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Why Social Listening is Crucial for Marketing Success?

Emmanuel Rojas
June 20, 2024

In today’s rapidly evolving digital sphere, where consumer behavior and market dynamics shift constantly, social listening emerges as a critical tool for marketers. It provides a nuanced understanding of customer sentiments, preferences, and trends, empowering brands to navigate the competitive landscape with agility and insight.

Defining Social Listening

Social listening encompasses systematically monitoring and analyzing online discussions across various platforms—social media channels, forums, blogs, and news sites. It goes beyond mere tracking of mentions to decipher underlying sentiments and extract actionable insights that inform strategic decision-making.

The Role of Social Listening in Modern Marketing

Social listening serves as a real-time radar, capturing and interpreting the pulse of consumer perceptions and behaviors. By harnessing this data, marketers gain invaluable insights into what drives customer engagement, enabling them to tailor their strategies promptly and effectively. This proactive approach enhances responsiveness and fosters a deeper connection between brands and their audience.

Key Benefits of Social Listening

  • Enhancing Customer Engagement: By promptly responding to customer queries and feedback, brands demonstrate attentiveness and build trust.
  • Identifying Customer Pain Points and Needs: Through analysis of discussions, brands uncover recurring issues and desires, guiding product development and service improvements.
  • Monitoring Brand Mentions and Sentiment: Continuously assessing how the brand is perceived helps maintain a positive reputation and swiftly address potential crises.
  • Early Detection of Industry Trends: Anticipating emerging trends and consumer preferences allows brands to innovate, gaining a competitive edge.
  • Driving Product Development and Innovation: Insights gleaned from social listening provide valuable input for refining existing products or launching new ones that resonate with the market.
  • Crisis Management and Reputation Maintenance: Proactively addressing negative sentiment or crises protects brand reputation and preserves customer trust.
  • Building Stronger Customer Relationships: Personalizing interactions based on insights fosters loyalty and long-term customer relationships, enhancing lifetime value.

Leveraging Social Listening for Competitive Analysis

By analyzing competitors’ social media strategies, customer sentiment, and market positioning, brands gain a comparative advantage. For instance, examining how competitors engage with users on platforms like Reddit can reveal valuable insights. Understanding competitors’ strengths and weaknesses enables strategic adjustments to capture market share effectively. Another example: Duolingo helps its clients by providing help tailored to social media. 

Best Practices for Implementing Social Listening

Integrating social listening into broader marketing strategies involves defining clear objectives aligned with business goals. Establishing measurable metrics such as sentiment analysis, engagement rates, and ROI ensures accountability and effectiveness. Overcoming challenges like managing data overload and ensuring the accuracy of insights requires robust tools and analytical frameworks.

Measuring the Impact of Social Listening

Tracking key metrics such as sentiment shifts, engagement levels, customer satisfaction scores, and return on investment provides tangible evidence of social listening’s contribution to marketing success. These metrics quantify outcomes and inform iterative improvements in strategy implementation.

Future Trends in Social Listening

As artificial intelligence and machine learning continue to advance, the future of social listening holds promise for more sophisticated analysis and predictive capabilities. Enhanced algorithms will offer deeper insights into consumer behavior and sentiment, further refining strategic decision-making processes. Partnering with 121corp can help build robust social listening strategies, leveraging their expertise to maximize these technological advancements.

In conclusion, social listening is a cornerstone of modern marketing strategies, offering unparalleled opportunities for brands to understand, engage, and influence their audience in real-time. Embracing social listening with 121corp isn’t just advantageous—it’s essential for staying competitive and fostering sustained growth in today’s digital age.

Blog

Decoding AI Trends: Predictive AI vs. Generative AI

Emmanuel Rojas
May 23, 2024

In today’s fast-paced landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront of innovation. Understanding the nuances of AI trends, particularly predictive AI and generative AI, is crucial for grasping the trajectory of future developments.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved from theoretical concepts to practical applications in multiple industries, experiencing exponential growth through the transition from rule-based systems to machine learning and deep learning algorithms. As AI becomes integral to modern society, understanding its ongoing trends is crucial for driving technological advancement and societal progress, revolutionizing business processes and enhancing healthcare outcomes.

Predictive AI: A Deep Dive

Predictive AI encompasses algorithms and models designed to forecast future outcomes based on historical data patterns. By leveraging advanced statistical techniques and machine learning algorithms, predictive AI empowers organizations to make informed decisions and anticipate future trends.

