How to Tie the Holidays Into Your Social Media Posts

7Oct

You know the holiday season is right around the corner, but what does that actually mean for your social media strategy?

Well, I could tell you to do steps X, Y, and Z to update your social media plans and all your woes will vanish! Christmas shoppers will rush to your website and the garland around your tree will be made of shredded $100 bills!

But that isn’t how this works.

I can’t tell you what’s going to work perfectly for your business in your unique situation. What I can tell you, though, is that Marketing Dive found that 80% of shoppers are planning to spend at least as much on holiday shopping as they did last year. The holidays are simply too lucrative not to plan for them.

So how do you learn what you need to do? You study the best. I’m going to show you some of the most successful holiday campaigns, explain exactly what made them such hits with their audiences, and give you some tips on how you can replicate those results.

1. STARBUCKS
Starbucks’ holiday cups have earned them a lot of attention over the years, and the 2017 holiday season was no different. The face of coffee let their customers design their own holiday cups and have a chance for their work to be shared by Starbucks by using the #GiveGood hashtag.

What’s their secret?
Starbucks has a huge fanbase of active, loyal customers. When they were given the chance to create content for a company they love, there was no hesitation. This influx of user-generated content (UGC) got Starbucks a lot of positive attention and plenty of fresh content for advertising, all without paying a dime!

#GiveGood was also a key part of their success. It showed users that Starbucks wasn’t thinking about themselves, but was instead focusing on the spirit of giving. That brought in a human element for customers to relate to, so suddenly they were getting into the holiday spirit and not just buying coffee from one of the largest corporations in the world.

What’s the lesson?
UGC is almost always going to endear you in the eyes of your audience. It’s also important to remember that, as the holidays come closer, you can’t beg your customers to buy from you. Show them your human side and let them be naturally excited about your brand.

2. UPS
UPS started a #WishesDelivered campaign to share real, touching stories from their customers of how UPS made a difference in their lives. Every time users shared or submitted stories with the hashtag, UPS donated a dollar to one of three charities.

What’s their secret?
The short version: people love stories. Everyone wants to feel good, and #WishesDelivered gave people a reason to spread the word about what a difference UPS was making. Combining easy charity donations with the chance to spread positive, holiday-themed news made this campaign an instant success.

What’s the lesson?
Tell your customers how you’re helping them! Even if you can’t afford a huge donation to charity right now, let your customers interact with your brand by telling stories of how you did right by them. Hashtag campaigns can work wonders for spreading your message.

3. HOTELTONIGHT
Nobody said the holidays were all exchanging gifts and kissing reindeer. HotelTonight’s holiday campaign acknowledged that sometimes the holidays just suck, especially when family is involved! They posted jarring (in a good way) caricatures of unpleasant family members, and encouraged users to share their worst stories of staying with relatives.

What’s their secret?
HotelTonight was simultaneously funny and reminded its customers why they needed to book hotels over the holidays. It’s hard to say “I’ll just bunk with mom” when you’re thinking about your great-aunt Muriel’s Scrabble tournament!

What’s the lesson?
Holiday marketing doesn’t have to be happy. If your brand’s personality isn’t one that cares about Santa and eggnog, that’s fine! This is also a lesson that you should be establishing empathy with your customers wherever you can. Show them that you know what they’re going through, and they’ll flock to you!

You don’t want to copy these brands, but you should take the ideas behind each success story and make them your own! The holidays are a chance for your business to score some big victories, so don’t waste this opportunity with tired marketing strategies! Now get out there and show your customers why they need you this holiday season!

Did you find this advice helpful and want to see how else you can improve your marketing strategy? Reach out to The Go! Agency today for a free consultation!

Looking Forward: What Will Online Marketing Be Like 10 Years from Now?

By Christopher Tompkins

23Sep

Marketing

With the year 2020 right around the corner, you’re probably wondering “How much more can online marketing really evolve?” While of course there’s no definitive answer to this, you know from my latest blog, “Blast from The Past: A Look at the Digital World 10 Years Ago“, that online marketing is only going to continue to grow in value as the years go on. But where exactly? Here are my thoughts.

