Category Archives: B2B

Over at Masters in Marketing, Caroline, Laura, and I have interviewed some very bright minds from some very bold brands. We’re talking Liquid Death, New Balance, Oatly.

But we got to wondering: What happens when noted marketing masters get to ask each other the questions? What do the innovators want to know from each other?

This year, we decided to find out with a feature we call Lingering Questions.

The rules are simple: Each interviewee answers a question from the previous master of marketing. Then they drop a question for the next. They may or may not know who it will be (and sometimes neither do we).

But they know it’s someone who knows. 👏 their. 👏 shtick. 👏

Below you’ll find all of the answers to 2024’s lingering questions. (Plus, a bonus rip in the spacetime continuum.)

2024’s Lingering Questions

To kick things off, my colleague, friend, and former AV Club executive editor, Laura M. Browning cooked up this one:

Malört is one of Chicago’s mascots. What would Malört’s mascot be, and why?

Anna Sokratov, Brand manager for Jeppson’s Malört: A 31-gallon galvanized steel trash can with a lid. Both are perceived as being unappealing or gross, and the cans last a long time — similar to the long-lasting flavor of Malört.

Read “This is disgusting, try some”: Marketing Chicago’s vile-tasting liqueur

Sokratov asks:

What unconventional marketing approach would you like to take, and how would you go about doing something you haven’t done before?

Chris Savage, Co-founder & CEO of Wistia: My instinct goes to trying to get an awkward product placement in a summer blockbuster — the dream would be like the next Mission Impossible. Ethan Hunt has to use Wistia to decode something. And it’s egregious — it’d have to be an over-the-top obvious product placement.

Read How Wistia earned absurd growth with two-pizza teams

Savage asks:

What‘s something that you’re doing that‘s working so well, you’re afraid to tell others about it?

Maryam Banikarim, Managing director of Fortune Media: When something works really well, I don’t like holding onto it. I’m a big sharer.

(She’s made the IP for The Longest Table publicly available and is watching communities around the world replicate it.—Ed.)

There is an incredible hunger for in-real-life community. And tapping into that while you leverage technology is a huge, huge opportunity.

There is definitely a movement afoot. And brands who know how to tap into that in an authentic way — not in a transactional way — are going to win.

Read One Question That Will Reinvigorate Your Approach to Marketing

Banikarim asks:

What global campaigns have you seen that you think would translate well and that we should learn from?

Emily Kramer, founder of MKT1: Orange, the mobile and internet company in France, made an ad to highlight its sponsorship of the FIFA Women‘s World Cup. The ad showed a bunch of clips of the men’s soccer team, but at the end they reveal the players are actually from the women‘s team — they used deepfakes/VFX to make them look like the men’s team.

Some takeaways: Don’t just sponsor events as one-offs. Think about the sponsorship as part of a campaign to make it worthwhile. Be on the right side of history as a brand. Lean into trends or existing conversations — like deepfakes and fake content — in an unexpected way.

Read How An Obsession With Quality Led Emily Kramer to 48k Newsletter Subscribers and Counting

Kramer asks:

What marketing framework has been most useful to you in your career?

Dawn Keller, CMO at California Pizza Kitchen: Too many useful frameworks to mention (and plenty not so useful, by the way)!

Probably the most useful to me over the years has been some version of a strategic planning framework (one page) – to really set your high-level objectives and targets, identify your strategies, prioritize the tactics or initiatives within each strategy, determine KPIs, and call out key capability needs/gaps.

Once that’s set, it’s about execution, so any good project or portfolio management framework is key, whether you’re a marketer or any other functional leader for that matter.

I also love a good brand essence or positioning framework… See, too many to choose from.

Read How California Pizza Kitchen Embraces Change, Goes Viral on TikTok, and Gives Consumers FOMO

Keller asks:

What do you think is the top thing that stands in the way of marketers being successful, and why?

Lia Haberman, founder of the ICYMI newsletter: By nature, marketers are cheerleaders for the brands they represent. However, this sometimes leads to their identities becoming so closely tied to the products and services they promote that they struggle to talk about the company in a way that doesn’t sound like a sales pitch.

You can be passionate about a brand and still remain objective. Think about the product as a customer would, without letting loyalty cloud your judgment.

The more marketers adopt a consumer perspective, the better they’ll be able to communicate benefits in a way that truly resonates. This approach can even help them identify opportunities and areas for improvement that might go unnoticed if they’re too busy being the brand’s biggest fan.

Haberman asks:

If budget was no issue, what’s the first thing you’d do as a marketer?

Matt Zaremba, Director of marketing at Bodega: If budget wasn’t an issue, I think I’d allocate those resources towards surprise and delight, rewarding our community and customers.

Growing up as a skateboarder I remember how much it meant to be acknowledged by brands for supporting them, whether that was receiving a sticker pack, a handwritten letter from the team, or some other small gesture.

That’s the core of building brand loyalty… Looking out for your customer and the community forming around your brand, what you do, and what you stand for.

It’s a two-way street and I think more than ever, brands need to contribute, not just broadcast. So if budget wasn’t an issue, I’d focus on even more promo’ing of product, surprise gifts with purchases, and throwing events in more cities to connect with our community in person, building positive energy and creating memories.

Read Bodega’s Matt Zaremba on How to Avoid Empty Calorie Marketing

Zaremba asks:

What do you see as the future of marketing and how do you think it will affect your strategy?

Aja Frost, Senior director of global growth at HubSpot: I think the future of marketing is incredibly personal — the more sophisticated AI becomes, the more possible it will be to have every visitor experience a totally customized journey throughout the internet, from the ads and search results they see to the websites they land on, how they move through those websites, and the nurturing they receive.

Person A, who works at a big corporation, will see enterprise-centric value props, images, CTAs, email messaging and design, etc., whereas Person B, who works at a startup, will see startup-friendly value props, images, CTAs, emails, etc.

HubSpot knows personalized experiences are better for both the visitor and the company, and so we’re trialing new technology as it comes out and thoughtfully introducing personalization across every touchpoint.

Read HubSpot‘s Senior Director of Global Growth on Embracing AI, Diversifying Beyond Search, and Reviving ’Dead’ Marketing Channels

Frost asks:

What’s one book or article every marketer should read?

Chandler Quintin, Co-founder & CEO of Video Brothers: I’d normally suggest The Tipping Point, but I’m going to guess everyone has read that!

My recommendation is Humanizing B2B: The new truth in marketing that will transform your brand and your sales by Paul Cash and James Trezona.

It‘s all about the realization that humanizing and meeting the audience on the human level is more effective than treating the audience like a business. Tapping into emotions and culture versus features and benefits. There’s a solid handful of gems within this book!

Read How an Entertainment Strategy Helps You Cut Through the White Noise

Quintin asks:

How should marketers approach their strategies in verticals in which most competitors offer the same thing? How do you approach not only standing out, but also winning?

Grace Kao, Head of global business at Spotify: Meeting consumers where they are and in ways that align with their preferences allows brands to build stronger trust and true connection. So to stand out, it’s important for marketers to connect authentically with audiences.

At Spotify, we’re continuing to invest in innovative products and campaigns like Wrapped — our end-of-year thank you to fans, artists, authors, creators, and advertisers — and providing creative tools that enable brands to reach these audiences in the right moments and celebrate the fans who make Spotify, Spotify.

Read Marketing Wrapped 2024 & Top Strategies for the New Year, According to Spotify’s Global Head of Business Marketing

Somewhere around October, when the veil between worlds became thin, the Sacred Timeline split, and Chris Savage’s question is asked again, resulting in two threads of questions. This is because the ways of the universe are infinite and mysterious. (It was me. I goofed. Now there’s two threads. I’ll fix it.)

Savage asks: What’s something you’re doing that’s working so well, you’re afraid to tell others about it?

Hassan S. Ali, Creative director of brand at Hootsuite: I have to say that the creative brand team at Hootsuite is working so well that it‘s like a secret. Just to watch the collaboration and the teamwork that occurs here — it’s something I’ve never experienced before.

Read Marketing for the Lulz

Ali asks:

What advice would you give yourself when you were first starting out?

Andréa (Dréa) Hudson, Head of audience development & distribution for HubSpot Media: I’d give myself the same advice I still give myself: Find the dots, connect the dots, follow the vision. It can be really easy to become overwhelmed by the art of prioritization — but if everything is a priority, nothing is a priority, so focus on the things that make an impact to you, in business and in life.

Oh, and don’t shrink to be anything other than who you are. Those who are for you, are for you.

Read How HubSpot Media’s Head of Audience Development & Distribution Breaks the Marketing Mold

Hudson asks:

What have you learned from the biggest failure in your career so far, and how do you plan to leverage that in the future?

Calvin Goncalves, Marketing for New Balance, North America: My biggest failure taught me the critical importance of communication within a team. I realized that unclear information and assumptions can lead to misunderstandings and project delays.

In the future, I plan to focus on transparency and sending regular updates to make sure everyone is aligned and can contribute effectively to our goals. As marketers, we often speak in ideas but not always in actionable terms, so I will also work on translating our creative concepts into clear, actionable steps that everyone can understand and execute.

Read The Power of Partnerships and Innovation, according to New Balance’s Calvin Goncalves

Goncalves asks:

If you could have any superpower to help you in your career, what would it be and why?

Jenna Kutcher, Host of The Goal Digger Podcast: To be able to get into the minds of my customers and see what they’re really struggling with.

I think a lot of times we assume we know what they’re struggling with, but their struggles are actually something different. It can be tricky to get clear on what people really need, versus what they think they want.

And so if we were able to connect the dots a little bit more, that would be a really cool superpower.

Read Digital Marketer Jenna Kutcher Thinks You’re Overcomplicating It

Kutcher asks:

What is one hack that you do to get more energized?

James de Feu, Senior director for performance marketing at Zapier: I do as many “walk-and-talk” meetings as possible throughout the day. This keeps me fresh and typically makes problem-solving much more fun!

Read Zapier‘s Head of Paid Ads on Storytelling, AI-Targeted Ads, and Why He’s All-In on Influencer Marketing

De Feu asks:

What’s one marketing trend you think most people are overhyping, and why?

April Sunshine Hawkins, co-host of the Marketing Made Simple podcast: Overhyping? Too much hype? I don’t believe there is such a thing. #Hypegirlforever

Now, if someone is participating in a marketing trend and the whole process is a slog-fest for them, personally, I believe they should farm it out or stop it completely.

There are so many ways to approach marketing that participating in a trend that brings drudgery or chaos simply isn‘t worth it. Sometimes you have to try it to know if you’ll like it or not, but the instant you get started, notice how it feels to participate and decide if the juice is worth the squeeze.

Read You’re Not The Hero — Your Customer Is

Hawkins asks:

What warm memory comes to mind when you hear these three words: creative, curious, courageous?

Wondering who’s gonna share their warm fuzzies? In 2025, we chat with leaders from McDonalds, Quora, Morning Brew, Hootsuite, the Chicago Transit Authority, and so many more.

If you’re not subscribed to Masters in Marketing, now’s a good time to fix that. (While I go fix the timeline.)

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

In his book The Coming Wave, Mustafa Suleyman predicts that AI will be able to successfully build a business in a few years. You would just need to write a prompt like, “Go make $1 million on Amazon in a few months with just a $100,000 investment.”

How?

Well, Suleyman says, AI could research trends online, find what sells on Amazon, generate images of products, and send them to manufacturers on Alibaba.

AI could then “email back and forth to refine the requirements … and continually update marketing materials and product designs based on buyer feedback,” Suleyman writes.

In other words, it’ll make my job in marketing (and most roles in business) irrelevant. This leaves those of us who work at companies big and small in crisis. What will we do? Why would businesses need marketers if an AI can make $1 million on Amazon without human assistance?

