Social Media - Express Writers

5 Secrets for Creating Contagious Content for Social Media & Web Content

January 1, 2021February 25, 2014 by Adam Oakley

You know those few liners or single paragraphs that make your fingers itch to go buy the product being sold? Whether it’s a raspberry soda, a set of office pens, or a new Starbucks coffee: contagious content is all around us, selling us daily on purchases we make decisions on instantly. So how do YOU create it for YOUR brand and your customers and clientele? Going Viral with Contagious Content Let’s face it; everyone wants his or her site to go viral at least once. It is the new stardom, the new celebrity power. Getting your website or content to go viral means becoming someone with a bit of Internet power and that is pretty cool. By having something you posted reach thousands or millions of viewers means your site is being shared and viewed more than ever and people want to know who created this viral post. Here are a few secrets to creating that contagious content! 1. Let’s Be Positive, Shall We? Positivity is very important when it comes to creating that content contagion. With all the negativity in the news, people want to read something optimistic. According to Social Triggers, the way to craft contagious content and make a post positive for a reader is to invoke happiness, awe, or surprise. People like to learn interesting tidbits of information in constructive ways. They are also more likely to share something that they have learned from or found useful, as long as it is something that is positive. This is something we will discuss further on in this post. Get Happy! People want to feel happy when reading articles online. They get enough of the gloom and doom by watching television. It seems that so much of what people hear these days is filled with which country is having an uprising, which politician is the lowest person of the week, or how many people have lost jobs. This is all very important to people, but they just do not want to read it or hear it every hour of the day. Become the positive beacon in a world of darkness, and people will share your site with friends. Inspire Awe. We also like being in awe. Before and after pictures online are intriguing because they show a drastic change in an environment. People are apt to share these photos or stories with their friends. “Look at this! Can you believe it?” they will say. Positive awe-inspiring content is important when gaining clicks and becoming viral. Give little tidbits of interesting information or create a post that lists some really interesting life helps, or as the kids say, lifehacks. Most Excellent, Dude! Surprise them! Exceed their expectations. In this instant society, people are more likely to make a knee-jerk assumption based on past experiences. While it is not the coolest thing, it happens far more than anyone wishes to admit. Knowing this can help you when try to go viral. Make that first impression count. Create a web design that is outstanding, with a quick loading website. Spice your content up by being unique enough to get attention, but not too unique as you may scare readers away. Do something that will completely catch viewers off guard. When they are caught off guard, they will instantly tell someone. Facebook and Twitter have made it simple when it comes to instant sharing of websites or a really nifty post, so make your post shockingly sharable. Negativity: Stop It! As the classic Bob Newhart MadTV sketch says, “Stop it!” Stop negativity before it gets too far. Media is full of negativity and posting something negative will add to the cacophony of undesirable posts, getting lost in the smorgasbord of negativity and will not garner enough visits or likes to get you viral. Sure, we see a few negative posts getting attention but not many. Generally the negative posts being shared are from news sources about bad things going on in the world. Focus on creating a positive environment and you will find that more people will like and share your post. 2. Be Useful and People Will Come We all like for people to see how smart we are. We also like feeling as if we are part of a community. We really appreciate it when people value our opinions or thoughts. It is Psych 101. Knowing this can help you as you begin creating contagious content. Create posts that people will share because they feel it will help them look knowledgeable in an area. Something like this infographic shared by Who Is Hosting This is really great when it comes to learning facts and passing them on, making the sharer feel knowledgeable. In fact, this very infographic states that the top articles shared from the New York Times website were science related topics! People love science, people love learning, knowing, and sharing. Especially in the current climate of nerds being kings and queens of the world. In the Know. According to the New Yorker, being “in the know” is really important to people. It is a way to belong to a certain group and feel accepted. It does not necessarily go along with being knowledgeable in the area such as science or math, but is part of being astute about what is going on in our social world. Knowing what is current. Staying up with existing trends is a must in this rapidly changing society, if you keep posting “outdated” things, people will begin to ignore you. Know your audience and the current social climate when you are making social media and web content, especially if you want to go viral. 3. Emotions for the Win! As stated earlier, emotions are what get your post shared the most! We have discussed some emotions evoked by various viral content such as joy, awe and surprise. According to Social Triggers, other emotions conjured by viral content are anger, anxiety and fear. These are generally emotions you want to avoid … Read more

