![\"Pop](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/POP_BOTTLE_5_PACK_PRODUCT_01.jpg?v=1686601614\")
Have you ever tried a great coffee from a can? Jash Mehta and Blair Fletcher Hardy are on a mission to make it your favorite way to consume a cup of joe.
\nThe duo launched Pop & Bottle in 2015, creating plant based lattes with no refined sugar and pure, purposeful ingredients. Pop & Bottle stood out against the competition and the brand has grown year over year to become a 7-figure business.
\nJash sat down on the Shopify Masters podcast, to share how Pop & Bottle found a gap in the coffee market—and ran with it. From her expertise, learn how to make a space for your own business within an established industry.
\n“Back when we started our brand the idea of wellness and coffee or tea didn’t really exist in the grocery store format,” Jash says.
\nSince all the products on the market at the time focused on hyper caffeination, double and triple shots, and none of them were offering very clean ingredient profiles, Pop & Bottle was filling a gap in the market offering a healthy yet convenient alternative.
\nFrom sourcing their ingredients intentionally to the local partnerships they went after, every piece of their business aligns with their mission to make high quality and healthy products designed for an underserved audience.
\n\nWhen going through the development process, be open to making new iterations, and willing to scrap some. “You have to have the appetite to try and take a risk,” Jash says.
\nJash suggests finding a sweet spot that exists between too much research and not enough experimentation.“It’s [about] doing all the research, and doing your due diligence, but then putting up a boundary, [because if] you do too much of it, you get analysis paralysis,” Jash says.
\nLooking too closely at your competition will leave you less confident than before you began researching. Make sure to evaluate what’s already on the market without getting caught up and discouraged.
\n![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/POP_BOTTLE_POUR_01_2.jpg?v=1686601769\")
“The best way for us to get feedback was to ask our friends and family to help us,” Jash says. When it comes to aggregating responses, Jash recommends setting specific data points and questions to measure the results of your taste tests. “What was their favorite? Why? Which ones would they buy again? How much would they pay? Anything they didn’t like?,” Jash says.
\nAfter reviewing the responses, Jash and Blair decided on just three of their five favorite products for the initial launch of Pop & Bottle. It turned out to be a smart choice. The brand grew year-over-year to expand on its core offering based on research and feedback.
\n![\"Jash](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/Founder__7A_2_copy.jpg?v=1686601861\")
Jash and Blair continue to collect data, listen to their customers, and scale based on the feedback from their audience and retail partners, making Pop & Bottle a part of so many people’s morning routines and afternoon pick-me-ups.
\nTune in to the full Shopify Masters episode and learn more about developing purpose driven content that will make your brand stand out against all the rest.
\n"}]},"page_header":{"background":null,"backgroundOpacity":100,"color":null,"fieldGroupName":"page_header","title":"Brand Differentiation Tips","opacity":100,"position":"on","size":{"desktop":64,"tablet":null,"mobile":null},"spaces":{"top":null,"bottom":null,"leftright":null,"units":"em"}},"link":"/blog/what-sets-your-brand-apart-3-differentiation-tips"},{"id":"cG9zdDo2Mzc1","title":"What Is Entrepreneurship? Definition, Requirements, and Pros and Cons for 2023","date":"12.06.2023","slug":"what-is-entrepreneurship-definition-requirements-and-pros-and-cons-for-2023","categories":{"nodes":[{"id":"dGVybTox","name":"General Articles"}]},"levels":{"nodes":[]},"acfPost":{"fieldGroupName":"acfPost","excerpt":"There have never been more resources available for people interested in starting a new business venture, from low-cost tools for marketing and design to website and ecommerce solutions to crowdfunding platforms. Maybe that’s one of the reasons entrepreneurship is on the rise.\r\nEntrepreneurship isn’t simply about being self-employed or having a great business idea. In this article, we’ll define entrepreneurship and discuss what it takes to become a successful one in today’s world.","squaredImage":{"altText":"What Is Entrepreneurship? Definition, Requirements, and Pros and Cons for 2023","localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"gatsbyImageData":{"layout":"fullWidth","backgroundColor":"#f8c848","images":{"fallback":{"src":"/static/7d9e479a0ea464eda555423fcbe7bb88/b956e/entrepreneurship_28bd291b-6ef6-4d87-bef5-509931ba912c.webp","srcSet":"/static/7d9e479a0ea464eda555423fcbe7bb88/d1fa5/entrepreneurship_28bd291b-6ef6-4d87-bef5-509931ba912c.webp 750w,\n/static/7d9e479a0ea464eda555423fcbe7bb88/b956e/entrepreneurship_28bd291b-6ef6-4d87-bef5-509931ba912c.webp 1024w","sizes":"100vw"},"sources":[]},"width":1,"height":0.4228515625}}}},"metaData":{"title":null,"description":"Discover the world of entrepreneurship and unlock your potential for success. Learn what it takes to become a visionary entrepreneur and navigate the challenges of starting a new business venture. Explore the pros and cons, develop an entrepreneurial mindset, and find out how to bring your innovative ideas to life. Start your entrepreneurial journey today with Shopify."},"banner":{"title":"What Is Entrepreneurship? Definition, Requirements, and Pros and Cons for 2023","showTitle":true,"image":{"altText":"What Is Entrepreneurship? Definition, Requirements, and Pros and Cons for 2023","localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"gatsbyImageData":{"layout":"fullWidth","backgroundColor":"#f8c848","images":{"fallback":{"src":"/static/7d9e479a0ea464eda555423fcbe7bb88/b956e/entrepreneurship_28bd291b-6ef6-4d87-bef5-509931ba912c.webp","srcSet":"/static/7d9e479a0ea464eda555423fcbe7bb88/d1fa5/entrepreneurship_28bd291b-6ef6-4d87-bef5-509931ba912c.webp 750w,\n/static/7d9e479a0ea464eda555423fcbe7bb88/b956e/entrepreneurship_28bd291b-6ef6-4d87-bef5-509931ba912c.webp 1024w","sizes":"100vw"},"sources":[]},"width":1,"height":0.4228515625}}}}},"timeToRead":null,"sections":[{"fieldGroupName":"post_Acfpost_Sections_ArticleRichTextContent","content":"There have never been more resources available for people interested in starting a new business venture, from low-cost tools for marketing and design to website and ecommerce solutions to crowdfunding platforms. Maybe that’s one of the reasons entrepreneurship is on the rise.
