From Clicks to Customers: The Power of Conversion Rate Optimization

What if you could double your conversion rate without spending a penny more on ads? You may think a 4% conversion rate is strong—but that means 96% of your users are leaving without taking action. If you increased that by just 1%, sales would grow by 25% with the same traffic. It’s like finding hidden revenue in your existing marketing efforts. Those extra profits can go straight into growing your business—whether that’s scaling campaigns, launching new products or improving customer retention.

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is one of the core tenets of Performance Marketing done well. Whether you’re looking to generate leads or drive more e-commerce sales, you benefit from making the path to conversion easier, more accessible and more intuitive. It’s the rising tide that lifts all ships.

What is CRO, and Why Does It Matter?

CRO is all about fine-tuning your website or landing page so more visitors take the action you want—whether that’s making a purchase, filling out a form or signing up for a service. Unlike strategies that focus on driving more traffic, CRO helps you get more value from the traffic you already have. It’s like squeezing more juice out of the same orange. The result? Lower cost per acquisition and better ROI for your marketing efforts.

Here’s the thing: If you’re running paid ads, every click costs you. But if your website isn’t optimized, many of those clicks can go to waste. Maybe your page takes too long to load, or your call-to-action isn’t clear. Our goal is to make sure that when someone lands on your site, they’re guided smoothly toward taking action. With an optimized site, every lead becomes an opportunity.

Turning Data into Results

CRO isn’t guesswork—it’s grounded in data. We use tools like heatmaps, user session recordings, and A/B testing to see how people interact with your site. That way, we can pinpoint exactly where they’re dropping off and test solutions to fix it. For example, simply moving a CTA button or simplifying your checkout process can make a huge difference. These small tweaks might not seem like much, but together, they can drive big results.

Website performance enhancements illustration

CRO and the Bigger Picture for Your Marketing

CRO doesn’t replace other marketing efforts; it makes them more effective. SEO, paid media, social media—they’re all about bringing people to your site. But if your site isn’t set up to convert, you’re forfeiting at the 5 yard line. By focusing on CRO, you ensure that the traffic you’re already paying for delivers the results you want.

And it’s not just about boosting conversion rates. CRO can also increase the value of each customer interaction. We can help you add upsell opportunities, personalize recommendations, and optimize post-purchase workflows to keep customers coming back. From first click to repeat sale, we’ll help you make the most of every visitor.

Inside Our Playbook: How to Begin Your CRO Strategy

Whether you’re looking to scale up, improve ROI, or just get more from your marketing budget, we’re here to help. Let’s work together to turn your clicks into customers and build a foundation for sustainable growth. Here are a few ways we can get started:

Data-Driven Insights: Leveraging analytics to understand user behavior and inform strategic decisions.
Heatmaps and Click Tracking Analysis: Using visual tools to see where users click, scroll, or hesitate, and addressing these areas for better engagement.
Optimized Landing Pages: Creating and refining landing pages tailored to drive specific actions, such as form submissions or purchases.
Mobile Optimization: Ensuring a flawless and engaging experience for mobile users, who now make up a significant portion of web traffic.
Enhanced Call-to-Action Design: Crafting compelling and strategically placed CTAs that guide users toward conversion.
A/B Testing Campaigns: Experimenting with different versions of landing pages, headlines or calls-to-action to determine what resonates most with your audience.
Website Usability Audits: Identifying friction points in the user journey and optimizing navigation for a seamless experience.
Personalized User Experiences: Implementing dynamic content or tailored messaging based on user behavior or demographics.
Improved Page Load Speed: Enhancing site performance to reduce bounce rates and improve user retention.
Intent-Based Remarketing: Re-engaging people who abandon the form or checkout process to ensure that no lead gets left behind.
Streamlined Form Process: Make path to form completions easy and friction-free, with optimized fields to increase completions.
Optimized Checkout Processes: Streamlining the checkout flow to minimize cart abandonment and increase completed transactions.

Take the first step toward smarter growth—contact us today to unlock the hidden revenue in your marketing efforts. Together, we’ll pave the way for sustainable success.

