blog featured image

ARCHIVE

Category: Content Marketing

post date

Video Marketing

As you may already know, video is becoming the Michael Jordan of marketing. Because our current generation is lazy and can’t hold still for five minutes to read an article, videos have this problem covered. They provide a more personal experience for your customers who have that short attention span and are comfortable with social media.

Videos are an increasingly important marketing tool for businesses because they’re useful and versatile. Whether it’s for your social media, your website, or for your customers, videos are important to the success of your business. Enough with the boring content and memes that don’t mean anything (cat memes are still okay), upgrade to videos, you’ll thank us.

The Numbers:

Videos for business don’t just “look good,” they bring big numbers. Numbers and data are the name of the game in marketing, because that’s what everyone wants and needs. A survey by Renderforest.com found that videos can increase awareness of your brand by over 70%. As a result, your business reaches new audiences and attracts new potential customers to your website and media pages.

This increase in brand awareness correlates with traffic, which video can increase by over 51%. It’s simple: the more people that come to your website and social media sites, the more successful your business will be. Unlike the horrible traffic on US-19 at five o’clock where you’re stuck listening to “Put you to sleep” radio, this is the traffic you’ll enjoy.

But enough with the “boring” statistics, let’s get to the one thing that ALL business leaders are most interested in, MONEY.  Using video marketing increases sales by over 34%. Over 45% of people are more likely to buy a product or service after watching a video because of the improved SEO. It’s simple math, folks! People want to see what your product or service does. These stats are great, but you first need to know what type of video you need to produce, for what platform, and who your target audience is before these numbers even matter.  Keep reading if you’d like your business to make more money.

How to Use Video Marketing:

The amazing thing about video marketing is how far it’s come and how many different areas in which it can be used. With its ability to communicate and deliver messages efficiently, video marketing has evolved in numerous ways to help you be as successful as possible.

Informative Videos

To start out with video marketing, your best bet is to create informative videos.  These are videos that explain who you are, what you do, and how you can help the target audience you are pursuing. Don’t get too personal right away though; make them want to come back for more just like a first date (yes, we give dating advice as well).

Tutorials and How-to

People love tutorials or how-to videos. These go along with informative videos, but they are more in-depth. You can use these to show how a product works or show your audience how to better use an online system that they may already be using. Many people are visual learners, so these types of videos make it easier for them to follow along and want to visit your page for the next video you share.

Educational Videos

Depending on your company, educational videos are great as well. Use certain narrative resources such as graphics and scripts to gain their attention and combine them with interesting topics to keep their attention throughout. The purpose of these is to be engaging and fun while providing useful information in the process. Webinars and live streams on social media are two of the main effective ways to use this technique.

Testimonials

An effective video marketing technique that gets overlooked is testimonials. This is an powerful way for your audience to hear about how your company has helped others from the perspective of previous or current clients. Future customers tend to trust the opinion of others who are like themselves rather than the voice of the company. When doing this though, make sure these are people that ACTUALLY like you (if possible).

In today’s marketing era, video is essential to success. But, it’s more than just plastering your face or visuals in a video; you need to use it in a smart, content-strategic way. When you create video content for your company, remember that the #1 goal is to stay on track with the audience you are trying to reach. Make sure your quality is recognizable and that your viewers understand what you are trying to say about a product or service. Create videos that people will share and discuss with others, so that they are more likely to check out the rest of your company’s attributes.

One more word of advice: don’t try to go viral right away. Yes, it worked for the Kardashians, but being normal human beings like most of us are, perfection takes time and repetition. Repetition. Repetition.

 

post date

5 Social Media Trends for 2022

Want to stay ahead of the game on social media? A solid social media presence is very important, and trends are always evolving and growing different ways to engage your audience. Using these trends are a great way to get people involved and increase engagement. Check out these new trends to spice up your social media presence.

1. Video Content –

With the success of TikTok, other platforms like Instagram and Facebook have spiked their video content with clips like Reels to engage audiences. It’s predicted that by 2022, more platforms will include videos in their social feeds. Short videos have become a trendy way for brands to sell their products in an entertaining way. Video content is one way to increase your engagement and join the trend.

2. Behind the scenes content

With the video and TikTok trends comes behind-the-scenes content. Many small businesses have jumped on the trend and are showing the behind-the-scenes of how their products are made. Just as the do-it-yourself trend was popular a few years ago, customers are getting a glimpse into how their products are made and how their company operates. The customer can get more involved in the products, which increases sales and followers.

