Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Marketing Trends for 2024 and Beyond

Below are some trends and predictions for the coming year and beyond from industry experts along with some commentary and information:

By 2025, a perceived decay in the quality of social media sites will push 50% of consumers to significantly limit their use of major platforms.  (Source: Gartner Group)

Due to the spread of misinformation, bots, the impact of AI and toxic users, Gartner Group predicts that people will significantly limit their social media interactions by 2025. This information gives testament to the need for businesses to invest in other channels such as a website and email lists while using social media strategically but not solely. I’ve seen many businesses rely just on their Facebook or LinkedIn pages, not wanting to invest in a website, build an email database or blog. 

 

The entire world’s social media has converged on short-form video. If you still haven’t mastered the art of producing content in short-form videos, it’s hard to see how you’ll be successful in social media in 2024!  (Source: Larry Kim, Customers.ai)

Short form videos are typically said to range from 15 to 60 seconds and they’re designed to attract people’s attention and to promote a brand. Some business benefits of short-form video marketing are that they attract more likes, shares and comments on social media, they can be easily incorporated in email campaigns and they yield high conversion rates which translate into good ROI.

Some examples of the top short-form video trends are creating behind the scenes videos, product teasers, frequently asked questions and user-generated content.

 

57% of marketers of companies with 500 or more employees are using AI for their email campaigns. (Source: Ascend2)

Marketers are using AI for their email’s personalization, subject line optimization, retargeting, dynamic content and more. Of all the marketing channels, email gives you the most control to better target your audience and to personalize and sharpen your messaging.

Newsletters will continue their hot streak, led by creator referral networks. More podcast creators will move into newsletters.  (Source: Joe Pulizzi, Author)

If you’re looking for ways to build trust and credibility with your prospects and clients, publishing an e-newsletter is a smart tool to consider.  A balanced, informative newsletter should support your business goals, be engaging to your readers, and provide useful content or relevant promotions. A newsletter can help you establish your expertise, build awareness about your brand, drive traffic to your website and help you build relationships with the people that matter the most to your business. Incorporate one into your marketing plans today.

Friday, July 21, 2023

When Should Your Business Post on Social Media?

Businesses are always seeking ideas to improve their social media engagement. Knowing the best days and times to post on every platform will boost activity on your company pages. Posting at certain times will allow you to further connect with your target audience.

There are some general rules that are important to follow for all platforms, however, each social media has its own specific guidelines. It is also important to factor in your target audience when deciding when to post on each platform. For instance, a younger audience may not be awake very early if they are on summer break.

The General Rule


The American Marketing Association recommends that for any social media platform, posting on a weekday morning is the route to go. Many people go on their phones as soon as they wake up, especially on work days. 


Data-driven decision-making is vital when it comes to social media posting. Utilize analytics and insights provided by the respective platforms to evaluate your previous posts' performance. Identify patterns and trends related to engagement levels, clicks, and impressions during different times and days. Leveraging this information will guide you in optimizing your posting schedule.

Instagram


Instagram has changed ever since Facebook acquired the platform. According to the American Marketing Association, to be successful on Instagram, post between 11:00 A.M.- 2:00 P.M. on any weekday (Monday-Friday), will get you higher numbers for your posts and stories. 


Facebook


While all weekday mornings are a good time to post, it is best to post on Facebook between 9:00 A.M.- 1:00 P.M. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Business pages can also try generating engagement between 6:00 A.M.-9:00 A.M., according to SocialPilot. There is a pop in users during these hours. If not early morning, lunch hours are another option to post.


Twitter


Twitter's fast-paced nature demands frequent and timely posts. Hootsuite noted that the best time to tweet on Twitter is at 8:00 A.M on Monday-Friday. Many people will turn to Twitter before they even get to Instagram or Facebook, as it is a simpler social media platform that appeals to those who are looking for breaking news or updates from those they follow.


LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great platform for businesses, as it can attract future employers, partnerships, and set the tone of their company in a professional manner. The best times to post on LinkedIn are at 9:00 A.M. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, right when the typical workday starts. Avoid weekends and late evenings when engagement tends to drop.


In Conclusion

The best time to post for your business’s social media depends on your target audience, your industry, and your content. Mastering the art of social media posting requires businesses to be in sync with their audience's habits and preferences. By analyzing data, understanding the nuances of each platform, and adapting to trends, businesses can unlock the full potential of their social media presence. However, posting at these recommended days and times can help to ensure that as many people as possible see and engage with what you’re promoting.




Storytelling: A Powerful Marketing Tool

One of the most compelling elements of good marketing communications is storytelling. Storytelling is a powerful tool that can persuade people to take action or learn about something new. In fact, for nonprofit organizations, studies show that donors are twice as likely to donate to a nonprofit when presented with a compelling story as opposed to a relevant statistic.