Instagram’s Algorithm in 2025: What You Need to Know

Instagram JUST dropped some major insights into how their algorithm will work in 2025, and we’re here to break it down for you. Understanding these changes will be essential for maintaining and growing your presence on the platform. Here’s what we know.

The Two Pillars of Instagram’s Content Organization

Instagram’s algorithm now operates around two primary categories:

Connected Reach: Content shown to your existing followers.
Unconnected Reach: Content shown to audiences who don’t follow you yet.

This distinction is key because it impacts the metrics that matter most for your content strategy.

The Top 3 Ranking Metrics

If you want to make the most of Instagram in 2025, keep these metrics in mind:

🕜 Watch Time: The more time someone spends engaging with your content, the better it will perform. This signals to Instagram that your content is valuable and engaging.

💞 Likes: While likes have been around forever, they’re still a vital metric, especially for reaching your existing audience.

📤 Sends: This is the ultimate discovery metric. The more people share your content, the more likely it is to reach new audiences.

The Nuances of Reach

For connected reach (your followers), Instagram places more emphasis on likes. It’s a sign that your audience is enjoying and engaging with your posts.
For unconnected reach (non-followers), sends take center stage. Shares demonstrate that your content is resonating with people and is worth spreading beyond your immediate circle.

5 Tips to Ensure Your Content is Recommendation-Ready

Want your posts to be eligible for Instagram’s recommendations? Follow these best practices:

Avoid Watermarks: Instagram prioritizes original content. Reposts or content with watermarks may be penalized.
Add Audio: Even for photos and carousels, incorporating audio can boost your content’s visibility.
Keep Videos Short: Videos under three minutes perform better in the algorithm.
Post Original Content: Duplicated or recycled content won’t do you any favors.
Check Your Account Status: Make sure your account is in good standing. You can verify this in your profile settings.

So what does this mean for your strategy? It’s great to see Instagram giving us this level of transparency. It empowers Social Media Managers and Creatives to fine-tune strategies and confidently explain why we prioritize specific metrics.

If growth is the main priority, focus on creating highly shareable content that encourages your audience to send it to others. (Think relatable posts, memes, anything you’d send to a friend or put on your Story.)

To nurture current communities, prioritize content that resonates deeply and encourages ‘likes.’ (Like alleviating pain points or teaching them something new, for example.)

And for both? Hold your audience’s attention and get your watch time up. Start with a good hook, including visuals, sounds and words.

How We Can Help

We specialize in creating data-driven strategies to ensure your content shines on platforms like Instagram. From crafting scroll-stopping visuals to optimizing for discovery, we’ll help you stay one step ahead.

Ready to level up? Contact us today to learn more about our social media services.

The Future of TikTok in the U.S.: What It Means for Brands

The future of TikTok in the United States hangs by a thread as the Supreme Court appears inclined to uphold a bipartisan law that could ban the app as early as January 19th. This development stems from the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, signed into law last April by President Joe Biden. (1/17 Update: A report has come out saying President Biden won’t enforce the ban, leaving the decision to President-elect Donald Trump.)

What Happens if TikTok Is Banned?

A ban wouldn’t immediately make TikTok disappear from devices where it’s already downloaded. However, the app would no longer be available in either the Android or iOs stores. ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, would be unable to issue updates, causing the app to degrade over time. Without updates, TikTok will eventually become incompatible with newer versions of mobile operating systems, leading to a diminished user experience. Additionally, the app’s reliance on foreign servers would further lower performance, making it less reliable and less engaging.

Here’s the Truth…

The demand for quick, snackable content isn’t changing—what might shift is where that content is most fervently consumed. The platform or mechanism users gravitate toward will be the real X factor and what we, along with other marketers and users alike, will be watching. While each platform will have its own nuances, these can be adapted to meet evolving needs. That’s why, no matter what happens, keep authentic, bite-sized content flowing. Authenticity and connection is what users value, and the demand is undeniable.

The Future is “Short”

Since short-form video content is here to stay, here are the four main scenarios we could see playing out. We recommend brands be ready for all outcomes.

