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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 Marketing Mistakes That Helped The Industry Get Better

MIU creative agency Singapore

Marketing is an ever-evolving industry. Companies are constantly churning out new ad campaigns and taglines to make themselves heard. As such, it is common for some of them to make marketing mistakes. 

Severe or not, these blunders can damage a brand’s reputation. No business wants to do that. It is not worth offending loyal and potential customers for an advertising campaign!

You’ve probably heard of common marketing mistakes. Perhaps, you’ve even laughed at the marketing efforts of a product or service. Or, some efforts are so bad they become good for publicity!

But mistakes lead to a positive transformation that benefits brands and consumers. The following article explores the 7 marketing fails that ultimately helped the industry improve!

7 Marketing Fails That Revolutionized The Industry

1. Sony PSP White Poster

Marketing mistake from Sony PSP White Poster campaign

In 2006, Sony released a Netherlands poster featuring a white woman grabbing a black woman’s chin. The tagline read, “PlayStation Portable White is coming.” 

Sony explained that it was meant to highlight the color differences between the two PlayStation versions. 

However, the poster was immediately criticized for its racist connotations and sparked widespread backlash. Many people called out the advertisement for using racism to sell a product.

Marketing Mistakes to Avoid: 

  1. Be aware of sensitive cultural tropes.
  2. Avoid using racial stereotypes or offensive imagery in marketing campaigns.

 

2. Burger King’s ‘Women Belong In The Kitchen’ Tweet

marketing mistake from Burger Kings ‘Women Belong In The Kitchen Tweet campaign

In March 2021, Burger King UK tweeted, “Women belong in the kitchen,” as part of a campaign to promote its scholarship program for female chefs. 

The one-liner tweet was intended to be attention-grabbing and empowering for aspiring female chefs. However, it backfired as it was taken out of context. Despite Burger King’s further comments clarifying the purpose of the tweet, the damage had already been done.

Many criticized it for promoting outdated gender stereotypes. It was also tweeted on International Women’s Day, which further fuelled the social media uproar.

Marketing Mistakes to Avoid: 

  1. Avoid using controversial or insensitive language in marketing messages, even if you intend to be provocative, humorous, or attention-grabbing.
  2. Avoid perpetuating harmful gender stereotypes in marketing messages.

 

3. Audi’s China Wedding Commercial 

This advertising mistake is an excellent example of how important cultural nuances are in marketing.

In 2017, Audi released a commercial in China that showed a bride being physically inspected by her future mother-in-law during a wedding. The commercial compared marrying a bride to shopping for a new car.

Chinese audiences criticized the advertisement for objectifying women and promoting old-fashioned gender stereotypes. Weibo users complained that Audi made misassumptions about traditional relationship dynamics in China. These assumptions were outdated and did not resonate with most people.

Marketing Mistakes to Avoid: 

  1. Be aware of cultural differences.
  2. Do not assume or over-generalize the social values of your foreign target audiences.
  3. Avoid perpetuating harmful gender stereotypes in marketing messages.

 

4. E-Pay 2019 ‘Brownface’ Ad

E-Pay 2019 ‘Brownface marketing fails

This advertisement was widely discussed in Singapore’s local forums and social media platforms. Local and international news organizations even published articles about it.

In 2019, E-Pay released an advertisement featuring a Chinese actor wearing brownface to promote their mobile payment service. The photograph was meant to depict the four races of Singapore. However, the Chinese actor intentionally darkened his skin tone and donned traditional costumes to portray a Malay and Indian person. 

The advertisement was widely criticized for its racist undertones and careless portrayal of ethnic minorities in Singapore.

Marketing Mistakes to Avoid: 

  1. Avoid using racially insensitive imagery or language in marketing campaigns.
  2. Be aware of how different audiences may perceive your messaging.
  3. Be authentic and inclusive in your portrayal of diversity.

5. Adidas Boston Marathon Email

Adidas Boston Marathon Email marketing fails

In 2017, Adidas sent a promotional email to Boston Marathon participants that included the subject line, “Congrats, you survived the Boston Marathon!” 

The email was criticized for being tone-deaf, as the 2013 Boston Marathon had been the site of a terrorist attack that caused injuries and deaths.

Marketing Mistakes to Avoid: 

  1. Be aware of the historical and cultural context of significant events.
  2. Avoid using insensitive language that might be offensive and trigger audiences.

6. Kendall Jenner Pepsi Ad

Kendall Jenner Pepsi Ad

In 2017, Pepsi released an advertisement to promote unity and togetherness. In the video, Kendall Jenner hands a can of Pepsi to a police officer, which stops a street protest.

