Some psychologists believe that teasing can be a great tool for building healthy relationships. Of course, it’s not for everyone but couples who are satisfied with their partnership know how to poke fun at each other without hurting their loved ones.
In other words, if you want a quick and easy way to bring more fun into your already healthy relationship, amp up the teasing. “Being playful is such an important part of a relationship,” Julienne Derichs, a licensed marriage and family therapist with Couples Counseling Today, told Bustle. “It helps couples connect, de-stress, and it acts [as] an important repair technique when couples are feeling tense over conflict. Laughter and teasing can help de-escalate the conflict and help you remember that you actually like each other.”
And there’s a viral Twitter thread that can give you some ideas on how to do it. After writer Sophia Benoit tweeted “Literally nothing on Earth is better than repeatedly doing a bit your partner doesn’t like,” people began sharing ways in which they tease their significant others. Here are some of the best ones.
We’re beginning to see a pattern evolving when it comes to large corporations and epic fails. First there was the Evergiven, or what the internet dubbed No Fs Ever Given, that one huge ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal some months ago, and memesters took the opportunity to poke fun at it.
Well, we have a similar situation now, except it’s a bit sadder. There was a huge gas leak in the Gulf of Mexico with a subsequent fire that is an ecological catastrophe on its own, but the sight is ten times worse as it looks like a gate to hell.
? Sobre el incendio registrado en aguas del Golfo de México, en la Sonda de Campeche, a unos metros de la plataforma Ku-Charly (dentro del Activo Integral de Producción Ku Maloob Zaap)Tres barcos han apoyado para sofocar las llamas pic.twitter.com/thIOl8PLQo
— Manuel Lopez San Martin (@MLopezSanMartin) July 2, 2021
Memesters have been busy with it, though, hence the pattern mentioned above. Bored Panda has collected some of the internet’s finest and best memes and put them into a neat curated list.
Have a go through it below, and why not vote and comment on the submissions you enjoyed the most!
So, the Gulf of Mexico has recently undergone an ecological disaster—a massive gas leak, which subsequently led to a fire, occurred at the Pemex’s flagship Ku Maloob Zaap oil development just up from the southern rim of the Gulf of Mexico.
The spill has since then been dubbed the Eye of Fire because of how the fire developed on the surface of the water. It took the authorities around 5 hours to extinguish the fire. Pemex noted that it will launch an investigation as to the causes of the leak and fire, and have since then shut off the valve to avoid any further problems.
This led to huge backlash as conservationists, politicians, and pretty much everyone else who cares about our planet slammed the company for its failure to ensure catastrophes such as this are avoided. And it’s not the first time this has happened with the most recent incident being an explosion that occurred on a pipeline passing through the village of Tlauhuelilpan, Hidalgo, killing at least 137 people back in 2019.
But the biggest reaction it got was from internet memesters who took the opportunity to take the now-viral Eye Of Fire video and footage and captioned it appropriately.
While many of the memes were focused on the fire itself, with the most popular one referencing Godzilla, others pointed out just how hard that one boat was trying in extinguishing the fire.
Yet others pointed out the ‘we’ language used in the statement issued, how it’s us who now need to deal with it, despite it being the company at fault solely.
Regardless, these memes have been going wild with a number of news media outlets picking them up and sharing similar lists, with some gaining over 100,000 likes and views on social platforms such as Imgur and Reddit.
“Awww, look at the cute little floof! What’s its name?” We’ve all been overwhelmed with fuzzy feelings at some point in our lives when we see someone’s pet that’s too cute to be real. And we just can’t wait to find out more about them! But when we ask for their name, we expect something simple. Like Roger. Or Mr. Fluffy Meowington.
However, some owners want their pet names to be unconventional. Completely one-of-a-kind. With some secret meanings thrown in for good measure! And they’re so impressive, people can’t help but marvel at them. So much so that just a couple of short months ago, in April 2021, the ‘Petfinder Names’ project popped up on Twitter and it’s dedicated to showing off the most unique and bizarre pet names.
We’ve collected some of the best ones for you to enjoy, dear Pandas. So go on, scroll down for some inspiration and a good laugh or two. Let us know which ones you liked the most (remember, clicking the upvote button is like petting the animal) and we’d love to hear all about the unusual and creative names you’ve given to your own best buds! So don’t be shy—writeus a comment.
Jea, the 27-year-old genius behind the ‘Petfinder Names’ project, opened up to me about how the simple passion project captured Twitter users’ hearts, the most unusual pet name they’ve ever heard, and how to get that noggin’ joggin’ and creatin’ some unique pet names. They’re also trying to find ways to use the account to help promote animals in need of homes and adoption. You’ll find Bored Panda’s full interview with Jea below, so be sure to read on!
“I started this account as a silly little thing on the side. I spend so much time browsing Petfinder and started to see some hilarious names and I thought they would be fun to share!” Jea told Bored Panda that fun lies at the core of the entire project on Twitter. The attention the account got has exceeded all of Jea’s wildest expectations.
“I figured I would get some followers and people who enjoyed it, but it has blown up exponentially! Within this last week, I believe the account has gained 60k+ followers, which is incredible. I love the messages and tags of people saying this is their new favorite account or that it has brought them some joy,” Jea gushed about the incredibly positive feedback.
According to the founder of ‘Petfinder Names,’ the most unusual name they’ve seen so far that they love is a cat by the name of Golfball Sized Hail. “But there are too many to count and I’m sure they’ll just keep getting weirder!” they said.
