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Tag: help with social media

Posted by Patrick

Social Media ROI Stats and Struggles

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One of the biggest struggles for marketers in this digital age is the ability to successfully measure social media ROI. This is an issue for many marketers because it’s truly difficult to measure the financial value of all that social media provides. Increasingly, marketers are straying away from measuring ROI and showing an increase in revenue and sales when reporting success. Rather, they value things such as engagement: reactions, shares, comments, and page follows.

While 65% of managers believe that social ROI is important, 87% do not even try to measure it. This leaves 77% of  CEOs believing that marketers are not talking about what really matters most to them: sales. So, when it comes to social media marketing and ROI, what matters most? Is it being able to measure financial gains, or is it the ability to show growth, engagement and an actively involved community that values your content and message via social media?

As a San Diego website design and search engine optimization firm, we can see how the value of measuring ROI would be important to most CEOs and marketing managers. Our social media marketing department also struggles with this question, as there is a delicate balance to be had when showing results. We want to highlight the growth and engagement of a successful social media following, however, there are limitations to proving that an increase in revenues is directly correlated with a specific social media campaign.

Just the same, here are some general—overall statistics surrounding social media ROI across all businesses and industries when done correctly. Companies who have a well-established social media presence have seen a 9% increase in revenues, are 26% more profitable than their competitors, and have a 12% higher market value. The key factor in these stats, is the fact that these are well-established social media platforms that are successful both in terms of engagement as well as ROI. In order for this to happen, it simply takes time. Social media may not translate into ROI for a company right away, but if they put in the time, effort, and energy into building a strong presence, it most certainly can benefit the company in terms of ROI in the long-run.

So how should marketers approach the topic of measuring social media ROI? Marketing managers and CEOs alike should look at entering the social media realm as a necessity in this day in age, as well as an investment that (if done properly) will result in a profitable return. However, like with most investments, it is going to take some time to see the fruits of one’s labor. It is going to take financial and time investments to build a following over social media. However, once you have that following, it’s an investment that will continue to bear profitable rewards and opportunities for years to come as long as it is upkept.

Would you like some help growing your social following for the future success of your business? Our social media marketing experts would love to help grow your brand and following over social media. For more information, or a detailed quote, call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

5 recent changes in social media you should be taking advantage of

Business Tips, Content Marketing, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter 0

The only thing consistent about social media is the fact that it is constantly changing. Facebook, for example, has changed several times since it first launched. Buttons, functions, and the placement of them, are constantly moving and changing. It takes a social media expert just to keep up with these many changes that happen several times per year. Many of these changes are unannounced, and marketers are simply stumbling upon them as they occur. Through our research of the ever-changing social media landscape, we’ve identified 5 important changes that all marketers and operators of small business can appreciate and take advantage of.

Facebook Targeting Options

Facebook advertising is something that is constantly changing at a rapid pace, and in October of 2016 they began offering a targeting option for marketers to target people who had shared links to their content in the past. They call this target audience “link sharing.” This is huge, and will likely create many new opportunities for marketers and entrepreneurs alike. While this option was only available on the site for a week last fall, Facebook is likely still testing it with a limited audience, and we should hope to see this option available for Facebook ads very soon.

Twitter Replies Count

Now, when you’re looking through your Twitter feed, you can see not only the basic data for the tweet, but also a list of those who have retweeted, and also a list of those who have liked the tweet at the bottom. This is accompanied by thumbnail images of the Twitter users who have interacted with the tweet. Twitter has also been experimenting with showing the total replies for each tweet, and have allowed this option for a select group of users in its trial stage. This option would be the equivalent of Facebook showing comments under each post. This could encourage users to interact more with tweets.

Twitter Scratch Reel

GIFs are a social media phenomenon that have taken us by storm, and growing in popularity as of late. Twitter has introduced a “scratch reel” option to indulge users in GIF fun by allowing them to fast forward and reverse a GIF my swiping their finger (or curser) to the left or the right. When this option was first made available, it wasn’t possible for Twitter users to create their own unique scratch reels, but the company has opened this option up so that users can now create their own unique and interactive, custom GIFs. In order to access this option, you either need to compose a scratch reel in your Twitter ads, or have access to Media Studio.

