Morgan Miller

  • 11 of the Best TED Talks to Inspire Digital Marketers (And Basically Anyone Else)

    TED Talks began in 1984 with the mission of “spreading ideas.” Since then, a single conference has blossomed into a flurry of ideas that inspire and motivate people from all over the world to achieve more and dare to do great things. 

    It’s never too late to keep learning, getting inspired, and staying up-to-date with all the latest updates that come up in the digital marketing space. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best TED Talks about this topic so you can quickly and easily have eight exciting bits of information for your day-to-day routine.

    We hope you enjoy these marketing TED Talks from experts from all over the world. Knowledge doesn’t take up space and TED makes sure it doesn’t take up too much time! Tuck them in your back pocket to inspire you when you need them next.


    How influencers have changed modern marketing

    When talking about marketing today, there’s no way that we can avoid mentioning influencers! One of the best TED Talks we’ve found on the topic is from Rachel David, entrepreneur, and CEO of Hashtag Communications. During her talk, she breaks down how influencers are transforming the industry by turning into referential figures for thousands of consumers wanting to buy what influencers recommend. The rules of the game have changed as a result of their entry into the marketing landscape.

    Bridging the gap: personalized marketing

    In this insightful TED Talk, Dan Pink, a New York Times bestselling author, talks about how incentive design doesn’t spark creativity. Traditional rewards aren’t always as effective as we think. Watch here to learn about what kind of motivation can be most effective in inspiring change.

    404, the story of a page not found

    We’re sure that at some point you’ve looked up information on the Internet and have come upon a 404 Error page. While it’s a frustrating, dead-end road for many users, what if you turned it into an opportunity? Renny Gleason explains how you can use it to build a brand in his TED Talk.

    Why some of us don’t have one true calling

    What do you want to be when you grow up? Well, if you’re not sure you want to do just one thing for the rest of your life, you’re not alone. In this illuminating talk, writer and artist Emilie Wapnick describes the kind of people she calls “multipotentialites” — who have a range of interests and jobs over one lifetime. Are you one?

    How I became an entrepreneur at 66

    It’s never too late to reinvent yourself. Take it from Paul Tasner — after working continuously for other people for 40 years, he founded his own start-up at age 66, pairing his idea for a business with his experience and passion. And he’s not alone. As he shares in this short, funny, and inspirational talk, seniors are increasingly indulging their entrepreneurial instincts — and seeing great success.

    There is no luck, only good marketing

    We can apply marketing to our day-to-day, and many of its principles can guide us in charting the path that’s right for us. In his TED Talk, University of Amsterdam student Franz Schrep has a fun discussion where he explains that to be successful, we have to forget about luck and start changing the way we present and promote ourselves to achieve our goals. And to be happier, of course.

    Be an opportunity maker

    We all want to use our talents to create something meaningful with our lives. But how to get started? (And… what if you’re shy?) Writer Kare Anderson shares her own story of chronic shyness, and how she opened up her world by helping other people use their own talents and passions.

    The power of believing that you can improve

    Carol Dweck researches “growth mindset” — the idea that we can grow our brain’s capacity to learn and solve problems. In this talk, she describes two ways to think about a problem that’s slightly too hard for you to solve. Are you not smart enough to solve it … or have you just not solved it yet? A great introduction to this influential field.

    What makes something go viral?

    In 2017, the biggest live video BuzzFeed had done to date “involved a fountain of cheese” according to BuzzFeed’s Publisher Dao Nguyen. Rather than think about what made the video a hit, the company read the comments section. These comments – all 82,000 of them – helped BuzzFeed hypothesize the thoughts and feelings of the audience. In this TED Talk, Nguyen explores the question of making something go viral. The answer, Nguyen says, is found less in the something – like a cute animal – and much more in what we are actually thinking about, and where we identify. Is that the job your content is currently fulfilling with its audience, or are you still stuck on the something?

    What’s your 200-year plan?

    You might have a 5-year plan, but what about a 200-year plan? Artist Raghava KK has set his eyes on an ultra-long-term horizon; at TEDxSummit, he shows how it helps guide today’s choices and tomorrow’s goals – and encourages you to make your own 200-year plan too.

    How to get your ideas to spread

    You want your audience to take some sort of action, but in order for that to happen, your ideas need to gain traction and spread. In “How to get your ideas to spread,” Seth Godin explains how to make that happen. Each brand has a group that cares about what it has to say. Godin explains that it’s your job to find that group, and then you need to talk to them in a way that makes it easy for them to spread your ideas. This isn’t a difficult concept, but it’s one you can benefit from as a social media marketer.


