As Google moves forward with plans to discontinue support for third-party cookies by the end of 2024 (pending approval from the UK Competition and Markets Authority), there is no doubt that this will be a transformative year for all constituents of the advertising ecosystem, challenging their readiness to maintain a transparent and cookie-proof connection with the end consumer. 

With the cookieless world upon us, ShareThis is well positioned. Importantly, our data collection methodology, while reliant on consumer consent, is not reliant on third-party cookies.  Additionally, ShareThis has taken proactive measures to resolve user identity where third-party cookies are no longer the main currency. 

Data Collection and Solutions That Aren’t Reliant on Third-Party Cookies

ShareThis collects online behavioral data across millions of websites through privacy compliant processes, offering requisite consumer choice and notice according to all current regional laws. ShareThis data is then transformed through the power of advanced AI and large language models into actionable insights and targeting opportunities.

Two areas of focus when thinking about cookie deprecation include data collection and identity resolution.  As mentioned, Google’s deprecation of cookies does not negatively impact ShareThis’ data collection.  In fact, leveraging our identity framework, we will maintain or exceed scale in a cookieless world. 

Our proprietary identity solution, Atlas, leverages non-cookie identifiers plus our partner integrations to resolve user identity and share data linked to non-cookie IDs. The various non-cookie IDs associated within the Atlas graph enable data collection on all major browsers, and therefore maintain or exceed scale from third-party cookies. 

ShareThis has made proactive investments and innovations to make ALL of our solutions ready for the cookieless ecosystem.

Harnessing the Power of AI for a Cookieless World

ShareThis provides unique AI-enhanced data solutions to help advertisers connect with their audiences with precision and scale while respecting privacy. By harnessing the power of advanced large language models and data science, ShareThis is uniquely positioned to unlock existing and/or new high value connections between the advertiser and their consumers in a cookieless setting. 

Dana Hayes, Jr., CEO of ShareThis, had challenged his product and engineering teams to develop cookieless solutions that would not sacrifice the scale or data quality that advertisers and partners have come to rely on. Said Dana: “Long before Google decided to finish what they started with their privacy sandbox initiative, we developed an identity framework, we call Atlas, specifically designed to sustain the delivery of pertinent and relevant advertising. ShareThis is without hesitation a strategic ally to help you transition into cookieless advertising, as today, we do not even need third-party cookies to connect with consumers.” 

ShareThis is confident that the identity frameworks that we have developed, combined with longstanding ecosystem partnerships, will mean that the deprecation of the third-party cookie will not have negative impacts for ShareThis data users. In fact, opportunities for increased scale exist as part of these new identity frameworks, namely through the newfound ability to monetize site traffic on Safari and Firefox browsers.

For more information on how ShareThis cookieless solutions can work for you, reach out to your ShareThis account representative or click here.

The post ShareThis Delivers on the Promise of Cookieless Data Solutions appeared first on ShareThis.

The move to a cookieless future just got one step closer with a new integration between top data companies Eyeota and ShareThis, which will enable programmatic targeting with a completely cookieless solution powered by ID5, a leader in advanced identity solutions.

ShareThis, the leading global provider of consumer interest and online behavioral data sourced from more than three million global domains–representing over 40 billion monthly events including searches, page visits, and shares–is now offering cookieless Audiences through the Eyeota Audience Marketplace. The integration includes the ability to build cookieless Custom Audiences, which can be tailored to meet highly specific campaign and targeting objectives. 

The availability of cookieless targeting is a milestone achievement as identity solutions continue to evolve and strive to deliver on the key requirements for producing high-quality cookieless targeting capabilities, including privacy compliance, scalability, and interoperability. 

In fact, the new ShareThis Audiences deliver increased scale compared to legacy cookie-based segments, offering up to a 55% increase in coverage as a result of ID5’s advanced identity resolution capabilities and extensive publisher footprint. The Audiences achieve broad distribution across all major browser families, including Chrome, Safari and Firefox, and the new identity methodologies provide the optimal balance between precision and scale.

Stewardship and respect for global consumers who share their data has always been at the core of the ShareThis mission. All data is collected with consumer notice, choice, and the power to opt-out. ShareThis data solutions leverage AI to analyze context, keywords and concepts to deliver a constantly-refreshed stream of social share, interest, and intent data.

Dana Hayes, Jr., CEO of ShareThis, said “ShareThis has been investing in a cookieless identity solution from the moment Google first announced its plan to sunset third party cookies. We have made significant progress since the launch of our proprietary Atlas ID solution in 2022, and together with ID5 and Eyeota, we are thrilled to bring a truly cookieless targeting solution to market.”

ID5 is the ideal identity provider to power a cookieless audience solution that expands on ShareThis’ privacy-centric approach to targeting, thanks to its consent-based and encryption technology. At the same time, ID5’s identity solution helps advertisers that activate ShareThis segments increase engagement with the right customers.

With turnkey programmatic activation available through the Eyeota Audience Marketplace, ShareThis cookieless Audiences are a key offering within Eyeota’s robust set of quality-certified audience targeting data built on demographics, intent, interest, purchase, industry verticals and seasonal events. 

“More and more advertisers are eager to drive results across their campaigns with cookieless audience segments. As the data landscape evolves, collaborating with ID5 and ShareThis aligns with our commitment to ensuring brands and agencies have continued access to privacy-centric audience targeting solutions at a global scale” said Kristina Prokop, CEO of Eyeota. 

The post ShareThis, Eyeota, and ID5 Drive the Shift to Cookieless Audience Targeting appeared first on ShareThis.

According to Neutronian’s quarterly released Data Privacy Scores, ShareThis consistently ranks as one of the leading data companies for privacy compliance, data quality, and transparency. ShareThis maintained a top 1% position for three consecutive quarters, out of a list of over 1,500 evaluated data providers, and received an overall index score that surpassed numerous industry data veterans.

Neutronian’s Data Privacy Scores Report provides a benchmark that enables organizations to vet their partners more effectively and identify the most trustworthy data sources. ShareThis is proud to be a reputable and respected data source for all businesses. We remain committed to fulfilling all regulatory requirements and adhering to the highest standards of privacy, globally.

ShareThis Maintains Industry Leading Privacy Practices

ShareThis has implemented a comprehensive list of privacy safeguards and industry best practices to meet data quality standards. Our approach includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Maintaining compliance with applicable laws and regulations across all global jurisdictions (GDPR, CPRA, new state and regional laws, etc.), such as only collecting data on sites with sufficient user consent protocols in place.

• Adopting industry best practices for transparency and consumer choice, such as maintaining an extensive privacy policy that discloses the data we collect, what we do with that data, and details about our data products.

• Taking active steps to promote compliance and best practices through self-regulatory initiatives, such as regularly cleansing data and ceasing collection of all sensitive information.

We monitor and adjust our practices, and continue to implement new content management technologies, to achieve full compliance as regulations and requirements evolve.

Data Privacy Scores Facilitate Trust and Transparency

Neutronian’s Data Privacy Scores Report enables companies across the marketing ecosystem to make smart and confident decisions about their data sources. The scores represent an established standard for:

• Transparency and Validation — providing clear guidance on data privacy risk when deciding which data and media partners to partner with.

• Monitoring and Benchmarking — helping companies monitor data privacy risk by benchmarking themselves, partners, and competitors against the industry average.

• Campaign Verification and Optimization — ensuring campaigns are delivered in trusted and privacy-safe environments.

If you would like to explore more details about Neutronian’s data scoring methodology, click here.

ShareThis Is Driving a Privacy-Centered Digital Future

We are committed to stewardship and respect for global consumers who share their data — it’s in our DNA. As a Neutronian verified partner, ShareThis regularly undergoes thorough, in-depth audits of our data sources, processes, methodologies, and compliance measures, to meet Neutronian’s rigorous certification standards. These independent measures demonstrate our relentless dedication to best-in-class quality and compliance, to best serve our partners and customers.

