social media – Page 3

07/Nov/2016

Content continues to be king, with brands that make the right investments into content – video, blogging, articles or other PR work – continuing to do well. However, it is essential to have a thorough and well-conceived strategy, so that content creation follows a pre-determined plan. Failing to do so can result in an ad-hoc and unfocussed approach to content marketing, which often ends up costing firms much more.

One of the main reasons for drawing up a content marketing strategy is to achieve cohesiveness. In an era where there are multiple content platforms and various forms of content media, it can be easy to lose control. Spreading content across social media, blog posts and video content is positive, as long as it is cohesive and doesn’t confuse audiences. To prevent this confusion and to make sure content stays on track, a strategy is required.

Content strategies also help firms develop a strong brand identity that will resonate with their target audiences. Effective branding is extremely important in the modern day, with hyper-saturated markets and short attention spans making it more difficult to find consumers than ever. Those wanting to establish a strong brand, should create content that will set a certain tone, style and overall approach. For example, a company wanting to seem relaxed and flexible might piggyback their content onto the latest humorous viral trend.

There are other benefits of using a strategy. Productivity, for example, can be increased when there is a clear goal and strategy in place. Clear production outlines not only ensure that creators don’t flounder, but can also help boost inspiration and focus, as one idea may spark another. Pattern analysis also becomes easier when strategies call for continuous content curation. The best success is often achieved when marketing is perpetually tweaked and tinkered with. In addition, when you have a clear plan, it’s easier to see what went right, and to collect data and identify patterns.

Finally, strategies also help maximise return on investment (ROI). Data shows that content marketing not only produces up to three times the leads of traditional marketing, but it is also 62 per cent less expensive. It can level the playing field between small firms and giant corporations, especially if strategies are well thought out. And these strategies will increase productivity whilst decreasing waste, which ultimately leads to better ROI.

Overall, any content marketing strategist must be able to identify why and how any project succeeded or failed if they’re to make future campaigns successful. This is a lot easier when a carefully considered strategy has formed the initial starting point for content curation. It is far easier to gain tangible results from this, and it can save a lot of time and frustration, especially if marketers have to work backwards from a result. Therefore, any brands considering turning to content as a way to increase brand presence, leads or sales must look to develop the right strategy from the start.

Aimee

19/Sep/2016

All content marketers need a carefully developed strategy if they’re to get the positive kind of returns they’re looking for. Consumers are inundated with social media messages nowadays – and with the stream of content they receive often being so similar, it’s hard to tell material apart. To run a successful campaign, strategists need to establish the right ratio of original content versus curated material, in addition to developing a practical publishing schedule.

The ‘Goldilocks Principle’ is well known in marketing and communication fields, with the philosophy stating that content must fall within certain margins if it is to be successful. Particularly for advertising, messages need to be of the right intricacy and quantity to be effective. But there’s a fine balancing act to be had, as material could slip over the boundary and become excessive or redundant. Alternatively, marketers might not supply enough of a message to capitalise on their advertising efforts.

One of the most important forms of material for a brand is original content. These publications can be used to humanise a brand and promote expertise – two strategies which can improve consumer confidence and result in a rise of potential sales leads. By creating original content, companies are making their own branded publication material and, as long as it offers the right message to consumers, people will come back for more. There are two main strategies to utilise; using a real time trend to create discussion, and creating material, that shows what a brand stands for. Capitalising on real-time news and content can help get immediate eyes on content. Providing insights or perspective on a popular topic can result in repeat visitors and high levels of interaction and engagement. Alternatively, focussing on individuality can work to boost trust and loyalty. Spotlighting employees, for example, offers original content and a place where consumers can learn about who a company really is.

In addition to original content, there is also often the need to utilise curated content. In fact, it can be a great way to harness the power of social media, share relevant material and forge new relationships with influencers. It can be hard to keep a stream of original content, so curated publications help fill the gap, ensuring that fans and followers on various platforms notice a consistent presence. However, it is crucial to ensure that any stories shared are relevant to audiences.

