Social Media For Retail Businesses Archives

Posted by Patrick

Disappearing Content is the Future of Advertising

September 11, 2017Advertising, Content Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Social Media, Social Media For Retail Businesses, Social Media Marketing, Social Media predictions

We’re not really too sure if Snapchat knew exactly what they were getting into with the concept of disappearing content. You know, it being the future of social media and all. But why would we want our content to disappear? It all comes down to the power of relevance.

As we have mentioned in past blogs, the future of content is user intent. Although Facebook and Instagram have become more organized as far as relative content, Snapchat has become king. With the power to choose what we want to see, the only content audiences view is exactly what they want to see; what they intend to see. And not only is appealing to them in the first place, but the fact that it only lasts so long commands more attention than it would if it did not have the ability to disappear.

Much like feeds that seems to tailor themselves to the user’s personality and interests, Snapchat also offers options of different entertainment companies to view their content like magazines, sports channels, teams, models and more. By taking this information into account and storing it in the user’s personalized account, they have specific options to revisit the content whenever they choose until it eventually disappears. This creates a win-win for brands and companies to not have to bombard users with over saturated ads and give a special insight into the exciting lives behind them simultaneously. These channels seem to be one of the most popular features of the application, besides the fact that the filters fuel social lives for friends to share.

How Can It Help You?

So far, the creative and illusive form of content has been used for campaigns and fundraisers through uploaded selfies and relative pictures. According to Blue Baboon Digital, “in 2014 the World’s Wildlife Fund began a Snapchat campaign to raise awareness about endangered species. They launched the #LastSelfie campaign, inspired by the disappearing nature of Snapchat. They included the tagline ‘Don’t let this be my #LastSelfie’ to encourage users of the app to take pictures of their ads and share them with friends.”

Beyond which companies and brands are already featured on this application and utilize its beneficial properties, any are open to use it! The hype of disappearing content not only attracts big businesses due to its popularity but its low cost especially. Snap Ads generally run only $3,000 a month, sponsored lens can be a bit pricier running from $5,000 Mon-Friday, and finally, the discover ads that we have been talking about. Priced at $50,000 currently, Snap decided to drop the rates from $750,000 to make them more affordable with “Live Story” prices at $250,000 in the Discover section.

With many options to choose from, more and more brands and businesses are jumping on board to the Snapchat disappearing platform every day. Depending on how much your budget is for advertising, this is definitely considered to be a wise investment for personal brands as well as clients. Consider how much you want your name out there and what you’re willing to invest for it; this is the future of social media advertising so let’s get with the times.

Posted by Patrick

Hottest Social Media Trends for Summer 2016

May 19, 2017Business Tips, Marketing Campaigns, Mobile, Social Good, Social Media, Social Media for Consumer Products, Social Media for Hospitality, Social Media for Party Planners, Social Media for Restaurants, Social Media For Retail Businesses, Social Media predictions, Socially Connected, Strategic Planning, Strategy 0

Summer has arrived, and warm temps don’t mean that it’s time to take a break from your marketing campaign. Quite the opposite. As more and more folks take some much-needed time off from work, you can bet that they’ll be sharing their joy on social media. This is where you want to be as well. Here are the latest trends in the social media universe that you can leverage for your business marketing efforts this summer.

Not Your Grandma’s Video

We’ve been told for years that video is essential for marketing. Now with over a billion users worldwide, YouTube has revolutionized video marketing to the masses. Yet, a new phenomenon is sweeping the planet and is pushing internet surfers and marketers alike to up their video game, so to speak: live video streaming. We’re no longer satisfied with simply watching recorded videos but crave the authentic live experience that is broadcast through Apps like Periscope and Meerkat – one of the hottest social media trends today. Periscope, owned by Twitter, is now broadcasting over 40 years worth of video daily. Before you start ambushing customers and live streaming, you may wish to strategize with some social media experts.

Snapchat for Business

Snapchat, as much as you want it to be, is no longer just for teenagers. However, if your customer base is on the younger side, this is a marketing channel to example closely. According to Snapchat stats, 71% of users are under the age of 34, and there are over 100 million active users of the App. This is an App that can be leveraged for video marketing and short messages to reach untapped markets, particularly if your target market fits these demographics.

