If there’s one thing about time, it’s that it keeps moving along. Whether you’re in flow with its onward movement is up to you. Staying productive means knowing how to manage your time and sticking to a plan.
It’s where people often struggle, especially in an age where distractions are so prevalent. Think social media, the clothes in the dryer, and the co-worker who wants to chat. No matter where you work, distractions can easily throw you off your game. But so can perfectionism, which takes you out of the flow instead of keeping you in it. Because you’re so worried about being on target, your mind immobilizes you, preventing you from taking action.
Are you looking to improve your time management approach before 2024 begins? Read on. This article discusses four techniques to help you stay focused. You’ll boost your productivity without feeling the classic time crunch.
1. Use Automated Scheduling Tools
Scheduling is a huge part of time management. It might be why humans invented calendars. As a handy tool, calendars help keep track of appointments, to-do list reminders, and important deadlines. On paper, calendars can be an efficient way to centralize everything you’ve got going on. But those paper-based versions can also get a tad messy and become inconvenient to carry around.
Digital versions are undoubtedly better. You can set up notifications, sync your personal and work obligations, and make changes on the fly. Yet, how do you get everyone’s calendars on the same page in a team environment? You can play the email game, sending invite messages back and forth. Or you can try an automated meeting scheduling app like Calendar, which lets teams choose meeting times according to everyone’s availability.
Automated scheduling tools and workflow automation in general can streamline the process, making it more efficient. The software also integrates with popular meeting and collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams. With the ability to share custom links to your calendar, you don’t even have to initiate the process. Those inside and outside your organization can request meeting times based on your preferences.
2. Establish Time Blocks
Time blocking is a technique used to maintain focus on specific tasks throughout your workday. Some people also refer to this method as time boxing because you establish time limits for each set of tasks. The technique can work if you know how to categorize and prioritize your responsibilities.
It’s also ideal for roles where your responsibilities tend to be task-driven and somewhat repetitive. A role as an insurance claims handler is an example. Say you work for Progressive as an auto injury claims adjuster. A typical day involves reviewing new claims, attorney demands, and incoming correspondence. You also handle phone calls, liability investigations, and status letters.
Getting to new claims and attorney demands are your top priorities. Incoming correspondence and phone calls come second. The remainder of your tasks fall into less urgent categories. With the time-blocking technique, you could devote two hours in the morning to the highest priorities. After the two hours are up, you move on to your medium priorities for another two hours. Toward the end of the day, you tackle your least urgent tasks.
The key to time blocking is to stick to your established routine. Don’t let distractions steer you off track. And adhere to the hard stops you’ve put in place so you can move on to your next block. Time blocking helps you juggle multiple competing priorities, but you have to stay within its boundaries to see results.
3. Embrace the Art of Single-Tasking
In fast-paced environments, multitasking appears to be the norm. It seems like a way to keep your head above water as you swim against the tide. Switching between tasks to accomplish more in less time can be effective. But only if you’re good at it. And research shows a mere 2.5% of the population is.
For the majority, multitasking increases stress levels, compromises executive brain functions, and lowers motivation. Experts also link multitasking to depression and memory loss. It’s kind of scary if you think about it. Something you believe is helping you excel professionally may be compromising your health and work performance.
Breaking the habit can be challenging. You might find yourself multitasking in your personal life as well. Perhaps you scroll through your inbox on your phone while you’re watching TV. Or worse, you text as you’re driving. Taking small steps to switch to single-tasking will help you get into a healthier, more productive groove.
When you focus on one task at a time, it gets your full attention. Plus, you’ll finish it faster than you would if you were working on another assignment simultaneously. The quality of your work will increase, so you won’t have to go back to correct mistakes. You also won’t have to constantly recalibrate your brain to what’s in front of you. Moving sequentially from start to finish makes it easier to remember all the steps.
4. Define Success
Productivity success will look different among roles, companies, and individuals. Comparing yourself to others is natural, but the tendency can derail your goals. Say you’re in your first year as a community outreach manager for T-Mobile. Your peers have been in the same role for at least 10 years. As the new kid on the block, you’ve reached out to them for pointers.
In the process, you’ve noticed they seem to be much more productive than you. As a result, you feel as though your time management skills and performance aren’t up to par. What you need to remember is to give yourself grace as you go. Since you’re learning the ins and outs of a new role, you’ll develop your own efficiencies with practice.
When adopting time management techniques, one you may overlook is defining what productivity means to you. It may mean letting go of unrealistic expectations, such as being “always on” and never taking breaks. Expecting perfection from the get-go is another unrealistic target. You may need to experiment with a few hacks before you find what’s right. Be willing to adjust your definition of effective time management so it doesn’t become a source of stress.
Conclusion
Mastering time management is an ongoing process. Sometimes, you learn what works by finding out what doesn’t. And what doesn’t work well usually involves flying by the seat of your pants. Hoping everything will come out OK in the wash isn’t a solid plan.
While juggling competing priorities at a breathtaking pace is challenging, effectively managing them is possible. Productivity hacks like automated scheduling apps and time-blocking methods are there to help. By planning to embrace them as the new year begins, you can move with time instead of against it.
QR code marketing is leading the charge in 2023. These digital wonders, crafted using QR code generators, offer direct gateways from tangible products to the vast online world.
Ever spotted a product and wanted to know more? Most likely, a QR code was there, waiting to dish out all the juicy details. This speed and simplicity make QR codes a marketer’s dream tool.
In this guide, we’ll break down how to use this tool effectively. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your approach, let’s explore how these codes can elevate your marketing strategies this year.
What Are QR Codes?
QR codes, or “Quick Response” codes, are those small square graphics you’ve likely seen on ads, products, or event tickets. At their core, they’re two-dimensional barcodes. They can be scanned using a smartphone user’s camera, and they often link to a website, product page, video, or other digital content.
For businesses, it’s a smart way to contactless share, track, and engage. In fact, by 2025, it’s expected that QR code scanning will expand to 99.5 million in 2025. Their integration into print ads and other marketing collateral has changed the face of the marketing industry.
But how exactly are these being leveraged in the intricate retail marketing world? It goes beyond just email marketing campaigns.
Let’s explore the most effective and creative ways you can leverage these in your marketing goals:
1. Direct To Your Online Presence
Today, consumers crave information at their fingertips. QR codes are your secret weapon to deliver just that.
Imagine a shopper intrigued by a new skincare product in your store. While the label tells them the basics, they’re eager to know more:
How effective is it?
Are there any video tutorials?
What do other users have to say?
In the same way, consider more complex home equipment like solar panel kits or inverters. Someone might be interested in a compact solar kit and want to delve deeper into its specifications, installation guide, or customer testimonials.
Strategically place a QR code to lead them straight to these details, saving them the manual search hassle. When you add a QR code to your product or its shelf, it’s like opening a direct portal to your online universe.
A study by MobileIron found that QR code usage surged by 58% during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 67% agree that QR codes make life easier in a touchless world. This showcases how consumers are readily embracing this technology.
Consider the success of a brand like L’Oreal. They incorporated QR codes, leading shoppers to video tutorials on how to apply their makeup products. This provides value and enhances the shopping experience, which, in turn, boosts sales.
Your website is filled with valuable insights: deep product details, candid customer online reviews, and engaging demo videos. When you leverage QR codes, you offer your in-store shoppers a more enriched, multi-dimensional experience. If you’re running any online-exclusive promotions, a simple scan makes sure your in-store customers remain in the loop.
2. Collect Valuable Customer Insights
Code campaigns are not just about providing information but also about collecting first-party data. When customers scan a QR code, they don’t just get information. You do, too.
Each scan can reveal where they found the code when they scanned it, what device they used, and even how long they interacted with the content it linked to.
Consider a cafe that introduces a new seasonal drink. They quickly gather feedback by using a QR code linked to a short survey on their table tents. Questions like, “How did you like our new Pumpkin Spice Latte?” or “What other flavors would you recommend?” can offer direct insights.
As more people scan and give feedback, the cafe can adjust its menu to what customers really want. Plus, using Jotform’s data collection methods with QR codes makes collecting this feedback easy and improves the whole experience for customers.
With QR codes, you can also track long-term trends. Notice a spike in scans during a particular month? Maybe it’s tied to a seasonal trend or a marketing campaign. Or perhaps a drop in scans? It might be time to rethink where and how you’re displaying those codes.
Everyone loves a good deal, and QR codes are a brilliant way to hand out exclusive savings directly to your customers. It’s like giving them a secret key to unlock special offers.
In fact, according to a study by Juniper Research, QR coupon redemptions are projected to hit $5.3 billion by 2024. This proves that people are not just scanning QR codes; they’re using them to save money.
For instance, imagine you’re walking into your favorite clothing store and spot a QR code next to the latest summer collection. You scan it, and you’ve got an exclusive 20% off just for you. This makes customers feel valued and also encourages immediate purchases.
QR codes also let you track which deals are most popular. For instance, by using a QR code linked to a sport nutritious site, customers can compare two different pre-workout supplements. If you see everyone scanning the QR code for a particular discount, you’ll know which supplement is a hit, and you can use that info for future promotions.
