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Build Your Digital Presence for Free using Instagram Marketing

a person inside instagram post frame taking a selfie with notification icon, share icon, message icon, attachment icon around here

Enroute Digital Dominance!

 

Instagram, a visually driven platform, according to Statista, marketers reached 1,850  target audiences in 2022.

Instagram ranks as the 2nd most utilised social network, with 79% of marketers using it to build an online presence and conduct social media marketing.

Let us see how small businesses can promote their web presence using an Instagram account.

a social media infographic guide for Instagram marketing campaign

 

 

1. Digital Engagement: A Bird’s Eye View

 

a hand touching a hologram globe on a phone

 

Instagram boasts 2 billion monthly active users and is the second most engaged network, followed by Facebook. More than 60% of users log in daily, making it the 8th most visited website. While 90% of Instagram users follow a business account on Instagram,  83% of the audience uses Instagram to discover new products and services.

 The engagement rate of customers with brands on Instagram photos before making a purchase is approximately 58 times higher than that of Facebook and 120 times the rate of engagement on X. Over a third of Instagram users make online purchases using their mobile devices.

 

 

2. Instagram is the New Portfolio

 

a hand breaking the pink papper while holding a cell phone showing Instagram feed UI

The platform’s emphasis on captivating imagery ensures businesses can leave an indelible impression and captivate their audience with unparalleled visual experiences.

Instagram empowers brands to unleash their creative excellence and craft visually stunning narratives that resonate deeply with their target market.

A study suggests that image posts shared on the Facebook feed through Instagram receive higher engagement than those posted directly on Facebook.

 

 

3. Serve Eye Candy like Sephora

SEPHORA logo png

Sephora, a leading Beauty and Wellness brand, has captivated a massive audience of 21.4 million followers on Instagram. Sephora’s dedication to prioritising customers is reflected in their swift responses, resulting in an impressive average of 4.8K likes and an engagement rate of 0.02%.

Their social media account is a treasure trove of unbiased content, featuring educational step-by-step guides and makeup tutorials that empower confidence in beauty enthusiasts.

With every social media post, Sephora celebrates individuality, fosters a united community, and allows customers to make informed purchase decisions.”

 Additionally, the Sephora collection collaborates with a diverse range of makeup moguls, who share reels filled with joy, inspiration and expertise. By partnering with Instagram creators to promote their new fragrance ads, they gained a significant increase in ad recall by 17- points and a 1.3-point  lift in purchase intent.

 

 

4. Online Presence Management

 

Instagram encourages authenticity and storytelling. Crack the layer of complication by adapting to algorithmic changes with a well-articulated posting schedule.

Showcase your brand story and core values, giving a gist of what the audience can expect from your profile and engaging the audience in a productive way.

 

 

5. Make Your Brand ‘IG Famous’

 

With over 1.6 billion global active users, you can benefit from a higher discoverability and reach rate among your target audience.

This allows brand owners to advertise their products and services without the effort of hard selling. As per a survey by Hubspot, 45% of users unfollowed a brand due to self-promotional content.

 

 

6. Your Ticket to SEO Stardom

 

Did you know that 70% of hashtags on Instagram are branded?

By utilising hashtags effectively, you can consolidate all your content in one place, boosting engagement by 12.6% and improving content discoverability and search engine rankings.

 

 

7. Ads that Blend and Stand Out

 

Business owners can seamlessly blend ads with organic content by setting up a professional account. These ads appear on users’ homes or explore pages while maintaining transparency with labels such as ‘sponsored’ or ‘paid partnership’.

This approach increases the credibility and trust of viewers. Numerous ad formats cater to different marketing objectives.

Business owners can monitor performance using analytics to track metrics such as reach, impressions, engagement, click-through rates and conversions. Doing so allows individuals to run optimised campaigns for better results.

 

 

8. Your Personalised Catalogue

 

Instagram allows users to save posts to view later. This feature is similar to the boards on Pinterest, providing a convenient way for users to organise and revisit content that they find interesting.

It is particularly beneficial for businesses as it enables users to save the desired products or services, creating a personalised catalogue of items they want to explore or purchase.

 

 

9. Amplify Brand Reach with Partnerships

 

One of the few things that comes to mind upon hearing the Instagram is ‘influencers’. More than 70% of marketers work closely with creators on Instagram. Many features embedded in the app make the platform a centralised ‘hub for influencer marketing’.

Connecting businesses with micro-influencers creates opportunities for endorsements by public figures.

 

 

10. Storytelling to Selfies

 

Hold discussions about the talk of the town frequently instead of just posting direct branding or product promotional posts. Instagram provides various interactive features like comments, direct messages, and customer testimonials to facilitate direct engagement with your audience.

Generate excitement with shoutouts and gifts because who doesn’t enjoy prizes? This will create a buzz around your product/brand. Ensuring two-way communication helps to build a lasting relationship and gather valuable feedback.

 

 

11. Retail Therapy Made Easy

 

Instagram’s integration with Facebook allows businesses to sell products directly on the platform. Entice your customers with irresistible promotion updates and in-app exclusive deals.

With features like the shop tab and product tags, you can make the most of Instagram shops to simplify purchasing and provide a seamless shopping experience.

 

 

12. Zero Fees, Maximum Reach

 

Instagram is a great marketing tool because of its straightforward account creation process. Fun fact, currently, there are over 200,000 million business profiles on Instagram. And over 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business account. Reaching over 2 billion monthly active users for free is possible!

 

 

13. Revealing Tips to Drive Organic Traffic

 

One of the strategic ways to drive traffic to your company’s website organically is including CTA’s such as ‘swipe up’ and ‘learn more’ in a prominent location below the post to help redirect users to view the full description.

Business owners can also embed links in their Instagram stories and organise them in the profile highlights. Customised action buttons like ‘Book now’ and ‘Shop now’ are valuable to increase conversion rates.

 

 

14. Becoming a Viral Sensation

 

Consistently posting on Instagram for a month can result in an impressive gain of up to 2,800 new creator followers.

Adapt to algorithmic changes on this visually-driven platform. It is a powerful tool to boost your social media presence.

 

 

Profile Features That Make You Stand Out!

 

 

  • Create content

Create, edit, post images, reels, or IGTV from scratch using in-app tools.

  •  Live Broadcast

Broadcast and have one-to-one interactions with audiences and surprise them occasionally with behind-the-scenes moments.

  • Instagram Shop

Showcase and sell products directly.

  • Instagram Professional Account

Take advantage of additional features such as Call to Action, place redirection links and set up automated messaging after switching to a Professional Account.

  • Instagram User Insights

Utilise valuable data from Instagram’s professional account insights to make strategic decisions effectively at no cost.

  • Instagram Sponsored Ads

Expand your brand’s reach by leveraging the paid advertising options for Business Accounts.

 

 

Content is King

 

Leveraging the power of Instagram goes beyond marketing; it allows businesses to tap into a dynamic ecosystem that nurtures growth, creativity, and long-term success.

In this digital epoch, where attention spans are short and competition is fierce, Instagram offers an opportunity to cut through the cacophony and leave a lasting impression.

It’s a platform where creativity knows no bounds, and brands have a chance to shine, no matter how big or small.

Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur, a passionate artist, or a forward-thinking marketer, fortify your Instagram with the best strategies!