\nEntrepreneurship isn’t simply about being self-employed or having a great business idea. In this article, we’ll define entrepreneurship and discuss what it takes to become a successful one in today’s world.
\nTable of Contents
\nEntrepreneurship is the process of developing, organizing, and running a new business to generate profit while taking on financial risk. In a broader sense, entrepreneurship is the process of transforming the status quo by solving the most pressing problems and pain points in our society, often by introducing an innovative product or service or creating new markets.
\nEntrepreneurship is now a popular college major, with a focus on studying ideation, new venture creation, and profit driven models.
\nAn entrepreneur is someone who has an idea and who works to create a product or service that people will buy, as well as an organization to support that effort. An entrepreneur takes on most of the risk and initiative for their new business and is often seen as a visionary or innovator.
\nEntrepreneurs are as diverse as they are dynamic. There are many different types of entrepreneurs—including small business owners, content creators, startup founders, and anyone who has the ambition to build a business and work for themselves.
\nCommon traits for entrepreneurs include:
\nWhile aspiring entrepreneurs have the potential to earn massive fame and fortune by starting a successful business, entrepreneurship isn’t without its challenges. Here are some of the pros and cons.
\nBecoming a successful entrepreneur starts with bringing an entrepreneurial mindset to your business venture. The entrepreneurial mindset is a set of skills, beliefs, and thought processes you can bring to the task of building a new business. The main elements of this mindset are:
\nBeginning a start-up as an aspiring entrepreneur generally requires:
\nIn considering what kind of business to start, assess:
\nBecoming an entrepreneur isn’t as complicated as it sounds, and there are plenty of resources and inspiration all around you. You might read books about entrepreneurship, take a course to study it, or dive in head first and learn as you go. There’s no wrong way to go about it!
\n\n
Learn more: The Grown-up Wisdom of 8 Kid Entrepreneurs
\nWhether you’re looking to open an online store or change the world through social entrepreneurship, there are tons of ways to get started on your entrepreneurship journey. Begin by establishing a digital presence through building your website on a platform like Shopify.
\n\nThe main characteristics of the entrepreneurial mindset are: curiosity, independence, resiliency, persuasiveness, and a focus on helping others.
\nhttps://www.shopify.com/blog/what-is-entrepreneurship
\nYouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, after Google. So if video is part of your marketing strategy, you’ve probably already invested time, effort, and creativity into videos for your own YouTube channel.
\nBut to make the most of YouTube as a platform to engage your customers, you can also mine YouTube Analytics for a treasure trove of insights to improve the performance of your videos.
\nTable of Contents
\nYouTube Analytics is a powerful tool that provides insights into how viewers interact with your YouTube videos and channel. It’s built into every YouTube account, so you can monitor the performance of their videos and adjust their strategies accordingly.
\nHere are a few reasons to use YouTube analytics for your business:
\nStart selling your products on YouTube from Shopify
\nShopify comes with powerful tools that help you promote and sell products on YouTube. Sync your product catalog, tag or pin products in live streams, and manage all your sales from Shopify.
\nStart selling on YouTube
\nFor your YouTube marketing and social media marketing campaigns to succeed, it’s important to know how to navigate YouTube analytics.
\n![\"YouTube](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/general.jpg?v=1686418103\")
As you can see from the Optimist YouTube channel analytics above, the General or Overview tab provides a basic summary of how your YouTube channel and videos are doing. Here you can view the following metrics:
\nYou can also use the Audience Retention feature to see how well each of your videos retains viewers compared to other videos. This is a great tool for influencers and YouTube creators to improve their video marketing techniques constantly.
\n![\"YouTube](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/content.jpg?v=1686418160\")
The Content tab shows how people find your content, what content they’re watching, and how they interact with your videos.
\nOn this tab you’ll find:
\n![\"YouTube](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/audience.jpg?v=1686418197\")
The Audience tab tells you information about your audience. Things like how many subscribers you have, how many viewers are returning and how many are new, and how many unique viewers you have.
\nYou’ll also find metrics on:
\n![\"YouTube](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/research_tab.jpg?v=1686418247\")
The Research tab gives you insight into your audience’s search on YouTube—kind of like a peek into the psyche of your viewers.
\nYou’ll find data like:
\nRead more: How to Sell on YouTube: 5 Easy Ways
\nYouTube analytics allows you to analyze data about your target audience, your posts, and your channel’s performance overall. Using these engagement metrics you can create a content strategy that will encourage channel growth.
\nHere’s how to access YouTube analytics data from desktop and mobile.
