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Let’s take a moment to think about some of the things many of us like to do with our downtime.

I’ll start. Picking a glass of wine from an extensive list at a bar. Texting a friend to hang out. And, of course, browsing Netflix for something to binge-watch.

Now, imagine having limited mobility, and being restricted in carrying out what many of us considering to be mundane, day-to-day activities.

Selecting a movie to watch on Netflix, for instance, would be close to impossible with restricted motor skills, without the ability to manually scroll through options — and in some cases, to dictate to someone else what we want to watch.

For many, that thought is a reality — and now, a team of researchers is building technology to address it. Here’s what we learned about the technology at this week’s Samsung Developer Conference, and what’s next for the people developing it.

Meet the People Who Are Building a Way to Control a TV With Your Brain

The name is Project Pontis: an initiative to develop a device that can control a TV only with the brain.

“How can we provide accessibility to people who cannot move?” asks Ricardo Chavarriaga, a scientist at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) — which is working in partnership with Samsung and the Swiss Paraplegic Centre. “We try to develop systems that allow people with severe motor disabilities to interact with their environments.”

One of those interactions is something as seemingly simple as choosing a movie to watch, which was the activity demonstrated at today’s event. “It will be an assistive tool for people with disabilities,” says EPFL’s Ruslan Aydarkhanov, “so that they can be independent and use the TV without external help.”

At the center of Project Pontis is a physical prototype pictured below, which records electrical activity from the brain that the technology uses as signals that could indicate the user’s intent.

Ruslan Aydarkhanov demonstrates the Project Pontis prototype

Then, using artificial intelligence and machine learning, those signals are converted into what Aydarkhanov calls “meaningful information”: the details that translate into what the user wants to do.

This particular prototype uses a combination of the aforementioned brain signals and eye movements to assist with the activity of selecting a movie to watch.

“For the simple selections of menus, we just use eye movements, because it’s much more efficient,” explains Aydarkhanov. “But when you want to find a movie, it’s a more complicated task, because you’re not sure exactly what you want to see.”

That’s where the artificial intelligence and machine learning come in.

“We use the reaction of the brain to see what is interesting to you,” Aydarkhanov says, “and we show a sample of movies so that the system can, based on your reaction, understand what is this particular thing that you want to watch.”

But what presents one of the biggest challenges to developing this prototype are the nuances of human interaction — whether it’s with other humans, or with machines.

Ricardo Chavarriaga speaks about the technology of Project Pontis

“A brain is not static, so every day, it’s changing little by little,” Aydarkhanov says. “That means the signal that we record is also changing, and we have to adapt the artificial intelligence system to still make sense of the signal.”

What the prototype is trying to replicate is that nuanced brain “signature” that is produced as a result of external stimulus. It’s far from simple, and actually involves a combined process triggered by that external stimulus and what the user is experiencing internally.

“How does the user’s brain react when it has this ‘click’?” asks Chavarriaga. “I need to be sure that what I’m getting from the electrodes [read by the prototype] actually means what I think it means … in this case, what the person wants to do with the TV.”

Should that “click” be successfully replicated, Chavarriaga suggested, it could be carried over to other intelligent devices, such as prosthetics, which would likely be heavily reliant on technology that can understand user intent of movement — something that also changes quickly and frequently, based on internal and external stimuli.

“Everybody is different. This variability has to be taken into account, [which is why we need] technology that is more intelligent,” Chavarriaga explains. “We have to find ways to properly match technology to the users, and we have to take into account the variability of the users.”

Project Prontis is one of Samsung’s Corporate Citizenship programs, which works to develop technological advancements to meet various social and mission-driven needs.

The current trajectory of Project Prontis is to develop a second prototype into the first quarter of 2019. After that, the plan is to test the technology in hospitals and specialized institutions throughout Switzerland.

Featured image source: Samsung

It’s almost impossible to maintain a successful business without a fully functional, responsive, SEO-compatible website — but you don’t have to shell out the big bucks to afford one.

There are plenty of options for building and designing a website for free, many of which require little to no coding knowledge. And these website builders are often comparable in quality to their paid alternatives, particularly for small businesses or personal brands.

The free website builders we’re sharing today offer SEO benefits, embedded analytics systems, mobile optimization, and professional-looking templates. If you’re on a tight budget and can’t quite swing the paid builders, these are the next best thing.

Read on to check out 11 of the best free website builders, so you can build a website for free without forfeiting quality.

1. Wix

Wix is one of the most popular free website builders out there, with 110 million users. The fully hosted platform offers an easy drag-and-drop editor, and a large collection of professional-looking templates that are well-suited for small businesses, online stores, restaurants, or personal portfolios.

Wix supplies built-in Google Analytics to monitor your site, and even offers additional apps for individual preferences. If you want, Wix can even design your site for you. The biggest downside of Wix’s free version is it doesn’t come ad-free, and each page of your site will have a prominent Wix ad. Ad-free is only an option if you pay for the premium version.

2. Weebly

This open source SaaS offers web hosting, domain registration, web design, and even ecommerce functions, making it suitable for businesses and startups. Weebly’s a particularly flexible website builder, compatible with every device and platform, and easy to use.

Like Wix, Weebly has drag-and-drop functionality, as well as an integrated CMS solution, and hand-coded HTML files. The in-house editor comes with SEO tools and Google Analytics. With PayPal integration, an automatic tax calculator, digital gift cards, and more, Weebly is a smart choice for ecommerce businesses. And unlike some of its other free competitors, Weebly is ad-free.

3. WebNode

WebNode is a popular choice for both personal brands and professionals — it’s easy to use, and you can create a website in a different language or on a different platform to suit your business’s needs. WebNode supports ecommerce stores, and the sites are compatible with Android, Mac, and IOS devices. WebNode will provide statistics to track your site’s success, free of charge, and even with the free version, you won’t have ads.

4. Jimdo

Based in Germany, Jimdo is a valuable option for international companies, with options to create a site in more than nine different languages. The builder is compatible with smartphones and tablets, and there’s a mobile app you can use to build a mobile-optimized site, as well.

With no page limit and 500 MB of space, you’ll likely have more than enough space to build your site, and it even provides HTTPS/SSL encryption, meaning your visitor’s information will be kept safe. Plus, you’re able to integrate your site seamlessly with social media accounts. If you do decide to use Jimdo, beware of one thing: the builder prevents free websites from being indexed by search engines.

5. Mozello

One of the biggest selling-points for this Latvian-based company is the builder allows you to create a multilingual site for free — something unmatched by other website builders.

Mozello’s features include a blog, online store, SEO options, and 500 MB of storage. There is an advertisement, but it’s just a link in the footer, so most visitors won’t see it. The only drawback is the drag-and-drop system isn’t as intuitive or complex as some other options, and there aren’t a ton of design customization options.

6. WebStarts

With a wide collection of beautiful templates and a user-friendly drag and drop functionality, WebStarts makes building a website as simple as possible: best of all, whatever you see when you’re designing is exactly what your visitors will see when you publish the site. This can take some of the guess-work out of the process.

7. Webflow

While most of the other builders in this list are for people without a ton of coding knowledge, Webflow is specifically for designers and agencies who build sites for clients — this means the HTML and CSS is entirely in your control.

After you’ve built a site on Webflow, you will need to transfer it to a content management system. There are some features, like drag-and-drop widgets for adding social components, maps, and videos, that don’t require coding knowledge. But if you want the full benefits of Webflow, you’ll need to know HTML or CSS. There’s a limited set of themes, a responsive interface, and your Webflow site can be customized for desktop, tablets, or smartphones.

Apart from the necessity of knowing code, one other drawback of Webflow is you can only have two pages, and there’s a limit of 500 visits for free users.

8. IM Creator

With more than 11 million sites built on IM Creator, it’s a popular option for a few reasons: there’s an easy point-and-click interface, an extensive range of templates and images, and unlimited web hosting and domain services. Plus, the platform is scalable, and you can have either single or multipage layouts. This builder is unique for its built-in ecommerce tools, and offers SEO and Google Analytics to fully optimize your site for search engines.

9. SITE123

Arguably one of the most flexible and easy-to-use builders, Site123 lets you customize anything and offers a one-click installation wizard with graphics and templates. Site123 stands out as particularly helpful with its free images library, professional fonts to add visual elements to your site, and creative DIY plans for creating multiple pages (which are unlimited). Plus, since it offers web hosting domain registration, 500 MB storage space, Google Analytics, and is ad-free, you won’t feel pressured to switch to a paid plan.

10. Strikingly

Strikingly prides itself on helping its users build a website with no programming skills required. Thousands of sites have been launched through this website creator, and users can start designing their own by selecting from countless templates contributed by site owners around the world. You can find website designs suited for startups, ecommerce stores, blogs, events, product launches, and personal branding.

Strikingly’s free offering comes with unlimited free sites but a modest 5 GB of monthly bandwidth. You’re also limited to a strikingly.com domain unless you upgrade to a paid plan, which starts at $8 per month.

11. Duda

Duda is a feature-rich website creator with numerous site widgets and media files, allowing you to piece together a website to fit your specific needs. On top of site templates and a lengthy content library, Duda comes with a team-collaboration tool and basic analytics to show you how visitors are engaging with different parts of your website.

Duda offers a free trial, as well as plans that start as a low as $14 per month billed annually. 

There you have it! Since all of these website builders are free, try out a couple if you’re unsure of the best fit. In particular, take note of what you really want to get out of your site to ensure your needs will be met by one of these free builders.

WordPress is known for being one of the most popular content management system (CMS) software options available to date. One of the main reasons for this is because WordPress is easy to use and meets the needs of almost any type of website and business.

Installing the CMS is a simple process that only takes about five minutes. But if you’re new to the software, installing WordPress may seem daunting.

That’s why we’ve created this guide to take you through the installation process step-by-step so you can quickly get your website up and running.

We’re going to review four common WordPress installation methods together.

 

5 Steps to Prepare You to Install WordPress

Before you get started with the installation process, you’ll need to tackle these five simple tasks. These steps will help speed up the installation process and ensure you are completely ready to go.

1. Obtain Web Server Access

You’ll need to make sure you have web server access before installing WordPress. A web server is a software dedicated to hosting, or “serving”, websites. Web servers store, process, and deliver your web pages to those searching for your site online. 

One of the most popular web server software options is Apache. It’s possible to create your own web server to install WordPress on, however, it’s more common for users to purchase a hosting provider that runs on a web server, such as Bluehost or SiteGround.

