MARKETING UPDATES

Data Suggests Threads Is Seeing More Daily Users in the US Than X

Hi all!

I’m sharing this because I think realtime platforms (like X and Threads) can be amazing brand building tools for Beauty Industry professionals. I’ve been using Threads for a while now (for my own personal stuff) and consistently see more content coming from people/brands I follow. This is a short article with info that can be helpful as you choose which platforms you’re going to dedicate time to. Will Threads overtake X? Hard to tell at this point…..but it’s good to stay informed as this process unfolds.

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The Top 30 Social Media Influencers Worldwide

Hi all!

An interesting article…and please make sure you read down past the list they created as there is another section on “How to use social media influencers to build your brand”. This is a worthwhile read IMO

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Pinterest Shares Insights Into Optimizing Social Platform Algorithms for Positive Engagement

Hi all!

I always like to find and share articles about using Pinterest in your marketing. IMO, it is still the very best platform to host a Look Book (or similar depending on your brand’s business goals). The platform still has an enormous daily user-base. This is a worthwhile read for all.

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How Lowe’s loyalty program is the ‘spine’ for personalization efforts

Hi all!

The article being shared today is far more about the general “concept” than Lowe’s actual program. The idea of “Loyalty programs” has been around forever but as businesses get smarter about tailoring them to specific demographics, they become a more powerful tool for building brands. The Beauty industry is the perfect place for creative loyalty programs/campaigns….. Read, the article to get the feel for the concept, then use your creativity and your own business goals to see how you might be able to incorporate this concept.

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Google loses in local search to Instagram, TikTok among Gen Z

Hi all!

This is an EXCELLENT artcle and everyone should read it. It is short and full of excellent info that is relevant to all of us.

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Instagram Experiments With More Frames Within Carousel Posts

Hi all!

This article is about how Instagram is doing some initial “limited” testing with expanding the number of frames you can include in a carousel post. It’s short and would be interesting if it gets pushed to an “all users” feature at some point.

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Why Snapchat is pitching its platform as an alternative to social media

Hi all!

This is a worthwhile article for two reasons; First, because Snapchat continues to be an effective advertising platform for the demographic they serve….and it’s important to stay on top of what they’re doing. Second and more importantly IMO,  because Snapchat says they are not increasing their spend budget to market themselves to users this year, BUT, they are rebranding their platform as an “alternative to Social media” in the advertising efforts…. (maybe you saw their ads during the Super Bowl). The point here; the way you brand yourself, your services and your experience value to your customers can be far more important than how much you spend doing so. Time will tell if this strategy pays off for Snapchat. The lesson from the article though, is still a strong one.

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News outlets are collapsing as advertisers flock to social media platforms. It has major implications for society

Hi all!

I’ve included this article for you because I believe it’s an important part of your Marketing efforts to stay connected to the pulse of what is changing with regards to how many get their daily “news”. Consider this, “News” also includes updated health trends, fashion changes and general topics that all fall within the scope of the Beauty Industry, and what you provide as professionals. If more people are relying on social platforms for their news….then consider yourself part of delivering news and information to your customers, clients and followers……make sure that information you share is accurate and well vetted. Do this to become a “trusted” source of Beauty industry information. Doing this well can certainly become a large part of attaching clients to you in a more effective, long-lasting way.

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Is the End of Content Marketing Near?

Hi all!

This is a very good article for all of you to read. It’s not very long, so it won’t take much time. I feel it provides some very good insight into possible scenarios for future marketing hurdles.  Help keep your marketing efforts effective by better understanding what your audience may or may not find compelling to follow as social media habits change.

 

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How Gen Z gets its news

Hi all!

A great article for all!

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7 steps to mastering Social Media management

All seven steps are important….but steps 1,2 & 7 are the most important (IMO).

Many Americans find value in getting news on social media, but concerns about inaccuracy have risen

Hi all!

The beauty of the “Beauty industry” is that trends change constantly…..in a way, your marketing efforts should contain the equivalent of “news updates” to those who follow your brand. If this is something you find value in, this article has some great insights.

