Loyal Customers: Your Social Media Secret Weapon

18Aug

Advertising, Business, Facebook, Instagram, Marketing, Pinterest, Snapchat, Social Media, Social networking, Twitter, Uncategorized

Remember when the only marketing was word of mouth? Neither do we. But testimonials from those who utilize your products or services and trust your brand are one of the most powerful tools you can use. This is still true in the world of social media marketing!

People trust their peers more than they do a business’s promotion. After all, it’s a marketer’s job to put their brand in the best possible light. But people who actually use your company for years have huge credibility because they have nothing else to gain but to spread the truth about a great company.

One of the most powerful ways testimonials work in the cyber world is user-generated content. Whether it’s a review, a post about their experience, or even a simple “Like” on an update, it’s all real people talking about your brand. You can never have too much user-generated content with social media. It’s one of the primary goals!

As you begin your social media marketing, be sure to alert your “regulars” and even new customers about your page on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or other platforms. Promote the cyber world in real life asking them to like your page, offer social media exclusive sales, contests, and more content. The people you already have solid relationships are your first fans on the internet and be sure to utilize their brand loyalty.

How do you use testimonials? Comment below!

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6 Ways Your Social Media Might Look Like Spam

By Christopher Tompkins

17Aug

Advertising, Business, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Marketing, Snapchat, Social Media, Social networking, Twitter, Uncategorized

Let’s face it. Nobody is a fan of junk mail. It doesn’t get much love thanks to the nature of the message it sends and tends to wind up in a trash bin. The same applies to social media marketing. There is a TON of content on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the other platforms, but you can still spot spam, scams, and solicitations quickly. Is your content getting flagged as junk? Here are the tops methods that are problematic: Drowning your content with an overabundance of hashtags. Sure, hashtags are important, but moderation is key. Don’t be the internet equivalent of a tacky billboard.

Spelling and grammar errors. We’ve seen those emails from the Nigerian prince. Tons of spelling errors. Don’t follow the prince. Write professionally and proper.

Sparse profiles with blank spots. If you want to seem like a real company, make sure all the fields on your profiles are properly filled out. Take time to write precise, engaging copy and optimize those pages!

100% sales posts. You won’t be able to get very far if you only post promotional content. Do you blame your customers? They want more out of their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram time than weeding through a sea of ads.

Low-quality photos. If a customer has to try to decipher what a picture is because it’s pixelated, there’s a good chance they are going to dismiss your content as nonprofessional. Online spammers snatch whatever image they can get because they can’t afford to buy quality images. Don’t settle for blurry images.

Non-conversational marketing. Your customers want what social media was made for. A conversation! If you aren’t responding to messages or comments, you profiles will seem illegitimate.

It’s much easier to seem like spam than legitimate. It’s synonymous with low quality and low effort. However, if you avoid these 6 big no-nos, your social media marketing will be the real thing!

What other ways can social media marketing come off as spam? Comment below!

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Leave It To The Pros! The Benefits Of Outsourcing Social Media

By Christopher Tompkins

16Aug

Advertising, Business, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Local Marketing, Marketing, Periscope, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, Social Media, Social networking, Twitter, Uncategorized

We’re at the last part of our series focused on preparing your 2017 budget for social media marketing. After going through a variety of subjects including advertising, analytics, reachability, and training for employees, you may find your head spinning a bit. That’s entirely understandable as social media marketing can be a complex subject. One last item to consider for your 2017 budget is… to erase the previous three. What exactly am I talking about? The final option is outsourcing your social media to a professional marketing firm so they can handle everything that comes with online marketing!

Handing your social media over to specialists comes with a wide variety of benefits. While it is one more thing to incorporate into your marketing budget, the perks of hiring a company that works with Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms every day are very substantial. Here are the top reasons to consider outsourcing:

Experience and professionalism – Online marketers like us at The Go! Agency have been around the block once or twice. We understand how Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and even Google+ work. As you could imagine, it’s easier said than done.

Adaptability – There’s only one rock-solid law about social media and this is “everything changes”. With every new algorithm change Facebook instills or new restriction Twitter implements, social media marketers have to come up with ways to use it to their advantage.

Quality – Let’s face it. Your marketing team is already swamped with a million other aspects of promotion. Social media marketing is the main element of The Go! Agency’s wheelhouse, and we take pride in creating captivating content that entices engagement.

There are many reasons why hiring specialists like The Go! Agency could benefit your company. Social media is more important now than ever for a brand’s reach, credibility, and customer relations.

If you have any questions about anything that was covered in this series, or would like to speak with us about social media marketing, please feel free to contact us at any time!

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Are Your Employees Ready For Social Media?

