any of my analytics data. For that, you’ll need the Premium plan ($24 per month).

Alternatives to Linktree

Unsurprisingly, Linktree isn’t the only link-in-bio tool on the market. I’ve had a look at the top contenders to see if they’d make good homes for your links.

Later

Later’s Link in Bio should win a prize for having such an original name. Overall, Later specializes in social media management and influencer marketing, and I’ve heard a lot about how Link in Bio is great for ecommerce. When I tested it out, I found its free page customization options to be much better than what Linktree offers on its free plan.

Milkshake

With Milkshake, you use an app to create a custom website that houses your links. Personally, I prefer to use my trusty laptop more often (I find phones too awkward for the task), so the app isn’t a huge draw for me. That being said, I like Milkshake’s Cards feature: Users can flip through links just as you would with an Instagram Story.

Bear in mind that I haven’t noticed any Linktree alternatives actually popping up on people’s social channels.

I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention the less obvious alternative to Linktree. Erica Hartwick, CEO of Big Cat Creative, had this to say: “In all fairness, it’s just a landing page with a bunch of links on it; surely we could easily create our own.”

When you have your own website, there’s nothing particularly special about what Linktree is. Sure, it does have some extra perks, but I don’t see the point in getting them from Linktree if you use other marketing tools.

And I think you’ll agree. It’s easier to capitalize on traffic to your own landing page compared to a Linktree one.

These steps are pretty straightforward, but I’m sticking around to help you plant your first Linktree.

Here’s a more detailed walkthrough with screenshots.

1. Head to Linktree to create your free account.

I did this on my laptop, but they have an app, too. I recommend choosing a username that’s memorable and reads well as a link; your username will be your Linktree URL.

The signup page to create your Linktree account.

2. Give Linktree information about your account category.

I chose Fashion & Beauty here, but you have the option to select Entertainment, Business, or even Other. Hit “Continue when you’ve chosen.

Linktree’s “Tell us about yourself” page.

 

3. Select your plan type.

I don’t even mind that Linktree automatically recommends the Pro plan instead of Free or Starter. Pro is packed with features and a good bang for your buck.

Selection of Linktree plans with different pricing options (Free, Starter, Pro, and Premium)

4. Choose your page’s appearance (or put it off till later).

On the Free plan, Linktree lets me upload a profile image and choose from about eight themes. Of these basic themes, nothing really stood out to me — but hey, did I mention it’s free?

Customization page for Linktree

5. Add your first new link.

I added the HubSpot Blog link here to show you how it’s done.

How to add a link to your Linktree by entering a URL.

6. Add a title, header, and thumbnail (optional).

Title customization options for Linktree links.

7. Add as many links as you want, then see what your Linktree looks like.

I added one link here for visual reference, but I strongly recommend you add multiple. Otherwise, there’s not much point in creating a Linktree, as it’s meant to condense several links.

What users see when they select your Instagram bio link.

8. Copy your Linktree URL or directly share it to your social media account.

It’s pretty easy for me to copy my Linktree URL and add it wherever I like. Linktree has other options that streamline the sharing process if you feel inclined. You also get a snazzy QR code.

The various ways to add your Linktree URL wherever you want.

Linktree Tips to Thrive

Choose relevant names for your links. I recommend being concise and descriptive when choosing your link title. For the above example, I used “HubSpot Blog” (original, right?). Most importantly, stay consistent with capitalization to create a clean, professional look.

Only include the most important links. Overloading on links is counterintuitive to what Linktree is. Marisa Messick, founder of Quill & Co Design, agrees.

“People forget that [Linktree is] supposed to act as a stepping stone to your main links. You want to keep it within three to five links so people don’t feel overwhelmed and ultimately don’t go where you want them to.”

Continually monitor your Linktree. Occasionally revisit your page to ensure you don’t have old, irrelevant, or broken links in there. Even if you plan to show the same links all the time, I recommend you change the order up occasionally. That way, the lonely links lower down the list get some love.

Great Linktree Examples

Patsy’s

My first example is a Brooklyn, New York-based dessert company called Patsy’s. The business, which makes Caribbean rum cakes from high-quality ingredients, has a Linktree in their Instagram bio.

Patsy’s Instagram account uses Linktree

What I like: Patsy’s Linktree is short but sweet (pun intended). It includes a button for ordering, a contact page, and a link to stockists. It also links to a Brooklyn Magazine article the company is featured in.

Patsy’s Linktree, with links for contact, ordering, and stockists.

Sean Garrette

Sean Garrette is a New York-based content creator, skincare expert, and esthetician. Their X account features a Linktree URL, which drives audience engagement.

Sean Garrette’s Twitter bio with a Linktree URL.

What I like: I appreciate the info-packed link descriptions. For example, there are clearly marked affiliate links — and even discount percentages and codes — without looking too busy. Sean also included a link to the content pieces people seek out most.

Sean Garette’s Linktree with product recommendations and more.

HubSpot

While we are looking at great uses of Linktree, it would be a shame not to check out HubSpot’s Instagram as well.

HubSpot’s Instagram account uses Linktree.

What I like: HubSpot’s Linktree design is branded to a tee, leveraging everything from our famous orange to a branded hashtag. With social links, and a lot of content links, this is a very ambitious Linktree setup, but HubSpot manages to keep everything clean and actionable.

HubSpot’s Linktree with content links and other offers

The Final Verdict on Using Linktree

Now that you know what Linktree is and how it works, should you use it because everyone else does? Probably.

Linktree is easy to set up and has decent customization options, even on the most basic plan. The layout is clean. The URL is recognizable to many social media users, helping you drive traffic without users worrying about suspicious links.

Sure, you could build your own link-sharing landing page, but it’ll take more time. What’s more, I know many big brands with high-quality websites and a Linktree — make of that what you will.

The basic navigational menu has branched out with some nifty features for under $10 a month. You won’t lose a cent by testing the free plan, so what are you waiting for? You’ll be able to share multiple high-impact links with your audience all at once, giving them more ways to interact with your business and become engaged in what you have to offer.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in Dec. 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness

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Categories B2B

Social Media’s Role in Reshaping Online Shopping, According to Retailers

Social buying. Everyone and their mama is doing it — or maybe it‘s just me and my family. I’m consistently tagged in posts (thank you, cousin) about adorable gifts, must-have outfits, and the like.

Now, I’m a content marketer who knows when I’m being sold to, but even I get lured by social posts with irresistible products. And I know I’m not alone — as of 2024, over 110 million Americans (roughly 42% of internet users) are fellow social buyers.

So, if you’re a brand selling products to consumers and you’re not already using social selling, 2024 is a superb year to start.

Not convinced?

Let’s explore the social commerce landscape, best practices, and fun examples of brands already seeing success. Plus, I’ll share insights from experts I talked to about the future (and present-day) of social commerce.

Social Media and Online Shopping — Today’s Landscape

7 Social Media Online Shopping Trends

Tips for Making the Most of Your Social Media

Download Now: Free State of Marketing Report [Updated for 2024]

Social Media and Online Shopping — Today’s Landscape

Salespeople. Marketers. Brands. They’re all jumping aboard the social selling bandwagon for good reason. Global social commerce sales could reach an astounding $2.9 trillion by 2026.

I know it’s a staggering number, but forecasts aren’t always enough to convince the gatekeepers of our selling and marketing budgets, are they?

So, let’s look at some facts and numbers straight from the horse’s mouth (buyers and brands):

  • Salespeople reveal, “Our highest quality leads come from social media, so we’ll prioritize this channel.”
  • Consumers say, “36% of us use social media to find new products, plus 28% of us Gen Z and Millennials purchased directly from social media apps within the past three months.”
  • 80% of social media marketers agree that “consumers are buying our products directly from social apps more than they purchase from our brand websites or third-party resellers.”
  • 87% percent of brands confirmed that “social selling has been effective for their business.”
  • Instagram says that “71% of Gen Z are likely to buy directly from [Instagram] compared to 68% for YouTube and TikTok.”

And if that’s not enough to convince you, check out this chart illustrating how well sales improved year over year for brands using social selling.

Chart showing how social media is changing retail selling

In a nutshell, social media commerce is on the rise, widely accepted by young consumers, and drives sales for brands.

7 Social Media Online Shopping Trends

What’s the secret behind the success and rapid growth of social media selling? Well, there isn’t one. Like any other marketing channel, you must monitor competitors and test different strategies.

But to give you a leg up, I gathered the top trends I’m seeing based on responses from experts and my own research.

1. Seamless In-App Shopping Experiences

As I noted above, consumers are buying from brands directly on social media platforms, so it makes sense to build a seamless in-app shopping experience for your customers.

No one wants to jump through hoops to make a purchase they thought would take only a few seconds.

But since you don’t have control over the development of these apps, or how well they’ll work for your customers, be sure to choose platforms already two steps ahead.

For example, I see social networks like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok enhancing in-app shopping. Facebook has a marketplace and shops you can use to build your digital storefront.

(In our recent study, we found this feature to be highly important to 36% of marketers.)

Instagram also has shopping features that could be used by over 46 million American social buyers in 2024. Both Facebook and Instagram allow users to checkout directly on the platform.

TikTok Shop is also available, but has been slow to gain traction in the U.S. In the summer of 2023, it generated $3 million to $4 million daily.

If you decide to use the platform, know that users can shop from multiple brands at once and add products to a single shopping cart.

But don’t rely on platforms to deliver seamless social media shopping experiences. I recommend taking it further by creating shoppable social posts. You can also use Likeshop.me to tie your shop to your social posts.

World Market wins with shoppable Instagram posts.

Like all the decor you see in a photo-rific post on Instagram? You can buy everything in one sitting. Below is an example of a highly shoppable post from World Market created using Likeshop.me.

Screenshot of shoppable social media post from World Market

Image Source

This shopping feature turns your Instagram posts and TikToks into mini-shops where you can tag and add products for shoppers to explore (and more importantly, purchase).

Gift Delivery also saw great success using shoppable videos.

By integrating direct purchase links into our video content, we’ve made it seamless for customers to buy products as soon as they see them featured,” shares Billy Parker, Gift Delivery’s managing director.

Parker continues that preliminary campaigns with this feature yielded “a 20% uptick in sales attributed to shoppable video content alone.”

Parker also notes that “the success of these campaigns lies in their ability to not only showcase products in action but also in the convenience they offer, significantly shortening the customer journey from discovery to purchase.”

Are you wondering which platforms you should focus on?

The top social networks offering the highest ROI (according to 1,000+ social media marketers) include:

  • Instagram (33%).
  • Facebook (25%).
  • YouTube (18%).
  • TikTok (12%).
  • X/Twitter (6%).

2. Short-Form Product Videos to Drive Engagement and Sales

Product demos, teasers, and similar videos are a money-maker on social media for 66% of video marketers. The beauty of this trend is that it’s short and sweet, and allows you to toot your own horn.

According to 36% of video marketers, three minutes or less is all you need. Done right, 40% of video marketers state that videos help customers understand your product better.

But how do you create engaging videos that feature your product without it coming off as an ad?

One option is to get an influencer involved. Tying social proof into the video makes it less sales-y — even more so if you partner with a small, trusted content creator (more on that later).

Examples of short video content you can create include:

    • Behind the scenes (BTS). Show you’re human and relatable.
    • Product teasers. Showcase a new feature or product.
    • How-tos. Share a quick tip to improve a process using your product.
    • User-generated content (UGC). Demonstrate how others are using your product.
  • Highlight reels & montage. Show the multiple benefits of your product in action.
  • Customer reviews. Leverage customer success stories as social proof.
  • FAQs. Answer questions about your product.
  • Influencer collabs. Partner with an influencer to feature your product in their content naturally.

You get the idea. So what does short video content look like in the real world? Let’s take a look.

Irresistible Me lets its hair down on TikTok.

Irresistable Me is a hair extension boutique that makes short videos on TikTok.

“TikTok is where we let our hair down — literally! It’s all about fun, quick, engaging content,” says Irresistible Me’s Marketer Kate Ross. “We jump on trends, create challenges, and use TikTok shopping features to link back to our products. It’s like the energetic party everyone wants to be at.”

Here’s an example of a TikTok using user-generated content, or should I say influencer-generated content, with Audrey Boos.

The video did well, with over 2K likes, 700+ bookmarks, and nearly 100 comments.

“TikTok has been huge for us. We’ve been getting creative, jumping into challenges, and teaming up with influencers who just get what we’re all about,” continues Ross. “It’s all about fun videos that show off what you can do with our products. This approach has brought a bunch of new faces to our site and helped us stand out in a pretty crowded market.”

3. More Team-Ups With Nano- and Micro-Influencers to Build Trust

I’m seeing fewer big influencers and more micro-influencers in my feeds lately. And I kinda like it. Okay, I really like it. Like most, I enjoy seeing real and relatable content creators.

It appears more brands are taking this approach, too, which is better for their bottom line — it reduces the marketing spend and potentially boosts their revenue.

Roughly 67% of influencer marketers work with micro-influencers and 24% team up with nano-influencers. The top social platforms they plan to do most of their partnerships on are:

  • Instagram (27%).
  • Facebook (19%).
  • YouTube (18%).
  • TikTok (15%).

So far, 47% of marketers report successful micro-influencer partnerships. This is not surprising when 21% of social media users between 18 and 54 buy products based on influencer recommendations.

So how can brands put this to use?

Glossier uses UGC to show how everyday women use its products.

Glossier, a renowned makeup company, regularly partners with nano- and micro-influencers. The following IG reel shows Sky Mejias applying its lip products. It’s a mix of a tutorial and social proof to get followers to give the items a try.

The video generated 320K views and nearly 7K likes, so we know it got good reach. This influencer is considered a nano-influencer since she has just over 3,500 followers.

It’s also promising that 1 in 3 Gen Zers bought from an influencer-founded brand in the past year. This proves how much our younger generation of buyers trusts influencers.

“Micro-influencers have been our secret weapon. We’ve seen incredible engagement from collaborations that feel genuine and personal,” shares Ross. “One campaign that stands out involved partnering with a micro-influencer who shared her journey from short to long hair using our extensions. Her story resonated with many, leading to a spike in visits and sales.”

