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Are Seasonality & the Economy Impacting Marketers in Q4? [Traffic & Conversion Data from 150K+ Companies]

Marketing Trends
November 16, 2022/by
Are Seasonality & the Economy Impacting Marketers in Q4? This time each year, nature – as well as marketing – slows down as we head into colder seasons. As we enter Q4, marketing departments are preparing for a slowdown in business that comes as people tune out towards the end of the year. But, while seasonal change is expected and inevitable, this year's economic shifts might cause some marketers to worry that this year could bring a flurry of poor numbers. As you see dips or bumps in early Q4, you might wonder, "Is my marketing department experiencing seasonality or an impact of outside events, or are our numbers solely based on the work we've been doing?" To help you gather evidence that proves or disproves the possibility of outside impacts in Q4, here's a look at how businesses across industries entered the first month of it in October. About this Data: These insights are based on data aggregated from 158,000+ HubSpot customers globally between July 2021 and October 2022. Because the data is aggregated from HubSpot customers’ businesses, please keep in mind that the performance of individual businesses, including HubSpot’s, might differ based on their markets, customer base, industry, geography, stage, and/or other factors. How Marketing Metrics Are Shifting (or Staying the Same) in Early Q4 To learn how metrics were shifting, we looked at data from sample sizes of 120,000+ businesses. Overall, we're seeing that most inbound marketing metrics are down year-over-year. Luckily, the good news...
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10 Events and Conferences for LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs

Breaking the Blueprint, Networking
November 16, 2022/by
10 Events and Conferences for LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs Welcome to Breaking the Blueprint — a blog series that dives into the unique business challenges and opportunities of underrepresented business owners and entrepreneurs. Learn how they’ve grown or scaled their businesses, explored entrepreneurial ventures within their companies, or created side hustles, and how their stories can inspire and inform your own success. LGBTQ+ people often face higher rates of isolation and discrimination, meaning that this community can especially benefit from gatherings that foster support and connection. This is especially true for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and professionals, as finding opportunities to learn from people who share similar life experiences can be challenging. In this post, we’ve curated a list of annual events and conferences for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and professionals. Whether you’re seeking mentorship, training from experts, or just some old-fashioned socializing with like-minded business owners, these events are made for you. While most have already taken place for 2022, keep your eyes peeled for the 2023 dates. Events and Conferences for LGBTQ+ Professionals 1. Lesbians Who Tech & Allies Summit Despite the name, the annual Lesbians Who Tech & Allies Summit is inclusive of all techies, centering LGBTQ women, women of color, and non-binary leaders. The ninth summit was in October in San Francisco, with in-person and virtual options. Their summits feature networking and mentorship opportunities, career fairs, leaders and celebrity speeches, parties, and educational sessions. While much of the content is geared toward the tech world, many sessions focus on broader topics like leadership, diversity,...
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How SKIMMS, Liquid Death, and Other Brands Made Age-Old Products Feel New, Exciting, and Different

Marketing Strategy
November 16, 2022/by
How SKIMMS, Liquid Death, and Other Brands Made Age-Old Products Feel New, Exciting, and Different Let’s face it — there’s always another brand out there that makes a product similar to yours. Chances are that there are quite a few brands that make products or services similar to yours. It’s also likely that new brands and businesses will pop up in the future with similar products. With this in mind, how do new brands compete in such saturated and competitive markets, so much so that they become market leaders in their niche? In this post, we’ll discuss how three brands, SKIMS, Liquid Death, and Dollar Shave Club, introduced old but new products to market and achieved significant success. Revitalizing Old Products: How Skims, Liquid Death, and Dollar Shave Club Achieved Their Success Making “old” products come alive in new and exciting ways revolves around audiences, their needs, and how you can make what you offer them more exciting than their available options. Doing this falls on new, unique branding that speaks to their desires and a product that positions you above your competition. Let’s discuss three brands that excelled at this. 1. SKIMS Made Shapewear Exciting SKIMS, founded by Kim Kardashian, is a shapewear brand. Shapewear had been around for centuries when SKIMS launched in 2019, yet it was able to make a significant splash and repeatedly sell out of a product that many of its customers likely already had on their shelves. Image Source This success happened because SKIMS...
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Why the Creator Economy is a Huge Opportunity for Marketers, According to Joe Pulizzi [+ New Data]