 

 

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7 Ways to Diversify Your Social Media Content

a group of baskets with facebook logo, x twitter logo, tiktok logo, instagram logo on them

Diversifying Social Media Content for Success

 

an infographic about 7 Ways to Diversify Your Social Media Content, with the dont put all eggs in one basket symbol, and social media logos in there

 

Skyrocket your online brand visibility with these tips on diversifying your social media content. This blog unveils the power of strategic content diversification that can propel your brand’s reach to new heights.

 

 

1. Social Media Marketing is the best form of Content Marketing! 

 

hands holding a phone with social media icons around it including youtube logo, snapchat logo, facebook logo, instagram logo,twitter logo, like icon, and love icon

 

The social media user count will increase to 6 billion by 2027. According to a report by Statistica, the average person spends 151 minutes per day on social media as of July 2023.

In today’s digital landscape, audiences are inundated with myriad information. When it comes to social media platforms, bombarding your audience with endless pages of detailed product descriptions is the last thing they want!

 

 

2. The Real Question: What format to follow? 

 

a person holding a phone opening social media platform and there are user icon, message icon, comment icon, like icon, and check out icon above the phone  

 

According to Forbes Advisor, the average user’s digital footprint is spread across 6-7 platforms, increasing the adoption of a multi-platform app.

So, to truly mesmerise your target audience, it is essential to adapt content styles based on the trends of social media platforms.

 

 

3. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket!

 

eggs in a carton with broken egg

 

Use a content diversification strategy. It involves publishing micro-content in different formats accompanied by a clear call to action. By doing so, you can entice them to read the complete content on your website.  

This approach allows you to seamlessly maintain consistency, generate traffic and leap into the pool of customer data. You can proceed by leveraging optimised content in underperforming channels and strengthening your audience based on outcomes.

 

 

4. Identifying Channel Trends

 

Before altering your content, a clear understanding of social channel trends is required. To embark on your image post-creation journey, start by meticulously assessing social media platforms that offer optimal visibility based on your target audience, emerging trends, and user statistics.

 

 

5. Content Style

 

Now imagine you own an egg production company and are looking to stay relevant to your target audience through social media content marketing

Here is how you can create catchy content by using the right keywords related to your business.

 

world record egg most liked egg in the world

As per a recent survey, Instagram is the No.1 platform for brand discovery. You can grow your community with expressive storytelling incorporated into short-form reels, image posts, 24-hour stories and live streaming. 

 

  • Facebook: Feeling eggcited —— at the barn 

Facebook is a prime example of a top-rated platform that excels at catering to an audience seeking entertainment and information through captivating visual content. The market leader has over 2.9 billion users, as per Statista. 

 

  • Quora: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or rather, which one had the guts to start this whole poultry paradox?

By crafting interactive Q&A style pieces, you can create content that resonates with Quora’s community. However, the catch here is that direct promotional posts go against guidelines. So keep in mind to use a conversational tone.

 

  • LinkedIn: How plant-based eggs will revolutionise the sustainable food industry in 2023 

Linkedin is a niche platform for professional articles. Publish long-form articles with valuable infographics, industry analysis, or expert advice and gain 2X conversion rates.

 

  • YouTube: How to make art and crafts using eggshells in 5 minutes? Watch now

By creating tutorials and how-to videos, advertisers can reach 2.527 billion users, as per insights from datareportal. Create videos that demonstrate the usage of your products or offer guidance in relevant areas.

 

  • TikTok: Hey folks, here’s how you make healthy dishes with just egg yolks #trendingtiktok #trendingrecipe 

Participate in popular TikTok challenges to showcase your brand’s creativity. Nearly 92% take action after watching TikTok videos.

Create duets or react to user-generated content related to your brand.

 

  • Spotify: Currently listening to “How’d ya like your eggs in the Morning” by Dean Martin 

Spotify audio ads drove +14% attention compared to the average platform time. You can create podcast ads, Sponsored Playlists, and sponsored branded moments.  

  • X: Retweet @X to bring back the default profile picture #bringbacktheEgg

bring the egg back twitter

Update threads and share concise texts that spark conversation. Remember, discussions, not controversies! Go ahead and be generous in adding GIFs and memes.

 

 

6. The best ads are ads that don’t even seem like ads!

 

Yes, you heard it right! The most effective ads seamlessly blend with content, building brand awareness, value, engagement, and loyalty. Brands like Apple and Nike achieve this by creating content centred on their brand values. 

Nike celebrates athletes, and Apple revolves around user experience. As Steve Jobs said, “Marketing is about Values.”

The secret lies in connecting content with your brand’s core values.

 

 

7. Add humour with relatability

 

The key is to balance delivering information and keeping your audience entertained across multiple social media platforms.

Remember, content does not have to be mere information; it is best effective when entertaining, uplifting, or simply sharing moments of joy. 

By diversifying your content and infusing it with authenticity, relatability, and humour, you are all set with a winning formula to conquer the digital world. 

 

 

Embrace Diversification to Stay Ahead of the Curve

Key Takeaways 

  1. Always stay active and never stand still on social media channels.
  2. Experiment with new platforms to avoid reliance on a particular channel 
  3. Ensure to prepare and schedule updates for special holidays ahead of time
  4. Customise post format as per channel dynamics
  5. Post polls or insightful quotes regularly
  6. Use insights and stats to assess the engagement rate
  7. Balance is Key: Keep the content knowledgeable and entertaining
  8. Respond with comments, reposts, reactions and DMs 
  9. Link the content to your brand values
  10. Add playful visuals with a touch of humour

 

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Up-And-Coming 2023 Trends In Social Media Marketing

social media marketing in 2023

Social media spending rose in 2022 and will continue to grow in 2023 as marketing picks up after the pandemic. More people are staying connected online – Statista’s data found that 4.26 billion people used social media platforms in 2021! And that figure will keep rising, which is good for social media marketing in 2023! Marketers like yourself can look forward to rapidly developing technologies and feature updates on social media platforms. These developments will help your social media marketing keep up with changing consumer behavior and social media habits.

In times of frequent changes, it’s only natural for us to seek experts’ advice. And they answered that call. Many top marketers have shared their predictions on trends in 2023 for online social commerce. So, we’ve distilled it all into this helpful article for you – read on to learn more about those insights!

Social Media Marketing in 2023: Short-Form Videos Go Viral

Social media trend 2023 influencer ilustration make a short video photography

Move over, horizontal wide-screen videos. The ideal video format in 2023 is vertical and under 15 seconds long. Short-form video content predominates most social media platforms, with TikTok as the frontrunner leading the pack. There are also Instagram Reels, Youtube Shorts, and even Twitter. It’s nothing new, and it’s here to stay.

Experts say that the short-form video trend will continue to grow in 2023. Brands should capitalize on the popularity of short video formats when producing social media content. Short-form vertical videos are easy and cost-effective, with high organic reach compared to other content types. You can easily create a short vertical video using TikTok’s in-app editor or Canva. Short-form videos are arguably the best social media content format for marketers and content creators this year.

TikTok has poised itself to succeed in this area because of its first-mover advantage in the market. TikTok has also become the primary advertising platform chosen by content marketers, especially because of its large user base. More social media users are flocking to TikTok from other websites, causing engagement on the social platform to skyrocket.

Short-form visual social media content is an essential ingredient in viral social media marketing campaigns. In 2023, digital marketing will use faster informal and conversational marketing strategies. Business is no longer constrained to old-school, formal, and face-to-face agreements. Many brands and consumers are increasingly adopting a ‘digital-first’ attitude towards business and consumption.