Predictive AI finds applications across diverse industries, including finance, healthcare, marketing, and manufacturing. From predicting customer behavior to optimizing supply chain logistics, the applications of predictive AI are vast and multifaceted.

Advantages of Predictive AI Systems

Predictive AI equips organizations with the ability to make data-driven decisions, thereby minimizing risks and maximizing opportunities. By analyzing large datasets and identifying patterns, predictive AI enables proactive decision-making in dynamic business environments.

In industries such as retail and e-commerce, predictive AI enhances the customer experience by personalizing recommendations and anticipating consumer preferences. By understanding individual behaviors and preferences, businesses can tailor their offerings to meet the unique needs of each customer.

In the manufacturing sector, predictive AI plays a crucial role in optimizing equipment maintenance schedules and minimizing downtime. By analyzing sensor data and identifying potential failures in advance, predictive AI enables proactive maintenance strategies, thereby reducing costs and improving operational efficiency.

Challenges and Limitations of Predictive AI

One of the primary challenges associated with predictive AI is the ethical and legal implications surrounding data privacy. As organizations collect and analyze vast amounts of personal data, concerns arise regarding the potential misuse or unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Predictive AI algorithms rely heavily on historical data patterns to make future predictions. However, this reliance on past data may lead to biases and inaccuracies, particularly in rapidly evolving environments where historical trends may not accurately reflect future outcomes.

Generative AI: A Deep Dive

Generative AI, also known as creative AI, refers to algorithms capable of generating new content, such as images, music, or text, that mimics human creativity. By employing techniques such as deep learning and neural networks, generative AI unlocks new possibilities in creative expression and innovation.

Generative AI finds applications across a wide range of creative industries, including art, music, fashion, and design. From generating unique artworks to composing original music, generative AI empowers artists and creators to explore new avenues of expression and experimentation.

Advantages of Generative AI Systems

Generative AI enables automated content creation and personalization, allowing businesses to scale their creative output and tailor content to individual preferences. From generating personalized product recommendations to creating dynamic advertisements, generative AI revolutionizes content marketing strategies.

In the field of design and art, generative AI serves as a tool for inspiration and collaboration. By generating novel design concepts and exploring unconventional artistic styles, generative AI expands the boundaries of creativity and fosters innovation in visual arts and design.

Challenges and Limitations of Generative AI

One of the challenges associated with generative AI is maintaining quality control and ensuring the authenticity of generated content. As AI algorithms generate increasingly realistic outputs, distinguishing between authentic and AI-generated content becomes more challenging, raising concerns about credibility and trustworthiness.

Generative AI blurs the lines between original and derivative works, posing challenges to traditional notions of intellectual property rights. As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, questions arise regarding ownership, attribution, and copyright protection in creative industries.

Generative AI algorithms may inherit biases present in training data, leading to unintended outcomes and perpetuating existing inequalities. As AI-generated content influences perceptions and cultural narratives, addressing bias and discrimination becomes essential to promote diversity and inclusion in creative expression.

Key Differences Between Predictive and Generative AI

  • Purpose and Functionality: Predictive AI focuses on forecasting future outcomes based on historical data patterns, whereas generative AI is geared towards creating new content or generating novel solutions to problems.
  • Data Requirements and Processing Methods: Predictive AI relies on structured datasets and statistical modeling techniques to make predictions, while generative AI utilizes deep learning algorithms and neural networks to generate new content from unstructured data.
  • Impact on Industries and Society: Predictive AI influences decision-making processes and business strategies across various industries, whereas generative AI fosters creativity and innovation in artistic and design domains.
  • Addressing Bias and Fairness in AI Algorithms: As AI algorithms increasingly influence decision-making processes in various domains, ensuring fairness and mitigating bias becomes paramount to uphold ethical standards and promote social equity. By implementing measures such as bias detection, algorithmic transparency, and fairness-aware training techniques, developers can minimize the impact of biases and ensure that AI systems treat individuals fairly and impartially.

In conclusion, decoding AI trends, particularly predictive AI and generative AI, provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and its profound impact on industries and society. As predictive AI continues to revolutionize decision-making processes and predictive analytics, generative AI unleashes creativity and innovation in content creation and design domains. By understanding the key differences, applications, and challenges of predictive and generative AI, stakeholders can harness the transformative potential of AI technologies while navigating ethical, regulatory, and societal implications to ensure a sustainable and equitable future.

Digital

Digital Sustainability: What Makes It Sustainable?

