ReportWire

Tag: Social Media Marketing

  • 5 strategies to maximize your real estate lead generation in 2026 – Houston Agent Magazine

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    The real estate industry in 2026 is more tech-driven, data-informed, and digitally sophisticated than ever. For real estate professionals, lead generation is no longer just a skill — it’s a science. Success now depends on leveraging AI-powered tools, immersive content, hyperlocal targeting and social media strategies tailored to today’s mobile-first, on-demand homebuyers.

    ● The mobile-first experience: In today’s fast-paced world, most potential homebuyers begin their search on a mobile device. Optimizing your online presence for mobile users is no longer optional; it’s essential. This means having a responsive website design, fast loading times and content that adapts seamlessly to various screen sizes.

    ● The rise of video content: Video remains king, but today’s buyers expect interactive, immersive experiences. Think 3D virtual tours, AI-generated staging, AR property previews, and live-streamed walkthroughs. These formats boost engagement and can dramatically shorten the time it takes to move a prospect from interest to showing.

    Social media continues to be a cornerstone of real estate lead generation. TikTok has emerged as a powerhouse for short, engaging property videos that can reach tens of thousands of viewers organically. Instagram remains ideal for visually rich content like reels, Stories, and carousel posts, while Facebook provides robust tools for hyper-targeted advertising and community engagement.

    In 2026, AI-assisted ad targeting across all three platforms allows agents to personalize campaigns based on predicted buyer behavior, ensuring your content reaches the right audience at the right time.

    ● The importance of SEO: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) algorithms in 2026 favor personalized, authoritative content. Beyond keyword optimization, focus on creating AI-assisted blog posts, dynamic local market updates, and interactive neighborhood guides that improve dwell time and conversion.

    ● Leveraging local search: Local SEO is more critical than ever. Optimize for neighborhood-specific searches, leverage Google Business Profile features like Q&A and posts, and use geotargeted ads to reach buyers before they even know they’re looking in your area.

    ● Virtual tours and interactive listings: In a digital-first world, offering virtual tours and interactive listings can set you apart. They provide an immersive experience, allowing potential buyers to explore properties virtually, which can be especially appealing in the current hyper-competitive market.

    ● Online calculators and quizzes: Interactive tools like mortgage calculators or home preference quizzes can be great for engaging visitors and collecting lead information. They add value to your website and encourage visitors to interact with your content, leaving behind valuable data.

    ● The role of paid services: While organic strategies are essential, paid lead generation services can be a valuable addition to your toolkit. These services can help amplify your reach, targeting specific demographics or geographic areas. They can be especially useful for boosting visibility in highly competitive markets.

    The real estate market continues to evolve, driven by technology and innovation. By embracing cutting-edge strategies, from optimizing for mobile users to leveraging social media and incorporating paid lead generation services, real estate professionals can significantly enhance their lead generation efforts. The key to success lies in staying adaptable, continually learning and experimenting with new methods to connect with potential clients in this ever-changing landscape.

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    Matthew Clark

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  • How Meta’s Link Limit in Facebook Posts Will Cost Small Business Marketers

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    Marketing products on Facebook is about to become more expensive for influencers, content creators, and companies. The social platform’s parent company, Meta, informed members with business accounts that they’ll have to start paying if they want to send more than two links per month to customers and followers through the site.

    The good news for entrepreneurs and small companies promoting their businesses on Facebook is that Meta’s move to limit links on organic posts is currently just a test. The bad news is there’s a better than fair chance the tech giant will not only make the two-free-monthly-links-policy permanent, but possibly extend it to its other social platforms like Instagram. The reason? The trial restriction reflects Meta’s ongoing efforts to wring as much profit from its various business units as possible.

    The alert sent to Facebook business account holders noted that the only way to avoid the link limitation is to “(s)ubscribe to Meta Verified” for the monthly fee of $14.99. That premium option already offers users a badge vouching for their company’s legitimacy, and also provides protective measures against fraudsters impersonating them.

    Several media reports have quoted Meta officials stressing the trial nature of the link limitation. Social media expert Matt Navarra was among the first people to alert other business account holders to the change, and offered Meta’s reasoning behind it.

    “This is a limited test to understand whether the ability to publish an increased volume of posts with links add additional value for Meta Verified subscribers,” Navarra wrote in a Facebook post, in which he initially seemed to try calming any fears the expensive update will remain in place for good. “This isn’t enforcement or a platform-wide rule change — it’s a small, controlled test.”

    But in subsequent posts, Navarra changed his tone, noting Meta’s continued quest to monetize as many aspects of its social media platforms as possible. Those reminders were unlikely to have allayed his readers’ fears that the current trial forcing Facebook business account holders to subscribe to Meta Verified isn’t the next step in the company’s profit-enhancing process.

    “(I)t does reinforce a broader direction,” Navarra acknowledged. “Meta Verified is increasingly being treated as a trust layer, not just a badge. If this expands, it would mark a meaningful shift.”

    In some ways, it already does.

    Not only will Facebook business account holders be limited to two monthly free links in their messages — which most use to drive followers or customers to their content. In its restriction notice, meanwhile, Meta underlined that those two freebies should be used on the very first day of each month, because “unused posts won’t be rolled over” for use later on.

    Even in the restriction’s current test, Navarra noted, creators and small business marketers are effectively watching their unlimited link publishing capabilities being placed behind the Meta Verified paywall.

    “This isn’t really about verification as much as about bundling survival features behind a subscription,” Navarra told the BBC. “If you’re a creator or a business, I think the message is essentially if Facebook is a part of your growth or traffic strategy, that access now has a price tag attached to it… And that’s new in its explicitness, even if it’s been the direction of travel for a while.”

    In other words, don’t be shocked if the current test becomes a permanent rule — and starts migrating to other Meta social platforms. Anticipating that, Navarra offered affected entrepreneurs a valuable communications reminder.

    “Tests like this underline why building a business that’s overly dependent on any one platform’s goodwill is incredibly risky,” he told the broadcaster, saying this kind of squeezing will likely increase over time. “For creators it reinforces a pretty brutal reality that Facebook is no longer a reliable traffic engine and Meta is increasingly nudging it away from people trying to use it as one.”

    Go inside one interesting founder-led company each day to find out how its strategy works, and what risk factors it faces. Sign up for 1 Smart Business Story from Inc. on Beehiiv.

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    Bruce Crumley

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  • Why Founders Keep Failing on Social Media | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As a founder, your instinct is to appeal to everyone. Investors. Customers. Partners. The whole world feels like your audience.

    And that instinct is killing your posts.

    The biggest mistake I see founders make on social media is trying to speak to everyone at once. The result? Your message hits no one with any power. Social media works when one person on the other side of the screen feels like you’re talking directly to them. And only them. That’s when they stop scrolling. That’s when they like, comment, DM and share.

    If you’re writing posts for a crowd, you’re blending into the noise. If you’re writing for one person, you’re cutting through it.

    Talk to the ONE.

    Think about the last time you heard a great keynote. Thousands of people in the room, but it felt like the speaker was talking just to you. That’s the effect you need to recreate in your posts.

    Related: Why Authenticity Is the Key to Making Great Social Media Content and Building a More Devoted Audience

    Here’s how to do it

    1. Use direct language. Say you. Not “teams,” not “leaders in general.” You.
    2. Call out exactly who you’re speaking to. “As a founder…” “If you’re leading a small team…” Be very specific.
    3. Match their language and tone. Talk how they talk. Tech founders read differently than family-run restaurant owners. Investors hear you differently than customers.
    4. Anchor it in real experiences. Share stories your “one” will nod along to and relate to.
    5. Ask questions. Keep it conversational. If you wouldn’t say it out loud to a friend, don’t post it.

    The goal is connection, not coverage.

    Related: 11 Social Media Secrets Every Business Should Be Using in 2025

    Who is your ONE?

    Before you write the post, get clear:

    • Is this message for investors?
    • Is it for potential customers?
    • Is it for peers and other founders?

    Pick one. Speak to them. Let everyone else listen in. Being direct isn’t enough. You also have to engage. Respond to comments. Ask follow-ups. Keep the conversation alive in the comment section. The magic of social media isn’t in the post; it’s in the dialogue that happens after.

