How to Use LinkedIn for Business in 2022
Though LinkedIn launched in 2003 as a social networking and job search site, it has evolved to be so much more—and that’s good news for your business. Its original intent to connect businesspeople and expand professional networks also makes it a great way to promote your brand, engage with potential customers, and drive traffic to your website.
Why Use LinkedIn for Business?
If the reasons above aren’t enough to get you aboard the LinkedIn train, consider this: LinkedIn has 800 million members in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The site is also a super-charged lead generator, capturing leads 227% more effectively than Facebook and Twitter. And perhaps most importantly, it’s where you’ll find your customers, especially if you’re a B2B business. “LinkedIn has grown from a website for job-seekers to a complete social media platform that professionals use even when they’re not on the hunt,” says Hubspot’s Jamal Meneide.“That’s why LinkedIn is a critical tool, especially for B2B businesses. After all, if someone is scrolling LinkedIn, it means they’re already in the business mindset.”
Tips for Promoting Your Business on LinkedIn
Of course, if you want to use LinkedIn for marketing, you’ll need to do more than just hang out by the virtual water cooler. Try these tips:
Make the most of your profile and business page(s).
- Keep them updated. Seriously. Don’t forget.
- Use the status update field on your personal profile for company news.
- Add examples of your work.
- Use a voice that’s consistent with your brand.
- Include all your specialties. Use the language people are most likely to use when searching.
- Optimize your page for search. Utilize keywords and hashtags, link to your page from your website, and share content often.
- Take advantage of Product and Showcase pages. Use these subpages to feature new products, generate leads, highlight campaigns, and more.
- Fill your company’s Life page with company photos, videos, and testimonials.
Share and create compelling content.
- Share relevant LinkedIn posts as well as external articles. Credit authors by linking to their websites and tagging their LinkedIn profiles.
- Ask questions. This promotes engagement and gives you a chance to learn what others in your industry think.
- Working on a cool new project? Let the world know!
- Share your expertise. Write a new post for LinkedIn or syndicate an existing blog post from your website.
- Use visual content: photos, videos (live video works especially well), and even PDFs or PowerPoint presentations.
Do it by the numbers.
- Keep an 80/20 balance. Keep promotion to 20% of your posts. Since LinkedIn is all about business, you can stretch that a bit, but beware of selling all the time.
- Follow LinkedIn’s 5-3-2 rule: For every 10 posts, 5 should be shared posts, 3 should be original posts that help your audience solve a problem, and 2 should be fun content that gives your company character.
- Post 2-5 posts a week for optimum engagement.
Network, network, network.
- Actively participate in LinkedIn groups. Add a short signature with your company info.
- Create a group. It shows initiative and collaboration and can help you learn about industry trends—all while promoting your company. Groups can only be set up using your personal profile.
- Ask your customers for recommendations. Social proof goes a long way.
- Invite people to follow your page. You get one hundred credits to use to invite your personal LinkedIn contacts to follow your business page. When someone accepts, you get that credit back. Anyone with super admin or content admin roles can get credits, too, so think about giving access to top people in your team.
The Absolute Best Way to Market on LinkedIn
Use a professional digital marketing agency. Yes, we know that might sound a little self-serving, but hear us out. As you can see, LinkedIn provides a great opportunity to market your business—an opportunity that’s almost certainly underutilized. Why? Anyone can use LinkedIn for marketing, but it’s a lot of work, much of it specialized: keyword research, graphic design, copywriting, video production, etc. Don’t let your lack of time or expertise keep you from taking advantage of all LinkedIn has to offer. Outsource the job to professionals who’ll do the job even better than you would. That’s us, Globe Runner. Contact us today.
Promoting Your Business on LinkedIn FAQs
Can you advertise for free on LinkedIn?
Not exactly. LinkedIn offers four types of ads for purchase: Sponsored Content, Sponsored Messages, Lead Gen Forms, and Text Ads. And though you can’t’ really advertise on LinkedIn for free, much of your LinkedIn marketing plan doesn’t have to cost a dime (see our tips). You can also post job opportunities gratis.
How do I setup a LinkedIn business account?
It’s super easy, but you’ll have to do a few things first. For safety’s sake, LinkedIn requires that you have a personal profile with your real first and last name that’s at least 7 days old, has a profile strength of “Intermediate” or “All-Star,” and has an email unique to your company (no generic domains like Gmail or Hotmail). You should also ensure you’re listed as a current employee of your company in your profile’s “Experience” section. Once your personal profile meets these guidelines, you can create a LinkedIn business page.
