MARKETING
14 Best Types of Charts and Graphs for Data Visualization [+ Guide]
![14 Best Types of Charts and Graphs for Data Visualization [+ Guide] 14 Best Types of Charts and Graphs for Data Visualization [+ Guide]](https://articles.entireweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/14-Best-Types-of-Charts-and-Graphs-for-Data-Visualization.jpgkeepProtocol.jpeg)
Types of Charts and Graphs to Use for Your Data
- Bar Graph
- Column Chart
- Line Graph
- Dual Axis Chart
- Area Chart
- Stacked Bar Graph
- Mekko Chart
- Pie Chart
- Scatter Plot Chart
- Bubble Chart
- Waterfall Chart
- Funnel Chart
- Bullet Chart
- Heat Map
There are more types of charts and graphs than ever before because there’s more data. In fact, the volume of data in 2025 will be almost double the data we create, capture, copy, and consume today.
This makes data visualization essential for businesses. Different types of graphs and charts can help you:
- Motivate your team to take action
- Impress stakeholders with goal progress
- Show your audience what you value as a business
Data visualization builds trust and can organize diverse teams around new initiatives. Let’s talk about the types of graphs and charts that you can use to grow your business.
How to Choose the Right Chart or Graph for Your Data
- Identify your goals for presenting the data.
- Figure out what data you need to achieve your goal.
- Gather your data.
- Select the right type of graph or chart.
Channels like social media or blogs have multiple sources of data and when you manage these complex content assets it can get overwhelming. What should you be tracking? What matters most? How do you visualize and analyze the data so you can extract insights and actionable information?
1. Identify your goals for presenting the data.
Do you want to convince or clarify a point? Are you trying to visualize data that helped you solve a problem, or are you trying to communicate a change that’s happening?
A chart or graph can help you compare different values, understand how different parts impact the whole, or analyze trends. Charts and graphs can also be useful for recognizing data that veers away from what you’re used to or help you see relationships between groups.
Clarify your goals, then use them to guide your chart selection.
2. Figure out what data you need to achieve your goal.
Different types of charts and graphs use different kinds of data. Graphs usually represent numerical data, while charts are a visual representation of data that may or may not use numbers.
So, while all graphs are a type of chart, not all charts are graphs. If you don’t already have the kind of data you need, you might need to spend some time putting your data together before building your chart.
3. Gather your data.
Most businesses collect numerical data regularly, but you may need to put in some extra time to collect the right data for your chart. Besides quantitative data tools that measure traffic, revenue, and other user data, you might need some qualitative data.
These are some other ways you can gather data for your data visualization:
- Interviews
- Quizzes and surveys
- Customer reviews
- Reviewing customer documents and records
- Community boards
4. Select the right type of graph or chart.
Choosing the wrong visual aid or defaulting to the most common type of data visualization could cause confusion for your viewer or lead to mistaken data interpretation.
But a chart is only useful to you and your business if it communicates your point clearly and effectively.
To help find the right chart or graph type, ask yourself the questions below.
Then, take a look at 14 types of charts and graphs you can use to visualize your data and create your chart or graph.
Download the Excel templates mentioned in the video here.
5 Questions to Ask When Deciding Which Type of Chart to Use
1. Do you want to compare values?
Charts and graphs are perfect for comparing one or many value sets, and they can easily show the low and high values in the data sets. To create a comparison chart, use these types of graphs:
2. Do you want to show the composition of something?
Use this type of chart to show how individual parts make up the whole of something, like the device type used for mobile visitors to your website or total sales broken down by sales rep.
To show composition, use these charts:
3. Do you want to understand the distribution of your data?
Distribution charts help you to understand outliers, the normal tendency, and the range of information in your values.
Use these charts to show distribution:
4. Are you interested in analyzing trends in your data set?
If you want to know more information about how a data set performed during a specific time period, there are specific chart types that do extremely well.
You should choose a:
5. Do you want to better understand the relationship between value sets?
Relationship charts can show how one variable relates to one or many different variables. You could use this to show how something positively affects, has no effect, or negatively affects another variable.
When trying to establish the relationship between things, use these charts:
Featured Resource: The Marketer’s Guide to Data Visualization
Download this free data visualization guide to learn which graphs to use in your marketing, presentations, or project — and how to use them effectively.
Different Types of Graphs and Charts for Presenting Data
To better understand each chart and graph type and how you can use them, here’s an overview of graph and chart types.
1. Bar Graph
A bar graph should be used to avoid clutter when one data label is long or if you have more than 10 items to compare.
