Interactive Ads Development

🗺️ AirBnB Customer Journey Blueprint, a wonderful practical example of how to visualize the entire customer experience for 2 personas, across 8 touch points, with user policies, UI screens and all interactions with the customer service — all on one single page. AirBnB Customer Journey (Google Drive): https://lnkd.in/eKsTjrp4 Spotify Customer Journey (High-res): https://lnkd.in/eX3NBWbJ Now, unlike AirBnB, your product might not need a mapping against user policies. However, it might need other lanes that would be more relevant for your team. E.g. include relevant findings and recommendations from UX research. List key actions needed for next stage. Add relevant UX metrics and unsuccessful touchpoints. That last bit is often missing. Yet customer journeys are often non-linear, with unpredictable entry points, and integrations way beyond the final stage of a customer journey map. It’s in those moments when things leave a perfect path that a product’s UX is actually stress tested. So consider mapping unsuccessful touchpoints as well — failures, error messages, conflicts, incompatibilities, warnings, connectivity issues, eventual lock-outs and frequent log-outs, authentication issues, outages and urgent support inquiries. Even further than that: each team could be able to zoom into specific touch points and attach links to quotes, photos, videos, prototypes, design system docs and Figma files. Perhaps even highlight the desired future state. Technical challenges and pain points. Those unsuccessful states. Now, that would be a remarkable reference to use in the beginning of every design sprint. Such mappings are often overlooked, but they can be very impactful. Not only is it a very tangible way to visualize UX, but it’s also easy to understand, remember and relate to daily — potentially for all teams in the entire organization. And that's something only few artefacts can do. Useful resources: Free Template: Customer Journey Mapping, by Taras Bakusevych https://lnkd.in/e-emkh5A Free Template: End-To-End User Experience Map (Figma), by Justin Tan https://lnkd.in/eir9jg7J Customer Journey Map Template (Figma), by Ed Biden https://lnkd.in/evaUP4kz Free Figma/Miro User Journey Maps Templates https://lnkd.in/etSB7VqB User Journey Maps vs. Service Blueprints (+ Templates) https://lnkd.in/e-JSYtwW UX Mapping Methods (+ Miro/Figma Templates) https://lnkd.in/en3Vje4t #ux #design

Real-time data analytics is transforming businesses across industries. From predicting equipment failures in manufacturing to detecting fraud in financial transactions, the ability to analyze data as it's generated is opening new frontiers of efficiency and innovation. But how exactly does a real-time analytics system work? Let's break down a typical architecture: 1. Data Sources: Everything starts with data. This could be from sensors, user interactions on websites, financial transactions, or any other real-time source. 2. Streaming: As data flows in, it's immediately captured by streaming platforms like Apache Kafka or Amazon Kinesis. Think of these as high-speed conveyor belts for data. 3. Processing: The streaming data is then analyzed on-the-fly by real-time processing engines such as Apache Flink or Spark Streaming. These can detect patterns, anomalies, or trigger alerts within milliseconds. 4. Storage: While some data is processed immediately, it's also stored for later analysis. Data lakes (like Hadoop) store raw data, while data warehouses (like Snowflake) store processed, queryable data. 5. Analytics & ML: Here's where the magic happens. Advanced analytics tools and machine learning models extract insights and make predictions based on both real-time and historical data. 6. Visualization: Finally, the insights are presented in real-time dashboards (using tools like Grafana or Tableau), allowing decision-makers to see what's happening right now. This architecture balances real-time processing capabilities with batch processing functionalities, enabling both immediate operational intelligence and strategic analytical insights. The design accommodates scalability, fault-tolerance, and low-latency processing - crucial factors in today's data-intensive environments. I'm interested in hearing about your experiences with similar architectures. What challenges have you encountered in implementing real-time analytics at scale?

