Author: Franz Malten Buemann

  • 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 ease of configuration. It’s compatible with the Gutenberg editor, so you can easily embed videos using the Video block.
    Revolution Pro also comes fully configured with HubSpot upon installation, so you’ll be set up with HubSpot’s marketing and CRM tools from the start. If you’re already a WP Engine hosting plan user, you get free access to all other StudioPress themes.
    Core Features

    Section video backgrounds
    Video transitions included
    Slider feature

    2. Bridge

    Bridge is a multipurpose, creative theme for sharing videos with your customers. Bridge comes fully featured with multiple options for integrating your video content via sliders, overlays, and more. For example, you can use section video backgrounds to make your video take up the entire screen width for an immersive experience.
    You can also add different transitions, like fades, animations, and more to the beginning or end of your videos. The video slider feature lets you place multiple video clips in one section so visitors can slide right and left through all of your clips.
    Core Features

    Gutenberg compatible
    Fully configured with HubSpot’s free suite of marketing and CRM tools
    Minimalist design to highlight your videos

    3. Brooklyn

    Brooklyn is a multi-purpose WordPress video theme that can make a beautiful site for any type of business. Brooklyn is renowned for its drag-and-drop editor, which makes adding video content to your site a breeze.
    In addition, there are options to feature photo and video galleries on different website pages and create fullscreen video backgrounds. There is also a video widget to make adding, editing, and formatting your website’s videos quick and straightforward.
    Core Features

    Drag-and-drop page builder
    Video galleries
    Fullscreen video backgrounds

    Blogging Video Themes
    If you’re a video blogger, these themes are for you. They’re built for people who want to include written blog content alongside videos on their website.
    4. Videoblog

    Videoblog is a blog and magazine video theme that allows you to list your latest or featured posts on your homepage. Videoblog is a traditional style theme that focuses on readability and content. The design is intuitive, and customers will appreciate the familiarity of the two-column layout format.
    Core Features

    Ideal for blogs and magazines
    Latest and featured posts listed on your homepage
    Two-column layout

    5. Video by Templatic

    Video by Templatic is a mobile responsive WordPress video theme that is an excellent choice for creating blogs with video content as the primary focus. This theme makes it simple to add video and other content types. You can also manage your posts with categories and sub-categories.
    With Video by Templatic, you’ll have deep customization abilities, automatic thumbnail generation, and the option to let users submit and upload video content from the front end.
    Core Features

    Automatic thumbnail generation
    WooCommerce compatibility
    Real-time customizer feature

    6. Vlog

    Vlog is a WordPress video theme optimized for blog and magazine content, with a focus on videos. The theme is compatible with YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion to simplify sharing your video content.
    You can group your videos into playlists to keep related content together, so it’s easy to find for your visitors. You can also quickly set your video’s thumbnail as your featured image with a click.
    Core Features

    Created for blogs and digital magazines
    Compatible with YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion
    Can group videos into playlists

    Portfolio and Photography Video Themes
    If you want to share your portfolio, feature your videos and photos in a gallery, and possibly sell your work straight from your website, these themes may suit your needs.
    7. Fargo

    Fargo is a WordPress theme marketed toward wedding photographers. It is an elegant theme that certainly lends itself well to that. However, the theme’s photo sharing and portfolio features would benefit any type of photographer looking to show off their work.
    Fargo’s Smart Galleries allow you to move from written content to photo content to video content seamlessly. In addition, Fargo’s flexible navigation includes customizable transitions that create an interactive, 3D experience for your visitors while they browse your different site pages.
    Core Features

    Created for sharing photography and video content
    Smart Galleries
    Flexible navigation with customizable transitions

    8. Inspiro PRO

    Inspiro PRO is a professional portfolio theme based on the Elementor page builder, a drag-and-drop website builder plugin. If you already use the Elementor page builder, Inspiro PRO could be a great option.
    This theme provides excellent features for photo and video professionals to show off their work in style. It’s user-friendly and features many custom modules, dynamic elements, and video features. That includes video backgrounds and play-on-hover videos. It is also fully compatible with the WordPress Gutenberg editor.
    Core Features

