5 Unlikely Industries That Excel At Social Media Marketing

5-Unlikely-Industries-That-Excels-At-Social-Media-Marketing-1-200x300

3Nov

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

When we say social media marketing applies to any business, we mean ANY business. Still, some professionals don’t feel their industry fits this progressive marketing’s mold. It’s time to wake up!

Are you a professional in one of the following fields and refuse to use social media for business? Check out the ways social media marketing can work for you.

Realtors.The internet is a miracle worker for real estate agents. From Zillow to Trulia, houses close in a snap these days. While this is great news, Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms have the potential to help in a more human and personable way and compliment your Zillow activity as opposed to replacing it. Post your current inventory, share success stories, keep people informed about the current housing market climate. It’s the perfect tool for communication!

Mom and Pop Retail Shop Owners.Just because your company may be more traditional in nature doesn’t mean there isn’t room for social media. Post web-exclusive sales, new merchandise, fun and entertaining content, and of course holiday greetings to your customers.

Restaurant Owners.Yelp and other review-centric sites have made the internet a useful tool. Unfortunately, Yelp doesn’t allow the restaurant to have a voice of its own. That’s why you need a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Post those lovely food pics, share your specials, but most importantly, these platforms allow a place for user-generated content. People can post their positive experiences, reviews, and their own platter pics. The best part is, you can closely monitor what people are saying. Whether you have a pizza shop on the boardwalk or a downtown bistro, there’s a seat for you on social media.

Financial Advisors.Finance may not be the most visually-appealing of industries, but without a doubt, social media marketing is a great place for client connectivity. Post free advice, tips, news, and more. Overall, it’s essential to have the communication lines open.

Charities. A charitable organization is all about spreading the word, right? Social media marketing is the perfect tool for this. Raising awareness about your cause has never been easier with the help of Facebook events, live video, success stories, testimonials, and so much more. We work with several charitable organizations, and we’re proud to say that we helped raise funding for extremely important causes.

No matter what your industry is, social media can help raise brand awareness, credibility, and establish an extraordinary online presence.

Are you unsure about how to begin? Contact us today to learn about our consultation packages!

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Today’s Top Apps To Help Social Media Marketers

By Christopher Tompkins

2Nov

Advertising, Business, Copywriting, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Marketing, Pinterest, Politics, Reddit, Snapchat, Social Media, Social networking, Twitter, Uncategorized, Website Design

The industry of mobile apps is one of the most thriving aspects of software development in our current time. The sheer versatility that an app can possess seems almost infinite. It transforms our tablets and smartphones into gaming platforms, televisions, digital assistants, and so much more. It’s more than just playing Angry Birds and watching Netflix anymore. It’s about enhancing the most crucial aspects of our lives.

For social media managers, the App Store and Google Play stores are saving graces. If there’s something we cannot do with our basic tools, we can download one in no time. While I’ve written about popular apps before, it’s always good to stroll the digital aisles and see what new tools our fellow marketers can utilize now. So, as 2016 reaches its twilight days and the holiday season is revving its engines, let’s see what’s available for our online conquests.

1. Slack. A marketing team is all about communication. However, communication is also needed amongst the team as well. Slack can help your employees keep in touch and tackle the toughest parts of the work day. Consider it a social media network, exclusively for your business!

2. LinkedIn Recruiter. If you’re using LinkedIn for one of its primary functions, to create a professional network, you might be able to enlist the best and the brightest new employees through LinkedIn Recruiter. It’s a new service that the “newly-acquired-by-Microsoft” platform is pushing heavily, but it might actually come in handy for those trying to generate a workforce through marketing efforts.

3. Facebook Pages Manager. Let’s face it, the world is only getting more mobile. Social media is helping with this process. Facebook Pages Manager helps us well, manage our Facebook pages. Simple enough right? This stand-alone app is solely dedicated to business professionals and helps us focus on the practical side of social media. You’ll now have to switch apps to be disrupted by your friend’s fun videos and rants about the election.

4. TypiMage. Now for some visual aids. It’s important to tweak your visual aid strategy regularly. You don’t want your pictures to get stale. TypiMage sees the need for a balance of text and images in social media posts and allows you to create stunning images with a unique catalog of typography effects. Get ready to get put your creative hat on.

