We manage social media for restaurants, bars, and retail shops all over the country and as COVID-19 has continued to impact operations, the number one question we receive from owners and managers is: What should we post on our social media pages if we’re temporarily closed?
Answer: Lots of things! As much as you can. DON’T GO DARK!
Right now, as coronavirus is impacting everyone everywhere, we’re getting two questions.
- Should I be posting on social media as my business?
- What should I be posting?
Should you be posting on social media as your business?
The answer to this first question is absolutely YES! You should be posting on social media. If you’ve modified your operations to delivery or take-out only, or changed your hours of operation, you need to be sharing that with your customers. This situation is evolving hour-by-hour and it’s important to keep them constantly updated on what’s happening at your restaurant. Keep posting your sales, specials, and community involvement. There is more traffic on social channels right than ever before. Your customers are starved for interaction and will be more likely to engage with your content.
What should you be posting, especially if you’re temporarily closing your doors?
In that case, really stay connected. Your customers are on social media right now more than ever before. They are at home, they don’t have much to do, and their eyes are on Facebook, Tik Tok, and Instagram. And right now is an opportunity for you to connect with them, show your humanity, offer advice, and offer your expertise in a way that can help them at home:
- Cooking advice
- Shopping deals
- Recipes
- Even just checking in with a casual “hello”
People are thirsty for normalcy right now and they want to feel connected to their community. This is a time for you to really strengthen those relationships, foster loyalty, and get them excited to come blasting through your doors once you open again. Because it is temporary; you will reopen, and people will be wanting to support you.
So definitely stay in touch with your customers regularly, two to three times per week, no matter what right now. If you have questions – even if you’re not one of our clients – but you’re a business owner or manager, and you would like some guidance, reach out to us. Contact us here on our website, reach out on Facebook or Instagram, and we’d love to help you in any way we can.
We’ll get through this together.
There are a number of ways to communicate virus-related updates to customers on the platform.
Facebook announced the ability to publish hours updates and service changes on Facebook Pages Friday. Businesses can mark themselves “temporarily closed” (as with Google My Business) or communicate other types of changes, which respond to the coronavirus outbreak (e.g., takeout, online classes or e-commerce offerings).
Businesses can also pin posts to the top of their timeliness, as another tool to communicate messages to customers.
The changes and where they appear. Facebook says that to make the changes, you go to Page Settings–>Page Info–>Temporary Service Changes. Businesses will be able to indicate the location is temporarily closed or select other options, under the heading “Open with Service Changes.”
Below are the admin screens as they appear on mobile.
Facebook says these updates or changes will appear on:
- The business Page itself
- Page previews
- Search results
- Curated lists of local resources on Facebook
In the context of lists, Facebook uses the example of food delivery: “Within Events, if people are looking at a featured list of ‘Places Offering Delivery,’ they’ll see businesses that indicate that their services include delivery.” A search for places offering takeout or delivery, presumably, would also show the same information.
Below is a before-after image showing a restaurant page that has marked itself temporarily closed.
There’s no discussion about APIs or whether these changes can be made at any kind of scale for chains and multi-location brands. It appears to be a manual process at this point.
Why we care. Social media is a critical channel for customer communication. And no platform other than Google has comparable reach and scale. According to the most recent public numbers, Facebook has more than 150 million businesses on the platform, globally, more than 90 million of which are small businesses. During the outbreak the site has seen massive traffic increases although without a corresponding ad revenue bump.
The company has committed $100 million in grants and ad credits to SMBs. It also has a resource hub with COVID-related information, tips and best practices recommendations.
See the full article here by :searchengineland.com
As the new coronavirus pandemic sweeps the globe and people take to their homes to avoid getting and spreading the contagion, it makes sense that much of the conversation is taking place online. People are using the internet to share information, air their anxieties, and bide time while in quarantine. With ever-changing news of the Coronavirus pandemic, internet usage is at an all time high. Advertising inventory across our ad exchanges has surged and this provides an opportunity for businesses to stay in front of their consumers at a critical time.
Media companies are experiencing big traffic bumps as people flock to coronavirus coverage.
