Instagram Stories: Snapchat Clone Or Effective Marketing Tool?

7Aug

They say imitation is the sheerest form of flattery, right? Well, Snapchat, prepare to get flattered. Instagram released a new feature to its popular mobile app called Instagram Stories. If that name sounds familiar to you, it’s because Snapchat released a feature called Stories not too long ago. Both of these tools do almost precisely the same thing. They allow users to see a series of photos or videos, equipped with all sorts of fun, customizable options, for the time period of 24 hours. After the day is gone, so is your chance to see the content.

This is in the wake of Snapchat’s rise in popularity and it’s projected only to grow in popularity. If Snapchat poses a threat to any platform, it’s Instagram. Yet just because Snapchat thought of this intuitive design first, does that mean Instagram Stories is just a rip-off? It’s actually a slight improvement over the original thanks to a more convenient infrastructure. You can easily access stories on your home page along with a handy “Add” button on the top left. Though it is taking notes from the Snapchat’s original philosophy, and only allowing camera access, as opposed to your photo album. Content needs to happen NOW for it to qualify for Instagram Stories.

This is even further proof of video’s rise in social media. It’s increasingly vital to a successful social media campaign that its marketers incorporate video in some way. Additionally, because we are beginning to see more “time sensitive” features, this leaves a few things to consider.

First, platforms are utilizing the concept of “live” more and more. Because of this transition, each post needs to count and grab your audience’s attention right away. Second, the importance of having a strategy is more crucial than ever. Systems like the two Stories are beneficial tools, however. You could use these glimpses into your brand’s world by offering flash sales as well as content relevant only to the moment.

Social media gurus and marketers need to learn to adapt to these types of upgrades. Already, we are seeing major brands utilizing Instagram’s new feature and promoting their story through other avenues such as their traditional Instagram posts, Twitter, even Snapchat itself. Change and adaptability are cornerstone elements of social media marketing, and the best in the business knows how to make it work in their favor.

What do you think of Instagram Stories? Comment below!

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Learn Snapchat In A Snap!

By Christopher Tompkins

11Jul

Advertising, Instagram, Marketing, Periscope, Snapchat, Social Media, Social networking, Uncategorized, Video

Okay, Snapchat, you have our attention. The app-exclusive social media platform is beginning to hold its own amongst the social media giants, especially for Millennials and younger users. With video’s rise in popularity, it was to be expected. Its interface isn’t exactly where it should be, but with each new update we are seeing improvements.

Snapchat began with an original concept. Users could send each other pictures or videos with an expiration date. Don’t blink, because once you click on a picture, it will be gone and never able to return. Not even the creator could see it (hence, the ghost mascot). You can probably see how young people would find this entertaining, but businesses wouldn’t really find a use for it.

One of the more significant updates in Snapchat’s history is Stories. There, viewers can see pictures and videos of the creator’s choosing for up to 24 hours. It was just enough for businesses to begin to flock to the mobile app.

Yet the biggest issues marketers face is Snapchat’s lack of reachability. We’re not talking about numbers, there’s already 100 million snapchatters out there and that number is sure to grow as younger internet surfers flock to the eccentric software. We’re instead talking about Snapchat’s lack of searching power. If you know a user’s exact username or their Ghost-styled QR code, you won’t have a problem. But what if a user just wants to search your name? They may have difficulty finding you.

There is a helpful third-party app called GhostCodes, in which you can search their database of Snapchat accounts. You can find them based on industry, name, or subject matter. It is a helpful app that Snapchat itself could learn from.

Social media video rules apply with Snapchat. They are short and able to have a filter. Just very recently, Snapchat added their Memories feature. This allows users to upload pictures and videos from their device’s camera roll. They are slowly shifting away from “once and done” style they used to have and grew popularity through, but in the same token they are gaining the attention of serious social media users.

The most unique and fun features Snapchat offers is Geofilters. They utilize a smartphone’s location services and present overlay graphics that are exclusive to the area. You will find a special Tampa filter in Tampa, Denver filters in Denver, you get the idea. Businesses can also make their own, but that is a bit of a process.

It’s time to start thinking about Snapchat but most importantly, it is time to see how video can help your online marketing.

What do you think about Snapchat? Comment below!

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Steps To Stay Ahead In Social Media

By Christopher Tompkins

30Jun

Social Media

It seems that news stories have shorter and shorter life spans with every major event. Events that happened last week are already old news thanks to the internet. We are hungry for fast, fresh, and high-quality content and it is up to social media marketers to deliver. How exactly do you keep up with it all? Here are some helpful steps to take:

Schedule. While planning your posts for a particular period of time won’t help you with breaking news, scheduling ahead will be one of your most beloved tools. If you devote a few hours each week to social media, you will not feel obligated to spend every moment on the computer. Then, use either the native scheduler of your social media platform of choice or a third party such as Hootsuite so your updates will go live when you want them to.

