Frank Maguire East Coast Sales Director frank@sharethrough.com

@fwanktank

Advertising for the Modern Internet

The Six Iab Native Advertising Categories

Sharethrough Is The Largest In-Feed Ad Exchange

Recommendation !Widgets

Promoted!Listings Custom

In-Feed IAB!“Native”

Paid !Search

Sharethrough Is In-Feed Advertising

The Only Solution To Distribute All Forms Of Content

200+ Premium Sites

Unrivaled Scale. Premium Publishers. Mobile Dominance.Over 200 media partners across six primary channels

Total US Reach

227 MillionUS Reach

94%Mobile Uniques

122 MillionUS Reach

91%Desktop Uniques

192 MillionUS Reach

86%

The Modern Internet Is All About Feeds

Feeds Are The Most Effective Way For Brands To Distribute Content

In a world where people check their phones 150 times per day, we’ve learned to Love the Feed. These days, stories spread through headlines.

THE AMOUNT OF CONTENTOnce Outpaced Our Ability to Consume All of it

CAPACITY TO CONSUME CONTENT (i.e. # of stories per day)

AMOUNT OF CONTENT

time

Enter: THE FEEDFeeds Concentrate Content Into Its Most Atomic Form

THE MODERN INTERNET IS ALL FEEDS

THE MODERN INTERNET IS ALL FEEDS

powers in-feed ads

powers in-feed ads

THE FEED HAS INCREASED OUR CAPACITY TO CONSUME CONTENT

THE RISE OF FEEDS

AMOUNT OF CONTENT

And We’re Addicted

time

CAPACITY TO CONSUME CONTENT (i.e. # of stories per day)

FOR BETTER: More Informed, More Often

FOR WORSE: Trading Depth of Engagement for Lighter Stimulation

Done well, headlines alone can tell meaningful stories.

Stories can spread even with light engagement.

“Across 2.7M tweets, studies find no correlation between retweets & clicks.”

Headlines Sometimes Matter Even More than the Content

WE’RE ADDICTED TO THE NEWWe’ve Created a New Habit Without Even Realizing it

WE’RE ADDICTED TO THE NEWWe’ve Created a New Habit Without Even Realizing it

A NEW CONCEPT:

The popularization of the feed has caused an: (1) increase in frequency of information &

(2) a decrease in average depth of engagement

THE RISE OF FEEDS

CAPACITY TO CONSUME

AMOUNT OF CONTENT

DEPTH OF MEANING

THE NEW NORMAL FOR BRANDS

More Content + More Often + Less Depth of Engagement

DEPTH OF ENGAGEMENT

THE NEW NORMAL FOR BRANDS

Brands are spreading meaningful stories through headlines,

from videos and social content to product releases and 3rd party

posts.

A MOVEMENT IS UNDERWAY

Brand Advertising through Stories & Headlines in the Feed,

Beyond Banners & Interruptive Ads

The Largest & Most Premium In-Feed Ad Platform• All forms of brand content • Most premium publishers: 227M uniques per month • Most advanced technology platform

Brands Use Sharethrough to Distribute:

...and any content that lives on the web

The Sharethrough Platform Is Built For Distribution Of All Forms Of Brand Content

Brand Campaign Q1 2014

The Sharethrough Platform Is Built For Distribution Of All Forms Of Brand Content

Brands Use Sharethrough to Distribute:

...and any content that lives on the web

If brand advertising is about stories, and stories are distributed through feeds, headlines are incredibly important. !

!

We’re here to teach you our ways.

of web users scan headlines rather than read articles79% But Meaningful Stories Can

Spread Through Headlines Alone

* an April Fool’s Joke

If brand advertising is about stories, and stories are distributed through feeds, headlines are the new tagline. !

!

Headlines are the New Tagline

vs.

Headlines are the New Tagline

vs.

Headlines are the New Tagline

vs.

Headlines are the New Tagline

vs.

Headlines are the New Tagline

vs.

Quick Reality Check: !

You are NOT making ADS to interrupt people.

Viewers EXPECT content to be at least GOOD (hopefully, to be great)

Video Formats Are Evolving

Happening Now

Ben & Jerry’sAmerican Express LowesMagnum

Happening Now

General Electric

“What happens when you combine milk, food coloring and dish soap?” #yayscience

Tips How to’s deliver utility, which allow for knowledge sharing

Quickfire Best Practices:

Tips and Tricks for Promoting Various Forms of Content Through In-Feed Ads

Brand Videos

How long should my video be? !“As short as possible but as long as it deserves.” !

Mobile Video

Does content need to be different for mobile? No, but keep in mind — because mobile videos play in full screen, make sure the first 5 seconds of the video are compelling.