Many people criticized the advertisement for simplifying complex social movements and erasing the struggles and oppression faced by real-life protestors. Pepsi received backlash for trivializing crucial social justice movements. 

Marketing Mistakes to Avoid: 

  1. Be aware of the social implications of your imagery and messaging.
  2. Avoid using insensitive imagery that downplays and trivializes the real-life struggles of people.

7. ‘Every Singaporean Son’ Publicity Stunt by National Geographic

Every-Singaporean-Son Publicity Stunt by National Geographic

An advertising stunt by National Geographic in Singapore backfired. It was criticized by local netizens and even by the Government of Singapore!

In 2013, National Geographic promoted the second season of “Every Singaporean Son,” a documentary series about the National Service in Singapore.

The company hired local actors to assemble at Raffles Place. These actors were dressed in army fatigues. They portrayed a platoon of conscripted national servicemen. Public members were invited to the podium to shout drill commands to these ‘recruits.’ 

Netizens immediately criticized the stunt for downplaying the efforts and sacrifices made by conscripted national servicemen. They felt that these ‘soldiers’ were staged for entertainment. 

Netizens were not the only ones who expressed their disapproval. The Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) stated they were unaware of this stunt. They condemned the improper and unapproved usage of the Singapore Armed Forces uniforms for an advertisement.

Marketing Mistakes to Avoid: 

  1. Be aware of the social and cultural meanings of nationally-significant events in foreign countries. 
  2. Seek approval from well-informed parties or authorities to ensure no sensitive or restricted imagery is used.

 

A Quick Summary

Marketing fails we have observed can serve as valuable lessons for other brands, showing them what to avoid in marketing campaigns.

fail promotion campaign from famous brand

  1. Consider tone and timing
  2. Consider political and social scenarios
  3. Do not generalize cultural practices and traditions
  4. Do not trivialize or downplay serious matters
  5. Avoid stereotyping and affiliating religion to sell your products
  6. Seek approval from relevant authorities
  7. Be creative but remember to set the focus on the product
  8. Be open to receiving opinions prior to publishment
  9. Exercise caution when choosing to collaborate with influencers and celebrities

Marketing Mistakes can significantly affect your brand. Although these mistakes have negative consequences, they help the industry improve and evolve.

Remember these lessons as you strive to create authentic, impactful, and empowering marketing campaigns!

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Why Are We Lacking Fresh Ideas For Creative Projects?

Why Are We Lacking Fresh Ideas For Creative Projects ideas icon illustration with white background and green plant in the lamp

For those who create content with zeal,

A round of applause to seal the deal.

Innovation isn’t a cakewalk,

Elusive inspiration, it may stalk,

Remember, creativity dwells within,

In every soul, a spark waiting to begin.

 

The creative process is a grueling journey and demands time, effort, and a constant flow of ideas. Just like crafting this poem above! So creative slumps are a natural part of that process.

In short, let’s address this question: why are we lacking fresh ideas for creative projects?

Creative Burnout?
Lack of new perspective?
Nothing exciting out of the box?

Why are we lacking fresh ideas? How do we resolve it?

The above poem was a humble attempt at something outside our general writing style!

Is it unconventional? Yes.
Is it out of our comfort zone? Yes
Is it risky? Yes.

So let’s discuss how we can help counter your creativity block because we tried to do the same too!

 

#1: Find Inspiration

why are lacking of fresh idea? find inspiration

Conversations

Meet people and have conversations. This can aid in discovering an alternative point of view.

Listen proactively. Ask questions. You don’t need to speak only to creative people to ignite your creativity!

Explore online forums, social media platforms, and chat groups to experience diverse opinions and perspectives.

 

Look for Novel Experiences

Stay curious and allow yourself to find inspiration everywhere.

Experience new things by stepping out of your comfort zone. The activities can mean getting bored and not doing anything at all! Which may be something other than your subject area of interest!

Engage in physical sports, listen to unfamiliar music, or visit an unusual place. Observe and listen to your environment, and be present.

You don’t need to force yourself and keep looking for ideas. Just have an open mind, and inspiration will find you.

 

Enjoy Boredom

To support our claim above, studies prove that a highly structured environment dampens spontaneity and curiosity in children, which impedes idea generation. Boredom helps children develop soft skills like adaptability, flexibility, and resourcefulness, thus increasing creativity!

This may sound counterintuitive, but as adults, it’s best to take a break from creating and generating ideas sometimes. Keeping still and staying quiet forces you to tune in to your imagination and helps unlock your creative flow.

Boredom realigns the creative system and allows your brain to combat the lack of stimulation. Without a structure, your brain begins creating plans, organizing activities, and solving problems. These skills are crucial for developing creativity and executing creative projects.

