Saturday, 30 December 2017

How to Get Started With LinkedIn's New Website Demographics


I don't know about you, but I have an odd fascination with LinkedIn's "Who's Viewed Your Profile" feature.
There's a natural curiosity about who's checking it out, and why. A fan of my writing? My manager? An ex-boyfriend who’s feeling remorseful as a result of seeing all the great things I’m doing with my life?
Regardless of my own profile viewers, the fact remains that LinkedIn has always served as an interesting platform to digitally network, share information, recruit, and advertise.
It's that last part where one of the newest developments have taken place. LinkedIn has provided helpful insights and ad tracking for some time now, allowing advertisers to view details about the composition of who this promoted content has reached. But now, LinkedIn has developed new tools for marketers who want to see that same information about the users visiting their websites.

Click here to learn about using social media in every stage of the funnel.

 Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to LinkedIn's Website Demographics.

What Is LinkedIn's Website Demographics?

LinkedIn's Website Demographics is a free tool that allows advertisers to monitor and analyze which LinkedIn users are visiting their websites. In other words, it sheds light on which types of professionals are visiting the site, to help you better target content and ad campaigns. It filters this audience according to eight criteria:
  1. Job title
  2. Industry
  3. Job seniority
  4. Job function
  5. Company
  6. Company size
  7. Location
  8. Country

Getting Started With LinkedIn's Website Demographics

1. Make sure you have a LinkedIn Ads account.

Website Demographics are only available to those who already have a LinkedIn Ads account. If you don't have one, check out this beginner's guide to setting up and running LinkedIn Ad campaigns.

2. Generate your Insight Tag and add it to your Website.

Once you've established an Ads account, go to your Campaign Manager, and click "Website Demographics."

If you haven't previously set up Website Demographics, you'll receive this message prompting you to set up an Insight Tag:
The Insight Tag is essentially a short blurb of JavaScript code that allows Website Demographics to track visitors to a page, as well as conversion and analytics that are crucial when evaluating the performance of a LinkedIn ad campaign. In other words, without it, Website Demographics won't be able to track any visitor behavior or insights.
Screen Shot 2017-11-27 at 4.35.33 PM
Copy and paste this code, and it to every page on your domain. According to LinkedIn, the optimal placement for the code is right before the end of the <body> tag, in the global footer.
Once the code has been added to your web pages, add your domain (or domains, if you added it to multiple pages) to the area to the right of the code, where it says "Domains," as per the image above.
LinkedIn will have to verify that the tag has been added to these URLs correctly, which could take up to 24 hours, but once that's done, each URL will have the word "verified" next to its name in the domain list.
Be careful: According to LinkedIn, domains must not include "www" when you're adding them.

3. Build your audience.

Once your Insight Tag has been added and all associated domains have been verified, you'll need to create a website audience. Don't let the name of this step fool you -- rather than customizing the desired composition of your audience, you'll actually just be segmenting different URLs for which you want to analyze visitors.
It'll look like this:

Source: Distilled
For example, you might want to drive a different audience to a specific landing page than you do to a certain blog post. That's where segmenting audience analytics becomes helpful.
You'll need a minimum of 300 LinkedIn members to visit a given domain that you're tracking -- until you do, there won't be any data available in the Website Demographics section of your Campaign Manager. How long that takes really varies -- it depends on each page's average traffic.

4. Monitor and analyze the data.

According to Distilled, "LinkedIn developed and released Website Demographics because it anticipates that with this new information, companies will be more likely to spend on their platform." That makes sense -- the demographics available to track within this new tool match the same targeting criteria available for LinkedIn Ad campaigns.
That said, the purpose may also be to help LinkedIn advertisers spend more effectively. Let's say, for example, that prior to setting up your Website Demographics, you already have a LinkedIn Ads campaign running. Once you're able to capture more detailed data on which types of users are visiting your web pages -- according to job title, industry, and more -- you'll be able to see if that information aligns. Does the Website Demographics match the targeted audience criteria you used in your Ad campaign? If not, you now have the data to better inform your audience targeting.
The best part is that this information isn't restricted to your promotion efforts within LinkedIn. Now, you're newly equipped with details about the actual human beings visiting your website (with respect to member privacy, says the platform). And while every social media channel has its own trends and patterns of users, having these insights can help you gain a better idea of who's clicking, and why they might be seeking information from your brand.
I'll be keeping an eye on the results as more advertisers begin to use and track the results of this tool, but as always, feel free to reach out on Twitter to share your own experience with it.
How to Use Social Media at Every Stage of the Funnel