Ross shares that they also leveraged AI: “What’s cool is how we can test using AI to match our products with the right influencers, ensuring their audience aligns with our target customers.”

4. Social Media Becomes a Top Search Channel

Gen Z and millennials continue to break the mold, this time with how they find brands and products. The old way: Google, Bing, and Yahoo. The new way? TikTok and Instagram.

Our State of Social Media Marketing 2024 report shows that 36% of Gen Z and 22% of millennials search social media more than they do search engines.

To conform to this new trend, brands must treat social media posts like they would SEO content.

“I can confidently say hashtags and reels are among our top performing Instagram strategies,” shares Michael Nemeroff, co-founder of Rush Order Tees. “We use targeted keywords as hashtags for our posts. However, we specifically prioritize keywords that still have less than 100k uses as hashtags to increase our chances of reaching more narrow, niche audiences.”

The Ordinary and its partner influencers use keyword-focused hashtags.

The best way to demonstrate the keyword-focused trend is to do it. So, I typed #acneskincare into Instagram and found the following reel by Joy Mercy Michael.

What makes this post work? It’s 100% user-generated content. It’s unsponsored and naturally refers her viewers to The Ordinary’s product (among a few others in the description, making it feel more authentic).

And since she tagged the brand in the post, it’ll reach its audience too. It also helps that she has over 100K followers.

Pro tip: Since it’s not just your own posts customers will find featuring your products, I recommend selecting a hashtag directly related to your product.

By promoting this hashtag in every post, you increase the likelihood that customers will use it too, which in turn increases the odds of prospects finding your products.

The more of your posts users see in the results, the higher the odds they’ll click on one.

5. Live Streaming Continues to Grow

Publishing images, reels, and carousels on social media keeps your audience engaged. But there’s nothing like the experience of interacting with a brand and other shoppers in real time.

Live streaming allows retailers to connect with customers and potential buyers on a more personal level, which humanizes your brand and offers the attention they need during the customer journey.

I believe brands should do more Q&A-style lives to invite viewers to interact and get answers that may keep them from hitting the buy button. The stream could feature an employee or an influencer.

Hallmark Timmins, a Canadian gift shop, partners with the latter.

“My brand has tested live-stream shopping events and found sales conversions to be three to four times higher than traditional social media posts,” explains Shawn Stack, Founder of Hallmark Timmins.

Stack continues that, “Viewers seem to find the real-time, interactive nature of live streams highly engaging, and the option to buy with one click reduces purchase friction.

We’ve also built personal connections between our influencers and their viewers, who regularly tune in to not just shop but also chat and get style advice.”

Your stream doesn’t have to be all sales. It can be a product demonstration or a Q&A session. If you have a product line, hire models or influencers to use the items so your audience can see how it works/looks before buying.

But don’t turn your stream into an infomercial. Instead, use “quiet selling,” where models wear shoppable items viewers can purchase during the stream. There’s no overt selling — just valuable discussions.

In a recent HubSpot study, we found that 27% of marketers want to use platforms that offer live-streaming features.

Are you wondering if live streaming actually works? According to CivicScience data, 25% of Gen Zers and 14% of millennials have purchased from live shopping streams.

Additionally, by 2026 live shopping sales will make up 5% of ecommerce in the U.S.

Aldo uses live shopping mixed with influencers to drive engagement.

Canada is already seeing success with live streaming. For instance, Aldo launched a successful live shopping pilot, partnering with influencers Mimi Cuttrell and Nate Wyatt to showcase its spring 2021 collection.

The interactive livestream allowed viewers to explore products from home, achieving a 308% engagement rate and driving 17,000 page views to Aldo’s website in the following five days.

I expect to see this trend become mainstream in America soon, especially with social commerce on the rise.

6. Augmented Reality is Enhancing Shopping Experiences

The pandemic normalized shopping for and purchasing everything entirely online — even houses and cars.

Brands that took notice are adopting augmented reality (AR) to attract shoppers who enjoy the convenience of online shopping, but still want the in-store shopping experience.

This AR shopping experience works by overlaying a digital product image on a real-world image of a store or the customer’s home (or face). Like that lamp? Use your smartphone or tablet to see how it’d look on your bedroom nightstand.

Peeping that pair of glasses? Mirror yourself in selfie mode wearing the shades to see if they’re your style.

It’s the same for hair products. “We’re currently working on implementing Augmented Reality (AR) on our website,” shares Ross, “so that customers can see how they’d look in different hair extensions or wigs without leaving their couch.”

It’s a smart move — it gives shoppers what they want, increases sales, and reduces returns.

I predict brands will drive traffic to their website using AR experiences on social media. However, many will create these tools within their apps and websites to keep consumers shopping in their online stores.

American Eagle partnered with Snapchat for “Dress Yourself” AR and VR experience.

In 2021, fashion brand AE used Snapchat to launch its Dress Yourself AR campaign — a unique experience where customers could use their self-facing camera to try on and shop various looks within its back-to-school collection.

They could even share the looks with their friends.

AE also partnered with Bitmoji to create a first-of-its-kind virtual reality clothing line that customers could purchase on Snapchat and wear on their avatars.

This wasn’t its first dabble in the metaverse — AE also launched a virtual store on Snapchat during the holiday season of 2020. After raking in $2 million, it chose to go all in, hiring an in-house metaverse team.

Now, it’s a matter of when other retail brands will follow suit.

Tips for Making the Most of Your Social Media

Ready to dive head first into some of these social commerce trends? Before you do, be sure to read the following best practices I gathered from retailers and marketing experts.

Use interactive content to engage and collect first-party data.

Posting on social media can help with brand recognition. But if you’re trying to sell on social media platforms, engagement is the name of the game.

You can use a mix of videos to drive views and interest, but there’s another way I found to be quite effective: quizzes.

These are not just your typical “take this quiz to see what type of dog you are” kind of content. I’m talking about quizzes that tie directly into a purchase.

I believe this is a game changer — it got me to purchase a face wash cream from IL MAKIAGE (and they got me with an upsell for its cream before checking out, too).

According to PopSmash, a Shopify quiz app tool, quizzes have helped:

  • A haircare brand increase Shopify store conversions by 41%.
  • A cosmetic brand increase ad revenue by 200%.
  • A home goods brand increase their average order value by 60%.

“Instead of trying to sell directly on social media, we’ve found success in targeting engagement that sells for us,” explains Gabe Mays, founder of PopSmash. “For example, when posting about products, we have merchants share a link to a product recommendation quiz where users can find the best variant of that product for them.”

According to Mays, this works better because people are on social to be entertained, not buy. The quiz engages them while helping them discover the best products for them and can drive conversions.

The opt-in rate: Out of those who comment on a social post, around 30% will take the quiz and opt-in.

Craft engaging, authentic live sessions.

Live streaming is a growing trend, but it won’t work well if your streams are … well, boring. It’s tempting to jump in and showcase your products, but remember — consumers want to be entertained, not sold to.

As I stated earlier, you shouldn’t create infomercials. Use themes, trends, and edutainment content to attract viewers and then quiet sell to them with shoppable items in the video.

I’d also recommend teaming up with influencers across platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Kick (the new kid on the block).

Then, when a sales event comes around — such as during the holidays or a new product launch — you can partner with influencers to showcase the goods.

“For Mother’s Day, we did something special,” shares Ross. “We teamed up with moms who are also influencers to chat about something many moms go through but don’t always talk about: hair loss after having a baby. These amazing moms shared their own stories … which helped a lot of our followers feel understood and less alone.”

These influencers didn’t just talk about the problem, though. Through their videos, they also showed how Irresistible Me’s hair extensions could help.

“What made this campaign a hit was how real and open it was,” continues Ross. “Plus, offering a special deal for Mother‘s Day was the cherry on top. It was all about connecting, sharing real stories, and showing that there’s a simple way to feel great about your hair again.”

Use giveaways to increase reach for quizzes and improve personalization.

“The new key approach we‘ve found (especially for DTC brands) is not to just think of ’social selling’ as selling since often users are on social to be entertained, not to shop,” says Mays. He says that you have to first engage them, and then take an “oh by the way, maybe you’ll like this” approach.

Example post for an Instagram giveaway with PopSmash

Image Source

According to Mays, giveaways like this activate your social audience, who drive organic engagement and funnel it to the quiz. The quiz captures contact details (e.g., name, email) and product preferences to get them into a higher-converting channel like email or SMS.

Mays advises, “The key thing here is that ‘social selling’ isn’t just about trying to drive sales in the moment, but giving yourself leverage (personalization and contact data) to consistently drive longer-term sales.”

Don’t just generate customers — grow a community.

At least 20% of people have joined and participated in an online community. Some of them belong to communities created by their favorite brands.

It’s a fun way to connect with customers, get feedback, and share products and information they care about.

It’s about building relationships and loyalty — and hopefully, brand advocates — to increase your brand awareness and sales.

Our research shows that in 2024, 86% of social media marketers will prioritize building an active online community.

“One major trend is community-driven curation and influencer marketing. Our ‘DoDo Crews’ program taps into passionate communities, giving them tools to share looks and inspirations directly with their followers,” shares Mark Sheng, project engineer at DoDo Machine.

Sheng shares that, “Early results show a 25% bump in conversion when shoppers discover products through these trusted sources.”

Sheng’s advice is to put the community at the center. Facilitate authentic connections among brands, creators, and shoppers. Use trusted voices and native video. Social shopping should feel like genuine sharing between friends.

Community & Connection = Clicks & Conversions

Social selling isn‘t about shoving products down people’s throats. It‘s about fostering genuine connections and cultivating communities of passionate fans.

The brands winning are those making their customers feel like they’re sharing between friends (or at least, trusted advisors).

User-generated content, influencer partnerships, community curation — these are what will continue to drive social sales. When trusted voices do the selling for you, it turns a promotion into a friendly recommendation.

Tie in immersive tech like AR try-ons and shoppable videos to meet customers exactly where they are: scrolling on social, ready to be entertained and inspired to spend.

Brands putting community first will unlock clicks, purchases, and meaningful loyalty. They’re the ones who understand the future of social commerce is all about human-to-human connection, not brand-to-consumer broadcasting.

state-of-marketing-2024

Categories B2B

Authentic Leadership — How to Lead While Staying True to Yourself

As I started taking leadership roles in my career, I thought I had to copy the exceptional leaders I’m inspired by. Over time, I realized that authentic leadership contributes to the biggest positive impact on my teams. It turns out the key to being a great leader is learning to be yourself, just in a leadership position.

HubSpot asked marketing leaders about the most important qualities they consider when deciding to promote an individual to a senior position. Of respondents, 39% said leadership, making it the top factor.

Like you, I was motivated to become a better leader, so I sought guidance. In this article, I’ll go over what authentic leadership entails, why it’s important, and how to discover which type of leadership feels most genuine to you.

Click here to download leadership lessons from HubSpot founder Dharmesh Shah.

Table of Contents

Common authentic leadership characteristics include:

  • Humility.
  • Integrity.
  • Empathy.
  • Discipline.
  • Transparency.
  • Self-awareness.
  • Commitment to personal development.

These qualities help those in charge inspire their teams, which is crucial for anyone who wants to be an effective leader. In a survey of marketing leaders, 39% of respondents listed “motivating and empowering their team” as the number one thing they can do to make the biggest impact in their role.

What is Authentic Leadership Theory?

In Bill George’s book Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets To Creating Lasting Value, the highly successful former CEO outlines five leadership principles he believes comprise an authentic leadership style: Purpose, values, heart, self-discipline, and relationships. He argues that authentic leaders create far more value than leaders who rely solely on financially oriented decision-making.

While reading this book, I made the discovery that started my journey to authentic leadership: Compassion and matters of the heart aren’t weaknesses for leaders. They’re superpowers.

Here’s a closer look at the puzzle pieces of authentic leadership, according to Bill George.

1. Purpose

Authentic leaders have a strong sense of purpose that drives their work. Examples of purpose in business can be innovation, product excellence, or even social change.

Having a clear purpose makes it easier to identify priorities when I have an endless list of tasks and not enough time. In those moments, I ask myself which strategies and projects most align with my business’s long-term goals.

2. Values

In addition to having a clear purpose, authentic leaders honor their values by incorporating them into decision-making and actions. Doing the right thing from a moral perspective has always served me better than focusing on what I’d want for myself in particular. In short, authentic leadership is also ethical leadership.

3. Heart

Heart refers to the compassion that authentic leaders have for others and their well-being. It may sound like a soft skill, but it has paid off in dividends on my team. I don’t think leaders can ever go wrong by treating others with kindness and caring about the people who work for them.

In fact, the opposite mindset can be harmful in terms of motivation, satisfaction, and productivity. In our recent survey, 30% of people listed unsupportive management as the most significant cultural barrier to high performance.

4. Self-Discipline

Leaders who exercise self-discipline stay engaged in their work and see projects through to the end. I find this especially important in today’s age of digital work; it’s easy to be swayed by constant distractions.

As a leader, it’s my job to set the tone for my team by remaining focused on the priorities that align with my purpose and values.

5. Relationships

To truly foster authenticity, authentic leaders remain genuine and straightforward, which involves giving honest feedback.

That might seem counterintuitive. How will you become close to your team if you point out their shortcomings? Trust me, it works in your favor in the long run since your employees can trust that you aren’t hiding your true feelings about their performance.

Why Authentic Leadership is So Impactful

A big reason authentic leadership is so important is that it allows business leaders to establish trust and improve team performance from the top down. When the foundation is built on trust, people are more likely to perform well individually, collaborate effectively as team members, and support one another.

Trust isn’t simply a nice word to mention when discussing company culture. In my experience, it’s essential for creating a high-performance environment and building a business that can succeed in the long run.

When surveyed, 79% of marketing leaders said that company culture is either very or extremely important to reaching organizational objectives. Furthermore, according to a PwC survey, 93% of business executives say their ability to build and maintain trust improves the bottom line.

What does that actually look like? As I developed genuine good boss energy, practiced empathy, and actually listened to my team, I built a productive work culture that empowers people to achieve their goals.

If you want to use authenticity to create a more enjoyable and productive work environment, I recommend starting with the basics of authentic leadership theory, which you’ll learn shortly. First, let’s be aware of the hurdles to leading authentically.

