Chrissy Kidd

As I've been thinking about Q3/H2 content strategy here at Houzz I keep thinking about Ross Simmonds' excellent book, "Create Once, Distribute Forever." Ross is someone who over the years has helped me think about content production and promotion really differently, and the book is a great read for anyone who has a hand in content marketing at any stage! Check it out if you haven't already! https://lnkd.in/gkD3YvDY

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When ClickUp told us we were moving all our internal comms to Chat, I wasn't sold. I've been in Slack's ecosystem for years. From weird sneaker reselling groups in early college (a story for another time). to the hundreds of clients I collaborated with at GR0 in Slack, I didn't want to use anything else. Not to mention the tech-debt of migrating all of our Slack automations and integrations—I was concerned it wouldn't work out. I also worried about missing critical messages during the transition period. Then, I started using ClickUp Chat, and I found the "Create Task with AI" button. From any chat, any message in the workspace, I can click one button and create a task with ALL the context, due dates, and any other info I need in just a click or two. That magic moment was what made it click for me. Now, after 2 months using it internally, I see the vision. It's SO good. I can't imagine going back to Slack anymore. A keyboard shortcut to move me from work/tasks, to chat, and back feels like a superpower. If you're still using Slack + a different PM solution, look into ClickUp chat. The time + cost savings add up pretty quick. It's hard to find a better solution.

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Repurposed content can feel like a meal made out of leftovers. ❌ Try this instead. I see a lot of discourse on repurposing content as a way to do more with less. But in my experience (10+ years at Salesforce, plus agency- and publisher-side roles), I’ve seen that content resonates most when it’s *purpose-built* for your target message, channels, and audience. 🩵 Purpose-built. Purposeful. Not just repurposed. 🍽️ Watch the video where I explain more of my POV. Here’s what I suggest instead: Refine your goals. If your goal from repurposed content is… 👥 Making your brand appear on every channel. 📤 Publishing more often. 🛠️ Creating a big number of pieces of content from one piece. Then I invite you to reframe your content goal around this: 🍝 How can you create a few pieces of highly impactful content that each feel like delicious entrees, instead of more leftovers? THAT is what your audience will organically gravitate towards. In the hands of a talented content strategist, upcycled content can still be purpose-built. 🚨 But if the original piece of content was mediocre, any excerpts or clips will be, too. And every time your audience sees another mediocre piece of content from you, they tune out your brand a little bit more. I don’t like to see content marketers exhausted, trying to create more things for more channels. That struggle seems to be fueling a lot of the repurposing talk in modern content motions. Tell me if you agree or disagree, and take a moment to watch the video where I explain further! What repurposed content does or doesn’t work in your marketing strategy?

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💯 In my experience, CSMs who did what the company asked had unhappy customers. The CSMs who did what the customer needed had happy customers. Focusing on real communication and understanding what is important to the customer will drive success. Focusing on getting a customer to say they are happy at this moment is pointless.

