This first Q1 was dominated by the rush to “migrate” to GA4, which operates in a completely different way than its prefecessor. Starting July 1, 2023, Universal Analytics is no longer a full functioning dashboard and GA4 is the the primary property for Google’s data analytics, introducing new features and significant changes.

In this blog, I’ll be your trusty navigator, shedding light on the changes and challenges that come with GA4. 

What is this GA4?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google’s data analytics service¹. Launched in October 2020, GA4 represents a significant shift from the old UA, bringing innovations to meet the current needs of data collection and processing, with features such as privacy controls and customer journey tracking on websites or apps.

While Universal Analytics was popular, changes in online privacy policies and consumer behavior demanded a new approach. GA4 places a strong emphasis on customer privacy, aligning with recent privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA. The tool traces the complete customer journey across various platforms, utilizing AI and machine learning to offer in-depth insights into user interactions with your website and app. This new generation of GA is more powerful than ever².

The Transition

Now comes the tricky part! As of July 1st, there’s no turning back. If you haven’t manually set up your GA4 account, don’t worry – a new GA4 property has been automatically created for you. If you are still insecure, my buddy Neil Patel has a cheat sheet for you here.

Today, we begin shutting down Universal Analytics as we welcome you to Google Analytics 4. This will not happen overnight, so some Universal Analytics properties may continue to process data. However, all properties have now been added to the queue, and those that have not…

— Google Analytics (@googleanalytics) July 1, 2023

Differences between GA4 and Universal Analytics

Tracking methodologies: cookies vs. events

In the old days of UA, cookies were the go-to method for tracking user behavior. But GA4 has taken a leap forward by embracing events. Unlike previous versions, GA4 doesn’t solely rely on cookies for gathering information. Instead, it employs an event-based data model to measure and track user actions. Events are activities on websites or apps, such as file downloads, video engagement, site searches, and scrolling to the bottom of a page.

via GIPHY

This shift from cookies to events enables a more comprehensive view of user behavior. It also ensures greater privacy and compliance with current regulations while still providing valuable data for analysis and insights.

Emphasis on user-centric data rather than sessions
In the past, web analytics were obsessed with tracking sessions – how long a user stayed on a website. But GA4 recognizes the importance of the individual user and shifts the focus to user-centric data. It’s like going from counting sheep to actually understanding the dreams of each sheep. This shift allows businesses to truly understand their audience on a personal level and tailor their strategies accordingly.

Enhanced cross-device tracking and reporting
With GA4, businesses can finally track user interactions across multiple devices. It’s like having a personal tracker for your users, following them seamlessly from their phone to their laptop, and maybe even their smart fridge. This enhanced cross-device tracking opens up a whole new world of possibilities for marketers who want to engage with their audience on various platforms.

New interface
Universal Analytics has hit types, while GA4 has events – which may be the biggest challenge for marketing professionals to overcome. With a new reporting interface in place, users will need to adapt to the differences quickly to stay ahead, and some may not be willing to bother.

Challenges in Transitioning to GA4

Let’s face it – change is hard. But don’t panic. We are all in the same boat when it comes to this transition (Yep, I freaked out about this change a couple of times too).

Learning curve and adjustment period
Adopting GA4 comes with a learning curve as businesses familiarize themselves with the new interface and functionalities. While the fundamental principles of analytics remain consistent, there will be adjustments to processes and reporting. However, investing time and effort into understanding GA4 will pay off in the long run, as businesses harness its potential for enhanced data analysis. 

Transitioning from UA to GA4 may require a bit of a learning curvebut don’t worry, for you are well-prepared to face it. Embrace the challenge like a brave sailor on a quest to conquer the mighty sea of outdated analytics. With a little patience and perseverance, you’ll conquer the GA4 landscape and emerge as a web analytics hero.

Migration process and potential data loss
For those who work in the digital marketing world, data collection plays a fundamental role. However, it’s essential to highlight that GA data is not compatible with GA4 and, it’s not possible to directly transfer your data to GA4. This enhanced version represents an enhanced version of GA with advanced features and a completely different architecture. 

Moving your analytics from one platform to another can be a bumpy ride and you might experience a bit of data loss. Think of it as decluttering your analytics closet – getting rid of the old, irrelevant data and making space for the shiny new insights that GA4 has to offer.

Adapting measurement strategies for new data models
Google Analytics 4 utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning to fill data gaps and provide more accurate insights. This modeling helps compensate for data loss due to cookie blockers and offers a more comprehensive understanding of user behavior on your website.