The Challenge of Authentic Leadership

Each person is unique, so it’s impossible to create a color-by-numbers guide to authentic leadership. As Meghan Keaney Anderson, HubSpot’s vice president of marketing, put it, “It’s funny that something so basic as being yourself starts to become harder as you gain responsibility and scope. But the truth is, being authentic as a leader has to be consciously worked at.”

Unlike some other types of leadership styles, Anderson explains, “There are no examples of what’s authentic to you (until you get there). So, you have to search for it.”

Personally, it’s been hard to fumble around, fail at times, and figure out what works for me. While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, there are some steps you can take to train your intuition.

How to Be an Authentic Leader

Consciously searching for authenticity is a journey I’m still on, and I find it rewarding. Well, there are some tips I wish I knew sooner. Here’s what I found helpful in discovering what resonates with me in a leadership position.

Get to know yourself more and more.

Being a successful leader is overwhelming at times. That‘s why it’s crucial to understand your strengths, weaknesses, and core values. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of this first step, as it‘s difficult to demonstrate authenticity when you’re shaky about who you are and what you stand for.

Remember, it’s okay to take the time to reflect and connect with your inner self. It’s not a delay; it’s part of becoming a more genuine and effective leader.

By displaying both your strengths and weaknesses to your team, you can demonstrate that you have nothing to hide and don’t play games. How does this facilitate trust? For example, when your employee makes a mistake, they’ll feel more comfortable admitting their error to you.

“Understand yourself better” is much easier said than done. That’s why I like using the three steps from Practicing Authentic Leadership by Tara S. Wernsing and Bruce J. Avolio:

  • Ask colleagues about your strengths and weaknesses. According to our recent survey, 55% of marketing leaders use input from direct reports to evaluate manager performance. Have you capitalized on feedback lately?
  • Self-reflect about your past behavior. In particular, analyze scenarios in which you’ve felt proud of your actions or wish you’d handled something differently.
  • Regularly check in with how you feel. Imagine seeing a recent campaign’s results and noticing you’re frustrated. What would you do before debriefing your team members?

Over time, I’ve found that self-awareness is a critical component in evolving and growing as an authentic leader. By acknowledging my weak areas, I can take steps to rectify them — or hire accordingly to ensure that my team has the skills I lack.

Ask for input.

It’s critical that you create an environment in which employees feel safe and encouraged to share their opinions. This ties back to self-awareness. You must be self-aware enough to accept that your opinion may be biased or at least partial.

When making major decisions, it‘s important you ask for alternative opinions and remain open to discussion. While it’s important you stick to your values, it’s equally critical you seek out opposing viewpoints, which can help you see flaws in your initial course of action or enable you to strengthen your argument by understanding all points of view.

Embrace honesty, even when it’s uncomfortable.

If you want to be an authentic leader, your actions need to encourage transparency and honesty, even when it’s uncomfortable. I find that the best leaders are those who aren’t afraid to face uncomfortable truths.

One of my favorite examples of championing honesty and transparency is former president and CEO of Ford Alan Mulally. He implemented a color coding system where business leaders produced charts at each meeting — green to signify success, red to signify failure. This good idea had some issues in execution, as I’ll explain.

One year, Ford’s forecasts projected the company would lose $17 billion. Yet, Mulally saw that every chart was entirely green. He then realized that Ford’s culture led to managers hiding problems and avoiding transparency because they feared for their jobs.

When one leader, Mark Fields, handed over a chart with some red on it, Mulally began clapping. His surprising reaction signifies a concept: Honesty about failure should be rewarded because it’s an opportunity for growth.

The following week, Mulally saw charts varying from green to yellow to red. This transparency allowed teams to get a true understanding of where the company’s problems were and what needed to be improved.

Lead by example.

At the end of the day, it’s not enough to call yourself an authentic leader and be on your way. Your actions have to back up your words.

After all, if you aren’t known for tactfully admitting your shortcomings and fears, it’s tough to imagine that your employees will feel comfortable coming to you with their concerns and dilemmas.

“It’s demonstrating through your actions that you practice the same values and behaviors you expect from your team,” notes Emmy Jonassen, HubSpot’s director of acquisition.

She goes on to say, “For example, if you ask your team to come to meetings on time and be prepared, you should as well. If you impress upon your team that no task is beneath anyone if it works toward team goals, you should help out with team ‘grunt work’ every now and again by being the notetaker, cleaning up after a team birthday celebration, and so forth.”

When I’m more engaged and focused, my team follows suit. This seems to be true at other organizations; 78% of marketing leaders agree that leadership teams are responsible for preventing high levels of disengagement (also known as quiet quitting). At the same time, disengagement still affects 58% of the organizations we surveyed.

Permit yourself to be vulnerable.

If you’re anything like me, it can feel quite scary to admit that you don’t have the answer, especially in front of the people you’re supposed to lead. That said, I’ve found that I gain more trust by being honest and vulnerable instead of trying to cover up the things I don’t know.

For this tip, I take inspiration from Anderson, who says, “You have to create touch points in the course of meetings, presentations, and management that remind you of yourself — who you are and where you’re strongest.”

To put vulnerability into action, Anderson says: “When I give speeches, I tend to start with a personal story to set the tone for the rest of the talk because there‘s no way to tell a personal story without being myself. When I’m out of my depths on something or need time to think before a decision, I make sure to say so, ensuring my team knows I don’t always have the answers.”

You don’t need to share all your life stories to be vulnerable. Simply reminding your team that you’re human can be enough to foster camaraderie and trust.

To ensure you‘re able to empower your team, it’s critical you remain focused on demonstrating authenticity whenever possible. To learn more about how authentic leadership works, download Lessons on Leadership by HubSpot co-founder Dharmesh Shah.

Setting up Success with Authentic Leadership

Ultimately, authenticity is a leadership skill like any other; it can be developed and honed over time. In my own leadership development journey, I find that being genuine and leading by example has always served my teams and me well.

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Categories B2B

290+ Social Media Holidays for Your 2024 Content Calendar [+Template]

Do you celebrate International Cat Day, Pizza Day, or Talk Like a Pirate Day?

There are so many observance days worldwide that we, as marketers, can use to share content relevant to our industries. But odds are, you probably don’t acknowledge these days until you see your favorite brand posting about it.

That‘s why I’ve compiled a list of social media observances for your marketing holiday calendar in 2024 — so you don’t have to.

→ Free Download: Social Media Calendar Template [Access Now]

Table of Contents

Why use a marketing holiday calendar?

A marketing holiday calendar can help you plan for trending social media holidays, and identify the observances that are most relevant to your brand.

For example, you can find opportunities to connect with new and existing followers who share an affinity for a specific food — like popcorn lovers on Popcorn Lover’s Day in March.

Or you can tap into a common interest — such as Super Bowl Sunday for the football fans in your target audience.

While I don’t suggest sharing content on social media and then adding an irrelevant holiday hashtag to it, you can leverage these marketing holidays to promote your brand in a meaningful way.

Not doing so could cause you to miss valuable opportunities where your brand can join the conversations taking place among members of your community.

Downloadable Social Media Holiday Calendar

To help you keep track of all these unique holidays, here’s a free Social Media Holiday Calendar.

This easy-to-use Excel template will help you plan out your content and format it for different channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and Pinterest.

Use the Above Template to Plan Out Your Social Media Holiday Posts

Rolling Social Media Holidays

First up, I‘ll cover the social media holidays that will roll around every year but can drastically change dates. The following holidays don’t have the same date each year — but they’re absolutely worth adding to your social media calendar.

January

  • Clean Off Your Desk Day #CleanOffYourDeskDay: Second Monday of January
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day #MLKDay: Third Monday of January
  • Get to Know Your Customers Day #GetToKnowYourCustomersDay: Third Thursday of Every Quarter (starting in January)
  • Community Manager Appreciation Day #CMAD: Fourth Monday of January

February

March

April

  • National High-Five Day #NH5D: Third Thursday of April
  • Get to Know Your Customers Day #GetToKnowYourCustomersDay: Third Thursday of Every Quarter (April)
  • Denim Day #DenimDay: Last Wednesday in April
  • National Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day #COUNTONME: Fourth Thursday in April
  • Arbor Day #ArborDay: Last Friday in April (May Vary by State)

May

  • World Asthma Day #WorldAsthmaDay: First Tuesday of May
  • National Teacher Appreciation Day #ThankATeacher: First Tuesday of the First Full Week of May
  • National Red Nose Day #RedNoseDay: Last Thursday of May
  • Heat Awareness Day #NoFryDay: Last Friday of May

June

July

September

October

November

December

National & Global Social Media Holidays: 2024

The list isn’t exhaustive (there are a lot of food-specific holidays out there), and these dates and hashtags may still be subject to change.

But this is a great starting point for social media marketers who want to learn more about what’s trending and how they can plan their content in a way that will be fun and engaging on social platforms.

January 2024 Social Media Holidays

February 2024 Social Media Holidays

March 2024 Social Media Holidays

April 2024 Social Media Holidays

May 2024 Social Media Holidays

June 2024 Social Media Holidays


July 2024 Social Media Holidays

August 2024 Social Media Holidays

September 2024 Social Media Holidays

    • September 11: National Day of Service and Remembrance #911Day

October 2024 Social Media Holidays

November 2024 Social Media Holidays

December 2024 Social Media Holidays

Tips for Using Marketing Holidays on Social Media

1. Prioritize your holidays in advance.

As I mentioned above, the goal isn’t to participate in every social media holiday out there. You’ll want to choose the observances that make the most sense for you and your brand.

Create a list at the start of each month — or better yet, each year — of the holidays you’ll be creating content for. This will make it a lot easier to work this strategy into your content calendar.

And try to spread the love throughout the different months of the year. That way you can capitalize on seasonal trends, too.

2. Keep your audience segments in mind.

It‘s possible that all of the people who interact with your business won’t care about all of the holidays you decide to post about.

That‘s why it’s important to make a thoughtful decision about which observances and conversations you choose to join on social media.

Use insights from your buyer personas to tap into the holidays that align most closely with the interests of your audience.

3. Track the success of your marketing holiday calendar.

As a marketer, I like to try a bunch of different tactics to see what sticks.

I‘d recommend doing that with social media holidays. Especially if this is the first time you’re considering building our a promotion calendar based on observances.

Here’s what that might look like:

  • Over the course of a year, you could pick a few observances each month to join in on social media.
  • Then, track key metrics like impressions and engagements to see which holidays are getting the most traction for your business.
  • And finally, use those insights to inform your social media holiday participation for the next year.

Also, don‘t be afraid to peek at what other brands are doing for inspiration. It’s amazing what goes viral these days.

Examples of Social Media Holiday Posts

Speaking of inspo, are you ready to get inspired? Check out some of my favorite examples of social media holiday posts below.

1. December Holidays — HubSpot

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In this post from HubSpot’s very own social media team, we created a holiday gift guide for marketers.

Of course, this is one of our buyer personas and also a group of people we very much love (we create software products just for them, after all! Shout out to Marketing Hub).

This is one example of how you can make a social media holiday post relevant to your target audience while integrating light humor.

2. Valentine’s Day — Afterlight Books

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Afterlight Books is a romance book box subscription service that hit the nail on the head with their Valentine’s week campaign.

You read that right — they turned a social media holiday into a social media week.

Not only is that delightful for their loyal subscribers, but it also capitalizes on one of their main selling points. All of their books are romantic, so it makes sense to make a big deal out of the most romantic holiday of the year!

If your product or business aligns with a specific holiday, feel free to go all out on your campaign.

3. Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month — Spotify

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For Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Spotify featured a diverse panel of artists who are of Asian and Pacific Islander descent.

In the spirit of the holiday, the brand also asked each artist why representation matters to them, which not only uplifts API voices but also honors what heritage months are all about.

Whenever you make a social media holiday post, consider tying the content you’re publishing very closely with the essence of the holiday.

4. Mother’s Day — Mark and Fold

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Stationery brand Mark + Fold kept it simple with this Mother’s Day post, which reminds their followers to order a lasting gift for the wonderful mothers they know.

This post features minimal photography and embodies the brand’s professional, polished tone (with a bit of sass, of course).

It’s a great example of how to keep it simple — no need to go over the top, especially if your brand is more understated in nature.

5. First Day of Summer — Brown University

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If you’re looking for an example of a no-fuss social media holiday post, look no further than this example from a university.

It celebrates the first day of summer, which for most students means a welcome break from school. To encapsulate that spirit, it includes an image of an empty, peaceful, and quiet green (which is, in fact, called the Quiet Green).

With a brief Instagram caption and a dedicated branded hashtag, this social media holiday post is both effective and simple, and absolutely worth imitating if you’re not sure what to post next but know that another holiday is coming up.

6. Halloween — Meta

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For its Halloween post, Meta published a reel titled “Haunted House: Trick-VR–Treat,” which effectively advertises its VR headset product.

It also encapsulates the spooky spirit of the holiday by inviting viewers to join them in a virtual haunted house created by Eli Roth. This is an excellent example of how to tie a holiday post into an experiential marketing campaign.

7. December Holidays — JetPens

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Let’s be honest: December is chock-full of social media holiday opportunities, so it warrants a second example on this list.

JetPens, an online stationery store, delighted its followers with a gift wrapping tutorial (which is just about the hardest thing to do) featuring a few of its stationery items. What a win!

The brand both advertised its products and provided useful information to its followers. Consider taking a similar approach with your posts, where you both honor the holiday and help out your viewers.

8. National Pink Day — Crumbl Cookies

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Crumbl Cookies won the social media holiday game with this post about National Pink Day. Its brand color is pink, so it created a giveaway campaign to celebrate the holiday and invited their followers to tag others for a chance to win.

This is a great example to follow if your brand colors align with any one of the national color holidays.

Just remember that many of those holidays are aligned with a specific cause.

For instance, Purple Day (March 26th) is designed to raise awareness about epilepsy, while National Dress in Blue Day (first Friday in March) aims to raise knowledge about colon cancer.

Social Media Holidays Will Help You Grow Your Brand

Partaking in social media holidays will help you create a stronger brand voice and share posts about trending topics, helping you earn more followers in the long run.

