A New Start to Marketing Your Business

As New Year rolls around why not make 2018 the year your business kicks off with a strong online presence. With the new year approaching, it’s a good time to set goals, define directions, and declutter. But, to be a step ahead, starting off the new year with a BANG requires some planning and forethought. If you want to set yourself apart from the pack, why not start now and give your business that fresh New Year’s glow. Even better, plot how you are going to improve your business’s presence on social media.

Take the time this December to set out your goals. This means organising your efforts by deciding on the direction you want to take your business. Reflect on where you are now and where you want to be; ask yourself if you have planned enough for the year ahead. Are you prepared? 

Plot Your Schedule

Do you have a set content schedule for social media? Or have you deviated from it, leaving it on the backburner until a better time announces itself? Consistency is key, and if you have found yourself straying from regular posting this past year, plotting and planning might be your recipe for a successful new year. Prepare yourself a social media marketing calendar and decide on how regularly you need to be posting and what sort of content you need to be publishing. If you don’t have time to regularly schedule posts on social media, there are platforms to help you do so. For instance, Facebook lets you schedule posts in advance, and Hootsuite has got you for advance scheduling on platforms like Instagram and Twitter. 

Figure Out What Works

The miracle of social media is that it can automatically store and analyse your social media accounts and, rather than having to ask around, the internet can tell you where you’re falling short. People go online because it’s quick and efficient — so make sure your page reflects that. Figure out from your platform’s analytics what’s failing to get interest, and then research what you can do to improve this. If in doubt, look at other similar online businesses that are doing well and study their social media accounts. 

Remember the Aesthetics

A common mistake made on business accounts is forgetting about the importance of aesthetics. Your social media accounts should not only act as a second door to your business, but also as a window. Nice, clear images make viewers feel enlightened on your company’s success. Good photos connect to the customer through their aesthetic appeal and are met with positive reception. Ensure what you’re posting is relevant and reflective of your company image. If you don’t have the skills to take your own photos, hire someone who does, or even circulate other’s professional images (just make sure to credit the photographer!). 

Proofread Twice.

Sometimes the easiness of social media can be both a bad and a good thing. On one side, you can send out a post in a matter of seconds; on the other side, you forget the importance of taking care with your content. While social media is a demanding platform, keeping up with your viewership without compromising the integrity of your work remains important. Keep your editing consistent. Much like an email from a false millionaire cancer patient, you don’t want your lack of editing to fail you. Check for errors once before posting — and then again after.

Take Risks 

The thing with risks is that there is always somewhat of a payoff. You either push yourself forward and enjoy the success, or you learn something new and improve as a person. What can your business afford to take risks on this coming year? One thing more people need to be taking advantage of on social media is the power of influencers. Is there a successful social media account that could promote your business/product? Could you be paying to boost certain posts online? Could your business benefit from a website upgrade? Figure out what you need to be taking risks on and work with it. You never know what success it could bring you.  

If you are about to launch your company online or need help developing a new marketing strategy for the new year then contact us today.

Written by Ashley Valli 

Key Instagram Metrics You Should Measure

With access to so many insights and stats across social media channels it can be overwhelming to know what you should be looking for and what you should be analysing.

Where do you even start?

1. Received Comments.
Engagement. Whilst receiving likes are nice, comments are what we’re looking for. Consider the amount of time it takes to like a photo compared to writing a comment. The more engagement you have the better relationship you have with a customer base. This means your message is really resonating with the right people. You’re building a loyal following and a community.

2. Engaging Hashtags
Make sure to monitor and review which hashtags gain you more likes and engagement. Putting together a simple list is a great start and time saver, that way you can add them into relevant posts as often as you need to.

3. Engagement Per Follower
What is your engagement interaction relative to your follower size? You can’t compare your companies profile to that of larger brands like Nike who have millions of followers. This is a key indicator to understanding if your followers are resonating with your content. Try to create content that keeps your audience checking back in with your page.

4. Followers Gained.
How much reach are your post getting? It’s important to measure this metric over a period of time, not day by day. Whilst it’s important to grow your page followers its also important to keep up your engagement. You can look to collaborating with influencers asking for shout outs which is a word of mouth between networks. This will help you grow your reach and increase your followers.

5. Referral Traffic
How much traffic is your website receiving from Instagram? Although the platform lacks a click through link of posted content it only provides marketers with a website like on the bio of a page, this could seem limiting but simply ensuring that your call of action leads the user back to the bio link which can be customised will mean you can track your conversion per post.

There are some great online tools to help you track and schedule in your social media content. We love using Hootsuite and Iconsquare. For more information on how to report and analyse your data for optimal results, simply give us a call and we can organise a one-on-one workshop.

If it all seems too much, find out more about our social media marketing packages we have on offer.

The Shift to New Culture Makers.

In this digital age, the way we interact and take in information is ever evolving. For a brand to reach it's potential customer in this social age they should look to collaborating with influencers also know as the new age “culture makers". These creators are a brands' link into the right target market. This shift in the way consumers filter and interact with new products and brands are becoming ever more apparent.

When seeking out an influencer it is important that the influencer share their experience with the brand as authentically as possible, over their social media channels, so to resonate with their unique audience whilst integrating the band (or product) into their story.

What should you look for when finding you ideal influencer and marketing?

1. Authenticity from a shared purpose
Find a collaborator who’s audience is true and authentic and is in line with your brand.

2. Don’t just broadcast; build a community
It’s not a hard sell it’s building a relationship based of like minded values

3. Get creative
It’s social. Loosen up the traditional sales pitch and get real with your customers. Be engaging.

4. Ask yourself: “Who will LOVE this?”
Find what truly resonates with your audience indulge in their passions, be different and take a risk.

Knowing how a brand fits in with a content creator is an art, and that’s where we can help you source and reach out to the right influences. It’s about finding the right place and time for your brand to filter in, create meaning and connect.

If you need help growing your business online, we provide several packages to help you get set-up, connected with the right people and to manage your page. For more information on these packages: