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Commerce City, Colo. The Colorado Rapids announced today several updates to the clubs business staff. Alex McGeorge has been named Vice President of Media as part of various promotions, while the club has also significantly expanded its front office.

Apples Season Pass platform provides the club with an incredible opportunity for our work to reach new fans and help foster a deeper connection with current supporters, said Wayne Brant, Colorado Rapids Chief Business Officer. Weve built a talented group of content creators, producers and on-air personalities under Alexs guidance that can deliver top-quality storytelling and coverage for our channels whether viewers are new to the sport or have been with us since day one.

Now in his ninth season with the Rapids and 14th working in MLS, McGeorge has led the clubs digital and video staff since 2017. During his time at the club, the Rapids have won an MLS Executive Award for Best Digital Content Experience in 2016 and a 2020 regional Emmy for the season-long documentary Tim Howard: Just the Beginning. As part of his new role, McGeorge will now oversee the clubs broadcast department in addition to its digital content and strategy.

In addition to McGeorges new role, the club has also promoted Caitlin Kinser to Senior Director of Community Impact & Events, Jordan Rothrock to Senior Director of Brand & Creative and Taylor Milner to Senior Manager of Match Presentation. The Rapids have also added Manuel del Valle as Director of Broadcast & Content Operations and Katie Brown as Marketing Director.

In Kinsers new role,she will oversee match presentation and club events in addition to her continued work managing the Rapids efforts in the community, including player appearances, clinics and donations. During her eight seasons serving the clubs community relations director, Kinser has facilitated kit-based partnerships with Colorado Fourteeners Initiative and Mental Health Colorado, as well as launching one of the only Power Soccer teams in MLS. She helped launch the clubs annual gala, A Burgundy Affair, and oversees the Rapids Unified Team in partnership with Special Olympics Colorado.

Rothrock joined the Rapids six seasons ago and has been integral in developing the Rapids brand and visual identity, including campaigns and kit designs like the clubs 2023 New Day Kit in coordination with local artist Pat Milbery. He has been instrumental in developing integrated campaigns for the season, playoffs and major club moments, such as its annual season kickoff party, theme nights and A Burgundy Affair. In his expanded role, Rothrock will continue to oversee the clubs creative services output while ensuring its brand and segment strategies, along with brand voice, are clearly manifested across its creative development.

Del Valle joins the club from Inter Miami CF where he served in a similar role as Director of Broadcast. In his role with the Rapids, del Valle will manage operations and content with the clubs primary broadcast partners, Apple and Altitude Radio. He holds over 10 years of experience in broadcast and video production, having previously worked with Concacaf, HBS and ESPN.

Brownbrings nine years of marketing experience to her role, most recently in a similar position with the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Colorado Avalanche. This is her second stint with the Rapids after previously serving as Marketing Coordinator for the club from 2016-2018. In her new role, Brown will oversee all of the Rapids' marketing and promotional efforts.

Milner joined the club in 2018 and has played an integral role in directing the Rapids matchday presentation and experience, as well as helping coordinate key club events, such as A Burgundy Affair and Rapids Unified Team events.

In addition to del Valle and Brown, the Rapids also added nine new roles to their business staff this season: Miles Clayborne as Broadcast Manager, Taylor Gregorio as Managing Editor of Digital & Social Media, Alex Winter as Marketing Manager, Sarah Sinnott as Rapids 2 Marketing & Events Manager, Daylon Schiffel as Brand & Promotions Video Producer, Sellers McDaniel as Events Presentation Coordinator, Saw Moo as a Digital Graphic Designer, Tien Le as Communications Coordinator and Amanda Gerlach as a Video Producer for Rapids 2 and the Rapids Academy.

During the offseason, the Rapids also promoted Nicole Tygesen to Social Media Manager, promoted Jared Berenstein to Partnership Marketing Account Manager, promoted Lucca Akiau to Partnership Marketing Activation Coordinator and shifted the role of Mike Revollo to Club Video Reporter & Producer.

