CX Demo

Author: Franz Malten Buemann

  • Malaria Vaccines Market Share, Trends | Forecasts to 2024

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  • iOS 15 and Email Marketing KPIs to Focus On

    If you aren’t yet aware of Apple’s iOS 15 rollout and how it impacts your email marketing, then we’re here to tell you you’re behind. Time to play catch up!  This rollout changes how email marketers are able to track the success of their campaigns. Before we dive into that, let’s touch base on what…
    The post iOS 15 and Email Marketing KPIs to Focus On appeared first on Benchmark Email.

  • Understanding the background of failing Samsung customer experience management based on a single incident.

    Can you use a single instance to X-ray a firm and determine the state of its organizational structure? We will be doing this with you today in this study, despite how tough it may appear. It is possible to obtain a result with high precision if the clues are properly evaluated. Be patient and follow the steps with me. You’ll notice that it gets very entertaining at the finale. Based on a single incident, evidence will be given in this research on how Samsung departments were corrupted and Samsung lost managerial control. Each occurrence is supported by demonstrable evidence. On request, all of this material can be provided to Samsung executives or third-party entities auditing Samsung. What you will find in this study: The group has no influence over Samsung authorized resellers. Scams performed by the Samsung service personnel to match business metrics. Samsung’s guarantee department is engaging in cheap games with customers. Samsung’s marketing department employs outdated tactics. The breakdown of all Samsung cross-departmental communication and the general unavailability of simple technology. Samsung’s cross-departmental trust issue, paranoia, and asking customer help to overcome it. Proof that Samsung employees hacking their records. Samsung’s corporate headquarters have no authority over resellers, and the replacement department is ineffective and reckless. This will be a long yet entertaining story. It all started in August 2021, when I purchased a Samsung 55-inch Frame TV in Istanbul/Turkey. I purchased the item through an authorized reseller. When the goods arrived, I was instructed to contact the technical service for installation. However, the technical service informed me that they would be unable to install the television unless I provided an invoice. The authorized reseller stated that the invoice was not sent with the product. It took around two days for the system’s invoice to reach my e-mail address. Under normal conditions, the installation should not have been finished, however, the service took the initiative and completed the installation. The television stopped operating on the first day: The Samsung Frame TV stopped working on the first day. The technical service asked me to shoot a video of the broken television and submit it to them to back up my claim. I sent the required footage to the service. When the technical service experts arrived, he discovered 204 abnormalities on the TV mainboard, as well as the mainboard being damaged beyond repair owing to a manufacturing defect. The real fuss started after this. For two days, the technical service failed to tell Samsung headquarters that the TV had a manufacturing defect. Four days after the service arrived, a man claiming to be a replacement services representative called and made me an offer. He offered to repair the TV and reimburse me $350 for the inconvenience. I politely declined their offer, stating, “I spent around 1450 USD for the TV and want to use a brand new and working TV.” One of them is lying: Samsung replacement department or Authorized Sales Partner? After two days of silence, Samsung called me again and said they could only refund me since the TV model I bought was no longer in stock. I mentioned that during installation several holes had been drilled in the wall of my recently decorated living room and that I would not accept it. The agent just said “OK” and hung up. Following this phone call, I called the authorized reseller to double-check and verified that the TV model I had ordered was still in stock. As a result, there are two possibilities: either Samsung employees are actively lying and misleading the consumer, or there is a significant information gap with authorized resellers. I called Samsung support every day between August 23rd and August 28th, complaining that no one was contacting me or following up on my issue. In this period, I called customer support a total of seven times. Every time, I get the same response: we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. After my purchase, my Samsung Frame TV has been sitting on my wall as a blank screen. And I got 15 days of pointless chit-chat with contact center agents as a bonus. Desperate and outrage statements of employees working in customer service. The hubbub begins: customer service creates FAKE Law article: But the most astonishing events happened on the 26th and 27th of August. On August 26th, I called customer support and explained my situation. The contact center employee made up a legal clause. He stated that they had “by law” 20 days to provide me with feedback. I asked what legal clause or article he was referring to. When I questioned the legal clause in-depth, he apologized. He admitted to me that he had provided me with false legal information. Officials at Samsung made up law articles solely to intimidate me. It was a great pleasure to be present during Samsung’s creation of a fake law article. Samsung customer service falsifying data to meet business metric targets. Is it a case of fraud or poor management? Fraud in the Samsung support service is a possibility. On the 28th of August, I had a further interesting experience. In the morning, I contacted support and said that it had been 14 days since I purchased the TV and that no one has called me in the last six days. According to the individual I spoke with, they attempted to call me on August 26 but were unable to do so. I said I haven’t received any phone calls. The agent claimed that they attempted to call me several times but were unable to do so. I contacted my GSM service provider to check my call history. And GSM operator confirmed that I didn’t receive calls from Samsung numbers. In this case, there are 2 options. Either Samsung has lost its management control over customer support, or the support staff is selling dreams to Samsung by entering false records. I guess Samsung doesn’t know about this, but their customers do. I didn’t give up hope and called international headquarters: I began to think global and act local: Losing hope in local Samsung support, I called international Samsung customer support and created a case numbered 1143645283 to forward to marketing or customer experience management officials. I stated that I did not expect support from them. I just stated that I am concerned that the service level I experienced may seriously damage the Samsung brand and customer experience value and that it would be sufficient to send this information to appropriate authorities by email. I hope there are still people at Samsung who are committed