There are many benefits of diversity, but it’s less likely to be found in a company than you might expect. Diversity and inclusion is certainly a hot topic at the moment, so why is equal representation still proving so difficult to achieve? We wanted to look into the business case for diversity and tried to uncover why the workplace still isn’t becoming more diverse.

What is diversity in the workplace?

In simple terms, diversity in business means hiring a varied and diverse workforce. This covers people of different ages, genders, social, educational, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.

In reality, true diversity in the workplace runs much deeper than this. Companies should be diverse and inclusive, creating teams of varied individuals who have equal opportunities. But the truth is, the business world is biased and no matter how much technology you integrate into your business to overcome bias, ultimately major decisions are handled by human beings. Emotional, and frequently irrational, human beings. Wherever humans are involved in the business processes, there’s always scope for bias to creep in and deviate from rational decision making. 

So, is it possible to create true diversity in the workplace and reduce unconscious bias whilst we live in a biased world? And is it really technology that’s going to get us where we need to be?

Types of Bias

There are many types of bias, but they can usually be grouped into Emotional and Cognitive:

Emotional Bias

We make decisions based on our emotions, instead of logic. Emotional bias examples in business include:

• Bandwagon effect: We adopt ideas because others are, rather than analysing the information carefully. Dangerously commonplace in team meetings.
• Empathy gap: Thishappens when people in one state of mind fail to understand people in another state of mind. E.g. if you’re offended by something and you don’t understand why others aren’t.
• Hyperbolic discounting happens when people make decisions for a smaller reward sooner, rather than a greater reward later.
• Negativity bias is the tendency to put more emphasis on negative experiences rather than positive ones.
• Overconfidence is when some of us are too confident about our abilities, and this causes us to take greater risks in our daily lives.

Cognitive Bias

Where our biases result from incomplete information, or our inability to analyse the information available. Cognitive bias examples in business include:

• Confirmation bias: The classic one. We only listen to information that confirms our original theory, discounting new, conflicting, information.
• Conservatism bias: Where pre-existing data is deemed more valuable than new data.
• Anchoring bias: Using the first piece of information we hear usually affects our decision making.
• Recency bias: Future decisions are based on memorable, recent events, even if they are one-off events, because they are easier to remember.
• Frequency illusion: This occurs when a word, name, or thing you just learned about suddenly appears everywhere.

Any prejudice can have the potential to affect your business operations. Whether it involves future-planning, the day-to-day, or even the hiring process, nothing is immune. Whilst we assume a lot of these biases are subconscious, other far more serious biases – such as racism and sexism – are conscious, illegal, and widespread.

What are the 4 types of diversity?

The four types of diversity are internal, external, organisational, and world view. Exploring these will help us to understand what true diversity in business looks like. 

• Internal diversity types are born with an individual and are very difficult to change. For example, ethnicity, age, race, and gender.
• External diversity types refer to characteristics that a person is not born with, that can be influenced, changed, or developed by an individual. These may include appearance, education, and interests amongst other things.
• Organisational diversity refers to factors belonging to any particular workplace. A few examples are work location, job function, and union affiliation.
• World view covers the way life experiences affect an individual’s view of the world. Diverse world views may be political, historical, or based on cultural events.

Now we know what it means to have a truly diverse workforce, do we even know when we’re being biased? These stats illustrate the current state of diversity management and inclusion:

• Over 1/3 LGBT+ staff have hidden or disguised their sexuality at work because they were afraid of discrimination. 
• There are only five black CEOs on the Fortune 500 2020 list —just 1%!
• According to the CIPD, 51% of HR professionals in the UK were found to be biased against overweight women – and were unaware that this was the case.
• Only 7% of the world’s languages are reflected in published online material, with English dominating at 50%.

This certainly highlights the business case for diversity and inclusion. Gender diversity, racial, and ethnic diversity are far from where they should be. But why is diversity important in business?

What is the importance of diversity in the workplace?

There are many benefits of diversity in business. When a company is truly diverse and inclusive, both employees and the business as a whole can benefit. Companies that employ more varied people automatically get the benefit of different perspectives. This increases creativity and productivity. Employee satisfaction increases and people perform better when employees feel included as individuals. 

The case for diversity doesn’t end there. Recent research conducted by HRWins found that nearly 60% of U.S. and U.K. employers surveyed believe there is a direct financial impact on the business when an organisation is competitive in inclusion and diversity. So true diversity is likely to have financial returns too.

Why the solution lies in the people who wield technology

The recently released Netflix’s documentary Coded Bias highlighted the many ways in which, while AI technologies are incredible tools that have improved our lives, they are as prone to bias as the people who create them. This is why a more inclusive workplace needs to begin at a human level, not simply with the implementation of new technologies. Shalini Kantayya, the film’s director, told New Scientist “I hope [Coded Bias] will be a kind of Inconvenient Truth of algorithmic justice, a film that explains the science and ethics around an issue of critical importance to the future of humanity.” 

So how can an algorithm have a bias? Because any algorithm has a human behind it who can unknowingly project their own unconscious bias. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) conducted research across 189 algorithms developed by companies including Intel, Microsoft and Toshiba. 

The purpose of the research was to see how accurate facial recognition software was on average, and if there were common failings. The results were concerning, to say the least. 

NIST’s research found that across the board all of the facial recognition software they tested was far less accurate when identifying African-American faces and Asian faces compared to Caucasian faces. 

How did researchers test the algorithmic bias?

False Positives and Negatives

One way in which NIST tested the bias of algorithms was in one-to-one matching. This is where the facial recognition software tries to match photos to identify if it is the same person in both images. 

For example, one-to-one matching can be used in criminal proceedings to match a suspect recorded on camera with photographs of suspects.

Many of the algorithms tested falsely identified Asian and African-American faces 10 to 100 times more than Caucasian faces. African-American women were the most likely to be misidentified, overall. 

Congressman Bennie Thompson, chairman of the US House Committee on Homeland Security said “the administration must reassess its plans for facial recognition technology in light of these shocking results?”

Why is this important?

Facial recognition is increasingly common in our everyday lives. Many of us use facial recognition to log into our phones and computers, and airports have even begun to install facial recognition software so that you can guide yourself through customs.

As with any new technology, some flaws can be expected. For some time, facial recognition software has struggled with sunglasses and reading glasses. This is because the reflection from your glasses prevents the software from being able to get as many data points as it needs to build an accurate portrayal of your face. This might be an inconvenience but there are other ways to access your phone and researchers have continued to work on the problem. 

NIST’s research is more troubling because it highlights a systematic problem with facial recognition and race in software that is used in law enforcement. 

While some US states have banned facial recognition because it isn’t reliable enough, it is still being used in other states. Amazon, who sell the facial recognition software Rekognition to US police forces, declined to take part in NIST’s study. Previous research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology had already reported that Amazon’s Rekognition struggled to identify women with darker skin, although Amazon denied the claim and called it misleading. 

This is an issue for the police force, who can’t work accurately because of non-inclusive technology, and the people it will impact. 

But why does technology still struggle with bias?

According to The Algorithmic Justice League, much of the problem lies in a lack of inclusivity at tech companies themselves. They report that “in the U.S, the teams designing all systems are not inclusive. Less than 20% of people in technology are women and less than 2% are people of colour.”

While there is no doubt that developers want to create cutting-edge technology that can best serve everyone, a lack of inclusivity within teams means there are only very specific viewpoints and life experiences being catered to. 

How does this lack of inclusivity in teams manifest?

The problem with a lack of inclusivity in technology isn’t just limited to facial recognition either. 

Motion detection soap dispensers have been found to be unable to recognise darker skin tones. This was of particular concern for an American-American guest of a sci-fi and fantasy convention. Fitzpatrick reported “I tried all the soap dispensers in that restroom, there were maybe 10, and none of them worked. Any time I went into that restroom, I had to have my friend get the soap for me.” This was a frustrating experience for Fitzpatrick, but imagine if he had been working in hospitality where the simple ability to wash your hand is essential and technology prevented him from being able to easily do so?

And voice recognition has repeatedly had a problem with understanding certain accents. One user reported that Alexa couldn’t understand her mother-in-law’s Nigerian accent. In fact, Alexa wouldn’t respond to any commands until her mother-in-law put on a stereotypical British accent. Even then, Alexa struggles with many regional English-speaking accents, specifically a regional Liverpool accent and in the wider UK, Alexa especially struggles with the Glasgow and Cardiff accent. Of the British accents Alexa does do incredibly well with, many are Southern cities where much of the UK’s technology companies reside. 

How does this technology bias impact the workplace?

Many of the examples we’ve discussed here discuss how technology can impact us on our personal level and for many, it may seem a case of simply waiting for the technology to improve. 

But, as many technologies become increasingly commonplace, they become necessary tools in the office. That means until the technology improves, it will hold back certain people unfairly. As shown in our infographic, Zoom is known for erasing black faces when it can’t find a pale face in the room. Try having an online business meeting when you can’t even get your face to show up on a video call. 

Twitter’s algorithm has also been found to default to white faces over non-white faces when cropping images. This makes it more difficult to be seen online if you don’t have the right skin colour. The ability to be found online is increasingly important in many industries and this is just one way social media makes it harder for some people to be recognised. 

Companies will also find themselves left behind if they cannot develop inclusive, accessible content as they’re limiting their own customer base. Companies that value diversity are proven to make more money.

How to promote diversity in the workplace

The benefits of diversity are clear, so how can we promote diversity in business?