Social Commerce

Consumers are becoming less and less patient, and would prefer not to click through three separate screens to buy your product if it’s appealing. Fortunately, many of the social media platforms have heard the call, and various commerce-focused features have been implemented to allow the consumer to hit that “Buy” button sooner, rather than later. Facebook and Pinterest introduced these features in 2015, Twitter has been testing a “buy” button, and Instagram is expected to follow suit shortly.

Influencer Marketing

What used to be called word-of-mouth marketing is now termed “influencer marketing.” Same thing. Not only has the name changed, but its importance has gone through the roof. In fact, Nielson estimates that over 90% of consumers trust recommendations of friends and family over an advertising message. So, not only do those Yelp reviews and social media comments about your company matter, but your immediate response to them and prompt resolution of issues matters just as much.

Mobile Rules

It’s no longer “a plus” that your website, blog, and social media buttons are mobile friendly. Today, this is a must if you wish to survive in business. In 2016, it’s estimated that 2 billion consumers worldwide own smartphones, and mobile traffic overtook desktop traffic over a year ago. As content on a website is generally linked to social media, be sure that all of your web properties are mobile-friendly.

Social media platforms and their popularity change frequently and often those changes don’t make sense on the surface. Yet, social media marketing and staying on top of social media trends, is an essential element of connecting with customers and reaching untapped markets. Contact us if you’d like to learn more about social media trends and how My Social Marketing Network’s specialized marketing services can help your business get noticed.

Posted by Patrick

Keeping Your Fingers on the Pulse: Ways to Stay Ahead of the Game and Predict Social Media Trends Like a Psychic

May 19, 2017Business Tips, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Marketing Campaigns, Social Good, Social Media, Social Media for Consumer Products, Social Media for Hospitality, Social Media for Party Planners, Social Media for Restaurants, Social Media For Retail Businesses, Social Media predictions, Socially Connected, Strategic Planning, Strategy, Twitter, Yelp, YouTube 0

Keeping up with social media trends can be confusing, especially when they seem to change every few months. As Entrepreneur contributor Aaron Agius puts it, “the savvy use of social media” is one of the best methods for building your brand’s authority. Being aware of the latest trends on social media platforms is essential to any business hoping to remain competitive in their market.

Becoming a Social Media Marketing Psychic

Unless you’re a social media marketing consultant, psychic (or both), you probably aren’t keeping up with the hottest trends across the various platforms. If you’re a business owner or marketer, your top priority is likely your own business and industry daily logistics – so how do you stay ahead of the game and still have time to focus on the many other aspects of running your business? One way is to learn how to predict the social media trends before they happen (or predict which ones will continue to be hot). While this may seem like an impossible task, it really can be as simple as paying attention to what has worked recently and developing your marketing strategy from there.

One of the predictions mentioned at Inc.com – regarding which social media platforms would prove to be viable for marketers in 2015 – was based on the success of certain platforms in the prior year. No one could deny that Facebook continued to be a leading choice for both users and marketers in 2015. LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube were the next obvious contenders, based on the percentage of marketers who used them in 2014. Instagram has already surpassed Twitter in terms of growth and popularity since the marketing research from 2014, as it grew to over 400 million users in 2015. The next big social media platform gaining momentum in 2016 in Snapchat, which is currently rivaling Facebook with 4 billion video views on any given day from 200 million active users.

Looking at Social Media Trends for 2015

Clearly, one of the best indications of the social media trends that will be hot in 2016 is the direction in which marketing practices developed in 2015 across popular platforms. Just as SEO practices experienced significant change in 2015, Facebook also implemented changes that affected marketers. The rules for posting marketing content changed considerably, and this will continue to change the way marketers do business on Facebook in 2016.

Social Media Week contributor Nicole Brown agrees that looking at the past is the secret to success in the future. Social marketing trends in lead generation that worked well in the latter part of 2015 are likely to be just as effective throughout 2016.

Keeping Track of Trending Topics

Another way to remain ahead of the game is to follow the trending topics on social media sites. This is not only a wise practice for journalists; it’s also a great way for marketers to learn what subject matter is of most interest to current platform users. Once you know which topics are trending, you can integrate that information with your marketing campaigns – from your social media posts to your email marketing ads.

As it happens, you don’t really need to be a psychic to remain competitive in your marketing efforts. However, you may need to take a look at the most recent social media trends to predict which ones will be viable in the future. If you don’t feel equipped to do this, or simply don’t have the time, you may want to consult a professional whose job is navigating social media platforms for marketers and small business owners.

