rewrite this title in spanish Is Your SEO Strategy Working? The KPIs That Matter (And the Ones That Don’t)
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You’re putting time, energy, and budget into SEO – publishing content, fine-tuning web pages, and working on backlink strategies. But how can you be sure these efforts are contributing to your business’s growth?
Companies get busy tracking keyword rankings and website traffic. While these metrics can offer a sneak peek of performance, they don’t always reveal whether your SEO is driving real business results. To help answer that question, we spoke with Maggie Swift, co-founder of Unframed Digital, who specializes in tying SEO strategy to real business outcomes. In this article, we explore the key performance indicators that truly reflect SEO success.
We’ll also point out some of the common KPIs Maggie finds to be misleading and share practical tips on how to align your SEO strategy with your business goals.
What Are The KPIs That Matter? 1. Organic Conversions Getting people to your website is one thing. But what matters is what they do once they’re there. Are they buying something? Filling out a form? Signing up? That’s where the real value of SEO shows up. If people are landing on your site but not taking action, it might be time to ask why.
2. Click-Through Rate (CTR) You can show up in search all day long, but if nobody’s clicking your link, that’s a red flag. CTR tells you whether your headlines and descriptions are doing their job. If it’s low, maybe your snippet just isn’t speaking to what people are looking for.
3. Search Visibility Think of this as your SEO footprint -how often your site pops up in search results for the stuff that matters. It’s not just about one keyword. It’s about your overall presence when people are looking for what you offer.
Tools like Google Search Console can help monitor this metric over time, providing insights into your site’s performance in search rankings.
4. Conversion Rate It’s great if you’re getting traffic, but how many of those visits turn into something? A solid conversion rate means your content and site are aligned with what your audience wants. If it’s low, you might be attracting the wrong crowd – or the right crowd, but with the wrong message.
5. SEO Return on Investment (ROI) This one’s pretty straightforward: Are you getting more out of SEO than you’re putting in? If you’re spending time and money but not seeing revenue tied back to it, that’s a problem. ROI helps you figure out if your strategy is paying off. 6. Core Web Vitals Introduced by Google, Core Web Vitals focus on user experience metrics. how fast your site loads, how stable it feels, and whether people can interact without hiccups. Google pays attention, and so do your visitors. If your site’s clunky or slow, people leave.
KPIs That Don’t Matter at All Keyword Rankings While it’s tempting to focus on keyword rankings, they don’t always align with your business success. Focus on keywords with high intent and how people think while they are searching for things online.
Organic Traffic Volume An increase in organic traffic is positive, but it’s essential to assess the quality of that traffic. High volumes of irrelevant traffic won’t contribute to business goals. You could have 10,000 visits and zero sales – or 1,000 visits with 50 conversions. It’s not just about quantity.
Bounce Rate Bounce rate indicates the percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page. However, this metric can be misleading. For instance, a user might find the information they need on a single page and leave, which would still count as a bounce. Therefore, bounce rate doesn’t always accurately reflect user engagement or content effectiveness.
Number of Keywords Ranked Tracking the sheer number of keywords your site ranks for can be deceptive. It’s more important to rank for keywords that are relevant to your business and have a high potential for conversion. Focusing on quality over quantity ensures that your SEO efforts are aligned with business objectives.
How to Know If Your SEO Strategy Is Working? To effectively measure the success of your SEO strategy, consider the following steps: Align KPIs with Business Goals: Ensure that the KPIs you track are directly related to your overarching business objectives.
Utilize the Right Tools: Leverage tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and other SEO platforms to gather and analyze relevant data.
Regularly Review and Adjust: SEO is not a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. Regularly review your KPIs and adjust your tactics based on the data.
Focus on User Experience: Ensure that your website provides value to visitors, with relevant content and a seamless user experience.
Monitor Competitor Performance: Keeping an eye on your competitors’ SEO strategies can provide insights into industry trends and help identify areas where you can improve or differentiate your approach.
Assess Content Performance: Regularly evaluate how individual pieces of content are performing in terms of traffic, engagement, and conversions. This helps in identifying what resonates with your audience and informs future content creation. Essential Tools for Tracking SEO KPIs Google Analytics 4 (GA4): Provides detailed insights into how users are interacting with your site, where your traffic is coming from, and how your conversions are performing.
Google Search Console: A must-have for understanding how your site appears in Google Search. It shows data on search queries, indexing issues, and your site’s overall visibility.
Ahrefs: A go-to tool for SEO professionals. It’s useful for analyzing backlinks, doing keyword research, and checking out what competitors are up to.
SEMrush: Offers features like keyword tracking, site audits, and tools to analyze your competitors’ SEO strategies.
Google Looker Studio: Lets you create custom dashboards by pulling in data from sources like GA4 and Search Console, making it easier to visualize and report on your performance. It’s easy to get wrapped up in numbers like keyword rankings or sudden bumps in web traffic. But if those visitors aren’t doing anything meaningful on your site – like signing up, buying, subscribing, or reaching out – what’s the real value?
The metrics that matter are the ones tied to real business outcomes – like conversions from search, overall visibility, site speed, and click-throughs.
By focusing on these, you move beyond vanity metrics and start reaching people who need what you offer.
Are you measuring what truly reflects success? If not, it might be time to shift your focus.
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rewrite this title in spanish A Sit Down w/ Our Relationship Coach
rewrite Listen on… Getting real about relationship struggles, learning to communicate better, and finding balance as a female entrepreneur.
Being an ambitious business owner while maintaining a healthy relationship isn’t easy. Today, I’m getting vulnerable and bringing you behind the scenes of my marriage with Hobie and our amazing relationship coach, Sydney Ashland. Sydney has helped countless power couples navigate their relationships, especially when a woman is the primary earner and traditional dynamics are turned upside down. When Hobie first retired a few years ago, nothing felt off about stepping into this new chapter where I became the main breadwinner. However, about six months ago, we hit a rough patch with our communication that absolutely terrified me. Luckily, we connected with Sydney and she’s helped us develop the tools we needed to really communicate 一 not just talk at each other. In this deeply personal conversation, Hobie and I open up about our own struggles, breakthroughs, and the transformational work we’ve done with Sydney. Plus, you’ll hear Sydney’s expert insights on communication patterns, coregulation, and how to nurture healthy interdependence in your relationship. I know this isn’t the typical episode on digital courses or list building, but I truly believe that investing in your relationship is just as important as growing your business. Whether you’re currently facing challenges or want to strengthen your partnership, this conversation will give you the practical tools to create the relationship you deserve. In this episode, we discuss: (2:24) Why Hobie and I started working with a relationship coach (8:55) How Sydney went from helping stressed out doctors to transforming relationship dynamics in high-achieving couples (11:30) The raw truth about the moment when Hobie said, “I’m nobody’s priority”
(15:13) Why female breadwinners face unique relationship challenges (and how to overcome them)
(24:08) The game-changing coregulation technique that saved our communication (34:26) How to recognize if you’re communicating with your partner, or talking past them (39:18) The surprising truth about codependency vs. interdependency (43:54) How Hobie and I got out of the Netflix evening routine slump (48:31) Sydney’s advice for couple who are feeling stuck in their relationship Listen in to learn techniques that will help you build a loving relationship alongside the business of your dreams! Click here to listen!
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Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now! !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,’script’, ‘https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js’); fbq(‘init’, ‘397525423930890’); fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
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document,’script’,’https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js?v=next’); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,’script’, ‘https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js’); fbq(‘init’, ‘397525423930890’); fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’); in spanish
rewrite this title in spanish Instagram Restricts Live Streaming to Creators With 1,000 or More Followers
rewrite Yeah, this is not going to go down well with smaller creators on Instagram.
Over the past few weeks, you may have seen this notification pop-up in your IG feed (via Social Varsity): Yes, Instagram has increased its follower requirements for live-streaming, which will mean that users who haven’t grown their account to a certain level will no longer be able to broadcast in the app. Which will be a significant blow to many smaller creators who use IG Live for varying purpose, and have been able to connect to smaller groups via live-streams. Now, you’ll have to do video calls instead. Which, if you only have 1,000 followers, will probably work anyway, but that’ll also reduce any discoverability benefits that come from live-streaming on IG.
So why the change?
I asked Meta about the update, and it told me… nothing.
