Professional ethics exists in various fields, but how does it manifest itself in user experience design? What can be done to provide users with products that put their interests up front, and how do brands do it?

User experience design is a term that has many different layers. Those who practice it are paving the way for users to interact with a product. Decisions are based on this fact. Some decisions may result in a limitation of the users’ actions or doing things that the user would not necessarily choose.

The area of ethics in user experience design lies on a scale that ranges from providing complete freedom for users, up to making all the decisions for them.

As a part of our daily routine, user experience designers “hack” into the thought patterns of their users. When they succeed, it very likely results in the success of the product itself. The process starts by choosing which options are available, while limiting personalization capabilities. It continues through stages where the flow dictates the user’s actions using learning steps, reaching the point where the system benefits from predicting behavioural patterns.

I would define an ethical challenge as the moment when the line of making seemingly-motiveless decisions that serve the interests of the system over those of the user, is crossed.

Why should we care at all? Well, if we are the ones who plan the processes and make the decisions, these are topics that ought to be addressed from a professional standpoint. No one would like to be labelled as the creator of an app that makes its users feel uncomfortable to interact with. For company owners, it is even more significant. Users today have a developed sense of critique. They voluntarily leave reviews in app stores, use stars to rate, invest time in conversations about the product/service, etc. You would probably like to avoid a PR crisis or a product failure which originated from poor planning, especially when it is relatively easy to prevent by putting your mind to it and gaining trust.

What Do Ethics Have to do with User Experience Design?

Every project requires planning from scratch, and no axiomatic assumptions should be made. Even if something proved effective for one target audience, it does not mean that the same process would work again for a different set of users.

Depending on the project, you are at liberty of taking a number of decisions. For example, you can decide how limiting the onboarding process would be or whether or not you should gamify the process that is leading to a review prompt. You can choose what data to display and what to hide (ideally, basing this on research results). You can decide what should be animated so as to create an emotion before making a decision. These are just some of the various decisions you can take for the benefit of the product. Such decisions have crucial importance for a product since manipulation attempts will very likely irritate users and cause them to leave, or close their account and delete the app. In three words: “that escalated quickly”, and in four: “influencing the user’s opinion”. Users usually make up their minds and accumulate a sense of comfort towards your product faster than you might think.

Ethics in user experience design is not a binding rule, but rather a collection of professional tips that would help you improve your product for your target users. The goal of this article is to create understanding and familiarity with this concept in various applications, so you could group these hunches with your common sense, beginning with your current projects.

Occasionally, while working, I find myself asking ethical questions regarding micro-actions and processes regarding registration, requests for permissions, monetizations and more. For each project, I consider what is the best solution. After collecting several solid ideas, I am sharing with you some of the dilemmas and the solutions I have found. I hope that you would benefit from that, regardless if you are the UX researcher, the product manager or even the CEO.

Recently, for example, I have noticed that Waze’s “Go Invisible” option was bumped up the menu. Waze stresses the social aspect of their app (traffic reports, chatter, seeing friends on the move, even carpool), and yet, they chose to put this option up front. This seemingly opposes their general philosophy. I assume they faced a choice between wanting to showcase active audience in a social network of drivers, and the freedom the drivers have to become invisible, and the latter won.

True, the notion is anything but new in social media apps, from Skype to the happy days of ICQ, we could do the ingenious action of being connected without being seen. Since then, in my opinion, values that deal with the users’ benefits (such as the need for privacy) have triumphed over the social/commercial need.

See the wisdom behind this. In such cases, potential users who would otherwise hesitate about trying the product, feel less threatened and more inclined to try it out. I assume that if Waze were not offering the option to disappear, the abandonment rate would go up or at least several users would consider the app nosey. So, flexibility towards the user’s needs can prove beneficial. Also, allowing users to choose the level of data access permissions, or not requiring many from the start, would allow more untrusting users on the bandwagon – people who are not feeling forced. In other words, users who object sharing personal data would try your product too. Therefore, a system that allows new and curious users to operate in an “unregistered” mode wins.