5. Polarr Photo Editor. Of course, Adobe Photoshop will always be one of the top names in the photo editing and graphic design industries. That being said, the world of apps has certainly given the expensive software a run for its money. Polarr allows users to tweak photos so the subject matter is in the best possible light (or filter, or color saturation, or, well, you get the idea).

The app industry won’t be stopping anytime soon. As long as we’re still going gaga for smartphones and tablets, apps will be in demand. Social media marketers should smile about this fact and that there are so many apps to choose from in so many categories that we need to do our research to learn which of the millions are worth the download. These programs that people pour countless man hours into are available for either free or inexpensive, so start experimenting!

No time to fiddle with these apps? Come to us! Every week, our managers study new strategies, and this includes apps, websites, and new tools to make our client’s campaigns the best possible!

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The 5 Essential Steps To Social Media Images

By Christopher Tompkins

1Nov

Graphic Design, Social Media

Balance. Not a word that people often associate with social media marketing, but in reality, it’s one of the most important elements of a successful strategy. Just like a meditating monk or a juggler, balance is essential.

But what is there to balance? For one thing, the balance of visual tools and text. One cannot live without the other in the world of social media marketing. Now that Twitter no longer counts imagery against its 140 character count, there is no excuse for not using imagery. That being said, you need quality pics, videos, and GIFs. The following are the best approaches to social media visuals.

1. Platform logistics. I bet you thought we were going to get all creative didn’t you? Well, that comes later. First, you need to know the dimensions each platform requires. Pinterest images are better if laid out vertically, while Instagram prefers squared images. For full details about what size every image should be, check out our article on the subject here.

2. Eye-Catching Material. Sure, it’s easy to say “make your images eye-catching,” but how do you actually accomplish this?

First, choose an appropriate subject matter. Whether it’s a model, a plate of gourmet food, or a mechanic smiling next to a newly-repaired pickup, have an image that makes people interested and represents what the post is about.

Secondly, make sure the image is high-quality. No blurry photos! Low-resolution photographs or graphics will make your company look like amateurs.

Finally, whether you’re using image editing software or you’re going the “no filter” route, make sure your images have bold colors, snappy text where applicable, and simple, albeit iconic, message.

3. Collage, Slideshows, and More. If you’re going with the static image route, you have a few opportunities to spice things up. Add multiple images to a collage or slideshow to appeal to our media-hungry senses. You can also add music and special effects to images via certain third-party apps. When dealing with Snapchat and Instagram, utilize the array of tools that they’ve already given you!

4. Videos and GIFs. As any social media marketer will tell you, video content is on the rise. 2016 witnessed many software developers trying to take advantage of the video craze. Do you lack a certain Spielberg quality to filmmaking techniques? No worries! You can create a hybrid of sorts with pictures, text, and effects thanks to video editing software like Ripl or Viva Video.

5. Live Video. Are you ready to take the ultimate leap into truly engaging visuals? Nothing pulls followers in an interactive and live video session between you and your customers. Periscope, Facebook Live, and now YouTube allow businesses to connect with their fans in this phenomenal way. You can answer questions on the spot, showcase new products, and much more.

These five steps are proven methods to drum up more engagement by staying in touch with contemporary practices. So, you want a balance between text and imagery? Here’s your path to image excellence. For the best way to get the best written-word, check out this blog!

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Why Social Media Marketing Makes Your Company Contemporary

By Christopher Tompkins

31Oct

Social Media

Remember when we all thought that the future would have flying cars, robot butlers, and pneumatic tubes everywhere? It looks like the Jetsons were a tad off. Instead, we’re working with the thinnest, sleekest, and fastest phones, computers, and tablets. What does all of it have in common? The internet. Heck, even our refrigerators and cars have internet access now.

The world wide web is a defining factor of not only this decade, but our generation. The ways in which we work, communicate, play, and connect has been reshaped into a more convenient and intelligent form. However, one most significant aspect of our lives that has changed is marketing. Is your business with the times?

In today’s age, a mass majority of businesses are on social media in one aspect or another. Whether we’re talking about Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or LinkedIn, social media, in a nutshell, has become the central hub for internet users. This is why over 50 million businesses have signed up to Facebook alone. They’re going where the people roam.To have a business profile on social media means your business is not under a rock. Instead, you’re making an effort to connect with customers in a way they love. It’s not just about promotions. It’s about being a part of the community.

