Category Archives: B2B

You might know your Instagram content is good, but imagine how much better it will seem if it looks like 10,000 people agree.

Whether you’re trying to become a social media celebrity or simply looking to spread brand awareness on Instagram, it can be tempting to take shortcuts wherever you can in order to expand your audience, including ‘buying’ Instagram followers.

Contrary to widespread practice, marketing analytics expands beyond email marketing and can be applied to practically every other inbound marketing tactic — social media, blogging, landing pages, lead generation, and lead nurturing. The possibilities for testing your marketing campaigns are virtually endless.

While we believe marketers should constantly be testing their marketing efforts, the first step is identifying the different marketing variables you can test. And because so many of these variables are applicable across channels, you’ll likely never run out of tests to run or experiments to try.

The following testing variables can reveal valuable opportunities to optimize and improve the performance of your marketing initiatives.

20 Marketing Variables to A/B Test

1. Layout

Test the layout within individual content items like blog posts, email marketing messages, lead nurturing emails, and website pages like landing pages, your main website homepage, your blog homepage, etc. Move elements of your pages around, and test the performance of one layout vs. another.

An example of a layout done right is on Asana’s website. With this type of layout, you can adjust which side of the screen the image is placed on, where the header appears, and the order of the CTAs.

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2. Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

CTAs offer several testing opportunities. For example, you can test the performance of different CTAs based on their placement on various pages of your website and within certain pieces of content like blog posts, ebooks, and webinars.

Hubspot offers tools that allow you to run an A/B test with multiple variants of your CTA. You can change the size, color, and text for the CTAs to narrow down exactly what works for your visitors.

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3. Content Offers

Calls-to-actions are made up of different offers, such as an ebook, a webinar, a free trial, etc. Test calls-to-action in terms of varying content offer topics in your industry and various formats (video vs. webinar vs. ebook vs. free trial, etc.).

Do certain offers focused on a particular topic or in a specific format tend to resonate better with your audience? These types of tests can help you identify the wants and needs of your prospects and customers and help you create content your audience cares about.

Nethunt’s homepage is an excellent example of different content offers in action. The page features “Log In,” “Start here,” and “Watch Video,” CTAs. Ideally, you’d want your visitor to focus on one or two tasks when they reach your homepage. By running an A/B test on various content types, you can figure out which one converts best.

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4. Color

Test the color of the elements on your website. You can even test the overall color scheme of your website or blog. Do specific colors elicit a better response than others?

Take this case study as an example of how powerful colors can be. Performable, a marketing automation company acquired by HubSpot increased conversions by changing the color of their CTA button from green to red.

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5. Size

Sometimes, making a CTA button, an image, or a headline a few pixels bigger can make a huge difference. Maybe your headline isn’t prominent enough to catch the site visitor’s attention. Or maybe your call-to-action is too small to stand out. Test how well these elements are working by adjusting their size.

Toolbase’s MakeMyPersona has a pop-up with two CTAs. The design, size, and color of “Grab the template!” are much more attractive and clickable than the “No, I’m OK for now, thanks” CTA.

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6. Email Subject Line

Test different versions of subject lines to determine which results in the best click-through rate in your email marketing and lead nurturing emails. Do you find that a more actionable or sensational subject line performs better than others?

In the example below, Teleflora simply used the recipient’s name in the cart abandoned email subject line. And it resulted in 3X more orders.

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7. Headlines

Similarly, do some testing and analysis of headlines. Do numbers in your headlines produce better results? Over time, do you notice a pattern of specific words that have consistently attracted lots of views?

CitiCliq enjoyed a 90% increase in CTR by tweaking the headline.

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8. Email Sender

Test various versions of how you present your email sender. For example, does a stand-alone name of one of your employees work better than your company name? What about a combination of the two?

Bamboo, a company that allows people to invest and trade U.S stocks, uses a personalized email send address to catch the reader’s eye.

9. Pricing Scheme

Vendors might offer a freemium, free trial, or time-dependent money-back guarantee pricing scheme. If you’re a vendor, a/b testing your pricing model will help you determine the prices that work best for your business.

Acuity Scheduling increased paid signups by over 250% when it changed from a freemium software model to a 14-day free trial model.

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10. Copy Length

Test the length of your landing page copy and forms (shorter forms may be better for your business than longer forms, or vice versa), your content (do your readers prefer shorter or longer blog posts with more copy?), your email messages, and social media updates like tweets, Facebook, and LinkedIn updates.

For example, Conversion Rate Experts A/B tested Crazy Egg’s short-form landing page with a long-form challenger — which eventually outperformed the control by 30%.

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11. Landing Page

Have you varied the way you designed your landing page? If you’re having problems with conversions, try a different landing page design and check for improvements.

Groove had one of its landing pages converting at 2.3%. Tweaking and testing a new landing page doubled their conversions to 4.7%.

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12. Tone

Test different tones in your writing and positioning. Does a more serious approach work better than an edgier one? Be careful with this one, though — once you’ve done some testing and defined your most effective tone, stick with it. Your company should have a recognizable, consistent voice across all your messages and content.

In 2019, Slack changed its logo and tone to become clearer and more friendly. The consistent voice across all their channels — website, social media, emails, and app — has helped Slack remain one of the fastest-growing B2B startups.

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13. Images

Test how people respond to different types of images — in your blog posts, your email messages, your landing pages, your CTAs, etc.

ConstructConnect recorded a 35% increase in conversions by changing the background image on their landing page.

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14. Timing

Do your tweets get retweeted more in the morning or the afternoon? Do certain days of the week make for better Facebook engagement? For example, perhaps your email marketing is more effective on Saturdays, and your blog posts generate more views during the middle of the week.

For example, a study found out that tech industry Instagram posts performed better on Mondays while Sunday was the worst day for these companies to post content.

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15. Frequency

Is your particular audience receptive to more or fewer updates from you, whether it be via email, tweets, blog articles, Facebook posts, etc.? Test the frequency of your updates in various channels and take notice of what works best.

Return Path conducted a large-scale study on email campaign frequency and found that after five weekly emails, complaint rates rose substantially.

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16. Video vs. Text Sales

Video is a very powerful marketing tool. For example, 83% of video marketers believe it helps them with lead generation, while 91% are satisfied with the ROI of video marketing.

While creating videos can be more complex and expensive, especially when compared with text-based copywriting, it might be just what your business needs to improve conversions and is worth a/b testing.

Dr. Muscle used a 1-minute professionally produced video to encourage visitors to check out more exercises in the manual and workouts. This video sales page increased the number of visitors that moved to the next sales funnel step by 46.1%.

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17. Forms

A few changes to your form can improve your conversion rates measurably. A/B testing allows you to test form elements like buttons, design, length, and more against each other to see the best results.

Qualicorp tweaked several forms on its website and ran these through A/B testing. In the end, these new forms increased overall conversion rates.

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18. Targeting and Personalization

Another variable you can test in paid search is audience targeting. You can test different targeting methods on your homepage, on your landing pages, in your email marketing and lead nurturing, etc.

Shopify helps business owners build online stores for their websites. Its homepage does a great job of meeting the site visitor’s intent.

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19. Sales Copy

If you’re aren’t seeing enough conversions, your sales copy might be to blame. It might be bland, confusing, or daunting. A/B testing can help you to get the best sales copy version to use. You can even A/B test how the copy on your pricing page appears.

Lyyti redesigned its pricing page and observed over 90% more lead conversions.

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20. Data Visualization

What’s the best way for you to present data? In a pie chart? A graph? An infographic? Try different ways to visualize your data, and see what works best!

Google has nailed data visualization with their Search Console dashboard. The dashboard visualizes all the vital metrics from a website with easy-to-understand charts and graphs.

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Final Thoughts

So there you have it: 20 of the most essential A/B testing variables to help you measure marketing campaign success.

So examine your current marketing campaign to identify ways to improve it. Some of these tests might require a considerable amount of effort, but the improvements that happen after are usually worth it.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in October 2011 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Instagram hashtags are powerful. 

They can help your posts reach a target audience, attract followers in your niche, increase engagement, and develop a more positive and recognizable brand image.

Here’s the thing, though: with great power comes great responsibility (#spiderman).

Hashtags can skyrocket your business to new heights, but if used too frequently or without a clear strategy in mind, they become pointless and inefficient.

While it can be hard to choose the right hashtags on Instagram, you don’t have to guess. Aside from this article, we’ve put together an ultimate course on using Instagram for marketing. In this course, we’ll teach you to not just attract followers, but to attract the right followers.

First, let’s go over Instagram hashtags specifically — and why they’re so important for your Instagram marketing strategy. We’ll cover the following topics: 

• What is an Instagram hashtag? 
• Why are hashtags important?
• Types of Instagram hashtags 
• Best Instagram Hashtags
• Best practices for using hashtags on Instagram  
• Top Instagram hashtags for 2021
• Trending Instagram hashtags
• How to use hashtags on Instagram for business
• How to search hashtags on Instagram

Why are hashtags important?

Hashtags are essentially Instagram’s sorting process. With around 95 million photos posted on Instagram every day, it’s difficult for Instagram to efficiently deliver the right content to the right people. Hashtags help your post get discovered by viewers most interested in seeing it.

Krystal Gillespie, HubSpot’s Social Media Community Manager, explains the importance of hashtags this way: “Hashtags are like a funnel. For instance, #marketing is incredibly broad and attracts all types of posts. We’ve found #digitalmarketing or #marketingmotivation gives us a more specific, targeted reach. The audience searching for these hashtags are also trying to narrow their search to what we offer related to marketing, so we’re actually reaching more of the right people.”

Essentially, hashtags are a better way to categorize your posts. They help you reach a target audience, and more importantly, they help your target audience find you. These users are more likely to engage with your post because it is exactly what they were looking for.

Types of Instagram Hashtags 

Hashtags are highly versatile little pieces of text. They can build a community, make your account more visible, or simply attract like-minded individuals to your account. 

Before choosing a group of hashtags for your posts, take a look at the most common ones you can use and their categorizations.

Best Instagram Hashtags for Companies

Whether you’re a social media manager at a company, an owner of a small business, or a sole proprietor, you can use the following hashtags to get more visibility on Instagram. 

• Product or service hashtags. Companies use product hashtags for posts related to their product and service offerings. This will usually be general, such as #hairsalon or #knitwear. 
• Industry niche hashtags. These hashtags are used to indicate the specific work you do and are narrower than your product or service hashtags. Examples include #blackhairsalon or #handmadeknits. 
• Branded hashtags. Branded hashtags help you build a community specifically around your brand or business. This can be a slogan. It can also be the name of a specific product that you offer or even your business name. 
• Campaign hashtags. If you’re running a sponsored ad, you can use a unique hashtag to keep track of activity relating to the campaign. 

• User-generated content hashtags. This type of hashtag is created specifically for your customers. These are different from product, branded, and campaign hashtags because you, the company, can’t influence what gets posted. Other people can visit this hashtag to see unfiltered and unsponsored photos of your product. 
• Instagram community hashtags for your industry. These hashtags are great for getting more visibility among other Instagrammers who do what you do. For example, if you were a knitter, you might post in #knittersofinstagram.   

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• Event or conference hashtags. As a company or business owner, you can use these hashtags to add to the conversation relating to a specific event or industry conference.  

• Cultural movement hashtags. Cultural movements such as Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ Pride, and feminism have hashtags on Instagram (#BlackLivesMatter, #Pride, and #feminism, respectively). Use these hashtags to uplift voices, share information, and make your company’s stance clear. 
• Location hashtags. These are great to target users in your area. Think #hairsalonnyc or #atlantabakery. 
• Phrase hashtags. Phrase hashtags such as #writeeveryday and #bebrave can hint at what you do while inspiring users.  