How much does a LinkedIn business page cost?
Nothing! Such a deal, right?
Part 2: How Does Instagram’s 2022 Algorithm Affect Your Business?
Part 2: How to Reach More People on Instagram
How can your business get more views on Instagram? Don’t worry, you don’t have to be camera-ready. You can even wear your pajamas to work, as long as you take the time to read our two-part series about Instagram’s 2022 algorithms. Part 1 explained Instagram’s algorithm for the feed, Stories and Explore pages, and for Reels and Instagram TV. If you missed it, we suggest you go back and read it so you’ll have a better understanding of the information we’ll present here in Part 2.
Tips for Using Instagram’s Algorithms to Get More Views
In Part 1, you read that Instagram’s 2022 algorithms use data that measures post information, poster (the person or business who posted) information, user activity, and interaction history. In other words, they basically boil down to one question: How likely is the user to be interested in the post? That makes sense, but how do you use your newfound 2022 algorithm knowledge to get views on Instagram? We’ve got a few tips:
Content Creation Tips
Take a long hard look at the content you’ve been posting.
- Does it solve a problem for your viewers?
- Entertain them?
- Engage them in an industry-relevant discussion?
You don’t need to answer all of those questions affirmatively, but if you can’t say yes to at least one, you’ve got work to do.
Make it easy to engage. Encourage direct action with:
- A CTA button (when appropriate).
- Interactive stickers. Polls, questions, emoji sliders, locations, quizzes, hashtag stickers, countdown clocks and more—there are stickers that fit almost any post. Check out this Shopify Post for a breakdown of types and how best to use them.
- Hashtags. They help people find you and share you.
- Captions. Write captions that prompt viewers to take action. Ask them to answer a question, tap if they agree with your post, or tag other viewers.
Change up the form of content you post. Try:
- Sharing Instagram Reels. These 15-30 second videos are easy to create and are more likely to get your post added to the Explore page, where you’ll gain exposure to new viewers. Instagram’s 2022 algorithm also favors its newer features, like Reels, so you’ll up your chances of being seen.
- Producing longer video content. Share non-Reel videos on Instagram TV (formerly IGTV). Surveys indicate that video increases sales, ROI, brand awareness, and time spent on related websites.
- Creating carousel posts. According to HootSuite, Instagram carousel posts get 1.4 times more reach and 3.1 times more engagement than regular posts.
- Use eye-catching graphics and motion. You’ll grab more attention.
- Highlight your location. Posts with tagged locations get 79% more engagement than ones without.
Relationship-Building Tips
Comment on others’ posts. Who do you want to follow you, share your posts, and/or become your customers? Once you learn who they are, follow, comment, and share their posts.
That includes the big dogs. Sure, commenting on a Nike post doesn’t mean they’ll reciprocate, but it does put the name of your shoe store in front of your target audience.
Share others’ content about your brand. If people are talking about you, your company and/or your brand, share the posts in Stories, and don’t forget to tag them.
Don’t forget to respond to comments. And do it as soon as possible, to create social proof, increase engagement, and just to be polite.
Consider timing. Figure out the best time to reach more people on Instagram with the help of their Analytics report, which will show you when your targeted viewers are most active. (Look in Insights, under Audience). Chat. Send messages to people you particularly want to engage with. Make sure to be genuine, and not too sales-y. Before messaging, ask yourself, “What’s in it for them?” (A good question to ask yourself when dealing with almost anyone about almost anything.)
Posting Tips
Post Stories often. By doing so, you’ll put your brand in front of people as soon as they hop on Instagram.
Share across feeds. Share Reels to your feed. Share your feed posts to Stories. Share previews of your Instagram TV videos to your feed.
Repost former posts to Stories. Did you know you can do this? What a great way to make sure your audience sees important contentEmbrace the new. As mentioned earlier, Instagram’s 2022 algorithm favors content posted on its newest features. Stay up-to-date and be an early adopter.
Instagram FAQs
Still have questions about how to get views on Instagram? We’re here to help.
- What is a good reach rate on Instagram in 2022? The average Instagram engagement rate is 4.7%. We suggest you aim higher than the average, remembering that smaller brands/accounts can get better reach rates than large brands with lots of followers. For example, Kazakhstan beats out all other countries with an Instagram reach of 78.7% of its population. Small can be good.
