The marketing world looks vastly different than it did a decade ago with the rise of social media. Businesses now use social media to connect with customers, build brand awareness, and drive sales. Social media allows businesses to communicate directly with their target audience and create personalized experiences that build trust and loyalty. It also provides valuable data and insights, allowing businesses to track their performance, identify trends, and refine their strategies.

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Overall, social media has made it easier for businesses of all sizes to compete in the marketplace by leveling the playing field and providing new opportunities for growth and innovation. By harnessing the power of social media, businesses can enhance their visibility, reputation, and bottom line, making it a crucial part of any modern marketing strategy.

While businesses can benefit greatly from using social media, best practices for businesses can and should differ significantly from personal social media usage. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most important social media best practices that businesses should follow.

1. Establish a clear social media strategy

Before you begin using social media for your business, it’s essential to establish a clear social media strategy. A well-defined social media strategy can help you create relevant and engaging content, build your brand, and drive more traffic to your website.

What is a social media strategy?

A social media strategy is a plan that outlines how a company intends to use social media to achieve its marketing goals. It involves the following: 

• Identifying the target audience
• Determining the most appropriate social media platforms
• Setting goals and objectives
• Creating and sharing content
• Measuring performance 

A social media strategy provides a roadmap for effectively engaging with followers, building brand awareness, driving website traffic, and ultimately increasing sales. By developing a social media strategy, businesses and individuals can ensure that their social media efforts align with their overall marketing objectives and that their investment of time and resources in social media is well spent. 

2. Be consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to social media. Consistency not only helps build brand recognition, but it ensures that your followers know when to expect new content from you. You should aim to post on a cadence that is outlined in your social media strategy. 

Keep in mind that while you want to be consistent, you have to find that balance between not  over-saturating your audience’s feed but still posting enough to form a connection with them. If you’re unsure about a post, a good rule of thumb is to ask yourself, “What value am I providing to my audience?”

How often you post will depend on what platform(s) you use. There are many suggestions out there for how often to post on each platform, but make sure to do what works for your business. If you are just starting out, 3–5 posts per week is a good starting point, and you can increase or decrease from there.   

Insider Advice:  Check in on your analytics every few months to see what content is performing best on what days and times, then adjust your posting strategy accordingly. This isn’t a one size fits all approach, and it will vary depending on many factors such as your target audience demographics, location, etc. 

3. Engage with your followers

Social media is all about engagement, and you should aim to interact with your followers as much as possible. Responding to comments and messages is a great way to show that you value your followers and their opinions. You can also use tools that social media platforms already have, such as LinkedIn polls, Instagram story quizzes, and other types of interactive content to encourage engagement. LinkedIn Lives and other live-streaming tools are another great way to interact with your audience. According to a LinkedIn Report, LinkedIn Live streams garner 24x  more comments and 7x more reactions than native video broadcasts.

4. Use visual content

It should be no surprise that visual content such as images, videos, and infographics are more engaging than plain text. Use high-quality visuals that align with your brand to grab the attention of your followers and showcase your products or services in action.

Although Instagram and TikTok are naturally more visual social media platforms, it’s important to not overlook other platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.  According to a LinkedIn report, posts containing images or media receive a comment rate that is 98% higher, while Twitter claims that people are three times more likely to engage with posts that incorporate visual content.

Insider Advice:  Blogging can be an effective tool to engage your audience and increase traffic to your website. However, it’s important to include an image with each blog post to ensure it appears on your social media feed. It’s equally important to avoid using the same image repeatedly for each blog, as this can result in a lack of variety and make your feed appear stagnant. When you’re going to post about a blog, don’t use the cover image that pulls up with the link. Instead, you have the opportunity to find a really eye-catching image that gets people to stop and read your post. Diversifying your images can help keep your feed fresh and engaging for your audience.

5. Monitor your social media accounts

Monitoring your social media accounts is essential to ensure that you respond to comments and messages promptly. By regularly monitoring social media accounts, businesses can quickly respond to customer inquiries and complaints, prevent negative sentiment from spreading, and maintain a positive brand reputation. You can use social media management tools such as Sprout Social or Hootsuite to monitor your accounts and track engagement. 

Stay Ahead of the Game with Social Listening

Social listening refers to monitoring social media channels for mentions of a brand, product, or industry-related keywords. Businesses can track customer feedback, identify emerging trends, look at themes, and gain insights into their audience’s needs and preferences. By leveraging social listening, businesses can make informed decisions and adapt their strategies to better meet the needs of their customers.