“My best advice in finding a unique name would be to literally just start writing down random things you see or identify. for example, my nickname for my cat is Dumptruck, and I intend on naming my next pet Chainsaw.”
There are generally two avenues for figuring out a name for your new pet! One approach (and my personal favorite, but don’t let that influence your opinion) is looking your pet in the eyes and using your gut and intuition to see what name fits them best. Sure, your brain might be saying ‘Leo,’ but your catto’s glittering green eyes might scream ‘Emperor Emerald III.’
The second approach is thinking about what you want the name to represent. Perhaps you want to express a certain aspect of your pet’s behavior. Or you’ve already come up with an ace idea for a name and you’re planning to stick it to your pet no matter how much it might contrast with what they’re actually like.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, the most popular pet names in 2021 are still very simple and to-the-point. You could even say they’re unadventurous, though I personally like them. For instance, the top five names for puppies this year, according to Parade, are Luna, Charlie, Cooper, Bella, and Milo.
Meanwhile, the top cat names in 2021 are actually quite similar to the puppy ones, with two of them being the same. That just goes to show that dog and cat owners tend to think alike, even though they might not want to admit it. According to KittyCatter, the top five names are Oliver, Bella, Simba, Chloe, and Luna. Odds are that there’s someone in your life who’s got a cat with one of these names! They’re great. But they’re also a far cry from the fabulously unique monikers shared on Petfinder Names!
Whether your customers are shopping for tennis shoes or a marketing automation tool, they care about your product’s features. Features (along with price and design) are one of the main factors people consider when comparing products.
Would you buy a computer without knowing how much storage it has? Or a pair of yoga pants without knowing whether they stretch?
Despite their importance, many brands fail to make their product’s features clear on their websites—and that could cause revenue to drop.
Your product’s features are massive selling points, so they need to be clear and compelling. Here’s how to get your product features right.
What Is a Product Feature?
A product feature is a characteristic of your product that differentiates it from other products in the market. It could be how it looks (a design feature), how you can use it (a functional feature) or what it comes with (an added-value feature).
Let’s take running shoes as an example. The material of the shoe is a feature, so is the technology in the shoe. Both are highlighted in this example by Nike.
What about a software product?
Features typically center on the product’s functionality (what you can do with it), but they can also include integrations or data security. Slack’s feature page below highlights these types of features:
Features don’t have to be unique to your product, though. As design, technology, and manufacturing processes evolve, some features become standard. You’d be hard-pressed to buy a smartphone without a touchscreen, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a feature brands can talk about.
Whether your product comes with ten features or two, you need to be talking about them across your website including your product descriptions, landing page, and even your homepage.
Make your product features clear so customers can easily compare you to your competitors. It’s even more important if your product boasts the best features in the industry. The more you shout about them, the more likely consumers are to take notice—and maybe make a purchase.
7 Strategies for Highlighting Product Features
You know what features are, and you know why they’re important to include on your site. Now let’s look at seven ways e-commerce stores and SaaS tools can effectively leverage them.
Include Social Proof
Talking about how great your features are is nice, but every other company does the same thing. Even if your product features are superior, customers may not believe you. After all, only one-third of customers trust the brands they buy from.
You need social proof to convince them your product delivers. Add quotes and testimonials from your customers or trusted third parties that mention your product features to relevant pages. Better yet, include images and videos of them using your product.
Featuring real people showing off your product’s features instantly makes them more credible and makes it much more likely consumers will trust your brand.
UK maternity brand Isabella Oliver does a great job of this, including a quote from Vogue in the product description of a maternity tank dress.
Speak to Your Target Audience
You need to understand your target audience to write about your product features effectively. If you have buyer personas, make sure to refer to them while writing. This will help you prioritize which features your customers care about most.
Start by looking at reviews for your product and those of your competitors—G2 is a great place to start for software companies and Amazon for e-commerce brands. Identify the top features customers talk about and prioritize them.
Be wary of trying to target everyone. This is particularly important for SaaS products that can have a dozen different use cases. Each target customer should have a dedicated landing page where you speak exclusively about relevant product features. If you try to speak to everyone on one landing page, you’ll end up not targeting any audience well.
Everlane is an example of a brand who knows their target audience and what they care about. Each product description includes a link to the factory it’s made in and other information related to sustainability.
Focus on the Benefits
Consumers only care so much about what makes your product special. What they really care about is how it benefits them.
Talk about a benefit whenever you mention a feature.
Writing about benefits requires a bit more effort and creativity. Your product’s features are fairly obvious, especially to you. What isn’t so obvious is how the user benefits from them. Think about your customer personas and spend some time reading product reviews. These will help you get into your customers’ minds and focus on the benefits they care about.
If you really want to do a good job, interview your customers to find out exactly how they benefit from your product. It takes a little more effort, but this is hands-down the best way to tease out the benefits of your product.
One of Hootsuite’s most popular features is the ability to track social media mentions on their dashboard–but that’s not how the brand sells the feature to its users. Instead, they focus on the benefit: finding out what customers really think. They even follow this up with another user-generated benefit of the feature.
Draw Attention to the Important Details
There are some features you’ll want customers to take note of more than others. That’s why it’s important to create a hierarchy of features and look for ways to draw attention to the features consumers care most about.
To do this, break your page into sections and devote each section to a specific feature. Use a bold heading to grab your reader’s attention and back this up with short, sharp copy and eye-catching imagery.