With so much digital noise, viral social media marketing helps your brand stand out on social networks. Viral marketing uses funny and emotional content to make the audience feel and remember your brand better. Short-form videos are concise and memorable; they are ideal mediums for your brand’s content to become viral. So, start with something funny and relatable to evoke emotion in your audience. The best viral content keeps audiences engaged and entertained by offering a memorable interaction with your brand. It’s conversational and caters to what your audience wants to know, not what you want to sell to them.

Short vertical video content should also be cross-posted to other platforms: TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Facebook and Instagram. For instance, you could regularly publish Instagram reels and use other short vertical videos as regular posts instead of photos. Remember to post your video at the right time when most of your audience is online. It gives your post higher visibility and rewards your account with more engagement. Pin important featured posts to the top of your profile for new visitors.

Also read: Trendy Instagram Ideas For 2023

High Confidence Levels In ROI Of Social Media Marketing

The experts said it first: confidence levels in social media marketing are at an all-time high this year. In a 2021 survey by Hootsuite, 96% of marketers were confident in social media’s ROI (return on investment). Marketers believe social media marketing helps them engage their audience and increase conversions. Marketing budgets are yet to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels, but numbers show it’s steadily growing. As ad spending gradually increases, this trend will also hold true for social media marketing in 2023. For content marketers like yourself, 2023 is the time for your brand’s marketing strategy to shine.

 

Proactive & Targeted Engagement With The Audience

Target audience illustration photography social media marketing trend 2023

According to marketing pundits, brands should aim for proactive and targeted audience engagement for higher ROI in 2023. Social media channels are already saturated with content, and there’s stiff competition to cut through the noise. Brands that proactively and strategically target a specific audience niche will succeed in making their mark. You need more than just a content strategy to drive leads and sales. Your brand must be willing to do the legwork of personally reaching out to your consumers. It’s tedious and time-consuming, but proactive engagement gives you the most conversions.

Social media is an excellent tool for finding and developing sales prospects. Marketing experts recommend starting by creating content to attract your potential target audience. Once you’ve identified the right audience, select those who show interest in what you’re offering. Start creating content to target this specific group. Remember that your end goal is a sale because content creation drives your sales. You should aim to turn these interested audiences into potential customers.

Next, reach out to the interested prospects and engage them in personal conversation. Pay attention to their needs and offer helpful information to nurture a meaningful consumer relationship. The subsequent sale will be much more sincere and natural when you’ve earned their trust and respect. In the long term, you’ll build a loyal customer base of people who trust your brand to meet their needs.

Influencer marketing is one of the popular social media trends for 2023. Content creators aren’t as inaccessible as you think; most smaller creators earn less than USD 100 per post. You can engage more cost-effective micro-influencers if you own a relatively small business. Micro-influencers tend to have a smaller, more devoted following. Their content creation caters to a niche audience, so it aligns with your brand’s targeted social media marketing strategy.

And no, you don’t necessarily have to engage an influencer. Influencer marketing strategy increases brand awareness and trust among your consumer base. You can create authentic content for target audiences to increase brand loyalty. To learn more about influencer marketing, read our blog post on DIY influencer strategies to promote your brand!

You should also diversify your social media marketing strategy across various platforms to reach your target audience. LinkedIn is still best for B2B marketers due to its focus on work and business. TikTok is great for your B2C strategy and for engaging younger audiences. Experts predict that most brands will target these two large platforms for their social media marketing in 2023. More social media users are congregating on LinkedIn and TikTok after moving away from other platforms. It’s also because Twitter’s 2022 content guideline changes have driven brands and users away from the platform in 2023. Organic engagement could be cut back on Twitter, decreasing opportunities for brands to build their customer base there.

 

Social Media Customer Care = Higher ROI

While you’re busy out there growing your customer base, remember to care for your existing customers too. The social media marketing is competitive, and you shouldn’t lose customers at this point. Make a customer care program part of your brand experience; it benefits existing and potential customers, increasing ROI.

Social media is fundamentally a tool to enrich customer connections, not just a content broadcasting channel. Customers check out your brand for the content but stay for the relationships and impeccable customer service. Your brand should primarily use social media to connect with customers and grow their loyalty. Encourage sincere brand conversations and introduce a customer care program to get this done.

How do you implement a customer care program? Marketing specialists shared a few tips to help you begin. Browse your social media channels to identify where customer acquisition and retention happen most frequently. Next, create content that drives engagement, like asking for opinions and product input. Respond to audience queries as often as possible, and look where your brand is tagged online. Finally, develop excellent customer service to meet customers’ needs after the sale.

Customers want to interact with your brand digitally like they would in person. So, ensure you provide avenues for them to communicate with you directly; social media makes it more accessible. Leave your Instagram DMs open, and respond to comments often. Host an Instagram or Facebook live stream every month to answer frequently asked questions. These little moments of personable interaction in your social media marketing strategy help turn passing customers into brand devotees.

 

Alternative Realities & Artificial Intelligence

Man using VR headset experiencing metaverse virtual reality and augmented reality

Social media trends for 2023 will see the continued rise of alternative realities and artificial intelligence (AI). You’re probably familiar with these terms: augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Alternative realities are so prevalent and ubiquitous in digital marketing that AR and VR advertising is already considered mainstream. If you are yet to try any of these options, you’re missing out. But don’t worry because 2023 is still early enough to start. AR and VR are still growing in popularity on social media platforms like TikTok. Users are still experimenting and getting comfortable with AR visual content, so now’s the next best time to strike.

TikTok leads in this area because of its first-mover advantage and reliability in hosting AR and VR technologies. It already hosts AR filters and special effects that content creators can add to videos. TikTok’s existing infrastructure and extensive user database – projected to exceed 800 million by 2023, makes it appealing to marketers. TikTok wins the lion’s share of ad budgets for social media marketing compared to other social media giants like Instagram. So, consider getting your brand’s content out on TikTok to reach a newer and larger audience.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to be popular, with recent rapid advancements in AI content creation models. OpenAI research has given birth to projects like DALL.E (AI image generation) and ChatGPT (AI content writing), among others. AI is revolutionizing content creation, and brands should embrace it by using AI tools to enhance their content quality. Experts predict that adopting AI tools in marketing will become more widespread in 2023. The early adopters will have a strategic edge over other brands as they lead the forefront of AI-assisted marketing. So, consider revitalizing and diversifying your brand’s social media marketing strategy with AI-assisted content this year.

 

A Return To Facebook’s Roots With Community Development

Social media influencer interact with followers

Facebook re-embraces its origins with the resurgence of community development. Experts predict that 2023 is when Facebook’s obsession with vanity metrics in social media marketing finally fades out. In 2023, vanity metrics will give way to meaningful, smaller-scale conversations. Businesses quietly and sincerely build strong customer relationships to accumulate engagement metrics that matter. Online Facebook communities are engaging in more honest and heartfelt conversations with the brands they follow.

That’s good news for your social media marketing strategy. Your brand’s community is the bread and butter of your business, and conversations are how you grow that community. Create groups for customers to gather and talk to each other, and involve yourself by asking about customers’ concerns. When you care for your customers, they’ll have a reason to care for you.

 

Social Media Marketing In 2023 Is Full Of Possibilities

It’s a lot to take in. So many changes are ahead, and experts have offered exciting insights on what opportunities to seize. But there is also plenty of promise and hope. Remember their advice when you start planning this year’s marketing strategy. Bring your brand’s social media marketing to new heights in 2023 and embrace what’s to come. The future is yours to create, and we wish you all the best on your business journey.