The last step in establishing the right mix of original and curated content is to develop a publishing schedule. This can be a complex challenge, with brands needing to find a balance between providing too much or too little. Each social media platform has its own rules for posting frequency. For example, Twitter requires a lot of repetition, whilst Facebook is often better used for longer posts.

On the whole, whilst curated content is good, original content will always be better. However, it’s important to share a mix of these if the right content strategy is to be achieved.

Aimee

05/Sep/2016

For content marketers, there has to be an emphasis on syndication. Brands might be curating the best content in the world, but this is useless if no one sees it. Therefore, maximising the reach of promotional material is essential, helping content to make as large an impact as possible upon a target audience. One tool that campaign strategists might want to make use of is Flipboard – a content aggregation tool that displays material in a magazine format.

With so many websites, channels and social media opportunities, many consumers can become a little overwhelmed. It is places like Flipboard that can offer some relief, with topics and content drawn from across the web into a single place. However, not only does the tool provide free usage for consumers, it can also be utilised as a publishing platform for brands to get more eyes on their content, whilst nurturing and serving a community of followers.

There are multiple reasons why Flipboard can be a great content amplifier – one of which being that the entire application has been developed as a content discovery and curation platform. Used by millions of people, there are 34,000 topics for users to discover new content and indulge in their passions. This makes it the perfect place to share content. In addition, unlike places like Facebook, which are based on a social graph and, therefore, grounded in relationships, Flipboard uses a hive mentality to focus on interests. It means that instead of sharing content with a single individual in a target audience whose friends may have no interest, content could be delivered directly to a channel of interested users – all of whom could become potential leads.

Another bonus of Flipboard is that it’s a free marketing tool. There are no fees to publish a magazine, and a well-curated magazine can gain a strong following. Like with all campaign strategies, not all content should be promotional material. However, this can be added now and then if it’s well integrated, it can also be added with stories and news from third parties.

Luckily, Flipboard is very easily set up. In addition, it doesn’t require a lot of investment for on-going maintenance, meaning it can be easily added to a syndication arsenal that already includes places like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Initially, time will be required setting up a magazine and developing the style and tone of publications. Content can be added in a similar way to how content is ‘pinned’ to a board on Pinterest. On Flipboard strategists can add any story they see on the platform to their own magazine. In addition, brands should be adding their own content too – both soft-sell content and hard-sell material.

For marketing and content strategists, part of the role is getting as many eyes on material as possible. Adding yet another source might seem like a hassle, but due to Flipboard’s interest-based architecture, taking the time to utilise the platform could offer dividends – not only in helping to disseminate content, but finding new fans and followers too.

Annie

01/Aug/2016

There are many social media platforms around, some of which might not immediately spring to mind as a good advertising opportunity for content marketers. For example, strategists might readily dive into Facebook and Twitter but leave other platforms on the sidelines. However, with many Fortune 500 brands turning to Instagram as a way to spread their message and interact with fans, this image-based application should not be overlooked.

Instagram made its debut in 2010 and has proven extremely popular with users since then. As the platform gained attention, it began to provide tools for content strategists and marketers. Now, more than half of Fortune 500 brands are using the application, showing just how important Instagram can be for any digital campaign.

A report from TrackMaven that analysed more than 41,000 Instagram posts between May 2015 and May 2016 discovered that the vast majority of interactions were click-based. In fact, 98.9 per cent of all engagement noted was made up of “double taps”, the system Instagram uses for people to “like” an image or video. This clearly shows the platform is not geared towards personal conversations or feedback. Instead, it is about brands and content creators engaging with their fans and followers through “like” and “comment” features.

One interesting point for all content strategists to note is the lack of filter use by global firms. One of the core appeals for users is that Instagram offers a various filters and tools to manipulate uploaded images. However, these are largely ignored by big brands.

TrackMaven Content Director Kara Burney explains that this is because most Fortune 500 brands upload pre-made content, although this method of content dispersal could be negatively affecting engagement because 12 of the filters are well-documented to actually boost interaction. Ultimately, brands should use filters if they want to ensure a smooth and immersive experience within the social platform.

