AI Changed Search. Now No One Knows What Matters

Treefrog Editorial Team / February 4, 2026

The short answer: AI Overviews and chat answers mean buyers often get what they need without visiting your website, and early research suggests organic traffic declines of 15 to 64 percent depending on query and industry. SEO isn’t dead, but traffic is no longer a reliable scoreboard. Your site increasingly acts as a source that informs AI answers, so measure the outcomes that drive the business, not visits alone.

A lot of marketing managers are quietly (or not so quietly) panicking because they are suddenly looking at the SEO work they poured into their websites and wondering what good it was if the reward no longer results in a visit, but a Google snippet, an AI Overview, or an answer that never requires someone to actually land on their site.

You Did Everything Right

And still you end up asking the same uncomfortable questions. If Google answers the question directly, how do I get people to my website? If someone asks the same question in ChatGPT, do we even show up? Is there anything I can actually do to influence how I get found by AI? Oh, and the most obvious question of all: When exactly am I supposed to find the time to figure this out while still running campaigns, reporting on performance, updating the site, and answering leadership when they ask how I’m going to solve this problem?

You’re Not Alone

This anxiety is not isolated. Nearly 90 percent of businesses say they are worried about losing organic visibility and search traffic as AI changes how people find information online. The most common fear is simple and blunt, not being able to get my business found online at all. Close behind that is the fear of a total loss of organic traffic, followed by growing frustration around traffic attribution just as pressure to prove ROI continues to increase.
What makes this worse is that the fear is not hypothetical anymore. Early research into AI powered search experiences, including Google’s AI Overviews, suggests that traditional websites can see anywhere from a 15 percent to as much as a 64 percent decline in organic traffic depending on the type of query, the industry, and how much of the answer gets surfaced before a click is ever required. Even when brands still rank well, the behavior around those rankings has changed, and visibility no longer guarantees visits in the way it used to.

Traffic Was the Scoreboard

This is the part no one really prepared marketers for.

SEO did not suddenly stop working, but the feedback loop that made it feel manageable and predictable has started to break down.
Traffic used to be the scoreboard. Rankings moved, clicks followed, leads came in and you had a chart to prove it!
Now the scoreboard is harder to read, and in some cases it feels like it has disappeared altogether.

Here’s Our Take On It

From an agency perspective, the conversations have changed too. Clients are no longer just asking how to rank higher or what keywords to target next, they are asking whether their website still has a job if search engines and AI tools are answering questions on their behalf. They want to know why they still show up in search but see fewer leads, why being visible feels emptier than it used to, and whether all the foundational work they invested in still matters.

The uncomfortable truth is that there is no clean, universal answer yet, and anyone claiming they have fully solved AI search is either very early or selling you something that does not exist.
What we do know is that search is no longer a straight line from query to website to conversion.

Your website still matters

What seems to be changing is not the importance of having a strong website, but the role it plays. Your site is not always the destination anymore. Sometimes it is the source that informs an answer, influences a decision, or builds familiarity without a click ever happening, which is harder to measure, harder to explain internally, and harder to budget for using the same frameworks we relied on in the past.

SEO is not dead, but it does mean that SEO alone is no longer enough to carry the full weight of growth expectations. The work still matters, but the way success shows up is shifting, and that shift is what so many marketing teams are struggling to get their arms around right now.

If you feel like the ground is moving under your feet, it is, and clinging to old metrics will not make it stop. What matters now is being clear about what outcomes actually drive the business, testing what influences those outcomes in a world shaped by AI, and being willing to admit when familiar tactics are no longer pulling their weight.

Frequently asked questions

Is SEO dead because of AI search?

No. SEO still matters, but it can no longer carry the full weight of growth expectations on its own. The foundational work is the same; how success shows up has changed.

How much traffic do AI Overviews take from websites?

Early research into AI-powered search, including Google’s AI Overviews, suggests traditional websites can see organic traffic declines of anywhere from 15 to 64 percent, depending on the type of query and the industry.

Does my website still matter if AI answers questions directly?

Yes, but its role is changing. Your site isn’t always the destination. Sometimes it’s the source that informs an answer, influences a decision or builds familiarity without a click ever happening.

What should marketers measure now that traffic is less reliable?

Be clear about which outcomes actually drive the business, test what influences those outcomes in AI-shaped search, and retire tactics and metrics that no longer pull their weight.

Marketing Strategy

Faster Funnels Outperform Bigger Funnels

Treefrog Editorial Team / January 21, 2026

The short answer: Growth rarely stalls because of lead volume; it stalls because of speed. Faster funnels remove friction between stages through quick follow-up, clear qualification, consistent messaging and supported decisions. HubSpot data shows contacting inbound leads within five minutes makes them up to nine times more likely to convert, and Bain found better sales cycle efficiency can drive 10 to 20 percent revenue growth without more leads.