Posted by Patrick

Winning By Pinning!

May 19, 2017Business Tips, Social Media for Hospitality, Social Media for Party Planners, Social Media For Retail Businesses, Socially Connected, Strategic Planning 0

Pinning! Huh? Yes, you read it correctly. There is a new social site on the block, and it’s making a killing. A website completely driven by images, Pinterest is gaining interest from people all over the web. Still in beta form, you must obtain an invite to join (http://pinterest.com/landing/). How exclusive.

I won’t lie, I have a pinning addiction, and let me tell you why. Pinterest is basically an online compilation of lookbooks. The pinner sorts through countless images in every category and then pins their chosen images onto virtual boards that you create. It’s basically the modern day corkboard. The user can also upload images using the URL where the image can be found. Create as many boards as you like, and build an online scrapbook of everything you are obsessed with. I personally have about 8 different boards all in different categories ranging from food and recipes to animals and fitness inspiration.

So what’s the social aspect? It has a little bit of Facebook and a little bit of Twitter. People can follow yours boards like Twitter and can comment on your images like Facebook. Pinterest is different in the way that it is more about collecting content than creating it.

So why should you be interested in Pinterest? For one, it’s addicting, two, great for gathering and managing ideas and inspirations, and three, I think that it will prove to be a powerful social network for businesses. From event planners and florists to sports shops and hotels, Pinterest is going to be a great place to showcase what you are made of. Hotels, for example, may use Pinterest to show highlights or attractions in the city where they are located. Architects may showcase what inspires them. Florists may showcase their work. The opportunities are endless.

Pinterest has yet to come out with business pages, but I have noticed that many businesses/consultants are on the site and are already gaining followers. Michael Kors is a great example of how a brand can use Pinterest.

All in all, Pinterest is a site to keep an eye on. It is not for everyone, but if your business can make use of visuals and photos then you’re in.

Happy Pinning!

Posted by Patrick

How To: Create Your Google+ Business Page

May 19, 2017Business Tips, Google+, Social Media For Retail Businesses, Socially Connected 0

Now that Google+ has rolled out it’s Google+ business profile pages, we wanted to fill you in on how to go about getting one of these. As discussed in an earlier post, The Powers That Be: Google+ and Why You Need It, Google+ is going to be a very important social network to be a part of. With it’s SEO benefits, your Google+ business page will put your business on the map.

Follow these basic steps below to successfully set up and start using your brand new Google+ page!

Sign into your Google+ account. Scroll down to the bottom, and in the right hand column, you will see a link to “Create A Page.”
Once you have been directed to the “Create A Page” page, then choose which category your business fits under. Is it a local business, a product or brand, an organization? You can also choose “Other” if your business does not fall into one of the given categories. In order to choose “Local Business” you must have a physical address and phone number registered in Google Places. If you don’t already have a Google Place page, it will ask you to set up one from within Google+.
Once a category has been selected, fill in all the basic information it asks for. Most of this is quite basic, but make sure to fill it all in, as this will result in a more complete profile, which in turn gives you added SEO benefits. The information asked is relative on the category you chose.
Now it is time to make it your own, and customize the page. One cool aspect of Google+ is their tagline feature. Create a tagline for your business, and add in photos. Upload at least 6 photos, as these are the photos that will be shown at the top of your page.
When your Google+ page has been officially created and you have established a strong foundation for it, it’s time to take it to the next level. Add content, share content. Even if you don’t have any followers yet, sharing relevant content will hopefully entice people to start following your page.
Start adding Circles to your page, and start following others. Social media is social because there is a two-way dialogue. As you engage with others, your page should gain more traffic and your fan base should start to trickle in.
Add more photos and videos. People are very visual, and enjoy looking through albums and watching videos. This type of content is great for stimulating engagement.

Now that you have your Google+ business profile set up, the same rules apply. Get creative, engage, and share.

Google+ away my friends.

Posted by Patrick

The Powers That Be: Google+ and Why You Need It

May 19, 2017Business Tips, Google+, Social Media for Consumer Products, Social Media For Retail Businesses 0

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and the list just keeps on growing. Social networks are almost impossible to keep up with these days, unless, as I discussed in my previous post, your business has hired a social media expert to stay up to date for you.