Talking about the fact that many brands do not use filters, Burney said: “This finding indicates that there is an appetitive for authenticity on Instagram. Brands need to remember and respect that their content is appearing not amongst a feed of other brand-generated content, but among content from users’ friends and families as well. Remaining true to the aesthetics of each social network, like taking and editing photos natively in each platform, could prevent the jarring ‘this is obviously an ad, let me ignore it’ effect on social media.”

One of the first Fortune 500 firms to use Instagram was Starbucks, and the brand’s strategy is working. Engagement on the platform has reached a record high for the coffeehouse brand, with a ratio of 24.64, which is calculated on the number of interactions each post gets per 1,000 fans.

For strategists that want to extend their digital approach, utilising Instagram is a wise move that can be used in combination with other social platforms to boost audience reach and interaction. Data shows that some of the highest engagement levels are experienced on weekends and late at night as users sit down to surf the application during their leisure time.

Aimee

25/Jul/2016

There may once have been a time when content marketing was thought of as a process for famous, glamorous and on-trend firms. Many key decision-makers saw this advertising option simply as a way of creating content that’s relevant and resonates enough with an audience to be shared across social media. There’s an easy to identify pattern too; the themes that get most shared are often food, travel, fashion or technology. Currently, Pokémon Go is hitting all the headlines. However, content marketing isn’t actually the creation of valuable material that’s based on the latest in-vogue trends. Instead, it is about developing content that appeals to a pre-determined target audience with the objective of driving profit. Creating material on Pokémon Go, for example, might get many shares, but if it’s not what a firm’s target audience are looking for, it’s unlikely to be successful in delivering successful results and improving the bottom line.

For firms considering whether to move into the area of content marketing development, it’s important to consider that it isn’t only about shareable content. Working in conjunction with this is the need for content to be shared with the right people if it’s going to result in a lead or sale. All businesses create and define their target audiences to help sales teams identify the most attractive prospects. Content marketing, therefore, is about creating content that will offer value to these customers, and not only to generate a one-off sale, but keep the conversation flowing for months and years to come.

Regardless of a business’s services or products, content marketing requires the customer journey to be mapped out. This can be split into five stages: Awareness of Need, Consumer Research, Analysis and Comparison, Purchase and Loyalty. By using these points, even the most unglamorous firm can create the right content campaign. For example, a pest control business is unlikely to be generating much day-to-day engagement on social media. However, by aiming content at the right audiences, positive results can be achieved.

Using the pest control example, at the Awareness of Need stage, content can be developed to showcase why consumers might need a service. An infographic, or even a short video, could be produced about the various problems caused by rats, for example. Consumer Research can be conducted on Twitter and other social media by using relevant search terms, whilst marketers can use comparisons with other similar services to identify key selling points. To help facilitate the Purchase stage, website case studies can be used. While to build Loyalty, a regularly updated blog can be maintained.

Content marketing is far more complex than simply creating material on a current trend and hoping it is shared across social media. For true success, developers need to hone their campaign so it appeals to a target audience and leads a consumer through the sales process. It is, therefore, important for every company to utilise – and not only those who may be attracting consumers with glamorous travel packages or on-trend smartphone games.

Aimee

04/Jul/2016

Marketing in the digital world can be a complex challenge, and strategists have to utilise various content advertising and techniques to create any successful campaign. However, investing in this area can be extremely worthwhile as content marketing can be one of the best ways for brands to boost their appeal whilst widening their audience. Content is essential whether a firm is looking to boost engagement, conversion or even lead generation.

There are few important pointers when it comes to content strategies that can make, or break, a campaign. Firstly, creating excessive content can actually undermine a strategy. Instead, the emphasis should be upon creating regular articles, blog post, or videos of consistently high quality. Too much content which oversells a product or service can seem like overkill in the consumers’ eye, and can turn people off a brand. This can lead to a drop in engagement and falling audience levels.

