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.
e: info@melbournesocialco.com.au
Want to learn how to get that great content of yours 'out there'?
Take our Social Co Academy short online course.
4 Tips to Increase Productivity
Productivity. A hot topic for many business owners and employees is how to manage time to get as much done as possible whilst still producing the best results. With an endless list of things happening throughout our day-to-day lives, it’s important we determine what is realistic, plan ahead, set time limits and minimise distractions so we can put our heads down and get the work done in the quickest and best way possible.
Unsure how? Read on below for our top 4 tips on how to manage your time and increase your productivity:
1. Plan your day:
This is a must! Spend the first 30 minutes of your day planning out what needs to be done for the day ahead. Put your toughest tasks at the top of the list and power through them first, so you leave more time at the end of the day for easier tasks or for tasks that you enjoy. Don’t forgot to plan time for your breaks, exercise and family time, as these are great incentives to help you keep working.
2. Set a time limit:
Once you’ve written your to-do list, it’s time to set a time limit to each task and be realistic! Allocate 90 minutes to work through a task (or a few if they are easier,) and then make sure you get up from your desk, walk away and recharge once the time is up. Allocating time slots and deadlines encourages you to work harder and faster with the reward of stopping for a break at the end.
3. Take a break:
Taking breaks throughout your working day is great for your mind and your body! Physically stepping away from your desk, heading outside for a walk or chatting to a friend helps to recharge your mind so you can focus thoroughly throughout your work time.
4. Switch off notifications:
In an age when our emails, phone and social media networks are constantly going off it’s no wonder we struggle to get our work done! Switch off notifications for all of the above, and put your head down and complete your tasks. The emails, phone calls and social media can wait – even if it’s just for 30 minutes or an hour.
Are you struggling to fit everything into your day including your business’ social media or digital marketing?
Get in touch with Melbourne Social Co today to find out how we can take care of your branding and strategy, content creation and content distribution, while you get back to business.
Send us an email today: info@melbournesocialco.com.au
Social Media Etiquette Basics
When using social media for your business there are some key rules to follow to ensure that you always represent your brand in the best way possible when interacting online.
Don't know your social media etiquette basics? Here are a few things to remember before you hit publish.
Fill out your online profiles completely:
There’s nothing worse than viewing a social media account with incomplete information about a business. Ensure you always include 'about us' info, a link to your website, contact information, and opening/closing hours if relevant.
Share information that is of value to your audience and always keep your target audience in mind:
When posting on social media, sometimes it can be easy to forget who you are actually talking to online. That’s why before you hit publish, it’s a good idea to ask yourself would my target audience be interested in this? Will this content be of value to them?
Don’t over share:
Finding time to post on social media when you don’t have a professional social media account manager can be hard and a lot of businesses fall into the trap of posting multiple things at once when they find a spare moment. This spams your audience, causing them to switch off from the content you are posting, or unfollow you. If you are having trouble finding time, or determining the perfect amount of posts to share on your social media accounts it’s best to chat to a professional social media manager who advise you on what might work best for your brand.
Check for spelling and grammatical errors:
It goes without saying! Plan your content in a word document or excel sheet beforehand to ensure you check for any mistakes.
Remember social media is public and permanent:
Before you post something for your business, remind yourself that there is the potential for everyone to see this content (including new clients or family members) so ensure it is respectful and professional and that it represents your business in the best way.
Communicate!
Social media is social after all right? Make sure you are active on social media throughout the day so you can respond to any messages or comments as they come. Fans (and potential customers) love it when you answer their questions or reply to their thoughts in a timely manner and it’s a great way to develop a two-way relationship with your customer.
Do you need help implementing the basic social media etiquette rules? Or are you struggling to find the time to manage your accounts professionally? Melbourne Social Co has an experienced team of digital marketers on hand to help your business stand out from the crowd online.
Get in touch today. info@melbournesocialco.com.au
Instagram Fast Facts
Are you thinking about using Instagram for your business? If not, you should be – as one of the most active and engaged social media platforms world-wide, Instagram could be your next great marketing tool.
By using Instagram, you can showcase your products/services in a visually appealing manner, take followers behind the scenes of your organisation, (making your business more personable) and you can take advantage of the huge audience looking for great images to like and share.
Not convinced? Here are some facts to consider:
- Instagram has 400 million active monthly users
- Instagram users have shared over 40 billion photos to date, and now share an average of 80 million photos per day
- 75 percent of Instagram users come from outside of the U.S, making it a truly global platform
- Instagram adoption is at 85 percent among top brands
- Top brands on Instagram are seeing a per-follower engagement rate of 4.21 percent
- Instagram’s per-follower engagement rate for top brands is 58 times higher than on Facebook and 120 times higher than on Twitter
Now that it’s permanently on your radar, why not start using Instagram for your business today!
Need help creating 'double tap' worthy imagery for your social media channels? Eye-catching images are key to engagement and success on Instagram, but do you have time to source and create beautiful images on a regular basis? Our creative team can take care of this for you!
