Pierry Blog

In some ways, I suppose the question asked in the title of this blog post is moot, because one thing is clear—interactive emails are here. So really, the better question to ask is—are interactive emails here to stay? And will they one day become the standard for which all emails are measured?

While not as widely used as static emails, interactive emails are giving email marketers a chance to create an experience for their subscribers that not only has them clicking more, but converting more, making them a trend worth watching.

What Are Interactive Emails?

Interactive emails are emails that have an interactive component such as an image carousel in the hero spot, a gif, interactive navigation bars or tabs, games, a live social feed, or a live poll that instantly shows subscribers the results.

Retailers in particular have taken interactions a step further by adding live inventory numbers and even the option to add something to your cart via the click of an email. Others are adding a more in-depth level of personalization, such as Burberry, who recently gave subscribers the ability to design and personalize their own scarf, all within the email itself.

There are also some brands that are experimenting with giving users the ability to complete an entire checkout process all from their inbox. You can review select items, add them to your cart, and even complete the checkout process without ever leaving the email. It’s a tall order to code something like that, and while it wouldn’t be something we’d recommend for clients today, it’s something that’s likely to be more commonplace in the future as email (and technology) evolves.

In many ways, interactive emails have the potential to completely change the way marketers and consumers think about email, and has the potential to help increase the already-high ROI marketers should demand from their email marketing programs.

How Can You Create an Interactive Email?

The easiest way to build an interactive email is by using a tool like Movable Ink which allows you to add live polls, live social feeds, countdown clocks, videos, as well as information like live inventories, and loyalty point updates. While some of the features require integrations with data systems such as CRMs or e-Commerce platforms, others can be included without much technical knowledge.

Elements like interactive tabs, rollovers, carousels, games, etc. would require more advanced knowledge of email coding, particularly when it comes to CSS and CSS3, as well as lots of testing to confirm both functionality and rendering.

Do Interactive Emails Render on Most Platforms?

You can never guarantee that an email you code will render perfectly on all devices, clients or apps—interactive emails are no exception to this rule.

Clients like Outlook strip interactive CSS properties, while others, like Gmail for the web, Yahoo and AOL will support some elements of interactive emails, but not all.

Currently, the Gmail App for both iOS and Android supports interactive elements, but it’s worth noting that Gmail App can be a fickle friend. At one point, the app was updated to not support interactive CSS elements, but this change has since been rolled back.

Clients including Applemail, the native iPhone mail application, and the native Android mail application are supportive of interactive elements and generally don’t cause issues with rendering and functionality. If only every subscriber could be on one of these…

And so, like with static emails, it’s important to keep major email clients in mind when you’re designing an interactive email. Don’t just consider the functionality for those using an email client that supports the elements you want to include. Think about how the email will look to those viewing your message on a device or client that doesn’t support those elements. This is often referred to as the fallback and it’s essentially just a static snapshot of your interactive email.

Are Interactive Emails Really Worth it?

Because a number of email clients lack the ability to fully support interactive email features, many brands question the value of even creating them. As you have no way of really knowing which email client subscribers are using to view your emails, the best way to consider whether or not it’s worth putting the extra time in to creating this type of message is to start slow and test it.

You can run a traditional A/B email test, comparing how an email with a simple interactive component such as a gif or live poll performs over a static version; however, getting statistically significant results here can be tricky, as you have no way of knowing how many of your subscribers sent the interactive version are actually able to see that element.

Another way to test the impact interactive elements have on engagement is to just send that interactive email to all your subscribers and see if there is an uptick in CTRs and, better yet, Conversions.

So start slow. Don’t spend hours of coding and testing a highly complex interactive email until you know it’s something your audience responds to.

Earlier this year the world was introduced to a small stuffed llama with a charming smile who had one mission—to provide its followers with a reprieve from the day-to-day stresses of the world. Over the past few months I’ve watch the Llama with No Drama Instagram his way through Central Park, Palm Beach, Miami, Los Angeles, Columbia and more. Always with a smile and always with a beautiful backdrop.

