Harness The Holidays On Social Media (And Not Just The Big Ones)

19Nov

Advertising, Business, Copywriting, Email Marketing, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Local Marketing, Marketing, Pinterest, Snapchat, Social Media, Social networking, Twitter, Uncategorized, YouTube

Do you hear that? That’s the sound of the massive marketing machines revving their engines. The holiday season is about to go into full swing, and if you don’t have your marketing strategy in play by now, you better get a move on. But holiday engagement isn’t only exclusive to late November to the beginning of January. Far from it….

Did you know March 11th is World Plumbing Day? What about the fact that May 15th is Chocolate Chip Day? I bet you didn’t know that June 30th is Social Media Day! I’m not trying to impress you with trivia, but rather trying to emphasize that every day is a holiday, which is quite significant news for marketers. Every single industry, field and profession have days to celebrate. A little bit of research (or a knowledgeable social media marketer) can go a long way in letting you know how to use one of these bizarre holidays to your marketing advantage.

You may find that some days are just silly. For instance, Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day may not be your cup of tea. (It’s on August 7th if you want to know). Instead, use content like On This Day In History, local events, and even birthdays to make the most mundane days something special.

It’s the gift of a marketer to spin “blah” into “spectacular.” These holidays will be able to help! Never look at a blank space in your social media marketing schedule the same way again!

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Where Will Facebook Stand In 2017?

By Christopher Tompkins

17Nov

Facebook, Social Media

To put it lightly, 2016 was interesting. This is especially true in the world of social media. We’ve seen its power demonstrated by spreading the word of movements, charities, and new businesses. Without social media, some companies wouldn’t have been able to make it. Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest “movers and shakers” of this busy year was Facebook. What’s in store for the social media giant’s future?Facebook continued to revolutionize itself and reshape its structure to appease the needs and wants of the users – just like the marketers that use the platform should do. Due to these changes, 2017 will most certainly be an exciting year for the site. These are the biggest changes we will see next year.1. Continued e-commerce integration. Thanks to chatbots and interactive ads, people have the opportunity to begin and complete a transaction entirely inside Facebook. This is ideal for marketers and a company as a whole because it brings a new level of convenience to the site and online shopping. The new and innovative tools will allow people to see a wide catalog of available products and handpicked just for them based on their browsing history and interests. It just got even easier to sell online.2. Video. As any online market analyst can tell you, social media’s video aspect is booming and is only projected to become even stronger. Facebook Live and Facebook 360 are two ways that the site will continue to develop the medium into their format. However, we may see even more extensive changes such as timeline shifts towards video and added editing tools. In 2016, we saw Snapchat dominate on the mobile side of social media. Facebook took notice and already copied a few features from their competitor via Instagram and Facebook Live. Get ready for a video war!

3. Marketplace. Recently, Facebook released the Marketplace, which is meant to compete with eBay, Craigslist, and LetGo. Users have been widely receptive, and we predict further developments of this new side of Facebook.

4. Facebook-native content. It’s no secret to anyone who is involved in the social media marketing industry that Facebook likes for its users to stay inside its walls. That’s why uploaded videos take precedence over YouTube links and Instant Articles appear more prominently over links to news articles and blogs. We will certainly see more of this, and a smart marketer knows his or her way around this.

For a long time, Facebook was the undisputed king of social media. Now, they have quite a bit of competition. Regardless, they aren’t going down anytime soon, and these updates prove they are willing to go the extra mile for their users.

Don’t wait! Contact us TODAY to create an effective and engaging Facebook marketing strategy!

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An Important Rule For Franchisees And Social Media Marketing

By Christopher Tompkins

16Nov

Social Media

Its hard to find a business that doesn’t have some form of social media marketing these days. Whether it’s a Facebook page, Twitter account, or even a YouTube channel, many professionals understand the benefits that come with these powerful tools. Franchise owners are included in this. Yet still, there is one thing that some owners of franchise businesses fail to grasp…

Whether you run a franchise restaurant, home improvement store, or even a chapter of a charity, your individual location needs to be represented with its own independent social media account. Often we will see franchise owners just social media marketing off to a corporate marketing team. Sure, they may cover the broad, umbrella content, but there’s no personalization, no local marketing, and no location exclusivity. You’ve officially become a number with no unique online representation.

