Marketing Experts - 7 Common Omissions from Social Strategies

When it comes to devising your brand’s social media strategy, the devil is in the detail. Small mistakes and basic omissions can leave your efforts falling short, potentially impacting your online presence. There are numerous, simple mistakes that business owners are still making on social media, so here are 7 critical elements that often get neglected: 

1.) Email is NOT Dead
It may be the oldest online social network, but don’t go writing email off just yet. It is still a great and powerful way of connecting with your clients, and has the added bonus of being cheap. The majority of businesses check their inbox regularly throughout the day, and research by Zapier suggests that customers who receive their emails are more likely to share important information across other networking platforms too. 

2.) Link Back to your Website
So many brands invest time and effort into creating great content for their Facebook or Twitter pages, however trying to find a link back to their website is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Your website should be your priority, and your social media channels should drive traffic back to your site. Make it super easy for those who are interested in finding out more about your services to find your site. 

3.) Focus, Focus, Focus
With a plethora of networks now available, keeping a cohesive social media strategy can seem like a full time job in itself. A lot of business owners may feel that they have to be active on all social media channels, all the time. In reality, it’s far more valuable to focus on one or two sites and use them really well. Do some research into what sites your target audience are using and focus your efforts there. You should be able to see higher engagement and conversions at a lower cost.

4.) Make your Employees your Advocates
Bring your brand back to even more customers by utilising one of your greatest assets - your employees. Make them advocates for your business by including them in your social media brand-building efforts and welcome their strategic input. Not only will it build the brand amongst employees, but it will foster greater employee advocates too, creating a strong all-round presence. 

5.) Don’t be Afraid of Retargeting 
If done right, retargeting can be a very powerful marketing tactic. By using past social media campaigns and specific URLs, it is possible to track specific leads around the web from a simple tweet or Facebook post. Following on from this, you can target your potential customers the ads that are most likely get them to convert, as well as being able to quantify this data to see how much of an impact your social media is actually having on sales.

6.) Use Facebook Targeting 
So many businesses forget to capitalise on Facebook’s targeting software. With this tool, certain posts only reach a certain demographic to strengthen the appeal in one without turning off another. The targeting function can be found on the Facebook admin pages and could make an impressive difference to your marketing strategy. 

7.) Use YouTube!
YouTube is often forgotten in social media strategy because it is often not thought of as a social network. In reality, it is one of the most powerful sites you have in your tool kit. Users tend to browse the site, and the related video suggestions YouTube shows users in the sidebar are almost as good as buying ads on the page. 

Make videos that are either useful (e.g., expert how-to's), which potential customers are likely to come across when searching for information on their own or that are entertaining (e.g., funny commercials). Ultimately, make something that people would share amongst themselves. Search results featuring videos have a higher click-through rate, so not having a video presence could mean missing out on potential customers from organic search traffic.

Special thanks to Madeleine Hammond for today's guest post. Madeleine is a marketing executive at Skeleton Productions - one of the UK's leading video production companies with Skeleton Productions

Bridging the Gap between Traditional and Digital Marketing

Inbound marketing has been a real game-changer for the world of advertising. Brands and agencies are realizing that traditional marketing tactics are no longer enough on their own: while traditional methods still play a significant role in any brand's marketing strategy, it's important to bridge the gap between traditional and digital marketing. On the surface, it may not seem easy to tie the two together, but it's actually possible to create a synergistic approach where your online and offline methods lead into each other to stimulate conversions. Incorporating digital strategies into your overall marketing solution can help your company increase brand awareness, expand your customer base, and retain your existing customers. Let's take a look at the differences between traditional and digital marketing, and see how they can work together to create a cohesive marketing strategy.

Traditional Marketing

Traditional marketing efforts are conducted through offline channels, such as television, radio, print, telemarketing, and direct mail. These campaigns generally require a high degree of planning, involving detailed demographic research. They revolve around the well-known "4 Ps" of marketing: price, product, placement, and promotion. Traditional marketing usually has a longer time frame for execution than digital efforts, and are more expensive overall.

Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing efforts are quite different from their traditional counterparts. With a short life cycle and nearly instantaneous feedback, they can give marketers a targeted, detailed look at consumer behavior, demographics, purchasing habits, and interests. Messaging can be executed on a real-time, one-to-one basis, creating a level of engagement that's impossible with traditional methods. These inbound strategies are invaluable to marketers as a tool to attract, engage, and ultimately convert customers.

Creating Synergy

Traditional and digital (inbound) marketing efforts can work in tandem to create a powerful conversion cycle. For example, QR codes can serve as an effective bridge between traditional and digital campaigns. These codes can be added to print advertising, business cards, and even product packaging. Accessible to anyone with a smartphone and a barcode-scanning app, they can link to your website, blog, product videos, or contact information. Linking them to any of your company's social media properties is an easy way to increase your following.

Even direct mail, a staple of traditional marketing, can make the leap into the digital realm. Companies can use email mailing lists to enhance, or even replace, their existing direct mail efforts. Email boasts multiple advantages over traditional mail for marketing purposes:

--It's easier to respond to
--It's a better choice for brief messages, like follow-ups and confirmations
--It's a better choice for sending reminders

No matter what methods you use to integrate traditional and inbound marketing strategies, it's important to keep a few things in mind. Your traditional and inbound campaigns will work best if launched simultaneously, so that they can support and lead into each other. As your campaign progresses, you can reduce your costly traditional media schedules while continuing to draw visitors through your more budget-friendly inbound marketing efforts. Remember to keep your brand's message, as well as the look and feel of the materials, consistent between both mediums. As you receive and analyze feedback on your inbound efforts, be sure to make the appropriate adjustments to your web-based tactics.

It's clear that traditional and digital marketing methods might appear quite different in their tactics, but they share the same goal: to attract leads, create conversions, and increase brand awareness. Integrated correctly, these two types of marketing can seamlessly lead into each other and streamline the conversion process. Try bridging the gap in your own company's marketing strategy, and watch your bottom line grow.

Special thanks to our guest post writer Rick Delgado. Rick is a technology enthusiast and former direct mail marketer. He's recently taken a step back from a successful career to pursue his passion for writing.

How psychology drove some of 2013’s Top 10 videos to the top

YouTube recently revealed the top ten viral videos of 2013. Since marketing videos are my business, here is a critique four of them to give you an idea of how the psychology of sharing helped them reach the top. 

#4 Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball (Chatroulette Version) by Steve Kardynal

• Humor

This takes Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear in Risky Business to a whole new level. The scraggly beard and super tight tighty whities send us over the top as he gyrates on the couch and hangs from an inflatable wrecking ball. And singing along to Miley Cyrus is way funnier than to Bob Seger. Hilarious.

• Public

The raw authenticity from the guy’s webcam makes us feel like we’ve accidentally dropped in on the wrong conference call – very wrong. And seeing real people in the left pane experiencing the video lends credibility; just like a sit-com laugh-track, their laughter causes us to laugh. 

• Unexpectedness

Seeing a grown man dancing in his underwear, licking a hammer and swinging on a rubber ball hanging from a rope is shocking, to say the least.

#6 Volvo Trucks “Live test” 

• Awe

A guy (an old guy at that!) doing the splits between two large semi trucks travelling backwards is highly unusual, dangerous, and awesome. While it may have been faked (even though the makers swear it isn’t), the drama that Volvo manufactured is real. Judging from the comments, it was faked but that didn’t seem to stop millions from sharing it.

• Celebrity

Unfortunately for Volvo, I’m afraid using Jean-Claude Van Damme for this spectacle discounts the possibility that it’s real. How old is the guy anyway? Using someone more nimble, such as an acrobat from Cirque du Soleil, might have made it more believable. Plus, he’s been out of circulation for so long I don’t think his inclusion provides much of a boost. 

