Category: Digital Marketing

DeFi vs CeFi: Introduction

Blockchain technology has generated a whole ecosystem centered around Bitcoin and other digital currencies. Decentralized alternatives will eventually displace traditional financial services, according to a growing body of opinion worldwide. Only time will tell if that will materialize, but we can already see a dynamic rivalry developing within the blockchain ecosystem. Decentralized vs Centralised or “DeFi vs CeFi cryptocurrency conflict.”

Since customers are frequently unaware of the underlying laws or agreements regulating financial assets and goods, the traditional centralized finance (CeFi) environment may need to be clarified to non-experts.

The underlying integrity-protected blockchain of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is helping the ecosystem make a name for itself as one that wants transparency and control. DeFi platforms also claim to offer higher financial asset yields than CeFi platforms. The distinction between CeFi and DeFi might only sometimes be apparent, however.

This article compares and contrasts DeFi vs CeFi in terms of law, security, economy, privacy, and market manipulation.

Overview Of DeFi (Decentralized Finance)

DeFi is an open, international financial system that increases accessibility and transparency in the blockchain industry. Businesses can self-manage various services with DeFi, including trading, insurance, lending, money issuance, staking, payments, financial data, over-the-counter (OTC) trading, asset management, and more.

Banks and other financial institutions that charge usage fees are eliminated with DeFi. Users can store money in a safe digital wallet and transfer money quickly with DeFi, which requires an internet connection. Peer-to-peer transactions without the need for a middleman are made possible by DeFi cryptos.

Top Features Of DeFi

• Quick Innovation: Due to its relentless drive to innovate, the DeFi market has evolved into a rich ecosystem with cutting-edge financial services. DeFi space has been attempting to give alternatives to the problem in functionalities where centralized financial services have developed.
• Trustless: By reviewing their code and using third-party tools like Etherscan to determine whether a transaction was adequately executed, users may confirm that DeFi services operate as intended.
• Permissionless: DeFi does not require authorization because it is decentralized. In contrast, CeFi requires customers to go through a KYC process to access services, which requires them to either deposit money or give personal information.

Overview Of CeFi (Centralized Finance)

CeFi stands for centralized and managed exchanges, wallets, and other financial services. CeFi, or centralized finance, refers to giving money to centralized businesses, such as cryptocurrency exchange platforms, to store and administer. Users have an alternative to conventional banking goods and services via CeFi.

Users can store, transmit, and receive money using CeFi crypto services without the aid of a bank or other financial institution. The blockchain, a distributed ledger technology that provides secure, transparent, and immutable transaction data, is still the foundation for constructing CeFi services. CeFi services are accessible to everyone with an internet connection and a digital device, unlike traditional banking services.

Top Features Of CeFi

• Flexibility Of Fiat Conversion: Centralized services are a more proper handshake for the transfer in light of the current changes, where the Web2 ecosystem is adapting to comply with Web3 space requirements. When converting fiat currency to cryptocurrency and vice versa, CeFi offers greater freedom than decentralized services. Typically, a centralized company is needed for this capability of converting between cryptocurrency and money.
• Cross-Chain Services: Unlike DeFi, CeFi services can facilitate the trade of on-chain coins like LTC, XRP, BTC, and other tokens frequently created on independent blockchain platforms. DeFi services do not support these tokens, and they have not yet been able to overcome the smoothness of the activity due to the latency and complexity of completing cross-chain exchanges. CeFi can solve this problem by obtaining custody of money from several chains.
• Centralized Exchange (CEX): These are conventional crypto exchanges where customers send money to the exchange and manage it through an internal account. As useful as this characteristic is for the constantly changing crypto industry, it has also made centralized exchanges the focus of numerous incidents in recent years.

DeFi vs CeFi: Examples

DeFi Examples

• Kyber: A decentralized marketplace
• MakerDAO: A decentralized device for stablecoin minting and lending
• bZx: It is a decentralized platform for lending and margin trading
• Totle: It is a decentralized liquidity aggregator that automatically optimizes prices
• Augur: A decentralized predictions market exists here

CeFi Examples

• Celsius: A cryptocurrency lending and borrowing platform
• Ledn: A platform for borrowing and lending that works with DAI to guarantee Bitcoin
• Libra: It is a global cryptocurrency layer and financial system
• Coinbase: An exchange for cryptocurrencies that makes it easier to trade, borrow, use margin, use native stablecoins, lend money, make payments, and more
• BlockFi: It is a platform for lending and borrowing in cash and cryptocurrencies

DeFi vs CeFi: Pros & Cons Explored

Pros Of DeFi

• Anonymity: Because no personal information is necessary and the DeFi user’s wallet is unrelated to their real identity, they can enjoy anonymity.
• Unrestricted: Anyone with a wallet and an internet connection can use DeFi products. There aren’t any limitations.
• Self-custody: Because they control the private keys, cryptocurrency users are in charge of their possessions. Therefore, nobody can prevent them from accessing their money.
• Transparent: The public may view DeFi transactions on the blockchain. For users, this fosters transparency.

Cons Of DeFi

• Scalability: The blockchains on which DeFi protocols are based are essential to their operation. As a result, they inherit the scalability problems associated with these blockchain networks. Low transaction throughputs, which result in high transaction costs when the network is crowded, are one example of a scalability problem.
• The Risk Associated With Smart Contracts: Thieves may use the smart contract’s flaws to steal digital assets secured by the DeFi protocol. The learning curve is steep since DeFi protocols are novel and unorthodox. Beginners could therefore find them challenging to utilize or comprehend. This means that before engaging with DeFi and its goods, individuals must take their time to learn them.

Pros Of CeFi

• Fiat-To-Crypto Assistance: Users can easily purchase cryptocurrency with their local currency on a centralized cryptocurrency exchange. Depending on the country in which they operate, CEXs accept numerous fiat currencies.
• Common: CeFi platforms function similarly to established financial service providers. They will therefore be quite simple to use and familiar to most people.

Cons Of CeFi

• Lack Of Sheer: CeFi businesses make decisions in secret. Users might need to be made aware of their trading methods. Additionally, because of their off-chain technologies, the exchange’s transactions are not added to the blockchain.
• Constrictive: Due to possible location restrictions, CEXs may not be accessible to everyone. For instance, certain exchanges might not permit traders from particular (black-listed) nations to use their platform. Regulations may require the implementation of sure of these restrictions.
• Custodial: Since CEXs own their users’ private keys, they are in charge of the digital assets in their users’ wallets and accounts. If the site stops accepting deposits and withdrawals, users may only be able to access their holdings with these private keys.
• Personal Information Is Necessary: Users must be willing to reveal their personal information, including names, residence addresses, data from their national identification cards, and selfie images, to utilize CEXs.

DeFi vs CeFi: Properties Compared

1. Cost Of Transactions

Transaction fees are frequently charged in DeFi. The institutions in CeFi, on the other hand, provide transactions at no additional cost because CeFi conducts stringent KYC and AML checks.

2. Cross-Chain Services

Trading BTC and other valuable coins developed on various blockchains frequently use CeFi services. Due to the difficulty and duration of atomic cross-chain trades, DeFi services often do not handle these coins.

CeFi services take care of this problem by keeping cash from numerous chains (whereas decentralized services require that tokens follow Ethereum token standards to achieve interoperability). This is a significant benefit for CeFi as many currencies with the greatest market caps and active trading volumes are spread across many blockchains and do not adhere to interoperability standards.

3. Public Attestation

While the underlying DeFi application code might not always be open-source, non-custodial DeFi must have publicly verifiable execution and bytecode on a blockchain. Therefore, unlike CeFi, any DeFi user may see and confirm that DeFi state changes are carried out correctly. The new DeFi technology has an unmatched ability to transfer trust because of this transparency.

4. Atomicity

A blockchain transaction enables the execution of subsequent actions, which may include several financial transactions. It is possible to make this combination atomic, which means that all of the operations in the transaction will either succeed or fail simultaneously. Although CeFi lacks this programmable atomicity quality, atomicity in CeFi may nevertheless be enforced through pricey and time-consuming legal agreements.

5. Unidentified Development & Deployment

Less privacy is offered to users by centralized finance than by DeFi transactions. Even Bitcoin’s creator has remained a mystery up to this point, and many DeFi initiatives are developed and run by anonymous teams. Once implemented, the DeFi smart contracts are implicitly run by the miners. Unknown DeFi applications can operate without a front-end, forcing users to interact with the smart contract directly.

6. Custody

DeFi, unlike CeFi, enables users to instantly control their assets (there is no need to wait for the bank to open). But with immense power also comes great responsibility. Users bear the majority of technology risks unless such insurance is insured. As a result, holding bitcoin assets is particularly common with centralized exchanges, which are essentially the same as conventional custodians.

DeFi vs CeFi: Synergies

The DeFi market is still in its infancy. Due to the blockchain settlement layer, DeFi shares specific characteristics with CeFi, such as transparency, non-custody, and decentralization. The blockchain offers numerous benefits but has limitations regarding transaction throughput, confirmation delay, and privacy for DeFi. DeFi still has a strong reliance on the conventional banking system, nevertheless. More specifically, on DeFi, the value of crypto assets is still principally established and acknowledged in fiat money.

CeFi steps in at this point. The CeFi lending platforms link the established financial system and the cryptocurrency asset market. More crucially, DeFi and CeFi share a common objective. In addition to driving the economy, both sectors strive to offer consumers high-quality financial products and services. In conclusion, there is no simple solution to integrate the finest aspects of both systems, and both DeFi and CeFi have their own unique set of advantages and disadvantages.

Therefore, it will be necessary for both of these distinct but linked financial systems to coexist and mutually benefit. DeFi and Cefi have a few synergistic opportunities to offer one another.

DeFi vs CeFi: Which One Is Used By More Businesses?

CeFi guarantees the safety of money and honest dealing with it. Trading in cryptocurrencies is also open to investors using traditional currencies. They also receive customer support services from CeFi exchanges that DeFi services do not. DeFi, on the other hand, wishes to keep the area free of intrusion. It gives investors a place to put their plans into practice without working through an intermediary.

Both models have advantages and disadvantages, according to the investor’s requirements. DeFi is the best model to select if privacy and openness are essential to users. On the other hand, users should use CeFi if their top priorities are trust, sharing risks, flexibility, and more investment possibilities.

Markovate’s Take: Which Is Better?

Since both financial solutions have pros and disadvantages, it is impossible to say which is preferable. In the end, everything relies on the requirements of various users. For example, individuals who highly emphasize financial independence and privacy may opt for DeFi protocols, but institutional investors frequently favor regulated CeFi platforms. This may be the reason CeFi vs DeFi has coexisted for so long.

Theoretically, decentralized finance is preferable to centralized finance for cryptocurrency investors. The DeFi market has yet to develop to the point where investors may use it with confidence.

DeFi vs CeFi: Commonly Asked Questions

1. Is Bitcoin a CeFi or DeFi?

Through CeFi services, trades in Bitcoin and other popular currencies created on independent blockchains often happen. DeFi services usually do not handle these tokens since atomic cross-chain transactions are complex and time-consuming.

2. Is DeFi better than CeFi for enterprises?

Decentralized finance is a fundamental principle of cryptocurrencies, yet DeFi systems might be challenging to use initially. Centralized financial platforms may offer users a more exact and recognizable point of entry.

3. Which model should I choose to start my business?

DeFi is easier to use than CeFi. As a result, users cannot invest, borrow, or lend money through the conventional financial system. With DeFi, users would be required to begin supporting their money with an internet connection, some knowledge of cryptocurrency, and a basic comprehension of DeFi.

Rajeev Sharma

author

I’m Rajeev Sharma, Co-Founder, and CEO of Markovate, a digital product development company. With over a decade of experience in digital product development, I have led digital transformations and product development of large enterprises like AT&T and IBM.

My main areas of competence include mobile app development, UX design, end-to-end digital product development, and product growth. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and certifications from the Scrum Alliance. Aside from my work, I am interested in Metaverse and closely following the latest developments.

Marketing has existed since the dawn of time. It’s just changed with each generation. 

OK, that’s a bit dramatic. But one could argue that it has been around since people started hocking goods at one another. After all, word of mouth is an early form of marketing (and the bedrock of modern marketing today)!

