How to Target A Social Media Campaign to Get You Noticed And More Money In Your Pocket!

Can social media marketing make you money – if you deliver your campaign correctly, it absolutely should.

Social media is a favourite subject of new businesses. After all, it’s free advertising. You make a post. It goes out. Potentially, thousands of users will see it and maybe way, way more. Unfortunately, to get the best results, it’s not this simple.

You have to get noticed. Dozens of brands like yours are already on social media. They have audiences feeding likes, shares, and attention. How you get your target audience locked into your brand on social media requires nothing short of strong, effective, and focused social marketing.

Who are you targeting your social media towards?

So you want to get noticed on social media. By whom? Define your target audience. Most businesses have multiple. If that’s you, you’ve got to segment your marketing choices to your demographics.

Age, gender, location, income, education, and values all separate an audience. Understand their lifestyle and habits. Furthermore, every social media platform comes with its unique audience. If you want to get noticed when you walk into a room, know who’s standing on the other side of the door before you open it.

What language does your target audience speak?

Once you know who you’re looking to connect with, you’ve got to make the content you’re offering delivered in their own language. The words chosen, style of the visual, and overall tone should reflect your audience.

The better you know your audience and their language, the more you will be rewarded in revenues and social media engagement. For example, targeting families will be different than chasing an audience of younger folks under-18 or seniors above 65.

Feature your mission and social responsibility on social media

No one wants to be ‘sold’ on social media. Users are looking for content – that’s it. If you don’t quite know what to talk about, consider your mission. What are your business values – feature them!

If you contribute or are connected to a charity, share that. Social responsibility matters to consumers. People want to support brands that are making the world a better place. If you’re doing more than selling product, publicize it.

When you’re authentic and connect on an emotional level, this makes the greatest impact. It’s almost like an anti-selling approach. You catch attention when you’re real. For a lot of brands, when you’re not selling on social media you’re selling.

How do I make money with social media marketing and my brand?

The goal here is to make money. That’s what this article will help you do. Naturally, you may wonder, how you’re supposed to do that on a platform like Facebook or Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.

The goal or objective of a social media campaign is to make money. That said, making money on social media starts with generating leads and awareness, turning those into followers and shares, and fostering engagement with likes and comments.

A like isn’t money in your pocket. Neither is a share or comment. Don’t get us wrong. An action like this indicates interest. It’s that interest you spur into revenues. You’re focusing on ‘customer lifetime value’. On social media, you’re cultivating. This is how brands find strong revenues on social media marketing. They sell without selling!

What is multi-channel social media marketing?

It is unlikely you’re going to find success strictly on a single social media platform. Look at the companies that are most successful in your category. Chances are they’re on at least two or three social media sites.

Multi-channel social media marketing, sometimes referred to as ‘cross-channel marketing’, is a strategic way to create awareness. You use the social channels most beneficial to your goals. Every platform is a little different. The way you deliver your message may change slightly but consistency must be kept in the visuals and tone.

It is better to use multiple channels as well, distributing your efforts in a diversified marketing approach. This way, you’re reaching target audience who are exclusively on Instagram or whose only social media account is on Facebook.

Are images and video better than text on social media?

Make your social media marketing visual, impactful, and interactive. Images get more engagement than text posts and video gets the most engagement of any content type. Use different forms of content to keep your audience interested.

Consider a video series of short how-to tutorials. Make infographics or get some professional photography done to support a text post. The more authentic and memorable, the better.

Images and videos aren’t better than text on social media. They simply get your message out towards your audience in a different way. A successful, money-making social media marketing campaign will use a mix of text, images, videos, and more to get the job done.

What’s the best way to sell on social media? Here’s how you do it.

You don’t sell a product by manipulation. You don’t sell a product by putting down the competition. You even don’t sell a product by emphasizing its benefits. How to sell comes down to two words. “The experience.”

Look at any car ad. Sure, they might mention the benefits and other details. What the focus is, however, is on the experience of it. Think of your product and the people using it. What’s their experience with it – start there.

Make the look and feel of an experience attractive. Make it authentic, simple, lingering on emotional, and honest. Tell a story. How does someone connect with your product, service, or brand – this connection is what you can build on.

Look at it from the consumer perspective. They don’t buy something with the sole purpose of giving their money to you. They want the experience.

How important is timely content marketing on social media?

Timely, trendy social posts are important but it comes with a catch. Their relevancy is only temporary. In the moment, they generate attention. Past their expiration date, a post relying on trend and timeliness no longer serves a purpose.

Why so many social media brands use these type of posts is because they enter you into the conversation.

They also are great starting points for you to build content from. Use a holiday, a unique event, a fun news story, or a trending hashtag. You’re participating in the culture, demonstrating your brand is relevant and engaged.

How much money can social media marketing make my brand?

Social media marketing builds all around the click. You do your job and you get a click. For the present, it might just be a like or a share. Tomorrow, it could be a lot more. Clicks are how brands make money.

There are no guarantees that social media will make you money. Most brands don’t make anything, truth be told. They don’t have very unique or developed marketing. They set it on automatic, are lazy, or just plain don’t know what to do with their social media potential.

These brands take a very general approach and don’t see big results. Add to that the manipulation of social media algorithms, increased competition, and changing consumer behaviours, and it’s a recipe for failure. That is, unless you hire and have a smart social media marketing expert to rely on.

Some brands have made millions from social media marketing. It takes effort, smarts, and adaptation. But it can be done. And the effort’s more than worth it.

Learn how to use social media to make money. The results are there for the taking. Market intelligently. Tell stories. Be authentic. Be real. Focus on ‘the experience’. Hire a social media expert at Unlimited Exposure today. We provide customized social media strategies that work. Results are guaranteed. Let us take your brand and bring it to the top.

Source: https://unlimitedexposure.com/basic-digital-marketing/1137-how-to-target-a-social-media-campaign-to-get-you-noticed-and-more-money-in-your-pocket.html

21 Social Media Selling Truths Every Brand Needs to Hear

Even expert social media marketers sometimes don’t want to admit to themselves when something’s not working.

Why a strategy on social media isn’t working often can be tied to one or more truths. Despite changes in algorithms, platforms, and social media trends, some things just stay the same. Every brand needs to hear these. Here are some social media selling truths you can use to sell more, create more followers, and get more from your social strategy.

Your presence isn’t guaranteed sales

Creating a profile and making some posts doesn’t equate to success. Social media selling is science, art, and adaptability. You’ve got to move quick, be smart, and be willing to change what you’re doing according to what’s working.

Takes time to build foundation

Creating a haphazard account, you aren’t going to generate massive numbers instantly. Every profile is like its own small website. It takes time to catch eyes, get followers, and get some momentum. Once you do though, you can see a lot of growth. Like with any new business, no one hits peak revenues on day one. Invest the effort to learn, adapt, and maximize the opportunities in new environments.

Users want authority and thought-leaders, not duplicates

Brands get complacent on social media. They simply repeat what others have done, no unique thinking involved. Users follow thought leaders. They want reliable information from brands they trust. Instead of selling, selling, and selling, focus on communicating something unique and in establishing your authority as a thought-leader.

Social media is a relationship-creator, not a sales generator

No one wants to be ‘sold’. Social media works best when you’re cultivating a relationship, as opposed to selling. Create the relationship and sales will follow. We are inundated daily with marketing. Be authentic. Be real. Someone following your brand or interacting with you likely already are aware of what you’re selling. You don’t have to hit them with a sales pitch.

Interact regularly on social media

You don’t build a relationship by talking to someone once every six months. Communicate regularly with followers. Be genuine. You don’t want the conversation to feel forced. If you don’t have a reason to check in with someone, don’t. A public social media post is sometimes just enough. Remind your followers you exist and that you’re available to answer questions. Be your most natural self, give useful advice, and be helpful.