6. Avoid controversial topics

Social media is a public platform; therefore, what you post can be seen by anyone. Avoid controversial topics that could offend your followers or potential customers. Stick to those related to your business or industry, and keep your messaging positive and upbeat.

7. Stay up-to-date on social media trends

Social media is constantly evolving, and it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices. This can help you create more engaging content and stay ahead of your competitors. 

8. Choose the right social media platform

There are numerous social media platforms available, but which one is right for you? Each platform has its unique strengths and weaknesses, but make sure to choose the platforms that align with your business goals and target audience. For example, if you are a B2B company, LinkedIn might be more effective for your business than Instagram and Facebook. 

Insider Advice: Don’t think you need to be on every social platform that’s out there in order to be successful. Otherwise, you’ll end up wasting time and resources. Instead, start by choosing 2-3 platforms that you feel would work best for your business based on your target audience and go from there. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, social media can be a powerful tool for businesses if used correctly. By following these best practices, you can create a strong social media presence that engages your followers, builds your brand, and drives more traffic to your website.

Unlocking the Power of Social Media: Essential Best Practices for Your Business is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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That, however, leaves advertisers with the harder task: how to get users to click on the ads. To start, it is important to select the correct ad format for your overall campaign goals. LinkedIn offers five lead generation ad formats to choose from: 

• Single Image
• Carousel
• Video
• Message
• Conversation 

Single Image Ads 

Single image ads tend to be the “go-to” ad format here at Go Fish Digital because they show up in the newsfeed and capture the users’ attention as they scroll. We love this format because it looks like a native LinkedIn post but is able to capture user information. 

The image has to be a .jpg or .png with ratios either 1.91:1, 1:1, or 1:1.91. Horizontal and square image ads can be served on LinkedIn mobile or desktop, while vertical ads are limited to the mobile platform. Best practice calls for single image ads to be visually stimulating with minimal amounts of on-image text to avoid overwhelming the user with visual clutter. Bonus points if the image is of people –  studies show photos of people grab more attention than those without.

Use case: Single image ads are ideal when a client wants the user to download a PDF or case studies, promote events, or even try to capture demos.

Carousel Ads

Carousel ads consist of up to ten images, each with individual links that users can swipe through and explore. This gives advertisers much more room to get creative. For example, marketers utilize carousel ads to capture different images of an infographic or case study that tell a visual story to the user before they submit their information. In this way, carousel ads allow the user to begin interacting with a brand’s content even before navigating to the website. Unlike single image ads, carousel ads can only be square with a 1:1 ratio, but the other best practices still apply. 

Use Case: Carousel ads are ideal for displaying product portfolios or telling an interactive story that can unfold as the user swipes through the images. 

Video Ads

With video ads, content options are just about limitless. The videos often range from three seconds to 30 minutes, but best practices recommend keeping them concise (under 30 seconds, if possible.) Focus on storytelling and start strong by getting the point across in the first 10 seconds. LinkedIn users do not intend to interact with your content while scrolling, so you must grab their attention quickly or risk losing their interest. 

Use Case: Video content is typically more successful in building brand awareness than generating leads. However, here at Go Fish, we still utilize video content for lead generation while recognizing that this format may yield a lower lead form completion rate.

As of July 11, 2022, LinkedIn’s recommended video ad aspect ratio changed from 9:16 to 4:5. Make sure to plan your videos accordingly to avoid LinkedIn adding black bars to the sides of video frames.

Message Ads  (previously known as Sponsored InMail)

Message ads are exactly as they sound: direct messages sent to prospects’ LinkedIn inboxes. They consist of a call-to-action button, the body text, and a banner image (only available on desktop). They are sent in real-time and intend to spark immediate action from the user. Like video ads, brevity is best, and the content should focus on the company’s potential value to the user. No one wants to read a long, drawn-out message with no prospective gain for themselves. Message ads can be up to 1,500 characters, but it is recommended to keep it to 500 or less.

Use Case: Message ads are ideal when the goal of the campaign is to reach a very specific audience. It is especially useful when inviting the user to perform one specific action (i.e. download a pdf or attend an event).

Conversation Ads

Like message ads, conversation ads are served directly to LinkedIn members in their inboxes. The difference is that conversation ads aim to start a dialogue with the user by including multiple call-to-action buttons that link to different landing pages or open a Lead Gen Form. Advertisers create prefilled response options for the prospects to choose from and create a message decision tree that guides them through their specific user journey.