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what your public group can do for you… 💥 I get it—diversifying traffic sounds like just another thing to add to your already overflowing to-do list. ​ You’ve been told a million times that relying only on Google is risky, but figuring out what works outside of search engines is tough. ​ That’s exactly why Stephanie Mayo created her first public Facebook group: to regain control of her traffic after being hit hard by Google’s updates. ​ In just 10 months, she grew that group to over 340,000 members and matched her previous ad revenue—all while focusing on a community she loved engaging with. ​ But here’s the kicker… it wasn’t about confidence or expertise. It was about having a simple, repeatable system. ​ The biggest obstacle you might think you’re facing is, “How do I drive consistent traffic that doesn’t depend on SEO?” But the truth? The real challenge is not having a clear, proven plan to follow. ​ And that’s exactly what the Public Group Playbook offers: Boost Website Traffic: You’ll learn how to get consistent clicks from your group members—without having to constantly create new content or write for 400 different platforms. Create Engaged Communities: This isn’t just about member numbers; it’s about real interaction, discussion, and sharing that keeps members coming back. Make Monetization Simple: With step-by-step strategies, you’ll know exactly when and how to promote products, links, or sponsored posts—without feeling salesy. Stability Beyond Google: You’ll finally have a reliable source of traffic that isn’t impacted by algorithm changes, giving you peace of mind. ​ Here’s a quick tip: One of the best ways to drive clicks from your public group is to respond to questions directly. It doesn’t require the perfect post structure or an @ everyone tag. ​ Just provide helpful answers and add a link as part of your response when it’s relevant. ​ Members click because you’re genuinely responding to them. ​ But the best part? You’ll start seeing results quickly, even if you only have 5 hours a week to dedicate to building your group. ​ I know you’re not the type of person who just wants to maintain the status quo. You’re here because you want: A real community that drives consistent traffic A diversified strategy that reduces dependency on Google’s whims To feel like you’re actually connecting with real people—not just writing for algorithms ​ Let’s make that happen, together! ​ You won’t need paid ads, fancy tools, or to re-optimize articles. You just need something you love to talk about. ​ ​Join Public Group Playbook now and start building a community that clicks!​ ​ See you inside, Nina ​ P.S. Don’t let the fear of “too much work” stop you. I promise, this course is designed to save you time, not add more to your plate. Let us prove it to you with the Public Group Playbook. Link: https://lnkd.in/g7uKSYgX

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💡Quick email compliance tip for Klaviyo accounts: If you are sending a text-based email in Klaviyo, you still need to disclose your physical address and include an unsubscribe link. Klaviyo's template doesn't include either by default.

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Case studies are a pain in the ass. They're filled with blockers like: - convincing your CSMs to let you talk to their customer - getting a customer to spend time talking to you - booking time and then your POC has to reschedule - getting a transcript of the recording - listening back to your own voice (ugh) to find the good stuff - writing something meaningful with just enough detail but not too much and finally... - publishing that case study - showing your case study to the sales team so they'll use it Some of these blockers are bigger than others but if you've ever gone through the process of creating a case study, you were with me from "pain in the ass". But they're a necessary element for B2B SaaS. Prospects *do* want to know what others have accomplished with your help. Publishing wins from a variety of customers is important for your SEO. And people just... expect them at this point. I gotta tell you, I used to dread case studies but I've been testing out Laudable for my case study production and it's gonna be a game changer, and I don't use that term lightly. In less time then it takes Zoom to process the call recording I can produce an entire case study and a wins slide for my team! Is it perfect? No. Does it get me 90% of the way there? Absolutely. And I dunno about you but if I can do 90% less work in one of the many areas I cover, I'm taking it. Anywho, Ryan Quindlen 🦇 or Angela Ferrante can hook you up with your own demo/trial account to see for yourself. Oh and I'll probably get in trouble for this with Blake Imperl since it's Not On Brand™ but if you want to read about what Ellyn Stastny shared with me about Pvolve's success with Digioh, I'll link it in the comments.

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Ever clicked through to a website and thought, "Am I the only one here?" Well, if that website happens to be yours, we need to have a serious chat. Boosting website traffic isn't about casting spells or chanting "SEO" three times in front of a mirror. It’s about strategy, savvy tactics, and not being afraid to throw a little elbow grease into the mix. Here’s a breakdown: 🔍 SEO is Your Best Friend: Optimize your content. Keywords matter, but so does user intent. Understand what your audience is searching for—not just the words they use, but also the content they crave. 👑 Content is King, but Distribution is Queen: Great content is great, but it’s a tree falling in an empty forest if no one reads it. Leverage social media, email newsletters, and even the old school method of networking to get your content in front of more eyes. 💸 Paid Advertising – Spend Smart, Not Big: Throw some money into the mix with targeted ads. Platforms like Google AdWords and Facebook ads offer sophisticated targeting options that can help you find your audience without needing to spend a fortune. 📊 Analytics Are Sexy: Yes, you read that right. Dive into your analytics to see where your traffic is coming from, what pages they’re sticking to, and where you’re losing them. Use this data to make informed decisions, not just educated guesses. 🔄 Be Consistently Consistent: Keep your content fresh and engaging, and keep the algorithms on their toes. The more frequently you update your site with articles, downloads, and new pages, the more frequently search engines will stop by to take a look. More content, more traffic. So, let's turn your ghost town into a bustling metropolis. Start implementing, testing, and tweaking. Remember, increasing web traffic is a marathon, not a sprint. And it's way more fun than just shouting into the void. Who’s with me? 🚀 #Marketing #WebTraffic #DigitalMarketing #SEO #ContentMarketing

