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Why Social Media Marketers Need To Go Native

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7Sep
Sometimes, social media platforms’ algorithms present wonderful opportunities for marketers. Other times, they create challenges. The need for native content is a bit of both. Facebook, among other platforms, realized that they are better off when users stay inside their walls. They want people to stay on Facebook as long and often as possible. That’s why native content has become so important and given priority. How can marketers jump on board? Here are the three main ways to take advantage of native content benefits:
Auto-Play. One of the most significant ways for a company to reap the rewards of native content is video. If you upload original videos to Facebook itself as opposed to linking it from YouTube, your content will be featured in their auto-play stream. When mobile Facebook users watch one video, it starts a constant stream instantly playing videos that are on their feed. If your video has been uploaded to Facebook, it’s a part of your followers’ streams, raising your chances of views and engagement. That’s the whole point of the game!
Instant Articles. Recently, Facebook unrolled Instant Articles in their armory of mobile-exclusive benefits. This service also caters to the native content system because writers will publish a whole article on Facebook instead of sharing it through links. Blogs, rants, articles, and long forms appear quicker and, thanks to Facebook’s equations, more prominently on news feeds. Because the article will actually live on the social media giant as opposed to a blog or website, there are several benefits.
Images. When creating an update, you should always upload an image that you have created. Additionally, if you are sharing a web page, you may want to consider “killing the preview” and uploading relevant imagery to Facebook itself.
Now, obviously, sometimes this is impossible. You can’t copy someone else’s news article and share it via Instant Articles, nor can you upload parts of your website and showcase them. Native content can, and should, only go so far. For this reason, a company’s social media schedule should have a hearty mix of native and curated content. Keep in mind that while creating original work and uploading it onto your social media site of choice will take longer than simply sharing a link, these updates will give your accounts hefty spikes in views and engagement opportunities. Additionally, boosting native content with advertising will skyrocket that post to new heights.
How do you use native content? Share below!

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Major LinkedIn Update: The Return Of The Hashtag

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6Sep

There’s always one constant in social media – that nothing is constant. Back in 2013, LinkedIn tried, and quickly disposed of, hashtags. The professionals that use the social media platform just weren’t into it. Well, three years later, the handy social media marketing tool has returned to one of the most popular platforms around. However, there’s a bit of a catch.

LinkedIn is in the middle of a revamp. These updates may or may not be due to their new owners, Microsoft, but we can all enjoy the rewards. If the massive merger is the reason, kudos. Along with new search capabilities, hashtags have returned in a new way that made everyone look twice. They only become searchable, clickable content on mobile. The tags will be visible in the content via desktop browsers, albeit unclickable and well, pretty much pointless.

To me, this means two things. First of all, LinkedIn is aware of mobile’s increasing power. A majority of social media users, whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn,use an app. This is most likely the reason for the hashtag’s functionality to start with mobile devices first. Social media marketers should always keep mobile’s popularity in mind when creating content. Does something look a little funky when you’re viewing in on a smartphone? Then you may want to revise it.

Secondly, this proves there are more changes on the way for LinkedIn. It’s doubtful that the social media giant will let something this obvious go unfixed. Soon enough, those hashtags will appear as blue, clickable portals to more relatable content on any screen. We just have to give them a little more time.

What do you think of LinkedIn’s new and surprising update? Comment below!

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5 Ways Apps Changed Social Media Forever

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5Sep

Remember when the only thing phones could do was make a phone call? Nowadays, you can literally run a whole business from the palm of your hand. Social media marketing is one of the industries that changed the most thanks to smartphone innovations. The main reason? Downloadable apps. With just the tap of a finger, users can install a brand new program onto their phone and drill even further into their device’s potential. Many of these apps contribute to social media marketing. Here are the top ways applications change the game:

