Is content marketing really that important? Why isn’t it sufficient to concentrate on traditional advertising, social media, and email marketing? These statistics about the importance of content marketing will make you think twice about ignoring it.
Everyone Does It
You don’t do content marketing? You’re the only one. Ninety percent of organizations, 91 percent of B2B marketers, and 86 percent of B2C marketers use content marketing. In fact, 80 percent of marketers feel that custom content should be the central focus of a marketing campaign.
People Spend Time Reading
People spend lots of time reading online content. Sixty-eight percent of people spend time online reading about brands that interest them. Eighty percent of people appreciate learning about a company by reading online content. Sixty percent of people will be inspired to seek out a product after reading about it. Seventy percent feel closer to a company after reading their content, and 82 percent of people will have more positive feelings about that company.
Better Than Other Marketing Forms
Traditional advertising and email marketing aren’t as effective as content marketing. Ninety-one percent of people unsubscribe from email lists, and 44 percent of people ignore direct marketing mail completely. Eighty-six percent of people skip TV adverts.
It’s Cost Effective
Content marketing is a lot more affordable than setting up a PPC or another advertising campaign. Not only does it cost 62 percent less than traditional advertising, it brings in three times as many leads.
For more information on how content marketing can help your business and how to get started, just contact us.
In today’s world of immense online presence and digital content, maintaining both a website and Facebook Page for your business may seem like you’re doing the same work twice. However silly it may seem to set up both, the two platforms service distinctly different purposes and are vital to reaching your ideal clients.
If you’re ready to establish, grow, and maintain a thriving online presence, consider the reasons why having a website is important even though you have a Facebook Page.
1. A Website is Customizable
No matter what website platform you pick, you can customize your page to your specific needs. Media, content, layout, design, it’s all yours to play with and accentuate your specialties. A website is a must-have if your business wants to stand out online and have a branded home-base for your followers.
2. The Facebook Timeline Fades Into the Ether
As you share relevant content and products with your followers on Facebook, you’ll notice everything gets pushed down the timeline. Eventually, followers will have to go on a wild goose hunt to find older (but still relevant) content. That means Facebook is ideal for reaching followers for of-the-moment events, sales, and hype. Not so much for evergreen news. Use your website to highlight your best items and written pieces while your Facebook Page highlights trending topics.
3. Facebook Lets You Reach Ideal Clients Faster
Your Facebook Page for business is connected to a giant web of other businesses harnessing the power of social media. Use it wisely. There are numerous ways to connect with similar businesses and ideal clients. Start interacting with them. “Like” other relevant business pages and comment across their activity. Your genuine interest won’t go unnoticed.
Contact us to start your social media journey.
We all know the saying, “You have only one chance to make a good first impression.” If this holds true in all areas of life, how much more so does it apply online, where a bad first impression will make visitors leave your site and not follow through on your call-to-actions. Here are a number of things to keep in mind when trying to make a great first impression online.
Know Your Target Audience
You need to know your target audience and what they are looking for. Once you know that, you can design your site so that the first thing they see is something that will keep them hooked. It’s not enough to be unique; you need to show a uniqueness relevant to your target audience.
Have a Great UX
A great UX, or user experience, is one of the most important aspects of web design. If your site loads slowly, visitors will lose patience and click the “back” button. If there is no navigational menu, visitors will know no way of navigating to the pages you want them to. Your website should be easy and fun to use.
You Need Social Testimony
One of the factors that people, perhaps subconsciously, use to determine a business’s value is its social influence. If people see that your Facebook fan page has only a few likes, their perception of your business will not be a respectable one. The same goes for Twitter followers. You can use Facebook advertising to gain Facebook likes, and being active on Twitter, including using popular hashtags, is a great way to get exposure and followers. You can also follow people in the hope that they will follow you back. Encouraging customers to leave great reviews is also included in this category.
For more tips on how to be successful online, please contact us.
Social media is a powerful tool for job recruiters, even social media as light as Twitter. While not as hugely popular as it once was, it remains a great way to find potential employees. However, you need to know how to use it properly.
