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Engagement and Choosing the Right Platform – Best of July

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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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They’re Here!! 5 Outstanding Social Media Posts for May

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 This month we’re treated to a nice mix of articles covering How-Tos, new research studies and a bit of crystal ball gazing for future trends.

Measuring Social Media

KPIs for Social Media

Measurement is the crucial component to understanding if you’re meeting your goals, right? Yet many small-to-medium sized businesses charge into the land of social media without considering what their goals are and what to measure. This article by Dara Fontein outlines some metrics you might consider, and WHY you might consider them.

With a flurry of articles earlier this year like “Is Google+ Dead?”, you might wonder just what is going on. While not dead, it is not what it was, and Google, which has a track record for altering, spinning off and dropping products at a seeming whim, is still tweaking the channel. This article by Martin Shervington goes over the list of what the current release of Google+ looks like, changes that impact you and your business if you’re investing resources there, and a some tips on how to approach it today.

Long content vs short content

Pew Research graph: Long vs. short form content on mobile

This article by Andrew Hutchinson takes a deep look at new research by Pew Research that tries to answer this question: One research study last year showed that long-form content (defined as posts of over 1,000 words) consistently got more shares and links than shorter form content; another study found that the average human attention span had dropped by 33% since 2000, largely attributed to mobile phone use, and, given the increase in mobile media consumption, would seem to suggest that people want shorter content…..sooooooo, which one’s better?

Teens Most Important Social Network Snapchat

TEENS: Most Important Social Network – Snapchat

This great synopsis of statistics and charts covers a number of areas beyond the fact that Snapchat overcame Instagram in the perceptions of teenagers with an average age of 17 as their “most important” social network. This is critical information if your business has this demographic as a key audience. Very few marketers use Snapchat today, so the opportunity is huge.

Facebook Logo

Get Better Performance on Facebook!

Another top article by Andrew Hutchinson with the goal of helping you boost your posts’ performance on Facebook. Take note that, early in the article he writes, “So how do you maximize your performance on Facebook? The basic answer is ‘listen to your audience’.” If you haven’t done the work around discovering and understanding your Visitors/Audience/Customers/Community (VACC), tactical efforts will be ineffective.

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The 5 Superior Social Media Posts in April!

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The changes to and evolution of the online world never stops…..hence the usual flood of news and tips available. So, for April, here are the articles that really caught my attention!

Facebook 20 percent rule

Look! No Text!

  • Facebook’s 20% Rule – Gone, Not Gone :: Everyone who has ever slammed their head against the desk after submitting their boost or ad for approval on Facebook, only to have it rejected due the dreaded “20% Rule”, cheers this change! However, you need to read the new standard VERY CLOSELY to see what it has morphed into so you don’t get caught in the turbulence.

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FOCUS: Aren’t You Easily Worth More Than FREE?

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English: Graph of social media activities

English: Graph of social media activities (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

OF COURSE you’re using social media to market your business! It’s 2016! NOT having a Facebook Business page is like not having a logo or a business card…..unthinkable!
So how’s that going?
It seemed so straight-forward when you worked through that online wizard: uploaded a few photos (they didn’t quite fit the alloted space, but you just needed to get SOMETHING in there…), banged out a short description, added a link to your web site, made a post or two, invited all your friends and family, and hit the PUBLISH button. Easy Peasy…

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March: It’s Here with Spring, Brackets and Expert Info!

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Another bumper crop of great information published by a number of sites this month, so let’s dig in!

1 billion posts!

1 billion posts!

  • How To Improve Facebook Engagement: Insights From 1bn Posts :: This set of data, inhaled and analyzed by the good folks at BuzzSumo, provides some head-scratching information around what you may have thought was THE way to engage on Facebook.  While correlation is not causation, and they even wonder why some of the data shows what they show, it can provide you with some things to try. Remember, though, your audience may not act like others, so test these things out before gluing them into your plan.

Facebook Content Discovery...

  • Facebook Vs. Google: Is Facebook Winning The Content Discovery War?  :: Another great data-driven post from BuzzSumo! This one focuses on how Internet users (and Facebook users in particular) are finding the interesting stuff they want to consume…..and Facebook is coming out ahead! So should you publish on your blog and web site and SEO the daylights out of it ($$$?), or post to your Facebook Business Page? Your mileage may vary, but the data are showing that you may be discovered more readily on Facebook.

Fifty Features for Small Business Web Sites

  • 50 Features Every Small Business Website Must Have [Infographic] :: The 3 primary issues I come across with my customers when it comes to their web sites are: (1) They don’t have one, (2) They have one they built themselves, and it REALLY looks like it….., and (3) They have a web site that was last touched about 2009! This infographic gives you a high-level snapshot of what you need at a very base level for your small business site. I always recommend that you engage a web designer who understands current design trends and technologies, works with your business’ requirements BUT doesn’t skimp, and can point you to partners who can do basic SEO and social media integration (not to mention point you to a seasoned social media and digital strategy resource, too….without a plan, this is much less likely to work).

Twitter is Important!

  • Here’s Why Twitter is so Important, to Everyone  :: Facebook seems to be in everyone’s faces all of the time. To many of my clients, Twitter appears either irrelevant, inappropriate or just plain scary (the fire-hose effect can seem intimidating…). But the thing that drives that fire-hose is the real-time feed, and therein lies the value of this channel. In this article Andrew Hutchinson (someone well worth following online, by the way…), he outlines why you might want to pay closer attention to what Twitter can do for you.
Successful Brands on Social Media

Successful Brands on Social Media

  • What Makes Brands Really Successful on Social Media  :: So, who DOESN’T want to be a successful brand on Social Media? In this article you can find out how some of the most successful brands do it, then figure out how that can be re-purposed for your business. Learn from the best, but don’t just do something because someone else does…..test it, measure it and make sure it works for your business and your audience!
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FOCUS: CAN’T SEE IT? YOU REALLY NEED HELP!

