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To understand human-centered design, let’s start with what it isn’t.
Imagine you work at a gaming design company, and one day your boss comes to you and says, “Teenagers these days — they need to get off their phones. Let’s design a crossword-puzzle board game for teenagers — they’d welcome the opportunity to get offline.”
Your boss has good intentions, but his intentions don’t match your consumer’s reality. His idea isn’t empathetic towards a teenager’s passions, and it isn’t a solution that fits their wants and needs.

Now, let’s look at a real example of human-centered design: meal subscription boxes.
Take HelloFresh, founded in 2011 by Dominik Richter, Thomas Griesel, and Jessica Nilsson. The company delivers a box of fresh food to your door, with easy recipes included. The founders recognized that people have trouble finding time to shop for groceries and struggle to create healthy, affordable meals — they came up with a solution to both problems.
Unlike your boss in the first example, the HelloFresh founders didn’t develop an idea unrelated to real consumer needs. Instead, they recognized a struggle someone was facing and then worked to invent a solution. In this way, it’s arguable that human-centered design is a safer and more trustworthy approach to problem-solving.
Whether your role requires you to pitch ideas in marketing meetings or design the products your company sells, it’s critical you know the process of human-centered design. By putting your consumer at the forefront of your creative process, you ensure each product you create and distribute is a true, long-term solution to your consumer’s needs. If done correctly, you’ll gain a much more reliable and loyal customer base.
Now that we’ve covered the importance of human-centered design, let’s dive into the various stages of a human-centered design process and look at some examples so you feel confident implementing the strategy for yourself.
Human-centered Design Process
IDEO — the global design firm behind Apple’s first computer mouse, the Palm Pilot, in 1998, and more — came up with three phases for the human-centered design process, which has helped them create such successful and long-lasting products.
The three phases of the human-centered design process are inspiration, ideation, and implementation.
Phase One: Inspiration.
The inspiration stage requires true on-the-ground research. You’ll need to engage directly with your target audience to understand their biggest problems and pain points. It’s important to research your target audience. You want to find out: what makes your consumer happy? What makes them frustrated? What do they do first in the morning? How do they devour content? What takes up most of their time?
Essentially, you want to see from their point of view.
There are a few different methods you could use to research your audience. For instance, you might send out surveys to customers via email or create a survey submission form on one of your web pages. If you find it difficult to get people to fill out the survey, you might offer incentives — 10% off their next purchase or a ticket for a raffle contest with a giveaway prize.
You could facilitate a focus group if you don’t feel comfortable with surveys.
If you often interact with consumers on the phone or email, you might hear about issues they’re having organically.
If you’re still unsure which direction to take, check out 19 Tools & Resources for Conducting Market Research for more ideas.
Once you’ve done your market research, list with your team all the trivial and major problems with which your consumer struggles (within your skill set or products, of course). Consider the biggest hassles your consumer faces and how your products could get better to solve those issues.
Phase Two: Ideation.
Like the HelloFresh founders, your team must envision a future that doesn’t exist yet. Now that you know what problems your consumer faces, what solutions could help them become better, happier, and more productive?
The ideation stage is your “no such thing as a bad idea” brainstorming session. It requires you and your colleagues to create and tweak a long list. Take good ideas, and make them better. Refine and tweak them. Imagine all the different ways you could solve a customer’s problem, big and small.
When you’re confident you have a realistic, human-centered idea to solve for a customer’s needs, you’ll need to envision how a product could solve that solution.
Let’s use our HelloFresh example to see this stage more clearly. In Phase Two, Ideation, you’ve already recognized that people don’t have time to grocery shop and want healthy meals (that was Phase One). In this step, you’ve made a long list of potential solutions, i.e., “YouTube tutorials to create healthy meals? Write a cookbook? Pay for someone to come into your home and cook for you? Pay for a truck to deliver healthy food to your door?”
Ultimately, your team has decided — aha! We’ll create a meal subscription service.
Now, you want to prototype and test this product on your ideal persona.
Remember, the whole premise behind human-centered design is digging into your consumer’s actual needs and providing a solution to those needs. If you receive feedback on limitations of your product, don’t get dejected — get inspired. That feedback is exactly what you need to ensure your product will gain long-term traction with your target consumer base.
Phase Three: Implementation.
So you’ve created and tested a prototype of your product, collected feedback, and seem ready for release to a wider audience.
Now, it’s time to market your product. Ultimately, you’ll want to imagine yourself in your consumer’s shoes and then market to them from that point of view: How would I like to learn about this product if I were them?
Since your product revolves around your consumer’s struggles, you’ll want to develop an effective marketing strategy to spread the word about your product as a long-term solution to a real struggle.
You also might want to consider partnering with other businesses who offer similar solutions or share an audience with similar problems. By partnering with a business, you’re able to offer the user more of an all-in-one solution.
Human-centered Design Examples
1. Colgate Toothbrush 
Colgate-Palmolive’s toothbrush, Acti-Brush, was innovative in the 1990s, but since then, competitor toothbrushes have surpassed Colgate’s on the market. Colgate-Palmolive hired Altitude, a design consulting firm focused on human-centered designs, to create a new toothbrush model.
The Altitude team extensively researched the audience and then developed the Motion, a new, slimmer, high-powered toothbrush with oscillating heads and an arcing neck. The entire product, from superficial features to performance, centered around one critical question: will this serve our user’s needs? Ultimately, the Motion successfully solved a user’s problem — needing a slender toothbrush that could still deliver on performance — the industry hadn’t previously addressed.
 
