#AwesomeConsistency - How Consistent Video Supports Company Culture & Expectations

We keep talking about how video, live video in particular, has the biggest impact in social media in 2017 - and that's just facts. If you are planning to incorporate video into your social media or marketing strategy on a regular basis, to take advantage of the benefits of consistency, then you will need a game plan for the videos you create. Why? Because your videos will become a part of your corporate and personal branding - they will speak to your company culture and visually demonstrate your mission, vision and values to your audience. Expectations will be the ultimate result of this effort so if you do not begin with the end in mind, you could miss the mark with your video marketing.

Company Culture

How do your marketing videos affect your overall company culture? It's a twofold approach. First, they act as an example to your team of what your business stands for both internally and externally. They can be used to showcase the brand, boost employee morale, and leverage both recruiting and retention efforts.

Not only are they a promotional tool for hiring the best talent, they build your company's online presence in a way that sets expectations for the audience. Video is a way of demonstrating what you stand for, what you do, and how you engage with others. It establishes trust and a level of comfort, as your viewers start to feel like they know you and what you stand for. This lowers any perceived or hidden barriers between you and your followers. Know, Like, and Trust - the social marketing triad - is established by posting videos regularly.

Starting with Video

The great thing about video marketing is that you can begin with as little as a cell phone or invest in really high-quality production experts - depending on your budget and what you are looking to achieve with your content. With the rise of live video, people no longer expect an expensive end result. Often, just sitting down, speaking to your audience, and responding when they engage is all that is needed to make video worthwhile.

Stay on Point

If you don't really understand your own branding yet - I mean backwards and forwards - then take time to fully develop your brand story before diving into video. Why? You are going to want to display those aspects of your branding that make you unique, interesting, and that differentiate you from your competition in your videos. Clear and concise content is what is needed to retain attention and audience.

Spotlighting

Do you hate being spotlighted or feel uncomfortable with the idea that it must be you on camera every week? Get creative or switch it up. Give your staff a voice by interviewing them. Highlight your products as they arrive or as you are packing them up to ship out. Show off your work space. Give viewers an insider's perspective on how and why you do what you do.

Have a Purpose

As with any decent marketing strategy, understand before you start what you are wanting to get out of this process. What is your call to action? Are you trying to connect with your audience and deliver your brand messaging to more people (reach)? Trying to grow your list / sales funnel (lead generation)? Do you want to flip viewers into paying customers (conversions)? Communicate what you need and what is important to you, and your business. In order to get your audience invested in you, they need to understand your "why."

If you haven't started creating videos for your website, email newsletters, vlogs, or social media - then now is a great time to start! Soon everyone will be doing it and it will be more difficult to #BeAwesome and get the sort of results you can get right now while this movement is fairly new.

Ready to brainstorm and talk strategy? Book a discovery call with me!

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Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

Click here for her Social Media Workshops, Classes, and Seminars

#AwesomeContent - Live Video is the Highest Engaging Content in Social Media

Want to know where it’s at in social media right now? Live video is all the rage. Last year there were several players on the live video scene, including some platforms that have already folded and closed their doors. However, this surge in popularity got the attention of social media goliath, Facebook, and their live video option has been a game changer. As it tends to work, the other social apps are getting into the action now that Facebook has succeeded with Instagram Live and Twitter incorporating live video into their offerings.

“Video on social media is being shared 12,000% more than posts without video.” Matt McAllister, Agency FIFTY3

How has it changed the way we interact on social media? Here is just a sampling of some stats from this article on live video statistics…

·       81% of Internet and mobile audiences watched more live video in 2016 than in 2015.
·       80% would rather watch live video from a brand than read a blog.
·       82% prefer live video from a brand to social posts.
·       45% of live video viewers would pay for live, exclusive, on-demand vide from a favorite team, speaker or performer.
·       78% of online audiences are already watching video on Facebook Live.
·       92% of mobile video consumers share video with others.
·       By 2019, online video will be responsible for four-fifths of global Internet traffic.
·       Combining video with full page ads boosts engagement by 22%

“Most of the content 10 years ago was text, and then photos, and now it’s quickly becoming videos. I just think that we’re going to be in a world a few years from now where the vast majority of the content that people consume online will be video”

Mark Zuckerberg

Why is there such appeal for this type of content? Our multi-tasking tendencies and our brains are wired to digest visual content 60,000 times faster than plain text alone. A live video is more attractive and appealing to followers and, while you are live, engagement and interaction has a bigger ROI for those watching than engaging with a page alone does. This new experience is actually changing the way that people engage with one another online.

The audience not only wants to consume your content when you are live, but they want that real time connection with you. Really focus on engaging back with viewers as the content is streaming to get the highest returns on your effort. While Facebook live can be watched at a later date, your max return on engagement happens during streaming.

This is just some of the impact that live video has generated in the last year and a half. Anyone already incorporating this type of content into their marketing strategy is well ahead of the game since a multitude of brands haven’t entered the field yet. Why aren’t more companies utilizing the raw power of live video?