As individuals, you can also use daily, acronym, and holiday hashtags to engage in trending conversations. 

Top Instagram Hashtags for Individuals

Do you use Instagram for personal use? Take a look at the hashtags that are available to you. 

• Personal hashtags. You use these hashtags specifically in posts related to you. Think #me, #selfie, #lovemyself, #vacation, and #lovemylife. 
• Daily hashtags. Daily hashtags usually have a theme, such as #workoutwednesday, #throwbackthursday, and #motivationmonday. 
• Acronym hashtags. Think #ootd (outfit of the day), #potd (photo of the day), and #tbt. 
• Holiday hashtags. Use these hashtags for specific holidays such as #DiaDeLosMuertos or #IndependenceDay to share how you’re spending time during these days. 

Like companies, you can also use phrase, cultural movement, event, and location hashtags. 

Best Instagram Hashtags

1. #follow (675.8M posts)
2. #love (2.1B posts)
3. #instagood (1.5B posts)
4. #fashion (1B posts)
5. #photooftheday (972.4M posts)
6. #art (863.8M posts)
7. #photography (836.6M posts)
8. #instagram (785.2M posts)
9. #beautiful (779.7M posts)
10. #picoftheday (682.5M posts)
11. #nature (681.5M posts)
12. #happy (661.6M posts)
13. #cute (651.7M posts)
14. #travel (600.4M posts)
15. #style (595.3M posts)
16. #followme (587.5M posts)
17. #tbt (584.4M posts)
18. #instadaily (570.8M posts)
19. #repost (550.7M posts)
20. #like4like (536.3M posts)
21. #summer (521.1M posts)
22. #beauty (482.8M posts)
23. #fitness (476.7M posts)
24. #food (467.4M posts)
25. #selfie (460.7M posts)
26. #me (459.9M posts)
27. #instalike (454.5M posts)
28. #girl (441.6M posts)
29. #friends (429.7M posts)
30. #fun (427.5M posts)
31. #photo (427.4M posts)
32. #smile (421.7M posts)
33. #family (405.5M posts)
34. #life (402.2M posts)
35. #music (390.3M posts)
36. #ootd (388M posts)
37. #makeup (361.4M posts)
38. #likeforlike (358.1M posts)
39. #likeforlikes (335.4M posts)
40. #model (328.7M posts)
41. #dog (325.8M posts)
42. #design (302.1M posts)
43. #follow4follow (300.1M posts)
44. #amazing (299.1M posts)
45. #lifestyle (297.2M posts)
46. #motivation (297.1M posts)
47. #sunset (295.1M posts)
48. #igers (294.3M posts)
49. #explore (290.4M posts)
50. #handmade (290.2M posts)
51. #nofilter (285.7M posts)
52. #beach (279.2M posts)
53. #foodporn (275.4M posts)
54. #instamood (266.3M posts)
55. #sun (264.6M posts)
56. #artist (262.7M posts)
57. #dogsofinstagram (260.3M posts)
58. #일상 (255.8M posts)
59. #cat (253.6M posts)
60. #drawing (250M posts)
61. #sky (248.5M posts)
62. #followforfollow (245.3M posts)
63. #f4f (243.8M posts)
64. #l4l (241M posts)
65. #hair (233.4M posts)
66. #flowers (229.9M posts)
67. #followforfollowback (227.8M posts)
68. #funny (227.4M posts)
69. #gym (222.4M posts)
70. #moda (221.7M posts)
71. #photographer (219.4M posts)
72. #likeforfollow (218.4M posts)
73. #tagsforlikes (218.4M posts)
74. #wedding (218.2M posts)
75. #bestoftheday (215.2M posts)
76. #baby (214.1M posts)
77. #memes (213.8M posts)
78. #inspiration (213.4M posts)
79. #instafood (211.2M posts)
80. #vsco (205.9M posts)
81. #foodie (203.6M posts)
82. #vscocam (203M posts)
83. #instapic (200.3M posts)
84. #girls (200.2M posts)
85. #workout (194.2M posts)
86. #pretty (189.3M posts)
87. #yummy (184.3M posts)
88. #home (183.8M posts)
89. #fit (182.8M posts)
90. #party (180.5M posts)
91. #lol (180.1M posts)
92. #healthy (179.6M posts)
93. #naturephotography (179.6M posts)
94. #nails (178.9M posts)
95. #illustration (178.3M posts)
96. #landscape (175.7M posts)
97. #blackandwhite (175.1M posts)
98. #catsofinstagram (173.6M posts)
99. #cool (172.9M posts)
100. #puppy (172M posts)
101. #night (135.4M posts)
102. #catsofinstagram (133.2M posts)
103. #nails (132.9M posts)
104. #tattoo (132.4M posts)
105. #happiness (132.1M posts)
106. #instafashion (132.0M posts)
107. #work (130.6M posts)
108. #architecture (128.9M posts)
109. #japan (128.5M posts)
110. #weekend (127.5M posts)

Best Practices for Using Hashtags on Instagram  

Using hashtags on Instagram is a relatively simple process, but you’ll want to adhere to a few rules to get the most out of your hashtagging. 

We’ve compiled best practices under the following frequently asked questions. 

How many hashtags can I use on Instagram? 

Thirty hashtags are the maximum number you can use. 

The average is eleven, with half of Instagram accounts using between one and three. You can use more or less depending on your Instagram marketing goals. More doesn’t necessarily mean better. 

Should I add hashtags to every Instagram post? 

Yes! Absolutely you should. 

Try to choose hashtags that are as narrow or as niche as possible. The less volume of posts a hashtag has, the more likely you’ll be seen by people who follow them. Plus, if the subject matter is highly specific, people are more likely to engage with your post. 

All of my posts are similar. Can I use the same hashtags over and over again? 

No. Instagram’s algorithm may penalize you for consistently using the same hashtags, pushing your posts down so they don’t show up for those tags. 

Even more, they might ban your account, because using identical hashtags could make it look like you’re spamming users  — or worse — like an Instagram bot.

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Try rotating out your hashtags so that they’re highly relevant to that specific post, even if the posts are similar. Let’s say that you own a handmade pasta business. If you always use the hashtag #spaghetti but post photos of linguini, macaroni, and penne, Instagram may flag your account, and users won’t engage. 

Can I hide the hashtags in a comment? 

Absolutely. You can hide your hashtags in a comment. Instagram doesn’t distinguish between caption hashtags and comment hashtags. 

Simply write your caption as you would. After that, navigate to the published post and leave a comment with your hashtags. They will be hidden completely until users navigate to the comment section. 

How do I hide hashtags in the caption? 

Don’t want to post the hashtags in a comment? No worries. 

You can hide the hashtags in the caption by either 1) writing a caption that’s more than three lines long or 2) adding 3 to 5 line breaks with a punctuation mark.  

To add a line break, place the text cursor at the end of your caption and hit Return. Don’t forget to add either a period, a dash, an asterisk, or a tilde to ensure that that line stays there. (If there’s no punctuation, Instagram may treat it as accidental extra space, and delete those line breaks upon publication.) 

Are there any hashtags I should avoid using? 

Yes. Instagram maintains a list of banned hashtags. However, they don’t publish this list, and there’s no authoritative source. 

Some are intuitive, such as NSFW and self-harm hashtags, while others, such as #pushups and #mustfollow, aren’t as self-evident. If you have any doubt about your hashtags, be sure to look them up using the app’s Search function.

If it doesn’t show up, it’s banned. If it does show up, navigate to the hashtag feed and check for a message like this: 

 

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If your prospective hashtag doesn’t have a message like this, you’re all good to go. 

Now that you know some basic dos and don’ts, let’s take a look at the top Instagram hashtags for the year. 

Adding one of the most popular Instagram hashtags to your post doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll see more interaction. Since the hashtags below are so popular, they are being used by millions of people, so your post will most likely be obscured by the competition. Narrowing your hashtag topic is important, but we’ll get to that next.

Here are the top Instagram hashtags for this year.

1. #love (2B posts)

Instagram users build their photo galleries on good feelings. For this reason, the #love hashtag is ever-present next to the pics of friends, family, vacations, and beautiful scenery.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #love: 

#love #lovely #loveit #loveyourself #lovelife #lovequotes #loveislove #lovefood #lovemylife #lovewhatyoudo #lovethis

2. #instagood (1.2B posts)

Occurrences of this hashtag are inspired by the @instagood Instagram account, which scours the Instagram community for excellent photos and videos that are just too #instagood not to share. Add this hashtag to your content for a chance to be reposted.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #instagood:

#instagood #instalife #instalike #instapic #insta #instacool #instafollow #instaphoto #instagramers #instamoment #instagramhub

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3. #fashion (900M posts)

People often turn to Instagram to see what styles are “in”, looking at posts ranging from fashion week to everyday outfit inspirations. This means that a significant portion of the content on Instagram revolves around fashion — in fact, there are nearly one billion #fashion posts on Instagram. You will find celebrities, luxury brands, clothes, makeup, and other aspirational images tagged with #fashion.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #fashion: 

#fashion #fashionblogger #fashionista #fashionable #fashionstyle #fashionblog #fashiongram #fashionaddict #fashionweek #fashiondiaries

4. #photooftheday (883M posts)

Managing a business account? This hashtag is a surefire way to attract more followers and repeat visitors. If you plan to post daily content, all-around a common theme, add the #photooftheday hashtag to increase your exposure.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #photooftheday: 

#photooftheday #potd #picoftheday #photography #photographyeveryday #photographyoftheday #bestoftheday

5. #art (750M posts)

Artists of all kinds have always flocked to Instagram, and this hashtag holds pictures or process videos of all of their paintings, sculptures, and quirky creations. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #art: 

#art #artist #artwork #instaart #arte #streetart #digitalart #artofvisuals #artistsoninstagram #artoftheday #artsy #artistic #arts #artgallery #modernart 

6. #beautiful (717M posts)

Instagram is the place to go to put your best foot forward — whether it be your amazing getaway, a new hairstyle, or a breath-taking sunset, #beautiful photos encompass the best of what the platform has to offer.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #beautiful: 

#beautiful #beautifuldestinations #beautifulday #beautifulview #beautifulplace #beautifulcuisines #beautifulplaces #beautifuldestination #beautifulnature

7. #photography (700M posts)

At its core, Instagram is a photo-sharing media, so it makes sense that there are some stunning and artistic images shared in #photography. Instagram is unique in that a user could be scrolling through the #photography posts and see National Geographic and professional photos next to amateur photographers.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #photography: 

#photography #travelphotography #naturephotography #streetphotography #foodphotography #portraitphotography #landscapephotography #weddingphotography #blackandwhitephotography

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8. #follow (620M posts)

This hashtag — currently tagged on more than six hundred million posts — is a tactic used by public accounts looking to gain more followers. It’s a ubiquitous tag, non-specific to any one type of content creator, so you’ll see #follow on fashion accounts, travel blogs, makeup tutorials, celebrity fan pages, and much more. The idea is that if a user comes across content that they like on your explore page, they might be motivated to follow the account for more of that content.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #follow: 

#follow #f4f #followme #followforfollow #follow4follow #teamfollowback #followbackteam #followall #followalways #followback #pleasefollow #follows #follower #following

9. #happy (615M posts)

Sometimes the best part of feeling good is sharing that sunshine with others. The #happy group of posts is full of radiant people and lighthearted content that brings us joy. Tag a photo of a cute kitten or one of yourself after getting a promotion with #happy.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #happy: 

#happy #happyday #happylife #happyfriday #happyhour #happyme #happymonday #happysunday #happytime #happydays #happydog #happyplace

10. #cute (610M posts)

#Cute puts your content in a pool of Instagram photos and videos that elicit “awes” from all over the Instaverse. If you think your puppy is the cutest puppy that ever lived, it deserves a photo with this esteemed hashtag.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #cute: 

#cute #cutedog #cutebaby #cuteness #cuteanimals #cutecat #cutepetclub #cutenessoverload #cuteboy #cutedogs #cutecouple #cutepuppy #cutest 

11. #instagram (600M posts)

Navigate to this hashtag and you’ll find everything from selfies to photos of food to pet pictures to vacation shots. Use this hashtag to signal that you’re on Instagram and that you have something worth sharing. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #instagram: 

#instagram #instagramers #instagramhub #instagrammers #instagramer #instagramanet #instagramdogs #instagrammer #instagramjapan #instagramcats #instagramfitness

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12. #nature (600M posts)

Nature is all around us. It’s also on Instagram. This hashtag is used to post everything related to nature, including mountains, rivers, and wild animals. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #nature: 

#nature #naturephotography #naturelovers #naturelover #nature_perfection #naturegram #nature_brilliance #natureaddict #nature_shooters #naturephoto #naturelove

13. #tbt (560M posts)

#Tbt stands for “Throwback Thursday,” and encourages Instagram users to post an old photo of themselves or an event they’re reminiscing over. Everyone likes content from the good old days — here’s your hashtag for enjoying the nostalgia.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #tbt: 

#throwbackthursday #tbthursday #tbtphoto 

14. #followme (560M posts) 

A close cousin to #followforfollow and #likeforlike, #followme is used by Instagrammers looking to grow their follower base.  