 

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Trendy Instagram Ideas For 2023

Trendy instagram ideas for 2023 art vector website banner

Think about this: it’s a new year, and you’re looking through your brand’s Instagram accounts to revisit old content. Something feels off. Maybe your content is getting a little stale. Or you’re waiting for that creative spark to make content that doesn’t fall flat. Your audiences aren’t engaging with your posts as often as they used to. You may have even entertained the radical idea of abandoning Instagram altogether.

But Instagram is still alive, contrary to what some rumors suggest. The stalwart social media application has consistently evolved to keep up with the latest trends. It remains a crucial platform for creators and brands to stay in touch with their customer base. Instagram is one of the main touchpoints for people to find information about your brand. So, don’t dismiss Instagram from your toolbox of content-sharing channels yet.

Entering 2023 doesn’t mean you have to spring-clean everything from the previous year. Sometimes, you need a different way of presenting old content ideas to revive your engagement numbers again. We’ve compiled ideas for inspiring things to try on Instagram with your brand. Go through the list and pick a few that excite you – or try them all!

Engaging Instagram Ideas For 2023

The main goal of your Instagram strategy should be to engage your audience. Audience engagement gets people talking and gives your brand a leg-up in the Instagram algorithm race. These ideas for 2023 will help you vary the type of content you post to increase engagement and brand awareness.

Informative Things To Try On Instagram: How To Do This (And Much More) With Short Guides And Tutorials

Forget boring instructional manuals and lists – use video tutorials to answer all your customers’ questions instead. Post video guides catering to customer inquiries and commonly-faced issues. You could teach audiences how to place an order, fill out a form, or set up your product or service. For instance, Zoom uploads short ‘pro-tip’ Instagram reels teaching customers how to use its application functions. These bite-sized tutorials convey small, digestible pieces of information to audiences. It’s perfect for capturing and retaining audience attention.

You could also add some guided videos closely related to your brand products. For instance, a small food business might post a how-to video on food decoration ideas for birthday celebrations. Feature your products and services as options in these videos; intrigued audiences may check out your page.

Pick relevant topics for your target audience to give them the information they want. Provide valuable content to your customers, and they’ll look up to your brand for authoritative data in the future. It boosts your credibility as a subject area expert in your industry.

Lastly, consider hosting a live Q&A session to address frequently asked questions. ‘Lives’ are one of the most helpful things to try on Instagram to answer customer queries effectively. Use ‘Instagram Lives’ to directly connect with your audience and answer the questions in the chat box. It heightens the sense of immediacy and closeness with your audience, boosting their trust in your brand.

 

Relatable Things To Try On Instagram: A Day In My Life, Or What Goes On Behind The Scenes

a day in my life travelling, Trendy Instagram Ideas For 2023

There’s no better way to enhance the human connection between your team and customers than candid videos. User-generated content posted by influencers evokes trust and rapport with followers because of its honesty and transparency. Use this influencer marketing strategy to make your brand feel more relatable and personable.

Create behind-the-scenes reels showcasing what goes on in your business’s day-to-day operations. You can do this through vlogs, team member introductions, or group interviews. Take a few team selfies and fun shots during company bonding sessions. Combine photos and videos into one Instagram post to make a dynamic slideshow for followers to scroll through.

You could also do “a day in my life” videos and get staff to vlog about their daily work life. You can also film process clips to show customers how you make your products. Some small businesses film and upload “pack an order with me” videos to show the packaging and delivery processes. Some also compile honest “blooper reels” to show outtakes and rejected product shots.

‘Behind-the-scenes’ videos make a brand more transparent and relatable, with honest communication, increasing customers’ trust. Audiences will better appreciate your hard work in creating quality products and services. It humanizes your brand and strengthens connections between your staff and the customers they serve.

 

Cool Things To Try On Instagram: Up Your Reel Editing Game

gamers woman live streaming on social media, Trendy Instagram Ideas For 2023

You can quickly assemble a basic transition reel with many free mobile phone editing applications. Experiment with stop-motion, zoom-ins, and close-ups for interesting visual effects. As simple as it sounds, a well-edited Instagram reel has high replay value as it’s mesmerizing and satisfying to watch. It captivates audiences quickly and is perfect for the short attention spans of your Gen Z audiences.

Be bold and take inspiration from other popular social media platforms too! TikTok video edits are a goldmine for new content ideas and viral microtrends. You can discover new audio and visual effects ideas for your Instagram reels.

 

Funny Things To Try On Instagram: Make Them Laugh

Humor is an excellent ingredient for creating relatable content because who doesn’t love a good laugh? Witty content is one of the defining characteristics of great Instagram ideas for 2023. Research by IPSOS shows that 81% of consumers love it when brands create humorous content. Tickle your audiences’ funny bone with memes, candid reaction videos, quirky jokes, or ingenious wordplay.

 

Memorable Things To Try On Instagram: Archive Your Best Moments And Thank Followers For Their Support

beauty vlogger doing video her followers, Trendy Instagram Ideas For 2023

You can also balance your humor with sentimentality. Post a thank-you note to your followers when you hit social media follower milestones. Or, compile nostalgic year-end rewind reels to compile your most memorable company events and achievements. These are a beautiful testament to your brand’s progress and growth. It’s one of our most memorable Instagram ideas for 2023. An archive reel is also an excellent opportunity to thank your customers for their support!

 

Thrilling Things To Try On Instagram: Sneak Peeks And Countdowns

Generate hype with an Instagram story countdown for a new product launch, a contest, or a milestone giveaway. Countdowns create suspense and excitement, increasing audience engagement when they subscribe for timer notifications. To up the ante, post sneak peeks of upcoming content and get audiences to comment on their thoughts. It encourages audiences to engage actively with your content. Remember to share your links and posts on the Instagram story, too, as only some people scroll through their feeds.

 

Unexpected Things To Try On Instagram: Ask Your Audience For Ideas Instead

Use content to ask your audiences a question. Ask them for ideas, answers, and opinions – you’d be delighted at how many of them respond to your post. Get them to ‘Caption This!’ with a witty tagline and test their creativity. Upload meme-worthy photos, puzzles, or abstract images with no context. Next, ask your audience to come up with a caption. Feature the best answer on your Instagram story and tag the user to give them a shoutout. Remember to post the runner-ups and honorable mentions too! It drives discussion and engagement in the comments section.

 

Buzzworthy Things To Try On Instagram: Quizzes And Giveaways (People Love Competitions And Free Stuff)

influencer posting social media Trendy Instagram Ideas For 2023

People love the thrill of competitions and the prospect of free things. An effective way to increase visibility and engagement on your posts is to host a giveaway or a contest. Get your followers to share the post and tag people – their friends, family members, and colleagues, to join the competition. You’ll usually gain new followers as more people discover your brand page during the giveaway period. It spreads your content to new audiences and potential customers, increasing brand awareness. There’s nothing wrong with some friendly competition where people try their luck to be one of the winners. It’s fun and exciting for everyone, and you’ll boost peoples’ positive impressions of your brand.

 

Traditional Things To Try On Instagram: Show Off Those Glowing Testimonials

Customer reviews are the foundation for your brand to grow and expand. It’s the reason why traditional testimonials are the tried-and-tested, old-but-gold method of building an excellent brand reputation. Customers usually check online reviews when deciding whether to buy from a brand. Use positive customer testimonials as leverage to convince potential customers of your brand’s trustworthiness. Feature great testimonials on your Instagram feed, and thank the reviewers for their support. Also, try reposting user reviews on Instagram, such as Instagram story mentions. Social proof increases your brand’s reliability and customer trust; it’s a critical part of your Instagram marketing strategy.

