Denise Welliver

The WordPress mobile apps are the best way to manage your site from anywhere. If you’re already using the app, you might have noticed a new visual design that’s been rolling out. That rollout is complete in WordPress 17.1, which is available today for both Android and iOS. If you’re not already using it this is the perfect time to give it a try!

We add new features and improve the WordPress apps in every release, but our visual design hasn’t changed much in the last few years. Over the last few months we’ve thought about how to modernize the design of the apps. As we’ve implemented features like Dark Mode, we’re taking advantage of new components made available in the latest versions of iOS and Android.  

Bigger, bolder headers call out key product areas and create a distinction between the top level tabs and deeper levels of the apps. A new color palette pairs a more neutral background that lets your content shine with brighter blues that make interactive elements even more noticeable. A new serif typeface is a nod to WordPress’s roots in writing and publishing.

We hope you enjoy these updates as you use the apps and we’d love to hear your feedback. Reach out to us from within the app by going to My Site, tapping your photo on the top right, tapping Help & Support, and then selecting Contact Support.

If you’ve spent any time learning about marketing analytics, you’ve probably come across the term “funnels.” What exactly are marketing funnels and why do they matter?

Marketing funnels are a useful tool to help you visualize the path customers take from first finding out about your brand to converting. Understanding them provides useful insight into why some customers convert — and some don’t.

What Are Marketing Funnels?

A marketing funnel is a visual representation of the steps a visitor takes from first finding out about your brand until they convert. The most common type of marketing funnel is four steps:

1. Attention: A prospective customer sees your ad, social media post, or hear about you from a friend.
2. Interest: They think you can solve a problem and wants to learn more.
3. Desire: The prospect has done their research and wants to convert.
4. Action: The prospect takes action — they buy your item, schedule a demo, or take whatever other action you want them to take.

The action can vary based on customer and industry — maybe you want them to make a purchase, sign up, or fill out a form. When someone does something you want them to do, it’s known as a conversion. The visitor converts from browsing to taking the action you want them to take.

Think about the Amazon purchase funnel. There are several steps a visitor has to go through before they can purchase a product. Here’s how it looks:

• They visit Amazon.com
• They view a product
• They decide to add a product to the cart
• They complete the purchase

There are additional steps/actions that can be taken in between each of these steps, but they don’t matter in the marketing funnel unless they contribute to the final action. For example, a visitor may view Amazon’s Careers page, but we don’t need to count these in the funnel because they aren’t necessary steps.

Why is the set of steps to conversion called a “funnel”? Because at the beginning of the process, there are a lot of people who take the first step.

As the people continue along and take the next steps, some of them drop out, and the size of the crowd thins or narrows. (Even further along in the process, your sales team gets involved to help close the deal.)

Losing customers might sound like a bad thing — but it’s not. The truth is, not everyone in your funnel will convert. The top of the funnel is where everyone goes in (visiting your site or viewing a marketing campaign). Only the most interested buyers will move further down your funnel.

So when you hear people say “widen the funnel,” you now know what they are referring to.

They want to cast a larger net by advertising to new audiences, increasing their brand awareness, or adding inbound marketing to drive more people to their site, thus widening their funnel. The more people there are in a funnel, the wider it is.

What Are the Different Types of Funnels?

In this article, we’re focusing on marketing funnels, that is funnels that start with some sort of marketing campaign. That might be a PPC ad, content marketing campaign, white paper download, video ad, social media ad, or even an IRL ad. The point is the first step in the funnel is a marketing campaign of some sort.

Other types of funnels you might hear about include:

• Sales funnels
• Webinar funnels
• Email funnels
• Video marketing funnels
• Lead magnet funnels
• Home page funnels

Despite the different names, these all track the same exact thing — the steps a prospective customer takes to conversion. (Sometimes they are even called conversion funnels!)

What Can You Use a Marketing Funnel For?

You aren’t limited to using a marketing funnel strictly for signing up and/or purchasing. You can put funnels all over your website to see how visitors move through a specific website flow.

You may want to track newsletter signup (Viewing newsletter signup form > Submitting form > Confirming email) or a simple page conversion (Viewing a signup page > Submitting signup).

Figure out what your goals are and what you want visitors to do on your site, and you can create a funnel for it.

Once you have the data, you’ll be able to see where roadblocks are and optimize your funnel. Let’s dig a little deeper into that.

Why Are Marketing Funnels Are Beneficial?

