#METAbites: 100 Digital Marketing Tips
- Jeremy Ryan
- Dec 15, 2021
- 14 min read
Updated: Feb 7, 2022
In 2021, we challenged ourselves to share 100 straightforward tips to help you level up your marketing game — for free! Below are those 100 "METAbite" tips, in one, nice round-up!
1. CULTIVATE CURIOSITY
Mass digital algorithms thwart serendipity. The best content sparks #curiosity. Create space for mystery and chance.
2. BE CTA FRIENDLY
Almost all marketing should end with a good CTA (call-to-action). Tell people what you expect them to do next, or expect them to do nothing.
3. RUN TESTS LESS
Resist the urge to refine content too often. Don't take a one- or two-day dip in performance as a definitive indicator. Run tests with alternate content. It takes time for algorithms to update.
4. SMALL DATA MATTERS TOO
1,000 impressions...
One full week...
A dozen survey respondents...
Small data can be enough to know how well something is performing, depending on the question.
5. GOOGLE TIPS PART 1
If you're advertising and driving traffic to a website or landing page, use Google Tag Manager and not just Google Analytics. Think of it as a wallet for pixels. DM us for help.
6. GOOGLE TIPS PART 2
Connect all your Google services: Google Analytics, Google Ads, Google My Business, Google Search Console, etc. When data flows freely, you'll get better insights.
7. USE EMOJIS
Do you have a story to share? 🤫📚Emojis tell stories, and stories engage. And emojis are often less confusing and more concise than words. Connect more deeply 🤝 and emotionally 🥰 with your customers and audience.
8. IMPLEMENT TRACKING PIXELS
Now that you've implemented GTM, get your pixels in! If you're advertising on Facebook, for example, use a tracking pixel to see which ads perform best!
9. HAVE A CONTENT PLAN
Don’t start a new marketing channel unless you’ll keep it up. One blog or social media post won’t help – you or your customers. You don't have to post every day but HAVE A CONTENT PLAN. Participate.
10. ICONOGRAPHY MATTERS
As a follow-up to our emoji post, iconography is another important digital tool. Pictures speak louder 📣 than words. Personalize your brand. Whether it is a logo or a button or a framing device for content, iconography represents you.
11. GRAMMAR PART 1
Always proofread everything. A typo can really undermine your message.
12. GRAMMAR PART 2
Keep it simple. Avoid compound messages that are long and confusing. Commas have a place, but be careful of:
• Comma Splice
• Introductory Clauses
• Coordinate Adjectives
13. BE DIRECT
If you're doing a one-way conversation 🗣 you're doing it wrong. Direct engagement can help build 🤝 relationships. Remember, social media is not asynchronous communication, it is a participatory sport!
14. USE INFLUENCERS
Influencers, like shoes, need to fit right. Relevance is 🔑. Choose carefully, according to identity, aesthetic, and #values. Building from mutual affinity, you can gain access to followers and drive engagement 🤩.
15. GRAMMAR PART 3
Mistakes happen. It's OK! No one is born with perfect grammar. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. Learn and move on. 👍
16. TWITTER POLLS
Trouble finding ways to engage on Twitter? Polls create a conversation without many words 📝. In an interactive way, polls build intrigue, boost engagement, and showcase opinions.
17. LEAVE HIGH PERFORMERS ALONE
Don’t mess with success. When looking for things to improve, leave your best-performing tactics and content alone — whether it’s a page, video, ad, etc. Improve the things that could use attention, not the ones which are high performers already.
18. GET YOUR ELEVATOR PITCH DOWN
BECAUSE YOU. NEVER. KNOW. WHEN...
Have your elevator pitch ready. All it takes is 6-8 seconds to spark someone's imagination💡. Be ready to talk about your passion at any time and any place.
19. EMPLOY AUDIENCE RESEARCH
Audience research matters. It's easier to find an audience than to build one from scratch. Learn where your tribe already lives online, their interests, and behaviors, and address them.
20. BE E-MAIL SAVVY
Don’t drive subscribers away. Too many emails 📧 can overwhelm, while too few can make people forget you. Use your past performance #data to inform the present. Identify your strengths and weaknesses.