Meta didn’t get back to me with an explanation on the update, so I can only speculate on the possible reasons. For one, live-streaming is expensive to support, and maybe Meta decided that it’s not worth paying to fund live-streams with only eight viewers. People can also use live-streams for less than savory purpose, by creating a new account, referring people to it, then broadcasting NSFW material. If it gets banned, so be it, and maybe, by increasing the threshold to 1,000 followers, that’ll eliminate those who may be looking to use its tools for this purpose.
It could also help to increase the quality of live-streams, by ensuring that only people with some sort of audience can broadcast. Like, you’re less likely to be a full kook if you have at least a thousand people following you, and maybe, that could then increase the overall perception of streaming as a medium.
The change also brings IG more into line with the live-streaming requirements of other platforms. On TikTok, users also need to have 1,000 followers to be able to live-stream, while YouTubers need at least 50 subscribers, which, considering the viewer-to-subscriber ratio, is probably about the same thing.
YouTube also recently increased the age limit of live-streaming in the app to 16, the same age restriction that IG implemented back in April. So there’s been broader action on live-streaming in general, for seemingly various reasons, and this is just another update along the same lines.
Which, again, is bad news for smaller creators, but maybe you’ll just have to put more time into building an audience before you broadcast. in spanish
rewrite this title in spanish 36 Instagram Story ideas for more engagement in 2025
rewrite If growing engagement is your goal, the right Instagram Story ideas will get you there. Instagram is the most-used social media platform for Gen Z (ages 16-26) and continues to rapidly rise in popularity among all ages, now ranking third with 50% of U.S. adults. Plus, Instagram shoppers of all ages spend the most, being twice as likely to spend over $1,000 compared to users on other social media platforms. Instagram Stories is a unique format that helps build trust, reach new people, and nurture your existing audience. These are the top content ideas to grow right now. Bonus: Claim your free pack of 30 Instagram Story background templates created by Hootsuite’s professional graphic designers. Easily customize them in Canva, and take your Story game to the next level today. 11 Instagram Story ideas for beginners 1. Share a product photo Video is great for Instagram Stories, but a simple photo works wonders too. You don’t need a fancy photoshoot. Hold up a product, snap a pic, name it, and share. Source: @sacheu on Instagram Swipe this idea: Share a recent shot from a photoshoot or product photo and add a link sticker. Bonus: Add a link sticker to shop that product on your website. 2. Feature a review Share customer testimonials to your Instagram Story as part of your Instagram marketing strategy, either directly from a customer’s Instagram feed post or create your own with a photo, the customer’s review, and their name (if applicable). Source: @getsproutsocial on Instagram Swipe this idea: Pair a review with a link to the product or another call to action. 3. Share new Reels and posts in a Story Add a touch of mystery to your Instagram Story and direct people to your latest content. Personally, I notice a substantial increase in likes, comments, and shares when I share one of my Reels or Instagram posts to my Instagram Story. It’s a basic idea, but highly effective at boosting engagement. Bonus tip: add trending music or a fun sound to make it even more engaging and vibey. Add a touch of mystery to your Instagram Story and tease your latest post or Reel, kind of like how people tease a full TikTok in Stories. Source: @vavadesignercakes on Instagram Swipe this idea: Share new Reels, carousels, and posts to your Story and slap a “New Post” sticker over top so viewers have to tap on it to see your full post. 4. Share user-generated content Similar to the above, repost content where your audience mentions you to your Story — it’s a simple way to highlight community-driven content creation and great social proof! Source: @lumierecafe_broadway on Instagram Swipe this idea: 5. Poll your audience No one can resist a one-tap, multiple choice poll sticker. No one! It only takes someone a moment to answer your poll and each click counts as engagement. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to subtly drop product features to educate your audience. Source: @thelocalspace on Instagram Swipe this idea: Ask for feedback from your audience about what products they want to see, or other valuable insights. Use a poll to educate your audience by posting it alongside “Did you know” style questions with your product features as the answers. 6. Quiz your audience Quiz stickers are interactive and a fun way to gamify your Instagram Stories. Ask your audience trivia questions about your brand or products, or have them try and guess what’s coming up at your upcoming launch. Source: @wiseguytriviayyc on Instagram Swipe this idea: Mega engagement Instagram Story idea: Link to a product page, then use a quiz to ask questions. Enter those who got the correct answers into giveaways. 7. Celebrate milestones Reached 50,000 Instagram followers? 100,000? Sold your 100th or 10,000th order? Thank your audience with a quick Instagram Story to commemorate the occasion and express your gratitude. Source: @trexorobotics on Instagram Swipe this idea: Host a celebration double whammy by having a staff party. That way both your employees and audience feel appreciated. 8. Use hashtags Just like hashtags on posts and Reels, Instagram Story hashtags are searchable and can help boost reach and brand awareness. Source: @aircanada on Instagram Swipe this idea: If you’re posting about an event, be sure to use that event’s hashtag to be added to the content people are finding for it. Encourage your audience to share UGC content using a specific hashtag to make it easy for you to find. 9. Feature a customer Start a weekly or monthly series to highlight your V.I.P. customers, or as Tourism Kelowna does here, members of their business community. It’s a great way to share your values without being self-promotional. Source: @tourismkelowna on Instagram Swipe this idea: 10. Ask for feedback Use question stickers, polls, or even ask people to message you to gather opinions. The information you gather could help make merchandising decisions, identify upcoming trends, or crowdsource new product ideas. Source: @designmehair on Instagram Swipe this idea: Not sure what to ask? Start with asking for product reviews or your audience’s opinion on current trends, then branch out into specific questions designed to get customers involved in your creative process. Save the Story as a highlight as a virtual “suggestion box” people can use anytime. 11. Use location tags Along with your Story’s content, the Instagram algorithm uses location tags to target who it thinks will be interested in your content to expand reach. People can also search Insta posts and IG Stories by location tag. Tags can be cities, businesses, public areas like parks, and more. Source: @livestock on Instagram Swipe this idea: Hosting a company dinner? Meeting a client for coffee? Traveling to a new city? Tag the places you go to be added to the Instagram Stories of those locations in the app’s map. If you have a physical business location, tag it often in Stories. 18 more creative Instagram Story ideas 12. Use custom font colors You’re not limited to the default text or brush colors Instagram gives you. When adding text to your Story, tap the eyedropper icon at the bottom left. Drag it around your image to use that color for the text or drawing tools. Source: @photoallison on Instagram Font colors help your Stories appear on-brand, but as Instagram expert and travel blogger Helene Sula says, authenticity is much more important: “To create a truly powerful Instagram I believe in creating an Instagram theme or aesthetic. But sometimes your content doesn’t always fit your theme. That’s why you can use IG Stories to share. You also have the opportunity to share your personality.” Swipe this idea: Stand out with only a few seconds of effort by matching your Story text to your brand color(s), or to colors within the photo. 13. Add a countdown Generate buzz about an upcoming event with the countdown sticker. Source: @styll.ca on Instagram Swipe this idea: Countdown to a product launch, sale, or other event. Pair it with a sneak peek video for more excitement. 14. Share behind-the-scenes content No matter what industry you’re in, you have some kind of “behind the scenes” teasers to show your audience. You can show everything from your warehouse and the team members who keep your deliveries going out or the creative processes of the people crucial to your success, such as this feature on the prop master of a TV show. Source: @cbc on Instagram Swipe this idea: Curiosity gets engagement: yes, even the most boring-seeming behind the scenes content can be interesting to your customers. 15. Host a Q&A Use the Instagram Stories question sticker to get your audience to submit questions that you can answer in Stories. Answer questions about your products AMA style, or “Ask Me Anything.” Or bring in an expert for a special Q&A, such as Truly’s example below. The skincare brand had a dermatologist answer audience questions. Source: @trulylifestylebrand on Instagram Swipe this idea: After the Q&A is finished, save it as a highlight so your audience can access the valuable information anytime. Share commonly asked questions in a FAQs highlight. 16. Tag other brands Build bridges and potential collaborative relationships with other brands by tagging them in your IG Stories. This can encourage the other brand to share your Story to their own, and even potentially reach out to collaborate further on campaigns. Source: @reapercustoms_ on Instagram Swipe this idea: Start with brands you use in your business, such as one of the paint brands you use for your work. Share your honest review of the brand’s product or how it contributes to your own success. 17. Offer Stories-only discounts If you’re specifically looking for creative Instagram Story ideas to grow engagement on Stories, there’s no better way than offering an exclusive discount in Stories. Source: @experienceflyover on Instagram Swipe this idea: Post about the discount in your Instagram feed but make people watch your Stories for the code. 18. Keep Stories highlights updated If you use Instagram Stories highlights to communicate information, keep them updated. Source: @tsa on Instagram Swipe this idea: Start a series on IG Stories you can save as a highlight and keep updating, such as the TSA’s prohibited items one above which is informative and often funny. 