8 Ways Social Media Listening Can Improve Your Customer Experience

When it comes to marketing platforms, social media is a non-negotiable tool. Social ad spending in the United States is set to increase by over 20% this year. However, social media isn’t just for advertising to your customers. It’s also for communicating with them. 

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are hubs for identifying, and acting on, customer wants and needs. Here are some ways that your business can use social media listening to enhance not only your customer experience (CX), but also your entire experience management process.

1. Engage in Real Time 

Your customers are active on social media day and night. And while traditional customer service platforms require some wait time, social platforms close this gap. Your social team can interact with your customers in real time. If a customer has a question or problem, your business can answer within seconds. 

Real-time interactions help customers feel more immersed in your brand experience. Your business provides more attentive customer service, and the customers become more than just a name on the screen. To boost response time, be sure to use a social media management tool that provides real-time alerts. You might also set up an auto-response to direct customers to additional support tools. 

2. Identify Common Problems

Your business likely collects customer feedback through surveys and comment boxes. But are you getting the real story? Social media is where customers go to be honest — for better or worse. If customers are experiencing issues with your products or services, chances are you’ll receive comments and messages.

As you handle this type of feedback, be on the lookout for patterns. Social media is a great tool for spotting common problems that your customers are having. If similar issues keep popping up across multiple users, the fix might be bigger than a one-time refund or coupon. Instruct your social team to alert management to patterns so you can make adjustments as needed. 

3. Field Customer Questions

Social listening helps your business attend to customer questions, and you can do this in a few ways. The first is to monitor comments and direct messages for inquiries and respond quickly. Answering one-off questions improves individual customer experiences, but you can also broaden your reach. Post answers to frequently asked questions to keep all your customers in the know. 

The Live features on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter can also be useful tools for answering customer inquiries. Consider hosting “ask me anything” sessions on social media to engage customers and broaden social listening opportunities. Hearing directly from a company representative not only humanizes your business, but it elevates your CX to make customers part of the story. 

4. Highlight Positive Experiences

Customer experience is about more than addressing common problems. Your business should also respond to positive customer feedback. Start by monitoring the photos and posts that your company is tagged in. You can then respond to happy customers and thank them for their business. This attention not only boosts visibility, but also makes your customers feel important. 

Some businesses go the extra mile by offering perks to particularly delighted customers. If a customer posts a photo of an appetizer from your restaurant, you might respond, “Next one’s on us!” You’re sure to have a loyal customer after that. 

5. Monitor Your Reputation

Customer reviews certainly tip you off to your business’s reputation, but social listening provides even more hints. Monitoring customer feedback gives you a feel for how the public perceives your business. 

Are there common words customers are using to describe their experience? Do the positive messages outweigh the bad? Using social listening for reputation management helps identify areas for improvement. 

Keep your fingers on the pulse by setting up brand mention alerts. Recommendations, glowing reviews, and posts from repeat customers are signs of a positive reputation. A steady flow of complaints and poor reviews are not. Regardless of which way your reputation is leaning, be quick to acknowledge the feedback and prioritize customer happiness. 

6. Engage Potential Customers

Many people go to social media for recommendations, and these recs are a prime opportunity for social listening and customer engagement. When you notice that someone has mentioned your brand as a recommendation, be sure to respond quickly. 

Direct the prospective client to your website and ask whether they have questions. Engaging in the comment thread shows that you’re attentive to customers and proactive with leads. That will improve your CX from the start.  

7. Improve Your Offerings

To better your customer experience, you’ll need to make certain your business is offering the products and services customers want. Social listening is the perfect tool for doing so. As you monitor mentions, comments, and direct messages, note which products customers are posting about the most. If you own a coffee shop, your data might show that one particular latte is showing up in photos more than others. 

Logging this data will help you determine which products are popular and which are falling out of favor. Compare this data to sales numbers to see whether it’s worth adjusting your product or service lines. You can also use product mentions to quickly spot defects or other issues, addressing them right away. 

8. Identify Competitor Strengths

Social listening allows you to tap into your customer base, but it also clues you in to your competition. Keeping tabs on your competitor’s social media activity, as well as that of their customers, will help you improve your own. You can analyze your competitor’s social media engagement and compare it to yours. Your rivals might be generating traffic with a type of content that you haven’t even considered. 

Identifying which content engages your competitor’s customer base will better inform your own. The same goes for their strategy. Notice how your competition engages with their customers and compare their response times to yours. You might see room for improvement on your end. 

Managing your brand’s social media profiles requires time and attention. However, the extra effort is well worth the customer experience boost. Social listening is an essential tool for better understanding customers’ needs so you can eventually exceed their expectations. 

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Expectations and Goals in Acquisitions

When you are going through an acquisition with a good M&A advisor it is important to have a plan of action and set clear-cut objectives for the sale. While you might be thinking of your bottom line, there is a whole range of other objectives that need to be considered because they will impact your team and the company’s future success.

• What are the reasons you want to sell the business?
• Which acquirer is best suited for you?
• What are the exit strategies for the co-founders?
• What do you want for your team?
• What do you want for your customers?
• How will the mission be continued?

Knowing what you want out of the acquisition will give you more control. Have minimum and maximum lines clearly defined, and plan for negotiating, and the unexpected. 

Prepare The Team

Preparing the team for an acquisition is another important aspect of keeping control of the process. The buyer needs to fit in with the company culture, or the transition can be painful. Can your team align with the acquirer’s values and beliefs? How can you prepare your team for the acquisition?

• Keep your team informed: Never blindside your team with an acquisition if you can help it. Instead, communicate often with your team and answer their questions and concerns. You can also offer them a timeline with milestones concerning the acquisition to put their minds at ease.
• Develop a transition plan: A well-developed transition plan will help employees from both companies integrate. While the buyer might have his own plans, such as training plans, company name changes, and more, you can still have an effective strategy for preparing your own team for the transition.
• Unify company objectives: Get your team acquainted with the new company’s culture and values, so they know what the new company expects of them when the acquisition occurs.
• Be positive: Positivity is a game changer. Don’t let your team get discouraged because it can affect their productivity, and ultimately the valuation and ability to close the deal. 

Get an expert valuation

Valuations don’t only let the acquirer know your worth. It helps you to know how to negotiate during the acquisition process. Valuations will help the acquirer understand the startup’s potential for growth and establish a baseline value.

Get your accounting in order

The acquirer is going to tear right through your financials. As they should before making a big purchase. But if you have your accounting in order; revenue, expenses, and assets supported by documentation, the acquisition process will go a lot smoother. 

The following are some of the documentation you need to gather:

• Past performance: All of your accounting up to this point.
• Short-term projections: These include weekly, monthly, and the following year projections.
• Multi-year plans: These include 3-5 year projections that give the acquirers insight into the future of the company.

The Startup Acquisition Process

Now that you have positioned the deal and established your worth, you can get the ball rolling on the acquisition process. 

Develop an acquisition plan

Your acquirer is already developing a plan to negotiate the offer. Prepare yourself with potential offers and negotiating steps so you don’t get steamrolled by a large corporation. You know they have seen value in your business, or they wouldn’t be devising an acquisition plan.

Prepare an acquisition team

Gather an acquisition team with IT experts, the CEO, an acquisition lawyer, and all other relevant personnel you feel should be at the acquisition meeting. They help provide information on the startup’s technical infrastructure and inner workings of the business that the acquirers might have questions for.

Do your due diligence

The acquirer will be doing plenty of digging of their own. Don’t just leave the ball in their court. You should be vetting them as much as they are investigating you. 