Scenario 1: TikTok Remains Supreme (for Now): TikTok boasts over 170 million U.S. users and gained massive traction during the pandemic, making a ban far from simple. With a new administration in place and the possibility of a major acquisition, TikTok could survive beyond January 19. Many brands continue running ads on the platform, betting on its resilience. Could Elon Musk enter the picture? Some TikTok loyalists are confident it won’t meet the same fate as Vine (RIP).

Scenario 2: YouTube Shorts Gains Momentum: Launched in 2020, YouTube Shorts has quickly gained popularity, thanks to YouTube’s massive user base and its powerful search and recommendation algorithms. The recent extension of Shorts’ maximum length from 60 seconds to 3 minutes gives creators more freedom to craft impactful stories. Many TikTok creators have already started migrating their content to Shorts, signaling a potential shift in platform preferences.

Scenario 3: Instagram “Finally” Steps Up: Instagram has been making moves to prioritize short-form video by tweaking its algorithm to favor Reels. The platform put so much energy towards video content that they had to publicly admit they were course-correcting to better balance static and video content after user pushback. Further, limitations like non-clickable links, a restricted music library, and subpar search functionality have hindered Reels’ full potential. Many brands repurpose their TikTok content for Instagram to tap into shared trends, but this may be Instagram’s opportunity to address its shortcomings and strengthen its Reels offering.

Scenario 4: A New Competitor Emerges: As users push back against the perceived “Meta monopoly,” there’s a growing demand for something fresh. Could “RedNote” be the next big player? Could X (formerly Twitter) dive more into the short-form video space? Or will a completely new platform rise to challenge TikTok’s dominance? One thing is certain: the demand for innovation is strong, and the door is wide open for a new contender.

How Will We Pivot for Clients?

As the landscape of short-form video continues to evolve, our strategy is clear: we will migrate our clients’ content to where users want to be—whether that’s YouTube Shorts, a new competitor, or any emerging platform. Our priority is to ensure that their brands are leading the conversation, engaging with their audience, and staying relevant, no matter what platform rises to the occasion. As long as the platform is safe and aligns with our clients’ values, we will embrace the opportunity for innovation. Ultimately, we remain focused on one thing: prioritizing short-form, authentic content that users crave and ensuring our clients stay at the forefront of industry conversations.

How to Use AI in Content Marketing: A Crash Course for Writers

In the digital age, content is king, and businesses are constantly seeking ways to produce engaging, high-quality content that resonates with their audience. Enter Artificial Intelligence (AI), a game-changing technology that is transforming the way content is created. From generating blog posts to crafting marketing copy, AI is proving itself as a valuable tool in the content creator’s toolbox.

What if we told you that intro paragraph was written by ChatGPT? It’s true. We used the prompt “write a short blog post about using AI to write content,” and that was the beginning of a nine-paragraph article. It’s not perfect, but it demonstrates how useful AI can be in content marketing. (Don’t worry, the rest of this article was written by a real human.)

AI in digital marketing is a hot topic and as content marketers, it’s tempting to write it off entirely (pun intended) since we’re committed to delivering thoughtful, person-centered content. But instead of fighting AI tools, what if we worked with them? Could they actually help us be better writers?

We think so. And by the time you’re done reading this, we bet you will, too.

Before we get started, we’d like to point out that if you use tools like ProWritingAid or Grammarly, you’re already using AI to proofread your work. Tools like ChatGPT and TextFX are just utilizing this technology in a different way.

With that said, let’s dive into the ways writers and content marketers can use AI to break free from writer’s block, summarize and rewrite their work.

Lightbulb Moment: AI Can Generate New Ideas

Consistently coming up with new ideas is part of a writer’s job, but it’s not always easy. Strict brand guidelines, a fast-paced work schedule, large content volumes and more can make it difficult to consistently bring fresh ideas to the table. When you’ve exhausted your usual sources of inspiration or you just want input from a truly unbiased third party, an AI tool like ChatGPT can provide new ideas in seconds.

With a simple command like “Give me 5 ideas for blog posts about training a puppy,” ChatGPT provided titles and content direction for five new articles. Adapt these to your client and audience, and you’re on your way to creating great content.