    Built for professional photo and video creatives
    Custom, fullscreen slideshows, and videos
    Based on the Elementor page builder plugin

    9. Pronto

    Pronto by Flothemes is an elegant WordPress theme for displaying your photography online. Pronto is fully integrated with the Gutenberg editor and comes stocked with a complete library of Flex blocks, or content blocks from Flothemes’ proprietary drag-and-drop editor plugin.
    Unlike other themes on this list, Pronto is offered on a subscription basis, making it a little more expensive. However, the extra cost is worth it for the access to premium support and full integration of Flothemes’ features and designs.
    Core Features

    Elegant and minimalist design
    Premium support with a subscription
    Access to Flothemes templates and starter sites

    Filmmaking Video Themes
    Videographers, directors, and producers may benefit from these WordPress themes. They have layouts and customizable options for sharing and displaying videos of many lengths, topics, and genres.
    10. Cinerama

    Cinerama is a premium WordPress video theme by the makers at Edge Themes. Cinerama is focused on videographers and filmmakers, allowing them to create beautifully designed portfolio sites. The theme features a variety of custom shortcodes, an easy-to-use admin interface, and video carousel functionality. Cinerama makes it simple to present your video content in an attractive and eye-catching manner.
    Core Features

    Ideal for videographers and filmmakers
    Extensive collection of custom shortcodes
    Retina-ready

    11. Pelicula
    Pelicula is another premium WordPress offering from Edge Themes. This modern portfolio design is great for the film industry and video production pros. The theme comes fully stocked with 13 pre-designed, attractive homepages so you can get your site up and running quickly.
    In addition, it is fully compatible with the Elementor Page Builder plugin so that you can create new site pages rapidly with a drag-and-drop interface.
    Core Features

    Ideal for film industry professionals and videographers
    Compatible with Elementor Page Builder plugin
    Parallax effects and infinite scroll functionality

    12. Superflick

    Superflick is another video-oriented WordPress theme for movie studios and video professionals. Despite this, Superflick is robust enough to meet the needs of all types of creatives, vloggers, agencies, or anyone looking to display their video work in an elegant portfolio format.
    Superflick is responsive, retina ready, and comes ready to go out of the box. The theme also offers advanced customization options so users can build bespoke websites for themselves or their clients.
    Core Features

    Created for showcasing video work
    Over 100 pre-made site page templates
    Highly rated customer support

    13. Silverscreen

    If you are a filmmaker or production company, Silverscreen can help you showcase your movie projects and video work. Silverscreen comes stock with stunning parallax scrolling effects, a variety of distinct homepages, and practical inner website pages for displaying awards and portfolios. If you are serious about cinema, Silverscreen might be your theme!
    Core Features

    Ideal for movie and video producers
    Fullscreen video backgrounds
    Smooth parallax effects

    14. Leitmotif

    Leitmotif is a modern WordPress theme for film and cinema. If you are an independent filmmaker or simply enjoy the indie aesthetic, Leitmotif might be for you. The theme is simple to use and easy to set up. Plus, it features all the bells and whistles you can expect from similar themes above.
    Leitmotif is also a good option for music festivals, portfolios, or any creative project you want to showcase. There are many film-centric WordPress video themes on this list, but we think Leitmotif’s edgy and cool design aesthetic sets it apart from the rest.
    Core Features

    Modern design aestetic
    WooCommerce Integration
    Smooth parallax effects

    Creative Video Themes
    Creative video themes are versatile and flexible enough for various industries. However, they’re still all explicitly created for video-based websites.
    15. VideoPro

    VideoPro is a creative video theme with a responsive design and layout options ideal for various video types. This theme can showcase movies, games, news, entertainment, education, and more.
    In addition, VideoPro integrates with sites like YouTube and social media platforms such as Facebook. Here, you can easily embed, import, and share your content. VideoPro also has a feature that allows you to create a multi-episode video series on your website — displaying related videos below whatever is being watched by a visitor at any given moment.
    Core Features