Google takes this to the extreme by letting each feature take up all of the screen’s real estate. There’s no way to miss them:
Another is to remove the navigation menu from your landing page. With no way to move away from the page, users are forced to focus on your sales copy and read about your product’s features. Don’t get carried away using this tactic, however. Most customers won’t be happy with you removing the navigation bar, especially if you’re an e-commerce site.
Make Information Scannable
Your customers are busy, and most aren’t going to read every word on your page. Instead, they’re going to scan it for key bits of information. It’s your job to make your product features as scannable as possible while still getting across the core message.
Bullet points are an excellent tool because huge chunks of text are a massive turn-off for readers—especially if you want to share a lot of information.
Target includes a bullet list of each product’s features on their listing page, so you don’t even have to click them individually to get the need-to-know information.
Use Video and Images
Words aren’t the only way to get across your product features. Images and videos are usually a much better way to get across exactly what your product can do.
Images are an easy way to show customers how key features look and work. They are particularly powerful for design-focused features and most e-commerce products in general. Bonus points if you include user-generated photos in your descriptions.
UK furniture brand Made did a great job of including user-generated images in their product listings. Potential customers can see exactly what each sofa will look like in a range of settings.
Videos take a little more work, but they can be even more effective. For example, you could create an explainer video that highlights your product’s core features, or a separate video for each feature.
Your feature-led videos can also be used as part of your onboarding process and by your sales team during client calls. They can even boost your search rankings, especially if you host them on YouTube.
Write Blog Posts and Emails
If you have a SaaS product, blog posts, emails, and other forms of content marketing are one of the best ways to highlight your product features—particularly if those features come in the form of new software releases.
Make sure your blog posts talk about the benefits that users can gain from the new features and don’t just talk about the features alone. Plenty of screenshots are also a good idea, so is a video if you can create one.
Unlike other forms of content marketing, there’s no need to post these articles regularly. Writing them when you have a new feature to describe is enough.
Email updates should also be sent sparingly. Only email when you have a new feature to announce and keep your email succinct. Only include the key details in the email and link to a more in-depth blog post if necessary.
Existing users will learn about the new features when using the software, so it may be wise to only send an email about features that may re-engage lost customers.
Asana’s blog is filled with feature-focused blog posts. Note that many don’t focus on individual features. Rather they cluster feature releases around a particular topic and write about that instead.
3 Examples of Product Feature Highlights
If the examples above weren’t enough for you, I’ve got three more examples of brands that do a great job highlighting their product features.
Apple
Few companies are better than Apple at creating buzz about their products. There aren’t many better at highlighting their product’s benefits, either.
Apple makes a point of creating a new banner for every feature, pairs each with a user benefit, and includes high-quality images and graphics. Even if you already have an iPhone, reading their product pages makes you want to upgrade.
Amazon
Amazon is famous for its in-depth product listings, but those listings are also great at highlighting each product’s most important features.
The clear layout makes it easy for customers to skim the product description, and bullet points highlight the most important features. There’s even a video showcasing the product in detail.
Tesla
Tesla combines several of the tactics mentioned above to highlight the key features of the Model 3. Each feature is given a hierarchy—security is first—and takes up the entire page. They also use graphics to illustrate points and annotations to draw attention to specific features.
Frequently Asked Questions About Product Features
What are product features?
Your product features are any characteristic of your product that makes it stand out and separates it from your competitors. It can include the look and design of the product, how it’s made, or what you can do with it.
What are examples of product features?
For an e-commerce product, the material the product is made with can be a feature—if it’s made from recycled plastic, for example. For SaaS products, features include the functionality of the product. The ability to instantly message colleagues is a feature of Slack, for instance.
What’s the difference between a product feature and a benefit?
A feature is a characteristic of your product. A benefit is how a customer can use that characteristic to overcome a pain point.
How can I highlight the features of my SaaS product?
A sales page is an excellent way to highlight all of the features of your SaaS products. Blog posts, videos, and demos are also great ways to highlight SaaS features.
How can I highlight the features of my e-commerce product?
Your product description is the best place to highlight the features of your e-commerce product. Make sure they are easy to read and stand out from the rest of your copy.
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The Conclusion of My Product Features Guide
Showcasing your product features is a hugely underrated tactic. Marketers and salespeople will tell you to focus on the benefits of your product rather than the features. While benefits are important, they rely on explaining your features clearly first. Features are also one of the most common ways potential customers compare your product with your competitors.
Take time to determine which features are most important and get opinions from current customers if you can. Then use the seven tactics I’ve listed above to make them as clear as possible on your site.
Which features of your product are you most proud of?
That’s a ton of people sharing and engaging with content on a daily basis.
On top of a huge user base, the engagement levels are off the charts. People open the app 30 times a day on average, over 75 percent of 13 to 34-year-olds in the U.S. use the app, and over 5 billion Snaps are created every day.
It’s no question Snapchat has potential in numbers and engagement, so why don’t you see results with the platform?
Below, you’ll find some of my top Snapchat ad strategies, tips, and resources to help you run successful campaigns.
However, before we dive in, we need to establish if Snapchat ads are actually worth your time and money.
Why Should You Advertise on Snapchat?
If your brand appeals to Gen Z and millennials, you should look at Snapchat as a way to increase user acquisition, brand awareness, and sales.
Why?
Snapchat has over $1 trillion in direct spending power between these two generations. With one-third of users more likely to make purchases on their phones, it’s a platform that’s worth a second look.