Soon, I’d become like the London gaslighters of the 1800s or the doormen of the 1900s — unnecessary and redundant. Except, I think there is a get-out-of-jail-free card. I think there is a way for me to remain relevant in a world where the best marketer is an AI.

Looking to Stay Relevant? Leverage Input Bias

So, what’s the secret to staying relevant? To explain, I need to introduce a well-documented psychological phenomenon: input bias.

Input bias suggests that customers prefer products and services that require a lot of effort, money, or time to create. Nancy Harhut describes this bias neatly in her book Using Behavioural Science in Marketing.

She writes, “The amount of input becomes a proxy for the resulting quality. While in some cases, there is a direct relationship between how much time and energy is put into a project, in other cases there is not. Yet, people are not always good at discerning the difference. As a result, they can automatically assume more effort equals better output.”

For example, suppose I’m told that my favorite restaurant is staffed by an Italian family with 80 years of experience. In that case, I’ll rate their pizza more favorably than the exact same pizza created by a machine in a German factory.

This is input bias at play. We all prefer products or services that require effort and experience. That’s why we love to hear or read about the hard work that powers our favorite brands.

Studies on factory tours prove this. The paper “Pulling back the curtain” found that purchase intent increased by 60% after a customer saw behind the scenes.

We value our own efforts as well. Two University of Oxford scientists discovered that opening wine with a cork top boosts its flavor by 4%. When participants were told the wine was cork top but didn’t open it themselves, this perceived quality and flavor boost disappeared.

I even ran my own experiment to see if I could harness the benefits of input bias.

I host Nudge, the UK’s top marketing podcast. Over 350,000 marketers have tuned into my show to learn from my guests, garnering 482 five-star reviews. Sharing the effort that I put into my podcast made my Reddit ad 45% more effective than the control.

The takeaway for marketers? You need to show how much human effort has gone into your offerings.

Showcase how many engineers worked on your product. Tout the years your team has spent developing your craft. Potential buyers need to know that you’re creating something high-quality that can outperform quick solutions like AI.

How Marketers Beat AI

Before I close out this post, I want to pivot back to the bots. Facebook has developed an AI that’s smart enough to manipulate and persuade humans. It’s called Cicero.

Cicero was built by Meta to play a complex board game called Diplomacy. A mix of Risk and poker, this game involves planning complex strategies, where backstabbing and deception are vital.

It’s easy to see how bots designed to manipulate human emotion can create appealing ads and compelling pitches for new products.

What makes humans different? It’s effort.

Consumers will still prefer products and services with greater input levels. The CRM prospect will prefer a sales deck created by a hard-working saleswoman over an identical pitch delivered by a human-quality AI.

The Instagram scroller will appreciate the artwork of a Mexican sculptor who documents each stage of her process over the same piece of art created by an LLM.

The solution to this marketing crisis is reassuringly simple.

Display the hard work put into the service. Highlight the hours devoted to its creation. Take the time to create campaigns, advertisements, emails, or content packed with effort. Your customers can see how much you, as a marketer, truly and deeply care.

In the future, there will be more supercharged AI offerings like Cicero that we’ll have to compete against. Input bias is one essential tactic to stay ahead of technology and future-proof our jobs in a world where AI can make millions fast.

As a content professional with almost a decade in the game, I have been a part of several content marketing teams and projects.

While each project came with its own objectives and obstacles, one thing remained constant: a consistent underestimation of what a content marketing team achieves for the organization at large.

The natural assumption about content marketing teams is that we write a bunch of blogs with some SEO guidelines or create some witty social media posts, and voila, the job is done! As an insider, I have seen firsthand that a solid content marketing team does much more than this.

Content is the driver of discoverability for a company, and a solid content marketing team will help you achieve that. The fact that 45% of marketing and media leaders plan to increase their content marketing budget over the next year is a testament to that.

In this blog, I will take you through what a well-structured content department is made of and what it can do to boost your brand growth.

Table of Contents

• What makes a high-performing content marketing team?
• Content Marketing Roles
• Benefits of a Content Department

What makes a high-performing content marketing team?

A high-performing content marketing team is a symphony of strategy, creativity, and execution. Every time I enter a content team discussion, the question at hand is almost always this: How can content teams answer customers‘ questions and also show the brand’s products or services as a solution to their problems?

So, a great content team should know their product like the back of their hand and consistently stay curious about what the target audience is looking for.

As Paul Drecksler, the founder of Shopifreaks, shares: “A high-performing content marketing team comes down to a few key elements: clarity, collaboration, and execution. Everyone on the team needs to know the purpose behind the work. Why is this content being created? Who is it for? How will it be used? Teams that excel are the ones who focus on these answers together rather than working in silos.”

Now, let’s dive deep into understanding what makes a content department a high-performing and vital team.

Consistent Product and Market Research

To stay on top of their game, content teams must consistently research their products.

They need to understand its evolving capacity to fulfill consumer needs, the latest updates, and all the different ways it can be communicated with effective content.

At the same time, content strategy teams must stay very close to their target consumers, researching their problems, challenges, interests, and content consumption patterns.

I would argue that a content marketing team is only as strong as the research they have done, which takes me to the deeper, more holistic part of conducting research.

Overall Industry Trend and Platform Awareness

In this content-driven market, every industry is a cluster of possibilities and challenges, and content marketing teams must be on top of both.

As a content marketing manager, a lot of my attention goes into understanding the bigger challenges of my industry and formulating content to address them.

For example, I once worked for a large organization (one of the largest whey protein powder manufacturers in the country).

During my tenure, several platforms like YouTube and Instagram saw a sudden surge of fear-mongering content that falsely advocated that whey protein is bad for gut health and causes indigestion (which was content mostly pushed by our plant-based protein competitors).

To tackle this, my team and I deliberately produced content using scientific evidence, research papers, and testimonials to reinstate faith in protein powders and debunk the falsely propagated myths.

Doing this not only helped us improve our engagement (comments and shares), but we also saw a significant increase in conversions.

This shows how the content department can ethically construct the overall public opinion about a product to balance the negative trends in the market.

Knowing the industry, the platform, and the current trends is crucial for content strategy teams.

Competitor Content Analysis

I have never met a high-performing content manager who wasn’t outrightly obsessed with their competitors. And why not? A smart content marketing team learns from the mistakes of others and uses their triumphs to stay inspired.

As Joe Pulizzi, founder of Tilt and Content Entrepreneur Expo, states, “Content marketing comes down to commitment. There‘s no halfway. You’re either in or you’re out!”

Content marketing teams need to be consistent, and consistency comes only when you are completely committed.

Content teams that consistently look into competitor content stay on top of content trends. When they see a certain pattern and keyword repeated among several sources of content, it is often an indicator of gaps in their existing content plan.

Additionally, a competitor analysis also helps the content strategy team find creative and technical gaps in the competitor‘s content, yielding opportunities to use them in one’s own favor. It helps the content marketing teams envision what success looks like in their industry’s content space.

Uncompromised Technical Soundness

This has by far been my biggest learning about the content culture of any organization — you cannot out-achieve with creativity what you under-achieve with technical soundness.

Even the best-laid content plans go astray if the technical execution is not rock solid. For this reason, content teams often have dedicated people assigned to ensure technical efficiency.

They take care of the following:

• Platform optimization. This refers to the action taken to get the best out of the publishing platforms, including ideal word count, image dimensions, video resolutions, etc., to boost visibility.
• Content accessibility. Content teams must make sure that the content is readable without imposing cognitive load onto the reader. They optimize the content with clean fonts and user-friendly layout that guides the reader through the content.
• Cross-browser and cross-device compatibility. Content is crafted with the intention to serve readers using different browsers and devices, so all readers get a similar and optimized experience consuming the content.
• Load-speed. Studies have shown that 40% of site visitors will abandon your website if your page doesn’t load in three seconds. So, it is very important to optimize your site to load faster.

Nikola Baldikov, the CEO of InBound Blogging, provides a unique insight into the importance of having members with a technical background in your content marketing team.

“Having team members with a technical background and others with design experience is very beneficial, especially for content projects, as they often require both technical skills and creative problem-solving. Together, these viewpoints can generate ideas that none of the team members could have come up with on their own.”

What I love most about content marketing is that it never works in isolation. Content teams work in a group that comes together to elevate each piece of content to its highest potential.

Content Marketing Roles

I believe a great content team isn‘t just a group of writers. It’s a collective of storytellers, strategists, and visionaries who turn ideas into relationships and words into trust.

Vivian Au, founder of Air Corporate, shared a unique take on building a content marketing team that intrigued me.

She said, “Always say no to traditional hierarchies. A high-performing content marketing team is a specialized rebel. Build a content force who are more psychologists than content creators.

While building my content department, I look for writers who think like journalists, designers who code, and strategists who can decode audience psychology. Monocultures kill creativity.”

Now, let me take through some of the key content marketing roles that make a powerful content team.

Content Marketing Manager/Strategist

In larger companies, these roles are often separate from each other, but most companies decide to merge them due to the overlap of responsibilities.

A content marketing manager and/or strategist is responsible for the content calendar consisting of the plan and strategy for content creation, distribution, and feedback cycle.

All subgroups of content — including blogs, case studies, social media posts, email content, newsletters, and even video content — are collectively anchored by the content manager.

It takes about 4-5 years of experience in the content game before one can expect to be promoted to a content marketing manager. Here is an example of what my content calendar for blogs looks like:

If you are a content manager or a strategist, I highly recommend trying out HubSpot’s Content Marketing Planning Kit. This detailed guide will help you ideate, plan, and execute content marketing campaigns.

It also has eight easy-to-edit content marketing templates that will make your job much easier.

Content Writer/Editor

Most content marketing managers were once content writers. Content writing is among the most popular and fundamental content marketing roles, as they are easy to access and rather lucrative.

A content writer works closely with the content manager or the team lead to understand the project’s objective and execute it within the deadline.

A content writer is expected to be eloquent, with a tight grasp of language and a firm hold on grammar and other technicalities. This should also be paired with the creativity to tell stories with their content. I have spent almost five years as a content writer, and the learning curve is unparalleled.

SEO Specialist

Remember how I established earlier that technical soundness is as important as the content itself? An SEO specialist is a driver of all things technical in content marketing.

SEO specialists focus on ensuring each piece of content is properly optimized for search engines. They are also responsible for researching trending keywords, monitoring SEO rankings, and recommending improvements to boost performance.

Graphic Designer/Visual Content Creator

Personally, graphic designers are my favorite folks! They are responsible for working with the writers and team lead to create exciting pictorial and graphical representations of the content.

They help the blog be more interesting and vibrant and allow readers to scan the content of the blog in a single glance. They also help simplify complex concepts using visual representation.

Here is an example of how visual representation can help simplify complex concepts. For a blog that I was working on, I had to explain how brands can identify website drop-off percentages.

Rather than explaining the whole calculation process, I collaborated with the designers to create this visual representation:

Source

Isn’t this much easier to understand in visual form?

Additionally, graphic designers can take a dry piece of content and make it more interesting. Between the diminished attention span of today’s readers — and the endless information bombardment we face — well-designed visuals can help retain readers by conveying immediate value.

Social Media Manager

Although they are a part of the content marketing team, social media managers serve the social media objectives of the company.

They often do their own research and alert the content teams about the evolving trends on social media so the writers can incorporate them into the content strategy.

They also plan and execute strategies for social media content creation and distribution.

Social media managers are among the comparatively more recent roles in the content strategy team.

Analytics and Performance Specialist

Analytics and performance team specialists track content performance using tools like Google Analytics and HubSpot. Analytics team members are usually part of the marketing team.

However, they collaborate with the content strategy team to discuss campaign performance data.

These are some of the most important roles in a conventional content team.

