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[…]“social media is the new word of mouth,” but what does that phrase really mean? Is social media really replacing word of mouth advertising? Are more people using social media than they are talking to people face-to-face? To help get to the bottom of this, we did a little research into what the data about word of mouth and social media tells us. Here’s what we found. Word of Mouth Is Still Word of Mouth According to Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family above all other forms of advertising. This makes sense: unless your friend or family member […]
[…]changes, and what was once a great way to share content with your followers no longer works. As social media evolves, businesses using social media will have to change, too. Common social media marketing challenges include truly connecting with your audience on a personal level, building a solid marketing strategy, providing consistently strong content, and getting others to share your content. Connecting with Your Audience on Social Media As a business using social media to connect with your audience, you have to engage with your followers and not just lecture to them. This means that even if you have automated […]
Much of the advice we gave on non-profit social media also applies to doing social media for small business. When you’re a small business owner, the temptation to treat your social media as your main venue for driving sales can be overwhelming. As we explain below, however, being too aggressive with sales language, posting inflammatory content, or slamming the competition on social media can be major traps and can actually hurt your sales in the long run. To help you avoid these and other pitfalls, below we share 3 do’s and don’ts for doing social media for small business. Social […]
[…]media strategies are no longer optional for businesses or non-profits. Customers and donors use social media to vet new products with their friends, to learn more about a business before purchasing, to learn more about a charity or cause before donating, and to interact with customer service if there’s a problem or just want to express their brand loyalty. Keeping on top of social media can be expensive. In sheer hours alone, you may find you’re engaging too much with your social media channels. Working to supercharge your social media strategies doesn’t have to break the bank, however, if you […]
[…]online venues like social media that allow for less screening and less predictability. Although social media, like any form of public communication, contains inherent risks, using social media in healthcare can help organizations differentiate their services in an increasingly competitive market. People Trust Online Health Information According to Ad Week, 40% of healthcare consumers trust health-related information they find online. To meet this growing demand for online information, approximately 70% of healthcare organizations use social media as part of their advertising strategy. This cultural change is significant, but also differs by generation. For example, 18 to 24 year olds are twice […]
[…]organizations can use social media to create a healthy buzz. We’ve also explained that social media is not magic: simply having Facebook and Twitter accounts does not automatically mean that your healthcare organization is reaching and engaging your stakeholders through social media. You also know what a healthy buzz could produce for your organization: meaningful relationships with your existing and future stakeholders. That seems like a lofty outcome. But, as other healthcare organizations have proven, it is achievable. Let’s investigate how healthcare organizations can use social media to build good relationships with their stakeholders. Way #1: Promotion One of the most […]
[…]Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles. Below we share 3 tips for success when doing social media for non-profits. But, What Does Social Media for Non-Profits Even Look Like These Days? A lot of our non-profit clients start out by asking us what social media platforms they should use. We answer that it depends on the cause they represent and who they are trying to reach. The best way to decide on what social media platforms to use is to start a profile and see who’s on there. If you are trying to reach medical professionals in your local area, log into […]
[…]Given this perspective, it’s no wonder that businesses seek control over what is posted on social media. This train of thought often results in a social media policy, or a list of rules for what employees can post on social media. Unfortunately, overly strict social media policies can leave employees, volunteers, and other stakeholders feeling as though they are operating under a gag order. At the same time, if you don’t adopt a social media policy for your small business, you might open Facebook or some other channel some day to see posts you don’t approve of. Worse, your customers might […]
[…]running. To help expedite the process, we’ve gathered a few of our favorite non-profits on social media for you here. Non-Profit #1: National Geographic’s Instagram (@natgeo) As you know, Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms out there that you’re going to want to get your non-profit an account on. However, unlike Facebook or Twitter, Instagram relies almost entirely on your followers viewing your posts on their mobile devices. Although you can access Instagram from a web browser, the platform has made a name for itself on its mobile-friendly app with its easy-to-use and enjoyable photo features. One […]
[…]you will have a 200% increase in the number of new customers who find your website. So why use social media for your business? Because there are lots and lots of people who log on to each platform. And many of them could be potential customers, if you know where to look. Below we explore who’s on social media to give you a more in-depth idea of who you’re targeting when you post. Not All Social Media Sites Are Alike Although it is estimated that over 500 social media sites exist, only a few high-performing sites are financially solvent and […]