For businesses, this isn’t just about giving away discounts. It’s a strategic move to get insights into what your customers love while driving sales and fostering brand loyalty.
4. Engage Passerby With Dynamic-Window Interactions
Imagine walking by a store window, and instead of just a static display, there’s a QR code inviting you to interact. That’s the power of dynamic-window interactions. It turns regular windows into gateways of engagement, tempting passersby to dive deeper into what you offer, even when the store’s closed.
A study by Grand View Research revealed that the global market for interactive display screens is expected to reach $70.06 billion by 2030. This growth hints at the average user’s increasing desire for interactive experiences while shopping.
Take, for instance, a shoe store. It’s after hours, but a QR code on the window showcases a teaser like “Scan to see our latest collection in action.” A passerby scans it and gets redirected to a video showcasing the shoes on different terrains. This keeps the customer engaged while also creating a memorable brand experience.
Or think of a cafe that’s about to introduce a new menu item. Their window QR code links to a sneak peek with mouth-watering images or even a special discount for those who scan and come back during operating hours.
The beauty of dynamic-window interactions is that they make use of spaces often overlooked in traditional marketing. They create an interactive, 24/7 marketing opportunity, making sure that even after hours, you can connect, engage, and excite potential customers.
5. Capture & Nurture Potential Buyers
QR codes transform how you connect with potential customers. They aren’t just about giving quick information. Instead, they provide a strategic way to build and maintain a relationship with people who show interest in a product or service.
For instance, at a tech exhibition, a gadget may come with a QR code for an in-depth video review. After the review, viewers could be prompted to sign up for a newsletter, giving the business a direct line to share more related content, updates, or exclusive offers.
This strategy is about understanding a potential buyer’s interest and catering to it so they receive relevant information that nudges them closer to a purchase.
Now, let’s think about products where customers often seek assurance. Say you offer medical safety equipment tailored for the elderly. A well-placed QR code next to these products can be a bridge to trusted review platforms.
When customers scan, they get directed to credible sites with in-depth reviews and comparisons. This added layer of validation empowers them, bolstering their confidence in making a purchase decision.
6. Boost Event Participation With Easy Registration
With a simple scan, they remove barriers, making it easier for attendees to get involved and for organizers to communicate effectively. According to Juniper Research, global spending through QR code payments is projected to reach $3.3 trillion by 2025, from $2.5 in 2022. That’s over half, signaling a clear shift towards digital integration in the event space.
For example, let’s say you’re hosting a music festival. Instead of just listing band schedules on large boards, you could place QR codes at entry points. Attendees can scan these to get real-time updates on performances and food stall locations or even access interactive festival maps.
This not only keeps everyone informed but also adds a layer of interactivity to the experience. Similarly, for a business conference, QR codes on name badges can instantly link to a person’s LinkedIn profile or company website, simplifying networking.
7. Expand Your Email Community
QR codes simplify the process of joining an email community. With just a scan, customers can bypass tedious forms and instantly become part of your brand’s network.
Take a scenario at a digital trade show. A booth showcases tools for online trading. Instead of distributing pamphlets, there’s a prominent QR code.
With a quick scan, you’re taken to Whop where you can discover, buy, and sell a myriad of digital products and memberships. A moment later, you’ve joined their email list, getting direct access to specialized tools and exclusive offers.
Placing QR codes at events, in stores, or on packaging can be a game-changer to enlarge your email outreach. It’s convenient for customers and a growth avenue for brands.
8. Educate Your Audience With Valuable Information
Customers want information, and QR codes are the instant solution. Instead of handing out pamphlets or only relying on staff, use QR codes to direct customers to the details they need.
Place QR codes next to products. One scan can connect them to how-to videos, comprehensive product specifications, or firsthand user experiences.
For example, a customer interested in digestive supplements can scan a QR code and immediately access articles on insights about digestive health. The same goes for other products: from electronics to skincare, a QR code can instantly provide customers with relevant and in-depth information. It’s like having an on-demand digital guide right at their fingertips.
To get the most out of QR codes in your digital marketing strategy, follow these best practices:
A. Clear Instructions
Not everyone is familiar with how QR codes work. Add QR codes to your business cards or promotional materials with straightforward instructions. If you’re thinking of including contact details in your QR codes, here’s a helpful guide on how to put contact details into a QR code
B. Visibility Is Key
Make sure your QR codes are placed where they’re easily noticeable. This could be product tags, promotional posters, or even storefronts. Remember, if a customer doesn’t see it, they won’t scan it.
C. Keep It Fresh
Update the content behind your QR codes periodically. This keeps the user experience dynamic and encourages repeat scans. For instance, a QR code in a monthly magazine should lead to different content each month.
D. Optimize For Mobile
Once scanned, QR codes usually direct users to a website or a specific landing page. Make sure your third-party apps or landing pages are mobile-friendly. For a deeper understanding of improving customer experience, especially in eCommerce, check out this article on how to improve user experience.
E. Monitor & Analyze
Like any other marketing tool, monitor your QR code’s performance. Analyze the scan numbers, the time spent on linked pages, and other relevant metrics to continually refine your strategy. You can leverage different resources for more comprehensive insights into digital marketing trends, including influencer dynamics.
8 Interesting Ways Brands Are Using QR Codes In Retail
Brands worldwide are now using QR codes not just to store data but to interact creatively with their customers. Here are some standout examples:
Nike used QR codes to enhance the shopping experience for their customers. In their stores, they placed specific codes on products. When shoppers scanned these codes, they were treated to an augmented reality experience.
This allowed them to see a virtual sneaker design within their real surroundings, giving a fresh and unique view of the product.
II. Uniqlo’s Virtual Fitting Rooms
Uniqlo rolled out “Magic Mirror” technology in some of their stores. Shoppers could scan a QR code to use this feature. It allowed them to virtually see themselves in different colors of a specific clothing item. This meant they didn’t need to physically change outfits, making it easier to decide on a purchase.
III. Kate Spade’s Digital Pop-Up Shops
Kate Spade created digital pop-up shops in New York City. These shops displayed products with accompanying QR codes. Passersby could scan these codes, buy products on the spot, and have them delivered directly to their homes.
IV. Burberry’s Product Storytelling Journey
Burberry added QR codes to some of their products. When customers scanned these codes, they watched videos that shared the brand’s history and the craftsmanship behind the product they had in their hands.
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Starbucks and McDonald’s adopted QR-code menus. Customers could scan a code on their table, view the menu on their phone, and place an order without touching a physical menu.
VI. Spotify’s Interactive Billboards
Spotify used QR codes on billboards to highlight different artists. People walking by could scan the code and immediately access the artist’s playlist on the app, combining traditional advertising with a quick digital music journey.
VII. Zara’s Feedback Mechanism
Zara added QR codes to their purchase receipts to improve the shopping experience. By scanning the code, customers could quickly give feedback, giving Zara instant feedback on their service quality.
VIII. Patagonia’s Sustainability Transparency
Patagonia, a strong advocate for sustainability, included QR codes on their product tags. By scanning the codes, customers could learn about where materials came from and Patagonia’s dedication to environmental responsibility.
Conclusion
In the fast-paced realm of 2023, QR code marketing has rapidly evolved as a cornerstone for modern businesses. It’s more than just a fad; it’s a compelling bridge between our tangible stores and the expansive digital universe we’re all a part of.
When you introduce a QR code, accessing it should be straightforward and user-friendly. Remember to position the code where it’s easily noticeable and accessible to potential scanners.
Beyond just setting them up, regularly monitor their performance. Track their usage and effectiveness to make sure that they continue to meet your business goals and remain a relevant tool for your audience.
Now, if you’re looking to dive even deeper into the vibrant design world and web development or just seeking ways to make your digital voice heard, swing by Noupe. It’s the perfect pit stop for all things stylish, fresh, and engaging in the digital landscape.
Outdoor marketing remains a potent force even in our digital-centric world. Despite the rise of online ads, 85% of consumers remember seeing an outdoor advertisement in the past month, as highlighted by a study from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
This fact emphasizes the lasting impact of billboards, banners, and other outdoor promotional tools. This article dives into the intricacies of this traditional marketing method, presenting the most effective strategies and tools of today.
Whether you’re an experienced marketer or a newcomer, this guide provides the insights needed to make your brand shine in the open air.
Outdoor marketing is a broad category of advertising that encompasses any type of campaign executed outside the home. This form of marketing is designed to reach consumers as they go about their daily activities, capturing their attention in public spaces.
The most recognizable form of outdoor marketing is the billboard. Still, the category includes mediums such as transit posters (found on buses, trains, and subways), kiosks, bus shelters, and even guerrilla marketing tactics like sidewalk chalk or unique installations.
Digital billboards and interactive displays have also modernized the OOH landscape, creating more dynamic and engaging content.
The primary advantage of outdoor marketing is its ability to offer high visibility in strategic locations, ensuring that brands can reach many potential customers.
