How to get the most out of Instagram

How to get the most out of Instagram

Tackling the Instagram algorithm, stories and IGTV

There's not a lot of solid evidence out there as to how Instagram’s algorithm actually works. But we do know a few ways to help improve your impact on Instagram!

1. Utilise all of Instagram’s platforms. Post to IGTV, use interactive stickers on your stories and post video and photo content in galleries

2. Change your password! The amount of people / third party apps that are logged into your account can have an impact on which algorithm stream you’re put into

3. Give a little to get a little. Behind the scenes content performs great on Instagram. Whether it’s a peek into your production line or industry tricks, this content is clickable, likeable, shareable and saveable!

Nowadays, Instagram is so much more than just a newsfeed. We have the introduction of IGTV, the explore page, and of course stories which means you have so many avenues to display your content and the opportunity to expand your audience.

And it is no secret that Instagram stories now need to play a significant part in your social media content strategy

Here are some of the major benefits to utilising Instagram stories:

  • Increases visibility

When you post a story, it appears at the top of everyone’s screens. People are more likely to check stories before they start scrolling. This means stories are your best bet in being seen.

  • Different type of content

Stories are a great way to capture real-time content. Behind the scenes, event coverage and everything else in between. This makes your brand seem real and relatable, which people love to see. They are more likely to engage when they think you’re approachable, instead of only seeing the retouched, flawless content that we post on our feed. 

  • You can get creative

With the array of colours, GIFs and stickers, you can really express your brand in an abundance of different ways. You can also interact with your audience through the use of the Polls, Questions, Location, and Quiz stickers. These tools are also an easy way to get engagement, which is also a win in digital marketing! When you use these stickers, people are not only more likely to interact with your story, but also your story is more likely to be seen. Stories are now visible on the Explore page, and when you use Instagram’s features, they will reward you by sharing your content with more and more people – how good is that?

Start posting more stories to your business accounts and see if you see any changes to your stats, you could be surprised!

IGTV – what is it, and why should businesses be using it?

IGTV is the latest Instagram trend that has taken the social media platform by storm. Although IGTV has been around since June 2018, it is only now gaining some momentum - this could be because Instagram finally allowed previews on your feed. When this happened back in 2019, views skyrocketed, and IGTV became an integral part of every social media campaign. 

IGTV was originally introduced as an app where you could watch long-form, vertical videos from Instagram creators – basically a new competitor of YouTube! Before IGTV, you were only able to post videos that were 60 seconds long to Instagram. This was great for teaser content and short explainer videos, but now, you are able to post videos that are between 1 minute and an hour long! This opens up opportunities for really engaging content for your business, which means more traffic and a greater chance of expanding your audience. 

Still wondering why you should use IGTV? There are some major benefits, here are just a few!

  1. When you use IGTV on stories, you can get access to the “Swipe Up” feature

This feature was only available to verified accounts and accounts with over 10,000 followers. Now, when you share your IGTV to your story, you’re not only opening yourself up to more views, you’re also giving yourself the ability to send your audience to your desired link. 

  • Able to post longer videos

As discussed, IGTV videos can be from one minute, to an hour. This means the possibilities are endless when it comes to posting videos on this platform. No more editing out great visuals and information to get your videos down to 1 minute! Create your first IGTV, and post EVERYTHING you want – not just what you can fit in to 60 seconds!

  • Get ahead of the algorithm!

As we mentioned above, the best way to get in Instagram’s good graces, and make sure your getting the most out of the app, is to use all of its services. Be sure to post stories, use location tags, hashtags and start creating content for IGTV. 

IGTV is very quickly becoming a must-use feature on the app, and it’s important you jump on board now!

What to learn the in's and out's of social media management from the comfort of your couch? Visit courses.thesocialco.com.au to enrol in our famous social media masterclass!

How to get the most out of Instagram

A Guide to User Generated Content

A Guide to User Generated Content

A Guide to User Generated Content
A Guide to User Generated Content

What is User-Generated Content?