Serve before selling

Give value. Serve your social follower before assuming it’s time to call on them to convert. Following an account is a way to opt-in. It shows interest. It doesn’t mean, “Please sell me something now.” Serve them up value, no obligation required.

Be consistent

No company takes a ‘week off’ social media. The brands who are consistent with their posts, interactions, and social media customer service are 40 percent more likely to hit social selling revenue goals. Stay connected and consistent. Consumers notice this.

Find success when you give more, receive less

Sharing and commenting is what social media is all about. Give more than you receive. Sometimes, when you’re not getting results on social media marketing, give a little. Comment on others’ posts, consider joining relevant communities, and engage more with those that are commenting on your posts.

Keep your social media profiles up to date

Ensure your profiles are filled in, up to date, and that you’re easy to contact. If it appears like you’ve rushed filling in your profile or if it’s not complete, this gives a negative impression to a prospect. It’s got to look direct, clean, and crisp.

Update your social media images with offers

If you have seasonal offers or promotions, show it off on your social media. Create your own banner ad for your profile. Make people excited about it! Be careful not to replace key brand images though, such as your logo.

Competition is fierce

You’re not alone on social media. You’ve got to outdo the competition. It can take a lot, sometimes. YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are where most of the competition sits. Although social media is fertile ground for sales and selling, if you’re not ready for the next level, you’re in the wrong place.

Cross-platform social media marketing

Few of us are on only one social media platform. Your activity shouldn’t be limited to only one, either. Cross-platform social media marketing is a must. Consider Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, Snapchat, and others. Get the word out. Maximize your reach by being social media available.

Each social media platform has its nuances

Instagram doesn’t work like Twitter or Facebook. Every platform has its feel. Assuming the same strategy is going to work across all is a recipe for disaster. Instagram, for example, is very playful whereas LinkedIn is professional. Think about the tone of the platform when you’re posting thoughts, emotions, and information.

Personalize before sending your message

Before you reach out to a follower, do some research. A one-size-fits-all pitch doesn’t work on social media. It registers as spam. Segment your followers. Know their demographics. Use their name in any messaging. Treat them as more than a number.

The followers you have are more valuable than the followers you don’t

This can be tough to hear. The objective of so much social media marketing is to gain likes and followers. It’s six times more expensive to find a new customer than it is to retain an existing. A similar phenomenon occurs in social media. Just because someone is following you today, unfortunately, doesn’t mean they will continue to do so.

Are you easy to contact – you should be

If someone has taken the time to write you a message, they’re no doubt expecting a reply. If getting in touch for a follower is complicated or challenging, that’s a negative. You could lose that follower if they feel ignored.

Define a social media post schedule

Post regularly. Have a schedule that you follow. Ensure information is being posted at the best time. Certain times of day, for example, are more conducive to sharing and comments. Be consistent. Execute.

Be ready to change and evolve

Social media marketing strategies change every year. On top of that, you have real-time data showing you what’s working. Stay on top of social media marketing trends. Take the opportunities available to you. Some trends only come once.

Track analytics and make adjustments

Social media analytics exist to give you insight on a given strategy. If your analytics are telling you change is needed then make it happen. Don’t tie yourself to a strategy that isn’t producing numbers. Making adjustments is a good thing.

Exercise patience when it comes to social media selling

There is no shortcut or hack to social media marketing. Use the tools available to you. Employ smart strategies. Then give it time. It may take a few weeks to a month before significant differences start to happen. In some cases, it takes longer.

Consumers prefer social media over a lot else

Social media is preferred by a lot of consumers over TV. They prefer it over phoning customer service. Social media is where they spend the most time on their smartphones. They go to it for family interactions, entertainment, news, and general information. Checking in on social media is routine. Businesses have the opportunity to find their way into this routine. The more human, valuable, authentic, and emotional your social posts are, the more you’ll stand out. The more you will be remembered. The more followers you will get.

Are you looking for a way to increase your social media likes, shares, followers, and sales – Unlimited Exposure is where to look. See revenue gains you didn’t even know were possible through social channels. See record results. Give us a call. Let’s make those numbers count.

Source: https://unlimitedexposure.com/basic-digital-marketing/1133-21-social-media-selling-truths-every-brand-needs-to-hear.html

How Do I Get More Shares on My Social Media Posts – A Masterclass in Shareable Content

Shares spread the word. More people see your posts and with that, you get more leads and conversions. You instantly expand your reach with shareable content.

Every day, 2 million blogs are published. Those articles are shared millions of times on social platforms. That’s a lot of noise to cut through. Shares only help. If you write your content right, maximize effectiveness. If you create share-friendly content, you maximize visibility.

Brands struggle with organic reach. If you aren’t getting the shares you want, find a fix. Change what you’re posting and how. Shares remain the most important target for brand awareness on social media. Here’s where to start with getting more shares on your posts.

Is what’s trending important on social media?

Trends are tough to set. A lot of them you can’t predict. Thankfully, you don’t have to be a trendsetter to be successful in social media marketing. Follow the trends that are out there. Look at what others are talking about. Create content that says something unique around topics in discussion. From Instagram to Twitter, ‘trending topics’ are easily found.

What do your competition’s social media posts look like?

Sneak a peek at your competition’s social media. Make notes about posts most shared. What’s special – if it’s something their audience likes, it will likely be something your audience does as well. You don’t want to copy directly. Make it your own. You may find videos to get the most shares, or lists, or stories. Note the content type. Note how the content’s structured. Use it as a starting point.

What is the best way to write compelling content?

What compels people – stories. Expressive storytelling in social media marketing makes people want to share it. Every story has a beginning, middle, and end. A simple story is describing a problem, introducing a solution, and showing the value a solution brings. Think of a customer’s experience with a product or service. Picture a problem they have that could be solved by connecting with your brand. Tell that story.

Will clickbait headlines help my social media shares?

Clickbait headlines don’t work. They’re sensational. They over-promise and under-deliver. Clickbait is false advertising. Don’t participate in it. It can have the opposite effect on shareability. Numbers can plummet. Write healthy, attractive, entertaining, unique headlines. Deliver on what you write. Don’t be overly sensational or exaggerate. Always deliver.

How active should I be on social media?

Be active with your followers. React to comments. Discuss questions. Answer social media queries. Content ideas can come to you like this. Look at what your followers are saying. See what resonates with them. On top of that, when you reply or acknowledge, you show users you care about what they have to say.

How can I make a social media post go viral?

Nothing is wrong with striving for a viral social media post, other than viral popularity isn’t sustainable. A viral post will pop a number. This could create momentum that lasts a couple of weeks. It’s not going to do much for you beyond that though. For more social media shares, implement strategies that are going to build long-term momentum. You do this through high-quality, unique content.

How do I write emotional social media posts?

Make your reader feel something. That’s what will get you the most social media posts. Evoke emotions like happiness, surprise, admiration, and inspiration. Positive stories create more shares than negative stories. If a user’s reaction is affected at an emotional level, they’re likely to want to share that with their friends and family.

Can I post social media content that is angry or sad?

Though risky, you can also post content that causes anger or sadness. If you do, offer a way to address it. Give the user a way to turn this energy into something productive and positive. You don’t want anyone to feel dissatisfied or upset after reading your social media post.

Do images help increase the success of your shareable content?

Images attract traffic. Social media is image-driven. Images and videos are more shareable than text. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t use text. Do! Simply combine your text with a visual. A post on Facebook with at least one image generates three times as much engagement than text, on average. Try to incorporate text directly into the image. For this type of content, infographics work particularly well.