Additionally, companies that produce more video content could have a video producer, too. Several other positions, like UX content specialist, content distribution specialist, and email marketing specialist, can all be additions to the content team as per the organization’s needs and requirements.

In my conversation with Peter O’Callaghan, the head of marketing at ScrapingBee, he mentioned, “Our content team includes ex-developers who create tutorials like ‘Scraping 101: A Beginner’s Guide,’ making complex ideas accessible. This guide alone has brought 20% of our traffic in 2023.”

This gives you an idea of how diverse your content marketing team can be based on your target audience and the objective you want to achieve with your content.

Benefits of a Content Department

Remember how I started this article by saying that the importance of a content marketing team is usually underestimated?

To really highlight the bandwidth of a content team and understand the value they bring to an organization, let’s explore the benefits of fostering a strong content department.

1. Powering Marketing With High-Quality Content

Today, marketing is highly dependent on content. For many companies, content marketing is basically their marketing strategy, especially as inbound marketing has continued to gain ground.

Content has become central to every goal you‘re trying to achieve and every tactic you use to reach those goals, so you’re most likely putting it to use in a variety of ways.

Here are three key areas where marketing makes the best use of content:

• Lead generation. My team found that about 18-25% of our quarterly revenue comes from new marketing leads that were generated from content we had written and distributed. If you‘re not using content to attract, nurture, and close leads, you’re leaving revenue and opportunity on the table. (I recommend taking Content Hub out for a spin to help you create and manage personalized content for lead generation, all while letting AI do the heavy lifting.)
• Audience nurturing. No matter what stage of the buyer’s journey a lead or customer of ours has reached, use content to educate them — whether they see that content via social media, receive it in their email inbox, or get it from a salesperson.
• Search engine optimization. Pretty much every organization has had to learn about SEO to keep up with audiences and learn how they discover content. Generating your own content helps boost SEO, rankings, and online visibility.

Looking to optimize your content marketing ROI? I suggest you try HubSpot’s marketing budget templates (available for both Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets). These templates make it easier to monitor content investments against revenue generation and adjust spending accordingly.

2. Driving Growth With Thought Leadership

Companies don’t have ideas — people do. No matter how many blog posts or articles you’ve read bylined by a brand trying to convince you otherwise, only people have ideas.

Behind every brand is a team of people leading and powering it, and that means there should be people behind the content you create, too.

For a lot of companies, those people often look like founders, CEOs, presidents, or other C-level executives. This is where thought leadership content comes in. In fact, 65% of companies have already started incorporating thought leadership content into their content marketing strategy.

Thought leadership content can benefit the entire leadership team by facilitating:

• Audience connections. People reading your content want to know who’s behind it. It’s great for marketing, but it also gives your company a face and a voice. Your audience members are much more likely to respond to a voice they find compelling and relatable than a faceless company spitting words on a page at them.

• Partnership and co-marketing opportunities. Getting visibility for the people behind the brand can help your brand bring in better collaboration opportunities. And, better collaboration leads to better audience reach.

• Investor relations. If a company is looking to raise another round of funding, chances are good that investors are looking into the people leading that company. Articles or LinkedIn posts showcasing thought leadership and expertise can give your company a leg up on other companies seeking funding.

3. Strengthening Sales With Collateral

You probably already create sales-specific content, whether it’s in the form of product or service one-pagers, comparison sheets, proposals, or some other type of sales collateral. But you should go beyond sales-y, promotional content.

The thought leadership content you create on your own (or with other leaders and experts in your company) can also seriously help your sales department.

That’s because 45% of decision-makers and 48% of C-suite executives reported that a company’s thought leadership directly influenced them to award business contracts.

In my opinion, your content can fundamentally change how your sales team works, so empower all your reps with educational content that enables their processes and encourages them to use it in these three ways:

• Customer outreach. Whether you‘re sending outreach emails, touching base on LinkedIn, or sliding into a client’s DMs on X, I suggest you encourage your sales team to use educational content to spark interest.
• Lead nurture. When a lead has a question for a salesperson, and the right answer is highly involved, I believe content is the perfect way to supplement the sales process and avoid wasting 20 minutes of a sales call answering one detailed question. This applies to email nurture, too; cut to the chase in your communication and supplement the details with your company content.
• Start conversations. Content is a great tool for account-based marketing; use it to attract the attention of that one person whose interest you‘re hoping to pique. You can also ask for their input on a topic you’re writing about. In my experience, people love being asked for their opinions, and it can really strengthen your content.

Here is an example from one of the email marketing campaigns that I worked on in collaboration with the sales team. The campaign targeted decision-makers and achieved a 46% open rate (well above industry standards).

You’ll notice how we layered in specific social proof and actionable insights, making the content resonate deeply with our audience rather than settling for generic messaging.

4. Empowering Human Resources With Content

Hiring and training the right people is challenging, no matter which company you work for. But trust me when I say that when your content is integrated into the hiring process, the entire company benefits. Here’s how.

• Recruiting. If you’re hoping to attract candidates who share your values, create content that showcases what your company is all about. Your employees are also more likely to share this kind of culture-focused content than they are to share standard job postings, which can help you tap into the networks of your best brand advocates: current employees.
• Vetting. For candidates who have moved past phone screenings, send select pieces of your content their way before you meet in person. Whether candidates bother to read those articles before their interviews says a lot about their fit for your company. And when those articles are read, they pave the way for more in-depth, illuminating conversations between you and your potential hires.
• Training. Once candidates join your team, send them more content about your company and industry trends to help them prepare for their first day and hit the ground running during their first months with your company.

5. Improving Customer Experience With Content

I’ve often observed that marketing teams view content as a way to generate leads (and even enable sales), but stop short of actually using that content to serve those customers once they sign.

My advice would be to get your content into the hands of your account managers or customer service representatives. Doing this can help you overcome a lot of the same challenges that your sales team uses content to address, including:

• Efficiency. Sometimes, customers ask repetitive questions; other times, they ask really specific questions that require detailed answers. In either case, it’s much easier (and faster) for everyone involved if your account managers can simply give a high-level answer and send content from your subject matter experts that dives deeper.
• Retention and upselling. This method of using content also plays into keeping customers happy enough to stay — and to upsell them on your services.

Continually educating your customers, showing them that you understand the issues they’re interested in, and providing value above and beyond what they may have expected are all good ways to encourage them to keep working with you.

Build Content Teams That Drive Transformation

During my time working in the content field, I have seen that when done right, a content marketing team can become the cornerstone of a company’s growth and innovation. But it all comes down to understanding your objectives and building the right team.

While content may start with marketing, it absolutely shouldn’t end there. Sharing content between departments — and actively using it as a tool to help every area of the company — is a powerful way to help achieve individual departmental goals and lead your company to success.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in November 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

As a content marketer, I‘ve always been ready to team up to boost a brand’s vibe and reach. When one of my freelance clients needed some brand growth on a budget, I was pumped to jump into the influencer marketing game.

Who hasn’t seen or read about the hype around influencer power, right? I mean, the data shows that “nearly 50 percent of millennials worldwide find influencers’ recommendations more engaging than regular advertisements.”

However, I hit a wall as it was time to take the following steps to work with influencers. I had little idea how influencer pricing works and how to budget for it.

To find my footing, I went all in: I deep-dived into pricing data, looked up different partnership options, and got tips from people who’ve been there and done that.

This blog details the full rundown of what I learned. Let’s get into the real side of influencer pricing and budgeting, shall we?

Table of Contents

• How much do influencers cost?
• The Different Types of Influencer Partnerships and How Much They Cost
• How To Set Your Influencer Budget
• Best Practices for Setting the Right Budget

How much do influencers cost?

The short answer is the same old phrase from every marketer’s playbook: “It depends.” In other words, if you aim to pin down a magic number for influencer pricing at the onset, you’ll navigate a labyrinth.

Does this mean there’s no data or benchmarks to follow? Thankfully not. When I looked into the research available, I found some overall industry benchmarks as a starting point.

According to a 2024 Statista survey:

• 22.4 percent of marketing agencies and brands invest 10 to 20 percent of their marketing budget into influencer marketing.
• Interestingly, 26 percent are leaning into it by devoting more than 40 percent of their budget to this digital marketing activity.

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This got me curious: what do these budgets look like in dollars? After all, marketing budgets vary.

That’s when I searched further and stumbled upon this data from Influencer Marketing Hub, which shows the wide range of brand spend regarding influencer budgets.

While almost half (47%) of brands in 2024 spend less than $10K, anywhere from roughly 8-20% of brands also spent anywhere between $11K and $500K!

I know, there’s a ton of variation out here. Lost? I was, too. So, I dug deeper to get more specific about how much influencers cost, how to choose from them, and arrive at a budget.

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The Different Types of Influencer Partnerships and How Much They Cost

I’ve figured that influencer pricing depends on several factors, such as:

• The social platform you want to use them on.
• The type of influencer (based on follower count).
• The kind of partnership or exchange you enter into with them.

Other factors, such as the industry or niche, influencers’ engagement rates, and content format, also play a role here.

A lot goes on simultaneously, and while being excellent in any of these aspects is positively correlated to influencer pricing rates, it doesn’t always work linearly. More on this later.

(Feel like you need a quick refresher on influencer marketing at this point? Check out our free influencer marketing guide.)

What are the popular social platforms for influencer marketing?

According to The State of Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2024, the top five social media platforms for pursuing influencer marketing include:

• TikTok (68.8 percent)
• Instagram (46.7 percent)
• YouTube (33.1 percent)
• Facebook (27.5 percent)
• X (formerly Twitter) (9.9 percent)

Their data suggests that YouTube is the most expensive platform from this list, followed by Instagram and TikTok. This makes sense, too, as YouTube is video-dominated, requiring more investment in producing videos.

Does that mean YouTube will give you less ROI? Nope.

Depending on where your ideal customers hang out and their preferred content, your goal should be to shortlist the platform(s) you want to use. That’s what’s going to work for you.

The next thing to decide is which influencer type you wish to pursue.

What are the different follower-count-based influencer tiers?

There are five follower-count-based tiers to choose from. (And no, the highest followers may not always mean the best.)

I’ve discussed the available options and some reasons to pick or drop each below:

Nano Influencers (Influencers with 1K—10K followers)

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Although these influencers’ relatively smaller audience may mean lower overall reach, I recommend not treating it as a red flag.

Nano-influencers often have higher engagement rates and more personal connections with their followers, which can be fabulous.

Micro-Influencers (Influencers with 10K – 100K followers)

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At large, micro-influencers tend to have a niche focus. This can make them particularly effective if you’re keen on running laser-targeted campaigns.

Mid-Tier Influencers (Influencers with 100K – 1M followers)

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These influencers are popular for offering a balance of reach and engagement. They can be a fantastic choice if you’re looking to scale your influencer campaigns.

Macro Influencers (Influencers with 1M – 10M followers)

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This group has a substantial reach, and using their help can quickly boost your brand visibility. However, it’s important to note that this group may lack the personal touch of smaller influencers.

Mega Influencers (Influencers with 10M+ followers)

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These influencers are the big fish in the industry. While they offer the broadest reach, their engagement rates may not be as high as those of smaller influencers.

So, how do you pick from the possibilities?

First, narrow down on the ones in your domain. Next, look at their “personality.”

This is the advice I got from Emir Atli, HocketStack’s CRO.

Emir pinpointed, “While you do look at follower counts, the most crucial factor in choosing influencers for your B2B influencer campaign is their personality. They must fit into your brand’s voice to make the partnership successful.”

What are the possible influencer partnership types?

All influencer partnerships are not equal. Most of them share a press kit with different options, and here’s a breakdown of the most common options.

1. Sponsored Content

This is the most straightforward arrangement: Influencers create posts. These could be anything from text, visuals, videos, or podcasts featuring your brand’s product or service.

The costs can vary depending on the type of content involved and factors like the influencer’s reach and engagement. (I’ve shared more details in the upcoming sections.)

