Content Marketing Team Dynamics That Deliver Results

As a content professional with almost a decade in the game, I have been a part of several content marketing teams and projects.

While each project came with its own objectives and obstacles, one thing remained constant: a consistent underestimation of what a content marketing team achieves for the organization at large.

The natural assumption about content marketing teams is that we write a bunch of blogs with some SEO guidelines or create some witty social media posts, and voila, the job is done! As an insider, I have seen firsthand that a solid content marketing team does much more than this.

Content is the driver of discoverability for a company, and a solid content marketing team will help you achieve that. The fact that 45% of marketing and media leaders plan to increase their content marketing budget over the next year is a testament to that.

In this blog, I will take you through what a well-structured content department is made of and what it can do to boost your brand growth.

Table of Contents

• What makes a high-performing content marketing team?
• Content Marketing Roles
• Benefits of a Content Department

What makes a high-performing content marketing team?

A high-performing content marketing team is a symphony of strategy, creativity, and execution. Every time I enter a content team discussion, the question at hand is almost always this: How can content teams answer customers‘ questions and also show the brand’s products or services as a solution to their problems?

So, a great content team should know their product like the back of their hand and consistently stay curious about what the target audience is looking for.

As Paul Drecksler, the founder of Shopifreaks, shares: “A high-performing content marketing team comes down to a few key elements: clarity, collaboration, and execution. Everyone on the team needs to know the purpose behind the work. Why is this content being created? Who is it for? How will it be used? Teams that excel are the ones who focus on these answers together rather than working in silos.”

Now, let’s dive deep into understanding what makes a content department a high-performing and vital team.

Consistent Product and Market Research

To stay on top of their game, content teams must consistently research their products.

They need to understand its evolving capacity to fulfill consumer needs, the latest updates, and all the different ways it can be communicated with effective content.

At the same time, content strategy teams must stay very close to their target consumers, researching their problems, challenges, interests, and content consumption patterns.

I would argue that a content marketing team is only as strong as the research they have done, which takes me to the deeper, more holistic part of conducting research.

Overall Industry Trend and Platform Awareness

In this content-driven market, every industry is a cluster of possibilities and challenges, and content marketing teams must be on top of both.

As a content marketing manager, a lot of my attention goes into understanding the bigger challenges of my industry and formulating content to address them.

For example, I once worked for a large organization (one of the largest whey protein powder manufacturers in the country).

During my tenure, several platforms like YouTube and Instagram saw a sudden surge of fear-mongering content that falsely advocated that whey protein is bad for gut health and causes indigestion (which was content mostly pushed by our plant-based protein competitors).

To tackle this, my team and I deliberately produced content using scientific evidence, research papers, and testimonials to reinstate faith in protein powders and debunk the falsely propagated myths.

Doing this not only helped us improve our engagement (comments and shares), but we also saw a significant increase in conversions.

This shows how the content department can ethically construct the overall public opinion about a product to balance the negative trends in the market.

Knowing the industry, the platform, and the current trends is crucial for content strategy teams.

Competitor Content Analysis

I have never met a high-performing content manager who wasn't outrightly obsessed with their competitors. And why not? A smart content marketing team learns from the mistakes of others and uses their triumphs to stay inspired.

As Joe Pulizzi, founder of Tilt and Content Entrepreneur Expo, states, "Content marketing comes down to commitment. There‘s no halfway. You’re either in or you're out!”

Content marketing teams need to be consistent, and consistency comes only when you are completely committed.

Content teams that consistently look into competitor content stay on top of content trends. When they see a certain pattern and keyword repeated among several sources of content, it is often an indicator of gaps in their existing content plan.

Additionally, a competitor analysis also helps the content strategy team find creative and technical gaps in the competitor‘s content, yielding opportunities to use them in one’s own favor. It helps the content marketing teams envision what success looks like in their industry’s content space.

Uncompromised Technical Soundness

This has by far been my biggest learning about the content culture of any organization — you cannot out-achieve with creativity what you under-achieve with technical soundness.

Even the best-laid content plans go astray if the technical execution is not rock solid. For this reason, content teams often have dedicated people assigned to ensure technical efficiency.

They take care of the following:

• Platform optimization. This refers to the action taken to get the best out of the publishing platforms, including ideal word count, image dimensions, video resolutions, etc., to boost visibility.
• Content accessibility. Content teams must make sure that the content is readable without imposing cognitive load onto the reader. They optimize the content with clean fonts and user-friendly layout that guides the reader through the content.
• Cross-browser and cross-device compatibility. Content is crafted with the intention to serve readers using different browsers and devices, so all readers get a similar and optimized experience consuming the content.
• Load-speed. Studies have shown that 40% of site visitors will abandon your website if your page doesn't load in three seconds. So, it is very important to optimize your site to load faster.

Nikola Baldikov, the CEO of InBound Blogging, provides a unique insight into the importance of having members with a technical background in your content marketing team.

“Having team members with a technical background and others with design experience is very beneficial, especially for content projects, as they often require both technical skills and creative problem-solving. Together, these viewpoints can generate ideas that none of the team members could have come up with on their own.”

What I love most about content marketing is that it never works in isolation. Content teams work in a group that comes together to elevate each piece of content to its highest potential.

Content Marketing Roles

I believe a great content team isn‘t just a group of writers. It’s a collective of storytellers, strategists, and visionaries who turn ideas into relationships and words into trust.

Vivian Au, founder of Air Corporate, shared a unique take on building a content marketing team that intrigued me.

She said, "Always say no to traditional hierarchies. A high-performing content marketing team is a specialized rebel. Build a content force who are more psychologists than content creators.

While building my content department, I look for writers who think like journalists, designers who code, and strategists who can decode audience psychology. Monocultures kill creativity."

Now, let me take through some of the key content marketing roles that make a powerful content team.

Content Marketing Manager/Strategist

In larger companies, these roles are often separate from each other, but most companies decide to merge them due to the overlap of responsibilities.

A content marketing manager and/or strategist is responsible for the content calendar consisting of the plan and strategy for content creation, distribution, and feedback cycle.

All subgroups of content — including blogs, case studies, social media posts, email content, newsletters, and even video content — are collectively anchored by the content manager.

It takes about 4-5 years of experience in the content game before one can expect to be promoted to a content marketing manager. Here is an example of what my content calendar for blogs looks like:

If you are a content manager or a strategist, I highly recommend trying out HubSpot's Content Marketing Planning Kit. This detailed guide will help you ideate, plan, and execute content marketing campaigns.

It also has eight easy-to-edit content marketing templates that will make your job much easier.

Content Writer/Editor

Most content marketing managers were once content writers. Content writing is among the most popular and fundamental content marketing roles, as they are easy to access and rather lucrative.

A content writer works closely with the content manager or the team lead to understand the project's objective and execute it within the deadline.

A content writer is expected to be eloquent, with a tight grasp of language and a firm hold on grammar and other technicalities. This should also be paired with the creativity to tell stories with their content. I have spent almost five years as a content writer, and the learning curve is unparalleled.

SEO Specialist

Remember how I established earlier that technical soundness is as important as the content itself? An SEO specialist is a driver of all things technical in content marketing.

SEO specialists focus on ensuring each piece of content is properly optimized for search engines. They are also responsible for researching trending keywords, monitoring SEO rankings, and recommending improvements to boost performance.

Graphic Designer/Visual Content Creator

Personally, graphic designers are my favorite folks! They are responsible for working with the writers and team lead to create exciting pictorial and graphical representations of the content.

They help the blog be more interesting and vibrant and allow readers to scan the content of the blog in a single glance. They also help simplify complex concepts using visual representation.

Here is an example of how visual representation can help simplify complex concepts. For a blog that I was working on, I had to explain how brands can identify website drop-off percentages.

Rather than explaining the whole calculation process, I collaborated with the designers to create this visual representation:

Source

Isn't this much easier to understand in visual form?

Additionally, graphic designers can take a dry piece of content and make it more interesting. Between the diminished attention span of today’s readers — and the endless information bombardment we face — well-designed visuals can help retain readers by conveying immediate value.

Social Media Manager

Although they are a part of the content marketing team, social media managers serve the social media objectives of the company.

They often do their own research and alert the content teams about the evolving trends on social media so the writers can incorporate them into the content strategy.

They also plan and execute strategies for social media content creation and distribution.

Social media managers are among the comparatively more recent roles in the content strategy team.

Analytics and Performance Specialist

Analytics and performance team specialists track content performance using tools like Google Analytics and HubSpot. Analytics team members are usually part of the marketing team.

However, they collaborate with the content strategy team to discuss campaign performance data.

These are some of the most important roles in a conventional content team.

Additionally, companies that produce more video content could have a video producer, too. Several other positions, like UX content specialist, content distribution specialist, and email marketing specialist, can all be additions to the content team as per the organization's needs and requirements.

In my conversation with Peter O'Callaghan, the head of marketing at ScrapingBee, he mentioned, “Our content team includes ex-developers who create tutorials like 'Scraping 101: A Beginner's Guide,' making complex ideas accessible. This guide alone has brought 20% of our traffic in 2023.”

This gives you an idea of how diverse your content marketing team can be based on your target audience and the objective you want to achieve with your content.

Benefits of a Content Department

Remember how I started this article by saying that the importance of a content marketing team is usually underestimated?

To really highlight the bandwidth of a content team and understand the value they bring to an organization, let’s explore the benefits of fostering a strong content department.