\n![\"youtube](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/channel-analytics.png?format=webp&v=1686417638\")
Desktop
\nMobile
\nThere’s no denying that Views are an important metric for determining the success of a YouTube video.
\nBut while they’re one indicator of performance, Views alone won’t give you enough information to make significant improvements to your YouTube videos, nor does YouTube put a lot of stock in them, given the prevalence of clickbait tactics that often inflate view count.
\nInstead, views should be analyzed alongside a more important metric that’s key to getting on the good side of YouTube’s algorithm: watch time.
\nFrom YouTube’s perspective, watch time, or the estimated total minutes spent viewing your content, is more important than a raw view. The updated Analytics dashboard makes this clear by dedicating an entire section to this new, more telling metric of video performance.
\nIf you find that your watch time is low, consider going back to the drawing board and creating more engaging videos for your audience, or you might need to invest in better video editing software or a good video editing app for your phone to add some extra polish.
\nHowever, watch time and views are really only useful indicators when analyzed alongside other data that can help you improve the discoverability and quality of your content, as we’ll explore further down in this post.
\nYouTube verifies view count to remove spammy and low-quality views from the total. There’s often a two-day lag in the number of views that YouTube publicly displays and in your dashboard.
\nThat’s why the real-time report for your channel is essential for measuring the reach of your videos early on. This report gives you the estimated number of views from the past 48 hours and the past 60 minutes, across your channel or for specific videos.
\n![\"YouTube](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/realtime.png?format=webp&v=1686417671\")
YouTube’s real-time report isn’t just exciting to watch when you upload a new video or promote it through one of your owned or paid channels.
\nKeeping an eye on this tab in the Analytics dashboard can also help you discover spikes in views that suggest someone has shared your video with a new audience on Reddit or another social network.
\nThese moments present good opportunities to stoke the fire and garner more traction for your video by engaging with the poster, thread, or publication before things go cold.
\nWhen analyzing your video’s reach, it’s important to figure out precisely where your viewers are coming from.
\nIn your YouTube Analytics panel, you’re presented with another graph displaying various traffic sources and the total amount per source on the Traffic Sources page. This reveals how your viewers are finding your videos.
\nThis report allows you to determine which traffic source most benefits you across your entire channel and for each individual video you create.
\nDon’t just look at the number of views they’re generating—not all sources will give you the same quality of traffic.
\nFor example, if your video is attracting high-quality views via YouTube search, you can begin to implement ways to optimize your video or future content further to show up for the keywords people might use to discover your content.
\nUse this view to determine which traffic sources are important to your video promotion strategy and which sources need to be worked on.
\nRead more: YouTube SEO 101: How to Build a YouTube Keyword Strategy
\nTo better understand your audience, head over to the Audience page of your YouTube analytics. These interactive graphs allow you to visualize who is consuming your videos, using dimensions like age, gender, geography, device, and more.
\nEcommerce product videos will almost certainly reach a portion of customers who were unreachable to you via conventional search engines. Reviewing the age and gender of your video audience may offer new information to build your future product videos upon.
\nMany industries are not particularly bothered by the geographical variations in their video audience. A viewer is a viewer.
\nHowever, as an ecommerce business, the location of your potential customers could be of great interest to you if you plan to reach them with targeted ads or content.
\nTo delve further into the geographic statistics, you can select each individual country, displaying a new age and gender graph for that particular country. Using this information, you can create location-specific videos in the future if you notice any geographic trends.
\nYouTube subscribers in an ecommerce context can be potential or existing customers interested in your products or niche of content.
\nSo it is also important to monitor the fluctuations of your subscriber base. This will allow you to understand the overall reach of your YouTube content as a whole, as opposed to a single video, and how each video contributes to gaining or losing subscribers.
\nThis one’s pretty obvious: The more subscribers you have, the more people there are to potentially see your channel’s video content through the Subscriptions stream on the YouTube homepage. Thus, the more exposure your products and brand will get.
\nUsing calls to action in the form of YouTube cards or a pitch that you record as part of your video can go a long way toward gaining subscribers.
\nAside from your subscriber rate, you can also calculate your subscriber ratio for a video by dividing the number of views by the net subscriber gain. If you’ve got a video that performs particularly well in terms of generating subscribers, consider investing more time (or money) in promoting it.
\nComments are a key component of audience engagement. Keeping tabs on who is commenting and what they’re saying can help you convert viewers into customers, or at the very least increase engagement for that video or other content.
\nBy clicking on the Comments tab of the YouTube Analytics section, you’ll see the frequency and dates of your comments and a section dedicated to displaying your total amount of comments on each video.
\nWhile these numbers are interesting, the Community section is also useful for acting on opportunities to engage with your audience and get qualitative feedback.
\nLook for chances to:
\nIt’s important to portray your brand as an approachable and engaging one. Try to respond to comments on your video in a helpful fashion. This will also help increase your total comments, a good indicator to viewers that a video is engaging.
\nYou can even pin one of your comments to the top to direct your audience to relevant parts of your website.
\nOf course, your built-in YouTube Analytics dashboard isn’t the only source of data you have at your disposal.
\nOther third-party websites and tools can help you understand YouTube:
\nAs a creator or a marketer, data is a gift you shouldn’t ignore. Otherwise, you’re shooting in the dark every time, unaware of whether you’re getting closer to or further away from your target. Use your YouTube analytics to improve your video strategy and turn your own channel into a success.