A Breakthrough of Content
If you think you’ve seen an increase of content in 2019, just wait until 2020. And no, I’m not talking about a few more YouTube videos here and there. I’m talking about businesses truly using online content to empower their sales.

This includes an influx of user-generated content, live video, and of course more of a presence on popular social media platforms. I’d even say that many businesses will pay closer attention to the non-traditional side of the search engine world, AKA voice search. It’s predicted that 50% of all online searches will be voice searches by 2020.

So, why do I say all of this?

One word: engagement. Businesses have now caught onto the fact that online marketing is a must, and in 2020 it will be no different. In order for them to reach their customers and engage with them, they’ll need to prioritize creating relevant and quality content.

Also, let’s not forget about advertising! After all, it’s predicted that mobile ad spending will represent 43% of the total media ad spending within the U.S. While this doesn’t mean the immediate downfall of T.V. ads, it sure does put things into perspective. Brands aren’t going to continue spending money on platforms where their consumers don’t live.

A New Vehicle to Share Content
So, where are brands going to spend their money in 2020? On influencer marketing! You’ve seen a million influencers online this past year; those people with thousands or millions of followers and subscribers. They’re considered to be knowledgeable in their field and have a large, loyal audience.

With that being said, businesses will use these influencer-audience relationships to their advantage. By working out brand deals and sponsorships with relevant influencers, even the largest of corporations will take the chance to share their products or services with an extremely targeted audience.

But that’s not even the best part. Influencer marketing content is found to deliver 11 times higher ROI than traditional forms of marketing. Talk about a great way to promote your brand and actually make an investment! I can’t see businesses saying no to that.

A Bonus for Consumers
With all of these predictions for what online marketing will look like in 2020, I can only see these changes benefiting both businesses and consumers. Not only will businesses get the exposure they need, but consumers will have greater access to what they need. Businesses will no longer have to guess what their target audience needs and how they can promote it to them; through the power of content and influencer marketing, businesses will be able to connect with their audience in a new and convenient way.

So, what are your online marketing predictions for 2020? Share in the comments below!

A Decade of Go! Agency Gold

By Dale Griffen

16Sep

The Go! Agency

Ten years ago, when Christopher and I started The Go! Agency in 2009, online marketing was like the wild west – no real rules, a lot of tumbleweeds, and only a few people striking it rich.

Since then, we’ve moved away from the traditional sales and marketing strategy that most of us cut our teeth on. You remember: pagers and pay phones, faxes, and lots of one-on-one meetings. Now instead of having to tell two people, and they tell two people, we are finally able to just tell hundreds of people at once. As a result, this allows us to be in many places at once.

Before these changes, it really was a ghost town. There were pockets of people and groups doing it right and being consistent, but they were few and far between. Restaurants, bars, and big brands took pretty well to social media. But with both Chris and I coming from a professional background, clients we had lots of experience with (those in the healthcare, finance, legal, and other more formal industries) wanted nothing to do with this crazy new medium.

Soon after, the ‘sheriff’ arrived in town and brought along rules, hashtags, and order. Then everyone started asking about best practices: “Should I use images?” “How many characters can I use?” “When is the best time to post?” “What’s an online marketing plan?” “Do I really need to do more than just create a page, hoping that people will want to do business with me?” “Should I ‘buy followers’?” And of course, lots more.

Fast forward to 2019. Now we can now pinpoint our clients’ target audience(s) to a city block, a specific income, their age, interests, job titles – all allowing them to spend smarter and get maximum bang for their buck. We’ve seen major platforms come and go (MySpace, Google+, Vine). We’ve seen platforms that have been #1, but then have dipped in popularity (LinkedIn, Snapchat) and been overshadowed by Instagram and YouTube.

It’s been a wild ride – but I’m so proud to say that The Go! Agency has anticipated the twists and turns, and flourished. Why? I really think it’s for a few good reasons. First, integrity. We truly put our clients first. Second, transparency. We don’t think of ourselves as ‘experts.’ We’re way too humble for that…AND, the rules still change daily. We’re merely specialists – continually learning. Lastly, it comes down to investments. In our team, in their education, treating them like family, giving them a really nice place to work, and always being open to suggestions from them. Plus, our Go! Agents are awesome.