The introduction of new data models will require may require marketers to rethink their measurement strategies. It’s like learning a new dance move – it takes time to get the steps right. But once you’ve mastered the art of aligning your measurement strategies with GA4’s data models, you’ll be on your way to success.

New Features and Enhancements in GA4

Event-driven data collection
Say hello to the star of the show: event-driven data collection. GA4 opens up a whole new world of events that you can track, like button clicks, form submissions, and even video interactions. It’s like giving your website a VIP pass to the party of user behavior, where you can collect valuable insights and dance the night away with data-driven decisions.

Customer lifecycle reporting
GA4 understands that customers have a lifecycle. From first touch to loyal customer, GA4 allows you to track the entire journey. While GA3 only contains historical data, meaning it only looks at how the customers acted to date, GA4 offers machine-learning expertise to predict the future behavior of your users along with historical numbers.

Predictive analytics and AI-powered insights
GA4 takes web analytics to a whole new dimension with its predictive analytics and AI-powered insights. It’s like having a crystal ball that can foresee the future of your business. Whether it’s predicting customer churn or identifying potential high-value segments, GA4 equips you with the power to make informed decisions and stay one step ahead of the competition.

Check out these GA4 features and others in this awesome video made by The School of Digital Marketing:

Implications for Digital Marketers and Businesses

Rethinking measurement strategies and KPIs
With GA4’s arrival, it’s time to dust off those old measurement strategies and KPIs and give them a fresh coat of paint. It’s like renovating your analytics house – creating a space that aligns with the new capabilities of GA4. Embrace the opportunity to redefine your metrics and forge a path towards data-driven success.

Opportunities for improved personalization and targeting
GA4 opens doors to a world of improved personalization and targeting. Armed with the insights from GA4, you can create tailored experiences for your audience, boosting engagement, and building stronger relationships.

Impact on remarketing and attribution modeling
The transition to GA4 can have a ripple effect on remarketing and attribution modeling. It’s like a domino effect – one change in the analytics world can transform the way you reach your audience. GA4 offers new possibilities for honing your remarketing efforts and understanding the true impact of your marketing channels.

Take this opportunity to review your goals and strategies and it also might be a good idea to consider starting a Looker Dashboard. If you’re unsure where to begin, take a look at this template made by Smart Insights. They have created a dashboard template to help managers to complete a regular monthly review of the current effectiveness of their digital marketing using Google Analytics 4 with Google’s Looker Studio. 

So what’s next for marketers?

Don’t shy away from the changes and challenges it brings. Instead, grab the bull by its data horns and charge forward. Embrace GA4, adapt your strategies, and unlock the true potential of web analytics. The digital world is waiting for you, brave marketer. It’s time to make your mark.

From your buddy,

Edgar

References

1Introducing the next generation of Analytics, by Google Analytics 4 – Google,  2023.

2”An In-Depth Guide to Google Analytics 4″ guide by Neil Patel, 2023.

3“Using Google Analytics 4 reports to grow your business with digital marketing” article by Smart Insights, 2023.

The post Goodbye Universal Analytics: GA4 new changes and challenges appeared first on Meet Edgar.

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed the marketing landscape, and it’s not going away anytime soon. In fact, according to a recent report from Stanford University, the proportion of companies adopting AI in 2022 has more than doubled since 2017. With this in mind, it’s essential to adopt a marketing strategy that incorporates AI to stay ahead of the curve. AI is being used to automate tasks, generate content, and personalize experiences in ways that were never before possible.

So let’s dive in and discover how you can adapt your marketing strategy for success in the digital age.

via GIPHY

Understanding the Basics:

AI refers to machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as decision-making, learning, and problem-solving. It works by analyzing large amounts of data to identify patterns and make predictions. Basically, artificial intelligence is the ability of a computer or system to learn, reason, and perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as speech recognition, data analysis, decision-making, and other complex activities.

By harnessing the power of AI, marketers can automate processes, personalize content, and optimize for voice search, all of which can lead to higher revenue growth rates. With this understanding, we can move forward to the next section on how to embrace AI marketing.

Here are some of the ways AI is being used in digital marketing today:

Content creation: AI can be used to generate content, such as blog posts, articles, and social media updates. This can free up time for content marketers to focus on other tasks, such as strategy and planning. 

Content optimization: AI can be used to optimize content for search engines, social media, and other platforms. This can help to ensure that content is seen by the right people and that it is effective in driving traffic and conversions.

Content personalization: AI can be used to personalize content for individual users. This can be done by tailoring content to a user’s interests, demographics, or past behavior. 

By personalizing your content, you can make the most of AI’s capabilities and create compelling content that resonates with your customer’s needs. This approach can increase engagement, drive revenue growth, and build stronger relationships with your audience. However, as technology advances, so do user behaviors.