    Yes, it takes more effort to do it this way. But the payoff is real. You’ll start seeing responses from people who “get it,” and that’s how networks and brands are built.

    By the way, this principle isn’t just for your social media work. It applies to everything: your website, your pitch deck and even how you write emails. If people don’t feel like you’re speaking directly to them, they’ll bounce. But when they do feel it? They stay. They engage. They buy in.

    And here’s the kicker: when you start focusing on one person, you’ll be shocked at how many “ones” actually show up.

    The ONE-Person Framework (fast filter before you post)

    Run every draft through three quick checks:

    O — Outcome:
    What single outcome does your reader want right now? Name it in the first 1–2 lines.

    N — Narrative:
    Tell a tiny story (3–6 sentences) that proves you’ve been where they are.

    E — Engagement:
    End with an invitation that’s easy to answer: a yes/no, a choice, a “fill-in-the-blank” or “DM me ‘PLAYBOOK’ if you want the steps.”

    If your post can’t pass O-N-E in under a minute, it’s still written for a crowd.

    Bad vs. Better (same idea, three audiences)

    Generic (bad):
    “Founders, growth is about focusing on customers and raising capital efficiently.”

    Investor-focused (better):
    “If you write checks, here’s the only metric that matters for us this quarter: cash payback in < 9 months on the core offer. Want the cohort math? I’ll drop it in a thread if you ask.”

    Customer-focused (better):
    “If you’re a CFO tired of surprise SaaS overages, here’s how we cap your spend in 30 days without switching tools. Step 1:…”

    Founder-peer (better):
    “Bootstrappers: stop optimizing your logo. Ship a clunky v1 to 10 paying customers. Here’s the email I send to get those first 10 calls.”

    Related: How to Market Yourself on Social Media in 4 Steps

    Micro-examples you can steal

    • Hook for investors: “If you care about repeatable revenue, look at this: 41% of logos bought a second product within 60 days. Here’s why.”
    • Hook for customers: “If your onboarding still takes 14 days, try this 3-email sequence. We cut ours to 72 hours.”
    • Hook for peers: “What actually moved MRR last month (and what was a total waste of time). Numbers and receipts below.”

    A simple post template (fill in and ship)

    1. Call the ONE: “If you’re a [role] who’s stuck with [pain]…”
    2. Promise an outcome: “…here’s how to get [specific result] in [time frame] without [common objection].”
    3. Proof/story: 3–6 sentences. Short, concrete, credible.
    4. One clear step: “Start with [step 1].”
    5. Engagement: “Want my checklist? Comment ‘CHECK’ and I’ll send it.”

    The 30-minute weekly workflow

    You don’t need a content department. You need a habit.

    Monday (10 min): Pick your ONE for the week. One audience. One outcome.
    Wednesday (15 min): Draft two posts. Use the template. Cut filler.
    Friday (5 min): Show up in the comments for 5 solid minutes — answer, ask, invite DMs. That’s it. Consistency beats virality.

    Comment strategy that actually builds business

    • Reply fast to the first 10 comments. Speed signals presence.
    • Ask back: “Curious — what’s the blocker on your team?” Pull the thread.
    • Move the qualified ones to DM with a micro-ask: “Want the 5-step SOP? DM me ‘SOP’ and I’ll send it.”
    • Close the loop publicly: “Sent!” Your audience sees you deliver.

    This is how posts turn into a pipeline.

    Quality metrics to track (ignore the vanity)

    • Replies per 1,000 views (conversation density)
    • Save rate (did this earn a second look?)
    • Inbound DMs per post (real intent)
    • % of comments from the ONE (are the right people talking back?)

    If these four move up, you’re winning — even if views are flat.

    Common traps to avoid

    • Spray-and-pray topics. If your post could apply to anyone, it will land with no one.
    • Jargon flexing. If the ONE wouldn’t say it out loud, don’t type it.
    • Burying the lead. Put the outcome in the first two lines.
    • CTA soup. One ask per post. Not three.
    • Ghosting your comments. If you won’t show up after you post, don’t expect your audience to.

    How to pick your ONE (when you serve multiple)

    Rotate deliberately:

    • Week 1: Potential customers
    • Week 2: Current users (expansion/retention)
    • Week 3: Investors/partners
    • Week 4: Founder peers (recruiting, brand)

    Write for one each week. Let the others eavesdrop.

    A 5-minute edit pass to run through before you hit ‘post’

    1. Highlight every “you.” Not enough? Rewrite.
    2. Cut your first sentence. Start where the heat begins.
    3. Swap abstractions for specifics. “Grow fast” → “Add $20k MRR in 60 days.”
    4. Add one question. Make it answerable in one line.
    5. Pick one CTA. Comment, DM or click — choose.

    Related: The 8 Secrets of Great Communicators

    Bring it home

    Crowds don’t buy. People do. So pick your person. Speak their language. Prove you’ve been where they are. Invite a next step. Do this, and your posts stop sounding like ads to everyone and start feeling like help to someone.

    Talk to one — and watch how many of your right-fit customers show up.

    As a founder, your instinct is to appeal to everyone. Investors. Customers. Partners. The whole world feels like your audience.

    And that instinct is killing your posts.

    The biggest mistake I see founders make on social media is trying to speak to everyone at once. The result? Your message hits no one with any power. Social media works when one person on the other side of the screen feels like you’re talking directly to them. And only them. That’s when they stop scrolling. That’s when they like, comment, DM and share.

    The rest of this article is locked.

    Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.

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    Chad Willardson

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  • How Marketers Can Stay Irreplaceable in the AI Era | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Most major marketing shifts don’t announce themselves with a press release; they strike with a shock that scatters the chessboard. I witnessed this firsthand during the dot-com boom — a tectonic event that substantially rewired my profession.

    And yet, the disruption we face today from artificial intelligence represents a shift of even greater magnitude. It isn’t simply a new tool; it feels more like an extinction event for an entire way of working. As a result, the professional environment is changing at breathtaking speed, and for marketers, the choice is the same as in nature: adapt or disappear.

    The split creates two paths. One leads to obsolescence, where marketers cling to tasks machines now execute better and faster. The other leads to enduring relevance, where the human skills of strategy and orchestration will define the future of the industry.

    Related: How to Turn Your ‘Marketable Passion’ Into Income After Retirement

    The paradox of infinite output

    The first casualties of AI are the very functions we once considered core to our daily work, such as ad production, content creation and analytics reporting. Any task that follows a predictable loop is now on the path to automation. But here lies the paradox: as the cost of content creation plummets to zero, so does its strategic value. We are hurtling toward a future saturated with infinite, interchangeable output. A sea of sameness.

    And the backlash to this future is already visible. Consumers are proving masterful at tuning out formulaic messaging, and their innate “spidey sense” for spotting bot-generated content is only becoming more acute.

    This powerful human response means the very tools designed to make marketing more efficient now risk making it entirely invisible. Infinite output creates zero distinction — a battle that these machines, for all their power, are unequipped to win.

    Related: AI Has Limits — Here’s How to Find the Balance Between Tech and Humanity

    The rise of the ‘Human Choreographer’

    But this is precisely where human marketers will reassert their value. In a world where anyone can generate an ad, the advantage shifts from making to meaning. AI, for all its brilliance, lacks true sentience. This reveals itself in AI’s inability to grasp the why behind the what. It can execute a step flawlessly, but it doesn’t know which dancers to put on stage, what music fits the moment, or how the performance should make the audience feel.

    Therefore, the marketer of the future must evolve from an operator into an orchestrator — a human choreographer who shapes culture, senses customer emotion and navigates organizational nuance that machines cannot even see. This new role rests on three irreplaceable pillars that form the unautomatable core of modern marketing leadership:

    1. Discernment: AI can generate a hundred options, but much of it is derivative or even hallucinated. The human edge is judgment — distinguishing signal from noise, knowing when to act and when to wait. In an age of abundance, value doesn’t come from more ideas; it comes from the human ability to filter, prioritize and place the right bet.
    2. Empathy: At its core, marketing is about building relationships, and brands are built on trust. A machine can analyze sentiment, but it cannot grasp the unspoken emotional cues that forge genuine connections. This single deficiency is what elevates empathy to the ultimate currency of brand loyalty in a world of automated messages.
    3. Creative leap: AI predicts by extrapolating from the past. But the most powerful ideas that reshape cultures come from breaking patterns altogether. This leap of imagination, the spark that reframes a category or captures the zeitgeist, still belongs uniquely to the human mind.

