In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, establishing brand authority and positioning oneself as a thought leader is imperative for businesses striving for longevity and success. The most effective strategy to achieve this is through content marketing. This comprehensive guide will detail the steps necessary to build brand authority and thought leadership, leveraging the power of content marketing.

Understanding Brand Authority and Thought Leadership

Brand authority refers to the level of trust and respect a brand commands within its industry. It signifies that a brand is knowledgeable and reliable, making it the go-to resource for information and solutions. Thought leadership, on the other hand, is the practice of positioning oneself or one’s organization as the foremost expert in a specific field. Thought leaders offer insights and advice that shape industry trends and influence others.

The Importance of Content Marketing

Content marketing is the cornerstone of building brand authority and thought leadership. By consistently producing and sharing high-quality, relevant content, brands can educate their audience, showcase their expertise, and build trust. This strategic approach involves creating and distributing valuable content to attract, engage, and retain a clearly defined audience.

Developing a Content Strategy

1. Define Your Goals and Objectives

The first step in developing a content strategy is to clearly define your goals. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or establish authority in your industry? Understanding your objectives will guide your content creation efforts and ensure that each piece of content aligns with your overarching business goals.

2. Identify Your Target Audience

Knowing your audience is crucial for effective content marketing. Develop detailed buyer personas to understand their needs, preferences, and pain points. This information will help you create content that resonates with your audience and addresses their specific challenges.

3. Conduct Keyword Research

Keyword research is essential for identifying the terms and phrases your audience uses to search for information related to your industry. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to discover high-volume, relevant keywords. Incorporate these keywords naturally into your content to improve its visibility on search engines.

4. Create a Content Calendar

A content calendar helps you plan and organize your content creation efforts. It ensures that you consistently produce and publish content, covering various topics relevant to your audience. A well-structured content calendar includes publication dates, content formats, and assigned responsibilities.

Creating High-Quality Content

1. Focus on Originality and Value

To build brand authority and thought leadership, your content must be original and provide value to your audience. Share unique insights, data, and perspectives that your audience cannot find elsewhere. This will help you stand out as a credible source of information.

2. Use a Variety of Content Formats

Diversify your content by using different formats such as blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, videos, podcasts, and infographics. This approach ensures that you cater to different audience preferences and keep your content engaging.

3. Prioritize Long-Form Content

Long-form content, such as comprehensive guides, in-depth articles, and detailed reports, tends to perform better in search engines. These pieces demonstrate your expertise and provide more value to your audience, helping to establish your authority in the field.

4. Optimize for SEO

Ensure that your content is optimized for search engines. Use relevant keywords in your titles, headings, and throughout the content. Include meta descriptions, alt texts for images, and internal and external links to improve your content’s search engine ranking.

Distributing Your Content

1. Leverage Social Media

Social media platforms are powerful tools for distributing your content and reaching a broader audience. Share your content on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and participating in discussions.

2. Collaborate with Influencers

Partnering with influencers in your industry can amplify your reach and enhance your credibility. Influencers can help promote your content to their followers, increasing your visibility and attracting a larger audience.

3. Utilize Email Marketing

Email marketing is an effective way to distribute your content directly to your audience. Create a mailing list and regularly send newsletters featuring your latest content. Personalize your emails to increase engagement and drive traffic to your website.

Engaging with Your Audience

1. Encourage Interaction

Encourage your audience to interact with your content by asking questions, prompting discussions, and inviting feedback. This engagement helps build a community around your brand and fosters trust and loyalty

2. Respond to Comments

Be responsive to comments and feedback on your content. Address questions and concerns promptly to show that you value your audience’s input. This interaction helps to humanize your brand and strengthen your relationship with your audience.

3. Monitor and Analyze Performance

Use analytics tools to monitor the performance of your content. Track metrics such as page views, engagement rates, and conversion rates to understand what works and what doesn’t. Use this data to refine your content strategy and improve future content.

Establishing Thought Leadership

1. Guest Blogging

Contribute guest posts to reputable websites in your industry. This practice helps you reach a wider audience and establish yourself as a thought leader. Ensure that your guest posts offer valuable insights and link back to your website.

2. Speaking Engagements

Participate in industry conferences, webinars, and podcasts as a speaker. Sharing your expertise through these platforms enhances your credibility and positions you as a thought leader.