While it’s not important to celebrate every single social media holiday, being aware of the holidays can help you brainstorm ideas for your marketing and implement fun, themed posts into your social media content calendar.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in January 2017 but is updated annually for comprehensiveness.

social media content calendar

Categories B2B

How to Promote Your Content as a Creator

You spend countless hours editing video content to perfection, writing the perfectly optimized blog post, and putting together the absolute best resources for social media … only to realize that you still have to convince people to actually view your content.

Your content could have the secrets to world peace and curing jet lag, but it doesn’t matter unless people actually see it.

The importance of an effective content promotion strategy can‘t be overstated, but it’s not something that you discover instantly.

Finding your perfect content promotion strategy has a learning curve that every creator has to navigate:

  • Picking up momentum with platform algorithms.
  • Learning about your target audience.
  • Sharpening your marketing skills.

In 2023, the content promotion strategy for my brand and my clients reached well over 25 million people. I‘m an author, service provider, and digital product creator with a blog, YouTube channel, and social media accounts.

My focus platforms are Pinterest and LinkedIn, but I’m also a marketing manager for brands that leverage Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and email marketing.

Here are my no-fluff, actionable tips for how to get there yourself.

How I Promote My Content

Best Tools for Content Promotion

How to Promote Your Content on Social Media

5 Content Promotion Best Practices

Download Now: 150+ Content Creation Templates [Free Kit]

How I Promote My Content

Content promotion is simply the process of reminding people about your content, products, or services. But what does that look like in real life?

I’ll walk you through this process using my own brand as an example.

Create Valuable Content

Yes, this is technically not a step in content promotion, but it needs to be said: no amount of marketing will make users care about poor content.

The (sort of) exception to this is a lifestyle brand. Large audiences have been amassed by many creators on TikTok and YouTube for simply sharing their daily lives. It’s a different type of value: entertainment.

These creators turn mundane tasks like cleaning their camping gear or getting ready for work into video content that their target audience loves.

But if you’re not a lifestyle brand, you need to constantly reflect on the value exchange that consumers get from your content.

Here’s an example of a blog post tutorial on my website. This is a piece of free content that funnels readers into a paid product, and it needs to be valuable enough to convince readers to spend money.

what you need to know

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Prioritize Search Engines

An Instagram post from five years ago can’t bring you organic traffic, sales, or impressions today, but a blog post, Pinterest image, or YouTube video can.

Why? Because those platforms are search engines.

The most popular search engines include:

  • Google/Bing/Ecosia/etc. Primary focus: written content.
  • YouTube. Primary focus: video content.
  • Pinterest. Primary focus: visual content.

Content marketing efforts go much further when you have platforms that are driving users to your content.

Not only are search engines doing the heavy lifting of getting eyeballs on your content, but it’s also a targeted audience.

Users are actively searching for your content when they Google or search on YouTube, versus being randomly shown something on Facebook or Instagram.

I haven’t published any new content on Pinterest in the last 60 days, but thanks to the nature of the platform, my website has still gotten more than 1.8 million impressions.

Pinterest analytics screenshot

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Search engines do come with a learning curve, though.

You’ll have to learn search engine optimization (SEO), search intent, and some other technical skills, but you can learn for free with HubSpot Academy.

While it‘s technically possible to get social media users to convert to website traffic, we’re all sick of being told to “just click the link in my bio!” Social media platforms have their place, but they should never be your sole content promotion strategy.

Go From Macro to Micro

A reliable content marketing strategy is the macro-to-micro model: start with a comprehensive piece of content and break it down into as many smaller pieces of content as possible.

Here is an example of that process:

  • Write a thorough blog post.
  • Break down the big points into 3-5 podcast episodes or YouTube videos.
  • Turn those same big points into carousels for Instagram and LinkedIn.
  • Leverage individual takeaways and turn those into educational short-form videos for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts.
  • Respond to the questions on your short-form videos, and edit your original blog post to answer any FAQs that you missed when writing.

Look closely, and you’ll notice many big creators leveraging this circular content promotion tactic.

It takes far less effort to use the macro-to-micro content creation model than it does to piece a dozen small ideas into a coherent long-form piece of content. It helps you create focused content that your target audience is interested in.

Here’s an example from my brand. First, I wrote a blog post about working vacations. Then, I used the content to make a YouTube video, send an email to my email list, create Pinterest pins, and write LinkedIn content. I also have a book on this topic.

See how the different pieces of content intertwine?

Choose Promotion Frequency

My advice: Create a sustainable social media strategy — one that you think you can sustain for the next year.

Why a year? Even if you already know the ins and outs of content promotion, you still need time to gain momentum with the different platform algorithms. Content promotion is a process of sowing seeds, tending the land, and waiting for harvest day to come.

The second week of January, content marketing Facebook groups are filled with predictable cries of frustration. “Blogging/Instagram/content marketing is dead!” shout people who have only been promoting content for the last ten days.

It‘s as reliable as New Year’s Eve fireworks.

It’s wonderful to have enough enthusiasm to set lofty goals, but your content promotion strategy requires long-term follow-through to reach its potential. This post from LinkedIn creator Tasleem Ahmad Fateh will help inspire the right mindset.

LinkedIn post on content promotion strategy

Promote Content on Podcasts

Podcasts are a great place to promote high-level pieces of content like:

  • Coaching programs.
  • Email freebies.
  • Products.
  • Services.
  • A book.

I chose podcasts as the primary promotion strategy for my book launch in January 2024 because of the high return on investment. Established podcasts come with a lot of credibility and a reliable listener base.

Your task is to have an engaging conversation, which takes far less work than other types of audience-borrowing, like writing guest posts.

There were days during my big book promotion push where I did six podcasts interviews back to back; I could’ve never written that much content in that same time frame.

Ultimately I was interviewed on 40+ podcasts and it was a content promotion tactic that really paid off.

Screenshot of podcast appearances on press page

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All of the enthusiasm for content aside, how do you actually make it happen? Leverage these tools to make your content promotion strategy possible.

Canva

Canva is a web-based graphic design software that lets you make everything from icons to entire websites. It’s incredibly user-friendly and comes loaded with thousands of free templates. Bulk content production is so much easier with Canva.

Screenshot of Canva-1

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Pinterest Business Account

In a perfect world, the bulk of your content promotion wouldn‘t be done by you — it’d be done by your readers.

After all, don’t you give more weight to a friend sharing a recipe on Facebook and saying “This was delicious!” than to the recipe creator sharing the same URL?

Social endorsement is a great indicator of content quality, and as a result, some platforms even favor user-shared content.

Pinterest‘s algorithm operates this way, and its power can’t be overstated. It works like magic for creators:

1. Someone is reading your website and they want to save your blog post to their Pinterest board.

2. With a click on your social sharing buttons (I recommend
Hubbub Lite), they’ve uploaded your content to Pinterest.

3. The algorithm favors this content and distributes it to other platform users.

Here’s an example from calligraphy brand Loveleigh Loops. A reader saved this image from the Loveleigh Loops’ blog to one of their Pinterest boards and it was seen by 700k+ users in just a 30-day period.

Screenshot of Pinterest analytics

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To tap into these benefits, you need a Pinterest business account and to claim your website. Those are the bare minimum steps; you may actually passively grow followers as well if you finish setting up your Pinterest account.

Have your readers already been sharing your content on Pinterest without you knowing? Grab the URL from your most popular blog post and run it through a share counter to see.

This step is something that every creator with a blog or online shop should prioritize.

Analytics Tools

Tracking performance is the name of the game, even if you have no plans to use it anytime soon. Consider these popular analytics tools:

One of my big early blogging mistakes was failing to set up Google Analytics. I used the internal WordPress analytics tool instead and dragged my feet for two years before finally setting up Google Analytics.

I lost out on a lot of data and performance insights.

Schedulers

Social media sharing is time-consuming when you always do it in real-time; improve productivity by batch-creating content and scheduling it using a content calendar.

Use a scheduler like Later (there are free and paid plans) to build out a content calendar that covers all of your social accounts.

Most platforms also have native schedulers built into the user interface, but scheduling on every individual platform is more time-consuming.

Pro tip: Scheduling helps you stay consistent, but it doesn’t excuse you from the rest of the content marketing process. You still need to engage with comments on your posts, or your audience will become disengaged. More on this in a minute.

How to Promote Your Content on Social Media

Feeling excited?! Here are the exact steps to develop your social media strategy.

1. Choose your type of content.

What type of content do you want to create most? Start by answering that question and explore the social media platforms that are associated with it:

  • Written content. LinkedIn, X, and Facebook groups.
  • Videos. YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.
  • Images and graphics. Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Take our free Social Media Certification training to learn more about the options at your disposal.

2. Pick a focus and go deep.

Don’t dilute your focus while learning content promotion. Zoom in on building your brand on one single channel; two if you already have some content creation experience.

When I started my brand Writing From Nowhere in 2018, I focused on my blog and Pinterest. To learn about SEO and Pinterest marketing, here’s what I did:

  • Took online courses.
  • Listened to educational industry podcasts.
  • Joined online communities where I asked questions.

I became obsessed with getting results in these two focus areas. Two and a half years later, I was a Pinterest marketer for other brands. Three and a half years later, I was a freelance SEO writer.

Next, I started focusing on YouTube and LinkedIn. My book deal offer came through LinkedIn.

Although my YouTube channel hasn’t grown to be a passive income source, I learned YouTube SEO and now create video outlines for my clients.

Go deep, then go wide.

3. Drive viewers to your email list.

You don‘t own your social media accounts, and you actually have very little control there. If TikTok gets shut down in the U.S., you’ll never be able to reach your followers there again.

YouTube channels get demonetized. Instagram accounts get hacked and held for ransom. Pinterest accounts get suspended by mistake all the time (in fact, one of my most-read blog posts is a guide to appealing a wrongful Pinterest suspension).

You have no control over what ultimately happens to your account on any given social media platform.

So, to capture the viewers you get from social media, you need to drive them to content that you own and can’t have taken away from you: an email list. You incentivize viewers to join your email list by offering them a free product.

This creates a private line of communication between you and your audience.

Along with this security comes additional marketing opportunities, like audience segmentations and targeted engagement.

5 Content Promotion Best Practices

Valuable content? Understood. Social network? Selected. Tools? At the ready. Now, here are my top tips for implementing these promotion strategies.

1. Set up all accounts.

Even if you don’t plan on executing an X or Facebook strategy right now, there are benefits to setting up your accounts correctly:

  • Branding. Protect your brand name from being grabbed by another creator.
  • Redirection. If viewers are looking for you on TikTok, politely direct them to your Instagram account where you’re active.
  • Passive views (this is specific to Pinterest). Even if you publish no content of your own on Pinterest, your account will still grow passively if Pinterest users are saving blog posts, products, etc. to their Pinterest boards.

Even though I‘m not active on X, I’m always surprised to open my account and see direct messages waiting for me. It’s a line of communication that, despite not using it often, I want to keep open.

2. Always include relevant keywords.

While social media platforms don’t compare to search engines in terms of website traffic, you can still improve your search discovery and visibility by using relevant keywords on all algorithm-based platforms.

All of your TikTok videos, Instagram posts, etc. should include keywords that help the algorithm distribute you to relevant audiences.

Use what I call “common sense keywords” to describe your content. For example:

  • Bad: “A cheap week in my favorite place.”
  • Good (bolded words are keywords): “A week backpacking in Grand Teton National Park on a budget.”

While a few keywords won‘t suddenly drive loads more traffic to your website, it will help the social network you’re using better understand your content.

content promotion best practices

3. Engage with viewers.

It‘s not surprising that there’s a lot of bad advice rolling around on the internet, but sometimes I see a piece of content promotion “advice” that’s so bad it brings the entire internet down a level.

An example? Using AI to respond to comments for you on your content.

You lose so much by not actually engaging with viewers:

  • Learning opportunities. Your viewers will give you some of your best future content ideas.
  • Building relationships. Imagine chatting in the comments about vacation plans, business milestones, etc. and then the next time you speak to them, they don‘t remember any of it. That relationship is completely lost. That’s what you risk when you fake your social engagement.
  • Lost trust. Why bother sending you a DM or inquiry if you’re not actually reading your messages?

Your content promotion will go further when you get viewer engagement. Reward their engagement by engaging with them. As Instagram creator through.the.llyns put it, “Give the engagement you hope to receive.”

4. Share more than once.

No one remembers what you posted on X six months ago. I bet YOU don’t even remember. Promote your content when:

  • It’s brand new.
  • It’s been updated.
  • It’s relevant or trending.
  • It’s been 6 months since you last posted.
  • You‘ve strengthened the content’s authority with new testimonials, reviews, etc.

You may be surprised to learn that even evergreen content like “start a business” or “marketing tips” have seasonal ebbs and flows. Use Google Trends and Pinterest Trends to do target audience research.

Google Trends screenshot

Image Source

5. Be visible in your brand.

You are the reason that people like your brand. That doesn’t mean that you should post selfies every day, but you should share:

  • Your unique insights.
  • Your branding.
  • Your voice.

Not only does this help build relationships with your audience, but it also creates a loyal brand following. Done correctly over time, viewers will watch a YouTube video, read a LinkedIn post, or open an email just because you published it.

Putting the Strategies to Work

Did you know that LinkedIn posts do better if the link is posted in the comments instead of the post itself? Probably not, because no one does until they’re eyeballs deep in LinkedIn content creation.

In other words, don’t be too hard on yourself as you learn the ins and outs of promoting content — just keep going.

These content promotion strategies can move mountains for your brand if you keep learning.

content templates

Categories B2B

Demystifying Marketing’s 6 Biggest Mixed Messages of 2024 with Jasper’s Head of Enterprise Marketing

Welcome to HubSpot’s Expert Edge Series, where we interview top execs at major brands to explore their perspectives on the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the industry.

Use AI. But not too much AI … and in the right ways.”

“Optimize for SEO – but it’s changing completely and irrevocably, so also optimize for other channels.”

“Speed and relevancy are top priorities. But we also need a 3-6 month content calendar which will require rallying a cross-functional team.”

Sound familiar?