[…]media is vital to any organization’s marketing strategy. If you’ve ever tried to use social media to promote a small business or non-profit, however, you’ve probably also realized that social media marketing requires quite a bit of upkeep. Your organization has slow weeks, which allows you to publish content easily. But your organization also has busy weeks, which makes it more difficult to keep on top of. Your pattern of posting has probably been uneven and you’ve noticed that you have less likes and shares than you did when you first started posting. Even though social media is a free […]
[…]well. It looks over elements of your site such as headings, keywords, alt tags, SEO, usability, social media, and more. Once you get your instant review and sign up for the 14 day trial, you can continue to utilize WooRank’s features at the “Pro” level for one website for $49 a month. Hootsuite If your website is already up to snuff, then you’re ready to tackle social media marketing head on. Say you’ve got Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts. Now you have to find content for each of these channels, log into each one every day, and post appropriate content […]
[…]that Directs People to Your Website The first way to increase website traffic fast is to build a social media following and send your followers back to your website. If you’re using social media correctly, you should be growing your audience all the time. This is achieved through a combination of posting relevant content, being consistent, and boosting posts on platforms like Facebook. Once you’ve built a following, you can send time-sensitive posts to your existing audience with links back to your website. You should also be doing this regularly, however. If your content only lives in social media, your […]
[…]you need to leverage the technologies that fuel online media like websites, clickable ads, and social media profiles. These include: Search engines Content management systems like WordPress, Joomla!, and Magento Online ad platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn Interested in learning more about the differences between traditional marketing and digital marketing? Check out our previous article on this topic: Traditional Marketing vs Digital Marketing: 3 Things to Consider Below we go through the main skill sets you need to master to be effective at the digital marketing fundamentals that matter the […]
[…]Now you need to extend that same experience to your web presence. Your website, mobile app, and social media channels should all provide your customers with a simple, useful way to interact with your business. To help you think about what your web presence should do for your customers, think about what they need and want to do. The following questions will help you: Why do your customers return for repeat business? What specific value do you provide that makes you distinct in your marketplace? What sets you apart from your competition? What are the core values of your brand […]
[…]to Facebook. What makes Instagram so popular? After researching and talking with several mid-sized social media users that have large social media followings, Jayson DeMers of Forbes found that these users liked Instagram because of its functionality, visual nature, and novelty. Since Instagram is a mobile-heavy app, it’s always accessible to users wherever they have an internet connection. Brands are also getting on Instagram in a big way. It’s easy for companies to quickly take a picture on their mobile devices and edit inside the Instagram app itself, or download one of the many Instagram-adjacent apps for further editing tools. […]
[…]which pretty much does everything you could want it to do. Tool #2, Which Helps You Publish to Social Media: HootSuite Publisher and Suggestions Hootsuite is another great, low-cost content marketing tool that enables you to share great content over social media. With its publisher feature, you can queue up posts over major social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. You can also create an entire content calendar that tells you when things are posted if you’re running specific campaigns. The free version allows you to manage up to five different social media accounts. The pro version, which is just […]
[…]to be set up correctly in Google My Business, and needs to work well on mobile devices. An A+ Social Media Marketing Game Social media is an oft-misunderstood element of a small business marketing strategy. You may find yourself posting all the time and getting no response. Or you may be getting lots of responses and aren’t sure how to proceed to the next step of connecting with leads. At minimum, your social media strategy should include regular updates that are relevant to your customers, coupons and specials targeted at specific types of consumers, and a plan for following up personally with […]
[…]and shares. In fact, you may have checked out our blog post on this very topic: Non-Profit Social Media Ideas: 3 Organizations Who Are Killing It To help you continue the process, we’ve gathered a few tips for Facebook marketing for non-profits. Read on to help take your Facebook game to the next level. Facebook Marketing Tip #1: Planning Ahead and Creating a Social Media Schedule One of the most important things to develop for your organization is a content strategy. A content strategy template is a single document that contains all the information you need to develop, maintain, and […]
