Success On .Social

Tag: social media tips

  • Webinar: How Small Businesses Can Utilize Social Proof

    How Small Businesses Can Utilize Social Proof

    We followed up the blog post on Social Proof with our Social Proof Webinar!

    In our Social Proof Webinar, we focused on how small businesses can utilize social proof. Including using it on social media as well as in their general marketing campaigns. We started with a simple definition, but then we dug a bit deeper. The three major areas we focused on for this webinar were customer reviews, user-generated content, and micro-influencer marketing. We believe that these three areas can have the highest ROI for small businesses when executed properly. During the webinar, we providing the best practices, things to stay away from, and offered some examples from our experiences. All participants also had the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the webinar.

    Is This The Right Lesson For Me?

    If you are interested in social media marketing or have your own business, then this Social Proof Webinar is aimed at you. It should help you incorporate some of the primary forms of social proof into your strategy. If you are a professional marketer but want to be able to provide small business owners with advice on areas to focus, this could be the right webinar for you.

    Still have questions after the webinar? Please feel free to sign up for a Free 30 Social Media Consultation Call.

    Ok, I am Ready to Conquer Social Proof!

    The webinar is approximately 45 minutes long. So grab a pen and paper and, maybe a drink of water. Enjoy!JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGVDdCVHhSaWJScW8lMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

  • Video Content Creation Using the 9 Essential Posts

    Video Content Creation Using the 9 Essential Posts

    Creating Video Content Stresses You Out, Doesn’t It

    When you hear the words “video content” do you scream a little bit? Are you stressing out because you don’t know what to create? Or is it more stressful thinking about going in front of the camera, recording something, and then putting a video out there for all the world to see? Well, the good news is I can help you because I am going to provide you a framework that will help you decide what kind of videos to create. I can also tell you as somebody who hates being in front of the camera, that it gets a bit easier each time. You just need to get in front of that camera and go for it. Remember it is your business, you are the one with the experience and you are the Subject Matter Expert.

    Video Content Challenge for June

    Leading into the Video Content Challenge for June I discussed different ways you could incorporate video into your social media. This was based loosely on the 9 Essential Posts Framework that we use at JRH Graphics to help make sure that each of our clients is posting a variety of “Edutaining” Content. The major benefits of following this framework for your video content as well as all your other content is it ensures that all of your posts are working towards telling the same story and the content remains varied. well, for July we are digging into video a little bit deeper and you will be asked to create video content for 7 of these 9 Essential Post Categories.

    I recommend you take into account your June results when deciding what to post for this challenge. What worked in June for you? Which videos did your followers engage with? What platforms worked the best for you? Which platform do you want to add next? Answer these questions as you prepare for the July Video Content Challenge (VCC) so you are making the best use of your time when creating content.

    Video Content Created for These 9 Categories

    Since I am such a nice guy and I want to help you all succeed in the July VCC I am going to review the 9 Essentials Posts below and provide you with some ideas on how you could create video content for each of them. Want a little behind the scenes here, when I thought of this blog post I already had content in mind for 8 of the 9 essential post categories, know which one I forgot? Yup, you guessed it the motivational quotes argh!

    Product Posts

    Product Posts may seem easy but be sure to not constantly post or repost the same content about your product. Keep it fresh. Get ideas from your customers how are they using your products or “product in the wild” posts. Make sure to highlight what features and benefits users will get from your product that differentiates it from the products of your competitors.

    Video Content Ideas

    Tutorials on how to use the product. Features and Benefits Demo- think simple but impactful and easy to digest here like Bounty Commercials. Go live for new product releases or possibly show your product being used in an unexpected way. Showcase how the product is made. You have lots of options with this one, just make sure you are highlighting what makes you special.

    Customer-centric Posts

    Customer-centric posts focus not only on the overall customer experience (which is a good focus) but this is also where a lot of your user-generated content comes from. User-generated content is huge for a business because when you share that content the creator is much more likely to also share the content with followers. And beyond that it shows followers you care about how you engage with your customers and encourages them to share without even asking.

    Video Content Ideas

    Yup, if one of your customers creates a video post and puts in on their social media, you can share that! You got a freebee but that is great. User-generated content is a huge win for any business. If you are that good then who am I to deny you a freebie. If you were not that lucky it is okay, think about ways that you currently interact with your clients and customers, do you have a regular that is hilarious and would love to be a ham and drum up some attention for you? The person who is always raving about you? An organization that meets in your space that would love to cross-promote or drum up some new members. Yeah, you guys have this one.

    In The Hood Video Posts

    I call these the “In the Hood” posts and they really touch on the things happening in the community around you. They can be lighthearted and silly or seriously important things that are happening in the hood. What is important is that you are engaging the potential clients that are immediately in your area that are customers of the other businesses. You are also providing those in your neighborhood beneficial information and helping build trust. These posts allow you to partner with other businesses in your neighborhood magnifying your reach.

    Video Content Ideas

    Partner with another business and feature them and have them feature you. Cover a local neighborhood event. Check out the newest restaurant in town and live post about it. Video how you interact with your neighborhood every day as a business owner. Feature some new people in town or do you always have that one dog in the neighborhood who is your best client, go get him on video.

    A Day In the Life Posts

    Highlight things that usually happen at your company a pre-opening chat, lunchtime discussion, shared news about employees. Remember Instagram is very visual so make sure you have a good brand-appropriate visual if you are sharing on Insta. Think of these as a quick filtered peek into the back of the house. People love to get a peek behind the curtain, and you want to give that to them. Be real but brand appropriate.

    Video Content Ideas

    This type of post is awesome for video content and stories. Feature a day in the life from a specific perspective and make sure the day is entertaining and informative for your followers. No further tips needed this is gold!