A privacy-centered digital future requires that all companies across the ecosystem — including brands, agencies, data providers, consultancies, and technology platforms — play an active role in cultivating trust, transparency, and quality expectations, in a way that puts consumers first. ShareThis has, and will continue, to set the example for a privacy-first ecosystem.

The post ShareThis in Top 1% of Neutronian’s Data Privacy Rankings for Third Consecutive Quarter appeared first on ShareThis.

The proliferation of data in today’s world has provided both benefits and challenges. Benefits are summed up by the tremendous opportunities afforded through leveraging insights and information to make data-driven decisions. Challenges, however, arise in that the available data is so massive, just getting it into a usable format may seem like an insurmountable task.  

As you can imagine, challenges in the B2B landscape are not dissimilar to those of the consumer market. Behind every B2B transaction, or interaction, lies a hidden treasure trove of valuable insights waiting to be unearthed. Every contact, interaction, and transaction represents an opportunity to collect valuable insights that can fuel growth, enhance decision-making, and foster long-term business success. Today’s business landscape is fast-paced, interconnected, and when leveraged effectively, game-changing.  

ShareThis can help you to win. ShareThis B2B Data is a newly innovated product providing unmatched information and insights about businesses. ShareThis uses advanced data science and artificial intelligence (AI) to leverage consumers’ digital signals based on interest and intent as demonstrated with web page visits, online searches, and shares.  

ShareThis collects billions of online events hourly, mapping these events compliantly to consumers and segments. In the B2B realm, these events and consumer behaviors are considered in combination with traditional B2B data assets, identifying consumers as employees, and often decision-makers, of companies.

Traditional B2B (business-to-business) data assets include, but are not limited to:

• Firmographics — descriptors of the company including name, industry, number of employees, revenue, etc. 

• Contact information — names, titles, email addresses, phone numbers, etc.

• Technographics — technology and software used by businesses including tools, systems, and platforms

ShareThis combines traditional B2B data with rich and robust digital interest and intent data, resulting in a unique data asset that encompasses the features of B2B coupled with digital consumer behaviors. The result is transformative.

ShareThis Differentiators

Intent data allows for the ability to map a digital footprint to a business, based on signals generated during digital interactions. These signals detail topics businesses are interested in, enabling relevant and personalized marketing. Additionally, due to the dynamic nature of ShareThis data, our B2B Data enables the ability to reach in-market decision-makers, in real-time. Furthermore, we can segment our data, creating custom audiences that narrow in on businesses of certain sizes, revenue, or industries, as well as employees at those businesses with specific job roles or titles.   

ShareThis offers more than fifty pre-defined B2B segments that can be used immediately for activation of campaigns, as inputs into existing models, or to append to first party data as descriptors.  

Additionally, ShareThis can build custom segments to meet our clients unique needs. Or, the data can be used in a disaggregated format, as Predictors, to forecast a B2B outcome. 

ShareThis B2B data can be delivered with regular cadence, monthly, daily, or even hourly. 

These data assets can be used in a plethora of use cases including audience activation, lead generation and qualification, sales enablement, predictive analytics, and forecasting, to name just a few.  

ShareThis B2B data and the solutions they power are core to our mission — to harness the power of the internet by bringing global digital data alive, in real-time. Imagine the possibilities.

The post ShareThis B2B Data: Taking B2B Marketing to New Heights appeared first on ShareThis.

LinkedIn Analytics is a helpful tool for LinkedIn creators to measure their visibility, content reach, and other metrics on the platform. LinkedIn users can get insights from LinkedIn Analytics for their profiles or business pages.

In this LinkedIn Analytics guide, we cover the following topics:

• What is LinkedIn Analytics?
• LinkedIn Analytics Metrics
• How to Use LinkedIn Analytics
• Incorporating LinkedIn Analytics into Your Strategy
• Frequently Asked Questions about LinkedIn Analytics

What Is LinkedIn Analytics?

LinkedIn Analytics is a data monitoring tool built into LinkedIn that allows users to see key metrics about their LinkedIn performance, such as post reach or profile viewers. Although casual LinkedIn users may not have much need for LinkedIn Analytics, those that use the platform as part of their overall marketing strategy can likely find it helpful.

Most often, LinkedIn creators use the platform’s analytics to inform their content strategies. Thoughtful LinkedIn posts crafted to gain attention from ideal clientele could help generate new leads. For tips on creating compelling content that performs well on LinkedIn, check out this video from Social Media Examiner:

Officially launched in May 2003, LinkedIn is now two decades old, making it one of the oldest social media platforms. Still, it maintains a large active user base, with more than 950 million members spanning 200 countries and regions around the world.

Image via LinkedIn

Whether you’re marketing your small business, looking for a side hustle or second act, or managing social media marketing for your company, LinkedIn can be a valuable platform for networking, connecting with industry thought leaders, and reaching and engaging a target audience. Knowing how to use LinkedIn analytics to your advantage will help you get the most from the platform. 

LinkedIn Analytics Metrics

LinkedIn Analytics provides metrics for personal profiles and business pages. Users can see the following metrics for their personal profiles:

• Followers: The number of people who have followed your profile over a period, including some key demographics, like their job titles and company sizes. 
• Profile viewers: How many people have and who has viewed your profile over a specific period.
• Search appearances: The number of searches you’ve appeared in, companies searchers work for, and other relevant information.
• Post impressions: Gives insight into the performance of your LinkedIn posts, including a snapshot of your top performers and a graph of your content performance over time. Clicking on an individual post will also display metrics for that post, like viewer demographics, post reach, and number of engagements.

Screenshot via LinkedIn

In addition to content and traffic metrics similar to those you’ll find for a personal profile, business pages can view the following LinkedIn Analytics metrics:

• Leads: Insights related to the people who have filled out lead generation forms through your company page.
• Career metrics: Learn more about the people who have engaged with your career pages on LinkedIn, like applicant behavior and talent flows.
• Competitors: Find out how your page stacks up to the competition by viewing data about trending competitor posts or comparing your follower metrics with that of similar companies. 

How to Use LinkedIn Analytics

To access LinkedIn Analytics, you’ll need to have Creator Mode turned on. Log into your LinkedIn account. Then, click on your profile picture in the top right-hand corner of the screen, and tap the View Profile button. Find the Resources section to turn Creator Mode on. 

Above your profile is an Analytics section that you can click to see your full analytics. You can also view your past content posts to see their data. 

For analytics of your company’s page, first switch to your page admin view. Then, in the left menu, click Analytics. From there, you can choose a metric category to view.

Incorporating LinkedIn Analytics Into Your Strategy

LinkedIn Analytics is best for LinkedIn users looking to expand their networks to generate lasting partnerships with like-minded professionals and leads. 

LinkedIn is content-heavy, so its analytics lean primarily toward increasing your presence on LinkedIn. Through your analytics, you can learn more about the audience you currently reach with your content and profile or company page to determine whether you need to make changes or keep doing what you’re doing to target your ideal followers. 

Checking LinkedIn Analytics at least once a week is a good starting point for fostering a content strategy on LinkedIn. You can also boost your strategy by adding a LinkedIn share button to your website to encourage visitors to share your content to their LinkedIn feeds.

Frequently Asked Questions About LinkedIn Analytics

Can I disable LinkedIn Analytics?

Yes, you can disable LinkedIn Analytics by turning off Creator Mode. To do this, visit your LinkedIn profile and find the Creator Mode setting in the Resources section. Keep in mind that turning off Creator Mode doesn’t stop LinkedIn from tracking and storing your analytics. Turning on Creator Mode once again will allow you to view your analytics. 