- What is a good engagement rate for Instagram in 2022? Engagement rates vary depending on the number of followers you have and how active they are Most analysts seem to agree that a good engagement rate is somewhere between 1-5%. Again, smaller accounts can (and should) get better engagement rates than large ones.
- Why are my hashtags not working in 2022? Though there’s been a lot of talk about shadow-banning, it’s more likely you’re using hashtags that are:
- Too broad.
- Too competitive.
- Unrelated to your posts.
- Banned. You’d be surprised at some of the hashtags that have been banned (like “workflow”). Search for “banned hashtags” to keep on top of the latest news.
It could also be the way you’re using hashtags.
- Don’t delete and re-add hashtags too often.
- You may be using too few or too many hashtags. While there’s an everchanging debate about the “right” number of hashtags, it’s really up to you to figure out the number that will resonate with your audience.
- You may come off as spammy or sales-y. Remember to ask yourself that good all-purpose question: “What’s in it for my viewers?”
One more FAQ: How can I do all of that well, keep up on trends and new features, and make sure I’m using the right number of non-banned hashtags? Well, you can work late, or you can work with us. We’ve got the time and the expertise to help you reach more people on Instagram. We’re good at our business. Let us take care of yours. Contact us today.
Part 1: How Does Instagram’s 2022 Algorithm Affect Your Business?
An even better question: “How can Instagram’s 2022 algorithm affect your business?” In a great boon for users, Instagram has told us what drives their latest algorithmic decisions, and how we can use that knowledge to reach more people on Instagram. They’ve given us a treasure map—of sorts. The directions are good, but only if you:
- Take the time to really read the map (You’re doing that now, so there’s one thing checked off your list.)
- Understand the clues. (We’re going to help you with that in just a minute.)
- Put in the work. (It takes time, but at least it doesn’t involve digging for buried treasure. Or pirates.)
After reading that last bullet, you may wonder if the work needed is worth your time. Sure, Instagram is great for social media influencers and the like, but can it really help your business? Yes. Over a billion people use Instagram every month, and over 200 million of them visit at least one business profile daily. A majority (81%) use Instagram to research products and services, and not just for retail: More B2B decisionmakers conduct research on Instagram than on LinkedIn. And did we mention that Instagram is now the most popular social platform for following brands and that user time spent on Instagram grew a whopping 13.8% in 2020?
In this two-part blog post, we’ll help you make the most of your time with a brief but thorough examination of the 2022 Instagram algorithm, plus tips for using it to boost your business.
Part 1: The Instagram Algorithm Explained
The first thing to understand is that there is no 2022 Instagram algorithm. There are new Instagram algorithms. “When we first launched in 2010, Instagram was a single stream of photos in chronological order,” Instagram CEO Adam Mosser said in a June 8th announcement on Instagram’s blog. “But as more people joined and more was shared, it became impossible for most people to see everything…By 2016, people were missing 70% of all their posts in Feed, including almost half of posts from their close connections.” To fix that issue, he explained, they changed the way Instagram ranks posts by using algorithms tailored to the different parts of the app, based on how people use them. Here’s a quick outline:
The Instagram Feed and Stories algorithms: Instagram’s 2022 algorithms use thousands of signals—factors that include everything from the device used to the content liked—to rank content based on what the individual user will enjoy. The Feed and Stories algorithms use these signals’ similarity, ranking them by:
- Post information: Photo or video? When was it posted? How many likes did it receive, and how quickly? Stories also shows users posts by location, which is why location-specific hashtags can help boost posts.
- Poster (the person or business who posted) information: Are they friends with the user? Interesting to the user for another reason? What’s their engagement level with other similar users?
- User activity: Is this the type of content the user typically likes?
- Interaction history: Has the user engaged with the poster’s other posts and vice versa?
Using other signals, Instagram also gauges the user’s probable interaction, looking at how likely they are to like, save or comment on the post; how much time they’ll probably spend on the post; and whether they are likely to tap on the poster’s profile after viewing the post.
The Instagram Explore Page algorithm: The Explore page shows users new content that Instagram thinks they’ll like. That’s determined by much the same blend of signals used in Feed and Stories, but ranked in a different order:
- Post information
- Interaction history
- User activity
- Poster information
The fact that users can search by keywords, as well as hashtags, implies that a post’s caption and visual content also figure into the Explore Page algorithm.
