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Tag: Social Media Marketing

  • Why Social Media Agencies are Still Worth It | Entrepreneur

    Why Social Media Agencies are Still Worth It | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Social media is a part of our everyday lives. In the past decade, it has taken over much of our time, from scrolling through the posts of family and friends to meeting new people and engaging with the world around us. But as we all know, social media is also the crux of the evolving online business world. As a business owner and operator, you know that marketing is essential for keeping your business afloat. Combining the two and staying up to date with where social media is going is critical.

    Why is social media marketing so important?

    Social media marketing is all about imparting your business’s influence on the consumer world. Content sharing, whether through photo, microblogging or video, is paramount to engaging with your current and potential clients. Social media provides a unique opportunity for clients to share your content with others, drawing more people towards your goods and services organically and through targeted advertising. Customer data reports are easier to collect online, meaning you can get more insight into your target audience, purchasing trends in your business and consumer activity at large so your business can stay relevant.

    Related: 8 Must-Have Social Media Marketing Tools For 2023

    Why do you need a social media marketing agency?

    Running social media takes a lot of time, energy and a specific set of skills that might not apply to every business owner. Rather than devote the time you could spend on your own craft set to social media, you can let a social media marketing (SMM) agency handle that for you. This means you and your company will have a more productive and profitable time in the day to work on what you love rather than what needs to be done to promote your business. Social media can also be unwieldy, so getting a professional in the field can help you and your business keep up with the best practices and get the biggest bang for your buck.

    What makes a good social media marketing agency?

    The baseline of hiring a social media marketing agency is having someone who will manage and post on your company/business’s social media accounts. This already sounds great, but this should not be where their aid ends. It should be where it starts. After all, literally, anyone can post anything online. What is important is catering to their strategy and combining it with other strategies to your business’s unique social media needs to bolster the purchase of your goods and services.

    1. Search engine optimization

    The social media marketing agency should post your photos, tweets and videos and include keywords to optimize consumer engagement. Agencies prioritizing SEO will be much more effective in getting people to see your content, no matter the social media platform.

    Related: 5 Ways to Change SEO Strategies in an AI Search Engine World

    2. Content-based engagement

    An excellent social media marketing agency should prioritize creating good content that targets a specific audience. SMM (social media marketing) presents the unique opportunity to engage with and create a community around your goods and services in real-time. This means that you need content that engages customers and community members who already follow your business, as well as potential new clients. Your SMM agency should be able to create or collaborate with you to create content that will draw your intended audience in again and again.

    3. A great production team

    Not every SMM agency will provide you with a production team for graphic and video content. This is inherently troubling, as visual content is the crux of most social media, including TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. If an SMM agency is meant to save you time and money, leaving the creation of visuals up to you or a third party feels entirely unhelpful.

    Keeping the ethos of your company in mind while choosing an agency is important. You want to feel like you are seen and appreciated by the agency you choose. Your agency is there to help you and work as a collaborator to further your business, not an entity with complete control over how your business is perceived. Social media marketing should be an extension of your business and, subsequently, your mission!

    We hope this has inspired you to take the social media plunge. With the right team behind you, there is nothing you can’t accomplish!

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    Morissa Schwartz

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  • The Art of Engagement: How Brands Can Use Interactive Content to Drive Customer Participation and Loyalty | Entrepreneur

    The Art of Engagement: How Brands Can Use Interactive Content to Drive Customer Participation and Loyalty | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Marketing has become a billion-dollar business across the United States. Statistics show that companies spent more than $250 billion on marketing services in 2021 and nearly the same amount on media advertising.

    Does that mean that brands need a substantial marketing budget to stand out from their competition? Not necessarily. By using interactive content, businesses of any size can increase campaign participation, customer engagement, and loyalty. Neither requires extensive budgetary commitments.

    Why engagement matters

    Thousands of brand messages are presented to American consumers every day, but only a few capture their attention and establish a connection. Creating this connection is the key to standing out from the competition and generating sales, revenue, and growth.

    To connect with a brand, customers need to engage with it. Driving engagement has become so important in sales and marketing that ‘engagement marketing’ has become a subdiscipline of marketing as a whole.

    Engagement marketing aims to trigger an interaction between a customer and a brand. A simple way to think of these interactions is to imagine a conversation between the customer and the brand they are interested in. In the context of digital marketing, that conversation could be initiated by clicking a link, reacting to a post, commenting, or sharing content.

    To understand the impact of engagement, it helps to compare the level of involvement on the consumer’s side to the limited engagement generated by traditional forms of marketing. Take traditional TV advertising, for example. A consumer may have watched and loved a commercial, but there are few options to engage with the brand. The viewer may decide to purchase the product instantly or visit a website shown in that commercial, but there is no direct opportunity to engage with the brand and build a bond before purchasing.

    The same lack of engagement opportunities used to make it harder to inspire long-term consumer loyalty. Of course, brands could send direct mail to customers to remind them of existing products. But again, there were few options to create a true exchange between brands and consumers.

    Related: 5 Ways to Build Killer Relationships With Customers

    How digital marketing channels support engagement

    Digital marketing has vastly increased the opportunities brands have to connect with their audiences by facilitating the use of truly interactive marketing strategies and tactics. Interactive marketing tactics focus on driving engagement by using visuals or videos that entice the audience to react to the content.

    Interactive content not only aims to stimulate a reaction in its audiences, but marketers also want their audiences to share those reactions. Sharing that reaction is effectively the start of a conversation between consumers and brands.

    Just like conversations between two people, conversations between customers and brands are more memorable than a simple nod or a quick hello exchanged between two people in passing. When it comes to making a purchase decision, that brand is far more likely to be at the front of the consumer’s mind than any other brand. As a result, your brand’s chances of making a sale are better, revenue increases and the business grows.

    But engagement marketing is about more than driving one-off purchases. Continued engagement between consumers and brands is also the key to creating long-term relationships and building customer loyalty.

    Loyal customers are more likely to make repeat purchases without additional marketing. They may also recommend a brand to family members, friends, and colleagues. These recommendations can generate substantial growth for any brand.

    Customer loyalty matters most when a problem occurs. Perhaps a product breaks or a service is temporarily disrupted. When that happens, long-term, loyal customers tend to be more understanding based on their existing brand experience. Brands can use the initial problem and turn it into another engagement opportunity by resolving the issue quickly.

    Related: 7 Excellent Reasons to Focus on Employee Engagement

    Maximizing engagement through interactive content

    Developing interactive content does not need to be high in cost or difficult. Some of the most effective tactics are easily accessible to small businesses and fledgling brands. These tactics include:

    • Polls, quizzes and surveys: most people love participating in quizzes and polls, and social media platforms like Instagram have made it easy to create simple polls and integrate them into content like reels and videos. Quizzes are another excellent option to engage your audience, and they allow you to share details about your product or service without appearing pushy.
    • Interactive videos: how can you make videos interactive? The simplest way to create engagement is to end videos or reels with a question or a call to action. However, using slightly more sophisticated software, marketers can integrate multiple-choice questions for viewers to answer directly on the screen.
    • Interactive blog posts: maintaining reader engagement can be tricky, especially if blog posts are longer. To make them more interactive, add clickable or expandable graphics and images. Making those graphics downloadable allows users to take something valuable away. Asking questions throughout and at the end of a blog can also drive engagement.
    • Personalized content: personalized content works especially well for eCommerce businesses. Asking customers if they are still interested in items in an abandoned cart, for example, is a great way of showing that the business cares about each individual purchase.

    Related: Work From Home: How Companies Need to Build Their Strategies and Maximize Productivity

    Conclusion

    Today’s consumers are surrounded by more advertising and marketing messages than ever before. To stand out, businesses need to engage prospective and existing customers through interactive content marketing tactics. Customizing content to drive engagement is cost-effective and, therefore, accessible to businesses of any size. Brands benefit from increased sales and revenue as well as long-term customer loyalty, all of which help drive sustainable business growth for years to come.

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    Jessica Wong

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  • Creative Ways to Market Your Business on April Fools’ Day | Entrepreneur

    Creative Ways to Market Your Business on April Fools’ Day | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    April Fools’ Day has been a favorite holiday with pranksters for centuries. Over the past decade or so, some of the world’s biggest brands have embraced the April Fools’ spirit in a bid to connect with their markets.

    April Fools’ Day also offers excellent opportunities for small businesses to launch fun, lighthearted campaigns that connect with their audiences. Sharing a joke is a powerful tool to create exposure and build rapport quicker than straight-faced marketing campaigns.

    Related: 5 Funniest April Fools’ Day Marketing Stunts

    How big brands have embraced April Fools’ Day

    From scratch-and-sniff iPads to the 111th birthday of YouTube, April Fools’ Day has captured the imagination of marketing teams worldwide. In the United States, some of the biggest brands have recently played jokes on their audiences, including Tesla, Google and Burger King.

    1. Google Tulip

    In 2019, Google launched a machine learning-based product allowing users to communicate with plants. Complete with its own website and landing page, the campaign was widely shared on social media and generated a lot of positive feedback from the public.

    2. Teslaquila

    Admire him or not, Tesla founder Elon Musk knows how to generate headlines. In 2018, he used April Fools’ Day to tweet a photo of himself holding a bottle of “Teslaquila,” a fake tequila brand. The tweet went viral and generated a lot of media coverage, which helped to increase Tesla’s brand awareness.

    The story does not end here. Since then, Musk tried to patent the name and launch a real tequila product. The result is Tesla Tequila. As it turns out, the name Teslaquila falls foul of industry regulations.

    3. Burger King’s Chocolate Whopper

    In 2018, Burger King announced the launch of the “Chocolate Whopper.” The burger featured a chocolate patty, raspberry syrup, white chocolate rings, candied oranges and vanilla frosting on a bun. Initially only a joke, the campaign generated a lot of buzz on social media and increased Burger King’s brand awareness.

    In 2021, the company took its idea beyond a joke, launching a Chocolate Whopper in some of its Asian markets. Because the product was launched on April 1, customers took it as a joke at first. But the limited-edition burger made it on the menu.

    Related: Volkswagen’s Name Change and Cauliflower-Flavored Peeps Are Among 2021’s Top April Fool’s Day Jokes

    How small businesses can replicate April Fools’ success

    April Fools’ Day marketing campaigns have great potential to benefit brands. The key to launching a successful April Fools’ marketing bid is to align it with your audience, brand personality, and overall brand messaging.

    Surveys show that April Fools’ jokes are particularly popular among younger consumers. They also tend to be received better by men than women. In addition, April Fools’ campaigns should not deceive or seriously mislead customers.

    So, how can smaller businesses tread this fine line to increase awareness without alienating customers? Here are three ideas any business can try:

    1. Create a “fake” or limited-edition product

    Think of a product that is just close enough to your company’s actual products to make it realistic, yet outlandish enough to get your audiences talking.

    For example, in 2019, T-Mobile launched a “Smartshoephone.” The product pretended to be a shoe that consumers could use as a smartphone. This campaign generated buzz on social media, resulting in shares and comments. Another option is advertising a product that is available for one day only.

    2. Put humor at the heart of your campaign

    April Fools’ Day is all about humor and pranks. Small businesses can use that to their advantage by creating a funny video or meme showing their brand in a lighthearted way. This is a great way to stand out and create memories.

    Netflix achieved that in 2016 by releasing a “docuseries” called John Stamos: A Human, Being. The series simply showed the actor eating various foods. It generated significant buzz on social media.

    3. Launch a contest

    Ask your audience to share their best prank stories or create a funny video related to your brand. With the right prize, this kind of contest can truly drive engagement. Snapchat led the way in 2018 by hosting an April Fools’ Day “Prank Challenge,” which invited users to share their best prank videos. The winner received a $50,000 prize, and the campaign generated significant engagement.

    Related: 2017’s April Fool’s Gags, From LOL to Nope

    Marketing tactics for April Fools’ Day

    Like any other marketing campaign, an April Fools’ Day campaign needs to be well-planned and well-considered to achieve the desired results. While this can be a time to try out new marketing tactics, brands can also choose to rely on the tactics and channels they already prefer. Here is a look at some of the most effective tactics for brands in 2023.

    • Social media marketing: Social media marketing channels are ideal for reaching a wider audience on April Fools’ Day. A fun and engaging post featuring images and videos can quickly go viral. Use hashtags and shareable content to increase the reach of your post.
    • Email marketing: A humorous email that uniquely highlights your brand is another great way to engage audiences. Personalize your email and match it to your audience’s interests to increase the open and click-through rates.
    • Influencer marketing: Identify influencers in your niche who have a large following and a sense of humor and approach them for collaboration. You benefit by increasing your brand’s visibility and credibility.
    • Guerilla marketing: If your brand personality is creative and unconventional, guerilla marketing tactics like a flash mob, a street performance or a creative installation will get people talking.
    • Product placement: Partner with a popular TV show, movie or video game and create a humorous product placement, even if it is just for a day. You will increase your brand’s visibility and credibility among your target audience.

    Be inspired by real life

    In some cases, life writes the best stories, and you do not need to travel far to find inspiration for your company’s April Fools’ Day marketing. The flexible workspace platform Vallist is one such example. The company opened its doors on April 1, 2020, just as the pandemic took hold. While the team may have launched during a time of extreme uncertainty, they could not have picked a better time for their product.

    In fact, their vision turned out to be somewhat prescient. The irony of launching when other businesses were forced to shut down was not lost on Vallist’s founders either. Thanks to sustained growth over the past three years, the company is now expanding and opening another flexible workspace platform in New York City’s Bryant Park on April 1, 2023. No joke, but the pun is fully intended.

    Related: How to Drive Major Sales on Minor Holidays (Like Today’s April Fools’ Day)

    Final thoughts

    April Fools’ Day gives brands a unique opportunity to reach audiences lightheartedly and memorably. Choose these creative marketing tactics to engage with your customers and increase brand visibility and credibility. Remember to keep your messaging aligned with your brand’s values and personality, and have fun with it!

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    Jessica Wong

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  • Why You Should Incorporate Twitter Unto Your Marketing Plan | Entrepreneur

    Why You Should Incorporate Twitter Unto Your Marketing Plan | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Social media has become an integral part of marketing strategies for most companies. However, despite its popularity, Twitter is often overlooked by companies in their marketing efforts. This is surprising, considering Twitter’s unique strengths and capabilities that can help companies reach and engage with their target audience. In this article, we will discuss how Twitter is often overlooked by companies in their marketing strategies and why it’s important to incorporate Twitter into your business’s marketing plan.

    One of the main reasons why companies overlook Twitter is that they perceive it as a platform primarily used for personal communication. They assume that Twitter is more of a social network than a professional network, and therefore, it is not a suitable platform for their marketing efforts. However, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. Twitter is an excellent platform for consumer marketing, with over 330 million active users worldwide, and more than 500 million tweets are sent each day. In fact, Twitter is often referred to as the “water cooler” of the internet, as it’s a place where people gather to discuss and share their thoughts on various topics, including brands, products and services.

    Related: Is Marketing on Twitter Worth It? 4 Ways to Leverage Twitter In Your Marketing

    Humor in Twitter marketing

    When talking about brands using Twitter in humorous and sometimes even raunchy ways for marketing, people often think about brands such as Slim Jim and Wendy’s, both of whom use memes liberally to “roast” their audiences, routinely using popular inside jokes to relate to a younger Gen Z audience. These strategies were popularized by Twitter user Jake Ryan (known as Santa Decides on Twitter) when he noticed this lack of brand engagement on Twitter and decided to do something about it.

    Imagine Santa Claus using Twitter to publicly announce which celebrities and brands were on the “Naughty” or “Nice” list. That’s exactly what Jake Ryan did on Twitter. He created a Twitter account using the persona of Santa Claus (yes, jolly old Saint Nick) to “decide” who is on the Naughty or Nice list, eventually working brands into his content to help market new products. His @SantaDecides account became a popular Twitter account by leveraging pop culture references and relatable humor. Jake used the account for entertaining and engaging content in a new way, quickly gaining over 250,000 followers on the platform.

    The account’s use of memes and humor also helped to humanize brands, making them more approachable and relatable to their audience, increasing engagement and loyalty. Jake was so successful, that he became the social media manager for several large companies and even collaborated with major brands such as Skittles, MrBeast Burger and Slim Jim. He also contributed to several viral content marketing campaigns for these brands alongside other online celebrities.

    Related: How Oreo, Other Brands Dominated Twitter During the Super Bowl Power Outage

    Twitter’s unique strengths and capabilities

    Companies often underestimate the power of younger buyers and audiences and aren’t often run by younger people, leading to a lack of understanding of Twitter’s unique strengths and capabilities. Twitter’s real-time nature allows companies to engage with their audience instantly, and its character limit encourages concise and impactful messaging. Additionally, Twitter’s hashtag feature enables companies to join conversations around relevant topics and trends, further increasing their visibility and engagement. Moreover, Twitter’s advertising platform offers various targeting options, including interests, demographics and location, enabling companies to reach their desired audience.

    Despite these benefits, companies find it difficult to measure the impact of Twitter on their marketing efforts. Unlike other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, Twitter doesn’t have as comprehensive analytics tools, making it challenging for companies to measure the ROI of their Twitter marketing efforts, which can lead them to overlook Twitter altogether.

    While Twitter may not be as popular as other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it still has a sizable and active user base. Moreover, Twitter’s audience is diverse, with users from different age groups, professions and interests, making it a valuable platform for companies to reach a broader audience.

    Related: How to Add Twitter to Your Marketing Strategy

    Tips for using Twitter more effectively as a brand

    As we’ve discussed, Twitter can be a powerful tool for companies to market to their audience. Here are some tips on how to effectively use Twitter for marketing:

    1. Define your target audience: Knowing your target audience is essential for creating effective marketing strategies. Use Twitter’s analytics to determine the demographics of your followers, and use that information to craft content that appeals to them.

    2. Use hashtags: Hashtags are a great way to make a brand’s content more discoverable. Do a quick search to see what’s trending, and integrate those tags into your tweets. Businesses often create hashtags for use to push their campaigns.

    3. Engage with your audience: Twitter is a social media after all, so it’s imperative for brands to engage with their audience. Respond to tweets and messages, retweet and like relevant content, and participate in Twitter chats to build relationships with your followers.

    4. Use visuals: Tweets with visuals, such as images and videos, tend to perform better than those without. Use high-quality visual material to enhance your message.

    5. Promote your Twitter account: Make sure to promote your Twitter account on your website, email signature and other social media channels to increase your followers.

    6. Measure your results: Use Twitter’s analytics to measure your results and determine what content is resonating with your audience, changing your strategies as the analytics dictate.

    Overall, Twitter can be a powerful tool for companies to connect with their audience and build their brand. By following these tips, companies can effectively use Twitter to market to their audience.

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    Stephen Emrich

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  • 5 Easy Tips for Entrepreneurs to Avoid Social Media Burnout | Entrepreneur

    5 Easy Tips for Entrepreneurs to Avoid Social Media Burnout | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Nowadays, it seems like you can’t start a business without having a social media presence. Indeed, 77% of marketers feel that social media marketing is an effective practice for their business. While that’s all well and good for the company as a whole, there is no denying that for entrepreneurs who often take on social media in addition to other responsibilities, it can be a lot to handle.

    After all, there is a lot that goes into managing your social media profiles, and that time commitment can easily get overwhelming — especially with so much negativity online. If you’re not careful, you could soon get burned out on social media. The good news is that there are some simple practices every entrepreneur can use to become more effective and avoid burnout.

    Related: 7 Proven Ways to Beat Burnout

    1. Set clear boundaries

    One of the first important things you should do is set clear boundaries for how you will use social media as an entrepreneur. Internet users spend an average of 147 minutes — nearly two and a half hours — per day on social media. It’s all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’ll log in for five minutes to check your notifications, and then mindlessly scroll for half an hour.

    Entrepreneurs can’t afford to waste their time like this. You should have a clear plan to ensure you don’t spend more time on social media than necessary. Whether that involves setting a five-minute alarm for each time you check your notifications or determining certain times of day as “off limits” for social media use, a well-defined plan is a must.

