Instagram algorithm changes – a return to form?
In March, Instagram launched a fresh series of algorithm changes that aim to organise user feeds more chronologically. This change addresses criticism by users that feeds are regularly clogged up by old photos viewed hours ago, with new posts seemingly lost.
The shift will be a welcome change to users, who can now feel more confident that their posts will be seen by their followers in a timely fashion. However, these ‘changes’ aren’t really a huge shift, if anything they’re a return to form for the platform, who until 2016 arranged user feeds entirely chronologically.
If we had to organise social media platforms in terms of their user feeds, you could quite neatly divide most platforms into two camps. In one camp are platforms such as Facebook, who rely very heavily on algorithms to predict and arrange a user’s feed according to their activity and habits. In the other camp, real time platforms such as Twitter, who arrange their user feeds predominately chronologically and encourage news-based interaction and live tweeting.
Increasingly, Instagram isn’t very easily distinguishable into either camp. While the platform was founded on the principle of showing you and your friends’ personal snaps as they happen, the major shift in 2016 to an algorithm based feed mirrors its parent company Facebook. This latest ‘change’, best described as a ‘revision’ will hopefully strike an equilibrium by controlling what a user sees while keeping feeds fresh and timely.
The main takeaway from this latest round of changes? Expect to see more up to the minute posts, less photos from 2 days ago but a feed that is still arranged around your user habits. This minor tweaking of the Instagram feed is a timely reminder for businesses to evaluate their own social media strategies, and to explore the growing list of features Instagram now offer. At the top of the list is Instagram stories. Stories are a great way to reach users up to the minute, encouraging a series of posts throughout the day and lessening the dependence on the traditional feed to reach users.
Would you like to review your social media strategy or content plan? Get in touch today.
Why Facebook algorithm changes aren’t as scary as we think
On January 11th, Mark Zuckerberg announced a series of changes to the Facebook algorithm, designed to reduce excessive news and business related content and promote interaction between family and friends, dubbed ‘meaningful interactions.’ By returning to their social roots, the shift has alarm bells ringing for many businesses and organisations – shares in the site immediately fell four percent, effectively wiping over $3 billion from Zuckerberg’s net worth.
For news sites, this Facebook algorithm shift will also involve the prioritisation of news sources deemed ‘trustworthy’, while celebrities and influencers can also expect to see less of their posts in followers’ feeds. In terms of hard data, Zuckerberg committed to reducing news content in users’ feeds from five to four percent. The changes have been deeply concerning for organisations – entire social media strategies have been plunged into jeopardy and many businesses are searching for viable solutions.
However, Facebook algorithm changes and calls for more user tailored feeds are nothing new. In fact, Facebook made a strikingly similar commitment back in August of 2014. Back then, the site pledged to show less promotional and recycled content, causing similar uproar among content creators, businesses and influencers. However, as these previous changes have demonstrated, organisations providing quality content and genuine engagement with users have emerged unscathed from algorithm shifts.
Crucially, data shows actual page engagement declined over 20% in 2017, highlighting overall user fatigue caused by clickbait pages and duplicated, poor quality content. The removal of low quality pages from users’ feeds is therefore a positive for the site overall. By creating an environment that favours meaningful content tailored to a user’s tastes, Facebook is effectively creating a more trustworthy and reliable site for both individuals and businesses.
While the changes won’t perhaps be as catastrophic to existing marketing strategies as first thought, algorithm changes are a timely reminder as to the importance of a dynamic and meaningful content plan.
So - what can you do to make sure your business content is seen and heard in 2018?
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Quality Content
It underpins any successful marketing strategy. Users don’t want to feel spammed or overwhelmed by the pages they follow. Be mindful in the regularity of your postings and enforce a standard tone and length to your content. Remember, poorly written and untailored content is the main target of the Facebooks algorithm changes.
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Prioritise building a genuine and targeted following
By creating content which users consistently click on, you can take advantage of the new algorithm which notes who is clicking on your content, and what they're clicking on, and knowingly promotes those pages.
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Embedding Posts
Pinning key posts to your business’ page is a practical method of making sure your content isn’t lost in the fray amidst newsfeed changes. Make sure that as soon as a user clicks on your page, they are presented with the most relevant content as opposed to merely your most recent posts.
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Facebook advertising
As actual page engagement declines, the importance of exploring a paid Facebook advertising campaign is continually increasing. Banners, page promotion, email opt ins and targeted viewers – advertising with Facebook is a multifaceted means of reaching your desired audience. Crucially, the algorithm for Facebook advertising is currently not being changed in tandem with these new shifts.
