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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

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.

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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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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:

• HubSpot Analytics.
• Google Analytics.
• Later.
• Manual tracking in a spreadsheet.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.”

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.”

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.

“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.”

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.

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.

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.

Table of Contents

• What is a URL?
• Why URLs Are Important for SEO
• URL Best Practices for SEO

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/.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Image Source

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:

• Sales enablement kit (ideal for your sales team)

• Presentation (ideal for marketing including product)

• Knowledge base (ideal for your support team)

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.

If you write, edit, or manage content for a brand, you likely run into lengthy content discussions over everything from voice to exclamation marks and em dashes. At least, I’ve done my fair share of debates with colleagues over language preferences.

But is it trivial? I don’t think so. After all, there’s a difference between “you shall not pass” and “you shall not pass!” The latter gives me chills — Ian McKellen did a great job — but only if the writer hasn’t doused the webpage with exclamation marks.

In my years of having first-hand contact with content for HubSpot and other brands, I’ve found that each content creator comes with their own preferences. And while you can’t take those away from them, you can tell them what you like to reach common ground so they can represent your brand in their own way.

Now, you can either share your preferences with back-and-forth feedback over their draft, or you can prepare a content style guide that sets them in the right direction from the start.

I prefer the latter (less hand-holding!), so I’m going to share all I’ve learned about content style guides in this blog. As a bonus, I’ve also gathered insights from industry experts to help you make well-rounded decisions.

Table of Contents:

• What is a Content Style Guide?
• Style Guide vs. Brand Guide
• How to Create a Writing Style Guide
• What to Include in Your Style Guide [+ Checklist]
• What Not to Include in Your Style Guide
• How to Get Others to Use Your Style Guide
• Writing Style Guide Examples

What is a Content Style Guide?

A content style guide, also called an editorial style guide, is a document that sets the standard writing, grammar, and punctuation conventions people working for an organization should follow to maintain a consistent tone and style across its entire online presence.

Content style guides get down to the nitty-gritty. Yes, even whether you should capitalize the “a” after a colon.

Why are content style guides important?

While I love discussing language preferences, debating about the same thing over and over feels like solving a Rubik’s Cube with only one color — it’s repetitive and unproductive.

That’s why I recommend creating a content style guide if you’re working with freelance writers and editors (and even for in-house marketers). Specifically, it helps:

• Build a consistent brand voice. While you may want to connect with your audience on a personal level, each writer can have their own interpretation of what that entails. With a content style guide, I can fill the gaps with the exact tone of voice I’m looking for.
• Avoid common errors. HubSpot has always been spelled with a capital “H” and a capital “S” in between. That said, many external contributors used variations like “Hubspot” or “Hub spot” when I edited the HubSpot blog. With a content style guide, you can point out common errors to ensure they don’t go unnoticed.
• Improve collaboration between writers and editors. Having donned both the editor’s hat and the writer’s pen, I know that harsh feedback can be a blow to a writer’s confidence. With a detailed style guide, I’ve been able to address quality problems without pointing fingers.

Both guides play an important role in how potential consumers view, interact, and remember your brand.

Now that we’ve gone over the basics, let’s explore how I’d go about creating a content style guide for your brand.

1. Use a style guide template.

A writing style guide covers a lot of important content — from brand values to formatting guidelines. While you can take a stab at it by starting from scratch, I recommend using a tried-and-tested style guide template to get started.

If you want to get started quickly, consider using HubSpot’s free style guide template. It covers all the basics you need to get the brain juices flowing, and you can later expand upon it as you see fit.

Alternatively, you can check out the writing guide examples I’ve listed below and choose one as your starting point to customize it and make it your own.

2. Review your brand’s mission and values.

I usually find a brand’s mission statement and core values to be of great help whenever I start filling the style guide template. They give me a solid idea of how the brand aims to form connections with its audience.

For instance, if a brand stands for transparency, I believe that its style guide should promote adding accurate and transparent product descriptions instead of overselling or overhyping the products.

If what your brand says and what it practices doesn’t match up, readers can (and they will, trust me) see the disconnect — it’s like watching a TV show with bad lip-syncing.

Take it from Maddy Osman, founder of The Blogsmith, who knows how seriously brands should take conveying values like inclusivity through their content.

“We wanted our content practices to reflect what The Blogsmith stands for, and needed to find a way to get a team with diverse backgrounds on the same page,” says Osman.

To nurture these values, Maddy got the ball rolling by laying down clear-cut guidelines in her style guide.

“I sat down with team members to brainstorm what inclusivity would look like on paper — the things we normally don‘t account for in day-to-day speech. Whether it’s listing alternatives to outdated words like blacklist or manpower or examples of people-first language.”

Sharing brand values isn’t just talking the talk — it’s about walking the walk, and a style guide is a great roadmap to keeping everything in sync.

3. Create buyer personas for your target audience.

Imagine a conversation with a baby boomer and Gen Z-er. The way you communicate with them will likely be different. That’s why I love creating buyer personas to have a better idea of how to approach the target audience.

A buyer persona is a semi-fictional, research-based representation of your target customer. It includes their demographics, behavior patterns, motivations, and goals. If you haven’t created a buyer persona before, I recommend HubSpot’s persona generator to get started.

Amanda Price, content manager at Imagefix, is also totally on board: “Understanding who we’re communicating with is just as important as understanding our brand itself.”

Price adds that with a fleshed-out buyer persona a style guide “stops being about abstract rules and starts being a proper and useful tool to build a real connection with our readers.”

Your editorial guide doesn’t need to go as in-depth into buyer personas as documents created for the sales and marketing teams. Still, I’ve learned that you need to include the following information on each persona at a minimum if you’re working with freelance writers:

• Brief explanation of the target audience.
• Pain points of the target audience.
• How the audience likes to be communicated with.
• The solutions your brand provides for the audience.
• The preferred writing style (formal, conversational, etc.).

With these details in the style guide, I provide ample context for the internal and external contributors to inform the content they’re writing.

4. Define your company’s voice and tone.

Once I determine my target audience, I start working on the tone and voice — which might appear confusing at first since they seem like identical concepts.

Here’s how I differentiate the two based on my experience:

• Voice. The brand voice captures the unique personality, perspective, and style of your brand — it doesn’t change through your content. For instance, Coca-Cola’s brand voice is positive, and Starbucks’ is expressive.
• Tone. The brand tone refers to how you express your voice. For instance, you can be positive and matter-of-fact, as in “you did it,” or positive and enthusiastic, as in “you absolutely crushed it.”

While I never change brand voice, I think tweaking the tone works wonderfully to adapt your message according to the medium. For instance, I prefer a casual tone for social media and a formal tone for technical white papers.

To decide the tone and voice, I find Nielsen Norman Group’s four dimensions of tone of voice incredibly helpful:

• Formal versus casual
• Serious versus funny
• Respectful versus irreverent
• Matter-of-fact versus enthusiastic

Your desired tone can be either at extreme ends or somewhere in between. For instance, I might opt for a casual, serious, respectful, and enthusiastic tone of voice for a SaaS brand.

That should provide a balance of professionalism, excitement, respectfulness, and friendliness, which aligns with most SaaS products.

In contrast, if I’m developing a content style guide for a tech firm, I might opt for a matter-of-fact (instead of enthusiastic) tone to communicate factually.