20 Tips To Create A Winner’s Social Media Strategy

January 1, 2021February 14, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Go anywhere these days, in fact don’t even leave your home, and what do you find? No, it’s not infomercials for the next great cooking gadget that solves a problem that never existed. It is references to social media. Every company, business, person, dog, cat, and mythological creature has a social media presence. A few years back parents were mad at their kids spending countless hours on a certain social “space”. Well it has expanded from that and now the parents and grandparents aren’t questioning kid’s social media usage, they’re sending the kids stupid jokes and photos. Yeah that’s right, social media has spread to the masses. You have it, your grandma has it, your nephew has it, your employer has it, and your favorite store has it…notice a trend? A recent article by Fast Company about social media usage statistics provided some staggering figures. Some of the facts like “Social Media has overtaken porn as the No. 1 activity on the web” are just funny, while others like “93% of marketers use social media for business” show us the direction commerce is going. Regardless of if you are using social media for personal usage, to promote yourself, or to promote your business, it is an interracial part of the way people relate and communicate and is here to stay. So how can you use one of the most powerful communications ever to your benefit? Read on and find out. 20 Tips For An Awesome Social Media Strategy 1. Integrate your web presence with your social media content Let’s face it, you have your email address, perhaps you have ten email addresses. They are easy to get and free. You also have a web site. These days you can build it yourself for free, no knowledge necessary, or you hire an HTML expert to do lots of confusing stuff and build a site that dominates all. So how exactly do you get the customer or client from your email or web site, to your social media? Let’s face it; you and your business don’t look so stellar with only 12 followers. People judge this stuff, if a teenage girl has 300 followers, than your seemingly successful business should have tens of thousands. Establish an email newsletter, or if you have one, great. Now be sure that each issue not only provides links to your social media content but also references it. Tell the readers that if they go to your page and complete some function there is an incentive. Say this “visit us on ____ (insert your page info) and comment on _____ (whatever creative thing you come up with) and receive a 30% coupon code.” Now you are enticing them to go to your page and rewarding that effort. Try it. 2. Open up your perspective You’re not dictating to the board of directors here, you’re talking to the everyday average Joes and Janes that frequent your business. Sure they’re smart but social media is about being social, not suit and tie stiff in the board room. 3. Give them a path to follow Add buttons and links to your site. Every social media provider has predesigned HTML buttons that you can customize and pop in your site in seconds. Don’t hide them on some random subpage. Put them right there on the main page of your web site. Go ahead and do it, I’ll wait. All done? What you have just done is invited your customers and clients to join you. People love to feel like they belong. Getting them to join in on your social media content makes them part of your business and not just a client. And think of it this way, if one person likes your page their friends will see it and be lead to check you out as well. They are called followers for a reason. 4. Relate, don’t dictate to your followers Nobody will ever doubt the power of advertising. However, social media is more of a relaxed media. Relate to your customers. Be one of them, not a dictator. In fact, Social Media Examiner talks about accessing and knowing your audience. Seeing as they are not just a number, make people feel welcome at your business and make them want to return. Let’s say you own a restaurant, if you actually own one even better. Ads talking about your new dish or sandwich are great. However putting up a post about it and discussing it is better. Tell them the process behind it, where you came up with the idea. Show them a video of you making it. And post photos! People love photos, why else would Instagram exist? Get creative with some photo editing and include power words in your photo. Show them the sandwich with bold words talking about its attributes. The point here is not to lay down a sales pitch; people know when they’re being baited. Relate to them, imagine you are your customers and share with them. 5. Involve your entire workforce Are you a one man (woman) show or do you have an entire staff at your disposal? Your social media content should always be fresh and up to date. Who has gone to a page for their favorite restaurant or store only to see their last post was six weeks ago? If you are too busy to stay atop it then consider enlisting a social media content person. As a primary or additional job function they will make daily posts about sales, specials, and everything that’s breaking news for your business. People enjoy fresh content and they enjoy interaction. 6. Know what they know There is a chance that people on your staff have special skills you didn’t even know. Is the guy in the mail room a part time filmmaker? Well enlist him to make some video content. Does your waitress dabble in graphic design? Ask and you may be surprised. These are assets … Read more

6 Ways to Fix Your Social Media When Drunk Tweets Get Out

December 31, 2020February 11, 2014 by Adam Oakley

“It happens to the best of us.” You’ve heard this old saying, right? Unfortunately, it proved all too true for JCPenney during this year’s Superbowl. The well-known brand inadvertently let (more than one) drunken tweet slip out on their Twitter feed. The problem? Most people and even other companies thought that their SMM was tweeting drunk behind the J.C. Penney Twitter handle, @jcpenney. After tore up tweets like “Who kkmew theis was ghoing tob e a baweball ghamle,” Kia Motors America wrote, “Hey @jcpenney need a designated driver?” Who kkmew theis was ghiong tob e a baweball ghamle. #lowsscorinh 5_0 — JCPenney (@jcpenney) February 2, 2014 Toughdown Seadawks!! Is sSeattle going toa runaway wit h this??? — JCPenney (@jcpenney) February 3, 2014 Since then, it’s rumored by BuzzFeed and several other news locations that the drunken tweets were planned. But, as CBS reported, it backfired for the brand—and we don’t think it’s such a great idea. Let’s be honest: it hasn’t NOT happened before. After all, if you type “how to handle drunk tweets” into a search engine, you’ll see some interesting links topping the results page. No matter how big you or your brand is this can happen to you. What would your reaction be if it did? Would you ignore the mishap? Would you scramble to delete the evidence? It might seem like the best solution, but is it really? Fixing a Bad Social Media Post: Resisting Your Initial Reaction According to Hubspot, you can delete a drunk tweet or social media post and keep it quiet, if you catch it very quickly. And by “very quickly,” we mean practically immediately. If you catch the post within seconds of it going up, you’ll likely be able to delete it and pretend that it never happened. Deletion of a mistake ridden, unfavorable tweet or social media post is certainly the first reaction most of us would have, but is it really the best action? What if leaving the unfortunate post and tackling it head on could result in something positive, like building a more trusting relationship with your clientele or strengthening your reputation? If there’s a chance your tweet or post has already hit the feeds of your followers or was quickly seen by a vast audience, deletion is not the best option! It’s like Hubspot says, “Once something is out there in cyberspace, it’s usually there forever. Someone, somewhere probably got a screenshot of it – especially when you’re a brand with a large audience and a lot of eyes on you.” Keep in mind that anyone receiving direct e-mail or app notifications will likely have a copy of whatever you’re trying to get rid of. Deleting the post and pretending like it never happened could open you up to some hard-hitting and reputation-damaging attacks; attacks that could prove more destructive than a drunken tweet. After all, if a brand you trust, love and respect deleted a saucy tweet, social media post or blog comment with no comment, wouldn’t you wonder why? However, it is possible to delete a drunken tweet and handle it with class—if you know how to do it! We turn to none other than the American Red Cross for a stunning example. In 2011, Geekosystem.com reported on a drunken tweet accidentally sent from the American Red Cross Twitter account. The questionable and embarrassing tweet came from an individual who had access to the organization’s account. The individual in question allegedly made a mistake while using HootSuite and their embarrassing tweet showed up on the Red Cross’s Twitter feed. The Red Cross deleted the embarrassing tweet and followed up by tweeting, “We’ve deleted the rogue tweet but rest assured the Red Cross is sober and we’ve confiscated the keys.” The Red Cross did more than delete the unfavorable tweet and pretend it didn’t happen. They acknowledged the tweet and found a way to spin it into a positive. According to Geekosystem.com, “The best part about all of this, other than the calm (or cold, calculating and secretly terrifying?) poise of the Red Cross, is that the Red Cross managed to turn this digital faux pas into receiving donations (which further solidifies the calculating and terrifying theory), as Dogfish Head Brewery, whose beer was mentioned in the accidental tweet, encouraged donations.” What Geekosystem called “cold, calculating and secretly terrifying” is what we call good business sense. This situation could easily have turned into a media nightmare, but the Red Cross handled it with class and turned it into a positive—all by tackling the problem head on! How to Handle Unfavorable Tweets, Drunk or Otherwise What is an unfavorable social media post, tweet or otherwise? It’s bad publicity. Marketers have been handling bad publicity for years. It’s no surprise then that their tactics work just as well in the land of social media. Let’s consider six ways to handle those embarrassing, unfavorable and even scary social media disasters: Respond quickly, honestly and decisively. Customer complaints are a real possibility in the social media world. It’s easy and fast for a disgruntled customer, employee or third party to throw out an unfavorable, perhaps even evil, post. The best course of reaction is to respond quickly and be both honest and decisive in your reply. Acknowledge errors and mistakes. Acknowledging the bad publicity and being honest about it is vital. If you, your brand or someone within your company made a mistake, own up to it and apologize. Current and potential customers will appreciate your openness. Never say, “No comment.” When a negative post hits the cyber waves, it’s easy to feel blind sighted. When your public is calling for your comment, avoid retreating by saying, “No comment.” It will instantly cast question regarding your position and open you to the perfect storm of amplified attacks as your followers dig for dirt. If you’re unsure of how to respond and feel like you’re short on information, consider saying something like, “I’m … Read more