Sensory marketing is NOT putting pastries next to your serum. Somewhere along the way, “sensorial beauty” became code for placing cupcakes & coffee next to a blush. Sure, it’s cute on the grid. But that’s not sensory marketing. That’s just aesthetic direction. True sensory branding is about creating an experience people feel, not just scroll past. Here’s what it actually looks like: 1️⃣ Touch – Is your formula bouncy, melty, moussey? Does the packaging click, twist, or squish in a way that’s felt? 2️⃣ Smell – Is there a scent memory attached? Does it soothe, energize, or trigger nostalgia? 3️⃣ Sound – What does the product sound like in use? The snap of a lid, the whisper of a swipe, the ASMR of application? 4️⃣ Sight – Not just branding, but texture. How it spreads, glides. 5️⃣ Memory – Does it remind someone of an experience? Childhood? A past product? A mood? Sensorial products stick, not because they look good in flatlays, but because they stay in people’s minds, bags, and routines. 💭 So next time you're building a “sensory” campaign, ask yourself: What SENSE are you actually evoking?

Visual content is helping brands connect with their audience on platforms like YouTube and Instagram but when people are posting visuals on LinkedIn, suddenly a lot of people have a problem with it? The fact is, LinkedIn is a professional platform, but the audience viewing the content is mostly the same. LinkedIn has evolved into a dynamic content hub that brands can leverage to run their influencer marketing campaigns. Here's why visual content now works like a charm on LinkedIn: 📌 Human Connection Visuals transcend barriers. They humanize your brand by showcasing faces, emotions, and real stories. People connect with people, so let your visuals introduce the incredible minds behind your business. 📌 Show, Don't Tell Visuals show what words might struggle to express. Give your audience a glimpse of your products in action, your team in collaboration, or your journey in visuals that tell a thousand words. 📌 Scroll-Stopping Power In a fast-scrolling world, visuals halt the thumb. Vibrant images and engaging videos make users pause, curious to explore the story behind the visual feast. 📌 Boosted Engagement It's a fact: visuals boost engagement. Think about it – a visually appealing post is more likely to earn likes, comments, and shares, igniting meaningful conversations around your content. 📌 Enhanced Recall Our brains love images! Research shows that we remember visuals more effectively than text. So, when you want your audience to retain your message, let a striking image do the job. 📌 Visually-Driven Platform LinkedIn itself is evolving into a visually-rich platform. From native video features to visual-friendly layouts, the platform is encouraging you to embrace visuals and stand out. 📌 Global Appeal Visuals transcend language barriers. No matter where your audience is, a powerful image or a compelling video can communicate your message without the need for translation. 📌 Conversion Catalyst Visuals paired with persuasive captions are a recipe for conversions. They entice your audience to take that extra step. Embrace the power of visuals on LinkedIn, and watch your engagement and influence soar to new heights. The future is visual, and your brand deserves to shine brightly in this landscape! #influencermarketing #linkedininfluencer

Interactive demos are still relatively new and haven't been widely adopted yet. Theoretically, showing your product and allowing website visitors to interact with it should increase conversion rates and speed up the sales process, right?   So in this report, we analyzed more than 2M website sessions to understand whether this hypothesis is valid. In short, yes it is. In Navattic's report, Natalie Marcotullio found that interactive demos can increase website conversion rates by 16%. Our dataset shows a slightly different picture—significantly better, in fact. We found out that: -Interactive demos increase the chance of generating MQLs by 63%. -If the website visitor engages with the interactive demo before submitting the demo form, we see a net 1.5x better MQL:SQL -Companies with interactive demos on their websites close deals 23% faster than those without. The link is in the comments