  1. App-Exclusive Features. As we have recently seen with LinkedIn’s smartphone-exclusive hashtags, there are certain features of our favorite platforms that are inaccessible on a traditional computer. Another one of these hidden treasures isFacebook Live, which is a live-video streaming service. These devices allow many new opportunities for social media marketers to connect and create.
  2. App-Exclusive Platforms. Without smartphones, there would be no Snapchat, Meerkat, or Periscope. Live video would be restricted to webcams. Instagram wouldn’t be nearly as innovative, and the rest of the social media marketing industry would feel quite stationary. Thanks to smartphones, we have even more sites to explore.
  3. Location-based services. Facebook’s popular feature, checking in, is all thanks to your Apple or Android device. Obviously, you wouldn’t be able to check in anywhere on a desktop computer besides your own house. There are also features such as Snapchat’s geofilters, nearby interests, and more than rely on being in the right place at the right time.
  4. Third Party Apps. Have you checked out the Social Media category on the App Store or Google Play store? There are tons of tools in there! Third party software has helped social media marketers bring new life into their campaigns. Whether you are creative a video through Ripl, adding a crazy filter to a picture on Prisma, or flashing back to the good ol’ days with Timehop, social media marketers can benefit from the plethora of apps available to marketers.
  5. Instant gratification. Do you want to try out one of these apps? Download it in a flash. Do you like something you see in an ad? One tap will bring you more information. Starting fresh on a new site? Thanks to the contacts that are already on your phone, you don’t have to do any heavy lifting! You can just start communicating quickly. Smartphones are all about convenience, and they definitely help social media marketers make things easier.

As you can see, social media and technology have a tight relationship. Apps bring this to new heights. As we become continually invested in mobile solutions, we expect to see this list of advantages grow!

What other ways do smartphones help with marketing? Comment below!

 

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YouTube’s Iron Fist: What It Says About Social Media

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4Sep

Ever since people realized that they could say whatever they want on the internet, there have been people trying to figure out rules, restrictions, and ultimately, censoring.  Obviously, once “censor” starts to be thrown around, all content creators’ ears perk up. Many creative individuals, whether they are in a business role or not, have found a home on the wild wild web. Whenever a new law or chunk of fine print puts this freedom into question, people become restless. Right now, YouTube has started a new content-related quarrel.

The social media platform and video hosting site, YouTube, and its owner, Google, may have started something they weren’t entirely ready for. Since its founding in 2005, YouTube has not only attracted a massive gathering but also many vloggers or, video bloggers, now earn a living by creating channels of content. YouTube hit one of its stars, Philip DeFranco, right where it hurts, advertising. They warned that certain videos of his breached their rules, and would take away their monetization and advertising features. No ads mean no revenue for Youtubers. Why is all this happening? In YouTube’s fine print, they mention that all content must be “advertiser-friendly.” As you could imagine, this means no excessive vulgarity, nudity, drug use, etc. Understandable, right? But YouTube’s recent crackdown targeted videos that were hardly offensive at all.
DeFranco wasn’t the only popular filmmaker to receive one of these notices. However, YouTube reps clearly stated that this is not a new rule, but rather a crackdown on previously existing conditions. As you could imagine, tensions are a little high in the YouTube world. Beyond who’s wrong or right, there are a few things social media marketers can take away from this:
  1. Advertising is (still) king. If ads were pointless, this conflict would never happen because there would be no professional YouTubers. In fact, YouTube itself would most likely be a sliver of its current size if there were no revenue pumping through the ad channels. Social media marketers – take note! If you ever wonder if your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even YouTube ads matter, think about this impending struggle between YouTube and YouTuber, which is bound to escalate if this censoring – or “stern enforcement of policies”, if you don’t like that term – continues.
  2. Content creators underestimate platforms. As professionals that utilize the world’s most popular sites on a daily basis, social media professionals may view excessive rules and regulations as obstacles rather than guidelines. That being said, we need to realize that there are real rules with real reciprocations for a variety of reasons and we need to follow them. So, keep your content classy and professional, don’t spam or scam followers in any way, and try to avoid copyrighted material that you don’t own.

  3. Platforms underestimate content creators. There was a time when YouTube was the only option. There were no other video-hosting websites, just as there were very few social media sites. Now, things are different. If DeFranco and other YouTube stars feel so inclined, they could pull out of YouTube and focus on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, and many other sites. This would not go well for Google. I’m not saying that platforms should cater to every whim of the user, or vice versa, but platforms need to know they are actually replaceable by the next best thing.

