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 - info@staging.project-progress.net
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.
4 Reasons Your Business Should Be On Pinterest
One of the fastest growing platforms, Pinterest, has become an essential part of any digital marketing strategy, with its powerful Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) benefits, ability to increase traffic to your business website and an opportunity for pinners to become creatively interactive with your business.
Not convinced? Here are 4 reasons why your business should be on Pinterest.
Your target market is using it:
A recent survey announced that more than 100 million people are on Pinterest, which means there is a large consumer base just waiting for you to connect with. The target market is typically females under 40-years-old, who have broad interests in a range of topics including pets, fashion, food, travel, fitness, creative DIY, business and more.
Pinners want to engage with businesses:
According to Pinterest, a recent study has shown that when pinners were asked if they’d rather follow a celebrity or business, 83% said they would rather follow a business. This means Pinterest encourages active audiences who are keen to know about your product or service and engage in your business inspirations and interests.
Your pins last forever:
There’s no secret that social media and content marketing is gold for Search Engine Optimisation and Pinterest is no exception. Unlike other forms of SEO strategies, your pins on Pinterest last forever. That means that as search and discovery are at the forefront of what makes pinners engaged, your content will always be there, available and searchable so they can be pinned, clicked on, liked and shared for many years to come.
Pinterest drives traffic:
If one of your main social media objectives is to get people to click through to your website, then Pinterest is the place to be. When you pin an image from your website, it allows pinners to then save that image onto their own boards, or simply click on that image to be taken to your business’s website for more information or to purchase your products or services.
Do you know how to strategically use Pinterest to boost SEO, increase website traffic and create an active online following for your business?
If not - Melbourne Social Co has a range of social media account management and training packages available for your business now.
Contact us for more information: info@staging.project-progress.net
Building A Professional Personal LinkedIn Profile
Not sure where to begin when it comes to LinkedIn?
Here's our checklist for building a professional personal LinkedIn profile:
- Create an informative headline
Your LinkedIn headline is one of the first things people will see on your LinkedIn profile so make sure it is direct, clear and to the point. It’s important that your headline includes your job title and industry keywords that will be instantly recognisable for people searching.
- Choose a professional photo
Having a high quality and professional headshot for your profile’s photo is a great way to personalise your LinkedIn page.
- Add important contact information
This means your email address, website, business/company name and other vital information people will instantly be looking for when browsing your profile. It’s also a great idea to edit the URL of your LinkedIn page to include your full name for professionalism and search optimisation. Find out how to do this here.
- Create a catchy and engaging profile summary
This is a chance for you to show off your skills and experience. Your profile summary should resemble the first few paragraphs of a well-written cover letter, ensuring it is concise and direct, pin pointing your goals, passions, qualifications and experience. Make sure your profile summary is easy to read and not too long. Bullet points or short paragraphs are a great way to easily highlight these key areas.
- Fill in your education and experience sections
Similar to your resume, this area on your LinkedIn profile is where you add in your qualifications, education and experience. You don’t have to list them all! Just select 3-5 past work vocations with short summaries on your job description, roles, achievements and skills.
- Show off your skills
This area is a great chance for you to show off your skills and get colleagues, boss or friends to endorse your specific skills and abilities. Make sure you include general skills as well as industry specific skills to show a great variety of capabilities.
- Add media
Now that you’ve got the basis of your LinkedIn profile complete, it’s time to make it visually appealing! A great way to do this is to show off your past or current work by adding website links, images, documents, presentations, videos and more to enhance your profile. Go to your selected experience section, click the pencil on the right hand side and click add media.
- Connect!
An easy way to start networking with people on LinkedIn is to connect with people already on your email database. Simply go to the top menu and click connections, add connections, type your email address and LinkedIn will pull up all of your contacts from that email address who have a LinkedIn profile. If you want to connect with potential or current clients, businesses or agencies, you can search them in the top menu, click on their name and request to connect.
- Join A Group
LinkedIn is a great platform for you to join groups with people from likeminded businesses or industries. You can search the groups in the top menu, or if you need a little inspiration, search for a client and see what groups they have joined on their profile and join! Now that you’ve joined, why not post something relevant or comment on a status update by the group? This will help make your profile more visible and will start the networking process.
- Update
All the basics of setting up your LinkedIn profile are done! Now all you need to do is update your status a minimum of once a week. The best days of the week are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before work 8:00am - 8:30am, or towards the end of the work day 4:00pm -6:00pm.
Updates could include:
• Links to your company blog
• Interesting and relevant articles
• Events you’re attending
• Recent projects
• Industry tips and business news.
The Benefits of Blogging
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 blogging. And without question, businesses need to get on board. Not only is a blog a great way to connect with potential clients and share information about your business and it’s services, it is also a fantastic SEO tool and can work to improve your Google ranking.
Did you know…
- Websites that blog daily get 5 times more traffic to their website than those who post weekly or less
- 95% of businesses with a blog report an increase in their search engine ranking
- Adding between 21 and 51 blog posts to your site boosts traffic by up to 30%
- And when you’ve added at least 52 blog posts, your traffic increases by 77%!
- Small businesses that blog get 126% more lead growth than those that don’t
- 70% of consumers admit blogs influence what they buy
- Blogs are 63% more likely to influence purchasing decisions than magazines
- 58% of consumers trust editorial content
- Blogs educate your customers and visitors. Who would you rather buy a car from ... someone that's taken the time to educate you about cars by providing free, unbiased, educational content, or someone that you've never met or spoken to before in your entire life?
- Blogs build brand awareness. Every person that lands on your website represents an opportunity to generate a new lead, too. If you write a blog post that 100 people read, you have 100 opportunities to turn those readers into leads by putting a call-to-action on that blog post.
So how do you get started?
Step 1: Find your focus
Before you write your first post, brainstorm a selection of topics that your blog will cover.
A good question to ask when defining the focus of your blog is, what interests my target audience, and what kind of unique insights can I provide for my audience?
Step 2: Discover your content marketing platform (CMS)
If you don’t know anyone with coding skills who owes you a favour, and don’t have a CMS developer on staff, you can check out a range of different easy-to-use blogging platforms online.
Before you set out to look for the perfect fit for your business, make a list of all the must-haves for your blog.
- Do you need a platform that lends itself to sharing high-quality images?
- Do you want your CMS to do all the coding for you?
- Do you need fast access to blog analytics?
- Can you invest money into a paid host, or are you looking for a free tool?
This will narrow down the list, so you can save time and begin blogging sooner.
Step 3: Do your research
In order for your blog to be successful in generating new leads, it must be original and offer something that your competitors don’t. To be aware of what this is, you first need to get familiar with the blogs already created by other businesses in your field. Subscribe to the blogs of other businesses in your field. Note the focus you think their business might have, and the customer personas they may be targeting with the content.
Step 4: Start off strong
Now that you have your list of topics and have done your research, it’s time to write your first post! When you’re ready to go, remember to post often.
Consistency is key, and regular posting will ensure you get great results from your blogging strategy.
Okay, now know what to do, but don’t have the time to consistently create blogs?
We can help.
Melbourne Social Co offers blogging packages, tailored specifically to your business. We can write one-off blogs that showcase your brand, or you can engage us to create blog content for your website on an ongoing basis.
Contact us for more information
e: info@staging.project-progress.net