    Hitting that motivational slump can be difficult, which is why we compiled this list of TED Talks to keep your energy up, and even trigger some new ideas. This is just a short list of some of our favorite digital marketing and inspirational TED Talks. If you take some time to search for more on YouTube, you’ll find even more concerning marketing and a whole host of other topics that you’ll be able to learn about in a dynamic format. Immerse yourself in them! 

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  • 18 Social Media Accounts to Follow and Get Inspiration From

    Today, we decided to do something a little fun and different so you can better get to know Starta With over 4.62 billion people on social media, users spend an average of two hours and 27 minutes scrolling on social each day. But it’s not just entertainment – we at Starta Strategies live for the strategy, content, analytics, visuals of social media; all of it. Some accounts stand out over others, and we’ve taken the time to compile some of our absolute favorite Instagram, Tik Tok, and Twitter accounts for you to gain some inspiration from (and may just introduce you to your new favorite account!) 


    Instagram

    @upworthy – A feed filled with good things, and good things only. Especially in these times, when all of the news is filled with scary things, it’s nice to have something pop up in your feed that gives you the warm fuzzies.

    @latermedia – Chock-full of great tips and advice for social media, presented in a totally relatable way. While we are an avid Sprout Social user, Later has an incredible Instagram basically targeting Gen Z and Millennials in digital marketing.

    @headspace – Scrolling mindlessly through social media, we could all use a little headspace. That’s what you get when Headspace pops up in your feed: a little moment of meditation and rest from the world of social media.

    @weratedogs – If you are in need of your daily dose of dog in your feed, you need to follow this account. Always giving the bestest boys and girls 11/10 ratings or higher, you will get to virtually meet dogs from all over the world.

    @canva – You had to see this coming didn’t you? Canva is basically our love language. They are always sharing inspiration, cool font pairings, trends, and more. 

    @60secdocs – 60 Second Docs share the most interesting stories of people from around the world. You will see things that you have never even thought about, hear about moving stories, and possibly learn something new, all in 60 seconds.

    @insider – Insider gives you all of the top stories of the day in digestible bites, so it’s not too overwhelming, as much of the news can be.

    @hungryjessbigcity – We adore Jess as she is the ultimate resource for what and where to eat. Based in Pittsburgh, Jess is basically our go-to for restaurant recommendations.

    @smexaminer – Ever notice how social media is constantly changing? How could you not? By following the Social Media Examiner, you are kept up to date with the latest news in the digital world.


    TikTok

    @bromabakery – Sarah Crawford created your go-to baking blog. Some of our absolute favorites (and party pleasers) have come from this feed. I mean do these red velvet cheesecake brownies not only *sound* delicious, but look it, too?

    @danidigital.uk – We are obsessed with Dani Digital’s approach to social media marketing. They provide top-notch tips and news for the social media savvy, but also have incredibly accurate memes and fun revamps of popular brands’ Instagrams.

    @johnsfinancialtips – Don’t you just love learning about how to adult? Welcome to John Liang’s TikTok where he teaches you all of life’s personal finance cheat codes. 

    @erinmcgoff – If you’re looking to apply to a new position, want to spruce up your resume, or are just entering the workforce, you need to follow Erin McGoff. She gives you the career advice you never knew you needed.

    @ollenilssonen – The best way we know how to describe this account is just meditation for the soul. Nature and wildlife photographer Olle Nilsson takes the most stunning photos of the world around him and allows you to immerse yourself in the natural world.

    @entrekey – Chirag helps business owners navigate the chaos by learning the latest in business, marketing, and technology and then sharing it with his followers. Yes, please!


    Twitter

    @Adweek – This account goes out to anyone who has worked in marketing, advertising, or experienced agency life. Their account provides you with the latest news in advertising, marketing, media, and technology. They are constantly updating their Twitter feed, so you are always up to date.

    @dog_feelings – Don’t you wish you knew what your dogs were thinking? Thoughts of Dog is the account you’re looking for.

    @PRDaily – Don’t you just love staying informed? PR Daily is your one-stop Twitter account for educational resources for PR, marketing, and social media professionals. 

    @attn – Stories that grab your attention. ATTN: calls attention to the inspiring, the innovative, the untold, through meaningful stories with macro impact.

    @MoonPie – You wouldn’t think that a company that makes a dessert that’s basically a s’more in a package would have some of the best memes on Twitter. But you would think wrong.


    Social media can be an amazing resource for news, inspiration, and tips. By following what’s trending, and taking note of what strategies worked/flopped, our team of social media marketers are able to hone in on specific techniques when posting on social media (and, it doesn’t hurt that social media is wildly entertaining).

    Do you find yourself wishing your social feed looked like the ones listed above? Visit our website to learn more about how Starta Strategies can help elevate your social strategy.