Also read: How To Leverage Your Content Marketing Strategy In Instagram Reels

After reading our list of things to try on Instagram, it’s time for you to start creating your content. Choose what fits your brand and target audience best, and most importantly, have fun while doing it. Good luck!

 

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Is TikTok Going to Replace Google In The Future?

tiktok and google bannert art vector for website and header

TikTok is the fastest-growing video platform in the world. Its popularity spread like wildfire and it became an effective mass media platform. It has become a global tech giant, influencing trends from shopping to music.

The pandemic sped up the rise of TikTok as many people began spending more time online. A recent viral tweet in May 2022 questioned whether TikTok beats Google as a search engine. With its widespread reach and content, TikTok could compete with Google to be the world’s top search engine. But is TikTok going to replace Google?

TikTok: A Youthful Community

tikok youthful community banner art vector showing balerina and tiktok logo

TikTok is commonly associated with younger users. Studies indicate that nearly 40% of users aged between 18-24 use TikTok to search for lunch. A survey of US users by Wallaroomedia found that 60% of American TikTok users are between 16 to 24 years old. Many of these young users are part of Gen Z, people born between 1997 and 2012.

Another study by Omnicore Agency estimated that 43% of the global TikTok audience are users ages 18 to 24. According to demographic  insights from Statista, TikTok’s global audience comprises 21% women aged 18-24 and 15.5% men aged 25-34.

 

A Tik Tok Triumph

Elf Cosmetics’ #EyesLipsFace campaign on TikTok has been recognised as the most influential campaign by AdWeek. The campaign generated over 7 billion views, 5 million user-generated videos and 1.5 billion earned record breaking media impressions on platforms like Vogue, Buzzfeed and Forbes.

Elf cosmetics’ unique approach of composing its own music hit all the right notes which was then added to 300,000 spotify playlists forming  a deeper connection with Gen Z.

There are several critical differences in how TikTok and Google work, which could explain why users increasingly prefer TikTok instead of Google.

 

Tik Tok vs Google : A Closer Look

The main reason would be a difference in format. Users actively search for something and type specific questions with keywords in the search box. Google lists the websites; users must manually browse content by opening those links in new tabs. Conversely, TikTok allows users to scroll through a seamless stream of TikTok videos in its search results. Users experience fewer interruptions when browsing TikTok than Google, leading to higher satisfaction levels. It is one area where TikTok is better than Google.

Some users who prefer TikTok have stated that subject matter experts usually provide content on TikTok, and these people are familiar with the subject and post videos on it. Compared to blog posts found in Google results, TikTok videos often have higher engagement in the form of comments. Users can verify the accuracy of the information presented in the video based on the likes and comments the post has gained.

 

Tiktok : A Rising Alternative

User satisfaction with Google services is also decreasing, which explains why TikTok is rising as a better alternative. It explains why engagement is falling on Google maps or search. Some users complained that Google’s search results now rank inaccurate information on the first page, and more accurate information is often hidden in secondary pages, making it harder to find.

Google’s Senior Vice President, Prabhakar Raghavan, addressed this trend at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference. He noted that users seek more immersive experiences instead of using keywords to discover content. Google confirmed these findings through studies done on young people in the US. You can bet on videos when it comes to immersive experiences for consumers. TikTok’s strength lies in providing users with engaging content discovery.

Users browse TikTok passively, seeking exciting videos without specific intent. Along the way, they discover a fashion trend or a dance challenge they like. It creates a positive content discovery experience; they enjoy and return to it spontaneously. Over time, as they find more exciting videos while browsing, their trust in TikTok increases, sure to find quality content on TikTok. It makes TikTok their primary choice when searching for information.

 

Winning the Attention Game with TikTok

Finally, TikTok also beats Google in providing more attention-grabbing, visual-based content. Humans respond 60,000 times faster to visual content than text. Attention spans are decreasing in the current visual economy, and Internet users seek quick and easy content. The short-form video format on TikTok satisfies global consumers. Video content captures Internet users’ attention much faster, providing quick and convenient entertainment.

Also read: How To Leverage Your Content Marketing Strategy In Instagram Reels And Tiktok

 

TikTok And SEO: Targeting Users With What They Want

Tiktok influencer man playing saxophone in his live video wearing brown shirt and red ambience

Despite the differences, TikTok could be a key player in the future search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. Google is starting to index results from TikTok or Instagram. It means that content on these platforms can rank higher on search results.

Given how much TikTok influences consumer buying patterns, SEO professionals should capitalize on this trend. A survey found that 44% of TikTok users discovered new products through the platform. Users spend 14% more when TikTok content is part of their purchase decision. Some businesses could benefit greatly from posting content on TikTok if their products are marketed best through video. SEO professionals should consider adding short-form, vertical-format videos to their content strategies.

 

Google Still Has Its Place

woman using smartphone to searching on Google photography blue

All this isn’t to say that TikTok will replace Google. Google retains its spot as the world’s top search engine because of its broader range of content.

TikTok is better for video-based content with lower stakes. It could be craft or cooking content. Watching a video demonstration to learn a craft technique is more effective than reading a blog. There are also less severe consequences for the user if the TikTok video on crafting presents incorrect information.

 

Google : The Hub of Trustworthy Information

Compare this with content on financial planning or current affairs. Such topics have higher stakes because they affect important life events more. They also require accurate information from sources with more expertise and credibility. In such instances, turning to Google for information would be better. Google brings back multiple search results across various textual and visual formats. This forces users to compare information across different sources. While this seems tedious, it ensures the user filters out the most accurate and reliable information.

 

TikTok’s Viral Content Culture

Tiktok’s application interface encourages more content to go viral. Accurate information may spread fast, but so does inaccurate information. TikTok’s young and impressionable user base also means many young users risk exposure to viral but inaccurate information. It is one of the downsides of TikTok, it emphasises content discovery, not content filtering. A large number of internet users discredit TikTok due to this reason.

TikTok offers robust content discovery, while Google fulfils a user’s search intent. TikTok may excel in several areas where Google doesn’t. However, for good reason, Google has persistently ranked as the world’s primary search engine. Each platform fulfils a different purpose, and internet users can choose which one to use. Ultimately, it’s about deciding which platform is the best for the type of content a user wants.

 

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No Influencer To Promote Your Brand? Do It Yourself!

No influencer to promote your brand? Why not do it yourself? Brands and consumers have gone digital with their consumption and marketing, making the digital marketplace more lucrative and crowded. Businesses generate digital content daily and must compete with each other for consumer attention. Your brand is no exception because it needs to cut through the noise to stand out. Your business must adopt new advertising strategies to retain high conversions and advertising performance levels in the competitive digital landscape.

Statistics show that consumers prefer content over advertising. In Germany, about 50% of consumers install adblockers. 99.5% of digital advertising impressions are ignored by audiences and fail to create increased conversions. Research by Pulse Advertising has found that original creator and user generated content give brands an advantage over others. Many consumers seek authentic and original content over superficial traditional advertising.

Influencer marketing strategy is a powerful tool to harness the benefits of original content creation. It is because influencers produce native content that resonates well with potential consumers. Native content creation enhances your business’s marketing campaigns and creates increased conversions.

Remember to consider the importance of influencer marketing for business to generate interest in your products. Even if you don’t have an influencer to promote your brand, you can still use an influencer marketing strategy to succeed.