ChatGPT being used for Content Marketing ideas

ChatGPT isn’t the only AI tool out there, though. Google’s TextFX is a suite of 10 free tools to help writers generate new ideas and be their most creative selves.

One of TextFX’s features is POV, and it allows you to see your topic through different points of view. To test it, we asked TextFX to give us different POVs for “training your dog.” In return, we got results like:

Training your dog is the key to having a happy and stress-free life.
Training your dog is a great way to bond with them and build a strong relationship.
Training your dog can help them become a better member of society and make them more enjoyable to live with.
Training your dog is not as difficult as you might think, and it is definitely worth the effort.

These may not be jumping off points for a blog post about dog training, but they’re great inspiration for organic social posts, ads, email content or even brand pillars. Each speaks to the benefit of having a trained dog, which may be difficult to turn into a single piece of long-form content around, but they’re perfect for short-form.

Another TextFX feature that is useful for writers is Simile. As the name suggests, it creates similes for the topic you input. We put “generator” in and received the following:

The generator was like a lifeline to the remote village, providing a steady stream of electricity that allowed the residents to stay connected to the modern world.
The generator purred like a contented kitten, providing a steady stream of electricity to power our home.
The generator roared like a lion as it powered the lights.

While these lean a bit on the silly side, it’s a great way to get you thinking about your topic or product differently. Sometimes a little change in perspective is all you need to come up with your next brilliant idea.

TL;DR: Condensing and Summarizing Content

As a writer, condensing and simplifying a lot of information or complex material is often a daunting task—but AI offers a great starting point.

To test its abilities, we asked ChatGPT to summarize these bullet points outlining key components of a product:

And in return, we got this paragraph:

While it needs some editing, it’s a solid foundation to work off of. Bullet points are great for making content skimmable, but sometimes a paragraph is needed to work off of when communicating key selling points to an audience. Using AI to summarize bullet points is a quick way to get the groundwork in place so you can refine it.

Delete Delete Delete: Rewriting Copy

As the saying goes, “writing is rewriting.”

Whether you’re working through feedback, need a different way to get a point across or you just aren’t satisfied with your first (or second, or third…) draft, AI can help you in the rewriting process.

ChatGPT is capable of rewriting everything from single sentences to full articles. For this exercise, we asked it to rewrite the sentence “AI is a powerful tool for copywriters, but it’s not without flaws” three different ways. Here’s what we got:

Ironically, the results are a demonstration of the very sentence it rewrote: they’re robotic and sound unnatural. Even so, we can pull out different words and phrases from each to create a new sentence that isn’t robotic. A few examples:

While AI is a powerful tool for copywriters, it has plenty of shortcomings.
AI holds significant potential for copywriters, but it’s not perfect.
While AI can be a great resource for copywriters, it has inherent shortcomings.

Depending on your audience, any of these would sound natural in a piece of content. They weren’t written by ChatGPT, but we used it to help us get to the final product.
For more tips and tricks on using AI in other digital marketing disciplines, check out our post on ChatGPT for SEO and leveraging ChatGPT in your overall marketing strategy.

Lose the Snooze: How to Make Boring Topics Come to Life

Every writer has experienced it: a task comes to their inbox, and they wonder how they’re going to pull it off because the topic seems so dry.

But we work our magic and create a piece of content that brings it all to life. Here, we’re going to let you in on some of our secrets so you can make any topic more exciting.

1. Learn About It

Learning about your topic is always the first step when creating content. But with dry topics, it helps to do extra research and really dig into it. The more knowledge you have, the easier it’ll be to write about it.

You don’t have to become an expert in the topic, but as a baseline, ask the five Ws: who, what, when, where and why.

Let’s pretend we’ve been tasked with creating content about power outages for a generator manufacturer. The questions we need to answer are:

Who experiences power outages?
What do people do during outages?
When do most outages occur?
Where do most outages occur?
Why do power outages happen?

Once you’ve asked and answered these questions, you will have a more well-rounded view of the topic and your target audience. But maybe you want even more insight into your audience. Keep reading to find out how to get inside their heads.