    Giveaways and Contest Posts

    Product launch, new item, a special time of the year… make it super special with a giveaway or contest. It’s a great way to gain followers by encouraging them to follow you on social media as a way to be eligible for a prize. Keep in mind that you should always post appropriate disclaimers and follow all posted social media platform rules! This could also include tools and freebies that you can offer up to those who follow you.  Maybe a free 30-minute consultation etc.

    Video Content Ideas

    Video reminding them of a contest. How about a video of you picking the contest winner. Or a video of the contest or giveaway winner picking up prize and being super excited. You could create some video content around you free tool you are offering for people who sign up for your email list. Or highlight how they can use that freebie.

    Food, Babies, and Dogs on Video

    Want some more social media gold? Then post about food, babies or dogs! Posts like this help you keep your content varied and make sure that you are not talking too much about yourself! Remember that just because the post is not directly related to you does not mean that it shouldn’t add value to your followers. These are not throw-away posts they are still an opportunity to get followers to like, know, and trust you. Think about favorite lunch places around your business, a new bar for after-dinner drinks, or your favorite quick and easy meal you love to make. Keep it light and brand appropriate.

    Video Content Ideas

    Ok so here the dogs and the babies might be more entertaining on video, but if it is not your dog or your baby make sure to get permission. But seriously, you could do a post around food on video. Like your morning trip to the coffee place. Better yet if you are promoting your restaurant, or you are a lover of chocolate, wine, scotch, pizza whatever, share your love with your followers.  Make sure you aren’t throwing these posts away- they should add value.

    Motivational Quotes on Video

    Motivational quotes on #motivationalmonday or any other days of the week when a little pick me up are in order. Keep the quotes brand appropriate. Try to share quotes that you find meaningful in general or on a specific day. Generally, I recommend posting 1-2 quotes a month. Also, please do not just find one on an ugly background and slap it up on your feed, pay attention to the look of it and when possible add your branding.

    Video Content Ideas

    Yeah, this is the one I sorta didn’t have figured out but… How funny would it be to have the grumpiest guy on your staff read motivational quotes on the video to cheer people up on a Monday! Or do you have a yoga fanatic that can offer some Monday Motivation and a tree pose? Tell a motivational story that helped you, or one about how you achieved your goals to give followers a different perspective on you. All possible ideas and I will keep thinking!

    EDUTAINING Video Posts

    Remember you are the expert in your field you should be EDUTAINING your followers. That means the information you are sharing is EDUCATIONAL, USEFUL & ENTERTAINING. People love little tidbits of knowledge especially if its something cool that they can use to impress somebody at a bar or a party. Share fun little bits of knowledge or inside info on what you do. Ask them what they want to know and then educate them on that.

    Video Content Ideas

    Ask your followers what they want to know or what questions they want to be answered and then go live and answer them. It’s fairly easy, it encourages engagement and you know all the answers! Plus it fills you in on areas that you can improve messaging or provides you other ideas for videos you could create to help educate followers. Also in this category, product demos, useful tips, unknown facts about your business.

    Employee-centric Posts

    Employee Takeover: Have a trusted employee who has been briefed take over your business account for the day. A few video posts in the story and a post for the feed that is on brand. The story can be less refined it is set up to be snapchatty for a reason!

    Employee Profiles These are a bit harder but they are great for morale and a great way to feature specific employee on social media. Ask a set of questions to an employee and take some cool fun photos and viola.

    No Employees- No Problem: Do you work with another company in a partnership for an event? Or are you welcoming a new vendor, artist, or chef into your location for a limited time? Do you sell products from local artisans? These all provide an opportunity to do a profile of sorts or even have the partnering brand take over your social media for the day.

    Video Content Ideas

    Do all those things mentioned above in a video. Employee profile on video (interview style). Employee takeover with video. Brand takeover with video. New vendor or partner, feature them on video. Prep all parties in advance of the video and have fun.

    A Final Thought

    Before you post content think about what value it will add for your followers. Is it something that will solve a problem that they have or help them in their daily lives? Is it introducing them to something new or highlighting an unknown feature of a much-utilized tool. Helping your followers manage pain points and excel where they struggled before is a surefire way to build trust. Try to not post content that does not add some value to your fans, they won’t stay fans for long if you post too much useless content.

    Are you ready for Video Now?

    Start by going live and work your way into creating other video content. Video content in stories such as on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook can be a little rough around the edges, that is expected. However, video content in your feed should be more polished and professional.

    Keep in mind with all your video content that it should be short, concise and beneficial to the person watching. Break the videos down into easily digestible segments to increase retention.  Plan your videos in advance and make sure to follow an outline so you present a well-organized idea.

    Now get out and start making some videos, we can’t wait to see what you come up with.

  • 2019 Social Media Stats and Best Practices

    2019 Social Media Stats and Best Practices

    We recently took a look at some of the top social media stats for 2019. We wanted to see what the numbers were telling us about the state of social media and social media marketing. From this, we decided on some key areas new businesses could focus on. To round it all out, we added in some best practices. If you are just starting to promote your business via social media, or want to revise your strategy… here is a good place to start!

    Before The Stats, Let’s Review Some Basics

    First, and foremost a basic that is often times forgotten. The goal of social media is not to sell. Your goal is to engage followers with content that fills a need. The 80/20 Rule is the Golden Rule of Social Media. It states that 80% of what you post should be informational, educational and entertaining. Only 20% should be promotional.

    Some additional guidelines include making sure that your company story is relatable. Only Posting Content that is Brand Appropriate, and being authentic and true to your brand. We even encourage you to be a little bit funny but remember humor can be tricky. Make sure you will not offend anyone and always be polite.

    Following these basic rules will ensure that you are creating and distributing quality content that adds value to your followers and your business. Now, let’s get on with the show…. errr one-minute mini video, read fast!