Many of you probably know this, but Google+ recently launched its Business Profile pages last week. I know what you are thinking…here we go again, yet ANOTHER social network profile I need to manage. And many more are asking, “Why? What are the benefits?” There has been a lot of discussion around Google+ and if it is a true competitor to Facebook. Although usage seems to be down in general, Google+ has one notable power that reigns supreme. What is that power? The power of search!

Google+ Pages are still in their infancy, but we think that it will establish itself as a true competitor to Facebook’s business pages. The first major feature of Google+ business pages are the SEO benefits. Because Google is one of the largest search engines in the world, Google+ will favor those businesses that have a Google+ page. All of your Google+ updates are follow-able and are fed into a Google search.

Another cool aspect is the ability to directly connect with a Google+ business page through search. One can directly connect with a Google+ page just by typing a “+” in the search bar behind the business’ name. The Facebook page may come up, but will never be as searchable as a Google+ business page.

The last and major benefit of creating and maintaining a Google+ business page are all the tools and applications that Google already has in place. Google has said that they will integrate these tools with the Google+ business page to make tracking and analyzing engagement easy and efficient.

Although questions about Google+ remain, there is little doubt that Google will be leaving the social media arena anytime soon, and this attempt at a social network is their best yet. Although it is not fully developed or established, we can expect to see a lot of features and functions coming from Google which will make having a Google+ business profile more necessary than ever.

Posted by Patrick

Social Media for Non-Profits: Bringing Change in the Digital Era

May 19, 2017Facebook, Social Good, Social Media For Retail Businesses, Socially Connected, Uncategorized 0

By Alessandra Ceresa

Social media can be one of the most important marketing tools that a non-profit can benefit from. With a solid strategy in place, a non-profit can raise funds, engage with fans, and bring awareness to the cause all with a very limited marketing budget.

Social media was created to connect people, and a non-profit survives because people connect and engage with the cause. Using social media provides organizations with the chance of making change through online interaction that bleeds into everyday life.

Nika Water, a non-profit bottled water company, started with very limited resources, but a big dream and a great team of ambitious, young individuals. When they decided to bring a PR agency on board, the CEO believed in the power of social media, and wanted to focus a lot of the company’s marketing dollars pursuing a successful strategy. Today, Nika has over 5,000 fans, and their social media team continues to engage and attract fans with their inspirational stories, great pictures, and fun events. Because a non-profit plays off the emotions of its audience, one must be aware that applying a social media strategy that leverages these feelings can be very beneficial in increasing the organizations chances for success.

Alumni Associations, as well as sub-groups of such associations, are another type of organization that can really make great use of social media. Many do not understand the power that social media can have. Some schools, like USC, for example, use the USC Trojans Group of San Diego to not only promote games and get their fellow Alumni together for fun events, but they also use that group to recruit players. Unfortunately, their online presence is lacking, and they could definitely use a boost. Many potential players reside online, and where better to reach out to them and get them involved then via Facebook? There is so much potential there that is not being sought after, but would change the game to a winning one.

Since organizations do not have the resources to exhaust dollars on marketing, social media provides these non-profit players with a chance to thrive in a market that they otherwise couldn’t exist in. Online marketing has become a gold mine for companies like these. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn digitally bring people together to give that viral effect to a cause that can promote great change to not only the fan base, but beyond. Once the word is out online, and the company continues to engage followers, potential is endless. People all over the world have a Facebook, and imagine the change that could be made if a company is engaging people not only in the US, but abroad as well.

Posted by Patrick

Talking Twitter – Part 1

May 19, 2017Business Tips, Social Media for Hospitality, Social Media for Party Planners, Social Media for Restaurants, Social Media For Retail Businesses, Twitter 0

by Kristian Zaspel

Is making random tweets about your business and services on Twitter not helping you get the results you want? This is because relationships do not start with self promotion and business plugs. Like any relationship, it takes time to get to know someone, and just like in the real world, you have to actually ask questions and listen to truly engage with a person and build trust. Casual conversation in social media is easy to do, but it does take some patience and investment on your part. Next time you are using Twitter to search for hashtags and conversations related to your product or business, try exercising the following techniques to build new relationships, get more followers and make brand advocates out of complete strangers.