3. Interactive Posts

Interactive posts have increased in the last year as more and more people work from home or even from their cell phones, and this trend isn’t going away anytime soon. This trend is popular on Facebook and Instagram, but LinkedIn has also expanded its survey-like posts. Interactive posts are a great way to gauge your followers’ reaction with a simple slider or poll. Offering your followers something fun like a quiz or poll will increase their engagement and give them something to look forward to.

4. Shoppable posts

As more and more businesses turn to social platforms to share their products and reach customers, shoppable posts make it easier for customers to shop from their phones. With swipe features, embedded product links, and automatic product tagging, you can seamlessly connect your ecommerce brand to your social media by tagging images of your products in your posts for direct purchase.

5. Carousels

Carousels are still new to social media, but they’re growing in popularity on Twitter and Instagram, and are predicted to become even more popular by the middle of 2022. A carousel is a series of 5-10 texts or images in a single social media post that can be viewed by swiping or clicking. It’s a way to show lots of content, but only in one post, either for education or entertainment. It’s very popular with photographers showing multiple images from a photo shoot, or clothing brands introducing a new line or collection.

post date

INFLUENCER MARKETING: THE DOS AND DON’TS

DOS:

Do Focus on Engagement

Ahhhh, the classic debate of engagement vs. follower counts. Many brands are continuously making the mistake of overlooking a key factor when it comes to connecting with and utilizing influencers for their brand advertisements – ENGAGEMENT. That number displayed at the top of an influencers page… NEWSFLASH you can buy it, and it is not that expensive to buy either. It truly means nothing anymore, and if you are a true spotter of good influencer talent, how many followers someone has will not phase you and will not be the first thing you check for. The first thing you should be paying attention to is engagement levels – not their follower count. DO focus on engagement and DON’T concentrate on their overall number at the top of the screen because it genuinely does not have meaning anymore when it comes to brand partnerships that will have value and ROI for your brand.  

Do Find the Right Niche

It can be easy sometimes to get caught up in the wrong influencer genre for your company because of their status or celebrity. Make sure you spend the time researching the community and market you need to immerse yourself so you can see results. Too often, the audience your influencer appeals to is not interested in your product, because it is not what they usually see on the influencers page. Finding influencers that are accustom to your product, have a follower base built around it, and are knowledgeable will produce more ROI (return on investments) than the wrong influencer in the wrong niche. For example, beauty brands should not work with influencers that are fashion or travel-oriented, but rather influencers built around skincare and self-love. The same could go for a clothing brand. Prioritize fashion bloggers and not food influencers just because of a status they might have within the social media community. 

 These all go hand and hand and are mistakes that might seem like common sense but are made more commonly than you would think. If you sell kids toys, you would want to advertise with someone like Amber Fillerup or Cara Loren, knowing they have children and a massive mother audience. All of these are things to increase sales and warrant yourself proper exposure with the right community.

Do Pay Attention to Comments

Okay, we are giving away one of our trademark Instagram clues that so many digital marketers are overlooking when selecting influencers. Check their comment section. Are they receiving a lot of comments? Are the comments genuine? Are the comments filled with emojis or “so cute” comments? If so, they are not the right fit for your brand. You want to see engagement but also genuine engagement (unfortunately, engagement can be bought too). Are the followers discussing what is happening in the photo in the comments, are they talking about the brand featured, are they asking questions? The more questions an influencer can raise, the more likely it is to turn that into a sale for your brand. Is the influencer responding to comments, are they making a conscious effort to engage and spread knowledge and awareness about the products that they advertise? Take that little business secret and run wild in the comment section; you’re welcome!

Do Create a Budget

Have a budget and stick to it. Whether your goal is to give out free products or pay influencers for their services, know what you can afford, and only dedicate around 20% of your marketing budget. Do not put all your eggs in one basket with influencer marketing since it is such a new form of advertisement. It still has its pros and cons and does not always work the way you want it to. 

Do Have Backup Plans

You will commonly find out that the influencer you were dead set on working with is just not interested, or their fees are straight up too expensive. Have a solid enough list that this set back does not screw up your whole quarter. Not everyone will be eager to work with you, and not everyone works for the exchange of a free product, be aware of this and always be respectful of that because you do not want to burn a bridge for an opportunity in the future.   

