My Blog My Blog

How Apple’s iOS 14.5 Release Could Impact Advertisers

Mobile Marketing
April 29, 2021/by
How Apple's iOS 14.5 Release Could Impact Advertisers Imagine this: You run a successful online store and have a sleek app that makes shopping a breeze. Most of your sales come from paid ads on Facebook and Instagram, and your usual process involves retargeting customers who open your app but leave without purchasing anything. The more app installs you get, the more sales you log. This process is seamless because you’re able to track user activity across apps and optimize your ad spend as you see what works and what doesn’t. But, with this week's release of IOS14.5, the data you collect from Apple mobile devices will change. Here’s how. Apple's New Privacy Policy Apple has confirmed that along with the launch of iOS14.5, there is also a change coming to Apple’s AppTrackingTransparency (ATT) Framework, which is essentially its data sharing and privacy policies. Apple will now require that all mobile app advertisers gain opt-in from users to track their web and app activity. While this provides consumers with the ultimate privacy, security, and control over the ads they see across their web and mobile devices, it's expected that not all users will accept this prompt to opt-in. This could make it more difficult for businesses to reach their target audience, and deliver relevant ads. From now on, whenever an Apple user downloads your app, they’ll be shown a prompt, asking if it’s okay for the app to track them. Additionally, with limited app user data, companies like Google report that...
Read Full Story

Outsourcing a Design Project? Here’s How to Write a Design Brief

Design Templates
April 28, 2021/by
Outsourcing a Design Project? Here's How to Write a Design Brief During my career, I have freelanced on and off. The biggest lesson I've learned in working with clients was the importance of setting expectations from the very beginning. It helps both parties get on the same page and can prevent miscommunication down the line. That's why you often have initial discovery calls, set meetings, and draft contracts. Another way to set expectations is by creating a design brief. It's essential in the early stages of your design project, whether you're working with someone in-house or outsourcing it to an agency or independent contractor. Here's everything you need to know about what to include in a design brief and the templates that will help you create one quickly. Think of this brief as a blueprint: It lays out all the information your designer will need to complete the project and helps align both parties on the expectations. Typically, the client (or brand) will fill out most sections in the brief once they know what they're looking for. The assigned designer will then complete it based on conversations with the client. It serves as a baseline from which to build the project. So when would you use a design brief? For: A website (re)design A logo (re)design A (re)branding package Creative assets for social media or ad campaign Video assets What to Include in your Design Brief Template 1. An Overview of...
Read Full Story

How to Create a Writing Style Guide Built for the Web [Free Guide]

Branding
April 28, 2021/by
How to Create a Writing Style Guide Built for the Web Businesses pump out content at a staggering rate these days — and as that volume increases, more inconsistencies are bound to creep in. Whether due to lack of clarity about the style in which you'd like to write or disjointed communication across the multitude of content creators in your organization, failure to decide upon and document accepted editorial guidelines is a recipe for inconsistent messaging. That's why at some point, most companies accept that they'll need to develop a writing style guide. In short: a document that indicates the basic rules of writing we'll all agree to follow to ensure consistency across all our content — like whether I should've capitalized the "a" after the colon in this sentence. Answer: If you write content for HubSpot, you should not capitalize the "a." But wait... if that's the case, why would I capitalize the "If" in that last parenthetical? Because "If you write content for HubSpot, you should..." is a complete sentence, thus warranting the capital "If." These conventions are specified in our writing style guide. If you found that train of thought terribly banal, you might think writing style guides are the most boring things in the world and have a burning desire to click away right about now. Au contraire, mon frère. Why Writing Guides Are Important The existence of a writing style guide is what saves you from finding yourself embroiled in a debate...
Read Full Story

The Ultimate Guide to IGTV

Instagram Marketing
April 28, 2021/by
The Ultimate Guide to IGTV In recent years, we've seen the power of video on the internet — Facebook alone gets eight billion average daily views, and YouTube's video platform has enabled young teens to become national superstars (Justin Bieber, anyone?). Also, a Cisco report estimates that, by 2022, watching video will account for 82% of internet traffic.  There are various channels for marketers to consider when sharing videos, like the above-mentioned YouTube and TikTok or Snapchat. There’s also Instagram TV (IGTV) which, launched in 2018, is different from Instagram Stories. Additionally, IGTV is primarily meant for smartphones, as the videos are vertical, and users don’t need to rotate their devices to watch. If you're interested in testing out the app for your own business or simply want to know which brands to follow on the app, you're in luck — here, we've compiled all the tips and information you need to get started with IGTV. There is also a standalone IGTV app that you can download from the app store. To get it, simply go to the App Store or Google Play, search for IGTV, and click Get or Install.  IGTV Video Length Anyone with an Instagram account can upload an IGTV video.  Unlike Instagram Stories' 15-second video limit, IGTV videos can be up to 15 minutes long when uploaded from a mobile device and 60 minutes when uploaded from the web.  How To Make IGTV Videos To upload and edit your IGTV video title...
Read Full Story

The Ultimate List of HR Interview Questions

Human Resources
April 27, 2021/by
The Ultimate List of HR Interview Questions As a job seeker, you can often expect to speak with an HR professional before moving onto interviews with employees within the department for which you're applying. It's critical you prepare well for your HR interview. Oftentimes, a company uses their HR department to screen candidates and decide which candidates are most qualified to move forward in the interview process. But an HR professional has different goals when interviewing than your direct hiring manager does. While your hiring manager will ask questions specific to the role (for example, in a marketing interview), the HR professional is interested in gaining broader insights regarding culture fit and whether you demonstrate the company's values. With that in mind, let’s go over the definition for this interview and what you can expect. It’s easy to underemphasize HR interviews in comparison to interviews with, say, your potential manager. There’s even a misconception that the HR round is only a formality. But the truth is that this interview is critical to the hiring process. It allows you to establish a positive first impression. Your HR contact decides whether you get to move forward, so you’ll want to make sure you exhibit your competencies and establish rapport. I spoke with Alexa Matthews, a senior recruiter here at HubSpot, who pointed out some additional benefits to the screening process — "It's an opportunity for a great first impression. In the first call, a candidate can often convey things that...
Read Full Story