2. Affiliate Marketing

In this model, the influencers promote your brand’s products and earn a percentage commission on the sales generated through their unique affiliate links.

This approach often requires less upfront investment, so it could be an excellent option to minimize risk and boost conversions. As a ballpark, the average affiliate commission rate varies between 5 and 30 percent (wide, I know).

3. Product Seeding

Another approach to influencer partnerships is sending products for free in exchange for honest reviews (hopefully positive).

While this arrangement may work for nano or micro-influencers, those with more significant followings may not be up for it, so bear that in mind.

Also, while this may seem like a low-budget option, consider the potential costs of the products you’re gifting.

4. Takeovers

You can also partner with influencers for social media takeovers. In these, the influencer manages your brand‘s account for a set period.

The costs for this type of partnership depend on factors like the influencer’s reach and the duration of the takeover.

5. Events and Experiences

Another popular influencer partnership type is hosting them at events or experiences. This helps to generate a lot of buzz and content.

The costs would vary based on the event‘s scale and include travel, accommodation, and other compensation for the influencer’s time.

6. Long-Term Partnerships

Last but not least, long-term relationships with influencers are another option.

These could yield overall better results due to continued authenticity. However, these partnerships will require more significant commitments.

While all this is the much-required background theory, I know you’ll need numbers to make concrete decisions. (I was in the same boat.)

What does influencer pricing look like?

Here’s suggestive influencer pricing estimated, sorted by platform and influencer type, for sponsored content partnership types compiled by Influencer Marketing Hub.

Nano-Influencers

• TikTok (per post): $5-$25
• Instagram (per post): $10-$100
• YouTube (per video): $20-$200
• Facebook (per post): $25-$250
• X (per post): $2-$20

Micro-Influencers

• TikTok (per post): $25-$125
• Instagram (per post): $100-$500
• YouTube (per video): $200-$1,000
• Facebook (per post): $250-$1,250
• X (per post): $20-$100

Mid-Tier Influencers

• TikTok (per post): $125-$1,250
• Instagram (per post): $500-$5,000
• YouTube (per video): $1,000-$10,000
• Facebook (per post): $1,250-$12,500
• X (per post): $100-$1,000

Macro-Influencers

• TikTok (per post): $1,250-$2,500
• Instagram (per post): $5,000-$10,000
• YouTube (per video): $10,000-$20,000
• Facebook (per post): $12,500-$25,000
• X (per post): $1,000-$2,000

Mega or Celebrity Influencers

• TikTok (per post): $2,500+
• Instagram (per post): $10,000+
• YouTube (per video): $20,000+
• Facebook (per post): $25,000+
• X (per post): $2,000+

I’d say treat this table as your influencer pricing 101 lessons. With that, let’s move on to a structured approach to setting your influencer budget.

How To Set Your Influencer Budget

Here’s a step-by-step guide you can follow.

Step 1: Define your marketing goals.

Start by clarifying what you want to achieve with influencer marketing. This will help you decide which influencers to work with, which personalities to look for, which campaigns to prioritize, and how much to budget.

Suppose you’re looking at brand awareness. Then, maybe work with influencers with more significant followings and look at sponsored content.

If your focus is sales, go for influencers with high interaction rates and a preference for affiliate marketing. There’s no one-size-fits-all; it depends on what you need influencers’ help with.

Step 2: Recall your overall marketing budget.

Next, recall your overall marketing budget. After all, your influencer marketing will be a specific portion of this, right?

Although industry benchmarks suggest that most spend less than 10 or over 40 percent of the marketing budget on influencers, you should be specific about your priorities.

I learned this after talking with Mina Kozman, the director of marketing at Speakap. He explained, “A successful influencer campaign integrates smoothly into your overall marketing strategy (not the other way around).”

Thus, budgeting needs to be a balancing act of boosting your brand without compromising on measurable gains. In that vein, it helps to allocate that percentage to influencer budgeting that appears meaningful to meet financial and strategic targets.

Kozman says, “If you can’t find any, then maybe your business should focus on channels with proven ROI that are both predictable and scalable.”

Step 3: Start estimating costs.

Once the goals, ICP, influencer pricing benchmarks, and overall budget are sorted, you must shortlist people and partnerships and estimate costs.

Using influencer search tools like Upfluence, BuzzSumo, and Influencer.co can help you identify influencers based on engagement rates, audience demographics, and past performance easily. Once you create your shortlist, start collating quotations to estimate costs.

While you’ll obviously add fees, keep provisions for factors like content creation expenses (if applicable), promotional expenses for boosting posts, measurement tools, and contract drafting charges.

Want a formula to pick and rank influencers scientifically based on costs? David Gaylord, former chief of staff at Shopify, put together an equation for average Cost Per Mile (CPM). You can use this to compare influencers based on costs.

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Step 4: Negotiate influencer terms and contracts.

Up next is the time to start negotiating and shaping your plans. Serial entrepreneur Srish Agrawal, who’s extensively used influencer help for his Wall Decore and Gifting D2C brand, gave me a great tip: When negotiating prices, align expectations and clearly define expected activity.

Srish explained: “This shouldn’t just be results like ‘sales worth X$’ since results can not be guaranteed.” Agrawal also stressed clarifying the content rights. In his words, these are necessary for “a seamless and peaceful transaction.” I couldn’t agree more!

Step 5: Test, track, and measure.

So far, so good? Now, you need to start the campaigns and also vigorously track success.

Kazzy Khazaal, founder and CEO at Dreamwell.ai, pointed out, “The biggest mystery in influencer marketing is: how much is an influencer worth for an ad?”

Khazaal explains, “Brands get overcharged left, right, and center and can’t detect it until it’s too late.” You don’t want to be late, so invest in diligent tracking to ensure you get value for your investment.

To start, use KPIs like engagement rate, click-through rate, or conversions to understand what’s working and what needs tweaking before scaling up. Tools like HubSpot Analytics, Google Analytics, Sprout Social, or BuzzSumo can be invaluable for analyzing influencer performance and refining your strategies.

Step 6: Adjust as needed.

Finally, remember that maintaining flexibility is vital while working on influencer budgeting.

“Think of your B2B influencer marketing budget as a dynamic blueprint rather than a fixed plan,” advised Vahbiz Cooper, digital marketing manager at Demandbase. She recommended allocating a core budget to cover essentials and simultaneously setting aside a “wildcard fund.”

In other words, keep a flexible portion reserved for seizing unexpected influencer collaborations or real-time trends that arise during the campaign.

This approach lets you stay agile, experiment with unconventional strategies, and capitalize on opportunities to drive outsized impact without sticking rigidly to initial budget assumptions.

Best Practices for Setting the Right Budget

While setting the proper budget is a part of the influencer pricing equation, make sure you remember these as well for holistic success.

1. Be transparent.

Transparency is crucial for building trust with influencers. Communicate expectations, budget limits, and campaign goals with influencers to set the stage for good budgeting and a successful partnership.

2. Align internally.

Before starting up, collaborate with other departments, such as sales and product teams. Factor in their inputs as you plan budgets and strategize influencer campaigns that resonate across the board.

3. Keep up with trends.

Influencer marketing is ever-evolving, So you must ensure you’re updated on industry trends.

I realized this when Eric Melchor, founder of B2B PodPros, pointed out how YouTube is now the top platform for podcast consumption.

If you are working with podcasters with a YouTube channel, you need to know that you have to request them to insert a video ad of your brand into their video episode.

“Otherwise, you are missing out on reaching new audiences,” explained Eric.

4. Observe to identify any malpractices.

The best approach is to keep everything crystal clear right from the start. Sometimes, influencers make inflated performance claims. They generate fake engagement by paying for followers who may not be real people.

Some signs of such malpractices include sudden follower growth spikes, inconsistent engagement and rates, or repetitive comments.

“Don’t take what’s quoted in their media kit at face value,” suggested Melchor. He gave this example: “If you are working with podcasters, ask for proof of their download number.

5. Consider Influencer Longevity

Building long-term relationships instead of one-off collaborations with influencers is another ideal approach in the long run.

Although this may require more commitment, it will help ensure a consistent brand message and create authenticity.

6. Don’t Underestimate Contingencies

Budget overruns may occur for various reasons, such as unexpected influencer fees or any last-minute additional content requirements. Always set aside some funds for unexpected expenses, ensuring flexibility should any challenges arise.

7. Avoid Obsessing About Clicks and Conversions

Tomasz Niezgoda, co-founder and CMO of SEO Surfer, gave me this final excellent tip. In his words, “Marketing is more than clicks and conversions.” After all, you might never know if an influencer campaign influenced someone who buys your product months later.

Niezgoda advised, “Trust your intuition, build relationships, and remember that lasting brand perception takes time. Play the long game, and don’t expect overnight results.”

Start Your Influencer Marketing Budget

You’ve seen how setting an influencer budget isn’t a one-size-fits-all task. It’s about aligning your goals, understanding the market, and choosing partnerships that resonate with your brand.

With all the influencer pricing information and budgeting details I’ve shared, you should be ready to explore confidently. My two cents: Start sooner rather than later. After all, won’t you lose out on a massive opportunity otherwise?

I went to a psychic when I was 22. She told me I was “about to take a long journey across the Atlantic.”

While the prophecy sounded oddly sinister (would I be alive during this traverse?), it turned out to be true: Shortly after, I decided to teach English in Thailand.

While none of these experts claim to be psychics, their predictions are just as bold, provocative, and intriguing. And I’d be willing to bet they stand a good chance of coming true in 2025.

So if you want to know your future as a marketer, keep reading.

Lesson One: Newsletters will become like social networks.

ICYMI newsletter creator Lia Haberman has a hot take to start us off: She thinks newsletters will become more like social in 2025. (Just… without the trolls, bots, and flame wars.)

“By 2025, I think we’ll see newsletters transition into being more like social networks. It’s going to be a race to gather the most subscribers and followers. Independent newsletters may get packaged into larger media brands or acquired by companies.”

This makes sense for one big reason: Newsletters are owned channels.

You fully control the output of a newsletter, and the audience is yours alone — which isn’t true for search engines or social channels with shifting algorithms.

HubSpot launched its own brand-new newsletter in June of 2024 and you’re reading it right now, so we’re betting Haberman is exactly right.

Want to start your own? Check out Emily Kramer’s tips for not creating content that is about as exciting as my grocery list.

Lesson Two: Marketers will care more about building systems than one-off campaigns.

“In the near future, marketers will focus more on building systems rather than single campaigns,” growth advisor Kevin Indig told me in late 2024.

“With AI and no-code tools, we’ll automate processes like content generation, optimization, and interactive experiences to create scalable workflows.”

He’s likely onto something. During Q4 of 2024, I stopped focusing on my one next campaign, and instead fixated on my processes and systems as a whole, leveraging AI to create more streamlined, scalable projects.

In 2025, we’ll see marketers shift their priorities and focus on how they can create systems that help them do their work faster — and better.

Lesson Three: The trifecta of channels for B2B marketers will be long-form blog content, executive social content, and weekly email newsletters.

Let’s address the elephant in the room: No, I didn’t pay Morning Brew co-founder Alex Lieberman to throw “long-form blog content” in there.

When asked which channels he’s planning on leaning into in 2025, Lieberman didn’t pause: “Long-form blog content, executive social content, and weekly email newsletters is the trifecta of channels that serve the purposes you need in terms of building and nurturing top-of-the-funnel leads, and converting your audience.”

He adds, “Would I say that those are the only three channels for every company? No. But they are very effective.”

I heard this time and time again from the dozen of marketing pros I spoke to in 2024. Long-form blog content still attracts and converts, particularly if it’s EEAT-ified.

And people want to hear from other people, not brands. Which is why companies like Wistia have CEO Chris Savage post about product updates or industry news, not the company-branded LinkedIn handle.