3. Publishing Research and Case Studies

Conduct original research and publish your findings in the form of reports and case studies. This content not only demonstrates your expertise but also provides valuable information that can influence industry trends and decisions.

4. Networking and Community Involvement

Engage with other industry professionals and thought leaders. Join industry groups, attend events, and participate in online forums. Building relationships within your industry can open up opportunities for collaboration and further establish your authority.

Conclusion

Building brand authority and thought leadership through content marketing requires a strategic and consistent approach. By developing a solid content strategy, creating high-quality content, and engaging with your audience, you can position your brand as a trusted and influential resource in your industry. Remember, the key to success is delivering value to your audience and continuously refining your efforts based on feedback and performance data.

The post Comprehensive Guide to Building Brand Authority and Thought Leadership with Content Marketing appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

In today’s hyper-connected world, social media marketing has emerged as a cornerstone of digital strategy for businesses of all sizes. With billions of active users across various platforms, social media provides unparalleled access to a diverse audience, making it an essential channel for brand promotion and customer engagement.

What is Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing involves using social media platforms to connect with your audience, build your brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic. It encompasses a range of activities, including posting content, engaging with followers, running advertisements, and analyzing results.

Importance of Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing offers numerous benefits for businesses, including increased brand awareness, improved brand loyalty, higher conversion rates, and cost-effective advertising options. Moreover, it provides valuable insights into consumer behavior and preferences, allowing businesses to tailor their marketing strategies effectively.

Evolution of Social Media Platforms

Over the years, social media platforms have evolved significantly, catering to the changing needs and preferences of users. From text-based platforms like MySpace to visually-driven networks like Instagram, the landscape of social media continues to diversify, offering marketers a plethora of options to connect with their target audience.

Criteria for Choosing Social Media Platforms

When selecting social media platforms for marketing purposes, it’s essential to consider various factors to ensure maximum effectiveness.

Audience Demographics

Understanding the demographics of each social media platform is crucial for targeting the right audience. Different platforms attract different age groups, interests, and demographics, so it’s essential to align your marketing efforts with the platforms where your target audience is most active.

Engagement Metrics

Analyzing engagement metrics such as likes, shares, comments, and click-through rates can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your social media marketing campaigns. Platforms that drive higher levels of engagement are often more conducive to building brand awareness and fostering customer relationships.

Advertising Options

Evaluate the advertising options available on each platform, including ad formats, targeting capabilities, and budgeting options. Some platforms offer sophisticated advertising tools that allow for precise audience targeting and performance tracking, while others may have more limited options.

Top Social Media Platforms for 2024

In 2024, several social media platforms will continue to dominate the digital landscape, each offering unique features and opportunities for marketers. Let’s explore some of the top platforms for social media marketing:

1. Facebook

With over 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook remains the largest social media platform globally. Its robust advertising platform, detailed targeting options, and diverse user base make it an ideal choice for businesses looking to reach a broad audience.

2. Instagram

Instagram boasts over 1 billion monthly active users and is particularly popular among younger demographics. Its visually-oriented interface and engagement-focused features like Stories and Reels make it an excellent platform for showcasing products and creating brand aesthetics.

3. Twitter

Twitter’s real-time nature and concise format make it a valuable platform for timely updates, customer service interactions, and engaging in industry conversations. Its advertising options, including promoted tweets and trends, can help businesses amplify their message and reach a broader audience.

4. LinkedIn

LinkedIn remains the go-to platform for professional networking and B2B marketing. With over 700 million users, it offers robust targeting options for reaching decision-makers and professionals in specific industries.

5. TikTok

TikTok’s explosive growth has made it a powerhouse in the social media landscape, particularly among Gen Z and Millennial audiences. Its short-form video format and viral trends present unique opportunities for brands to showcase their creativity and connect with younger demographics.

6. YouTube

As the second-largest search engine globally, YouTube offers unparalleled reach and engagement potential. Its video-centric platform allows businesses to share informative content, product demonstrations, and brand stories to captivate audiences and drive conversions.

7. Pinterest

Pinterest is a visual discovery platform with over 400 million monthly active users. Its highly engaged user base seeks inspiration and ideas across various categories, making it an ideal platform for businesses in industries such as fashion, home decor, and DIY.

Comparison of Platforms

Each social media platform offers its unique strengths and weaknesses, making it essential to assess which platforms align best with your marketing objectives.

