The 5 Lists That Every Social Media Marketer Needs

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!

8 Top Tips For Powerful Social Media Writing

By Christopher Tompkins

13Oct

Copywriting, Social Media

What would Shakespeare or Hemmingway say about Twitter? What would Dickens’ or Tolkien’s opinions be about hashtags, likes, and character count?

I think the literary greats would be amazing at writing for social media marketing, albeit with some heavy-duty training. Social media marketing requires creativity, but writers and marketers may have to rewire how they work. The following tips are excellent starting points to become a social media writer.

1. Ultimate efficiency. Even if you aren’t writing for a platform with a character count such as Twitter, you want to be as sharp, precise, and “to the point” as possible. Sorry, there’s no room for a prologue. You need to hit your audience with your message with as little words as possible.

2. Hashtags. What words or phrases do people use to find content such as yours? Do your research. Discover what’s trending and take advantage of the hashtag system with moderation.

3. Buzzwords. Hashtags aren’t the only important words in your social media composition. Make sure you use relevant, searchable words. Try not to be too wordy but rather add words with strength and potential. Each business has different verbiage that should be incorporated. Their industry, location, time of year, subject matter, and type of content will determine which work and which don’t.

4. Hyperlinks. Always leave room for hyperlinks. Your social media updates should be a gateway to more information. I suggest using Hootsuite’s ow.ly links so you can study their effectivity through analytics.

5. Add imagery. Writing for social media marketing isn’t just about words. Your well-crafted sentences need to compliment a piece of imagery. Whether you add a video, picture, GIF, or a simple emoji, you need visuals.

6. Speak in the “we.” A good rule of thumb for Facebook, Twitter, and other updates is never to use “I.” You are, after all, representing your team and brand. This isn’t your story to tell, but rather the business’s that you represent.

7. Have energy. Having energy doesn’t mean you have to be super perky and happy. Instead, make your updates pack a punch with visceral vocabulary. Use exclamation points, question marks and colons. Avoid ending an update with a period as much as possible.

8. Utilize the power of blogging. Does your heart long for a longer format? Your answer is blogging. A company blog can significantly benefit from a blog. There, you’ll be able to post longer pieces of writing, just be sure to promote them with a social media post.

Do you have writer’s block? Our team of copywriters creates expertly-crafted social media posts every day. Contact us today to see how professional writing can help you.

How Small Business Owners Excel At Social Media

By Christopher Tompkins

12Oct

Social Media

The life of a small business owner is tough. Whether you’re trying to create a business empire from scratch or just trying to maintain the day-to-day, being in charge of a company is no joke. Who has time to bother with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? As tough as it can be to fit social media into a packed schedule, it’s essential for any business to grow. Social media marketing has the strength to bring even a small local shop increased online visibility. How do you start? Check out these steps:

1. Invest in update management software. A busy business owner can’t be bothered with spending several hours crafting content, posting, sharing, and liking. You will need help! A variety of programs will be able to help you master social media marketing. Whether it’s Hootsuite, Buffer, or Onlypult, the right software will help.

2. Engaging content. You need social media marketing, but you need GOOD social media marketing. The right content will attract customers to your page. The wrong content will repel them.

3. Moderate promotions. Small businesses can use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms for many different reasons, but you want to make sure to promote specials, happy hours, sales, and events, etc. That being said, you should add other content into the mix. Don’t make your social media marketing presence solely about sales!

4. Promote in real life. Make sure people know about your online presence when they visit your store. Whether your run a restaurant, retail shop, or another small business, have those “Follow Us!” signs up and offer exclusives found nowhere else than Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Today’s small businesses have an advantage. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can help strengthen your online presence, professional status, and customer relations.

Are you stumped on social media marketing? Let us take care of it for you!

How To Make Your Customers Social Media Stars

By Christopher Tompkins

27Sep

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

Let’s face it. You can’t have close and personal connections with every single person that reaches out to your brand on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. However, every now and again, some companies make selected customers genuinely happy by giving them some virtual fame. How exactly can you help customers feel special? Check out the following tips:

1. Retweet and Quote tweeting. For big brands, they can be tagged thousands of times a day, especially after a really successful post. Every now and again find a tweet that you’re mentioned in (try to choose a positive one!) and retweet it.

2. Fan of the month. Some companies will have nominations for fans of the month and showcase particularly faithful fans on their social media profiles. Strictly speaking business, it’s awesome publicity.

3. Testimonials. We all know the power of testimonials. Good reviews are social media gold! Share a customer’s positive experience with the rest of your online followers.4. Replying. One of the first rules of social media is responding to messages. ALWAYS stick to this rule, even if it’s a short reply. Be sure to stick to this rule! Otherwise, your fans will feel ignored.

These methods make those chosen customers to feel special, but your whole social media audience will see you care!

Did you know The Go! Agency is the representative of hundreds of companies online? Let us do the connecting for you! Your customers will be glad you did.