    Planning and Organization

    Reviewing the tips in that quick video, I am reminded of the importance of proper planning and scheduling. There is no other way to ensure a strong social media presence. Without planning you will not be able to ensure that your content fully aligns with your brand.  It will be impossible to be sure you are presenting posts that are cohesive across all platforms. Planning also allows you to schedule a well-rounded selection of posts that “Edutain” your followers. Are you looking for the best things to post about on Social Media as a Business? Take A Look at our 9 Essential Posts Blog and if you want you can even grab a Free Copy of Our 9 Essential Posts for Businesses Worksheet.

    We recommend creating a social media planning calendar and regularly updating it with key campaigns, events and other occurrences that will impact your business. Then organize your posts making sure that they are appropriate for the time of year. Review it regularly to ensure the content you are presenting is varied and adds value. Social media management software such as Hootsuite and HeyOrca (if you need approvals or are running multiple accounts) also have great tools that will help you plan, stay organized and post regularly to all your platforms.

    Numbers Don’t Lie

    Now, let’s dig into the numbers. They say numbers don’t lie. I have tried to prove this theory wrong, and while I have successfully gotten people to agree that numbers may not tell the full story we have to stop short of saying they lie. What are some of the social media stats telling us and how can we adjust our strategy to expand on successes or compensate for shortfalls?

    We selected three areas to discuss. First, how to stand out in a crowded marketplace of 2 Billion. Then we took a look at some of the social selling stats and provided some tips on this “trend” that isn’t going to go away. Finally, we take a look at the importance of serving your customer through your social media platforms.

    2 Billion Users and Counting

    Social media continues to become more ingrained in our daily lives. More people are accessing at least one social media platform every day. More businesses are using social media to reach customers. Facebook, which is still the largest social media platform, alone has 2 billion active users. Facebook also has 65 million active business pages.

    The landscape is crowded and a tremendous amount of content is being added every single day. 100 million pictures and videos are uploaded every day to Instagram. If you are not creating quality content for both your feed and your stories you will be forgotten. Quality content is content that engages followers, has the potential to go viral and is representative of your company. Failing to create quality content and share it regularly will result in less brand awareness, engagement will continue to fall and the cost of doing business on social media will rise.

    Stand Out In The Crowd

    It is easy for your posts to get lost on social media nowadays. Stock photos, overly generic copy, fake authenticity, and recycled posts will not get you noticed. Flashy misleading headlines and fake promises will get you blocked. In order to avoid these pitfalls make sure your content makes sense for your brand and is adding value. Think about your audience and what they need that you can offer, then give it to them.

    Posts that include user-generated content are more likely to engage followers. Encourage followers, customers, employees, brand ambassadors, influencers and friends, and family to engage with your company on social media. Build relationships with those who engage with you on social media, keep a short list of likes and dislikes and notify them if you see something you are certain they will love. A little effort like this goes a long way and will be noticed. Look into possible collaborations. Befriend an Influencer. And lastly, create more video content. Video is still hot and people are more likely to engage with it.

    When you see numbers over a billion it’s natural to feel like its a mountain you will never climb. The beauty of social is that success is built one story at a time, and one customer at a time. Take the time to cultivate the relationships and you will begin to climb that mountain.

    Increase in Social Selling

    Followers being inspired to purchase an item because of something they saw on social media or discovering a new item that they want to purchase on social media is great news for businesses that have items to sell online. Customers are growing more accustomed to the concept of social selling and feel more comfortable making purchases via social media.  These stats also reflect the availability of new features in Instagram and Facebook that allow companies to directly link products to posts, the rise of influencer marketing, and increased visibility on social media for startups.

    If you are selling products and have an online store, I recommend getting social selling up and running, as I don’t see this trend going away anytime soon. As a matter of fact, stats like 49% of people say that the availability of easy payment options like ApplePay or GooglePay on social media platforms would increase the likelihood of them making a purchase and 50% of Gen Z view social media as the most relevant advertising channel suggest we will be looking at social selling for a long time.

    Once you have the basics set up you can directly link to your products in posts, your Facebook page can have an up to date shop section with all of your products. You can feature products directly on your Facebook page. JRH Graphics has a Facebook store and regularly links to items in his IG posts and Stories.

    Are you already utilizing social selling for your company, please share your best practices, we would love to hear from you!

    Serving Customers via Social Media

    With the rise of social selling, users utilizing social media to research products, and the fact that 45% of consumers go to social media first if they have a question or an issue about a product or brand it is clear that social media is no longer just a marketing platform. Social media is now another storefront and another chance to make a first impression. Your social media is part of your customers’ journey and one part of the omnichannel experience they will have with your company.

    The Other 12%?

    88% of social marketers believe it is important to serve customers via social media platforms. My question is what are the other 12% thinking? Social media is part of your customer journey, it is where they go to research your products, buy your products, and see if they have a friend that has used your product. If you are not available on social media to assist someone who wants your product YOU LOST A SALE!

    Social media is a storefront and it is a storefront that needs to be manned. Whoever is managing the interactions needs to be well versed in your product and policies and has to be able to answer questions in a timely manner.

    Social media is a chance at a first impression, and a way to continue telling your story. Your social media needs to reflect your brand and your story. Your social media should be easily recognizable. If I go to your store, your website, your social media platforms it should all be connected.

    A bad experience on social media could end a relationship with a company. Just take a second to think about this stat. 51% of people would unfollow a brand if they posted irritating content.

    Still thinking? Yeah, you got it you lost a follower, you lost a customer! Their customer journey just ended because of something you posted on Instagram. Ouch. This is equal to a customer having a bad interaction at your store.