If you are using a hosting provider, you’ll need to make sure it meets WordPress’ three requirements prior to installation. These requirements include:

• PHP version 7.2 or greater.
• MySQL version 5.6 or greater OR MariaDB version 10.0 or greater.
• HTTPS support

2. Obtain a Text Editor

You’ll also need to make sure you have a text editor, such as Notepad. Text editors allow you to open, view, and edit plain text files without any formatting. This is how you will edit your WordPress files. If you use a word processor such as Microsoft Word, which comes with its own formatting, you could potentially cause damage to your files and code.

3. Obtain an FTP Client

FTP, or file transfer protocol, is the method in which you will upload, download, and manage your WordPress files on your server. If you choose a hosting provider, this should be taken care of for you.

4. Choose a Web Browser

You can choose any web browser (e.g. Safari, Chrome, Firefox) of your choice to download and install WordPress.

5. Download the Latest Version of WordPress

You can always make sure you have the latest version of WordPress by visiting their website and downloading their most recent update. 

Now, let’s review your WordPress installation options.

How To Install WordPress

WordPress keeps installation simple — no matter which method method you choose, the process should only take about five minutes. We will discuss the four WordPress installation options below and who they are most beneficial for.

We recommend the simplest option — finding a hosting provider that offers automatic WordPress installation. But, really, it’s up to you.

1. Choose a Hosting Provider With Automatic WordPress Installation

There are a number of website hosting providers that offer automatic WordPress installation, such as Bluehost, WP Engine, or Dreamhost, making this the easiest installation method. This is a great option if you’re new to WordPress or don’t have a background in web development. If you’re unsure whether or not your provider offers automatic WordPress installation, check out their website — that information is typically listed on their support page.

2. Install WordPress on your computer

You can install WordPress directly to your computer. This method is uncommon because, although you’ll have a fully-functioning website, WordPress will only be accessible locally. This method is typically only useful if you’re just looking to play around with the CMS on your own and don’t want a website that others can access.

3. Use the cPanel and Auto-Installers

Installing WordPress through the cPanel is a good option if you want a bit more of a hands-on experience. This is more common for web developers or people who have some sort of technical background who want to tailor the installation process.

The cPanel is a dashboard that many hosting providers give you access to upon sign up. Once you login to your panel with the credentials provided by your host, you should see a section in your cPanel called “auto-installers”. All cPanels look something like this:

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Under the auto-installer section in your cPanel, click on the WordPress icon.

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You should be redirected to a page where you can click “Install Now”. Once you have clicked that button, you will be asked to enter the domain name where you want WordPress to be installed. No matter the cPanel or auto-installer you are using, this page should look similar.

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Under “Protocol”, the default is “http”. We recommend you stick with this unless you have installed an SSL certificate — in which case, you should use “https”. You’ll also be asked if you want to enter a “Directory”. In most cases, you’ll want to leave this blank to ensure WordPress is installed to your main domain. If you leave the field blank, your URL will look like this: www.mysite.com. If you enter a directory, your URL will look like this: www.mysite.com/blog, meaning WordPress will only be installed on a portion of your site.

You can also enter the name of your website (read: business name) and description (read: purpose of your website) under “Site Settings”. If you want to change these later, you can always go back in and update them.

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The last thing you’ll need to do is complete your admin page information. Enter your admin username, password, email address, and anything else required — there may be a few more questions to complete based on the auto-installer you chose. Then, click “Install”.

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You should now be able to access the backend of your site on WordPress at www.mysite.com/wp-admin. This is also where you can edit your admin details if needed.

4. Manually Install With FTP

Between the number of website hosting providers that automatically install WordPress for you, as well as the auto-installers available in your cPanel, there isn’t really a need to manually install the software with an FTP. However, if you do choose this installation route, you can follow the steps below. 

First, you’ll need an FTP program such as SmartFTP or FileZilla (as mentioned in the five tasks you need to complete prior to beginning installation).

Next, head to the WordPress website and download the latest version of the CMS.

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Then unzip the WordPress file and upload it to your public directory, which should look something like this: public_html.

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Go to your cPanel and find the “MySQL Databases” button. All cPanel’s should have a similar look, although your MySQL button may be located in a slightly different location.

Follow the prompt that asks you to enter your database name. Once you have done that, click “Create Database”.

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Now that the database has been created, you’ll be asked to create a “user” for your MySQL account. Complete your username and password and click “Create User”. 

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Give that user access to your database by adding their information as well as the name of the database you’re adding them to.

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On the following page, you’ll be asked about the privileges you want to provide that user — make sure they are all checked.

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By now your FTP transfer should be complete and it’s time to visit your domain to complete the install. If the transfer was successful, WordPress will prompt you to choose your language when you visit your domain.

Pick your desired language and click “Continue”.

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You’ll then be asked to enter your Database “Name”, “Username”, “Password”, “Database Host”, and “Table Prefix”. 

Once you’ve completed those fields, click “Submit”.

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Click the button that says “Run the Install”. You’ll be asked to give WordPress your admin information. This will include your “Site Title”, “Username”, “Password”, and “Email” that you created previously.

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Finally, click “Install WordPress”. You should now be able to log into WordPress with your username and password.

Congrats! You’ve manually installed WordPress.

Final Thoughts on WordPress Installation

If you’re able to choose a hosting provider that meets your needs, WordPress installation will be easy and automatic — this option is highly recommended for anyone completely new to WordPress, or website creation in general. However, should you choose to install WordPress yourself, your options are still straightforward and easy to follow.

If you need help at any point during the installation process, you can check out the WordPress FAQ or troubleshooting pages. No matter your background, the WordPress installation process is quick and easy, allowing you more time to focus on the things that matter, such as customizing your website and creating a great user experience for your visitors.

Editor’s note: This is the first post in an 11-part series on the HubSpot Customer Code. You can subscribe to the full series here. 

The business world is obsessed with growth.

We chase it, chart it, and celebrate the moment we’ve captured it  —  even temporarily.

I’m no outlier to this global pastime.

Over the last 12 years my cofounder and I have grown HubSpot from a curious idea to an enduring company serving more than 48,000 customers worldwide. I love growth so much that a couple of years ago, when I hand-coded a lovable chatbot I named it GrowthBot.

I say all of that so you’ll know I’m not a charlatan when I say this:

Growth alone doesn’t interest me anymore.

Somewhere along the line, growth shifted in our global discourse: From an enabler to an end-goal. When you make growth the end-all-be-all, you lose perspective.

You start to solve for your bottom line above all else, even, at times, at the expense of your customers.

We’ve seen this behavior spike recently as companies — even those we’ve previously loved — have sacrificed long-term relationships for short term gains. And we have the apology tours to prove it.

Apology tours certainly make it easy to draw a line in the sand, point at the spate of behemoths currently taking heat for self-serving decisions, and say, “We would never do that to our customers.” But the truth is  that  businesses are built on an immense number of decisions — from the incredibly small and seemingly mundane to the very large and lastingly impactful . Any one of those decisions could become the time that you solve for your own growth over your customers’.

No one goes to work intending to shortchange the customer, but when you obsess over short term growth, it happens.

And this is where the obsession with growth breaks down for me.

It’s Not Just Principle, It’s Practical

When we started HubSpot, we got a number of things wrong, but we got one thing very, very right. And that was the realization that customers are in control. We noticed that after years of interruptive marketing tactics, people were leveraging technology (search, ad blockers, spam filters) to usurp marketing they didn’t want, and taking a more proactive approach to finding content that they did.

At the time we focused on the direction of this new landscape — pull versus push, inbound versus outbound. But the lesson was bigger than that. Customers determine their own purchase decisions. You can’t just steal their attention, you have to earn it.

That observation ended up being a massive opportunity. Marketing on buyers’ terms was less expensive and more effective than the traditional push-marketing playbook. That remains true today.

Today — there’s something even better than content at attracting customers — and that is another customer. Word of mouth is now the biggest driver of all new business.

So, do this math with me: If customers are your most effective marketers and you shortchange them to eke out a few extra growth points at the end of the quarter, doesn’t that become devastating to your long term trajectory?

Doesn’t that hollow out the very source of your growth to begin with?

Of course it does. And that has to stop.

Manically chasing growth at the expense of customer goodwill mortgages the future.

Growth that sacrifices the customer experience in any way, isn’t growth at all. It’s debt.

The HubSpot Customer Code: How We’re Committing to Growing Better

HubSpot hasn’t perfected growing better…I haven’t perfected growing better, but I am committed to the idea.

We want to see HubSpot’s network of customers and partners grow big, and grow fast. But more importantly, we want them to grow in a way that builds loyal customers and a sustainable business.

At INBOUND 2018, I unveiled a set of principles that sets the standard HubSpot will hold ourselves to moving forward: The HubSpot Customer Code. This code outlines a shared set of principles and beliefs on how to build a company that customers love.

It’s not about what you sell, but how you sell. It’s about making your customers more successful, building relationships by doing the right thing, and focusing on the long-term even when it’s not the easiest path.

These tenets are:

1. Earn my attention, don’t steal it.
2. Treat me like a person, not a persona.
3. Solve for my success, not your systems.
4. Use my data, but don’t abuse it.
5. Ask for feedback, and act on it.
6. Own your screw-ups.
7. Help me help you, by helping myself.
8. I don’t mind paying, but I do mind being played.
9. Don’t block the exit.
10. Do the right thing, even when it’s hard.

Over the next few months, I’ll be writing a series that dives into how you can bring each of these tenets to life in your own organizations. You can subscribe to the series at the end of this post.

There’s a way to grow that doesn’t compromise the customer experience. That’s the kind of growth I’m excited about. That’s growing better.

This post is part 1 of 11 in a series on HubSpot’s Customer Code. You can find more info on The Customer Code and how we score ourselves here, and watch my INBOUND talk on this topic here: 

Over the past few years, Instagram has seen exponential growth — from one million users in December 2010, to over one billion in 2018.

It’s hard to remember a time before Instagram. “Do it for the ‘gram” has become a common saying, which means, essentially, “Do something so we can take a picture and post it to Instagram.”

If you’re not part of the one billion on Instagram, you might want to reconsider. The app is a great chance to stay apart of friends’ lives — when I want to see how my college friends are doing, I don’t check Facebook, I check Instagram. Plus, you can follow your favorite celebrities or political figures to see candid photos of their everyday lives.

Additionally, it’s a phenomenal platform for investigating what other brands are doing — for instance, Nike uses the Instagram Stories’ feature to promote inspirational athlete stories you won’t find anywhere else.