The Whats, Whys & Hows of Google Authorship

December 31, 2020February 7, 2014 by Adam Oakley

So, you’ve set up a Google+ account! Now you’re on your way to legitimacy in Google’s eyes. But you’re not there yet. That’s where Google Authorship comes in. A few years ago, Google created Authorship as part of its goal of showcasing their products in search results. Ever see some random person’s face in your search results? That’s Authorship. Like most Google products, it doesn’t take much to set up Authorship, so let’s walk through it. But first… What is Google Authorship? Let’s go back to open house at elementary school for a minute. Remember how excited you were to show your mom or dad your macaroni artwork hanging on the bulletin board? Filled with pride, you’d grab their hand and lead them closer for a better look, pointing up at your carb-loaded masterpiece, turning in anticipation of witnessing their reaction. Well, Google Authorship is sort of like that for grown-ups. And instead of your parents, it’s your peers and potential clients. Demian Farnworth of Copyblogger put it this way: “In essence, Google is saying … we want to make sure that you are a real human being … we want to stamp out anonymity and spam … we want to regard you as someone who is willing to put your name on the line for the content you create and share.” Why Google Authorship? Build Credibility The big reason you want to be verified by Authorship is to build credibility with both users and Google’s search engine itself. And this makes both you and your website more reliable from Google’s point-of-view. In fact, Jayson DeMers of Huffington Post says in his complete guide to Google Authorship that, “It’s widely believed that Google Authorship is the first step toward verifying author identity, which will be used to calculate Author Rank, which I believe is the future of Google’s algorithm.” So, let’s say you’re a florist who publishes blogs fairly regularly on various topics about buying flowers. If someone’s husband searches for “best flowers for anniversary,” then Google will position you higher in the results based upon your positive rank and credibility. In other words, Google Authority helps users find those in-the-know and helps those in-the-know (and who go about setting up Authority properly but we’ll get to that in a minute) attract new fans and hopefully, new customers. Increase Visibility Remember how we said it’s important to have a good Google+ profile photo? Here’s one more important reason. Google Authorship helps your website get better click-through rates. Let’s go back to this hypothetical florist and the husband-in-need searching for “best flowers for anniversary.” When the husband presses SEARCH and sees the results, his eye is going to go to the result with a picture, specifically your picture, beside it. It’s widely accepted and proven that Internet users engage more with posts and pages with captivating images (more on this later). Once they click on your link, they can then be exposed to more of what you and your website have to say. But like we said above, you’ve got to tag things correctly to get the full benefit of Google Authorship. Diversify Authority What’s great to keep in mind about all this Author Ranking within Google Authorship is that you’re not cornered into being an authority on one topic. Back to the florist analogy, you don’t have to be the go-to for just “flowers.” You could also be an expert in “gifts for women” or “orchids.” Author Rank breaks things down into categories when determining who the authorities are. So, don’t feel limited. However, that doesn’t mean you should try to grab up all the topics you can think of. Try to focus on only two or three topics as an author. Avoid The Copycats If you’re the original author of your blog and you properly use Authorship markup (tagging), then your blog post is pushed to the top of a user’s search results. This will further convince users of your authority and other authors are no longer able to capitalize on your hard work. How to Set Up Google Authorship The first thing you need to do is determine who all on your staff will be submitting blog posts for your website. Whoever they may be, they all need to set up individual Google+ accounts with their individual Gmail accounts to participate in Authorship. According to Google, here’s how to link content you write to your Google+ page: Make sure your profile photo is a recognizable headshot. Create a byline that has your name in it, like “By John Smith.” It should appear on all of your blog posts. Your byline name should be the same as the name on your Google+ profile. Check that you have an email address (like johnsmith@johnsmith.com) on the same domain as your blog posts. If you don’t have an email with your specific domain, here’s what you do: 1. Make a link to your Google+ profile from your website, like this: <a href=”[profile_url]?rel=author”>Google</a> 2. Replace [profile_url] with the Google+ profile URL: <a href=”https://plus.google.com/109412257237874861202? rel=author”>Google</a> 3. Your link needs to include the parameter ?rel=author. If not, Google can’t associate your blog posts with your own Google+ page. Add a corresponding link back from your profile to the website(s) you updated. Edit the Contributor To section. In the dialog box, click Add custom link, and then enter the URL. Click the drop-down list to edit who all can see the link. Click Save. But is that it? To just get started – yes – but there’s more to it than that if you really want to stand out. That’s where we our advice comes in! Here a few ways to further optimize your blog so you can bump up your authority level. It’s Who You Know As Well As What You Know You’ll notice that each authorship result will show your Google+ circles. If you were the above-mentioned hypothetical husband looking for flowers, what author would you trust more: the person … Read more