Understanding the behaviors of your customers can be challenging. AI can help you and your team understand the next steps by analyzing past behaviors of customers and using that information to personalize a customer’s journey. This can help to improve engagement and conversion rates.

Data processing: With the vast amount of data generated by customers and various marketing channels, manually analyzing and interpreting this data can be overwhelming and time-consuming. AI technologies, such as machine learning algorithms and natural language processing, can efficiently analyze large volumes of data, identify patterns, and extract valuable insights

Automated process: One of the most significant advantages of AI in marketing is its ability to automate processes. With the help of AI-powered tools, businesses can streamline their operations and reduce manual labor, allowing their employees to focus on more strategic tasks. For example, AI can automate email marketing campaigns, social media posts, and even content creation.

But how can you incorporate AI into your marketing strategy?

Use AI-powered tools to generate content: There are a number of AI-powered tools that can help you to generate content, such as blog posts, articles, and social media updates. These tools can help you to save time and create high-quality content that is relevant to your audience. You can use both for copywriting and designing content. For example, you can use tools like Designer to generate a promoting flyer in seconds. Just prompt the kind of content you want to be generated and… done! 

Use AI to optimize your content for search engines: AI can be used to optimize your content for search engines, such as Google and Bing. This can help to ensure that your content is seen by the right people and that it is effective in driving traffic to your website. You can use AI tools to analyze keywords and your site performance to determine which steps can help you rank higher in search results.

Use AI to personalize your content for individual users: In an era of information overload, personalization has become crucial for customer engagement, loyalty, and conversions. AI can be used to personalize your content for individual users. This can be done by tailoring content to a user’s interests, demographics, or past behavior. These tools analyze customer data to generate personalized messages, headlines, and calls to action that resonate with specific target segments. This can help to improve engagement and conversion rates.

A great example of this is a chatbot. Chatbots provide personalized support and assistance to customers, helping businesses optimize their customer service efforts while delivering a customized experience.

Use AI to help you make better decisions: Another great use of AI is helping marketers to do better marketing decisions. Data-driven decision-making minimizes the guesswork and increases the likelihood of achieving desired outcomes. It enables businesses to allocate resources efficiently, identify growth opportunities, and measure the return on investment of marketing initiatives.

A great option to help marketers make these decisions are AI Recommendation engines. AI Recommendation engines generate useful data for analyzing customer desires. According to Mike Gingerich, AI recommendation engines are truly revolutionizing marketing decision-making. These recommendation engines are constantly learning and adapting in response to user feedback and interactions and helping marketers make wiser decisions.

Okay, now you’re convinced to use AI in your digital marketing strategy. But you’re wondering how? Where do you start?

There are a number of ways that you can get started with AI in content marketing:

Do your research: There are a number of AI-powered tools and services available. Start by researching and identifying AI tools that align with your marketing goals and objectives. Look for tools that offer features such as predictive analytics, natural language processing, and recommendation engines. Consider factors like ease of use, integration capabilities, and cost when selecting the right tool for your needs.

Start small: Don’t try to do too much too soon. Start by using AI to automate one or two tasks, such as generating content or optimizing your content for search engines. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with the technology and gradually integrate it into your marketing strategy.

Be patient: AI is a powerful tool, but it takes time to learn how to use it effectively. Be patient and experiment with different tools and techniques to find what works best for you.

We’ve already talked about all the benefits and uses that AI can contribute to your marketing strategy. However, it is important to take some important precautions with them, especially when talking about ChatGPT.

After all, many companies and users have been using intelligence as a search engine – like Google, for example – and it is not good for that. After all, it has information, but it does not mean that this information is correct according to the type of question that was asked.

Conclusion

AI is a powerful tool that can be used to improve your content marketing results. By automating tasks, generating content, and personalizing experiences, AI can help you to save time, create high-quality content, and improve your results. If you’re not using AI in your content marketing yet, now is the time to get started.

The future is now, and it is crucial to adapt your marketing strategy to leverage AI’s capabilities. As Wayne Gretzky once said, “Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.” So start adapting your marketing strategy today and be ready to thrive in the AI-powered future.

If you still don’t use AI in your marketing strategies, it’s time to start exploring this potential! Just remember, humans want to connect with humans. So a human touch will always be crucial.

The post AI Marketing: The Secret Weapon for Your Marketing Strategy appeared first on Meet Edgar.

(We bet you’ve wondered once or twice.)

And why wouldn’t you?

Of course, everyone wants to know exactly ‘how often should I post on social media?’ – the objective, universal solution to getting the absolute best results. It would be pretty nice to set it, forget it, and literally never think about it ever again!