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2. Spotify
Remember the days of paying $1.99 for one song, or hanging around the aisles of Walmart, searching for your favorite album?
I’d argue that one of the most impressive displays of human-centered design is Spotify — a product that showed me my prior method for purchasing music was a problem before I even recognized it as one.
Spotify succeeded by empathizing with their users’ struggle to pay for music from disparate sources and created a solution we could all embrace. Thanks to Spotify, users can get all their music in one place for one monthly fee. I’m willing to pay more for that kind of tailored, customized, helpful service.

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3. Fitbit
Before handy fitness trackers, we’d have to estimate how many calories we burned in a day and find the inherent motivation to be more active (which, as we all know, is an untrustworthy source).
The invention of products like Fitbit is undeniably human-centered. The inventors of fitness trackers recognized people’s challenges with tracking and maintaining fitness goals and provided a useful long-term solution. The product works with the user in mind by telling the user how many calories she burned and urging her to exercise more.

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4. Venmo
Venmo is another example of a product that solved a problem before most people realized it was one. I personally didn’t see how cumbersome exchanging money was until Venmo provided a solution.
The founders of Venmo, Andrew Kortina and Iqram Magdon-Ismail, stumbled across the idea of Venmo only when they encountered the problem. They went to New York City, and Iqram forgot his wallet. Andrew paid for everything, and at the end of the trip, Iqram wrote him a check.
During that exchange of money, they thought, “Why is this still the best way of exchanging money? Why can’t we do this on our phones?”
The Venmo founders needed to solve a problem they encountered and build a solution from which other people could also benefit.

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Feeling Inspired?
Hopefully, these examples confirm the usefulness of human-centered design for creating long-lasting and innovative products. You’re now ready to tackle your creative process from a new angle — the human angle.

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The post How to Hand Off Marketing-Generated Leads to Your Sales Team appeared first on Benchmark Email.

Are people still using Facebook? Is BeReal the next big thing? And is TikTok still just for Gen Z?
If you’re looking for answers to those questions, we’ve got ‘em.
We asked 600+ U.S. adults about the social media platforms they use in May 2022 and again in January 2023 to find out which apps are growing and which are slowing down. Here’s what we found out:

Social Media Usage in 2022 vs. 2023
While 84% of US adults unsurprisingly use social media, where are they going when they use it? 
Here are a few fast facts about the top platforms US consumers use in 2023, keeping in mind that this list might be different in other countries.

