Tag : social media for business

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

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30Oct

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!

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How To Fight Social Media Marketing Doppelgangers

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29Oct
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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4 Steps To Awesome Facebook Visuals

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19Sep

With all the content that’s online, how are readers supposed to remember your message? The answer lies in images. When visuals accompany Facebook posts, users retain 65% more of that message for the following three days. Striking imagery allows people to learn and remember information longer than mere words. Here are the best ways to use eye-catching, and memorable images in your social media!

Infographics. Images, texts… why not both? With infographics, you can have the best of both worlds, as viewers learn information in an understandable and creative way. The internet has turned infographics into a hugely popular form, so don’t miss out on this method!

Colors. Your Facebook posts need to stand out. The images you use need vibrant, noticeable colors. People are 80% more likely to engage with content that has bright colors!

Bold text. If your images incorporate text in any way, make sure it’s big, bold, and readable. Don’t force readers to decipher your words.

Consistency. Because posts with related imagery are 94% more likely to receive engagement and views, you need to be consistent. It has become a new industry standard to add images to every Facebook post to achieve better performance.

This is your chance to create a strong online presence. Make it count by incorporating photography, graphics, and infographics into your Facebook content! Here at The Go! Agency, our graphic designers and social media managers work hard to create beautiful and exciting visuals that readers remember!

Does your Facebook page look like a bleak landscape? Contact us to bring new life into your social media marketing!

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Avoid These 7 Instagram Mistakes At All Costs!

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11Sep

Despite Instagram’s garish logo change, it is still one of the most popular social media platforms around. Marketers need to learn how to use this site as well as Facebook and Twitter due to its high volume of daily visitors.

That being said, Instagram isn’t just a clone of pre-existing platforms. It has a unique infrastructure and culture. There are certain rules you need to follow and big mistakes to avoid. Because of the amount of people online, mistakes are noticed easily. Here are the top seven errors to steer clear of on Instagram:

  1. Posts without captions. Sure, Instagram is all about the images. Regardless, you need the space they give you to write a compelling message. Be sure to write a specialized caption for each post you write, as you would for Facebook.
  2. Hashtag abuse. Speaking of captions, hashtags are extremely helpful for Instagram users that are looking for specific content. On this platform, you want to use 7-10 per post after the main caption. Any more tags will may your content look like spam, and less will narrow your reach too much.
  3. Silent posts. Don’t forget about the “social” side of social media. Engage with your followers! Customers wouldn’t be on social media if they didn’t want to communicate with their favorite people and brands in a unique way.
  4. Inconsistent branding. Take a step back and look at your Instagram account. Does it look like and feel like your brand’s other marketing? If not, fix it stat! Make your current logo the profile image, fill out your bio, and make sure your tone is consistent with your other marketing material.
  5. Promo only content. You aren’t one of those spam accounts, are you? If not, then be sure to add compelling content that pulls in your audience. Don’t worry about sales as much, but rather building an online community. Then, sales will come.
  6. Ugly images. Instagramers like bright, eye-catching visuals. This is especially important for brands who are trying to market. You have to generate creative and appealing imagery and, perhaps most importantly, make sure it looks good on a smartphone! Don’t forget these pics will be viewed primarily on Instagram’s app.
  7. A private account. Is your account optimized? Is your content eye-catching and engaging? Are you using hashtags? Then why isn’t this Instagram thing working? It may be as simple as your account is set to “private”. This mistake needs to be fixed immediately. It’s the social media equivalent of having the lens cap on a camera after a photo shoot. Your work will be all for nothing if not everyone can see what you’re sharing.

Instagram is a fun and effective tool to raise brand awareness online. At this time, there are more young users on this platform than Facebook. Be sure to tap into this market as soon as possible!

What Instagram mistakes have you made? Share below!

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4 Approaches To Educate Your Social Media Audience

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28Jul

A lot of people use social media for entertainment. It’s not hard to find funny pictures, videos, or lighthearted stories all over the internet. But there are still many of us with a thirst for knowledge.  Where do we turn?  Social media.

One of the most significant ways businesses can engage with customers is educating them with important facts and news about their industry. By providing informative content for your followers and fans, you will present yourself and your business in a more professional manner . This is beneficial whether you work for a B2B business or B2C. No matter if your intentions are to connect with customers on Facebook or to network on LinkedIn, educational content is a must. This may be some of the most substantial and rewarding content you send out to cyber space, so it’s important to execute it correctly.

How can you construct educational content within the constraints of social media?

You don’t need to be a professor to figure it out. There’s no reason to be intimidated about writing more in-depth and sophisticated writing, but you cannot go into it blind. Here are the top 4 ways to turn your social media accounts into digital classrooms:

Blogs- If you are reading this, you most likely know the effectivity of a blog. Long form writing is the traditional “go to” for educating your audience. Obviously, we have pursued knowledge through reading since our earliest of years, and blogging is the next step in text-based learning. This is also one of the earliest forms of internet-based communication and still holds strong now in 2016.

Podcasts- Also known as audio blogs, podcasts are once again spiking in popularity. Nowadays, you can easily create your own digital radio show and relay your message. Whether it is yourself or a hired narrator doing the talking, you can educate your audience in a wide variety of subjects. Podcasters also have the ability to make notes so listeners have access to relevant links and information. Think of it as your audience’s homework.

Live Video- With the rise of platforms such as Snapchat, Periscope, and Facebook Live, we are given the opportunity to address the world’s masses instantly. With live video we can make seminars, presentations, and product unveilings as well as covering live events. We have seen many businesses already beginning to incorporate live video into their social media strategy and its potential is just beginning to be revealed.

Quick Videos- If you have found a home on Instagram or other platforms that allow for short videos, you can utilize third-party apps such as Ripl to add information accompanied with fun animations. These are popular on Facebook and Twitter as well and can catch your audience’s attention quickly.

No matter what avenue you choose to make educational posts, be sure to advertise them heavily on all your accounts, especially if you have created a blog or podcast on your website. After all, you need to spread the wealth of knowledge as quickly as possible!

What ways do you promote educational content? Comment below!

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How To Be A Social Media Business Knock Out

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28Jun

There’s a big difference in how one uses social media for personal use and for business. When you’re using it personally, you really don’t have much to lose other than agitating a friend or two with an off-color post. When it comes to posting for your business however, every move you make is important. You are no longer posting as a person, you are now a living, breathing, personified business typing away. What are the best tactics to use when representing your business? Here are Small Business Trends’ four best ways to handle this new audience:

  • Be sure your posts have a nice medium between being widely-relatable and catering to your demographic. They should appeal to a certain audience, but you don’t want it to be so specific nobody will understand but the pros.
  • Even if you don’t have many viewers, engage with them and listen to what they have to say about your content. Many followers will share your thoughts if you give them an avenue to. Listen to their feedback and adapt your approach. If you use social media right, your follower numbers will increase.
  • Being ambitious is great, but biting off more than you can chew will leave your audience hungry for content. Having a full list of posts without having the resources to accomplish them is setting yourself up for failure. Don’t automatically expect an ROI from social media posts. It doesn’t work quite like that and expecting a spike in sales immediately isn’t rational.
  • When looking at your user feedback, take it with a grain of salt. Realize a lot of it is subjective. It is important to remember fundamentals when posting information as well. Having a social media expert’s advice is priceless when trying to figure out the best strategy.

For additional details of Small Business Trends’ four tactics check out their article here: http://ow.ly/pfD930094uZ

Do you have any other tips that can help a business thrive on social media? Let us know!

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Netiquette and Niceties: How to Behave on the Internet

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8Jun

Remember when your parents used to teach you how to act? There were all these rules about how to introduce yourself, how to eat at a table, how to act around your elders, the list went on and on. Well, the internet has its own etiquette (or netiquette, if you’re into corny puns)  on how to act and like any rules, there are lots of people who break them. It is important, especially for those who use the internet for business, to learn online manners!

Whether you’re a casual visitor or heavily involved on the internet, you won’t have to look very hard to find some people being obnoxious and flat out rude. You’ll find this ugliness in comment sections and personal social media updates as people proclaim their opinion or deride others’. What happens if one of these “trolls” find their way onto your business page? If it’s truly offensive, you can report it and the internet authorities, such as Facebook or Twitter admins, can take care of it. However, if it’s a negative review, you’ll want to acknowledge it and see if there’s anything you can do to resolve the issue. Make it public so people can see how you handled the situation.

Yet internet manners go beyond dealing with hate and difficult people. Here are some do’s and do not’s that will make you very proper, indeed:

• Don’t beg for likes- Likes should come naturally. You don’t want to come off desperate. Your content should speak for itself and earn those likes. However, if you’re conducting a poll, you can have people “like” as an option. Still, there are more sophisticated ways of conducting polls now such as widgets to embed in a post.

• Respond…and fast! You want to be sure to respond to messages, comments, RTs, etc. in a timely manner. Try to make communication time less than 24 hours, even shorter if you can help it. This will show you’re being attentive and you pay attention to what your fans have to say. You don’t need to thank everyone who likes your posts, though. If you’re getting a bunch of likes, you’ll be stuck there all day!

• Post in moderation- It’s important to post everyday. However, you don’t want to post so much that your followers get annoyed. Quality over quantity is the name of the game in social media…except followers, the more followers the better.

• Hashtags- We can’t stress the importance of hashtags enough. However, keep it at a maximum of 3 per post. You don’t want to fill the screen with a ton of these tags. It’s another way to look desperate and annoy readers.

• We not me!- If you’re representing a business, always refer to yourself in the plural tense, such as “we” and “us”. You’re a stand in for a larger body of people, so “I” and “me” are inappropriate.

• Avoid “too hot” topics- Relevant and contemporary issues are good, but don’t get involved with sticky controversies or touchy subjects. If you’re representing a business, don’t plug your political agenda, religious ideals, or anything hair-raising.

Many of these can be applied to a real professional conversation. But as you can see, the internet requires some different kinds of formalities. Yet if you follow these, you’ll look like a real pro!

What are your thoughts on these rules? Comment below!

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Bulletproof Marketer