Still, it’s all up to your exact preferences, so flesh it out as you see fit.

Once you’ve reached a decision, I recommend adding guidelines surrounding the voice and tone to help the content creators better understand what you’re looking for. For instance, you can mention your:

• Preferred perspective. Can writers write in the first person? Or do the writers need to default to a third-person perspective?
• Writing style. Do you want to come across as a friend or a teacher? For the former, I recommend a conversational style with casual phrases. For the latter, you may need a mix of formal style with matter-of-fact language.
• Favorite phrases: To be as clear as possible about my preferred tone and voice, I typically include my favorite phrases in the style guide to help the writers connect the dots and better understand what I’m looking for.

I particularly stress on adding your favorite phrases because it helps clarify the desired tone and voice you want.

5. Decide on a reference style manual.

Save yourself some time and settle most of the formatting and grammar-related discussions once and for all by picking a reference style manual and sticking with it.

It saves you the trouble of doing your own research and coming up with industry-wide conventions for every special use case. You won’t regret it, I promise.

Most modern businesses adopt the Associated Press Stylebook (AP) or the Chicago Manual of Style. While both manuals are beneficial, I find the AP Stylebook a better fit for online media, as most news organizations use it (it’s also easier to memorize, in my opinion).

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Additionally, AP Style suits contemporary brands wanting to come across as friendly. For instance, Bernard Meyer, senior director of communications and creative at Omnisend, shares that he prefers AP Style as it helps Omnisend come across as friendlier and less formal.

Note: I recommend purchasing an online subscription for whichever reference manual you end up going for. In my experience, employees are more likely to reference these tools when provided with an online subscription that contains a search function instead of a paper book through which they have to flip to find their answers.

6. List troublesome words and branded phrases.

To maintain consistency throughout the business, I like having a distinct section in the content style guide that includes specific spellings and capitalizations for frequently used words and phrases.

You can start with your company name. For instance, It’s HubSpot, not Hubspot or Hub spot.

Besides that, I also note down phrases, slogans, or tag lines associated with the brand. For example, KitKat’s slogan, “Have a break, have a KitKat,” uses a comma in between the phrases, not a period. You can similarly add your brand’s specific phrases with their preferred spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.

Moreover, when I was the blog editor at HubSpot, I also compiled a list of “commonly troublesome words” with inconsistent capitalization and spelling to ensure the contributors stayed consistent in their submissions.

Instead of debating how to spell, capitalize, or hyphenate a confusing word, writers could head over to the list and decide on proper usage for:

• Common words: ecommerce vs. e-commerce
  AP Style prefers “e-commerce,” but I lean towards “ecommerce” as it’s getting rather popular, like “email.”
• Job titles: Director of Marketing vs. director of marketing
  AP style recommends using title case if the job title comes before the proper name and lowercase if it comes after it. I do the same.
• Degree titles: Bachelor of Arts vs. bachelor of arts
  AP style recommends using “Bachelor of Arts” in formal usage. That said, I default to using “bachelor’s degree” and “master’s degree” for readability.

Note: If the audience prefers specific English variations (British English or American English), I also recommend adding a list of problematic words like — center vs. centre, color vs. colour, and apartment vs. flat — to ensure your language choice mirrors your target audience.

Additionally, you can also list words and phrases your brand wants to avoid for inclusivity. For example, instead of using “blacklist,” I recommend writers use “blocklist.” Similarly, use gender-neutral words like “first-year students” instead of “freshmen.”

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7. Establish guidelines for graphics.

I know I told you earlier not to get into the nitty-gritty with visual guidelines. This is still true. Your design team or agency should create a separate brand design style guide that addresses more nuanced visual things (can you tell I’m not a designer?).

You should, however, add a little information to your written style guide if your writers are ever responsible for creating visual assets and/or copyediting visual assets created by designers.

Here are some common questions I’ve received over the years from writers and editors (that you should address with your style guide).

• Where can writers source images, and how do they properly attribute them?
• How many images should a writer add per blog post?
• Do we need to add alternative text for images? I love to include it to help people with visual disabilities.
• Can you add screenshots?
• When should images align to the right, to the left, or in the center?
• Should text wrap around images?
• Do you have any recommended image dimensions, file size, and file type for graphics?

All of your image-related guidelines for writers belong in this section. If I’ve access to a paid stock photo website, I prefer mentioning it in this section to ensure it is put to use.

8. Share your formatting recommendations.

Want to know a surefire way to give your editor a mild heart attack? Try submitting a document with formatting that resembles a maze. To protect your editors from getting burned out, I recommend including formatting guidelines for submissions, such as:

• Body text. What’s your preferred font style, size, and color?
• Headers. How many heading and subheading levels can writers go to? I’ve found that it’s better to limit online content to the h4 level.
• Hyperlinks. Do writers need to hyperlink a single word, more than two words, or a specific keyword? Should writers extend the hyperlink to articles (a, an, and the) in front of the target word?
• Lists. Should lists be numbered or bulleted? Do you want periods at the end of the lists?
• Bold, italic, or quotation marks. Do you want to reserve bold or italic for emphasis? Or do you prefer quotation marks?
• Special cases. How do you handle numerals, ranges, and en dashes? Is it acceptable to replace “and” with an ampersand (&)? Do you use acronyms in parentheses when making a first reference?

With consistent formatting, your readers will be able to skim and digest your information more easily.

9. Describe your SEO requirements.

With so much noise surrounding search engines, search engine optimization (SEO) is always a tricky part of the content style guide. That said, since some of the external contributors may be used to keyword spamming, I prefer laying out some of the essential SEO requirements.

You don’t need to go in-depth here. Heck, an in-depth SEO guide can be even longer than your content style guide. Instead, I use this section to answer more or less the common SEO-related questions from content creators.

So, here are my recommendations for the SEO section:

• Keyword usage. Share instructions on how the writers need to incorporate keywords into content, including their placement in titles, body text, and alt text. I recommend explaining how they should handle awkward keywords as well.
• Content structure. Let the writers know how to organize content for search engines. For instance, I like to have descriptive headers for search crawlers and skimming readers.
• Internal and external linking. Describe how writers should incorporate relevant internal and external links in the draft. I also recommend giving them a link-to-word ratio (e.g., one internal link for every 500 words).
• Content length. Mention the recommended length for different types of content. If you’re using an SEO tool for word count recommendation, let the writers know if it’s a strict limit or if they have some leeway.
• Meta titles and descriptions. Explain how the writers can optimize meta titles and meta descriptions to accurately represent the content and improve click-through rate in search engine results pages (SERPs).

In addition to these sections, I also include links to external sources like HubSpot’s guide to SEO to ensure writers can find answers to their questions from reputable sources.

10. Add recommended methods to source reliable data.

Do you know that humans have an attention span of only eight seconds? You might agree because you might have heard this statistic countless times in prominent newspapers, industry blogs, and from friends and family. At least, I have.

Luckily, it’s false. BBC busted this widespread myth in 2017. That said, I still see writers repeating this incorrect information to back up their arguments — which reflects a lot about those arguments.

If you want your brand to come across as honest, transparent, and trustworthy, I recommend including a section in your writing style guide detailing how you want the contributors to source their statistics.