And… Well, you’re reading a newsletter. So I won’t belabor the point.

Lesson Four: AI will serve as the great equalizer.

While I can see how this lesson sounds like it’s from The Matrix, bear with me.

Microsoft GM Brenna Robinson works firsthand with SMBs, and she’s seen how powerful AI can be, particularly for small businesses.

“AI is a big equalizer,” she told me. “It helps small businesses compete against bigger companies, saving them time and avoiding the need for additional hires.”

Ah, the age-old David and Goliath combat.

But it’s true. My fiancé built his own app last week. A couple years ago, that would’ve been impossible without the budget for a developer, programmer, etc. Equalizer, indeed.

Lesson Five: Audio AI will have its moment.

I still use Siri to ask for directions in the car or to check the weather. But I haven’t tested Audio AI much beyond that.

Ross Simmonds, CEO of Foundation Marketing, thinks audio AI is coming.

“Audio AI isn’t getting as much love or buzz as it should. The power of voice AI to synthetically create content, like turning blog posts into podcasts or translating voices into different languages in real-time, is fascinating.”

In 2025, he’s betting we’ll see more marketers lean into audio AI to create more voice-driven content. This could greatly cut down on the time it takes marketers to create different types of content.

I’ll admit, it’s a big relief. Now, the introverted blogger (✋) doesn’t have to become the podcast host. AI will do it for me.

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

Stories have a unique ability to capture our attention, change our perspective, and inspire action. We intuitively know this, but there’s actually research that backs this up. The better the story, the more influence that story has on us.

This phenomenon, known as narrative transportation, is something that happens when we’re immersed in a good book or movie. It’s like when you watch The Notebook and cry at the end, or when you jump when you finally see the monster in a horror film. You have experienced narrative transportation.

Higher levels of narrative transportation don’t just entertain — they influence thoughts and actions. Harnessing this power can help marketers connect with customers on a deeper level and drive results. Here’s how.

What is Narrative Transportation, and Why Does It Matter in Marketing?

At its core, narrative transportation occurs when someone becomes so engrossed in a story that they are mentally transported into it. The research shows that the more the audience experiences narrative transportation, the more their thoughts, emotions, and even beliefs align with the narrative.

Let’s get a little nerdy for a moment. Researchers Green and Brock (2000) came up with a 15-point scale to measure how deeply someone gets transported into a story.

The scale looks at how we think, feel, and visualize while engaging with a narrative. When these factors align, the result is powerful: We get so into the story that it can actually change what we believe about the real world. This can result in higher levels of persuasion and action.

Here’s why it works: Stories create connections with characters, reduce arguments against the message, and make abstract ideas feel real.

Think about a story where the main character feels relatable, almost like a friend, or we even see ourselves in the hero. When we care about them, we’re more likely to root for them and even adopt their behaviors or beliefs.

On top of that, stories are sneaky in the best way. They don’t feel like someone is trying to persuade us, which means we’re less likely to argue against the message. Instead, we just take it in.

But here’s where it gets even cooler: stories make abstract ideas concrete. Instead of saying something vague like, “This product makes life easier,” a narrative shows us exactly how. We get vivid examples that stick in our minds.

All of this — the connection, the subtle persuasion, and the concrete imagery — leads to higher levels of narrative transportation. And when that happens, your audience doesn’t just hear your message: They feel it and believe it.

And it’s not just movies or books that do this. William J. Brown of Regent University points out that transportation can happen through any kind of media — even on social platforms.

While not everyone who scrolls through Instagram is going to get fully transported by a brand’s story, the ones who do are more likely to engage and take action. Whether it’s a company’s behind-the-scenes posts or an influencer’s heartfelt testimonial, these moments of transportation have real potential to shift behavior.

In other areas of marketing, this same principle applies. Whether it is your website, your emails, or your lead generators — when you craft a story that resonates with your audience, they’re not just passively consuming your message. They’re also experiencing it. This makes your brand more memorable, trustworthy, and persuasive.

With narrative transportation, a good marketing story will literally change people’s thoughts and actions. It is measurable, and it’s effective.

Four Ways to Harness Narrative Transportation in Your Marketing

So, how can you use narrative transportation to guide your customers toward success? Here are four practical strategies grounded in the StoryBrand Framework and narrative transportation theory.

1. Make your customer the hero of the story.

The best stories center around a hero who faces challenges and overcomes them. In marketing, that hero isn’t you. It’s your customer. Your role is to be the guide who helps them achieve their goals.

How to Do It

• Clearly define your customer’s problem and show empathy for their struggles.
• Position your product or service as the tool that will help them solve their problems.
• Use customer testimonials that highlight their journey, not just your features.

2. Use emotion to drive engagement.

Emotional stories are more likely to transport your audience because they tap into universal human experiences. Think about the moments in your customers’ lives that evoke joy, frustration, hope, or triumph, and build your story around those.

How to Do It

• Use real-life examples or scenarios your audience can relate to.
• Incorporate visuals and music in your videos to heighten the emotional impact.
• Write copy that speaks directly to your audience’s desires and fears.

3. Focus on fidelity and coherency.

For narrative transportation to work, your audience needs to believe in the story (fidelity) and follow its logical flow (coherency). These principles ensure that your message resonates deeply and feels authentic.

How to do it:

• Use real customer stories or testimonials that reflect genuine experiences.
• Create a clear and logical narrative structure: Customer Problem, Your Solution, Their Success.
• Avoid exaggerations or claims that might seem unbelievable, as they can break the illusion of fidelity.

4. Paint a vivid picture of success.

Help your audience visualize themselves in the story. A vivid, relatable picture of success makes your product or service feel like a natural part of their journey.

How to Do It

• Create before-and-after case studies that show a clear journey from problem to solution.
• Use language that engages the senses, like “imagine yourself…” or “picture this…”
• Include aspirational imagery in your marketing materials.

Stories That Move & Messages That Stick

Narrative transportation is more than just a buzzword. It’s a proven way to connect with your audience on a deeper level. When you use stories to guide your customers, you’re not just selling a product or service — you’re inviting them into a narrative where they can see themselves succeed.

As you craft your marketing, remember this: The best brands aren’t the heroes of the story. They’re the Guides. By creating narratives that transport your audience and make them the hero, you’ll build trust, loyalty, and a brand that truly makes an impact.

I’ve tried and tried, but I can’t crack the TikTok algorithm. Friends and peers regularly ask for advice on how to get eyes and engagement there, and I hate to admit it, but I’ve got nothing.

Thankfully, TikTok ads are here to bypass the unknowns and reach your audiences, and the best TikTok ads have created quite the playbook to success.

While TikTok’s future is still uncertain — it’s already banned in several countries and is on the verge of the same fate in the United States — its marketing potential can’t be denied.

Marketers report that it has the third-highest engagement of all social media and it is also the fastest-growing (rising 9% year over year from 2023). Let’s take a look at some of the best TikTok ad examples so you can reap some of its rewards.

Table of Contents

• Why Should You Invest in TikTok Ads?
• How to Get Started with TikTok Ads
• Types of TikTok Advertisements
• What makes a great TikTok ad?
• 10 of the Best TikTok Ad Examples to Inspire Your Next Campaign

Why Should You Invest in TikTok Ads?

Not convinced that TikTok is worth investing your marketing dollars in? Here are some quick facts and statistics that may change your mind:

• It’s affordable: TikTok’s CPM is half the cost of Instagram, a third of the cost of Twitter, and 62% less than Snapchat. (eMarketer)
• After seeing an ad on TikTok, viewers trust the brand 41% more and are 31% more likely to be loyal to the brand. (TikTok)
• TikTok users are 1.8x more likely to convince their family and friends to buy the item they purchased previously (versus non-TikTok users). (TikTok)
• 37% of TikTok users in the United States made purchases either through links on the app or directly on the platform. (Statista)

How to Get Started with TikTok Ads

If you’re new to TikTok, you’ll definitely want to download a copy of our comprehensive guide to TikTok Marketing before we continue.

It’s free and will give you a strong foundation on harnessing the platform’s power for business success.

You can also check out our article “TikTok Ads Guide: How They Work + Cost and Review Process [+ Examples].”

In it, fellow HubSpotter Flori Needle breaks down everything you need to know about creating an account, actually building an ad in the platform, and getting approved.

Keep reading for inspiration for those ads.

Types of TikTok Advertisements

While limited in terms of targeting and objectives compared to platforms like Instagram and Facebook, TikTok offers a number of ad formats for marketers and advertisers to choose from.

TikTok TopView Ads

A TopView TikTok Ad is essentially a video ad shown to users immediately upon opening the app.

It appears as a three-second full-screen experience before transitioning into an in-feed version of the video with icons and the ability to interact or navigate as you wish.

Source

TikTok claims users are 1.5x more likely to recall a brand from TopView than other ad types, while a study by Kantar found 68% of users were more likely to click on TopView ads than others.

The platform touts this as their most premium ad type, and I don’t blame them for the exposure and undivided attention it provides. That said, this ad type is only available to select users.

What’s it best for? Awareness, website traffic, conversions (lead generation).

In-feed Videos

In-feed ads appear directly in a user’s content feed and resemble native TikTok videos minus a small “sponsored” tag.

These advertisements can be video-based or image (more on that shortly), up to 60 seconds long, and include a call-to-action button that can direct users to a website, landing page, or even TikTok Shop.

(This is definitely the most popular TikTok Ad type.)

What’s it best for? Website traffic, conversions, app downloads.

In-feed Image/Carousel Ads

While primarily known for video, TikTok also allows you to upload static image content, which brings us to the in-feed image or “carousel” ads.

This format is similar to “Carousel” on Instagram. It allows you to upload multiple images in a sequence that users must then scroll through to see the entire message (though you can also automate the scrolling).

Unlike videos, which people can passively watch, these ads let you highlight multiple things and promote engagement/interaction with your brand in-feed.

What’s it best for? Website traffic, conversions/lead generation, engagement, and promoting products in TikTok Shop.

Branded Mission (Hashtag Challenges and Effects)

Branded Missions (commonly referred to as Hashtag Challenges) are essentially larger ad campaigns (usually centered around a hashtag or branded effect) where brands are paired with TikTok creators to create content around their goals.

Rather than crafting a finished ad, brands are putting together more of a creative brief to explain what they’re looking for from creators and convince them to participate.

Source

A Branded Mission campaign must include:

• ​Bundled Feature Page (Branded Hashtag page and/or Branded Effect page)
• ​Branded Mission Page
• ​Branded Mission Details Tab
• ​Branded Mission Submission Tab
• ​Mission Center Page

More details on these from TikTok here.

What’s it best for? Building brand awareness and generating engagement.

Spark Ads

Simply put, Spark Ads are like “Boosted” posts on Facebook or Instagram — existing content you decide to promote to new or larger audiences with advertising.

The difference here is that it can be content on your profile or from other users who have granted permission to promote their videos.

In other words, you can share any of the great user-generated content customers create about your product. This allows brands to get the most out of content already proving to work, working “smarter, not harder.”

Spark ads are displayed in-feed like they were initially posted but add a call-to-action butt that can drive traffic to a brand’s TikTok profile, website, or TikTok Shop.

What’s it best for? Building awareness, trust, conversions, Tiktok Shop sales, and customer appreciation.

What makes a great TikTok ad?

Fast-paced and Concise

TikTok ad videos can be up to 60 seconds long, but even the platform recommends keeping them 9 to 15 seconds long, as these tend to perform best.

It’s always wise to keep your content short and sweet to avoid losing your audience’s attention and also leaving them wanting more.

(And willing to click to get it.)

Less Produced

Gaining popularity during the COVID-19 lockdown, TikTok became known for the less-refined production value of its videos.