Every Product and its Ethical Questions

It is not always obvious, so, if you have any suspicion or ethical challenge during the creation of a flow for example, just put the question through the following filter: in a conflict of interests, do the user’s interests win? Meaning, no wasting time, no invasion of personal privacy, no unnecessary limitations and so on.

Can you answer that? Great! You are halfway there.

On one hand, multiple options = freedom to act

In the blue corner of the ring, we are placing the liberal principles of providing maximum personalization options and complete freedom. We expect the user to adjust the parameters however he/she sees fit. Here, all the questions are asked, all the possibilities are presented, and users are free to do as they please. Thus, they claim responsibility for their actions, whereas we, the designers of the system, are presenting the full scale of the system in the easiest and clearest way we can arrange the interface. In such cases, the user is expected to waste much time, as at any moment it is possible to backtrack and change parameters, settings and whatnot. Tinkering with the system itself can be never-ending.

Freedom is the main benefit, and the stage is set for the user, with maximum assistance for every action they might want to perform.

On the other hand, limiting the user = preventing errors

On the opposing red corner, find principles of conservatism and wrapping up the user. Here, we will not assume the user comprehends the entire gravity of their choices. We will ask as few questions as we can, with most choices being pre-made. In such cases, it is common to see a closed circuit of onboarding/tutorial that showcases the options, allowing the user to confirm only the most crucial choices (while being asked just once). Here, we strive to get the system as foolproof as we can. Consecutively, the interface would be linear, reduced and efficient, while guiding the user into performing specific actions without having to mess around with the system. Some might say that this is the optimal experience and the manifestation of respect to the user’s time.

This scenario is very much similar to how in the iOS interface, the “closeness” of elements allows the planning of streamlined processes, thus making the experience more consistent.

How much emphasis to bestow unto each approach

In reality, things are not black and white (…but rather, red and blue). Let me explain.

Let us take a banking app. Depositing a cheque would require the app to walk the user hand in hand, confirm multiple times while checking the balance and should not require any specific assistance. Meaning: when facing an action with significant consequences, where no mistakes are allowed, we need to lead our users, while confirming the understanding of each step and pacing by them.

Alternatively, think of states in which you have no direct control over, let us say, Gmail’s or Google Docs autosave features at intervals. Changes are saved automatically, sometimes allowing you to view the drafts or change history. As opposed to the banking app, there is no escorting. The decision has been made for you. Even if you are an above-average user, you cannot choose when to auto-save. Any negative implications for auto-saving? Virtually none.

Have you ever thought about the question “should your credit card details be saved for future purchases?” and whether it is toggled by default? (Hint: if it is on, someone has been relying on the statistic that a user would refrain from doing any additional action he/she is not sure about). Even though it might be easier not to retype the details, the system designer, in this case, is willing to compromise the data and to a certain degree, this decision is being taken in the light that it is in the system’s interests). The default might tell you, as users, a great deal about the intentions of the system’s planners.

Using passwords: A problematic topic from its very core, passwords are tough to remember and to type them cumbersome. However, the system is still expected to do whatever is possible to keep the account, data and password safe. Sometimes, the experience would be “educating” to the point of frustration: “you should use at least eight characters, one capital letter, digit and special symbol at the very least”. True story. In such situations, try to think of an action that would be a reasonable compromise for the user that would save future attempts to reset forgotten passwords. Example? Social login (Google/Facebook/Twitter), external confirmation (email/SMS), or even providing a little “life hack” to your users on how to remember passwords. The system loves me!

Newsletter registration: It is quite obvious that whoever builds a registration form is interested that users would sign up. On the other hand, as users ourselves, most of us can attest the problems in newsletters. You have been participating in a conversation online, and the next thing you know, you are getting a newsletter, ads and notifications of new posts without explicitly opting. So, should we pre-check opt-in checkboxes or not?

