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Delivering Amazing Customer Service Using Social Media

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Delivering Amazing Customer Service Using Social Media with Scott Ayres

by | Mar 2, 2018 | ContentWritingChat

Have you ever reached out to a brand via social media for a customer service request?

Odds are, that answer is yes!

Social media has become an easy way to connect with your favorite brands, ask questions, and seek help when you need it. However, that doesn’t mean all brands are handling their customer service requests effectively.

In this week’s #ContentWritingChat, we talked all about delivery amazing customer service using social media. You’ll learn how to manage all the different platforms, how quickly you should be replying to inquiries, and so much more.

Let’s dive into the recap!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Delivering Amazing Customer Service Using Social Media with Scott Ayres

Our guest host this week was Scott Ayres. He’s part of the team over at AgoraPulse and he knows a thing or two about managing a social media presence. Scott shared some great tips with us that all brands can implement for handling customer service using social media.

Q1: How has social media impacted customer service?

There was a time when your only option was to call a brand on the phone and wait on hold until someone was able to serve you. These days, social media has changed the way we handle customer service requests as a brand. Here’s how:

As Scott pointed out, social media requires brands to deal with their customer service issues in the public eye. What was once handled privately, the world can now see.

He also said that it’s easier for complaints about a company to spread now. If a customer starts talking negatively about your brand, others may pick up on it and start sharing the message.

Social media has allowed brands and customers to connect with one another in real-time. Plus, it’s easier on the customer’s part since they no longer have to wait on hold or check their inboxes for a reply.

Iain feels social media allows brands to not only solve their customers’ problems, but they also get to show their human side.

As Lexie pointed out, customer service using social media has become a 24/7 job.

Just keep in mind that customers expect immediate responses to their concerns now!

While customer service matters were typically handled privately in the past (via phone calls), social media has allowed customers to have a voice. Their complaints can be shared for the entire world to hear.

Q2: How does customer service support on social media directly impact reputation management?

It’s become increasingly important for brands to be smart about how their managing their reputations online, especially with so many customer service requests rolling in. Here’s what you need to know to keep things going smoothly:

You have to be aware of what’s going on with your social media presence. As Scott said, one bad experience can spread. You need to do what you can to resolve issues as soon as possible.

Lexie brought up a great point about how everything is public now. Your audience can see the complaints you’re getting, as well as how you’re handling them. And how you respond to criticism says a lot about your brand.

As Maria pointed out, there’s no where to hide! Everything is on display for the world to see when it comes to social media. That’s why it’s so important, now more than ever, to handle customer service requests with care.

How you handle customer opinions and complaints says a lot about your brand. Kathryn had her opinion of a brand completely changed when they took the time to reach out to her. It shows that you care about your customers.

If you don’t take action fast, it can turn off your audience. The last thing you want is for them to spread even more complaints. Julia’s advice is to treat any issues with the highest priority.

Don’t lose your customers because you failed to address their issues on social media. Respond in a timely fashion and do so with kindness.

Make sure you’re actively listening for issues that you can address before they get too out of hand. Don’t wait for people to come to you. And don’t expect them to always tag you when they’re talking about your brand. Search your brand name to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Q3: How can businesses use social media to support objectives and build/maintain customer relationships?

As a brand, how can social media allow you to build stronger relationships with your customers? These tips are great to keep in mind:

Scott knows that being human goes a long way. Your audience doesn’t really want to talk to a bot. Be yourself and be helpful as you resolve any issues they may have.

A little personality ensures the customer service will truly stand out.

When you spend time interacting with your audience, it’s almost like you become a friend of theirs. And you really can’t beat that!

You can also use surveys, polls, and Q&A sessions to learn more about your audience.

Don’t be afraid to just ask what their pain points are to determine where you can make improvements.

Cheval suggests joining Twitter chats because they’re a great way to get to know your audience better.

A positive customer service experience can lead to a long-lasting relationship, so treat every situation with care. Don’t risk losing your customers.

Social listening is a fantastic way to see what your audience is talking about and what they may think of your brand.

A happy customer is sure to spread the word about your brand. And you really can’t go wrong with that kind of word-of-mouth exposure.

Q4: How can a small business maintain a high level of customer service without outsourcing?

If you’re a small business, you might not have the funds to outsource customer service using social media. However, that doesn’t mean you’re doomed! Check out this advice from the chat to help you better manage it all:

Ideally, you want to designate someone to handle your social media presence. This way, you’ll always have someone ready to tackle anything that comes up.

If you can’t dedicate one single person to the task, you can always have employees take turns manning this role. Just be sure to provide some sort of guidelines so they understand how to respond while also staying on brand.

Lexie suggests using tools to make the job easier. There are plenty that can help you monitor mentions of your brand.

Sarah also suggests finding tools to help you out. Social media is much easier to manage this way.

Cass shared some great tips that are also worth implementing. You can add your customer service hours in your bio, which allows your audience to see when you’re online. Having alerts helps notify you when a message comes through. And keeping an updated FAQ page should help limit the amount of customer service requests you receive.

Varun’s advice is to prioritize one or two platforms and really direct your focus there. You don’t need to overwhelm yourself by being everywhere.

Just don’t forget to set up those alerts so you see any mention of your brand that gets posted!

Q5: How can small businesses keep up with all the social media platforms available today?