Start By Searching Hashtags
Even if you’ve never heard of a hashtag, you’ve probably seen them. They are a word or phrase followed by a “#” sign, such as “#thankgoditsfriday.” Clicking on these hashtags will sort Twitter posts by that tag. So if you searched “#jobhunt” or something similar, you could potentially find people looking for jobs near you.
Look At The Type Of Posts The Person Has Created
Twitter users post for a variety of reasons. Some use it simply to post silly jokes, while others are trying to expand their social reach. Read through a potential client’s posts to get a feel for the kind of person they are and if they have beliefs and skills appropriate for your job.
Find Other Contact Information
Serious Twitter users often put up their contact information, including other social media accounts, such as Facebook or LinkedIn. Tap into these accounts to learn more about the person and decide if they are a good fit for your needs.
Reach Out To Them Via Follow And Tweet
Twitter only works if you participate, so create an account and start following potential employees. Reach out to them by responding to their tweets or even sending them a message. In this way, you can build a relationship that may lead to a hiring.
If you need help with your employee search process or want to learn more about using social media as a recruiting tool, please contact us today.
Having a high-quality website for your business isn’t a luxury anymore; it’s a necessity. Your website acts as the center hub of your entire online presence and is often one of the first places potential customers will learn about who you are and what you represent. With that said, the most important aspect of your website and the king of your online kingdom is your content.
Importance of content marketing: Bow to Your King
Drive Your SEO
Your written website content is the key component to your company’s online visibility. A quality written website can add significant value to your SEO, driving more traffic and potential business to your website. The simplest way to understand it is that the more relevant content you add to your website, the more that search engines, such as Google will trust you and look to your website as an authority in your field.
Show Some Personality
Aside from proving to the almighty Google robots that you are trustworthy, your content marketing is the best opportunity you have to show off who you are and what you know. Clients will make an immediate judgement about your business based on your content’s quality, whether they’re aware of it or not. One of the best ways to show off your brand personality and increase your SEO at the same time is with a regularly updated company blog.
Don’t Forget the Queen
Content is the king, but distribution is the queen and she wears the pants. No matter how good your content is, it won’t do anything for you unless people see it. Remember, the content on your website is only one aspect of your company’s online presence. Combining original, quality-produced content with an effective social media campaign is the best way to start reaping the rewards of your company website.
If you need a hand creating quality content or you don’t know the first thing about using social media to drive business, then be sure to get in touch with our content marketing agency today. Our experienced team of digital marketing wizards at Speaking Socially will get your business on the right track with our proven content marketing strategy.
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK DEFINES A RESTAURANT’S REPUTATION.
With the increasing prevalence of review sites, everyone can be an online food critic, and thanks to social media and mobile devices, most people are. A study in the Economic Journal revealed that just an extra half-star rating makes a restaurant 30-49% more likely to be fully booked at peak hours. In this study, there were no changes in the quality of food or service–the only difference was star rating.
Perception is everything.
Together, customers and search engines define your brand’s perception. Customers research online to build an informed opinion before choosing where to dine out.
They want lots of accurate information without much effort on their part, so rarely do they venture past page 1 of online search results. You have only a few seconds to stand out against the competition. Local search results rank restaurants based on rating, volume, and recency of reviews. When left to their own devices, customers either say nothing at all or wait until anger fuels their feedback, resulting in skewed average ratings that do not necessarily reflect the restaurant’s performance. Plenty satisfied customers don’t think to jump online after a meal, and leave licking their lips instead of using them to spread the word.
How do you get new reviews? Make it easy for your customers to write them.
Generating new reviews from across your entire customer base can balances the scales. Speaking Socially’s in-moment SMS feedback tools prompt all your customers for reviews immediately following a visit, meeting customers where they are–on their phones–and capturing sentiment while it’s still fresh. With such a convenient outlet, even customers who wouldn’t normally post online are inclined to share.