Go for a walk, or just stare at the fly on the wall; inspiration will enlighten you!

 

#2: Idea Generation

idea icon ilustration photography with black outer line and yellow background

Journal Your Thoughts

Gather your ideas, no matter how far-fetched or irrelevant they seem. Document them in a written, audio, or video format so you can retrieve them.

 

Embrace Imperfection

Perfectionism hampers the creative process, so allow yourself to ideate without the fear of messing up!  Adopt a non-judgemental stance towards your thoughts, and explore concepts without being prejudiced towards the outcome.

 

Reflect

Let your mind wander freely to restore your creative flow. Explore an idea, reflect, and resist the urge to have an end goal.

Mind mapping is an excellent tool for idea generation because it records your train of thought and helps you collect and connect disparate concepts.

 

Consume more content

Consume more content to gain new knowledge and revisit familiar concepts.

Read a book, watch a fun show, or listen to your favorite songs and podcasts. Along the way, you’ll find novel patterns between seemingly unrelated things.

Don’t worry if the knowledge you learn seems trivial or unimportant. All these pieces of information help the creative mind generate fresh ideas.

 

#3: Experimenting with Concepts

illustration photography of men while experimenting idea generation or brainstorming

Create content

Before starting your new project, dump your thoughts on a paper notepad on your trustworthy devices. Make unapologetically lousy content to get it out of your system before gathering input.

Sometimes, you must cleanse your creative mind of mental clutter and start afresh to get back into the groove.

 

Side Projects

Creatives work on several different projects simultaneously, so avoid allowing yourself to be stuck on one project!

Moving on to another project gives you downtime and expands your idle energy productively. It may be surprising, but while completing other tasks, you may create a mind-blowing concept for another ongoing project.

Working on multiple projects or concepts helps maximize your inspiration, ideas, and experiment!

 

Alternate Mediums

Creative people don’t restrict themselves to a single medium of expression. If you’re a visual artist, try writing about your images. Try acting out or drawing your written work if your dominant medium is writing.

Interchange your mode of expression to experience your creative process in a different light.

In fact, with the dawn of  AI tools, you might develop unconventional opinions, ideas, and approaches at work. Artificial Intelligence is becoming an accessible reality of the present. As the name suggests, it is a medium to elevate your creative processes in diverse ways.

 

Share

Finally, share your stories, failures, opinions, hacks, tips, and progress with others. Learning is a two-way street; you may garner more ideas from peoples’ reactions to your work.

 

Why Do We Need Fresh Ideas?

The answer is simple. Creativity must be nurtured, and we must work on our right brain rather than pressuring our logical left brain. This opens space for fresh ideas and viral concepts!

Did these tips inspire you to keep creating and exploring?

Take a breather and look around you for innovation. Let your imagination and innate instincts guide you. Remember, gather your ideas to refer to them later and shout “Eureka!” when they come in use.

Most importantly, express, process, enjoy the journey, and good luck!

 

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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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Four social media trends for 2023

Four social media trends for 2022

Do you know who is in charge of your brand? We’ll give you three chances!

Your CEO? Nope!

Company stakeholders? Na-da!

The government? Niet!

http://www.jicsi.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/social-media-customer-service-jicsi.jpg

People who are actually in charge of your brand are your customers. 

This is the ‘Age of the Customer’ in which they are really in charge. And here’s how. 

Your customers want:

– Personalized content

– Faster service

– Better experience

– And fast!

If you want your brand to survive (which you do, of course!), you have to listen to and cater to their demands.

In this article, we will show you some social media trends that will take 2022 by storm.

The more you are prepared for these, the more success you will have in fulfilling your customer’s demands. And the more success you have in that, the more you earn.

It’s simple math.

Well, let us begin.

Upcoming social media trends for 2022

Trend 1: TikTok is poised to take over social media

https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/tiktokjump1.jpeg?w=1390&crop=1

Move over Facebook, TikTok is here to stay. In fact, from 2022 onwards, this platform might just be known as the ‘king of social media.’ TikTok is dominating right now, but it will surpass all other social media platforms the next year, forcing its competitors to adapt.

TikTok is the go-to app for connecting current and new customers, and it has also broken download records for short-term videos. 

The platform’s highly personalized content recommendation mechanism shall connect with a qualified and engaged audience for content developers and companies. Right now, TikTok is gearing up to introduce an e-commerce system in the platform in addition to a monetization model. 

If you want to connect with prospective customers who are tech-savvy, TikTok is the place to go.