Is LinkedIn Analytics free?

Yes, LinkedIn Analytics is free to use for both individual creators and companies with LinkedIn pages. 

Who should use LinkedIn Analytics?

LinkedIn Analytics can be helpful for anyone who markets using LinkedIn. The tool offers helpful analytics to learn more about your content and who interacts with it, allowing you to tailor your content to your ideal audience. 

How far back can you see LinkedIn Analytics?

The length of time LinkedIn tracks analytics depends on your content type. For example, article content tracks for 730 days, while video content tracks for 180 days. However, other content types, like single-image posts or text-only posts can track data for up to 1,000 days.

The post LinkedIn Analytics Guide: What You Need to Know appeared first on ShareThis.

Twitter Verified has evolved in recent years. Originally, it was intended to authenticate the accounts of celebrities, influencers, politicians, businesses, and people in the public eye.

Since then, it’s transitioned into Twitter Blue, a paid subscription with additional benefits for Twitter users. Now that Twitter has rebranded to X, there have been more changes made to the service.

If you feel out of the loop or are new to Twitter/X and aren’t sure whether to become verified, this guide will walk you through what being verified means and how you can earn a blue Twitter Verified checkmark.

In this article:

• What is Twitter Verified?
• Changes to Twitter & Twitter Verified
• What are Gold & Grey Checkmarks on Twitter?
• How to Become Twitter Verified
• Is Twitter Verification Necessary?
• Frequently Asked Questions about Twitter Verified

What Is Twitter Verified?

Screenshot via @premium via Twitter

Let’s start by saying that although Twitter is now officially X, we know that the rebrand has been challenging for long-time Twitter users. Therefore, for simplicity’s sake, we’re going to refer to the new platform as Twitter/X in this guide.

Twitter Verified was Twitter’s initial verification system. To verify an account, a user needed to fill out a form for Twitter’s verification specialists to review. A person also had to have some proof that they were a public figure in some way, such as media articles written about them. 

Once verified, the user earned a blue checkmark for their profile. This checkmark signified that the account has been verified and is, therefore, an official account for that person. Verification made it more difficult for parody and fake accounts to resemble public figures and businesses.

Changes to Twitter & Twitter Verified

In 2022, Elon Musk bought Twitter and made changes to the verification system, transforming it into a paid subscription. For $8 a month, Twitter users could subscribe to Twitter Blue to get a checkmark and other features, like Tweet editing and high-quality uploads. 

In 2023, anyone who previously earned verification through Twitter lost their verified status and checkmark unless they subscribed to Twitter Blue. Because anyone could pay for Twitter Blue to get a blue checkmark on their account, there was no longer a way to determine whether an account was authentic.

Fast forward to later in 2023, when Twitter became X. Twitter/X has maintained the Blue subscription model, but it appears that new features may be in the works following the rebrand. For instance, the first change, announced in August 2023, allows Blue subscribers to hide their checkmarks if desired.

What are Gold & Grey Checkmarks on Twitter?

Screenshot via Twitter

If you’re browsing Twitter/X, you might also notice profiles labeled with gold and grey checkmarks. Here’s what they mean:

• Gold Checkmark: The gold checkmark is used for official business accounts through Twitter Verified Organizations. Users can sign up for Twitter Verified Organizations here. This is a paid membership and fees vary, but in the U.S. a base subscription is $1,000 per month and affiliate seats are $50 per month for each additional affiliate.
• Grey Checkmark: The grey checkmark represents government/multilateral organizations and government/multilateral officials. These checkmarks are complimentary for eligible accounts, although users must apply to receive one using this form.

How to Become Twitter Verified

Since the switch to the Blue premium subscription model, the only way to become a verified account on Twitter/X is to subscribe. Twitter/X no longer has a verification form for users to fill out to verify their accounts.

To sign up for Twitter/X Blue:

• Visit Twitter/X
• Tap the Verified link on the left sidebar
• Choose whether you’re an individual or a business
• Tap Subscribe
• Choose a monthly subscription for $8 or an annual subscription for $84

Screenshot via Twitter

Once you sign up, Twitter/X will review your account. Accounts subscribed to Blue must be active and have a display name, verified phone number, and profile photo. An account must also be at least 90 days old.

Is Twitter Verification Necessary?

Having a blue checkmark on your Twitter/X account might help your account stand out from the pack. For example, the checkmark can make it easier for your posts to catch the eye of someone scrolling. Therefore, it can help you expand your reach, increase impressions, and grow your Twitter followers.

However, with the swap from traditional verification and true authentication of accounts to the Twitter/X Blue subscription model, Twitter/X verification has lost its primary benefit of helping Twitter/X users distinguish real people from fake personas. Although each subscribed account still goes through a review process, this is more of a general review to keep spam accounts from signing up rather than an in-depth evaluation of the account or person behind it. 

Twitter/X Blue does come with a few benefits—namely, the option to edit tweets and have longer posts—but if true verification is your primary reason for subscribing, the service may disappoint.

It’s also important to remember that the ultimate recipe for success remains the same, regardless of whether you have a blue checkmark next to your handle or not. This includes:

• Posting high-quality Tweets
• Tapping into Twitter trends
• Making smart use of Twitter hashtags
• Posting consistently
• Engaging with your followers

Finally, don’t forget to install social media share buttons like the Twitter share button on your blog or website, enabling your followers to share your content to their Twitter profiles with a simple click. Essentially, when users share your content, it’s like a word-of-mouth recommendation. It’s an excellent way to get more exposure while simultaneously getting a boost in credibility.

Frequently Asked Questions About Twitter Verified

How much is it to get verified on Twitter?

The current Twitter/X Blue subscription model costs $8 per month or $84 per year when paid annually. The subscription automatically renews until canceled, which users can do from their Twitter/X accounts. 

Who can get a blue tick on Twitter?

Anyone who signs up for Twitter/X Blue and meets the basic rules of the program, such as having a non-deceptive account with a display name and profile photo, can get a blue tick next to their display names.

Can I hide my blue checkmark on Twitter?

Yes. A recent change to the Twitter/X Blue subscription program now allows subscribers to hide their blue checkmarks if they choose. The option should be available in subscribers’ Twitter/X Blue dashboards.

The post What Is Twitter Verified? Twitter Verification Guide appeared first on ShareThis.

YouTube Analytics is a platform that tracks and provides data about a YouTube channel and its videos. YouTube creators should consider using YouTube Analytics to gather information about the type of content that’s popular on their channels and learn about the people who make up their audience.

Armed with this information, YouTube creators can focus on producing the content that resonates most with their audience. Creating targeted content with your audience in mind increases views, boosts engagement, and helps grow your subscribers.  

In this YouTube Analytics guide, we explore the following:

• What is YouTube Analytics
• What YouTube Analytics Tells Creators
• How to Use YouTube Analytics
• Should I Use YouTube Analytics?
• Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Analytics

What Is YouTube Analytics?

Screenshot via YouTube Help

YouTube Analytics is a tool for YouTube creators to learn more about their audience and channel. 

Like other creative and social media platforms, YouTube is driven by engagement. The more people watch and interact with videos by sharing, liking, or commenting on them, the higher those videos rank in its algorithm. Creators who want to make high-ranking videos to extend their reach on YouTube likely take advantage of YouTube Analytics, which offers the data they need to do so. 

By using YouTube Analytics, you can learn how many people watch each video, whether they watch a video all the way through, the number of rewatches a video has, and how many subscribers you received in a specified period, to name a few data points. In other words, it’s a critical tool to have in your toolkit as you work to scale your channel and presence.