By Christopher Tompkins

15Aug

Social Media

There is a substantial difference between personal and professional social media. Just because an employee knows how to post cat pictures on Facebook or retweet a celebrity on Twitter, doesn’t automatically mean they understand how to manage a business page on these platforms. Those who run your company’s social media marketing will require some form of training so they can understand the intricacies of this industry. Like everything else, this type of education has a price tag and you should keep these options in mind while planning your 2017 marketing budget.

Thankfully, the internet has made it so your marketing employees do not have to attend a formal college for this education. Several websites offer online tutorial courses to show you the ins and outs of social media marketing and can explain what each platform requires. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and the others all have very different mechanics. Your marketing team can learn all about them through companies such as Udemy, Lynda, and Shaw Academy. While all prices vary, each site offers premium services and classes, which explores helpful approaches, technical knowledge, and a broad range of lessons that allow you to have a full understanding of online marketing. If none of the above sites match your approach, a quick Google search will present many other avenues to consider.

Additionally, many marketing firms, The Go! Agency included, offers comprehensive consultation packages your employees can utilize. These kinds of sessions provide an in-depth and personalized approach that not only teach the industry of social media in detail but also incorporate your own business’s social media for an analytical approach.

From Facebook advertising to Hootsuite analytics, there is so much to learn in the world of social media marketing! Your employees will be able to expand your brand’s reach, study marketing analytics, and be as effective and efficient as possible in the growing world of the internet.

What training has worked for your employees? Comment below!

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4 Elements Of Social Media That Need Your Attention

By Christopher Tompkins

14Aug

Advertising, Business, Email Marketing, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Local Marketing, Marketing, Periscope, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, Social Media, Social networking, Tailwind, Twitter, Uncategorized

When companies create a budget, they want to make sure they are paying for the most efficient tools, products, and services available. Companies are gradually starting to realize that social media fits into these categories. Unfortunately, you can’t just buy a box labeled “Social Media Marketing” once a year and call it a day. There are many facets to this industry, some that must be considered when budgeting for the coming year.

Our previous article covered the advertising side of social media, so today we are talking about four additional major elements to social media marketing. Whether you are just clicking “Sign Up” or you are a social media veteran, these areas require constant attention. Luckily, there’s also helpful resources just a few clicks away. Here are some areas of social media marketing that will be benefited by some paid services:

Scheduling – Unless you want to create a team of 24/7 vigilant workers that stare at Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn all day and night, you will need help with scheduling. You have the ability to write posts for the week ahead and schedule accordingly. Several sites can help with this, but we recommend Hootsuite. This handy tool is a fantastic, multi-layered solution that helps marketers set up content for the coming days. However, it doesn’t work for every social media platform. You will be able to schedule Instagram posts via Onlypult, and Tailwind can schedule your pins on Pinterest.

Analytics – A majority of the above schedulers also offer data analysis features so you can study how your social media is working. This is crucial to your online marketing success so you can see what posts, publishing times, subject matter, and platforms are working better than others so you can fine-tune your approach. There are many companies offering tools that help you track this data on a regular basis. A simple Google search will bring back relevant results to get you started.

Reach Optimization – Social media is all about reach. For Twitter, this is particularly important. You need to make sure you have lots of people following you, but you also need to reciprocate so your brand is active in the community. To do this, there are certain tools like Crowdfire that have the potential to deliver amazing results. With programs like this, you can connect with those who follow your industry’s leaders, which will raise brand awareness. You will also be able to switch between accounts quickly if such a case arises. All this can be done with just a few clicks given the right software. As you plan for the coming year, consider these services.

Creative Software – Anyone who spends more than a few minutes on social media will run into eye-catching imagery, captivating videos, and enjoyable GIFs. Since it’s only natural for the eye to gravitate towards attractive visuals, social media marketers need to keep this in mind when creating content. Even the most powerful writing can only do so much. Unfortunately, the power to be an artist isn’t typically free. Adobe Photoshop, video editing software, and creative apps all offer premium services either in the form of one-time fees or subscriptions that will pay off once you start incorporating them into your content.

Social media marketing is most certainly a multifunctional machine. There are many cogs and gears needed to be maintained, so it moves along smoothly. However, as you can see, you don’t go in without assistance. There are many programs, apps, and services that will bring your marketing to a whole new level.

Which programs do you use for your social media content? Share below!

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Planning Your 2017 Budget? Don’t Forget Social Media Advertising!

By Christopher Tompkins

13Aug

Business, Email Marketing, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Marketing, Periscope, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, Social Media, Social networking, Uncategorized

2017. It seems so far away, doesn’t it? By the time the new year comes, the election will be behind us, the holidays will be over, and we’ll even have a new Star Wars film! It seems like a distant future. Yet in truth, it’s only a few short months away and businesses need to be ready. This is the time to prepare your marketing budgets for next year. Is social media incorporated into your plans?