Spinnaker Nordic tried Snapchat ads for three days and had incredible results. With $759.04 ad spend, the company achieved:
+300,000 ad views
+1,300 Swipe Ups
+24,000 site visitors
52 phone calls
What if you don’t have $700 to blow on ads? No problem. You can advertise on Snapchat for as little as $5. With such a low daily minimum spend, you can test, learn, and optimize your ads on any budget.
Not enough to convince you?
Snapchat also has a partnership with Amazon. If a user sees a product they like, all they need to do is point their cameras at the barcode or product and long press on the camera screen.
Snapchat will then show a card with a link to the item on Amazon. The app has created one of the fastest ways to shop online and is one of the frontrunners for augmented reality e-commerce.
10 Snapchat Ad Strategies and Resources
If there is anything we can learn about finding success on Snapchat, we can learn it from experience.
Here are some of the best Snapchat ad strategies and resources to help you mimic their success and grow your business.
1. Add Polls to Your Snapchat Ads
Why should you care about poll ads?
Well, it can increase your engagement and views.
On Instagram, polling stickers in Story Ads increased the number of three-second video views in 9 out of 10 campaigns.
The insights you gain from your audience can also strengthen your ads, help you stand out from the competition, and potentially increase your sales.
The only downside? Snapchat doesn’t have a built-in polling feature like Instagram.
However, by using an app called Polly, you can mimic Instagram’s polling success on Snapchat. Polly lets you create polls and share them to Snapchat, where your audience can answer anonymously.
How to Use Polls in Your Snapchat Ads Strategy
Brand announcements: Ask your audience to vote on your newest flavors, colors, or product varieties. You can use social media trends like Selena Gomez versus. Miley Cyrus battle and pit your products against one another.
Trivia questions: Who doesn’t love a good quiz night at the pub? Put your audience’s wits to the test, and add some game show flair to your Snapchat ads. You can also redirect people to your website to see the answer.
Audience insights: Need to know what makes your audience tick? Poll them! It’s a great way to see what content resonates or what people want to see from you next.
2. Link Your Snapchat Ads to the Correct Landing Page
Once you have your audience’s attention, you need to direct them to the next step, i.e., your landing page. You don’t want users to watch your ad and move on. You want to instigate an action that will get users into your sales funnel and create conversions.
What is a landing page?
It’s a stand-alone webpage created for an advertising or marketing campaign.
The page usually has a goal like:
sales
email list sign-ups
white paper downloads
For example, if you’re an app developer, you would redirect people to your Google Play or App Store download page. If you’re an e-commerce brand, your landing page could link to sign up for a newsletter and get a 15-percent discount code.
On Snap Ads, there are three different types of ad links you can use:
Web view attachments: This is a great option to drive online sales. Users swipe up, and your landing page will instantly load.
App install attachments: Use the “Install Now” or “Download” buttons as your CTA and redirect users to your app install page.
Deep link attachments: This option helps you to re-engage users who have your app. If an existing user swipes up on your ad, you can direct them to a location in your app, e.g., the latest collection or an exclusive sale.
The one you choose depends on your landing page goals and the types of products you’re selling on the app.
If you need help creating a high conversion landing page, use these resources below:
great visuals (no blurry, pixelated images or videos)
a short, snappy, message (i.e., what is the purpose of the ad)
enticing call-to-action (CTA)
With the short attention spans of Gen Z and millennials, Snapchat recommends writing copy that’s easy to understand, is localized for your audience, and has an offer message within the first two seconds of the ad.
Subway used this approach to announce its new cheesy garlic bread. The ad is only five seconds long and uses two short sentences to get its message across.
4. Use Split Testing on Snapchat to Create Higher Performing Ad Content
Spit testing or A/B testing is crucial to improving your conversion rates. It helps you hone in on what’s working and get rid of what isn’t. Most importantly, it helps save you money.
Gone are days of blowing your entire ad budget on a campaign with lackluster results. With split testing, you can combine your more effective elements to boost ROI, lower the risk of failure, and create a winning ad strategy.
How does spit testing work with Snapchat ads?
Inside your advertiser’s dashboard, you can test different variables such as:
creative
audience
placement
goal
For example, let’s say you want to test an audience. Maybe you’re not too sure if you should target 18 to 25 or 30 to 35-year-olds for your next campaign. Your creative, placement, and delivery will be the same with the split-testing feature, but each ad set will target the different audiences you’ve created.
The winning test is the one that achieves the lowest cost per goal. A goal can be:
swipe-ups
app installs
shares
story opens
When you’re done, create a campaign with the winning variable, and start getting better results from your ad spend.
You can choose from three shoppable AR categories:
Website: Comes with a “Buy Now” button. It has the option to link to a product page and works best for e-commerce brands.
Video: This option has a “Watch” button and is great for promoting content like movie trailers.
Install: The “Install Now” button takes users to the Google Play or App Store to download an app.
What are the benefits of creating a Snapchat ad strategy around AR lenses?
Brand awareness: Lenses from their Creator Community have over 2 trillion views, and 2 million lenses have been created with their Lens Studio.
Increase in sales and a decrease in returns: Users who engage with AR are twice as likely to make a purchase and are 30 percent less likely to return a product.
Snapchat’s Audience Insights is a powerful tool for marketers. It provides a wealth of information about your audience and can help you tweak your campaigns to improve your conversion rate.
