Put the Web to Work

CONSUMERS ARE BUYING But are they finding YOU and CHOOSING you over your competitors? Let's face it, in today's world, consumers are in control. Sales people are not. They have searched on Google, gone to Facebook and Instagram, checked multiple review sites, and asked for validation on their choice from their friends. This is BEFORE they ever call a company. If you've worked consistently on your search and social reach, they probably found you in the mix. The question is, are they choosing you in the slew of other worthy choices? Make no mistake, your social media presence sends a message. The question is, what KIND of message? Don't have a social media presence?  That's a very loud and clear message. The consumer thinks:  What?? How can you not be on social media? That's where everyone is - that's where I am. Probably not a good company - they're probably afraid of what people will say about them. Have a Facebook page, but don...

If you don’t have one, it’s time to create one. Time (and message consistency) is of the essence when a social media crisis hits. That’s not the time to try to figure out what to do. You should have a documented plan already in place, with specific policies for your employees, as well as outlined steps and a checklist for managing the challenge across all channels. Some things to consider when writing your crisis plan and  developing your policies: DO NOT CENSOR Do not censor criticism or negative comments on your social media channels, unless they violate your terms or contain foul language that might offend your community. Removing criticism and complaints can quickly lead to more harsh comments spiraling out of control. ACKNOWLEDGE & TRY TO TAKE IT OFFLINE Try to understand what the negative commenter wants. It’s important to respond quickly and publicly, acknowledge the concern, and then take the conversation offline as quickly as possible. BE CONSCIOUS...

                 Scroll through the first 10 posts in your social media feed. How many emojis do you see? Scan your recent text messages. How many emojis do you see? This little exercise really reveals how prevalent emoji use has become! Emojis have quickly entered their way into the world of business marketing . They've become a norm, not only in personal communication, but also business communication. In fact, emoji use in marketing messages has become extremely prevalent for many major brands, including Disney, Pepsi, Dominos, Taco Bell, and Coke. The power in emojis is their ability to humanize your message and better connect with your prospects. Emojis enable you to communicate feeling and emotion (visually) in an otherwise sterile written message. This can be extremely powerful when used properly. This is because people tend to ACT when they are made to actually feel a certain way. In other words, they act...

Whether you LOVE or HATE hashtags, they are an important part of using social media. Hashtags can provide a simple way of searching for specific, topical content. Understanding WHY they're such an important part of social media marketing and what they can do for your business is even more important. Hashtags give you the ability to track conversations about your brand and products. Hashtags can help you keep an eye on what's going on in your industry. Read on for   5 reasons why you need to be using hashtags in your social media marketing . 5 Reasons Why Hashtags are a MUST 1. Hashtags allow you to keep an eye on your competition. Interested in seeing what people are saying about your competitors on social media? Try performing a search of hashtags related to their business. This may shed some light on a few things such as: How often they are receiving complaints How your competitors are responding to complaints How you might be able to set yourself apart fr...

Hiring an experienced social media agency can benefit your company greatly. You know the old saying, "work ON your business, not IN your business." Social media is one of those areas that many business owners attempt to do on their own, or worse yet ... have an inexperienced employee handle. Social media works when there is a strategy and consistency. It works when it's executed well. However, it can be perilous for businesses that aren't skilled and educated about what content they posting and where they are getting that content. Trusting a social media agency to handle this not only ensures it is as effective as it can be, but it also frees you up to do things that you should be doing and helps protect you against potential copyright infringements. In this blog, we will give you 5 benefits to hiring a social media management company . 1. Out of the Box Thinking Hiring an outside company to manage your social media can offer an outside perspective. An e...

Smart phones, tablets, smart watches, PCs, smart TVs, gaming consoles...  We live in a world where practically any device can access the internet.  According to a  report by GlobalWebIndex , most people spend more than 6 hours a day online. Of that time, 1.72 hours is spent on social media networks. This means that browsing social media makes up almost 30% of the time consumers spend online . Yet despite these staggering statistics, there are several business owners out there who have not yet embraced social media marketing . Unfortunately, what these business owners may not realize is that neglecting to maintain a social media presence may actually hurt your business. Keep reading to find out what we mean. 7 Reasons Why Not Being On Social Media Is Bad For Business 1. Your Customers Expect You To Be There. According to a report issued by Social Media Examiner , 93% of marketers are using Facebook   and 66% of marketers plan to increase their use of Twitt...