What do the next ten years hold with digital marketing? Although no one really knows, I think it will be pretty amazing. And you can be sure that The Go! Agency will be involved, as we’re constantly keeping our eyes open for anything that will help our clients’ digital marketing campaigns succeed. “There’s a saying among prospectors: ‘Go out looking for one thing, and that’s all you’ll ever find.'” – Robert J. Flaherty

If you’ve been a client of ours in the last ten years; thank you. If you are a future client (or know someone to refer) we can’t wait to work with you!

Blast from the Past: A Look at the Digital World 10 Years Ago

By Christopher Tompkins

11Sep

Business, Marketing

Remember what the digital world was like in 2009? It might not feel that long ago, but 10 years have passed! With all of the forward-thinking technology that’s made its way into our lives and the constant changes of the online marketing landscape, there’s a lot to reflect on.

So, where do we start?

Let’s dive right in and take a look back at some of the biggest trends and predictions from 2009.

Apps, Androids, and More
There’s no doubt that 2009 was the year that the tech world was booming—and for good reasons. For starters, Apple was paving their own way with the rising popularity of the App Store, which first came to life in 2008. With the release of the iPhone 3GS, mobile users were also introduced to in-app purchases which allow developers to still offer their app for free.

And let’s not forget the steady competition that Apple now faced with Android. Mobile devices with this operating system were—and in some ways, still are—cheaper alternatives to the Apple products. Users also got to experience Google’s own version of the app store.

But…which app really made a difference in peoples’ lives?

Would you be shocked if I told you that it was turn-by-turn auto navigation? Yep—the iPhone started to give GPS companies a run for their money by providing mobile users an app offered by TomTom. The catch was that you needed to pay $100 for the app, which if you think about it, isn’t awful considering you would be paying that same price or higher for a GPS device on its own. Although, in the distance, you could hear Android users rejoice at the fact that a similar software was being offered on their phones for free.

In addition to the new wave of smartphones and apps came the steady rise in sales of netbooks, Amazon’s Kindle, and tons of other tech products that seemed to make life just a little bit easier.

Predictions For the Future of Digital and Online Marketing
You’re probably thinking, “Wow, we’ve sure come a long way in the past 10 years.” And, you know what, you’re right! At the time, these technological advances were no doubt next-level. Even though consumers had access to the best products yet, there was still hope that both the tech and online worlds would evolve into something even better when 2010 came around. That’s where a few key predictions were made.

Both online video advertising and video streams were thought to increase in the next year along with the rise of digital ad spending. In addition, it was predicted that many brands would start utilizing more targeted ads in the future to really aim themselves at the right customer; although, more consumers were predicted to utilize ad-blocking software.

With the rise of mobile usage and apps, it’s no surprise that many social networking sites and apps were predicted to only get bigger and better in 2010. For example, Twitter was thought to continue building its audience as one of the “newer” social media channels. Spotify had also just begun to climb the ladder as an audio streaming service, and Netflix was teaming up with electronic companies to bring video streaming straight to consumers’ TVs. Many believed that streaming services like these would become dominant within the average home.

Flash forward to 2019, and many of these predictions have come to life. It’s no secret that as time goes on, the tech world continues to evolve and improve. Reflecting on everything that’s been accomplished in 2009—and now in 2019—makes me excited to see what’s next in the future!

What do you think the next trends will be in the future? Let me know in the comments below!

10 Years Later: From the Desk of the CEO

By Christopher Tompkins

3Sep

The Go! Agency

It is really unbelievable to think that 10 years ago this month The Go! Agency was born with one client, two employees (myself and co-owner Dale Griffen), and a bucketload of dreams for the future.

Flash forward 10 years to today, we have a full roster of clients, talented staff, beautiful offices, and a future pipeline filled to the brim.

Dale and I never thought about what the future would hold when we started The Go! Agency. If you can’t remember what the online world was like back then, let me remind you. While email marketing, blogging, search engine optimization (SEO), and online advertising were fairly proven mediums, social media was the wild west packed with snake oil salespeople. Companies large and small were jumping at the chance to try out this new medium, setting aside large portions of their marketing budgets to give it a whirl. And there were ample “experts”, “gurus”, and the like popping up all over ready to take advantage of that.