Social networks: If we think of Facebook’s default settings for a moment, when commenting, unless set otherwise, you will be notified of every new comment. It is true that it is useful (to keep track of the conversation), but there is no ignoring the fact that Facebook benefits from you returning over and over to check your notifications. The fear of missing out (or being left out, in this case) can become addicting eventually. I am quite certain that they have considered the number of notifications to walk the fine line between being informative and wasting time.

A recent feature has been introduced on Facebook. Besides (not instead) the notifications we are used to seeing, comments on someone’s wall post pop up in a seemingly “chat window”, next to the “regular” chats. For example, if I have congratulated someone, and they thanked me, it pops in the form of a conversation window, encouraging me to keep the conversation going (take note – publicly). For Facebook, it is close to a magical feature. A small change in a familiar pattern, yet one that increases user engagement. You are used to seeing private chats appear this way, so the primary instinct would be to divert attention there and keep on chatting.

There is no debate over the fact that if you want any product to survive, one major long-term goal is always to make the users come back and act over and over again. That being said, users who feel burdened by distractions demanded by less-important visuals would probably be irritated when being forced to divert their attention.

To summarise this part: The dilemmas grow more and more significant when the actions become more “critical”. As mentioned, when money can be accessed (PayPal, or apps that allow purchases and money transfers), it is advisable to make the process slightly longer to eliminate mistakes, even though it might be tempting to design a system that “compels” the user to make such an action quickly. We, as the experience planners, can make such choices. Everyone is rooting for ease of access and lightness of processes. Still, you might not want to be held responsible for making an instant loan request process too easy and impulsive, even though it might make the financial institution that provides the loan euphoric.

Guidelines to Resolve Ethical Dilemmas in UX Design

I have compiled seven guidelines that would help your users benefit from your choices, and I hope it might help you when making decisions:

1. Foolproof it

Even when that means “taking the wheel”. If the user is clearly heading for an action they might regret, plan ahead and prevent it. Think about the scenario of a highlighted save button when attempting to close an unsaved document. It is like stating: “We understand that you might regret leaving now, so, at the very least, we would like to show you the action you are assumed to prefer”. In most cases, this action should reversible.

2. Be the good guys and girls!

As a typical user, what would you expect to happen? Would you like to be signed in automatically to the mailing list? Would you like to see a summary before wiring money away to an account you have never wired money to before? Would you trust the app to have access to your personal and/or social media accounts? In such cases, keeping the best interests of the average user is probably the correct answer.

3. Yeah, science!

There are dozens of tools that allow you to conduct research. Whether it is a data analysis or the creation of an alternative page/site/app/feature, use real data to reach conclusions regarding the things your users prefer and how they react. The average developer should be able to tweak a simple form in moments, allowing you to see if the existence of a particular field affects conversion. So get it checked where doubt exists.

4. Correct data hierarchy

It is advisable to avoid any difficulty in accessing options the system is advertised to provide and making the user waste time in vain. Windows 10 users, for example, you are welcome to see whether it is easy to change the screen resolution as it used to be in previous versions.

5. Do not fear change

Even after a decision has been made, there is no reason to feel too attached to it. Gather feedback, take it into account, reply to your users and remember that the ones who bother to complain are those that are inclined to like your product. They are the users who invest the time to provide feedback. Also, you can always leverage a flow change for a new version upload that would benefit your PR.

6. Read the room

Nowadays it is safe to say that every product has a market share that used to (or expects) a certain user experience. Get to know the patterns and the audience. In case you have chosen to provide more options for a more advanced user base while giving up a bit of “streamline”-ness, make sure you understand tip #4. Alternatively, opting to provide fewer variables to more basic users should go hand in hand with having the interface teach the “game plan” in the best way possible.