    Taken together, these three pillars of discernment, empathy and creativity are what allow human leaders to create meaning in a world of automated noise. But possessing these skills isn’t enough. To remain essential, marketers must prove their value in the only language the business understands: impact.

    Related: How AI is Reshaping Work While Reinforcing the Need for Leadership, Empathy, and Creativity

    Redefining the scorecard for success

    For too long, marketing has hidden behind the comfortable shield of vanity metrics — endless charts of impressions and clicks, along with creative awards that mean little to the C-suite. These outcomes may comfort us, but they don’t convince anyone holding the purse strings. My litmus test is simple. Could I put this metric in front of my CFO and have them immediately grasp its connection to enterprise value?

    Answering that question forces an overhaul of our dashboards, anchoring our performance to the metrics that truly matter:

    • Customer Economics: A clear view of customer acquisition cost (CAC), lifetime value (LTV), and retention.
    • Revenue Contribution: Tracking qualified demand that converts into pipeline, not just raw lead volume.
    • Brand as an Asset: Measuring growth in awareness, preference and trust as leading indicators of future success.

    By aligning our work with these measures, marketing transforms from overhead into an undeniable engine of growth.

    Related: How to Tell If Your Marketing Is Driving Real Business Results

    The marketing department, reimagined

    The next wave of marketing won’t be defined by disappearing roles as much as emerging ones. The most forward-thinking organizations are already reinventing their teams with new specialities, such as: AI Prompt Architects who master the art of shaping models, Ethics and Trust Stewards who safeguard brand credibility and Integration Orchestrators who fuse data science and creativity into a cohesive story.

    Ultimately, the result will be a department with fewer executors and more choreographers. The marketing team of the future sheds its skin as an assembly line to become more of a control tower for growth and customer experience.

    The leaders who thrive will be those who evolve beyond traditional marketing to become choreographers of meaning, trust and growth. For them, adaptation isn’t optional — only the speed of transformation is.

    Most major marketing shifts don’t announce themselves with a press release; they strike with a shock that scatters the chessboard. I witnessed this firsthand during the dot-com boom — a tectonic event that substantially rewired my profession.

    And yet, the disruption we face today from artificial intelligence represents a shift of even greater magnitude. It isn’t simply a new tool; it feels more like an extinction event for an entire way of working. As a result, the professional environment is changing at breathtaking speed, and for marketers, the choice is the same as in nature: adapt or disappear.

    The split creates two paths. One leads to obsolescence, where marketers cling to tasks machines now execute better and faster. The other leads to enduring relevance, where the human skills of strategy and orchestration will define the future of the industry.

    The rest of this article is locked.

    Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.

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    Jason Greenwood

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  • Why Relying on Social Media for Income Is a Losing Game for Creators | Entrepreneur

    Why Relying on Social Media for Income Is a Losing Game for Creators | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Social media platforms are constantly evolving to keep creators engaged, but the changes to their monetization systems aren’t always in the creators’ best interest. Recently, platforms like Meta (Instagram/Facebook) and X (formerly Twitter) made adjustments to their creator monetization platforms in an effort to keep us producing content that keeps users scrolling. But let’s be honest — these systems are designed to benefit the platform more than the creator.

    Not everyone is on these platforms to make money from their monetization programs, but if you are — and you’re relying on these platforms for revenue — you’re playing a losing game. Algorithms control the visibility of your content, and whether you’re earning from ad revenue or just trying to reach more people, it’s the platform that ultimately calls the shots.

    I’ve experienced this firsthand. Over the last year, I racked up 35.9 million impressions on X. You’d think with that kind of reach, the payout would be significant, right? Well, not quite. My total earnings? $115.24. That’s barely enough for a decent pair of sneakers.

    The truth is, if you’re relying solely on platforms like Meta or X to build your livelihood, you’re going to be disappointed. These platforms are great for visibility, but they aren’t designed to make creators rich. It’s time to stop chasing likes, shares and viral moments and start taking control of your content and revenue streams.

    Related: 3 Reasons Why Relying on Social-Media Marketing Is a Losing Strategy

    Platforms are for awareness, not revenue

    Let’s get this straight — social media platforms are excellent tools for building awareness. They can help you reach new audiences, grow your following and gain visibility. But when it comes to monetizing that reach, the situation changes. The problem isn’t with creators not making good content; it’s that the platforms themselves control how many people see your work and how much you earn from it.

    Creators need to understand that these platforms are ad platforms first, not creator-first. They profit from ads, not from paying creators. Recent changes on Meta and X reflect this, as both platforms have made tweaks to their monetization systems to keep creators engaged and pumping out content. However, these changes don’t really shift the balance in the creator’s favor.

    The reality of revenue share on social platforms

    Here’s how monetization on these platforms works:

    • Meta (Instagram/Facebook): They’ve introduced In-Stream Ads and Ads on Reels, allowing creators to earn from their content. But unless you have a huge following, those earnings will be minimal. They may give the illusion of helping creators, but the lion’s share of the revenue goes to Meta.

    • X (formerly Twitter): X recently made a switch to paying creators based on engagement from Premium users only. This means if your audience isn’t subscribed to X Premium, their engagement doesn’t count toward your earnings. In other words, the platform is asking you to push their premium service to make money.

    The common theme? These platforms dictate your reach and earnings. Even with millions of impressions, you might still see shockingly low payouts. That’s the reality of relying on algorithms and ad-based revenue.

    What content ownership really means

    When I say “take ownership of your content,” I’m talking about moving away from platforms you don’t control. You need to be in charge of where your content lives, how it’s monetized and who gets to access it.

    This is what true ownership looks like:

    • Your content resides on a platform you control.

    • You decide how it’s monetized.

    • You set the terms for who gets access and keep 100% of the revenue.

    Social media platforms are useful for visibility, but if they change their algorithms or policies, your reach and income can vanish overnight. Creators who rely solely on these platforms are always at risk of having their hard-earned audience controlled by someone else’s rules.

    I’ve seen creators with massive followings wake up one day to find their reach has been slashed because of an algorithm update. That’s the trap: You’re constantly at the mercy of decisions made by the platform, not by you.

    Related: Using Social Media Alone To Build Your Brand’s Online Community Means You Risk Losing It All. Here’s Why.

    Creators are sleeping on email

    The crazy part? Many creators are still sleeping on email. Even some of the biggest names in content creation are putting all their faith in social media platforms. But email is one of the most powerful tools for reaching your audience directly. Unlike social media, you own your email list. Algorithms can’t touch it.

    Take Morning Brew as an example. They built their media empire by delivering free content through email. They cut through the social media noise, and today, they’re monetizing that audience through ads and sponsorships — keeping the majority of the revenue for themselves.

    Email marketing gives you control and consistency. You don’t have to worry about reach being throttled because you own the relationship with your audience.

    Why every creator needs a paid newsletter or course

    If you’re serious about monetizing your audience, it’s time to move beyond relying solely on social platforms. Instead, focus on creating content you can own, like a paid newsletter or an online course.

    Here’s why these models work:

    1. Paid newsletters: A paid newsletter allows you to deliver exclusive, high-value content directly to your subscribers. This creates recurring revenue and puts you in control of what you’re delivering and how much you’re charging. Morning Brew is a prime example of how this model can be scaled. By giving away content for free, they built a massive audience, which they now monetize through ads and sponsorships.

    2. Online courses: Have a skill or expertise? Package it up and sell it as a course. Online courses are a scalable product that keeps generating revenue even after you’ve created it. You can build a course once and keep profiting from it indefinitely.