Unlike digital ads that can be skipped or print ads that might go unnoticed, outdoor advertisements are prominently placed in the environment, making them hard to ignore. They’re especially effective in high-traffic areas where they can garner numerous impressions.
The History of Outdoor Marketing
Outdoor marketing, often called out-of-home (OOH) advertising, has been a cornerstone of the advertising world for centuries. Its evolution offers a fascinating glimpse into the changing dynamics of commerce, technology, and societal values.
The Birth of Modern Billboards
Billboards emerged in the 19th century in the U.S. with the railway system expansion. Companies advertised to train passengers using surfaces alongside tracks. By the late 1800s, billboard structures were standardized, leading to large-scale advertising companies.
In the 20th century, the rise of automobiles transformed outdoor marketing, making roadside billboards common on highways. As cars became widespread, advertisers targeted on-the-move consumers.
In cities, transit advertising on buses, trams, and subways flourished, with exteriors and interiors used. The mid-century introduced neon signs, with cities like Las Vegas and Tokyo becoming renowned for their neon-lit nightscapes.
Innovation and Regulation
With the growth of outdoor marketing came concerns about aesthetics and safety. The 1960s U.S. Highway Beautification Act regulated billboard size, spacing, and lighting to prevent distractions and protect landscapes.
Concurrently, advances in materials, like vinyl in the 1980s, enabled more vibrant, durable ads, offering advertisers greater flexibility and creativity.
The Digital Revolution
The late 20th and early 21st centuries introduced digital outdoor marketing. Digital billboards, offering real-time updates and interactivity, became pivotal. Some even used cameras and sensors to tailor content based on audience reactions.
Augmented reality (AR) and QR codes further enhanced traditional OOH formats, allowing users to scan codes for extra content or merge digital data with the real world.
The Modern Landscape and Beyond
Today’s outdoor marketing combines traditional and digital techniques. Classic billboards and transit ads now feature QR codes or social media hashtags, connecting the physical and digital worlds.
Additionally, environmental considerations have influenced the industry by adopting eco-friendly materials, solar-powered billboards, and sustainable practices.
In an age dominated by digital screens and online platforms, one might wonder about the relevance of traditional advertising methods.
However, outdoor marketing, often called out-of-home (OOH) advertising, has not only withstood the test of time but continues to offer unique advantages that digital mediums often can’t replicate. Here are seven compelling benefits of outdoor marketing:
1. Uninterrupted Visibility
Unlike digital ads, which can be skipped, blocked, or closed, outdoor advertisements are prominently displayed in the environment, making them hard to ignore. Billboards, banners, and transit ads command attention by size and placement.
They are there 24/7, ensuring that your message is always visible to passersby, whether they’re pedestrians in a city center or drivers on a highway. This constant exposure increases the likelihood of your message being noticed and remembered.
2. Broad Audience Reach
Outdoor marketing doesn’t discriminate. It reaches out to everyone who passes by, irrespective of age, gender, or socioeconomic status. This broad reach is especially beneficial for brands or campaigns that target a wide demographic.
For instance, a billboard placed in a strategic location can be seen by tens of thousands of people daily. Over time, this accumulates to a massive number of impressions, ensuring that your message reaches a diverse and extensive audience.
3. Enhances Local Presence
For businesses that operate in a specific locality or region, outdoor marketing can significantly boost local presence and recognition.
A well-placed billboard or poster in a community can make a brand synonymous with a particular area, creating a sense of familiarity and trust among local residents.
This is especially beneficial for small businesses looking to establish themselves in a community or larger businesses aiming to create a localized connection.
4. High Recall Rate
Studies have shown that the human brain is more likely to remember something it has seen in the physical world compared to the digital realm. The tangible nature of outdoor advertisements, combined with their size and repetitive visibility, ensures a higher recall rate.
Many people can remember a specific billboard they’ve seen during their commute, even if they’ve only seen it a few times. This high recall translates to better brand recognition and, ultimately, a higher likelihood of conversion.
5. Cost-Effective in the Long Run
While the initial investment for outdoor advertising might seem high, especially for prime locations, its longevity, and broad reach often result in a lower cost per impression than many digital advertising methods.
A billboard, for instance, might be up for several weeks or months, continuously advertising to new sets of eyes. When you break down the cost over the duration and the number of impressions, outdoor marketing often presents a cost-effective solution for brands looking for long-term exposure.
6. Complements Digital Campaigns
Outdoor marketing’s ability to complement digital campaigns extends beyond just QR codes or social media hashtags. Consider the potential of geotargeting: when consumers see a billboard for a product or service, they might immediately search for it on their smartphone.
Brands can capitalize on this behavior by using geotargeted digital ads that appear to users within the vicinity of their outdoor advertisements. This creates a seamless transition from the physical ad they just saw to the digital realm, enhancing the user’s journey with the brand.
Moreover, outdoor advertising can be a visual anchor, reinforcing digital messages. For instance, users might scroll past a digital ad on their social media feed without much thought.
However, if they later encounter a similar outdoor advertisement, the previous digital interaction is recalled, amplifying the message’s impact.
7. Flexibility and Creativity
The vast canvas that outdoor marketing provides is not just limited to billboards. Brands have utilized buses, trams, and even entire buildings to showcase their creativity.
This expansive space allows for larger-than-life representations of products, services, or brand messages, creating a visual spectacle that’s hard to forget.
Moreover, the rise of digital billboards has added a dynamic element to outdoor advertising. These billboards can change messages based on the time of day, weather, or even current events, allowing brands to stay relevant and timely in their communication.
Interactive outdoor campaigns, where audiences can engage directly with the advertisement, have also gained traction.
From billboards that change content based on audience reactions to installations that users can interact with, the merging of technology with outdoor spaces has opened up many creative possibilities.
Top Channels for Outdoor Marketing
As technology advances, so do the methods and channels available for outdoor marketing. Here are the top five channels for outdoor marketing:
1. Digital Outdoor Signage
Digital outdoor signage has revolutionized the way brands communicate with their audience outdoors. Unlike traditional billboards, digital signs can display dynamic content, change advertisements in real-time, and interact with passersby.
One of the leading names in this space is AIScreen, which offers cutting-edge digital signage solutions that enhance brand visibility and engagement. The ability to update content on the fly, coupled with high-resolution displays, makes digital outdoor signage a preferred choice for many advertisers.
It’s not just about displaying an ad; it’s about creating an experience. With features like touch interactivity, motion detection, and even augmented reality integrations, digital signage offers a level of engagement that traditional billboards can’t match.
2. Transit Advertising
Transit advertising refers to advertisements placed on or within public transportation vehicles, such as buses, trains, and taxis, and at stations or terminals. This form of advertising is especially effective in urban areas with a high concentration of commuters.
Whether it’s a bus wrap showcasing a new product or a poster inside a subway car, transit advertising ensures that your message travels with your audience.
Given the captive nature of the audience—people waiting for or riding on public transport—transit ads can have a significant impact. Moreover, with the rise of smart cities, even transit advertising is going digital, with screens displaying ads based on the time of day, location, or weather.
3. Street Furniture Advertising
Street furniture advertising encompasses ads placed on city fixtures like bus shelters, benches, kiosks, and phone booths. These ads are strategically located in high-footfall areas, ensuring maximum visibility.
One of the advantages of street furniture advertising is its ability to cater to pedestrians and vehicular traffic. For instance, a well-designed ad on a bus shelter can catch the eye of someone waiting for the bus and a person driving by.
Given their proximity to the ground level, these ads can be more detailed, allowing for more information or even QR codes that pedestrians can scan.
4. Guerrilla Marketing
Guerrilla marketing is an unconventional form of outdoor advertising that aims to catch people off guard and create a memorable brand experience. It involves creative, sometimes spontaneous activities in public spaces, designed to create buzz and virality.
From flash mobs to interactive installations, guerrilla marketing campaigns are often bold and innovative. The key to a successful guerrilla marketing campaign is originality. It’s about doing something unexpected that resonates with the audience and gets them talking.
While it can be a riskier approach compared to traditional methods, when executed correctly, guerrilla marketing can generate significant media coverage and social media buzz.
5. Building Wraps and Large Format Banners
Size does matter in outdoor advertising. Building wraps and large format banners are hard to miss. These massive advertisements cover the sides of buildings or hang in prominent locations. Given their sheer size, they command attention.
Whether it’s in a bustling city center or along a busy highway, these ads make a statement. They’re especially effective for product launches or major events where you want to make a big splash.
The key is to have a compelling visual and a clear message, as these ads are often viewed from a distance.
Innovative Outdoor Marketing Ideas For Your Business
While traditional billboards and posters still have their place, innovation in outdoor marketing can set your brand apart, creating memorable experiences that resonate with consumers.
Here are five innovative outdoor marketing ideas to elevate your brand’s presence and engage your target audience:
Interactive Digital Billboards
Gone are the days when billboards were static displays. Today’s digital billboards can be interactive, engaging passersby in real-time. Imagine a billboard that responds to the weather, changing its message or design based on rain, sunshine, or snow.