• Unexpectedness

For those who think such a stunt is possible, this is truly mind-blowing. People might examine it for evidence of a green screen down the road. But the immediate impact is truly incredible. 

Additional note: Given that this video is from a major truck manufacturer, the virality was most likely boosted with advertising. The company doesn’t give any stats on how much money they spent to promote it so we don’t know for sure how viral it really was. Perhaps a small budget was devoted to get the word out then it took off on it’s own.

#7 YOLO (feat. Adam Levine & Kendrick Lamar)

• Celebrity

Adam Levine and Kendrick Lamar are both serious A-list musical talent so we sit up and take notice. We wouldn’t love this video nearly as much as we do were it not for the performers who deliver it.

• Humor

Wearing ear protection in a nightclub is just the beginning of a hysterical poke at trying to curb youthful indiscretion. Don’t ever travel, just live in a titanium bomb shelter. In fact, make a titanium suit in case a piano falls on you. Great stuff.

• Tastemakers

Adam Levine, Kendrick Lamar, and Andy Samberg likely aided the initial distribution using their own social networks. And it originally aired on Saturday Night Live so millions saw it before it hit the web.

• Unexpectedness

Adam Levine and Kendrick Lamar advising young adults to be careful is just as unexpected (and funny) as Christopher Walken needing to hear more cowbell.

#8 Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise

• Awe

Seeing a young woman slamming a grown man up against the wall using her telekinetic powers leaves a lasting impression. Even better, the awe we feel upon seeing the expressions on the uninformed is even more powerful.

• Humor

Even though Candid Camera pioneered the concept more than 60 years ago, this clever video shows that hidden camera stunts can still work. We enjoy being in on the secret, and love to laugh at the poor sucker who isn’t.

• Story

Even though the two are not perfectly intertwined, telling friends about the video easily parlays into a discussion about the sponsoring product, the movie Carrie.

Additional note: Given that this video is from a major movie studio, the virality was most likely boosted with advertising. The company doesn’t give any stats on how much money they spent to promote it so we don’t know for sure how viral it really was. Perhaps a small budget was devoted to get the word out then it took off on it’s own. 

Were these videos just lucky? Hardly. Thanks to groundbreaking research, we now know that getting something to go viral takes much more than mere luck. There are several traits that companies can bake into their marketing content to leverage the psychology of sharing. And we also know that socialized content can deliver far better customer engagement than advertising. To learn more about the psychology of sharing, visit InterplayAgency.com.

Special thanks to Dan Clark for today's post. Dan Clark is the owner and Creative Director of Interplay Agency, a leading content marketing consultancy based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Contact information below:

InterplayAgency.com  

@InterplayAgent  

http://www.linkedin.com/in/kdanclark

4 Tips to Strengthen your YouTube Presence

Each year YouTube seems to grow in terms of number of videos posted as well as pervasiveness across the web.  This year is no exception.  As content and content development becomes more important in the age of post hummingbird Google updates, optimizing your YouTube channel and videos is absolutely essential.  Here are some tips for improving your YouTube results.

1.               Remember the Branding of your Channel

Get into the mindset of thinking of your YouTube channel as a profile for your brand, or as an extension of your website. You want it to look as sleek and professional as possible, suited to your niche and interests. You need to convince browsers that your content is worth checking and your channel worth subscribing. You always want to optimize your channels SEO. Give your Internet videos titles, tags, closed captions, descriptions etc with rich keywords and phrases for the best chance of turning up on the Page 1 search results of Google and YouTube. 

2.               Interact With the YouTube Community

Whereas Twitter & Facebook lend themselves instantly to communication, most people seem to forget about YouTube’s social features, yet it is one of the easiest ways of establishing a solid presence on the site. These users are just like any other social media user, they enjoy engagement and activity. Comment and Like/Dislike other users content and where possible Friend and Subscriber to their Internet videos. If you have the means to create Video Responses frequently then use that facility to your advantage too. Never underestimate how being an engaged YouTuber can benefit your channel.