Neiby Rodriguez
October 13, 2023

Reducing the data we generate and store is crucial for digital sustainability. How we design and develop digital products and services plays a significant role.  However, it can be confusing to understand the roles of a CMO, Brand Experience, or UX in this digital context.

In digital sustainability, the roles of key individuals and teams are more intertwined than they initially seem. 

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword in the context of environmental concerns; it also extends to the digital realm. With the ever-growing consumption of digital resources and data, we must consider making our digital practices more sustainable. 

Digital sustainability, according to Mighty Bytes, is the process of applying social, economic, and environmental stewardship principles to digital products, services, and data delivered via the internet. It encompasses various aspects of responsible and eco-friendly digital practices. It’s about reducing the negative environmental impact of our digital activities and ensuring that our digital ecosystems are healthy and resilient.

One of the fundamental aspects of digital sustainability is energy efficiency. Data centers, cloud computing, and the vast network of servers that power our digital world require significant amounts of energy. We must adopt energy-efficient technologies and practices to make digital sustainability a reality.

Reducing the data we generate and store is crucial for digital sustainability. It not only lowers storage and processing requirements but also reduces energy consumption. 

How we design and develop digital products and services plays a significant role in digital sustainability. Sustainable design principles can lead to more efficient and eco-friendly solutions.

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a growing concern. Digital sustainability involves responsible disposal and recycling of electronic devices and components. Proper recycling of electronic devices prevents harmful materials from ending up in landfills and promotes the reuse of valuable resources.

To make digital sustainability a reality, educating individuals and organizations about the environmental impact of their digital practices is essential. Promoting digital literacy can help people make informed choices. Training programs and awareness campaigns can help individuals and businesses understand how their digital activities affect the environment.

In an article by Forbes, digital technologies and data are called to be powerful tools to fight climate change and become more sustainable. By prioritizing efficient digital orientation and sustainability, companies can not only improve their own bottom line but also contribute to a brighter future. 

Digital sustainability is about reducing the environmental impact of our digital practices. It involves energy efficiency, data minimization, sustainable design, responsible e-waste management, and digital literacy. Adopting these principles can make our digital world more sustainable and eco-friendly. It’s a collective effort that requires individuals, businesses, and policymakers to work together to build a more sustainable digital future.

Blog

Visual Search: Revolutionizing Marketing

Neiby Rodriguez
September 14, 2023

In a world flooded with information, visual search platforms have emerged as a game-changer, redefining how consumers search for and interact with products and brands. These platforms harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and image recognition technology to enable users to search the web using images or even real-world objects. This trend has profound implications for marketing, as search engines properly index their images, enhance the customer experience, boost sales, and stay competitive in the digital age.

Visual search is not a new concept, but recent advancements in AI and machine learning have made it more accessible and accurate than ever before. As this Times of India article mentions, visual search has used AI technology to utilize the user’s images instead of text prompts. The process generally involves capturing an image or using one from your device’s gallery, uploading it to a visual search platform, and receiving search results related to the image’s content.

Here’s how it works:

1. Image Recognition: Advanced algorithms analyze images to identify objects, colors, patterns, and text.

2. Search and Match: The platform then compares this visual data to its vast database of images and products, seeking matches or similar items.

3. Search Results: Finally, it presents the user with a list of relevant products, websites, or information based on the image.

The impact of visual search on marketing is nothing short of revolutionary. It transcends the traditional boundaries of text-based search, ushering in an era where customers can interact with products and brands more intuitively and engagingly. 

Improved Customer Experience

Visual search platforms provide a more intuitive and engaging way for customers to find products. Instead of trying to describe what they’re looking for in text-based searches, users can show the platform an image. This eliminates the frustration of using vague keywords and leads to more accurate results, enhancing the overall shopping experience.

Enhanced Product Discovery

Visual search can boost product discovery. By using relevant and high-quality images and optimizing file names and alt text, businesses can improve the visibility of their products in search results and attract more potential customers. When users search for a specific item, the platform often suggests visually similar products, encouraging users to explore options they might not have considered. This upselling potential can significantly impact a business’s sales and revenue.

Personalization Opportunities

Visual search platforms collect valuable data about users’ preferences and behaviors. This data can be used to personalize marketing efforts further. Businesses can tailor their advertising and product recommendations by understanding what visual elements resonate with individual customers, resulting in higher conversion rates.