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Broaden advertising to Facebook’s additional features
Increasingly, younger users are engaging less with the traditional Facebook interface in favour of the dedicated messenger app. Take advantage of changing user habits and target your advertising to within the messenger app. Similarly, Facebook live is an emerging method which promotes active user engagement, with endless opportunities for business promotion.
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Like and share… and unfollow!
Promotions and competitions imploring users to like, share and tag your posts are set to be another casualty of the Facebook algorithm changes. Data suggests such competitions are a poor means of building an engaged audience, and worse, alienate your existing audience. In fact, many such competitions actually break Facebook’s community guidelines, running the risk of post or even entire page deletion. Choose your promotions and competitions wisely.
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Influencers
According to Forbes, influencers are not currently bound by the same restrictions placed on businesses amid these new algorithm changes. For the time being at least, collaborating with influencers is more important than ever, especially if your business is currently not engaging in a paid promotion with Facebook. The key to a successful influencer collaboration is choosing an influencer that has a genuine link to your product or service or desired audience.
Want to chat to our team about your Facebook strategy for 2018? Get in touch today!
Top digital trends for 2018
2017 saw Instagram prevail, augmented reality grew in popularity and sponsored ads became a huge brand priority. What digital trends will we see in 2018? We want you to be ahead of the curve so here are some digital trends we think you should keep an eye on in 2018:
- Video
Video content is huge. It was last year and it will be this year too with most consumers preferring to consume content in video format. All social media platforms are investing in video content to help generate engagement and increase followers. It is expected that by 2020, 80% of consumer internet traffic will be made up of video content, so if video isn’t already in your social plan, put it in there folks. You’ll thank us later!
- Messaging apps (chatbots)
A chatbot is a software application built to stimulate human conversation. Many brands are utilising this software to assist in responding to consumer enquiries. Some consumers prefer this form of communication over email and phone calls because you get instantaneous updates and answers. But proceed with caution! Automated chatbots can take away from the connections you're building with your fans on social media and can make your brand appear less genuine.
- Augmented reality (VR)
Augmented reality is a fascinating trend. From Google Glass and Pokémon Go to face filters, consumers are intrigued by the idea. Snapchat and Instagram have capitalised on this trend, with consumers loving their AR capabilities (most in the form of face filters). You’ve no doubt seen Snapchat’s dancing hot dog too...1.5 billion other people have too. With new phones like the iPhone X using facial recognition and augmented reality technology, there’s no doubt that this trend will continue to grow.
- Live streaming and ephemeral content
Live streaming started its surge in 2017 and will continue to grow this year. 82% of consumers would rather watch a live video over reading a blog or written social media update. Instagram and Facebook both support the format with their ‘live stories’ making it easy for your brand to jump on board the trend. Ephemeral content is also growing in popularity. This is short-lived content that disappears (usually after 24 hours). Audiences like ephemeral content because it’s more authentic than planned content.
- Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is one of the fastest growing marketing channels and it’s not hard to see why. Did you know that 49% of Instagram users rely on recommendations from influencers? Building relationships with influencers is something brands should be focusing on in 2018 as influencers become more selective about who they work with.
Before you start addressing these new digital trends and implementing them into your digital plan, it’s important to take time to reflect and learn what worked and what didn’t last year. If you’d like some help analysing your digital performance last year or would like to set up a new digital plan for 2018, shoot us an email, or enquire about a consulting session.
Managing social media over the holidays
Managing your social media presence over the holidays: what you can do now to plan ahead!
You’ve worked hard all year...you’re craving a holiday and can’t wait to take a break from corporate life. Phone on silent, cocktail in hand, feet dipped in the pool. Sounds like a dream...can we come?! But wait...what about your social media accounts? Who will look after them while you’re busy unwinding? Social media never sleeps and consistency is key. Correct! So, we’ve come up with some tips to help you manage your social media presence over the holiday season.
Plan, plan, plan. Planning ahead is key. Sure you’ll have to work your butt off up until your holiday break begins but you’ll definitely thank yourself later! Think of what you want to do and achieve over the holiday season. How many emails will you be sending out to subscribers? Are you launching a new product? Are you planning a huge sale? Write all this information down so you know what you’re striving for.
Create content now! Content creation takes time so set aside some one-on-one time with your camera and computer to put together some amazing content your followers will love. Having a bank of images ready to caption and schedule is invaluable come holiday time. Create some short, fun little videos to engage your audience. They’ll be sick of seeing ‘SALE’ images and baubles in every second photo on their social feeds, so grab their attention by giving them something new and exciting to look at.