It will be interesting to see just what happens in this swelling conflict. YouTube may have to loosen the leash. Vloggers may have to dial down the content (which is unlikely to happen). Either way, the internet, as always, is alive and well and full of changes, which professionals need to be ready to adapt to.

What do you think of this new conflict? Comment below!
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Evergreen Content VS Dated Content: What’s The Big Difference?

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3Sep

Did you know that Apple is going to reveal iPhone 7 soon? That may be news at the time of this article’s publication, but in maybe a month or just a few weeks, that sentence will have dated this whole article. In a year, we’ll be getting ready for iPhone 7S, or whatever version Apple is planning next. (Rumors say it’s a big one since it will be the iPhone’s 10th birthday, but I digress) When that happens, that sentence will look like a relic in the eyes of the internet. This type of situation is something all social media marketers need to be attentive to!

Our sentence above is one of the defining factors of dated, or time-sensitive content.This isn’t to say that news updates are bad for social media. Much like weekends, they may not last forever, but they sure are important to our lives. Yet your social media content cannot entirely consist of these fleeting moments. A company’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other accounts need some non-perishables in the mix. Content that will never expire, or evergreen content, is crucial for high engagement rates and legitimacy to your brand. We’re not just talking about stone-cold facts from textbooks (although those would definitely count as evergreen content). This type of content simply needs to stand the test of time. A mission statement, code of ethics, tried and true details about your industry, promotional materials, etc.

Now, why would a business’ social media page need both? Because that’s how the internet works. It’s a constant flow of fleeting and forever content. We see it every day without even realizing it. Trending items deliver a powerful boost to your social media marketing, while evergreen content is your core. Without one or the other, your content strategy will be incomplete. 

Time-sensitive content will show that your company is updated, adaptable, and aware of contemporary business practices. Evergreen content expresses your industry knowledge, experience, and professionalism. It’s plain to see why you would want to have both, right?

At The Go! Agency, we take extra efforts to strike just the right balance of these two categories of content. Our clients deserve to have every reward social media has to offer, and it’s the marketer’s duty to accomplish that.

How does your business utilize both these types of content? Share your story below!

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How Marketers Can Win At Social Media Imagery

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1Sep
Social media marketers always say “Content is King.” But what content truly holds the crown? When all is said and done, visuals rule over all. Strong imagery can fire up a social media marketing campaign to new heights. But what if a company’s marketers aren’t photographers, graphic designers, or filmmakers? Even worse, what if the industry isn’t visually appealing? Have no fear! Here are solutions that can make any business’ social media profile look brilliant:
  • Slideshows – Video is blowing up on social media! We can thank innovations such as Snapchat, Instagram, and live streaming apps. Even if a business doesn’t have a film crew, it can still reap the rewards of video via animated slideshows. Transitions, music, and graphics could be incorporated to make a spectacular show.
  • Collages – Whether the photos are of happy employees, satisfied customers, or a product showcase, collages allow social media marketers to share several images in one hit. Many programs out there to help with this project, just a quick Google or App Store search will produce results.
  • Stock imagery – Pictures are worth a thousand words, but what if a business’ pictures are saying all the wrong things? Stock photos are familiar, but beneficial solutions to a lack of, or low-quality native visuals. Just a few pictures could assist companies in achieving a professional look in a flash.
  • Photo and graphic editors –  A company needs powerful and unique imagery to stand out on the internet. There’s an expansive catalog of programs that can help marketers make eye-catching content, ranging from free to premium choices. Marketers can create beautiful logos, banners, flyers and more for their social media marketing.

In any form, marketing requires creativity for successful brand promotion. Social media gurus understand that their field of expertise is no exception. Companies have the opportunity to make even the blandest and mundane of companies look spectacular on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more!

What other ways do you incorporate imagery and visuals in your social media? Comment below!

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Is Your Social Media Marketing Falling On Deaf Ears? Focus Your Reach!

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31Aug

Social media marketing is about spreading your word as far and wide as possible, right? What if we told you that your business would actually benefit from a more focused audience? There’s something to be said about quality over quantity in the world of social media marketing.

Think about a simple social media post, whether on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Obviously, you want a lot of people to read this content. But in reality, if you make the update too broad, your content will fall on a lot of deaf ears. If you don’t make it focused and narrowed to cater to your target audience (which is actually your target customers), the wrong people may read it. Sure, the more the merrier, but uninterested people probably will just keep scrolling through their news feed and forget all about that post or advertisement.

