Avoid These 10 Marketing ‘Icks’
If you haven’t encountered the term yet, you likely have an idea of exactly what an “ick” is. A staple in Gen Z’s vocabulary and an ongoing internet trend, the term means something cringe-worthy or off putting. Did you miss our TikTok and Instagram Reels about marketing icks? Click the links. We’ll wait right here. When you’re done, check out several more marketing mistakes you’ll want to avoid (and what to do instead).
Inauthentic and Fake Photography/Graphics
We want real! We want personality! We want YOU! When we look at a brand’s social media, we want to feel connected to the brand rather than see a pre-made Canva template or cliche stock image.
Canva Templates
Canva is an amazing tool with a variety of templates that are great for inspiration…but not to copy and paste. Have you ever looked at a graphic on social media and thought, “That looks familiar,” or, “ That is definitely straight from Canva”? This happens when brands copy a template without changing the design to match their own style.
Canva has more than 30 million users, all with access to the exact same templates. Imagine just half that amount copying them! Designs start to become quickly recognizable because they have made the rounds, ultimately becoming easy to ignore and watering down each brand that uses them.. Templates are fantastic for saving time and getting new ideas. Make them yours by using the fonts, colors, and design elements unique to your brand.
Heavy Stock Photography
People are more visually aware than they’re given credit for. Just like with graphics, your customers can recognize when different brands are using the same stock image (or just stock images in general). Stock photos are supposed to be an accessible visual support for businesses of all sizes, but as Vince Vaughn proved, they’ve become ubiquitous to a slightly absurd extent.
It’s tempting to rely on stock photography because you can easily find great quality photos in less time than ever and often for free. What’s missing is the same as our Canva templates – authenticity and your brand’s vibe. But the quickest solution is not always the best one.
Authentic images make it easier for customers to feel connected to your brand on social media. You aren’t the only one with access to stock images – your competitors can use them, too. Leveraging custom imagery will set your brand apart, even if the image quality isn’t as professional as stock photos appear. In our experience, these lo-fi versions outperform stock photos on social media posts consistently. Why? They affirm your brand identity and build trust.
TikTok and Instagram Watermarks
TikTok and Instagram are the biggest culprits of inserting watermarks (and not giving users a choice to opt out) for video downloads. Making the most of your content by posting on multiple platforms is smart, but those watermarks can get in your way. While they may not bother most viewers, they do result in content performing worse on competing platforms.
Luckily, we know the perfect tools to cross post content without watermarks, andstill meeting the different guidelines for each platform. Try SnapTik and SnapInsta to remove watermarks for content that looks cleaner and more professional (yes, even when it’s lo-fi).
Cluttered, Messy Graphics
Have you ever looked at an infographic and felt so overwhelmed that you didn’t even know where to look? We know the feeling. Creating overly busy graphics is a common mistake made by many brands. It can have a serious impact on the performance making it difficult for viewers to retain the information you want them to know. You can prevent design crowding using two foundational elements. First, create a design hierarchy. Each element should be created in a way that helps the reader understand the message. Second, don’t be afraid of white space. While Taylor Swift may be ready to fill her blank space with our names, having blank space on a design helps prevent visual overwhelm and the urge to scroll. Less is more when designing graphics.
“Check It Out” as a Call to Action
Is there a more overused or ambiguous call to action (CTA) than “Check it out”? “Contact us” is definitely a close second. But if a call to action isn’t compelling, you won’t get the action you’re hoping for.
A CTA thatintrigues viewers to take the next step, uses clear and actionable language communicating what the customer should do next. “Check it out” holds no value to the viewer and is way too general. Your brand deserves more. Use a call to action that is consistent with your company’s own style and tone. What do you want your audience to do? Create a CTA that will show the viewer the benefit they receive when following the desired action. Here’s an inspo list to get you started.