Use Case: Conversation ads have similar use cases to message ads, however they offer the option to adapt the offer to each user’s personal journey. It is especially useful when the advertiser has multiple calls to action.

Conclusion

LinkedIn has grown to be so much more than a networking site. In the ever-changing world of online advertising, it stands out as the platform that reaches 65+ million decision makers in the B2B space. Now that you know how to apply LinkedIn ad formats strategically, you can begin serving highly-targeted ads to your organization’s best potential prospects. 

The 5 LinkedIn Ad Types for Lead Generation is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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Similarly, curating your personal brand can help boost your expertise and authority online. It can also be a great way to connect with and land new clients. Potential clients will search for you, and if they believe you can help solve their problem, it will lead to more business. Additionally, your personal brand shows potential employers what you’re passionate about and what skills you bring to the table. 

These days, building a presence online is non-negotiable, so take control of yours today. Here are seven tips for creating a successful personal brand online. 

1. Determine What You Want to Be Known For

Before you do anything else, you need to figure out what you want to be recognized for. What are you most passionate about? What makes you unique? What’s your story? Choose a theme or niche that you would like to stick to. Then identify the target audience for that theme. What are their pain points? How can you help them? The answers to these questions will help guide your decisions moving forward. By focusing on a particular area of expertise, you’ll attract an engaged audience that is interested in what you have to say. It will also be easier to create content when you stick to a few pillars versus a wide variety of categories. The more specific you can get, the better. 

2. Create an Awesome Bio and Take Professional Headshots

Now that you’ve determined what you want to be known for and have identified a target audience, it’s time to build your online profile. When people come across your LinkedIn or Twitter, for example, they should be able to read your bio and understand right away how you can solve their problem. Rather than simply listing a bunch of skills and certifications, add some flair by showing off your personality while still being professional. Use a professional headshot to make your profile stand out even more. You don’t have to wear a business suit — just make sure your presentation aligns with your brand. 

3. Develop a Strong Social Media Presence

Social media is inescapable now. With so many platforms being introduced each year, it can be hard to figure out where you should focus your efforts. Start by choosing one or two platforms that you know your target audience uses. Then, learn how to optimize your account for search on that platform so you can show up consistently. 

4. Start a Blog About Your Expertise

A blog is a great way to show that you are an expert in your field. Not only does it build credibility, but you can also use it as a portfolio for potential clients or employers. Additionally, a blog can grow your online community. For example, start an email list and send out weekly or monthly newsletters with valuable content in your niche. Then, connect your social media profiles so that readers can engage with you across platforms. Besides writing great, informational content, include an About page that goes into more detail about your experience and how readers can contact you. Don’t forget to add a link to your blog on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, etc. 

5. Repurpose Your Content Across Multiple Platforms

Consistency is key when building a personal brand online. However, that doesn’t mean you have to create new content every day; you just have to be intentional and strategic. The goal is to create valuable and shareable content. For example, after writing a detailed blog post about a specific topic, use excerpts to create multiple social media posts to share across LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter. Alternatively, you could record yourself essentially reading the blog post for YouTube videos or TikToks to help build a connection and trust with your audience. 

6. Connect with Your Audience

Now more than ever, people use the internet to establish connections with people near and far. Focus on building a genuine relationship with your audience by replying to comments and messages in a timely manner. After all, people love to support brands that interact with them. The more you position yourself as a real person who can provide real help, the more human your personal brand will be and the more business you will attract. 

7. Collaborate with Other Leaders in Your Niche

In the online space, collaboration trumps competition. In addition to engaging with your audience, you should also engage with other leaders and influencers in your niche. Working with other leaders will not only increase your credibility, but it will also allow you to learn from them. Plus, it provides opportunities for others with large followings to promote you on their channels, getting more eyes on you and your offerings. 

You already have a personal brand, so why not take control of it and leverage it to your advantage? Use these tips to establish your reputation online. If you need help repairing, building, and protecting your brand, reach out to see how we can help!

7 Tips for Creating a Personal Brand Online is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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Here are a few things you should take into consideration before deciding where to focus your influencer campaign. 

Goals and Objectives 

A crucial first step to any influencer marketing campaign is setting your goals and objectives. These goals will ultimately determine how the success of the campaign is measured. Is your goal to increase overall brand awareness and credibility, drive traffic to your site, or increase conversions? Influencer marketing can contribute to each of these goals, but some social media platforms do favor certain goals more than others.