A/B Testing in Google Ads: Best Practices for Better Performance Introduction to A/B Testing A/B testing in Google Ads is a crucial strategy for optimizing ad performance through data-driven insights. It involves comparing two versions of an ad to determine which one delivers better results.  Set Clear Goals Before conducting A/B tests, define clear objectives such as increasing click-through rates or conversions. Having specific goals will guide your testing process and help you measure success accurately.  Test Variables To effectively A/B test ads, focus on testing one variable at a time, such as the ad copy, images, or call-to-action. This approach will provide clear insights into what elements are driving performance. Create Variations Develop distinct ad variations with subtle differences to compare their impact. Ensure that each version is unique enough to produce measurable results but relevant to your target audience.  Implement Proper Tracking Set up conversion tracking and monitor key metrics closely to evaluate the performance of each ad variation accurately. Use tools like Google Analytics to gather meaningful data. Monitor Performance Metrics Regularly review performance metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and cost per acquisition to identify trends and patterns. Analyzing these metrics will help you make informed decisions. Scale Successful Tests Once you identify a winning ad variation, scale it by allocating more budget and resources to drive maximum results. Replicate successful strategies in future campaigns. Continuous Optimization Optimization is an ongoing process, so continue to test, refine, and adapt ad elements to enhance performance continuously. Stay updated with industry trends and consumer preferences. Analyze Results After conducting A/B tests, analyze the results comprehensively to understand the impact of your optimizations. Use the insights gained to inform future ad strategies. Summary  Following best practices for A/B testing in Google Ads can significantly improve the performance of your campaigns. By testing, analyzing, and optimizing ad variations, you can enhance engagement, conversions, and overall ROI. #MetaAds, #VideoMarketing, #DigitalAdvertising, #SocialMediaStrategy, #ContentCreation, #BrandAwareness, #VideoBestPractices, #MarketingTips, #MobileOptimization, #AdPerformance

How we generate leads is changing because people are tired of endless forms. They want value upfront. So, how do we balance the pros and cons? The answer lies in a blended approach. Think about it this way. Gated content shouldn't be your only lead-generation tactic.  It should be part of a broader strategy that includes other, more engaging methods. For example, using interactive experiences. Consider using immersive content. This type of content attracts attention and generates interest before you ask for contact information. Interactive quizzes, calculators, and assessments offer value upfront. They engage prospects and provide personalized insights, which builds trust and makes them more likely to share their details later. Other types of immersive content, like virtual tours or interactive demos, showcase your product from another angle. They also create a memorable experience and show your expertise, which can be a powerful lead magnet. Remember that using interactive content for #leadgeneration isn't about replacing gated content entirely.  It's about offering a mix of options.  As Forrester suggests, "B2B marketers need to diversify their lead generation strategies beyond traditional gated content." What content strategies are you using to balance lead generation and audience engagement?  #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #marketingstrategy

🎇 Check out the New York Times’ fancy new ad targeting toolkit—they’re going big on behavior and emotion. Is this the beginning of a way for publishers to take back some of the power that they've lost to ad platforms? When I talk to companies about target audiences, most of the descriptions I hear are demographic. A lot of marketers describe their audiences by gender, age, geography and other factors that are easily targeted but not particularly distinctive. A better method of targeting uses a combination of behavior, interests, and emotion to identify the most productive audiences. The result, especially when paired with tests of positioning and messaging, is almost always better customer acquisition economics. Targeting beyond mere demographics is hard—there is often an algorithmic black box in the way—but it’s a powerful way to understand which of several audiences needs a product the most. Ad platforms give us interests and keywords to shape audiences, but there is rarely much (overt) opportunity to target emotions and behaviors. So it’s almost staggering to see the New York Times putting behavior, interests, and emotion front and center as the media company unveils a new targeting model. “More than 240 audience segments are now available to advertisers around interest in specific topics such as luxury fashions, with a focus on the emotions that content might elicit such as optimism or hope, as well as gender and age.” Wow. Apparently the NYT is also using attention as an input—a key behavioral indicator. (My hunch is that other ad platforms use attention as well, but they just don’t talk about it.) I can’t wait to see 2025 ad revenue stats for the NYT. Will a more powerful targeting platform attract more dollars? Can the NYT charge more for better results? And what happens next—could the NYT share its tech with other publishers to create a targeting network that skims off high-end audiences? https://lnkd.in/ew2JTiuj