User-Generated Content (UGC) is any content—text, videos, images, reviews, etc.—created by people, rather than brands, featuring or discussing branded content. In its most organic form, UGC isn’t paid for by a brand, it is a genuine and honest recommendation being shared by followers and fans.This not only exposes your product to their audience; it provides a source of content to post on your page, website or other marketing channels. Being mentioned or having content shared by a brand is often fun and exciting for consumers or a source of income and products for influencers. It is a symbiotic relationship, a win-win for both parties when done correctly.

Why is it important? 

When it comes to social media marketing, UGC is becoming increasingly valuable to brands. It promotes authenticity and trust, as consumers are more likely to perceive user-generated content as authentic and trustworthy, over brand-created content. Seeing another consumer enjoy the product or service eliminates risk in the minds of consumers – it’s a visual positive review. Increasing trust and authenticity greatly influences consumers’ purchase intentions; the more trust a consumer has the more likely they are to purchase the product. As UGC increases awareness, it reinforces the products’ different applications, stylings, adaptions, and uses in “real world” situations and increases the viability of consumers of making that final purchase. 

How to Use It Successfully?

Now that we know why it is so important – how can your business be successful in using user-generated content? Let us tell you. 

Bring Purpose and Value to Your Customers 

All content you post must have a purpose, especially user-generated content - whether that’s being inspirational, showcasing how to use a product, sharing in-real-life reviews, or helping your followers decide on their product choices. UGC isn’t a sales pitch, you need to think of it as a stand-alone piece of content that can really be of benefit to your audience. 

For example, if you were a make-up brand you could use your USG posts as an opportunity to educate your customers on what products were used in the look to showcase what your products look like in action.

Create a Sense of Community 

What do all your followers have in common? They follow you! User-generated content is a great way to create a sense of community amongst your followers by stimulating discussions and connecting with your current and future customers. This is best illustrated by camera brands,who set challenges for their followers to take a photo with a set brief. The camera brand then shares entries, showcasing what their products can do and stimulating discussion and creativity amongst their followers. By sharing tricks and tips from on a post to get that photo - what camera did they use, which lenses, which settings – can stimulate discussion and provides value to your followers. This is a great way to engage with your followers and create brand loyalty as a bonus. 

Create an Incentive

It is important to encourage and remind your followers to create and tag you in content that features your products. The incentive you pick depends on the type of followers you have, for example: if you’re a company that sells art supplies, then sharing followers’ art is incentive enough. Whereas, other followers may need more of a push. For example, to get followers to showcase your product in their posts you may want to offer a gift or promotional code.Whichever method you choose, it’s important to acknowledge the original source, and thank the creator to make sure they feel appreciated. 

Need help?

Do you want some help creating an amazing user generated content campaign for your brand? Get in touch with our team today!

Want to learn how to become a digital marketing pro? Check out our social media masterclass.

Written By Ebony Jones

A Guide to User Generated Content
A Guide to User Generated Content

Influencer Events at Melbourne Social Co

Influencer Events at Melbourne Social Co

In December, we hosted a beautiful influencer brand showcase at our Moonee Ponds Studio. We were excited to share some of our lovely stable of brands with a gorgeous group of influencers. A big thank you to everyone who came along, we loved meeting you all!

At this event, we showcased a selection of our brands to influencers across the mummy, lifestyle, health and foodie space. This meant that we had a wide range of personalities who had a much broader reach.

Our guests were delighted with the variety of brands available at the event, and were able fill their goodie bags with products best suited to them. Some of the goodies included Avène skincare, Chris’ Dips, Chi Khi children’s clothing, Alessi Beverages and many more. One lucky winner was also the recipient of a brand new Fitbit Versa 2, from our friends at Fitbit. 

We had such incredible feedback from our guests. Firstly, being that they loved seeing all the products displayed on the tables. This allowed our influencers to take home products which they feel are most relevant to them and their needs. Secondly, they loved the ability to be able to ask and find out more about the products by having our staff there rather than going home and having questions. 

