According to research by Litmus, businesses allocate considerable time just to craft a single email:

• A mere 20% of teams can generate an email in a few days or less;
• Nearly half, or 44%, take 1 to 2 weeks to finalize an email;
• Another 22% require 3 to 4 weeks per email.

In the competitive landscape of 2023, wasting such extensive amounts of time and resources is not an option. Companies must adapt and find efficient methods to produce emails quickly and affordably, without sacrificing quality.

Why Does Creating an Email Campaign Take So Much Time?

Creating an email campaign is no simple task. It involves several steps, each requiring time and effort. Let’s break down these steps to understand the workload involved and how we can make each stage more efficient:

• Brainstorming and Planning: At this stage, a team develops an outline for the upcoming email template. On average, this phase consumes about 3.5 hours.
• Writing the Content: Crafting the content of the email usually takes an average team 3-4 hours. However, in 15% of cases, it can take more than 5 hours to get the copy just right.
• Email Design and Coding: This is often the most time-consuming phase. According to Litmus, in 10% of cases, design and coding can take upwards of 9 hours. Imagine the resources you could save by speeding up this stage.
• Review and Approval: A Litmus survey revealed that in 2021, 62% of people preferred email threads or comments for project discussions. Meanwhile, 38% liked to discuss things face-to-face or via video calls. Interestingly, 45% of respondents found the review and approval process either too cumbersome or not rigorous enough.

How Can We Make Email Campaigns More Efficient?

Here are some effective solutions to streamline the process:

• Use Collaboration Tools: Platforms like Figma can help your team work and communicate in one centralized space. This approach is more efficient than relying on endless email threads, as messages are less likely to be lost or overlooked.
• Leverage AI: Tools like ChatGPT or Midjourney can help accelerate copywriting or design tasks. While they’re not perfect, these platforms can point you in the right direction and serve as a starting point for your emails.
• Utilize Drag-and-Drop Editors: These platforms enable you to build emails using pre-made blocks, negating the need for coding skills. Plus, you can tailor the templates to fit your specific requirements, saving time on design and coding.

Today, both design agencies and individual businesses are increasingly using email builder platforms. These tools are particularly useful for saving money, time, and manpower. The email builder landscape is rapidly expanding, offering options that cater to freelancers, small and mid-sized businesses, as well as large enterprises.

Let’s explore the different types of drag-and-drop email editors to help you find the one that best suits your needs.

Enhance Your Email Marketing Through Drag-and-Drop Editors

If you’re on the lookout for the perfect no-code, drag-and-drop email editor, you’re in the right place. We’ve tested six of these tools, comparing their standout features and pricing models for you.

Whether you’re working alone, part of a small team, or managing a large crew, there’s something here for everyone. Let’s dive in.

Blocks

Blocks is a no-code drag-and-drop email editor that caters to a wide audience – from individual users to small teams and large enterprises.

Key Features of Blocks

With Blocks, you can either pick a ready-made template from a gallery or create your own using various structures and elements.

In addition to its template gallery, Blocks offers the following advantages:

• Clean Code: Blocks ensures that its generated code is free from unnecessary clutter.
• Team Collaboration: You can add team members to your projects, assign specific roles, and collaborate right within the editor.
• Modular System: Blocks allows for the addition, modification, and swapping of pre-saved template sections.
• Mobile Responsiveness: Your email templates will display well on both mobile and desktop devices.
• Image Hosting: Blocks provides storage solutions for your images.

Blocks enables users to export templates directly to Email Service Providers (ESPs) and other marketing automation platforms that support HTML, without any limitations.

Pricing Plans for Blocks

The cost of using Blocks ranges from $0 to $95 per month, based on your usage requirements.

There are four plans to choose from: Free, Personal, Advanced, and Pro. Each plan varies in the number of users, projects, and email templates you can create per month. If Blocks meets your long-term needs, opting for an annual payment could save you up to 16%.

The Free plan offers all essential features and doesn’t require credit card information. However, it does have limitations on the number of users, projects, and monthly email templates. If your team needs to collaborate or you plan to send more than 10 emails per month, you might want to consider one of the paid plans.

Stripo

Stripo is an email editor renowned for its extensive template gallery, boasting over 1,200 ready-to-use email templates designed for a variety of industries and events.

Key Features of Stripo

Stripo offers an array of features for speedy and efficient email creation:

• AMP Emails: Stripo enables you to create interactive content to engage your audience.
• Responsive Design: The editor ensures your emails are automatically optimized for all devices.
• Custom Modules: Stripo allows you to create and save custom modules for future use.

Stripo supports integrations with more than 75 Email Service Providers (ESPs), such as HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Oracle Eloqua, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and others. However, if your ESP isn’t on the list, you might encounter issues, as Stripo includes custom code elements in its templates.

Pricing Plans for Stripo

Pricing for Stripo ranges from $0 to $95 per month and varies based on the number of users, exports per month, and daily test emails. The Pro plan includes access for up to 10 users, with the option to add more at an additional cost.

With the free plan, you won’t have access to premium templates or the ability to share preview links. However, most other features are accessible, albeit with certain limitations.

Topol.io

Topol.io is a no-code email editor designed for both individual and team collaboration. It offers a range of features that simplify the email creation process.

Key Features of Topol.io

Here are some features that make Topol.io stand out:

• Direct Export: You can export your templates to most of the popular Email Service Providers right from the editor. If your ESP isn’t listed, you can also export the template as an HTML file.
• Free Image Gallery: It offers a selection of stock photos from Pexels that you can use for free.
• Collaboration: Real-time collaboration with team members is possible within the editor.
• Saved Blocks: The paid plans allow you to create custom blocks that you can save and use in future projects.

Topol.io also features a template gallery with both free and Pro templates. You can even edit a free email template without creating an account. However, certain functionalities are restricted in the free version. To download a template, you’ll need to sign up for Topol.io’s newsletter.

Pricing Plans for Topol.io

Pricing for Topol.io ranges from $0 to an unspecified upper limit, depending on your needs.

The free plan offers basic features but restricts you from using premium templates and saved blocks. The Pro and Team plans mainly differ in the number of users they support; all other functionalities are the same. A 14-day free trial is available to help you assess whether Topol.io fits your requirements.

One caveat is the data traffic limit: no matter which plan you choose, only 5GB of data traffic is included. Exceeding this limit will incur additional charges.

BEEFree

BEEFree is a no-code builder designed for crafting both email templates and landing pages.

Key Features of BEEFree

One of BEEFree’s standout features is the ability to convert an email template into a landing page, and vice versa, with just a few clicks.

Besides this, BEEFree provides:

• Collaborative Mode: Enables seamless team collaboration within the editor.
• Multiple Export Options: You can copy and paste HTML code, download your design as a zip file, convert it to PDF, or export it to various platforms like Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign.
• Styling Options: Supports custom fonts, merge tags, and special links to help your content pop.
• Extensive Template Library: Offers over 1,200 HTML templates and 300+ landing page templates that can serve as a starting point for your projects.

Pricing Plans for BEEFree

Pricing for BEEFree starts at $0 and goes up, depending on your requirements.

The free plan allows you to create up to 10 templates or landing pages per month, making it a good fit for infrequent creators.

Both the Team and Enterprise plans offer the same core features. The Enterprise plan, however, includes premium support, multi-workspace capabilities, custom domains, and advanced user management.

If you’re interested in the Team plan, a free trial is available without the need for a credit card. For the Enterprise plan, you’ll have to request a demo and consult with the BEEFree team to get a custom price and further details.

Stensul

Stensul is a no-code email builder designed to make collaborative email creation simple and efficient.

Key Features of Stensul

Stensul offers a variety of features aimed at streamlining the email creation process, such as:

• Comprehensive Integrations: Stensul can connect with a variety of platforms, including Salesforce Pardot, Marketo, Liveclicker, Moveable Ink, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and more, allowing users to consolidate their email creation activities.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Enables team members to collaborate in the editor in real time.
• Dynamic and Live Content Preview: Allows users to preview live and dynamic content within the email before sending it.
• Drag-and-Drop Functionality: Empowers users to create emails without requiring coding skills.

Stensul also ensures that the emails you create are on-brand and adhere to your company’s guidelines.

Pricing Plans for Stensul

Stensul adopts a custom pricing model tailored for enterprises, making it potentially less suitable for small businesses.

To get an approximate pricing estimate, you can use the Stensul cost calculator. This tool will consider factors such as the current and projected volume of emails, as well as the time spent on email production. However, for a final pricing quote, you’ll need to schedule a meeting with the Stensul team.

Knak

Knak is a no-code email and landing page builder that’s particularly well-suited for enterprise-level marketing teams.

Key Features of Knak

Knak provides numerous features to expedite the email creation process:

• MAP Integrations: Knak seamlessly integrates with Adobe Marketo Engage, Eloqua, Pardot, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Adobe Campaign, and more.
• Live Content and Video: The platform supports live content and video integrations to make your emails more dynamic and engaging.
• Free Templates: Offers over 50 free, responsive templates for crafting appealing emails and landing pages.
• Brand Generator: Automatically incorporates your brand assets into templates.

If you’re looking for some creative inspiration, Knak’s Inspiration Centre showcases a variety of email templates that you can browse through.

Pricing Plans for Knak

Knak adopts a custom pricing approach tailored for enterprise clients. To get the full pricing details, you’ll need to schedule a call with Knak’s team.

In my assessment, Knak may not be the best fit for individual users or smaller teams. However, after signing up, you’ll gain access to over 50 free email and landing page templates.

Final Thoughts

Email production can be a complicated task, but there are ways to streamline the process. Utilizing drag-and-drop email builders can significantly conserve your team’s resources, eliminating the need for time-consuming coding and design work.

We’re moving toward a no-code future, and it’s a convenient shift. No-code drag-and-drop email editors enable you to stay current and competitive. Just pick the one that aligns with your requirements, and you’ll be well-equipped to excel.

The post 6 Drag-n-drop Email Builders to Speed Up Email Production appeared first on Hongkiat.

In this guide, we will list the best practices for building an effective AI-based email marketing strategy to give your business a competitive edge.

6 Best Practices for Effective AI-Based Email Marketing

Leveraging AI solutions to craft converting email content is more than just another email marketing trend. These tools empower you to build top-notch email campaigns and maximize results without wasting excessive time or money. So, let’s explore the best practices for informing your email marketing strategy using AI.

1. Write Personalized Email Copy

Even the strongest supporter of AI technology will tell you that sending the same generic AI output to your entire mailing list is a terrible idea. Instead, the copy produced by AI technology should serve as a starting point for your email marketing campaign, especially if you’re under time pressure or lacking inspiration. AI can assist you in customizing your email copy through its robust machine-learning capabilities.

Trust us when we say your subscribers dislike reading irrelevant email content that isn’t tailored to their needs. It reminds them that they are just another customer in your business. Your email marketing should aim to make them feel like they belong to a unique community that values them and addresses their challenges.

AI-powered systems simplify the process of segmenting your email list based on shared demographics, interests, or behaviors. They identify the most relevant audience groups and enable you to target them with personalized email copy. AI tools offer natural language generation features that use sophisticated segmentation to refine your copy and add dynamic elements, further customizing your email content. For example, if you have a new Mailchimp review on your blog, machine learning can help you identify the segment that has previously searched for or used the service, making them an ideal target group for driving conversions.

2. Sanitize Your Email List

No matter how compelling and highly personalized your copy is, it won’t benefit you if sent to the wrong people. Maintaining the hygiene of your email list is crucial for achieving high deliverability rates and a solid sender reputation. Keeping unengaged recipients and outdated email addresses on your contact list could trigger spam filters, landing your emails in the spam folder instead of your subscribers’ inboxes.

As you can see, identifying uninterested recipients and removing them manually can be a time-consuming process. Many reputable ESPs (Email Service Providers) offer list-cleaning options that allow you to delete inactive recipients. However, AI filters take list sanitization to the next level.

These filters delve deeper into subscriber activity and detect patterns that non-AI list-cleaning features miss. AI-based email marketing enables you to perform various activities related to list hygiene, such as verifying email addresses to ensure you only send emails to real people. Moreover, these systems automatically update contact information, making list segmentation even more efficient.

3. Automate Specific Tasks

Manually setting up each email you send, especially bulk emails, consumes a lot of time and effort. Thankfully, those days are behind us. AI technology enables you to build behavior-triggered automated email sequences using its advanced machine-learning capabilities. This allows you to swiftly develop personalized responses based on customer actions on your website or specific triggering events, such as a subscriber’s anniversary with your company.

Drip campaigns aim to reach recipients at optimal times, meaning the most suitable moments for them to open and click through your emails. AI tools fine-tune your email automation by helping you customize every component of your email marketing, from the subject line to sending times. They do this by considering each recipient’s habits, needs, and preferences.

Lastly, AI-powered tools facilitate the automation of your A/B testing for more accurate results. AI-based automated testing allows you to simulate real-life scenarios where you can test various email elements, such as the subject line, CTA, and visual elements. This process identifies the best-performing variant for each element tested, enabling you to create emails that drive engagement and conversions.

4. Revisit Your Email Frequency

Most marketers aim to strike the right balance between overwhelming readers and letting them forget about the business. It’s not enough to send compelling email content to the right people at the right time. You must also avoid overwhelming or neglecting your readers to ensure they engage with your email campaigns. In this endeavor, AI-based email marketing is your most reliable ally.

AI technology helps you monitor how often each subscriber prefers to receive marketing emails from your business. While some recipients may want regular updates, others may get frustrated by frequent emails. Choosing the wrong email-sending frequency could significantly increase your unsubscribe rate. AI provides you with the necessary tools to determine the frequency that best resonates with your target audience.

5. Recommend Specific Products

One of the most profitable applications of AI technology is product recommendation, particularly useful for e-commerce businesses. AI enables real-time monitoring of activity on your website and incorporates product recommendations into your emails based on collected data. AI-powered solutions consider specific user actions, like browsing and purchasing history, to help retailers target them with relevant product recommendations via email.

For example, you could offer a better alternative to a selected product or display products that consumers often buy together, like shower gel and body scrub, to increase basket value. Without AI, you risk sending generic recommendations based on your site’s best-selling products. AI elevates your personalized recommendations, leading to more upselling opportunities and increased email open and click-through rates.

6. Generate Eye-Catching Visuals

AI image generators are time-savers for marketers looking to include attractive images in their emails to promote their products. This is especially useful when in-house designers are unavailable. Machine learning translates marketers’ instructions into realistic and relevant images for your emails. The best part is that you don’t need artistic skills; a precise description will suffice for the tool to create the images you envision. The result is high-quality, customizable images that meet your business needs.

AI-based email marketing tools empower you to generate unique images that reflect your brand identity. For instance, you can create email templates that align with your website design. This not only saves time by automating the email creation process but also ensures consistent branding across different channels. Last but not least, you avoid legal issues related to copyright, as the images are generated by artificial intelligence, eliminating the need to give credit to any source.

Final Words

Given the significant changes in the marketing industry over the past few years, it’s safe to say that now is the time for businesses worldwide to leverage the power of AI. This is particularly true for AI-based email marketing; companies should invest in this technology to deliver a seamless experience for every customer.

From customizing your email copy to determining optimal sending times, AI technology offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of your email campaigns. You can also use this data to improve underperforming aspects. However, it’s important to remember that the true power of AI-powered systems is best realized when combined with human creativity and expertise. By integrating the advanced capabilities of AI with your marketing team’s unique ideas and experience, you’ll be well on your way to email marketing success.

The post 6 Practices for a Successful AI-Based Email Marketing Strategy appeared first on Hongkiat.

The rise in cyber threats and data breaches has made it imperative for consumers to understand and implement secure online transaction practices. This not only safeguards their personal and financial information but also fosters trust in the digital marketplace.

This blog post aims to equip you with the knowledge and tools to navigate the digital transaction landscape safely and confidently. We’ll dig into the intricacies of online transactions, discuss the potential risks, and provide practical tips to enhance your transaction security.

Different Types of Online Transactions

There are several kinds of online transactions, each with its own special features:

1. E-Commerce Transactions: This is when you buy or sell something online. For example, when you order a book from Amazon, get food delivered from an app, or subscribe to a service like Netflix. To do this, you need a way to pay online, like a credit or debit card, PayPal, or other digital wallets.
2. Online Banking Transactions: This is when you move money between different bank accounts. For example, when you pay your bills online, send money to a friend, or get your paycheck through direct deposit. To do this, you need to use the secure online banking platform provided by your bank.
3. Mobile Wallet Transactions: Mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or Samsung Pay let you keep your card information safe on your phone and make payments directly from there. You can use this for online purchases and in physical stores that accept contactless payments.



4. Cryptocurrency Transactions: This is when you use digital currencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum. These currencies use a technology called blockchain, which is a system that records transactions across many computers.

Keeping Online Transactions Secure

To make sure these transactions are safe, there are several tools and technologies used. One is Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS), which are systems designed to keep communication over a computer network secure.

Websites that use SSL or TLS start with https:// in their web address, which means that the information you send between you and the site is kept safe.

Another tool is the firewall, which checks all incoming and outgoing network traffic based on set security rules. It acts like a barrier between a network that can be trusted and networks that can’t be trusted.

Why Online Transaction Security Matters?

As we do more of our shopping and banking online, keeping these transactions safe is more important than ever. Here’s why:

1. Keeping Your Personal and Financial Details Safe

Every time you buy something online or do some banking, you’re sharing sensitive details like your credit card or bank account numbers. It’s vital to keep these transactions safe to prevent this information from being stolen.

For example, when you buy something from a secure online store, your payment details are scrambled into a code that can’t be read by anyone who might try to steal it.

2. Stopping Identity Theft

Identity theft is a big problem online. Cybercriminals can steal your personal details from unsafe transactions and pretend to be you. They can open credit cards in your name, empty your bank accounts, or even get medical services. Safe transactions stop this by putting barriers between your information and the criminals.

3. Building Trust with Customers

Companies have a duty to keep their customers’ details safe. If they fail, they can lose their customers’ trust, which can be very damaging.

For example, in 2013, the retailer Target had a huge data breach where hackers stole the credit and debit card details of 40 million customers. This breach cost Target $18.5 million and did a lot of damage to their reputation.