1. Powering Marketing With High-Quality Content

Today, marketing is highly dependent on content. For many companies, content marketing is basically their marketing strategy, especially as inbound marketing has continued to gain ground.

Content has become central to every goal you‘re trying to achieve and every tactic you use to reach those goals, so you’re most likely putting it to use in a variety of ways.

Here are three key areas where marketing makes the best use of content:

• Lead generation. My team found that about 18-25% of our quarterly revenue comes from new marketing leads that were generated from content we had written and distributed. If you‘re not using content to attract, nurture, and close leads, you’re leaving revenue and opportunity on the table. (I recommend taking Content Hub out for a spin to help you create and manage personalized content for lead generation, all while letting AI do the heavy lifting.)
• Audience nurturing. No matter what stage of the buyer's journey a lead or customer of ours has reached, use content to educate them — whether they see that content via social media, receive it in their email inbox, or get it from a salesperson.
• Search engine optimization. Pretty much every organization has had to learn about SEO to keep up with audiences and learn how they discover content. Generating your own content helps boost SEO, rankings, and online visibility.

Looking to optimize your content marketing ROI? I suggest you try HubSpot's marketing budget templates (available for both Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets). These templates make it easier to monitor content investments against revenue generation and adjust spending accordingly.

2. Driving Growth With Thought Leadership

Companies don’t have ideas — people do. No matter how many blog posts or articles you’ve read bylined by a brand trying to convince you otherwise, only people have ideas.

Behind every brand is a team of people leading and powering it, and that means there should be people behind the content you create, too.

For a lot of companies, those people often look like founders, CEOs, presidents, or other C-level executives. This is where thought leadership content comes in. In fact, 65% of companies have already started incorporating thought leadership content into their content marketing strategy.

Thought leadership content can benefit the entire leadership team by facilitating:

• Audience connections. People reading your content want to know who’s behind it. It’s great for marketing, but it also gives your company a face and a voice. Your audience members are much more likely to respond to a voice they find compelling and relatable than a faceless company spitting words on a page at them.

• Partnership and co-marketing opportunities. Getting visibility for the people behind the brand can help your brand bring in better collaboration opportunities. And, better collaboration leads to better audience reach.

• Investor relations. If a company is looking to raise another round of funding, chances are good that investors are looking into the people leading that company. Articles or LinkedIn posts showcasing thought leadership and expertise can give your company a leg up on other companies seeking funding.

3. Strengthening Sales With Collateral

You probably already create sales-specific content, whether it's in the form of product or service one-pagers, comparison sheets, proposals, or some other type of sales collateral. But you should go beyond sales-y, promotional content.

The thought leadership content you create on your own (or with other leaders and experts in your company) can also seriously help your sales department.

That's because 45% of decision-makers and 48% of C-suite executives reported that a company's thought leadership directly influenced them to award business contracts.

In my opinion, your content can fundamentally change how your sales team works, so empower all your reps with educational content that enables their processes and encourages them to use it in these three ways:

• Customer outreach. Whether you‘re sending outreach emails, touching base on LinkedIn, or sliding into a client’s DMs on X, I suggest you encourage your sales team to use educational content to spark interest.
• Lead nurture. When a lead has a question for a salesperson, and the right answer is highly involved, I believe content is the perfect way to supplement the sales process and avoid wasting 20 minutes of a sales call answering one detailed question. This applies to email nurture, too; cut to the chase in your communication and supplement the details with your company content.
• Start conversations. Content is a great tool for account-based marketing; use it to attract the attention of that one person whose interest you‘re hoping to pique. You can also ask for their input on a topic you’re writing about. In my experience, people love being asked for their opinions, and it can really strengthen your content.

Here is an example from one of the email marketing campaigns that I worked on in collaboration with the sales team. The campaign targeted decision-makers and achieved a 46% open rate (well above industry standards).

You'll notice how we layered in specific social proof and actionable insights, making the content resonate deeply with our audience rather than settling for generic messaging.

4. Empowering Human Resources With Content

Hiring and training the right people is challenging, no matter which company you work for. But trust me when I say that when your content is integrated into the hiring process, the entire company benefits. Here’s how.

• Recruiting. If you’re hoping to attract candidates who share your values, create content that showcases what your company is all about. Your employees are also more likely to share this kind of culture-focused content than they are to share standard job postings, which can help you tap into the networks of your best brand advocates: current employees.
• Vetting. For candidates who have moved past phone screenings, send select pieces of your content their way before you meet in person. Whether candidates bother to read those articles before their interviews says a lot about their fit for your company. And when those articles are read, they pave the way for more in-depth, illuminating conversations between you and your potential hires.
• Training. Once candidates join your team, send them more content about your company and industry trends to help them prepare for their first day and hit the ground running during their first months with your company.

5. Improving Customer Experience With Content

I’ve often observed that marketing teams view content as a way to generate leads (and even enable sales), but stop short of actually using that content to serve those customers once they sign.

My advice would be to get your content into the hands of your account managers or customer service representatives. Doing this can help you overcome a lot of the same challenges that your sales team uses content to address, including:

• Efficiency. Sometimes, customers ask repetitive questions; other times, they ask really specific questions that require detailed answers. In either case, it’s much easier (and faster) for everyone involved if your account managers can simply give a high-level answer and send content from your subject matter experts that dives deeper.
• Retention and upselling. This method of using content also plays into keeping customers happy enough to stay — and to upsell them on your services.

Continually educating your customers, showing them that you understand the issues they’re interested in, and providing value above and beyond what they may have expected are all good ways to encourage them to keep working with you.

Build Content Teams That Drive Transformation

During my time working in the content field, I have seen that when done right, a content marketing team can become the cornerstone of a company's growth and innovation. But it all comes down to understanding your objectives and building the right team.

While content may start with marketing, it absolutely shouldn't end there. Sharing content between departments — and actively using it as a tool to help every area of the company — is a powerful way to help achieve individual departmental goals and lead your company to success.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in November 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/departments-that-should-use-content

As a content professional with almost a decade in the game, I have been a part of several content marketing teams and projects.

While each project came with its own objectives and obstacles, one thing remained constant: a consistent underestimation of what a content marketing team achieves for the organization at large.

The natural assumption about content marketing teams is that we write a bunch of blogs with some SEO guidelines or create some witty social media posts, and voila, the job is done! As an insider, I have seen firsthand that a solid content marketing team does much more than this.

Content is the driver of discoverability for a company, and a solid content marketing team will help you achieve that. The fact that 45% of marketing and media leaders plan to increase their content marketing budget over the next year is a testament to that.

In this blog, I will take you through what a well-structured content department is made of and what it can do to boost your brand growth.

Table of Contents

• What makes a high-performing content marketing team?
• Content Marketing Roles
• Benefits of a Content Department

What makes a high-performing content marketing team?

A high-performing content marketing team is a symphony of strategy, creativity, and execution. Every time I enter a content team discussion, the question at hand is almost always this: How can content teams answer customers‘ questions and also show the brand’s products or services as a solution to their problems?

So, a great content team should know their product like the back of their hand and consistently stay curious about what the target audience is looking for.

As Paul Drecksler, the founder of Shopifreaks, shares: “A high-performing content marketing team comes down to a few key elements: clarity, collaboration, and execution. Everyone on the team needs to know the purpose behind the work. Why is this content being created? Who is it for? How will it be used? Teams that excel are the ones who focus on these answers together rather than working in silos.”

Now, let’s dive deep into understanding what makes a content department a high-performing and vital team.

Consistent Product and Market Research

To stay on top of their game, content teams must consistently research their products.

They need to understand its evolving capacity to fulfill consumer needs, the latest updates, and all the different ways it can be communicated with effective content.

At the same time, content strategy teams must stay very close to their target consumers, researching their problems, challenges, interests, and content consumption patterns.

I would argue that a content marketing team is only as strong as the research they have done, which takes me to the deeper, more holistic part of conducting research.

Overall Industry Trend and Platform Awareness

In this content-driven market, every industry is a cluster of possibilities and challenges, and content marketing teams must be on top of both.

As a content marketing manager, a lot of my attention goes into understanding the bigger challenges of my industry and formulating content to address them.

For example, I once worked for a large organization (one of the largest whey protein powder manufacturers in the country).

During my tenure, several platforms like YouTube and Instagram saw a sudden surge of fear-mongering content that falsely advocated that whey protein is bad for gut health and causes indigestion (which was content mostly pushed by our plant-based protein competitors).

To tackle this, my team and I deliberately produced content using scientific evidence, research papers, and testimonials to reinstate faith in protein powders and debunk the falsely propagated myths.

Doing this not only helped us improve our engagement (comments and shares), but we also saw a significant increase in conversions.

This shows how the content department can ethically construct the overall public opinion about a product to balance the negative trends in the market.

Knowing the industry, the platform, and the current trends is crucial for content strategy teams.

Competitor Content Analysis

I have never met a high-performing content manager who wasn't outrightly obsessed with their competitors. And why not? A smart content marketing team learns from the mistakes of others and uses their triumphs to stay inspired.

As Joe Pulizzi, founder of Tilt and Content Entrepreneur Expo, states, "Content marketing comes down to commitment. There‘s no halfway. You’re either in or you're out!”

Content marketing teams need to be consistent, and consistency comes only when you are completely committed.

Content teams that consistently look into competitor content stay on top of content trends. When they see a certain pattern and keyword repeated among several sources of content, it is often an indicator of gaps in their existing content plan.