At the time, the difference between The Go! Agency and these so-called “gurus” was that we never confessed to be 100% experts. Why? In the constantly changing landscape of social media marketing, we were, and remain merely specialists, as we are continually in learning mode. Other big differences are that we have solid marketing, public relations, and online experience—all keys to being a success. Plus, it was beneficial to have a desire to learn, be agile, and understand that you wouldn’t always get the results you wanted. Some concepts and strategies might have worked amazingly one day, but the next day would be killed and replaced with features that didn’t work and would make you go back to the drawing board. We wanted to approach our prospective and current clients with a holistic approach and offer organic campaigns that would be able to change on a dime and focus on the client’s needs; we were never focused on pushing buttons and cashing checks. Our focus was on client’s success—that was our win. Not making millions of dollars in a matter of months and then fading away.

Fun Fact: One of our biggest direct competitors at the time was highly visible and took on LOTS of business very quickly. That agency lasted only a few years, and two years ago their CEO responded to a job listing I put up for an entry-level Social Media Account Executive. True story.

We wanted our agency to be built differently than others we had observed throughout our professional careers. We wanted ours to be honest, transparent, results driven, and have an intense focus on the client experience. Our desire was to have a roster of clients that were a pleasure to work with, who were invested in success and growth, and that would help us create that almighty win-win-win scenario. Triple wins are my favorite.

When it came to staff, we wanted to hire talented individuals that were interested in creative growth, were engaged with their work, and were focused on their clients. We also wanted to create an environment where there were no office politics, no drama. And if there was, the environment would move these individuals out of the organization organically.

Sitting here today, we’re pleased to say that all of this was achieved. Our current roster of clients is not only diverse, but includes one of the largest international athletic brands (Under Armour) that organically found us based on reputation alone. We will drop everything to help a client on a moment’s notice and the focus is always on them, which is so amazing to see.

Our team is a team. We work together through stressful times and quieter times. Just last month we all went on a company cruise in the Caribbean to blow off steam, bond a little, relax, and zip line! And you know what? Everyone enjoyed one another, no one was avoiding one another—it was relaxing and refreshing.

So is there anything we would change looking back over the last 10 years?

No. Nothing.

Every situation that may have been negative brought forth contemplation and experience that helped us grow stronger as a company. Every employee who didn’t work out, every client that we had to fire, and even those times when the wi-fi didn’t work during an important client meeting…these moments all brought forth a great amount of experience that we are able to now share with our clients.

We’re now in such a sweet position. We’re surrounded by a team of wonderful individuals that we consider not only our team, but also our family. We look out for one another. We work together to get the best results for clients. We are emotionally attached to the work. And to top it all off, we have a roster of clients that respect our team, understand our value, and collaborate with us on taking their success to the next level. See, I really can’t complain.

So where do we go next? Our team and our roster of clients will always evolve, ebb and flow. But our goal is to continue to grow from our vast experience working with clients, one another, and in the marketing industry as a whole to build an even stronger agency that will last for another ten years, and much longer beyond that.

And we will continue to add services as and when we see the need across the board. This year alone we have added a few new services that our clients were eager for that immediately brought them great levels of success and results. So expect much more of that in the future.

Overall, The Go! Agency is about working with companies to provide global solutions that will help them market and sell their businesses with less cost, less time, and more efficiency.

This is why our consulting services are currently one of our fastest-growing services, which I am personally fulfilling. Throughout the last ten years, I was able to really identify where my passion areas were: working strategically within a team, creating marketing and sales scenarios that create proven success, problem solving on a dime, motivating marketing professionals that are overwhelmed, and many more.

Above all, I have identified that one of my true passions is working with individuals and companies collaboratively to solve their problems, work out the kinks in their strategy, and help them reach their true potential. I began offering this here and there to clients as consulting and over the past few years I have been very lucky to worth with hundreds of different companies in this arena…and enjoyed every minute of it. Some call it coaching, others consulting. I call it real talk—and I love being able to help with my direct and honest approach. It brings me lots of joy.