Do Ask for Leftover Content

No shame in the game, if you are paying an influencer for posts, you know that one picture has a million others behind it. Influencers take hundreds of photos before they get what they consider as their “best shot” for the brand, and then they only end up using three to four of the images they spent hours creating. So, ask for all the extras! If you ask for this from the beginning and make it part of your arrangement, you can use the images down the line, and you will build-up collateral for yourself at no extra cost.

 

DON’T: 

Don’t Fall Victim to Pricing Sheets

The people who do not want to have a conversation about your brand and send you a pricing kit right away… they are taking advantage of you. A good influencer will get to know your brand and your needs before concluding what pricing should be. The ones that present you automatically with a pricing sheet and exhibit pushy demeanors with it, most of the time, their rates are way too high for the value they actually bring, and these influencers do not care about your brand. They want to make their post and move on. The influencers that want to invest time and energy into your brand are the ones worth paying for, and sometimes the ones you want are not really who is suitable for your brand. Do not fall victim to the overpriced drama queens that make you feel less than you are. Your brand is unique and has value to be shared with others, and the right influencer will help you cultivate that.   

Don’t Be Caught Up in a Fake Account

Check the influencer’s credentials. Ask for their insights, check their engagement, check them out on sites like https://igaudit.io/ . When looking at sites like this one, the influencer should be at least 65-70% authentic following. No one is hardly ever 100% seeing as bots sometimes follow without the purchase of fake followers. Sometimes, Instagram tracks inauthenticity as just not very engaging followers, so inactive accounts are basically impossible to avoid. Still, a really high authenticity rate is anything above 70%, so keep that in mind when searching.

Don’t Exclude Micro-Influencers

This has been the year of micro-influencers. On occasion, they are even outselling the influencers that have millions of followers, why you ask because they are real people! So many people are on social networks looking for real and honest reviews of their favorite products. Partner with individuals who are going to review your products with honesty and authentic conversations and invest in the people who are not just searching for the dollar sign you can offer them. Micro-influencers are great for that, and they also usually are more affordable. The two options you are presented are you can either take the one big macro-influencer route or several small micro-influencers. Both have their benefits, and you should try out both avenues to see, which is the better fit for you. 

We hope some of this information opened your eyes to the inner workings of influencer marketing! There is still so much more to discover, and it is truly an undertaking. If this is something you are interested in learning more about, reach out to our social media team here at Power On Marketing!

post date

LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO MANAGE CUSTOMER CENTRICITY

Taking the knowledge you have gained by evaluating and defining your ideal clients needs (see Creating a Customer Centric Business Model), and determine how to leverage technology to provide the level of service expected in a cost effective way.  There are a lot of choices when it concerns what technologies are worth the effort to implement.  From the implementation of a CRM, Business Blog, Social Media, Distribution Networks, Email Marketing, Website Platforms, etc., there can be a lot of tools to choose from.

How can these technologies improve your ability to manage customer more effectively?

  • Customer relationship management (CRM) software can be used to segment your client base in a way that will allow you to tailor your messaging to relate to their buying behavior.  Properly setting up your CRM and automating custom tailored messaging and campaign tracking will give you the ability interpret the results you achieve in a way that will allow you to replicate the success in a more predictive manor.
  • Business Blogging is just a way to build your website content in a way that is easier to track and follow as a customer interested in what you have to say.  You can categorize and link information in a way that tells a story.  Creating a story that relates to your customer base and flows through multiple pages on your site will increase a prospects willingness to contact you.
  • Social Media is a venue that is most likely being used by your ideal customer base.  Furthermore it is a way to reach your ideal client in a more personal setting in a more personal way.  The key to effectively using social media is to understand the mindset and interests of the participants of each type of social media account.  For example LinkedIn is expected to be used for business purposes but you should further segment its use between business and personal pages on LinkedIn.  Personal LinkedIn pages are for your personal accomplishments, which can be written in a way to sell your companies services.  While company pages should focus on the companies marketing and accomplishments for the same purpose.  Of course relating this messaging to what your ideal prospect wants to hear is the key to success.
  • Distribution Networks can be used to create brand awareness.  Remember when you are reaching out to new networks understand the networks purpose and relate your message to them.  In addition, remember this message could be the first impression you make on the prospect and the link used to get them back to the site should take them to page that continues the story you are telling.
  • Email Marketing is a great way to stay in touch with your client base.  It can be used as a way to improve lead conversion rates and a way to unobtrusively provide current customers with useful information that relate to them.
  • Website Platforms need to be established in a way that tells a great story, captures reader’s interests and entices them to convert and share the information with people they know.  This can be accomplished with appropriately placed Calls to Action, Share It Functionality and tools like live chat.  Making customer interaction and usability is vital to successfully relate to site visitors.
post date

CONTENT MARKETING VERSUS INBOUND MARKETING

Content marketing has become a much-debated topic among marketers, but there is often quite a bit of confusion around what content marketing exactly is, and how it differentiates itself from online or inbound marketing. Here is an attempt to create some clarity.

