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It’s National 🥧 Pumpkin Pie Day, Reader! Whipped cream or ice cream?

In today’s edition:

• Today's 👉 Tip of the Day is for Instagram

• Using 🧠 consumer behavior to improve your marketing

• 📣 New LinkedIn tools

Are your Instagram Reels getting your message across? If not, don’t assume it’s your content.

Framing Matters for Instagram Reels 

The top third of Reels is the most prominent area where viewers initially look, so when you’re framing a shot, be sure to leave the top third of the screen blank. Reserve this space for branding or text to immediately catch a viewer’s attention.  

Next, you want to ensure critical elements such as visuals, products, or other main subjects are centered in the middle third of the frame. This frames your subject nicely while allowing room for the various post details Instagram displays at the bottom and sides—like the username, caption, number of likes and comments, share icons, etc.

Finding the right balance between prominently featuring your main visuals and text while accounting for the surrounding post elements that compete for space takes some experimenting. But keeping images' subjects primarily in that middle third section with blank space above is a good starting guideline.

Today's tip is inspired by Laura Bitoiu.

It's That Time of Year Again! 

Have you set your goals for 2024? If you want to better equip yourself for a successful new year, consider attending the biggest marketing event of 2024—Social Media Marketing World.

Join thousands of marketers and learn from top marketing experts, February 18–20 in Sunny San Diego.

Can't travel? Consider an On-Demand ticket. You’ll get ALL of the content—without the travel. 

The best part? We're having an End of the Year Sale! If you act fast, you can save 50% off your On-Demand ticket.

I'm ready to get inspired for 2024.

Using Behavioral Science to Boost Marketing

Behavioral science studies why people act the way they do. As marketers, we can use insights into customer behavior to craft more persuasive messages. 

Applying behavioral science can help you understand your customers' instincts so you can craft marketing messaging tailored to leverage—not fight against—their intrinsic biases. 

Use these three core principles from behavioral science to increase response rates to your marketing.

Tap Into Hardwired Human Behaviors 

Humans often rely on mental shortcuts and instinctive reactions when making quick decisions instead of carefully reasoning things out. Identify these reflexive biases your audience may have. Then strategically trigger automatic positive associations through your messaging. For example, call out authorities and experts who endorse your product since people instinctively look to trusted leaders when evaluating claims.

Offer Autonomy Through Choice

Providing options boosts response rates because people crave control over situations. Simply having a say between two offerings instead of just one makes customers feel empowered to decide for themselves. According to one study, giving choices nearly quadruples the chances someone buys then and there. But cap options around three or five choices—too many paralyzes decision-making.  

Make Processing Easy 

Messages that clearly communicate key information feel intuitively believable and breed confidence. Use simple, concrete language free of jargon and niche acronyms. Break content into scannable sections with ample white space between short paragraphs. Stick to familiar fonts in dark text on light backgrounds. Complex, confusing presentations backfire by implying your offer itself seems complicated.

Test Subtle Messaging Tweaks

Small wording changes significantly impact reactions despite conveying essentially the same core message. For example, "free" garnered twice the email open rate as "complimentary" in subject lines. Adding "small" before a $5 shipping fee boosted eCommerce conversions by 20% even though everyone understands $5 is a modest charge. Never assume minor details don't move the needle.

Today's advice is provided with insights from Nancy Harhut.

The Best Holiday Present Ever! 

If you didn’t get that special gift you were hoping for this season, why not give yourself the best gift of all… an On-Demand ticket to Social Media Marketing World 2024.

It's the gift that keeps on giving… with 365 days of education to help you achieve your goals. 

Right now you can save 50% off of an On-Demand ticket. But don’t wait too long! This special offer ends in a few days.   

I’m ready for the gift of education.

🗞 LinkedIn Professional Development Tools: LinkedIn's Chief Product Officer Tomer Cohen announced several new product features to help users advance their careers through learning, including AI-powered coaching to provide personalized advice; bite-sized daily video lessons to fit learning into busy schedules; recommendations of specific courses and professional certificates tailored to the skills needed for jobs users are interested in; expanding professional certificates offered through LinkedIn Learning to showcase skills to potential employers; and more hands-on coding practice features like sandboxes and code challenges to help users build technical skills. Source: LinkedIn

Did You Know?

According to the American Pie Council, 1 out of 5 Americans has eaten an ENTIRE pumpkin pie by themselves. Are you one of them?