Social media has become the go-to place for communication. Whether it’s spreading awareness about events, promotions, news, personal updates, etc. This is the place where people go now. When you add the marketing aspect to it, businesses can reap the rewards of social media’s popularity. Even though there aren’t the retro-futuristic gadgets we all thought we would have by now, social media marketing is pretty fantastic.

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# Marks The Spot: How To Hunt For Social Media Content

By Christopher Tompkins

30Oct

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

At times, social media marketing may feel like a treasure hunt without the map. That golden piece of content to like, share, and expand upon tends to be difficult to find without the right tools. But this isn’t a reason to give up. On the contrary, this content will help shape your marketing strategy for the better, so you need to track it down! Check out the best places and avenues to find content that’s not only relevant to your industry but highly engaging.

Reputable sources. Whether the news source is industry-specific or a dedicated news station like CNBC or Huffington Post, a prominent, respectable name is always a great place to search for content. It will validate the article’s reputability and bring a sense of professionalism to your brand.

Content delivery systems. Sure, technically Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are awesome sources for news, but there are times when you need to hone in on a particular subject matter or filter out unnecessary posts. That’s why there are tools like Feedly, Nuzzel, and Daily by Buffer to help you weed through the internet mess to the most trending topics and articles.

Social media managing tools. Hootsuite and Buffer are places to schedule, analyze, and publish content, but you can also use handy tools to filter tweets, updates, and posts by keyword, hashtags, or accounts.

Blogs. There are many blogs out there that are powered by industry influencers and experienced experts. A quick Google search could open a brand new world to relevant and reliable sites that you can regularly check for content.

Google Alerts. Finally, the internet can be wrangled into one nice blast to your email thanks to Google Alerts. Set up a few alerts for your most important subjects and just wait for the content to come flowing every day. I would suggest to only set up a few because that will be enough to keep your inbox from erupting but you will still get a plethora of content and ultimately, inspiration.

There’s no reason to be lost on your content treasure hunt. In reality, there is so much material for every possible subject matter that you will have to weed through good articles to choose which one works best for you!

What about original content? Contact us today to learn how our experts can create content for you that other businesses will want to share!

How To Fight Social Media Marketing Doppelgangers

By Christopher Tompkins

How-To-Fight-Social-Media-Dopplegangers-200x300

29Oct

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

We were asked what to do if someone tries to impersonate your business on social media. While it’s a frightening thought, it’s easily resolved.

Your social media manager poured tons of effort into your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram account. They carefully optimized the page with all the ins and outs of your business, posted engaging content, and uploaded professional quality imagery. Then one day, you go online to see another version of your company’s account lurking about.

The profile picture is the same, even the name and profile information match. But it’s not yours. Instead, there are spams and scams and inappropriate content congesting this profile’s news feed. It seems there’s an evil twin of yours online. What is there to do?

The mere existence of this fake account is a threat to your social media marketing efforts. As soon as you discover the account, report it to the authorities immediately. Whether you are on Facebook, Twitter, etc. The powers that be will be able to pursue the perpetrator. While it’s more common to see this in personal profiles, it’s certainly possible for scam artists to copy a business as well. Make sure you have proof that you represent the real business, which will make things go a lot smoother.

In addition to fake accounts, there is always the possibility of someone publishing your content as their own. While this is entirely unnecessary thanks to sharing, retweeting, quote-tweeting, etc., it still happens from time to time. If this happens, prepare to defend your well thought out content.

If you see that this is a real person and not just a spammy account, email them directly before taking more serious action. Politely ask them to remove your content. If they comply, the issue is over. If not, you need to inform the authorities.

Take plenty of screenshots and be sure to include the dates and times of when your original post was published. Contact Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or whatever platform you use. Each site has a comprehensive and responsive team that does not take these situations lightly.

Don’t think that not participating in social media marketing at all is the answer. In fact, you are more susceptible. Having no social media activity means you won’t know if there is a copycat online. Secondly, you will have no real profile to call the real one. Don’t be vulnerable to scams.