21. BUDGET SMARTLY IN ADVERTISING
You wouldn't buy the same thing twice, would you? Don’t waste your budget on different campaigns for the same #advertising. Instead, refine segmentation and targeting 🎯 to reduce overlap.
22. USE PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOL
Get organized! Keeping important to-do lists in your head is risky, and it's easy to get overwhelmed. It's hard to work with others when it's in your head. Use a #projectmanagement tool. Some are free. DM for help.
23. BE AVAILABLE
... and responsive! If someone sends you a message, reply quickly. People expect a quick response in social media, chat, and email. Your timeliness can be a turn-on or a turn-off.
24. UNDERSTAND THE THREE P's OF SEARCH: #1 PROMINENCE
AKA, relevance. Make sure your content is keyword optimized and on point, but avoid "keyword stuffing." Google will ding you for that!
25. UNDERSTAND THE THREE P's OF SEARCH: #2 PREFERENCE
2a: Ratings make a difference. Ask your customers for reviews.
2b: Referrals give your website better domain authority, another type of preference.
26. UNDERSTAND THE THREE P's OF SEARCH: #3 PROXIMITY
Be hyper-local. People search for things in their backyard. Get a Google My Business profile. (Shop local, too! Helping your local economy helps you.)
27. CART ABANDONMENT
Dealing with cart 🛒 abandonment? Create a sense of urgency 🤯. Last-minute, big offers can mitigate cart abandonment in a powerful way. Offer a discount or access to something limited. Scarcity can motivate.
28. CONSIDER LANDING PAGE STRUCTURE
First impressions are everything. Catch your visitors' interest 🧐 -- whether on your website or social media -- take the time to make this page visually appealing, with useful content, and reel 🎣 those viewers in.
29. TAKE PHOTOS
Avoid stock photos📸, if you can.
1. Hire a professional
2. DIY: you've got real power in your pocket with that phone!
3. Ask your customers to take pics
30. INVESTIGATE CUSTOMER PERSONAS
Look in the mirror. How would you describe yourself? Now do the same for your customer. Not always the same. Find your customer's persona 🎭. Know your audience. Know your brand. Find the intersection for the right content strategy.
31. START, NOW
Behind so many successful businesses are crazy ideas that others thought foolish. Don't waste your creativity on a 1-day prank. Instead, be brave and celebrate April Fool-ish Day by starting your biz! Maybe that crazy business idea isn’t so crazy. (This post was delivered on April Fools Day)
32. KEEP PROMISES
Your brand messaging should be a little aspirational but must deliver on your promises.
33. USE A COLOR PALETTE
Curate your image and create your color story. Color sparks ⚡️ emotion so choosing the color palette for your brand deserves forethought! Connect with people through color and enhance your brand-experience.
34. BE CREATIVE. BE DARING. BE FRESH. BE MEMORABLE.
Creativity in advertising is king. Most people don’t even see ads anymore. In general, the public has developed a sort of ad blindness.
35. EMOJI EMAIL SUBJECT LINES
When soliciting business via #email, don't use "<>" in your subject line. It literally means "not equal" and says "we don't belong together."
Instead, use an emoji:
"Meeting request: {mybiz} 💞 {yourcompany}"
Try one: ❤️️👍🤩👋🖖🤜🤛🤝
36. BE ORGANIC
Tactics are not pasta...
• Advertising generates leads
• Organic content, like social media and blogging, is best for engagement
• Email is best for retention and repeat customers
37. MARKETING WITH VIDEO
EVERY. SECOND. ⏰ COUNTS. Use modern short attention spans to your advantage and make the first glimpse of your marketing video clear and worthwhile. People remember what strikes ⚡️ them.
38. MOBILE FIRST, EVERY TIME
All websites and landing pages should be optimized for mobile phones. Google indexes pages for mobile, first. So, if your site isn't mobile-friendly, you're gonna get dinged.
39. BE ON THE BUYER'S JOURNEY
Everyone is on their own 🗺 journey. This includes your audience. Each stage is valuable, so try matching your content strategy to your buyer’s journey. Showcase what your brand has to offer!