Or consider a billboard that allows users to interact with it through their smartphones, perhaps by playing a game, participating in a poll, or accessing a special promotion.
For instance, a fashion brand could showcase its latest collection and let pedestrians vote on their favorite outfits using their phones. This not only grabs attention but also encourages active participation, making the advertisement more memorable.
Augmented Reality (AR) Experiences
AR technology has opened up a world of possibilities for outdoor marketing. By overlaying digital information in the real world, AR can create immersive brand experiences. For example, a movie studio promoting an upcoming film could set up AR stations in popular city squares.
When people point their smartphones or AR glasses at a specific marker, they can see a trailer or even interact with characters from the movie.
Another idea is for retail stores to use AR to showcase how furniture or clothing might look in a customer’s home or on them, respectively. The key is to create an experience that’s not just novel but also adds value or entertainment for the user.
Pop-Up Events and Experiences
Pop-up events are temporary, often unexpected, events or stores that “pop up” for a short period. They can be incredibly effective for generating buzz and creating a sense of urgency.
A cosmetic brand, for instance, could create a pop-up spa in a city park, offering quick facials or makeup sessions. A tech company might set up a temporary lounge in a busy train station, showcasing its latest products.
The transient nature of pop-ups means that people are more likely to engage, knowing it’s a limited-time opportunity. Plus, the surprise element can generate significant word-of-mouth publicity.
Eco-Friendly Installations
As consumers become more environmentally conscious, brands can make a statement with eco-friendly outdoor marketing initiatives. Consider creating installations using recycled materials or setting up displays that double as urban gardens.
Another idea is to use solar-powered digital displays or create advertisements that can later be repurposed or recycled.
For instance, a brand promoting sustainability could set up a billboard made entirely of recyclable materials and then invite the community to a recycling event once the campaign is over.
Such initiatives not only promote the brand but also resonate with eco-conscious consumers, showcasing the brand’s commitment to sustainability.
Personalized Outdoor Advertising
Personalization is a significant trend in digital marketing, but it can also be applied to outdoor marketing. With the rise of data analytics and smart technology, outdoor advertisements can be tailored to the audience in real-time.
For example, digital displays in shopping malls could showcase ads based on the demographics of the people nearby, detected through mobile data or facial recognition (with proper privacy measures in place).
A billboard in a busy business district might showcase ads for professional services during the day and switch to entertainment or dining ads in the evening. The more relevant the advertisement, the more likely it is to engage the viewer.
I apologize for the inconvenience. It seems I’m currently unable to access external resources directly. However, I can still provide a detailed overview based on my existing knowledge. Let’s dive into some examples of successful outdoor marketing campaigns:
Top Tools To Leverage Outdoor Marketing For Your Business
Here are five top tools that businesses can leverage to make the most of their outdoor marketing efforts:
1. Digital Billboards and Display Screens
Digital billboards are a significant upgrade from their static counterparts. These electronic displays can showcase multiple advertisements in a rotation, allowing businesses to feature various products or messages throughout the day.
The flexibility of digital billboards means that ads can be updated in real time, making them ideal for promotions, flash sales, or timely announcements.
Additionally, some advanced screens come with sensors that adjust brightness based on ambient light, ensuring optimal visibility at all times.
2. QR Code Generators
Quick Response (QR) codes have seen a resurgence in recent years, especially in outdoor marketing. These scannable codes can bridge the gap between physical advertisements and the digital world.
By using a QR code generator, businesses can create unique codes that, when scanned by a smartphone, lead to a specific webpage, video, or promotional offer. This tool not only drives engagement but also allows for easy tracking of campaign effectiveness.
3. Sales automation software
Sales automation software plays a pivotal role in outdoor marketing by streamlining lead management, automating follow-ups, and delivering personalised email campaigns. For example, a retail business can use sales automation to efficiently collect customer leads during outdoor events, send targeted follow-up emails, and manage appointments, ultimately boosting customer engagement and sales conversions.
4. Augmented Reality (AR) Platforms
AR has the power to transform static advertisements into interactive experiences. With AR platforms, businesses can overlay digital information onto physical ads. For instance, a poster for a new movie could come to life with a trailer when viewed through an AR app.
This immersive experience can captivate audiences and create memorable interactions with the brand. Companies like Snapchat and Instagram offer AR ad solutions that can be integrated into outdoor campaigns.
5. Eco-friendly Printing Solutions
As environmental concerns become more pressing, businesses seek sustainable methods in all operations, including marketing. Eco-friendly printing solutions use materials that are biodegradable, recycled, or sourced sustainably.
These printers also utilize inks that are less harmful to the environment. By opting for green printing solutions, businesses not only reduce their ecological footprint but also appeal to environmentally-conscious consumers.
6. Analytics and Tracking Software
To gauge the success of an outdoor marketing campaign, businesses need robust analytics and tracking tools. Modern software can track the times a QR code is scanned or measure engagement with digital billboards.
Some advanced digital displays even incorporate cameras to analyze audience demographics and gauge reactions to advertisements. By harnessing this data, businesses can refine their strategies and optimize future campaigns.
Examples of Successful Outdoor Marketing Campaigns
One of the most iconic outdoor marketing campaigns in recent years is Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” initiative. The company replaced its traditional logo on bottles with popular names, inviting consumers to find a bottle with their name or the name of a loved one.
This simple yet effective personalization turned every bottle into a mini billboard. The campaign was amplified with large outdoor billboards showcasing various names, making it a personal experience on a grand scale.
The result? Increased sales and a massive social media buzz as consumers shared pictures of their personalized bottles.
2. Spotify’s “Thanks 2016, It’s Been Weird” Campaign
Spotify humorously leveraged its vast user data with its end-of-year campaign. Billboards showcased quirky, real user habits, such as “To the person who played ‘Sorry’ 42 times on Valentine’s Day, what did you do?”
This campaign was a hit because it combined humor, accurate user data, and a touch of mystery, making it relatable and intriguing. It was a testament to the power of data-driven outdoor advertising.
To promote the opening of a new store in France, Ikea set up a giant vertical billboard that doubled as a climbing wall.
This interactive billboard was adorned with actual Ikea furniture, showcasing the brand’s products in a fun and engaging way. Not only did it draw attention, but it also allowed consumers to interact with the brand, creating a memorable experience physically.
4. McDonald’s “Sundial Billboard”
In a creative twist, McDonald’s used a billboard as a functional sundial. The shadow cast by the billboard’s structure moved across the board, aligning with images of different McDonald’s breakfast items at the appropriate times of the morning.
It was a clever way to promote their breakfast menu, reminding passersby of the time and, more importantly, that it was time for a McDonald’s breakfast.
To promote its line of razors, BIC showcased a massive billboard featuring a man’s bearded face. Over time, the beard was “shaved” off, revealing a clean-shaven face, demonstrating the effectiveness of BIC razors.
This dynamic billboard changed over time, encouraging viewers to revisit and see the progress, thereby repeatedly exposing them to the brand and its message.
What Challenges Can One Face in Outdoor Marketing Today?
As brands compete for attention in an increasingly digital world, outdoor marketing must evolve to stay relevant. Here are ten challenges faced in outdoor marketing today:
1. Digital Distractions: With smartphones and digital devices dominating, capturing the attention of a tech-savvy audience is challenging.
2. High Costs: Prime outdoor advertising spaces, especially in urban areas, can be expensive.
3. Vandalism: Billboards and posters can be susceptible to graffiti and other vandalism.
4. Weather Dependency: Outdoor ads can be affected by weather conditions, reducing their lifespan and visibility.
5. Regulatory Restrictions: Many cities have strict regulations regarding the size, location, and content of outdoor advertisements.
6. Short Attention Span: With people on the move, outdoor ads have only a few seconds to make an impact.
7. Measurement Difficulties: Unlike digital marketing, tracking the direct impact and ROI of outdoor ads can be challenging.
8. Environmental Concerns: Large billboards and print materials can be considered environmentally unfriendly.
9. Space Limitations: Conveying a message with limited space requires creativity and precision.
10. Rapid Technological Changes: Keeping up with the latest technologies, like digital billboards and AR integrations, requires constant adaptation.
In conclusion, while outdoor marketing offers vast potential, navigating its challenges requires strategic planning, creativity, and adaptability.
What Is the Difference Between Outdoor and Digital Marketing?
In the vast realm of advertising, two dominant forms have emerged over the years: outdoor marketing and digital marketing.
While both aim to engage audiences and promote brands or products, they employ distinct strategies, mediums, and technologies. Here, we’ll delve into five key differences between these two marketing forms.
1. Medium and Platform
Outdoor Marketing: This form of marketing, often called out-of-home (OOH) advertising, utilizes physical spaces to communicate its messages. Classic examples include billboards along highways, posters in transit systems, banners at events, and even guerrilla marketing tactics in public spaces.
These advertisements are tangible, static (except digital billboards), and are placed in strategic locations to garner maximum visibility.
Digital Marketing: Digital marketing operates in the online realm. It encompasses various platforms and strategies, including search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising (PPC), social media marketing, email campaigns, and content marketing.