Creator Economy
November 15, 2022/by
Why the Creator Economy is a Huge Opportunity for Marketers, According to Joe Pulizzi Over the last 18 months, the creator economy has been all the rage — and it's proven to be incredibly lucrative. In fact, as of 2022, the creator economy's market size is estimated at $104.2 billion. The creator economy is made up of bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, newsletter writers, TikTok and Instagram influencers, and others who are trying to build real businesses by creating and distributing valuable and entertaining content. Think of these content creators as little media companies. Many of these content creators work with bigger brands rather than sell their own products or services. If you're a marketer whose interested in working with content creators to expand your audience reach, keep reading — we'll dive into everything you need to know when working with a content creator, backed by data. (Alternatively, you can also take a look at the complete Business of Creators report we at the Tilt created in partnership with HubSpot by downloading it here.) To start, let's explore what we know about content creators. The Creator Economy: A Content Creator's Interests, Challenges, Revenue Streams, & More Who are content creators? Although many like to focus on the “content creation” part, content creators are individuals who are also entrepreneurs and business owners. I like to refer to them as content entrepreneurs who: Deliver consistent information to a group of people with plans to build a loyal audience and then...
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A Crisis of Disconnection: Three Workplace Trends Slowing Business Growth [New Data]

Marketing Trends
November 15, 2022/by
A Crisis of Disconnection: Three Workplace Trends Slowing Business Growth This post is a part of The Crisis of Disconnection, a thought leadership series examining the latest research and insights to uncover how businesses can meet their growth goals, even amidst unprecedented changes to the way we work. It’s no secret that reaching customers has become more challenging in recent years. Interested in going a few steps further to develop meaningful, lasting relationships? That’s an even taller order. To sustain business growth during trying times, many of us are realizing we need to reimagine how we attract, engage, and delight the communities we serve. Until recently, it's been equally tricky to pinpoint a root cause for what feels like an uphill battle. The struggle, as they say, is real. When we zoomed out, we discovered that disconnection is widespread across internal systems, among cross-functional teams, and — increasingly — between brands and their customers. Yamini Rangan, Chief Executive Officer at HubSpot, sums up the Crisis of Disconnection best: How did this evolution come to our attention? We’re glad you asked! Research we’ve conducted over the last year has helped us bring these trends to light, and we’re eager to share our top findings. After all, overcoming The Crisis of Disconnection starts with understanding the challenges ahead. Let’s start with some high-level commentary on growth, or what’s top of mind for most in our current macroeconomic climate. Growth Challenges Are on the Rise Are times tough for most...
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4 Things Content Marketers Can Learn From HubSpot’s Creators

Creator Economy
November 15, 2022/by
4 Things Content Marketers Can Learn From HubSpot's Creators The creator economy is changing marketing in various ways, and keeping up can be challenging for content marketers unfamiliar with this relatively new landscape. Fortunately, HubSpot invests in creators and keeps a pulse on the latest content creation trends. I spoke to creators in HubSpot's Creator Program and asked for their advice on how marketing professionals can adapt to the creator economy. Lessons Content Marketers Can Learn from HubSpot's Creators Here's what HubSpot's creators say about how marketers can thrive in the creator economy. Create Valuable Content "When creating content, you have to keep your ideal audience in mind," John Lee Dumas of the podcast Entrepreneurs on Fire said. "What challenges, questions, or struggles are they facing right now? Every piece of content you create should aim to help them get a quick win or aid them in overcoming a challenge, question, or struggle." To understand what's valuable to your audience, create buyer personas based on data and research. Buyer personas represent your ideal customers and include information such as their age, habits, problems, occupations, and more. Buyer personas will help you create content that suits the need of your target audience and will help ensure your work aligns with your vision. Another key to creating valuable content is not to get hung up on algorithms. While it's okay to keep social algorithms in mind regarding the visibility of your content — algorithms are not your target audience. "Create...
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8 Holiday Giveaway Ideas To Boost Revenue