\n\nUse a YouTube channel calculator like https://www.noxinfluencer.com/youtube/channel-calculator to check someone’s YouTube earnings.
\nhttps://www.shopify.com/blog/6763696-youtube-analytics-10-ways-to-track-video-performance
\nTikTok has taken the world by storm, but it can be tricky to figure out what content to create. The platform requires a different approach to other social channels, but coming up with a TikTok marketing strategy for your brand doesn’t have to be difficult.
\nWith so many new TikTok trends popping up, it can be tempting to jump on every one. But, it’s vital to consider what your audience wants to see. Once you understand your target audience, you’re on your way to getting your brand noticed, growing your following, and engaging your community.
\nAhead, find 15 TikTok video ideas you can use for your brand. Whether you’re just getting started or need some inspiration to get you out of a creative rut, there’s a TikTok idea for everyone.
\nThe best TikTok video ideas are the tried and true formats that pop up in TikTok trends over and over. For brands, however, choosing the right TikTok video ideas is important to attract the right audience. From TikTok challenges to educational videos, explore these ideas in depth before you post videos to your brand account.
\n![\"Woman](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/tiktok-videos-8.jpg?v=1686323226\")
Get real with your followers, and don’t be afraid to break that fourth wall. We’re all people here, and your audience loves hearing from the people behind the brand.
\nIsabella Lin of Fizzy Soaps took a break from the brand’s typical content to talk about and rate the videos that had previously gone viral. It’s refreshing to see a brand’s founder take center stage and discuss the realities of social media.
\nIf you have something you want to share or discover something that inspires you, your brand’s audience will most likely love it too. Try sharing favorite book recommendations or the Netflix series you can’t stop talking about.
\nYou don’t need to talk to the camera to make your brand feel more human. Using images and captions can work just as well. Imagine you’re sharing with a friend, and keep it short and sweet.
\nIt’s tempting to create content in advance, and this certainly works for other social media channels. When it comes to TikTok account ideas, it’s all about balance. Keep track of holidays and events and see what’s trending on TikTok at that time. Make sure you’re ready to react and create topical and relevant content.
\nTopical content doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, sometimes simple posts are best! Natural deodorant brand Wild filmed this short video for its followers at Easter, showing its reusable deodorant cases repurposed as an Easter treat. It’s just a few seconds long but was seen more than 100,000 times.
\n\n
Trends can be even trickier, and they come and go quickly. While there may be trends like lip syncing videos, animal videos, or dance videos, they might not be the right fit for your brand. Hop on trends that are relevant to your audience. Your next viral video might not be a trend at all.
\n⏰ Learn more:What’s the Best Time To Post on TikTok in 2023?
\n![\"Person](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/tiktok-videos-6.jpg?v=1686323330\")
Revealing your brand’s creative process is another great TikTok idea. This could be a video of you making products by hand, sketching new ideas, or anything else that shows followers the creativity and skill you put into your brand.
\nBurn.in Candle Co.’s TikTok account is full of videos showing how its various candles are made. Not only are they satisfying to watch, but they also show how much time and effort goes into each and every one of its candles.
\n\n
If there’s anything more satisfying than shopping with small brands, it’s seeing the product being created by hand.
\nYour TikTok account is the perfect place to share your brand’s values and ethos, reaching like-minded viewers and converting them into followers.
\nShare what inspires you and any other content that aligns with your brand values and mission. Your brand is more than just its products, and your TikTok account is a great place to make that stand out.
\nSustainable swimwear brand SevenSeas Swimwear is all about summer vibes, so it’s no surprise that this dreamy video got almost two million views.
\n\n
Create and post content that fits your brand’s mood and it’s sure to resonate with your followers.
\nEngage your followers and build anticipation for upcoming launches or campaigns by teasing new products and giving your TikTok audience a first peek.
\nGive followers the first look at new products, colorways, or anything else exciting your brand is working on. Offering sneak peeks also encourages your followers to come back for more.
\nElyse Breanne Design took a trending song and created this simple but effective video,
\nrevealing her newest product range to her followers and showing her taking the product photos.
\n\n
If something is exciting to you, then chances are it will be exciting to fans of your brand, too. Use this as a part of your TikTok ecommerce strategy to build momentum for a new product launch.
\n![\"Woman](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/tiktok-videos-2.jpg?v=1686323375\")
TikTok’s new Q&A feature allows your audience to submit questions to your account. It’s the perfect way to engage with your followers and get invaluable customer insights and new content ideas.
\nBy enabling the Q&A feature, you can allow your audience to flag their comments as questions, making it easier for you to spot them and reply.
\nSoap brand Fizzy Soaps recently created this video in response to a follower’s question, which got almost half a million views. Combining a voiceover with a video of the soaps being created it’s a simple way to engage with followers.
\n\n
The best part is that Q&As provide you with ready-made TikTok video ideas: you can dedicate multiple videos every week or month to answering the questions asked by your community.
\nIt’s not just your followers who can ask questions. Putting questions out to your audience is a surefire way to boost engagement and find out exactly what your followers think.
\nWhat colors do customers want next season? What do they want to see more of on TikTok? Give them the opportunity to get involved and share their views and you’ll gain valuable input from your target audience.
\nParakeet Slimes Shop cleverly combines both ideas into one. The slime brand created this video responding to a follower’s question and threw it open to their audience, asking them for their thoughts—a sure-fire way to get even more engagement.
\n\n
![\"An](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/tiktok-videos-4.jpg?v=1686323402\")
Whatever your industry or specialist subject, it’s time to share your skills. Own your niche and share your knowledge with followers in informative videos, from breaking down complex topics to creating fun how-to videos.