You may be wondering what you have to pay for when it comes to social media. It’s free to sign up, right? While this is true, those in charge of these platforms will only let a company’s reach go so far until they get a cut of the action. This is where social media advertising comes into play. A post’s organic growth is limited thanks to algorithms that are aimed to deliver specific content to users. Advertising has become an essential element of any social media marketing campaign’s success.

Each platform has created advertising opportunities that delivers advantages to your business’s profile. While these tools come with a price tag, they have the potential to deliver serious results. Here are the best ways to harness the advertising of social media, categorized by your platform of choice:

Facebook- Undoubtedly the most popular social media platform in the US, Facebook has a wide variety of advertising options. One of the most popular methods is Boosted Posts. If you notice a post is gaining some popularity on its own, you can boost it so your engaging content will really take off. When setting up online ads through Facebook, they provide you with many demographic-based options so your brand is being noticed by exactly who would buy your product, or invest in your service.

Twitter- If you spend any time on Twitter, you have seen their effective advertising efforts in action. Promoted Tweets are prominently placed inside news feeds in prime spots. If your company signs up to be a Promoted Account, your profile will show up in non-followers’ “Who To Follow” lists.

LinkedIn- The social media platform that is meant for professional networking also offers great advertising options. This is very helpful, especially for B2B companies. Sponsored Content will be visibly seen on all devices, but only to whom you want to see your content. You can also create a Text Ad which will be visible in a user’s sidebar, right near their most explored links.

Instagram- Facebook’s sister site, Instagram, is beginning to take itself seriously as an avenue for marketing. You can create your own special advertisement with their Power Editor so it’s eye-catching to everyone browsing the image and video focused site. You will need to connect your Facebook page in order to get the job done, but it’s well worth it. Instagram has recently tweaked its algorithm in marketers’ favor, so your content will be displayed alongside Instagramers’ favorite pics and videos.

Social media advertising is an important issue since online marketing is becoming increasingly popular on all fronts, especially through the avenues of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. This is the beginning of a series about why you need to incorporate social media into your 2017 marketing budget, so be sure to look out for the next installment!

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How To Heat Up Your Hashtag Game

By Christopher Tompkins

11Aug

Advertising, Business, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Local Marketing, Marketing, Periscope, Social Media, Social networking, Twitter, Uncategorized

One of the most important elements of social media marketing is to spread your content as far as possible. To achieve this goal, we have hashtags as handy tools. These little guys allow our posts to appear when someone searches for that hashtag. They’re basically the advanced version of a keyword. Simple, right? Hashtags are easy to learn, but can take some finesse to master. Here are the best ways to make the famous internet tool work for you!

Know your platform’s limits. Do you think all the social media platforms are the same? Think again. The way each site uses hashtags is completely different. You should not use more than three for Facebook. There isn’t a limit for Twitter, but you still have that 140 character limit hanging over your head. LinkedIn and Pinterest don’t use hashtags at all, rather utilize keywords. Instagram, on the other hand, is the king of hashtags. Be professional, but 10-15 hashtags max is recommended.

Do your research. A hashtag will only do its job if someone is actually looking for it. You need to figure out what is trending. Luckily, you have tools. Ritetag and Hashtagify are both third party websites that allow you to see what the market is talking about. Facebook and Twitter both have trending sections that allow you to see what all the buzz is about at the time.

Don’t be too specific. #FacebookSocialMediaMarketing may not get as many hits as #Facebook, #SocialMedia, #SocialMediaMarketing and #Marketing. You want to make sure that people are searching that exact phrase, otherwise your content won’t come up.

Don’t be too broad. On the opposite side of things, you want to make sure your hashtag isn’t going to drown in a sea of the same. #California may work, but if you are trying to get San Diego residents to pay attention, #SanDiego will work better. Otherwise, people who are looking for things pertaining to San Francisco may also see your post and it will be a waste.

You need a little bit of imagination, research, and common sense to master hashtags. The symbol that used to be called the pound symbol is now your best friend in the social media world, but you need to know how to use them!

How do you use hashtags? Share below!

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Slow Summer? Speed It Up With Social Media Marketing

By Christopher Tompkins

10Aug

Social Media

The scorching days of summer aren’t typically days in which summer is sizzling for most businesses. While everyone is either away on vacation or too hot to do any business, the dog days of summer are always difficult for businesses to thrive. Yet there is still plenty to do! Just because business may be slow doesn’t mean the internet is. The world of social media marketing doesn’t sleep, let alone take a break. You can use these days to really ramp up your social media strategy. Here are the top ways to set social media on fire:

Summer Sales- Perhaps the more traditional way to drum up business, a sale is always an eye-catch on social media. While you don’t want to be overly promotional on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, every now and again a sale will cause a rise in engagement.