19. Use interactive stickers Punch up your Stories with one of Instagram’s built-in interactive stickers. They are quick and easy for people to engage with. For example, this “emoji slider” sticker only takes one tap and drag for viewers to respond to. Source: @michelle.lynn.martin on Instagram Swipe this idea: Question stickers are great, but require more effort for someone to fill out. Make life easy for them (and make it more likely they’ll engage with you) by swapping a “long answer” ask to an emoji slider. 20. Offer a sneak peek Post a sneak peek of something exciting and ask your audience to guess what it is. This is one of the best Instagram Story hacks for saving time because you can publicly share the responses in Stories for great content all day. Source: @scienceworldca on Instagram Swipe this idea: Use a question sticker to collect guesses, or use other interactive elements like the emoji slider or a poll. 21. Show your process Give your audience a glimpse into how your product is made with this IG Story idea for product-based organizations of all sizes. People love knowing what goes into making the items they buy, especially when those are hand-crafted or made by small businesses. Source: @dbldesigns3 on Instagram Swipe this idea: Create a video, GIF, animations, or photo slides showing how your product is made, or the step-by-step process of delivering your services. Infuse your passion for what you do into it. 22. Share a collage What’s better than one photo? More than one photo. Collages offer you an opportunity to creatively show off your products. Source: @bikepackingcom on Instagram Swipe this idea: Show your product from different angles, or sandwich a video between two photos for a delicious engagement sandwich. Feature multiple customer posts in one Story, or snaps of a recent event as a recap. Create a collage of selfies with your product to spotlight your community and boost credibility. 23. Layer an image on top of a photo Create an eye-catching visual by selecting a photo for your Story’s background as usual, then layering another photo on top using the photo sticker. Source: @nhlflames on Instagram Swipe this idea: Take a screenshot of customer testimonials and layer that on top of a product photo for an easy Instagram Story idea. Mimic this effect by sharing a new feed post and layering it on top of a photo. 24. Use emojis This Instagram Story idea needs no introduction. Source: @oddbunchcanada on Instagram Swipe this idea: Using either regular emojis or Instagram’s emoji-style stickers can turn a basic photo into something hilariously memorable. 25. Make your Story shoppable If you sell online, tagging your products in Instagram Stories is a huge opportunity to convert attention into sales. With one tap, a viewer can checkout without leaving Instagram. Source: @nataliemariejewellery on Instagram Swipe this idea: If you haven’t already, set up your Instagram Shop to be able to tag products. Ask influencers you partner with to tag the product they talk about in their Instagram Stories too. 26. Keep a Story highlight for your rewards program Your Instagram Stories highlights are a great place to communicate key policies or programs, including your rewards program. Source: @threeshipsbeauty on Instagram Swipe this idea: Summarize the program, add a link sticker to sign up, and save it as a highlight. 27. Share a tutorial Show your audience how to use your product or tips for the best experience. Or educate them on something related to your business, such as this hair tutorial from a hairstylist. Source: @nicolepommehair on Instagram Swipe this idea: If you’re not sure what you could create a tutorial about, ask your audience what they want to learn. 28. Have a careers Story highlight Finding top quality employees is a challenge for all organizations. Whether you’re hiring for specific positions or always on the lookout for talent, social media is a great place to get the word out. Share careers-related news on your Stories and save those as a highlight on your profile to make it easy for applicants to find. Source: @cherrypick.vtg on Instagram Swipe this idea: Create Instagram Stories for open positions and save them to a careers highlight. 29. Try creative text Instagram Stories has countless options for creative text, from color options to drop shadows, outlines, mixing fonts and sizes, add emphasis with stickers, and more. Source: @theapartmentlife on Instagram Swipe this idea: 7 experimental Instagram Story ideas for bold marketers 30. Always have active Stories Always having active Instagram Stories means you’ll keep showing up near the top of your followers’ Instagram feeds when they open the app. That means you’ll have a higher chance every day of reaching your audience. You don’t need to spend hours per day on Stories either. Our recent experiment found that posting just 1-2 Instagram Stories per day yielded the best engagement results. That said, find what works for you. Don’t be afraid to test out posting more. Source: @shopgoodboy on Instagram Swipe this idea: No need to reinvent the wheel seven days a week. Mix easy-to-create content with more involved Stories to ensure you don’t run out of Stories to post. Also no need to personally post daily: schedule Instagram Stories with Hootsuite for automatic publishing. 31. Use Instagram Stories as a menu If you’re a coffee shop, restaurant, or other business where your products or services change often, consider using Instagram Stories as a main way to communicate those changes. Source: @oldtownbakeryladysmith on Instagram Swipe this idea: List your daily menu, class schedule, or appointment availability in a daily Instagram Story. Save your Story template in Canva for your favorite Instagram editing app. 32. Try Instagram Story Ads Instagram Story ads can be very effective and are easy to get started with (especially if you create an Instagram ad campaign in Hootsuite). Story ads appear periodically as users browse organic Stories and blend in very well, distinguishable only by the small “Sponsored” text under the Instagram account name. Source: @fablehome on Instagram Swipe this idea: 33. Educate your audience The types of social media content people actually want can be simplified into two categories: educational and entertainment, as we found in our Social Trends 2025 report. Source: @nikonusa on Instagram Swipe this idea: While educational content is important, it’s equally important to make it entertaining. Consider creating a video to communicate your information (and repurposing it for other channels). Save tutorials as Story highlights to extend the life of them past twenty-four hours. 34. Share memes Meme humor isn’t the best fit for all brands, but if memes resonate with your audience, add them to your Instagram Stories marketing strategy. Source: @customcatcribs on Instagram Swipe this idea: Sharing memes from other accounts is a great way to build relationships and save time with content curation. 35. Partner with a creator for a Stories takeover Partnering with a creator is a great way to get exclusive, custom content without having to make it yourself. Source: @travelandleisure on Instagram Swipe this idea: Have an influencer partner with you for a full day of Stories content centred around their experience with your brand and unique viewpoint. Cross-promote the Instagram takeover on both accounts for maximum engagement potential. 36. Get on camera Don’t be shy! For a personal touch, get in front of the camera for authentically on-brand videos, whether you’re a solo business or large company. Instagram Stories are all about authenticity, and nothing is as powerful for building trust with your audience. Source: @evolutionstudios on Instagram Swipe this idea: Instead of posting a photo of a new product, film a short video of you talking about the product as you hold it. Or, talk about why you started your business or lessons learned along the way. Repurpose video used in IG Stories for Instagram Reels, ads, and more. Plan and schedule Instagram Stories, Reels, and posts—and all your other social platforms—from a single dashboard. Try Hootsuite free today. in spanish
rewrite this title in spanish 15 Amazing Benefits of Email Marketing No One Ever Taught You
rewrite Email marketing is not the sexiest kid on the digital marketing block by any means. Source While other marketers are telling you you need to be creating Instagram Reels or spending hours a day on Clubhouse, I’m here to tell you that it pays to invest in getting your digital marketing house in order first. We need to invest in our own assets, and after your website, your email list is the 2nd most important digital asset that you can build. There are many other benefits of email marketing that will convince you to take it more seriously. Let me explain these benefits one by one. The ROI of Email Marketing is Proven First, there’s one major reason why email marketing is used so much: it has an excellent ROI. Sometimes, this value is realized through specific sales that wouldn’t have happened without those emails. This email marketing statistic really says it all: However, many other benefits of email marketing are less obvious. Let’s dig into these other benefits related to increasing ROI one by one. 1. Inexpensive to Launch an Email Marketing Campaign Yet High Return on Investment Most of us know that it doesn’t cost a lot of money to send emails. Personal users can get free email accounts from several providers across the Web. However, for proper email marketing campaigns you might need a paid service. This can be as simple as a business email account all the way to elaborate email clients, each with subscription costs. The other expenses are composing the emails and getting people to sign up. However, even with these expenses, email is a great value. In fact, according to Emarketer, the ROI on email is better than both social media marketing and paid search. While most marketers recommend a mixture of these techniques, it does demonstrate that email is a critical method of getting sales leads. Want even better results? Check out some of these recommended email marketing tools. 2. Increases Brand Awareness & Helps You Stay Top of Mind Whether your brand is just starting out, or has been around for over a century, one of the best benefits of email marketing is brand awareness. Often, consumers are looking for the next great thing, and if you’re a legacy brand then this issue can work against you. I mean, who buys the same cotton T-shirts from the value store anymore, right? Wrong! Plenty of people see the value of an old, reliable brand. At the same time, being a new entrant into the market forces you to increase brand awareness so people will try your products. For brands of any age and size, though, staying at the top of consumer’s minds is a major advantage. Email marketing is one of the best ways to get there. 3. Strengthens Customer Relationships Let’s look at this one from a human perspective. Most of us have the best relationships with people we talk to often, whether that’s through email, social media, or old-school methods. Among the benefits of email marketing is the ability to strengthen customer relationships. Because when all is said and done, brands are run by people, and it’s people who buy from brands. 