What is the best way to make my customer happy they’ve read my social media post?

Validate your audience’s opinion with your social media posts. We all have thoughts on certain topics. Give content that validates a certain view. This gives your audience valuable info they can re-post. It shows their opinion to be correct. Everyone likes being correct. Some particularly enjoy having others know about it. Think about the likes and beliefs shared between brand and audience. Work from an agreed-upon premise. Don’t post polarizing opinions. Pique interest with relevant, truthful, and uncontroversial content.

Will influencer marketing help my increase social media shares?

Influencers generate shares. This is why you want to collaborate with a relevant influencer. Show them off on your social media channel. They’ll help you get put in front of the eyes of their audience. They also give you name recognition to further legitimize your brand in the eyes of yours. Influencer marketing increases the trustworthiness of your content, resulting in potentially significant social media shares.

What kind of incentives should I offer for social media shares?

Big corporations offer incentives for social media shares and they work! Everybody likes a good contest or free stuff. Offer a free gift. Enter them into a contest for a gift certificate. Do a free download of something, promotional discounts, or giveaways. The total cost of an incentive is minimal and the exposure can be high.

How do I not sound like an advertisement on social media?

We see ads all the time. Way too many. Your content shouldn’t read like an ad. This isn’t a sales pitch. Users want something substantial in their social media. They don’t want to be sold to. Promote your brand by publishing posts you care about and that your audience cares about. Authentic information, emotion, and value trumps selling. We can’t say it enough. Don’t sell.

How can I encourage sharing without selling?

When you release content on your website or social channels, encourage sharing. Have share links included with your content. If you make it easy to share, one is more likely to share. A one-click process is ideal.

How important are keywords and hashtags for social media sharing?

Keywords matter in social media marketing. Keywords in titles, descriptions, URL links, and hashtags. Use them. Keywords make it easy for people to find your posts. If new followers can’t find your posts, how can you expect them to follow you – they won’t. Just like you would with search engine optimization, the same keyword research approach applies to social media.

What is some other advice on maximizing social media shares?

 Never use all caps. Be careful about the caps you do use. Don’t overuse.
 Don’t overuse hashtags.
 Post regularly and consistently on a schedule.
 Make every word count. Keep social media posts short.
 Speak authentically and honestly.
 Mix up the type of content you post i.e. text, images, video, contests, and more.
 Re-post user-generated content.
 Post at the best time for shares. This varies platform to platform and industry by industry.
 Percentages perform better than dollar amounts on social media, according to multiple studies.

Do you think you’re doing everything right in social media marketing but aren’t generating enough shares – hire Unlimited Exposure. Compelling shareable content set up right is a made success. Know what to publish, where and when, and invest in real results. See your share count rise!

Source: https://unlimitedexposure.com/basic-digital-marketing/1130-how-do-i-get-more-shares-on-my-social-media-posts-%E2%80%93-a-masterclass-in-shareable-content.html

How Do I Use Hashtags on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter

Communities are born and bred off hashtags. International movements, from #metoo to #blacklivesmatter, all began with a hashtag. They’re the single most influential thing you can type into a social post.

If you want to attain success on social media as a new, unknown brand, or as a company already established, it’s through hashtags that you’re going to reach people. Use hashtags correctly and you can light up social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

What’s great about hashtags is that they don’t cost a thing. It’s all on you to choose social media hashtags, create your own, and use them to entertain, inform, and participate. This article’s to help you get a strong grasp on what’s the right approach to hashtags on a social media campaign.

What is a hashtag?

A hashtag uses a word, phrase, or keyword put together as a single word preceded by the pound sign. An example of this would be taking ‘Instagram marketing’ which would then become #instagrammarketing in hashtag form.

Hashtags were first popularized on Twitter and microblogging platforms in 2007 as a sort of metadata tag for common posts. Hashtags have since spread and been accepted across every major social media platform from Instagram to Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, and beyond.

What is the purpose of a hashtag?

The purpose of a hashtag is to be found. It’s essentially a form of user-generated SEO, in the sense that hashtags allow you to rank according to relevance, keyword, date, and other metrics in a worldwide conversation.

Another use is to join a conversation happening around a certain topic, such as a social or political subject. Hashtags can be invented as a means of expressing one’s creativity, used to entertain or for humour purposes, and/or to associate branding or information with a conversation.

What are the basic rules of using a hashtag?

If you are completely new to using hashtags for digital marketing, there are some rules to consider if you don’t want to annoy others.

1. Hashtags should be short and memorable.

2. Use hashtags that people are already searching for. As a brand, if your interest is being clever or unusual, it’s unfortunately not going to win you any clicks or followers.

3. Use hashtags that are specific rather than general ones. Broad terms mean your post is likely to be lost in a sea of thousands, if not millions.

4. Don’t force hashtags. If it doesn’t come naturally, don’t use it. They should stimulate interaction, without feeling desperate.

5. The number of hashtags you use will depend on the platform. In most cases, one or two hashtags are recommended. You don’t want to cloud your post with meaningless hashtags.

6. Search hashtags to uncover content related to your topic. Scout out a competitor’s hashtags and see what they’re using, and the kind of response they’re receiving.

Who decides what hashtags to use?

Hashtags happen organically. No person, corporation, or social media platform decides the hashtags that are going to resonate with an audience.

If you want to know where to look for hashtags though, look to the influencers in your niche. Influencers influence audience. The hashtags they use will generally reverberate throughout an audience. Celebrities, bloggers, YouTubers, and similar voices trusted by the public have a sizeable influence over the creation of new hashtags and the maintenance of those that are trending.

How do I use hashtags on Instagram?

Instagram marketing should use between 10-11 popular hashtags per post. Experiment with it. Instagram has a search box where you can check out influencers and competitors to see hashtags they’re using. Instagram is a huge platform with many hashtags to choose from. Compared to other social platforms, Instagram is the friendliest to using a lot of hashtags. That said, you don’t want to overdo it. Stay within a reasonable amount of no more than a dozen. Use them on posts, photos, comments, and wherever you can.

How do I use hashtags on Facebook marketing?

Hashtags in Facebook social media marketing aren’t as popular but they do exist. It can be annoying to some users to read posts with a lot of hashtags on Facebook so try to stick with a maximum of two. Also, any posts on Facebook should be set to ‘public’ permissions, if you want others to find them.

How do I use hashtags on Twitter marketing?

Twitter marketing only uses one or two hashtags per post. As with on other sites, whenever someone searches for the hashtag on Twitter, your post will appear. Research trending Twitter hashtags to maximize your impact.

What other social media sites can I use hashtags on?

You can use hashtags pretty much anywhere on the Internet. They’re an accepted part of the lexicon. Here are a few more quick guidelines on how to use hashtags on social media.

 Hashtags on LinkedIn aren’t as popular as they are on other sites. They aren’t needed, many would argue. If you do publish long-form articles on LinkedIn, including one or two hashtags in the body is a smart move. No more than three hashtags per post are needed.

 Hashtags on Pinterest are what let others find you. The whole of Pinterest is based on keyword research so hashtags are a must. Don’t use broad terms. Use only hashtags specific to your topic. This is what will get you found.

 Hashtags on YouTube aren’t as popular as they are on other social media platforms. Fortunately, they do work and in our opinion, brands should be using them. They improve searchability and give you more visibility.

What is the best hashtag marketing strategy?

Hashtag marketing is relatively basic. The more you invest in the choice of choosing the right hashtag, the better the result will be. In a nutshell, that’s what it comes down to. We already shared some of the basic rules for getting started with hashtags. Now we outline hashtag marketing strategies that can be used to deliver your best campaign possible. If you are out of ideas or need some inspiration on where to go with your campaign, refer back to here.