CONTENT MARKETING

• Is as old as the written word. It well pre-dates online marketing, as proven by 18th century flyers promoting concerts and other events.

• Focuses on creating relevant and interesting content targeting specific buyer personas

• Is Channel agnostic, meaning it uses all available channels, online, offline and face to face to reach different target audiences.  Examples are blogging and other social media, advertising in trade magazines, and speaking at industry conferences.

• Focuses on all stages of the buying cycle, including lead nurturing, and lead to customer conversion

ONLINE OR INBOUND MARKETING

• Is about getting found online. In other words, online marketing enables your target audience to find you and knock on your door, after which the compelling content you created using your content marketing efforts, gets them through the door.

• Uses online channels only, so SEO, Social Media, Blogging, Websites, PPC…

• Depends on the customer or prospect taking initiative by, for example doing online research on specific products, using Google asking their social media friends for referrals. (as opposed to outbound marketing, which involves brands reaching out to customers).

• Focuses mainly on the initial, lead generating stages of the buying cycle by generating traffic to a website

So in other words, online and content marketing go hand in hand, but they are not the same. They do both require a rigorous discipline around analyzing and adjusting, to maximize results and minimize risk.

post date

WHY HAVING A SOCIAL MEDIA BUDGET IS CRUCIAL

From Myspace, to Facebook, Twitter and sites that are still up-and-coming, social media marketing has evolved into something that is more than a place for the posting of funny cat videos and sharing family vacation photos – it can be used for enhancing your own brand or business at a more personal level. With this being the age of all things digital and social, using these sites for business is a smart way to increase exposure to a larger, more personal audience. The issue with this is that some people seem to forget to consider when thinking about using social media for business is including it in their budget.

Although it may be free to start a page for your business, advertisements do cost money, and factoring this cost into your budget must be considered for effective marketing. It is also not something that should be thought of as a quick addition to any kind of marketing campaign – social media takes time and manpower to build as a helpful tool for increasing the productivity of your business or brand.

Today, nearly everyone is involved in some sort of social media. Whether it is as simple as having a Facebook for sharing pictures, to writing for a daily blog, social media is something that has become part of everyday life for a large percentage of people. These digital platforms can be more informal and come across to a larger crowd, while also appealing to a more relaxed audience all at the same time. Information is pushed across the digital realm in a quicker, more efficient way while allowing for it to be up to date and keeping up with the times. For example, if something were to happen or needed to be shared with the audience of your business the moment it happens, news could be spread in nearly real time. Obviously, this can be incredibly beneficial for a number of reasons for your business.

A website or app, such as Twitter, allows for a more personal approach to pushing out content. On Twitter, followers may favorite, retweet, quote, and respond to a tweet with ease. This creates a more personal atmosphere that may be created without having to deal with the hassle of the phone or email. It is informal, so responses can be quick and to the point, while still getting results. Many people like this for business due to the fact that it somewhat humanizes the company. For smaller companies, this creates a brand image and more social networking for future and potential customers, all while helping with website traffic and explaining what the company is capable of. This also gives larger companies a chance to put off the smaller business feel, while still allowing for the recognition of the large-name brand.

Another thing to note when considering social media is that if you are not on it, your competitor is. A huge percentage of the general public is on the Internet regularly, and with a large percentage of those people actively on social media, it gives more people a chance to learn about your business. The average person checks their various social media accounts several times a day, and with your company being on these same sites it makes for a convenient place to further promote and market. Being on these sites also boosts your brand name in search engines, which creates more results and places where potential customers can hear about you.

