LinkedIn's all for casual conversations, TikTok gets analytical, CEOs don't know SEO, and Kind thinks it's about time for equality.
Your weekly digital marketing matchbox to kindle creative content.
March 6, 2020
Start the Conversation With a Story
Surprise, social strategists, Twitter’s not the only platform making moves on the Story trend: LinkedIn announced it’s testing its own Stories format, too. The professional platform hopes the feature will be a sort of digital office water cooler — a casual, ephemeral spot for members to share workplace stories, campaigns, or tips and tricks with others on a site that’s already booming with conversation. For brands, it’s the perfect opportunity to show their human side — whether it’s behind-the-scenes views into the office or added insights into a campaign without having them permanently on the feed. And with all the success Stories see on other platforms, once this feature rolls out, we think it’ll be here to stay.
Don’t Let This Flop
Love it or hate it (or don’t understand it), TikTok continues to make waves in the social media space. With its latest update, not only can brands and creators collaborate in the Creator Marketplace, but marketers can now measure the results of their content directly within the app. From engagement rates to demographic breakdowns, the analytics dashboard lets brands see the nitty-gritty of how their content performs without seeking out a third-party service. For the time being, this tool is invite-only (or you can apply for access), but we hope it encourages brands to increase their TikTok content creation. We understand that at first glance, the short-form video app may have left your brand turning a blind eye, but its alluring additions are fast making it hard to ignore.
Whaddya Know
It’s important to know what you don’t know. And what do a lot of business owners not know? SEO. (Say that five times fast.) A recent survey by Fractl found 1 in 4 of them were only vaguely or not at all familiar with search engine optimization and 1 in 3 had little or no understanding of how Google determines search rankings. As digital marketers, we’re immersed in SEO best practices and constantly working to keep up and pivot with changing trends and evolving policies — and it’s easy to forget that SEO can be capital C-complicated. But just as it’s imperative to understand these concepts, it’s equally important to be able to explain them to the C-suite to justify your SEO tools (and content marketing program). Because you won’t get the funds for what your CEO doesn’t know.
WHAT LIT US UP THIS WEEK
Kind(a) Equal
Who knew a penchant for snacking could actually do some good? Well, throughout March you can indulge your cravings while also making a difference, thanks to Kind Snack’s limited-edition Kind Equality bars honoring Women’s History Month. Sold on the brand’s website, 100% of the proceeds will go to the Alice Paul Institute, a non-profit that advocates for gender equality. But Kind’s biggest goal throughout that campaign? Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The legislation (which has been kicking around since 1923) would guarantee equal rights regardless of gender. (#DYK that the U.S. Constitution doesn’t actually state that men and women are equal?)
So, beyond passive donations, Kind teamed up with Resistbot (software that lets you directly text elected officials) to raise awareness and get people to put pressure on officials in states that have yet to ratify the ERA. This is Resistbot’s first-ever brand partnership and opens the door for other brands hoping to use the platform to enact real political change as part of their campaigns. Because nowadays, brands need to do more than have opinions to take a stand: They need to embody the values of their consumers in a genuine way. And Kind’s actionable and interactive campaign is a great example of how to not just talk the talk, but walk the walk, too.
