Author: Franz Malten Buemann

As consumers, our inboxes are filled with emails from eCommerce brands we’ve previously purchased from. Emails include various promotions, sales, and new products, all aimed at garnering interest and revenue. If you’re anything like us, some emails quickly get the “unsubscribe” heave-ho, while others bring us joy and anticipation. Why is that? What sets the…
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What are some ways to get a good look at the Pardot and Salesforce setups and data for a new company? I’m looking for big picture info. Thanks!
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Long gone are the days of dial-up internet when web pages loaded line by line.
Today’s internet users expect an instant response, with 93% of people leaving a website because it didn’t load properly. No one wastes time on a poor experience.
To elevate the online experience, Google released Core Web Vitals — a set of metrics to help site owners measure the speed, responsiveness, and visual stability of their pages.
The Core Web Vitals report gives you insight into page performance, so you can improve your site experience and let the Google bots know it’s worthy of a high search ranking.

But why does speed and user experience matter for your business?

If page load time increases from 1 second to 3 seconds, bounce rate increases 32%.

If page load time increases from 1 second to 6 seconds, bounce rate increases by 106%. (Google)

A high bounce rate hurts your bottom line. Potential customers will simply jump to a competing site if yours is slow to load.
But if you learn what metrics to hit and start to improve your pages, Google will reward you with better rankings — and you’ll create a more enjoyable experience for potential customers.
To do so, you need to understand the metrics that make up the Core Web Vitals:

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures the loading performance of a page. It considers the amount of time it takes to load the largest piece of content (typically a video, image, or text block) from when a user requests the URL. Google recommends sites keep LCP under 2.5 seconds for 75% of their page loads.

First Input Delay (FID) measures the interactivity of a page. It’s the time between an action (think, clicking a button or a link) to when a browser responds to that action. The FID measurement comes from whatever element is clicked first, turning the page from a static to interactive. Responsiveness is crucial to making a good first impression with visitors by showing your site is reliable and running smoothly. Google recommends sites keep FID under 100 milliseconds for 75% of page loads.

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measures all of the layout shifts that occur across a page. It’s scored from zero (no shifting) to a positive number (more shifting). Common causes of shifting are dropdown banner ads, buttons that appear, or images that cause a text block to move. These all contribute to a negative user experience, which is why it’s important to reduce the shifts that happen across your site. Google recommends sites aim for a CLS score of 0.1 or less.

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By analyzing millions of pages, Google found that users are 24% less likely to abandon loading pages when a site meets the above requirements. If you’re itching for more details, check out the research behind Defining the Core Web Vitals metric thresholds.
How to Improve Core Web Vitals
First thing’s first, you need baseline metrics for your site. Walk through these steps to learn your starting point:

Plug your URL into Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool.
Click ‘Analyze.’
Check your performance. The labels “Poor,” “Needs improvement,” and “Good” are given to your URL on both mobile and desktop. Toggle between the two in the upper left-hand corner of the page.

Here’s what it looks like when I ran an analysis on HubSpot.

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You can see the desktop version performs better than mobile, which is common. In a study of five million pages, Backlinko found that the average web page takes 87.84% longer to load on mobile versus desktop. A few major factors that affected speed: the type of CMS, CDNs and hosting, and page weight.
If your URL doesn’t have enough data for a specific Core Web Vitals metric, you won’t see that metric appear on the report. Once your URL has enough data, your page status will reflect the metric that performs the worst.
Fixing Issues in Core Web Vitals
It will take work to improve the performance of your pages, but you can begin tackling issues with a step-by-step approach.

Prioritize issues by label: Tackle everything labeled “Poor” first. Then, choose your work based on the large-scale issues that affect the highest number of URLs or the most important URLs. Next comes issues with the “Needs Improvement” label.

Make a list: Create a prioritized work list for the team that will be updating the site. Include these common page fixes for reference:

Reduce page size to less than 500KB.
Limit each page to 50 resources for optimum mobile performance.
Consider optimizing your page for fast loading using AMP.

3. Share common fixes: Each Core Web Vitals metric has a dozen ways to improve the threshold. Below, I’ve outlined the basic reasons for a “Poor” status and how each can be fixed.
Improving LCP is affected by slow server response times, client-side rendering, render-blocking JavaScript and CSS, and slow resource load times. You can aim to improve LCD by optimizing each of the following site elements:

Apply instant loading with the PRPL pattern
Critical Rendering Path
CSS
Images
Web Fonts
JavaScript

Improving FID is all about measuring how fast your site responds to user actions. Here, you want to fix any bad first experiences people have on a page. To see how to improve your FID threshold and check how users interact with your site, you can run a performance audit with Chrome’s Lighthouse tool. You can also try the following tweaks to boost your score.