What YouTube Analytics Tells Creators

Screenshot via YouTube Help

YouTube Analytics provides a wealth of information by tracking various metrics. It categorizes its metrics into the following:

• Overview: The Overview section provides a simple overview of your YouTube channel with a graph displaying views, subscribers, and watch time for a specific period. By default, this period shows the last 28 days, but you can view stats for a month, year, week, or even over your channel’s lifetime. In the sidebar, you can view real-time stats for your channel, like the number of subscribers currently watching your videos.
• Content: The content section digs deeper into your videos by showing data on impressions, views, click-through rates, view duration, and traffic sources, including YouTube searches and external pages. You can also view your top videos to help you determine the type of content that performs best with your audience. 
• Audience: In this section, you’ll understand who visits and subscribes to your channel and watches your content. Learn what other channels your audience watches, when they usually browse YouTube, the devices they use to watch videos, their age ranges, and other important data. This information can help you tailor your content to your audience by creating content they enjoy and releasing it when they’re likely to watch. 

Tap the Advanced Mode link in your dashboard to see even more metrics, like end-screen data, translation usage, and sharing services used. 

How to Use YouTube Analytics

YouTube creators can access YouTube analytics from the desktop or mobile app.

On the desktop version, log into your YouTube account and click on your profile picture in the top right of the screen. Then, click YouTube Studio, followed by Analytics. From there, you can click the tab you want to view more data within, such as Content or Audience. Use the pull-down menu in the top right of the analytics dashboard to change the period view, such as the last 90 days or the entire year to date.

Screenshot via YouTube Studio App Help Center

On your mobile device, open the YouTube app and make sure you’re logged into your account. Then, tap your profile picture, followed by Your Channel. Next, tap the analytics icon (it looks like a bar graph). You’ll find some basic stats about your channel, content, and audience here. 

For more in-depth analytics, tap the button that says View more analytics in Studio. This opens the YouTube Studio app, which offers the same information as the desktop version of YouTube Analytics.

Should I Use YouTube Analytics?

If you regularly create YouTube content that you consider a key part of your content creation strategy or online presence, then YouTube Analytics can be an excellent way to ensure you’re making effective content. The tool lets you see what’s working well as you learn more about your audience, what they like, and what brings them to your channel.

On the other hand, if YouTube video creation is just a hobby for you that you don’t plan to use for marketing or building a business in any way, using YouTube Analytics may not be necessary. Still, it’s free to use, so there’s no reason not to incorporate it into your content creation process.

For more tips on growing your YouTube channel, check out our YouTube marketing guides. For an effortless way to grow your YouTube following, install the YouTube follow button on your blog or website. It’s simple to install and allows your visitors to follow your YouTube channel with a simple click.

Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Analytics

Is YouTube Analytics free?

Yes, YouTube Analytics is free for YouTube users. Anyone with a YouTube channel can access and use YouTube Analytics for free. 

How do you see YouTube video stats?

YouTube video stats are available on YouTube Analytics, the platform’s performance measurement tool. You can view YouTube Analytics by clicking your profile, navigating to your channel, and tapping the Analytics tab to see information about your content, channel, and audience.

How do I track traffic sources in YouTube Analytics?

Once in the YouTube Analytics dashboard, you can view where your YouTube traffic comes from by navigating to the Audience tab. Then, click on Advanced Mode, followed by Traffic source, to see where people are visiting your YouTube channel from.

The post YouTube Analytics: What You Need to Know appeared first on ShareThis.

Instagram Insights plays an important role for Instagram users seeking reach and growth. Whether you use Instagram to build your online presence as an influencer or to promote your business, Instagram Insights provides beneficial data for tweaking your strategy.

In this guide, we explain Instagram Insights, including what it is, how to find it in the Instagram apps, and what metrics it includes. Use the following links to jump to the section you would like to learn more about or read all the way through for a complete Instagram Insights overview:

• What is Instagram Insights?
• Instagram Insights Metrics
• How to View Instagram Insights
• Should I Use Instagram Insights?
• Frequently Asked Questions about Instagram Insights

What is Instagram Insights?

Image by BFC SOFTTECH from Pixabay

Instagram Insights is Instagram’s analytics tool that lets Instagram users better understand their audience and reach. Instagram Insights shows users both an overview of their Instagram account and more specific information for each post, Reel, or story. Using this information, users can shape their Instagram strategy by posting more content that performs well or targeting specific audiences. 

Instagram Insights Metrics

Instagram Insights provides several metrics, some applying to your overall account and others applying to individual posts:

• Total followers: The total number of followers you’ve gained or lost in the period you set, like the last week or month. 
• Follower data: Tap on the number of followers to learn more about your followers’ locations, genders, age ranges, and active times.
• Accounts reached: The number of accounts your content has reached within the specified time period. Tap the metric to see a drill down for stories, Reels, and posts.
• Accounts engaged: The number of accounts that interacted with yours in the specified time period. Tapping this metric provides a further breakdown of top posts, post likes, top Reels, and Reels likes.
• Content you shared: This area shows the pieces of content you shared, including posts, stories, and Reels. Tap on a piece of content to see its specific metrics, like reach and engagement.
• Impressions: The number of impressions a piece of content has, meaning how many times it was shown to other Instagram users. 
• Story interactions: How many shares or replies your story has.
• Story navigation: What people do when they come across your story, such as forward through your next story or exit the story.
• Profile activity: The profile actions visitors to your story take when they view your story, such as visiting your profile or following your account.
• Ad: When viewing a specific post that’s been promoted with Boost, this section shows ad-specific information, like the number of messages or profile visits the promotion resulted in.

How to View Instagram Insights

To view Instagram Insights, make sure you have a business or creator profile on Instagram. To switch to a professional account, go to your profile and navigate to Settings and privacy. Then, tap Account type and tools, followed by Switch to professional account. 

Once your account is set to a business or creator account, you can visit your profile, tap the ☰ symbol, and then tap on Insights, as shown in the screenshot below. 

Once you’ve arrived in the Insights area, you can tap on individual pieces of content to see more information or browse your profile’s overall stats.

If you want to check the data for a specific post, you can visit your profile, find and tap on the post, and tap the View insights link below the post to go directly to its Insights page.

Should I Use Instagram Insights?

Almost anyone interested in growing their Instagram account for personal or business purposes can benefit from understanding how to use Instagram Insights. This simple tool drills down the most important stats about an Instagram profile and its content, helping creators target their audiences better. 

Instagram Insights is just one piece of the puzzle, though, as a lot more goes into a solid Instagram strategy. Follow along with our Instagram marketing guides to learn more about creating giveaways, sharing posts, pinning comments, starting Instagram collabs, and more. Also, grab the Instagram Follow Button for your website to link your website visitors to your page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Instagram Insights

Can anyone use Instagram Insights?

Instagram Insights is only available to creator or business accounts on Instagram. If you currently have a personal account, you can switch to a business or creator account in the Settings and privacy section of Instagram. Tap Account type and tools, followed by Switch to professional account.  

Does Instagram Insights show you who viewed your profile?

Although Instagram Insights displays information about the number of people who visited your profile in a specified timeframe, it does not tell you the accounts that viewed it. Instead, you can learn more about the gender, age range, and location of visitors and followers, which can help you determine what type of people generally interact with your account the most. 

What can Instagram Insights help me with?

Instagram Insights offers helpful information for growing an Instagram account by producing content your audience is drawn to. With Instagram Insights, you can learn the average demographics of people who visit your profile, what people do when they view your story, how popular a piece of content is, and other metrics that help you to tweak your content strategy.

The post Instagram Insights Explained: Everything You Need to Know about Instagram Insights appeared first on ShareThis.

Some of the best financial blogs are excellent resources for individuals and business owners alike to find information about saving, investing, getting out of debt, and more. Many financial blogs focus on a specific area of finance, such as young adult budgeting or money-related news. 