40. PLAN FOR VOICE SEARCH
SCREAM AND SHOUT! Ok, not really but voice search 🗣 is the new normal. Did you know, mobile users are three times more likely to use voice search?
Optimize your content to this medium by using FAQ’s and schemas to answer questions. You’ll have more traffic on your website and fewer unanswered ❓’s.
41. INSTALL SSL
Make sure your website is secured through SSL. 🔒
It’s a must for SEO and builds user trust, even when there's no e-commerce.
42. USE GEOFENCING (AND GEOGRAPHIC SEGMENTING)
Geofencing is sonar for your biz. 👏 Good for events, conferences, etc., use it to hit your target audience.
It's not just for SMS; geography is a ++ parameter to refine your segmentation and maximize budget.
43. GOOGLE CHARITIES
Google gives charities free ad money. If you work for a charity, you can get up to $10K/mo in grants from Google to spend on Google Search Ads.
44. GOOGLE GRANTS
Got one? Don't set your max CPC below $2. Unlike other Google Ads, it won’t work with that low threshold. (And, Google will auto-optimize and make it as low as possible).
45. UNDERSTAND PROCESS
How does the mind work? 🤔 Understand the process: Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action (AIDA) and improve your conversion.
46. SLOW AND STEADY
Be the 🐢. It’s a long game, so don’t overpromise and underdeliver. Tomorrow's success is built on what you can do at THIS moment. Use your #digital tools to run a steady race.
48. PLACEHOLDER TIPS
"Coming soon" is disappointing, not helpful. If you don't content, don't publish a placeholder. If you don't have a product, unless you accept special orders, don't list it.
49. GOOGLE REVIEWS
Do you judge a 📖 by its cover? Your customers will. Think of Google Reviews as a customer's first glimpse into your business. Use these three tips:
1. Just ask: hand out a card with a QR code and ask on the spot.
2. Offer an incentive: discounts are great!
3. Create a process: at the end of each project, make the ask.
50. DATA POINTS
Data points are good for advertising too. Don't just list your "proof points" on your website. Try non-alphabet characters (i.e., # ? ! $) as eyes are drawn to any text that isn’t a letter.
51. COULD WE SPOT 👀 YOU IN A CROWD?
Busy logos are confusing. Keep it simple! A good logo can be drawn in the sand with a stick. Make it:
• Recognizable
• Memorable
• Clear
52. ADVERTISING IS NOT "SET IT AND FORGET IT"
Don’t pay for ads and then never check performance. Campaigns need optimization. Check on performance at the very least once per week while you are running them.
53. GET REVIEWS IN CONTEXT
Don’t let all of your happy customers slip through the cracks! Provide a template for product reviews and ask them before they're out of reach. Make it simple, and solicit from Amazon, Google or other platforms.
54. FOCUS ADVERTISING ON A SPECIFIC AUDIENCE
Broad marketing seldom works best. Build ad sets with creative that targets a specific customer and their interests and emotions.
55. GAMIFY YOUR OWN WORK
Is work stifling your motivation? Turn tasks into games! Gamification boosts motivation and productivity, and tricks our brains into working harder.
56. SEO MADE EASY
To rank highly in #search results for a specific term, use that term in the:
Title of the page
• First paragraph
• Title and alt-tag of an image
• Subheading
• Meta title and meta description
Then, write more than 300 words that are readable by an 11-year-old and your page will be optimized for search.
57. USE BASIC GAMIFICATION TECHNIQUES
Wondering how to incorporate #gamification into your workplace?
Think: 1. Story/Narrative 📖 2. Quests ⚔️ 3. Competition/Points 🎯 4. Feedback/Rewards 🏆
Gamification plays to our desire to be a kid again. Be both amusing and amused (and competitive).
58. GAMIFICATION 1 OF 7: DON'T FORGET THE FUN!
Gamification is the spoonful of sugar that makes hard takes a little easier. The first step of gamifying anything is to figure out how to make the task more fun. So, rule #1 of 7 in our series: don't forget the fun!
59. KEEP VIDEOS SHORT
Keep video ads short. Longer than 30 seconds is too long! No one will give you the time. And, some channels have limits anyway. Tell your story in 7-15 seconds for wider distribution — and for keeping viewers' interest.