Marketing funnels provide access to data, called a marketing funnel report, which lets you can see where you are losing customers. This is sometimes called a “leaky” funnel because it allows customers you want to keep to escape the funnel.

Let’s take your average SaaS business as an example. Here’s how a funnel may look for them:

• Visited site
• Signed up for a trial
• Used product
• Upgraded to paying

Do people have to use the product before paying? They don’t, but it’s a good idea to track it so you can see if it’s a roadblock.

For example, if you are losing a lot of conversions after the trial stage, you might need to update your onboarding process so people understand how to use the tool or even adjust the top of your funnel so you aren’t attracting people outside of your target audience.

A Real-Life Marketing Funnel Example

Let’s look at a funnel process for a retail store and see the corresponding steps in an e-commerce store. We’ll be tracking a purchase funnel.

The e-commerce store has the fortune of being able to see a funnel because they can track clicks, time on page, and other metrics. Their marketing would look something like this:

Okay, so now we have an understanding of what a funnel is and why it helps. Let’s take a look at a product that offers funnels – Google Analytics.

How Google Analytics Marketing Funnels Work

Google Analytics offers funnels, and I’ve written extensively about it in the past. This is an incredibly simple way to track the path prospects take before they convert. Sign in, then head to Admin > Goals > +New Goal > Choose a Goal to create a Google Analytics goal.

Here are a couple of things you’ll need to know when creating funnels in Google Analytics:

• It’s a pretty basic funnel: If you don’t want to dive deep into the data and optimize, you can go with this.
• You cannot go back and retroactively view data: Once you create your funnel, you’ll only be able to the funnel going forward as the data comes in.

Overall, if you are just getting started with marketing funnels, Google Analytics is a solid place to start. Learn how to set up a conversion funnel in Google Analytics.

Conclusion

We’ve covered just about everything you need to know about marketing funnels. Here’s a quick recap:

• When someone on your website does something you want them to do (i.e., sign up, make a purchase, fill out a form, etc.), it is known as a conversion.
• A funnel tracks the steps that lead up to that conversion. For example, e-commerce companies want people to purchase products on their website. Their funnel may have these steps: visited site > viewed product > placed product in cart > purchased.
• A funnel report shows you where people are dropping off in the path to conversion so you can optimize your conversion path and drive revenue.
• Google Analytics provides funnels as part of the free Google Analytics software. It’s a simple and free way to get started with marketing funnels.

Have you created a marketing funnel in Google Analytics? What did you learn?

Working remotely is not just a trend; it’s the new norm. Organizations like Twitter are now allowing their workforce to work remotely for an indefinite period. And it’s not just the IT industry. Many industries are now looking to leverage remote operations to get a competitive edge.

Millennials are now actively looking for remote work opportunities. The flexibility and the freedom that it offers are simply unmatchable.

The desire to abandon employers in favor of those who have a remote working option is rising. In Gallup’s State of the American Workplace Survey, people who work remotely 60 to 80 percent of the time say they make more positive progress in their shift than those who work from an office.

These stats clearly show how remote working can significantly enhance productivity. It would be ultimately beneficial for the business.

When we talk about remote working, we have to consider the impact that a good environment has on people. Even in a traditional office, a toxic culture could be the reason why people leave.

When we restructure our operating procedures for remote teams, we have to take advantage of creating a stronger team. Here are a few concepts to help you build a productive and healthy remote working environment.

Have clear goals for both teams and individuals

A great culture is only possible if your team has clear goals regarding what they have to accomplish. A team with no vision could lead to demotivation and no enthusiasm among the employees. Moreover, it is equally important to communicate those goals to the team efficiently.

Also, your goals should be realistic and achievable, as unrealistic goals could be another reason for the demotivation of your employees.

Having a set of goals helps you bring together your employees as well. They work collectively with harmony and cohesion to achieve those goals. This allows them to get along with their peers and build a good working culture.

And it’s not just about culture; it is much easier for the organization to check on each employee’s progress. At the end of the month or year, you can easily and quickly assess if the relevant person has been able to achieve their goals or not.

Having a document that has all the team’s goals and objectives will do the trick. You can easily share it with all your employees.

Use a proper medium for communication

In the last point, we said that communicating the goals of the organization is very important. Communication is the key to the success of any business. It plays a vital role in shaping the work environment and the culture of the company. Effective communication is only possible by incorporating the latest tools such as Slack or Skype. Gone are the days where emails were used to communicate and collaborate with other people.