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Marketing playbook: Breaking down industry trends to follow in 2024

Hi all!

This article contains links to other articles, all of which were worth reading thru. Industry news and trends are always worth staying up on!

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4 Ways Social Platforms Could Look To Integrate Generative AI

Hi all!

Articles that deal with the continued growth and integration of all things “AI” are worth reading (IMO). This is a shorter article that i thought had some decent information.

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MrBeast Uploads Clip Directly to X for the First Time as the Platform Leans Into Video Content

Hi all!

The reason I’m sharing this article is encourage all of you to stay on top of all major platform news and updates. This article speaks to X (formerly twitter) and their push to increase earning potential for creators/influencers video content. If you are currently (or have interest in) “monetizing” content as part of your brand’s income streams, then this article should prove interesting.

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Inside the creator marketing trends expected to go viral in 2024

Hi all!

This is a longer article but it is worth reading. It contains some decent insights into 2024 Marketing trends and it never hurts to be as informed as possible when planning your own brand strategy going into a new year.

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TikTok Launches 2024 Marketing Calendar to Assist in Your Planning

Hi all!

First Marketing update article for 2024. If you click on the blue “content planning guide for 2024 link” in the article, it’ll take you to the TikTok for business website where you can download the calendar(s) directly.

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Content Marketing Checklist for 2024: 24 Steps to Online Success

Hi all!

This in-depth article touches on some very good points and advice. A great content strategy will help you grow your brand in a faster, more effective way.

This is a longer article but I would highly recommend reading through it.

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The Best Times To Post On Social Media In 2024

Hi all!

READ THIS ONE…..for sure.

These articles are always good for some insight but remember as always to do your homework and that results can vary depending on the content/audiences you’re working with.

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Snapchat Launches Snapchat+ Gift Memberships for Christmas

Hi all!

I’m sharing this article primarily to make you aware of Snapchat+ (if you’re not already familiar). I believe it holds interesting opportunities for small businesses (and individuals) to connect and sell (service/products) to clients in a unique way. Enjoy!

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Leveraging Discord for Social Media Marketing Success

Hi all!

I use Discord for my Coding activities, so I’m familiar with the platform and process. If you’re interested in something else for your marketing pursuits, this will give you a starting point for considering Discord.

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TikTok Shares Insights Into the Performance of Ads for CPG Brands

Hi all!

If you’re using TikTok to build your own branding and presence, this is a good article. If you’re NOT using TikTok, this is “still” a good article for you to read!

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12 holiday campaigns embodying the seasonal spirit of 2023

Hi all!

Good ideas for the Holiday….or at least a few to consider.

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Social Media Trends 2024

Hi all!

EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS NEW ARTICLE FROM HOOTSUITE!

Make sure to click on the “Get the full report” button and that will take you to the complete article.

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First-Gen Social Media Users Have Nowhere to Go

Hi all!

Intresting article and worth reading.

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34 Predictions for Social Media Marketing in 2024

Hi all!

This is a LONG article. I read through it this morning and it took about 15 minutes, but it was excellent. It is also broken into categories, including by “social platform”. You can jump around to the topics that interest you most but I would suggest reading the whole thing.

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Meta Expands Broadcast Channels to Facebook and Messenger

Hi all!

Messaging in general is trending “up” for connection to audiences across all platforms. While this may or may not be an option for you to explore, (especially if you have goals of being an influencer in your industry as well), it is still important to keep up on where marketing is headed. Good article for all IMO.

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How Meta, TikTok ad-free tiers could impact advertiser budgets

Hi all!

This is “Industry news” more than a Marketing tip. The article is longer but worth reading as this “business model” for Social platforms is inevitable. You should understand how it will affect using social platforms to market your brand in the future. It might even be a good thing……..

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Google Expands Access to Social Media Links in Business Listings

Hi all!

This is why staying up to date on marketing trends and updates is so important:

A few months ago, Google announced that they would be adding a feature to Google Business listings where you could add “social links” to your business profile (a very exciting new feature for many reasons). At that time, Oliver Finley’s google business page had not been granted access to the feature as it was a gradual roll-out.