and responsible for the company values ​​they work for and will give me feedback. Distrust among Samsung marketing, technical service, sales departments and the collapse of central strategy and management. Hilarious bonus material: Here are the outdated methods and paranoia mood of the Samsung marketing team If this story was a concert this one would be encore: I received a vacuum cleaner bonus from Samsung Frame TV when I had bought it. I asked how I would engage in this campaign when Smart TV arrived home. The first step was to complete an online form. The form asked me to re-submit the information about me that was already in the Samsung CRM. I didn’t question much at first, following two steps shocked me. Step 1: The invoice sent to me by Samsung was requested to be scanned and submitted to this form. Step 2: The form given to me by the technical service had to be scanned and submitted to the form. I was told that 60 business days after Samsung officials reviewed and approved these forms, I would be sent the gift I deserved. The documentation which is sent to me by Samsung is requested to be sent back to Samsung. This is the problem with the CRM configuration. My data is not kept centrally. Behind the digital crowd is a serious manual workflow with papers, scanned documents. But more than that, it’s a paranoia created by distrust and lack of control among Samsung’s departments. Samsung departments do not trust each other’s data and ethics. Yes, the devil wears Prada, I don’t know who use Samsung: This vacuum cleaner campaign’s absurdity was developed because the marketing manager who planned this because he was helpless and could not find any other way. However, it is a pity that this campaign is made by the brand, which claims to be a digital pioneer. This is a method that was used in the 1990s when using fax machines and is no longer used today. Still, we should thank Samsung for reminding us of the nostalgic days when we collected paper coupons and faxed invoice information. Hacking Samsung records: Cherry on the top On day 32, no one from Samsung attempted to contact me until September 6th. Then something incredible happened. Miss Merve, claiming to be from the Samsung control department, called me and asked, “If everything is OK with the replaced new TV I received?” I answered her that, “I didn’t receive any replacement TV and nobody contacted me for the previous 10 days.” She was shocked. When I asked her what she sees on the records, she stated that the ticket clearly shows that my replacement operation had been completed and everything appeared to be in order on Samsung records. As a result, Samsung employees are hacking data probably to meet their internal OKR and KPI goals. Samsung Sales and Marketing are incredibly disconnected The final answer they provided me reads like a comedy movie script. They eventually agreed to supply me with a new 2021 model TV. My purchase was a Samsung Frame TV model. Frame TVs offer a design that complements their frames. I purchased the malfunctioning television with its frame, however, the frame was not delivered to me during the exchange. They said it was a company procedure and I had to buy it again for 140 USD. Then I went to the Samsung official website and found that these frames were no longer available. I enquired about the issue with authorized dealers. They also stated that certain items are not in stock. I phoned customer care and said that I had purchased a Frame TV and wanted to purchase a frame. As a result, Samsung Turkey is selling a product called Frame but with no Frames in stock. It’s difficult to believe, but this is a case of major miscommunication between marketing, sales, replacement, and customer service. The Samsung Frame TV I purchased 40 days ago now sits on my wall without the Frame. Despite the fact that I purchased it with the Frame attachment, Samsung forces me to purchase it again. Yes, it is like a punishment. Conclusion: Why you should not buy Samsung products and stock Finally, in light of all of this knowledge, I have two points to make. 1- Any Samsung goods should be purchased at your own risk. 2- Samsung’s management is on the verge of losing the game. Before you invest in Samsung, think about it three times. While I had a bad experience with Samsung, I was able to look into what was going on in other countries. Of all, firms with global operations will inevitably face customer concerns. When you examine the nature of these complaints and evaluate them, however, Samsung differentiates among these firms. The fact that the same television problem can also be found in Sweden and is greeted with the same apathy makes the topic intriguing. There has been a significant gap between Samsung’s production performance and the following consumer experience. Unfortunately, the most essential reasons for this are Samsung’s relationship with its consumers and its poor approach toward customer care. When asking for sales, the agents are unable to examine their stock, the client is asked for complex product codes rather than the product name, the website localization is poor and some parts of the website are not functioning, and beyond this, all communication process at Samsung should be investigated. Even though we know Samsung goods are of high quality, the sense that you will be alone and without help in the event of a problem has a significant impact on consumer decision-making. When your products are value-added, this becomes even more crucial. The worst thing is that Samsung’s internal issues are now evident from the outside. Alarm bells are ringing because the castle walls are now dangerously thin. However, I believe that history will repeat itself. The bad news will be delivered last to the Kings. The most important takeaway from my long narrative, which is entertaining to hear but terrible to experience, is that if you respect your income, don’t put your hard work in danger by purchasing a Samsung. Those who wish to invest in the Samsung brand, on the other hand, should pay close attention to what I’ve said so far. It’s impossible to imagine a long-term success for a company with a poor global customer experience strategy. Samsung has a long history of excellent production planning and strategy. However, having only one star player on your team does not guarantee that you will win the game. I am well aware that I am not the only clever person on the planet, and Samsung’s competitors will soon detect this and attack their weaknesses. It would be a huge waste of time and money for Samsung to try to fix this organization. In the near, medium, and long term, this suggests that Samsung will lose a serious number of loyal consumers. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Samsung brand deteriorated over time. Samsung will be forced to withdraw from several locations and will have to begin the recovery process all over again. In this scenario, expecting Samsung’s stock to do well would be incredibly optimistic. With the upcoming change management expenses, I believe Samsung stock will eventually go down to 40,000 level, following the curve pattern between 2012-2016.
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  • 10 Real Estate Social Media Marketing Strategies That’ll Bring in New Business