    How you can leverage social platforms for awareness

    Just because I’m saying don’t rely on social platforms for revenue doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use them. Social platforms are still one of the best ways to build awareness and get attention at the top of the funnel. Here’s how you can leverage them to support your monetization strategy:

    1. Create awareness: Post engaging content that hooks people in. Your goal is to drive visibility, not immediate monetization.

    2. Drive traffic to owned channels: Once you’ve captured attention, move your audience to your email list, website or paid newsletter — platforms you control.

    3. Monetize on your terms: With your audience on a platform you own, you can monetize however you see fit, keeping all the revenue and growing your business sustainably.

    Related: Why Email Marketing Is Better for Your Business Than Social Media

    The creator economy is evolving, and the future belongs to those who take control of their content and revenue streams. Social media platforms like Meta and X are great for building awareness, but you shouldn’t depend on them for monetization.

    Instead, take control by moving your audience to a platform like email newsletters or online courses, where you own the content, the reach and the revenue. You’ll be free from the constant algorithm changes and in control of how much you earn.

    Ready to take control of your future? Start building your audience and stop relying on social platforms to determine your success. The future of your business depends on it.

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    Carlos Gil

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  • Why the Future of Cybersecurity Marketing Relies on Trust | Entrepreneur

    Why the Future of Cybersecurity Marketing Relies on Trust | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Cybersecurity marketing is changing rapidly, and the reason can be simplified down to a single word: trust. With improving technology, cybercrime is becoming more complex, and corporations must present themselves as not only solution providers but rather reliable guardians of clients’ most valuable assets. It’s no wonder that trust has become the bedrock of marketing in the cybersecurity industry over time.

    Why trust is so important in cybersecurity marketing

    Trust is important to any business, but the element of trust is critical in cybersecurity. The clients are not buying a physical product; they are buying a guarantee of safety. Decision-makers such as the CISO, CTO, and others need to be assured that the cybersecurity service provider they are looking at is able to grasp and respond to emerging threats.

    Traditional marketing methods often fail to build this level of trust. Flashy ads and mass campaigns now feel overtly insincere, especially in a domain where sincerity is crucial. Prospects now need to have a high level of rapport with a company before even considering a demo, let alone becoming a customer. This is where the value of content marketing has risen as an effective approach.

    Companies can demonstrate some level of thought leadership and credibility by providing educational resources like articles, case studies, webinars, whitepapers, etc. This shows that they grasp the evolving nature of cyber threats, which helps gain potential clients’ trust.

    Related: 7 Marketing Strategies to Help Your Startup Grow and Scale

    Challenges of traditional advertising in cybersecurity

    While many cybersecurity companies still use traditional advertising, it’s proving more and more to be less and less effective in today’s market. Audiences are overwhelmed with ads, leading to extreme “ad fatigue,” where potential customers ignore these messages, making it harder for brands to stand out and establish credibility.

    Moreover, people have become more skeptical of advertisements, often seeing them as exaggerated or misleading. This skepticism can be very damaging in cybersecurity, where trust is crucial. Instead of relying on ads, decision-makers turn to recommendations from peers or trusted industry experts. This is where influencer marketing becomes invaluable.

    Related: Marketing Campaigns Must Do More than Drive Clicks — Here’s How to Craft Landing Pages That Convert Clicks into Customers

    The power of influencer marketing

    Influencers have emerged as powerful voices because they’ve built authentic relationships with their followers and, in many cases, opted-in subscribers. For cybersecurity companies, partnering with these influencers means tapping into that established trust and reaching an audience far more receptive to their message.

    Finding the right influencers: The challenges

    Finding the right influencers in the cybersecurity space isn’t easy. Unlike other industries, cybersecurity is complex and demands high expertise. For this reason, companies need to be very selective about whom they partner with. It’s not just about the influencer’s following; their audience should consist of decision-makers genuinely interested in cybersecurity solutions. Furthermore, the influencer must have credibility and a history of discussing relevant topics accurately.

    Vetting influencers is a time-consuming process that involves analyzing their content and engagement rates and verifying their audience’s authenticity. A poor match can be costly, wasting marketing spend and potentially harming a brand’s reputation.

    Using platforms to streamline influencer marketing

    Given these challenges, many companies are turning to platforms that specialize in influencer marketing to simplify the process. These platforms vet influencers and provide data-driven insights to ensure that brands are matched with the most relevant voices. That’s where platforms like Presspool.ai, which I founded, come in — simplifying and streamlining the process.

    These platforms use advanced analytics to connect cybersecurity companies with verified influencers, engaging high-intent audiences. By leveraging data, these platforms match brands with influencers whose audience perfectly aligns with their target market, such as CISOs, CTOs, or other decision-makers. This approach removes the guesswork and allows brands to build authentic partnerships, making influencer marketing both scalable and efficient.

    How influencer marketing drives results in cybersecurity

    When executed correctly, influencer marketing can be incredibly powerful for cybersecurity brands. It allows them to reach high-intent audiences—people actively seeking solutions—who are more likely to engage. The key is that these audiences are hearing about your solution from someone they already trust, which significantly accelerates the sales cycle.

    For instance, when a respected influencer in the cybersecurity field endorses a product, their followers are immediately intrigued. They’re more likely to click through, read the content, and genuinely consider the solution. This level of engagement is rarely achieved through traditional advertising.

    Moreover, influencers help educate potential clients, breaking down complex topics in a way that resonates with their audience. This not only builds trust but also positions the brand as a credible authority in the space.

    Why data and technology matter

    As with any marketing strategy, measuring ROI is crucial. This is where data-driven platforms like Presspool.ai become invaluable. By providing real-time analytics on campaign performance, engagement rates, and conversions, these platforms allow companies to see exactly how their influencer partnerships are driving results.

    The ability to track and optimize campaigns in real-time allows brands to adapt quickly, ensuring they’re always getting the best possible return on investment. This combination of data-driven insights and authentic influencer partnerships sets the stage for the future of cybersecurity marketing.

    Related: AI Might Know What You Are Feeling Before You Even Do — Here’s How AI Can Help Us With Client Feedback

    As the digital landscape continues to evolve, cybersecurity companies must adapt their marketing strategies to avoid becoming irrelevant. Traditional advertising methods are rapidly losing effectiveness, and buyers are seeking more authentic, trusted voices.

    By embracing influencer marketing and leveraging platforms that streamline the process, cybersecurity brands can connect with their target audience in a way that’s both genuine and impactful. It’s not about replacing traditional methods entirely but rather integrating a more nuanced, trust-based approach that resonates with today’s discerning buyers.

    In an industry where trust is the foundation of every decision, I’ve seen first hand that building relationships through influencer marketing isn’t just a trend — it’s the future.

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    Jaxon Parrott

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  • 10 Effective Growth Marketing Strategies for Your Startup | Entrepreneur

    10 Effective Growth Marketing Strategies for Your Startup | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Growing a startup is both an exciting and challenging journey. However, the path to scaling your business is often fraught with competition, limited resources and the constant need to innovate.

    When I founded ButterflyMX in 2014, it felt like we were building a plane while trying to take off. Fortunately, with the right growth marketing strategies, we’ve navigated these hurdles and carved a thriving path forward for our startup. Here are ten effective growth marketing hacks and strategies that can help you achieve the same.

    Related: 6 Innovative Marketing Strategies Designed for Startups

    1. Leverage content marketing for brand authority

    Content is king, and in the startup world, it’s the key to reaching your audience. By creating valuable, informative and engaging content, you can establish your startup as an authority in your industry. This builds trust with your audience while driving organic traffic to your website.

    To leverage content effectively, you can start a blog, publish whitepapers, create how-to videos and seek out guest blogging opportunities. The key is combining consistency with quality. So, make sure your content addresses the pain points of your target audience and offers practical solutions.

    2. Optimize for search engines (SEO)

    SEO is a powerful tool for driving long-term, sustainable traffic. By optimizing your website for search engines, you can improve visibility and attract more visitors. So, conduct keyword research to understand what your potential customers are searching for.

    Moreover, optimizing your website’s on-page elements — such as meta tags, headers and content — will ensure your site is mobile-friendly and fast. Building backlinks from reputable sources can also significantly boost your search engine rankings.