Up to 15% of daily web traffic is going to content about coronavirus, per traffic analytics firm Parse.ly. That increase is led by stories about travel restrictions, social distancing, and #FlattenTheCurve. And last week, coronavirus coverage beat election coverage by 15x.
Consumers are also spending ~30% more time with that content over last year, per Chartbeat.
Now is a great time to get in front
•Streaming/Video: More eyeballs are on streaming and video because of political coverage, bans on attending sporting events, local shutdowns and more Americans staying home.
•Device ID: No one leaves home without their mobile device. Advertisers can show relevant messages to consumers based on their visits as recent as 5 days ago and as far back as 6 months. Then, we can track foot traffic throughout the campaign, and as long as it runs.
•Search: Anyone searching for your product or service is a highly desirable customer. Make sure that your business shows up in front of those interested in buying or visiting today.
•Social: Social media usage is at an all-time high. From local news updates to memes, it’s important to make yourself relevant during this time. Join the conversation. Post often with branded content. Continue to engage with your customers and potential customers.
With access to a real-time ad exchange with insight into buyer ‘intent,’ we can offer smart ways for ANY advertiser to reach someone who is in the market for their product or service. Below are a few we have seen this week.
•Real estate: Interest rates are at a 7-year low. We’ve seen campaigns coming in from banks, credit unions, mortgage companies and realtors.
•Home Improvement: Spring and summer are coming and with many people avoiding travel, they will invest in their nest. Advertising landscapers, remodeling companies and hardware stores will be key.
•Auto Dealerships: Spring is typically high season for automotive. Auto dealers have an opportunity to find ‘auto intenders’ who are ready to buy now with more road trips expected this spring and summer, and lower rates to borrow for those auto loans.
•Retail: More and more retailers are moving to a delivery or drive-up option to pick up everything from groceries to clothing and shoes. Whether a hardware store or high-end boutique, delivery or drive-up is a great option to advertise.
•Healthcare: More doctor offices, clinics and hospitals are using digital ads to get the word out on how patients can interact with their offices, when to call, when to come in and why they should feel safe about visiting if needed.
•Restaurants: Delivery or delivery services are already available for most restaurants. This should be promoted, along with what steps the restaurant might be taking to ensure the safety of its patrons. Once it warms up, do they have a large open patio to promote, or a private room for business or family gatherings? We can target ‘restaurant goers’ and ‘foodies’ for any restaurant.
SKYROCKET YOUR SALES: 4 WAYS CONNECTED TV ADVERTISING HELPS YOU BEAT YOUR COMPETITORS
Times change, and so do people’s preferences in terms of how they consume information daily. From how to arrange your backpack for the perfect hike to catching up with the latest GOT episode, people are gradually turning to videos for entertainment as opposed to traditional TV. As a result, brilliant marketers have already found ways of capitalizing on Connected TV advertising to reach and engage potential clients and the general audience. So what is this new trend and how can you grow your business with this form of marketing?
What is CTV Advertising?
This refers to any entertainment gadget that can access the internet and stream videos. The devices essentially merge television with computer technology. They include Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick, Roku, and gaming consoles. Other than streaming videos, users can also browse the internet for new updates, check on their social media, listen to music, and pretty much any other thing that you do with your computer.
A survey by Adobe Digital Insights on television-viewing patterns indicates that the TV is gradually becoming the internet portal in many living rooms. For instance, according to ADI, 60 percent of Gen Z prefer to use streaming devices as opposed to ‘watching TV.’ Also, connected TV comes with the highest ad completion rates standing at 90 percent.
With connected TV advertisements, you essentially take advantage of all the distinct services offered by the devices to generate high-quality video commercials visible to consumers. It may look like running ads on normal TV, but there are distinct differences in the way the content is delivered, impact to the masses, and benefits to you as an advertiser.
Benefits of CTV Advertising Method
Here are the reasons why you should not get your eyes off this opportunity as an advertiser.
