What Makes Social Media Content Relevant?

 Which qualities make social media content feel culturally relevant? Or relevant to individuals? What impact does using slang and referencing big cultural moments have on perceived relevance?

To find out, WARC and TikTok conducted a survey in August 2024 among social media users in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Respondents say the top things that make social media content feel culturally relevant are when the pieces provide updates on trending topics, showcase topics/issues that are happening at the moment, and incorporate the latest trends.

Respondents say the top things that make social media content feel personally relevant are when the pieces use humor that they find funny, are about topics they're interested in, and incorporate their hobbies/passions.

Respondents age 18-24 are more likely than older respondents to say social media content is relevant if it uses the jargon/slang of communities they're part of.

Respondents age 25-45 are more likely than younger respondents to say social media content is relevant if it is aligned to significant cultural moments.

About the research: The report was based on data from a survey conducted in August 2024 among social media users in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

https://tinyurl.com/3yp7ee7j

How to Create a Marketing Automation Strategy

 How do you create a successful automation strategy for a marketing program?

A key step is mapping each part of the customer journey to actions (what needs to happen) and automations (elements of the actions that can be handled by automation tools).

An infographic (below) from Semrush covers what all that looks like.

It uses a webinar as an example and shows how the customer journey can be mapped to specific actions and automations.

Check out the infographic:

https://tinyurl.com/yc4b8enk

Profit isn’t one number—it’s multiple different stories

 

Most leaders think profit is simple.
Revenue comes in, expenses go out, and profit is what’s left.
But here’s where they're wrong:

Profit isn’t one number—it’s multiple different stories.

Gross profit. Operating Profit. Net Profit.
And the elusive Contribution Margin.

Each one answers a different question about your business.

Confuse them, and you’ll misprice products, miss operational inefficiencies, and mislead stakeholders.

1️⃣ Gross Profit: Production Efficiency

Gross Profit tells you how much revenue remains after covering the cost of goods sold (COGS).

↳ Formula: Revenue - COGS

↳ Use it to:
• Validate pricing
• Evaluate production efficiency

↳ Limits: It ignores all non-production costs.

2// Contribution Margin: Pricing Power

Contribution Margin (not Profit) measures revenue after all variable costs.

↳ Formula: Sales Price - All Variable Costs (production and non-production)

↳ Use it to:
• Optimize pricing and sales mix
• Perform breakeven analysis

↳ Limits: Typically focuses on unit-level not overall profitability

3// Operating Profit: Operational Effectiveness

Operating Profit includes all operating costs, giving a wider view of the business efficiency.

↳ Formula: Revenue - COGS - Operating Expenses

↳ Use it to:
• Diagnose inefficiencies
• Measure core business health

↳ Limits: Excludes interest and taxes—so it’s not the “bottom line.”

4// Net Profit: Overall Profitability

Net Profit is the bottom line, showing revenue after everything—COGS, operating expenses, taxes, and interest.

This is what grows the equity on your balance sheet.
Or what shrinks it in the case of a Net Loss.

↳ Formula: Revenue - All Costs and Expenses

↳ Use it to:
• Evaluate overall financial health
• Communicate profitability to stakeholders

↳ Limits: Great for the big picture, but not for identifying specific issues.

The Takeaway:

Each profit margin answers a specific question:

• Gross Profit: Are we producing efficiently?
• Contribution Margin: Are we pricing correctly?
• Operating Profit: Are we running effectively?
• Net Profit: Are we truly profitable?

Stop treating margins as interchangeable.

Use them strategically, and you’ll make smarter decisions that drive your business's profitability.

https://tinyurl.com/4v4bns4e