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I've tried a bunch of subject line testing tools. I'm not a fan. 🥱 They seem gimmicky. And they contradict each other. What's a positive to one is a negative to another. Plus their data is an abyss of mystery where you can't be sure what led to the algorithm in the first place. Is it the right way to approach subject line writing anyways? Writing a subject line is not a formula, where if you include an exclamation point your open rate decreases by 4% or if you include an emoji it increases by 9 percent. Sure, maybe you find macro trends like that across a massive data set, but who's to say those trends were held to statistical standards keeping all other variables constant? And assuming massive macro trends hold for your industry and segment seems... unlikely. So I'm looking for a better way. Am I wrong? Do you use them? If so do you think they've helped? #emailmarketing

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“Can you make an editorial calendar? It can be quick.” 🫣 I’m guessing every content marketer has been asked to create an editorial calendar in their role. Watch my video to see 4 things I’ve done wrong when making editorial calendars during my time at Salesforce. Managing an editorial calendar SHOULD be pretty straightforward. At its most basic level, an editorial calendar answers three questions: 🎤 What’s being posted? 🧐 When? ☕️ Where? But I’ve run into plenty of complexity when managing editorial calendars over the years. Questions come up like: 😛 This calendar is too detailed. Where’s the exec-facing view? 🤓 Can we include <these other company milestones> in the calendar? 🤠 How do these individual pieces of content support <these company themes or priorities>? 🤩 Who is the audience for this? How much content are we making for each audience? You can up-level the complexity of your content calendar depending on the size of your company and what you’re trying to do. Our editorial calendars at Salesforce are now pretty robust. 😂 But ultimately, I think content marketers should be focused on making a rock-solid content strategy first. THEN you use the calendar as an important planning tool in your toolkit. Making a great editorial calendar is usually not “quick.” But it’s definitely valuable. If your current calendar is not working for you, change it up! ✌️ Check out the video for more editorial calendar pitfalls from my experience. What’s your approach to editorial calendars? Simple or fancy? Updated by many folks, or managed by one content lead? I’d love to know! Shoutout to my bud Devin Reed for requesting the topic of editorial calendars! I’m open to more suggestions, y’all.

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I ended up removing all of my "14-day email nurture" sequences and I'm so happy I did. For years I'd been following the common advice around email nurture. You know the stuff... 👉 It takes a lead X touchpoints to buy from you 👉 You need to offer X value before you even think of pitching 👉 People won't buy your product if they don't know who you are It's all BS as far as I'm concerned now. For years I ran a multi-week welcome sequence to introduce myself, offer value to the user, and then segue into a soft sale of something. The result? A handful of sales in a few years. So I switched things up to be way more aggressive. New subs now get a simple welcome then a 5-day sales sequence of a low-cost workshop. This one to be exact. ​https://lnkd.in/dtdujWuM​ The result? More cash collected, better growth, and I've identified the serious customers - or the givers - in the audience. All that without a nurture sequence. How's that possible? It's a combination of 2 things. Someone who has a specific problemA low-cost solution to that problem being put in front of them If you can make the promise of removing that problem and the price is right, people don't need a long nurture sequence. They just need the thing that removes the pain. And if you're still not convinced and think "but my customers need a nurture sequence"... ...know I used to think the same. But when you've got complete strangers entering your funnel and handing over ~$300 without kowing a thing about who you are, your perception of this all changes. Long story short, the idea of nurturing ver weeks and months is not the best way to find great customers. Find a problem they have, solve it with something small, sell it to them. This identifies the serious peeps who you can then sell more to. If you want help setting this kind of system up in your biz, check my bio for details.