4. Generates Traffic to Your Site Simply put, if you include a site link in the email then there’s a high chance your customers will click on it. This works whether the link is to your latest product, some sort of promotion, or simply a press release. Even if the customer doesn’t want to buy something, curiosity will often lead them to click through. Then, they might find something else that’s compelling. As with bricks and mortar retail, getting them through the “door” is often half the battle. 5. Emails Help Improve Leads and Sales for Your Business and Products There’s more to email marketing as a conversion tool than driving clicks, however. In fact, 80% of professionals say that email marketing is an effective way to get and keep customers. Similarly, the Direct Marketing Association reports that 66% of consumers have made an online purchase as a result of emails they’ve read. Taken together, these statistics mean that if you aren’t emailing your customers, you’re missing out. People don’t just browse because of email, they buy because of email. The Easiest Type of Marketing? One of the benefits of email marketing is that it’s easy to use. Almost everyone in the United States uses email to some extent, and so it’s a familiar medium. So long as you can avoid becoming an annoying spammer, your emails can become a great way to connect with consumers. 6. Easy to Get Started and Use As I mentioned above, email marketing at scale does require some extra tools. However, these tend to be easy to use, so it really is easy to get started with email marketing. If you can click and drag content elements into your email client, this is arguably the hardest part. Many clients even give you access to free clip art and templates. Then, scheduling the emails is done with a few mouse clicks. 7. Easy to Measure Growth and Performance of Your Emails and Email List Depending on your goals, measuring your progress can be quite simple. For instance, the growth of an email list is easy when you use best practices. At the same time, you can track that growth with basic analytics features. Even Gmail will tell you how many “contacts” there are, and commercial clients are more sophisticated. Likewise, the performance of different emails is easy to track with an effective analytics program. Then, results over time can be compared to both goals and historical data. Further Reading: Email Outreach: 15 Tips on How to Create an Effective Campaign (with Templates) The Differentiator of Email Marketing Have you ever thought about the fact that third parties have some degree of editorial control over most forms of advertising? Look at the Facebook rules, for instance, and you’ll see a host of disallowed speech. At the same time, magazines, TV, and radio all reject ads that don’t conform to their standards. Email is different, though. With email, there are very few restrictions and the definition of acceptable content is mostly defined by you and the consumer. 8. Allows Your Business to Own Your Contacts’ Email Address Among the benefits of email marketing is that email addresses are essentially private information. Due to the anti-spam regulations in most countries, you need permission to use people’s email for marketing purposes. This gives your brand a certain exclusivity: one way or another, people develop some affinity with your brand before emails can begin. Likewise, your competitors also need permission to email them. If a customer is brand loyal, then you have a huge advantage. Everyone else? They need another way to get attention. 9. Some People Prefer Email One of the great things about email is that almost everyone uses it. At the same time, email is something that can be opened when you have a minute, and not at the mercy of a ringing telephone. Likewise, emails can be followed up on at the right time, and not just when an ad pops up on a webpage. Is Your LinkedIn Not Delivering Results? Just released: my new book to help professionals, entrepreneurs, and business owners maximize LinkedIn for real growth.With years of LinkedIn expertise, Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth offers actionable steps to build your brand, expand your network, and drive results. Start leveraging LinkedIn like never before—grab your copy now! Click the cover or button below to buy on Amazon. Maybe this is one reason that so many customers love email marketing. 73% of millennials prefer to get emails from businesses over other communication methods. This is a very valuable demographic, as they spend plenty of money online. Other consumer subsets prefer email as well, with 99% checking email daily. 10. Better Engagement through Emails For most of us, getting an email deserves a response. This is especially true when the sender is a person or company with which we have a connection. On the other hand, paid social, banner ads, and other traditional advertising is often ignored. Although most personal emails require a reply email, marketing emails don’t require the same level of engagement. Even clicking through and browsing the website can get results. The difference between engagements from emails vs. social media is like night and day: Naturally, there will always be emails that don’t need a response. For instance, an order confirmation email, while it provides an opportunity to sell something, is mostly informational. Then again, include a coupon to help reap the benefits of email marketing. Maybe your customer forgot something the first time. 11. You Can Reach Customers Without Relying on Advertising Generally speaking, advertising is only seen when a customer navigates somewhere on the internet, pops open the newspaper or consumes other media. However, emails are a more intimate part of their lives. As robocalls ruin the act of answering the phone, email is becoming the best way for people to communicate. This is even more true for companies that need to contact people. Not only is email less intrusive, but everyone hates getting interrupted during dinner. Here’s my point: the benefits of email marketing include an ability to reach customers anytime, anywhere. Smartphones mean that email is always at their fingertips, just like the radio used to be. And, you don’t have to pay Gmail for access to our customer. Just push the send button. What No One Taught You about Email Marketing Strategy Of course, reaping the benefits of email marketing requires proper strategy. After all, there’s more to email marketing than just cranking out words and phrases. Instead, everything needs to be done with specific goals in mind, and at the optimal time. 12. Emails Help You Reach the Right People at the Right Time in Realtime Just because email isn’t the new telephone ringing at dinner time doesn’t mean it isn’t time sensitive. What do I mean? Depending on your audience and their location, there are optimal times for sending marketing emails. For instance, B2B brands will want to target working hours, while B2C brands are likely to go for leisure time. The linkage between time and intended audience can be more complicated, however. Products such as hearing aids could be better marketed during the day, due to the high number of senior consumers. Likewise, sending an email at the right time can spell the difference between the email getting buried by others, and its being opened. Fortunately, if you have an email program then the email can be pre-scheduled. This would allow a sender in California to reach a recipient in India at breakfast time, even if they work the day shift. Further Reading: When is the Best Time to Send Marketing Emails? (with pre-send checklist) 13. Allows You to Personalize Content While Automating Email Campaigns Using an Email Marketing Tool Let’s be honest: automation is taking over many aspects of our jobs, but it isn’t necessarily an attack of the robots. Personalizing content for email is similar to the mail merge of yesteryear. In other words, you can have an email program add specific names to the emails before they’re sent. Going this route allows a recipient to see that you have put at least a minimal amount of thought to your marketing pitch. This option isn’t available on other types of internet-based advertising. Any good email marketing tool will help you do this easily. Further Reading: 8 Personalized Email Marketing Strategies You Don’t Want to Miss (with Examples) 14. Deliver Targeted Messages to Different Segments of Your Target Audience Among the benefits of email marketing is the ease with which we can tailor a message to each audience. Using A/B testing and analytics, we can compose or create more than one email message. Then, each can be sent to the subscriber group for which it was designed. What’s so awesome about this? Traditional media doesn’t allow for much personalization. About all you can do is create one advertisement for a particular publication or media station, then something else to go elsewhere. This would mean, for example, showing men’s fashion by a given company in places where guys hang out, and their ladies’ clothes somewhere else. With email, you can be much more precise. Further Reading: How to Use Email Segmentation to Boost Marketing Conversions 15. Allows You to Provide More Value to Your Audience and Build Trust with Educational Content Finally, you can reap the benefits of email marketing by using email as a way to distribute content. Probably the biggest reason to do this is that content marketing is highly valuable as a customer education tool. For example, let’s say you’re a B2B brand in the construction industry. Your company has just launched a major improvement on the power drill, and you’d like everyone to know it. To help educate contractors, you’ve posted a detailed writeup on your website complete with diagrams. By sending a brief announcement and article link by email, you’ll encourage people to check it out. Further Reading: How to Create the Perfect Content for Your Email Marketing As you can see, there are many benefits of email marketing. Email is an efficient way to reach many consumers across most industries. In addition, email has a personal touch that can’t be duplicated anywhere else. Best of all, email marketing is accessible to just about everybody. If you aren’t doing email marketing, you should be. Hero photo by Ben White on Unsplash Actionable advice for your digital / content / influencer / social media marketing. Join 13,000+ smart professionals who subscribe to my regular updates. in spanish
rewrite this title in spanish Personal Branding is Everything: Interview with Archer Wolfe
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In 2025, personal branding is no longer optional—it’s a cornerstone for executives and entrepreneurs thriving in a digital-first world. Archer Wolfe, a serial entrepreneur and the visionary behind 1stImpression, has made this clear through his work with Fortune 500 leaders and global executives. A poly athlete and award-winning marketing consultant, Wolfe exited two companies in gaming and fintech by age 28 before launching his Hong Kong-based premium personal branding agency. This article dives into why personal branding matters now more than ever, how 1stImpression crafts standout strategies, and the trends shaping its future—all grounded in Wolfe’s expertise.