    3. Utilize social media advertising

    Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X offer robust advertising tools that help you reach a highly targeted audience. With detailed targeting options, you can tailor your ads based on demographics, interests and behaviors.

    Experiment with different ad formats, such as carousel ads, video ads and sponsored posts, to see what resonates best with your audience. Moreover, regularly monitor and optimize your campaigns for better performance.

    4. Implement email marketing campaigns

    Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to nurture leads and convert them into long-term customers. Build an email list by offering valuable resources and freebies, such as eBooks, free guides or exclusive content, in exchange for email addresses.

    Segment your list based on user behavior and preferences, and send personalized, relevant emails that offer value. Further, implementing automated email sequences, such as a welcome series or abandoned cart reminders, into your workflow can help you engage with your audience at the right time.

    Related: 4 Growth Marketing Strategies That All Startups Should Implement

    5. Run time-sensitive promotions and contests

    Creating a sense of urgency can significantly boost your conversion rates. Time-sensitive promotions and contests are a great way to generate excitement and drive sales for your growing business.

    Offer limited-time discounts, flash sales or special deals to encourage immediate action. Running contests and giveaways on social media also drives engagement and expands your reach. Make sure to promote these events throughout all your marketing channels to maximize visibility.

    6. Partner with influencers

    Influencer marketing can be a powerful strategy for reaching new audiences and building credibility. Partnering helps you reach new prospects and generates high-quality leads for your business while getting your brand noticed.

    Identify influencers in your niche who have a strong following and align with your brand values. Collaborate with them to promote your products or services through sponsored posts, product reviews or social media takeovers. What’s more, the authenticity and trust that influencers have with their audience can translate into increased brand awareness and conversions for your startup.

    7. Invest in referral programs

    Word-of-mouth is one of the most effective forms of marketing. Encourage your existing customers to refer friends and family by offering incentives, such as discounts or freebies.

    A well-designed referral program can turn your customers into brand advocates, helping you acquire new customers at a lower cost. With this in mind, make it easy for customers to refer others by providing them with shareable links or social media assets.

    8. Focus on customer retention

    Acquiring new customers is important, but retaining them is even more crucial for sustaining growth. Focus on delivering exceptional customer service and creating a memorable customer experience.

    Use tools like CRM systems to track customer interactions and identify opportunities for upselling or cross-selling. And don’t forget to regularly engage with your customers through newsletters, personalized offers and loyalty programs to keep them coming back.

    9. Utilize analytics and A/B testing

    Data-driven decision-making is essential for optimizing your growth marketing efforts. Use analytics tools, such as Google Analytics or social media insights, to track the performance of your campaigns.

    A/B testing allows you to experiment with different elements of your marketing, such as email subject lines, ad creatives or landing page designs, to see what works best. So, leverage AI to analyze this data and refine your strategies based on proven results.

    10. Harness the power of video marketing

    Video content empowers you to show your audience what your brand offers in a way that is compelling and visual, and it effectively communicates your brand message. So, use video marketing to showcase your products, share customer testimonials or provide educational content.

    Platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok offer plenty of opportunities to engage with your audience. Plus, live videos and webinars can also be powerful tools for building a community and interacting with your audience in real time.

    Related: 4 Marketing Strategies Every Startup Can Afford

    Growing a startup requires a strategic approach and a willingness to experiment with different marketing tactics. By leveraging these growth marketing hacks and strategies, you can increase your visibility, attract more customers and drive sustainable growth for your business.

    Remember: The key to success is through continuous learning and the flexibility to adapt.

    With persistence and the right strategies, your startup can achieve remarkable success. Stay updated with the latest trends, analyze your performance, and be ready to pivot when necessary.

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    Cyrus Claffey

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  • Schedule Your Social Media Easier with This $50 Subscription | Entrepreneur

    Schedule Your Social Media Easier with This $50 Subscription | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Social media content is the life force of so many modern businesses. Whether you’re creating content to keep your own business relevant, or offering it as a service, having a reliable tool for scheduling posts is a necessity for creating thoughtful, effective campaigns.

    For a limited time only, this lifetime subscription to UNUM Pro is on sale for just $49.99 (reg. $719). UNUM is designed to help users schedule as much as a month’s worth of content in just a few minutes, with helpful features like previews and customizable branding.

    Teams capitalizing on UNUM Pro subscriptions can get ahead of the game and have posts scheduled to go live far ahead of time. On top of scheduling, this platform can also streamline content creation with AI-powered tools for caption writing, hashtag generation, and creative direction.

    Users of this UNUM Pro membership can access unlimited social media channels and design their content to drive traffic to links included in their bio. This creates a funnel from their posts to their team or business’s website, e-commerce store, blog, or anywhere else. UNUM also sets them up with tools to track and measure their progress as they go.

    UNUM was featured as Apple’s App of the Day with over 20 million users. It’s also been recommended and raved about by writers at Forbes, Mashable, Bustle, and others. To discover what all the hype is about, sign up today.

    Don’t forget that you can get this lifetime subscription to UNUM Pro on sale for just $49.99 (reg. $719).

    StackSocial prices subject to change.

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    Entrepreneur Store

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  • Unlock the Secrets of Social Media for Cannabis Brands – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

    Unlock the Secrets of Social Media for Cannabis Brands – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

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    Unlock the Secrets of Social Media for Cannabis Brands – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news































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    Susan Gunelius

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  • Kevin O'Leary Recommends This 6-Step Social Media Strategy | Entrepreneur

    Kevin O'Leary Recommends This 6-Step Social Media Strategy | Entrepreneur

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    Many execs or small business owners think social media is complete fluff — and for most businesses, it is.

    And when they say fluff, they don’t mean to say it’s pointless. It’s well-documented that social media is a powerful tool. The skepticism with investing in social media is that it can be a coin toss if there is a return on investment (ROI).

    “That is because most marketers do not apply any direct-marketing tactics to their strategic approach — if they are even strategic at all,” author Kim Walsh Phillips said in her latest book, Ultimate Guide To Instagram For Business, Second Edition.

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    Entrepreneur Staff

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  • Why Playing the Long Game in Marketing Is Worth It | Entrepreneur

    Why Playing the Long Game in Marketing Is Worth It | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Not all marketing activities are going to net immediate results, so is it worth spending time and money on them? It is a reasonable question, and it’s one I have had to address with many of my clients. Most business owners understand that, with marketing, rarely will they get instant gratification. However, when it comes to implementing a marketing strategy for their business, they may have difficulty understanding why they should invest time and effort in activities with a longer-term payoff.

    While there is certainly a lot to be said for incorporating marketing that will drive sales quickly, playing the long game is also an important part of any strategy because a business needs to build a reputation and create sustainable growth.

    Related: What to Do When Your Marketing Isn’t Producing Results

    The payoff is not always instantaneous, and that’s OK

    Building a solid and effective marketing strategy means thinking about the present and the future. Ideally, a strategy should focus on a variety of activities that are designed to drive business in the short, medium and long term. Activities like starting a blog, creating video content, posting regularly on social media and designing a dynamic website do not bring in revenue right away. Furthermore, it is difficult to show exactly how much revenue they do generate.

    However, these activities are crucial for establishing a business’s online presence and play a major role in developing its core reputation. It may take time for activities like these to reach the target audience, but with consistent effort, and the right approach, it typically pays off in a major way.

    Take a podcast, for example. A podcast can rise to mainstream popularity seemingly overnight, when in fact, it usually takes a year or more before it reaches that point. Unless they hit on a viral topic and truly do achieve overnight success — which is pretty rare — most podcasters have to dedicate hundreds of hours doing research and producing episodes before they attract a large following. They put in a lot of effort behind the scenes to make each episode, and they are consistently posting new material, regardless of the listener count. As the number of episodes grows, more people are able to find the podcast through recommendations or based on similar interests, and listenership starts to snowball.

    The same type of scenario is also possible for a social media account, blog or YouTube channel. However, you cannot be discouraged when you only see 10 views after three or four posts. You have to carry on adding content. Marketing activities of this nature take time to gain traction, but the rewards can be significant when they eventually do.