    2. Limit how many social networks you use

    As part of the process of setting clear boundaries for social media use, it may be wise to limit your focus to a select number of social media networks for your business — at least until you have more team members to help you out.

    Consider what you want to accomplish with your social media use, being especially mindful of the platforms that see the highest level of engagement from your target audience. By focusing your efforts on two or three platforms rather than a half dozen, you can create higher-quality content without overreaching yourself.

    3. Align strategy with your goals

    One way to avoid social media burnout is to consider how to align your marketing strategy with your personal goals. For example, in a case study from The Coach and Grow Co, entrepreneur Stephanie Latawiec was directed to have social media content go to her program’s sales page instead of sales calls so she could have more time in her day for other interests and needs.

    By adjusting her social media marketing strategy, Latawiec was able to grow her revenue to reach $16,000 over a two-month period by automating certain social media practices and ensuring that her marketing was focused on generating passive income.

    This resulted in more time to focus on what mattered most to her in her business and personal life — directly countering the burnout she had previously experienced.

    Related: Social Media’s Dark Side: Learning to Set Boundaries

    4. Curate your social media feed

    Social media can be an undeniably negative place — especially for entrepreneurs. This doesn’t just come from people who might maliciously attack your business or troll your account.

    Toxic conversations in your field can be emotionally draining, even when they don’t directly involve you. Sometimes, even seeing the successes others in your niche are experiencing can be emotionally draining as you try to figure out what you’re “missing” that’s keeping you from having similar results.

    In this sense, curating your social media feed can be valuable for protecting your mental health. Strategically unfollowing certain people on social media or leaving groups that aren’t actually beneficial can help clear out the “clutter” that distracts you and leaves you feeling worse.

    Find accounts that provide useful insights or simply inspire and uplift. Do what you can so that scrolling through your feed helps you feel energized and motivated, rather than drained and depressed.

    5. Learn to repurpose content

    One potential contributor to burnout is the pressure entrepreneurs will often feel to post every single day — and for some platforms, even posting multiple times a day. And even though posting at regular intervals is probably a good idea, trying to come up with ideas for new posts can become mentally exhausting in and of itself.

    One way to work around this is to repurpose the content you’ve already created for your social media posts. Share highlights from blog posts, showcase a testimonial from a satisfied customer, or simply rework an older social media post! You’ll spend less time stressing over post ideas and more time focused on higher-level activities.

    And remember, you don’t necessarily have to post every single day on every single platform. Your audience isn’t going to forget you exist after a one-day break.

    Related: 5 Reasons You Should Try a Social Media Fast

    Maximize your social media potential by avoiding burnout

    It doesn’t matter what kind of products or services you offer to your clients — a strong social media presence can make a big impact. At the same time, however, there is no denying that social media can become a source of stress that leads to burnout.

    By following a few best practices to improve how you use social media in your business, you can ensure that it becomes an asset and not a hindrance as you navigate your many responsibilities as an entrepreneur.

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    Andres Tovar

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  • A New York man was arrested after allegedly threatening a shooting at Tops Friendly Markets in a social media post | CNN

    A New York man was arrested after allegedly threatening a shooting at Tops Friendly Markets in a social media post | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    A 20-year-old man from Upstate New York has been charged with making a terroristic threat after threatening to carry out a shooting at the Tops Friendly Markets in Manlius, New York, in a Discord post, according to court documents and local police.

    Police responded to a call Saturday from the manager of the Tops in Manlius – a village in Onondaga County – who said that the store got phone calls from two different people expressing their concern over statements made by a Discord user saying he was going to harm shoppers at their supermarket, according to court documents obtained by CNN affiliate WSTM.

    The two witnesses who called the supermarket reported that the threatening remarks on Discord – which included a racist reference – came from a 20-year-old man named Zachary who lives in the Manlius area and whose father recently died, according to the documents.

    Police investigated the posts and identified the user as Zachary Mullen of Jamesville, according to a statement from the Town of Manlius Police Department.

    Law enforcement arrested Mullen on Saturday for making a terroristic threat and, when conducting a search of his home afterward, found guns and ammunition, according to the police statement.

    A judge also issued an Extreme Risk Protection Order against Mullen on Sunday, which allowed authorities to seize at least two firearms from his home.

    CNN was unable to identify an attorney for Mullen.

    “There were some racist overtones to the posts made by Mr. Mullen and as of this moment we’re still trying to connect the dots as to why he picked the Tops in Manlius, but certainly the location of the store, the name of the store, the racist natures of the post, would cause anyone pause, that this may have been far more dastardly than it even looks on the surface,” Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick told WSTM.

    Discord is the same social media site that a convicted mass shooter posted on before killing 10 people at a Tops Friendly Markets in Buffalo.

    Law enforcement officials verified that Mullen’s father, who they say was an avid hunter, had died a few days prior to Mullen’s posts on Discord and that he was grieving, according to the affidavit.

    Mullen, who lives with his mother, is not currently in jail, according to the county district attorney.

    “Unfortunately, he’s out on what’s known as pre-trial release because we live in New York and that’s the nature of Bail reform in New York. Incredibly enough he is out so if he has secret access to a gun, God forbid, that’s something we just don’t know but we’ll certainly be monitoring him as much as we can,” Fitzpatrick said in a statement to WSTM.

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  • How to Make Your Higher Education Institution More Appealing to Prospective Students | Entrepreneur

    How to Make Your Higher Education Institution More Appealing to Prospective Students | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Since peaking in 2010, college enrollment has steadily declined each year. The period between spring 2020 and spring 2022 saw some of the sharpest declines yet, with a 7% decline in enrollment — a loss of roughly 1.3 million students.

    For many institutions of higher education, such losses can prove financially devastating, particularly for smaller schools that rely heavily on tuition dollars. In fact, a 2021 survey of higher education professionals found that 74% of colleges were facing financial challenges, with schools with fewer than 5,000 students facing the most significant constraints.

    2022 saw this trend continue, with several smaller colleges shutting down — some of which had previously served students for over 150 years.

    In the midst of this financial turmoil, few things can prove more crucial for your institution’s lasting stability than its ability to become more appealing to prospective students. So, here are a few tips to get started:

    Related: 3 Marketing Tips to Increase Enrollment Rates for Pre-College Programs

    Offer virtual tours, info sessions and more

    There are various reasons why campus tours and info sessions can be inaccessible to prospective students. Perhaps they live on the other side of the country, or maybe they work a job to help support their family and can’t attend during the times when scheduled on-campus sessions are available. In this case, going digital can improve accessibility for all.

    For example, Arizona State University provides online self-guided video tours for each campus location. The tours are available online or via mobile app, and prospective students can personalize their virtual tour experience based on their areas of interest. Curated tours that highlight popular campus locations are also available.

    While virtual tours and info sessions often became necessary during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, they continue to provide great value by helping more students get a feel for what it is like to be on campus. The flexibility to match a student’s available schedule will go a long way in getting them more engaged with your school and more motivated to apply.

    Of course, you can (and should) still offer tours and info sessions in-person whenever possible. Still, even these in-person events can take on a digital twist that expands your reach and makes them more engaging. Even something as simple as live-streaming an info session or posting highlights to social media can expand your reach and influence.

    Related: How Virtual Tours Can Elevate Your Marketing Strategy

    Let current students do the talking

    Social media can be a powerful tool for showing off your campus, classes and activities to prospective students. But the messages that come directly from your college aren’t going to be nearly as persuasive as the messages coming from the students who already attend your school.

    For example, Brigham Young University regularly hosts #MyViewFromBYU posts and reels on its Instagram account, in which current students are given the opportunity to “take over” the Instagram account as they share stories about their life as a student and their journey to the university.

    This is a great method to provide a more candid and casual look at student life at your institution of higher learning — and in a way that can feel more relatable to prospective students. Of course, social media isn’t the only place where this can occur. You could also feature blogs and videos from current students and alumni on your website or in other marketing materials.

    Alumni can be an especially powerful voice for making your institution more appealing to prospective students. Highlighting alumni success stories — be they in sports, business or the sciences — and their ties to your university can be an incredibly powerful testimonial for students who share similar goals.

    Related: 3 Digital Trends Shaping the Future of College Admissions

    Get personal

    When making the pitch for your institution, it’s important to remember that messaging shouldn’t necessarily be focused on the school itself. Rather, your focus should be on the student and the experiences they will be able to create for themselves while attending your school.

    For example, a case study from EAB that evaluated 1.2 billion student interactions found that student-focused recruitment copy increased response rates by 50%. Something as simple as using the word “you” and focusing on the student’s individual journey — rather than your “excellent curriculum” or “highly-trained professors” — can prove much more persuasive.

    Your messaging should also be personal and focused when it comes to parents. A study of 2021 high school graduates found that 48% ranked “parental influence” as one of the top sources of information they used to make their enrollment decision. Parents were actually the second most commonly cited source of information, only ranking behind college websites.

    Because of this, institutions of higher learning should also focus much of their personalized messaging on the parents of prospective students. Marketing campaigns that frame the institution and its benefits with a focus on the parents’ mindset can lead to more highly influential parent-driven conversations.

    To combat financial instability, institutions of higher education should focus on becoming more appealing to prospective students by offering virtual tours and info sessions, letting current students do the talking on social media, featuring alumni success stories and getting personal in their messaging to potential students.

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    Andres Tovar

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  • 4 Marketing Tactics to Drive Traffic to Your Shopify Store | Entrepreneur

    4 Marketing Tactics to Drive Traffic to Your Shopify Store | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    After taking the leap into the ecommerce world and launching your Shopify store, you’re probably looking for ways to attract new customers. Even with a great design and solid product offering, standing out in a crowded market can be challenging. Fortunately, you can take several practical strategies and actions to promote and drive traffic to your business. Depending on your needs and goals, these can include anything from social media marketing to paid advertising to email marketing campaigns.

    Shopify is currently the leading platform for ecommerce brands, and it powers nearly two million businesses’ online stores. It goes without saying, but competition in the ecommerce world is fierce; retailers looking to remain relevant and stand out need to establish a solid marketing strategy that will actually move the mark.

    Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, it’s essential to prioritize marketing and make it a crucial part of your overall ecommerce strategy. Doing so can lead to increased sales, greater brand recognition and the development of a loyal customer base.

