MARKETING
Top 10 Most Popular Online Payment Solutions
Today, there’s no better place to make money than online.
Because there are now 4.54 billion internet users, you have access to more than half the population of the globe!
Also, there are tons of ways to earn online.
You can set up an ecommerce store.
You can create a course.
You can offer professional services like content creation, graphic design, or content strategy.
If you already own a business, you can take it online to reach a wider audience.
But no matter how you decide to make money online, you’ll need one thing:
A reliable, safe, user-friendly payment solution.
The good news?
It isn’t hard to find online payment solutions experts love and trust.
Here are 10 of the best online payment solutions you’ll love.
You’ll need a specific online payment solution depending on the kind of business you own.
Take special note of the description below each solution to find out if it’s the one for you.
1. PayPal
Source: paypal.com
PayPal is huge, with 305 million active users.
It’s also growing rapidly.
In fact, from Q3 to Q4 of 2019 alone, it gained 9.3 million new users!
But if its size and popularity aren’t enough to convince you to use PayPal, here are other facts to get you excited about it.
- PayPal is available in 202 countries.
- As a PayPal user, you can withdraw funds in 56 different currencies.
- PayPal is free – you don’t have to worry about monthly membership fees, annual maintenance, or even a maintaining balance.
- A PayPal account can be connected to multiple debit and credit cards.
- You can purchase items online even if your PayPal balance is zero by connecting it to your current bank account.
- PayPal is safe. You can purchase items online without giving away your financial information.
2. Stripe
Stripe is similar to PayPal because it’s user-friendly, requires no monthly or membership fee, and promises a safe shopping experience.
However, if you’re looking for a customized payment platform, Stripe is the solution for you.
This is because Stripe has special tools and features a developer can use to create a highly personalized payment platform for your company.
These include:
- An advanced fraud-management tool called Stripe Radar.
- Virtual and physical cards for employee expenses.
- Business intelligence based on SQL
If you’re a big company needing custom payment solutions, Stripe is a good choice for you.
3. Amazon Pay
By using Amazon Pay, you can quickly and easily reach out to Amazon users.
These customers can pay for your goods or services simply by logging into their Amazon accounts.
Here are five reasons Amazon Pay is an excellent choice.
- It’s super simple to set up with your site.
- It’s optimized for both mobile and voice search.
- With one account, customers can access thousands of sites.
- You can charge your customers recurring payments like monthly membership fees.
- You can seamlessly offer refunds.
4. X-Payments
If the financial safety and privacy of your customers is your top priority, choose X-Payments as your payment solution.
X-Payments is PCI DSS certified, meaning it passes the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.
This is the highest safety level you can get for your customers and your online store.
With X-Payments, you also enjoy:
- The safest credit card information storage.
- Seamless transactions, as customers don’t have to leave your online store to make a payment.
- Processing of over 40 credit cards.
Pricing stars at $42.46 a month for 10,000 transactions processed per year.
5. Braintree
Braintree focuses strategically on mobile users.
Owned by PayPal, it benefits by having access to the millions of people who use the popular payment solution.
So, why should you use Braintree?
- Braintree is trusted by huge digital companies such as Airbnb and Uber.
- It has special tools for fraud detection.
- It can be integrated with Google Pay, Apple Pay, Venmo, and major credit and debit cards.
Right now you’re wondering: if Braintree is owned by PayPal, which one should I use?
The answer is it depends on the kind of business you’re running.
Here are three things to consider when deciding between PayPal and Braintree.
- Although it’s easier to get a PayPal account approved, it’s as easy to have your account flagged and deactivated. It takes longer to set up a Braintree account but once you get one, you’re assured of seamless transactions down the road.
- It’s easier to send large amounts of money in foreign currencies through Braintree.
- Braintree and PayPal offer vastly different products and cater to different markets. Study each one and choose the one that most fits your business.
6. Due
Due isn’t only a payment solution.
It’s a complete system which allows you to:
- Take care of all your invoices in one place.
- Keep organized with all your payment information in one location.
- Enjoy lower rates than credit cards.
7. GoCardless
GoCardless is a wonderful choice if you collect recurring payments from your customers.
For example, you collect monthly subscription fees or offer an online course with monthly payment options.
GoCardless allows you to collect recurring payments automatically.
When you use this platform, it’s also easier for you to track your customers’ payment status.
Standard subscription is free, but you can get a paid subscription if you’re interested in adding your name to your customers’ bank statements or developing your own email notifications and payment pages.
8. SecurePay
Doing business in Australia?
If you’re looking for a payment solution supported by major Australian banks, SecurePay is the one to choose.
SecurePay offers:
- Detailed reports on all payments.
- Easy integration with most shopping carts.
- Quick online payments.
9. Adyen
Adyen is available in 200 countries and supports 250 local payment methods.