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Search traffic can always get a little funny going into the holidays. It’s especially weird on an election year with record storms and Google in front of DOJ cases and AI search looming. Yet we still see all time highs across verticals. Hold fast, actual broad scale change is usually slower than the news, and distractions from your business are inevitable. If you don’t react immediately to everything, you can build a strong foundation and strategy to take advantage of the shifts.

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Personal pages outperform brand pages on social. Why? Probably because brand pages tend to be boring, impersonal, and sound like every other brand. #sorrynotsorry 🤷‍♀️ Your brand can (and should) have a distinguishable personality. #socialmediamarketing #socialmedia

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Don't get relegated to the Promotions tab in Apple Mail after the iOS18 release! In Ann Handley's most recent newsletter, she shares what she learned from Jay Schwedelson about Apple’s news on the email routing approach they’re unveiling in the upcoming iOS update. It seems they're catching up to what Google rolled out several years ago. They're going to start sorting incoming emails into five tabs: Primary, Promotions, Social, Updates, and Forums. According to Jay, brand email and newsletters will be relegated to the “dreaded” Promotions tab, where they can easily fade into obscurity since presumably people simply don't check that tab as often as their Primary tab. Handley goes on to quote Jay as saying: "What we're seeing from the beta testing is that newsletters that come from an individual within a company AND that are written in the tone of a human being will stay in the primary inbox." I want to focus on the 2nd part of that statement. “Written in the tone of a human being.” Not necessarily written BY a human being. So Apple may not penalize brands that use AI, but if an email doesn't sound like a human, it WILL be penalized by being sent to the Promotions tab. How do you ensure your AI-written or AI-assisted content sounds like a human? You hire a human copyeditor. A human AI-adept copyeditor understands how to "transform" (haha, IYKYK) the machine's writing into something much more human-esque by: • Infusing it with emotional intelligence • Checking for errors and hallucinations • Reviewing it for human-like word choice and sentence/paragraph constructions • Eliminating those pesky AI-isms (like "delve" and "transform" LOL) • Making sure it maintains brand voice • Injecting personal experience • Weaving storytelling throughout (and not the made-up stories that AI will create if you ask it to) • And more... I have been copyediting AI output almost since ChatGPT brought generative AI to the mainstream. At the time, I was the Marketing & Communications Director for an international training organization, and my job included reviewing every outward-facing word (copy and content) before it was published. When I learned how to use AI, I taught my team how to use it, and then I edited their AI-assisted email marketing, social media posts, and blog posts. In the process, I developed an 8-point process for copyediting AI-written or AI-assisted copy and content. And I can put that process to work for you. Don't get relegated to the Promotions tab by sounding too robotic. Let me help you humanize your copy so you: • Land in the Primary tab • Stand out amongst the competition • And keep your loyal followers DM me today to learn more about how we can get started. ---- Picture: Me and my husband on vacation in July. Not a robot! 😊 [An image of a smiling white woman wearing a large floppy white hat, sunglasses, and a blue beaded necklace next to a white man wearing a black ball cap, sunglasses, and a blue & white checked shirt.]

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Two struggles keep popping up in my conversations: 1. Marketing budgets are getting stretched thinner and thinner 2. Data privacy restrictions are getting tougher and tougher So, where's a brand to turn for revenue gains with fewer marketing $$$ available and less availability of 3rd-party data sources? On today's episode of The Lucky Orange Show, I connected with Tim Peckover from Smile.io to talk about one potential solution ... Customer Loyalty offers. In this chat, we covered: - What makes a high-converting loyalty offer? - Which audience segments should (and shouldn't) be included? - How can loyalty offers improve brand awareness? - How did the pandemic impact customer expectations around loyalty? Here's the full conversation: 👂Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g7B3ABkc 👀YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gwGKTSac . . . . . #luckyorange #smile #customerloyalty #loyaltyprogram #vip #customerexperience #shopifyapps #shopify #bigcommerce #shopifyplus #wix