    Related: 5 Essential Shopify SEO Tips to Get More Organic Traffic

    1. Boost your search engine appeal

    To draw more traffic and give potential customers the best chance of finding you when they search for similar products, it’s essential to prioritize Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This strategy requires patience, time and ongoing effort, but it’s worth the investment.

    There are several key steps to optimizing your Shopify store. These include optimizing your store’s architecture, conducting thorough keyword research to identify relevant keywords for your business, refining your on-page optimization over time and implementing an effective link-building strategy.

    Remember that SEO is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort. Fortunately, Shopify offers built-in marketing tools, including SEO optimization features, to help you optimize for search engines. Moreover, you can enhance your SEO efforts and maintain a steady traffic flow by using various third-party SEO tools and Shopify apps.

    If you prioritize SEO and take the essential measures to optimize your Shopify store for search engines, you can gradually attract a larger audience, increase your sales and expand your business.

    2. Amplify your reach with digital ads

    Investing in paid ads is a highly effective strategy, particularly if you’re just starting out or facing challenges in gaining visibility through organic search marketing. Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, like Google Ads, can be an excellent option for driving more traffic to your site as ads appear at the top of search results. In a PPC campaign, you set a maximum bid and only pay when someone clicks on your link. A well-targeted and well-written PPC campaign can immediately bring traffic to your Shopify store. However, it’s worth noting that your competitors and the ads platform determine the amount you pay per visitor, even though you control your overall spending.

    Another option for paid advertising is launching campaigns on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, the most common networks for paid advertising. To determine which platform works best for you, conduct different tests and analyze your ad’s performance.

    Having attractive visual content and persuasive copywriting that appeals to potential customers is essential to creating successful ads. Be creative! Successful advertising campaigns need that creative appeal to capture the attention of shoppers.

    Before launching your ads, consider the most relevant keywords for your business and target your ads to specific audiences to ensure your campaigns are effective. Paid advertising campaigns can inform potential customers about your Shopify brand and retarget previous site visitors, making it an effective tactic for attracting new customers and guiding shoppers back.

    Related: The 9 Best Shopify Apps to Increase Sales Available for Free

    3. Utilize influencer marketing

    In recent years, influencer marketing has gained immense popularity and has proven to be an effective way to market your Shopify store, especially for brands in the fashion, beauty and CPG industries. In essence, influencer marketing is a partnership between a brand and an influencer, and it is becoming an increasingly popular choice for brands’ marketing budgets. Finding an influencer whose niche audience aligns with your product or brand is crucial to begin with influencer marketing. You must also establish a relationship with the influencer, who will create their own content to help position your brand.

    Influencer marketing is highly effective for ecommerce businesses. Seventy-one percent of marketers find that it generates better quality customers and traffic than other sources. Consumers trust influencer recommendations because they create a direct communication channel and leverage the credibility and trust of public figures. In fact, 64% of marketers agree that influencer marketing is an enhanced form of word-of-mouth marketing, which is the most effective form of marketing.

    This personalized approach is particularly effective in today’s world, where so many brand choices inundate consumers. Influencer marketing is a highly reliable and direct marketing strategy, as recommendations from real people carry more weight than conventional paid advertisements.

    4. Master your customer referral program

    Referral programs can be an effective strategy where satisfied customers become brand advocates and receive rewards such as discounts or free products. You can reach a wider audience by incentivizing past customers to recommend your products to their network. This approach is particularly effective because people tend to trust recommendations from friends and family more than advertising. Word-of-mouth marketing is such a powerful tool that it can generate up to five times more sales than traditional paid advertising.

    Unlike customer reviews, a referral program involves direct word-of-mouth marketing where people share their positive experiences with your products with those close to them, generating new leads that are highly likely to convert. Several platforms and tools are available to create a customer referral program, such as Talkable, which offers an in-app referral program to help find brand advocates.

    To attract new customers to your Shopify store, you can use several strategies to promote your business and drive traffic, such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), paid advertising, influencer marketing and customer referral programs. Implementing these tactics can attract more customers, increase sales and develop a loyal customer base. Remember to be creative and invest time and effort into continuously improving your marketing strategy to stay ahead in the competitive ecommerce industry.

    Related: 12 Awesome Tips From Ecommerce Experts

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    Eric Netsch

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  • Elevate Your Social Media with the Alpha Z Pro Drone for $99.99 | Entrepreneur

    Elevate Your Social Media with the Alpha Z Pro Drone for $99.99 | 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.

    If you’re running a business, a social media presence is practically a requirement to stay competitive. Nearly 90% of markets have stated that social media has improved their business exposure, but that work doesn’t end when you create a company Twitter account. Crafting interesting, engaging content could be what starts driving conversions for you, and your creative team could stand out from your competitors by filming videos with a drone.

    The Ninja Dragon Alpha Z Pro is a 4K dual-camera drone that could help you record engaging, dynamic video to establish your presence online. For a limited time, you can get the Alpha Z Pro for just $99.99.

    Whether you’re recording a peaceful slice-of-life shot at the office or snatching action shots of a day in the field, this compact drone could be a useful social media tool to help cultivate an engaged audience online. The front 4K wide-angle camera is remote adjustable up to 90 degrees for panning shots from a stable position in the air. In addition, the 729p bottom camera captures wide scenes from straight above.

    Just attach a compatible smartphone to the controller and activate a live first-person view to get a front-row seat of your time in the air. Fly for up to nine minutes on a single charge and reach heights up to 300 feet.

    The Alpha Z folds so your social media team can easily bring it to events. Your purchase also includes two batteries for extra flying time, which means one can charge while the other is up in the air.

    Start recording exciting content from a drone for your business’s social media. Get the Ninja Dragon Alpha Z PRO Dual-Camera Drone on sale for $99.99 (reg. $199).

    Prices subject to change.

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    Entrepreneur Store

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  • Why Medical Practices Must Embrace Digital Marketing | Entrepreneur

    Why Medical Practices Must Embrace Digital Marketing | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    There was a time when medical practitioners didn’t need to market themselves. New patients would choose doctors or other medical professionals based on location, availability, and most commonly, referrals. But unless you live in a small town, there’s a good chance this is no longer the case.

    Healthcare customers are more empowered than ever before. They have access to digital channels, which can be used in innumerable ways to decide how and where they will receive their healthcare. And if you’re not yet utilizing these digital channels, you’re undoubtedly missing out.

    Related: How to Improve Your Practice Management and Deliver a Better Patient Experience

    It’s a funnel, not a waiting room

    Medical practitioners often focus on the waiting room to indicate their success. If all the seats are full, that must mean your business is doing just fine, right? Sure — but what about the long term?

    The danger in using booked appointments as an indicator of successful marketing is that you lose sight of the bulk of the customer journey. If you can’t answer the question, “How did my customer end up in my waiting room?” you won’t be able to replicate that level of success in the future. You may enjoy a surge of initial bookings or annual visits, but if nothing fills up the rest of the funnel, those will eventually dry up.

    Today, the rest of the funnel is digital. Thanks to the internet, healthcare customers are more comfortable than ever researching their ailments before even consulting a practitioner. By the time a patient arrives at your doorstep, they have already spent significant time assessing their options. Your job is to ensure that their path always leads back to you. If you aren’t leveraging digital platforms, you’re missing out.

    Become a source of information

    With prospective patients using the internet to search for information about their conditions more now than ever before, it’s essential to become the source of that information. For medical practices and practitioners, content has now become the most valuable form of marketing you can include in your strategy.

    Patients are choosing practitioners based on the level of their perceived knowledge, so by creating content that answers their questions and gives them the information they’re seeking, you will instantly increase your credibility. If prospective patients feel you have the knowledge they seek, there is a far better chance they’ll book an appointment with you.

    Your prospects will seek out information on various channels, including social media and Google searches — so you need to ensure that your practice utilizes each of these channels.

    Your focus should depend on your company’s needs. If you’re just starting out, you’ll want to focus on ranking in search engine results. That entails optimizing your content, website and social media pages for search engine optimization (SEO). Once you’ve achieved that, you can start to spread your focus onto other digital channels.

    Related: Here’s How Healthcare Companies Have Embraced Digitalization

    Know your audience

    Marketing strategies in the healthcare sector need to be structured around the audience. Not all specialties are the same — and neither are the patients seeking treatment. Your marketing efforts and strategies should reflect that.

    A chiropractor, for instance, might limit the reach of their marketing efforts to about a 30-mile radius, as it’s unlikely their customers are going to travel for this type of care. A specialist cardiologist, on the other hand, may well see customers traveling to their practice from across the country, so their marketing reach should be far wider.

    Understanding the makeup of your customers from a geographical perspective will help you craft a digital and social media strategy that ensures you get in front of the prospective patients who will most likely make appointments with you.

    The landscape of healthcare has irrevocably changed. The balance of power through knowledge has shifted, and prospective patients are capable of gaining a wealth of information before they even step foot inside your practice. This very change needs to be leveraged by the healthcare industry to ensure that the funnel of patients continues to be filled, credibility is established through knowledge sharing, and providers are meeting patients at each touchpoint in their digital journey to the waiting room.

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    Sergio Alvarez

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  • 3 Ways AI is Changing How Startups Build Their Brand | Entrepreneur

    3 Ways AI is Changing How Startups Build Their Brand | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In the competitive world of startups, big and small players are constantly looking for ways to innovate by working smarter and faster. With ChatGPT’s recent launch and many other AI-based software solutions, startups now have access to increasingly intelligent tools for a myriad of content, public relations and marketing use cases. However, when building a reputable brand that their audience can trust, understand and relate to, many startups are missing the mark.

    In this article, we will explore three ways in which AI can be used to not merely push out content but curate a branding strategy that deeply resonates with your potential customers, investors and overall audience.

    Related: Branding Is Indispensable. Are You Using It to Your Advantage?

    1. Automating customer and audience feedback

    One of the most important key indicators of business success, and frankly, the only metric that truly matters, is the feedback received directly from your target audience. Many startups have this approach backward and build their branding strategy based on what they think their market wants rather than listening to their market first. A key strategy to ensure success in 2023 and beyond is to automate ways to gather feedback and key insights from your target audience.