Created by Eylul Savas, who in a May 2016 interview with Mashable said she “wanted to start something with the purpose of putting smiles on people’s faces”, the Llama with No Drama Instagram account has over 17k followers (as of this posting); followers that were all attained with just 172 posts over 20 weeks. And many of the Llama with No Drama’s recent posts earn more than 2000 likes a piece, as well as numerous comments and replies.

Okay, so your brand doesn’t have the cute, cuddly face that Llama with No Drama has. But that doesn’t mean your brand needs to run their Instagram account any differently.

What’s this llama doing so right?

1. It Has a Genuine Tone and Mission.

If the name wasn’t enough to convince you that the Llama with No Drama was on a positive mission, the bio says it all: “One happy llama against the world’s drama. For a daily dose of smiles.” The mission is simple and direct. This, paired with a tone that can only be described as content and friendly, helps audiences connect to this llama. And while it may sound strange that people are connecting to a stuffed llama, it’s not that dissimilar from how consumers connect to the brands they are most loyal to.

2. It Sticks to that Tone and Mission in Every Post.

Most of the Internet is snarky, making it an easy place for people and brands to be cynical and snide. Llama with No Drama will have none of that; every post remains true to their overall mission. We feel like we know this llama and again, it creates a very specific connection. You’ll want your brand to have a similar connection—making it feel like your audience isn’t following an intangible brand, but something more like a person they’ve known for years.

3. It Follows the Golden Rule of Quality over Quantity.

Sometimes Llama with No Drama will post a few images a day. Other times, it’s a few images a week. Sometimes they take a week off. While you always want to be as consistent as possible with your brand’s Instagram posting schedule, take a note from this llama and always choose quality over quantity. Make sure your posts are interesting, eye-catching, and most of all, follow your purpose, tone and mission.

4. It Has its Own Hashtag.

Brands really underestimate the value of a good hashtag. And Llama with No Drama has a great (if obvious) one—#LlamawithNoDrama. It’s a no frills, easy to remember hashtag that allows others to be part of the Llama with No Drama movement. A brand-specific hashtag can create that same sense of community amongst your followers, and sometimes lead to some really great user-generated content that you can re-gram.

5. The Imagery is Beautiful and Interesting.

The Llama with No Drama doesn’t necessarily have access to any more places than you or I would. And while some posts are taken in more exotic locales such as Istanbul, many are taken at common tourist attractions such as the beach, or Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. But even the most ordinary places look unique and interesting, creating an “I want to be there too” vibe. Make your Instagram a place where audience members want to be.

6. It Isn’t Afraid to be Topical.

Llama with No Drama isn’t afraid to participate in things like #TBT (Throw Back Thursday) or Red Nose Day. Or to recognize tragic events like the recent attacks in Orlando or Istanbul. And due to the genuine nature of the tone and mission, these types of mentions don’t feel forced or obligatory. Brands in particular need to be careful about when and where they tap into major holidays, events, or tragedies. If it feels like you’re posting just to post, don’t do it. If you’re posting because the tone and mission of your brand as a whole matches a certain cause or event, then it’s more likely to feel genuine.

Today’s consumers want brands that they can connect with. They want brands that help them portray who they are and how they live their life. Much like Llama with No Drama, your Instagram account can give people something refreshing and interesting to look at, while also creating a lasting connection, no matter if you’re a major purse designer, a clothing store, or a B2B company. Just think like the Llama and see the impact it has on your engagement.

It’s messy. It’s tough. It’s exhausting. And sometimes you get electrocuted. Come to think of it, minus that last one, running a Tough Mudder really isn’t all that different from being an Account Manager at Pierry. So I guess that explains why no one was all that surprised when I told them I would be running a Tough Mudder in Pittsburgh on September 10^th.

And while many here in the office have told me stories of their own Tough Mudder experiences, warning me that at the end of the day it won’t be even an ounce of fun, I am not shaken. Because my participation is going towards something much tougher—breast cancer research.

Earlier this year, my mom and best friend, Marilyn Luley passed away after a long battle with breast cancer. A fighter through and through, my mom had previously fought and beaten kidney disease, lung cancer, and skin cancer, all while being a single parent. She was the toughest woman I’ll ever know, and running this Tough Mudder seemed like the only appropriate way to honor her.

About 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. And while efforts to raise awareness about this disease get stronger each year, the only real way to stop breast cancer is through better research, which is why any contributions made to my Tough Mudder campaign will go toward supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).