    A Stat That Drives Home the Point: Social Media Can Not Be Ignored

    That one statistic alone drove home a very important point for me. Your social media platforms are equal to your store, your website, and the interactions that your customers have with you. Social media is no longer something for the marketing team to worry about, it is as big of a big picture item as anything, and it can’t be ignored.We reviewed the stats, made a few suggestions and we hope you have some jumping off points. If you need help coming up with a plan that works for your business please reach out to us here at JRH Graphics. We would love to help you craft your story, engage new followers, and build your business.Sources

    Social Media Today 

    Sprout Social 

    Hootsuite

     

     

     

  • How to Win with LinkedIn! Starting Out and Strategies for Success

    How to Win with LinkedIn: Strategies for Starting Out and For Continued Success!

    Are you just starting to develop a social media strategy for your business? Do you think you want to be a thought leader but not sure what that entails? Is LinkedIn on your radar but you are not sure if it is the right platform for you? Well, I am here to help. This post is aimed at helping you determine if LinkedIn is the right platform for you and give you tips on how to win with LinkedIn.

    LinkedIn is an incredibly powerful tool for businesses. Especially those businesses looking to win over other businesses as clients. A successful LinkedIn strategy can really help increase the buzz around your business. LinkedIn can help you gain leads, recruit qualified candidates, network, and establish yourself as a leader in your field. If you are still not sure if LinkedIn is right for your business, check out this infographic from the team at coschedule.com. 

    First Steps to Developing Your LinkedIn Strategy

    Ok… you looked at those stats, and you said to yourself, yeah let’s do this, LinkedIn is the place for me. Great! Now, what is your first step?

    Well, as is the case with any social media platform you need to decide what you want to get out of your efforts. To do this you first need to set goals. Then make sure that the goals you set for social align with business goals.

    Common Goals

    Some common goals for LinkedIn users include lead generation, recruitment, networking, collaborating, keeping your business informed, and establishing yourself as a thought leader. Many businesses will select a couple goals and focus their efforts on them. This is a smart starting point as I recommend only picking two goals to start out with and measure.

    The Most Important Goal In My Opinion

    I would argue that one goal for every business on LinkedIn should be establishing themselves as a thought leader. Here is why. Establishing yourself/brand/business as a thought leader is a smart goal for the long game. The long game is ever so important and ignored with social media. Establishing yourself as a leader, innovator, thinker, and smart business owner will naturally help you generate leads. It will help you increase your network, attract better candidates and engage followers on your social media platform.

    I promise I will get into how you establish yourself as a leader a bit later.

    Step 2 for Winning on LinkedIn

    Step 2 is to determine who your audience is. One thing that I always need to remind businesses is that they need to find their niche. You can’t be everything to everyone, no matter how hard you try.

    Figure out who your audience is, where they reside, what they like. Once you have figured that out then create and share content that they want. Your content should add value, solve a problem, or provide interesting and informative insight. This is one of the ways that a LinkedIn strategy does not differ from any other social media strategy. Your goal… EDUTAIN!

    Step 3: Before We Discuss What to Share

    So, Step 3 is important. It is more important than what you share, and often the step that is often forgotten. I am putting it before what you should share in hopes that you will read it. I fear that if it were step 4 after what to share it would be ignored.

    What is Step 3 Already

    Step 3: Be active. Post regularly. Comment regularly. Respond to People. Engage Followers. Engage Possible Collaborators. ADD VALUE. Get involved in groups and actively participate, don’t be afraid of sharing your ideas, your thoughts, but also be open to listening and learning. Others are trying to add value as well and you can learn a lot from the folks on LinkedIn.

    Ask questions. Asking questions shows a willingness to learn. Asking questions shows followers you care about whats new and what matters to them.

    Engagement and Value for the Win

    Again, as with all social media engagement is key, but adding value to this engagement is essential. Provide solutions, give out tips and tricks. Let people in on your secrets. This builds a foundation of trust and allows you to become an asset to followers. Gary Vaynerchuk describes these as your “jabs” and smartly recommends to go all in on your jabs. Just simply provide useful information with no sales pitch. Not even a hidden one.

    This added value, these jabs, are the basis of how you establish yourself as a thought leader. Your long-form content you are sharing will be based on providing this useful information, with no sales pitch. You will be providing content to inform and entertain your followers.

    Step 4 What to Share…

    So, the final step for you LinkedIn Strategy is figuring out how you actually become a thought leader. That involves sharing the right content, geared at the audience you have targeted. Making sure that the content you share is informative and that you are engaging with people on topics surrounding this content.

    This step of your LinkedIn Strategy involves sharing long-form content that is engaging and interesting. Content that is innovative or provokes thought and conversation. Infographics, video blogs, written blogs, case studies etc are all perfect for sharing on LinkedIn. In my opinion, the content shared by an average business should consist of 1-2 original long form blogs or video-blogs per week, 1 infographic or video that solves a common problem and 1-2 shared pieces of content that you comment on. Now, I know that = only 3-5 posts per week what else will you do to fill the 7 days.

    Turkey Sandwiches and Other Great Things About LinkedIn

    Here are a few notes on LinkedIn content…

    1. Unlike Instagram people are not logging in and checking your content multiple times a day so posting 5 times a week is okay.
    2. Engage in several groups and share your content in groups to magnify your reach
    3. Treat your original long-form content as a Thanksgiving Turkey and your LinkedIn posts as turkey sandwiches.
      1. Example: I could post this blog today and comment on the infographic I shared from www.coschedule.com in the first section of this post. Then on Friday I could post this same blog with another image and comment on Step 1 deciding on your social media goals, then the following Wednesday discuss my obsession with Gary Vee and his jab, jab, jab right hook theory, etc etc. Your captions to what you share and the followup engagement as well as conversations you start allow you to do this and win.