Melbourne Social Co's Product Photography For Instagram Package:
As part of this service, your business will receive:
14 professionally styled product images per month. Our team will style, photograph and edit a series of product images for use on Instagram, (as well as Facebook, Pinterest and within blog posts.)
Together we will plan a look that will not only suit the aesthetic of your brand, but will push you in a new and exciting direction, showcasing your products in the best possible light.
Cost: $599 + GST per month
Want to get a feel for our style? Follow us on Instagram @melbournesocialco.
Need help managing your Instagram accounts on a daily basis? We can take care of that too.
Tailored specifically to your businesses needs and goals, our team are experts in social media strategy, content creation and audience engagement, and would be more than happy to discuss managing and building your Instagram profile on your behalf.
Contact us for more information – info@melbournesocialco.com.au
Product Photography For Instagram Package Terms and Conditions:
- These rates are only valid for clients who sign a 3 month booking with Melbourne Social Co. Month by month rates are available, please ask us about these
- Each booking will be specifically quoted after a consultation with the client
- The images created by our team will become the property of your business. We may share these on our website and social media channels from time to time, crediting your business. Please let us know if you don't want us to do so
Stats via: www.instagram.com/press/
How To Build A Following On Pinterest
One of the biggest social media platforms right now, Pinterest, is an essential digital marketing tool for many businesses.
However, building a following can be hard, so it’s important to build a strategy and to implement some great techniques to amp up your Pinterest profile and to develop an engaged online community.
Read on below for tips on how to grow your following on Pinterest.
Create niche boards:
In order to stand out from the crowd on Pinterest, a great tip is to create niche boards with titles and images that are very specific. This means you have a better chance to be found and can be followed by a specific and more engaged target audience.
Post to your most popular boards:
Regardless if you are new to the Pinterest world, or an expert, if you continue to pin most of your content to your most popular boards you know you will get a great response. There’s a reason people love those boards and chances are others will continue to discover your content!
Use keywords:
Pinterest images with keywords rank highly when they are searched for on Google, so ensure that you caption all your images with keywords that describe your board, theme and business. This will not only help people find you on Google, but it will attract the right target audience to respond to your boards, pins and profile.
Advertise:
Coming soon to Australia, Pinterest advertising is the next big thing to help you grow and expand your Pinterest community. You can selected two main campaign objectives, including boosting engagement with your pins, or increasing traffic to your website. All campaigns allow you to personalise your budget and target audience and track your campaign.
Promote!
Don’t just leave your pinning to Pinterest. Promote your pinnable images on your website by adding a button that allows readers to pin your content straight from your site. Also adding in a follow section on your website, blog, email marketing and even sharing content on other social media networks will help to spread the word.
Have you got a Pinterest account that needs a boost or simply need some help getting started? Contact our expert team for some advice today.
The Lowdown on Search Engine Optimisation
Chances are you’ve heard of the term Search Engine Optimisation (or as it’s commonly referred to – SEO) however you may be a little confused about what it actually is, why you need it and how to implement an SEO strategy for your business.
But never fear! If you are having some trouble understanding Search Engine Optimisation read on below as we break down some of the basics so you can improve your website or blog today.
SEO Basics:
What is it?
SEO refers to the process of implementing strategies to optimise your online content to make it easier for people to find your website when they search on Google. As there are many websites competing with yours to be ranked high on Google's pages, it’s vital to use key techniques to increase your visibility online and make your website stand out from the rest. These techniques focus on the concept of creating high quality and authentic online content, with the help of keywords, social media accounts, new and engaging content, original images and more.
Why do I need it?
SEO is vital for any business that wants to increase their visibility on Google, resulting in increased traffic and overall sales. Whether you are a new business or an established company, it’s essential to start implementing these strategies today.
How can I do it?
In order to increase your website visibility on search engines there are a variety of key tactics you can implement. However it’s important to know that Search Engine Optimisation takes time and your main goal should be to produce amazing and unique online content that consumers love and engage with, in conjunction with essential SEO techniques. If you combine these two concepts, not only will your ranking continue to grow, but you'll be engaging potential customers/fans as well, encouraging them to keep coming back to your site.
Here are some great SEO tips to get you started:
- Identify and use relative keywords throughout your website content
- Distribute your website content through a variety of online channels including social media, blogs and email marketing
- Create quality, authentic content that engages your fans and consumers
- Add a blog onto your website so you can integrate quality content, keywords and unique images
- Use unique and original images across all your online channels
- Ensure your site is mobile friendly
Do you need some help implementing the above strategies and more to increase your website’s Search Engine Optimisation? Melbourne Social Co can help you! Contact us today.
The Power of Bloggers
One of the most powerful ways to get your brand or business noticed is to work with digital influencers (or bloggers.) Their reviews or shout-outs promoting your product and services will not only work to build trust and your reputation amongst consumers, it will also work to increase brand awareness and enhance your marketing strategy in a way you’ve never experienced before.
