As an authorized local expert for Constant Contact, I often teach the benefits of email marketing as a lead generating tool. Combining email marketing with your favorite social media channel can be even more powerful. Recently, we put together a few campaigns with business owners and organizations to do just that.
So often when I'm training business owners about social media I ask, “What is it that keeps you from getting involved with social media?” They answer, I don't know what to write or share.
First, we will discuss what types of posts are working well on social media channels. No longer is Twitter just 140 characters of text. You can add photos and videos, too. For Facebook, you can use live videos, videos, photos, and text. If LinkedIn is where you are, it's videos, photos, long posts, and short posts. As far as what works best, it's videos, next is photos, and last is text.
So often I hear business owners say, “I really need to get involved on Facebook but have no idea where to begin.” What we say to business owners is the first step is to face your fears. If your fear is that you’re afraid of making a mistake or post the wrong thing, know that on Facebook you have the ability to put your posts into draft for someone to look at before you publish them. Even if you happen to post something, but you’ve made a mistake, you can delete the post.
Gathering the results for traditional marketing usually comes in the form of phone calls, feet in the door, coupons, and increased revenue. But how do you know what's happening with your social media marketing? This month's column will be all about tools to track your social media marketing results. There should never be any money or time spent on promoting your business with social media without measuring the results.
The expression "Use a picture. It's worth a thousand words." appeared in a 1911 newspaper article quoting newspaper editor Tess Flanders discussing journalism and publicity. With the ability to add text to that perfect photo, we can now say it’s worth more than a thousand words.
Why visuals?
In 2015, both Facebook and Twitter introduced video to their platforms and for good reason. Studies have shown that users are 44 percent more likely to engage with content that contains pictures and video falls into that category.
As I was preparing for my Social Media Class at Reading Area Community College, I had the most interesting experience happen to me. A week before the class a friend asked me to help him learn how to use Facebook. Me, being the helpful person I am, said, “Yes.” We sat down for what I thought would be a mundane experience for me which turned into a great lesson to share with my class and also you.
In a conversation at a Youth Leadership event with the local chamber, we were discussing social media and one of the comments shared was when posting on the internet, we should ask ourselves the question, "would you wear what we have said on a t-shirt?" What a great way to look at each message you are sharing online with that lense.
This month's column is focused on the content you are sharing on social media: how to monitor; what tools to use, and systems to follow in writing content.
I’ve discovered a new favorite Social Network… Periscope.
First of all, what is Periscope? Here’s the official description direct from trafficgenerationcafe.com. Periscope.tv is a life-streaming app owned by Twitter, which allows you to share, watch and engage with comments to live video broadcasts. With only 10 Million users since its launch in March, it’s really a baby in the world of social networks, but a baby who could quickly grow.
Each year, I like to research what's being projected to happen in social media marketing for the upcoming year. It's a great way to make adjustments of what we are doing and find out what's being planned for growth and changes. Last year it was all about Facebook and Twitter adding videos to their social media platforms. This year, my review includes projections from Huffington Post, SproutSocial, AllInOneSocial, to mention just a few, and it seems we're still looking at video as a focus, but with a twist.
Ok. You haven’t seen much from me in the way of promoting Facebook boosts in my column. Maybe it’s because of my allegiance to print advertising where I know how many real, live people are receiving the papers. No bots there! I cringe when people say to me I spent only $20 for 1,500 people on my boost to become fans. Really? Only 1,500 people when you could have taken the very same amount of money and advertised to 30,000 real, live people. Well, enough of comparing notes on print verses online. I don’t even have to defend that fact.
Are you looking to grow your Instagram account? Creating Reels on Instagram is an excellent way to work with the current algorithm to grow your account. Why? Reels is a new feature that Instagram is trying to grow, so they are rewarding Reels with increased reach.
It is 2021 and video content is still an important tool for social media. Most, if not all, algorithms favor videos, and most people will stop scrolling to watch them. Right now, make a plan to incorporate video into your social media strategy as often as possible. If you only have a smart phone, you have everything you need to get started. Now, how can you incorporate video into your social media?
It is important that your Instagram account is set up as a business profile. With that, you will have access to Insights, a tool to help you understand your audience and the effectiveness of your posts, Stories, and IGTV. That information will help you grow.
Check out your Insights to see how your account is preforming. Here are some things you can see there:
To make a plan for the future, you need to understand where you are right now. Before you put together your strategy for the New Year, here are some quick audit tips. Then, you will have a better understanding of where you need to focus your efforts.
Some things that you need to look at across all accounts.
Bios on your social media accounts are one way to help potential customers find you. They are also an introduction to your brand. Read on for some tips to make a good impression.
I know that most of you aren’t ready to think about the holidays. Guess what? Now is the perfect time to start thinking about the holidays. We have no idea what this holiday season will look like, but it is a safe bet that people will be making a lot of online purchases.
Here are the things you should be doing now to set up for your success later.
We live in uncertain times. Now more than ever it is it is important to have a consistent presence on social media. Most social media algorithms reward regular postings and engagements. That is especially important if you want people to find and get updates about your business.
Now more than ever it’s important to have a presence on social media. You can DIY your social media with free tools. There is so much information out there, so here is a quick guide to get you started.
Graphics and stock photography
• Canva — There are thousands of templates that you can customize to your branding. They also have stock photography. There is a paid version with more capabilities. You can post directly to Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter as well.
During these trying times, social media is an excellent way to communicate with customers. As businesses re-open, they are going to need to assure the public that their establishments are safe. Now is the time to put together a plan.
So, you’ve spent all this time setting up Facebook, Instagram, or whatever platform you’re on. You have all the relevant information about your business on your page. Now what?
