Tuesday, September 19

#1 - 📆 We have dates for Prime Big Deal Days

📰 TL;DR - Amazon has confirmed the dates for Prime Dig Deal Days: Oct. 10 and 11. The 48-hour event is like a softer version of Prime Day, which traditionally takes place in the summer. The goal seems to be an early kick-off to the holiday shopping season ahead of Black Friday—Cyber Monday. Some early participants will include Sony, Dyson, SharkNinja, LG, and Barbie, which makes sense given that home goods, electronics, and toys tend to be big sellers on Prime Days, but also for BFCM.

💡 Insight - It’s not unusual to see a Prime event in the fall but what’s notable here is there’s been a lot of research showing that people are starting their holiday shopping early this year, like in October, and well before BFCM. So it just makes sense that Amazon wants to get in on that trend with this event. If you’re an Amazon seller, expect this event to be less of a to-do than Prime Day in the summer, but given the shopping predictions for this season, it makes sense to participate. Still, I would save most of your efforts for BFCM, if you have to choose.

➡️ You can read the article here...

#2 - 🤔 Should you pluralize keywords?

📰 TL;DR - Oh boy do I love getting nerdy about SEO. This data study looks at when you should, and shouldn’t, be considering pluralized keywords. It really comes down to search intent to determine whether someone is going to search, for example, “black dresses,” or “black dress.” There’s some general philosophy here that a category page should chase the plural, but a product page should chase the singular. Generally, though, you may find yourself ranking for both. This also digs into how to make these decisions. Sometimes you’re working with a single page you need to think about, but sometimes you need to make decisions in bulk.

💡 Insight - This is a great and thorough read. What I also found interesting is how plural vs. not fits into the funnel. When someone is simply searching a product type, it makes more sense that they’d use a pluralized keyword. That would ideally bring them to pages designed for higher up in the funnel. When searching for a singular keyword, that may imply they’re more intent on actually making a purchase. This piece also includes an experiment to suss out intent, so give it a read and nerd out with me.

➡️ You can read the article here...

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#3 - 💃🏽 What TikTok’s BFCM plans mean for brands

📰 TL;DR - We learned the other day that TikTok is planning some steep discounts for BFCM of up to 50%, and they’ll be subsidized by TikTok. That means Amazon, Walmart, and other social platforms should expect some fierce competition. For brands, it means TikTok is trying its darndest to get your attention and your ad dollars. As this piece points out, steeper discounts can sometimes translate to higher conversions, and TikTok really wants those conversions to come via their platform. With volatility on Meta, for example, that may make TikTok even more attractive. This piece also has suggestions on how to prepare.

💡 Insight - Even if you’re not ready to sign up for TikTok Shop, this is a pretty good reason to allocate some ad dollars to TikTok for BFCM. You can even play into the strategies of TikTok Shop by offering time-limited discounts with a code that you’ll only share on TikTok. I’d also say that even if TikTok Shop wasn’t a thing, TikTok is a hot platform and a smart place to diversify your marketing. If you haven’t already, it is critical that you start preparing a library of video ads now. And as a reminder, UGC-style is still the hot option.

➡️ You can read the article here...

#4 - 🛠️ Things worth checking out

📈 TRENDS - Read the latest roundup of DTC trends and moves from AdAge.

🎁 E-COMM SALES - It’s expected that e-comm sales will grow between 10.3% and 12.8% this holiday season. Read more here.

🇬🇧 BRITISH INVASION - UK DTC brands have set their sights on the US. Why? Read here.

📦 PRODUCTS - Read the latest roundup of e-commerce product releases here.

💥 AMAZON - Is Amazon now an e-commerce enabler before its a retailer? This piece says yes.

#5 - 😎 How to work with TikTok influencers

📰 TL;DR - Okay I said now is the time to start prepping your TikTok marketing strategy for BFCM, but how do you do that? This piece is an overview of a key part of TikTok marketing — working with influencers. It’s a step-by-step guide, starting with setting goals, making a budget, and how to approach influencers. This is a basic overview, but a useful read if you’re new at this.

💡 Insight - This doesn’t go too deep in how to pick the right influencers to work with, so I have some suggestions. First, it’s important to a TikTok account that you only use for your brand research so it doesn’t get muddled with whatever your personal interests are. Train the algorithm of that account to pursue your brand’s unique niche, whether that’s beauty, or camping, or plus-size fashion, or whatever. That will help you start identifying trendy creators within your niche. Also, keep an eye not just on follow counts, but on engagement. Someone with moderate followers by tons of comments and likes may prove more useful as an influencer than someone with millions of followers.

➡️ You can read the article here...