Schedule away! Scheduling programs will be your godsend. They make life 110% easier. Facebook is great because it allows you to schedule content on the platform itself. For other social platforms like Instagram, you’ll need to use an external scheduling program to plan your content. Some examples include; Hootsuite, Later and Buffer. You will have to spend quite a bit of time adding each piece of content to the schedule, but your future self will forever be in debt when all you have to do is press ‘publish’.
Yes, a dream holiday would mean zero responsibilities and ever flowing cocktails but if you’re a business owner, you may have to succumb to checking your social accounts every now and then just to check in. Respond to comments, direct messages and do a bit of good ‘ol community management. 10-15 minutes out of your day isn’t so bad hey!
We hope these tips will help in the lead up to the Christmas period where all you want to do is relax!
Do you envisage this next month being a tough one? Do you think you’d prefer to have someone else manage your social accounts? Shoot us an email; we’d love to help!
How to use Instagram to build brand awareness
By now, we're sure you know why Instagram is a must-have tool to grow your business.
With over a third of social media users on Instagram, it’s an essential social media platform for not only connecting and engaging with existing consumers, but marketing to new people as well.
However, using Instagram to build brand awareness is so much more than creating an account and posting pretty pictures.
Need help getting started? Try these four tips:
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Use Instagram stories:
When Instagram decided to jump on the Snapchat stories trend back in 2016, consumers got excited. Nearly 100 million people use Instagram stories daily, to showcase live updates on their personal lives, share behind the scenes content or promote products and services.
So if you haven’t already started posting stories on our business account– we’re here to tell you to join the trend! Instagram stories are a great way to get your content in front more people, tap into location stories and engage existing followers (especially since the new algorithm is making it harder for your content to be visible in the feed.) The trick? Keep consumers interested by posting useful and engaging content that isn’t too promotional or 'salesy'.
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Host a competition:
What better way to increase awareness for your brand than by hosting a competition? Instagram competitions that use a follow and ‘tag a friend’ approach, help to get your business name and account in front of new people who are likely to also be interested in your product or service based on what you’re giving away.
Just ensure you have an engaging graphic, simple entry method and back it up with paid ads. If you're ready to take your Instagram competition to the next level, why not partner with a relevant influencer to cross promote your competition to their followers?
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Run paid ads:
Instagram advertising is a great way get your great quality content in front of a highly-targeted audience. You can now run Brand Awareness ads through Facebook’s Ads manager which places your ad in front of people who are the most likely to recall it, and then optimises it accordingly. You don’t have to spend a fortune on these ads, as little as $5 per day can make a world of difference!
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Collaborate collaborate collaborate!
Whether you choose gifting campaigns, influencer takeovers or sponsored collaborations, one of the most effective ways of building your brand awareness on Instagram is by tapping into the large followings of Instagram bloggers and celebrities. Just ensure you choose influencers who are suitable for your brand as their followers are likely to pay attention when they post about your business!
Do you need help building your business’s brand awareness on Instagram? Speak to our social media experts at Melbourne Social Co today!
Call us on 1300 386 165 or send us an email at [email protected].
4 ways to organically build your social media following
If you’re currently using social media for your business, you would have noticed the increasing difficulty of growing your ‘likes’ or followers on social media organically. This is particularly frustrating for businesses who put time and effort into producing great content that then doesn’t get seen by the people who need to view it the most.
If you’re struggling to grow your social media following, there are a few things you can try today:
- Work with influencers:
Working with digital influencers is one of the most effective ways to grow your social media accounts. Through collaborations such as sponsored posts, influencer take-overs or competitions, you have the opportunity to tap into the thousands of followers of key influencers and in turn entice them to follow your business’s accounts.
- Host a competition:
At Melbourne Social Co, we are big fans of competitions for many great reasons! Competitions are a great way to encourage people to ‘like’ your Facebook page, or ‘follow’ your Instagram account as consumers have an added incentive of winning something. Hosting regular competitions will also help to increase your engagement rate, by encouraging comments and shares – all things that put your brand’s social media content in front of more people.
- Use the power of hashtags:
Hashtags are used for a good reason – they allow consumers interested in your business’s content, products and services to find you. The trick? Ensure you post at least 11 – 20 hashtags on every post and pick popular hashtags that potential followers could be searching. If you’re unsure where to search, try browsing through posts containing a hashtag you’re already having success with. Look to see if there is a trend of any other hashtags you could use and start using them!