The algorithms for Reels and Instagram TV: These Instagram algorithms determine how likely users are to watch a video all the way through; in other words, how entertaining they find it. Again, the signals are much the same as the other algorithms, but ranked in yet a different order:
- User activity
- Interaction history
- Reel information
- Poster information
How Can You Use the New Algorithms to Get Views on Instagram?
Now that you’ve read the Instagram algorithm “map” and deciphered its clues, how do you use your new knowledge to help broaden your business’s reach and drive engagement? Luckily, there’s a lot of practical information and easy-to-implement Instagram algorithm tips—so much so that we’ll devote our entire next post to the subject. In the meantime, we’d like to help you with your social media strategy. We’ve got the experience, the expertise, and the time—and you probably don’t. We’re good at our business. Let us take care of yours. Contact us today.
What are YouTube Shorts?
Have you seen YouTube Shorts? YouTube Shorts are quick, catchy, vertical format videos of 60 seconds or less that appear on the hugely popular video sharing network. It takes just seconds of viewing to realize that these short video clips are YouTube’s answer to Instagram Reels and the hugely popular TikTok app which had more than 689 million monthly active users as of January 2021.
YouTube wisely chose India (where TikTok is banned) as the first place to beta test Shorts in late 2020 and rolled it out a few months later. Shorts reportedly had upwards of 15 billion global views per day as of August 2021, more than double the 6.5 billion daily views it got in March of this year. The new format is reportedly making a whole new generation of content creators into overnight sensations hoping to become YouTube celebrities.
With the immense popularity and engagement garnered by video, particularly on mobile devices, YouTube Shorts offer individuals and businesses yet another way to reach and engage with audiences. Those who already have large subscriber bases on YouTube may find that Shorts provides a great way to increase engagement with existing subscribers, while adding new ones.
How are YouTube Shorts and TikTok videos similar?
There are quite a few similarities between the two platforms. Here are the features YouTube short videos and TikTok videos have in common:
- Record and edit vertical videos right from a smart phone.
- String together multiple videos from outside the app to create up to 60 seconds of content
- Choose music to go with your short from an in-app music library
- Add text, sync it to images, make it appear and disappear
- Change video speed
- Add filters
- Sample sound already on the platform to add to your own video
- Claim money from a fund set up by the platform to earn income from your content.
These are the main ways YouTube shorts are similar to TikTok but there are other similarities in the content creation process.
How to Make a YouTube Short
Here’s how to make a basic YouTube Short video. Log in to your Google account on the YouTube app on your smart phone. Click on “create” and then “create a short.” Tap the circular capture button to start recording and then again to stop. Use the backspace button to undo your clip or the U-turn button to redo if you change your mind.
You can change the speed of your video, add a filter, and choose music from the library. You can sync up the music with the video as you desire.
If you add text, you can choose when it shows on your video and when it goes away. “Next” to view your video and then Next again to view details on your video.
Add a video title of up to 30 characters. Your title is a big part in getting viewers to click, so give it a good one. Now your video is ready to upload.
YouTube Shorts Fund- Monetize your creativity
How do content creators get paid for YouTube Shorts? Similar to TikTok, YouTube has created a fund to allow Short creators to monetize their content. Each month, thousands of creators will be able to claim a payment of between $100 and $10,000 from this fund. Payment amounts will be determined based on engagement and viewership of a creator’s video.
Only videos that are original to YouTube will be eligible to claim payments, so a video that also appears on TikTok will not be eligible. YouTube has stated it will adjust its algorithm to deemphasize duplicate content.
Short videos on YouTube vs. TikTok—What’s the Difference
You might wonder how shorts on YouTube differ from those on TikTok and why someone might prefer YouTube short videos to those on Instagram or TikTok. Here are a few ways YouTube Shorts differ from TikTok.
TikTok is a social media platform and therefore functions differently than YouTube. TikTok and Instagram Reels both allow users to create, watch and share videos with friends right inside the app. YouTube doesn’t offer sharing and messaging. This is a huge negative for younger users who use these features heavily.
Another YouTube vs. TikTok difference is that Shorts currently does not offer augmented reality filters while TikTok does.
