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‘Think Different’ campaign creator Ken Segall says Apple is ‘losing its personality’

Ken Segall, the ad director behind the Think Different campaign, and a close confidante of Steve Jobs, believes that Apple is losing its personality with its current marketing.

Segall argues that having a clear brand personality is even more important at a time when the smartphone market is a mature one and the ability to differentiate on design and features is reduced …  more…

New videos show hands-on footage with 6.1-inch and 6.5-inch 2018 iPhone dummy models

As we get closer to the launch of this year’s iPhone models, we’re seeing an increasing number of images of dummy models.

While none are claiming to be the real thing, they are based on what are said to be leaked schematics from Apple’s supply-chain, and therefore an accurate representation of the appearance of the 2018 iPhone line-up. We saw the latest photos yesterday, and today two new videos have emerged …

more…

The Best Podcasts: What You Should be Listening to Now

Since 2017, six million more Americans started participating in the same activity.

Any guesses about what this rapidly growing pastime could be?

People are listening to podcasts. 

One-third of Americans between the ages of 25-54 currently listen to podcasts monthly and this number is expected to continue rising this year due to their convenience and intimacy.

No matter your location, you can download and listen to a podcast at any time — information and entertainment wherever you want it at the touch of a button. In fact, 52% of people listen while driving, 46% while traveling, and 40% while running, walking, or biking.

But there are thousands of podcasts available, so what podcasts should you listen to? And if you’re already a listener, are there any other shows you should consider tuning in to? It can be hard to find a podcast that really piques your interest, so we put together a list of suggestions to help:

 

Business

There are hundreds of business and management related podcasts that will help you stay on top of the latest industry trends, lead in the most effective way possible, and keep your fellow employees excited about coming to work.

Planet Money

planet-money

It’s like sitting down with a friend who tells you everything you need to know about the economy …. and you actually enjoy yourself.

The Growth Show

the-growth-show

Since this is an original podcast by HubSpot, I asked the show’s producer — Matthew Brown — to describe it: “The show features interviews with industry leaders about what it’s really like to grow a business, a movement, an idea, or a team.”

How I Built This

How-i-built-this

Guy Raz discusses the story behind some of the top companies in the world and the entrepreneurs, businessmen and women, risk-takers, and pioneers who made them so successful.

Business Wars 

business-wars

Ever heard the saying “business is war?” It certainly appears to be that way for some of the biggest competitors in the world, such as Google, Apple, and Samsung. 

Host David Brown takes listeners through the ways these battles shape businesses, what they produce, and how consumers are impacted.

HBR Women at Work

women-at-work

This podcast — hosted by three women — sheds light on the issue that so many females face in the workplace: gender discrimination. 

Some of the topics discussed include unequal pay, differing workplace standards between men and women, and advice for women on how to communicate with male colleagues in a professional setting. Hosts and guests share real experiences about coping with various issues as a female leader, coworker, and employee.

WorkLife with Adam Grant

work-life-adam-grant

Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist, helps listeners uncover the keys to success and happiness in the workplace through descriptions of some of the most unique and impactful businesses. Grant provides listeners with advice that encourages them to view their work in a new light.

Startup

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Have you ever wondered what it’s really like to start a business? Gimlet’s StartUp podcast will take you through the ups and downs, challenges and rewards of starting your own company, all while analyzing real stories and examples.

Masters of Scale

masters-of-scale

How do certain companies grow quickly and substantially? Host Reid Hoffman interviews some of the top CEOs today — such as Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, and Eric Schmidt — on how their companies made it big.

Side Hustle School

side-hustle-school

Is there a product you’ve been thinking about creating?? Or a passion project that will help you enter the career you actually want?

Side Hustle School gives entrepreneurs who have jobs — that they want to keep for the time being — advice on how to build a business on the side. The host interviews guests who successfully created their own side hustle to inspire listeners to make the leap.

For more on which business podcasts you should listen to, check out this blog.

Comedy & Entertainment

These humorous and engaging podcasts will make you laugh and smile wherever you are listening.

The Joe Rogan Experience 

the-joe-rogan-experience

This podcast features comedian Joe Rogan hosting long-form conversation with his friends and special guests, such as MMA fighters, comedians, actors, authors, artists, and other entertainers.

They discuss their personal lives, funny stories, and really anything that comes up naturally in conversation or that Rogan has on his mind. The show is entertaining and exciting for listeners of all backgrounds.

Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me! 

wait-wait-don't-tell-me

Are you up to speed on current events?

This podcast quizzes you on your news knowledge. With questions and statements that are both real and fake, it’s your job to determine what’s correct and what’s fake.

Heavyweight

heavyweight-gimlet

Do you remember a time in your life when you felt as though something should have ended differently? 

Heavyweight’s host, Jonathan Goldstein, tells stories about normal people who can pinpoint a specific decision or an event in life that they believe ended poorly. Goldstein then helps these people confront their issues, come to terms with the situation, and move on.

2 Dope Queens

2-dope-queens

Hosts Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams are best friends — and they’re funny. They host a live comedy show in Brooklyn and talk about real issues, share humorous stories, and discuss their personal lives, as well as the lives of their fellow comedian guests. 

Side note: We have good news for you 2 Dope Queens fans — Robinson and Williams will be speaking at HubSpot’s INBOUND event in Boston this September!

Hold On 

hold-on-podcast

True stories about comedians lives, work experiences, and friendships are all covered in Eugene Mirman’s podcast Hold On. Mirman doesn’t let anything slide — the funny, embarrassing, and personal details are always uncovered.

The Dollop

the-dollop

Are you a history buff? If so, you may love The Dollop.

The entertaining, comedian-hosted podcast takes important moments in history and examines them in detail.

WTF with Marc Maron

wtf-marc-maron

Maron interviews other comedians, celebrities, and public figures about specific situations in their personal lives and their work. Maron is one of the best interviewers out there, and he always makes learning something new about his guests fun.

Comedy Bang Bang

comedy-bang-bang

Scott Aukerman chats with celebrities and some of the funniest comedians around in this weekly podcast. Guests answer fun interview questions, play games, and engage in comedic banter. Aukerman’s open door policy always allows for entertaining and eccentric guests to join the show.

You Made It Weird

you-made-it-weird

Everyone has that thing that makes them a little weird — a talent, interest, obsession, or hobby that they may keep secret from others. Host Pete Holmes invites other comedians and celebrities on his show to uncover their weirdness.

How Did This Get Made?

how-did-this-get-made

Do you ever find yourself loving a movie even though you realize it’s actually a bad film? The three hosts of this podcast will watch these movies with some of their comedian friends and report back on how they felt about the flick.

Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People 

beautiful-anonymous

Host Chris Gethard opens the phone line once a week and picks up for one anonymous caller. That person can talk for an hour about anything – embarrassing stories, self-promotion, family problems, serious personal issues, or a funny incident.

The best part: Gethard can’t hang up the phone first.

R U Talkin’ R.E.M. RE:ME? 

r-u-talkin-rem-re-me

Any R.E.M. fans out there? How about Parks and Recreation fans? Adam Scott (of Parks and Rec) and co-host Scott Aukerman discuss the impact that the band R.E.M has had in the music industry through album and song analysis.

Educational

Looking to learn something new? Need some interesting trivia questions? Stump your family and friends with fun and important facts that you’ll learn from these educational podcasts.

Stuff You Should Know 

stuff-you-should-know-podcast

This award winning podcast is published on the How Stuff Works site and covers a wide variety of topics – pop culture, historical information, crime, technological advancements, and more.  

The SYSK hosts are humorous, keeping this education podcast light and entertaining.

TED Talks Daily

 ted-talks-daily-podcast

This is the podcast version of the popular TED Talks, which are viewed by millions of people around the world and cover every topic — from science to creativity to psychology.

99% Invisible 

99%-invisible

Whether or not we realize it, design is everywhere. This podcast brings forward the design and architecture that surround us all and explores the power behind their method, process, and form.

This American Life 

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This journalistic podcast stems from the This American Life weekly public radio program and features nonfiction reviews of essays, memoirs, historical content, and current events.

The show has won several of the top broadcasting awards and 2.5 million people download the podcast every week.