How do you really sharpen your scope? There are several different approaches to making sure the right people are reading your marketing masterpieces.

If using Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, always be sure to use hashtags. These are essentially digital homing beacons that will attract people looking for material centered around its subject. Even if your platform of choice doesn’t allow hashtags, (i.e. LinkedIn, Pinterest) you can still write your updates in a way that clearly designates the demographic you’re trying to reach.

Successful social media marketers also understand the importance of content curation. Share relevant news stories and web content that pertain to the interest of your target demographic. This can be an industry update or even something lighthearted. Either way, make sure your followers will want to read it.

Advertising is another way you can be sure the right people are reading your content. Facebook and other platforms offer a wide variety of options so your advertisements, boosted posts, and sponsored content land on the screens of the people who would enjoy the ad instead of thinking it’s a nuisance.

Unsure of who exactly should read your social media content? You better go back to your business’ mission statement. Who is your product or service aimed towards? Every business has a target audience, even if you don’t know it. When it comes down to it, ask yourself who buys your products? When you have the answer, you will also have the same people you should market towards via social media.

Yes, it’s important to spread your brand to as many people as possible. However, if you aren’t focusing on your target audience, there’s no point!

How do you focus your social media marketing content? Comment below!

 

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6 Steps To Snapchat Stardom

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30Aug

Slowly but surely, Snapchat is beginning to become a big player in social media. How can we tell? Facebook is starting to get nervous. They have created a bit of competition for the app-only platform including Instagram Stories and Lifestage. Marketers need to be aware of this new site that people are flocking to and understand how to utilize Snapchat. Below are some tools to help you become a social media superstar.

  1. Multiple filters  – Filters are one of the most powerful and popular features on Snapchat. It’s one of the tools that makes it truly unique. But did you know you can add up to 3? Try this – Choose one. Hold the screen with one finger and keep swiping.The first one stays! Multiple filters will add a unique quality to your snaps.
  2. Music – Add a little spirit to your snaps with some music. Open a music app like Pandora or play an MP3, return to Snapchat and start recording. Simple!
  3. Snapcodes – A common complaint about Snapchat is its lack of account-finding resources. It’s almost impossible to find someone without their exact username unless they’re in your phone’s contact list. Their answer to this is Snapcodes. Similar to a QR code, if you scan one of these little pictures, you will be immediately taken to that person’s Snapchat name. It’s a helpful tool that is accompanied with some personalization options.
  4. Cross promote –  The app only allows 30 characters per snap. Obviously, that isn’t a lot. Use the space to promote your Twitter or Instagram handle so you can pull your viewers to a platform with fewer restraints.
  5. Custom filters – That’s right, you can make your own filters. It’s Snapchat’s form of advertising and doesn’t seem to be nearly as pricey as other options. Its effectivity is still to be determined, but since filters have become extremely popular, you may want to consider diving into the fun.
  6. PayPal connectivity – People can transfer funds to each other via Snapchat’s chat feature. It’s a handy little tool that offers a new level of convenience.

Snapchat has a lot of little features, some are hidden little gems that really brighten up the social media experience. It’s still in its growing stages as a platform, but people are quickly flocking over to the fun yellow app.

What other Snapchat features do you know? Share below!

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Social Media Multitasking: Why One Profile Isn’t Enough

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29Aug

In the beginning, there was MySpace. That was consumed by Facebook, which had internet rule for a while. Then rose Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, Weibo, LinkedIn, YouTube, Vine, Swarm, Tumblr,  Foursquare, Meerkat, Periscope, Snapchat, Stacks, Stumbleupon, and Reddit. Whew! There are too many platforms to count, and while it’s impossible to successfully manage accounts on all of them, your company shouldn’t be satisfied with a single profile.

Each platform brings a plethora of different perks. Yes, the primary goals are communication and brand awareness, but how you do this varies substantially on the site you choose. This is why you need to learn to multitask on social media. Having multiple profiles will help you spread your word via different avenues. You can use the varied features of these sites to showcase specific areas of your business!