• Bias blindspots: Seeing bias in others is easier to spot than in yourself. Make sure someone is assessing your bias regularly – and take regular tests. The Harvard Implicit Association Test is worth a try.
• Name-blind recruitment: This is already in place in the UK Civil Service, HSBC and the BBC.
• Better training of algorithms: In order to create less biased tech, we need to create algorithms that are trained with a full spectrum inclusion. That is, a more diverse data set.
• Get out of your comfort zone: Develop a working relationship with a counterpart who comes from a different background – it can only be a good thing for you and your business.
• Be more visible to your staff: Make your HR data more visible and easy to analyse. Not just for HR leaders or top executives but also for line managers who are increasingly being held accountable for performance.
• Keep improving yourself: There are a multitude of apps that can offer guidance on language and tone of voice, even providing “inclusion analytics” in real-time.
• Slow it down, smarten up: Use smart, or “slow thinking” to make decisions instead of making judgements on little to no data. 

How technology has made us more accessible

While we’ve focused on some of the dangers of technology here, it’s important to note the many ways that technology has already made the workplace more accessible. Much software has been designed to make computers accessible for those with visual impairments, making offices more navigable, user-friendly spaces. 

It’s about continuing this momentum and learning about the biases we may not be aware of that impact how accessible our workplace is to others.

It feels like catch-22 but it has to start with being better humans – knowing, owning, and correcting our collective biases. In 2018 alone, more than $4 billion was invested in the HR technology sector, yet relying on technology alone will not solve the issue of bias in the workplace.

Diversity is no longer an issue of compliance, it’s imperative to a modern, successful business. Open your channels of communication from the very top so your team learns how to give and receive feedback. Remember that real diversity and inclusion is about fostering an environment where all employees feel heard and appreciated.

To carry on supporting SMB’s, we’ve done a deep dive into digital marketing strategies with the help of MBA students at the University of Cambridge. The main aim of the study was to uncover actionable insights around the key factors that drive clicks, conversions and growth, which will help improve our product and further aid businesses to improve their marketing performance.

You can find their other findings here:

• What Makes Online Marketing Work: The Cambridge University & Adzooma Findings
  • A background look into how and why we ended up working with the University of Cambridge
• Why Your Content Strategy Is So Crucial To PPC Success: The Cambridge University & Adzooma Findings
  • The Cambridge team took a deep dive into sentimentality to help shape how you write your PPC ads
• What Makes A Landing Page Convert
  • Using the data, the team took a close look at how to get those extra leads and customers from your landing page

This is just one of the many things we do to try and improve our product, as we can utilise the data to provide more accurate suggestions to our customers. If you want to read more about our optimisations, you can do so here.

For now, here’s why digital marketing strategies are so important, why we partnered with Cambridge University and a deep dive into our new research to help you succeed online.

*Disclaimer – All campaign data provided to study participants was selected at random and anonymised.

Why is this important to me?

Knowing which digital marketing channels work for your brand is essential. Each platform has different audiences with different intent, so what works for one business might not work for you.

For example, although Google Ads is the most popular advertising network, that doesn’t mean it’ll help you achieve the best results in every single area. As this research uncovers, increasing ad spend on Facebook Ads will actually have the biggest impact on impressions.

What’s more, as 54% of Bing users are over the age of 45, and a third of them have a household income of over $100,000, Microsoft Advertising works best for targeting a more professional and affluent audience. Features such as LinkedIn Profile Targeting are also designed for this reason and are more suited towards industries such as Automotive, Finance and Travel.

“The question of what makes marketing work is one which very few have the resources to answer – yet a question that has been plaguing marketers for as long as the practice has been around.

Armed with our data and unique view across platforms, matched with the analytics skills and vast business experience of the students, it was a perfect fit to set about revealing key insights to the question.”

Sal Mohammed, Ex-Googler and current Head of Partnerships at Adzooma

Who took part in the study?

This research was undertaken by Cambridge Business students Akanshaa Khare, Srishti Warman and Sunil Grewal. All three of them have worked with multinational companies such as BCG, ZS Associates, Amazon and Barclays.

Having worked with such teams in the past, they were able to build on their knowledge of the digital marketing industry to identify the most effective ways for SMB’s to maximise their return on ad spend and ultimately grow their brand.

The partnership came about as a result of a previous project with Cambridge Judge Business School and Adzooma’s Head of Partnerships, Sal Mohammed. He told us “such was the calibre of the candidates, I’ve since been itching to work with a cohort from the university again”.

Each student focused on a specific area of research, but this piece will focus on the digital marketing strategy, based on secondary research, factor analysis, iterative regression and a comparison of ad effectiveness and cost efficiency KPIs.

What the study told us

Taking a deep dive into the hundreds of thousands of advertising accounts on Adzooma, this gave us the unique insight of being able to compare data across the three marketing channels of Google, Microsoft and Facebook ads. Data that couldn’t be found elsewhere.

Therefore applying the findings of this unique research could be crucial to helping SMB’s transition online during this time and create a successful digital marketing strategy to achieve their goals.

“The aim of the eventual deliverable was to create playbooks that will illustrate what leads to better ad conversion rates”, said Sristhi Warman. This data would then be used by small businesses and agencies to improve their online advertising performance, as well as enhance the Adzooma platform.

Study A: How do I select marketing channels?

A long-lasting strategy is a strategy that looks at the big picture.

With this in mind, the Cambridge students looked at data aggregation across Google, Facebook and Microsoft, data enhancement and other methodologies including calculating digital advertising ratios. Using this data, they created a 5-step strategy small businesses can use when starting out.

This includes:

• Knowing your target customers and selecting a combination of marketing channels accordingly
• Defining business objective of the ad campaign, based on the comprehensive marketing funnel
• Using the channel-selection framework for suitable advertising formats and channels
• Using overlap resolution methodology to make a choice between overlapping channels from the previous step
• Testing and learning, to understand your customers better and adapt your strategy as you go

So, let’s explore what the first step looks like.

Display, search and social advertising are important for all businesses. But as time goes on and you sharpen your targeting, you might find you want to focus more on one channel than another. This is where the research aimed to conclude the most effective mix of advertising platforms for an SMB.

The research shows that marketing channels which fall into the question mark category could be risky for SMB’s, and those who are categorised as ‘dogs’ should be avoided.

Based on the Cambridge digital marketing acumen and academic literature, it’s also clear that customer behaviour differs across the marketing journey, and based upon which part of the journey a customer is in, they are “more likely to visit a specific channel and respond to a kind of advertising format accordingly”.

This evaluation is supported by existing research which surveyed 1,000 cross-industry SMB’s. It showed:

• Acquiring new customers is the most chased (56%)
• Other goals ranging from ‘generating awareness’ to ‘generating leads’ & ‘retaining customers’ are comparably chased (45% to 49%)

Taking this data into account, the Cambridge students decided that merging the traditional sales funnel with the customer lifecycle model would be the best way for an SMB to manage their overall marketing goals.

The graph below shows which platform a customer is most likely to begin their buying journey on, and where they become more loyal to a brand.

Following this, overlap resolution methodology was used to determine the impact of cost on different marketing channels. This way, SMB’s would be able to effectively determine which platform is best to use when similarities occur – as seen in the funnel above.

The results showed which factors had an impact on results:

Having determined a connection between channel and cost KPIs, further research was conducted to find out the average CPM and CPC across Google, Facebook and Microsoft Ads.

Overall result: Facebook is the most cost-effective channel on average for SMBs.

So, if you’re choosing between Google and Facebook to advertise your business, on average Facebook would be the best bet. But, it’s also advised to look at the click-through rate of both channels as this could differ depending on factors such as industry and geography. Average CTRs are publicly available to help you make a clear decision.

For SMB’s that are debating between Google and Microsoft, the MBA students suggest using Google due to its high reach and low cost. Microsoft could also be useful in addition to Google or particularly suitable for specific business types, especially as it offers high-level targeting and demographics.

Study B: How much should I spend across channels?

For years, advertisers have questioned how much of their budget should be spent on paid advertising. A budget too big might go to waste, but one that’s smaller might not bring the return you need. Again, we worked closely with the MBA students at Cambridge University to find the answer.

To explore this hypothesis, a regression analysis was undertaken to validate if ad spend actually has an impact on increasing the number of impressions and clicks. In other words, whether increasing your budget on platforms such as Google Ads would improve the performance of your campaigns.

The advertising accounts that were analysed were connected to the Adzooma platform, ensuring the data was current, reliable and representative of the three major advertising networks.

Overall, the analysis showed that, on average, if an SMB increased their ad spend by just £1 when using Adzooma – which they can sign up for at no cost – they could expect to see different results across all three channels.

Overall result: Microsoft is the most responsive channel for increasing ad spend.

SMB’s could use this research to distribute their budget more accurately and get a clear idea of which channels will give them the best return on their investment.

However, it’s important to note that “every business is unique and channel mix selected through this framework should be validated through their own experiments”.

How will the data help Adzooma and SMBs?

Generally, the data collected will help to improve the Adzooma platform and allow us to provide more accurate optimisations.

For example, it was suggested that Adzooma could evaluate how channel partnerships can be best leveraged for our SMB customers. As Facebook seems to be the most used channel by 70% of SMB’s, and data analysis suggests it is optimal in terms of cost and return, Adzooma could use this data to scale their Facebook features and Opportunities.

This idea was reiterated by Sal Mohammed, Head of Partnerships at Adzooma, who said: “A lot of the learnings we unearthed from this study will go directly into the core technology. We already demonstrated that Adzooma users receive higher click-through rates than the industry averages by leveraging our technology and the changes we will implement following this work will only enhance that dividend.”

After seeing how easy it is for Adzooma users to compare account performance, the MBA students also devised a benchmarking method SMB’s could use for their own analysis.

The graph would allow businesses to find their peer group and compare ad effectiveness and efficiency, helping them decide which platforms to use. A feature like this is excellent for SMB’s trying to grow their brand and drive traffic in the industry.