Competitive Advantage

Early adopters of visual search technology gain a competitive edge. As this trend continues to grow, businesses integrating visual search into their marketing strategies demonstrate innovation and a commitment to enhancing the customer experience. This can help attract tech-savvy consumers and stand out in crowded markets.

Augmented Reality Integration

Visual search is often intertwined with augmented reality (AR) experiences. For instance, users can virtually try on clothing or place furniture in their homes using AR. This immersive aspect of visual search not only engages customers but also helps them make more informed purchasing decisions.

Improved SEO

Visual search doesn’t replace text-based search; it complements it. For marketers, this means optimizing images and visual content becomes increasingly important. Properly tagged images and structured data can boost visibility in visual search results, improving overall SEO.

While visual search offers immense potential, it comes with its own set of challenges. Accuracy, privacy concerns, and the need for high-quality visual content are among the issues that marketers must address. Additionally, staying updated with evolving technology and user preferences is essential.

Visual search platforms represent a transformative trend in the digital marketing landscape. They empower consumers with a more intuitive and engaging way to discover products while also providing businesses with a powerful tool to enhance customer experiences and drive sales. 

In conclusion, visual search is not just a game-changer; it’s a transformative force in the marketing world. By incorporating these strategies and adapting to this evolving landscape, you can position your brand at the forefront of the next digital marketing era. Embrace the power of visual search to deliver exceptional customer experiences, drive sales, and ensure your continued success in the ever-evolving digital marketplace. Your journey toward marketing excellence begins with the click of an image – are you ready to take that step?

Blog

Social Media’s Collaborative Posts for Effective Marketing

admin
August 3, 2023

Collaborative posts are content pieces created by multiple users, often working together on the same social media platform. These posts can be images, videos, or written content. The essence of collaborative posts lies in bringing together different perspectives, voices, and ideas to generate engaging and interactive content.

In today’s digital era, social media has become an indispensable tool for businesses and marketers to connect with their target audience. Collaborative posts are one of the latest trends that have emerged on various social media platforms. This innovative approach allows multiple users to come together and create content collaboratively, tapping into a vast pool of creativity and diversity. In this blog, we will explore what collaborative posts are, who can use them, the benefits they offer to marketers, and how we can leverage them in marketing strategies.

These are not limited to a specific group of users; anyone on a social media platform can participate. This includes brands, influencers, content creators, individuals, and customers. For businesses, collaborative posts offer an opportunity to involve their audience in brand-related campaigns and foster a sense of community and engagement.

Benefits for Marketers

Like many other trends, marketers can use collaborative social media posts to grow their brand awareness. Below are some ways this trend can impact marketing strategies and why it has remained popular. 

Increased Reach and Exposure: When multiple users collaborate on a post, each participant brings their followers into the equation, significantly expanding the content’s reach and potential impressions. This increased visibility can lead to more significant brand awareness and exposure. Leading to your brand’s platform for growth, as mentioned in this article by The Post Co.

Enhanced Engagement: Collaborative posts encourage active participation and interactions among users, promoting higher engagement rates. This engagement can boost algorithms on social media platforms, resulting in increased visibility for the content.

Diversification of Content: Collaborative posts enable marketers to diversify their content strategy by incorporating different types of content, styles, and tones. This versatility keeps the audience interested and prevents content fatigue.

Authenticity and Trust: Collaborative posts often feel more authentic and genuine as they incorporate various perspectives and voices. This authenticity builds trust with the audience, making them more receptive to the message.

In today’s generation, authenticity is a crucial value for consumers. When looking into collaborating with another brand, influencer, etc., make sure it is a good fit. In this article by Influencity, they urge to make sure your collaborator is a good match for your purpose. 

Fostering Brand Loyalty: Involving customers and followers in collaborative campaigns creates a sense of belonging and loyalty to the brand. It strengthens the relationship between the brand and its audience, leading to repeat customers and brand advocates.

Using Collaborative Posts in Marketing Strategies

If by now you are convinced of trying this trend. Here are some of the ways collaborative posts can be implemented in your social media strategy, 

Influencer Collaborations: Partner with influencers or industry experts to co-create content related to your brand or products. Influencers’ followers will be introduced to your brand, leading to increased credibility and exposure.

Customer Engagement: Engage your audience by inviting them to participate in creating content for your brand. Run contests, challenges, or polls that encourage user-generated content and collaboration.

Event Coverage: During events or product launches, encourage attendees to contribute to a collaborative post by sharing their experiences, photos, and videos. This real-time engagement enhances the event’s coverage and creates a buzz around your brand.