1. The right audience at the appropriate time
Advertising may be a frustrating battle, and you may end up successful or doomed, considering how millennials tend to stray away from traditional marketing strategies. So by offering a controlled viewing experience alongside a wide range of high-quality content to choose from, the impact will be greater than using traditional television.
2. Real-time metrics
By advertising with connected TV, you can assess the effectiveness of the ad campaign by tracking the number of clicks, direct responses, conversations, and views.
3. Responsive audiences
Connected TV users are free to choose whatever content they feel like watching, the way they interact with it, and consume it. Such control would trigger high user-satisfaction levels, leading to a better perception of your ads. Whether it is that ‘ad-blind’ millennial or the enthusiastic Gen Z, a positive attitude towards the ad means that the impact will be different.
4. Ad quality and format
Connected TV transmits highly personalized, targeted, HD-quality advertisements delivered in full screen with stereo sounds. Since you can experiment with different formats such as static, animated, or interactive videos, most of them end up to be quite entertaining. All these attributes boost brand exposure.
Why you Should Target Millennials with the Right Ad Format
Compared to other generations, millennials seem to be a more distracted audience. This is evident in the shift in their viewing patterns where they are the least likely group to change to a different channel during commercials (only two percent). Therefore, it would be appropriate if you use the right formats when advertising to capture their attention.
This generation has the highest potential to purchase a product they saw on TV. On average, 43 percent indicated that they have done this, beating the total percentage of all adults which stands at 40%. Therefore, you can always get the most out of CTV ads if you use formats that generate a positive attitude.
Connected TV advertising remains to be one of the best ways of exposing your products to the relevant audience. If you need digital advertising and technology tips, then Speaking Socially Media is your ideal company. The agency focuses on ensuring every business can access digital marketing opportunities and get the most out of them.
Utilizing Google’s post feature on Google My Business page. If you are a business owner, you should utilize this new feature. First it’s FREE and second, it has proven to be very successful among small businesses.
Here are ideas that Google gave on what to post:
- Share daily specials or current promotions that encourage new and existing customers to take advantage of your offers.
- Promote events and tell customers about upcoming happenings at your location.
- Showcase your top products and highlight new arrivals.
- Choose one of the available options to connect with your customers directly from your Google listing: give them a one-click path to make a reservation, sign up for a newsletter, learn more about latest offers, or even buy a specific product from your website.
Posts will show up in both Google search and Maps results. Here are examples of how Google Posts appear in search result:
What are Google My Business Q&A’s ?
Google My Business Questions & Answers are crowdsourced questions and answers for a local business. These questions are asked and answered through a business’s Knowledge Panel.
Google is taking crowdsourcing to the next level in many ways with online reviews, user-generated attributes and now they’re adding Google My Business Q&As.
Here are some pro points for Q&As:
– Questions can be up voted, making popular ones more visible and most likely to be answered. Helpful answers can also be up voted, so others can find them easily.
– As a busy business owner you’ll be happy to know that other people on Google Maps can answer your questions. One of these being Google Local Guides. They must be levels 2 and up and the Q&A feature is available to them on both Google Maps for Android and Google Search on any mobile device.
– You’ll be happy to hear that your users get notified through Google Maps when their answer has received a reply. You’ll also receive notifications when a new question is asked.
– Similar to positive reviews, Google Q&A has the potential to increase conversions to your website. For example, if a user with celiac disease sees that your restaurant offers a gluten free menu, something they weren’t previously aware of, they might be inclined to book a table.
– You’ll be happy to know that Google moderates some things automatically (bad words, gibberish) and users have to ability to flag anything inappropriate. This is a similar process to photo/review flagging.
Let us know if we can start doing this on your Google My Business Page.
“These app developers have risen to the top of our research rankings due to their phenomenal dedication to their clients and their mobile app development prowess,” Clutch Business Analyst Sara Philibotte said. “We are excited to give them the recognition they deserve and to see how they continue to flourish on our platform.”