This is because stories leverage emotions to your benefit and illustrate the impact of your product, service, or work. Individuals are more likely to remember an inspiring story as opposed to a number or figure, no matter how remarkable the statistic is.

When telling stories, create ones that are educational, entertaining, memorable, and compelling. Focus on quality writing and use interesting visual elements to best execute this communication strategy.

Keep your audience in mind when creating stories. What do they want to hear and learn? What kind of response or action do you want them to take as a result of reading your story?


Find ways to best connect with your target audience by telling stories that are inspiring, touching, and ones that illustrate the benefits of your products or services.

How will you tell your story? Whether it’s a written article, blog post, video or audio clip, consider what medium your audience will respond best to and what fits into your budget.

Gather stories from as many different types of people associated with your organization as possible. Clients, volunteers, employees, board members all have different perspectives and may have valuable messages and stories that can be impactful for your organization.

Share in the comments how you have incorporated storytelling in your marketing communications and what the results have yielded.


Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Reasons to Start an E-Newsletter for Your Business

If you’re looking for ways to build trust and credibility with your prospects and clients, publishing an e-newsletter is a smart tool to consider.  A balanced, informative newsletter should support your business goals, be engaging to your readers, and provide useful content or relevant promotions.

Here are six reasons to get your e-newsletter up and running now:

1. Build Relationships-  A newsletter can provide the opportunity to connect with your audiences by consistently providing valuable content while also keeping them engaged and interested. Relationships require work and regular connections. An e-newsletter can help you accomplish that.

2. Establish Your Expertise- By sharing industry news, insights and tips in your newsletter, you can establish yourself as a thought leader or expert.

3. Cost-Effective Marketing- E-newsletters require a minimal investment beyond time and effort! Tools like Constant Contact offer newsletter email templates that are easy to use and inexpensive.

4. Brand Awareness-  E-newsletters are a smart way to increase knowledge of your brand by regularly staying in touch with your clients and prospects and reminding them of your business, product or services.

5. Collect Valuable Feedback- Include survey questions or polls in your e-newsletter to better understand your audience and improve your offerings to them.

6. Drive Traffic to Your Site- E-newsletters should be kept brief and lead your reader to your website, blog or a landing page where they can find more information.

Your customers and prospects want to hear from you! So are you ready to take the next steps to start your e-newsletter?  Now that you know how they can help your business, it’s time to incorporate one into your own marketing strategy!

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Use the 80/20 Rule to Increase Your Profitability

Are you familiar with the 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle? As it relates to business, the rule asserts that the majority of your sales will come from a small portion of your customer base. Specifically: 80% of your revenue comes from 20% of your customers.

By understanding and leveraging the 80/20 rule, you can potentially increase your business effectiveness and profitability.

All Customers Aren’t Created Equal

From a sales and marketing perspective, it makes sense to invest time and effort in strengthening and maximizing your relationships with the vital 20% of your customers. This segment has the greatest potential for spending more money on your products or services. They’re also more likely to refer business to you.    

Spend more time cultivating this core base of customers that generates the most business and profits. Create a strategy for up-selling or cross-selling to this group as you’re likely to reap the most results.

Provide these lucrative customers with preferred services such as 24/7 support, loyalty rewards, email them discount coupons, send special holiday gifts or personalized notes of appreciation, and other ways to thank your best customers for doing business with you.

Customer Profiles

Take time to analyze the characteristics and demographics of the top 20% of your customers. Understand why they buy and what drives them. Focus your marketing efforts on finding new clients who are similar in an attempt to replicate your successes.

While all business is important, pinpoint your highest-return customers and devote more time to them and avoid letting unprofitable customers drain your resources. To maximize your profits, employ marketing strategies that attract more of your ideal type of customer.

Contact Marketing & Event Resources for assistance with your targeted marketing campaigns to attract the right clients!

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Highlights of Marketing Trends for 2022 (from HubSpot)

HubSpot does an annual survey of 1000 marketing professionals around the world (both B2B and B2C) and from that data they create an overview of trends to look for in the coming year.

Here are some of the 2022 trends and information about what they are and why marketing professionals are embracing them:


Thursday, February 10, 2022

Bring Your LinkedIn Profile to Life

LinkedIn users: Did you know you can add a 30-second intro video to your LinkedIn profile? 


It’s called the Cover Story feature and the functionality is available via the LinkedIn app only. It’s a great way to introduce yourself, add some personality to your profile, or set yourself apart from the competition.

Simply go to your LinkedIn profile page (via the app), click on your profile picture and it will give you the option to add a video.

Film it directly in the app or upload a pre-recorded video from your phone.

It’s only 30 seconds long so you want to plan what you’ll say to have the most impact in this short snippet! What do you want your LinkedIn visitors to know about you or how you can help them?

Once you add your Cover Story video, it will replace your profile picture and it will be outlined by an orange circle (see photo).  Check out my LinkedIn Cover Story!