If you need support in a different area, Adzooma Marketplace has the expertise you’re looking for. It’s the number one platform that connects agencies, freelancers and more with high-quality leads looking to buy. Browse the categories today to find your ideal match. Or don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to discuss the findings further.

Maximise success with the right channels

If you’re new to advertising or managing your own ad accounts, it can be difficult to build an effective digital marketing strategy. There’s a lot of time and effort involved, and you may have limited resources or digital expertise.

Using the data above, you should have a clear idea of how to select the best digital marketing channels for your business. If you have a tight budget, as the Cambridge research has shown, you will get more for your money using Facebook Ads.

Plus, although Google, Facebook and Microsoft ads are the most popular online advertising platforms, there are alternative (and less expensive) places to list your ads. Although they’re still effective, having fewer users means it’s often easier to reach your exact target audience.

These examples were not analysed within the research, but could increase your profits aside from your most profitable platform.

A few examples include:

• Capterra: An ultimate software review site that allows people to search for new software based on thousands of trusted reviews. Users typically spend a lot of time here, so it’s a great opportunity to set yourself apart and sell the benefits of your business.
• Amazon: 300 million people actively use Amazon which makes it an excellent network to list your shopping ads.
• Reddit: You only need $5 minimum to launch a campaign on Reddit. Popular posts are promoted on the front page, and ‘subreddits’ reach users who share similar interests. Both options allow you to share diverse content with audiences from across the globe.

To find out more about overlooked digital marketing channels, read the full blog post.

For example, Starbucks is more expensive than a lot of local cafes.

But, because they have a strict price image and they articulate themselves to a particular group of businesspeople and influencers, people buy their drinks regardless.

If you can make your brand feel part of a certain lifestyle and instil confidence that it outweighs the cost and benefits of other options, behavioural economics states that you will make people convert.

What is behavioural economics?

Behavioural economics draws on psychology and economics to better understand real customer behaviour. For example, people are more likely to make optimal choices that will provide them with the greatest satisfaction and value. In economics, rational choice theory suggests that people use rational calculations to achieve an outcome that serves their best interests.

However, people don’t always make rational decisions. This theory is often criticised for assuming people have selfish motivations, ignoring social interactions and being culturally biased. After all, humans are often emotional and easily distracted.

To settle this argument and analyse fundamental influences, behavioural economics principles such as the Endowment Effect, Heuristics and Social Proof, aim to identify the effect that psychological factors have on our economic decision-making.

How does it relate to business and PPC?

Barush Labunski, Founder of Rank Secure puts it nicely:

“All online advertising models are designed as such to relate it with everyday problems and tailored according to the behaviour of the people in response. For example, Dunkin’ Donuts differentiated itself from the ambience and product name of Starbucks. Then it increased its prices and charged more for their services. This created an impact in behavioural economics of the people and to differentiate from the masses, they started buying from Dunkin’ Donuts.”

By understanding what motivates a person to move in one direction as opposed to another, and anticipating irrational biases and needs, business owners can ultimately improve the customer experience.

For example, one theory suggests that including a few cheaper options among the products you’re actually trying to sell increases the likelihood of consumers choosing the expensive one. This is because they will view the cheaper alternative as a loss rather than a gain, compared to the product being shown on its own.

In comparison, the best PPC campaigns draw customers in and make them imagine experiencing the benefits of the brand. Advertisers use A/B testing to determine what their customers engage with, just like behavioural economics analyses behaviour, so that they can too improve customer experience.

If ads that included positive testimonials achieved 40% more clicks, the advertiser would have a clear idea of how to increase their conversion rate. In this instance, social proof and PPC advertising work hand in hand.

Consumer advocacy and behavior is paramount for a company to be able to fully achieve its market objectives, regardless of the market setting or location. If a company can track consumer behavior and steer it’s marketing efforts towards that behavior, the result will be a surge in demand and eventually market domination.”

Ian E. McFadden, D.Sc., FACHE, President/CEO, HRM International, Inc.

Apple vs. Sony

Apple uses behavioural economics to dominate the market, build their brand and make people feel part of the Apple tribe. If you’ve got an iPhone or other Apple product, you’ve bought into the luxury hierarchy that Apple breathes.

The image Apple has built its brand upon is enough to influence people under the Halo Effect. Every iPhone, iPad, Mac and watch has exactly the same sleek packaging, upgrading each time with just a different product number. For this reason alone, there’s never an inch of doubt that the devices will live up to their expectations.

You can see this in their PPC ads, which, rather than being extremely sales-like, influences customers through Choice Overload.

“Only at Apple.”

Of course. Because if customers want to buy into the culture they’ve created, they need reminding that there is only one appropriate choice. And that’s Apple.

Laurie Wilkins, Founder of CallOutdoors, told us that these cognitive biases are what sets a clear divide between Apple and its competitors.

She said:

“The brand itself produces products of great quality but misses the mark where the Halo Effect is concerned. Sony has created a disjointed brand that doesn’t offer its users what other brands do.

They have not suffered an annual decline in sales as a result of quality – in fact, the XZ Premium (launched 2017) was one of the most powerful phones on the market at the time, but the brand did not offer its consumers the opportunity to integrate this amazing piece of tech into their lifestyle (and other tech entertainment products) and subsequently saw sales figures unbefitting of such a great device”.

This has never been the case with Apple.

Apple’s products are designed to slot into their customers’ lives, giving them a sense of belonging as soon as they make a purchase.

But, you don’t have to be just like Apple to achieve success. Apple has built an empire using a number of behavioural economics that could work for your brand. If you want to make a statement like them, you just need to focus on the details. Here’s a variety of behavioural economics that could improve your business.

Applying behavioural economics to PPC

As the CEO and Founder of MotionCue, Osama Khabab tells us, “marketing is all about using customer behaviour to your advantage. These days we have so much data available that it can be used to market the right product to the right audience at the right time.”

To help you use this data effectively, each of these examples will give insight into PPC ads that are running right now.

1. Social proof

Social proof is the theory that customers look to others for what to buy and what services to use. If your friends or family regularly use a certain brand, you’ll be more likely to use it yourself.

To apply social proof to your business, all you have to do is show that other people are buying, using and recommending your products. Make people feel like they’re part of your club, that they’d be silly not to try your brand when so many other people are happy with it. Reassure customers that they can trust you, using the power of reviews to get them on-side.

You have to let people know they aren’t the only ones making the decision. Tell them exactly how many people are using your brand and how many happy customers you’ve got. The result of this will be a feeling of envy or comfort, both of which make people want to be involved.

See this example from The Protein Works:

Seeing an excellent star rating, large number of reviews and that they’ve shipped over 1 million orders is the perfect tactic to dramatically increase sales through reassurance.

The only way you can get star ratings into your ads is by using a platform like Trustpilot, and you can get 15% off all Trustpilot plans if you’re an Adzooma user.

2. Framing

Framing is all about the way you present information. For instance, saying your product is 80% fat-free rather than 20% fat will make people believe it’s a healthier option.

Supermarkets that organise products according to customer preference, rather than price, are also more likely to make high-end sales. If customers could clearly see the higher price points of their favourite items amongst cheaper options, they might see people make more rational decisions.

The same applies to marketing and PPC.

Here’s an example from MuscleFood:

The brand has used descriptions and sitelink extensions to show the benefits in multiple ways.

For example, “Fill Your Fridge With Healthy Products” assures people all of their shopping will be taken care of and they won’t be tempted by unhealthy snacks. “All Healthy Under 600 Calories” essentially says the same thing, but is framed in a way that makes people visualise eating fewer calories than usual. It’s what makes people convert.

To make sure you aren’t missing out on opportunities like these, the Adzooma platform automatically generates smart suggestions for your account. Add new keywords, add a promo extension and test new headlines all in a few clicks:

What’s more, it’s completely free to use. See what opportunities are waiting for you here.

3. Scarcity

If you want to urge people to buy your products, you need to make them think they’re going to miss out. Brands have been doing it on their websites and in their advertising campaigns for years.

From businesses that sell mattresses:

To bedroom furniture:

And women’s parka coats:

It’s an excellent technique to include in PPC headlines as they appear at the top of the search results whenever people are looking for products. If no one else has a sale on, it could be the nudge they need to convert and the benefit that sets you apart from other brands. For more inspiration, take a look at these 5 brilliant PPC campaigns.

Whether it’s a seasonal promotion or you’ve just got a few items left after Black Friday, it all contributes towards getting more sales.

4. Anchoring

Anchoring is a cognitive bias based on the idea that irrelevant information impacts decision making. It was first discovered by Tversky and Kahneman in 1974 when analysing the concept of rationality.

In one experiment, participants were asked to estimate the percentage of African nations that are members of the United Nations. Group A was asked if the figure was higher or lower than 35%, and group B was asked if it was higher or lower than 65%. Participants in the first group gave much lower estimates, proving that people take surrounding context and information into account without even realising.

Similar effects have also been found in pricing, negotiation, lotteries and gambles, and more, causing the principle to become an effective advertising technique. If people are influenced by irrelevant information, creating an environment where A always looks better than B will help to sell your product.

See this example:

16% less doesn’t sound a lot on its own, but being able to see the new price compared to the old one makes it much more desirable.

Become a behavioural economics success

Businesses have used patterns in customer behaviour to improve sales and reinforce their brand image for years. From Apple using a number of psychological factors to Starbucks exchanging irresistible coffee for extremely high prices, behavioural economics plays a huge part in motivational purchases.

By using customer behaviour strategies in your marketing, you will be able to obtain a better idea of what customers need, how they interact with your products and how you can convince them to buy.