·       Lack of knowledge, equipment or experience.
·       Fear of public speaking or being on camera.
·       Budget for generating live video content.
·       Not sure how to get started.
·       Not aware of the power or impact that live video generates.

While it is certainly possible to hire a live video expert to get you started with your own content – and we know a great one! – It’s not necessary. One of the perks of live video is that it doesn’t require a ton of fancy equipment or a large budget; all you really need to get started is your smartphone.

As with any content, it pays to be prepared. Worried about being the primary focus of your video? Then deliver some stellar content and make that the star of the show! Join down some notes, an outline, or whatever will help you stay on track with your message and then pull out your phone and start recording. Do a trial run (or two) if you are really nervous before you go live. Don’t worry about being perfect. With live video, your audience isn’t seeking some big production. They just want to see the real, authentic you behind the brand and walk away with some information that will help them in their own journey or experiences.

Go out there and #BeAwesome with your social media and live content. I can’t wait to watch your videos and engage with them!

Be sure to Follow us and Let's Engage!

Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+,YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

Click here for her Social Media Workshops, Classes and Seminars

#SocialIsntScary – Fear of Getting Started

With around 78% of people using at least one social media platform, nearly 1/3 of the Earth is on social. This infographic from Uzu Media breaks down the number of users on the most popular social media websites to give you an idea of the possible impact of participating on these platforms.

While small business owners are aware of the need for social media marketing, as well as the potential it generates, many have yet to get started. Only 31% of small business owners have created and cultivated an effective social media strategy. These professionals are afraid of quite a few things when it comes to doing their own social media. Do any of these sound familiar to you?

• Don’t know where to start
• Afraid of failure
• Not sure what to post
• Not sure where to post or how often
• Worried about negative engagement or reviews
•  Not comfortable putting myself out there
•  Concerned about the level of commitment necessary to be successful

I bet at least one of those resonated with where you are currently. That’s okay. With any new endeavor, sometimes you just need to make a plan and jump in!

Have a Strategy

The best way to eliminate your fear is to make a plan. Marketing and social media strategy is essential. Goal setting, analytics, decision making, ROI and impact will be difficult to incorporate and track without a plan. You need to know what you want to do ahead of time and then you need to be able to measure what worked and what didn’t so that you can adapt your strategy for success as you go. 

Here are the elements that need to be included in your strategy:

• Where to post content.
• When to post content.
• Who you are posting content for currently.
• Who you’d like to reach with your content.
• What to post
• Why you are posting.

Monitoring

For those concerned about negative social engagement, the key to keeping the trolls at bay is having a plan in place to monitor your social accounts. You will need to understand the difference between engagement that offers opportunities to fix the problem versus engagement that is spammy, inappropriate or harassing in nature. The quicker you delete the spam, the inappropriate posts and harassment – the better. Understand how to delete, block and remove content from your social feeds.

On the other hand, don’t go around deleting every negative comment. Part of what makes social media work is that it gives your audience the opportunity to connect with you and be heard. If they have a genuine complaint or concern, simply deleting and ignoring them will not be viewed favorably by your audience. Once you see this type of negative engagement, immediately post so that they know you’ve seen their comment/post and want to have an off-line conversation to cover what can be done to resolve the issue. They are giving you an opportunity to turn it around. Just take the conversation offline so that it’s private.

Consistency

Once you get started, be sure you’ve come up with a way to remain consistent. This may mean starting small and working your way up. That way the audience doesn’t notice that you aren’t posting as often as you used to and then make the assumption that you are no longer invested in your social. Adding more is always better than cutting back. The old adage of don’t bite off more than you can chew is the key here. You can always add new platforms or more posts later if you discover you have the capacity to do so.

Be Authentic

Today, people are more likely to support brands that they know, like and trust. That means they aren’t investing in a logo, or a big office, or an online shop. They need the opportunity to get to know, like, and trust you. Purchasing anything has an emotional element to it as well. Provoking an emotional response from your audience will help them become more interested in you and what you do. 

However, people are smart. They are assaulted on all sides by direct mail, spam, advertisements, commercials… they’ve learned how to spot a person who is being authentic from a used car salesman type. 

You will need to truly understand your target audience and what they are seeking. The more authentic, genuine and real you come across, the more they will trust you. If you can combine that authenticity with a message that appeals to your followers – you’ve hit the social jackpot!

Team Up

It can be frustrating to create great content when you haven’t built a following yet. However, that content is what is going to grow your audience. If you want an organic way to fast track your exposure, find influencers that have a similar target audience and collaborate with them. Guest blogging is the easiest way to do this. This will expose you to their larger following and connect you with experts in your field or industry at the same time.

Once you create and implement a solid marketing strategy for your social media, you will only need to focus on maintaining it. Start small and work your way up – just one social platform to start is more than enough if you are worried. If the effort you are putting into social is too time consuming, contact our team. We specialize in helping small businesses #BeAwesome with their social media, branding, and marketing strategy online.

Be sure to Follow us and Let's Engage!

Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+,YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

Click here for her Social Media Workshops, Classes and Seminars

#SocialProof - What is Social Proof?