[…]engines index your website content and the way you promote your content Social – Individual social media networks you post content to Email – How you connect with potential, and existing, customers via email Internal – How you use content within your organization, hopefully as part of an overall content strategy Below you’ll find some recommendations for thinking about each of these content channels within your overall content strategy. Channel #1: Web One of the most important channels to consider is your website. Having a robust, well-designed website that showcases essential features is a must for every business. It is […]
[…]SEO: Being the Top Search Result on Google: Local vs National SEO Digital Marketing Myth #2: Social Media Is Free and Easy to Use Social media is a great way to market your business, particularly when you’re trying to create brand recognition. The truth, however, is that platforms like Facebook and Twitter are fast becoming paid platforms where you need to spend money on advertising to reach new consumers. Building and cultivating a loyal social media following is also not simply a matter of posting content. You need to interact with your audience, to deliver content that will actually keep […]
[…]Ads Facebook Ads Small business and non-profit websites Blogs Regular posts on popular social media platforms Email newsletters The main difference between these digital venues and more traditional ones such as radio, television, and print, is that you can target specific people. Rather than putting up an ad and hoping that the section of your audience you’re trying to reach sees it, with digital marketing you can put your message right in front of the people you’re trying to reach. Google Ads, for example, appear when users enter specific keywords into a search engine. If you know how to properly […]
[…]basis, such as landing pages and promotions. When doing so, try to follow the 80/20 rule of social media marketing: 80% of the time provide value to your audience through tips, tricks, and other helpful content. 20% of the time, do direct marketing by publishing promotions, fundraising campaigns, and other sales or donation-related content. Getting started with Twitter marketing can be that easy. Just determine your best hashtags, add in some photos every now and again to your tweets, and provide links in your tweets back to your organization’s website! There are many more strategies for Twitter marketing, but the […]
[…]at your convenience. Social Media Integration + Marketing MailChimp can also be connected to your social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram, and Google. You can use MailChimp to created targeted advertising campaigns for Facebook and Instagram to reach new users in your target audience, or to connect with current subscribers. Then, once Mailchimp learns more about your social media followers, you can utilize Google to place ads in specific areas to try and convert them into new customers. A/B Testing Your Emails If you haven’t quite figured out the best email strategy, or are looking to try out a few […]
[…]looking to develop solid connections over social media and find yourself lost in the sea of social media marketing, LinkedIn is a great choice to focus your efforts on. If you’re not sure how to get started, however, check out our 3 tips for LinkedIn marketing below. Why LinkedIn Marketing Is a Great Way to Reach People Many smaller organizations focus on Facebook because it’s familiar to them and is still the most popular social media platform. Facebook is a great tool for creating awareness, brand engagement, and paid advertising, emphasis on the paid. It’s very difficult to reach people organically on […]
[…]improve its rank in results that users see when they search for products and services like yours. Social media: profiles, pages, and campaigns for your business on popular platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Analytics: keeping track of key metrics such as the number of new visitors to your website, the number of repeat visitors to your website, the number of people who click on or share your content, the number of people who follow you on social media, and the number of people who mention your products and services online. Benefits of inbound marketing Rather than hoping customers […]
[…]are the routes your content will take to get to people. They can include social media news feeds, social media groups, webpages, comment sections, blog posts, newsletters, whitepapers, emails, pay per click (PPC) ads, and more. Content Formulas: Content formulas help you format content for individual channels. A Facebook post is going to look differently than a Twitter post. You probably also want to share different types of information over different channels, depending on who you’re trying to reach. Content To Do List: iIt’s really helpful to have a checklist that includes all the tasks that are essential for keeping […]
[…]need at least a basic knowledge of the following skills: Content writing Website management SEO Social media marketing Email marketing Essentially, you need to be able to write effective content and you need to be able to write it in a way that is optimized for the channels you’re publishing it to, including search engines, social media platforms, and email platforms. If this list seems daunting to you, start with what you know and learn the rest as you go. Start Small to Grow Big Once you have a basic plan for your content marketing, start small. Figure out what […]
[…]list for all of your digital marketing efforts. For each channel you intend to leverage (i.e. social media, landing page, etc.), you should develop a formula for the messaging you’ll use on that channel that includes: A description of each element of the messaging (i.e. Title, Intro, Body, Link to source, etc.) An explanation of what content should be developed for each element (i.e. “Use a keyword that will be central to the topic you’re writing about…” Links to any resources you can use to help you develop content for the messaging (i.e. “Use at least one image. I like […]
