If you’re new to DTC, welcome! You’re in good company with fellow newcomers from Amazon, Sunuva, The Booty Co., Shinplex, and Solstice Hot Sauce. 🌶️
In this newsletter, you’ll find: 👇
📦 The road to nine-figures with Cody Plofker from Jones Road Beauty
📦 Become more believable, trusting, and influential
📦 The ABCDs of Youtube growth
📦 150 proven tactics to make your brand stand out
📦 Why it’s not “business-as-usual” on Instagram
Read till the end to access exclusive DTC swag. 😎
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🎧 Today on the DTC pod, we're hitting the road to 9-figure town with none other than Cody Plofker from Jones Road Beauty!
In this episode, Cody elaborates on his bullish YouTube ad strategies, Meta Ads funnel insights, and a sprinkle of TikTok hot takes. We'll also explore the art of crafting irresistible offers, including the power of gift with purchase. 🎁
The takeaways 👇
🚀 Plofker's power play
Jones Road Beauty recognizes the impact of YouTube as a top-of-funnel powerhouse. To measure this influence, they rely on two trusty methods: post-purchase surveys and media mix modeling.
Post-purchase surveys offer valuable insights into YouTube as a customer's first touchpoint, helping shape and optimize marketing strategies.
On the other hand, media mix modeling employs mathematical wizardry to assess the impact of various marketing channels on sales. This technique helps Jones Road Beauty gauge the incremental revenue driven by YouTube and informs decisions on investing in the platform.
Additionally, incrementality testing sheds light on YouTube's regional influence and effect on new customer revenue.
Armed with these analytical tools, Cody and his team are uncovering the true value of YouTube and propelling the brand to new heights.
✨ Purchase Perks
On the pod, Cody discusses how gift-with-purchase offers are more than just delightful surprises for customers; they're also a savvy business strategy. By setting a spending threshold, shoppers are encouraged to add that extra item to their cart and unlock a fabulous free gift. 🎁
But wait, there’s more! (😉)
Studies show that revenue per session can increase up to 10% with these offers while barely affecting conversion rates. This clever approach helps offset the cost of the gift, contributing to a healthier bottom line.
But the benefits don't stop there! (Ok ok, that’s the last one 😜)
These tantalizing offers can also play a key role in customer retention. Early data suggests that customers who take advantage of gift-with-purchase promos are more likely to return for future shopping sprees. By thoughtfully selecting the perfect gift and analyzing its impact on profits, you can ensure these offers become a valuable investment in your brand's long-term success. 📈
👉 Listen to the full episode with Cody Plofker here!
Did you ever think the day would come when social media creators would have more clout than people like Brad Pitt or Julia Roberts? 😳
Well, that day has arrived.
Recent reports show that Gen-Z and Millennials find social media creators more believable, trusting, and influential than celebrities.
Not to mention, when you replace a well-crafted ad with a creator, you get:
What does this mean?
It means it’s time to pivot your DTC marketing strategy by finding the perfect creator to promote your brand.
Discover how in LTK's most recent white paper Creator Marketing Best Practices for Small Businesses.
LTK Connect helps DTC brands of all sizes connect directly with the right creators, AND they share creator posts on LTK’s 5-star shopping app for unmatched reach AND engagement. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
👉 Download your copy day and witness a new level of engagement.
🤫 The secret sauce
In this week’s All Killer No Filler Podcast, the content team at Pilothouse gives us the inside scoop on the ABCDs of YouTube. Yes, you read that extra letter correctly! It’s all about taking your marketing strategy one step further, and that’s why Pilothouse operates with four letter acronyms:
1️⃣ Attracting and retaining your consumers with the first five seconds of content
2️⃣ Branding your content to leave a lasting impression
3️⃣ Connecting with your audience's ‘why’ by addressing their wants and needs
4️⃣ Directing your audience to take action!
👀 Keep your eyes peeled
The most successful YouTube channels will use some sneaky tricks to keep their audiences growing, views skyrocketing, and retention lasting. Once you hear about how and when these practices are used by the biggest names in the game, you won’t unsee them in your Youtube feed (sorry, not sorry!). For an interesting experiment, revisit your brand’s older YouTube content and determine how you can refresh your approach to video.
👻 Not-so-scary monster
It’s no secret that the algorithm favors new types of content like a revolving door. That said, what’s the special on the menu this season? It’s videos watched in succession. YouTube has moved on from 10-minute content to prop up channels that can successfully retain viewers for more than one video. Take inventory of your brand’s content to see if your voice can easily transition a viewer from one video to the next.