With so many platforms out there, how can we possibly stay updated with everyone? Here’s some advice that’ll help you out so you don’t get overwhelmed:

Scott says you don’t need to be everywhere. Spend time where your audience is and you’ll have the best results with your efforts.

Ben agrees that you should focus on the platforms that are relevant to your business. Then, you can concentrate on those to provide value to your audience.

Clones could certainly help! However, Gene knows it’s best to focus on just a few platforms. Eventually, you can expand to others when you have the resources to do so.

Cass agrees, saying you should focus on two or three platforms and then branch out later on when you have the ability.

Just because a new social media platform comes on the scene, it doesn’t mean you have to jump on it right away!

Sarah’s advice is to get some tools to help you manage it all. TweetDeck and Hootsuite can be life-savers for those working in social media.

Q6: How fast should companies be expected to respond on social media?

When handling customer service using social media, people expect quick responses. And that can be a little intimidating to brands, especially since they have other things to work on. Here’s how quickly you should aim to respond:

As Scott said, you really need to reply as fast as you can. Your customers don’t want to be kept waiting, nor do they want a canned response or a reply from a bot.

Lexie made a great point that it depends on the size of your brand. Larger brands will likely have more resources than a small business. However, no matter your brand’s size, you still need to reply promptly.

Cheval said it’s best to answer customer service requests within one day.

For Iain, he says responding within the hour is ideal. However, he recognizes that it all depends on the resources you have.

For major issues, Julia likes to respond within 15 minutes. For sales or new client inquiries, her goal is to get a same-day response.

Randy pointed out that response times can also vary by industry. Some really need to respond faster than others, especially services like an airline.

Whatever you do, don’t rush to send out a poor response. You need to reply in a timely fashion, but make sure you’re still addressing the issue at hand.

If there’s ever any delay in your response, kindly apologize to your customer and then provide any help they need.

Q7: What companies are crushing it with customer service on social media?

You can learn a lot from the brands that are already succeeding at customer service using social media. Check out these brands to see why they stand out:

Brands that stand out to Scott include Wendy’s, Nike, JetBlue.

Lexie has seen Starbucks, Fitbit, and other brands doing a great job with customer service using social media.

Buffer is definitely a great example!

Jade has had great experience with Apple, plus he was impressed with how KFC in England handled their own fiasco.

Canva shines when it comes to customer support.

Applebee’s, Buffer, and DiGiorno are just a few brands Julia thinks have done a great job.

Gene got a pretty impressive display when he complained about one company’s main competitor!

Eddie also mentioned that some of the best companies are the ones who have dedicated service handles on Twitter. This helps to keep your main feed free of clutter.

Q8: What tools do you use to monitor social media and handle customer service?

Luckily, there are some amazing tools to make all of this hard work easier. These are some great suggestions we received during Tuesday’s chat:

The team at AgoraPulse obviously uses their own tool, but they rely on Intercom as well.

Julia is a big fan of MeetEdgar, BuzzSumo, and TweetDeck.

TweetDeck, Hootsuite, and analytics are go-to tools for Sarah. However, she also said that email and phone calls are effective as well.

SproutSocial is a great one to check out.

Eddie relies on Hootsuite to get the job done.

Just like Eddie above, Cheval also likes to use Hootsuite to monitor social media conversations.

Would you like to join the next #ContentWritingChat? Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat and be sure to join us every Tuesday at 10 AM Central!
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#ContentWritingChat Recap: Social Media Engagement Strategies

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Social Media Engagement Strategies

by | Sep 15, 2017 | ContentWritingChat

This week, we had another community chat hour during #ContentWritingChat! We previously had our participants vote on topics they wanted to see for future chats and many voted for a chat on social media engagement strategies. It’s always a hot topic and we knew everyone would have some amazing advice to share!

If you’ve been wanting to step up your social media engagement, get ready to take some notes and keep reading for our recap!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Social Media Engagement Strategies

Using social media as a way to engage your audience is crucial when you’re building a presence online. It’s a powerful tool to build relationships and establish trust. But if you’re struggling to make those connections, we’re here to help! The tips in this recap will help you boost your engagement on every platform you use.

Q1: What does social media engagement look like to you?

What are you tracking when it comes to social media engagement? There are a few things that are important to measure in order to see results. Here’s what our participants look out for:

Julia doesn’t measure success on social media in terms of vanity metrics. She focuses on real conversations and clicks on the content she shares.

Conversations are key to measure when on social media! Pay attention to your comments and take the time to engage with others.

It’s all about the replies! There’s no denying that it’s a good feeling when people respond to the content you share online. Make sure you give them the courtesy of replying and getting the conversation started.

As Erika said, it’s all about being engaged WITH your community, instead of broadcasting AT them. Conversation is a two-way street, friends!

Lexie agrees that it’s about talking with the people in your audience.

Bill knows that you can’t self-promote all the time. You need to put effort into engaging with others through real-time conversations.

Not only is engagement about interacting with customers, it’s also about showing them you care.

Meaningful conversations are what really matters when it comes to social media engagement.

Take the time to interact with your audience. Ask questions. Reply to them. Make sure you’re adding value with everything you do.

Q2: Why is it important to measure social media ROI?

Are you tracking your results on social media to see how your content is actually performing? If not, you should be! Here’s why it’s important:

When you track your ROI, it tells you what’s working and what’s resonating with your audience. As Lexie said, this is important when crafting your overall social media strategy.