2. Discover What Your Audience is Asking

Now that you’ve asked your own questions, it’s time to see what your audience is asking about the topic. Even the most “boring” subjects will be the point of some online discussion. Forums like Quora and Reddit are great ways to discover in-depth conversations, but Google and keyword research tools will help you see the big picture. You don’t need to be an SEO expert to find these keywords and phrases. Simply start typing your topic into Google and take a look at the suggested searches.

Type your topic or even one of your questions outlined above into Google to get a better idea of what people are searching for. We started asking why power outages happen, and we see that people want to know additional information, like why they last so long and why they happen during storms. We also get complementary questions like “Why do power surges happen?” Now we have several topics our audience is searching for. These topics will make for great blog posts, emails, social media posts and other digital content.

Try this exercise with your topic, product or service to get ideas of your own in just a few minutes.

3. Tell a Story

As marketers, we’re always striving to tell a story. With dry topics, storytelling becomes even more important. Storytelling allows you to break down boring or complex concepts and make them more interesting and easier to understand.

For instance, power outages are what make generators necessary, but they’re inherently boring.

A storm comes through and the power goes out. You switch on the flashlight on your phone and head to the garage to see if you can find your flashlights. After rummaging through a few storage bins, there they are! Two flashlights…with no batteries. You head back inside and sit in the dark, waiting for the power to come back on, vowing to be more prepared next time.

But if you had a generator, you wouldn’t have to do any of that. You could simply sit back, count to 10 and watch the power come back on. What you do next is up to you: keep binging your favorite show, cook a nice dinner or do that next load of laundry.

Did you notice we just used storytelling to make a power outage interesting? Then we brought it back to a key benefit of the product: having a generator means that power outages don’t have to interrupt your life.

Here are a few tips to help you use storytelling with your topic:

Use relatable, real-world examples like we did above. Tying in a universal experience is a great way to reel readers in, build trust with your audience and be more authentic.
Remember that a story can be short. We could get our point across by simply saying, “A generator allows you to live life uninterrupted. So go ahead, watch one more episode.”
Use storytelling to simplify complex concepts by cutting out jargon, pulling out the most important points and telling your customers how it benefits them.

4. Make it Visual

Adding visuals is a tried and true way to break up content, but with a dry topic, it can do a lot more. Use infographics to bring statistics to life in a way that people can’t help but share. Take this map of power outages by state:

It starts with a compelling question: Did your state make the list? Then follows it up with an easy-to-scan list and a map, allowing readers to see the states most likely to lose power at a glance. Simply writing this information out would have gotten the point across, but with an infographic, the content is digestible and shareable.

5. Above All, Tell the Truth

Sticking to the facts is always important, but in the age of clickbait, it might be tempting to exaggerate just a little to make your topic more exciting. We have just one word of advice: don’t.

Readers don’t like being tricked, and when you stray from or stretch the truth, your reputation takes a hit. Don’t let the work you’ve done to build a credible brand go to waste for a few extra clicks.

For more ways to breathe new life into your marketing efforts, try “scary marketing” or a quiz.

Brand Authenticity: Why It’s Important and How to Build It

Authenticity is a bit of a buzzword in the marketing world. Even if you’re not a marketer, you’ve probably heard influencers and content creators talk about being more authentic or “real” with their audience. While you can’t measure or calculate authenticity like other metrics, it’s arguably one of the most important ways to build trust with your audience.

But what does it really mean for a business or brand to be authentic?

What is Brand Authenticity?

In individuals, psychologists say that core traits of authenticity include being realistic, accepting, open to learning, having a good sense of humor and being able to express emotions clearly.

A lot of these traits carry over to the business world. Simply add transparency and consistent messaging and brand values to get the perfect recipe for an authentic brand. So, how do you make sure your business has all of those traits? It’s not as tricky as it might sound.

Increasing Your Brand’s Authenticity

1. Get Clear About Your Brand Values & Messaging Pillars

If your brand is a house, the brand values and messaging pillars are the foundation. And you can’t build a house without a solid foundation. Start building by clearly outlining what your brand stands for. Answer these questions to help you identify and build out these points:

Why does your brand, product or service exist? In other words, what problems does it solve?
What makes you different from competitors?
How do you want customers to perceive you?
What type of experience can customers expect from your business?