Facebook (69%), YouTube (57%), Instagram (45%), TikTok (33%), and Twitter (30%) are the most popular social media apps.
BeReal (313%), Twitch (29%), LinkedIn (20%), and TikTok (16%) saw the most growth since last May.
Reddit (-11%), Pinterest (-9%), and YouTube (-4%) are the only platforms that saw a decline in usage.
While Facebook is the most popular social media platform for people over the age of 25, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are the most popular among ages 18-24.

With that, let’s take a deeper dive into the fastest-growing platforms.
The Fastest Growing Social Media Platforms
1. BeReal
BeReal has seen 313% growth in usage from consumers we polled, which was likely fueled by hype. But — as we wonder with all emerging social media platforms — will it last?
The young platform, which gives users one opportunity to post a picture of themselves wherever they are with no filter during a few timeslots — designated by the app each day, went from being used by roughly 0.7% of the population to 2.8%, growing the most of the social platforms we analyzed. But, the real story is how it’s taken off with Gen Z. Usage from just this age group jumped from 1% to 13% (a whopping 1,200% increase).
BeReal does benefit from being the newest social platform we asked about in these surveys, so it had the most room to grow. On the other hand, with other competitors trying to copy its platform, it risks being another trendy social media platform that gets forgotten or lost in the shuffle.
Due to BeReal’s format, it also might not be the most welcoming channel or community for brands, as people join to see the “real” versions of their friends and aim to use the platform to amplify authenticity and human connection. 
2. Twitch
Whether you’re watching Keke Palmer start a family with The Sims, or enthralled by someone’s live coverage of a cool event, it’s clear that streamed content is here to stay. And while social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have enabled and tested live features, Twitch still reigns supreme as the place to go for long-form live video. 

While it might not seem like an obvious social platform as many people go there to view videos rather than record or interact in them, it’s still continuing to compete with other social channels that have launched their own live-video copycats. 
Since our first survey, Twitch usage grew by 29%, thanks to Gen Z and Boomers with the percentage of total consumers using it growing from roughly 7% to 9%.
Gen Z drove this increase, with their Twitch usage jumping from 13% to 17%.
Boomers are also getting in on the action. In May 2022 just 0.3% used the platform while closer to 3% use it today. While this seems like a small percentage, it still could equate to thousands of additional users. 
3. LinkedIn
Between May and January LinkedIn grew 20% amongst consumers we surveyed, boosted by Boomers. However, the platform is starting to see declines with other age groups.
While LinkedIn usage declined mildly for every other generation, LinkedIn usage among Boomers grew from 11% to 20%, an 85% increase.
All-in-all, we’re not too worried about the slight declines as LinkedIn continues to be a mix of social media and utility that job hunters and recruiters will need, and use to buffer their portfolios, for years to come.
So, if you’re a marketer who leverages the platform, while it’s important to keep demographic shifts in mind — you likely don’t need to pivot your strategy there just yet.
Check out the video below for some tips on how to get started or improve on your current LinkedIn strategy: 

4. TikTok
Despite TikTok’s ongoing regulatory concerns, people who loved the platform back in May seem to be sticking around, while others are beginning to experience the channel for the very first time.
Between May and January, TikTok usage among our surveyed consumers grew by 16%. Usage also grew across all generations — especially with Boomers.
When looking at the generational increase, the number of Boomers who’d used TikTok grew by 164%, showing again that they’re catching on to many viral Gen Z trends and apps.
From our research, we estimate that one in three American adults now use TikTok.
If you aren’t on TikTok yet, you should keep it on your radar and take some time to consider if the app makes sense for your brand. Just keep in mind that it will require some video-related time and resources, as well as user-research into all the trends going on there, to build a successful strategy. You can learn more about TikTok marketing here. 
5. Twitter
Despite fluctuations in leadership, Elon Musk’s controversial takeover, and office-wide changes at the company, Twitter’s social media platform is still holding a strong user base and grew 7% among our consumer audience.
While our sample shows that Twitter pulled in roughly 12% more Gen X users and 27% more boomers, this should be taken with a grain of salt as 9% fewer members of Gen Z survey-takers said they use Twitter in January compared to May.
While it’s still hard to predict how Twitter will continue to grow and perform, especially for marketers, in the future — here’s a helpful guide on how to build and retain audiences and followers that could drive ROI for your brand. 
6. Instagram
It’s no shocker that Instagram is one of the favorites among multiple generations. Between May and January, usage by consumers we surveyed grew 6%. While the channel continues to win over Gen Z and gain attention from Boomers, it might be losing some of its Millennial audience. Below are just a few fast facts.