These advertisements are virtual and dynamic and can be tailored to appear to specific demographics based on online behavior, preferences, and search history.
2. Targeting and Personalization
Outdoor Marketing: OOH advertising is broad in its targeting. While a billboard or transit ad can be placed in a location to reach a particular demographic (e.g., a university campus for targeting students), it doesn’t offer personalized content for each viewer. Everyone who passes by sees the same message.
Digital Marketing: One of the most powerful features of digital marketing is its ability to target specific audiences with precision. Advertisers can tailor content based on a user’s online behavior, location, device, age, gender, interests, etc. For instance, retargeting ads can show products that a user has previously viewed on an e-commerce site, making the advertisement highly relevant to the individual.
3. Duration and Flexibility
Outdoor Marketing: Once an outdoor advertisement is set up, it remains constant for its duration, which could be weeks or even months. Changing the content requires a physical change, which can be time-consuming and costly.
Digital Marketing: Digital ads offer unparalleled flexibility. Advertisers can change their content in real-time based on performance metrics, current events, or inventory levels. For instance, if an ad isn’t performing well, marketers can quickly adjust the design, messaging, or targeting parameters to optimize results.
4. Measurement and Analytics
Outdoor Marketing: Measuring the direct impact of OOH advertising can be challenging. While companies can estimate the number of impressions based on location traffic, it’s harder to determine the exact number of conversions (e.g., purchases) directly attributed to the ad. Some modern methods, like using QR codes on billboards, can provide more direct tracking, but overall, OOH analytics tend to be more generalized.
Digital Marketing: The digital realm offers robust analytics. Marketers can track many metrics, including click-through rates, conversion rates, bounce rates, and more. They can see which ads are most effective, which demographics are most engaged, and which times of day yield the best results. This data-driven approach allows for continuous optimization and a clear return on investment (ROI) measurement.
Conclusion
Outdoor marketing, with its rich history and diverse strategies, remains a pivotal component in the advertising landscape.
From the inception of billboards alongside train tracks to the digital innovations of today, it has continuously evolved to capture the attention of audiences on the move. The blend of traditional and modern methods, coupled with the integration of digital elements.
As brands navigate the challenges and opportunities of this dynamic medium, the fusion of creativity, strategy, and technology will be paramount.
Whether through a captivating billboard, an interactive digital display, or a guerrilla marketing stunt, the essence of outdoor marketing lies in its ability to engage, surprise, and leave a lasting impression on the vast open canvas of the real world.
FAQs
What is the difference Between Outdoor Marketing And Outdoor Advertising?
Outdoor marketing encompasses all external promotional strategies, while outdoor advertising specifically refers to visible ads like billboards and posters.
What insights does this guide provide?
The guide offers insights into effective outdoor promotional methods, the latest tools, and evolving industry trends for successful campaigns.
How does outdoor marketing differ from digital marketing?
Outdoor marketing uses physical spaces for promotions, like billboards, while digital marketing focuses on online platforms and strategies.
Are digital elements incorporated in modern outdoor marketing?
Yes, modern outdoor marketing integrates digital elements like digital billboards, QR codes, and augmented reality for enhanced engagement.
In a world where everything is intertwined with technology, a data security breach is like an unexpected rain on your parade—definitely not a fun surprise.
But here’s the thing: you can’t just brush it off like nothing happened.
Cyberattacks are ramping up, no doubt about it. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, the cost of cybercrime is likely to hit a whopping $10.5 trillion?? by 2025.
So, let’s get into it. In this complete guide, we’re diving deep into data breaches, breaking down what they mean, the domino effect they set off, and, most importantly, how to pick yourself up when things get messy.
So settle in—we’re making data breaches as easy to understand and handle as a walk in the park.
What is a Data Breach?
Think of a data breach as a digital break-in. It’s when hackers manage to sneak into a company’s databases and nab sensitive info.
Now, these cyberattacks happen because there are holes in data security. Companies don’t always have the right locks and alarms, leaving their data and customers’ info vulnerable.
Types of Breaches
There’s a whole range of data breach flavors out there, like:
Phishing: Tricking someone into revealing info via fake emails or websites.
Ransomware: Holding data hostage until a ransom is paid.
Social Engineering Scams: Manipulating people into sharing sensitive details.
Software Misconfigurations: Getting in through poorly set up software.
Weak Passwords: Guessing easy-to-crack passwords.
Physical Device Theft: Yep, sometimes they steal the actual devices.
Third-Party Breaches: When a company’s partner gets hacked, cybercriminals sneak through the backdoor.
Suppose you work at a cloud communications platform company. One day, the headlines scream—hackers just broke into your system. They’re now holding customer data, like contact numbers and communication history, hostage. These hackers could start sending messages that look legit, but they’re loaded with malware. So when customers click, boom—their devices are infected with a computer virus or malware.
You see, data breaches aren’t just faraway stories. They’re real and messy, affecting real people and real businesses. This is why understanding breaches and how to react is super important.
What Happens When a Company Suffers a Data Breach?
Now that you have a better idea of what data breaches are, let’s discuss the aftermath of a data breach and look at some of the problems that they can cause:
Think of your customer’s trust being like a vase. A data security breach would smash it to pieces. Customers start worrying about their personal information—and they’re not alone. KPMG revealed that 86% of people have growing concerns about their data privacy.
Government Fines
The law gets involved. Data breaches often come with regulatory fines in the U.S. For instance, HIPAA violations can lead to fines ranging from $100 to $50,000 per violation.
A Dip in Stock Price
Money talks. News of a data breach can spook investors. Share prices of breached companies hit a low point of approximately 110 market days following a breach. Share prices fall -3.5% on average and underperform the NASDAQ by -3.5%, as reported by Comparitech.
How Can Companies Prevent Data Breaches?
Preventing data breaches is essential for keeping your valuable stuff safe. Here are some ways to increase data security in your business:
Implement Cybersecurity Measures: Invest in robust cybersecurity measures like firewalls, encryption, and intrusion detection systems. Multi-factor authentication is a great way to fortify access to sensitive info.
Stay Up-to-Date with Software and Patch Management: Keep your software up-to-date, and don’t snooze on those patches. Hackers often exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software.
Train Your Troops: Make sure your team knows the drill. Regularly train employees about cybersecurity best practices. A well-informed workforce can be your first line of defense. You can even hold personalized training sessions on topics like how to create strong passwords and the importance of archiving for data privacy.
Limit Access: Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP): Not everyone needs access to everything. Follow the principle of least privilege—grant employees the minimum access required to perform their roles.
Partner Wisely with Third-Party Vendors: Your partners’ security matters too. Before collaborating, assess their data security practices.
Regular Checkups: Just like a health checkup, your digital health needs one too. Regularly conduct security audits and assessments to spot vulnerabilities before they become gateways for hackers.
Stay tuned—we’re delving deeper into the battle plan against data breaches. From recovery tactics to ensuring legal compliance, we’ve got you covered.
What Should You Do About a Data Breach?
Alright, the inevitable has happened—a data security breach slipped through the cracks, even after all your best efforts to increase data security. Here’s your playbook on what to do when facing a data breach:
Act Fast to Contain the Breach
Image sourced from IBM
Imagine you’re in charge of a tech company that relies on secure remote access solutions, like VPNs. The moment you get wind of a breach, rally your response team into action.
Together, you can identify how the breach happened and take immediate steps to contain it. This can include disconnecting compromised systems, changing passwords, isolating affected areas, and temporarily shutting down remote access. Acting fast means you can slam the brakes on the breach’s impact and put up roadblocks to stop it from spreading.
According to IBM, spotting a breach takes about 204 days on average. Containing the chaos? That’s another story—roughly 73 days. Add it all up, and you’re staring at a whopping 277 days. Yup, that’s nearly a year. But with quick thinking and speedy action, you’re on track to slam the brakes on that breach’s rampage.
Notify Authorities
In many scenarios, data security breach incidents require reporting to regulatory authorities. It’s crucial to familiarize yourself with the laws and requirements governing breach notifications in your country. Just like you wouldn’t miss a red light on the road, don’t overlook your responsibility to notify the appropriate channels.
Alert Affected Parties
When a breach occurs, swift and transparent communication is paramount. Data breaches can damage your reputation with your customers or clients. Imagine being in a position where you’re responsible for a company’s response to a breach. You promptly reach out to the individuals whose data has been compromised. You don’t delay or sugarcoat—you provide clear information about the breach, the type of data exposed, and the potential risks they might face. By doing so, you’re not only meeting a legal obligation but demonstrating respect for their privacy and fostering trust.
Seek Legal and PR Guidance
Navigating legal waters can be complex. When a breach hits, it’s time to consult legal experts to grasp your obligations and potential liabilities. Additionally, engaging your PR team is akin to switching on your headlights in a fog—it ensures clarity and honesty in your communication. The result? A clear path forward amidst the confusion.
This is your wake-up call. Bolster your security measures. Implement stronger access controls, regular security audits, and ongoing employee training.