If you’re interested in getting an Instagram account, or just created one but aren’t sure how to use it, you’re in luck. Here, we’re going to cover all the basics, so you can see why Instagram is the top social media platform for engagement today.

Notifications

When your account is created, you’ll want to adjust your notifications so you only receive the information you want. For instance, you can choose to receive notifications when you get likes from everyone — but, alternatively, you might decide to only receive notifications when you get a like from someone you follow. Or, you might turn off notifications for likes altogether.

You can adjust notifications to “Off”, “From People I Follow”, or “From Everyone”, for the following categories — Comments, Comment Likes, Likes and Comments on Photos of You, Follower Requests, Accepted Follow Requests, Friends on Instagram, Instagram Direct, Photos of You, Reminders, First Posts and Stories, Product Announcements, View Counts, Support Requests, Live Videos, Mentions in Bio, IGTV Video Updates, and Video Chats.

If you’re overwhelmed by that list, I get it — I am, too. If you’re unsure what notifications you want to receive, you might start with your notifications on “From Everyone”, and if certain notifications begin to annoy you, you can turn them off later.

To customize which notifications you receive, follow these steps: 

1. Go to your personal account (which you’ll find by pressing the person icon at the bottom right of your screen). Then, click the “Settings” icon (the circle icon beside “Edit Profile”). 

2. Scroll down to “Push Notification Settings”.

3. Check off the notifications you want to receive.

And that’s it! Next, let’s explore how to connect your other social media accounts to your Instagram, so when you post an image to Instagram, you can share it with your other online audiences, as well. 

Connect to Other Social Accounts

When you post an image to Instagram, you have the option to share it on other social media accounts, like your Facebook or Twitter.

To link your other social media accounts to your Instagram, follow these steps:

1. Go to “Settings” and click “Linked Accounts”.

2. Select whichever social media channels you’d like to link to, and input the necessary information to incorporate the channel with your Instagram.

In the next section, “Upload, Edit, and Post an Image”, I’ll show you when a linked account comes in handy.

Upload, Edit, and Post an Image

Now, for the most important part of Instagram — how to upload and post an image.

Instagram is an entirely visual platform. Unlike Facebook, which relies on both text and pictures, or Twitter, which relies on text alone, Instagram’s sole purpose is to enable users to share images or videos with their audience.

On Facebook, you might choose to post 100 photos in an album. On Instagram, you need to be choosier about which photos you post. There are a few reasons for this — first, you don’t want to post more than once a day (typically). For the purpose of scarcity alone, you don’t want to post too many similar photos. For instance, it would be odd for you to post ten photos from the same beach vacation on your Instagram. Instead, you might choose one or two.

Additionally, you want your overall profile aesthetic to look diverse.

To learn more about Instagram account themes and get inspiration, take a look at “12 Stunning Instagram Themes (& How to Borrow Them for Your Own Feed)“.

Now that we’ve covered that, let’s explore how to upload, edit, and post an image.

1. Click the “+” icon in the bottom center of your screen.

2. Here, you have three options. You can look through your Photos library on your phone, you can take a new picture from right within Instagram, or you can take a new video. For our purposes, I looked through my Photos library and found a picture of Boston I wanted to use. Then, I clicked “Next” in the top right.

3. There are two categories you can use to edit your image — “Filter” and “Edit”. Instagram automatically shows you filters first. You can scroll through the carousel and click any of the filters to apply it to your image. Additionally, if you want to use a filter but you want to tone it down, double tap the filter and move the cursor to the left to lessen the intensity of the filter.

4. Next, click “Edit”. Here, you can adjust contrast, brightness, structure, warmth, and more. When you’re happy with your edited image, or if you don’t want to edit it at all, click “Next” in the top right.

5. Now, you can add a caption, tag people (you can only tag someone if they also have an Instagram account), and add a location. Additionally, click the button beside Facebook or another linked social media account to share your image on that platform, as well. When you’re ready to publish, click “Share” in the top right.

Upload a Image or Video to Your Stories

In 2016, Instagram launched “Stories”, a feature that allows you to post videos or images that disappear after 24-hours. Instagram’s Stories feature is similar to Snapchat in terms of content — users often post more casual and candid videos and images, offering glimpses into their every day lives.

For instance, you might post a heavily-edited picture of yourself and friends at a baseball game. But you might post a more candid video to your Story of the stadium singing “Sweet Caroline”.

To learn how to upload an image or video to your Stories, follow these steps:

1. Click the camera icon in the top left.

2. Once your within the Stories feature, you can take a picture or video right from within the app. Alternatively, if you have an image saved to your phone that you’d like to use, click the small square in the bottom left corner.

3. Click on a photo you’d like to use in your Stories.

4. In the top right, you have a few different editing features. The smiley face lets you add a location, hashtag, time, date, and other fun images or emojis to your picture. The pencil lets you handwrite or draw on your image. And the “Aa” icon is your text button. Once you click “Aa”, you have the option to change your font by clicking “Classic” at the top. 

5. If you click the smiley face icon, you’ll see the following screen. Simply click on one of the icons to add them to your image. If you don’t like it, drag it to the bottom, and a trash can will appear so you can delete it.

6. For instance, I clicked the smiley face icon to add a location and hashtag to my image. You can also swipe to the left or right to add filters to your photo or video. Once you’re happy with your content, you can either click the “+ Your Story” icon in the bottom left, which allows you to share your Story with everyone who follows you, or select “Send To” to send the post to someone specific.

Follow Users

It’s incredibly easy to find and follow users. Using Instagram’s search feature, you can find celebrities, brands, and friends. Additionally, you can search “Tags” or “Places”. “Tags” is particularly useful if you know what type of content you want to find, but you’re not sure who posts about it.

For instance, you might search “#familyrecipes” under tags — your results will include any images with that hashtag. As you peruse, you might find someone who posts content you really like, and you can choose to follow them so their content appears on your feed.

To follow someone, follow these three easy steps.

1. Click on the search icon on the bottom of your screen (it looks like a magnifying glass).

2. Next, type in a person or brand. For this example, I began searching “mandym” (Mandy Moore) and found her as #1 in the search results. Alternatively, I could’ve clicked “Tags” or “Places” to search those categories.

3. Once you’re on someone else’s account, you’ll see a blue “Follow” button at the top. For public profiles, you can click and immediately begin following that account. However, if the profile is private, you may need to wait for them to accept you first.

And that’s it! You’re on your way to becoming a pro. Once you get the hang of the basics, take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Instagram Marketing to take your account to the next level.

Googling “marketing tips” is like looking up a #MondayMotivation quote to post on Instagram … there are so many, and they all think they’re the very best.

If you think about it, though, finding the “best” marketing tip is relative — to your audience, resources, and marketing goals. What works for one business might not work for another. The same thing goes for #MondayMotivation quotes … and that’s why there are so many to choose from. We’re all different, and we’re all motivated by different things. And that’s a good thing.

But, how do you, as a marketer, consolidate those differences and find a new practice or process that works for you, your audience, and your product or service? Well, you experiment. You try new things. You learn from the experts and those who’ve come before us.

That’s why we’ve compiled this “ultimate list.”

We reached out to a bunch of INBOUND18 breakout speakers and asked them to share their very best marketing tip. Some responses have to do with their personal work, others are relevant to the company of which they’re apart, and a few are just really cool and new perspectives on tried and true marketing practices.

The best part about this list? It’s diverse — in terms of the answers and the people who gave them. There’s lots of great stuff in the responses below, so take your time combing through and take a few notes along the way. You never know what you’ll learn from your peers in the field.

The Ultimate List of Marketing Tips (From Marketers Just Like You)

On prioritizing your target audience …

“The best way to make sure things resonate is to put the audience at the center. The things we want to tell our audience, and the way we want to reach them, may not be the same as the things they need to know and the way they want to be reached. If we start with our audience’s needs, preferences and questions first, and build our marketing plans around that, we’ll likely be met with much greater success and we’ll see better results!”

— Melanie Deziel, Keynote Speaker and Founder of StoryFuel

On personal branding on LinkedIn …

“Stop writing in the third person when it comes to your (or your business’s) LinkedIn summary. Your summary is not a boring bio; it’s your introduction to the person viewing your profile, it’s a handshake. Make it warm, personal, and don’t be afraid to sprinkle your personality into it. It’s your first impression — make it a lasting one!”

— Michaela Alexis, Espresso-Fueled Expert on LinkedIn Personal Branding, Michaela Alexis

On the value of customer trust …

“I define sales as a meaningful transaction between two human beings, so before asking for anything, a customer’s trust must be earned. Brands need to build narratives that align with their organization’s values and then communicate those values to their customers. This leads to increased trust which then translates to brand advocates. Look at the passion of Beyoncé fans or Harley Davidson riders — those brands have created an identity that makes people feel like they’ve added value.”

— Amanda Slavin, CEO & Founder of CatalystCreativ

On creating memorable marketing messages …

“Lots of marketers aspire to create memorable messages. Making something distinct increases the likelihood that it will be better remembered. If you have cereal in your kitchen on most mornings, pizza served in bed will be distinct. To create distinct, memorable messages, first detect pockets of similarity in your industry. You need some similarity in order for the brain to detect distinctiveness. Second, ensure that your distinct message fits within known mental models and then play off of them. Returning to the breakfast example, “having a snake for breakfast” would be too provocative and wouldn’t fit within existing mental models. Change the question of “How do I create a distinct message?” to “How do I twist an existing mental model?” to increase the chances of becoming memorable.”

— Carmen Simon, Cognitive Neuroscientist, Author, and Founder of Memzy

On using events to set your business apart …

“In 2019, businesses will utilize event strategies more than ever before as human experiences will be how companies choose to differentiate themselves, especially those that can’t do so through technologies. The key to any great event strategy is very simple — identify the memory you want attendees to walk away with and work backwards. “

— Kenny Nguyen, CEO of ThreeSixtyEight

On creating a dual content strategy …

“All content consumption is driven by two things: active search and passive discovery. Search takes place on channels like Google, YouTube, and voice. Discovery is driven by word-of-mouth, social algorithms, and media coverage. Consider splitting your content strategy into two — developing one strategy that optimizes for all search algorithms (not just Google) and one geared toward social algorithms and influence-driven channels. Youtube is a fascinating channel in that it is both the world’s second biggest search engine and a leader in passive discovery-mode viewing. When tackling YouTube, consider crafting your content to solve for one of those roles. Create highly findable, how-to content for your area of expertise or a truly engaging editorial series of videos, perhaps on two separate channels.”