Top Instagram hashtags related to #followme: 

#follow #f4f #followme #followforfollow #follow4follow #teamfollowback #followbackteam #followall #followalways #followback #pleasefollow #follows #follower #following

15. #travel (544M posts)

Away for the weekend? Show your followers where you are, using this hashtag to indicate you’re traveling somewhere new.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #travel: 

#travel #travelgram #instatravel #travelphotography #traveling #travelling #travelblogger #traveler #traveller #travelingram #traveltheworld #travelblog #travels #traveladdict 

16. #style (500M posts)

This hashtag has more than 500 million posts associated with it, making it one of the top tags on Instagram. It’s used for beautifully edited photos of outfits, vacations, luxury products, and anything aesthetically stunning. Tag #style on a gorgeous outfit inspiration or new product, and Instagram users looking to add a little glamour to their lives will find you.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #style: 

#style #styleinspo #styleblogger #styleinspiration #styleoftheday #stylefashion #stylegoals #stylediary #stylegram #styleguide #styleblog

17. #repost (500M posts)

Reposting is a common function on Instagram that allows you to share content from other users, with credit back to the original user. Use the hashtag, #repost, to tell others on Instagram that you were inspired by this photo or video.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #repost: 

#repost #reposter #repostapp  #reposting #repostthis #reposted 

18. #instadaily (500M posts)

This hashtag is similar to #photooftheday and is perfect for Instagrammers who post every day.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #instadaily: 

#photooftheday #potd #picoftheday #photography #photographyeveryday #photographyoftheday #bestoftheday

19. #summer (490M posts)

The summertime is the best season to enjoy fun vacations, fruity drinks, and time by the pool. This tag is full of Instagram users enjoying the long summertime hours on the beach or showing off the breezy outfits keeping them cool under the hot #summer sun.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #summer: 

#summer #summertime #summervibes #summerfun #summernights #summerdays #summerstyle #summerfashion #summerday

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20. #selfie (442M posts)

This is the quintessential selfie hashtag, indicating to the Instagram community that the photo its captioning is a picture of you.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #selfie:

#me #selfies #selfietime #selfienation #selfiesunday  #selfiegram #selfielove #selfieaddict #selfiesaturday #selfiemania 

21. #fitness (433M posts)

Get in on a trending community of workout warriors with photos and videos from your best exercise sessions, using the #fitness hashtag to share the moment.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #fitness:

#fitness #fitnessmotivation #fitnessmodel #fitnessaddict #fitnessgirl #fitnessjourney #fitnesslife #fitnesslifestyle #fitnessgoals #fitnessfreak #fitnessfood #fitnessgear #fitnessinspiration

22. #beauty (431M posts) 

The hashtag #beauty is mainly used by beauty bloggers — professional make-up artists and hobbyists — but you’ll also find some pet shots and nature shots in there, too. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #beauty:

#beauty #beautyblog #beautycare #beautytips #beautyaddict #beautysalon #beautybloggers #beautyqueen #beautyguru #beautyproducts #beautyofnature #beautygram 

23. #food (428M posts)

Meal pics are the bread and butter (no pun intended) of a people-oriented Instagram account. Use the #food hashtag to caption your next delicious Instagram photo.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #food:

#food #foodporn #instafood #foodie #healthyfood #foodstagram #foodgasm #foodphotography #foodblogger #foodlover #foodpics #foodpic #foodies

24. #fun (400M posts)

If it’s not fun, it’s not Instagram-worthy. Make it known to millions of Instagram users that you had a blast in your latest photo or video with this popular hashtag.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #fun:

#fun #funny #lol #lmao #hilarious #laugh #laughing #tweegram #friends #wacky #crazy #silly #witty #instahappy #joke #jokes

25. #likeforlike (345M posts)

#Likeforlike is similar to the #followforfollow hashtag. Use this hashtag if you want to increase engagement on your Instagram account, telling users that you’ll like their photo or video if they like yours.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #likeforlike:

#likeforlike #followme #like4like #liker #likes #l4l #likes4likes #love #likesforlikes #liketeam #likeback #likebackteam #likeall #likealways

The above hashtags might have helped define Instagram over the last year, but there are still plenty more that end up trending every year. The following hashtags can help inspire photos and videos that Instagram users always find captivating. 

1. #life (366M posts)

This one goes out to all the photos and videos that encompass the essence of your life — whether in quarantine or not. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #life:

#life #lifestyle #healthylifestyle #lovelife #luxurylifestyle #lifeisgood #lifestyleblogger #lifequotes #loveofmylife #luxurylife #lifeofadventure 

2. #music (350M posts)

This hashtag is for those who love music and the people who create it. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #music:

#music #musica #musician #musically #musicvideo #musical #musicians #musicislife #musicproducer #musiclife #musiclover #musicfestival #musicphotography #musicproduction

3. #amazing (289M posts)

The hashtag #amazing is used for everything you find, well, amazing — places, art, beautiful homes, awe-inspiring videos, and more. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #amazing:

#beautiful #cute #awesome #amazingview #amazingfood #amazingplaces

4. #nofilter (280M posts)

Instagram offers so many different filters to help enhance photos, it’s practically assumed that any picture on Instagram has been edited. But if you’re posting a pic that was beautiful all by itself, let the world know that this gem didn’t need a filter to look so nice.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #nofilter:

#nofilter #nofilterneeded #nofilters #nofiltersneeded #nofilternecessary #nofilterneededforthisbeauty 

5. #sunset (272M posts)

Who doesn’t love a good sunset? Users add posts to this hashtag to show off a beautiful sunset near them. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #sunset:

#sunset #sunsets #sunsetlovers #sunsetporn #sunsetlover #sunsetsky #sunsetphotography #sunsetbeach #sunsethunter #sunsetmadness 

6. #motivation (258M posts)

On Twitter, #MondayMotivation encourages inspiring quotes and messages to help people start the week off on the right foot. On Instagram, the #motivation hashtag has come to caption anything from a photo of a user after a big gym session, to a computer screen right before he or she gets to work.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #motivation:

#motivation #motivationalquotes #motivational #motivationmonday #motivationalquote #MotivationalSpeaker #motivationalmonday #motivations #motivationquotes

7. #instamood (251M posts)

#Instamood is all about the vibe or emotion a photo or video elicits. Pretty scenery, a day at the beach, or a night out with good people are all prominent under the #instamood hashtag. Landscapes are a popular starting point when figuring out what to post on Instagram, according to Jumper Media, and they fit into this hashtag perfectly.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #instamood:

#instamood #instagood #instalife #instalike #instapic #insta #instacool #instafollow #instaphoto #instagramers #instamoment #instagramhub 

8. #foodporn (250M posts)

I hope you’re hungry! The #foodporn tag is brimming with mouthwatering posts of desserts, pizza, recipe videos, and so much more. This hashtag is for the best of the best when it comes to delectable treats on Instagram — find the most original, delicious, and tantalizing food pictures on the internet under this hashtag.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #foodporn:

#food #foodporn #instafood #foodie #healthyfood #foodstagram #foodgasm #foodphotography #foodblogger #foodlover #foodpics #foodpic #foodies

9. #handmade (245M posts)

The hashtag #handmade is like the #art hashtag for handmade wares, clothing, and novelties. The rise of slow fashion and a growing interest in sustainably-made products makes this one of the top trending hashtags this year. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #handmade:

#handmade #handmadejewelry #handmadewithlove #handmadeisbetter #handmadefont #handmadegifts #handmadejewellery #handmadeshoes #handmadesoap #handmadeaccessories 

10. #dogsofinstagram (225M posts)

We all know that the internet loves cute puppies, so it shouldn’t be surprising when a hashtag for our beloved doggos trends on Instagram.  It’s always a good idea to include man’s best friend in an Instagram post — your followers will love it and you’re almost guaranteed dozens of heart emojis in your comments.

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Top Instagram hashtags related to #dogsofinstagram:

#dogsofinstagram #dogs #dog #dogstagram #dogsofinsta #dogsofig #dogsitting #dogslife #doglife #dogsofinstaworld #dogoftheday

11. #bestoftheday (210M posts)

The #bestoftheday tag offers a glimpse into the massive amount of varied content that is posted to Instagram every day. Here, you’ll find some of the most noteworthy images on the platform — images of beautiful spots around the world, award-winning photos, yummy recipes, adorable animals, and so much more.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #bestoftheday: 

 #bestoftheday #instadaily #potd #picoftheday #photography #photographyeveryday #photographyoftheday

12. #instafood (190M posts)

This popular tag is different from other food hashtags because it accompanies food pictures that are gorgeous, creative, and, most importantly, worthy of Instagram. Instagram posts are known for being aesthetically appealing, and #instafood is no different. Use this tag if you’re posting a photo of a colorful, unique, and sumptuous dish! 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #instafood:

#instafood #food #foodporn #foodie #healthyfood #foodstagram #foodgasm #foodphotography #foodblogger #foodlover #foodpics #foodpic #foodies

13. #explore (185M posts) 

Instagram has always had an explore section, but only recently have Instagrammers started to use this hashtag to win a highly coveted but elusive spot on this page. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #explore:

#instagrammers #igers #instalove #instamood #instagood #followme #follow #comment #shoutout

14. #memes (180M posts) 

A classic but a goodie. Throughout the years, humor has taken different forms — comedy sitcoms, stand-ups, knock-knock jokes, and more. But none of these forms come near the Instagram-worthiness of memes. Use this hashtag to share a unique meme or repost one from another account. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #memes:

#memes #meme #dankmemes #funnymemes #memesdaily #edgymemes #offensivememes #fortnitememes #dailymemes #spicymemes #memestagram #btsmemes #memes😂  #memepage #memelord

15. #followforfollowback (160M posts)

Interested in building a fast list of followers on Instagram? #Followforfollowback tells everyone who browses this hashtag that you’ll follow users who choose to follow you. This hashtag is always trending highly.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #followforfollowback:

#followforfollowback #follow #f4f #followme #followforfollow #follow4follow #teamfollowback #followbackteam #followall #followalways #followback

16. #tweegram (95M posts)

There is plenty of multi-platform sharing across social media sites, and in #tweegram, you’ll find images taken from Twitter, Pinterest, and more. #Tweegram is best known for quotes, screenshots of Tweets, and memes.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #tweegram:

#tweetgram #tweet #twitter #twitterposts #twitterweek #twittermarketing #twittermemes #twitterpost #twittermeme #twitterquotes #twitterwhy 

17. #instagramhub (65M posts)

This hashtag isn’t specific to one type of post — #instagramhub is a place for active Instagram users to demonstrate their presence on the platform and reach larger audiences. By including this popular hashtag, influencers on Instagram can connect with as many users as possible.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #instagramhub:

 #instagramhub  #igers #instagram #instadaily #instamood #instagood #instalife #instalike #instapic #insta #instacool #instafollow #instaphoto #instagramers #instamoment

18. #quarantine (30M posts)

#Quarantine is the quintessential COVID-19 hashtag and has no defined aesthetic or subject matter. Instead, it encompasses everything that we see, experience, and do — or don’t do — during quarantine. You can find pet photos, cooking videos, memes, and, most shockingly, shots of people on vacation. 