Additionally, a competitor analysis also helps the content strategy team find creative and technical gaps in the competitor‘s content, yielding opportunities to use them in one’s own favor. It helps the content marketing teams envision what success looks like in their industry’s content space.

Uncompromised Technical Soundness

This has by far been my biggest learning about the content culture of any organization — you cannot out-achieve with creativity what you under-achieve with technical soundness.

Even the best-laid content plans go astray if the technical execution is not rock solid. For this reason, content teams often have dedicated people assigned to ensure technical efficiency.

They take care of the following:

• Platform optimization. This refers to the action taken to get the best out of the publishing platforms, including ideal word count, image dimensions, video resolutions, etc., to boost visibility.
• Content accessibility. Content teams must make sure that the content is readable without imposing cognitive load onto the reader. They optimize the content with clean fonts and user-friendly layout that guides the reader through the content.
• Cross-browser and cross-device compatibility. Content is crafted with the intention to serve readers using different browsers and devices, so all readers get a similar and optimized experience consuming the content.
• Load-speed. Studies have shown that 40% of site visitors will abandon your website if your page doesn't load in three seconds. So, it is very important to optimize your site to load faster.

Nikola Baldikov, the CEO of InBound Blogging, provides a unique insight into the importance of having members with a technical background in your content marketing team.

“Having team members with a technical background and others with design experience is very beneficial, especially for content projects, as they often require both technical skills and creative problem-solving. Together, these viewpoints can generate ideas that none of the team members could have come up with on their own.”

What I love most about content marketing is that it never works in isolation. Content teams work in a group that comes together to elevate each piece of content to its highest potential.

Content Marketing Roles

I believe a great content team isn‘t just a group of writers. It’s a collective of storytellers, strategists, and visionaries who turn ideas into relationships and words into trust.

Vivian Au, founder of Air Corporate, shared a unique take on building a content marketing team that intrigued me.

She said, "Always say no to traditional hierarchies. A high-performing content marketing team is a specialized rebel. Build a content force who are more psychologists than content creators.

While building my content department, I look for writers who think like journalists, designers who code, and strategists who can decode audience psychology. Monocultures kill creativity."

Now, let me take through some of the key content marketing roles that make a powerful content team.

Content Marketing Manager/Strategist

In larger companies, these roles are often separate from each other, but most companies decide to merge them due to the overlap of responsibilities.

A content marketing manager and/or strategist is responsible for the content calendar consisting of the plan and strategy for content creation, distribution, and feedback cycle.

All subgroups of content — including blogs, case studies, social media posts, email content, newsletters, and even video content — are collectively anchored by the content manager.

It takes about 4-5 years of experience in the content game before one can expect to be promoted to a content marketing manager. Here is an example of what my content calendar for blogs looks like:

If you are a content manager or a strategist, I highly recommend trying out HubSpot's Content Marketing Planning Kit. This detailed guide will help you ideate, plan, and execute content marketing campaigns.

It also has eight easy-to-edit content marketing templates that will make your job much easier.

Content Writer/Editor

Most content marketing managers were once content writers. Content writing is among the most popular and fundamental content marketing roles, as they are easy to access and rather lucrative.

A content writer works closely with the content manager or the team lead to understand the project's objective and execute it within the deadline.

A content writer is expected to be eloquent, with a tight grasp of language and a firm hold on grammar and other technicalities. This should also be paired with the creativity to tell stories with their content. I have spent almost five years as a content writer, and the learning curve is unparalleled.

SEO Specialist

Remember how I established earlier that technical soundness is as important as the content itself? An SEO specialist is a driver of all things technical in content marketing.

SEO specialists focus on ensuring each piece of content is properly optimized for search engines. They are also responsible for researching trending keywords, monitoring SEO rankings, and recommending improvements to boost performance.

Graphic Designer/Visual Content Creator

Personally, graphic designers are my favorite folks! They are responsible for working with the writers and team lead to create exciting pictorial and graphical representations of the content.

They help the blog be more interesting and vibrant and allow readers to scan the content of the blog in a single glance. They also help simplify complex concepts using visual representation.

Here is an example of how visual representation can help simplify complex concepts. For a blog that I was working on, I had to explain how brands can identify website drop-off percentages.

Rather than explaining the whole calculation process, I collaborated with the designers to create this visual representation:

Source

Isn't this much easier to understand in visual form?

Additionally, graphic designers can take a dry piece of content and make it more interesting. Between the diminished attention span of today’s readers — and the endless information bombardment we face — well-designed visuals can help retain readers by conveying immediate value.

Social Media Manager

Although they are a part of the content marketing team, social media managers serve the social media objectives of the company.

They often do their own research and alert the content teams about the evolving trends on social media so the writers can incorporate them into the content strategy.

They also plan and execute strategies for social media content creation and distribution.

Social media managers are among the comparatively more recent roles in the content strategy team.

Analytics and Performance Specialist

Analytics and performance team specialists track content performance using tools like Google Analytics and HubSpot. Analytics team members are usually part of the marketing team.

However, they collaborate with the content strategy team to discuss campaign performance data.

These are some of the most important roles in a conventional content team.

Additionally, companies that produce more video content could have a video producer, too. Several other positions, like UX content specialist, content distribution specialist, and email marketing specialist, can all be additions to the content team as per the organization's needs and requirements.

In my conversation with Peter O'Callaghan, the head of marketing at ScrapingBee, he mentioned, “Our content team includes ex-developers who create tutorials like 'Scraping 101: A Beginner's Guide,' making complex ideas accessible. This guide alone has brought 20% of our traffic in 2023.”

This gives you an idea of how diverse your content marketing team can be based on your target audience and the objective you want to achieve with your content.

Benefits of a Content Department

Remember how I started this article by saying that the importance of a content marketing team is usually underestimated?

To really highlight the bandwidth of a content team and understand the value they bring to an organization, let’s explore the benefits of fostering a strong content department.

1. Powering Marketing With High-Quality Content

Today, marketing is highly dependent on content. For many companies, content marketing is basically their marketing strategy, especially as inbound marketing has continued to gain ground.

Content has become central to every goal you‘re trying to achieve and every tactic you use to reach those goals, so you’re most likely putting it to use in a variety of ways.

Here are three key areas where marketing makes the best use of content:

• Lead generation. My team found that about 18-25% of our quarterly revenue comes from new marketing leads that were generated from content we had written and distributed. If you‘re not using content to attract, nurture, and close leads, you’re leaving revenue and opportunity on the table. (I recommend taking Content Hub out for a spin to help you create and manage personalized content for lead generation, all while letting AI do the heavy lifting.)
• Audience nurturing. No matter what stage of the buyer's journey a lead or customer of ours has reached, use content to educate them — whether they see that content via social media, receive it in their email inbox, or get it from a salesperson.
• Search engine optimization. Pretty much every organization has had to learn about SEO to keep up with audiences and learn how they discover content. Generating your own content helps boost SEO, rankings, and online visibility.

Looking to optimize your content marketing ROI? I suggest you try HubSpot's marketing budget templates (available for both Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets). These templates make it easier to monitor content investments against revenue generation and adjust spending accordingly.

2. Driving Growth With Thought Leadership

Companies don’t have ideas — people do. No matter how many blog posts or articles you’ve read bylined by a brand trying to convince you otherwise, only people have ideas.

Behind every brand is a team of people leading and powering it, and that means there should be people behind the content you create, too.

For a lot of companies, those people often look like founders, CEOs, presidents, or other C-level executives. This is where thought leadership content comes in. In fact, 65% of companies have already started incorporating thought leadership content into their content marketing strategy.

Thought leadership content can benefit the entire leadership team by facilitating:

• Audience connections. People reading your content want to know who’s behind it. It’s great for marketing, but it also gives your company a face and a voice. Your audience members are much more likely to respond to a voice they find compelling and relatable than a faceless company spitting words on a page at them.

• Partnership and co-marketing opportunities. Getting visibility for the people behind the brand can help your brand bring in better collaboration opportunities. And, better collaboration leads to better audience reach.

• Investor relations. If a company is looking to raise another round of funding, chances are good that investors are looking into the people leading that company. Articles or LinkedIn posts showcasing thought leadership and expertise can give your company a leg up on other companies seeking funding.

3. Strengthening Sales With Collateral

You probably already create sales-specific content, whether it's in the form of product or service one-pagers, comparison sheets, proposals, or some other type of sales collateral. But you should go beyond sales-y, promotional content.

The thought leadership content you create on your own (or with other leaders and experts in your company) can also seriously help your sales department.

That's because 45% of decision-makers and 48% of C-suite executives reported that a company's thought leadership directly influenced them to award business contracts.

In my opinion, your content can fundamentally change how your sales team works, so empower all your reps with educational content that enables their processes and encourages them to use it in these three ways:

• Customer outreach. Whether you‘re sending outreach emails, touching base on LinkedIn, or sliding into a client’s DMs on X, I suggest you encourage your sales team to use educational content to spark interest.
• Lead nurture. When a lead has a question for a salesperson, and the right answer is highly involved, I believe content is the perfect way to supplement the sales process and avoid wasting 20 minutes of a sales call answering one detailed question. This applies to email nurture, too; cut to the chase in your communication and supplement the details with your company content.
• Start conversations. Content is a great tool for account-based marketing; use it to attract the attention of that one person whose interest you‘re hoping to pique. You can also ask for their input on a topic you’re writing about. In my experience, people love being asked for their opinions, and it can really strengthen your content.