But I digress. The Go! Agency is our heart and soul, and Dale and I couldn’t be prouder of what we as a company have achieved during the last decade. Sitting here and trying to remember all of the many events that we have lived through (recessions, hurricanes, changing political climates) it brings joy to my heart to see that as an agency we have been resilient, stuck to our values, and never altered our ethics for a paycheck. We continue to do work that we believe in, creating amazing results and ROI for clients that believe in us. I think this is a good place to be in, don’t you agree?

Why You Need a Professional Writer

By Christopher Tompkins

22Jul

Copywriting

You probably haven’t thought about how much web copy you see online, but take a minute to think on it. Every line of text you scroll past was written by someone, and if what you’re reading seems well-written, there’s a good chance it was written by a professional.

Between the copy you don’t think about and the long-form content you read, there are a lot of words that need to be crafted in just the right way, and that’s where writers come in. I’m going to explain why, contrary to what your ego may tell you, you absolutely need a professional writer on your team.

It’s a Lot
You probably don’t think your business needs a lot of writing done, but trust me, it does. Website copy will pile up before you know it. This includes things like product descriptions, “About Us” sections; everything that’s small individually but comes together to build your perfect website.

That’s before you get into the world of ad writing, creating content, and crafting social media updates. You might be able to hang on for awhile if you’re the least busy business owner in the world, but otherwise, you’ll be much better served by leaving it to the professionals.

It’s More Complicated Than You Think
You can write! You’ve written papers, text messages, and that one love letter in eighth grade—so why can’t you handle your business’ writing?

Because it’s hard.

It isn’t just writing one social media update or the single product description for your new launch. It’s creating and adhering to a tone that fits your company’s branding and values, it’s refreshing old copy to keep up with the changes of your business, and it’s researching industry trends to keep the conversation going with your audience. No matter how tight your budget is, you simply can’t skimp by without a professional writer.

Grammar Is Tricky
Knowing the difference between “your” and “you’re” isn’t enough to create great digital content or copy. Not only are there a lot of grammar rules for you to master, but they’re not going to be the same everywhere. Your professional writer will work with you to find and stick to a specific style so that your business’ writing can be consistent and clear across all channels.

Why does this matter? It might not seem like much, but readers are going to notice when your blogs alternate on using the oxford comma or use “gray” and “grey” interchangeably. They’ll catch on, and their impression is going to be that your business is sloppy and amateurish, and neither of those are words that you want floating around your brand!

Keeping It Fresh Is Tough
There’s more to writing than creating content—there’s also creating a content mix. That means posting more than the same promo with a slightly skewed wording. It’s sharing news, tips, and things that your audience is going to enjoy beyond calls to buy from your brand.

That extends beyond your social media updates, too. Your website copy will need to be updated as you roll out new products and just generally find better layouts. Staff changes will also call for writing new bios, and nothing will ruin your team’s credibility faster than flat, unimaginative bios!

So even if you had the time to dedicate to all of these writing tasks, you’d quickly find yourself struggling to create new, compelling content that wasn’t just a rehashing of the previous week’s work. In short, you can rest assured that your writer will have plenty to keep them busy and justify your investment in them!

Do the Write Thing
It’s normal to want to cut corners by not hiring a writer, but that doesn’t make it a good impulse. Instead, invest the extra resources in having a qualified writer handle your online presence. You’ll be glad you did when you’re not spending every waking moment juggling writing with your other responsibilities!

You might not be completely sold on the benefits of hiring a professional writer. Schedule your free consultation with the Go! Agency and we’ll talk about it!

A Week in the Life of a Social Media Manager

By Christopher Tompkins

15Jul

Social Media

Nobody said being a social media manager was easy! You’ve got a lot of responsibility, and it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks if you’re not careful!

That’s why I’m here. I’ve got a simple, usable checklist that you can use every week to make sure everything gets done. Across social media, these are the steps you’ll need to take for a thriving campaign!

Facebook

Check Notifications: Make sure there’s nothing happening on your page that you need to handle!
Check Reviews: Thank positive reviewers and give thoughtful comments/questions to negative reviewers.
Check Check-Ins: Are people visiting your brick and mortar store? Be aware of who’s telling people about you and what they have to say!
Respond to Comments: Good or bad, every comment needs to get a response.
Check That Posts Are Correct: Always double check that your posts were published without errors!
Invite Engaged Users: If someone likes a post, invite them to like the page!
Respond to Messages: The faster, the better!