Logos Without Transparent Backgrounds
Logos are the visual shortcut your brand leverages to remind customers of the values and benefits of your brand. If your logo uses a non-transparent background, it’s definitely standing out, just not in the way you hoped. Once again, it all comes back to standing out and a great place to start is with your logo. When using a logo with a background, there is a lot of clash between colors and elements, which can hold back your content.A transparent logo background lets your design shine on any surface.
Work with your original logo designer to remove backgrounds or connect with our team for a logo refresh and boost the broadcast signal for your brand.
Links in Instagram Captions
This may be the ickiest ick of them all.
Instagram loves its rules and one of them has to do with their vendetta against the dreaded links. Making it easy to click links in captions means users are more likely to leave the platform and less likely to come back. So while it may make sense to include a link in the caption of your post, that’swhere all of the important information is, after all, that’s not the case.
Users can definitely use a link from a caption, but only after painstakingly copying and then pasting it into a browser. The friction this creates means those links might as well not be there. Save your followers the time and the hassle! Instagram allows one single link on your profile and it happens to be in your bio. Utilize this feature so that next time you want to put a URL in your caption it can be replaced with “find the link in my bio!.”
It won’t be a link; it’ll just be a raw, unclickable URL. If you want users to “click through’ the link, you will need to get them to copy and paste it into their browser.
Incorrect Specs for Platforms
Pop quiz. What’s the fastest way to ensure users don’t engage with your content? Is it:
Blurry images.
Pixelated images.
Poorly cropped images.
Any of the above.
Of course, the answer is D.. Social media is all about the visual appeal and these mistakes are a fast way to kill your engagement.
Keep this guide handy and you’ll always have the latest specs for social media platforms and easily avoid these mistakes. Don’t give people a reason to scroll past before they even read the message.
#HashtagsWithoutCamelCase
Hashtags make posts and topics easier to find, but sometimes they can cause some confusion and tend to leave those with certain disabilities out of the loop.
What do camels have to do with hashtags? We’re so glad you asked! Writing in camel case means dropping spaces and using capital letters to indicate the start of the next word. Like this: ThisSentenceIsWrittenInCamelCase. Like many accessibility features, camel case makes reading hashtags easier for everyone, not just people with disabilities.
Brand Emails Without Clear Unsubscribe Buttons
If you have to trick your subscribers into staying, it’s time to reexamine your email marketing strategy. Don’t put your subscribers in the same annoying situations that probably happen in your inbox.
As professional marketers, The Green Loop team prioritizes consent for email marketing. It sounds counterintuitive to add an accessible unsubscribe button, but allowing your customers the option to quickly opt out signals that your brand respects them.. Not all content is right for everyone, and a clean email list is a strong email list.
If you make the switch and see high unsubscribe rates, they won’t harm your deliverability. But hiding your unsubscribe in a tiny font at the very bottom (or sending emails so long that Gmail cuts off that section entirely) is more likely to get your emails labeled as spam – and that will affect delivery rates. Not all content is right for everyone, and a clean email list is a strong email list.
Passive Agressive Language in Pop-ups
You may hate guilt trip pop-up ads as much as we do, but if their pervasiveness has you thinking maybe they’re not so bad, rest assured they are. Companies using shaming pop-ups experience 70% of visitors leaving and not returning to their sites.
Ethical marketing is all about making emotional connections and building customer relationships, not manipulating your audience into compliance with your sales goals. Successful marketing builds trust and shaming potential customers won’t accomplish that.
Conclusion
As a team of creative experts from all walks of marketing, we’ve seen a lot of icks. We’re ready to help you avoid them all. Your winning strategy is waiting for our implementation – let’s make it happen.
Sarah is a bright, young marketing student at the IUPUI Kelley School of Business. Through her experience with MORE Magazine and MySherri, she developed advanced skills in social media management, web design, and sales. Sarah also serves as the President for IUPUI’s Women in Business club. When Sarah isn’t spending her time working, she enjoys dancing Salsa and Bachata!