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Based on my experience as a managing blog editor, you should outline the following at a minimum:

• Recommended data sources. Share your preferred industry sources. My personal favorites include eMarketer, Gartner, McKinsey & Company, and PwC.
• Preference for original data. To avoid made-up statistics like the eight-second human attention span and other issues affecting your trust with readers, I ask writers to always find, gauge, and link the original study. In most cases, the original study of a made-up statistic either doesn’t exist or appears unverifiable.
• Usage of recent, current data. If the market landscape in your industry changes rather frequently — as is the case in marketing — I would like to limit the data included to less than two years old. That said, it can vary from industry to industry, so adjust your expectations accordingly if there are no recent developments.

While that helps address most data-sourcing questions, you’ll still get one more question: Can I get relevant statistics and data from competitors?

Personally, I find it acceptable as long as the competitor’s information is reliable and verifiable. That said, it’s up to you to decide.

If you’re worried about search engine optimization (SEO), Osman, who is also ranked among the top 100 content marketers by Semrush, shares that she’s not “against using data from competitors. But you have to be careful from an SEO perspective if the data you’re referring to is a keyword competitor.”

Beyond that, it also depends on your brand’s core values. Meyer prefers to include “helpful data even if the data comes from our competitors” because Omnisend wants to come across as a customer-centric brand.

11. Outline prohibited topics.

While most internal contributors are mindful of sensitive topics, you may need to provide detailed guidance to freelance writers to avoid alienating your readership.

Even if you’re not working with external contributors, I’ve learned that including a list of sensitive topics also helps onboard new team members, so it’s a great addition to a content style guide.

While the sensitive topics might vary from industry to industry, my recommendations for sensitive topics include:

• Religion and politics. I always instructed the writers to steer clear of these two topics entirely.
• Legal considerations. Tell the writers to avoid legal counsel in most cases. Instead, suggest linking relevant legal resources to asking the readers to contact a lawyer.
• Controversial social issues. When talking about sensitive issues, such as immigration, suggest the contributors rely on experts instead of sharing a personal opinion that may evoke strong emotions in readers.

12. Give examples to solidify the writing style guide.

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If you follow all the steps I’ve outlined so far, you’ll be close to completing a detailed content style guide. The only thing remaining is adding examples — some of which you may have added already.

In my experience, adding examples of high-level concepts with do’s and don’ts is one of the best ways to convey what you want. That said, make sure to add specific examples so they help the writers rather than confuse them.

Meyer agrees, “The more specific you can make [your style guide], the better your team will understand how to adopt it effectively.”

Osman also prefers adding examples. According to her, “style preferences make a lot more sense to writers when they see them executed in actuality — much like a case study.”

Here’s how I like to give examples in an editorial style guide:

• Use do’s and don’ts. Add an incorrect example and then mark it up to show how a writer could fix it.
• Include visual examples. For formatting and graphics, I prefer adding visual examples to help the contributors visualize what the brand requires.
• Preferred text. I find that writers are more likely to succeed in nailing down the brand tone and voice if you provide examples of it in practice.

All said and done, I think of a style guide as an evolving document, so you can edit the style guide, flesh out examples, and add nuances over time as a situation calls for it.

What to Include in Your Style Guide [+ Checklist]

To ensure you add the relevant information and elements, here is a quick refresher of what you’ll want to include in your content style guide.

I recommend using the following checklist to help you get going.

What Not to Include in Your Style Guide

While I’ve mentioned all the stuff you should have in your content style guide, there are also topics you should leave out to make it usable on a day-to-day basis. The following are common sections that are fine to leave out of your content style guides.

Content Operation Notes

While I know that content operations are the backbone of your content creation process, they don’t belong in the content style guide.

They don’t add value to the content your writers will create. Instead, content operation notes should be part of your standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Visual Style Recommendations

Your company’s logo, typography, and color palette are extremely important for your brand. However, a content style guide isn’t the place to provide details about them.

Instead of cramming the writing style guide with design elements, logo variations, and preferred typography, use a separate brand and visual style guide to convey the brand identity elements.

Training Materials

It’s easy to lose yourself when fleshing out SEO recommendations, inclusivity practices, or language preferences — trust me, I know. That said, you don’t want the content style guide to be too long. It should be digestible and usable.

So, instead of including training materials in the style guide, prepare additional documents writers can explore for specific guidance. For example, if you want your content creators to use inclusive language, I recommend relying on HubSpot’s inclusive language guide.

How to Get Others to Use Your Style Guide

If you put in all this work to create a comprehensive style guide, it’d be a real bummer if no one used it.

Here’s the truth: Some people just aren‘t going to use it, no matter how easy you make it for them to do so. So, just accept that. But after you’re done grieving, here are a few things I suggest you do to increase the likelihood of adoption:

1. Involve other people in its creation from the get-go.

While freelancers won’t mind specific rules, in-house contributors may have to adjust their existing writing processes to comply with new rules, which may result in an unwillingness to embrace the change.

While some opposition will always be there, I’ve learned that getting a few people together from multiple teams to help create the style guide as a group resolves many of these differences.

2. Make it easy to find and use.

At HubSpot, we’ve made our style guide available on our internal repository. As a result, my colleagues and I can find it, bookmark it, and even access it whenever, wherever. Plus, I can also use Ctrl + F to find what I’m looking for.

3. Keep updating it.

Your style guide is intended to be a living document. As new style questions arise from writers about proper usage, I ask the editors to reach a solution and ensure that it’s reflected in an updated version of the style guide.

Writing Style Guide Examples

If you want to see a writing style guide in action, here are a few examples of writing style guides I have liked from well-known companies like Google, Shopify, and Intuit.

1. Google

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In Google’s style guide, I noticed that Google is very explicit in its principle of creating clear, accurate, and concise text. The company offers clear directives to write simply and directly, address users clearly, and more.

Google’s team also skillfully demonstrates examples of what website owners should or shouldn’t do. For example, instead of saying “buffering,” Google recommended using “preparing video” to avoid technical jargon that a layperson might not understand.

What I liked: I found Google’s style guide to be extremely easy to digest. It followed a pattern of do’s and don’ts, provided examples, and explained the reasoning behind it to get the point across.

2. Intuit

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While exploring Intuit’s style guide, I found a lengthy word list — which seems appropriate since Intuit deals with financial topics. Plus, their guidelines regarding anti-racist language and formatting are on point as well.

Similarly, Intuit’s voice and tone section contains a lot of explanations of their brand’s core values, which might help writers in shaping their content. That said, I’d have loved to see some voice and tone examples illustrating their brand personality.

What I liked: I loved their detailed word list. It provided explicit instructions on handling common financial terms, abbreviations, and acronyms — which are a lot!

3. Shopify

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I found Shopify’s content style guide to be very extensive. It walks the writers through voice and tone, inclusive language, grammar, and other style-related guidelines.

Unlike Intuit, I noticed that Shopify was more clear about its voice and tone requirements — they even included do’s and don’ts with examples to explain how to match Shopify’s tone.

What I liked: Despite covering a range of style preferences, I appreciated that Shopify included an example for each concept.

4. Microsoft

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Like Shopify’s, Microsoft’s content style guide is also extensive, covering everything from proper nouns to bias-free communications. I also liked the examples Microsoft included. That said, Microsoft tried to stay minimalist and didn’t include examples for everything like Shopify.

What I liked: I found Microsoft’s style guide easier to navigate using the sidebar. You can filter the list of entries by title to find stuff faster.