Using tools like Skype enables you to communicate instantly with anyone regardless of wherever you are. It reduces the communication gap as you can now quickly and easily reply to the relevant person. Also, you can schedule a meeting through a conference call to discuss any issues or queries.

Furthermore, it helps you bring on and train new hires. For new hires, adjusting is a bit of a challenge. But if they have one-to-one channels with their supervisors, it will be easy for them to blend in. Also, for other employees, it formalizes collaboration and mentoring. This will help build a good and healthy remote working environment.

Prioritize wellbeing

Working remotely allows you to spend more time with your family. But on the other hand, that does not mean that you will have no problems at all. Many people working remotely find themselves unable to maintain a balance between their work and personal life.

Therefore, you must look after your wellbeing and your employees as well. Working remotely does not mean that they won’t need time off. Indeed, they will need it to relax and take care of their mental health.

Also, encourage your employees to work at a specific time. If they don’t set any time, they will find themselves working around the clock. Segregate your office from your personal space and leave your workplace entirely at the end of the day. Encourage your staff to adopt these practices as well.

Try to make sure that you take breaks during the time you are working. It is essential to keep your body working both mentally and physically. Try getting up for a short walk or for lunch instead of having it at your workstation.

Self-care and a balanced work-life should be embraced and promoted. These activities will assist you in building a good work environment for your team.

Wrapping up

With the pros outweighing the cons, one thing is for sure that remote working is the future. As previously said, remote work does not spell the end of employee efficiency or workplace structure. If you can implement it correctly, it is possible to recruit and retain high-level talent.

The essential thing in a remote working setting is trusting people to get the job done. And there is no other option available except for that. You cannot physically supervise in a remote setting. Even if you can, employees might get frustrated because of it. However, there are many tools that you can use to keep track of the progress of your employees.

Nevertheless, you can now hire remote teams from any part of the world with just a few clicks. But most importantly, creating a good and healthy work environment is essential.

The importance of having a healthy work environment can be understood by its impact on your business. If your organization has a toxic environment, it will lead to demotivation and demoralize the entire workforce. Also, there is a chance that you’ll have a high labor turnover.

Building an excellent team environment is essential if you want to achieve success with remote work.

Guest author: Ahmed Jamal is a content writer at Aspired, a remote hiring agency. He is a passionate and experienced writer in writing creative and technical content, particularly related to brands, digital currency, app development, and more. The writer aims to stamp out gobbledygook and make boring content and blog sparkle. He knows how to enchant readers and engage them. Ahmed helps companies to address prospects and make sure that his content is getting the traffic. He strives to help companies enhance brand recognition and generate leads, moreover, win more business. His writing builds clear marketing messages and strategies that boost sales consistently.

The post How to Create a Good Remote Working Environment appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

The WordPress mobile apps are the best way to manage your site from anywhere. If you’re already using the app, you might have noticed a new visual design that’s been rolling out. That rollout is complete in WordPress 17.1, which is available today for both Android and iOS. If you’re not already using it this is the perfect time to give it a try!

We add new features and improve the WordPress apps in every release, but our visual design hasn’t changed much in the last few years. Over the last few months we’ve thought about how to modernize the design of the apps. As we’ve implemented features like Dark Mode, we’re taking advantage of new components made available in the latest versions of iOS and Android.  

Bigger, bolder headers call out key product areas and create a distinction between the top level tabs and deeper levels of the apps. A new color palette pairs a more neutral background that lets your content shine with brighter blues that make interactive elements even more noticeable. A new serif typeface is a nod to WordPress’s roots in writing and publishing.

We hope you enjoy these updates as you use the apps and we’d love to hear your feedback. Reach out to us from within the app by going to My Site, tapping your photo on the top right, tapping Help & Support, and then selecting Contact Support.

Email marketing is one of the most dynamic fields that has continued to evolve into an effective marketing channel for marketers. Every year, there are some exciting trends that emerge in the realms of email marketing and 2021 is no different.

Since 2020 saw grim circumstances, there were drastic changes in customer behavior. New trends emerged in the world of email marketing to cater to these changes.

Let’s take a look at the hottest email marketing trends that are all set to gain popularity in 2021 and beyond.

1. AMP in emails

AMP or Accelerated Mobile Pages is an advanced technology that has picked up pace since 2018. By employing AMP in emails, you can create interactive emails that allow users to complete an action from the email itself. Whether they want to buy a ticket, proceed with the checkout process, or RSVP to an event, everything is possible without switching to a browser or app.