Create a specific strategy that incorporates your corporate messages alongside individualized content. Much of this depends on what type of business you manage. Still, no matter what industry you work in, there are always three unique factors that will make your location stand out – location, employees, and customers/ clients. Promote deals only available at your spot, showcase customers, and make your employees feel appreciated by showing off their hard work. It’s important that you provide reasons as to why your business stands out above the other chains. Are you contributing to a local cause, charity, or organization? Show your efforts online. Are you doing something special for the holidays, show it off! This level of attention and caring will go a long way!

Did you know that we handle many franchises on the corporate and branch level? Contact us today to learn how your business can shine online via social media marketing!

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Spectacles by Snapchat- What This Means For Marketers

By Christopher Tompkins

15Nov

Snapchat, Social Media

Snap Inc., the umbrella company of Snapchat, has recently placed its video-camera-infused sunglasses simply known as Spectacles into consumer hands in Venice Beach. The unique delivery method, a bright yellow, cyclops-like vending machine, sold out by 8:00am the day they first appeared. People absolutely love the devices and are using them with the hugely popular social media platform.

It seems that these special sunglasses are going to be hard to get your hands on. They’re being actively hunted by the young audience they were intended for. As marketers, we need to take a step back and see exactly what this means.

For one thing, it’s proof that Snapchat is one of the big boys now. Facebook tried a few small efforts in the retail game, specifically partnering with a smartphone company to make a social media specific phone. However, nothing quite soared like these Spectacles. You can actually buy a physical item from a social media platform that enhances the experience. That’s pretty extraordinary.

Secondly, this shows just how important video is for social media. It’s changing how we market in a fundamental way. Video is now coming in a multitude of forms, whether it be regular, live, or 360 videos. Every social media marketer should take note that this is the time to learn the ropes and start creating engaging material.

As Snapchat booms, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram are trying to get an edge on the competition. 2017 will be the year of video. Are you ready?

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5 Twitter Secrets Your Marketing Strategy Needs

By Christopher Tompkins

14Nov

Social Media, Twitter

Many businesses have been using Twitter for marketing purposes for quite a few years now. Over 310 million people log into the microblogging platform, and as we have seen, no platform keeps people notified with second by second updates like this one.

While many businesses use Twitter, some marketers may be surprised that there are some lesser-known features that they aren’t taking advantage of. Like every platform, Twitter has some “hidden” tools that could benefit your strategy. Check out these top secrets:

1. Advanced Search. Twitter is all about connecting with a larger community. While you want people to follow your brand, you should reach out yourself. Twitter’s advanced search is a handy tool that helps you hone in on accounts from a particular geographical area, tweets containing VERY precise phrasing, or even positive or negative messages.

2. Lists. What’s a Twitter list? It’s, well, a list of Twitter users. Seems simple, right? People use lists to categorize their favorite accounts into recognizable categories like “My Favorite Stores,” or “News Sources.” How could a business benefit from this? They could understand how people view their brand by knowing which lists they are a part of. On your profile page, click “Lists,” then “Member Of.” You will be able to see where people placed you. You can also subscribe to other people’s lists so you can have a new resource of possible leads, news sources, competitors, etc.

3. Stickers. Following Snapchat, Twitter now allows you to add fun graphics to your pictures. Sure, this will add some fun, but it will also help you appeal to your audience if you use these correctly.

4. Character-free images. Speaking of pictures, did you know you can upload up to four images per tweet? That’s pretty good considering visuals no longer count against your character count. The fact that you can upload this many pictures, and incorporate text into these files, allows you can practically tweet a whole book.

5. A full Tweet archive. Twitter can provide you with a full list of every piece of activity your company’s Twitter account has ever done. Your life in Tweets! Whether you’re trying to study which Tweets worked and which didn’t, or you are seeking to strike up some inspiration from your previous works, an archive can prove invaluable.

From lists to archives, your Twitter account is just waiting for you to take advantage of these excellent features!