My mind started whirring over the relationship between eras of time and marketing when Jennifer Aniston made a comment about how the growing behemoth of social media has removed the “movie star celebrity glow” of the nineties and early aughts.

If you know me, then you know my mind will jump from one topic to another in an instant. I think “wow, Allure magazine is going away and Jennifer Aniston brought up the point ‘of no more Hollywood stars.’” Then I’m picturing black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe stepping out of a limo to the flash photography of paparazzi. That made me think of old Hollywood glamor, wartime advertisements, and propaganda.

And I realized – there have been a ton of generations, and the way we speak to each of them is so different.

In this article, we’re jumping in a time machine. We’re going to look at how marketing and advertising evolved throughout the seven living generations. Then we’ll see if there’s something we can take away for the future.

The Generations & Marketing 

To understand stand a generation, you can’t just look at birth years. You need to look at what happened during their coming-of-age instead. Those events will inform the generation’s general outlook and purchasing decisions. Because while Millennials are entering middle age, the effects of life experiences from earlier years persist. 

Next, it is important to consider how the start and end years of generations are chosen. Looking at the world in 15- or 20-year age bands is a neat and orderly way to digest large amounts of information regarding a population. Some generational theorists such as William Strauss and Neil Howe, of Strauss-Howe generational theory fame, apply generational theory all the way back to 1433. (Shout out to the Arthurian Generation!)

But for the sake of your eyes, my fingers, and everyone’s time, I’m just going to focus on the main “living” generations. They are: 

Photo ℅ FamilySearch.org

The Greatest Generation or G.I. Generation

The Greatest Generation is aptly named. I think another contender for the name should be “The Baller Generation” or “The Generation That’s Tough As Nails”. 

Quick Facts

• Born: 1900s-1920s 
• Current Ages: 100-122
• Birth Year Events: WWI, The Great Depression, WWII
• Coming of Age Events: The Great Depression, WWII
• Characteristics: Driven, patriotic, frugal, family-oriented, team-players 
• Main Marketing Tactic: Print (with radio at the end)

Many were either born or raised during WWI. They then spent their early years in the Great Depression. They saw the wonderful highs of economic prosperity in the 1920s quickly followed by the sudden despair that the stock market crash brought with it. G.I. Joe’s and Jane’s clawed their way back to the top as everyone was a part of the war effort. 

The Greatest Generation watched the fall of an old economy and the rise of wartime propaganda and radio.

So what did marketing look like during this ping pong of events? 

WWI was marked by a lot of advertising and marketing that flirted with propaganda. A lot of marketing referenced the Great War and how important it was to be a supporter. Buying a pack of cigarettes was no longer just fueling an addiction to nicotine. Rather, it was a way to help win the war against The Central Powers.

Through great challenges grows great innovation. And that can be said of the relationship between the Great Depression and marketing. A lot of advertisers were shuttering or having to fight tooth and nail to keep their big accounts. Many businesses saw advertising and marketing as a waste of money. Of course, the advertisers called this foolhardy, but businesses were struggling.

Around the same time, a different set of marketers decided to throw caution to the wind and try out this newly popular medium – radio. I think we all know how that went. 

Just one month after the United States joined WWII, President Roosevelt retooled the new Advertising Council into becoming the War Production Board. Ninety advertising agencies from the Council were to support the war efforts through advertising at home.

War bonds, victory gardens, Women’s Army Corps, mail service for troops know as V-mail or Victory Mail, to anti-inflation measures and other forms of conservation.

The Advertising Age of Encyclopedia

Advertisements of this era leaned into WWII patriotism.

Two key themes ads leaned upon were:

1. How was the advertiser helping the war?
2. How will today’s sacrifices result in lavish products after the war?

After all, companies recognized that while they could not sell products like in pre-war times, they could keep their name in the forefront of their customers’ minds in the meantime. And it was their hope that once peace rang free, customers would flock to the companies that helped make that peace possible. 

The Silent Generation

During the tail end of the Great Depression and throughout the Second World War, babies were born and life went on. Those born during this era are known by many names. They’re called the Post War Generation, the Silent Generation, Traditionalists, and Radio Babies. 

Quick Facts

• Born: 1925-1945 
• Current Ages: 77-97
• Birth Year Events: The Great Depression, The Dust Bowl; WWII
• Coming of Age Events: The Great Depression; The Dust Bowl; WWII; The Red Scare (McCarthyism); unrest leading to Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Civil Rights Movement
• Characteristics: Determined, resilient, self-sacrificing, respectful of others
• Main Marketing Tactic: Print, Radio, Persuasion

The Silent Generation is, in my opinion, one of the saddest generations. People born during 1925-1945 entered a dark world that felt like it was just getting worse. During the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, Americans felt weak and broken down. Everything felt scarce. IOU’s were used instead of money. Tough choices were made in terms of “have to” and “want to”, leading to a pragmatic outlook on life. Then there was WWII, which was another time of great fear. 

For a short period of time, Americans thought they were going to be able to breathe and enjoy the Allies’ win over the Axis Powers. But alas, the United States was thrust into another time of great fear – The Red Scare. Those who stood out in this conformist time might have been seen as communists. So Silent Generation members learned to keep their head down and fit in with those around them. They learned how to avoid making a fuss. Play the game and conform as much as possible.

All the while, wartime propoganda and radio advertisements still dominated the marketing world. But because the Silent Generation grew up in times of such economic scarcity, advertisers how to work extra hard to convince them that it was OK to spend their money.

Baby Boomers I

The Silent Generation was pretty quick to grow up and have babies. In fact, they were the youngest generation to procreate. While major life events such as WWII were happening, the newest generation was already being born. You might have heard of them: The Baby Boomers.

Historian Landon Jones even said that exactly 9 months following the end of WWII, “the cry of the baby was heard across the land” as babies were being born. What else boomed during this time? The economy, housing, agriculture, television and automobiles. 

Quick Facts 

• Born: 1946-1954
• Current Ages: 68-76
• Birth Year Events: End of WWII, Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam unrest
• Coming of Age Events: Vietnam War, Civil Rights Movement, Sexual Revolution, Counter Culture (hippies), Woodstock
• Characteristics: Idealistic, individualistic, creative, rebellious, hippy
• Main Marketing Tactic: Mass/Traditional media, Above-the-line 

The Baby Boomer generation is so massive that it is sometimes split into two different generations. The first half Boomer generation was born into a world of post-WWII optimism and patriotic excitement. But they also grew up during a time of reform, and they learned to question authority and be independent free thinkers. They practically (and in many cases, literally) revolted against the ideals of their Silent Generation parents and many became hippies. 

Baby Boomers felt suffocated by the conformist ideals of their Silent Generation parents.

It is the stark contrast between the Silent Generation and the Boomers I Generation that makes advertisements so interesting during this period of time. If you look at ads in the 1950s, many are quite misogynistic. Just look at the one below featuring airheaded suburban housewife. These ads were directed to the adult women of the Silent Generation where the goal was to fit in and sacrifice theirselves. 

Then when you look at the advertisements pitched to Baby Boomers and it’s completely different. For example, check out this birth control ad from the early 1960s, right when the earliest Boomers were coming of age. These ads align much more closely with the rebellious and idealistic way of life of this then-new generation. 

These two ads alone are really good at showing the difference between Silent and Boomer generational ideals. Marketing and advertising agencies worked hard to understand these differences. How else would they sell to the massive generation of drugs, sex, rock and roll in the era of Woodstock and Jimmy Hendrix?

Shampoo Advertisement from 1970, photo ℅ Hair & Makeup Artist Handbook

Boomers II (aka. Generation Jones)

While the original Baby Boomers are beginning to question authority and individualistic viewpoints, the second half of the Baby Boomers – known as Generation Jones (as in, “keeping up with the Joneses”) – was being born. Despite only having at most ten years of difference between the two, this other half of the generation had a different coming of age experience.

For Generation Jones, they still experienced a booming economy, but they experienced cultural changes much earlier in their lives than the first half of the Boomer generation.

Quick Facts

• Born: 1955-1964 
• Current Ages: 58-67 
• Life Events: Cold War, Vietnam War, Civil Rights Movement, Watergate
• Coming of Age Events: The Cold War, AIDS epidemic, Reaganomics, Blockbuster Movies, Cable Network TV
• Characteristics: Goal-centric, strong work ethic, self assured, resourceful, materialistic
• Main Marketing Tactic: Mass/Traditional media, Above-the-line 

When the Boomers I were singing at the 1969 Woodstock Festival in their late teens and early twenties, Generation Jones came of age much closer to the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Cold realities like the AIDS epidemic were happening alongside the emergence of cable networks like MTV or movie blockbusters like young director Steven Spielberg’s E.T. 

Generation Jones grew up in a prosperous world, but also a world affected by Watergate and high inflation, the Cold War and AIDS. In response to the constant novel threats, they became more goal-centric and materialistic.

Both halves of the Boomer generation were individualistic. But whereas Boomers I were more likely to become hippies freed from material concerns, Boomers II were more likely to accumulate material goods to feel better about the chaos of the world.

Television was a huge part of advertising to Baby Boomers.

What did have a big impact on Generation Jones was television. They were familiar with the huge box sets since the moment they were born. While the television was invented in 1930, it did not have its real boom until the 1950s. The American Century advises that in 1950, only 9% of American families owned a television. However, by 1959 that number catapulted to a whopping 85.9% of families. The number continued to increase from there. This was the largest direct-to-consumer platform ever available to advertisers. And you better believe they used it. 

Advertisers shifted the ads (both print and video) to that of what is now known as “lifestyle advertising”. Generation Jones was continually being shown products in cool new ways. Instead of focusing on features, the ads focused on values and life practices which Generation Jones wanted to imitate. ways that made the growing generation want to adopt those same values and life practices.

Generation X

Generation X is practically a pipsqueak of a generation compared to The Baby Boomers. These days, Gen X is in their 40s and 50s. A perfect example of a clique Gen X feminist would be the mom in the book/Netflix movie Moxie. 

Quick Facts

• Born: 1965-1980
• Current Ages: 42-57
• Birth Year Events: Watergate, Civil Rights Movement, War on Poverty, Vietnam War, Women’s Movement
• Coming of Age Events: Fall of Berlin Wall, Challenger Disaster, The Gulf War, Energy Crisis, Watergate, Terrorism at Munich Olympics
• Characteristics: Resourceful, work-life balance, tech-savvy but not dependent, flexible
• Main Marketing Tactic: Direct/Targeted media, below-the-line 

If you look at the earliest memories of Generation X, it feels like the world is falling apart. This is a slight exaggeration, but they did have their coming of age during worse times than the Baby Boomers. Their formative years were marked by high divorce rates, the AIDS epidemic, and the distrust of the Watergate scandal. Named the “latchkey kids” generation, Generation X grew up in a very hands-off environment as mothers went off to work in the new age of two-income households. This independent upbringing is a huge contributing factor to their fierce independence. 

Generation X advertising was a lot more provocative and skeptical.

Despite being a small generation, there was an increase in political and global strife during their coming-of-age period. Like the Boomers, they needed to question authority and stick it to the man. But unlike the Baby Boomers, they didn’t have an idealistic attitude of peace, love, and harmony. They were pushing back against their parents too but in a different way.

So how did marketing look during Generation X’s formative years? 

Well, there is the famous Got Milk ad campaign and the provocative Calvin Klein underwear campaign for starters. Sex and vibrant colors were in especially with the advent of Photoshop. 

Ivanka Trump in the Got Milk Ad: “the one thing nobody can afford is too much fat.” This is attributing health and looking skinny to milk. 

Samsung’s Digital Muscle: If you buy a Samsung phone, you will have muscles like this.

Mediterranean Fragrance: The tagline says it all. “The fragrance for Men. Created for the Pleasure of Women.” So if you spray this on yourself, Fabio himself will come crawling out of the ocean naked ready to cater to your every whim. 

Sex sells and Photoshop doesn’t hurt. These ads prove it.

Gen X ads take many of the free love ideals of Boomers and give them a more materialistic and outright hedonistic spin. The high glam look of the 1980s and the lazy, comfortable 1990s were the heydays of Gen X.

Millennials

According to my cousin, I am so Millennial it physically hurts her. That includes using Buzzfeed as a reason or explanation when proving a point. So there you have it, I am a Millennial, loud and proud. 