4. Meeting Legal and Industry Rules

Companies also have to follow the law when it comes to protecting customer data. If they don’t, they can face big fines and legal problems.

For example, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) says that companies that handle credit card information have to keep it safe. If they don’t, they can be fined between $5,000 and $100,000 every month.

Common Threats in Online Transactions

As we journey through the online transaction world, it’s vital to understand the common dangers that exist in the digital realm. These dangers can put your personal and financial details at risk, potentially leading to financial loss or identity theft.

Let’s explore some of the most common threats:

1. Beware of Phishing Attacks

Phishing is a sneaky tactic where online fraudsters pretend to be legitimate organizations to trick you into giving away sensitive information. It often happens through emails that seem to be from your bank or a trusted store, asking you to update your account or confirm your password.

For instance, you might get an email that looks like it’s from your bank, complete with official logos and language, but the link takes you to a fake website designed to steal your login details.

2. Malware: A Hidden Threat

Malware, or malicious software, is any software created to damage or exploit any computing device or network. Malware can sneak into your device through a harmful email attachment, an infected software download, or even a compromised website. Once it’s on your device, it can record your keystrokes to capture passwords, steal personal information, or lock your files and demand a ransom.

3, Identity Theft: A Serious Concern

Identity theft happens when online criminals get hold of your personal information, like your Social Security number, bank account details, or credit card number, and use it to commit fraud or other crimes. They could make purchases in your name, open new credit accounts, or even file tax returns.

4. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks: The Invisible Threat

In a MitM attack, the attacker secretly intercepts and possibly alters the communication between two parties who think they are directly communicating with each other.

For example, if you’re connected to an unsecured public Wi-Fi, an attacker could intercept the data you send and receive, including login details and credit card numbers.

5. Card Not Present Fraud: A Common Online Scam

This type of fraud happens in transactions where the cardholder does not physically present the card to the seller. It’s common in online shopping, where scammers use stolen card details to make unauthorized purchases.

To shield yourself from these threats, it’s crucial to use trustworthy security software, be wary of unexpected communications, regularly update your devices, and use secure and trusted networks for transactions.

Best Practices for Secure Online Transactions

Online transactions, while convenient, come with their own set of risks. However, by following a few best practices, you can significantly enhance the security of your online transactions. Here are some key strategies to consider:

1. Use Strong and Unique Passwords

Your password is your first line of defense against unauthorized access. Make sure to use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid using easily guessable information like birthdays or names. Consider using a password manager like 1Password, which can generate and store complex passwords for you. Alternatively, you can create a passkey if it’s supported.

2. Regularly Update Software and Devices

Cybercriminals often exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software. Ensure your operating system, web browsers, and security software are up-to-date. Most systems have an auto-update feature – make sure it’s enabled.

3. Use Secure and Trusted Websites for Transactions

Always look for https:// in the website URL before entering any personal or financial information. The ‘s’ stands for secure, indicating that the website uses encryption to protect your data. Trusted websites often have a padlock icon in the address bar.

4. Be Wary of Suspicious Emails and Links

Phishing scams often come in the form of emails that appear to be from reputable companies but are designed to steal your information. Never click on links or download attachments from unknown sources. If you receive an email from your bank or a shopping site, it’s safer to log in to your account directly rather than clicking on a link in an email.

5. Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

2FA adds an extra layer of security by requiring two types of identification before granting access. This could be a combination of something you know (like a password), something you have (like a phone), or something you are (like a fingerprint). Many services, including Google and Apple, offer 2FA options.

6. Monitor Your Accounts Regularly

Regularly check your bank and credit card statements for any unauthorized transactions. If you spot anything suspicious, report it to your bank immediately.

7. Use a Secure Network

Avoid conducting transactions when connected to public Wi-Fi networks, as they are often unsecured and can be easily intercepted by cybercriminals. If you must use a public network, consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) like SurfShark, or NordVPN, which encrypts your data and provides secure access to the internet.

Role of Banks and Online Platforms

Banks and online platforms play a pivotal role in ensuring the security of online transactions. They employ a multitude of advanced technologies and stringent protocols to protect user data and maintain the integrity of transactions.

1. The Magic of Encryption

Encryption is like a secret code that banks and online platforms use to keep your transactions safe. It turns your information into a secret language that can only be understood with a special key. You might have heard of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS) – these are common types of encryption that protect your data while it’s being sent.

2. Double-check with Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Many banks and online platforms use 2FA to give your security an extra boost. This means you need to prove who you are in two different ways before a transaction can go through.

For example, after you enter your password (something you know), you might get a unique code sent to your phone (something you have).

3. Keeping an Eye Out with Fraud Detection Systems

Banks and online platforms use smart systems to spot anything unusual that might mean fraud. For instance, if someone tries to make a transaction from a place you don’t usually use, the system might flag it as suspicious and ask for extra checks or even block the transaction.

4. Safe Passage with Secure Payment Gateways

Online platforms often use secure payment gateways, like PayPal or Stripe, for transactions. These gateways have strong security measures to keep sensitive information, like your credit card details, safe.

5. Staying Ahead with Regular Security Updates and Patches

Banks and online platforms regularly update their systems and fix any weak spots to make sure they’re protected against the latest cyber threats. They often remind users to update their apps or software so they can benefit from these security improvements.

6. Following the Rules with Privacy Policies and Regulations

Banks and online platforms also have to follow privacy laws and regulations, like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe. These laws make sure user data is protected and can result in big fines if they’re broken.

What to Do If You’re a Victim of a Cyber Attack

Experiencing a cyber attack can be quite alarming. However, it’s important to stay composed and act promptly to lessen the potential harm. Here’s an easy-to-follow guide on what to do if you become a victim of a cyber attack:

Step 1: Confirm the Security Breach

The initial step is to verify that a security breach has indeed taken place. Signs of a breach could include unauthorized transactions on your bank statement, alerts from your bank or service provider, or strange activity on your online accounts.

Step 2: Reach Out to Your Bank or Service Provider

Once you’ve confirmed the breach, get in touch with your bank or the service provider where the breach happened. They can assist in securing your account, halting any ongoing unauthorized activities, and possibly reversing fraudulent transactions.

Step 3: Update Your Passwords

Alter the passwords of all compromised accounts. If you use identical or similar passwords across multiple accounts, change those too. You might want to consider using a password manager to create and store complex, unique passwords for each of your accounts.

Step 4: Activate Two-Factor Authentication

If you haven’t done so already, turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts. This provides an extra security layer by requiring a second form of verification, such as a text message or biometric data, along with your password.

Step 5: Keep an Eye on Your Accounts

Monitor all your accounts for any unusual activity. This includes not just your bank accounts, but also email, social media, and any other online accounts.

Step 6: Report the Cyber Attack

Inform your local law enforcement agency and the appropriate online platform about the cyber attack. In the U.S., for instance, you can report cyber crimes to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Step 7: Seek Professional Help

If the breach is severe, you might want to seek advice from a cybersecurity professional. They can help determine how the breach happened, what information was compromised, and how to prevent future attacks.

Step 8: Learn from the Experience

Use this incident as a learning opportunity. Get to know common cyber threats and the best practices for online security to safeguard yourself in the future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the digital world offers us unparalleled convenience and efficiency in conducting transactions. However, this convenience should not come at the cost of our security. As we’ve explored in this comprehensive guide, secure online transactions are not just a luxury, but a necessity in our increasingly interconnected world.

From understanding the nature of online transactions and the potential threats they pose, to adopting best practices for security, and knowing what to do in the event of a cyber attack, we’ve covered a wide range of topics designed to empower you, the consumer.

Remember, the key to secure online transactions lies in being proactive rather than reactive. By implementing the strategies and tools discussed in this guide, you can not only protect your personal and financial information but also enjoy the benefits of online transactions with peace of mind.

As we continue to embrace the digital age, let’s make secure online transactions a standard practice, not an afterthought. Stay safe, stay secure, and continue to navigate the digital landscape with confidence.

The post Consumer Guide to Secure Online Transactions appeared first on Hongkiat.

As you can imagine, this is particularly crucial for e-commerce websites; after all, what’s the point of good search engine optimization if most of the people who visit your site don’t end up buying anything?

There are a considerable number of tools out there that can help you increase your e-commerce website’s conversion rates. While most of the available ones are paid, there are a few decent free and freemium options out there for those of you who are either on a tight budget or who are just starting out and testing the waters.

These range from analytics and conversion funnel tools to live chat platforms and even survey services. Without further ado, here’s a list of 10 tools to help you supercharge your e-commerce site.

HubSpot

HubSpot is an all-in-one platform that provides a range of tools for marketing, sales, customer service, and customer relationship management (CRM). Its main goal is to help businesses draw in people, turn them into customers, and keep them happy.

HubSpot offers a variety of services like email marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), content management, lead generation, social media marketing, and analytics, among others. It’s known for being easy to use and for its ability to work well with other commonly used tools and platforms.

If you run an e-commerce site, HubSpot can be really helpful. Its CRM tool can help you keep track of customer information, monitor interactions with customers, and tailor customer experiences.

The marketing tools can help you plan and carry out effective marketing campaigns, including email marketing and social media management, with the aim of bringing more people to your site and turning them into customers. The analytics tools give you important information about customer behavior, helping you understand what’s working and what’s not in your marketing strategies.

Plus, HubSpot can automate tasks like sending follow-up emails or posting on social media, saving you time and making your work more efficient. In short, HubSpot can help your e-commerce site grow by improving how you interact with customers, making your marketing efforts more efficient, and giving you useful insights based on data.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a leading email marketing service that provides various tools for businesses to design, send, and manage email campaigns. It offers a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop email templates, making it easy for businesses of all sizes to create professional-looking emails.

Beyond email marketing, Mailchimp also provides services for social media ads, landing pages, customer relationship management, and automation tools. It also offers robust analytics and reporting features, allowing businesses to track the success of their campaigns and make data-driven decisions.

For an e-commerce site, Mailchimp can be an invaluable tool. It can help businesses keep their customers engaged and informed about new products, sales, and other updates. With its automation features, businesses can set up triggered emails based on customer behavior, such as welcome emails for new subscribers, reminder emails for abandoned shopping carts, and personalized product recommendations.

Additionally, Mailchimp integrates with many e-commerce platforms, including Shopify and WooCommerce, allowing businesses to sync their customer data and tailor their marketing efforts based on their customers’ purchase history and preferences. This can lead to more effective marketing campaigns and ultimately, increased sales.

SEMrush

Think of SEMrush as a Swiss Army knife for digital marketing. It’s a robust toolkit packed with features designed to help businesses fine-tune their online presence. From SEO and PPC to content and social media, SEMrush has got you covered.

It’s like having a personal assistant that tracks your keyword rankings, analyzes your backlinks, researches keywords, and scrutinizes your website traffic. Plus, it’s got a handy site audit feature that acts like a health check for your website, spotting and fixing any SEO issues.

If you’re running an e-commerce site, SEMrush is like your secret weapon. It’s got a competitive research feature that lets you peek into your competitors’ strategies, giving you the upper hand. Its keyword research tool is like a magnet, pulling in potential customers by identifying high-volume keywords they might use when searching for your products.

This boosts your visibility on search engines. And let’s not forget the site audit feature that ensures your website is in tip-top shape for search engines, paving the way for more organic traffic and sales.

SEMrush can even help you optimize your product descriptions and other on-site content with its SEO writing assistant, making sure your content is SEO-friendly and ranks well on search engines. In short, SEMrush is a key player in your e-commerce site’s SEO strategy, driving more traffic your way and ultimately boosting your sales.

Shippo

Shippo is a tool that makes shipping easier for online businesses. It’s like a one-stop-shop where you can find different shipping companies, check their prices, print shipping labels, and keep track of packages. It works with big shipping companies like USPS, FedEx, UPS, and DHL, and it can also connect with online store platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento.

Shippo is really useful for online stores. It makes shipping simpler and faster because you can do everything in one place, instead of visiting different shipping company websites. It also helps you save money by showing you the prices of different shipping companies so you can pick the cheapest one.

Plus, it lets you track packages, which means you can give your customers updates about their orders. So, Shippo helps online stores run more smoothly, cut down on shipping costs, and give better service to their customers.

Yotpo

Yotpo is a platform that helps online businesses gather and manage content created by their customers, such as reviews, photos, and Q&A. It’s a tool that helps these businesses build a stronger relationship with their customers, enhance their online presence, and ultimately, increase their sales.

Yotpo can easily be integrated with popular online store platforms like Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce, making it simpler for businesses to collect and showcase reviews on their websites. Additionally, Yotpo offers features like loyalty programs and referral incentives to help businesses keep their customers coming back.

The reason an e-commerce site would benefit from Yotpo is quite straightforward. First, it helps build a sense of trust and authenticity. In the online shopping world, customers rely heavily on reviews and ratings from other customers. Yotpo allows businesses to display these real customer reviews, helping to build credibility.

Second, it can enhance a site’s SEO. Fresh and relevant user-generated content, like reviews, can help a site rank higher in search engine results. Lastly, Yotpo provides businesses with valuable insights into their customers’ behavior and opinions, which can be used to improve their offerings.

The added bonus of loyalty and referral programs encourages repeat business and customer referrals, further increasing sales and customer loyalty.

ClickTale

ClickTale integrates a Mouse Tracking Suite, Heatmap Suite, and Conversion Suite into one robust tool designed to optimize your e-commerce website’s potential. ClickTale supports Session Playback on both desktop and mobile platforms, allowing you to replay customers’ sessions on your website.

Additionally, ClickTale offers comprehensive heatmaps for both desktop and mobile, inclusive of link analytics. The conversion tools provided by ClickTale encompass Form Analytics and Conversion Funnels.

Beyond these tracking and conversion optimization tools, ClickTale also features a suite of analytics and site efficiency tools. These include a JS Errors Report that identifies and prioritizes JavaScript errors, a Page Console that displays the most engaged and clicked pages and elements, and a Bounce Rate Report that identifies various user bounce types.

Heatmap

Heatmap is a tool that collects and displays real-time data for your websites. These heatmaps are swiftly generated and constantly updated, allowing you to make modifications to your website and observe the effects immediately.

Heatmap also employs an ‘augmented reality’ approach to the interface, featuring a sidebar that provides real-time data. This allows you to interact with and browse your pages even while the heatmap data is displayed on the screen.

Installing Heatmap is straightforward, requiring only a small JavaScript tag to be inserted into your website’s code. This tag is compact and asynchronous, ensuring that the loading time of your website is not affected. The JavaScript tag is compatible with all browsers, Ajax navigation, and fixed elements. It even supports responsive design and dynamic elements.

Pure Chat

One of the most crucial aspects of delivering an excellent shopping and user experience, and consequently, cultivating returning customers, is offering top-notch live customer support to address any inquiries they might have.

Pure Chat serves as a fantastic and free tool for this purpose. Pure Chat is one of the simplest methods to integrate live chat into an e-commerce website, allowing you to interact directly with customers while they browse your products and make purchases.

Pure Chat enables you to tailor the appearance of the chat widget to match your website, and it even provides a library of in-app images to enhance the chatting experience further.

Moreover, Pure Chat offers Hosted Chat pages, which allow you to connect with customers and buyers even if you don’t have a dedicated e-commerce website. Hosted Chat pages are compatible with eBay and Etsy pages, as well as Craigslist listings.

SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey is a renowned survey tool that can be extremely beneficial for optimizing your e-commerce website. SurveyMonkey surveys are not confined to being exit-only; it provides real-time results and an exceptionally user-friendly web-based survey tool.

It also offers a variety of survey templates and visual themes for optimal ease of use. Additionally, SurveyMonkey includes a feature for validating or requiring survey responses.

SurveyMonkey provides several methods to deploy or send your survey: you can distribute your survey via a web link, email, or Twitter. Alternatively, you can share it on Facebook, deploy it in a pop-up window, or embed it directly into your website. Paid accounts also allow you to download responses, filter and cross-tabulate data, and access other useful tools.

Google Analytics Experiments

Google Analytics Experiments is Google’s own free A/B testing service, and it’s part of Google Analytics. Formerly known as Google Website Optimizer, Google Analytics Experiments allows you to test different versions of a website in order to analyze important data such as bounce rate and session duration.

This is particularly useful for testing site revisions; simply set up a Google Analytics Experiment with the original site and the new version to see how both perform.

With Google Analytics Experiments, you can select the percentage of visitors included in the tests, as well as choose the objectives you’re aiming to test. The Experiments service comes with its own setup wizard to guide you through the process of creating a new experiment.

The post 10 Essential E-Commerce Tools for Your Business appeared first on Hongkiat.

No-code platforms provide pre-built components and a visual interface for users to assemble and configure these components to create an application. These platforms often include tools for automating business processes, integrating with other software, and managing data.

In this post, we’ll explore the top 10 no-code platforms of 2023, providing details on their key features, pricing plans, and suitability for different user profiles. Both free and paid options will be discussed to help you make an informed decision that fits your business needs and budget.

Best No-code Platforms:

1. Landbot.io: A no-code chatbot platform that empowers businesses to build frictionless conversational experiences.
2. Softr: A platform that has most of the features of an advanced app builder without the difficulty.
3. Backendless: A no-code application development platform designed to streamline and accelerate mobile application development process.
4. Webflow: A favorite no-code website builder of startups, indie makers, and fast-growing companies.
5. Nintex: A business process management software integrated with enterprise service platforms including SharePoint, Office365, Salesforce, and Google Drive.
6. Kintone: An all-in-one, no-code application development platform that supports collaborative teamwork.
7. Adalo: Best for mobile apps.
8. Appy Pie: Best for web apps.
9. Bubble: Best free no-code tool.
10. Microsoft Power Apps: A suite of apps, services, connectors and data platform that provides a rapid application development environment.

No-code Platforms Prices

1. Landbot.io

Landbot.io is a powerful no-code chatbot platform that allows businesses to create conversational experiences for their customers. It is designed to be intuitive and fun to use, enabling you to build a wide variety of chatbots and deploy them across different platforms.