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You are Very, Very Good at what you do!
That’s one of the reasons you started your business. You’re good at it and you love to do it. So, becoming your own boss seemed like the way to focus in on this passion and expertise, and deliver the benefits to others who are willing to pay you for it. Seems simple, right?

You read a few books, talked to some other friends and maybe even a few other business owners….even took a class or seminar. They shared their experiences and support for this move in your professional life and told you, “GO FOR IT!” You did some research and maybe even made your proof-of-concept available to some people, getting feedback and valuable input. None of this was easy, and you discovered a few things that set you back a bit and maybe even discouraged you, but you are determined….no turning back!

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Across My Desk: The Best of the Month of Love & Presidents

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There are a LOT of great articles published this past month. Vetting them for you is a pleasure by which I learn more AND glean the “wheat from the chaff”, so to speak.

So here we go!!!!!!

Look at the Stats!

Look at the Stats!

Normally random statistics & numbers flow past my eyes without really catching on anything. These stats are worth looking at because they are recent AND may help you recognize the criticality of have a strategy for your social media marketing, the importance of getting some expert help in this area (that IS what my company does, you know!), and the fact that it likely applies to and impacts your business more than you know.

Facebook flex targeting

Facebook flex targeting

You probably haven’t heard of flex targeting on Facebook. Flex targeting lets you serve Facebook ads to people who share a highly customized combination of interests, behaviors, and demographics. It allows you even more refined and tailored targeting to ensure that your ads get seen by the right folks and don’t get lost in the noise of the other posts and ads.  This is a particularly helpful How-To article.

Keys to Success on Social Media

Keys to Success on Social Media

Major Keys to Success on Social Media

To those of you who have worked with me and with my company, Social Sapiens (or subscribe to my newsletter), the keys listed in this article will sound very familiar. Strategy, intention, discipline, community, #H2H, content…..the building blocks and road to success. If you’d like to check out another solid point of view, read on and enjoy!

Facebook: News Feed Algorithm Now More Influenced By User Feedback & Surveys

Any business that is fully engaged with their visitors, audience, customers and community on Facebook will wish to stay on top of ANYTHING that impacts the news feed. As it states early in the article, “Facebook’s News Feed algorithm is relying more heavily on user feedback and surveys, and not in the form of the traditional signals such as likes, comments and shares.” If you want to find out how this impacts your work on the channel, read on.

Top 10 Social Media Blogs - 2016

Top 10 Social Media Blogs – 2016

Top 10 Social Media Blogs: The 2016 Winners!

One of the biggest challenges of staying on top of what I’ll call “reputable trends” in social media is carefully choosing the voices to listen to. Fortunately, every year Social Media Examiner publishes a list of the top 10 Social Media Blogs from across the industry. The selections are made based upon input from social media professionals and influencers globally. If you wish to add a site or two to your regular “keep the business marketing improving” reading every month (or week), one of these may fit the bill.

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Exploit Social in 2016! 5 Unparalleled and Revealing Posts

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YOU MADE IT!

The big push for Black Friday is over, as is the Thanksgiving holiday (if you’re in the States…). Your business is now poised for the long haul to Christmas and whatever kinds of hours and effort that means for your business and you personally. However, the Internet never stops and, like any good business or professional, you’re thinking past the hats and champagne of the New Year towards 2016 business planning. My monthly 5 best of the best for November will help you. Read them all and then do what you learn.

runners

Paying real attention to your customers’ experience all along their journey will pay off. Customer experience (often abbreviated as CX) is quickly overtaking price and even product as the key competitive differentiator among brands.  This post by Larisa Bedgood of DataMentors touches on three key points you must attend to when moving with this trend.

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How Can All The Personalization Opportunities Possibly Scale!?

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I recently attended a half day of training focused on the roles and nuances within the business networking group I belong to. While extremely enlightening and really useful as I work to get a grip on my new role as president in my chapter, I’m struck afresh by the spectrum of differences that we each have as humans.  In the case of the discussions I had, they focused on personality types and learning styles as they pertain to the other members of the group. Extend those classifications to digital marketing, especially as an entrepreneur, and you can begin to feel overwhelmed. It’s one thing to write, say, a message for an email campaign in four different ways to accommodate four personality types, but take the personalization further to learning styles, cultural and generational differences, best channel for communication, etc. and you just might feel that going back to a broadcast “one-size-fits-all” style is just easier, and it used to work OK, so just go for it.  Or maybe walking around wearing a sandwich board!

Not a great idea, although the sandwich board might be pretty good exercise…

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What is Social Proof and Why Should I Care?

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You’re always looking for quality shortcuts. Anyway and anything that can help you make a good decision (I don’t Need help making bad decisions…). The Internet has taught us all very well:

  • 80% of consumers search for a product or service online before purchasing it.
  • 70% read online reviews before making purchase decisions.
  • 68% of consumers begin their decision-making while searching for a keyword.
I know that I always begin my search for a purchase or more information about something that may result in a purchase (even something like the weather differences between the Oregon coast and the California coast….could result in a short vacation decision sometime…) by reading reviews and recommendations of many kinds. It’s a way of figuring out who to trust.  Unfortunately, we’ve all heard tales of the system being gamed: bogus reviews on Amazon, Expedia, or Yelp, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest followers purchased, questionable endorsements on LinkedIn, and numerous “thumbs-up”s or “+1″s purchased or comped in some way.

What’s real and what isn’t?

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