7. Small bites

Facebook (and every company in the big data game) are known to be able to change the interfaces for billions of users on a whim, for better or worse. That is why they implement changes gradually: remember the frequent timeline changes? The registration for the new timeline layout (for users who wanted to see it first)? That is how you do it. Reveal features gradually or run several versions of your product in parallel (yes, A/B testing is advisable), and collect user feedback and data. This will make data gathering easier, diminish the feeling of intolerance towards existing users and reduce hurting the user base.

A Word on User Testing

User testing is a subject often raised when discussing ethics. I beleive that conducting user tests, knowingly or otherwise, yields a vast source of knowledge and provides the means for gathering data to evaluate. There are many ways to conduct research, whether it requires sitting next to users and watching them use the product, recording their actions or providing customised versions for specific crowds, and anything in-between.

As opposed to meeting your users in person or virtually, anything that is being done “behind the curtains”, whether the users are aware or not, has a layer of ethics on top of it. Every user of the Waze beta program is mindful of the fact that they get the chance to experience the latest features ahead of everyone. Whereas errors and even inability to use the app are not rare, at least, the user is aware of what to expect.

A/B testing is conducted, when versions of an active product are being operated side by side without the user being aware that they are a test subject. A particular question is in order: “is it OK to have users try things out without knowing, in the benefit of making the product better for everyone?”. Very often, the answer is yes, it is fine, as long as there is no harm done and no personal data is revealed. Indeed, a small percentage of users might face difficulties, but the aim is that the test is limited appropriately and the results are worth the trouble. This is particularly applicable in products that are provided free of charge. Some would prefer the chance for small, controlled instability, with the purpose of making the experience improve for the greater good.

There are those who have done something about it. Ind.ie are a Swedish duo who attempt to be the pioneers of technological ethics. In many aspects of it, interface planning included. You are welcome to watch them speak here:

In Conclusion

Ethical challenges often arise while planning and creating the initial wireframes, and particular ethical difficulties continue to rise during the product planning stage. It is advisable to conduct properly to avoid negative public opinion and trust pitfalls in the future.

I suggest thinking ahead about where the user is to be given freedom of choice, and where choices are to be made for him/her, in an attempt to provide the best experience possible and respect their time. In which cases we would prefer to point towards the “correct” action, so we will prevent errors, misunderstandings and keep things reversible. The field of ethics in UX planning is devoid of fixed rules and guidelines. Choices are measured in actions: how do users perceive your product and how much do they eventually trust it.

Consider the character of the product and its message. Within these frames, choose the amount of freedom you would like to provide. Base these decisions on research, tests and your personal experience as users (do not be afraid to make changes accordingly). You should strive to understand the product you are planning, both as a creator and as a user.

The most useful advice I can probably give you is to be as friendly to your users as possible. Keep their best interests in mind, and you will eventually benefit from it. Let them enjoy trusting you while feeling comfortable using the product, whether it is free or costly, simple or complex. Good luck!

Disclaimer: I have originally published a similar version of this article in Israeli on GeekTime and I have adapted it in English for UsabilityGeek.

Artificial intelligence is the new trend in tech and marketing. Consumers are loving it. What’s the ultimate goal of any brand or business? Engaging customers.

But what does engagement really mean in 2017? Today is the era of conversational marketing. If you want to win customers, you MUST make a real conversation with them. Even if you count how many messaging apps you have on your mobile phone, the chances are you have more than two or three apps.

Messaging apps have become important in our daily lives. 55% of the population of the planet use a messenger app every single day

And chatbot is the newest trend in messaging. A Chatbot is an interactive and interesting automated phone system which allows you to connect with a brand.

What Exactly Are Chatbots

Here’s Zembula’s quick and easy definition of a chatbot:

“In its most basic form (we’ll use basic as a relative term here), a chatbot is a form of artificial intelligence that combined with rules and algorithms that allows for a text-based chat interface to communicate with others. A chatbot is a tool that lets brands interact over chat with consumers.”