Why Do Brands Work With Influencers?

Collaborating with influencers helps brands to improve audience engagement and increase conversions. Interestingly, influencers enjoy the attention of their followers on social media. They have the ability to influence consumer behaviors and consumption patterns. Engaging a successful influencer with more than 250,000 followers creates the same impact as a celebrity endorsement.

Influencer marketing strategy is essential for successful digital marketing and sales. It is evident in the example of the American beauty brand Glossier. Over 70% of Glossier’s sales come from referrals and influencer shares from its Instagram ambassador campaign. Through this campaign, Glossier engaged many macro and micro-influencers who created original, relatable content to promote the brand. Glossier has now become a billion-dollar enterprise, even though it only started in 2014.

You don’t need to work with influencers to enjoy the same benefits. Your brand can use similar strategies to enhance its advertising performance and conversion rates. We’ll show you how to do so in this blog.

 

Know Your Target Audience

Influencers succeed because they have a target audience interested in their content niche. They establish relationships with their target audience by providing content that caters to them. For instance, micro-influencer mayzunewin from Myanmar owns a tour company, and her target audience is people who love traveling. She uses personal travel experiences on her Instagram account to share helpful advice with her followers. She builds a strong relationship with her target audience by creating content that appeals explicitly to travel lovers.

Similarly, identify and attract a target audience for your brand. Have a thorough understanding of your target audience’s needs and wants, and address them in your original content. Establish close relationships with your target audience to make your marketing strategy more focused and impactful.

 

Build Brand Loyalty By Increasing Trust

Build Brand Loyalty By Increasing Trust

Micro-influencers’ authenticity and honesty help them gain the trust of their audience, turning a follower into a loyal fan. Similarly, small businesses should create strong brand loyalty to attract dedicated customers and increase conversions.

For instance, Glossier’s product team built brand loyalty by increasing the trust of their audience. The company promised to deliver products based on what consumers wanted. They created candid, transparent content that was true to the brand motto. They featured honest product reviews from many customers, shared product inspiration photos, and considered product ideas from customers. It increased customers’ confidence in the business’s honesty and reliability.

Build brand loyalty among your customers by creating authentic and honest content. Take customer feedback seriously and make content that is genuine to your brand image and values. Make customers feel involved and valued by being transparent about your production processes. It increases trust and brand loyalty among your customers, leading to increased conversions.

 

Engage The Youth And Increase Content Interaction

Creating exciting and engaging content is crucial because Gen Z comprises 40% of global consumers. Research from Marketing Charts shows that visual content can best engage Gen Z. They enjoy tapping, swiping, and clicking on interactive elements such as polls, stickers, and comments. They also want short, bite-sized content that creatively relays information. Influencer samseats collaborated with Feasty to link his Tiktok video content to the food app. His video was concise, presenting his recipes creatively, and was even visually appealing. The link lets users click and scroll to view the full recipe on the Feasty app.

Replicate this with your brand by producing interactive visual content that increases engagement and conversion among younger users. Include links, stickers, and filters to make your content more captivating and exciting.

Gen Z consumers also love content that is relatable and memorable. For instance, Bretmanrock is a Filipino beauty influencer famous among Gen Z audiences for his funny makeup videos. Some audiences have even turned his reaction videos into viral memes. His content is relatable and memorable because of his humor and wit.

Engage Gen Z audiences with content that has a strong sense of humor to make your brand approachable and charismatic. Produce content like memes, social media challenges, and comedy videos. Create a fun and memorable content consumption experience for your brand’s younger audience. Viewers might attempt the social media challenge or share your memes and videos with others. It improves content interaction and increases brand awareness. Your funny content might even go viral as a social media trend!

Also read: Enhance Your Brand Experience With AR/VR

 

Increase Brand Awareness Through Competitions And Giveaways

Increase Brand Awareness Through Competitions And Giveaways

Influencers host giveaways and competitions to engage their followers and generate interest. Bretmanrock hosts giveaways encouraging his followers to vote on their favorite products and tag their friends. It spreads the content as his followers tag new audiences in the comment section.

Host public giveaways and social media competitions to generate interest in your page. Also, encourage audiences to leave their votes in the comments. Invite them to tag friends to bring more attention to your page and introduce your content to new people. It increases digital engagement and provides good publicity for your brand. With greater brand awareness, you will increase the number of likes and comments on your social media posts. It improves your social media page rankings and increases visibility as well.

You must pair your great product or service with a solid marketing strategy. Use an influencer marketing strategy to grow your brand and upgrade your advertising. Adopt the mindset of an influencer in this digital landscape to increase brand reputation, improve audience engagement and increase conversions. You can do all these and more, even without an influencer.

 

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Latest Buzz: Facebook Building Instagram For Kids

Facebook Building Instagram For Kids

Facebook is all set to woo its younger audience with an Instagram app for kids below 13 years. Yes, kids like and learn by copying their parents and others around. But, unfortunately, Instagram smites the adults. It’s the latest fad; even a critic cannot avoid it. 

Social media and its superpower to engage people are not new, but Instagram is an entirely fresh experience. As a “no strings attached” thing, you are treated with visual delights, almost in even click. 

After its phenomenal success with adults, Facebook is working on the kids’ version of Instagram. It has already triggered a buzz among its target audience, and parents are a bit worried about it. However, to set things clear from the beginning and avoid resistance, Facebook has already clarified that it is bringing a parent controlled Instagram.

Facebook has grown much beyond a social networking site; it has been working on building additional products to enhance the brand experience. The latest product is for people under the age of 13.

Facebook Building Instagram For Kids

Facebook Building Instagram App For Kids Under 13

As Adam Mosseri confirmed, the idea of Instagram for kids is being worked on, broke to the public, it spread like wildfire. It even got parents worrying about children’s involvement with the photo-sharing app. However, Mosseri has clarified that it will be a parent controlled experience for kids below age of 13.

Why Instagram For Kids?

Looking at the developments and coming to the bare fact, it is business. As kids watch their parents and other adults around engaging with the app, they get drawn to it as well. It is pretty usual. It is how the demand for Instagram among kids grew. Markets supply what’s in demand. So, Facebook planned to launch Instagram to help kids in connecting with friends, discover new hobbies and interests.

The social media app is compelling to inspire the audience, follow a line of action, set trends and be highly entertaining. Millennial kids have risen above the usual child’s play and engaging in what grownups do. It brings them to Instagram and other apps. Facebook is building an Instagram for kids. Joe Osborne, a spokesperson for Facebook, mentioned to one of the reputed news websites that kids ask their parents if they can join apps like Instagram. It has pushed the social media giant to build a version for kids under 13. The content and user norms will be for kids that are suitable for them.

Facebook Building Instagram For Kids

Critics Ask: How Safe Will Instagram Will Be For Kids?

Social media and its penetrating influence gave birth to multiple controversies. You cannot even ignore some. Instagram views this opportunity as an essential benchmark for the company and will be trying every means to make it happen. However, they will be doing so while ensuring it’s safe for the kids and everyone related. They have options for parents. It will be a parent controlled experience to Instagram. 

Often data is fished out from such platforms and are feed to different marketing objectives. Children are its target audience. It is what sparks the security concern for kids. In 2019, Facebook’s add-free Messenger kids app ran into a mess. The app developed a bug that allowed kids to join groups with unknown people. It was highly criticized in different circles, and children’s health advocates even urged Zuckerberg to take it down. 