Here is an example from one of the email marketing campaigns that I worked on in collaboration with the sales team. The campaign targeted decision-makers and achieved a 46% open rate (well above industry standards).

You'll notice how we layered in specific social proof and actionable insights, making the content resonate deeply with our audience rather than settling for generic messaging.

4. Empowering Human Resources With Content

Hiring and training the right people is challenging, no matter which company you work for. But trust me when I say that when your content is integrated into the hiring process, the entire company benefits. Here’s how.

• Recruiting. If you’re hoping to attract candidates who share your values, create content that showcases what your company is all about. Your employees are also more likely to share this kind of culture-focused content than they are to share standard job postings, which can help you tap into the networks of your best brand advocates: current employees.
• Vetting. For candidates who have moved past phone screenings, send select pieces of your content their way before you meet in person. Whether candidates bother to read those articles before their interviews says a lot about their fit for your company. And when those articles are read, they pave the way for more in-depth, illuminating conversations between you and your potential hires.
• Training. Once candidates join your team, send them more content about your company and industry trends to help them prepare for their first day and hit the ground running during their first months with your company.

5. Improving Customer Experience With Content

I’ve often observed that marketing teams view content as a way to generate leads (and even enable sales), but stop short of actually using that content to serve those customers once they sign.

My advice would be to get your content into the hands of your account managers or customer service representatives. Doing this can help you overcome a lot of the same challenges that your sales team uses content to address, including:

• Efficiency. Sometimes, customers ask repetitive questions; other times, they ask really specific questions that require detailed answers. In either case, it’s much easier (and faster) for everyone involved if your account managers can simply give a high-level answer and send content from your subject matter experts that dives deeper.
• Retention and upselling. This method of using content also plays into keeping customers happy enough to stay — and to upsell them on your services.

Continually educating your customers, showing them that you understand the issues they’re interested in, and providing value above and beyond what they may have expected are all good ways to encourage them to keep working with you.

Build Content Teams That Drive Transformation

During my time working in the content field, I have seen that when done right, a content marketing team can become the cornerstone of a company's growth and innovation. But it all comes down to understanding your objectives and building the right team.

While content may start with marketing, it absolutely shouldn't end there. Sharing content between departments — and actively using it as a tool to help every area of the company — is a powerful way to help achieve individual departmental goals and lead your company to success.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in November 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

via Perfecte news Non connection

5 Marketing Experts Predict The Top Trends We'll See in 2025

I went to a psychic when I was 22. She told me I was “about to take a long journey across the Atlantic.”

While the prophecy sounded oddly sinister (would I be alive during this traverse?), it turned out to be true: Shortly after, I decided to teach English in Thailand.

While none of these experts claim to be psychics, their predictions are just as bold, provocative, and intriguing. And I'd be willing to bet they stand a good chance of coming true in 2025.

So if you want to know your future as a marketer, keep reading.

Lesson One: Newsletters will become like social networks.

ICYMI newsletter creator Lia Haberman has a hot take to start us off: She thinks newsletters will become more like social in 2025. (Just… without the trolls, bots, and flame wars.)

“By 2025, I think we'll see newsletters transition into being more like social networks. It’s going to be a race to gather the most subscribers and followers. Independent newsletters may get packaged into larger media brands or acquired by companies.”

This makes sense for one big reason: Newsletters are owned channels.

You fully control the output of a newsletter, and the audience is yours alone — which isn't true for search engines or social channels with shifting algorithms.

HubSpot launched its own brand-new newsletter in June of 2024 and you’re reading it right now, so we're betting Haberman is exactly right.

Want to start your own? Check out Emily Kramer's tips for not creating content that is about as exciting as my grocery list.

Lesson Two: Marketers will care more about building systems than one-off campaigns.

“In the near future, marketers will focus more on building systems rather than single campaigns,” growth advisor Kevin Indig told me in late 2024.

“With AI and no-code tools, we’ll automate processes like content generation, optimization, and interactive experiences to create scalable workflows.”

He's likely onto something. During Q4 of 2024, I stopped focusing on my one next campaign, and instead fixated on my processes and systems as a whole, leveraging AI to create more streamlined, scalable projects.

In 2025, we'll see marketers shift their priorities and focus on how they can create systems that help them do their work faster — and better.

Lesson Three: The trifecta of channels for B2B marketers will be long-form blog content, executive social content, and weekly email newsletters.

Let's address the elephant in the room: No, I didn't pay Morning Brew co-founder Alex Lieberman to throw “long-form blog content” in there.

When asked which channels he's planning on leaning into in 2025, Lieberman didn’t pause: “Long-form blog content, executive social content, and weekly email newsletters is the trifecta of channels that serve the purposes you need in terms of building and nurturing top-of-the-funnel leads, and converting your audience.”

He adds, “Would I say that those are the only three channels for every company? No. But they are very effective.”

I heard this time and time again from the dozen of marketing pros I spoke to in 2024. Long-form blog content still attracts and converts, particularly if it's EEAT-ified.

And people want to hear from other people, not brands. Which is why companies like Wistia have CEO Chris Savage post about product updates or industry news, not the company-branded LinkedIn handle.

And… Well, you're reading a newsletter. So I won’t belabor the point.

Lesson Four: AI will serve as the great equalizer.

While I can see how this lesson sounds like it's from The Matrix, bear with me.

Microsoft GM Brenna Robinson works firsthand with SMBs, and she's seen how powerful AI can be, particularly for small businesses.

“AI is a big equalizer,” she told me. “It helps small businesses compete against bigger companies, saving them time and avoiding the need for additional hires.”

Ah, the age-old David and Goliath combat.

But it's true. My fiancé built his own app last week. A couple years ago, that would’ve been impossible without the budget for a developer, programmer, etc. Equalizer, indeed.

Lesson Five: Audio AI will have its moment.

I still use Siri to ask for directions in the car or to check the weather. But I haven't tested Audio AI much beyond that.

Ross Simmonds, CEO of Foundation Marketing, thinks audio AI is coming.

"Audio AI isn't getting as much love or buzz as it should. The power of voice AI to synthetically create content, like turning blog posts into podcasts or translating voices into different languages in real-time, is fascinating."

In 2025, he's betting we’ll see more marketers lean into audio AI to create more voice-driven content. This could greatly cut down on the time it takes marketers to create different types of content.

I'll admit, it’s a big relief. Now, the introverted blogger (✋) doesn't have to become the podcast host. AI will do it for me.

from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/marketing-predictions-from-experts

I went to a psychic when I was 22. She told me I was “about to take a long journey across the Atlantic.”

While the prophecy sounded oddly sinister (would I be alive during this traverse?), it turned out to be true: Shortly after, I decided to teach English in Thailand.

While none of these experts claim to be psychics, their predictions are just as bold, provocative, and intriguing. And I'd be willing to bet they stand a good chance of coming true in 2025.

So if you want to know your future as a marketer, keep reading.

Lesson One: Newsletters will become like social networks.

ICYMI newsletter creator Lia Haberman has a hot take to start us off: She thinks newsletters will become more like social in 2025. (Just… without the trolls, bots, and flame wars.)

“By 2025, I think we'll see newsletters transition into being more like social networks. It’s going to be a race to gather the most subscribers and followers. Independent newsletters may get packaged into larger media brands or acquired by companies.”

This makes sense for one big reason: Newsletters are owned channels.

You fully control the output of a newsletter, and the audience is yours alone — which isn't true for search engines or social channels with shifting algorithms.

HubSpot launched its own brand-new newsletter in June of 2024 and you’re reading it right now, so we're betting Haberman is exactly right.

Want to start your own? Check out Emily Kramer's tips for not creating content that is about as exciting as my grocery list.

Lesson Two: Marketers will care more about building systems than one-off campaigns.

“In the near future, marketers will focus more on building systems rather than single campaigns,” growth advisor Kevin Indig told me in late 2024.

“With AI and no-code tools, we’ll automate processes like content generation, optimization, and interactive experiences to create scalable workflows.”

He's likely onto something. During Q4 of 2024, I stopped focusing on my one next campaign, and instead fixated on my processes and systems as a whole, leveraging AI to create more streamlined, scalable projects.

In 2025, we'll see marketers shift their priorities and focus on how they can create systems that help them do their work faster — and better.

Lesson Three: The trifecta of channels for B2B marketers will be long-form blog content, executive social content, and weekly email newsletters.

Let's address the elephant in the room: No, I didn't pay Morning Brew co-founder Alex Lieberman to throw “long-form blog content” in there.

When asked which channels he's planning on leaning into in 2025, Lieberman didn’t pause: “Long-form blog content, executive social content, and weekly email newsletters is the trifecta of channels that serve the purposes you need in terms of building and nurturing top-of-the-funnel leads, and converting your audience.”

He adds, “Would I say that those are the only three channels for every company? No. But they are very effective.”

I heard this time and time again from the dozen of marketing pros I spoke to in 2024. Long-form blog content still attracts and converts, particularly if it's EEAT-ified.

And people want to hear from other people, not brands. Which is why companies like Wistia have CEO Chris Savage post about product updates or industry news, not the company-branded LinkedIn handle.

And… Well, you're reading a newsletter. So I won’t belabor the point.

Lesson Four: AI will serve as the great equalizer.

While I can see how this lesson sounds like it's from The Matrix, bear with me.

Microsoft GM Brenna Robinson works firsthand with SMBs, and she's seen how powerful AI can be, particularly for small businesses.