Reduce the impact of third-party code
Reduce JavaScript execution time
Minimize main thread work
Keep request counts low and transfer sizes small
Improving CLS and reducing unexpected shifts comes down to following a handful of best practices. Say goodbye to jumpy banners and those accidental ad clicks.

Include size attributes or CSS aspect ratio boxes for images and videos. These numbers tell the browser how much space to allocate for the page element while it’s loading, which prevents shifts as elements become visible.

Don’t add content above existing content. The only exception is if it’s in response to a user action where a shift is expected.

Provide context for transitions. All animations and transitions within a layout need to have context and continuity if you’re moving users from one part of the page to another.

When you think a specific issue is fixed, you can check if your thresholds have improved on the Search Console Core Web Vitals report. Click “Start Tracking” to launch a 28-day validation session that monitors your site for any signs of the issue. If it doesn’t pop up during that time, consider it fixed.
Like all ranking factors, the devil is in the details. If you’re a developer or techie hungry for more information on optimizing the Core Web Vitals, take a look at Google’s guides to optimizing LCP, FID, or CSL.
Timeline for Core Web Vitals Ranking
Core Web Vitals will be included in Google Search ranking beginning May 2021. They originally announced plans for the update in May 2020 but pushed off the release due to the global impact of COVID-19.
And, as Dave Brong, CTO of WebMechanix, points out, “Core Web Vitals is the ‘web 3.0’ that our generation of SEO and web development experts are facing.”

“By shifting focus away from flimsy server-level metrics and more to the user experience (UX), Google is paving the way for a better accessible web in the future.” 

As you prepare your site for the Core Web Vitals, remember that these are just a part of Google’s existing search signals. Search also considers mobile friendliness, HTTPS security, secure browsing, and intrusive interstitial guidelines.
Part of the Core Web Vitals will include several changes important for site owners:
“The change for non-AMP content to become eligible to appear in the mobile Top Stories feature in Search will also roll out in May 2021. Any page that meets the Google News content policies will be eligible and we will prioritize pages with great page experience, whether implemented using AMP or any other web technology, as we rank the results.” (Google)
Deciding to improve your site’s Core Web Vitals may not seem like a simple task. But by prioritizing the most problematic pages and coordinating with your web team, you can work toward a “Good” label and give everyone visiting your site a great experience.

The look and feel of events changed exponentially after March 2020 as companies moved live events to virtual spaces. But whether your event is online or in-person over the year ahead, event branding is essential to create a memorable experience for attendees.
When I joined Adobe MAX 2020, for example, the virtual event felt as close to an in-person experience as possible. The opportunities to learn from accomplished speakers energized me and made me feel connected to the company.
That’s no surprise, because 91% of people have positive feelings about a brand after joining events. But memorable experiences don’t happen randomly — they’re the result of thoughtful event branding.
Whether you’re planning an upcoming virtual conference or outdoor meet-up, it’s important to consider the branding behind your event. You want to consider your company’s values and essence, yet design a unique, event-only brand that stands out.
To host an event that wows your audience and has a real impact on your business, here’s what to keep in mind. First … well, what is it?

What is event branding?
Like a company brand, event branding is made up of many elements including a logo, website, app, marketing materials, stage design, speakers, sponsors, and event swag.
Some elements are similar to an organization’s brand, but the event brand must stand on its own. Think about how branded events — like Dreamforce, INBOUND, or 29Rooms — are separate yet related to the companies hosting the events. This is possible with a combination of onsite branding (i.e., banners, booths, stage design, and swag) and digital branding (i.e., website, imagery, and marketing).
It’s important to note that event branding is a part of event marketing but requires its own skill sets and strategies.
The key to a well-attended event is to make your branding cohesive and recognizable, because a consistent brand presentation has been seen to increase revenue by 33%. Beyond a thoughtful branding plan, you need to promote the event, create memorable moments for attendees, and know how to gauge success. If you can make all of that happen, you’ll reap the rewards of a well-branded event.
Benefits of Event Branding
Think of the best event you’ve attended. You can likely picture the people you met, the food, the speakers, and even the after-parties. Branding an event shapes how everyone involved—speakers, attendees, employees, and sponsors—remembers the experience.
For example, one session in the Adobe MAX event showed me how to use new features in my Lightroom mobile app. I only learned that skill because Adobe selected speakers who provided value for the audience. They also had a moderator who shared immediate takeaways. And they sent me a follow-up email with the recorded session in case I needed to refresh my memory afterward.
I now follow that particular speaker on Instagram and even renewed my Adobe subscription after joining the event. Yes, I knowingly fell into the flywheel.
The point is, a branded event can help generate leads, build loyalty and credibility, and offer support. Attendees are more willing to buy into your brand promise (and eventually, into your product or service) if you provide a valuable experience.
So, if you do your job well, people will have a good experience — which generates positive emotions — and will become customers or advocates for your brand.
5 Event Branding Ideas
Creating a unique brand that resonates with your audience is about crafting a story that you and your attendees will tell. That’s why successful event branding carries one message throughout every touchpoint. For inspiration on how to tie your event together, look through these examples of well-planned events around the world.