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  • 10 Books Every Marketer Should Read in 2022

    If you are in digital marketing, you know that no matter how many classes you took in college or how intensely you listened to your professor, the core tools needed to succeed in digital marketing often exist outside of a formal learning setting.

    Digital marketing is constantly evolving with new algorithms, techniques, and tools emerging every day. The way to stay on top is to be ready to learn and make sure you are on top of the latest trends.  Sometimes a quick Google search is all you need, but thousands of marketing books are published every year to help you gain that extra mile of knowledge in the digital marketing space. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of our top 10 books every marketer should read in 2022 so that you can get insight from the brightest minds in the industry.

    1. Integrated Marketing Communications: Putting It Together & Making It Work by Don Schultz

    The father of Integrated Marketing himself, Don Schultz, stresses that everything about a company can be copied (price, place, etc.) except for how we communicate as a company. In an ever-changing marketing world, Schultz’s concepts in Integrated Marketing Communications: Putting It Together and Making It Work are still shaping the marketing and advertising landscape.

    2. The Social Organism: A Radical Understanding of Social Media to Transform Your Business and Life by Oliver Luckett

    Have you ever thought about whether social media was similar to biological life? Authors Luckett and Casey explain how social media networks mimic the rules and functions of biological life in their book, The Social Organism. This book dives into the human condition and how we, as marketers, can plan more effective campaigns and help guide us in the world of social media marketing and in understanding human life today.

    3. Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller

    Businesses are constantly trying to fight and tear through the noise. Truly reaching and engaging with your audience is even more difficult each day. Donald Miller has a solution. In Building a StoryBrand, Miller, in one sentence, is all about making your customer the hero of the story. Through this book, you learn how to engage and influence your audience genuinely. 

    4. The Unexpected: Breakthrough Strategies to Supercharge Your Business and Earn Loyal Customers for Life by Howard Brodsky

    The Unexpected has created a shift in how we go about customer loyalty. It takes customer service up a notch through four concepts: memorable, distinguishable, viral, and profitable. Brodsky’s thoughts throughout the book will change how you look at customer service, both how you give and receive.

    5. How Brands Become Icons: The Principles of Cultural Branding by Douglas Holt

    Coca-Cola. ESPN. Harley-Davidson. Mountain Dew. Nike. Budweiser. These brands are just some of the icons that former Harvard Business School professor, Douglas Holt uses to provide tips on establishing a meaningful connection with your audience. How do these brands become icons, and how can you do it too? Learn all about that and more in How Brands Become Icons.

    6. Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight

    A memoir may not be what you were expecting to see on a list of must-read marketing books, but this is one that you should include. Phil Knight created a brand that ultimately became a culture. In his memoir, Knight portrays his lessons and insights of creating a successful brand from the ground up as he created Nike. Bill Gates even named Shoe Dog one of his five favorite books of 2016 and called it “an amazing tale, a refreshingly honest reminder of what the path to business success looks like. It’s a messy, perilous, and chaotic journey, riddled with mistakes, endless struggles, and sacrifice.”

    7. Top of Mind: Use Content to Unleash Your Influence and Engage Those Who Matter To You by John Hall

    Every brand wants to stay at the top of their customers’ minds. What business wouldn’t? But how can you do it? Influence and Co. founder John Hall shares step-by-step strategies in his book Top of Mind to keep your brand front and center and how to maintain that spot,

    8. Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger

    Word of mouth is one of the most prominent ways brands get popular. People don’t listen to advertisements; they listen to their friends and family. But how do things go viral? That’s the exact question that Jonah Berger answers in Contagious. He reveals how six principles affect how some things go viral. Contagious gives tangible steps you can implement to help your product or business catch on.

    9. Marketing Made Simple: A Step-by-Step StoryBrand Guide for Any Business by Donald Miller

    Oh, look! Another Donald Miller book. Maybe that’s because his books are must-haves for marketing professionals. Take your business to the next level with Marketing Made Simple. Marketing Made Simple is a robust checklist for making sure you are hitting all of the customer touchpoints as you develop, strengthen, and communicate your brand’s story to the marketplace. 

    10. Get Sh*t Done: The Ultimate Guide to Productivity, Procrastination, and Profitability by Jeffrey Gitomer

    Everyone wants to be more productive, get more done, accomplish more. Anyone in the marketing world is constantly being bombarded with new tasks, new things to learn, reviews, revisions, you name it, and it can be easy just to say, “I’ll do it later.” With Get Sh*t Done, you can learn how to achieve maximum productivity and never want to say “I’ll do it later” again. Get the tools and strategies to overcome procrastination in Jeffrey Gitomer’s Get Sh*t Done.

    Done devouring these essential books for marketers? The good news for this little book club is that things are changing and evolving daily in the marketing world. Expert insight is always coming down the pipeline; just stay tuned.

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