Suppose you work at a law firm, and a recent breach shakes things up. In response, you tighten the reins and introduce solutions like Assembly Software that protect your data for improved security. You enhance access controls, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data. You schedule regular security audits to catch vulnerabilities before they become gateways. Taking these measures becomes your shield against future breaches and a testament to your commitment to safeguarding client information.
By leveraging digital signage solutions, you can consistently remind and educate your employees about best practices and the importance of data security.
Provide Support
Think of the aftermath of a breach as a storm that leaves individuals shaken. Now, envision being the helping hand that offers assistance. If you work at a company that’s just experienced a breach, provide resources to those affected, like credit monitoring or identity theft protection services. By doing this, you’re not just addressing the immediate fallout. You’re showing empathy and commitment to helping them navigate the breach. In a time of vulnerability, your support becomes a lifeline that helps individuals regain control and security.
Plan for the Future
The age-old wisdom of “hope for the best, prepare for the worst” couldn’t be more fitting here. Data breaches serve as a stark reminder that being proactive is key. So, you roll up your sleeves and create an incident response plan. This plan should include a clear chain of command, communication protocols, technical procedures, legal requirements, and contact details of relevant stakeholders, including legal counsel, PR experts, and cybersecurity specialists.
Facing a data breach is no walk in the park, but with a clear plan and swift action, you can navigate the storm and come out stronger on the other side.
Data Breaches: Prevent, Prepare, and Be Proactive
So there you have it—the full scoop on data breaches and how to bounce back from them.
We’ve covered the scary stuff, the fallout, and the steps to take when a breach comes knocking.
From acting quickly to getting legal and PR help, boosting security, and lending a hand to those affected—each move is like a piece of a puzzle that helps you sail through a breach. And don’t forget, the secret sauce for the future is a solid plan.
By knowing the risks, getting ready for the worst, and reacting with precision, you can actually turn the tables on a data security breach. So, as you move ahead in the digital world, remember while data breaches are tough cookies, your power to tackle them is even tougher.
No matter your industry, creating a winning sales funnel can help you meet prospects where they’re at, so you can grow your customer base and meet your company’s financial goals.
In the simplest of terms, the funnel starts with a wide pool of potential customers or clients, and eventually whittles its way down to those who actually follow through by giving you their business.
Whether you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or sales professional, here’s what you need to know about building a sales funnel to set your company up for financial success.
What Is a Sales Funnel?
There are many different sales funnel models, but we’ll dive into one of the simplest ones: the four-stage sales funnel. The four stages are: awareness, interest, decision, and action.
The first stage, awareness, is at the very top of the pyramid. It’s where customers first become aware of your business and products or services.
The next stage, interest, refers to when a customer is comparing business options before making a decision.
The third stage, decision, is when the customer has reached the decision-making stage and is ready to choose a company.
The last stage, action, refers to when the customer is ready to act and pay for a product or service.
You’ll want to develop a sales strategy around each of these four stages, attracting customers before they even know what your brand is with a good marketing approach, standing out from the competition when a prospect is weighing competitors, offering an incentive to go with your company when the customer reaches the decision-making stage, and staying engaged even if it’s clear a customer will buy from your company.
Some sales funnels go beyond this model to help you keep current customers happy. It’s important to consider this when coming up with a sales and marketing strategy to ensure current customers don’t drop off.
5 Ways to Build a Leading Sales Funnel
1. Dig into the data
Whether you’re building out customer personas, analyzing buying habits of customers in similar industries, or reviewing recent purchasing trends, it’s important to know more about the customers in your line of work.
For example, if you own a moving company and find the target demographic in your area is families, you can cater your advertising to attract more families to your business. Likewise, if you learn younger generations are more interested in a product your company makes, you can consider engaging with Gen Z on social media apps like TikTok or millennials on apps like Instagram.
2. Create a top-notch marketing strategy
Now that you know more about your target customers, you can create ad campaigns, social media posts, videos, and content pieces that speak to your key demographic. When creating ads, think about your audience’s key pain points, how your product or service solves this problem, and why you’re different from the competition.
You can use targeted ads to better reach the specific audiences you’re narrowing in on. Be sure to also keep track of your ad performance to see which ads customers are responding to most.
Make sure you research what your competitors are doing, too. You’ll want to review their social media platforms to see how their customers are responding to their posts. Keep note of any unanswered questions or frustrations customers bring up. This can help you stand out by offering a distinct voice and option for prospective customers.
Beyond ads, you might consider a power dialer as a step up from cold calling to help you find customers interested in your offerings.
3. Send your prospects to a winning website
After sparking a prospect’s interest, you’ll want to send them to your website or dedicated landing page. It’s smart to include more information on your website about how your offering solves a problem the customer might be experiencing and why they should buy from you rather than a competitor.
Make sure you also show detailed photos of the product or service, provide an overview, and offer more in-depth content users can access if they want to learn more. Consider including interactive elements like videos or product demos, infographics, and user reviews.
If prospects can buy the product or service outright, include a link to add it to their cart or a call to action explaining what they should do next. Try to put this all on one page to make it as easy as possible for the customer to take the next step. If the process feels too complicated, some prospects may drop out of the funnel.
Be sure to test your website or landing page on desktop and mobile. More customers shop directly from smartphones now, so you’ll want to ensure your website is optimized for both experiences.
4. Keep in contact
After the prospect buys your product or service, stay in touch with them by sending them a thank you email and adding them to your email newsletter list (make sure they can opt-out if they choose). This allows you to keep in touch if your company has sales, deals, or new product launches down the road. You might also send an email asking them to leave a review to encourage new prospects to purchase one of your products down the road.
You might also consider adding a sign-up form to your landing page, so a prospect can learn more about your offerings even if they don’t decide to make a purchase right away. In this case, you might want to reach out with promotional codes, one-time discounts, or other incentives to get them to buy from you.
5. Continue refining your process
Make sure to tighten up your sales process constantly to better fit your business goals. Review your data regularly to determine if you should adjust your ad strategy, or if you should expand or narrow your targeted ad field. Review your website or landing page metrics for more than just visitor counts — you can also view your click-through rates and see where users might stumble on your page. If you notice an issue, try launching a test version of the page to see if it performs better.
As a creative professional, navigating the digital realm is second nature to you. It’s normal to follow an endless thread of ideas across the web. But lately, you may have found yourself lost in seemingly endless scrolls that go nowhere. If so, you’re not alone.
Running a performance check on your site isn’t too terribly difficult. It may even be something you do regularly with Lighthouse in Chrome DevTools, where testing is freely available and produces a very attractive-looking report.
Lighthouse is only one performance auditing tool out of many. The convenience of having it tucked into Chrome DevTools is what makes it an easy go-to for many developers.
But do you know how Lighthouse calculates performance metrics like First Contentful Paint (FCP), Total Blocking Time (TBT), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)? There’s a handy calculator linked up in the report summary that lets you adjust performance values to see how they impact the overall score. Still, there’s nothing in there to tell us about the data Lighthouse is using to evaluate metrics. The linked-up explainer provides more details, from how scores are weighted to why scores may fluctuate between test runs.
Why do we need Lighthouse at all when Google also offers similar reports in PageSpeed Insights (PSI)? The truth is that the two tools were fairly distinct until PSI was updated in 2018 to use Lighthouse reporting.
Did you notice that the Performance score in Lighthouse is different from that PSI screenshot? How can one report result in a near-perfect score while the other appears to find more reasons to lower the score? Shouldn’t they be the same if both reports rely on the same underlying tooling to generate scores?
That’s what this article is about. Different tools make different assumptions using different data, whether we are talking about Lighthouse, PageSpeed Insights, or commercial services like DebugBear. That’s what accounts for different results. But there are more specific reasons for the divergence.
Let’s dig into those by answering a set of common questions that pop up during performance audits.
What Does It Mean When PageSpeed Insights Says It Uses “Real-User Experience Data”?
This is a great question because it provides a lot of context for why it’s possible to get varying results from different performance auditing tools. In fact, when we say “real user data,” we’re really referring to two different types of data. And when discussing the two types of data, we’re actually talking about what is called real-user monitoring, or RUM for short.
Type 1: Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX)
What PSI means by “real-user experience data” is that it evaluates the performance data used to measure the core web vitals from your tests against the core web vitals data of actual real-life users. That real-life data is pulled from the Chrome User Experience (CrUX) report, a set of anonymized data collected from Chrome users — at least those who have consented to share data.
CrUX data is important because it is how web core vitals are measured, which, in turn, are a ranking factor for Google’s search results. Google focuses on the 75th percentile of users in the CrUX data when reporting core web vitals metrics. This way, the data represents a vast majority of users while minimizing the possibility of outlier experiences.
But it comes with caveats. For example, the data is pretty slow to update, refreshing every 28 days, meaning it is not the same as real-time monitoring. At the same time, if you plan on using the data yourself, you may find yourself limited to reporting within that floating 28-day range unless you make use of the CrUX History API or BigQuery to produce historical results you can measure against. CrUX is what fuels PSI and Google Search Console, but it is also available in other tools you may already use.