Track metrics to know that your time and money is being well spent! You need to track in order to do more of what’s working for you.

When you’re part of a larger team, you’ll often have to give proof that your efforts are working to those who are higher up. Track ROI and record the results in a way that’s easy to read.

When you keep an eye on metrics, you’ll be able to see if the social media campaigns you created are effective.

Javier knows you want to measure the productiveness of your time, efforts, and money when it comes to social media.

Q3: What are the right KPIs to track social media engagement?

Now that you know the importance of tracking your efforts on social media, which metrics should you be paying attention to? This is what you need to know:

Simply Measured shared a great graphic to help answer this question!

Tracking your social media mentions is very beneficial because it provides plenty of feedback.

Max likes using Facebook’s analytics to see what’s not working well for him and what is. This will help you create more content that resonates with your audience so you can see better results in the future.

Lexie knows that what you measure will also depend on the content you’re sharing. Your goal can differ, so know what you’re hoping to achieve.

Q4: What types of content track the most engagement in your experience?

So, what kind of content reigns supreme when it comes to encouraging social media engagement? That’s going to depend on your brand and your audience! However, here are some suggestions straight from our chat:

Creative, multimedia, relevant and of value, concise, emotional, and consistent are the essentials according to Gaby.

Julia has seen great results from visuals we’ve shared, especially infographics. She even notices collaborative content that features others has gotten plenty of engagement.

It’s all about creating great copy and eye-catching visuals if you want your post to stand out in a busy social media feed.

Polls and questions are another great way to spark engagement with your audience.

Visual content is a must on social media! Andrea also feels humor is a nice ice breaker.

Make sure your content solves problems your audience is facing to provide tremendous value. Martin also said content that engages asks questions. It’s a great way to get people talking.

Address the needs and problems your audience is struggling with by getting to know their needs.

Q5: Quality visuals can increase engagement on social. How can you create strong visuals that resonate?

Now that we know the importance of visuals on social media, we need to learn how to create ones that stand out. Check out this advice from the chat:

Visuals should supplement the message you’re sharing, as Jason said. Make sure visuals and copy work together, otherwise it just won’t make sense.

Zala said to know the platform you’re using. You want to make sure you target your image to the platform you’ll be sharing it on.

Gaby certainly has a winning formula for creating great visuals!

Erika suggests using Canva, whether you’re creating graphics with your own images or stock photos.

Lexie is also a fan of Canva because it makes designing easy for those who aren’t artistic.

Ken feels the same about Canva! He collects the imagery for this content and uses Canva to find the perfect layout.

Another great tool to try out is Adobe Spark.

Q6: How do you manage engagement across multiple social media platforms?

Considering most of us are using numerous social media platforms in our daily lives, it can be a lot of work to manage them all. How can you get the job done with minimal stress? Take a look at this advice to help make your social media tasks a little easier:

Make sure you focus on the platforms your audience is using. You don’t have to spread yourself too thin or get overwhelmed by trying to be everywhere.

As Logan said, the best platforms are the ones your target audience is actively using. Make sure you are where they are so they’ll see your content.

Sarah and the team at ThinkSEM rely on Hootsuite, Buffer, TweetDeck, and Google Analytics.

For Erika, Hootsuite and SproutSocial are her go-to tools!

Buffer is another great option for scheduling content and measuring analytics.

Here at Express Writers, we rely on MeetEdgar to keep our social media queues filled with great content.

Q7: Where are brands going wrong on social media in terms of engagement?

Unfortunately, a lot of brands are still getting it wrong when it comes to social media engagement. Make sure you avoid making the same mistakes by reading this advice:

Don’t try to be everywhere. Focus on where your audience is and invest the time and effort into those platforms.

Ignoring your customers and messages you receive is a huge mistake. Use social media to communicate and get to know them.

Jason feels brands need to share content that actually drives conversations and feedback. If you’re not, you’re missing out on value information! He also said to reply back when you receive responses to get the conversation going.

If you aren’t interacting with your community, you’re doing it wrong!

Ken knows that self-promotion is fine, but you can’t forget about engagement. Engagement should be something you do on a regular basis to build relationships with your audience.

Be human and show genuine interest! Listen to what people are saying, ask questions, and take the time to respond. Gaby knows that being social is a must on social media, after all!

Q8: What are your favorite resources for learning about social media?

In order to step-up your social media engagement, you should stay updated on what’s going on in the field. There are plenty of resources you can turn to for this! Here are some great ideas:

As Ken said, Twitter chats are a great place to learn more about social media engagement strategies, as well as many other topics.

Julia relies on Social Media Examiner, Social Media Today, and Content Marketing Institute.

Lexie is also a fan of Social Media Today and Social Media Examiner.

We have another fan of these two websites, so they’re worth checking out if you haven’t already.

Content Marketing Institute, Social Media Examiner, Tech Crunch, VentureBeat, and Pinterest are go-to resources for Carla.

Sarah knows being present on social media is really the best way to learn about social media. Be active on the platforms you use and don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things to see what works for you.

Join us for #ContentWritingChat every Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time! Be sure to follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat for the latest!

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#ContentWritingChat Recap: Instagram Stories for Business with Sue B. Zimmerman

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Instagram Stories for Business with Sue B. Zimmerman

by | Apr 14, 2017 | ContentWritingChat

Are you using Instagram Stories for your brand? If not, you should be! And if you’re wondering how to get started, our latest #ContentWritingChat is perfect for you. If you missed out, dive into the recap below, which is filled with awesome tips brands can use to impress on Instagram Stories.