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Get Your Social Media Marketing Ready For After Thanksgiving Madness

By Christopher Tompkins

13Nov

Social Media

Remember when November meant we all looked forward to Thanksgiving? It seems that we’re all looking forward to Black Friday a tad bit more lately. We can set aside the social commentary on that for another day and instead, let’s learn the best strategies for marketers.

For those who are trying to raise brand awareness like myself, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday should be embraced by their overwhelming effectivity. Everyone is paying attention to all the sales and deals they can strike. This is the time of year when people are actively seeking promotions, so you need to be ready. Social media marketing is one of the best ways of handling this.

Promote your doorbusters on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. One of the best ways of getting the word out is boosting posts and sponsored ads. This is the time to utilize that advertising budget so that you can be seen on all platforms!

People are going to be searching for deals on the run. If the deal is on your website, make sure it’s mobile friendly. This will come in even more into play on Cyber Monday, which I will cover in a moment.

Social media is one of the most effective ways of reaching out on Black Friday. Since this event is all about timing, many companies host “social media exclusive” flash sales. Just be sure your servers are ready to handle the extra traffic!

Make sure your business participates in Black Friday at least in some respect. This is especially true if you are a B2C company. Even if you are a “service” business, you can promote discounts on the variety of packages you offer. However, if you are a smaller business, your work doesn’t end on Friday night….

Small Business Saturday is an increasingly popular event that takes place the day after Black Friday. Since most consumers flock to big box stores on Friday, small businesses can shine on this day. Make sure you’re ready. Promote your deals heavily on social media, show off what sales your customers can take advantage of, and focus on the promotional side as opposed to news, quotes, etc.

After the dust settles, get ready for one last hurrah. Cyber Monday tends to shake the internet to its core. Are you an eCommerce site? Then rev up your engines. Start promoting early and make people interested. As I stated for Black Friday, this is one of those times that you will want to take advantage of premium advertising options offered by Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This isn’t just a day for Amazon to roll in the dough. Make sure your site shines! You can accomplish this via social media.

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday are the heaviest shopping days of the year. However, it’s just the grand opening of the Holiday season. Don’t let up! People want to see your sales, promotions, and showcased deals. Get festive by putting your business in the limelight on social media.

Don’t let this season go by without social media on your side!

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A 5-Step Recipe To Awesome Instagram Videos

By Christopher Tompkins

12Nov

Instagram, Social Media

At one point, Instagram only allowed tiny 15-second videos. Granted, it was still almost triple what Vine allowed, but it was still ridiculously short. Now, we have up to a full minute of time allotted to create a powerful and original message. What are you going to do with all that extra time?

A minute sounds like a blink of an eye, but when you keep in mind the attention span of the average internet user, it’s more than enough time. In fact, if you can manage to get your word out in a shorter period, go for it! These five steps are helpful ways to utilize the medium of Instagram video.

1. Create your “film studio.” What resources are available for your business’s marketing? Do you have actors, props, or eye-catching locations? Perhaps you can only transform static images into a slideshow or animation via third-party software? Even if you only have a few pictures, it’s up to your marketing team to turn it into gold.

2. Subject. What will your video be about? As you may have seen, instructional videos, “how-to’s,” and DIY guides fare particularly well on Instagram. Keep in mind that there is a certain culture on Instagram. Try to keep things young, energetic, positive, and informative whenever possible.

3. Text. Whether your video is founded on video footage or a compilation of still images, text has become increasingly popular. Did you know that over 80% of social media users watch videos on mute? Incorporating text is an effective way to make your message is delivered.

4. Creativity. Even though videos can be compelling and engaging, people have the ability to skip over them easily. Make sure yours stands above the rest! Find creative and enticing ways to create fantastic imagery and your marketing will benefit.

5. Engagement strategies. After the credits roll and the lights go up, you want your audience to stay inside the world your video has set up. Insert a link in the caption section so users can move forward. Also, at the end of your video, you should have a call to action. Ask viewers to comment, like, share, etc. You will be surprised how effective call to actions are.

Instagram is all about visuals. The most popular medium of this content has unanimously become videos. Don’t go another day without incorporating this popular content into your social media marketing strategy!

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Social Media Marketing Is All About F.A.C.E!