Dedicated to the prevention and development of a cure for breast cancer, 91 cents of every dollar donated to the BCRF goes directly toward research and awareness programs, including those centered around tumor biology, heredity and ethnicity, lifestyle factors, prevention, treatment, survivorship, and metastasis.

I invite you to join me in supporting BCRF and their mission to cure a disease that impacts so many women and their families. Visit my donation page for more information.

And on September 10^th, when I’m face down in mud, and my arms and legs are stinging from rope burn, and I’m wondering why the heck I ever decided to do this, I’ll remember the contributions I raised, and most of all, my mom, who taught me to always be strong and keep my head up, even when you’re covered in dirt and crawling under barbed wire.

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Some people learn by reading. Others learn by doing. And then there is a select few that learn by watching. In marketing, we often combine these elements of reading, doing, and watching to promote our products. What many fail to remember is that while all consumers consume information in differently, the initial step in the customer buying cycle is visual.

Design has a large impact on your business, and in the same way a brick-and-mortar store will be more successful when it is organized and clean, websites, microsites and landing pages should be equally organized and clean. 46.1% of visitors say website design is the number one criterion for discerning the credibility of a company. That is nearly half of all visitors.

Think about the brands you enjoy and are most loyal to. There is likely some sort of visual representation that comes to mind with that brand, be it a logo, certain colors, or even the image of a product. That’s because most consumers are visual buyers.

Visuals Drive Engagement

90% of information coming into the brain is visual. It should be no surprise then that content which contains images get 94% more views than content that doesn’t contain a relevant image.

Whether it’s on social media, a landing page, or in an email, images engage your audience. Visuals reach the brain faster and create a deeper emotional connection to your brand. In order to maximize your creative assets, you want to make sure you’re using the right image, at the right time, on the right channel. That’s why it’s so important to make sure it’s something you’re regularly testing.

Common Elements for Testing Creative

Small changes can have a big impact, so it’s important to follow A/B testing best practices and only test one element at a time. These elements could include:

Hero Image

This is generally the first thing a consumer sees on your website, a landing page, or an email and sets the tone for that entire session. That first visual is similar to a billboard – it should be “read” quickly. And having the right hero image in place can be the difference between a consumer clicking, converting, or leaving forever.

Colors

It may seem small, but changing something as simple as the color of a “Call to Action” (or CTA) button can have a big impact. Certain colors draw more attention to themselves than others, making it a simple element to test.

CTAs

CTA buttons should always be present and clear. Both the button itself and the CTA language needs to stand out. Keep your buttons simple, but feel free to test the language, i.e. Sign Up Today vs. Sign Up Now.

Video vs. Static

If you’re always using static images on your landing pages and emails, try testing a video or gif (as video formats are not supported in email). Statistics show that landing pages that include a video often show higher conversions and higher purchase rates.

Text vs. Image

Are you using text where you could be using a visual element? Or are you using an image where you should be using text? This is another simple test you can run on your website, landing pages, or email.

Layout

The placement of a form on a landing page, the appearance of a certain product image in an email—these type of small layout changes can also impact engagement. While most A/B tests only require small changes, if you’re testing a layout, don’t be afraid to test bigger layout changes, i.e. a complete new layout vs. the status quo.

A Case for Testing Personalization

90% of marketers see an increase in conversions when personalization is used in an email. According to Jupiter Research, relevant emails drive 18x more revenue than standard batch and blast sends.

Images are a highly effective way to add relevancy and personalization to your marketing efforts, making it another element that is very much worth testing.

Of course the degree to which you can personalize images varies based on the type of data you have on your customers. But even basic details like zip code or gender can give you a basis for getting started with more personalized images, particularly when it comes to email marketing.

If your email marketing platform is integrated with your e-commerce system you can take personalization one step further by providing images in your messages that mirror their past purchases.

But Before You Test Anything…

Make sure your website, landing pages, and email templates are mobile responsive, as nothing effects the user experience more than having the ability to seamlessly view your content on any device. Otherwise, no matter how good things look from a creative standpoint, you won’t have the type of engagement metrics you want to see.