When growth stalls, most organizations instinctively try to fix the top of the funnel.

More campaigns + More channels = More leads. Right?

The logic feels sound. If revenue isn’t increasing fast enough, the assumption is that there simply isn’t enough activity feeding the system. But here’s the thing: in practice, growth rarely breaks because of volume. It breaks because of speed.

Companies that outperform their peers don’t win by doing more. They win by moving faster.

The Illusion of Scale at the Top

A growing funnel looks impressive when you see lead counts rise, traffic increases, dashboards show upward trends. A lot of activity creates confidence, even when revenue doesn’t follow.

This is why bigger funnels feel like progress.

Faster funnels are harder to see. They require looking at how quickly opportunities move, where they stall, and how long it actually takes for intent to turn into revenue. Those answers are less comfortable because they expose friction instead of celebrating activity. We all know the drill. You launch a massive lead-gen campaign, the pipeline dashboard looks great for a month, and then…crickets. The work isn’t happening on the front end; it’s happening in the messy middle.

So, most teams just optimize what’s easiest to measure and quietly accept inefficiency deeper in the funnel.

What a Faster Funnel Actually Means

A faster funnel doesn’t mean pressuring buyers or cutting corners. It means removing unnecessary friction between stages. You know, the stuff that makes your team groan.

Funnel speed is influenced by a small number of critical factors:

How quickly inbound interest is followed up.
How clearly leads are qualified.
How consistent the messaging is from first touch to close.
How efficiently decisions are supported.

Most organizations focus almost entirely on increasing the number of leads entering the funnel and far less on how effectively those leads move through it.

Salesforce research shows that 79 percent of marketing leads never convert into sales, often due to poor qualification and slow follow-up. Increasing volume without addressing speed simply increases waste. It’s just more garbage in, more garbage out.

Speed Creates a Measurable Advantage

Speed matters more than many leadership teams realize.

McKinsey research has found that companies with faster decision-making and execution cycles are up to twice as likely to achieve above-average financial performance. The advantage doesn’t come from just having better ideas. It comes from shortening the distance between insight and action.

Slow funnels create hidden costs:

Deals stall while buyers wait for clarity.
Sales teams spend time chasing low-intent opportunities.
Marketing budgets increase to compensate for inefficiency.
Forecasting becomes unreliable.

None of these problems are solved by adding more leads.

Where Funnels Commonly Slow Down

In most organizations, funnel friction shows up in predictable places.

Handoffs between marketing and sales are unclear.

Follow-up takes days instead of hours.

Messaging changes between funnel stages.

Decision-makers enter the process too late.

HubSpot data shows that companies that contact inbound leads within five minutes are up to nine times more likely to convert them than those that wait longer. Speed at moments of intent creates outsized returns.

Yet, many organizations accept slow response times as normal because the sheer volume of leads hides the problem. It’s easier to blame the lead quality than the internal process.

Why Faster Funnels Compound Growth

Speed compounds in ways volume doesn’t.

Faster movement produces faster feedback. Faster feedback improves targeting and messaging. Clearer messaging shortens sales cycles. Shorter cycles free up capacity. That capacity fuels the next stage of growth.

Bain & Company has found that companies that improve sales cycle efficiency can drive 10 to 20 percent revenue growth without increasing lead volume at all.

This is why faster funnels outperform bigger ones. They improve performance across the entire system, not just at the top.

Why Bigger Funnels Feel Safer Than Faster Ones

Improving funnel speed requires coordination.

It forces alignment between marketing, sales, and leadership. It exposes unclear ownership and deferred decisions. It requires teams to work together instead of optimizing in separate silos.

Bigger funnels allow teams to stay in their lanes. Faster funnels require shared accountability.

That’s why many organizations delay addressing speed. Not because it’s unclear what to do, but because it’s uncomfortable.

What High Growth Teams Measure Instead

Organizations that prioritize funnel speed track different signals:

Time to first response
Time between funnel stages
Opportunity aging
Win rates by segment
Time from intent to revenue

These metrics don’t flatter. They inform.

Gartner research shows that organizations that actively manage funnel velocity are significantly more likely to hit revenue targets than those that focus primarily on top-of-funnel metrics.

Bigger Funnels Create Activity. Faster Funnels Create Growth.

A large funnel can hide inefficiency for a long time. A fast funnel cannot.

In competitive markets, the company that learns and moves faster wins, even if it starts with fewer opportunities.

Growth isn’t about how much demand you generate. It’s about how effectively you convert intent into outcomes.

Frequently asked questions

What is a faster sales funnel?

One with less friction between stages, not more pressure on buyers. Speed depends on how quickly inbound interest is followed up, how clearly leads are qualified, how consistent messaging stays and how efficiently decisions are supported.

How fast should you respond to inbound leads?

As fast as possible. HubSpot data shows companies that contact inbound leads within five minutes are up to nine times more likely to convert them than those that wait longer.