Social Media & Blogs: Making Your Posts More Social

December 31, 2020February 3, 2014 by Adam Oakley

We’ve spent a lot of time predicting what 2014 will hold for small businesses and their online content strategies — from the evolving fate of SEO to key Social Media solutions and trends. While consulting (our well researched) crystal ball, we kept finding one theme over and over and over: Killer content is hands down one of the most crucial strategies for better search engine results. Enter the Blog: Quality Content Crucial to Your Success Blogging is a wonderful way to produce quality, industry-driven content that will win you dedicated followers and new sales. According to Social Media Examiner’s own 2014 social media predictions, this is the year to “finally start that blog.” They warn that small businesses without a big social media ad campaign budget may run the risk of getting lost in the shuffle unless they produce and share their own quality content for their niche. And although blogging might not pop into your head first when someone says “social media”, we’d like to argue that blogs are both social and crucial to your social networking success. We love how Brian Clark puts it best: Blogs aren’t just social media, “Blogs pioneered social media.” Here’s What Blogs are Not Static: That’s right. We’re back to content quality already. Blogs share information, but don’t just present facts. One of the most common blog mistakes people make is confuse them with a well-crafted press release or product description. Blogs are less newsy, more inviting, emotional and entertaining. In fact, blogs should always encourage conversation. Promotion-heavy documents: Just as blogs aren’t newsy in the traditional sense, they also aren’t sales documents. Although a blog post is a great way to create buzz about your new project, share one too many promotional posts and you’ll find your follower base dwindling. Pitches are one-sided and after a while will bore and alienate even your most avid readers. Before you post ask: What will my readers get out of this kind of content? Why would they feel compelled to share it with their friends? Will they want to continue the conversation in the comment section? These questions should help you shift your focus from your agenda to your audience — where it belongs. One-time Communications: The best way to kill a conversation? Don’t talk. It almost goes without saying that blogs that aren’t updated aren’t effective. But the opposite is also true. Business blogs that are regularly updated generate 67% more leads for their companies than their blog-less competitors. So get blogging! And don’t let time be a barrier. Remember there are many qualified business bloggers who are just a click away. Just Words: That’s right, visual interest is also key to an engaging, social blog. Here are a few eye-catching options: A Well-Placed Image: This is actually not an option. An image is a must. A well-chosen picture will make your blog appealing when people read the post or see it linked on a social platform. When selecting an image, make sure to use a picture that offers more than a pop of color. Instead, try to make a statement or offer extra insight on what the readers should expect. Infographics: You can also let infographics do the talking from time to time. This captivating information-graphic mashup gives readers plenty to take in. From a visual presentation of stats to fun flow charts, infographics offer a valuable mix of content and visual oomph that will get people to your posts and keep them there longer. They are also fun to share, so you’ll be social before you know it. Video: Online videos are popular — like over “188.2 million Americans watched 52.4 billion online content videos” in the month of December 2013 kind of popular. So up the chances that people will find and stay on your blog with the most popular type of online media. 7 Characteristics Successful Blogs Share Ok, enough about what blogs aren’t. Let’s move on to the hallmarks of successful, social blogs. Here are the most important components to take your blog from one-sided conversation to a fun place to hang out and keep coming back to. 1. A Call to Action: You may never know who wants to join in the conversation unless you ask. At the end of each of your blogs, find a creative way to get your readers involved. Pose a question. Ask them to share their opinion. See if anyone has had experiences to prove or disprove your point. That’s right; blogs need to be a dynamic exchange of information. 2. Periodic Contests: To get things really going, you can run a comment contest from time to time. If your audience knows that every once in a while you give something back, they will eventually become your adoring audience. Pick a Number: Let’s say you run a fitness center. With this low-maintenance approach, you’d ask people to post what workout they did that day in the comment section on your “20 Minute Workouts” post by 5 p.m. Later that evening, just use an online number generator to randomly pick a number. If the generator gives you the number 8, then the lucky 8th commenter will win the resistance band you featured in one of the arm workout sets. Trivia Questions: You can also drum up comments by posing a question and getting people to guess the right answer. If you get more than one correct answer, make sure to go with the one with the oldest timestamp. 3. Sustained Conversation: If readers do answer your call to action and comment, make sure to comment back. Thank them. Answer their questions. Address their issues. You can also return the favor and comment on other bloggers’ posts who comment on yours. 4. Easy-to-Use Share Buttons: Optimize your content by making it easy to share. That way, you won’t be the only one sharing your post on Facebook or Twitter. You’ll get your blog’s fans in on the sharing action. If that’s not … Read more