The Non-Negotiable Power of Personal Branding For executives and entrepreneurs in 2025, personal branding is a must-have asset. “Every face of a company with high conversion rates and strong product engagement typically has a following unmatched by competitors,” says Archer Wolfe. In today’s landscape, where numbers often guide decisions, a robust personal brand cuts through the noise, offering credibility and influence. Wolfe explains, “People’s instinct is to follow the numbers, but it’s up to potential users to do their homework on the teams.” A strong personal brand doesn’t just attract attention—it builds trust, making it a game-changer for securing partnerships and clients. Crafting Global Personal Brands with 1stimpression.com Archer Wolfe’s agency, 1st Impression, takes personal branding to the next level for executives worldwide. “We help executives from all industries establish an elitist personal brand that reflects their best qualities and achievements through the eyes of Google and AI LLMs,” Wolfe shares. The agency goes beyond surface-level PR by publishing content that showcases clients’ expertise and opinions on trending industry topics. This strategy positions executives as thought leaders, driving engagement and turning online visibility into real-world opportunities.
“Creating valuable reasons for people to engage and become potential customers is our focus,” Wolfe adds. In a digital era shaped by AI-driven personalization trends outlined by Forbes, 1stimpression.com ensures its clients’ brands are both discoverable and impactful, giving them a competitive edge on a global stage.
Authenticity: The Heart of Personal Branding Authenticity isn’t just a buzzword for Wolfe—it’s a core principle. “The famous quote ‘authenticity is key’ is a strong pillar of the 1stimpression.com business model,” he says. Unlike influencers peddling empty hype, Wolfe’s team partners with media outlets adhering to The Trust Project’s transparency protocol, ensuring content meets rigorous editorial standards. This approach resonates deeply with millennials and Gen Z, who crave genuine stories over polished ads. “We give executives a bigger stage to showcase their knowledge and skillsets,” Wolfe explains. By prioritizing value over vanity, 1stimpression.com builds personal brands that foster trust and loyalty—key currencies in 2025’s digital marketplace.
Avoiding Costly Personal Branding Mistakes Even seasoned executives stumble with personal branding. “One of the biggest mistakes is purchasing followers or engagement,” Wolfe warns. Such shortcuts risk account bans and waste resources on hollow metrics. Another misstep? “Spending thousands on PR agencies and influencer marketing before a product is live,” he notes, which can drain financial runway prematurely. Let’s not forget one of the most important reasons; getting too addicted to the social validation you receive.
Wolfe’s advice is simple yet powerful: “Invest in yourself as much as you invest in your business.” Treating your personal brand with the same care as your diet or relationships ensures it’s built for longevity, not just fleeting attention, as highlighted in Brands at Play’s branding best practices for 2025.
The Competitive Edge in 2025 A strong personal brand offers more than visibility—it’s a strategic advantage. In a world where AI tailors experiences per Metrobi’s 2025 personal branding strategies and authenticity drives connection, executives with a clear, credible online presence stand out. Whether securing high-stakes partnerships or winning over clients, the trust and authority a personal brand conveys are unmatched.
Take Action Today In 2025, personal branding is the linchpin of success for executives and entrepreneurs. Archer Wolfe, an entrepreneur with a proven track record, shows how authenticity and strategy can transform your digital presence. Ready to elevate your brand? Visit 1stimpression.com or connect with Archer Wolfe on LinkedIn, X.com, and Instagram for expert insights and actionable steps.
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rewrite this title in spanish What Entrepreneurs Need to Know Today
rewrite Listen on… Mastering AI basics, leveraging ChatGPT and Claude, and creating custom workflows for your business.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by AI or worried you’re behind on best practices, this episode is for you! I’m thrilled to welcome back my good friend Rick Mulready, who many of you might remember from our episodes on Facebook ads back in the day. Now, he’s crushing it as the founder of the AI Playbook community, where he helps entrepreneurs leverage AI to streamline their businesses. In this candid conversation (where I literally didn’t look at my outline once – can you believe it?), Rick breaks down how to structure prompts and configure custom GPTs in a way that actually makes sense. Trust me, you don’t have to be a tech genius to implement these strategies because Rick goes step-by-step, from basic setup to real examples of using AI for idea generation and copywriting. We also dive deep into the differences between ChatGPT and Claude.ai and exactly when to use each one in your business. My personal goal is to be fully proficient in AI by the end of 2025, and I’m so excited you’re learning alongside me on this journey! In this episode, we discuss: (5:19) Why Rick went all-in with AI and how it completely transformed his business model (12:14) The most important thing to master first on ChatGPT (hint: it’s not what you think!) (25:12) My biggest lightbulb moment about promoting and talking to AI in a way that gets results (31:41) A complete walkthrough of custom GPTs from what they are to how to use them like a pro
(42:35) Real-life examples of how I’m using AI to improve my podcast prep (47:22) The key differences between Claude and ChatGPT
(54:44) How to create AI solutions that actually save you time (including Rick’s amazing coaching hack)
(59:53) The three strategies you need to move from beginner to intermediate with AI Get ready to feel confident and excited about using AI in your business, even if you’re starting from scratch! Click here to listen!
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Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now! !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,’script’, ‘https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js’); fbq(‘init’, ‘397525423930890’); fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
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document,’script’,’https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js?v=next’); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,’script’, ‘https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js’); fbq(‘init’, ‘397525423930890’); fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’); in spanish
rewrite this title in spanish Meta Says That’s Fixed an Issue That Led to Erroneous Facebook Group Suspensions
rewrite If you manage a Facebook group that’s been inexplicably banned over the last week or so, you’re not alone.
As reported by TechCrunch, thousands of Facebook groups have been suspended of late, with many pointing the finger at faulty AI-detection for incorrectly tagging them as violating the platform’s rules.
As per TechCrunch:
“Based on information shared by affected users, many of the suspended Facebook groups aren’t the type that would regularly face moderation concerns, as they focus on fairly innocuous content like savings tips or deals, parenting support, groups for dog or cat owners, gaming groups, Pokémon groups, groups for mechanical keyboard enthusiasts, and more. While some of the impacted groups are smaller in size, many are large, with tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of users.” According to Facebook, the suspensions are based on a technical error, which is in the process of being rectified, with many group admins now being told that they should see their group restored again within 48 hours. Meta provided this statement to SMT:
“We’re aware of a technical error that impacted some Facebook Groups. This has been resolved.”
So any errors should either be fixed already, or are in the process of being reversed.
But even so, the mass-bans have spooked a lot of Facebook group admins, who’ve spent years building their online communities. As noted, broader discussion about the suspensions has pointed at erroneous flagging by AI tools, though neither Facebook nor Meta has confirmed that this is the root cause in this instance.
The concern here is that Meta is increasingly relying on AI, for an increasing array of functions, and that without human intervention, it runs the risk of seeing more errors of this type moving forward.
Indeed, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently noted that AI will replace most mid-level engineers at the company soon, and as it continues to expand its AI systems, it seems increasingly likely that Meta will be looking to AI processes to operate more elements of the business.