LinkedIn Update Insights

Without even announcing its addition, LinkedIn now provides a new insights option for its mobile app. This is useful in that it allows users to see who is seeing their content, and how. These insights are similar to what you would see with LinkedIn Publisher posts, and they give valuable insights for new connections and opportunities. While these insights are first only available via mobile, LinkedIn is sure to include insights on their newly designed desktop site.

LinkedIn Secret Job Search

LinkedIn is making searching for a new job much easier with a new option that allows users to alert others that they are open to new opportunities discreetly, without their current employer knowing about it. It’s a small tab that users can turn on that says “let recruiters know you’re open.”

Whether you work at a San Diego website design firm, a search engine optimization firm, or simply a marketing firm, these five changes are sure to help the way your market yourself and your firm. For more information on social media marketing, or a detailed quote, call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

Spread the LOVE this Valentine’s Day–5 expert tips for content marketing

Content Marketing 0

While it may feel like we just finished decking the halls, Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us, and we should all be adjusting our marketing efforts accordingly. Especially if we want to make the most out of this annual celebration. And with that, we’re gifting you 5 of our most useful pieces of content marketing advice this Valentine’s Day, so that your business will become as successful as possible.

Valentine Themed Email Blast

This is the perfect holiday for a custom designed Valentine’s Day e-card/email blast. Your clients/customers will love it, and you only need to send them out a few days ahead of time for maximum effectiveness. You could even set these to blast on Valentine’s Day, depending upon your industry.

Valentine Themed Custom Content

For content that you can update and reuse from one year to the next, it’s incredibly resourceful to indulge in creating some custom holiday themed content surrounding all major U.S. and audience relevant holidays. Valentine’s Day is no exception. You will want your content to focus on celebrating a certain aspect of a client/customer you admire, and to make them feel special during this holiday of celebrating love. Make your clients feel loved, and you’ll be sure to see some positive results in your ROI.

Create a Holiday Themed Microsite

By creating a separate microsite (or landing page) with a holiday theme, you’re not only adding space to share company relevant content surrounding Valentine’s Day that your following will likely enjoy; you’re also maximizing upon your SEO potential. If you’re not sure where to start, you may want to call your local San Diego website design firm to help.

Valentine’s Day Social Media Campaign

You will certainly want to create a social media campaign surrounding Valentine’s Day. You could highlight a client or customer you like, and say a bit about why. You could share your Valentine’s Day themed custom content, such as custom graphics and holiday themed blog posts. You could also tweet sweet messages that thank your customers/clients–making them feel special. Notify your following of any special holiday sales or promotions, and give them something of value that they find useful this time of year.

Spread the Love

To really make your clients/customers feel special, you could write a love story highlighting some of your favorite clients/customers, what they do, and why you appreciate them. You could also send out love from your employees to your clients/customers with a custom video or photo of your staff. Or you could simply share industry advice, and entitle it something to do with Valentine’s Day love from experts in your industry.

Any good search engine optimization firm can tell you that the following actions will not only give you a boost in your SEO efforts, but also an increase in ROI. For more information, or a detailed quote, call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

5 Social Media Trends We’re Excited to See in 2017

Advertising, Business Tips, Content Marketing, Social Good, Social Media, Social Media for Consumer Products, Uncategorized 0

TRENDS 2017 businessman work hard hand touch

2017 is here, and that means there are sure to be a whole slew of brand new technologies, trends and innovative ways in which marketers will be promoting their business this year. We’ve scoured the web to find out more in terms of what we’re to expect this year, and we’ve found some exciting new trends that we’d love to share with you so that you too are in the loop with the latest and greatest in digital marketing to date.

AI Lenses for Instagram and Facebook

Much like the Snapchat filters, Instagram and Facebook are now working on AI Lenses for profile pictures that are sure to rival the ever-popular filters on Snapchat, according to Sprout Social. Thanks to the popular Snapchat stories, this trend isn’t going away anytime soon, and we should be seeing much more of it overall social media platforms this year.