Social media marketing provides a new level of online recognition. Every now and again, there will be someone who tries to abuse the system. Luckily, the resolution to this situation is easy and fixable so you can keep on marketing.

Our clients have nothing to worry about. Our attentive social media marketing team scans the internet for any sign of trouble. If it ever occurs, we strike it down immediately. Are you looking for effective and secure social media marketing? Contact us today to see how we can help!

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Build Up Your Flock: 5 Ways To Be The Top Bird On Twitter

By Christopher Tompkins

27Oct

Advertising, Business, Copywriting, Social Media, Social networking, Tailwind, Twitter, Uncategorized

Since its incarnation in 2006, Twitter has become a major social media marketing staple. Few businesses use social media for marketing without utilizing the microblogging platform. We call it “microblogging” because it mainly performs the feature of a regular blog, only at a microscopic scale. Are you able to tell your story with 140 characters or less?

Twitter is the place for speed, efficiency, and effectivity. You need to hit your readers hard and don’t let them forget it! Are you looking for the best ways to approach the platform that has over 310 million users?

1. Use an Image – EVERY TIME. Good news! Twitter no longer counts visual media against a tweet’s 140 characters. Because of this new advantage, you have no reason for a bland, image-less tweet. None. Make sure you incorporate eye-catching imagery, so people hone in on your update.

2. Analyze trends. Twitter is the king of current events. As such, incorporate contemporary happenings into your content. While treading controversial waters can leave you burned, there’s plenty of positive, unbiased news you can use.

3. Call Upon Your Team. The beginning of a successful social media marketing campaign is your team’s efforts. Ask them to help your marketers promote their brand with their own following. Their genuine marketing efforts can go a long way.

4. Consistency. There are several social media poisons. Radio silence is one of the worse. NEVER let more than two days go without a post. People will quickly move along to the next best thing.

5. Make Your Tweets Self-Contained. A common trend in the Twitterverse is to tell a longer story in a series of tweets. This is a big no-no. What happens if one of your tweets is read out of context? “(cont’d)We would love to see you there! Make sure to come early so you get a good spot so you can see…” Do you want something like that popping up on your feed? It’s against the laws of Twitter.

6. Promoted and Sponsored Tweets. There are paid options available on Twitter to give your marketing an extra boost. Once you have a grasp on how Twitter works, advertising is the next natural level.

7. Study Data. Don’t be a dodo. Study your current performance and see how you can improve. Is news related content doing better than promos? Maybe videos are getting more attention (they most likely are). You won’t ever know if you don’t look at your data at least once a week.

As you can see, Twitter is a bit like chess – easy to learn, hard to master. At the Go! Agency, our social media experts handle over 100 Twitter accounts for clients. Contact us today to discover how our expertise will land your company on cloud nine!

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Avoid These 10 Social Media Media Marketing Poisons

By Christopher Tompkins

23Oct

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

We all know what poison is. In a nutshell, it’s a substance that causes harm to someone or something. Unfortunately, poison isn’t always marked with a giant skull and crossbones, nor is it an oozing green substance from fairy tales. Sometimes, such danger isn’t so obvious. This is especially true for social media marketing poison.

For social media, poison can be an “easy way out” or a seemingly innocent mistake. But marketers should beware! Check out the following social media dangers to avoid:

1. Inconsistency. The best way to make people forget about your brand and move onto a competitor is to be inconsistent with publishing posts. Huge gaps of time or sporadic scheduling will cause unfortunate consequences.

2. Plagiarism. Looking for some legal trouble? Then plagiarize away! There’s absolutely no reason to copy someone’s work without giving credit. Social media marketing offers us perfectly acceptable tools such as retweeting, sharing, repinning, etc. to curate content that fits your feel.

3. Unprofessionalism. Just like your personal social media profiles, there is etiquette to abide by. No cursing, no trash talking competition, no personal pictures, no using “I”. Don’t forget about the business you’re representing.

4. Veering off course. Remember your industry! While sharing interesting articles and engaging content is crucial to social media marketing success, don’t post things that are totally in left field. Keep things as relevant and centered around your field as possible.

5. No visuals. No pictures, videos, or GIFs? Boring! You will kill your social media profile by just looking unappealing. People are 80% more likely to check your content if you use imagery.