“AI is a big equalizer,” she told me. “It helps small businesses compete against bigger companies, saving them time and avoiding the need for additional hires.”

Ah, the age-old David and Goliath combat.

But it's true. My fiancé built his own app last week. A couple years ago, that would’ve been impossible without the budget for a developer, programmer, etc. Equalizer, indeed.

Lesson Five: Audio AI will have its moment.

I still use Siri to ask for directions in the car or to check the weather. But I haven't tested Audio AI much beyond that.

Ross Simmonds, CEO of Foundation Marketing, thinks audio AI is coming.

"Audio AI isn't getting as much love or buzz as it should. The power of voice AI to synthetically create content, like turning blog posts into podcasts or translating voices into different languages in real-time, is fascinating."

In 2025, he's betting we’ll see more marketers lean into audio AI to create more voice-driven content. This could greatly cut down on the time it takes marketers to create different types of content.

I'll admit, it’s a big relief. Now, the introverted blogger (✋) doesn't have to become the podcast host. AI will do it for me.

via Perfecte news Non connection

Stories That Move, Messages That Stick: The Secret to Persuasive Marketing

Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better.

Stories have a unique ability to capture our attention, change our perspective, and inspire action. We intuitively know this, but there’s actually research that backs this up. The better the story, the more influence that story has on us.

This phenomenon, known as narrative transportation, is something that happens when we’re immersed in a good book or movie. It’s like when you watch The Notebook and cry at the end, or when you jump when you finally see the monster in a horror film. You have experienced narrative transportation.

Higher levels of narrative transportation don’t just entertain — they influence thoughts and actions. Harnessing this power can help marketers connect with customers on a deeper level and drive results. Here’s how.

What is Narrative Transportation, and Why Does It Matter in Marketing?

At its core, narrative transportation occurs when someone becomes so engrossed in a story that they are mentally transported into it. The research shows that the more the audience experiences narrative transportation, the more their thoughts, emotions, and even beliefs align with the narrative.

Let’s get a little nerdy for a moment. Researchers Green and Brock (2000) came up with a 15-point scale to measure how deeply someone gets transported into a story.

The scale looks at how we think, feel, and visualize while engaging with a narrative. When these factors align, the result is powerful: We get so into the story that it can actually change what we believe about the real world. This can result in higher levels of persuasion and action.

Here’s why it works: Stories create connections with characters, reduce arguments against the message, and make abstract ideas feel real.

Think about a story where the main character feels relatable, almost like a friend, or we even see ourselves in the hero. When we care about them, we’re more likely to root for them and even adopt their behaviors or beliefs.

On top of that, stories are sneaky in the best way. They don’t feel like someone is trying to persuade us, which means we’re less likely to argue against the message. Instead, we just take it in.

But here’s where it gets even cooler: stories make abstract ideas concrete. Instead of saying something vague like, “This product makes life easier,” a narrative shows us exactly how. We get vivid examples that stick in our minds.

All of this — the connection, the subtle persuasion, and the concrete imagery — leads to higher levels of narrative transportation. And when that happens, your audience doesn’t just hear your message: They feel it and believe it.

And it’s not just movies or books that do this. William J. Brown of Regent University points out that transportation can happen through any kind of media — even on social platforms.

While not everyone who scrolls through Instagram is going to get fully transported by a brand’s story, the ones who do are more likely to engage and take action. Whether it’s a company’s behind-the-scenes posts or an influencer’s heartfelt testimonial, these moments of transportation have real potential to shift behavior.

In other areas of marketing, this same principle applies. Whether it is your website, your emails, or your lead generators — when you craft a story that resonates with your audience, they’re not just passively consuming your message. They’re also experiencing it. This makes your brand more memorable, trustworthy, and persuasive.

With narrative transportation, a good marketing story will literally change people’s thoughts and actions. It is measurable, and it’s effective.

Four Ways to Harness Narrative Transportation in Your Marketing

So, how can you use narrative transportation to guide your customers toward success? Here are four practical strategies grounded in the StoryBrand Framework and narrative transportation theory.

1. Make your customer the hero of the story.

The best stories center around a hero who faces challenges and overcomes them. In marketing, that hero isn’t you. It’s your customer. Your role is to be the guide who helps them achieve their goals.

How to Do It

• Clearly define your customer’s problem and show empathy for their struggles.
• Position your product or service as the tool that will help them solve their problems.
• Use customer testimonials that highlight their journey, not just your features.

2. Use emotion to drive engagement.

Emotional stories are more likely to transport your audience because they tap into universal human experiences. Think about the moments in your customers’ lives that evoke joy, frustration, hope, or triumph, and build your story around those.

How to Do It

• Use real-life examples or scenarios your audience can relate to.
• Incorporate visuals and music in your videos to heighten the emotional impact.
• Write copy that speaks directly to your audience’s desires and fears.

3. Focus on fidelity and coherency.

For narrative transportation to work, your audience needs to believe in the story (fidelity) and follow its logical flow (coherency). These principles ensure that your message resonates deeply and feels authentic.

How to do it:

• Use real customer stories or testimonials that reflect genuine experiences.
• Create a clear and logical narrative structure: Customer Problem, Your Solution, Their Success.
• Avoid exaggerations or claims that might seem unbelievable, as they can break the illusion of fidelity.

4. Paint a vivid picture of success.

Help your audience visualize themselves in the story. A vivid, relatable picture of success makes your product or service feel like a natural part of their journey.

How to Do It

• Create before-and-after case studies that show a clear journey from problem to solution.
• Use language that engages the senses, like “imagine yourself…” or “picture this…”
• Include aspirational imagery in your marketing materials.

Stories That Move & Messages That Stick

Narrative transportation is more than just a buzzword. It’s a proven way to connect with your audience on a deeper level. When you use stories to guide your customers, you’re not just selling a product or service — you’re inviting them into a narrative where they can see themselves succeed.

As you craft your marketing, remember this: The best brands aren’t the heroes of the story. They’re the Guides. By creating narratives that transport your audience and make them the hero, you’ll build trust, loyalty, and a brand that truly makes an impact.

from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/narrative-storytelling-marketing

Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better.

Stories have a unique ability to capture our attention, change our perspective, and inspire action. We intuitively know this, but there’s actually research that backs this up. The better the story, the more influence that story has on us.

This phenomenon, known as narrative transportation, is something that happens when we’re immersed in a good book or movie. It’s like when you watch The Notebook and cry at the end, or when you jump when you finally see the monster in a horror film. You have experienced narrative transportation.

Higher levels of narrative transportation don’t just entertain — they influence thoughts and actions. Harnessing this power can help marketers connect with customers on a deeper level and drive results. Here’s how.

What is Narrative Transportation, and Why Does It Matter in Marketing?

At its core, narrative transportation occurs when someone becomes so engrossed in a story that they are mentally transported into it. The research shows that the more the audience experiences narrative transportation, the more their thoughts, emotions, and even beliefs align with the narrative.

Let’s get a little nerdy for a moment. Researchers Green and Brock (2000) came up with a 15-point scale to measure how deeply someone gets transported into a story.

The scale looks at how we think, feel, and visualize while engaging with a narrative. When these factors align, the result is powerful: We get so into the story that it can actually change what we believe about the real world. This can result in higher levels of persuasion and action.

Here’s why it works: Stories create connections with characters, reduce arguments against the message, and make abstract ideas feel real.

Think about a story where the main character feels relatable, almost like a friend, or we even see ourselves in the hero. When we care about them, we’re more likely to root for them and even adopt their behaviors or beliefs.

On top of that, stories are sneaky in the best way. They don’t feel like someone is trying to persuade us, which means we’re less likely to argue against the message. Instead, we just take it in.

But here’s where it gets even cooler: stories make abstract ideas concrete. Instead of saying something vague like, “This product makes life easier,” a narrative shows us exactly how. We get vivid examples that stick in our minds.

All of this — the connection, the subtle persuasion, and the concrete imagery — leads to higher levels of narrative transportation. And when that happens, your audience doesn’t just hear your message: They feel it and believe it.

And it’s not just movies or books that do this. William J. Brown of Regent University points out that transportation can happen through any kind of media — even on social platforms.

While not everyone who scrolls through Instagram is going to get fully transported by a brand’s story, the ones who do are more likely to engage and take action. Whether it’s a company’s behind-the-scenes posts or an influencer’s heartfelt testimonial, these moments of transportation have real potential to shift behavior.

In other areas of marketing, this same principle applies. Whether it is your website, your emails, or your lead generators — when you craft a story that resonates with your audience, they’re not just passively consuming your message. They’re also experiencing it. This makes your brand more memorable, trustworthy, and persuasive.

With narrative transportation, a good marketing story will literally change people’s thoughts and actions. It is measurable, and it’s effective.

Four Ways to Harness Narrative Transportation in Your Marketing

So, how can you use narrative transportation to guide your customers toward success? Here are four practical strategies grounded in the StoryBrand Framework and narrative transportation theory.

1. Make your customer the hero of the story.

The best stories center around a hero who faces challenges and overcomes them. In marketing, that hero isn’t you. It’s your customer. Your role is to be the guide who helps them achieve their goals.

How to Do It

• Clearly define your customer’s problem and show empathy for their struggles.
• Position your product or service as the tool that will help them solve their problems.
• Use customer testimonials that highlight their journey, not just your features.

2. Use emotion to drive engagement.

Emotional stories are more likely to transport your audience because they tap into universal human experiences. Think about the moments in your customers’ lives that evoke joy, frustration, hope, or triumph, and build your story around those.