    There are many tools to do this, but the most important key is deciding which questions you need to ask before choosing a tool. To do this, come up with just 3-5 crucial questions that relate to the following foundational business fundamentals: the main problem your audience is facing, why they believe they are facing this problem, and the main solution or desired result they want to achieve.

    From here, you can then use an email or text automation tool to send these questions via a form to gather as much feedback as possible from your audience. This will allow you to uncover data and key insights that you will likely find crucial to use in your marketing campaigns, content creation and various PR efforts.

    Related: 3 Simple Steps to Automate Your Content Marketing

    2. Deploying data-driven copywriting

    This step relates and relies heavily on step one above because copywriting is only effective if the messaging resonates highly with your target audience. By automating your audience feedback in step one, you now have the insights to base your copywriting on. It is important to know that although this will allow your copywriting to be effective, it is not the end of the process. You must consistently track all the metrics from your content and copywriting efforts to receive further feedback on which stories, topics, and even headlines perform the best.

    Iteration is the name of the game here, and the best startups know this. By tracking which type of content performs the best, you can double down on what’s working and cull out what isn’t. This will put you leagues ahead of your competition, who doesn’t know what resonates with the market.

    Finding a message that resonates is fundamental in any successful marketing, content or public relations strategy and is the only predictor of new customers. Leverage this knowledge to iterate and improve your message until it sounds like music to your audience’s ears. Ignore this step; all your marketing efforts will invoke static noise, fall short and even annoy your audience.

    3. Honing in on customer personalization

    One of the biggest trends in startup branding today is personalization. AI enables startups to personalize their brand experiences for each customer, making building strong, long-lasting relationships with their target market easier. For example, AI can analyze customer data to determine their preferences and offer personalized recommendations. This not only enhances the customer experience but also helps to build a stronger brand relationship.

    The key with this technique and the others is to keep your focus on your customers, not your competitors or external distractions. The best quote relating to this principle is from Jeff Bezos, who stated that “The most important single thing is to focus obsessively on the customer. Our goal is to be earth’s most customer-centric company.”

    Related: Branding Is More Than an Accessory: It’s the Foundation of Any Business

    If you focus obsessively on the customer and leverage AI to personalize their experience to a degree that they are absolutely delighted, you will easily dominate your competitors. The last thing you want to achieve is to come across as everybody else, boring your customer base and forcing their business elsewhere.

    AI is changing the branding game for startups in a big way that will only accelerate exponentially as we continue into 2023. By leveraging audience feedback automation, data-driven copywriting and customer personalization, startups can build a stronger brand, stand out in a crowded market, and solidify their roles as leaders.

    Lastly, it is vital to remember that using these techniques without an obsessive focus on the customer will defeat most, if not all, of the innovation AI provides. It is the startup that will use AI in combination with the fundamental principle of customer focus that will prevail.

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    Jaxon Parrott

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  • 3 TikTok Trends Brands Must Pay Attention To | Entrepreneur

    3 TikTok Trends Brands Must Pay Attention To | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    While there are mixed opinions about TikTok, there is no denying that it has earned a place among the top social media channels. Trends on TikTok shift quickly, but agile content creators can make money from their profiles.

    Not only was TikTok the most downloaded app in 2022, but also kids spent 62% more time watching TikTok videos than they did YouTube. In addition, it’s noteworthy that Gen Z is the app’s largest demographic, with at least 45 million users in that age range accessing TikTok at least once per month.

    At its current growth rate, TikTok has already surpassed Instagram in popularity and will also outstrip Snapchat. This means it’s essential for brands, content creators and marketers to stay on top of TikTok trends to monetize the roughly 95 minutes a day that the average TikTok user spends watching videos.

    Here are a few trends to pay attention to:

    Related: Looking for New Ecommerce Customers? TikTok Might Be the Best Place to Start.

    1. The platform is becoming a sales hub for both brands and influencers

    Research from ConvertSocial has found that sales through TikTok’s platform have increased by nearly 400%. One part of this massive surge in sales is because influencers are taking full advantage of advertising and sales opportunities, mainly where affiliate marketing and paid partnerships are concerned.

    Additionally, small businesses have also jumped on TikTok as a way to actively establish sales chains that are targeted to younger audiences. These small businesses are creating strong presences, developing their brand identity based on what appeals to these younger users and leveraging that to expand their customer base.

    One of the most important factors surrounding this impressive sales growth is that its primary user base has now aged into a bracket where it has considerable spending power. The 10-19 range makes up 32.5% of TikTok’s users, while those aged 20-39 comprise just under 46% of active users. This translates to more purchasing power and a greater interest in products and services with a higher ticket value.

    Related: 5 Ways That Gen Z Differs from Millennials That You Must Take Into Account When Promoting Your Business

    2. Over half of TikTok’s users are women with substantial purchasing power

    In a Statista survey as of January 2023, roughly 54% of the global TikTok user base identifies as female. With over a billion users and 670 million downloads in 2022, this is a huge market that most brands are leaving largely untapped.

    Believe it or not, only about 18% of marketers fully utilize TikTok as an advertising channel. However, there is an impressive pool of talented social media influencers on the platform who are willing to collaborate with brands to launch successful marketing campaigns, so marketers need to start taking TikTok more seriously to generate revenue.

    When you add that women either control or influence at least 85% of consumer spending and account for about $10 trillion of U.S. financial assets, brands should pay attention to what female TikTok consumers are interested in buying.

    3. TikTok monetization has yet to hit the saturation point for influencers

    Content creators and influencers are well-versed in using platforms like Instagram and YouTube for affiliate marketing and creating a sales funnel. These monetization methods have been done to death via webinars, blog posts, courses and how-to articles.

    However, the same is not true for TikTok, partly because it is still a relatively new phenomenon and partly because influencers’ methods to make money are more complex than those of Instagram or YouTube.

    For instance, most creators must either heavily promote their affiliate codes or frequently change a link in their profile to keep up with what they’re selling. On other platforms, there are more opportunities to place a clickable link somewhere, which makes the selling process more manageable.

    This dovetails with another trend: brand partnerships. Recent ConvertSocial data shows that TikTok bloggers’ income from brand partnerships has grown by 58% in the past year, which proves that the platform’s influencers are figuring out that utilizing the power of a brand alongside traditional affiliate marketing mechanics is a winning strategy for them.

    Related: Taco Bell Just Premiered ‘Mexican Pizza: The Musical’ on Tik Tok, Starring Dolly Parton and Doja Cat

    Here’s the forecast for TikTok’s marketing prospects

    In 2023, one of the best things a brand can do is take TikTok more seriously regarding its audience’s spending power. Most TikTok users can pay for goods and services they see on the platform, so brands can and should leverage this as a lucrative sales channel.

    However, it would also be irresponsible not to mention the concerns about certain regulatory risks that some governments, particularly the United States, have raised because TikTok is a Chinese creation owned by a Chinese company called ByteDance. While this has yet to stop over a billion people worldwide from using the app, it is a good idea for companies to capitalize on TikTok’s popularity with eyes wide open and plenty of protections in place.

    Overall, TikTok’s popularity is slated to continue its impressive rise, and the revenue-generating opportunities look pretty positive for the coming year. As the platform releases new advertising tools, influencers gain a stronger grasp of marketing mechanics, and more brands begin entering the space; tremendous opportunities await.

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    Ksana Liapkova

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  • 6 Powerful Brand Storytelling Tips For Marketers | Entrepreneur

    6 Powerful Brand Storytelling Tips For Marketers | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Storytelling is a powerful tool that marketers use to engage their target audience and create a connection between the brand and the customer. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s becoming increasingly important for brands to stand out from the crowd and capture the attention of potential customers.

    Research has shown that stories impact the brain more than dry, straightforward information. A good brand story captures customers’ attention and creates an emotional connection that stays with them long after the initial interaction. In this article, we will dive deeper into the world of brand storytelling and share six powerful tips for marketers to create compelling stories that will impact your bottom line.

    1. Know your target audience

    Before you start telling your brand story, it’s important to know who your target audience is. Understanding demographics such as age, gender, location and income will help you tailor your brand story to your target audience’s interests and needs. It’s also essential to identify the customers’ needs and desires and what they seek in a brand. This information can be gathered through market research and surveys.

    Once you clearly understand your target audience, it’s time to create a hook that will grab their attention. A hook is a sentence or two that will make people want to know more about your story. For example, if you’re a fitness brand, your hook might be, “Are you tired of feeling sluggish and unmotivated? Discover how our workout program can transform your life”.

    Related: 6 Ways to Get Customers Hooked and Raving About Your Brand

    2. Create a compelling story

    A compelling story is essential for engaging your target audience and creating an emotional connection. Your brand story should be unique and stand out from your competitors. A good story has a structure with a beginning, middle and end. It should also have a clear and concise message that is easy to understand.

    Some key elements of a compelling brand story include its origin story, mission and values and what sets it apart from its competitors. You should also include real-life examples and customer testimonials to give your story credibility and make it more relatable. People are more likely to connect with a story they can relate to.

    Consider using characters in your brand story that your target audience can identify with. For example, if you’re a travel brand, your story might revolve around a young couple seeking adventure and seeking an escape from their busy lives.

    3. Use emotional storytelling

    Emotions play a powerful role in brand storytelling. They create an emotional connection between the customer and the brand that is much more powerful than just a simple transaction. By tapping into the emotions of your target audience, you can create a story that resonates with them and stays with them long after the initial interaction.

    Examples of emotional storytelling include telling a personal story about the brand founder, highlighting how the brand has helped customers in the past and showcasing the brand’s impact on the community.

    Related: 5 Ways to Get to the Heart of Emotional Marketing

    4. Utilize visual storytelling

    Images and visuals are an important part of telling your brand story. They can help bring your story to life and make it more memorable. Use images that are powerful, emotional and relevant to your story. For instance, if you’re a food brand, you might use images of fresh, healthy ingredients and happy families eating together.

    There are several types of visual storytelling that you can use, including infographics, videos, images and illustrations. When using visual storytelling, it’s important to ensure that the visuals are high-quality and relevant to your brand story. You should also ensure the visuals complement the story and not overpower it.