Inside the dashboard, you can compare and create new audience segments. The data, a mixture of demographics, Snap Lifestyle Categories and external third-party partners, tells you more about your current audience and helps you discover new segments for your brand.
By using the Audience Insights dashboard, you might discover that 70 percent of your audience is also interested in rock climbing. You can use this interest to optimize and create more relevant ads that appeal to your audience.
Pretty nifty, right?
Well, Snapchat’s wealth of data doesn’t end there.
One of the best features on the dashboard is purchase intent. You can see at a glance what is the likelihood of your audience purchasing your service or product.
You can also compare the purchase intent across different audiences and use the information to adjust your Snapchat Ad bids.
If you’re not incorporating UGC into your Snapchat ads strategy, you’re missing opportunities to convert your audience into paying customers.
There’s plenty of data that shows it’s an effective marketing strategy.
A study by Stackla reveals 79 percent of users said UGC impacts their purchasing decisions and find UGC 9.8 times more impactful than influencer content.
Thirty-one percent of consumers agree that UGC content is more memorable than traditional ads.
When analyzing watching habits, YouTube found Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to watch UGC than older generations.
According to Snapchat, not only is it more likely to get viewed in full, but your ad will feel more authentic and less over-produced.
If you don’t have any UGC yet, create ads with a similar look and feel. Use Snapchat’s features, have someone speak directly to the camera, and keep your ads five to six seconds long. It will appear more organic and come across as an extension of other Snaps rather than an intrusive ad.
8. Choose the Right Ad Format to Match Your Snapchat Ad Goals
If you’re using the wrong ad format, you’re not going to see results with your Snapchat ad strategy.
Each format is designed to help you achieve specific business goals, such as:
brand awareness
increase conversions
drive sales
increase app downloads
Here’s a brief guide to what each format can help you achieve:
Dynamic ads: These include collection ads, story ads, and single image or video ads. Dynamic ads are great for driving sales and increasing sign-ups.
App install attachments: If you’re promoting an app, this ad format is made specifically for you. It adds an Install Card at the bottom of story ads, single image or video ads, and lens AR experiences.
Retargeting: Want to target users who didn’t convert or have engaged with your brand in the past? Story Ads is an excellent ad format to re-engage, boost brand awareness and increase customer loyalty.
This advice might seem odd, especially when there are statistics like 69 percent of people watch videos without sound.
Shouldn’t your Snapchat ad strategy follow suit and design for no sound?
Nope.
According to Snapchat, 64 percent of ads are watched with sound on.
This isn’t surprising.
As I mentioned earlier, the best Snapchat ads are the ones that fit natively within a user’s feed and don’t disrupt the experience. Most Snapchatters are watching their friends’ Snaps with sound, so your ads should do the same.
Create ads with your customers talking to the camera giving a testimonial.
Use sound to get more information across (remember you only have about six seconds).
The final Snapchat ad strategy you need to implement is goal-based bidding.
What is goal-based bidding?
It’s a feature that allows you to optimize your ad spend toward a specific action you want a Snapchatter to take e.g., downloading your app or making a purchase.
By setting this cost-per-action, Snapchat will deliver your ads in the most efficient way possible to achieve the desired outcome.
The result?
Your ads will go out to people most likely to complete the action, and you’ll see higher conversions.
There are six different ad types on Snapchat: Single image of video ads, filters, lenses, story ads, product catalog ads, and commercials.
How do I know which type of Snapchat ad is right for my business?
It depends on your campaign objectives. For example, filters help you create a branded conversion, lenses create interactive moments, the product catalog showcases a series of products, and commercials are great for driving brand awareness.
How much do Snapchat ads cost?
Snapchat Ads have a minimum daily spend of $5.
Why should I advertise on Snapchat?
If your audience is Gen Z and millennials, Snapchat is one of the best social media networks to engage with them and drive sales. The app reaches 75 percent of Gen Z and millennials in the U.S., has 293 million daily users, and on average, people spend 30 minutes on the app each day.
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“text”: “There are six different ad types on Snapchat: Single image of video ads, filters, lenses, story ads, product catalog ads, and commercials.”
}
}
, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How do I know which type of Snapchat ad is right for my business?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “It depends on your campaign objectives. For example, filters help you create a branded conversion, lenses create interactive moments, the product catalog showcases a series of products, and commercials are great for driving brand awareness.”
}
}
, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How much do Snapchat ads cost?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Snapchat Ads have a minimum daily spend of $5. ”
}
}
, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Why should I advertise on Snapchat?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “If your audience is Gen Z and millennials, Snapchat is one of the best social media networks to engage with them and drive sales. The app reaches 75 percent of Gen Z and millennials in the U.S., has 293 million daily users, and on average, people spend 30 minutes on the app each day.”
}
}
]
}
Snapchat Ad Strategies and Resources: Conclusion
With almost 300 million people using the platform, Snapchat is not a dead social media network. It still carries weight, especially with the younger generation.
If your brand appeals to its user base, it’s worth investing in Snapchat ads. With such an affordable minimum daily spend, almost everyone can afford to roll out successful Snapchat ad strategies.
Get creative with AR technology to create unique campaigns and build hype around your products. Use split testing to figure out what works for your business and what needs to go, and you will see your acquisition cost go down with more conversions.
The above tips and resources will make sure you create ads that resonate, engage, and drive action with your audience.
How do you get the most out of your Snapchat Ad investment?