Best Use Cases for These Types of Graphs:
Bar graphs can help you compare data between different groups or to track changes over time. Bar graphs are most useful when there are big changes or to show how one group compares against other groups.
The example above compares the number of customers by business role. It makes it easy to see that there is more than twice the number of customers per role for individual contributors than any other group.
A bar graph also makes it easy to see which group of data is highest or most common.
For example, at the start of the pandemic, online businesses saw a big jump in traffic. So, if you want to look at monthly traffic for an online business, a bar graph would make it easy to see that jump.
Other use cases for bar graphs include:
- Product comparisons
- Product usage
- Category comparisons
- Marketing traffic by month or year
- Marketing conversions
Design Best Practices for Bar Graphs:
- Use consistent colors throughout the chart, selecting accent colors to highlight meaningful data points or changes over time.
- Use horizontal labels to improve readability.
- Start the y-axis at 0 to appropriately reflect the values in your graph.
2. Column Chart
Use a column chart to show a comparison among different items, or to show a comparison of items over time. You could use this format to see the revenue per landing page or customers by close date.
Best Use Cases for This Type of Chart:
While column charts show information vertically, and bar graphs show data horizontally. While you can use both to display changes in data, column charts are best for negative data.
For example, warehouses often track the number of accidents that happen on the shop floor. When the number of incidents falls below the monthly average, a column chart can make that change easier to see in a presentation.
In the example above, this column chart measures the number of customers by close date. Column charts make it easy to see data changes over a period of time. This means that they have many use cases, including:
- Customer survey data, like showing how many customers prefer a specific product or how much a customer uses a product each day.
- Sales volume, like showing which services are the top sellers each month or the number of sales per week.
- Profit and loss, showing where business investments are growing or falling.
Design Best Practices for Column Charts:
- Use consistent colors throughout the chart, selecting accent colors to highlight meaningful data points or changes over time.
- Use horizontal labels to improve readability.
- Start the y-axis at 0 to appropriately reflect the values in your graph.
3. Line Graph
A line graph reveals trends or progress over time and you can use it to show many different categories of data. You should use it when you chart a continuous data set.
Best Use Cases for These Types of Graphs:
Line graphs help users track changes over short and long periods of time. Because of this, these types of graphs are good for seeing small changes.
Line graphs can help you compare changes for more than one group over the same period. They’re also helpful for measuring how different groups relate to each other.
A business might use this type of graph to compare sales rates for different products or services over time.
These charts are also helpful for measuring service channel performance. For example, a line graph that tracks how many chats or emails your team responds to per month.
Design Best Practices for Line Graphs:
- Use solid lines only.
- Don’t plot more than four lines to avoid visual distractions.
- Use the right height so the lines take up roughly 2/3 of the y-axis’ height.
4. Dual Axis Chart
A dual-axis chart allows you to plot data using two y-axes and a shared x-axis. It has three data sets. One is a continuous set of data and the other is better suited to grouping by category. Use this chart to visualize a correlation or the lack thereof between these three data sets.
Best Use Cases for This Type of Chart:
A dual-axis chart makes it easy to see relationships between different data sets. They can also help with comparing trends.
For example, the chart above shows how many new customers this company brings in each month. It also shows how much revenue those customers are bringing the company.
This makes it simple to see the connection between the number of customers and increased revenue.
You can use dual-axis charts to compare:
- Price and volume of your products
- Revenue and units sold
- Sales and profit margin
- Individual sales performance
Design Best Practices for Dual Axis Charts:
- Use the y-axis on the left side for the primary variable because brains are naturally inclined to look left first.
- Use different graphing styles to illustrate the two data sets, as illustrated above.
- Choose contrasting colors for the two data sets.
5. Area Chart
An area chart is basically a line chart, but the space between the x-axis and the line is filled with a color or pattern. It is useful for showing part-to-whole relations, like showing individual sales reps’ contributions to total sales for a year. It helps you analyze both overall and individual trend information.
Best Use Cases for These Types of Charts:
Area charts help show changes over time. They work best for big differences between data sets and also help visualize big trends.
For example, the chart above shows users by creation date and life cycle stage.
A line chart could show that there are more subscribers than marketing qualified leads. But this area chart emphasizes how much bigger the number of subscribers is than any other group.
These types of charts and graphs make the size of a group and how groups relate to each other more visually important than data changes over time.
Area graphs can help your business to:
- Visualize which product categories or products within a category are most popular
- Show key performance indicator (KPI) goals vs. outcomes
- Spot and analyze industry trends
Design Best Practices for Area Charts:
- Use transparent colors so information isn’t obscured in the background.
- Don’t display more than four categories to avoid clutter.