More Growth for Snapchat

Last year Snapchat experienced an enormous amount of growth to reach a total of 150 million daily users in 2016, with 41% of US adults aged 18-34 being users.

Automation Turns into Social Media Management

Businesses are starting to see the value in real-time posting and engagement for their social media platforms across the board. This is showing business owners and marketers alike that there is much more value in hiring a social media management firm to actively manage all social media accounts in more real-time than setting up everything with automation, so that it is basically on auto-pilot. Opportunities for reaching more people, getting in on what’s most current, trending and up to date, and being more responsive to followers in real-time is going to be essential in 2017.

Paid Content is King

2017 Trends

Navigating the ever-changing algorithms over Facebook and Instagram have forced marketers into boosting and promoting content in order to reach more people. This trend isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon. If businesses want to reach more people, advertising their content over platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are going to be essential. It will also help to pair this effort with the expertise of a local search engine optimization firm to reach even more people over the Internet, and gain maximum exposure for not only your content, but your company website as well.

Social Media Expertise Demand at an All-Time High

Nine out of ten companies currently report that their employees lack the skill sets needed to effectively execute social media management and marketing in an overall effective way. This is going to push companies to start considering outsourcing their social media management to an experienced marketing firm. This will save companies time, and even money when it comes to managing their social media efforts in a manner that will not only drive sales, leads and ROI, but build a loyal following that is sure to stick with them for years to come.

Social media is constantly changing, which is also changing the way that businesses must market themselves. Gone will be the days of in-house marketing if companies truly want to get an edge above their competition and become power houses over social media and the Internet. For more information, or a detailed quote, call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

3 New Year’s Marketing Resolutions for 2017

Advertising, Content Marketing, Email Marketing, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Marketing Campaigns, Mobile, Pinterest, ROI in Social Media, SEO, Social Good, Social Media 0

We’re nearly two weeks into 2017, and that means it’s still time to start making and working on some new year’s resolutions that are really going to stick and turn your life around for the better this year. The same can be said for your small business. There are so many new technologies and programs available today when it comes to marketing and promoting yourself, that it may seem overwhelming to know where to start. But nevertheless, if you aren’t marketing your small business in 2017 in new and exciting ways, how do you expect your business to grow? That’s why we’ve come up with a handy dandy list of new year’s marketing resolutions for your small business in 2017.

Revamp Your Website

January is the perfect time to take a look at your website and decide which pages and graphics, messages, etc. need to be updated, and which things can completely go. Giving your website a fresh new look in 2017 is a great way to attract more leads and potential customers. Be sure to hire the right San Diego website design firm who will take the time and attention it takes to ensure that every detail of your website is psychologically designed in a way that will attract more viewers, and bring them into your storefront or office.

Search Engine Optimization

The Internet is changing all of the time, and if you’re not keeping up with SEO, you may not even be visible in the vast digital jungle that is the web. Be sure to hire a professional search engine optimization firm that will not only help you reach the top of Google search pages, but also optimize your SEO in San Diego so you’re targeting customers nearby. Local search optimization is just as, if not more, important than overall SEO–depending upon your business and industry.

Boost Your Social Media Efforts

It’s always a good idea to make sure your social media content is current and up-to-date. If you want to grow a social following, be sure you’re posting relevant content your followers want to see on a consistent basis. Third party articles from companies you’d like to strategically align with are helpful. You may also want to refresh your profile and background images. Be sure to post content that is behind the scenes, without being too personal, and to mix in a bit of fun with your business-related information. Custom graphics, infographics, links to your website, videos and blogs are essential for social media, and not just on Facebook. LinkedIn is great for B2B marketing, while Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and YouTube are growing fast. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed with navigating the ever-changing social media world, we are here to help. We offer social media management services that are sure to save you time, while increasing your following and overall profits. We can even create ads for your own personal Facebook and Instagram campaigns.

