2017's Social Media Trends
It's the beginning of a brand new year, which means it’s the perfect time to evaluate your current digital strategy and include new social media trends into your plan for 2017.
As the social media space is ever-changing and new trends are emerging every day, we’ve rounded up some of the biggest social media trends to leverage in 2017, so you can take your business’s social media marketing to the next level!
Read on below for the top trends:
Live video
There’s no denying that video played a vital role in marketing in 2016, from Facebook Live to Instagram Stories, Snapchat and the continued growth of YouTube and its ‘mega stars’.
In 2017, expect to see more brands tapping into the power of video, through live-streaming events and seminars on their social media networks as a way to boost their social media reach and consumer engagement.
This will be predominately posted through Facebook Live and Instagram Stories, which means if you haven’t started using these great features, now is the time to integrate them into your social media marketing strategy.
One stop shop:
As consumers are spending more and more time on social media, it’s no surprise the our favourite social media channels are slowly turning into a ‘one stop shop’ for everything from accessing great content to purchasing products or services.
This is signaled by Pinterest’s buyable pins and Instagram’s newly formed shopping platform which will soon give consumers the opportunity to view pricing information on products and click a link to purchase the items of interest.
The aim is to give consumers everything they want all on one site, so they don’t have to veer away from the platform for anything else.
Facebook isn’t going anywhere!
There has been increasing doubt over the past few years about the relevance of Facebook in the digital marketing space, especially thanks to the rise of platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. However, statistics are showing that Facebook is still the most used social media platform around the globe for both end users and B2B brands which means you shouldn’t discount it from your marketing strategy.
While it’s true that consumers are using new platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, they are not replacing Facebook, rather using it in conjunction with the other platforms.
The decline of organic reach:
In 2016 we saw the increasing decline of organic reach on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, with greater preference given to accounts that use paid advertising along with producing great, authentic and quality social media posts.
This means in the New Year it’ll be even harder to get your content ‘out there’ without putting a bit of money behind your social media content. Your budget doesn’t have to be large, but any money you can put towards Facebook/Instagram advertising will really make a difference.
Do you need help tapping into these social media trends in 2017? Get in touch with your digital marketing experts Melbourne Social Co today!
e: [email protected] – P: 1300 386 165.
Content Marketing For Business
Here at Melbourne Social Co, we are big believers in the importance of content marketing for businesses. Why? It helps to increase SEO, it builds brand awareness and provides extra value to your consumer.
Are you ready to start using content marketing for your business? We've listed the key reasons why you should…
It increases SEO:
If you want to increase your website’s SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) then high-quality and search-friendly content is a must. This content should be unique and original and should include relevant keywords which will boost your ranking on Google, so you can continue to attract more visitors.
It provides value to your audience:
As consumers become more and more savvy, it’s important that you give your brand a point of difference, and offer something via your digital strategy that will add value to your consumers' daily life, encouraging them to keep coming back for more. This is where content marketing comes into play. Think of engaging blogs, eye-catching imagery and emails filled with tips and tricks as ways to entice your consumer to stay engaged with your business.
It helps to build brand awareness:
Content marketing is all about creating and distributing relevant content to attract and increase your consumer engagement. This increase in consumer engagement means more people are listening and connecting with your business and in turn are more likely to buy your product or your service. Types of content marketing you could use to increase your brand awareness include blogs and email marketing, which help to capture the attention of your consumer, increase brand awareness, provide value, generate sales and increase SEO! Sounds perfect right?!
Are you ready to take the next step and build your business’s content marketing? From website content, to blogs, engaging imagery, email marketing and creative copy for your social media channels, Melbourne Social Co does it all.
Get in touch with us to find out how we can help your business today.
Want to learn how to get that great content of yours 'out there'?
Take our Social Co Academy short online course.
Why Content Is King
You’d have to be living under a rock, or a very full shopping bag, to not have seen the rise of the art of content marketing.
Whether it be a blog, beautiful imagery for Instagram and Pinterest, or engaging copy for your social media channels – by now you’ve no doubt heard that content is king!
But why is creating good quality content important for your business? Here are our top three reasons why content creation is a vital part of your marketing strategy.