- Organize highly variable data at the top of the chart to make it easy to read.
6. Stacked Bar Chart
Use this chart to compare many different items and show the composition of each item you’re comparing.
Best Use Cases for These Types of Graphs:
These graphs are helpful when a group starts in one column and moves to another over time.
For example, the difference between a marketing qualified lead (MQL) and a sales qualified lead (SQL) is sometimes hard to see. The chart above helps stakeholders see these two lead types from a single point of view– when a lead changes from MQL to SQL.
Stacked bar charts are excellent for marketing. They make it simple to add a lot of data on a single chart or to make a point with limited space.
These types of graphs can show multiple takeaways, so they’re also super for quarterly meetings when you have a lot to say, but not always a lot of time to say it.
Stacked bar charts are also a smart option for planning or strategy meetings. This is because these charts can show a lot of information at once, but they also make it easy to focus on one stack at a time or move data as needed.
You can also use these charts to:
- Show the frequency of survey responses
- Identify outliers in historical data
- Compare a part of a strategy to its performance as a whole
Design Best Practices for Stacked Bar Graphs:
- Best used to illustrate part-to-whole relationships.
- Use contrasting colors for greater clarity.
- Make the chart scale large enough to view group sizes in relation to one another.
7. Mekko Chart
Also known as a Marimekko chart, this type of graph can compare values, measure each one’s composition, and show data distribution across each one.
It’s similar to a stacked bar, except the Mekko’s x-axis can capture another dimension of your values— instead of time progression, like column charts often do. In the graphic below, the x-axis compares each city to one another.
Best Use Cases for This Type of Chart:
You can use a Mekko chart to show growth, market share, or competitor analysis.
For example, the Mekko chart above shows the market share of asset managers grouped by location and the value of their assets. This chart makes it clear which firms manage the most assets in different areas.
It’s also easy to see which asset managers are largest and how they relate to each other.
Mekko charts can seem more complex than other types of charts and graphs. So, it’s best to use these in situations where you want to emphasize scale or differences between groups of data.
Other use cases for Mekko charts include:
- Detailed profit and loss statements
- Revenue by brand and region
- Product profitability
- Share of voice by industry or niche
Design Best Practices for Mekko Charts:
- Vary your bar heights if the portion size is an important point of comparison.
- Don’t include too many composite values within each bar. You might want to reevaluate your presentation if you have a lot of data.
- Order your bars from left to right in such a way that exposes a relevant trend or message.
8. Pie Chart
A pie chart shows a static number and how categories represent part of a whole — the composition of something. A pie chart represents numbers in percentages, and the total sum of all segments needs to equal 100%.
Best Use Cases for This Type of Chart:
The image above shows another example of customers by role in the company.
The bar graph example shows you that there are more individual contributors than any other role. But this pie chart makes it clear that they make up over 50% of customer roles.
Pie charts make it easy to see a section in relation to the whole, so they are good for showing:
- Customer personas in relation to all customers
- Revenue from your most popular products or product types in relation to all product sales
- Percent of total profit from different store locations
Design Best Practices for Pie Charts:
- Don’t illustrate too many categories to ensure differentiation between slices.
- Ensure that the slice values add up to 100%.
- Order slices according to their size.
9. Scatter Plot Chart
A scatter plot or scattergram chart will show the relationship between two different variables or reveals distribution trends. Use this chart when there are many different data points, and you want to highlight similarities in the data set. This is useful when looking for outliers or for understanding the distribution of your data.
Best Use Cases for These Types of Charts:
Scatter plots are helpful in situations where you have too much data to quickly see a pattern. They are best when you use them to show relationships between two large data sets.
In the example above, this chart shows how customer happiness relates to the time it takes for them to get a response.
Great use cases for this type of graph make it easy to see the comparison of two data sets. This might include:
- Employment and manufacturing output
- Retail sales and inflation
- Visitor numbers and outdoor temperature
- Sales growth and tax laws
Try to choose two data sets that already have a positive or negative relationship. That said, this type of graph can also make it easier to see data that falls outside of normal patterns.
Design Best Practices for Scatter Plots:
- Include more variables, like different sizes, to incorporate more data.
- Start the y-axis at 0 to represent data accurately.
- If you use trend lines, only use a maximum of two to make your plot easy to understand.
10. Bubble Chart
A bubble chart is similar to a scatter plot in that it can show distribution or relationship. There is a third data set shown by the size of the bubble or circle.
Best Use Cases for This Type of Chart:
In the example above, the number of hours spent online isn’t just compared to the age of the user, as it would be on a scatter plot chart.