Let me make it more simple for you. Read this statement by Mark Zuckerberg,

“We think you should message a business just the way you would message a friend.”

This statement means more than any other technical definition.

Here’s an example to make it clearer:

If you wanted to order pizza from Domino’s, you’d go to their site, look around until you find your choice pizza, and then you’d order that.

But with the help of a Domino’s chatbot, you’d simply be able to message them on Facebook Messenger. It will understand your requirement by asking you relevant questions and you would simply tell it what you want… Simple.

(Image Credits)

According to David Marcus, Facebook’s VP of Messaging Products

“Bots can provide anything from automated subscription content like weather and traffic updates to customised communications like receipts, shipping notifications, and live automated messages all by interacting directly with the people who want to get them.”

Watch this video  – Facebook showing what a chatbot can do.

Here are some examples of chatbots:

TacoBot is the Taco Bell (Fast food chain) robot. They unveiled it on the popular messaging platform Slack, which allows customers to order food by messaging TacoBot, which asks all the right questions.

H&M, Sephora, and Victoria’s Secret have all recently introduced chatbots which make suggestions to customers and allow them to buy through the messaging platform. Burger King and Pizza Hut allow customers to order food directly through Facebook Messenger by messaging the restaurant chains’ bots.

CELEB STYLE chatbot analyses what your favourite celebrities are wearing and tells consumers where they can purchase each wardrobe item.

With 300 million downloads, the Kik chat app is used by close to 40% US teens. Facebook Messenger is another major player with 1 billion users! Some other popular platforms are: Slack, WhatsApp, ChatFuel, and many others.

Do you wonder what is the potential impact of a chatbot on an ecommerce startup? Take a look at some stats:

Live chat users spend an average of 5%-30% more and The buyer conversion rate is 5 to 10 times higher following a chat session. (Source)

90% of our time on mobile is spent on messaging platforms. People are using messenger apps more than they are using social networks. (Source)

80% of businesses said they already used or planned to use chatbots by 2020.

So, a chatbot is a BIG opportunity for your ecommerce startup to get ahead of your competition. Jes Stiles, CMO Emerging Markets, Ringier AG, perfectly answers why chatbots are important: “A messenger bot can allow you to have personalised 1-1 conversations at scale, opening up a whole new audience who do not wish to connect with the brand over email or download an app. Moreover, when built in a user-friendly manner, chatbots can actually provide a better experience than a human for common use cases with faster response times (no matter what time or day of the week) and greater personalisation of content.”

The Role Of  Chatbots In Ecommerce

Let’s take a look at how chatbots will completely change the way you do business:

Customer Experience And Service

Chatbots are meant to replace traditional chats and other communication media like phone calls and emails. The days are not that far when it completely replaces all human interaction.

Chatbot will take your customer service to another level. A chatbot can give your customers a quick, personalised, and interactive customer experience. They are meant to deliver instant and round-the-clock services and support to customers in need, offering all customers a quick and instant resolution to their queries and complaints.

Improve Your Sales

An ecommerce company which has chatbots indeed offers a prominent feature on their brand.

Chatbots can help you in the generation of potential leads and drive sales. A chatbot quickly responds to the customers who are scrolling through your sales page, can help to capture all potential customers by supplying their useful information to the sales department.

Chatbot can also send notifications and reminders to your prospects.

Make Conversation With Users

You can shop or order something in a conversational style. For example, your order a pair of shoes online by using the shopping website or by downloading the app of an online shopping site.

But with a chatbot, you don’t need to download an app or open a website. Just open Messenger, type XYZ shoes and a bot will take your order. It will ask you some relevant questions and show you shoes according to your preferences.

It will save a lot of time of your users. They serve the purpose in the best possible manner.

Help Customers To Make A Purchasing Decision

Chatbots help customers (who are not tech-friendly) in putting the items in the shopping cart and successfully completing the whole shopping process.