The content team drops some great tips to keep your videos organized and sequential so viewers know exactly where to go from video to video. A messy Youtube channel just leads to rabbit holes and it’s rare to come out of one without some form of regret these days.
Making new waves
Learn how your brand can connect with both logical and emotional consumers, find out why “sludge content” can level up your retention, and why Mario Kart could be so much more important in the world of marketing than it is with the content team at Pilothouse on this week’s All Killer No Filler.
Feel like you're jumping up and down in front of your target audience, yelling: “Pick me! Pick me!” 👋
You’re not alone.
Marketing is a feeding frenzy 🦈, with brands clamoring for consumers’ attention.
The good news?
You can hone in on your marketing efforts with the help of industry experts.
AdRoll compiled 150 proven tactics so you stand out in the crowded sea of marketers. This guide doesn't only include basic tactics like:
No, my friends, it gets DEEP into what gets your brand noticed!
👉 Explore 150 Free Ways to start getting noticed!
👀 A new look
Meta has revitalized Branded Content Ads to Paid Partnership Ads and with this change comes a few hidden opportunities that you’ll want to know about!
Paid Partnership Ads promise more diverse collaborations with creators and consumers through user-generated content (UGC). With more ad options, your brand has the freedom to select the most engaging content for your audience and develop stronger relationships with more creators. Check this out 👇
You can now use the following content whenever your brand is mentioned through one of these features:
Essentially, brands can now promote all of this content in the same way that was previously exclusive to Branded Content Ads.
💪 UGC is stronger than ever
Monetizing this UGC continuously generates valuable social proof without the hassle of scanning through reviews or asking consumers for testimonials. It seems even more valuable since the UGC was voluntarily created, don’t you think?
The requirement of obtaining permission to use content in Partnership Ads remains the same. Advertisers must receive approval from their collaborators before promoting their content, and we can’t stress this enough. Read through the full list of updates to permissions here to ensure you’re following the rules.
🙌 So much to choose from!
With all that new UGC available, prioritize the content that provides the most value to your audience. Consider commenting on that content before reaching out to the creator to gauge their interest in your brand.
As an influencer, having a brand reach out can be incredibly rewarding. Show your audience that you’re engaged with their content, and they’ll likely start generating more for you to choose from in future collabs.
💼 Business as usual?
According to Instagram, campaigns that combine Partnership Ads with business-as-usual (BAU) ads result in higher click-through rates, lower cost per actions, and often outperform BAU ads by themselves. It’s not so ‘business as usual’ after all!
This rebranding initiative is a big step forward for businesses and creators leveraging Meta’s toolset. With more ways to form partnerships, it's a win-win for everyone. Maximize your advertising power on Instagram with an authentic advertising strategy.
👀 Looking to step up your customer experience? Start focusing on what happens AFTER they hit the 'Buy' button. Downloading this guide is sure to boost your post-purchase experience! *
🚨 DTC apparel brand Bearbottom Clothing saw up to 20% improvement in conversion rate by leveraging AI. Join the webinar with their CMO on Tuesday, May 16th, to learn how personalizing every customer interaction with AI can grow your eCommerce brand’s revenue, too. Register here. *
🐤 Twitter seeks to deactivate older inactive accounts to expand username choices for new users. It has also been rumored that desirable usernames could be sold, but that remains unconfirmed.
💼 LinkedIn experiments with generative AI feed posts. Concerns surface over the authenticity of content on LinkedIn given its role for job seekers and employers looking for their next employment opportunity.
♾️ Meta users are reporting malicious ads on the platform to persuade the user to download harmful software. Ads are currently directing users to verified Facebook pages to fake their authenticity.
🪟 Microsoft has enabled number matching for Authenticator push notifications by default. This is a response to “MFA fatigue attacks” that often result in the release of sensitive information.
*Sponsored
🤑 How Not to Grow an 8-Figure Business (Obvi Panel - C-Suite Preview).
🍫 Jess Cervellon from Feastables: What CPG Can Learn from SaaS about CX.
🍸 Ben Soffer - Spritz Society: Influencer Strategies for Alcohol Brands and Linear Commerce.
🕯️ 9-Year-Old Lily Harper from Lily Lou's Aromas homeschools us all.
🌲 TAXA Outdoor, Garrett Finney: Digital meets dealership, NASA Architect goes out of home for real.
💡 Listen to the Biggest Marketing News Stories Today.
Don’t forget to rate the DTC Podcast on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight, Kate Gullett, and Michael Venditti. Edited by Claire Beveridge and Eric Dyck.
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