    Responsive design
    Video and social media integrations included

    Multi-episode video series feature

    16. VideoBox

    VideoBox is an excellent solution for anyone looking to show off their video or audio content. The theme features an attractive video slider as the homepage’s main attraction to capture site visitors’ attention.
    VideoBox is a straightforward and easy-to-use WordPress video theme option that is intuitive enough to suit a variety of business needs. Plus, it’s compatible with WooCommerce and is fully responsive.
    Core Features

    WooCommerce integration
    Homepage slider
    Minimalist design with a dark color scheme

    17. Pisces

    Pisces is a multi-concept creative theme flexible enough to suit almost all website-related needs. You can create portfolio pages, business sites, share video content, or sell products with their WooCommerce integration. Pisces features an intuitive drag-and-drop website builder, making it an easy-to-use WordPress theme solution.
    Core Features

    Responsive design
    Video and social media integrations included
    WooCommerce integration

    18. Oshine

    Oshine is a creative, multi-purpose WordPress video theme that can do it all. It is a trendy theme with over 30,000 customers, for a good reason. This solid theme handles video content beautifully and can help you create almost any type of website with style. It’s super customizable, WooCommerce ready, and comes stock with smooth AJAX animated transitions available.
    With 100s of pre-built sample pages, 52 demo sites, and an entirely visual page builder, your options are limitless with Oshine.
    Core Features

    Highly versatile
    Top-rated and frequently updated theme
    WooCommerce integration

    19. Astra

    Astra is an extremely popular WordPress theme that you can use to create virtually any type of website. Astra is renowned for being fast and lightweight, with a 100% speed score on Pingdom and a 91% speed grade from Yslow. When using Astra, you never have to worry about your site’s load time being an issue. Astra’s drag-and-drop page builder makes customization a breeze, but if you want to take a more straightforward approach, you can drop in any of their 230+ pre-built websites to get started.
    Core Features

    Highly versatile
    Best-in-class speed and load times
    WooCommerce integration

    Streaming and Membership Themes
    Streaming and membership themes allow you to create websites with subscription tiers to host your premium content. Check out four options to get you started.
    20. Vayvo

    Vayvo by Progression Studios is a media streaming and membership theme that you can use to create a video or audio streaming website akin to Netflix or HBO Go. Using Vayvo, you can create subscription tiers for members to access your premium content.
    In addition, you can make free trials and restrict access to certain content based on membership tier. For a fully featured and powerful theme, Vayvo is simple to use and easy to set up. So, if you are a content creator or podcaster looking to create a gated membership community for streaming your premium content, look no further than Vayvo.
    Core Features

    Media streaming and membership theme
    Subscription tiers and free trials
    Tablet and mobile friendly

    21. Streamit

    Streamit is a WordPress streaming and membership theme similar to Vayvo. It offers the ability to create a premium streaming environment for your content, be it movies, shows, web series, or podcasts.
    Streamit is integrated with WooCommerce, so you can create an online store. Here, fans of your content can buy branded merchandise. We like the dark and impactful design of Streamit and the easy-to-use drag-and-drop page builder courtesy of Elementor.
    Core Features

    Media streaming and membership theme
    WooCommerce integration
    Elementor page builder

    22. Aztec

    Aztec is another WordPress streaming and membership theme that can help you monetize your videos via a subscription model. Like the above themes in the same category, Aztec is eCommerce integrated, features a drag-and-drop page builder, and supports third-party video and audio players.
    One nice feature is the Pay-Per-Post option, which lets users purchase single content pieces at a time if they prefer not to sign up for a subscription.
    Core Features

    Media streaming and membership theme
    Par-Per-Post ability
    Advanced search functionality

    23. ViewTube

    ViewTube is a WordPress video streaming theme that takes some not-so-subtle design inspiration from YouTube. If you want to create a YouTube-inspired streaming website, then ViewTube is the answer.
    This theme is designed to host a large amount of user-uploaded content. For example, it can help create a company-wide knowledge base or a custom submission site for video auditions. ViewTube is highly customizable, so you aren’t stuck with the red-and-white YouTube vibe if you want to change things up.
    Core Features

    YouTube-inspired streaming theme
    Can handle large libraries of video content
    Elementor page builder