[…]the event. Plus, if your organization is looking for a way to reach some of the younger users on social media, the average Instagram user is under the age of 30. So, Instagram is a venue to reach younger audiences, people who have the potential to be affiliated with your non-profit in the years to come. Now that we know what makes Instagram so good for your non-profit, let’s discuss 5 specific tips for using Instagram to your advantage. 5 Instagram Marketing Tips for Non-Profits Instagram Marketing Tip #1: Use Posts as an Opportunity to Connect with Your Audience Since Instagram […]
[…]your PPC campaigns? There’s an app for that. Need help publishing and keeping track of social media content across platforms? Have you tried Hootsuite? The best thing about digital marketing tools is that they’re made by marketers, AKA the masters of the foot-in-the-door approach. This means that many tools are available for free as a basic package. If you decide you like the tool, you can then decide if you want to invest money in it as a premium service. The difficulty in finding tools that work for you is that, like any technology, tools require their own level of expertise. If […]
[…]or environmental regulations. Communicating by using technology, such as web pages, help files, or social media sites. Providing instructions about how to do something, regardless of how technical the task is or even if technology is used to create or distribute that communication. So, technical communicators work in a variety of industries, including: Medicine Science Technology Engineering Manufacturing Non-Profit Management Education And they most often help organizations to develop technical content that non-specialists can understand, including: Help documentation for technology users Documentation for software developers Medical information for patients, physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals Manuals explaining engineering or manufacturing […]
[…]ways. Your blog will feel constantly hungry for content. And then there’s the question of social media and how to drive traffic from other sources back to your new website. Below, we go through all the main things you need to know to keep your WordPress site running smoothly. Step 15 of Launching a WordPress Site: Regular Maintenance Updates WordPress has 3 kinds of updates that need regular attention: WordPress core updates: These are updates to the main WordPress operating system. It’s essential to install these updates as soon as they come out, as they affect the overall functionality of […]
[…]your organization? How do they keep track of it? Through webpage content, emails, blog posts, social media posts, internal reports, etc. Writing is everywhere nowadays and bad writing is becoming public in a way it never was in the past. Content… Strategy? As group of highly-educated content, marketing, and UX people, some of whom work in higher education, we are often approached by people with questions like: “when did everyone get so bad at writing?” Referencing poor grammar on Facebook and other public appearances of what they consider to be ineffective writing, people often have the perception that everyone is getting […]
[…]You should develop templates for all the channels you plan to distribute content to: blogs, social media, webpages, etc. Then, when you sit down to write, you have a starting place rather than an intimidating blank page staring back at you. These templates should be flexible enough to allow you creative freedom, but rigid enough to take the thinking out of content development. You don’t want to be worried about discovering keywords, finding reliable sources, or culling together case studies when you’re doing content development. This information should be prepared ahead of time so that content development simply becomes a matter […]
[…]You need to account for everything anyone will ever see. This can include: mission statements, social media updates, flyers, brochures, images, photos, logos, etc. You need to think broader than just what is on your website. Any content, any potentially useful information that people will see, should be inventoried. Attention to SEO: You need to think about how Google will see your content. This includes what keywords you use in your content, where you put them, and how often you use them. Attention to users: At the same time, you can’t sacrifice the content your users want just to improve […]
[…]like shopping carts, and newsletters Social media profiles for the business and its personnel Social media posts, including tweets, Facebook status updates, LinkedIn updates, photos of recent events, etc. Complete pages devoted to the business on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms Search engine results pages (SERPs), which are the number one way many consumers will first encounter your business when they search for organizations like yours Podcasts and video Email newsletters This is only a partial list of the many opportunities for getting content about your business out to potential customers. It can be daunting, to say the […]
[…]time you publish a new post. As a rule, you should also publish all of your blog posts to your social media accounts as well. Benefit #2: Blogging Enhances Your Ability To Market Your Non-Profit Unless you were a successful salesperson in a past incarnation of your work life, you may find it challenging to find the right words to recruit a steady stream of diverse volunteers and donors to your non-profit. Blogging can be a solid venue to hone your pitches to the different audiences you want to attract. While many successful marketing strategies (such as practicing elevator pitches with […]