Lexicon Valley

lexicon-valley
Lexicon Valley is about words, vocabulary, and language — as you may have guessed based on its name. Hosted by a linguist, topics covered include current and dead languages, syntax, meanings, and pet peeves.

Reply All

reply-all-podcast

Reply All is produced by Gimlet and explores the vast world of the internet. The podcast features stories, facts, and studies that explain how we interact with the internet, and how the internet shapes so much of our lives today.

Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History 

dan-carlins-hardcore-history

Carlin — podcast host, journalist, and broadcaster — examines major historical events with his unique and often unorthodox way of thinking..

Every Little Thing

every-little-thing-podcast

This Gimlet-produced podcast will answer your most interesting, specific, and random questions such as, “do dogs have belly buttons?” and “how old is Winnie the Pooh?” Listen to ELT to get some of the best trivia questions to ask at your next family dinner.

Revolutionist History 

revisionist-history

Malcolm Gladwell explores events, people, ideas, and more from the past to try and gauge whether or not people got it right the first time around. He takes listeners through moments in their pasts that may have been ignored or forgotten and highlights the decisions that were made around them.

Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness 

getting-curious-podcast
This podcast has one simple goal: review any topic that host Jonathan Van Ness is curious about in detail. All fields and subjects are up for discussion in the weekly show.

Invisibilia 

invisibilia

Invisibilia is Latin for “invisible things.”

The podcast reviews the invisible things, or unseeable forces, that drive human behavior and decisions. It gives listeners insight into how their brains work and why they feel tempted to act in certain ways or make specific decisions.

Kids

If you’re looking for some entertainment while you drive your kids to school in the mornings or if you’re heading out on a family vacation sometime soon, these educational podcasts may be of interest — and you might just learn something too!

Brain’s On! Science Podcast for Kids

brains-on-podcast

Both children and adults will love this science podcast fit for those with curious, wandering minds. Every week a new science-related question is asked and both kid scientists and adult radio hosts work their way through answers and conclusions together.

Storynory 

storynory

Classic fairy tales, short stories, poems, myths, and more are read by Storynory’s narrators every week. These audio stories are great when traveling with children or for some simple, educational entertainment around the house.

Wow in the World

wow-in-the-world

Stories about some of the world’s most exciting places, people, events, and buildings are discussed in this fun podcast for inquisitive children. The two hosts make audio learning fun.

Dream Big

dream-big-podcast

This family friendly podcast teaches children the importance of following their dreams and finding their passions at every point in their lives. 

Eva Karpman — the 7-year-old host — along with her mother, Olga, interview some of the world’s best performers about what motivates them to stick with what they love and become successful.

What If World

what-if-world-podcast

Children and their parents are encouraged to use their imaginations to come up with the wackiest and most exciting questions for the hosts of What If World to discuss on their show. These can be unrealistic and fun questions such as, “What if there was never-ending recess?”

News and Politics

In a society where the news cycle runs 24/7, it is easy to miss important stories and breaking information. These podcasts will help you stay on top of the ongoing news cycle so you never fall behind on the latest breaking broadcast or political story.

The Daily by The New York Times

the-daily-podcast

The New York Times produces this 20-minute current events and news podcast five days a week. The shows are ready by 6 a.m. Monday through Friday so listeners are able to catch the biggest stories prior to or during their morning commutes.

Pod Save America 

pod-save-america

Four of President Obama’s former aides discuss a wide range of political topics with journalists, comedians, and influencers about the current situation in Washington D.C.

BBC Global News Podcast

global-news-podcast

BBC is one of the most trusted news sources in the world. Their Global News Podcast provides listeners with coverage of the top current events around the globe.

Today, Explained

today-explained

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by current events? Or that you’re not getting important the news-related information you want throughout the day?

This podcast is produced every evening for listeners to enjoy after a day of work and catch up on the news they may have missed or misunderstood.

Embedded

embedded-podcast

Embedded host Kelly McEvers takes specific news stories and dives into them one at a time. She goes into great detail about one recent event per show so listeners can get all of the facts they need.

Rough Translation

rough-translation-podcast

Have you ever wondered how news stories are translated throughout the world? How is a story, conversation, or event being talked about in another country?

Rough Translation will walk listeners through these changes and renditions.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

the-axe-files

David Axelrod is the founder of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and his podcast is produced by CNN. He interviews important members of the political world and gets the details on newsworthy events.

Culture

Places, people, and jobs you know little to nothing about explained — these podcasts will make you smile, laugh, and cry.

Ear Hustle

ear-hustle-podcast

Have you ever wondered what it’s like living in prison?

Ear Hustle is created and produced by people actually living within the prison system. They share information about their lives, mistakes, and other personal stories to give listeners an accurate view into the American prison system and the humans who are living behind bars.

Song Exploder

song-exploder-podcast

It’s no secret that every song has a meaning — that’s why people create and listen to music.

Song Exploder interviews musicians and has them explain one of their songs in detail. The artists give listeners background information on why they created their song, what went into the production, why certain decisions were made, and more.

Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin

here's-the-thing-alec-baldwin

Actor, producer, and comedian Alec Baldwin takes listeners into the private lives of some of the most famous celebrities. His interviews take place in the celebrities’ homes, studios, offices, and dressing rooms to give listeners a new point of view on their favorite famous figures.

Radiolab

 

radiolab-podcast

Culture, science, and music all come together in Radiolab — broad topics related to one or all of these fields are investigated in detail through stories, sounds, and interviews.

Weird Work 

weird-work-podcast

Another awesome podcast — if we do say so ourselves — produced by HubSpot. Not everyone sits at a desk from 9-5, five days a week. This show highlights some of the weirdest jobs people have, how they got started in the field, and what it’s like to have an unconventional career.

Keep It!

keep-it-podcast

Keep It host Ira Madison III discusses the importance of the intersection of politics and pop culture in today’s society. Madison invites journalists, politicians, celebrities, activists and more onto his show, which airs every Wednesday.

True Crime

Do you like thrillers and scary movies? Spooky stories — both fiction and non-fiction? The following true crime podcasts will give you the chill you’re itching for.

In the Dark

in-the-dark-podcast

Have you ever heard the name Curtis Flowers? 

Over the course of 21-years he has been tried six times for the same crime — the murders of four people in Mississippi — and has been found innocent every time. Reporter Madeleine Baran investigates the case and examines the reasons behind Flowers’ innocence.

Serial 

serial-podcast

This podcast — which is part of the This American Life production — uncovers the truth behind one real crime story every season. The host of the podcast — Sarah Koenig — learns the details of the crime in real time, so listeners are able to follow along as the case unfolds.

My Favorite Murder 

my-favorite-murder-podcast

The two female hosts of this podcast have been fans of horror stories and true crime for as long as they can remember. During the show, they share their favorite thrillers along with stories of horror and crime from their friends, family, and fans of the podcast.

Death in Ice Valley 

death-in-ice-valley-podcast

As part of the BBC World Service, Death in Ice Valley brings listeners a crime that has been unsolved for nearly 50 years.

An unidentified woman’s body was found in Norway — but who was this woman? Why has no one come forward with information about her life or disappearance? How has no one ever reported her missing?

Lore

lore-podcast

This award-winning, bi-weekly podcast reviews non-fiction scary stories and thrillers that are perfect tales to share around the campfire or during the Halloween season. Superstitions, crime, unknown creatures, and haunted places are all talked about on this podcast.

Crimetown

crimetown-podcast

Organized crime has changed the way certain cities in America have grown and developed. Crimetown, another popular podcast produced by Gimlet, reviews the ways organized crime has left a mark on different cities throughout the U.S. A new city is discussed every season.

Missing & Murdered: Finding Cleo

missing-and-murdered-finding-cleo

Cleo — of the Cree tribe in Canada — was taken from her family by child welfare as a young girl. She was relocated, and adopted in the United States in the 1970s. 

But Cleo then went missing and was found dead. Host Connie Walker tries to uncover the truth behind Cleo’s disappearance.

Criminal 

criminal-podcast

Criminal has been in production since 2014. With a new story every episode, the show tells listeners about people who have committed a crime, have been the victim of a crime, or are affiliated with a crime in some way.