Negotiate

An acquirer will often start out low. Counteroffer, and both parties can meet in the middle. How much do you want? What is your company worth, and are you willing to part with the startup for less? Make sure that everyone’s objectives can be seen in the final agreement. Don’t feel like you lost a battle. Ensure the conversation is within the parameters of your main objectives before you get too deep. Especially as you can expect a lot of renegotiating and discounts in the process.

Closing the deal 

Closing the deal is a huge moment for a startup, and even when things have gone according to plan, you may experience mixed emotions. Contracts are signed, and now you know your hard work and effort in your business has paid off, it’s time to let go.

What Acquirers Consider When Buying a Startup

You can control the acquisition process by knowing what the acquirers want. They are not just looking at the dollar signs. Understanding their mindset will help you grab their attention and get the best deal for yourself and the buyer. 

So, what are acquirers looking for in a startup? This can vary widely, but may include:

• Cost per customer: What does it cost to get a new customer? The acquirer will want to know what it will cost to get new consumers and the cost of tapping into a new market. 
• Customer base: Is your customer base thriving? If you already have traction, buyers will notice.
• Team expertise: How much experience does the team have? A good team has knowledge of the product, consumers, and industry the potential buyer might not.

What To Consider Before An Acquisition

Selling your startup can be a life-changing experience. You have put everything into it for the last couple of years, and you may feel a deep connection to the staff, the product, and the business. Here’s what you should consider before taking the leap.

Are you ready to sell your startup?

Startups can take years to establish, and the demand can begin to pile up. You know you’re ready to sell when you are prepared to hand over the stress and anxiety which often occurs to first-time founders. You may even decide to stay on after the acquisition or move on to greater things.

Is it the right time to sell?

Founders may begin to experience burnout when you need to keep raising funds. To relieve yourself of this burden, your choices are to increase capital or a merger and acquisition venture.

Will you be able to accept the consequences?

The consequences of the acquisition include:

• Having enough money to retire or fund future ventures
• The acquirers might not take care of your startup as much as you hope 
• There needs to be enough money to pay your early investors off

The Bottom Line

The acquisition process can be laborious for the founders and acquirers, but the common goal is to generate value. The last thing that the founder should be worried about is losing control of the acquisition process. You understand the value of the company and its potential for the future, so you deserve appropriate compensation for the work you put into your product.

To keep control, you need to know the ins and outs of the company. Have all your financials in order and prepare your team for the acquisition. Do your due diligence and hire a valuation expert as well as a full acquisition team to ensure you are getting the most out of the deal. You have done the hard work and deserve to reap the rewards.

Author Bio

Alejandro Cremades is a serial entrepreneur and the author of The Art of Startup Fundraising. With a foreword by ‘Shark Tank‘ star Barbara Corcoran, and published by John Wiley & Sons, the book was named one of the best books for entrepreneurs. The book offers a step-by-step guide to today‘s way of raising money for entrepreneurs. 

Most recently, Alejandro built and exited CoFoundersLab which is one of the largest communities of founders online. 

Prior to CoFoundersLab, Alejandro worked as a lawyer at King & Spalding where he was involved in one of the biggest investment arbitration cases in history ($113 billion at stake). 

Alejandro is an active speaker and has given guest lectures at the Wharton School of Business, Columbia Business School, and at NYU Stern School of Business. 

Alejandro has been involved with the JOBS Act since inception and was invited to the White House and the US House of Representatives to provide his stands on the new regulatory changes concerning fundraising online.

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How To Get Customers Back And Back Again

How To Get Customers Back And Back Again written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

Marketing Podcast with Shep Hyken

In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, I interview Shep Hyken. Shep is ais a customer service and experience expert and the Chief Amazement Officer of Shepard Presentations. He is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author. He recently wrote a book called I’ll Be Back – How to Get Customers to Come Back Again & Again.

Key Takeaway:

How do you build a business that thrives during good times and bad? Turn customers into repeat customers and turn repeat customers into loyal customers. People want to do business with people they know and trust.

Customer service and experience expert Shep Hyken maintains that delivering an amazing customer service experience that keeps customers coming back for more is everyone’s job. In this episode, I talk with Shep about how a customer-focused philosophy must be baked into the company culture. And how this is what separates you from your competition.

Questions I ask Shep Hyken:

• [4:53] If customer experience is such a hot topic, why does it seem to still be such a struggle for so many companies?
• [7:37] How do you measure customer loyalty?
• [13:01] You have an entire chapter that lowers the bar for excellence – is this because we experience excellence so rarely?
• [17:52] How do you get people to recognize that customer experience is ultimately lacking in the organizational culture?
• [20:40] Do you think that what we have gone through as a world the last year during the global pandemic has changed how people need to view customer service?

More About Shep Hyken:

• ShepHyken.com
• His book: I’ll Be Back – How to Get Customers to Come Back Again & Again.

More About The Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network:

• Check it out here.

Like this show? Click on over and give us a review on iTunes, please!

This episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network.

 

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/how-to-get-customers-back-and-back-again/

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The Business Of Story Podcast – The Ultimate Marketing Engine

The Business Of Story Podcast – The Ultimate Marketing Engine written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

Your customers are distracted by the multitude of ways to buy. And as a business, you want to be able to cancel all the noise and confusion so you can start creating authentic relationships with your customers and convert them into life-long customers.

But, you can only turn them into customers for life by changing your view of them as a member instead of a transaction. The secret is to align your focus in helping them achieve the transformation they are seeking and focusing on their success rather than your own. Being able to guide them from where they are to where they want to go is where you will find consistent growth in your business.

In this episode of the Business of Story podcast, I sat down with host Park Howell to talk about how you can use the Marketing Hourglass that reimagines the typical customer funnel process. You’ll learn the seven prospect and customer behaviors of the marketing hourglass and how you can leverage the stories they’re telling themselves about you to attract and keep more ideal customers — all of which are concepts from my upcoming book, The Ultimate Marketing Engine.

Listen to the episode here.

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/the-business-of-story-podcast-the-ultimate-marketing-engine/

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Make the Most of Your Instagram Reels with These 3 Tips

When the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, posted a video on his profile, he probably didn’t expect the number of disgruntled comments he’d receive from businesses and influencers around the world. Mosseri announced that Instagram has chosen to shift and become less of a photo-sharing app.

It will now be geared toward becoming a video entertainment platform to keep up with competitors like TikTok and YouTube.

Regardless of how you feel about this transformation of the app, we’ll all have to abide by the algorithm’s new guidelines to stay relevant and ensure our content continues to be seen by our followers. You might be thinking that video is not your strong suit, and if that’s the case, you aren’t alone.

Numerous online tutorials explain how to become more confident in front of the camera. Posting to your stories and creating reels to add to your content strategy, however, aren’t anything new.

Reels have been around since August 2020, and they won’t be going anywhere, anytime soon. The human attention span has collapsed to become lower than that of a goldfish. We aren’t joking.

The average attention span of a goldfish is 9 seconds. The average human attention span fell from 12 seconds in 2000 to only 8 seconds according to a study reported in July of this year.

Reels are no longer than thirty seconds. The average reel lasts about ten to fifteen seconds. This means you have roughly eight seconds of video content to get your message across to as many viewers as possible.

So you may be asking yourself: How do I manage to create a successful reel? Here are three essential tips to help you make the most out of your Instagram reels.

1. Use Text In Your Videos

Creating reels doesn’t require you to say a single word on camera. You might not even have to appear physically in your reel at all. With the availability of stock video online, you can avoid having to face your fear of being on camera.

An effective alternative is to use text in your videos. For example, say you have a ten-second reel with footage of the ocean waves. You intend to use the reel to provide the seven best tips to get over writer’s block. That’s a lot of benefits to cram into a short amount of time.