Strengths and Weaknesses

• Facebook: Wide reach, robust advertising platform, but declining organic reach.
• Instagram: Visual storytelling, high engagement, but increasing competition.
• Twitter: Real-time updates, customer engagement, but limited character count.
• LinkedIn: Professional networking, B2B marketing, but higher advertising costs.
• TikTok: Viral content opportunities, young audience, but limited advertising options.
• YouTube: Video content, SEO benefits, but high competition for attention.
• Pinterest: Visual discovery, niche audiences, but lower overall user base.

Target Audience

Understanding the demographics and interests of each platform’s user base is crucial for effective targeting and content creation.

Advertising Effectiveness

Assess the advertising options available on each platform and evaluate their effectiveness in reaching your target audience and driving desired actions.

Tips for Successful Social Media Marketing

Regardless of the platforms you choose, implementing a strategic approach to social media marketing is essential for success.

Content Strategy

Develop a cohesive content strategy that aligns with your brand identity, target audience, and marketing goals. Create a mix of content types, including images, videos, articles, and user-generated content, to keep your audience engaged and entertained.

Consistency

Maintain a consistent posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and build brand recognition. Regularly monitor engagement metrics and adjust your strategy as needed to optimize performance.

Analytics Tracking

Utilize social media analytics tools to track the performance of your campaigns and measure key metrics such as reach, engagement, and conversion rates. Use these insights to refine your strategy and improve results over time.

Future Trends in Social Media Marketing

As technology continues to evolve, the future of social media marketing is likely to be shaped by emerging trends such as augmented reality (AR), influencer marketing, and personalized content experiences. By staying informed and adapting to these trends, businesses can stay ahead of the curve and maintain a competitive edge in the digital landscape.

Conclusion

In conclusion, social media marketing remains a powerful tool for businesses seeking to expand their online presence and connect with their target audience. By carefully selecting the right social media platforms, implementing a strategic approach, and staying abreast of emerging trends, businesses can effectively leverage social media to achieve their marketing objectives and drive business growth in 2024 and beyond.

The post Exploring the Best Social Media Platforms for Social Media Marketing in 2024 appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Create a publishing schedule

By now, you’ve probably heard that brands should be thinking like publishers. And that is indeed the case – just as major media companies have editorial meetings, publishing calendars, and content schedules, you should be creating a scaled-down version of this system for your own company. It all starts by committing to a certain number of posts per week for each different social media platform.

Prioritize different social media platforms

That being said, you probably don’t have the time or resources to produce prodigious amounts of content for every major social media platform. That means you will have to prioritize different social media platforms. For example, if you run a fashion business, you’ll definitely want to prioritize Instagram. If you run a B2B company, you’ll probably want to prioritize LinkedIn.

Focus on authenticity

The big buzzword in social media circles these days is “authenticity.” What this means in practical terms is that you should always be looking to showcase what makes you unique. Instead of a canned brand message full of industry jargon, for example, look for ways to explain what your business does in very simple terms that anyone (and especially potential prospects!) can understand. Above all, don’t try to pretend something that you’re not – people on social media are able to sniff out immediately if you are not being authentic.

Develop a consistent brand persona

The most successful brands on social media are able to develop a consistent voice and message that seamlessly transfers across platforms. This does not just mean cutting-and-pasting whatever you posted on Twitter and adding it to Facebook or other social media platforms. Instead, it means adapting your presence on each major platform so that different elements of your overall brand personality are able to shine. In other words, it shouldn’t feel like two different people are running two different social media accounts.

Listen

This bit of advice is perhaps the easiest to follow – but also the piece of advice that most brands tend to forget. We’re so programmed to think in terms of a “broadcast” marketing model, in which brand messages are blasted out to an unsuspecting audience, that we often forget that brands are really conversations. There are people talking about your brand online – so go out and find them. Even a very simple step – like doing a search for a certain hashtag – can often uncover conversations going on around you.

Final Thought

By following these tips above, you can help to optimize your social media presence. In addition to getting more fans and followers, you’ll also be getting a lot more engagement. With just a little effort, you’ll soon be able to convert a growing percentage of those fans and followers into customers.

The post 5 Tips For Engaging Your Customers Through Social Media appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

As a result, someone like Selena Gomez can now command a price of $550,000 per Instagram post. Kendall Jenner gets anywhere from $125,000 to $300,000 per post. And Kim Kardashian – the prototypical social media influencer – gets $200,000 per post. Here are 3 reasons why they are winning as a social media influencer.