Google business pages ARE THE MOSTR IMPORTANT tool available to you for building your brand. If you have an established (and verifiable) address that you do business from, you may be eligible to create and use a google business listing (please do the research for yourself).

This article was helpful for me as well, because I was checking in regularly to see if the feature was available for OFA, this article reminded me to check again and the feature was available! I was able to add our social platforms to our listing and I felt like the article would be good to share with all of you.

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Instagram Rolls Out Option To Share Stories With Multiple Group Lists at Once

Hi all!

Go read this one RIGHT NOW! This is a great feature that our Industry can capitalize on in a very meaningful way.

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Great news — social media is falling apart

Hi all!

This is a great article with a lot of interesting insight…….the author’s opinions of course…but sill, full of curious thoughts for the future of marketing a social media useage.

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The people going ‘monk mode’ to limit social media use

Hi all!

I might try a little “Monk mode” myself from time to time. Interesting article overall.

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Brand interactions evolve on social media: Here’s what the numbers say

Hi all!

I appreciate these short, but interesting platform-usage style updates. They are the author’s opinion of course (based on the research they’ve done) but still very worthwhile to read through. Marketing strategies change almost daily/weekly and if you want to maximize the “time” you invest in growing your own online presence, why not be as educated as possible on every changing trend as they happen?

Enjoy!

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X Shares Its Vision for the Future of the App at Its First Client Council Meeting

Hi all!

X (formerly Twitter) should be a consideration for your Marketing mix. “X” users are a unique demographic mix IMO….and perhaps a tier of clients you wouldn’t normally connect with via Facebook/Insta, etc

With this in mind, you should know more about the platform, how it works and where it’s headed in the future. This article may help a little with the “where its headed” question.

Enjoy!

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TikTok Shop launches in US

Hi all!

Big news here….you ALL should read this one

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5 SEO Trends That Have Dominated Online Search in 2023 [Infographic]

Hi all!

If you’ve read our Marketing textbook, you already have a decent idea of what SEO is and how it works. This article covers some interesting SEO ground and is an easy to read Infographic.

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Social media is dead

Group chats and messaging apps killed it

Hi all!

Interesting article……you should read it!

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Instagram Adds New Comment Reply Option, Tests Star Sign-Related Stickers

Hi all!

Here’s a decent Instagram “new feature” update that I think would be usable for personal and brand Marketing.

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Gen Z is more likely to be OK with targeted ads — here’s what the numbers say

Hi all!

Great article here. Get through the first few paragraphs as they are relevant….but it’s the “Influencer + Gen Z” info (towards the end) that I think is the most interesting part. Enjoy!

Be tuned-in to how your clients (of all ages) respond to various marketing tactics.

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The definitive Digiday guide to what’s in and what’s out in social media platforms in 2023

Hi all!

Just a small infographic that was fun to read through…..platform trends are often just opinions BUT, it’s always good to stay informed.

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As social media platforms weigh up user experience vs. monetization, marketers struggle to keep up

Hi all!

This is a longer but valuable article with very good updates and information that I believe will be valuable for all of you. Staying on top of platform growth, changes and challenges is “key” to maximizing the time you spend marketing yourself.

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YouTube Will Now Let You Add More Links To Your Channel Profile

Hi all!

Really short article on a new “expanded” feature for your YouTube channel. Definitely worth reading so you’re aware of the benefits this update to the platform could be for your own Marketing.

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Instagram Rolls Out Improved DM Control Options to Help Users Avoid Unwanted Contact

Hi all!

Important info regarding a change to Instagram’s DM process. Worth reading.

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Social media: What the platforms are for and how they work

Hi all!

Nice and short article here. It doesn’t go into great detail about how to use each platform, but it does a good job of listing the basic demographics for each platform….and lists quite a few lesser known social tools you might consider experimenting with to help grow your reach (to potential clients).

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The X Era Gets Underway at the App Formerly Known as ‘Twitter’

Hi all!

Many of you may already be aware of the changes at Twitter (X). This article shares insight on the changes.