These are just a few of the six paradoxes Jasper’s Head of Enterprise Marketing and Communications, Samyutha Reddy, recently posted on her LinkedIn:

I’m willing to bet her thoughts resonate with plenty of marketers. 2024 has already felt like a consistently-shifting video game with plenty of unexpected pitfalls, cliffs, and trap doors.

As everything about marketing changes — from SEO to content creation to goal-setting — Reddy encourages marketers to stay focused on what matters: Storytelling.

Here, let’s dive into some of her tips for dealing with the mixed messages we’re hearing in 2024, and what to stay focused on, instead.

Download Now: Free State of Marketing Report [Updated for 2024]

Why These Six Paradoxes Exist in The First Place

First, I was curious if Reddy had an assumption about why these paradoxes exist in 2024.

Why is this year so challenging for marketers? Is it AI? Google’s upcoming SGE changes? Something else?

Surprisingly, Reddy doesn’t believe these paradoxes are new to the world of marketing.

As she told me, “There is always a pendulum swing in marketing tactics and the industry being quick to adopt it, then swinging the other way once it shows diminishing returns. A couple of examples of this includes our reliance on paid ads, where the biggest budgets determined who the industry leaders were, but the efficiency of that ad spend has now been called into question. So we shifted to content, and it was about who had the capacity to create the most content possible, and those tech companies that behaved like media companies took the market share.”

She continues, “Then, we had diminishing returns on that tactic as well. We were spending so much time on the content treadmill and short-changed critical aspects of content creation like distribution strategy and message pull through.”

Which leads me to wonder: Where is the pendulum swing heading next?

Reddy says, “With AI coming into play, the pendulum is again swinging away from traditional content creation tactics. In my opinion, the big swing is headed squarely toward organizations recognizing the importance of consistent storytelling across their brand with relevant spokespeople dedicated to each niche of their audience. In my opinion, the companies that are telling the most impactful stories to their target audience through the voice of relevant spokespeople will rise to the top of the leaderboard in today’s marketing landscape.”

Why Brand Is Crucial to the Future of Marketing

Reddy believes that the challenges marketers are facing signify a need for a philosophy shift.

For so long, marketers have gotten excited about tactics and technology. But Reddy believes that in that frenzy, many of us have forgotten why marketing matters: Storytelling.

“We all started focusing too much on tactics, and not enough on messaging. In B2B, I think we’ve long discounted brand narrative and become hyper-focused on measuring ROI. But what I’d argue is that brand is increasingly important in soft macro-environments like the ones we’re seeing. When people have limited money to spend, they spend it most where they have relationships and loyalty and brand respect.”

Samyutha Reddy quote on what marketers should do about brand in 2024

The concept of brand isn’t new in the B2C space — in fact, it largely drives it.

Consider Apple: At its core, it’s a technology company. But it excels because of its brand, which represents leadership, creativity, and innovation.

Now, Reddy believes B2B companies need to begin valuing brand in the same way as B2C.

“Ironically, I think brand marketing needs a rebrand. And we need to shift from brand marketing being a nice-to-have when there’s extra budget to brand building as an essential part of a growth strategy,” She told me.

Reddy continues, “Brand is inextricably linked with growth, and we’ve spent way too long in marketing splitting those two up. While they have different measurement tactics, they ultimately need to ladder up into the same revenue number and impact one another. The sharp focus on a company’s strategic narrative and the storytelling around its product roadmap is the key to connecting them. “

Reddy acknowledges that the shift to thinking about brand isn‘t an easy one. “Brand” can be difficult to measure, and it’s not easy to point to immediate ROI and say, “See that? That’s because of the effort we put into brand-related initiatives!”

In a year where marketers are focused on in-the-weeds, revenue-driving activities, it requires a philosophical shift to think big picture about how your brand is perceived.

But, as Reddy puts it: “If you don’t have a strong brand that’s represented in the minds of your prospects, whether or not they’re ready to buy, you open yourself up to too much risk. Especially with how unpredictable SEO is and will continue to be. Brands are losing out on critical traffic to long-held search terms overnight with the advent of Google’s SGE and the introduction of Google perspectives.”

She adds, “Without a strong brand and without the guarantee of traffic from a keyword search, if you’re not coming up first in search terms, you’ve lost that lead, and you’ve lost the potential from that interaction.”

Vulnerability is Central to A Brand’s Success

Reddy believes the future of storytelling lies in the hands of people — not brands.

“We’ve been preaching for a long time that people buy from people, they don’t buy from companies, but B2B has been slow to practice what we preach.”

She points to Dave Gerhardt as an example of a successful brand who’s story is being told through its founder. A previous VP of Marketing at Drift and CMO at Privy, he’s now founder and CEO of Exit Five, a media company focused on B2B marketers.

Reddy says that Gerhardt often “builds in public”, sharing his thoughts on the economics of his business and why he’s opting to create new offerings, just as much as he talks about his commentary on the industry.

In this way, his prospects feel like they know him personally and his vulnerability with them has built inherent trust that extends to the products he sells.

Reddy’s concern is that its a small segment of the Marketing-first CEOs, founders, or VC partners who are embracing this opportunity to tell stories about their brands via their personal profiles.

At Jasper, Reddy leverages specific spokespeople to tell stories based on their experience and relevancy to an audience, and it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.

For example, she’ll have the CEO or President talk to reporters about the changing landscape in enterprise technology as it relates to AI and their take on the shift in marketing organizations.

She then looks to marketing leadership to tell a more in-depth story about how marketing structures are changing, and the emotions marketers are experiencing with the shifts that have accompanied AI.

Finally, she turns to Jasper customers to tell their story on how they champion AI within their organizations, the pilot programs they’ve built, and how taking initiative around AI has impacted their careers. 

As she puts it, “Rather than having the Jasper branded handle talk about these issues — which dulls the impact when it comes from a generic talking head — you want these stories to come from people who are putting their careers and reputation on the line to tell you their perspectives.”

While Reddy is bullish on executives telling the company story through their own voices, it’s also the part of Marketing and Communications that proves to be the toughest in some scenarios.

In fact — it’s the paradox she’s struggling with most right now.

“I feel like I can spot an executive who has a social media person or agency create their content in a second. And that one interaction of knowing that executive didn’t draft his or her own content makes me lose trust immediately.”

She adds, “Vulnerability is critical to brand success. The toughest part is getting executives to offer up their own vulnerability as part of that brand. You can’t protect yourself from all risk, all of the time. And that’s an important balance to maintain as a Communications leader. The brands that protect themselves and the executives that are risk-averse and don’t want to say anything for the risk of saying the wrong thing, are the brands that are disappearing into the abyss and should be the most nervous about the changes AI is bringing to the marketing landscape.”

Samyutha Reddy quote on what marketers should do about mixed messages in 2024

At HubSpot, we’ve figured this out on our own social channels. After our social team shifted to a personality-driven approach over a corporate approach, they saw astronomical returns.

Because people want to hear from other people: Even when those people (especially when those people) don’t have the perfect answers.

As Reddy puts it, “A lot of CEOs believe storytelling isn’t a core part of their job, especially when it comes to doing that publicly on social media. But the company strategy is the company story, and many CEOs don’t see how integral it is to connect those dots and tell that story internally and externally. It’s why a strong marketing and communications leader is so important to an organization, and why their relationship with the CEO is critical to the brand’s success.”

Marketing Isn’t Doomsday — It’s a Time of More Opportunity Than Ever

Finally, I asked Reddy if she ever feels concerned over all these mixed messages.

Should marketers fear for their roles? Should they believe that the future of marketing lies in AI and YouTube and influencers, and that soon, there will be no place left for them?

She acknowledges that many marketers are scared and frustrated right now with the state of marketing, as well as the macro employment market. However, she chooses to reframe this fear into opportunity for her fellow marketers.

Samyutha reddy on why marketers should be excited about AI

“In the age of AI, marketers are the stewards of AI within the enterprise. We are the ones that have the most to gain from the state that AI is in right now because we create the most content in the enterprise. We get to experiment with tools and advise our organizations on technology and AI decisions in a way that our department never has before. “

She adds, “So, in that way, I don’t see marketing right now as this ‘doomsday’. It’s a tough time to be here, but there’s also more opportunity than ever before. I mean, we’re seeing CMOs being invited to the table in a way we’ve never seen before, with CTOs saying, ‘How are you thinking about AI? Your team has experimented the most with AI. Advise me on technology decisions.'”

“I’m also seeing mid-career marketers elevate their careers tenfold by leading the charge on forming things like AI Councils that govern usage of AI within their organizations and reach visibility with executive leadership teams in a really impactful way.”

“Marketers aren’t the side story right now,” She concludes. “Marketers are the main characters.”

state-of-marketing-2024

Categories B2B

18 Events and Conferences for Black Entrepreneurs in 2024

Welcome to Breaking the Blueprint — a blog series that dives into the unique business challenges and opportunities of underrepresented business owners and entrepreneurs. Learn how they’ve grown or scaled their businesses, explored entrepreneurial ventures within their companies, or created side hustles, and how their stories can inspire and inform your own success.

It can feel isolating if you’re the only one in the room who looks like you.

Meeting peers and mentors with a unique understanding of your lived experience and business roadblocks can help you connect the dots needed to grow your business and community. However, finding spaces for this kind of connection can be challenging for Black Americans.

In this post, discover in-person and virtual events nationwide where Black entrepreneurs can strengthen relationships and build expertise.Read more Breaking the Blueprint content

How to Prepare for Attending a Conference

The United States Census Bureau reported 3.5 million Black-owned businesses, per the last survey. 

Attending conferences, trade shows, workshops, and webinars puts you in rooms with consumers and entrepreneurs who have advice, real-life examples, and funds that can shift the trajectory of your business or nonprofit organization.

To prepare for attending a conference:

  • Review the programming, decide which sessions to attend, and jot down a few questions you want to ask during Q&As or one-on-one meetings.
  • Pack your business cards, a notepad, and pens.
  • Choose outfits and shoes that make you feel comfortable and confident.
  • Ease any nerves by leaning into the excitement of bettering your business.

By strengthening relationships, sharing expertise, and partnering, there are opportunities to create a bigger pool of resources and open or build doors for Black business growth.

18 Events and Conferences for Black Entrepreneurs in 2024

Florida

1. Black Travel Summit

Dates: October 10 – 13, 2024

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

In celebration of Black culture and business in travel, the Black Travel Summit brings together industry professionals, influencers, and travelers for a weekend of panels, workshops, vendor shopping, and networking opportunities. The highly-anticipated event features a lineup of entertainment, including a Black heritage and Instagrammable foodie tour and a Black Travel Awards Gala.

2. Black Professionals Summit

Dates: November 22 – 24, 2024

Location: Hollywood, FL

The Black Professionals Network presents the 10th annual Black Professionals Summit for an electrifying opportunity. From keynote speeches and panel discussions to interactive workshops, Black professionals convene and learn from industry leaders, build valuable relationships, and discover new opportunities.

Indiana

3. Summer Celebration – Indiana Black Business Expo

Dates: June 24 – 25, 2024

Location: Indianapolis, IN

With a mission to level the playing field of business, the Indiana Black Expo Business Conference allows entrepreneurs to learn from executives and experts. The 2024 conference offers sessions and workshops on city, federal, and state contracting opportunities. For instance, attendees can hear from funders on how to increase their capacity through access to capital and experts on the advantages of partnerships.

Illinois

4. The Black Women’s Expo

Date: August 2 – 4, 2024

Location: Chicago, IL

Originally an annual expo for small businesses and corporations, the Black Women’s Expo, or BWe Next, has evolved into a multi-city lifestyle exposition. In addition to seminars and sessions led by industry experts tackling societal issues and topics involving wellness, finances, and building generational wealth, this expo also provides vendor opportunities and resources on business ownership.

New York

5. CultureCon

Dates: October 5 – 6, 2024

Location: New York, NY

​​CultureCon, hosted by The Creative Collective NYC, brings together creative entrepreneurs and change-makers who want to make a cultural impact with their businesses and art. Attendees can access activations, fireside chats, and panels with tastemakers, celebrities, and industry experts. Black-owned companies can also set up shop at CultureCon’s small business market.

6. Roadmap to Billions Conference

Dates: May 16 – 18, 2024

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Black Women Talk Tech, a collective of Black women tech entrepreneurs and professionals, are the masterminds behind the Roadmap to Billions Conference. In its 8th year, the conference provides workshops, resources, and tactical strategies for Black women entrepreneurs looking to foster deep connections, create funding opportunities, and gain insights from thought leaders across industries. Past speakers include founders from Official Black Wall Street and Black Ambition Opportunity Fund.

Ohio

7. Black Tech Week

Dates: July 16 – 18, 2024

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Coinciding with the annual Cincinnati Music Festival, Black Tech Week is a conference for tech professionals and funders. Founders, executives, and experts speak on topics ranging from fundraising, customer outreach, the power of community, supply chain logistics, content marketing, and crafting the future of tech and business.

Texas

8. AFROTECH Conference

Dates: November 13 – 16, 2024

Location: Houston, TX

For Black professionals, innovators, engineers, and venture capitalists interested in all things tech and Web3, the AFROTECH Conference is three days of fireside chats, interactive exhibits, panels, mixers, pitch competitions, and live music performances. Topics range from creating viral products, the creator economy, strategic business growth, how to raise funding, cryptocurrency, and more.

9. Marketing For The Culture Summit

Date: June 6, 2024

Location: Houston, TX

Hosted by the African American Marketing Association, entrepreneurs, marketers, and creatives gather at the Marketing for the Culture Summit to learn best practices and improve their skills in content creation, monetization, workflows, and more. This year’s theme, “Plot Twist – The Art of Being a Disruptive Storyteller,” aims to transcend traditional marketing narratives and challenge attendees to redefine their approach to storytelling. Sessions will touch on the psychology of marketing, communication in marketing, and brand archetypes.

10. Summer Celebration Tradeshow & Festival – Texas Black Expo

Dates: May 17 – 18, 2024

Location: Houston, TX

Celebrating 20 years, the annual Texas Black Expo is a chance for small businesses, non-profits, and multi-million dollar organizations to gather under one roof to reach consumers and generate more economic growth. Featuring pro-Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, the 2024 Tradeshow and Festival will focus on education and economics.