A Guide To Google+ The Stats, Beginner Terms, and Keys for Success

January 1, 2021February 1, 2014 by Adam Oakley

We’ve shared this stat before, but it bears repeating. A Moz blog on Google Plus reported that “after Page Authority, a URL’s number of Google +1s is more highly correlated with search rankings than any other factor.” Translation: Your business needs to get social on Google+. Now. As if you needed more numbers and facts to convince you of this social network’s power after that statement, we gathered a few anyway. A Closer Look at Google+: The Numbers, the Demographics & the Unique Experience The Power in Numbers As of mid-2013, Business Insider revealed that Google+ had overtaken Twitter as the second most-used social media platform with “359 million active users.” Ignore the naysayers claiming Google+ is defunct. While it can’t quite boast Facebook’s billion, that’s quite a few users, folks. The Personality & The Action Demographics are always an important factor when deciding which social media platforms to really spend your marketing time on. And yes, as you recall, our advice is overwhelmingly, “Go for it!” when it comes to Google+. But we wanted to offer you a closer look at the type of people who help make up that 359 million-strong active community. Because it is also always important to know your audience, too. Google+ users are: predominantly male, with the menfolk making up 68% of the community interested in more professional or tech-centered industries mature but hip with an average age of ripe old 28 What are their primary social actions? Sharing both longer, text-rich posts and shorter status updates Sharing visually engaging posts like pictures and videos Good news side note: if you’ve been following our advice to create killer content, you and your authoritative, industry-specific posts will fit right in. One more thing, how do Google+ fans describe the experience? In his second installment of his three-post series on Getting Around Google+, JR Raphael, Computer World contributing editor, describes the platform like this, Google+ “is a thriving and active community… who regularly comment on posts, follow links and reshare material — a presence that can be valuable both for personal and professional interaction.” Business Insider caught up with photographer Trey Ratcliff, who has claimed nearly five million followers with his picture-showcasing profile. Similarly, the Google+ pro states, “It’s nice to pop into Google+ to discover new things. Facebook is pretty good, but it’s harder to discover new people or have more in-depth discussions around passions.” Bottom Line Google+ has a captive audience in the millions Google+ users are educated and ready to discuss niche topics Google+ is great for business because it is less about high school sweethearts and your great aunt’s cats than great content. You don’t have to know everyone in your circles. That’s the beauty. In the end, Google+ is really about meeting people with common interests and having in-depth discussions. Google+ 101: Important Terms Ok, you know about the users, their behaviors, and their experience. You have everything you need to know to jump in? Right? Ok. If you’re unsure about how to get started, connect with the right people, and optimize your posts and profiles, we’re here to help with your Google+ success. First things first, let’s define a few terms: Stream: This is your Google+ homepage. Once you start connecting with folks – this is where you can go to see and interact with all the status updates and posts of the people you follow. Don’t worry, if you’ve used another social platform before, the stream’s functionality should feel pretty intuitive. Just start +1-ing your favorite content. Location Page: With all the same features as a Google+ company page, the location page option is great for building local business. After you complete the necessary verification of your location via postcard or phone, and you’re ready to reap the benefits of Google+ with the added bonus of location-based marketing. Creating your local Google+ page is a great way to find and network with people in your community. You’ll also have access to the Google+ insights feature. Using this awesome tool, you’ll be able to see how many times your business came up in a local search, as well as how many comments and +1s your posts have received. Circle: This is where Google+ gets interesting. Circles give you a way to network strategically. How? By allowing you to organize the people you follow and the people who follow you into different groups. This unique arrangement allows you to pick and choose which groups — circles — you want to share certain content with. Let’s break it down with an example, shall we? You’re a computer repair shop owner. Congratulations! When you created a Google+ business page, you also created four default circles: Team Members: You would add all of your repairmen, customer service reps and admin support staff to this circle. If you have any benefit updates, inclement weather announcements, or Christmas party details, you could share it here without cluttering your customer-focused content. VIPs: If you want to listen closely to a tight knit group of top customers and colleagues, this would be the circle. We love how this group should also allow you to respond to any requests or complaints quickly and personally. Customers: Collect customers here and share quality content to build your computer-repair authority. You can tap into the location-based marketing trend by creating separate circles of customers based on their neighborhood, state, or city. Following: This is a general circle where you can group people who you don’t know, but who post interesting, industry-related content. In your case, you may want to rename this circle “Mac Experts” and create other similar circles like “Microsoft Gurus,” “Dell Repair” and more. Caveat: If you share something with a specific circle, it will not show up in search engine results. You have to share publicly for full search engine benefits. Extended Circles: Extended Circles are great because they get your content to people you aren’t directly … Read more