Not only do reviews put restaurants on the map; they’re also invaluable business development tools. Insights from customer feedback help all departments, from owners and management to servers and kitchen staff, learn exactly where to improve. Restaurants can highlight positive reviews on their website and social channels to use authentic experiences as promotional material. Testimonials from happy customers will help online searchers get a feel for what a restaurant is like far more effectively than menus and professional photographs.
Manage reviews, book more tables
To help restaurants streamline review management, Speaking Socially’s automated feedback collection process pre-qualifies sentiment, directing happy customers to post on top review sites like Google and Facebook. Speaking Socially’s integration with OpenTable allows restaurants to easily collect new customer reviews on OpenTable, the world’s leading provider of online restaurant reservations. This review site alone has over 15 million reviews.
Claim your restaurant on OpenTable to reach more diners, instantly book reservations, and get new reviews. What about unhappy customers? Speaking Socially routes them directly to management to share feedback in private, enabling quick issue resolution and preventing problems from escalating into public view. Respond to negative reviews promptly and thoughtfully to turn frustrated customers into loyal ones.
With the ability to solve issues in a pinch and sprinkle praise across major review sites, restaurants have the recipe for that 5-star online reputation that hungry customers crave.
About Speaking Socially
With Speaking Socially, it’s easier than ever to get new authentic customer reviews, building trust that leads to more sales. In today’s reputation economy, Speaking Socially provides the eyes, ears and algorithms necessary to create the five-star customer experiences that keep your business at the top.
If you are a small business owner, you most likely wear many different hats inside your organization. You spend your days managing employees, keeping on top of inventory and expenses, putting out fires, all while trying to make a buck or two.
The role of the “I do everything” business owner can become exhausting, and in some areas of your company, you could be doing more harm than good.
One reason that many small businesses try not to outsource other duties is to save money. However, in the area of advertising, your return on investment could be a big surprise if you hire the right company, especially in the realm of social media. Here are a few reasons why hiring an agency for your business social media marketing is a good idea.
The Impact of Social Media
Many business owners simply don’t understand how much people depend on social media these days. For many, social media is the way they communicate with others, how they get their news, and how they search for businesses. If you are a missing link in the realm of social media, you will also be missing the revenue from a whole generation of tech-savvy individuals who might love what you have to offer. A great social media marketing agency knows what a powerful tool this type of advertising is, and they know how to get your business out there.
Laser-Target Your Customers
As of January 2015, there were 176 million registered users on Pinterest alone. While not everyone on Pinterest or the other major social media sites might be interested in your wares, there are millions who are, and a social media agency will know how to use these sites to target just the customer you are looking for. If your customer demographic is males between the ages of 25 and 37, your social media agency will be able to send your advertisements strictly to them and not waste advertising money on people who would not typically be your customers.
They Know it So You Don’t Have To
It would be difficult to master every social media site and be able to effectively use it to benefit your business. A great social media agency will have a team of experts who know the exact way to use these social sites to get the most bang for your buck.
Increased Revenues
At the end of the day, it is all about gaining new ground and growing your business. Within time, a social media agency can make a real difference in your bottom line. The goal of any good agency will be to provide a financial benefit that far outweighs your cost.
To see how we can help transform your business in the world of social media, feel free to contact us.
What’s the purpose of your company’s social media profiles?
Sure, you need to improve your visibility, keep customers engaged, and ensure that your marketing campaigns are reaching a wide audience. Social media is great for generating leads and raising your company’s profile, ultimately leading to more sales and growth.
And all of that growth is going to mean that you will need to start using social media for another kind of marketing: recruiting great employees.
Most people don’t think of recruiting candidates as a kind of marketing, but it is. You need to not only market your company’s product, but your company itself. That way, you will get the best candidates to lead your company to even greater heights, and ensure that they turn into engaged employees.
Here are a few things to consider when using social media as a recruitment tool.
Market the Company
You’re used to marketing your product: writing up compelling copy, creating appealing visuals that make people want to buy it right now, and pushing promotional offers to drive conversions.
But remember that your brand is more than your product: it’s the company, too! Don’t forget to market the company itself as a fantastic organization. Show off that it’s fun to work for you, and that your company is a great place to be.