How to Do It

• Use real-life examples or scenarios your audience can relate to.
• Incorporate visuals and music in your videos to heighten the emotional impact.
• Write copy that speaks directly to your audience’s desires and fears.

3. Focus on fidelity and coherency.

For narrative transportation to work, your audience needs to believe in the story (fidelity) and follow its logical flow (coherency). These principles ensure that your message resonates deeply and feels authentic.

How to do it:

• Use real customer stories or testimonials that reflect genuine experiences.
• Create a clear and logical narrative structure: Customer Problem, Your Solution, Their Success.
• Avoid exaggerations or claims that might seem unbelievable, as they can break the illusion of fidelity.

4. Paint a vivid picture of success.

Help your audience visualize themselves in the story. A vivid, relatable picture of success makes your product or service feel like a natural part of their journey.

How to Do It

• Create before-and-after case studies that show a clear journey from problem to solution.
• Use language that engages the senses, like “imagine yourself…” or “picture this…”
• Include aspirational imagery in your marketing materials.

Stories That Move & Messages That Stick

Narrative transportation is more than just a buzzword. It’s a proven way to connect with your audience on a deeper level. When you use stories to guide your customers, you’re not just selling a product or service — you’re inviting them into a narrative where they can see themselves succeed.

As you craft your marketing, remember this: The best brands aren’t the heroes of the story. They’re the Guides. By creating narratives that transport your audience and make them the hero, you’ll build trust, loyalty, and a brand that truly makes an impact.

via Perfecte news Non connection

How to Answer ‘What Makes You Unique?’ & Stand Out in Your Next Interview

Whenever I get asked ‘What makes you unique?’ or ‘What makes you stand out from other candidates?’ in an interview, I use it as the perfect opportunity to explain why I’m the best person for the role.

And I like to get specific. I’ve found that interviewers respond positively when I skip the generics and tie my answers back to what I have to offer based on my individual background.

Your answer could ultimately make or break your interview, so it’s important to really nail it. I’ll walk you through how to answer this question the right way.

Table of Contents

• Subtle Ways Interviewers Ask 'What makes you unique?’
• Why do interviewers ask ‘What sets you apart from other candidates?’
• How to Answer 'What makes you unique?'
• 7 Sample Answers to “What Makes You Unique?” and Why They Work
• Prepare Beyond ‘What Makes You Unique?’

Subtle Ways Interviewers Ask 'What makes you unique?’

There are many ways that interviewers try to tease out what makes you a stand-out candidate.

Here are some of the common questions that are actually ‘What makes you unique?’ in disguise:

• What makes you stand out from other candidates?
• What sets you apart from other candidates?
• What can you bring to this role that’s different from other candidates?
• What makes you a valuable candidate for this role?
• Why are you the best candidate for this role?
• Why should I choose you over other candidates?

No matter how this question manifests itself during your interview, the overarching goal remains the same.

Why do interviewers ask ‘What sets you apart from other candidates?’

The interviewer is asking you this question to give you an opportunity to showcase your value.

They want to see that you’ve done thorough research about the company and the position. And they want you to connect your skills and experience back to the role you’re interviewing for.

For example, let’s say I’m trying to land a social media role, and I notice that the company could be doing a better job on TikTok.

I can use this as an opportunity to:

• Show that I’ve done my homework — I’m already familiar with the company’s social media presence and the platforms where it’s currently active (e.g., TikTok).
• Highlight relevant skills — I have several years of experience managing and growing TikTok accounts, so I’ll be sure to mention that.
• Provide a light recommendation — I’ll share how my skills and experience allow me to identify and implement that recommendation.

Think about it like this: If you can show the interviewer that you can help the company meet its goals (and that you know what its goals are in the first place), that’s one great way to set yourself apart from the rest.

Plus, it becomes clear to the interviewer that you’ve taken the time to prepare if you can provide specific examples related to the role.

These are all reasons why this is such a popular interview question — so come ready, and don’t be afraid to humble brag about yourself a little.

My colleague Jamie Juviler, managing editor of our esteemed Website Blog, recently hired a new writer on his team. Here’s his advice for answering ‘What makes you unique?’:

“I would say don’t stress about providing a highly unique answer or something that no other candidate has said, since that’s unlikely,” says Juviler.

“Instead, use this as another opportunity to highlight a skill or attribute that you may not have had the chance to share yet. I see it as a wild card where the candidate can share anything else they’re proud of and solidify what makes you stand out.”

Here are five other tips to consider.

1. Mention the skills listed in the job description.

This is one of the best ways to show the interviewer that you’ve done your research. Also, the job description is basically like your cheat sheet. Use it as a guide so you know exactly which skills to highlight throughout the interview.

My recommendation: Refer back to the job description but don’t recite it word for word. Use it in context to explain how your skillset aligns with the role's expectations.

2. Provide specific examples from your background.

This is another smart way you can use the job description to your advantage. Reference prior accomplishments or results from past roles that relate to the position you’re interviewing for.

My recommendation: Focus on examples that tie back to the skills required for the position, and always quantify success where possible.

Using our social media example, saying ‘I ran a social media campaign which resulted in a 120% increase in traffic to our website’ is a lot more impactful than ‘I have experience running social media campaigns.’

3. Avoid generic phrases like “I'm a hard worker.”

Remember, this is a very standard interview question, so that means every candidate is likely being asked this question.

Make your answer compelling. Instead of saying you're a ‘hard worker,’ give specific examples of the hard work you’ve accomplished related to the role.

My recommendation: Try to avoid the common buzzwords and instead replace those with real descriptions of your past work.

For example, you and every other candidate for a social media position probably consider yourself “social media savvy.”

Instead, make the case to prove that you are actually savvier than the competition based on your unique background.

4. Include key personality traits that will allow you to deliver results.

Someone else might have similar skills as you, but your personality is one of a kind.

Being ‘social media savvy’ is one thing. But if you’re social media savvy and a tenacious person who is able to think quickly on your feet, that’s an asset.

Highlight the traits that have proven value in helping you grow as a professional.

My recommendation: You want to know one of my favorite ways to convince interviewers that I can deliver the results they’re looking for? Tell them how I’ve found similar success in the past and how my individuality supported that.

5. Tell the interviewer how your unique skills will help the company succeed.

This closely relates back to Tip #3.

Don’t just talk about generic skills that most candidates have — always tie your skills back to specific projects you’ve worked on.

Your background is what makes you unique. There’s no one person that has the exact experience, skills, and traits that you do. Use that to your advantage.

My recommendation: You may not know the company's internal goals, but you should always try to connect your skills to their mission and values when possible.

7 Sample Answers to “What Makes You Unique?” and Why They Work

1. “I am a very good communicator and find it easy for me to relate to other people.”

Consider mentioning a personality trait you feel would be a good fit for the business. After reading the job description, make a list of attributes that could make you an exceptional candidate.

Additionally, including a personality trait in your answer allows you to display how you're a good fit for a role in which you have little prior experience.

For instance, if you‘re applying for a position as a team leader, it’s critical that you demonstrate strong communication skills and an ability to connect with a diverse group of people.

If you tell the interviewer, “I am a very good communicator and find it easy for me to relate to other people,” you can match your personality to the components of a successful leader.

Why this works: Effective communication is a critical trait to emphasize in interviews. If you consider how 86% of employees cite lack of collaboration as a main component of workplace failures, you can begin to appreciate why.

2. “I really enjoy learning new things and am constantly seeking out new learning opportunities.”

By mentioning your passion for learning new things, you‘re demonstrating you’re growth-focused and unafraid of challenges.

Additionally, answering the question in this way allows you to remind the interviewer why you're uniquely qualified for the role.

Why this works: While other candidates might have more prior experience in the industry, you're proving your desire to exceed expectations of the job quickly.

3. “My prior experience in customer service has provided me with unique technical skills that I can apply to this role.”

If you have prior experience in a role vastly different from the one for which you're applying, you might use this as an opportunity to explain how your background uniquely qualifies you.

It's critical, however, that you provide specific examples of how your prior experience has given you certain transferable skills.

For instance, you might say the following:

“My prior experience in customer service provided me with an extensive knowledge base for how our product works. As a marketer, I will be able to use this knowledge to ensure we're meeting our customers' needs.”

It's also important to highlight that previous job experience has declined in importance when recruiters evaluate candidates. In fact, over the last few years, that number has dropped from 92% to 62%.

So it‘s okay if you feel your prior work experience doesn’t perfectly align with the role for which you're applying — as long as you can explain how your skills will help you succeed.

Why this works: An answer like this one alleviates concerns the interviewer might have about your lack of experience in the field.

4. “Working at a startup gave me an opportunity to understand the ins and outs of the industry, and to take on tasks I might not have at a larger company. I think this experience gives me a slight edge over other applicants.”

Similar to the answer above, this answer is a good one if you're attempting to switch industries.

Consider how your background has allowed you to gain unique skills that others, who followed a more linear career trajectory, might not have.

For instance, if you previously worked at a small startup and now you want to transfer to a large corporation, it's important you mention how those skills will make you successful in this new role.

Why this works: If you think your prior experience could deter interviewers from seeing you as exceptionally qualified, this is an optimal chance to prove them wrong.

5. “I'm not afraid of failure. In fact, I think it is an essential part of the experimental process that gets you to success. For example … ”

This answer shows your interviewer that you're not afraid to take risks.