Collectively, the Instagram followers of all the influencers reached 310,502. There was over 90 Instagram Stories and approximately 30 posts on Instagram. 

Influencer Events at Melbourne Social Co
Influencer Events at Melbourne Social Co

If you’re a Melbourne based influencer and would like to join our mailing list, please reach out to [email protected]. Or, if you’re a brand who would like to go on the waitlist for our next showcase, please email [email protected].

Want to learn how to create beautiful social media content (like the images above) for your brand? Our latest online course is launching soon - pre-register now.


If you run a business or work in marketing you've no doubt heard the news - Instagram has removed visible 'likes' in Australia, in a new trial to combat mental health issues.

Quality Instagram Content Over Vanity Metrics

If you run a business or work in marketing you've no doubt heard the news - Instagram has removed visible 'likes' in Australia, in a new trial to combat mental health issues, making the sharing of high quality Instagram content more important than ever.

What does this Instagram change mean for business?

Don't worry, it's not the game changer you may think it is. Take a step back and remember why you're marketing your business on social media. Is it so that others can see how many likes you have? No, of course it's not! It's to promote your brand, and achieve your business objectives, such as driving traffic to your website, sharing your company's culture, and selling your product and/or service.

Instagram content is still king.

When it comes to digital strategy, we always encourage our clients to focus on high quality, engaging content, over chasing vanity metrics such as cheap likes or follows.

When it comes to digital strategy, we always encourage our clients to focus on high quality, engaging content, over chasing vanity metrics such as cheap likes or follows.

Yes, your stats may look like they've gone down a little this month. We have seen a bit of a drop-off in engagement across the board following this platform change. But that being said, we're still seeing strong conversions across our portfolio of clients. The things that really matter, such as taps through to website, purchases on shoppable products, story views and more are as strong as they've always been.

Is removing visible ‘likes’ actually a positive for business? 

It may be too early to tell, but the general consensus at Melbourne Social Co HQ is that there are some serious positives we can take from this move, particularly for small business. By removing the ability for people to see how many likes a post has achieved, smaller accounts will be able to better compete with established accounts that have built up large followings already. The focus will now shift back towards the quality of your Instagram content, and the real conversations you create with your community. Your business will now no longer have to compete with businesses who buy ‘fake’ likes for appearances sake, and you'll be able to request more transparency with the influencers you engage with, by potentially having access to their back-end analytics.


Want to chat to our team about the latest social media trends and what they mean for your business? Get in touch with our team today.

Want to learn how to master social media marketing from the comfort of your couch? Check out our social media masterclass here.


Instagram removes 'likes' function

Instagram removes 'likes' function

Instagram

From today, Instagram users in Australia will no longer be able to see how many “likes” a post has a received.

The trial is underway for Australian Instagram users, after a movement towards “removing pressure” on the digital platform’s users.

Instagram will begin rolling out the trial update today, removing the total number of likes on photos and viewings of videos on user feeds and profiles, and permalink pages.

Users will still be able to see a list of likes on their posts, just not the overall number.

But don't worry, the change won’t affect measurement tools for businesses and creators on Instagram, and all likes and engagement metrics will still be available in those tools.

Facebook Australia and New Zealand director of policy Mia Garlick said Instagram should be a place where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, rather than judged.

“We hope this test will remove the pressure of how many likes a post will receive, so you can focus on sharing the things you love,” she said in a statement.

Read more here.

We look forward to reviewing how this impacts businesses on social media over the coming weeks, and in particular the relationship with business and influencers, who rely on social media metrics to prove the value of their content.

Want to chat to our team about your Instagram strategy? Get in touch today.


Five Digital Trends That Will Stick Around For 2019

Five Digital Trends That Will Stick Around For 2019

Digital Trends to look out for in 2019.

As we head into the new year, we find many businesses consider that it might be time to rethink their social media strategy for 2019. Around this time of year, we hear resolutions and goals being thrown around such as “This year I want to double my following” or “I’m going to much more ahead of my social media planning”, but how do you actually go about doing that?