    Choose the right video theme for WordPress.
    WordPress video themes allow you to display your content, mix and match your videos with photos and written content, sell your content, and more. Whatever your needs, there is a video theme that will work for your WordPress website.
    Try installing one of the themes above, or check out the number of other video themes in the WordPress theme library. By applying your unique content, you can create a website that works for your business needs.
    Editor’s note: This post was originally published in December 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

  • 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 potential your audience has to bring them.
    Businesses might also reach out to you directly to start an affiliate partnership, which brings back the importance of having a business profile or creator account to establish your legitimacy.
    3. Choose products relevant to your niche and the type of content you create.
    When finalizing your partnerships, ensure you choose products or services that relate to your niche, audience, and the content you already create. For example, if you’re a technology creator, partnering with a beauty brand does not align with the influence and content you create.
    It’s also essential to have trust in the products, businesses, or services you recommend. If your audience follows through with a purchase because of your recommendation and experience with the product and it doesn’t work as advertised, you can lose the trust with your audience that you worked hard to build.
    It’s a best practice to try products or services yourself beforehand to ensure the partnership is worthwhile for all involved.
    4. Share your unique links or codes.
    The way you make money as an affiliate is when your audiences make a purchase through your unique code or link. So, make sure you share your codes in your Feed posts, Stories, Reels, your profile Bio — wherever they’ll be visible to your audience. If you have 10k or more followers, you can include a swipe up link in your Stories.
    When you share these links, it’s also a best practice to make it clear that it is part of a paid partnership to be transparent with your audience.
    Affiliate Marketing on Instagram Examples
    Let’s go over some examples of people on Instagram who have used affiliate marketing in different ways.
    1. Sean Garrette
    Sean Garrette uses affiliate marketing through a Linktree in his Instagram bio that leads audiences to his different affiliate partnerships.

    Source
    2. Cash Jordan
    Cash Jordan, a New York City real estate agent, shares affiliate codes from his partnerships in his post captions. He recently partnered with Roadway Movers, and he created an Instagram video to explain the service and let his followers know that they’ll receive 10% off with his unique code.

     

     

     

     

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    A post shared by Cash Jordan (@iamcashjordan)

    Source 
    3. Adriana Lopez
    Adriana Lopez is a travel and lifestyle blogger who is often an affiliate partner of different lifestyle and travel companies. In a recent post, she shared an affiliate code that gives audiences a discount when they book their next vacation with her code.

    Source
    4. KarenBritChick
    New York based influencer, shares affiliate links in her Instagram Stories with an easy-to-use clickable link sticker to immediately begin shopping, or you also have the option to enter her unique code during checkout.
    Source 
    5. Jesse James West
    In the image below, fitness influencer Jesse James West shares a unique story about this experience with a brand and vouching for their products along with an affiliate code for his followers to use.

    Source 
    Over to You
    Affiliate marketing helps you drive revenue, develop relationships with your favorite brands or businesses, and bring value to your audiences, so it’s a worthwhile strategy to consider when it comes to driving loyalty and engagement on the platform.

  • How to Import Leads or Contacts into Salesforce Campaigns

    Salesforce Campaigns have existed since the dawn of time, but have been receiving more attention now that Pardot (Account Engagement) is growing more tightly integrated with this Salesforce object. The shift, due to Connected Campaigns, means Pardot marketers need to understand this alternative campaign management… Read More