Cross-Platform Collaborations: Collaborate with other brands or businesses to create joint campaigns or initiatives. This allows both brands to tap into each other’s audiences and leverage their strengths.

Storytelling through Collaboration: Create sequential stories or storytelling campaigns where each participant adds to the narrative, keeping the audience engaged as they eagerly await the next contribution.

Social media’s collaborative posts offer an exciting and effective way for marketers to engage their audience, enhance brand visibility, and build a loyal community. More than improving their marketing efforts, collaborative posts are a way to do more than just marketing, as mentioned in this article by Hootsuite.

By embracing this trend and incorporating collaborative content into their marketing strategies, businesses can foster authentic connections with their customers, leading to long-term success in the digital landscape. 

As the social media landscape evolves, staying open to innovative approaches like collaborative posts will continue to be a key differentiator for brands seeking to thrive in the ever-changing online environment.

Blog

The Art of Marketing: How to Make Customers Fall in Love with Your Products

admin
February 22, 2023

Marketing is an art that can make customers fall in love with your products. Whether it’s through design, trends, or digital content, there are several ways to engage customers and foster strong relationships. Creating an emotional connection between customers and your products is vital as a business. In this blog post, we will explore how marketing can help you make customers fall in love with your products.

Design: Create an Aesthetic That Appeals to Your Target Customer

Design is a powerful tool for marketing, as it helps to create an emotional connection between your product and potential customers. It can also differentiate your product from competitors and attract the right audience.

Good design should be tailored to appeal to your target customer. Think carefully about who you’re trying to reach and what aesthetic they would respond to. For example, if your target customer is young, you may consider using vibrant colors and modern font styles that are popular with this demographic. 

In an article by Penji.co, balance in design is described as the careful distribution of visual weight. Make sure you don’t go overboard with design – try to balance simplicity and complexity. Aim for eye-catching, memorable visuals but not too busy or overwhelming. The goal is to create a design that resonates with your target customer and encourages them to take action. 

It’s also important to consider how the design will look across different mediums. For example, your composition must look good on both web and print, so consider how it will appear on different platforms. 

Design is a powerful way to build an emotional connection between your product and your customers, so make sure you create an aesthetic that appeals to your target customer. Remember their needs when designing visuals; you’ll be one step closer to achieving success.

Trends: Follow the Latest Trends to Stay Relevant

Marketing is an ever-changing field that requires staying updated with the latest trends. Following the trends allows companies to remain relevant and attractive to customers. In addition, trends in marketing can create a unique brand identity and reach potential customers through more effective marketing campaigns.

It’s essential to keep up with current marketing trends, as they can significantly impact how successful your products or services will be. For example, if you’re marketing fashion items, you should pay attention to the latest clothing trends so that your designs are attractive to potential customers. Similarly, if you’re marketing technology products, you should stay informed about the latest developments in the tech industry.

According to Business, success in marketing involves trying new techniques and strategies. Following the latest trends ensures your products remain relevant and attractive to your target audience. Additionally, staying informed about new trends can help you develop creative ideas for your marketing campaigns. 

To stay updated with the latest trends, it’s important to watch industry publications, social media conversations, and competitor activities. Choose a few of your favorite brands, and examine their strategies. Regularly researching new trends ensures that your marketing strategies remain up-to-date and effective.

Digital Content: Use Digital Content to Engage with Your Customers

The success of any business lies in its ability to connect and engage with customers, and digital content is a key tool for accomplishing this. By leveraging digital content in your marketing efforts, you can create a powerful connection with your customers, encouraging them to fall in love with your product.

According to an article by HubSpot, digital marketing works because it is measurable and flexible. Having the ability to change your strategy to make it appeal to your customers is the best way to introduce them to your brand and convert them into loyal customers. 

Digital content comes in many forms, including video, audio, text, images, and interactive experiences. The type of digital content you use may vary depending on the product you’re promoting and the target customer you want to reach. For example, video might be an ideal medium for creating engaging digital content targeting tech-savvy millennials. On the other hand, if you’re targeting a more mature audience, text-based content could be more effective.

Focusing on quality is important regardless of the type of content. Poorly made or generic content will have a different impact than engaging and well-crafted content. So if you’re creating digital content, take the time to ensure it’s of the highest quality. Otherwise, consider partnering with a professional who can help you produce high-quality content that will resonate with your target audience.