Quick Facts

• Born: 1980-1994 
• Current Ages: 28 – 42
• Birth Year Events: Cold War, Berlin Wall, War on Terror 
• Coming of Age Events: War on Terror, Global Financial Crisis
• Characteristics: Adaptive, creative, values meaningful motivation, task-oriented, free-thinkers, idealistic 
• Main Marketing Tactic: Viral/Electronic media, through friends

So what did my generation live through? For starters, the dissolution of the USSR, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the 9/11 attacks, the War on Terror, and the Global Financial Crisis. That’s just the coming-of-age events too.

My generation has seen the start and end of the longest war in the United States, as well as one of the hardest post-college job markets in American history.

After learning so much about the generations, I’m actually seeing some parallels between the Millennial generation and the Greatest Generation. (And it’s not just because I want to be seen as great!) Both generations have seen prosperous and patriotic times, which were then followed by explosive recessions and hard job markets. 

Millennials are the first audience to experience massively customized advertisements.

During the Millennials’ coming-of-age and adulthood, we have seen the invention of social media, YouTube, and smartphones. Advertisers now have the ability to collect information on our interests and tailor our pitches to what we’re interested in.

Looking at YouTube alone, I remember when it started. It didn’t have ads. Banner ads showed up later. Short video ads soon followed. Now there are at least two ads for the start of every video. Longer videos are broken up by ads too. YouTube grew from a weird experimental website in the 2000s to a massive industry with its own business conventions in the late 2010s.

Advertisers from the 1950s would lose their minds if they had access to these tools.

Millennials are the only generation to grow up in a time of both mass media and social media.

Direct-to-consumer advertising has been around for a long time. But internet advertising hasn’t. Millennials are the only generation to have come of age during both pre- and post-internet culture.

When I grew up as a kid in the late 1990s, the peak of childhood was Saturday morning commercials between cartoons. Super Soakers. Sunny D. Hot Wheels.

To me, these commercials were the perfect example of marketing to Millenials to get to Baby Boomers’ wallets. Water guns fights never looked as epic as in the Super Soaker commercials.

Print marketing still existed, sure, but it was more for adults by this time. TV was the easiest way to reach young Millennials.

But now, with so many Millennials eschewing traditional TV for streaming services, it’s often easier to catch Millennials through advertising on social media platforms such as Instagram or YouTube where ads can be tailored to our interests. We’re the first generation to experience ads that constantly feel like they’re talking specifically to you.

That’s a huge change.

One last thing to note about Millennials, which we’ll talk more about with Generation Z. They are the first generation to start forcing corporations to adopt moral values in a really public way. Consumers have always had this power to some extent, but Millennials took it one step further.

Corporations now champion environmental and political causes in a way that they didn’t before. This paved the way for Generation Z activism.

Generation Z

Some think Millennials are the new Greatest Generation, which is making others wonder if Generation Z is a new Silent Generation.

Maybe. For Generation Z, it feels like when they were born, everything was going poorly and it just got worse. This is different than Millennials whose early memories, prior to coming-of-age, are of a relatively stable world. Gen Z just doesn’t have those memories to reference at all!

Quick Facts

• Born: 1995-2010
• Current Ages: 12-27
• Birth Year Events: War on Terror, LGBTQ+ movement, social media, Global Financial Crisis, Increased Political Polarization/Culture War, 
• Coming of Age Events: Increased Political Polarization/Culture War, COVID-19 Pandemic 
• Characteristics: Highly collaborative, self-reliant, value diversity, digitally sophisticated, activist, pragmatic  
• Main Marketing Tactic: Interactive campaigns, Positive brand association, showing your work in advertisements   

Marketers are still figuring out how to pitch to Gen Z, to varying degrees of success.

Where Millennials saw the rise of social media, smartphones, and targeted media, Gen Z is perfecting it. This fierce group of people arguably have the best qualities of every generation. They are collaborative like the Greatest Generation, resilient like the Silent Generation, activists like the first Baby Boomers, resourceful like Generation Jones, pragmatic like Generation X, and have the tech-savviness of Millennials. 

But Gen Z has also made a lot of their elders uncomfortable. They question the patriotism of the Greatest Generation and the self-sacrifice of the Silent Generation. They scoff at the materialism and hilariously out-of-date advice given by Baby Boomers. Gen X is questioned for its hands-off, lazy cynicism. And Millenials are called out for their workaholism and continued use of the ? emoji.

But on a serious note: if you had to sum up the difference between Millennials and Gen Z, it would be this. Millennials are trying to win what they think is a rigged game. Gen Z is either refusing to play or changing the game entirely.

A sizable portion of Gen Z seems to be falling into despair. Hence the call for Gen Z being the New Silent Generation. Both generations were born into difficult times that did not get better for a long time (if at all, in Gen Z’s case).

Gen Z is still coming of age right now, so we don’t know how things are going to shake out. But they’re already making a name for themselves. If they are able to rise above the unending barrage of negative historical events, then they might be the generation to save us all. (But isn’t that always the problem new generations face?)

Gen Z has no tolerance for BS.

Multilevel marketing has been a scourge for a while. You probably know someone involved in an MLM scheme who’s tried to sell you knives or Tupperware or some other garbage. But Gen Z has fought back against this harder than any other generation yet.

If something seems off, Gen Z will speak up. Marketers better show their work or Zoomers are going to call them out. This is exactly what happened when Generation Z took out MLM on social media platforms YouTube and Tik Tok.

But it goes beyond that, too. Corporations started reflecting moral values to please Millenials. Gen Z can see through a lot of these phony attempts, and now they’re asking companies to be accurate with their facts and transparent in their policies.

Companies can’t just say, for example, “black lives matter.” They actually have to donate to causes and show that they’ve done so or else Gen Z will roast them mercilessly online.

Final Thoughts

You’ve just finished a 50,000-foot look at marketing and advertising in the last 120 years. There is so much more I’d like to cover, but can’t simply because it would put you to sleep!

So instead, I will leave you with this. Every 15 to 20 years, a new generation will be born. Those individuals will grow up and experience life through their own unique lenses, which will help them form their opinions. What happens during their teens and twenties is probably most important in shaping their mindsets. These mindsets will form their ideals that they’ll carry throughout life.

What can you do? Pay attention. Pay attention to your target audience. What generation are they? What is important to them? Do they value a company’s ethics?

Are they interested in material goods or instead do they value familial experiences? How can you effectively market to your target audience by understanding their generational values? 

I hope that this post has given you a lot to think about as you approach your next advertising campaign. And don’t forget – Generation Alpha is already being born. 

Where are B2B marketers turning to fill the void an increasing number of brands are facing having paused or left the Twitter platform?

Increasing numbers of brands and users have turned away from Twitter since its recent ownership change and subsequent top-down shifts in some of the platform’s fundamental policies.

Mainstay B2B brands have joined their B2C counterparts in either taking a temporary break from publishing and advertising on Twitter, or in some cases pulling the plug entirely.

This has led B2B marketers into an unusual period in the history of social media — one perhaps not seen since Google’s Plus platform shuttered its doors in April, 2019.

Growing numbers of B2B marketers have found themselves seeking out Twitter alternatives, hitting just at the traditional time of end-of-year budget surpluses. For some these have combined to usher in a newfound period of taking a previously unheard of look at freshly minted social media platforms or alternatives that haven’t yet seen mainstream usage by B2B brands.

New platforms Mastodon, Post, Spill, and Counter.Social along with existing social platforms such as Reddit, Discord, and others are in the spotlight of B2B marketers — each with unique strengths and challenges.

Let’s jump right in and take a look at some of the top Twitter alternatives available now to B2B marketers and brands.

1 — Mastodon Woos Marketers

Mastodon is an open-source social media platform that has blossomed from a relatively small user base of just over half a million when Twitter ownership changed to recent estimates of over 3.5 million.

Central to Mastodon’s charter is decentralized ownership and operation, through the use of multiple servers

Microsoft presently has at least two verified accounts on Mastodon, and Adobe has had a presence on the platform since February, 2022, however as with other B2B firms, many seem to be primarily placeholder accounts set up for future use should Mastodon gain a stronger foothold.

Audience research tool firm SparkToro has used its Mastodon account to reach new audiences, and drive content to its website’s blog, posting original content to Mastodon.

Marketing author and speaker David Meerman Scott — among those featured in our “50 Top B2B Marketing Influencers, Experts and Speakers To Follow In 2022,” isn’t ready to anoint Mastodon as any sort of “new Twitter” — far from it.

“I think marketers can safely ignore Mastodon. I do not think that this little flurry of interest is sustainable, and I do not think that Mastodon or any other social media service will take the place of Twitter. Throughout history, social networks that pioneer a new model can thrive — Instagram, TikTok come to mind — but copycats like Google Plus fail,” Meerman Scott recently shared with Jennifer Torres in CMSWire’s “Twitter vs. Mastodon: The Marketing Reality”

2 — Post News Offers Alternative

Post News — also known simply as Post — was founded in 2022 by Noam Bardin, former chief executive at transportation platform Waze, as an online platform bridging the area between social media and news.

Yet to launch, Post has amassed more than 300,000 users on its waiting list to begin trying out an early beta test version of the platform, and recently gained funding from Andreessen Horowitz’ a16z.

B2B brands have relatively little to lose by getting on the waiting list for Post, and reserving a presence for future use.

3 — BlueSky, CounterSocial, Spill & Additional Platforms

BlueSky, a non-profit initiative aimed at building a decentralized social media network protocol, was first announced in 2019 by Twitter co-founder and former chief executive Jack Dorsey.

CounterSocial is an alternative social media platform founded by an anonymous person, which in itself may raise alarm bells for B2B marketers seeking transparency and authenticity, yet it too has gained followers since Twitter’s upheaval — more than 100,000 users by some estimates.

Spill — billed as a real-time platform focusing on conversation that puts culture first — is also utilizing a waiting list for new users wishing to sign up. Among its initial features are expected to be creator monetization opportunities and methods to identify artificial intelligence (AI) content bias on the platform, which was founded by two Black former Twitter employees.

LinkedIn* may be the biggest beneficiary of all from Twitter’s missteps, gaining newfound relevance among both B2B and B2C social media users.

“LinkedIn may be the biggest beneficiary of all from Twitter’s missteps, gaining newfound relevance among both B2B and B2C social media users.” — Lane R. Ellis @lanerellis Click To Tweet

The nature of LinkedIn has been changing in recent years, and the recent exodus from Twitter has more people than ever giving the Microsoft-owned professional network either a second chance or a first genuine try.

“My newsfeed is starting to include genuinely interesting comments, links to good articles, life updates from friends, even selfies,” Morgan Meaker, senior European business writer at Wired recently observed in “I Found the Perfect Replacement for Twitter. It’s LinkedIn.”

“Influencers on LinkedIn are changing too. One of my favorites is Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic (and formerly editor in chief of WIRED), who posts regular videos titled ‘The Most Interesting Thing in Tech.’ LinkedIn is starting to seep into real life conversations,” Meaker also shared.

Shifting Social Platform Paths Energize B2B Content

via GIPHY

While Mastodon, Post, Counter.Social and the other social media platforms we’ve explored here may not yet fully mesh with all of the specific needs of B2B brands, for marketers who have left Twitter either temporarily or for good, these alternatives are worth testing the waters.

Whether the next major social media player will arise from this particular array of platforms during this unusual time in the history of online communications only time can tell, however savvy B2B marketers should be at the very least keeping a watchful lookout, and we hope you’ve found our brief introduction to some of the alternatives to Twitter.

More than ever before, creating award-winning B2B marketing that elevates, gives voice to talent, and humanizes with authenticity takes considerable time and effort, which is why more brands are choosing to work with a top digital marketing agency such as TopRank Marketing. Reach out to learn how we can help, as we’ve done for over 20 years for businesses ranging from LinkedIn, Dell and 3M to Adobe, Oracle, monday.com and many others.

*LinkedIn is a TopRank Marketing client.

Have you ever wondered how to make a web app? Taking an idea from inception to a fully-fledged web app is an exciting and rewarding experience. While modern development frameworks have made the process much more accessible, there are still plenty of challenges to overcome.