Key Features:

• Website Chatbot: Engage your website visitors naturally through conversations, capture attention in real-time, build stronger relationships, and achieve higher conversion rates.
• WhatsApp Automation: Create conversational marketing campaigns, engage existing customers, and provide excellent customer service all inside WhatsApp.
• API & SDK: Use Landbot to deploy chatbots in your own apps and channels with their comprehensive API and SDK.
• Chatbot Platform: Build sophisticated conversational experiences for web and mobile using their visual chatbot builder and templates. No coding required.

Pricing:

Landbot.io offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Sandbox (Free): This plan is free forever and is designed for individuals trying to test things out on a chatbot. It includes 100 chats per month and basic features like basic flow operations, variables, limited integrations, and basic powerups.
• Starter ($39/month): This plan is for individuals and small businesses. It includes 500 chats per month, extra chats at $10/500 chats, and extra seat at $10/month. It includes everything in Sandbox plus upgraded flow operations, conditional logic, more custom code, basic integrations, and essential powerups.
• Pro ($99/month): This plan is for midsize businesses, agencies, and growing startups. It includes 2500 chats per month, extra chats at $10/500 chats, and extra seat at $20/month. It includes everything in Starter plus advanced flow operations, lead scoring, more custom branding, essential integrations, advanced powerups, and live chat support.
• Business (Starting at $300/month): This plan is for large businesses looking for a custom plan. It includes priority support, custom chats, and seats. It includes everything in Pro plus priority support, dedicated success manager, team training, custom documentation review, and more.

2. Softr

Softr is a no-code platform that allows you to build software without needing developers. It’s designed to be fast and easy to use, allowing you to turn your Airtable or Google Sheets into modern business tools.

Key Features:

• Client Portals: You can create custom-branded and secure client portals for self-service.
• Internal Tools: Softr allows non-developers to build internal tools to power their business processes and workflows.
• Community Hubs: You can easily create a hub for your community to share resources, special perks, job board, a directory of members, and more.
• Building Blocks: Softr offers prebuilt and functional blocks like lists, charts, forms, tables, and calendars. You can put together your app in a few minutes with drag and drop without developers.
• Data Integration: You can connect to any of your data sources whether it lives in Airtable, Google Sheets, or anywhere else with REST APIs.
• Granular Permissions: You can easily define permissions and access levels to ensure only the right users view and edit the right information from your app.

Pricing:

Softr offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Free: This plan is for individuals building passion projects. It includes 5 internal and 100 external app users, essential blocks, 5 workspace collaborators, and 1 custom domain.
• Basic ($49/month): This plan is for entrepreneurs building new products. It includes 10 internal and 1000 external app users, custom CSS/JS, embed Softr apps, and the option to buy extra custom domains.
• Professional ($139/month): This plan is for SMB and agencies building portals and internal tools. It includes 50 internal and 5000 external app users, charts, calendar, inbox, kanban, 10 workspace collaborators, and removes Softr branding.
• Business ($269/month): This plan is for teams building advanced custom apps. It includes 100 internal and 10000 external app users, timeline, org chart, 15 workspace collaborators, downloadable mobile apps (PWA), and more.
• Enterprise: This plan is for larger companies that want extra volume, security, and support. It includes everything in the Business plan plus SSO for app users, security audit, dedicated success manager, team training, and custom invoicing.

3. Backendless

Backendless is a no-code application development platform designed to streamline and accelerate the mobile application development process. It provides a complete visual app builder that makes apps intuitive to develop and easy to manage.

Key Features:

• User Management: Backendless provides user authentication and authorization in one central place. It supports multiple authentication options including social login, session control, and concurrent login rules.
• Realtime Apps: Backendless supports real-time database changes, delivering updates to your app as they happen.
• API Management: Backendless allows you to develop, deploy, and manage highly scalable API services.
• UI Builder: Backendless includes a codeless visual frontend builder with components and blueprints.
• Push Notifications: Backendless supports sending customizable and targeted push notifications.

Pricing:

Backendless offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Backendless Cloud (Free to start): This plan is designed for individuals and small businesses. It allows you to start building your app on the free plan where you can experience all the features of the platform. When you’re ready to scale up, you can easily upgrade to one of their affordable paid plans to meet your server resource and database capability needs.
• Backendless Pro (Pricing varies): This plan is designed for medium to large enterprises and established businesses. It allows you to install an instance of the Backendless platform anywhere, such as a developer’s computer, private data center, or public cloud. It has no functional limitations and can easily scale to handle very high transactional volume.
• Managed Backendless (Pricing varies): This plan offers a dedicated cluster running the Backendless platform which is staged exclusively for your app/company. The service is fully managed, monitored 24×7 to ensure its smooth and reliable operation.

4. Webflow

Webflow is a no-code website builder that allows you to build websites with the full power of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in a visual canvas. It is used by more than 1,700,000 designers and teams to create, collaborate on, and scale beautiful websites.

Key Features:

• Visual App Development: Webflow provides a complete visual app builder that makes apps intuitive to build and easy to manage without writing any code.
• CMS Preview: You can design your website around any type of content your site needs.
• Ecommerce Preview: Webflow allows you to build an online store that sets your brand apart.
• Memberships Preview: You can grow your audience with logins and gated content.
• Interactions Preview: Webflow enables you to craft immersive experiences with interactions and animations.

Pricing:

Webflow offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Business Plan ($39/mo billed yearly): This plan is best for a high-traffic marketing site. It includes a custom domain, 10,000 CMS items, 2,500 monthly form submissions, 400 GB bandwidth, and 10 content editors.

5. Nintex

Nintex is a powerful intelligent process automation and workflow software platform that helps businesses transform their operations. It is trusted by over 10,000 brands and offers a range of features to streamline and automate business processes.

Key Features:

• Process Discovery: Identify processes for automation and optimization.
• Process Manager: Document, map, and manage every process in your organization.
• Automation Cloud: Cloudbased apps to connect people, process, and data.
• Intelligent Forms: Digital forms for displaying or capturing data.
• Robotic Process Automation (RPA): Automate manual, repetitive tasks with RPA.
• DocGen for Salesforce: Automate the lifecycle of documents in Salesforce.
• eSign: Approve and sign documents digitally.
• Insights: Gain visibility and insight into your automated processes.

Pricing:

Nintex offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Pro Plan (Starting at $25,000 USD/year): This plan is best for getting started with your first automation project. It includes unlimited users, unlimited workflows, 2000 document generations, forms, mobile app, premium connectors, analytics, eSign standard, and 8×5 support.
• Premium Plan (Starting at $50,000 USD/year): This plan is best for department-wide automation solutions. It includes unlimited users, unlimited workflows, 10,000 document generations, forms, mobile app, premium connectors, on-premises data, analytics, eSign enterprise, 24×5 support, and professional services.
• Custom Plan: This plan offers organization-wide automation solutions to tackle sophisticated business challenges. The pricing is personalized and you would need to get a quote. It includes unlimited users, unlimited workflows, customized document generations, forms, mobile app, premium connectors, on-premises data, analytics, eSign enterprise, 24×5 support, and professional services.

6. Kintone

Kintone is a customizable workplace platform that allows you to manage your team’s data, tasks, and communication in one central place. It is trusted by over 25,000 companies worldwide and provides a range of features to streamline and automate business processes.

Key Features:

• Centralize and Organize Your Work: Kintone lets you track and share your tasks and data for effortless collaboration. Whether it’s sales leads, customer quotes, or an employee database, you can use Kintone to track whatever data is critical for your team in one central place.
• Unify Your Data and Conversations: Kintone lets you communicate alongside your data so that you can easily refer back to it later. This means no more hunting through your inbox or chat messages for the information and files you need.
• Simplify and Customize Your Workflows: Kintone lets you organize your processes and tasks into intuitive workflows with automated reminders, approvals, and task handoffs. This means you can spend less time managing your work and more time focusing on what really matters.
• Access Data Anytime, Anywhere: View, edit, and manage your data from any internet-connected device or desktop so your team can collaborate effectively without missing a beat.

Pricing:

Kintone offers a simple and transparent pricing model:

• Standard Plan ($24/user/month): This plan includes all of Kintone’s features. You can use Kintone for just one of your team’s workflows or set up a custom workspace to manage all your team’s data and collaboration. The minimum is 5 users ($120/month), and you can pay per additional user. Both monthly and annual contracts are available.

7. Adalo

Adalo is a no-code platform that allows you to build custom responsive apps for web and mobile devices. It is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, enabling you to create apps without any coding knowledge.

Key Features:

• Custom Responsive Web Apps: With Adalo, you can build your app once and publish it anywhere, to any device, desktop, tablet, or mobile.
• Xano Integration: Adalo and Xano have teamed up to provide an easy way to integrate your Xano database and users collection with your Adalo apps.
• Web Publishing Control: Make changes, publish live, and continue making changes all without disrupting your end users.
• Geolocation: Build powerful location-driven apps with Adalo. Their geolocation features enable apps to access device location, calculate distances, search for addresses, and much more.
• Component Marketplace: Discover free and premium prebuilt components to enhance your app with audio/video players, smart design components, payment tools, prebuilt charts, and much more.

Pricing:

Adalo offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Free Plan: This plan is a simple start for everyone. It includes 200 records per app, 1,000 monthly app actions, 1 app editor, and unlimited screens.
• Starter Plan ($45/month): This plan is for founders and entrepreneurs. It includes 1 published app, 10,000 monthly app actions, 1 app editor, custom fonts, custom domain, and the ability to publish to the web.
• Professional Plan ($65/month): This plan is for small to medium businesses. It includes 2 published apps, 30,000 monthly app actions, 5 app editors, custom integrations, design versions, geolocation, and the ability to publish to app stores.
• Team Plan ($200/month): This plan is for freelancers and agencies. It includes 5 published apps, 100,000 monthly app actions, 10 app editors, priority support, and Xano integration.
• Business Plan ($250/month): This plan is for enterprise organizations. It includes 10 published apps, 1 million monthly app actions, unlimited app editors, and special add-on pricing.

8. Appy Pie

Appy Pie is a no-code platform that empowers you to create powerful web and mobile applications and automate workflows without any coding. It is designed to be easy, quick, and affordable, making it a popular choice for many businesses and individuals.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Functionality: Appy Pie’s no-code platform offers a drag-and-drop interface that allows you to unify and simplify all your data into a single source.
• Seamless Integrations: Appy Pie breaks all barriers and boundaries when it comes to no-code, offering you seamless integrations with other data sources and even applications.
• Workflow Automation Platform: Appy Pie’s no-code workflow automation platform lets you create efficient integrations to build meaningful workflows. You can create as many integrations as you need to create a workflow unique to your business needs.
• Business Process Automation Software: Appy Pie’s business process automation software includes helpdesk, live chat, and chatbot builder. The helpdesk software helps you manage customer requests and tickets, live chat allows you to provide live support to your customers, and using the chatbot builder, you can manage all of your customer queries and improve customer satisfaction.

Pricing:

Appy Pie offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Free Plan: This plan allows you to create a basic app for free.
• Basic Plan ($18/month): This plan includes removal of Appy Pie branding, 5000 app downloads, and 200 push notifications.
• Gold Plan ($36/month): This plan includes everything in the Basic plan plus unlimited app downloads and 4000 push notifications.
• Platinum Plan ($60/month): This plan includes everything in the Gold plan plus priority publishing, premium support, and 6000 push notifications.

9. Bubble.io

Bubble is a no-code platform that lets you create interactive, multi-user apps for desktop and mobile web browsers. Its design is both powerful and flexible, making it possible for you to build a site akin to Facebook or Airbnb without any coding knowledge.

Key Features:

• Visual App Development: Bubble provides a visual app builder that lets you create interactive, multi-user apps for desktop and mobile web browsers.
• Design Freedom: Bubble offers total design freedom without any knowledge of HTML or CSS. You can create mobile-friendly layouts and dynamic content for a polished product.
• Robust Infrastructure: Bubble handles deployment and hosting for you. There are no hard limits on the number of users, volume of traffic, or data storage.
• Successful Companies Use Bubble: Bubble is trusted by innovative companies worldwide and has helped them raise millions in venture funding.

Pricing:

Bubble offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Free Plan: This plan is great for learning how to use Bubble. It includes development version, API connector, component library, app editor, 1k workload units/month, and hours of server logs.
• Starter Plan ($29/month): This plan is great for launching your app and testing. It includes everything in the Free plan plus live app, custom domain, recurring workflows, basic version control, 2k workload units/month, and days of server logs.
• Growth Plan ($129/month): This plan is great for growing your user base. It includes everything in the Starter plan plus app editors, premium version control, two-factor authentication, custom branches, 10k workload units/month, and days of server logs.
• Team Plan ($529/month): This plan is great for scaling your team and business. It includes everything in the Growth plan plus app editors, sub apps, custom branches, 40k workload units/month, and days of server logs.
• Custom Plan: This plan is great for enterprise-level security and scale. It includes everything in the Team plan plus custom workload units, choice of hosting location, customizable server, enhanced security, dedicated support team, and pay by invoice or ACH.

10. Microsoft Power Apps

Microsoft Power Apps is a no-code platform that allows you to build custom business applications without writing code. It is part of Microsoft’s Power Platform and is designed to be easy to use while providing powerful features.

Key Features:

• Visual App Development: Power Apps provides a visual app builder that lets you create interactive, multi-user apps for desktop and mobile web browsers.
• AI-Assisted Development: Power Apps uses AI to assist in the development process, making it easier to build complex applications.
• Prebuilt Components: Power Apps includes a variety of prebuilt components that you can use to build your applications, reducing the amount of work you need to do.
• Integration with Microsoft Products: Power Apps integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft products, including Office 365, Dynamics 365, and Azure, allowing you to leverage these tools in your applications.
• Data Connectivity: Power Apps can connect to hundreds of data sources using a library of connectors and Microsoft Dataverse, providing a single source of truth for your data.

Pricing:

Microsoft Power Apps offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Power Apps per user plan ($40/user/month): This plan allows individual users to run applications for a specific business scenario in a single environment based on the full capabilities of Power Apps.
• Power Apps per app plan ($10/user/app/month): This plan allows individual users to run applications (2 apps and a single portal) for a specific business scenario based on core capabilities of Power Apps.

The post Top 10 No-Code Platforms for Businesses in 2023 appeared first on Hongkiat.

Therefore, to help you choose the best CRM software for your business, I’ve research and compiled this list of top 10 CRM software in the market so far.

Key Takeaways

1. Salesforce CRM

Salesforce is a top-notch customer relationship management software that helps businesses with their sales and marketing strategy. The most effective way to use Salesforce is by looking at it as your organization’s command center.

When working with any cloud-based CRM software, putting data security first is always a good idea. Salesforce encrypts sensitive information and restricts access so you can be assured that your crucial data is safe. It can also improve monitoring of access permissions for added peace of mind.

Easily to use, affordable and flexible, Salesforce is a great solution for startups and established businesses alike. The company’s flagship solution, Sales Cloud, includes applications such as lead tracking, opportunity management, customer support, and case management.

Pricing:

Salesforce offers different subscription packages, namely the following:

• Essentials: US$25/user/month,
• Professional: US$75/user/month,
• Enterprise: US$150/user/month, and
• Unlimited: US$300.

Learn more about Salesforce CRM

2. Monday.com

Monday CRM gives you some of the best features to manage all your marketing activities through a single platform. You can save much of your time by automating the sales process and stay updated on the activities of your potential clients and team members.

With Monday, you can customize the settings according to your specific requirements and goals, like editing deal stages or managing multiple pipelines simultaneously. You can also have a centralized client communication and gain insights into your activities through an intuitive dashboard.

It also lets you gather up your leads from just about any source, manage the pre and post-sales process, and keep an organized record of all your accounts in one place.

Pricing:

You can have a basic free package that works for up to 2 team members.

For more advanced features, there are:

• Basic: US$10/seat/month,
• Standard: $14 per seat/month, and
• Pro: US$24/seat/month.

You can also get the Enterprise package tailor-made for your particular needs.

Learn more about Monday.com

3. Hubspot CRM

Hubspot CRM is a marketing automation tool that helps you identify prospects and nurture them into leads. You can create customized landing pages, segment your leads into lists, send drip email campaigns, schedule follow-up emails, and more. If you use Hubspot CRM in tandem with other marketing tools from Hubspot (like Sales), then it becomes an even more powerful resource for growing your business.

A particularly useful feature of the tool is its social media tracking capabilities; if your business focuses on promoting content across various social platforms, then Hubspot CRM’s ability to track conversations about your company will come in handy.

Hubspot CRM comes with built-in marketing tools that allow you to track how well your marketing campaigns are doing over time. It includes customizable email templates, lead capture forms, contact management, email tracking, prospect tracking, meeting scheduler, live chat, marketing analytics, and more.

Pricing:

The subscription packages for Hubspot CRM are:

• Starter: US$45/month
• Professional: US$800/month
• Enterprise: US$3,200/month

Learn more about Hubspot CRM

4. Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a CRM software that helps sales teams to close more deals by providing them with the necessary tools and insights. It has a visual pipeline that helps users to see where each deal is at and what needs to be done next.

Pipedrive also offers a range of features such as email integration, activity tracking, and report generation. These features help sales teams to stay organized and efficient and ultimately close more deals.

Pipedrive’s ability to synchronize with mobile devices is one of its standout features. With a simple yet elegant design, it makes it easy for users to navigate through different customer profiles, including their order histories and invoices.

Being a cloud-based platform, it can be accessed across multiple devices and provides all your team members with the up-to-date information they need in their work. It also ensures your data security by encrypting all customer information before it’s sent over a public network.

Pricing:

Pipedrive’s pricing packages include:

• Essential: US$9.90/user/month, and
• Advanced: US$ 19.90/user/month

They are billed annually.

Learn more about Pipedrive

5. Act!

A powerful CRM and marketing automation tool, Act! is ideal for small and medium-sized companies to manage leads, boost sales, and keep a healthy relationship with their clientele.

You can use Act! to create personalized marketing campaigns, captivating landing pages, and automated workflows and receive real-time insights about what’s working and who to follow up.

For managing customer relations, the tool offers features like an overview of customer history and all customer data in a centralized place that you access anytime through offline or mobile access and find anything with powerful search.

Pricing:

Act! offers different pricing tiers depending on which platform you want to use.