So why is this question so hard to answer? What IS the answer?

It’s a mystery that’s been plaguing social media marketers since Homo erectus first live-tweeted the discovery of fire – so we dug deep, and we’ve got some answers.

Want to see what we learned?

How often should you post on social media?

Let’s take a look at the answer for three of the most used social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

First things first: nobody agrees about any of this

Asking social media experts about how often you should post is like asking the attendees of a family reunion about their politics – everyone has a strong opinion, nobody agrees, and someone always ends up throwing a bowl of potato salad.

You can’t trust an expert.

Here’s the proof.

One expert’s research might say you should post on Facebook twice a day at minimum, while another says you should post twice a day at maximum.

One says you should post up to twenty times a day on Twitter, another says it really doesn’t matter.

Obviously, these recommendations and “best practices” tend to vary – and in some cases, they vary a lot.

But here’s the thing:

None of them are wrong.

Nobody can agree about how many times you should post because that answer is different for everyone.

And because that answer is different for everyone, even studies that look at lots of different marketers aren’t necessarily going to find commonalities or conclusions that are relevant to YOU.

We could study 10,000 accounts, but if their audiences are different from yours, the results don’t necessarily reflect what you should be doing!

This doesn’t mean that there isn’t an answer for this question, though.

(There just isn’t a universal answer, or one you can find with a quick Google search.)

There are ways to determine how often how often to post on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

For starters, you can take some advice directly from Facebook.

How often should you post on Facebook according to Facebook?

In October 2017, Facebook released its comprehensive News Feed Publisher Guidelines – an 8,400-word guide detailing all their top do’s and don’ts for posting content that’ll get results.

You can read the whole thing here if you’ve got a little time to kill, but we’ve already found you a few very interesting gems regarding how often you should post.

For example, Facebook says that you should post frequently.

Facebook shows people content that they think will interest them on an individual basis – so the more quality stuff you post, the higher your chances of connecting with an audience.

(We wrote about how exactly Facebook decides who sees your updates in this blog post.)

You don’t have to worry about accidentally spamming people, either.

Because Facebook uses an algorithm that determines who sees your updates and when Facebook also prevents the people in your audience from seeing too many of your updates.

In their own words, “you don’t need to worry about spamming your fans or followers provided that the content you post is new and high quality.”

(We know – it’s a big relief.)

Does that mean you should share 100 Facebook updates every day? Probably not – but it also doesn’t mean you need to stick to just one or two per day out of fear of overdoing it.

And their other big piece of advice regarding how often you should post?

Don’t look for a silver bullet when posting to News Feed.

Here’s what they have to say:

“Publishers succeed in many different ways and with vastly different posting strategies. There’s no single right time to post, number of posts, or type of post that will work across all publishers. It’s about creating great content you think your audience will find interesting.”

And:

“[Don’t] copy your competitor’s strategy. Every audience is different. Use your own insights as your guide to creating a posting strategy your fans will respond to.”

So there you have it, straight from the source – there is no universal answer to the question of how often you should post on social media.

But you can still figure it out for yourself.

You’ll have to get your hands a little dirty, but this is absolutely something you can determine on your own.

Wanna see how?

We’ll show you!

Finding your sweet spot

For starters, if you visit your Facebook Page’s Insights tab and click on Posts, you’ll see a full breakdown of when the people in your audience tend to use Facebook.

It displays in a chart like this, which breaks down both day-by-day and hour-by-hour:

For example, if we were deciding the most valuable times for sharing updates, we might not pile too many into that valley between 3 and 6 am, when not many of our followers are on Facebook.

(This isn’t too surprising for us, given that nearly 3 out of 4 of our followers are in the US or Canada – something you can learn in the People section of your Insights.)

The Posts section of your Insights also shows you your posting history – what you’ve shared and when, along with the reach and engagement for each update.

This is where you can periodically check on the performance of your individual updates.

But let’s say that instead, you recently changed your posting routine. Maybe you went from posting once a day to posting three times a day, and you want to see what kind of effect that’s having.

The Overview section of your Insights shows you a more holistic view of your performance over time, so you can see how stats like your engagement and reach fluctuate as you post more or less frequently.

As you add more updates to your schedule, are your stats improving, or moving in the other direction? What about if you take a few off your schedule, or vary the types of posts you’re sharing?

How often should you post on Twitter?

Here’s how knowing how often to post on social media gets more complicated…it changes for each channel!

But don’t worry, Twitter gives you a similar set of options to Facebook for tracking the effectiveness of your updates.

In your Twitter analytics, the Tweets tab gives you stats like impressions, replies, Retweets, and link clicks for the date range of your choosing.