Personal & Health

Whether you need help relaxing, motivation to stay active and healthy, or inspiration to find your next career move or hobby, there is a podcast to help you reach your goal.

The Art of Manliness

the-art-of-manliness-podcast

This podcast — which is targeted at men — was created to promote kindness, strength, love, and understanding in boys and men of all ages. 

The show reviews studies on manliness and parenting, philosophy, biology, and more to explore ways that all men can become better men.

Sleep With Me: The Podcast That Puts You To Sleep 

sleep-with-me-podcast

High strung or wound up? Thinking about a million things when you are trying to sleep? 

This podcast will help you get the rest your body wants and needs. Listeners hop in bed, close their eyes, and listen to a story that gets progressively more boring with time so they can drift off and get to sleep faster.

Savage Lovecast

savage-lovecast

Advice columnist Dan Savage answers fans questions about sex and politics. Listeners can also call in and ask Savage a question that he will answer on his show, so it’s about real people and real “love” problems..

Good Life Project

good-life-project-podcast

Good Life Project will inspire you to live your best life, find what you’re passionate about, stay productive, and learn to be fully-engaged. The conversations between the podcast’s hosts and guests are relatable, touching, and honest.

Hidden Brain 

hidden-brain-podcast

Whether or not we realize it, brain patterns drive the way each of us think, react, and behave every day. 

Hidden Brain — produced by NPR — takes listeners through a multitude of reasons why they behave in certain ways. This podcast will help you better understand yourself and the people you interact with.

Technology

Learn about the newest developments and innovations happening every day in tech and media with these podcasts.

Recode Decode

recode-decode

Host Kara Swisher — a well-respected technology journalist — teaches listeners about the biggest names, developments, and innovations in tech and media. She interviews industry leaders about their experiences, plans, and achievements.

Crazy / Genius

crazy-genius-podcast

This podcast — produced by The Atlantic — poses questions, possible conclusions, and ideas regarding the culture and innovation happening in the tech world today.

Online dating, blockchain, Facebook, space, and smartphones — are human interactions with technology actually sustainable? Listen to find out.

Note to Self

note-to-self-podcast

The relationship between humans and technology these days is a complicated one. We rely on technology in so much of what we do — but when is it too much?

Note to Self looks into this situation and asks questions about the way technology fits in our lives today, and how that relationship may change in the future.

a16z 

a-16-z-podcast

Experts in tech, business, media, and news discuss trends, developments, and cultural changes within their industries. This podcast — which is produced by a venture capital firm in Silicon Valley — includes interviews with some of the most prominent figures in the tech world.

Gadget Lab

gadget-lab-podcast

This podcast covers the latest tech information about social networks, entertainment, mobile, services, and more.

The Vergecast 

the-vergecast

The Vergecast provides listeners with an overview of what’s new and changing in the tech industry with a rundown of the week’s latest stories, developments, successes, and failures.

Marketing

The way companies market their products and services has changed dramatically in recent years — consumers have all of the resources they need to make an informed purchase at their fingertips.

The following podcasts will help you reach your target audience and keep up with the latest marketing trends.

Skill Up

skill-up

Google’s algorithm is constantly changing, and the search landscape is becoming more and more competitive. This podcast gives up-to-date advice on SEO and content strategy — from voice search to featured snippets to international SEO.

Skill Up is a modern guide to getting your content to rank and driving more traffic to your website.

Call to Action

call-to-action-podcast

Online marketing successes are explained in this podcast so listeners can take the lessons and apply them to their own businesses.

Interviews with campaign managers and digital marketing professionals provide people with tactical advice on how they can improve their marketing campaigns and overall online presence.

Copyblogger FM

copyblogger-fm

Content marketing, copywriting, digital marketing, and lead and conversion optimization are only some of the topics discussed in this weekly podcast. Experts chat with host Sonia Simone and analyze the changes within the marketing industry.

Social Media Marketing Podcast: Helps Your Business Thrive with Social Media

social-media-marketing-podcast

Companies know social media marketing is important these days, but not everyone knows how to do it well.

This podcast teaches listeners how to go about social media marketing in a smart and effective way with applicable advice, tactics, ideas, and methods to successfully reach their target audience.

#FlipMyFunnelPodcast

flip-my-funnel-podcast

This daily podcast includes interviews with some of the top leaders in the marketing and sales industries on ways to help B2B professionals stay on top of the latest trends and reach their goals.

The shows also give professionals advice on how to stay aligned with their fellow employees and customers to achieve success.

Conclusion

Stay entertained, learn something new, keep your brain sharp, and remain informed with podcasts. In a world where everything seems to be getting faster – and where more is expected from people in less time – it’s easy to fall behind on the book you are reading or miss a section in the morning broadcast.

Podcasts move with you and create a great solution for those of you looking to stay informed while on the go – or even those of you who would rather sit back, close your eyes, and listen to a story in bed rather than read a novel, watch TV, or listen to music.

Podcasts continue to grow in popularity every year so why not give one a try? Search any topic on a platform such as iTunes or Spotify, download a show to your device, and start listening.

8 Inspiring Quotes from INBOUND 2018 Speakers

No matter what you do for a living, you need a daily dose of inspiration to stay motivated and keep pushing towards your goals. 

But capturing that inspiration isn’t always so simple. 

To give you an extra boost of motivation today, we’ve put together a list of eight of the most uplifting and thought-provoking quotes from INBOUND 2018 speakers. This list — combined with an extra cup of coffee (you deserve it!) — is sure to help you tackle your biggest challenges with enthusiasm. 

To see these speakers (plus many more) live in September, register for INBOUND 2018 now.

8 Inspiring Quotes from INBOUND 2018 Speakers

1. Mo Gawdat – Chief Business Officer, Google X

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2. Cleo Wade – Artist, Poet & Author

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3. Lena Waithe – Emmy Award-Winning Writer, Producer, and Actress

 

4. Payal Kadakia – Founder, ClassPass

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5. Deepak Chopra – Bestselling Author & Founder, Chopra Foundation

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6. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – Award-Winning Novelist and Writer

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7. Scott Harrison – Founder & CEO, charity:water

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8. Beth Comstock – Former Vice Chair, GE

Looking for even more inspiration? Follow @INBOUND on Instagram, or start planning your INBOUND 2018 experience today. You can see all the speakers featured in this article live at INBOUND in September, plus many more.

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How to Strikethrough Text in Google Docs [FAQ]

Strikethrough text is like body language in your writing. It allows you to convey subtext or your true opinion about something, without explicitly expressing it:

  • If the guest post pitch doesn’t have a draft attached, I will gladly take the extra effort to permanently delete it from my inbox probably won’t respond.

To leverage one of writing’s most popular tools on Google Docs, follow the instructions below:

  • Step 1: Highlight the text you want to strikethrough
  • Step 2: Click the “Format” section in the header
  • Step 3: Hover over the “Text” button
  • Step 4: Select the “Strikethrough” button

If you want to strikethrough text in a more efficient way, use the keyboard shortcut for it:

  • On Mac, highlight your text and ⌘ + Shift + X
  • On PC, highlight your text and press Alt + Shift + 5

How to Evaluate and Partner With Social Media Influencers

Want to collaborate with social media influencers to promote your products and services? Wondering which influencers are a good fit for your business? In this article, you’ll find out how to get started with influencer marketing campaigns. #1: Identify Potential Social Media Influencers First, it’s helpful to understand what types of influencers you’ll encounter. While […]

The post How to Evaluate and Partner With Social Media Influencers appeared first on Social Media Examiner.

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7 Innovative & Inspiring Examples of Augmented Reality in Marketing

For now, augmented reality (AR) is still largely a novelty — AR’s newness alone contributes to its ability to surpass print, online, and television advertisements in terms of shock-factor. As The Drum reports, AR can capture people’s attention for over 85 seconds, increase interaction rates by 20 percent, and improve click-through rates to purchase by 33 percent.

Right now, people will stop and look at AR-inspired experiences, regardless of the campaign’s overall quality. But as more companies incorporate AR into their marketing strategies, and as AR technology becomes more ubiquitous, you’ll need to produce more thoughtful campaigns to impress your audience. Eventually, AR will become mainstream, and its prevalence in the industry will make it harder to compete.

Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, has said that AR will one day be as important in our everyday lives as “eating three meals a day.” So, the question is — how can your marketing strategy effectively capture an audience’s attention, once AR has become commonplace?

Here, we’ll look at seven companies that use AR in innovative and inspiring ways. These examples should be all the inspiration you need to brainstorm and execute a brilliant long-term AR marketing strategy.

Augmented Reality Examples

1. Home Depot

Decorating a home isn’t easy — how do you know if you’ll actually like the yellow paint that looks beautiful online, but might be too bright in your bathroom? What if that coffee table doesn’t fit in your living room like you’d hoped?

In 2015, Home Depot released their Project Color app, which uses patent technology to show users what a paint color will look like in their home. The AR technology takes into account lighting, objects, and shadows in the room, so you can see how that yellow shade will look in real life. If you don’t trust your own judgment, you can also share images from the app on social media, to get a friend’s opinion.

In 2017, Home Depot took it a step further — now, you can also use their app to check out how objects like patio furniture, faucets, and other products look in your home.

Home Depot isn’t the only home furniture store to use AR to create value for their users — Lowe’s and Ikea have similar AR technology built into their apps.


Image courtesy of HomeDepot.com

2. Timberland

If you’re anything like me, the idea of trying on items in the dressing room can sometimes deter you from shopping at all. More than once, I’ve said, “I’ll buy it, try it on at home, and return it if I don’t like it,” just to avoid the hassle of carrying a pile of clothes into a dressing room line.

In the interest of convenience and comfortability, Timberland created a virtual fitting room in Moktow Gallery in 2014. Using Kinect motion sensing technology, Timberland’s virtual fitting room allowed shoppers to see an image of their face, and a similarly-sized model body, in different outfits.

If you’re going to use AR, you’ll want to brainstorm unique ways to help your customers avoid an otherwise burdensome process. While fitting rooms might not be the end of the world (first-world problems?), Timberland stands out as a helpful brand by offering customers a fun and useful alternative.


Image courtesy of Lemon&Orange Youtube channel

3. Sephora

There’s a reason many women don’t buy makeup products online — it’s impossible to know if you’ll like the lip color or foundation coverage if you don’t try it on, in-store.

Sephora understands this struggle, and created an augmented reality experience, Virtual Artist App, with ModiFace to ensure Sephora app users can see how makeup products will look on their face via their phone’s camera. Users can also find out which tools or products they’ll need to apply certain products.

Additionally, Modiface’s augmented reality technology can show users the effects of months of skincare on their skin — a visual they won’t find in-store.

Bridget Dolan, Sephora’s head of innovation, appreciates the necessity of a long-term AR strategy. “When it comes to augmented and virtual reality, it can only be successful if it’s truly useful,” Bridget told Glossy. “We weren’t interested in just buzzy. A lot of things like technical accuracy and timing had to come together, and there was a time last year when, during testing, we hit a tipping point.”

Sephora’s use of augmented reality isn’t just helpful for users — it also drives sales by appealing to Sephora’s more tech-savvy consumers, and encouraging those consumers to become brand ambassadors by recording and sharing their augmented reality experiences online.


Image courtesy of SephoraVirtualArtist.com

4. AMC Theatres

Delivering a message when and where your audience wants to receive it is a critical component of a successful marketing strategy. This is especially true when it comes to AR.

AMC Theatres, understanding their audience is most interested in upcoming movie trailers when they’re at the movies, incorporated AR technology into their AMC app. When a user sees a movie poster in a theatre, they can open the AMC app on their phone, scan the poster, and receive relevant information, including a cast list and a trailer.

If they’re interested in the movie after scanning, they can also purchase a ticket immediately, within the app.

Ultimately, AMC Theatres is providing optimal convenience with their use of AR — while a user can YouTube a trailer or Google a review, there’s an added incentive to check the movie out and purchase a ticket when the user can do it all in one place.


Image courtesy of AMCTheatres YouTube channel

5. Pepsi

In 2014, Pepsi installed AR technology in a London bus shelter, making it appear as if a lion, UFOs, flying saucers, and other objects were headed straight for Londoners.

The production showcased Pepsi’s playful personality and provided the audience with an exceptional experience. Afterwards, a video of the bus shelter’s AR technology attracted over six million views on YouTube — making it one of YouTube’s most viewed advertising campaigns.

Pepsi’s campaign highlights the effectiveness of AR when a company truly knows their audience. Pepsi didn’t need to use AR to advertise their products — instead, they trusted their consumers to appreciate the surreal experience and naturally share the story with friends, creating buzz around their brand as a result.


Image courtesy of TheVerge.com

6. StubHub

Augmented reality enables you to both visualize and interact with a space — two critical functions when choosing how much you’re willing to pay for a stadium seat.

For Super Bowl LII, StubHub introduced an AR feature on their mobile app that allowed ticket buyers to see a virtual 3D model of the U.S. Bank Stadium, as well as nearby parking garages and concession stands. This enabled potential buyers to visualize their full experience before purchasing, and minimized the risk of paying for a subpar seat.

StubHub’s reliance on AR solved for a common customer problem — as StubHub CTO Matt Swann points out, “We’re solving for real pain points, not just tech for the sake of tech. For a lot of people, it’s not an event you just show up for, it’s kind of a bucket list item.”

Particularly for out-of-towners, the ability to virtually compare different seat locations adds a level of comfort for hesitant buyers.

Back in 2016, the company also introduced a “virtual view” option on their app, letting ticket buyers preview their view from their seats before purchasing. The results were tremendous — StubHub saw app engagement more than double within one year.


Image courtesy of Mashable

7. Taco Bell

There are two big reasons you’d visit a Taco Bell in 2012 — to try their new Doritos taco shell, or to play with their augmented-reality packaging.

Taco Bell placed an AR feature on each Locos Tacos box and soda cup for their Doritos shell campaign. When a user scanned the box with the Taco Bell app, they could see product-related Twitter and Facebook content on their phones.

By connecting their users with live social media content, Taco Bell successfully used AR to cultivate a stronger sense of community. They also showcased their brand as a major player in innovation, particularly in the fast-food industry.


Image courtesy of BrandChannel.com

Social Media Definitions: The Ultimate Glossary of Terms You Should Know

For many people, posting a tweet, hashtagging an Instagram caption, and sending out an invite for a Facebook event on Facebook has become common practice. 

(In fact, if you’re highly experienced, you probably do all three at once.)

But with new social media networks and innovative software cropping up almost daily, even seasoned social media users are bound to run into a term or acronym that leaves them thinking, “WTF?”Click here to learn about using social media in every stage of the funnel.

For those head-scratching moments, we’ve created the ultimate glossary of social media marketing terms.

Whether you’re still hung up on the difference between a mention and a reply on Twitter or you just want to brush up on your social knowledge, check out the following roundup of social media terms to keep yourself in the know. 

A

1. AddThis – AddThis is a web-tracking technology company that offers a wide range of social media and content tools — from responsive sharing buttons to custom follow buttons to recommended content plugins — designed to help you increase engagement on your website and earn more followers on social media. 

2. AMA – AMA is an acronym for “ask me anything,” which originated in a popular subreddit where users will use the term to prompt questions from other users. Since its inception, the term has gone on to be used in other online social settings, such as this discussion on Inbound.org.

3. Algorithm – An algorithm is a set of formulas developed for a computer to perform a certain function. This is important in the social sphere as the algorithms sites like Facebook and Google use are critical for developing content promotion strategies.

4. Application Programming Interface (API) – An API is a documented interface that allows one software application to interact with another application. An example of this is the Twitter API.

5. Avatar – An avatar is an image or username that represents a person online, most often within forums and social networks.

B

6. Bitly – Bitly is a free URL shortening service that provides statistics for the links users share online. Bitly is popularly used to condense long URLs to make them easier to share on social networks such as Twitter.

7. Bio – A bio on social media refers to a short bit of explainer text that explains who the user is. To see some examples, check out this roundup of some of the most amusing bios on Twitter.