    The following is a guest post by Leslie Mann, a real estate agent with Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty of Weston, MA.
    Buying or selling a home is an important financial (and emotional) decision. Most people are full of questions when they undertake this endeavor.
    Your clients want more than someone with a real estate license. They want an agent who will protect their interests and help them navigate the complexities of property ownership. The agent they choose must be someone they’ll feel confident having by their side throughout the process.

    That’s where social media comes in. If applied correctly, it can be a great way to open a dialogue, share advice, and forge an ongoing relationship with buyers, sellers, and renters. In this post, learn the benefits of using social media for real estate, a handy list of do’s and don’ts for agents to follow, and examples of posts you can incorporate into your real estate social media strategy.

    Ryan Tombul, Nashville Realtor, J.D., says, “Social media doubles as an avenue for free marketing that allows agents to supplement exposure for listings within their own personal network and beyond.” Read on to discover real estate social media strategy tips, as well as things you should avoid. 

    Tips That Agents Should Embrace
    1. Promote the town, not just the house.
    Homebuyers want to know the good, bad, and ugly of each town to which they’re considering a move. Yet, most real estate blogs simply give buyers basic demographic statistics and perhaps some flowery language about the area. Instead, use your social media channels to provide potential clients a far richer understanding of the markets you serve, letting them know the pros and cons of each neighborhood.
    Many cities have a “@CityOf …” Twitter handle, which you can mention directly in your own tweets. Use these handles to promote properties you have listed in that city. City accounts on Twitter tend to be receptive to these shout-outs and might retweet you — increasing your post’s reach to their followers.
    Instagram Business accounts are also prime real estate (no pun intended) for you to post beautiful photos of the town in which your properties are listed.
    2. Be yourself.
    I’ve heard of many realtors who pay a ghost writer to write their marketing copy, yet this approach has its shortcomings. The copy simply doesn’t ring true; it fails to give clients a sense of who you really are. Studies show that consumers want to make a personal connection with those whom they do business with, and there’s no shortcut to writing your own authentic social media content that resembles who you are as a real estate agency.
    Let your personality shine through across each social network you’re on. It’s a great way to open a dialogue with a client before they ever pick up the phone.
    3. Educate your buyers.
    Some of the most trying days as a real estate agent prove to be great lessons we can share with our clients. Talking about common real estate pitfalls makes your buyers smarter, giving them a smoother browsing experience and qualifying them to work with you.
    Social media is the perfect outlet for this. If you have a blog, consider writing articles about home-buying tips, and use social media to promote them. Perhaps you can tweet a “Real Estate Fact of the Day,” hashtagging #realestate while you’re at it.
    4. Chat with your followers.
    Home buyers today expect instant responses to their questions, but where they ask those questions has changed.
    Home buyers are calling real estate agents much less than they used to with questions about a property or neighborhood. They’re going online, using Facebook’s Recommendations feature, and tweeting at real estate offices on Twitter. Be ready for this outreach, answer them, and use these questions as an opportunity to start dialogue with followers who might be in the early stages of the buying process.
    5. Respond to comments, good and bad.
    Respond promptly and courteously to engage readers who post comments on your social media sites. One caveat: Don’t feel compelled to respond to those who post abusive comments. Social media does lure its share of online bullies, and not every remark aimed at your is worth your breath.
    Resist the temptation to get into battle with your harshest critics, and acknowledge those who praise your service. A lot of people who reach out to you are simply looking for more information about a listing — or a listing they might’ve thought was still available, but has been sold or rented. Absorb their frustration and use their comment as an opportunity to pivot their interest to other properties.
    Practices That Agents Should Avoid
    6. Shouting about your home listings
    It’s fine to let people know about the homes you’re marketing, but don’t make the house itself the primary topic of your conversation. Think about common questions home buyers and sellers ask you, and turn these into posts. Provide valuable content and you’ll keep people coming back.
    7. Forgetting video
    There are more than 8 billion daily video views on Facebook.
    It’s tempting to skip the expense of shooting and editing a video, but online video is an important element of home marketing. Think about it: Home buyers are visual buyers, and if done well, a video creates an emotional connection with them that they might not have from just a photo-based listing.
    YouTube videos also improve your website’s ranking in search engines like Google — a common place where home buyers and renters start their search for a new home.
    8. Assuming you’re only connecting with first-time buyers
    According to a recent PDF by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 24% of home buyers in America are 41-50 years old or younger. About 22% of them are first-time buyers. If you think you’re just talking to first-time home buyers on social media, think again.
    If you think you think you’re just talking to first-time home buyers on social media, think again.
    Social networks like Facebook are great places to engage “fans” and learn what they’re looking for from their agent, but keep in mind they’re not all new to the buying process. Have content suited for all levels of home-buying experience ready to serve up to your fans and followers — you never know whom you’ll be connecting with.
    9. Talking to yourself
    A post, link, photo, or tweet on your profile might look nice to you, but it means very little if it doesn’t resonate with the people who are following your page.
    Social media is more about listening than about talking. Pay attention to what people are saying about you and your brand. Solicit and gather feedback through informal polls or via free survey services like Survey Monkey or Google Forms. This will ensure each and every piece of content you share on social media reflects the interests of your customers.
    10. Ignoring your existing clients
    Invite your previous buyers and sellers to join you on social media. That way, your sites becomes richer communities of shared experiences and objective advice from those who recently completed the home buying/selling journey.
    Using Social Media for Real Estate
    It may not seem like the right channel to use for your industry, but using social media for real estate has various benefits. Most significantly, there are more than 3.78 billion social media users globally, and the average person spends close to 2 ½ hours using social media every single day. So, statistically speaking, your audience is already on social media — why not meet them where they already are?
    Second, social media also offers targeted advertising options tailored to audiences in specific locations — isn’t that just what realtors look for? 
    Lastly, having a social media presence helps you build brand awareness and generate trust with your audience. They may not be ready to make a purchase yet or even reach out to begin a conversion, but if they see you’re consistently active on your platforms, or they come across one of your advertisements, they may make a mental note of what you offer and come back to you when they’re prepared to begin their process. 
    COVID-19 has also impacted the real estate market, just as it has for other industries, so leveraging social media will help you stay up-to-date with current trends.
    Social Media House-Buying Trends from COVID-19
    While social media has always been a tool for realtors to leverage, COVID-19 has brought it center stage. 
    One of the biggest changes is the rise of virtual showings. Some agencies reserved virtual viewings for specific circumstances or luxury homes, but it has now become a common practice: “We used to keep our virtual tours for our luxury homes, but we’ve found it adds to the home buying experience for our clients,” says Lisa Alexander, president of Del-Co Realty. 
    As health and safety restrictions are lifted, virtual showings are likely here to stay as buyers have realized a significant benefit from them: reduced costs. Buyers searching for new homes in locations they’re not in can save time and money on travel costs until they’re sure about their options. 
    The length of the searching process is also lowered, as buyers can view multiple homes in a short period via online video or virtual tour, as opposed to waiting weeks for an open house or for there to be a space for them during a showing. 
    Given its relevance, let’s go over the various ways to leverage different social media platforms to share real estate content. 
    Real Estate Social Media Content
    Realtors can benefit from using many of the same platforms that most businesses can benefit from — Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Let’s discuss how you can use them, and then go over content ideas to share on each platform. 
    Facebook for Realtors
    Facebook is an excellent tool for real estate professionals. It offers various high-quality options: targeted ads for local listings, Facebook messenger for conversations with clients, and the ability to share multiple forms of multimedia: images, videos, and even live video. 
    Instagram for Realtors
    On Instagram, Realtors can create a business account and include contact CTA buttons so those who land on your profile can send you a message on the platform, an email about a property image they saw that intrigued them, or other personalized options. 
    The platform is great for sharing high-quality image content, and the image below is an example of a new property announcement. 