Finally, don’t forget to track the performance of your digital content. You can better understand what works and doesn’t by monitoring metrics such as views, likes, and shares. This will allow you to refine your approach and create more effective digital content that resonates with your customers and helps you build stronger relationships.

Using digital content effectively can help you create a powerful connection with your customers and convince them to fall in love with your products. 

From creating an aesthetically pleasing design to following trends to producing high-quality digital content, there are many ways you can leverage marketing to make customers fall in love with your products. These are only a few of the many ways you can achieve this, have any of these strategies worked out for your brand? Or perhaps other strategies have worked for your brand; let us know in the comments. 

Blog

Alternative Payment Options

admin
December 7, 2022

While consumers still carry credit cards, they’re increasingly looking for other ways to pay. As a result, digital wallets such as PayPal and Venmo are growing in popularity. Moreover, these digital payment methods aren’t just for online shopping; they are increasingly accepted in many physical locations.

Some reasons for this include safety, security, and convenience. In addition, customers are looking for the most convenient way to spend their money, and having alternative payment options will remove constraints for either traditional or trendier clients.

You must know your customer’s preferred payment options. Then you must consider new payment methods like Apple Pay, Venmo, or PayPal. If you don’t offer these options, your business will lose sales and revenue. 

On the other hand, opening your business to alternative payment options can increase success rates. Furthermore, we are not discussing replacing your current options but enriching your customer experience.

Research by Checkout.com, in partnership with Oxford Economics, concluded that consumers are more likely to avoid shopping on a site that wouldn’t allow them to use their payment method.

Consumers are looking for safety and convenience when they shop online. Adopting these APMs can provide ease to your customers.

Some of the most common alternative payment methods (APMs) include brands like PayPal, Stripe, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, CashApp, AliPay, Klarna, Grabpay, and even newer cryptocurrency ones, Bitso and Binance.

Adaptability is vital for business success. Adapting to new trends can help the business show that you care for your consumer’s preferences. If you want to take advantage of this growing opportunity and increase your sales by adding more payment options for your customers, the first step is determining the best choice for your business. 

As with any change, you need to evaluate what will help improve your business. Influencer Marketing Hub says, “To find the best APMs for your business, think about your target market, the nature of your transactions, and your budget.” 

There are many perks of having APMs available for your consumers. The following are a few ways they can increase your business reach.

Make money on the go with mobile payments.

Mobile payment technology offers you fast and secure ways to make money on the go. Whether at a busy grocery store or waiting for your flight at an airport, you can easily use your smartphone to complete financial transactions.

It’s also suitable for business owners who want to accept credit card payments from their customers but don’t have a traditional point-of-sale (POS) system installed in their stores. 

Another option for mobile payments is to accept payments through social media.

Social media payments are a great way to accept payments without building a business page. 

Social media payment apps like Venmo and PayPal allow users to send money directly from one person’s bank account to another’s in minutes. This can be useful if your customer doesn’t have access or is uncomfortable with traditional payment methods such as credit cards or e-checks.

You can also allow consumers to go cashless with digital wallets.

Digital wallets are an alternative to cash, checks, and credit cards that enable customers to pay for purchases through their phone or computer. 

With digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, you can instantly accept payment using a unique QR code that customers scan with their phones. This payment method is gaining traction among merchants because it’s fast, easy, and convenient for both parties.

However, before you jump right in, you should take some essential security measures to protect your business against fraud:

  • First, ensure that your customer’s data is encrypted during all transactions.
  • Make sure the transaction meets all legal requirements to comply with regulations set by governments or financial institutions.
  • Use two-factor authentication (2FA) or Touch ID fingerprint scanning to protect against unauthorized access to customers’ personal information.

Alternative payment options can help your business reach new markets and even make you money by following the trends of your customers. By making sure these payment methods are available where customers shop for goods and services, you’ll be able to help them get what they want without having any problems.

To recap, alternative payment options are available. Of course, cash and credit card payments are still the most common ways for customers to pay, but there is room to grow into new alternative payment options and prepare for the upcoming consumer trends.

Adding these options will allow all generations to feel comfortable making payments in your business. The shift to these alternative options can take a while to assimilate, but it is possible. Make sure to provide your consumers with the best choices using data to verify your decision. 

Data-driven decision-making can provide your company with feedback from consumers that will allow you to understand them better. As mentioned in an article by Tech Vice, studying data is the best way to receive your customer’s feedback and learn from it.