To help our clients, we’ve pin pointed a few trends that are likely to stick around this year. Based on our own research and professional experience, below are a few digital marketing trends we suggest taking a look at for the upcoming year;

Content Will Still Reign

Content marketing will continue to be a crucial component of digital marketing. The quality is always going to be the focal point, but there’s also an increased interest in who the intended audience is. Having a more in depth understanding of a targeted market, and the ability to target that market more precisely is a rising trend in creating effective marketing.

While general content for the mass audience will always be important, specialised content for specific industries can also produce impressive results. A combination of specific content and constantly improving techniques for measuring content effectiveness, content marketing remains relevant and essential in 2019.

Video Marketing Continues To Rise

Video marketing will be the leader of digital trends in 2019. It is predicted that 80% of the online content will take up the form of visual representation. The videos will be the focal point of any marketing strategy as these will distribute the message in a better way while providing entertainment to the viewers.

Video has become a favourite form of communication since the rapid adoption of smartphones and social media apps. More than ever, we are seeing that video content does not have to have a high production value. Don’t shy away from pulling your smartphone out and recording a message to your potential customers about a recent win or to share some insights that will be valuable to them! 

Chatbots Are Here To Stay

This AI based tech uses instant messaging to chat in real time, 24/7 with your customers or site visitors. Chatbots are here to stay as many customers prefer interacting with a chatbot as they are responsive, give answers almost immediately, they recall your entire buying history and best of all, they never lose patience. 

Sephora is the perfect example of an advanced business. You can get all kinds of make-up tips if you chat to Sephora using the Kik App. The personal assistant feature also provides you with product reviews when you’re shopping in a store. 

Email Is Getting More Personalised

Email continues to be a strong contender as a channel of communication with billions still using it for work, personal and commercial purposes. In fact, “Email remains a significantly more effective way to acquire customers than social media- nearly 40 times that of Facebook and Twitter combined”- McKinsey & Company.

In 2019, a combination of automation and more importantly, personalisation will make email marketing effective. 

 If you feel stuck on gaining a customer database, the easiest thing to do is run a competition. The old age marketing trick of attracting people to your brand by giving something away still works!

Storification

The stories format has boomed in 2018 on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp. It is even being tested by Linkedin! 

Brands need to consider that although posts with high resolution and quality production values are still important, less polished, more intimate content performs better in the stories format. Consumers often feel more comfortable with brands when to see raw but authentic, in the moment views into the backgrounds of brands. 


It’s not too late to start planning your digital marketing strategy for 2019, and our sister company The Social Co Academy can help brush up those skills! Check out their training resources here


Thinking about outsourcing your digital marketing strategy to an agency? Contact us today for more information.

Five Digital Trends That Will Stick Around For 2019
Five Digital Trends That Will Stick Around For 2019


How to strategically use graphic quotes on Instagram

How to strategically use graphic quotes on Instagram

It’s time to debunk the stereotype that graphic quotes on Instagram are only used as a last resort, as filler content when you’ve run out of original content ideas.

We think brands need to embrace the quote, the info-graphic, the text template, and we are here to tell you why!


They help generate engagement

Text images or graphic quote are very to the point, they are a great tool to utilise when you want to draw attention to something specific, for example a sale, or a big campaign. Breaking up your feed with quotes and text means that the message will be more obvious and not hidden in a caption underneath a pretty picture. Additionally, posting inspirational, humorous or thought provoking quotes is engaging to your followers because it’s something new and different in terms of branded content.

Promotions/Testimonials

Promoting the amazing comments, reviews and testimonials your brand receives through graphic quotes is an amazing way to promote your business. Consumers love to hear what people are saying about products their considering buying – so what better way to grab their attention than through snappy, succinct quote posts on your socials?