Where do B2B sales funnels usually slow down?

Unclear handoffs between marketing and sales, follow-up that takes days instead of hours, messaging that changes between stages, and decision-makers entering the process too late.

What funnel metrics should B2B teams track?

Time to first response, time between funnel stages, opportunity aging, win rates by segment and time from intent to revenue. Gartner research shows teams that actively manage funnel velocity are significantly more likely to hit revenue targets.

Marketing Strategy

Why “More Leads” Feels Safe and Growth Doesn’t

Treefrog Editorial Team / January 15, 2026

The short answer: More leads feels safe because lead counts are easy to report, but volume rarely produces growth. Adding leads to a high-friction funnel overwhelms sales, buries strong opportunities and amplifies inefficiency, and most B2B marketers already rank lead quality above quantity. Measure momentum instead: response time, speed from first conversation to opportunity, where deals stall and time to revenue.

When growth slows, the first instinct in many organizations is to ask for more leads.

It is a familiar request. It feels practical. It gives teams something tangible to pursue and something easy to report on. Lead counts go up, dashboards look healthier, and it appears as though momentum is building.

But in many cases, nothing meaningful actually changes.

Revenue does not accelerate. Sales cycles do not shorten. The pressure inside the funnel quietly increases, even as the numbers at the top look better than ever.

This is why “more leads” feels safe. And it is also why it so often fails to produce growth.

The Comfort of Measurable Activity

Leads are attractive because they are visible. They are easy to count and easy to explain in a meeting. When asked what marketing is doing, a rising lead number provides a quick answer.

Growth, by contrast, is harder to summarize. It is not just about how much activity exists, but about how efficiently that activity converts into revenue. It forces questions that are less comfortable to answer.

Are we attracting the right buyers or just more buyers
Do we know where deals stall and why
Is our message clear enough to move decisions forward
Are sales and marketing aligned on what qualified actually means

Those questions do not fit neatly into a single metric. They require examination of systems, not just performance.

So teams default to volume.

What the Data Actually Says

Interestingly, most experienced marketers already know this instinct is flawed.

Multiple industry studies over the last few years show that a strong majority of B2B marketers now believe lead quality is more important than lead quantity. In surveys from sources like HubSpot and Demand Gen Report, improving lead quality consistently outranks increasing lead volume as a priority.

Yet behavior has not fully caught up to belief.

Organizations still reward teams for top-of-funnel growth, even when downstream conversion remains flat. This creates a disconnect. Activity is rewarded. Outcomes lag behind.

When More Leads Make Things Worse

There is a point where additional leads stop being neutral and start becoming harmful.

Sales teams get overwhelmed and slow their follow-up. Strong opportunities get lost among poor-fit ones. Marketing hears complaints about quality, while sales leadership pushes for even more volume to compensate.

Internally, teams become busy instead of effective.

This is not a people problem. It is a systems problem. Volume is being added to a funnel that was never designed to handle it.

According to research from Gartner, one of the most common reasons revenue teams underperform is not lack of demand, but friction between stages of the buying journey. Adding more leads into a high-friction system simply amplifies inefficiency.

Why Growth Feels Riskier Than Volume

Growth forces decisions.

It requires choosing which customers matter most and which ones do not. It demands clarity around positioning and tradeoffs around focus. It exposes operational weaknesses that volume can hide.

That makes growth feel risky.

Volume, on the other hand, allows organizations to delay those decisions. It creates the illusion of progress while avoiding structural change.

But avoiding decisions does not remove risk. It just defers it.

Over time, the cost shows up as stalled revenue, burned-out teams, and missed market windows.

The Shift From Volume to Momentum

Companies that grow consistently do not obsess over how many leads they generate. They focus on how quickly and predictably those leads turn into revenue.

They pay attention to things like:

How long it takes to respond to inbound interest
How quickly leads move from first conversation to real opportunity
Where deals slow down or drop out
How long revenue takes to materialize after intent is expressed

These are not vanity metrics. They are indicators of momentum.

Momentum compounds. Faster feedback improves messaging. Clearer messaging shortens sales cycles. Shorter cycles free up capacity. That capacity fuels the next stage of growth.

Volume without momentum creates noise. Momentum, even at lower volume, creates leverage.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

Markets are moving faster. Buyers are more informed. Competition is rarely limited to a short list anymore.

In that environment, the companies that win are not the ones with the biggest funnels. They are the ones that learn fastest and act fastest.

Speed of learning beats scale of activity.

This is why so many high-performing organizations are rethinking how they measure marketing success. They are shifting attention away from raw lead counts and toward conversion, velocity, and cost of delay.

A Better Question for Leadership Teams

Instead of asking how many leads were generated last quarter, a better question is this:

How efficiently are we turning interest into revenue, and where are we slowing ourselves down?

That question leads to better decisions. It exposes real constraints. And it creates the conditions for sustainable growth.