To combat this, strategists should develop a flexible content calendar which can be used to plot out future publications in a systematic manner. This will give creators the chance to properly research and identify current market trends, enabling them to produce top quality content.

It’s also vital to ensure that a variety of content is produced to keep both current and future consumers engaged. This also applies to the way in which content is distributed, and it’s a good idea to deliver advertising materials through different channels. Producing the same content format time and time again can bore readers, even if the subject matter is of high quality. After investing so much to get the content right, it’s disappointing if it’s not received well. Therefore, it’s essential to create inventive ways of getting the information out. For example, whitepapers can be a great content format to get readers engaged. However, many people won’t download the publication, and some of those who do will not read the entire document. Smart marketers will not only target their core audience to raise engagement, but might product other content, such as infographics, to support the whitepaper in a different format.

Another tip that marketers shouldn’t ignore is to use social media. It might sound obvious, but there are some strategists who might believe social media isn’t that effective. Alternatively, they believe their content will be shared on social sites like Facebook and Twitter without any action on their part. To take businesses to the next level, the power of social media channels must be harnessed. Each platform has its own communities, expert groups and audiences, and all of these can be used to increase the effectiveness of content marketing.

Finally, strategists must add interactive elements to their content to encourage interaction and engagement with fans and readers. There are many ways to add an interactive element, including utilising videos, statistics, infographics and podcasts. By adding such things, the value of content can be dramatically increased, and this can result in more shares and, as a result, higher engagement rates.

In conclusion, marketers must product high quality and interactive content on a consistent basis without flooding readers with too much information. In addition, social media can be harnessed to boost the reach of content for greater success.

Annie

27/Jun/2016

New data has suggested that many strategists will be heavily focussing on digital marketing throughout 2016. In fact, it is likely to become one of the most important platforms for content creators, with many marketers already spending vast amounts of time and money on creating campaigns to boost engagement on digital posts, videos and other content. With the plethora of platforms that enable content to be spread across the globe, each having the potential to hit the lucrative ‘viral’ status, a lot of priority will be placed upon digital advertising.

The latest predictions for the remainder of the year come courtesy of Ignite Digital, the recruitment specialists. In a new study, it was revealed that two thirds of marketers have already created content campaigns with the aim of raising engagement and interaction levels. It’s been well reported for some time that content marketing has been seeing a noticeable shift towards highly engaging, interactive and creative mediums.

It was only in February 2016, that 29 per cent of Canadian-based marketers revealed their primary marketing focus this year would be on content marketing. This was 10 per cent above those who chose engagement on social media as their top priority, and 16 per cent more than those who mentioned search engine optimisation (SEO).

There are also some interesting findings in relation to just where campaigns are being run. For instance, social platforms have become big business for strategists over the past few years, with Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook taking the fore. In the study, it was shown that 83 per cent of content marketers are conducting campaigns on these platforms, engaging with both clients and customers through these portals. Meanwhile, 80 per cent of people are marketing via website development, far ahead of content marketing and email marketing, both of which scored 69 per cent.

It is also interesting to note that though there is a huge buzz around the potential for mobile applications, only 26 per cent of survey respondents are placing a priority on developing new apps. Instead, social media continues to be one of the most popular tools for boosting engagement, with almost two thirds of marketers saying they regularly monitor places like Facebook and Twitter, not only to connect with customers, but to identify the latest trends and developments.

For content creators wanting to put efforts into the right type of media, it’s important to note that blog-type articles and videos continue to be successful. They make up a notable contributing percentage of marketing activity, with 78 per cent of people saying that the personalisation and management of content remain a critical operation. There’s also a similarly weighted emphasis upon SEO and the value of social media for creating and running a successful and effective digital marketing campaign.

Ignite Digital’s data was published as part of the ‘Canadian Marketers 2016 Outlook Report’. It was revealed, overall, that 83 per cent of marketers aim to boost their campaigning efforts this year. In fact, 43 per cent of respondents said they believed company budget for content marketing would be higher than in previous years.

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