— Meghan Anderson, VP of Marketing at HubSpot

On investing in paid social …

“Everything has gone paid on social media. Gone are the days of brands organically growing audiences. Facebook and Google want your money, so give it to them. Never before has data and targeting been so deep and effective. Brands that nail paid social take control of their future.”

— Travis Chambers, Chief Media Hacker and Founder of Chamber Media

On customer experience before the purchase …

“In 2019, customer experience initiatives will become inseparable from marketing strategy. Today’s customer wants a consistent, multichannel experience with a brand, and as marketers,  we have to make sure we’re meeting customers where they are. By making valuable connections throughout the buyer’s journey, we build a positive long-term relationship. Customer experience is no longer something that happens after the sale: it’s an integral part of the buyer’s journey.”

— Patrika Alis, Customer Experience Marketing Manager at Hanzo

On the importance of consistency …

“SELF is a nearly 40-year-old brand competing in the buzzy and crowded health and wellness space. In order to stand out, we had to lean in to what really makes us special. That meant clearly honing our mission and values: We help people make the best choices for their personal health and wellbeing. And we do that by adhering to the values of inclusivity, accuracy, empathy, and autonomy. From there, it’s all about making sure that everything we do ladders up to that greater vision. That consistency is key to our success.”

— Carolyn Kylstra, Editor in Chief at SELF

On repurposing content …

“As both content marketing as a standard practice and your own content marketing program mature, it becomes more and more detrimental to ignore your old content. Having tons of old, outdated, and unoptimized content on your site is like forgetting to untag the most embarrassing pictures from college on your Facebook profile. Even though may not think about them anymore, they’re still there, and people can find them and use them in creating their first impression of you. The more content you have, the more time you need to be spending monitoring, updating, and repurposing old content instead of creating new stuff.”

— Brittany Berger, B2B Content Marketing Strategist at BrittanyBerger.com

On using data to connect the dots …

“Identifying, precipitating and connecting metrics that have a real business impact are arguably the most important things a data-driven marketer can do. It’s critical to step back and ask, “Are we closing the loop between marketing activities and actual sales data?” What further separates the great marketers from the good ones is the ability to connect the dots in time to maximize customer impact. If you take too long to apply what your data is telling you, your customer will likely move on to a competitor. As marketers, we’re lucky to be swimming in a sea of data and technology solutions, but make sure that your technology solutions allow you to quickly link your marketing efforts with results you can take to the bank!”

— Sahil Jain, Co-founder & CEO of Adstage

On building a story around your product …

“As a product marketer, stories have become a crucial part of my day-to-day. Twenty years ago, a company could launch a product with simple messaging, and advertising. Over time, buyers have been exposed to so many messages they now filter out overly promotional ones. So, as you consider launching a new product, or an update to an existing product think about these two tips. First, it’s not about your company. Your team built that product for a reason that matters to consumers, so ensure your messaging is squarely focused on them. Second, look at changes happening in the broader world. Tie your product message into a story with that overall narrative and show them how they can lean-in to that change to find success. It’s a formula we’ve used at HubSpot, and our team continues to use for product launches.”

— Jeffery Vocell, Senior Product Marketing Manager at HubSpot

On how to properly analyze events …

“Treat your live event portfolio just like you would any other marketing channel, rather than just something you manage for your sales team. Events need to be assessed with hard metrics, rather than just ‘gut-feel’ opinions and feedback forms to rate the coffee. Measure attendee engagement, rather than simply counting who registered and who showed up, as this is a great proxy for the effectiveness the event. Finally, integrate this data into your CRM, so marketing is driving event follow up (and keeping those sales teams happy at the same time!)”

— Mike Piddock, Founder of Glisser

On telling visual brand stories …

“Attention is at the heart of marketing — getting it and keeping it. Arresting, powerful visuals are your key to capturing people’s attention, and storytelling is going to keep and help you turn that attention into something you can use. There isn’t a brand flourishing now without beautiful visual language and a compelling story. Google, Apple, Dropbox, Slack, Nike … you name it. As for Prezi, we wouldn’t even exist without both of these factors being absolutely vital in any brand’s success.”

— David Hooker, Head of Creative Services and Evangelism at Prezi

Over to You

Did you learn something new from our ultimate list? How about a new perspective on an old methodology? We compiled such a diverse list in hopes of providing a piece of advice for everyone. Now, go forth and use these marketing tips to grow your business in 2019 and beyond.

Ask any successful sports coach how they win so many games, and they’ll tell you they have a unique plan for every single game they coach. To have a fighting chance against any of their opponents, they need to prepare a specific game plan tailored to each of their opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. Otherwise, they’ll get crushed.

The same logic applies to business. If you want to build a thriving company that can pull ahead of the competition, you need to prepare yourself for battle before you break into a market. Because companies who can find gaps in your business model will quickly learn how to fill those gaps and solve your customers’ problems better than you can.

The business world moves fast, and it’s full of ambitious companies scrambling to gain the majority of their industry’s market share. So how do you keep up? Writing a viable business plan and following it religiously is one of the most important first steps.

Business plans guide you along the rocky journey of growing a company. Referencing one throughout your voyage will keep you on the path toward success. And if your business plan is compelling enough, it can also convince investors to give you funding.

But how do you actually write a viable and convincing business plan? To find out, we scoured the web for the top sample business plans around. Here’s the six best we found.

6 Sample Business Plans to Help You Write Your Own

1. Panda Doc’s Free Business Plan Template

Panda Doc’s free business plan template is one of the more detailed and fleshed out sample business plans on this list. It describes what you should include in each of its sections, so you don’t have to come up with everything from scratch.

Once you fill it out, you’ll fully understand your business’ nitty gritty details and how all of its moving parts should work together to contribute to your business’ success.

2. ThoughtCo’s Sample Business Plan

If you want to reference an actual business plan while writing your own, ThoughtCo’s got you covered. They created a fictional company called Acme Management Technology and wrote an entire business plan for them.

Using their sample business plan as a guide while filling out your own will help you catch and include small yet potent details in your business plan that you otherwise might not have noticed.

3. BPlan’s Free Business Plan Template

One of the more financially oriented sample business plans in this list, BPlan’s free business plan template dedicates more than half of its pages to your business’ financial plan and financial statements.

After filling this business plan out, your company will truly understand its financial health and the steps you need to take to maintain or improve it.

4. Harvard Business Review’s “How to Write a Winning Business Plan”

Most sample business plans teach you what to include in your business plan, but this Harvard Business Review article will take your business plan to the next level — it teaches you the why and how behind writing a business plan.

With the guidance of Stanley Rich and Richard Gumpert, co-authors of Business Plans That Win: Lessons From the MIT Enterprise Forum, you’ll learn how to write a convincing business plan that emphasizes the market demand for your product or service and the financial benefits investors can reap from putting money into your venture, rather than trying to sell them on how great your product or service is.

5. HubSpot’s Complete Guide to Starting a Business

If you’re an entrepreneur, you know writing a business plan is one of the most challenging first steps to starting a business. Fortunately, with HubSpot’s comprehensive guide to starting a business, you’ll learn how to map out all the details of your business by understanding what to include in your business plan and why it’s important to include them. The guide also fleshes out an entire sample business plan for you.

If you need further guidance on starting a business, HubSpot’s guide can teach you how to make your business legal, choose and register your business name, fund your business, gives information about small business tax, and provides marketing, sales, and service tips.

6. HubSpot’s & General Assembly’s Business Plan Template

In 2017, HubSpot partnered with General Assembly, an educational organization that teaches individuals and companies tech skills through on-campus and online classes, to create a business plan template for entrepreneurs.

The template is designed as a guide and checklist for starting your own business, so you’ll learn what to include in each section of your business plan and how to do it. There’s also a list for you to check off when you finish each section of your business plan.

You need a game plan to win the game of business.

Strong game plans help coaches win games and help businesses rocket to the top of their industries. So if you dedicate the time and effort required to write a viable and convincing business plan, you’ll boost your chances of success and even dominance in your market.

Ever wondered how computer programming works, but haven’t done anything more complicated on the web than upload a photo to Facebook?

Then you’re in the right place.

To someone who’s never coded before, the concept of creating a website from scratch — layout, design, and all — can seem really intimidating. You might be picturing Harvard students from the movie, The Social Network, sitting at their computers with gigantic headphones on and hammering out code, and think to yourself, ‘I could never do that.’

Actually, you can.

Anyone can learn to code, just like anyone can learn a new language. In fact, programming is kind of like speaking a foreign language — which is exactly why they’re called programming languages. Each one has its own rules and syntax that need to be learned step by step. Those rules are ways to tell your computer what to do. More specifically, in web programming, they’re ways of telling your browsers what to do.

The goal of this post is to, in plain English, teach you with the basics of HTML, CSS, and one of the most common programming languages, JavaScript. But before we begin, let’s get an idea of what programming languages actually are.

What Is a Programming Language?

Programming, or coding, is like solving a puzzle. Consider a human language, like English or French. We use these languages to turn thoughts and ideas into actions and behavior. In programming, the goal of the puzzle is exactly the same — you’re just driving different kinds of behavior, and the source of that behavior isn’t a human. It’s a computer.

A programming language is our way of communicating with software. The people who use programming languages are often called programmers or developers. The things we tell software using a programming language could be to make a webpage look a certain way, or to make an object on the page move if the human user takes a certain action.

Programming in Web Development

So, when a web designer is given an end goal like “create a webpage that has this header, this font, these colors, these pictures, and an animated unicorn walking across the screen when users click on this button,” the web designer’s job is to take that big idea and break it apart into tiny pieces, and then translate these pieces into instructions that the computer can understand — including putting all these instructions in the correct order or syntax.

Every page on the web that you visit is built using a sequence of separate instructions, one after another. Your browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and so on) is a big actor in translating code into something we can see on our screens and even interact with. It can be easy to forget that code without a browser is just a text file — it’s when you put that text file into a browser that the magic happens. When you open a web page, your browser fetches the HTML and other programming languages involved and interprets it.

HTML and CSS are actually not technically programming languages; they’re just page structure and style information. But before moving on to JavaScript and other true languages, you need to know the basics of HTML and CSS, as they are on the front end of every web page and application.

In the very early 1990s, HTML was the only language available on the web. Web developers had to painstakingly code static sites, page by page. A lot’s changed since then: Now there are many computer programming languages available. In this post, I’ll talk about HTML, CSS, and one of the most common programming languages: JavaScript.