\nIt’s a great way to reach more viewers within your niche and convert them to followers. Make it a regular series and consider making a TikTok Playlist so all your informative posts can be stored in one place as a go-to resource.
\nPeach & Lily created a series revealing the little-known facts about Korean skin care. The video below got almost one million views, and it’s also part of a series that guarantees viewers will be back for more.
\n\n
Not sure where to begin? Ask your followers or check for commonly searched questions within your niche. Answering commonly asked questions will create valuable evergreen content that people will return to again and again.
\n![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/tiktok-videos-1.jpg?v=1686323450\")
Giving your followers an insight into what goes on behind the scenes of your company is a great way to get them involved and boost your engagement.
\nBehind-the-scenes content makes things more personal. Whether you’re a one-person show or have a team of 100, TikTok ideas that provide a peek behind the scenes will always be engaging. Show your team at work or behind the scenes at your photoshoots, or share something as simple as your morning coffee. Followers value this honest approach.
\nNew York–based fashion brand Cee Cee’s Closet NYC shared this authentic behind-the-scenes moment with followers, getting almost 300,000 views.
\n\n
XXL and Co brand founder Tina Nguyen created this heartwarming video showing how her mother helps behind the scenes, and with 3.1 million views, it’s one of her brand’s most viewed posts to date.
\n\n
Putting together a recap of your day, week, season, or event is a great and easy TikTok video idea. Add a trending sound and give your audience a quick and authentic insight into your brand.
\nThese vlogs act like a diary or scrapbook, and they’re perfect for rounding up a specific time period or event. Just throw together all of the best content that you’ve captured.
\nThis example from jewelry brand Uncommon James stitches together video clips to capture the mood of a whole day, from buying flowers and hanging out with the dog to visiting the brand’s store and showcasing products.
\n\n
You don’t need a physical store to create something just as effective. Snap moments wherever you go and you’ll have a constant supply of engaging vlogs. Give followers a real insight into your brand and effectively capture your aesthetic and ethos in these short posts—and the best thing is, you can rely on them repeatedly.
\n![\"Two](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/tiktok-videos-5.jpg?v=1686323499\")
Teaming up with other TikTok accounts is a sure-fire way of reaching new audiences. Influencer marketing allows your brand to reach a whole host of potential new followers who most likely have interests that align with your brand.
\nWe’ve already shown how skin care brand Peach & Lily shares its knowledge, but it also teamed up with one of TikTok’s favorite dermatologists, Dr Zion, in this video.
\n\n
This video not only spreads the word about Peach & Lily’s products but also builds trust. When it comes to skin care, is there anyone more reliable than a dermatologist? It doesn’t always need a doctor’s opinion, though. Well-known faces and relatable, trusted opinions work just as well.
\n🎵 Learn more:How To Find Trending Sounds on TikTok
\nWho doesn’t love a good story? The #StoryTime hashtag is an excellent source of TikTok ideas and lets you get honest and personal with your followers.
\nFrom the story of how your brand started to your biggest inspirations (or even your biggest fails), these stories provide insight into your brand and are simple to film. Tell your own story or shine the spotlight on your team. Authenticity is key, and what better way to be real with your followers than by sharing stories yourself.
\nThe creator behind Elyse Breanne Design uses a question from a follower as the starting point for this story video. Combining a personal story with footage of the artwork being created makes it extra personal.
\n![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/tiktok-videos-3.jpg?v=1686323537\")
This one might seem like a no-brainer, but introducing your brand, yourself, and your products in short videos is a great way to get exposure and ensure you’re reaching your target audience.
\nTake a look at this video from skin care brand aavrani: It’s a short and sweet introduction to the brand, its product, and its story. It’s not only effective at explaining the product and its benefits, but it also gives the brand a friendly and relatable face.
\nFeel Your Soul’s intro video is another great example of making a brand feel human and introducing new audiences to the people behind the brand.
\n\n
Even if you’ve been posting for a while, it’s never a bad idea to introduce yourself and your brand to your followers. Why not take every new follower milestone as an opportunity to re-introduce yourself and say hi to new followers? Or pin your introduction story to your profile so any new followers can get to know you.
\nWho doesn’t love a good life hack? Share your best tips and tricks to create videos to get people talking. Focus on your niche and share product or life hacks that will interest and engage your audience.
\nSkin care brand Drunk Elephant created this simple video to show how its products can be mixed and matched to create a “smoothie.” Some product images, trending audio, and a caption are all it takes.
\n\n
TikTok’s Duet and Stitch features can be found in the Effects menu and allow you to collaborate with other TikTok users.
\nThey’re the perfect way to react to or elaborate on content you’ve spotted that hits a nerve with you—and, ideally, your audience. They can even be a good way to create funny TikTok videos, as you’re really relying on whoever you’re dueting or stitching with to make the bulk of the content. While Duet will create a split-screen effect that lets you react in real-time alongside another video, the Stitch feature allows you to clip and edit a recording responding to an existing video.
\n![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/tiktok-videos-7.jpg?v=1686323566\")
These TikTok video ideas are a great starting point to help you find what works for your brand and your audience. Many of these videos result in even more content, meaning you’ll never be stuck wondering what to post.
\nRemember that, as a brand, it’s important to experiment with TikTok video content to see what inspires the most engagement with your target audience. Social media marketing should always involve two-way communication—listen to your audience, gather feedback and center their stories.