Consistency Is Key for Social Media: 20-Step Management Guide

August 25, 2022January 23, 2014 by Adam Oakley

We’ve already established that going social for your business in 2014 is not a matter of if, but why. Armed with that knowledge, we thought it was only fair to share the nuts and bolts of howto establish and manage your social media presence. We have not 5, not 10, but 20 concrete steps to take you from “What social media platform is best for my industry?” to “What, you don’t have a social media manager?” in no time. 2014: It’s Social Media Party Time! Let us invite you to our party. That’s right, with all our talk of cake lately; we’ve also gotten in the mood for parties. And with social media’s emphasis on engagement and, well, being social, we thought a party with all its intricacies — from venue to wardrobe and guest list — was the perfect illustration. So, for the duration of our time together, it’s party time. Who knew reading a blog could be so much fun? Pick Your Parties: Platform Selection Think of each social media platform as a swanky party. Each has its own vibe, venue, and party-goers who can’t get enough. It is your mission to find the parties your business should attend and get in the conversation. Which leads us to… Step #1: Finding the Right Social Media Platforms for You It’s tempting to setup a profile on every available platform to get the most exposure for your business. But as a small business owner, your time is precious and this one-size-fits-all strategy runs the risk of wearing your resources too thin. Instead, you need to research and find out where your social media target demographic hangs out, and go to those parties. You wouldn’t see a bunch of guys at brunch, would you? So if you run an online Poker site you wouldn’t necessarily need to party on a Pinterest page (used predominantly by women at 84%, according to Business Insider). The only exception to this rule? Google+. Although this platform is overwhelmingly used by men, all businesses could use the SEO pick-me-up this site provides. Dress to Impress: Social Media Profile Set Up You know which platforms to focus on. Now, how should you prepare your profiles for the best exposure possible? This next tips and tricks will get your business profiles dressed to impress in no time. Step # 2: Choosing the Right Profile Picture If your company has a logo, you are probably farther along on this step than you think. The perfect profile image is, you guessed it, your logo. Already a key part in your branding, your logo will make it easy for potential clients to identify your business, no matter where they bump into you. Step #3: Using Quality Imagery Banner. Cover. Header. Theme. Channel Art. No matter what the platform calls it, most of them have space for a larger image on your profile. Think of it as your chance to accessorize your party-perfect profile picture (your logo, right?) with an engaging pop of color and personality. To brand your profile further, we suggest using your website’s color scheme and images as the inspiration for your larger feature image. It is also crucial to adhere to the imagery guidelines for each platform. Fuzzy images or an overuse of text, like too much makeup or a clashing tie, will totally throw off your look. Step #4: Choosing an Easily Identifiable and Keyword-Conscience Username Your social media handles need to be easy for customers to connect with your company name, tagline or main service, according to Forbes. In other words, when people see your posts on their feed they shouldn’t be confused about who the post is from – that’s as silly as not introducing yourself. So, thoughtfully pick a social media name and stick with it across all platforms. And remember to use keywords. Say you are a Wedding Planner. Instead of using your company name, you may want to consider including your location and main service, like “DallasWeddings.” Step #5: Crafting Consistent Company Taglines and Descriptions Before you complete your profile set up, take some time to distill your company’s goals into a succinct tagline, longer description, mission statement, and history blurb. As with the “big picture” in step #3, you can take key points from your website to craft this information. Once you (or the copywriter you hired) write a tagline, long description, and mission for your business, you can plug them into all of your profiles. Consistency is the name of the game here, too. Not only do you want to coordinate with the formality and tone on your site, you also want all of your profiles to communicate the same message as well. And as with your username, remember to use industry keywords while maintaining a written-for-people vibe. Step #6: Providing Consistent Contact Info, Address, Hours This party parallel is pretty obvious. If you met someone interesting at the party, they would need a way to get in touch with you. Your social media profile should tell customers exactly where and how to contact you. Step #7: Claiming Custom URLs Just like a manicure adds imperceptible polish to any party prep, your effort to claim vanity URLs will add a much-needed touch of professionalism to your profiles. First, a pop quiz: Which URL looks more polished and inviting? A. www.facebook.com/yourbusiness or B. www.facebook.com/yourbusiness/390691057733835 (The correct answer is A, of course.) This step takes a bit more effort because some platforms have requirements to claim your URL — like these for Google+. The extra elbow grease is totally worth it to provide a more inviting persona for your customers to interact with. Get the Party Started: Social Optimization Help people find, connect, and share content from your pristine profiles with these next steps. Step #8: Making It Easy for People to Connect with You After all of your (readable, but SEO-friendly) profiles are created with their shiny, custom URLs, you … Read more