HTML, CSS, & JavaScript: A Tutorial

An overview:

• HTML provides the basic structure of sites, which is enhanced and modified by other technologies like CSS and JavaScript.
• CSS is used to control presentation, formatting, and layout.
• JavaScript is used to control the behavior of different elements.

Now, let’s go over each one individually to help you understand the roles each plays on a website and then we’ll cover how they fit together. Let’s start with good ol’ HTML.

HTML

HTML is at the core of every web page, regardless the complexity of a site or number of technologies involved. It’s an essential skill for any web professional. It’s the starting point for anyone learning how to create content for the web. And, luckily for us, it’s surprisingly easy to learn.

Let me show you what I mean. Take a look at the article below. If I were to ask you to label the types of content on the page, you’d probably do pretty well: There’s the header at the top, then a subheader below it, the body text, and some images at the bottom followed by a few more bits of text.

Markup languages work in the same way as you just did when you labeled those content types, except they use code to do it — specifically, they use HTML tags, also known as “elements.” These tags have pretty intuitive names: Header tags, paragraph tags, image tags, and so on.

Every web page is made up of a bunch of these HTML tags denoting each type of content on the page. Each type of content on the page is “wrapped” in, i.e. surrounded by, HTML tags.

For example, the words you’re reading right now are part of a paragraph. If I were coding this web page from scratch (instead of using the WYSIWG editor in HubSpot’s COS), I would have started this paragraph with an opening paragraph tag: <p>. The “tag” part is denoted by open brackets, and the letter “p” tells the computer that we’re opening a paragraph instead of some other type of content.

Once a tag has been opened, all of the content that follows is assumed to be part of that tag until you “close” the tag. When the paragraph ends, I’d put a closing paragraph tag: </p>. Notice that closing tags look exactly the same as opening tags, except there is a forward slash after the left angle bracket. Here’s an example:

<p>This is a paragraph.</p>

Using HTML, you can add headings, format paragraphs, control line breaks, make lists, emphasize text, create special characters, insert images, create links, build tables, control some styling, and much more.

To learn more about coding in HTML, I recommend checking out our guide to basic HTML, and using the free classes and resources on codecademy — but for now, let’s move on to CSS.

CSS

CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. This programming language dictates how the HTML elements of a website should actually appear on the frontend of the page.

If HTML is the drywall, CSS is the paint.

Whereas HTML was the basic structure of your website, CSS is what gives your entire website its style. Those slick colors, interesting fonts, and background images? All thanks to CSS. This language affects the entire mood and tone of a web page, making it an incredibly powerful tool — and an important skill for web developers to learn. It’s also what allows websites to adapt to different screen sizes and device types.

To show you what CSS does to a website, look at the following two screenshots. The first screenshot is my colleague’s blog post, but shown in Basic HTML, and the second screenshot is that same blog post with HTML and CSS.

Example of HTML (with no CSS)

Notice all the content is still there, but the visual styling isn’t. This is what you might see if the style sheet doesn’t load on the website, for whatever reason. Now, here’s what the same web page looks like with CSS added.

Example of HTML + CSS

Isn’t that prettier?

Put simply, CSS is a list of rules that can assign different properties to HTML tags, either specified to single tags, multiple tags, an entire document, or multiple documents. It exists because, as design elements like fonts and colors were developed, web designers had a lot of trouble adapting HTML to these new features.

You see, HTML, developed back in 1990, was not really intended to show any physical formatting information. It was originally meant only to define a document’s structural content, like headers versus paragraphs. HTML outgrew these new design features, and CSS was invented and released in 1996: All formatting could be removed from HTML documents and stored in separate CSS (.css) files.

So, what exactly does CSS stand for? It stands for Cascading Style Sheets — and “style sheet” refers to the document itself. Ever web browser has a default style sheet, so every web page out there is affected by at least one style sheet — the default style sheet of whatever browser the web page visitor is using — regardless whether or not the web designer applies any styles. For example, my browser’s default font style is Times New Roman, size 12, so if I visited a web page where the designer didn’t apply a style sheet of their own, I would see the web page in Times New Roman, size 12.

Obviously, the vast majority of web pages I visit don’t use Times New Roman, size 12 — that’s because the web designers behind those pages started out with a default style sheet that had a default font style, and then they overrode my browser’s defaults with custom CSS. That’s where the word “cascading” comes into play. Think about a waterfall — as water cascades down the fall, it hits all the rocks on the way down, but only the rocks at the bottom affect where it will end up flowing. In the same way, the last defined style sheet informs my browser which instructions have precedence.

To learn the specifics of coding in CSS, I’ll point you again to the free classes and resources on codecademy. But for now, let’s talk a bit about JavaScript.

JavaScript

JavaScript is a more complicated language than HTML or CSS, and it wasn’t released in beta form until 1995. Nowadays, JavaScript is supported by all modern web browsers and is used on almost every site on the web for more powerful and complex functionality.

In short, JavaScript is a programming language that lets web developers design interactive sites. Most of the dynamic behavior you’ll see on a web page is thanks to JavaScript, which augments a browser’s default controls and behaviors.

Creating Confirmation Boxes

One example of JavaScript in action is boxes that pop up on your screen. Think about the last time you entered your information into an online form and a confirmation box popped up, asking you to press “OK” or “Cancel” to proceed. That was made possible because of JavaScript — in the code, you’d find an “if … else …” statement that tells the computer to do one thing if the user clicks “OK,” and a different thing if the user clicks “Cancel.”

Triggering Slide-In CTAs

Another example of JavaScript in action is a slide-in call-to-action (CTA), like the ones we put on our blog posts, which appears on the bottom right-hand side of your screen when you scroll past the end of the sidebar. Here’s what it looks like:

Storing New Information

JavaScript is particularly useful for assigning new identities to existing website elements, according to the decisions the user makes while visiting the page. For example, let’s say you’re building a landing page with a form you’d like to generates leads from by capturing information about a website visitor. You might have a “string” of JavaScript dedicated to the user’s first name. That string might look something like this:

function updateFirstname() {

let Firstname = prompt(‘First Name’);

}

Then, after the website visitor enters his or her first name — and any other information you require on the landing page — and submits the form, this action updates the identity of the initially undefined “Firstname” element in your code. Here’s how you might thank your website visitor by name in JavaScript:

para.textContent = ‘Thanks, ‘ + Firstname + “! You can now download your ebook.”

In the string of JavaScript above, the “Firstname” element has been assigned the first name of the website visitor, and will therefore produce his or her actual first name on the frontend of the webpage. To a user named Kevin, the sentence would look like this:

Thanks, Kevin! You can now download your ebook.

Security, Games, and Special Effects

Other uses for JavaScript include security password creation, check forms, interactive games, animations, and special effects. It’s also used to build mobile apps and create server-based applications. You can add JavaScript to an HTML document by adding these “scripts,” or snippets of JavaScript code, into your document’s header or body.

If you want to learn more about JavaScript, codecademy has free online courses you can take, too.

The hardest part of coding is getting started — but once you learn the basics, it’ll be easier to learn more advanced programming languages. And if you ever feel overwhelmed, head over to hackertyper.net and hit random keys on your keyboard.

Trust me, you’ll feel better.

Around this time last year, I wrote about a new concept from Samsung SmartThings: connectivity that brings together all the devices one might use in her home and synchronize them in a way that makes them work together under one hub, intelligently.

That was one of the biggest announcements to emerge from the 2017 Samsung Developer Conference last year. This year, during the opening keynote of the event’s 2018 edition, SmartThings was still a star — only this time, the company says, it’s even better.

The credit for that improvement, one might gather from the keynote, largely goes to the remapping over the past year of Bixby: Samsung’s voice assistant, which is powering more and more of the devices it manufactures, helping to keep them all connected in such a “smart” manner.

In other words: Samsung is going all in on voice commands in their products. But what does that mean for the rest of us?

As it turns out, Samsung’s investment in bringing voice assistant to more devices means a lot for marketers — and what they should do to prepare for Samsung’s potential success. Here’s what the company is working on and the most important things to know about them.

Looking Beyond Mobile

Voice assistants are not a new concept. Many of us use them on our phones, such as the iPhone’s Siri; or on home smart speakers, such as the Amazon Echo’s Alexa.

Samsung has taken a similar approach, by building its own voice assistant, Bixby, into its own phones. But Bixby has seen a bit of a slower adoption rate than some of its competitors, owning about 10% of the voice assistant market share on smartphones (compare that to Google Assistant’s 51%). 

The company’s answer to that, it seems, is to power more devices with Bixby, including those that go beyond phones and smart speakers.

That’s where the concept of SmartThings comes in: a suite of Bixby-powered devices and appliances that can controlled in a centralized way. Not only can Bixby be used for such commands as hailing a ride-share or playing music, the company says — it can also be used to report on what’s your refrigerator or manage the functions of your washing machine.

Eui-Suk Chung speaks about Bixby at the 2018 Samsung Developer Conference. Source: Samsung

Many of these features will ideally be controlled through Samsung’s own smart speaker, the Galaxy Home, which, while officially announced in August, has yet to receive a release date or price point. (During a demonstration at today’s event, a representative commented that “the Galaxy Home is not yet complete.”)

Why Marketers Should Pay Attention

It may seem, at first glance, like voice assistants are not marketing channels — and rather are evolving technologies that sometimes work, sometimes don’t, and are largely used to do things like dictate text messages when we don’t have both hands free to type.

But as voice-assistant technology continues to improve — and more companies release their own versions of them — so does their adoption by more users for a variety of tasks. 

That’s where the considerations for marketers enter the picture. If Samsung is successful in implementing a world (and users adapt in kind) where a voice assistant is available not just on our phones, but in most appliances within our homes — it creates that many more platforms where users can connect with and seek information from brands.

Consider recent tools released by Google, made specifically for marketers looking to reach users through the company’s Google Assistant. These tools allow marketers to create visual experiences, enable users to pay for digital products and services, and distribute personalized content all through the Assistant app.

Source: Google

If voice assistants become available to users on multiple platforms beyond our smartphones, we’ll start to see new places for similar marketing tools to reach customers and engage in transactions that way.

Let’s say, for example, that your smart fridge notices you’re low on something you buy regularly (which, Samsung says, it will learn through artificial intelligence capabilities and the way users engage with Bixby). That refrigerator becomes a new platform where transactions can take place, like ordering groceries or subscribing to a meal plan newsletter.