8. Blog – Blog is a word that was created from two words: “web log.” Blogs are usually maintained by an individual or a business with regular entries of content on a specific topic, descriptions of events, or other resources such as graphics or video. “Blog” can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

9. Blogger – Blogger is a free blogging platform owned by Google that allows individuals and companies to host and publish a blog typically on a subdomain. Example: yourblogname.blogspot.com

10. Blog Talk Radio – Blog Talk Radio is a free web application that allows users to host live online radio shows.

11. BoardReader – BoardReader is a free search engine that allows users to search for keywords only in posts and titles of online forums, a popular form of social networking.

12. Bookmarking – Bookmarking online follows the same idea of placing a bookmark in a physical publication — you’re simply marking something you found important, enjoyed, or want to continue reading later. The only difference online is that it’s happening through websites using one of the various bookmarking services available, such as Pocket, or right within your browser.Social Media Conten Template

C

13. Canva – Canva is an easy-to-use design tool for non-designers and designers alike. The tool offers several templates that adhere to the required dimensions for sharable social images on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. 

14. Chat – Chat can refer to any kind of communication over the internet but traditionally refers to one-to-one communication through a text-based chat application, commonly referred to as instant messaging (IM) applications.

15. Circles – Circles are clusters of a user’s friends, colleagues, family, or connections on Google+. You get to choose who goes in what Circle, and when you want to share content with only these individuals, you include that specific Circle in your post’s sharing options.

16. Clickbait – Clickbait is a term to describe marketing or advertising material that employs a sensationalized headline to attract clicks. They rely heavily on the “curiosity gap” by creating just enough interest to provoke engagement. 

17. Clickthrough Rate – Clickthrough rate is a common social media metric used to represent the number of times a visitor clickthrough divided by the total number of impressions a piece of content receives. 

18. Collective Intelligence – Collective intelligence is a shared intelligence that emerges from the collaboration and competition of many individuals and appears in consensus decision-making in social networks.

19. Comment – A comment is a response that is often provided as an answer or reaction to a blog post or message on a social network. 

20. Compete – Compete is a web-based application that offers users and businesses web analytics. It also enables people to compare and contrast the statistics for different websites over time.

21. Community Manager – The community manager is responsible for building and managing the online communications for a business in an effort to grow an online community.

22. Connections – The LinkedIn equivalent of a Facebook ‘friend’ is a ‘connection.’ Because LinkedIn is a social networking site, the people you are connecting with are not necessarily people you are friends with, but rather professional contacts that you’ve met, heard speak, done business with, or know through another connection. Connections are categorized by: 1st degree, 2nd degree, and 3rd degree.

23. Conversion Rate – Conversion rate refers to a common metric tracked in social media that is the percentage of people who completed an intended action (i.e. filling out a form, following a social account, etc.).

24. Craigslist – Craigslist is a popular online commerce site in which users sell a variety of goods and services to other users. The service has been credited for causing the reduction of classified advertising in newspapers across the United States.

25. Creative Commons – Creative Commons is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to making it easier for people to share and build upon the work of others, consistent with the rules of copyright. It provides free licenses and other legal tools to mark creative work with the freedom the creator wants it to carry, so others can share, remix, use commercially, or any combination thereof.

26. Crowdsourcing – Crowdsourcing, similar to outsourcing, refers to the act of soliciting ideas or content from a group of people, typically in an online setting.

D

27. Delicious – Delicious is a free online bookmarking service that lets users save website addresses publicly and privately online so they can be accessed from any device connected to the internet and shared with friends.

28. Digg – Digg is a social news website that allows members to submit and vote for articles. Articles with the most votes appear on the homepage of the site and subsequently are seen by the largest portion of the site’s membership, as well as other visitors.

29. Direct Message – Direct messages — also referred to as “DMs” — are private conversations that occur on Twitter. Both parties must be following one another to send a message.

30. Disqus – Disqus is a comment system and moderation tool for your site. This service lets you add community management and social web integration to any site on any platform.

E

31. Ebook – An ebook is an electronic version of a book. However, most ebooks are not actually available in print (unless you print them). These are typically published in PDF form. For marketers, ebooks commonly serve as lead generating content — people must fill out a form to receive their ebook copy.

32. Employee Advocacy – Employee advocacy refers to the act of employees using their own social presence to increase the reach of the company and its content. 

33. Endorsement – An endorsement on LinkedIn refers to an instance in which another LinkedIn user recognizes you for one of the skills you have listed on your profile. 

34. Engagement Rate – Engagement rate is a popular social media metric used to describe the amount of interaction — likes, shares, comments — a piece of content receives.

35. Eventbrite – Eventbrite is a provider of online event management and ticketing services. Eventbrite is free if your event is free. If you sell tickets to your event, Eventbrite collects a fee per ticket.

F

36. Facebook – Facebook is a social media platform founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004. The site connects people with friends, family, acquaintances, and businesses from all over the world and enables them to post, share, and engage with a variety of content such as photos and status updates. The platform currently boasts around 1.49 billion active users.

37. Fans – Fans is the term used to describe people who like your Facebook Page.

38. Favorite – Represented by the small star icon on Twitter, favoriting a tweet signals to the creator that you liked their content or post. 

39. Flash Mob – A flash mob is a large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and pointless act for a brief time, then quickly disperse. The term flash mob is generally applied only to gatherings organized via telecommunications, social media, or viral emails.

40. Flickr – Flickr is a social network for online picture sharing. The service allows users to store photos online and then share them with others through profiles, groups, sets, and other methods.

41. Forums – Also known as a message board, a forum is an online discussion site. It originated as the modern equivalent of a traditional bulletin board, and a technological evolution of the dial-up bulletin board system.

42. Follower – In a social media setting, a follower refers to a person who subscribes to your account in order to receive your updates. 

43. Follow Friday (#ff) – Follow Friday is a trend via the hashtag #ff every Friday on Twitter. Users select other usernames and tweet them with #ff in their post, meaning they recommend following those Twitter users. There is debate whether this trend is past its prime.

44. Friends – Friends is the term used on Facebook to represent the connections you make and the people you follow. These are individuals you consider to be friendly enough with you to see your Facebook profile and engage with you.

G

45. GaggleAMP – GaggleAMP is a social media marketing platform that provides businesses with the ability to leverage its employee’s online presence to increase brand awareness and expand its reach.

46. Geotag – A geotag is the directional coordinates that can be attached to a piece of content online. For example, Instagram users often use geotagging to highlight the location in which their photo was taken. 

47. GIF – GIF is an acronym for Graphics Interchange Format. In social media, GIFs serve as small-scale animations and film clips. (Check out this round up of reaction GIFs used to illustrate our excitement when Facebook announced that they were supporting their functionality.)

48. Google Chrome – Google Chrome is a free web browser produced by Google that fully integrates with its online search system as well as its other applications.

49. Google Documents – Google Documents is a group of web-based office applications that includes tools for word processing, presentations, spreadsheet analysis, etc. All documents are stored and edited online and allow multiple people to collaborate on a document in real-time.

50. Google+ – Google+ is Google’s social network. It serves as a platform for users to connect with friends, family, and professionals while enabling them to share photos, send messages, and engage with content. Google uses the “+1” to serve as the equivalent to a Like on Facebook or Instagram. 

H

51. Handle – Handle is the term used to describe someone’s @username on Twitter. For example, HubSpot’s Twitter handle is @HubSpot. 

52. Header image – A header image refers to the large photo displayed at the top of your profile on Twitter. The header image is also commonly referred to as the banner image on LinkedIn or the cover image on Facebook. 

53. Hangout – A Hangout is a video service on Google+ that allows you to video chat with up to 10 Google+ users are a time. You can name these chats, watch YouTube videos during them, open a Google Doc with colleagues, and much more.

54. Hashtag – A hashtag is a tag used on a variety of social networks as a way to annotate a message. A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by a “#” (i.e. #InboundMarketing). Social networks use hashtags to categorize information and make it easily searchable for users. 

55. HTML – HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is a programming language for web pages. Think of HTML as the brick-and-mortar of pages on the web. It provides content and structure while CSS supplies style. HTML has changed over the years, and it is on the cusp of its next version: HTML5.

I

56. Impressions – An impression refers to a way in which marketers and advertisers keep track of every time ad is “fetched” and counted. 