Brands

Metaverse: The Future is NOW!

admin
August 10, 2022

There’s a lot of buzz about the Metaverse. But, what really is this new cyberspace, and how far are we from fully joining it? The term “metaverse” was first mentioned in 1992 by Neal Stephenson in his novel Snow Crash; it referred to a three-dimensional virtual world where people interacted with computer-generated avatars. Sounds familiar? 

According to an article from Wired, the word metaverse can be used interchangeably with “cyberspace.” Because just like Stephenson described it 30 years ago, the metaverse will be a different way to experience the cyberspace we currently surf. 

Today, the metaverse is somewhat accessible to us through videogames like Fortnite or Roblox, on which you can participate in group activities, like missions that are part of the game or even concerts in these virtual worlds. However, the future metaverse will house ways to work, shop, play, and any other activity you could think of.

First, we need to understand that the metaverse is not only one thing or place that will come, but rather a mixture of many different ways to experience the future of cyberspace. This so-called 3-D web seamlessly sets in with various prominent companies putting their brands and money on it. The fast pace of these investments means that great things are coming. 

We must also remember that these kinds of shifts, in the way we experience life, happen every few decades. And with change comes the opportunity to enhance these new experiences.

For example, in the previous decade, we could never imagine using the internet for more than just finding information or communicating with coworkers via e-mail. Now we have a constant flow of content beyond simple texts or e-mails. We have applications full of video content, graphics, video calls, and much more that we can experience on the internet.

Online spaces are a complement to our lives. We share our life experiences on social media, interact with others, and consume creative content online. Although we didn’t believe this would be possible, we can instantly connect with many other people through the internet, and it has become an integral part of life and communication.

Matthew Ball, the author of The Metaverse: And How It Will Revolutionize Everything, forecasts that the evolution of the virtual trend will move from being a depiction of our lives into a place where we’ll exist. This means that besides everything we can currently do online, we will be able to be present in this new cyberspace simultaneously. 

Although it will still take some time for the Metaverse to be fully adopted, leading brands are already taking steps toward marketing in this new space. As mentioned above, the metaverse will bring change to more than one aspect of life, including marketing and how marketers target their audiences. 

According to a McKinsey article on the metaverse, now is the time to open our minds to test and learn. The best way to adapt to new experiences is by learning, and when something is so brand new, there isn’t much more than trial and error to understand what works for your brand. 

The NOW Gen is looking at the metaverse as today’s top-notch innovation. Consumers are eager to find and experience brands’ innovation in the metaverse. As marketers, we must aim to deliver innovative consumer experiences for the metaverse, the direction is marked, and the limits are expanding more and more each day.

Brands need instant gratification and cutting-edge experiences for consumers. Our duty as professional marketers is to stay at the forefront of innovation, and the metaverse is just the beginning of a myriad of brand growth and innovative opportunities.

Business

The Digital Gig Economy is on the Rise

admin
July 13, 2022

As the world continues to change, so does the way we work. Noncontractual, short-term, and task-based work is not new, but it has increased in the past few years. For example, many workplaces transformed their operations into a virtual collaboration space during the pandemic. This was a completely new practice and not an easy transition for many. But, at the same time, others with experience in digital gigs found it easy and a great way to keep the economy moving.

The digital gig economy is a clear example of globalization, and its main perk is how it connects companies with qualified talent worldwide. It is growing bigger by the day, and many Americans are turning to it as an alternative to full-time work. In addition, after the COVID-19 pandemic, many job seekers will likely turn to it to get by.

In no way is the gig economy a new practice; its first growth spurt was after the Great Recession. So while many believe it will soon fade away, it has proved to be here to stay and has even evolved into a more digital pathway.

The emergence of the digital gig or platform economy is one of the essential new transformations in the world of work. According to the International Labor Organization, there are two main types of platforms for the digital gig economy: web-based platforms and location-based applications. “An important component of the platform economy is digital labor platforms which include both web-based platforms … and location-based applications (apps).”

The main difference between these two is the kinds of jobs they require. For outsourcing or web-based platforms, the desired results are most likely to be digital products, for example, briefs, creative goods, audiovisual resources, etc., making it easy for people from all over the world to be connected and work together on these digital platforms. 

On the other hand, for location-based gigs, digital platforms are the channel of communication between consumer and provider, for example, deliveries, running errands, etc. In this case, the digital platform allows uncontracted service providers to earn a living while making their own schedule and only working as much as they need. 

A more digital gig economy is an asset that benefits employees and employers equally. For example, job satisfaction, flexibility, remote work, and professional work are a few positive results of this form of work. However, if we look at these benefits, we can find many reasons for the digital gig not going anywhere. 