Wildlife is one of the most technically demanding and rewarding genres of amateur and professional photography. According to Cary Wolinsky and Bob Caputo, who have a combined 64 years of experience photographing stories for National Geographic and other publications say, whether you’re trying to capture a herd of elephants on the Serengeti Plains or squirrels in your backyard, the name of the game is patience.
But sometimes the stars align and things just happen. Your cat gives your dog a warm hug and all you have to do is take out your phone and press the shutter button before their unexpected burst of love ends in turmoil. Sure, these photos won’t make it to a competition like the Wildlife Photographer Of The Year, but there are other ways they can make people smile. Like the Instagram account The Snuggle Is Real. It shares random animal photos that make people smile even on a rainy, and who cares if the images aren’t that high-res when you’re grinning from ear to ear?
Continue scrolling and check out some of the best pics from the wholesome account.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be special. Singular. Loved. Adored. However, the fact is that we have too many things in common with the people around us to be truly unique. Instead of celebrating that, some people do their best to stand out in whatever way they can. Their attempts end up being so edgy, cringey, and embarrassing, that they end up on the ‘Not like the other girls’ subreddit.
With over 675k members, r/notliketheothergirls is about shaming those people who put down others and hate mainstream things to feel special about themselves. Have a look through some of the most popular posts featured on the subreddit, upvote the ones that caught your attention the most, and let us know your opinion about why some individuals go to such lengths to seem unique.
Unfortunately, the sad reality is that even with all the progress that we’ve made when it comes to equal rights, there’s still a lot of hate in society. For anyone who’s different. For anyone who stands out too much. Minorities, in particular, are very vulnerable.
I spoke about letting go of hate for others who might be different from us with British psychotherapist Silva Neves. He was kind enough to go in-depth about this with Bored Panda and noted that very often, people who have hatred towards others actually hate parts of themselves. However, that’s not the only theory.
#1 I Saw This And Thought It Was A Really Interesting Take On “Not Like Other Girls”
The ‘Not like the other girls’ subreddit has been active since September 2017 and is about people “trying to be unique by defining themselves outside ‘the norm.’” However, the results are usually terrible and prompt internet users to post screenshots and photos on the online community. As a warning to others on how not to behave. As a form of amusement for some.
“Do you think everyone else is trash? Do you think you’re the only unique person on the planet? Do you constantly feel the need to press down others in order to define yourself? Then this is the place for you,” the moderators introduce the community full of ‘unique individuals’ (i.e. their members) who are ‘standing out’ (i.e. online at the moment).
According to British psychotherapist Silva, there is a theory that people hate those who embody traits that we’d like to keep secret ourselves. In short, we hate others because we recognize ourselves in them. If society acts as a mirror for us, then hatred is an unhealthy reaction to the truth.
“One psychological theory is that we tend to hate the people who remind us of a part of ourselves that we don’t want to acknowledge. For example, if someone has body issues, they are more likely to be hateful towards a large person,” he explained to Bored Panda. This is applicable when analyzing hatred of other groups of people as well.
#7 New On This Community, And Noticed That Some Aspergers Love Gatekeeping Non-Autistic People
“Some who represses their sexuality or are uncomfortable with sex are more likely to be hateful towards people who are open about their sexuality or who look sexual,” the therapist continued.
“If we go by this theory, it would mean that people have to learn to accept the whole of themselves and learn to love themselves fully, and then they won’t have to project the hatred of themselves towards others,” he said that only through self-acceptance can we let go of hate.
#10 Say It Louder For The “Not Like The Other Gurlz” In Da Back
However, that’s just one theory. Another theory looks at learned behaviors and how our families and environments shape us. “Many people grow up being told to fear those who are different or look different,” Silva said.
“For example, people grow up to believe that black people are dangerous, Asian people are threats, gay people spread disease or sin, etc… These messages can turn people into being racist or homophobic,” the expert explained to Bored Panda that according to this theory, hatred is something that’s learned from one’s environment. Only education and experience can counter this.
#13 Haven’t Talked To Her In A Year And She Became Not Like The Other Girls
“For these people to become less hateful, they will need to be exposed to other realities so that they can stop fearing differences, but they also have to be willing to change their minds. Unfortunately, many of these people are not willing to expose themselves to different realities. So, I suppose, one way to eradicate this kind of hate is by changing society at its core and stopping the mindset of fear at the source.”
#16 My Crush Pulled This On Me Today. I Have To Say I Feel Almost Betrayed
Life is about finding a way of living that makes you the happiest. However, that’s not always easy, and we all have to deal with obstacles and problems we don’t expect. Whether your problems stem from work, personal or emotional matters, a simple mindset shift can change how you go about them. That’s the art of problem solving, and with the help of a little-known phenomenon called psychological distance, that’s what we’re going to dive into today.
What Is Problem Solving?
Problem solving refers to the ability to tackle new, difficult situations with relative ease. It isn’t a personality trait or a certain characteristic that only some possess; rather, it’s a way of thinking developed through consistency.
Solving problems, at its core, comes from these three actions:
Identifying the problem
Looking at the problem from a distance (I’ll show you how)
Writing down the steps or a plan of action to solving the problem
However, problem solving isn’t necessarily the same as thinking logically. Instead, it requires taking a step back from the problem itself and attempting to think outside the box, something that cannot always be done pragmatically. It’s true that logical problem solving can be used at work, but when it comes to personal development and more emotionally-charged topics, you need to push your boundaries to come up with the right solutions.