Trend analysis

Since its inception, the platform’s awareness has been growing. Conversations on this platform increased in numbers, spiking right during the 2020 pandemic. There has been a 61% rise in mentions from 2020 to 2021. This has not only brought more users to the platform but has also made it the first-ever apart from Facebook to reach 3 billion global downloads.

 Trend 2: Social ads shall develop, and cookies shall face a crunch

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By 2023, Google will work towards removing cookie tracking. However, the future of social advertising remains to be defined. There is an immediate need to balance offering personalized services and adhering to consent and compliance for companies and brands. 

Undoubtedly, a future without cookies is a bright one for customers, advertisers, and publishers. However, it is not such good news for companies who have been making a profit so long off private data collections and sales. Companies now have to rethink their strategy.

Trend analysis

Advertising has come a long way over the years. With the continuing evolution of social media, brands can reach more prospective customers and increase engagement and awareness. 

Since last year, advertisers have been using social media platforms more intensively to reach out to customers. 

As the internet collects billions of data points on users, it proves to be a veritable gold mine for companies. Advertisers are now seeing how social ads are essential moving forward.

 Trend 3: Social selling shall make customer’s journeys easier

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Social commerce used to mean placing ads and promotions. But now, social media platforms have begun to offer innovative selling solutions that make a customer’s buying journey easier. 

For instance, Instagram provides new shopping features that enable social media users to buy items without leaving their dedicated app. Over to 2022, companies and brands should reconsider their customer’s purchase paths. 

From now, the emphasis needs to be on offering a more accessible and more streamlined buying journey. Promotions can be done through various means. On Instagram, for instance, brands can use Stories, Reels, and posts.

Trend analysis

Social media platforms are beginning to offer innovative shopping features to e-commerce merchants, and platforms like Instagram have become one of the most popular social media for influencers. 

These influencers endorse their brands by strategic partnerships and promote their services and products by catering to a large follower base. Such influencer marketing strategies create significant opportunities for brands as well to align their offerings with the influencers for reaching their customers. 

70% of online marketers plan to spend more money on Instagram influencer marketing. 2022 might be your year to jump in as well for this marketing strategy!

Trend 4: Consumer needs will be shaped by post-pandemic content

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The pandemic has forced marketers to adapt to the evolving content trends, which has challenged their existing customer relationships and brand development. While social media was undoubtedly used for promotion and advertising, its use for marketing had to be augmented during the pandemic. 

During the pandemic, half a billion more people are using social media worldwide, which is a 14% rise in social media use from pre-pandemic times!

Trend analysis

To remain visible, brands need to communicate in local and comprehensive terms. It is now more essential to target specific potential customers based on relevance. 

This means creating content based on generation, age group, gender, hobbies, etc. For all this, getting and using customer data is paramount for a customized experience. 

Customers love videos and live audio more than text. Brands have to keep in mind when devising their content strategies.

To sum up

These are just some of the many trends that shall come in 2022. Brands that adapt to these changes and innovations will undoubtedly rise to the top because these trends are dictated not by any global industrial movement or innovation but by customers worldwide. 

The need of the hour, in short, is to provide customized solutions.

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9 Tips to Drive More Web Traffic From Social Media

9 Tips to Drive More Web Traffic From Social Media

Here are nine ways to help you reap web traffic and several other benefits as follows:

When people try to sort out any specific brand or service, they sort names and links. So, with the help of SEO experts, try to optimize your profile page. 

When the web traffic is trying to understand your brand, they generally turn to your profile. It should quickly communicate your brand value proposition while establishing your style and tone. Personal business websites are online bio-data related to your business profile. Do not go for writing full business details there. Just a couple of lines is enough. Next, connect the bio to your site with a call to action for your homepage.

Gain social creditability in social media:

There are three significant ways to gain creditability in social media. First, it is one of the most successful social media tactics to drive traffic to your website.

    1. Personable Interaction is the most important category to consider in social media to build creditability.
    2. To make your credibility in social media, expertise is an important aspect.
    3. Trustworthiness is the essential aspect here.

Use social proof to attract online traffic:

To drive website traffic through social media, you need to enhance the value of your site. Use social creditability here. Clients’ reviews are critical to strengthening social creditability because, just like any check or testimonial, social proof helps build human trust in your product brand name.

Incorporate reviews, social comments, feedback etc., into your media content and website, and your about-us page works well for this purpose. Whenever online shoppers want to purchase something from a specific concern, they want to go for recommendations.

If you wish to fast-track your website traffic and social media focus, Pinterest and Reddit are two actively growing social media platforms. These will help generate an online audience for your business growth.

Promote your blog content:

One may put tons of effort into writing content for your blog to be displayed online. However, it may take months for a handful of people to feast their eyes on it. 