So again, if you make changes to your posting routine, you can easily compare the results of that routine to the results of your old one!

Just remember to consider that more than one factor can influence those results. If increasing your frequency appears to have a negative effect during a certain period, consider also the content of the updates you shared during that period!

For example, here are two days where we shared the same exact number of Tweets and replies – but on one day, we had nearly 3,000 more impressions. This is a case where we can rule out frequency as a factor, and focus instead on analyzing things like content and posting times:

Experimenting takes time and patience, but it’s worth it – and this is where you can see your hard work paying off!

When it comes to Twitter, you should also remember it is absolutely fine to keep reposting the same tweets. The lifespan of a tweet is less than half an hour, which doesn’t give a very big window for your audience to see them! For the best results, try resharing the same tweet at different times of the day.

How often should you post on Instagram?

Instagram is a whole different ball game. The visual nature of the content means you can post less to your feed than firing out a quick Tweet. It’s also more difficult to find quality images you want to share that will be useful to your audience.

The amount you post on Instagram depends on your goals. If your goal is engagement, you don’t need to post as often as you do if your goal is visibility and audience building.

Posting also depends on the number of followers you have, if you have hundreds of thousands of followers you won’t need to post as regularly as if you are trying to grow a new brand.

It also depends on the type of content: if its a reels, feed post, or story. Instagram stories, for example, should be posted with a lot more frequency than regular feed posts.

As a general rule for Instagram, posting once a day to your feed should be enough. But don’t just post for the sake of it! If you don’t have anything useful to share with your audience, don’t post!

This is where using recycled content comes in; Edgar can help with that. Give old content a fresh look and provide value to your audience by scheduling content in advance.

Instagram stories on the other hand are a great way to engage your audience and remind them you exist. The more stories the better! Post multiple stories every day to help grow engagement with your audience. But remember to only post things you think will have value to your audience.

What about LinkedIn?

It’s generally recommended to aim for a posting frequency of at least once per week. But again, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The LinkedIn algorithm is programmed to not display too many posts from the same company to the user, so you shouldn’t overpost neither.

Another interesting fact is that, as LinkedIn is a professional network, it is perfectly normal to see a decrease in the number of clicks outside of business hours.

Consistency is one of the most important ingredients to gain favor from the LinkedIn algorithm. Stay active without overwhelming your network, and adjust your posting frequency based on your audience’s preferences and your own capacity to create valuable content.

What’s YOUR posting routine like?

Next time you’re wondering how often should I post on Facebook? Just remember, there truly isn’t one universal answer for how often you should post on social media. Use your analytics and data from your previous posting schedule to determine a strategy that works best for YOU.

What’s YOUR answer? Have you found that less is more? Or do you crank ’em out as fast as you can?

Share what you’ve seen (and see what others have learned) in the comments!

The post How Often Should You Post on Social Media to Get Results? appeared first on Meet Edgar.

(That’s a rhetorical question. We kind of assume that you do.)

Sure, creating great content is your priority numero uno. Sharing it on social media should be an integral part of every content marketing strategy, too. But one of the most important parts of the whole getting-more-visitors equation is also one of the easiest to overlook!

Sharing your posts in a newsletter can make a massive difference in your traffic – IF you optimize it carefully.

Just take a look at what happens to our own blog traffic every single time we send a newsletter:

Effectively promoting your content makes a much bigger difference than just creating the content itself – and a compelling newsletter can drive the people most interested in what you have to say straight to your website.

Still, it’s more than a matter of just stuffing some links into an email and hoping for the best.

There are a few key things you can keep an eye on to improve your email newsletter – and those improvements can mean a lot more traffic to your website.

The first is to make sure you’re segmenting your audience to account for things like list decay, which can throw your tests WAY off – we wrote about that one here.

The second is to consistently test your subject lines, so you can find trends in what interests your readers. We wrote about that one here.

The third is to optimize what’s actually included in your newsletter – and that’s what we’re focusing on right now!

When it comes to your newsletter, how much stuff is too much?

In the past, we’ve showcased different types of content that you can choose from when writing a newsletter – but how do you know if you’re overdoing it?

Let’s take a look – including a peek at what happened when we changed the format of our own weekly newsletter!

The actual purpose of your newsletter

The simplest solution to all of this is to work backwards.

Your newsletter exists to do two things:

1. Provide value to its subscribers
2. Provide value to your business

(We know that sounds a little broad, but bear with us for a sec.)

Providing value to your business can mean a lot of things, but considering that your newsletter is part of a content marketing strategy, “value” probably translates to getting people to read your content.