 Created branded hashtags, named after your company or a marketing campaign. In business, this is one of the most popular social media marketing strategies used and oftentimes gets paired with a giveaway or user-generated content.

 Promote contests and giveaways with a hashtag. A successful and fun way to get interested parties involved and engaged is to hold a contest under a hashtag. The #icebucketchallenge is one such example.

 Raise awareness about a topic that is near and dear to your heart. If there’s a charity or organization you want to try to raise money for, use your hashtag to build around a particular topic or participate in a conversation already happening.

 Join trending topics. Look at the top conversations being had on social media right now. Assuming you have one that is relevant to your business and which isn’t going to cause controversy, capitalize on it.

Hashtag facts

 More than 85 percent of the top 50 websites by traffic on the Internet use hashtags.

 The demographics most likely to use hashtags are millennials, Generation Z, politicians, influencers, and celebrities.

 Businesses who use hashtags on Twitter and Instagram have been shown to boost engagement on average by 12.6 percent.

 The top three hashtags of all-time on Instagram are #love, #instagood, and #fashion.

 The top B2B hashtags on social media are #quotes, #video, #picture, and #work.

 Instagram posts with the highest engagement, as of January 2020, use 5-7 hashtags.

Hashtags on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are a very effective way of cutting through the noise of all those brands trying to get attention. Choose specific, unique hashtags to reach audience organically and without having to pay-per-click or anything similar. Partner with Unlimited Exposure today for your next results-driven social media campaign. As experts, we can help design hashtags, infographics, photos, video, web design, email, content, and more. Improve your social media on every platform and win clicks!

Source: https://unlimitedexposure.com/basic-digital-marketing/1125-how-do-i-use-hashtags-on-instagram,-facebook,-and-twitter.html

A Guide to Social Media Statistics in 2020 to Help You Decide the Platform Best For Your Brand

Social media marketing is vital to digital branding. Every year though, things change. Updates roll out regularly and consumer demographics are always fluctuating. On a month to month basis, there can be massive changes in how to administrate a social media marketing campaign.

To save your budget, time, and effort only for the platforms that matter, we wanted to accumulate basic social media statistics from 2020 that show you who is using social media and why. After all, if you don’t know who is using a platform, you can’t expect to successfully target the user.

Every platform has user needs and habits. Once we have a grasp on those, it becomes much easier to see whether Twitter or Instagram’s the better social platform for your brand. Culled from sources like Hootsuite, here is the latest data on social media sites and where to focus marketing efforts.

Who is using Facebook – age, needs and habits

Facebook is the largest social media platform there has ever been and will continue to be for a long time to come. It is massively popular in both Canada and the US, with 68 percent of adults registered.

 As of January 2020, Facebook has more than 2.13 billion monthly active users.
 The average age of a Facebook user is 40.5 years old.
 The majority of adults who use Facebook make $75,000/year or above and have a post-secondary degree.
 Facebook is the #1 social media site for targeting Generation X. They spend on average 7 hours a week on the site.
 Facebook has a truly global audience, with users from every country in the world.
 The primary objective of someone on Facebook is to connect with friends.

A lot of controversy has been stirred up around Facebook regarding data collection and privacy. It remains to be seen if the social media site can survive into the future. Not only is Facebook vast but you can launch campaigns that target specific geographic areas and demographics which can be very helpful in winning certain clientele. Facebook marketing struggles with outperforming the competition. Popularity breeds competition.

Who is using LinkedIn – age, needs and habits

LinkedIn is a social media platform designed for professionals, entrepreneurs, and business leaders. A user on LinkedIn can post and seek jobs, share informational content like blogs, connect, and engage.

 The average age of a LinkedIn user is between 25 and 49.
 As of January 2020, there are more than 660 million users and growing on LinkedIn.
 57 percent of LinkedIn users are male and 43 percent are female.
 The primary objective of users on LinkedIn is career success.

If you’re working and selling in professional circles, LinkedIn social media marketing is an excellent place to start. Although LinkedIn has users from more than 200 countries, the vast majority of US-based which means aiming internationally could prove difficult.

Who is using Instagram – age, needs and habits

Instagram is an image-based social media site that’s owned by Facebook but also completely separate. The most common actions a user takes on Instagram is to browse friends’ photos, like pictures, and share one’s own images. Instagram is the best way to target millennials on social media. Instagram digital marketing uses a lot of hashtags and focuses on participating in communities.

 Instagram has 1.1 billion users and is the second most popular social media site, second only to Facebook.
 The average age of an Instagram user is 34 years old, with the vast majority of users being younger compared to other platforms.
 The primary objective of Instagram users is to share photos.

Instagram has a lot of opportunities surrounding it, including a built-in influencer marketing dynamic, ephemeral content options, and is considered the most effective way to build brands that are visual, young, and trendy.

Who is using Twitter – age, needs and habits

Twitter is a social media marketing platform perfect for brands in journalism, politics, and entertainment. Twitter was the original social site that popularized the use of hashtags to communicate and cultivate communities. The big marketing opportunity here is to use these hashtags to reach a wider audience organically than you could through paid campaigns elsewhere.

 Twitter has 330 million users, half of which are active on a daily basis.
 Over 45 percent of North Americans between 18 and 24 use Twitter regularly, skewing demographics towards the younger side.
 The average age of a Twitter user is 40, with the majority of user accounts attributed to persons between 35 and 65.
 The primary objective of the average Twitter account is not to post content. In fact, 54 percent of accounts don’t post anything at all. The aim is to scroll the newsfeed and interact in comments or likes.

Who is using Pinterest – age, needs and habits

Pinterest is a visual-based social media site where users create digital pinboards where images are selected to pin direct to them. It is a sort of online scrapbooking, where a user can have pinboards for celebrities they like, interests, hobbies, and more.

 There are over 320 million people on Pinterest.
 90 percent of users who win something this week will make a purchasing decision solely based on what they’ve seen on Pinterest.
 The average age of a Pinterest user is 40, though the majority of users are below this age.
 Over 50 percent of Pinterest users earn $50,000/year or more.
 Unlike other social sites, Pinterest attracts users almost exclusively in suburban US areas.

eCommerce sites have made a lot of headway on Pinterest where there exist a lot of opportunities to impress users with an image or visual of something cool. If you decide to get involved with Pinterest marketing for eCommerce, always use the highest quality and most engaging images available.

Who is using Snapchat – age, needs and habits

Snapchat’s made time-sensitive ephemeral content popular as well as face filters. Though both features have since been adopted across many other platforms, Snapchat’s the originator. Snapchat’s lost a lot of its luster in the past few years but is still an important social media destination for some.

 Snapchat users are typically between 18 and 34.
 Snapchat has more than 218 million people on its platform regularly.

If you’re looking to attract a younger audience of 25 years old or under, Snapchat marketing works. Many experts have predicted that Snapchat’s user growth is going to level off later this year before beginning to gradually taper off in the years to come. This remains to be seen, however. What’s certain is that it is still a viable marketing channel.

Who is using YouTube – age, needs and habits

Since YouTube launched, it hasn’t really been considered a social media platform but characteristically speaking, it is. In terms of global reach, YouTube has an audience as large as anyone. YouTube is the #1 video marketing platform in the world, delivering high ROI.

 YouTube has more than 2 billion users worldwide, with 79 percent of all Internet users boasting their own channel.
 The average age of a YouTube user is between 18 and 24 although all demographics continue to experience growth.
 More than 2 million videos are viewed on YouTube every minute.

