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Snapchat for business

02/14/202205/15/2018 by scmarketing

Snapchat’s Spectacles offer a handsfree way to capture the world around you as you see it. This exciting invention has recently been revised to be waterproof, with better camera quality and comes in an array of colours. The previous generation of glasses may have not sold well but the added extras could prove popular. Here’s some highlights.

Snapchat

The social network, Snapchat, has attracted more than 173 million daily users. And no wonder it’s so popular; Snapchat is a fun creative way to immediately share content with friends through photos, videos and text. Its strap line: ‘The fastest way to share a moment!’ You can connect with people worldwide, follow your favourite celebrities, use a variety of funny filters or special effects, and even catch up on the news.

Although it seems that Snapchat is dominated by younger people, with 60% being under 25, the older generation is getting to grips with Snapchat and usage is growing, even much-loved TV presenter Philip Schofield uses it daily – although, as some in the office know him from children’s TV, we wouldn’t call him old! So, it seems to appear that Snapchat is becoming an app phenomenon loved by people of all ages.

Snapchat Channel

With so many users, businesses are tapping into it to promote their services or products. It is advertising on a budget, or in some cases for free. Starbucks has successfully used Snapchat to increase exposure, Kylie Cosmetics by Kylie Jenner also uses Snapchat, and she has claimed to have spent hardly any money on advertising by utilising it.

Snapchat Ads

The great thing about Snapchat is that it’s a platform that small businesses can use to raise awareness. Snapchat Ads allow you to record a 10 second video that will show in between people’s stories, and with so many users per day this an opportunity not to be missed.

Content

At the end of the day it won’t matter how much time you spend creating Ads for Snapchat, if the content isn’t up to scratch you won’t be gaining followers. Ensure your ads are unique and appealing to the audience you want to target. Look at how other successful ads work via the Snapchat platform and be sure to take inspiration from them.

Social media agency Croydon

If you want advice in making your business stand out on social media contact Smart Cow we’re here to help. As one of the leading digital marketing agencies in Croydon, we are happy to aid you in any way possible.

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

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