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Colorado Rapids announce additions and promotions to business staff - Colorado Rapids

Six months after Elon Musk bought Twitter, the social media platform has seen tremendous changes, from overhauling the apps content policies to reinstating banned and problematic accounts.

And as the platform changes, and users potentially view it differently, it remains to be seen what will become of Black Twitter, an online place where predominantly Black and brown voices draw attention to issues that concern historically marginalized communities and to share communal experiences.

From the agencies that Ive worked with, both multicultural and total market, Black Twitter was always seen as that barometer of what is happening in culture, said Denitria N. Lewis, group director of social marketing and strategy at Dentsu Creative. What marketers lose from that is access to real and authentic exploration of community and culture.

Black Twitter has become the blueprint for multicultural marketing and advertising.

Denise Branch, an independent anti-racism educator and DEI consultant

For marketers and advertisers, Black Twitter is a cultural marketing powerhouse, producing viral phrases like Bye, Felicia, hot girl summer, on fleek, and even turning the Popeyes chicken sandwich into a viral sensation. Historical moments, too, have come from the platform, like #BlackLivesMatter, #SayHerName and #OscarsSoWhite. And often, it has been a go-to tool for advertisers to understand whats cool to boost brand awareness and participate in cultural moments.

It has had poignant moments in history, too.

At the height of the Black Lives Matter movement and George Floyd murder protests when many were ordered to stay at home, it continued to be a place of conversation and community. At the time, tweets regarding the movement took off with more than 390 million tweets. At one point, there were more than 200 tweets per second about it. In response, Twitter launched a multi-city out-of-home campaign to support those voices as well as guidance as to how marketers and advertisers could listen and learn from Black voices on the platform.

Black Twitter has become the blueprint for multicultural marketing and advertising, said Denise Branch, an independent anti-racism educator and DEI consultant. Agencies lacking Black marketing and advertising professionalshave for so long taken credit for Black twitter without crediting Black twitter.

And, sometimes, marketers realized that too late. Some of their strategies landed as co-opting, coming off as tone-deaf and lacking understanding of Black culture, executives said.

Case in point: Back in 2017, beauty brands Sephora and Taste Beauty released a lip gloss called Bye Felicia. The product sparked some backlash on Twitter as users questioned the relationship between a beauty product and Bye, Felicia, a phrase that stems from the movie Friday where main character Ice Cube dismisses a woman named Felicia after she asked to borrow a car and a marijuana cigarette.(When asked, a representative for Sephora said the product and brand are not sold at Sephora US.)

But now marketers question what the fate of the captured non-white audience on Twitter will look like as changes to Twitter and Musks own Twitter tirades have left both advertisers and users especially users of color feeling uneasy.

[Marginalized voices on Twitter have] been ruthlessly de-prioritized and deprioritized in a way that feels malicious, a former Twitter employee, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Digiday. I hope that we can learn from the lesson of what we lost.

Even civil rights leaders, from organizations like Media Matters, Free Press, Accountable Tech and Color of Change, called on advertisers last fall to stop spending on the platform in response to increased hate and offensive speech and other changes since Musks takeover, per reports. (By December, ad spend fell on Twitter by over 70%, per Reuters Musk blamed activist group pressure on advertisers.)

Should Black Twitter and other marginalized communities fly the coop, marketers and advertisers may lose the real-time, finger on the pulse, social listening capabilities that provided fodder for campaigns and brand slogans.

Because of this alienation and deprioritization, Black Twitter doesnt have the star power or virality that it once did. And Twitter is slowly losing its grip as the go-to platform to reach multicultural audiences, three agency execs told Digiday.

Multicultural communities have long since been a line item in marketing strategies as advertisers work to reach those communities. It makes sense as Black buying power in the U.S. is estimated to grow to $1.98 trillion by 2025, according to Nielsen. On social media, Black people aged 18-34 are 2.3 times as likely to use social media to talk about brands, per Nielsen.