As Chans Weber, Founder and CEO of Leap Clixx concludes:

“Customer behaviour and PPC work hand in hand, especially with very limited word counts and SEO capabilities. Website designers and SEO specialists need to think about how to quickly encourage users to become paying customers.

Whether that’s through the use of adjectives to simply describe the product or service or make it seem as if it’s a necessity to purchase the product or service as it will improve the way they live.”

In the aftermath, America and the rest of the industrialised world spiralled into the deepest and longest economic recession of Western history, otherwise known as the Great Depression (1929-39).

Despite a sharp decline in nominal wealth and the series of financial crises that followed, the Depression-era is a prime example of how economic devastation can ignite innovation and strategic decisions amongst entrepreneurs.

Lack of employment opportunities worsened economic conditions, but confidence was instilled through innovative business interventions. It’s an observation that can also be made for 4 of the biggest recessions since the 1930s.

The question to be asked is this: Can a recession mean more opportunities for entrepreneurs? Is there an underlying trend during every economic tailspin?

How & why recessions call for innovation

A lot of recessions emerge from overoptimistic expectations of efficiency-gains in the financial sector. Failing that, they’re often a result of an unlucky combination of factors – spur-of-the-moment rules and regulations, lack of government protection and an extremely high unemployment rate.

But, behavioural changes caused by such economic adversity still opens up a window for businesses to pursue opportunity. They’re able to use uncertain grounds to get closer to customers who might be ignored by their competitors, acquire instantly-available talent that could surge them forward and make strategic investments that will benefit them long-term. As the saying goes: fortune often favours the brave, and those that aggressively capitalise on their opponents’ struggles often flourish.

As the world after is also unlikely to resemble the one before it, they can use this to their advantage to embark upon a new way of life – improving the way people communicate, acting upon convenience and instilling happiness through simple measures.

Little research has been done to confirm exactly which strategies are successful, but we can conclude the power of entrepreneurship and innovation during such financial crashes by analysing the state of businesses since the 1930s.

Businesses that thrived during 4 of the deepest recessions

Let’s take a look at their history, analyse the themes throughout and determine which business leaders embraced the paradoxes of innovation.

The Great Depression, 1929–39

The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn of the economic world, caused by wild speculation in the roaring twenties, inactivity of the Federal Reserve and inconsistent government interventionist efforts.

As the U.S. was thrown into despair, Walt Disney created cartoons to bring joy and happiness to those suffering from the Depression. The Mickey Mouse adventures buoyed Americans through the devastation that would follow, starting with Disney’s first full-length feature of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”. It was a move that kept Disney afloat, but most significantly, reminded the masses of what it’s like to feel happy and appreciate life’s simplest pleasures.

Even now, it’s deemed the cartoon that helped get America through the Great Depression.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) was also established during 1937-1938, introducing innovation through technological advances. Interestingly, the sound engineer for Walt Disney’s movie, ‘Fantasia,’ saw the fixed-frequency oscillator they had created and bought eight of them in one go.

All of a sudden, happiness in its purest form had links to intelligent technology. It started a sequence of correlation that would make itself clear throughout every recession and would lead us to a point where technological innovation is essential to survive in today’s economy.

Mid-1970s Recession, 1973–75

The 1970s was a period of economic stagnation in much of the Western world, witnessing some of the highest rates of inflation in the United States in history. The recession that followed tore apart many businesses across America.

In his book, “Stocks for the Long Run: A Guide for Long-Term Growth” (1994), Wharton professor Jeremy Siegel, called it “the greatest failure of American macroeconomic policy in the postwar period.”

However, in spite of such wreckage, the 1970s also saw the establishment of Microsoft, who’s net worth now stands at over $1 trillion. The technology company launched on April 4, 1975, just days after the recession was considered officially over and has since created 3 billionaires and 12,000 millionaires. It’s an invention that helped create the technologically-obsessed world we live in today.

The company may have faced some difficulties the year after, but after growing exponentially, Microsoft is practically bulletproof.

The 1990s Recession, 1990–1991

The 1990s recession came after the 1980s economic boom, where software company Adobe originally developed and sold PostScript page description language for corporations, including Apple.

But what’s interesting about the 1990s recession is that innovation never stopped. Despite a dramatic growth in employment, at a time where professional expertise, proof of an admirable reputation and a network of contacts were held in high regard, business leaders continued to make developments that we still rely on today.

One of the few successful tech companies to emerge from the recession was Bungie, a successful game developer mostly for the Mac platform. After the product was demonstrated at MacWorld in 1999, Microsoft bought the company for a reported price of between $20 and $40 million. Bungie’s Halo has since become a multibillion-dollar game franchise.

ARM was also founded during the disastrous downturn that started in 1990 and is now an application that powers most of the world’s smartphones. Again, connecting friends, instilling happiness in relationships and allowing people to switch off from the outside world.

The same theme was later reinforced by John Andrews, now 78, who was 51-years-old when the 1990’s recession took place in Australia. “The 1990s experience made me angry and made me far stronger in my belief that we were all in this together,” he said. It was a time of devastation where innovation was the saviour, despite whether or not it was known.

The Great Recession, 2007–2009

Devastating world financial markets, the Great Recession was a period of economic decline considered as the most significant downturn since the Great Depression. It refers to both the U.S. recession that took place from December 2007 to June 2009 and the consequent global recession as a result thereafter.

According to a 2011 report by the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, the Great Recession was avoidable. It was arguably linked to greed, whereby the U.S. housing market was capitalising from thousands of risky mortgages in the hopes of acquiring quick profit.

But, in a time of worldwide economic uncertainty, entrepreneurs thought about convenience. They began eliminating any question marks through digital forms of communication, bringing people together and enabling families to grow closer than ever before.

If we take WhatsApp, for example, Jan Koum and Brian Acton created the platform as a way for people around the world to message each other quickly. Around the same time, with discounts, incentives and product discovery, Groupon provided a way for business owners to get exposure and ease consumers back into discretionary spending.

Stephen George, one of Groupon’s first five employees now the CEO of experiential marketing platform Surkus, told FOX Business:

“During a difficult time, Groupon was able to deliver performance-based marketing solutions to connect businesses and brands with their customers”.

It’s a recurring theme that helped people survive and enabled entrepreneurs to thrive in times of difficulty.

Other examples include:

• Airbnb, 2008 – Created by Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia as a way for people to earn extra money during the financial crisis. It is now a $30 billion firm with more than 6 million listings in 191 countries.
• Uber, 2009 – Businessmen Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp founded Uber after they couldn’t find a taxi ride on a cold night in Paris. The rideshare behemoth has since expanded internationally to include a food delivery service, a bike and scooter share service and a temporary work staffing service.
• Slack, 2009 – Photo website Flickr co-founder Stewart Butterfield initially created Slack as a work messaging app, which now has around 12 million users and has since broken user records.

What can we expect from the 2020 recession?

Analysing past and recent recessions, Wunderman Thompson APAC chief exec Annette Male, says businesses that innovate out of a recession by focusing on consumers will be “the dominant brands of tomorrow.”

“I think we need to recognise that there is nothing in a recession that can be taken for granted. There can be no sacred cows and we should always be looking at innovative solutions to the problems that spring up because it is during these times that truly disruptive ideas can take root. Our job as marketers should be to guide that process and to identify the innovative ideas and risks worth taking,” she continued.

For Sanchit Jain, technology and media analyst at Enders, advertisers and business owners should spend time both analysing and considering the context of the current economic downturn before creating a strategy.

“[The 2009 crisis] didn’t create the same level of economic uncertainty as the pandemic has. Households are worried about job security, overall health and their future economic prospects – to an extent not seen a decade ago. Nevertheless, marketers cannot afford to fall into the same cautious mindset as consumers at the moment – in doing so, they will forego invaluable opportunities.”

Some professionals also predict today’s recession will be over before we know it, but it’s what businesses do in the meantime that really matters. Striving for success using the best digital platforms could be what helps you rise above your competitors should we face another financial crisis.

Entrepreneurship and innovation: A necessity for growth

At the height of the Great Depression, Disney cartoons brought people together by igniting happiness. Business leaders have since invested in digital transformation, using behavioural economics to dominate the market and develop products that offer both convenience and pleasure. They’re innovating using more than just feelings: it’s a two-way street that’s built up over the years.

For those who saw this coming, today’s recession will be one of the easiest to combat.

Former HP Fellow Charlie Bess, also gave advice we can learn from while face-to-face with today’s economy. In an interview about recessions being a prime time for innovation, especially given the success of HP, he said:

“The challenge is to innovate while you keep the rest of IT humming. It’s a delicate balance. We talked to some CIOs and their senior IT execs to learn how they’re doing it, and rolled their feedback into four essential steps that are key to enabling IT innovation. Step 1 is to focus on meeting some of the basic business needs first.”

So, if you’re wondering how to navigate the industry as it stands, we’d recommend stripping it back and thinking about why you started your business in the first place. Look at how it can help your customers, how your product or service ties into the economy and how innovative it really is.

If your answer is a little blurry, it might take a little more to dominate the battlefield.

Here’s a list of what you could be doing to make others uncomfortable in your workplace, voiced by those who have experienced it first hand.

1. Don’t make ‘jokes’

“In SEO in particular, there seems to be a general acceptance of making jokes which are very near the cuff, often about race or sexuality. I myself have seen people making jokes or disparaging comments, especially about Indian people on SEO groups or disparaging comments, and everybody joining in. It’s one thing to talk about your experience with workers from overseas, but there does need to be a line drawn about what is acceptable to say.

“Speaking about the issue with peers in the industry hasn’t always been received well. I was told by some that “it’s in my head” and even to “stop thinking you’re at a disadvantage”. But speaking to other people of colour, they do think there is a major issue. It’s not overt, and it’s not always ‘in your face racism’, but there is a clear diversity issue in marketing.”