Social Proof. It’s a term that’s thrown around quite often in marketing and social media management, but what is it? 

Social Proof, also known as informational social influence, is where people assume the actions of others to affect their choices. It’s a type of conformity that relies on the reviews and influences of “credible” sources to make decisions.  

Basically: the customer wants proof that they’re not wasting their time on your product or service and they use social influence to determine your worth.

According to venture capitalist and blogger Aileen Lee, there are five types of social proof:  

1. Expert social proof – A credible expert or “voice of authority” in an industry is very influential. This is one of the reasons you see/hear “doctor recommended” in advertisements. It’s why Food Network became so influential on the food industry from the mid-90s to the mid-2000s.
2. Celebrity social proof – Celebrity endorsements are an advertising staple. According to an article by Lee, an endorsement by Jessica Simpson and aesthetician Nerida Joy helped Beautymint attract 500,000 visitors on day one of its launch.
3. User social proof – This involves user success stories, traditional case studies, and also encourages users to create videos using the product, service, or app. Jazza from Draw With Jazza, one of the most influential rising star YouTubers on teaching people how to draw both traditionally and digitally, launched an Arty Games app in June of this year. Within twenty-four hours of its launch on all platforms, there were over 10k images, videos, and reviews posted on social media. The more people used it, the more people bought the product. People began using the Arty Games Challenges on their live twitch feeds, and sharing their success and failures in their drawings.
4. Wisdom of the crowd – Wisdom of the crowd is basically the popularity of a product. This is where you see terms like: “Most popular post” in a blog, “Most popular video”, “X million copies sold” about a book or song, etc. Likes, shares, and followers fall into this category as well.
5. Wisdom of friends – How many times have you watched a show, read a book, or went to a place based on a friend’s recommendation? It’s “the killer app of social proof in terms of 1:1 impact,” writes Lee, and there’s a good reason why. It is the heart of social proof. There is no more intimate social circle than that of your personal friends. If they don’t like something, it’s hard to deny their influence on your choices.

So what does this mean? It means that social proof is necessary to your success in a business. Likes, followers, reviews, reactions, endorsements, and more all make up the heart of your social influence. So how do you determine your #SocialProof? We’ll cover that soon. For now, start with the basics. Go to your social media channels and write down your likes, followers, etc. for each of your influence circles. Keep track of your reviews, and be ready to take the next step in building a strong foundation to launch your brand into social media success.

Be sure to Follow us and Let's Engage!

Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+,YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

Click here for her Social Media Workshops, Classes and Seminars

#DevelopStrategy – Planning for Engagement

All the work put into your social media marketing strategy this month will be in vain if you forget to incorporate the last essential element of the plan. Many small businesses and entrepreneurs end up failing to get any ROI on their social media because they are missing the most vital aspect of their strategy – social engagement.

Sure, investing in boosting and creating ads will help get more followers or viewers, but once you have their attention – how are you planning to keep it? The creation or curation of consistent content is appealing, and even necessary, but it’s not the answer either.

The whole purpose of social media is to be… social.

Followers are not ignorant. They can spot a sales page from miles away. If you are scheduling content and not checking your social platforms for engagement, it will be readily apparent to anyone paying attention.

Twitter is all about the conversation and no one wants to have a conversation with themselves. If you do not have a plan in place to monitor and respond to messages and comments, you are missing valuable opportunities to develop a connection and build a business relationship with your audience. 

Sharing posts on Facebook means little if there is no one around to see it. In fact, if you aren’t actively engaging on the pages of your partners and clients – they won’t even see the Facebook posts you are working so hard to create and schedule. They will simply be a wasted effort.

To grow a following on Instagram, you need to be actively in there commenting on and liking the posts you are tagged in and following the people who have taken the time to follow you.

LinkedIn is a networking site. What is the point of connecting with hundreds of people if you have no plan in place to communicate with them?

Now that you can see the need for engagement, what should your social media engagement plan entail?

Monitoring

Be certain that on whatever platforms you are using that you have notifications set up, both on your computer and on your smartphone. That way you are sent information when your audience is attempting to engage you.

Don’t assume that people will tag you. Google Alerts are handy for rooting out your brand mentions and notifying you. Set up alerts for your company name, your personal name, and the names of your major branded products.

Response Speed

Not only does the public pay attention to how quickly you respond, the platforms will often track and display your response rate and time.  75% of social media users are expecting companies to respond in an hour or less. This could mean the need to be constantly connected unless a plan is developed.

Not a Solo Effort

Keeping up with everything happening online can be daunting task. You don’t have to do it alone. Get your team involved. Make social media a group function.  If you don’t have team, it might be time to hire a social media manager to assist you with engagement.

Many companies understand the importance of social media marketing but neglect the essential nature of engagement. Having a plan in place for this is just another element of developing your social media marketing strategy. Need help or advice? That’s what we specialize in here at The Social Media Advisor. Let us help you #BeAwesome with your engagement!

~ Social Media is changing the way people do business.  Don't get left behind ~ 

Be sure to Follow us and Let's Engage!

Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+,YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

Click here for her Social Media Workshops, Classes and Seminars.