A chatbot stores your order history and suggests similar or complimentary products. If you have a confusion about any product, you can chat with a bot to ask your questions.

Do you want to register a complaint? Or do you need to return a product?

You don’t have to write a long email and no need of a telephonic conversation. A chatbot will take care of it. A chatbot gives a personalised feel to your customers. And makes your users feel like they are talking with a human. It will help you to cut business costs.

About The Author

[The author of this post is Kunjal Panchal, Digital Strategist and a social media geek – passionate about content marketing and strongly believes in the power of storytelling for marketing.]

WHAT THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER NEEDS TO KNOW NOW.

I had the pleasure of attending Social Media Summit 2017 at Croke Park, Dublin on 11th & 12th April 2017. The event took place over two days gathering together professionals in the industry and top speakers from near and far. Mari Smith, often known as ‘The Queen of Facebook’ travelled from the US via Scotland (her homeland) and keynoted on the first day. More about that later. The first day and the early morning of the second day were jammed packed with very interesting speakers and panels. The remainder of the second day was made up of Masterclasses where we got to learn the ‘how-to’. The event trended nationally for almost 3 days on Twitter and even hit the global trends. Well, we’re Social Media Marketers after all. What would you expect!

There was also a very eye-catching and delicious wall of green doughnuts, the opportunity to see the Sam Maguire Cup and the Liam McCarthy Cup and a great industry appropriate photo booth. We had the opportunity to chat, network, tweet and snap to our heart’s content.

My four takeaways from Social Media Summit 2017 are put together with small business in mind – the kinds of small businesses that I encounter every day in my work. Here’s what you should know from what I learned at the Summit. Here are the kinds of things you need to be implementing now to get that edge. Here you will discover where you need to be putting your energies for the rest of 2017.

Social Customer Care

Social Customer Care, sometimes also referred to as Social Customer Service, is how we look after our customers and clients on Social. It can come in almost any form but it must always be dealt with promptly. You may expect a customer enquiry as a tweet, or you may see a Facebook review, or then again you may get a PM on Facebook. Andrea Finnegan of Airbnb spoke at length about the culture of Social Customer Care in the company and gave examples where they not only satisfactorily resolved any issues but also went above and beyond to ensure the customer or host was happy.

Mari Smith says that we are better in Europe than they are in the US at this. While this is positive, I know that I have come across Facebook Messages in accounts that have not been responded to for several months or even a year. The digitally savvy customer will not tolerate this and will quite simply leave and go elsewhere. It makes your business seem sloppy.

I especially liked the talk by Jamie White of Leading Social. Jamie says he loves complaints, something which strikes dread into most small business owners. He says this is your big opportunity to shine and show the world that you really care about your customers.

Take a look at how your customers are being engaged with on Social. Who is in charge of these tasks? Are they equipped to do so? Do they have the ability to think on their feet? Do they have the power to resolve issues? Also, consider if positive reviews and comments are left on Social Media; are they being responded to? There’s nothing worse than these being ignored by your business. These reviewers and commenters are in your corner. Keep them there!

Influencer Marketing

Leveraging influencers online is something which our larger cousins, the corporates, do very well all the time. There was considerable talk from a number of speakers and panelists about Influencer Marketing. Lisa Toner of Hubspot spoke about sourcing your influencers, influencers who resonate with your customers and clients. It’s a bit of a grey area as to whether influencers are paid or not at times. What’s probably true to say is that the influencer is getting value in some other way. Lisa Toner warned that your business or brand must get value from the partnership. Choose your influencer well. Additionally, Lisa says that they don’t pay most of their influencers at Hubspot. Interestingly, Mari Smith declared that she was a brand ambassador for Animoto. Therefore, we as listeners knew that she has a collaboration with that company when she mentions them.