Done wrong, social media marketing is a costly investment. Done right, you get everything you spend returned to you and more. This is about generating awareness, shares, likes, comments, follows, clicks, conversions, and sales. Choose the right platform and yield the best returns. Optimize your presence online with Unlimited Exposure today and set yourself up to maximize your success. The people are out there. They’re waiting for you. Let’s give them something to click on and share!

Source: https://unlimitedexposure.com/basic-digital-marketing/1124-a-guide-to-social-media-statistics-in-2020-to-help-you-decide-the-platform-best-for-your-brand.html

Do You Have a Voice Search SEO and Social Media Strategy – Here’s Your Guide

Consumers are smitten with voice assistant devices like the Amazon Echo and Google Home. Since 2018, voice search has taken off in a big way. Every month, more users join the fold. Changing the way consumers search for products and services, as well as how they use search engines, voice search is also changing the way customers interact with their favourite brands.

Marketing’s an exercise is responding to and capitalizing on consumer behaviour. If you don’t already have a voice search strategy in place, you are at risk of being left behind. SEO is changing, as is how voice search is driving smartphone Internet use and social media. A new world awaits.

Is voice search a fad?

Different forms of voice-enabled technology have been on the market since the late 1950s. Throughout recent years – and even months – voice tech is getting better and better. By leaps and bounds, voice-enabled products are improving on word recognition accuracy, function, design, and more. If you have a smartphone and/or are on social media, congratulations – eventually these are areas that will be transformed by voice search.

How popular is voice search?

There are more than 51 million voice-assisted devices in North America alone and screen-less browsing accounts for 30 percent of all Internet browsing. It is estimated that roughly half of all searches on Google and other platforms are now conducted by voice search. That’s a huge impact! These numbers aren’t stagnating – they’re growing.

What are some voice search statistics?

 By end of 2022, 55 percent of households in Canada and the US will own a smart voice-enabled speaker.
 According to numbers from January 2018, there were more than 1,000,000,000 voice searches every month. This number has only increased, since then.
 Of the people who own voice-activated devices, 52 percent put their speaker in the main living room, 25 percent keep it in the bathroom, and 22 percent keep it in the kitchen.
 Over 25 percent of eCommerce shoppers during the holidays used voice assistance.
 Mobile voice searches are 3 times more likely to be local-based than text-related searches.
 The majority of smart home device owners are between the ages of 26 and 35.
 Over 40 percent of millennials use voice-enabled digital assistants, compared to only 11 percent of baby boomers.

Why should I adopt a voice search strategy?

If you want to be a stick in the mud, sure, you don’t HAVE to adopt a voice search approach. However, if you believe the customer comes first, it’s then the customer experience one should value. More and more users have voice-enabled tech at their fingertips. When you set up platforms and strategies that facilitate capturing and entertaining the needs of this user base, you’re doing them a service. From a consumer perspective, they find voice search natural and seamless to use, saves time, and is convenient.

How is voice search changing SEO?

Voice search SEO is the first place to look at creating a voice search marketing strategy. Consumers search differently on voice than they do by text. Voice queries, for example, are generally longer, more niche and long-tail keyword-driven in their request, and have a conversational tone to them. Voice searches are also usually given in the form of a question, meaning if a website’s optimized with question-and-answers and long-tail keywords with a conversational tone, you’re far better off than you would be with content meant strictly to be read.

Will voice search make SEO more competitive?

When you search by text, Google provides to you a full page of results. Then, you can click through. If you don’t have that #1 rank but are able to nab #2 or #3, you’re still within the recommended space to get a fair look. On voice search, there is no screen nor page. Any business now has to get the top result for a search term – that’s the only way they’ll get a mention.

What are featured snippets and how do they help voice search?

Featured snippets appear any time you ask Google a question. They appear as collapsible sections on the first page of Google results, with a series of Q & As. If you can get your content listed in this section, it sets you up very well to be potentially returned on a voice search query. Google Assistant in particular uses featured snippets for voice search a lot. If you aren’t already developing content with question-based answers, give it a try. In a matter of a few months, chances are you’re going to notice a difference in your metrics – especially if you have data culled from voice search-arrived users.

How important is local SEO to voice search?

When someone searches through a voice-enabled device, geographically speaking, the algorithms try to give back something local. A lot of expert SEO techies undervalue the importance of local SEO. That’s going to have to change with how voice search is going. When users employ a search with local intent, such as searching for local restaurants, it makes it all the more integral for brands to begin using more geography alongside their SEO keywords. Depending on your service area, this may include the city you’re in, region, province or state, and country.

What are Google Home Actions and Alexa Skills?

Google Home Actions and Alexa Skills, what are they? They are essentially voice search apps. Downloaded onto someone’s voice-enabled device, it gives the user certain functions not previously had. There are more than 4,300 Google Actions and 60,000 Alexa skill available. Businesses can create and release their own voice search app which can help get clicks, attention, and increase traffic. Here are some examples of how brands have used voice applications in attracting users off voice-enabled devices:

 Domino’s gives customers the chance to order a pizza without having to place an order online or by phone.
 PayPal users can use Siri to send money to friends, family, or businesses with ease.
 Nestle provides voice cooking instructions to you as you cook, through a voice search application.
 Tide has a skill that provides advice on removing stains from up to multiple hundreds of substances.

How are Google SEO algorithms changing with voice search?

Last year, Google released the BERT algorithm. This included natural language processing, aka NLP, and advanced machine learning tech. BERT makes it so that their search engine can understand the intent of a phrase, as opposed to understanding word by word. Keyword strategies must keep this in mind, focusing on intent of what’s said more than the specific words used. The most common trigger words in voice search are ‘how’ and ‘why’ as well as ‘where’, ‘when’, and ‘why’. These are all question-based.

Whether one’s content marketing and SEO changes or it doesn’t, regardless, the algorithms change which means those who don’t adapt will fall behind. A great example of this is take a keyword like ‘lawyer for wills and estate planning’. This would have been a great keyword a decade ago. Considering the algorithm changes that have happened and what’s potentially coming, a better keyword today would be ‘find a lawyer for wills and estate planning in <my city>’. Think of the language a user will give by voice and match it in supplying the question, answering it, and ensuring the intent of your article mirrors that given by the query.

At UE, you have a digital marketing dream team. We have expertise in voice search local SEO, social media, content marketing, web design, and more. Stay one step ahead of the trend. Competition shouldn’t have the advantage – you should. The base of voice search users is growing bigger and bigger. Now’s the time to pull the ripcord and react. Optimize for voice search, reap the results, and set your brand up with momentum you can carry on long into the future.

Source: https://unlimitedexposure.com/basic-digital-marketing/1120-do-you-have-a-voice-search-seo-and-social-media-strategy-%E2%80%93-here%E2%80%99s-your-guide.html

Are You Using Storytelling on Social Media – Tap into Emotion and Self-Need

From an early age, we are told stories. Those that resonate with us at an emotional level are remembered and they come to transcend into something more meaningful. When we’re discussing social media marketing strategies, and in particular those that work the best, it’s storytelling which plays a key role in many of them.

The ability to tell a story can involve many things. For some, it’s a simple beginning, middle, and end. For others, it’s about introducing a conflict and resolving. It can be a moral lesson, entertainment, abstract, or strongly emotional. When you’re building a brand on social media, your ability to tell a story should be front and center. When a user sees a brand as more than commerce and a representation of something with true meaning – that’s when they click, convert, and start to associate themselves with a brand.

What’s the best storytelling strategy for social media marketing?

You social media posts should deliver a rich message, delivered in a story. Seeing the same sort of sales pitch that every other brand like yours has isn’t going to win you as much attention as telling a story. But what story do you tell – well, one that resonates and that hinges on who your audience is. Your story also must be authentic which relies on you and what your company represents. The best stories connect a real, truthful company message to the interests and emotions of the intended user.