Amit Raj, Amit Digital Marketing

Racist language has no place in the workplace, or anywhere else in this world. ‘Joking’ about something doesn’t take away its meaning and make it okay to say. You may not even realise what you’re saying is racist; it’s important to be self-aware and recognise the effects your words have on others around you.

It’s important to call people out on their racist language, whether it affects us directly or not. If you’re the only person in the room offended, it can be hard to speak out. The tech industry is a place which strives for a better future every day – wouldn’t it be nice if we could extend this mentality to our working environments and make them a hate-free space?

2. Judge talent, not skin colour

“While the field allows for the creative freedom I long for, it can be quite difficult standing out when you’re often in a room with people that don’t look like you. As frustrating as it can be at times, I also don’t find it fair that I have to work twice as hard and be held accountable more than my counterparts.”

Nilaja Croft, Leda Health Company

Diverse people commonly feel overlooked and that their performance is overshadowed by their race. This industry, and all others, is hindering its own success by choosing appearance over talent. Minorities are aware of this bias and it makes them feel undervalued; whether you’re female in a male-dominated world, part of the LGBTQ+ community or from a minority background, you’re punished for your differences.

It’s not okay for the world to have an arbitrary set of rules which make up an ‘ideal’ – this is not Hitler’s Aryan race.

3. Don’t pretend there isn’t an issue

“You would have to be naïve if you don’t understand how deeply racism is rooted in every part of our world and it’s working. To think that it does not exist or it’s not a big issue is very ignorant behaviour. I come from a travelling and marketing background and this industry is also no different from racism and its ill-effects.”

Jennifer, Editor at Etia.com

If your workplace is a happy place for you – great. Sadly, this is not the case for everyone and your experience may be positive down to the way you look.

Racism is all around and if you’re unable to see it, it doesn’t mean it’s not there, but rather you’re privileged enough that it’s not affected you. By working together, we can bring awareness to the lack of diverse representation in tech.

4. Embrace the differences

“Throughout my 10-year career working in MarComm and transitioning as a technical product manager, I’m used to being the minority in the room – the only Latina, the only female and the youngest.

“In many ways it’s what set me apart from everyone else in the room who may have been raised listening to certain music, watching certain classic movies that I didn’t grow up watching. Subtle things like that made it difficult to connect with colleagues on a personal level.”

Nicole Caba, Founder & CEO of Avvinue

Not everyone has the same point of reference. Just like we didn’t all grow up watching the same TV shows, around the same friends or at the same schools, different cultures have different home lives. We are shaped by the way we are raised. It’s common that anything different to our own experiences feels alien, but that doesn’t mean they should make us uncomfortable.

The best ideas come from different POVs – diversity in the workplace strengthens our ideas.

5. Deliver on promises

“After recent BLM protests gained traction, many VCs started putting out public statements of support for Black entrepreneurs. Several posted their desire to help improve the abysmally low numbers of Black founders that receive funding.

So, Nerissa reached out with her professional pitch deck to every VC she could find who made these promises. What she discovered is that, not only was it nearly impossible to even find contact info for these VCs but after reaching out to them she didn’t receive a single response UNTIL she began sending the exact same emails from her light-skinned Asian husband Jame’s accounts.”

Nerissa Zhang, CEO and Co-Founder of The Bright App

Sadly, this is a really common thing to happen. There’s loads of stories of people changing their names to sound whiter. The fact that this makes a difference is sickening. We shouldn’t judge someone based on their name; job applications should all be judged as if the names read ‘anonymous’.

If your company makes a promise, like an announcement on social media to improve diversity in your workplace, they should stick to it. For example, big tech firms have previously promised to hire more minorities but have yet to deliver. Statements like these are hollow words until any results are seen.

Adzooma’s promise

We encourage people to keep us accountable. The motivation behind Diversity Month on the blog has been to continue the conversation. The BLM movement has been a great way to draw attention to the wrongs that plague our society, but we still have a long way to go.

As a company, we’re putting in diversity training and workshops for our staff and plan to deliver workshops to schools within the Nottingham area too. We’re also appointing a company officer who’ll provide us with advice and hold us accountable for our actions.

Let’s listen to the voices of the people we’re excluding and fight for change within our industry.

Armed with a list of questions, our Head of Content, Tom Mortimer, hosted two video calls where we got into the nitty-gritty of people’s opinions. We’ve typed up the highlights for you to read – here’s what some of the Adzooma team have to say surrounding diversity.

The participants

Do you think the tech industry welcomes diverse people and do you personally feel welcome?

Luke: Personally, I do feel welcome and haven’t experienced any significant racism. However, a lot of family and friends tell me stories about microaggressions which have escalated, and then to hear that HR hasn’t taken it seriously is concerning.

I feel like these stories make me wait for it to happen to me. For racism to not be seen as a problem, or worse as ‘my problem’ is wrong. And I feel like racists are becoming emboldened by the recent Black Lives Matter movement to say things to test the waters – I’m worried it’s going to get worse.

Tom: You definitely get a sense of big tech’s transparency reports being used as shields to hide behind. It doesn’t look like they’re actually trying to address the problems.

Luke: The numbers on black women in tech, for example, aren’t improving at the rates they say and there’s no reason why this is the case.

What does equality in the workplace look like to you?

Jas: Growing up as an Indian, call centre jobs are always an underlying joke. That was assumed to be the only tech industry job you’d get. At the call centres I have worked at, I noticed a lot of segregation: Asians in one group, white males in the other.

Personally, I’m not bothered about the number of different races in the room, it’s down to the attitudes of your colleagues. I’d be interested to know why diversity seems so hard to achieve. Are minorities not applying?

Sal: Equality for me is rating someone based on their performance rather than because of how they look.

A talk I went to included a story about how an interviewer “knew just by looking at him when he walked into the room that he was our guy”; needless to say, the man was over 6 foot, attractive and white – how has this become the benchmark?

Simba: Appearances shouldn’t matter at all, but we all know they do. For a job interview I had at a football club, I concentrated mostly on how I looked. I knew I had to change my appearance to land the job; I hadn’t cut my hair in three years. So, I got a new suit and shaved it all off. I got the job, but I know I wouldn’t have had I not changed how I looked.

Sal: Jess Glynne recently divided the internet when she denied entry to a top London restaurant because of what she was wearing. I think what’s important in this topic is why we ever thought dress codes were a good idea. It shows you how everything is entangled in class and hierarchy. Who established what was ‘proper’ anyway?

My life shouldn’t be driven by someone else’s narrative – if I want to wear my Nigerian kaftan to work, I should be able to. If I want to wear a skirt and heels, that should be okay too. We shouldn’t have to worry about anything other than our performance.

Do you feel like the companies you’ve worked for have addressed diversity/offered education?

Jas: Definitely not, there’s never been any training or anything. It’s always just shoved in the terms and conditions. It’s a touchy subject so I get that people feel uncomfortable, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. It’s never actively been pursued in any of my roles.

What do you think the impact of tech being dominated by white men is?

Nina: You can’t talk about white dominance in the tech industry without talking about society as a whole. I play football and even from a young age I was very aware of how male-dominated the game is, and so I’ve always been able to identify with how the patriarchy has not created a place for women.

As Adzooma’s only female developer, it is hard being the only female on the team. No one looks like you, no one can identify with you and that plays into imposter syndrome.

Tom: Do you feel like you have to become more masculine in your behaviours to fit in?

Nina: When you’re around guys and their banter, you hear misogyny and you don’t want to raise your voice and talk about it because you’re the minority. People might not have your back and you’ll be judged for that. You don’t want to interrupt their man cave. But at the same time what they’re saying is wrong.

Tom: If we had more diverse workplaces, you get more backup, you get more education if there’s a diverse group of people. If someones naive enough to not know what they’re saying is wrong, and there are more females in the group, you’d have the confidence to call it out and education could take place.

Nina: It’s about being exposed to different cultures and backgrounds – it wouldn’t take place if it was the norm.

Sophie: Whenever I have spoken up with ideas and they’ve got brushed off, I sometimes feel it’s because of who’s said it – if a senior male had put the idea forward it would have held more weight.

My job role gets stereotyped as very masculine; at my last job, I was the only girl in the team and I was there for 2 half years. You notice it at events too, PPC talks are typically held by men.

What has your experience been like at other companies?

Luke: I worked for an energy company where there was a mix of backgrounds at the lower levels, but then as you got higher up there was less racial diversity. Top jobs are always white; diversity is always at the bottom.

In regards to dealing with racism, I found by calling people out they would shut up and learn not to do it to me. I’m very vigilant to people’s body language and reactions. A lot of things people implicitly do manifest into microaggressions so it’s important to be aware to protect yourself.

Sal: My experiences have been pleasant but solitary. I’ve always been aware I’m a token gesture. For example, at O2, there was 17,000 applicants for its graduate scheme with just 50 selected. I was the only black person.

I’ve always experienced subtle microaggressions. I remember being in a Technical Engineering space, wandering around looking for someone. People would ask to see my badge despite the security on the door. They’d ask “who are you?” and single me out, just because you don’t see any black engineers, so I must be up to no good. It’s as though because you’re one of a few, others have a right to stop you.

Do you think your colleagues are aware of the struggles you face?

Jas: 100% not. You’ve never experienced it so you can’t really imagine. This applies to situations I’ve never been in. The only way I could see them experiencing it is if they went abroad and were a minority there.

Nina: They’re not a 25-year-old woman, so they won’t. But at the same time, I have had conversations with others who have been encouraging. POC and I can share in our experiences of being a minority in our industry.