5. Apple

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Unlike other style guides, I was surprised to see Apple’s style guide isn’t extensive — it only contains details specific to Apple’s ecosystem. Besides that, it suggests users follow the Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.

What I liked: While many content marketers might not prefer it, I liked Apple’s minimalist approach since a style guide is typically for things where you deviate from a reference manual.

6. Mailchimp

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While I’m generally not a fan of including media-specific guidelines in a style guide, Mailchimp does a great job. Since its style guide isn’t based on a single formal document, it was able to add process guidelines without overwhelming readers.

What I liked: I loved Mailchimp’s word list as it outlines exactly how to handle troublesome words in a minimalist way.

7. Yokel Local

This example comes from HubSpot Partner Yokel Local. I was impressed by its simplicity since it states brand guidelines Yokel Local wants the in-house contributors and freelancers to follow without going into the weeds.

What I liked: While Yokel Local remained minimalist, I loved that it still included examples to help readers.

Polish Your Editorial and Content Style

There you have it — a neat walkthrough of how to create an even neater style guide. While creating a content style guide takes some time, my experiences have taught me that it greatly reduces the inconsistencies in your content and communication.

Plus, with a documented style guide, you have an easier time scaling up your content efforts without lowering content quality (trust me, it makes a huge difference).

But as I said before, a content style guide is a living document, so you’ll have to continually polish it as required to keep it up-to-date. Don’t worry — it’s not as daunting as it sounds. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

And if you want your content team to look at it more often, remember to get them involved in the updating process. After all, fostering a culture around caring for and respecting the guidelines is just as important as laying them out.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in May 2015 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Beth Goldowitz, who’s been managing nonprofit organizations for the past 20 years, says that when “managed correctly, grants can keep organizations afloat. They’re stable and predictable, a revenue stream that the organization can count on for the duration of a contract.”

But do you know how long it takes to write a single grant application?

Over 30 hours, and considering that grant writers usually get paid between $25 and $100 per hour, depending on their experience, it’s a significant cost. That’s why it’s so important for nonprofits to decide which grants to pick.

Your organization can make it much easier for applicants to assess if they’re the right fit for your project. It all comes down to getting your RFP for grants right, including adding the right sections and asking the right questions.

Before I dive deeper into the subject, let’s answer the question: what is an RFP for grants?

What is an RFP for grants?

The Challenges of Writing an RFP for Grants

The Anatomy of an RFP for Grants

How to Write an RFP for Grants

Best Practices for Writing an RFP for Grants

RFP for Grants Resources

What is an RFP for grants?

An RFP for grants, or Request for Proposals, is a document issued by grantors such as foundations and government agencies encouraging nonprofit organizations to submit proposals for funding.

Essentially, RFPs offer nonprofits an opportunity to secure funding for various initiatives, irrespective of whether they relate to education, healthcare, or environmental causes.

Each RFP is tailored to achieve a specific goal, so submitted proposals must be in line with the objectives outlined in the RFP.

The Challenges of Writing an RFP for Grants

I have spoken to a few people working at nonprofits to find out what challenges they came across, either while creating their own RFPs or preparing RFP proposals. Here are the most common obstacles.

Lack of Sufficient Information About the Procurement Process

The quality of your procurement process will impact the quality of the applications you receive. If you don’t share enough information about it, like the timeline, budget, selection criteria, etc., then two things might happen:

• You will receive applications that aren’t the right fit for the project.
• A lot of applicants who are the right fit won’t take part in the process as they’ll feel discouraged by the lack of clarity.

The more detailed and logical your procurement process is, the higher the chances of receiving high-quality proposals.

RFP Grants Failing to Communicate the Vision Clearly

This is an RFP grant challenge that has come up the most frequently.

Gauri Manglik, CEO and co-founder of Instrumentl, says that “many organizations struggle to articulate what specific issues they are trying to address and how the grant they offer will drive impact.”

What often happens is that RFP grant writers take a scattered approach instead of having a cohesive strategic framework. As a result, it’s hard for founders who give out grants to evaluate the proposal’s purpose and potential.

Manglik adds that “the most effective RFPs have a sharply defined focus outlining the goals, target population, and theory of change for proposed activities.”

Not Understanding the Legal Implications of the Grant

Grants often come with terms and conditions that must be followed to stay compliant. Failing to do so might result in penalties or even in grants being revoked.

These terms and conditions should be clear and easy to understand to minimize the risk of breaching them.

Jonathan Feniak, general counsel at LLC Attorney, says, “When writing RFP grant proposals, it’s crucial to understand the legal implications of the grant and factor any liabilities into your plan.

If any IP is developed with grant funding, you must specify ownership rights to avoid potential conflicts with donors later.”

Feniak also notes that proposals should clearly outline your expectations, and you must agree on whether the charity or the investor owns its rights.

“Generally, it’s best to consult your legal team throughout the RFP writing process to manage the risks and clearly outline IP ownership,” adds Feniak.

Ensuring clarity and specificity in the language used.

It’s vital to use a language that is not only clear but also specific so it’s easier for potential bidders to understand what’s expected of them. This applies to the requirements, objectives, and expectations of the project.

Kimberly Wall, co-founder of BibleKeeper, says, “The challenge lies in articulating the project’s goals, objectives, and expected outcomes clearly using words that are not really overwhelming the potential applicants with unnecessary details.”

Using the right language will eliminate confusion among nonprofits and make sure that their proposals accurately correspond to the needs of the RFP issuer.

The Anatomy of an RFP for Grants

RFPs for grants come in two forms: concise, short tables, where information is filled out in bullet points, and longer ones, which cover each section in detail.

The former aims to give a high-level overview, while the latter is where applicants take a deep dive into their proposal.

So, there isn’t such a thing as an “ideal” length for an RFP. These types of documents can take up multiple pages and usually function as downloadable PDFs.

If you’re wondering what elements grantors should include, then here’s an RFP structure we recommend at HubSpot.

RFP: [Project Name]

Proposal Due By: [Date]

[Organization Name]

In addition to the name, this section could also feature a short overview of your mission. Don’t include a long history of your organization. Instead, use this space to provide a bit of context on what it does and its target market.

Project Overview

A brief introduction to the project itself to let nonprofits know right away if it’s something worth bidding on — no longer than 1-2 paragraphs.

Project Goals

This section identifies what you hope to accomplish through assigning funds to relevant organizations. Specify what you’ll see as a “win” so everyone is on the same page.

Scope of Work

A description of the project and a scope of work — either detailed, if it’s a long RFP, or bullet points if it’s short.

Current Roadblocks and Barriers to Success

In this section, mention any potential constraints that could either disqualify certain candidates or increase the operational complexity of meeting goals.

Evaluation Metrics and Criteria

Here, you outline how you’re going to choose grantees. There are different approaches — some companies use simple “yes” or “no” evaluations to check if a proposal meets the project objectives.

Other organizations use percentages to score more important criteria higher than others.

Submission Requirements

Exact guidelines bidders must adhere to.

Project Due By

If there is a specific project delivery date, mention it in the RFP. This will help you filter out applicants who can’t guarantee completing it within the required timeline.

Budget

Here, you should include the target budget. Specify if this budget will be distributed among multiple organizations or assigned to a single grantee.