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How Marketers Can Win At Social Media Imagery

By Christopher Tompkins

How-to-WIN-At-Social-Media-Visuals-200x300

1Sep

Graphic Design, Social Media

Social media marketers always say “Content is King.” But what content truly holds the crown? When all is said and done, visuals rule over all. Strong imagery can fire up a social media marketing campaign to new heights. But what if a company’s marketers aren’t photographers, graphic designers, or filmmakers? Even worse, what if the industry isn’t visually appealing? Have no fear! Here are solutions that can make any business’ social media profile look brilliant:

Slideshows – Video is blowing up on social media! We can thank innovations such as Snapchat, Instagram, and live streaming apps. Even if a business doesn’t have a film crew, it can still reap the rewards of video via animated slideshows. Transitions, music, and graphics could be incorporated to make a spectacular show.
Collages – Whether the photos are of happy employees, satisfied customers, or a product showcase, collages allow social media marketers to share several images in one hit. Many programs out there to help with this project, just a quick Google or App Store search will produce results.
Stock imagery – Pictures are worth a thousand words, but what if a business’ pictures are saying all the wrong things? Stock photos are familiar, but beneficial solutions to a lack of, or low-quality native visuals. Just a few pictures could assist companies in achieving a professional look in a flash.
Photo and graphic editors – A company needs powerful and unique imagery to stand out on the internet. There’s an expansive catalog of programs that can help marketers make eye-catching content, ranging from free to premium choices. Marketers can create beautiful logos, banners, flyers and more for their social media marketing.

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

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

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

By Christopher Tompkins

31Aug

Advertising, Social Media

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Social Media Multitasking: Why One Profile Isn’t Enough

By Christopher Tompkins

29Aug

Social Media

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What social media platforms do you use? Share below!

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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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Anybody Out There?! Understand your Followers

By Christopher Tompkins

28Jun

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

Those who are involved in the world of social media marketing could learn a great deal from a certain advertising star. Have you ever heard of Old Spice? If not, it’s a company that makes toiletries that are geared towards men. It’s been around since 1934 and as such, they’ve had some time to think about their intended audience. For a whole generation, it became the man’s fragrance. However, because of that, once “the greatest generation” that fought in WW2 and came home to reshape America began to enter their golden years, their iconic brand started to “get old” with it. People began to peg the brand with senior men and as such, their young customers started to dwindle. They needed a way to reinvigorate themselves to become popular again with the young crowd. They broadened their product line with multiple fragrances, body washes, and deodorants. Yet what really put Old Spice back into the hands of young twenty-somethings was their marketing campaign. They enlisted Terry Crews and Isaiah Mustafa, two celebrities know for their “manliness”, to endorse the product. Yet they did much more than that. They blew it up!

Their television commercials, which ended up being viral phenomenons, showed the men in such ridiculous poses in often psychedelic settings, that people had to pay attention. They looked absolutely crazy, entitling the campaign “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”. Yet what was even crazier was that it worked, and then some. See, they didn’t just tap into a younger market, they infiltrated them because they utilized what the youth liked best- quirky, off the wall humor and viral marketing. They knew who they wanted to get and they assimilated the tone of the brand.

Now, we’re not saying you need to hire Terry Crews and put him on a unicorn while holding your product—although that would probably work. But you do need to know who your audience is, and what they want to watch. Like Old Spice, you need to understand how your audience thinks and what they like to watch. That’s the thing- it went beyond a commercial. People actually searched for these advertisements for entertainment value. Now, it’s your turn. Your content needs to go beyond pushy sales. That’s a surefire way to lose followers. You’re going to want to understand the following things to succeed:

WHO your intended audience is. Whether it’s an age, gender, style, or profession, you obviously have some type of target you’re aiming at.
WHAT content they want to consume. Does your audience like cute puppy videos? What about something more substantial like a sale? Figure out the type of things they want to have in their news feeds.
WHERE they’re at. Facebook is a go to. But younger audiences are flocking to Instagram and Snapchat. Professionals hang out over in LinkedIn. There’s those three guys who still linger in Google+ territory if you’re interested.
HOW they talk. This is where Old Spice really hits the mark. They knew who they wanted and they analyzed their tones. Witty, sarcastic, funny, and, to be frank, not all that interested in the complexity of the product. Figure out how your audience talks. Perhaps they like a more serious tone. Maybe they only like shop talk.

Before even clicking that “Sign Up” button on a social media site, you need to answer these questions. Chances are, you already know the answers to them and you’ll be able to translate your pre-existing business tactics onto the web.

What do you think about the tone of audiences? Let’s hear your thoughts!

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How Musicians Can Rock Social Media

By Christopher Tompkins

30May

Social Media

Every business has a place on social media and every industry has unique rules when engaging with their audience. Each field has different tones, terminology, and demographics that can only make sense to those involved in that world. This also pertains to the music frontier. Musicians, at no matter what stage in their career, thrive on publicity and visibility. How else are they going to get their tunes out there? It can help all those aspiring music legends to listen to these tips from Hypebot that can really get your social media accounts rocking:

– Pick your crowd. It’s important to be sure your messages aren’t falling on deaf ears or the wrong ears. This is essential for any online communication, especially on the business aspect. As Hypebot says, Google analytics can be really helpful to figure out who to target. This tool will work great for musicians who want to reach out to those who listen to their particular musical style.

– Once you found out who your audience is, figure out what they like to see in their news feed. Is it music videos? Tour dates? Perhaps merchandise giveaways? Figure out what they prefer and you’ll have an advantage.

-Hashtags are always important when constructing social media posts. If you’re having a concert in a particular area, you may want to consider using local hashtags like #NewYork or #StPete. If using Snapchat, their Geofilter feature is always a fun way to show local pride.

– All that being said, be sure to stick true to the brand you’ve created. Be sure to have consistent logos, voice, and marketing.

– Be sure to answer your fans and feedback, both positive and negative.

As you can see, the above rules can be adapted to any type of business, but for musicians, it is particularly helpful to stick to these rules and strive for social media consistency and effectively.

For more info, check out Hypebot’s article here: http://ow.ly/W8z4300pxZl

What do you think of these rules? Comment below!

Tag : how to social media