Around 45% of U.S. adults use Instagram, up 6% from last May.
Instagram grew 11% with Gen Z and 53% among Boomers (from 18% to 27%).
Millennial usage of Instagram went from 65% to 54%, a 17% drop.

Now that we’ve covered some of the fastest-growing social media platforms, here are the ones slowing down in 2023.
Which Platforms are Losing Steam?
While many of the large platforms that saw slowed growth from our consumer pool aren’t going anywhere, the data hints to some consumer shits marketers might want to know about or keep on their radar.
Click here to learn why Reddit, Pinterest, and YouTube might be losing steam compared to their competition.
More Social Media Insights
Want more social media insights? Check out these helpful resources:

2023 Consumer Trends Report
State of Social Media
The Best Social Media Channels for Marketing

Prefer to download a report with everything you need to know? Check out our Social Media Trends Report for free below.

Every year, consumers spend differently than the year before. This is because their preferences are evolving, their priorities are shifting, and their behaviors aren’t quite how they were before. So how are marketers supposed to meet their expectations in the new year? By making data-informed predictions.
To help marketers and business professionals prepare for the road ahead, we conducted a bi-annual survey of 600+ U.S. adults in January 2023 known as the State of Consumer Trends Report to learn more about the latest consumer trends and data. Here, we’ll share our top three biggest consumer behavior predictions based on HubSpot Blog Research.

Consumer Behavior Predictions for 2023
1. Consumers will buy products on influencer recommendations over alternatives.
HubSpot Blog Research found that 17% of social media users bought a product based on an influencer’s recommendation, and this number goes up to 32% among Gen Z. Additionally, 27% of social media users follow virtual influencers.
Online word-of-mouth marketing is infectious, and brands that acknowledge the power of influencer recommendations have a lot to gain in 2023.

For example, Olipop, a new soda alternative company, has a large presence on TikTok. Using the strategy of influencer marketing, the newly popular brand has amassed over 180,000 followers, stemming from the positive reviews of the company’s product flavor range, and health benefits over choosing traditional soda.

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Consumers want to trust the recommendations of people they relate to, so if they see people with similar interests, tastes — or even appearance — rave over a product, they’re more likely to want to give it a try.
2. Consumers will engage in social media platform shopping more.
And it’s not just our data indicating this trend. Social media usage as a whole is growing with users spending more time everyday on these platforms. It’s only logical to expect that shopping or increased interest in brand content will result in more online purchases.

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3. Consumers will be pickier with which companies they buy from.
The three biggest concerns social media users have when it comes to making purchases on social platforms are that the companies aren’t legitimate (54%), that they won’t be able to get a refund (48%), and concerns about the quality of the products being sold (44%).

We predict that more consumers will be shopping on social media, however, the brands they’ll buy from will have to prove their legitimacy, quality, and policy before they expect buyers to click purchase.
Brands with a social media presence will have to refine their brand identity to be more trustworthy and set realistic expectations for followers about the image and features of a product.
Keep an Eye on Consumer Behavior
Consumer behavior will change as the year progresses, and marketers should try to understand using informed decision-making. While these are only predictions, you should study your target audience for any changes in their behavior that you can prepare for to keep them loyal.