[…]data to collect include: Analytics, or how many people see your marketing (i.e. website visitors, social media viewers, impressions on Google ads, etc.) Conversion rates, or how many people see your marketing vs. how many people interact with it (by clicking, subscribing, etc.) Usability testing data, or how well people are able to navigate your website and complete the actions you want them to complete Consumer interviews, which can tell you lots of things about how people feel about your brand You don’t need to collect all of this data all of the time, but you should be collecting much […]
[…]He is also a Web Entrepreneur by Profession and loves to write about the latest trends on Social Media & SEO. You can follow him on: Twitter | Facebook | […]
[…]content you might want to hire a copy editor for include: Blog posts Whitepapers E-books Webpages Social media posts Social media profiles Email newsletters As small business owners and non-profit managers, we literally write for our livelihoods. A trustworthy professional editor can aid you in crafting the best possible representation of your organization to ensure you attract customers or donors. Not Sure When to Hire a Copy […]
[…]people can use any digital components of your business (i.e. websites, landing pages, graphics, social media profiles, social media posts, etc.), that they find these components engaging, and that they are satisfied with their experience with these components. You also want to make sure that you’re designing your web presence for the actual users you’re trying to reach. If there’s one key term to remember from the above definition, it’s relevance. If a user from a target demographic you’re trying to reach searches online for your product or service and finds your website, but doesn’t find the content or design of your […]
[…]are trying to reach consumers through search traffic or a social media platform. All of the major social media platforms have their own advertising options now, so if you’re trying to reach users on a specific platform, you’ll need to use that platform’s advertising options. Look for some upcoming posts from us talking about the specific benefits and drawbacks of Google Ads and Facebook Ads. Are You a Non-Proft or Small Business That Needs Help With Paid Online Advertising? Want to See if Your Google Ads Campaigns Are Up to Snuff (For […]
[…]He is also a Web Entrepreneur by Profession and loves to write about the latest trends on Social Media & SEO. You can follow him on: Twitter | Facebook | G+ 21 Warnings That Indicate It’s Time to (Switch) Your Web Hosting Right Away[Infographic] by the team […]
[…]Google Analytics that can help you measure website visits, page views, and referral sources A social media publishing tool like Hootsuite that enables you to schedule social media posts and also allows you to create analytics reports if you’re trying to build traction in specific social networks Keeping an eye on the data behind your campaign can help you stay sane as you produce content every week by helping you keep your eye on the prize. Maintenance It’s also a given that you need to maintain your content marketing campaign over time. This includes three overlapping stages that need to happen every […]
[…]He is also a Web Entrepreneur by Profession and loves to write about the latest trends on Social Media & SEO. You can follow him on: Twitter | Facebook | G+ 25+ Common SEO Mistakes That Are Killing Your Website[Infographic] by the team at […]
[…]reuse. Since writing blog posts takes time, being able to repost older blog posts to channels like social media can help save time and provide content to push to your audience on a regular basis. Creating this kind of “evergreen” content can be tricky, but a great place to start is to think about the frequently asked questions you hear repeatedly when people first hear about your organization. These are the questions to which you probably already have stock answers. Instead of creating an FAQ page for your website, create blog posts that answer these questions. You can also create posts […]
[…]disruptive forces from our perspective, for example, is the introduction of new technologies. New social media platforms are born on an almost daily basis. Website aesthetics and features seem to shift faster than seasons. Mobile continues to change the way we think about how customers search, access content, and make purchases online. What was innovative a year, or even six months, ago may now seem dated to customers. If you feel like you are struggling against a relentless sea of new challenges that you feel ill-equipped to face, you might look to your competition first before hiring a consultant. How […]
[…]and can provide inspiration for every kind of digital marketing campaign you can imagine, from social media to pay-per-click advertising. Pick #4: The Art of Digital Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Creating Strategic, Targeted, and Measurable Online Campaigns What it is: A comprehensive guide for running digital marketing campaigns, from the idea stage through targeting and tracking their impact. The book is based on the methodology behind The Digital Marketing Institute, one of the world’s leading professional digital marketing organizations. Why we picked it: The book describes an innovative, hands-on approach to digital marketing that will help you understand what it […]
[…]groundbreaking work in the field. Emerging technologies such as content management systems, social media platforms, open source information architectures, and application programming interfaces provide new opportunities for the creation, publication, and delivery of content. Technical communicators are now sometimes responsible for such diverse roles as content management, content auditing, and search engine optimization. At the same time, we are seeing remarkable growth in jobs devoted to these other content-centric skills. This book provides a roadmap including best practices, pedagogies for teaching, and implications for research in these areas. It covers elements of content strategy as diverse as “Editing Content for […]