Speaking Socially Media has been proudly recognized by Clutch as one of the top premier App Development companies in the United States. Clutch’s research team review was based on on the quality of their client feedback, service offerings, portfolio of past and current clientele, and market presence. Their research on leading mobile app development companies is ongoing, and rankings are dynamic. To view our Clutch page, make sure to visit: https://clutch.co/profile/speaking-socially-media
Speaking Socially – A Top App Development Firm
Clients have always come first to our team. We knew going into our business that our company’s success would not only land in the people we’d hire, but also in who we’d provide our services to. Not too long ago, we started working with a research company called Clutch that also understood the importance of the client experience.
Clutch runs a data-driven, ratings and reviews platform solely focused on the B2B market. Its overarching goal is to provide detailed insight into a company’s performance from the client perspective, all to help new business buyers find their perfect vendor. Their team of business analysts evaluate the thousands of vendors on their site, taking elements such portfolio of work, presence in the industry, and most importantly, client satisfaction into account. To gather their data, analysts conduct one-on-one interviews with clients, asking questions about the challenge each business was facing, the services that were provided, the impact our services had on their company, and how we performed as a team overall.
Through this thorough analysis of our company, Clutch identified us not only as a 5 out of 5-star company, but as one of the best-performing mobile app development companies on their platform. Below you’ll see us specifically representing Montana as the #1 app development firm.
And here are just a few of the remarkable comments our clients gave about our work:
“There has definitely been an increase in member usage and engagement. We’ve seen a nice impact from both the website and the push notifications on the app. Our Facebook page has experienced growth as well.” – General Manager, Meadow Lark Country Club
“From personal experience, I can say more people are learning about us and we’re making great process in getting the message out. The app they created is gorgeous. It’s easy to navigate and has a great look and feel.” – Program Manager, Alliance for Youth
“Their creativity is impressive. I’ve worked with a lot of vendors, but Speaking Socially has a real ability to think outside the box, suggesting solutions we would never have considered.” – Executive Director, Great Falls Montana Tourism
“They are always very understanding, and their work ethic is excellent. I’ve seen applications they’ve created for other companies in our area, and they’re beautiful.” – AVP, Financial Institution
With our great success on Clutch, we’re equally as thrilled to have been one of the first app developers featured on their new affiliate website, Visual Objects. This portfolio-based platform will further showcase our team’s products, set of skills, and high quality of work. The recognition our team has earned continues to motivate us into the new year, where we fully expect to prosper in new projects. If there’s an idea you have in mind, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’d love to hear it.
If you have any questions regarding mobile application development, make sure to call or email our team today!
Want to know what Facebook has on you? Download the data. Just go to the Settings section of Facebook (the arrow next to the question mark, top right) and click on “download my data” at the bottom of the page called “General Account Settings.” Then you’ll make your request and await Facebook’s compiling of your data, which is delivered via an email link. If you’ve been on Facebook for many years, expect the link to take a while.
It does not matter how modern and stylish your company website is if no one ever sees it. It can have all sorts of bells and whistles but if it does not receive visitors, then it is nothing more than a darkened storefront. Without traffic it is essentially useless.
So how do you get your website seen? You can print its web address on business cards and promotional materials. You can mention it in print advertisements and place it on company vehicles. Or you can invest in search engine marketing.
What is search engine marketing? It is a strategy that increases a website’s visibility in search engine results pages. In other words, people searching on Google will see your website. What are the benefits of this kind of marketing?
More Traffic
If you want website traffic, then getting your site a good ranking in the search results is the way to do it. The first few search listings get the most clicks, so it is important to optimize your site so that it appears near the top of the page. Google alone receives 3.5 billion searches a day. A good ranking can send huge amounts of traffic.
Return on Investment
Search engine website traffic is cost-effective because users see your business at the exact moment that they are looking for what your business has to offer. They are already interested in your products and services when they arrive at your website. This kind of highly targeted traffic converts well and lowers costs.
Brand Awareness
Search engine marketing makes your website visible in the search engines. Your listing will most likely include your URL as well as some brief information about your business. Even users who do not click on your link will see your brand and associate it with the keywords they are using. This increased brand awareness can lead to future sales.
Few marketing strategies bring the same benefits as search engine marketing. If you are ready to get your website seen, then please contact us. Our team is standing by and looks forward to working with you.