There’s so much interest in the financial world that some leading financial blogs generate six-figure incomes. We’ve rounded up some of the best of the best financial blogs to help you learn about every facet of finance, investing, and money management.

In this article:

• What Can I Find on the Best Financial Blogs?
• 50 Best Financial Blogs
• Frequently Asked Questions

What Can I Find on the Best Financial Blogs?

Because finance casts such a wide net of information, financial blogs can also span multiple topics, from general getting-out-of-debt guides to more complex coverage on stocks and dividends. If you’re thinking about starting and growing a finance blog of your own, you’ll find plenty of inspiration on this list.

The financial blogs in our guide offer plenty of information for anyone, whether you’re interested in learning more about the finance industry or just want some tips for improving your personal finance. Here are a few topics these blogs cover:

• How-to guides for investing
• Comparisons of credit cards and bank accounts
• Strategies for paying off debt
• What you should know about student loans
• Building credit
• Making money with side hustles

We’ve sorted the following best financial blogs in alphabetic order for your convenience. 

50 Best Financial Blogs

1. 20somethingfinance

@ge_miller

20somethingfinance targets 20-somethings as they navigate the somewhat blurry financial period between first becoming an adult and building a strong financial future. This blog was originally written by owner G.E. Miller when they were in their 20s. Although they have outgrown that stage of their life, Miller continues to provide helpful information for younger folks from an older perspective. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• How to Pay Taxes with a Credit Card (and Profit) in 2023 
• Credit Unions Fail More Often than Banks. Are Your Deposits Fully Insured? NCUA vs FDIC Insurance.
• Solo 401K Basics for Self-Employment Income (For 2022 & 2023)

2. A Wealth of Common Sense

@awealthofcs

Owner Ben Carlson is a chartered financial analyst (CFA) who brings his knowledge to the masses through A Wealth of Common Sense. This blog features information that can apply to many readers, whether they own a home, dabble in the stock market, or need help paying off debt. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• How Much Money Does it Take to Feel Wealthy?
• The Stock Market Usually Goes Up (But Sometimes it Goes Down)
• The Problem With Being House Rich

3. BiggerPockets Blog

@biggerpockets

The BiggerPockets Blog explores real estate finance through posts on flipping houses, investing in real estate, house market trends, and managing rental properties. A mix of regular contributors keep this blog fresh daily.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Home Prices in These 5 Counties Grew the Most Since Last Year 
• How to Read Your Property Insurance Policy
• The Coming Collapse of Downtown Office Real Estate

4. Blog Maverick

@mcuban

This blog comes from Mark Cuban, who is known as one of the best business investors of all time. Blog Maverick naturally offers financial advice from Cuban himself, like investing in crypto, opinion pieces on infrastructure spending, and what companies are doing right or wrong.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• The 6 Things You Need to Know to be Great in Business
• The Idiot’s Guide to High Frequency Trading
• Will Your College Go Out of Business Before You Graduate?

5. Bloomberg

@Bloomberg

Bloomberg is a website for true finance fanatics. Here, you can find the latest financial news, real-time information about the stock market, investment opportunity guides, things to know about the economy, financial technology news, and more. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• US Producer Prices Approach Deflation With 0.1% Annual Rise
• Jared Bernstein on the Next Stage of Bidenomics
• Real Estate Is Most Distressed Sector in Europe, Study Finds

6. Business Insider

@businessinsider

Business Insider is a popular blog covering multiple financial areas, including markets, credit cards, personal finance, and the economy. Follow along with the stock market in real-time on the website as you browse guides, interviews, and news.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Americans aren’t switching cities for new jobs as much anymore. We asked 5 people why moving isn’t worth it. 
• The 10 most (and 10 least) vulnerable states to identity theft and fraud in 2023
• Jamie Dimon warns of much bigger threats than recession, more banking turmoil, and downsides of working from home. Here are his 12 best quotes from a new interview.

7. ChooseFi

@choosefi

ChooseFi is a finance-focused website with a financial podcast and lots of resources for visitors. The blog breaks down posts into topics like financial independence, credit, and taxes, with some posts even targeted toward teaching kids about money.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Why You Should Fund Your Roth Even If You Won’t Need It 
• The Triple Tax Benefits Of The HSA
• 15 Places You Can Get A Free Credit Score

8. Cointelegraph

@cointelegraph

Anyone interested in learning or keeping up-to-date with Bitcoin and other forms of cryptocurrency should bookmark Cointelegraph. This site releases daily news and articles of interest to crypto investors, as well as exclusive interviews with experts.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• 10 tips for blockchain-based data providers seeking to scale 
• Social media discussions play a crucial role in influencing crypto returns: Study
• 48% fewer new crypto coders last year: Report

9. Credit.org

@CreditDotOrg

Credit.org helps consumers manage and build credit through educational articles, financial tools, and classes. Its blog is highly relatable for many, with information on everything from the basics of managing money to the types of loans to consider applying for based on various financial situations.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• The Difference in Saving Money and Building Wealth 
• What’s a Good Credit Score? Credit Score Ranges Explained
• What Happens When Your HELOC Loan Has A Zero Balance

10. Discover’s Modern Money Blog

@discover

Banking and credit card company Discover provides easy-to-follow financial posts for people in all stages of life, whether just starting out on their adult financial journey or navigating the waters of budgeting for a family. Most blog posts are concise and clear, offering a few tips for people to improve their financial situations.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• How being frugal can cost you money: 5 tips for spending wisely 
• 5 things to do when you get a raise at work
• How much should you budget for home repairs?

11. DollarSprout

DollarSprout teaches readers how to boost their financial status with passive income opportunities, side hustles, businesses, or finding the right jobs. Its comparisons of credit cards, budgeting apps, and other financial products and tools can help steer readers to the right option for their financial situation.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• 20 Best Passive Income Ideas for Building Wealth 24/7 
• 16 Online Typing Jobs You Can Do From Home
• 48 Small Scale Business Ideas for Beginner Entrepreneurs

12. DoughRoller

@doughroller

DoughRoller provides comparisons and reviews of financial products to help you find those that meet your needs. You’ll also find actionable tips to invest and save your money. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• 5 Ways to Calculate How Much House You Can Afford
• 7 Best Places to Invest Your Cash
• 5 Top Airline Miles Credit Cards of 2023

13. FinanceBuzz

@financebuzz

FinanceBuzz focuses on personal finance guides on investing, finding insurance, making money, managing money, and locating the right credit cards, bank accounts, and loans for your financial needs. Consider signing up for the email newsletter for more tips sent straight to your inbox.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• 7 Ways to Save Money Shopping Online (Every Single Time)
• 6 Smart Strategies To Save Money On Car Insurance
• What is Debt Settlement? Pros and Cons

14. Financial Mentor

@financialmentor

Financial Mentor is a website for people who want to learn more about investing, managing their wealth, and becoming financially free. Its blog offers resources on building wealth, early retirement, life insurance, risk management, and more. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Ten Percent Rule To Build Wealth 
• 5 Ways To Reduce How Much You Need To Save For Retirement By $300,000 (or More!)
• The Ten Commandments Of Wealth Building

15. Financial Times

@FinancialTimes

Visit Financial Times when you need your fill of financial news around the world. This blog posts numerous new articles each day covering markets, business finance, and the economy. Note: Many posts are only available by subscription, which you can trial for $1 for your first four weeks.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Global stocks edge up as investors weigh inflation outlooks in US and China
• Easing inflation lifts hopes of a breather in US rate rises
• Olive oil inflation is really regressive

16. First Quarter Finance

First Quarter Finance is a blog the average person can relate to, whether they want to compare credit cards or figure out their next step in their career to begin earning more money. The site prioritizes accurate sourcing and content to help readers feel more confident in its financial advice. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Top 10 Stores That Offer Instant Online Store Credit 
• Average Cost of Food per Month for One Person (From Government Data)
• 28 Examples of Long-Term Career Goals for Planning, Interviews, etc

17. Forbes Advisor

@ForbesAdvisor

Forbes Advisor is a sub-site of Forbes focusing on all things finances, from mortgage advice to car insurance comparisons. The site breaks down its posts into categories to help you find what you need, like student loans, personal loans, business finances, and investing. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• How Much Is The Down Payment For An SBA Loan? 
• How Does The SEC Protect Your Investments?
• You Won The Lottery. Now What?

