Every time there’s a new social media feature, a Snapchat ghost gets its wings. This month, Instagram launched a multiple choice quiz option for stories, LinkedIn added “reactions” to its timeline posts, and Snapchat updated its Android app altogether.
I know I know… you’re going to mention that Facebook owns Instagram. But even though the company is the same, the brands are very different. Facebook may be able to copy the most popular IG features anytime, but it’s a lot more difficult to borrow good will. Guess they’ll have to keep hunting.
Carbonation Transformation
MillerCoors is taking a stab at a new marketing campaign by integrating its products into original Hulu programming. Product placement is not a new technique, but it’s a gamble on behalf of all beer advertisers that Adweek says is Hulu’s “most expansive integration ever.”
On the softer side of carbonated beverages, Coca-Cola just bought its way into the coffee business. It’s unclear whether they are just trying to get into a new market or they need more caffeine in their portfolio, but I’m sure investors’ blood pressure is going up either way.
In a world where kombucha beverages and flavored sparkling water are taking up more shelf space, these moves seem a little desperate. But at the end of the day, nothing is more American than drinking Coca-Cola, coffee, and Miller Lite.
It’s often stated as a disadvantage that large businesses cannot turn on a dime. Change requires monumental efforts; new processes and employee buy-in, soft launches, layers of approval, and hundreds of power point presentations. This culture certainly deserves its share of criticism, but it’s not all bad.
Small businesses have the luxury of quick pivots. At various stages of growth and development, it’s easy to adopt new software and new ideas. An organization with 20 clients can communicate more effectively than an organization with 20,000 customers or more.
Combine those small business advantages with the ever-changing world of social media and suddenly the communication possibilities seem endless. “My last Facebook post didn’t do so well, I’m going to try something different.”
But perhaps this is the point where big corporations can teach us a thing or two about branding and patience. It’s not without much deliberation that a Fortune 500 company launches a Twitter account. Marketing managers work with social media agencies to research target demographics, understand the customers’ persona, and develop the right tone with which to Tweet. Full time employees are solely in charge of social media, not interns or “whoever’s young enough to understand this stuff.”
As a small business, it’s important to understand this distinction and see it for its advantages. You don’t need a 20-page manifesto to start posting to Facebook, but you should have a basic understanding of your clients and customers. You don’t have to be so rigid that the strategy doesn’t leave room for adjustment, but you should establish some consistency and let your audience grow organically over time.
It can be very frustrating to work hard trying to build that social media following and feel like you’re spinning your tires; still no major engagement after several weeks or even a couple months! But over the long run, consistency will build a foundation of trust and your customers will know what to expect from you.
Take a cue from big corporations on this one – draft a social media strategy and stick with it. Make small adjustments over time, but always communicate with one cohesive voice. You’ll never get out of the woods by walking in circles; it may take a while, but walk in a straight line and you’ll eventually find a road.
Just recently, Tracx came out with their authoritative 2017 social media infographic – and it’s an internet marketing nerd’s dream. The graphic shows some of the most important data points about social media users and adds some fascinating trivia to drive home those points. For example, did you know that YouTube reaches more 18-49 year olds than any cable network in the United States?
This is the type of infographic that becomes a conversation-changer. While many small businesses use arbitrary decision-making to decide how to access their audience, these statistics provide better insight for well-informed marketing tactics. If your target demographic is under the age of 35, for instance, you have a strong argument for being on Instagram, where 90% of users are in your target and 53% choose to follow brand accounts.
But enough of my introduction. Below is the 2017 State of Social infographic from Tracx.com.
To learn more about what this means for your marketing efforts, send us an email today. Or check out our small business packages for social media marketing and insights.
Today, we are announcing the launch of a new mobile-responsive website for The Cellar, a restaurant and wine bar in Corning, NY. This project was fun to sync up with recent renovations to the Market Street restaurant, and the new website provides a better all-around experience for visitors looking to peruse the menu, connect on social media, and make dinner reservations online.
Below is a screen shot of the old website:
Creagent Marketing designed the original website for The Cellar almost 5 years prior, and it was time to not only update the aesthetic, but also to make it more mobile friendly. The new website features much of the same content while highlighting some of the great photography by Lee Speary and making it easier to navigate and read on all devices.
Below is a screen shot of the new website with mobile optimization:
In early January, Creagent Marketing launched a new “interim” website for the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. The organization’s old website could no longer be updated and its content was out of date.
Below is a screen shot of the old website:
Without the proper amount of time to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) and incorporate every piece of desired functionality, the Seneca Lake Wine Trail turned to Creagent for a quick overhaul that would incorporate all of the most essential content within a beautiful, responsive layout. Our team dug into the organization’s library of photography, featuring shots that provide the range of experiences one should expect when visiting the Wine Trail. We quickly organized the written content to match the old website while executing some changes to improve navigation and flow.