Which is why group admins are concerned about this latest wave of suspensions, as it could reflect a new change in approach at the app, where it becomes increasingly difficult to understand, and/or rectify problems, because you’re dealing with the decisions of the AI overlords, not humans. Again, Meta hasn’t confirmed that AI is at fault in this instance, but it does seem like another example of Meta’s AI automation teething problems, which could point to further complications in future. in spanish
rewrite this title in spanish The ultimate Instagram Reels cover guide (+ free templates)
rewrite Want to create an Instagram Reels cover that really pops? We’ve got you *covered.* (Get it?) Crafting the perfect cover for your Reel video is essential to draw viewers in and keep them engaged with your content. Not only will a great cover design help your content stand out, but it will also give your followers an idea of what to expect from your videos. The best part? You don’t need to be a professional designer to create an amazing Instagram Reels cover. Let’s explore how to change your Instagram Reel covers, some templates to get you started, and how to make sure your covers look great on your feed. Get your free pack of 5 customizable Instagram Reel Cover templates now. Save time, get more clicks, and look professional while promoting your brand in style. What are Instagram Reels covers? Instagram Reels covers are still images that appear as thumbnails of your Instagram Reels video. Choosing a compelling Instagram Reels cover can help boost views and make your page more visually appealing. Here’s an example from soda brand Poppi. The brand recently launched a new flavor and have created Instagram Reels covers to match the new flavor’s color scheme, helping pull its page into a cohesive design while simultaneously grabbing attention and promoting its new product. You can choose an Instagram Reels cover from your video footage or upload a graphic or still image to set as the video thumbnail. 5 free Instagram Reels cover templates One great way to make your brand’s Instagram Reels recognizable and appealing to your audience is to use a set of Instagram templates for each video cover. By using a similar design for each Reel, you’re able to create a cohesive feed and help your content stand out. Check out these five completely free Instagram Reels cover templates to help you get started. How to add an Instagram Reels cover To help your Instagram Reels fit better in your feed, you’ll want to add an Instagram Reels cover as you create and publish your video. Follow along with this step-by-step guide to add the perfect cover for your video. Step 1: Create your Instagram Reel video First, open up your Instagram app and tap the plus sign in the bottom middle of your screen to start creating a new post. Tap Reel from the four content types, then search for your video in your camera roll or select the camera option to start recording in-app. Once you’ve uploaded or recorded your video, tap Next to move onto the next step. Step 2: Make your in-app changes On the next screen, you’ll be able to make any in-app edits or changes, like cropping the video, adding audio, changing the speed, adding text or stickers, and more. Perfect your Instagram Reel and get it ready to publish. Then tap Next. Step 3: Click Edit cover The next screen is where you can add things like tags, hashtags, polls, location geotags, your caption, and more. It’s also where you can edit your Instagram Reels cover. At the bottom of your video thumbnail, tap Edit cover to pick a good cover photo or still for your video. Step 4: Select or upload your Instagram Reel cover You can scroll through your video sequence to find a perfect still from your footage by holding the window at the bottom of the screen and swiping it side to side until you find the perfect clip to use as your cover image. Or, you can tap Add from camera roll to upload a photo or graphic you made specifically to use as a cover photo. You can also tap the Aa icon in the corner of your thumbnail to add custom text atop your Instagram Reels cover. This can help you provide context on what viewers can expect to see in your videos as they scroll through your feed. Step 5: Adjust your grid view In this section, you can also tap the Profile grid tab to see what your cover image will look like in your Instagram grid. Tap and hold the cover image to drag it around until it fits exactly how you want it to look within your feed. Using this feature is helpful if you’re using a still from the video so you can easily adjust it so the most important parts of the image are front and center. Once you’ve adjusted it to look exactly how you want it to, tap Done. Step 6: Publish your Instagram Reel You’ll be taken back to the area where you can add your caption and other elements. Make sure you fully fill out all of the most important sections, then click Share to publish your Reel. #1 Instagram Reels scheduling Plan, manage, and schedule your Instagram Reels for maximum engagement and minimal effort. It’s so easy. Start free 30-day trial How to edit/change an Instagram Reels cover If you’ve previously published Instagram Reels videos without customizing your cover photo, you can always go back and update them with eye-catching Reel cover designs. Follow along with this tutorial to get started. Step 1: Open the Instagram Reel you want to add a cover to First things first, scroll through your Instagram feed to find any videos that need a custom or updated cover photo. Tap the video to open it to full size on your phone screen. Step 2: Edit the Instagram post Tap the three dots in the top right corner of your post to access your post settings. Tap Edit down towards the bottom of the options. Step 3: Click Cover You can edit multiple elements after you publish your Instagram Reel, including your caption, tags, and location. But you can also tap Cover on your video thumbnail to make changes here. Step 4: Select or upload your custom Instagram Reel cover You’ll be brought to the same interface as when you upload an Instagram Reel for the first time. You can either scroll through your video footage until you find a still you like, or tap Add from camera roll to upload a custom Instagram Reel thumbnail to your video. Step 5: Adjust your grid thumbnail Tap over to the Profile grid area to, again, drag or crop your thumbnail until it sits perfectly centered. You want all of the videos in your Reels tab to feel cohesive, so adjusting your cover photo is a step you don’t want to miss. Step 6: Update your video Finally, once you’ve finished making your changes, tap Done in the top right corner to save them. You can now head back to your Instagram profile to see your new Reels cover in action. How to create an Instagram Reels cover photo Help your Instagram Reels stand out on your feed by creating custom cover photos that grab attention and let viewers know what to expect from your content. This is especially useful if you’ve created a series or a multi-part video thread so someone who has viewed your content can easily find more of what they’re looking for. Plus, a good Reels cover can boost engagement and views by letting your audience know exactly what types of content you share. Let’s dig into our guide to designing Instagram Reels cover photos that will help you increase your views and engagement. 1. Take advantage of graphic design software Using a graphic design tool specifically designed to help small businesses create social media graphics can be a great hack for creating visually appealing Reels covers. Some easy-to-use tools to choose from include: Check out each one to see which tool best suits your needs, then get started designing. Keep in mind, though, that you can also use some of Instagram’s built-in editing tools to add text, stickers, or drawings to your video cover. 2. Start with a Reel cover template Next, it’s a good idea to start with a template for your first few cover photos, rather than designing from scratch. You can find tons of Canva templates you can seamlessly customize to fit your video content. Plus, starting with a template helps you make sure your cover photo is the right size. An Instagram Reels cover photo should be 1080 x 1920 pixels, or an aspect ratio of 9:16. Although your Instagram page will crop the cover photo to a portion of that, you still need to make sure it’s the full size. Just put the most important elements front and center — which a template can easily help you do. 3. Make it branded Add your brand fonts, colors, logo, patterns, and more to your Instagram Reels cover photos. This helps make sure your content is easily recognizable while also creating a cohesive look and feel on your Instagram feed. If you plan to use text in your cover photo, match it to your brand fonts. Add color elements with your brand colors or use photos with your branding in them as the basis for your design. 4. Showcase your Reel focus What is your Reel about? Make it clear in your design what your Reel’s focus is so your viewer immediately knows whether they’re interested in watching it or not. You can do this by: Using a still from your video that includes the video’s main elements Adding a text overlay with a title or description of your video Zooming in on an element from your video Incorporating shapes or other elements that draw attention to an image from your video 5. Incorporate into your content creation process Don’t push your cover design creation off to the wayside as a nearly-forgotten step in your Reel publication process. Instead, make your cover design a key step. This can help make sure all of your covers match in some way while also telling a story through your content. Plus, it can make sure they don’t look hastily thrown together, and instead feel like a solid part of your strategy. 5 tried-and-true Reels cover tips from the experts Get even more out of your Instagram Reel cover design with these five expert tips for creating cover photos that will make your audience want to click and watch your videos. 