I think Infuencer Marketing is something which small busineses can explore. And you don’t need mega influencers to work with. That may seem disproportionate. But there may be local influencers that would work with your business online that are in tune with your customers. They should be someone who has credibility, a considerable social media following and be familiar with you business. I think also they should believe in your business so that you get the best message out there.

Video

No contest. Video was one of the biggest messages from the Social Media Summit. Both regular video and live video. Almost every speaker mentioned it it some way. Mari Smith says that video on Facebook gets 3 times more engagement, yet less than 1% of posts in the newsfeed are video according to Buffer.

Greg Owens of Twitter Dublin spoke about the need to capture the audience with a great hook at the start of the video. We need to grab people’s attention in the first 3 seconds, else they’re gone to the next shiny object.

Facebook is investing heavily in video to compete in this growing space inhabited by Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime. In fact, Facebook is introducing a new video only feed on mobile. It’s also looking to episodic content. It’s safe to say we’re only at the very start of this video revolution. Mari Smith says there is a small window of opportunity now when businesses can leverage the space before the explosion of video content takes place.

Brands that fail to incorporate visuals and videos will be left by the wayside. ~ Forbes Click To Tweet

The big learn for me is square video on social media. Yes, we’ve all seen them in the Facebook and Instagram feeds. But they have a considerable number of positives I hadn’t realised. Square videos get +28% video views than landscape and have a 67% higher completion rate. Because of these results if you’re producing video, consider going square for Facebook and Instagram. You’ll need tools to do this. Some that were suggested are Animoto and Animatron.

Live video is also something to consider for your small business and I really enjoyed Krishna De’s Masterclass on this.

Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads were mentioned by so many of the speakers in so many different ways. Facebook Ads are now a given. We were told by Mari Smith that Facebook will run out of Ad inventory this summer. Facebook Ads are sure to increase in price in the long term however Facebook is continually creating new types of placements. It’s clear that the small business owner must stick with the game in order to be relevant in this continually shifting environment.

The beauty of posting video either organically or as a ad on Facebook is that you can then create custom audiences from your video viewers and retarget those people with ads later. The overall message was to be human, tell stories and evoke an emotion on Facebook Ads in order to be successful. It’s also worth looking at Canvas Ads although they may be a step too far for small businesses in terms of the input required. Mari Smith suggests that the Facebook algorithm can detect the sophistication of the ad, which makes a lot of sense to me.

In any case from what I heard from the speakers and for the other delegates around the room is that Facebook Ads are absolutely necessary in 2017 and beyond.

I thoroughly enjoyed attending Social Media Summit 2017 and am already looking forward to next year!

If you would like to get in touch with me feel free to use the Facebook Messenger button below.

I like to think of inbound marketing as the true charmer of digital marketing. But before you become horrified and start imagining broken promises and angry customers left disillusioned and disappointed, let me explain a little further…Inbound marketing delivers on its promises.

It helps businesses understand what people want, need and crave and helps them get to grips with the tactics that will ultimately keep their customers satisfied. But instead of whispering sweet nothings in their ears – it actually gives customers what they’ve asked for in the form of compelling content, relevant search terms and personalised and meaningful messages.

You see, inbound marketing is the most cost-effective and authentic way to win your customers’ hearts and minds. And that makes it a skill that you simply cannot afford not to master…

HubSpot, the kings of inbound marketing have developed a learning academy for budding inbound marketers to journey through and graduate from. The comprehensive course consists of a series of engaging training videos, in-depth user guides and how-to articles. The learning academy helps you get to grips with inbound marketing basics like blogging, social media, building landing pages and running email marketing campaigns.

Top Tip: You can earn your Inbound Certification for free – after you’ve studied the resources, take the exam so you can proudly display it on your LinkedIn profile.

Moz’s ‘Learn SEO and Search Marketing’ library contains a wealth of in-depth, how-to articles that every budding inbound marketer should investigate. You’ll learn everything you need to begin your SEO journey, including getting to grips with the basic terms and tactics that form a powerful inbound strategy. You’ll discover how to conduct effective keyword targeting along with the importance of on-page optimization, taking into account everything from meta descriptions and schema structured data to duplicate content and mobile optimized websites.