Conversation Starters

Posting thought provoking quotes or question graphics is a great way to engage and start a conversation with your audience. A branded graphic asking followers “what’s your favourite product of ours” and prompting them to respond in the comments is a great way to create relationships with your followers and keep them engaged.

Building Brand Awareness

One of the best things about implementing the use of quotes or text images into your feed is the ability to make them branded. You have the ability to choose the colour scheme, the appropriate text and also the opportunity to put your logo on these templates. In doing all this, you’re generating more awareness for your brand and keeping it at the forefront of your followers mind - all while maintaining that gorgeous Instagram grid!


Want a little help creating gorgeous graphic quotes for your brand? Contact our team today to find out what we can do for you.

Or, perhaps you'd like to browse our range of graphic templates we've created via The Social Files.

How to strategically use graphic quotes on Instagram
How to strategically use graphic quotes on Instagram

Four Ideas To Inspire Great Content - By Melbourne Social Co

Four Ideas To Inspire Great Content

This Week We're Sharing Four Ideas To Inspire Great Content

Content is the driving force behind all aspects of communications. Whether it be social media, public relations, marketing campaigns; content is at the heart of every strategic approach. Coming up with content ideas is so important, but it’s no surprise that coming up with new ideas all the time can sometimes be a struggle!

Don't worry, we're here to help! This week, we've put together four helpful ideas to help inspire and stimulate your content ideas.

Check out what your competitors are doing and find opportunities to create even better content

Cut down the time you spend coming up with new ideas and look to your competitors, because they’re handing them to you! They’re your competitors for a reason, so sift through their content and find some content opportunities that you could do better!

Review what you’re currently doing and improve upon it

There is always room to improve, so be sure to always review your current and past content to see where there is room for improvement.  Making sure you’re always refining and tweaking your content will keep it fresh and the best it can be.

Look at your analytics to see what content is doing well and then create more of it

This tip is important; statistics don’t lie, so trust in them and use them as a guide for what is working and what isn’t. Review the content that has done well statistically, assess why it’s been successful and apply this knowledge to future content, this will in turn ensure that your future content is engaging and well received by your audience.

Make sure you create content of significance for your audience

An obvious one, making sure your content is geared towards your audience will help your content to be valuable and specific. Keeping your audience in mind at all times will help spark idea that your audience will love!

Repackage your existing content

Make the old new again by revamping some past content! There’s no rule that says you cant reuse content, so when your lacking inspiration, sift through the archives and repackage some vintage content.


Would you like to know more about our Content Creation services? Contact us today.

Four Ideas To Inspire Great Content
Four Ideas To Inspire Great Content

Should you make your Instagram feed shoppable?

Should you make your Instagram feed shoppable?

Consumers have shorter attention spans than ever, so discovering a way to streamline the shopping experience from inspiration through to purchase was crucial. Without further ado, it’s time to introduce the shoppable Instagram feed!

Have you seen those posts on Instagram with a little shopping bag logo in the corner? Those posts are what we call ‘shoppable’ posts, meaning if someone taps the image, a product name and price will pop up, allowing the user to purchase the product.

Originally, shopping on Instagram was only available to businesses in the United States, but it has since expanded internationally with businesses in over 44 countries now being able to utilise the feature.

Many big-name brands have made their Instagram feeds shoppable, in order to connect with customers in a fresh, more immersive way. The shopping on Instagram feature encourages customers to follow through with their intended purchase. Many shoppers will abandon the shopping pursuit if it’s too difficult. For example, a customer sees a pair of pants on an Instagram feed and heads to the link in bio to shop it. They’re taken to the main website and have to sort through hundreds of pairs of pants. Unless they’ve fallen head over heels for the pants, they’ll most likely abandon the shop and look elsewhere. Sad face.

So, a shoppable Instagram essentials tries to prevent this from happening by making the shopping experience seamless. By tagging products in posts, you’re allowing consumers to complete the entire buyer journey from discovery to checkout, without ever leaving the Instagram app!Talk about a one stop shop!