1. Design with clarity and intention “Your cover should immediately communicate what the viewer will get from your Reel,” says lifestyle expert Ciara Strickland of The New Mixx. “Whether it’s a tip, tutorial, transformation, or story. Use bold, easy-to-read text paired with a clean background or compelling image that visually supports the theme.” What she’s saying is this: make it immediately known what each of your videos is about. Especially as users scroll through your feed to see your content, you don’t want to leave them guessing what you post about. (Or force them to watch your videos to find out for themselves — because believe us, they won’t.) In her content, Strickland talks mostly about clothing, as her main focus is on ungendering clothing norms and helping people find affordable style. So it makes sense that she would simply use high-quality, stunning images of her outfits as her Reels covers: 2. Consider the crop When choosing your Reels cover photo, you can move it around to make sure the most important parts are showing. This is what we mean when we say “consider the crop.” Even though your video and your cover photo need to be 1080 x 1920 pixels in size, your feed only shows a 4:5 section of that cover. So you need to make sure you highlight the most important part of your cover photo in that central area. This is Sam Speller, Founder of Kenko Tea’s big tip: “My number one rule when designing a stand-out Instagram Reels cover is to optimize for a thumbnail view with your big elements in the middle and bold.” Instagram crops Reels covers in various ways depending on whether they appear in the feed, in your profile grid, or on the Explore page, so a cover that looks perfect in one place may get cut off somewhere else. Speller shares, “We found this out the hard way when our first Reels cover — with copy in the top third — wasn’t even shown at all in profile view. Now we try to make all covers have a strong focal point — something like our best-selling matcha tin or a colorful green smoothie bowl, surrounded by a clean amount of negative space.” You can see what Speller means when you take a look at Kenko Tea’s Instagram page: Make sure you’re considering how your video cover could be cropped so that, no matter what, your main content sits perfectly framed in the center. 3. Use fonts strategically “Text placement is crucial,” Jasmine Charbonier of YourTampaBestie tells us. The travel influencer explains that where you put your text and the style of font you use can both have a major impact on reach and engagement. People scroll quickly, so your copy needs to grab them immediately. Charbonier says, “Through tons of testing, I discovered that putting the main text in the center top third of the cover works best. I try to keep text super short — 3-4 words max. Any more than that, and engagement drops off.” We can see that Charbonier practices what she preaches in her own Instagram Reel covers: Notice how she also only uses bold, sans-serif fonts in her copy. Charbonier explains, “I made the mistake early on of using fancy fonts that looked great but were hard to read. Now I stick to clean, bold sans-serif fonts.” She continues, “My go-to is Helvetica — basic but it works. The text has to be instantly readable while someone’s thumb is flying up their feed.” 4. Keep it simple Ah, the age-old rule of “KISS.” Keep it simple, stupid (or, if you prefer to be a bit nicer, keep it simple, sweetie)! Katie Breaker, Sales Director at Birdieball, explains to us, “When it comes to Instagram Reels covers, simplicity is your best friend. You only have a couple of seconds to grab someone’s attention, so the cover should be easy to understand at a glance.” Don’t bother adding in a million stickers, text overlays, drawing, elements, etc. Simplicity is what helps your audience understand what your content is about. Breaker says, “At BirdieBall, we’ve learned that using a clear, high-quality image that highlights the product or action works best. Think of it like a snapshot of what’s coming next in the video. For us, that often means showing the training aid in use or a golfer in the middle of a swing.” Other tips Breaker shares about her team’s Instagram Reel covers include: Keep the text really simple. Something like “Perfect Your Swing” works really well. It’s clear, direct, and gives people just enough of a reason to click and watch. Don’t overdo it with too many words. The idea is to make someone curious about what happens next and want to dive into the video. Make sure your style is consistent across all your Reels covers. That way, your followers recognize your content when they scroll. They start associating that style with your brand, and it helps increase engagement over time. You can take a look at Birdieball’s Instagram Reels covers below: 5. Create custom, branded covers Mimi Nguyen, Founder of Cafely, says one of her biggest tips is to create custom covers over using a random frame from your video. Nguyen explains, “I used to do that early on, and it never performed well. Now, I design custom covers in Canva or Photoshop that match our brand but still pop enough to stop the scroll. Great covers don’t just look good — they set expectations and boost click-through. A little extra design effort up front really pays off in engagement.” As you can see, their covers are simple, but beautiful and effective: Test out both options to see what works best for you, but keep in mind that most experts find success in using a high-quality image or graphic with extra design elements. Save time managing Instagram for business using Hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can create, schedule and publish posts directly to Instagram, engage your audience, measure performance and run all your other social media profiles. Try it free today. in spanish
rewrite this title in spanish How to Leverage It for Creative Videos
rewrite TikTok’s Green Screen feature transforms content creation. This powerful tool lets creators replace backgrounds with any image or video without complicated setups. Small businesses, marketers, and content creators can now produce professional-looking videos with minimal effort. Green Screen has become one of the platform’s most popular creative tools. It ranked as a top TikTok trend in 2023, driving significant engagement across the platform. I’ve seen how visual tools like Green Screen can dramatically increase audience engagement when properly implemented. The brands I work with consistently find that creatively using platform-specific features leads to better performance than generic content approaches. This guide will show you exactly how to use TikTok’s Green Screen, provide creative applications for your marketing, and share best practices to maximize your results. Let’s start with understanding what makes this feature so valuable. What is TikTok’s Green Screen Feature? TikTok’s Green Screen feature stands out for its simplicity. At its core, it enables background replacement using any image or video, eliminating the need for physical green screen setups. This technology works through a process called chroma keying. The app detects you as separate from your background and places your silhouette over the image or video of your choice. This creates a layered effect that makes it appear as if you’re standing in front of (or inside) any scene. Green Screen has evolved from a specialized film industry technique into an accessible tool anyone can use without technical knowledge. This democratization of video effects has opened creative doors for businesses of all sizes. How Green Screen Technology Works on TikTok TikTok’s implementation differs from traditional filmmaking methods. Instead of requiring an actual green background, the app uses AI and computer vision to identify and separate you from your surroundings automatically. The technology analyzes contrast and color differences between you and your environment. It then creates a mask that preserves your image while replacing everything else with your chosen background. This happens in real-time, allowing for immediate preview and recording. For marketers, this means quick production cycles. You can test different backgrounds and concepts without investing in equipment or extensive editing. This agility proves especially valuable for time-sensitive campaigns or when testing multiple content approaches. Types of Green Screen Effects Available TikTok offers several variations of the Green Screen effect, each with distinct creative possibilities. Understanding these options helps you choose the right effect for your specific content goals. The table below provides an overview of the main Green Screen variations currently available on TikTok and their best applications: Green Screen TypeDescriptionBest Used ForStandard Green ScreenPlaces your full body over any imageProduct demonstrations, virtual travel, commentaryGreen Screen VideoPlaces you over any video clipReactions, tutorials with moving elementsGreen Screen CutoutShows only your upper body/headTalking-head content, focusing attention on faceGreen Screen DuoCreates a split-screen with two backgroundsComparisons, before/after demonstrations These variations give you flexibility to match your visual approach with your message. The right choice depends on whether you’re explaining a concept, showcasing a product, or creating entertaining content. How to Use TikTok’s Green Screen Feature Getting started with Green Screen requires no special equipment. You just need the TikTok app and a basic understanding of how to apply effects. The process takes only seconds once you’re familiar with it. The key to success lies in preparation. Having your background images or videos ready before you start recording streamlines the process and ensures better results. Let’s walk through the exact steps to create your first Green Screen video. Step-by-Step Guide to Using Green Screen Follow these straightforward steps to create your first Green Screen TikTok: Open TikTok and tap the “+” button to create a new video Tap “Effects” (the icon with stars) on the left side of the screen Select “Green Screen” from the effects categories (or search for it) Choose your preferred Green Screen variation (standard, video, cutout, etc.) Select your background from your phone’s gallery when prompted Position yourself appropriately in relation to the background Record your content as you normally would This process works nearly identically across both iOS and Android devices. TikTok provides detailed walkthroughs for this feature in their help section if you need additional guidance. Technical Requirements for Best Results While Green Screen works on most modern smartphones, certain conditions and specifications lead to better quality results. Understanding these requirements helps avoid frustration and ensures professional-looking output. The table below outlines the key technical elements that impact Green Screen quality: RequirementMinimum SpecificationOptimal SpecificationDeviceiPhone 8+ / Android 8.0+iPhone 11+ / Android 10+LightingEven lighting on subjectThree-point lighting setupBackground Image640×640 pixels1080×1920 pixelsSubject ContrastClear distinction from physical backgroundSolid-colored wall behind subject These specifications provide a starting point. Even with a basic smartphone, you can achieve decent results by focusing on good lighting and proper background contrast. As you grow more comfortable with the feature, you may want to upgrade your setup. Is Your LinkedIn Working? Just released: my new book to help professionals, entrepreneurs, and business owners maximize LinkedIn for real growth.With years of LinkedIn expertise, Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth offers actionable steps to build your brand, expand your network, and drive results. Start leveraging LinkedIn like never before—grab your copy now! Click the cover or button below to buy on Amazon. Creative Ways to Use Green Screen on TikTok The true power of Green Screen comes from creative application. Beyond novelty use, this feature offers strategic