YouTube’s Iron Fist: What It Says About Social Media

4Sep

Ever since people realized that they could say whatever they want on the internet, there have been people trying to figure out rules, restrictions, and ultimately, censoring. Obviously, once “censor” starts to be thrown around, all content creators’ ears perk up. Many creative individuals, whether they are in a business role or not, have found a home on the wild wild web. Whenever a new law or chunk of fine print puts this freedom into question, people become restless. Right now, YouTube has started a new content-related quarrel.

The social media platform and video hosting site, YouTube, and its owner, Google, may have started something they weren’t entirely ready for. Since its founding in 2005, YouTube has not only attracted a massive gathering but also many vloggers or, video bloggers, now earn a living by creating channels of content. YouTube hit one of its stars, Philip DeFranco, right where it hurts, advertising. They warned that certain videos of his breached their rules, and would take away their monetization and advertising features. No ads mean no revenue for Youtubers. Why is all this happening? In YouTube’s fine print, they mention that all content must be “advertiser-friendly.” As you could imagine, this means no excessive vulgarity, nudity, drug use, etc. Understandable, right? But YouTube’s recent crackdown targeted videos that were hardly offensive at all.

DeFranco wasn’t the only popular filmmaker to receive one of these notices. However, YouTube reps clearly stated that this is not a new rule, but rather a crackdown on previously existing conditions. As you could imagine, tensions are a little high in the YouTube world. Beyond who’s wrong or right, there are a few things social media marketers can take away from this:

Advertising is (still) king. If ads were pointless, this conflict would never happen because there would be no professional YouTubers. In fact, YouTube itself would most likely be a sliver of its current size if there were no revenue pumping through the ad channels. Social media marketers – take note! If you ever wonder if your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even YouTube ads matter, think about this impending struggle between YouTube and YouTuber, which is bound to escalate if this censoring – or “stern enforcement of policies”, if you don’t like that term – continues.
Content creators underestimate platforms. As professionals that utilize the world’s most popular sites on a daily basis, social media professionals may view excessive rules and regulations as obstacles rather than guidelines. That being said, we need to realize that there are real rules with real reciprocations for a variety of reasons and we need to follow them. So, keep your content classy and professional, don’t spam or scam followers in any way, and try to avoid copyrighted material that you don’t own.
Platforms underestimate content creators. There was a time when YouTube was the only option. There were no other video-hosting websites, just as there were very few social media sites. Now, things are different. If DeFranco and other YouTube stars feel so inclined, they could pull out of YouTube and focus on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, and many other sites. This would not go well for Google. I’m not saying that platforms should cater to every whim of the user, or vice versa, but platforms need to know they are actually replaceable by the next best thing.

It will be interesting to see just what happens in this swelling conflict. YouTube may have to loosen the leash. Vloggers may have to dial down the content (which is unlikely to happen). Either way, the internet, as always, is alive and well and full of changes, which professionals need to be ready to adapt to.

What do you think of this new conflict? Comment below!

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Evergreen Content VS Dated Content: What’s The Big Difference?

By Christopher Tompkins

3Sep

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

Did you know that Apple is going to reveal iPhone 7 soon? That may be news at the time of this article’s publication, but in maybe a month or just a few weeks, that sentence will have dated this whole article. In a year, we’ll be getting ready for iPhone 7S, or whatever version Apple is planning next. (Rumors say it’s a big one since it will be the iPhone’s 10th birthday, but I digress) When that happens, that sentence will look like a relic in the eyes of the internet. This type of situation is something all social media marketers need to be attentive to!

Our sentence above is one of the defining factors of dated, or time-sensitive content.This isn’t to say that news updates are bad for social media. Much like weekends, they may not last forever, but they sure are important to our lives. Yet your social media content cannot entirely consist of these fleeting moments. A company’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other accounts need some non-perishables in the mix. Content that will never expire, or evergreen content, is crucial for high engagement rates and legitimacy to your brand. We’re not just talking about stone-cold facts from textbooks (although those would definitely count as evergreen content). This type of content simply needs to stand the test of time. A mission statement, code of ethics, tried and true details about your industry, promotional materials, etc.