If you have quite a large inventory with an extensive range of products, we’d strongly recommend creating a shoppable feed. This way, consumers can simply shop the look they love straight from Instagram rather than having to look through a website.

If you have a smaller stock offering, it’s completely up to you whether you want to adopt a shoppable feed or not. We definitely wouldn’t discourage the idea but go with whatever you feel comfortable with!


Still not sure whether a shoppable feed is a good fit for you and your business? Why not pencil in a chat with our team to discuss your Instagram strategy.

Want help creating the visuals for your Instagram feed? Read more here.

All about shoppable Instagram


The Importance of a Digital Strategy - Tips from our Senior Strategist

The Importance of a Digital Strategy

Being a digital marketing agency, it’s no secret we place great importance on digital strategy and planning. This week we're chatting with our Senior Creative Strategist, Michaela Skilney, who gives some insight into her approach to digital strategy and its significance.

  • What challenges do you face when developing a digital strategy?

One of the biggest challenges I face when developing digital strategies for clients is reconciling what’s a reasonable and realistic outcome for a campaign, and what the client expects to achieve. It’s essential to set goals and aspire to reach particular objectives, however social media isn’t an exact science.

More often than not, clients are under the false illusion that an agency can guarantee what content will go viral and how many followers they can attract. The truth is, if an agency can guarantee those types of outcomes, they’ll be employing the likes of automated bots, which are completely at odds with all platform’s T&Cs (and I would be running in the opposite direction!)

What a digital strategy can guarantee is that your social media presence is the greatest reflection of your brand, your offering and what appeals to your audience.

  • Does your approach differ client to client?

Every client, regardless of how similar their product, service or audience is, will have a unique set of goals, a unique promotional calendar and to be successful, unique selling points. It’s therefore impossible to adopt a one-size-fits-all-approach from client to client. It may be less efficient on paper this way, to view client’s in isolation, but that’s the difference between what you get with a boutique agency like ours versus a strategy template you can download online!

  • In your opinion, is having a digital strategy as significant as a traditional marketing plan?

Regardless of what medium you’re working in – traditional or digital marketing – a strategy is essential to give your efforts a sense of purpose. Without strategic thought and planning prior to the commencement of a campaign, you’re essentially setting yourself up to fail. Without the right preparation, you find you’ll always be in reactive mode and constantly behind the 8-ball!

  • When developing a digital strategy, what research is involved?

There’s a ton of research involved when developing a digital strategy, predominantly around target audiences and their digital user habits. Most of the time, clients know their brands intimately and can share the history of their business off the top of their heads. What they mightn’t know, where I come in, is who their current digital audience is, and whether that marries with who they want it to be. The purpose – and outcome – of any digital content, whether that be a social media post, a blog or an EDM (electronic direct mail), is that it will reach someone and be consumed. Research at the digital strategy phase allows for your content to be targeted and seen by those you want to engage.

  • Where’s the best place to start when constructing a digital strategy?

In order to create a digital strategy – a plan of attack for a brand that truly speaks to who they are and who they want to be – I need to fully immerse myself in what they do so that the end result feels as though it’s been crafted in-house. This usually begins by meeting with key business stakeholders for a complete brain dump on their part (their offering, their customer, their strengths, their weaknesses, their current digital output, their digital likes and dislikes, their projected sales etc.) as well as understanding what pre-planned promotions, product launches and events are in place for the next 3-6 months. These steps are the foundation on which I build my strategies, so you could say they’re non-negotiable!

  • Do you believe every business should have some sort of a digital plan?

Embracing all things digital can be overwhelming for some brands and business owners, but it’s unavoidable. Consumer habits have changed from bricks and mortar stores to online shopping, and information gathering shifting from magazines and catalogues to social media and blogs. If you want your brand to thrive, let alone be relevant, you need to have a digital presence – and what kind of presence you have all depends on a solid digital strategy.


Want to chat to Michaela and our team about putting together a bespoke digital strategy for your brand? Contact us: [email protected] to find out more.