Unless and until not much response from online viewers, there is no point in displaying your blog content online. You may fix it by promoting your post on social media.

Start creating a social media schedule to promote your old content. You can use tools like Buffer, Social Jukebox and Hootsuite.

You may repurpose your blog posts by using options such as:

  • Quoting with different snippets of your article
  • Online survey type form fill-up including questionnaire from the target audience
  • Asking your target audience questions
  • Changing the headline of your article after every 2-3 months
  • Varying your choice of images

Promoting your blog content with various messages keeps your blog fresh and attracts your target audience.

Nine tips for driving more web traffic from social media in 2021:

In the 21st Century era, modern methods for deriving more website traffic is easier with several modern online tools. We are going to clarify it slowly and gradually below.

Focus on the keywords representing your niche to specify your blog content and store pages in your ready website. Focus on using not more than one or two main keywords per webpage. Apart from that, take the help of SEO tools like Semrush or Keywords Everywhere.

For new website builders, it is advisable to start with keywords having a search volume of fewer than ten thousand searches in a month. However, after few months of creating blog content and optimizing a web page, you may focus on going after higher volume keywords.

 Content freshness is an SEO hack people generally do to drive traffic to the respective website. It is a quick touch-up on old webpage content. You must require to remove all the outdated content from the webpage.

How is content freshness measured?

An excellent way to determine this is to Google your search term and gauge the average inception age of the pages returned in the results. If they all appear more than a few years old, it is evident that a brand-new new page. Such pages may have a hard time competing.

One of the most straightforward ways to determine content freshness for product pages is to have a product review app. This can be like Stamped.io’s Product Review Add ons. It facilitates customers to add their reviews on your product pages. This automatically indicates Google about regular activity on the page. It also tells Google about the presentation of new content matters.

Requesting customer feedback and giving ideal descriptions assists you keep the product pages fresh.

 Submit your website to Search Engines. Request for crawling and indexing, which makes the website SEO friendly.

Following are the ways you may submit to Google :

  1. Google webmaster tools
  2. By using links
  3. Auto crawling by Google (webserver)

Indexing is the process of submitting your website pages in Google’s database, so the websites are readily available in Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs).

SEO friendly content writing:

 Try to write SEO friendly content matters. A limited number of primary keywords and secondary keywords are to be given.

Taking help of Content Management Systems (CMS) like :

  • WordPress (26 per cent of WordPress are used for website building).
  • Joomla
  • Magento etc 

All these are online platforms user friendly and easy to use by individuals to build up websites without any help from professionals.

 For digital marketing of page input of various types of keywords plays an important role. These are the types of keywords:-

Primary keywords (e.g.) for making a website for a training academy Professional Course Trainings form the primary keyword.

Secondary Keywords: Linking the content matter with the above mentioned primary keyword here Training on Web Development, Digital Marketing, Advance-Excel and MIS applications, Tally with GST plays the role of the secondary keywords.

Highly searched keywords-Say for sale of buyers website (product and its brand name and its full details including photos, the price range of the products gets displayed online).

Season or seasonal: For special festival seasons, specific keywords here are provided, say- Valentine Day gift for your lover or Great Discount offer during Christmas. 

 High competitive Keywords: Depends on its market value, quality, and quantity of the offered products say-Auto Insurance, De Beers diamonds are worldwide etc. 

Long Tail Keywords: According to its graphical presentation, it is a concept based on search volume and competition (according to its visual representation).

Make your content matter easy to share with others:

Allow and encourage the existing visitors to share the content hosted on your blog, articles by embedding a social sharing tool. 

Some of them will even display several shares earned by each post, say-if you include the option like Click to Twitter buttons so that the readers can quickly share exciting facts or snippets with their friends, colleagues, acquaintance etc. Thus, it indirectly helps in promoting blog content matters, whether business-related or others.

 Social Media Platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Linked In, Tumbler etc., are networking sites to build up free pages related to your business concepts, and it is easier to reach online viewers rather than professional business websites.

It is notable that websites once build are generally static (not updated regularly). However, blogs made in the domains mentioned above, say Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc., usually gets updated.

Researching how the competitors are displaying their products and services online. This concept is called online spying (not any illegal one, though). Surveying the competitors online helps you gain information to generate online traffic. When it comes to competitor analysis enables you to understand the marketing channels you should focus upon.

Guest Posting, also termed guest blogging is basically when the guest bloggers write similar types of blogs for their own business for attracting traffic back to their websites.

Conclusion:
Getting traffic online can be a struggle. But if you use time-tested tactics, your path can be smooth. So go ahead and use these strategies we’ve talked about here. We promise these will be effective for you!

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