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What Is Contextual Targeting, in the Context of Ads?

PPC
January 20, 2024/by
What Is Contextual Targeting, in the Context of Ads? As Jerry Maguire once said — “Show me the money.” That phrase is probably something you’ve thought of as a marketer who has invested in paid advertising. With paid advertising, you want to enhance your marketing campaign by showing up in the right place, at the right time, with the right content. But sometimes, running paid ads — like pay-per-click (PPC) on Google — feels like you’re spending a lot of money without seeing any results. And with 70% of consumers seeing irrelevant ads from brands at least once a month, it’s no wonder so many are put off by online ads. Contextual targeting is the solution to that problem. Below, let’s review contextual targeting and the difference between contextual and behavioral targeting. We’ll also explore contextual keyword targeting and how to get started with contextual ads. Table of Contents: What is contextual targeting? Contextual Targeting vs. Behavioral Targeting Contextual Keyword Targeting Contextual Ads Benefits of Contextual Targeting Imagine you’re the proud owner of a local coffee haven, and you’ve whipped up a PPC ad to stir up some buzz. Now, picture a coffee enthusiast nearby, scouring the web for the best brews. They stumble upon a blog about coffee wonders, and there’s your ad — like a welcome sign to your coffee shop. Google’s not just throwing your ad anywhere. It’s selectively showing it to folks who can practically...
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What Is Microblogging: A Start-to-Finish Guide for 2024

Blogging
January 19, 2024/by
What Is Microblogging: A Start-to-Finish Guide for 2024 When I first started posting about my writing processes and marketing insights on LinkedIn, I felt exhilarated. It helped me build an engaged following over time and allowed me to share my ideas and experiences with thousands of people in my network. And the best part is, it helped me avoid the hassle and lengthy process of writing, editing, and publishing full-fledged articles. That’s when I realized the impact of microblogging. It gives you the ability to capture your fleeting thoughts and share them with the world in real time. In this article, we’ll discuss: What is microblogging? What Microblogging Is Not 5 Reasons Why Microblogging Is an Important Aspect of Content Marketing 8 Best Microblogging Sites & Tips to Create Engaging Content Some popular microblogging platforms include X (formerly Twitter), Tumblr, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also publish microblogs on Medium or WordPress. It allows for swift dissemination of thoughts, news, updates, or any piece of information that the author deems share-worthy. Here’s an example of me microblogging on LinkedIn: Image Source Microblogging has become a big hit these days because people prefer consuming shorter content. Most of us don’t spend enough time to read even a couple of paragraphs in an article. With microblogging, you can create crisp content optimized for shorter attention spans. This form is best used when: The topic or post has low...
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An Introductory SQL Tutorial: How to Write Simple Queries

Data-Driven Marketing
January 18, 2024/by
An Introductory SQL Tutorial: How to Write Simple Queries Ever heard of SQL? You may have heard about it in the context of data analysis but never thought it would apply to you as a marketer. Or, you may have thought, “That's for the advanced data users. I could never do that.” Well, you couldn't be more wrong. The most successful marketers are data-driven, and one of the most important parts of being data-driven is collecting data from databases quickly. SQL is the most popular tool out there for doing just that. If your company already stores data in a database, you may need to learn SQL to access the data. But don‘t worry — you’re in the right place to start. Let's jump right in. How to Query a SQL Database Ensure you have a database management application (ex. MySQL Workbench, Sequel Pro). If not, download a database management application and work with your company to connect your database. Understand your database and its hierarchy. Find out which fields are in your tables. Begin writing an SQL query to pull your desired data. With SQL, you don’t need to download and open a huge Excel spreadsheet to get the answers you seek. You can ask questions like “Which customers purchased a red jumpsuit in the past six months?” and SQL fetches the data from your database and returns it to you without you needing to manually sift...
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20 Great Examples of PowerPoint Presentation Design [+ Templates]

Presentations
January 18, 2024/by
20 Great Examples of PowerPoint Presentation Design When it comes to PowerPoint presentation design, there's no shortage of avenues you can take. While all that choice — colors, formats, visuals, fonts — can feel liberating, it‘s important that you’re careful in your selection as not all design combinations add up to success. In this blog post, I’m sharing some of my favorite PowerPoint tips and templates to help you nail your next presentation. Table of Contents What makes a good PowerPoint presentation? PowerPoint Design Ideas Best PowerPoint Presentation Slides Good Examples of PowerPoint Presentation Design What makes a good PowerPoint presentation? In my opinion, a great PowerPoint presentation gets the point across succinctly while using a design that doesn't detract from it. Here are some of the elements I like to keep in mind when I’m building my own. 1. Minimal Animations and Transitions Believe it or not, animations and transitions can take away from your PowerPoint presentation. Why? Well, they distract from the content you worked so hard on. A good PowerPoint presentation keeps the focus on your argument by keeping animations and transitions to a minimum. I suggest using them tastefully and sparingly to emphasize a point or bring attention to a certain part of an image. 2. Cohesive Color Palette I like to refresh my memory on color theory when creating a new PowerPoint presentation. A cohesive color palette uses...
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Dry January is Big Bucks for Booze Makers