• Act! Premium for desktop for US$37.50/user/month
• Act! Premium Cloud for US$30/user/month.

There is also a 14-day free trial (for Act! Cloud), so you can try out the service before committing to a payment plan.

Learn more about Act!

6. Zendesk Sell

The Zendesk Sell CRM lets you automate key sales processes, so salespeople can spend more time selling and logging less. It automatically generates personalized reports, closes deals faster, monitors activity in real-time, and identifies crucial opportunities on a single dashboard.

It is equipped with a built-in email marketing tool and leads scoring to help your business better understand its customers. With its customizable workflows, companies can streamline how they handle various tasks and record every action taken – all in one place.

Zendesk Sell is built on top of Zendesk’s customer service platform and leverages its knowledge base and email integration capabilities. Some of its most important features include lead management, customizable workflow, integration with other Zendesk products, robust reporting capabilities, and an easy-to-use interface.

It allows users to easily capture and track leads from various sources, including web forms, emails, and phone calls. Lead scoring and grading features help users prioritize leads and focus their sales efforts.

Pricing:

• Suite Team: US$49,
• Suite Growth: US$79, and
• Suite Professional: US$99.

Learn more about Zendesk Sell

7. Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is a cloud-based, multichannel customer relationship management platform that allows you to optimize your business operations by keeping customers informed and aligned with your organization’s strategies.

Rather than investing in multiple applications for different needs, Zoho CRM offers an end-to-end solution that covers all aspects of customer engagement and interaction: from marketing campaigns and lead management to email, social media channels, content management, and support.

Some of its top features include unlimited storage space and data, smart task automation; real-time reporting with analytics; multiple integrations with other business applications via Zoho partners, as well as mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. Plus, it also includes native APIs for extending its capabilities.

Pricing:

Zoho CRM subscription packages range from:

• Standard: USD$10.30/user/month, to
• Ultimate: USD$33.47/user/month.

Learn more about Zoho CRM

8. Freshsales

Freshsales is a complete cloud-based sales solution that gives you powerful tools for managing leads, opportunities, and contacts, in addition to automating many of your day-to-day business processes. With an intuitive interface, it gives you real-time dashboard analytics that shows you how well your team is performing so you can stay ahead of customer needs.

The software helps you follow up more effectively with prospects by tracking email responses and assigning tasks based on lead activity. It also integrates seamlessly with over 150 apps.

It is designed to give users a complete view of their customers, including contact information, interaction history, and sales pipeline. Freshsales also offers features such as lead scoring, email integration, a built-in phone, sales lead tracking, sales management, event tracking, and customizable reports.

Pricing:

Free plan is available offering basic features. Paid plans include:

• Growth Plan: US$15/user/month,
• Pro: US$39/user per month, and
• Enterprise: US$69/user/month.

Learn more about Freshsales

9. Oracle Sales

Oracle CRM has a well-earned reputation as one of the best CRM software systems available in the market. It’s very user-friendly, contains all kinds of integrated tools, and is affordable for even small businesses.

It includes mobile apps and other convenient features that let you manage your customers at any time or place. It’s a complete software suite that empowers users to drive sales, manage expenses, and improve operations with mobile apps.

It also has some useful features like a social media monitor, business relationship management for partners, BI applications, price management, self-service and billing, customer data integration, and so on.

Oracle CRM comes with a wealth of integrations so you can reach your customers wherever they are. Use it as a standalone CRM or integrate it with HubSpot and Salesforce Service Cloud for even more functionality.

Pricing:

The different pricing tiers of Oracle CRM include:

• Professional Edition: US$65/user/month,
• Standard Edition: US$100/user/month,
• Enterprise Edition: US$200/user/month, and
• Premium Edition: US$300/user/month.

Learn more about Oracle Sales

10. SugarCRM

SugarCRM is a mature, well-rounded CRM solution that has been around for over a decade. It offers powerful customer management capabilities such as sales force automation and marketing campaign tracking right out of the box making it easy to perform all of your day-to-day customer relations tasks in one place.

SugarCRM’s intuitive interface is designed to be easy to use, even for first-time CRM users. All of the features you need are easily accessible from the main navigation menu, and helpful tooltips guide you through each task as you work.

It is a powerful CRM solution with plenty of features and customization options to fit the needs of your business. Some of its standout features include automatic lead capture, flexible reporting and dashboards, role-based security, and mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. Plus, SugarCRM integrates with over 100 third-party applications via its App Center marketplace.

Pricing:

SugarCRM’s subscription packages are segmented according to your requirements from the tool, i.e.

• Market: USD$1,000/month,
• Sell: USD$49/user/month, and
• Serve: USD$80/user/month.

Learn more about SugarCRM

Bonus #1. Salesmate

Salesmate is a sales and marketing automation platform that helps businesses bring leads, close deals, and manage customer relationships from within their own website. With Salesmate, you can communicate with your contacts and get notified as they take action – all without leaving your website.

Simply plug Salesmate into your website and start generating leads within minutes. Their highly customizable lead forms will get more buyers to contact you with just a single click. Generate new business by getting your message in front of thousands of potential clients who are looking for solutions just like yours.

It offers a range of features to help businesses streamline their sales processes, including contact management, lead management, opportunity management, and pipeline management. It also provides tools for tracking customer interactions and managing customer data. Salesmate is available in both a cloud-based and on-premises deployment option.

Pricing:

• Starter: USD$12/user/month
• Growth: USD$24/user/month,
• Boost: USD$40/user/month, and
• Enterprise: Custom (Connect with team).

Learn more about Salesmate

Bonus #2. SAP CRM

SAP is a customer relationship management program that helps you keep tabs on your contacts allowing you to create a database of all your contacts, track customer interactions, and organize your sales efforts.

This complete CRM software solution offers powerful features and integrates seamlessly with other business programs like ERP. The tool works equally well for big and small companies that need help in managing sales processes or keeping their records organized.

Being a cloud-based tool, you can view your data by simply logging in from anywhere at any time. Some of its main features include customer management, lead management, service scheduling, campaign management, and reporting functionality.

Pricing:

There are no set pricing packages for SAP. You can get a detailed quotation of the price according to your specific requirements.

Learn more about SAP CRM

Bonus #3. EngageBay CRM

EngageBay CRM offers you an all-in-one platform for managing your marketing, sales, and customer support activities. It allows you to save unlimited number of contacts and customer details as well as information on sales and deals.

There are many automation options for users in EngageBay including, sales automation, marketing automation, email sequence, and forms and landing page automation. Plus, it offers live chat software and a help desk tool to have efficient customer interactions.

Other things included in the platform are milestone tracking, appointments calendar, email template builder, social posting and scheduling, and web analytics to name a few.

Pricing:

• Free: US$0 (500 contacts)
• Starter: US$11.99/month
• Professional: US$39.99/month
• Enterprise: US$79.99/month

Learn more about EngageBay CRM

Questions to Consider

1. Which CRM software best aligns with your business’s specific needs and goals?
2. How can the automation features of these CRM software streamline your business processes?
3. How can the social media tracking capabilities of some of these CRM software enhance your marketing strategies?

The post Top 10 CRM Software to Boost Your Business Growth appeared first on Hongkiat.

Influencer marketing has become increasingly popular in recent years due to the rise of social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Influencers are chosen based on their relevance to the brand’s target audience and their engagement level with their followers. They are usually compensated for their work through monetary compensation, free products/services, or other incentives.

The effectiveness of influencer marketing lies in its ability to create authentic and relatable content that resonates with consumers. When done correctly, it can drive business traffic and sales while providing valuable exposure for influencers.

However, it is important for brands to choose influencers who align with their values and messaging to ensure authenticity and avoid any potential backlash from consumers.

What is an Influencer Marketing Platform?

An influencer marketing platform is a web-based tool that connects brands with influencers. It enables marketers to find, vet, and collaborate with influencers who have a strong following various social media platforms. Influencers on these platforms are individuals who have built a loyal audience by creating engaging content in specific niches like fashion, fitness, or beauty.

The platform helps brands identify the right influencers for their campaigns based on factors such as audience demographics, location, and engagement rates. This eliminates the need for manual searching and streamlines the process.

The process of finding influencers. Additionally, some influencer platforms provide analytics tools that allow brands to track campaign performance and measure ROI. Influencer marketing has become increasingly popular due to its effectiveness at reaching target audiences through trusted sources.

As a result, influencer marketing platforms are an essential tool for any brand looking to leverage this trend while minimizing time and resources needed to execute campaigns seamlessly.

Benefits of an Influencer Marketing Platform

An influencer marketing platform provides a range of benefits for brands and businesses looking to leverage the power of social media influencers. One of the primary benefits is that it simplifies the process of identifying, connecting with, and collaborating with relevant influencers.

With an influencer marketing platform, brands can filter influencers based on various criteria such as niche, location, engagement rate, and audience demographics. This ensures that brands only approach those influencers who are most likely to resonate with their target audience.

Another benefit of using an influencer marketing platform is that it offers better tracking and measurement capabilities than traditional influencer marketing methods. Brands can track the performance of each influencer campaign in real-time through advanced analytics tools offered by these platforms. This allows them to adjust their strategy in response to data-driven insights and optimize their campaigns for maximum ROI.

Finally, an influencer marketing platform also offers a more streamlined workflow for managing multiple campaigns at once. Brands can easily collaborate with multiple influencers simultaneously through a single dashboard or interface provided by these platforms.

This helps them save time and effort while ensuring consistent quality across all their campaigns. Overall, using an influencer marketing platform is a smart choice for any brand looking to enhance its social media presence and drive meaningful engagement with its target audience.

Steps to Create a Marketing Platform for Influencers

Due to the difficulties inherent in programmatic advertising, influencer marketing has emerged as an appealing alternative for brands. Ad-blocking software, privacy laws, and “banner blindness” all play a role.

Therefore, developing a well-defined and powerful influencer marketing platform that provides everything is vital. Let’s break down the steps taken to create an influencer marketing platform:

1. Establish the Scope of the Project

To get started on this phase, assemble a team of social media app developers, including a project manager, a software engineer, and some business analysts.

The team’s first priority will be developing a project scope statement in close collaboration with your company’s stakeholders. This statement will greatly facilitate the team’s work, as it will outline the project plan and the course of development.

2. Approach Used is Appropriate as per the Scope of Your Project

Following the completion of the project’s scope, market research and methodology selection can begin. Starting with developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for your project is often recommended to keep expenses optimized initially.

Launching an MVP first allows for collecting crucial early-stage customer input before transitioning to a fully-featured mobile app. During this phase, you should finalize your project plan after considering the risks and analyzing the gaps in the influencer marketing platform ecosystem.

3. Commit to a Specific Method of Development

A Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) environment is the way to go if you want to build a web application. However, a Mobile-Backend-as-a-Service (MBaaS) platform is recommended when developing a mobile influencer marketing platform.

After settling on a strategy for app creation, you must pick whether your app will run on Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android.

The finest user experience (UX) and performance improvements can be found in native apps. Cross-platform mobile development is recommended, however, to cut down on the total cost of creating an influencer marketing platform.

4. Opt for a Reliable Platform of Managed Cloud Services

After settling on a development strategy and building a solid team of designers, developers, quality analysts, and more, the next step is to select the best-managed cloud services platform for the project.

With AWS, you can effectively manage your cloud infrastructure, security, middleware, and networking and make use of well-known PaaS and MBaaS platforms.

5. Finalize an API Strategy for Influencer Marketing

It is advised that the influencer marketing elements be integrated through a market-leading third-party API solution. An API solution that is a market leader is recommended because it provides access to audience demographics stored in its database and allows for precise search refinement.

6. Opt for an Effective Project Management Tool

After gathering the necessary resources and methods, the next logical step is to find the best project management solution that fits your unique needs and allows you to oversee connected work efficiently. We advise using a Scrum framework to keep track of the agile project technique you’ve put into place.

The DevOps approach is another viable choice. To ensure that deadlines and dependencies are met, DevOps enables project managers to take on the role of coordinators. Adapting project management to the DevOps model can achieve greater efficiency and productivity in the completion of the project.

7. Perform the UI/UX Design Process

At this point in the process, you should conduct a comprehensive business analysis, benchmark against industry standards, design UX/UI concepts, and document in-depth requirements for the project prototype. When you give the prototype the thumbs up, you know every need has been met.

8. Finish the Coding Process

Writing the code for an influencer marketing platform comes after a design prototype has been tested numerous times and refined. During this phase, a variety of technologies and a specialized programming language are used to create the front and back ends of the application or platform.

9. Deploy the App with Quality Assurance

To ensure the platform runs smoothly and without bugs, a comprehensive quality assurance process must be carried out before the program is released on the App Store or Play Store. The app is released to the necessary platforms after it has passed app/platform testing.

10. Maintenance

Once the app has been released to consumers worldwide, it must undergo regular maintenance to guarantee that it functions correctly on all devices. Success in this competitive ecosystem depends on the app receiving regular upgrades that reflect the most up-to-date market needs.

Platform Components

Understanding its components is one of the most important aspects of building an influencer marketing platform. These components include a user interface, a database management system, payment integration systems, and communication tools. A user interface should be easy to use and navigate for both influencers and brands alike.

Brands should be able to search for influencers by their niche, location, or number of followers. Similarly, influencers must be able to create profiles that demonstrate their skills, interests, and engagement rates.

Another crucial component of an influencer marketing platform is a database management system that organizes all the information about each campaign in one central place. The database must have strong security protocols in place to ensure sensitive data, such as payment information, remains safe from hackers.

Payment integration systems should also be included when building these platforms so businesses can easily pay influencers without using third-party services like PayPal or bank transfers, which can cause delays or additional fees.

Lastly, communication tools are essential because they allow seamless interactions between brands and influencers throughout the campaign process – from initial discussions to final deliverables – making it easier for both parties involved in the collaboration process.

Design & Technical Requirements

When it comes to building an influencer marketing platform, several design and technical requirements need to be considered.

Firstly, the platform should have a user-friendly interface that allows brands to easily navigate different options, such as searching for influencers, selecting campaign goals, and creating contracts. It should also be designed to make it easy for influencers to create profiles and showcase their work.

It is essential to have a clear understanding of the needs and expectations of your target audience. You need to have a user-centric approach while designing and developing the platform.

The design of the platform should also revolve around providing users with meaningful insights into their campaigns. Therefore, implementing data visualization tools and analytics dashboards will be crucial in helping users track campaign performance and optimize accordingly.

Development-wise, you should pay close attention to scalability as well as integration capabilities since these factors can impact user experience significantly.

Moreover, incorporating automation functionalities such as automated reporting or campaign management features can greatly reduce workload for your clients while increasing overall efficiency.

Technical requirements include using APIs to integrate with social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. It is essential for tracking influencer metrics such as engagement rates and followers. The platform must also incorporate a robust database management system that can handle large amounts of data without compromising on speed and performance.

Other technical requirements include security measures such as encryption protocols for sensitive information like payment details. Additionally, prioritizing security measures such as encryption and multi-factor authentication can go a long way in ensuring that sensitive information remains protected at all times.

Additionally, the platform should be designed in accordance with accessibility guidelines so that users with disabilities can access it without any difficulty. Meeting these design and technical requirements will ensure the success of an influencer marketing platform while keeping development costs under control.

Ultimately, combining thoughtful design with robust development will deliver an influencer marketing solution that meets both client needs and industry standards.

Selecting the Right Influencers

When it comes to developing an influencer marketing platform, selecting the right influencers is crucial. One of the first steps in this process is identifying your target audience and determining what type of influencers they follow.

Look for influencers whose values and interests align with your brand’s message, making it easier for them to authentically promote your products or services.

Another important factor when selecting influencers is their engagement rate. It’s not enough to look at an influencer’s follower count; you must ensure their followers actively engage with their content by liking, commenting, and sharing. This will help ensure that your brand’s message reaches a wider audience.

Lastly, consider the influencer’s past collaborations and partnerships. Look for success stories where they have worked with similar brands or products and achieved significant results. This will give you an idea of how effectively they can promote your brand on their platforms.

By carefully selecting the right influencers based on these factors, you can create a successful influencer marketing campaign that effectively promotes your brand and engages with your target audience.

Factors Influencing the Cost of Developing Influencer Marketing Platforms?

1. Platform Complexity

The first factor that can significantly affect the cost of developing an influencer marketing platform is its complexity. The more complex a platform is, the longer it will take to develop and the higher the development costs will be. It’s important to consider this factor as it directly affects the time and resources required for development and its usability.

If your platform has many features, integrations with other software, or detailed data analytics capabilities, it will require more time and effort from developers. Complex platforms are also more challenging to use for both influencers and brands, which can lead to lower user engagement rates. To mitigate this risk, companies should focus on creating streamlined platforms that prioritize ease of use over complexity.

Finally, when considering complexity, it’s important to consider how scalable a platform is. A highly complex system may only be able to handle large amounts of traffic or users without crashing or experiencing significant downtime. This is why scalability must be incorporated into the design process from day one, so that you don’t have additional unexpected costs in scaling up later on.

2. Back-end Architecture

The back-end architecture is another crucial factor that significantly affects the cost of influencer marketing platform software development. Building a robust and scalable back-end infrastructure is essential in delivering high-performing apps. It includes designing the server-side components, API development, database management, and server configuration.

In most cases, creating a robust back-end system can be time-consuming and requires experienced developers to ensure all components are functional.

Additionally, developing the right database structure for your influencer marketing platform software is vital, as it determines how your app will function. The type of database you choose will impact the speed of queries and data retrieval processes, which can either make or break your application’s performance.

Building an efficient database also requires experienced developers with extensive data modeling knowledge to avoid costly mistakes such as slow response times or data corruption.

A well-designed back-end architecture is imperative for building a successful influencer marketing platform software with optimal performance levels. A good back-end infrastructure ensures that an app runs smoothly without lagging issues while providing users with seamless experiences they can enjoy over time. However, investing in an efficient back-end comes at a cost since it requires skilled developers who can build scalable systems from scratch.

3. Database Requirements

Depending on the volume of data that needs to be processed and stored, a more complex database system may be required, which can increase costs significantly. Additionally, if the platform requires real-time data processing or high-speed data retrieval, specialized databases such as NoSQL or in-memory databases may need to be used.