  • 10 Effective Strategies to Reduce Call Center Demand

    High call volumes are three words that can strike fear into the heart of any call center professional. Without the right preparation, even the most established operations can find themselves struggling with call demand, and trying to stay afloat when faced with an onslaught of customer queries.
    The occasional call spike is hardly cause for concern — however, if your call center agents are struggling to manage daily volumes, you risk a lot more than a few abandoned calls. In fact, agent morale, customer satisfaction, and other important KPIs are directly tied to your call center’s ability to successfully manage incoming queries.
    As the Great Resignation continues to loom over the industry, hiring and training more agents may not be in the budget. The good news is, there are a lot of great tools and techniques you can use to level the playing field. We’ve compiled a comprehensive list to get you started – read on to learn more!
    The Contact Center Guide to Managing Spikes in Call Volume
    Understand Customer Behavior
    Conducting research should be the first thing on your list. Gather your customer data and really dig into their behavior and expectations. This should give you a good picture of when you can expect spikes in call volume.
    Ask yourself: why are your customers reaching out in the first place? Anything from current affairs to product launches to seasonal periods can trigger a rise in demand for your call center. Based on this information, you can make decisions on which types of calls to prioritize for the voice channel, and which calls to divert to other channels.
    Focus on First Contact Resolution
    When it comes to lowering call center demand, first call resolution (FCR) is the most important call center metric to focus on. Resolving a customer’s issue the first time means they’re much less likely to call in with a follow-up query.
    Work with your agents and set expectations around providing consistent and high-quality service to your callers. This may involve more training, especially for your newer agents. Auditing your contact center tools and software can also help improve FCR.
    What is First Contact Resolution in Call Center Metrics?
    Prioritize Self-Service Solutions
    When it comes to contact center technology, self-service solutions are the way to go! This takes pressure off your agents, lowers call demand, and empowers your callers to find the answers to their questions on their own.
    Customer Portal
    If you don’t have one already, consider investing in a customer portal. This is an engaging and transparent way to handle issues from your users and should allow them to view the status of their open support tickets. Since it can be accessed from a web browser, they will be less inclined to dial into your call center to follow up on their queries. It is also another terrific opportunity to collect customer data to inform future strategies and initiatives.
    Interactive Voice Response
    Interactive voice response (IVR) has come a long way from its early days. What started as a basic phone menu is now an advanced intake system designed to gather information and connect callers to the right agent, fast. Today, this pillar contact center technology has more features than ever, including voice recognition technology, natural language processing, and smart call routing. By using these IVR features, you can streamline the process for callers and complete each query more efficiently.

    DID YOU KNOW?
    IVRs are no longer limited to the voice channel. With Visual IVR, you can engage and direct your web and mobile app users to the proper channels. You can even let them schedule a call-back up to 15 days in the future, saving them from dialing into your call center!

    Chatbots
    Automation is an important part of alleviating high call volumes. Chatbots are a great example — using modern AI technology, they are able to help digital users with simple queries and direct them to relevant pages on your website or mobile app. This is a great way to help your call center divert less urgent calls away from the voice channel.
    Knowledge Base or FAQ
    Self-service doesn’t always need to be high-tech. Having a dedicated section of your website or mobile app to common questions can save your customers from picking up the phone. Make sure the information is clear and easy to find for your digital users — otherwise, you may find yourself dealing with confused and concerned callers!
    Use Call-Back Technology
    One of the biggest frustrations of high customer demand stems from long hold times. The solution? Offer callers a call-back before they abandon the interaction. Those who opt in will receive a call from a live agent once they become available.
    Chances are that callers will be happier waiting for support without being tied to their phones. Plus, by deferring their calls to a later time, your call center can smooth call spikes and make inbound call volumes more manageable. When used strategically, call-backs become a valuable defense against high call volumes!

    DID YOU KNOW?
    In this study, over two-thirds of customers surveyed said they would wait up to two minutes before hanging up. 13% of respondents said no amount of hold time is acceptable.

    Provide Clear and Accurate Information
    Communication is the key to maintaining a good relationship with your customers. Whether you’re sending a bill or posting a tweet, your audience is listening. If anything is unclear or cause for concern, you can bet they’ll pick up the phone to get to the bottom of it.
    For that reason, it’s best to keep your communications simple and easy to understand. Avoid industry jargon and use plain language. Anticipate any concerns that your customers might have and take extra care to share accurate information.
    Develop and Support Online Communities
    Online communities are a serious undertaking, but they can do wonders for building brand loyalty. Whether it’s an online forum or a social networking channel like Linkedin or Twitter, these platforms offer you a way to engage directly with your audience and share the latest information about your organization.
    How does an online community help with call center demand, you ask? By building a brand-loyal community online, you create another alternative channel where your users can find information. Customers who champion your brand will often share their insights and experiences when others in the community have questions or concerns.
    There you have it: a comprehensive list of strategies to help get call center demand under control. Stick with these best practices, and you’ll see an incredible difference in not just your performance metrics, but your operation as a whole!The post 10 Effective Strategies to Reduce Call Center Demand first appeared on Fonolo.