It won the Nora Solution Partner Excellence Awards in 2019 for Best Security and Anti-Fraud Solution.
Two huge companies that trust Adyen as their payment solution are Spotify and Microsoft.
10. CyberSource
CyberSource is a top payment solution because of its risk management.
It has more than 300 fraud detectors to ensure your customers and your online store are safe.
CyberSource serves 190 countries and is used by 450,000 businesses across the globe.
How to Choose the Right Payment Solutions for Your Business
The 10 payment solutions mentioned above are the best of the best today.
But how do you choose one to fit your business?
The answer is to dig deep into exactly what you need for your company right now.
For instance, if you’ve just started out and want to test the waters, PayPal is a great option for you.
If you’re a larger company and need a customized platform, you’ll love Stripe’s unique features.
Just as your brand is special, you can find a special payment solution that fits you perfectly.
Image Credits
All screenshots taken by author, March 2020
MARKETING
YouTube Ad Specs, Sizes, and Examples [2024 Update]
Introduction
With billions of users each month, YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine and top website for video content. This makes it a great place for advertising. To succeed, advertisers need to follow the correct YouTube ad specifications. These rules help your ad reach more viewers, increasing the chance of gaining new customers and boosting brand awareness.
Types of YouTube Ads
Video Ads
- Description: These play before, during, or after a YouTube video on computers or mobile devices.
- Types:
- In-stream ads: Can be skippable or non-skippable.
- Bumper ads: Non-skippable, short ads that play before, during, or after a video.
Display Ads
- Description: These appear in different spots on YouTube and usually use text or static images.
- Note: YouTube does not support display image ads directly on its app, but these can be targeted to YouTube.com through Google Display Network (GDN).
Companion Banners
- Description: Appears to the right of the YouTube player on desktop.
- Requirement: Must be purchased alongside In-stream ads, Bumper ads, or In-feed ads.
In-feed Ads
- Description: Resemble videos with images, headlines, and text. They link to a public or unlisted YouTube video.
Outstream Ads
- Description: Mobile-only video ads that play outside of YouTube, on websites and apps within the Google video partner network.
Masthead Ads
- Description: Premium, high-visibility banner ads displayed at the top of the YouTube homepage for both desktop and mobile users.
YouTube Ad Specs by Type
Skippable In-stream Video Ads
- Placement: Before, during, or after a YouTube video.
- Resolution:
- Horizontal: 1920 x 1080px
- Vertical: 1080 x 1920px
- Square: 1080 x 1080px
- Aspect Ratio:
- Horizontal: 16:9
- Vertical: 9:16
- Square: 1:1
- Length:
- Awareness: 15-20 seconds
- Consideration: 2-3 minutes
- Action: 15-20 seconds
Non-skippable In-stream Video Ads
- Description: Must be watched completely before the main video.
- Length: 15 seconds (or 20 seconds in certain markets).
- Resolution:
- Horizontal: 1920 x 1080px
- Vertical: 1080 x 1920px
- Square: 1080 x 1080px
- Aspect Ratio:
- Horizontal: 16:9
- Vertical: 9:16
- Square: 1:1
Bumper Ads
- Length: Maximum 6 seconds.
- File Format: MP4, Quicktime, AVI, ASF, Windows Media, or MPEG.
- Resolution:
- Horizontal: 640 x 360px
- Vertical: 480 x 360px
In-feed Ads
- Description: Show alongside YouTube content, like search results or the Home feed.
- Resolution:
- Horizontal: 1920 x 1080px
- Vertical: 1080 x 1920px
- Square: 1080 x 1080px
- Aspect Ratio:
- Horizontal: 16:9
- Square: 1:1
- Length:
- Awareness: 15-20 seconds
- Consideration: 2-3 minutes
- Headline/Description:
- Headline: Up to 2 lines, 40 characters per line
- Description: Up to 2 lines, 35 characters per line
Display Ads
- Description: Static images or animated media that appear on YouTube next to video suggestions, in search results, or on the homepage.
- Image Size: 300×60 pixels.
- File Type: GIF, JPG, PNG.
- File Size: Max 150KB.
- Max Animation Length: 30 seconds.
Outstream Ads
- Description: Mobile-only video ads that appear on websites and apps within the Google video partner network, not on YouTube itself.
- Logo Specs:
- Square: 1:1 (200 x 200px).
- File Type: JPG, GIF, PNG.
- Max Size: 200KB.
Masthead Ads
- Description: High-visibility ads at the top of the YouTube homepage.
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 or higher.
- File Type: JPG or PNG (without transparency).
Conclusion
YouTube offers a variety of ad formats to reach audiences effectively in 2024. Whether you want to build brand awareness, drive conversions, or target specific demographics, YouTube provides a dynamic platform for your advertising needs. Always follow Google’s advertising policies and the technical ad specs to ensure your ads perform their best. Ready to start using YouTube ads? Contact us today to get started!