Key 1: Be authentic

One important lesson, according to Kardashian, is that influencers can’t embrace anything and everything that they are asked to promote. At one point, she concedes, she might have over-extended herself by being willing to promote things that she didn’t really like or care about. That’s forced her to reconsider what it means to be “authentic.”

As a result, her new policy is that she will only promote things that she really uses in her everyday life. She must use it, like it and be loyal to it. Moreover, she now takes a much greater effort to understand the owners of a brand, and what their values are. It’s all part of being authentic, which is a key component in building engagement and loyalty. Your fans have to believe that you are being completely transparent with them.

Key 2: Make people feel special by sharing your world with them

There is a unique psychology of being a social media influencer. Despite influencers having millions of fans, each fan truly believes that you are somehow a “best friend” and someone who “gets them.” As a result, says Kardashian, she actually spends a lot of time debating what to post, and what to show fans. She wants to make them feel special, as if they are part of her world. It’s the difference between “showing off” and inviting your best friend back stage and having them meet all the fabulous people in your life.

Key 3: Understand the key attributes of each social platform

While many might characterize Kardashian as being shallow and superficial, she does display remarkable business acumen. In any interview, she will immediately tell you the pros and cons of every social platform, and why she uses them the way she does. For example, she often uses Twitter as a “focus group” to see what her fans are thinking about. She’ll use Snapchat to provide glimpses into her everyday life. And she’ll use Facebook whenever she needs a click-through or a sell-through.

While it’s possible that a social media agency could be hired to take on all the heavy lifting of updating social media accounts, the really top influencers try to do as much of it themselves as a way of maintaining “authenticity” with fans.

One example that Ms. Kardashian gives is a recent trip to Japan with her husband Kanye. The two were jetlagged and having trouble sleeping, so they left their hotel room in the wee hours of the morning to photograph all the amazing lights in Tokyo. That’s just not something you would be able to coordinate with a social media agency – it has the spontaneity (and, let’s admit it, glamour) that only a top influencer could pull off.

Ultimately, the best way to win as an influencer is to understand that it’s not just about relentless promotion (and making money off that promotion) – it’s also about connecting with fans, having conversations with them, and understanding what they are thinking about. That means posting regularly and across a wide variety of platforms, and doing it all in a way that’s authentic and in-the-moment.

The post Becoming a Social Media Influencer – The 3 Keys To Winning appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Just 20 years ago, it was still perfectly reasonable to read a print newspaper in the morning, tune in to news radio on the commute to the office, watch the evening news when you get home from the office, and maybe tune in to the late night news before going to bed. On weekends, you might pick up a news magazine recapping all the news of the past week. And, if you were feeling particularly ambitious, you might pick up the Sunday New York Times and spend a good chunk of a weekend afternoon reading the type of content that would prepare you for the week ahead.

The end of a news paradigm

Well, those days are long over. Print is dead because the 24/7 nature of the Internet means that news cycles are now measured in hours (if not minutes) instead of days and weeks. Anything you read in print form is already stale. And the rise of the mobile phone means that news and commentary is available instantaneously, on demand, whenever you want. Alerts and updates ping us relentlessly throughout the day. Many people now start and end each day by checking their phone, not by turning on the TV.

The really revolutionary part about all of this, of course, is how news media companies like CNN and the New York Times are no longer the go-to destination for people who want news. Instead, most people are perfectly content to rely on whatever tidbits they pick up via social media to be their “news consumption” of the day.

Social media platforms and the news

In fact, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey, two-thirds of the U.S. population now get their news via social media. And the trend is much stronger with younger millennials, who are even more reliant upon social media to deliver the news they need. The Pew numbers are especially eye opening because they suggest that social media has stopped being just a complementary way to get the news (i.e. something “extra” to give you an edge) – it is now often the sole way that people get their news. In short, people now rely on social media to get them the news they need.

That might work well with “big stories” in the news – like news about the latest hurricane headed toward the U.S. mainland – but how well does it work for anything other than the biggest stories and trends? Unless you happen to have hundreds of journalist friends on Facebook, or thousands of media-savvy peers on Twitter, you’re probably getting just a very tiny sliver of what’s happening in the world.