    As with all social media, a plan is essential, goals are essential and being active and engaging followers is a must. That means that you need to be willing to dedicate time to being on LinkedIn. It is also essential to understand that all of social media is a long game, you will see your metrics rise by being active but you may not see leads rolling in right away. Have patience. Post consistently over a long period of time. Engage and provide valuable insight and the social media game will pay off. I promise.

    Need help managing your social media check out some of my resources.

    Help Planning Your Social Media Content 

    Predictions for Social Media in 2018

    Strategies to Expand Your Reach 

    Or reach out directly and set up your Free 30 Minute Social Media Consultation 

  • The Buzz Around the Social Media Algorithms

    The Buzz Around the Social Media Algorithms

    Algorithm 2018 and Your Social Media Strategy

    There has been a lot of chat about the 2018 Algorithm on all social media and what they mean to businesses. A lot of people have been whining about how Facebook is hurting their advertisers that pay the bills. More even thinking that Instagram is being unfair in how they are handling what is seen. And before everyone jumps on the bandwagon lets all take a step back and think. Are these changes really hurting you, or are they pushing you forward. Making you take that next terrifying step?  Which in my opinion isn’t that terrifying and shouldn’t really change the core of your strategy anyway.

    The Specifics of the Algorithm Don’t Matter

    Yes, I said it, when you boil it down the specifics of the algorithm absolutely DO NOT MATTER! It really doesn’t, yeah you will need to change maybe how you deliver an idea, switch to a heavier video strategy, utilize more live streaming, use stories, or use fewer hashtags and put them in your caption so they really matter. Make those minor changes, watch what happens and then continue to evolve and respond to your testing. Those things are not the core of your strategy and if they are, I hate to break it to you, you are doin’ it wrong!

    Why I am So Harsh

    Yeah I know I am being harsh. But the thing is those are all minor things. The big deal, the major focus is creating great content that people engage with and then engaging with them. Guess what, CONTENT IS STILL KING!!!! Content will always be king, content is thinking about changing the spelling of his name to KONTENT… he knows he is that big of a deal.

    KONTENT IS KING

    So we have accepted KONTENT as the king! Now, take a deep breath cause stability is here … If you create content that is “edutaining” as in it educates and entertains your followers you win!  If it is something that they actually engage with and you are a smart business person and you engage back, you are golden. All that is really changing is the best method of delivery. It really all boils down to having a great content strategy. Plan it in advance, build it around goals and promotions, and then fill in the specifics as you go and test what works best now within the algorithms.

    Your Content Strategy

    So, yes build out a content strategy in advance. Have a plan for what you are posting and make sure that it is brand appropriate and fulfills the needs of your audience in some way. You should review your plan before you put throw it out there. You should regularly review the results of your plan and adapt as you go. Tweak it to make sure it is still reaching the people that you want to reach. Review and make sure it is appropriate to your brand.

    You Shouldn’t

    The one thing that has made me crazy this week is the idea that these changes require you to throw your entire plan out the window. Rethink everything and throw lots of buzz words and shit at the wall and see what sticks. THAT IS NOT WHAT YOU SHOULD RESORT TO.

    Facebook simply and quite well stated that they wanted to make the time people spend on social media more meaningful… why is that a threat to your business? That should be your goal as well, create content that will make people’s time on social media more meaningful. Instagram’s algorithm change may test your content and see how well it does by releasing it to 10% of people and then if it does well it gets released to the rest. If you create content that the first 10% engage with then it will be released to the rest.

    Wait a minute, they are building the test in for you, don’t get angry, thank Instagram because now all you need to do is see what things engaged really poorly from the start and make less of that content, the stuff that does well you know that you should create more of that content.

    Your overall strategy does not need to change if you are creating great content and engaging with your followers. If you are putting crap content out, or using other people’s content and not actively engaging with followers then you need to worry your content won’t be seen. And honestly, it shouldn’t be seen, put in an effort.

    What changes do matter

    So what does matter with all of these changes? I highly recommend you start a group that is attached to your business page on Facebook as I believe that a lot of the engagement will happen in this community and then get put out by your followers. Dive into video head first. You should not be afraid to go live (I still am). I recommend reviewing your hashtag strategy on Instagram and make sure that you are responding to all your followers quickly.  Be okay with having fewer interactions and be okay with having more engaged followers. Ask followers what kind of content they want to see. Get them involved in your content strategy. Keep your feeds clean and brand appropriate but don’t be afraid to show some personality and quirkiness in your stories.

    And finally I have always recommended this, plan ahead but don’t over plan your calendar. Only schedule 70-75 percent of your posts in advance and leave room in your plan for some trendy posts and user-generated content.

    Now, relax, stop whining, and create great content! Guess what I bet this plan works for 2019 too!

  • Crystal Ball 2018: Predictions for Social Media in the New Year

    Our Crystal Ball Predictions for Social Media and Social Media Marketing?

    Here at JRH Graphics, we actually hate predictions. AKA a random guess! But content planning is important. So, we took a look at our crystal ball (the internets) and tried to assess the social media predictions for 2018. The perusal of articles and posts by talented writers and companies and helped us compile this list. Including some of what we believe will happen based on these trends and what we are seeing ourselves. We want to help you manage your social media. Make smart plans. And slay the year so here is what we think (aka guess)!The TrendThe PredictionsTakeaway

    Instagram Killing it With Stories

    Instagram Stories will continue to capitalize on the successes of 2017 and will continue to gain popularity. Stories are just over 1 year old, yet over 200 million users utilize the feature monthly. More than the number of users on Snapchat, plus with opportunities to tie in e-commerce the future looks bright for Instagram Stories.If you are not already using stories to engage followers then it is time to start using them. Stories are a great way to provide followers and non-followers with an exclusive behind the scenes look of your brand, tell your story and engage customers and potential customers. Check out some tips here!