With that in mind, we’ve put together an in-depth, step-by-step guide on building a web application, from generating ideas and creating prototypes to developing, testing, and deploying the final product.

Coding Languages and Requirements for Web Apps

Building a web application from the ground up will require knowledge of front-end and back-end languages. For the front-end development, you’ll need to utilize JavaScript, HTML, and CSS to define the function and style of your app.

Back-end development can take the form of several popular programming languages, including Java, Python, PHP, Ruby, Perl, Kotlin, and Swift. Back-end development also requires an understanding of how databases store application data and how to retrieve that data using a query language like SQL.

Finally, developers should familiarize themselves with the creation and use of application programming interfaces (APIs) to integrate other products and services into the app.

It’s also worth noting that this is a partial list. Some developers also make effective use of tools such as Angular, React, ColdFusion, and Microsoft’s .NET framework to create a web app, and many developers have a particular stack that they enjoy working with because the languages and workflows synergize incredibly well together.

Formulating an Idea

Before you write code, you must define what you plan to build and what problem you intend to solve with your app. This is often easier said than done since you’re competing with developers worldwide to either develop innovative solutions or improve upon existing ones in a way that is novel, scalable, and valuable to prospective users.

This is an excellent time for brainstorming sessions. One handy tip is that if you have a problem in need of a solution, chances are that there are plenty of other people in the same boat. If you can identify a common pain point and a way to fix it, you are well on your way to an effective end product.

Keep in mind that establishing the scope of the project and outlining its requirements before you begin the actual development process is highly recommended if you want to avoid the headache of having to make significant changes later on. Plenty of successful apps grew out of a solution to small or mundane problems, so be cautious of big ideas that you may need more resources or influence to deal with.

Mapping User Experience

Once you’ve settled on your app’s idea and basic functionality, the next step is to map out and evaluate the user experience. Building a product or service that is intuitive and enjoyable to use is just as important as its features and functions, so understanding how users will navigate and interact with your app is critical.

One of the best ways to accomplish this is to visualize your app with a basic wireframe, which can be done with a sketching tool like Figma or Balsamiq (or a pencil and paper for that old-school touch).

To take it a step further, you can also build a functional prototype, often called a minimum viable product (MVP). Even an extremely bare-bones MVP can be a valuable tool during this step. It provides a proof of concept that can be used to generate interest or raise funds and gives you a fast and easy way to conduct A/B testing and gauge impressions from real people to get a more accurate picture of the user experience.

While designing a wireframe or MVP, try to get into the mindset of a first-time user — some things that may seem obvious to you might not be intuitive to someone else. Are the menus easy to navigate? How does a user sign up for your newsletter or cancel their subscription? Can you easily find the information you’re looking for?

Develop user personas based on your target audience and physically map out their hypothetical journey through your app to visualize this process better. The smoother your user experience, the higher the likelihood your app will succeed.

Web Application Development Work

The next stage of creating a web application is development, where the actual technical decisions and coding happen. This step involves the entire stack of languages and technology services — the front-end (client-side) is responsible for the elements that users will see and interact with, while the back-end (server-side) manages the data and includes frameworks, databases, and servers.

The development phase is where your idea finally comes together, and as such, it will most likely be the step that requires the most time and effort. You will first have to settle on a relational database management system like MySQL and establish the architecture for your database. At that point, it’s time to develop your app’s front-end design elements.

If you’re planning to use a single-page application (SPA) implementation, keep in mind that front-end development will be a bit trickier, as you will need a code editor, a compilation and packaging framework, and a front-end framework, as well as a way to configure the packaging tool.

Along with the database mentioned above, back-end development involves all of the code responsible for the behind-the-scenes work of your app, in addition to building and integrating any APIs and deploying a server to run it all.

As you can imagine, back-end work can be quite complex, and even with the help of modern frameworks to assist with the process, it can easily overwhelm inexperienced developers. It’s a good idea to decide early on whether you want to tackle this step on your own or hire a development partner who can handle the technical work.

Deployment

You’ve come up with a great idea, designed a prototype, and developed a working app — the only thing left to do is conduct final tests, choose your hosting provider, and deploy the finished product.

While testing your app’s functionality and usability throughout the development cycle is essential, this is the time to ensure that it’s working as intended. In addition to fundamental issues like verifying database connection properties and making sure no webpage links are broken, it’s wise to test every aspect of your web app that the user will be interacting with.

Is it responsive and compatible with different web browsers and devices? Are there any security issues that could put sensitive user information at risk? This is also an excellent opportunity to do some “negative testing” to see how your app handles simulated situations like a heavy server load, slow internet speeds, or invalid data entry.

The process of hosting is relatively straightforward: you’ll need to buy a domain, set up a secure socket layer (SSL) certificate, and choose a cloud provider.

Amazon, MS Azure, and Google Cloud Platform are the most popular options. Still, several smaller competitors offer services at a lower price point, provide lightweight configuration options, or include other useful features that could be worth considering for your project.

Once you’ve decided on hosting, the last step is to launch your web app and take a moment to appreciate your hard work.

However, don’t underestimate the importance of marketing your app after it’s launched. New web apps are constantly being developed and released, and you need a solid marketing strategy prepared in advance to avoid the risk of all your hard work going unnoticed. Since there is no app store for web applications, drumming up interest and momentum for your project presents its unique challenges.

Advantages of Working with Web Application Developers

Is it hard to create a web app on your own? That depends. Advances in low-code and no-code web app development provide some undeniable benefits: They can speed up time-to-market, are relatively easy to maintain, and allow developers with minimal coding knowledge or experience to create a prototype and quickly make changes to it.

That being said, if you have an excellent idea for an app but need more time or experience to handle full-stack development, there are still plenty of good reasons to consider working with a professional web app development team instead.

Some of the benefits of professional help are performance-based — professional full-code development results in a faster product that will meet or exceed World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards. Also, dealing with the bugs, errors, and other technical issues that are an inevitable part of any development project is a much less stressful prospect when a dedicated team is ready to troubleshoot.

There is also the question of flexibility and customization. Low-code platforms are known for rapid development, but this comes at the cost of design options, while traditional product allows every detail of your app to be tailored to your specific needs.

Scalability and integration are also more limited with low-code and no-code development. Depending on your tools, you may be restricted to deploying only on specific supported platforms.

On the other hand, partnering with a professional web application developer like Oyova gives you access to professionals who have a deep understanding of multiple coding languages and the experience to minimize wasted development time. You’ll also get peace of mind by knowing a support team is available to monitor and troubleshoot any issues with your app.

Even if you already have a finished product, working with a web developer is a great way to identify areas that can be improved and optimized. A perfect example of this is our work with the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, which came to Oyova for assistance in automating their bill payment.

Our team of developers transformed a paper-heavy process that relied on manual bookkeeping into a dedicated portal app for fast, easy payment processing, real-time record access, and options for collaboration between social workers and families, followed by direct integration of the portal into the Jay Fund website.

Learning How to Build a Web Application: The Path to Success

Are you interested in learning how to make an app for a website? Thanks to the steps laid out in this guide, you now have a practical, actionable roadmap for building a web app from start to finish. Hopefully, this empowers you to finally take action on your ideas, whether you decide to take the entire development process into your own hands or work with professionals who can handle the complex tasks of developing the back end, ironing out bugs, and running post-launch support.

Remember that your app’s success ultimately depends on a solid foundational idea, rigorous testing, and a full stack of dedicated development tools and languages to provide useful solutions and an intuitive user experience.

Whether you’ve always been curious about it or whether you’ve always wanted to try your hand at the skill, you may have wondered, what is web application development? Web application development is the process of creating interactive, web-based applications that are meant to be accessed and used through a web browser.

Unlike traditional desktop applications, web apps don’t need to be downloaded and installed on a user’s computer or phone; instead, they run on a remote web server and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.

Web applications are particularly well-suited for situations requiring an intelligent and responsive interface or real-time data exchange between multiple users or systems. This makes them popular for use cases like online banking, e-commerce sites, and web portals.

Because they typically have shorter development cycles and can be designed and maintained by smaller teams, web apps have become increasingly popular with businesses that want to operate under a lean or agile model for faster time-to-market, maximum flexibility, and the option to quickly and efficiently iterate on designs.

Advantages of Web Application Development

Web app development offers users and developers several advantages over a traditional approach.

One of the most apparent benefits is convenience. Because users can access your app from any browser, users won’t need to download and install it on each device. This saves time and storage space while avoiding unnecessary digital clutter, and it’s also a more efficient option for businesses with employees that hot-desk, work on a hybrid remote schedule, or utilize multiple devices to fulfill their daily tasks.

The extra security that a web app provides can also be a significant selling point for both users and developers. When live data is stored on back-end servers or databases, it’s better protected from the risk of malicious attacks. And since most of a web application’s functions can run behind a firewall, it’s much simpler to build up additional layers of back-end security.

Web apps are also easier and faster to develop than traditional apps, thanks to widely known languages, frameworks, and front-end libraries that streamline development. In contrast, traditional apps are typically built using platform-specific languages and proprietary frameworks, which may require more time and resources to learn and test.

Another advantage of web app development is that it’s more flexible than traditional app development. With web apps, developers can easily make changes and updates to the app without having to deal with app store reviews or a lengthy rollout. This allows for a more agile development process, where new features and improvements can be added and presented to users in seconds.

This flexibility also extends to the interoperability of web apps, the ability to integrate with the data, and the functionality of other systems. Unlike when building traditional, isolated apps, web app developers have less to worry about when it comes to standardization and compatibility.

Finally, there’s the issue of cost-effectiveness to consider. For traditional apps, a wide launch across multiple platforms requires a unique design and development process for each one, which means more time, a larger team, and a broader range of specialized knowledge. Web applications are significantly less expensive to build and maintain without the need to develop multiple apps or migrate and repurpose code.

Disadvantages of Web Application Development

While the clear benefits of web apps make them an attractive option for many businesses, there are also some situations where it might make more sense to choose a native or hybrid app. With that in mind, let’s look at a few potential downsides of web app development.

One of the most immediately visible hurdles is that web apps depend entirely on a stable internet connection. In contrast, traditional apps can be used offline, which can be crucial in specific scenarios, such as working remotely or traveling. Similarly, traditional apps allow data to be stored locally and then synced to a back-end database when a connection is established, mitigating the disruption caused by network or connectivity issues.

Another disadvantage of web app development is that because web apps are essentially just running in a browser, they may need access to all the system resources, features, and functions of the device they are running on. For example, push notifications, haptic feedback, or touch-screen functionality may not be available.

In contrast, traditional apps can take advantage of the host device’s full range of features and functions, making for a superior user experience. However, it’s worth noting that most limitations in functionality can be overcome with the right resources and knowledge, though it may be cruder and more complex than on a native app.

In terms of performance, web applications that aren’t designed with responsiveness in mind may have difficulty displaying on mobile devices due to size and compatibility issues with the device’s operating system. Because they rely heavily on network bandwidth to communicate between the server and the user’s device, web applications also tend to run at reduced speeds as they become larger and more complex.

As more users access the application, response times may decrease significantly due to higher traffic, and other factors like data size and memory availability can also come into play. Even in the best circumstances, a web app is not likely to outperform a native app designed from the ground up for a specific device and platform.

What Is an Example of a Web Application?

One everyday use case for web application development is e-commerce. Websites like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy are all examples of web apps designed to facilitate online shopping, featuring shopping cart systems, payment processing capabilities, product catalogs, customer account management tools, order tracking systems, and more.

Another popular use case for web application development is portals: websites that act as gateways into other services or content areas. Sites like Facebook and Twitter are great examples of this type of portal website; they provide access points into large social networks, allowing users to share photos, post status updates, and interact with other users.

Content management systems (CMS) also frequently use browser-based interfaces. These applications provide a way for non-technical users to easily manage the content on their website — from creating pages and blog posts to uploading images and videos. Popular CMS platforms like WordPress and Drupal allow even novice web developers to quickly set up websites without writing code.

Finally, dynamic web apps are increasingly popular among businesses that need custom software solutions tailored specifically to their needs. These applications can be used as internal tools or customer-facing interfaces, providing features such as data analysis and visualization, user authentication and authorization systems, and interactive forms and surveys.