Twitter

Respond to Replies: They’re a great source of audience engagement. Continue the engagement!
Respond to Mentions: Have a hand in any conversations about your brand!
Check & Respond to Messages: The last thing you want is to ignore a potential customer.
Like Relevant Posts: This will show your audience that your business is engaged with the goings-on in your field.
Retweet Useful Posts: Not every post can be about your brand. Share content that creates value for your audience!
Pin Featured Tweets: Is there something important you want potential followers to see? Pin it!

Instagram

Like Relevant Posts: Get involved with your community by liking their posts and news in your industry!
Respond to Comments: If your followers have thoughts on something you posted, strike up a conversation! You’ll improve their sense of brand loyalty!
Check That Posts Are Correct: Did your caption format correctly? Is the image sized the way you wanted it? Double check!
Check Follower Growth: How much has your following grown? Consider your latest content and how that may have played a role. You’ll improve your overall strategy this way!
Spy on Competitors: See what your competition is posting and how their followers are responding. If the followers love a style of content, recreate it! If they hate another type of post, avoid it!
Respond to Messages: Don’t use generic responses like “Thanks!” or a thumbs up. Respond with something meaningful to the people who took the time to reach out!

LinkedIn

Join Groups: LinkedIn groups are one of the best places to make professional connections.
Send Connection Requests: The more connections you have, the more credible you’ll look. If there’s someone you want to engage with, you’re more likely to get a response with mutual connections! Search for people by location or job title and connect with them!
Check Posts Are Correct: Professional sites like LinkedIn are especially unforgiving of bad formatting and grammatical errors.
Respond to Comments: If your content is getting attention, capitalize on that by responding to commenters.
Respond to Messages: LinkedIn messages could lead to a business opportunity, so always respond as quickly as possible!

Wash, Rinse, Repeat
It’s true that the job of a social media manager is difficult, but that’s no excuse to let things fall by the wayside. Save and print our checklist by clicking on the image below to make sure you’re making the most of your social media following and continuing to grow toward your goals!

Do you want some individualized help with your social media marketing? Just set up a free consultation with The Go! Agency!

You Can’t Do It Alone: Building the Ideal Team

By Christopher Tompkins

8Jul

Business

When it comes to sorting out your social media marketing campaign, working with a knowledgable marketing strategist is an absolute must. They should be experienced and well-versed enough to provide you with the inside track on what you need to be doing, so that you can efficiently execute your plans and quickly achieve your goals.

Or will you?

One of the downsides of getting a robust and forward-thinking plan from an expert is that you still need a certain level of skill in order to execute that plan. I know, it seems like a catch-22: you get a plan from an expert because you are not an expert, but expert plans are best executed by experts. Even with the perfect plan there are hundreds of pitfalls that need to be avoided.

In my experience, I find companies that use a team to execute their social media marketing strategies tend to be the most successful. I have trained teams ranging from 100 to 2, and the common factor to success is simple: each team member knows the roles and knows who will be in charge of that role’s duties.

Don’t worry about getting new staff for each role: one person can be in charge of multiple roles, as long as that one person is skilled in each. Not everything is trainable, especially on the fly. Social media marketing is an investment into your online future, so you want to make sure that you trust the leaders of your team. Your reputation will be on the line. Here are the six main roles that you should be thinking about when you are getting ready to execute your social media marketing strategy.

Project Manager: This person is key, as they will be in charge of, well, managing the project itself. Project Managers ensure that team members meet all objectives and hold everyone accountable to deadlines and budgets.
Copywriter: What is social media all about? Content! If you do not have the time or the skills to create quality content, you need to enlist a copywriter. Grammar, punctuation, and attention to detail are a must.
Graphic Designer: How do you make sure that your brand looks consistent across the board? Visuals, my friend. Whether your visuals consist of images, videos, slideshows, or channel branding, you’ll need a pro (if only to ensure that your graphics don’t look like they were designed by an intern).
Advertising Specialist: Do you know how to utilize social media advertising platforms? If you don’t then you need to hire someone who does. Of course, you could always wing it and risk losing tons of time and money with little to no results.
Analytics Specialist: Are you successful? What is working for your brand and what isn’t? If you have no idea, then you need someone who revels in tracking data. This role should extend beyond social media and into your website itself!
Website Designer: If you hired a website designer to create the perfect website (perhaps at a substantial investment) without making arrangements for ongoing maintenance, you’ve made a mistake. Having a support person on hand is necessary in today’s digitally-driven world! This is especially true if your objectives are sales, conversions, email signups, and similar goals via your company website. If your website isn’t working, then neither will your marketing efforts on social media, or anywhere else, for that matter.