We live in a YouTube world now

Consider that 18% of the people in the Pew Research survey said that they get their news solely via YouTube. What exactly does that mean? People are watching viral clips of late night comedians riffing on the daily news?

From this perspective, it’s easy to see why media outlets like CNN have adopted the “breaking news” and “viral news” mentality to retain viewers. They are trying to replicate the rhythm and feel of social media.

Or, even worse, media outlets like CNN are forced to adopt a strange hybrid of entertainment and news for the masses, who are really dying for a chance to get back to watching viral YouTube clips. From this perspective, sadly, “Saturday Night Live” is now more relevant than CNN in terms of people getting the news. People would rather watch a funny, two-minute comedy skit featuring a well-known celebrity than sit around watching some boring old guy in a suit for two hours.

Survival plans for legacy media

So how can companies like CNN survive in the current era? As long as they are part of major media entertainment conglomerates like Time Warner, they’re probably safe for now. Even if they’re struggling, it’s easy to toss around impressive-sounding Wall Street terms like “synergies” to explain why they should stick around. (Which is what leads to CNN originals like “The History of Comedy” – brilliantly middlebrow content with lots of celebrities designed to be shared on social media!)

Theoretically, the popularity of video on the Internet today means that the biggest TV news networks are also relatively protected from the raging social media storm around them. But that’s not really the case with print media. Already, most of them have become web-centric or web-only. But everyone these days is feeling additional pressure to create the kind of content that people are going to click on.

The big moment of truth will come, of course, when Facebook’s video platform becomes large enough that people are not just watching viral videos on Facebook the social network, they are also tuning in to the scripted TV shows on Facebook the TV network. That’s when the days of CNN may finally be numbered.

The post Social Media And The End Of The News As We Know It appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Case study: Social Media Examiner

For example, Social Media Examiner recently pulled three of its weekly shows from Facebook in October 2018. They have decided to scrap two of those shows entirely, and move the third show exclusively to YouTube. According to Social Media Examiner, the Facebook shows simply weren’t pulling in enough viewers, and those viewers they did get were hanging around for less than a minute. In contrast, viewers on YouTube were sticking around for over 4 minutes.

So why is this happening? One factor has to do with user behavior and the way that people think about different social media platforms. In explaining why it was leaving Facebook, for example, Social Media Examiner pointed out that “Facebook is a highway” and the way people prefer to use Facebook is by scrolling through post after post. If you’re traveling on a highway, are you really going to pull over and watch a 1-hour show? No way. In contrast, YouTube is much more similar to a TV-style experience, where people are sitting down to consume longer-form content.

Implications for digital marketers and brands

This, of course, has major implications for brands and digital media marketers. The old days of telling clients to create a lot of long-form video content for Facebook may be coming to an end. As much as Facebook would like to become a form of online TV, with people tuning into 30-minute and 1-hour shows at specific times of the day, people don’t seem to be buying into the idea.

And, yet, there is one major factor that keeps marketers coming back for more – and that’s the sheer size of the Facebook platform. In short, you can’t ignore any social platform with more than 2 billion users. Other video platforms, not even YouTube, can compare with Facebook. As Social Media Examiner pointed out, their total number of followers on Facebook is 500,000 while their total number of followers on YouTube is just 20,000.

Considering Facebook alternatives

Ultimately, marketing has always been about “fishing where the fish are.” So it’s hard to see marketers abandoning Facebook completely. Other video platforms like Twitch and TikTok are still very new and very unexplored. So the key might be finding the highest ROI ways to use video on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Video isn’t going away, but it’s clear that long-form video content is not the panacea it was once thought to be. Instead, short video clips under 2 minutes (and, preferably, under 1 minute) appear to be the best solution for business owners, brands and digital marketers

The post The Case For And Against Using Facebook Video For Marketing appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Of course, data in its raw form is useless. It’s just a bunch of 1’s and 0’s. But when you are able to analyze that data, it can become very powerful. That’s especially true since we are moving from an era of “structured” data to an era of “unstructured” data.

Structured data vs. unstructured data

From a marketing perspective, the easiest way to think about the difference between “structured” data and “unstructured” data is by thinking of the typical customer survey that you might send out after someone has purchased a product or visited your store. Most of the questions will be simple “yes/no” questions. Or they will ask customers to rate you on a scale of 1-10. All of that is “structured” data. It’s easy to put into a database and then analyze for insights. You can perform all kinds of statistical calculations very easily.