Marketing News
January 17, 2024/by
Dry January is Big Bucks for Booze Makers Dry January. It sounds like the next scary impact of climate change. In reality, it’s part personal challenge and part social movement. Dry January refers to the growing trend of taking the month off from drinking alcohol. Consider it a four-week vacay for your liver. But it’s not meant to be a detox. Instead, the creators say the goal is to reframe your relationship with alcohol as “a conscious choice, not a default.” It might seem like bad news for alcohol sales– already reeling from the post-holiday slump– but actually, Dry January is one way booze sellers can tap into a half-billion-dollar market. Why ask why? Try going dry. Though the Dry January trend is currently having a moment, it’s actually existed in some form for decades. In 1942, Finland promoted “Raitus Tammikuu” or “Sober January” as a way to ration resources. It took its current shape in 2013 when the London-based charity Alcohol Change UK launched it as a personal challenge. Since then, searches for “Dry January” have grown exponentially to an average of 18,000 per month. Although, in a sign that people are as bad at planning as me, the searches only appear around January. And that seasonality is masking the popularity by dragging the monthly average down. Take a look at these screenshots from the SEO tool Ahrefs, and you’ll see that there were over 140,000 searches in January of 2023. But are those searches turning...
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3 Tips on Launching a Kickass Podcast, from My First Million Producers

Podcast
January 9, 2024/by
3 Tips on Launching a Kickass Podcast, from My First Million Producers The pandemic birthed a rise in puppies, planting flowers in Animal Crossing, and podcasts — with 1.1m+ shows launched in 2020 alone. But soon, the podcast phenomenon plateaued. New podcasts decreased a year later, and in 2022, fell by 80%. 😬 Would you ride this rollercoaster? Be honest. Source: NiemanLab Does this mean the podcast train has left the station? No more tickets available to savvy hosts and sultry voices? Not at all — your podcast just can’t suck. Luckily, podcast geniuses Darren Clarke (executive producer of My First Million) and Kal Elsebai (HubSpot’s senior manager of podcast strategy) shared their tips on how you can create a killer show. The two broke it down into three distinct parts: Ideation Launching Monetization Here’s how you can turn your business or niche hobby (ever wanted to listen to 49 minutes of stationary fangirling?) into the next big thing in podcasting: 1. Create the podcast you want to listen to If you’re launching a podcast to make a quick buck… think again. Instead of finding a profitable niche, start with your passions. If you can rave about a topic for hours, chances are your enthusiasm will come through, and people will pay attention. If you’re starting from scratch, conduct your research, identify your niche, and figure out your unique take on that topic. “Niche down until it hurts,” as Darren...
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The Best Marketing Jobs and Careers for You to Pursue in 2023 (BIR NNP)

Marketing Jobs
January 7, 2024/by
The Best Marketing Jobs and Careers for You to Pursue in 2023 (BIR NNP) Marketing seems simple, but it gets more complex as you break it down. If you don't already know about marketing careers, scanning jobs online could convince you that this isn't your dream job. But marketing is fun. Marketing a company is essentially grabbing a bullhorn and saying, "Hey! We love this company, and here’s why you should, too." Marketing is also incredibly dynamic and diverse. It offers positions for people of all strengths. Whether you’re equipped with creative ability or analytical prowess, marketing’s got a spot for you. In this article, we’ll break down what marketers do. We'll show you how you can get into marketing and the different marketing jobs that are out there. We'll give you what you need to map out your marketing career and pinpoint your goals. Let’s get started.     According to Merriam-Webster, marketing is "the process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a product or service." But the job involves much, much more than that. The day-to-day activities of a marketer depend on what they’re marketing, whom they’re targeting, and what platforms they use to promote products or services. There are too many marketing roles and functions to provide a single definition applicable to everyone in this field. Before we dive into the various positions you can find within a marketing department, let’s discuss tools and education necessary to become a marketer. What You Need...
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I Took a Deep Dive Into ASO Marketing. Here’s What I Learned.

Marketing Strategy
January 6, 2024/by
I Took a Deep Dive Into ASO Marketing. Here’s What I Learned. Confession — I have a long history of skin allergies. Recently, I've been searching for an app that would let me track all the cosmetics that I use (or plan to) to spot ingredients that could potentially cause skin irritation. I was overwhelmed with the options. I eventually found the "one," but it got me thinking — how much work did it take from the app creator to make it rank at the top of search results? As a marketer, I asked myself: What ASO marketing strategy did they use? And what makes or breaks an app's ranking if there are millions of them across app stores? I decided to find out. On top of my own research and experience, I also reached out to ASO experts and took a popular app store optimization tool for a spin. Here‘s what I’ve learned. What is ASO Marketing? ASO Marketing Tactics to Master ASO Marketing in Action (With Technology) Best Practices of ASO Marketing What is ASO Marketing? ASO Marketing, short for App Store Optimization Marketing, is a strategy that aims to improve your app's searchability and number of impressions in mobile app stores, like those from Apple and Google. Some sources refer to it as App Store marketing, while others go for the colloquial "SEO for mobile apps." Naturally, the number-one goal for ASO optimization is maximizing app downloads, but there are a few extra ones...
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