Eager to master social media platforms? Get informed with the top social media mistakes to avoid!

In the year of 2019, social media plays a constant part in the development and success of corporate brands. Learning how to manage social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook. Snapchat, Instagram, and Pinterest, is a vital part of upholding positive communication with an audience. However, a company must learn how to successfully handle these platforms, which is not always an easy task. Read below to learn about social media mistakes to avoid!

1. Trying to master every platform.

With such a large number of social media platforms, it is nearly impossible to be present on all of them. If your company’s social media team is small, focus on the main three platforms – Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. By focusing attention solely on these platforms, a brand can enhance their engagement levels.

2. Disregarding video content.

Video creates opportunity for engagement and excitement amongst audience members. Companies should utilize video content on social platforms, especially Instagram and Facebook. Video reaches people in an engaging, personal manner, which can help promote products, brands, or people. To read more about the power of video content, click here.

3. Ignoring or deleting negative commentary.

In order to properly engage with your audience, a company must respond to feedback – both negative and positive. If a company ignores negative commentary, it looks dismissive and uninvolved. If a brand decides to deal with the issue or negative comments immediately, credibility and trust is established.

4. Posting heavy promotional content.

While it is important to promote your company or product, promotional content is often considered unappealing. While social media is a good place for this content, it must be posted sparingly. Posts that engage with audience members tend to be more affective and interesting.

Now that you’ve learned what not to do on social media, start posting!

Shopping made easy – everything you need to know before using Instagram’s checkout feature.

Due to the high popularity of social media influencers, products are shared at a faster, more frequent speed. To keep up with this new-found demand, Instagram recently installed a checkout feature. The feature allows for a seamless shopping experience for the application’s users. With this change, users will no longer need to “swipe-up” or click the link in the company’s bio. Ultimately, Instagram’s checkout feature allows for direct action, not just interest, in a particular brand or product. To read more about Instagram’s newest feature from the source itself, click here.

Why the change?

Instagram wants its users to remain within the platform. If users can see a product on a page and immediately make a purchase, a trip to a company’s site becomes a meaningless step. Therefore, the checkout feature allows users to stay on Instagram, which limits distractions of other sites or platforms. This feature incentivizes brands to constantly update and maintain an aesthetically pleasing page. In conclusion, if users enjoy a page’s content, they are more like to remain on the platform.

What is the difference between a profile visitor vs. a website visitor?

Essentially, nothing. With Instagram’s checkout feature, a profile and website visitor are considered equal, due to their ability to make immediate purchases. Therefore, companies must put time and effort into maintaining an aesthetically pleasing page. If a company fails to produce eye-catching content, followers will not make purchases or revisit the profile in the future.

How can my brand successful utilize Instagram’s checkout feature?

When using Instagram’s checkout feature, it is important to be consistent on all platforms. Ultimately, other social media platforms must drive traffic and attention to a brand’s page. If all platforms are consistent and active, users are more likely to make immediate purchases. Next, social media engagement is a must. If users see a brand posting regularly, the purchase does not seem as random. Therefore, customers will remain loyal if a brand engages and properly utilize the platform’s features. Moreover, social media engagement also builds a brand’s credibility.

To read more about this topic, click here.

With over 30 million Youtube visitors per day, the world of content marketing influencers is rapidly exploding. Attempting to reach the target demographic of 18-34 year-olds, Youtube personalities create diverse content on a variety of topics. Fashion, beauty, lifestyle, sports, and comedy are the site’s most popular genres. For large corporations, partnering with a Youtube influencer is highly recommended, especially if the company strives to increase product sales growth. However, certain types of content are more effective and engaging than others. Read below to learn about different types of Youtube influencer content!

How-To Videos

Otherwise known as a tutorial, a how-to video provides step-by-step instructions. For example, successful beauty Youtube personality, James Charles, often posts step-by-step makeup tutorials that achieve a specific look. These videos feature multiple different products – therefore, providing a potential partnership opportunity for influencers and brands. Besides beauty, popular Youtube personalties create content in the food and lifestyle space. For example, cooking and meal preparation tutorials are highly popular among Youtube’s core demographic.

Vlogs

Essentially, vlogs are personal blogs with video content. Typically, these videos do not have an overarching theme – instead the influencer videos a series of clips over a span of time. Followers get to know the Youtube personality on a personal level and get insight into their lives. While vlogs are informal, brand partnerships still are present. For example, certain products that the influencer uses on a daily basis, such as a teeth whitening kit or meal delivery service, would be an appropriate sponsorship.

Hauls/Unboxing Videos

Besides tutorials and vlogs, hauls and unboxing videos are popular among the Youtube community. In haul style videos, an influencer will typically share a large quantity of new items. Often, the influencer will describe the quality, price, and their personal opinion on each item. In most cases, haul style videos appeal to those interested in fashion and beauty. Next, unboxing videos showcase an influencer’s reaction to opening large, expensive gifts or boxes sent from other companies. If an influencer is filming an unboxing haul of a personal gift, they often discuss the item’s price point and if they find the item worthy of that specific dollar amount. If a Youtuber posts about a box sent from a company, the video is most likely a sponsorship.

If you are still interested in the power of Youtube influencers, click this link. To learn more about the most popular influencers of 2018, click here.

2019 is the year of Instagram influencers. Read below to find out why!

Social media platforms are now home to the world’s most successful, engaging influencers. Brands form partnerships with influencers, in exchange for social media promotions and advertisements. These brand-influencer relationships drive awareness to the brand, create social buzz, and establish a product’s credibility. Ultimately, a brand-influencer partnership is a win-win scenario for both parties.