More leads will always feel safe. Growth rarely does.

But the organizations willing to choose clarity over comfort are the ones that build real momentum, not just bigger dashboards.

Ready to Build Real Momentum? Book a 15-Minute Strategy Session to align your sales and marketing efforts on high-velocity growth.

Frequently asked questions

Is lead quality more important than lead quantity?

For most B2B companies, yes. Surveys from sources like HubSpot and Demand Gen Report show improving lead quality consistently outranks increasing lead volume as a priority for B2B marketers.

Can more leads hurt growth?

Yes. Past a point, extra leads overwhelm sales, slow follow-up, bury strong opportunities among poor-fit ones and create friction between marketing and sales.

What should replace lead volume as a marketing KPI?

Momentum indicators: how long it takes to respond to inbound interest, how quickly leads become real opportunities, where deals slow down or drop out, and how long revenue takes after intent is expressed.

What should leadership ask instead of how many leads were generated?

How efficiently are we turning interest into revenue, and where are we slowing ourselves down?

Marketing Strategy

SEO Copywriting in 2022: How To Write Articles That Rank

Treefrog Editorial Team / February 24, 2022

In the history of Treefrog, and indeed of the Internet, there was a time when you might have asked: “Should you hire a website pro or do it yourself?” For there was a time when building your own website was a real option. But in 2022 this vocation has become very professionalized, including SEO writing. DIY websites have gone the way of log cabins. Quaint, yes – and historically significant. But there are reasons that people stopped building that way!

The History of Writing

More about SEO writing after we chase a little deeper down this rabbit hole. There were times when writing was on tablets! The ancient Sumerians etched onto wet clay with sharp sticks, then burned the clay tablet in a fire so that the content would never be lost. Then writing changed again, as Codex came into common use. Hey, the Nile was the first “papyrus valley” – long before Silicon Valley was opened up.

In 2022, websites are an integral part of the rapidly growing ecology of IT. Have you ever marvelled at how fast search engines like Google can answer your questions? Do you use other social media platforms like Facebook or Gettr? Do you tweet, or post your photos on Instagram? We all watch videos on Youtube. We upload our songs to Spotify. This virtual universe is spreading out fast from the initial Big Bang of email.

How to Write For SEO

Believe it or not, these social media dots are all being connected. No more is each website a stand-alone “silo”. For example, the way that your website is built will determine how fast it advances to the head of the queue on Google. This goal is becoming a paramount concern as businesses move towards the “new normal” of trading on the Internet. That move to trading on-line is Treefrog’s core business. Treefrog is no longer just a website builder, it has moved far beyond that. Clients who want to migrate to trading on-line need heavy doses of SEO writing, embedded in their websites.

The Fundamentals of SEO

Businesses want to be at the top of the list that Google presents when you ask it a question. The determinant of who floats to the head of that line-up is built into an optimal website, in terms of Google’s internal scoring system. DIY website builders probably do not understand this critical link as well as Treefrog does. This is not about “trade secrets” as much as about expertise and integration. In 2022, a website must connect very well with the other dots in the IT universe. Treefrog deploys skilled SEO writers in its overall team of technicians. There is more to creating content for websites that just good writing. This now involves a working knowledge of how search engines work. SEO means “search engine optimization”. Writing website content involves both copywriting and some critical technical calculations as well. Check out our article on the basics of SEO to help you get started.

Building Your Story

It’s sort of like building a really fine restaurant out in the middle of nowhere. You may serve the very best cuisine and wines, but nobody knows it’s out there. They say that the three most important criteria when starting a restaurant are 1. Location 2. Location and 3. Location. Likewise, a website will be most visited when it is easy-to-read and interesting, while certain keywords and “tags” are also embedded in the text. Search engines are robots, after all. They count. If those hidden signals are not there in the content, you have a restaurant serving great food in a terrible location.

Getting to the front of the Google line-up can make a huge difference to your business volumes. And search engines are very predictable – if you know how to get to the front of the queue. There are many tricks, different devices and tips to make this happen. Their importance should not be underestimated.

SEO Formatting and Headings

Reading an article online is similar to reading a newspaper article. Remember newspapers? They are specifically formatted to guide your eyes and make it efficient for the reader to understand without effort. Digital articles, such as the one you’re reading if you had made it this far, are designed to be read on a scrolling screen. Do not write long running paragraphs and use descriptive headings to guide the reader. Keep it simple.

Create a table of contents. Use one H1 tag for your title and multiple H2 tags for your headings. You will also notice this article links various keywords to other articles we have written on SEO. This is known as passing SEO equity to other pages on our website, but more importantly, it keeps the reader engaged so they stay on your website longer.

Natural Writing Makes Great SEO Articles. Do Not Force Keywords (Stuffing).