     
    TikTok for Realtors
    TikTok is an emerging platform for all industries, but it can be extremely beneficial for realtors, especially considering that the audience favors behind-the-scenes type content, which is exactly what house walkthroughs are (the video below is an example).

    @smartcityhtx
    Can anyone guess what this floor plan goes for before specials?👇 #houstonapartments #midtownhouston #houstonmidtown #apartmentliving #houston
    ♬ original sound – smartcityhtx

     
    In addition, TikTok users don’t expect content to be high-quality or professional-grade, which is even better for realtors that can just use a phone camera on-site to take a video. Below we’ll go over additional content ideas to post on social media. 
    Real Estate Social Media Ideas
    Going live for open house and virtual showings.
    Realtors can do this on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, and a benefit to going live is that the videos can be saved and later shared to your profile, acting as an additional form of content. 
    Answering audience questions. 
    All social media platforms are a great place to answer audience questions, as you can engage with your audience and develop a rapport that leads to a working relationship. The TikTok below is an example of a realtor answering an audience question about financing a home. 

    @mickeywrightrealtor
    Down Payment for a $350,000 house! #tiktokrealtor #smallbusinessowner #downpayment #firsttimehomebuyer #realestate
    ♬ original sound – JoceM

     
    Another benefit to answering questions publicly is that it’s public, and everyone can see your responses. This can help interested buyers approach you with qualified, further-down-the-funnel questions. 
    Share customer testimonials and success stories.
    All platforms are a great place to share customer testimonials, helping you use user-generated content to establish legitimacy and credibility with your audience. The Facebook post below is an example of a client testimonial. 

     
     
    Property photos.
    Property photos are a must for realtors on social media, especially on Instagram and Facebook. You can give clients a sneak peek of what to expect from the property and entice them to reach out to you to learn more through a virtual or in-person tour. 
    Here’s an example of high-quality property photos on Instagram:

     

     

     

     

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    A post shared by Bovingdons (@bovingdonsbucks)

     
    You can share property photos on TikTok as still images, but the platform is better suited for video. 
    Property videos and tours. 
    All three platforms are great for video, as it gives your audiences an interactive way to learn about different properties. If they’re still curious after watching the video, they can click on a CTA button on your profile to ask for more info. 
    Here is an example of a property tour on TikTok:

    @dealswithdavid
    This is what $629,900 gets you in Texas 🏃🏻‍♂️ 💨 #dealswithdavid #texas #realestate #realtor #corpuschristi #newhome #newconstruction
    ♬ Diamonds – Sam Smith

     
    And here’s an example from Instagram:

     

     

     

     

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    A post shared by INTERIOR DESIGN (@interiors.media)

     
    Realtor bios.
    Relationships between agents and clients are important, as they trust you to take to heart the things that they care about and point them in the right direction. As a result, using social media to share realtor bios is worth considering. Your audience can learn more about what you offer and reach out if it feels like a good match. 

    If you’re looking for more supporting information, the statistics below will further emphasize the importance of using social media for real estate. 
    Real Estate Social Media Statistics

    In 2020, 44% of real estate agents generated the most clients via social media, only topped by referrals. 

    82% of agents plan to improve their social media presence to grow their business in 2021. 
    The National Association of Realtors 2021 Realtor Technology survey found that 53% of respondents say that social media is one of the most valuable technology tools they use. 

    74% of realtors use Facebook for professional purposes. 
    Clubhouse, a social media app that prioritizes audio, has real estate conversation clubs with over 50k followers. 
    81% of older millennials, 80% of younger millennials, and 78% of Gen X found their home on a mobile device. 

    At the end of the day, your followers may prove themselves to be your strongest property advocates. 
    If you take the time to create a social media presence that includes high-quality photos of the properties you sell, you interact with clients, and you follow a consistent schedule, you’ll likely find yourself generating new clients and closing on more homes.

  • Customer Satisfaction B2C vs B2B

    I have been working with CX data for the company I’m at (large scale, testing machines for medical labs). Even for customers with multiple complaints, poor scores on performance, etc. don’t lead to negative Satisfaction scores or Ease scores (on average) for some reason. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the idea in Economics of Price Elasticity for different goods. Is it possible our sector, or the nature of our product leads to lower expectations, draws more patient customers and thus only marginal drops in survey results when we provide a relatively poor experience?
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  • The Ultimate Guide to Podcast Advertising and Sponsorship

    According to research by Podcast Insights, there are more than 2 million active podcasts and counting.
    As a marketer for a small to mid-sized business, you might be interested in podcast sponsorship, but not know where to start. Mainly because there are so many podcasts to choose from. How do you know which podcasts your target audience is listening to?

    To help you determine what ad strategy is right for you and where to put your podcast dollars, I spoke to HubSpot’s podcasting team and did some additional research to comprise a list of helpful strategies for finding, vetting, and advertising on a podcast that aligns with your brand.
    Podcast Advertising Terminology
    Tips for Finding and Sponsoring Podcasts
    How to Advertise on Podcasts
    Navigating Podcast Sponsorship

    Podcast Advertising Terminology
    Before we discuss the ins and outs of podcast advertising, let’s review the terminology you need to know before reaching out to podcast hosts and networks.

    CPM Rate: CPM stands for “cost per mille.” The CPM represents a flat standard rate advertisers pay for every 1,000 impressions.

    Host-Read Ad: a pre-recorded ad that is voiced by the host(s) of the podcast.

    Dynamic Insertion: the use of software to automatically insert ads into pre-existing podcast audio. These ads can be easily changed across a podcast’s entire catalog without making changes to the original audio file.

