What’s Cooking in Snapchat’s Testing Kitchen?Snapchat is in the kitchen cooking up some new experiments for brands. But once marketers smell the aroma, it’s up to them to take advantage of the results. Last week, Snapchat for Business introduced Campaign Lab, a feature within Ads Manager that simplifies A/B testing for brands and generates more campaign opportunities.
Untested ads are ultimately guesswork, and marketers can only hope that they’re choosing the right messaging, audience, and strategy. But with Snapchat’s update, you can test to your heart's desire. Advertisers will be able to choose between four types of split tests: creative, audience, placement, and goal. This flexibility allows you to compare the success of ads you’re thinking about launching, and after your test run Campaign Lab will follow up with an action plan based on ad performance.
Having all your test data within the Snapchat platform will make it easy to analyze information and incorporate suggested changes. B2B brands like IBM and Cisco are using Snapchat to promote employee culture and give their audience a sneak peek at new technologies. If your brand is looking for new ways to increase ad effectiveness, put this tool to use. Instead of publishing shot-in-the-dark promos, you’ll find the best approach for your business.
TL;DR: Snapchat is launching Campaign Lab, a new feature to facilitate ad testing and house comparison data. Marketers looking to determine the effectiveness of ads should consider using this tool. Tweet, Don't DeleteWhile it’s always important to be on your A game when interacting out in the wild world of social media, mistakes happen. And when blunders do occur (because they will, even to the best social media managers), it’s essential to keep some best practices in mind.
Case in point, the Chicago Transit Authority. Yes, the CTA offered some critical lessons in brand social media management this week. The public transportation org uses templates to make repeated processes faster (a great social media management hack for frequently sent messages). We all got to see the standard format for those said templates when one incomplete tweet made its way onto the Chicago Transit Authority’s profile. And what they did next is worth noting. Rather than deleting it, the CTA owned its unmistakable mistake in an additional tweet and used the opportunity to add some personality to the mass transit account.
Even if the coveted edit option for Twitter does someday materialize (we can dream), it will still be crucial to own major slip-ups rather than pretend they didn’t happen. In the words of the CTA, #TheMoreYouKnow.
TL:DR: The CTA reminds us all that owning mistakes (rather than pretending they didn’t happen) is a top social media best practice. Guiding Lights for Reddit and LinkedInWhether you’re promoting on a new social media site for the first time or looking to improve your marketing effectiveness on a go-to platform, a guide is always welcome. Luckily, Reddit and LinkedIn just released new playbooks on how marketers can make the most of their campaigns.
First up, the Reddit Holiday Guide. With key festive stats, a deep dive into the platform’s purchase path, and tips for creating a successful seasonal campaign on the social network, this guide can make even the most Reddit-hesitant marketers feel comfortable. And we can’t forget about the career favorite: LinkedIn. Its Brand to Demand guide focuses on brand building and effectively utilizing short-term activation tactics to drive long-term growth.
Both platforms are essential items in a marketer’s tool belt, and guides like these can prove invaluable. Because hey, there’s no better way to learn how to effectively campaign on a social media platform than straight from the platforms themselves.
TL;DR: Brands who may be hesitant to promote on Reddit can utilize its new guide to understand Reddit users’ path to purchase and how to create a successful campaign. Fans of LinkedIn can use its latest Brand to Demand guide to learn all about how brand building leads to long-term growth. What Lit Us UpHolistic HealthSometimes, putting yourself first takes more strength than winning an Olympic gold medal. That was Calm’s response to Simone Biles’ announcement that she’d be stepping away from two competitions. The sleep and meditation company swiftly took to Instagram to support Biles’ decision and reinforce the message that prioritizing mental wellbeing is the mark of a true champion. And by backing up that post with a $30,000 donation to the Women’s Sports Foundation (which seeks to unlock opportunities for female athletes), Calm put its money where its mouth is. This move isn’t the first time it’s taken a stand for self-care in sports. When Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open earlier this year, Calm pledged to pay the fines of any Grand Slam player opting out of media appearances for mental health reasons (they also showed their support with a $15,000 donation to a French mental health organization). In doing so, they’re reducing the financial burden that’s often associated with prioritizing wellbeing.
Two qualities made Calm’s response stand out from the crowd. The first is timeliness: Calm acted quickly to craft a memorable message relevant to the current news cycle. It didn’t let a day go by before releasing a statement, allowing it to be one of the first brands connecting Biles' decision to the importance of mental health. Second, the messaging was authentic and consistent with Calm’s core brand values are to improve health and happiness. This is a natural fit with athletes’ decisions to prioritize wellness over performance. When the pressure proved to be too much mentally for Biles and Osaka, Calm knew its voice could add value to the conversation. And they seized the opportunity to speak.
Brands can take note of how consumers applauded Calm’s quick, clear, and genuine messaging. Its actions reinforced its reputation as a trailblazer in the mental fitness arena and furthered its mission to promote holistic health.
TL;DR: In the wake of Simone Biles’ decision to back out of Olympic competitions, Calm embraced timeliness and authenticity to promote its mission and support athletes everywhere. Brands looking to craft genuine messages should follow in its footsteps. (Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.)
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