We Leave You With A Thought To Ponder

Entertainment or infotainment, you are the best person to evaluate a platform for your kid. Children under the age of 13 are too young to decide for themselves. So, parental guidance and control are compulsory and will be there. They have been exploring bringing a parent on board to make it a fool-proof venture. 

Instagram or no Instagram, your child should collect the best of experiences of their childhood. They should have memories to cheer and stories to share when they grow up.

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3 Instagram Tools

Ecommerce has been on the rise, and we can blame Covid-19 for that, but this trend has been around since even before the pandemic. Brands and businesses have all turned to list their products online to reach a wider group of consumers that traditional sales would not be able to.

With the advent of social media, these platforms have found a way to capitalise on their influence. Having a designated area where businesses can directly sell their products benefits the brands themselves and makes it more convenient for consumers to find what they want.

Indeed, eCommerce is taking over everywhere — including social media, and it’s time we took a look at just how vital this wave is.

Speaking of social media, of course, one of the most popular and most used platforms is Instagram itself. In fact, they are amongst the top 5 most used social media apps in January 2020, based on the number of active users. There is no doubt that Instagram has, in recent years, devised ways to help brands boost their visibility on their platform. This includes the addition of eCommerce functions, which we will be explaining in detail below.

  • Instagram Checkout

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One of Instagram’s special functions is its shoppable posts or purchasable messages, where you could put a link to a product on a platform outside of Instagram. Users will then be directed to an eCommerce site where they can place their orders.

Instagram Checkout, on the other hand, takes that experience to another level. Instead of redirecting visitors to an external platform, Instagram now has a new function where users can make payment directly from the social media app itself. This may very well appeal to users who want to stay on Instagram and make a hassle-free payment.

  • Instagram Live Shopping

3 Instagram Shopping Tools blog image 2.jpg

Like Instagram Checkout, Instagram Live Shopping allows users to purchase products directly from the app itself, but in a live stream situation. At the bottom of a live Instagram feed, owners can add a small CTA to nudge viewers to the products. This is great for when you want to or will advertise a said product in your live stream.

Viewers who click on the CTA can have two options — either to add the product to the cart for later so they can continue watching your stream or head to pay immediately. From there on, viewers can use Instagram Checkout to buy your products directly on Instagram itself. This way, you don’t have to be worried that you’ll be losing viewers unnecessarily.

  • Facebook Stores

3 Instagram Shopping Tools blog image 3.jpg

You might be thinking, what do Facebook stores have to do with Instagram? Well, keep in mind that Facebook owns Instagram, and therefore many of its features are interlinked. Although Facebook launched Facebook Store for Facebook, it can be used for Instagram as well.

Your Instagram followers no need to create a Facebook account to interact with your Facebook store. This means that you can link your Facebook business page to other social media, including Instagram, Whatsapp, and Messenger — all of Facebook’s owned apps.

Once a store is created on Facebook, business owners can go to their Instagram profile and directly link their Facebook store. Visitors can browse products on Instagram without ever having to leave the app or create a Facebook account!

Facebook Store is an advantageous option for small businesses who can’t build an entire eCommerce website from scratch. This may be due to a lack of workforce, time, finances, or bandwidth. Instead of doing so, these businesses can turn to Facebook Stores to create eCommerce options on various social media platforms. Oberlo has a guide as to how one can set up an Instagram shop. If you do want to start an eCommerce store, Shopify or Magento is an excellent first step.

Shopping is a compelling feature on Instagram for brands, and it is likely to be even more developed in the future. Over 60% of users say they discover new products on Instagram, and more than 200 million people visit at least one business profile on Instagram daily.

Indeed, Instagram Shopping can offer so many benefits for businesses. Not only does it help to promote your products and increase sales rates, but the shopping experience for users is now more personalised as well.

The kind of products that are suggested to users on Instagram is often customised to suit each person based on what they have searched for and their other interactions on the app. This means that these products are most likely what the user would be interested in or care about. Users can even save a product and come back to it later by tapping the Label icon on a product page or a product list.

Overall, as more than 90% of Instagram accounts follow at least one other business account, Instagram is a great place to start marketing your brand. Not to mention that one-third of the most viewed Instagram stories come from businesses themselves! With more than 1 billion active users on the app, these numbers do hold some serious weight. So why not start putting these Instagram shopping tools to fair use?

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    How Long Should Your Video Content Be?

    How Long Should Your Video Content Be?

    Video length on different platforms

    Videos are increasingly becoming the more popular choice when it comes to digital marketing. After all, videos perform better than images on almost every social media platform.

    Consumers generally remember the content in videos better than in images. This is as videos are a lot more dynamic, and engage both our sight and hearing. Images, on the other hand, are static and only engage one sense: sight.

    Many marketers believe in the myth that videos are expensive and time-consuming, and not at all worth the slight advantage they hold over images. Furthermore, plenty of consumers may leave a video halfway, which would reduce the effectiveness of using such a medium.

    However, video marketing isn’t as disposable as you might think it is. 81% of businesses that use videos in their marketing strategy agree that it helps to engage your audience, deliver clear messages, and promote your brand, amongst other benefits. 95% of video marketers also noted that videos have helped increase understanding of their product or service.

    First off, videos definitely provide a significant advantage over images. Imagine if you were to convey a large amount of information via images. Your audience will most likely lose interest upon seeing such a lengthy wall of text.

    Meanwhile, videos are able to keep things concise while still answering the basic questions to help consumers make an informed choice. 64% of consumers tend to reach a purchasing decision only after watching a branded video.

    Not only that, but videos are far more engaging as well. Videos attract three times more engagement on Instagram than sponsored ads. They help to create a space for you to build connections with your audience, making your brand more personalised for them.

    So how long should your videos be?

    Be it Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, every platform has its knicks and knacks. In order to make sure your video does the best it possibly can, you need to understand not only the features each platform offers but the type of audience they cater to.

    Take for example the users on TikTok or Snapchat. They are often used to watching short clips on these platforms and would probably not appreciate it if they were suddenly forced to watch a long video. On the other hand, YouTube users are more accustomed to watching lengthier videos and therefore it is more acceptable to show them longer content. Different platforms are able to hold attention for different amounts of time, so keep that in mind.

    • Facebook

    Facebook insights have discovered that videos “get shown organically to more people when they’re at least 3 minutes long.” Keep in mind that an organic Facebook video is one that is posted and gains exposure without any advertising spend.

    At the same time, Facebook’s algorithm rewards engagement over duration, so it is not guaranteed that your video will get more exposure just because it is 3 minutes long. Therefore, make sure to focus not just on your video length, but your video message as well. By encouraging engagement such as likes, shares, and comments, your video is more likely to get a boost in their algorithm.

    The same can not be said for Facebook Video Ads.

    Marketers can also fork out a sum of money in order to get more views for their videos. For every person that watches your video for longer than 3 seconds, Facebook will charge you for a view.

    Therefore, if you’re paying to promote a video ad, you need to get your main point across as quickly as possible. The viewers that Facebook push out your ad to might not necessarily be familiar with your brand or your content, so they might lose interest easily. If that’s the case, retention is the most important target — so cut to the chase and keep it short.

    One additional tip that we recommend marketers to keep in mind is to optimise their videos to still be understandable even with the sound off. 85% of users on Facebook actually watch plenty of videos without the sound — perhaps they are in a public place — therefore, in order not to ostracise this crowd, the message of your video should be clear even while its muted.

    • Instagram

    On Instagram, there are two types of videos you can post: IGTV as well as Stories and Reels.