  • How These Small Businesses Stand Up For What They Believe In

    🖊️Small Business, Big Lessons is a podcast from Buffer that goes behind the scenes with inspirational small businesses to explore how they are questioning the best ways to build a business and uncover the big lessons we can learn from their journeys (so far). Check out episode seven here.Today, businesses are not just known for the products and services they offer, but consumers also take into account a company’s values and morals. According to a recent study done by Ipsos, people believe brands have a responsibility to address social and political concerns. And now is an especially opportune time for these entities to speak up, says business consultant Holly Howard. She credits social media for both normalizing discourse around current events and making it easier for company’s to vocalize their thoughts on these topics. “20 years ago, you could take a stand as a business, but it wasn’t going to spread as much as it can when a business is online … I think a lot of things contributed to the fact that people feel more comfortable [speaking up] nowadays … Using those times as a source of inspiration and motivation to create something new in the world is really important.”In season 2 episode 7 of our podcast Small Business, Big Lessons, we spoke to several entrepreneurs and learned why, for them, taking a stand is embedded within their business’s overall purpose.A small business galvanized by social justiceIn the spring of 2020, Azikiwee Anderson, or Z, was dealing with the pandemic like most Americans were. At the time, Covid-19 had not yet become a household name, and there was a ton of uncertainty in the air. But then, in May of that year, something else occurred that disrupted Z’s world: George Floyd was murdered in police custody. Floyd’s death caused an uproar and pushed the issue of racial discrimination and the Black Lives Matter movement to the forefront of American society. A Black man himself, Z was profoundly impacted by this incident and it led the private chef to reevaluate his life, purpose, and the way he is perceived by society. “During the pandemic, I went down a rabbit hole. I tell people, it kind of broke my brain,” Z said. “The whole murder of George Floyd, what it meant to the world, what it meant to me. What it meant because he looked and was seen like me in the world…,” Z said. “How the world sees people like me. Like the person I am … can I be my own authentic self?” Angry, frustrated, and confused, Z felt like he had no place to just be. It was a time of immense reflection and contemplation and when he finally was able to pull himself out of this rut, it was thanks to an unlikely source – sourdough. At the time, baking sourdough had been a popular pandemic activity, something that helped people keep busy during lockdown and also provided comfort during an unprecedented time. But for Z, the hobby would become so much more than a relaxing pastime. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rize Up Bakery (@rizeupbakery) “Baking helped me back from that edge,” he said. “The actual act – the zen of getting lost and working with my hands and being really present and enjoying that action – healed a lot of cracks in my heart.” Z ended up sharing his baking adventures with his followers on his personal Instagram page when dozens of individuals inquired about purchasing loaves from the private chef. And just like that, Rize Up Bakery was born. What first began in Z’s kitchen, has now expanded to a thriving small business in San Francisco. The entrepreneur makes clear that social justice is baked into Rize Up’s overall purpose. Not only is it how the business got its start, but Z’s mission is to show others, especially Black youth, the power of baking. Z hopes this can help kids see that there are other life paths they can take to be successful. “If you only think you can be a basketball player, or a rapper or drug dealer, or like some dude who’s flossing, if that’s the only reality that your force fed every single day, it’s no wonder that people have an identity crisis,” Z said.For Z, Rize Up Bakery has multiple goals: spreading his love for baking to others, brightening up customers’ days, and providing nourishing food to his community. But as he continues to lay down the roots for his small business, he’s adamant about incorporating a greater social justice angle to his work, especially when it comes to working with the younger generation. “I don’t think the world, especially kids, are taught to be great,” Z said. “They’re taught not to make mistakes, they’re taught to get along, they’re taught to not stand up for themselves or not stand up for someone else …They’re taught all these things, but they’re not really taught like, ‘hey, you know what, you can be great.’”How these entrepreneurs take a stand through their workZ isn’t the only entrepreneur who’s passionate about making a difference through his work. The below small business owners are dedicated to pushing back against what they feel are societal wrongs – including wasteful consumption, tech monopolies, and misinformation – by implementing policies and initiatives within their companies that address