11. Black is Tech Conference

Dates: August 19 – 21, 2024

Location: Houston, TX

The Black Is Tech Conference creates a platform for black tech professionals, students, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts to access professional and business development resources. The 6th annual Black is Tech Conference will introduce Houston Black is Tech Week (August 19 – 24) and many workshops and core activities. The Expo will offer recruiting and networking opportunities with over 50 companies.

Virginia

12. Virginia Black Business Expo & Business Conference

Dates: August 2 – 4, 2024

Location: Arlington, VA

During National Black Business Month, the 5th annual Virginia Black Business Expo features live demonstrations, business education from local industry experts, networking opportunities, and shopping. Registration for vendor booths is exclusively for Virginia Black Business Directory members. This nonprofit organization increases the visibility of Black-owned businesses from Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

Washington, D.C.

13. ByBlack Conference

Date: 2024 (TBA)

Location: Washington, D.C.

In partnership between the U.S. Black Chambers Inc. and the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, the ByBlack Conference is an annual three-day event to encourage collaboration and foster collective economic power for Black-owned businesses. The conference brings together entrepreneurs, media owners, creatives, and corporate executives to learn how they can scale and get more visibility for their companies.

New Jersey

14. Juneteenth Black Business Expo

Dates: Multiple dates

Locations: Madison, NJ (May 30, 2024), Hackensack, NJ (June 13, 2024)

The New Jersey-based African American Chamber of Commerce (AACCNJ) presents the 2024 Black Expo, themed “The Journey Continues.” The Expo focuses on entrepreneurship and the economic and cultural empowerment of underperforming communities. Breakout session topics range from talent Acquisition to digital literacy.

Georgia

15. ForbesBLK Summit

Dates: June 23 – 25, 2024

Locations: Atlanta, GA & Virtual

The upcoming three-day summit, spearheaded by Forbes and the ForbesBLK community, brings together leading executives, entrepreneurs, creators, and changemakers for engaging and challenging discussions. The inaugural ForbesBLK summit in 2023 discussed the state of Black capitalism, the future of Black entrepreneurialism, and the power of Black business.

16. Black Enterprise Disruptor Summit

Dates: May 17 – 18, 2024

Location: Atlanta, GA

The Black Enterprise Disruptor Summit is a premier business conference that provides empowering opportunities for Black entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, and creatives. Hosted by Nationwide, the Summit aims to help build million-dollar businesses to the next level through access to expert-led fireside chats, networking mixers, and other creative tools.

Pennsylvania

17. Diversitech

Dates: May 7 – 10, 2024

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Powered by the tech recruitment platform Tribaja, Diversitech is a global gathering of inclusive tech companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals. Hear from visionaries focused on bettering diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring in the technology industry.

To Be Announced

18. Black Entrepreneurs Day

Date: 2024 (TBA)

Location: (TBA)

Daymond John, an investor on Shark Tank and the Founder & CEO of FUBU, curates an annual celebration of entrepreneurs. The live-streamed event features one-on-one conversations between John and Black celebrity business leaders, round table discussions, multiple pitch competitions for grant money, and musical performances.

It’s time to break barriers together.

Check out the above events and consider attending one that appeals to your current goals as a rising entrepreneur. Reminder: you can write it off as a business expense.

Click the link to discover more Breaking the Blueprint Content.

Categories B2B

Best URL Practices for SEO: How to Optimize URLs for Search

Back when I started playing the search engine optimization (SEO) game, keyword stuffing actually worked. Since then, algorithm updates have spared only a few SEO best practices, like URL optimization.

Google’s algorithm updates have shaken up the scenery of SEO. However, URL optimization has stood the test of time. This is an essential element of on-page SEO that every content marketer should know.

To get you up to speed, I’ll share the ABCs of URL optimization and up-to-date best practices. I’ll also share tips I’ve learned from experts.

→ Download Now: SEO Starter Pack [Free Kit]

Table of Contents

The making of an optimized URL.

A typical URL consists of several parts: Protocol, subdomain, domain, subdirectory, and slug. A protocol can be HTTP or HTTPS — the latter signaling an encrypted connection. A subdomain is usually “www.” (World Wide Web), but custom subdomains like “shop.” and “blog.” aren’t uncommon.

Afterward, there’s the domain name, which consists of a top-level domain like “.com” and a second-level domain, which is usually a brand or project name.

The aforementioned parts will help you reach a home page. From there, you’ll likely go to a subdirectory — a folder inside the main website — and a slug, which identifies singular pages.

URL Example

Consider the following URL: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/url-best-practices-for-seo. It has the following parts:

  • Protocol: HTTPS://
  • Subdomain: blog.
  • SLD: hubspot
  • TLD: .com
  • Subdirectory: /marketing
  • Slug: /url-best-practices-for-seo

From this URL, I can tell that I’m on a blog about URL basics. It’s published by HubSpot and hosted using an encrypted connection.

These perks are only possible if we use SEO best practices for URLs. Let’s dig further into the reasons why good URLs are so impactful.

Ranking Factor

URLs are on Google’s confirmed search ranking factors, which help search engines decipher what each webpage contains. With that in mind, I add relevant keywords to my URLs to help Google understand my pages’ content, why I made it, and which searches it should rank for.

User Experience

Keyword stuffing is a thing of the past. SEO is now a delicate dance of pleasing both algorithms and flesh-and-blood readers. I now aim for a descriptive URL so users know what to expect from the page.

If someone sends my URL in a direct message, will the recipient feel confident they’re clicking into a relevant and valuable page? Reaching this ideal gets me more backlinks and sales.

Accessible Links

If there’s one thing I hate about LinkedIn, it’s how it handles external URLs. You can’t hyperlink an anchor text. Instead, you must add a bare link, which often appears ugly if you use non-descriptive links — like https://www.example.com/post/p123/.

How external links look on LinkedIn.

Image Source

While I could use a link shortener to make it prettier, that’s an extra step. I avoid the issue altogether by using descriptive, well-formatted, and concise URLs.

We’ve talked about the ideals, so let’s go through the SEO best practices that will get you there.

Crafting the perfect URL is only one part of ranking in search. Looking to learn more? Check out our complete guide on-page SEO.

1. Keep each URL as simple as possible.

SEO is a Rubik’s Cube on steroids — complex and constantly shifting. Sometimes, my saving grace is Google’s guidelines on URL optimization. We’re told to “create a simple URL structure” and use “simple, descriptive words in the URL.”

While “simple” varies from person to person, opt for one of the following good URL structures, depending on the business.

  • Content website: https://example.com/category/post-title
  • Ecommerce website: https://example.com/product-category/product-name
  • Service-based website: https://example.com/service-category/service-name
  • Local business website: https://example.com/location/service
  • Portfolio website: https://example.com/portfolio/project-name

2. Standardize your URL naming conventions.

While I recommend using one of the variations shared above, I occasionally brainstorm among my team members to see what works for us. As long as we have a standard and stick to it, we’re good.

“URLs are a stable foundation. Once set, changing them can cause more harm than good, leading to broken links and lost SEO juice — unless properly managed with redirects,” shares Ryan Ratkowski, founder of Cascade Interactive.

I think of it like a building’s plumbing system. I’d focus on getting the configuration right during setup rather than ripping out the walls five years in. Incorporate SEO best practices for URLs during the initial build of your website.

3. Limit the URL structure to three hierarchical levels.

The first time I set up a URL structure, I debated diving deep into subfolders and subcategories for everything and anything. My more experienced stance is to keep it simple and keep it logical.

Jacob Kettner, CEO of First Rank, recommends “a maximum of three hierarchical levels, ensuring clarity without unnecessary complexity.”

Why? “It strikes the perfect balance, offering categorization without overwhelming users,” he adds.

4. Avoid adding dates.

I think twice before slamming time stamps onto my URLs. It’s like adding an expiration date to my webpage. In contrast, users (and Google) prefer new content. Keep your URLs timeless, just like a classic black tee.

Maddy Osman, founder of The Blogsmith, agrees and adds: “In most cases, articles take anywhere from three to six months to appear in the top 10 on SERPs. You don’t want to restrict the potential of that ranking article by including the previous year in the URL slug.”

I use WordPress, so I head to “Settings” > “Permalinks” to make sure I haven’t enabled a permalink structure involving time information.

wp

5. Take out non-essential words in the slug.

Pop quiz. Which should you use?

  • /how-to-optimize-your-urls-for-search-quick-tip
  • /how-to-optimize-urls-for-search

Writers and editors often ask me about this. Personally, I remove words that add little or no meaning to the URL — like “a,” “and,” and “that.” The latter URL without “your” and “quick-tip” conveys the same meaning without looking like a word soup, so I prefer that variation.

Plus, a 2023 Backlinko study found that shorter URLs tend to rank above longer URLs, so I use a limit of 60-70 characters to avoid long URLs.

To get an even shorter URL, I could also remove the words “to” and “for,” but I consider them better to keep since they make the URL more readable for humans. It’s a balance that comes intuitively, but I know you’ll get it with practice.

6. Handle dynamically generated URLs with care.

While a static URL remains consistent every time it’s accessed, I’ve run into website builders that automatically generate dynamic URL parameters when the webpage is loaded.

In such cases, I don’t have the complete customizability to change the URL, so I have to make do with URLs containing random symbols and numbers. Working with that can be a challenge, but I don’t lose sleep over it.

“As long as you‘re aware of your website’s limitations and can optimize the URL slugs you do have control over, you shouldn’t have to worry about parameterized URLs negatively impacting your SEO performance,” Lauren Galvez, an experienced SEO consultant, assured me.

7. Include relevant keywords.

Since the URL tells search crawlers what the webpage is about, I recommend including relevant keywords to instantly convey everything there is to your webpage.

This also improves my click-through rate (CTR) on the page. A 2023 Backlinko study found that webpages with URLs similar to search keywords enjoyed a higher CTR compared to webpages with URLs different from search keywords.

For instance, if users search for “ergonomic keyboards,” I opt for an SEO-friendly URL slug that contains “ergonomic keyboards” instead of “flexible keyboards.”

8. No keyword stuffing.

SEO URL best practices include avoiding keyword stuffing in URLs.

When an article is relevant to multiple main keywords, I don’t include all of them in the URL. Otherwise, I’m left with a mess like this:

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/url-best-practices-for-seo-friendly-structure-optimization.html

Wow, that looks ugly. Plus, it would take readers a few tedious seconds to understand what the webpage is about. In contrast, SEO best practices for URLs prioritize usability over almost everything else.

What I do is pick a single keyword for my URL and let my content do the talking.

9. Make it reader-friendly.

While I’ve mentioned it before, it’s worth reiterating that URLs should be self-explanatory to internet users. People should be able to instantly tell what they might find based on your slug.

With that in mind, sometimes I have to reorder my keywords. Other times, I have to omit words or add stop words. For instance, the URL slug “/google-algorithm-update-names” may be a mouthful for readers, so I’d change it to “/names-of-google-algorithm-updates.”

10. Separate words with hyphens.

URLs cannot contain spaces. So, to ensure I don’t end up with slugs like “/googlealogrithmupdatenames,” I use a separator. Google recommends that we use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_).

11. Use lowercase letters.

While I’m all about proper capitalization (even in text messages), I have to accept the triumph of lowercase letters in URLs. For starters, it keeps things consistent. Plus, it avoids compatibility hiccups with any case-sensitive web server since a user might enter a URL with lowercase instead of uppercase letters.

12. Don’t use slugs that belong to other pages.

URLs need a unique slug — or Google sees the pages as duplicate content on your website, which can be penalized in some circumstances. To prevent my web pages from competing with each other in search engine results, I avoid similar URL slugs entirely.

That being said, especially if you own an ecommerce store, you might realize you have two similar URLs like this:

  • https://www.example.com/product-category-one
  • https://www.example.com/product-category-directory/product-category-one

When that happens to me, I tell search crawlers which webpage I want to appear on Google Search. More specifically, I use canonical tags, a classic technical SEO practice.

SEO URL best practices include using canonical URLs to resolve duplicate content issues.

Making the Most of URLs

When I’m scrolling on my phone, I’m not analyzing the URLs I click on. I just tap away. However, on the back end, great URLs lead to more traffic. While there’s a laundry list of tips to keep in mind, these best practices become second nature over time.

When you want to dig deeper into SEO essentials, such as link building, check out our SEO guide with all the juicy details.

marketing

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in April 2014 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Categories B2B

3 Persuasion Techniques You Should Know

Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better.

I’ve spent 200 hours interviewing persuasion experts. In this blog, I share the persuasion tactics that actually work.

You’ll learn why persuasion attempts work better if you ask for action in the future (rather than the present). You’ll learn the tiny tweak that persuaded hotel guests to reuse their towels. And you’ll learn how questions are more powerful than you might expect.

Download Now: The State of U.S. Consumer Trends [Free Report]

3 Scientifically-Proven Rules for Persuasion

Since starting my podcast back in 2019, I’ve spent almost 200 hours interviewing researchers, professors, and experts about persuasion.

I’ve asked them to share the scientifically proven-tactics that actually persuade others. Their findings are eye-opening.

Turns out, persuasion is fairly simple if you follow some scientifically-proven rules. Here are the three persuasion techniques you should use to get someone to act.

1. Ask for future commitment.

All of us experience a bias known as temporal discounting. Put simply, it means, the further something is away, the less salient it seems.

So, if you need to study for an exam, it’s easier to say I’ll do it tomorrow, rather than today. It’s always easier to start the diet next week rather than this week.

This tendency to commit more in the future can help you persuade.

In a 2008 study by Promin, high-performing students were asked by their professors to tutor their below-average peers.

It’s not an easy task. Students have a lot on their plate, tutoring is the last thing they want to do.

Yet, making one tiny change to the request made students twice as likely to agree.

See, when the students were asked to tutor others in the current term, the students only committed to 27 minutes of tutoring per week on average.

However, when the students were asked to tutor in the next term the commitment rose to 85 minutes.

People commit more in the future, than they do in the present. If you need to persuade, you’d be better off asking for a future commitment.

This persuasion technique isn’t only relevant for time-sparse professors. Marketers should encourage customers to enroll in an upgrade next quarter. Fitness instructors should ask customers to commit to signing up in the new year. And you should ask your boss to approve your raise at the next performance review.