Now, why would a business’ social media page need both? Because that’s how the internet works. It’s a constant flow of fleeting and forever content. We see it every day without even realizing it. Trending items deliver a powerful boost to your social media marketing, while evergreen content is your core. Without one or the other, your content strategy will be incomplete.

Time-sensitive content will show that your company is updated, adaptable, and aware of contemporary business practices. Evergreen content expresses your industry knowledge, experience, and professionalism. It’s plain to see why you would want to have both, right?

At The Go! Agency, we take extra efforts to strike just the right balance of these two categories of content. Our clients deserve to have every reward social media has to offer, and it’s the marketer’s duty to accomplish that.

How does your business utilize both these types of content? Share your story below!

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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!

6 Steps To Snapchat Stardom

By Christopher Tompkins

30Aug

Snapchat, Social Media

Slowly but surely, Snapchat is beginning to become a big player in social media. How can we tell? Facebook is starting to get nervous. They have created a bit of competition for the app-only platform including Instagram Stories and Lifestage. Marketers need to be aware of this new site that people are flocking to and understand how to utilize Snapchat. Below are some tools to help you become a social media superstar.

Multiple filters – Filters are one of the most powerful and popular features on Snapchat. It’s one of the tools that makes it truly unique. But did you know you can add up to 3? Try this – Choose one. Hold the screen with one finger and keep swiping.The first one stays! Multiple filters will add a unique quality to your snaps.
Music – Add a little spirit to your snaps with some music. Open a music app like Pandora or play an MP3, return to Snapchat and start recording. Simple!
Snapcodes – A common complaint about Snapchat is its lack of account-finding resources. It’s almost impossible to find someone without their exact username unless they’re in your phone’s contact list. Their answer to this is Snapcodes. Similar to a QR code, if you scan one of these little pictures, you will be immediately taken to that person’s Snapchat name. It’s a helpful tool that is accompanied with some personalization options.
Cross promote – The app only allows 30 characters per snap. Obviously, that isn’t a lot. Use the space to promote your Twitter or Instagram handle so you can pull your viewers to a platform with fewer restraints.
Custom filters – That’s right, you can make your own filters. It’s Snapchat’s form of advertising and doesn’t seem to be nearly as pricey as other options. Its effectivity is still to be determined, but since filters have become extremely popular, you may want to consider diving into the fun.
PayPal connectivity – People can transfer funds to each other via Snapchat’s chat feature. It’s a handy little tool that offers a new level of convenience.

Snapchat has a lot of little features, some are hidden little gems that really brighten up the social media experience. It’s still in its growing stages as a platform, but people are quickly flocking over to the fun yellow app.

What other Snapchat features do you know? Share below!

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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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8 Steps To Conquer Social Media Writer’s Block

By Christopher Tompkins

28Aug

Copywriting, Social Media

Social media marketing requires a large amount of creative juices and sometimes, the well runs dry. It’s okay, it happens to the best of us. Unfortunately, the internet isn’t going to wait for inspiration to strike once more. You need to jumpstart your imagination so you can make fresh, engaging content for your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn and send it out to the content-hungry masses on a daily basis. How is this possible?

Making content for social media is another form of creative writing, which means there is a bit of subjectivity to it. As any writer can attest, crafting the right message isn’t always easy. You constantly have to figure out attractive content that will draw people to your business. How do you find that much-needed spark? Here are the top 8 tips that will help:

Look into your analytics. You may have the answer lying in your previously published posts. Have videos been getting a lot of attention? Maybe it’s a sale? Try to tap into what already has been working. Additionally, just reading what you’ve already made can be enough to get the gears turning.
Look at competitors. Perhaps your quest for inspiration will land you on a competitor’s social media page. Studying how they approach Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms could help you see social media in a new light. That being said, don’t plagiarize!
Stick to a schedule. You will be surprised how sticking to a specific schedule will help you stay creative. Perhaps you feel like you can write better in the morning, or maybe it’s the afternoon. Either way, a schedule can give a subconscious spark of creativity.
Check out what’s trending. There’s no time like the present and that should also be the case for social media marketing. Check out what’s trending on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Somewhere amongst the headlines and hashtags, you may be able to spin a topic to your company’s advantage.
Stay organized. Write down any and all ideas, even if you don’t have room for them at the moment. Trust us, a time will come when you need an extra idea or two. In addition to writing things down, keep the ideas organized and at a convenient spot.
Review your company’s mission. Don’t forget who you’re writing for. Head to your company’s website and review the “About” or “Our Mission” sections. Get pumped up to be a part of such a great company! You can always take a step back and watch your other employees and see if their work will inspire you.
Take the first step – Just start writing! I know, easier said than done right? Trust us! Even if you begin with just random words on the page, a bit of creative gibberish will be a great exercise for the mind.
Take a step back. Go for a walk! Staring at a blank screen doesn’t help. Come back after you try some of these other steps and start with a fresh.