In this new digital age, it’s essential for small and large businesses alike to jump on the social media bandwagon. Whether you enjoy social media or not, there are billions of people around the globe who do, and it’s taking over the way that marketing and advertising is conducted moving forward. Therefore, we are here for you, and would love a chance to help make 2017 the best year yet for your San Diego business. For more information, or a detailed quote, call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

Our Top Marketing Predictions for 2017

Business Tips, Content Marketing, SEO, Social Media, Social Media predictions 0

 

2017 is just around the corner, so while you’re planning your New Year’s Eve parties, your San Diego SEO experts have been gathering together the top marketing predictions we see coming to fruition for 2017, and planning our strategies accordingly. So just what do we see happening in a big way for digital marketing in 2017? Many, many things. Here are some of our top predictions.

Automation Will Be Mandatory

Automation is no longer an option of convenience if you want to succeed in marketing your small business in 2017. Instagram just rolled out a new API which will allow for automation of ads, and hopefully all posts on the platform will follow suit. Pretty much every other social media site has the API for automating posts, and this is going to be key. San Diego small businesses are going to rely on planning and strategizing their content, and scheduling it out via Facebook, Hootsuite, etc. This isn’t going to completely overshadow live posting, but it’s definitely going to be a must if companies want to keep up with content marketing competition.

Snapchat Will Continue to Grow

This social media platform has been growing at a rapid rate, as it should be. Large and small businesses alike are going to have to jump on the bandwagon, or miss out on a very large potential target market.

Targeting Will Be Data Driven

The collection of data by large social media platforms such as Facebook has completely transformed the way customers are targeted and marketed to. Marketing is going to be client-driven and all-inclusive pertaining to their lifestyle as a whole. How do we get this information? Facebook, Instagram, email, personal shopping history, etc. All of this data is going to be used in a cumulative way to really paint a picture of each consumer individually, so that targeting will only become smarter–giving each consumer exactly what they want when they want it.

Investing in Your Marketing Team Will Be Mandatory

If you own a San Diego marketing firm–or employ one to conduct the marketing for your business–a bit of investment into your team is going to be essential in 2017. This is because the heat will be turned up, and the pressure will be on to not only produce great content, but to really engage with your target audience and build a following that is not only interacting with said content, but loyal to your brand. Instilling passion and loyalty in your digital following is a bit of an art combined with science that takes time, blood, sweat and tears, so if you’re not investing in your team, a bigger, better competitor will.

For more information or a detailed quote call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

6 Digital Marketing Tips for the Holidays

Business Tips, Content Marketing, Social Media 0

With the holiday season in full swing there are several marketing strategies available to tap into the season and the increased web traffic and internet shopping that is happening right now. Below are our top digital marketing tips for your business this season.

Research Keywords Based on Buyer Intent

The best way to reel in more customers is by giving them what they want and fulfilling their unmet needs. This can be done by looking into what they are searching for. You can add a search bar to your own website to help with this, and be sure to deliver. It also helps to know who your buyers are, and to make sure they can find you. This can be done with the help of a San Diego SEO or search engine optimization firm.

Create Social Media Buzz

Whether it’s products or services you provide, be sure to create buzz about it over social media. This includes not only advertising, but offering contests, buyer incentives and deals, and holiday themes surrounding the products and/or services you provide. This can be done through custom graphics, links to products/services on your website, and blogs.

Post Content that Your Holiday Customers Value

Whether it’s a blog, a social media post or a website link, be sure that the content you are posting is valuable to your target market. It doesn’t even have to be product/service specific so long as it is bringing viewers to your social media sites, and website. Reeling them in with a great piece that is relevant to their needs, what you offer and the holidays is a great way to attract more sales.

Decorate your Website with Holiday Themed Additions

This doesn’t mean that you need a complete website overhaul, just some simple add ons that will get your viewers in the holiday spirit and thinking about what they need for their holiday celebrations, gifts for others, etc. This could be done with simple additions to the designs you already have, or a couple of extra landing pages. If you’re not sure how to best execute this, contact a San Diego website design firm.