Everyone knows the expression “a dog is a man’s best friend.” But did you know that every day more than 9,000 dogs and cats are killed in shelters all over the U.S. simply because they don’t have a safe place to call home? This sad-but-real statistic is the reason I’m joining my fellow animal lovers in the Strut Your Mutt fundraising event in Sellwood Riverfront Park in Portland, Oregon on September 10, 2016 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

This isn’t just another dog walk. Hosted by the Best Friends Animal Society, a nationwide no-kill animal sanctuary, this annual festival takes place in 14 cities across the U.S., as well as online, with one goal in mind—raising funds to support local animal shelters and their efforts to find permanent homes for their animals.

My team, Born Again Pit Bull Rescue (BAPBR) is looking to raise $12,000 towards this amazing cause. Founded in 2007, BAPBR is the longest standing registered non-profit rescue in the Portland Metro area dedicated to improving the lives of Pit Bull Terriers by keeping them out of shelters, providing spay and neutering services, providing owner and shelter support programs and through community education services.

I’ve been an animal lover since before I can remember, and I cannot imagine what my day-to-day life would be like without my dogs by my side. As with all pets, the love, laughter, and friendship they provide is second to none.

I hope you will support BAPBR in raising money for this worthy cause. Check out my donation page to learn more or to contribute.

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During the early days of the internet and email, SPAM ruled many of our inboxes. The ability for ISPs (such as AOL, Yahoo!, etc.) to filter these communications was nearly non-existent. On top of that, there were very few, if any laws, to help governments regulate and take action against spammers.

Today, nearly every country has a law with the intent of reducing SPAM. And while the sentiment of these regulations is the same, the laws themselves are not all created equal. As more and more businesses expand globally, it’s important to be familiar with the anti-SPAM laws of the country you are sending from and the laws of the countries you are sending to. Failure to do so could lead to damaging fines.

It’s important to note that SPAM is not just unwanted mail. Many countries define SPAM as unsolicited, misleading electronic messages. But if marketers aren’t careful, their innocent messages could come across this way. Here is a sample of some of the anti-SPAM laws in place around the world:

United States – CAN-SPAM

The CAN-SPAM (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing) Act was passed in 2003 to, as it’s very long name suggests, work to control the sending unwanted emails from marketers and other, more unsavory, characters. Failure to comply with CAN-SPAM laws can result in fines of $16,000 per email sent.

Think about the size of your average email list and what a fine like that would do to your bottom line. Obvious statement—it wouldn’t be good.

The Basics of Staying Compliant with CAN-SPAM

Always…

• Include a physical mailing address on every email you send out. In theory, if someone wished to unsubscribe from your list, they could do so by physically sending you a letter or postcard.
• Provide a clear unsubscribe option. And make sure any unsubscribes are honored within 10 days.
• Use a clear “From”, “To” and “Reply to” language that accurately reflects you and your business. Your domain name and email address should reflect this as well.

Never…

• Sell your email list or transfer emails from one company to another.
• Make it difficult to unsubscribe from messages.
• Lure subscribers in with deceptive subject lines.

Read more on CAN-SPAM.

Canada – CASL

The Main Idea: CASL (Canada Anti-Spam Legislation) became effective on July 1, 2014 and covers all forms of electronic messaging, including email, SMS, and instant messages, when used for commercial or promotional purposes. As of January 15, 2015, the law expanded further, making it illegal for an individual or business to install software on someone’s device without consent.

Businesses violating CASL could receive a fine of up to $10 million.

How to Stay Compliant with CASL

Always…

• Obtain “express” consent before sending commercial or promotion electronic messages. Learn more about the difference between “express” consent vs. implied consent.
• Clearly identify yourself or your organization in each message. You must also include one of the following: mailing address, phone number, email or web address.
• Make it simple and clear to unsubscribe in every message you send.

Never…

• Send electronic messages based on implied consent, which includes sending to a recipient based solely on the fact that they have an existing business relationship.
• Install programs or software on someone else’s device without “express” consent.
• Provide false or misleading information including sender information, subject matter information, URLs and/or metadata.

Read more on CASL.