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Instagram Stories for Business with Sue B. Zimmerman

Our guest host this week was the Instagram Expert herself, Sue B. Zimmerman. Sue is no stranger to posting content on Instagram Stories, so she shared her tips on how we can all be using it to connect with our audience and grow our online presence.

Q1: Is it important for a brand to be present on Instagram Stories? How can it help your brand?

Is it really necessary for a brand to be using Instagram Stories? And how exactly can this Instagram feature help a brand’s online presence? Find out what our chat participants think about it below:

Sue feels Instagram Stories can be great for brands if they have a strategy their audience would be interested in watching. After all, it comes down to having interesting content that your target audience would want to tune into.

Varun knows that millennials and many others connect with real, human stories. Instagram Stories provides a great way for you to share that with your audience.

It’s a great way to personalize your brand and allow your followers to get to know you. When they get to see who you are and what you’re all about, they’ll form a stronger connection with your brand.

You can easily bring your audience up close and personal with your brand through your Stories content.

Q2: How do you know if Instagram Stories is right for your audience? Should you also be using Snapchat or stick to just one?

Before you begin using Instagram Stories, it’s important that you consider if it’s right for your brand and your audience. While it may work for someone else, it might not be the ideal move for you, so you have to think about it first. Check out this advice on how to know if it’s right for you and if you should also use Snapchat:

Sue said Instagram Stories can work for any business, as long as it aligns with your core business values.

When choosing between Instagram Stories and Snapchat, you want to consider where your audience is. Use the platform that they’re actively using so you stand a better chance at getting seen.

Take the time to do your research before investing the effort into another platform. Ask yourself if your customers are spending time on Instagram Stories. Are your competitors doing well there? These are important things to consider before diving in.

If your audience likes your content on Instagram Stories, Snapchat may work for you as well. If you want to find out, the best way is to just give it a go and see what happens.

Lucy also recommends testing to see which platform is ideal for your brand and audience. Try sharing content to each and see which one gets the most engagement.

As Mallie said, it’s important that you don’t share the same content on both channels. If you have people following you on Instagram Stories and Snapchat, it’ll be repetitive. Find ways to change it up so that it stays fresh and interesting.

Q3: What kind of content should you create and post to your Instagram Stories?

Once you’ve made the decision to commit to Instagram Stories, you need to decide what you’ll post there. After all, you can’t just post any old thing. It has to be relevant and appealing to your audience. Here’s some helpful advice so you can create amazing content for Stories:

Sue recommends sharing exclusive content to your Stories. This gives people a reason to come back and watch more every time they see you have new content. She said to share a glimpse into your business, which is an amazing way to give a behind-the-scenes look.

Remember that when creating content for any social media platform, it all goes back to your audience. You should find a way to serve them and deliver the content they need.

Julia’s advice is to get creative with the content you share on your Instagram Stories. It’s the best way to captivate and engage your audience, so make sure it’s original and interesting.

Keep it engaging and entertaining! Ask yourself what you would want to see and what your audience would really be interested in.

You can easily give people an inside look into what your business does. Your audience will love the behind-the-scenes look into what you do and it’ll help form an even stronger connection with them.

Sara suggests showing people what a day in your life is like. This gives you an opportunity to share the content you wouldn’t post anywhere else.

No matter what, make it personal and valuable for those who will be watching it. You want to make sure you’re giving them something they’d be interested in watching.

Q4: What makes an incredible, captivating Instagram story that your audience will love?

What’s the secret to creating amazing Instagram Stories content? Check out these tips:

Sue’s advice is to create content that entertains, educates, inspires, or makes someone laugh.

Personality is key when sharing to something like Instagram Stories. People want to see you’re human and get to know you.

Content that is relevant, captivating, timely, and appeals to their emotions is the winning formula.

Make your audience feel like you’re speaking directly to them by delivering what they want.

Have a purpose to everything you share and provide value to your audience. Encourage them to interact with you.

Julia mentioned that she loves the “truth bombs” and inspirational rants that Gary Vaynerchuk shares on Instagram Stories. He knows this is the type of content that will resonate with his audience, so he makes sure to share it often.

Q5: For those who are camera shy, discuss ways to help get more comfortable being on screen.

Many of us feel a little nervous appearing in front of the camera. It can be intimidating and we often worry about what others will think or say. To help you get over being camera shy, keep this advice in mind:

Sue’s advice is to speak to the camera as if you were talking to one person.

The best way to become comfortable in front of the camera is to be in front of the camera. The more you practice, the better you will be at it.

Jot down a few talking points before you go live to help you stay on track. Be confident in yourself and know that you’re doing great.

When you speak the camera as if you were talking to a friend, it’s so much easier to be on camera.

People who are tuning into your Stories aren’t looking for perfection, so don’t obsess over making things perfect. Be authentic and people will resonate with that.

Julia agrees that authenticity is more important than perfection.

The best thing you can do? Just do it!

Q6: In what ways can you increase ROI by using Instagram Stories? How can you get a viewer to take the next step with your brand?

Because you want to make sure your viewers take action after viewing your Instagram Stories, you need to know how to actually make it happen. These tips will help you increase your ROI:

Sue knows including a call to action is essential to getting people to take that next step. She also said to provide clear, concise information so people will want to take action.