But the inbound fun doesn’t end there – you’ll also enjoy SEO quizzes, industry surveys, technical guides, educational video bundles and lots more. For additional lessons, Moz Academy is worth a flick through. Word of warning though – there are so many great resources available that you might be browsing for a while so make sure you curl up with a coffee first and pause that Netflix show.

You can sign up to the Moz Community for free. And we’d certainly recommend you do so as there are so plenty of unmissable inbound marketing resources to avail of. For example, you can register for their upcoming webinars (or Mozinars) which are fairly regular and cover a vast array of SEO topics and you can, of course, watch a series of previously recorded webinars also. You will be kept up to date with upcoming events, can avail of unlimited Open Site Explorer Reports and have the opportunity to ask and answer questions in the Q&A forum.

However, the best part is that you get to write and submit your own blog posts for review. The Moz Community only publishes in-depth, quality posts that add true value to the reader so make sure you read their guidelines in full before submitting a draft. Writing about a subject is often the best way to learn. And as an absolute bonus you’ll get your name out to a premium audience. There’s no better way to establish your own credibility in the inbound marketing industry.

Best Community For: Making a well-respected name for yourself in the industry and learning from influential sources.

Inbound.org is an exciting online forum that publishes daily articles, opinions and quotes from inbound professionals at all industry levels, from well-known influencers to complete newbies. Submissions can be voted up or down, allowing visitors to discover the best, newest and most-on-topic inbound articles around.

Discussions on the latest SEO updates can get fairly heated – this is a great hub for viewing both sides of the argument and allowing you to form your own opinions about new industry trends and news. Interaction is also very much encouraged, making this the ideal community to visit to ask questions, pose thoughts and make connections.

Best Blog For: Helping you discover the most popular and influential inbound blog posts of the moment.

Search Engine Land is a rather compelling daily publication that focuses on all aspects of the search marketing industry. You can look forward to breaking news stories and industry trends alongside new feature announcements and algorithm changes at the likes of Google and other search engine giants. This is the first place we recommend turning to for industry news – a must-read for your morning commute.

Best Blog For: Helping you get to grips with industry news, algorithm changes and SEO updates.

Learning how to create valuable content is one of the most important components of inbound marketing. And no-one knows their content marketing quite like the Content Marketing Institute. They provide a wealth of content marketing resources, including industry benchmarks and trends, original whitepapers, podcasts and webinars. Their White Paper and eBook Library is a must-visit – a true treasure trove of content marketing advice from industry experts.

The blog is home to a number of awesome articles written about blogging, content strategy and storytelling best practices that will help you dramatically enhance the power of your inbound marketing mission. Another big bonus is that it keeps you updated with the latest content marketing events that often have a heavy inbound marketing focus.

Best Blog For: Learning how to master content marketing and understanding what it takes to provide true value for customers.

Just like content marketing, social media is an essential component of any effective inbound marketing strategy. It is especially important to learn how to identify and connect with industry influencers with large social media followings who can significantly propel the reach of your content.

You’ll learn how to do this and lots more by reading Social Media Examiner regularly. The blog is packed full of quality articles about all things social media, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest and more. It also often includes expert opinions, influencer interviews and best-practice case studies.

Best Blog For: Helping you learn how to use social media to attract customers towards your brand and build valuable communities in the process.

Want to become an Inbound Marketing Specialist? Our Online Professional Diploma in Search Marketing is created, validated and accredited by industry experts and will give you the specialist knowledge needed to thrive in the field.

About Zara Burke

Zara is the Digital Marketing Institute’s Digital Marketing Executive. She writes about all things digital marketing, including search, social media, email, mobile and Analytics. Her core passions are content creation and small business strategy.