Instead, you can also see how the gender of the user impacts time spent online.
This makes bubble charts useful for seeing the rise or fall of trends over time. It also lets you add another option when you’re trying to understand relationships between different segments or categories.
For example, if you want to launch a new product, this chart could help you quickly see the cost, risk, and value of your new product. This can help you focus your energies on a new product that is low risk with a high potential return.
You can also use bubble charts for:
- Top sales by month and location
- Customer satisfaction surveys
- Store performance tracking
- Marketing campaign reviews
Design Best Practices for Bubble Charts:
- Scale bubbles according to area, not diameter.
- Make sure labels are clear and visible.
- Use circular shapes only.
11. Waterfall Chart
Use a waterfall chart to show how an initial value changes with intermediate values — either positive or negative — and results in a final value.
Use this chart to reveal the composition of a number. An example of this would be to showcase how overall company revenue is influenced by different departments and leads to a specific profit number.
Best Use Cases for This Type of Chart:
These types of charts and graphs make it easier to understand how internal and external factors impact a product or campaign as a whole.
In the example above the chart moves from the starting balance on the far left to the ending balance on the far right. Factors in the center include deposits, transfers in and out, and bank fees.
A waterfall chart offers a quick visual that makes complex processes and outcomes easier to see and troubleshoot. For example, SaaS companies often measure customer churn. This format can help visualize changes in new, current, and free trial users, or changes by user segment.
You may also want to try a waterfall chart to show:
- Changes in revenue or profit over time
- Inventory audits
- Employee staffing reviews
Design Best Practices for Waterfall Charts:
- Use contrasting colors to highlight differences in data sets.
- Choose warm colors to indicate increases and cool colors to indicate decreases.
12. Funnel Chart
A funnel chart shows a series of steps and the completion rate for each step. Use this type of chart to track the sales process or the conversion rate across a series of pages or steps.
Best Use Cases for These Types of Charts:
The most common use case for a funnel chart is the marketing or sales funnel. But there are many other ways to use this versatile chart.
If you have at least four stages of sequential data, this chart can help you easily see what inputs or outputs impact the final results.
For example, a funnel chart can help you see how to improve your buyer journey or shopping cart workflow. This is because it can help pinpoint major drop-off points.
Other stellar options for these types of charts include:
- Deal pipelines
- Conversion and retention analysis
- Bottlenecks in manufacturing and other multi-step processes
- Marketing campaign performance
- Website conversion tracking
Design Best Practices for Funnel Charts:
- Scale the size of each section to accurately reflect the size of the data set.
- Use contrasting colors or one color in gradated hues, from darkest to lightest as the size of the funnel decreases.
13. Bullet Graph
A bullet graph reveals progress toward a goal, compares this to another measure, and provides context in the form of a rating or performance.
Best Use Cases for These Types of Graphs:
In the example above, this bullet graph shows the number of new customers against a set customer goal. Bullet graphs are great for comparing performance against goals like this.
These types of graphs can also help teams assess possible roadblocks because you can analyze data in a tight visual display.
For example, you could create a series of bullet graphs measuring performance against benchmarks or use a single bullet graph to visualize these KPIs against their goals:
- Revenue
- Profit
- Customer satisfaction
- Average order size
- New customers
Seeing this data at a glance and alongside each other can help teams make quick decisions.
Bullet graphs are one of the best ways to display year-over-year data analysis. You can also use bullet graphs to visualize:
- Customer satisfaction scores
- Product usage
- Customer shopping habits
- Social media usage by platform
Design Best Practices for Bullet Graphs:
- Use contrasting colors to highlight how the data is progressing.
- Use one color in different shades to gauge progress.
14. Heat Map
A heat map shows the relationship between two items and provides rating information, such as high to low or poor to excellent. This chart displays the rating information using varying colors or saturation.
Best Use Cases for Heat Maps:
In the example above, the darker the shade of green shows where the majority of people agree.
With enough data, heat maps can make a viewpoint that might seem subjective more concrete. This makes it easier for a business to act on customer sentiment.
There are many uses for these types of charts and graphs. In fact, many tech companies use heat map tools to gauge user experience for apps, online tools, and website design.
Another common use for heat map graphs is location assessment. If you’re trying to find the right location for your new store, these maps can give you an idea of what the area is like in ways that a visit can’t communicate.
Heat maps can also help with spotting patterns, so they’re good for analyzing trends that change quickly, like ad conversions. They can also help with:
- Competitor research
- Customer sentiment
- Sales outreach
- Campaign impact
- Customer demographics
Design Best Practices for Heat Map:
- Use a basic and clear map outline to avoid distracting from the data.