Social media marketing thrives on intriguing stories, engaging content, and compelling writing. It’s the core of the message you’re trying to convey. If you ever feel stuck, try out these tips to get your writing!
What other brainstorming ideas do you have? Share below!

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Facebook Tries To Be A Cool Kid With Lifestage

By Christopher Tompkins

27Aug

Facebook, Social Media

When Mark Zuckerberg first released Facebook into the world, its original purpose was meant to help college students to connect. In fact, you couldn’t even sign up if you didn’t have a .edu email address. Obviously, all that has changed. Now, everyone and their grandma (literally) has a Facebook page. This year, the primordial idea of student exclusivity is resurfacing in a new app called Lifestage. However, Lifestage’s demographic is quite a bit younger than Facebook’s original goals.

This new app is quite a unique platform. Its target demographic is teenagers and aims to connect fellow students from the same school. In fact, you can’t sign up for this “Facebook Jr.” if you’re over 21 years old! Perhaps, this is a way to protect the young internet surfers, but the app itself actually has no privacy features in an attempt to be as transparent as possible.

It should come to no surprise to anyone that Snapchat’s design heavily influences the rest of the app. Lifestage offers entertaining filters to decorate the videos much like the popular platform already does. Yet unlike Snapchat, posts are always visible. A surprising feature of this app is that it only allows video content. The teenage users can easily peruse through emoji-clad profiles like a Facebook profile, but there will be no static pictures. It seems like video’s reign is changing even the selfie.

Despite Lifestage technically being a new social media profile, marketers shouldn’t get too excited for new advertising possibilities. Users’ reach can only go so far and there doesn’t seem to be any advertising options (yet). What this app does show is how much video is influencing social media in 2016, as predicted by many of the experts. Additionally, this is the second attempt from Facebook to create a “Snapchat clone”, the first being Instagram Stories. Snapchat has begun to show its potential as Millennials (and younger) are being gravitated towards the platform. It offers a certain sense of instant gratification that people crave. As such, video, smaller bodies of text, and interactive apps are shifting the way we approach marketing.

My first question would be what happens if hypothetically Lifestage takes off, and these users outgrow the 21-year-old age limit? Will they be denied access to their favorite platform and all the videos they’ve accumulated during their childhood? Perhaps Facebook should integrate a “Grown Up” button, which will convert an account into a fully grown Facebook profile when the time comes.

It’s unclear just how effective Lifestream will be. Facebook has a long list of failed children. From Paper to Slingshot, there are several apps that Zuckerberg’s team has created that just didn’t take off and now only reside in the history books. At the time of this blog post, Lifestream only has a 2.5 out of 5-star rating. Still, their attempt to prime the next generation for a video-dominant social media landscape speaks volumes about just how much Facebook not only likes but needs video to be on their side.

What do you think of Lifestage? Comment below!

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Coming Up Next In The Social Media Marketing World

By Christopher Tompkins

25Aug

Social Media

Social media reflects the wants and needs of the people who use it. Because of that, it’s growth patterns are organic. Trends grow and fade, features are added and taken away. Some of these are very easy to predict while others come as a shock. For the rest of 2016 and early 2017, here’s what we’re expecting social media to give us:

Brace yourselves, holidays are coming – It’s about this time that you should start to consider how your business is going to tackle the holiday season. Obviously, this is the time many companies are at their busiest and marketing is needed. Social media has become a cornerstone element in spreading the word about Black Friday specials, holiday wishes, and everything in between. Prepare your content and make it unique. There are going to be tons of Santas flying around on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, so make sure yours stand out.