    Programmatic Ad: pre-recorded advertisements that do not feature the original host of the podcast. Programmatic ads are typically deployed using dynamic insertion.

    Pre-Roll Ad: an ad placed at the beginning of a podcast episode.

    Mid-Roll Ad: an ad placed near the middle of a podcast episode.

    Post-Roll Ad: an ad placed at the end of a podcast episode.

    CTA: Call to action; unique URLs and discount codes are typically included in podcast CTAs to measure the performance of an ad’s effectiveness on a particular podcast.

    Downloads: how many times a podcast episode has been downloaded from a podcast hosting site. The most common metric to determine the impressions/listens of a podcast.

    Live-Read Ad: an ad that is performed live during a podcast episode, as opposed to being scripted and edited or dynamically inserted into the episode.

    Now that you’re familiar with the necessary terminology, let’s discuss how to find and sponsor podcasts.

     
    1. Consider podcast demographics.
    While different types of TV shows might attract different audiences or demographics, the podcast demographics don’t change drastically from show to show, according to HubSpot’s former Podcast Manager Sam Balter.
    Balter explained that the podcast audience demographic, which is generally made up of “affluent educated millennials” is a “good audience for brands pretty much regardless of what show you’re on.”
    Why is the podcast audience so good? Because of their age, income, and education level, this particular group of people is old enough to make purchasing decisions and has enough income to make those purchases. Because many of them have jobs or are in higher education, these listeners might be interested in learning about a wide range of products or services that make daily life or work easier for them.
    According to Alanah Joseph, Senior Marketing Manager on the HubSpot Podcasts team, understanding the listener of the show is key to successful ad placements. She says:
    “When reviewing the custom ad placements on HubSpot Podcast Network shows, we define success through more than one lens. We’re looking at the ad from the point of a listener. Does the ad feel like it’s an authentic part of the show? Is it enjoyable to listen to?
    From the lens of an advertiser, we’re measuring success by the size of the audience, specifically the number of downloads. Although there are other metrics we’d like to track and report, we’re limited in the data we can collect.”
    Another great thing about podcast listeners is that they’ll tune into podcast episodes for a longer amount of time than they will to other content, like video. The podcast audience also enjoys long-form podcasts that are 30 minutes or longer. Since there’s much less drop-off on a podcast compared to other forms of content, like video, this means that ads could be placed towards the beginning or end of an episode and still have a good chance of being heard.
    2. Understand standard podcast ad pricing.
    The next question you might be asking is, “How much will advertising on a podcast cost?”
    If you’re new to the podcast advertising world, you might not know how ads are usually prices. You might be worried that all podcast ads might have vastly different prices — or that podcasters will charge a lot for a poor ad slot.
    Podcast ad pricing might be more transparent than you think. According to Balter, podcasters and podcast networks commonly use the same formula to determine how much an ad in their podcasts will cost.
    If you want to get a ballpark idea of what ad slots for a specific show might cost before reaching out to a podcast team or network, plug the metrics you can find for that show’s previous episodes into the formula shown below.
    As mentioned in the terminology section, CPM stands for “cost per mille,” or cost per 1,000 impressions.
    Balter says that the cost of a standard ad in a podcast usually costs between $10 and $50 with more popular podcasts also charging a premium.
    However, if you want to do a more intensive promotion — such as a full sponsored podcast episode — this cost may vary based on what the content will entail from the podcasters. For example, Gimlet, a prominent podcast network that produces shows like Mastercard’s “Fortune Favors the Bold”, offers two tiers of advertising: audio ads and branded podcasts.
    3. Look for podcasts that relate to your brand or industry.
    Because the pool of podcasts is so large, there are plenty of opportunities to connect with niche audiences that relate to your specific industry.
    When an ad relates to the topic of a podcast series or episode, it might feel more natural to the listener. It’s also strategically smart because listeners who are interested in this industry might identify with pain points that your service aims to solve.
    For example, if you place an ad about your B2B recruiting service on a podcast that discusses human resources, listeners who own or manage a B2B company, or human resources employees, might want to use your service to make their jobs easier.
    Here’s an example outside of the B2B world. On an episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience”, a general podcast that zones in on topics like technology, science, and entertainment, Joe Rogan reads a script that talks about how he uses ExpressVPN and Cash App in his daily life. Before going into detail about how he uses these products, he also notes that these companies sponsored the episode.
    In the ad, Rogan explains that he uses ExpressVPN to protect his internet data and personal information, while he uses Cash App to pay friends or make transactions on the go from his phone. If you can’t listen to the podcast, here’s a quick excerpt from the ad:
    “With all the recent news about online security breaches, it’s very hard not to worry about where your data goes. Making an online purchase or simply accessing your email could put your private information at risk … That’s why I decided to take back my privacy using ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN has easy-to-use apps and runs seamlessly in the background of my computer phone tablet.”
    Although Rogan notes that he’s reading sponsored material before beginning the segment, the services he discusses relate to technology, handy apps, and internet security, which are topics that he has covered on “The Joe Rogan Experience”. Additionally, these topics might be interesting to the millennial podcast audience which is highly tuned into smartphone and computer technology.
    Lastly, because Rogan describes his own experiences with ExpressVPN, the segment feels less like an ad and more like a friendly recommendation. In fact, listeners who are fans of Rogan might trust that he has used the advertised product and that he had a good experience with it. If they think he’s a credible recommendation source, they might choose or consider ExpressVPN when looking for a data security provider.
    After an example, you need a brief section that sums up what readers should get from the example. In this case, something like, “One of the main selling points of advertising on a podcast is that listeners are already comfortable with the host. When the host reads your ad copy, there’s already a level of trust between the host and the audience that wouldn’t be there with alternative mediums like video or display ads. It’s almost like a lightweight celebrity endorsement.”
    4. Use your competitors for inspiration.
    As with any new marketing or advertising technique, a competitive analysis can help you identify what similar companies are doing, as well as opportunities where you can get ahead of them.
    If you have a direct competitor who has advertised on various podcasts, see if those shows might fit your ad strategy as well. Similarly, if there are brands in your industry that provide non-competing services and use podcast advertising, try to identify shows that they advertise on.
    From there, you could either look into contacting these podcast producers or their networks or look for podcasts that have a similar level of success and discuss similar topics. While you shouldn’t directly copy what your competitor is doing, a competitive analysis could still inspire you to develop an ad strategy or promotional content that improves upon that of similar brands.
    5. Purchase multiple ads for small shows rather than one for big podcasts.
    As you start researching podcasts, you might find a long list of shows that will align very well with your product or service. When that happens, do you invest in one expensive ad for the biggest show with the most promising numbers? Or, do you use that money for multiple ads on different podcast episodes?
    Balter says, “It’s better to play an ad multiple times on a smaller show than try to a single ad on a big show.”
    If major podcasts have a huge listenership and ad premiums, you’ll have to pay much more for one or two ads that may or may not be memorable. While you might get great visibility, this could be a huge gamble. If the ads don’t provide ROI, you’ll lose ad dollars.
    That’s why the safest strategy is to follow Balter’s advice and choose frequency over sheer audience reach.
    Look at a number of smaller podcasts that still have engaging content and really relate to your product or business. Then invest a bit of your spend in each. If one or two don’t pan out well but the others do, consider swapping the low-performing podcasts out with other shows or purchasing more ads on episodes of podcasts that are giving you revenue or brand awareness.
    6. Advertise on multiple podcasts within the same network.
    If you plan to invest in multiple podcasts — or multiple ads within a podcast episode — and find a network that produces multiple shows that align with your product, consider building a relationship with that network and putting your ad dollars there.
    In the podcast world, Balter explains that advertising on shows within the same network is called a “pulsing” strategy, adding that it’s better than airing multiple ads on one podcast episode but still can have similar reach.
    “Because people who listen to Gimlet shows are likely to listen to other Gimlet shows, you can get a solid number of impressions off of a few shows over a relatively short amount of time without inundating listeners with the same ad over and over again.”
    Here’s an example of a Hendrick’s Gin ad that Gimlet has circulated on a number of its podcasts and displayed on its advertising page.