But then comes all the “unstructured” data. And this is where organizations are really stepping up their game. For example, that same customer survey might ask a question like, “Is there anything else you’d like to tell us that’s not included here?” That prompts a customer to write an open-ended response. Just a few years ago, that would have required a human to analyze it. Now, thanks to the rise of machine learning and artificial intelligence, it’s possible to have a computer analyze it and add it to a growing database.

And the type of “unstructured” data that’s available today is growing at a prodigious pace, primarily thanks to all the digital devices out there. Your mobile phone is a potential treasure trove of data that grows by the minute. What company wouldn’t want to know the precise GPS location of every place you’ve visited during the day?

The rise of artificial intelligence

Moreover, the type of analysis that’s possible today is becoming quite impressive. There’s a whole new field called “predictive analytics,” which essentially promises to predict future customer behavior based on known data. You can literally predict how a marketing campaign will do, based on what you know about certain types of customers. Companies like Salesforce are coming up with AI-powered marketing solutions that promise to help companies find the proverbial needle in the haystack.

So it’s no surprise that so many companies have jumped aboard the Big Data bandwagon. It promises to streamline just about every part of a company and create new revenue opportunities. As the analytical tools become more and more powerful, it’s leading to real excitement about the potential ability of AI to transform organizations.

Data is the new oil

Within the mainstream media, in fact, it’s now fashionable to compare the role of data in the digital economy to the role of oil in the analog economy. Back in 2014, WIRED magazine breathlessly proclaimed that, “Data is the new oil of the digital economy.” Earlier this year, The Economistremarked that, “The world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data.”

If you follow this analogy to its logical end, it would seem to imply that companies best able to harness and extract this data will become the most valuable in the world. Just as oil companies like Exxon Mobil became the most valuable and powerful in the world until the rise of Silicon Valley’s Internet champions, it’s plausible that new artificial intelligence (AI) companies will become the most valuable in the world, once they’ve truly figured out how to harness the remarkable power of data.

And when that day comes – the day when an AI company is worth more than an oil company or a Silicon Valley tech giant – that’s when Data will be King.

The post Is Content King Or Is Data King? appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Paid social networks gain in popularity

As we found out in 2018, if you’re not paying for a social network with your wallet, you are paying for the social network with your personal data and information. So that could lead to the rise of paid social networks, in which you must ante up some cash in order to participate in the “premium” parts of a social network. The most obvious candidate would be paid Facebook Group memberships.

Group chat becomes the social network of choice

One big trend that has been simmering for a while now is group chat as a social network all to itself. WhatsApp, Slack and Facebook Messenger have all changed the way we communicate with each other, and one name that started to go mainstream in 2018 was Discord.

Instagram loses its influencer cachet

Over the past year, Instagram has been blamed for everything from teenage depression to unscrupulous marketing practices involving social media influencers. Plus, to top it all off, the company’s two co-founders walked away from the company in 2018. So next year could be the year that social media influencers also walk away, preferably to a new platform that gives them a lot more chances to make money by promoting products they like.

Twitter bumbles its way through yet another year

If there’s one social network that perennially teases us with the promise that it has “finally figured things out,” it’s Twitter. Every year, it seems like Twitter is going to transform into something new and exciting – and then just ends up giving us a few incremental changes that don’t really change anything. (Look, more than 140 characters!) Look for more UI changes from Twitter in the coming year, such as changes to the news feed.

We hear more than we want to hear about privacy and personal data

The big California consumer privacy act known as CCPA is coming in 2020, and the sharp money is now betting on a massive new federal privacy law to be approved between now and then. Tech giants are warning that the California law will be too restrictive, and are now pushing for a kinder, gentler federal act.

A new social network comes into our lives

And, finally, here’s a prediction that is certain to bring joy to digital marketers everywhere: a new social network will appear “out of nowhere” and skyrocket to fame in 2019. Maybe it’s a social network to replace Google Plus, which recently met an untimely demise, or a new content platform to replace Tumblr, which recently made headlines by banning NSFW content. Or maybe it’s the rise of a new social network like TikTok, the social video app that started to generate buzz and momentum in the last few months of the year. Even Fortnite has been mentioned as a new type of gaming platform-meets-social network hybrid. Facebook is perhaps as vulnerable as it has ever been, so is this going to be the year that another social network finally unseats Facebook?