“If Samsung is successful, the odd experience of talking to things will be normalized,” says HubSpot Head of SEO Victor Pan — and in turn, “these appliance platforms will now become business partners.”

And while many of these concepts seem hypothetical in nature, one must look to the adoption history of today’s widely used technology. Once upon a time, they seemed far from mass market permeation. Now, one in four people expect voice search to account for all search queries within the next five years.

“What marketers have to think now is, ‘Oh, here’s what the user’s intent is, based on how this could be a query coming from a smart device’,” Pan explains. “The question you ask of your smart fridge is very different from what you query to your phone or computer.”

Giving thought to those nuances in intent — and how the user could ultimately engage with your brand as a result — is what Pan says will help marketers differentiate themselves when these technologies do become mainstream. 

“The payoffs now are really specific targeting. Think about someone who is a trailblazer on the product innovation curve,” Pan says. “If that maps up to your marketing persona, great. If not, then pay attention to when your customers start to adopt. The point of marketing is to be where your customers are.”

In any case, Samsung sees this development as an opportunity for its own partnership with businesses — and wants to continue to build them in a way that will help developers and marketers alike best reach their audiences.

“Whether you are a small company or a big company, it doesn’t matter,” said DJ Koh, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics, to conclude today’s opening keynote. “We want to build a relationship.”

“Unriddled” is HubSpot’s weekly digest of the tech headlines you need to know. We give you the top tech stories in a quick, scannable way and break it all down. It’s tech news: explained.

Unriddled: The Tech News You Need

1. Amazon Is Rumored to Split Its Second HQ Between Two Cities

Several months after announcing its “narrowed” list of 20 contenders for its HQ2 location, rumors are swirling that Amazon will actually split its second headquarters between two cities.

The two likely winners are Crystal City, Virginia (a neighborhood within the Washington D.C. suburb of Arlington) and Long Island City, a neighborhood within the Queens borough of New York.

According to The New York Times, about 50,000 employees will be split between these two cities, should they be the final cities selected — and where “Amazon already has more employees … than anywhere else outside of Seattle, its home base, and the Bay Area.” Read full story >>

2. Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat Aren’t Adding New U.S. Users

According to a new report from Recode, three of the largest-known social networks — Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat — have stopped growing in the U.S.

That’s bad news for all three networks, for whom U.S.-based users generate over 3X as much revenue for social media companies than those in Europe — and over 10X as much for those in Asia-Pacific region (where Facebook, for instance, is growing fastest).

Source: Recode

“The one exception,” to this all-but-halted U.S. growth, the study says, “appears to be Instagram,” where monthly active user numbers continue to increase. Read full story >>

3. Google’s Latest Chrome Browser Will Crack Down Even More on Abusive Ads

After discovering that its most recent round of protections against abusive ads weren’t as effective as hoped, Google says the newest edition of its browser — Chrome 71 — will more strictly penalize sites with repeated instances of showing these ads.

The ads in question in this particular move are those that pose as system warnings — or those with misleading visuals like “close” buttons that do not actually close the ad, but rather redirect the user to another (usually harmful) site.

Source: Google

“The one exception,” to this all-but-halted U.S. growth, the study says, “appears to be Instagram,” where monthly active user numbers continue to increase. Read full story >>

Sites that are reported to have these ads will be given 30 days to remove them. Meanwhile, beginning in December, Google says the Chrome 71 browser will remove all ads appearing on sites that are already known to have repeated instances of abusive ad displays. Read full story >>

4. Hackers Claim to Have Personal Facebook Accounts Details for Sale, Including Private Messages

A report from the BBC says that unknown hackers have obtained personal details for the accounts of 120 million Facebook users — and appear to have published private messages for around 81,000 of them.

The attackers, who shared these details with BBC Russian Service, claim to be trying to sell these account details, which Facebook says were not obtained as a result of compromised site security.

Rather, the company says, corrupt browser extensions are to blame — and while these extensions were described as “malicious,” few details have been released as to how they were used to scrape this account data.

“We have contacted browser-makers to ensure that known malicious extensions are no longer available to download in their stores,” Facebook VP of Product Management Guy Rosen told the BBC. “We have also contacted law enforcement and have worked with local authorities to remove the website that displayed information from Facebook accounts.” Read full story >>

5. Is Amazon Really Gaining on Google’s Search Traffic? [New Data]

Some speculate that Amazon is gaining on Google’s search traffic, while others say it’s shrinking. We had a look at some data to figure what people are using to search for different types of information. Read full story >>

6. Here’s What’s Stopping Virtual Reality From Going Mainstream

While some in the technology have lofty dreams of virtual reality (VR) going mainstream, it might be a while before we get there. Here’s what we learned about the public perception of VR. Read full story >>

Just do it.

Think different.

Breakfast of champions.

Where’s the beef?

Got milk?

Taste the rainbow.

The six phrases above feature no more than three words. But I’d bet you could tell me which brand each phrase belongs to.

The above slogans aren’t only popular quotes from advertisements, they’re also defining phrases for brands. They inspire case studies, jokes, and Halloween costumes. They’re pillars of our advertising society … and they all came from TV.

Author Ray Bradbury once said, “The average TV commercial of 60 seconds has 120 half-second clips in it or one-third of a second. We bombard people with sensation. That substitutes for thinking.”

It doesn’t take long for consumers to feel, for them to sense something. That’s why these slogans — and many others — aren’t more than a few words.

And that’s why TV commercials, despite their evolution over the last 60 years, are still one of the most effective — albeit most fleeting — marketing strategies.

The following guide will acquaint you with the TV advertising industry and equip you with the tools needed to run your own TV ad. Keep reading to learn more, or use the chapter links below to jump ahead.

History of TV Advertising

TV advertising has changed drastically since 1941 when the first commercial for Bulova Watch Company aired. The ten-second ad cost less than $10 to create and was seen by 4,000 people on WNBT, a local channel in New York. It was aired during a baseball game — the Brooklyn Dodgers vs. the Philadelphia Phillies.

Since then, TV ads have seen drastic changes, both in content and culture. Here’s a brief overview of the history of TV ads.

TV Ads in the 1950s: Sponsored Programs

TV took a break during WWII. But after the war, over a third of US households owned a TV. Companies took advantage of the boost in viewership with sponsored programs, which is when a brand pays for shows to exclusively showcase their products or air their commercials.

Wonder Bread and Cheerios were presented during shows like Howdy Doody and The Lone Ranger. Some companies were even part of program names, like The Colgate Comedy Hour and Texaco Star Theater.

TV Ads in the 1960s: Rules and Regulations

Advertising was everywhere, but it was hardly regulated. Sponsored programs put a lot of creative power in the hands of brands, and programs and networks were resigned to follow suit.

It wasn’t until NBC’s Sylvester “Pat” Weaver introduced what was known as the “Magazine Concept” for TV commercials. Advertisers could purchase time blocks (around one to two minutes) during which their advertisement would air, and multiple brands could advertise during one program … much like in a magazine. In turn, programs and networks gained back creative control, and TV advertising morphed into how we know it today.

This change diversified advertisements and forced brands to become more creative in order to stand out. TV ads became more entertaining, viewers looked forward to commercial breaks, and networks had no problem selling ad space. In 1961, the Committee of Advertising Practice was formed.

The 60s also saw a rise in jingles, a short slogan sung during an ad. Brands like Slinky, Rice-a-Roni, and Dr. Pepper advertised with short, memorable songs.

TV Ads in the 1970s: Defining Audiences

TV advertising in the 1970s was all about recognizing, experimenting with, and regulating audiences. Some brands were bold, such as Winston Cigarettes using the G-rated Flintstones characters to promote their products. Other brands were subtle, like when Gilbey’s Gin hid the word “sex” in its ads. (The latter was a print campaign, but plenty other brands applied this to TV.)

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) outlawed subliminal messaging in 1974 as deceptive advertising. As for the bolder brands, they soon learned that targeting their messages to the right audience was the better, more profitable practice. Tootsie Roll used animated characters like Mr. Owl to advertise to kids. Folgers featured a married, suburban couple to promote their coffee. Bounty targeted restaurateurs and food lovers with their microwave-specific towels.

In turn, companies that advertised to the right audiences and on the right channels had a stronger, more memorable message. 

TV Ads in the 1980s and 1990s: Super Bowl and Storytelling

The 1980s introduced one of the biggest annual phenomena in TV advertising: the Super Bowl. Because so many people tune in for the game, the four-hour window has become one of the most exciting (and expensive) times for commercials. In 2016, advertisers had to pay $5 million for a 30-second spot during Super Bowl 50.

In 1979, Coca-Cola aired one of the most memorable Super Bowl ads to date. Hey Kid, Catch! featured Mean Joe Greene, a defensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers, taking a Coke from a boy and tossing him his jersey in exchange.

It was impactful for a couple reasons: one, it was aired soon after the Civil Rights Movement, and featuring Greene was a major step towards equality and diversity in advertising; two, it didn’t promise anything special. It was simply an injured ballplayer downing a tasty drink that improved his mood. That was enough for Coca-Cola, though, as the ad improved the company’s brand awareness and partnership with the Steelers.

The 80s and 90s were also all about storytelling in advertisements. Apple’s “1984” TV ad introducing their new Macintosh remains one of the most popular TV ads and introduced the slogan “Think Different,” which the brand still uses to this day.

Lots of other companies followed this storytelling model, too. Eggo Waffles featured a little boy with a big invention, Super Soaker empowered two teens to crash a pool party, and McDonald’s told the tale of a little girl at her piano recital.

The 90s also saw the introduction of popular actors and celebrities as spokespeople in TV ads, such as Brad Pitt in a Levi Jeans ad. This paved the way for brand endorsements.

In 1999, TiVO came on the scene and changed TV advertising forever.

TV Ads in the 2000s:

With the introduction of TiVO and DVRs, consumers became accustomed to skipping over TV ads. Companies and brands fought to create more creative advertisements to counteract this, but that didn’t always help.

Product placement was also revived. Friends mentioned Pottery Barn and Oreo, Sex and the City featured Apple’s MacBook, and The Office highlights Staples as Dunder-Mifflin’s biggest competitor.

Today, streaming TV is advertising’s biggest competitor. We’ll talk more about TV ads in 2018 below.

Pros and Cons of TV Ads

Like any marketing method, there are benefits and drawbacks to TV ads. You should ultimately base your decision on your own resources and advertising goals, but these factors are important to consider, too.