Black Twitter was bigging up [or praising and recommending] brands before was a thing, before even brands were paying attention, if you will, so it was booming, said Janis Middleton, executive director of inclusion strategy, who also leads agency cultural efforts at 22squared and Trade School ad agency. Twitter acted as the catalyst that also bled into other ways that we were handling our multicultural marketing, knowing that inclusive language is a thing.

Before Musks tenure started, the so-called bird app was poised to officially launch a new creator program, Voices X, which connects diverse and influential voices on Twitter, like those of Black Twitter, with paid opportunities to collaborate and co-create with brands.

The program was under the purview of God-is Rivera, then Twitters global director of culture and community, who told Digiday at the time that she saw her role as building trust with historically marginalized groups that utilize Twitter.

Rivera is now at Disney, per her LinkedIn. Others execs who who were brought onto the team have also seemingly left, including Olubunkola Bukky Ojeifo, whose LinkedIn states her tenure ended in January, and Ariel Adkins, now managing director for Art for Change.

Its unknown if there were certain business goals tied to the program. And since Musk took Twitter private, exact Twitter financials are no longer available. Its also unclear if the team under Rievera has been completely dismantled.

In response to Digidays request for comment, Twitter sent a poop emoji in response.

After Musks takeover, which has been associated with an uptick in hate speech, several high-profile Black Twitter users announced they were leaving the platform, including screenwriter, producer, and showrunner Shonda Rhimes, R&B star Toni Braxton and Whoopi Goldberg.

Earlier this month, Musk was supposed to strip legacy verified accounts of their blue checkmark badges, further pushing Twitter Blue subscriptions. Many balked at the idea of paying $8 to keep their verified checkmarks, including athlete superstar LeBron James, and rapper turned actor Ice-T.

Weve seen this shift to TikTok, weve seen a shift to Instagram. Now, thats where the multicultural marketing trends are going to be found, Middleton said. [Twitter has] kind of fallen off a few plans, like media and social plans. (Find out where Twitters ad dollars are going here.)

TikTok has become social medias golden child, going from an experimental channel to a must have media buy for marketing strategies, creating virality for brands in a way that once was similar to Twitter. However, the platform has not been without its own diversity struggles. Post 2020 and the murder of George Floyd, society reckoned with social justice and platforms rolled out Black creators programs a step forward, but not enough as far as Black creatives were concerned.

The biggest example was seen with the Renegade, a viral dance created by a then 14-year-old Black girl named Jalaiah Harmon in Atlanta, whose credit was delayed as brands and white creators co-opted it.

Thats not to say that Black Twitter has seen its final days (even if some hosted a digital homegoing celebration for the social media platform). The opportunity to tap into culture is still there. For example, in February, Beyonc announced her Renaissance World Tour 2023, sending Twitter, and thus, Black Twitter, into a frenzy. Ally Financial took part in that cultural moment after a user tweeted about saving up for tickets via the financial institution.

But Twitters product changes, increased hate speech and reinstated banned accounts may make those cultural moments harder to come by if users continue to leave the app, pushing them and advertisers to alternatives like TikTok, agency executives said.

There are still opportunities for folks to utilize these other digital platforms to help capture moments, capture trends, said Laura Mignott, global chief experiential officer at VMLY&R Commerce. Thats where the opportunity for evolution and different voices are really going to be impactful going forward.

Still, to the former Twitter employee, the deprioritization of marginalized voices on Twitter speaks to a greater industry trend, in which dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion has stalled, replaced by flash in the pan creator programs and partnerships, they said.

I want people to think about what the next era of this could look like. Im holding myself accountable to that as well, they said. The commitment should still be there.

Julian Cannon contributed reporting.

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The fate of Black Twitter remains unclear after Elon Musk's platform ... - Digiday

Instagrams new creator marketplace API is the latest feature that will change how influencer marketing managers do their job.