This might sound like an impossible task, but because your video is so short, the viewer will have to rewatch it several times over to grab all seven tips. The more views the reel has, the higher the engagement. The higher the engagement, the more people will see your reel.

2. Put More Information in Your Caption

Reels are a great way to become a lead generation source. But how do you get people to sign up for your online course or download your free eBook with a reel? You want to provide a call to action (CTA). Here’s a way to do it.

You’re a yoga instructor that has written an eBook you’re giving away as an incentive to build your email list. The book is all about how to find mindfulness during the daily grind. This is a perfect prompt for your Instagram reel.

Create a short video that simply poses the question, “How do I manage to stay mindful when life is so hectic?” A successful CTA for this example is to have the last piece of text on your video to say, “read the caption to learn how.”

Your caption can provide substantially more detail, which gives you an opportunity to include a CTA. That’s where you can invite people to sign up to receive a free eBook. Congratulations! You’ve now learned how to create a sales funnel through a ten-second reel on Instagram!

3. Partner with Other Influencers

What an influencer has that you might not is simple: more followers in your industry than you do. Influencers offer you a chance to connect with significantly more people around the world.

According to Relevance, the digital marketing and PR firm, influencer marketing’s global reach has grown upwards of 57% as of 2020. This number is only expected to continue rising.

The level of influencer you connect with will determine what compensation they might require. As of now, there are four levels of influencers.

1. Nano Influencers (1k-10k followers)
2. Micro-Influencers (10k-50k followers)
3. Mid-tier Influencers (50k-500k followers)
4. Premium or Macro-Influencers (500k-1 million+ followers)

A nano influencer is still starting to build her following. This means the person may only wish to trade an affiliate link with you that gives them a discount on your services or products.

Someone who is at the mid-tier influencer level is less likely to be satisfied with simply receiving one of your products for free. You’ll have to figure out what your business can afford as an incentive to persuade an influencer at that level to partner with you.

You can go about it a few different ways, but ideally the influencer might create a reel on their Instagram page that showcases your product or service, while also mentioning and tagging your company in the post. That would take some of the heavy lifting off your plate, of having to create the content. You can focus on other aspects of expanding your business.

There are more tips and techniques to leverage your Instagram reels. These are just three to get you started. Do some research, and if you need help, look into working with a social media or digital marketing firm to give you an extra boost of assistance and expertise.

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Finding The Work That Makes You Come Alive

Finding The Work That Makes You Come Alive written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

Marketing Podcast with Jonathan Fields

In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, I interview Jonathan Fields. Jonathan is an award-winning author, executive producer, and host of one of the top-ranked podcasts in the world, Good Life Project®. He’s also the author of a new book – Sparked: Discover Your Unique Imprint for Work that Makes You Come Alive.

Key Takeaway:

We’re all born with a certain “imprint” for work that makes us come alive. Drawing upon years of research, experimentation, more than 25-million data points generated by over half a million people, hundreds of deep-dive conversations — Jonathan Fields and his team at Spark Endeavors, developed the Sparketype imprints and methodology that helps you uncover the work that motivates you and fills you with purpose.

In this episode, I talk with Jonathan about his new book SPARKED and how your Sparketype can help you discover, with far more depth, what sparks you, what drains you, where you stumble and come alive, so you can reclaim a sense of direction, control, and purpose.

Questions I ask:

• [2:07]  In your new book Sparked, your contention is that we’re all born with a certain imprint for work that makes us come alive — are some people that also are worried that they’ll miss uncovering what it is?
• [4:52] Can you talk about the research that you did to come to your conclusions?
• [7:10] Can you walk me through the assessment and what went into the development of the assessment that you created?
• [10:34] How would you say this assessment differs from a StrengthsFinder kind of assessment?
• [11:52] You’ve looked at lots of results — have you started to be able to predict what someone’s results might be?
• [14:20] Can we unpack my results from taking the assessment myself?
• [18:41] Where can people take their own assessment?
• [19:33] I know my Sparketypes now — now what do I do with that information?

More About Jonathan Fields:

• His new book — Sparked: Discover Your Unique Imprint for Work that Makes You Come Alive.
• Find Out Your Sparketype: Take The Assessment

More About The Certified Marketing Manager Program Powered By Duct Tape Marketing:

• Check it out here.

Like this show? Click on over and give us a review on iTunes, please!

This episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network.

 

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/finding-the-work-that-makes-you-come-alive/

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The Science of Analytics [Infographic]

Many organizations know they should do better when it comes to becoming a data-driven organization. The thing about human behavior is that we often know what we should do in order to improve, but the status quo and inertia of a situation to keep doing what we’ve always done in the past often sets in and clouds our thinking.

Maybe we could all use a gentle nudge to consider making more data-driven decisions instead of just going with our gut. Consider that only 24% of executives had created data-driven organizations. Perhaps even more shocking is that 73% of all data within an organization is never even analyzed.

Google Analytics can get you part of the way there, but there are some serious power tools found within Google Analytics 360. Advanced tools such as BigQuery Export, Data Driven Attribution and more are accessible as well as benefits of privacy, support and training. Also shorter delays in accessing new data, unlimited sessions and reports that combine data from several properties. 

If you are an organization that needs to make marketing and advertising decisions daily, desires more advanced analysis of hit-level data, or simply needs better integration with other Google products, Google Analytics 360 will not only be a helpful tool to begin using but a necessary one as well. Google Analytics 360 is the solution for anyone who wants to get the most out of their data, especially to those who are looking for a little help to get started.

Learn more about harnessing the power transforming into a data-driven organization through the visual deep dive below:

Source: InfoTrust

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/the-science-of-analytics-infographic/

No, SEO is Not Dead, Dying, or 6 Feet Under

It seems every year someone comes out with a new article saying that SEO died, is dying, or is six feet under. There are a few reasons for this, mainly centered around the way Google’s algorithm works.

There are hundreds of search engines, but Google has managed to reign supreme through their general Google Search and their other specializations such as Google Images and Google Scholar. In 2019, Google products were used in 94 percent of searches.

“It is no question that Google owns the market when it comes to internet queries,” says David Brenton, President of BluShark Digital, LLC.

However, Google has made several changes to its algorithm over the years, leading some to claim SEO – or search engine optimization – is going the way of the dinosaur. Here are the facts and figures to get a better idea of why people think this (and why they are wrong).

Why They Think SEO is Dying

There are three main reasons people think SEO is dying, but first, let us get a firm grasp on what SEO truly means. Search engine optimization refers to the links, keywords, and other factors that tell Google what your website is about. From there, Google will rank your website among others covering similar topics. The ultimate goal is to have your website be the first link in the Google search results because that means you get more potential customers visiting your website. 

SEO experts will alter a website’s links, keywords, and other factors to make their website more user friendly, and thus more Google friendly. Some people may pay to have their website promoted, but SEO specifically focuses on rising through the ranks organically. 

There are a few hurdles Google throws at website designers to use SEO tactics properly. Firstly, Google changes. A lot. In 2010, Google made 516 algorithm changes. By 2018, that number increased to 3,234 changes. Having over nine algorithm changes a day can be hard to keep up with, meaning SEO has gotten much more difficult. It is no longer easy to manipulate the system to have your website appear first. 

Combined with this issue is the over-supply of information on the internet. There are over 5.6 billion Google searches every 24 hours, with two trillion searches per year. Compare this to the one billion blogs on the world wide web, it does not seem to be a problem. However, the oversupply and the under-demand issue becomes abundantly clear when you use the search engine. 