United Kingdom – PECR

The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) gives UK citizens specific privacy rights when it comes to electronic communications, such as emails, as well as marketing calls, SMS, faxes, cookies (and similar technologies), consumer data security and consumer privacy. Failure to comply with PECR could result in fines of up to £500,000.

How to Stay Compliant with PECR

Always…

• Obtain clear consent from consumers regarding the receipt of electronic communications. This could include requiring subscribers to click an opt-in box before they are added to your email marketing list.
• Keep a record of what each subscriber has consented to, as well as how and when they gave that consent.
• Offer a clear opt-out on any message

Never…

• Make it difficult to opt-out.
• Disguise or conceal the identity of the business or organization you are sending from.
• Ignore opt-out requests.

Read More on PECR.

Japan – Act on Regulation of Transmission of Specified Electronic Mail

The Act on Regulation of Transmission of Specific Electronic Mail was passed in 2009 and applies to both individuals sending mass communications, as well as commercial email marketers. It’s important to keep in mind that these regulations also apply to those sending outside of Japan. For example, if an entity sends what is considered a “spam” email by Japanese standards from the U.S., which corresponds with Japanese legislation, Japanese authorities reserve the right to prosecute that spammer from the U.S. in American courts.

Events such as the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami brought an influx of spammers sending messages in the guise of non-profits looking to raise funds for victims. As a reaction to that, Japan has rigorous fines in place for criminal spammers. Violators could receive up to a year in prison and ¥30 million fine.

How to Stay Compliant

Always…

• Have a clear, trackable record of all opt-ins prior to sending, including those you have a pre-existing business relationship with.
• Immediately act on any unsubscribe requests.
• Include the name, title and email address of the person responsible for the actual sending of any marketing communications.

Never…

• Use software to identify email addresses or to falsify information about the sender
• Send messages to those who have opted-out. These subscribers should immediately be removed from
• your marketing lists.

Read More on the Act on Regulation of Transmission of Specific Electronic Mail.

Following the regulations above will not only help your business avoid damaging fines, but can also serve as guidelines for how your email marketing program should be managed—do you really want to send mass emails to consumers who have not opted-in? Or make it impossible for consumers to unsubscribe? No, because your engagement rates would be a disaster, as would your ROI.

Regardless of the regulations in place, for reputable digital marketers, these rules are just plain common sense. And, let’s face it, no email marketer wants to be viewed as a spammer.

Your work title is Account Manager, but in reality you’re an extinguisher of fires, a people pleaser and the mastermind of timelines, deadlines, projects and more. You’re the liaison between the client and the agency, and the truest of true representation of your company. So how do you ensure you are always putting your best foot forward? Follow these five R’s and you’ll be on the right track to being an A+ Account Manager.

Really, Really, REALLY Organized.

As an Account Manager, you’re just that – a manager of an account – so it is your responsibility to know where all things are at all times. Keep track of jobs and conversations in a spreadsheet, a Word document, even a traditional notebook – whatever it is, constantly update it, reference and live by it. Whatever system works for you, run with it. In being a master organizer, you will not only gain your client’s confidence because they know their account is in good hands, you will also be more efficient—saving the client time and money, and freeing up your time to be more profitable to the agency elsewhere.

Responsive.

We’ve all done it. A client request comes through and you get working on it. Days later while the project is in full swing on your end, the client is wondering if their email got lost in email purgatory. Don’t forget to respond to your client! Acknowledge the receipt of every request, even with a simple, “Thank you!” Some companies have a 24-hour policy where you must respond to all emails within a 24 hour timeframe. If the company you work for doesn’t have such a policy, set your own rule. At the end of each day, set aside 15 – 20 minutes to go through your inbox and make sure you have responded to anything and everything that needs an acknowledgement.

Realistic.

It might not seem like your clients appreciate it when you need to tell it to them straight, but trust me, being realistic (or honest or transparent) will keep you in good standing over the long haul. Sometimes client expectations can be totally out of sync with the project scope or budget; and you don’t ever want to be in a situation where you over-promise and under-deliver. If your client makes a request that is unattainable, respectfully share why it cannot be done, and offer a compromise solution. At the end of the day, your client will appreciate your realistic approach to problem-solving, and they will feel like they were heard when you provide an alternative solution.

Relatable.