It is important for developers to carefully consider all aspects of database requirements during the planning phase of software development to estimate costs and ensure optimal final product performance accurately.

Another consideration is whether the platform will require integration with external databases or APIs. This can add complexity to the development process and require additional technical and financial resources.

4. User Interface Design

The user interface determines how users interact with the platform, and it should be designed to be simple, intuitive, and easy to use. A well-designed user interface can make all the difference between a successful or failed software product.

Good UI design can be expensive but essential for creating a functional and marketable influencer marketing software platform. User testing and research ensure that your UI design meets your audience’s needs. Developing a UI design that aligns with your brand identity is also crucial for creating consistency across all product touchpoints.

While investing in good user interface design may seem like an additional expense when developing an influencer marketing platform software, it has potential benefits such as reducing support costs by providing better usability, increasing customer satisfaction by improving ease-of-use for customers, and making it easier to attract new users through organic growth generated through word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied customers.

5. Security & Compliance

Security and compliance are crucial factors affecting influencer marketing platform software development costs. This is because security breaches and non-compliance can result in significant financial losses, reputational damage, legal fines, and even lawsuits. As such, influencer marketing platforms must comply with various data protection laws, such as GDPR and CCPA, to ensure that user data is secure.

Developers must incorporate robust security protocols into their software architecture to achieve this. It includes features like encryption algorithms, two-factor authentication systems, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems (IDS). Additionally, they must also conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify potential security gaps that hackers may exploit.

Furthermore, compliance entails adhering to various regulations specific to the industry or country where the platform operates.

For instance, FDA guidelines govern influencer marketing practices for pharmaceutical products, while the FTC mandates that influencers disclose paid partnerships with brands. Developers must build these regulatory requirements into their platform’s design to be compliant while avoiding any legal issues.

6. Third-party Integrations

It is crucial to ensure the platform can integrate with various third-party applications and tools, such as social media platforms, analytics tools, payment gateways, and more.

Users can easily access necessary data by providing seamless integration with other software systems without switching between different applications.

Moreover, integrating third-party tools allows for better reporting and analytics by collecting data from multiple sources. Integrating Google Analytics or a similar tool can provide valuable insights into user behavior on the platform, which is key in determining campaign effectiveness. Payment gateway integrations also allow brands to process payments quickly and securely within the platform.

Third-party integrations are vital for creating a comprehensive influencer marketing platform that provides ease of use and enhances overall productivity. Integrating with other software systems and tools that influencers already use regularly streamlines processes for both brands and influencers while providing greater insight into campaign performance metrics.

7. Team Size

There is a direct correlation between the size of the team working on the influencer marketing platform and the total cost of its creation. It is crucial to weigh the costs and benefits of having a larger or smaller development team while making this decision. Independent contractors can help cut costs, but their lack of experience could mean inferior software.

8. Maintenance

The success of an app or piece of software in today’s cutthroat digital environment depends heavily on regular and thorough maintenance. Important measures are needed to guarantee top-notch app performance on the most popular platforms.

Fees to keep the app updated and bug-free, as well as any costs associated with responding to user demand for new features and technologies, are included in the maintenance cost.

9. Timeline

The more complex and intricate the software, the longer it will take to develop.

The development process may also be affected by various factors, such as unexpected bugs, defects, or design flaws that may delay the release of the final product.

It’s important for businesses considering creating an influencer marketing platform software solution to assess their goals carefully and determine how long they are willing to wait for a finished product. A shorter timeline can mean higher costs as developers have to work harder and faster to meet deadlines.

On the other hand, a longer timeline can lead to lower costs as developers have more time to work on specific features and modules.

Features of Influencer Marketing Platform

1. Automation

Automation is a critical feature that influencer marketing platforms must have. This is because managing influencer campaigns can be time-consuming and complicated, and automation helps simplify and streamline the process. With automation, brands can easily manage their campaigns across multiple social media channels with minimal effort.

One of the most significant benefits of automation in influencer marketing is its ability to quickly help brands identify relevant influencers. An automated platform can provide valuable insights into which influencers are most likely to resonate with a brand’s target audience by analyzing data from various sources, such as social media accounts, blog posts, and other online content.

Automation also helps brands manage their campaigns more effectively by providing real-time analytics and insights into campaign performance. This information enables them to optimize their campaigns in real-time to get the best possible results from each influencer they work with. Overall, automation is one of the most important features that any influencer marketing platform must have to deliver success for its clients.

2. Data Insights

Data insights are one of the most valuable features an influencer marketing platform should have. These insights help influencers make informed decisions and provide brands with valuable information regarding their campaigns’ performance. Data insights can be used to track engagement rates, measure the reach of a campaign, and identify which content resonates best with audiences.

A robust data insight feature also allows influencer marketers to understand the demographics and interests of their audience, which helps them target their campaigns more effectively. This level of granularity in targeting ensures that brands get maximum value for money spent on an influencer marketing campaign.

Additionally, data insights help influencers adjust their strategies based on real-time feedback from their followers.

A powerful data insight feature can bring immense value to both brands and influencers using an influencer marketing platform. The ability to access accurate and detailed information about the performance of a campaign makes it easier for marketers to optimize every aspect of their campaigns, leading to better results overall. It’s essential that this feature provides timely reports and is user-friendly so that marketers can easily navigate through complex sets of data and derive actionable insights from them.

3. Augmented Reality

One of the most recent developments that has revolutionized influencer marketing channels is augmented reality (AR).

Augmented reality allows developers to create content that is both interactive and immersive, providing users with a one-of-a-kind experience. Integrating augmented reality into an influencer marketing app can help businesses create campaigns that stand out and pique the interest of their target audience.

4. Collaboration

Collaboration is a critical feature of any influencer marketing platform. It allows brands to collaborate with multiple influencers simultaneously, streamlining the process and saving time. Using an influencer marketing platform that includes collaboration features helps establish a streamlined workflow for everyone involved in the campaign.

The collaboration feature should enable both brands and influencers to provide real-time feedback and updates about the campaign’s progress. It makes it easy for all parties to stay on the same page throughout the campaign, ensuring its success. Additionally, effective collaboration enables brands to work with their chosen influencers closely, aligning their messaging and content cohesively.

A robust collaboration feature is essential when using an influencer marketing platform. It saves time by streamlining communication between brands and influencers while providing real-time updates about campaigns’ progress. The more integrated these features are into the platform, the smoother campaigns will run – ultimately leading to better results for both parties involved in the partnership!

5. Campaign Management

Campaign management is an essential feature that every influencer marketing platform must possess. It allows brands to easily manage and track their influencer campaigns from start to finish. This feature streamlines the entire process, from creating campaign briefs, selecting influencers, and approving content before it goes live.

Through campaign management tools, brands can oversee all of their campaigns in one place and monitor the progress of each one. They can access real-time reports on how their campaigns are performing, measure ROI, and make data-driven decisions based on the insights they receive. Campaign management also enables brands to optimize their strategies by identifying which influencers are driving results for them.

Moreover, campaign management allows brands to communicate with influencers throughout the entire process. It facilitates collaboration between both parties during the ideation phase and ensures everyone is aligned with brand objectives. Finally, it offers a centralized hub for all communication between brand marketers and influencers for the seamless execution of campaigns.

6. Targeting & Segmentation

Targeting and segmentation refer to the process of identifying and dividing a target audience into smaller groups based on specific characteristics such as demographics, interests, and behaviors. These features are crucial for any influencer marketing platform, allowing brands to reach their ideal customers more effectively.

By utilizing targeting and segmentation, brands can tailor their influencer campaigns to appeal directly to a specific group of consumers. This ensures that the content reaches those who are most likely to be interested in the product or service being promoted, resulting in higher engagement rates and, ultimately, increased sales.

Overall, targeting and segmentation are critical components of any successful influencer marketing campaign. With proper targeting and segmentation tools in place, brands can also track campaign performance across different segments and make data-driven decisions about future marketing strategies.

Moreover, these features also allow for more efficient use of resources by eliminating wasted ad spending on audiences that aren’t likely to convert.

7. Measurement & Reporting

The ability to measure and report on the performance of influencer marketing campaigns is essential for any platform. A good platform should provide detailed reports that cover key metrics like reach, engagement, and ROI. Brands must know how their campaigns are performing, what’s working well, and where improvements can be made.

A platform can offer measurement and reporting by providing real-time analytics. It allows brands to track campaign progress throughout its duration to make necessary adjustments or optimizations as needed. Additionally, the ability to generate automated reports ensures that data is consistently being tracked effectively without human error.

Another great feature of an influencer marketing platform with robust measurement and reporting capabilities is the ability to analyze audience demographics for specific influencers. By understanding an influencer’s audience demographics, brands can better target their campaigns towards certain groups or markets for more effective results.

Overall, accurate measurement and comprehensive reporting will allow a brand to make informed decisions about future campaigns based on data-driven insights rather than guesswork.

8. Social Listening & Engagement

Social listening and engagement are crucial features that any influencer marketing platform must have. This feature allows marketers to monitor social media platforms for mentions of their brand or products, helping them identify potential influencers already talking about their products.

Social listening also helps businesses to understand consumer sentiment towards their brand and product offerings, which can inform future marketing strategies.

9. A Simple Sign-up Process

There should be no learning curve associated with signing up. There needs to be a way for users to join and log in with their existing social media profiles. This feature allows users to skip creating a whole new account and start using the app immediately.

10. Filters with Advanced Features

Influencer marketing platforms should also include sophisticated filtering options. Filters allow users to narrow their search for influencers based on factors such as the number and quality of their followers, the level of interaction with their content, and more.

This resource helps organizations find the most relevant influencers for their efforts in a shorter amount of time and with a higher probability of success.

11. Profile Setup

Building a profile allows influencers to showcase their skills and experience to potential sponsors. With this tool, influencers can create a profile that showcases their work, skills, and successes, making it easier for marketers to locate influencers who are a good fit for their campaigns.

12. Artificial Intelligence Chatbot

An AI chatbot is a novel feature that can enrich the influencer marketing app’s interaction with its users. AI chatbots are interactive computer programs that can have natural-sounding conversations with their users and accurately answer their questions.

AI chatbots can make the program more interesting and interactive by providing recommendations based on the user’s tastes and actions. By implementing an AI chatbot into an influencer marketing platform, businesses can provide 24/7 help to their customers, reduce response times, and ease the burden on their customer service staff.

13. User-based Content

One of the most effective aspects of an influencer marketing platform is the content generated by its users. It facilitates the dissemination of material created by influencers to their audiences, allowing them to showcase their knowledge, creativity, and taste.

Marketers can increase the likelihood of successful collaboration by using the user-based content feature to identify influencers whose work is stylistically and philosophically aligned with their brands.

14. Search and Discovery of Influencers

A search bar is an essential feature of any influencer marketing platform. The influencer search feature allows users to find and connect with influencers based on location, specialty, and audience criteria. With the ability to search for local influencers, even small businesses can participate in influencer marketing campaigns.

15. Reporting and Analytics

The analytics tools provide a way for brands to track the performance of their influencer marketing initiatives. They provide data on the effectiveness of influencer marketing in terms of engagement, audience reach, and conversions, among other metrics.

With the right analytical tools, brands can assess the efficacy of their influencer marketing initiatives and make adjustments to improve results.

Cost to Build an Influencer Marketing Platform

There are several factors that contribute to the overall cost of building an influencer marketing platform, such as the design and coding process, level of complexity, quality assurance, platform underlying the app, and location of the app development agency.

We can generally say that app complexity is the major determining factor for app/platform development budgets.

When building an influencer marketing platform, it’s important to break down the total cost into different components. The first major expense would be developing the software or platform itself, depending on the complexity and scope of features. This includes designing and coding, creating a user interface, establishing a database infrastructure for data storage and retrieval, and building algorithms for matching influencers with brands.

Another significant expense is marketing and advertising to attract users (both influencers and brands) onto your platform. Depending on your target audience and channels used, this can range from a few thousand dollars in social media ads to millions in TV commercials. It’s also important to consider ongoing maintenance costs like server hosting fees, software upgrades, bug fixes, and customer support staff salaries that can add up over time.

Finally, if necessary, you should factor in legal expenses such as obtaining intellectual property rights like copyrights or patents. You may also need liability insurance if you partner with influencers who could damage a brand’s reputation through their online actions.

These costs vary widely depending on your location and local regulations, so it’s best to consult a legal expert before launching your influencer marketing platform.

The total development hours are calculated considering the wireframing process, design, coding, quality assurance, maintenance, and so on. The rate per hour of a company involved in developing an influencer marketing platform varies according to its services.

Common Challenges Faced by Influencer Marketing Platforms

One of the most common challenges in building an influencer marketing platform is finding the right influencers for your brand. Identifying the best suitable influencers with a strong following that aligns with your brand’s values and message can be difficult, especially if you are starting from scratch. Additionally, it can be hard to assess their level of influence and how much they will charge for their services.

Another common challenge is keeping up with the changes in social media algorithms. Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are constantly changing their algorithms, affecting how users interact. As a result, influencer marketing strategies must also keep evolving to stay relevant and effective.

Lastly, another challenge when building an influencer marketing platform is measuring ROI effectively. Influencer campaigns can be expensive, so measuring each campaign’s impact on sales or engagement metrics is crucial for ensuring that your resources are allocated efficiently. However, accurately measuring ROI can be difficult due to factors such as attribution modeling and identifying which specific aspects of a campaign contributed to its success or failure.

Monetization Models That Have Proven to Be Effective

1. In-app Advertising

In-app advertising has become one of the most popular monetization models for influencer marketing apps. This approach involves displaying ads within the app itself and generating revenue based on clicks, impressions, or other metrics. In-app advertising can be a highly effective way to generate revenue, especially if the app has a large user base.

One of the key advantages of in-app advertising is that it allows you to target your audience very specifically. This means you can serve highly relevant content to your users and increase engagement levels. For example, you can display ads based on user demographics, location, or even behavior within the app.

However, there are some potential drawbacks to in-app advertising as well. One common problem is ad fatigue – users may become bored or frustrated with seeing too many ads and stop using the app altogether. Additionally, some users may view ads as intrusive or annoying, which could have a negative impact on their overall perception of your brand. Despite these challenges, in-app advertising remains an effective way to monetize influencer marketing apps and drive revenue growth over time.

2. Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)

Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) is a popular monetization model for influencer marketing apps. With CPA, the advertiser pays the influencer only when a user takes a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a service. This model is attractive to advertisers because they only pay for successful conversions and can easily track their return on investment.

However, this model may only be ideal for some influencers as it requires them to drive significant traffic and ensure that users take the desired action. Influencers with smaller followings may need help generating enough conversions to earn a substantial income through CPA. Additionally, the conversion process can be complex and may require additional effort from the influencer and advertiser.

To maximize earnings with CPA, influencers need to focus on promoting products or services that align with their audience’s interests and needs. Advertisers should work closely with influencers to ensure they have all the tools needed for effective promotion and provide timely feedback on performance metrics. They should also optimize their content to encourage users to take action and provide clear calls to action in their posts.

3. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a monetization model where influencers earn a commission by promoting products or services of other companies. The influencer shares the affiliate link with their followers, and if someone purchases through that link, the influencer gets paid. This model is popular because it allows influencers to make money without creating or selling their own products.

Many companies offer affiliate programs, making it easy for influencers to find products they can promote. To succeed in affiliate marketing, influencers must choose products relevant to their audience and align with their values. They should also disclose that they are using an affiliate link to promote the product properly.

Affiliate marketing is an excellent way for influencers to monetize their following while providing value to their audience by recommending quality products. As long as they remain authentic and stay focused on building trust with their followers, this monetization model can be lucrative for both parties involved.

4. Sponsored Posts

Sponsored posts is another monetization model for influencer marketing. They involve partnering with brands to create content that promotes their products or services. Sponsored posts can take different forms, such as photos, videos, or written content. Influencers are paid a fee for creating and sharing these posts on their social media channels.

To succeed with sponsored posts, influencers need to be transparent about their partnership with the brand and ensure that the content they create aligns with their audience’s interests and values. They also need to comply with advertising regulations set by various platforms to avoid penalties.

Sponsored posts offer benefits to both influencers and brands. For influencers, it provides an opportunity to earn money while doing what they love – creating quality content for their followers. Brands benefit from increased brand awareness, engagement, and conversions from the influencer’s audience, who trust them as a source of reliable information and recommendations.

5. Paid Advertisements

Paid advertisements are a popular monetization model for influencers marketing their app. This model involves selling advertising space on the app to brands and businesses looking to reach the influencer’s audience. The ads can be in various forms, including banner ads, sponsored posts or videos, pop-ups, or in-app purchases.

One of the primary advantages of paid advertisements is that it provides a steady revenue stream for the influencer. Additionally, they control which brands advertise on their app and can ensure that they align with their values and interests.

However, some things could be improved with this model. Consumers may find ads intrusive or irrelevant to their interests, leading to decreased engagement with the app. Additionally, competition among advertisers for ad space can drive down prices and reduce revenue potential for influencers.

Overall, paid advertisements can be an effective way for influencers to monetize their apps but require careful consideration of audience preferences and brand partnerships.

6. Subscription Services

Subscription services are becoming increasingly popular among influencers looking to monetize their marketing apps. These services allow for a recurring payment model, where subscribers pay a set fee regularly in exchange for access to exclusive content or services.

Some examples of subscription-based influencer marketing apps include fitness apps that offer personalized training plans and nutrition advice, and gaming apps that provide early access to new games or in-game perks.

One benefit of the subscription model is that it provides reliable revenue for social media influencers who might otherwise rely on one-time payments or sponsorships. Additionally, it allows influencers to develop deeper relationships with their audience by providing lasting value and engagement through exclusive content.

Overall, subscription services can be an effective way for influencers to monetize their marketing app while building long-term relationships with their audience. However, influencers need to consistently deliver high-quality content and services to retain subscribers and maintain their reputation within the industry.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the benefits of an influencer marketing platform are numerous. First and foremost, it allows you to connect with a wider audience by leveraging the social media reach of your influencers. This means that your brand message can be amplified and delivered to a larger number of people who are already interested in what your influencers have to say.