We’re more likely to commit if the commitment feels far away.

2. Show how the majority act.

That previous tip will help you persuade others to make future commitments. But what if you need to persuade someone to act immediately?

Well, researchers over the years have identified very effective ways to accomplish this. It involves social proof.

Social proof is the idea that we follow the actions of others. If you see a queue outside an art gallery, you’ll want to go in. If you’re told that HubSpot is the best selling CRM, you’ll be more likely to use it.

Robert Cialdini, a professor from Arizona University, proved that persuading with social proof is fairly easy.

His study, in collaboration with a local hotel, aimed to encourage guests to reuse their hotel towels.

The hotel spent a fortune washing towels each day for guests. Encouraging reuse not only helps the environment, but saves the hotel money.

But how do you persuade hotel guests?

Here’s what Cialdini tried. In a random control trial, guests saw one of three messages:

  1. The control read: “Please reuse your towels.
  2. The environmental plea read: “Help us save the environment. Reuse your towel.
  3. The social proof variant read: “Most guests in this hotel reuse their towels.

Here’s what he found:

The control was pretty ineffective, not improving towel reuse at all. The environmental plea worked better, increasing towel reuse by 35%. But incredibly, the social proof variant was far more effective, boosting towel reuse by 45%.

To persuade, share how most others do the action you want to encourage.

If it persuades hotel guests to reuse their towels it’ll almost certainly work for you.

Linens and towels persuasion example

Dozens of hotels have followed Cialdin’s advice.

3. Ask the right question.

In 2009, two researchers hit the streets in California and asked pedestrians to stop and answer a survey. No one likes answering these surveys. We all have things to do, no one wants to change their plans and stop for 10 minutes.

And that’s what the researchers found. Only 29% of Californians agreed to stop.

But then they tested a simple persuasion technique.

They asked a question which was designed to persuade. Before asking if they could answer a survey, they asked “are you a helpful person?

Now how would you answer this?

My guess is that you would say “yes, I am.” Most of us have positive self-perceptions and this question prompts us to think of them. And because the Californians were prompted to think of themselves as helpful, they became far more likely to stop.

Just asking “are you a helpful person” increased the number of people who answered the survey from 29% to 77.3% — an incredible improvement, more than doubling the amount of respondents.

Affirming positive self-perceptions increases persuasion.

But this effect is even simpler than that.

Simply asking any question seems to boost persuasion.

To explore this, I set up my own test with two Reddit ads. Both ads encouraged people to listen to my podcast Nudge. The ads were shown to people in the UK and US who had interacted with marketing subreddits on Reddit.

The first ad, the control, had no question attached.

It said “Ditch boring business podcasts. Try Nudge.” Next to that text I put a few of my 5-star reviews.

The second ad was identical to the first, except, the copy read:

Bored of boring business podcasts? Try Nudge.

Turns out, adding the question boosted clicks. The ad with the question was 17% more effective than the control ad. It drove far more people to my podcast and resulted in many more listeners.

A 17% improvement from changing just two words.

Question boosts clicks persuasion graphic

Now let’s face it. These persuasion tactics won’t turn you into a world leading sales person. They won’t make your offers irresistible.

But, they’re better than nothing. And if you use these tips, rather than attempting to persuade blindly, you’ll almost certainly see greater success.

This blog is part of Phill Agnew’s Marketing Cheat Sheet series where he reveals the scientifically proven tips to help you improve your marketing. To learn more, listen to his podcast Nudge, a proud member of the HubSpot Podcast Network.

Categories B2B

The Ultimate Guide to Product Marketing: How to Market a Product in 2024

Despite working in marketing for over a decade, I’m still puzzled by the idea of product marketing.

Whether your business offers a service (say, a cleaning company) or a commodity (like a toy manufacturer), you’re marketing a “product,” right?

Heck, in my recent job hunt, I interviewed for several product marketer jobs under the caveat that I hadn’t “done product marketing,” but I’d certainly marketed a product.

But the truth is those positions wouldn’t have worked out. Product marketing is a very specific branch of marketing that requires particular skills and has its own unique benefits.

→ Download Now: Free Product Marketing Kit [Free Templates]

As job titles like “product marketer” and “product marketing manager” become increasingly popular, you may find yourself asking, “What is product marketing, exactly? How does it differ from other marketing strategies? And how do you market a product in 2024?

Let’s find out.

Product Marketing vs. Conventional Marketing

Product management and product marketing may seem like buzzwords, but they’re actually specialties dating back to the 1930s, as noted in an 800-word memo written by Procter & Gamble advertiser Neil H. McElroy.

“As obvious as it sounds, product marketing is focused on marketing the PRODUCT,” explains Anthony Pierri, co-founder & partner of FletchPMM, a product marketing firm for early-stage B2B startups. It’s a sub-field of marketing focused on product adoption and demand, whereas “marketing” is more all-encompassing and concerned with buyers as well as communication with competitors, influencers, and the greater public.

I see it as the difference between me, a tenured marketer driving traffic, leads, and sales for a previous employer — and my colleague focused solely on driving demand and sales of the company’s online learning platform.

To get more granular, product marketing is about understanding a specific audience and its pain points, then positioning a product to attract that audience as buyers. It’s a cross-functional field that influences the launch and buildout of a product, as well as its sales and marketing strategy.

Marketing cares about buyers too, but it casts a much wider net.

Pierri details “The broader discipline of marketing has many interests … marketing the brand, marketing the culture, marketing the vision, and a host of other concerns. But at the end of the day, people are shopping for products. And product marketing helps explain how the product itself will solve their pain points.”

Of course, both marketing and product marketing help a company generate revenue, but while the former pulls many levers to make that happen, product marketing only has eyes for the product’s success. (How romantic.)

Product Marketing Goals

Moving right along, product marketing is usually implemented with six goals in mind:

1. To know your audience better than anyone.

A great product marketing strategy helps your target audience see the value of having your product in their lives. That said, one of the primary goals of product marketing is understanding your customer’s needs, wants, and interests and determining how your business can help.

People need to know you “get them,” and that’s product marketing’s job.

2. To effectively target your buyer persona(s).

Once product marketing understands your audience, they need to define your specific buyer persona(s) and refine your marketing tactics accordingly.

This detailed understanding of your target audience and how they interact with your product is what can make product marketing critical to scaling your product and ensuring its longevity, but more on that later.

3. To understand and outdo your competitors.

Bringing a new product to market is like trying to be a thought leader on LinkedIn — crowded. You will have competition, and if you want to rise above it, you have to know what you’re up against.

What are your competitor’s key features and benefits? What ideas haven’t they explored? What does their product offer that yours doesn’t?

Let’s say I take off my writer hat for a minute and magically become a product marketer for HubSpot. Salesforce would be an obvious competitor for me to research. I might identify that HubSpot allows me to nurture leads without manual maintenance, whereas Salesforce is not designed to nurture leads.

This insight should be incorporated into your product marketing strategy to give you an extra edge.

4. To differentiate your product in the market.

Sneakers are a dime a dozen today, so how has Nike managed to rise to the top? Differentiation.

To stand out in your market, you must be loud about your differentiators. You need to offer something unique that forces consumers to pay attention. This might be quality, a fun personality, or something to aspire to (like Nike’s elite athletes).

Product marketers are in charge of finding and drilling into those differentiators.

5. To get marketing, product, and sales teams on the same page.

If you go into a car dealership and one salesperson tells you car A is rated the highest in safety, but then another tells you car B is, you’ll be confused. You probably won’t want to buy your new car from salesperson A or B because you don’t know who or what to believe. Consistency is important.

That’s why, once positioning is nailed down, product marketing must drive the adoption of that positioning to your company’s internal teams.

Marketing, product, and sales teams regularly communicate about your product; they must be aligned on what to say.

This means defining, documenting, and communicating talking points around your product’s:

  • Key features and benefits

  • Value proposition

  • Price point

  • Positioning

6. To boost revenue and improve sales.

This may seem obvious, but product marketing is ultimately working to boost revenue and improve sales. All other goals roll up to this.

So, how do these goals translate into specific tasks and responsibilities?

Like many things in business, product marketing responsibilities may vary based on your industry, company, products, company size, and resources.

If you’re working as a product marketer at a startup, for example, you may also find yourself creating content for the broader marketing team due to limited resources and budget. I encountered this a lot with agency clients who came to us with big dreams and small budgets. As they grew, product marketing began to play a separate, equally important role.

When companies reach this point, the goals I mentioned earlier lend themselves to seven common product marketing responsibilities. Let’s run through them:

1. Researching and monitoring your target audience.

As a product marketer, your primary focus is on your target audience and narrowing it down to specific buyer personas.

This means researching them thoroughly and staying apprised of any changes in their behaviors, wants, or needs. These insights are key to addressing your audience’s challenges in your messaging and helping your product team iterate to stay relevant.

Pro tip: Use templates to create buyer personas for your business. A formal document about whom you’re catering to can help align different teams in your business.

2. Ensuring your product meets the needs of your target audience.

If your audience does not want or need your product, no amount of marketing will sell it. As a product marketer, it’s your responsibility to make sure there’s a fit.

Your buyer persona and target audience research will uncover the pain points and challenges your product should solve. If your product doesn’t meet these, buyers will have no reason to make the purchase or choose your product over others.

In product marketing, you must understand “why” your buyer needs your product. If that’s unclear, a larger product-market fit issue may be at play.

3. Determining your product’s positioning in the market.

Are you the most affordable option? The most reliable? The most user-friendly? Think of product positioning as telling your product’s story. As a product marketer, you should craft a story around the value of your product that will resonate with your buyers; a story they’ll want to be a part of.

So, what does this look like?

Good product positioning typically tells an audience three things:

1. What your product brings to the market

2. How it compares to others (aka your competitors)

3. How it should be viewed by customers

One of the most well-known examples of product positioning can be seen in Apple’s iconic “Get a Mac” campaign from the early 2000s.

In this campaign, Apple directly compared its Mac computers to PCs by giving them both real-life human personas.

How did this campaign check all of the boxes above? Well, in each spot, the brand:

1. Highlighted different features and benefits of a Mac

2. Directly compared Mac to PC (its biggest competitor) in those areas

Personified how Apple wanted Macs to be perceived by buyers with human characters — i.e., Mac was young, playful, and casual in a hoodie, while PC was older, serious, and literally “buttoned up” in a suit and tie.

We’ll dive deeper into how you can successfully position your product when we talk strategy in a bit.

4. Creating, managing, and carrying out your product marketing strategy.

Speaking of strategy, a product marketing strategy is what allows you to create, build, and deploy content and campaigns to drive sales. It guides the steps that will lead your buyer personas to engage with your product and eventually make a purchase — and product marketers own it.

5. Enabling sales to attract and close customers for your new product.

Product marketing also maintains a direct relationship with sales.

As a product marketer, you’ll work with sales to identify and attract the right customers and provide sales enablement materials to help close them.

This way, all teams are on the same page with what should be communicated to customers, allowing you to provide a consistent, on-brand experience for anyone who comes in contact with your product.

6. Influencing marketing strategy and product development.

As a product marketer, you’re in the unique position of being able to influence both marketing and product development. In other words, you have an impact on how a product gets marketed to its target audience, but also if existing products get updated or new ones are developed.

You must keep your finger on the pulse of what’s changing with your audience and competitors and how your current products are performing to offer actionable advice on next steps.

7. Keeping your product relevant over time.

A customer is only as good as their lifetime value, and keeping your product relevant is the best way to increase that value and avoid churn.

As needs, expectations, and challenges evolve, it’s your job to keep your product marketing strategy (and the products themselves) relevant to customers.

This is one place where product marketing can shine.

Why is product marketing important?

Product marketing focuses on changes in your audience’s needs and behaviors, and it enables your company to adapt quickly in ways general marketing does not. It can be the difference between staying relevant and becoming obsolete, so it’s critical companies don’t forget it.

Take this real-world example of successful product marketing from German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen.

During the 1950s, Volkswagen introduced a vehicle you may know as the “VW bus.” The microbus was a hit and remained an icon for the car company with its signature look for decades.

Fast forward to 2017 and Volkswagen announced the ID.Buzz — a new VW bus that’s electric, full of modern features, and puts a fresh spin on the classic microbus design. The company’s product marketing was colorful and youthful, complementing the original “hippie” vibe the brand was once known for.

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It also released a TV commercial driving home these sentiments for buyers.

In this spot, Volkswagen cleverly introduces the new vehicle with the beloved 1960s’ Simon & Garfunkel song “The Sound of Silence” playing in the background (hint: electric cars are silent) and ends with a short on-screen message that reads: “Introducing a new era of electric driving.”

The commercial is fun, touches on the vintage origins of the bus, and makes it clear that Volkswagen is entering a new era with an electric, eco-friendly vehicle.

So, the million-dollar question: Did the campaign work?

While not even available in the United States yet, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles reported nearly a 25% increase in sales in 2023, with deliveries of the ID.Buzz quadrupling, according to InsideEVs. I think it’s safe to say that’s a yes.

The campaign didn’t focus on the Volkswagen brand but on the VW bus and the position it holds in the buyer’s mind.

By paying attention to its audience and market, the company evolved a previously successful product and made it new again with clever positioning and a product marketing campaign to match.

This is a prime example of a great product marketing strategy at work. How can you build yours?

Product strategy is nuanced. It requires more than just the paragraphs below, but here are five key steps to get you started.

1. Perfect your product’s buyer personas.

Defining a target audience and perfecting your buyer personas is crucial for a successful product marketing strategy.

Understand your customers, their needs, challenges, and pain points, and you’ll be able to ensure all aspects of your product marketing strategy, campaigns, and assets resonate with your buyer.

2. Clearly define your differentiators and positioning.

What sets your product apart? Why should buyers choose you over your competitors? A successful product marketing strategy needs clearly defined differentiators and a positioning statement.

When done right, this positioning statement answers key questions your customers might have about your product and shares what makes it unique (i.e., why they should buy).

Start by answering questions like:

  • Why was this product made?

  • Who is this product made for?

  • What challenges does this product resolve?

  • What makes our product unique?