Highlight Employees
Here’s a two-fer. From time to time, take the opportunity to highlight your employees on social media. Take a flattering, well-lit picture of the employee and a little bit of text about who they are, and show that you care enough about your individual employees to recognize them and their work in front of the whole world.
This has two benefits: it humanizes the company for your customers and gives them an idea of who they are working with, and it’s like a “customer testimonial” for potential job candidates. Everyone wants to work with happy, engaged employees, whether they’re a customer or a colleague.
Another bonus is that this shows that you value your employees as people and not just bodies in cubicles — positioning you as someone who is good to do business with, and great to work for.
Just make sure to get permission from your employees first!
Remember to Use Different Platforms
Most people think of LinkedIn as the default place to find new employees, and for good reason: it’s full of professionals with easily-accessible resumes or job histories, and widely used by job-seekers. And by all means, advertise your company and positions there, and feel free to structure your messaging as a little more corporate.
But job-seekers aren’t just on LinkedIn, so don’t forget about the other platforms, like Facebook, for example. Facebook can also be a great tool for showcasing your company culture and showing off some of the great perks your employees enjoy. And because it has one of the widest online audiences, you’ll reach even more great talent.
Need some help managing your company’s presence on social media? Contact us!
Every business owner knows that social media is a valuable channel to obtain customers. But oftentimes, they struggle to find the right social media platform that works. They post aimlessly on each platform and then wait for some sort of return on their investment in terms of engagement and sales. But usually, they find that they get a minimal response for their efforts. This leaves small business owners lost and dejected. We will discuss 3 techniques that you can use to know which social media platform/s are best for your business:
Understand How Your Target Customer is Using Social Media
Look at how your target demographic is using each platform. Put yourself in their shoes to understand which platforms they are using and how they are using them. Where do they engage? What does their behavior look like? How can you go where they are? By understanding these answers, you can begin to choose which platform to target and which ones to de-prioritize.
Understand Where Your Products/Services Play Best
For example, let’s say that you have a clothing company. Due to the nature of your products, platforms that are more visually oriented are going to be a better fit to sell your products. They are going to play best on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for example. Look at where your service and products play best and intersect that with your ideal customers like to hang out and interact.
Micro Test Each Social Media Platforms
Obviously, you want to be in as many places as possible to increase the likelihood of your offering/message being discovered. One way to do this, is to take baby steps and micro test all of the platforms. For example, you could create custom content for Pinterest in small doses and see how it performs. If it is not working, you can stop spending any time there. By performing these small experiments, you can find a low risk method for testing the viability of a particular channel.
By implementing these concepts, you can begin to determine which social media platforms are the best time and money investment for your business.
Please contact us for more criteria to use to determine which social media platform is right for your small business.
Creating content for your website’s blog may seem like a challenging endeavor, but the truth is that blogging is important for a small business. There are several reasons why you should incorporate blogging into the plan for your small business, and there are plenty of reasons why companies are focusing so hard on using blog content to reach out.
1. Blogging brings traffic to your website.
Search engine optimization is essential to not only bringing traffic, but also converting that traffic to leads. When your business website is indexed in search engines, you want to ensure that you receive traffic based on keywords. Using keywords in your blog posts, especially in headings and titles, ensures you are reaching as wide an audience as possible.
2. Blogging builds a social media presence.
Opportunities for others to share your content is always great for your business. You can easily share blog posts on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and other social media sites, reaching a larger audience.
3. Blogging humanizes your business.
Are you looking for new ways to develop a relationship with your clients? Blogging puts a personality on your business, showing readers your values and interests. Clients who read your work are more likely to develop positive regard for your business rather than see you as just another business on the Internet.
4. Blogging helps you build a brand.
Not only do you establish yourself as a brand name, but you also establish authority when you develop content. Show your readers and potential customers that you know what you are talking about. It is important that you come off as an expert in your industry, and the topics you choose to blog about are the key to doing this.
Not sure if you should focus your time on blogging? Contact us to learn more about your content development options.