People from all walks of life could edit and share videos and the majority were shot vertically on a smartphone, had no fancy sound or lighting, and were usually in homes or real-life scenes/settings.

This style became a platform staple and key to adapting to its culture.

Conversational Tone

Another staple of TikTok is its conversational tone. Much of the content features people speaking to the camera or with a narrative voiceover, making information accessible and easy to understand. It’s rare to see original content that does not follow this style, and great TikTok ads tend to emulate it.

Overall, the best TikTok ads feel native to the platform, aligning with the style of the content shared there and what your particular target audience wants and does there.

Most of the points above come back to this, but here are a few other things we commonly see:

• Focusing on the customer (their pain points, interests, concerns, and experiences)
• Incorporating trends (memes, topics, sounds, etc.)
• Working with popular, relevant influencers or creators

Let’s take a look at some examples of ads that capture these elements well and what you can learn from them.

1. BetterHelp

One of the hallmarks of TikTok content is lower production value. I don’t mean this as an insult in any way; I simply mean it’s less refined.

Rather than looking like a traditional, big-budget television commercial, TikTok videos tend to look like a private consumer filmed them with just a smartphone.

They may be dimly lit, the footage a little shaky. This makes the content come off as more authentic and relatable, a perfect sentiment for BetterHelp.

What We Like:

• Short and direct with its messaging.
• The “talking head” style feels like you’re just receiving advice from a friend. It’s more of a heart-to-heart conversation.
• The setting of the narrator doing a skincare routine aligns with and drives home the idea of self-care.

The Lesson: Keep your video conversational and straightforward. This video doesn’t feel scripted but like an organic conversation with someone who cares about you. Rather than coming off like a pushy sales pitch like a lot of advertising, it makes you want to listen.

Pro Tip: Always include captions in videos with speaking. This makes your video accessible to a larger audience and helps get your message across even if viewers have their sound off.

2. DoorDash

What We Like:

• It uses a compelling hook to grab your attention.
• The ad uses a Gen Z narrator to appeal to the demographic on the platform. 78% of Gen Z in the US reports using TikTok_, according to Measure Protocol.
• The ad uses a popular effect on TikTok, known as green screen, allowing the creator to demonstrate how easy it is to sign up for DoorDash. Combining all these tactics gives you a video that looks and feels authentic to the platform.

The Lesson: Know your audience. From the creator to the hook, it’s clear who DoorDash is trying to appeal to with this ad: young adults who want some extra cash for fun things like AirPods. Get to know your buyer persona and cater your TikTok ad to speak to all their interests.

3. SuperGoop

Like many millennial women, my “for you” page is often full of makeup and skincare tips. So, this SuperGoop TikTok fits right in.

In it, a creator shows viewers how to get a “glowy” summer look using two SuperGoop products.

What We Like:

• A swift length of 29-second
• “Hacks” and how-tos are popular on TikTok. This ad delivers value as a tutorial for solving a common problem.
• Capitalizes on a simple, first-person narrative voiceover.
• Ends with a call to action; telling viewers to “shop now” for the product featured in the video

The Lesson: Always end with the next steps for your viewer. It’s one thing to convince someone to want your product or service, but if you don’t tell them how to actually get their hands on it, you only create more friction.

4. HelloFresh

There’s nothing worse than watching an ad that feels scripted or forced. One way to get around this is by filming a vlog-style video, like this one from HelloFresh:

What We Like:

• Grabs your attention by mentioning a common pain point: spending too much at the grocery store.
• Shows the entire customer journey, from unboxing to enjoying the meal with a loved one. Viewers get a full recap of a real-life customer experience.
• Her recommendation feels personal, almost like an endorsement from a trusty friend.

The Lesson: Tell a story. Part of what makes this ad appealing is that it takes you on a narrative journey with the main character. You’re introduced to her and her relatable pain point and are compelled to stick around to see how things turn out for her.

Storytelling is a tried-and-true strategy in any form of marketing, and TikTok is no different.

5. JCPenny

What We Like:

• Ad is framed as a “shopping haul,” which is a popular format on social media.
• Uses a first-person narrative
• Highlights several JCPenny products in real life
• It’s timely/seasonal, making it even more relevant to its target audience.
• It’s messaging is honest. It recognizes that people don’t always think of the brand as trendy or young anymore but uses the video to prove why that’s a mistake.

The Lesson: Tackle objections head-on. I like that JCPenny recognized the potential objections of their audience and addressed them directly. This shows they understand who they’re talking to and are ready to prove them wrong.

6. Crumbl

Crumbl takes a less conventional approach with this TikTok Ad, leaning into studio shots of its treats and not a single human face — but this works for a brand known for its aesthetics.

What We Like:

• It’s visually striking — a feast for the eyes. This ad uses bright colors, swelling music, and slow-motion shots of its cookies to grab the viewer’s attention and pique their cravings.
• It uses humor and the uplifting message of celebrating “small wins” to connect with viewers.
• Stays true to the Crumbl brand and personality.

The Lesson: Stay true to your brand. While a talking head-style video doesn’t really make sense for Crumbl’s offering, they knew their young audience was on TikTok, and it’s somewhere they needed to be. So, they got creative.

Rather than leaning into trends that didn’t align with their brand, they combined other platform strategies that did (humor and motivation) to create something that feels authentic to them.

7. Kung Fu Tea

Hashtags play an important role on social media. They help users find relevant videos and connect with those with similar interests.

For marketers, they can also boost a post‘s visibility and reach. Kung Fu Tea’s #BobaChallenge is the perfect example of a brand harnessing the power of hashtags in a Brand Mission on TikTok.

The challenge is simple: Stab a straw in your boba cup with your eyes closed. Silly? A little, but also highly engaging, simple to execute, and effective at creating genuine reactions. As a result, the #BobaChallenge went viral, racking up thousands of likes and shares.

What We Like:

• It’s playful. The challenge invites consumers of all backgrounds to participate in a relatable experience (trying to crack the seal on your Boba) and not take themselves too seriously.
• Uses a hashtag to encourage UGC and create a sense of community.

The Lesson: Create a sense of community. Social media is all about connection, and using your TikTok Ad to bring people together over a shared experience or love of your product is a great way to use this to your advantage.

8. Clearly

Here’s another example of a Branded Mission centered around a hashtag — but this one leverages TikTok influencers.

Clearly, an eyewear company, kicked things off with a branded hashtag (#ClearlyTransform) asking people to show their best look with their favorite pair of glasses.

The overall goal was to help people feel confident while wearing glasses and introduce Clearly as a brand that can make that possible.

To spread this message even further, Clearly partnered with five high-profile creators, including TikTok star Leenda Dong (who has 17 million followers).

What We Like:

• The relatable mission of wanting to feel comfortable and confident in your glasses.
• Uses a hashtag to encourage UGC and create a sense of community
• By partnering with TikTok influencers, the challenge generated 241,000+ video submissions, 32.7 million engagements, and 12,000 new followers over six days.

The Lesson: Relevant influencers or creators can really help expand the reach of your content. Explore how your brand can partner with those your audience loves in your TikTok Ad.

Learn more about that here.

9. Quince

Like Crumbl, Quince, a lifestyle brand aiming to make luxury style more affordable, leans into aesthetics in its ad.

What we like:

• It’s short and sweet.
• Creates a sense of calm and comfort, exactly the feeling one would want from their fall bedding.
• Still leans into TikTok’s low-production style with the bedroom setting and real-life behind-the-scenes narrative.

The Lesson: Be concise. Your video doesn’t have to be long to get its message across. Leave your viewers wanting more.

10. CoverGirl

Like SuperGoop, CoverGirl leans into the popularity of beauty tutorials on TikTok by creating one using its new foundation.

The video shows a makeup enthusiast applying the foundation and hyping up the results. The audience is getting value by seeing the product “in action” and learning a few tips from the narrator.

What we like:

• It shows the product in action, not only educating consumers how to use it but also proving the results it can deliver.
• It comes off as friendly and approachable, not salesy.

The Lesson: Show your product in action. Nothing quiets doubts like being able to see how a product actually performs. Next to samples and trials, “demonstrations” like these are one of the best ways to scratch that itch in buyers.

Need more examples? TikTok has a directory that shares high-performing ads. You can filter by goal or ad type for more inspiration. All you need is a TikTok Ads profile.

Creativity Got the Customer

TikTok advertising offers marketers a goldmine of opportunities to engage audiences creatively and authentically. As the examples in this article show, the best TikTok ads are less about polished production and more about relatability, storytelling, and aligning with platform trends.

So, don’t be intimidated by the ever-mysterious algorithm — start experimenting with ads that captivate and convert.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in September 2022 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Zoom backgrounds have been my lifesaver since I started scheduling remote meetings. With these backgrounds, my video stays on, and I don’t have to worry if my living room is a mess.

My Zoom background has become as essential as my outfit, setting the tone and vibe for every call.

Just like dressing to match an occasion, choosing the right Zoom background is an art. You can match upcoming holidays, celebrate birthdays, or radiate professionalism.

The right backdrop can transform your screen and make you relatable.

Below, I share my favorite collection of Zoom backgrounds, which promise to make your meetings memorable.

Table of Contents

• How to Set a Zoom Background
• When to Use a Zoom Background
• How to Troubleshoot Glitchy Backgrounds
• My Favorite Zoom Backgrounds

First, let me show you how to set up a Zoom background.

1. Open Zoom.

To start, open your Zoom app and log in.

2. Go to Zoom “Preferences.”

Click the Settings icon on the top right corner of the screen (under your profile picture).

You can also access settings by clicking your profile picture at the top right and then clicking “Settings.”

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3. Click “Background & effects.”

When you’ve opened your settings, click “Background & effects” on the left-hand side.

Under this heading, click “Virtual backgrounds” to see Zoom’s background options.

4. Click the “Plus” sign and “Add Image.”

Now, click the plus sign on the right and click “Add Image.” Voila.

You can now add any image you have the rights to that meets the image guidelines.

When to Use a Zoom Background

I like to show my face when running meetings, so my camera is always on.

However, I don’t always use a Zoom background.

So, when do I turn a background on?

Well, some days, I might wake up to a messy living room or find my siblings loitering around. I have had to take important meetings in weird places, like the kitchen, because it was the only room available.

Whether you’re in a chaotic environment or want to limit distractions, Zoom backgrounds come in handy. Plus, these backgrounds can be a great way to break the ice and begin conversations.

Many people are often surprised to learn that my house isn’t the Zoom background I always use. While this can serve as a conversation starter, it’s important to stick to your meeting’s tone when choosing a background.

For instance, if you have to meet with a lead (which you can easily handle with HubSpot’s Zoom integration), you shouldn’t be using a Taylor Swift concert background unless you’re sure the lead is a fan.

What works best is a professional and non-distracting Zoom background. Remember, the point of the background is to lessen distractions.

So, try to avoid super bright or complex images in professional settings and ensure you have usage rights to the images you select. Such images should be royalty-free and not require licensing or attribution.

How to Troubleshoot Glitchy Backgrounds

Technology doesn’t always work as planned. If your background glitches, try a few quick options to fix it.

• Sign out and sign in again.
• Ensure virtual backgrounds are enabled.
• Make sure your background meets the image requirements.
• Update your Zoom app.

My Favorite Zoom Backgrounds

Now, here’s the fun part. Check out my top picks of Zoom backgrounds below:

• Zoom Backgrounds for Casual Meetings
• Holiday Zoom Backgrounds
• Standard Zoom Backgrounds

Zoom Backgrounds for Casual Meetings

1. Vacation Vibes

What I like: While I love my job, this background makes me think about how I plan to spend my next vacation. Two nights at a water-front resort? Sign me up.

2. Cute Animals

What I like: I don’t own any pets, but many of my friends do. If you let them, they can spend the whole day talking about how Whiskers or Tabby add joy to their lives, and I love it for them.

