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Hashtags can be complicated. They're effective on Instagram, but a flop on Facebook. They're usable on Twitter, but don't function on LinkedIn. Some make sense, others don't. Some have massive followings, while others simply die.
It can get confusing.
Before you forsake using hashtags altogether, though, consider these stats:
The number of small businesses on Facebook is continuing to grow at rapid rates. As of April last year, Facebook announced the number of active small business Pages on the platform was up to 40 million. For all of these small businesses on Facebook, limited reach due to Facebook’s algorithm is an ever-present frustration.
Instagram Stories, a strikingly similar concept to Snapchat, was launched this month with much fanfare. While the format is new to Instagram, the concept itself has been around since the launch of Snapchat Stories in October 2013. The idea is that users can create a chain of content that can be viewed an unlimited number of times over the course of 24 hours. Now, in addition to the Instagram feed we all know and love, there also exists Stories – a place to post goofy, off-the-cuff “Snapchat-style” content.
I recently had an encounter with two people who were working with a LinkedIn trainer to learn how to use the platform, complete their profiles, and make connections. I asked, “How many leads have you gotten so far?” To my surprise (I assumed everyone learning LinkedIn was doing so for business development purposes), their answer was, “We are not sure how to do that.”
Strategy is the biggest difference between a B2B sales and marketing team that enjoy consistent sales leads and revenue opportunities on LinkedIn and one that just has a presence with lots of connections. Learning the tactics of the platform is one thing. Learning how to generate leads is another. That’s where social selling comes in.
Social media is one of our favorite subjects. Here's a run-down of what's new in the land of hashtags, memes, and marketing.
Facebook The days of simply liking a post are over. Facebook rolled out "reactions" last week, giving users the option of choosing from a range of emotions instead. "Love", "wow", "sad", and "angry" are some of the reactions that users can choose from. It is expected that brands and small businesses will see an uptick in user engagement on their posts, since choosing a Reaction is much simpler and faster than leaving a comment. It will also give a lot more insight into how an audience views content. Read more about Facebook's "reactions" here.
Sometimes social media marketing can seem like a stab in the dark. Are those Facebook likes really sending customers to your website? Like any marketing strategy, you need to analyze the data in order to see if something is really working. In the past few years, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have become much better about sharing meaningful stats. Now is a great time to analyze that information in order to see what has worked and what hasn't. Armed with this data, you'll be ready to craft a strategy that will take your social media marketing to the next level. Although there are various details you can see in your social media analytics, we recommend paying close attention to the following metrics.
The world of social media is never boring — new product launches, big announcements, and (sometimes) lots of arguments over things like stars and hearts. Here's what the social media world was up to recently:
Ever since Meerkat took SXSW by storm in March of this year, live social media has been riding on a popularity streak. The phenomenon isn't a new one; in fact, live streaming has been around since the '90s. But the rise of apps like Meerkat, Periscope, and Snapchat has pushed live streaming to center stage by making it easier than ever for people to share live content.
There have been a lot of things happening in social media since our last update -- some exciting and some disappointing. Here's what we thought was worth mentioning...
Social media provides a platform where small businesses can promote their brand, create a recognizable identity, and connect with customers. You don't have to look far to find businesses who are doing it well. They've built an engaging presence on social media and gained thousands of followers. But how did they get there? It all starts with creating a social media strategy. If it seems mind-boggling, don't worry. The big guys started at square one once too. We've put together a guide to creating a social media strategy based on our experience with building successful social media presences for many of our clients.
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