Secondly, an influencer marketing platform can help you build trust with consumers. Influencers are seen as thought leaders and experts in their respective niches, which makes them highly credible sources of information for their followers. When they endorse your products or services, they lend their credibility to your brand, which can help establish trust among potential customers.

Finally, an influencer marketing platform can be a cost-effective way to promote your brand. Traditional advertising methods like TV ads or billboards can be expensive and don’t always deliver the desired results. With an influencer marketing platform, you’re able to work directly with individuals who have built up their own audiences on social media over time – meaning you don’t need a large budget to get started on this type of marketing strategy.

The post A Definitive Guide to Influencer Marketing Platform Development (2023) appeared first on Hongkiat.

While it’s often considered a platform for entertainment, featuring funny videos and viral dances, it can also be a powerful tool for eCommerce marketing. With its engaging short-form videos and massive user base, TikTok can help businesses reach new audiences and drive sales.

If you run an eCommerce store and want to raise awareness about your brand and products, generate leads, and increase sales, TikTok is the place where you need to be.

This article will introduce you to an eCommerce strategy for TikTok so you can take advantage of this growing platform to boost your sales.

What is TikTok eCommerce?

TikTok eCommerce refers to the use of the TikTok platform for buying and selling products or services. It can take many forms, including in-app shopping, influencer marketing, sponsored posts, and advertising.

Some companies and creators can build their own TikTok stores by setting up a TikTok Shopping product catalog, allowing users to browse and purchase products and services directly within the app.

Additionally, simple integrations with eCommerce platforms such as Shopify and Square allow sellers to create web stores easily, regardless of their location.

By including product links directly in their videos and bios, sellers can make it easy for users to click and buy products from within the app without leaving the platform, allowing users to make quick purchases based on products they see in their feeds.

Considering that all social media platforms provide marketing opportunities with advanced targeting features and ad formats, one must wonder why TikTok is so special.

TikTok is an excellent opportunity for eCommerce businesses to reach new audiences and drive sales. Research shows that 35% of TikTok users have made purchases through the platform, with many discovering products through ads and brand content.

With 2.5 billion active users, TikTok provides a free storefront in a busy shopping mall and is an ideal platform for businesses looking to tap into the power of social commerce.

What Benefits Does TikTok Bring to Your Business?

Here are the key benefits that investing in TikTok can bring to your eCommerce business:

1. Increased brand awareness: TikTok’s popularity and ability to quickly spread content can increase brand awareness. With the right strategy, you can create engaging content that showcases your products and reaches a broader audience, helping your brand build a reputation and attract new customers.
2. Higher engagement rates: TikTok’s algorithm is designed to promote engaging content, which means that your content is more likely to be seen by users interested in your products, leading to higher engagement rates and increased sales.
3. Increased sales: As mentioned, TikTok is like a free storefront in a bustling shopping mall. Using TikTok for eCommerce, you can create engaging content that showcases your products and encourages users to purchase them. If you include product links in videos and bios, users can quickly and easily purchase products they see on their feeds, increasing sales for your business.
4. Reach new audiences: TikTok’s user base is primarily made up of younger audiences – 60% of them are trendsetters, also known as Gen Z. If your products are intended for young people, TikTok is an ideal platform for your business.
5. Viral content: TikTok is known for its potential to create viral content. If your content resonates with users, it can quickly spread and reach a much wider audience than your followers, allowing your business to go viral and gain massive exposure.
6. Improved SEO: By creating engaging content and using relevant hashtags, you can increase the visibility of your website, drive more traffic (aka generate more organic visits) and improve overall search engine rankings. Improved SEO will contribute to bringing more sales and higher ROI.
7. Cost-effective: Advertising on TikTok can be cost-effective compared to other social media platforms, making it an excellent option for small businesses with limited advertising budgets.

In addition to these seven benefits, TikTok allows businesses to collaborate with influencers and create user-generated content, further boosting.

TikTok eCommerce Marketing Strategy

Having a solid strategy is critical for successful marketing on TikTok.

Your strategy should focus on capturing users’ attention, engaging them, and ultimately converting them into customers. Therefore, you must create attention-grabbing videos that showcase your products or services and implement tactics that encourage viewers to take action – clicking on CTA links and making purchases.

To achieve your social media marketing goals, follow these steps:

1. Identify Your Target Audience

Identifying your target audience is a crucial step in creating an effective eCommerce strategy on TikTok so that you can create content that resonates with them.

Determine who your ideal customer is, their interests, and their shopping habits, and here are some ways to identify your target audience:

• Conduct market research to learn who your potential customers are – look for information about their age, gender, location, interests, and purchasing habits.
• Use the information you gather from your market research to create a buyer persona, also known as your ideal customer.
• Look at your existing customers to see who is already buying your products.
• Analyze your competitors to see who they are targeting. Try to differentiate yourself by targeting a different audience or offering unique products.
• Use social media analytics tools to gather information about your followers and engagement.

Once you have identified your target audience, you can tailor your content and marketing strategies to appeal to them.

2. Tailor Your TikTok Content

Your overall marketing strategy should include creating and sharing content on social media platforms. To succeed on TikTok, you’ll need to put in extra effort. Instead of using existing content, create new content that matches the platform’s unique personality.

To create engaging and fun content, spend time researching and understanding the platform’s trends, including popular songs from music streaming applications, memes, and hashtags.

Feel free to get silly or use humor if it fits with your brand voice. The goal is to entertain and engage users, and if you manage to do so, your videos could go viral (and that is something all TikTok users aim for).

Moreover, integrating your TikTok content creation into your website development process can help increase traffic to your site and build a stronger online presence. By embedding TikTok videos on your website, you can showcase your brand’s personality and expand your reach to new audiences.

Additionally, using TikTok to drive traffic to your website can help increase your website’s search engine rankings, making it more visible to potential customers.

3. Increase Your Chances of Going Viral

Going viral on TikTok can be challenging, but it is the ultimate goal of all TikTok creators. Here are some tips to increase your chances:

• Use popular and relevant hashtags in your videos to increase visibility and reach. Trending hashtags can help your content appear on the “For You” page, which is the place where many TikTok users discover new content.
• Keep up with the latest trends on TikTok and incorporate them into your videos. Participating in challenges or creating content related to current trends increases the chances of your content being shared and viewed by a larger audience.
• TikTok is a platform that emphasizes creativity and visual appeal. Use high-quality visuals, creative transitions, and catchy audio to capture your audience’s attention and keep them engaged.
• Collaborating with other popular TikTok creators can help you reach a wider audience, gain more followers, and increase the chances of your content being shared.
• Consistency is key to building a loyal following on TikTok. Post regularly, engage with your followers, and respond to comments and messages to build relationships with your audience.
• Share your content on other social media platforms to increase visibility and reach. Encourage your followers to share your content as well.

4. Build a Community Using TikTok Features

With TikTok’s features, building meaningful connections with your audience has never been easier.

• The Q&A feature allows you to communicate directly with your viewers and learn more about them. Encourage users to ask questions about your brand and specific products, and use video responses to answer. This way, you will build trust with your audience and create content tailored to their needs.
• TikTok’s Stitch and Duet features are also powerful tools for community building. Stitch lets you incorporate another user’s video into your own, while Duet allows you to play another user’s video next to yours in a split-screen format. Using these features, you can collaborate with other creators and tap into their audiences, expanding your reach and increasing your chances of going viral.

Building a community on TikTok requires providing value to your audience, engaging with them, and creating content that resonates with their interests. By using TikTok’s features to their fullest, eCommerce brands can create a loyal following and succeed on the platform.

5. Collaborate with Influencers in Your Industry

Collaborations with influencers can be an effective strategy for eCommerce brands looking to expand their reach and existing audiences and gain credibility and social proof in their niche.

However, it’s essential to choose the right influencers who are aligned with your brand and products; you’ll find them in The TikTok Creator Marketplace. Creator Marketplace offers features such as creator discovery, campaign management and reporting to help brands make informed decisions and track their ROI.

You partner with influencers in many ways, including creating sponsored posts that showcase your products, hosting giveaways and letting influencers take over your brand’s account for a limited time. Compensation for influencers can come in different forms, such as free products, affiliate commissions or cash-per-post arrangements.

6. Delve into Paid Advertising

TikTok ads and promoted posts are great ways to boost your content and reach a larger audience.

Ads on TikTok work similarly to those on other social media platforms. You can create advertising campaigns with various goals, containing different content and targeting different audiences. The different types of ads you can make include TopView, In-Feed Ads, Branded Hashtag Challenges, and Branded Effects.

Promoted Posts allow you to promote individual posts with a chosen budget and duration, with options to get more views, website visits, or followers.

Tips for a Successful TikTok Campaign

These tips will help you improve your TikTok marketing campaign:

• Use hashtags and keywords in your content. Hashtags and keywords make it easier for users to find your content on TikTok. Research popular keywords and hashtags related to your products or brand and include them in your captions and videos.
• Add a chatbot to your eCommerce store. A chatbot can help automate customer service on your TikTok storefront, providing users with quick answers to their questions and helping to increase engagement and sales.
• Grab your audience’s attention. TikTok users scroll through videos for hours; if the intro of your video doesn’t catch their attention, they will move on. Therefore, make sure you make a first impression that counts.
• Follow trending topics and challenges. Keep an eye on trending topics and challenges on TikTok and include them in your content to increase engagement and visibility.
• Use clear and strong CTAs. Including clear and strong calls to action in your content can encourage viewers to take action, whether that’s making a purchase or following your account.
• Include product links in your videos and bio. Adding product links to your videos and bio can make it easy for users to purchase products directly from your TikTok without leaving the app. By adding links, you can increase your sales and ROI.

Final Thoughts

TikTok’s popularity among younger generations and its engaging and addictive nature make it an ideal platform for eCommerce stores to showcase their products through creative and attention-grabbing videos. By using TikTok, eCommerce stores can expand their reach, increase brand awareness, drive traffic to their website, and ultimately boost sales.

Therefore, for eCommerce stores looking to tap into a wider audience and enhance their online presence, TikTok is a platform worth considering.

The post How to Use TikTok for eCommerce Marketing appeared first on Hongkiat.

The WooCommerce plugin allows you to easily sell almost any type of product by giving your visitors an intuitive and seamless on-brand buying experience to work from.

Many WordPress themes offer only partial WooCommerce support or none at all. Your objective should be to find a theme that easily integrates with or fully supports WooCommerce, including all available addons and extensions.

Whether you’re about to create a new WooCommerce site or redesign your current site, the following list of the 11 top WooCommerce themes will inspire you, and being able to choose the “best possible” theme from those 11 should be a given.

1. Be

The Biggest WordPress & WooCommerce Theme

BeTheme, being one of the fastest, lightest, and biggest WordPress and WooCommerce themes of them all, is certainly a “best possible” candidate with its 40+ powerful core features that include BeBuilder, 650+ professionally crafted prebuilt websites, BeBuilder Woo, Loop Builder, and a vast array of other web design tools, aids, and elements.

The 650+ prebuilt websites can serve as excellent sources of inspiration and get projects off to a quick start.

The BeBuilder Woo is the key core feature in that it will be instrumental in creating the exact custom store you want.

BeBuilder Woo helps you to do the following:

• Design versatile and engaging shop and single-product layouts.
• Incorporate customer-centric features ranging from product galleries and a sticky bottom menu to a drop-down customer login and account manager and a shopping cart that includes product photos and attributes.

With Be’s Loop Builder, you can take your design a step further by incorporating specialized sliders, blogs, portfolios, and Woo shop listings into your site.

Click on the banner to learn more about BeTheme’s WooCommerce features.

Learn more about Be

2. Jupiter X

Probably the Best WooCommerce Theme

Jupiter X is another great candidate. Ideal for WooCommerce websites, it highlights a host of customer-centric capabilities you can incorporate into your WooCommerce store.

Jupiter X is an Elementor theme, but it has replaced multiple Elementor Pro features with its own, including theme builder, theme styles, global widgets, custom codes, custom fonts, custom icons, motion effects, and native Popup Builder.

The theme’s WooCommerce feature base includes advanced shop features designed to optimize checkout, increase engagement, and drive sales and also consists of the following:

• True shop builder for building customized product, membership, and checkout pages, as well as single-step and multi-step checkouts.
• Checkout optimization features such as sales funnels, order bumps, personalized promotions, and smart checkout notices, along with Shopify-like checkouts with express checkout, inline form validation, sticky cart, advanced product filtering, variation swatches, and personalized product lists.

Click on the banner to find out everything Jupiter X can do for you.

Learn more about Jupiter X

3. Blocksy

Best Free E-commerce WordPress Theme

If free is a deciding factor, you might want to go with Blocksy, one of the best free eCommerce WordPress themes on the market.

Naturally, you will still want to know why it’s the best, and here are several reasons:

• Blocksy was built from scratch to be 100% compatible with the Gutenberg editor.
• Blocksy produces 100% clean code that is easily editable and maintainable.
• Features include a live preview function that can significantly reduce workflow interruptions, header and footer builders with multiple content and design options, and a content blocks feature that allows you to easily insert content anywhere throughout your website based on your conditions.

Click on the banner to find out more about what makes Blocksy the best.

Learn more about Blocksy

4. Total WordPress Theme

Its name alone suggests the Total WooCommerce-ready theme has every feature you need, and then some, to give your online store a unique and custom look.

Whether you use Total’s demo features and customize them with the WPBakery page builder or start from scratch, you have a wealth of tools to work with, including the following:

• 100+ builder modules, elements, and shortcodes.
• The Live WordPress Customizer can be used with advanced settings to change colors, widths, typography, and other design features.

Total is translation ready and SEO and developer friendly.

Learn more about Total

5. Avada WordPress & WooCommerce Theme

You can do many different things with a Swiss Army knife, and Avada has often been referred to as the Swiss Army knife of WordPress themes.

It is the ultimate multipurpose website, features a WooCommerce builder, and is one of the #1 best-selling themes ever.

• Avada is built for performance and is a responsive theme that adapts to every screen size.
• The WooCommerce builder makes it amazingly easy to create your shop, cart, checkout, archive, or product page layouts.

More than 750,000 first-time and professional web designers have fallen in love with Avada.

Learn more about Avada

6. Uncode

Creative & WooCommerce WordPress Theme

The Uncode WordPress theme is a long-time favorite, it is constantly being updated, and it is an Envato top seller with 100,000+ sales.

Envato has a proven track record of providing everything needed to create an ultimate shopping experience with features that include:

• Useful and impressive shop layouts, Uncode’s Product Builder, configurable Ajax product filters with variations swatches, product quick-view, catalog mode, and custom cart and checkout utilities.
• 70+ professionally crafted and importable mix-and-match pre-made designs and 500+ Wireframes sections.

Learn more about Uncode

7. Woodmart

WordPress WooCommerce Theme for Any Store

A quick look at Woodmart’s website suggests it has everything needed to create the ultimate online store. The home page is so realistic you’ll be tempted to order.

Browse this WordPress WooCommerce theme’s features, and you’ll see your initial impression was valid. Its key features include:

• Elementor shop and product page builders and a header builder.
• Custom checkout features.
• AJAX filters, product swatches, and search options.
• 80+ prebuilt one-click importable demo websites you can use as sources of inspiration as well as time savers.
• 400+ templates that are also ideal for quick prototyping.

Learn more about Woodmart

8. Rey

Exceptionally Intuitive WordPress WooCommerce Theme

Rey is a WooCommerce theme that offers so much in the way of WooCommerce website-building capabilities that you will most likely not have to rely on external plugins to get the results you want.

Its selections of feature-rich website demos, optional internal modules, and pre-designed templates serve to keep editing needs to a minimum.

The theme’s headers feature mega menus designed to make product browsing easier, a trust-building caller header, and a wishlist to save items for purchase later.

Rey’s streamlined checkout process can also help increase conversion rates by up to 30%.

Learn more about Rey

9. XStore

The Most Complete & Customizable WordPress WooCommerce Theme

XStore has, for much of the past 11 years, been known for its stunning, ready-to-go prebuilt stores, that now number more than 120. Together with a valuable selection of other website-building tools, these prebuilt stores have made XStore one of the most highly sought-after WooCommerce WordPress themes on the market.

Users also enjoy XStore’s:

• Full support for Elementor and WPBakery, header builder, single product page builder, and 500+ prebuilt blocks.
• $510 worth of premium plugins plus a built-in WooCommerce email builder.

XStore will give you incredible value for a small investment.

Learn more about XStore

10. Electro

Best WooCommerce theme for Affiliates, Dropship, and Marketplace Websites

The Electro WooCommerce theme is as modern, intuitive, and customizable as you will find anywhere. As you can see from Electro’s home page, it is also the go-to theme for building a WooCommerce electronics store.

• Electro’s design platform produces pixel-perfect design and delivers 100% clean code.
• Choose from seven awesome home pages and customize them any way you wish to make them your own.
• Key Electro features include customizable Header Styles, innovative WooCommerce layouts, and Elementor compatibility, allowing you to take your design proficiency to the next level.

Learn more about Electro

11. Hongo

Most Powerful WooCommerce WordPress Theme

The Hongo multipurpose WooCommerce WordPress theme is definitely worth checking out if you are searching for the “best possible” theme to create your WooCommerce store.

Reasons for selecting Hongo include:

• 12 stunning and impressive store demos, 200+ creative elements, and 250 templates that, together with the WordPress customizer, WPBakery builder, custom shortcodes, and Revolution Slider, will give you unlimited flexibility to create the online store you’ve envisioned.
• Hongo’s customer-centric highlights include quick view, compare products, wishlist, advanced filters, color swatches, product videos, and catalog mode.

Hongo’s online documentation is excellent, as is its highly-rated customer support.

Learn more about Hongo

Summary

WordPress WooCommerce themes are designed to help you create an eCommerce shop and sell your products. A number of these themes would be excellent choices, and we’ve listed 11 of the best of the bunch.

The “best possible” theme for you would depend on your particular needs and aspirations, although any of the above 11 top WooCommerce themes could very likely get the job done.

Take time to dig a little deeper, and you are certain to find the “best possible” among these top 11. You can then proceed to design and launch a successful online store.

The post 11 Top-Quality WooCommerce Themes to Boost Your Sales in 2023 appeared first on Hongkiat.