- Post great content:
Along with influencer marketing, competitions and using the correct hashtags, it’s important to also post great content so that your new and existing followers want to stay connected to your business and engage with it on social media. To do this, ensure you are posting unique high-quality content that is suitable to your channels and do this on a regular basis. High-quality content could include original images, videos, flatlays and quotes that are relevant to your business and that provide value to your consumer.
Do you need help growing your social media following? Here at Melbourne Social Co, we are experts at growing your social media platforms and keeping your audience engaged with unique and high-quality content.
Contact us today to find out more about the services we offer e: [email protected] – P: 1300 386 165.
5 things your social media manager wants you to know!
Whether you are a start-up company or an established business, we all know that having a social media manager is an important part of any digital marketing strategy.
However, when working with a social media manager, there are a few things they want you to know.
Wondering what they are? Read on below:
1. Social media is one part of a larger marketing strategy:
While social media can no doubt have an invaluable effect on growing your business and driving sales, it’s not the only part of your marketing strategy that needs consideration. Social media should be included as part of a larger overarching plan that aims to achieve your long-term business goals. Other marketing strategies that work together to grow and build your business could include digital and print advertising, in-store promotions, events, PR or influencer collaborations.
2. Social media is not for business promotion only:
We know you love your business and want to promote it to the whole world, but unfortunately your social media audience doesn’t want to be marketed to all the time! That’s why it’s important to let your social media manager devise the right strategy that combines a mix of your business promotion and general interest content that provides value to your consumer. This strategy will help keep your customers engaged in your business and keep them coming back for more!
3, You don’t have to be on all social media networks:
With a vast selection of social media networks out there, it can be easy to feel like you have to be on every social media platform. But here at Melbourne Social Co, we live by the rule, if you’re going to do something, do it well, so sometimes it’s best to select a couple of platforms and focus on building those followings and engaging those audiences before you continue to branch out.
Once these social media accounts are growing, then perhaps it’s time to consider expanding to new trending networks that are a good fit for your business and your target audience.
4. It takes time to build and grow your social media profiles:
While we all wish there was an overnight recipe for social media success, unfortunately social media results take time. Building a great online community for your business requires many things, including a mix of a great strategy, unique and engaging content and above all consistency! These things must be repeated over a significant period of time in order for you to see the best results
5. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach:
What works for some brands may not work for your business and that’s ok! This is just one of reasons why you should work with a team of digital marketing specialists who can assess your business, goals and objectives and create a social media strategy and plan that best suits you.
Do you need help shaping a social media strategy or managing your social media accounts? Here at Melbourne Social Co we have an expert team of social media specialists ready to help your business!
Get in touch with us today by sending us an email at [email protected] or calling us on: 1300 386 165.
How to unwind at the end of a busy year
As 2016 is drawing to a close it’s a great opportunity to take some time out during the Christmas and New Year period to unwind and recharge.
Unsure where to start? Check out our top tips below!
Switch off:
While there’s no doubt that we love social media here at Melbourne Social Co, sometimes even we need a little time out from the online world. Taking a few hours (or days!) to switch off will help your feel more inspired and motivated.
Just ensure you continue to schedule your businesses social media content while you switch off – better yet, engage a social media manager to create, distribute and monitor your social media activity for your business while you're offline.
Spend time with your family:
There’s nothing quite like spending quality time with your loved ones, so make sure you lock in some time for a little family fun! Whether you choose to relax on the couch with a movie, or head away for a mini vacation, taking time out with the people who matter in your life will lift your spirits and recharge your energy.
Have a change of scenery:
Throughout the year, sometimes we get so caught up in our routines that we forget to experience the amazing world around us! It may be a cliche, but sometimes we really do need to stop and smell the roses! This holiday season, try to take a few days to jet off to a different location or head somewhere you’ve never been before – even if it’s a great local beach, or walking track that you’ve been dying to go to.
Get inspired:
In order to begin the New Year in the right frame of mind, it’s important to take some time to get inspired! Attend a seminar, organise a coffee catch up with a person you admire or read a great book from an inspiring author– the options are endless!
Make sure you write down what it is about these things that inspire you so you can aim to action them in your 2017 goals!
Relax:
Seems simple doesn’t it? But see if you can spend some time doing absolutely nothing! Watch a movie, go for a walk or just have a sleep-in. All of these non-work related activities are vital to help you begin a new year with a fresh and recharged mind.
How are you unwinding at the end of this year? Comment and share with us below!
