SOCIAL MEDIA
TikTok’s testing a new feed and Snapchat launched some resources
TikTok’s proving that even the simplest of apps can continually add features, and Snapchat’s looking to help marketers. Let’s get straight into a breakdown of what we learned yesterday about the two apps:
- TikTok is testing a Learn tab. Dancing acm.wtaff.co/t/j-l-ajiirkt-l-tnd memes aren’t the only things that happen on TikTok, and it seems the company is starting to figure that out. It’s being reported that a Learn tab might soon be coming to the app, featuring how-tos and educational videos. This could give a big boost to the popularity of this style of content!
- There are new educational insights for marketers on Snapchat. Yesterday, Snap Connect launched with some new advice and information about advertising on the platform. It’s the first time Snapchat’s created a place where its own advertising experts dish out advice to marketers!
The Crew’s take: Your marketing efforts are probably starting to ramp up starting this month and through the holiday season, so Snapchat’s advice might provide the last-minute tips you were looking for. As for TikTok? We’re excited to see – if and when the new feed launches – how marketers leverage their content to reach more users.
SEO
Here’s how shopping is changing this season
We don’t need to tell you that holiday shopping this year is going to be different – that much is obvious. What’s not as obvious, though, is how exactly trends are going to be changing this shopping season.
Google just released some statistics about how people are changing their behavior this year. If you’re marketing this Q4, you’ll want to hear a few of these:
- 46% of online shoppers in the US expect discounts. It’s the season of selling, yes. But, it’s also the season of great deals, and people are expecting businesses to come through this year with discounts – start thinking about how your business can capitalize on this.
- 69% of US shoppers plan to do their holiday shopping online more than in previous years. It’s not surprising, but that’s a big chunk of shoppers. In countries worldwide with stricter lockdowns than the United States, that number may end up being even higher.
- People are browsing online, even if they might buy in store. 77% of shoppers in the US said they’d browse for gift ideas online, not in-store. If you’re working with an e-commerce brand, this is a good chance to create great content that converts in-store buyers to online shoppers.
We’re aware that people are going to be shopping online more than ever, but these statistics from Google give a little deeper insight into just how customers expect businesses to operate this season. There are dozens more statistics in Google’s full report – go dive in here.
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MARKETING
A poolside chat with Nathan Latka
We’ve got some exciting news to share with you: We’re starting to interview people.
And not just any people – we’re chatting with some of our favorite marketers and business owners to get their insights on the marketing landscape today and their advice for you, the person who’s reading this newsletter.
There was no better place to start than with Nathan Latka.
He’s a guy who’s been starting businesses since he could walk, he is (currently) building a marketing media empire, and a lot more that we just can’t fit in one newsletter. Here’s our drastically-shortened-for-the-newsletter format:
The Crew: What’s your advice for people who want to start a business but don’t know where to begin?
Nathan: Warren Buffet gave you the keys when he says compound interest is the ninth wonder of the world…Keep your expenses low, and make more than what you spend, and save the delta.
The Crew: Ok, let’s say you’re back at square one. You’ve got $119 in your bank account and you’re starting a business. What do you start?
Nathan: If I was a young person today – like 18, 19, I would set up accounts on Fiverr, TopTal, and these freelancing sites, and I would list my services for very cheap to get a lot of business to build a lot of reviews. Once you get that number 1 ranking on these freelancing sites, brands and people will reach out to you directly and try to hire you.
The Crew: What are some of the biggest misconceptions about passive income?
Nathan: So, the big myth about passive income is that anyone who’s talking about it without a ton of proof is probably lying to you. Passive income means passive income…to me, [it’s] something that if you died today, that stream would keep going.
The Crew: What’s your best advice for hiring people and outsourcing work?
Nathan: It’s worth it today to take 3 hours of my time to super-document [my] process. It might be a 4-page document. And then, go put that in front of freelancers and hire someone for it and forget it. I’ve done this for my podcast editing. It’s been the same guy named Sam for almost 3k episodes. He’s based in the UK, I pay him $3 an episode, we never talk, I just pay his bills, he just does the work, and it just works. The key to outsourcing correctly is you have to invest the time in clearly teaching and documenting the process.
Nathan also told us about his book, which he obviously recommends – but he also loves Writing Riches by Ray Edwards.
And, when it came to the notorious morning routine question, Nathan Latka’s answer was very un-Patrick Bateman: “I think the key is actually avoiding any set structure or routine in your morning routine. Listen to your body and let your body go to wherever that is.”
Now, that’s some advice we can get behind. If you’re interested in reading the full interview (there’s a whole lot more!) check it out on our site here.
ROUNDING UP THE STACK
FACEBOOK: Ad account disabled anyone? Facebook’s Director of Product Management confirmed that a technical issue caused ads and accounts to be disabled. Not sure if we can call this “news” ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
WHATSAPP: The company started allowing payments via the app in India. It’s for users to send money and share the cost of goods.
SEO: This article from Search Engine Journal has some sound advice on improving your Core Web Vitals before Google’s algorithm update hits.
ADVERTISING: Remember the CCPA woes from the beginning of the summer? Well… They’re going to be CPRA woes in a few years, and they’ll likely be even trickier.
YOUTUBE: Ever wondered how YouTube’s algorithm works? We got a little bit closer recently, when YouTube answers some burning questions about the inner workings of video distribution.
FACEBOOK: It looks like Facebook’s going to add the ability to put motion effects on still images in Feeds.
ADVERTISING: Andrew Foxwell and his team just put together a handy Q4 blog post that outlines some of the things you should be doing in this advertising season.
BRAIN TEASER
POOLSIDE CHAT
Cool tech, (funny) business, lifestyle and all the other things marketers like to chat about while sipping cocktails by the pool.
Your profile picture is boring
Feeling like your profile picture is a little bit stale? Maybe it’s just the boilerplate suit-and-tie with a white background picture everyone used to use on LinkedIn or it was taken so long ago that people are mistaking you for a college student.
We’re not going to judge – generally, profile pictures aren’t fun to think about. One of the most viral products this month on Product Hunt is changing that, though.
It’s called Profile Pic Maker, and it’s a (free!) tool that’ll make cool profile pictures for you. All you have to do is upload a picture of yourself and the tool will do the rest.
There are plenty of backgrounds and styles to choose from…We may have spent a little too much time playing around with this.
Go check it out if you’re looking for a fun way to refresh your profile photo!