(And when they read it, they share it, and it compels them to take other actions, and it helps them get to know, like, and trust you, and so on and so forth – but that’s all stuff that happens later.)

Your newsletter’s specific value to you is in getting subscribers to click through to that content in the first place, and it does that not only by providing something valuable to those subscribers, but by presenting it in an effective way.

Here’s an example.

Help Scout runs one of the best blogs about customer support you’ll ever find, and their newsletter’s role in driving traffic to that blog is pretty clear.

Take a look at this sample:

Not a lot there, right?

Keeping it simple and focused makes its purpose clear, and eliminates distractions that could get in the way of subscribers making it all the way to the Help Scout blog.

(Basically, this thing is a traffic-driving machine.)

Before we look at some more examples, though, you might be wondering – how much of a difference can too much stuff actually make?

Doesn’t including more stuff in your newsletter just give its readers more options, and more value?

What happened when we simplified OUR newsletter

If you’re already one of our 100k+ subscribers, you know that our newsletter looks a little something like this:

(And if you’re not, here’s that link to sign up again.)

Pretty simple, right?

A few links to our most recent blog posts, starting with the most recent, and a couple links at the bottom to some of our favorite reads elsewhere on the Internet that week.

Our newsletter didn’t always look like that, though.

Here’s what it looked like back around mid-2016:

So much color!

So much stuff!

You’ve got a three-paragraph introduction to a blog post, then ANOTHER multi-paragraph introduction to a blog post that is also an actionable tip-of-the-week, then a testimonial from one of our users, AND a link to a business book we recommend!

(Phew.)

On the one hand, a busy, beefed-up newsletter like that might seem like it’s providing a lot of unique value – but on the other, it might be getting in its own way by offering too much, both aesthetically and content-wise.

This is actually something that restaurants know a lot about.

When you offer too many options, it can make people feel stressed or paralyzed – and that makes it tempting for them to just not choose any of them.

Lots of restaurants actually limit the number of options on their menus so that their guests have a better experience – and the psychology of it works!

We dug into our newsletter performance data to show you how this looks in content marketing.

MailChimp – the service we use for most of our marketing emails, including our newsletter – breaks down average open and click rates by industry. If you use MailChimp yourself, you can also see up-to-date averages in the report for any given email you’ve sent:

(This is extremely important – average open and click rates can vary drastically by industry, so you want to make sure you’re comparing yourself to the right cohort!)

With all that in mind, let’s take a look at how revamping our own newsletter – and significantly simplifying it – affected its performance.

From November 2017 through April 2018, our newsletter met or exceeded our industry’s average click rate 74% of the time.

In 2016, prior to our newsletter’s redesign, it met or exceeded our industry’s average click rate only 30% of the time.

Changing our newsletter meant taking a lot of stuff out, but it also meant that the stuff we left in was a lot more appealing to our subscribers – and making our newsletter more valuable for them makes it more valuable for us, too!

Of course, determining how simple is simple enough – or even too simple – is all up to you.

Because what works for one newsletter might not for another!

Here are a few examples of newsletters from other brands to show you what we mean:

How different brands approach their newsletters

Like we talked about in this blog post, you have a lot of options when you’re choosing what to include in a newsletter.

And even if you just keep things as straightforward as possible – like in that Help Scout example from before – there are different approaches you can take!

Here’s an example from Product Hunt:

Just like the other examples we’ve seen, this newsletter reserves the top section for promoting something with a lot of appeal for its readers (and even includes significantly more information about that post than the others did about theirs).

Past that section, it includes a few additional links for people who may be extra curious about what’s new, but that content is far down enough that it doesn’t distract from the newsletter’s main highlight.

Here’s another example, this time from Social Media Examiner:

Super simple, right?

No frills, fancy formatting, or distractions – just a couple of plain-text links with just enough information to stoke your curiosity.

It goes to show that an effective newsletter doesn’t have to be complex – and in some cases, the less complex, the better!

If you feel like your newsletter’s usefulness has peaked, and especially if it’s not as high as you think it should be, changing it up might make a big difference.

Don’t be afraid to try something drastically different – even if it feels like you’re doing a lot less!

Personalization

When it comes to email newsletter strategy, one aspect that demands attention is newsletter personalization. With the power of newsletter personalization, you can create an immersive and unforgettable experience for your subscribers. Whether it’s addressing them by their name, recommending products based on their browsing history, or sending birthday surprises, personalization is the secret sauce that will make your newsletters pop! One tool that can assist you in achieving this level of personalization is Rasa.io. With its AI technology, Rasa.io analyzes subscriber data to deliver customized content that resonates with each individual.

What’s YOUR newsletter look like?