    5. Inspire action with your story

    Stories are not just about capturing your audience’s attention; they’re also about inspiring them to take action. Whether you want to drive sales, encourage sign-ups or promote a particular cause, the key is to make your story actionable.

    • Communicate your call to action: Your story should have a clear and compelling call to action that inspires your audience to take action.
    • Show the benefits of taking action: Highlight the benefits of taking action, whether improving their life, solving a problem or experiencing something new.
    • Make it easy to take action: Make it easy for your audience to take action by providing clear instructions, links and other resources.

    6. Incorporate storytelling into your marketing strategy

    Once you have created your brand story, it’s essential to incorporate it into your marketing strategy. This can be done by integrating storytelling into your campaigns, such as email marketing, social media and advertising. It’s also important to measure the success of your storytelling efforts to ensure that they resonate with your target audience. This can be done by tracking engagement, shares and conversions.

    Continuously refining your storytelling strategy is also important to ensure it stays relevant and engaging for your target audience. This can be done by regularly conducting market research, tracking metrics and making tweaks to your story as needed. People are more likely to share stories that they can connect with and that impact them. Ensure your brand story is shareable by making it easy for people to share on social media and other channels. Encourage your audience to share your story by including a call-to-action in your story.

    Related: How to Use Storytelling to Sell Your Brand and Vision

    Remember, the most important aspect of brand storytelling is to be authentic to your brand’s values and mission. This will ensure your story resonates with your target audience and creates a lasting impression.

    These tips will help you create a powerful brand story that connects with your target audience and differentiates you from your competitors. Remember to reflect your brand values and not be afraid to take a stand on what is important to your brand. Good luck with your brand storytelling journey!

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    Murali Nethi

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  • 5 Lessons to Learn From the Social Media Tactics of Museums | Entrepreneur

    5 Lessons to Learn From the Social Media Tactics of Museums | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In the 21st century, social media is an essential tool that can be used to promote a brand or business and create and foster a community. This is especially true for the art world, which is often accused of being too elitist and out of reach. What if social media — specifically, hashtags and TikTok videos — were the key to making art institutions more widely accessible? And how can entrepreneurs and startups use these tactics to their advantage?

    1. Create your own unique thematic hashtag and invite your audience to contribute

    Some institutions are ahead of the game regarding social media tactics and generating engagement online. You’ve probably seen the #mygirlwithapearl hashtag floating around. This campaign was created by the Mauritshuis in The Hague when its most famous artwork, Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, left for an eight-week exhibit in Amsterdam. The concept is pretty simple: the museum is soliciting new versions of the painting from the public, which will be exhibited as a stand-in for the famed painting. It’s open to everyone, and all materials are permitted. This creative opportunity has attracted over 4900 entries skyrocketing in terms of reach.

    The museum cleverly took advantage of a less-than-ideal situation (its most famous painting being absent for two months) and used it to generate engagement and publicity. If they can, so can you.

    Related: Learn How to Expand Your Social Media Following with Hashtags

    2. Make those videos and make them short, sweet, and fun

    Another museum generating tons of engagement on social media is the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Despite being one of the most respected art institutions in the United Kingdom, the museum doesn’t take itself seriously on social media, especially on TikTok. The V&A’s social media team has adopted a daring, hilarious and irreverent approach to its collections, sharing short, informal videos perfectly packaged for the Gen Z sense of humor.

    One video is notoriously entitled “Bums of the V&A” and takes viewers through the museum, showcasing the best bums of the institution’s numerous statues. This specific video has almost 40k likes. The museum’s TikTok account has a staggering 81k followers and over 2.3 million likes in total.

    3. Maximize your content opportunities: Show behind the scenes!

    Similarly, the Prado in Madrid has over 400k followers on TikTok. The museum mostly posts behind-the-scenes videos, as well as short educational clips. It has amassed over 3.8 million likes. Museum staff, such as curators and conservators, appear in videos, answering questions or simply showcasing their skills. The fact that the museum has managed to create such a huge community and generate so much engagement is incredible, especially since its videos are mainly in Spanish. This proves the power of social media when it comes to connecting a museum with its public, and the same for any business.

    Related: 9 Tips To Grow Your Small Business With Social Media Marketing

    4. Create memes and post more pets (Yes, it works on business accounts too!)

    There aren’t that many museums taking advantage of the power of social media. When they do, however, the numbers are incredible. Take the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), for example. The museum launched a #DogsOfLACMA campaign, which features pictures of visitors and their dogs in the museum’s outdoor areas. This has prompted visitors to submit their own pictures by adding the hashtag, generating great engagement for the museum.

    LACMA currently has 873k followers on Instagram, and the #DogsOfLACMA hashtag has been used over 1,400 times. The LACMA social media accounts are also notable for using memes featuring artworks housed in the museum. One Instagram post, which reads “me risking my whole career and future for 5 more minutes of sleep” over Mallet’s Venus and a Sleeping Cupid (1810), has amassed over 12k likes. Their “meme” posts are more liked than the more regular photographs featuring works from their collection – by far.

    Related: It’s Time to Take Memes Seriously. 5 Strategies To Incorporating Memes in Your Marketing Strategy.

    5. Make those reels!

    A final example is New York City’s MOMA, the world’s most-followed museum on social media, with over 5 million followers on Instagram alone. This number is rather staggering. However, the MOMA’s engagement rate is actually pretty low. Likes stagnate in the low thousands, which is not much for an account with over 5 million followers. The posts that generate the most engagement tend to be reels. This shows that the more personal your posts are, the more engagement you will have. This goes for any industry or business. Posting sterile color-coded pictures might look great on your feed but will not drive engagement and build a community. To actually start connecting with people on social media, letting your personality, originality, and sense of humor shine through is the way to go.

    Perhaps it is controversial for official art institutions like the V&A and LACMA to post art memes, but these tactics work. Memes are relatable, funny and more likely to be reshared than other posts. The best way for museums to create engagement on social media platforms is to adopt an informal tone to become relevant while remaining educational. Similar to those historical institutions, new companies in the cultural field need to try out being more creative and less traditional on social to stay authentic and connected to their audiences.

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    Christina Chara Ioannou

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  • 7 Predictions for How Brands Will Use Virtual Influencers to Connect With Consumers in 2023 | Entrepreneur

    7 Predictions for How Brands Will Use Virtual Influencers to Connect With Consumers in 2023 | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Social media platforms have seen the rise of a new type of celebrity: the virtual influencer. And according to a recent survey, their market size is set to grow by at least 25% in 2023 alone.

    The rise of virtual influencers has given brands new ways to promote their products and services while preserving their reputations. Virtual influencers — like Lil Miquela, Polar and the 34 others already verified on Instagram — have built up large followings around the world and will be used by brands to target specific demographics and sell products in niche markets. As virtual influencers become more widespread, brands will also use them to produce personalized and authentic content, create interactive experiences, host online events and run highly tailored influencer marketing campaigns.

    These tactics, which are already used by companies such as Balmain and Prada, will help businesses engage customers and foster brand loyalty, ultimately resulting in increased sales and brand recognition.

    Here, we’ll look at seven predictions for how brands will use virtual influencers to connect with consumers in 2023:

    Related: CGI-Created Virtual Influencers Are the New Trend in Social Media Marketing

    1. Targeting specific demographics

    Brands will use virtual influencers to target specific demographics, such as Gen Z and millennials, as they are more likely to engage with digital characters, with these demographics already making up 40% of all U.S. consumers who purchased a product from a virtual influencer in 2022. By customizing these virtual influencers further to fit a specific group based on their interests, brands can target a particular niche and will be able to more successfully and effectively reach their desired audience.

    2. Promoting products and services in niche markets

    Virtual influencers will be used by brands to promote goods and services in markets like music, gaming and esports, where virtual characters are already well-liked. As a result, businesses can connect with a group of consumers or a community that is highly engaged and already interested in the advertised goods or services. Additionally, it enables businesses to produce bespoke content, leading to more successful marketing campaigns.

    3. Developing interactive experiences

    Brands will use virtual influencers to develop interactive experiences that engage customers and foster brand loyalty. For instance, virtual try-ons allow customers to see how a product would appear on them while engaging with the brand and directly with the virtual influencer in a digital environment. By doing this, businesses can connect with customers more deeply, forging genuine connections and increasing the likelihood of making a sale.

    4. Designing “authentic” content

    Brands will use virtual influencers to create “authentic” content that aligns with their values and resonates with their target audience. Such content may seem at odds with the nature of virtual influencers as they are not actual individuals, but as Paul Urwin at Big Box Content puts it, “authentic” content is simply about “the story behind the product.”

    As such, virtual influencers’ personal experiences, daily routines and behind-the-scenes content are examples of content that brands can invent, design and then use to establish a more genuine connection with their audience.

    Additionally, brands can encourage audience trust and loyalty by showcasing both the company’s and the virtual influencer’s values and beliefs. As Schaunagh Gleeson mentions in her article for The Drum, virtual influencers “can be used as a complete visual representation of a brand and its values and are also under the brand’s control.”

    Related: The Metaverse and Digital Avatars: Is This the Future of Communication and Branding?

    5. Creating branded content series

    Brands will extend their production of content to turn virtual influencers into stars of their own branded content series. For example, a clothing brand could create a virtual influencer named “Fashionista,” who would star in a series of videos on the brand’s social media channels. The series could showcase “Fashionista” styling different outfits and discussing the latest fashion trends while promoting the brand’s clothing.

    This would allow the brand to connect with consumers in an engaging, entertaining and relatable way while also promoting its products in a more subtle and authentic manner.

    6. Hosting virtual events

    To engage consumers and foster brand loyalty, brands will employ virtual influencers to host virtual events like live streams. These allow brands to reach a global audience and create a sense of community among consumers. They can be virtual meet-and-greets, virtual Q&A sessions or virtual product launches that let customers communicate with the influencer and the brand in real-time.

    In addition, virtual concerts and festivals for both real-life and virtual artists are becoming increasingly popular. For example, Polar, the virtual popstar, drew in more than 2.2 million total visits to her in-game stage during her metaverse launch, resulting in her fans spending a combined 100,000 hours experiencing the unique event. In addition, the unique experience translated into 1 million views in fewer than 19 days on the YouTube music video of Polar’s launch track, Close to You.