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Pssssst. This is for the upper-level folks out there. The ones who may be managing SEOs but have never specialized in it themselves, or the ones that have been out of the IC chair for a long time. This is really important, so come here and listen closely. You don't need to micromanage your SEO folks at the keyword level. While we tend to think of "exact match" on the paid side of things, the reality is that SEO has long drawn a relationship between keywords, exactly as they are typed, matching with pages. So...yeah, "exact match" but make it organic. While keyword strategy and tracking is still a vital part of our business model, I keep hearing stories about decision-makers requiring SEOs to toil over page-level keyword strategies -- both integration and tracking/reporting. The BERT algo update came out in 2019, pushing Google's understanding of search terms further into conversational, natural language and away from verbatim queries. Additionally, personalized search makes it a heck of a lot harder to accurately track individual keywords at the page level. If you're still over-emphasizing exact keywords that don't weave into the content in a reader-friendly way, shoehorning them in because THIS IS THE KEYWORD, and then expecting your SEO team to track them closely...please stop. You're doing a disservice to your users, you're likely harming the morale of your SEO team, and you're probably making some Google programmer responsible for the search engine's semantic language understanding cry because of the insult to the machine's intelligence. I'm not saying you abandon keyword tracking altogether. But take a more intuitive, holistic approach to SEO. I've seen sites lose horribly in organic because of over-reliance on a few specific "exact match" keywords and neglect of the big picture. There are better ways to structure your strategy and track your performance and growth -- ones that aren't more than half a decade old.

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Just because you're in a specific industry, doesn't mean you should get marketing inspo from that industry. In fact... I'd recommend you don't look at other brands in your industry, or you'll blend in with everyone else. Thought about this after a conversation yesterday with Michelle Wong about where we get our inspo as tech/security/B2B marketers. I realized I listed off an NFL team, cereal brand, NPS, car insurance, and various illustrative comics... but not a single tech/security brand. And I'm still not sure I could name a tech/security brand that inspires me 😅 Can you? #MSP #managedservices #techmarketing

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CSMs that reject the "conventional playbook" are 100x more successful. I'm dead serious. Most CSMs don't fail because they are not compliant. They fail because they're too busy "maintaining relationships" and "checking boxes" instead of driving business outcomes. I've seen dozens of compliant CSMs that ended up in PIPs. Let's bust a few myths: 🔴 NPS has ZERO correlation with renewals 🔴 Cookie-cutter QBRs demonstrate no value 🔴 Weekly check-ins drive no outcomes whatsoever 🔴 Health Scores built on intuition don't accurately predict risk These "best practices" are lies. And they are killing your ability to be a great CSM. While you're sending "check-in" emails, Top CSMs are: 1️⃣ Helping customers crystalise their goals 2️⃣ Advising on the key metrics that matter 3️⃣ Building detailed success plans 4️⃣ Forging strategic partnerships 5️⃣ Ensuring accountability 6️⃣ Testing and iterating 7️⃣ Communicating ROI 8️⃣ Multi-threading The game has changed. We're no longer here to make customers "happy". We're no longer here to make health scores "green". We're here to make customers successful. We're here to drive revenue growth. Reject these silly "vanity" metrics. Chase the stuff that is going to have a real impact. 📥 Want to become a great CSM? Consider joining 11.5k+ CS Professionals who read my weekly newsletter on how to build and scale a CS Team [sign up in the comments section]. #csm #customersuccess #customerledgrowth #CX #revops

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Stop bombarding your website visitors. Forcing them to click multiple items as soon as the page opens. I’m talking… 🧲  Pop-up to download your whitepaper 👨‍💻  Sales chat window the user has to shut 🥇  Bonus points if the window makes a noise 🎥  Auto-playing videos with sound they have to pause 🍪  Cookie consent window taking up the whole screen 💀  The dreaded “Show notifications” pop-up in Chrome Some of these may be essential to your business. And I’m not saying don’t use them, but they shouldn't all jump out at once. Especially as soon as the user lands on your page! Time the delivery of each and improve the user experience. You'll make a better first impression. And we all know how much that counts!

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