A good website is but one cell in a broad honeycomb – it is not a stand-alone. What defines “good” in IT terms is that Google will direct customers to that URL first. So there is more to writing great articles for websites than meets the eye. It also involves embedding signals that help search engines to award the URL priority over competitors. You can dive deeper into this topic with our top 4 SEO tips.

For example, did you know that the “keyword” in this article is “SEO writing”. And that the three other tags are “SEO, writing”, and “content”? Guess what? The keyword is repeated four times. The three tags are repeated twelve times. That’s what the search engines count amongst other signals. Hopefully you found this article interesting and informative as well?

Marketing Strategy

Marketing Strategy Planner for 2022

Treefrog Editorial Team / November 26, 2021

It’s almost the end of the year, and you know what that means, its time to start thinking about your marketing strategy for 2022. When it comes to planning for the new year, people tend to forget that it’s better to start now than already the new year.

When developing your strategy, you need to be asking yourself some important questions, such as what worked this year and what didn’t and what you need to focus on to grow your business?

We’ve been sharing this planner for many years, and this year we’ve made it even better. So make sure to download it below and if you’re looking for more marketing tips for 2022, check out our blog post on Digital Marketing Trends to Watch Out for in 2022.

Treefrog’s Marketing Strategy Planner for 2022

We’ve ensured that our marketing strategy planner simple, free and easy to use. We recommend that you use this plan as your guide to planning your marketing strategy for your business in 2022.

Treefrog is Here to Help

Want help with your 2022 marketing strategy? The digital marketing experts at Treefrog are here to help you with your strategy or any other tactics your business needs for 2022. We can help you design, build and execute your plan and make sure it’s aligned with your budget and business goals.

Fill out the form below, and your copy of the 2022 Marketing Strategy Planner will be emailed to you.

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Marketing Strategy

Four Effective Email Marketing Techniques

Treefrog Editorial Team / July 26, 2021

In recent years, email marketing has gone down due to social media and paid ads. In reality, email marketing is still regarded as one of the most efficient ways to reach your customers today and increase sales. To make sure you’re using the proper techniques to generate click-throughs and increase sales, read on to find out about the four email marketing techniques you need to be using right now.

Subject Lines

Subject lines are everything. When an email shows up in your customer’s inbox, the first thing they read is the subject line, which will determine whether or not they open it. Many companies know the importance of headlines but forget that using generic headlines, like 75% off body care, tends to get your emails sent straight to the trash folder. Your customers love a good sale, but they also want value. The key to subject lines is to keep them short and vague.

An excellent example of this was President Obama’s email fundraising campaign when he used subject lines such as “Hey” and “Wow.” This approach contributed to Obama raising $690 million for his campaign. Keeping your subject lines short and vague will increase your open rate instead of getting sent straight to the trash.

Exclusive Content

Your customers subscribed to your mailing list for a reason. More than likely, they probably thought by signing up, they would get exclusive content that was just for them. So offer them something that is just for email subscribers. They will not only feel valued and appreciated as a customer, but they will likely stay subscribed and click through your emails more frequently.

Retail stores do this well when sending out exclusive coupons and early sale access to their mailing lists. You can do something similar to this, but make sure it’s something you know your subscribers would be interested in.

Personalization

A little personalization can go a long way into making a customer feel valued, whether using the customer’s name in the greeting of the email or focusing on your customer’s purchasing history or demographics.

For example, Wayfair sends personalized emails based on suggested products or deals. This makes the email personable and makes me more inclined to open their emails to see what discounts might interest me. Keep in mind that too much personalization can also deter customers, so make sure not to overdo it.

Mobile Friendly

Everyone has a cellphone, which means that the most common product used to check your email is through your phone, especially when consumers are out of the office. According to Hubspot 2017 Marketing Statistics, “two-thirds of emails are read on either smartphones or tablets.” So when the emails you send out are not mobile-friendly, that customer is likely to delete them or, even worse, unsubscribe. Before sending out an email to subscribers, ensure it is optimized for mobile and watch your click-through rate soar.

Conclusion

Social media is a great tool to reach your customers, but you can’t neglect email because it’s not going away anytime soon. There are various techniques to use when it comes to effective email marketing, so test different ones and find out what works for you. Good luck!

Digital Marketing Experts

At Treefrog Inc., our Frogs are experts in many fields that can help your business increase leads and sales. For more information on how our team can help, give us a call at 905-836-4442.

Marketing Strategy

Marketing Strategy Planner for 2021

Treefrog Editorial Team / December 8, 2020

2021 is almost here. At this time of year, people are so focused on Christmas; they neglect to think about how to prepare their business for the new year.

Businesses need to start thinking ahead to the new year and asking themselves, what drives sales and interest in our product or services? The simple answer is a marketing strategy.

Out of all of the years we’ve done this, this is the year to share one of our most valuable tools for planning upcoming marketing. Right now is the perfect time to reflect on your business. Ask yourself what worked and what didn’t and what you should focus on in the new year to grow your business?