It really is as simple as including a call to action within your story. Tell people what they should do next.

Mallie said to make sure the steps are clear and provide people with a call to action on what to do next.

Jeremy also knows how important a call to action is, but he also said to to engage in conversations. It’s so important to begin making connections with your audience.

Tell people to click the link in your bio, give them sneak peeks on your blog posts so they’ll want to read it when it’s live, and tag people in your posts. If you have the ability to use the “Swipe Up” feature, then use it!

If you’re working on a new product, Emily suggests telling people when it’ll be available. You can also share sneak peeks to build hype.

Q7: How can you know if your Instagram Stories are a success? Are there key metrics to track?

Once you’re posting on Instagram Stories, it’s important to see if your content is actually a success. If it is, you know you’re on the right track. If not, you have to figure out where you can make changes. Take a look at the following advice so you can know if your stories are a hit and which metrics you should track:

Sue said to see who is viewing your stories and watching until the end. It gives you a good idea of how interested people are in your content.

Are people watching your Stories and actually watching them all the way through? Or are you seeing drop-offs in view count? You want to see that people are staying tuned in.

Julia takes it a step further and reaches out to viewers of her story. It’s a great way to make a connection with your audience.

Jeff also agrees in tracking how long people are tuning in. It shows you who your top advocates are and which stories are the most engaging.

Engagement is a great one to track because you want to see that your content is resonating with people.

In the end, the success of your Stories goes back to your specific goals. Know what you’re trying to achieve with your posts and measure results accordingly.

Q8: Which brands are killing it at Instagram Stories these days? Tag them!

Which brands do an amazing job at their Stories content? Check out these awesome people and get some inspiration from them:

Sue loves watching posts from Drybar, Benefit, Lilly Pulitzer, and Chase Jarvis.

Sarah thinks Barbox is doing a great job with their Stories.

Julia is a fan of Gary Vaynerchuk and our guest host, Sue B. Zimmerman.

Buffer’s Brian Peters does a fantastic job at sharing valuable content.

Join our Twitter chat every Tuesday! Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on the conversation.

#Contentwritingchat

#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Create Brand Social Media Content that Stands Out in 2017 with Jessie Simms

#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Create Brand Social Media Content that Stands Out in 2017 with Jessie Simms

by | Jan 20, 2017 | ContentWritingChat

Did you catch #ContentWritingChat this past Tuesday? We talked all about how to creating social media content in 2017 and the chat was filled with amazing tips that will turn you into a social media sensation. Check it out in our recap and start putting these tips to use for yourself!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Create Brand Social Media Content that Stands Out in 2017 with Jessie Simms


This week, our guest host was Jessie Simms. Jessie is a Social Media Specialist at Page 1 Solutions and assists with their bi-weekly Twitter chat, #Page1Chat. She joined us to share her knowledge on creating social media content for brands so that you can stand out on the platforms you use this year.

Q1: Which social media platforms are important to be on in 2017?

With so many social media platforms available to us today, it can be hard to choose which ones you should invest your time in. To help you out, check out these suggestions for which platforms you should be using this year:

As Jessie said, you need to be where your audience is That’s always the number one priority when deciding which social media platforms are worth your time. She said that if Snapchat and live video make sense for your brand, they’re worth trying out. So, figure out if your audience is using Snapchat or if they’re tuning into live video broadcasts. If they are, give it a go!

Sarah from ThinkSEM agrees with Jessie’s advice. Figure out where your audience is and where you are getting the best results with your content. That will give you an idea of which platforms work the best for you and your brand.

This is great advice from Bill. Find out where your audience spends their time, but also consider which platforms make the most sense for your content and the goals you’re trying to achieve. It’s all about finding the platforms that for YOU and that might not be the same as what someone else is using.

Our CEO, Julia, said her top three platforms are Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Not only should you consider where your audience is spending their time, but it’s also a good idea to choose the platforms that you enjoy creating content for.

Instagram is a great platform to be on this year. If you already have a presence there, now is the time to step it up by using Instagram Stories and Instagram Live. These newer features are key ways to connect with your audience this year.

Kristi knows that video is going to be big in 2017, as it has been for the past few years. Video content provides a powerful way to connect and develop a relationship with your audience, so now is the time to use it. She recommends using Instagram and Snapchat, plus Facebook Live.

If you find that a platform just isn’t working for you, there’s no need to force it. Every social media platform won’t work for every brand. So, if you’re not getting the results you were hoping for, try switching up your strategy first. If that doesn’t work, it’s time to part ways. There’s no point in investing time and energy into a platform that just doesn’t click for you.

Q2: How can you figure out exactly what your audience wants to see on your social media profiles?

Once you’ve chosen the platforms you want to use for your brand, you need to begin creating content. However, that’s often easier said than done. To start off, you need to figure out what your audience is interested in seeing from you. Here are some tips to help you figure that out:

Jessie recommends seeing what your audience is already engaging with. You can do this by sharing content you think they’d like and seeing what their response is. Check your analytics to see which posts get the most clicks, replies, and shares.

“Listen” is the keyword in Erica’s tweet. It’s so important to take the time to actually listen to what your audience is saying if you hope to get to know them better. You’ll find out which content resonates with them and what they’d like to see more of.