By having solid messaging pillars and brand values, you’ll be able to create content that resonates with your audience while staying true to your mission. For more information on separating your brand strategy from your marketing strategy, we’ve got you covered in this blog post.

2. Audit Your Website

We all know how important a good website is, so this is the best place to start in your quest for authenticity. In addition to great design and user experience, the content on your website is an opportunity to be transparent. Here’s how:

On the homepage: Tell viewers who you are and what you do upfront. They shouldn’t have to scroll far to learn what they can expect from you.
On the About page: Dive deeper into who you are, what you do and–most importantly–why you do it. This is also where you let people know what you stand for.
In your FAQs: A well-rounded FAQs page has answers to your customers’ most burning questions and is where you can be the most transparent. Whether it’s shipping, returns or manufacturing, you should give as much information as possible without releasing your business’s secrets to the world.

Making these changes to your website boosts your brand’s authenticity and instantly sends trust signals to your customers.

3. Add a Human Touch

While you know real people are behind your brand, it’s important that your content has a human touch. First, make sure your website copy reads like it was written by a real person. Typically, this means making your voice more conversational and writing the same way you would talk to a friend while also speaking your audience’s language. This includes the right amount of formality (or informality), nomenclature and even colloquial language.

For instance, using insider lingo builds trust and helps your audience feel like you really understand them. On the other hand, Gen Z slang isn’t going to go over well if your audience is older.

When it comes to visuals, use stock photography sparingly and instead opt for photos and videos featuring your team or user-generated content whenever possible. Clothing brand Pact regularly features customers wearing and styling their clothes, making them feel more trustworthy and real.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by pact (@pact)

These subtle changes set your brand apart from competitors and make your business feel more authentic to readers, viewers and potential customers.

4. Make Your Customer Feel Understood

Everyone likes to feel understood, and as consumers, we’re more likely to purchase from a brand that demonstrates an understanding of our problems. We pay a little extra attention when an ad promises to fix an issue we’ve been dealing with.

But as marketers, it’s easy to get caught up in the features of a product. After all, the features are likely what set us apart from competitors. Resist the urge to focus solely on features by giving the benefits plenty of time to shine. How will your product or service improve your customer’s life? How will it solve a problem they encounter?

For instance, a common issue when your home loses power is simply the disruption of everyday life. KOHLER Generators spoke directly to that pain point here:

Power outages disrupt your life, which is inconvenient. You can’t enjoy a hot meal or a hot shower, and the outage may even interfere with your livelihood if you work from home. But a KOHLER generator provides backup power, ensuring your life isn’t interrupted by outages. Life going on as usual is a key benefit of having a generator, and this ad successfully speaks to that.

5. Form a Connection With Your Customers

Wait, isn’t that the same as making them feel understood? Sort of.

Forming a connection is more about the two-way communication you have with your audience. Here are some ways to forge strong relationships with your customers:

Interact with them and answer their questions on social media. Nearly 80% of people said that when they contact a brand through social media, they expect a response within 24 hours, making these social interactions vital to a brand’s reputation.
Rethink your customer service strategy. Are there ways you can provide quicker service or policies that you can revise to serve your customers better?
Show appreciation to your existing customers. A special promo code in their inbox, a gift or even a handwritten card all go a long way in making your customers feel appreciated.

Chewy is known for its excellent customer service, and this includes birthday cards for pets. In addition to making the brand more genuine, this gesture makes customers feel appreciated and fosters brand loyalty.

Hey @Chewy, settle a workplace dispute. Are your greeting cards truly handwritten? Or are clever machines and fonts involved? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/EvrEjrZTwh

— Britt Cobb (@thebrittcobb) March 4, 2020

How Can You Make Your Brand More Authentic?

Authenticity isn’t something that happens overnight. It may take months or even years to truly build a reputation as an authentic brand. Ensure you’re working toward that by keeping authenticity in mind when creating your content plan and social media strategy.