\nSome of the best TikTok video ideas include:
\nThe best content for TikTok videos depends on your audience and their preferences. The best TikTok content engages your audience and encourages them to like and comment on your video. Experiments with TikTok video content to see what resonates best. Try doing TikTok challenges and using TikTok’s Duet and Stitch features to encourage your audience to respond directly to your content. Brands should consider TikTok videos that bring potential customers behind the scenes to humanize the brand and build trust.
\nA brand’s first YouTube video could be an introduction to its founder or products. There are plenty of other TikTok video ideas for brands or TikTok users just getting started on the platform. Try hopping on a trend by following TikTok influencers for ideas. Or post videos that set the tone for your TikTok account, whether you’re planning on creating funny videos, workout videos, or makeup tutorials.
\nhttps://www.shopify.com/blog/tiktok-video-ideas
\nInventory that doesn’t turn over—i.e., that doesn’t sell—is often referred to as dead stock. For businesses that don’t use inventory management software, dead stock can remain on warehouse shelves, forgotten and useless.
\nDead stock costs businesses money. They can’t recoup the costs of unsold goods that they either manufactured themselves or purchased from another company.
\nIn addition, storing dead stock costs money and takes up valuable warehouse space that could be used to house top-selling products.
\nAhead, you’ll learn what’s considered dead stock, and how companies avoid dead stock with various inventory management strategies.
\nTable of Contents
\nDead stock, or obsolete inventory, is merchandise that’s never been sold to a customer. It often cannot be returned to the supplier because it’s outdated, out of season, or has little to no demand.
\nFor example, if a clothing retailer still has winter coats in stock after the winter season has ended, and consumers have shifted their buying toward spring clothing, those unsold winter coats become dead stock.
\nIn inventory control and order management, dead stock has also come to mean products that are no longer available for sale. When used in that context, the phrase is usually spelled as one word: deadstock.
\nSometimes, merchandise that is no longer available is coveted simply because it can’t be found in stores. In those situations, it can sometimes be sold for a premium price.
\nSneakers, which are often sold on brand image more than function, are popular “deadstock” items that can be found for sale online and identified in searches as “deadstock.” Vintage apparel is also a popular deadstock category.
\nA lot of dead stock ends up online. For example, you can find Nike deadstock through online marketplaces like Etsy, eBay, and Restocks.
\nLet’s look at an example of why eliminating dead stock is important. Say you run a small clothing boutique and ecommerce store.You bought 200 designer winter coats at the start of the winter season for $100 each, an investment of $20,000. You were hoping to sell these coats for $200 each and make $40,000 in sales, which would be a net profit of $20,000 (excluding other expenses).
\nHowever, now it’s the end of winter and you’ve only sold 100 coats, with 100 coats as dead stock. This is now $10,000 worth of stock that’s tied up in inventory that isn’t selling.
\nIn general, the money associated with excess stock could have been spent elsewhere. Maybe you didn’t have the capital to offer a brand new spring collection, so you missed out on the profits from those sales.
\nHere are some reasons dead stock inventory occurs:
\nIf you don’t want to deal with dead stock in the first place, consider doing the following:
\nWhile some dead stock will need to leave storage in a garbage truck, there are ways to recoup some of the initial investment.
\nPossibilities include:
\nYour logo is the face of your brand.
\nIt will appear on your website, your products, your marketing, your in-store signage, and just about any other place where people interact with your brand. It might seem like a small asset, but there’s a lot packed into it. Your brand values, products, audience, industry, background, and personality are all tied to your logo.
\nThis in-depth guide walks you through the branding and logo design process. By the end, you’ll be able to create a business logo from scratch—everything from choosing a color to making the design itself.
\nTable of Contents
\nThere’s no such thing as a perfect logo. Goalposts vary depending on your industry, your audience, and your brand values. However, when you’re learning how to design your logo, there are industry agnostic rules.
\nMake sure your logo design is:
\nBrand identity design is a catch-all term for the visual elements of your brand, including your brand colors, your logo, and the way elements of your brand are designed. These visual elements work together to distinguish your brand identity in the minds of your customers.
\nYour brand’s distinguishing features—what’s most important to you and what will be most recognizable to your customers—lie in the answers to these questions. Before putting your pen to paper, before choosing your logo colors and aesthetics, ask yourself who you are.
\nHere are steps you can take to nail your brand identity:
\nGetting started is often the hardest part of any creative activity. It’s good to have an idea, but sometimes the problem is having too many ideas at once. It can help to see what other brands are doing and get a feel for the kind of logos you like best.
\nHere are some places to get inspiration:
\n![\"How](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/logo_ad26ca8e-22e0-4425-8266-0a86f8a59cf3_600x600.png?format=webp&v=1686332915\"){kind=logo}
The style of your own logo should go hand-in-hand with the overall feel of your brand. It helps to think about what kind of experience you want customers to have: Do you want them to feel nostalgic? Relaxed? Inspired? Warm and cozy?
\nHere are some design aesthetics you can use in your logo.
\nClassic logos stand the test of time. They bypass trends and help you reach a broader audience. The colors are usually simple and elegant, which makes your business appear reliable and professional.
\n![\"How](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/classic-logo_480x480.png?format=webp&v=1686333107\"){kind=logo}
Vintage (or retro) logos inspire a sense of nostalgia. They often feature worn-look text, illustrations, and a muted color palette.