Each site covers a different aspect of social media. For example, platforms such as Instagram, Vine, Snapchat, and Periscope heavily rely on visuals, whether it’s a photo or video. This type of content is a must!  You can’t simply post a line of text and expect engagement. Instead, get your creativity hat on (or hire a marketer who has one) and be ready to send out some artistic pieces of marketing.

Twitter is about the NOW. Second by second news can be shared through this popular platform. This is great for content such as everyday updates to press releases. Since you’re limited to 140 characters, you need to harness your other social media profiles and share links to more substantial content.

Facebook has a nice combination of text and visuals. It tweaks what users see based on their interests. This makes Facebook one of the most powerful and challenging of the social media profiles.

LinkedIn is strictly for business. Professionals come to network, promote, and find employment opportunities. You can also share longer articles that you have created. This is the place to develop real world connections.

Balance is the name of the game. As a business marketer, start with a Facebook and Twitter. Depending on your industry,  upgrade to an Instagram and LinkedIn in time. Don’t bother too much with Vine, Tumblr, or some of the smaller platforms without having a firm grasp on social media marketing.

Additionally, do your research and find out where your audience likes to hang out. Younger people typically use Instagram, Snapchat, and Reddit. Business-oriented adults like Twitter and LinkedIn. Facebook is still the social media golden boy that house over 1.65 billion users. Different people utilize different sites for connecting with their favorite people and content.

When you do make multiple accounts, be sure to have consistent branding. Have a singular logo and banner, but be sure to adhere to site specifications. Overall, make sure your tone stays the same no matter what medium you’re using.

So, what’s it going to be? Facebook, LinkedIn, Snapchat? Take your pick and take your time when deciding how you want to spread your marketing power!

What social media platforms do you use? Share below!

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8 Steps To Conquer Social Media Writer’s Block

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28Aug

Social media marketing requires a large amount of creative juices and sometimes, the well runs dry. It’s okay, it happens to the best of us. Unfortunately, the internet isn’t going to wait for inspiration to strike once more. You need to jumpstart your imagination so you can make fresh, engaging content for your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn and send it out to the content-hungry masses on a daily basis. How is this possible?

Making content for social media is another form of creative writing, which means there is a bit of subjectivity to it. As any writer can attest, crafting the right message isn’t always easy. You constantly have to figure out attractive content that will draw people to your business. How do you find that much-needed spark? Here are the top 8 tips that will help:

  1. Look into your analytics. You may have the answer lying in your previously published posts. Have videos been getting a lot of attention? Maybe it’s a sale? Try to tap into what already has been working. Additionally, just reading what you’ve already made can be enough to get the gears turning.
  2. Look at competitors. Perhaps your quest for inspiration will land you on a competitor’s social media page. Studying how they approach Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms could help you see social media in a new light. That being said, don’t plagiarize!
  3. Stick to a schedule. You will be surprised how sticking to a specific schedule will help you stay creative. Perhaps you feel like you can write better in the morning, or maybe it’s the afternoon. Either way, a schedule can give a subconscious spark of creativity.
  4. Check out what’s trending. There’s no time like the present and that should also be the case for social media marketing. Check out what’s trending on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Somewhere amongst the headlines and hashtags, you may be able to spin a topic to your company’s advantage.
  5. Stay organized. Write down any and all ideas, even if you don’t have room for them at the moment. Trust us, a time will come when you need an extra idea or two. In addition to writing things down, keep the ideas organized and at a convenient spot.
  6. Review your company’s mission. Don’t forget who you’re writing for. Head to your company’s website and review the “About” or “Our Mission” sections. Get pumped up to be a part of such a great company! You can always take a step back and watch your other employees and see if their work will inspire you.
  7. Take the first step – Just start writing! I know, easier said than done right? Trust us! Even if you begin with just random words on the page, a bit of creative gibberish will be a great exercise for the mind.
  8. Take a step back. Go for a walk! Staring at a blank screen doesn’t help. Come back after you try some of these other steps and start with a fresh. 

Social media marketing thrives on intriguing stories, engaging content, and compelling writing. It’s the core of the message you’re trying to convey. If you ever feel stuck, try out these tips to get your writing!
What other brainstorming ideas do you have? Share below!

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