If CrUX offers one flavor of real-user data, then we can consider “full real-user data” to be another flavor that provides even more in the way individual experiences, such as specific network requests made by the page. This data is distinct from CrUX because it’s collected directly by the website owner by installing an analytics snippet on their website.
Unlike CrUX data, full RUM pulls data from other users using other browsers in addition to Chrome and does so on a continual basis. That means there’s no waiting 28 days for a fresh set of data to see the impact of any changes made to a site.
You can see how you might wind up with different results in performance tests simply by the type of real-user monitoring (RUM) that is in use. Both types are useful, but
You might find that CrUX-based results are excellent for more of a current high-level view of performance than they are an accurate reflection of the users on your site because of that 28-day waiting period, which is where full RUM shines with more immediate results and a greater depth of information.
Does Lighthouse Use RUM Data, Too?
It does not! It uses synthetic data, or what we commonly call lab data. And, just like RUM, we can explain the concept of lab data by breaking it up into two different types.
Type 1: Observed Data
Observed data is performance as the browser sees it. So, instead monitoring real information collected from real users, observed data is more like defining the test conditions ourselves. For example, we could add throttling to the test environment to enforce an artificial condition where the test opens the page on a slower connection. You might think of it like racing a car in virtual reality, where the conditions are decided in advance, rather than racing on a live track where conditions may vary.
Type 2: Simulated Data
While we called that last type of data “observed data,” that is not an official industry term or anything. It’s more of a necessary label to help distinguish it from simulated data, which describes how Lighthouse (and many other tools that include Lighthouse in its feature set, such as PSI) applies throttling to a test environment and the results it produces.
The reason for the distinction is that there are different ways to throttle a network for testing. Simulated throttling starts by collecting data on a fast internet connection, then estimates how quickly the page would have loaded on a different connection. The result is a much faster test than it would be to apply throttling before collecting information. Lighthouse can often grab the results and calculate its estimates faster than the time it would take to gather the information and parse it on an artificially slower connection.
Simulated And Observed Data In Lighthouse
Simulated data is the data that Lighthouse uses by default for performance reporting. It’s also what PageSpeed Insights uses since it is powered by Lighthouse under the hood, although PageSpeed Insights also relies on real-user experience data from the CrUX report.
However, it is also possible to collect observed data with Lighthouse. This data is more reliable since it doesn’t depend on an incomplete simulation of Chrome internals and the network stack. The accuracy of observed data depends on how the test environment is set up. If throttling is applied at the operating system level, then the metrics match what a real user with those network conditions would experience. DevTools throttling is easier to set up, but doesn’t accurately reflect how server connections work on the network.
Limitations Of Lab Data
Lab data is fundamentally limited by the fact that it only looks at a single experience in a pre-defined environment. This environment often doesn’t even match the average real user on the website, who may have a faster network connection or a slower CPU. Continuous real-user monitoring can actually tell you how users are experiencing your website and whether it’s fast enough.
So why use lab data at all?
The biggest advantage of lab data is that it produces much more in-depth data than real user monitoring.
Google CrUX data only reports metric values with no debug data telling you how to improve your metrics. In contrast, lab reports contain a lot of analysis and recommendations on how to improve your page speed.
Why Is My Lighthouse LCP Score Worse Than The Real User Data?
It’s a little easier to explain different scores now that we’re familiar with the different types of data used by performance auditing tools. We now know that Google reports on the 75th percentile of real users when reporting web core vitals, which includes LCP.
“By using the 75th percentile, we know that most visits to the site (3 of 4) experienced the target level of performance or better. Additionally, the 75th percentile value is less likely to be affected by outliers. Returning to our example, for a site with 100 visits, 25 of those visits would need to report large outlier samples for the value at the 75th percentile to be affected by outliers. While 25 of 100 samples being outliers is possible, it is much less likely than for the 95th percentile case.”
On the flip side, simulated data from Lighthouse neither reports on real users nor accounts for outlier experiences in the same way that CrUX does. So, if we were to set heavy throttling on the CPU or network of a test environment in Lighthouse, we’re actually embracing outlier experiences that CrUX might otherwise toss out. Because Lighthouse applies heavy throttling by default, the result is that we get a worse LCP score in Lighthouse than we do PSI simply because Lighthouse’s data effectively looks at a slow outlier experience.
Why Is My Lighthouse CLS Score Better Than The Real User Data?
Just so we’re on the same page, Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measures the “visible stability” of a page layout. If you’ve ever visited a page, scrolled down it a bit before the page has fully loaded, and then noticed that your place on the page shifts when the page load is complete, then you know exactly what CLS is and how it feels.
The nuance here has to do with page interactions. We know that real users are capable of interacting with a page even before it has fully loaded. This is a big deal when measuring CLS because layout shifts often occur lower on the page after a user has scrolled down the page. CrUX data is ideal here because it’s based on real users who would do such a thing and bear the worst effects of CLS.
Lighthouse’s simulated data, meanwhile, does no such thing. It waits patiently for the full page load and never interacts with parts of the page. It doesn’t scroll, click, tap, hover, or interact in any way.
This is why you’re more likely to receive a lower CLS score in a PSI report than you’d get in Lighthouse. It’s not that PSI likes you less, but that the real users in its report are a better reflection of how users interact with a page and are more likely to experience CLS than simulated lab data.
Why Is Interaction to Next Paint Missing In My Lighthouse Report?
This is another case where it’s helpful to know the different types of data used in different tools and how that data interacts — or not — with the page. That’s because the Interaction to Next Paint (INP) metric is all about interactions. It’s right there in the name!
The fact that Lighthouse’s simulated lab data does not interact with the page is a dealbreaker for an INP report. INP is a measure of the latency for all interactions on a given page, where the highest latency — or close to it — informs the final score. For example, if a user clicks on an accordion panel and it takes longer for the content in the panel to render than any other interaction on the page, that is what gets used to evaluate INP.
Note: It is possible to script user flows with Lighthouse, including in DevTools. But that probably goes too deep for this article.
Why Is My Time To First Byte Score Worse For Real Users?
The Time to First Byte (TTFB) is what immediately comes to mind for many of us when thinking about page speed performance. We’re talking about the time between establishing a server connection and receiving the first byte of data to render a page.
TTFB identifies how fast or slow a web server is to respond to requests. What makes it special in the context of core web vitals — even though it is not considered a core web vital itself — is that it precedes all other metrics. The web server needs to establish a connection in order to receive the first byte of data and render everything else that core web vitals metrics measure. TTFB is essentially an indication of how fast users can navigate, and core web vitals can’t happen without it.
You might already see where this is going. When we start talking about server connections, there are going to be differences between the way that RUM data observes the TTFB versus how lab data approaches it. As a result, we’re bound to get different scores based on which performance tools we’re using and in which environment they are. As such, TTFB is more of a “rough guide,” as Jeremy Wagner and Barry Pollard explain:
“Websites vary in how they deliver content. A low TTFB is crucial for getting markup out to the client as soon as possible. However, if a website delivers the initial markup quickly, but that markup then requires JavaScript to populate it with meaningful content […], then achieving the lowest possible TTFB is especially important so that the client-rendering of markup can occur sooner. […] This is why the TTFB thresholds are a “rough guide” and will need to be weighed against how your site delivers its core content.”
So, if your TTFB score comes in higher when using a tool that relies on RUM data than the score you receive from Lighthouse’s lab data, it’s probably because of caches being hit when testing a particular page. Or perhaps the real user is coming in from a shortened URL that redirects them before connecting to the server. It’s even possible that a real user is connecting from a place that is really far from your web server, which takes a little extra time, particularly if you’re not using a CDN or running edge functions. It really depends on both the user and how you serve data.
Why Do Different Tools Report Different Core Web Vitals? What Values Are Correct?
This article has already introduced some of the nuances involved when collecting web vitals data. Different tools and data sources often report different metric values. So which ones can you trust?
When working with lab data, I suggest preferring observed data over simulated data. But you’ll see differences even between tools that all deliver high-quality data. That’s because no two tests are the same, with different test locations, CPU speeds, or Chrome versions. There’s no one right value. Instead, you can use the lab data to identify optimizations and see how your website changes over time when tested in a consistent environment.
Ultimately, what you want to look at is how real users experience your website. From an SEO standpoint, the 28-day Google CrUX data is the gold standard. However, it won’t be accurate if you’ve rolled out performance improvements over the last few weeks. Google also doesn’t report CrUX data for some high-traffic pages because the visitors may not be logged in to their Google profile.
Installing a custom RUM solution on your website can solve that issue, but the numbers won’t match CrUX exactly. That’s because visitors using browsers other than Chrome are now included, as are users with Chrome analytics reporting disabled.
Finally, while Google focuses on the fastest 75% of experiences, that doesn’t mean the 75th percentile is the correct number to look at. Even with good core web vitals, 25% of visitors may still have a slow experience on your website.
Wrapping Up
This has been a close look at how different performance tools audit and report on performance metrics, such as core web vitals. Different tools rely on different types of data that are capable of producing different results when measuring different performance metrics.
