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It’s National Polka Weekend, Reader... Accordions and tubas, this is your moment to shine!

In today’s edition:

• Today's Tip of the Day is for social media

• Making time-off easier for marketers

• Google announces new AI-powered ads features

• Meta introduces video to Catalog Product Ads

• TikTok launches new ads solutions

• Additional industry news from Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, and more

If you use images in your social posts and aren't getting the engagement you expect, we have a tip for you:

Candid Mobile Images > Perfect Screenshots

The day after we launched the AI Explored podcast, our founder, Michael Stelzner, posted a simple message on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X, celebrating our breaking the Top 100 in Apple Podcasts in 24 hours: "Wow. We made it. I can't believe it. We broke the top 100." He used his iPhone to capture a screenshot of the show featured on Apple Podcasts and included it in the post.

In the first 9 minutes, the post received almost no engagement. This was unusual, so he deleted that post and gave it another go with the same image and slightly different copy. Still, there was no engagement. After 24 minutes, there was no engagement, so he deleted the second post.

For the third post, he used the same text but snapped a picture of his Mac screen using his iPhone to show the podcast's placement in the ranking.

Within 9 minutes, the post had 4 comments and 17 engagements!

The moral of the story? How you present your visual content is key. Ditch the boring screenshots and get creative with your phone camera. 

Today's tip is inspired by Michael Stelzner, founder and CEO of Social Media Examiner.

Now on YouTube: AI Explored With Michael Stelzner

Last week, we launched a new show called AI Explored. Each week, we'll bring you experts who focus on putting tools like ChatGPT (and others) to work for your business. You'll discover exactly how to use AI for your business without any of the confusing jargon.

And since so many of our fans love YouTube, we've also launched a new YouTube channel featuring episodes of the show. 

Check it out now, and click the bell to subscribe.

How Always-On Marketers Can Take Time Off

In the fast-paced world of marketing, it can feel like there's always something urgent that needs your attention, especially if you're in a leadership role. 

Stakeholder demands, project deadlines, and unexpected challenges can keep you glued to your desk for long hours, day after day. With so many demands on your time and attention, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you're too busy to step away or that your team can't function without you.

However, working nonstop without any breaks is a recipe for burnout. For many of us, taking time away is easier said than done. 

These tips will ensure that you take time off and give you the confidence to know that everything is handled while you're away:

Scheduling Time Off

One of the easiest ways to ensure you take breaks regularly is to schedule them in advance. Treat your breaks as non-negotiable commitments, just as you would block off time on your calendar for an important meeting or deadline.

By committing to making taking breaks a regular part of your routine, you'll improve your own well-being and effectiveness, set a positive example for others on your team, and create a culture of self-care and balance in your workplace.

If you're not used to taking regular breaks, stepping away for an extended period can be overwhelming. Instead, start small and build up gradually over time. For example, start by taking a short walk or doing a quick meditation practice each day, then gradually take longer and more frequent breaks as you become more comfortable with the idea.

Prepping Stakeholders

Communicating clearly with your team about upcoming breaks is essential for ensuring that everything continues to run smoothly in your absence. 

Let all stakeholders and team members know when you'll be out of the office, who will fill in for you during your absence, and how people can reach you in case of an emergency.

It's also a good idea to set expectations around communication while you're away. Will you be checking email or taking calls? If so, how often and during what hours?

Handing Off Your Workload 

Be sure to delegate or hand off your responsibilities before the week before you leave. 

Identify key tasks and projects that need to be handled in your absence and make sure they are assigned to other team members well in advance of your time off, then provide them with any resources, training, and support they'll need to do the work.

It's also a good idea to establish regular check-ins before your vacation to ensure that everyone is ready to take over while you're away.

Finally, before you leave for your break, take some time to tie up loose ends and ensure that everything is in order. This may involve completing critical tasks, sending out status updates to clients, or creating contingency plans for potential issues that may arise. By taking these proactive steps, you'll give yourself peace of mind and allow yourself to disconnect fully and recharge while you're away.

Today's advice is provided with insights from Terry Isner, a featured guest on the Marketing Agency Show.