Increasing brand awareness not only involves building up the general knowledge of your brand, but it involves building excitement as well. The key metrics for measuring brand awareness of an influencer marketing campaign are reach, impressions, and engagement rate.

• Reach: The total number of “unique” users who view your content
• Impressions: The total number of times your content is displayed
• Engagement Rate: The number of total engagements divided by the number of total impressions

Instagram and YouTube are the top influencer marketing platforms due to the high levels of engagement with influencers on each app. Comparing an influencer’s mid-tier following vs. macro following becomes less important when they have extremely loyal audiences who are significantly engaged in their content. The higher the audience engagement, the higher the brand awareness. But there is another app surging in popularity for influencer marketing, specifically when it comes to increasing brand awareness: TikTok. With over 100 million monthly active users in the U.S. alone, we can expect to see a huge increase in influencer engagement on the platform this year. 

Increasing website traffic and sales involves consumers taking direct action. This is typically measured by UTM links, specialized codes, and the number of sales. The best platform for increasing website traffic is YouTube because of the long lifespan of the content. Instagram does have the option to include swipe-up links in stories, but they disappear after 24 hours. YouTube videos with custom links in the description can last forever, so it is possible you may even see results after the campaign has ended. 

Product 

Some social media platforms are better suited for certain products. Keep in mind that this could be the first time someone is exposed to your brand, so aligning the platform with the product is key. YouTube is the perfect platform for products that tell a story. Through product reviews, vlogs, and integrations, influencers are able to go into much more detail about a product than they can with just a photo and caption on Instagram. TikTok is also a platform that works well for visually appealing products that might require more detail. The platform involves shorter-form videos than YouTube, but it is similar in ways because the content is focused on storytelling. 

Instagram is still the most popular influencer marketing app and is a great way to showcase products and services in a quick and authentic way. With new creator tools like Reels and Guides, the app offers several ways for influencers to create content and showcase products. 

Audience 

Audience demographics are always necessary to consider, especially when it comes to selecting an influencer marketing platform. If your audience happens to consist of Gen Z, you should definitely consider TikTok. YouTube and Instagram users typically fall between the Gen Z and Millennial age demographics. If your audience skews towards older generations, however, don’t fret. Through a targeted search on each platform or by looking into other platforms like Facebook, you will be able to find influencers who reach your ideal demographic. 

Another thing to consider is what your audience enjoys doing because there are certain platforms that are geared towards particular hobbies and activities. Do you have a product relating to gaming or lifestyle? Maybe look at platforms like Twitch and Pinterest. Pinterest has some influencers who have millions of users that engage with their page in a single month. On Twitch, users tend to be highly engaged for lengthy time periods as they watch their favorite gamers stream live. While these platforms may seem more targeted than other influencer platforms, the more authentic and engaged an influencer is with their audience, the more likely they are to be successful.

Conclusion

By considering these factors when selecting social media platforms for your influencer marketing campaign, you will be more likely to achieve your marketing goals. Social media is constantly changing and evolving, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the power of influencers. With influencer marketing, you can leverage that power to enhance your brand. 

Ready to get started? Check out our influencer marketing services. Our Go Fish social media team is ready to help. 

The Best Social Media Platform For Influencer Marketing Campaigns is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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Replying to a nasty review can often feel like a futile exercise. But your response to a review is not just for that one past customer. Your response also influences the opinion of all the prospective customers who are researching your company to help guide their purchasing decision. Readers want to see that a company cares enough to own up to their mistakes and take the good feedback with the bad. Studies also show that businesses replying to reviews generally see an uptick in their overall rating. 

But, not all reviews require a response. We’re here to help you determine when to post a reply and when not to based on our experience resolving customer complaints and encouraging a review rating change.

How To Respond To Online Customer Reviews

Reviews That Need a Response

Positive Reviews – That’s right, even positive reviews should warrant a response. This one is easy – thank the reviewer (by name if possible) for taking the time to leave a review. Personalize your reply even further by commenting on something specific that the reviewer really liked. 

Neutral Reviews – Most reviewers feel compelled to leave a review after an extremely noteworthy customer event, either good or bad. So, even though they’re rare, neutral reviews require a response. If the review mentions both something positive and a minor complaint, make sure you note your appreciation for their feedback and work to address the complaint.

Negative Reviews (Most of the time)