Andy said to look to some of the leaders in your industry. Check out what they’re doing to see what’s working for them and what’s not. You don’t want to copy them, but you can get an idea of what resonates with their audience and try something similar for yourself. You can even look at the questions they’re asked most often and address them with your own content.

As Julia mentioned, you can even go on sites like Answer the Public or Quora to find out what your audience is asking. When you know what they need help with, you can deliver it to them.

If you really aren’t sure where to get started, you can always ask your audience what they’d like to see. Ask what their interests are and what they’re struggling with. You can then create the content that appeals to them. It really is as simple as that! It’s also a good idea to run tests to find out what works for you and what doesn’t.

Once you figure out what your audience is resonating with, start creating more of that kind of content. Be sure to track the results you’re getting, including the all important conversions. If your conversions aren’t happening, then something needs to be tweaked.

Q3: Do you suggest using an editorial calendar to plan out your social media content in advance?

If you’re a blogger, you likely use an editorial calendar to plan out your post topics so you can stay organized. So, have you tried using an editorial calendar for your social media content? Here’s what some of our chat participants had to say on Tuesday:

Jessie agrees that it’s good to plan content in advance, but she said it’s important to be flexible. You may need to make changes in order to accommodate trends or hot topics that pop up. She also said to make sure you’re not just automating posts and forgetting to engage with your audience. In order to build a relationship with them, you need to be present by talking to them.

Lexie from Netvantage Marketing and Jeremy both agree that flexibility is key when creating an editorial calendar for your social media content. You need to be open to tweaking your content.

Make sure you also incorporate timely posts into your social media sharing as well. These are posts that can’t be planned, but helps to keep things “real-time” and more personable.

A calendar helps you to see what’s coming up in the near future. Plus, when you already have ideas planned out, it’ll help to alleviate the stress of coming up with content at the last minute.

Q4: What tools do you love for managing social media?

Here at Express Writers, we don’t hide our love for Buffer when it comes to scheduling social media content. We wanted to find out which tools our Twitter chat friends liked using and here’s what some of them had to say:

Jessie is a fan of SproutSocial, which is a great platform for managing your social media presence.

Just like Erica, we have to spread that Buffer love! We use Buffer to schedule social media content for Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+.

For Lex, her two go-to tools for social media are Hootsuite and Google spreadsheets.

Jill likes using Buffer and Hootsuite for her personal accounts, but her work uses Social Studio.

Buffer, Hootsuite, IFTTT, Crowdire, and TweetDeck are must-have tools for Varun. He also likes to use the native social media apps, many of which have their own analytics built-in. All of these tools will come in handy when scheduling social media content and tracking.

If you’re looking for tools to manage your Pinterest presence, BoardBooster and Tailwind are fantastic options, as Leah suggested.

The Digital Natives team recently started using Sendible for their social media management. We haven’t heard of this one before, but it sounds like it’s worth checking out!

Michelle relies on social listening tools such as Mention, Brand Watch, and Google Alerts to stay updated. These are definitely worth checking out if you want to see what your audience is saying.

Q5: Talk about the kinds of content that stand out in a busy feed.

Considering social media is so populated and we’re often following a lot of people, it can be hard to stand out in a busy feed. If you want to get your content noticed every time you post, keep these tips in mind:

Jessie knows how powerful a great image can be when it comes to grabbing the attention of your audience and getting them to take notice. She mentioned that GoPro does a great job with the visuals they share and Tasty is fantastic at making mouth-watering recipe videos.

When sharing photos or videos, make sure they complement your written content by being relevant and telling a story. It’s a great way to connect with your audience and to inspire them to take action.

Here at Express Writers, we ensure our graphics are amazing by having a professional design take care of it. It’s made a huge difference in our social media content and our blog content.

Consider adding a meme, a GIF, or a photo to your posts. When people are scrolling through their feed, it’ll be your visual that catches their eye and makes them stop.

Those visuals are a sure-fire way to grab attention!

Infographics are always a great option for social sharing, plus video continues to become even more popular.

Outside of including a great visual with your post, you should also use the right hashtags to get noticed by your target audience. Hashtags will increase your likelihood of getting discovered, so make sure you’re using them.

Sarah’s recipe for a fantastic social media post includes: a catching headline, a great images, relevancy, and solving a problem your audience is dealing with.

Q6: Describe the types of posts that work best on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

If you’re cross-posting the same content to multiple platforms, you’re doing it wrong! You need to adapt each post you share to the platform you’re sharing it on. Here are some tips on what works for Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram:

When it comes to Instagram, it’s all about visuals. Share high-quality photos and have fun with Boomerang clips. For Facebook, give video a go and see how your audience responds to it. Keep it short and sweet on Twitter to get the best results with your social media content.

Due to the character limitations on Twitter, you don’t have a lot of room to work with. For that reason, Sarah knows you need to have a catchy title and an image that will grab the attention of your audience.

Even though Facebook may allow you to go well beyond Twitter’s character limit, that doesn’t mean you should. BuzzSumo recently released a study that said shorter Facebook posts perform the best.

On Twitter, share news and timely posts. Post amazing images on Instagram.

No matter what you share or where you’re sharing it, make sure that you have your target audience in mind. Create the content that is relevant to them and encourage them to take action.

Great answer from Jeremy! Your content should be simple, authentic, powerful, and helpful with an emotional hook. It should also tell a story and solve a problem for your audience.