    The native ad begins by telling listeners that the episode they’re listening to is sponsored by Hendrick’s Gin. Then the ad’s narrator goes on to discuss the flavors associated with the beverage and how people who drink it are looking to escape from their mundane life.
    This Hendrick’s ad feels unique but it speaks to a wide variety of people that could be bored with their lives and doesn’t note specific industries. The ad also doesn’t specify the podcast it’s on which makes it easy to place in many different ones.
    7. Be vigilant of dishonest podcasters.
    As you research various podcasts — especially those that are smaller, you might realize that it’s easy to find numbers and success metrics for some, while others are less transparent. Because of this, you’ll want to do some extra digging and properly vet the podcasts at the top of your list to make sure they’re legitimate.
    Balter warns, “Downloads are not algorithmically verified, therefore people sometimes make up how many downloads their show gets. So, if you’re sponsoring a less reputable podcast, make sure to get download numbers for a single episode.”
    If you want to verify that the podcast is giving accurate numbers before reaching out to them, here are a few steps you can take.

    Look at all the sites they post their podcasts on: If they post on a major site like SoundCloud or Spotify, you should be able to see general platform-provided view numbers to get an idea of how successful their podcast was.

    Look for them on social media: While podcasters might not be airing episodes on social media, they might have a following or a few social accounts to spread awareness of the show. If they do, look at the follower count, likes, and visual signs of engagement on these pages. If you can find signs of social engagement and a following, this might be a sign that they have a legitimate audience.

    Work with a credible network: Many credible networks might be transparent about podcast numbers to potential and current advertisers. Additionally, you can look at the success of the network’s other shows as evidence that they’re associated with engaging content.

    When you do finally talk to the podcast producers, get as much specific data as possible about views and impressions. If they have or have had advertisers in the past, you might want to ask them if their advertisers have seen an ROI. If they can show proof that advertisers make more money than they spend on ad slots, this shows that ads on this podcast can be successful.
    8. Consider purchasing back catalog space.
    A back catalog is a collection of a podcast’s previously recorded episodes. Back catalog podcast episodes might still be listened to, shared quite regularly by listeners, and up for grabs when it comes to ad space.
    Because back catalog episodes have already aired and don’t seem like an obvious ad opportunity, Balter says this tactic is “interesting and something a lot of people don’t consider.”
    If you do decide to advertise in back catalog podcasts, zone specifically into evergreen episodes that will continue to remain relevant for a longer period of time.
    For example, if you’re a marketer for an e-commerce home-shopping site, you could advertise in back catalog podcasts about DIY ideas or home decorating. This type of podcast won’t age drastically over time and might be relevant to anyone listening to podcasts about those topics.
    While these podcasts might’ve already been promoted during their first launch, podcasters are often encouraged to re-promote evergreen back catalog content. Your brand could also share the podcast on your company’s social channels for some added promotion.
    9. Determine what type of promotion you’d like to run.
    While some companies like to create standard native ads that exist as pre-roll or mid-roll within a podcast episode, other brands might pay the podcast producers to create sponsored content.
    Similarly, advertisers might want to script the ad and have the host read it, or have the host casually work product discussion into the podcast conversation, so it feels more natural. Some podcasts may only offer certain types of sponsorship options, but if you still want to consider the different types, here are a few with an example for each:
    Native Ad:
    A native ad is created by the brand for the podcast. With this common strategy, you’ll create a short audio clip that discusses your product, service, or another promotion related to your brand. These usually run for 30 seconds or less and sound a lot like audio ads you’d hear on traditional radio stations. These ads usually air as pre-roll or mid-roll ads after a podcast host says something like, “And now, a word from our sponsors.”
    Below is an example of an ad for the Toyota RAV4. In the 30-second ad, a narrator describes all the unique features that make the car safe, reliable, and fast. Like the Hendrick’s Gin ad noted above, the ad doesn’t acknowledge a specific podcast so it can be shared on multiple different shows.