Youtube Videos

Headlines, not Titles: Titles are OK on YouTube, but on the rest of the web, write headlines, not titles.

Social Videos

How branded should the content be?!!

Because you’re promoting one post and not a whole Vine/Instagram/Tumblr page, better to promote posts that are more branded than non-branded

Instagram

How branded should photos be?!!

For the moment, people are overly sensitive to overly-branded, bad Instagram ads. !

For now, lean towards promoting photos that are less branded.

Tumblr

How many posts should I promote?!!

Promote all new posts to see engagement rates, and focus on the highest performing ones. !

Also identify and promote high-performing library content that’s evergreen.

Brand As Always-On Content Publisher

How many posts should I promote?!!

Promote your entire feed of content with an always-on testing budget. Try to optimize towards 2-3 posts that work best per targeting channel every few weeks. * Or have Sharethrough optimize for you :) !

Sponsored Content Programs (Example: Buzzfeed)

Which Buzzfeed posts work best on the open web?!!

Performance on Buzzfeed is not always indicative of performance on the rest of the web.

Any tips for maximizing engagement rate?!!

Because most Buzzfeed posts are lists, test multiple permutations of the different thumbnails.

Favorable Press And Reviews

!

How should I work with my agency !for always-ready content marketing?!!

To increase velocity, use aways-open lines of credit rather than fixed/flighted IO’s.

A Three-Part Method For Consistently Conjuring Great Headlines: !

1. Content » Read, Watch, Talk

2. Context » On Site vs. Distributed

3. Craft » 14 Pro-Tips

!

“All You Have To Do Is Write One (Five) True Sentence(S). Write The Truest Sentence(S) You Know”

- Hemingway(Ish)

14 Tips For Writing Great Headlines “Headlines are one of the most undervalued parts of online messaging. People care about them, people know to care about them, but still it’s the easiest way to dramatically increase the virality of everything you do and I guarantee that you’re not spending enough time on it.” !!- Peter Koechley, Co-Founder of Upworthy

#1. The Top Four Performing Headline Styles

Headlines that contained one of the words below drive highest average engagement

Enga

gem

ent R

ate

0

1

2

3

4

Styles Of Headlines vs. Baseline Metric

Numbers Question Mark Brand Celebrity Name

#? Brand

Celeb Lower !performing !headlines!include:!!• Vague Statements!• Self-referential!• Titles

Enga

gem

ent R

ate

0

1

2

3

4

Num of Characters

15-30 31-45 46-60 61+

Pepsi x Beyonce Video!!Sponsored by Pepsi

#2. Longer Headlines Outperform Short Titles

Pepsi x Beyonce Team Up for Music Video!

Sponsored by Pepsi

Pepsi x Beyonce Release New Music Video “Mirrors”!

Sponsored by Pepsi

Behind the Scenes of the New Pepsi x Beyonce Music Video “Mirrors”!

Sponsored by Pepsi

Average Engagement Vs Overall Click Out

The Best Crab Bisque You’ll Ever Have on a Cruise

Sharethrough Engagement Rate: 5.1%

#3: Use Superlatives

#4: Don’t Describe. Tell A Story

Photographer Captures The Isolation of Smokers In Haunting Portraits

Sharethrough Engagement Rate: 6.7%

#5: Create A Curiosity Gap

An Open Invitation To Lebron: She’s 16, Hates To Lose, And Has Cancer

Sharethrough Engagement Rate: 3.3%

#6: Telegraph The Emotion

This Holiday Snack Recipe Will Make Your Mouth Actually Water, Right NowHoliday Recipe Snack Guide

This Holiday Snack Recipe Will Make Your Mouth Actually Water, Right Now

Sharethrough Engagement Rate: 4.1%

#6: Telegraph The Emotion

#7 : Embrace The Impression

Music Innovation Driven by Smart Tech

#7 : Embrace The Impression

#8: Branding Doesn’t Have To Scream Advertisement!

Include anything that has your brand equity !• Phrase!• Tagline !• Spokesperson!• Product Attribute

Epic: Van Damme Balances on Two Volvo Trucks

Branded Thumbnail, Unbranded Headline

Branded Headline, Unbranded Thumbnail

Behind the Scenes of Beyonce’s Latest Video “Mirrors”!Sponsored by Pepsi

Pepsi x Beyonce Team Up to Launch Our New Music Video “Mirrors” [Watch It Now!]!Sponsored by Pepsi

#8: Branding Doesn’t Have To Scream Advertisement

#9: Titles ≠ Headlines

Your YouTube or Tumblr titles will likely not make any sense out in the wild.