Treefrog’s Marketing Strategy Planner for 2021

Use this plan as your guide to marketing your business in the new year. It’s simple, free and easy to use. We’ve done all the work for you, and all you need to do is fill in the dates you want to complete the job.

At the very least, it’s a lot easier to decide what marketing activities aren’t part of your plan for 2021, so you don’t waste any energy wondering what could have been.

If we can help you with your strategy or any other tactics in 2021, let us know! We can help you design, build and execute your plan once it’s been intelligently reviewed and aligned with your budget and business goals for the next decade.

Fill out the form below and your copy of the 2021 Marketing Strategy Planner will be emailed to you.

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Marketing Strategy

Which Social Media Platforms are Best for Your Business?

Treefrog Editorial Team / October 27, 2020

Whether you are starting a new business, have been in business for decades, or are just starting out in the world of marketing, social media is an ever-changing game.

When was the last time you did an audit on your social media accounts, and how they impact your business?

Regardless of your activity levels on social media, having a plan is essential. As things change globally, social media evolves as well. Now the question begs: Where should I spend my time and money?

Let’s take a look at each platform to see which ones, if not all, are right for your business!

1. Facebook

With over 2 billion monthly users, chances are everyone you know is on Facebook, and maybe even their pets are too! Facebook’s biggest asset is being able to turn your customer base into a family, or a welcomed community.

Creating a Facebook group is very simple, free, and creates an environment for your followers to exchange information and form a sense of community.
Photos and videos are what drives success on Facebook. The key is to stand out and show a different side of your company. Don’t be afraid to step outside the box and get creative with your visuals.

If you have some money set aside for paid ads, then Facebook’s ads manager, with it’s sophisticated targeting options, is a great way to grow your business.

2. Twitter (X)

Twitter is all about timely and immediate information. With approximately 330 million monthly active users, it is a great way to raise brand awareness.

Keep in mind that you have 280 characters to convey your message, once you get the copywriting down packed, with just a simple share or like, your tweet can reach a broad audience fast!

3. Instagram

With a whopping 1 billion monthly active users, it’s hard to pass on this visual platform. If your target audience is younger, then Instagram is the right platform for you. 50 percent of users are 34 years old and under. These users are also very comfortable with the following brands on the platform and are even buying products right from the app.

Quick fun fact: 80% of users follow at least one brand on Instagram.

If influencer marketing is something you are interested in, this is the place to be. Influencer marketing is a content marketing strategy that allows you to promote products, services, or brands by partnering with an influencer.

An influencer is someone who has the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of their relationship with their followers. These influencers have a distinct niche, and usually have a following of over 10,000 on Instagram.

Some of the most successful brands are built around influencer marketing.

4. LinkedIn

If you are selling business to business (B2B), then LinkedIn is your best bet! With 303 million monthly users, LinkedIn should not be overlooked.

LinkedIn is a great way to showcase your brand and the knowledge that you have around your business. By building your brand’s authority and sharing insightful content, you will gain connections that can lead to conversations and sales.

Some content examples are blog posts, curated content, quick tips from an industry expert, and infographics with updated statistics.

5. Pinterest

This is one of the social media platforms where the majority of its users are female. If you are in the food, fashion, décor, art, wedding, travel business, or can produce beautiful images weekly, you may find Pinterest very helpful!

Pinterest is a great way to showcase your products. This platform is not for every business, but if implemented correctly, you will be surprised at how many people will come in contact with your beautiful crafted “pins.”

6. Tiktok

The new kid on the block. Since they launched internationally in September 2017, Tiktok has gained over 850 million monthly active users.

Tiktok really wants you to be creative and to have fun. Like other social media platforms, you can use paid advertising, organic content, and influencer marketing to promote your brand. There is a fun way that Tiktok has allowed brands to go viral, and that is hashtag challenges.

A branded hashtag challenge is when a company asks Tiktok users to perform a particular task and tag them using a specific hashtag. The brand usually gives the winning video free products.

Best of all, you don’t have to invest a lot of money in creating high-quality videos. It is all about how creative you can be!

Contact the Social Media Connoisseurs at Treefrog

There are many other social media platforms out there, and it can get overwhelming because they all offer a unique opportunity for your brand. That is why agencies like Treefrog have experts who are constantly studying these platforms and keeping up to date with the latest tools and trends.

Our goal is to provide you with the results that your brand deserves.

That being said, you can also give the social media game a shot. To give you a head start, we have a special treat. A social media posting calendar:

Download it today.

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overhead view of iPhone, showing Treefrog's instagram page

Marketing Strategy

6 Factors that Affect the Instagram Algorithm

Treefrog Editorial Team / October 16, 2020

Are you keeping up to date with the Instagram algorithm? Instagram is continuously evolving, and keeping up with these changes will help you perform better in the platform and create a unique bond with your Instagram community!