- Use a single color in varying shades to show changes in data.
- Avoid using multiple patterns.
Put These New Types of Charts and Graphs Into Action
Now that you’ve chosen the best graph or chart for your project, try a data visualization resource that makes your point clear and visual.
Data visualization is just one part of great communication. To show your customers, employees, leadership, and investors that they’re important, keep making time to learn.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in November 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
MARKETING
Revolutionizing Auto Retail: The Game-Changing Partnership Between Amazon and Hyundai


In a groundbreaking alliance, Amazon and Hyundai have joined forces to reshape the automotive landscape, promising a revolutionary shift in how we buy, drive, and experience cars.
Imagine browsing for your dream car on Amazon, with the option to seamlessly purchase, pick up, or have it delivered—all within the familiar confines of the world’s largest online marketplace. Buckle up as we explore the potential impact of this monumental partnership and the transformation it heralds for the future of auto retail.
Driving Change Through Amazon’s Auto Revolution
Consider “Josh”, a tech-savvy professional with an affinity for efficiency. Faced with the tedious process of purchasing a new car, he stumbled upon Amazon’s automotive section. Intrigued by the prospect of a one-stop shopping experience, Josh decided to explore the Amazon-Hyundai collaboration.
The result?
A hassle-free online car purchase, personalized to his preferences, and delivered to his doorstep. Josh’s story is just a glimpse into the real-world impact of this game-changing partnership.
Bridging the Gap Between Convenience and Complexity
Traditional car buying is often marred by complexities, from navigating dealership lots to negotiating prices. The disconnect between the convenience consumers seek and the cumbersome process they endure has long been a pain point in the automotive industry. The need for a streamlined, customer-centric solution has never been more pressing.


Ecommerce Partnership Reshaping Auto Retail Dynamics
Enter Amazon and Hyundai’s new strategic partnership coming in 2024—an innovative solution poised to redefine the car-buying experience. The trio of key developments—Amazon becoming a virtual showroom, Hyundai embracing AWS for a digital makeover, and the integration of Alexa into next-gen vehicles—addresses the pain points with a holistic approach.
In 2024, auto dealers for the first time will be able to sell vehicles in Amazon’s U.S. store, and Hyundai will be the first brand available for customers to purchase.
Amazon and Hyundai launch a broad, strategic partnership—including vehicle sales on Amazon.com in 2024 – Amazon Staff
This collaboration promises not just a transaction but a transformation in the way customers interact with, purchase, and engage with their vehicles.
Pedal to the Metal
Seamless Online Purchase:
- Complete the entire transaction within the trusted Amazon platform.
- Utilize familiar payment and financing options.
- Opt for convenient pick-up or doorstep delivery.


Become A Certified E-Commerce Marketing Master
The Industry’s Most Comprehensive E-Commerce Marketing Certification For The Modern Marketer. Turn Products Into Profit, Browsers Into Buyers, & Past Purchasers Into Life-Long Customers.
Hyundai’s Cloud-First Transformation:
- Experience a data-driven organization powered by AWS.
- Benefit from enhanced production optimization, cost reduction, and improved security.
Alexa Integration in Next-Gen Vehicles:
- Enjoy a hands-free, voice-controlled experience in Hyundai vehicles.
- Access music, podcasts, reminders, and smart home controls effortlessly.
- Stay connected with up-to-date traffic and weather information.
Driving into the Future
The Amazon-Hyundai collaboration is not just a partnership; it’s a revolution in motion. As we witness the fusion of e-commerce giant Amazon with automotive prowess of Hyundai, the potential impact on customer behavior is staggering.
The age-old challenges of car buying are met with a forward-thinking, customer-centric solution, paving the way for a new era in auto retail. From the comfort of your home to the driver’s seat, this partnership is set to redefine every step of the journey, promising a future where buying a car is as easy as ordering a package online.
Embrace the change, and witness the evolution of auto retail unfold before your eyes.
MARKETING
How to Schedule Ad Customizers for Google RSAs [2024]
![How to Schedule Ad Customizers for Google RSAs [2024] How to Schedule Ad Customizers for Google RSAs [2024]](https://articles.entireweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/How-to-Schedule-Ad-Customizers-for-Google-RSAs-2024.jpg)
It’s no wonder that responsive search ads have steadily grown in popularity in recent years. Through Google’s machine learning capabilities, RSAs provide a powerful way to automate the testing of multiple headlines and descriptions to ensure a closer match to user intent. The benefits are clear: RSAs mean broader reach, better engagement, and improved performance metrics.