In conjunction with your complete marketing strategy, social media can raise the overall value of your company while keeping costs at a minimum. Joining these websites will cause not just a noticeable amount of increased website traffic, but a quantum leap. If one of your posts are shared by fan or audience member, all of their followers or friends will be able to view the post, and they may share it – this creates an exponentially growing base of people who are seeing your information and getting your business name out there. There are also sites, such as StumbleUpon, which allow customers to literally “stumble” onto your website after creating a profile which is tailored to their specific interests. This obviously creates a better chance for the people who are already interested in the genre in which your brand is located to see your website. These sites can be just as helpful as things such as Twitter and Facebook, and help to ensure that other people that share the same interests as your company see you.

This form of marketing is much more inclusive for everyone involved as well. Employees and staff can be more involved with the communication aspect of the company, while teaching the general audience about said brand or company. This allows for the building of a digital community on a grander scale. On the contrary, the consumers can tell a company directly, via Facebook wall or Twitter for example, exactly what they want and what they think. This opens the channel for a direct connection between the company and the consumer. They may tell you how much they adore a product of service, or how much they may hate it and what needs to be improved. The audience can let you know exactly what they want and why they want it – just ask a question or for opinions on a social media site, and you will get responses.

The next question normally asked when it comes to advertising on social media is if it is actually worth it to pay for advertisements on an otherwise free site. The answer is yes, you should. Leaving room in your budget for these sites allows for a whole other realm of audiences to be found. As an example in the most traditional way, a post is put on Facebook, pushed into the newsfeeds of the people who have liked the page, and only seen those same people. There is no new audience, nor is there any chance for a real increase in visits because these people have already seen your information. When someone pays the fee for a promoted post or page, this shows up in newsfeeds of people that may have not liked the page, but have similar interests of your company. With costs starting at as little as ten dollars for promoted posts on Facebook, this form of effective marketing is affordable for nearly every budget. In comparison to the cost of a traditional marketing scheme, this is a more “bang for your buck” deal, which allows the marketing of your company to be enhanced on a social platform.

Within your social media budget, search engine optimization and tools for social media must also be considered in addition to actual advertisements. SEO must be considered for your website to rank higher and receive more traffic, which promotes your business. Tools are available to make your life on these social media sites much easier as well. Sites such as Hootsuite, SocialBro, ManageFlitter, and many others offer an easier way to create, schedule, and manage content in a more streamline way. Buffer is also a good tool to consider, as it allows you to schedule and put content into queues for pushing out at a later date. Using these tools also gives you a way to look at the analytics and statistics of your visitors. These are a must for any social media marketing strategy and will help you exponentially.

Allowing for the space in your budget for social media marketing will be a strategy that will pay for itself many times over. These platforms can increase exposure and create a more human forum as a direct connection with your clientele or intended audience. If social media is something that you are already doing in your marketing strategy, considering the use of paid advertisements can greatly increase your results with minimum financial impact. To put it simply, if you aren’t advertising on social media, you are letting customers walk out the virtual door.

post date

Power On Marketing Completes Marketing Campaign for The Grammy Music Revolution Project Tampa Bay

Power On Marketing was chosen by The Yob Family Foundation to roll out a marketing campaign for The Grammy Music Revolution Project Tampa Bay.

For the second year in a row, The Los Angeles-based Grammy Museum is bringing its Music Revolution Project, a free mentoring and education program for promising young musicians, to Tampa once again this summer. The program runs July 21st through August 15th.

The Yob Family Foundation and other regional businesses have funded this program as a way to encourage students ages 14-21 to broaden their musical skills and grow their passion for music.

Power On Marketing was tasked with a full marketing strategy to target students in Tampa Bay through social media channels, collateral, ad campaigns, and press releases. Students were encouraged to apply to the program via a newly designed website. The website allowed them to submit an application, referral letter, performance video and personal statement. Chosen applicants were awarded acceptance into this summer program to learn from national recording artists and to pursue their musical dreams.

“Power On Marketing helped the Yob Family Foundation create an impressive campaign for Tampa Bay’s Grammy Music Revolution program. With Power On Marketing’s knowledgeable staff and dedication, our program was a success.” ~ Lisa Yob

The Yob Family Foundation’s mission at its core, is to fill in the gaps, to take on the causes that seem to be left behind and provide resources for children where they are needed most. Some of the many causes they support include Metropolitan Ministries, Children’s Cancer Center, The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, and Junior Achievement Tampa Bay.

The mission of Power On Marketing is to deliver innovative, customized, targeted, flexible marketing solutions that focus on maximizing ROI, and helping organizations gain a competitive advantage. Power On Marketing full content marketing solution includes web design, social media, SEO, content writing and graphic design.

Power On Marketing