Get Facebook Ads Right, Engage, and Stretch Those ‘Little Grey Cells’!! – Best of November

November

jill111 / Pixabay

November allowed us all a chance to be Thankful, and then take a deep breath as we dive into the pre-Christmas / New Year period. Depending on your business, this may be the best and most hectic time of year, or things may cool down a bit while your customers work out their plans for 2019. This months’ “Best Of…” articles cover some important pieces to get right when using ads on Facebook, honing your LinkedIn presence, some recommendations for video-editing apps (since video is on your content list for 2019, right?), and several other goodies for you!

Of course, you don’t just slap something together, point it at your credit card and hit PUBLISH, right? Pause for a moment and go down this handy checklist, and your success rate is likely to improve….

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INTERVIEW: Social Sapiens and the Seattle Shrimp Tank!

Seattle Shrimp Tank pros and Me (Social Sapiens)

Seattle Shrimp Tank pros and Me (Social Sapiens)

I was asked recently to be interviewed on a podcast (of and for entrepreneurs and business owners…) of which I have been aware and have listened to a few times. Most of my familiarity with the content and tone of it, however, derived from my relationship with one of the co-hosts, Dan Weedin. Dan is a colleague, friend and fellow Rotarian, so familiarity bred a bit of lowered attention on my part, I admit.

Dan called recently and asked me if I would like to be interviewed for the Seattle Shrimp Tank podcast. It sounded like a load of fun, so I agreed.

Some of the things we talked about include:
  • Where did social media start, what’s going on with it today, and where is it going? (the short version!)
  • What is the importance of thinking about business goals, plans and strategies when considering digital marketing and hiring an expert to help?
  • How important is it to learn how to express yourself well online? What is the balance of listening, asking powerful questions, and understanding in developing an authentic and powerful online presence?
  • What else is there other than the “usual suspects” of social media (like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Yelp, Instagram, Pinterest and the like)? Is there more there?
  • What’s the right frequency to post online?
…and so much more. Check out the whole podcast here, and the shorter video follow-up here. We covered a lot of great questions and concerns.

If this interview brought up other questions for you about your business and professional presence online, please reach out to me and also look for some other information that’s relevant to you on my site here.

Engagement and Choosing the Right Platform – Best of July

Engagement

How’s Your Audience Engagement Coming Along?

July always feels like the mid-point for summer…the home for vacations, cook-outs, and many more outdoor activities (especially here in the Pacific Northwest…) than the rest of the year! There’s still the constant tsunami of articles and tips online, though, holiday or not! July’s compilation is weighted towards engagement online, assessing the right platform and service for your digital marketing efforts, video tools, and taking a bit of that “sunshine time” to practice thinking for the benefit of your business and your life.
"Follow Us" = Engagement?

“Follow Us” = Engagement?

How frequently you post, how relevant your posts are to your audience (based on you research…), how many clicks and likes you get….it’s all empty until you can really “engage” with you audience. That’s the point of a lot of social media content and your presence…so how do you DO that? Here are some great tips, delivered in a very helpful infographic, to help you!

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Value, Story, Strategy and Facebook Ads – Best of April

There are Stories....

There are Stories….

Key words for your business include VALUE, STORY, and STRATEGY (and for a LOT of us, FACEBOOK, too!). This month’s Best Of collection includes some ‘must-reads’ in these areas, plus a couple of great tips articles on Instagram and little-know Facebook features.

Instagram Fail

Instagram Fail

There are probably a “whop-tillion” (the official definition is ‘a one with more zeroes behind it than you can shake a stick at….’) articles and lists on the internet with titles like “Seven Things You Must Do to Get New Customers On LinkedIn” or “The Short List to Absolute Success and Better Skin Care For Businesses on Facebook”. Much can be learned, however, from the FAIL point of view on any platform or any process, to if you are invested in Instagram as a platform, or are considering it, THIS is the article for YOU!

Hidden Facebook Goodies

Hidden Facebook Goodies

Facebook was always a platform in flux, and now that the issues about user data and privacy have hit the headlines, changes are coming fast and furious. As a result, it is REALLY EASY to miss some of the more subtle goodies for marketing on the platform. Fortunately, the folks at Social Media Examiner haven’t missed them and share their findings in this article. Want to leverage the things that your competitors are probably NOT taking advantage of? Read on….

Strategy

Strategy

From an academic point of view, it would be really easy to write an article about the components of a good social media strategy. However, in this article, Dhariana Lozano takes the approach of what makes up a SUCCESSFUL strategy….and, of course, success is what you’re going for, right?

Facebook Business - Ads

Facebook Business – Ads

Everyone starts at the same place when spinning up your advertising online, and Facebook is the place where an enormous number of entrepreneurs and small businesses get going. This Guide of Eight (8) chapters is a terrific short school on how to get started, how to use the tools, how to set up a campaign, creating images and messaging, how to manage and review performance….all the bits that can take your Facebook marketing to the next level.

Blogging

Blogging

Blogging for your Business, eh? Then you are putting a lot of quality time and work into creating solid, gold-medal content….want to learn how to leverage that great stuff over and over again? Sure you do….

Story

Tell Your Story

A story is the shortest distance between a human being and the truth. We have been enthusiasts and consumers of stories for thousands of years, and the online experience is no different than anywhere else. So, how do you build out your story on your Facebook Business page to reach your VACC (Visitors / Audience / Customers / Community)?