By Christopher Tompkins

10Nov

Social Media

When we say social media marketers need F.A.C.E, we’re not talking about Facebook, although I doubt there’s a professional out there who doesn’t utilize Facebook as a part of their campaigns. F.A.C.E is an anagram that explains the four most important aspects of our work that is required for successful online awareness. Let’s begin!

Focus. Social media marketers need to pay attention to what they post, that’s true, but when we say focus, we mean that your strategy should be developed in a fashion that caters to your target demographic. Don’t make things too broad. Otherwise, your message will become weak and unable to hit the right audience.

Adaptability. The internet is like a living, breathing organism and as such, change is always happening. Marketers need to pay attention to trends and the most efficient marketing methods that are happening today.

Customer Communication. Don’t forget to be social with social media. If you don’t respond to your followers’ outreach, then you’re missing the whole point.

Engagement. The ultimate goal. A social media marketer sends out these updates to drum up conversations, likes, shares, and overall brand recognition. You must continuously strive for heightened engagement.

Is your company’s marketing adhering to the F.A.C.E goals? Contact us today to learn how social media can work for you!

Do You Sound Too Good To Be True On Social Media?

By Christopher Tompkins

9Nov

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

We’ve all seen spams, infomercials, and cheesy pop-ups that we wouldn’t believe for a million years. Usually, it’s easy to spot trouble, especially on the internet. However, some social media marketers may be sabotaging their brands by sounding illegitimate without even realizing it.

There are two ways businesses look “too good to be true”.”First, wording and phrasing. Copywriters try their hardest to sound as organic and professional as possible. Being overly enthusiastic, making wild promises and claims, and showing fantastic results without evidence are the top ways. That being said, even an overabundance of exclamation points could ruin an update. You need a copywriter with subtlety. Think about your own experiences with junk mail and advertisements. What immediately turned you away? Whatever it was, you should veer away from that as well.

Secondly, imagery. Please, for the sake of the internet, stay away from corny pictures. There’s already so much out there. If there is an overabundance of text on static pictures, they tend to look busy and promotional. Additionally, make sure your images or videos are high-quality. People will not take your business seriously if your visuals are blurry, pixilated, or distorted.

Creating junk is easier than you think. Social media marketing is about quality. Perfect your content strategy, make it look legit, organic, and engaging. Then, the followers will come!Contact us today to learn how we can create you an effective social media strategy!

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5 Ways Hotels and Resorts Can Be Stars At Social Media Media Marketing

By Christopher Tompkins

8Nov

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

Hotel marketers have a tough job to do. Well, they had a harder job before social media marketing came. Now, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow marketers to spread the word about their little chunk of paradise in one of the most popular and effective ways possible.

To stand out above the rest, hotels, resorts, condo rentals, motels, and B&Bs should consider the following types of content:

Go Image CRAZY! Hotels depend on imagery for marketing. After all, no one wants to be unpleasantly surprised when they check in and see a completely different enviorment than what they were promised. Show off every amenity your hotel offers whether it be pools, family activities, restaurants, etc. For hotels, the more images, the better. This is why Instagram is so valuable for this industry.

Local Events. Your location is a valuable asset. Showcase and promote local festivals, landmarks, and nature. No matter where you’re located, be proud of it and show it off!

Sales. Every hotel has a busy season depending on location and events. Make sure your potential guests choose YOU! Promote discounts on rooms and amenities with moderation. Of course, you should also incorporate advertising into your promotions…

Advertising. Keeping your fans engaged with your hotel’s brand is important. But your business is all about bringing in new guests. The best way to do that is advertising via social media. You can hone in on your target demographic in a multitude of ways depending on your platform.

Consistency. Social media is fast-paced and as such, you want to make sure you stay in the forefront of your fans’ minds. Post quality updates and often. Make them feel like they never checked out!

Special Efforts. Is there a wedding at your hotel? A conference? A renowned guest? Make them feel especially welcomed by publishing content all about them!

Is your team too busy to deal with extensive social media marketing? Contact us! We have experience in making hotels and resorts reach out to a new range of guests they wouldn’t have access to otherwise.

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Tag : Content Ideas For Social Media Marketing