Because they have endless potential for businesses of all shapes and sizes, a comprehensive list of web application types is impossible. To keep it simple, we’ll look at some popular web apps with which you’re already familiar.

Google Office Suite

Google’s flagship suite of office tools is an excellent example of how web applications can be used in the workplace, both individually and collaboratively. These apps have a robust set of features and wide-ranging functionality. In fact, I wrote the article you’re reading right now in the Google Docs web app!

Unlike most web applications, the Google Workspace suite even allows work to be completed offline and synced up later, getting around one of the most common limitations of web app development.

Amazon

We mentioned that web apps are a popular choice for e-commerce, and there’s no better example than the most prominent online storefront. Amazon’s sophisticated solution showcases just how flexible and complex web apps can be, even if it’s well beyond the scope of what most online stores would need.

Like many businesses, Amazon has opted to deploy both a native app and a web app to give customers more flexibility in their shopping experience and take advantage of both application benefits.

Spotify

Spotify’s web player is another excellent example of a popular service leaning into the unique strengths of web-based applications. Using open-source tools and a simplified architecture, Spotify can quickly onboard new developers, easily experiment and add new features, and reduce its maintenance footprint.

How to Create a Web-Based Application

Since we’ve answered the question “what is web application development?” it’s time to look at the process of creating an app.

As with native or hybrid apps, building a web application will require a full stack of development tools. But what language is used for web application creation? Front-end languages like HTML, Javascript, and CSS establish a web app’s visuals, user interface, and overall design. HTML is responsible for the page’s structure, while CSS provides styling information such as colors and fonts. Meanwhile, Javascript enables the dynamic elements that users interact with, like drop-down menus and animations.

Conversely, back-end languages provide the behind-the-scenes functionality that makes a web app work properly. Popular back-end programming languages such as PHP, Java, Python, Ruby, and .NET allow developers to create dynamic web pages which respond differently based on user input or data stored in a database. To communicate with that database, content developers should also be familiar with a query language such as SQL, which allows them to update, retrieve, or otherwise manipulate stored data.

Finally, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) allow systems built using different technologies to communicate with each other. Developers who want to create web-based apps should be comfortable working with APIs to integrate third-party services and content into their applications.

Consult Our Florida Web Application Developers

Are you interested in creating a web-based app but need help figuring out where to begin? Do you have an existing project that you’d like to scale up, redesign, or optimize, but you may feel overwhelmed by the more technical aspects? Oyova’s team of professionals has specialized in web app development since 2008, using a variety of tech stacks to design complex applications, assist with automation, and streamline processes.

Our developers take advantage of the LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Perl/Python) to stay lean and agile while still using industry-leading tools. We also have experience building apps with Angular, React, .NET, ColdFusion, and more.

You can see an example of our work with the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, which came to Oyova to automate its bill payment process. Our team developed a portal to facilitate collaboration between families and social workers, update recordkeeping capabilities, and enable real-time payment processing before finally integrating the portal into the Fund’s main website.

Whether you are still in the ideation phase of developing a web application or looking to iterate on an existing product, Oyova can help you turn your vision into a full-featured web app.

Facebook is an amazing social media platform, but it can be tricky when it comes to managing your privacy settings.

Facebook is one of the most popular social networks in the world, and it’s easy for anyone to become a member. This makes it difficult to manage the privacy of your profile.

If you’re concerned about people who might have access to your personal information, you can use the new Facebook Stories feature to hide certain updates from specific people.

This means that they won’t be able to see your stories, which makes it harder for them to find out what you’re up to.

In this article, I will guide you on how to hide your Facebook Stories from certain people.

 

How Does the Facebook Story Work?

Facebook Story is a new feature on the platform that allows users to share short videos and photos on the Story feed.

It has a lifetime of 24 hours. Afterwards, it gets deleted from the story feed and added to the archive, where you can view it later.

Facebook Stories is a great way to get started with video marketing on Facebook.

It’s a quick way to share your content without having to worry about posting and scheduling videos.

 

How to Hide Facebook Stories From Specific People

To hide your Facebook stories, follow the steps below:

• Login to your Facebook account.
• Navigate to your Stories Feed on your profile.
• Next, click on the plus icon to go to the Add Story tab.
• Click on the gear icon to visit the Story Settings.
• Look out for Who can see your story? option. There are 4 options on that list – Public, Friends, Custom and Hide Story From.
• Firstly, check the Radio icon next to Friends. A pop-up notification will be displayed asking you to confirm if you want to Change Story Privacy. Click on Change.
• When you tap on Friends, the Hide Story From option will be activated. Proceed to click on it.
• Select the names of the people with that you want to hide your Facebook stories from by checking the box beside their names.

That’s it! You have now successfully hidden your Facebook Stories from these contact,s and they cannot see it anymore when you make a new update.

See Also: How to Lock and Unlock Facebook Profile

 

How to Hide Facebook Stories From Everyone

To hide your Facebook Stories update from everyone, follow the steps below:

• Login to your Facebook account.
• Navigate to your Stories Feed on your profile.
• Next, click on the plus icon to go to the Add Story tab.
• Click on the gear icon to visit the Story Settings.
• Look out for Who can see your story? option. There are 4 options in that list – Public, Friends, Custom and Hide Story From.
• Select Custom from the options.
• Tap on Save.

 

How to Hide Stories from Everyone on Facebook Messenger

Perhaps you want to hide your Stories from everyone on Messenger. The steps followed above also affect the Messenger settings.

You don’t need to take any additional steps to hide Facebook Stories on Messenger.

 

Why Hide Facebook Stories from Specific People

 

Avoid Identity theft

One of the most important reasons to hide your Facebook story is to lower the likelihood of identity theft.

This happens when someone steals a lot of your data to claim your identity.

By sharing too many of your pictures on Facebook stories, you leave yourself exposed to these cyberattacks.

When you hide your Facebook story, it stops people from checking your story and accessing your profile to steal your information.

This is why we advise you to stop this by turning on your “hide Facebook stories” option.

You can also specify who can access your story using that option.

 

Prevent robbery attacks

For some people, it is difficult to detach their online life from their real lives.

Sadly, this can be a grave mistake that can put you in harm’s way in the real world.

For instance, if you share your vacation pictures on Facebook stories, burglars may use this as a reason to breach and sneak into your home.

Setting your Facebook Story to private will ensure that only trustworthy people can access your content.

 

Protect job prospects

In today’s world, it is unsurprising that employers invest time in reviewing the social media profiles of their potential hires.

This is important to assess your public reputation and whether your ideals and values correspond with their businesses.

Everyone likes humorous content and cracking jokes on the internet, but you may not want your prospective boss to see them.

If your Facebook Stories are personal and aren’t geared toward enhancing your professional brand, then the best option is to hide them.

 

Maintain your business reputation

Similarly, for business owners and entrepreneurs, you wouldn’t want your personal videos or pictures to negatively affect your business.

When prospective customers access your Facebook stories where you upload personal pictures, it is a disaster waiting to happen.

This is why you need to set up an entirely different Facebook account for your business, or better still, hide your Facebook stories to limit public access.

Another idea is to share only content that is relevant to your business.

 

Avoid stalkers

Similar to real-life situations, some people online have no respect for privacy.

One great news is that tackling these kinds of people is easier online.

As we have emphasized earlier, hiding your Facebook stories helps to ensure that only people you have approved of can access your content.

In this situation, making your Facebook stories public can encourage stalkers to discover more about your personal life, especially if you upload your pictures and videos.

This can be very risky. While it is improbable for someone to track your whereabouts after finding your stories online, it’s a wise idea to stay safe online.

 

Lowers the risk of oversharing

Most people get lost in the thrill of social media that they get overwhelmed and overshare information that is too personal or not necessary.

It is not strange to see someone unintentionally revealing their credit card number in their Facebook Story.

If you hide your Facebook stories, your content won’t be available for public viewing.

However, you should pay attention to what you share even when you have hidden your Facebook stories.

 

Safeguard you against cyberthreat

Cybercriminals and malicious actors are seeking new methods to prey on social media users.

Hiding your Facebook stories prevents you from falling prey to these scam tactics and data thefts that are prevalent in today’s digital space.

One of the most common cyber threats is catfishing. This happens when someone pretends to be someone else to mislead, scam or hurt another.

Hiding your Facebook stories does not totally get rid of this threat but allows you control over who you expose your pictures and videos to.

Cyber threats can also be dispelled with antivirus tools. These are platforms that assist you in identifying and getting rid of malware.

Many Facebook accounts and posts have phishing links and bad download links. Thus, it’s crucial that you safeguard your devices.

 

How to Hide Facebook Stories From Specific People FAQs

 

What’s the biggest risk of not hiding your Facebook story?

There are numerous risks associated with not hiding your Facebook story, and we have outlined a lot of them in our content above.

You can’t quantify these risks, but we can say identity theft is among the most common threats to sharing personal details with the public via Facebook stories.

In the digital space, it is highly important to hide your private information.

Identity theft can be carried out with a small amount of information, so ensure you only share private information when it’s highly needed.

 

Do social media sites offer proper security?

Generally, social media sites have sophisticated security features.

This is due to the fact that their reputation is built on the ability to safeguard their user’s private data.

These big social media platforms have adequate security experts working 24/7 to ensure their site is safe and secure for users.

However, popular social media sites (like Facebook) are always prime targets for cybercriminals and fraudsters.

This is the reason for the rise of high-profile data breach reports from social media websites.

 

How can I have a high social media presence with hidden Facebook stories?

Unfortunately, hiding your Facebook stories will generally lower the number of users who can access your pictures and videos.

This won’t be excellent for people trying to create a brand or grow a following.

We suggest that you try and have a different social media account for yourself and your brand.

This will prevent you from jeopardizing your private data while establishing your digital presence.

 

Conclusion

Facebook Stories is a powerful storytelling tool that allows you to write, publish, and share a story on Facebook in a simple, easy-to-understand format.

The Facebook Hide Stories feature makes it even easier for you to take charge of your privacy.

Following this guide, you should be able to hide Facebook stories from specific people easily.

 

Also Read:

 

By 

Humphrey Udoh

If you want to know who your ideal customer don’t ignore this definitive guide to creating a professional buyer persona.

When Identifying your target audience.

It will aid you a great deal in your digital marketing journey than you ever imagined.

The first step in creating a professional buyer persona is to determine who you want to reach with your digital marketing efforts.

 This could be based on demographics, interests, or other factors. For example, if you are selling outdoor gear, your target audience might be young, active individuals who enjoy camping and hiking.

Also read: What and Why Buyer Persona is Important

✔Research your target audience: Once you have identified your target audience, it’s important to gather as much information as possible about them. 

This can include their age, gender, income level, education level, occupation, geographic location, and interests. 

You can gather this information through a variety of methods, such as surveys, focus groups, online research, and customer interviews.

✔Create a detailed buyer persona: Using the information you have gathered, create a detailed buyer persona that represents your ideal customer. This should include information about their goals, challenges, pain points, and needs. 

For example, if your target audience is young, active individuals who enjoy camping and hiking, your buyer persona might include information about their desire to explore new trails, their need for lightweight and durable gear, and their concern about the environmental impact of their purchases.

✔Consider their customer journey: Another important aspect of creating a professional buyer persona is to think about the steps your target audience takes when considering a purchase. 

This includes the research phase, where they gather information about different products and brands; the comparison phase, where they evaluate different options based on their needs and budget; and the decision-making phase, where they choose the product or service that best meets their needs. 

Understanding this journey can help you tailor your marketing efforts to each stage.

✔Use your buyer persona to guide your marketing efforts: Once you have created a detailed buyer persona, use it to inform your marketing strategy. 

This can include the types of content you create, the channels you use, and the messaging you use. 

For example, if your target audience is interested in lightweight and durable gear, you might create content that focuses on the durability and portability of your products, and use channels like social media or email marketing to reach them.

✔Review and update your buyer persona regularly: As you gather more information about your target audience, be sure to review and update your buyer persona to ensure it accurately reflects your ideal customer. 

This can help you stay on top of trends and changes in your target market, and ensure that your marketing efforts are relevant and effective.

Additional Tips For Creating Buyer Persona

Here are some additional tips for creating a professional buyer persona for digital marketing:

• Use multiple buyer personas: Depending on the products or services you offer, you may have multiple target audiences with different needs and characteristics. In this case, it’s a good idea to create multiple buyer personas to represent each group. This will allow you to tailor your marketing efforts to each audience and ensure that you are reaching the right people with the right message.

