User-generated content is a highly prized commodity with marketers who use it to prove their brand’s authenticity. When marketing to Millennials, a segment of consumers who are particularly swayed by user-generated content, visual content is especially useful. Instagram, a social media platform that relies heavily, and in some cases, solely, on visual content, is quickly shaping up to be a perfect match for marketers pushing a brand. Instagram has had somewhat of a meteoric rise among social media platforms. Within... Category - Social Media
- Subscribe to this category
- Subscribe via RSS
- 16 posts in this category
User-generated content is a highly prized commodity with marketers who use it to prove their brand’s authenticity. When marketing to Millennials, a segment of consumers who are particularly swayed by user-generated content, visual content is especially useful. Instagram, a social media platform that relies heavily, and in some cases, solely, on visual content, is quickly shaping up to be a perfect match for marketers pushing a brand. Instagram has had somewhat of a meteoric rise among social media platforms. Within... 
As social media needs increase, more businesses are looking to hire a dedicated individual to carry out the work. Gone are the days of assigning random employees to – on occasion – post an article on Facebook or send out a tweet. The time is now to get serious about creating a social media strategy and sticking with it. Doing it without a designated employee who is held accountable for its execution just won’t cut it. Hiring someone just because... 
From tree trimmers to cupcake makers to steel distributors, businesses are blogging about the issues important in their line of work. They’re establishing an authoritative voice in their respective markets and they’re driving traffic to their websites. Collectively, they’ve adopted the philosophy that blogging equals market exposure. To get the full-blown, positive effects, however, the successful bloggers of the bunch realize that writing can’t be a standalone effort. They understand that there are a few essential assets that go hand-in-hand... 
If your small business has been active on social media, we’ll make the assumption that you’ve seen your company grow because of it. Whether it be an increase in orders or an increase in staff to produce content, the time might be right to consider creating a social media policy. Beyond managing the social media activity that takes place on your company’s behalf, it’s wise to have a method in place for handling employees who might abuse their access to... 
Free: It’s one of the best four-letter words in the English lexicon. When people see it, their interest is immediately sparked. And it gets even better when that something free is tied into a contest. Not only is there a prize involved, but there’s also a win. Every day,hundreds of businesses tap into the psychology of winning and getting something for free. And they do it through social media contests. Take BMW, for example. The venerable German automaker put... 
Social media is no longer a fad when it comes to generating traffic and building buzz around a business. In fact, social media is essentially synonymous with marketing. It’s all about creating interest and turning that interest into qualified leads. To harness the benefits, businesses will develop a social media strategy that has all the right elements – appropriate platform selection, well-developed content and incentives for engagement. Unfortunate for many, however, conversion rates aren’t reflecting the efforts put forth. And... 
Although Bob the Builder might not while away his time on Pinterest, Debbie the DIYer might. And that’s probably just what the folks at Home Depot were thinking when they created nearly 40 of their own pinboards. “When it comes to the sexes on social media, there are a few places where the battle lines seem settled,” say the editors of a recent Mashable article. “It probably won’t surprise you to learn, for example, that men are from Google+ and women are... Success on Facebook has thwarted some businesses, leaving them with what they consider to be an unacceptable number of likes and worse off, leaving them with a depleted sense of social media self-esteem. What these businesses may be forgetting, however, is that it’s not the quantity of likes that matters; it’s quality that reigns supreme.
Regardless of the quality-over-quantity mantra, businesses still feel compelled to strive toward bigger numbers. And who can blame them?
So, to encourage your Facebook counter to grow, take advantage of the sage advice from Get the Dash, the social media gurus that created the video above. By implementing these approaches, any business should be able to grow their friend-base – in an honest and sincere way.
Tip #1:
Review the businesses that you “like” on Facebook and ask yourself: Why did I like them in the first place?
Is it because you simply wanted to support their social media efforts? Is it because you truly love the brand? Was it because you received a special offer that required a “like” to obtain it?
By asking yourself these questions, you’ll be able to apply the answers to your own Facebook strategy.
However…
Tip #2:
Don’t simply mimic the efforts of others. Inject a little personality.
That approach will resonate with the individuals who have shown interest in your business. It’s important to remember that your “likes” are more than just a number; they’re living, breathing human beings who for one reason or another, want to interact with you and your business.
The Internet is truly the greatest connectivity tool on the planet. It weaves ideas from people all around the world together. One site will link to another and then another, meshing thoughts and pictures and content of all kinds into one massive construct. It is, after all, the World Wide Web. Google Authorship, the method to attach an author’s profile picture to his or her online articles and blogs, is a prime example of how two or more sites working... 
To manage an online reputation, the first order of business is to create an online presence. At this point in the game, however, it’s reasonable to believe that most companies have already done so. For those who haven’t, stop reading this post and get to work already! But seriously, when people search for your business, it’s best that they not have to look long and when they do find you in a Google search, it’s also ideal that what they...