Take the phrase “what is marketing.” Search that, and Google spits out 665,000 websites with that specific phrase. However, only 11,300 people search “what is marketing” per month. Although there are billions of searches a day, each search falls into a different specific niche that can only be serviced by one website. This leaves hundreds of thousands of websites competing against each other for that click. 

To make matters worse, Google has also thrown its hat into the ring. Google will answer some questions directly without needing to click on a link. By getting these answers to their user directly, it makes a better user experience: however, it can be a slap in the face to the SEO specialists who worked hard to get their link to the number one position in Google’s eyes. 

Take a weather search. When looking for their local weather forecast, consumers have a 46 percent chance of clicking on the first link. However, when Google shows the daily weather forecast in a graph before listing links below, the likelihood of getting that click falls to just seven percent. 

For this reason, the number of clicks SEO brings to your website has been decreasing over time. This decrease has led many to believe these changes to Google’s algorithm are SEO’s headstone. Here is why they are wrong. 

Why SEO is Not Dying

The biggest issue in the claims for SEO’s death is conflating change with decay. Just because something is decreasing in one area does not mean the industry is going down. These changes have been rippling throughout the entire marketing world and have forced businesses to become more creative to survive. 

In the past, advertisements stole attention. Take a television advertisement or its modern equivalent: the ad that plays before YouTube videos. In that instance, we roll our eyes and groan. Instead of focusing on the countdown until the “skip ad” button appears, we ignore the product and completely forget about whatever it was that flew across our screen. 

With the increasing efficiency of the internet comes a demand from consumers for advertisements to be worthy of their time. SEO pushes businesses to be more creative in their advertising endeavors, and some marketing campaigns that would have been fever dreams in the past have become full-fledged realities.
Take Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), which is famous for its classic fast food. They are probably the last business you would expect in the video game world, yet in 2019, they released a dating simulator featuring their mascot Colonel Sanders. No, this is not a joke. I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator is a free game anyone can download from Steam, a software that hosts several indie video games. 

It sounds like a joke (because, deep down, it is), but by becoming creative with their advertising, KFC saw a huge boost around the game’s release. Famous streamers on YouTube and Twitch played the game, bringing free advertising to KFC and boosting their SEO. 

It sounds crazy, but it worked. SEO is essentially a new platform for consumer behavior. By identifying your websites and social media posts with keywords, search engines can connect your business with other topics of similar interest, bringing new clients.

Take Olay, a beauty brand famous for its soaps and makeup products. Olay ran a study where they promoted two different websites featuring a product to reduce dark circles under people’s eyes. The first website was a blatant advertisement, while the second gave several tips and tricks on reducing dark circles and simply listed the product as one of their methods. 

When they changed their advertisement to include other methods, engagement went through the roof. The number of clicks increased by 87 percent, while cost per click fell 30 percent. By creating organic content for people to enjoy, brands can properly earn their consumers’ attention. You are giving them more than just your branded product: you are giving them authentic content.

In this way, the changes Google makes to its algorithm improve how businesses advertise in the digital marketplace. Instead of corporations controlling the narrative, consumers can decide what is worthy of their attention, and products can be more effectively allocated to those who are actually interested. 

SEO is not dying. It is simply changing to fit the needs of consumers. As the digital market begins to change from the Wild West to a consumer-centric society, SEO becomes more important than ever. SEO tells Google not only what a website is but what it can offer to its audience. By forcing businesses to provide more than just flashy banners before YouTube videos, marketing can become what it was always meant to be: for the consumer.

The post No, SEO is Not Dead, Dying, or 6 Feet Under appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/search-engine-optimization-2/no-seo-is-not-dead-dying-or-6-feet-under/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/no-seo-is-not-dead-dying-or-6-feet-under/

6 Tips to Get Your Product Noticed on Social Media

Whether you’re selling online courses, kitchen appliances, or trivia games, getting noticed on social media can be a huge boon for your business. It’s not just about going viral — just amassing a loyal audience of a few thousand people is already enough to help signal boost both your current marketing efforts and the efforts associated with any new product you decide to launch.

1 – Target the right crowd

Just like your marketing efforts in any other medium, your social media marketing campaign will work better if it is well-targeted. Trying to appeal to everyone will generally lead to you not quite appealing to anyone. So make sure you’re putting up posts and writing content with a specific target demographic in mind.

Having a clear audience in mind will also help you find the groups where those users congregate, or which hashtags they use, depending on the platform you’re on. And while you don’t want to be that brand that floods hashtags with spam, making the occasional post with a hashtag relevant to your audience — or in a relevant group — can help your page get more attention.

2 – Post consistently

Most popular brand pages today had to spend months posting regularly before they managed to gather any attention. Don’t let the initial apparent lack of results discourage you from posting on social media — consistently putting out content is the key to success in this field.

3 – Try different styles

There are tons of different ways to post about a brand or a product, or to create posts that will connect with your target audience. Make sure you’re regularly trying out new styles and approaches to see what gets the biggest response from your audience. And once you have found a style that works, stick with it.

It’s important to rein in your experimentation as your audience starts to grow. After all, someone who followed your brand page because they enjoyed the behind-the-scenes posts you’ve been making might stop following the page if it suddenly switches to posting nothing but product photos or testimonials.

4 – Be helpful

Put your expertise in your field to good use. Try to be helpful to customers who are facing issues within your area of expertise, even if they don’t follow the page. And of course, do your best to engage with and help the people who comment directly on your brand’s page. 

Being helpful online may seem not to make a difference in the short-term, but it helps your brand earn the public’s goodwill. And it encourages more customers to engage with the page in the future.

5 – Run events

Contests, giveaways, sales, and other online events are all great ways to keep your audience engaged and earn more followers. It can also be a good excuse to get your social media followers to visit your website or sign up for your newsletter.

6 – Make friends with influencers

You don’t necessarily need to sponsor an influencer to earn their goodwill. Plenty of content producers in niches relevant to your product would be eager for the opportunity to interview a member of your staff or tour one of your facilities. And of course, sponsoring influencers is also a good way to get more people to pay attention to your page and your products.

The post 6 Tips to Get Your Product Noticed on Social Media appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/social-media-marketing/6-tips-to-get-your-product-noticed-on-social-media/

The post 6 Tips to Get Your Product Noticed on Social Media appeared first on connect social networks.

from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/6-tips-to-get-your-product-noticed-on-social-media/

Why 80% Of Being An Entrepreneur And Business Owner Is About Mindset

Why 80% Of Being An Entrepreneur And Business Owner Is About Mindset written by Sara Nay read more at Duct Tape Marketing

 

 

Agency Spark Podcast with Petter-Erik Nyvoll

The Agency Spark Podcast, hosted by Sara Nay, is a collection of interviews from thought leaders in the marketing consultancy and agency space. Each episode is designed to spark ideas you can put into practice for your agency today. Check out the new Spark Lab Consulting website here!

In this episode of the Agency Spark Podcast, Sara interviews Petter-Erik Nyvoll. Petter is co-founder at AweSM, a sales and marketing coach, and a business strategist. AweSM has helped hundreds of small business owners and entrepreneurs build & scale their businesses through online courses, 1-on-1 coaching, intensive workshops & mastermind events in Vietnam plus ongoing support through the AweSM Insider community & membership.

Questions Sara asks Petter-Erik Nyvoll:

• Where are you located in the world today?
• How do you manage your team when they are in so many different countries?
• Let’s say you have an open position in your team, how do you go about hiring and filling it?
• What led you to work specifically with entrepreneurs and coaches as your target market?
• How do you help clients with their mindset?
• What tips do you have for putting on successful webinars?