57. Inbound Marketing – Inbound marketing is a style of marketing that uses permission-based marketing techniques to get found by potential customers, convert them into leads, customers, and advocates, and analyze the process along the way. Inbound marketing leverages tactics and tools such as SEO, blogging, social media, lead generation, email marketing, lead nurturing, marketing automation, surveys, personalization, and CRM. 

58. Instagram – Instagram is a photo sharing application that lets users take photos, apply filters to their images, and share the photos instantly on the Instagram network and other social networks like Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, and Foursquare. The app is targeted toward mobile social sharing, and has gained more than 300 million users. 

59. Instant Messaging – Instant messaging (IM) is a form of real-time, direct text-based communication between two or more people. More advanced instant messaging software clients also allow enhanced modes of communication, such as live voice or video calling.

K

60. Klout – Klout is a measure of social influence. The service allows users to connect various social accounts such as Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, etc., and then provides every user with his or her Klout score. The score is out of 100 — the higher the score, the more influence it estimates you have in the social world.

L

61. Like – A Like is an action that can be made by a Facebook or Instagram user. Instead of writing a comment or sharing a post, a user can click the Like button as a quick way to show approval.

62. Link Building – Link building is an aspect of search engine optimization in which website owners develop strategies to earn links to their site from other websites with the hopes of improving their search engine ranking. Blogging has emerged as a popular method of link building.

63. LinkedIn – LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site with over 380 million members in over 200 countries and territories. Founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking. 

64. LinkedIn Publishing – LinkedIn’s publishing platform functions as a place where members can publish long-form posts that related to their professional interests and expertise. While this capability used to be limited to LinnkedIn Influencers only, the platform was opened up to everyone in 2014.

65. LinkedIn SlideShare – LinkedIn SlideShare is an online social network for sharing presentations and documents. Users can favorite and embed presentations as well as share them on other social networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

66. Listed – The act of being “listed” on Twitter refers to when a user curates a custom list of Twitter users to more easily keep tabs on their tweets. 

67. Live streaming – Live streaming is the act of delivering content over the internet in real-time. This term was popularized in social media by apps such as Meerkat and Periscope. 

68. Lurker – A lurker online is a person who reads discussions on a message board, newsgroup, social network, or other interactive system, but rarely or never participates in the discussion.

M

69. Mashup – A content mashup contains multiple types of media drawn from pre-existing sources to create a new work. Digital mashups allow individuals or businesses to create new pieces of content by combining multiple online content sources.

70. Meerkat – Meerkat is an app that allows users to stream live video from their mobile devices. 

71. Meme – A meme on the internet is used to describe a thought, idea, joke, or concept that’s widely shared online. It is typically an image with text above and below it, but can also come in video and link form. A popular example is the “I Can Has Cheezburger?” cat meme that turned into an entire site of memes.

72. Mention – A mention is a Twitter term used to describe an instance in which a user includes someone else’s @username in their tweet to attribute a piece of content or start a discussion. 

N

73. Native Advertising – Native content refers to a type of online advertising in which the ad copy and format adheres to the format of a regular post on the network it’s being published on. The purpose is to make ads feel less like ads, and more like part of the conversation. 

74. News Feed – A news feed is literally a feed full of news. On Facebook, the News Feed is the homepage of users’ accounts where they can see all the latest updates from their friends. The news feed on Twitter is called Timeline.

75. Newsjacking – Newsjacking refers to the practice of capitalizing on the popularity of a news story to amplify your sales and marketing success. 

P

76. Pandora – Pandora is a social online radio station that allows users to create stations based on their favorite artists and types of music.

77. Periscope – Periscope is a social video app that allows users to broadcast live video from wherever they are. App users also have the ability to engage with others videos, browse live or recent broadcasts, and follow users to receive notifications.

78. Permalink – A permalink is an address or URL of a particular post within a blog or website that remains indefinitely unchanged.

79. Pinterest – Pinterest is a photo sharing social network that provides users with a platform for uploading, saving, and categorizing “pins” through collections called “boards.” Boards are typically organized by theme, such as: Food & Drink, Women’s Fashion, Gardening, etc. Users have the ability to “pin” and “repin” content that they like to their respective boards. 

80. Podcast – A podcast is a series of digital media files, usually audio, that are released episodically and often downloaded through an RSS feed.

81. Pocket – Pocket is an app that enables users to manage a reading list of articles they’ve saved from the internet to read later. Pocket has an open API that allows it to integrate with over 500 applications including social networks like Twitter.

82. PPC – PPC is an acronym for pay per click. Pay per click is an online advertising model in which advertisers display ads on various websites or search engines and pay when a visitor clicks through. Bid-based PPC involves an auction in which advertisers compete with other advertisers by setting the max bid — or highest amount they’re willing to pay — for each click. Each time a visitor triggers the ad spot, the auction process pans out to select which ad will be displayed. 

Q

83. Quantcast – Quantcast provides website traffic and demographics for websites. The tool is primarily used by online advertisers looking to target specific demographics.

R

84. Real-Time Search – Real-time search is the method of indexing content being published online into search engine results with virtually no delay.

85. Real-Time Marketing – Real-time marketing is a strategy that requires marketers to publish timely content as news breaks. For example, Oreo tweeted this quick-witted response to the 2013 Super Bowl blackout as it was unfolding. 

86. Recommendation – A recommendation on LinkedIn is a term used to describe a written note from another LinkedIn member that aims to reinforce the user’s professional credibility or expertise. 

87. Reddit – Reddit is a social news site that contains specific, topic-oriented communities of users who share and comment on stories.

88. Reply – A reply is a Twitter action that allows a user to respond to a tweet through a separate tweet that begins with the other user’s @username. This differs from a mention, because tweets that start with an @username only appears in the timelines of users who follow both parties. 

89. Retargeting – Retargeting is an online marketing and advertising technique that allows marketers to display ads to people who have visited their website or are part of their contacts database. For more on how a retargeting campaign works, check out this beginner’s guide.

90. Retweet – A retweet is when someone on Twitter sees your message and decides to re-share it with his or her followers. A retweet button allows them to quickly resend the message with attribution to the original sharer’s name.

91. RSS Feed – RSS is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated content such as blogs and videos in a standardized format. Content publishers can syndicate a feed, which allows users to subscribe to the content and read it when they please from a location other than the website (such as Feedly or other RSS readers).

92. RSS Reader – An RSS reader allows users to aggregate articles from multiple websites into one place using RSS feeds. The purpose of these aggregators is to allow for a faster and more efficient information consumption. 

S

93. Search Engine Optimization – Search engine optimization is the process of improving the volume or quality of unpaid traffic to a website from search engines.

94. Selfie – A selfie is a self-portrait that is typically taken using the reverse camera screen on a smartphone or by using a selfie stick (a pole that attaches to your camera). Selfies are commonly shared on social media networks like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook using the hashtag #selfie. 

95. Skype – Skype is a free program that allows for text, audio, and video chats between users. Additionally, users can purchase plans to place phone calls through their Skype account.

96. Snapchat – Snapchat is a social app that allows users to send and receive time-sensitive photos and videos known as “snaps,” which are hidden from the recipients once the time limit expires (images and videos still remain on the Snapchat server). Users can add text and drawings to their snaps and control the list of recipients in which they send them to. 

97. Snapchat Story – A Snapchat story is a string of Snapchats that lasts for 24 hours. Users can create stories to be shared with all Snapchatters or just a customized group of recipients. 

98. Social Inbox – Social Inbox is an app in the HubSpot software that plugs into your contacts database and allows users to optimize their social monitoring, publishing, and analysis.

99. Social Media Monitoring – Social media monitoring is a process of monitoring and responding to mentions related to a business that occur in social media.

100. Social Proof – Social proof refers to a psychological phenomenon in which people seek direction from those around them to determine how they are supposed to act or think in a given situation. In social media, social proof can be identified by the number of interactions a piece of content receives or the number of followers you have. The thought is that if others are sharing something or following someone, it must be good. 

101. Social Selling – Social selling is a sales concept in which representatives leverage the power of social communication to engage with prospects by answering their questions, providing helpful content, clarifying information, etc. 

102. StumbleUpon – StumbleUpon is a free web-browser extension that acts as an intelligent browsing tool for discovering and sharing web sites.