It’s worth noting that there’s no #COVID hashtag because Instagram wants to prevent the spread of misinformation. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #quarantine:

#quarantine #quarantinelife #quarantineandchill

19. #BlackLivesMatter (26M posts)

The Black Lives Matter movement swept through the United States in 2020 and has been at the forefront of the cultural imagination since the killing of Trayvon Martin in 2012. Use this hashtag to add value to the movement or uplift voices that differ from your own.  

Top Instagram hashtags related to #blacklivesmatter:

#blm #blackhistorymonth #blackownedbusiness #blackgirlmagic #blackouttuesday #blackexcellence

Read HubSpot’s stance on Black Lives Matter here.

20. #newmusic (20M posts)

The hashtag #newmusic is one of the many tags people use to share either their own original music or let others know who they’re jamming to today. 

Top Instagram hashtags related to #newmusic:

#music #hiphop #rap #artist #spotify #producer #rapper #soundcloud #musician #beats

21. #whatiwore (18M posts)

What better way to show off your OOTD than to tag #whatiwore. This hashtag is commonly used by people interested in the latest fashion trends, often tagging where they found it for sponsorships or for the chance of brand recognition.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #whatiwore:

#ootd #outfitoftheday #fashion #instastyle #style #instafashion #fashionblogger #fashionista #styleinspo

22. #workinprogress (16M posts)

The #workinprogress hashtag gives users a glimpse of some of the coolest projects being shared on the app. From art, architecture, or even fitness, this tag helps people post about reaching their goals and the steps along the way.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #workinprogress: 

#wip #drawing #artwork #painting #handmade #workout #design #fitness #artistsoninstagram #motivation 

23. #space (15M posts)

There’s something so interesting and beautiful about outer space, and talking about it on social media never gets old either. Posting in the #space hashtag will lead you to find amazing shots of stars far and wide.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #space:

24. #technology (14M posts) 

With technologic innovations taking place every day across industries, the #technology hashtag is where you’ll find the newest development or gadget.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #technology:

#tech #innovation #engineering #technews #science #design #gadgets #electronics #smartphone #programming

25. #engaged (13M posts) 

Love is in the air — or in this case it’s trending. The #engaged hashtag is there for all your proposal inspiration, wedding ideas, and even more content for all the lovers out there.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #engaged:

#wedding #bride #bridetobe #love #weddinginspiration #engagement #weddingplanning #weddingphotography #weddingday #weddingdress

26. #travelbug (10M posts)

Influencers all around the world can use the #travelbug hashtag to document their coolest destination vlogs and photos. Take advantage of this hashtag whether you’re hitting the road or flying overseas.

Top Instagram hashtags related to #travelbug:

#travel #wanderlust #travelgram #travelphotography #traveltheworld #travelblogger #traveladdict #instatravel #traveling

1. Keep your hashtags organized.

To create an efficient hashtag system, you can use Excel or an Instagram analytics tool. If you choose an excel sheet, you’ll need to manually keep track of which hashtags you use, how often, and which ones correlate to your most popular posts. Over time, you’ll see relationships between certain hashtags and your most popular posts, and this can help you decide which hashtags work best for your brand.

If you have a more advanced social media team, you might want to consider a tool like Iconosquare, which automatically stores top hashtags and provides reports on which hashtags reach the most people.

For smaller businesses with limited budgets, Krystal Gillespie says that, “an excel sheet is the best way to start. Once you get more advanced I would highly recommend using a tool to track the data. A manual system can get overwhelming when you’re posting three times a day and using about 20 hashtags per post.”

2. Figure out your magic number.

Most top brands use seven or fewer hashtags per post, so it’s easy to assume that’s the magic number for everyone … right? Krystal explains that this isn’t always the case: She told me HubSpot has been more successful with hashtags ranging in the low 20s.

The point is, you can’t know how many hashtags work best for you until you test it. For HubSpot, it took the team several months to find a number that worked best, and during our trial period, we ranged from seven to 30. Give yourself the same flexibility for trial and error.

3. Narrow your hashtags.

There are two big reasons more specific, smaller-volume hashtags are better for your brand: first, you can compete in a smaller pool. HubSpot, for example, doesn’t typically use the hashtag #marketing because it’s too broad. If you search #marketing, you’ll find pictures of restaurants, inspirational quotes, before-and-after hairstyle pictures, and memes.

The randomness of #marketing leads me to the second reason specific hashtags are a good idea: as a user, I’m more likely to find what I need if I search for something specific, and when your business comes up for my specific search request, I’m more likely to be happy with what I found.

Krystal explains: “Keeping a hashtag close to the interests of your brand really helps. We try to use hashtags tailored for a specific topic and then narrow it down further — for instance, we’d use #SEOTips if our marketing post was mostly about SEO.”

Think of it this way: #dogs is more popular, but it has a wide demographic. If I search #goldenretrieverpuppies and I find your post, I’m more likely to engage with it because it’s exactly what I wanted.

4. Research what other people are hashtagging.

An easy way to generate hashtag ideas is to make a list of your followers or competitors and research what they’re hashtagging on their own photos. It can also be particularly helpful to research what influencers in your industry are hashtagging — by definition, influencers are people with a large social media following, so they must be doing something right.

5. Test out related hashtags.

When you type a hashtag into Instagram’s search bar, Instagram shows you related hashtags in the scroll-down menu. Instagram also delivers related hashtags on the next page after you click on a hashtag. This is a simple way to create a longer list of hashtags to try out.

6. Follow your own hashtag.

Another way to use Instagram hashtags for your marketing purposes is to follow your own hashtag. Krystal explains, “On Instagram, I actually follow the hashtag #hubspot so I can find anyone who talks about us and connect with them. As long as your account isn’t private, people will be able to find you via the hashtag.”

Following your own hashtag is an effective way to engage with other people talking about your brand and develop better relationships with them.

7. Create a brand campaign hashtag.

This is the trickiest item on the list, but if done successfully, it can pay off big time. Some businesses have successfully attracted followers by creating their own campaign hashtags. A campaign hashtag needs to be funny, clever, or at least memorable to work.

Campaign hashtags are particularly useful for promoting a new product or upcoming event, or even just inspiring people. Red Bull, for example, encouraged followers to post Red Bull pictures with a #putacanonit hashtag (see what I mean about clever?). LuLuLemon, rather than running a more traditional ad campaign, developed a positive connotation for their brand by asking followers to post real, active pictures of themselves with a #sweatlife hashtag.

Now that we’ve covered the importance of using Instagram hashtags for your business, you might be wondering how to search for Instagram hashtags within the app, or how to use the search function to find related ideas. If you’re unsure of the technical process for hashtag searching, here’s how:

How to Search Hashtags on Instagram

To search hashtags on Instagram, tap the magnifying glass at the bottom of your screen, then tap the search bar at the top. Selecting the “Tags” option will enable you to search hashtags and related hashtags based on the popularity of each one.

1. Open Instagram and tap the search icon.

Instagram wants you to use hashtags and has made it extremely easy to find the perfect ones for your post. To start, open the Instagram app on your mobile device and tap the magnifying glass at the bottom of your screen.

2. Tap the search bar at the top of your screen.

The search screen on your Instagram might first send you to a newsfeed-style page (the Explore page) with suggested content based on topics you’ve demonstrated an interest in on social media. To switch to a hashtag search, tap the search bar at the top of this page, as shown in the screenshot above.

3. Tap “Tags.”

Once you’ve tapped the search bar at the top of your screen, Instagram will give you four options with which to filter your search. Instagram refers to hashtags as simply “Tags,” as shown in the screenshot below. Tap this “Tags” option, then tap the search bar above it, and begin searching topics for which you want to find a trending hashtag.

You don’t have to include the pound sign (#) in your search — your results will be the same with or without it — but you will need to use this pound sign in the caption of your photo once you choose a hashtag.

4. Browse hashtags based on post count and current content.

Voila! You should see multiple options for hashtags based on your search. Browse around at each related hashtag that Instagram suggests for you — you might find that a hashtag with slightly fewer posts includes photos or videos that are more in line with the content you’re posting.

After finding the best hashtags for your account, you’ll be sure to create a winning hashtag strategy. 

Use Hashtags on Instagram to Gain More Followers

Using hashtags is a critical part of a strong Instagram marketing strategy. Following best practices, you can increase your follower count and boost the number of leads coming from Instagram. Happy hashtagging!

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in July 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

According to a 2021 HubSpot Blog Research survey, 19% of marketers believe finding the right candidate for a role will be more difficult in 2022. For nearly half of marketers surveyed, finding candidates with the right skill set is the biggest challenge.

2021 LinkedIn research shows that the top three in-demand marketing roles are digital marketing specialists, digital account executives, and social media managers. But some businesses struggle with knowing which roles to hire for and when it’s the right time to add to the team.

To help with this, we’ve compiled a list of the top marketing roles brands are investing in today.

Challenges Marketers are Facing

According to 2021 HubSpot Blog Research, the biggest challenge marketers face is training their team.

Large organizations often have the infrastructure set in place to ensure both managers and new employees have a smooth onboarding and training process which can last a few weeks to several months. Newer, smaller businesses can struggle in this aspect.

Training doesn’t only happen when an employee starts the job. In an ideal world, training happens at a regular interval based on business and/or team needs. However, that’s not always the case.

A recent study showed that 11% of UK workers say they’ve never received formal workplace training while 30% say they haven’t done it in the last five years. This can lead to larger issues relating to performance, career development, and job satisfaction.

Another challenge 28% of marketers admitted facing in the HubSpot Blog Research survey is measuring the ROI of their marketing activities. This is an age-old problem for marketing teams.

Teams develop elaborate campaigns but then when the results (i.e., data) come in, they’re not exactly sure how to measure its success.

As for 2022, 21% of marketers still anticipate training and ROI measuring being major challenges, along with traffic and lead generation.

Additionally, marketers are equally worried about hiring top talent. To help with this, we’ve compiled a list of the top marketing job titles and in the next section, we cover their roles.

You have a list of titles, but do you understand the skill sets and tasks associated with each? We can help there, too.

These titles mean nothing if you don’t know how they support the initiatives your company wants to tackle. With that in mind, here are five types of people whose skill sets are critical to marketing today, and how their talents map to the titles above.

Marketing Job Titles and What They Do

1. Content Marketing Roles

Content marketing is on every brand’s mind.

LinkedIn says it’s the second-fastest-growing skill and according to HubSpot Blog Research, it’s the number one strategy marketing teams are hiring for this year and in 2022.

A few years ago, it was common to see “blogger” as a job title on Indeed and other job search websites. Today, brands are looking for candidates with more technical, brand-oriented skills as search engines get more competitive.