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Meta Shares Tips on How to Maximize Threads Engagement, Previews ‘Following’ Feed

Hi all!

You should have a “Threads” strategy…..check out this article to learn more about this brand building topic.

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10 Best Social Media Interaction Posts

Hi all!

This is really decent article with some basic, but good ideas and advice for both novice and experienced alike!

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134 Social Media Statistics

You Need To Know For 2023

Hi all!

A longer article but jam packed with great stats that ALL of you should be aware of as you continue to build your brand!

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Twitter traffic is ‘tanking’ as Meta’s Threads hits 100 million users

Hi all!

Just some industry news that I feel everyone should be aware of. We have our “Threads” account for OFA now and I have my personal account as well. Interesting super-growth here……

James

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Instagram Will Now Let You Add Up to Three Collaborators on Posts and Reels

Hi all!

PLEASE READ this article. This would be an interesting way of “networking” with fellow professionals on your Social platforms.. The ability to “share” with another collaborator on Insta has been around for a couple of years, this new feature just allows up to 3 now.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THOUGHT FOR ME WAS THIS: this would be a great feature for two or three friends (all professionals) to cross-share each other while promoting their own brand (thus expanding audience reach for all collaborators involved). The possibilities are endless.

Creative marketing is a key to success IMO. LEARNING TO USE EVERY AVAILABLE TOOL ON EACH PLATFORM WILL BE A HUGE ADVANTAGE TO YOUR BUSINESS GROWTH.

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Instagram Will Now Allow Users to Download Publicly Posted Reels Content

An update to a platform that I think is important to be aware of!

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Love them or loathe them Facebook groups can be a lifeline for rural communities

 

Hi all!

Facebooks “groups”….what can I say except I think they’re a great idea for client building in our Industry. From our own experience though (like our alumni group page), if you don’t maintain them well (we’re guilty), they quickly become irrelevant to anyone who joins.

That said, can you imagine creating a local facebook group dedicated to a beauty subject you’re passionate about, inviting folks to it, posting great materials regularly, asking members to contribute and share the group with others, then booking appointments from people in the group that love the subject everyone is interested in?

Sure is something to think about…..

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“Post”, a new social media app, seeks to shake up the news landscape. Here’s what to know.

 

Hi all!

Always a good idea to stay on top of new Social media platforms hitting the mainstream.

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Kids under 12 chose YouTube’s video content over TikTok: Report

 

Hi all!

Another good “demographic-based” article for you to read through. Some of you may be thinking that this age group is not your customer base….but they are (kids need haircuts, etc too), and as they grow older they could certainly become your future adult clientele.

Developing quality content for younger audiences can be a very important part of growing your brand IMO.

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Where Does Gen Z Spend the Majority of Their Time Online?

 

Hi all!

A good “demographic-based” article for you to read through.

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How to use competitive benchmarking to grow your social presence

 

Hi all!

Competitive Benchmarking is an important “best practice” for growing your brand. This is a longer article but has some great information that will be beneficial to all.

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Snapchat Tests New ‘Dreams’ Element as Social Apps Continue to Develop Generative AI Elements

 

Hi all!

As we continue to see “generative AI” become more prominent in our online lives, it will become increasingly important to fully understand what AI is, and the many ways it can work for us in our marketing (and our lives in general). At this stage, it’s still a young technology for public consumption….but I would encourage all of you to become more familiar with all things “generative AI”. The term is being pushed into numerous products now and will only grow from here.

This article focuses on “dreams” from snapchat but also includes some good general blanket info about where generative AI is at so far in our marketing world.

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Meta Adds New Lead Generation Tools on Facebook

 

Hi all!

Here’s an Editor’s choice article from the Social media today’s site. Meta, (facebook and instagram parent company), have added some new lead generation tools. I would recommend getting to know what they are and how to utilize them.

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The new way to measure Social!

Hi all!

These are the most helpful types of Marketing articles because they offer the author’s perspective on important analytics for each social platform out there (the big ones anyway). Plus, I really liked the layout, graphics, etc.