If you need help taking your social media marketing to the next level in 2017 make sure you get in touch with our expert team here at Melbourne Social Co.
e: [email protected] – P: 1300 386 165
5 Reasons Why Your Social Media Marketing Isn’t Working
As we all know, social media marketing is an essential part of any business marketing strategy, as it’s a great way to connect with your consumers, increase brand awareness, drive sales and a whole lot more!
However, implementing social media for business takes time and effort and requires a strategy to ensure you engage your audience, build a following and direct the right people to purchase your product or service.
If your social media marketing has been a little lacklustre lately, here are 5 reasons why it may not be working:
You’re not consistent:
One of the biggest downfalls of social media marketing is not being consistent enough across all existing social media channels. Whether you’re too busy to post regularly, or your content and tone of voice isn't consistent across platforms and the rest of your branding, your social media will suffer. Consistency is required to develop trust, engage your consumer and get results! This can be done with an experienced social media manager who can create engaging content on a consistent basis and distribute it at optimal times.
You’re posting overly promotional content:
We get it! You love your business and you want the world to know about your amazing product or service, but unfortunately not everyone wants to engage in your promotional content all the time. That’s why it’s best to scale back on your promotional content and introduce content that engages and entices your audience into your communications strategy. A great question to ask yourself before posting is, “would my audience find this interesting?” Here at Melbourne Social Co we feel that if you offer your audience engaging content that adds values to their daily lives, they're going to be more likely to follow and trust your brand, and consume your sales message when you do post it.
You’re not on the right networks for your target audience:
Too often businesses think that they need to be across all social media platforms to be effective. However here at Melbourne Social Co, we believe it’s important to choose the right channels (even if it’s one or two) and to do them really well!
A digital marketing expert (like us) can help narrow down your target audience and recommend the best channels to reach that audience so you can get the best results.
You don’t have an advertising budget:
If you’ve created some amazing content but no one is engaging in it or your reach is really low, then you may need to think about your advertising budget. Recent studies have shown that only 3-6% of your audience will see your content on Facebook so it’s more important than ever to invest in advertising to get your content in front of the right people! Facebook and Instagram advertising is a low-cost advertising option that will really make a difference to your social media marketing.
You don’t have a point of difference:
The internet is flooded with businesses just like yours, so it’s vital to determine a point of difference across all of your digital marketing content. Points of difference could be beautiful imagery, unique aspirational quotes, captivating videos… the options are endless! Let your high-quality and engaging social media content separate you from the crowd.
Are you struggling to cut-through with your social media marketing? Or are you having difficulty creating consistent high quality content that engages with your target audience?
Get in touch with your digital marketing experts at Melbourne Social Co today.
e: [email protected] – P: 1300 386 165
Want to learn how to put together your own professional social media strategy?
Take our Social Co Academy Short Course
3 Reasons Social Media is Vital for Small Business
So you have a small business and need to increase your business awareness and get people buying your products or services? Look no further than social media marketing.
Social media is a popular low-cost digital marketing tool, that allows you to not only present your business/product and services to a huge online community but gives you the opportunity to connect with your consumer to develop lasting relationships that will have an undeniable effect on your businesses growth and success.
Read on below for 3 reasons social media is vital for small businesses.
Increase brand awareness
One of the most important benefits of social media for small business, is its ability to increase brand awareness reaching a large number of people at a relatively low-cost compared to traditional advertising methods. A recent study has reported that 78 percent of small businesses attract new customers through social media. But you don’t have to be on all social media channels at once! Here at Melbourne Social Co, we are big believers in choosing platforms that are right for you and your business for the best results.
Legitimises your brand/business
You know your product or service is great, but how else will people know it? Going hand in hand with increasing brand awareness, having social media networks makes your business real.
When people search for a particular product or industry, they typically go to their social media networks to find out more about the business and to get a feel for their brand personality, style and what they offer. Having social media is extremely beneficial for your business’s SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) as well, as it increases your Google ranking so people can find your business on Google faster.
Develop a relationship with your consumer
You want your business to last, and there’s no better way to do that then by developing a long-term lasting relationship with your consumer. Luckily thanks to social media this two-way interaction is easier than ever, as you can like, comment and share content from your followers and encourage them to do the same about your business. This means they are actively involved in your business and are more likely to develop brand loyalty.
Are you a small business owner and are not sure where to get started on social media? Luckily here at Melbourne Social Co we are experts are developing social media content and strategies to build your business from the ground up.
Get in touch today to find out more about our social media management services - [email protected]