Content marketing has also expanded, which means brands are hiring candidates for every aspect, from ideation and strategy to production and promotion.

Lisa Toner, director of content at HubSpot, has some tips on this.

“In today’s world, the publishing business is democratized, favouring creators across all content platforms,” says Toner, “so I would encourage brands to start building their creator strategy for 2022 and not restrict their content efforts to what they can build with their internal team.”

So, try one of these on for size:

• Content Creator (entry-level)
• Content Strategist (mid-level)
• Content Marketing Manager (management)

What They Do

Content marketing encompasses all the consumable media you publish to drive the conversation in your industry, often including but not limited to blog posts, newsletters, and podcasts.

Your content team is responsible for developing the strategy behind your content, producing the content and the lead-generating offers, and monitoring the results. They work across the entire funnel, creating content that will appeal to those who are newly introduced to the brand as well as those considering a purchase, or post-purchase.

The size of your team will determine how these tasks are divided. While a content creator will focus on producing marketing materials to attract the audience, your content strategist will be in charge of determining core editorial themes and devising how to approach SEO in each post (More on SEO later).

The content marketing manager can then oversee the editorial calendar and package content into newsletters to subscribers, helping you grow your contact list and generate leads from all your content creator’s hard work.

2. Brand Marketing Roles

This role can be tougher to define, but it’s just as important to your content strategy.

Although “videographer” and “graphic designer” can suffice for freelancers and those who specialize in a certain medium, these titles don’t hold much weight for full-time candidates who are increasingly doing it all.

Here are some suggestions:

• Creative Assistant (entry-level)
• Digital Brand Manager (mid-level)
• Creative Director (management)

What They Do

You’ve likely noticed a pattern forming: Just as writers associate with “content,” your visual content and multimedia folks are fond of marketing job titles rooted in “creative” and “brand.” These keywords help bundle the many types of marketing collateral your creatives may tackle under one umbrella.

Breaking down the specific tasks associated with each role, creative assistants and digital brand managers produce photos, videos, logos, infographics, and similar visual content that give your brand style and storytelling power.

Creative directors, on the other hand, work cross-functionally with design, marketing, and sales teams to create a vision for the products and/or services offered. They are also responsible for developing new ideas relating to ad campaigns, messaging, and branding.

After you determine what level of expertise you need, be sure to research the design and editing software that best fits your company’s needs and include it in the job description. This ensures you’re reaching candidates who are proficient in the tools you use to be successful.

3. Marketing Analyst Roles

How do you know if your marketing efforts are producing a return on investment, or even being seen by the right people?

Information related to page views, how users found your content, how long they stayed, and other consumption metrics can help you determine value and discover opportunities for optimization, but the roles that manage this data are a bit more complicated than the above two.

Here are three great titles for your more analytical marketers:

• Marketing Data Analyst (entry-level)
• Marketing Technologist (mid-level)
• Digital Marketing Manager (management)

What They Do

Although each of these people should be well-versed in content analytics, they actually specialize in different things.

While marketing data analysts study industry conditions to refine product positioning, marketing technologists develop an operational strategy for executing on these conditions then pursue the necessary technology to support it.

Digital marketing managers, on the other hand, oversee the analytics related to your content so you can optimize your existing assets and create smarter campaigns in the future.

This personnel is very helpful to companies that outsource their writing needs to freelancers and need to analyze the ROI on their content spend. Or maybe they have a less-technical content team in-house, and prefer to hire a designated analytics team to work alongside them.

If you don’t have the budget or inclination to hire two separate teams, however, it’s common to build analytics into the daily duties of the content strategist or content marketing manager.

Keep in mind not every data-focused job title relates to marketing, so be careful when recruiting an analytics buff. A broad title like “data analyst,” for example, may attract operations generalists who design systems to help the business itself become more efficient, instead of your marketing campaigns specifically.

4. Social Media Marketing Roles

According to 2021 HubSpot Blog Research, 51% of marketers plan to increase their social media investments in 2022. Out of that group, 88% plan to continue investing the same amount or increase their investment in 2022.

Along with content marketing, social media is another buzzing department that businesses are prioritizing.

Similar to how “blogger” is often too narrow for your content folks, “Facebook manager” would have the same effect for social media. You want to pick a title that isn’t too restrictive and allows your candidate to expand and grow into other responsibilities.

Better options include:

• Social Media Coordinator (entry-level)
• Social Media Strategist (mid-level)
• Community Manager (management)

What They Do

Social media coordinators handle the day-to-day responsibilities of managing social media platforms. This includes scheduling posts, engaging with followers, and responding to inquiries. Social media strategists assess which social networks will offer the maximum reach and best ROI, then develop plans for each one.

Strategies for each network can vary wildly depending on where your audience hangs out and what content they consume (insights your marketing data analyst may help you uncover.)

So, what about a community manager? They focus on the following:

• Helping your social media team manage its relationship with current and future followers of the brand.
• Engaging your audience by starting and monitoring conversations relating to your industry and brand.
• Answering queries, promoting positive reviews and other valuable audience contributions, and mitigating or de-escalating negative commentary.

5. SEO Marketing Roles

Any marketer can tell you how important it is to show up on the first page. Unfortunately, search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo! Aren’t giving out handbooks on the formula you need to follow to land on that first page.

Their ranking algorithms also change regularly, making an SEO expert an incredibly valuable asset on your team. Here are three marketing job titles that’ll resonate with the search crowd:

• SEO Specialist (entry-level)
• SEO Strategist (mid-level)
• SEO/Marketing Manager (management)

What They Do

As you can see, there’s a pretty obvious pattern here. And just like your social media team, the difference between each role is in strategy versus execution.

SEO specialists coordinate with content creators to ensure the SEO tactics you’ve agreed to are followed in your content. Strategists work with your analytics buffs to refine your approach to SEO as Google’s algorithm, or your own content strategy, changes.

SEO/marketing managers are particularly helpful if you’re tracking SEO performance – also known as organic performance – of more than one blog or website.

Keep in mind not every marketing position you see here is critical to an effective growth strategy. Some titles may be most useful to incorporate in the job description of another role you’re hiring for, rather than its own position (for example, putting “coordinates social media” in the description for a “content marketing manager” title).

Which marketing roles will leaders invest in next year?

In 2021, marketers mostly invested in content marketing and social media, according to HubSpot Blog Research.

The top role marketers hired for this year was content creators, followed by content marketing managers. In 2022, 32% of marketers said content marketing managers will take priority in recruitment efforts, followed by content strategists then content creators.

Toner says it’s no surprise to see companies investing in their content marketing initiatives next year.

“Media consumption is at an all-time high and brands are spending massive budgets to advertise on the most successful media publications, whether that’s on podcasts, newsletters, YouTube, or websites,” says Toner.

“But buying ad inventory is a short term play and smart companies are thinking about building their own media empires for long term success.”

There are also some roles marketing teams will be recruiting for the first time in 2022.

“Creative assistant” takes the top spot, followed by “creative director.” Interestingly enough, 22% of marketers surveyed say they’ll be recruiting content marketing managers for the first time.

Which marketing roles will be lower priority in 2022?

In 2022, only 2% of marketers plan to prioritize recruiting acquisition marketing managers, according to HubSpot Blog Research. Other roles that aren’t priority include:

• SEO Strategist
• SEO Marketing Manager
• Product Marketing Manager
• Growth Marketing Manager

This would suggest that marketers are focused on building out their organic channels beyond just websites and placing content before product, a great way to build brand loyalty and gain consumer trust.

With that said, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t recruit these roles. It just provides some insight into where the industry is headed and how marketers are navigating.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in Feb 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Most companies have goals related to growth. I’m not sure of many companies that want to make less money or reach fewer people over time.

However, a company can’t just magically make more money, reach new customers, or grow a team overnight. It takes intention and strategy from an experienced leader to facilitate this type of growth.

As a company looks to scale, having a qualified chief operating officer is a critical aspect of making those growth goals a reality. Leading this type of change as a chief operating officer can be a dynamic opportunity for budding business leaders. Let’s discuss the significance of the role, what a chief operating officer does, and the qualifications you’ll need to become one.

If a company has a chief operating officer in place, this individual likely knows the ins and outs of the business and industry and is often responsible for making sure the company’s operational model is functioning properly.

The COO needs to know how key functions of the company (including product, finance, marketing, service) all work together to deliver a positive experience for the customer while reaching key business goals.

In 2021, the average base salary of a chief operating officer was $145,467 per year, though this figure can vary depending on the company and the experience level of the candidate.

It’s worth noting how this role differs from the chief executive officer (CEO). Once a company experiences a period of substantial growth and has public-facing activities, the CEO may begin focusing on external management of the company affairs and representing the company to the public. That’s when a COO may be brought on board to ensure the company’s internal affairs are being handled properly.

Image Source

Now that you know what a COO is and how the role differs from that of a CEO, let’s cover what a COO does in their day-to-day.

What does a chief operating officer do?

At a high level, the chief operating officer is responsible for making sure all of the internal systems that make a company run smoothly are in good working order so the business can run optimally. They’re tasked with integrating the company’s mission, vision, goals, and operations for strategic alignment and execution.

Key tasks for a COO can include:

• Overseeing the management and optimization of the company’s daily operations
• Working directly with the CEO and other members of the c-suite to establish and implement the organizational vision, business strategy, and staffing plans
• Creating business budgets for financial growth and proper resource management
• Analyzing key data to understand the company’s progress to key goals and objectives and make recommendations as needed to improve performance

How to Become a COO

Do you have your eye on a chief operating officer position? Or are you looking to build the skills to become one in the future? Let’s talk about what you need to qualify for the role.

Though there is no specific educational track that guarantees landing a COO role, 65% of chief operating officers in the US have a bachelor’s degree and 20% have earned a master’s degree.

It’s important to note that many COO roles are filled internally. That means leaders are typically promoted or appointed into the position from within the company. That certainly doesn’t mean you won’t see or have the opportunity to apply for external chief officer position roles, but it is an important practice to be aware of if you have aspirations to become a COO.

With that in mind, you may want to consider working under an existing COO to gain the necessary experience and to put yourself in a better position to be appointed into the role down the line.

For potential COO’s, experience can be a differentiating factor during the hiring process. According to research by Indeed, the average COO had 10 to 15 years of relevant experience before landing the role.

Successful chief operating officers need experience in business operations, data analysis, problem-solving, leadership, and management, as these are all skills that will be used daily on the job. As you embark on becoming a COO, make sure you have relevant experience optimizing and integrating organizational processes.

Here are some more skills and qualifications chief operating officer candidates need:

• Expert-level industry knowledge
• Strong communication skills
• The ability to make strategic decisions for the company
• Experience identifying organizational challenges and implementing effective solutions
• Proven track record of successfully leading and managing teams
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Project management skills

The role of chief operating officer provides a unique opportunity to leverage business expertise, strategic leadership, and operational support within one executive-level role to support the growth and future trajectory of a company.

Before hiring the right person for the job, you need to decide how you’ll pay them. Two of the most common ways to pay employees is with a salary or an hourly wage.

You’re probably wondering which option is better: the flexibility of an hourly employee or the stability of a salaried one. Of course, the answer is never as straightforward as we’d like.

Let’s compare the pros and cons of hourly vs. salary workers, the different laws for each, and what to look for when determining the right fit for your business.

What is a salaried employee?

A salaried employee earns an annual wage regardless of when they clock in and out. In other words, whether you work 20 hours or 60 hours per week, the number on your paycheck stays the same.

To state the obvious, an employee isn’t paid their entire salary on the first day. Instead, it’s divided by the number of pay periods, often on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis. For example, an employee with a salary of $60,000 a year, paid twice a month, would receive $2,500 per paycheck.

