Social media marketing may seem simple: Create relevant content, post relevant content, and await business growth. However, this is just the logistical part of it. Most people don’t think about what really matters: the research and strategy usually done beforehand.
In order to get the most out of social media marketing, we must identify our client’s target audience and create a strategy outlining the social tactics that will attract this target and keep their attention. This consists of research that continues while searching for content that will appeal to them.
Fast forward to a month from now. We’ve implemented our social media strategy, but how do we know our strategy is actually working?
Ideally, you’ll want to show the outcome of your strategy in a way that your client will easily comprehend. A concise report that shows key performance indicators with references to specific information. It really doesn’t matter if it’s a spreadsheet, presentation, or Word doc. There are different formats for just about every client.
Creating a comprehensive yet concise social media report is a difficult task that consists of making sense of data from a variety of different sources, such as reach, engagements, leads and conversions. It’s not easy to create a flawless report right from the get-go, but creating a solid one that your client will understand is definitely possible. These reports will also evolve over time; some of the information that once seemed critical may not be, while data that was once considered unimportant is now crucial to your success.
Design and usability: Keep the client in mind when designing your report. If you’re uncertain about what particular data may mean,then your client will definitely have trouble understanding it. A clean design makes information easier to read, easier to find, and easier to understand.
Data gathering: Everyone has their own preference of how they want to collect data, and there are usually two methods for doing so. The first method is to manually gather data from the analytics dashboards within each social channel and import the data into your report – usually copying and pasting. The second method is to use a social media analytics tool such as Quintly or Social Studio that automatically pulls all of your data at once and provides an overview for it on a dashboard. This method usually takes the stress away from having to dig for data through each platform you use, however they do come with subscription fees that may not be affordable for everyone.
First and foremost, the two key questions that every client will inevitably ask is “how much does this cost?” and “how much will we make?” This is where return on investment (ROI) comes into conversation. It is essential to set these objectives using the S.M.A.R.T. framework (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely).
For example, if gaining conversions is an objective of the client, a goal would be a specific number of leads you want to drive via social media for that month. Another objective could be that you want to increase engagement and awareness, on social media. It would be ideal to set a number and a deadline such as: ‘We will increase engagement and awareness by five percent by the end of the month.’
Make sure to keep your S.M.A.R.T. goals in mind when highlighting certain data points in your report!
When explaining the findings to the client, keep things simple. Establish a general logic that conveys the importance behind each metric. This should reduce any confusion and give them a better understanding of the data and why they should continue to invest in your strategy.
Following this guide will not only reduce stress, but will also give you the opportunity to focus on new ideas and strategies to improve performance in the future.
If you are seeking help on creating a social media report, feel free to contact us and we would be happy to work with you!
Online reviews can make or break your business. Companies are relying on social media and online review outlets to inform the public on their services, connect with current and prospective consumers and spread the good word about their business.
Unfortunately, people tend to post reviews if they’ve had a really bad experience or a really good one. The consumers who have had an okay experience don’t usually take the time to leave a review. This audience is the largest and needs some extra encouragement to leave an organic and positive review. So how do we tap into this group? Here are our recommendations:
Offer a discount or monetary reward based on referrals. Word-of-mouth is an incredibly powerful method of communication. With a referral program, people tend to speak more favorably about your company in order to get that referral – and the reward that’s attached to it.
It’s important to keep your audience up-to-date with new innovations being made, new products or services being offered, and promotions and specials. Newsletters let consumers know you care about your relationship with them and want to keep them in the loop. It is best practice to send these out, at a minimum, on a quarterly basis. Sending out too many emails will categorize you as spammy and will wind up costing you business.
Generally, the most popular sites for reviews are Facebook, Google and Yelp. Depending on the nature of your business, other review sites may be more relevant. Create a CTA to request reviews with a link to each outlet noted on the footer of any digital correspondence you have with you customers, such as emails or online receipts, so your customers can easily take the next step.
It’s important to keep up with reviews and respond in a timely manner. Make sure to thank customers for taking the time to leave a review. And never ignore the negative. Failure to respond to negative reviews only makes your company appear dismissive. Not sure how to respond to a negative review? Here’s a simple guide:
Read. Make sure you have a solid understanding of the customer’s problem. You’ll only make matters worse by missing the point your customer is trying to make.
Resolve. Find a solution for their problem, and if you don’t have one, let them know you’re working hard to solve it.
Record. Jot down these details to help improve your business practices and prevent this type of problem in the future.
Many times, bad reviews are the result of the customer not having the right information. Creating a FAQ page customers can easily access on your website will help prevent common minor issues people may encounter with your product and or service. If there is a solution already presented at their fingertips, they won’t need to leave a review about what happened. Also, if they have any doubts about your products or services, your FAQ page will answer those questions.
Reputation management software takes control and monitors your online reputation. For example, if a negative comment is posted, you’ll quickly receive an alert, so you can go nip it in the bud, helping you to be responsive in a timely manner. It’s hard to keep up with every review posted, but reputation management software will help address them quickly and effectively. Podium is a great software that we recommend for you to use in order to manage reviews.
