Paused Ads are Here✨

#HTE 287 - Next Big Innovation In Google Ads and much more🚀

May 02, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes

Hello there, HTE rock stars! 😎

Welcome to our newsletter! 🎉 

Get ready to dive into the exciting world of digital marketing and customer experience. In this edition, we're uncovering some hot topics. Ever thought about how paused ads could shake up Google Ads? 📢

We've got the scoop! 

Plus, we'll share four simple ways to amp up empathy in your customer experience journey 📈, and a handy playbook for rocking it with affiliate commissions and influencers. 

Get set for a ride through strategies and innovations that'll keep you hooked till the very end.🚀

Newcomers welcome to HTE's hub! Join 35k+ CEOs, CMOs, and marketers for game-changing insights. Get ahead, sign up for brilliance, and let's rise together! 🚀

Paused Ads Could Be The Next Big Innovation In Google Ads 📢

4 Easy Ways to Add Empathy to Your CX and Retention 📈

Creating Affiliate Commissions: A Marketer's Playbook for Successful Influencer Partnerships🤑

Top Reads📚

HTE Job Board- Get Your Dream Job With a Click✨💼

Paused Ads Could Be The Next Big Innovation In Google Ads 📢

What's Happening: Starting in June, Google Ads will automatically stop showing ads for certain keywords that aren't getting any attention.

What Counts as "Not Getting Attention": Keywords that haven't been clicked or seen by anyone in the past year will be paused.

Why It Matters: Google says having these inactive keywords can drag down how well your ads perform overall.

What Happens If You Try to Use Them Again: If you try to use one of these paused keywords again and it still doesn't get any attention within three months, Google will pause it again automatically.

Why Google's Doing This: They want advertisers to focus on keywords that actually help them get results.

Don't Forget: Google started doing something similar with ad groups that weren't getting much attention back in March.

Why You May Want to Pause Your Ads:

Once your ads are live, there might be times when you want to temporarily stop them. For instance, if you're advertising wool coats in the U.S., you probably don't need those ads running during the summer. However, when autumn arrives, you may want to activate them again.

Benefits of Pausing Your Ads:

By pausing your ad, you can essentially "save" it for later without the need to rewrite it or go through the review process again.

How to Pause or Resume Ads:

For Single Ads:

  1. Go to your Google Ads account and select "Ads & extensions" from the page menu.

  2. Find the ad you want to pause and click on the green dot next to it.

  3. Choose "Pause" to stop the ad or "Enable" to restart it.

For Multiple Ads:

  1. Navigate to "Ads & extensions" in your Google Ads account.

  2. Check the boxes next to the ads you wish to pause or resume.

  3. Click on "Edit" at the top of the table.

  4. Select "Pause" to stop the ads or "Enable" to restart them. You also have other options, such as removing ads altogether or changing text ads.

Important Note:

You have full control over your ads. You can pause them for any duration you need, and resume them whenever you like. Plus, you won't incur any charges while your ads are paused.

4 Easy Ways to Add Empathy to Your CX and Retention

  1. The way you lead

Honestly, whether CX falls under Ops or Marketing doesn't matter as much as having someone at the helm who: 

A. Truly cares about the customer and possesses EQ 🤝 

B. Has been in the trenches and understands the grind firsthand 🛠️

"Doing CX" isn't rocket science, but exceptional CX teams aren't just comprised of individuals ticking off tickets. They're made up of folks who relish in making things right, and who thrive on turning experiences around. They embody hospitality and treat people as they'd like to be treated.

Exceptional CX teams are fueled by leaders who grasp this concept. 

When CX leadership gets it, the team feels it. They become 10x more productive and impactful with stellar leadership.

Sure, you can still be laser-focused on quotas and efficiency, but great CX is inspired by great CX leaders. When the inspiration wanes, so does the great CX.

Bonus: If you want the rest of the team to truly empathize with CX, throw them into the deep end. Some top brands have every employee rotate through the CX team for a week or two each year. It's an idea I really endorse. 🔄

  1. The policies you create

Your business policies should mirror the brand you're striving to build.

