3 Automation tips to complete in <15 min

If you opened up my last issue, I’d like to clarify something. Neither of the images I used in the Thoughts section were of my work. The captions indicating that they were screenshots did not render, which may have led to some confusion. My writing was solely about how we should pay attention to the images we use in marketing. I apologize for the confusion.

What’s new in my world? I attended a Star Trek-themed night at a local space center, started playing both Captain Toad and Overcooked 2 on the Switch, and reserved a seat for Crazy Rich Asians on opening day. It’s the first Hollywood film to feature an Asian-American’s character story in 25 YEARS, has an all-Asian cast in a contemporary storyline, and will be my first time seeing an Asian-American woman in a lead role in the theater. Representation matters.

Thanks for reading,

Jenn

A little bit of automation goes a long way. I am all for ways to make marketing easier. These three items are very easy to implement and will take all of five minutes each.

  1. Add Talkwalker Alerts: This free tool is like Google Alerts but also includes social media/forum mentions and has more flexibility in its search parameters. It works well to keep an eye on any press mentions, as well as see when you’re being discussed online.
  2. Create a private Instagram account: Want to keep an eye on your competitors without them knowing? Create a private account and set up alerts whenever they post. Follow their branded hashtags, too!
  3. Set up your service hours in Messenger: If you have “Send Message” enabled in your Facebook Page, you can also set up some response hours and an auto-response (Settings > Messaging). While you’re there, click around in all your Page settings to make sure you haven’t missed any new features.

Facebook’s newest Page changes favor utility (“call now”) over other things and will add “Related Pages” on other pages. To work around the algorithm, some Pages have created secret Groups.

Instagram and Facebook are adding some tools to help you see how much time you’re spending on their networks and then stop you after reaching your allotted time. This seems a little counterintuitive to their success but 🤷‍♀️. Instagram is also adding shoppable tags to Stories.

While a number of tech companies moved to ban Alex Jones/Info Wars, Twitter decided to not ban, citing no rules broken.

Creating Your Own Instagram Theme: Where to Start? (+Tips from Influencers)

Creating Your Own Instagram Theme: Where to Start? (+Tips from Influencers)

Want to make your own Instagram theme but don’t know where to start? Follow this tutorial from Iconosquare (+tips from Instagram influencers).

13 Email Workflows You Should Be Using in Your Marketing Automation

Get ideas for all of the email marketing workflows you could set up to help automate your lead nurturing.

How to Design a Checkout Process That Generates High Conversion Rates

E-commerce websites live and die by their conversions.

Stop! Before You Take That Coffee Farm Photo, Read This

Stop! Before You Take That Coffee Farm Photo, Read This

A most excellent piece on consent and power in photography. Side note: also a good example of what a sponsored post can look like!

The Challenging Combination Of Brand And Founder

As consumers, we intuitively make the connection, for better or for worse, between the brand and its founder.

Teens Debate Big Issues on Instagram Flop Accounts

More teenagers are getting their information from so-called flop accounts.

Picked up my newest plant baby–the elephant bush–at the farmers market! 😍
Picked up my newest plant baby–the elephant bush–at the farmers market! 😍