A recommended read!

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Best times to post on Instagram in 2023

Hi all!

Timing can be everything…….here’s a good article on the benefits of knowing “when” Instagram posts perform best.

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The complete guide to using LinkedIn Groups

Hi all!

Linkedin is a great NETWORKING tool…and groups are a great part of networking on Linkedin. A very good read in general.

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TikTok Ads Are Bringing Viewers Back to Bigger Screens

Hi all! You may be wondering why I’m sharing this. Overall, it’s because “short-form” platforms like TikTok are very good at pointing viewers to bigger things (TV shows/Movies like this article talks about) but also things like Beauty Services or your Brand in general.

Learn to use these platforms correctly and they become a much more powerful tool for you! This is short….and worthwhile IMO

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Reach vs. Impressions: What’s More Important to Track in 2023?

Hi all! Understanding the difference between “Reach” and “Impressions” is a valuable piece of knowledge for your own Marketing. Take the time to read though this article. I think you’ll find it helpful in general.

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7 Content Writing Trends For 2023

Another solid article with decent tips on content trends for 2023

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TikTok sister app Lemon8 looks to creators to help it grow to the next level

Would Lemon8 be right for you at some point?

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Facebook Account Security

Meta is retiring its Code Generator feature as part of a broader update to user security settings.

The tool, which allowed users to authenticate their login session using a code from their phone, will be replaced with more robust options due to its vulnerability to attacks and its redundancy in the face of newer technology.

While only a small portion of users still utilize the feature, those who do will need to switch to alternative two-factor authentication methods such as “third-party apps like Google Authenticator, sms, and security keys.”

A system that uses missed calls as a verification method is also in development.

To learn more about alternate methods for enabling 2FA:

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11 of the Most Important TikTok Trends to Watch in 2023

 

TikTok continues to be a huge brand builder going into 2023. If you’re using it already, great! If not, you should consider the potential benefits of maintaining a presence there AND the demographic you’ll be working with. EITHER WAY, this article has some good info so it’s worth your time to give it a read through…..

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Are Photos Making a Comeback on Instagram?

 

If you’ve noticed more Instagram photos on your feed lately, you’re not alone.

Following Instagram’s 2023 priorities, we’ve spotted an increase of photos while scrolling the ‘gram.

And while there hasn’t been an official statement from the platform, we’ve done some digging to see if photos are indeed back.

Keep reading to hear what creators and Later’s social media team have discovered.

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10 skills every social media manager must have

Hi all,

Here’s a decent overall article with some helpful ideas. I would recommend the read overall.

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Creative Block is Inevitable—Here’s How Our Social Team Beats It

Hi all,

Creative block……it hapens to all of us (most of us anyway).

Running out of “content” ideas for your Marketing efforts is just about the worst thing that can happen to us when we’re building our Brand.

After all, Marketing is “work”; it takes time and effort to do it well….to take your personal Brand to higher levels.

That’s why I’m sharing this article. I think it may contain one or two good ideas for you to utilize, making it worth your time to read through it.

Good Luck

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ChatGPT vs. Content Marketers: Who Came Out on Top?

Hi all,

This will be one of many future articles that we share concerning openAI platform tools (ChatGPT, YouChat, etc).

The technology isn’t new….but this year it is finally reaching the masses, and looks to become a regular part of our lives going forward.

This article focuses on the process of utilizing these platforms to help you create content for building your brand.

I have been using the technology for long enough now, that I’ve seen both the benefits and the shortfalls involved. I would encourage you to read this article and begin experimenting with the process if it’s something you find interesting.

Good Luck

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2023 Social Media Image Sizes for All Networks [CHEATSHEET]

Hi all,

This is an article that everyone should read.

This type of info is availble from many online sources, but it’s nice that hootsuite curated all of it in one article.

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How to recruit more talent for your social video content

Hi all,

This is a longer article, so it will take more of your time. However….while I don’t agree with every word of it, I did find it quite comprehensive in both it’s advice and some of the small tutorial-style sections as well. I would definitely recommend taking the time to go through it all.

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