I think it’s hard to talk about because you feel alienated. It’s just me, feeling isolated, and so it comes down to a sense of worth and how you don’t always feel valued. It’s the subtle undertones of growing up different and how they play a part in your adult life. That’s hard to vocalise and be open about because I’ve always been told to stay silent.

Simba: We like to play music in the office and some of the songs that got played would make me feel uncomfortable – N-word music, grime, gangster rap. I found out these things got added the day before I joined “to make me feel comfortable”. I complained and got told that’s just how it was. It was a relief to move to an office where we couldn’t listen to music.

I’ve realised I can’t talk to some people about racism because they talk about it in a negative way and it makes me feel awkward.

Do you think we need unconscious bias training?

Sal: From my experience, it doesn’t work. An easier way to solve things is to have more representation – it’s easy to dismiss one person. We also need to start understanding the severity of our actions. People wouldn’t do it if it was dealt with properly. Sexual assault in the workplace reduced dramatically through creating an environment where there was 0 tolerance.

Simba: We should teach people to put themselves in other’s shoes. The whole topic is tricky because whilst there’s comfort in talking to someone about it, I don’t want to put my job or potential promotions at risk. Reputation is important and you often find no one can empathise anyway.

What do you think needs addressing in tech right now?

Luke: Improvement is needed in all areas. People who say racist things need to be called out and understand why it’s wrong. HR and management need a 0 tolerance approach rather than vague investigations that go nowhere. Recruitment biases need to be addressed and not masked. Career progression shouldn’t be a linear ladder system that hampers people of colour.

Sophie: If I see an opportunity for things to improve, I say so. But in the past, this has been seen as negative and me having a ‘troublemaking attitude’. My male counterparts were doing the same, and it was labelled as being proactive, but for me, it was seen as causing trouble.

I got called “too emotional” by a director. They said they didn’t know if I would be a good manager going forward because it may rub off on someone else – like it was a germ. That wouldn’t have been said to a man, they would have been congratulated on their passion.

Have you ever experienced anything that’s surprised you about diversity?

Sophie: You’d expect women to help other women – but that’s not always the case. My experiences have shown me that some females want to be known as “the woman in the industry” and so don’t want to help others succeed. It’s like they’re afraid of losing their USP.

Sal: It’s called ‘greasing the pole’ – they see other women as a threat.

Simba: You see it with other black people too. You can be friends with someone but they suddenly become ‘anti-me’ because they’re looking after their work image.

Sal: It can be as though there’s only enough room for one token black guy. And so they get the mentality of ‘well I’d rather it be me than you’. Even with women, women will backstab other women.

How do you think the tech industry or any industry can do better?

Jas: Naturally bring in more races and provide an opportunity for a new normal. Alienate bigots. We need to address society first. We need to encourage people to apply.

Simba: We need to stop systematic racism. It frustrates me that there’s ‘black versions’ of white success. Granville Woods, an inventor, is referred to as ‘Black Edison’ – why is Edison not referred to as ‘White Granville Woods’?

Sal: The question is how we address disadvantages in learning so people can achieve the grades they need to succeed. There needs to be more ground-level support. Silicon Valley is 20% Asian. STEM subjects geared towards Asians – that representation is there. We need to work harder on black representation.

Sophie: We need to put those who need mentoring together with those who can. Women in Tech have started a mentoring programme which is a good resource for those looking for guidance.

What do you want the future to look like?

Nina: The solution starts with people. The more we learn to celebrate what’s different rather than create a barrier for it, the better this world becomes. We have to be more introspective and check our privilege – I’m including myself here. Let’s extend our tables, share our knowledge and give a hand to those who don’t have the same privileges.

Simba: Within black families, working for a tech company doesn’t have worth. Being a doctor or lawyer is ‘success’. My Dad was pissed off that I went to a digital art school – “what do you think, you’re gonna be Dizzee Rascal?” – there’s a lack of understanding in some cultures.

Sal: Ultimately, if you are a kid growing up on a council estate with limited internet access, there needs to be more help and support to ensure the world helps you achieve what you want regardless of colour, gender and sexuality.

Their unique power comes from their position as both role models and marketing tools – they tell us what to do and buy, and we as viewers look up to them.

It’s for this reason that influencers are “viewed as more credible and accessible” even than celebrities, according to Stephanie Sebala. When having a social media following can make you the recognised face of an industry, we have to start asking questions about the faces we see, and how they reflect on the industry they work in.

“Techbros”

Tech is widely thought of as having a “bro culture” and thus an “image problem” that essentially ensures most of the faces we see in tech specifically are of cis, straight white men. This has led to 30% of LGBTQ+ young people saying they would not consider a career in STEM, out of fear of homophobia or transphobia.

A number of organisations have been working to address this; notably Lesbians Who Tech and StartOut. Lesbians Who Tech state that their mission is “to be more visible to each other” and “to be more visible to others”.

It’s very clear that visibility in the industry is vital to the wellbeing and success of the queer community, and to broadening the appeal of the industry to young queer people.

It’s no surprise though that with a dearth of queer workers in tech, the most popular influencers in tech are overwhelmingly (to our knowledge) cis and straight – Linus Tech Tips, Marques Brownlee, Unboxing Therapy, and many more.

None are publicly queer. All the while the faces of an industry look one certain way, the audience they appeal to will largely reflect that, and so will the people they inspire to follow in their footsteps.

So where are the queer influencers in tech?

Most influencers or ‘content creators’ use YouTube or Instagram as their primary platform; I found the most out, queer content creators on Tiktok or Twitter.

Tiktok seemed to be popular because it has a thriving young and queer community, while Twitter seemed popular with slightly older content creators, as a platform that allows back-and-forth discussion.

On YouTube I only came across a handful of queer creators with some link to tech:

• ASAP Science, a gay couple who make informative videos about science and technology; Jake Wright, a gay computer science student
• Big Clive who has 640K subscribers on “the trashiest electronic channel on YouTube”
• Popular gay vloggers Rose and Rosie on their ‘Let’s Play Games’ channel (their third YouTube channel, and started years after their success on their original channel which focuses on comedy and their relationship)

Of those, only the two couple’s channels are visibly queer. By contrast, on Tiktok I was able to more easily find young queer people talking about tech by searching relevant hashtags. Most of them make a mixture of content, usually either informative videos about the processes of their craft or comedic ones about being queer (in tech, or in general).

Fern (@queerbots), a “genderqueer robotics engineer” makes a series called ‘Lesbian Tech Skills 101’ which is a lighthearted but educational way of teaching useful skills to the audience, such as checking the air pressure in a tyre or sharpening a knife. They have also noted that Tiktok has “shadowbanned” their content for allegedly violating community guidelines.

Another user called Rey (@rey.nbows) makes Tiktoks about the “dark web” and is open about being queer, but receives comments from followers asking them to stay out of politics when they’ve spoken about Pride or the Black Lives Matter movement.

I spoke to Eleonora, a 21 year old physics and mathematics student “with a passion for coding and machine learning”. She’s @Elle.PY on Tiktok where she makes memes for other queer people in STEM, and says she hopes to be a role model:

“As a LGBTQ+ I’d like to show my ordinary life and inspire others to pursue the same career I did. I want people to watch my videos and think ‘if she can, so can I’.”

For her, finding a community of people she could relate to has been crucial to her continued enthusiasm for tech – she runs a Swedish Discord server for girls and non-binary people in tech, which she feels is the “safest” space she has, alongside her Tiktok community.

When I asked Eleonora what she thought about popular tech influencers, she felt they could do more. She suggested that they invite smaller LGBTQ+ creators onto their channels or platforms, and share resources that help “make LGBTQ+ youths feel welcome in STEM”.

The queer people in tech that I found on Twitter tended to be more vocal about their identity and about politics than Tiktok users, who tended more toward humour. I came across Lynn (@lynncyrin) and Tatiana (@TatianaTMac) who both note their queerness in their bios and speak openly about racial justice in most of their recent tweets.

Once I found them, it was easy to discover other queer techies who they followed, and then relevant community networks like Queer Code Scotland. It takes some digging, but the queer tech community (and people with reasonably large followings too) is there to be found; it’s just not as visible as typical influencers usually are.

“Stick to tech”

Part of the problem for queer influencers is the idea that their identities are inherently political. Popular tech influencers have largely stayed out of major political discussions, with a few key exceptions during the recent boom of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Linus Tech Tips tweeted several times about racism and announced a $20,000 donation to racial justice organisations. He has an audience of millions, so he has a powerful platform to advocate with; unsurprisingly, a number of replies to his tweets suggested that he ‘stick with tech’, ‘stick to computers’, ‘stay out’ and so on.

The comments he made we somewhat poorly worded encouragement of interracial dating, but the bulk of the outrage was about his choice to talk openly about race rather than the offence he caused with his clunky wording.

Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee is one of few prominent black people in his area of YouTube, and he recently spoke to his audience of 11.6 million in a video called “Reflecting on the Color of My Skin”. He referred to instances of being told “stay in your lane, stick to tech” when wanting to be open about his experiences as a black person in a predominantly white industry.

In the video, Marques goes on to say that as much as he is “proud of it” – his success as a black man – that race could also get “weirdly in the way” and force him to question whether his success was legitimate or gained because of a need for diversity.

It’s not hard to imagine that queer people who succeed in tech face a similar dilemma – be open about how your identity has impacted your experience and risk losing subscribers for being too political? Or keep your queerness to yourself and appear ‘neutral’?

In the words of Bryan Hughes, a ‘queer techie’ interested in why queer people and tech might be at odds,

“Tech is never neutral. And the only way you can think that tech is neutral is if you live in a place of extreme privilege. Tech is a part of this world. It always has been. And it shapes this world in a way that no industry does in this day and age.”