Instagram finally broke its silence and put some rumours to rest about how the algorithm actually works. Here are the 6 key factors, as broken down by our social media team at Treefrog:

Let’s learn more about these factors, so you don’t get left behind!

1. How interesting are your posts?

The Instagram algorithm is smarter than you think. The days of trying to trick it are over. Your feed is based on how likely you are to be interested in a particular post, and this is formulated on your actions within the app.

For example, if you are liking, watching, commenting and sharing dog content from your favourite dog influencer, then that type of content will be at the top of your news feed.

To sum it up, the friends that you are interacting with the most, the stories you watch, and even the pictures you are tagged in contribute to your behaviour in the app, which determines who and what pops up in your news feed.

Have you ever wondered why your top stories are always the same accounts? It’s because the same formula applies to Instagram stories as well!

2. Timing is, in fact, everything.

Consider Instagram as the cool kid in class, someone who wants to always be up to date with the latest news and trends. You won’t find them showing you a Halloween post when it’s Christmas season.

Group of friends looking at a smart phone outdoors in the city

That being said, using your Instagram Insights tool will help you see when your followers are the most active on the platform. That’s the time to release your content in order to set yourself up for success. It may seem like a small detail, but it is an essential piece of the Instagram algorithm puzzle.

3. Relationship Goals

Instagram doesn’t want you to miss posts from your friends and family, or favourite brands and celebrities. It values your relationships and doesn’t like one-night stands. Content from accounts you engage with more often will rank higher in the feed. For example, if you search for the same profile often, they will become one of your popular friends, and you will see their content more often.

For a content creator, that means it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get posting. You want your followers to engage with your content and form a relationship.

With this tactic, the more you post, the more followers will see your posts. Keep in mind; quality does trump quantity. The key is to find a happy balance.

We all don’t have the manpower of Gary V. So posting 3 times a week constantly while throwing Instagram Stories into the mix will help you see an increase in your engagement.

4. How frequently are you opening the app?

Take a look at your daily screentime. How many minutes, or should I say hours, have you spent on Instagram today? If you have some self-control and are on the app less often, your news feed will be sorted for what it thinks you will like best!

Close up of a young woman listening to music while riding in a bus

If you are a frequent Instagram visitor, your feed may start to look more chronological. This is because Instagram is trying it’s best to show you the best posts since you’ve last started scrolling.

5. No follower is left behind, well, not really.

Another thing to take into consideration is the number of people you follow. If you follow more people, the app has more content to choose from. This means, you’ll likely see fewer posts from each account, and for many accounts, you may not even see their posts on your feed.

As a business and content creator, the tricky part is to become a part of their Instagram family. That is easier said than done. By the end of this article, you will know how to achieve just that, so keep reading!

6. Usage: Daily or Hourly?

Do you open your Instagram app daily or hourly? It’s pretty straightforward, the more time you spend on the app, the more content you will see, and the deeper Instagram digs into it’s catalog of content to show you posts.

However, if you spend only a few minutes on the app each day, the algorithm will only show you highlights of the day’s posts.

Two restaurant workers take mobile photo of latte

Start Stepping Up Your Instagram Game Today!

Instagram is a great social media platform for visual storytelling. No matter your industry, it’s an incredible online community where businesses can connect with potential customers and grow their business organically. Whether you have a personal account, creator account or business account, Instagram could be the platform for you to grow your online presence.

The key is to educate yourself and stay up to date with trends.

Start applying what you learned from this blog into your Instagram strategy! We’ll help get you started with our free Social Media Calendar, now available for download! Plan out your Instagram content, collaborate with team members, research hashtags and track all your images all in one organized excel sheet.

Download Our Social Calendar Template

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Don’t Do Social, Be Social!

At Treefrog, we believe that social media strategy is a delicate mix of both art and science. Our social media team combines compelling visuals with data-driven analytics to engage with the audiences of our clients in real time – so that their message gets heard and people are inspired to take action.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the Instagram experts at Treefrog! You can also connect with us via email, on our website or on social media to stay up to date on Instagram tools, tricks and tips!

We can do all the dirty work for you, keep you informed and help your Instagram game reach a new level!

Close up of woman holding mobile phone, with her partner cropped on the left.

Marketing Strategy

10 Ways To Get Your E-Newsletter Opened

Treefrog Editorial Team / June 18, 2019

Open rates are arguably the most important stat you need to be tracking when it comes to marketing emails. Sure, your CTR (click-through-rate) is important, but if people aren’t opening your emails at all, they don’t even have the chance to click through!

These days it seems as though everyone is using emails as part of their marketing strategy; thus, audiences are receiving more emails each day than they ever have. In fact, globally there are approximately 269 billion emails sent each day! To help with the mass amount of email people are receiving Gmail has even started auto-segmenting emails into different inboxes: Primary, Social, Promotions, and Spam. This can make it even harder to get in front of the eyes of your target audience.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to make your e-marketing stand out!