Retarget Abandoned Cart Shoppers

There are likely to be many abandoned carts this season, and this doesn’t necessarily mean that these potential sales are lost. A great way to bring back these shoppers is through the use of retargeting ads. Show them the items they left in their cart while they browse other websites, or simply send them an email reminding them of all the goodies they left. Many shoppers just want some time to mull over the items they were tempted to buy, and will come back to make a purchase.

Offer Holiday Incentives

Sometimes it’s the little things that make a big difference for buyers. Offering free shipping, gift receipts, holiday wrapping or special holiday sales are often times all it takes to set yourself apart from the competition. This can create a loyal customer base that keeps coming back each and every year. And don’t forget about these valuable customers once the holidays pass. Identify their unmet needs for the new year and market to them in a way that will bring them back each and every month.

If you’d like some more help in executing your holiday campaigns, we’d love to help. For more information or a detailed quote call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

Outdated Trends to Avoid on Social Media

Social Media 0

Since social media has become a popular past time over the last two decades, we’ve seen many trends come and go. A whole new genre of trends has emerged over the varying social media sites, and there are some trends that, really, should not be trends at all. That’s right. As social media gurus, we’re here to let small business owners and avid social media users know that there are some things that just should be left off social media, as well as some trends that are simply on their way out. If you want to maximize upon your social media posting power, please read the following, and stray from the following list of things we beleive should no longer be posted on social media.

Oversharing and Mood Updates

It appears it’s been common practice for some social media posters to use the platform as their own personal diary, or therapeutic outlet for times of intense emotional stress. While it may feel good to vent over social media, and share your moods, it shouldn’t be broadcast on the Internet for all to see. Have you ever found an old diary, which you thought at the time seemed perfectly acceptable, only to feel completely ashamed and embarrassed about the things you wrote years later? Oversharing on social media is just like that old diary, except you’re not the only person able to read it—and you really want everyone you (and their moms) talking about it? A good rule of practice for social media is to be yourself without sharing each and every detail about your life.

Typical Food from Typical Restaurants

If you’re a foodie and you’re visiting new and exciting hidden gems you want to share with other foodies, that may seem perfectly acceptable to post over social media. That’s also why there are several Facebook groups dedicated to eating and drinking. No one wants to see photos of each and every meal you have had in a day, especially if it isn’t newsworthy or unique. Our best advice for food lovers on social media is to keep the foodie pics designated for your foodie groups, and only post a food picture once in a blue moon, when you have something that is truly mind blowing, and you know that your audience will really swoon over it.

Your Personal Photo Album

This is a tough one, because everyone has a soft spot in their hearts for their significant other, pet, friends, and the infamous selfie. And sure, we all want to share photos of our loved ones over social media, but no one wants to see 50 photos of you and your significant other smooching, or 50 baby pictures that only you cannot get enough of. That’s what photo albums are for, and while we’ve entered into a digital age, social media shouldn’t be your digital family photo album. If you want your audience to see all of your content without filtering it out, keep the cat pictures to a minimum, and only post when something really mind-blowing happens. Some great examples are your baby’s first steps, graduation photos, wedding photos (in moderation) or a video of your pet doing something absolutely hilarious and amazing. And for those who are obsessed with selfies–keep them to a minimum as well, and keep your clothing on. Skimpy selfies can be an unsavory way to market yourself.

Well, that’ all that we have for today. Sure, there are other trends that are annoying to some and on their way out, but these are the most mainstream. This advice goes for all individuals and small businesses who use social media. If you’d like more advice from San Diego digital marketing experts, or a detailed quote call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

Instagram Offers Shopping and More!

Instagram, Social Media 0

Some exciting new changes are coming to Instagram which should open many new possibilities for all users moving forward. As this platform–owned by Facebook–continues to grow in popularity, more and more features are being added to not only enhance the user experience, but change the way Instagram is used for businesses and marketers alike.

Shop Until You Drop

While Instagram has been growing in popularity for home-based businesses and marketers, it originally did not have the API needed to allow viewers to shop from the platform. All of this is changing with some new Facebook features which are being integrated into the app, such as a “Shop Now” button, and messages linking to sites outside of the app. This has never been done on Instagram before.