Perhaps the primary difference between the two is that YouTube’s algorithm for determining what content viewers will see is totally different from TikTok’s. The latter was set up to identify the short-form content viewers want and then keep them engaged and on the app by continually recommending more content based on its learnings of their preferences. YouTube’s algorithm has been serving up a very different type of content for many years. Now it must adjust and learn how to serve the needs of two very different audiences—those who want the platform’s legacy content and those searching for shorts.
The Challenge for YouTube Shorts
How YouTube will do that successfully remains to be seen. For now, users will continue to access YouTube Shorts and longer YouTube videos on the mobile app. It remains to be seen whether users will adapt to using both types of content in one app.
Will YouTube shorts spin off onto its own platform or remain part of YouTube? If things stay the way they are, there will be a learning curve until YouTube devises a way for its algorithm to serve the needs of both audiences. With the brain trust of Google behind it, it’s hard to imagine they won’t figure find a way.
Are You Showcasing Your Social Proof?
Trust. It can be built and it can be earned, but it’s rarely instant.
As customers grow more and more wary of brands and businesses they don’t know, gaining their trust upfront is your main marketing objective.
Social proof is your ace in the hole when it comes to influencing visitors and facilitating new relationships. Here’s a high-level overview of what it is, why it’s so valuable, and how to showcase it.
What is Social Proof?
This social and psychological theory has been around since 1984 when Dr. Robert Cialdini coined it in his manifesto, Influence.
In essence, social proof describes the human tendency to “follow the crowd”. Cialdini and marketing mavens understand that, as social creatures, we tend to observe the behaviors and opinions of others, and direct our actions to match, assuming what most people do is the “correct” way to be.
And though you may think of yourself as a truly independent, unique flower, we’re guessing social proof has influenced your own decisions from time to time.
Ever stopped to read a social media update that already has tons of comments and reactions? Or tune in to a new sitcom that’s getting tons of buzz?
Bingo. That’s social proof.
Why is social proof so irresistible? Simple. It validates the user’s interest in your product, service, or piece of content and promises they won’t be wasting time or money by engaging with it.
Where can you use social proof? Easy. Anywhere you have an online presence, from your website to your social media channels and beyond.
Now that you have a sense of what social proof entails, here’s how you can utilize the power of group influence in your own marketing tactics.
1. Go for quantity.
Would you trust an unknown brand that had seven likes or 700? That’s what we thought. Whether looking up recipe ratings or follower counts on your social media pages, customers are looking for signs of your popularity. Focus on increasing these numbers to give your business some off the cuff credibility.
2. Share user-generated content.
Anyone sharing content about your brand deserves thanks, praise, and maybe a small parade. Or, you could acknowledge them by sharing the post with your network. Not only is it a show of appreciation, but it also showcases some serious social proof. That’s because user-generated content is perceived as more genuine and relatable than paid ads or sponsorships.
3. Display reviews and ratings.
You work hard to make sure your customers are satisfied. Once they are, collect and display them on your website, Google Knowledge Panel, Facebook, etc. There’s no better marketing than the praise you collect and show from your peers.
4. Show off your endorsements.
Influencer marketing has come a long way in recent years. The trick with paid-partnerships is to ensure they are authentic. Whether you partner with an industry expert or a respected blogger in your field, ensure the praise is genuine. Your customers are likely to reject anything too “salesy.”
5. Humanize your testimonials.
Without a photo to accompany your testimonials, they’re simply words on a site. Though they still represent your brand well, you need a little more credibility as an unfamiliar brand. Make sure you take every opportunity to personalize them with a photo, location, title, etc.
6. Create case studies.
Customer success stories are huge boons for your brand. Stories capture social proof in a way that’s engaging and relatable. Case studies make your claims concrete and tell potential customers their problems are not only common but also solvable.
7. Offer some authority.
Authority begets authority. Meaning, if your brand is worth its weight in salt, you’ll be able to show other respected companies who are associated with you. Be it a display with all your client logos or an ‘as seen in’ like Globe Runner sports, it gives your brand instant integrity.
There you have it. The social proof is in the pudding. If you’re not already leveraging genuine peer-praise in your marketing strategy, time to turn over the mic to your current customers.
SOCIAL MEDIA CHANGES YOU NEED TO ACT ON NOW
There’s no such thing as a static social media platform. Like most of the internet, social sites and the algorithms that power them are continuously being updated. Sometimes the changes are sweeping and make our lives easier. Other times they’re hardly noticeable at all, but can still have a huge impact on your social media marketing strategy.