That’s why the skill of problem solving is so valuable to your personal development. It’s a tool for personal growth, and it acts as a meta skill that helps you deal with everything life throws your way.
How Can Problem Solving Benefit You?
Whether you’re looking for a way to establish your business or brand, or just growing personally, being a strong problem solver can help you in many ways, including:
Successfully guiding your life or your business down the path you want, independently of the roadblocks that confront you
Identifying problems you couldn’t see before due to a different life perspective
Spending more time on developing solutions rather than worrying about them
Adding an extra layer of creativity to your way of thinking
I could go on with the benefits of being an adept problem solver, and what that can do for the people and organizations around you. The most important entity that needs your problem solving skills, though, is yourself. Here’s my seven-step process for shifting your mentality into that of a problem solver right now.
How To Turn Yourself Into A Problem Solver: Step-by-Step
Sit in a calm, relaxed place.
Think about the first problem you want to solve in your life.
Once you can clearly identify the problem, imagine that the problem is happening to a friend of yours, not to you.
Take detailed notes on the advice you would give your friend in solving the problem.
Then take the same problem and imagine it’s happening to you, but rather than it happening now, envision it happening to you one year from today.
Take detailed notes on how you would prepare to solve the problem step-by-step in advance.
Make a step-by-step plan for taking action on your best solution. Take the first step today.
Why does this all work? Because of a little-known phenomenon called psychological distance. Psychological distance refers to how near or far we perceive ourselves to be to a given event or subject. When you think of a problem happening to your friend, not yourself, you’re injecting psychological distance into that situation; when you think of a problem happening next year instead of today, you’re doing the same.
The great thing about psychological distance is that it turns you into a much more clear thinker: rather than getting caught up in the emotions of the problem that’s plaguing you, you focus on solutions instead. Countless studies have shown the benefits of psychological distance in changing perspective and solving difficult problems, so it’s time for you to start capitalizing on it, too.
Let’s look at a real-world example to see how this works in practice.
Margaret Sanger was a nurse that was born in the late 1800s. After she witnessed one of her patients pass away from a failed attempt at a self-induced abortion, Sanger decided to take a controversial position and support abortion and birth control as a whole. In those days, the birth control pill was just being developed, and it was seen as the devil in most parts of society. But Sanger was a fiery woman, and she stuck to her guns.
In line with the tenets of psychological distance, Sanger took a step back to see the situation from a new perspective, asking herself these sorts of questions:
“What’s the problem I’m trying to solve?” The acceptance of the birth control pill in society to help women seeking to avoid pregnancy due to health concerns.
“What causes this problem?” Society’s fear of women being in control of their bodies, which would lead to them having more power in society more broadly.
“What can I do to fix this problem?” Empower women to choose the pill for their health and the stability of their families.
Sanger started acting upon her insights immediately, and decided that regardless of the obstacles in her way, she would champion the birth control pill for as long as she lived. In fact, she became a rowdy activist of the pill, going so far as to be thrown in jail multiple times in support of birth control, which was illegal in those times. Sanger found a way around all of the institutions that tried to silence her and ensured her message was heard. Thanks to her foresight and stubbornness, the birth control pill has become what it is today: one of the most important medicinal and societal advances in history.
Most of us don’t face the same obstacles as Margaret Sanger, but we can certainly learn from her journey. If she was able to change how society sees something as touchy and taboo as birth control, there’s no reason you can’t shift your mentality in how you solve problems, too.
Every successful company, product and organization has a problem solver behind them. But problem solving isn’t only important for leaders: companies today are looking for employees who have the same level of problem solving prowess. It’s no longer enough to just be a logical thinker; to succeed in the job market today, you need to think outside of the box and come up with solutions that no one else is thinking of. Apply the process I laid out above, with the story of Margaret Sanger ringing in your ears. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it when it works.
Don’t feel discouraged if your first attempt doesn’t work. Every time you use psychological distance to your advantage—just as Margaret Sanger and so many others have—you’ll gain a better understanding of how to do it naturally. Just as success only comes after a great deal of effort, the same holds for problem solving, too.
The brain is a truly fantastic thing. The same organ that’s capable of controlling a myriad of passive as well as active bodily functions, comprehending elaborately complex concepts, and providing a unique kind of sentience is also the organ that often slips us a dumb idea. Or two. OK, much more.
But, hey, not all ideas are dumb, despite you thinking so. A curious Twitter user by the name of Bijan asked the internet what’s the dumbest idea people ever had, but are nevertheless convinced it’d still make the world a better place for all.
Bored Panda has collected some of the best responses from the viral thread and created a curated list for you to enjoy. Vote, comment, and why not tell us some of your ideas in the comment section below!
If you are passionate about writing, you may as well come to a point in life where you want to quit this as a hobby. Life can get tough. There are days when you do not know how to express your feelings. There are moments when you face what is commonly known as a ‘writer’s block’ and when you get that, oh boy! It is very difficult to end the block.
Nonetheless, everyone experiences moments in life when they just want to quit things they are passionate about it and just surrender to the mediocracy. However, at the same time, we strive to improve ourselves. Constantly, we are fighting to become the better versions of ourselves. We are looking for ways and tips to improve ourselves and be better at the things we are passionate about.
If you are a writer and you are reading this article, this certainly means that you are looking for ways to inspire yourself back into the world of writing and that is perfectly alright. Writers such as Ernest Hemingway and JK Rowling at once found themselves stuck on their literary pieces.
