In spring 2019 Facebook rolled out top fans of pages on the network. For example, I was crowned a top fan of the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Of course, Facebook told me that I should keep liking, commenting and of course sharing to stay a […]
[Technology] Why the Marriott Bonvoy app is actually pretty good
The challenges of rebranding certainly exist and I’ve shared my thoughts about when Marriott Rewards, Starwood and Ritz-Carlton all became Marriott Bonvoy. Apparently you can say Bonvoy for all kinds of things: But anyway, the rebrand also discontinued three separate apps and updated the Marriott […]
How long can an Instagram Live be? 1 hour, but you can start again right away and here’s why that might be good
I was watching newly-elected U.S. Congresswoman (NY) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Instagram Live on a Sunday night. She was cooking and discussing politics. Awesome. Very authentic and talk about bringing people into your home! At one point she led a friend in. Another time she was jumping […]
[Instagram strategies] Here’s why you should tag yourself in your Instagram Stories that have hashtags
Hashtags in Instagram Stories have evolved since they first rolled out in May 2017. By the way: Check out my Hashtag Halloween costume here. Other Halloween costume ideas for marketers here. That’s the nature of hashtags and social media as well as digital marketing strategies. […]
Email marketing done well: Here’s what just happened when you used your credit card
Oftentimes email marketing is done to push the consumer down the marketing funnel and closer to the purchase. That’s a relatively accepted strategy and often one that can drive consumers to annoyance when they get too many emails. But there’s also a type of email […]
[Social media tip] Is it possible to post text on Instagram without having a photo to post?
Technically no, but practically yes. Let me explain how to post a text-only message directly in the Instagram app but it’s ultimately still a picture. Here’s how to do it. Start by creating a new Story. Once in there, scroll over to the left, swipe […]
[Travel tips] Uber in Germany – Berlin, Düsseldorf, Munich
Berlin doesn’t allow Uber so on a trip to speak at the Content Marketing Forum 2017 in Berlin I opted for taxis over a rental car for my ground transport. That was until I opened the Uber app, you know just to be sure it really isn’t working. And, yup, I couldn’t order an Uber […]
How hard it is to take an Uber or Lyft to and from a sporting event?
Rideshare really was a great invention. From my perspective these are the main reasons. As a consumer I don’t need to carry cash I have a record On Lyft I can also earn Delta miles. Uber used to have a partnership with Sheraton and if […]
How to fix your AirPods’ microphone to work better on phone calls and not cut out!
I’ve been using my AirPods for phone calls all day long. I love them, but the Airpods’ microphone was doing strange things for a while. Basically, the AirPods wouldn’t be at full volume when I started talking. The people on the other end couldn’t hear […]
What’s the best way to display photos on websites for mobile users?
Photos can make or break a story. Not those lame stock art ones obviously , but some stories can’t be told without the image. Example: the police officer hug! Or the fallen soldier returning via O’Hare. And sometimes they are old photos. For example, of […]
EXPO GAMES: How to keep new connections from conferences straight
I used to hand out business cards at events and conferences. I used to have like five different kinds, and you’d get the “right” one based on our conversation. Talk about making things unnecessarily complicated. But handing out business cards doesn’t lead to that many […]
How to fly from places where the big airlines don’t even fly
Would I recommend flying Air Choice One – a small regional airline in the Midwest? Yes. Absolutely, but it’s not for you if you don’t like flying on little airplanes – think 8 passengers. On my flight from Mason City (MCW) to Minneapolis (MSP) there […]
CONTROVERSY: Why the average Colin Kaepernick Nike ad is actually highly effective
Let’s start at the beginning: Colin Kaepernick is the football player who started kneeling during the national anthem to raise awareness of racial injustice which created a controversy a few years ago and continues to do around the NFL today and from the White House. […]