General Conditions of Contract

This could include information like:

• Applicant’s legal status.
• Your stance on subcontracting.
• Indemnification, insurance, and liabilities.

Some templates also suggest asking questions that you expect bidders to answer — these can serve as a way to further check their alignment with your mission.

How to Write an RFP for Grants

So, now that you know what goes into an RFP, let’s learn how to write them. Below, I’ll describe the steps you should take when tackling this paperwork.

In each section, I’ll work through the steps, as I build a mock RFP for sustainability nonprofits.

My sample organization, Earthly Partners, is looking to fund sustainability projects based in the Southwestern United States. Let’s get started.

1. Identify the objectives.

In this step, I want to list all the key information, like goals, timeline, budget, and applicant profile.

As you gather these, you’ll likely come across some informational gaps or considerations that require expert knowledge, like legal considerations and grantor/grantee obligations.

This is an important preliminary stage, which should end with a complete list of information you’ll need to evaluate bidders.

Testing It Out

So, what does my organization, Earthly Partners, want to accomplish? We want to focus on fighting climate change in the South West, particularly through drought relief and community advocacy.

We are able to provide grants of up to $50,000 to each nonprofit.

2. Write an introduction.

Now, I want to provide a bit of information about the organization and the area we focus on. I may also include my organization’s values, current challenges, and the problems we would like to address.

Testing It Out

Here is an example of an intro to Earthly Partners’ RFP. Here, we highlight the mission that we focus on and a little bit about our mock organization’s history.

Earthly Partners is pleased to announce the availability of grant funding to support projects that align with our mission of environmental conservation and advocacy.

Established in 2010, Earthly Partners has been dedicated to promoting eco-friendly practices, water conservation, and community empowerment.

We recognize the importance of fostering innovative solutions and collaborations within our community, and through this grant opportunity, we aim to support projects that demonstrate creativity, sustainability, and significant impact.

We are most interested in projects focused on community advocacy for climate policies and drought relief.

3. Provide a project description.

This section should serve as a high-level overview. Potential applicants will look at it to quickly assess whether they can propose a relevant project within the required timeline and available budget.

Testing It Out

Here’s my project description for my mock sustainability nonprofit:

Grant Purpose: The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to solicit proposals for projects that address environmental conservation, climate change mitigation, or sustainable development.

We seek proposals that offer innovative approaches, foster community engagement, and contribute to the long-term sustainability and resilience of ecosystems and communities.

Grant Details:

• Total Funding Available: $50,000

• Grant Duration: 12 months

• Grant Amount: Grants may range from $2,500 to $10,000

• Eligibility: Nonprofit organizations and community groups operating within the Greater Metropolitan Area are eligible to apply.

• Application Deadline: July 31, 2024.

4. List clear requirements.

Here, I can specify what exactly I need to know about the proposal. That includes asking the applicants for the project description and how it will help fulfill the goals of your grant.

Testing It Out

Continuing with the sustainability grant project from above, this section could look like the following:

Proposal Guidelines:

Applicants are invited to submit proposals that address the following key components.

• Project Description: Provide a detailed description of the proposed project, including its objectives, activities, target population, and anticipated outcomes.

• Project Impact: Clearly articulate the potential impact of the project on the environment or the local community. Describe how the project will contribute to positive change and address identified environmental or social needs.

• Innovation and Creativity: Highlight any innovative approaches or strategies proposed to address the identified environmental or social challenge. We encourage applicants to think creatively and propose solutions that may be outside traditional approaches.

• Sustainability: Demonstrate the project’s sustainability beyond the grant period. Describe plans for ongoing funding, partnerships, and stakeholder engagement to ensure the long-term success of the project.

• Roadblocks to Success: Identify potential challenges or roadblocks that the project may face and describe strategies to overcome them. Consider factors such as regulatory hurdles, community resistance, funding constraints, or technical limitations.

• Budget and Timeline: Provide a detailed budget that outlines how grant funds will be used. Include a project timeline with key milestones and deliverables.

5. Include a submission deadline.

Here, I want to call out the deadline for submissions and explain my preferred way of submitting proposals.

Testing It Out

For Earthly Partners, I want to have proposals by the end of July. I call that out, along with my preferred submission format, below.

Submission Instructions:

Please submit your proposal electronically to [email address] no later than July 31, 2024. Proposals should be submitted in PDF format and include the organization’s name, contact information, and the title of the proposed project in the subject line.

​​​​6. Be clear on the evaluation factors.

It’s important to explain all the elements your organization will pay attention to while evaluating applications.

Applicants who do not meet your criteria will likely withdraw from submitting their proposal if they don’t see they’re a good fit. This, in turn, will help you pre-qualify organizations and shorten the selection process.

Testing It Out

For Earthly Partners, I want to explain how we plan to evaluate applicants and give an overview of next steps. This allows me to explain what projects are likely to receive funding and the timeline for these evaluations.

Evaluation Process:

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Alignment with Earthly Partner’s mission and grant objectives.

• Clarity and feasibility of the project proposal.

• Potential impact and sustainability of the project.

• Innovation and creativity of proposed approaches.

• Budget justification and cost-effectiveness.

Notification:

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by August 31, 2024. Successful applicants will receive further instructions regarding grant agreements, reporting requirements, and funding disbursement.

7. Proofread and edit the document.

I use the editing process to make sure that all the necessary elements are included in my RFP and that the instructions are easy to follow.

Failing to use easy-to-understand language might result in low-quality submissions. It’s a good idea to ask a few of your colleagues for feedback to ensure you’ve not missed any important details.

Best Practices for Writing an RFP for Grants

Here are a few considerations to take into account while preparing your RFP.

Dedicate time to selecting the right eligibility and application criteria.

This is, arguably, the single most important section of your RFP — perhaps even more important than “budget,” as NGOs will want to quickly assess their eligibility.

Esther Strauss, co-founder of Step by Step Business, agrees:

“Given the diversity of causes we support, from education to environmental conservation, finding a grant that provides the necessary funding and also aligns with our goals can be like searching for a needle in a haystack.”

Strauss says that, whenever applying for a grant herself, she needs to know if her organization can genuinely meet the grantor’s requirements while staying true to the organization’s objectives and values.

The need to get the application “right” can also extend to selecting the right application format or method. “The pressure to get it right is immense, as these grants can significantly impact our ability to serve our community,” she adds.

So, how can you make it easier for applicants to assess if they’re the right fit and avoid application mistakes?

Include clear information like:

• Only bidders who meet at least X out of Y criteria will be considered.
• Proposals must be sent in [FORMAT] by [DEADLINE]. Applications sent in through other channels will not be considered.
• Application needs to include a proposed schedule.
• Proposals must be shorter than [NUMBER] pages. Failure to comply with this guideline will result in an automatic rejection.

For a real-life example, you can also look at this RFP proposal from the U.N., which keeps the requirement descriptions clear and concise.

As you can see, the quality of the proposals and organization fit lies largely in your hands.

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Simplify negotiations by including key contract terms.

Earlier, I’ve mentioned that many RFP grant writers struggle with translating legal requirements in the RFP.

Wayne Tung of Sendero wrote a great piece on this subject, encouraging RFP publishers to give it the same level of attention as requirements and scope.

“Many people do not include contract term requirements, such as legal and commercial terms, in RFPs. This results in prolonged negotiations,” or even failed grants, he says.