Jacob offered up a helpful tip when it comes to creating social media visuals. He said to make sure you’re using the right size. Each platform recommends a specific image size and tools like Canva make it easy to design specifically for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and more.

Q7: What steps can you take to make sure your content gets more traction and clicks?

When posting to social media, it’s all about making those conversions happen, right? In order to get results, you want to make sure your social media content is being seen and that people are actually clicking on your links. For some help, read through this advice from the chat:

You’re sure to see results when you follow Jessie’s advice! Make sure that you stay authentic and true to your brand with everything you post. Don’t forget to also engage with your audience instead of letting your profile because 100% automated. And, as always, be strategic about your content and track your results.

As Julia said, you need to analyze and track your social media content. This is the only way to figure out what’s actually working for you and what’s not. When you know what does work, you can create more of that content to keep seeing great results.

Ask your audience what they want to see from you if you aren’t sure. Then, create the kind of content they want and need. Make sure you’re following that up by evaluating how each piece of content did. Your analytics should be your best friend.

Track, analyze, and test! As Maria said, there are always ways to perform better with your content and your analytics will show you where to improve.

Jenn said to test, explore, and interact. That’s key to social media success!

Lauren’s advice is to stop posting just for the sake of posting. You should only be publishing content that is valuable to your audience. There’s no need to clog up someone’s social media feed with a bunch of fluff.

Cassandra said to share the content that is relevant to your audience and add keywords and hashtags. This will help to get more eyes on your content.

Don’t get too caught up in the numbers game. The amount of followers you have isn’t doing you any good if they aren’t the right people for your brand. Attract your target audience by sharing relevant content.

One other thing you can do? Join us for #ContentWritingChat and implement all of the helpful tips you learn. You’ll be a social media sensation in no time at all! Thanks, Elliot!

Q8: Will live video be important to your social media strategy in 2017? Should it? Discuss strategies to succeed when going live.

Live video continues to be the popular thing when it comes to social media, so more and more brand are taking action. Here’s what we found out from our chat participants regarding live video:

As Jessie said, live video is great because it gives the audience the inside look into a brand. It’s fun, authentic, and relatable, which really speaks to your audience and draws them in. However, she also said you need to have a purpose for going live. Create a loose plan for what you want to talk about so you can provide value to those that tune in.

If live video is something your audience is tuning into and it fits with your content marketing plan, it’s worth trying it out this year. If it doesn’t work out, don’t sweat it.

Because live video feels more personal and less formal, it’s what draws so many people to tune in. It’s sure to help in building that know, like, and trust factor with your audience.

Live video is something that Jenn has been experimenting with. Even if you don’t have it all figured out yet, such as where you’ll go live or what to talk about, that’s fine. It’s just important to recognize that it’s a growing trend and you should try it out at least once!

We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Top Content & Strategy Tips to Support Live Video with Jennifer Radke

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Top Content & Strategy Tips to Support Live Video with Jennifer Radke

by | Jan 13, 2017 | ContentWritingChat

Did you catch this week’s #ContentWritingChat? Whether you missed the chat or you’re in need of a refresher, you’re in luck! We have a recap of our latest chat and it’s filled with all kinds of amazing tips that are sure to help you become a live video pro. Keep reading to check it out!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Top Content & Strategy Tips to Support Live Video with Jennifer Radke


Our guest host this week was Jennifer Radke. She’s passionate about social media and is the CEO of the National Institute for Social Media. Jen joined this week’s chat to talk all about live video, as it continues to be very popular in the social media world. She shared some amazing tips with us that will help you make your your next live video (or your first) amazing!

Q1: Platforms for live video: how do you pick live platforms to fit you or your brand? Why?

There are many live video platforms these days and it can be hard to decide which one is right for your brand. You can use Facebook Live, Instagram Live, or even Periscope. So, how do you pick? Check out this advice:

Jen’s advice is to consider where your audience is already, plus the functions and features of the platform. You want to make sure that they live video platform you use is really going to work for you and allow you to get the best results possible.

Tracy said to figure out where your followers are. Find out what they care about and what they talk about. These are all great things to consider when choosing a platform.

It’s always a great idea to start with the platforms your audience is already using. It’s the best way to ensure your broadcast is being seen by the right people.

In addition to determining where your audience is and whether or not it’s going to support your goals, Sara recommends finding out if you can repurpose it. Being able to repurpose your live broadcast is very beneficial.

It’s often easier to start with the platforms you’re already familiar with. If you already have a following there, there’s a huge bonus. If you have a good following on your Facebook page, try Facebook Live. The same goes for Instagram.

This is great advice from the Digital Natives team!

Q2: Live video sessions: what steps should you take to prepare?

Now that you’ve chosen a platform to do your live video broadcast, it’s time to go live! So, what can you do to prepare? These tips will help ensure everything goes smoothly:

Jen suggests knowing what your goals are before you go live. What’s the reason you’re going live and what do you hope to achieve with your broadcast? You should also write an outline so you know what you’ll talk about. And don’t forget to make sure all your technology is working beforehand. There’s nothing more frustrating than technical difficulties!
Another great idea is to promote your live broadcast before it actually begins. If you’re going to be talking about a hot topic you know your audience will love, tell them beforehand so they don’t miss out.

Have some notes written before you go live. You don’t want to write out a full script because that’s not genuine and in the moment. However, it’s a good idea to have some main talking points in mind that you can refer to. This will ensure you don’t lose track and you can refer to it if there’s a lull in engagement from your viewers.