advantages for businesses and creators trying to stand out in crowded feeds. Green Screen enables content that would otherwise require expensive production. Small businesses can now create professional-looking advertisements, educational content, and entertaining videos that previously needed studio facilities. Let’s examine specific approaches that work particularly well across different contexts and industries. Marketing Applications for Green Screen Green Screen creates powerful marketing opportunities across many industries. The feature allows businesses to create content for social media that stands out while maintaining brand consistency. The versatility of TikTok’s Green Screen makes it valuable for various social media trends that drive engagement and visibility. Here’s how different industries can leverage Green Screen for marketing: IndustryGreen Screen ApplicationExampleRetail/E-commerceVirtual product showcasesPlacing products in aspirational settingsTravelDestination previewsTour guide appearing at various locationsReal EstateProperty walkthroughsAgent appearing in different rooms/propertiesEducationVisual explanationsTeacher appearing with diagrams/chartsRestaurantsMenu showcasesStaff appearing alongside menu items These applications work because they combine the personal connection of seeing a real person with the context-setting power of customized backgrounds. This creates more meaningful engagement than static images alone. Educational Content with Green Screen Education thrives on TikTok, and Green Screen enhances learning experiences. Educators, trainers, and course creators use this feature to make complex information more digestible and engaging. Green Screen helps explain abstract concepts by placing the presenter directly alongside visual aids. This creates stronger cognitive connections than separate slides or diagrams would allow. Effective educational uses include: Explaining data by standing in front of charts or graphs while highlighting key points. Demonstrating historical events by appearing in images from that period. Teaching languages with visual vocabulary appearing around the instructor. Breaking down complex processes with step-by-step visuals behind the presenter. These approaches work because they combine verbal explanation with visual context, addressing multiple learning styles simultaneously. The presenter’s presence adds a human element that increases retention and engagement. Entertainment and Storytelling with Green Screen Entertainment content benefits enormously from Green Screen capabilities. Creators can transport themselves anywhere, interact with fictional elements, and create narrative-driven content with minimal resources. Storytelling becomes more immersive when creators can visually place themselves in the story’s setting. This creates higher emotional engagement than simply describing scenarios. Popular entertainment applications include: comedy skits with multiple settings reaction videos placed over other content transformation videos using background changes to show “before and after” character-based content where backgrounds help establish the fictional world These approaches succeed because they expand creative possibilities while maintaining the authentic, low-production-value aesthetic that resonates on TikTok. The contrast between real people and clearly artificial backgrounds often adds charm rather than detracting from quality. Green Screen Best Practices for Better Content Creating quality Green Screen content requires attention to detail. Small adjustments in technique can dramatically improve results, creating more professional and engaging videos. The most successful Green Screen content strikes a balance. It leverages the feature’s capabilities without letting technical aspects overshadow the message. Remember that content relevance still trumps production value. Let’s examine specific techniques that elevate Green Screen content. Lighting Tips for Green Screen Videos Lighting makes or breaks Green Screen quality. Poor lighting creates jagged edges, color bleed, and inconsistent background replacement that distracts viewers. Follow these lighting principles for cleaner Green Screen results: Use even, diffused lighting on your face and body to minimize shadows Avoid backlighting that creates silhouettes or halos around your edges Maintain distance between yourself and your physical background to reduce shadow interference Match lighting direction with your virtual background for more natural integration Test different times of day if using natural light to find optimal conditions These principles matter because lighting inconsistencies create visual disconnects. When your lighting matches the virtual background’s lighting direction and quality, viewers subconsciously perceive the composite as more natural. Common Mistakes to Avoid Even experienced creators make mistakes with Green Screen. Understanding these pitfalls helps you avoid them and create more professional content from the start. Here are the most common Green Screen errors and their solutions: Common MistakeWhy It HappensSolutionClothing blending with backgroundWearing colors too similar to virtual backgroundCheck background first, then choose contrasting clothingJagged edges around subjectPoor lighting or background contrastImprove lighting and use solid-colored physical backgroundUnconvincing integrationMismatched perspective or lightingChoose backgrounds with matching perspective and light directionHair/detail lossComplex hair/accessories confusing the algorithmUse additional rim lighting to define edges clearly Avoiding these mistakes significantly improves production quality. The goal isn’t perfect photorealism, but rather eliminating distractions that pull viewers out of your content. Measuring Success with Green Screen Content Like any content strategy, Green Screen implementation should be measured and optimized over time. Tracking performance helps identify what works for your specific audience and refine your approach. Green Screen use contributes to engagement when properly executed. Content using interactive elements like Green Screen can increase engagement by making the material more visually interesting to viewers. Engagement Metrics to Track When evaluating Green Screen content performance, focus on these key metrics: View duration – How long viewers watch before scrolling (compared to non-Green Screen content) Comment rate – Percentage of viewers leaving comments (indicates higher engagement) Share count – Number of shares (suggests content resonates enough to pass along) Profile visits – Increase in profile visits after Green Screen content (shows heightened interest) Follow conversion – New followers gained through Green Screen content These metrics provide insights beyond simple view counts. They help identify whether Green Screen enhances or detracts from your message. Monitor these numbers alongside your TikTok stats to see the full picture. A/B Testing Different Green Screen Approaches Systematic testing reveals what works best for your audience. Create variations of similar content—one using Green Screen and one without—to measure the feature’s impact. When conducting A/B tests with Green Screen content, consider testing: Test ElementVariables to CompareWhat It RevealsBackground TypeStatic image vs. video backgroundWhether motion enhances or distracts from messageBackground ComplexitySimple vs. detailed backgroundsOptimal visual complexity for your contentSubject SizeFull body vs. upper body onlyHow subject framing affects engagementGreen Screen TypeStandard vs. cutout vs. duoWhich variation resonates best with audience These tests provide actionable insights for future content. Once you identify patterns in what performs best, incorporate those elements into your regular content strategy. The Future of Green Screen on TikTok TikTok continuously evolves its creative features. Understanding potential directions for Green Screen helps you stay ahead of trends and prepare for new opportunities. As AI and computer vision improve, we’ll likely see more sophisticated background replacement capabilities. These advancements will create even more possibilities for creative content. Upcoming Feature Enhancements Based on TikTok’s development patterns and industry trends, several enhancements may come to Green Screen soon: Improved edge detection for more natural subject integration Real-time lighting adjustment to match subject with background lighting 3D background interaction allowing creators to appear to touch elements Multi-person Green Screen supporting multiple subjects simultaneously These potential improvements would address current limitations and expand creative possibilities. Staying aware of these developments helps you prepare content strategies that leverage new capabilities as they arrive. Integration with Other TikTok Effects The most exciting possibilities come from combining Green Screen with other TikTok effects. This layering creates unique visual experiences impossible with any single feature. Watch for increased integration between Green Screen and content creation tools like motion tracking, augmented reality elements, and voice modification. These combinations will enable entirely new content formats. For example, combining Green Screen with AR face filters could allow creators to appear as transformed characters in custom environments. Pairing Green Screen with motion tracking could enable interactive elements that respond to creator movements. These integrations will continue blurring the line between creator and environment, opening new storytelling and marketing opportunities for brands willing to experiment. Conclusion TikTok’s Green Screen feature offers significant creative advantages. It enables professional-looking content without expensive equipment, opens new storytelling possibilities, and helps brands stand out in crowded feeds. The technical simplicity combined with creative flexibility makes Green Screen accessible for creators at any level. Even beginners can achieve impressive results by following the best practices outlined in this guide. For marketers, Green Screen represents an opportunity to create more engaging, distinctive content that resonates with TikTok’s audience. When thoughtfully implemented, it can significantly improve content performance metrics. Ready to get started? Here are five quick tips: Start with simple backgrounds before attempting complex ones Ensure good lighting on yourself before recording Choose backgrounds that enhance rather than distract from your message Test different Green Screen variations to find what works for your content Measure performance to refine your approach over time The most successful Green Screen content balances technical quality with authenticity. Focus on creating value for viewers, and use the feature to enhance—not replace—your core message. Actionable advice for your digital / content / influencer / social media marketing. Join 13,000+ smart professionals who subscribe to my regular updates. in spanish