Social Media: Optimizing Those Little Pictures, Posts, and Shares

August 25, 2022January 22, 2014 by Adam Oakley

You’re out there. You’re writing entertaining blog posts. Creating illuminating infographics. Producing rib-tickling, eye-popping videos. You get it — content needs to be killer. Your blogs need to stop all those busy consumers out there in their tracks. Your newsletter needs to get people to visit your page and stay there. Content Marketing is King. So, you have great content, but how will people find it? According to Mashable, one major social media trend we are seeing for 2014 is the rise in referral traffic’s importance to search engines. And social media actions — shares, likes, retweets, and repins — are definitely affecting content exposure and even boosting organic search results. 5 Practical (And Easy!) Steps to Optimize Your Social Media Posts While consciousness of more traditional SEO tactics can still come in handy (we’ll show you how to put your keyword know-how to use in just a bit), you also need to optimize your pins, posts and shares. As always, we’re here for you with a few fun illustrations and solid steps to take your content marketing — and sharing — to the next level and help you gain social media success. Step #1: Make sharing your content a cinch Take social media optimization into your own hands by encouraging people to share your content on their social profiles. Because, as you’ll see in a moment, once you get even one person to share your content, the possibilities are endless. Case-In-Point: Say Bob shares your next blog post on Facebook. One of Bob’s best pals — let’s call him Steve — sees your post on Bob’s feed, loves it and shares it on his own profile. Suddenly, your content reaches not only Bob’s pals, but also Steve’s family, friends and coworkers. And Steve has this friend who… well, you get the picture. As we talked about before, the more shares you gain, the more authority you generate. And this is not only with potential customers, but also with search engines. It’s true, Facebook posts don’t directly boost organic search results as well as Pinterest or Google+ does (more on that later, too). But with over a billion Facebook users monthly, it isn’t such a bad place to circulate your content. Steven Rayson did an excellent job curating the key social media optimization steps you can (read: should) take to make it easy for people to shareyour latest blog or infographic. Here’s a few you can try today! Add share buttons & social login options for seamless sharing, liking, or commenting right from your blog post or eCommerce product page. Add social icons to your header or footer so people can connect with you (and see even more of the great content you post). Provide subscription options for your email blasts, RSS feed or e-newsletter. The more content you can get to people, the greater the chance of more sharing later. Step #2: Clean up your act Your content is sharable, good for you! Now, make sure you get the most value out of each share by controlling how posts of your content will display on each social media platform. You have to be ready when good ‘ol Bob (from step 1, remember??) loves your upcoming infographic. How do you do this? By adding the correct meta tags to your URLs. These tags will tell each social media platform what to display — from providing a descriptive title and displaying the most relevant image to supplying a solid call to action. This little touch will make your content that much more enticing to click on and share when it’s out there. Here’s a rundown of what a few major platforms use to manage their meta tags. Facebook & LinkedIn: Open Graph protocol Twitter: Twitter Card Google+: Semantic microdata markup Is your head spinning about where to even start? Knowem.com has an amazing piece on social media optimization and an equally awesome tool that will grade your tag usage for each profile. Just plug in your URL for your score and hints on how to improve. Translation: You’ll end up with the best possible version of sharable content out there in no time. Step #3: Perfect your images and infographics with branding Ready to share that infographic? Here’s a quick and easy tip you can use with every picture you want to share. Add your logo and URL to the bottom of your designs. That way, when people fall in love with your clear, informative voice and vibrant design, they will know where to come looking for more great content. Didn’t we say this tip was quick and easy? You’re welcome. Step #4: Improve your Pinterest results — and organic search — with keywords Up until now, we’ve been discussing how to optimize your sharability. Our next two tips are powerful enough to help improve your organic Google search. Woo Hoo! Although Pinterest is an image-driven platform, there are great opportunities to use strong content and keywords to boost your repins and even Google search results. This in-depth HubSpot article shares 10 solid ways to benefit from Pinterest’s SEO possibilities. Here are a few we like: Optimize your profile. ○ Start with an easy-to-remember business username that’s also easy to spell and associate. ○ Don’t forget to add keywords to your About section. Break the mold with unique, descriptive board names. For instance, if you own a fashion boutique store, you will want to rename the default “My Style” board with something that specifies what the board is all about, like “Riding Boots” or “Cowl-Neck Sweaters.” Generate solid content for each pin with a description that uses keywords, but still reads like it was written for a human (sound familiar?). Rename photos with a descriptive, keyword title. No one will search for something like 12.jpeg, but they just might be on the hunt for something like Dark_Wash_Skinny_Jeans.jpg. Step #5: Get on Google+ Newflash! According to the Moz blog, “After Page Authority, a URL’s … Read more

A 2014 Social Media Guide: New Trends and Solutions to Live By

January 1, 2021January 14, 2014 by Adam Oakley

In 2013, the importance of social media in a successful business marketing plan became undeniable. According to Eloqua, “a reported 78 [percent] of companies now have a dedicated social media team.” As we step into 2014, we continue to see the emergence of new social platforms and the impact that a strong social media presence can have on our business. In all likelihood, we can expect Eloqua’s reported percentage to grow ever upward. How Social Media Evolved in 2013 and What to Expect in 2014 Throughout 2013, we watched as social media platforms evolved into cutting edge marketing tools. Twitter is now considered a strong marketing tool by over 90 percent of marketers, who now use it regularly to generate new and return business. The Twitter network boasts a stunning 232 million active users, who manage to send a jaw dropping 500 million tweets per day! Twitter also launched Vine, their version of a video tool, during 2013. In the past year, Facebook expanded their advertising platform and continued video ad testing. Meanwhile, Instagram celebrated a big year thanks to their introduction of a video and paid advertising program to their social platform. Also, a steady increase in picture and video sending popularity surfaced in the past year, indicating an interesting new inclusion of these marketing trends in future marketing strategies. The Top 3 Social Media Trends for 2014 A review of social media marketing in 2013 has produced several “must have” trends for every 2014 marketing plan. As you round out your marketing budgets and put the finishing touches on your well planned strategies, here’s what you need to know in order to reach your customers more effectively in the New Year: Thoroughly understand your audience and product or service. In 2009, the University of California published a report in which they concluded that the average person sees over 34 billion bits of information every day. 34 billion bits of information equates to reading approximately two books per day. As a result of processing so much information, people are beginning to tune out; their attention is becoming a rare commodity. What does this mean for you? It means you need to have an acute understanding of your audience and how your product or service relates to them. In a high “Pinterest-ized” social media world, you need a visual, shareable message that demands and holds limited attention within seconds. Mobilized material is a must. People are leaving desktop technology behind and flocking to their smart phone and tablet devices. The Pew Internet & American Life Project published a research paper in which they determined over 90 percent of Americans own a mobile device, and 57 percent of them surf the Internet with those devices. Smart phones are quickly outnumbering other types of technology, ushering in what many are dubbing “the mobile revolution.” It is imperative that businesses take their digital properties beyond mere mobile optimization in 2014. Digital properties need to be responsive and adaptive, able to fluidly change and respond to the viewing capabilities of any mobile device. Audiences are also expecting the delivery of real time information based on relevance and location, which means digital properties must be search engine optimized for local search parameters. Audiences are expecting one-to-one personalization, and mobile technology is handing business owners the ability to give it. Out with analytic and in with predictive tools. Thus far, we have grown accustomed to simple analytic tools, the ones that give us basic information. Today, we are rapidly moving into the era of predictive tools. Predictive means that today’s tools use diverse techniques from data mining, machine learning, modeling and statistics to drive the analysis of current and historical information, thereby making predictions. It’s currently too early to tell exactly how this trend will evolve in 2014, but one thing is certain: simple tools no longer excite. The world and its audience are looking for ways to use all of the diverse data at their fingertips, meaning predictive technologies will find new traction in 2014. These three general trends for 2014 all focus on a simple concept: effectively understanding and reaching your audience wherever they will be found. We can expect 2014 to be the year of positive customer experience and exemplary customer service. 3 Social Media Trends to Incorporate in Your Marketing Strategy 2013 has seen the most changes and largest leaps forward in social media advertising. 2014 promises to be a year of even grander developments. As a result, there are three trends in social media advertising you need to jump on board with: Facebook Video Ads. Twitter has been the big talk of 2013, and for some of us the appeal of Facebook has waned. Now is the time to rekindle the Facebook flame. Video advertising is turning into a huge 2014 social media marketing trend, as it rightfully should. After all, television advertising is still a fundamental tool in the modern advertiser’s toolbox. The world is shifting their television habit to the cyber world, which means video advertising is shifting alongside it. Facebook has been testing video advertising for a while now. They prominently feature videos in their feed organically. Their testing looks to increase in 2014, meaning video advertising is about to play a much larger role in Facebook ads after New Year’s. Overall, Facebook has become an undiscovered, underused advertising gem to many businesses that have had tunnel vision on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. You can find a few fantastic tips for boosting the popularity of your brand or business by reading our 3 Awesome Web Content Tips… blog. Twitter Ads. There’s no denying that Twitter had a big year in 2013. The platform grew substantially, even filing for and successfully completing their IPO (Internal Public Offering). Marketers the Internet over all agree: we can expect big things from Twitter. In 2013, Twitter awed us with a successful overhaul of their advertising interface and an increase in targeting functionality. They launched TV ad … Read more