\n![\"How](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/vintage_logo_480x480.png?format=webp&v=1686333232\"){kind=logo}
Modern logos are fresh and minimalist. They often feature a lot of white space, minimal details, and simple lines, creating a trendy, cool feel around your brand.
\n![\"modern](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/modern-logo.png?format=webp&v=1686333307\"){kind=logo}
If your brand sells quirky products to a young audience, consider a fun logo style. They’re characterized by colorful illustrations and unconventional fonts and have a positive feel to them.
\n![\"An](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/fun_logo_480x480.png?format=webp&v=1686333398\"){kind=logo}
Handmade logos insinuate your brand is independent and leans heavily toward handcrafted goods. These logos often feature handwritten fonts, organic shapes, and line-drawn illustrations.
\n![\"An](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/handmade-logo_480x480.png?format=webp&v=1686333484\"){kind=logo}
Whether you’re designing your own custom logo from scratch or using a logo template, it’s a good idea to understand the different types of logos.
\nAlso known as letter marks, monogram logos are made up of letters, often the brand’s initials. Think NBC, GE, HBO, NASA. Monogram logos are simple, but help people remember the company behind the logo.
\nFor example, which is easiest to remember and say: IBM or International Business Machines?
\n![\"ibm](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/ibm-logo.png?format=webp&v=1686333675\"){kind=logo}
A wordmark logo (or logotype) is a font-based logo that shows the company name. Think Visa, Disney, and Jeep.
\nWordmark logos work best for companies with catchy names. The memorable name and expressive typography create a strong brand association. They are also adaptable and can be used across different marketing and advertising materials while representing your business.
\n![\"disney](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/disney-logo.png?format=webp&v=1686333738\"){kind=logo}
Pictorial marks are graphic-based logos. Whenever you see one, you immediately recognize it as the logo of a company. The Apple fruit logo, Instagram camera logo, and the Target bull’s-eye logo are all examples of this.
\n![\"target](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/target-logo_240x240.png?format=webp&v=1686333797\"){kind=logo}
An abstract logo mark is conceptual. It consists of a symbol that’s made just for your company. Your logo doesn’t relate to anything that exists in the world, like a bird or an apple. It’s designed to express the uniqueness of your brand. Think Airbnb, Microsoft, and Pepsi.
\n![\"airbnb](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/airbnb_logo_480x480.png?format=webp&v=1686333861\"){kind=logo}
Abstract logos are hard to create if you have no design experience. It’s best to hire a professional logo design consultant who can translate colors and shapes into meaningful marks for your business.
\nA mascot logo represents your business through a character. Often, they are colorful, cartoonish, and fun. A mascot logo humanizes your brand and acts as an ambassador for it.
\nCompanies selling to kids and families, as well as esports teams, should use these designs. Popular mascot logos you’d likely recognize are Mr. Peanut by Planters, Mickey Mouse, or the M&M’s spokecandies.
\n![\"M&M](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/mm-logo.jpg?v=1686333954\"){kind=logo}
A combination mark combines a wordmark or lettermark with a pictorial mark, abstract logo, or mascot. You then integrate them together to create the logo.
\nCombination marks help people associate your company name with a picture or icon immediately. Widely recognized combination marks include Ralph Lauren, Burger King, and Converse.
\n![\"burger](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/burger-king-logo.png?format=webp&v=1686334043\"){kind=logo}
Color plays an important role in decision-making. One study showed that up to 90% of purchasing decisions are made based on color alone, while another found color can dramatically impact someone’s mood.
\nYour logo’s colors will end up on your website, in-store signage, social media feeds, marketing emails, and every other place where a user interacts with your brand. There’s no color that’s universally “better,” but each color does say something different. You want to make sure you’re saying the right thing.
\n![\"color](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/color-chart.jpg?v=1686334144\")
With that in mind, let’s go over the psychological effects of certain colors:
\nBrown is often associated with all-natural ingredients, homemade goods, and freshly baked treats. It’s also the color of tree bark, sticks, autumn leaves, and rich soil, so it can give an outdoorsy aura to your brand.
\nLike a roaring fire, orange radiates warmth, energy, and passion. It also tends to invoke summer—especially when paired with lighter blues and soft greens.
\nOrange’s high-saturation sister, yellow, also gives off light, energy, and warmth. But if orange’s warmth is a glowing fireplace, yellow’s is the intense heat of a midday sun. It brings fun, positive vibes to your brand.
\nGreen can invoke an organic aura that brings to mind lush rainforests, eco-awareness, and a sense of calm.
\nPink is a soft gentle color often associated with femininity. It has broader connotations of kindness, romance, and love.
\nRed is bold and unforgiving. It stands out, which is why it’s become such a dependable color in branding. Like pink, red tends to invoke romance. But whereas pink’s romance is tender and gracious, red’s romance is passionate, loud, and carnal.
\nPurple is a shadowy, mysterious stranger with an almost magical magnetism. Given that purple dyes historically have had a reputation for being rare and expensive, there’s no mystery how purple has come to be associated with wealth, excess, mysticism, magic, and indulgence.
\nBlue tends to invoke feelings of trust, ease, and peace. That said, blue has also been shown to be the least appetizing color. Try to avoid it if you’re selling food.
\nSometimes the best color for your brand is no color at all. Shades of black, white, and gray tend to invoke a sense of calmness, balance, or clarity.
\nMost logos are monochromatic. Single colors are easier to coordinate with, and using only one color will simplify your brand’s other graphic design elements. Mono logos also can be reimagined in different colors for different purposes.
