Podcast Summary: Ep. 278 - Email & Social TEMPLATES are GARBAGE! QUICK Fix! 🛒 Self-Checkout FAIL! 📺 Love is Blind UPDATE!!😳 Jay’s SCOOP
Introduction
In Episode 278 of "Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson," hosted by GURU Media Hub and presented by Marigold, Jay Schwedelson delves into the detrimental effects of overusing email and social media templates in marketing. Released on February 21, 2025, this episode offers actionable insights to help marketers maintain engagement and avoid falling into the trap of repetitive, ineffective strategies.
Main Discussion: The Habituation Effect in Marketing
Jay opens the episode by addressing the habituation effect, a psychological phenomenon where repeated exposure to a stimulus leads to decreased response over time. He emphasizes that this effect is significantly impacting the performance of marketing templates.
Jay Schwedelson [00:40]: "The habituation effect is a huge deal in marketing and I don't think that we are really focused in on it and it's actually ruining our performance."
Jay explains that while new email and social media templates initially boost engagement, their effectiveness plummets as audiences become accustomed to them. He cites studies to underline his points:
- Research Gate Study: Effectiveness of an advertisement can decrease by up to 50% after five exposures.
- World Data Research: 60 days after introducing a new email template, the performance boost drops to less than 10% compared to the prior template.
- Social Media Impact: A similar decline occurs within 45 days of launching a new social media template.
Jay Schwedelson [00:40]: "Research Gate found that effectiveness of an advertisement can decrease by up to 50% after only five exposures."
Critique of Common Template Practices
Jay criticizes the over-reliance on standard templates in email and social media marketing, describing them as "garbage." He uses the example of webinar promotional emails to illustrate the issue:
Jay Schwedelson [04:15]: "Webinar emails are so funny to me because we all copy each other and they're total garbage."
He highlights the lack of originality in these templates, which often feature generic images and uninspired text that fail to engage recipients after the initial novelty wears off.
Solutions: Implementing a Rotating Template System
To combat the habituation effect, Jay advocates for a rotating template system. This approach involves using multiple formats and regularly switching them to keep the audience engaged. He suggests a variety of email styles, such as:
- Text-heavy, personal style emails
- Visual-heavy newsletters
- Interactive emails
- Short, punchy emails with memes
Jay Schwedelson [07:20]: "You want to have a rotating template system. Instead of relying on one email template, you use about three to five different formats and you rotate them all the time."
Similarly, for social media, Jay recommends diversifying post types throughout the week:
- Mondays: Tweet-style text posts
- Tuesdays: Carousel posts
- Wednesdays: Behind-the-scenes videos
- Thursdays: Memes or GIFs
By continuously refreshing formats, marketers can maintain high engagement levels and prevent their content from becoming "wallpaper."
Real-World Analogy: Dieting
Jay likens the stagnation of marketing templates to starting a new diet. Initially, enthusiasm is high, but without variety, adherence drops as the routine becomes monotonous.
Jay Schwedelson [09:50]: "It's like when you go on a diet. A new diet – first week you're like, yeah, I could do this forever. Three weeks later, it's boring."
Personal Anecdotes and "Since You Didn't Ask" Segment
In the latter part of the episode, Jay shifts gears to share personal stories, including a frustrating experience at a pharmacy with a malfunctioning self-checkout system. He uses this anecdote to segue into a humorous critique of the reality TV show "Love is Blind," expressing his disappointment with specific contestants' behavior.
Jay Schwedelson [09:00]: "Every time a new girl walks in that he has to meet or say hello to, he'll go, 'What's wrong with you?'"
While these segments are more personal and anecdotal, they provide a relatable break from the main marketing discussions.
Key Takeaways
- Beware of the Habituation Effect: Repeated use of the same marketing templates leads to decreased engagement.
- Diversify Your Templates: Implement a rotating system with multiple email and social media formats to keep content fresh.
- Monitor Performance: Continuously analyze the effectiveness of different formats and refresh them as needed.
- Avoid Becoming Wallpaper: Repetitive, unchanging content becomes invisible to your audience over time.
Conclusion
Jay Schwedelson wraps up the episode by reiterating the importance of adapting and varying marketing strategies to sustain audience interest. He encourages marketers to step away from monotonous templates and embrace a dynamic approach to communication.
Jay Schwedelson [10:45]: "You cannot just rely on these boring templates. You need to have a rotation."
Final Thoughts and Call to Action
Jay concludes by urging listeners to leave reviews and engage with the podcast, emphasizing the value of community feedback. He also promotes Marigold's latest content, the "2025 Consumer Trends Index," available for free download.
Jay Schwedelson [11:20]: "You will get so much out of this thing. It is the 2025 Consumer Trends Index."
Overall Impression
Episode 278 offers a compelling analysis of the pitfalls associated with repetitive marketing templates and presents practical solutions to maintain audience engagement. Jay's blend of research-backed insights, real-world analogies, and personal anecdotes makes the episode both informative and entertaining for marketers seeking to enhance their strategies.