Thanks to their huge followings, devoted fans and worldwide reach, the opportunity to speak to new markets and spread the word about your business has never been easier.
Need more convincing? Here are a few more reasons to work with bloggers today!
They have a diverse following:
Thanks to the virtual world of social media, the boundaries of location and other demographic variables are no longer barriers to who you can and can’t connect with or market your brand to. Bloggers now have huge followings across the globe, which means they can spread the word about your brand to a far great audience than traditional advertising ever could.
People want to listen:
Blogs are in the top 3 most influential forms of marketing, which means that people look to bloggers and online influencers to authentically review brands and products. Consumers are keen to know what products their favourite bloggers love and are 32% more likely to buy that product or service over traditional marketing or advertising from a brand themselves.
They market your brand in a refreshing and creative way:
While you may have a certain style to your marketing promotions, have you ever thought about presenting your product or service in a different way? This could allow you to potentially reach a new audience or captivate an existing customer database with a refreshing new marketing message. Bloggers are great at doing this, as they use their talent and creativity to showcase, review and present your product or service in new ways you’ve never even thought of!
They build your online community:
By promoting your business to their diverse followers in an engaging and refreshing way, bloggers ultimately help you grow your online social media following and send traffic to your website by tagging your social media handles and linking to your site. That means a more active online community, increased brand awareness and sales! What more could you want?
Are you ready to increase your brand awareness, build your online community and reach new customers? It’s time to start working with bloggers.
Melbourne Social Co can help you get started. Get in touch today: info@melbournesocialco.com.au for more information.
5 Signs You’re Addicted To Social Media
Here at Melbourne Social Co we are big lovers of social media, however we understand that sometimes it can be a little hard to switch off.
If you are like us and are constantly glued to your phone, you might have a social media addiction! Read on below for 5 telltale signs.
- It’s the first thing you look at in the morning and the last thing you look at before you go to sleep:
One of the biggest signs you may be a little too dependent on social media is if you reach for your Facebook, Instagram or Twitter accounts before you even hop out of bed in the morning. This is equally as true if you scroll through your feeds before drifting off to sleep every night instead of reading a book or spending time with your partner and family.
- You check it constantly:
According to a study from the PRIA, 13 million Australians are spending 18 hours a day on social media and are logging on to check every five minutes! If you are nodding in agreement that this sounds a little like you (or are questioning how people even last five minutes) then maybe you need to scale it back a bit. Our tip? Allocate a few blocks throughout the day not to check your phone, including at meal times or when talking with friends and family.
- You post and share EVERYTHING:
We all have those friends and family members who take to Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat to post hourly updates on their lives. If this sounds like something you do – why not use that time updating your status to catch up with friends or family face-to-face to share your good news.
- It’s your first choice of recreation:
Have a spare few minutes in your day? Do you check social media? This is a big sign you love it a bit too much… Instead take use your precious spare time to read a book, go for a run or spend time with loved ones.
- You have trouble switching off:
Can you last a whole day or even a few hours without logging onto your favourite networks? If you can’t leave your phone in the other room for fear of missing a notification or new update than you are probably addicted.
- Switch off and let us take care of things for you
Okay by now you may have realised your way spending too much of your day on social media. Here at Melbourne Social Co, we understand the 'round-the-clock' pressures of managing a digital marketing campaign for your business, and are here to take some of the load off you! If you're after some advice, strategy or amazing digital marketing content for your business or personal brand, feel free to get in touch today.
Contact us: info@melbournesocialco.com.au
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: info@melbournesocialco.com.au
The Importance of Email Marketing for Businesses
Now that the new year is upon us, it's time to make a resolution to add email marketing into your marketing strategy to generate some serious results for your business in 2016.
Email marketing has countless benefits and is one of the most effective ways to reach your consumer, giving you the chance to share news, promotions or updates and continue to stay in the minds of potential buyers.
Not convinced? Here are a few reasons why email marketing is vital for businesses:
Opportunity to share updates, promotions and news about your business:
This is one of the biggest benefits of email marketing for businesses as it allows you to share updates on your company as well as special promotions or news about your business in an engaging and permissible way. Consumers are more willing to open emails and to listen to your marketing message than many other traditional advertising and marketing mediums and with a great call-to-action can result in sales.
Tailored ways to target your audience:
Many email marketing platforms like MailChimp allow you to send different messages to various demographics in your database to get the most effective results possible. This is vital to ensure your marketing message resonates with the right people so they will continue to be engaged and responsive to your business.
Generate sales:
If you want people to purchase products from your sale, sign-up to your services or join in on a competition (and any other marketing message you are after), email marketing is key. And the best part? Templates are mobile friendly which is where most of your consumers will be opening them, so they can simply click on the content and links and be directed to your website or social media pages for seamless sales. According to a study by ExactTarget, 77% of consumers prefer to receive permission-based marketing communications through email, which means they are ready and waiting to hear your message.
Want to learn more about why email marketing is right for your business and how to leverage it to transform the way you market to your consumer?
Get in touch today e: info@melbournesocialco.com.au