\n![\"fedex](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/fedex_logo_600x600.png?format=webp&v=1686334242\"){kind=logo}
The FedEx logo is typically displayed in blue and orange. However, the company has created alternative color logos for specific departments.
\nHere are some tools you can use to experiment with color palettes:
\nYour logo may not include any text, but much of your graphic design will, including your web copy, signage, and a host of other branded materials. For the sake of consistency, it’s important to consider which typefaces your brand plans on using in the logo design process, even if you’re not using them in the logo itself.
\nThe terms “typeface” and “font” are used interchangeably in most contexts, so it’s common to assume they’re synonyms. However, there’s an important distinction: a typeface is a characteristically distinct set of typographical symbols and characters, often divided into variant sets, like italic and bold. Each of these variant sets is a font.
\n![\"typeface](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/typeface-vs-font_32bdfd91-354e-41b2-a72a-6478b1d45960_600x600.png?format=webp&v=1686334327\")
Some logo fonts focus on style, some on historical significance, and some on endless splintered subcategories. The most common system categorizes fonts into four types:
\nWhen choosing your font, also consider the line thickness, whether you’ll use italicized or regular, and the mood you want to convey.
\nThe shape of your final logo design is just as important as the colors and fonts you use. We subconsciously respond in different ways to different shapes, whether it’s a circle or a square. Here are some common logo shapes and what they might signify:
\n![\"logo](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/logo-example_480x480.png?format=webp&v=1686334432\"){kind=logo}
The creative process is different for everybody. Some may start with sketches, while others might jump right into Adobe Illustrator. The drafting phase involves a lot of trial and error, so don’t get discouraged if things aren’t working.
\nAt a certain point, you’re going to start to feel like you can’t even recognize letters from shapes or good logos from bad. When this happens, it might be time for feedback. Feedback is incredibly important to the creative process because it’s the only method creators have of “testing” their ideas.
\nFor the best feedback, ask specific questions about how each person perceives your brand based on the company logo. Being told your logo is “good” or “bad” won’t be helpful, but knowing how your brand comes across will be.
\nHere are some questions to ask when getting feedback:
\nIt’s hard for someone to be certain of how they’d react to your brand in real life, so avoid questions like, “Would you buy this?” or “Is this interesting?” More specific questions will garner more specific answers and better feedback.
\nNow you have your feedback and your initial designs, it’s time to decide on your final logo design. Easier said than done. When choosing the right design, think back to the elements that make a good logo and ask yourself:
\nReady to show the world your brand new logo? Here are some tips for integrating it seamlessly throughout your business.
\n![\"Magic](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/logo-on-box_600x600.png?format=webp&v=1686334542\"){kind=logo}
Your logo is the face of your business, so it needs to reflect your brand, your audience, and your products all in one simple, memorable graphic. Easy—at least, it is if you follow these logo design tips.
\nIf you can’t justify hiring someone to design your logo, you’re left with two options: design a logo yourself or use a free online logo generator.
\nIf you’re short on time and need a professional logo designed ASAP, then a free logo generator is your best bet. There are plenty of adequate logo creators online, but beware—low-quality logo creators generally result in low-quality logos.
\nHere’s how to design a logo using a free tool.
\nShopify’s free logo-design tool caters specifically to ecommerce businesses. It works by asking questions about your brand’s personality and industry, then generates designs tailored specifically to your business.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/logo_maker_600x600.png?format=webp&v=1686334709\"){kind=logo}
From there, the free logo maker allows you to customize logo fonts, colors, icons, and layouts.
\n\n
![\"The](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/editing_600x600.png?format=webp&v=1686334777\")
Shopify’s free logo maker provides fully loaded brand identity packages that include high-resolution versions of your logo ready for business card templates, social media profiles, website banners, branded swag, in-store signage, and more.
\n![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/brand-package_600x600.png?format=webp&v=1686334826\")
Canva’s free suite of graphic design tools includes lots of logo templates that can be customized using its intuitive drag-and-drop editor.
\nCanva is great for hands-on users, especially ones looking for complete creative freedom. However, the limitless design options can be overwhelming for first-timers. If you have less design experience, a more accessible logo creator from this list might be better.
\nLogoMakr has a streamlined, step-by-step logo creation process that makes it easy for beginners to design a logo. It features a database of more than a million searchable graphics, a text toolbar, and a simplified, easy-to-arrange layering system akin to the Layers tool in Photoshop and other more complex design software.
\nUcraft’s logo creator is great if you need to design a logo in a time crunch. Ucraft provides three elemental brand identity design options—text, icons, and shapes—alongside a drag-and-drop interface for easy-to-adjust logos.
\nMarkMaker’s logo generator has very limited customization options, but it makes up for this by being one of the easiest logo generators for beginners to use. Its unique process is sort of like having an AI-powered graphic design robot. MarkMaker feeds you an endless scroll of instantly generated logos, asks you which logos you like, and then creates more designs based on your preferences.
\nThe seven steps to design a logo are:
\nBy following these steps, a well-designed logo can be created to accurately represent and capture the essence of its brand.
\nHere’s how to design a logo in five steps:
\nOverall, designing a logo requires creativity, research, and a clear understanding of your brand. By following these steps, you can create a logo that represents your brand effectively and resonates with your target audience.
\nThe three rules of good logo design are simplicity, memorability, and versatility.
\nA good logo design is crucial for any business or brand that wants to stand out from competitors and leave a lasting impression on customers. Here are five rules to follow if you want to design your logo:
\n