Measuring REAL Value....

Measuring REAL Value….

As Nietzsche said, we value things that cost us. But cost and price are not the same. Cost is more like prize, as Steve Jobs alluded to in his keynote as returning Apple CEO in 1997. Something we earn through work, participation, and what we stand for, because we act on our beliefs. What is your business’ value?

Video Success and the Right Metrics – Best of March

Lamb of March

Lamb of March suju / Pixabay

March is going out like something like a lamb here in the Pacific Northwest…but the turmoil online with data protection concerns, Facebook revelations, and announced data breaches (apps, sites, phones….seems to happen everywhere….) draws more and more attention. Turning from these concerns a bit, this month’s top articles put some focus back on tips and opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses in the digital marketing world.

The Right Metrics?

The Right Metrics?

Thankfully, a lot of companies have moved past the “vanity metrics” problem of a few years ago. Still, to move past that to the numbers that truly reflect your online goals and move the needle for you business requires some research and work with an expert. Doing so will REALLY PAY OFF, so don’t shirk this….

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Facebook Live Video and the Point – Best of February

Live Streaming Video

Live Streaming Video

 

In the face of the January announcement by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, a LOT of brain power has been focused on just what this means for business. One of the early analyses posited that live video, already a big player online, will become even MORE important. Hence the Video heavy listing with this month’s edition of the BEST!

Start that LIVE VIDEO!

Start that LIVE VIDEO!

Like any valuable effort, you need to plan and prepare. Making streaming video is no exception, especially when it can be portrayed as “point-click-talk” by casual users. Your resources are valuable, and you need to spend a BIT MORE up front to GET MORE in the return!

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Facebook Live video – “Hit the Button, Buddy!”

video live button

VIDEO – GO LIVE!

It’s Live Video Month! This article is the second in the series in which I’m going over:
  • Strategy and Planning
  • Processes and How-To
  • …and include a few examples.
This week is all about what happens when you push the “GO LIVE” button and what you do through to the end of your video, and what you do afterwards, too.

But first, a quick recap:

My earlier article, “Facebook Live Video – Getting Everything Ready To Go!” is all about Strategy, Planning, Content Format ideas, and the Hardware / Software you can use. If you haven’t read that yet, follow the link and it will take you through the pre-process, getting you to…..

How To Start
 
Actually, you start before you start, so to speak.

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Facebook Live video – Getting Everything Ready To Go!

Start that LIVE VIDEO!

Start that LIVE VIDEO!

It’s Live Video Month! This article is the first of two (for now….) in which I intend to go over:
  • Strategy and Planning
  • Processes and How-To
  • …and include a few examples.
This week is all about the Strategy and Planning, along with a little “Why do this video thing, anyway?”

Facebook Live Statistics that will convince you!

There are a ton of numbers out there that demonstrate the value of Facebook’s Live video streaming service even above that of “standard” video.  Here are a few:

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Get Ready to Smile – Live Video is Coming for You!

You're LIVE on Video!!!

You’re LIVE on Video!!!

While we’re all waiting for the smoke to clear around Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement a few weeks ago regarding the BIG CHANGES taking place in the Facebook Newsfeed and how that will hit your marketing, one thing is pretty clear…

Video remains HUGE, and Live Video (Facebook Live, for this article…) is going to become something that all businesses are going to have to come up with a plan for.  This ties in directly with many things that Zuckerberg mentioned in his announcement (emphasis mine):
  • “…recently we’ve gotten feedback from our community that public content — posts from businesses, brands and media — is crowding out the personal moments that lead us to connect more with each other.”
  • “We started making changes in this direction last year, but it will take months for this new focus to make its way through all our products. The first changes you’ll see will be in News Feed, where you can expect to see more from your friends, family and groups.  As we roll this out, you’ll see less public content like posts from businesses, brands, and media. And the public content you see more will be held to the same standard — it should encourage meaningful interactions between people.
  • “The research shows that when we use social media to connect with people we care about, it can be good for our well-being. We can feel more connected and less lonely, and that correlates with long term measures of happiness and health. On the other hand, passively reading articles or watching videos — even if they’re entertaining or informative — may not be as good. Based on this, we’re making a major change to how we build Facebook. I’m changing the goal I give our product teams from focusing on helping you find relevant content to helping you have more meaningful social interactions.”
  • You can read his entire post here.

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Best of January – “Facebook Zero”, Digital Strategy Tips, and Success

"FACEBOOK ZERO!!????"

“FACEBOOK ZERO!!????”

So your 2018 has blown through the first month…how are things going? Out of breath yet?

There are constantly evolving things happening in digital and social media marketing (you HAVE heard of the big announcement by Mark Zuckerberg, right?!). This month’s round-up of the best-of-the-best includes a couple of terrific articles about the Facebook news, as well as thoughts on the importance of reviews, some thoughts upon analyzing a TON of LinkedIn profiles, and several others.

Freaking Out?

Freaking Out?

Many analysts and marketing gurus agree that the folks getting hit the most by this update are small businesses. While most also agree that we JUST DON’T KNOW how this is actually going to roll out, this article from Entrepreneur.com has 4 recommendations on what you can do now to help mitigate the impact of this.

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