ICYMI: 16th Annual Social Media Marketing Industry Report [NO-COST] 

If you’re looking for the scoop on the future of social marketing, don’t miss our 16th Annual Social Media Marketing Industry Report.

It’s the best resource around to determine what’s working now in social, including:

1️⃣ Most-used platforms: Which ones are hot right now  

2️⃣ Organic plans: How marketers plan to change the game with organic social

3️⃣ Video marketing: Popular video platforms, formats, and future planning! 

Plus, right now, the Social Media Marketing Industry Report is NO-COST!

Grab your copy of the Industry Report now!

Google’s YouTube Music Extension: Google has begun rolling out the YouTube Music extension for its Gemini chatbot, allowing users to command the chatbot to play songs from YouTube Music by song, playlist, artist, and more. Source: Neowin

Google’s AI-Powered Ads Features: Google announced AI-powered features for its advertising products to help businesses improve ad performance. Generative AI enables high-performing ad assets aligned with brand standards, while new image editing capabilities allow for object addition, background extension, and cropping. Google is also introducing immersive ad experiences, interactive ads in Search, and new formats for YouTube Shorts. Google will also test Search and Shopping ads in AI Overviews for users in the United States. Source: Google Ads

Meta’s Catalog Ads: Meta has introduced video support for its Catalog Product Ads (formerly Dynamic ads), allowing advertisers to include video assets alongside still images in their automated ad campaigns. Source: Social Media Today

Facebook’s New APIs: Facebook has released Graph API v20.0 and Marketing API v20.0 with updates including, an auto-upgrade feature, support for Reminder Ads and multi-advertiser ads, and the introduction of the CPA_GUIDANCE API. Generative AI creative features are now available in the Marketing API, and the Instagram Video API supports the "Resumable Upload Protocol" along with six new metrics for Carousel Container Media. Source: Meta 

Reddit Partners With Kantar: Reddit has partnered with Kantar to help advertisers effectively measure and optimize their brand campaigns on the platform. Source: Reddit 

Snap’s Ads Improvements: Snapchat is improving its app advertisers' experience. Improvements include redesigned ad formats, a streamlined app download experience on iOS, and new bidding capabilities for mobile gaming. Source: Snapchat for Business

TikTok’s New Floating Player: TikTok has introduced a new floating player feature for desktop users. This feature allows users to continue watching videos while browsing other tabs. Source: Social Media Today

TikTok’s New Ad Solutions: TikTok introduced new business solutions at its 4th annual TikTok World product summit. The new tools include Creative AI solutions (TikTok One and TikTok Symphony), Performance and Measurement solutions (Performance Automation, TikTok Shop Marketing Automation, and Unified Lift), and enhancements to Branding placements (Interactive Add-Ons for TopView and Duet with Branded Mission). TikTok also launched a Media Buying Certification program to empower digital marketers and strengthen its network of trusted partners for advertisers. Source: TikTok

X’s Creator Payouts: X announced that all new creators must verify their ID to receive payouts. All existing creators must do so by July 1, 2024. Source: @xDaily via X

X Makes Likes Private: X announced that likes on the platform will soon be made private. Source: @wanghaofei via X

YouTube Updates: YouTube will be expanding its multi-language audio to more creators later this year. Shorts viewers can also select their preferred video quality through mobile settings. Over the next few weeks, YouTube will also experiment with a “Reply” button and the ability for viewers to like Super Chats. Lastly, the platform launched a new immersive Minecraft effect for Shorts. Source: YouTube

YouTube’s Advertiser-Friendly Content: YouTube's Ads Policy team is sharing updates to clarify the Advertiser-friendly content guidelines, making them more transparent and understandable for creators seeking to monetize their content. Creators can subscribe to a dedicated post to receive email notifications about updates, which are also logged on a separate page. The team is updating Help Center articles with additional details, examples, and restructured information based on creator feedback. Creators are encouraged to use Self-Certification to rate their content, as its accuracy helps identify areas where guidelines need further clarification. Source: YouTube

Did You Know?

The rarest combination of eye and hair color in humans is blue eyes with red hair.