• Be specific: The more detailed and specific your buyer persona is, the more effectively you will be able to target your marketing efforts. Avoid generalizations or assumptions, and make sure to include concrete information about your target audience’s characteristics, goals, and needs.

• Use real data: To create a truly professional buyer persona, it’s important to base it on real data rather than assumptions or guesses. This can include the research you have conducted yourself, as well as data from industry reports or customer analytics.

• Test and refine: Once you have created your buyer persona, it’s important to test and refine it to ensure that it accurately represents your target audience.

 You can do this by conducting surveys or focus groups, analyzing customer data, or A/B testing different marketing efforts. By regularly reviewing and updating your buyer persona, you can ensure that your marketing efforts are as effective as possible.

1. Identify your target audience: 

The first step in creating a professional buyer persona is to determine who you want to reach with your digital marketing efforts. This could be based on demographics, interests, or other factors. For example, if you are selling outdoor gear, your target audience might be young, active individuals who enjoy camping and hiking.

2. Research your target audience:

 Once you have identified your target audience, it’s important to gather as much information as possible about them. This can include their age, gender, income level, education level, occupation, geographic location, and interests. You can gather this information through a variety of methods, such as surveys, focus groups, online research, and customer interviews.

3. Create a detailed buyer persona: 

Using the information you have gathered, create a detailed buyer persona that represents your ideal customer. This should include information about their goals, challenges, pain points, and needs. For example, if your target audience is young, active individuals who enjoy camping and hiking, your buyer persona might include information about their desire to explore new trails, their need for lightweight and durable gear, and their concern about the environmental impact of their purchases.

4. Consider your customer journey: 

Another important aspect of creating a professional buyer persona is to think about the steps your target audience takes when considering a purchase. 

This includes the research phase, where they gather information about different products and brands; the comparison phase, where they evaluate different options based on their needs and budget; and the decision-making phase, where they choose the product or service that best meets their needs. 

Understanding this journey can help you tailor your marketing efforts to each stage.

5. Use your buyer persona to guide your marketing efforts: Once you have created a detailed buyer persona, use it to inform your marketing strategy. This can include the types of content you create, the channels you use, and the messaging you use. 

For example, if your target audience is interested in lightweight and durable gear, you might create content that focuses on the durability and portability of your products, and use channels like social media or email marketing to reach them.

6. Review and update your buyer persona regularly:

 As you gather more information about your target audience, be sure to review and update your buyer persona to ensure it accurately reflects your ideal customer. This can help you stay on top of trends and changes in your target market, and ensure that your marketing efforts are relevant and effective.

Here are some additional tips for creating a professional buyer persona for digital marketing:

• Use multiple buyer personas: Depending on the products or services you offer, you may have multiple target audiences with different needs and characteristics. 

            In this case, it’s a good idea to create multiple buyer personas to represent each group. 

This will allow you to tailor your marketing efforts to each audience and ensure that you are reaching the right people with the right message.

• Be specific: The more detailed and specific your buyer persona is, the more effectively you will be able to target your marketing efforts. 

             Avoid generalizations or assumptions, and make sure to include concrete information about your target audience’s characteristics, goals, and needs.

• Use real data: To create a truly professional buyer persona, it’s important to base it on real data rather than assumptions or guesses.

 This can include the research you have conducted yourself, as well as data from industry reports or customer analytics.

• Test and refine: Once you have created your buyer persona, it’s important to test and refine it to ensure that it accurately represents your target audience. 

You can do this by conducting surveys or focus groups, analyzing customer data, or A/B testing different marketing efforts. 

By regularly reviewing and updating your buyer persona, you can ensure that your marketing efforts are as effective as possible.

Advanced Tips To creating Robust Buyer Persona

• Be aware of cultural differences: If you are targeting an international audience, it’s important to consider cultural differences and how they might impact your marketing efforts. 

For example, what might be considered an effective marketing message in one country might not be as effective in another country with a different culture.

• Consider the role of emotion: In addition to considering practical needs and characteristics, it’s important to also consider the emotional factors that might influence your target audience’s purchasing decisions. 

This can include things like fear, trust, loyalty, and curiosity.

• Use customer testimonials and reviews: Customer testimonials and reviews can be a valuable resource for creating a professional buyer persona, as they provide real-life insights into the experiences and needs of your target audience. 

Consider incorporating customer feedback into your buyer persona to make it more realistic and accurate.

• Don’t forget about loyalty: While it’s important to focus on attracting new customers, it’s also important to consider how you can retain and nurture existing customers. 

By understanding the loyalty of your target audience, you can develop strategies for keeping them engaged and loyal to your brand.

• Look at your competition: Understanding the buyer personas of your competitors can also help create your buyer persona. 

Consider what makes your products or services different from those of your competitors, and how you can appeal to a different audience or address different needs.

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What is digital marketing ? 

 

Digital marketing is the use of electronic media, such as the Internet, social media, mobile apps, and other digital channels, to promote products and services and reach customers. It involves a variety of tactics and strategies, including search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, pay-per-click advertising, and affiliate marketing, among others.

 

Digital marketing allows businesses to reach and engage with customers online, and it can be an effective way to reach a large and targeted audience. It can be especially useful for small businesses and startups that may not have the resources to advertise through traditional channels, such as print, radio, or television.

 

Overall, the goal of digital marketing is to drive traffic to a business’s website and increase sales and revenue. It is an important part of a company’s overall marketing strategy and can help businesses of all sizes reach and engage with their target audience.

 

Various types of digital marketing 

There are many different types of digital marketing that businesses can use to reach and engage with customers online. Some of the most common types include:

 

Search engine optimization (SEO): This involves optimizing a website and its content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords related to the business.

 

Content marketing: This involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. The goal is to drive profitable customer action.

 

Email marketing: This involves sending marketing messages to a list of subscribers via email. It can be used to nurture leads, build relationships, and drive sales.

 

Social media marketing: This involves using social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to promote a business and its products or services.

 

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising: This involves placing paid ads on search engines or other websites. Advertisers pay each time a user clicks on one of their ads.

 

Affiliate marketing: This involves promoting a business’s products or services on a third-party website and earning a commission for each sale or lead generated from that website.

 

Influencer marketing: This involves partnering with influential people or companies to promote a business’s products or services to their followers.

 

Video marketing: This involves using video to promote a business and its products or services. It can include creating and sharing videos on social media platforms, or using video advertising on websites.

 

Mobile marketing: This involves using mobile apps, SMS, and other mobile-specific channels to reach and engage with customers.

 

Local SEO: This involves optimizing a business’s online presence for customers in a specific geographic location.

 

These are just a few examples of the many types of digital marketing that businesses can use. The best approach will depend on the specific needs and goals of the business.

 

Search engine optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing a website and its content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords related to the business. The goal of SEO is to increase the visibility of a website and make it easier for potential customers to find it when they search for relevant keywords.

 

There are many factors that can affect a website’s ranking in search engine results, including the quality and relevance of the website’s content, the structure and organization of the website, the use of keywords, and the presence of backlinks from other websites. To optimize a website for search engines, it is important to focus on these factors and ensure that the website is easy to navigate, fast loading, and well-structured.

 

SEO can be a complex and time-consuming process, but it can be an effective way to improve a website’s visibility and drive traffic to the site. It is an important part of a company’s overall digital marketing strategy and can help businesses of all sizes reach and engage with their target audience.

 

Content marketing: 

Content marketing is a type of digital marketing that involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. The goal of content marketing is to drive profitable customer action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.

 

Content marketing can take many forms, including blog posts, articles, ebooks, infographics, videos, podcasts, and social media posts. The key is to create content that is useful, informative, and engaging for the target audience.

 

Effective content marketing requires a well-defined content strategy that aligns with the overall marketing goals of the business. This includes identifying the target audience, determining the types of content that will be most effective, and creating a plan for promoting and distributing the content.

 

Content marketing can be a powerful way to build brand awareness, establish thought leadership, and drive traffic and sales. It is an important part of a company’s overall digital marketing strategy and can help businesses of all sizes reach and engage with their target audience.

 

Email marketing

Email marketing is a type of digital marketing that involves sending marketing messages to a list of subscribers via email. It can be used to nurture leads, build relationships, and drive sales.

 

To be effective, email marketing campaigns should be well-planned and targeted to the specific needs and interests of the audience. This includes segmenting the email list into smaller groups based on factors such as demographics, location, or past purchasing behavior, and creating customized content for each group.

 

Emails should be visually appealing and easy to read, and should include a clear call to action, such as a link to a product page or a sign-up form. It is also important to track the performance of email campaigns and analyze data such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to determine what is working and what can be improved.

 

Overall, email marketing can be an effective way to reach and engage with customers and drive sales. It is an important part of a company’s overall digital marketing strategy and can help businesses of all sizes reach and engage with their target audience.

 

Social media marketing: 

Social media marketing is the process of using social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and others, to promote a business and its products or services. It can be an effective way to reach and engage with a large and targeted audience and drive traffic and sales.

 

To be effective, social media marketing requires a well-defined strategy that aligns with the overall marketing goals of the business. This includes identifying the target audience, determining the types of content that will be most effective, and creating a plan for promoting and distributing the content.

 

Effective social media marketing involves creating and sharing high-quality, relevant, and engaging content that resonates with the target audience. This can include blog posts, articles, videos, images, and other types of content that provide value to the audience. It is also important to interact with followers and respond to comments and messages in a timely and professional manner.

 

Overall, social media marketing can be a powerful way to build brand awareness, establish thought leadership, and drive traffic and sales. It is an important part of a company’s overall digital marketing strategy and can help businesses of all sizes reach and engage with their target audience.

 

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising:

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a type of digital marketing in which advertisers place paid ads on search engines or other websites. Advertisers pay each time a user clicks on one of their ads.

 

PPC advertising can be an effective way to reach and engage with potential customers and drive traffic and sales to a website. It allows businesses to target specific keywords and demographics, and to control their budget by setting a maximum cost per click (CPC) for their ads.

 

To be effective, PPC campaigns require careful planning and targeting. This includes identifying the target audience, choosing the right keywords, and creating compelling ad copy and landing pages. It is also important to track the performance of PPC campaigns and analyze data such as click-through rates (CTRs), conversion rates, and cost-per-conversion to determine what is working and what can be improved.

 

Overall, PPC advertising can be a powerful way to reach and engage with potential customers and drive traffic and sales to a website. It is an important part of a company’s overall digital marketing strategy and can help businesses of all sizes reach and engage with their target audience.

Affiliate marketing:

Affiliate marketing is a type of digital marketing in which a business promotes its products or services on a third-party website and earns a commission for each sale or lead generated from that website. Affiliates are typically individuals or companies who have a website or social media presence and are willing to promote a business’s products or services to their followers in exchange for a commission.

 

To be effective, affiliate marketing requires a well-defined affiliate program that clearly outlines the terms and conditions for affiliates, including the commission structure, payment terms, and promotional guidelines. It is also important to choose affiliates who are a good fit for the business and who have a relevant and engaged audience.

 

Effective affiliate marketing involves creating high-quality products or services and providing affiliates with the resources and support they need to promote them effectively. This can include promotional materials, such as banners and links, as well as training and support for affiliates.

 

Overall, affiliate marketing can be a powerful way to reach and engage with potential customers and drive traffic and sales to a website. It is an important part of a company’s overall digital marketing strategy and can help businesses of all sizes reach and engage with their target audience.

 

Influencer marketing:

Influencer marketing is a type of digital marketing in which a business partners with influential individuals or companies to promote its products or services to their followers. Influencers are typically individuals or companies with a large and engaged following on social media or other online platforms.

 

To be effective, influencer marketing requires careful planning and targeting. This includes identifying the right influencers for the business and its products or services, and establishing clear terms and conditions for the partnership, including any compensation or incentives for the influencer.

 

Effective influencer marketing involves creating high-quality products or services and providing influencers with the resources and support they need to promote them effectively. This can include promotional materials, such as product samples or discount codes, as well as training and support for influencers.