Pros of TV Ads

TV ads provide a multi-sensory ad experience. Viewers hear, see, and read your advertisement, meaning they digest the information (and the feelings it provokes) in many different ways.

TV ads have a wide reach. TV as a medium also has deep penetration. These terms basically mean lots of people see TV ads … but we explain reach and penetration in the following section.

TV ads are impactful. They reach your audience when they’re attentive and focused.

TV ads allow your brand to establish a brand identity and expand your brand awareness. They give you a chance to be creative and attach a personality to your company or product.

Cons of TV Ads

TV ads are expensive, more expensive than any other marketing medium. Networks charge for airtime, and hiring writers, actors, producers, and editors can add up, too.

TV ads are hard to change. Unlike display ads, social media posts, or even print ads, you can’t hop in and change a TV ad without shooting a new ad or at least contacting the network. If you do choose to change anything, it’ll cost you more money.

TV ads are avoidable. Although your audience is attentive and focused while watching TV, they might choose to skip over or ignore the commercials. Also, with technology like DVR and streaming on Netflix and Hulu, TV ads can be entirely eliminated if a viewer so chooses.

TV ads can’t be targeted like other marketing channels. You can, however, choose to run your ad on channels and during day-parts that reach your audience. If you sell products for stay-at-home moms, you might run your ad during the day; if you’re advertising a service for working parents, you might run it during nighttime programs.

TV Advertising Terms

Like any niche industry, TV advertising has its own slew of terms, some of which you’re probably unfamiliar. Below you’ll find some common terms used in TV advertising and campaigns.

Reach

Reach is the number of individual people who watch a program during a specific time period.

Penetration

Penetration is the number of households who own a TV or subscribe to cable.

Frequency

Frequency is the number of TV ads placed within a time period that viewers will see.

Share

Share is the percentage of households or people who are viewing a TV ad at a specific time.

Coverage Map

A coverage map (or just coverage) represents the percentage of households or people receiving a particular broadcast signal within a geographic area.

Impressions

Impressions represent the number of households or people who will potentially see a TV ad.

Rating

Rating is a percentage of total households who own TVs who are tuned into a program at a specific time. One percent of the population within a coverage area is equal to one point.

Day-part

A day-part is a set time period within which TV stations sell and segment their programs and ads. Most stations sell their time slots based on rating and day-part. The default day-parts (in EST) are:

• Early Morning — 5:00 to 9:00 am
• Daytime — 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
• Early Fringe — 3:00 to 5:00 pm
• Early News — 5:00 to 7:00 pm
• Prime Access — 7:00 to 8:00 pm
• Prime — 8:00 to 11:00 pm (Mon thru Sat) and 7:00 to 11:00 pm (Sunday)
• Late News — 11:00 to 11:30 pm
• Late Fringe — 11:30 to 2:00 am
• Overnight — 2:00 to 5:00 am

Sweeps

Sweeps refers to a time period (in February, May, July, and November) during which rating surveys are sent to local marketing to measure viewership.

TV sweeps determine station ratings, which is why stations usually run their best programming during the first few weeks of each sweeps quarter.

Gross Rating Points (GRP)

Gross Rating Points represent the measurement of impressions as related to the number of targeted people in a campaign, without regard to repeated impressions. The formula is GRP = Rating x Frequency.

For example, if a TV program has a rating of eight and an ad was run during four episodes, the ad campaign would have a GRP of 8 x 4 = 32.

Run-Of-Schedule (ROS)

A run-of-schedule campaign is when advertisers and agencies will pay for ads to run during any day-part and any show. Most ROS campaigns run overnight as these slots are rarely “sold out.”

Cost Per Thousand (CPM)

The cost per thousand is the cost to reach 1,000 people with a TV ad. CPM is a commonly-used measure of ad efficiency.

Everything You Need to Know About TV Ads

Placing an advertisement on TV might not be for every business. It’s certainly a costly commitment that requires a variety of resources. But if you’re interested in how to run a TV ad for your company, we’ve covered the basics in this section.

Positioning Your TV Ad

The first step to creating and running a TV ad or ad campaign is positioning. Here are a few questions to ask.

• Who is my target audience?
• What TV channels do they watch and when?
• What TV shows on those channels do they watch?

Consider these questions before you move forward in the process. These answers will guide other decisions you might make for your TV ad.

Paying for a TV Ad

Next, let’s talk about money. TV ads are expensive — we all know that.

But there isn’t one set cost for TV ads. Many factors play into the price, including channel, day-part, length of the TV ad, and how much it costs to produce the ad.

The price also changes based on what kind of network on which you want to advertise.

Advertising on Local TV

Local networks are specific to your location. They typically air on low-numbered channels (like 3 or 10) and feature local news, events, and more. Local brick-and-mortar businesses who target audiences in a specific geographic area will find it most cost-effective to advertise on local networks.

The cost of a local TV spot varies but is typically between $200 and $1500 per 30-second ad.

Broadcast / Cable TV Ad

Broadcast and cable TV aren’t synonymous. Broadcast television includes channels like ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX (considered Primary Networks), and typically have local affiliates in each city. (Chicago’s ABC affiliate is WLS.)

Cable television includes channels like The CW, USA, Discovery Channel, ESPN, and HGTV. Both networks require consumers to pay to access.

Cable TV spots are tricky. Not everyone pays for cable (fewer now with TV streaming), but cable channels are more niched than others. This means that your audience will be targeted, albeit smaller than on other channels.

The cost of cable TV ads vary greatly depending on the popularity of programs and day-part. AMC’s The Walking Dead averaged $400,000 per 30-second spot … but that’s probably because it was the most expensive program on cable TV. The season five premiere drew over 17 million viewers.

Broadcast TV spot can either be extremely expensive or pretty reasonable, depending on the program or event. For example, the cost of a 30-second spot during The Big Bang Theory on CBS in 2015 was $344,827. On the other hand, companies paid $1.55 million for a 30-second spot during the 2015 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship Tournament … also on CBS.

Estimating the Cost of Your TV Ad

Like I said above, TV ad costs vary. But with a little math and an understanding of the terms we defined above, you can roughly estimate what your ad might cost.

1. Figure out how many people watch the program during which your ad might air. You can ask the network for Nielsen data to help with your research. Here are the broadcast TV networks in your area.
2. Estimate the CPM of your intended program. The network probably won’t supplement this information, but you can estimate it by dividing the cost of one TV ad by the total viewership — data they should provide. As for the 2018/2019 season, the average CPM for national broadcast networks is $31.97.
3. Determine how many spots you’d like to run during your campaign.

Let’s say you wanted to run 12 spots during a six-week window on your local ABC affiliate during the evening news segment (the Prime Access day-part). The segment is watched by 45,000 people on average, and the CPM is $18.00. Here’s how you’d estimate the price of the ad campaign.

Estimated TV Ad Cost = (# of spots) (# of viewers in thousands) (CPM) = (12) x (45) x (18) = $9,720

Notice that this doesn’t include the cost of creating the ad itself. We’ll dive into this next.

Creating a TV Ad

Producing a competitive, creative TV spot isn’t an easy feat. But what makes it possible is a thorough planning process (like with any advertising or marketing campaign).

The following section is full of questions that’ll help you brainstorm and plan out your TV ad. Don’t skip ahead as previous questions might inspire other answers.

1. What might stand in the way of your TV ad?

By this question we mean: Why would your ad not be successful? Just because TV advertising isn’t the promotional powerhouse it once was doesn’t mean it can’t still be effective.

As a marketer, you just have to be aware of and plan around the initial roadblocks.

The first, most obvious roadblock is DVR, TiVO, and other TV technologies. While you can’t control how people choose to watch TV, you can prepare yourself — and your budget — to not reach the viewership numbers for which you’d hoped. Instead of projecting a specific number, try shooting for a goal range.

Secondly, people get distracted. We’re humans. We have the attention span of a goldfish … which is kind of sad if you think about it. (Op, already forgotten!) Anyway, we get distracted easily, which means you as a marketer need to come up with funnier, more creative ways to keep viewers attentive. Do so, and we might watch through the commercial breaks.

Lastly, advertising burnout is a real thing. Consumers are bombarded with thousands of advertisements throughout their day … how can you make your TV spot not like the others? Try borrowing from those 80s and 90s ad producers and tell a story in your ad. Better yet, focus on features and benefits, not tacky sales tactics.

Don’t let these roadblocks dissuade you. TV spots can still be effective; we’re just equipping you to build the most effective TV ad strategy possible.

2. How long do you have for your TV ad?

At this point, you should know which networks and programs during which your TV ad will air. But how long is the commercial you’re paying for? How long do you have to grab attention and share your call-to-action? Keep this length in mind as you plan your spot.

Don’t be tempted to go over time, even just by a few seconds. It’s not worth it — your ad will be cut and your brand will look unprofessional.

3. What’s the big idea or purpose of your TV ad?

When planning your spot, start small: What’s the big idea of your TV ad? TV ads give you a handful of seconds to convince, inform, entertain, impact, or humor your audience. Jot down the purpose of your ad, or at least what you’d like your audience to take away.

Advertising your new product? Announcing a new location? Introducing a brand partnership? Simply trying to get your name out there? Whatever it is, jot it down. Next, consider how you want your big idea to make your audience feel. The emotion your TV ad provokes will be just as (if not more) memorable than the message it sends.

Focusing on your ad’s big idea and emotional experience will make it impactful for your audience. TV advertising is an expensive, competitive field. You can’t afford (literally) not to stand out.

Every idea needs something that’ll make it pop! How are you going to do that with your spot?

4. What will viewers hear during your TV ad?

TV ads are multi-sensory experiences. That means viewers should understand what your ad is about whether they’re watching it or listening to it from the other room.

Video scriptwriting is much different than any other type of writing. Scripts need to be informative, entertaining and convincing while remaining short and snappy. 

Whether your script is what your characters will say to each other or represents what a narrator might read, commercials give you a limited time frame to get your objective across. Start with your big idea (as defined above) and work from there. Remember the emotional experience you want to convey, and weave that into your writing.

Now, read your script out loud. Role-play with a teammate. Trim any excess content you don’t need. We also recommend writing scripts in Google Docs for easy collaboration with other team members.

Lastly, consider what music you want in your commercial, if any.

5. What will consumers see in your TV ad?

TV ads are so effective because they’re so entertaining … and because the best ones keep viewers around after their program has stopped for a commercial break. Your ad doesn’t have to be synonymous to a TV show, but it should be similarly engaging and visually stimulating.