Lexie advises not relying on the questions you receive in comments from your viewers. If no one shows up or you don’t get any questions, you’ll have nothing to talk about. Know what you want to chat about before you go live.

Cassandra said to write out your talking points and also knowing how you’re going to handle questions and engaging with your audience. This will help make sure your broadcast is great.

Georgina’s advice is to focus on providing timely value and showcasing you personality. That’s what will make people keep watching.

Be prepared for anything! It’s live video and you never know what could happen.

Q3: How can live video support existing content strategies?

Are you still not convinced on how live video can work with your existing content? These tweets will tell you why it’s a must:

Jen suggests repurposing your content in live videos as a way to reach a different audience. You can get even more people checking out your stuff this way.

As Jessie said, people enjoy seeing inside your brand. Live video provides a way to give your audience the behind-the-scenes scoop.

The Digital Natives team agrees when it comes to behind-the-scenes content. Give people a look inside your latest campaign, an event, or your day-to-day work.

Shereese brought up a great point about how live video can give you automatic feedback from your audience. It’s very helpful!

Leah said to use your live video as a way to direct people to even more content. Provide a call to action and give them the next step so they know where to go when the broadcast is over.

Video will give your existing content a new voice, which is a great way to connect with your audience.

Gabriela said live video can appeal to a visual audience, humanize your brand, and help you connect with your audience emotionally via storytelling.

Q4: Discuss how to repurpose live video and how to use live recordings in other content types.

You don’t have to let your live video disappear after 24 hours or let it sit on one platform. You can repurpose it so more people outside of the live viewers can enjoy it. Check out these tips:

Jen suggests taking smaller pieces of your live video and creating quotes or sharing statistics. You can even write a blog post recap about your broadcast.

For platforms that allow you to download and save your live video broadcast, you can upload them to YouTube. This will allow your audience to watch it again and again, whenever is convenient.

It’s a good idea to consider some of the questions you get asked during a live session because they could become future blog posts.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas. You can take transcripts from your live video and repurpose it into recaps for your blog, infographics, or quotes. They’re all great ideas!

Tracy recommends editing your video into shorter snippets and sharing them as quick tips. You can also add subtitles or use your video as a boosted post on Facebook.

Q5: Authenticity is important in live video. How do you keep it authentic while prepping in advance?

You don’t want your live video to seem rehearsed, so you need to keep it genuine and authentic. Here’s how to do it:

Jen said not to over practice beforehand. You don’t want the video to have a scripted feel, so just go with the flow. If you make a mistake, it’s no big deal.

Come with a topic and talking points in mind, but don’t prepare a script. It just won’t flow and it’s not the way a live video on social media should be.

Matt said to keep your message natural, not canned. As others have already said, ditch the script.

Focus on informing your audience and providing value to them. While it’s okay to sell via your live broadcasts, don’t be overly salesy or pushy.

As Debi said, if you know what you’re talking about, it should come easily to you. You just need to relax and go with the flow during your broadcast. Don’t overthink it too much.

A huge yes to everything Gabriela said here!

As Zala said, it’s okay to be imperfect. Odds are, you are going to make a mistake on your live video and that’s fine. We all mess up and your audience isn’t going to hold that against you.

Q6: How can you encourage participation and get more users to interact with you during your live session?

A great live session is all about engagement. You want to make sure people are tuning in and actually interacting with you. How do you make sure that happens? Keep these tips in mind for the next time you go live:

Don’t make it all about you. You should be engaging with your audience by asking questions and encouraging them to leave comments. Jen also suggests asking your audience to submit questions in advance. This will ensure you come prepared with plenty to talk about.

Make sure you value your audience’s input. Don’t ignore them or disregard what they have to say.

Encourage people to chime in by asking questions or asking them to share their opinions. Make sure you’re genuinely listening in return.

Cassandra and Sara agree that it’s a good idea to tell your audience when you’re going live so they can be prepared to join in and can come with questions ready.

Q7: How can you create topics for and keep your live content consistently helpful and valuable?

Do you want to make sure you’re always providing amazing content for your audience. Our chat participants had some great advice. Take a look:

The topic for your live video should fit into your overall strategy and should answer the questions your audience has.

You can never go wrong when it comes to crowdsourcing ideas.

What is the biggest challenge people in your audience are facing? Provide a solution and deliver it!

Listen to your audience. Find out what they’re saying and what kind of content they’re already enjoying. Give them more of that through your live broadcasts.

It really is as simple as asking them what they want.

Piggyback off the latest trends, but make sure you aren’t too late. You want to address those trending topics when they’re still fresh and hot.

Fanny said to take a look at your competitors. See what they’re talking about and put your own spin on it.

Q8: What are some ways you can keep the conversation going after a live video session?

To really get the most out of your live videos, you want to keep the conversation going. You want to keep your audience engaged? How do you do that? Follow these tips:

Find ways to follow-up with some of the most engaged people from your video. It’s a great way to make new connections.

Jessie said to post a recap on your blog, pin the video to the top of your age, and encourage people to check out your blog afterwards.

Reach out to some of your viewers on a separate social media platform. It’s a great way to form a stronger connection and to get to know your people best.

Leah agrees that following up with live viewers is a must.

Before you end a broadcast, direct people to your other social media profiles or to your website. It’s a great way to get them to take that next step with your brand.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!