So, if you find yourself with a CLS score in Lighthouse that is far lower than what you get in PSI or DebugBear, go with the Lighthouse report because it makes you look better to the big boss. Just kidding! That difference is a big clue that the data between the two tools is uneven, and you can use that information to help diagnose and fix performance issues.
Are you looking for a tool to track lab data, Google CrUX data, and full real-user monitoring data? DebugBear helps you keep track of all three types of data in one place and optimize your page speed where it counts.
Digitalization and implementation of innovative ideas are crucial for success in the changing stage of business and technology. DevOps services (DaaS) is a new cutting-edge concept that is changing the overall concept of the business and maintaining software. Also, it’s not hidden that DevOps has transformed the overall software business. And the service-based approach provides a window to a new era of possibilities.
Implementation of DevOps services and solutions can assist you in streamlining the operations, enhancing collaboration, and leading your organization toward growth. Today, in this blog, we will be discussing ways through which you can enhance your business by incorporating DevOps, which will help your business move forward with proper speed, creativity, and low cost.
Listed below are a few of the perks that will assist businesses in providing growth:
Stimulating Time to Market
In this ever-changing business world, DevOps is a ray of light that is assisting an organization to grow on the growing edge. By incorporating the overall potential of DevOps, a business can lead to a smooth path. With an organized development cycle, testing process, and continuous growth, DevOps has empowered teams to showcase their creativity and provide a meaningful pace. This will help businesses to get an opportunity to get new customers provide space and help in dealing with the competitors. In this growing era, DevOps has become a helping hand that is assisting organizations to grow and propel.
Improving the Overall Collaboration and Communication
It has been seen that communication can ease the overall business process and lead to the path to success. DevOps can easily bring the overall development process together, make the operations seamless, and make sure to provide cross-functional communication.
Also, it supports an environment where they provide an open channel for enhanced communication and entertain the latest ideas and insights. Proper collaboration, helps firms to utilize and emerge with the latest tech. With enhanced communication, DevOps provides an opportunity to utilize the overall process and unlock the opportunities.
Profound Stability
With high quality, stability, and caliber these are the main pillars for providing customer satisfaction. With proper support and automation testing and looking after the overall software. These things empower businesses to locate problems, rectify issues, and provide enhanced quality of work.
Scaling up the roots of the businesses is quite tough, and when someone provides an intact foundation for it. Then, the source turns concrete, and this way it carries proper support and delivers customer loyalty.
Enhance Productivity and Efficiency
DevOps services stand upfront when it comes to enhancing overall production and delivery efficiency. With its automation functionality, the team can easily tackle the overall problem save them with repetitive tasks, and enhance their productivity.
This way you will be away from the monotonous work and fuel up your productivity, which allows you to make meaningful decisions and get result-oriented solutions. DevOps also acts as a catalyst and helps businesses to grow and be successful.
Regular Feedback and Enhancement
When we talk about distinction, feedback helps you to get success and enhance your overall path. With regular feedback users and businesses will be able to move towards a path of growth. It also assists you in getting success.
The best part, with profound data, it will be easy to make decisions that are driven by data. This way overall customer services will be enhanced too. You will be moving a step towards a path to success and this way overall customer service will be enhanced too.
Risk Management
Risk pounders on every step of the business and DevOps is the most trusted partner when it comes to managing the overall risk. With its controlled feature and infrastructure as code, DevOps makes sure to provide you with safe, secure, and transparent control.
When you incorporate these properties, your businesses will be able to gain huge popularity, which will help small businesses gain popularity and show visibility in every process. Also, it offers comfort and makes sure to distribute services aptly. DevOps has been like a parent who protects the business from any risks.
Scalability and Flexibility
When we consider scalability and flexibility, DevOps is considered to empower businesses and help them with the technology shift and demand. When we consider cloud-based infrastructure, DevOps can easily provide you with seamless adaptation. Businesses can easily scale up their overall infra and apps for managing work pressure and get enhanced performance.
This new instance helps companies meet their demands without compromising their overall work. DevOps has become a catalyst for growing businesses so that they can reach heights with proper opportunities without any leakages.
Conclusion
As we come to the closure, you might have understood the benefits that DevOps holds in the business sector. We are all astonished by its impact on the business. The best part: the overall solution is human-centric, which provides enhanced collaboration, and drives innovation in the organization. This also enhances the overall business and makes sure to provide the consumer with over-the-top solutions. DevOps services and solutions have become the need of the business sector, for proper growth, risks, and regular improvements.
Live streaming has become extremely popular and influential for brands, businesses, creators, and media outlets to engage audiences in real-time. But with many streaming platform options, it can take time to determine which one best suits your streaming needs. Comparing features and capabilities is vital to making the right choice.
Here is an overview of critical platforms and factors to consider when selecting your live-stream solution.
Rumble Live Stream
Emerging platform Rumble Live Stream represents a new challenger in the crowded video streaming space, promising creators more independence and monetization leverage compared to mainstream giants like YouTube. The service enables influencers to broadcast real-time live content and engage audiences directly on Rumble.
Interactive capabilities like live chat, screen sharing, tipping, and channel subscriptions aim to incentivize streamers. Rumble Live Stream promotes transparency and greater creator control over content and earnings. The platform hopes to draw a wide variety of streamers across political, gaming, entertainment and other verticals by positioning itself as a home for uncensored expression.
While still dwarfed in size by the leading players, Rumble Live Stream offers creators another potential avenue to build their digital community and business through unfiltered live streaming and direct viewer engagement.
YouTube Live
With over 2 billion monthly users, YouTube is the world’s largest video platform. YouTube Live offers seamless integration for existing YouTube creators to go live and leverage their subscriber base.
It has robust features like streaming up to 4K resolution, DVR to rewatch streams later, super chats for viewer payments, multi-camera switching capabilities, and integrates well with other YouTube tools.
As an established platform, YouTube Live provides excellent viewer reach and discovery. Downsides can include moderation challenges within massive comment streams and less community building than other platforms.
Twitch specializes in gaming and esports streaming. It offers incredibly robust community tools for streamer/viewer interaction, including Stream labs integration, raids to redirect viewers to other channels, clipping highlights, and chatbots.
Twitch is ideal for collaborative, engaging gaming broadcasts but supports different content verticals like music, sports, and creative arts. As an early live stream innovator, Twitch has an influential audience scale but less broad discovery versus YouTube. Subscriptions and channel points help monetize.
Facebook Live
With nearly 3 billion monthly Facebook users, Facebook Live offers unmatched access to gigantic built-in audiences ideal for brand reach. It allows multi-person streams and easy shareability across Facebook.
Viewers can comment, react, and quickly find live streams. Facebook Live incentivizes viewer participation with comments prioritized in the feed. Downsides include fewer monetization options and community tools compared to other platforms. But for raw viewer numbers, it’s unmatched.
For consumer brands and creators already active on Instagram, Instagram Live is a no-brainer add-on to drive real-time engagement. You can go live to your followers, interact via comments and Q&As, do dual streams with a guest, and post the replay as an IG Story.
Seamless integration within Instagram makes it super convenient for mini broadcasts or supplemental content. Limitations include max 1-hour streams and smaller concurrent audience size versus standalone platforms.
LinkedIn Live
LinkedIn Live can be highly effective for B2B companies and thought leaders seeking to engage professional networks. LinkedIn’s focus on knowledge sharing and career building means informative broadcasts perform well.
You can share live streams natively into your LinkedIn feed, Groups, and messaging. However, LinkedIn doesn’t allow multi-guest streaming and has fewer community and viewer interaction features than other platforms.
Vimeo Livestream
Vimeo Livestream shines for organizations and creators wanting a premium ad-free live streaming experience with high production value. It offers pristine HD quality streaming, customized branding, paywall and subscription options, marketing, and analytics tools, plus integration with Vimeo’s excellent VOD features. However, audience reach and discovery are smaller than mass market platforms. But for controlled high-quality broadcasts, Vimeo delivers.
Custom Multi-Stream Options
For advanced streaming events and productions, tools like Restream, StreamYard, and Switchboard enable broadcasting live video simultaneously to multiple platforms. This requires integrating APIs but allows access to wider audiences while controlling the experience across destinations. It does need more technical expertise to configure correctly.
Key Comparison Factors
When evaluating live streaming platforms, it’s crucial to consider your target audience, the streaming features available, how well the medium fits your content type, capabilities for building community, ease of use, video quality and reliability, options for monetization, and your overall goals. Be sure to review each platform’s specific terms of service since policies vary. Taking the time to dig into crucial comparison factors will help determine the best match:
Consider the built-in audience size and potential discovery the platform offers – can you tap into new viewers easily or only reach existing followers? Massive platforms like Facebook Live and YouTube Live provide access to billions of built-in users to aid discovery.
Conclusion
Carefully weighing these key factors will guide your optimal platform choice aligned with your goals, audience, content focus, features needed, and resources. Pick one that fits your needs to maximize streaming success.