This comes after a change in September of 2022 to Metas API and service guidelines which forced companies operating in the influencer marketing space to remove any usage of third-party creator data, instead opting to use first-party data with creators consent.

As a consequence of the update, the influencer marketing platforms that rely on third-party data have had to put a halt on any software features that use data collected from non-authenticated creators on Instagram and Facebook. However, the platforms that have always prioritized first-party creator relationships through opt-in authentication processes have not been affected and some will even get first access to this new creator marketplace API feature.

Starting today, Meta is rolling out a series of APIs to let brands and agencies access Instagrams creator marketplace via a third-party influencer marketing platform of their choice.

The first two APIs being released are:

Messaging API: This allows brands to send messages into the Partnership Messages inbox folder on Instagrams creator marketplace, directly from a third-party platform.

Projects API: This enables brands to publish private or discoverable projects to Instagrams creator marketplace, directly from a third-party platform.

Why is this a big deal? Prior to these APIs, brands who preferred to use a third party platform had to either leave the platform to send Direct Messages (DMs) to creators via the Instagram app which is hard to do at scale or they could reach out via email from their influencer marketing platform where the creator might not see it.

Brands and agencies can now reach creators on Instagrams creator marketplace directly through their chosen influencer marketing platform and their proposals will go to a priority inbox on Instagram. Simultaneously, creators will now receive collaboration proposals from brands using third-party platforms directly in the Instagram app ensuring that theyll never miss out on a partnership opportunity.

Ultimately, this makes the life of an influencer marketer easier, by allowing proposals to be sent from their tool of choice with priority, while also increasing proposal acceptance rate since creators prefer communicating via DM.

Any brand can join Instagrams Creator Marketplace and utilize these functions natively, but if you want to use the features through your third-party platform, its only available to a select few such as Aspire.io. If you already have an influencer marketing platform, ask your contact if they are a Meta partner and if they have access to the new API. The name of the feature itself may vary platform to platform.

For example, Aspire is using the creator marketplace API for their new Instagram Direct Messaging integration which allows users to invite creators to their campaigns through Instagrams native chat feature, directly from Aspire. The integration solution also includes Social Listening capabilities that will provide insights into brand mentions on Instagram Stories.

Both Instagram's creator marketplace API and TikTok's creator marketplace API are designed to help brands connect with content creators for collaborations. This speaks to a broader trend in the market where social media platforms are prioritizing better relationships between brands and creators.

Instagrams creator marketplace offers tools for creator discovery, partnership messages and project details, while TikToks creator marketplace offers creator search, outreach and results. Both platforms offer analytics to measure campaign performance, but TikTok's creator marketplace API provides more granular data on audience demographics, growth trends, best-performing videos and real-time campaign reporting. Many brands are leveraging both to ensure they have omnichannel coverage and drive the best results.

Instagrams creator marketplace API is a gamechanger for creators and brands alike. Its a new way for Metas marketing partners to build effective tools to help optimize brands influencer marketing workflow, while still prioritizing first-party data. If youre not already using an influencer marketing platform to streamline your partnerships, Instagrams new creator marketplace API might be the perfect reason to invest in one.

Read more here:
Instagram's New Creator Marketplace API and How to Use It - Social Media Today

Do you want to improve your user engagement and retention?

Have you considered using infographics? Infographics are a powerful visual tool that can communicate complex information in a simple, attractive way.

This blog post will explore the impact of infographics on user engagement and retention. We will also provide tips for creating effective infographics.

User engagement and retention are critical factors for the success of any website, presentation, marketing strategy, or social media platform. They determine whether visitors stick around and interact with your content or leave after a glance.

High engagement means visitors spend more time on your site, consume more of your content, and are more likely to convert into customers or followers. Retention is equally important as it keeps visitors returning to your platform, strengthening your brand and increasing the chances of conversion over time.

In todays digital age, visual content has become increasingly important in driving engagement and retention. This makes easy slides a valuable tool for marketing campaigns and content creation.