There are pros and cons to this.

On the pro side, a lot of the “make money quick” crowd and scammers that had such a negative effect on the image of blockchain brands have moved on.

They generally follow the money and that seems to be moving to AI for now.

The con side is that, as public conversations have moved away from blockchain, most people’s lasting impression of the space will be one of the scams, hacks, and shady actors.

Which is a real shame. These people will still be thinking that blockchain is nothing more than cryptocurrency exchanges or NFTs that are simple PFPs.

A little digging into the space will show you that there are some really cool solutions being created. Solutions built on blockchain that aim to make life easier by solving real-world problems.

one of the most powerful upcoming developments, in my opinion, is the growth of blockchain-based CRMs.

These things are set to revolutionize the way brands do business and attract new users. But no one wants to talk about them because there’s a lot of cash being thrown around in AI right now.

I’ll explain why these tools are so powerful shortly. Before I do, we need to understand even the basics of the blockchain and how apps work within the ecosystem.

A little blockchain 101

I won’t go into great detail on blockchain here. There are plenty of great guides online to explain what blockchain is and how it works.

In short, blockchain is an immutable public ledger. In simple terms, a record of transactions that anyone can see and no one can alter.

For example, if you know the wallet (kind of like the username) someone uses, you can see how they’ve interacted with blockchain projects.

Take the below as an example.

It’s a screenshot from a service called Etherscan, which helps you look at the on-chain data (information from blockchain transactions) to understand how someone is interacting. In this case, specifically with people and brands based on the Ethereum blockchain.

This is one of my own wallets we’re looking at.

You can see what that wallet has interacted with and, if money has been sent, how much, and to whom.

Which is kinda cool.

But how does this actually help any businesses?

The business opportunity a public ledger provides for brands

Here’s where I think the real opportunity for marketers and brands in Web3 lies.

Co-promotions and networking have always been great for brands and businesses to quickly increase their reach.

Find a brand that’s not a competitor but has an overlapping audience, and work out some form of co-promotion to expose your offer to their audience.

A simple promotion like this can bring hundreds or thousands of new users.

The problem, right now, is that getting a collaboration like this approved can be timely and it’s not guaranteed.

You could spend days pursuing a potential collaboration only to finally have the other side say “no thanks, it’s not the right time for us”.

In Web3, everything is public on the blockchain, meaning you can find people who like offers similar to yours without having to go through any gatekeepers.

Let’s head back to my wallet and look for an example.

As you can see below, I interacted with a wallet owned by Binance, the largest crypto exchange.

If I click on the link that says “Binance 18” it’ll bring up all of the people who have interacted with that specific Binance wallet.

It’s basically a huge list of people interested in and who use one of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchanges.

If I have an offer that would appeal to those people, I can easily pull a list of them without breaking any confidentiality rules because the list is publicly available.

Imagine if you could do this with an email list.

How valuable would it be to head to a website where there’s a publicly available list of emails who have bought from brands like yours?

That’s essentially what this is.

The only difference is you’re getting access to an identifier. not a communication channel.

Current problem with blockchain data & how CRM could solve it

The first major problem you’ve probably noticed is that your list of “people” is nothing more than weird strings of letters and numbers.

With that being the only identifier, you can’t realistically reach out to them.

If you do want to reach out to them, you have to somehow marry that string of characters to a channel where you can make contact.

I’ve seen plenty of Web3 projects try this. They generally have to resort to using a simple excel sheet which, as you’d imagine, becomes quite cumbersome and difficult to manage.

Here’s the process they often use to populate the sheet with ideal users.

1. Click through the “to” wallet address
2. Check if they’ve registered an ENS domain (those .eth usernames)
3. If they have, head to a platform like Twitter and search for that ENS Domain
4. Hope they also use it for their Twitter account
5. If they have, add them and their Twitter account to the sheet

This process has a low hit rate of matching wallet addresses to social accounts.

It’s also massively time-consuming.

This is where a good Web3 CRM comes in. A blockchain-based CRM is built around user wallets.

You’ll be able to quickly build a list of wallets interested in similar offers to yours and add them to an excel list.

Which is great for 2 reasons.

1. You don’t have to waste time manually building lists of long confusing character strings
2. It preserves the user’s personal details and privacy – all you have is their wallet address

But hold on, you might be thinking, how do you then reach out to these users if you just have a wallet address?

Here’s the cool thing.

The better blockchain CRMs will allow you to add these users to marketing funnels that are built around their wallets.

For example, you’ll be able to send those wallets a simple airdrop NFT (something you send to their wallet for free).

According to Blocksee, these Airdrop campaigns have a 100% delivery rate as opposed to emails average open rate of 17-28%.

That delivery rate should mean your outreach is seen by more people. Add a great incentive, say a 10% discount, if they sign up for more, and you’ll populate your customer list with a lot of new interested people.

And as they’ve now opted in, you have their details to add them to a more traditional nurture sequence for more sales.

All this in a fraction of the time it would take to do manually.

It should also provide far better results as the offers are based on people who have exhibited an action showing they like offers similar to yours.

There’s a growing number of blockchain CRMs on the market (we have a growing list of the best Web3 CRMs here), but if you’re thinking about trying one out, here’s what you want to be looking for.

Dashboard that collates potential customer wallets

Great CRMs have always been about segmenting your potential customers so you can hit them with the best offers at the right time.

CRMs in Web3 are no different. The benefit here is that they can (and should) pull wallets from blockchain transactions and collate them into relevant lists for you to market to.

For example, you could set them up so they pull people into lists like…

• Interacted with direct competitor
• Interacted with indirect competitor
• Interacted with brands covering similar interests
• Who our customers have interacted with

You’ll end up with a wealth of information and multiple lists for marketing.

From there, you’ll be able to generate better campaigns. For example…

Use data to inform campaigns within the CRM

A good CRM is about more than segmentation. It’s also about communication.

With lists of people who have interacted with your competition and knowing which other brands your users love, you have a very powerful set of data.

The CRM should then let you run targeted marketing campaigns. That might include…

Marketing to interested users

Once you’ve found users interested in similar offers, you could airdrop (send something to their wallet for free) them something that entitles them to a freebie with your offer.

You know they’re interested in what you do. They just might not know you exist.

So giving them a freebie or welcome discount could get them to your brand without any real hassle on your part.

Imagine if Adidas could message everyone who’s bought a pair of Nike’s in the last year an offer to get 10% off a new pair of shoes.

Finding new collaborators

Marketing tends to follow patterns.

If a large portion of your best users is also great customers of Brand X, there’s a chance that Brand X has other users that would love your offer.

And that you have users who would love theirs.

Armed with the data of the overlap, you could reach out to their team and see if there’s a chance of a co-promotion to benefit you both.

Because you have the data that X% of your users also use theirs, it’s a much easier sell.

Simple data and analytics readouts

Finally, you’ll want decent data readouts.

This way you can better track how the campaigns you’re running are working and figure out what to drop and what to double down on.

In summary

To cut a long story short, a lot of people are trying to move on from blockchain. Its sexiness has been taken over for now by AI.

Thing is, there are some really powerful benefits to having a public ledger.

It’s basically a big list you can filter to find people who have taken action that shows they’re interested in what you offer.

A decent wallet-based CRM will allow you to filter and organize those potential customers so you can reach out to them with offers that bring them to your brand.

When else in history has there been such a simple yet powerful way to approach people who could benefit from your brand’s offer?

The post How Blockchain CRMs will Simplify Marketing for Brands appeared first on Hongkiat.

Whether you can’t use PayPal service or don’t want to use it, there are many reliable alternatives to PayPal for making online transactions. Below I have evaluated 5 of the best PayPal alternatives that make online money transfers easier.

1. Wise

Wise, formally known as TransferWise, is my choice for international transactions owing to its amazingly low fee and mid-market exchange rates.

For any transaction, TransferWise simply charges 1% of the total amount transferred with the minimum being $3, it’s almost 1/3 of the fee that PayPal charges.

Best of all, it uses a mid-market exchange rate for conversion, therefore you are sure to get the best rates without Wise’s fee.

Another great feature is that the transferred amount is directly deposited into the receiver’s bank account. The sender can pay through both bank accounts or a debit/credit card (debit/credit card fee may incur depending on the bank).

Apart from personal transactions, TransferWise also offers a neat solution for businesses with its Borderless accounts feature.

The fee is the same as personal transactions but without the minimum transaction fee. You’ll get a comprehensive dashboard to manage all your transactions in multiple currencies and even make automatic payments.

The payment processing time is really fast as well. Although it says it could take 2-4 days, I have never seen a delay over one day.’

Wise’s transaction fees and charges

1% fee on all transactions with a minimum $3 fee on all personal transactions.

What we like:

What we don’t like

More Wise-related links:

• Help page
• Sign Up
• Contact TW
• TW Currency Converter

2. Skrill

Skrill is very similar to PayPal in working. You attach a bank account or debit/card to your Skrill account and send/receive money. The service only charges 1.9% fee for a transfer between Skrill wallets.

It’s still quite less than PayPal and there are no dedicated rates for different countries/currencies.

However, the problem comes with international money transfers where the accounts use different currencies. Skrill charges a 3.99% fee on the currency conversion, so the international transfer can cost nearly 6% of the total amount.

Things get even worse if your bank currency isn’t supported by Skrill (40 currencies are supported). Money conversion will be involved receiving money and withdrawing it to your bank account. And your bank may even add some fee . All this could lead to up to 12-15% fee on just receiving/sending money.

If you are living in Europe, then you can also get a free Skrill Prepaid Mastercard to directly use the money in Skrill wallet wherever Mastercard is accepted. Although not as widely accepted as PayPal, but many online stores accept payment via Skrill. This includes GoDaddy, Shutterstock, Skype, Playing Asia, and others.

Skrill’s transaction fees and charges

1.9% fixed fee on transactions with each currency conversion in the process costing a 3.99% fee.

What we like:

What we don’t like

More Skrill-related links:

• Support
• Pricing
• Sign up

3. Transfast

Transfast is very similar to TransferWise as it lets you direct deposit to the bank account of the receiver. However, only US residents can use the service to send money worldwide.

It supports online transactions in the USA and 50 other countries. Some of the unsupported PayPal countries are also supported.

Transfast charges a fixed $4.99 on every transaction and charges no fee over $1000 transfers. Transfers to some countries are also free, such as India or Nigeria.

Unfortunately, it uses its own exchange rates for currency conversion that depends on the currency itself. However, the exchange rate is quite competitive. You can check it on the Transfast calculator.

Transfast’s transaction fees and charges

$4.99 fixed fee on transactions and no fees for transactions above $1000. It has competitive exchange rates that you can calculate on its pricing page.

What we like:

What we don’t like

More Transfast-related links:

• FAQ
• Contact Transfast
• Sign Up
• Transaction fees

4. Payoneer

Payoneer is quite different from PayPal, but it is still a great online transaction method. Payoneer works through a Payoneer Mastercard that is sent to your home for free with a yearly maintenance fee of $25 (charged at the end of the year). You can use the card anywhere where Mastercard is accepted.

Payoneer is mainly created to help you receive payments from US companies like Wish, Fiverr, PayPal and over 3500 more. You can then withdraw the payment using an ATM or spend it right from the Mastercard.

There is no fee for sending and receiving payments from other Payoneer card users. And there is a 2% withdrawal fee when you withdraw the money in your local currency.

However, if you are receiving money from a company, they may charge a fee of their own (check the company page for this).

Related post: How to Request Payment via Payoneer

Payoneer’s transaction fees and charges

Free transactions between two Payoneer accounts. 2% fee on withdrawing money via ATM.

What we like:

What we don’t like

More Payoneer-related links:

• FAQ
• Pricing
• Sign up
• Contact Payoneer

5. Xpress Money

Xpress Money is a good option for cheap money transfer between 165+ countries. Understanding the fee structure can be a little difficult, but their Currency Converter can do all the calculations for you.

The fee depends on where you are sending the amount, but usually, it’s anywhere between 1-2% of the total amount. On top of that, if the amount is big enough, there will be no fee (depending on the sent currency). For example, the transactions are free for AUD currency if it’s above AUD 300.

Of course, they do have their exchange rate, but the rates are very competitive and even better than Transfast. You can send money from both nearby agents and online accounts. However, the online account is only limited to a few countries, such as the USA, Australia, and the United Kingdom, etc.

Xpress Money also offers multiple ways to receive the amount. You can get a cash pick from the agent (over 200,000 agents worldwide), receive it in a bank account, or even get it delivered to your doorstep for free (supported countries only).

Depending on receiving method it could take anywhere between 2-5 days to receive money. Although for cash pick-ups, I always received the amount the next day.

Xpress Money’s transaction fees

The fee depends on the currency you are sending, but usually it’s between 1-2%. The transactions also become free after a specific threshold. You can check its currency converter (link above) for the exact fee estimate and currency exchange rate.

What we like:

What we don’t like:

The post 5 PayPal Alternatives for Online Transactions appeared first on Hongkiat.

Email marketing has advanced by leaps and bounds in the last few years. In 2022, interactive elements, hyper-personalization, and increased focus on customer data security were the most important email marketing trends. Like every year, we are likely to see some new trends in the world of email marketing in 2023, too.

Let’s take a look at the different trends forecasted in the email marketing world in the coming years.

1. Customer Data Platforms will Gain Momentum

Cross-channel customer data will be used more aggressively to make important decisions for email and digital marketing programs. This has become so pronounced because of the sunsetting of third-party cookies, the launch of Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection, and App Tracking Transparency.

However, the problem is that the data is spread in different databases that are out of sync.  

To combat this issue, marketers will adopt customer data platforms and collate the data in a single repository. Consequently, it will ensure better data hygiene, mobilization of the data for usage across different channels, and enhanced access to it. It will translate to smarter automation with better segmentation and personalization.

2. Adoption of BIMI will Increase

BIMI, or Brand Indicators for Message Identification, is a protocol that allows brands to display their logo beside the sender name in the inbox. It will grow to be a must-have as marketers will prioritize security. With the increasing cyber threats, BIMI will help prevent spoofing attempts and fraudulent emails.

As users can view the brand’s logo, it will build their confidence and increase the open rate. Consequently, it will enhance your sender’s reputation and email deliverability rate too. Although the implementation of BIMI is an intricate process and time-intensive, it is worth all the effort in the long run.

The good news is that all the major email clients will support BIMI in the coming days. You will have the upper hand if you are among the early adopters of this trend.

Here’s how Everlane has applied BIMI in their emails.

3. Marketers will Choose Modular Email Templates

In simple words, modular emails refer to reusable email templates with editable blocks. These blocks serve a definite purpose; you can rearrange, add, or remove them according to the type of email you are sending. It helps scale up email template production while saving human effort and time.

Using modular email templates will also provide better branding and maintain email consistency. They will give you more flexibility and creativity as you will not have to design or code emails from scratch.

This approach can be especially beneficial during the holidays when you are facing a resource crunch and have too many email campaigns to send. Agencies can also take this approach when they have to cater to too many clients along with in-house email campaigns.

4. A/B Testing will Revive its Popularity

There is an ocean of information on email A/B testing and how to execute it effectively. Given these readily available resources, more marketers are employing them to optimize their email campaigns.

It is not just limited to marketing emails or newsletters but also extends to automated emails. ESPs like Mailchimp offer the feature of multivariate testing too so that marketers can test multiple elements at a time.

Look at this screenshot to understand how A/B testing works.

5. A.I will Hugely Impact Email Marketing

Not only large enterprises, small businesses will also use GPT3-type tools to create content for their emails. AI-powered technology will help automatically generate images according to user preferences. It will use Natural Language Processing (NLP) to draft more impactful emails that will bring better results.

Moreover, advanced CRM tools like Marketo and Salesforce have the feature of Predictive Analytics and lead scoring model. It will allow you to send hyper-personalized emails that will be more appealing to the readers.

6. The Use of Videos for Email Engagement will Increase

Videos can convey what long paragraphs of text and photos can’t. They can be used to demonstrate your product or share a preview of your last event. You can effectively use videos to draw the user’s attention and enhance your storytelling. They can also show emotion and add a human touch to your emails.

7. Marketers will be More Aware of Customer’s Journey

With technological advancement and easy access to data, marketers will have a better understanding of the customers and their preferences. They can build more relevant email campaigns according to the customer’s journey. As ESPs offer seamless integrations with third-party tools, targeting customers with behavioral emails becomes even more convenient.

8. Special Kits will be Available for Deliverability Testing

Maintaining an optimum deliverability rate is crucial for the success of any email campaign. Special deliverability kits will allow you to test general deliverability and check whether an email is likely to land in the spam folder.

Tools like Bouncer provide this feature and make sure that you have a high sender score. It will allow you to determine your email deliverability in three easy steps:

9. Clicks & Conversions will be the Main Parameters to Measure Email Engagement

Apple has launched Mail Privacy Protection Policy, according to which all emails received will be marked as opened, regardless of whether they are opened. It will also let users hide their IP address, location, and activity on the device.

So, open rate will no longer be a reliable metric. As a result, marketers will have to switch to click-through rate, conversions, and replies as standard metrics.

10. Marketers will Turn to Long-form Email Content

Popular opinion endorses short and sweet email content. However, some brands have challenged this thought and incorporated long-form content in their emails and newsletters.

Subscribers like reading longer emails if they are value-packed and insightful. They show no dip in engagement compared to the traditional two- or three-fold emails. So, many marketers will experiment with this trend in 2023 and in years to come.

Wrapping Up

If you track the email marketing trends, you will realize how far emails have come from what they used to be. Incorporate these trends in your future emails, and your subscribers will surely look forward to hearing from you.

The post 10 Email Marketing Trends to Expect in 2023 and Beyond appeared first on Hongkiat.

Email finder tools are software programs that help businesses quickly and accurately find the email addresses of potential customers. These tools use a variety of methods to search for and extract email addresses from the Internet, including web scraping, data mining, and social media scraping.

One of the main benefits of email finder tools is their ability to save time and improve efficiency. By automating the process of finding email addresses, businesses can focus on more important tasks such as crafting personalized and effective email campaigns.

Another advantage of email finder tools is their accuracy. Many of these tools use advanced algorithms and techniques to verify and validate the email addresses they find, ensuring that businesses are reaching the right people with their messages.