Of course, you'll only want to say this if you have a positive example to reinforce the importance of failure in the workplace.

You don‘t want to sound like you make mistakes all the time, but you’ll stand out if you mention how you turned a failure into a success.

For instance, you might say, "I‘m not afraid of failure. In my last role, we tried to streamline our SEO process and, along the way, found we’d accidentally decreased traffic to our site.

However, this initial failure allowed me to see the errors in our previous procedure. My team and I came up with a more successful strategy to avoid these mistakes in the future, and ended up increasing traffic by 20%."

Why this works: With this answer, you‘re showing you’re capable of remaining flexible and open-minded when something doesn't work right away, and you know how to take failures and use them as learning opportunities.

6. “When solving problems, I apply both logic and emotional aspects in equal proportion. For instance, I'm trained in SEO and understand how to use analytics to ensure a marketing campaign is successful, but I also majored in design and know how to apply creativity to a project as well.”

If you're having trouble deciding how to demonstrate your unique qualifications, start by considering how other people approach problems at your company and how you differ.

For instance, most people are either logical and use analytics to solve problems, or emotional and use creativity. It's rare to find someone who is both.

Why this works: Most people focus on highlighting one skill per question in an interview. If you’re able to demonstrate that you’re comfortable combining two unique skills, it's an impressive ability you should highlight.

7. “I'm exceptionally organized, and at my last company, I was able to apply this skill to improve our process and increase ROI by 33%.”

Remember, when your interviewer asks, “What makes you unique?” they're really wondering, “How will you help our company?”

At the end of the day, it's critical you tie your answer back to how you will solve problems for the company.

48% of recruiters say improving ‘quality of hire’ is a top priority — so you'll want to ensure your answer highlights how you will excel in the role for the long haul.

Consider a personality trait or skill set that helped your last company achieve results. If the results are quantitative, make sure you have the specific numbers to support your claim.

However, it's also appropriate to share qualitative results, such as, “My organizational skills led my manager to trust me with a major project within the first two months in my role.”

Why this works: Ultimately, providing examples shows the interviewer you‘re results-driven, and aren’t just saying generic phrases to answer their question.

8. I’m nimble, adaptable, and able to pivot quickly based on the needs of the business.

Adaptability is at the core of many company cultures. (In fact, it’s the ‘A’ in HEART of our culture code here at HubSpot.)

Why? Because there are too many factors that affect the way we do business. From consumer preferences to pandemics, it’s very possible that the way we work tomorrow will look different from today.

If you end up using an answer like this one, remember that an example goes a long way. Is there a time when you had to switch gears at work and you did it successfully?

Maybe you didn’t get your anticipated budget for a project so you had to choose which tactics to prioritize.

Or perhaps you were unexpectedly down a team member, and you had to step out of your comfort zone to keep a project on schedule.

Showing versus telling always wins.

Why this works: Business needs change, sometimes on a whim. This answer shows hiring managers that you’re a dynamic employee who can bend (and not break) when strategies shift and new industry trends emerge.

9. I know when to take the lead and when to step back and give someone else the opportunity to do so. I’m comfortable in both positions regardless of tenure or hierarchy.

I mentioned flexibility above, but this is another great way to emphasize that you’re comfortable wearing multiple hats. However, this takes things a step further because it also speaks to your situational awareness and team collaboration skills.

The concept of being a leader manifests itself in the workplace in many different ways.

Sure, acting as the point of contact for a campaign or overseeing a project counts. But being a positive force on the team or giving someone else the opportunity to grow are great qualities of a leader too.

Knowing the nuances of leadership and team dynamics is a hard skill to master, so it’s definitely worth highlighting if this question comes up in your interview.

Why this works: Companies are looking for people who are capable of both leading and being led, and it’s a huge plus if you feel empowered to do your best work in both cases.

10. My personal background is an asset that allows me to recognize cultural nuances and create space for diverse ideas.

Our diverse backgrounds are invaluable, and I’m not just talking about your work experience or job history. The same characteristics that make you you also make you a special addition to any team.

For example, as a black woman and a marketer, I know that I’ve faced barriers and gained insights that some of my peers may not have. And I use that knowledge every day to be more impactful in my work.

What makes you unique is the fact that there is no one else out there that can be you. Use that to your advantage.

Why this works: The whole point of this question is to tease out what sets you apart from other candidates. Who can argue with personal experience?

For even more inspiration on how to answer this question effectively, check out the video below.

Prepare Beyond ‘What Makes You Unique?’

The age-old “What makes you stand out from other candidates” question is one of many common questions that interviewers love, so it’s important to plan accordingly.

Here are some of the other top questions you should be prepared to answer (and if you want more, our free common interview questions guide has 50+):

• How would you describe yourself?
• What motivates you?
• What should I know about you that’s not on your resume?
• What are you looking for in your next position?
• Why are you interested in working for our company?

Pro tip: Don’t forget to prep questions for the interviewer. In fact, Meg Prater, senior manager of marketing on the HubSpot Blog team (and my hiring manager), says it’s one of the things that helps candidates stand out the most.

“If you give your questions some pre-work, and make them personalized to me and/or the company, that goes a long way,” says Prater.

She continues, “There‘s a time and place for the ’What do you love about working here?‘ type questions, but I also love a good, ’I noticed that you have a background as a copywriter. How does that impact how you run the Blog?'”

Stand Out in the Crowd

Essentially, ‘What makes you unique’ really means, ‘What makes you an exceptionally good fit for this role?’ Use our handy interview guide to prepare, and you’ll easily be able to prove that you’re the best option in the candidate pool.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in December 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-makes-you-unique

Whenever I get asked ‘What makes you unique?’ or ‘What makes you stand out from other candidates?’ in an interview, I use it as the perfect opportunity to explain why I’m the best person for the role.

And I like to get specific. I’ve found that interviewers respond positively when I skip the generics and tie my answers back to what I have to offer based on my individual background.

Your answer could ultimately make or break your interview, so it’s important to really nail it. I’ll walk you through how to answer this question the right way.

Table of Contents

• Subtle Ways Interviewers Ask 'What makes you unique?’
• Why do interviewers ask ‘What sets you apart from other candidates?’
• How to Answer 'What makes you unique?'
• 7 Sample Answers to “What Makes You Unique?” and Why They Work
• Prepare Beyond ‘What Makes You Unique?’

Subtle Ways Interviewers Ask 'What makes you unique?’

There are many ways that interviewers try to tease out what makes you a stand-out candidate.

Here are some of the common questions that are actually ‘What makes you unique?’ in disguise:

• What makes you stand out from other candidates?
• What sets you apart from other candidates?
• What can you bring to this role that’s different from other candidates?
• What makes you a valuable candidate for this role?
• Why are you the best candidate for this role?
• Why should I choose you over other candidates?

No matter how this question manifests itself during your interview, the overarching goal remains the same.

Why do interviewers ask ‘What sets you apart from other candidates?’

The interviewer is asking you this question to give you an opportunity to showcase your value.

They want to see that you’ve done thorough research about the company and the position. And they want you to connect your skills and experience back to the role you’re interviewing for.

For example, let’s say I’m trying to land a social media role, and I notice that the company could be doing a better job on TikTok.

I can use this as an opportunity to:

• Show that I’ve done my homework — I’m already familiar with the company’s social media presence and the platforms where it’s currently active (e.g., TikTok).
• Highlight relevant skills — I have several years of experience managing and growing TikTok accounts, so I’ll be sure to mention that.
• Provide a light recommendation — I’ll share how my skills and experience allow me to identify and implement that recommendation.

Think about it like this: If you can show the interviewer that you can help the company meet its goals (and that you know what its goals are in the first place), that’s one great way to set yourself apart from the rest.

Plus, it becomes clear to the interviewer that you’ve taken the time to prepare if you can provide specific examples related to the role.

These are all reasons why this is such a popular interview question — so come ready, and don’t be afraid to humble brag about yourself a little.

My colleague Jamie Juviler, managing editor of our esteemed Website Blog, recently hired a new writer on his team. Here’s his advice for answering ‘What makes you unique?’:

“I would say don’t stress about providing a highly unique answer or something that no other candidate has said, since that’s unlikely,” says Juviler.

“Instead, use this as another opportunity to highlight a skill or attribute that you may not have had the chance to share yet. I see it as a wild card where the candidate can share anything else they’re proud of and solidify what makes you stand out.”

Here are five other tips to consider.

1. Mention the skills listed in the job description.

This is one of the best ways to show the interviewer that you’ve done your research. Also, the job description is basically like your cheat sheet. Use it as a guide so you know exactly which skills to highlight throughout the interview.

My recommendation: Refer back to the job description but don’t recite it word for word. Use it in context to explain how your skillset aligns with the role's expectations.

2. Provide specific examples from your background.

This is another smart way you can use the job description to your advantage. Reference prior accomplishments or results from past roles that relate to the position you’re interviewing for.

My recommendation: Focus on examples that tie back to the skills required for the position, and always quantify success where possible.

Using our social media example, saying ‘I ran a social media campaign which resulted in a 120% increase in traffic to our website’ is a lot more impactful than ‘I have experience running social media campaigns.’

3. Avoid generic phrases like “I'm a hard worker.”

Remember, this is a very standard interview question, so that means every candidate is likely being asked this question.

Make your answer compelling. Instead of saying you're a ‘hard worker,’ give specific examples of the hard work you’ve accomplished related to the role.

My recommendation: Try to avoid the common buzzwords and instead replace those with real descriptions of your past work.