What or who you include in your spot will depend on your big idea and your target audience. If you’re promoting a new product or business location, you’ll definitely need to show those images or video at some point.

Plenty of great TV ads have been made with gorgeous visuals alone (like Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” commercial), but featuring people can help your viewers relate to your brand. Better yet, if viewers see people similar to them in your spot, they might be able to visualize themselves using your product or service, too. So, if you choose to use people in your TV ad, try using actors that fall into your target audience.

6. How will you create your TV ad?

This question depends on your resources, but hiring a production company should be considered by businesses of all sizes and budgets. If you want to your TV to look professional, you need professionals to create it.

If you simply can’t afford a production company, it’s possible to produce your commercial in-house. Gather scriptwriters, videographers, actors, and designers to get the job done, or consider hiring out a freelancer or specialized contractor to help out.

7. What’s the CTA in your TV ad?

The CTA in your TV ad is similar to your big idea, but it should be much more specific. Is your ad introducing a new product? What do you want your audience to do once they see your ad?

Surely not simply think, “Huh. Neat product.”

No, you want them to take action. Do you want them to buy the product? Visit the product landing page? Share the product on social media? Enter a contest to win the product? Whatever you want your audience to do, include clear directions (both audibly and visibly) for your viewers to follow.

8. How will customers engage with your TV ad? How will you measure this engagement?

The last step in planning your ad is figuring out how your viewers will become visitors, leads, and customers — and how you will track this. Consider how you’ll equip your audience to engage with your TV ad and further research your product, service, or brand.

One way to engage your audience and measure your campaign effect is by providing a vanity URL, which is a simple URL customized for your ad. Short URLs work best because they’re easy to share, use, and remember, especially for offline marketing like TV ads. You can get a vanity URL on sites like Hover and GoDaddy or can just be a page added to your main URL.

For example, if McDonald’s was advertising a new milkshake, they might create a vanity URL for their TV ad campaign like mcdonalds.com/new-milkshake. It’s easy to remember for viewers and easy to track for marketers.

You can also create a phone number specific to your TV ad campaign. 1-800 numbers are trackable — that’s why you see so many on TV ads. Software like CallRail can help you do this. This option is less popular now, though, as the internet has become such a popular research and engagement tool.

Keep an eye on marketing and sales metrics during the span of your TV ad campaign. While you can’t pinpoint direct leads or customers from your campaign in this way, you can at least track a general peak (or valley) effect from your TV ads. Keep an eye on other reasons for increased or decreased sales, such as other marketing efforts or specific seasons.

Lastly, set up a filter to track social mentions, press mentions, and general online chatter about your brand or commercial. Consider giving your commercial a specific title and hashtag to make it easier for your audience to talk about it. Don’t forget to upload your TV ad to YouTube and Vimeo to give your viewers a chance to rewatch and share it on social.

TV Advertising in 2018

In 2014, Netflix’s CPO announced that we were entering an era of “no more commercials.” While the TV advertising landscape has certainly changed, commercials are still alive and well in today’s marketing environment — four years later.

But he did have a point. Netflix and other streaming services have altered how we view and create commercials. While Netflix itself won’t be adding commercials (except for other Netflix shows), streaming services like Hulu and Sling TV show commercials before and between their programs.

Running ads on Hulu are less expensive than on their co-owner NBC, but they’re still pricier than network TV.

The difference with services like Hulu? Consumers have to watch the commercials … unless they invest in a more expensive streaming plan.

If you’re interested, here’s how to reach the streaming-only audiences with Hulu commercials and Sling TV commercials.

Over to You

A lot of work goes into creating that sensation we’ve called the 30-second TV ad. Is it worth it? If you put in the research, target the right audience, and measure your campaign, it certainly can be. The same goes with marketing on any other media. TV advertising may be new to you, but it’s certainly not out of reach. Take a look at your local networks and dip your toe into the world of TV ads.

Pop quizzes always seemed unnecessary and annoying during school. But in the working world, they can be quite useful — you can use quizzes to engage an audience or make sure your new employees understand team protocols.

If you want to create a fun quiz for your audience or one that’ll test your new employees’ knowledge of your team’s methodologies and software solutions, you can use Google Forms to make free, self-grading quizzes in under five minutes. Here’s a quick rundown of how to do so.

How to Create Self-grading Quizzes in Google Forms

1. Visit Google Drive.

2. Click “New”.

3. Hover over “More”. Then, click on “Google Forms”.

3. Click “+” to create a blank quiz.

4. Press the settings button, which is the cogwheel icon, in the top right corner of the page.

5. Move the slider to “Make this a quiz”.

6. Customize options for grade release and what respondents can see during or after the quiz. When you’ve finished customizing your quiz, click save.

7. Give your quiz a name and description.

8. Click “Untitled Question” to type your first question and answer options.

9. To the right of your first question, you’ll see a scroll-down menu that’s labeled “Multiple choice”. Click it to select which type of quiz you want to give.

10. Press “Answer Key” to choose the correct answer and assign a point value to it.

11. Press “Add Answer Feedback” to write answer feedback. You can also hyperlink text if you want to direct respondents to articles or YouTube videos that are relevant to the question.

12. To add another title, description, section, image, or video to your question, press the icon for your desired action in the right sidebar. To add another question to your quiz, press the “+” button.

13. Once you finish creating your quiz, click the “Send” button at the top of the page.

14. You can send your quiz through email, a shared link, or embed it on your website.

Quitting your job is never easy, particularly if you have a good relationship with your boss and colleagues, or you feel they’ve invested time and energy into your professional development.

It might feel like there’s no good way to give your two weeks’ notice, but that’s not true. There are particular actions you can take to ensure you leave a good final impression with your current employer.

Leaving your current company respectfully and thoughtfully can ensure better long-term connections and references — and, even if you’re switching industries, you never know who could help you down the road. Plus, it’s the courteous thing to do.

Here, we’ll explore the best way to give your two weeks’ notice to maintain a positive relationship with your old employer, while ensuring a seamless transition into your next role.

Step One: Organize an In-Person Meeting With Your Boss.

Once you’ve officially signed a contract with your new employer and know your start date, you’re ready to give your two weeks’ notice. The first thing you’ll want to do is write a resignation letter (templates and samples can be found here).

Once you have the letter in-hand, email or slack your boss and set up a time to meet. Say something like, “Hi, I have something I’d like to discuss with you. Do you have thirty minutes over the next couple of days to meet?”

You want to meet with your boss in-person. Similarly to a break-up with a girlfriend or boyfriend, it’s rarely appropriate to end a professional relationship via email.

Avoid telling colleagues until you’ve spoken to your boss. Even if you have a best friend at work, it’s critical your boss hears the news from you. If she hears the news from other employees first, it signals a lack of trust and respect, and could harm a relationship you put a lot of effort into building.

Step Two: During the Meeting, Offer a Transition Strategy.

When you sit down with your boss, be succinct and clear. Rambling or offering a long speech will only make the conversation more awkward.

Say something like, “I wanted to meet with you today to let you know I’ve been offered a position at another company, and it’s an opportunity I can’t pass up. I am giving my two weeks’ notice. I want you to know this wasn’t an easy decision to make, and I’m so grateful for the guidance and growth opportunities you’ve given me.”

It’s important you don’t focus on the exciting opportunities of your new role. During this meeting, your primary goal should be to express a level of appreciation and gratitude for everything your boss has done to help you grow.

Additionally, it will help alleviate your boss’s stress over losing you if you come prepared with tangible actions you plan to implement to help with the transition. For instance, you might say something like, “During my final two weeks, I plan to help you search for a replacement,” or “I will create a guidebook to help the next person take over my current projects.”

Finally, hand over your resignation letter. The letter will make your two weeks’ notice official.

Step Three: Be Prepared for a Counter-Offer.

You don’t want to be caught off guard if your boss suddenly tells you she will boost your salary, or move you to another role on another team, if you agree to stay. Before you meet with your boss, consider how you’ll respond if your boss provides a counter-offer. 

Take some time to consider why you’re leaving your current role, and what your next role is providing. If there are certain circumstances in which you’d stay at your current company, make them clear to your boss, and only stay if you can get those specific promises in writing.

Of course, this might be impossible if you’ve already signed a contract with the new employer. And, even if you’ve only verbally accepted the offer, changing your mind will likely burn bridges with your new company, so you’ll want to think carefully about your reputation before doing so.

Ideally, if there are certain circumstances that could greatly improve your satisfaction in your current role, it’s better if you approach your boss with those requirements before you sign another contract. You can make it clear that if those needs aren’t met, you’ll begin considering other opportunities.

Step Four: Know The Details Regarding Benefits.

It’s critical you know your options regarding benefits, health insurance, pension, and 401(K). It can be confusing to transfer benefits or healthcare from one company to another, and additionally, your new company might not be ready to offer new coverage immediately.

If this is true, you have alternative options — for instance, if you’re facing a gap in health coverage, COBRA allows you to continue your current health insurance for 18 months, at your own expense.

Take a look at “What Happens to Your Benefits When You Leave Your Job” by Northwestern Mutual, to learn more information regarding your options. 

Step Five: Don’t Check Out — Work Just as Hard in Your Last Two Weeks.

It will be impossible to maintain a positive relationship with your employer after you leave if you check out during your last two weeks and put in minimal effort. First off, your employer is still paying you, so they deserve your utmost effort. Secondly, the effort you put into your role now will go a long way towards sustaining better connections down the road.

Coworkers will remember what you were like at the end. Give them something good to remember. You never know how your positive reputation can help you network in the long-run.

You’ll want to work hard to tie up loose ends and make it easy for the next person to take your place. For instance, perhaps you’ll create a document so your team members know where certain files are, or where you left off on a project.

Additionally, you’ll still want to arrive on time (if not early), leave at an appropriate time, and remain a team player. If the rest of your team is staying late to finish a project before a deadline, you should, too.

Step Six: Offer Warm and Heartfelt Goodbyes.

In today’s business world, it’s all about who you know. You never know if a colleague on your team will end up helping your younger brother get a job, or become a freelancer for your new company a few years later. Nurturing those relationships is critical to ensuring success throughout your entire career.

When the day comes for you to say goodbye, you should take the time to send thoughtful goodbye messages to your colleagues. Perhaps you’ll send out a mass email to the team. Alternatively, you could consider writing a handwritten note or personalized email to members of your team to whom you feel particularly close. Warmly wish them well, and provide contact information like an email or LinkedIn account, so you can stay in touch.