Learn more about Petter-Erik Nyvoll:

• AweSM
• LinkedIn

Like this show? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts here!

 

This episode of the Agency Spark Podcast is brought to you by Airborne, a sales engagement platform. Learn more about how to set your team up for success at Airborneapp.io. Sales Engagement Platforms are fundamental to the Modern Tech Stack. Airborne delivers everything you would expect from a Sales Engagement Platform and then some. Get the most out of every interaction and make your team more effective with Airborne. 

 

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/why-being-an-entrepreneur-and-business-owner-is-about-mindset/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/why-80-of-being-an-entrepreneur-and-business-owner-is-about-mindset/

Entrepreneur On Fire – The Ultimate Marketing Engine

Entrepreneur On Fire – The Ultimate Marketing Engine written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

You can catch my conversation with John Lee Dumas on the Entrepreneur On Fire Show where we discuss what I believe about becoming successful that most people disagree with, the reason why I wrote The Ultimate Marketing Engine, and the Customer Success Track Model.

Listen to the episode here: https://www.eofire.com/podcast/johnjantsch3/

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/entrepreneur-on-fire-the-ultimate-marketing-engine/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/entrepreneur-on-fire-the-ultimate-marketing-engine/

How to Motivate Yourself

3 Ways to Motivate Yourself

Motivation Is Often Difficult

Father George Rutler has given a lot of advice on how to motivate yourself. He does not take this subject lightly because motivation is often difficult to comeby when it is needed most. People who are working jobs they hate often find it difficult to do their best. When people suffer from depression, it is often difficult to get motivated. Father George Rutler has a few solutions to use when motivation is difficult to muster. Will his words instantly turn a person into a type A go-getter? It is unlikely that this will instantly happen, but his advice will put a person on the right path.

Focus On Leadership

It might be an odd thing to suggest to an unmotivated person, but focusing on leadership is a power method that will increase motivation. One rebuttal is that a person is not in a leadership position. The truth is that everyone is in leadership. Leadership is not a position, it is taking responsibility. Leaders do what needs to be done. The best companies develop everyone into decisionmakers. The US Army even suggests that the US Army is an Army of one. Each person makes the best decisions that they can. Each person is looking for opportunities to improve themselves, to improve the way things are done, and to improve each other.

Quick Motivation Tips

Embrace the struggle: Motivation is not a switch that will simply turn on and off. No, it doesn’t work like this. Some people believe that if they find the right “motivation tip,” everything will be easy in life and they’ll do whatever they want without having to do any difficult work.

Define Motivation: Here is a wonderful quote about motivation: “Motivation. That thing that holds us back when we are trying our hardest to get something done; the reason we fail in doing what we set out to do; the substance that is so hard to find, yet lingers inside everyone of us. What is motivation? It is the drive and desire that encourages you to go above and beyond.”

Motivation As A Spectrum

We rarely have 100% motivation or simply 0 in the tank. Most of the time, we simply accept our current mood as who we are. We might even make excuses that we buy into. The biggest turning point is realizing that each person has a choice. One person might face these struggles with grit and determination. Other people, well, they might decide that they are not in control, but instead their current mood is the captain.

This Information Must Be Used

It is beyond easy to see that this advice is timeless. Father George Rutler believes that the advice given is something that can be instantly put into place. It is up to the reader to implement these things in their life. If a person puts this information into continued use, it is impossible for them not to have more motivation. Importantly, this information will teach the reader how to get out of their funk, and how to transform their bad moods into a fuel that will push them forward.

The post How to Motivate Yourself appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/business-innovation-2/how-to-motivate-yourself/

The post How to Motivate Yourself appeared first on connect social networks.

from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/how-to-motivate-yourself/

Connect The Dots – The Ultimate Marketing Engine

Connect The Dots – The Ultimate Marketing Engine written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

I had the pleasure of talking with Carla Johnson on the Connect the Dots show. We talked about my work with thousands of businesses over the last 30 years, how sticky marketing drives growth, and many of the concepts from my new book, The Ultimate Marketing Engine.

Listen or watch the episode here: https://www.carlajohnson.co/john-jantsch-on-how-sticky-marketing-drives-growth/

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/connect-the-dots-the-ultimate-marketing-engine/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/connect-the-dots-the-ultimate-marketing-engine/

Agents Of Change – The Ultimate Marketing Engine

Agents Of Change – The Ultimate Marketing Engine written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

It’s one thing to close a sale with a customer, but how do you get closer to them in a way that goes above the transactional relationship where you become a business they actually care about and that matters to them? Selling things is great, but nurturing relationships with die-hard evangelists for your business is even better for both sides.

Catch my conversation with Rich Brooks on the Agents Of Change show where I’m talking about a process we can use to not only grow our customer base but one that allows you to develop a strategy for your entire business around how you’re going to move through those stages and up the customer success.

Listen or watch the episode here: https://www.theagentsofchange.com/john-jantsch-2/

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/agents-of-change-the-ultimate-marketing-engine/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/agents-of-change-the-ultimate-marketing-engine/

Weekend Favs August 21

Weekend Favs August 21 written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

My weekend blog post routine includes posting links to a handful of tools or great content I ran across during the week.

I don’t go into depth about the finds, but encourage you to check them out if they sound interesting. The photo in the post is a favorite for the week from an online source or one that I took out there on the road.

• HeyCopy – Become a better writer with a Copy Buddy.
• Mailerlite – Create advanced email marketing campaigns with features like automation, landing pages and surveys. Get free access to premium features with a 14-day trial!
• Contentbot – Let our AI Writer write for you no matter where you are on the internet. Generate AI content on any website.

These are my weekend favs, I would love to hear about some of yours – Tweet me @ducttape

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/weekend-favs-august-21/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/weekend-favs-august-21/

3 Social Media Tips for Property Managers & Real Estate Agents

Are you a real estate agent or property manager? If so, you may understand the fact that social media can help you advertise properties more effectively. However, you also might not know exactly how.

Don’t worry if this is the case! Advertising a property on social media can be quite easy. To leverage social media to its full potential, keep the following tips in mind:

Run Facebook Ads

Unless you’re advertising properties to attract investors instead of buyers or tenants, odds are good your target audience will generally consist of people who live in the area you serve. For example, if you’re advertising a property that’s based in Houston, you won’t necessarily need to market it to people who live in New York City. That would simply be a waste of your time and budget.

This is one reason to consider running ads on social media platforms when advertising properties. Although ads are not a substitute for an active social media presence, they can be a helpful means of optimizing your return on investment.

That’s because social media platforms usually give you the freedom to target an audience based on various factors when running ads. For example, when advertising on Facebook, you have the option to decide which part of the country you want the people who see your ads to be from. This helps you avoid wasting money on ads that are seen by people who live too far from a property to purchase it or become tenants.

Additionally, you can define your audience by other factors that may be important to you, such as age range. After all, if you’re a property manager or real estate agent, it’s highly unlikely any of your customers will be children.

Use Video

In both your ads and social media posts about properties, don’t rely solely on still pictures to highlight them. To truly show off the most attractive elements of your properties in a way that’s dynamic and interesting, incorporate video into your marketing efforts.

The idea that incorporating at least some video ads into a marketing campaign may be more effective than relying solely on ads and posts with still images isn’t merely a theory. There’s strong evidence supporting this notion. Research tends to indicate that video ads generally receive more user engagement than still picture ads on social media. With a video ad, you can also record a voiceover, sharing important information about a property you’re advertising while the video plays.

Answer Questions

Social media is an important marketing channel in virtually all industries because it’s quite unique when compared to other channels. Most types of marketing involve sharing information or content with an audience but not listening or responding to their reactions. Most marketing is a “one-way street” in this regard.