What type of social media marketing content can I use to tell a story?

Social media posts comprise of written posts, blogs, video, images, infographics, and more. Everything you post should have its own mini-story to it. Think about how a piece of content supports or represents your brand. If you can hook people with a story or a series of stories surrounding a product, service, or focal point of your brand, you’re already on the way to accomplishing your goal which is ultimately to get their click, whether that’s in the form of a comment, follow, like, share, or otherwise.

What’s the most effective piece of social content to post?

Video receives the most likes, shares, and comments of any type of content on social media. Analyzing why, one very quickly comes to the conclusion that two things are happening. First, consumers want video. For most, it’s their preferred content type. Secondly, video shows storytelling, it doesn’t tell it or dictate it. Video communicates a level of emotion in an interpretation that a written post or blog cannot match. Although you should use a diverse collection of post types when working on your company’s social media, don’t be shocked at video consistently outperforming other content.

How do I know my social media content is good enough?

If every second counted, would you write or create content any differently – an important question only because every second does count. Assume your customer is ready to click elsewhere when they land on your social media post. Do you have enough excitement to effectively capture their attention and keep it there – with every post, aim to be better. Every second in a video and every word on a post counts. Make it clear, inviting, engaging, and encouraging a click.

How can I inspire my own creativity as a social media storyteller?

On the spot, you might not be able to come up with a story that delivers your message. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of inspiration out there, especially if you’re an established company. Here are some areas to look for, on what storytelling devices to use on social media.

 What’s the story of your company? How did your company come to be? Outside of successful sales and revenues, a brand has got to stand for something. Tell the origin story behind you, your company, where the idea came from, and the good it puts into the world.
 How does your product or service cure a problem – that’s your story. Can you write a mini story of 3 lines or less around the concept? It can be pure fiction as long as it’s communicating the right message. In a sense, you’re drafting a script for your user to see themselves in.
 What is the true meaning of a product or service? Ask yourself how a product was initially created and for what purpose. Connect with the bare essential idea that motivated the invention of a product or service.
 What’s your genuine cause? If your brand is partnered with a charity organization or initiative, this sort of philanthropy is a strong brand-building strategy. Share the true stories behind the good you’re putting out in the world through your products, services, or donations to a cause of your choosing.
 How does your product or service fit into the lifestyle of your consumer? If you know your audience well enough, you should have a firm grasp on their wants, needs, and lifestyle choices. Whether they are parents, families, athletes, pet owners, homeowners, businesspersons, students, or otherwise, write a story that fits you into their lives.

How do I know my social media marketing is working?

Look at your social media analytics page. You should see the amount of likes, shares, and comments there. If there are a certain category of posts that are generating more activity than others, you know that it may serve you better to put future posts under that category. Comparatively, if you find that no social media marketing posts are getting clicks and you don’t know what to do, your entire strategy may need an overhaul. If this is the case, don’t be discouraged. Success comes and goes on social media, with even the most successful brands eventually having to pivot to new approaches. This just becomes your latest transition.

How can I use storytelling on social media to get me more followers?

If you really want to make an impact with storytelling, don’t keep it to the usual channels. As wonderful as short, succinctly worded social posts are, you also want to occasionally share pictures and graphics, engage in more dynamic features like launching a live stream, or promoting a social media contest. Anyone who wants new followers should look at fresh ways to connect with your existing user base because it’s your current followers that are your most effective strategy at growing that base. If there’s passion and fun in your fan base, others won’t think twice about engaging with these sort of messages either.

What’s the best way to be authentic on social media?

Although we wouldn’t advocate for anyone to focus exclusively on ephemeral content, it receives high points on the authenticity scale. If you feel like you want to go the extra mile in providing your user base with authenticity, one of the best ways is through unrehearsed momentary storytelling on live video or through content opportunities like Snapchat Stories, Facebook Stories, Instagram Stories, and elsewhere. This content disappears after a certain time which means you can be a little looser with it. Being a live video, you also don’t need to invest much in a professional production. Ultimately, this is a fine way to create social media user relationships and foster intimacy on a limited budget.

How can I get users attention with a social media marketing campaign?

Be interesting. No one likes dull, boring content. They want something that’s going to cause laughter, make them shed a tear, or get them to think. If you can reach your users at a base emotional level, you increase the likelihood of a click many times over. Look at the feeds of companies that use social media well. A lot of it is storytelling. Find your unique voice and tell stories with it that make a true connection to your audience.

Source: https://unlimitedexposure.com/basic-digital-marketing/1117-are-you-using-storytelling-on-social-media-%E2%80%93-tap-into-emotion-and-self-need.html

What Can You Expect in Social Media Marketing in 2020 – Stats, Facts, and Tips

Since inception, social media has been in constant change. Algorithms for organic reach in marketing have nearly disappeared, new platforms have arisen, old platforms have lost user attention, and more. What’s ahead for social media marketing in 2020 – we’ve got stats, facts, predictions, and strategies we think are worth paying attention to as we welcome in a new year.

Segmentation between platforms

Only so much time on a person’s hands, expect social media platforms in 2020 to become increasingly segmented with demographics exclusively held by certain networks. As a brand, targeting specific audiences will become easier although this could also bring in increased competition as well.

Easier eCommerce social purchasing functions

Do you use social media marketing to sell eCommerce products and reach new audience? Social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook are fully aware that eCommerce businesses use them to connect with new customers. Facebook, in particular, has become extremely eCommerce-friendly and other platforms are expected to follow. Expect 2020 to continue in the trend of it being easier than ever to shop and buy products right off a social platform.

Small, short time-sensitive video content

More brands are investing in producing short-form video content of 10 seconds or less to share across Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter. This trend is expected to continue, as campaigns like these produce higher click-through rates than traditional News Feed ads or extended video content.

A shift away from likes and to ‘real’ engagement

There have been rumours this year of Instagram soon making ‘like counts’ private for users. Assuming this rolls out in the new year, measuring a social post’s success is going to shift more towards comments, reactions, and engagement beyond a click. To protect against this engagement shift, brands must become more critical with social media marketing KPIs.

More direct messaging

A survey conducted in 2018 found that 69 percent of Facebook users felt that direct messaging with a company helped them feel more confident about a brand purchase. There are many opportunities for brands to connect directly with their followers on Facebook, Instagram, and elsewhere. Those who build meaningful connections are cultivating a level of loyalty that can pay off in dividends.

Chatbots and conversational AI

In an effort to keep engagement up and satisfy customers, expect more use of social media chatbots and AIs. In customer service, the integration of this tech is already generating strong results. It’s estimated that up to 85 percent of customer interactions will be either in part or fully automated by end of year 2020. If you’re looking to future-proof your social media marketing presence, chatbots and AI are a strong area to focus on.

Minimalist design

If you’re looking to re-design your social presence in 2020, focus on minimalism. More users are viewing social media on their smartphones, with limited screen space. Think ‘less is more’. Impactful, short visual messaging that doesn’t appear busy or cluttered will win the day. While you’re at it, ensure these same minimalist designs are held across all platforms and on your website. This will help maintain a sense of unity in visual marketing that you want especially with new clientele.

Say goodbye to macro-influencers and hello to micro!

Influencer marketing will be increasingly specialized, with influencers carrying large audiences unfortunately becoming a little less useful. In their place are the rise of micro-influencers, with engaged but smaller audiences and oftentimes with a more targeted reach. This means digital marketing strategies can spend less to potentially earn more in return.

User-generated content

A big battle in 2020 for brands looking to outperform the year prior on social media will be generating engagement. If you’re struggling to get enough content out there to really inspire conversation numbers to soar, think of user-generated content as a means of achieving that. Promotional contests, share giveaways, encouraging reviews and ratings, sharing or publishing testimonials, featuring social media shares and mentions, and more. These are all ways to deliver content that you don’t need to spend hours creating.