I’ve found that cute animal backgrounds make me calmer and more relaxed. You should be considerate, though, in case one of your teammates has cynophobia or zoophobia.

3. Nature

What I like: This background reminds me of a quiet and breezy stroll. Its calm appeal brings the outside world into a digital meeting.

4. Concert

What I like: The mix of colors in this Zoom background adds vibrancy to Zoom meetings. I would love to see these backgrounds at check-in meetings at the end of a work week.

Zoom Backgrounds for Formal Meetings

5. Library

What I like: This background puts me in a serious mode. I found it works best for sprints or co-working sessions with colleagues.

6. House

What I like: There’s no place like home, they say. A house background like this is welcoming and cozy. I recommend making the house background one you dream of having. That way you get extra motivation whenever you get on Zoom.

7. Minimalist Architecture

What I like: This minimalist design is simple. This background helps me feel serene, especially if it’s a busy workweek.

8. Splash of Color

What I like: Colors usually evoke different emotions in viewers. This pink and white background evokes feelings of passion, which I love. I’m passionate about what I do after all.

Holiday Zoom Backgrounds

9. Christmas Tree in Office

What I like: This background offers a homely and cozy vibe for Christmas. The tree in the home office provides a semi-professional atmosphere even though festivities are in the air.

10. Red Christmas Stockings

What I like: This picture makes me want to curl up on a couch while sipping a hot cup of coffee. I’m sure your coworkers will get that vibe, too.

11. Birthday Letters Balloons

What I like: In my mind, birthdays are holidays. This is an excellent background for your big day. Just be sure to share some cake as well.

12. Green Foliage

What I like: You can be in the holiday spirit and still want to keep things simple. This holiday background helps me achieve just that. The green and red foliage does not attract too much attention.

13. Winter Plants

What I like: Sometimes, you want to use real plants for your background — unlike the previous example. This background keeps the plants at the edges so you can be the focus at the center.

14. Christmas Wrapped Gifts

What I like: This background also keeps the gifts and other objects in the picture by the edges and leaves the center free. It also serves as a reminder for me to get my gifts ready and wrapped early.

15. Boxed Gifts

What I like: This background creates a festive and cheerful atmosphere that evokes the joy and warmth synonymous with this time of the year.

16. Candy Sticks

What I like: The vibrant red and white stripes are eye-catching and symbolic of the holiday season, evoking warmth and nostalgia. It’s a simple yet playful design that can brighten up any Zoom call and put everyone in a merry mood.

17. Santa Figurine

What I like: This figurine background adds a playful element to Zoom meetings. It’s chill and will put most people in a good mood.

18. Christmas Outdoor Lights

What I like: The twinkling lights create a cozy, magical ambiance, and the variety of colors makes the background warm and inviting. Plus, it feels like you’re celebrating together, even if you’re miles apart.

19. Merry Christmas Signage

What I like: This background is visually appealing and sets a festive or cheerful mood. I also love neon signs, so this is a personal favorite.

20. Christmas Ball Ornament

What I like: The background is simple and keeps the focus on me during meetings. It’s just festive enough to get folks in the holiday spirit, but it’s not distracting or too bold.

21. Star-shaped Cookies

What I like: This soft, cookie-themed background with warm tones and textures creates a cozy yet professional look, especially with the plain background.

22. Heart-shaped Lights

What I like: I’m a sucker for celebrating love. Hearts are universally associated with love, care, and connection. Using this as a backdrop subtly communicates warmth and positivity to those in the meeting. In addition, the design is neutral for professional and casual settings while adding a touch of personality.

23. Cookies and Flowers

What I like: The combination of flowers and cookies adds natural beauty and a sense of homeliness, uplifting the overall mood. They make the space feel lively and fresh.

24. New Year Wishes

What I like: The New Year sign carries a sense of excitement and optimism, setting a positive tone for my end-of-the-year meetings.

25. Fireworks

What I like: Fireworks are synonymous with celebration, so they immediately bring an energetic and joyful vibe, perfect for marking the occasion of New Year. This can help energize Zoom calls and make them exciting.

26. Autumn Atmosphere

What I like: The mix of oranges, yellows, and browns gives the background a cozy, inviting feel, perfect for creating a relaxed meeting atmosphere.

27. Wooden Christmas Tree

What I like: This wooden Christmas tree has a clean design. This design ensures the background isn’t distracting during calls.

28. Easter Egg

What I like: This is another simple design that doesn’t cause distractions. The vibrant colors create an exciting atmosphere for meetings.

29. Wintertime

What I like: Sometimes, I just want to celebrate the winter season, not tied to any specific holiday. That’s why I love this background. It’s simple, classy, and can be used from Thanksgiving until the end of winter.

30. Simple Christmas Decoration

What I like: Having the elements in this background by the corners is subtle and keeps the focus on me. Because of its professionalism, I can use this background for both internal and external meetings.

Standard Zoom Backgrounds

31. White Office Area

What I like: This maintains the vibe of an office even though I’m in the comfort of my home. The neutral tones ensure my audience isn’t distracted.

32. Modern Living Interiors

What I like: As an avid reader, this picture is a part of my “future home” vision board. This background adds a touch of style and sophistication to my Zoom background.

33. Brown Mountains

What I like: I feel a sense of tranquility and connection to nature when using this background. The stunning mountains evoke stability and adventure.

34. Comic Illustration

What I like: I love comics, and this background allows me to show that. It could lead to interesting conversations and, who knows, maybe a comic book club.

35. Cinema Elements

What I like: Like above, this background allows me to show that I’m a cinephile and find others on my team who are like me. If we’re hosting a trivia event about movies, it’s particularly fitting.

36. Geometric Background

What I like: The clean lines and shapes create a visually stimulating environment that reflects my personality and creativity. If yellow and blue are your company colors, this is an especially great option.

37. Black Wall

What I like: Somedays, I might just want to throw the most basic background on Zoom. I use this background when I don’t necessarily have to contribute to the Zoom meeting. This background avoids distractions and keeps the attention away from me.

38. Glass Wall

What I like: This background is unique. The image setup adds a sense of depth and dimension to my appearance. It’s also so cool and makes for a great conversation starter.

39. Coffee Shop

What I like: This Zoom background makes my meetings feel personal. The call feels like sharing a cup of coffee with a colleague.

40. London Bridge

What I like: The illuminated bridge against the dark skies creates a contrast that captures one of my favorite landmarks in the United Kingdom. It’s relaxing and inspires creativity and exploration.

Found an Exciting Zoom Background?

I’m sure you’ve found some excellent backgrounds from this list.

From cozy holiday scenes to vibrant, professional vibes, there’s a Zoom background here for every occasion.

So, pick your favorite, log in with confidence, and let your screen tell the story.

Remember: Your Zoom background is more than a virtual setting. It’s a statement.

Whether you’re hosting a festive holiday party, leading a professional meeting, or catching up with friends, the right background can elevate the mood, position your brand in a good light, and make your online interactions memorable.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in August 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

As a marketer and pop-culture fanatic, I am fascinated by celebrity marketing. I love seeing a new ad or social media campaign featuring the biggest pop stars and actors and observing how their brand aligns (or doesn’t) with the company they endorse.

If you‘re a small or upcoming brand, you may think celebrity marketing isn’t possible for you now. Getting icons like Beyonce or Taylor Swift to endorse your product or service can’t be easy, right?

While it‘s not always simple, even smaller brands can leverage celebrities in their marketing campaigns. Here’s how you can get big-name celebs to promote your products, plus some celebrity endorsement examples to inspire (or warn) you.

Table of Contents

• What is celebrity marketing?
• Is celebrity advertising effective in 2024?
• How to Get Celebrity Endorsements
• How to Leverage Celebrity Marketing for Your Brand
• Social Media Celebrity Endorsements
• Celebrity Endorsements Gone Wrong
• Successful Celebrity Endorsements

What is celebrity marketing?

Celebrity marketing involves using celebrities to promote, endorse, or act as ambassadors for a brand‘s products or services. The idea is to use the celebrity’s influence and public favor to shine a positive light on a brand.

Celebrity marketing can take on various forms, such as:

• A social media shoutout, such as pop star and actress Ariana Grande mentioning Ralph Lauren in her Instagram caption.
• Celebrity appearances, such as the annual Met Gala, where celebrities gather to raise funds for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• Advertisements, such as Zendaya and Anne Hathaway’s appearance in ads for the jewelry company Bulgary.

Is celebrity advertising effective in 2024?

Celebrity advertising is still effective in 2024 but looks different from previous years. Look at this 2008 L’oreal hair dye advertisement featuring Beyonce and Solange Knowles.

Now, compare that to the 2024 ad for Beyonce’s hair care line, Cecred.

Do you see the difference?

Both advertisements feature Beyonce narrating, but the Cecred ad is more personal. In it, we see Beyonce using the products as she washes her hair while candidly explaining her process.

Furthermore, the ad is clearly shot from her phone. The video is authentic and makes the audience feel like they’re watching a friend share her haircare secrets.

In contrast, the 2008 L‘oreal ad is less relatable and is clearly shot on a curated set with cameras and glossy lighting. Most importantly, we don’t see Bey use the product or explain her process.

These ads are a prime example of how celebrity marketing has changed.

Before the rise of social media, celebrities were just names and faces on a TV screen or magazine. There were few pathways or incentives for celebrities to have genuine, authentic interactions with consumers.

Since the creation of platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok, the divide between celebrities and consumers has been much thinner.

I’ll never forget the day I randomly posted my admiration for music icon Missy Elliot to X, and she liked and commented on my post. Or when I got into an argument on Instagram with Chet Hanks (son of actor Tom Hanks).

I was right, by the way.

The mystique of celebrity is long gone, and consumers now crave authenticity in marketing. 88% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding which brands to like and support.

Even in influencer marketing, brands are more successful with micro and nano influencers because they have a closer and more authentic relationship with their followers than mega or celebrity influencers.

TL;DR: Celebrity marketing can still be effective in 2024 and beyond, but these kinds of campaigns have to be authentic, relatable, and personal to succeed.

How to Get Celebrity Endorsements

When finding the right endorser for your brand, there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy. Who do you want to endorse your brand? How much should you spend? What kind of audience do you want to attract?

Before you begin your search, here are some steps I know to be helpful.

1. Figure out your budget.

Before you proceed with an endorsement, you should determine how much you will spend. Once you‘ve chosen a number, it’s essential to stick to it.

2. Know your target audience.

Before finding a celebrity, determine who you want to target your marketing efforts toward. This would also be a good time to research and identify your buyer personas. Consider:

• What kind of consumers do you want to target?
• Where is your audience engaging most?
• Do you want to reach a small or large audience?
• Consider the type of audience you want to focus on before approaching an influencer.

Check out HubSpot’s Create a Buyer Persona tutorial if you need clarification on who your buyer persona is.

3. Find celebrities who can show a passion for your brand.

It may seem obvious that choosing a popular celebrity will attract the most attention, and—in some cases—that definitely works.

However, finding an influencer passionate about your mission can give your brand authenticity. Also, pitching your idea to them is much easier if they believe in it.

For instance, actress Kristen Bell has been open about her experience with depression and anxiety, so her endorsement of the women-focused online telehealth company Hers feels natural, authentic, and empowering to women who share similar experiences.

4. Consider micro-influencers.

Micro-influencers (social media influencers with 1,000 to 10,000 followers) are more cost-effective than celebrities and, as I mentioned, can be more powerful when promoting a product.

Micro-influencers can produce up to 60% more engagement than other influencers.

Ultimately, micro-influencers are incredibly trustworthy sources within their niche industry. The content they post is usually relatable and direct to their target audience.

Think back to your target audience and compare it to the micro-influencer audience. When choosing micro-influencers, you‘ll want to ensure their audience is similar to your brand’s target audience.