Pros of Salaried Employees

Even if an employee clocks additional hours during the week, they receive the same rate per paycheck. Meaning, you don’t need to compensate employees who go beyond the standard 40-hour workweek.

Another advantage of salaried employees is the predictability of payroll. Every salaried employee signs an employment contract outlining their base salary and frequency of payment. When it comes time for payroll, you know exactly how much to pay since there is no fluctuation from week to week.

Cons of Salaried Employees

Since salaried employees aren’t clocking in and out each day, or filling out a timesheet each week, there’s a possibility they’ll work less than 40 hours during some weeks. That said, most salaried employees are critical players in their organization and strive to meet expectations.

What is an hourly employee?

Hourly employees account for a whopping 55.5% of all wage workers in the U.S.

Here’s how it works – an hourly employee earns a certain rate per hour of work. This rate must match or exceed the minimum wage, which will vary depending on your state. If your state’s minimum wage is different from the federal minimum wage, you’re required to pay the higher of the two.

You can pay hourly employees at the same frequency as salaried employees, but their paychecks will fluctuate to reflect the number of hours they work per week. For example, let’s say you’re an hourly employee working at a rate of $10 per hour. You clock in 40 hours one week, which is $400 worth of work. The following week you only work 20 hours — earning a total of $200.

Pros of Hourly Employees

Unless covered in a contract, hourly employees aren’t guaranteed a certain number of hours each week. This means you have the flexibility to set hours based on demand, securing coverage when you need it.

Also, you have no obligation to make an hourly worker a full-time employee. By hiring an hourly worker, you can offset the benefit costs for full-time employees, like healthcare and paid time off.

Cons of Hourly Employees

Arguably the biggest con of hourly employees can be boiled down to one word — overtime. If an hourly worker surpasses the 40-hour threshold, they are eligible for overtime, which accounts for one and a half times their regular pay. This becomes costly if the nature of the position requires more hours than the standard workweek.

Another con is tracking how many hours your employees work, which takes time and careful review. You can verify the hours with timecards, or invest in a time and attendance system. Either way, expect to spend some time crunching the numbers.

Exempt vs. Non-exempt Employees

Salaried and hourly employees have different laws and regulations, which can guide you to determine the best fit for your business.

Hourly employees have non-exempt status — therefore, if they work more than 40 hours a week, they must be compensated under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Employers must abide by the law to avoid fines, fees, and even prosecution.

On the flip side, most salaried employees have exempt status. An exempt employee must earn a minimum of $455 per week, or $23,660 per year, in the form of a salary. And, if you haven’t already guessed, exempt employees are exempt from overtime pay.

Let’s consider this example to demonstrate the difference between exempt and non-exempt employees:

Elizabeth, an exempt employee, is working over the weekend to meet a Monday morning deadline. Despite working “off the clock,” she’s not compensated for these hours.

Meanwhile, Lucas, a non-exempt employee, picks up an extra shift at a retail store over the weekend. He could take the weekend off, but he knows he will get compensated for working overtime.

Determining the Right Fit for Your Business

Back to the question on everyone’s mind: is it better to hire hourly or salaried workers? The answer depends on a variety of factors:

1. Relevant federal and state laws.

Familiarize yourself with relevant federal and state laws. Even if employees are exempt on a federal level, state laws may classify them as nonexempt.

2. The nature of the position.

Consider the type of work an employee will be doing. For example, if you anticipate an employee will need to work more than 40 hours per week, it could be more cost-efficient to pay them a salary.

3. Your business and its needs.

Does your business need flexibility or predictability? Do you have the resources to track hourly workers? Do you need to offset the costs of benefits for full-time employees? These questions, among others, can determine whether your workforce should be salaried or hourly.

Final Thoughts

As you prepare to expand your team, it’s important to decide how to pay the new players. While you must abide by federal and state laws, there is still room to weigh your decision based on your business and its needs.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is critical to help your brand reach the first page of search results and ideally climb into the top 5 positions for your primary keyword.

But what happens when you want to expand outside of local markets? With Google now seeing more than 3.5 billion searches per day, there’s a massive opportunity for brands to capture new customers. The caveat is that existing SEO practices may not translate — and in some cases, may actually hurt your brand in other countries.

To avoid this potential pitfall, a robust international SEO strategy is critical. Here’s what you need to know about what it is, how it works, how it’ll benefit you, and what steps you can take to create an effective plan.

Ready? Shkojme! Idemo! Vámonos! Let’s go!

Effective strategies leverage a combination of geographic and language data to develop SEO plans that drive reliable ROI. A strong international SEO strategy will help your company reach new markets and multiply revenue.

What does international SEO do for company websites?

An international SEO strategy for websites focuses on creating content that’s applicable to local markets, as well as developing a website structure that makes it easy for search engines to find and serve the right webpages to the right users at the right time.

Consider a company that sells window shades in the United States and is making a move into Canada. First, you’ll want to ensure Canadian customers are sent to the right pages on your website — pages that contain information about Canadian locations, Canadian shipping times, and fees and costs in CAD.

You’ll need a website structure that includes both U.S. and Canadian pages and leverages enough metadata that search requests from users will direct them to the right page for their current location.

Does my business need an international SEO strategy?

It depends.

If you have no plans to expand beyond local markets — such as your current city or state — international SEO probably isn’t worth the time and resources required. In fact, international SEO can backfire if your business is entirely local. Customers who land on international pages won’t be happy when they discover you serve a very small geographic area.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to expand beyond country borders, it’s worth spending on international SEO. Given the sheer number of companies competing on the global stage and the increased challenge in ranking highly for relevant keywords, a comprehensive strategy is critical.

Still not sure whether you should go for a local SEO strategy or international SEO strategy?

There are four primary differentiators between local SEO and international SEO:

• Cost: Owing to their scale and scope, international SEO efforts come with significant costs.

• Content: To ensure international reach, you’ll need to create significantly more content than you would for a local SEO strategy.

• Capture: International SEO expands the target market you’re trying to capture, which necessitates in-depth research to ensure your brand aligns with customer expectations.
• Competition: Competition for keywords and customers is much greater for international SEO efforts. Instead of simply competing with other businesses in the same local sphere of influence, you could be up against multinational corporations.

Questions to Ask About International SEO

Not sure how to get your international SEO efforts off the ground? Start with these questions.

1. Where are you headed?
2. Should you target language or country?
3. What localization factors matter most?
4. How can you build local links?
5. Does social media matter?
6. Are current keywords good enough?
7. Do you have the right tools and talent?

1. Where are you headed?

Depending on the part of the world you’re targeting, your international SEO approach will change. For example, if you’re headed to China, the most popular search engine is Baidu, while Yandex is the preferred choice in Russia. Each of these engines have their own approach to SEO, meaning it’s worth doing your research to find out what matters most for rankings.

2. Should you target language or country?

This is a common international SEO question: Are you better-served targeting a specific language or a country? The answer depends on your goals. If you’re looking to appeal to a broad audience regardless of where they live, language optimization may be the answer. If you’re looking to grow brand awareness in a specific part of the world, opt for country-based SEO.

3. What localization factors matter most?

Localization is the process of optimizing your website and content to reflect the local language and culture. Two of the most important factors here are accuracy and common use: First, it’s critical to make sure that translations of any keywords or slogans are accurate — direct translations can open your brand and services to misinterpretations, such as the always-classic “Come alive with Pepsi” slogan translated as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead” in Chinese markets.

Common use is the other concern. The words and phrases used to describe your business and what it does may not be the same in other languages, even if the literal translation of words gives that impression. Find out what words locals use to describe your products and services and use those instead.

4. How can you build local links?

Building local links back to your site also helps with international SEO. Here, it’s a good idea to write articles for local blogs, get a sponsored mention on websites that offer advice or useful information, connect with local social media influencers, and sponsor local events.

5. Does social media matter?

While Google has expressly stated that social media doesn’t factor into international SEO rankings, you can increase brand awareness and local influencer connections with a strong social media presence.

6. Are current keywords good enough?

While your current keywords may help you rank in the top 5 locally, the sheer number of companies competing for these keywords in global markets means you need to take a look at who’s using these keywords, where they rank, and whether other similar keywords might drive better results.

7. Do you have the right tools and talent?

Finally, consider if this is something you can take on yourself or if you’re better off hiring an experienced international SEO company.

Factors That Affect International SEO

Multiple factors affect international SEO, including:

Customer Reviews

Customer reviews on your website or on local review sites can positively or negatively impact your SEO efforts. Better reviews mean better connection with your primary keyword, in turn boosting your visibility.

Mobile Responsiveness

The responsiveness of your website on mobile also matters to overall search rankings. As a result, it’s worth finding a content delivery network (CDN) capable of providing a top-tier website experience no matter where users are in the world.

Google My Business Account

Your Google My Business Account can help boost your SEO efforts — so long as you ensure to update where your company is operating. This acts as a starting point for Google to seek out geographic and language metadata on your site.

Link Building

The more links heading back to your site from international sources, the better. As mentioned above, it’s a good idea to write for local blogs or connect with influencers to point links back to your website.

How to Develop an International SEO Strategy

Ready to develop your international SEO strategy? Start here.

1. Decide where and who you’ll target.

First, pick your target market and target audience. For example, you might decide to target the larger market of Brazil, then hone in on a subset of that market that has the means and motive to buy your product. The more focused your decisions around “where” and “who,” the better your results.

2. Determine whether you’ll hire an international SEO agency.

Do you want to do the heavy lifting of international SEO yourself or outsource this effort? There are advantages to both — you know your brand better than anyone else, but SEO experts are skilled at understanding local customs and preferences and creating a strategy to match.

3. Conduct international keyword research.

Keywords that work for you at home may not work abroad. This may simply be down to keyword volume, or it may be linked to how customers in your target market refer to your business. For example, trial lawyers in the United States are known as barristers in the United Kingdom — if you’re a legal firm looking to expand operations, this is a critical keyword difference.

4. Choose the right international domain structure.

The domain structure of your website makes it easier (or harder) for visitors and search engines to find your content. Different options include:

ccTLD

Country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs) are two-letter domains assigned to specific countries. For example, .us is for the United States, .ca is for Canada, and .uk is for the United Kingdom. To improve international SEO, you may choose to create a unique ccTLD site for each country where your products or services are available.

Example: mybusiness.ca, mybusiness.uk

gTLD

A generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD), meanwhile, refers to domain extensions with three or more characters; these TLDs are maintained by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). Common examples include .com, .gov and .org.

Using a gTLD means that search engines won’t restrict results based on region, but it may reduce total traffic since many users prefer sites that include their country code TLD.

Example: mybusiness.com

ccTLD or gTLD with subdomains

You can also choose to create subdomains for your site which combine aspects of both ccTLDs and gTLDs.

Example: ca.mybusiness.com

This offers the benefit of a country code and the advantages of a gTLD.

ccTLD or gTLD with subdirectories

Subdirectories, meanwhile, change the location of the country code:

Example: mybusiness.com/ca/

5. Optimize content for the region and language

Finally, make sure all your content is optimized for both your target region and its local language. This includes double-checking all TLDs, translations, and content assets to ensure they’re aligned with local expectations.

Oh, and don’t forget the hreflang tag. This HTML attribute specifies the geographic area and language of a webpage. It’s used to differentiate similar webpages aimed at different audiences so that search engines don’t count them as duplicate content, and it looks like this:

Tools for International SEO

The right tools can also help you maximize the impact of international SEO by providing actionable data around traffic, click-throughs, and time spent on your site. Some of the most popular tools include:

HubSpot

HubSpot’s SEO software allows you to create an international content strategy, gives you live tips to improve your on-page SEO, and lets you organize your website in a way that’s easy for both search engines and users to understand.