Infographics are visual aids that combine images, charts, and text. They are an effective way to simplify and present information clearly and engagingly. Infographics can communicate statistics, trends, comparisons, and other data-driven information.

Since they are visually appealing and easy to understand, they are used in various settings. These include social media, presentations, and websites. Infographics have gained popularity because they are attention-grabbing, memorable, and easy to share.

Business leaders globally trust infographics to boost their user engagement and retention. Here are some ways they help businesses:

According to MIT research, the human brain processes images in 13 milliseconds 60,000 times faster than text. This shows that humans are visual learners, and infographics grab peoples attention easily. Their simplicity and visual appeal draw viewers in and interest them in their content. This initial engagement can increase retention and potential future interactions with your brand.

Infographics are an effective way to convey complex information in a simple, easy-to-understand format. By breaking information into smaller, bite-sized chunks, you can help your viewers grasp the main points without feeling overwhelmed. This simplification can help retain viewers who might otherwise lose interest due to the complexity of the subject matter.

You can establish trust and credibility with your target audience with infographics. They can help you display your well-researched data in an easily understandable way and show your audience your content is accurate and informative.

Infographics gave great visual appeal thanks to their bright colors, interesting graphics, and engaging design elements. This visual appeal provides a more positive emotional tone make them more enjoyable to look at than text-heavy content. Also, infographic stats that content with relevant images receives 94% more views than content without visuals.

When creating infographics for user engagement and retention, there are some best practices you should keep in mind. Here are some tips to help you design effective infographics:

While infographics are a powerful tool, they also pose some challenges. Here are some potential challenges and strategies for overcoming them:

Infographics are one of the best tools for increasing user engagement and retention. They grab viewers attention, break down complex information, and ensure your content is memorable. If you need to learn how to create one, the tips in this post can help you create high-quality infographics.

Read more:
The Impact of Infographics on User Engagement and Retention - StartupGuys.net

JobStreet by SEEK has continued its initiative to empower companies in the search of better candidates in 2023 through a series of videos in line with its latest campaign, Hire Real Talent, which uncovers the realities of hiring on social media.

This comes as JobStreet understands that social networking channels are proven to be an effective way of communication, but using them for seeking talents may be more inefficient than hirers thinkand this video series depicts a witty take on real-life scenarios and challenges among employers that use social media for posting their job vacancies.

Aside from encouraging recruiters to utilise legitimate job platforms in their recruitment process, JobStreets video series attempts to show the truth behind social media recruiting: when you hire through social media, chances are you have no idea who you're interviewing.

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The first video depicts an applicant who resembles the avatar of a newly set-up social media account, illustrating anonymity, a lack of character, or a genuine identity. Similarly, the second video demonstrates the difficulty of recognising the true applicant whose profile photo is a family portrait. Finally, in the last video, JobStreet displays an applicant with experience working somewhere fictitious, portraying a lack of professionalism and accurate information.

It is challenging to discern between legitimate and fraudulent accounts when users are not required to authenticate their identities or credentials on most social media platforms. In addition to that, most social media users do not present themselves professionally and have little to no work experience information. This limits the recruiters opportunity to fully examine their applicants based on their criteria.

While social media is a convenient tool to share information, Jobstreet wants to let hirers know that not everyone in your following or likes is looking for jobsand the best and most appropriate way to recruit active jobseekers is to reach out to where they are searching for opportunities, and that is through official job platforms, said Kim Viray, head of marketing,JobStreet Philippines.

He added: In today's competitive and fast-changing world, we recognise the challenges that come with the hiring process, which is why we continuously empower hirers and provide them solutions that they need on top of offering a platform with millions of quality and qualified candidates.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Jobstreet for more information.

Related articles:

JobStreet names new Indonesia managing directorLinkedIn adds more templates and customisable formats to push visual contentWill LinkedIn's rampant phishing scams hamper its professional credibility?

See the article here:
JobStreet uncovers realities of hiring on social media with new ... - Marketing Interactive