The insistence on neutrality in tech silences queer people and BIPOC alike, under the misguided belief that it is possible to have a ‘neutral’ industry uninformed by the identities of the people working within it. This is just another barrier to queer people being visible and safe working in tech.

The forced invisibility of queer tech influencers

Queer influencers, both in tech and other industries, face the further challenges of forced invisibility and false visibility. Forced invisibility is caused by YouTube and Tiktok censoring queer content; influencers who speak about queer issues are punished by seeing their videos demonetised or even deleted, and on Tiktok becoming ‘shadowbanned’ for using words such as ‘bisexual’, ‘lgbtq’, and so on. False visibility is an idea highlighted by Bryan Hughes, mentioned in the previous paragraph – they argue that “rainbow capitalism” is at fault for making the tech industry appear more inclusive than it actually is.

“Rainbow capitalism” is a term that critiques the tokenistic use of queer people and queer imagery as a marketing technique. The problem is when an industry happily celebrates diverse images but still fails to hire and support queer people. Hughes claims “The tech industry is engaging in a queerspecific version of diversity theater by sponsoring events like the pride parade. They market to sell more products, and most are not doing anything to make the life better for queer people.”

If we take this as truth, then it would make sense that there are so few queer people in tech empowered enough to become a visible face of their industry; the conversations about diversity in tech may be more for show than they are truly impacting how inclusive the industry’s practices are.

There are even further reasons why queer people might not want the visibility that comes with being an influencer; Hughes talks about their experience of trying to make their industry more inclusive and how it is treated as an “extracurricular” activity, which resulted in them losing a promotion.

The pressures of queer intersectionality

There is a double burden on queer workers – as well as BIPOC (black and indigenous people of color) and women – to be activists as well as excel in their field, making it harder for them to succeed professionally. A straight, cis person – though they may face other disprivileges – probably doesn’t have to consider how their sexuality or gender identity could be a risk to their professional growth, or whether they need to dedicate time and energy to breaking down those barriers for themselves and others like them.

Then there’s the expectation that influencers should be role models – consider the push for Zoella to endorse Corbyn back in 2017 – is tough to bear when it ties so personally to an influencer’s identity. Any criticism they might then face for becoming an advocate is a criticism of their person.

In a paper on the perceptions of LGBTQ+ influencers, Sabala writes that LGBTQ+ people can “struggle to connect with the heterosexual audience” and that their “perceived credibility” impacts how “persuasive” they can be with their message.

Seeing as queer people are a minority, it’s possible that being openly queer could limit you to a smaller audience (though you could argue, a more genuine one). Being visible clearly poses a threat to reputation, and therefore to livelihood.

We know that homophobia and transphobia can be built into how social media platforms run, so being out can result in financial loss. LGBTQ+ YouTubers have spoken out repeatedly about how often they have found their videos demonetised. At its most extreme, undesired visibility can result in violence or loss of life.

In 2014, Dr. Essay Anne Vanderbilt was outed as a trans woman in an article on sports site Grantland about a new golf putter she had created. She was vocally against the article being made public, and killed herself before it was published on the site.

The article – which misgendered “Dr. V” throughout – was published despite her death. Though there was heated debate about the ethics of the article, no one involved in its publishing faced material consequences for their actions.

Capitalist queerphobia

There are plenty of queer people in tech who are ‘out’ to everyone in their lives and comfortable with their queer identity. But even without the fear of violence, there is still a prohibitive threat of the loss of money or reputation because homophobia and transphobia are still so ingrained within our society and our technology.

Perhaps ironically, cis het people do need us for their own financial gain; the Digital Marketing Institute explains that the gaming industry has proved that games sell better when people feel good about them: “By crafting a more inclusive, welcoming brand identity, you will attract more attention, and foster greater trust with people.”

What a shame it is that queer visibility can make money for those around us, and cost money for the queer people themselves.

Leanne Pittsford, founder of Lesbians Who Tech, said to a room of queer people in tech:

“You are all influencers”

Though they may not have the same budget or clout as the big tech influencers, there are young queer women on Tiktok who are coding and making memes about it; trans engineers on Twitter finding community spaces; gay couples on YouTube who are gaming and teaching us about science.

Perhaps they aren’t influencers in the traditional sense, but they’re having an impact on other queer people, on their own community, in small ways every day. That is more significant to young queer people surely, than seeing queer people in tech ads and sponsored videos.

These communities becoming slightly more accessible on social media is only going to help encourage more queer people into tech – the hidden problem that remains is how the tech industry treats those queer people when they get there.

As we look towards the future of tech and strive to make equality reign, it’s important to look back at those who have got us to where we are today.

The world is far from perfect, and racism and prejudice still prevail. But there have always been those working to make the technology industry a better place for all.

This infographic starts way back in 1815 with the world’s first programmer – a female. Ada Lovelace made her name working on the Analytical Engine, the world’s first computer, alongside Charles Babbage. She believed that anything that could be converted into numbers, such as music, language and images, and then be manipulated by computer algorithms – paving the way for where we are today.

Along the way, there have been many injustices, for example, Alan Turing the man responsible for cracking the Enigma Code.

In WWII, German messages were transmitted across radio waves. Anyone could hear them, but only those who knew the code could interpret them. It was a race to work it out and win the war. Adding further problems to the mix was the fact the code changed every 24 hours; only the fastest, finest brains could figure it out.

Turing created a machine which could be relied on to break the Engima Code every single day. It saved millions of lives. But, because he was homosexual, he was prosecuted and forced to have hormone therapy which led him to take his own life.

It’s important to look at what has happened before so we don’t make the same mistakes. Moreover, we should celebrate the achievements of the pioneers before us. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Infographic

Click the image to expand it.

Looking back, it’s hard to find too many disparaging, concerned voices about the true power of the internet.

But that’s because it all felt so exhilarating, so fresh, so boundless.

In the early ‘90s, before everyone’s lives were taken over by Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, the internet was a weird place. It felt almost dirty and dark, no cleanliness, no corporateness. UX all over the place.

Yet, in the same sense, it felt liberating and free. The internet was people’s chance to become something they weren’t in the real world. Or meet like-minded people who share the same views. And, for the most part, it was done away from the watching eye.

Whereas today’s new internet users (the few who inexplicably still exist) largely head straight to Facebook and Twitter, anonymous forums like AOL and Something Awful were previously the user’s first port of call. Anonymity thrived, liberating many. But capturing some.

Traps and dungeons cropped up all over the place. Think dark web now, that was the internet of the 90’s. But scarier. Pre-search engines, it was hard to find your way around, especially for internet noobs. Finding the internet community that fit your worldview wasn’t that easy.

As a result, hatefulness fostered, racism blossomed. Ask any black user from the early days of the internet. It was a frightening place. The white people not of that persuasion felt compelled to fit in. The cloak, a refuge for some, became a weapon for others.

The internet became a white American libertarian’s (probably didn’t need to say white) dream realised. This was a world free of regulation.

As the internet welcomed more people through the virtual doors, anonymity became less cool. And the vultures swooped.

Armed with a smartphone and the promise of ever-connectedness, simplicity, and untold business opportunities, Big Tech changed the world in less than half a decade. And the world was not ready.

Over the last decade the transformative effect the likes of Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Twitter has had on the world has left a populace with an identity crisis, upended a political landscape, and supercharged white extremism.

Yet it’s the foundations that were put in place in the decade before which got us here. The building blocks didn’t appear overnight. In the murky backwaters of the anonymous internet, white extremists have been burrowing away ever since the first connection was made. Stormfront is no finer example of that.

In fact, Stormfront is the perfect metaphor. Arguably the most successful bulletin board from the mid-’90s that still exists today. Set up in 1996, Stormfront (and if you don’t know this, then I apologise for alerting you to these scum) is a white nationalist hate site. It was the first of its kind back in the day, peddling antisemitic, holocaust denying, Islamaphobic, white supremacist bullshit. The kind of stuff you’ll read on… wait, Twitter?

Yeah, it really isn’t that hard to connect the dots anymore. You see this stuff all over the internet, and you always have. Yet the internet used to be fragmented. Now it’s all connected.

Big Tech, in its ever-capitalist rush, squeezed everyone together. And through its lust for ad revenue, created the monster.

White extremist views are no longer fringe, no longer only seen on bulletin boards. They’re social media influencers, YouTubers, #1 in the SERPs, the President of the United States of America.

These people existed well before the internet, but they’ve been emboldened by years of anonymous collectiveness. Now they’re coming at us from all sides, masks well and truly down.

Safe spaces, derided by the right, harvested the new extremist. The alt-right. The incel.

White extremism was on a significant downward trend until the mid 2000s. Yet 2017 saw the highest number of white supremacist attacks in the US since 1982. 2018 the fourth and 2019 the second. As of June, over 90% of US terrorist attacks and plots are from white extremists in 2020. Not taking into account further devastation we’ve seen around the world.

The internet brought the like-minded together. The anonymity harvested the hate. The algorithm made it mainstream.

And the monster that was created wreaks havoc.

“I hope this email finds you well during these unprecedented and uncertain times.”

They don’t compel me to read the rest of it and, in fact, highlight how tough the pandemic is (as if we didn’t already know). It’s one thing to be aware but another to feel overwhelmed by it all hence why it’s so important to look after your mental health. So I’ve compiled a list of 16 tips you could use to help manage your mental health as a digital marketer during COVID-19.

1. Check in with people

This one can be difficult if you feel like who want to curl up into a ball and not talk to anyone. And to some degree, I’ve felt that way and done the same. But it can be a great relief to talk to the people closest to you about something – anything. Whether you need some reassurance after being furloughed or you could do with speaking about everyday life, the weather, and your favourite tv shows, turning to someone you can rely on can really change your mood.