Here are 10 ways to improve your email marketing open rate:

1. Send Time

Wouldn’t it be great if you could email subscribers at the exact moment, they were looking at their devices? Investigating the open times of your emails can give you incredible insight not only on the days your emails are seeing the most traffic, but also the time of day your audience is choosing to open them.

Every email list will have a unique send day and time and it’s important to use the data you have at your fingertips to help you discover your optimal send time. If you’re not sure where to start, most people check their emails in the morning when they wake up, at lunch, or in the evening before bed.

2. Engaging Subject Lines

Subject lines are the most prominent piece of information your subscriber has to make their decision on whether to open your email or not. This makes it highly important to use the space provided efficiently and effectively. Putting a special offer, an intriguing question, or creating urgency early in the subject line are all proven ways to increase your email open rates.

According to MailChimp’s email subject lines best practices there are a number of faux pas you should avoid when writing your subject lines. As tempting as these words may be to encourage a sense of urgency, words like “Help”, “Percent Off”, and “Reminder” have been found to be the most common to be caught by spam filters; avoid using them to ensure your email has a chance to get into your audiences inbox.

3. Personalization

With the amount of mass email we receive daily, when we get something that is more personalized it usually sets itself apart, like receiving a letter. Adding tags into your subject lines to include your subscribers name, city or country location can give the added pop to your emails to really catch your readers eye and encourage them to open your e-newsletter.

4. Preheader

The preheader text is the summary text that follows the subject line in the preview in the inbox. This helps the reader have more context about the email before they decide whether to open it or not. The preheader is the perfect place to put a promotional offer or to extend your subject line.

Another way to utilize the preheader is to help your email appeal to a wider audience. If your subject line only applies to a certain group of people, the preheader is the perfect time to pull in those readers that might not normally open an email about the content mentioned in the subject line.

5. Mobile First

Did you know that over half of emails are read on mobile devices now? If you are not optimizing your emails for mobile, you are hurting its chances of being opened before you even send it. To be truly mobile optimized not only does your email content need to be designed to fit and be readable on a smaller screen but your subject line and preheader need to as well.

In a mobile email service provider, you may only have 50 characters to sell your e-newsletters content with your subject line and preheader! This means placing your CTA (Call-to-Action), or keywords at the beginning of the subject line to ensure they aren’t missed.

6. Segmentation

List segmentation is arguably the best way to improve your email marketing open rate, while simultaneously reducing your unsubscribe rate.

If you send a lot of emails on various different topics you may want to consider splitting your email list into different segments depending on demographics and interests when trying to find your optimal send time and day.

7. A/B Test

A/B testing is a great way to see which parts of your email are working and which parts need to be optimized. Understanding how your audience interacts with your email, which trigger words they respond to the most, and which CTA’s get your readers to open your emails are just a few ways A/B testing can help improve your e-newsletter open rates.

Do you get more opens from questions or lists in your subject lines? Here are some other things you can A/B test to improve your open rates are:

Your call to action
Your preheader
Personalization: name vs. location vs. none
The sender name

8. Personalize the Sender Line

Most of the emails people receive are mass marketing emails that have very little personalization and are strictly from companies trying to sell something. Readers are becoming much better at screening these emails based on the sender alone.

If you want to connect with your readers on a more personal level and have them trust that you are only sending them high-quality content, avoid using no-reply emails or generic info@. Instead use your actual name, or a pseudonym if you don’t feel comfortable handing out your actual name on the email.

9. Clean Your Email List

One really easy way to improve your open rate is to stop sending your email marketing to subscribers who don’t open your emails!

It sounds so simple, yet many marketers are more concerned with losing the potential open from someone who hasn’t opened their email in months. The size of a subscriber list is often something email marketers hold near and dear to their heart. Many have a hard time scrubbing the list of unengaged subscribers. You have worked hard at getting those people to even subscribe to your list in the first place, why should you delete them from your database altogether!? After all, they may not be opening your email-marketing right now, but they did at one point and they might again soon, right!? RIGHT!? (wrong!)

10. Stick to a Schedule

As mentioned in tip #1, finding the right send time and day is important to improving your open rate. Once you find that right day and time, stick to a consistent schedule. This helps build recognition with your readers, they are expecting your email at this point and hopefully, they’re looking forward to it! Don’t let them down or confuse them by sending at random intervals.

Now that you have the information to improve your email marketing, where do you start?

If you already have an email marketing software account such as MailChimp or Constant Contact but are unsure how to pull the data for the right day and time, A/B test, or segment your markets, we can help!

If you don’t have any email marketing software, do not be sending mass emails from your personal email, this will not only cause your personal email to be blacklisted but also is against CASL compliancy. Let us start you on the path to email marketing with a branded email template, list curating strategy and content optimization. Call today 905-836-4442 or email.