Email marketing- Does your business have an email marketing campaign? If not, now would be a good time to start. As you create your eblasts, be sure to incorporate your social media accounts and your website.

Blogging- Perhaps your customer is in the mood for some light summer reading? Your blog will establish you as a professional in your industry. It can also offer your customer base a new level of information. You can use social media to promote these new pieces of writing, and vice versa.

Experiment- This is the time to get your social media strategy down pat. You may have wanted to try different tactics such as incorporating video, contests, long forms, or creating a whole new account for a new platform. Now is the time to do it.

Prepare for the rush- Whether it’s a good thing for a bad thing, summer does end at some point. With the autumn and winter comes a whole new wave of business. From Back to School to the big Holiday rushes, it will be time to rock. If you find yourself with some extra time on your hands now, use it to plan ahead.

Summer is great for kids and theme park employees, but for the rest of us, it can be a rough patch.You don’t need to fret, though. This time can be used to your advantage, and you can still find a way to shine.

How do you use summer’s business season? Comment below!

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Is Facebook Adding Commercial Breaks To Your Videos?

By Christopher Tompkins

9Aug

Advertising, Business, Facebook, Local Marketing, Marketing, Periscope, Snapchat, Social networking, Uncategorized, Video

It looks like we are going full circle with advertisements. TV gave us ads mid-program and the internet provided uninterrupted entertainment. Now, however, Facebook is about to try a nostalgic business tactic by testing “mid-roll” ads on Facebook Live.

The social media giant is trying to find a way to incorporate advertisements during live broadcasts in order to boost revenue on their fairly new service, Facebook Live. They are hoping to work with pre-existing advertisers as well to get bigger names onto their live-streaming website.

The most important part for business owners is that this is proof of the following two things.

One, that live streaming video, while still being tweaked by the big names such as Facebook and Twitter via their sister site Periscope, is going to impact marketers in a big way in the future. Businesses from many industries are beginning to use these platforms to debut products, broadcast events, host Q & As, and more. It’s an attempt to get social media to be more “in the moment” and well, social.

Secondly, this shows how much advertising is Facebook’s bread and butter. Since it is a free service, they are making advertising more and more essential for companies to thrive on their site. Twitter, Instagram, and others are not much further behind Facebook creator, Mark Zuckerberg’s thought process. Without advertising, there is little revenue. However, they definitely reward those who pay them. Advertising through social media has become a huge source of attention and a way to spread a brand’s reach.

Commercial breaks seem to be on the return as people become more invested in streaming video. It may be time for you to get your camera ready and start going live!

What do you think of Facebook’s new advertising method? Share your thoughts!

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What The Presidential Election Can Teach Us About Social Media

By Christopher Tompkins

8Aug

Advertising, Email Marketing, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Local Marketing, Marketing, Periscope, Pinterest, Snapchat, Social Media, Twitter, Uncategorized

You may not have noticed if you’ve been in outer space for the past two years, but it’s time for the Presidential Election again. Everyone knows who the two major candidates are and what they stand for. By the time November hits, most of us will be able to recite the many commercials by heart.

Social media has had a substantial role in spreading Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump’s thoughts and opinions. It also allows everyone else to state their own thoughts about issues and who they want to vote for. Where does this put a business amongst all the debates and promotions? For one thing, this whole thing can be used as a learning experience. Here are the top lessons to take away from the Presidential Election that you can use for your own social media marketing:

Negativity spreads. Unfortunately, we have seen controversial tweets, posts, and other forms of marketing and due to the reachability social media grants us, it’s not easily forgotten. That being said, if something negative is said about your business online, social media becomes a tool for you to be able to contain the situation and address the problem in a professional manner.

Positivity spreads. Yes, even if though negative messages can spread quickly, so can well-crafted, beneficial content. Your followers are both your audience and siphon, they have the ability to amplify your reach by sharing, retweeting, and commenting.

Advertising works. What would an election be without ads? What would a business be? Facebook, Twitter, even Pinterest offers advertising opportunities for your brand’s message to spread all over the world, or just around the block.

News and social media are symbiotic. Current events and social media seem to be in a give-take relationship. While social media is supposed to reflect the real world, the opposite can happen and a good or bad Tweet could raise headlines. Be sure to be knowledgeable of trends on social media and how you can use them.

The most important thing to take out of this is that everyone is watching. Be sure to choose your words carefully, but you do need to speak, or your lack of internet presence will make you look obsolete.

What marketing tactics have you learned from this election? Share with us below!

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