Spectacles by Snapchat- What This Means For Marketers

15Nov

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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The Best Times To Post For Social Media Marketing

By Christopher Tompkins

7Nov

Social Media

Social media marketing, like many other professions, requires precision and attention to detail. One of the smallest, but most important, of these details, is timing.

When the right time is to post your content greatly depends on which platform you’re using at the time. Even if you have the exact same piece of content and send it out to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest at the same moment, they will all vary in terms of engagement rates. Subsequently, if you would post that same content during off hours, but on the same platform, its effectivity could also suffer.

As you create your content and decide to send it out to the world, keep the following schedules in mind:

Facebook Best- 2-5 pm, 6-8 am
Facebook Worse- 10 pm- 4 am

Twitter Best- 1- 3 pm
Twitter Worse 8pm- 8am

Pinterest Best 2 – 4 pm
Pinterest Worse – 1- 7 am

LinkedIn Best – 7 – 8:30 am
LinkedIn Worse – 9 am – 5 pm

Instagram Best – 4 pm – 9 pm
Instagram Worse – 8 am – 3 pm

Through extensive experience, our marketers have learned which times work and which don’t. We also have learned that your intended audience also influences the right publishing times. If you are trying to reach a younger audience, later times may work. If you’re trying to attract caregivers or healthcare workers, the morning might be better. It can be subjective when it comes down to it, but that’s why there are social media marketers who know exactly what to do!

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6 Ways To Gather Feedback From Your Social Media Fans

By Christopher Tompkins

6Nov

Advertising, Copywriting, Facebook, Instagram, Marketing, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, Social Media, Social networking, Twitter, Uncategorized, Video, YouTube

“We value your opinion!” We’ve all heard that one before. Sometimes, we just don’t have time to bother with providing feedback to companies. Thankfully, social media allows some convenient and even fun ways for consumers to give their opinion. Check out these ways you can gather tons of info to analyze.

1. Polls. There’s no easier way to get the feedback your team is looking for than to ask for it! Whether the options in the poll are “Yes,” “No,” “Maybe” or options “A,” “B,” or “C,” many marketers feel this is one of the most efficient routes.

2. Contests. Of course, incentives go a long way. You can ask for some feedback, and in turn, they are entering for a chance to win a prize. The prize doesn’t even need to be extravagant, but perhaps one of your products or gift cards to a service your company provides.

3. Inquiries. Once your following starts to grow, you can publish posts that will drum up conversations. After all, we are trying to create engagement, and someone needs to break the ice first!

4. Announcements. As always, there is the ever-popular comment section. When you make an announcement, whether it’s a new product or change in policy, check out people’s reactions through comments, likes, rants, cheers, emojis, etc.

5. Live Video Q & As. Lately, businesses have been getting a lot of feedback by hosting Q&A sections via live video services such as Facebook Live, Periscope, and YouTube Live. As your broadcast streams, you can read what everyone is saying in the comment section.

6. Custom Hashtags. Hashtags are still an excellent way to hone in on specific information. People will use hashtags for everything they’re talking about even if it’s in a negative light. If you want people to talk about your product, provide a hashtag that corresponds with your brand.

People love to talk on social media. Whether it’s about a positive or negative experience, Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms have become a sounding board for opinions, thoughts, and feedback. Use this to your business’s advantage!

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What Marketers Can Learn From Vine’s Failure

By Christopher Tompkins

5Nov

Advertising, Copywriting, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Live Video, Marketing, Social Media, Social networking, Twitter, Uncategorized, Video, YouTube

In 2013, an odd little app named Vine popped up on the App Store. A few months later, it was bought by social media giant Twitter. That’s when Vine started to explode. Users were able to share 6 second long videos to their friends, and soon it became a medium of its own. Now in 2016, Vine announced its days are numbered. So, what happened?

Vine could have been one of the big platforms. It certainly was on its way. But there was a problem with it – it turned into a gimmick. Social media marketers seemed to skirt around the platform and stick to the proven formulas such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. But what actually happened with Vine was it failed to adapt, compete, and read the signs of the market. It neglected to fight two contenders – Snapchat and Instagram.

Vine could have been what Snapchat is and will become. It’s a powerful tool, sure. But it didn’t cater to the general public, and more importantly, businesses. It stuck to creating funny memes, video clips, and was a testing ground for fledgling YouTubers. But it didn’t expand its service. Those six-second snippets were all it had. We’ve seen with Snapchat and Instagram the need for platforms to adapt, just like marketers do.

Just like those who run these fantastic sites, marketers can’t be in a bubble. You need to see what your competition is doing, what the consumer wants, and adjust accordingly. It’s fine to have a niche, but to be bull-headed is something else entirely.

As a majority of social media marketing experts understand, video is a dominating force and will continue to be in 2017. That’s why you need to forge your marketing strategy in a way that it incorporates what people want. Never forget – people CHOOSE to see your content. You want them to be enticed.

While video is one of the ways of the future, Vine will not be included in that grand vision. While Snapchat reaches new levels of potential, Vine failed to be versatile and appeal to a broad audience. Don’t make the same mistake as a marketer! Learn to adapt!

Don’t end up like Vine. Contact us today to make sure you stay on top!

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Tag : How to social media marketing