Tiffani Allen

A to Z of Content Marketing: A 40 Point Checklist [Infographic]
Creating great content and getting it in front of the right people is harder than it may sound. This fun infographic shows the A to Z of great content marketing, including curating relevant content, having a solid strategy, and social media recommendations. PageTraffic

Native Advertising Dominates Facebook Audience Network (Study)
A new study from Facebook and IHS showed that 83% of Facebook ads use their native advertising format. Facebook also admitted in an email to SocialTimes that “the percentage of apps using the native ad format on Facebook Audience Network has increased tenfold since the first quarter of 2015, and that CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) for native ads are seven times higher than those for banners.” SocialTimes

Marketing Technology Landscape Supergraphic
In one huge supergraphic, cheifmartec.com lays out key players in advertising and promotion, content and experience, social and relationships, commerce and sales, data, and management. As you can see from the image above, there are a huge amount of service providers in the industry, more than we may have even anticipated as few as five years ago. How will this landscape continue to change? Cheifmartec.com

Report: Google Building YouTube Connect to Compete With Periscope
Streaming live video is not a new concept in the marketing sphere, especially since Periscope hit the scene in 2014. But Video mega-star YouTube is jumping into the realm with both feet, launching their new live streaming app ‘YouTube Connect’ to compete with the success of Periscope and services like it. Interestingly enough, users will reportedly be able to watch live streaming video in the app itself, or on YouTube.com. SocialTimes

The Mixology of Content Marketing [INFOGRAPHIC]
Content marketing is an art and a science, just like mixing a good cocktail. In this infographic, different types of content ‘cocktails’ are broken down into clear recipes for the marketing mixologist to follow. Each recipe also contains a measuring guide and a stat or helpful tip. My personal favorite is the White Paper Old Fashioned. Unbounce

This Study Shows Why Retailers Should Ramp Up Their Email Game for Millennials
Whether or not you agree that email is ‘old school’ aside, it is still one of the most effective digital marketing tactics in our collective tool kits. A new study from Epsilon shows that email is effective for Millennial shoppers in particular, with 43% saying they’ve been checking out retailers’ emails in the last 6 months. Millennial shoppers aren’t solely using social media to find what they’re looking for, this new research tells us that email needs to be in the mix. AdWeek

5 Jaw-Dropping Social Media Stats (in Infographics)
In 5 small infographics, author Justin Kerby summarizes facebook’s gigantic user base, the prevalence of employee advocacy programs, how auto-posting on Facebook leads to increased engagement, social media ad spend and how long we really spend watching videos online. I’ll give you a hint, it’s more than an hour. Social Media Today

Instagram Is Adding an Algorithm to Reorder Feeds Based on the Posts Users Like
Instagram announced this week that they are adding an algorithm that will reorder the photos users see in their feed. According to Instagram, the plans are “based on the likelihood you’ll be interested in the content, your relationship with the person posting and the timeliness of the post.” As expected, this change will roll out to a small group of users first and scale up, though the platform hasn’t confirmed a roll-out date. AdWeek

Mobile push notifications: Help or hindrance? [Infographic]
The marketing industry is obsessed with personalization, and rightfully so. It’d be foolish to think that consumers really want the generic, blanket content that was once our only option for mass communication. Personalization has again thrown its hat in the ring, and this time, it’s mobile. In fact, according to Microsoft’s infographic, personalized push notifications that align with user preferences see an up to 300% improvement in conversion rates. Microsoft Azure

Facebook acquires video filter app Msqrd to square up to Snapchat
In what many are saying is a play to keep up with Snapchat, Facebook has acquired video editing app MSQRD for an undisclosed amount. This app will allow users to add filters, stickers and texts on video through Facebook Messenger. According to TechCrunch, this isn’t the first time Facebook has taken a run at Snapchat. In fact, in the past they’ve tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to acquire the app for nearly $3 Billion. TechCrunch

The ROI of Social Selling: Data-Driven Outcomes [Infographic]
The first rule of sales is you have to be where your customers are. If you aren’t, how will they ever find you? As we progress further into the digital age, salespeople and marketers are becoming more and more collaborative, to the benefit of their mutual employers. The secret sauce to any organization practicing marketing enabled sales lies in great content that meets your customers where they are at every stage of the buying cycle. This infographic explains the how and why of social selling. Sales for Life

Why Pinterest Matters to Marketing [Infographic]
Did you know that Pinterest is the third most popular social network in the US, behind Facebook and Twitter? That statistic came as a surprise to me. But what isn’t surprising is the rise in brands that are using Pinterest as part of their social and content marketing strategy. While the platform is easy to use and visually appealing, there’s more to using the platform effectively than meets the eye. This infographic details the demographics of the Pinterest audience, the best time to post, and even what post categories work best on which days. WebpageFX

Mobile Proves to Be Fruitful for Email [Infographic]
Anyone who owns a smartphone will not be surprised to learn that more and more people are opening and interacting with email through their mobile device. The opening statement of the writeup accompanying this infographic says it all: “The mobile channel produces fertile results in terms of email opens and read time.” So what does that mean for digital marketers? At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this reiterates the importance of focusing on designing for mobile first. That is, thinking in terms of what would look good on mobile, whether an image will look right, and whether the content will be as functional across devices. This is especially important when it comes to email, you’re sending something to somebody’s inbox which inevitably will result in some kind of notification — it should be worth it for them to open the message and see what’s inside. Direct Marketing News

How to Reach Your Target Customers on Valentine’s Day [Infographic]
With Valentine’s day fast approaching — and all the love and purchases that come with it. So how do you get the attention of the hordes of paramours in search of the perfect gift? This infographic is full of information to help guide your last-minute push. For example, did you know that Americans spent $18.9 billion on Valentines day in 2015, with the average man spending $191 on their loved one? 25-34 year olds spend the most on Valentines day gifts out of every other age group. Good news for you if your objective is to increase purchases from 25-34 year old men! SocialMediaToday