Users are sharing less

Between 2015 and 2017, social sharing dropped on nearly all platforms by almost 50 percent. Brands are will find it more difficult to post content on social media, under a digital marketing strategy, and get it shared. This continues the pattern of it being harder for brands to reach audiences organically, with more emphasis on paid advertising in social media than anything else.

An increased emphasis on data privacy

The way social media handles user data has been under heavy scrutiny these past three years and this isn’t set to change in 2020. Millions of profiles on platforms like Facebook have had personal data mined and sold commercially. Similar privacy policies exist on sites like YouTube. Brands and small businesses using social media are going to have to do so carefully and be conscious a lot of consumers are now very cautious about who they follow or what brands they connect with.

The slow death of vanity metrics

Brands who don’t sell well rely on social media KPIs to show their digital marketing’s helping generate success. Things like like counts, follower counts, and similar metrics may hold a social meaning publicly but in establishing business success, it’s all about engagement – that’s comments and conversation. We mentioned Instagram was thinking about phasing out the ‘like’ button. We’re moving closer to world where vanity metrics become less and less important overall.

Authenticity over viral posts

Though it’s fine to have a massively popular viral video or post go viral, the effects of this are predominantly short-term. Brands are coming to realize that ‘going viral’ isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be. Instead, in 2020, social media marketing winners will focus on delivering a consistently clear, clever, and authentic tone that supports a long-term strategy and which shows the human side of your company.

Choose video as your content priority

This year, video will make up approximately 82 percent of all Internet traffic. On social media platforms, video content should be prioritized. The brands who deliver creative storytelling that captures the user’s attention in a matter of seconds will be the ones who close out 2020 with success in their pocketbooks.

A new private-led social media marketing

When we think social media marketing, sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn probably come to mind. Underneath these very public-driven platforms are social messaging apps like WhatsApp, Viber, and WeChat. The growth rates on these chat apps outperforms social networks, identifying major social media marketing opportunities in 2020 businesses and brands can exploit.

The welcoming of new social media platforms

No different to prior years, there’s always new social platforms on the uptick. This year, the most popular is perhaps TikTok, currently the #1 most downloaded social media app in the world. TikTok’s growth is predicted to continue into the new year, though it’s still at an early stage. Snapchat’s sudden rise is perhaps an example of what happens when brands get in early on a platform – they build audience quickly, appear trendy, and reach some of the most engaged users on social media.

More social listening

Here’s why we think it’s extremely important to monitor the conversation around your brand on social media.
 90 percent of social media users contact brands on social media.
 78 percent of people that complain to brands on Twitter expect a response within 1 hour.
 29 percent of people will share a negative brand-related social media experience with friends and family, when a brand doesn’t respond to a complaint.

When you don’t know what people are saying about you on social media, you’re potentially opening the door for a lot of unhappy customers, lost leads you would have otherwise had, negative publicity, and a possible sinking of all efforts to produce a high quality social media marketing result.

In 2020, get social media marketing from brand building experts at Unlimited Exposure. Garner returns you know you can achieve! Let’s go!

Source: https://unlimitedexposure.com/basic-digital-marketing/1114-what-can-you-expect-in-social-media-marketing-in-2020-%E2%80%93-stats,-facts,-and-tips.html

This Article Will Help You Use Social Media Marketing for Holiday Shopping, Gift Buying, and More

Late November into December, it’s prime time to amp up social media marketing and eCommerce strategies to get consumers buying from your brand. Every year though, the noise out there on the Internet grows and the competition becomes fiercer.

As marketers ourselves, we don’t want to see any brand investing in strategies that don’t work or going down a path that isn’t going to lead to anywhere. So for this holiday season December through to January, here are some tips, tricks, and pointers in this ultimate guide to using social media marketing to sell more.

Start early

The best advice anyone can give for a successful holiday eCommerce marketing campaign or holiday digital marketing is to start as early as possible. Ideally, this should be around October 28-29. This then gives enough time for Halloween to pass and sets you up to attract as many gift buyers as possible throughout November to January. For this year, obviously, we are right in the heart of the holiday season so it’s late advice. For next year though, remember!

Plan objectives

For every social media marketing channel – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. – have holiday objectives. Every brand is different, and there are pros and cons to each channel. Objectives for sales, engagement, and other key metrics provide clarity on how you intend to move forward with strategies and approaches.

Stay visible

New and existing social media followers will buy from brands that are visible. This type of visibility is what every brand strives for. You want your brand to be the first thing someone sees when they search out a Christmas gift in your category, or be the first thing that comes to mind when someone thinks of when they think of holiday shopping. It can be tough being visible without overwhelming your followers so be aware of how often and what you’re posting.

Holiday-themed social content

Your usual gamut of social media posts should be infused with Christmas cheer. When content isn’t in some way leaning on the holidays come December, brands can appear culturally tone-deaf. Even for those of us who don’t celebrate Christmas or certain holiday traditions, we likely participate in one way or another even if it’s just to capitalize on some premium gift buying.

Set up a schedule you stick with

Come holiday shopping time, you’ve got to be on the ball with social media marketing posts, ensuring a schedule’s maintained throughout the entirety of the month. Successful brands pre-arrange what they’re going to post when and they stay on top of reaching out to followers. Consider launching a few different strategies, whether that’s user-generated content, a social media photo contest, a week-long of sales, a prize-based contest, or something else. Give your brand enough time to roll these out and turn them around into something that sells for you.

Build out holiday-themed customer personas

If you don’t know who you’re selling to, you won’t sell – it’s pretty simple. Develop holiday-based customer personas that focus on what your customers are looking for this holiday season, the products they want to buy, who they’re buying for, and why they’re buying gifts. A high quality persona profile is also going to share their pain points, emotions, and needs. As you discover common personas that exist among your social media followers and buyers, you’ll come to understand the language, tone, and approach needed to pull on their heartstrings and maximize the holiday shopping season for your brand.

Influencers

The easiest way to cut through the noise come the holidays is to use influencers with built-in audiences. They can help get the word out on special offers or discounts and reach whole categories of social media users you may not otherwise have. Holiday influencer marketing promises big returns, if you choose the right partners for what you’re trying to accomplish.

Re-design your social media look!

Get in the mood for the holiday season by re-designing your social media avatars and banners. Holiday digital marketing should look like it. The hype will pull in customers, give your brand an optimum aesthetic for the time of year, and set you up to attract gift buyers in the spirit of giving!

It’s not all about selling!

The holidays are filled with brands promoting, promoting, and promoting! Content marketing excels most when it’s most educational, relevant, informational, or giving tips and insights. Opportunities to educate your audience on holiday gifts, how to use your products, and the specifications and benefits of certain products should be taken advantage of. This is high-value content that takes the pedal off trying to sell something and instead, you’re just having a conversation. For new social media followers, this can help build trust, authority, and convert prospective leads.

Show some humanity

During the holidays, a lot of us go to connect with our friends and family. There’s a lot of mixed emotions, of course. This is perhaps why the best holiday marketing campaigns are like the best Christmas movies – those with emotional resonance. Share human stories about you and your customers, share the humanity behind how you celebrate the holidays at your brand, and show off a human side. The better you tell your emotional-driven story, the more it will resonate with audience members.

Focus on remarketing

Come December, a lot of consumers are going to be buying from brands they already know. Focusing on new, unproven markets or target audiences is expensive. Ideally, you’ll want to go for remarketing as your primary targeting option on social media and reaching out to existing followers in an attempt to bring them back to the point of engagement.