MARKETING
Why We Are Always ‘Clicking to Buy’, According to Psychologists
Amazon pillows.
MARKETING
A deeper dive into data, personalization and Copilots
Salesforce launched a collection of new, generative AI-related products at Connections in Chicago this week. They included new Einstein Copilots for marketers and merchants and Einstein Personalization.
To better understand, not only the potential impact of the new products, but the evolving Salesforce architecture, we sat down with Bobby Jania, CMO, Marketing Cloud.
Dig deeper: Salesforce piles on the Einstein Copilots
Salesforce’s evolving architecture
It’s hard to deny that Salesforce likes coming up with new names for platforms and products (what happened to Customer 360?) and this can sometimes make the observer wonder if something is brand new, or old but with a brand new name. In particular, what exactly is Einstein 1 and how is it related to Salesforce Data Cloud?
“Data Cloud is built on the Einstein 1 platform,” Jania explained. “The Einstein 1 platform is our entire Salesforce platform and that includes products like Sales Cloud, Service Cloud — that it includes the original idea of Salesforce not just being in the cloud, but being multi-tenancy.”
Data Cloud — not an acquisition, of course — was built natively on that platform. It was the first product built on Hyperforce, Salesforce’s new cloud infrastructure architecture. “Since Data Cloud was on what we now call the Einstein 1 platform from Day One, it has always natively connected to, and been able to read anything in Sales Cloud, Service Cloud [and so on]. On top of that, we can now bring in, not only structured but unstructured data.”
That’s a significant progression from the position, several years ago, when Salesforce had stitched together a platform around various acquisitions (ExactTarget, for example) that didn’t necessarily talk to each other.
“At times, what we would do is have a kind of behind-the-scenes flow where data from one product could be moved into another product,” said Jania, “but in many of those cases the data would then be in both, whereas now the data is in Data Cloud. Tableau will run natively off Data Cloud; Commerce Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud — they’re all going to the same operational customer profile.” They’re not copying the data from Data Cloud, Jania confirmed.
Another thing to know is tit’s possible for Salesforce customers to import their own datasets into Data Cloud. “We wanted to create a federated data model,” said Jania. “If you’re using Snowflake, for example, we more or less virtually sit on your data lake. The value we add is that we will look at all your data and help you form these operational customer profiles.”
Let’s learn more about Einstein Copilot
“Copilot means that I have an assistant with me in the tool where I need to be working that contextually knows what I am trying to do and helps me at every step of the process,” Jania said.
For marketers, this might begin with a campaign brief developed with Copilot’s assistance, the identification of an audience based on the brief, and then the development of email or other content. “What’s really cool is the idea of Einstein Studio where our customers will create actions [for Copilot] that we hadn’t even thought about.”
Here’s a key insight (back to nomenclature). We reported on Copilot for markets, Copilot for merchants, Copilot for shoppers. It turns out, however, that there is just one Copilot, Einstein Copilot, and these are use cases. “There’s just one Copilot, we just add these for a little clarity; we’re going to talk about marketing use cases, about shoppers’ use cases. These are actions for the marketing use cases we built out of the box; you can build your own.”
It’s surely going to take a little time for marketers to learn to work easily with Copilot. “There’s always time for adoption,” Jania agreed. “What is directly connected with this is, this is my ninth Connections and this one has the most hands-on training that I’ve seen since 2014 — and a lot of that is getting people using Data Cloud, using these tools rather than just being given a demo.”
What’s new about Einstein Personalization
Salesforce Einstein has been around since 2016 and many of the use cases seem to have involved personalization in various forms. What’s new?
“Einstein Personalization is a real-time decision engine and it’s going to choose next-best-action, next-best-offer. What is new is that it’s a service now that runs natively on top of Data Cloud.” A lot of real-time decision engines need their own set of data that might actually be a subset of data. “Einstein Personalization is going to look holistically at a customer and recommend a next-best-action that could be natively surfaced in Service Cloud, Sales Cloud or Marketing Cloud.”
Finally, trust
One feature of the presentations at Connections was the reassurance that, although public LLMs like ChatGPT could be selected for application to customer data, none of that data would be retained by the LLMs. Is this just a matter of written agreements? No, not just that, said Jania.
“In the Einstein Trust Layer, all of the data, when it connects to an LLM, runs through our gateway. If there was a prompt that had personally identifiable information — a credit card number, an email address — at a mimum, all that is stripped out. The LLMs do not store the output; we store the output for auditing back in Salesforce. Any output that comes back through our gateway is logged in our system; it runs through a toxicity model; and only at the end do we put PII data back into the answer. There are real pieces beyond a handshake that this data is safe.”