Final Thought

One thing is certain – social media is going to change in exciting new ways in the year ahead. Social media marketers and small business owners need to have their ear to the ground, in order to understand what’s coming next.

The post The Best Social Media Predictions For 2019 appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

#1: Embed multimedia content into all posts or updates

This idea is one of the easiest ones to implement. As a rule of thumb, every form of text-based content should also be accompanied by an image, video, infographic or GIF. For example, consider the average blog post. It needs to include, as a minimum, one high-resolution image. And not just some silly stock image, either. There are so many places these days to get professional-quality images, that your blog post shouldn’t have to rely on ClipArt-style images.

And the same goes for your Twitter content. Every tweet should include some form of multimedia content. Sometimes, Twitter does this for you. For example, if you include a link to a story, Twitter will auto-generate the hero image for the article. And the updated version of Twitter now makes it very easy to include all kinds of multimedia content, including an extensive collection of reaction GIFs.

#2: Embrace all forms of video (both short-form and long-form)

At one time, your only option for using video as a brand was YouTube. But now every social platform has a video option. Most notably, live streaming has really taken off. Periscope was the first to explode in popularity, but now both Facebook and Instagram have their own versions, where you can go live with just the tap of a button. And don’t forget about Instagram Stories, which allows you to add very brief video clips as part of an overall story. While it takes more time and effort to create video content, the reward and payoff is greater engagement.

#3: Experiment with mobile-centric content

You also have to be thinking in terms of creating content for mobile devices. Most likely, people will be interacting with your brand on their smartphone or tablet, so it is definitely worth the effort to experiment with content that is mobile-centric. One great example here is the podcast. It’s now as easy to download a podcast as it is a song. And many people love to listen to podcasts on the go. You have a lot of options here, and even some of the biggest brands – such as Sephora and GE – now have popular podcasts for mobile users.

#4: Integrate social media into your offline events

Many people still think of online and offline as two completely different experiences. But there are ways to combine them seamlessly. If you are doing live events, for example, there are great ways to add a social media layer to the experience. What about adding an Instagram photo booth for participants? Or doing a live stream of the event on Facebook? Or creating a live “Twitter wall” where people can see real-time content being created?

Final Thought

The bar continues to be raised for social media content. So don’t settle for the same boring, bland content that’s easy to produce and schedule. Think outside the box and come up with unique ways to leverage all of your great social media content.

The post Think Outside The Box When It Comes To Social Media Content appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Social selling in practice

So what does a “social selling” initiative look like in practice, and not just theory? Well, it starts with creating the right kind of presence of LinkedIn. Your overall focus should be on creating a professional brand that resonates with prospects and customers. Think about ways that you can add value to industry conversations taking place across LinkedIn, or ways that you can demonstrate your expertise and skill. This is about more than just adding a brief comment here or there – it’s about focusing deeply on the needs of people and providing relevant commentary and resources.

One easy way to get started is simply posting commentary about different news impacting your industry. Say, for example, there is a new change to the tax code that impacts companies in your industry – that would be a perfect time to offer your opinions and analysis on “what it all means.” Or, for example, say that a foreign competitor has just announced plans to enter the marketplace – what does it mean for the overall industry?

LinkedIn puts its muscle behind social selling

LinkedIn believes so strongly in the concept of social selling (and why wouldn’t it?) that it has even developed a Social Selling Index (SSI), which is a numerical score denoting how well someone is leveraging social selling techniques. The higher your score, the better you are at social selling. Those who score highly according to the SSI, says LinkedIn, generate 45 percent more sales opportunities than those that do not. And better yet, they are also 51 percent more likely to hit quota. Just imagine going to your boss on Monday and saying something like, “I’ve just figured out a way to boost my number of sales opportunities by 45 percent…”

Say goodbye to the cold call

The one unstated assumption of social selling is that cold calling is antiquated and out of date. Does anyone really “cold call” anymore in the era of social media, where all it takes is a few minutes to find out the most personal, intimate details of someone’s life? So social selling puts the focus on getting to know people BEFORE you make your next sales call. Go beyond just the title of the person to figure out a little about his or her role, function and approach to business. Better yet, engage in conversations on social media before ever picking up that phone so that you know which business problems are top of mind.

Taking a big picture view, social selling is all about changing the shape and size of the traditional sales funnel. Fewer leads are needed to generate more sales, because it is much easier to convert a prospect into a customer. Who can argue with logic like that? That’s one big reason why social selling has become an important way to help your business grow.