T

103. Tag – Tagging is a social media functionality commonly used on Facebook and Instagram that allows users to create a link back to the profile of the person shown in the picture or targeted by the update. 

104. Trending Topic – Trending topics refer to the most talked about topics and hashtags on a social media network. These commonly appear on networks like Twitter and Facebook and serve as clickable links in which users can either click through to join the conversation or simply browse the related content. 

105. Troll – A troll or internet troll refers to a person who is known for creating controversy in an online setting. They typically hang out in forums, comment sections, and chat rooms with the intent of disrupting the conversation on a piece of content by providing commentary that aims to evoke a reaction. 

106. Tumblr – Tumblr is a microblogging platform that allows users to post text, images, video, audio, links, and quotes to their blog. Users can also follow other blogs and repost other users’ content to their own blog.

107. Twitter – Twitter is a real-time social network that allows users to share 140-character updates with their following. Users can favorite and retweet the posts of other users, as well as engage in conversations using @ mentions, replies, and hashtags for categorizing their content. 

108. Tweepi – Tweepi is a social media management tool that provides users with a platform for simplifying the way they manage their social following. It’s typically used for mass following or unfollowing a group of people based on certain criteria. 

109. Tweetdeck – Tweetdeck is a Twitter tool that provides users with a way to manage their Twitter presence through custom columns. The platform integrates with the Twitter API to allow users to both send and receive tweets.

110. Twitterverse – Also referred to as the Twittersphere, Twitterverse is a nickname for the community of users who are active on Twitter. 

U

111. User-Generated Content – User-generated content is content — blogs, videos, photos, quotes, etc. — that is created by consumers. Marketers typically tap into their audience in an online setting to collect this type of content to support a campaign or initiative. 

V

112. Vine – Founded in 2012, Vine is a social video sharing service in which users create and engagement with short-form, six-second video clips. Videos published through the service are easily shared across other social platforms such a Twitter and Facebook.

113. Viral – Viral is a term used to describe an instance in which a piece of content — YouTube video, blog article, photo, etc. — achieves noteworthy awareness. Viral distribution relies heavily on word of mouth and the frequent sharing of one particular piece of content all over the internet.

114. Vlogging – Vlogging or a vlog is a piece of content that employs video to tell a story or report on information. Vlogs are common on video sharing networks like YouTube. 

W

115. Webinar – A webinar is an online seminar or presentation that is hosted by an individual or a company. Most often, the host requires attendees to fill out a form before granting them access to stream the audio and slides. In marketing, webinars are held to educate audiences about a particular topic while opening up the floor for a discussion to occur on social media using the webinar’s unique hashtag. 

Y

116. Yammer – Yammer is an private social network for companies which is often described as “Facebook for business.” It is intended to be used by organizations for internal communication purposes. 

Z

117. Zapier – Zapier is a software that leverages “zaps” to connect apps and provides users with a way to automate tasks. Zaps are automations that contain both Triggers and Actions. For example, you can connect your Twitter with your Evernote to save your favorited tweets to a folder, or connect Facebook and Twitter to tweet posts from a Facebook Page.

How to Use Social Media at Every Stage of the Funnel

 
How to Use Social Media at Every Stage of the Funnel

The 27 Best Instagram Accounts for Design Inspiration

Instagram has become a finely curated destination for gorgeous photos, videos, and visual content that all clamor for the best Likes and comments. It’s as if the urge to visit a modern art museum can now be satisfied from the comfort of our own homes — or bus seats, or lunch breaks.

That is, if you follow the right people. As social media generally provides a platform for individuals to become brands, so it goes for the artists and designers who have found Instagram to be a method of building a miniature, digital art gallery — a social portfolio, if you will.

And as for the people seeking remarkable design work? Jackpot.Download 25 free Instagram templates to increase engagement and elevate your  presence. 

But to help you narrow your search, we’ve done a bit of our own curation of the best Instagram accounts to follow for design inspiration. We’ve broken the list down by category: illustration, graphic design, pop art and installation, color palettes, street art, photography, typography, and calligraphy — although, you might notice that some of the work below could fall onto more than one list. notice some of their work could fall into a number of different lists.

Check out how these artists are sharing their work with the world — we’re sure you’ll find them as inspiring as we do.

The 27 Best Instagram Accounts for Design

Click on a category below to jump to that section:

Illustration

1) Steve Harrington: @s_harrington

Steve Harrington is a Los Angeles-based designer who describes his own style as having a “psychedelic-pop aesthetic.” His Instagram is full of his brightly colored, playful illustrations, many of which he’s created for brands — most notably Nike, for which he’s designed sportswear, including shoes.

2) Rachel Ryle: @rachelryle

Rachel Ryle is an illustrator, an animator, and a storyteller — and she combines all three on her Instagram account. Most of her posts are beautiful, clever, and often super cute stop-motion videos like the one below. She told Mashable that each animation takes 15–20 hours from the beginning concept to final editing, on average. If you like her work, Instagram is the place to follow her: It’s her most dedicated channel for showcasing her work. 

3) Mikey Burton: @mikeyburton

Mikey Burton, based out of Chicago, calls himself a “designy illustrator” — his way of saying he works part time in both. Burton has done work for clients like Converse, ESPN, Target, The New York Times, TIME Magazine, and Esquire. He’s been working on a lot of editorial pieces lately, which he posts proudly on his Instagram — along with other, often-whimsical illustrations both as sketches and as final, published projects.

4) Jamel Saliba: @melsysillustrations

Jamel Saliba, a.k.a. Melsy, is equal parts artist and entrepreneur, having quit her job in her mid-twenties to become a successful, full-time fashion illustrator. Her sketches are beautifully done and cover themes like fashion, friendship, and love — all in the style of contemporary chic. Since her initial success on Etsy caught the eye of consumers and brands alike, Melsy’s done client work for Hallmark, T.J.Maxx, and Home Goods.

On Instagram, she posts a combination of illustrations added to her portfolio, as well as those celebrating events or holidays, like the illustration she posted for Halloween.


Graphic Design

5) Neil A. Stevens: @neil_a_stevens

Neil A. Stevens specializes in poster design, and he’s particularly good at creating sharp, dynamic pieces.  He’s created posters for many cities and countries around the globe, including a handful for the Tour de France. 

6) Hey Studio: @heystuxdio

Hey Studio is made up of three designers: Ricardo Jorge, Veronica Fuerte, and Mikel Romero — and is one of Spain’s most popular graphic design studios. A lot of their work features stunning geometric shapes, which they post to their Instagram account in combination with pictures of their team during the creation process (and when they’re just fooling around).

Tip: Shuffle through the entire carousel of images in the post below to see the full dimension range of work.

7) Luke Choice: @velvetspectrum

Luke Choice is an Australian living in New York whose work covers graphic design, illustration, and typography. His style is very colorful and very unique — I especially love the 3D illustration work he does, some of which are crazy cool animations. Check out his Instagram feed to see his latest work, from his own personal projects to collaborations with brands like Nike. 

Pop Art & Installation

8) Jessica Walsh: @jessicawalsh

I’m so inspired by Jessica Walsh, both as a designer and as an entrepreneur. She joined the design firm Sagmeister & Walsh, Inc. at age 23 — back when it was just Sagmeister, Inc. Two years later, the firm’s founder Stefan Sagmeister took her on as a partner when she was only 25, and the firm eventually became Sagmeister & Walsh. They’ve designed work for very high-profile clients, such as Levi’s and HBO.

Walsh’s Instagram account is a gorgeous display of her own work, the firm’s, and design inspiration from others. 

9) Daniel Aristizábal: @darias88

Colombian Digital Artist Daniel Aristizábal’s talent is transforming regular, everyday objects into surreal, colorful renditions that are full of character. His work is “saturated with science references, retro hues, strange imagery, bold geometric patterns, and a playful sense of the absurd,” reads his SkillShare bio.

Follow him on Instagram for a peek into how he sees the world, including the collaborations he’s worked on with clients like Toy Nail Polish and Refinery29.

10) Dschwen LLC: @dschwen

Dschwen LLC is a creative studio based in Minneapolis that employs collaborative designers throughout the United States. Their design projects are created mainly for brands — including some big names like Amazon, Apple, Juicy Couture, General Electric, Uber, Twitter, and more.