 

Overall, influencer marketing can be a powerful way to reach and engage with potential customers and drive traffic and sales to a website. It is an important part of a company’s overall digital marketing strategy and can help businesses of all sizes reach and engage with their target audience.

 

Video marketing:

Video marketing is the use of video to promote a business and its products or services. It can be an effective way to reach and engage with potential customers and drive traffic and sales to a website.

 

There are many different ways to use video in marketing, including creating and sharing videos on social media platforms, using video advertising on websites, and including video on a company’s website or landing pages. The key is to create high-quality, relevant, and engaging videos that provide value to the target audience.

 

To be effective, video marketing requires a well-defined strategy that aligns with the overall marketing goals of the business. This includes identifying the target audience, determining the types of videos that will be most effective, and creating a plan for promoting and distributing the videos.

 

Effective video marketing involves creating compelling video content and promoting it through a variety of channels, such as social media, email, and paid advertising. It is also important to track the performance of video campaigns and analyze data such as view counts, engagement rates, and conversion rates to determine what is working and what can be improved.

 

Overall, video marketing can be a powerful way to reach and engage with potential customers and drive traffic and sales to a website. It is an important part of a company’s overall digital marketing strategy and can help businesses of all sizes reach and engage with their target audience.

 

Mobile marketing

Mobile marketing is the use of mobile apps, SMS, and other mobile-specific channels to reach and engage with customers. It can be an effective way to reach and engage with a large and targeted audience and drive traffic and sales.

 

There are many different ways to use mobile marketing, including creating mobile apps, sending SMS messages, and using mobile advertising on websites and social media platforms. The key is to create mobile experiences that are relevant, engaging, and convenient for the target audience.

 

To be effective, mobile marketing requires a well-defined strategy that aligns with the overall marketing goals of the business. This includes identifying the target audience, determining the types of mobile experiences that will be most effective, and creating a plan for promoting and distributing the content.

 

Effective mobile marketing involves creating compelling mobile experiences and promoting them through a variety of channels, such as app store optimization, SMS marketing, and mobile advertising. It is also important to track the performance of mobile campaigns and analyze data such as download rates, engagement rates, and conversion rates to determine what is working and what can be improved.

 

Overall, mobile marketing can be a powerful way to reach and engage with potential customers and drive traffic and sales to a website. It is an important part of a company’s overall digital marketing strategy and can help businesses of all sizes reach and engage with their target audience.

 

Local SEO

Local SEO is the process of optimizing a business’s online presence for customers in a specific geographic location. It involves optimizing a website and its content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for keywords related to the business and its location.

 

To be effective, local SEO requires a well-defined strategy that aligns with the overall marketing goals of the business. This includes optimizing the website for specific keywords and phrases related to the business and its location, as well as ensuring that the website is easy to navigate, fast loading, and well-structured.

 

Local SEO also involves claiming and optimizing local business listings on platforms such as Google My Business, Yelp, and Bing Places. This includes providing accurate and up-to-date information about the business, such as the address, phone number, and business hours, as well as adding photos and reviews to the listing.

 

Overall, local SEO can be an effective way to improve a business’s online visibility and drive traffic and sales from local customers. It is an important part of a company’s overall digital marketing strategy and can help businesses of all sizes reach and engage with their target audience.

 

What do ancient military tactics and social media marketing have in common?

Apparently a lot, according to anime Ya Boy Kongming. You might be surprised to know how much, in fact, as both have been refined and honed over years (or millennia) for maximum effectiveness.

Ya Boy Kongming is a bizarre and brilliant anime about the famous real-life Chinese Tactician, known as Zhuge Liang or Kongming, who wishes with his dying breath to be reborn in a time of peace. And sure enough, he is – in modern-day Japan. He stumbles across a struggling EDM singer called Eiko, and decides to apply his tactical military prowess to modern-day music management, helping Eiko become famous in the process.

War and business have more similarities than you might think. There is a reason business executives like The Art of War so much. But if you’re curious how the two can have anything in common at all, read on.

Now, of course, to condense and translate the entirety of ancient warfare tactics onto this blog would be an impossible task. So I’m not going to do that. Instead, I’m going to pull a few specific examples from Ya Boy Kongming showing how Kongming’s business tactics, inspired by a vast knowledge of ancient warfare norms from the era of the Three Kingdoms, are surprisingly appropriate for our own time.

Your market position is your kingdom. It is up to you to grow, expand, and defend.

Hear me out. Your product or, more precisely, the specific way you position it as a solution for someone’s problems, is your territory. Once you secure product-market fit, you must use tactics to ensure your kingdom continues to thrive. You may expand your kingdom’s population by earning new fans, and therefore, cash. You may conquer other kingdoms by pushing new products into new positions. Or you may be content to maintain your own kingdom, without eyes for conquest or growth.

Take Eiko, the EDM singer. Her product is her voice, her songs, and her music. Her product-market fit is the ability to create great songs and deliver great performances. But not a lot of people have heard of her, so she must conquer the market and earn new listeners. To fail to do so would mean working in a small club forever and continuing to dream, all while being ridiculously talented.

Enter Kongming. The ancient Chinese tactician stumbled into her club and heard her sing. He thought her voice was whatever the 250 AD equivalent of sliced bread happened to be.

They formed an inseparable bond. Eiko was energized and ready to conquer the EDM market. Kongming was ready to take on myriad battles of music management, all to propel her career into the stratosphere.

But this is all strategy for now. Let’s talk about the ancient tactics Kongming employs to take over TikTok and Instagram over the current seven episodes available to watch.

Kongming prioritizes the literal capture of attention for Eiko.

Eiko doesn’t lack talent. She’s a diamond waiting to be discovered. Kongming correctly reads the situation and immediately prioritizes the generation of attention. After all, attention is the gateway to interest, desire, and action (streaming music and purchasing concert tickets).

He does this by psychologically trapping the guests in the venue and forcing them to listen to Eiko.

OK, so this is an anime. Take lessons with a pinch of salt. Try not to violate OSHA like Kongming, whose Stone Sentinel Maze made it hard to navigate the club. The decor was arranged so that people would mindlessly walk from the entrance to the restroom to the staff-only area at irregular intervals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJQwe98jVhM

Because people were getting lost in the venue, Kongming knew that Eiko would have the precious seconds and minutes needed to win them over with her voice. Which she did, declaring that this was the true reason why guests were not leaving the nightclub.

This exact same tactic is used by companies as big as IKEA and Costco – albeit not to this extent! – to keep you shopping for longer. Make the layout confusing, expose people to more products, and they will eventually buy more. But such a trick only works if you have something worth selling in the first place.

Kongming uses attention-gathering stunts to create something out of nothing.

More compelling evidence of Kongming’s tactical marketing skills begins in episode 3 where Kongming has scheduled Eiko to perform at a local arts festival for up-and-coming talent. It’s a rite of passage for every rising artist.

When you are up and coming, you have to try and turn every bad situation you get into a good one. Everything from production delays to bad PR needs to be spun in your favor. The example here is that Eiko has been given a crappy stage in a crappy location, leaving her to perform to seemingly no one.

In business, there is a concept called “red ocean and blue ocean.” Coined by Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, these terms demonstrate the fundamental difference between two different market strategies. In the bloody, shark-infested red ocean, you fight in an existing marketplace, beat the competition, and exploit existing demand. In the open blue ocean, you make demand, seek out a low-competition space, and propose an entirely new kind of value.

Eiko has to compete in red waters. She has no choice. So what does Kongming do?

He finds out that the well-known band, Jet Jacket, is performing on the main stage later that night and that their singer has a sore throat. This intel means they will not be able to perform their big hit – a perfect opportunity for Eiko to shine.

Due to this, Kongming enlists the strategy Create Something Out Of Nothing from chapter 2 of The Thirty-Six Strategems. This strategy, simplified, is to create a lie out of thin air to feint your enemy into believing that you are not going to attack or are weaker/stronger than expected.

“Creating something out of nothing” might sound like some kind of anime power move, but the term in fact comes from the Book of Qi, in its seventh biographical volume, Biography of Wáng Jìngzé (王敬則傳／王敬则传).

Kongming lies to Eiko by telling her equipment is malfunctioning. This causes her to go on stage right when Jet Jacket is supposed to be performing. The result is that Eiko delivers a powerful performance that drowns Jet Jacket right out. The crowd couldn’t help but go check out the singer who was making so much beautiful noise.

The feint also works as it made Jet Jacket believe they would have no competition and thus would win by default. But Eiko hops on stage in an explosively loud way, making something out of nothing, and drawing a huge crowd to her once crappy stage.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ6HKxBODbg

Brands do this all the time. Coca-Cola is just sugar water with good branding. Rappers pretend to have beef with other rappers to get attention online. Even governments do this with wartime propaganda, inciting patriotic fervor (for good and for evil) in otherwise apolitical people.

The best modern example is online clickbait. Articles and videos are often titled in such attractive ways that you have to click. The best writers and videographers deliver on the promise of their headlines. Most don’t.

Now we all know it’s better not to lie. But even the most ethical copywriter knows one thing for sure: the headline has to be attractive enough to incite a click out of nowhere.

Kongming chooses an important marketing metric and optimizes tactics to achieve it.

A goal we can all relate to is to get more likes, followers, and views. Basically anytime the numbers “go brrr”, we approve of it. It is the ultimate goal for so many content creators as a sufficient amount of attention opens the door for endless possibilities.

Starting off with episode 4, Eiko and Kongming are presented with the opportunity of a lifetime by Tsuyoshi Kondo. Eiko has a chance to perform at the major festival Summer Sonia as long as she gets 10,000 likes (followers).

Ask anyone how to do this today and they will tell you a multitude of ways to hit that number. Tactics include scheduling your content so it goes out at peak time, using both trending and targeted hashtags, and much more. But what does the great tactician Kongming do?

Kongming reaches out to influencers and collaboration to increase social media followers.

Kongming starts by seeking and stoking the fire of a retired #1 rapper, Kabetaijin. The stress and pressure got to be too much for him and he quit. Over the course of episodes 5 & 6, he challenges him and helps him work through his anxiety, which – in addition to being a heartwarming storyline – is also a very smart strategy. People have been waiting for new music from Kabetaijin forever.

Afterward, he convinces him to join up with Eiko. This top-tier rapper provides a brilliant way for Eiko to broaden her reach.

This tactic is all over pop music, because it’s such a good marketing tactic. But if you want a good example, I’ll give you just one.

Take the megastar and savvy businesswoman, Taylor Swift. She teamed up with none other than Kendrick Lamar to release Bad Blood.

The reason for this was twofold. First thing is that, in the music business especially, collaborations are marketing 101. Both fan bases became introduced to new artists and the press visibility was phenomenal. This song topped ou the charts and racked up 20.1 million views.

Kendrick Lamar told the UK magazine Shortlist about collaborating with Taylor Swift on this song. “She reached out and expressed how much of a fan she was,” he recalled. “She knew all my raps so I knew it was true. We got in the studio, vibed out and she produced a record.”

Rap also cuts through pop music’s flow adding that bite to it which sometimes is really welcomed. Personally, having listened to both version of Bad Blood – the one with the rap verse and the one without – I am definitely feeling the rap adds to the song in all the right ways.

As an aside, this also gives me the perfect opportunity to post the absolute bop that is this show’s opening theme song.

Kongming is a master of timing in warfare and on social media.

The topic of when to upload your content has been deeply analyzed by many. The goal, of course, is to get maximum exposure and depending on the platform, you will find different results by posting at different times. What’s best for you is to view when your content is best received by looking at your analytics on the sites you post as well as your competitors by using sites such as Social Blade.

In episode 7, Kongming thinks the best time to upload the video to get 10,000 likes is 3 days before the deadline. Now the next episode isn’t out as I write this, but I suspect he’s doing this for good reason. Waiting until 3 days before is risky, but he likely knows that this is the best way to keep a massive amount of attention on Eiko all at once, when it counts the most.

In other words, he wants Eiko to go viral (in the non-coronavirus sense of the word), because that results in a massive spike of followers and likes.

Virality makes and breaks music artists these days. It’s not even a new trend. Take Justin Bieber. He uploaded a cover of Justin Timberlake back in 2008. He was later found by Scooter Braun, who worked for So So Def Recordings. He was so impressed that he tracked him down, and gave him a record deal at just 13 years of age. He was singing with Usher later that year.