- It gives your brand personality and sets you apart from the crowd. If you want to create a point of difference for your business in a crowded market place, developing your brand’s personality is a great place to start and the best way to do this is through content marketing. Use blog posts, images, videos and social media interaction to connect with your customers and share your passion, knowledge and skills in a way that people want to connect with.
- It aids Search Engine Optimisation. Not only does great content give businesses a way to connect with consumers online and share information about the business and it’s services, it can also be a fantastic SEO tool and can work to improve your Google ranking.
- It provides you with engaging material to share on social media. For maximum reach on social media, we recommend businesses post online at least 2-3 times per day. This may seem like a lot of work, but when it comes to social media marketing, consistency is key. You can assume that each time you post online only 20-30% of your following will see your content – so now you see why it’s important to have a presence throughout the day to ensure visibility. By consistently creating quality content for your brand, you will have plenty of engaging material to share out to your audience online, putting your brand one step closer to social media success!
Here at Melbourne Social Co, we understand that when you’re running a business, finding time to create engaging content and consistently manage your social media presence can be stressful and time consuming.
That’s where we come in.
Melbourne Social Co has a team of highly experienced content creators at our fingertips. From bloggers, to photographers and stylists – we have the right content creator to suit your business.
We will customise a content creation package to suit your business. Contact us today to find out more!
Social Media Terminology 101
Sometimes the world of digital marketing and social media can seem hard to understand, that’s why we thought we’d share with you some of the most commonly used terms in social media so you can start to get your head around this essential marketing tool.
Common social media marketing terminology:
SEO: Perhaps one of the most important terms for all businesses to know is SEO – which stands for Search Engine Optimisation. Search Engine Optimisation refers to implementing strategies and techniques to improve the quality of unpaid traffic to a website from search engines.
Hashtag: A hashtag is used to categorise content on social media platforms and make it searchable for consumers and audiences. An example could be #fashion.
Engagement Rate: Here at Melbourne Social Co we are big believers in measuring the engagement rate of your social media marketing content. But what does it mean? Engagement rate refers to the amount of times people have clicked, liked and shared your content on any given platform.
Facebook Advertising: Advertising on Facebook has quickly become a huge part of any business marketing strategy. It refers to paying to “boost” posts on Facebook so more people can see the content and engage, or to create banners or posts with varying objectives to target your consumer. Facebook advertising can be tailored to a range of demographic variables from location, age, gender and interests.
Re-tweet: This term comes from Twitter and happens when another account shares the tweet you have posted so that their followers can also see the content regardless if they are following you or not. Re-tweeting is a great way to make your twitter account and content visible.
Snapchat: Loved by millennials, Snapchat is a social media platform where you can send pictures or videos of your day-to-day life with a 10-second time limit to your choice of friends. You can send “stories”, which means all your friends can view the 10-second media for the next day or so, or send images directly to a person for a one-time only viewing.
Instagram: One of the most on-trend social media marketing platforms right now is Instagram, a great way to share images to your followers in a visual, creative and engaging way.
Pinterest: Commonly referred to as the new ‘Google’ of image searching, Pinterest is a way to create visual boards of images on various topics that have link backs to your business or personal website or other sites of interest.
GIF: GIF is an acronym for Graphics Interchange Format, which means small-animated images that consumers love!
Handle: This term refers to the name of someone’s social media account. For example, our Instagram handle is @melbournesocialco.
Need help figuring out other social media lingo or social media in general? We have a range of packages and services available for your business, including content creation and distribution and social media 101 training.
Contact us: e: [email protected]
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]
The Biggest Content Marketing Trends for 2016
The New Year is fast approaching and here at Melbourne Social Co we like to stay ahead of the curve, so we’ve rounded up some of the biggest content marketing trends to look out for in 2016.
The biggest content marketing trends for 2016 are:
New publishing options available on social media:
Facebook started this trend when it introduced “Instant Articles,” which allows you as the consumer/ or us as your social media managers to publish articles directly onto the Facebook platform. Google is also going to introduce its own version of this and we bet other social networks will follow on! This trend highlights the importance of high-quality written and visual content for brands and businesses as part of any social media and marketing strategy.