All the great writers in the world inspired others – sometimes through their stories, sometimes through their trials in life and sometimes through the way they penned down their thoughts.
In this article, we will mention some quotes by famous writers and novelists and help you get the inspiration you are looking for. Remember, if you currently feel like you have failed, you have not. You are here reading this article only because you wanted to pick yourself back up. So, go on and let us now read some inspirational quotes that can put you on the right track. Turning to your heroes for inspiration is actually the right way to get yourself on track.
Here are 29 quotes that will inspire you to write more:
“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” — Stephen King
“You should write because you love the shape of stories and sentences and the creation of different words on a page. Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write.” — Annie Proulx
“Indeed, learning to write may be part of learning to read. For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading.” — Eudora Welty
“Read, read, read. Read everything — trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.” — William Faulkner
“I kept always two books in my pocket: one to read, one to write in.” — Robert Louis Stevenson
“The Six Golden Rules of Writing: Read, read, read, and write, write, write.” — Ernest Gaines
“The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.” — Samuel Johnson
“Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river.” ― Lisa See
“One sure window into a person’s soul is his reading list.” — Mary B. W. Tabor
“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” — Toni Morrison
“Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.” — Orson Scott
“Find a subject you care about and which you in your heart feel others should care about. It is this genuine caring, not your games with language, which will be the most compelling and seductive element in your style.” — Stephen King
“Most writers regard the truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are most economical in its use.” — Mark Twain
“When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.” — George Orwell
“Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.” — Natalie Goldberg
“To gain your own voice, you have to forget about having it heard.” — Allen Ginsberg
“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.” — Jack Kerouac
“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” —Robert Frost
“It is only by writing, not dreaming about it, that we develop our own style.” — P.D. James
“Voice is not just the result of a single sentence or paragraph or page. It’s not even the sum total of a whole story. It’s all your work laid out across the table like the bones and fossils of an unidentified carcass.” — Chuck Wendig
“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can’t allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative.” — Elmore Leonard
“Your writing voice is the deepest possible reflection of who you are. The job of your voice is not to seduce or flatter or make well-shaped sentences. In your voice, your readers should be able to hear the contents of your mind, your heart, your soul.” — Meg Rosoff
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” — Louis L’Amour
“First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow him.” — Ray Bradbury
“All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.” — Ernest Hemingway
“Being a writer is a very peculiar sort of job: It’s always you versus a blank sheet of paper (or a blank screen) and quite often the blank piece of paper wins.” — Neil Gaiman
“It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.” — Ernest Hemingway
“It doesn’t matter how many book ideas you have if you can’t finish writing your book.” — Joe Bunting
So, these are some quotes by famous writers belonging to different genres of writing. Now you would understand that facing writers’ block is common, and yes, feeling that you have failed is alright as long as you pick yourself up again.
It’s been a crazy rollercoaster over the last year and a half due to Covid.
When Covid first came out, the majority of websites across the globe saw traffic drops as you can see from the graph above.
But within a few months, things didn’t just reverse, many industries were facing all-time high traffic levels.
Just look at ecommerce as a sector, it’s had rapid growth.
So rapid, that Shopify now has a market cap of 192 billion dollars. Their stock went from $404 at the start of 2020 to currently sitting above $1500. That’s massive growth.
But with people tired of being stuck indoors things are starting to change. Especially because of the mass release of the Covid vaccine on a global level, many countries easing restrictions.
So, what does that mean when it comes to web traffic?
As you can see from the graph above, most industries are seeing a traffic dip. But not travel and leisure.
McKinsey and Company put it best, “tourists are back with vengeance.” Travel in the United States has hit 2 million passengers a day which is closer to pre-pandemic levels, versus 90,000 a day in April of 2020.
Now, most industries are not up. Here’s what traffic looks like when we compare July 2021 to July 2020.
When we analyzed the data, we looked at it from a global standpoint and we had anywhere from 107 sites to 391 sites per category. We tried to get a bigger sample size per category, but we weren’t able to get enough sites Google Analytics data on short notice.
Nonetheless, when you look at the chart it should give you a good directional idea of what is happening.
It’s not bad for all continents
Similar to this recent HubSpot study we saw the same trend. In which Asia has done well from a traffic growth standpoint.
If you are targeting regions like North America or Europe, the chances are you have seen your traffic drop.
But it is not all bad news, what’s interesting is when we looked at conversion rates, it’s up almost for all industries.
So, although traffic was down for most sites, conversion rates were up by 12.94%.
As a quick note, we didn’t have conversion data for all sites that were analyzed in the graph above as not everyone tracks their conversion rates. A bit less than 18% of the sites actually had conversion tracking setup.
Yes, there have been some Google updates over the last few months, and many sites took beatings, and many saw increases.
But it wasn’t just a “Google” algorithm update. We are seeing traffic drops from direct traffic, referral traffic and even paid ads for keywords that have little to no seasonality.
I can’t definitively say why, but the most logical reasoning for traffic drops is people are out traveling or getting away from their computers because they have been stuck inside for so long.
Conclusion
Don’t stress out.
The one thing I’ve learned over the years is to try and not stress about things you can’t control.
I know it is easier said than done. But the good news is, you probably aren’t the only one seeing a traffic drop based on the data above.
How is your traffic stacking up compared to last July?
PS: If you want to see how my agency can help you increase your traffic to counteract the dips, go here.