Are there different types of influencers? Yes! Social media is filled with a diverse, vast amount of social media influencers. Each influencer has their personal niche, audience, reach and personality. Typically, macro influencers have a high engagement rate and a large following of thousands or millions of users. Examples of macro influencers are Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga, and Justin Bieber. On the other hand, micro influencers are individual accounts with a smaller following. This number ranges between 2,000 to 30,000 followers. While a low following number looks unattractive to brands, micro influencers produce content for a targeted audience. Typically, micro influencers are more personable – therefore, allowing their followers to form trust and credibility with represented products and brands. To read more about macro vs. micro influencers, click here!

Where do I find influencers to partner with or follow? To begin connecting with influencers, start by checking out relevant hashtags. For example, a fashion influencer will most likely hashtag words such as, “#fashion or #style”. By clicking through relevant hashtags, a user or brand will find relevant posts and accounts that relate to that topic. Besides checking out hashtags, look at who other notable brands are following or frequently post with. For example, high-fashion brands will most likely post about or with Instagram influencers.

What are certain factors to consider when partnering with an influencer? Before forming a partnership, a brand must ensure that the influencer’s content aligns with the company’s target audience, values, and style. Next, a brand must determine that the influencer has a high level of engagement, a frequent posting schedule, and an aesthetic feed.

What are red flags to consider before forming a brand partnership with an Instagram influencer? Before forming a relationship with a social media influencer, brands should keep an eye out for any potential red flags. For example, red flags would include repetitive, low-quality, or infrequent content. If an influencer fails to engage with their audience, followers tend to lose interest in his or her content. It is important for an influencer to not only stay connected with his or her followers, but remain on-brand at all times.

Ready to begin following Instagram’s most notable influencers? Click this link to see Forbes’ top 15 Instagram influencers.

Eager to post a Instagram Story? Read below to gain a comprehensive understanding of the social media platform’s most popular feature!

According to Social Media Today, 400 million daily users interact with Instagram’s Story feature. Due to this feature’s high popularity, the story-sharing platform is expected to surpass the traditional News Feed before the end of 2019. Even though Instagram Stories are unfamiliar territory to some, brands and individuals must learn how to properly master the feature.

Before becoming proficient, an individual must have a complete understanding of what an Instagram Story is. Instagram Stories allow users to share a variety of content, photos and videos for 24 hours. Once the 24-hour time period surpasses content will disappear, unless the page utilizes the Highlight feature. Within Highlights, old Instagram Stories can be reviewed, even after the 24-hour time frame. For more information on Highlights, click here.

Besides Highlights, brands and individuals are able to utilize alternative features to create engaging content. If you are eager to boost your social media platforms, follow these tips!

The Swipe-Up Feature: For pages with more than 10,000 followers, the swipe-up feature is available. When viewing your story, followers can immediately swipe-up and become directed to a link. For pages eager to sell product or increase web page visits, the swipe-up feature becomes the perfect solution.

Mentions: Just like tagging an individual or brand in an Instagram post, the same can be accomplished in a Story. While this is a simple tactic, it allows for engagement amongst individuals and brands. By mentioning a popular brand, one’s Story could potentially be reposted, therefore, generating more views and activity.

Gaining Feedback: Eager to gain your followers’ opinions? Instagram Stories allow for polls, swipe meters, and question stickers. By being able to customize questions and answers, brands gain an insightful view of their follower’s opinions. While not only are these feedback features helpful, they add an aesthetic element to Stories.

Still eager to learn more? Check out this link to further your Instagram Story knowledge.

Eager to transform your social media presence in 2019? Start 2019 with the intention of elevating your social media presence. Unsure of where to start? Here are the top five social media trends for 2019.

Getting Personal with your Audience: First and foremost, the best way to capture a loyal following is by letting your authenticity shine through. Whether you are creating content for a company’s page or for personal purposes, a human voice amplifies videos and photos. By using social media platforms for storytelling, your audience begins to truly visualize your individual brand.

Vertical Video: Whether it be a scenic sunset or a concert performance, video content enhances one’s brand. However, when posting video content on social media, horizontal footage is frowned upon. With the continuous popularity of Snapchat and the rise of Instagram TV, vertical video is better for mobile devices.

Influencer Marketing: Over the past few years, influencer marketing has helped connect potential buyers to companies, products, and destinations. Instagram’s biggest influencers promote their favorite products and purchases on their platform, while allowing to access items and make purchases immediately. Influencer marketing has completely transformed the world of Instagram – products and brand are promoted through colorful, aesthetically-pleasing content. Click here to read more about the world of influencer marketing.

Quality > Quantity: A key to a successful social media presence is beautiful, creative content. While it is important to remain active on social platforms, quality triumphs quantity. Followers prefer to see one quality post per day, instead of five mediocre photos or videos. Creative, thoughtful content allows individuals and companies to stand apart from their competitors.

Utilizing the “Story” Feature: Move over Snapchat – Instagram and Facebook are now allowing users to post images and video to personal stories. Stories allow for quick, current content that is engaging, interactive, and personalized. While traditional stories disappear in 24 hours, new features allow for stories to remain pinned at the top of a user’s profile. To learn everything you’ll need to know (and more) about Instagram stories, check out this link.

Conquering the world of social media is no easy task, but make 2019 the year of engaging, eye-catching content. By following 2019’s trends, an engaging social media presence is achievable.