    Momentum

    Targeted marketing strategies are essential for focusing on a specific product or service — for instance, my agency caters to dental practices across the country. One of the hot topics in our industry is dental implants. It is a high-value procedure for dental practices, even though, compared to a treatment like a crown, it is far less commonly performed.

    Launching a targeted marketing campaign around dental implants is an excellent way for a dental practice to attract higher-quality patients. So, to ensure that a practice’s dental implants campaign gains momentum and keeps it up long term, my team always supports it with blog posts, social media messaging and patient testimonial videos. Even though that type of activity may not be the main driver of the business that comes through the doors, it promotes brand awareness and customer education, and it increases conversions as well.

    Related: Be Grateful Your Business Isn’t an Overnight Success

    Support immediate activities

    Expanding on the last point, long-term, intangible activities are essential supporting elements for larger, more immediate activities, like ads, for example, because they strengthen the conversion rate. Ads are intended to drive conversions in from the start. They usually have a strong call to action. However, not everyone who sees an ad is going to be convinced right away. Some people will want to do further research before making contact. During their research, you want them to find more information — such as positive reviews, informative videos and a consistent social media presence — that reinforces, supplements and enhances the ad content to push them toward conversion.

    Trust the process

    A business is not a short-term undertaking. It is rare for a new business to take off immediately and never lose steam. For most new businesses or established businesses that are new to marketing, success takes time, whether that be three months or 13 months. With a well-planned marketing strategy in place, the business will have different tools with which to build a solid foundation for when it finally clicks.

    When my company, MDA, was new, I was constantly creating content for an audience of no one, but that did not deter me. I kept going, and, eventually, the people I was trying to reach saw my content. Additionally, because I had dedicated the time and invested in my online presence, dentists and other professionals were able to see that I knew what I was talking about. I was recognized as having authority in the dental community. My exposure grew, and I got more visibility, connections, opportunities and clients.

    Not seeing immediate results from certain marketing activities does not mean they were unsuccessful. Many activities require a slow and steady approach, but the payoff is truly worth the wait. Consistency, dedication and, most importantly, believing in what you are doing — those are the keys to successful marketing. Results may not come right away, but they will come.

    Related: How to Create a Successful Marketing Plan: 5 Steps

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    Jackie Cullen

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  • How to Establish a Distinct Brand Identity in a Crowded Market | Entrepreneur

    How to Establish a Distinct Brand Identity in a Crowded Market | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In today’s digital world, crafting a standout personal brand is essential for success as a business leader. One thing’s for sure: Consumers trust and purchase from real people more than impersonal brand names. This is especially true with a service business. According to the recent national research study, “Trends in Personal Branding,” personal branding is more than just a social media personality contest. The data showed that 67% percent of ALL Americans would be willing to spend more money on products and services from the companies of founders whose personal brand aligns with their own personal values.

    A personal brand that captures your unique expertise can elevate your business and create a loyal customer base. That same study mentioned above showed that 74% of all Americans reveal they’re “more likely to trust someone who has an established personal brand.” In perhaps the most powerful statistic of the entire study, it turns out that 82% of all Americans agree that “companies are more influential if their executives have a personal brand that they know and follow.

    Let’s explore some action steps you can take to build a brand identity that cuts through the noise of a crowded marketplace.

    Related: 8 Reasons a Powerful Personal Brand Will Make You Successful

    Crafting and communicating your brand

    Your personal brand is the story you tell the world, and your audience wants to learn something genuine about you and your brand story. It’s crucial to share not only your professional triumphs but also the personal stories and passions that make you relatable, such as your hobbies, family, travels, etc. Consistency in your messaging creates a coherent narrative, while authenticity fosters a trusting relationship with your audience.

    Embrace the platforms where your audience engages the most. For professionals, LinkedIn is often the go-to, serving as a space to demonstrate expertise and share personal insights. Authoring books and hosting podcasts can elevate your authority, allowing you to reach a wider audience with in-depth knowledge. My brand and reputation on LinkedIn didn’t soar until I added a lot of authentic posts and stories and less boring business-focused posts. Sharing personal aspects should be done thoughtfully, ensuring each story aligns with your professional message and adds value to your brand narrative.

    Building community and engagement

    The goal of a personal brand is to create a community, not just a following. Engagement is key. Encourage your audience to participate in conversations or debates through comments, forums and direct messaging. This interaction makes your brand relatable and accessible.

    Responding to feedback and adapting your brand message is important, but remember to stay true to your core values. Avoid the trap of overpromotion, and strive for a balance that promotes engagement over sales. Your brand should inspire interaction and foster a genuine connection.

    Building relationships with other like-minded entrepreneurs can open the door to opportunities that are mutually beneficial, such as speaking on a podcast or attending an upcoming event. When you collaborate with others outside of your immediate followers, you’re able to tap into their audience, gaining exposure to potential customers who already trust your collaborators’ judgment.

    To be most effective in growing your audience, select partners whose personal brands resonate with your own. Their followers should have interests that overlap with the products and services you offer. For example, if your brand is built on financial literacy, partnering with influencers in the personal development space could be advantageous.

    Scaling your business through personal branding

    Success in personal branding can often be qualitative. Look for engagement beyond likes and shares — genuine messages from your audience and opportunities for collaboration are indicators of a resonant personal brand. As your brand gains traction, use your influence to support your business goals. A strong personal brand can lead to new ventures and partnerships while amplifying your reach. As you scale, maintain the integrity of your brand. Growth should enhance, not compromise, the personal touch that distinguishes your brand from the rest.

    Building a personal brand is an ongoing process that involves sharing your journey and leveraging your experiences. It’s a powerful strategy for entrepreneurs, offering a platform for growth and the opportunity to make a real impact. Maintain authenticity, consistency, and focus on community. These principles will guide you in creating a personal brand that not only stands out but also stands for something meaningful.

    A reputation is built up by trust, and a personal brand is a trust accelerator. Another recent study found that 76% of American Millennials are more likely to buy from a person with a personal brand.

    Related: 6 Strategies You Need To Ensure Your Personal Brand Stands Out

    1. Define and deliver your value proposition clearly

    Imagine you’re a chef at a bustling food market. Every other stall is offering a range of dishes, each with its own mix of flavors and ingredients. To stand out, you need to have a signature dish — something that no one else offers, that tells your story and satisfies a unique craving. Your value proposition is that dish.

    What is it that you provide that no one else does? Maybe it’s a unique combination of services, or perhaps it’s a particular approach to wealth management that’s both approachable and highly effective. Once you’ve defined it, communicate it consistently across all platforms — be it on your LinkedIn profile, on your podcast shows or when speaking at events. Make it clear, make it appealing, and ensure it speaks to the core of what your audience values.

    2. Personalize your client experience

    Imagine each client interaction as a handcrafted gift. It’s not just about the content inside the package — it’s about the wrapping, the note that accompanies it and the perfect timing of its delivery. Your clients should feel that every piece of advice and every service you offer, is tailored specifically for them.

    This doesn’t mean creating entirely different services for each individual, but it does mean understanding their unique challenges and goals. Use client feedback to refine your offerings. Send personalized communications. Host events that cater to their interests and values. By personalizing the client experience, you build a relationship that feels exclusive and deeply connected to their needs.

    3. Educate and empower your audience

    Just as a gardener nurtures plants to grow, so should you cultivate your audience’s financial knowledge. Education is empowerment — and by providing valuable, easily digestible information, you position yourself as not just a service provider but a guide and mentor.

    Start a blog or a YouTube series focused on financial literacy, using simple language and relatable analogies. Explain complex concepts using common life experiences, like comparing diversified investments to a balanced diet. Not only will this reinforce your brand as a source of valuable knowledge, but it will also foster trust and deepen the relationship with your audience.

    Related: The 3 Questions You Must Answer to Make Your Brand Stand Out

    In a saturated market, your personal brand isn’t just a label; it’s your distinct edge. Your key to success is authenticity and engagement. By genuinely connecting with your audience and consistently delivering on your unique value proposition, you create more than just a brand; you build trust and long-term loyalty. It’s about being relatable yet professional, innovative yet grounded.