these issues.Paynter Jacket is an alternative to the fast fashion industryCo-founders Becky and Huw created their small business Paynter Jacket with one mission in mind: do things differently and more ethically than most clothing companies. They only sell four limited edition jackets a year and have a made-to-order business model, meaning they order the only what they need – down to the exact meters of fabric and the precise number of buttons – so they don’t produce any waste. Becky knows that their clothing company may not be able to fix the fast fashion industry on its own, but she hopes Paynter Jacket’s philosophy around ethical production can help remind customers that they don’t need to be constantly buying new clothes, but should buy fewer, higher quality staples. The entrepreneur finds herself nostalgic for the days clothing was actually valued. “I remember some of the most exciting days actually, as a child growing up, when my cousins would come over, and they’d bring their bags of hand-me-down clothes and we’d rifle through them and decide what we’re going to keep,ultimately giving those garments a longer life. I don’t think that really happens anymore.”Despite the fact that Paynter Jacket has grown in popularity and could very well expand their operations, they still choose to produce a limited number of jackets each year – staying true to their roots.SparkToro speaks up against large tech monopoliesRand Fishkin has co-founded two tech companies – SEO software Moz and his latest company, SparkToro, an audience research tool. As someone with a ton of experience in the tech industry, the entrepreneur has been very vocal about the lack of antitrust enforcement in the U.S as he believes its harmed economic opportunity in the U.S. and allowed for more inequality. “You have just a few companies that kind of control the gateways to the Internet, control internet commerce, control internet advertising, and that lack of enforcement is also illegal, it is breaking the rule of law in the United States.” In fact, Rand built SparkToro with principles to ensure that it would run differently than most tech companies, as one of their values is egalitarianism – they want to help small businesses catch up to the big tech giants with audience research.NEW blog post.If you’re not familiar with the Big Tech Monopoly bill being considered this summer by the US Congress… get ready. It could have a massive effect on entrepreneurship, marketing, Google’s results, SEO, PPC, and more.https://t.co/FaE8OOFusu— Rand Fishkin (@randfish) June 14, 2022 But Rand has also published research on how big companies like Facebook, Amazon, and Google are stifling innovation and fair competition. This very research has been cited by the U.S. Congress and even featured on Last Week tonight with John Oliver. Rand is also open on his social media accounts and blog about this issue, and hopes his words and research can have some kind of impact. “My hope is, if there’s just a few more people contributing in small ways, maybe together, we can make a difference.” In his opinion,“I think that everyone has an obligation to help.”Buffer combats online misinformationIn recent years, there has been a trend of blatantly false information spreading – including misinformation about elections and vaccines – on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, and unfortunately, we’ve noticed our products and tools at Buffer sometimes being used to publish these false messages.This misinformation can potentially lead to real life consequences and it was important for our entire team at Buffer, including our CEO Joel Gascoigne too. That’s why we’ve adjusted our terms of services and terms of use of our products to more clearly define what is and isn’t allowed. We’ve been cracking down on accounts that don’t follow the rules.  “Since we’re a small company, we can do that. And we can move pretty fast with those things. And so that’s the direction we’ve been going more recently and it’s feeling like the right thing for us for the stage where the culture, the DNA, the type of company we are.” As our core values revolve around transparency, authenticity, and helping our customers thrive, we plan to continue to stand up against all kinds of misinformation.Taking a stand by nurturing community relationshipsSometimes as a business owner, you may want to take a stance in multiple ways, for multiple events, but Holly advises her clients to pick one or two causes they really resonate with, rather than try to do it all. “I tell people to really take a step back and ask yourself why you’re aligning with certain causes, not from a political perspective, But I just mean from an internal culture perspective,” Holly said. Another way these small business owners have taken a stand is by reaching out and partnering with other organizations and causes they feel connected back to their greater mission.Made with Local addresses food insecurityMade with Local – a B corporation that produces a variety of granola products – has always actively worked with their local community to address social inequities. One of the causes founder Sheena Russel is passionate about is providing food for those in need in their community