    7. Launching influencer marketing campaigns

    With the market size of the virtual human industry expected to reach $42.4 billion by 2030 in China alone, there is no doubt that brands will work with virtual influencers to develop marketing campaigns that boost sales and brand recognition.

    Marketing campaigns involving virtual influencers can broaden a brand’s audience and impact by incorporating sponsored content, product reviews and partnerships with other online influencers. These campaigns are likely to be highly successful, given that virtual influencers attain close to triple the levels of engagement their human counterparts achieve. For instance, according to a recent survey by the Influencer Marketing Factory, 58% of respondents already follow one or more virtual influencers, and over a third have purchased something these influencers have promoted.

    Despite this, virtual influencers can still work in tandem with real-world influencers to reach a larger audience and forge a more genuine bond with customers.

    There’s no doubt that the rise of virtual influencers is a development that is here to stay. In 2023, brands will likely use virtual influencers more frequently to enhance their reputation, develop innovative marketing campaigns, and most importantly, connect with consumers in ways never before possible.

    Related: 3 Marketing Trends You Need To Look Out For

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    Patrik Wilkens

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  • 6 Social Media Content Strategies That Will Make You a Trusted Authority in Your Field | Entrepreneur

    6 Social Media Content Strategies That Will Make You a Trusted Authority in Your Field | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Are you looking to build your reputation as a trusted authority in your industry? With the six strategies outlined below, you’ll learn how to create helpful and engaging content and build trust with your target audience so that they see you as a go-to source of reliable information. These strategies will help you gain more followers and ultimately help you become a trusted authority in your field. Let’s get started!

    Strategy #1: Create content that showcases your actual work

    It’s a no-brainer strategy, but many professionals feel guilty about promoting themselves on social media because they believe it makes them look pushy or needy. However, there are creative ways to showcase your expertise that can make you feel confident in what you share.

    • Case studies: Use the power of storytelling in your case study posts and show the transformative journey of your client. What painful problems did they have, how did you come into the picture, and how did you solve them?
    • Behind-the-scenes content: Share sneak peeks of your process, challenges and successes as you work on a project. This kind of content offers a unique perspective on your work and helps build a personal connection with your followers.
    • Ask for feedback: Post your work on social media directly and ask for feedback from the audience. This content will put you in a position of not being pushy but instead looking for honest feedback. Readers will feel intrigued to look at your work.

    Related: 10 Social-Media Marketing Strategies for Companies

    Strategy #2: Do live AMAs (ask me anything sessions)

    There is no better way to demonstrate your expertise than to do live sessions answering questions. People love engaging with experts who have hands-on experience in the field. People consider you a valuable resource when you make yourself available for questions.

    You can host live AMAs once a week. Let your audience know there is a live session on a particular day of the week, and they will be more likely to join you with their questions in hand. Over time this practice creates a domino effect on your authority, and more and more people in your industry will flock toward you. It also helps you position yourself as an expert, build a community around your brand and lets you uncover less-known but critical problems in your market.

    Strategy #3: Bust the common myths around your industry

    Every industry has its assumptions and beliefs. Showcase what you disagree with to create interesting content. Here are some ideas for you.

    • Create a myth-busting series: Dedicate social media posts to busting the most common myths in your industry. It allows you to educate your audience and demonstrate your expertise over a long period.
    • Present alternative solutions: Offer unique solutions to common challenges and problems in your industry. Show people how they can do it better, faster, and cheaper. This demonstrates your ability to think outside the box and provide unique insights to your audience.
    • Use humor: Busting myths doesn’t have to be serious. Adding a bit of humor to your content can make it more engaging and memorable for your audience. Most importantly, it’ll add a personality to your brand.

    Remember, when presenting uncommon opinions, it’s essential to be respectful, open-minded, and well-informed.

    Related: How to Establish Online Authority

    Strategy #4: Share your pitfalls so others can avoid them

    People love reading about your vulnerabilities and mistakes. It helps people get a glimpse into the human side of you. This type of content gives insights to your readers to avoid errors and get better results from their endeavors.

    Highlight what you have learned from the experience and how it has helped you grow and improve. Offer advice to others who may be going through the same situation. Give them clarity on what exactly they should think and do to solve those problems.

    Related: Why Vulnerability Is a Strong Business Leader’s Most Powerful Weapon

    Strategy #5: Create how-to guides and show your deep expertise

    Creating “how-to guides” as part of your social media content effectively increases engagement with your target audience and demonstrates expertise in your field. All “how-to guides” should begin by introducing the problem that needs to be solved and providing an overview of the steps that will be taken to solve it. Once complete, highlight the benefits resulting from completing each of these steps.

    Make sure your how-to guides are detailed, easy to understand and actionable. This strategy demonstrates your deep knowledge of the subject, which can lead to increased engagement and, ultimately, more quality followers for your content marketing efforts.

    Strategy #6: Predictions and futuristic content

    Predictions can be a powerful driver of engagement on social media, giving people insight into new or changing trends or offering creative speculations about the future of your industry. Create content around forecasting future trends and advancements/technologies in your industry. It helps you establish a fast-forward thinking approach and position yourself as a thought leader.

    This form of content has its unique appeal as well: it taps into your reader’s collective curiosity and desires to learn more about the unknown, spurring conversations that can pique interest. Of course, on social media, you should handle predictions with caution. To make sure followers trust your credibility with such content in the future.

    Some futuristic content can be:

    • Ideas on how your industry can prepare for the future
    • The rise of new development and its impacts on your industry
    • Your thoughts on what the future may hold.

    Some final thoughts

    Gaining more trust and recognition in your area of expertise doesn’t happen overnight, but these six social media content strategies can help you a long way in your journey. Now it’s time for you to choose which of these content strategies to implement first.

    Utilizing the above strategies will give you the best outcome for being seen as a leader within your field but don’t let that overwhelm you. Start small by nailing down one or two of the above tactics and build from there. You should be able to see the results over time if you remain consistent across various platforms.

    What strategy would you like to try first? The power is in your hands!

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    Erica McMillan

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  • How to Take Advantage of The Unexpected Rise of Micro-Influencers | Entrepreneur

    How to Take Advantage of The Unexpected Rise of Micro-Influencers | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The concept of influencer marketing has been around for a while, but it has traditionally been focused on celebrities and individuals with large followings. However, the rise of micro-influencers has changed the game.

    With a small but dedicated following, these individuals are considered experts in their respective niches, be it beauty, fashion, games or health and wellness. This makes them extremely valuable to brands that target specific groups. Let’s analyze why this shift came about in recent years.

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    Abeer Raza

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  • How to Leverage Trending Sounds to Go Viral on Social Media | Entrepreneur

    How to Leverage Trending Sounds to Go Viral on Social Media | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    With the rise of short-form content across TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram reels, this is the perfect way to build an audience and any niche in 2023. Over the past six months, I’ve been testing out different ways to apply trends using short videos. I did this for two reasons:

    1. I created software that spots trends for TikTok and other platforms. If I was going to show people how to go viral by using these trends, I must do it myself first.

    2. To expand my own personal brand

    So far, my results have been excellent. Specifically, on Instagram, I’ve been able to reach over 50 million people by leveraging trends with reels. I’ve also been able to see a great deal of success on other social media platforms as well.

    Other organic methods work just as well as focusing on short-form content, but today we are going to be focusing on why you should add short-form content to your social media strategy and how to use trending sounds to amplify it.

    Before we get started, let’s first answer this question:

    Related: 3 Ways Your Brand Can Go Viral on TikTok

    Why are social media trends so powerful?

    Social media trends are a powerful phenomenon that can shape public opinion and even create sweeping changes in how people think, act and interact. Whether it’s the #MeToo movement, giving voice to those who have faced sexual harassment or #BlackLivesMatter, highlighting racial oppression, social media trends have been used as a platform for collective action.

    The power of social media trends lies primarily in their ability to reach a massive audience in an incredibly short amount of time. Trends often spread like wildfire, with users from all over the world engaging with and sharing content within minutes of its release. This is especially true when popular figures like celebrities or influencers get involved. By leveraging their large following, they can amplify the trend exponentially and help shape public opinion on an issue.

    Be consistent

    It’s important to understand that trends and using trending sounds won’t guarantee a viral video. Each day during the week, I have the opportunity to consult with content creators across different niches. Some of these creators are just starting out, and others have multiple million followers across all platforms.

    The common mistake I see when hopping on these calls is that people think that applying trends to your content creation strategy will guarantee a viral video. Because of this mindset, I’ll see many people post three to four videos that leverage a rising trend and stop posting content, wondering why their videos haven’t popped off yet.

    Yes, using trending sounds is a way to get more viral content, but posting consistently is more important. Yes, you have some creators who are able to hit a home run on the first try, but the reality is that’s not going to work for everyone.

    Social media is a numbers game. We only use trends to better put the odds in our favor. I would rather you post content consistently without using any trending sounds than post a handful of trendy videos and stop posting altogether. That way, you would see significantly better results in the long run.

    Consistency does not only apply to social media. Consistency is a powerful tool that can help you reach your goals in life. It allows you to focus on the small steps leading up to larger successes rather than tackling everything at once. Consistency also helps keep you motivated and encourages good habits. When it comes to achieving success, consistency is key!

    Related: 3 Social Media Hacks to Help Your Content Go Viral

    Be relevant

    The last important step for using trending sounds to go viral with short-form content is to make sure that the audio you’re using is relevant to what you’re showing within your video.

    The algorithms are not dumb. People are not dumb either. Both the algorithm and the people watching your content love authenticity. This includes:

    Being authentic with your content while leveraging trending sounds makes it easier for multiple videos to go viral if one does happen to pop off.

    Using trending sounds is a great way to go viral, but it is just one of three things needed to go viral on TikTok, Instagram reels and YouTube shorts. Be sure you add consistency and relevancy. Those two things are arguably more important than applying trends. If you combine all three in your content creation strategy, you will see some fantastic results.