The post Don’t Ignore Social Selling As A Way To Grow Your Business appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

#1: Encourage customers and prospects to learn about your products

The easiest types of videos to create are product videos. These can be simple 1-minute or 2-minute videos that showcase your best products. If you’re a fashion company, for example, you can showcase different people wearing your new clothing line. If you’re a tech company, you can create short videos showing people how to use your products. Then, when you’ve assembled a few of these product videos, you can add them to a playlist. This makes it very easy for customers to check out all of your products in one place.

#2: Develop a reputation for thought leadership and expertise

Another type of popular video on YouTube is the “how-to” video. This can be very simple – such as how to make a certain meal if you’re a restaurant chef – but is actually very powerful in helping to establish your reputation and expertise. After watching your YouTube videos, someone might invite you to speak at a conference. Or you might get asked to become a guest contributor for a popular blog.

#3: Enhance your overall brand messaging

Some YouTube videos fall under the topic of branding and marketing. For example, to highlight your company’s focus on eco-sustainability, you might interview the company’s founder, who can explain the various ways the company is working to reduce its carbon footprint. Or, to highlight that your workplace would be a great place for young millennials to work, you could create a video showing some of the fun, creative people already working at your company.

#4: Gain free word-of-mouth buzz for your products

This next category is perhaps the trickiest one to navigate – but it is what people usually think of when they hear “YouTube videos.” The key to “going viral” is coming up with a creative concept that is so impossible to ignore that you have to share it with your friends. The problem, however, is that it’s almost impossible to predict what will go viral, and brands risk looking very foolish trying to “look cool.” But when it works, well, it really works. For example, until Dollar Shave Club came along, the way you sold razor blades was touting all the great technology of the blades. Dollar Shave Club blew that right up with a viral video so insane that it was almost impossible to believe it was real when it first hit the Interwebs.

Final Thought

The important point to keep in mind here is that the true value of YouTube videos is not through direct monetization. In other words, you are not trying to rack up 1 million page views so that you can get paid out by YouTube. Rather, the goal is much more indirect – it’s to build buzz, boost your reputation and credibility, and engage with customers. By doing so, you will be on the path to selling more and growing your business with video. And it all starts with a YouTube channel that fits with your overall brand positioning.

The post 4 Reasons Why Your Company Needs A YouTube Channel appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Step #1: Develop your brand identity

Since there are so many different social platforms out there, it helps if you can be as consistent as possible across all of them. In other words, your Twitter handle should match your Instagram handle. Your social media avatar image should be identical – or at least, look very similar – across every major platform. And your use of descriptions, fonts and colors should also be identical. Also, your “brand voice” should be the same across all platforms.

Step #2: Automate as much as possible

There are a lot of powerful social media automation tools out there that will help you save time and energy. Many of them allow you to schedule content in advance, and also to track mentions of your brand. While you don’t want to over-automate or over-schedule, using some automation tools can help to bring some order and consistency to your brand identity.

Step #3: Decide which content to share on which platform

Not all social media platforms are created the same. Thus, you don’t want to be simply re-posting the same content on Facebook as you’ve already posted on Twitter. The best brands are able to carve out a different reason to follow them on each new platform. For example, Twitter might be great for blasting out news, promotions and brief updates about your company. But you’d want to save your best visual content for Instagram.

Step #4: Create a content schedule and stick to it

Many people come up with grandiose plans to become a social media influencer, post a few times, and then let everything fizzle out once the initial excitement wears off. That’s why it’s helpful to create a content calendar. Try to commit to a schedule of several social media posts per day, such as 2-3 tweets per day and 1-2 Facebook posts every 24 hours. During the week, you can augment that content with a few photos from Instagram.

Step #5:Track your metrics

Yes, metrics and data need to be part of your approach. You need to know who is following you, what they are engaging with, and how often they are responding to or commenting on your content. This will help you to fine-tune your content strategy and build a much more accurate picture of your target audience.

Final Thought

Social media can be a great way to build and grow your brand. Choose a few platforms that you enjoy using, find tools that can help you automate some of your posting and content creation, and use data that you collect to improve your performance over time. Those steps will lead to the creation of a strong, authentic brand identity.

The post How To Build A Social Media Branding Strategy appeared first on Social Media Explorer.