Building relationships is key to being a successful Account Manager. You want your client to rely on you, and think of you as more than just a vendor. Get to know your client beyond your work relationship. A simple tip for building deeper relationships is to document conversations outside of work-talk and reference them frequently in future conversations. Ask about their family, pets and weekend plans. Small talk while you are waiting for others to join a conference call is always easier if you have taken the time to get to know your clients. You can talk about yourself too – but not too much!

Respectful.

Last, but probably the most important, is to be respectful. I said it once and I will say it again: you are a representative of your agency, so professionalism at all times is key. And unfortunately, with the prevalence social media, that professionalism extends beyond just the work place. Be careful what you post on social. If you wouldn’t want your mom reading your status update, you should probably not post it; after all, your client could stumble upon that post and it could mean bad things for both you and the agency. And in the vein of being professional, dress to impress. When going to a client meeting, in any situation, it’s better to overdress than underdress.

Think you have what it takes to be an Account Manager at Pierry ? We are always looking for great talent. Check out our careers page to learn more about our open positions.

You’re tweeting, you’re pinning, you’re Instagramming. You have followers and likes galore. Your social channels are up-and-running. But what do you really know about how they’re performing? While you likely have metrics around high-level performance, you may have not taken the time to stop and think about what those metrics mean and how you can use them to your fullest advantage.

Auditing your social media channels isn’t as complex as you think. All you really need is to follow 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Be Objective

The first step in any audit is to focus on the facts. Take an objective, black and white look at each of your accounts. Don’t judge what is there or make predictions about what to do next. You’re simply getting down the information.

During this fact gathering portion of the audit, there are a few metrics you’ll want to have handy. If you regularly keep track of how your social channels are performing, or if you have a reporting tool (such as those offered by SocialStudio, Hootsuite, or SproutSocial) that will gather these metrics for you, this step will be fairly easy. If you don’t, then you’ll have to look at the analytics provided by the social channels themselves.

Social Metrics that Matter

Twitter:

• Follower Counts
• Engagement Rate
• Impressions
• Link Clicks
• Likes
• Retweets
• Mentions
• How often you post (on average)
• Top 10 Tweets

If you’re utilizing Twitter Cards (which you absolutely should be!) you’ll want to see how those different cards are performing and which type is working the best for your audience.

Facebook:

• Page Likes
• Engagement (Likes, Shares, Comments)
• Total Reach
• Top 10 Facebook Posts (over the past three-six months)

LinkedIn:

• Followers
• Impressions
• Clicks
• Interactions
• Engagement Rates
• Reach
• Top performing posts (over the past three-six months)

Pinterest:

• Followers/Following
• Re-pins
• Comments
• Clicks
• Likes
• Impressions

Instagram:

• Followers
• Likes
• Comments
• Top 10 posts (over the past three-six months)

Note: Instagram is starting to slowly roll out analytics to brands.

You’ll also want to take note of how often, on average, you’re posting on each social channel, whether that’s daily, weekly, or even monthly.

Step 2: Analyze

In the analysis step, you’ll take a look at each of your social channels and start to draw some conclusions based on the objective fact-finding information you gathered in Step 1.

For example, you may see that your top tweets have some common theme or similarity. Or you may notice that videos have higher engagement on Instagram than static photos. You may find that tweets containing certain hashtags get more retweets than those without.

You can even look cross-channel to see how the same content performed and if that performance varied base on the channel it was on. You may find that posts on a certain topic have a high rate of performance on LinkedIn, but that that those same posts received low engagement on Facebook.

The key in the Analyze step is to look at what’s working and think about why that might be the case. Things like the amount of characters in your post, topic, date, time, content, CTA, etc. can all influence engagement. Your job is to find those common themes and draw some conclusions.

Step 3: Make a Plan

Audits like this not only help you take a look at what you’ve done in the past, but give you a chance to analyze what’s working, what isn’t, and, most importantly, what you should do moving forward. It can also help you re-evaluate which metrics are most important to you and establish new goals moving forward.

Establishing goals is what Step 3 is meant to help you do.

So you have all this information. You’ve found some common threads between what’s working and what isn’t. Now, what will you do with that information?

Essentially you want to create a goal (or two) for each channel and then outline how you plan to achieve that goal, as well as what you’ll be testing along the way.