Brace yourselves even more, elections are coming – As if we haven’t had enough of election-related news already, it will only get more common until we hit that Tuesday in November. But it won’t stop there. No matter who gets the Presidency, the social media floodgates will burst with cheers, jeers, and a whole lot of controversy. As a business, tread lightly. Don’t show personal bias for any candidate.

Videos will continue to grow – Instagram proved just how much video matters when they unveiled Instagram Stories, which is reflective of Snapchat’s Story service. Videos aren’t going anywhere but up in popularity. It’s eye-catching content that is prominent on people’s newsfeeds. Try to devise a way to utilize videos in your social media. Not a filmmaker? No problem! There are tons of apps and programs that allow you to make creative slideshows based on pictures. You can be a Spielberg in no time!

More diverse advertising options – Recently, we’ve seen Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and even Reddit tweak their advertising structures. They understand that this is their bread and butter and are making more options for marketers to utilize their services. Don’t miss out! Advertising can be inexpensive and will deliver you surprisingly large spikes of engagement.

LinkedIn upgrades – Microsoft acquired LinkedIn recently and as such, we should expect some things to change for the social media platform for professionals. It’s doubtful Microsoft will completely change LinkedIn’s structure, but we should see at least a little bit of their presence.

Even more mobile accessibility – Apple and Android are preparing for another mobile war. The next line of iPhones will be released in the next month or so, and Samsung has already showcased their snazzy new Note 7, Galaxy 7, and Edge. With new technology comes new innovations for app developers. 3-D touch, new camera usage, and third-party accessibility will also improve social media platforms as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and others are forced to adapt to what the people want.

More algorithms and updates – This one should come as no surprise. One of these days, Twitter will finally roll out the coding that separates links from the 140 character limit. We should also see new Facebook and Facebook Live features being rolled out and some of them may not be free.

Only time will tell what else is next for social media marketing, but professionals know how to adapt and take advantage of upgrades. The right social media manager will be able to handle the incoming transitions without a hiccup or delay in content publishing. Get ready to move onwards and upwards in the realm of social media. We couldn’t be more excited!

What other changes do you expect to come? Comment below!

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5 Steps To Start Social Media With A Bang!

By Christopher Tompkins

24Aug

Social Media

It seems there’s a certain window of time for people to establish themselves on new platforms. For example, famous “YouTubers” have been on the site for years now, and it can be tough to break into that industry since there are so many others trying to do the same thing. The same applies to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Now, Snapchat is getting filled with big names quickly. What’s a newcomer to do? When you click that Sign Up button, you have a lot of catching up to do. However, it’s absolutely possible to shine online at any point. These 5 steps will give your baby social media accounts a kick start:

Optimization. Starting from scratch is tedious, but it can be done. Whether you have a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn page, be sure to fill out every blank field as best you can. Just because your account is new, doesn’t mean it has to be empty.
Tap into your contact list. When signing up, most social media platforms will have you utilize your email contacts so you can be reunited with your favorite people online. If you don’t use this tool, try and find your business partners, friends, family, etc. and ask them to begin liking your page and content.
Promote your pages to your customers. You’ve seen them in many small businesses, those signs proudly promoting their Facebook, Twitter, or likewise. This is important and actually works! Make sure your regulars know about this new opportunity to connect, and be sure to ask them for a nice 5-star rating.
Backdate new content. This tip is a Facebook exclusive. It’s intimidating for social media users to like a page that has no content. Be sure to post, post, post! But a big batch of posts from the past 24 hours won’t look so good either. Luckily, deep in its publishing tools, Facebook offers the power to “backdate” a post so it looks like you’ve been around for a while. The whole point of this is to make you look established and involved in the online community, which is one of the primary goals of social media in its essence.
Advertise! If you are new to social media, you may not yet understand the power of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn advertising. You will! These advertising opportunities provide an extremely beneficial boost to your content so you will get noticed fast! There’s quite a variety to the promotional options available. From driving website to your website to sponsored content, you will be able to find one that fits your budget and works for your company.

As you can see, the words “new to social media” doesn’t need to be a death sentence. You can steadily grow your social media marketing with these tips and of course, with the help of professionals.

What do you think of these steps? Comment below!

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Tag : social media marketing