So I think this is exactly what’s going to happen with Eiko in the show. She’s going to make such a big splash so close to the deadline of the competition that it gets everyone’s attention in a snap moment. I hope it pays off for them.

Final Thoughts on Ya Boy Kongming

Ya Boy Kongming came out flying out the door with this bizarre narrative. An ancient Chinese war tactician getting into music management. It’s such a wacky premise! But so far, it has delivered in terms of story, music, and subtle marketing education.

It’s clever to juxtapose modern-day marketing and ancient Chinese tactics. I never thought I would see the two compared side-by-side, but somehow it works.

I’m writing this mid-season, and there’s a few more episodes to go. I’m really curious to see what Kongming does to get Eiko to 10,000 likes, and what other ancient tactics he’ll employ to help her rocket to superstardom.

Over the past few years aka “the Covid years” the role of influence in B2B marketing has grown significantly. Our 2022 research report, The State of B2B Influencer Marketing, reported that 85% of B2B marketers believe that interest in working with influencers in the coming 12 months will increase. On top of that, of the B2B marketers that do engage in influencer marketing programs, 86% consider their efforts successful.

There’s a lot to be optimistic about, especially in a business environment that requires B2B marketers to find every advantage they can to grow in a potentially down market.

The rising tide of influencer marketing popularity amongst B2B brands has also seen a shift towards a more diverse group of influencers. Now don’t get me wrong, the majority of influencers I’m seeing from B2B brands are still the usual suspects which doesn’t exactly represent 100% of the audiences brands are trying to reach. So there has been movement towards engaging more women and people of color as influencers in the B2B space.

At TopRank Marketing we’re doing our small part to shine a light on more diverse talent within the B2B marketing world and with this 13th edition of our Women Who Rock list, we’re highlighting a mix of women that are influential in various B2B industries. From rising stars to north stars, from Bay Area to Zurich, we have a sample of the fast growing segment of influencer talent B2B brands should be considering as partners in their marketing programs.

Ann Handley /in/annhandley/  @MarketingProfs
Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs
Ann is a speaker, author, and member of the LinkedIn Influencer program. She is the author of the Wall Street Journal best-seller on business writing, “Everybody Writes,” and the co-author of the best-selling book on content marketing, “Content Rules”.
Talks about #content #contentmarketing #b2bmarketing #CavalierKingCharlesSpaniels 

Charlene Li /in/charleneli/  @charleneli
Chief Research Officer at PA Consulting, NY Times Bestselling Author
Charlene’s role is to catalyze transformation as an expert on disruption strategy and leadership by writing books, speaking, and advising companies and their leaders.
Talks about #disruption, #leadership, #futureofwork, #digitaldisruption, and #digitaltransformation

Duena Blomstrom /duenablomstrom/  @DuenaBlomstrom
Author, Keynote Speaker, CoFounder, Chief Product Officer at People Not Tech
London based Duena is the author of “Emotional Banking” and “People Before Tech: The Importance of Psychological Safety and Teamwork in the Digital Age”. She is a doer, an entrepreneur, an industry influencer, a blogger with cutting edge opinion style, a writer for Forbes, an international keynote speaker and the creator of the Emotional Banking™ and Human Debt™ concepts.
Talks about #teams, #devops, #humandebt, #technology, and #psychologicalsafety 

Efi Pylarinou /in/efipylarinou/  @efipm
Founder of Pylarinou Advisory
Currently based in Zurich, Efi is a seasoned Wall Street professional and ex-academic who has become a Top Global Fintech and Thought Leader with a Ph.D. in Finance. She is also a prolific content creator, a Host, an Author, and a Speaker.
Talks about #fintech, #innovation, #digitalassets, and #artificialintelligence 

Cathy Hackl /in/cathyhackl/  @CathyHackl
Founder & Chief Metaverse Officer at Journey
Known as the Godmother of the Metaverse, Cathy is a globally recognized metaverse/ web3 strategist, tech futurist, sought-after business executive, speaker and media personality with deep expertise working in metaverse-related fields with companies like HTC VIVE, Magic Leap, and Amazon Web Services.
Talks about #nfts, #metaverse, #technology, #augmentedreality, and #spatialcomputing

Kimberly Bryant /in/kimberlybryant/  @BlackGirlsCode
Founder and CEO Ascend Ventures and Founder Black Girls CODE
Kimberly has been nationally recognized as a thought leader for her work to increase opportunities for women and girls in the technology industry and has received numerous awards for her work with Black Girls CODE.
Talks about #culture, #leadership, #technology, and #diversityequityandinclusion 

Katie Martell /in/katiemartell/  @KatieMartell
Marketing Communications Consultant, Speaker, Host and Emcee
Leaving it up to debate whether she is a hologram or real, Katie partners with brands to amplify stories of transformation, and trends in customer experience.
Talks about #cx, #b2b, #marketing, #digitalmarketing, and #customerexperience 

Tiffani Bova /in/tiffanibova/  @Tiffani_Bova
Growth & Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce
As a Keynote speaker, WSJ Bestselling author, What’s Next Podcast host. Tiffani works with some of the most innovative companies in the world as they look to transform the way they engage with customers, grow their business and create amazing customer experiences. Her role is to look out to the future for disruptive trends while at the same time scanning the near horizon for the real world impact. Her current conversations center around 2 objectives: customer success and growth.
Talks about #sales, #growth, #leadership, #customerexperience, and #employeeexperience 

Meghan Biro /in/meghanmbiro/  @MeghanMBiro
Founder at TalentCulture
Meghan is host of the #WorkTrends Podcast, Author, Speaker and a HRTech Evangelist that also contributes regularly at Forbes, Huffington Post, and several other media outlets.
Talks about #hr, #leadership, #worktrends, #workculture, and #futureofwork 

Sally Eaves /in/sally-eaves/  @sallyeaves
CEO and Director Sally Eaves Consultancy, Keynote Speaker and Author
A member of the Forbes Technology Council, Sally is an award winning international keynote speaker, author and influencer with globally leading rankings across all advanced technology disciplines, digital transformation, future of work and social innovation aligned to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Talks about #5g, ##cloud, #techforgood, ##cybersecurity, and #artificialntelligence 

Sarah Barnes-Humphrey /in/sarahbarneshumphrey/  @bevictoryus
Founder/Host Lets Talk Supply Chain podcast
Posting daily supply chain, diversity & inclusion, and leadership content that reaches millions.
Talks about #thoughtsandcoffee, #womeninsupplychain, #letstalksupplychain, #diversityandinclusion, and #supplychainmanagement 

Theodora Lau /in/theodoralau/ @psb_dc
Founder – Unconventional Ventures
Theodora is a book author, podcast host, startup advisor and public speaker on DEI, Fintech, Financial Inclusion, and Tech for Good. Talks about #ai, #fintech, #longevity, #inequality, and #financialservices

Kimberly Ellison-Taylor  /in/kimberly-n-ellison-taylor-b1a13a2/ @kellisontaylor
CEO KET Solutions
Kimblerly is a Global Technology and Finance Leader, Volunteer Leader, Corporate Board Director, and Keynote Speaker on finance and technology topics.
Talks about #governance #risk #compliance audit #cfo #globalleadership 

Ty Heath  /in/tyronaheath/ @tyrona
Director, Market Engagement, The B2B Institute at LinkedIn
Ty’s role focuses on researching, teaching and writing about B2B marketing, social selling as well as leadership, diversity and inclusion.
Talks about #b2binstitute, #b2bmarketing, #b2bcreativity, #entrepreneurship, and #diversityequityandinclusion

Helen Yu  /in/tigonhyu/ @YuHelenYu
Founder & CEO at Tigon Advisory Corp
Helenn is a Board of Director; Fortune 500 Advisor; Top 50 Women in Tech; Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author; Keynote Speaker; and Host of CXO Spice among many other responsibilities.
Talks about #ai, #cybersecurity, #manufacturing, #customerexpereince, and #digitaltransformation

Shelly DeMotte Kramer  /in/shellydemottekramer/ @ShellyKramer
Principal Analyst + Founding Partner, Futurum Research and The Futurum Group
Shelly has worked with some of the world’s largest brands to help them embrace disruption and the reality of the connected customer, and to successfully understand and navigate the process of Digital Transformation (DX).
Talks about #cloud, #security, #futureofwork, #collaboration, and #cybersecurity

Jo Peterson  /in/jopeterson1/ @digitalcloudgal
Vice President Cloud & Security Services at Clarify360
Jo is a digital transformation expert, board member, advisor, philanthropist, and United States Air Force veteran.
Talks about #cio, #ciso, #cloud, #cybersecurity, and #edgecomputing

Kamales Lardi  /in/kamaleslardi/ @KamLardi
Managing Director at Valtech
Swiss based Kamales is an author and keynote speaker with over 22 years of deep cross-industry experience with the latest digital and technology solutions and a strategic thinker on digital and business transformation.
Talks about #digitalacceleration, #blockchaintechnology, #emergingtechnologies, #digitaltransformation, and #artificialintelligence

Maribel Lopez  /in/maribellopez/ @MaribelLopez
Founder & Analyst at Lopez Research
Maribel tech is an industry analyst, speaker and business advisor focused on helping companies understand and navigate digital transformation.
Talks about #tech, #edgecomputing, #futureofworkplace, #digitaltransformation, and #artificialintelligence

Kate O’Neill  /in/kateoneill/ @kateo
CEO: KO Insights, Keynote Speaker and Author
Kate is an Author; host of The Tech Humanist Show and keynote speaker focused on the future of human experiences amid tech & other changes at scale.
Talks about #future, #humanity, #strategy, #experience, and #techforgood 

Christina Trampota  /in/christinatrampota/ @tektalk
Managing DirectorManaging Director at Innovate :: Grow :: Scale
As an award-winning digital, mobile, and fintech industry leader and influencer, Christina provides global corporate strategy and insights for connecting businesses with customers through unique touchpoints that grow lifetime value – living and working at the intersection of people, platforms and payments.
Talks about #web3, #fintech, #commerce, #payments, and #innovation

Linda Grasso  /in/linda-grasso/ @LindaGrass0
Founder of digital transformation blog, DeltalogiX
Based in Naples, Italy Linda is a rising star Digital Creator & Tech Influencer, Infopreneur, YouTuber, #Sustainability Advocate & Life Enthusiast.
Talks about #innovation, #technology, #sustainability, #entrepreneurship, and #digitaltransformation

Dr Sarah-Jayne Gratton  /in/sarahgratton/ @grattongirl
Founding Partner, The Influencers
Sarah is host of the Tech Uncorked Podcast, Editor of Agritech Future Magazine and a leading technology evangelist, specializing in emerging technologies and covering trends in artificial intelligence, machine learning, IoT, agritech, digital transformation and mixed reality.
Talks about #5g, #iot, #agritech, #customerexperience, and #artificialintelligence

Jessie Medina  /in/jessiemedinaofficial/ @jessiemedinaoff
Founder & CEO @FEMXQUARTERS
Jessie is a speaker & consultant, podcast host and community builder. She speaks on intersectionality such as women in business, women in corporate, and equality. as women in business, women in corporate, and equality
Talks about #speaker, #femaleceo, #femalefounders, and #femaleentrepreneurs

Tamara McCleary  /in/tamaramccleary/ @TamaraMcCleary
CEO at Thulium
A long time B2B tech influencer, Tamara’s focus is on academic research: science, technology, ethics & public purpose. She is currently a research scientist and technology ethicist and recent graduate (5/2022) of Harvard University’s Kennedy School and continuing dual degree student at the Harvard Divinity School.
Talks about #science #technology #ethics #publicpurpose 

Please be sure to check out the LinkedIn profiles of this impressive group of influencers in the B2B world.

In case you missed it, here are the latest findings from our research on trends, strategies and best practices for B2B Influencer Marketing to guide you into 2023.

If you’re wondering about how to organize a program that effectively activates a small or large group of influencers for a project or program, look no further than the team at TopRank Marketing. We’ve worked with some of the influencers on this list for many years and some more recently – and we can help architect the right kind of content activations that will be as inspiring to the influencers as it will be to your customers. Ping Tony at [email protected] for more information or contact us.

To see the previous 12 years of our Women Who Rock lists, check out the links below: