How to Repurpose Content Like a Pro

January 31, 2024

Online marketing, like social media, blogs, and newsletters, is all about the content. But most of the time you’re much too busy to keep churning out content for several different sites on the daily. So, what can you do to ensure you have enough content to go around without dedicating a billion hours each week to content creation?

Repurpose your content, of course! But what exactly does it mean to repurpose content, and how do you do it successfully? We’ll be answering those questions here, so keep reading to learn how to repurpose content like a pro!

What is Repurposing Content?

What exactly does it mean to “repurpose content” anyway? Repurposing content simply means that you’re taking old content and reusing elements of it (or sometimes all of it) while also updating anything that is no longer relevant. And when you repurpose content, you don’t reuse it in its original form; instead, you change it up into a new form (like turning a blog post into an Instagram Reel).

Repurposing content isn’t the same as cross-posting or reposting content (though it’s easy to get the three confused). Cross-posting content is when you share the exact same piece of content in the same form across your social media channels, websites, etc. Reposting content is when you publish the same piece of content a second (or third or fourth) time on the same site. So, perhaps you just found a picture you posted two years ago on Facebook, and you decide to share it once again to your Facebook page.

Why Should I Repurpose Content?

Now that you understand what repurposing content is, you might be asking yourself why you should do it. There are three main benefits to using content in this way.

The first benefit is that you save time. If you’re repurposing content, then you don’t have to sit down and think up ideas for new content, figure out how to present that content or create that content. Instead, you already have the ideas and the content itself; all you need to do is decide where you want to post it and in what form. And you can repurpose content at the same time as you originally create it. For example, if you just finished an e-book, you could also use content from that in blog posts, podcasts, or as quotes on social media.

The second benefit of content repurposing is it can give you an SEO boost. Having lots of content out there on the internet that all focus on the same or similar targeted keywords means the search engines will deem you an authority on whatever subject your content is about. That can mean more people find your stuff when they search for the topic you’re discussing.

Finally, repurposing content expands your online reach. If you simply post a blog, then people who visit your website will see it. But what about the people who read your newsletter or your followers on Threads? By repurposing that same blog post into content that fits other platforms, you’re getting your content in front of a more diverse (and larger) audience.

How do I Repurpose Content?

There’s really no end to the ways you can repurpose content, depending on how creative you are and where you’re repurposing content (in fact, here are 20 ways to repurpose content!). But if you’re looking for a few ways to get yourself started, here are some ideas:

• Take parts from a report or e-book and turn them into a blog post.
• Take a video from YouTube and break it into smaller pieces to place on Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook.
• If you have a lot of text-based content, turn some of it into graphics, such as infographics.
• Turn long-form written content into newsletters.
• What’s the key takeaway from a piece of old content? Use that takeaway to make a quick Instagram Reel or TikTok.

See? There’s no shortage of ways to repurpose content, and once you get the hang of what works best for you, you’ll be repurposing content like a pro!

Final Thoughts

Repurposing content can be an incredibly useful part of online marketing. It saves you time, gives you an SEO boost, and can help expand your online reach. Plus, you get to be creative in how you decide to repurpose your content. Pick one of the above ways to repurpose content to get started (and be sure to check out the Hubspot article with 20 ways to repurpose content!). Trust us; you’ll be glad you did.

Reasons You Should be Blogging

January 24, 2022

       

For years, you’ve heard that your business should have a blog, but you just haven’t had the energy or time to devote to starting one.  Now, more than ever, it’s time to take the leap and start blogging. It may seem like a marketing tactic that’s less important than ads or social media, but the truth is that blogging offers several benefits to your business. Here’s why you should be blogging.

 

Why You Need to Blog 

1. Blogging increases visitors to your website, draws in new customers, and creates leads. Just take a look at these stats:

 

• Businesses that blog convert leads 70% more often than businesses without blogs.
• Businesses with blogs have approximately 55% more visitors to their websites. They also have 434% more indexed pages and 97% more inbound links.
• Out of businesses that blog, 43% have landed a customer because of blogging.

 

2. Blogging improves SEO, and SEO is vital in today’s digital marketing world. SEO is what gets you ranked in Google searches and leads people to your website, so if you aren’t taking advantage, you aren’t reaching your website’s full potential. Blogging is fabulous for SEO purposes because you can constantly use new keywords that your potential customers are searching for, including long-tail keywords.
3. Blogging equals constant content. Having consistent content coming from your business is how you can get seen and noticed out there in the wild, wild world of digital marketing.  Posting blogs on a consistent basis means you have new content to engage your customers on your website and new content you can use for social media marketing. You can turn blogs into everything from posts on Facebook to videos on YouTube, so it’s a win-win all around!
4. Blogging builds your reputation as an expert in your industry. Blogging gives you a voice that you can use to let people know that you know exactly what you’re talking about when it comes to your business’s industry. You can use your blog to share tutorials on products, promote items, share how your business works behind the scenes, and more.
5. Blogging is one of the cheapest marketing tools available to you. Because your blog goes on your website, which you already have, you aren’t paying anything to have a blog (unless you outsource your blogging to a company like Social Marketing Solutions to save time, and even then, it’s incredibly inexpensive!). Doing it yourself, though, will merely cost you the time it takes to write and post your blogs, and considering the many benefits of blogging, that time you spend on it will be worth it.

Final Thoughts

These are only a handful of the benefits you’ll get from starting a blog for your business; there’s so much more you’ll gain from spending just a bit of time writing once a week or once a month. So, what are you waiting for? If you need help getting started, Social Marketing Solutions is always happy to lend a helping hand. We write and post blogs for a variety of businesses on a range of topics and can incorporate your company’s keywords to boost your SEO. Reach out today with any questions, and we’ll get you started on the blogging path!

It’s That Time of Year Again!

September 28, 2021

Fall is finally here! It’s time for fuzzy sweaters, pumpkin lattes, and, starting next month, holiday marketing! October begins the year-end blitz of holidays that doesn’t end till after January 1^st, and once again, we’ll be experiencing the holidays under the lifestyle changes wrought by the pandemic. The question that has followed us from 2020 is how do we factor these changes into our holiday marketing? We’ve gathered a few ideas to get you started!

 

1. Start early. The e-commerce season will begin even earlier this year, so make sure your website is up to par before it does. Last year’s holiday shopping began in October – and usually in place of actual Black Friday in-store sales. And since there are still production and supply chain issues in several areas, it’s advisable to start as early as possible in reaching out to customers old and new.

 

2. Embrace the possibilities of online. Since a lot of holiday shopping will be online again, you might want to consider doing a webroom for products. Essentially, it’s a showroom that’s online where people can look at products from all angles. You may also want to consider incorporating how-to videos, fashion shows, product demonstrations, and more across your website and social media to provide a fully immersive experience.

 

3. Remember email marketing is your friend. Pretty much everyone checks their email routinely and during the holidays people are always seeking the best deals, so sliding into their emails with discounts and special offers will make your business more enticing.

 

4. Social media marketing is more important than ever. Grandview Research estimated that buying from social media brought in around $474 billion in revenue last year. More and more, people are turning to places like Facebook and Instagram for curated recommendations, to find reviews from other customers and more. If you aren’t using social media marketing this holiday season, you’re missing out.

 

5. Take advantage of retargeting. Did you know approximately 96% of people who visit a website leave without purchasing? That’s a lot of people! But if you’re retargeting you can up the number of people who buy from you. For example, if someone leaves their cart abandoned but you have their email you can send a follow-up email reminding them about their cart. Or you can retarget customers by having ads for the products they were looking at show up on their social media. One good way to go about this is with the Facebook pixel.

 

6. Use what you can on Facebook. If your business is one Facebook, you should check out their 2021 holiday marketing guide and find out all the many ways you can take advantage of the platform this holiday season.  

 

7. Video is still king. We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again. If you aren’t using video in your marketing, you’re missing out on opportunities. 90% of online users said video helped them to make purchasing decisions.

 

The ways people shop continue to change, but there’s plenty you can do to embrace these changes and make your holiday marketing better than ever. From video to creative demonstrations of your product and more, you can be sure you’re getting the most out of your holiday marketing.

Need a helping hand? Reach out to Social Marketing Solutions today and see how we can help!

What’s the Deal with Social Audio?

March 23, 2021

You’ve probably seen or heard news lately about the growing world of social audio – spaces such as Clubhouse or Twitter Spaces or Fireside. But what’s the deal with social audio? How does it work? Is it better than traditional social media? Most of all, should your business be taking advantage? Here’s what you need to know about the new frontier of social media.

What is Social Audio?

For years social media has consisted of text, images, emojis and video. Now audio is being added into the mix. Unlike podcasts which work as a one way street, social audio offers real-time audio that allows listeners to participate in the conversation going on. Since social audio is voice-only there’s also no need to worry about how you look or what’s in the background of wherever you are, making it less stressful for many.

In a recent article, Jeremiah Owyang called it “the “Goldilocks” medium….Text is not enough, and video is too much; social audio is just right. It represents the opportunity for social connection and empathy without the downsides of video. Why is this use case taking off? – humans, stuck at home during quarantine; readily available smartphones and apps; cloud-based technology and easy integration platforms like Agora; the desire for human connection beyond text; and fatigue from too many video conference calls.”

Not to mention, the intimacy of voice makes audio social that much more appealing in our current climate of social distancing and isolation. It makes sense that people would be drawn to it.

Businesses and Social Audio

How can your business take advantage of social audio? One of the easiest ways to start is with podcasting. It may be a one-way street where you talk to your audience, but take a look at some numbers below:

• 37% of people in the U.S. listened to a podcast in the past month
• 63% of people bought something a podcast host promoted on their show
• By 2022, it’s estimated that podcast listening will grow to 132 million people in the U.S. alone

If you aren’t taking advantage of podcasting, you’re missing out on opportunity! How can you get started?

1. Choose a topic you’re an expert on, one you know you can deliver.
2. Get a good microphone. Simply using the mic on your computer or phone won’t deliver the best sound quality.
3. Get editing software such as Audacity and learn how to use it.
4. Decide where your podcast will be uploaded. There are several options for this – from Spotify to iTunes and more. Plus, if you video your podcast you can also upload it to Youtube, Facebook, etc.

You can get more info on starting your podcast HERE.

How can you take advantage of social audio that works as a two-way street such as Clubhouse? You can start by exploring the audio rooms available. Visit different conversations to find the ones that are relevant to you and your business interests and participate. Seek to add value with your questions and comments.  Next, host your own conversation. Invite others on the app that you may know who would be interested in speaking or being interviewed.

You can also experiment with:

• Branded clubs
• Promoted rooms
• Ads: banners, text, audio
• Sponsored audio influencers

As the future of social audio grows there are other uses to look forward to such as: 1) the addition of text-based features and emoticons; 2) the ability to record selected social audio conversations and publish them like a podcast; 3) conversations being embedded on your website; and more.

Social Audio Sites

While Clubhouse is likely the most known of social audio sites, there are plenty of others out there to experiment with. In fact, Jeremiah Owyang created this list of 34 sites.

 

1. JoinClubhouse 
2. Twitter Spaces
3. Facebook (reportedly)
4. Fireside Chat (Mark Cuban)
5. Sonar
6. Chalk
7. Discord
8. Locker Room
9. Space
10. Roadtrip
11. Capiche.fm
12. Cappuccino
13. Stereo
14. Soapbox
15. Quilt
16. Yalla
17. Anchor.FM
18. GetRiff
19. Seventh Ave
20. Yac
21. Dialup
22. Saga
23. Swell
24. Lizhiinc
25. High Fidelity
26. Angle
27. Tin Can
28. Soundn
29. MyWave
30. TooDeep
31. JoinVocal
32. FishBowl
33. Listen to Blast
34. Eternal

The Downsides

Like all social media sites, there are downsides to social audio – the biggest of which is currently a lack of content moderation. Content moderation in audio is far more difficult than it is in text. Clubhouse, in particular, has been used to spread misinformation and racist and misogynistic content. Discord, another popular site, was used to help plan the recent insurrection in DC.

Privacy is another concern. Clubhouse records all conversations in case an investigation of a reported problem is needed. However, they don’t say how long they keep conversations or who is allowed to listen to them. Also on Clubhouse, you can’t delete information other people share about you. When one signs up for Clubhouse, they are required to upload their entire contact database in order to send invites to others. So, even if you haven’t been invited if someone you know who has your contact info has joined Clubhouse and invited others, Clubhouse has your contact info as well.

In Conclusion

It looks like the future is audio and you’ll want to jump on board at some point. Start with something easy like podcasting, then move up to two-way social audio. Just be aware of potential concerns and as always, use social media responsibly!

Social Marketing Trends for 2021

December 21, 2020

2020 is FINALLY almost to its end and what a year it’s been. This past year changed the world. It also changed how businesses and marketers operate, as well as how consumers interact with them. Things that previously worked in social media marketing work less well now, while new and previously underused ways have become better suited to this new world. Here we’ll take a look at the trends that will influence social media marketing in 2021.

1. Video Remains King: In early 2020, HubSpot’s Not Another State of Marketing Report found video was the most commonly used – and second most engaging – marketing content found on social media. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and more continue to amp up video capabilities (especially after this past year), so expect video marketing to be a backbone for online marketing in the new year.

With consumers unable to visit stores, brands will need to engage them through video. Particularly LIVE video. Did you know that in 2019 YouTube users spent 284 hours watching live videos? How many hours do you think they and other social media users spent in 2020 watching live video? As brands were forced to move events and more online this past year, one can assume those hours rose exponentially. Live video keeps your followers engaged with your brand by bringing something they couldn’t otherwise attend or see directly to them. No matter you’re service or products, you can incorporate live video into your marketing with tutorials, events, webinars, and more. Even with a Covid-19 vaccine now available, it will be a while before enough people have received it to get life back to normal, meaning video will continue to reign.

2. Learn to Listen: In 2020, the world changed so abruptly it left people reeling, and brands who jumped to insert themselves into online conversations without paying attention and providing needed value missed the mark. A 2021 Social Trends report found that around 32% of Gen Z, millennials, Gen X, and baby boomers said their main reason for going on social media this year was to find funny or entertaining content. Too many brands missed this angle, however, by rushing to release social media campaigns before finding out what consumers were truly wanting. Taking the time to listen to audience needs means you’ll produce more impactful campaigns at the right time, leveraging your social media marketing.  
3. Embrace User Generated Content: UGC is any content (video, image, reviews) created by customers rather than brands themselves and should be an important part of your 2021 marketing strategy. Approximately 86% of companies & brands currently use UGC as it has been shown to far outperform brand content, and after a year of quarantine, there’s been a huge increase in UGC as more companies moved online and looked to consumers to find out their interests. The appeal of UGC? It’s authenticity and relatability. With so much of social media portraying sponsored posts or unattainable ideals and after a year of crisis, people are more drawn to the authentic representation of ordinary people and experiences. By using UGC in 2021, your brand can connect more with customers and nurture a sense of community.
4. Snackable Content Rules: People’s online attention spans continue to get shorter and shorter (especially after a year of quarantine where more time was spent online and on social media than normal). Hence the rise this year in “snackable content” – TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook/Instagram Stories, etc. Even with the potential for life to start returning closer to normal in the upcoming year, people will still prefer shorter pieces of content that give them information they need quickly. Snackable content includes memes, quote graphics, gifs, infographs, short videos, etc. Find out more about the 4 you should definitely be using in 2021.
5. Be Authentic: 2020 was the year when EVERYTHING seemed to happen and most of it seemed to be bad. People are tired. People have felt more alone. Right now, your customers want more than just a great deal – they want brands that are authentic, whose values align with their own, and whose actions pay off as promised. So, in 2021, work on connecting with your audience by being transparent, being honest, and even a little vulnerable. People connect with people, not faceless corporations. Get the faces of the people who work for you out there, incorporate more video showing how your business process works, and talk about what matters.

2020 was a wild year that changed the face of online marketing. Some of those changes are here to stay, while others will revert back to the norm. Incorporating the above trends into your 2021 marketing plan will help you stay ahead of your game. Happy marketing in the new year!

Halloween Marketing in the Time of Covid-19

October 1, 2020

Halloween is fast approaching – the second-largest commercial holiday in the U.S. after Christmas. Normally, your business might be gathering Halloween decorations or stocking up on candy for trick-or-treaters, but this year due to Covid-19 things will be more than a little different. This year businesses will need to get creative with their Halloween marketing.

Recent studies by the Halloween Industry Association show that the majority of consumers get their Halloween products and services via the influence of social media. Given the already vital importance of online marketing in the current climate, this means you should be taking advantage of the results of these studies. Even if your business isn’t directly Halloween related, you can still take advantage of social media to create Halloween opportunities – both creating fun for families and kids and showing your community spirit.

People are coming up with ever creative ideas for this Halloween season. One example includes Zoom-o-Ween which would have kids virtually sharing their costumes online with others. Tweak this idea a bit to incorporate your business’s Facebook page – hold a virtual Halloween costume contest with people submitting photos of themselves in order to win. By letting people vote for their favorite costumes by liking photos, you create a bigger sense of community. Plus, by offering a prize from your business (whatever that may be) you’ll be getting your brand out in front of more people.

Another example is the trunk’or’treat, an idea that has already been growing in popularity over the years. This is when a group of people park their cars in a parking lot, decorate their car trunks, and hand out candy there, thus making trick-or-treating a bit safer. If your business has a parking lot you can offer the use to a local group looking to do this, then create event pages on Facebook and tweet out the date & time to your Twitter followers. Afterward, you can post photos of the even to your Instagram to share the fun with everyone.

You can also simply use social media to participate in getting people into the Halloween spirit. Update your page’s headers and profile pics to Halloween related photos or use the month of October to post Halloween related images and content (back in 2013, Tide created a spoof of the movie “Carrie” on Vine using the tagline “stains better be scared”). You can also use Instagram or Snapchat to post short videos of your store’s Halloween decorations or your staff’s costumes. The sky’s the limit when it comes to social media. All you need is a little imagination!

Finally, consider creating a Halloween guide on your social media channels. For example, a hotel could put together something like “The Spooky New Jersey Guide” and include spooky landmarks, any events that might still be happening, a list of movies that are set in the local area, and more. Restaurants could create “The Ultimate Halloween Foodie Guide” with links to recipes, short videos showing how to make Halloween treats, and more. No matter your business (seriously – hardware store? You have the material for “The Zombie Apocalypse Survival Guide”), this is one place you can seriously shine.

Covid-19 has changed the world – it’s changed how we do things, how we interact, and how we operate our businesses. Online marketing is more important than ever in this new reality and it will continue to become ever more important as we all recover from the past year and get back to the new normal. All you really need to succeed is a little creativity and consistent messaging. Spread a little spookiness (and a little happiness) this Halloween season with these ideas and comment on our Facebook page with your own. And if you need a little help this holiday season, reach out and give us a call at (973) 265-2833 to set up your free consultation. Happy Halloween season!

It’s Time for Holiday Marketing!

September 18, 2019

It’s only a month and a half until Halloween, the 2^nd biggest holiday of the year, quickly followed by Thanksgiving, Christmas & Hanukkah, and New Year’s. Have you prepared your holiday marketing plan? If not, now is the time to get your stuff together. The holiday season is the biggest marketing opportunity of the year after all!