Create a gift suggestions blog

On social media, no one wants purely promotional content. Everybody’s searching for gift suggestions in an effort to buy the right holiday gifts for their loved ones. Create a gift suggestions content marketing blog that showcases holiday-friendly products. It’ll give your social media followers some ideas on items that would make for the perfect gift. Don’t hesitate to write a thorough post outlining all your favourite recommendations.

User-generated social media campaign

Launch a holiday social media campaign where you ask your followers to share a post or post a video tagging your brand. This fosters high engagement among customers but will also potentially provide you with content to share on your website and to repost to your page. User-generated content solves the issue of not having enough meaningful content to share. Even better, you accomplish this without having to offer much in the form of sales or discounts.

Launch a Facebook Live video campaign

Holiday-themed live video streaming on Facebook generates social interactions and conversations around your brand. This is widely considered to be one of the most valuable marketing components on Facebook. Live videos get up to 6 times more interactions than non-live videos on Facebook. Your live video doesn’t have to be long and can show behind-the-scenes glimpses into how products are created, how your brand is celebrating the holidays, or sharing any promotions.

Encourage social media sharing

All the time you spend on retargeting and remarketing to your social media followers, encouraging social shares can get your message out beyond that network. An outreach campaign like this can do a lot of good in increasing sales and creating more brand awareness around the holiday season.

Social media isn’t the only digital marketing channel to capitalize on during Christmas and the holidays but it’s a very, very important one. Across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, you have millions of people searching for gifts. By launching objective-driven digital campaigns on relevant platforms, you can outperform last year’s numbers in a major way. Join Unlimited Exposure today and make the most of your social media following before the month’s up!

Source: https://unlimitedexposure.com/basic-digital-marketing/1110-this-article-will-help-you-use-social-media-marketing-for-holiday-shopping,-gift-buying,-and-more.html

Why Using a Social Cause to Connect to Your Millennial Audience is Still a Smart Approach

Social causes as a form of marketing is a controversial subject, with some describing it as misleading and manipulative. Regardless of what one’s take on using charity or a social cause marketing, there’s no questioning its effectiveness with younger generations.

Why we do it

Social cause marketing is believed to have begun in the mid-1970s through a joint campaign between the Marriot Corporation and the March of Dimes. The Marriot promoted their family entertainment complex in California while raising funds for the March of Dimes cause, which succeeded at promoting the corporation as well as the cause. Since then, so many others have followed suit with joint charity campaigns. In this era of increased consumer awareness and interest in causes such as the environment, brands win major points when they engage.

What is your brand doing?

Millennial consumers don’t just want to buy from a corporation that dehumanizes its customers down to a number or profit margin. They want to know more about the brands they’re spending on and supporting. Is your brand doing anything to make the world a better, kinder place? Deepen loyalty with your audience base with an investment in a social cause. Show the world your business isn’t just about turning a profit, and that it’s got some real values and a mission behind it.

What happens to a brand who promotes a social cause?

More than two-thirds of millennials say their perception of a brand improves when said brand supports a social cause they approve of. Although you don’t want to appear boastful or as if you’re beating your chest over any charity accomplishments, strategic publicity of a cause or charity can be integral to setting up your company for success. In digital marketing, content marketing, and social media marketing, you don’t always want to be selling. You’ve got to say something meaningful. A social cause may be the piece you’re missing.

Does social cause marketing work to attract consumers?

More than half of consumers this year will buy from a brand that supports a social cause. The percentage of consumers who value a brand that supports a social cause has grown with each passing year, since 2010. Up to 87 percent of consumers are also likely to switch brands if one brand is aligned with a social cause, if price and quality are equal. This is because consumers believe when a company donates some of its profits to a worthy cause instead of their bottom line, that company’s more deserving of one’s consumer dollar. Social cause marketing is a very simple idea but it works.

What social cause should my brand support?

If it’s not obvious what social cause marketing could work for your brand, give it some thought. There are a number of social causes that are extremely popular with millennial audiences, including brands playing a role in development in underdeveloped parts of the world and environmental or eco-friendly causes. You may also choose to do something smaller and localized, offering to raise money for a charity cause in your own community. Promoting charity initiatives and social causes like this reflect extremely well on a business, and give insight into what’s important.

How can my brand use social cause marketing?

There are many ways you can employ social cause marketing. A lot of brands won’t ask for anything from their consumers, other than to support the same cause that you support. Some brands are a little more involved though with a number of approaches. For example, you can offer a donation with purchase, provide a link or offer to consumers to join your campaign and supporters, a ‘buy one, give one’ campaign, hold a volunteerism rally, offer a way to donate, consumer pledge drive, or a request for consumer action.

Choosing a non-partisan, inoffensive cause

As a small to medium sized business, or a start-up company, you don’t want to immediately disregard consumers who don’t share the same political view as you. Choosing a side between liberal and conservative, or a political ideology of any kind, is wrong. To this point, you shouldn’t appear partisan. It’s much more advantageous and kind to be non-partisan, and to choose a social cause that does not carry political controversy with it.

Consumers are expecting more from brands

It’s not enough now just to do good business. Cause marketing’s a great approach at communicating there’s more to your company than simply making money. Once a brand has influence, power, or a platform, it’s time to use it for positive means. You can publish your efforts through digital marketing, giving you more to talk about than your products or services. Social causes convert big in email, social media, and content marketing. If you can show you’re trying to change the world for the better, it almost creates a type of gravity that brings in consumers.

Write about it in blogs and articles regularly

Content marketing in blogs and articles should promote a social cause on a schedule. This isn’t saying every blog should include a mention of your social cause. While you’re writing about a variety of topics related to your products or services, don’t hesitate to add an article detailing issues you’re trying to solve, a charity you support, or what your brand’s doing to make the world a better place. After all, if you don’t talk about your efforts, who will – you’ve got to make publicity!

Don’t just write, take photos often

If your social cause has you attending events locally or even if it’s creating action elsewhere in the world, get photos and videos if you can. A picture truly does paint a thousand words and tagged right, you can send an image all over social media on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and on communities like reddit. A video marketing social cause campaign you can also publish on platforms like YouTube and Facebook. These should be professionally taken images, although they don’t have to be perfect. Images give you more content to use.

Why video marketing is so important to a social cause

What form of content marketing has the highest ROI – you guessed it, video. Accumulating and producing videos to share on social media and different platforms, including your website, doesn’t have to be complicate. Even a 15-second or 30-second clip can tell a beautiful story. Video storytelling can be central to tapping into emotion and because of the manner it’s produced, video is something that can be reused again and again. It builds goodwill, is cost-effective, and the ROI is compellingly high.

A loyalty building strategy

Brands that use social causes create loyalty among audiences. The more loyalty you foster, the greater the likelihood it is a consumer will choose you over a competitor. This loyalty doesn’t originate from price point, a product release, or innovation. It’s all about communication. Like-minded individuals naturally form community. Social causes bring people together. Use this.

What’s a basic social media marketing campaign for social causes?

Set up accounts for your brand on the major social platforms you intend to use. Then, commit to a post of at least once a day on all platforms. Not every post needs to relate to a social cause you support however it is good to stick to a regular plan. You may wish to mention your social cause once a week, or more or less frequently depending on the time of year and what you’re promoting. Content can be used from your site, coming in the form of blogs, video, images, or infographics. Plan ahead as to what areas your content will focus on. This is a basic social media marketing campaign for social causes.

Are you looking for high quality digital marketing to promote your social cause? Unlimited Exposure would love to help.

Source: https://unlimitedexposure.com/basic-digital-marketing/1106-why-using-a-social-cause-to-connect-to-your-millennial-audience-is-still-a-smart-approach.html