Source
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

3 Ways Working a Job You Hate Can Benefit Your Career


"We'll miss you, Cliff." said Andy, my manager. His face looked long when he was sad. We were both working for a company that just experienced a major product failure, and, unfortunately, it prompted a massive round of layoffs. Since I was just an intern, Andy left the decision to leave or stay up to me.
I decided to leave.
"I'll miss you guys, too," I replied. "Thanks again for the opportunity. Let me know what you end up doing after all this chaos dies down." We both shook hands. "Will do," he responded. "Keep in touch, Cliff."
After I packed up my things and said goodbye to the remaining employees, I headed out the office and into the elevator.
As soon as the doors closed, a feeling of liberation washed over me. I let out a booming "Yes!", followed by a triumphant fist pump. I was finally out of that place. I had dreaded going to work everyday. At the same time, though, I felt a little regretful.
I realized I had essentially just wasted two months of precious internship experience. The company had fired their entire marketing team a week before I started, so I was the only marketer in the office. There was no one to learn from, and I barely had anything to do. Half my time was dedicated to playing ping pong and watching office drama escalate on Slack. Amusing for sure, but not really beneficial for my skillset.
My colleagues jokingly called me "CMO Intern", but I didn't think it was funny. If I was the only marketer at the company, who was going to mentor me? And how was I going to develop my skills? It was one of the most frustrating few months of my life.
But even after the pang of regret I felt walking out, I would do it all over again. I'm glad I accepted that internship. I didn't gain the valuable marketing experience I was expecting, but I did walk away with some surprising career lessons. And without them, I wouldn't be where I am now, working a job I love
If you currently have a job you're not too fond of, don't beat yourself up. We've all been there. It hurts, but your suffering will help you figure out what you actually want from your career.
A lot of times, working a job you hate can actually lead you to the one you love. Read on to find out how.


3 Ways Having a Job You Hate Can Benefit Your Career

1) You'll figure out what you like to do -- and what you don't like to do.

There are a lot of variables that influence your satisfaction at work. And sometimes, you won't discover what you actually like doing until you figure out what you really don't like doing.
If you can identify your favorite and least favorite aspects about your current job, you'll know exactly what to look for in your next job. Ask yourself the following questions to learn more about your personal work preferences:
Do you like your role/department? If you just jumped into a new role or department and you realize you aren't really enjoying it, then it might be worth exploring different career path entirely. You should also reflect on your favorite aspects about your previous and current jobs, and pursue opportunities that let you do those things.
Is the company too big or too small? -Do you find solace in the financial stability and stockpile of benefits an enterprise company provides? Or do you prefer the passion and hustle it takes to build a startup? Or maybe you favor a blend of the two, at a medium-sized company? If you feel like your current company doesn't have enough resources to support your growth, then maybe a bigger company is better for you. If your company isn't challenging you enough, then you could pursue opportunities at a smaller company, where you'll get more responsibility.
Are you genuinely interested in your company's industry? When you write blog posts about your company's industry all day, it's a lot more enjoyable if you actually like learning about the subject matter (trust me on this one). Work becomes a chore when these topics don't pique your interest. Whether you work in marketing, sales, product, engineering, or support, if you're not excited about your company's industry, it's tough to stay engaged and satisfied at work. Try pursuing a job in an industry that you're passionate about, even if it means taking a lesser role or making a lateral move.
Do you feel supported by the company's culture? Does work run your life? Is the office cliquey? Do people appreciate your work, or does your manager take all of the credit? If you don't like these things (most people don't), then you're better off at a company that treats their employees well. Use Glassdoor to read a company's employee reviews and evaluate their culture.

2) You'll learn to appreciate your worth.

When you work for a sub-optimal company, team, or manager, you'll notice they either don't give you fulfilling work or don't know how to leverage your skill set to its full potential. This makes you feel misunderstood or undervalued, and work becomes incredibly frustrating.
But their neglect also teaches you how to gauge your professional value. It helps you recognize your needs and capabilities. By honing your self-awareness, you can determine whether upcoming job opportunities are worth it or not and trade up for the best fit job in the future.

3) You'll learn how to persevere through tough times -- and appreciate the good times even more.