Facebook-Powered Targeting

Since Facebook owns Instagram, they’re integrating their highly sophisticated ad targeting technology into the app. Business owners and marketers can now choose the demographics for their target audience, and create Instagram campaigns in a tailored way; reaching the right people. In turn, Instagram users will be presented with content from businesses they are most likely to be interested in—creating value for both businesses and consumers. This information is gathered from Instagram users’ Facebook profiles, giving Instagram advertisers a seamless advertising and marketing experience.

Brand New API

These new changes are possible on Instagram thanks to its new API. Now businesses and marketers can schedule and automate Instagram ads. In the past, the API did not support such automation, and everything had to be done live. No news yet as to whether or not this new API will allow for the automation of non-advertised content just yet. Perhaps this will be in the works for the future of the app. While there are several third party schedulers that allow for the scheduling of Instagram posts for future times, the API hasn’t allowed for post automation. Businesses and marketers were previously required to log into their accounts and physically post in real-time to Instagram, even though they had scheduled it to post ahead of time. Automating this process for Instagram ads is sure to cause marketers to rejoice.

Now that Instagram has made these changes, we’re hoping automation for all posts will become a part of their API reality. We could possibly see it grow to become as big, if not bigger, than Facebook in the near future if these changes are made. Are you taking advantage of promoting your business over Instagram? We’d love to help. For more information or a detailed quote call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We are a San Diego SEO, marketing and website design firm that specializes in working with small businesses in San Diego. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

Add Fuel to Your Social Media Campaigns with Pokemon Go

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As a small business owner, you should always be alert to the possibility of capitalizing on trends which can be advantage to yourself or your business. One of the hottest trends in the country right now is the video game called Pokémon Go, and that fact alone makes it ideal for usage in adding fuel to your social media campaigns.

If for no other reason, the fact of its enormous popularity and the numbers of people who are involved with it, should be something that gets your attention, because it provides you with an enormous built-in audience to promote your small business. Here are some of the ways that you can hop on the bandwagon and use Pokémon Go to grow your small business.

Encourage players to use your business

You can boost social media engagement by encouraging Pokémon Go players to make use of your business – the invitation alone will open the way to greater social engagement with your local clientele, as well as any visiting customers. By making use of social channels to invite people to come play at your business location, you’ll be increasing patronage simply by virtue of the greater number of visitors. If you have a restaurant or store this can be ideal, since the influx of new customers will probably take advantage of time spent there by purchasing your products or services. For even greater participation, you can stage contests or promotions to draw in even more people.

Provide charging stations and free Wi-Fi

You may find that Pokémon Go players flock to your business location if you provide them with charging stations and free Wi-Fi for playing. Two of the critical requirements for extended play will thus be supplied, and your location may become the go-to place in the neighborhood for players. By using your own social channels to inform area players of your generosity, it should quickly become known that you’ve established a player-friendly location which they should be visiting.

Encourage social media check ins

Having players check-in while at your establishment is a great way to boost social engagement, as well as to enhance your Facebook page credibility. Most of the time, a high volume of check-ins is followed by more players coming to your business because of the increased visibility, as well as additional reviews of your business on Facebook. Of course it’s up to you to make sure that those reviews are positive, by providing a pleasant experience for players while they’re with you, and for offering great products and services.

Have players take Pokémon pictures with your products

It can be solid gold for your business to have players taking Pokémon pictures with your products, and have those pictures posted to social media. This amounts to free advertising for your business, and gives you great product exposure all over the Internet. You can encourage this even more by offering discounts to players who take such pictures, especially if they’re products featuring your business name.

Assistance with your social media campaigns

Of course there are many more ways of using digital media strategies for growing your small business. For instance, if you’re considering SEO San Diego or a revamped website, you should contact the experts in San Diego website design, the good folks at My Social Marketing Network. Far more than just a search engine optimization firm, MySMN can handle all your digital marketing needs and website redesigns. For more information or a detailed quote, call 619-291-8181, or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

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