The most recent algorithm changes to Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram are a mixture of both, but definitely ones your small business needs to act on. Ahead is a recap of what you should be aware of moving forward and how to plan accordingly.
Facebook Compresses Mobile Ad Format
Social media advertising is mission-critical in the pay-to-play world marketers are contending with, and that goes double for ads viewed on mobile devices. Ad format changes on the largest social media network mean social media marketers will need to make their new paid posts even punchier with less space for images and copy.
Last month, a Facebook Business blog announced the compression, stating that as of August 19th mobile News Feed ads would shrink to, “match the look and feel of the new Facebook design introduced earlier this year.“
Now, images and media will be capped at a vertical 4:5 aspect ratio, down from a previously generous 2:3. Copy, which used to show a lengthy seven lines, will now be reduced to a mere 3 lines of primary text before being truncated.
Why the change? According to the same post, Facebook is looking to “drive increased ad effectiveness and make it easier to use the same assets on Facebook News Feed and Instagram feed.” Essentially, this is great for cross-promotion between the two Facebook-owned channels, and not simply about looks.
What businesses need to do: Starting now, you can maximize your Facebook ad potential by making your first three lines of ad text as irresistible as possible, and formatting all your media to fit the predetermined height ahead of time.
LinkedIn Adopts Reaction Buttons
For the last three years, Facebook users have enjoyed emoting via their reaction buttons. Now, LinkedIn is following suit, offering desktop and mobile users the chance to not just “like” a post, but respond using a professionally-appropriate “celebrate,” “love,” “insightful,” and “curious” reaction.
They certainly took their time rolling out this feature. Now that it’s more than just a passing trend, the professional networking platform is hoping the reaction buttons will ultimately help them remain relevant among other social media players and increase overall engagement.
What businesses need to do: Make sure you’re posting regularly on LinkedIn. Include a variety of professional content so you can capitalize on these projected increasing engagement rates.
Instagram Cracks Down on “Offensive” Posts
All businesses want to make sure their Instagram posts and stories are seen by as many target audience eyes as possible. But they will need to be extra cautious to see that what they’re sharing doesn’t border on “inappropriate content.”
Now, even if a post doesn’t technically violate the network’s Community Guidelines, content that is too sexually suggestive or otherwise offensive will still have a drastically reduced reach. According to one Facebook Newsroom article, the demotion will limit, “those types of posts from being recommended on our Explore and hashtag pages.”
For the time being, your Instagram Stories bar will not be subject to the same problematic content management strategies, but best to steer clear anyway.
What businesses need to do: Before you post, verify that nothing you’re putting out into the world can be considered clickbaity or fake news-worthy. You should also be very careful about sharing any offensive memes (especially if they or the comments contain hate speech) or content that can be perceived as sexualized. In other words, don’t even attempt to push the limits. It’s also a good idea to review the “borderline content” section of the Instagram Help Center.
As the saying goes, “the only constant is change.” But don’t spend too much time mourning the past. If you need a hand to help your social media content roll with the changes just make contact.
LOCALIZED SOCIAL MARKETING + SEO POST GOOGLE+ SHUTDOWN
Logged on to your Google + page lately? If so you might have noticed something different – nothing at all. Though the shuttering of this once highly promising social media platform wasn’t a total surprise you might have been anticipating more time together – and you’re not alone.
When Google first announced the shutdown we were told we would have until August 2019 to say goodbye. But security bugs coupled with reported, “low usage” forced Google’s hand. Earlier this year they revised that date to April 2nd.
And close it down they did. But what now? If Google + has been a component of your SEO and social media marketing plan you may be looking for a new way to get in front of your target audience.
Here’s how localized social marketing strategies are picking up where Google + left off and helping businesses move onward and upward.
How will the Google + Shutdown impact your SEO + Social?
Google and search marketing are one and the same, so it stands to reason that a social networking product under this all-seeing search engine would make SEO soar, right? Wrong.
The good news is that you haven’t just been doing it wrong this whole time. Poor user adoption across the board meant that posts didn’t really amount to much in the way of increased traffic or SEO benefits. That paired with a security breach that compromised the accounts of more than 500k businesses left the writing on the wall.
More good news – even if you were active on the low-performing social site, posts from your other social media profiles have been and will continue to (literally) pull rank. In other words, you really shouldn’t see much of a dip in your search rankings.
Remember that social signals have always had minimal impact on SEO while things like successful website development and backlinks from other credible sites to it count for a lot!
