3 Things You’d Never Know Without Reading This

More data on how to get people to look at your content, this time focusing on the headline ( the title of your video, post or email subject line.)

Use Negative Superlatives to Drive Clicks

Apparently if your headline evokes something people can’t, shouldn’t or wouldn’t do, they get curious and tend to click through more often.  Be aware though, while negative emotions drive clicks, they don’t drive shares.

If you want someone to share your content it’s best to make it positive and energizing.  People like to share things that make them feel good so they can pass that feeling onto others.

People Still Like Lists

Personally if I never see a list post again it’ll be too soon, but they’re still super popular.  Whether it’s the whole “bite size chunks” of information thing, people just dig having things broken out for them.

Just promise me that if you use a list you won’t write some banal nonsense just to flesh out the points.  Me, I say less is more, 5 is good, 9 is pushing it and if you’re into double figures then “Woah Nelly!” are you sure you need that many?

Use Title Case in Your Headlines

Lot’s of back and forth on this with people having their own preferences but apparently the data’s pretty clear.  When it comes to headlines and titles, don’t use all caps or sentence case, capitalize each word and your opening rate goes up.

Who knew!?

Further Reading

If you’re interested here’s a great article from Belle Beth Cooper that digs deeper into the science behind headlines.

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Written while listening to: The Bench Dev 5 by music2work2 - good music to work to!

Image credit: Three Sages by Michael Summers on Flickr

What’s Going On In Your Business?

• How did you perform in June?
• Can you compare that to May?
• What about June last year?
• How was your second quarter?
• What are the trends that are now visible through the first half of the year?

If you don’t the know the answers you’re clearly not measuring KPIs.  

If you do, the question now becomes:

What are you going to do with that information?

Metrics move when humans change

Spreadsheets full of numbers don’t in themselves do anything.  

It’s the behaviors you implement in response to those figures that will grow your business.

Do this

Create a new text document and save it where you keep your KPI spreadsheet.

Write down the one or two things you want to achieve in Quarter 3, then write down the behaviors you will need to implement in order to deliver.

I’ll remind you to revisit that document on Thursday 1st of October.

(Oh, and if you don’t have a KPI document, you should probably get in touch.)

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Written while listening to: Me getting to grips with my new Vintage Steinway D-274

Image Credit: Metric Spaces by stuartpilbrow on Flickr

Why Your Data Is Like A Fine Wine

Got KPIs?

I know -  Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can be a little difficult to begin with.  They're a pain  to put together, there's too much data,  they deliver information that you don't really understand and they often look like crap.

Here's the thing...

Just like you - just like me - KPIs get better with age. 

Seriously - I'm not kidding. 

I know it sounds strange but after a while, figures start to speak to you and tell you what's going on in your business.  If you keep at it, you'll find your behavior changing as you become more efficient in how you spend your time.  Ultimately your business makes more money.

It's the beginning of the month 

Have you reviewed last month's figures, assessed performance against the estimate, looked at your available resource and set a new estimate and plan of action for September?

If you haven't, maybe you should.

Let's talk 

If you'd like to get more efficient with the your marketing, call me on 310 980 2499 or use the form .

Contact Andrew

Why your data is a like a fine wine

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Written while listening to: music2work2 - Fibonacci Series Playlist (I am seriously digging this playlist now!)

Image Credit: Age like a fine wine by Derek Gavey on Flickr