Content will demand more visual mediums:
We’ve said it before and we will say it again! Visual content is king. Content on blogs and social media will rely more on adding images and videos to engage and connect with consumers. Great visual content has become a vital way to quickly grab the attention of your consumer, who are becoming more time poor and are after fast media consumption.
Mobile optimisation is key:
You can’t deny the importance of ensuring that your business website is optimised for mobile users, as the majority of your consumer will likely be accessing your website from their phones. Mobile optimisation is essential to keep visitors and potential consumers on your website and coming back for more. Make sure your mobile site is also share friendly, allowing consumers to share your content and images via their own social networks to increase engagement and to get people talking.
Buy buttons will be everywhere:
Facebook and Pinterest have added buy features to their platforms to transition their social media consumers into buyers of products and services, making it more vital than ever to be on social media and to have an effective strategy. Other social media and online platforms are sure to follow suit and the trend will only grow as buying habits change.
Need help?
Is your business set-up to adapt to these content marketing trends for 2016 so you don’t get left behind? Get in touch today to find out how we can create amazing digital content, branding, strategy and more for your business.
Contact us for more information.
Why your business needs to invest in Facebook advertising
A vital part of any Facebook marketing strategy is Facebook advertising – a great way to increase business awareness, grow page likes, gain valuable insights about your consumer and importantly, increase Facebook engagement and reach allowing you to develop a strong online Facebook community for your business or brand.
Want to know more? Here are some great reasons why your business needs to invest in Facebook advertising now:
Enhanced Audience Targeting:
Thanks to Facebook’s advanced targeting strategies, you can now reach new people who are likely to be interested in your business as well as existing customers by directly targeting them through a variety of tailored demographic variables. These include targeting specific age groups, locations, interests and behaviours so you can grow your online community and promote your business to a larger audience.
Development of An Online Community:
Perhaps one of the most important parts of your Facebook marketing objective is to build an online community around your business that is created through conversation, engagement and interaction between you as the business and your audience. Facebook advertising provokes this, by letting more people interested in your business and business industry see your page, your content and click through to your website to purchase your products or use your service.
Makes Your Content Visible:
Unfortunately with millions of businesses on Facebook, getting your content seen can be tricky, which is why Facebook has declared that paid content will be more visible. Investing in a small amount per week to boost your posts allows them to be seen by your current and new audiences.
Key Consumer Insights:
Thanks to the amazing insights on Facebook, Facebook advertising is a great way to clearly define and understand your audience across all demographic areas as well as to understand what products, services or content types your audiences are most interested in for more effective marketing.
Want to know more? Melbourne Social Co creates outstanding Facebook advertising and social media content tailored to your business through a range of services and packages from our team of specialists.
Contact us for more information: [email protected]
Why is Social Media important for small business?
Because your customers are already using it.
Consider these statistics of Australian Social Media users from August 2014:
Social Media Statistics Australia – August 2014 - source socialmedianews.com.au
1. Facebook – 13,400,000 users (steady)
2. YouTube – 13,000,000 UAVs
3. WordPress.com – 6,100,000
4. Tumblr – 4,600,000
5. LinkedIn – 3,900,000
6. Blogspot – 3,050,000
7. Twitter – 2,791,300 Active Australian Users (see calculation)
8. Instagram – 2,060,000 Active Australian Users (see calculation)
9. TripAdvisor – 1,550,000
10. Yelp – 1,300,000
11. Snapchat - 1,070,000 Active Australian Users (see calculation).
12. Tinder – 1,000,000 Australian users
13. Flickr – 740,000
14. Pinterest – 380,000
15. Reddit – 160,000
The chances are that much of your target market is already using social media. If you want to reach clients and prospects, you need to be where they are – by using social media you’ll increase the odds that your marketing message will get through to a significant number of them.
It will help you connect with your customers/clients.
Most marketing channels are one-way in nature – a business sends out its marketing message, and the consumer receives it. With Social Media, you can actually have a conversation with your audience. Social Media helps to create a community of fans and followers that see you as more than just a business entity.
They’ll view you as someone they trust, and people use the services of those they trust.
Not sure where to start in the crazy world of Social Media? Melbourne Social Co offer a range of packages for businesses looking to begin, expand on or capitalise on the ‘noise’ their brand is making in the digital world.
Contact us for more information - [email protected]