If your story doesn't hit in the first 5 seconds It's Over You don’t get minutes to earn attention anymore. You get moments. That’s why the best ads today don’t start by selling. They start by storytelling, fast. Take this campaign: It opens like a zombie thriller. Not a product demo. Not a stat dump. Not a polished brand shot. But a story that grabs your brain before it even knows what it's watching. So why does it work so well? 📌 It uses genre to create instant tension Within seconds, we’re in a world. It’s not just an ad, it’s a scene. A story. One you can’t look away from. 📌 It anchors emotion before explanation We feel before we understand. That’s what powerful stories do 📌 It educates through narrative By the time we realize the message (synthetic materials take 200+ years to decompose), we’re already emotionally invested. 📌 It aligns cause with creativity This isn’t preachy. It’s precise. The storytelling is the message. The product is the punchline. Want to build content that hits like this? Here’s a storytelling framework to try: 1️⃣ Hook with conflict Every good story starts with tension. Show us something broken, scary, or just plain weird. Make us lean in. 2️⃣ Introduce transformation What changes? What insight or solution comes next? Keep us moving through the arc. 3️⃣ Reveal your message last Don’t start with “what”, start with “why care.” Let the product or idea emerge from the emotion. 4️⃣ Make it feel cinematic Use sound, visuals, pacing, not to show off, but to bring your audience into the moment. 5️⃣ Keep it short, sharp, and story-first We’re in the TikTok era. But attention spans haven’t died, they’ve just gotten pickier. Stories still win. Always. The best storytelling doesn’t sell the product. It sells the belief behind the product. And if you want your brand to rise above the noise Stop pitching. Start telling better stories. #storytelling #branding #sellwithstories #marketingtips I share storytelling and creativity to help you and your company sell more and grow. Let's Connect! 1. Try my other course on LinkedIn Learning: https://lnkd.in/gTh8R5Mc 2. Join 10,000 others learning weekly growth tips at: https://lnkd.in/eCDKabp2 Use the 3-Act E.P.I.C Structure to turn stories into sales: https://lnkd.in/e9_eczTG 3. 3 Ways To Grow Guide: https://lnkd.in/gZaq56hT (no sign-up needed)

Our team on #MACCosmetics recently ran a short sales-driven campaign on social, with a check out via the website and the results speaks for itself! They used the creative device of a make-up stock market to entice a consumer purchase via live bidding and interactive polls on Instagram stories. Insight: >> Consumers love discounts and when the discount is time-bound, it creates a sense of urgency >> Leveraged the intrigue and curiosity of the audience by introducing a makeup market with a unique twist >> Focused on transparency and inclusivity, building trust and engagement with the audience Idea and Execution: >> Teased the campaign effectively to pique audience interest before unveiling the makeup market concept >> Implemented interactive polls featuring product tiles to simulate bidding, creating an engaging experience >> Revealed product details and prices an hour before the market opened, establishing transparency >>Adopted an inclusive "something for everyone" strategy by offering a 20% discount to all customers Metrics: (Everything Organic) >> Achieved over 550 link clicks, surpassing the average for regular posts and offers >> Ranked among the top 6 stories in terms of story reach, link clicks, and profile visits over the past three months >> Showcased an 85% increase in revenue compared to the average for other days of the month Why it Worked: >> The campaign capitalized on audience curiosity, driving higher engagement and interest >> Interactive polls and transparent communication enhanced the overall user experience >> The inclusive discount strategy likely broadened the appeal and participation >> Financial success demonstrated the effectiveness of the campaign in driving sales and revenue >> The acquisition of new customers indicates the campaign's positive impact on expanding the customer base This one is a classic example of how a social campaign can drive bottom funnel results! Let me know what you think of the idea? #SocialMedia #Instagram #BottomFunnelMarketing #MakeUp