For example, Booking.com sends out a beautiful AMP email that lets the user view deals and complete a booking from the email itself. Apart from that, they also include a preference center in the email footer with the help of AMP.

2. Emotional and empathetic messaging

Sending out considerate emails that reflect sensitivity is the need of the hour. Most brands have adopted this approach and adjusted the tone of their email communications according to the current situation. Individuals and businesses are still facing tough times. Therefore, businesses have even revamped their email automation strategy and removed some emails from their automation workflows.

Take a look at this email from Really Good Emails. They have sent out an emotional email extending support to all those people who have been a victim of racism and persuaded everyone to stop the hate.

3. Visuals in email marketing

Visual email marketing is getting more and more popular with each passing day. Marketers want their emails to stand out in the subscriber’s inbox. So, they are trying to make them as visually attractive as possible.

Besides static images, they have started using more animations, cinemagraphs, animated illustrations, and 3D images to leave an impact and yield conversions. Furthermore, some brands have also gone retro and tried out a monochrome layout and gradients in their email marketing communications.

Note that this does not mean that plain text emails have gone obsolete. Text-only emails are still effective when you want to add a personal touch to the emails and make the emails look like they are exclusively written for the recipient.

4. Agile email marketing

With the help of the agile methodology, email professionals will be able to reduce the turnaround time for every email template. According to this concept, small steps facilitate remarkable achievements. It endorses a process-driven approach and helps to send out more relevant messages to subscribers. Rather than batch and blast emails, agile email marketing is all about reaching out to users with informative and useful content.

5. Consent-first email marketing

CAN-SPAM, GDPR, and CCPA have got the ball rolling and encouraged people to adhere to privacy policies. It is likely that there will be an implementation of stricter opt-in and consent policies in the days to come. Marketers will have to be wary about more powerful spam filters and technical traps that automatically filter emails for users. The double opt-in method will become a standard best practice instead of being an optional trend.

6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in email automation

Employing the principles of AI in email marketing, especially automation, has paved new avenues to send hyper-personalized triggered emails to subscribers. For example, Amazon and Netflix send out triggered automated emails based on previous purchases and shows watched, respectively.

Take a look at the email examples from these brands:

AI works on predictive models that foretell how users will interact with the messages and what will resonate the most with them. 

This technology is even used to draft better subject lines that will enhance the email open rate. Phrasee is the leading player in this technology.

7. Accessible emails

Creating accessible emails will become the norm as there will be bigger advancements in email technology to support people with hearing disabilities and visual impairment. Also, email marketers will strive to create an inclusive experience by applying micro-segmentation.

Apart from problems in rendering, email tools will also detect accessibility issues in the email so that email developers can work on it and create emails that are accessible by everyone irrespective of any disability that they might have.

8. Augmented reality technology

Augmented reality allows shoppers to try on and browse for products in a virtual showroom. With the help of smart email programs, marketers will be able to send out follow-up emails displaying the shortlisted items. This will impart a pleasant experience to customers and they will be more likely to complete a purchase.

9. A/B split testing

As your customers’ preferences are changing, the need for A/B testing has become more pronounced than ever. What appealed to your customers a year back may not appeal to them anymore. Therefore, you must perform A/B tests to learn more about the changed preferences of your customers. As a result, you will be able to send out more customer-centric messages that will bring results.

Here’s an example to demonstrate how to A/B test your email subject lines.

Wrapping up

Barring all these interesting trends, there are some ongoing trends like micro-segmentation and hyper-personalization that will continue to reign supreme in the days to come.

To understand more about these email marketing trends, Email Uplers approached 29 industry stalwarts and asked them about the future trends they were looking forward to. They shared some great insights with us and if you want to get access to all those actionable pointers, check out this interactive infographic: 29 Email Experts on Email Marketing Trends to Watch For in 2021.

Guest author: Kevin George is Head of Marketing at Email Uplers, one of the fastest-growing custom email design and coding companies, and specializes in crafting professional email templates, PSD to HTML email conversion, and free responsive HTML email templates in addition to providing email automation, campaign management, and data integration & migration services. He loves gadgets, bikes, jazz and eats and breathes email marketing. He enjoys sharing his insights and thoughts on email marketing best practices on his blog

The post Email Marketing Trends 2021: Are You Ready to Overhaul Your Email Strategy? appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.