Google Search Console

Google Search Console lets you see what queries are driving traffic to your site, determine your position on Google Search, and analyze global site impressions.

Ahrefs

Ahrefs is an all-in-one SEO toolset that lets you optimize your site, analyze your competitors’ rankings, and find the best keywords for your brand.

Moz

Moz offers site audits to determine potential issues, tracks keyword rankings across more than 170 search engines, analyzes backlink profiles to evaluate performance, and offers keyword research tools to find out how you stack up against the competition.

Semrush

Semrush lets you identify high-value local and national keywords, analyze the backlink profile of any domain, and track your site’s SERP positions daily.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is an interconnected suite of tools that helps you analyze the impact of your website content worldwide.

International SEO Best Practices

No matter what approach you take to international SEO — language-focused or country-based, outsourced or in-house — the same best practices apply. Let’s take a look at them below.

1. Answer questions in the region’s native language and in the right context.

If there’s one thing to get right for international SEO, it’s making sure you’re speaking the same language as your customers. This means doing your research to ensure you’re always answering questions in their native language and in the appropriate context.

2. Translate existing content carefully.

While translation tools provide a literal conversion of words and phrases, they’re often not used this way by locals, meaning customers will quickly recognize that something isn’t quite right. Instead of translation, what you’re really looking for is “transcreation” — you want to recreate the same content but using the culture and language of your target market as a guide.

3. Consider the entire user experience in your strategy.

International SEO isn’t just about keywords and content. It’s also about making sure the entire user experience — from filling out forms to viewing prices in local currency or accessing multimedia assets that include native speakers — is seamlessly aligned across your site.

4. Avoid automatically redirecting users based on their IP address.

While it’s critical to serve content that matches local user expectations, don’t make the decision for them. Instead of automatically redirecting where they land based on their IP address, give them the option to choose their preferred region.

SEO: Improving Your International Impact

The right SEO strategy sets your brand apart from the crowd. And while this is important in home markets, it’s even more critical if you decide to go international, because it will ensure your website is optimized to support high-value content and keywords across regions and countries. By considering local customs, language, and context, you can boost consumer engagement, improve search engine results, and maximize your international impact.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

I’m always inspired by the creativity that goes into YouTube banners, but if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably wondered how you can create one for your own channel. Well, you’re in luck!I’m here to uncover some of the best-kept secrets about YouTube banners.

In this article, you’ll learn what makes the best YouTube banners so eye-catching, and how you can create your own gorgeous channel art. To answer those questions, I’ve included some excellent resources for YouTube banner templates (spoiler alert: they’re free), as well as 10 creative channel banners that inspire us as content creators.

What makes a good YouTube banner?

A good YouTube banner is eye-catching, readable, and conveys the brand of the YouTube channel. The best YouTube banners include the brand’s logo and channel name. Some great YouTube banners include high-quality photos and graphics to create visual interest.

No matter how good your YouTube banner looks, the last thing you want is for yours to look the same as someone else’s. That’s why the guidelines I mentioned for great channel art are pretty simple. You can build the foundation of your design using those best practices, but your unique creativity is what will set your banner apart from the crowd.

To see these tips in action, let’s look at some fun and creative YouTube channel art examples.

YouTube Channel Art Examples

1. Jillian Harris

Simple, chic, and feminine. Jillian Harris’ YouTube channel art conveys exactly what her brand represents. The banner photo keeps things simple and includes only two pieces of information: her name and the date she established her brand. With a banner like this, the typeface stands out and becomes the design.

Simple channel art works if you’ve got a core following already. Jillian is quite popular on other social networks, and she’s currently migrating her audience to YouTube. The majority of people watching her videos are already familiar with who she is and the content she creates. If they’re not, there’s a welcome video right below the banner where she introduces herself to the new crowd.

2. Learn With Shopify

Shopify understands that building an online business isn’t easy. So, the company offers new and experienced entrepreneurs a library of video content to help them scale to the next level. Learn With Shopify’s banner is straightforward and draws attention to the channel’s goal.

You might think that the YouTube banner dimensions don’t provide enough room to create a dynamic design, but Shopify shows some interesting possibilities in its channel art. The name of the channel is prominent so the viewers know they’re in the right place for all things Shopify, and the green gradient gives this banner depth and creates visual interest.

3. HubSpot Marketing

Maybe I’m a little biased, but our YouTube channel has a pretty cool banner! What we haven’t seen in the first two channel art examples are faces. HubSpot’s banner features full-color images of the creators who present the video content on the channel. Our signature brand art (aka the blobs) are thoughtfully placed behind the creators’ photos so they pop on the banner.

Another fun feature of our channel art is the icon on the far right that points to our free digital marketing certification. If your brand offers more types of content, this is a great way to drive traffic to those other marketing offers.

4. Alphonso Dunn

Alphonso Dunn is a talented and well-respected artist who’s authored several art books. He’s transitioned his passion for educating students to the YouTube screen where he teaches aspiring artists how to hone their craft.

His banner includes samples of his art, his name, logo, and latest books with a link to purchase them. The composition of this banner fits everything in without overcrowding the space which allows the viewer to focus on the rest of his home page.

5. Justin Brown-Primal Video

Justin Brown is the creator of Primal Video on YouTube — a channel dedicated to teaching entrepreneurs how to amplify their businesses with video content. If this is your first time seeing Justin Brown’s YouTube home page, you’ll know exactly what to expect from his content after seeing the banner.

What I like most about this channel art is how energetic it feels without looking too busy. There’s dimension built into the image by stacking the blue and black blocks of color, then breaking that up with a color-graded photo in the middle. Font sizing and colorful backgrounds create a cohesive feel while keeping the design clean and organized.

6. Bright Side

Bright Side provides more than 40 million people with the answers to questions that they never asked, but absolutely have to know. Its YouTube channel art is bright, punchy, and bold — a perfect backdrop for inspirational, creative, and wonderful video content.

If you take inspiration from Bright Side’s banner, choose a vibrant color as your background and think carefully about your typeface. Since those two design elements will be the only aspects of your banner, you’ll want to spend time finding the right balance that represents your brand and draws the viewer in.

7. Epicurious

Whether you’re looking for easy-to-follow recipes, food science education, or cooking comparisons, Epicurious is the channel to watch. The spotlight of this brand’s content is always the food, and that goes for its banner, too. The use of a high-resolution, detailed photo of a common food — broccoli — creates a relevant and intriguing background for the brand name.

To incorporate this banner style into your channel art, choose a subject that’s small enough to be recognized close up.

8. TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is a resource used by millions of travelers to discover and rate lodgings, restaurants, and much more information about endless destinations.

That’s represented in the YouTube banner by portraying what the site is all about — travel. The banner features beautiful photography of different locations which puts the viewer’s focus solely on travel.

This is a great YouTube banner to take inspiration from if you’re just getting started. Simply choose a high-res photo that speaks to your personality and brand, and you’re done.

9. Refinery29

Showcasing the people that make your brand amazing is a great way to form a connection with your viewers. That’s one thing that Refinery29 does well by frequently featuring its writers, editors, and content producers in its videos. As it turns out, they’ve all become quite popular personalities — which is why the brand put them front-and-center in its channel art.

Creating a banner of this nature is two-fold. First, find a way to incorporate your company’s talent into video content in a way that’s engaging and appealing to your target audience. Then, once you’ve produced enough of that media consistently — and if it’s gaining the right kind of attention — you can use those personalities to promote your channels.

10. The Action Lab

Physicists and high school science students alike come to The Action Lab’s YouTube channel for DIY experiments performed by Dr. James J. Orgill. On this channel, you’ll see everyday objects through a new lens thanks to his demonstrations.

The banner for the Action Lab’s YouTube channel is fitting for this type of content. It includes the logo and channel name in the safe zone, along with a photo of Dr. Orgill himself. Similar to HubSpot’s channel art, his photo stands out with a patterned background to really show him in action.

YouTube Banner Size

A YouTube channel banner will take on different dimensions depending on what platform is being used to view it. For example, a banner will have different dimensions when viewed on a TV, desktop, or mobile device.

The YouTube banner dimensions are:

• Recommended “TV”: 2560 x 1440 px
• Minimum for upload: 2048 x 1152 px
• Minimum “Viewable On All Devices”: 1546 x 423 px
• Maximum “Viewable On Desktop”: 2560 x 423 px
• File size: 6MB or smaller

The recommended resolution seems pretty large for a single file, but think about how YouTube banners would appear on a 30″ smart TV or higher. With a growing number of options to view YouTube videos in this way, you’ll want to make sure your channel art is large enough to display with quality on larger screens.

Here’s a helpful visual representation of those dimensions:

Take note of the “Viewable On All Devices” I alluded to in the first section. Your banner is essentially the biggest branding opportunity when people land on your channel. You’ll want to make sure your logo and supporting text is clearly represented in the channel art. That’s why it’s a good idea to place your company name and logo in that center space.

If you’re not sure how to fill the entire frame with visual content, video production company MiniMatters suggests “build[ing] the image from the middle out,” putting the most important assets in the center, and expanding the design from there.

Finally, follow these best practices to create a professional YouTube banner:

• Use a high-resolution image. A pixelated or blurry banner doesn’t exactly signal that there’s a high-quality video to follow.
• Keep your banner on-brand. While your channel art doesn’t have to be a carbon copy of your logo or tagline, it should incorporate visual elements that you want associated with your brand, like certain colors, fonts, or keywords.
• Update your banner regularly. For example, if you run a bakery and you’re gearing up for summer, an eye-catching banner might be a high-res photo of a brightly-colored work surface covered with flour and a rolling pin, along with accompanying text like, “April showers bring May flours,” but remember to update the banner once the season is over so viewers know you’re consistent.

YouTube Banner Template

By now, you might be thinking, “Where the heck am I supposed to get these beautiful design assets?”

Check out these free channel art templates that will speed up your workflow. And they’re completely customizable, so you don’t have to worry about your channel art looking exactly like someone else’s. Download them now and follow the steps below to upload them to your channel.

How To Make a YouTube Banner

Step 1: Log in to your YouTube account and click on your profile photo. Then select Your channel.

Step 2: Click the blue Customize Channel button. A new tab will open and you’ll see a Channel customization screen.

Step 3: Click Branding in the top menu.

Step 4: Under the banner image section, select Upload.

Then, you’ll see the option to upload a file for your YouTube banner photo.

Step 5: Review the image preview to ensure that your banner image is displayed properly.

Step 6: Click Publish and review your YouTube channel’s new banner image.

That’s it! Easy enough right?

Channel Your Creativity

It’s important to note that cool YouTube channel art is just one part of a comprehensive video content strategy. It doesn’t matter how beautiful your banner is if your channel lacks quality video, or hasn’t added anything new in several weeks. So as you create your YouTube banner, go ahead and create two or three more that you can use throughout the year to keep things fresh and interesting.

And remember, you can always come back to these examples and tips for more inspiration.

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

I’ll never forget the first time dining at a restaurant after my pandemic-induced hibernation. Before I could ask for a menu, the waitress nodded towards a piece of paper with a barcode on it. “Open your phone camera and scan it. The menu should pop up.”

QR codes have become a common sight almost overnight — from cereal boxes and billboards to even employee uniforms. With a 94% increase in interactions from 2018 to 2020, there’s no denying QR codes are seeing an epic revival in a new touch-free world.

Let’s explore the origins of the QR code, learn how it works, and discuss ways it can refresh your marketing strategy.

Table of Contents

What is a QR code?

Static vs. Dynamic QR Codes

How do QR codes work?