#9: Titles ≠ Headlines

Your YouTube or Tumblr titles will likely not make any sense out in the wild.

#9: Titles ≠ Headlines

Your YouTube or Tumblr titles will likely not make any sense out in the wild.

M&M Photo

#9: Titles ≠ Headlines

Your YouTube or Tumblr titles will likely not make any sense out in the wild.

Adidas ZX-1000

#10: Numbers Perform Well

Why? Because people are looking for an excuse to consume the next piece of content (or not), and numbers suggest the amount of time investment needed to see the content through.!!This is why “listicles” dominate the internet.!!

#11: Tap Into The Zeitgeist Of The Internet

Timeliness is the key to winning the Internet, so be a student of its pulse - daily.

Free platform that tracks a real time fire hose of the top shared stories on the web. !Use it to keep your finger on the pulse of the stories that are happening each day.

Scanvine.com

#11: Tap Into The Zeitgeist Of The Internet

#12: Write For Humans

Write a headline that you would want to click on.!!It’s hugely important to not sound like a robot when you want people to opt-into your content.

A Young Kid Was Bullied, And He Reacted Well

#12: Write For Humans

Write a headline that you would want to click on.!!It’s hugely important to not sound like a robot when you want people to opt-into your content.

WTF?

Lol! Omg!

Holy Shit. So Sad:( Wtf?!?

craziest

Craziest Saddest Cutest

Funniest Worst

photo

Photo Video Stunt Fail Idea

seen

Watched Experienced

Heard Seen

Imagined

new mom

New Mom Single Dad Giants Fan Republican New Yorker

see

See Share Post

Watch Witness

super organized

Cry Embarrassed

Pissed Die Laughing Quit Smoking

#13: Write Headlines Built For Sharing

#14: Tease the Takeaway

Prove that it’s worth a consumer’s time.!!

Tell them they will learn something, feel something, or debate something. !

Music And Technology Spur Passion

#14: Tease the Takeaway

Prove that it’s worth a consumer’s time.!!

Tell them they will learn something, feel something, or debate something. !

14 Tips for Writing Incredible Headlines

1) #’s, ?’s, Brands, Celebs 2) Longer Headlines, not Short Titles 3) Use Superlatives 4) Don’t Describe. Tell A Story 5) Create A Curiosity Gap 6) Telegraph The Emotion 7) Embrace The Impression

8) Branding Doesn’t Have to Scream Advertisement 9) Titles ≠ Headlines 10) Numbers Perform Well 11) Tap Into The Zeitgeist Of The Internet 12) Write For Humans 13) Write Headlines That Are For Sharing 14) Tease The Takeaway

Writer’s Block? Headline Fatigue? !

Here’s a Quick-Start Guide.

8 Sites That Write Killer Headlines

Casual & Salacious

Full Sentences, Written for Humans

Overpromise, then Overdeliver

Tap into Curiosity & Inspiration

Top 5 Best Examples of List-based Headlines

Thoughtful, Short & Sweet

Modern News Headlines

Business, with a Twist

NativeAdvertising.com Is Your New Best Friend

Powered by Sharethrough technology, NativeAdvertising.com tracks & ranks all sponsored, brand content across the web.

NativeAdvertising.com Is Your New Best Friend

Quick-Start Headline Guide: Bite-Sized Content

WHEN [something happens that's funny or unexpected.]  [Very funny or unexpected].!• When ad placements go wrong. Very wrong. !

The NEW [rules/etiquette] of [something interesting].!• The New Etiquette Of Smoking Marijuana !

This [VIDEO/IMAGE] of [something] is [something].!• This Video Of Dancing Sushi Is Supposed To Convince You To Eat More Sushi !

The [Three Tweets/Posts/Images/Videos] that [shed light on the larger story].!• The Three Must-Read Tweets On The School Massacre Were All Written Before A Single Shot Was Fired !

Just [something cute/funny/awesome that you’d have to be dead inside not share].!• Just a baby monkey taking a bath

Quick-Start Headline Guide: Interesting Stories

[Someone interesting] DOES [something interesting]!•94-Year-Old Escapes Hospital For Birthday Beer •Man Walks All Day to Create Spectacular Snow Patterns •Buckingham Palace Guard Makes History !

The [strange/surprising/wonderful] STORY of how [something]!•The Strange Story Of New York's Anarchist School •An Unlikely Success Story For Modern Architecture, Mies, And Detroit !

[Someone] does EPIC [something]!•8th Grader Hits Epic No-Look Buzzer Beater !