However, all these benefits come at a significant (but reasonable) cost – they can be extremely difficult to manage, especially when it comes to updating ad copy to promote limited time offers.
I know this firsthand – I work with several ecommerce clients with promotions that constantly change. Not too long ago, I found myself going through the consistently tedious process of updating a client’s RSA headlines and copy. As I was making the changes, I thought to myself: “There must be a better way to update this ad copy. I shouldn’t have to use find and replace so many times while pausing and enabling my ad campaigns.”
After expressing this to my colleague, Jordan Stambaugh, the two of us agreed there must be a better way. But we’d have to make it happen. A few weeks later, we put that idea into action and created a more efficient process for updating RSA ad copy on a scheduled basis. If you want to try this process for yourself, just keep reading.
Responsive Search Ad Customizers 101: Basic Options & Execution
Before diving into the process of scheduling automatic updates for your RSA customizers, it’s essential to understand some key Responsive Search Ad fundamentals.
First, you can customize three main options within RSAs: the Attribute Name, the Data Type, and the Account Value. Each of these plays a vital role in personalizing your ads:
- Attribute Name: This is essentially the identifier for the customizer. It is how you’ll reference the specific piece of information you’re customizing within the ad. For instance, if you’re running a promotion, you might name an attribute “Promotion.”
- Data Type: This indicates the kind of data the attribute represents and it determines how the information can be formatted and used within the ad. Common data types include Text (for plain, non-numeric text), Percent (to represent percentage discounts), Price (to denote monetary values), and Number (for any numerical value).
- Account Value: This is the default value for the attribute that you set at the account level. It acts as a fallback if more specific values aren’t provided at the campaign or ad group level.
For example, if you wanted to promote a 10% off discount using RSAs, you’d use the “Discount” attribute, a data type of “Percent,” and an account value of “10% off.” Then, when someone is searching for products, Google would test automatically inserting a copy regarding a 10% off promotion into your ad.
Once you’ve set up the right customization options, you can start to format your RSAs with customizers.
Here’s how:
- Start by typing in {
- Click on Ad Customizer then select your attribute
- Google will populate your attributes that are already uploaded
- For a simple offer, use the “Default text” attribute as a catch-all. This will ensure your ads run smoothly if Google can’t pull the right messaging from your RSA feed
How to Schedule Your Ad Customizers with a Feed
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s cover how to schedule your ad customizers.
Just follow this three step process:
1. Create the feed
Start by creating two sheets: The Parent sheet, and the Child sheet. The “Parent” sheet will act as the primary data source, while the child sheet will pull data from the parent sheet.
We’ll start by building the parent sheet. After opening the sheet, start by renaming the active tab to “Promotions.” Don’t skip this step, it’s crucial for referencing this range in formulas later on.
In your “Promotions” tab, head to the top row and label columns A, B, and C with the headers of your ad customizer attributes. For example, you might have “BrandSaleHeadline” as your attribute in column A, “text” as the Data Type in column B, and “Shop the Collection” as the Account Value in column C.
Once your headers are in place, move to cell C2. Here, you’ll input the expression =lookup(today(),F:G,E:E). This formula will play a key role in dynamically updating your RSA customizer based on the current date.
Next, go to columns E, F, and G, which will be used to manage your scheduling. In these columns, you’ll list out the different values your chosen attribute might take, alongside their corresponding start and end dates. For example, under the “BrandSaleHeadline” attribute, you might schedule various promotional headlines to appear during different sale periods throughout the year.
Here’s how your sheet might look:
Now look back at the first 3 columns on your sheet. They should look like this:
Now create a second sheet. We’ll call this sheet the Child sheet. It’s going to automatically pull in data from the parent sheet you just created, and will be the one you link to Google Ads later on.
Columns A, B and C will be almost identical to the child sheet, but we will be using a special formula later so we can automatically populate this. So, start by labeling Row 1 Column A “Attribute,” then the next column as “Data type,” then column C as “Account value.”
Then go to C2 and use this expression to populate the right account value from the parent document: =importrange(“[PARENT DOCUMENT URL HERE]”,”Promotions!C2″)
Your sheet should now look like this:
We recommend adding a date range with default text for any days you’re not running a promotion. In the example above, we have “Shop Our Collection” appearing as default text.
2. Input attributes
Once you have your feed created, the next step involves inputting your attributes into the Google Ads platform. This can be done either manually or through a bulk upload.
For the manual approach, navigate to “Tools & Settings” in your Google Ads interface, then go to ‘Setup’ followed by “Business Data.” Here, you’ll find an option for “Ad Customizer Attributes.” Click the plus sign to add your attributes. It’s crucial to use the same attribute names that you’ve established in your Parent Google Sheet template to ensure consistency and proper data synchronization.