    The Customer Experience from Start to Finish

    The customer experience throughout the entire life-cycle is incredibly important. Your brand is built on the experiences that customers have. This could be anything from in-store customer service experience, to seeing your items at a local reseller or seeing one of your business’s posts Facebook. Every interaction impacts brand! 

    Creating a great experience for the customer is more likely to help you gain brand loyalists. Negative online experiences, bad customer service,  late delivery of an order, or inconsistent messaging can all hurt your business and they WILL NOT USE YOUR BUSINESS AGAIN. Make no mistake they have other choices.

    No customers = no brand loyalists = no champions of your brand = fewer customer = fewer sales = bye bye businessLock this one down in 2018. Make sure all your employees.  Anyone with customer contact.  Or anyone who creates a policy that will impact a customer. KNOWS THAT THE CUSTOMER COMES FIRST. Create a loyalty program to reward followers and customers. Encourage and reward feedback from customers that post reviews (good or bad). Pay attention to these reviews. You can be certain your customers are reading them. Go Above and Beyond. Everyday. All Day. Until it hurts!

    Content Creation Still Remains Incredibly Important

    What kind of content are you creating? Is it informative? Entertaining yet educational? Is your content unique to your brand and offer greater insight for your followers?

    An overwhelming 70% of people said they’d rather learn about a business via an article instead of an advertisement. Content marketing is cheaper than regular marketing and drives more leads so content marketing will continue to grow. Blog posts, infographics, video, live stream, stories, photos, articles, and so on is all part of content marketing.

    Content creation. Is hard.  It is even harder to do when running your business.  If you don’t have time, consider outsourcing your content creation or certain aspects of your social media to a local company focused on your growth like JRH Graphics. Find the company that meets your content creation needs!

    Great Job Getting On Social and Creating Content But What’s Next?

    Oh c’mon you knew this was going to happen!! In 2017, there were more than 50 million small businesses using social media pages to interact with their customers. Great. Many of these businesses are creating content to educate and inform customers. Awesome.

    But, many consumers are starting to get tired of sponsored or branded content and are skipping over it! Well, shit! Consumers are going to outside sources to get information not directly to brands. Brands are going to need to create more content with independently verifiable information and sources in order for this content to gain traction and help market.Now what? Stop creating content? No continue creating content but use stats and specifics that apply to more than just your company. Share content that can be verified independently. Pro Tip: Look at how you are collaborating, is it possible that one of your past collaborators would be able to create valuable content.

    Get Your Toolkit Today and Start Planning:  Collaboration Toolkit & Pre-Collab Worksheet

    Influencer Marketing Goes Micro

    Over 90% of marketers that utilize influencer marketing believe that it is successful and with traditional marketing continuing to struggle with social more and more companies are likely to move towards this form of marketing. But Influencer Marketing is stepping away from mega-influencers who represent multiple brands.

    Mega-Influencers or spokespeople are not where companies are getting a return on investment. This is why Influencer Marketing is starting to go micro. Followers and consumers are looking for actual people within a community that has invested and real followers.If you are already engaging with influencers are you getting the return on investment you should be? Have you looked at other options or begun to look at the opportunities that may be available from micro-influencers or brand advocates. Also look to create a community around your brand and make sure your influencers are a part of that community. PRO TIP: Don’t end your relationship with an influencer at the end of a contract. Continue to engage!

    Rise of Augmented Reality

    Both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X have ground-breaking new chips that allow for extraordinary augmented reality experiences. Social Media is likely to incorporate some of these features for their platforms as soon as possible and will likely look for innovative ways to do so. Possible early uses include selfie filters with celebrities or brands having the ability to project products into our homes. What other possibilities do you see from this trend?Small businesses should actively observe what is happening with augmented reality as it develops. It is likely that large companies will be the first to jump on this trend but as social media platforms change and include this technology look to see if it makes sense for you to utilize.

    Gen Z Enters the Workforce

    The impact of the Gen Z generation is about to be felt with marketers as these 22-year-olds are about to enter the workforce. As they step into the workforce and they will gain more buying power and become more important to organizations. We just got used to millennials but its time to change again.

    Engagement on platforms where Gen Z resides will be key. How are they engaging with companies and changing the way you do business?Actively observe the developments and pay attention to trends here. Small businesses may have a bit more time to react to Gen-Z, but start looking for opportunities now. Key platforms will include YouTube, Live Streaming Sites, and possibly still some Snapchat. Key practices will include transparency and authenticity.

    It’s Going to Be All About Live

    Live messaging apps and live streaming are going to become more ingrained in the mainstream. Over 2.5 billion people are utilizing live messaging apps and live streaming is making up a large part of video content consumed. Brands will need to begin looking at options to engage on these live apps when followers are looking for them.Live gives businesses many opportunities to show off the behind the scenes, tell a story, give followers special benefits and to be unscripted. Live messaging is a good place to begin working with bots, but don’t forget the human touch!

    So, What Do You Think?

    Those are some of the trends we believe will be dominating social media this upcoming year, based on our readings, and what we are seeing with our clients. We invite you to share your thoughts throughout the year below! To read some of the articles we read and to draw tour own conclusions then please visit these links.

    Forbes: Social Media 2018

    Hootsuite: 2018 Social Media Trends 

    https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/300813

    Socialmediatoday: Trends to Watch Out For in 2018 

  • Strategies to Expand Your Reach on Social Media

    What Strategies Will Expand Your Reach on Social?

