How My Experience at SMU Has Shaped Me 

My experience at SMU has been unparalleled. Not only have I met friends who I know will be lifelong, but I have encountered professors that have helped me become the person I am today. I am confident I will look back on my four years at SMU as some of the most formative years of my life.

The Rise of Clickbait and Propaganda in Digital Media and Fake News

A lot of what you read online, especially in your social media feeds, appears to be true while it actually is not. Digital media and fake news became prominent during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Fake news encompasses news, stories or hoaxes that are created to deliberately misinform or deceive readers. Digital media has meant that real and fictional stories are now presented in ways make it difficult to tell the two apart.

Three Ways to Use Visual Content on Social Media

Social media plays a vital role in today’s digital marketing. The common saying is a picture is worth 1,000 words. Photographs, videos and GIFs are worth more, because without them, your 1,000 words may never be seen. Visual content on social media is key for your digital marketing success.

Below are three reasons why you should integrate visual media within your content and how you can get started doing so.

Consumers Prefer Visuals 

When you are scrolling through Facebook or Twitter, what makes you stop and look further into a post? The visual element is what makes you pause and review the content. Online consumers can only retain 15% of the information they read or hear about. However, when paired with visual elements, the information that is retained suddenly increases to 65%. Pictures break up the text on your feeds and guide your eyes. Any information that can be processed faster will take priority in grabbing a person’s attention. Individuals on digital platforms are more willing to engage with visual content on social media.

Visual Content is Understandable and Relatable 

Visual media helps readers understand information. Viewers are able to develop their own perception of the content. It may spark a memory in the viewer; they are likely to remember the content for much longer than a boring headline. Video content is one of the most important visual aspects in digital marketing. Four times as many consumers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it. The Interactive Advertising Bureau found that 95% of individuals say they share visual content on social media with others. 

Increased Views and Boosted Engagement 

High-quality visual content included in your digital marketing efforts can generate more likes, shares and comments than a simple text would. Your social media content will generate 94% more views if it contains visual elements. It becomes possible to attract the necessary attention to get your message to your target audience. Your social media post views can increase by 48% if they contain both images and videos. Utilize visual content on social media to ensure the message has reached your audience accordingly.

The integration of visual elements within social media posts is a sure way to capture the attention of consumers; it will make your content relatable to the customer. This is the perfect way to capture the attention of your audience.

Tackle These Social Media Challenges and Grow Your Brand

It has become widely accepted that social media has had a tremendous impact on business over the past decade. Although there are hundreds of success stories on the Internet, there are still many social media challenges you may encounter. Social media is an essential yet complicated part of a business’s marketing strategy. 

Why Having a Social Media Influencer Campaign is Vital

Influencer marketing presents a unique opportunity for brands to connect with consumers on a personal level. Social media influencers are individuals who have a large reach across one or more social platforms and have built a lot of trust in a specific industry. Relevant influencers in your niche market will help promote your brand and create an online buzz. Due to the fact that most industries have a social media influencer campaign, it is time to begin building your own.

Follow these four tips to kickstart your influencer marketing campaign.

Engage the Public by Sharing News on Twitter

With over 200 million monthly active users, Twitter has become the fastest way to discover what is happening in the world. Some individuals access this network in order to pass the time while others rely on it to keep in touch with people they know. However, roughly 86% of Twitter users access the platform for news. When natural disasters or terrorist attacks occur, Twitter is one of the first places individuals turn to for coverage about the breaking news. Promote your brand by following these three tips about sharing news on Twitter.    

 Discover the Power of a Professional LinkedIn Profile

With more than 500 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is one of the largest professional networks on the planet. When you are not looking for a job, it can be easy to ignore your LinkedIn profile. However, having a complete profile will increase the odds that recruiters will even stumble upon your page. The professional LinkedIn profile page is the foundation for personal branding.

Three Tips to Help you Build a Dynamic Social Media Team

When it comes to building a social media team that is right for your company, it is easy to become overwhelmed when considering the time and resources it will take. Social media provides a unique way of engaging with your target audience. In order to take full advantage of everything social media has to offer, you must have a team that is appropriate for the brand.

Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn: Which Social Media Channel Is Right For You?

With so many social media networks to choose from, it is easy to become overwhelmed. However, each social media channel caters to a different type of user; individuals are using platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for a variety of reasons. Before deciding which network is appropriate for your brand, research which channels meet the needs of your target audience. Your decision should not only align with the needs of your audience, but it should reflect the goals of your social media marketing strategy

Grow your company with these three social media strategies.

Social media strategies should address your business needs and lay a solid foundation for managing multiple social media channels. Due to the fact that social media has rapidly expanded within the past decade, it has become necessary for every business to have a social media presence. Although navigating the world of social media may seem complicated, it has become much more straightforward than it used to be. Developing a social media strategy is imperative if you want your business profile to succeed.