Featuring the main contract terms in the RFP shows respect for both parties — you as the project operator and the organizations seeking funding.

Sometimes, fewer questions are better.

I spent quite some time going through Reddit threads popular among the RFP community, and one of the most interesting points I’ve seen was about question-fit.

One Redditor, roger_the_virus, blatantly says grantors should avoid “useless questions that won’t provide helpful answers. I do my best to make sure we’re not asking for a bunch of information we don’t need and won’t do anything with.”

That said, when it comes to questions, don’t automatically discredit applicants who can’t answer all of them. Offer organizations that have pitched a fitting project and budget the opportunity to ask follow-up questions.

This will prevent them from submitting answers with low informational value, i.e., responses that are vague or unrelated to your query.

Speaking of supplementary questions, this leads to the next point.

Provide clear contact information.

The larger your organization, the less likely it is that there will only be one person responsible for proposal reception and answering questions from applicants.

However, even if it’s an entire office, you should provide contact information with the relevant communication method — either walk-ins between a specific time, like Monday to Friday, email address, or phone number.

Bear in mind that many nonprofits apply to RFPs ongoingly and will only do so if they see that the grantor can help with applicant requests. Here’s an opinion on Reddit from an RFP proposal writer, which garnered multiple upvotes:

“I won’t respond to an RFP unless they commit to giving me their time for detailed discovery and a chance for them to read me the RFP requirements line by line and why they’re important.”

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Disclose any potential blockers.

Finally, be transparent about any potential roadblocks winning bidders might come across.

When applying for grants, NGOs need to know if they have the means to complete the project and if there are any other issues, like conflict of interest.

For example, say your organization wishes to assign funds to boost literacy rates in remote rural areas. One of the prerequisites could be having established relationships within target communities.

Such an approach will help preselect applicants, particularly those who don’t have the operational capacity to navigate around any potential constraints.

RFP for Grants Resources

Here are three resources that might come in handy while drafting an RFP for grants.

1. Candid’s Foundation Directory

Candid’s Foundation Directory shares essential information to help you make smart and strategic funding requests. These resources and tools give you access to funding opportunities that go beyond RFPs.

It includes a list of foundations, including their profiles, funding priorities, application procedures, and contact information.

RFP writers can go through the proposals that have been published already and use them as inspiration to create their own.

2. Free RFP Templates From HubSpot

HubSpot’s Free RFP templates are a great starter kit and will help you draft your request in no time.

This resource gives you two RFP versions — a shorter one and a longer one. Both documents are fully customizable, allowing you to easily add your company name and logo.

You can download them in PDF or turn them into a Microsoft Word or Google Docs file.

These templates include all the crucial elements of an RFP, such as:

• Company name and background.
• Project goals.
• Expected project timeline.
• Submission requirements.
• Evaluation criteria.
• Potential roadblocks.

Each section comes with a quick explainer to help you get the contents right.

Download HubSpot’s RFP Templates for Free

3. Reddit – RFP Subreddits

Unsurprisingly, Reddit is one of the best places to learn from RFP experts as well as understand the applicant’s perspective.

I especially recommend following the RFP subreddit and navigating into more intricate conversations and topics from there.

While many of the discussions cover not only grants but also commercial projects, the advice is universal.

It also goes without saying that you shouldn’t just lurk around the corner — if there’s a challenge you’ve come across while drafting your RFP, this is the community you should ask for advice.

Getting Your RFP for Grants Right

Writing the RFP is the first — and arguably — most important step in the entire grant process. How so? It’s up to you as the grantor to select the right questions and criteria and explain the purpose of the project.

Remember, the more information you provide potential applicants, the easier it will be for them to assess if they fit the grant objectives. And this, in turn, will lead to a higher quality of proposals.

While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all template for each project, there are certain must-have sections to include. So, refer to this article to get a head start next time you need to create an RFP for grants.

Good luck!

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

What keeps you up at night? If one of those things is building an email list, you’re not alone, my friend. I spent years (and lost MANY thousands of dollars) procrastinating my own email list, and I know how to get to the other side. My name is Amy, and I’ve made a career out of helping businesses grow their online presence, especially through email marketing.

To be able to work from anywhere in the world, create my own schedule, and have a career that allows me to do something I love every day would not be possible without the backbone of my business, my email list.

The goal is to nurture your audience and, in time, transform them into loyal fans and customers. Let’s dive a little deeper.

Why You Can’t Afford To Not Have an Email List

Your email list is your direct line of communication to your audience. Social media platforms and algorithms can change overnight, leaving you at their mercy. But your email list? That’s yours.

With your email list, you can reach your people on your terms. You can deliver value, share your offers, and build relationships directly in their inbox. It’s personal, it’s intimate, and it’s a proven way to make money.

Once I focused on growing my email list, my business skyrocketed. I can confidently say an email list enabled me to create the multimillion-dollar business I have today.

I’ve found so much success with email that I created an online course, List Builders Society, to share the same strategies I use and help you accelerate your business growth.

I’ve done a lot of trial and error growing my email list over the years. What I’ve found are three easy list-building strategies you can start using today, starting with something called a lead magnet.

Wait, what’s a lead magnet?

A lead magnet is a free resource or special deal offered to customers in exchange for an email address.

It can be a checklist, video series, quiz, or webinar. A lead magnet is any resource that provides value to your Ideal Customer Avatar (ICA).

Your lead magnet doesn’t have to be big, it’s simply something to give away for free to attract and grow your audience.

You may already be familiar with lead magnets but might not be sure where to start or know how to create one that leaves your audience wanting more. If that’s you, you might find my episode on How to Create a Profit-Driven Lead Magnet to Boost Sales helpful.

3 Tips for Supercharging Your Email List

Now that you’ve had a refresher on what a lead magnet is, let’s talk about how to grow your email list once it’s started. Here are three tried-and-true strategies you can start leveraging right now to grow and monetize your email list:

1. Harness the power of SEO.

The first strategy involves Search Engine Optimization (SEO), a powerful tool you can implement to attract the right audience to your website and facilitate email list growth.

SEO may seem daunting, and it can seem like it’s under attack in the age of AI, but I assure you, it’s simpler (and still more valuable) than you might think. Here are a few SEO tips:

• Identify Relevant Keywords: Start by identifying keywords related to your lead magnet and industry. These are the words your potential subscribers might be searching for.
• Ubersuggest: Identify relevant keywords by using search tools like Neil Patel’s free Ubersuggest. Input your selected keywords one at a time, and explore the “Keyword Ideas” section to uncover valuable insights.
• Leverage Keyword Data: Focus on the “Volume” metric, which indicates how frequently a keyword is searched. Aim for keywords with higher search volumes, but don’t ignore other valuable data provided by your tool.
• Content Optimization: Armed with your list of high-performing keywords, infuse them into your website, blog posts, show notes, and social media content. This not only attracts more visitors but also aligns your content with your ICA.