18. Get Out of Debt Guy

@getoutofdebtguy

Steve Rhode is the Get Out of Debt Guy behind the website of the same name. Although Rhode’s main focuses are his podcast and books, he also offers sound financial advice and tips on his website. Rhode digs deep into financial scams, too, to help readers learn how to spot them.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• People That Got Scammed by Robocall Debt Relief Company Life Management Services of Orange County to Get Money Back 
• FTC Stops Student Loan Debt Relief Schemes that it Says Bilked Students Out of Millions
• Credit Card or Debit Card: The Great Debate. It’s Not Even Close.

19. Good Financial Cents 

@jjeffrose

The owner of Good Financial Cents, Jeff Rose, is a certified financial planner who writes about making, managing, and investing money. On this blog, you’ll find plenty of information about identity theft, future planning, protecting assets, and more. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• 6 Best Investments for Roth IRA in 2023 
• How to Handle Taxes and Cryptocurrency
• Personal Finance Facts and Statistics

20. Intuit MintLife

@mint

Intuit is well known for its tax and financial products, but its blog is just as helpful for everyday people who want simple financial resources. The MintLife blog includes articles, links to helpful videos and social media posts, and calculators for managing everything from grocery budgets to savings.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• How to Pay for Fertility Treatments 
• How To Invest In The Metaverse
• 5 Things the SECURE 2.0 Act changes about retirement

21. Investopedia

@investopedia

Keep yourself updated on the latest financial news with Investopedia, which releases multiple news posts each day. The site is also an excellent resource for financial articles on investing, personal finance, financial product reviews, and the economy. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Wholesale Prices Rise Slower Than Expected, Adding to Signs of Cooling Inflation 
• 30-Year Mortgage Rates Drop to July Low
• How Education and Training Affect the Economy

22. Investor Junkie

@InvestorJunkie

InvestorJunkie’s financial guides and articles run the gamut of financial topics, including real estate and Forex investing. Some of its best articles lie in the review space, helping readers decide between different online stock brokers, tax products, and money-making apps. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Direct Indexing – Beat the Mutual Funds at Their Own Game
• How Much Do You Need to Retire?
• 8 Best Inflation-Proof Investments for 2023

23. I Will Teach You to Be Rich

@ramit

I Will Teach You to Be Rich is a blog from Ramit Sethi, a popular financial guru who writes, podcasts, teaches, and presents information in the finance world. This blog mostly highlights improving work life to boost finances, such as learning to ask for a raise and when to walk away from a job to look for something better. However, it also offers information about starting and growing businesses, finding work, managing assets, and more. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• How much of a Raise to ask for (Scenarios + Exact Numbers) 
• 77 Best Businesses To Start W/ 10K Or Less (& how to pick one)
• How to do independent contractor taxes

24. Just Start Investing

@JustStartInvest

Just Start Investing is a personal finance blog with news, tips, and guides for people seeking ways to manage and grow their finances. Visitors can also check the Resources tab to check out credit cards, financial planning resources, reading lists, and more. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Budgeting 
• Comparing 7 of The Top NFT Minting Platforms: Which One is Right for You?
• How Many Credit Cards Should I Have? The Right Answer

25. MarketWatch

@marketwatch

MarketWatch releases daily stock market news and fills in its blog with other finance-related articles. Although many articles are available for free, subscribers get exclusive content and unlimited access to watchlists and other tools and resources.  

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Consumers are shopping in more stores than ever before to save money 
• 4 ways I use credit cards to make my family’s travel cheaper
• Opinion: These 5 fast-growing stocks pay generous dividends you can count on

26. Millennial Money

@millennialmoney

Millennial Money was started to guide Millennials toward financial freedom, but the blog continues to produce content that all generations can relate to, from borrowing money to saving money for retirement and leisure. Visitors can choose their financial goal, like investing money or paying off debt, to curate the articles that make the most sense for them.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• How to Travel Cheap: A Guide for Millennials 
• How To Invest In Stocks for Beginners
• 9 Steps to Achieve Financial Freedom

27. Money Crashers

@MoneyCrashers

Money Crashers has been on the web for several years and continues to be one of the most visited sites for finance enthusiasts. This blog is one of the best to visit to find specific credit cards and checking or savings account that meet specific financial goals, like credit cards with no annual fees or checking accounts with high interest yields. Use the menu at the top of the page to access the helpful lists of financial products.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• What to Do When a Family Member Dies – Estate Settlement & Probate Process 
• The Fair Housing Act: Anti-Discrimination Laws for Renters and Buyers
• 5 Common Zelle Scams & Frauds – How to Protect Yourself

28. Money Saving Mom

@moneysavingmom

Founded in 2007, Money Saving Mom helps deal hunters find the latest ways to save money for their families by shopping frugally, budgeting, and using store deals and rewards in tandem. The site also offers tips for busy parents to earn more income through side hustles, work at home jobs, and businesses. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Why Sinking Funds are Your Budget’s Best Kept Secret
• How Do You Build a Stockpile on a Budget?
• 5 Tips I Used to Slash My Clothing Budget by 75%

29. Money Talks News

@moneytalksnews

Money Talks News is a magazine-style blog with resourceful guides and articles on personal finance topics. Its Solutions Center is a helpful hub that organizes its content into various categories for readers to browse specific topics, like HELOCs, cell phone plans, and credit restoration. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• 14 Simple Strategies for Building Long-Term Wealth 
• 6 Programs That Offer Free or Reduced-Cost Food for Seniors
• The 3 Biggest Financial Fears of Investors Around the World in 2023

30. Money Under 30

@MoneyUnder30

Money Under 30 was created by David Weliver, who, although not a finance expert, was able to climb out of tens of thousands of dollars of debt in three years. Weliver’s feat prompted him to create a blog designed to help others do the same. Today, Money Under 30 delivers information about consolidating debt, refinancing mortgages, and other ways to manage money wisely.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Are NFTs Only For The Ultra-Rich? 
• Can you afford to live alone? Here’s how much it really costs to move out on your own
• How long does it take to build credit from scratch?

31. Mr. Money Mustache

@mrmoneymustache

Mr. Money Mustache is one of the most unique financial blogs in terms of design and content. The blog started in 2011 by the self-proclaimed frugal owner to teach others how to build their savings and live off less money. The blog gets updated just about once a month with new insights to share, like making money by selling websites or tips for living in a tiny home.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement
• 50 Jobs over $50,000 – Without a Degree (Part 1)
• Reader Case Study: Is it Okay to Subsidize my Spendypants Adult Children?