1. Website 
A website is the hub of an event, so it needs to set the stage for the brand. This is the place to share information on the event’s purpose, dates, registration, speakers, sponsors, merchandise, and FAQs.
It should be easy to navigate and make people excited to sign up. This is exactly what the TechCrunch Disrupt website does; It’s straightforward, yet effective. And the no-nonsense branding is aligned with the modern style of innovative tech companies.

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2. Marketing
Every event planner’s nightmare is lackluster attendance. To make sure your event is buzzing, put time into marketing the event with social media posts, emails, and ads. Check out The Ultimate Guide to Event Marketing to dive into the details.
For event branding, ensure your messaging and imagery are cohesive across all channels. You want to give your audience multiple opportunities to learn about, sign up for, and share your event.
The #follow20 Design Festival is a great example of how consistent branding can help people recognize an event both online and in-person.

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3. Design
A solid marketing plan is nothing without consistent design. This includes colors, logos, typography, photography, graphics, swag, posters, and stage design. The studio Hybrid Design perfectly coordinated Pinterest’s Knit Con 2019 through vibrant, thoughtful touches that tied the values and creativity of the Pinterest team together.

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4. Swag
Event swag may seem unnecessary, with virtual events taking over in-person meet-ups. But that’s not entirely true. Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) estimates that promotional products are the most effective form of advertising across all generations, and over 80% of promotional products are used for more than a year.
While branded products have been held under the fire for causing environmental harm, unsustainable swag isn’t the only option these days. Digital gift cards, online workout class passes, free software, and charitable donations are all environmentally responsible giveaways.
The trick is to find swag that suits your brand, so don’t shop for stress balls and stickers if you’re hosting a tech conference. SXSW is a good example of how to choose merch that’s reusable and relevant to the event brand.

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5. Videos
Video marketing has been on the rise for the past few years, and the pandemic pushed the need for video further than ever. Wyzowl found that the pandemic has impacted how much video content 68% of consumers watched online, with 96% reporting an increase.
For event branding, the INBOUND video shown below strikes a balance between sharing event recaps, highlighting speaker sessions, and emphasizing the brand’s values.

Outdoor Event Branding
Outdoor events can be a good alternative to virtual events. This type of event is ideal for networking meet-ups, company picnics, award ceremonies, or festivals. And if you take the proper safety precautions, attendees will feel secure and enjoy the hard work you put into the experience.
There are a few things to consider when planning outdoor event branding. Depending on the season and location, you may need to weather-proof the event. Signs and banners need to stand up to conditions, and people need a place to escape the heat, chill, or rain.
Take advantage of these outdoor quirks to create unique branding moments. Set up plenty of spaces for small groups to gather that have fun opportunities for people to interact with your brand. To keep people socially distanced, consider branded floor decals to mark proper distance or give groups different colored wristbands to encourage people to stay together.
For instance, Seltzerland held successful outdoor events in 2020 thanks to creative thinking and smart branding. Seltzerland organizer Kate Levenstien petitioned to move the events to recently-opened golf courses.
She followed local COVID restrictions, brought dozens of beverage companies on board, ordered swag, and did test runs to check the safety of each space on the course. The result? Nine successful outdoor events across the US during a year of rolling lockdowns.

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As you plan your next event, remember that event branding is more than a logo and company colors. Designing a thoughtful brand for your event will not only ensure it resonates with your company, but it will also make it easier to engage your audience and let everyone leave with valuable information. There’s nothing better for next year’s attendance than a memorable experience everyone wants to share.