2. Mingle with Your ICA

The second strategy is to engage with your ICA in Facebook groups or online forums. Your goal should be to offer them support (and when appropriate, using your lead magnet.) This method can be a goldmine for finding and attracting your dream customers, whether you’re still building your email list or looking to expand. Here are a few of my tips for mingling on Facebook:

• Research Groups: Take the keywords you’ve identified from your SEO research, and use them to discover relevant Facebook groups or forums.
• Evaluate Group Relevance: Before joining a group, delve into its description to ensure it aligns with your business. Also, assess the group’s activity level and ensure recent and up-to-date posts.
• Level of Engagement: Pay attention to the level of engagement within the group. Groups with active participation are more likely to yield results.
• Identify Your ICA: Thoroughly explore group posts and comments to identify members with needs, struggles, or desires that match your ICA. These folks could be your future subscribers.
• Offer Value First: Before pitching your lead magnet, invest time in these groups to answer questions and provide value. Building trust is essential before promoting your resources.

3. Utilize Pop-Ups on Your Website

Finally, add well-designed pop-ups to your website. I know, I know. There are going to be folks who think pop-ups are annoying. But when implemented correctly, they are amazing growth drivers.

Here’s how to use pop-ups on your website:

• Set Up Pop-Ups: Use tools like HubSpot’s Lead Capture CTAs to create non-invasive, user-friendly pop-ups that align with your audience’s behaviors.
• Craft Compelling Pop-Up Content: When designing your pop-up, incorporate enticing language and the keywords you’ve identified through SEO research. Speak directly to your ICA, creating a sense of urgency or curiosity.
• Consider Pop-Up Placement: Decide between corner pop-ups for subtlety or full-page pop-ups for full attention. Full-page pop-ups work well to capture visitors’ full attention, making them highly effective in growing your email list.

Bonus Strategy: Opt-In Link in Your Email Signature

Here’s a simple but highly effective bonus strategy for you: Add an opt-in link for your lead magnet to your email signature. This tiny change can turn every email conversation into a potential email subscriber. Consider how many emails you send daily or weekly — each one becomes an opportunity to grow your list effortlessly.

Faster Growth with Better Email

Once you incorporate these list-building strategies into your marketing strategy, you should see email list growth and easier sales from your well-nurtured list that can change your business and your life.

I can’t tell you how much growing my email list has changed the game for me. And I know it can be the same for you, my friend!

Over the past year, we’ve seen a major shift when it comes to the importance of building social communities. And, as of 2024, 86% of social media marketers say building an active online community is crucial to a successful social strategy.

Active social communities can establish your brand as an industry expert and provide additional value to your consumers. But understanding the importance of online communities and successfully building one are two different things.

That’s why I spoke with six social media marketers and creators who have worked with  Vimeo, HubSpot, The Product Boss, Success Story, and Online Marketing Made Easy to learn tips for building and maintaining effective online communities.

Let’s dive in.

Building Brand Communities [Expert Tips]

1. Make sure your community-building tactics are unique to each platform.

Alexis Nash, Vimeo’s former Social Media Lead, believes that tightly-knit communities should be built across each platform your brand uses — as she puts it, “communities put the ‘social’ in social media!”

However, to effectively build strong communities on each platform, you need to adhere to the best practices of each individual channel.

Nash says amplified user-generated content with TikTok’s Duets feature in 2023. The company posted question stickers on Instagram Stories and reposted answers, sparking reciprocal dialogue.

Furthermore, they reward their most engaged followers by sharing exclusive material through Instagram’s “Close Friends” feature.

Nash explains, “[Adhering to the best practices of each channel] yields a nuanced experience reflecting audiences’ natural behavior on each network.”

Jacqueline and her former co-host Minna of The Product Boss, a top-rated podcast that provides strategies and tips for product entrepreneurs, have cultivated more than 97,600 followers on Instagram alone.

They agree that one of the most critical components of building and maintaining a successful online community is by diversifying your content for each platform to fulfill the needs of that audience.

As they put it:

“We’re really proud to say we’ve built a really strong global community of product bosses around us. We love to show up socially in different ways.

We keep it pretty dynamic, whether it’s LIVE’s, IG stories, Reels, FB Group posts and events, and above all, we encourage them to show up WITH us and often thank them for doing so.

We are generous in our information and conversations, so we make it a fun, relatable, positive community to be a part of.”

Mat Cruz, former Community Management & Growth Specialist for the HubSpot Social Media team, agrees with this sentiment.

“You would never try to grow a plant in an environment that does not suit it,” he says. “Similar to plants, communities grow best when they are nurtured in environments where connection is easy and needs are not only met, but exceeded.”

Take the time to evaluate what types of content perform best on each platform, and what types of conversations happen on each.

Over time, you’ll want to create community-building strategies that are unique for each platform.

Or, if you don’t have the resources to dedicate to each platform, instead identify one platform you’d like to go all in on when it comes to cultivating a strong community.

2. Inspire your community through valuable content.

Amy Porterfield is a consultant for entrepreneurs, as well as the host of Online Marketing Made Easy, a top-ranking business podcast, and author of Two Weeks Notice.

She’s also built a strong, loyal social following — in fact, her Instagram alone has over 433,000 followers.

Porterfield believes the most important component of building a strong online community is good content.

As Porterfield told me, “When building your online community, your goal is always to leave your followers thinking, ‘If this is what they offer for free, I wonder what their paid content is like?’ So don’t be afraid to give your best stuff away for free.”

Porterfield continues, “It’s important to inspire your community to dream big, then consistently offer them irresistible free value to help support them in making progress on their dreams.”

For instance, you might post a video on Facebook and ask your community to weigh in with their own opinions. Alternatively, you might test out polls on Instagram to get your audience engaged in a quick and easy way.

Or, consider how Porterfield offers free Masterclasses to her social followers, like the one posted below:

Without grounding your community in truly valuable, thought-provoking content, it won’t be easy to compel them to stick around.

3. Get to know your community and identify what purpose your online community aims to serve.

A few years ago, I joined a yoga workshop because I wanted to connect with like-minded people who also enjoyed practicing yoga.

In other words: I wanted to find a community centered around my interests.

Similarly, people join online communities to connect with people who share their passions or goals.

So, to effectively cultivate an online community, Cruz recommends marketers take the time to understand their audiences’ interests and the goal(s) of your community.

“You’ll want to ask yourself what purpose your online community aims to serve. Is it to entertain? To educate? To engage in conversation?” Cruz told me.

He explains, “Knowing who and why you’re crafting connections helps you determine the next key decision — where to plant your community’s seeds.”

He used a community of artists as an example. 

He says if you have a community of artists looking to share their work with other creatives, Instagram might be best.

Whether you’re sharing a tutorial via Instagram Reels or your latest collection through a carousel, Instagram’s platform has users primed to expect and engage with such content.

“On the other hand,” he explains, “if you are looking to host events and connect large groups of people, Facebook may be a better place to grow since its tools and features make it easy to create events, form groups, and host conversations.”

It’s up to you to identify the interests of your audience and how those interests might tie back to your business’ products or services. But it’s a vital component of building the right kind of online community for your brand.

Nash agrees that conducting research is an important step to take when building online communities.

She says, “[Vimeo] launched polls and asked questions on social to assess its users’ demographic makeup, needs, and behavior patterns. Use this data to nurture relationships with your existing community and provide value.”

As Nash puts it, “Many teams hyper-fixate on growing their follower numbers, alienating their existing community.”

Take a look at how Vimeo cleverly uses X to ask targeted questions and build a more comprehensive view of its X audience:

4. Provoke thoughtful debate, and be unique.

Scott Clary, host of Success Story podcast, has cultivated more than 85,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, and he encourages marketers to provoke thoughtful discussions with their online communities.

