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It’s National 🧑‍🍳 Bake Week, Reader! Do you prefer sweet bakes or savory bakes?

In today’s edition:

• Today's 👉 Tip of the Day is for GA4

• Holding onto your 🔥 best marketers

• 📱 Instagram Blend in testing

• More 👻 Snapchat create features

Want clear data on how website visitors navigate the customer journey? Google Analytics 4 (GA4) can help.

GA4’s Funnel Exploration tool allows you to create funnels that show how users move through a sequence of events on your site or app.

Use Explore > Funnel Exploration

To create a funnel in GA4, navigate to the Explore section and click "Funnel Exploration." From there, you can define the steps in your funnel by choosing the events you want to track. For example, your funnel might have steps like "product_view," "add_to_cart," and "purchase." 

Once you've defined your funnel steps, GA4 will show you how many users completed each step and where users dropped off. By adding a breakdown dimension like device category or traffic source, you can compare how different user segments move through the funnel.

GA4 funnels also allow you to add time constraints. For example, you could create a funnel that only includes users who completed all the steps within a 30-minute window. This can help you identify users who are moving through the funnel quickly vs those who may be encountering friction.

Today's tip is inspired by Chris Mercer, a featured presenter in the Social Media Marketing Society.

Marketing Challenges? Here’s a Better Way…

If you’re seeking change, consider the Social Media Marketing Society.

Since 2015, Society members have evolved their strategies, improved their results, and thrived through challenging times.

“I've been a member for over 5 years. I could never be where I am without the Society,” said Suzanne Feinberg.

When you become part of our welcoming community, you discover new ideas, your confidence improves, and you become more valuable to your company or clients.

Find out why over 1,000 marketers consider the Society their “home.”  

Yes! I’m ready for a better way.

How to Retain Top Talent on Your Marketing Team

Whether you’re heading up a marketing team or are a business owner, losing your best marketers can be costly in terms of time and resources spent on hiring and training new team members and the impact on your team's overall performance. The following tips will help you create a work environment that encourages your best marketers to stay.

Create a Culture of Psychological Safety

To retain top talent, creating a culture of psychological safety is essential. This means fostering an environment where people feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work and expressing their thoughts and ideas without fear of negative consequences. When team members feel psychologically safe, they're more likely to take risks, be creative, and collaborate effectively.

As a leader, your actions and behaviors play a crucial role in shaping the work environment. By demonstrating vulnerability and admitting when you don't have all the answers, you can foster a stronger connection with your team and enhance problem-solving capabilities. Encouraging open communication, seeking feedback, and valuing your employees' opinions and concerns are all essential steps in creating a workplace where everyone feels heard and respected.

Encourage and Respect Work-Life Balance

Respecting your employees' boundaries is key to retaining top talent. While it's tempting to expect your team to be available 24/7, especially in the fast-paced world of marketing, it's important to remember that you're only paying for their professional hours, not access to their entire lives. Expecting your employees to be constantly connected and responsive can lead to burnout, decreased job satisfaction, and higher turnover rates.

Encourage your team to maintain a healthy work-life balance by setting clear expectations around communication outside of work hours. Avoid sending messages or pings during their time off, as this can make it difficult for them to disconnect and recharge fully. Instead, consider using tools like scheduled messages or waiting until they're back in the office to discuss non-urgent matters.

Additionally, be mindful of the workload assigned to your team members. Ensure they have the resources and support to complete their tasks within a reasonable timeframe and be open to adjusting deadlines or redistributing work when necessary.

Offer Meaningful Benefits and Perks

While compensation is important, smaller businesses cannot always compete with larger companies in terms of salary and benefits. However, you can still offer meaningful perks that show your employees you value their well-being and personal growth. These benefits can make your team members feel appreciated and invested.

Consider offering flexible work arrangements, such as working from home or having a more flexible schedule. This can especially appeal to employees with families or those with long commutes. Giving your team members more control over their work environment and schedule shows that you trust them to manage their time effectively and deliver high-quality work.

Provide Ways to Grow and Develop

To retain top talent, provide your team with ways to grow and develop within your agency. This can include giving your team members the autonomy to pursue challenging projects and take on new responsibilities. Employees who feel like they're learning and growing in their roles are more likely to stay engaged and committed to your agency.

Encourage your employees to attend industry events and conferences to network with other professionals, learn about the latest trends and best practices, and bring new ideas back to your agency. Be willing to invest in their professional development through training and certification programs that align with their career goals and your agency's needs.

Today's advice is provided with insights from Jonathan Jacobs.

🗞 Instagram Tests Blend: Some users are receiving invites to Blend, a feature that showcases Reels recommendations based on the Reels users share and their Reels interests. Source: Alessandro Paluzzi via X

🗞 Snapchat Features: The creative and personalization options include: templates for easier high-quality video and Snap creation; longer video uploads (up to five minutes) for Chats, Stories, and Spotlight; advanced Camera mode with editing tools accessible via a simple swipe; artificial intelligence (AI)-powered Lenses offering festive themes and styles. Additionally, Snapchat+ subscribers can now enjoy Friendship Profiles, allowing users to pose their avatars alongside their friends' Bitmoji and a "Bitmojify" feature that creates unique avatars for users' pets. Source: Snapchat

Did You Know?

On this day in 1891, The Wrigley Company was founded in Chicago, Illinois.