In the wake of this atypical Google blunder, be sure to go back through your site and other profiles to remove the G+ link and icon. Staying goodbye to G+ shouldn’t sink your SEO ranking, but dead links still can.
Google My Business (GMB) and Adwords pages will also not be impacted but hit those heavily for a nice counterbalancing effect.
Localized Social Marketing
Fear not. Especially if you have more than one location or run a multi-store brand platform like Facebook makes it easier than ever to communicate with your local audience in the wake of the Google + shutdown.
SOCi, a social media and reputation management platform, defines localized social marketing as, “marketing efforts that focus on building a local presence for a business, leveraging locally-driven communication channels to reach the specific local communities it serves.” The idea is to turn things like social reviews and ads into “two-way engagement channels.”
According to findings published in a recent SOCi report, “more than 70 percent of brand engagement on social is happening on location Pages.”
Setting up local Facebook Pages for your various locations makes capturing reviews a breeze and gives local leaders a chance to answer questions in more personal and thorough ways than your corporate team can.
In the end, it may not be as tearful a Google+ goodbye as you’d envisioned, but that’s ok. Where Google has closed a door, social media has opened a window.
Want help improving your SEO or setting up a localized social marketing strategy? Let us take your brand beyond.
SCRUB UP YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA BIOS FOR INCREASED CONVERSIONS
Social media users are a judgmental bunch. In the literal blink of an eye, they’ll subconsciously size you up based largely on your bio. How quickly are we talking? About a tenth of a second. And these first impressions can be hard to shake.
If you’ve been writing your social media bios as an afterthought, time to start treating them like the valuable pieces of real estate they are. Here are seven ways to scrub the images, copy, and links in your bios to increase your conversions and strengthen your branding.
Images
1. Use a hi-res profile image
In social media marketing, a quality profile image is critical. True, some platform’s profile pictures are super small but that doesn’t mean they’re any less important.
Your profile picture is the first place a user is likely to look when visiting you on social media, and one of the last things they’ll remember about your company.
According to one scientific study, online photo first impressions influence perception so strongly that they usually remain even after interacting with you or your brand.
When uploading your profile picture, make sure it’s free of pixelation and the same across all your other social media channels. Even for small spaces like Instagram, hi-res images or renderings of your logo or leadership work best.
2. Take advantage of your header image
Some social networks like Twitter and Facebook have header images located behind your profile picture. This is where you can give followers a snapshot of your company’s personality, products, and services, or current sales and specials. There’s really no limit to what you can do with this highly visible piece of property.
Same rules as above apply here, too. Make sure the image – be it photo or graphic – is clear, high-quality, and properly formatted to fit the space.
As for what to cover on your cover, don’t be afraid to get creative! We’ve seen clients have great success advertising the following on their header images:
- An inspirational quote from a historical figure or CEO.
- A candid photo of their team.
- New individual products or an entire line of them.
- Giveaways, networking events, industry awards.
- Seasonal greetings or work anniversaries.
- Fan acknowledgment for hitting 10K likes.
- Testimonials or reviews.
- Sales or limited time offers.
- Percentage of each sale or annual profit that goes to charity.
Pictures may be worth a thousand words, but the actual words count for a lot, too. Next up: how to make those count.
Words
1. Use keywords
What modern business isn’t interested in improving their search results? Keywords are your brand’s most direct way to convene with the search engines and increase your ranking.
Thing is, your social media bios have much stricter character limits than other pieces of content you create. So while a couple of key terms are important, your bio still needs to read as a human wrote it. As with all other mediums, keyword stuffing is a no-no.
One way to give your social bio keywords extra staying power is to include your location. For instance, it’s no accident our Instagram reads, “Digital marketing agency in Addison, Texas.” It’s a great way to introduce yourself to local potential customers.
2. Develop your bios
Your bio is born from concise copy that tells social media users: who you are, what you do, your contact info, your USP (unique selling proposition), how you can help them, and what you want them to do (your CTA).
Tools like Bio Gen — bio generator for social networks and Designer Bio Generator™ can help you get a skeleton bio pulled together, but you may want to add some personal flare to help with the overall impact.
3. Include CTAs
Speaking of CTAs, it’s great if your profiles have their own specific calls that change and correspond to different marketing initiatives throughout the year.