A lot of times, getting better at your passion requires you to do the challenging things instead of the enjoyable things, like polishing a blog post in lieu of a post-work gathering.
In your career, you'll encounter times where you absolutely hate your job. But if you can persevere and produce results in a less-than-ideal situation, then you'll enhance your work ethic and truly crush it when your morale is much higher in an ideal situation.
A couple of years ago, I camped out in Florida's Everglades for nine days, where I paddled over 100 miles through alligator infested waters and only ate dehydrated food.
When my trip ended, I was so grateful to be back in civilization (and safe from alligators). I almost forgot what living in a city was like. But the thing I looked forward to the most was eating a real meal. My friends and I all agreed we would stop at the first restaurant we saw, so when we spotted a Subway, we immediately halted. I ordered a chicken bacon ranch sub, and it was one of the best meals I've ever had. I ate another one later that day too.
Losing access to everyday things like normal food, electricity, and community has made me incredibly grateful for them.And I try not to take them for granted anymore, which makes me happier in life. This phenomenon can also happen when your current job situation is less than ideal. You'll be grateful for the privileges you might not have anymore, and when you exchange that dreaded job for your dream one, you definitely won't take its perks for granted, enhancing your gratitude, happiness, and performance at work.

A job you hate doesn't have to be a waste of time.

It's inevitable, at some point in our lives, we'll all have a job that we hate. But if you can view this experience as a life lesson and discover what you actually want out of your career, then there's a good chance the job you hate will eventually lead you to the one you love.



Source
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Thursday, 28 December 2017

7 Phrases That Indicate You Might Be in a Toxic Work Environment


It's a situation familiar to many of us: That moment when something just feels off.
You have a less-than-great feeling about your work environment, and then, someone utters a phrase that gives you a sinking feeling.
It's a feeling that makes that "off" sensation feel even worse -- a feeling that makes you think, "Hmm. Maybe it's not me."
That's the feeling that indicates you might be in a toxic work environment.
But how can you be sure, exactly? What do these signalling phrases sound like?

Download our complete productivity guide here for more tips on improving your productivity at work.


 We collected the seven that we've heard the most -- outside of HubSpot, of course -- and compiled this list to help you figure out if your instincts are correct.

7 Phrases That Indicate You Might Be in a Toxic Work Environment

  1. "You won't believe how late it was when I left the office last night."
  2. "I would love to help you, but ... "
  3. ”Thanks, that was my idea."
  4. "Oh, I can't even remember the last time I took a real vacation."
  5. ”That's not my fault."
  6. ”I’m sick (again)."
  7. ”Where are you going?"

1. "You won't believe how late it was when I left the office last night."

When you work hard, it's no surprise that you might occasionally have to stay at the office past your typical "quitting time" -- like when you're on the verge of launching a new product, campaign, or event.
But when you hear about colleagues doing this regularly -- especially when they speak boastfully about it -- that's a sign that there might be something not-quite-right with the workplace culture, and its approach to work-life balance.
Take a survey conducted by Staples, for example. It showed that 55% of employees feel like they can’t leave their desks for a break. Sure, 86% also said that these breaks would actually help their productivity -- and yet, more than half are hesitant to take them.
So what's stopping us?
When we hear our peers, colleagues, and managers habitually speaking of late nights at work and industrious weekends -- the opposite of taking time to breathe and recharge -- it sends the message that it's expected of everyone, perhaps even implying that breaks and time offline are discouraged. And that, in a word, is unhealthy.
In situations like these, it helps to ask for clarifying information. If there's a colleague you trust, or if you have a good relationship with your manager, try asking if these hours are expected, or if it might be possible to disconnect on a given evening and weekend for a special event. It might turn out that this lack of work-life balance is not encouraged, and that what you've been hearing is the exception -- not the rule.

2. "I would love to help you, but ... "

I'll never forget something my boss told me on my first day at HubSpot. “To help you be more successful, I’ll help you with whatever you ask me for help with. The most successful people ask for help when they need it!”
I wish everyone's managers and teams led with that sentiment. After all, as human beings, we're already disinclined to ask for help -- so when we do and that request is met with a "but," it's not exactly going to encourage us to ask for support in the future.
In these instances, I've found that it helps to lead by doing -- even if this vocabulary or behavior is coming from someone who works above you. Many times, these phrases reflect someone feeling overwhelmed, in which case, it can be beneficial for you to proactively offer help. By actively displaying behavior that discourages a mentality of, "That's not my job," you may inspire others to take a similar approach.

3. "Thanks, that was my idea."