    Remember, in the realm of entrepreneurship, your personal brand is a powerful tool that drives not just visibility but real, meaningful business relationships. Cultivate it with intention, and watch it become your most valuable asset in navigating the competitive business landscape that we all find ourselves in.

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    Chad Willardson

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  • Free Webinar | January 11: The 2024 Social Media Trends to Get You More Followers & Sell More Products | Entrepreneur

    Free Webinar | January 11: The 2024 Social Media Trends to Get You More Followers & Sell More Products | Entrepreneur

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    Learn tricks and tactics to supercharge your social media by joining our free webinar “The 2024 Social Media Trends to Get You More Followers & Sell More Products.” This power-packed session will be led by Entrepreneur’s very own VP of Social Media, Sana Ali.

    On Thursday, January 11th Sana will dive into the latest strategies that will not only boost your online presence but also drive sales. From emerging trends in content creation to leveraging influencer marketing for maximum impact, we’ll guide you through the key elements that can propel your brand to new heights.

    You’ll gain insights on:

    • The biggest social media trends that will shape 2024

    • Optimizing your content to take full advantage of those trends

    • Navigating the nuances of influencer marketing

    • Measuring success by defining clear objectives and utilizing analytics tools

    • How to approach cultural sensitivity in campaigns

    Join us to unlock the social media strategies that will propel your brand to new heights in 2024!

    About the Speaker:

    Sana Ali is the VP of Social Media Marketing at Entrepreneur Magazine. Throughout her career, she has led global social media campaigns for notable brands, including MTV, iHeartRadio, BET, and WWE. Sana’s expertise lies in her ability to build social influencer products, create social monetization opportunities, and craft effective strategies. Her focus is on fostering audience engagement, delivering measurable results, and leveraging content trends in the ever-evolving social media landscape, particularly by tapping into multicultural audiences.

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    Entrepreneur Staff

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  • How to Work With These 4 Different Kinds of Influencers | Entrepreneur

    How to Work With These 4 Different Kinds of Influencers | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The landscape of influencer marketing has undergone a great transformation in recent years. No longer tethered to the allure of celebrity endorsements and macro-influencers boasting millions of followers, brands are now gravitating towards nano- and micro-influencers, armed with smaller but fervently engaged audiences.

    The key to forging authentic connections with consumers lies in partnering with content creators who deliver visibility, genuine endorsement and effective advocacy. Marketers have shifted their focus, acknowledging that the quality of engagement trumps the sheer size of an influencer’s following.

    Navigating the influencer marketing world to find the ideal match for your brand can be daunting for marketers. Let’s delve into the intricacies of selecting the right influencer for your business needs.

    Nano-influencers: The community connectors

    With follower counts typically below 10,000, nano-influencers excel in fostering genuine connections within tight-knit communities. Unlike mega-influencers, they prioritize personalized interactions, responding authentically to comments and messages. Their recommendations feel like friendly advice, often collaborating with local businesses to provide relatable reviews.

    Nano-influencers stand out for their authenticity, as they haven’t yet reached the celebrity status that can dilute genuineness. Brands are recognizing the power of micro-communities, shifting towards targeted influencer marketing. These community connectors bridge the gap between brands and specialized audiences, proving that in the era of authenticity, smaller followings can have a more significant impact on community building and trust.

    Pros:

    • High authenticity in engagements.
    • Cost-effective and affordable partnerships.
    • Direct and personal communication channels.
    • Easy-to-reach influencers.

    Cons:

    • Limited audience reach.
    • Potentially less polished content.
    • Primarily organic growth, with a slower scale.

    Best for: Localized promotions, niche products, and community-driven campaigns.

    Related: Influencer Marketing 101: A Blueprint for Running a Successful Campaign

    Micro-influencers: The engaged enthusiasts

    With 10,000 to 100,000 followers, micro-influencers are niche experts, captivating dedicated audiences with their specialized focus. Balancing reach and engagement, they provide in-depth content, connecting intimately with followers through valuable insights.

    Collaborating with brands aligned with their niche, micro-influencers offer authentic endorsements, leveraging their perceived expertise. Their recommendations carry weight, making them influential tastemakers within their specific domain. Micro-influencers blend trust with a substantial reach, offering a strategic middle ground for brands seeking diverse yet engaged audiences. In a content-saturated digital environment, they stand out as trusted guides, showcasing the impactful role of a focused and knowledgeable approach in shaping consumer trends.

    Pros:

    • Easy-to-reach influencers.
    • Strong connection with their audience.
    • Higher engagement rates.
    • A balance of reach and authenticity.

    Cons:

    • Still limited to mid-tier reach.
    • Platform-specific influence.
    • Varied content quality standards.

    Best for: Brands targeting specific hobbies, emerging products, and authentic narratives.

    Related: 5 Things You Should Know Before Collaborating With An Influencer

    Macro-influencers: The broad spectrum voices

    With followers ranging from 50,000 (or 100,000 sometimes) to a million, macro-influencers act as bridge figures, connecting reach with niche expertise. Positioned between micro and mega-influencers, they bring a unique dynamic to influencer marketing. Macro-influencers offer a balance, possessing a significant following while often maintaining a specialized focus. Their content resonates across a broad spectrum, capturing the attention of diverse audiences while still catering to specific interests.

    This tier of influencers collaborates with various brands, making them versatile partners for companies seeking a mix of reach and targeted impact. Their content often reflects a polished and professional image, adding a touch of aspirational appeal to their recommendations.

    Pros:

    • Broad exposure to varied audiences.
    • Professional approach to collaborations.
    • Established reputation in their domain.

    Cons:

    • Relatively higher collaboration fees.
    • Potential for a diluted personal connection with followers.
    • More pronounced competition among brands for partnerships.

    Best for: Established brands, diverse audience campaigns, and larger product launches.

    Related: How Influencer Marketing Took Power, and What the Future Holds

    Mega-influencers: The digital titans

    With over a million followers, mega-influencers stand as digital titans, commanding vast territories of influence across social media platforms. Their reach is extremely high, making them key players in shaping trends, opinions, and consumer behaviors. These influencers often transcend specific niches, appealing to a broad and diverse audience. With a celebrity-like status, mega-influencers can turn products into trends and shape the cultural zeitgeist. Their endorsements can lead to widespread recognition and catapult brands into the mainstream.

    Mega-influencers collaborate with major brands and participate in high-profile campaigns, leveraging their massive following to amplify messages. While their content may exude a polished and aspirational vibe, the challenge lies in maintaining a genuine connection with such a large audience.

    Pros:

    • Extremely high reach across regions.
    • High-quality content production.
    • Amplified brand visibility.

    Cons:

    • Premium collaboration costs.
    • Time-consuming collaboration (can’t deliver results right here and right now)
    • Hard-to-reach influencers (sometimes it involves communications of different levels)
    • Potential disconnects from individual followers.
    • Scrutiny and higher public relations considerations.

    Best for: Luxury and global brands, mass audience campaigns, and trendsetting initiatives

    Influence marketing is a great tool in the strategic marketing strategies of companies and brands of varying sizes. Collaborating with bloggers and opinion leaders facilitates the conveyance of information about goods and services and the spreading of business values. However, the success of an entire marketing campaign involving influencers hinges on the meticulous selection of the right social media blogger.

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    Dmitrii Khasanov

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  • Free Webinar | December 6: 5 Game-Changing Digital Marketing Trends to Watch for 2024 | Entrepreneur

    Free Webinar | December 6: 5 Game-Changing Digital Marketing Trends to Watch for 2024 | Entrepreneur

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    In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, entrepreneurs must adapt to new trends to enhance their businesses and connect effectively with their target audiences.

    On December 6th at 3 PM ET join our exclusive webinar, “5 Game-Changing Digital Marketing Trends to Watch for 2024”, led by marketing expert, Bianca B. King. Where she will explore the five pivotal trends that will shape digital marketing in 2024 and help you stay ahead of the competition.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Learn about the five essential trends to embrace in 2024 for a competitive edge.

    • Understand the potential implications and pitfalls associated with these trends.