This doesn’t mean just ask your customers for a review. You want to ask them at the right moment. If you ask at the wrong time, you may come off as pushy and get a negative review instead. After a customer enjoys a positive experience, you can have them fill out a survey/review form immediately. Leaving a positive post on social media is another good opportunity to ask. And if your service is subscription-based, you can insert a form to leave a review in your renewal letters. This also works for people who decide to re-purchase your products. When prompting your customer to leave a good review, make sure the language is casual, relaxed, and friendly.
Numbers are important
The ultimate goal is to get as many reviews as possible. For instance, if you have ten reviews with eight of them being good and two of them being not-so-good, you’re still in a good position.
Good reviews make for great shareable content. Share your positive testimonials people post on social media. Share positive reviews with your target audience, so your target audience doesn’t have to go looking for them.
Ultimately, the greatest advertising is a great product. If your company is constantly providing exceptional products and services, there really shouldn’t be a reason for anyone to leave a bad review. Make sure customer service is always available for consumers, ready to help and constantly remind them that you care about their experience.
Quick recap: Gaining positive online customer reviews are not only dependent on your services being good but the way you communicate and connect with your consumers to leave a good review in the first place. If there are any questions or professional assistance needed in forming a social remediation strategy, feel free to contact us!
The year was 2013: The Snowden Leaks were the talk of the country, throngs of people lined up to buy the iPhone 5S, “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk played on a loop on every radio station, Facebook introduced the edit functionality, and a newcomer named Snapchat had users sending over 60 million snaps a day.
Think about it. Five years isn’t that long, but in digital marketing and advertising years, five years might as well have been decades ago. Suffice it to say, a lot has changed in the social media space since 2013.
Long gone are the days when simply throwing together a content calendar and posting your own content and some third party content was good enough. Posting for posting sake is dead. Today, you must be consistently creating visually strong and useful content that will resonate with your target audience. Talking at your audience hasn’t worked in years. Talk with your audience, give them opportunities to easily communicate with you. Create content that will allow them to connect with you and your brand story at a far deeper level.
Remember that visual content I talked about? The arrival of photo-centric platforms like Instagram and Pinterest ushered in the era of image-heavy content marketing. In 2013, a strong text only blog post, Facebook status update, or Tweet was good enough. Today, compelling visuals (both photo and video) are the name of the game. It’s important to create an experience for your audience through your visuals. If you aren’t investing a major part of your time, effort, or budget on strong creative you’re missing out on ways you can set yourself apart and grab your audience’s attention.
Along with visuals, the other key to setting yourself apart involves crafting and telling a compelling brand story. Storytelling and visuals work hand-in-hand, whether through a brand video, photos, graphics, or illustrations – to captivate your audience. Consumers are starved for a way to emotionally connect to your brand or business; visually create the path for them to do so.
Unless you’ve been under a rock the past year, you’ve repeatedly heard that video is the absolute king of content marketing today. But that wasn’t the case five years ago. While video content has been around thanks to YouTube since 2006, video didn’t become an integral part of social media marketing until 2 years ago. And we’re not talking about standard video content; we mean social video and live streaming as well. Mobile technology propelled this video explosion. Never before have you or I had access to such high-quality video production in the palm of our hands.And social media platforms have created environments where these easily created videos can thrive. Play along, upload videos, or go live often and you’ll soon see the fruits of your social media labor.
Brands have discovered the multi-faceted value in leveraging user generated content. Using CGM is a way to gain your audience’s immediate trust and credibility. 92% of consumers trust the recommendations of others over an ad (Expertcity). CGM creates a sense of trust that can’t be gained through traditional ads. It also brings your audience together through a shared emotional connection which is invaluable.
Hold onto your hats, this is good: 80% of internet users own a smartphone (Smart Insights) and over 50% of smartphone users grab their smartphones immediately after waking up (Express Pigeon). With numbers like that there’s no question we’re living in a mobile-centric world, and businesses are taking note. Today, top brands have added mobile customer service messaging, live streaming, and social e-commerce to their social media arsenal and it’s paying off. Creating mobile-friendly content must be a top priority today in 2018 and moving forward.
Before I lose your attention with more numbers, know that social networks have definitely become the new online stores. 56% of consumers say they follow brands on social media to be alerted to sales and coupons. 31% of online shoppers say they’re using social media specifically to find new items to purchase. I don’t know about you, but if I were a retailer, I would want to go and share my brand story, share useful information, and build a community in the exact place where people are spending the majority of their free time, especially if they’re spending their dollars there as well.
There have long been rumblings around the internet that social media is no longer effective. Can you believe that? We know they couldn’t be more wrong. What they mean to say (I’m positive) is that social media as we knew it in 2013 is dead and gone. It has evolved into a platform for brands to tell stories visually, entertain, educate, inform, delight, and connect with their audiences in an authentic and transparent way that fosters genuine conversations.
If you’re looking to create and execute a visually compelling social media strategy or campaign, Boxcar Creative is your team. Building brands into content creators and industry leaders through engaging content is what we’re all about! It’s 2018; don’t get left behind using 2013 social media strategy.
And now it’s your turn, what new social strategy will you be implementing to propel your brand forward this year? Tell us here or chat with us over on Facebook. We’re waiting to hear from you!