So there you go! These roles will form the basis of a nice, well-rounded team. Although I have seen all of these roles filled by as few as two people, most teams will need more. This goes back to what I said earlier: you must make sure that anyone filling any of these roles–especially employees who fill two or more roles–is qualified, professional, and actually has the time! Remember: you are only as strong as your team!

The Ultimate Monthly Checklist for Growing Your YouTube Channel

By Christopher Tompkins

26Jun

Social Media, YouTube

So, do you feel like an official YouTuber yet? You’ve been consistently filming new videos, are checking your analytics every now and then, and are even sharing your content on your other social media platforms—go you! But let’s not forget about one thing: The work doesn’t stop here. A YouTube channel doesn’t get successful overnight, and it won’t continue to be successful if it’s not given the TLC it needs. So, how can you ensure you’ll keep a steady trend of growth on your channel? By making sure you hit these checkpoints every month:

1. Formulate a new content strategy.
No one watches the same video over and over again forever, so why would you keep your content strategy the same every month? It’s always best to switch things up! But let’s get one thing clear—you shouldn’t switch up your content strategy “just because”. Don’t throw some adorable puppies into your video “just because” it’s popular on YouTube. Think back to your analytics; see what your audience is responding to and how you can get them to keep coming back.

For example, if my company, The Go! Agency, was going to upload a new video, I would consider what my audience is already responding to. If my “3 Steps for Successful Copywriting” video was a hit last month, I might consider breaking that down into an entire series. It all depends on what my audience is engaging with.

Furthermore, when it comes to creating a content strategy, it’s important to actually block out some time where you’ll be able to get creative. Add the exact date and time to your Google calendar, write it down in your notebook, or do whatever else you find will help you remember to come up with a strategy for the month.

2. Curate relevant content.
Remember how I mentioned that it’s a good idea to curate videos from other channels to add to your playlists (so long as they suit your overall brand)? Well, curating this content shouldn’t just be done on a whim—there should be a strategy for how you select videos for each playlist.

First, you’ll need to start by subscribing to other channels that create similar content to yours. From here, you might want to set aside an hour or two at the beginning of each week where you watch a few of these videos and then select the best ones to add to your playlists. Remember not to check this task off of your list too quickly—you’ll want to take your time curating only the best content.

3. Engage with your subscribers.
Your audience doesn’t just want you to talk TO them; they want you to talk WITH them. People want to feel like they are a part of an online community. So, help them experience this! Engage with your subscribers by asking them what video content they want to see next, liking and responding to their comments, and giving them shout-outs in your videos when necessary. The more they feel like they know your brand, the more they’ll want to stick around.

4. Engage with other YouTube channels.
Yes, the main group of people that you want to engage with are the ones watching your videos. However, it’s important to pay attention to what else your audience is watching. What other YouTube channels are they interested in? Whatever those are, make it a point to like their videos and comment with positive feedback. By doing this, their audience members will be more inclined to engage with your channel since it provides similar content.

5. Spy on your competition.
Keep an eye on perfect content! Look at what your competition is doing right, and get inspired to create similar content for your own channel. While you should NEVER copy anyone else’s idea to a T, you should always try to put your own spin on content that has received a lot of engagement.

Also, it’s crucial that you take a look at how your competition is engaging with their audience. How are they responding to comments? What are they doing that’s different from your current strategy?

6. Pre-film enough videos.
Feeling like you’ll soon need a break from content creation? While you never want to film videos to the point of burnout, you also can’t leave your audience hanging. Every month, make it a point to film 3 to 4 extra videos that you know can be uploaded in case you’re unable to create “new” content. Make sure that these videos are evergreen, as you’ll want to be able to post these at any time.

7. Stick to a regular upload schedule.
Do you ever see those YouTubers whose upload schedules are all over the place? If it annoys you, it definitely annoys the rest of their audience. That’s why you need to stick with a regular upload schedule! But don’t just pull days and times out of thin air; remember to look at your analytics and see when your audience responds to videos best.

Do you need more advice on how to continue growing your YouTube channel? Schedule your free consultation with The Go! Agency!

No Time to Create a YouTube Video? Try This!

By Christopher Tompkins

24Jun

Social Media, YouTube

Are you hitting a wall when it comes to producing new video content? This is typical for many businesses. At the end of the day, producing quality videos takes time – and you need to focus on running your business! So what do you do when you don’t have enough time to create regular video content to keep your YouTube channel engaging for your subscribers?

Let me introduce you to YouTube playlists and the secret to curated video content!

What are YouTube playlists and why are they beneficial?
Playlists are a way of organizing videos on your channel around a specific topic, keyword, service, product, and much more – whichever works best for your brand. For example, if you are in charge of a restaurant’s YouTube channel, you might have your videos organized into the following playlists: How-To’s, Today’s Special, Chef’s Kitchen, and Quick Recipe Tips.

While it is optimal to add your own videos to your playlists, you can also curate videos from other YouTube channels.

Just think about it. You share content on your various social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) and many times you are sharing articles or content that you found online which is from another source. The reason you share it is that not only will your audience enjoy the content and engage with it, but it also helps you keep up with consistently posting to your social media channels.

My top tip is that when looking for videos to curate and add to your playlists, you make sure that these videos already have a high level of engagement and views. This illustrates there is already a proven audience for the video and it may bring a bit more shine to your own channel. The more regularly that you execute this process, the more alive your channel will look. It is the perfect go-to when you don’t have the time to produce your own original content.

The only catch? While you can easily find videos that look like they are suitable for your playlists at first blush, make sure that you watch them from start to finish. They need to be on brand and have a message that dovetails nicely to your own branded voice. Sometimes even the most seemingly perfect video could have some negatives lurking somewhere in the middle or end.

Ok – let’s get you started!

How do you create a YouTube playlist?
Now that you’re aware of all of the benefits of YouTube playlists, it’s time to learn how to put one together. Here’s the breakdown in 3 easy steps:

1. Plan the perfect playlist and name it!
For example, if I was going to do one for our company, The Go! Agency, as we are a digital marketing agency I may focus on the following playlists: Social Media Tips, Website Design Hacks, Organization Tips, Copywriting Handbook, etc. Naming your YouTube playlist “How-to’s” is a fine start, but it’s just not strong enough. Think of how users would find your videos. What topics would they search for? You need to make sure that your playlist name is keyword-rich. Therefore “How-to’s: Cake Decorating” could be a stronger choice.

2. Seek and find suitable, and proven, content.
It’s time to start filling those playlists. Search YouTube for videos that are suitable for the playlists (new or old). For example, if I am going to add a video to the Copywriting Handbook playlist, I would use the search term “copywriting secrets” or “copywriting tips”. Then I would look through the results and choose the videos with the most engagement/views and watch them. If they fit my brand, I would then click the “add to” button underneath the video, and either add it to an existing playlist, or choose “Create new playlist.” Name your playlist accordingly – and you are ready to go and find your next video!

3. Keep it up kid!
So you have logged into YouTube, curated some videos, added them to playlists (or created new playlists), and you are….eh….done? Nope! You need to do this on a regular basis! I would suggest adding this curation process to your regular marketing schedule and add a specific number of videos to your playlists every week. Only do what you can handle. Be realistic as always. Biting off more than you can chew will definitely cause early burnout!

Curating video content is a great shortcut when it comes to brightening up your YouTube channel. While this does not excuse you from creating your own original content 100%, it gives you a little bit of a buffer to create a more cohesive content mix as well as share content that your audience will be eager to watch and engage with!

Do you still need some extra help when it comes to organizing your YouTube channel? Schedule your free consultation with The Go! Agency!

Tag : social media marketing