That’s not the case with social media. On social media, you have the ability to have a conversation with your audience. This can increase their sense of connection with your brand.

It can also allow you to address questions or concerns that your customers may have. For instance, perhaps you post on social media about a property you’re marketing, but some potential customers don’t feel your post shares enough information to let them know whether it’s worth visiting said property to learn more.

Luckily, it’s social media. They can simply reply to your initial post with their questions. You can reply back, sharing the information the initial post may have been lacking. This can also provide you with insights that may be valuable when you’re designing posts and ads in the future.

All that said, it’s important to remember that social media marketing is a skill that develops over time. Applying these tips won’t necessarily turn you into an incredible social media marketer overnight. It will, however, help you better understand why social media is such a valuable tool for real estate agents and property managers.

The post 3 Social Media Tips for Property Managers & Real Estate Agents appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/social-media-marketing/3-social-media-tips-for-property-managers-real-estate-agents/

The post 3 Social Media Tips for Property Managers & Real Estate Agents appeared first on connect social networks.

from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/3-social-media-tips-for-property-managers-real-estate-agents/

Is Investing in Africa Right For You?

Believe it or not, 5 of the world’s top growing nations are all located within Africa. While Africa currently makes up 16% of the world’s population and just 3% of the global GDP this is a stat that is quickly changing. Africa is projected to achieve double-digit economic growth within the next decade and is continuing on its path to grow faster than any other region in the world. The time for investing in Africa is now.

There are lots of large corporations that have been taking a serious look at expanding their operations in Africa. Google has placed an AI lab in Ghana that will work to apply AI solutions to help with local challenges and improve google translate for African languages. There are also plans for Facebook to build tech hubs for startup development in Nigeria as well. These companies are looking at the future of Africa and investing now knowing it will pay off. By 2025 Africa will have a GDP growth reaching $4.5 trillion. 

Many startups are flourishing in Africa, even some startup unicorns. Just three years ago funding for startups grew by 4X with funding deals doubling as well. Over $725 million dollars were raised across 458 deals and the top 30 startups are now receiving rounds of over $5 million. 

As you can see, there’s no doubt that Africa is on the rise on the world’s stage. Learn how to embrace the opportunity of broadening your horizons and investing in Africa with the information found in the visual deep dive below:

Via: EmpowerAfrica.com

The post Is Investing in Africa Right For You? appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/social-media-marketing/investing-in-africa/

The post Is Investing in Africa Right For You? appeared first on connect social networks.

from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/is-investing-in-africa-right-for-you/

Making The Most Of Your Time

Making The Most Of Your Time written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

Marketing Podcast with Oliver Burkeman

In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, I interview Oliver Burkeman. Oliver is the author of The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking. For many years, he wrote a popular column on psychology for the Guardian newspaper. He also has a new book called Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals.

Key Takeaway:

The average human lifespan is brief. Nobody needs telling there isn’t enough time. We’re obsessed with our lengthening to-do lists, our overfilled inboxes, work-life balance, and the ceaseless battle against distraction; and we’re deluged with advice on becoming more productive and efficient, and “life hacks” to optimize our days. But often, such techniques often end up making things worse.

In this episode, I talk with Oliver Burkeman about concepts from his book: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. We discuss the unhelpful ways we’ve come to think about time, and how to think and do things differently so that we can show up better in the present moment.

Questions I ask Oliver Burkeman:

• [1:12] Did you study psychology at all or were you just practicing on your readers?
• [1:54] When I was reading the book, a big point that I heard is that we need to give up the fight when it comes to using time. And I was thinking, where are the hacks — but that’s obviously the point of the book, right?
• [7:20] In the book, you mention David Allen, the Inbox Zero Guys, the Pomodoro method — can you talk about those methods and your perception of how/if they work?
• [12:59] What is time from a philosophical perspective?
• [14:51] Can you talk about the stuff thieves, like email?
• [16:38] Chapter four was my favorite chapter — can you talk more about it?
• [20:34] How much is the way we work that you’ve described contributing to this growing sense of loneliness and depression in the world?
• [23:30] Is there anywhere else that you’d like to invite people to connect with you?

More About Oliver Burkeman:

• Get his book: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals.
• His website: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/

More About The Certified Marketing Manager Program Powered By The Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network:

• Check it out here.

Like this show? Click on over and give us a review on iTunes, please!

This episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network.

 

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/making-the-most-of-your-time/

The post Making The Most Of Your Time appeared first on connect social networks.

from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/making-the-most-of-your-time/

Cyber Insurance: Worth Getting For Your Business?

As businesses continue to store more data on computers and the internet, there continue to be cybercriminals who see opportunities to exploit security flaws.  In 2020, daily ransomware attacks increased by 50%.  Some of the biggest cyber attacks occurred just this year; Colonial Pipeline was the target of the largest attack on a US energy system and Acer reported the largest known ransom demand from a cyberattack, at $50 million.  From 2015 to 2020, ransomware damages increased 7,000-fold, from $24 million to $170 billion. Let’s examine the role of cyber insurance.

A Growing Issue

Why is this problem growing?  Simply put, the opportunities for cybercriminals are everywhere.  By 2023, 5.3 billion people worldwide will have internet access. World data will more than triple by 2022, with half that data stored in the cloud.  When data is shared across apps and between cloud services, it is made more vulnerable to attack.

In the most famous cyber attack cases that target large corporations, the chaos and confusion rarely results in a company’s downfall. For small to midsize businesses (SMBs), on the other hand, cyber attacks are a common, easily fatal experience.  Last year, 2 in 3 SMBs fell victim to at least one cyber attack.  Of those who suffered, 3 in 5 went out of businesses within 6 months after a data breach or hack.  A successful cyber attack costs its victim more than money.  When systems are shut down, business operations halt.  Orders are delayed or unfulfilled.  Customers are never pleased to hear a familiar business has suffered a data breach; many stop shopping at victimized locations. 

The Role of Cyber Insurance

What can businesses of all sizes do to heal from this terrible assault on their operations?  They can purchase cyber insurance for their business.  For SMBs, cyber insurance policies typically cover up to $1 million in damages.  Damages include profit losses from halted operations or immediate harm to reputation, liabilities arising from contract penalties and media fines, and lawsuits that range from class-actions to regulatory investigations.  Cyber insurance isn’t exhaustive; physical property damaged by a cyberattack is not replaced, and stolen intellectual property is not protected.  Despite this, many companies view cyber insurance as worthwhile.

The post Cyber Insurance: Worth Getting For Your Business? appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/infographic/cyber-insurance/

The post Cyber Insurance: Worth Getting For Your Business? appeared first on connect social networks.

from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/cyber-insurance-worth-getting-for-your-business/

Why Businesses Should Be Using Video In 2021

Why Businesses Should Be Using Video In 2021 written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

Marketing Podcast with Augie Johnston

In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, I interview Augie Johnston. Augie is a 35-year-old ex-YouTuber, former professional basketball player, turned entrepreneur. He is currently making waves in the video editing industry with a start-up called Vidchops.

Key Takeaway:

Video is an incredibly powerful medium that helps you build authority in your niche and connect with your audience with your message on a personal level. But… is video right for your business?

The short answer is yes. In this episode, Augie Johnston talks with me about how businesses of all sizes can start using video effectively and ways to use video in your content strategy.