    What strategies should I use to expand my social media reach quickly? is there an easy way to gain a following on social? What strategies will help jumpstart my social media and make sure that my content is seen? How do I get more people to like my stuff? This post was inspired by my clients and that ask to increase their visibility, influence etc on social media. And don’t get me wrong I love these questions and I love to share my knowledge with folks. The one thing that I warn you of is I am not going to provide you with a quick fix. I don’t believe that one exists. You gotta hustle hard if you want to see results!

    Some Basic Strategies

    Yeah, I don’t believe in quick fixes but here are a few strategies to optimize what you are doing on social…

    1) Get your friends, family loved one and co-workers where appropriate to follow and share your profiles. Engage with them and provide the content that they want to see, its a start and if they share content it expands your reach.

    2) Include your profiles everywhere you can with a message encouraging them to follow you along with the benefits of following you where space allows. Don’t forget to include in email signatures, business pages, LinkedIn Profile, alignable profiles,  on business cards and visible on the website above the fold.

    3) Search important Hashtags within your niche and favorite interesting tweets.

    4) Retweet, Repost, or share content you like and join conversations to engage new followers

    5) Link to high-quality content on your site/blog

    6) Provide useful and edutaining tips that relate to your field of work and provide useful and actionable info to your followers

    7) Use a branded #hashtag

    8) Get a wider reach by promoting events that you are attending using the appropriate hashtag combined with your profile name and or hashtag so posts show on event with a link back to your profiles. Its another way to engage others effectively.

    9) Show followers a bit of the behind the scenes for some realness

    10) Don’t forget to promote your profiles and include them in content you create

    11) Share your brand story as well as your story

    12) Ask this important question to your followers on a fairly regular basis “How can I help you?” and when someone responds, help them. This si a major part of an effective engagement strategy.

    13) Want some additional tips, tricks, and strategies I recommend to clients and followers? Check out this collection of social media tidbits! 

    An Important Note On Content:

    Before exploring some strategies a bit more in depth, I want to be sure that I clarify the importance of content! Content is king, always will be and that is why you can’t try to get around it the easy way. The two essentials for a successful social media strategy are ENGAGE FOLLOWERS AND PROVIDE GREAT CONTENT!

    The content you create should be aimed at EDUTAINING your followers by being informational, educational and fun. Great content will always win so focus on creating that and let the rest fall into place. It takes time but you want to be a thought leader, a resource, and an innovative thinker content creation is the surefire way, Your followers may not need your services right now but if you are sharing winning content that educates and informs them they will think of you first when they need you!

    The “Advanced” Strategies to Extend Your Reach

    I say advanced but really these are all essential things that all businesses on social media should do in order to get the most out of what they are doing on social media!

    1- Brand

    Make sure your brand identity is fully developed, down to knowing what you would post and wouldn’t post, and how you want followers to perceive your brand. Know Your Brand, Be Your Brand, Believe In Your Brand

    2- Social Mission

    Have a clearly defined mission and goals for social media as well as what success will look like for your brand. In this mission include if the goal is to sell on social, influence or educate. My recommendation is always to educate and engage by creating great content!

    3- Audience

    You can not create a content strategy until you know your audience. What type of person/business do you want to attract? Do you know their interests and needs? What problems do they have and how can you solve them? where do they get their information or what websites do they read daily? Understanding your audience is fundamental to creating content that they’ll find valuable.

    4- Be a thought leader in your niche

    Share content that highlights your innovative thoughts and ways of handling situations. You can also share content of other thought leaders and well-respected members within your niche.

    5- Communicate and Engage

    Promote two-way communication on your social media platforms by asking questions to your followers and encouraging them to share questions and ideas via comments on your social media. Then answer and engage those who share with you. Provide them useful information that they can see the value in. Don’t only link to your website link to other respected people in the industry as well.

    6- Social Service

    Build brand ambassadors by providing stellar “social service” and encouraging followers to share experiences with your brand. Provide an incentive for followers sharing reviews both good and bad (seriously), ask for feedback regularly on social, and act upon the feedback you get.

    7- Interaction

    Interact with other profiles regularly and provide thoughtful and relevant comments when commenting. This will give your brand more exposure especially if you target very popular posts, where several people will receive a newsfeed update with your comment. But beware of wasting time posting on posts that are “too popular” this is a judgment call but if you are comment number 300 on a post people may not be paying attention anymore.

    8- Collaboration

    Message interesting pages that you think your target audience follows and propose doing a featured post about them or their site and ask if they will do the same. Or work together on an event, or do a photoshoot together. Collaboration is key to social media success. See my blog post on collaboration.

    9- Quality not Quantity

    Focus on quality not quantity in regards to both your blog posts and your followers. As long as you have a consistent posting schedule that features high-quality content you will be good. In regards to followers, I’d take 400 fans who engage with my content and generate business over 5,000 who are indifferent to my business any day!

    10- Vary What You Post

    Experiment with different types of posts and mix things up a bit. Ask questions, share a behind-the-scenes picture of your workspace, or take advantage of the social aspect to ask for ideas, feedback, and input. Get creative and keep things interesting for your followers.I’d always recommend seeking and sharing the best content with others too. As well as helping to build trust and relationships, this helps your channels become a destination for people looking to learn and be inspired. See 9 Posts Every Business Should Try on Social

    11- 80/20

    Remember the 80/20 Rule 80% of what you post should be educational, informative, useful or funny 20% should be promotional… Or, as author Gary Vaynerchuk puts it: give, give, give, then ask… see more Gary V. here… 

    12 Be yourself and it is okay to be funny

    Keeping your audience in mind at all times but that does not mean hide who you are. Your personality is the key to

    Social media is also a great place to share a little more of you, whether behind the scenes shots or sneak peeks of a new product you’re working on. Trust is a huge component of the buying process; letting people in a little help your readers feel like they’re trusted, which in turn helps them to trust you too.