    • Discover ethical ways to engage with emerging digital marketing trends.

    • Explore the pivotal roles played by AI, social listening, and more in shaping the future of digital marketing.

    • Gain practical applications to seamlessly incorporate these trends into your ongoing marketing activities, regardless of your current business stage.

    Whether you’re embarking on your entrepreneurial journey or looking to refine your existing marketing strategies, this webinar will equip you with actionable insights and practical tips to thrive in the ever-evolving digital marketing landscape of 2024.

    Secure your spot today and join us to unlock tomorrow’s digital success.

    About the Speaker:

    Bianca B. King is an entrepreneur and professional matchmaker on a mission to help women accelerate their success. As the CEO & Founder of the exclusive collective Pretty Damn Ambitious™, Bianca matches high-acheiving women with premier vetted and verified coaches so they can finally amplify their ambitions and achieve the personal growth and professional success they desire. Bianca is also the President and Creative Director of Seven5 Seven3 Marketing Group, a digital marketing agency that has served hundreds of entrepreneurs since 2008.

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    Entrepreneur Staff

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  • 5 Social Media Trends Cannabis Brands Should Know in 2024 – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

    5 Social Media Trends Cannabis Brands Should Know in 2024 – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

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    5 Social Media Trends Cannabis Brands Should Know in 2024 – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

































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    Susan Gunelius

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  • Musk Strategy to Contain Anti-Semitism Fallout Is to Go ‘Thermonuclear’

    Musk Strategy to Contain Anti-Semitism Fallout Is to Go ‘Thermonuclear’

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    Elon Musk employed an aggressive strategy—including the threat of a “thermonuclear” lawsuit— to contain the fallout after his endorsement of anti-Semitic rhetoric on X that prompted an advertising backlash at the billionaire’s social media company and some on Wall Street to call for his censure.

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  • Elon Musk’s X apocalyptic moment

    Elon Musk’s X apocalyptic moment

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    Is this the beginning of the end for X, the social-media site previously known as Twitter?

    In the last two days, major advertisers, ranging from IBM Corp. IBM, Apple Inc. AAPL, Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. LGF.A, Walt Disney Co. DIS, even the European Union, have pulled their ads from X, after Elon Musk appeared to endorse antisemitic conspiracy theories and because these big spenders weren’t thrilled with the algorithm’s product placement nestled alongside pro-Nazi posts.

    Earlier…

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  • Why Brands Still Belong on Social Media Despite the Changing Landscape | Entrepreneur

    Why Brands Still Belong on Social Media Despite the Changing Landscape | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In the dynamic digital landscape, the role of social media is continually evolving. Today, an estimated 4.9 million people globally are on social media platforms, but the way we consume content, plus the content itself, has shifted significantly since the boom of these platforms in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

    Today, some argue that with the surge of influencers, brands may no longer hold their once-celebrated place on platforms like Instagram, Twitter or TikTok. Going a step further, with the substantial increase in advertising and sponsored content, many users have learned to tune out brands selling their products or services through social media.

    I’ve been helping my clients leverage social media for the past 15 years and have seen firsthand the shift in what kind of content performs well and what strategies and metrics actually translate to a higher ROI.

    Ultimately, in this multifaceted digital playground, there’s no denying that it’s becoming harder and harder to capture an audience’s attention. However, when brands can understand the platforms and how each user base reacts — and create authentic, relatable content — they can maximize their reach, improve brand awareness and perception, and build a consumer base that not only trusts your content but is excited to see it.

    Related: 7 Creative Ways to Boost Your Social Media Strategy

    Metrics that matter: Going beyond follower count

    To optimize your content, you first need to understand your objectives and what metrics are important for evaluating the success of your strategy. In the early days of social media, follower count was the main — if not, only — metric that brands cared about and agencies tracked consistently. Even just a few years ago, despite the rise of bot followers and purchased likes, a brand’s clout could still be relatively gauged by its follower count.

    Today, however, this metric is becoming increasingly obsolete. Since TikTok came onto the scene with its personalized approach to user “For You” feeds, other platforms like Instagram and Snapchat have followed suit, integrating similar features into its platforms and mimicking TikTok’s algorithm. With this shift, users no longer needed to be following an account to see its content — instead, the platform itself sorted through millions of posts to present a perfectly curated page of content for each user. These discovery pages often now have the highest user traffic and have ultimately reduced the user’s need to “follow” individual pages.

    With the rise of these personalized recommended feeds, other metrics like views, engagement and reach have become better measures for audience resonance and brand perception overall. While followers will always be a relatively important measure of a brand’s clout, understanding how your users are finding your content will help you tailor your posts for both new and existing followers.

    Creating your home base

    Consider this: If someone hears about a brand, where’s the first place they’re likely to look? More often than not, they go to social media. A strong, consistent presence can legitimize a brand, enhancing its credibility. It’s where customers come to “window-shop” — to learn more about the brand, its ethos and its offerings.

    In a 2021 survey by Sprout Social, they found that 68% of consumers have actually purchased at least one product directly from social media. With the shift to “for you” pages as previously mentioned, social media is also becoming increasingly effective at introducing new products and brands to shoppers who otherwise wouldn’t know about it. Plus, with the rise of affiliate marketing and social media shop features, a brand’s social media profile has become an actual digital storefront, as your audience can purchase products directly through the app.

    In essence, social media profiles have become a brand’s digital home base. As such, a poorly managed profile or one with just a few low-quality posts can raise red flags for potential customers and actually de-incentivize a purchase. Ensuring your social media pages are well-branded, consistently managed and polished will improve your chances of attracting and retaining customers long-term.

    Related: 10 Laws of Social Media Marketing

    The way forward: Authenticity and collaboration

    Ultimately, a brand’s social media strategy should revolve around developing engaging content that provides a direct value to your target audience. These days, with hundreds of thousands of brands and creators all fighting for views, it can be difficult to know what to post. So, how should brands navigate this transformed landscape?

    • Storytell, don’t oversell: Traditional advertising monologues won’t cut it. While you can, of course, have posts about the benefits and details of your products, brands need to foster conversation and go beyond ad posts to build an actual persona that consumers want to connect with. Engage with followers, respond to comments, and be part of conversations that your audience is having.

    • Collaborate authentically: Partner with influencers who genuinely align with the brand. It’s not about getting the creator with the most followers, but about finding those whose audience will genuinely resonate with the brand’s message and who will create high-quality content that your audience will love.

    • Diversify content: Go beyond the up-close, photoshoot-quality product shots. Share genuine behind-the-scenes glimpses, customer testimonials or even relevant industry news with your brand’s perspective. The goal is to offer value and keep the audience engaged with a variety of on-brand content that won’t seem repetitive.

    • Harness user-generated content (UGC): In the same way as word-of-mouth marketing, UGC is a valuable tool to provide credibility for the brand. In fact, a report by Stackla found that consumers were 2.4 times more likely to view UGC as authentic compared to content created by brands. Reposting and encouraging UGC not only provides authentic testimonials but also fosters community and shows customers that they’re valued.

    While the landscape has shifted, counting brands out of the social media equation would be premature. Instead, the onus is on brands to evolve, re-strategize and leverage the platforms in ways that align with today’s digital dynamics. By focusing on authenticity, building genuine collaborations and establishing a consistent digital presence, brands can not only remain relevant on social media but thrive.

    Related: Why It Is Crucial To Create Authentic Social Media Content

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    Bryanne DeGoede

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  • Why a Strong Social Media Presence Is Vital for PR Success | Entrepreneur

    Why a Strong Social Media Presence Is Vital for PR Success | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    It’s time to talk about everyone’s favorite subject — social media.

    Regardless of how you feel about it, your social media presence CAN impact the success of your PR efforts. If you want to engage in a proactive public relations push, getting your social media house in order is always one of the first orders of business.

    Why? Because journalists will check there when you show up on their radar. Nearly 60% said they check social FIRST before writing about a company.

    If your social media feed looks like you haven’t posted in months, that’s not a positive signal.

    Related: How Social Media Can Help With PR

    Hashtag HELP

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    Michelle Garrett

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