Top Presentation Design Trends of 2021, According to Creative Experts

Design Trends
April 27, 2021/by
Top Presentation Design Trends of 2021, According to Creative Experts In early 2020, the world as we knew it was flipped upside down. Businesses were forced to pivot in the face of the pandemic, and as a result many companies adopted a remote work culture. Remote work changed the way organizations and teams worked — and even how companies communicated to prospective customers and acquired new business. Employees leaned into virtual designs, presentations, and events to communicate both internally and externally. The graphic design landscape, as a result, has changed dramatically over the past year. Now, presentations need to work harder than ever to connect, engage, and inspire audiences into action. In fact, over 35 million PowerPoint presentations are given each day to over 500 million audiences — but 79% of those audiences believe most presentations they see are boring. To help you crush your next presentation deck, we've rounded up the top presentation design trends of 2021, as predicted by creative industry experts and presentation power-users. Here, learn from three creative experts from leading companies in the tech space on the four biggest presentation design trends that will emerge in 2021. 1. There will be increased empathy found in design. Marissa Latshaw, Founder of Latshaw Marketing, says: "Impactful, inspiring design starts with empathy. Empathy is one of the most powerful tools in the creative toolbox. The good news is that empathy — the ability to feel, understand, and respond to the feelings of others — is innate in us all. Our...
Read Full Story

How to Sell on Instagram Using Shoppable Posts

Instagram Marketing
April 27, 2021/by
How to Sell on Instagram Using Shoppable Posts After months of testing, Instagram announced a big change to its user interface (UI) in late 2020: replacing the user "Activity" tab with the "Shop" tab, the social platform's latest move to be more business-friendly. It's a big evolution from where the feature was just a few years ago. Today, it's infinitely easier for users to shop products from brands without ever leaving the app. So, how exactly does the tool work and how can you leverage it to generate revenue? Find out everything you need to know in the sections below. Why Your Business Should Sell on Instagram Thanks to the Instagram shoppable posts feature and other supportive tools (like the product wishlist, product launch reminder, and shopping stickers on Instagram Stories), users can go through the entire buyer's journey, from discovery to checkout. Social media platforms are typically seen as great brand awareness tools. However, Instagram's new integrations have made it a big revenue driver. A 2019 Facebook study revealed that 54% of respondents purchased items in the moment or some time after seeing a product or service on Instagram. And it's not only direct-to-consumer brands that can benefit from using Instagram's shopping features. A Q4 2020 report by HootSuite revealed that 36.2% of B2B decision-makers use the app to source new products and/or services. Shoppable posts are marked with a clickable shopping bag icon that displays the product information...
Read Full Story

How to Create a Pie Chart in Excel in 60 Seconds or Less

Excel
April 24, 2021/by
How to Create a Pie Chart in Excel in 60 Seconds or Less At the beginning of 2021, I was tasked with an assignment: Create a pie chart showcasing which types of content performed best on the Marketing Blog in 2020. The question was an undeniably important one, as it would influence what types of content we wrote in 2021, along with identifying new opportunities for growth. But once I'd compiled all relevant data, I was stuck — How could I easily create a pie chart to showcase my results? Fortunately, I've since figured it out. Here, let's dive into how you can create your own excel pie chart for impressive marketing reports and presentations. Plus, how to rotate a pie chart in excel, explode a pie chart, and even how to create a 3-dimensional version. Let's dive in. How to Make a Pie Chart in Excel 1. Create your columns and/or rows of data. Feel free to label each column of data — excel will use those labels as titles for your pie chart. Then, highlight the data you want to display in pie chart form. 2. Now, click "Insert" and then click on the "Pie" logo at the top of excel. 3. You'll see a few pie options here, including 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional. For our purposes, let's click on the first image of a 2-dimensional pie chart. 4. And there you have it! A pie chart will appear with the data and...
Read Full Story

Arise RevOps, the New Orchestrators of Customer Experience

Company News
April 22, 2021/by
Arise RevOps, the New Orchestrators of Customer Experience I care about customers. Whether they're your customers, my customers, or my customers' customers, I want every one of them to have a good experience every time they pick up the phone to call a business, open a marketing email, or visit a website. It's what gets me going every morning. That's why I was thrilled in 2019 when I had the opportunity to launch HubSpot's first-ever 'voice of the customer' team. I assembled a group of passionate people, each more dedicated than the last to improving customer experience. We met weekly, talked about our customers, forensically analyzed feedback, and dug deep into the weeds to see where we could root out friction. And then one day it hit us. The answers to most of our questions didn't lie in more cross-functional meetings, increased headcount, or longer hours for support staff. The answers to our questions lay in operations. Operations teams carry the responsibility for making sure that, well, everything works. If a marketer is having trouble segmenting a contact list, they reach out to operations. If a salesperson's automated emails are misfiring, operations gets tagged in. If a service professional can't access a customer's communication history, it's operations to the rescue again. They're the people who set every customer-facing team up for success. As such, they are the orchestrators of the customer experience. And yet, most companies view operations as a reactive function whose sole purpose is to frantically find fixes to issues as they arise....
Read Full Story