For example, you and every other candidate for a social media position probably consider yourself “social media savvy.”

Instead, make the case to prove that you are actually savvier than the competition based on your unique background.

4. Include key personality traits that will allow you to deliver results.

Someone else might have similar skills as you, but your personality is one of a kind.

Being ‘social media savvy’ is one thing. But if you’re social media savvy and a tenacious person who is able to think quickly on your feet, that’s an asset.

Highlight the traits that have proven value in helping you grow as a professional.

My recommendation: You want to know one of my favorite ways to convince interviewers that I can deliver the results they’re looking for? Tell them how I’ve found similar success in the past and how my individuality supported that.

5. Tell the interviewer how your unique skills will help the company succeed.

This closely relates back to Tip #3.

Don’t just talk about generic skills that most candidates have — always tie your skills back to specific projects you’ve worked on.

Your background is what makes you unique. There’s no one person that has the exact experience, skills, and traits that you do. Use that to your advantage.

My recommendation: You may not know the company's internal goals, but you should always try to connect your skills to their mission and values when possible.

7 Sample Answers to “What Makes You Unique?” and Why They Work

1. “I am a very good communicator and find it easy for me to relate to other people.”

Consider mentioning a personality trait you feel would be a good fit for the business. After reading the job description, make a list of attributes that could make you an exceptional candidate.

Additionally, including a personality trait in your answer allows you to display how you're a good fit for a role in which you have little prior experience.

For instance, if you‘re applying for a position as a team leader, it’s critical that you demonstrate strong communication skills and an ability to connect with a diverse group of people.

If you tell the interviewer, “I am a very good communicator and find it easy for me to relate to other people,” you can match your personality to the components of a successful leader.

Why this works: Effective communication is a critical trait to emphasize in interviews. If you consider how 86% of employees cite lack of collaboration as a main component of workplace failures, you can begin to appreciate why.

2. “I really enjoy learning new things and am constantly seeking out new learning opportunities.”

By mentioning your passion for learning new things, you‘re demonstrating you’re growth-focused and unafraid of challenges.

Additionally, answering the question in this way allows you to remind the interviewer why you're uniquely qualified for the role.

Why this works: While other candidates might have more prior experience in the industry, you're proving your desire to exceed expectations of the job quickly.

3. “My prior experience in customer service has provided me with unique technical skills that I can apply to this role.”

If you have prior experience in a role vastly different from the one for which you're applying, you might use this as an opportunity to explain how your background uniquely qualifies you.

It's critical, however, that you provide specific examples of how your prior experience has given you certain transferable skills.

For instance, you might say the following:

“My prior experience in customer service provided me with an extensive knowledge base for how our product works. As a marketer, I will be able to use this knowledge to ensure we're meeting our customers' needs.”

It's also important to highlight that previous job experience has declined in importance when recruiters evaluate candidates. In fact, over the last few years, that number has dropped from 92% to 62%.

So it‘s okay if you feel your prior work experience doesn’t perfectly align with the role for which you're applying — as long as you can explain how your skills will help you succeed.

Why this works: An answer like this one alleviates concerns the interviewer might have about your lack of experience in the field.

4. “Working at a startup gave me an opportunity to understand the ins and outs of the industry, and to take on tasks I might not have at a larger company. I think this experience gives me a slight edge over other applicants.”

Similar to the answer above, this answer is a good one if you're attempting to switch industries.

Consider how your background has allowed you to gain unique skills that others, who followed a more linear career trajectory, might not have.

For instance, if you previously worked at a small startup and now you want to transfer to a large corporation, it's important you mention how those skills will make you successful in this new role.

Why this works: If you think your prior experience could deter interviewers from seeing you as exceptionally qualified, this is an optimal chance to prove them wrong.

5. “I'm not afraid of failure. In fact, I think it is an essential part of the experimental process that gets you to success. For example … ”

This answer shows your interviewer that you're not afraid to take risks.

Of course, you'll only want to say this if you have a positive example to reinforce the importance of failure in the workplace.

You don‘t want to sound like you make mistakes all the time, but you’ll stand out if you mention how you turned a failure into a success.

For instance, you might say, "I‘m not afraid of failure. In my last role, we tried to streamline our SEO process and, along the way, found we’d accidentally decreased traffic to our site.

However, this initial failure allowed me to see the errors in our previous procedure. My team and I came up with a more successful strategy to avoid these mistakes in the future, and ended up increasing traffic by 20%."

Why this works: With this answer, you‘re showing you’re capable of remaining flexible and open-minded when something doesn't work right away, and you know how to take failures and use them as learning opportunities.

6. “When solving problems, I apply both logic and emotional aspects in equal proportion. For instance, I'm trained in SEO and understand how to use analytics to ensure a marketing campaign is successful, but I also majored in design and know how to apply creativity to a project as well.”

If you're having trouble deciding how to demonstrate your unique qualifications, start by considering how other people approach problems at your company and how you differ.

For instance, most people are either logical and use analytics to solve problems, or emotional and use creativity. It's rare to find someone who is both.

Why this works: Most people focus on highlighting one skill per question in an interview. If you’re able to demonstrate that you’re comfortable combining two unique skills, it's an impressive ability you should highlight.

7. “I'm exceptionally organized, and at my last company, I was able to apply this skill to improve our process and increase ROI by 33%.”

Remember, when your interviewer asks, “What makes you unique?” they're really wondering, “How will you help our company?”

At the end of the day, it's critical you tie your answer back to how you will solve problems for the company.

48% of recruiters say improving ‘quality of hire’ is a top priority — so you'll want to ensure your answer highlights how you will excel in the role for the long haul.

Consider a personality trait or skill set that helped your last company achieve results. If the results are quantitative, make sure you have the specific numbers to support your claim.

However, it's also appropriate to share qualitative results, such as, “My organizational skills led my manager to trust me with a major project within the first two months in my role.”

Why this works: Ultimately, providing examples shows the interviewer you‘re results-driven, and aren’t just saying generic phrases to answer their question.

8. I’m nimble, adaptable, and able to pivot quickly based on the needs of the business.

Adaptability is at the core of many company cultures. (In fact, it’s the ‘A’ in HEART of our culture code here at HubSpot.)

Why? Because there are too many factors that affect the way we do business. From consumer preferences to pandemics, it’s very possible that the way we work tomorrow will look different from today.

If you end up using an answer like this one, remember that an example goes a long way. Is there a time when you had to switch gears at work and you did it successfully?

Maybe you didn’t get your anticipated budget for a project so you had to choose which tactics to prioritize.

Or perhaps you were unexpectedly down a team member, and you had to step out of your comfort zone to keep a project on schedule.

Showing versus telling always wins.

Why this works: Business needs change, sometimes on a whim. This answer shows hiring managers that you’re a dynamic employee who can bend (and not break) when strategies shift and new industry trends emerge.

9. I know when to take the lead and when to step back and give someone else the opportunity to do so. I’m comfortable in both positions regardless of tenure or hierarchy.

I mentioned flexibility above, but this is another great way to emphasize that you’re comfortable wearing multiple hats. However, this takes things a step further because it also speaks to your situational awareness and team collaboration skills.

The concept of being a leader manifests itself in the workplace in many different ways.

Sure, acting as the point of contact for a campaign or overseeing a project counts. But being a positive force on the team or giving someone else the opportunity to grow are great qualities of a leader too.

Knowing the nuances of leadership and team dynamics is a hard skill to master, so it’s definitely worth highlighting if this question comes up in your interview.

Why this works: Companies are looking for people who are capable of both leading and being led, and it’s a huge plus if you feel empowered to do your best work in both cases.

10. My personal background is an asset that allows me to recognize cultural nuances and create space for diverse ideas.

Our diverse backgrounds are invaluable, and I’m not just talking about your work experience or job history. The same characteristics that make you you also make you a special addition to any team.

For example, as a black woman and a marketer, I know that I’ve faced barriers and gained insights that some of my peers may not have. And I use that knowledge every day to be more impactful in my work.

What makes you unique is the fact that there is no one else out there that can be you. Use that to your advantage.

Why this works: The whole point of this question is to tease out what sets you apart from other candidates. Who can argue with personal experience?

For even more inspiration on how to answer this question effectively, check out the video below.

Prepare Beyond ‘What Makes You Unique?’

The age-old “What makes you stand out from other candidates” question is one of many common questions that interviewers love, so it’s important to plan accordingly.

Here are some of the other top questions you should be prepared to answer (and if you want more, our free common interview questions guide has 50+):

• How would you describe yourself?
• What motivates you?
• What should I know about you that’s not on your resume?
• What are you looking for in your next position?
• Why are you interested in working for our company?

Pro tip: Don’t forget to prep questions for the interviewer. In fact, Meg Prater, senior manager of marketing on the HubSpot Blog team (and my hiring manager), says it’s one of the things that helps candidates stand out the most.

“If you give your questions some pre-work, and make them personalized to me and/or the company, that goes a long way,” says Prater.

She continues, “There‘s a time and place for the ’What do you love about working here?‘ type questions, but I also love a good, ’I noticed that you have a background as a copywriter. How does that impact how you run the Blog?'”

Stand Out in the Crowd

Essentially, ‘What makes you unique’ really means, ‘What makes you an exceptionally good fit for this role?’ Use our handy interview guide to prepare, and you’ll easily be able to prove that you’re the best option in the candidate pool.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in December 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

via Perfecte news Non connection