    The latter has restrictions on the length of your video which means that your videos generally cannot be longer than a minute. If you wish to post a video longer than 60 seconds, you would need to post it as an IGTV.

    However, HubSpot has found that videos that receive the most comments on Instagram are on average 26 seconds long. It would be best to keep videos on Instagram shorter than a minute.

    This is because people are often used to scrolling quickly through their feed on Instagram, and pausing to watch a long video actually goes against their muscle memory. As such, their attention span for videos on Instagram generally does not last as long.

    Furthermore, it is not possible to rewind these short videos on Instagram, which means that people would most likely skip or move on if they miss a part of the video and are unable to understand the point of it.

    • Twitter

    Twitter’s previous video duration limit was only a mere 30 seconds. Now, they have started allowing users to upload videos up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds long on their app, matching the character limit that they set for their tweets. However, this does not necessarily mean that you should post videos of that length.

    In fact, Twitter users are also often scrolling through their feed quickly on that very same app, which means that they would be more accustomed to shorter content. Therefore, it is still recommended to keep video content under 30 seconds long.

    If you want to get people to watch your long-form content on Twitter, you can create short teaser videos and link people out from there — be it to another social media platform such as Facebook or YouTube.

    • YouTube

    The main difference between YouTube and other social media platforms is that on YouTube, users are actively seeking out videos to watch. Instead of having a curated feed for them to scroll through, users are browsing through video content with the mental preparation to watch them.

    It is also significant to note that unlike Facebook’s algorithm, YouTube’s algorithm actually rewards videos that have more watch time by pushing them up in search results as well as users’ recommendations.

    Therefore, longer videos do have the potential to do better on YouTube — as long as viewers are engaged and actually stick around to watch your lengthy video content. YouTubers are, in fact, recording longer videos, which has been observed to rank higher in search results.

    Planning out a video marketing strategy may sound complicated, but break it down and you will see that it is easier than you think. Why not ask MIU if you have any further questions on video marketing? It is, after all, the marketing tool to look out for in 2021.

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    7 Tips to Boost Your Social Media Shares

    7 Tips to Boost Your Social Media Shares

    Having a social media strategy is a must when it comes to digital marketing. Just take a look at how much social media has influenced the way we market and communicate!

    However, we can all agree that the right social media strategy will bring you the best returns. Not all methods built equally, which is the difference between a good strategy and a bad strategy.

    One area to focus on in your social media strategy is the number of shares you accumulate. After all, part of what makes social platforms so powerful is the ability to expand your reach and gain enormous amounts of exposure — only by word-of-mouth. Going “viral” is a thing — and it’s not always bad.

    Social shares do precisely that. However, to get the maximum amount of social media shares, there are steps to follow. Results don’t come by easy — they need the effort to achieve it. Here’s what we think can help you get the shares you need.

     

    1. Prioritise the most shareable content format

     

    This might go without saying, but a lot of times, marketers make the mistake of sharing all forms of content without considering what sort of content they are.

    Research has shown that visual content is the most shared on social media, as they are quick to read and easy to digest. TikTok is one such proof that visual content is all the rage right now — look at how rapidly it has grown within the past few years. Sprout Social Index found that of all content that has been shared on social media, 68% of them are images, and 50% are videos.

    Use the functions that are already available in these social media platforms to your advantage. For instance, Twitter allowed you to pin one tweet that your followers would see above all else, and Instagram has the Highlights section where your audience can click in to discover more about your brand. So prioritise putting videos and images in these areas for maximum shares.

     

    2. Use in-built features to generate responses & increase engagement

     

    When we talk about the function, social media platforms are now rolling out many features to cater to the increasing number of brands that use their site. Twitter has an in-built poll feature, as does Instagram. Besides that, Instagram also has a question-and-answer feature for their Stories. Get your audience responding and boost your brand awareness with such features!

    LinkedIn also just released a new update where users can add links to their stories as well, to redirect viewers to their site. There are plenty of inbuilt features that you can play around to increase engagement on your social media platforms, so don’t hesitate to try it out!

     

    3. Ride the wave on trending topics

     

    This is the formula for getting viral — which, as mentioned, is not always bad. Want to score more shares? Find out what are the hot topics and capitalise on that. Better yet, use a popular meme to capture your audience’s attention. Not only does this personalise and humanise your brand, but your audience is also more likely to want to share it around. When you project your brand to be more than just a business-oriented figure, your consumers would be able to relate with you more.

     

    4. Craft engaging captions

     

    Captions are another essential part of what gets your post noticed. Without a good caption, you would probably lose half your audience. Depending on the platform, you need to adjust your captions accordingly — for example, people go onto Instagram for the pictures, and hence they are more unlikely to want to read a lengthy caption. However, those scrolling on Facebook and LinkedIn would be more open to reading and taking in an enormous amount of text and information.

    Whether your caption is long or short, make sure that it includes the keywords that you want to highlight about the post. Furthermore, always remember to put a call-to-action (CTA) at the end of every post to make it more engaging. Whether it is to ask your audience to follow your brand, purchase something, or click a link, we cannot stress enough the importance of having a CTA. Just remember not to overdo it and stick to only one CTA instead of having multiple — that will confuse your audience and result in them not wanting to take any action at all.

     

    5. Come up with a strong hashtag strategy

     

    Captions aren’t the only things that can help boost your post. Hashtags are just as important when it comes to building up your social media strategy. Using the right hashtags would bring your brand not just more exposure, but the right kind of exposure. An excellent first step is to use your own branded hashtag so that new followers can find your content easily.

    Additionally, you can engage in tools to help you find the best hashtags. Our previous blog post talks about some of the best free SEO tools beginners can use so that you can start there. Some helpful tools include All Hashtag’s free hashtag generator and Influencer Marketing Hub’s hashtag generator tool. Others like Sistrix, Kicksta, and HashtagsForLikes are all free as well.

    Since Instagram only allows a maximum of 30 hashtags, All Hashtag will give you up to 30 relevant hashtags based on one single keyword. The site also has an analytical tool to help you get useful information about your hashtags for your marketing strategy. And if you’re not sure where to start, they can offer you insights into the top trending hashtags on Instagram. So start exploring and experimenting with some of the incredible free tools out there!

     

    6. Make your posts mobile-friendly

     

    Let’s face it — most consumers nowadays are scrolling through social media on their phones. More than 80% of shares from social media visits come from mobile devices. To reach them properly, it is exceptionally vital to make sure your social media posts are crafted not just for the desktop version but also for mobile versions.

    Take into consideration each platform’s image previews so that the main point comes across in a single glance. Check those graphics are legible (even on a small screen) and zoomable so that your message is readable by your audience — otherwise your words will be for nought.

     

    7. Find out when the best times to post are

     

    Although this sounds like common sense, you may be surprised to find out how many marketers don’t consider this when planning their marketing strategy. Knowing which days and times your audience are the most active on social media is a crucial step to getting your post noticed.

    Sprout Social has an in-depth guide to helping you find out which are the best times to post, depending on the platform you’re using. Of course, this differs based on the industry you’re in and from company to company, so it is best to track your analytics to decide what works for you.

    Do also keep in mind that Covid-19 has changed the way consumers use social media and how they engage with brands. For your marketing strategy to work effectively, it is best to adjust your brand behaviour to adapt to such changes. Why not check in with MIU to find out how you can further optimise your marketing strategy? We offer free consultation services for anyone who’s looking to up their marketing game!