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Facebook tips to benefit your business

02/14/202204/19/2018 by scmarketing

With over 2 billion users, Facebook is still the most popular social media channel. So, how can you harness it to the benefit of your business?

Setting the tone

Firstly, developing a marketing strategy will go a long way to ensure messages are consistent and targeted specifically for your audience. If your tone is not right then it will be easy for your potential customers to move on in the very fast paced social media world.

We find that creating a persona detailing your target customer is by far the best way to start. This way you can make sure your messaging is just right for your audience.

Targeted Facebook ads

Social media is an ideal way to communicate about new products and services. And, if you want to really target your audience you might find that Facebook Ads work for you. But be strategic with your scheduling. Research has shown that Sunday and Monday are the cheapest days to place ads.

We also find that testing posts can help really hone your message so it is just right. Test messaging with different calls to action and switch off the least successful. Hootsuite, a social media management platform, has identified that the phrase ‘sign up’ actually has the best conversion rate.

Explore other social channels

However, it’s worth noting that teenagers don’t think as much of Facebook as their millennial counterparts. YouTube is by far the most popular channel with teens with 91% using it in 2016*.

So, although getting your business on Facebook could prove to be beneficial, don’t put all your eggs into one basket. Take time to get to grips with other social channels. For instance, Snapchat is fast becoming a go to for businesses. Check out Hootsuite’s beginners guide to Snapchat to set you on your way

Social media agency Croydon

If you’re embarking on using a social media channel talk to us about the best combination of channels to help you stand out from the crowd.

Sources: Research by The National Cyber Security Alliance and Microsoft

Flamenco meets Stranger Things – TV advert review

10/28/201904/06/2018 by scmarketing

The opening of the ad for the 2018 H&M Collection displays a fairly mundane scene, with actress Elizabeth Olsen tediously dancing with a man. Quickly the mood shifts and the scene transforms into a vibrant dance with a group of women wearing stylish clothes. This advert has been well received and recently named ‘Ad of the Day’ by The Drum. But what are the features that make it such a success?

Women empowerment

The pivotal moment of the ad is the change in pace and the use of upbeat music which is brought on by a woman taking over the dance from the man. Through this display of a woman taking control and women coming together, builds an image of community and friendship. The advert portrays H&M as a source of positivity and encouraging women empowerment. It presents H&M as a company striving for diversity.

A famous face

At the end another famous face, Winona Ryder is revealed. H&M may have cleverly used her presence because it means the ad can resonate with those born in the 80’s thus appealing to an older generation acting as a reminder that H&M is still for them. However, Winona is equally respected within the young of today because of her empowering role as a single mother in the hit Netflix series, Stranger Things. This all makes the ad personal to viewers.

Presenting the product and brand in a good light

The change in mood from run of the mill to fun and uplifting captures the audience’s attention. The use of fast-paced, contemporary music bursting through our speakers, while multiple dancers dressed in brightly coloured clothes from the H&M collection bring life to the streets of Argentina really sells an energised, on-trend brand.

Keep a watch on our blog for reviews on the latest ads.

Is it time for SMEs to explore more social channels?

08/31/202104/06/2018 by scmarketing

Some companies run their entire business through Facebook, so with all the recent news about the social media channel and the #DeleteFacebook campaign, is it time for SME’s to explore other channels to spread the word of their business?

Social media for business

Facebook for business can be great. The channel has helped many businesses promote their services or products. You can target your audience, share news, showcase product launches, and create events, but as a business is it the best plan to put all your eggs into one basket? With advertising only on one social media channel you are essentially isolating yourself from reaching quality potential customers who are on another channel.

To successfully target an audience, you should be in the mix. If you want an audience made up of Millennials then you’ll need to re-evaluate how you use social media. Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube are all more popular among teens than Facebook*. Furthermore with many leaving Facebook, your audience might be exploring new platforms.

Is it time you had a website?

The Facebook scandal on the misuse of user data has left many people feeling unsafe, and confused. Almost in an attempt of remedying itself, Facebook has introduced a new tool. The tool enables you not only to delete your account, but see and delete the data being collected and prevent any further data collection. Perhaps this is a way of encouraging people to stay on the site as it leaves users feeling like they are back in control of their profile. Despite this, people have been deleting their Facebook profile, including celebrities and big companies.

With this in mind, if you don’t already have a website, is it time you considered creating a website for your business? This way you have a platform that is your own that you can drive your inbound marketing to, rather than to one social media platform.

So, is it the beginning of the end for Facebook? We don’t think it is going anywhere fast. It is still the most popular social network out there followed by YouTube and WhatsApp**.

Social media Croydon

If you want advice in making your business stand out on social media contact Smart Cow, your Croydon based digital marketing agency, today.

Sources: *www.emarketer.com and **www.statista.com

Exploring Instagram for business

12/06/202104/02/2018 by scmarketing

Whether your business is landscape gardening, a bakery or florist. You may even run an accountancy firm or provide an event co-ordination service. What do these, and all small businesses, have in common? You want to be seen. And, with the 2018 digital marketing trends indicating that being visual is vital, isn’t it time you explored Instagram for business?

Why you should use Instagram?

People tend to remember what they see than what they read or hear, and with a picture being worth more than a thousand words, it seems to make sense to have an Instagram profile for your business. Since September 2017, it has noted that the social media platform has around ‘800 million monthly active users*’– a huge audience you really don’t want to miss out on. A popular inbound marketing tool, Instagram allows customers to interact with content that is already tailored towards them.

How to use Instagram and maximise your social media page

I’m sure the question you’re asking is how can my small business get noticed in a sea of millions of users. Don’t worry, there are a few tricks that can help boost your posts and get your Instagram page off the ground.

#HASHTAG! This means you can reach out to more people on the platform. Furthermore, users can now follow specific hashtags they are interested in. What might you hashtag? For a smaller business, ideas for hashtags can include where your business is located or who you want to target. You’re also going to want to hashtag the focus point of your business. You can use up to 30 hashtags so don’t be shy.Here’s an example that Smart Cow might use on a post: #purley #southlondon #marketing #SEO #PPC #websitedevelopment #emailmarketing.

FOLLOW RELATED ACCOUNTS! Keep your account formal and professional and refrain from following everyone you come across. Make sure you follow similar companies/pages, and both current and potential clients. You can create another account for personal use!

PLAN! Make sure you come up with creative captions and useful hashtags. Also think about a theme or layout out for your page so that it looks aesthetically appealing. Perhaps a colour scheme, or a pattern of posts. Most importantly make sure you post frequently and keep it up to date.

USE A BUSINESS ACCOUNT! Instagram has recently introduced business accounts. It allows you to create photo and video ads with links to your website. You’ll be able to; tailor ads to reach the audience you want, have easy contact information for client’s, and access to analytics.

A few other things to do are:
• Use Insta stories
• Live videos
• Direct Message

Who are the top Instagram users?

Believe it or not but amongst all those A-List celebrities with millions of follows there are also Dogs reigning the world of Instagram. Marnie the Dog, has a huge following of 2.1 million and is also verified on Instagram, or there’s Doug The Pug verified with 3.3 million and is raking in money from his own line of merchandise!

Social media agency Croydon

If you want to keep up with the pets who rule Instagram, contact Smart Cow, we specialise in digital marketing including social media management. We can help elevate your platform to a high standard and give you a kick start.

Source: *www.statista.com