in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. “We work closely with organizations that are helping to address food insecurity, which has much deeper roots than just not having enough food in your pantry. These are systemic issues that are a significant issue in where we live in the world,” Sheena said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Made with Local (@madewithlocal) They’ve partnered with North Grove, a community food center in Nova Scotia that advocates for and provides a healthy and fair food system for its community. Along with that, the small business also helped found the Dartmouth community fridge project, another organization with the goal of feeding the community.By supporting local community partners, Made with Local is actively advocating for all community members to have access to fresh and nutritious foods.​​Rize Up partners with a variety of San Francisco orgsAs a child, Z and his family experienced homelessness for some time, and the experience has shaped the way he thinks about giving back to others. The baker is big on donating a portion of the bakery’s sourdough loaves to multiple organizations within San Francisco. Rize Up partners with Glide – a SF social justice center that works to combat poverty, housing, and homelessness within the city, and One Richmond, a community center that aims to strengthen the bonds between residents. Z has also donated loaves to battered women shelters throughout SF, as well. This small act of charity is one small way Z feels like he can help his fellow neighbors. “I might not be able to fix everything on the planet. I might not be able to buy somebody a place to live in. But what I can do is use my hands and use my skills to make beautiful food,” Z said. “Because some days, you just need enough food to get through the day, so you can live another day. And for me, that really matters.”Buffer’s annual charitable contributionWe’re big on giving back at Buffer, and something we’re proud of is our annual charitable contribution. At the end of every profitable year we have, we take about 20 percent of our profit share and match that and donate to a deserving cause that the entire team gets to vote on. In recent years, we’ve incorporated more flexibility in how we donate, for example, in 2020 we donated to various organizations in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, in addition to matching team donations and continuing to invest in anti-racism education for our team. We also make room to donate to new causes whenever the need arises. That’s why in 2022 we showed our support to Ukraine and donated to Global Giving’s Ukraine crisis relief fund.  + It was important for Joel that the causes we chose to support aligned with our overall mission at Buffer. “We’ve started to shift thinking about it, not just as, ‘okay, we’re donating money.’ But can we do something that’s really intertwined with our own mission…,”Joel said. “We started thinking more about underrepresented groups and causes focused on them that are also focused on small businesses in some way.” Paynter Jacket raises money for UkraineWhen the crisis in Ukraine was first unfolding, Becky and Huw immediately knew they wanted to help in whatever way they could. While they didn’t have a ton of resources as a small business, what they did have was some leftover samples from their previous batches. They decided to put these prints and samples to good use with an online fundraiser. Thanks to user donations, plus a very generous anonymous contribution that matched, Paynter Jacket raised 23,000 pounds and donated that money to the Red Cross’s humanitarian work in Ukraine. “We felt it was really important to help people in Ukraine, because, how totally and utterly frightening, and we felt like we couldn’t do anything from so far away. So the best thing that we can do is show solidarity by raising money,” Becky said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Paynter (@paynterjacket) While taking a stand is absolutely something you should do as a small business owner, sometimes it’s okay to take a step back and reflect before speaking up about an issue. Holly takes inspiration from activist Loretta Ross and her thoughts on being an ally.“[Ross’s] whole posture is about approaching activism from this space of first taking a moment to really think about why it is that we’re doing what we’re doing,” Holly said. “And to not approach it from a space of, ‘we have to get out there immediately and do this thing.’  And I think that moment of pause is really important,” Holly said.It’s crucial to not come off as being performative in your activism, something that customers and followers can usually notice. You want to make sure you truly understand the cause, and back up your words with actions, too.Once you do find a deserving cause that feels aligned with your brand’s mission, however, take a cue from these entrepreneurs and be vocal in your advocacy and support.Want more on Taking a Stand? Check out the full episodeThe businesses we interviewed in this episode have further insights to share about taking a stand and its value for brands. Check out the full episode here.

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