Some of our favorite galvanizing CTAs include:
- Expressing what you want: “Click the link in our bio for a free consultation”
- Asking for shares: “Tag us + #brandedhashtag to be featured”
- Promoting sales: “Shop our Summer sale”
- Highlighting a contest: “Caption this photo for your chance to win!”
Now that you’ve asked them what to do, time to tell them where to go!
Links
1. Utilize different links for different marketing goals
Many companies simply link to their website. Be it a specific landing page like your contact page or one you’ve created for incoming social media visitors, remember to keep the link updated in your social profile. You can even use a UTM code or bit.ly link to help you track the number of visitors you’re getting from your social media profiles.
Other popular links include:
- Updates about product launches.
- Email sign-ups for webinars.
- Articles written about your business or your latest YouTube video.
- Event registration pages for speaking engagements or networking events.
2. Offer promo codes
Followers always appreciate a little extra incentive to take them from socializing to making a sale. If your budget allows for it, consider including a small promotional code in your bio. These types of online coupon codes are known conversion drivers. Bonus: they also double as conversion trackers! Just make sure to create a unique code for each of your profiles so you can more accurately account for the increased traffic.
Take it from us, your bio is the beginning of your relationship with your followers. Make sure it starts off on a good foot with the best possible social media bio.
Want a social media professional to take a stab at your bios? Just say the word?
SOCIAL POSTING: WHAT’S TOO MUCH AND WHAT’S TOO LITTLE?
Posting on social media takes Goldilocks-like sensibilities. No, we’re not suggesting that your social media strategy is child’s play. In fact, having a well-developed social media presence is a critical part of running a successful business in the digital age.
Instead, what social media experts prescribe is a not-too-much, not-too-little approach to running your social channels.
So how do you achieve that “just right” sweet spot when posting on social media? That’s what we’re about to unpack.
General Rules for Posting on Social Media
Every business is different. In fact, let’s make that rule #1. Keep it in mind as you continue reading.
What do we mean by that?
Start with these tips and times as a baseline, but make sure you’re checking your insights and analytics regularly to see how your particular audience compares. Make adjustments so you’re posting the right kinds of content when they’re most active
The next two rules may seem obvious. But they’re worth repeating.
1. Post consistently. The more consistently you post, the less the frequency matters. That may sound like a bold statement to make in a post that’s all about how often you should post on social media, but we stand by it. Why? Because the absolute worst thing you can do is give your social media followers the silent treatment. It’s the equivalent of ghosting. Better to post at a pace you can actually manage without burnout.
2. Make sure your content is high quality. Again, posting too much won’t be an issue if the content you’re sharing is truly high quality. The more engaging your social media posts are the more likely your followers are to take notice.
How Often to Post Per Platform
Before we launch into the specifics of how often to post on different social media channels, we’d like to take an opportunity to give some sage advice.
Don’t try to be a star on each one.
Your audience is likely to be more active and engaged on one of two platforms. Put your effort there.
That’s not to say you can’t or shouldn’t have a profile on each of the five major players. (You absolutely should.) However with your limited marketing resources we recommend focusing on one or two or hiring a digital marketing agency to post for you.
Here’s how often to post on each of the most popular social media sites:
- Facebook: HubSpot recommends posting on the king of all social media platforms 1-2 times per day. Of course, some of that depends on the size of your follower count. Typically, oversaturating them with content will cause your Facebook audience to tune you out, hide your posts, or worse, give you the old unfollow.
- Twitter: Life moves fast on this microblogging platform. Most experts say posting between 5-10 times a day is the best way to get in front of the majority of your audience. Check your analytics to see when you have the most eyes on your posts and try to spread them out accordingly.
- Pinterest: The social media buffs at Buffer recommend posting on Pinterest up to 30 times a day. If that sounds like a lot to you, start small. Once you get in the habit of posting 5-10 pins a day you can work your way up for more exposure.
- LinkedIn: By their own admission daily posting on LinkedIn tends to yield the best results. Remember to keep the content business professional – think case studies, industry news, company milestones, etc.
- Instagram: Posting to your feed 1-2 times per day is best for the ‘gram. If you have additional content to share, consider making updates to your stories to keep from overwhelming your followers.
When it comes to social media, you don’t want to seem like you’re yelling or whispering. Talking in a consistent, conversational tone will help you keep a pace that encourages all variety of Goldilocks type followers to hang on your every word.
Want us to do the posting for you? Let’s chat!
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