Nordstrom, for example, aims to be the epitome of customer-centricity, and their return policy backs that up.

If you're dropshipping inexpensive caps, by all means, implement a "final-sale" return policy.

But if you're selling $85 tees and then slap customers with a $9.95 exchange fee, it's just not right. It leaves a bad taste.

Your customer policies should be crafted with empathy and foresight, aligning seamlessly with your company's ethos. 🛍️

  1. The tools you use

I used to be "anti-AI" a few years back. Every encounter with bots felt lackluster compared to human interaction. But as AI has evolved, I've warmed up to AI tools, preferring them over outsourcing CX to humans who might not get it.

Great AI tools enhance what you already have and are built with empathy at their core.

Tools like Siena (our sponsor) focus on creating agents that deeply understand and adapt to each business's unique needs, ensuring every interaction is as human and helpful as possible. Here's how they do it:

  • Customization: Tailoring AI to meet specific operational needs.

  • Human-Like Training: AI trained to respond with empathy and understanding.

  • Holistic Integration: Seamlessly integrating into teams and operations.

  • Cultural Alignment: Embedding empathy as a core value.

  • Comprehensive Experience: Providing an empathic UI/UX.

  1. The messaging you use

This is a recurring frustration for me, and it drives me bonkers.

Both Retention and CX messaging need more empathy and thoughtfulness.

Just last week, I contacted a brand I frequently order from. Despite placing my order a week earlier, I hadn't received any shipping updates. Instead, I was bombarded with emails prompting me to buy more. Not a word about my pending items. This happens every time I order.

Upon reaching out to the CX team, I was told my items were in the "final stages of processing."

Instead of a validating response, I received dismissiveness. A simple tweak in tone would have changed the entire interaction.

Swap the canned response for a touch of empathy. (Oh, and switch warehouses; they're terrible.) 

Creating Affiliate Commissions: A Marketer's Playbook for Successful Influencer Partnerships

Navigating influencer collaborations requires finesse, especially when determining the right affiliate commission. Set it too high, and your profits suffer; set it too low, and you risk losing top talent. This guide will walk you through setting commissions that ensure profitability while nurturing fruitful influencer relationships.

Understanding Your Margins is Essential 💰 

Before diving into affiliate commissions, understand your numbers. If your net margin is robust, offering attractive commissions while maintaining profitability is feasible. For tighter margins, consider a variable commission model based on product categories to sustain profitability across your range.

Simplify Calculations with Templates 📊 

Utilize tools like the SARAL affiliate commission template to automate calculations. This ensures accuracy and saves time, allowing you to focus on strategy rather than number crunching.

Set Clear Profit Goals 📈 

Establish your desired net margin and work backward to determine the room available for influencer commissions and customer discounts. Maintaining a healthy balance between customer attraction and fair influencer compensation is crucial.

Balance Discounts and Commissions ⚖️ 

Maintain fairness by striking a balance between customer discounts and influencer commissions. This ensures mutual value, enhancing the effectiveness of your affiliate program.

Monitor Profit per Unit 📉 

Keep a close watch on profit per unit sold to assess the sustainability of your pricing strategy and ensure long-term business viability.

Communicate Effectively with Influencers 🗣️ 

When pitching to influencers, provide clear earnings projections based on realistic sales volumes. Transparency builds trust and sets clear expectations, making your affiliate program more enticing.

Influencer collaborations can elevate your brand's visibility and sales, but they require careful management. By following these steps, each partnership will not only contribute to immediate sales goals but also support your brand's overall growth and profitability.

Top Reads📚

Asahi buys Australian gin maker Never Never  ~ 1 May 2024, The Spirit Business 

HTE Job Board- Get Your Dream Job With a Click✨💼

Welcome to the HTE Job Board. We connect talented individuals with exciting career opportunities. Browse through our latest job listings and find the perfect match for your skills and aspirations. 

Your Voice 🎤

Phew! That was a lot, right? But hey, knowledge is power🌟. We hope this edition gave you some insights and maybe even cleared up a few doubts.

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