Ask people questions. Believe it or not, people like talking, especially about themselves. This works the same online. If you find someone on Twitter that you would like to target to share information about your business, ask them about something they recently posted and see where that conversation leads you.

Do not be afraid to start the conversation, but also remember to use proper etiquette. Just because you are hiding behind a computer does not mean you can ask personal or inappropriate questions.

People who “tweet” and use hashtags do so because they WANT to be found and interacted with. This is why so many people ask open ended questions because they’re looking for answers and responses. Here is an example of someone looking for engagement: @RunnerGeek Why do my feet hurt after every run??? #pain #runner

Remember to take the time to find questions and answer honestly. It does not hurt to use a little humor sometimes. 🙂

Keep track of who are interacting with. You might not get a reply or Tweet back from someone for a couple days, so use an open document to copy/paste the other user’s handle and maybe what you were talking about. This is helpful if you want to touch base with them later once the conversation is over and it keeps you organized.

If you are tweeting from a company or product handle, there is no need to plug your product right off the bat, especially if it already says something about it in your profile. For example, if you are a beverage company and someone say’s “It’s so hot right now, wish I had something to drink!” you do not need to reply with, “Try my new drink ACME brand, it’s delicious!”. Instead try something like, “I would direct message you a tall glass of deliciousness if that feature existed!”

Give good advice. You want people to see you and your brand as experts. This will also help after the relationship is made and if people have questions. They might also ask you a question months down the line when they actually need your services or product and they remembered that you gave them good advice way back when.

Keep it light! Most people do not want to talk business right from the get-go. The opportunity to talk about your product or services might not come for a bit, or ever for that matter, but engaging with others in casual conversation let’s people know of your company’s presence and if you make a lasting impression, chances are they will remember you when they need you.

Life is good at My SMN, especially if you want to learn more about social media and about what we do! Make sure to subscribe to our blog to get updates on our posts!

@MySMNChannel Have a great day and enjoy our #socialmedia tips for all your #online marketing needs

Posted by Patrick

Social Media for Retail Businesses: Surf Shops in San Diego

May 19, 2017Business Tips, Facebook, Social Media For Retail Businesses 0

By Alessandra Ceresa

Shop, shop, shop ‘til you drop? Well, now you don’t have to since online shopping has become easier then ever. With so many options for places to shop, how can a retailer differentiate their business from another, and how can brick and mortar retailers keep their shops alive? Social media for retailers can be the answer for some.

There are many ways that retailers can organize and implement a social media strategy that will not only increase brand awareness, but establish a loyal customer base as well.

When developing a social media strategy for a retail business, the following tactics used by some of San Diego’s local surf shops have set them apart from the rest.

TIP: Establish the Facebook page as a customer forum, where consumers leave feedback, comments, or express customer service issues, etc. It is easier for them to post their comment or concern on a page rather then searching for an email or a customer service phone number on a website. Sun Diego Board Shops, for example, does a great job addressing a customer’s questions on their Facebook wall. After a consumer posts a question or a concern, Sun Diego immediately responds to the post, whether it is a return issue, or a question about a contest rule. It provides a real-time response that instantly satisfies the consumer. The customer now feels like the brand “cares” about them, increasing the likelihood they will shop there in the future.

TIP: Keep customers updated daily on events, new stock, sales, and promotions. Hansen Surfboards in Encinitas constantly posts about sales, pictures from events, the surf, the weather, and anything else that is interesting for their clientele. They not only interact with their customers, but their brand affiliates as well. For example, they carry TOMs shoes and tagged them in a wall post that updated fans on the new stock of TOMs at the store. This is a perfect way to not only reach your customers, but the other company’s fan base as well.

TIP: Reward customers for their loyalty. I am going to use Hansen Surfboards as an example again because they are so darn good at what they do in the social media realm. Their customers are constantly sending thank you notes, and pictures of Hansen gear in use. The fans are passionate and loyal. Hansen posts the thank you notes and gives shout outs to the most loyal fans. Recognizing a customer builds a more personal relationship that is sure to not only keep them as a customer, but to passionately spread the word as well.

Some companies also offer special promotions to people who check in or leave a review of the store. These types of ideas create long-lasting and beneficial business relationships.

Brick and mortar retailers have many options when developing their social media strategy. Making use of it the right way can be a game changer, and should be a key component to any marketing strategy.

Social Media For Retail Businesses

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