You’ve seen what happened to our newsletter when we simplified – but what’s YOUR newsletter look like?

Do you go the simple-and-straightforward route, or does your audience respond well to something a little beefier?

When’s the last time you changed your newsletter strategy?

Share your own story (and a link to where our readers can sign up for your newsletter!) in the comments below!

The post Why It Might Be Time to Rethink Your Email Newsletter Strategy appeared first on Meet Edgar.

How to Switch to an Instagram Business Profile

Want to know how to switch to a business account on Instagram? If you already have an Instagram account and want to change it to a business profile, it’s free and easy.

Follow these steps to set up your business account.

1. Log in to the Instagram app
2. Select the Main Menu in the top right corner of your profile
3. Tap Settings and Privacy
4. Select For Professionals
5. Scroll to the bottom
6. Tap Switch Account Type
7. Select Switch to Professional
8. (Optional) Connect to your Facebook Business Page
9. Enter the contact information for your business
10. Tap Done

But how to change Instagram to a business account on a desktop? Don’t worry; it’s the same process as above. Remember that Instagram is a mobile app, so the desktop experience may not be as smooth.

You may wonder how to get rid of a business account on Instagram. If you decide the business account isn’t working for you and prefer a personal account, you can always switch back. How to switch to a personal account on Instagram? Follow the same process as above, except when you click ‘switch account type’ choose ‘personal account.’

There is also an option to delete your account permanently, should you prefer.

Tips for Creating an Amazing Instagram Business Profile

Changing your account type to a business profile is simple. But creating a compelling business profile requires thought and effort.

Don’t Ignore Your Bio

Your Instagram bio tells users who you are and what your business offers. Think about your target audience when crafting your bio. It should be:

• Informative
• Concise
• Written in the style and tone of your brand

When writing your bio, think of the 5-second rule. When people unfamiliar with your brand come across your page, can they gauge what you do in less than 5 seconds? 

Marie ForLeo clearly communicates who she is, what she does, and what she’s known for. In less than 5 seconds, we know she is a CEO, and writer, and was named “thought leader for the next generation.” 

 

When writing your bio include a description of yourself like your job title(s), what your company is and does, claims to fame for social proofing, things you love, and something unique to make you stand out.

Share your contact info

As a business owner you want people to know how to contact you, so make it easy for them to do so by writing your phone number, website, and/or email address in your bio. 

Instagram lets you add your website directly to your bio, but some brands add a link tree instead so that when profile visitors click the link, they are greeted with many links about the brand, like the store, Twitter account, YouTube channel, and more. This way, more people can discover everything your brand offers. 

Use a High-Quality Profile Image

Like your bio, your profile should represent your brand. Most businesses use their logo or some variation of it. Remember, profile images are small on Instagram. Choose a high-resolution image that allows you to zoom in on your logo without getting blurry. 

For profile photos, you should aim to resize images to 320 x 320. 

Create a Style Guide for Your Brand

The best business accounts have a coherent look and feel to the entire profile. Create a style guide for your account so your brand shines through at first glance.

Your brand’s style guide should include:

• A color palette
• Rules for fonts
• Post templates

For example, Nike’s running club profile features high-quality images, bold yellow font matching all the photos, and close-up images of runners. 

When strangers visit your profile, you want to impress them in any way possible. Using consistent images in your profile with the same fonts breeds trust; when people trust you, they’re more likely to buy from you. 

Post Consistently

You’ll get the most out of your Instagram Insights if you post consistently. Choose a cadence that works for your team and stick to it. If you’re genuinely trying to grow your Instagram presence, we recommend finding a social media scheduling tool like MeetEdgar to help manage your content calendar.

MeetEdgar lets you schedule your social posts in advance so you never forget to post. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a small business, or a corporation, MeetEdgar can help you manage the mundane task of curating your feed. 

It works like this: 

• Enter your content into MeetEdgar
• Add a time slot to schedule your content 
• Edgar will post your content on time based on your schedule

Once scheduled, you can also choose to repost your content at a future date so that you can ensure you reach your entire audience. Not only that, but you don’t have to constantly come up with new posts–a common challenge among marketing professionals (believe me, we get it!). 

The post Instagram Account Types: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Meet Edgar.

The post The 6 Biggest Trends in Online Marketing in 2023 appeared first on Meet Edgar.

The post The Ultimate Social Media Image Sizes Guide for 2023: How to Optimize for Facebook, Instagram, and More appeared first on Meet Edgar.

The post 15 TikTok Content Ideas to Help You Grow Your Small Business in 2023 appeared first on Meet Edgar.

Maybe you’ve wondered how effective is Facebook at driving traffic to your website?