As an example, if you found that Tweets that contained less than 100 characters, one hashtag, and were phrased in the form of a question got the highest engagements, you may conclude that you should test using more of these types of tweets to see if it boosts your overall engagement rate.

Or you may see that your Facebook following is highly interactive and decide that it may be worth it to invest your time into posting 4 times a week instead of just 2, and invest less time in Pinterest, which doesn’t seem to resonate with your audience.

You may even find that Instagram posts you’ve shared via Twitter get a high number of likes and retweets. Perhaps experiment with posting more images on Twitter either from Instagram, or images created especially for Twitter, to see if this has an impact.

Or you may see that a channel is lagging behind some of the others and create a plan to test a new approach. Make the decision to post more, post less, post different content, etc.

And for some of you, you may find you’re satisfied with your engagement and instead want to focus more on building your follower base.

Whatever plans you put in place, make sure you put them down in writing. And make sure you give yourself at least 3 months to let those plans play out before evaluating the results.

A Few Other Considerations…

Audits should be a regular part of your digital marketing strategy and you should audit your channels once per quarter, or at the very least, twice a year.

After completing your initial audit, come up with short term goals and tests that you can check-in on between audits (about once a month) so you can monitor progress at a high level. This can help you identify trouble spots or tests gone wrong, allowing you to correct course before too much damage is done.

Don’t forget to look to your competitors as well. What are they doing that’s getting high engagement or low engagement? You can learn a surprising amount from your competitors just by scrolling through their feeds. We often recommend clients have us perform a competitive audit at least once a year to see what lessons we can learn. Keep in mind, your competitors are probably looking to you for a lesson or two as well.

The 3 steps listed above should provide you with a very basic audit, but you can get as granular with your data as you see fit. Even without tools, you can pretty easily manipulate the data provided by Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Twitter to draw conclusions regarding things like which time you should post each day based on highest engagement. Or estimate when you’re most likely to get the highest amount of impressions. All it takes is a few formulas in Excel, a pivot table, and some patience. You can even add Google Analytics into the mix to see which social channels are generating the most traffic back to your site.

Whatever you want to find, as long as you have access to the data, an audit can help you uncover it and use it to give your social performance a boost.

About a month ago I saw an ad on the back of Bloomberg Businessweek that made me stop. The ad was completely bright yellow. In the middle? The familiar ghost that represents the Snapchat logo. There was nothing else. No words. No CTA. Just a ghost.

It was a bold ad, and obviously the placement is meant to send a big message to the business world: Snapchat is here and your business should be using it.

Snapchat isn’t the first social media channel to tell businesses where they need to be next. And it’s no surprise that as Snapchat has grown in popularity, they too want a piece of your marketing budget.

Marketers are always trying to keep up with the latest trends. They want to be the ones to find untapped oil in a new platform that other brands, especially competitors, have yet to reach. They want another place to share their content. They want another place to find customers.

But are these channels where customers want to find you?

Regardless of the channel or the trend, you always have to stop and consider your audience. Don’t only think about where you’re most likely to find them, but whether or not they want to engage with you in that particular space.

Here are some quick considerations to help guide you in whether or not to move your brand to a new channel

1. Why this channel?

Whether it’s social media, email, direct mail, a paid channel such as PPC or remarketing, the first question you should ask is, why does my brand need to be on this channel? And notice, you’re asking “need”, not “want”.

2. How will you measure success?

Each channel you use should have its own metrics for defining success. By defining these from the start, you’ll be better prepared to create both a short-term and long-term strategy for every channel you’re on. You’ll also be able to set realistic expectations for both yourself and any other stakeholders.

3. How regularly will you communicate on this channel?

When new channels or trends arise, it’s up to the early adaptors to help establish best practices for frequency of communication. Start slow and see how your audience responds. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different forms of content or tones. And watch what others are doing on that same channel, particularly those outside of your industry, for inspiration on what your brand could do next.

4. What content will you need?

Whether you’re moving your brand to a new channel, or creating a new strategy for a channel you’re already on, you’re going to need content to support it. Content comes in many forms including videos, images, blogs, articles, etc. Think about the resources you’ll need and add them into your editorial calendar. Don’t have an editorial calendar? Before you even think about starting up on any new channels, create one. It’ll help keep you organized when creating new assets and tracking those you already have. (Here’s a great resource from Content Marketing Institute to get you started.)