How to Create Killer Seasonal Content For Your Social Media & Blogs

January 2, 2021January 8, 2014 by Adam Oakley

So the holidays are here—we are in the thick of it. Did you hit a store on Black Friday to buy five TVs you didn’t need just because they were on sale? How fun was it fighting the masses of people bumping into one another? Well imagine how it is on the business themselves. Are you a business owner? Either way the holiday rush leaves little time to attend to things like social media. Now for businesses, social media and blogs are great promotional tools. As a business owner these should not be abandoned just because of the holidays. In fact, it can be a fun way to get people in the doors. Who is up for a surprise sale? “10% discount for the next hour.” Think of offers that get people engaged and entices them to come in “NOW”. Creating Content Over the Holidays: 6 Social Media Tips For Businesses For the average Joe and Jane your social media and blog content can probably use a holiday break. But it is a valuable tool for you. Sure, it isn’t about money or getting your customers in the doors. Do you have family that lives far away though? How about friends you haven’t seen in years? They probably want to know what is going on with you and your family. Your parents in Fort Lauderdale want to see pictures of the grandkids in Flagstaff. So in a way it is important for you to be proactive on social media and your blog this holiday season and next. But the busyness of the season! How do you find the time to do it right? Let’s start by assuming you are a business (If you are not a business then read these for fun and move on to the you are a person category.) 1. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Once upon a time there was one social network and you could check in once a day and that was that. Now there are one dozen (at least). Update Facebook, Tweet this, Instagram that, so on and so on. It can be a full time job updating all of this stuff, just ask any 13 year old girl who spends 24/7 online. Focus on the biggest social networks and the places where you have the most frequency. Don’t worry about updating every single page you maintain with social media content and blog content. Jon Henshaw, who is an internet-marketing expert, encourages his readers to, as he puts it “leverage social networks.” If you absolutely can’t find the time, a recent article on Small Business PR discusses 3rd party tools that can be used to post on your social sites at predetermined times. 2. Think ahead. You have a million things going on. Not only are you managing the needs of your business for the holidays, but that of your family too. Why not add trying to figure out what to post or blog about on top of all of that. We recently discussed maintaining a content flow during the holidays (by planning ahead) in three of our five discussion points. How do you add more onto an already unstable pile of tasks? Before bed take ten minutes to think up some things to post tomorrow Keep it simple with things that require followers to build content. Polls and contests are good. Photographs. They take no time and little effort. Shots of holiday dishes, sales, etc. Plan way ahead and in September and October prepare a list of subjects. Remember they must cover Halloween to New Years. 3. Branch out. Step outside the box of your normal content. The holiday season is a fun time, so be fun with it. Find or create funny holiday photos to post to your social media page or blog. Do you own a motorcycle dealer? Then fire up Photoshop and pop Santa on a Harley. Normally you wouldn’t post silly stuff like this, but this time of year people want to enjoy themselves. Consider what you offer as well. It’s a season of giving right? So give. If you are running a retail business then go ahead and offer some exclusive deals. Give out a coupon code to your Facebook fans. How about a Twitter contest? Whoever retweets your post can be entered to win a free dinner at your restaurant. 4. Consider a cause. Once again it is the season for giving. Thanksgiving and Christmas brings about a lot of focus to charities and noble causes. Pick a charitable cause that is unique to your business or that means something to you. Now get on your social media pages and promote it. This does three valuable things. Gives you content to talk about Shows that you are not just a business but rather a community partner Ties in to deals. Donate to this cause and receive 10% off any one entrée. There are literally thousands of causes out there. Small businesses in particular should choose a cause that supports the local community. 5. Your blog is your solution. How does your business influence the holiday season? Do you run a restaurant? Then your blog content can discuss holiday meal solutions. Not everyone cooks, so maybe you offer up a complete holiday dinner. Hot and ready for your dinner table, only $12.99 per. What about writing a blog sharing your cooking tips? Come on, celebrity chefs do it. Write a blog post and give your readers a great recipe to include with their holiday meal. 6. Appreciate the people who make it possible. You can offer all the deals in the world and share all the helpful hints you can think of. The easiest thing to do though is be thankful. The fans of your business likely spend their money with you and make you successful. So do you want a brilliant idea to talk about in your seasonal social media content? Take the time to write your fans/customers a letter. You can say “thank you” … Read more