Uncategorized
November 12, 2022/by
8 Holiday Giveaway Ideas To Boost Revenue The holidays are right around the corner, so companies everywhere are gearing up to run fun holiday deals and giveaways. You're in luck if you need fresh ideas for your holiday giveaways. I've put together 8 holiday giveaways to spark joy in your customers and simultaneously boost revenue. 8 Holiday Giveaway Ideas to Drive Sales and Delight Customers Promotion-A-Day Giveaways Host Giveaways on Your Website Buy-1-Get-1 Free Free Gift Cards With a Purchase Social Media Contests Refer-A-Friend Offer a Chance to Relax Run a Photo Contest 8 Holiday Giveaway Ideas To Drive Sales, and Delight Customers Here are a few giveaway ideas your business should try this holiday season. 1. Promotion-A-Day Giveaways During the holiday season, consumers spend more than ever as they book flights and hotels for holiday travel and buy gifts for loved ones. With that in mind, it's a great time to run daily promotions because they give shoppers the chance to save money and boost traffic and sales for your business. Constant promotions can also help clear out inventory in preparation for the new year. Promotions can include discounts, buy-1-get-1 free deals, money-off purchases, or a free gift with a purchase. Pro tip: To keep things interesting, run a different promotion each day and have it be holiday-themed. For example, a "12 Deals of Christmas" promotion can include percent-off discounts one day and free gifts...
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Program Management Vs. Project Management: What You Need To Know

Project Management
November 10, 2022/by
Program Management Vs. Project Management: What You Need To Know Projects and programs are needed to push an organization's goals forward. And behind every project or program is a manager working diligently to ensure everything runs efficiently. But what is the difference between program management and project management? What do project managers and program managers do? Here's what you need to know: Program Manager vs. Project Manager What is Program Management vs. Project Management Difference Between Program Management and Project Program Manager vs. Project Manager A program manager ensures groups of projects are carried out effectively and are following an organization's goals. Those groups of projects are referred to as a program. In contrast, a project manager leads an individual project — rather than a group of endeavors. A program manager's duties may include the following: Working with project managers to plan schedules, projects, and goals Overseeing communication across different teams and projects Working with executive management to brainstorm new strategies and execute goals A project manager's responsibilities can include the following: Ensuring a project is executed smoothly, within budget, and on time. Planning and securing project resources, such as team members, budget, and tools Keeping team morale high and addressing any shortcomings to ensure quality What is Program Management vs. Project Management Program management entails maintaining a strategic plan and scheduling multiple different projects. These...
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How To Do Affiliate Marketing on Instagram

Instagram Marketing
November 9, 2022/by
How To Do Affiliate Marketing on Instagram Affiliate marketing on Instagram works the same as other platforms, where a business pays someone (i.e., an influencer) a commission for attracting people to purchase its product or service. The amount of commission paid is tracked through a unique code or URL.   Instagram used to have a native program for creators, but it ended in August of 2022. Not to worry, though, because you can still make money from affiliate marketing on Instagram. This post will discuss how and give examples of creators that successfully use the strategy. How to Do Affiliate Marketing on Instagram 1. Switch to a creator or business account. An important step, although not required, is to have a creator or business account on Instagram. When you have this designation on your account, it establishes your legitimacy with your followers and the businesses you choose to work with. You’ll be seen as a trusted source that is not trying to run a scam or make a quick profit.   2. Find affiliate partners or businesses that you want to work with. To start affiliate marketing on Instagram, you need to find an affiliate program you want to work with. Amazon Associates is an excellent example of an affiliate program, where you can earn a commission between 1 and 10% based on the product category. Another option is to reach out to businesses directly that you’d like to work with and explain how you relate to what they offer and the...
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The 23 Best WordPress Video Themes in 2022

wordpress themes
November 9, 2022/by
The 23 Best WordPress Video Themes in 2022 If you produce video content or sell video footage, the right WordPress video theme will allow your content to shine. You’ll also create a compelling experience for your visitors the moment they enter your site. Are you looking for a WordPress video theme to put your video content on full display? There are a lot of WordPress Video themes out there to choose from. But not to worry, we did the legwork for you. Explore this list of 16 WordPress video themes (in no specific order) to help you choose the best theme for your site. We'll break down our list by the following categories: Multi-Purpose Video Themes Blogging Video Themes Portfolio and Photography Video Themes Filmmaking Video Themes Creative Video Themes Streaming and Membership Themes Before you continue, you can also watch this useful video on WordPress video themes from themesCode: Multi-Purpose Video Themes These WordPress themes aren't wholly video-focused. However, they have solid and unique video-related features. These themes are ideal for anyone who doesn't need their website to revolve around their videos and would benefit from a wide range of additional features. 1. Revolution Pro Revolution Pro is a responsive, minimalist theme that focuses on your content. It's built on the Genesis Framework, known for its speed and...
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