They’ve won a plethora of awards, including a Design Gold at Cannes Creativity Festival for the second image below, “traffic cone in disguise,” which they created for Twitter and Niche. Their Instagram page is chock full of creative, surprising, and clever designs — including some sweet animations.

11) Leta Obierajski: @letasobierajski

Leta Obierajski is a New York-based art director and graphic designer with an eye for bright colors, angles, and curves. What I like about her Instagram account in particular is that she writes descriptive Instagram captions that give her followers a behind-the-scenes look at her thoughts and processes, making for an incredibly interesting read.

For example, in her caption for the image below, she describes her collaboration with a fellow designer on this installation for local restaurant Le Turtle:


Color Palettes

12) Design Seeds: @designseeds

The folks behind Design Seeds’ Instagram account do a wonderful job of showing their followers just how important color schemes are to beautiful design. They use Instagram to create color palettes inspired by images submitted to them on Instagram using the #SeedsColor hashtag. This is a fun way to share their passion for nature’s beauty while encouraging engagement. 

13) Canva: @Canva

As a design tool, it makes sense that Canva’s Instagram account would be centered around design. Not only do they post gorgeous photos and design work, but I especially love their color palette series, where they create color palettes based on photos, much like Design Seeds.

As an added bonus, they include the names and hex codes of each color and prompt their followers to punch the hex codes into their Canva color wheel to use them in their own designs.

Street Art

14) Jaime Rojo: @bkstreetart

Jaime Rojo isn’t a street artist; he’s a photographer of street art. One of his goals, which he articulates on his website, is to photograph new public art, street art, graffiti, and urban art as they’re created, not just in Brooklyn, but all over the world (thanks to a partnership with Urban Nation Berlin). He keeps an eye on developing trends and strives to lead a worldwide conversation about how these trends affect popular and art culture. His Instagram is a live collection of his photographs, in which he credits and tags the artist when known.

15) Biafra Inc.: @biafrainc

Biafra Inc. is an anonymous Minneapolis-based street artist who creates his work via spray paint, screen printing, stencils, stickers, and posters. As he tells it, his work is often “a visual retelling of stories that are apart of his life.” As a self-proclaimed news junkie, he also incorporates socio-political themes in his work from time to time. His Instagram account is an inspirational showcase of his work in a variety of urban environments all over the Midwest. 

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16) Fumeroism: @fumeroism

“My art is an extension of my character, bold and uninhibited, assertive and unorthodox.” That’s how anonymous street artist Fumeroism describes his colorful, expressive, contemporary street art. His designs are often caricatures of real subjects, like his portrait of fellow street artist Sebastien Waknine in Barcelona in the image below. Follow Fumeroism on Instagram for colorful, bold, and energetic street art in locations all over the world.  

17) Banksy: @banksy

Unsurprisingly, the famous British street artist Banksy often goes for long peiods of time without posting to his Instagram account. And yes, it is his official account — Banksy’s publicist Jo Brooks confirmed it in a tweet:

But when he does, it’s not something you’ll want to miss.

For example, in February 2015, after almost a year and a half of nothing new on Instagram, Banksy posted a caption-less photo to his Instagram account of a brand new, never-before-seen piece of street art that Paste Magazine theorized appeared to be “done over a door. The location has not been discovered or revealed as of yet.” Follow his account to scroll through some of his great work and to stay in the loop in case a new piece appears.


Photography

18) VuThéara Kham: @vutheara

When it comes to beautiful photography, there are a whole lot of Instagrammers to choose from. One of my favorites is Paris-based photographer VuThéara Kham, who actually started his career on Instagram and became quite popular in the Instagram community. Follow his Instagram account for gorgeously framed photos of Paris’ (and other European cities’, as per below) landscapes and people.

19) Hiroaki Fukuda: @hirozzzz

Instagram is actually the basis of Hiroaki Fukuda’s photography career, which is why his posts on there are so darn good. Like Kham, Fukuda started as an Instagram hobbyist in Tokyo and ended up gaining a huge following.

When big brands caught wind of his talent and began hiring him for different projects, he became a full-time Instagrammer. Now, he travels all over the world taking photos for companies like Nike and Christian Dior. Side note: He told CNN in an interview that he likes when people comment on his photos … so comment away! 

20) Dirk Bakker: @macenzo

Although Dirk Bakker is an Amsterdam-based graphic designer, he likes to take photographs of art, design, and architecture — and post it to his Instagram account. He has a keen eye for taking something “normal” — like cranes or a staircase — and transforming it into a stunning image with a great sense of depth. He’s especially talented at capturing repetitive patterns like lines, geometric shapes, forms, and colors, making for striking images with strong visual impacts.

21) Max Wanger: @maxwanger

Max Wanger is a Los Angeles-based photographer who specializes in portraits, including wedding photos. His Instagram posts are a combination of his personal photography and the work he’s done for clients. What I love about his photos is that they have a romantic, personal touch, and often make beautiful use of negative space.

Typography

22) Erik Marinovich: @erikmarinovich

Erik Marinovich is a lettering artist and designer and an entrepreneur. In addition to drawing letters, logos, and type for big brands like Nike, Target, Google, Facebook, Sonos, and Sharpie, Marinovich has also co-founded Friends of Type, a collaborative blog and shop, and Title Case, a creative work space that runs workshops and lectures. His Instagram account is a great showcase of his impressive lettering work, from branded design work to impressively cool doodles.

23) Ahda: @misterdoodle

Ahda, the man behind the Mister Doodle pseudonym, is a hand letterer who’s done design work for big brands like Element Skateboards, The Sunday Times U.K., Citizen Apparel, and more. His specialty is incorporating his beautiful, curvy hand lettering into shapes and illustrations. Check out his Instagram for photographs of his lettering work, including t-shirt designs and creative showcases of his projects alongside relevant props.

24) Cyril Vouilloz: @rylsee

Cyril Vouilloz, a.k.a. Rylsee, is a Berlin-based designer with a fun and experimental take on typography. His unique hand-drawn lettering work plays with lines and dimensions — and what makes his Instagram posts so cool is that many of them show his fingers “interacting” with his illustrations, enhancing the optical illusions in a way that’ll blow your mind a little bit. Browse through his crazy cool work on Instagram, and follow him to see what original artwork and distortions he comes up with next.

25) Arabic Typography: @arabictypography

Beautiful typography doesn’t just mean Latin letters. In fact, some of the most beautiful typography in the world comes from Arabic script. There are many features that make Arabic lettering so aesthetic: It’s written from right to left, it can include accents and dots or lines, and its letters can vary in shape depending on their position in a word.

The Arabic Typography Instagram account, run by Egypt-based Noha Zayed, is a collection of beautiful Arabic typography — from signage to street art to tattoos — that’s crowdsourced from all over the world.

Calligraphy

26) Seb Lester: @seblester

Artist and Designer Seb Lester is one of the most famous calligraphy artists on Instagram, with over one million followers (as of this posting). The vast majority of his posts are actually videos — and for good reason.

“So much of calligraphy is about movement and rhythm, and a short video can capture the beauty and the magic of calligraphy in a very Internet-friendly format,” he told The New Yorker. “Recurring words in people’s comments are ‘mesmerizing,’ ‘hypnotic,’ and ‘satisfying.’ For reasons I don’t fully understand, people clearly enjoy watching the process of something perceived as ‘perfect’ being made from start to finish.”

27) Lindsay Oshida: @lindsayoshida

Lindsay Oshida is a Los Angeles-based graphic designer who posts beautiful calligraphy work to her Instagram account. She gained a lot of attention on Instagram for her “Game of Thrones” quotes, which she posted once per day during the ten days leading up to the 2015 season premiere.

For example, she did her piece “Kill the crows” (the image below) in black letter with walnut ink, according to The New Yorker, and the black crows were sketched using a crow-quill nib — “a calligrapher in-joke.” She’s since posted quotes both from “Game of Thrones” and other popular TV shows, and claims other calligraphers have followed her lead.

We hope this list helped you find some new designers to follow. May your Instagram feed be much more beautiful for it!

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