    If you’re looking for inspiration for a quirkier native ad, check out GEICO’s list of ads, which have been aired on both radio and podcasts.
    Sponsored Content:
    With sponsored content or branded podcasts, you pay the podcast production team to create interesting content about a topic related to your industry of the company.
    While the content might not discuss your product outright, the podcast hosts will note that your brand sponsored the podcast — and most likely include some information about your product or service.
    If the podcast is valuable and interesting to the listener, they might remember your brand and affiliate informative content with your company.
    One recent example was a mini-series called “The Sauce” in 2018. The podcast, sponsored by McDonald’s — and created by Gizmodo and Onion Labs — investigated why people rioted over the removal of Szechuan Sauce from the McDonald’s menu. While the podcast has since been removed from Apple podcasts, you can find a short preview for it on Gizmodo’s Facebook page.
    Paid Interview:
    This is a type of sponsored content where an expert from or affiliated with an advertising brand is interviewed in exchange for the sponsorship dollars. While this gives your company’s experts an opportunity to spread brand awareness and show their expertise, it also allows the podcast to create interesting interview content about a topic related to its own mission.
    In the example below, Daymond John interviews a rep from ZipRecruiter, on the podcast, “Rise and Grind.” Because the podcast series regularly discussed business, entrepreneurship, and management, this ZipRecruiter-sponsored interview about hiring talent, still feels like a natural piece of content.

    This paid interview tactic could also work for businesses in other industries as well. For example, if you’re a marketer for a cookbook publisher, you could pay for a chef who created some of a new book’s recipes to get interviewed on a podcast related to cooking, home-making, or DIY.
    In another example, if your company sells medical devices, you could pay for your CEO or an executive to be interviewed on a podcast that touches on medical news or technological advances.
    In either example, audiences who listen to those podcasts because they want to learn more about topics or products within their industry might hear the interviews, gain insight from the experts, and trust your brand more.
    Product Placement:
    This is a form of sponsored content where podcasters are paid to mention your product casually in the podcast’s discussion.
    In a classic example, the “My Brother, My Brother, and Me” podcast aired an episode about Totinos which was sponsored by Totinos.

    While the hosts played games and had random discussions about life, as they’ve done in most of their episodes, they were chewing Totino’s pizza rolls most of the time and made each game or featured piece of content center around the food product.
    Direct Response Ads
    This is a native ad that feels like a product placement where the host reads a short script written by the advertiser. The ad ends with the host telling listeners to do something, such as click a link or use a coupon code. Unlike the more traditional pre-roll or mid-roll native ad, the listener is still immersed in the experience of listening to the host.
    Although the host notes that their discussion is sponsored, it still might make the listener feel like they are getting a solid recommendation from the host.
    On Dax Shepard’s podcast, “The Armchair Expert,” he includes at least one direct response ad in the middle of each episode. At the 65:00 mark of this episode, Shepard reads a script that explains the benefits of using the meal-delivery service DoorDash. Then, he tells listeners to download DoorDash and use the code “DAX” to get $5 off of their first order:
    10. Purchase ad spots online.
    If you’re just looking to purchase a standard ad slot and already have an audio clip, some tools allow you to purchase space and target ads to appear on multiple podcasts.
    For example, if you’re just planning to target one or two simple native ads to millennials on Spotify, you might want to use Spotify Ad Studio to create and launch basic native ads on the music platform. If you want to launch to multiple host-read ads in a number of different podcasts, you could consider using a service like Midroll, where you can submit ad information and purchase ad slots in a variety of different podcasts.
    11. Or, reach out personally to podcasts you’d like to work with.
    If you want to do something that requires more planning, like sponsored content, a paid interview, or preparing scripted product placements, you should make an in-person connection with podcasters. 
    “By being intentional when looking for creators, we can create a truly collaborative environment and allow creators to infuse their personality and voice into our ads,” says Joseph.
    Once you’ve done your research and found a few podcasts you’re interested in, reach out to begin discussing your advertising options. Send an email with a little bit about your brand and why you think you could work well with them as an advertiser. Be sure to also ask about their growth and key success metrics to confirm that they are as promising as you think.
    Need help reaching out to potential podcast hosts or networks you’d like to sponsor? Check out the template below.

    Once you find the podcasters you’d like to partner with, keeping them involved in the creative process is key. Avoid handing them a dry script to read verbatim. “I’ve learned the more we allow our podcasters to participate in the creation of the ad, the better the ad will be,” Joseph says. 
    12. Monitor your progress.
    Regardless of what type of promotion you purchase, you should be tracking your money spent compared to the money the advertisement earned. This will help you determine the ROI of your campaigns.
    If you’re publishing promotions on multiple podcasts, this will be an important way to tell which might warrant more advertisements and which might require less to no ad spend.
    With this post on marketing ROI, you can learn how to use a simple formula to calculate and find a few examples of how it can be used when strategizing in the real world.

    How to Advertise on Podcasts
    Ready to launch your advertising campaign on relevant podcasts? Here’s what you should consider.
    1. Determine the type of ad you want to run.
    As we reviewed above in the podcast terminology section, there are a few different types of podcast ads to consider. The right type of podcast ad for you will depend on your budget and the goals of your campaign.
    Host-read ads tend to cost more than programmatic ads, however, according to Nielsen host-read ads are more effective because hosts have already established trust and recognition with their audiences.
    2. Select the best ad placement for your campaign.
    Additionally, ad placement and length matter. Though the first few minutes of a podcast reaches the widest audience, pre-roll ads, or ads that play at the beginning of a podcast episode, tend to have a lower CPM rate because users can easily skip over the ad.