3.               Know your Friends

YouTube novices beware: A friend and subscriber are two different things! An overly common pitfall is confusing the two.  A ‘Friend’ is a user who likes you as a contact, someone who enjoys social engagements with you and follows your on site activity. A ‘Friend’ will not want to get inundated with your latest content. A ‘Subscriber’ on the other hand is a user who enjoys just your online video content and have opted to find out about when you have new video content available. Remember to SOCIALISE with friends and to SHARE with your subscribers to ensure a strong YouTube presence in the eyes of both sections of users.

4.               Utilise all Your Social Media Profiles

One of the (many) reasons YouTube is the undisputed ruler of online video is down to it’s ability to integrate itself with the other dominant social medias, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. These sites allow you to share your online video content as frequently as you wish and can really benefit your YouTube presence.  Post your content on your Profile, share it on Pages and in Groups that are relevant to your niche and your video content and you and your channel will reap the rewards.

Madeleine Hammond is a marketing executive at Skeleton Productions - one of the UK's leading video production companies.

DUI Charges and DMV Hearings

When you are facing charges after a DUI arrest, you first need to worry about the DMV hearing. At the DMV hearing, a hearing officer determines whether you can keep your driver's license, even before you are convicted of DUI. In fact, you could lose your license at the hearing, and later be acquitted of the DUI.

At a DMV hearing, the hearing officer will hear testimony from the officer who arrested you to determine whether you should lose your license, based on his or her determination of whether there was evidence that you were driving under the influence. This is a critical stage in a DUI case and one that many overlook.

Once you have been arrested for driving under the influence, you only have a limited time to request a hearing. Many people do not read the small print in their citation, and miss the deadline. If you do not request a hearing, your license may be suspended without you ever getting a chance to challenge the grounds for the suspension.

Hiring a lawyer to assist you with the DMV hearing is an important first step in your defense. Not only can the attorney ensure you don't miss your deadline, and that you get your hearing, the lawyer can also cross examine the officer, and get a feeling for what his testimony would be if your case went to trial. Because county attorneys and district attorneys do not attend these hearings, this gives your attorney an advantage at your DUI trial, and further allows your lawyer to impeach the officer with any testimony that is inconsistent from the hearing.

Another important reason to request a hearing is that it is your best opportunity to keep your drivers license pending the outcome of your DUI case. The DMV hearing officer is the one who subpoenas the officer. If the officer is busy and doesn't show up, then the hearing officer will rule in your favor, and you get to keep your license pending the outcome of your DUI case.

Dealing With An Unfavorable DMV Decision

The decision after a DMV hearing following a DUI arrest can be either a set aside or an uphold of the suspension.  When the decision is unfavorable to the driver the next step can be either to appeal the finding or move on.  For first offenders who took a test the suspension period of four months typically does not justify a decision to appeal the hearing officer's decision.  The driver can usually get a restricted license after waiting 30 days.  Foe second offenders an appeal may be more tenable given the one year
 re-issue date.  In either event the decision must be one that takes into account the costs and benefits of the entire situation.  The alternative to a full scale appeal can be something called a Departmental Review, more information about this approach will be discussed in a future post.

How a Person's Core Body Temperature Can Skew Breath Test Results

Breath testing in DUI cases relies on the presumption that every subject has a "normal" body temperature.  But what if a subject has a fever? One study (Fox & Hayward, 1989) did reveal problems with DUI breath tests for those with higher than normal body temperature levels.  For example, when the core temp was elevated one degree Celsius, the corresponding breath test for alcohol increased by nearly 9 percent. This means that if a person had an elevated body temp and was stopped for drunk driving, his breath test would falsely inflate his true blood alcohol level by almost 10%.  For a .10 level, this would drop him to a .09 and if he blew a .08, his true BAC would actually be .07.

 For more information on this issue, contact DUI Attorney Matthew Ruff who practices in the state of California.