The Origins of the QR Code [+ Its 2020 Revival]

QR Codes for Marketing

What is a QR code?

Short for quick response, QR codes are scannable barcodes that store data. In the marketing sphere, they’re commonly used to redirect users to landing pages, websites, social media profiles, or store coupons.

For instance, someone can place a QR code on the back of their business card to direct you to their LinkedIn profile. A QR code on a billboard may send you to a landing page.

QR codes vary in design and function, and primarily fall into one of the following categories — static or dynamic.

Static vs. Dynamic QR Codes

A static QR code contains information that cannot be modified once it’s live. This means any typo or misstep will require you to create a brand new one. The good news is that static codes don’t expire — so once the content is set, your work is done.

Static QR codes are ideal for storing fixed or sensitive info — think Wi-Fi passwords, employee ID numbers, or access codes. But they’re not so helpful if you need to update your data regularly.

Dynamic QR codes allow you to change your info as many times as you want. This is because the information isn’t ingrained into the code itself. Instead, it redirects users to a specific URL that can be changed at any time. For example, a restaurant can redirect users to a menu on their website.

A major benefit of dynamic QR codes is the ability to gather scanning metrics. While you can’t access personal information from users, you can see the time, location, and device used for each scan. And as marketers, we know these metrics are crucial to gauging campaign effectiveness.

How do QR codes work?

A QR code works similarly to barcodes at the supermarket. Each QR code consists black squares and dots which represent different pieces of information. When scanned, the unique pattern on the barcode translates into human-readable data. This transaction happens in seconds.

Users must scan the code with a QR reader or scanner, although nowadays most people scan QR codes with smartphones. On the off chance your phone doesn’t have the capability, there are plenty of free apps for QR scanning like NeoReader and QuickMark Barcode Scanner.

The Origins of the QR Code [+ Its 2020 Revival]

Invented in 1994 by Masahiro Hara, chief engineer of Denso Wave, the original purpose of the QR code was to track vehicles and parts moving through the assembly line.

Despite being a mid-90s invention, the QR code didn’t gain any substantial momentum until the era of smartphones. But even then, users had to download a third-party app to scan the codes. A real breakthrough came in 2017 when Apple integrated a QR reader into its phones, and other manufacturers quickly followed suit.

Thanks to accessibility, a new wave of hype followed, then quickly dissipated as marketers’ interest fell to the wayside. That is, until 2020. You can probably guess where I’m going with this.

In the US alone, 11 million households scanned a QR code in 2020 — a significant jump from 9 million in 2018.

With the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, the QR code gave businesses a new way to communicate with customers in a suddenly touchless society. From hospitality and food to retail and manufacturing, a variety of companies used them for the first time.

And for marketers, QR codes can strategically bridge the gap between offline and online media. They’ve quickly turned into dynamic, two-dimensional call-to-action buttons — operating as vehicles to engage customers, inspire action, drive traffic, and share info without having to invest a lot of money.

So, are QR codes here to stay? Whether or not they’ve earned a permanent spot in a post-pandemic world is still up for debate, but there’s no denying its incredible journey since its debut on the assembly line.

Here are a few ways to use QR codes to refresh your marketing strategies.

QR Codes for Marketing

1. QR codes can help you stand out from the crowd.

Differentiating your business from your competitors is definitely a marketing 101 lesson. If used correctly, QR codes can spike the curiosity of your customers and prospects alike. Use this opportunity to link QR codes to exclusive offers or valuable content to carry that curiosity through to a sale.

For example, check out SparkPlug Coffee who ran a giveaway where users could enter by scanning a QR code.

2. QR codes let you target consumers on the go.

Retailers, don’t you wish there were a way to interact with customers on the go? Integrate QR codes into your store signage and other print advertising. Whether you’re providing coupons for shopping in-store or an easy way to sign up for your newsletter, QR codes make it super easy for customers and prospects to access your information fast on their phones.

REI, an outdoor sports apparel retailer, had this signage on the front door of one of their stores to pique interest about their frequent shopper program. Instead of calling out the program, they focused on the benefit (dividends) and provided a QR code linked to a list of products people could purchase with their dividends.

3. QR codes make real life interactive like the web.

Many businesses are shifting their time and budgets to digital advertising, which is more interactive and easier to track than traditional advertising.

QR codes add an interactive component by turning static content into dynamic call-to-action buttons. From asking customers to leave a Google review to redirecting them to a branded Facebook page, you have many options to engage customers.

Even museums, libraries, and parks are leveraging QR codes to breathe life into displays and park benches. Check out this example from the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City:

4.QR codes are free and easy to set up.

There are multiple resources businesses can access that will allow them to insert a landing page URL and create a QR code that will direct users to that URL with the click of a button.

Sites like QRCode Monkey and Flowcode allow you to set up QR codes in a matter of minutes and provide you with proper image formats to use in your designs.

QR codes are certainly having a moment in the marketing sphere. If you’re thinking about adding them to your strategy, remember that the best practice is to create value. Make sure each code leads to a source of value — such as a coupon or promotion — and requires as few clicks as possible.

Lead nurturing emails allow you to build a relationship with your leads and move them down the sales funnel until they are ready to become a customer. It’s one of the best lead nurturing tactics you can use and an essential part of an email marketing strategy.

Why? Because lead nurturing emails radically increase the chances of your leads making a purchase. You no longer have to hope that they will buy your products. Rather, you’ll slowly warm them up until they make that decision.

In this post, you’ll learn best practices for creating high-performing lead nurturing emails to drive your leads to make a purchase.

How does lead nurturing work?

A potential customer may have several types of interactions with your business. They may add something to their cart, subscribe to a mailing list, take advantage of a promotion, or set up a meeting with one of your salespeople.

Lead nurturing refers to the process of staying in contact with your customer throughout each of these stages. You provide valuable resources, discount codes, or reminders to make a purchase.

Overall, to nurture a lead is to build and maintain a helpful, mutually beneficial relationship with them. The goal is to guide them toward making a purchase.

(Tip: If you’re unfamiliar with lead nurturing, we encourage you to take our free lead nurturing course.)

Are lead nurturing emails effective?

Yes. As social media has grown over time, using lead nurturing emails to market your business can sometimes feel like the less fun or hip option. But, it’s still an effective way to expand your market, convert leads, and connect to your target audience, especially if it’s done correctly. 99% of email users check their inbox on a daily basis, often multiple times a day or first thing in the morning. This makes using email a great tool to nurture a lead toward conversion.

As time passes, the lead may not click on your CTA, interact with your business, or make a purchase. Certain leads with an interest in your business will need ongoing engagement to continue down the sales funnel toward conversion. For that, you’ll need to create a lead nurturing email sequence.

Lead Nurturing Email Sequence

A lead nurturing email sequence is a series of emails that is automatically triggered when the lead takes a certain action. For example, once a customer adds an item to their cart, a lead nurturing email sequence could include a purchase reminder, a limited time offer, or a list of similar products they may like.

These sequences keep the lead engaged until they are ready to go forward with a purchase. See this example of a sequence after a lead has abandoned their cart.

The process of lead nurturing occurs over some time with your continuous effort. Building that relationship needs trust, understanding, and consistency. Using emails to nurture your relationship with potential leads can be highly effective. Follow these best practices to make them work best for you:

1. Provide valuable content with include expert insights.

The first priority is to make sure you have something valuable to teach your leads. Think of your lead nurturing emails as mini blog posts. For example, if you sell data backup software, your first nurturing email might focus on the “top six considerations to make before purchasing data backup software.” Remember, you are an expert within your industry. Continue teaching your leads something new, and they will be more than happy to receive your emails and continue engaging with your business.

2. Focus on one relevant topic per email.

Each nurturing email should be focused around one topic and include a call to action. Put yourself in your lead’s shoes when creating your emails, as they are bombarded by messages all day long. Keep the content of your email tied directly to the topic the lead initially converted on. For example, if your lead downloaded a FAQ white paper on data backup software, they are likely near the top of the funnel, researching a future purchase. Your first email’s topic could be “selling the importance of data backup software to your management team.” Speak directly to the problem your lead is trying to solve.

3. Keep it short.

This is not the time to worry about fonts, or adding images or custom HTML. The lead should be able to glance at your email and know within five seconds the value it provides to them. Information overload happens quickly in an email. Adding secondary calls-to-action or unrelated links will increase your unsubscribe rate and subtract from the effectiveness of your campaign. While data suggests that emails should be between 50 and 125 words, it’s okay to extend your message to fully connect with your leads. But keep it concise whenever possible.

4. Ensure the emails progress naturally.

Carefully planning the flow of your emails will help you create well-rounded campaigns that pull your leads through the sales funnel. The first email after the initial conversion might be educational, while subsequent emails should continue to educate while giving the lead an opportunity to convert a second time. This is a perfect opportunity to promote a free trial or the download of a demo. Work with your sales team to determine what qualifies as a “sales-ready lead” and craft your lead nurturing campaigns accordingly.

5. Test your emails and track key metrics.

Email testing is key to fine-tuning your campaigns. As you test your emails, be sure to track key metrics to measure the success of your efforts. Click-through-rate (the percentage of people who clicked a link in your email) and unsubscribe rate are two of the key metrics to track on a regular basis. A strong campaign will generally have an unsubscribe rate of less than 5%. If your unsubscribe rate climbs above 5%, it’s time to re-evaluate your campaign. Try testing new content or a stronger subject line, or adjusting the timing of your emails.

6. Personalize the emails.

You should be sending different emails to different types of leads and personalizing them to who they are specifically. This not only includes who they are as a consumer, but also what their interactions have been with your business thus far. Did they sign up for updates? Have they gotten an automated welcome email? Did they purchase from you once already? How long has it been since you acquired their email address or last had contact? Those are all things that should influence and change the content of the email.

7. Stay consistent to your brand.

Your business has an image, a voice, and a brand. The emails that you send to leads should continue to represent all of those things about your business. Continuing to establish your brand to a lead helps build a relationship that pushes them toward becoming a customer. The familiarity over time will build valuable trust and brand loyalty.

Before you start writing a lead nurturing email, focus on who your lead is and what your goal is for contacting them. Spamming leads with countless emails is more off-putting than it is nurturing. So, ensure your content is worthwhile for leads to read and for your business to send. Follow these tips to get started:

1. Choose a purpose.

Have a goal in mind for your message, whether it is answering an FAQ, delivering on a promised reward, introducing a new product, offering a discount, or sharing other content to engage the lead.

2. Personalize the greeting and subject line.

An attention-grabbing subject line and a personalized greeting are the initial hooks of a lead nurturing email.

3. Address pain points.

How can this product or service improve this lead’s life if they were a customer? Point out a problem that they have that you can solve.

4. Include testimonials.

Knowing that someone else was pleased with your product or service grows the lead’s trust in your business.

5. Share a knowledge bomb.

Including a striking piece of information or research will give your lead something that they’ll remember later on their path to becoming a customer.

6. Use a CTA.

Encouraging your lead to interact with your business through a call-to-action pushes them toward a conversion.

7. Include an unsubscribe button.

Leads that have no interest in your business, product, or service can’t be nurtured into customers. Allow those to unsubscribe so that you can focus on the good-fit leads.

8. Follow up.

Once the email is sent, track what happens next. Did the lead click on your CTA? Did they continue interacting with your business? Did they do nothing? Use that information to determine the effectiveness of the email and to influence what you send to them next.

Make a Seamless Lead Nurturing Strategy

A potential customer’s first interaction with your business is just the beginning. As they proceed down the sales funnel from lead to repeat customer, you will need to continuously engage them. Lead nurturing emails build trust between leads and your business. The sales funnel you create through nurturing emails should smoothly guide your leads into doing business with you.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in May 2010 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.