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    On the other hand, mid-roll ad placements tend to have a higher CPM rate because listeners who reach the middle of an episode tend to be more engaged and likely to follow a CTA. In terms of length, 30-second ad placements have an average CPM of $18, while 60-second ad placements have an average CPM of $25.
    3. How to write a podcast ad.
    Now that you know what type of ad you want to run and have determined the placement, it’s time to tackle the messaging. Whether you are doing host-read or programmatic ads, the on-air talent needs talking points from you to ensure the ad shares information that is relevant to your campaign.
    Here are the elements to include when writing a podcast ad script.
    Hook the Listener
    Begin with a bold or attention-grabbing statement to get the listener’s attention and reduce the likelihood of them fast-forwarding through the ad.
    Personal Story
    Once the audience is hooked on the ad, the on-air talent should introduce the product and share a quick personal story outlining why they enjoy the product. A simple way to do this is to mention what problem they were experiencing, how they were introduced to the product, and the positive results or solutions they experienced after using the product.
    Call to Action
    Close the ad by creating a clear call-to-action (CTA) for the listener. A popular CTA used in podcast advertising is special codes and unique URLs specifically for that show. These are easy for the audience to remember because they are typically related to the name of the podcast, and can be easily measured for KPI tracking.
    4. How to create a podcast ad.
    Once the script has been finalized, share it with the on-air talent so they can record the ad as a standalone mp3 file. During the post-production process, the ad should be placed in the episode audio file during the designated placement time. If using dynamic insertion technology, upload the mp3 file to the podcast hosting software so it can be automatically played during the episode.

    Navigating Podcast Sponsorship
    The podcast landscape is a pool of growing opportunities for marketers. And, if you’re ready to start testing the sponsorship waters, be sure to keep these key tips in mind.

    Find podcasts that align with your brand: People are listening to an episode to get informed about a specific topic. If your ad aligns well with it, they might be interested in learning more about your product.

    Choose frequency over audience reach: It’s less risky and more efficient to invest in multiple ads on smaller podcasts rather than just one or two ads on a major podcast.

    Consider working with a network: Networks may provide more legitimate view numbers and have a variety of podcasts with similar audiences that you can air your ads on.

    With the right strategy in place, you can get your product in front of an engaged community of potential buyers through podcast advertising.

  • The Evolution of CX

    Despite all of the marketing hype, the vast majority of customer journeys and experiences are still fundamentally broken remnants of a bygone era, managed by software designed decades ago for voice-only call centers. Traditional omnichannel strategies are irrelevant for modern, smartphone-centric consumers, who are needlessly forced to switch channels, introducing latency, frustration, and complexity that thwart efforts to improve the customer experience. Source: https://ujet.cx/the-evolution-of-cx-wbn-typ/
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  • Perfect IT – Leading best it company in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We offer affordable IT Solutions with expert advice to keep your network running efficiently. Do visit us!

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  • Optimize Website and Email Call to Action

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  • What International Marketers Should Know About Instagram Lite

    Instagram is a top-rated app, with more than 1 billion monthly active users. Within the app, individual users, influencers, brands, and businesses alike share high-quality photo and video content, interact in comments, and exchange direct messages.
    However, as it is a visual-centered platform, some people across the globe have trouble using the app as they don’t have the same access to cellular data and internet connection required to load many of the app’s features.
    As Instagram wants its platform to be accessible to all, they created a solution: Instagram Lite. Read on to discover what it is, the features it offers, and how it may affect global social media marketing.  

    What is Instagram Lite?
    Instagram Lite is an Android app that is significantly smaller in size (2MB vs. 30-80MB+) than the original Instagram app, so users with differing cellular and internet connection can still benefit from what it has to offer without experiencing a lagging app or differing user experience.
    The goal was to create a more accessible app for emerging markets. Tzach Hadar, Director of Product Management at Facebook Tel Aviv, says “Our teams build these lightweight versions of our apps for people with low connectivity or limited data plans because our basic premise is to leave no one behind.” As such, Instagram Lite still contains many of the valued features within the original app:

    Photo and video sharing
    Stories, stickers, and gifs
    Explore page and recommendation algorithms
    Messaging/DMs (groups supported)
    Reels and Reels tab
    Dark mode

    As it is a less-heavy load on devices, features that require significant data or connection have been left out, such as:

    Animations when switching between Stories
    Story filters and AR filters
    Swipe-to-type controls
    Going Live
    Shopping and Product tabs

    The app is able to save such significant space on devices by running off of code saved to the cloud rather than on the phone. Kelly Hendrickson, Social Media Marketing Manager at HubSpot, says “What excited me most about Instagram Lite is that it makes the platform more accessible. It requires less space on a phone as well as less data, making it easier to run. This is key in emerging markets.”

    Where is Instagram Lite available?
    Instagram Lite is currently available in 170 countries, with India being the largest country of access. Worldwide release is set to happen soon.
    What is the Instagram Lite UX like?
    The most significant difference between the Instagram Lite UX is the quality of content on the app, and a lack of graphics and animations that need data to load. While images aren’t grainy or pixelated, they may not be HD in order to ensure that users can load content without experiencing any lagging. A prime example is that when navigating between two different Stories, the animation that is present in the original app is missing.
    Other than that, the Instagram Lite UX is not much different from the original Instagram app. For instance, users have the same profile tab (as shown in the image below) with their profile photo, follower and following count, an image feed, and a Reels tab for those who create them.

    Image Source
    The home tab, where your Instagram Feed is displayed, is the same as well, with the stories carousel in the top portion of the screen, the heart icon showing likes and interactions, and the messaging arrow button.

    Image Source
    If you want to share a post on Instagram Lite, the post button is in the navigation footer instead of above the Stories carousel.
    Will Instagram Lite impact global social media marketing?
    When Instagram Lite becomes available globally, it will require marketers to pivot from typical Instagram marketing strategies. As it currently doesn’t support ads, marketers will have to focus on engagement and building an audience rather than using shoppable tools to drive sales. Hendrickson says, “Part of pulling back features, though, is the removal of advertising. This reminds us how vital Instagram is for brand awareness. When someone can no longer purchase from within the platform, you have the opportunity to influence their decisions down the road by becoming a valuable account for them to follow.”

    In addition, marketers will need to be mindful of the quality of photos and videos they upload, as the app is meant to save space and require minimal data usage. Instead, your Instagram Lite strategy may focus on high-quality copy and influencer partnerships in new countries as a means of attracting audience attention, driving engagement, and converting users to paying customers via links to website landing pages.
    Marketers will also need to create content able to be understood by those in different markets and relevant to their interests.
    Before Instagram Lite becomes available in your country, take the time to research emerging markets that already have access to the app, learn more about their interests and pain points, and begin creating a strategy that will help you show them the value you can provide.
    Then, when the app becomes available, you’ll be ready to leverage the information you learned to begin posting on the app.