60. GAMIFICATION 2 OF 7: ESTABLISH BUSINESS STRATEGY
Establish business strategy, with these essential questions...
a. What are your goals?
b. What are the obstacles?
c. What will success look like?
61. GAMIFICATION 3 OF 7: WHO WANTS TO PLAY?
Platforms without players have no value. Describe yours. What motivates your audience? 🏆 What is their relationship to your business? 🤝Learn how they think, to anticipate how they'll play. Is there more than one type of player?
62. USE IMAGES AND DIAGRAMS
People like visual stimulation. Social media posts with images work better than those without
64. GAMIFICATION 4 OF 7: DEFINE BEHAVIORS
What story do you want to tell? How do players learn and play the game? Remember that player actions should promote business objectives but their reward should matter to them.
65. GAMIFICATION 5 OF 7: DESIGN ACTIVITIES (MISSIONS)
Be sure to describe the activity; define requirements; remember the fun 👾
Keep it simple; teach what's required for success
How does it support the overall narrative?
Can each mission's success set up the next? 🚀
66. MANAGED vs. INFLUENCED
What can be managed:
Brand, Experience, Marketing, Communications
What can be influenced:
Word of Mouth, Media Coverage
67. GAMIFICATION 6 OF 7: FEEDBACK CYCLES
Build feedback cycles into the campaign — for your players and for you. More than a leaderboard or badges (though they can help, too), providing feedback can incentivize further engagement, motivate, and inspire competition.
68. SHOP LOCALLY
Shopping local is important to you. And to your small biz! Your target audience could be just beyond your backyard. Sponsor a local event, implement a mail campaign, target ads in your zip code - think hyperlocal!
69. GAMIFICATION 7 OF 7: HAVE A PLAN FOR MANAGING GAMEFPLAY
While you might build or license infrastructure, it's not always necessary. Plan for how to manage players, results, and getting the most marketing value from your game.
70. REMEMBER KISS
KISS isn't just a business principle. It's good for every aspect of small biz marketing:
✅ Messaging: say one thing well
✅ Imagery: don't use complex metaphors
✅ Website design: have one call-to-action per page.
What else?
71. CHALLENGE YOUR TEAM
Embrace the uniqueness ✨ of your team. We all have our strengths. Delegate not only by strengths but according to ambitions. That goes for your vendors and partners, too!
72. STREAMLINE USER PATHWAYS
Connect creatively with QR codes and short-URLs! You can localize your content, create ads that convert, reduce barriers to engagement, offer incentives, or simply share your story.
73. USE FREE DATA
Buying search ads? Look at Google Trends. Cross-check your website's most prominent keywords to see interest as well as related keywords. Now optimize. Go!
74. EMBRACE AI AND ML
Embrace artificial intelligence and machine learning. It's not as scary to get started as you might think and you're likely already using it. It's a big part of modern digital marketing. Ex., use Google's recommendations in search ads. Use your head, though: it's not perfect and something makes wrongful recos.
75. SIMPLIFY MESSAGING
Most marketing websites will fail with complexity. Are you Wikipedia? No.
⏱️ Can you make your pitch in 20 secs? You must.
🎯 Can you simplify your website to less than 5 pages? You can!
76. SAVE BUDGET WHERE PRACTICAL
If you're a small biz, don't blow your budget on custom web tech. Consider a hosted CMS and spend your $$ on a professional #content strategy and design that differentiates. Get the most out of your marketing 💵.
77. BE CUSTOMER CENRTIC
Consider how you solve your customers' problems — or fuel their ambitions. Now, refine your messaging. Go!
78. STANDARDIZE UI FOR BEST-PRACTICES
For example, underline links on your website. (You wanted to click the image, right?!) Users are so well trained that it's second-nature to click an obvious link. You might play with style, but it'll be at the expense of performance.
79. DON'T BE SPAMMY
Are you spamming with emails? Ask yourself, is your content:
• Helpful
• Educational
• Relevant
Before you hit "send," check to see if your business email is something you'd actually like to receive. Same goes for social media. Have something valuable to post, or wait.