“This means challenging the status quo and encouraging your audience to think differently,” he says. “Give them something to question, something to debate, and something to challenge their existing beliefs.”

He explains they will be more likely to remember you, even if they disagree with you.

“This can also mean giving them a forum to debate important topics around your area of expertise,” he says.

Clary also recommends marketers embrace ​contrarianism because not everyone is going to love what you have to say.

“And that’s okay,” he says. “In fact, it’s healthy. If you try to please everyone, you’ll only end up pleasing no one. Be bold, be unique, and don’t be afraid to turn some people off. Your true fans will be all the more loyal for it.”

It’s important your brand remains empathetic, inclusive, and kind.

However, it’s equally vital for you to provide expertise or a thought leadership perspective to your community, and that might mean creating content that demonstrates your own brand’s stance on industry challenges and best practices.

5. Cultivate a vulnerable, genuine space for people to be themselves.

Finally, it’s vital to practice authenticity in your community. Humans join communities to connect with other humans.

So to cultivate a strong community, it’s your job as the community leader to foster a genuine, open space for people to be their full selves.

As Jacqueline and Minna put it, “You have to show up often, but imperfectly, and most importantly, genuinely — we ask them to stay, we ask them to follow us.”

They explain, “We ask them to interact and lean on each other, as we equip them on how to build their businesses. Asking and inviting them and taking care of their needs helps build a bond in your community.”

They add, “And, above all, be yourself — the right people for your community will gravitate towards you and the wrong people will be repelled, and that’s truly a good thing.”

For instance, take a look at one of The Product Boss’ recent Instagram post about the real struggles behind entrepreneurship. Most importantly, pay attention to the comments, filled with people who feel validated, heard, and understood.

Nash agrees.

As she puts it, “Think about LinkedIn’s evolution from a buttoned-up networking space to a true social platform.”

She says, “Users discuss everything, including mental health, family life, funny interactions they had that morning, and more. As LinkedIn communities let their hair down, brands may benefit from matching that vulnerability.”

She continues, “No matter what community-building tactics you choose, lead with humanity. Social marketers must tap into their empathy to make their audiences feel heard, improve their daily lives, and cultivate lasting relationships.”

Brand Community Examples

Here are some examples to consider when building a brand community. If at the end, you feel ready to carve out your own community, take a look at How to Launch a Successful Online Community: A Step-by-Step Guide.

1. Google invests in Labs. 

At Google, community success comes in the form of collaborative groups, or what Google calls “Labs.”

Each Google Lab brings together approximately 100 thought leaders in specific industries to tackle some of today’s most pressing issues.

What I Love: Google Labs fosters mutual respect and concern among members, which spawns conversations, collaborations, and opportunities that were never possible before.

It’s part of what keeps Google at the top of every “most innovative” company list today.

2. Twitch succeeds with local groups.

Twitch attracts around 2.5 million people per month to watch and livestream digital video broadcasts.

Their approach is built on a two-sided marketplace: they need to attract broadcasters as well as audience members. Local community groups help them succeed.

Twitch has built a worldwide team to support over 40 local, city-based groups, each of which hosts real-life and virtual events that foster genuine friendships and deep relationships between local Twitch members.

However, local groups (and their leaders) must demonstrate how well they can bring members together, first.

These local groups allow Twitch to transform online interactions — which can often feel transactional — into connections that have real meaning.

Members return again and again to the brand, and recruit others to participate, because Twitch is a space where authentic emotional investments happen.

What I Love: Twitch has built a strong brand community that transcends the platform by focusing on the local aspect of community building. 

3. Sephora says “yes” to beauty enthusiasts.

Sephora — one of the largest beauty retailers in the world — has invested in building a makeup enthusiast community that is both accessible on mobile devices and integrated into the shopping experience.

Inside the community, members can discuss a variety of beauty products and methods, regardless of whether they’re related to Sephora products or not.

Within the community, Sephora enables members to follow interesting topics and connect with fellow members, keep up with trends and chat with brands, and score access to exclusive events.

Community members can also gain access to beauty techniques and product information, engage with beauty company founders, and experience an affirming space with others who love the fun, play, and transformation of makeup.

Pro-Tip: When building a brand community think of ways you can bridge the gap between consumers and experts, creating a safe space for your customers to get advice and better insight into your products. 

4. Roblox is its own digital world.

I simply can’t talk about brand communities without mentioning Roblox. If you don’t know, Roblox is an online gaming platform with 70.2 million daily active users as of January 2024. 

The platform allows users to build games, generate virtual worlds, and create avatars to immerse themselves in the digital community.

Even celebrities like Lil Nas X, LeBron James, and Miley Cyrus have joined the Roblox metaverse by hosting special in-game meet-ups and concerts.

Pro-Tip: Roblox has created an entirely immersive experience for users. Think about the way your brand community can be immersive for your consumers.

What can make the community exciting and engaging in a way that will keep them coming back for more?

5. Tumblr maintains rapport with its users. 

HubSpot marketing manager Erica Santiago recently spoke to the Chief Marketing Officer of Tumblr, Matthew Ryan, about how Tumblr has maintained a thriving online community since its inception in 2007. 

“We lean toward two brand tenets,” he explained to Santiago. “The first one is fandom; we’re a great place for fans to really go deep into their particular fandom of choice.”

Ryan said other platforms are places where fans may go to give live reactions to their favorite series, but Tumblr is where fandoms live long after a series wraps.

The reason behind this, according to Ryan, is that is a platform that isn’t heavily driven by algorithms. It’s more of a “blank” platform that allows users to post and interact with whatever they want. 

“Our users have the ability to create or produce their art and their stories around characters and plots they find compelling,” he said. “Fandom is a big source of our creativity and life on the platform.”

This leads to the brand’s second tenet—providing a virtual space for art and artists to thrive. 

“We are a blank platform and one of the only platforms that still allows all media types and has done so since the inception of Tumblr … That gives artists, especially, a ton of freedom,” he said. 

Pro-Tip: Think about your core audience and the unique qualities and interests they bring to the table. Find ways to build community around those qualities and interests. This shows you’re in tune with your consumers and what best serves them.

6. Apple builds a community to support questions and help consumers. 

You might think a brand as massive as Apple wouldn’t have much use for online communities, but the company actually found a simple but unique way to incorporate the concept of community into its marketing.

Apple’s brand community consists of volunteers who are passionate and knowledgeable about the company’s products. They dedicate time out of their day to help customers with any questions or bugs they’re experiencing. 

Apple rewards the volunteers by placing top commenters in an exclusive Apple expert community, lending legitimacy and trust to the volunteers and prompting more customers to seek their help.

Pro-Tip: Consider providing incentives and rewards for community members to be as active and as helpful as they can. These rewards can be access to exclusive features or spaces. 

7. Adobe Support Community

If you’ve ever edited a video with Adobe Premiere, then you know there can be a bit of a learning curve when using Adobe and its products. In fact, there are some college courses dedicated to learning its basics. 

That’s why Adobe has its own support community where creatives can gather online and trade advice on using Adobe products.

What I Like: Adobe understands that while its products are valuable, they can be complicated to newbies, so it fostered a community where its consumers can get the answers they need and grow as creators. 

Ultimately, cultivating a strong online community takes time and effort, but it will pay off in the long run by enabling your brand to create effective, meaningful connections with your audience.