  • Why is our product better than and different from those of our competitors?

  • Why are our product’s features ideal for our target audience?

  • Why should our customers trust and invest in us and our product?

From there, you‘ll want to compile these responses into a brief, impactful positioning statement. Keep these tips in mind:

  • Use action words to excite your customers.

  • Ensure the tone of your statement captures the style of your brand.

  • Focus on the benefit of your product as a whole (not just one specific feature).

Pro tip: As product marketers, ensure the sales, product, and broader marketing teams are also aware of your product positioning so everyone conveys the same information to prospects and customers. You can also share this information with your support team since they’re speaking with customers who’ve already invested in the product.

3. Set your goals.

What do you want to accomplish? Setting goals for your product will guide your strategy and be a reminder of what your marketing efforts are working towards. Goals will vary depending on your product, the type of company you work for, and your larger marketing goals, but some of the most common include:

  • Increasing revenue

  • Engaging with customers

  • Improving market share

  • Gaining customers from competitors

  • Boosting brand recognition

Pro tip: Set your targets using the SMART goal format, which means they should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.

Use a free template to help you create and achieve your SMART goals.

4. Price your product.

Product marketing heavily influences your product’s pricing. Typically, this manifests as a choice of competitive versus value-based pricing.

Competitive vs. Value-Based Product Pricing

Competitive pricing means the price of your product is based on similar products your competitors sell and how they compare. Suppose you believe your unique features warrant a significantly higher price than those of your competitors. In that case, with competitive pricing, you might price your product above the average.

On the other hand, value-based pricing quantifies your item’s price based on what a customer gets tangibly or intangibly (think a boost in confidence or elite status). This allows you to be more fluid with your pricing rather than just following the market, industry trends, and what your competitors say.

It also allows you to maximize your profit, although it can be more difficult to educate customers on why your price is so variable. Value-based pricing is ideal for companies selling a product with very few competitors — or one with exceptionally new and unique features.

5. Launch your product.

The product launch is the most important — and exciting — part of any product marketing strategy.

Product marketing focuses on two aspects of a launch: the internal launch (what goes on inside your company during a product launch) and the external launch (what goes on outside your company, with customers and audience members, during a product launch).

Internal Aspects of a Product Launch

During the internal product launch, you should get your marketing, product, and sales teams clear on:

  • The product’s benefits

  • Any available product demo information

  • Sales product training opportunities and details about how it’s used

  • What the positioning and messaging look like

  • Who your buyer personas and ideal customers are

  • What the goals for your product include

  • What your product’s features are

  • The pricing of your product

  • How your product is being launched to customers

This information can be communicated in a number of ways, including:

External Aspects of a Product Launch

The external launch of a product is a totally different beast.

As you know, there are really no rules about marketing your product, so get creative. A product launch may include social media, public/in-store displays, product launch events, blog articles and content, website landing pages, or even a flash mob.

What your product launch entails comes down to your brand, product, and audience. But let’s go into some practical tips on how to market a product that almost any business can adopt.

1. Highlight benefits, not features.

Regardless of the channel or platform, highlight the benefits of your product rather than its features. Unless you offer features your competitors don’t, they’re likely not a differentiator for you.

Furthermore, features (like “customizable attribution models” or “automated email workflows”) can often be technical and hard for buyers to understand. Benefits translate your features into relatable, human value.

When leading with benefits, the examples above become “Know where exactly your leads come from” or “Save time by automating tasks using contact workflows.”

The HubSpot Marketing Hub landing page does a great job here.

It reads: “AI-powered marketing software that helps you generate leads and automate marketing.”

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In this copy, HubSpot explains its features and what users can accomplish with them. With this approach, even if you are totally new to inbound marketing, you’d be able to understand what the product will do for you.

2. Position your product as a solution in your blog content.

A company blog is a powerful place to drive organic traffic and build awareness and demand for a product. Rather than hammering visitors with facts, figures, and sales pitches, write content about a related problem that your product solves.

Take this example from the messaging app Slack.

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In this post, Slack addresses the common audience pain point of wanting to manage their time better and be more productive. It details 10 different tips readers can try while occasionally mentioning the Slack product and its relevant features where appropriate.

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This is a smart and subtle way of introducing the Slack product as a potential solution to the reader’s problems while also delivering real, actionable, educational value.

3. Show your product in action using video

A written blog is great, but a video showing your product in action? That can be even better.

Next to trying your product (which we’ll talk about shortly), watching a video of your product in use is the closest a buyer can get to experiencing it. For this reason, video content can more quickly and effectively convert your audience. So, use this to your advantage.

Create video content for your product that can include:

  • General product overview videos

  • Tutorials on how to use your product

  • Hacks your product can be used for

  • Product demonstrations

  • Product reviews

  • Unboxing videos

Mattress manufacturer Purple has some great product marketing videos on its YouTube channel.

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The channel includes a mix of product demonstrations, how-tos, testimonials, and even manufacturing highlights, letting their target audience get a closer look at what Purple offers.

4. Create a referral or affiliate program

According to Nielsen, 88% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know more than any other channel. Word-of-mouth marketing still reigns supreme over any marketing message or sales pitch you release.

With that in mind, one of the most effective ways to promote your product is creating a customer referral program (or affiliate program). In a referral program, past or happy customers are asked to recommend your product to new people. If they drive a purchase, the referrer is rewarded through commission, discount, or another type of gift.

In this situation, people typically feel more inclined to make a purchase because someone they trust has given your product their vote of confidence. As a business, you get a new customer with very little effort, and the referrer is compensated for their input. It’s a win for all.

Let’s take a look at meal kit company EveryPlate’s referral program. In this example, customers are playfully encouraged to “feed their friends.”

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The page reads, “Give your friends free meals of their choice! In return, you will earn $30 when they place their first order.”

Referral programs like this one are quite popular today and come in many forms. Learn how to build the right one for your product in our article, “How to Create a Strong Referral Program.

5. Try co-marketing with another brand.

Co-marketing or co-branding with another brand is an excellent way to market your product to an engaged and qualified audience.

You can do something as simple as going live on Instagram or YouTube together or as big as teaming up on an original research campaign or co-hosting a live webinar.

No matter what the size, your product should be a natural match for the other company’s customers. Ideally, this means your products can be used in conjunction.

Here’s a great example of co-marketing from the social media app Pinterest and the clothing brand Levi’s.

In this campaign, Levi Strauss & Co. joins forces with Pinterest for “Styled by Levi’s” — what they describe as a “personalized styling experience” or tailored style insights from Levi’s through pins on a Pinterest board.

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As Sophia Barron, Director of Product & Channel Marketing at Owl Labs, explains, “People often turn to Pinterest for fashion inspiration, making a co-branding partnership with Levi‘s a natural partnership … Pinterest offers Levi’s a leading social platform with millions of users interested in visual offerings, and Levi’s meets these needs with digital personalization and visual-focused boards.”

6. Bid on your competitors’ keywords with PPC ads.

Pay-per-click (PPC) is an essential product marketing tactic. While content and social media marketing can help you attract inbound leads, you can get the attention of even more potential customers by buying PPC ads on search engines.

Let’s say you work for HubSpot. (Hey, welcome on board!)

When setting up your PPC campaign, bid on general product keywords (such as “CRM software”), your own branded terms (like Marketing Hub, HubSpot), and your competition’s (e.g., Salesforce).

This way, customers who search for your competitor’s name as they consider a purchase will see your name and product at the same time.

7. Let people try before they buy.

Finding new, effective ways to convey the value of your products isn’t easy. Words, videos, and other passive marketing content can only do so much.

When you allow your audience to try your product before they buy it, they can experience the value firsthand without any risk.

It’s like test-driving a car before signing the lease or trying a sip of wine before buying the bottle.

Allowing your audience to try your product lets them know, without a doubt, how it functions and how they’ll interact with it. This experience can answer many questions and eliminate a lot of the doubt one might have to making a purchase.

Depending on the nature of your product, “trying” your product can look different, but some popular options include:

  • Free sample

  • Free demo

  • Free or limited trial

  • Freemium tier/level

At HubSpot, we implement this product marketing tactic with our freemium model. Users can get started with the foundational tools of any of our products without even putting down a credit card.

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8. Collaborate with creators and/or influencers.

As we’ve seen with co-marketing and referral programs, collaboration can be a game changer in your product marketing strategy. It helps expand your reach to new, relevant audiences and capitalizes on your partner’s trust with that audience.

That said, social media creators and influencers are some of the most powerful folks to partner with today.

Similar to a referral program, creator or influencer marketing typically offers your partner some sort of compensation (usually payment or a free product) in exchange for promotion on their social media platform.

This could be doing a product review that features the product in a post or hosting a giveaway for the product.

This is a popular tactic in the beauty industry. Take this collaboration from South Asian makeup influencer Aditya Madirjaru and luxury beauty brand Lancome.

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In this Instagram reel, Madirjaru, a Lancome partner, encourages his 1.4 million followers (including yours truly) to purchase Lancome’s Teint Idôle Ultra Wear Foundation.

He first shows the product on camera and then applies it to demonstrate coverage. Paired with commentary raving about the product, this video is a top-tier example of influencer marketing done right.

9. Encourage user-generated content (UGC) creation on social media.

Considering the video above, having your buyers create content on social media is another smart way to market your product.

The majority of consumers trust other real-life buyers more than they trust brands themselves. So, use this trust to your advantage with a user-generated content campaign.

Encourage your buyers to share their experience with your product by tagging your brand or using a specific hashtag on social media. Doing this will get your product in front of new audiences expanding your reach, building awareness, and acting as social proof of the value your product delivers.

GoPro’s use of user-generated content is admirable.

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On its Instagram profile, the camera and technology company almost exclusively shares content filmed or shot by its subscribers with its products.

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This gives buyers a moment to shine in front of the brand’s over 20 million followers and showcases some of the amazing results their product can produce.

10. Showcase on social proof.

UGC is just one example of how to market your product using social proof.

Social proof in marketing is something that encourages a buyer to take action (read: buy your product) because it shows others have done it successfully or without harm.

Forms of social proof in marketing include user-generated content, as well as:

  • Product reviews

  • Product ratings

  • User Testimonials

  • Usage numbers and statistics

  • Industry Awards

  • Social Media Shares

  • Celebrity Endorsements

Using social proof in your product marketing can be as simple as including a celebrity quote about your product on your website. It might also look like including product ratings on a form like community software company Circle does in this pop-up on their website:

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The pop-up urges website visitors to book a demo of the company’s product and includes its impressive ratings from respected sources G2, GooglePlay, and the Apple App Store.

11. Create a product deck or media/press kit.

People outside of your organization won’t always know the best way to talk about your product, even if they want to.

To enable organic promotion of your product, consider putting together a marketing deck, presentation, or press kit that details everything a potential buyer should know about your product and provides assets like logos, photos, and color swatches.

If someone is inclined to feature your product in an article, make a video about it, or even collaborate. They’ll know your exact positioning and audience, among other things.

Learn how to put together your media kit and see examples in our article, “What is a Media Kit — and How to Make One.

12. Perfect the cross-sell and upsell.

In the HubSpot 2024 State of Sales Report, we found that 91% of sales professionals upsell, and team upselling tactics drive, on average, 21% of company revenue.

That’s nothing to scoff at. Take some time to consider how you can cross-sell or upsell your audience on your products. In other words, how can you encourage sales by pairing or comparing your product with other items in your catalog?

For example, Apple promoting a pair of AirPods when you purchase a new iPhone without a headphone jack, is a cross-sell. Apple promoting the iPhone 15 Max Pro when you are considering buying the iPhone 15 Max is an upsell.

If you have existing successful products, explore how they can work with your new products and incorporate those connections into your product marketing.

As we close, let’s quickly review four more real-life examples of stellar product marketing from reputable brands to drive home what we’ve learned.

1. Apple

Apple is a household name for leading technology products and software. Not only are its products gorgeously well-designed, but they are super useful.

Recognizing this, Apple‘s product marketing doesn’t focus on its many product features but on the user benefits.

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In this feature for the Macbook Pro laptop, Apple doesn’t simply list the impressive features of the laptop, it uses those features to tell consumers who they could be and how much better they could perform if they had it.

Apple weaves a narrative in its product marketing that describes the value it offers and gives buyers something to aspire to. It’s this smart marketing that allows Apple to lean into its value-based pricing.

2. Billie

Billie is a women’s razor brand. In a highly saturated market, Billie arguably doesn’t have anything unique to offer, but the company manages to differentiate itself by doing what few women’s razor brands have done before; actually showing body hair.

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Body hair and shaving can be an uncomfortable discussion topic, so many razor brands lean into portraying a specific lifestyle. But Billie tries something different. It sheds taboos and positions itself as a real hair removal solution, no matter your frequency or background. With this messaging, Billie stands out from its competitors while also helping to remove the stigma around something natural and universal.

3. Pepsi Cola

Pepsi has always positioned itself as a product with youthful energy and excitement. This can be seen consistently through its celebrity endorsement product marketing campaigns.

Pepsi’s customers are mainly aged 13-35 years old with modern and active lifestyles, so it only makes sense that the company would partner with celebrities popular with this demographic ( e.g., Britney Spears in the 2000s and Doja Cat in the 2020s).

This is one tactic that the beverage company has regularly employed over the decades that’s arguably helped it remain a household name and product.

4. Uber

Ride-sharing app Uber was a pioneer in its space. Paying close attention to its target market, the company recognized a flaw in traditional taxi services and presented a new, arguably better, alternative.

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While other competitors like Lyft and Revel have emerged, Uber has stayed relevant and expanded into services like Uber Freight, Uber for Business, and UberEats.

This is a brilliant example of not just product marketing but also product innovation.

Start Marketing Your Products with Confidence

Being a product marketer (or product marketing manager) means you’re a major player in your company’s marketing, sales, and product future.

You create and manage your product’s specific marketing strategy, but you also serve as a liaison between all three departments, ensuring everyone is on the same page with your product, its features, capabilities, and more.

Product marketing is an integral part of a greater marketing strategy and business success. So, take the advice and examples we’ve outlined above and start building a strong foundation for your product marketing today and for years to come.

This post was originally published in February 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Product Marketing Kit