32. Nerdwallet

@NerdWallet

Nerdwallet is known for its monthly guides on credit cards, bank accounts, mortgages, and other financial products that are best for consumers each month. The in-depth guides explore interest rates, card rewards, and other top considerations for finding the right financial products when you need them most. In addition to these helpful resources, Nerdwallet also features informational personal finance articles to help people at all income levels navigate budgeting, credit, and more.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• First-Time Home Buyer Benefits: How to Qualify
• How to Find the Best Travel Insurance
• How to Freeze Your Credit

33. Physician on Fire

@PhysicianOnFIRE

Physician on Fire is a blog written by a physician who’s equally invested in finance as they are healthcare. This blog helps other physicians be smart with their money with tips for managing student loans, building a health practice, retiring, and doing taxes.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Debunking 7 Financial Myths Overheard in the Doctors’ Lounge
• The 1% Rule for Spending on Luxury: Live it Up and Still Achieve FIRE
• The Monetary Value of Tax Loss Harvesting & How to Report it to the IRS

34. Ramsey

@daveramsey

Dave Ramsey is one of modern society’s most well-known financial experts. His blog speaks on his popular debt management solutions with several other topics mixed in, like managing finances for a family, saving money on entertainment, and what to know about the housing market in each state.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Should You Max Out Your 401(k)?
• How Much Does a Dog Cost?
• Flood Insurance Guide: Everything You Need to Know

35. SmartReads by SmartAsset

@SmartAsset

SmartReads is a blog written by financial advisors and other financial experts for consumers to grow their financial intelligence. It features money news, stock information, up-to-date mortgage news, and guides on investing, retirement, saving, and more.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• America’s Top 1% Is Different in Each State: From a $370k to $950K Income 
• The Hidden Retirement Expenses You Should Be Planning For, According to Schwab
• Why First Homes Could Be Investment Properties

36. StockMarket.com

Stock market investors visit StockMarket.com for its daily stock market news featuring the best stocks to buy that day and which other stocks you might want to watch for. It also highlights real-time stock tickers.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• What Stocks To Buy Today? 2 EV Stocks To Know 
• What Are Bonds? Your 2023 Beginner’s Guide
• What Stocks To Buy Today? 3 Good Dividend Stocks In Focus

37. The Ascent by The Motley Fool

@TheAscentMoney

The Ascent is The Motley Fool’s personal finance blog with information for regular, everyday people who want to build financial wealth through stocks, low-cost mortgages, or high-yield savings accounts. The blog includes rankings, tips, and guides to help consumers with whatever financial goals they have. We especially enjoy its shopping guides, like ways to save at Costco or new and affordable products at Trader Joe’s.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• What Does It Mean to Feel Wealthy? The Answer Will Surprise You 
• 7 Amazing Costco Buys for Under $20
• Here’s What Happens When You Borrow Money Against Your Investments

38. The Balance Money

@thebalance

The Balance’s Money blog is written by subject-matter experts and reviewed by a financial review board to ensure accuracy. Shorter articles include actionable tips for investing, saving, and managing money, while longer guides review financial products, present financial news, or dig deep with interviews of financial experts.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• 44% of US Adults Are Not Financially Ready for Recession 
• The Power of Compound Interest
• Cyclical Unemployment: Causes and Effects

39. The College Investor

@CollegeInvestin

College students visit The College Investor to discover student loans news, ways to save or make money while attending college, and other relevant topics for those starting to build their futures. The site also includes a Research section with exclusive research on higher education, student loans, and finances related to college students.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• 3 Alternative Paths To Student Loan Forgiveness If Biden’s Plan Is Blocked 
• Should I Work While In College? 75% Of Students Say “Yes”
• The Guide To Saving For Retirement

40. The Penny Hoarder

@thepennyhoarder

The Penny Hoarder is a hub for budgeters, smart shoppers, and side hustlers. This blog presents new articles daily on topics like dream jobs, roadside assistance plans, and buying a home with bad or no credit. Visitors can also join The Penny Hoarder Community, a message board for visitors to share financial information or ask questions.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Bank of America Faces $250 Million Punishment for Fake Accounts and Junk Fees 
• Going to See a Summer Blockbuster? Here Are 16 Ways to Save at the Movies
• Live on the Cheap With These 16 Jobs That Provide Housing

41. The Reformed Broker

@ReformedBroker

The Reformed Broker comes from Josh Brown, a financial advisor who shares investing information with almost-daily blog posts. This blog is heavily video-based, with many posts embedding clips of Brown’s halftime reports, interviews, and podcasts where he discusses the current best stocks, inflation, entrepreneurship, and more.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Stocks Are Overbought, so What?
• Coinbase Is Basically Outlawed Now
• Three Reasons to Buy Gold

42. The Retirement Manifesto

@RetireManifesto

This blog comes from Fritz Gilbert, who was able to retire with his wife at the age of 55. The Retirement Manifesto shares tips based on Fritz’s personal experiences to guide them toward early retirement and financial independence.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• How To Get Health Insurance in Retirement (AKA: What we did when our COBRA expired…) 
• How To Start A Nonprofit Organization
• The Bucket Strategy In A Bear Market

43. Wallet Hacks

@wallethacks

Wallet Hacks’ owner Jim Wang is a personal finance writer with experience building wealth that he now shares with his blog’s readers. The website breaks down some of the best financial products for various needs through helpful roundups while also sharing tips and best practices to boost personal wealth.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Should College Be Free? 
• Should I Delay Taking Social Security?
• How to Automate Your Finances

44. Well Kept Wallet

@WellKeptWallet

Well Kept Wallet categorizes its posts into four primary categories: Making money, saving money, investing, and paying off debt. This simple approach leads to hundreds of helpful articles targeting the primary reasons people seek help with finances. Find companies that can reduce debt, apps that help you make some side income, guides for using payday loans, and similar topics on this blog.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• 10 Ways to Pay off Your Mortgage Faster 
• How We Paid Off $52,000 in Debt in 18 Months
• Would You Rather Have A Penny That Doubles Each Day For A Month Or $1 Million?

45. WiseBread

@wisebread

In addition to the typical financial advice you expect to receive from the best financial blogs, WiseBread takes a few unique angles with its content. First, its ‘Ask the Readers’ series asks readers to share tips for others about products that save them money or advice they have about budgeting and other finance-related topics. WiseBread also offers product guides to help readers find affordable products for various needs, like skincare and travel. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• How to Dispute Mistakes On Your Credit Report 
• 9 Smart Home-Buying Tips From Real Estate Experts
• How the Sandwich Generation Can Protect Their Retirement

46. Women Who Money

@WomenWhoMoney

Women Who Money is a blog founded and written by women for women, with financial articles targeted toward women’s specific needs, although almost anyone seeking financial advice can likely find most of the site’s content helpful. Women Who Money offers a helpful categorization for its articles by expertise level, like finance topics for beginners and more advanced topics for those interested in investments, financial freedom, real estate, etc.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Everyone says that I should pay off my mortgage before I retire. What if I can’t?
• How to Put Together a Benefits Package When You’re Self-Employed
• How Do I Get Rid of Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)?

47. Yahoo Finance

@YahooFinance

For finance news, Yahoo Finance is one of the best blogs on the web. From stock tickers to personal finance articles to the latest economy-influencing financial news, Yahoo Finance has new information daily for all levels of finance enthusiasts. Create a Yahoo account to add stocks to your personal watchlist.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• Can I Avoid Depreciation Tax on My Rental Properties?
• Ask an Advisor: Should I Pay off My Mortgage or Invest in CDs? I Refinanced My Mortgage at 2.375%, But I Can Get a CD at 4%. Plus, I Want to Retire in 7 Years.
• Analysis: Will home prices this year surpass peak-pandemic prices?

48. YNAB Blog

@ynab

YNAB is a budgeting app that tracks income and expenses and helps users control their finances along the way. Its blog is a great place to start learning about managing money with its easy-to-follow posts for beginners and intermediate savers and budgeters. 

3 posts we enjoyed:

• How Family Histories Strained Our Finances 
• How to Budget With Irregular Income
• How to Stress Less About Money: 4 Simple Rules

49. Young Adult Money

@YoungAdultMoney

Founded in 2012, Young Adult Money began as a personal blog but has grown into a massive resource on all things money, particularly for adults who are just starting to build their wealth. The blog provides information about student loans, beginning a retirement fund, and growing wealth through easy side hustles.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• 10 Free Things on the Internet You Should be Using 
• Why an HSA is the Absolute Best Retirement Account
• Simple Personal Finance Checklist

50. Young and the Invested

@youngadntheinv

Young and the Invested is geared toward bettering the finances of young adults so they can continue to have healthy financial strategies that carry with them into later adulthood. Blog posts cover topics like money-making apps, investments teenagers can make, and credit cards that can help beginners build credit. It also features helpful information for parents looking to save for their children or teach their children about managing money.

