Insider #61: The 🔑 to Connections

 Timely and tactical marketing ideas delivered to your inbox every Monday morning Issue #61 | November 23, 2020 If you've been around for a while, you know we've talked a lot about LinkedIn. And even if you're new here, you probably already know just how valuable it can be as a resource and why you should [spend time crafting your profile](. But what we haven’t dug into is how (as a small business, consultant, or agency owner) you can use this platform to find clients! All too often, we view it only as a place for networking or hiring, and therefore posts come off as dull and dry, and you see almost no engagement (leading people to believe it’s not a useful platform). But one thing that’s often overlooked when it comes to LinkedIn is that it’s a social media platform. If you look at someone like [Goldie Chan]( founder of Warm robots, you’ll see that your posts don’t have to be stuffy and uptight! The main reason Goldie sees so much success is because she’s being authentic, or in other words, being herself. This works because instead of trying to promote your business 24-7, you’re organically connecting with people on the platform and they’re getting to know the real you. And if you know anything about the Value Journey, you know that people crave that connection and they crave value. There is an [intersection between authenticity and professionalism]( when it comes to LinkedIn content. Valuable content will make people read or watch, but your authenticity is what will make people connect with you and your brand on a more personal level. So teach concepts or start a discussion about a topic you’re an expert on and then answer people’s questions! Trust us, they’ll remember. It doesn’t have to be a special strategy—all it takes is YOU spending time to show prospects and customers that you care. And with time, we’re certain your audience and sales will start to grow because of it! TOOL TIME If you’ve ever struggled to remember the HEX code or RGB value of company colors, or if you’re just need to find what font color you used in a presentation you gave months ago, this tool is your new best friend! The [Color Picker tool]( allows you to upload an image and select a color in the frame. Immediately you’re able to see all the color codes, so you’ll never be left wondering if your font color choice is one shade off ever again! It’s so simple it’s almost scary, and everyone in our virtual offices has already [bookmarked this page]( for safe keeping.   INSIDE FIVE They say it’s okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them... that the only mistake is the one you learn nothing from. At DigitalMarketer, that’s something we preach and truly believe in. But is that sentiment always true? There are some mistakes people won’t forgive you for. And we’re not talking about that dumb mistake from college that still makes you put your head in your hand. No, we’re talking branding fails that did some serious PR damage. From Folger’s "incest ad" to the Segway (you know, "the transportation of the future"), here are the [25 most spectacular branding fails]( of the last 25 years. Look at these brands who absolutely s**t the bed. After you're done laughing or cringing, there are lessons to be learned here. Take note so you don't do the same. A new feature flew into the Twitter space last week. As on Snapchat and Instagram, users can now post content that disappears after 24 hours. The [Stories lookalike is called Fleets](. (Like Tweets, but fleeting. Get it?) Although rolling out a Stories-esque feature might seem trite on the surface, it’s a big deal for a platform where remarks are uneditable and damage control is nearly impossible. (Just ask literally any celebrity that’s been on the platform since 2007.) So although your awkwardly hot takes from a decade ago can still come back to haunt you, at least there’s a chance to leave some aspect of 2020 where she lies. Twitter also announced Spaces, virtual rooms for users to have real-time audio conversations with other users. Testing will roll out soonish, but only to users who "face a disproportionate amount of harassment on Twitter," women and people of marginalized backgrounds. When you plan out your blog content strategy, how high on the list of priorities is "good design"? It's likely that you picked a style for your blog when you first set it up and never gave it a second glance, but if your blog performance isn’t matching the quality of your content, it might be time to think about a redesign. [This blog post]( takes you through the top 5 ways the design of your blog can drag down its performance, from increasing the bounce rate to causing general confusion about what you’re even talking about. But don’t worry, it’s not just about what you’re doing wrong, there’s also several tips and suggestions for how to fix your design with relative ease. So if your holiday promotion strategy includes lots of blogging, be sure to add design to your to-do list (and check it twice). 🎁 In a new effort to help small businesses, Apple is reducing the App Store commission rate. The new [App Store Small Business Program]( allows those earning less than $1 million per year to qualify for the 15 percent decrease (cutting the normal 30 percent fee in half). That said, the new program doesn’t go into effect until Jan 1, unfortunately, keeping the 30 percent fee during the holiday season. Apple has been criticized in the past year for it’s high fees, particularly during the pandemic, so while the new Small Business Program is sure to help win the good graces of some, we’re hoping this is just the start of larger initiatives to help small business owners in need. Instagram is making TWO strong plays to keep users on the app. And both updates should get the old creative juices flowing (with possibilities). First is the expansion of ‘Guides’ to all users. Initially, the feature was limited to a select group of creators who were focused on mental health and well-being. But now the format is available to everyone and in new content types, including Products, Places, and Posts. If you’re looking to expand your reach and incorporate more longer-form content into your strategy, you’ll want to jump on the opportunity and start testing. After all, helpful content will never go out-of-style. The second (overshadowed) update could expand the reach of your posts (YES, PLEASE!). Now users can search keywords that’ll show content relevant to their interests. We’re pretty stoked for this! Do some keyword research and try incorporating these words and phrases naturally into your Instagram captions. See if you get more eyeballs on your content. While some social media updates are kind of "meh", others are more "yay". We put [both of these updates]( in the later column. SWIPE FILE When you’re feeling uninspired or just stuck when it comes to inspiration for a pitch deck, business plans, or even product development, look no further than the slides from all your favorite startups. From AirBnb to Buzzfeed to Dropbox, you can now see how the best in the industry tackled the problems you're currently facing. Sometimes you don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to strategy or planning, and knowing how those before you tackled the same hurdles can be a big help when you need to propel your business forward. And even if you’re not facing any mountain challenges right now, we’ve been all kinds of inspired by all the content [OpenDeck]( has to offer. Take a look and prepare to kick off 2021 with a bang!  Share The Insider Newsletter And Earn Rewards! 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