Very?

Kinda?

Not really?

Because a lot of small businesses don’t think it’s all that great!

The fact is, the process of acquiring Facebook traffic is neither simple nor quicker than it used to be in the early days of Facebook’s popularity.

And, if you think your Facebook page could be performing better, you’re not alone.

And the good news is that you can do something about it!

Making a few tweaks to what you post on Facebook and how can make a huge difference, so this post is going to review the things you can start doing today to make this network a more effective platform for your business!

So, where can you start?

Write things to actually link to

Long story short: you should be sharing links to your website on Facebook.

Not just in a passive “If you click through to my Facebook page there’s a link to my homepage somewhere in there” way, either!

You should actively share links via status updates, and they shouldn’t all go to the same place.

Naturally, the easiest way is by blogging – and even if you already have a blog on your website, don’t skip this part!

Are the topics you’re blogging about as enticing as possible? Are you writing about them in a compelling way? Do you know what the most-shared articles on Facebook ALL have in common?

This blog post is a start-to-finish guide that’ll walk you through the writing process, so whether you’re constantly stuck in that “I don’t know what to write about” place or you just want to be sure you’re not missing any opportunities, take a look.

It doesn’t stop there, though.

Most of the people who visit your website won’t necessarily remember to keep on coming back on their own – they need to be reminded.

Build a newsletter signup into your site, so that you can collect email addresses for your most interested visitors and shoot them a heads up when you have something new for them to read. (They may even share some of those new posts on Facebook – see how this all comes together?)

That’s what you can do on the website side of things. How about on Facebook itself?

Build better Facebook links

Not to link-shame or anything, but how are your Facebook links looking these days?

Like this?

Yeah, you can do better.

Customizing your link previews and writing stronger updates makes it a lot easier to grab someone’s attention – here’s how!

1. Write a headline that tells the story, but not the WHOLE story. Give enough details for the reader to understand what to expect, but don’t be a deliberate tease – Facebook can actually detect clickbait-style headlines automatically, and you could be penalized for writing them.

2. Write a link description that contextualizes the headline. (They don’t call this a “link preview” for nothing!) You have a limited amount of room to work with, so keep it snappy. Hint: blogging platforms like WordPress make it easy to edit your own!

3. Choose an eye-catching featured image to go with your update. Images can have a huge impact on shareability, so you should have plenty to choose from right there in the blog post you wrote! (And again, a tool like Edgar will allow you to upload one when you’re scheduling your status update, if you prefer.)

4. Don’t forget to write a status update to go with your link! This text appears before your link preview, so it’s the perfect place to introduce or react to the information you’re sharing.

That covers what you’re posting – what about when you’re posting?

Understand Facebook algorithms

Facebook uses algorithms to determine who sees your updates and when. Those algorithms change over time, and they’re a big reason that people with Facebook pages don’t feel like this is a very reliable social network for driving organic traffic.

Understanding these algorithms can help you more reliably post the right things at the right times.

Are there patterns in when your status updates get the most engagement or reach? Do certain types of updates, or updates about certain subjects, perform better than others? (And how can THAT affect how many people see what you’re sharing, both now and in the future?)

While you can always stick to a strategy of firing off updates at random and hoping for the best, the better you understand how Facebook decides who sees your updates, the more strategic you can be.

Give yourself a boost (literally)

Remember that statistic from the beginning – that 25% of SMB business owners don’t think Facebook is very effective for driving organic traffic?

Can you guess which is the most important word in that statistic?

(Hint: it’s “organic!”)

Organic traffic isn’t the be-all and end-all of successful Facebook marketing.

In fact, Facebook pages generally pay for as much as a third of their total reach – and when you take the time to tailor the audience that sees your ads, you can really stretch your budget.

Take a few minutes to get to know the Facebook ad manager, and set aside a few bucks here and there for boosting posts you’re especially proud of. This is another reason that it pays for your website to offer a newsletter signup, so you can turn the people you paid to reach into repeat visitors!

How effective is Facebook for YOU?

So – how effective do you think Facebook is?

Are you one of the 25% who say it isn’t that great?

Are you one of the 20% of SMB owners that isn’t even on Facebook at all?

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post 5 Ways to Drive Traffic From Facebook to Your Website appeared first on Meet Edgar.

How to automate Facebook posts natively on Facebook

1. Write your post in the “Create Post” box
2. Below your post, click the “Share Now” dropdown
3. Select the second option “Schedule”
4. Select the date and time you want your post to publish
5. Select “Schedule”

The post How to Automate Your Facebook Posts to Drive Engagement with Minimal Effort appeared first on Meet Edgar.