AMAZON
Are ads about to become more targeted?
On Friday, Amazon announced they’ve acquired iRobot, the company that created Roomba.
And no, it’s not about robot vacuum cleaners…
… It’s all about the data: According to reports, Amazon wants to use the smart vacuum to map out users’ homes.
With this kind of “ambient intelligence” they’ll be able to map out floor plans, furniture, and possessions in order to sell users more furniture and possessions.
Why we care: Given the iRobot acquisition and recent ad developments, it seems Amazon is strategically improving and calibrating their targeting capabilities.
They recently added new advertising features like performance estimates to help advertisers predict clicks, orders, and more.
It wouldn’t surprise us if Amazon Ads targeting improved dramatically in the near future.
SEO
Pros and cons are coming to snippets
Looks like weighing trade-offs just got a little easier…
Google is now showing pros and cons of your product review page as a feature snippet on the search results page.
The good, the bad, the ugly: You can now “tell Google about the pros and cons” by supplying the structured data on your product review pages.
If you don’t volunteer that data, Google will try to identify pros and cons and add it to snippets automatically.
Which pages are eligible: At the moment, only editorial pages can have their pros and cons sections displayed in the snippet.
Why we care: Product pages with well-structured data like pros and cons will probably get a bump in visibility for particular keywords… and may convert customers a little faster.
So it’s probably a good idea to structure your product data earlier than later.
Of course, pros and cons aren’t the only way to get a bump in visibility…
SPONSORED BY SEMRUSH
“I’d sure like to be on page 1 of Google, but it’s complicated.” Not true! There’s an easy way to fix this…
Does SEO ever feel so difficult, you think it should stand for “Sad Endless Optimization”?
We know that feeling.
Between the technical side and creating content, climbing the SERP is like climbing Mount Everest barefoot while wearing a backpack full of rocks.
But with Semrush, climbing the SERP is like climbing the Eiffel Tower…
… You take the elevator.
See, Semrush has the tools you need to simplify every step of SEO:
- Making sure your website is healthy and visible on search.
- Discovering tons of content ideas.
- Finding gaps and opportunities your site is missing out on.
- Tracking your rankings.
Hey, even Fortune 500 companies trust Semrush to climb the SERP because Semrush delivers. Why not you?
SOCIAL MEDIA
This is how you create attention-grabbing hooks for your videos
The more “hooks” you use, the more customers you catch. Seems obvious, right?
Yes, but here’s the thing.
Jumping on trendy hooks like “TikTok made me buy it…” won’t get your brand very far.
So Tim Duncaan recommends a few different and easy-to-use methods for making your video hooks engaging.
Let’s go fishing…
Use nonverbal hooks. The first three seconds are crucial for grabbing attention. And while you can’t say much in three seconds, you can show an awful lot by:
- Using an interesting background.
- Appearing sharply in frame.
- Experimenting with camera angles.
- Using bright colors.
- Making the first frame dynamic.
Each one of these instantly captures the eyes of your viewer.
Address your target audience. Remember, you’re speaking to them. Grab them with lines like:
If you ___, you need a ____.
If you enjoy ___, you should _____.
POV: you ____.
Calling out your viewers with lines like these hooks them into your video.
Use all the platform features. Say the hook in your audio, write the lines on screen, insert catchy music… Don’t be afraid to maximize the potential of the platforms you’re posting on.
Sell the ending. Use the first few seconds to sell the ending. Name the problem that your audience has and say you have a solution.
Finally, forget about three seconds. Here’s a plot twist: Imagine that the attention span of your audience lasts only a second. What happens in that first second? Make the video move so fast it’s impossible to stop watching.
… And there you go, you’re all geared up to shoot videos that will hook your prospects!
SPONSORED BY STACKED MARKETER PRO
Proven e-commerce growth tactics to implement now
Did you know, every month, we spend hundreds of hours on research to find strategies that are being used right now to maximize growth?
We do that for Stacked Marketer Pro. We discover the strategies and growth hacks that other businesses – your competitors – are using to grow.
Here’s a sneak peek of what we recently unveiled:
- The TikTok video grew the revenue of a shaving cream store from $54k to $146k
- How Athletic Greens, a supplement brand, makes podcast ads work
- Google’s recently released “ad spying” tool
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Try Stacked Marketer Pro for 7$ to unlock these tactics.
THE CREW’S INSIGHTS
How to talk about competitors without sounding cringey
Lots of brands like to talk about their competitors.
… But few can do it without sounding bitter, jealous, or some combination of the two.
And if you throw too much shade at your competitors, it often comes off as cringe-worthy more than anything else—and customers start to get suspicious.
However… When it’s done right, comparing yourself to competitors can be a powerful tool for converting customers.
Here’s a simple trick for making competitor comparisons work: Never position your brand as the better solution in every use case, and never make your competitors sound like failures.
Instead, admit what your competitors are good at!
It sounds counter-intuitive, but it works.
- Instead of bashing competitors, which turns people off, give your competition credit where it’s due.
- Then, explain how your product is better for the specific use cases that your dream customer cares about.
Here’s what that might look like:
Marketing Brew is a great newsletter. It’s well-written and carefully-curated. But, Marketing Brew tends to focus on high-level marketing news—the type of thing a CMO might love.
At Stacked Marketer, we give you actionable news and tactics you can use in your day-to-day marketing. We’re for boots-on-the-ground, in-the-trenches marketers who care more about practical insights than anything else.
Often, the high road performs better than taking cruel potshots.
It shows people you’re honest and why you’re the better choice.
And it builds a powerful brand in the minds of your customers. Who doesn’t want that?
ROUNDING UP THE STACK
COPYWRITING: “… beyond amazing” “… continually received compliments.” When you hire a pro to write your copy, you look good, save time, and might even make money. So if your team is crushed for time or talent, add a professional to your team… like Joe.*
TIKTOK: Did you know that 50% of TikTok users bought something after watching TikTok LIVE? This is just one of four insights TikTok shared in a recent Twitter thread. Worth a read if you’re using the platform.
GOOGLE: Uh-oh. There’s been an issue with impression share and auction insights reporting data for a few days now. Google promises it won’t affect your ads and says they’re working on it. If you’re experiencing this issue, keep checking your ad status.
BUSINESS: Selling in Europe? You might want to include Buy now, pay later (BNPL) as a payment option. BNPL apps passed 10 million installs in Europe, with Klarna being the undisputed leader.
*This is a sponsored post
BRAIN TEASER
I can carry you around; you can carry me as well.
Not a living thing, yet, I run faster than as you do but not without your help.
I have as many legs and hands as every man has; round are my legs: one before and the other behind.
What am I?
You can find the answer here.
POOLSIDE CHAT
Cool tech, (funny) business, lifestyle and all the other things marketers like to chat about while sipping cocktails by the pool.
Getaway idea: Plan a 5-hour Eurotrip
You can do a lot in five hours:
Watch the entire Avengers: Infinity War and a better part of Endgame in one go…
Listen to The Great Gatsby on audiobook…
… Or travel across Europe by train!
This website shows you how far you can travel from any train station in Europe in 5 hours or less. For example, you could travel from:
- Milan to Zurich.
- Prague to Berlin.
- Vienna to Budapest.
Not a bad way to plan a fun weekend, you know?