How to Leverage Celebrity Marketing for Your Brand

What I love about celebrity marketing nowadays is that there is no one way to do it. Each campaign I’ve seen has been unique in its way, and its success proves there are several methods to leverage a celebrity endorsement.

Here are some ways you can do so.

Host an in-person fan meet-up with the celebrity (Bonus if it’s for a worthy cause!).

Earlier this holiday season, rapper Megan Thee Stallion partnered with True Religion to release its holiday collection.

As part of the collaboration, the company hosted an event with the artist’s Pete & Thomas Foundation, which supports underserved communities.

The event, “When Wishes Come True,” consisted of LGBT and at-risk youth shopping for new clothes with Thee Stallion, paid for by her foundation and the denim company.

True Religion posted footage from the event, which includes shots of fans happily hanging out with Thee Stallion and gleefully sharing their excitement over meeting her.

Utilize your celeb’s expertise to give your audience advice.

Since becoming a mom, rapper Cardi B has been very candid about her journey through motherhood and the lessons she’s learned along the way.

So, it made sense that Walmart would tap Cardi B for their Mom Hacks campaign series, in which mothers share their thoughts and expertise on motherhood. In the video below, Cardi gives new moms personal tips on baby care.

Release an exclusive line of merchandise.

Steph Curry and Under Armour have worked together since the basketball player signed with the brand in 2013. Curry’s endorsements of the brand have taken many forms, from community impact efforts to collaborations with other athletes.

However, one of the most popular results of Curry’s endorsement is the Curry Brand, a line of golf and basketball apparel, footwear, and accessories exclusive to Under Armour.

The brand is a massive success, boosting Under Armour’s revenue and generating $250 million annually.

Social Media Celebrity Endorsements

Now more than ever, celebrity endorsements have a more significant impact due to the popularity of social media marketing, which is suitable for small brands.

Why? Social media is typically more affordable than traditional platforms like TV and radio. Additionally, it’s often more effective than traditional marketing campaigns. Social media can create a direct relationship between your brand and the consumer.

And, let’s be honest, who isn’t on social media? In 2024, 72.2% of the U.S. total internet user base used at least one social media platform. Social media is a compelling opportunity for small businesses to increase brand recognition and reach a larger audience.

And connecting with your social media audience doesn’t have to be difficult.

Tools like HubSpot’s social media software are available to help you keep up with your audience and gauge their likes and dislikes, which can help you determine the kind of celebrity they’ll want to represent your brand.

Of course, celebrity endorsements can often be risky endeavors. Let’s explore some examples of bad celebrity endorsements next.

Celebrity Endorsements Gone Wrong

Celebrity branding can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the right celebrity endorsement has the potential to cast your brand in an excellent light and elevate your audience to new heights.

On the other hand, celebrities can be unpredictable. Scandals from their personal lives can surface and reflect poorly on your brand.

Their views can change and no longer align with your brand’s vision, or they may not connect with your audience as much as you hoped.

Here are some celebrity endorsement examples that missed the mark.

1. Beyonce and Adidas

I‘ve been a fan of Beyonce since the Destiny’s Child days, so I had high hopes for the collaboration between Ivy Park (Bey‘s athleisure brand) and Adidas.

Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed when Bey and Adidas made like Destiny’s Child and parted ways.

As it turns out, sales from the Ivy Park / Adidas collaboration fell to $40 million, well below Adidas‘ projection of $250 million.

Beyonce is one of the world’s most famous and influential celebrities, so how could any collaboration with the artist be anything less than successful?

Well, remember what I said earlier about authenticity and accessibility?

While collaborating with Adidas, Beyonce didn’t establish personal, authentic consumer connections.

Ivy Park / Adidas ads consisted of glossy, highly stylized videos of Bey and other celebrities modeling the clothes but ultimately saying nothing personal or genuine about the products.

There were no videos of Bey doing a real workout while sporting the merchandise, no narration, and no candid shots or moments. The promotional materials were visually stunning, but the content was impersonal and inauthentic.

The failed collaboration with Adidas proved that fame alone isn’t enough to guarantee a successful endorsement.

So, make sure whatever celebrity or influencer you work with is willing and able to build genuine relationships with your target consumers.

2. Ray J and Bunny Eyez

Singer, songwriter, and television personality Ray J collaborated with eyewear company Bunny Eyez to promote the limited edition Ray J Jacob tiltable frames.

Sadly, Ray J made an embarrassing misstep by overselling the durability of the glasses.

In an interview with entertainment journalist Speedy Morman, Ray J called his line of Bunny Eyez frames unbreakable and confidently challenged Morman to try breaking them.

In a moment that became one of the biggest memes in the last decade, Morman easily and with a straight face snapped the frames in half on camera.

After a beat of awkward silence, all Ray J could muster was a feeble “I don’t care.” To this day, I believe this to be one of the funniest videos on the internet.

To avoid blunders like this, set guidelines for how you want a celebrity to promote your brand and ensure they don’t make any promises you can’t keep.

3. The Rock and The U.S. Army

Actor and former wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson‘s $11 million marketing deal to promote the U.S. Army wasn’t only unsuccessful, it cost the army recruits.

According to Military.com, the agreement between the U.S. Army and The Rock’s United Football League resulted in the loss of 38 enlistments.

A significant issue with the deal was that The Rock reportedly failed to promote the U.S. Army via his social media accounts in accordance with their agreement. Basically, he allegedly made fewer posts than he was supposed to.

If you’re going to enlist a celeb to endorse your brand, be clear about how many posts they’re supposed to make and take them to task if they don’t uphold their end of the deal.

Successful Celebrity Endorsements

Next, let’s explore some examples of successful celebrity endorsements.

1. Megan Thee Stallion and Nike

Megan Thee Stallion’s deal with Nike began in 2021 after the rapper became candid about her fitness and mental health journey. The partnership includes a line of footwear, apparel, and digital workouts.

Thee Stallion’s endorsement quickly saw success with her Nike apparel line, Hot Girl Systems, selling out within a week of its launch. The campaign remains successful for several reasons.

For one, Megan Thee Stallion is admired for her athleticism on stage almost as much as her artistry.

So, the partnership feels natural and even includes Megan acting as the “Hot Girl Coach” for the Nike Training Club app, where she shares workout routines and encourages healthy habits such as meditation.

2. Doja Cat and Taco Bell

In 2020, rapper and singer Doja Cat made multiple posts to X demanding Taco Bell bring back the discontinued Mexican Pizza. By this time, Doja Cat already had two viral songs nearly inescapable to anyone online, “Moo” and “Say So.”

Knowing Doja Cat’s talent for creating viral hits, Taco Bell responded by partnering with her, commissioning the artist to write a silly song about pizza, and featuring her in multiple Taco Bell ads.

Demand for the Mexican Pizza grew, and Doja Cat announced the return of the menu item during her 2022 Coachella performance.

The return was so well-received that the fast-food giant ran out of ingredients for the item in just two weeks.

3. Saweetie and True Religion

Rapper Saweetie collaborated with True Religion to promote its Spring 2024 collection and first women-focused campaign.

The collaboration was an excellent match because Saweetie is open about her love for the brand and grew up wearing True Religion.

Moreover, according to Kristen D‘Arcy, True Religion’s chief marketing officer, Saweetie‘s luxurious and self-assured persona embodies the brand’s values of “confidence meets individuality.”

True Religion’s work with rappers like Saweetie, Megan Thee Stallion, and Chief Keef helped the brand make a huge financial comeback by associating its clothes with hip-hop, one of the most popular genres among Gen Z.

4. Kristen Bell and Hers

As I said, Kristen Bell‘s openness about her experience with depression and anxiety made her collaborate with the online telehealth company Hers. Bell serves as the company’s first Mental Health Ambassador and appears in ads for Hers.

The ads are short and to the point, but they feature Bell speaking sincerely and relatably about mental health and her reliance on it.

Celebrity Marketing Takeaways

Trying to get the most famous person you can think of to endorse your brand can be tempting, but it’s not always the best decision.

The wrong celebrity endorsement can harm your brand’s image build a rift between you and your intended consumers.

You need more than just getting the biggest celebrities in the world to represent your brand. You need to recruit big names who have an authentic alignment with your brand and can personally connect to your audience on a genuine level.

More importantly, their values and public persona must align with your brand’s mission. Remember all this before you reach out to the brightest stars on the red carpet.

By mid-December, my Instagram feed is overflowing with my friends’ Spotify Wrapped playlists.

So I started my festive, timely conversation with Spotify’s Head of Global Business Marketing, Grace Kao, with an easy one: What’s on her Spotify Wrapped? 

“I definitely channel my 12-year-old daughter right now,” she told me. “So female power singers: Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo… Beyoncé, obviously.” 

In the spirit of reflection, I give you “Marketing Wrapped”: Kao’s top marketing strategies of 2024, and what to bring into 2025.

Lesson One: Personalization creates connection. 

If Kao had to choose a cornerstone of 2024’s Marketing Wrapped, she’d choose “Connection.” 

Which is why Wrapped is such a strong marketing tactic. It’s not about just personalization — it also fosters connection.

As Kao told me, “Spotify Wrapped does so well because it’s personal, but it’s also about community. All we want to do is share our Wrapped with others. I want to hear about your Wrapped because it’s a connection we both share.”

While I’ll admit my own Wrapped is slightly embarrassing (I don’t listen to anything post-2020, so my Wrapped is stuck in a time-loop of Taylor Swift’s Folklore… As an aside, I’m bad with change), there’s something deeply gratifying about seeing all my social media connections on the same page for once.

While discussing how personalization creates connection, another campaign sprung to Kao’s mind: The recent Coke and Oreo “Bestie Mode” collab, in which users could receive curated Spotify playlists that combined their fav hits with their best friends’ top songs. 

“In 2024, we saw people wanting more music and more connection, so this was a great opportunity to bring two iconic brands together and do something fun that brought value to our customers.” 

Lesson Two: Don’t sleep on podcasts as a lead gen opportunity. 

Gen Zers don’t just like listening to podcasts — they like buying from them, too. 

According to one report released in October of this year, 82% of Gen Z listeners have taken action on a brand after hearing a podcast ad.

This doesn’t surprise Kao. As she puts it, “Gen Z trusts podcasts more than they trust influencers on social media right now.” 

This makes sense to me. I recently purchased a Ninja blender because I heard a podcaster in the health space rave about it. (I’m also a notorious shopaholic, though, so take note: I require minimal convincing.) 

Kao boils the reasoning down to authenticity: “I think it’s because podcasts are unscripted in a certain sense. It’s like listening to an organic conversation.” 

If you think this marketing lesson applies only to B2C, think again: Spotify’s 2024 Culture Next report found that one of the top podcast genres for Gen Z is business and technology. 

So in 2025, Kao’s suggestion is to lean into podcasts as a lead gen opportunity, especially if your target audience includes Gen Z. 

Lesson Three: Be the first. 

“Spotify is a daily companion throughout your life. We’re there for your first dance at your wedding, your first kiss, your first job interview, or the first song you play in your new car,” Kao quips. 

“And that first experience is what drives brand loyalty.” 

She’s not wrong. I’m still loyal to Lululemon years after Alo Yoga, Vuori, and Outdoor Voices hit the scene as alternative athletic apparel companies. For no reason other than the simplest one: I shopped there first. 

“A lot of brand loyalty comes from being first to market. And so when brands think about 2025, it’s important to consider: How can you be first, or at least part of a user’s first experience?” 

Whether you sell software, collaboration tools, or car tires, the point holds: You might not be top-of-mind during someone’s first dance, but you can be the brand they found first, and the one they choose to stick with because of the small, measurable impact you’ve had on their first moments — be it a first marketing job, first team project, or first big marketing campaign. 

And that’s something to celebrate.