Also, your sales team is the engine that drives your business, so it’s important to ensure they have the right tools to make their job easier. These automated tools help you locate contact information quickly and accurately, so your sales team can focus on what matters most – closing deals. Let’s take a look at how these tools work and why they are essential for any sales team.

How email finder tools work

Email finder tools use algorithms to search the web for contact information based on criteria such as name, job title, company name, location, and more. The results are then compiled into a list of contacts with all the relevant contact details – including email addresses – available in one place.

This helps you build targeted lists of potential leads in just a few clicks, saving your sales team precious time and energy that can be used elsewhere.

Benefits of email finder tools

The biggest advantage of using an email finder tool is that it eliminates manual data entry and increases efficiency in contacting leads. Having accurate contact information readily available means you don’t waste valuable resources trying to track down old or outdated contacts.

This ensures that your sales team can reach out to high-quality leads faster than ever, ultimately leading to more conversions and higher profits for your business.

Additionally, using an email finder tool allows you to stay organized when dealing with large numbers of leads since all the data will be stored in one place.

Best email finder tools

There are many different email finder tools available, and the right one for your business will depend on your specific needs and goals. Here are some email finder tools that can help you run your business.

1. LeadIQ

LeadIQ uses web scraping and data mining techniques to find the email addresses of potential customers. It also offers lead qualification and scoring capabilities to help sales reps prioritize their outreach.

In addition, LeadIQ offers integrations with popular CRM systems and email marketing platforms, making it easy to import and manage found emails.

2. AeroLeads

AeroLeads builds an email list in real-time using web and social media scraping. It also offers integrations with popular CRM systems, making it easy to import and manage found emails. Some of its features include email verification, integration with popular CMS, and automation of prospecting among others.

3. Anymail Finder

A reliable email finder, Anymail Finder can find any email address through web scraping and data mining. Plus, there are email verification capabilities in the tool to ensure the accuracy of found emails.

Moreover, you can search for email addresses through their names, company name, or domain name. Plus, you can export found emails in various formats.

4. FindThatLead

A B2B sales prospecting tool, FindThatLead helps you enrich your database with potential customers based on location, industry, or keywords.

It also offers lead qualification and scoring capabilities to help sales reps prioritize their outreach. The tool is ideal for sales teams, recruiters, B2B companies, and growth hackers etc.

5. ContactOut

Find emails and phone numbers of more than 250 million professionals with ContactOut. It also offers integrations with popular CRM systems, making it easy to import and manage found emails.

Additionally, it allows users to search for email addresses by name, company, or domain and offers the ability to export found emails in various formats.

Clearbit Connect

Clearbit Connect makes it easy to get emails of professionals from any field. It also offers email verification capabilities to ensure the accuracy of found emails. From names and companies to domain names, you can find email addresses and export them in various formats.

7. LeadFuze

LeadFuze offers lead qualification and scoring capabilities to help sales reps prioritize their outreach. It also enables users to search for email addresses by name, company, or domain and offers the ability to export found emails in various formats.

8. Snov.io

Snov.io has a database of over 260 million email addresses. Using web and media scraping, it also offers integrations with popular CRM systems, making it easy to import and manage found emails.

The collected emails have a 98% accuracy and you’ll be able to get names, company information, country/ state and many other aspects about your prospects.

9. Findthat.Email

Findthat.Email helps you find the email address of millions of professionals worldwide. It features a bulk email finder, email verification, finding prospects in social media networks, and integration with more than 500 apps.

Conclusion

Overall, email finder tools can be powerful tools for businesses looking to automate their sales efforts and reach more potential customers. By streamlining the process of finding email addresses and verifying their accuracy, businesses can more effectively reach and engage with their target audience.

Email finder tools are essential to any successful sales process because they automate tedious tasks like finding contact information and help maximize efficiency across teams.

By providing accurate contact information quickly, these automated tools empower your sales team by giving them more time to focus on what matters most – closing deals and driving revenue for your business. Investing in a reliable email finder tool could be just what your organization needs to take its performance to the next level!

The post Automating Sales with Email Finder Tools appeared first on Hongkiat.

This article will analyze various strategies to start building these quality connections. Still, first, we will begin with the definition and why it’s crucial in 2022 to adopt new lead generation strategies.

What is lead generation? Why is it vital for businesses?

Lead generation is the process of collecting valuable information about potential customers interested in your product or service. This challenging task is essential for every organization as it is the most effective way to build a long-term success plan that increases brand awareness and revenue.

But, how can you have a recurring source of qualified leads is the real question? Here are some of the best strategies you can use today to build a high-converting machine of leads.

Strategies to generate leads

Here are five strategies you can refer to when it comes to generating leads:

1. Leverage email marketing,
2. Focus on your blog’s content,
3. Leverage downloadable content,
4. Start a podcast, and
5. Create a series of webinars.

1. Leverage email marketing

Email marketing remains one of the best ways to build a solid relationship with potential customers and generate high-quality leads for your business.

Yes, if someone subscribed to your email list, they’re already possibly a lead. Still, email is critical for determining whether those marketing leads are worth pursuing. With minimal sales activity and lead scoring, you can guide them through your sales funnel and improve their experience.

To help this audience understand your brand’s values better, you need an email marketing tool like Moosend to take this process on autopilot.

With a drag-and-drop email builder and real-time analytics to track your campaigns, you can create the ideal customer journey to turn new subscribers into qualified leads. However, you can also leverage cold email outreach to generate more sales leads.

Email marketers know how to put out the effort and use this strategy to fuel the list of their sales team. The first step in this process is to compile a high-quality list of email addresses. You can do this with a tool like Hunter to find people’s email addresses.

A solid list is the only way to get decent results with a cold email. Then, you can use personalization which can be super effective, and be creative with an exciting email design to pique your recipient’s attention.

Remember that having an email design that looks professional and the correct email copywriting is vital when cold emailing. That’s why a high-converting template can be your best friend in this kind of scenario, and having an email editor to customize any parameter to your brand’s voice is essential.

At the end of the day, email is becoming the vehicle to introduce your brand to new audiences, and it’s an excellent tool for collecting quality leads.

2. Focus on your blog’s content

Content should be the foundation of your lead generation strategy that feeds your sales pipeline with high-quality leads.

Your content can take several forms like 3,000-word in-depth guides, case studies with success stories, and detailed insights from various industries.

Putting hours into creating this kind of in-depth content isn’t a guarantee of success. If you’re serious about using content marketing as an effective lead generation strategy, you’ll need to devote as much effort to content distribution as you do to content creation.

Therefore, building relationships with the right people — those who are likely to convert into leads and eventually customers — should be at the heart of your content marketing approach.

Think about why you’re investing in content as a lead generation strategy in the first place and how you’ll put that strategy into action.

Try to answer questions such as:

• Which pain points of our potential customers can we solve with free content?
• How can we climb the Google SERPs in these topics?
• Which form of the content does our audience prefer?

To create content that converts and generates leads, you must be a teacher concerned about your students’ future (customers).

Returning to our earlier point, how you distribute your content is just as crucial for acquiring more leads. Organic search is the primary traffic source for most blogs. When someone searches for a specific term on Google, they’ll see several results.

As a result, you need to develop primarily evergreen content that is purposely tailored to rank well in organic search results for the specific keywords.

Climbing to the top of the search rankings is a long process that requires a combination of time, a large number of backlinks from high-domain-authority websites (achieved through tactics like guest posting, link outreach, and partnerships) social shares, and various other factors.

3. Leverage downloadable content (Lead magnets)

Content upgrades are an excellent strategy to generate leads. You can gain new subscribers effortlessly with quality content and that extra sauce in the form of lead magnets.

You can have several types of lead magnets like guides, checklists, case studies, etc., which can add deeper insights into the main article. The advantage of crafting such content in the form of downloadable PDFs as a lead generation tactic is the speed it can be produced.

Using information from your blog, you can build a guide, for example, in a few hours. This is how it works:

1. Research blog posts that share different perspectives on the same topic.
2. Compile the information into a Google Doc.
3. Structure them from beginning to end.
4. Add some visuals.
5. Create a cover.

Now you’re ready to use this content within your blog content, landing pages, and even social media. Once you have a few different lead-generating materials at your disposal, start collecting them together, creating collections.

Then use your pop-ups to get their attention and convert readers into new subscribers. Another great approach is exit-intent pop-ups which detect when a visitor is about to exit your website and instantly fire a reminder offer with your downloadable content.

4. Start a podcast

Many businesses hesitate to start a podcast because they don’t understand the ROI. If your organization invests time and money, you want to pay it off somehow. So, how can you make podcasting profitable?

A podcast can serve as an easy way for potential customers to learn more about your company. Then it’s only a matter of taking the necessary steps to convert them from listeners to buyers.

Share valuable episodes

To create leads from a podcast, each episode must provide tangible value. Helping others is the best strategy to grow an audience and sell your products or services.

Business podcasts focusing on solving customer pain points are similar to how a marketer treats the blog to rank higher on Google. However, the system will only work if you have a solid foundation. You must create appealing audio to the ear and likely resonate with your target audience.

Lead Magnets

Listeners will not hand you their personal information only because you ask. As mentioned earlier in the article, you have to leverage lead magnets.

Try several approaches to see which generates the most leads.

Your lead magnet, whatever it is, must impress your audience to engage and take action.

Create a high-converting landing page

The next step is to craft a dedicated landing page to place your lead magnet with an email gate. An email-gate is a technology that only sends your lead magnet to people who fill a form with their contact information.

You could choose to construct your own landing pages from scratch if you have an in-house developer; however, most brands prefer to use landing page builders.

Send traffic to your landing page

Listeners aren’t going to find your landing page by accident. You must explicitly guide them and provide a clear cause for them to do so. This entails including recorded call-to-actions (CTAs) in your podcast episodes.

In each of your episodes, you should include three CTAs:

• Pre-roll: Short CTA at the start of the episode
• Mid-roll: Placed in the middle of the podcast
• Post-roll: Repeat the CTA at the end of the podcast.

Many podcast listeners skip the beginning of episodes to avoid commercials; thus, your mid-roll CTA is likely the most significant because of higher engagement.

Use email marketing to drive sales

The last step is to use email marketing to convert your leads into customers. Especially if you don’t have a large marketing budget, email is the ideal way to communicate your message with your audience. Giving your podcast email list members exclusive discounts will help you sell more of your products or services.

Listeners who become leads are more engaged with your brand, so rewarding them for their devotion makes sense. Thus, it’s important to emphasize the offer’s exclusivity in your marketing campaigns.

5. Create a series of webinars

The webinar is one of the most effective ways to set your company apart from its competition. This form of content allows you to engage your audience and produce new leads.

As a result, you can build a community relationship based on your company’s experience. While many brands attempt to use webinars to gain a competitive advantage, many fail to generate leads. So, how can you prepare and deliver a webinar that will help you generate more leads?

Understand your ideal audience

Like any other type of content marketing, webinars must have a clear customer persona.

Every webinar has a defined audience, but if you want to use this tactic to sell services, you’ll need to pay much more attention to this aspect of the process.

Surveys, quizzes, analytics tools, and the list of registered users help figure out how to arrange your content to get the most remarkable results.

Instead of just asking for their names and email addresses, find out more about their job function. This type of information will help create a fantastic webinar.

Present your value proposition

Customers have one key concern when deciding which webinars to attend: the content quality they will receive.

Social proof is one of several tools you can leverage to deliver value to customers. It can be customer testimonials, comments, or reviews from past webinars.

Make your webinar accessible on-demand

Your webinar will hopefully grab the attention of multiple potential customers, but how many of them will be able to attend live?

Although attendance at a specific time is vital for a webinar’s effectiveness, it should not be a requirement. Most webinar attendees are looking for on-demand experiences, and you should provide that option to boost lead generation.

We’ve grown consuming content whenever we want it, as seen by the enormous success of Netflix and Spotify. As a result, use a webinar platform that allows replays to reach a larger audience.

Co-host your webinar

A webinar can be difficult to set up on your own, so inviting a collaborator with the requisite skills isn’t bad. It will introduce your platform to a new audience.

Find a partner offering a product or service that matches yours to ensure your webinar produces as many leads as possible for both sides.

The idea is for your webinar partner to work with you rather than against you. As a result, you don’t want to invite anyone who sells similar products to yours or competes directly with your brand.

If you decide to go that route, coordinate your promotional efforts with your partner. Co-marketing will be critical to achieving the most outstanding results.

The Takeaway

Marketing is becoming more and more challenging, with every organization wanting to get the attention of the same pool of leads. Therefore, getting ahead of the curve and approaching the right potential customers effectively for your brand is vital.

The strategies mentioned in this article are the tip of the iceberg, but with these tactics in your arsenal, you can create a fantastic customer journey and succeed with your lead generation process. Valuable content is necessary, and the tools to distribute that material are even more critical.

Focus on finding out what works best and aligns with your business goals, and make data-driven decisions to pivot when you don’t get the right results.

Until the next one, keep collecting those leads.

The post 5 Strategies to Generate Qualified Leads For 2023 appeared first on Hongkiat.

If you already have a WordPress website ready for your online store, then it could be a great idea to move forward with this CMS. On top of that, optimizing WordPress for eCommerce is relatively less time-consuming.

On the other hand, Shopify is outstanding for those who don’t have an eCommerce website yet and are looking for a dedicated solution. It comes with a tonne of advanced features to make your life easier.

Let’s dive deep into the details.

Overview of Shopify vs. WordPress

Both are the best platforms in their own parameters irrespective of features, pros, cons, and advantages. But to make the most of any of these platforms, you have to analyze and consider many factors like the scale of the application and technical complexity.

Both Shopify and WordPress are big players in the CMS world. Let’s explore more.

Shopify

More than just an easy eCommerce store builder, Shopify is a closed source with an amazing range of features and hosted approach that is simple and has a distinctive way of designing an e-commerce website. It handles and manages everything for you to run your store hassle-free. All you need to do is set up your account with signup formalities, and then you’re all set to add or sell products.

One interesting fact that makes Shopify a perfect choice for eCommerce websites is its full customization ability by which you can edit your website’s HTML and CSS code. With brief coding skills, you can customize your stores more extensively per your needs.

WordPress

WordPress is one of the popular website-building software that you can install into your web server. It is an extremely flexible platform that’s easy to use if you have coding skills. Many of us believe that WordPress is free of cost; yes, it’s true. But it’s a half-truth!

There are some additional costs for hosting solutions and other features or plugins that you cannot ever overlook.

One interesting thing about WordPress is it comes with access to amazing WordPress plugins and tools that make your eCommerce site or store’s checkout process or storefront easily navigable and accessible.

Shopify Features

Mobile-Responsive Themes

Shopify has mobile-responsive themes, ten free themes, and 64 premium themes. The benefit of themes is you can automatically design your site according to screen preferences and other prerequisites. In addition, different themes will make your eCommerce store look spectacular and professionally designed.

Best Analytics

Shopify offers an abundance of built-in analytics features that can help you to keep track of your eCommerce site. You can track customer behavior, total sales, average order value, stock levels, and conversion tracking. This way, you’ll have a complete understanding of how your business is running and whether it needs any optimizations for better results or not!

Robust and scalable

Shopify will take care of the e-commerce site owner’s realistic needs to take the business to the next level. Built with security in mind, this platform will effectively handle sudden traffic spurts or increasing traffic over time.

In-House App Store

Shopify has an in-house app that contains over 1200 plugins. It simply means you can use these apps and plugins to automate and streamline your site to make it run faster while also enhancing the efficiency of other processes of your business management like accounting and shipping.

PROS

CONS

Better Security

Shopify understands that customers no longer want to wait to complete a transaction or load a site’s page. Therefore, it provides 100% SSL to make eCommerce sites work fast and securely. Also, as customers pay via different payment gateways such as credit cards, it takes responsibility to keep their data safe. It hires cybersecurity experts to keep its website hack-proof so that it can keep checkouts fast and secure customer’s confidential information.

WordPress Features

Free and Open Source

WordPress is a free and open-source platform. It has become a perfect choice for startups and small businesses to create an online selling platform. Only a few of its extensions for site management are payable. Rest, with brief knowledge about the programming, you can easily set it up and use it.

100% Customizable

The freedom to choose your favorable design and theme is what makes it a 100% customizable and professional choice for an eCommerce site. WordPress is filled with tons of features and a choice of Millions of website owners. Based on your choice and preference, you can design a header, footer, checkout page, product page, and much more.

Flexible Inventory Management

The highly rich and intuitive user interface will help you create, add, and manage your product and inventory in real time. You can manage inventory quite well by regularly keeping track of what products your eCommerce store needs and what is under stock.

Uncompromised Cybersecurity

With the number of cyber threats increasing day by day, hackers are coming up with more sophisticated methods to steal the valuable data of your and your valuable users. WordPress prioritizes privacy and protection in users’ activities after visiting a site. It creates a secure environment for them to help your eCommerce site stay ahead of security issues.

The WordPress security team, in collaboration with the WordPress Core Leadership Team and backed by the WordPress global community, works to identify and resolve security issues in the core software available for distribution and installation at WordPress.org.

Loads of Extensions

To boost customer experience, you may require additional features and functionalities to satisfy them with their purchase. WordPress has many beautiful extensions, paid or free, that you can choose to give your eCommerce site a new look and your potential users a great customer experience.

SEO Capabilities

SEO is very important for an eCommerce site to help it achieve the top spot in the SERPs. A big thanks to WordPress’s useful SEO capabilities that are not challenging anymore and can perform well in optimizing your site speed and boosting traffic. With amazing plugins and extensions such as Yoast, you can boost your site speed and make SEO a simple yet easy job.

PROS

CONS

Which is Better?

After reading the article, you may conclude which is better for your eCommerce website. Though it’s quite difficult to say which one is best over another, if you have outlined your eCommerce site’s goals for what you want to create and achieve from it, you may quickly make a wise decision. We hope this article has given you a clearer view of each platform, and you can quickly design your eCommerce site in no time.

Rest, if you need help with Shopify or WordPress designing, you can consult the best website developers. With their knowledge and understanding, they’ll enlighten your on the way to choose the best platform and help you design a stunning and scalable website.

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