Questions I ask Augie Johnston:

• [1:06] What does Vidchops do?
• [1:28] What problem were you trying to solve in creating Vidchops?
• [2:18] What expectations do you think consumers have today when it comes to video?
• [3:41] Would you say that there’s still a place for video just in the marketing and foundational marketing?
• [4:28] What are some other ways that would make sense for a small business to use video in their overall content play?
• [5:38] Are there effective uses for video on somebody’s website where they’re already driving traffic?
• [7:02] Why is video perhaps more effective than written word or audio?
• [7:34] So what’s a good way for somebody to get started who’s not using video?
• [9:51] What do you advise people in terms of the length of their videos?
• [11:27] Can you talk a little bit about how VidChops works and the work that you do?
• [12:46] Who edits your videos?
• [13:32] What trends are you seeing in video right now — what do people need to be paying attention to?
• [14:21] Are there more effective ways to get people to take action from your videos (i.e. video end cards, etc.)?
• [15:37] Where can people find out more about Vidchops?

More About Augie Johnston:

• Vidchops

More About The Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network:

• Check it out here.

Like this show? Click on over and give us a review on iTunes, please!

This episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network.

 

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/why-businesses-should-be-using-video-in-2021/

The post Why Businesses Should Be Using Video In 2021 appeared first on connect social networks.

from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/why-businesses-should-be-using-video-in-2021/

How Influencer Marketing Is Evolving In 2021

Influencer marketing, which refers to leveraging the social media presence of influencers to promote products and services, has evolved over the last few years. A 2020 study of influencer marketing found that 73% of marketers had increased their budgetary allocation for influencer marketing over the last year. 60% of markets said they believed influencer marketing gave a better return on investment than traditional advertising. Halfway through the year, this is a good time to consider how influencer marketing is evolving in 2021. 

Each year of the last few years has seen marketers increase their use of influencer marketing. 2021 is no different. The number of social media platforms may have changed, with TikTok playing a bigger role than ever, but the trend remains the same. TikTok has exploded since its arrival and is now a mainstream platform that no marketer can afford to ignore. Marketers have learned that a scattergun approach is suboptimal. It’s clear now that you have to focus your energy on the platform that your most profitable segment of customers prefers. This is the simplest, and most profitable path for brands to take. You target a passionate audience on the platform they love and generate meaningful returns. 

By the end of the year, influencer marketing is expected to be worth $13.8 billion, its highest valuation ever. Since 2019, the market has attracted over 240 agencies and platforms. This show of strength is reflected in marketing budgets. We expect that 75% of brands will allocate some portion of their marketing budgets to influencer marketing. Brands seem comfortable to develop long-lasting associations with influencers, with many brands choosing to continue working with the same influencers in subsequent campaigns. Influencers are paid in a variety of ways, according to their standing. The bare minimum expectation is that influencers receive products or discounts in payment for their services. Brands have different ways of measuring the success of a campaign, most of which centre around sales. For instance, a brand can study the number of people who used a discount code when purchasing a product or service. TikTok is a very important platform when it comes to this strategy, but as we said earlier, the best platform is the platform your most profitable customer segment loves. 

In the past, brands would look for influencers with big audiences, but many are finding success by working with influencers based on a combination of the size of the influencer’s audience, and the interests of their audience. For example, if your brand sells sunglasses that protect eyes from blue light, you could approach an influencer who has 1 million followers, but if only a small fraction of them are interested in these sunglasses, it is better to work with a less influential influencer, whose audience loves these amazing sunglasses. This realization has led some brands to trim the number of influencers they work with and focus on those who actually generate revenue. 

An interesting trend that has emerged is using employees to create content for their firm’s social media platforms. It’s not yet clear how effective this strategy will be, but it is certainly interesting. 

The post How Influencer Marketing Is Evolving In 2021 appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/social-media-marketing/how-influencer-marketing-is-evolving-in-2021/

The post How Influencer Marketing Is Evolving In 2021 appeared first on connect social networks.

from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/how-influencer-marketing-is-evolving-in-2021/

Avenues for Augmentation: How AR Will Change Social Media Marketing Forever

Social media has been arguably the biggest innovation of the 21st Century to date, and if not the biggest, certainly the most impactful. The rise of Facebook, Instagram and latterly TikTok has changed the way we communicate and interact with one another in both a social and business sense. Now, as social media is adapting to welcome the emergence of augmented reality technology, we’re getting our first glimpses into how marketing may change forever as a result. 

(Image: eMarketer)

As we can see from the data above, the number of US social network augmented reality users is expected to climb to over 48 million by 2022, with the rise of platforms like TikTok attributed as a driving force for such change. 

The emergence of AR as a key trend in the future of social media holds significant potential for marketers looking for new ways to engage with users at a time when more traditional marketing techniques are struggling to adapt to a post-Covid-19 pandemic business landscape. 

(Image: McKinsey)

As the data above shows, the digitization of customer interactions has accelerated at a significant rate all around the world – forcing marketers to think faster about how they can adapt to these new web-based frontiers. With this in mind, let’s take a deeper look into the role that augmented reality will play in the future of social media marketing: 

Galvanizing The Product Experience

There are countless platforms and apps that have been developed to replicate the virtual ‘try on’ experience for brands in augmented reality, but let’s look to Facebook’s work with AR as a prominent example. 

Social media giants, Facebook, have been effective in their accommodation of augmented reality for multiple purposes. To help to encourage adoption, Facebook’s Messenger app incorporated some AR games like Asteroids Attack and Don’t Smile into its entertainment offerings. These games simply utilized a similar technology to the AR filters we’re used to seeing on platforms like Snapchat and Instagram to enable users to navigate a spaceship using their faces and mobile phone camera, and enter into staring competitions with friends. 

The social media platform has also integrated 3D filters into its business offerings, meaning that it’s become much easier for brands to use the platform to create augmented content for their audience. This has enabled the social network to allow sellers to create a virtual product experience scenario, where products can be superimposed into reality using a smartphone or device camera in order for customers to see what they look like while trying on certain products. 

One example of AR in action could be found in the handbag campaigns of Facebook, where customers could use their cameras to understand how big the bags actually were – helping them to make a more informed decision about making a purchase. 

(Image: Website Design Kingston)

Sunglasses giants Michael Kors have utilized Facebook’s AR capabilities to great effect, giving users the power to virtually try on various pairs of sunglasses without having to leave the house. This approach has been highly effective against the backdrop of Covid-19, where users were unable to shop in brick-and-mortar stores. The move also represents a more engaging evolution of online shopping – where Michael Kors can step away from traditional static shopping experiences for products like we can see in traditional stores here, to a fully immersive purchasing event that can be enjoyed. 

AR Filters to Upgrade Promotion

Although AR face filters are nothing new, their impact among younger social media users show the potential of augmented reality marketing on social media. Social media platforms like Snapchat offer a range of augmented filters that users can apply to appear more like animals, or add crowns or other interactive elements to their faces. But these filters don’t have to just be reserved for fun and games. 

(Image: YouTube)

Businesses can utilize branded filters to great effect in promoting their brands on social media. For example, Taco Bell created a Snapchat filter that transforms the faces of users into tacos. To say this quirky campaign to celebrate Cinco de Mayo worked is something of an understatement. The filters amassed 224 million views in the space of a single day – all with the Taco Bell logo ever-present in the bottom corner of the screen. 

This shows that businesses can do much more than just integrate virtual try ons in their AR campaigns. Engaging content can be leveraged in AR to great effect – even if its unique selling point is simply quirkiness. 

The Future of More Comprehensive AR

The future of social AR may already be emerging in the form of a social media platform that digitally follows us wherever we go. 

Octi is an app that generates a virtual belt of social media posts based on facial recognition of the person on the other side of your smartphone camera. When the app recognises who you’re interacting with in real life, their recent posts, statuses, and multimedia appear around them in their orbit as a means of helping social media users to react more effectively in person. 