    13- Influencers to Influence Step 1

    Find influencers in your niche to engage with because following them and engaging with their posts by liking, commenting and sharing (without overdoing it, of course) you put yourself on their radar and may well find that they’ll reciprocate later!

    14- Use Images, Always

    Use relevant high-quality images as images have a much higher engagement than just text or links,

    15-DIALOGUE AND RESPECT

    Think about paying it forward. As well as responding to messages, be proactive and start conversations. Congratulate people on their achievements, comment on and share relevant posts and offer your input when someone asks a question. Seek to add value and make meaningful connections. Doing this has not only helped my business, it’s helped me make new friends too!

    16. Stop. Review. Revise. Restart

    Regularly using the metrics and feedback from followers as your guide. While you are doing this also review what others are doing, get ideas and see how you can do something that works for your brand

  • 9 Types of Posts Every Business Should Try on Social Media

    The 9 Essential Posts for Businesses on Social Media

    This post is aimed at those businesses just starting out on social media and for those looking to diversify what they are posting to make sure they are hitting the recommended 80/20 ratio. When you are just starting out it is easy to feel overwhelmed by a posting calendar, and if you are stuck in a rut it may be hard to see a way out. These 9 social media posts are a great way to round out your content and make sure that you are educating and informing your followers.

    • PRODUCT POSTS
    • CUSTOMER POSTS
    • EMPLOYEE-CENTRIC
    • A DAY IN THE LIFE
    • MOTIVATIONAL
    • FOOD POSTS
    • IN THE HOOD POSTS
    • GIVEAWAYS AND CONTESTS
    • EDUCATIONAL

    Product Posts

    These seem easy but be sure to constantly post or repost the same content about your product. Keep it fresh. Get content from your customers or “product in the wild” posts. Also, make sure to highlight what features and benefits users will get from your product that differentiates it from the products of your competitors.

    Customer-centric Posts

    Customer-centric posts focus not only on the overall customer experience but this is also where a lot of your user-generated content comes from. User-generated content is huge for a business because when you share that content the creator is much more likely to also share the content with followers. And beyond that it shows followers you care about how you engage with your customers and encourages them to share without even asking.

    Day in the Life

    Highlight things that usually happen at your company a pre-opening chat, lunchtime discussion, shared news about employees. Remember Instagram is very visual so make sure you have a good brand appropriate visual if you are sharing on Insta. Think of these as a quick filtered peek into the back of the house.

    Motivation

    Yes, you see these all over the place, motivational quotes on #motivationalmonday or any other days of the week when a little pick me up are in order. Keep these visuals and the quotes brand-appropriate and try to share posts that you find meaningful and provide followers with background about your business.

    Food

    Want some more social media gold? Then post about food, babies or dogs!! Food is a great way to have a fun light post mixed in… feature a new restaurant or favorite dish. These non-branded lighter posts are a great way to break up some of the content you post. And while they are not branded, you can always figure out a way to tie them back to the brand or business.

    Neighborhood Posts

    I call these the “In the Hood” posts. They touch on the things happening in the community around you. It does not mayyer if they are lighthearted and silly or seriously important. What is important is that you are engaging the potential clients that are immediately in your area. Its another avenue you an use to tell your story and sho people why they should believe in your brand. These posts also allow you to partner with other businesses in your neighborhood to magnifying your reach.

    Giveaways & Contests

    Product launch, new item, a special time of the year… make it super special with a giveaway or contest. Its a great way to gain followers. Encourage them to follow you on social media as a way to be eligible for prize. You can also generate interest by givving away free tools that help followers solve a problem. Keep in mind that if you are running a contest or giveaway make sure to post appropriate disclaimers and follow all posted rules!

    Educational Posts

    Remember you are trying to establish yourself as an expert in your field you should be EDUTAINING your followers. When you EDUTAIN you are providing information that is Educational Useful and Entertaining. Share fun little bits of knowledge or inside info on what you do. Ask them what they want to know and then educate them. The type of info should be useful to help people win trivia contests in bars, you are not teaching them how to be an astrophysicist.

    Employee-centric

    These are probably the hardest to do but they are also what gives any business a heart on social media. These are peeks into what the culture of your business is. Remember however to always be on brand! Below are two broad options for employee-centric posts, I recommend regularly using both.

    Employee Takeover

    These on Facebook and Instagram and are combined between the story and your feed with just a couple refined images in the feed that are on brand and the rest the story. The story can be less refined it is set up to be snapchatty for a reason!

    Employee Profiles

    These are a bit harder but they are great for morale and a great way to feature specific employee on social media. Ask a set of questions to an employee and take some cool fun photos and viola.

    The 9 Essential Posts on Video

    Jonathan reviews this important Framework for businesses in a video. A video he ironically did as part of one of his one challenges based on creating Video Content for each of the 9 Essential Post Categories!JTBBJTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGRUYxcUZlcjhYdWslMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRSUwQQ==

    Things to Keep In Mind

    With all of these posts it is imperative you keep a few things in mind. The most important being the 80/20 Rule of Social Media. 80% of what you post should be informative, entertaining and useful for your followers with only 20% being promotional. And secondly, you are looking to engage customers and position yourself as an expert in your field. Conversations will get you followers! Useful information gets you followers! Real engagement will get you followers! Hounding and sales pitches will get you ignored!

    Need more assistance?

    We are here to help. JRH Graphics can provide you with sample posts and social media recommendations customized for your business? Get these 9 Posts Customized

    Or get the 9 Posts Worksheet to do it yourself

    Want to schedule a free 30-minute social media consultation with a member of the JRH Graphics team? Just tap that link! We would love to sit down with you and see how we can help!

     

     

    https://jrhgraphics.com/product/free-30-minute-social-media-consultation-call/