Stay Informed. Be sure to have a sharp eye on what is happening in the world and in your industry. To do this, you will want to follow the leaders of your field and reputable news sources. Once you see news start to break, it will erupt over the internet landscape very quickly, so jump in early.

Watch the calendar. Of course, knowing the date is important, but what we are referencing here is keeping on top of seasonal trends. Holidays, awareness months, and anniversaries all bring success to social media marketing. You don’t want to be that one Facebook page that doesn’t wish a Happy Mother’s Day!

Social media marketing isn’t easy. It is hard to keep up with all the moving cogs and gears that make up the internet. Yet with these tips, you will be good to go!

Do you have any other tips about staying ahead? Comment below!

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The New Kids In Town

By Christopher Tompkins

27Jun

Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Local Marketing, Marketing, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, Social Media, Social networking, Twitter, Uncategorized

One of the most important elements of surviving the fast-moving social media waters is to keep in-tuned with current trends. While Facebook and Twitter seem to be steadfast names in this industry, there are new ones popping up all the time. How can you tell which ones are worth investing your time and resources into? It can be hard to gauge the firepower of a fledgling social media website or app. After all, who knew Instagram would be so popular? Social Times explores new platforms and sees if they’re worth clicking that “Sign Up” button.

Twitter and Facebook aren’t fools. They foresaw trends leaning towards live video streams and as such, they’ve adapted. Twitter’s sister site, Periscope, and Facebook Live allow companies to project live to an audience and answer questions on the spot. No pressure right? It has been working pretty well and with the help of promoting live events before they happen on your other social media accounts, a whole new wave of publicity is in your hands.
Snapchat. This app is starting to catch some serious speed. It’s a hit with Millennials and a lot of businesses are starting to take notice. The initial novelty behind this “app-only” platform is that you can see photos once and only once. They recently changed that so you can view pics and videos posted on an account’s story for 24 hours. Still, between geofilters that change depending on a customer’s location, to interactive news feeds, Snapchat is starting to be taken more seriously.
There are also niche platforms that appeal to certain audiences. Shouty brings sporting events live to a smartphone. ClearView Social has been used by law firms to reach out to all different platforms. Firef.ly helps travelers understand what’s in the surrounding area. What makes this one different than Yelp is that it actually recommends elements based on your preferences, as opposed to reviewing other user’s comments.
One that isn’t mentioned by Social Time is BizSugar. It’s a fairly new platform that targets small business. It’s kind of like a cross between LinkedIn and Reddit, if you could imagine such a thing. It’s is an interesting way to reach out and check out some relevant articles.

There are tons of ways to connect and there’s more everyday. You don’t need to (and shouldn’t) jump on every new outlet that pops up. At times, it can help to watch how quickly the new platform’s popularity increases and with more of them targeting specific audiences, it can help to figure out if your product is even welcomed there.

For more information, check out Social Times’ article here: http://ow.ly/AlMh3008ZXl

What are your thoughts on the new generation of social media platforms? Do you expect any of them to be the next Facebook?

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Location, Location, Location! How Your Region Affects Your Social Media Experience

By Christopher Tompkins

13Jun

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

Even though the internet is a global institution, you’d be surprised just how significant your geographical location affects results. This is also true for social media. It might seem almost like an oxymoron. How could your current location matter when you’re sending something across the globe? It turns out things can change a lot. Here are the most significant elements that affect your social media experience:

–Research- Ever go on Twitter to see the top trending hashtags and are surprised to see a few of them apply to your current town? Yeah, that’s no coincidence. Many search engines, social media included, will adjust your results to accommodate your current location. This way, you’ll be able to really hone in on what’s going on in your area. The bad part of this, however, is that your attempts at finding nationally trending topics can be skewed. You can adjust these kinds of results in the settings of each site.

–Distinct Features- There are some added bonuses when using location services. Snapchat, the rising mobile-exclusive platform, offers Geofilters, which are illustrations to place over a photo or video that are only accessible in certain locations. You can also “Check-In” to places like businesses to promote their products. As a business owner, you can always encourage customers to check-in on their smartphones, which will spread your brand onto their newsfeeds. Periscope allows you to view broadcasters in your immediate area so you can see video streams from your favorite local spots.

While it may be creepy that your social media platforms know where you’re at, it can really help your social marketing efforts. You can take advantage of this by tapping into local markets in unique ways.

What do you think about social media location services? Comment below!

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