Alternatively, if you prefer the bulk upload method, again head to “Tools & Settings.” This time, select “Bulk Actions” and then “Uploads.” For this process, you only need to upload columns A to C from your template.
Be aware that it might take some time for your uploaded attributes to be reflected in the business data section of Google Ads.
3. Set up an automatic schedule
At this point, you’ve almost finished scheduling your ad customizers. Navigate to Tools & Settings, then Bulk Actions, then Uploads, then click the Schedules tab at the top. Select your Child Google Sheet as the data source, and share your Google Sheet with the appropriate email.
And there you have it – Google will automatically pull in the data you populated in the sheets into your RSAs.
Common Challenges When Scheduling RSA Ad Customizers
When we test these sheets with our clients in the wild, we’ve uncovered five common challenges. Be on the lookout for these issues – solving them before they happen can save you a lot of trouble down the line.
Not scheduling your upload when the site changes
The first and most significant hurdle is the mismatch between the scheduled data upload and website content updates. For instance, if the Google Sheet is set to upload at 11 am, but the website changes occur at 3 pm, there’s going to be a discrepancy where the wrong message could be displayed for several hours, or new messaging could appear prematurely. Conversely, if the website updates happen before the scheduled sheet upload, outdated promotions might linger until the new data is imported. Synchronizing these schedules is crucial; it’s best to align them so updates occur simultaneously.
Skipping QA during a message change
Another pitfall is neglecting quality assurance (QA) during message updates. It’s vital to regularly check the business data section to verify that the correct values are in place post-update.
Issues with the IMPORTRANGE function
Then there’s the technical aspect of setting up the IMPORTRANGE function correctly in the Google Sheets template. The ‘child’ template must reliably pull data from the ‘parent’ sheet. If this function isn’t configured correctly, data won’t be imported as needed.
Not sharing access of the Google template for automatic uploads
Pay attention to your access permissions for the Google Sheets template. Google will prompt you with the email address that needs permission to access the ‘child’ sheet for automatic uploads. Overlooking the sharing of your sheet with this address will prevent the system from working.
Having date range gaps in your parent sheet
Lastly, a common oversight is leaving date range gaps in the ‘parent’ sheet. Every single date must be accounted for without overlaps. A practical tip is to have an ‘evergreen’ backup message ready, scheduled to run continuously, ideally through the end of the year, to cover any potential gaps.
Conclusion
Leveraging Google Sheets in conjunction with Google Ads to schedule RSA ad customizers is a game-changer for managing dynamic promotional content. This process not only streamlines your workflows but also ensures that your ads remain relevant and up-to-date, reflecting current promotions without the need for constant manual intervention.
By adopting this method, you’ll save significant time and effort, allowing you to focus more on strategy and less on the minutiae of ad copy updates. Give it a try and experience a more efficient way to manage your RSAs, keeping your campaigns fresh and engaging with minimal hassle.
MARKETING
10 Advanced Tips for Crafting Engaging Social Content Strategies

In 2023, there are a total of 4.89 billion social media users worldwide. One of the many reasons you should build your brand’s presence on social media is to capture a slice of this pie.
So, if you’re a marketer wanting to crush it online — this is your time to take action. The social presence of billions of users shows great potential to connect, engage, and build lasting relationships with your target audience.
The real power lies not just in being active on social media networks but in planning social media goals in advance and crafting engaging social media content strategies that make a meaningful impact.
And creating one isn’t as easy as it sounds. It requires a thoughtful approach that goes beyond the basics.
To help you accomplish your social media goals, we’ll cover ten advanced tips that you can use to craft an engaging social media content strategy.
1. Conduct A/B Testing
A/B testing allows you to optimize your social media marketing strategy based on insights and social media metrics.
Experiment with different content formats, headlines, captions, and visuals to see which format performs better.
You can also try different content styles and focus on visual content, which is 40x more likely to be shared on social media.
Example: Test two different headlines for a product announcement social post and use the one that users engaged with and shared more. You’ll need to track social metrics like reactions, shares, and new followers during your test.
2. Personalize your content
Before creating a social media marketing plan or content calendar, segment your audience based on demographics, behaviors, and interests.
Craft tailored messages for each segment and find social media content ideas for that target audience.
And to encourage them to engage with you, publish funny content. 80% of marketers say that funny content is the most effective form of social media posts.
Example: Tap into Instagram retargeting ads to promote personalized product recommendations to customers based on their past purchase history.