6. Ignoring customer outreach. Check your messages multiple times a day. Make sure your response time is less than 24 hours for everything that customers throw your way.

7. Living in a bubble. In it’s most primordial definition, social media is about community. Share others’ content, engage with followers, and start conversations by sharing polls, prompts, contents and more. Don’t isolate yourself from the community you’re trying to build. Talk it up!

8. Using personal opinion. Let’s be clear. Unless your company is by nature religious, political, or handles controversial subjects, it should NOT share an opinion. There will be someone out there that get’s offended.

9. Over-promoting. Even if you’re 100% using social media to boost sales, it can’t just be about promotional posts. No one will pay attention to a barrage of sales. Incorporate interesting articles, community-building exercises, quotes, etc.

10. Spam. People have a tendency to spot scams, spam, and junk a mile away. It’s in the writing and approach. Never spam. Even if your business is legit, you will look like a slimeball. We’ve all been pestered by scam artists one way or another, your business is better than that, right?

Your company needs social media, but your social media needs you to stay away from these deadly acts. What’s the panacea to this poison? Experienced, professional, and creative marketers who know their way around the internet.

Contact us today to get a jump start on social media marketing!

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The 5 Lists That Every Social Media Marketer Needs

By Christopher Tompkins

20Oct

Advertising, Business, Copywriting, Email Marketing, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Local Marketing, Marketing, Periscope, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, Social Media, Social networking, Uncategorized

Lists are great, aren’t they? They help us keep track of what to do, what to buy, where to go, what to avoid, and which events to remember. Every aspect of our lives improves with well-developed lists. A social media marketer’s strategy is no exception.

Since social media marketing has multiple aspects to it, a successful marketer will need multiple lists. Take some time out and compose the following sets of material!

1. Competitors. Which businesses are your competition? Is it just locals or are there national brands to watch out for? Start writing down these companies so you can monitor their social media marketing activity.

2. Leads. It’s time to do some research. Compose a list of businesses or consumers that would potentially utilize your services or products. Follow them and open up the avenues of communication. This is a major part of a social media marketer’s position.

3. Industry Influencers. Who are the BIG names in your industry? Whether it’s a hugely successful company or it’s an influential individual, you should not only know who these people are, but you should follow them and study their strategy.

4. Reliable Sources. The best marketers share relevant, newsworthy, and engaging content with their social media following. Don’t go searching every time you’re writing a set of updates. Make a list of the best places to find news and articles.

5. Buzzwords. Some words are bland and tasteless while others jump off the page and pull in the reader. Each industry has their own unique and diverse vocabulary. Set up your list of buzzwords so your arsenal of engaging copy is handy!

Get to writing! These five lists are invaluable tools that will help you when you’re stuck with marketing.

Did you know we make these lists for each of our clients? We specially craft every single social media marketing campaign so it reaches maximum potential. Contact us today to learn more!

Why Social Media Marketing’s Adaptability Makes It Last

By Christopher Tompkins

19Oct

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

Every now and again someone will say “social media is a fad” and we have to smile. Sure, the statement is understandable, albeit unfounded. Yes, there is a certain sense of “fad” like quality to the internet as a whole because it hasn’t been around as long as the newspaper. But social media marketing has something that the newspaper, radio, television, and all the other mediums lack: adaptability.

Adaptability is why businesses need to pay attention to social media. It’s also how they should be marketing. Thankfully, social media isn’t exclusive to one site. We don’t log onto socialmedia.com to post our latest updates. This is a VERY good thing. Instead of a monopolized website, we have independent platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn, Reddit, and more.

While the ever-popular Facebook has been around for over 10 years and is still unyielding, social media marketers know better than to think it’s eternal. That’s why we learn how to perform online marketing as a whole, learn to be versatile, and use the current internet climate as an advantage.

Take Instagram and Snapchat for example. For a while, these two were not taken very seriously. Now, there are millions of users enjoying these platforms. They have become real powerhouses and significant game-changers. With them came the importance of video. Now, marketers understand that trends are leaning towards a high-volume of imagery, both still and moving.

It’s this level of perception that makes social media marketing able to handle the shifting winds of consumer ideas.

At The Go! Agency, we’re able to study and adapt to the trends, movements, and significant changes. Let us help your business have the same adaptability!

Tag : How to social media marketing