This one, for me, might be the worst phrase on the list. Is there anything worse than someone else being given credit for something you did -- and then, that person accepting it without mentioning your role in the accomplishment?
That's one of the top signaling behaviors of a toxic work environment. It somewhat aligns with the tendency to have the negative parts of your performance pointed out, with little-to-no mention of the positives. When someone -- whether it's a colleague or a manager -- takes credit for things that he didn't accomplish alone (or at all), it can further reinforce a detraction from the things you're doing well at work.
While it may not result in a sustainable resolution -- and can be very difficult to do -- it can help to be honest about the situation with the person from whom this behavior is coming. Try saying something like, "I was surprised by your response to the praise received for Project X. While I felt that I contributed a lot to that work, it sounds like your perception may have been different. Do you have any suggestions for how I can improve my contributions?"
That way, you're not pointing it out in a way that comes from a defensive or finger-pointing manner. Plus, the response you receive to this conversation may indicate just how toxic the situation is. If, for example, the person didn't even realize his error but retroactively recognizes it, you can work together to change that behavior.

4. "Oh, I can't even remember the last time I took a real vacation."

Have you ever heard the term "vacation shaming"?
It's exactly what it sounds like.
According to research from Alamo Rent A Car, 47% of workers feel shame or guilt at work for taking time off -- and 28% are reluctant to do it at all, fearing that they'll appear less dedicated to their work.
This phrase is similar to the first one we listed about working late, or not taking breaks. When the people around us at work brag about burning the candle at both ends, it reinforces the idea that that behavior is rewarded and that, therefore, we should be doing the same.
But ultimately, that approach is detrimental. In fact, the top 10% most productive employees using business time-tracking software DeskTime have been found to take 17-minute breaks for every 52 minutes of work they put in.
In other words -- time off improves the quality of our work. A work environment that dictates otherwise gives us pause.

5. "That's not my fault."

Okay, so maybe it's not phrased exactly this way, but here's the point: the blame game is never a good sign.
When someone appears to be unable to admit his or her role in things going wrong, it can instill fear in those around them -- fear that they might be expected to accept blame in a situation for which they didn't actually do anything wrong.
And while studies show that many employers believe up to 50% of their respective workforces are comprised of unaccountable individuals, we've got news: Managers are responsible for being accountable, too, and for leading by example with it.
In order to create a culture of accountability and eradicate the blame game, it's important to begin by exhibiting that behavior yourself. You could write an entire book on accountability at work, for example, and if you don't practice it yourself, no one will take that directive seriously.
If this is new territory for you, start by asking what role you may have had in a less-than-desirable situation -- and if the answer if something other than what you want to hear, take a moment to consider the feedback you've received, before reacting defensively.

6. "I'm sick (again)."

If all of the above phrases pointed to a single underlying result it would be: stress.
When you're facing a wave of discouragement to take time off, work reasonable hours, or have confidence in your performance, your lifestyle can start to suffer. You might not allow sufficient time to eat healthy foods, work out, or sleep. And when you combine those factors, the typical result is getting sick.
Before my life at HubSpot, I once worked for a very small company where, every week, at least one employee was sick. And while I didn't recognize it at the time, I know now that it was a sign of a toxic work environment. It might be normal for there to be an outbreak of a cold during a seasonal change or, say, flu season. But if people in your work environment are regularly and frequently falling ill, it's a sign that their immunity has suffered -- that can stem from an unhealthy lifestyle, which is easy to fall into when the aforementioned items abound.

7. "Where are you going?"

I'll cut right to the chase. According to a study performed by researchers at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, employees working under a micromanaging boss have a higher mortality rate.
I wish I were making that up. But, seeing as we've already discussed the impact of stress and a lack of workplace flexibility on the ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle -- it doesn't exactly come as a surprise, then, that those working in these conditions die younger than their peers who are allowed more independence and balance in their jobs.
Micromanaging is typically a sign of distrust. Constantly tracking your team's behavior and disallowing autonomy communicates that you have little faith in its ability to succeed, which can result in a lack of confidence and motivation brought to tasks and responsibilities.
If you find yourself in this type of situation -- on either side of it -- look to the results for next steps. Is your team's performance lacking? If so, and your manager exhibits this type of behavior, it could be helpful to have a conversation about how this approach is negatively impacting your performance.
For the other way around, look inward. Ask your team how you can help, and if stepping away might boost productivity.

Productivity Guide

 







Source
Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)