3. Embrace User-Generated Content (UGC)
User-generated content is a powerful way to build trust, gather a sense of community, and increase engagement rates.
Encourage users to share their experiences and stories about your brand.
Plan a posting schedule using social media tools, highlight, and feature UGC in your content, and give credit to the creators to showcase the authenticity.
Then, create a dedicated UGC marketing campaign.
Example: Invite customers to share photos of themselves using your product with a branded hashtag. Comment on and share these photos on your company’s social media (with permission, of course), thanking the participants for joining in on the fun.
4. Incorporate influencer collaboration
Partner with influencers in your industry who have high engagement rates. 67% of marketers agree they prefer working with micro-influencers with 10k-100k followers or subscribers.
Collaborating with influencers allows you to tap into their social networks and leverage their credibility to boost engagement.
Use social media management tools to co-create content, host giveaways, or collaborate on campaigns aligning with your brand and the influencers’ style to extend your reach and gain engagement.
If your target audience is Gen Z, you can prefer Instagram Reels for influencer marketing.
For context, look at the stats below:
Example: Partner with a fitness influencer to promote your health supplements through workout videos.
5. Use interactive elements
To accomplish your social media marketing goals, you can engage people to interact with your brand via polls, quizzes, and surveys. Encourage them to participate and share the results.
Incorporating interactive elements into your social media marketing strategy will spark active participation between your social media team and audience, making them more likely to engage and share opinions.
Example: Host a poll on X (formerly Twitter) to let your audience choose the next product feature you’ll develop or the types of content they’d like to see.
6. Leverage user reviews and testimonials
Showcase user reviews and testimonials as part of your content strategy. Highlight positive feedback and make improvements by taking accountability for negative feedback.
Incorporate these testimonials into your social media strategies to create dedicated reviews or testimonial videos. Sharing this social proof helps build trust and credibility with your audience.
Example: Feature video social proof of a satisfied customer explaining how your software improved their business.
7. Create long-form content
While social media platforms are mostly known for short-form content, they’re switching gears to focus on long-form content.
It’s great, especially if your business receives great engagement on X (formerly Twitter).
“Long-form posts on the microblogging platform are now at 3 billion views per day and rising.”, said Elon Musk, the owner of X.
“This is roughly on par with all newspaper articles views on Earth,” he continued.
Educational content and case studies tend to work great on LinkedIn. Additionally, blog posts can also help you establish your brand as an authority in your industry.
Publishing compelling content is a great way to increase engagement and shares. You can also repurpose educational content on multiple sites and tailor it to each platform for the best results.
Example: Publish content about challenges and opportunities your company faced and how it helped you increase return on investment.
8. Collaborate with other brands
Collaborate with complementary brands or businesses for promotional content.
As part of your digital marketing strategy, come up with mutually beneficial collaboration ideas that can help you both increase reach and tap into ideal customers.
Joint campaigns, cross-promotions, or co-sponsored events are great ways to use the power of collaboration.
Example: Team up with a travel agency to promote your hotel and their vacation packages through a joint social media campaign.
9. Emphasize customer service
Social channels aren’t just a source for publishing content but also for providing excellent customer service.
Marketers these days actively invest in building social media communities to better connect and interact with potential customers.
Respond promptly to inquiries, comments, and feedback from your audience. Show them you genuinely care about them by addressing their concerns and providing helpful solutions.
This level of engagement can build customer loyalty and community building.
Example: Respond to customers’ support requests on social accounts and resolve their issues within a few hours.
10. Monitor trends and stay updated
Stay updated with social media trends, algorithm changes, and content formats. Track performances, content audits, and social media KPIs.
Experiment with new features or types of content introduced by social media channels.
Plan your social media content calendar based on engagement metrics. Keep an eye on what your competitors are doing and identify strategies that work well in your industry.
Out of all content types, short-form videos are taking the spotlight. Research states that 64% of shoppers ended up making a purchase after seeing branded video content on social platforms.
Example: If video content is becoming popular on social platforms, create your social media content strategy around it.
You might also consider incorporating data storytelling into your strategy. Why? More brands are moving towards storytelling in their social media posts.
This helps reach larger audiences and accomplish business goals. If you haven’t thought about it, give it a thought. The early bird catches the worm.
Final Words
And there you have it — ten advanced tips to level up your social media marketing strategy.
Test the waters with new features on social channels and plan your content marketing strategy accordingly.
With consistency and some creativity, you can increase your brand awareness and establish a strong foothold in the vast sea of social media.
Are you ready to boost your social media presence and accomplish all your business goals? Here’s to your success!
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