According to a case study by Brodmin, most gig economy workers are satisfied with their work. “Based on numerous research and publications, there is a general consensus that people who decide to freelance full-time are quite satisfied with the change as well as with their new careers and lifestyle.”

In the last few years, we have seen growth in the freelance worker population, and the flexibility of working remotely is one of the leading causes of this increase. In addition, being able to provide work to someone in a different part of the world, and on the other side, being able to work for a company in a separate geographical area is enticing.

Flexibility has been mentioned multiple times already in this article, and it seems to be with great reason. For example, in their book “Work in the Age of Data,” BBVA’s OpenMind, mentions that flexibility is one of the primary desires of workers because they can obtain professional work from talented collaborators from all over the world while offering a flexible work schedules, pay, or even a flexible workflow. For the Now generation, this is an opportunity to connect with companies and collaborators from around the globe, which encompasses globalization. 

The digital gig economy is on the rise. We believe it will continue to grow and benefit many different markets because of the needs of The NOW Generation. Digital gigs are the perfect way to allow younger generations to work using their talent and skills from anywhere they might be, plus giving them the freedom to grow and explore different ways of experiencing life while working.

Blog

Beating Stereotypes: Diversity and Inclusion for the NOW Gen

admin
June 8, 2022

There is a lot of talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion going on globally. This isn’t about fitting the global trend to our companies but joining the NOW generation in this matter. 

In previous blog posts, we have addressed this global issue, and it continues to be an essential topic for the NOW generation. NOW Gen brands are in the middle of this conversation and are focusing on making a real change.

“NOW Gen brands have a unique opportunity to change history with respect to diversity, equity, inclusion, systemic discrimination and racism, just like they are changing history by moving us into the digital age, but without DEI transformation, digital transformation won’t be any transformation at all.” 

In a recent SXSW panel titled “Beyond Black Stereotypes: Redefining Black Fatherhood,” Kendricks Thacker shared some insights about what needs to be done to incorporate better DEI practices. He said that brands couldn’t just start talking when convenient, especially when they wade into topics they never previously championed. 

“Don’t say nothing, if you haven’t said anything before,” Thacker said. “In those cases, the best a brand can do is listen, and donate their platforms to voices that understand the issues.” 

As Thacker mentioned in this panel, to overcome the stereotypes of adapting DEI practices incorrectly, we must first learn to listen to those in the middle of the issue and understand their movements. We must not act before we think because DEI is not a vane issue and its impact on our society goes beyond participating as a brand or not.

With change comes trial and error; it will be utopic to believe that just making one change will forever change the global conversation. However, making this kind of amendment will often make us face errors. For example, DE&I has been one of the main focuses for many global companies for a while now. And although inclusion is vital to this global change, the mistake we are making is stereotyping that inclusivity. So from being stereotypical in the ways we present our DEI to making inclusion a stereotype. 

In the case of DEI, stereotypes are fogging our judgment and blinding our inclusion. We are so used to boxing people according to their race, gender, religion, and even their jobs that we see individuals as groups of people. Stereotypes have been known to humans for a long time now, and much work has been done to eradicate them in society, but the truth is that stereotyping is more natural to our minds than we can imagine. We could blame heuristics for this, but the truth is we can all do better. 

Heuristics, where stereotyping begins, are useful mental shortcuts that help us navigate life. These rule-of-thumb strategies help us shorten decision-making time and allow us to function without constantly wondering what needs to happen next. Overall, heuristics is a fantastic tool called “common sense,” but the downside is that it can lead to inaccurate judgments or biases, like stereotypes.

Theoretically, we should replace stereotypes with actual knowledge. Realistically, stereotypes are seldom challenged unless something creates a reason to change them. But this current DEI issue is a practical reason to make an effort to break from assumptions and demolish stereotypes. As Now gen brands encounter these roadblocks, they must stick to their DEI efforts and strive to make changes happen. 

“The past year has shed light on what many people already knew: Much of the onus (obligations) of diversity, equity and inclusion was on the appointed DE&I leader, who historically often worked in isolation to carry out these objectives.”

In short, as companies, we must find ways to set objectives to beat stereotypes and be more inclusive. Still, we must learn to hear those affected by the situation and work together to impact how they are perceived in society positively. In the eyes of The NOW Generation, being inclusive speaks volumes, and as the saying goes: actions say more than words.

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