(Image: Mobile AR News)

Although this technology may seem a little invasive at present, its implications for both consumers and businesses alike could be limitless as the wearables industry catches up. 

Through the use of the next generation of smart glasses, it may be possible for digital content to virtually follow us around. The implications of this could be huge for businesses that are aiming to make traditional approaches to advertising more innovative. 

In the future, similar technology could mean that AR glasses users may look to traditional billboard ads, wherein facial recognition technology could kick in to bring the billboard to life – or it could work in a similar way when a customer is passing a brick-and-mortar store. 

Augmented reality may be one of the biggest marketing evolutionary steps since the early days of social media. Together, businesses can develop significantly more immersive campaigns for audiences that don’t rely on hard sells and that simply work by building trust in the brand. 

In a post-pandemic world where much of marketing has already been pushed into a digital field, AR may help to recapture some of the traditional try on and interaction experiences that have so far seemed lost in an online world. The future’s certainly bright for social media marketing, and the development of augmented reality could take it to the next level.

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Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/business-innovation-2/avenues-for-augmentation-how-ar-will-change-social-media-marketing-forever/

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How SEO helps Double Your Sales for your E-commerce Store

Your business growth relies heavily on sales and if you want to boost your sales, you need to have a robust online presence.

According to Statista, in 2017 e-commerce alone pulled above $2 trillion in global sales, and statistics suggests that it will be doubled by 2021.

So if you want to accelerate your sales, you need to have a top rated SEO Service Australia strategy in place.

The realm of E-commerce is cruel, and training and executing cutting-edge SEO methods can provide you with the support you require to get visible online, transform more prospects into true clients, and finally increase sales. But SEO is not constant, its parameters change continuously, and best methods evolve, so it can be challenging to understand if you’re executing the proper strategy to boost sales with search engine optimization.

If one technique doesn’t work then don’t worry, you will have several techniques you can perform. This article will help you guide you through how SEO can help double your sales for your ecommerce store.

Putting Relevant Keywords:

Keywords play a pivotal role in your overall SEO strategy. They are one of the major components of search engine optimization as well. 

Without keywords, internet users may never discover you when they go looking, and this is the reason keywords are the foundation of your SEO technique. 

Suppose, for example, that your business sells hand-made shirts. A conspicuous keyword express that you will need to rank for is, all things considered, high-quality hand-made shirts. Notwithstanding, there are different keywords and expressions that clients are typing to find products very much like yours, and it depends upon you to figure out what they are and how you are inserting them in your 

• Content 
• Pages 
• URLs 
• Headings 
• Picture portrayals 
• Meta descriptions
• Page titles 
• e-mail

To begin with keyword research, Google AdWords is an incredible spot for you. yet there are a lot of other keyword research tools out there you can utilize. Remember about long tail keywords as well, because a portion of all pursuit inquiries is four or more words long, there’s less competition for these expressions, and they have higher conversion rates. At the point when you have the right keyword in your tool compartment, they’ll assist your visitors to reach you to purchase what you’re selling.

Create Top Quality Content: 

Keywords without high-quality content are useless. Content that is engaging and instructional can help you generate leads. Content acts as a vehicle for keywords. If your content carries relevant keywords, then chances are you will end up attracting potential customers to your e-commerce store. You can offer your clients content that is encouraging and helpful. Content can be a shareable asset you can use to reach new visitors. 

There are some ways we will discuss how content can be beneficial for increasing your sales.

When internet users scan the web for data about a product or service similar to what you offer, they’ll go over web-based media posts, online journals, website pages, and other content that was intended to respond to their inquiries, give information, and in any case work with a buying choice. At the point when you work to have the best, generally related, generally captivating, and most legitimate content on the web, clients will discover your brand before all others, and this offers you a chance to build connections and convert leads into clients. 

Exceptional content comes in numerous forms, and your objective should be developing and making content in a variety of patterns.

• Sites
• Video (an emerging new form that is indexed lists by multiple times more than text-based content) 
• Infographics (visual description of your services)
• Animated content
• Guest posts
• Website Content
• eBooks 
• Instructional guides 
• Reviews

Content is at the focal point of inbound promotion, and when you have a strong inbound system set up and incredible content to drive it, then, at that point you’ll have clients thumping down your E-commerce entryway. Be that as it may, make sure to enhance all your content with important catchphrases, and to guarantee the keywords you use are relevant to the piece and sort of content you’re making.

Using Social Media to Reach Your Desired Audience

Social media is one of the fastest platforms to meet your clients.  It is now part and parcel of modern SEO techniques. Besides, millions of people are present on social media that allow you to persuade them and boost your conversion as well. People usually connect with their favourite brands via Facebook, Twitter, Insta.

Almost 80% of individuals go to Facebook when they need to discover intriguing content, and this implies there’s a colossal chance there for you to contact a new audience, draw in more customers, and foster enduring bonds with clients. 

Past that, social media is additionally an extraordinary method to show a more human side of your association, it tends to be utilized as an immediate showcasing device on account of assets like Facebook Ads, and you can even utilize social locales to reinforce your client care endeavours.

Invest in Local SEO and Make Mobile-Friendly Store

Two of the main changes to SEO best practices that have emerged lately are the stress on smartphones and local content, and both work side by side. Local SEO is turning out to be progressively significant as more buyers utilize cell phones to look for organizations because 30% of all smartphone searches performed today have a local intent. Additionally, more than 70% of individuals will visit a nearby shop in the wake of directing a nearby search, so on the off chance that you need to drive business to your physical or E-commerce store, then, at that point you should invest in local content (adding nearby keywords and landing pages), and you need to ensure your website or e-commerce store is completely mobile friendly.

Never Neglect On-Page SEO 

There are numerous reasons why on-page SEO is significant to your prosperity, so if you need to sell your products online, you should focus on-page procedures. Here are a couple of the reasons, momentarily: on-page SEO makes your site easier to understand, makes it simpler for search engines to index your webpages, will boost your ranking, and will help you centre around streamlining fundamental components like visuals. In case you’re inexperienced with on-page SEO, here are the absolute most basic advances included: 

• Making interesting and expressive title labels 
• Expanding your page load speed to diminish bounce rate
• Composing descriptive and catchphrase optimized content for the pictures on your site 
• Advancing headings with catchphrases and important depictions 
• Connecting site content with interior connections to further develop route and ordering 
• Utilizing reasonable and simple-to-understand URLs 
• Composing meta depictions to further develop permeability on a web search tool results page and further develop the importance

Handle Your Reputation Carefully 

The reputation of management isn’t continually something individuals talk about when they examine SEO, yet a significant component shouldn’t be overlooked. Reputation management implies what individuals see when they search for your business on Google. For example, say you owned a café that got a few awful Yelp reviews in succession and got into a naive disagreement with a client on Facebook. From that point forward, any potential client who utilizes the web to choose whether or not to feast at your foundation will experience terrible reviews and the web-based media contention before whatever else, and that is the standing your eatery will have from that point on. 

Reputation management subsequently, is tied in with ensuring you put in your absolute best effort online when clients go searching for you, and you can do this by: 

• Continually being proficient while drawing in with clients on the web 
• Consistently investigating on the web audits 
• Reacting to negative surveys rapidly, tranquilly, and expertly 
• Empowering positive surveys and tributes from fulfilled clients

The post How SEO helps Double Your Sales for your E-commerce Store appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/search-engine-optimization-2/how-seo-helps-double-your-sales-for-your-e-commerce-store/

The post How SEO helps Double Your Sales for your E-commerce Store appeared first on connect social networks.

from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/how-seo-helps-double-your-sales-for-your-e-commerce-store/