HOW [someone] is doing [something]!•How BlueKite is shaking up remittances in Florida, eyeing expansion into Spain

Quick-Start Headline Guide: Direct Calls to Action

WATCH this [amazing/inspiring/beautiful] video of [something]!•Watch This Amazing Beautiful Footage Of Flying Over The Moon !

USE this [app/service/idea] to [do something awesome/unexpected]!•Use This Webapp to Find Out If Your iPhone Apps Are Spying On You

Quick-Start Headline Guide: Hyperbole

This is the BEST/MOST [amazing/beautiful] [something] in the world!•This Is The Best Smartphone Car Mount •The Most Beautiful Opera Houses In The World !

INCREDIBLE [something] at [somewhere]!•Incredible LED lit ice slides at the Harbin Ice Festival in China !

The World’s [____est] [something]!•World's Largest Rube Goldberg Machine

!

The [5] Most [Funny/Interesting/Persuasive/Happy] [somethings]!•The 5 Most Persuasive Words In The English Language

Quick-Start Headline Guide: How & Why

Why [something] is the tip of the iceberg!• Why BuzzFeed’s photo spat with Reddit could be just the tip of the iceberg!!

Why do [something] [do something]?!• Why Do Humans Cry?!!

Ways to [something]!• Ways To Get People To Do Things They Don’t Want To Do!!

How [something] is like/drives/makes [something unexpected]!• How Technology is Like Bug Sex!• How Investment Drives Engagement (Slides)!

Your Turn: A Fun Headlines Workshop

Headlines, Not Titles

What Do You Want To Learn In 2014?

Engagement Rate

For Example: Which Partner’s Content Works Best?

Engagement Rate

Blog PostShort Form Video Image Infographic Sponsored

Post PRLong Form Video

For Example: What Format Of Content Works Best?

Engagement Rate

Educate EntertainInspire Sell Validate Inform Provoke

For Example: What Tone Works Best?

Engagement Rate

Music NFLEducation Gaming Celebrity Sports Award Shows

For Example: What Theme Works Best?

Engagement Rate

Statement FactQuestion Time Commit Top List Tease Hyperbole

For Example: What Type Of Headline Works Best?

Engagement Rate

For Example: What Kind Of Thumbnail Works Best?

Product PeopleScene Celebrity Sports Logo Action

Engagement Rate

Sports StyleEntertainment Home Tech Music Men’s Lifestyle

For Example: What Targeting/Channels Work Best?

Travel Use Cases

Marriott St. Kitts Branded Editorial

Marriott Florida had a number of editorial articles they were looking to distribute that featured Spring Break lists, the Miami food scene, and Florida sporting events for the family. The content was then tested with

multiple headlines across Sharethrough’s desktop and mobile platforms to maximize campaign performance. Several creatives outperformed desktop engagement benchmarks (0.1-0.2% desktop engagement

benchmark) while mobile engagement rates surpassed benchmarks by 3x (mobile engagement benchmarks 0.8-1.2%)!

Marriott Branded Content Sharethrough Native Ads

Celebrity Cruises developed a travel blog, Catalyst, and was looking for Sharethrough’s recommendation to distribute the best posts on the site. Sharethrough’s creative team

then selected the top blog posts and paired them with headline/description combinations to test and optimize toward the best performing creatives. Mobile

engagement rates were particularly impressive, surpassing Sharethrough benchmarks by over 4x (mobile engagement rates 0.8-1.2%)

Celebrity Cruises Blog DistributionCelebrity Blog Content Sharethrough Native Ads

Holiday Inn Express wanted to build awareness and drive engagement for its Stay Smart campaign. They ran a pair of Vine videos in conjunction with their branded TV spots to compare performance

across Sharethrough’s platform. The Vine videos were to be a huge success, smashing engagement benchmarks on desktop by 6x (desktop engagement benchmark 0.1-0.2%) and on mobile by 10x

(mobile engagement benchmark 0.8-1.2%)! Vine videos proved to be one of the most efficient performing creatives in Sharethrough’s history.

Holiday Inn Vine And Branded VideoHoliday Inn Videos Sharethrough Native Ads

Alaska Airlines developed a video with Seahawks QB Russell Wilson, looking to distribute it across Sharethrough’s desktop and mobile platforms. The video was natively integrated into premium publishers such as USA Today Sports, Time Inc, Big Lead, etc.

to drive awareness and engagement with Alaska Airlines leading up to the Super Bowl. Mobile engagement rates exceeded benchmarks (mobile engagement benchmarks 0.8-1.2%) while desktop engagement rates fell at the top end of benchmarks

(desktop engagement benchmarks 0.1-0.2%).

Alaska Airlines Video Campaign

Alaska Airlines Video Content

Thank You