Anyone who’s ever had to sit down to write a marketing email to a few thousand strangers to convince them to buy, participate, or give, knows what an absolute pain it can be. There are all sorts of factors at play when you send out an email campaign, often leaving questions unanswered. For example “if you can even get a click into the email, how do you keep their attention and generate the right response?”

London marketing writer, Harry Dry, has some thoughts on topics like this that are sure to pique a marketer’s interest, and they’re all found on MarketingExamples.com, a site Dry launched last June to organize his weekly marketing advice e-mails into one categorized, searchable resource.

With more than 50 articles posted since the site’s inception, Dry has covered areas like SEO and signaling, ad strategies (such as PPC and email campaigns), branding, and even content and conversion.

Here are just a few topic-specific links Dry has covered on his website:

• Marketing tools are damaging your SEO. And how to fix it provides a step-by-step how-to on working with analytics to improve and change things up.
• How Fortnite changed the way video games were marketed isn’t just a trendy nod. Instead, it looks at how to use the creator’s (Epic Games) strategy of flipping the standard growth funnel.
• How to write a landing page title is a nice do-this, not-that reminder about going back to basics.
• And while it’s an old example, How to get Tom Hanks on your podcast just showcases once more, in perfect Corona font type, what an awesome guy Tom Hanks really truly is, while simultaneously nudging you to think creatively about your approach.

Dry keeps it simple too, peppering each post with engaging real-world examples. And while he hasn’t reinvented the marketer’s wheel, he has created a good go-to resource for case studies, ideas, and basic advice.

Influencer marketing is now one of those buzzword phrases that you can’t go a few days without hearing. In fact, it’s become such a popular term that it was officially added to the English Dictionary in 2019.

While this is a recent change, the concept of an influencer is nothing new. For years, people have looked to friends and family (as well as high-profile people like celebrities) to be influenced (intentionally or unintentionally) about what to buy, what to do, and where to go.

Social Media Today notes that influencers date back centuries.

One of the first “influencer” collaborations dates back to 1760, when a potter by the name Wedgwood made a tea set for the Queen of England,” writes Brooks. “Since the monarchy were the influencers of their time, his forward-thinking decision to market his brand as Royal-approved afforded it the luxury status the brand still enjoys today”

Now, influencers are known as people blowing up your Instagram feed with recommendations of what to wear and stomach flattening teas to buy. Influencers are basically anyone who has the ability to cultivate a following and, from there, give advice on how followers should spend their money.

After the 1760 tea set influencer, influencers were found in the forms of fashion icons (like Coco Chanel in the 1920s, and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s), celebrity endorsements (for example, all of the money Nike made in the ‘80s after signing Michael Jordan to be their spokesperson – I wonder if Hanes is raking in the same bucks as Nike…), TV stars endorsing products (like Jennifer Aniston when she was at the height of “The Rachel” cut and became the face of L’Oreal Elvive; now she’s the face of Aveeno).

Then in the mid-2000s, blogs became a space where “everyday” people could use their voice with influence. This trend has continued and has shifted into social media, usually with a blog counterpart.

Now, blogging and influencing is an industry in and of itself with influencer marketing being a key form of comms. According to the HypeAuditor report, the influencer industry will be worth $22 billion by 2025. Where can I sign up?

You may have heard that red is the color of passion, that yellow is a happy color, and that orange makes people hungry. But a detailed analysis of the available research on colors and marketing, compiled by Gregory Ciotti, reveals that these simplistic assumptions about color aren’t necessarily true or useful when it comes to choosing a color for your brand, website, or marketing campaign.

How important is color, anyway?

The way that different people respond to colors can’t be dumbed down to simple associations. Our personal experiences, likes and dislikes, the culture we were raised in, and the context in which we see the colors all influence how we respond. These factors are complicated and ever-shifting, so don’t trust any kitschy infographics that tell you that pink means cute and white means pure. It’s just more complicated than that.

But is there any research to help marketers make smart choices when it comes to color? Of course. Most of the studies show that color makes a big impact when it comes to marketing.

In fact, one study showed that 90% of first impressions of a brand were based on color alone.

Studies have also shown that people respond more strongly to brands whose logos are immediately recognizable, and color plays a big part in that recognition.

It’s more complicated than you think

But it’s not as simple as certain colors evoking certain feelings. It has a lot more to do with whether or not the color seems to “fit” the product. You’ll sell yourself short if you choose a color based on some arbitrary notion that it evokes a certain emotion. Instead, choose a color that reflects your brand’s personality.

Also, be sure to choose a color that differentiates you from other brands. If your color scheme looks too much like your competitor’s, you won’t stand out.

There is some research indicating some gender differentiation when it comes to color preferences – but remember, gender is highly specific to place and culture, so these broad generalizations apply to the Western world, but could change easily over time and may not apply in other countries. However, generally speaking, Western men and women both like blue. While women like purple, men generally don’t. Men are more likely to select products in their favorite colors, while women are more open-minded to a wide range of colors, and to lighter shades of their favorite colors.

Tips you can bank on

For marketing materials and websites, keep in mind that contrast can make a huge difference. One study showed a 21 percent increase in conversions after a website changed the color of its “get started now” button from green to red. But the increase isn’t because red in and of itself is so powerful – conversions likely increased because the rest of the website was green, making the red button stand out more than ever.

For websites, it’s a good idea to have a base color, then a contrasting accent color that draws attention to actionable items.

Finally, studies have found that consumers prefer descriptive names for colors to plain ones. “Sky blue” will sell better than “light blue,” and people prefer “mocha” to “brown,” even when the color itself looks exactly the same.

In a nutshell, when it comes to color, don’t rely on simplistic stereotypes. Think about your brand’s personality, and choose colors that will help you stand out.