Marketers love trying something new. They love to be creative. But don’t let your creative mind push you to a channel your brand has no business being on. Always stop to consider the benefits of following the next big trend and create a strategy that fits your brand both in the short-term and the long-term.

While a platform like Snapchat may be fun the first month you’re using it, if you don’t know how to sustain it 3 months, 6 months, or 9 months down the line, everything you did in that first month will be for nothing.

And sometimes, even with careful planning, you might find that a channel just isn’t right for your brand. In those cases, don’t consider it a total loss. Instead, think about why it wasn’t a right fit and consider what lessons you can take away from the experience to prepare you for other initiatives in the future. No matter what the channel or the outcome, there’s always a lesson to be learned.

Marketers spend so much time focusing on content (as we should!) that sometimes we forget about that last, crucial part of the campaign: making sure the email actually lands in the consumer’s inbox. You can have the most amazing design, the most relevant content, with the clearest call to action, but if the subscriber never sees it, all that hard work goes to waste.

Deliverability can be a huge issue and if not properly handled, could fall low enough to get you on the dreaded blacklist. But did you know that by following just three simple rules you can improve email deliverability issues and ensure your messages make it to inbox?

In fact, taking these basic steps helped Pierry take a client from a deliverability rate of 83.9% to 99% in just four months! Here’s what we did:

Rule 1: Eliminate Bad Email Addresses

As you know, marketers use a lot of tactics to build up their lists. Whether you’re collecting addresses through a form on your website or getting opt-ins at an event, you’re bound to end up with some invalid email addresses. If you have a small list, most of the bad email addresses will naturally be removed when they bounce on the first send, depending on your email platform.

But larger lists will need to be scrubbed. At Pierry Software, we offer email domain validation and hygiene, but there are a number of list-cleaning services available which validate email addresses, telling you which ones should be removed. Products like Salesforce Marketing Cloud have built-in tools that allow you to clean your own list. With “List Detective” email validation rules are run against email addresses imported into the system. If it’s a known bad address or a known spam trap, the address is automatically filtered out.

Having a clean list can greatly reduce the number of addresses that hard bounce, improving your deliverability and reducing the chance your sending domain will be marked for spam, sending all your messages into the great unknown.

By eliminating bad email addresses, deliverability went from 83.9% to an average of 92%. And so, we were on to rule #2.

Rule #2: Set a Sending Cadence

There was a time when internet service providers (ISPs) found their networks constantly overloaded by spammers. In an effort to reduce this, most larger ISPs set a limit for the amount of email that can come through their network from a single IP Address at one time. For email marketers, this can mean deliverability issues.

How do you show you’re a welcome party and not a spammer? By setting a message cadence, or throttling, you can limit the number of emails per hour sent based on domain and ensure it meets the criteria for each ISPs standards.

Sure, the send may take a few days longer to complete, but what’s more important, sending all emails at once or making sure your consumers receive your email?

Establishing the proper cadence during month two of our client’s campaign took deliverability from an average of 92% to 96%. While another step in the right direction, it still wasn’t good enough for this e-marketer! So on to rule #3.

Rule #3: Monitor Your Send Frequency and Send Quantity

Once you’ve cleaned your list and established a cadence, there can still be room for improvement. Sending too infrequently causes the ISPs to bump your IP address back down to the “untrusted” category. Smaller, regular sends from your IP will build a reputation with the ISP so they trust that your sends are legit. For our client, we utilized a few smaller sends in the weeks between newsletter sends and continued to follow the email providers’ rules of send frequency: every three weeks to stay fresh.

With that final piece of the puzzle, we throttled the next send and saw that jump we were looking for—99% and above.

While thinking outside the box and bending or breaking conventional rules can lead to truly innovative marketing campaigns, it should be avoided when it comes to actually deploying materials via email. The rules that email providers put in place are there for a reason—to protect their users from unwanted messaging. If you follow the rules, they let you through to the audience you’re trying to reach. And ultimately, isn’t that where you want to be?