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    Dejon Brooks

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  • Entrepreneur | Top 5 Marketing Tips for a Successful Brand

    Entrepreneur | Top 5 Marketing Tips for a Successful Brand

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Digital marketing isn’t a set-and-forget strategy. New marketing trends, technology and evolving consumer and market demands keep digital marketing in a constant state of metamorphosis. If the last decade has shown us anything, the digital landscape is ever-changing, and to be on the ball, you need to be ahead of your competitors.

    To help you align your brand marketing to future changes and stay ahead of the curve, we’ve researched the 2023 trends that’ll most impact digital marketing.

    1. Social media influencer marketing

    According to research by Edelman, only one in three consumers say they can trust most of the brands they buy from. Furthermore, 67% of customers agree they may buy a company’s product because of its good reputation, but they’ll stop if they don’t come to trust the company.

    In response, many brands are partnering with influencers to help them cultivate strong brand awareness, recognition and trust. Influencers are people or entities with a receptive fan base (followers) that they can persuade (influence) towards a certain action. They may be content creators, celebrities, models, or marketers with a huge or rising social media following. Partnering with influencers builds brand credibility, as 37% of consumers trust social media influencers over mainstream brands.

    To succeed in influencer marketing in 2023, design an influencer marketing strategy. With a solid strategy, you’ll pick the right influencers to elevate your brand’s credibility and awareness with your target market, boosting your sales in the long run.

    Related: Influencers Are The Future of Marketing. Here’s How To Prepare Your Brand

    2. Marketing automation

    Every marketing campaign has many repetitive functions that can be automated with the right tools. These are everyday processes such as project assignments, social media posting, new project requests, messaging, email marketing, task reminders and workflow status updates.

    These recurrent marketing tasks can eat into your productive time, preventing you from completing other, more productive functions like creating fresh marketing content or analyzing key insights from your marketing data.

    Automation tools are particularly crucial today, seeing the greater part of marketing is data-driven. Conventionally, automation tools have supported data collection and behavioral observation. But in 2023 and subsequent years, data will advance signal-based marketing, which will interpret signals from the customer and help you better understand what customers want, both now and in the future.

    Next-gen automation tools learn from old customer data and predict their future actions. As such, you’ll be empowered to automate messages addressing future customer needs. This is a welcome innovation, considering how much effort it takes to derive key insights from predictive analytics manually.

    Related: The Top 5 Perks of Marketing Automation

    3. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) in content creation

    Generative AI is improving daily, making automated content generation the most disruptive trend in contemporary content marketing. Cutting-edge AI programs like Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3 (GPT-3) are already creating quality human-like text. GPT-4 will likely debut in 2023, offering more automation functions, better accuracy, and lower bias.

    While content automation tools are unlikely to eliminate the need for human content creators, they make content curation, creativity and predictive marketing much easier. You may not have the resources to immediately roll out sophisticated automation tools like GPT-3 in 2023 because they’re costly to acquire and train. Still, you can use more affordable tools like Marketmuse or Article Forge to assist you in meeting your content creation aims.

    The upside of generative AI is that once you train your model, you can fine-tune it on the go to suit different content. This makes generative AI extremely convenient for digital marketers who need varied types of content.

    Related: Should You Trust Artificial Intelligence in Marketing?

    4. Video marketing

    Video marketing has been one of the top marketing strategies for years. However, video production and delivery advancements have steadily increased its importance, as well as transformed the best practices for video advertising.

    Some of the video marketing trends you should cash in on in 2023 include:

    • Search-optimized video
    • Live video
    • Virtual and augmented reality
    • Vlogs and social media stories
    • Silent videos
    • Smartphone production

    A great video pays dividends since you can release it through multiple channels without reproducing it from scratch.

    5. Mobile-first marketing

    Mobile devices made up 58.99% of global website traffic in the 2nd quarter of 2022. An even larger percentage of web traffic will likely come from mobile in 2023 and beyond. Pay more attention to mobile-first marketing in your digital marketing approach to take advantage of this trend.

    A mobile-first marketing approach requires you to tailor your website and marketing content precisely for your mobile users so that they can consume and engage with your brand marketing message effortlessly. Mobile-delivered content is more appealing and personal to consumers. To execute mobile-first marketing effectively, consider the following 2023 best practices:

    • Utilize target messaging
    • Employ chatbots to advance personalization
    • Create relevant and exclusive content that’s mobile-friendly
    • Leverage SMS and in-app messaging
    • Use geo-targeting marketing, QR codes, and push notifications

    To nail mobile-first marketing, you must embrace fresh ways of designing and disseminating marketing content via mobile and optimize your e-commerce storefront to support and advance mobile commerce.

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    Adam Chandler

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  • Entrepreneur | Why the Best Days of Digital Media Are Ahead of Us

    Entrepreneur | Why the Best Days of Digital Media Are Ahead of Us

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The word of the year for 2022 feels like something straight out of science fiction: permacrisis, “an extended period of instability and insecurity.” If you’re in the media and advertising business, that sounds an awful lot like what’s going on right now.

    But despite the breakneck speed of change (and a really scary October that saw the free fall of ad-supported blue chip companies like Meta, Snap and Google), digital media isn’t really in permacrisis or even a crisis at all. It’s in a constant state of flux, and 2022 was no exception. In fact, I’d argue that all this change is a good thing.

    The first banner ad debuted less than 30 years ago. Search ads are even younger than that. Social media got its start 18 years ago, but TikTok has only been around for six years. The technology and tools for digital media are still very much in their infancy. Another brand-new medium that developed from the ground up? Television. It has taken almost 100 years for TV to hit its stride, and it still surprises us every year. We’re in the early days of digital media. As delightful and indispensable as the internet is in our lives, the templates we use today continue to be basic and unappealing; too many sites, even the really good ones, are crowded by poorly performing and poorly integrated ads. It’s hard to measure what works, and advertisers are still unsure of what they are always buying. Everything is fragmented and complex; there’s too much friction to get basic things done.

    That’s why the increased speed of change we’re witnessing is a good thing, and I believe we’re on the cusp of discovering the potential of what digital media can truly be. These trends tell me that the best days of digital media are around the corner because:

    Related: 5 Digital Marketing Trends to Know for the Decade

    Privacy is resetting the game

    We’ve spent years collecting data on people to advertise to them. Our industry chose to invest in harvesting people’s personal data and spent years doing it. This was at the expense of advancement as an industry in other technology solutions like contextual advertising that are less invasive and more useful. Advertisers used this data to build creative that relied on crude personalization (like your name) instead of focusing on real signals like attention time and engagement. It’s been lucrative for platforms, but people have found it annoying and creepy as we stalk them around the web. It’s also increasingly precarious for publishers and advertisers. While audience targeting initially gave interesting insights into people like never before, it’s no longer effective and won’t stand the test of time when it comes to emerging environments and platforms — or future privacy regulations. Massive penalties await publishers and advertisers that skirt the law. Fortune will favor those that move away from cookies and identifiers now.

    Context is everything

    Every advertiser I’ve spoken to believes that, at the end of the day, creative execution will be driven by contextual technology. So, why are advertisers still not moving quicker in understanding context in the current ways it can be leveraged at scale today? Why are brands not using deeper contextual insights to determine strategy, creative and more? Technology has already advanced to the point where it can comprehend the context of a digital environment. It can interpret words, videos, audio and metadata, providing a comprehensive understanding of the environment in order to pair it with dynamic and engaging ad creative. By doing this, digital advertising can produce something that consumers find beneficial and enjoyable (without personal data), no matter where it appears. We have the technology; let’s do this.

    It’s time to rethink metrics—and focus on attention

    Growing up, ads like Calvin Klein CK1 fragrance in magazines grabbed my attention — I can still remember those ads today. These days, the creative gets lost in the clutter, people skip preroll ads, and the metrics we use for success are flawed — yet we keep doing them. We need to take a fresh look at how we measure the success of digital advertising campaigns. With so much competition in the digital ad space, simply having an ad that is viewable does not always guarantee its success. We must find ways to capture attention and understand what drives people to take action. Through advanced contextual and attention solutions, we can identify the content and confirm if the ad resonates within the environment. And then, real-time optimization engines can be used to programmatically deliver the campaign in the most effective way possible. It’s a win-win-win combination.

    Related: 6 Marketing Metrics Every Business Should Track

    In-game advertising is the next big thing

    Every brand marketer knows gaming is huge. They play them, their kids play them, everyone does. And yet, in-game ads, specifically intrinsic in-game ads, are untapped and highly coveted: They let marketers reach consumers at their most receptive by integrating with the game world itself. There are more than three billion gamers in the world — with some groups spending more than six hours playing at a time. Talk about an engaged audience. Right now, most of the ad inventory is available on mobile, but consoles and big-screen gaming are about to come into their own. In-game advertising is set to grow 11% per year and reach nearly $18 billion in 2030. Early adopters get the added benefit of an uncluttered ad and media landscape — and unprecedented scale.

    CTV is an awesome, unstoppable freight train

    CTV spending rose 57% last year to $15.2 billion and is projected to more than double over the next few years. More importantly, 76% of video buyers consider CTV a “must buy” in their media planning budgets, as CTV allows them to leverage data and formats not available within linear TV. So, why are there no brand safety solutions, no contextual understanding of the content and no new ad formats? It makes no sense. Are brands simply not aware of the advancements in these areas and what is available? Why do we still rely on preroll in CTV instead of new formats that align with current customers? Innovations like AI, contextual intelligence and the widespread availability of more non-linear ad formats will make CTV ads work harder, and now that Netflix and other premium streamers are adding ads, it will be even more essential in an advertiser’s mix. Advertisers that figure out the medium early will also be the early CTV winners.

    The recession is real, but opportunity abounds

    Economic uncertainty, the U.S. dollar’s rise against other currencies and inflation are very real at home and abroad. Full stop. And ad spending cuts are happening. But digital still remains the single best and most effective way to target and reach consumers, and that’s not going to change anytime soon (consider that the average American spends 8.2 hours glued to their phone). Digital marketing is not discretionary for brands anymore. It’s a critical investment, and smart marketers will use the current ad climate to their advantage — to get noticed, to break out and to get ahead. After all, when competitors are cutting back, that can be your moment to get noticed.

    Related: How to Build on Your Digital Marketing Momentum in 2023

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    Phil Schraeder

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