In contrast, if you don’t really have the energy to speak to people you know (for the sake of explaining things or feeling like a burden), surrounding yourself with good people can be enough. This might be as simple as speaking to people on Twitter or replying to the odd post, but I guarantee you’ll feel refreshed and just a little bit better for getting something off your mind.

2. Reduce, rinse, repeat

Being stuck inside for most of your time does come with some advantages. Boredom will inevitably set in and you’ll start to actually see the house you live in and realise how lucky you are to live in your home, or “wow, I need to get rid of stuff” (unless you’re one of those minimalists).

You won’t be able to take stuff to the charity shops at the moment, but you can always get rid of the disposable rubbish you’ve accumulated. And while you’re at it, give the place a clean. This works great as a destresser and to take your mind off things whilst also allowing you to think, work, and live without as many distractions. In my opinion, less clutter in the room means less clutter in the mind.

3. Make a budget

Yes, I’m talking about the M word. It obviously depends on the situation you’re in, but if you can, being stuck indoors provides a great opportunity to save money. Even if it’s £5 or £10 a week that you’d normally spend out of procrastinating, it’ll all add up in the long-run and help make a difference. A good place to start is to make a budget. Be honest, realistic, and see where you stand.

For example, I’m saving money on public transport as I’m not travelling to work but my council tax payments have gone up. Despite this, I’m still able to assess my finances and see where and how I could potentially cut back on commuting when the social distancing restrictions are lifted. It’s all about prioritising

If you need help, there are budgeting apps that can help as well as banks like Monzo that come with budgeting facilities.

4. Make a playlist of feel-good music

There’s nothing like a good playlist to get you out of a funk. The music doesn’t necessarily have to be “feel-good” in the bright, high tempo sense; just as long as it makes you feel good and helps you escape the real world for a little bit. I highly recommend Deep Crawl’s awesome SEO playlist on Spotify for some SEO-related songs (including some of my own selections).

Listening to music releases endorphins, dopamine and serotonin in the brain, which can lead to feelings of happiness and joy. Music therapy is also an option for those with disabilities or injuries that need it as part of their recovery.

5. Make a playlist of funny videos

If you’d prefer to laugh, you can always make a YouTube playlist of funny videos. I’ve started adding a lot of videos to my “Watch Later” playlist and working my way through them, whenever I need a little cheering up. Much in the way that music can make us feel happier, visual stimulation can do the same. Laughter is the best medicine and all that.

6. Do some form of exercise

Before lockdown, I was going to the gym three times a week mainly to improve my mental health and it was working. Needless to say, things haven’t been quite as active at home. But you don’t need a gym membership to work out, nor do you need it for the necessary discipline.

There are plenty of workout apps and YouTubers offering free workouts to keep you active. And it’s not all about weight loss – exercise has other benefits including combating mild depression and anxiety.

7. Create a workspace for yourself

If you’re fortunate enough to have the space for a dedicated working area, I strongly suggest you take advantage of it. Why? Because working in bed won’t necessarily get you in the mindset to do your best work – it might feel cosy at first, and much better than maybe being in the office, but your energy levels won’t be as high as they would if you got up. You’d be surprised at how productive you can be at a desk rather than slumped amongst your duvet and pillows.

Environmental design psychologist Dr Sally Augustin says that making your brain feel comfortable in its surroundings is the main focus when making a clear and tidy area for your workspace. That can include something like a white noise soundtrack to promote concentration and trying to get natural light in your room or using “cooler-toned light bulbs” to help your brain tell the difference between your work area and the rest of the house. But for those who don’t have a dedicated room, any clear space can help with minimal physical and auditory distractions.

You can even try things like:

• Turning your laptop or computer off when you’ve finished work and move to a different area of the house
• Going out on your lunch, even to the garden, just to replicate your usual routine in the office
• Opening a window to let some fresh air in (if that’s an option)

Little changes can go a long way to prolonging your comfort.

8. Take regular breaks

One of the biggest things I don’t do while working from home is take regular breaks. But, as I’ve realised, our eyes need time away from your screen to prevent eye fatigue, headaches, and even nausea.

There are also other benefits to taking breaks from work such as combating “decision fatigue”, boost motivation, and make you more productive. It can also help your memory – much like decluttering a room, breaks can consolidate your memories and “tidy up” your brain, ready for your tasks when you return to work.

Plus, from me to you, we actually deserve breaks at work. there’s a reason we’re given them, and a much bigger reason as to why we should take them. Our brains need fresh air and our bodies need to move – sitting at a laptop or computer for 9 hours straight isn’t good for anybody. Especially during this time.

9. Do the things you’ve been putting off

We often procrastinate because we think we have the time to do things later. But when something like a pandemic forces you to stay indoors everyday, you suddenly realise how uncertain life can be. That’s not to say you must use every waking minute doing something but taking a step back and thinking about the things you’ve been avoiding can ignite a little bit of motivation.

For instance, what have you been putting off and why? Do you honestly have the time to make those things happen now? It could be as simple as clearing out your underwear drawer or as difficult as you thought ringing to make an appointment would be – now to realise it was so much easier than anticipated. before you know it, another task is ticked off the list.

10. Create a to-do list

My memory isn’t what it used to be and to-do lists have been a godsend during this pandemic. It helps me to stay focused and organised and I’ve seemingly been avoiding things that don’t actually bring me much joy, i.e. binge watching netflix and scrolling through social media.

These are things that feel much more enjoyable when you’ve actually done something productive, though some days it’s okay to sit and do nothing. Finding the balance is key, but to-do lists can really be a helping hand.

There are tons of apps for that sort of thing but my favourite is Todoist (RIP Wunderlist).

11. Cancel plans if you need to

This one is a little controversial as there’s often a debate over whether you should cancel plans with people or stick through it in an act of resilience. But I think it’s more nuanced than cancel or don’t cancel.

My advice:

• If you need to cancel/postpone/rearrange something, and it’s possible to do so, do it.
• If you can’t, and it’s safe to do so, explain your reservations or concerns so the other person or people are aware and can accommodate for any requirements you need.
• If you’re regularly cancelling plans, there may be something more serious going on that you need to address. There are people you can talk to if that’s an option to you, such as trusted friends and family or an external services like the Samaritans or CALM.

The important thing is not to feel guilty as that will compound your feelings even more.

In most cases, if you’ve made plans with someone or a group of people, you must have a decent enough relationship to consider it in the first place. Which, in turn, means they should respect your decision and avoid forcing you to do something you don’t want to. Good friends will tell you to put yourself first, not make you feel like you mustn’t.

12. Be conscious of your language around mental health

There’s been a lot of talk about mental health in the workplace over the last few months and for those working from home, communication will be through services like Skype, Google Meet, and Zoom. That can be quite a shift for people who prefer in-person contact and so using this technology comes with pitfalls – namely misinterpretations.

On the subject of mental health, it’s important to consider the language you use in emails and on video calls that may make people uncomfortable or feel excluded. A few of my tips are:

• Avoid words like “crazy” or “mental” when describing something unexpected – consider alternatives like “ridiculous” or “unbelievable”, for example.
• Be wary of how you talk about other people, even if they aren’t in the conversation.
• Don’t be offended if someone calls you out and don’t attack them for it. Take it as an opportunity to learn.

It can be difficult but calling out language you feel is discriminatory can prevent it from becoming more normalised. By being more aware and actively inclusive, you can help create a safer environment for everyone.

13. Give social media a break

Social media has its good and bad points. It can help you keep in touch with friends across the world, enjoy memes, and find useful news depending on where you look. But it can also be a toxic place and not the kind of environment you need if you’re struggling with your mental health.

If it’s all getting too much, consider logging off or deactivating if the temptation to go online is too strong. But, if you just want to readjust/rework (not sure what the word is) your timeline, you can:

• Use Twitter lists for a more condensed experience
• Go through your following list and unfollow people who make you feel down, uneasy, or uncomfortable
• Mute people if you need some time away from their tweets

Whatever you do, remember it’s your timeline, not anybody else’s.

14. Try ASMR

Something else I do that gets a bad rep is ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) but it works for some people. It’s a neurological experience conjured by listening to soft voices, resulting in tingling sensations in parts of the body.

It doesn’t work for everyone, and could end up being an irritant, but studies have been carried out assessing the sensations and what they can do to the brain.

15. Feel your feelings…

There’s a tendency to mask your emotions to conform to a cult of positivity. Do you feel pressured to do self-care, smile away your feelings, think of others who have it worse so you shouldn’t feel bad about yourself? Then try something different: just feel. If you’re frustrated or overwhelmed, just feel that and be in that space for that moment and let it ride out. Think of it like a storm that comes and passes. There might not be a rainbow right after but your mind will be a little clearer and you’ll be better prepared for when it comes back.<br> <br> As simple as it sounds, letting all of your emotions out in one go, or at least the majority of them, will allow more time and space for you to enjoy later on. With less distractions, you can work on all of the things we’ve mentioned so far, making even the smallest of changes to improve your mental health. it all makes a difference.

16. …But don’t be hard on yourself

My last piece of advice is to take it easy. It’s tough out there but that doesn’t mean you have to be tough on yourself. I’ve noticed on social media people suggesting you must use all this “free time” to improve yourself, learn new things, be productive. But just trying to survive and be okay can be a struggle so if you’re doing that right now, you’re being productive.

Doing what you can do is enough, more than enough in fact.

Stay home and stay safe

Whatever you decide to do, the number one priority during this pandemic is to stay home and stay safe. Wash your hands regularly, wear masks if you have them when you go out, keep 2m apart, and only go out when you absolutely have to.