80. PROVIDE VALUE, ESPECIALLY IN ADVERTISING
Two things ALWAYS work in advertising:
1. Bring the fun
2. Teach something
Demonstrating better value or quality might work, but couple that with entertainment or education FTW!
81. BE TRUSTWORTHY
Trust means everything. You don't want to trick customers. When having trouble with acquisition, clickbait is NOT the answer.
82. USE DOUBLE-DUTY CONTENT
Don’t let your hard work go to waste! Repurpose content. Use round-up posts, infographics, etc. to revisit or recast older content that's still relevant.
83. HAVE A CONTENT PLAN
Content plans reduce the burden of thinking up new content:
1. Start with customers' needs
2. Define strategy(s) + frequency
3. Design "buckets"
A framework will help you develop content that's on-point.
84. SPOTLIGHT YOUR CUSTOMERS
Bring buzz to your business by hosting a takeover! Give guests a chance in the spotlight 🔦 on your brand’s social media. Getting trusted customers to talk about their experience and your brand can help both parties.
85. CELEBRATE COMMUNITY
Be about community. Think about how your business attracts, supports, and grows your tribe. Try this device for framing messages...
"If you're the type who ________,
We're the ______ who will _______."
86. SPEAK UP
Your audience wants to hear your voice 🎤
Create a blog, podcast, video series. Or, appear on an established podcast or online show and show your business, personality, and mission.
87. INCLUDE YOUR AUDIENCE
We all want to feel involved, so include your audience. Interactive content such as polls, augmented reality, and 360-degree cameras create experiences instead of passing glances.
88. SWEETEN THE DEAL
Everyone loves a good deal, including your customers! And, not all incentives need to be monetary. Let people know that you want their business by offering incentives before they buy and then blow them away with your product/service.
Not sure what to offer? Get a free hour of consulting. Really! Schedule it now and see how we can help your business. (see what we did there?!)
89. USE AN ACTIVE VOICE
Active Voice = Active Reader
Passive voice separates your reader from the action (and is generally wordier). And, it will help to make the "call to action" clear.
90. FACTUAL IS ACTUAL
Use quantitative data to reinforce your point with your viewer. Prove the value of your product by providing statistics and facts.
91. STRIVE FOR RACING REVIEWS
Use testimonials from existing customers as a way to reinforce your product/service with new customers. To that end, be sure to solicit online reviews from your customers!
92. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT "ASSUMING?!"
Don’t assume your audiences know what you know:
Can you simplify your product or service down to one sentence? How about 5 words or less?
93. CONTRACTIONS DISARM
"We'll" is a strong word:
You may think contractions are unprofessional but they're more conversational and can help you sound less robotic. Your company will seem more relatable while still retaining your message.
94. BE CLEAR
Be Crystal Clear:
Make sure your message is clear and correct. It improves credibility. Bad grammar can cause confusion, can change meanings, and can lose business.
95. AVOID JARGON
Cut Through the Jargon (Don’t Leave Your Customers in a Land of Confusion):
Build a strong connection with a common language that everyone understands. Impress customers with your reliability. Learn more ...
96. AVOID EASY METRICS MISTAKES
It’s easy to use metrics to evaluate performance. And, it’s important to interpret data correctly. Have someone review your conclusions before you make data-driven decisions and avoid future mistakes.
97. STEP BACK
See your content through your customers' eyes. Is your message clear enough? Is it "audience-focused" and relatable? Are you able to understand the meaning and what to do next? Edit for your audience and for action.
98. SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST
The first draft is not always the best. Multiple drafts allow you to refine and optimize. Keep your revisions and build the best content and features into the final version.
99. CURATE AN AUDIENCE
It’s easier to find an audience than build one. Follow accounts that interest you and follow others like that. Use the “suggested” algorithms in each social media channel to your advantage.
100. BE PERSISTENT
"Rome wasn't built in a day."
Have realistic expectations. There's no such thing as a silver bullet in marketing. Building a successful brand and marketing ecosystem takes commitment and budget. Have a plan and a trusted marketing partner and make the effort, year over year.
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