3 posts we enjoyed:

• 7 Best Investments for Kids [Investing for Children, 2023]
• How to Open a Bank Account for a Minor: Steps, What You Need
• What to Do With Unused 529 Funds [5 Tax-Saving Options]

We hope you get the information you need from the best financial blogs in this guide to meet your financial goals. We suggest creating a bookmarks folder specifically for the financial blogs you enjoy most to keep them handy for future reference. 

Are you interested in starting a blog of your own? Read our guide on how to start a blog for beginners. Once your blog is set up, make it easy for your readers to help your blog grow by installing social media share buttons. When they come across a post they love, they can share it with everyone they know on social media with a single click.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some of the best financial blogs?

Hundreds of excellent financial blogs exist on the web, with each having its own spin on finance. For instance, some blogs target financial topics for young adults, such as Young Adult Money and Young and the Invested. Others tackle retirement-focused topics for adults interested in jump-starting their retirement savings, like The Retirement Manifesto and Financial Mentor. Other top financial blogs provide more general advice and tips that almost anyone can utilize like Well Kept Wallet and Intuit MintLife.

What are personal finance blogs?

Personal finance blogs include topics that the average person might find helpful, like budgeting for college, saving for retirement, or purchasing a home. These blogs might also include guides for finding the best credit cards, savings accounts, and other financial products for specific financial goals.

Do finance bloggers make money from their blogs?

Some finance bloggers do make money from their blogs through methods like advertising, affiliate marketing, or email marketing. For example, Nerdwallet links to credit cards, bank accounts, and other financial products and services, sometimes earning affiliate income through those links. 

The post The Best Financial Blogs to Learn about Every Facet of Finance, Investing & More appeared first on ShareThis.

If you’re considering opening an online store to drop ship products or sell unique products you make, you might have considered Shopify vs. Etsy. These eCommerce platforms are two of the most well-known and popular in the industry, and each comes with its pros and cons for sellers. The one that’s best for you depends on what you sell, how you run your business, and the goals you have for your business.

In this guide, we compare the platforms to one another based on their pricing, product management features, sales and marketing tools, customization options, and ease of setting up an account. We’ll also cover:

• What is Shopify?
• What is Etsy?
• Shopify vs. Etsy: Which Should You Use for Your Online Store?
• Frequently Asked Questions

What is Shopify?

Founded in 2006, Shopify is an eCommerce platform to help business owners sell products or services online. The platform provides an all-in-one solution for hosting and building a website, managing products, and marketing an online store.

What is Etsy?

Etsy was founded in 2005 as an online marketplace to buy and sell vintage and handmade items. Sellers can open shops to sell items on the platform.

Shopify vs. Etsy: Which Should You Use for Your Online Store?

Shopify and Etsy are each excellent at what they do. With that said, they’re designed for different purposes. While Etsy provides a more managed solution for online business owners to sell their products online, Shopify places full control into the hands of sellers.

Although there are several similarities and differences between the two, we’re focusing our comparison on the following features, which are among the most important to consider when choosing the right platform:

• Account and store setup
• Customization
• Product management
• Sales and marketing

Setting Up an Account and Store

Shopify offers a free account setup where you can trial the service for three days before buying. To start, simply enter your email address on the website home page and fill in a few details about yourself and your business. 

This process is easy, but setting up your actual store can take more time. With Shopify, you’ll need to customize the look of your store, like its pages, navigation, and product collections. You also must purchase and set up a domain name if you want to have a unique URL for your store, like yourstore.com. These steps take some time and can be challenging for people who aren’t tech-savvy.

Etsy, on the other hand, is virtually as easy as setting up an online account. After you name your shop and fill in a few details, Etsy takes care of everything in the background as your store becomes Etsy-hosted.

Winner: Etsy. Because Etsy takes care of the technical setup of an online store on its website, there’s no coding for sellers to worry about. They can simply set up their accounts and shop to start selling almost immediately.

Customization Features

Etsy is somewhat limited in customization because Etsy manages shops on the platform. While you can change your product descriptions, store logo, and a few other details, you don’t have full control over your site.

Meanwhile, Shopify does offer that control, from tweaking menus and navigation to setting up sales funnels to move customers from leads to buyers. Shopify also includes several themes to help you customize the look of your online store to match your company branding. Additionally, you don’t need much coding experience to do so if you use Shopify’s built-in website builder.

Winner: Shopify. If you have a good idea of how to customize a website, you’ll find that Shopify has a lot more to offer in terms of customization, including integrations, themes, and shopping experiences.

Product Management

Shopify stores allow up to 100,000 items, including variations of specific items. Meanwhile, Etsy doesn’t appear to have a cap on the number of items a shop owner can list. However, it does charge a 20-cent fee per listing. Shopify’s listings are included with your plan.

Both platforms allow shop owners to organize their products. In Etsy, you can place items in different categories for customers to sort through. Shopify also offers categories as well as tags to break down sorting further.

Etsy doesn’t quite catch up to Shopify in its inventory management, though. Shopify’s backend system lets shop owners access inventory tracking, adjustment, and history to keep tabs on everything in stock.

Winner: Shopify. Its inventory management features and more granular categorization give shop owners more control over their products.

Sales and Marketing Features

Etsy actively promotes listings on its platform, but there’s no guarantee yours will be promoted unless you purchase ads yourself. Sellers can also offer discounts to encourage people to come to their shop.

Meanwhile, Shopify is as much a marketing tool as it is an eCommerce platform. Shopify has built-in SEO tools, optional advertising, built-in blogging for content marketing, and customer contact methods, like live chat and web forms. Shopify apps can also help you get the sales and marketing tools you need, like abandoned cart funnels, product reviews, and email marketing.

Winner: Shopify, which has numerous sales and marketing features for virtually any kind of online business, either as standard features or optional add-ons.

Pricing

Shopify uses a subscription-based model for stores, ranging from $39 to $399 per month or $29 to $299 per month if purchased annually. Additionally, subscribers pay credit card fees, which are lower with higher-priced plans.

Etsy sellers can get a shop for no monthly fee. However, Etsy does have listing, transaction, and payment processing fees. An Etsy Plus account is available for $10 per month, giving shop owners ad credits, listing credits, advanced customization, and additional features.

Winner: Tie. For small business owners, Etsy’s pay-as-you-go format might be more affordable. However, larger sellers will probably enjoy the all-in-one solution Shopify’s subscription provides.

Whatever platform you choose to build your online store, make it easy for customers to help generate some buzz about your business by installing social media share buttons on your store’s website. They’re simple to install in just minutes, allowing your visitors to share your product pages and blog posts with a single click.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Is it cheaper to sell on Etsy or Shopify?

If you aren’t a large-scale seller, Etsy might be more affordable, as you can start a shop with no monthly fee and pay fees as you sell. Meanwhile, Shopify’s more all-inclusive monthly subscription might be more affordable for higher volume sellers.

Is Shopify or Etsy better for beginners?

Etsy is straightforward to set up, as your shop gets hosted by Etsy itself and has limited customization options compared to Shopify. However, if you have some experience setting up websites, Shopify probably won’t feel too foreign.

Should I use both Shopify and Etsy?

You could sell on both Shopify and Etsy. If you do, it’s a good idea to use a Shopify app to connect your stores together. This way, you can track and manage inventory for both shops in one space.

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