Why are the holidays such an important time for marketing? For starters, people are shopping with the intent to buy during the holiday season so this is your chance to guide them towards your products. People also associate the holidays with good feelings – joy, anticipation, goodwill towards mankind – making marketing that much easier. Consumers look to social media during the holidays as a guide to gift-buying, making it the perfect medium for marketing. In fact, 15% of shoppers turn to Facebook for inspiration during the holidays! Finally, consumer traffic goes up 150% during the holidays, meaning there are more potential customers for you to reach.

What are the best ways to reach your audience this holiday season?

1. Start by thanking your loyal customers with holiday coupons, deals, and exclusives. Remind them how grateful for them you are and they’ll continue being loyal to you.
2. The holiday season is ripe for themed promotions. Take advantage by sprucing up your website visuals to fit the festive spirit.
3. Contests and giveaways (especially giveaways!) will amp up your holiday marketing.
4. The holidays are a great time to do some good in your community. Partnering with a local organization for a good cause will help build your brand’s image. Just be sure you’re doing good for more than that reason – people aren’t fans of false altruism.  
5. There’s a reason they say content is king. Creating blog posts & social media posts that tie into the holidays – even something as simple as “top 10 Halloween costumes” – will bring in new traffic.
6. Bundle your products or services during this time. Offering combos of products and offering the package at a discount for the holidays is a great way to keep current customers and bring in new ones.
7. Make sure your website is optimized for mobile. People love the convenience of using their mobile for holiday buying. But if your website takes too long to load, doesn’t have easy checkout, or offers blurry photos on mobile, you’ll lose business.
8. Website traffic and sales increase steadily starting October 1^st and going thru mid-November. They reach their peak on Black Friday & Cyber Monday, then stay higher than usual up through Christmas Eve. The point? Start your marketing EARLY.

Make this holiday season your best yet by incorporating smart online marketing into your repertoire early on in the season. Need help staying on top of things? Give Social Marketing Solutions a call at 973-265-2833 or visit our website for more info!

Why Outsourcing Your Social Media is the Way to Go

March 21, 2019

Social media marketing is one of the best ways to grow your business whether it be on a small scale or a large in-depth part of your business's marketing plan. Over 3 billion people across the world use social media every single day and they engage with brands while they do so. Incorporating social media into your marketing strategy can be an inexpensive yet VERY effective way to increase your brand’s awareness, boost sales, drive customer engagement and grow your online presence – along with MANY other benefits. Most business owners know social media marketing is extremely important, however, the problem is many owners don’t have the time to dedicate to planning, executing and evaluating a social media marketing campaign, as well as many owners, are not aware of exactly what they should be looking for and how to effectively share the right social media message.  If that is the case, outsourcing can help. This will help save the business time, valuable resources and you can rest assured your message is consistent, clear and a good representation of your brand with the help of a social media manager.

Just like you had to learn how to do the financial side of your business or learning the ins and outs of how to provide a great service or product social media is an area that involves much learning, time and attention. Facebook., Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and many others may seem simple to set up, but then what? What posts are going to get the best response? How are you going to engage with your fan base and what specifically you are sharing can quickly become an overwhelming task to effectively execute. Social media marketing involves knowledge of analytics, knowledge of trends and changes in the industry along with SO much more.  Without knowing all of these things, you’ll just be screaming into a black hole missing a great opportunity to take advantage of social media marketing. Outsourcing to a company that focuses solely on managing, updating, and monitoring your online presence will help you get the most out of your online brand and reach the largest customer base with the message you want your target audience to be able to easily identify your brand, what you offer and how they can get in touch with you. Social media managers use the most effective tools possible providing you with the best return so you can focus on what you do best – and we handle the rest!

Social media marketing requires a lot of time. It’s not an area where you can simply spend 5 minutes a day and move on. By outsourcing your social networking efforts you’ll be taking your time back to focus on your business, while your brand is still growing, allowing you to make more money $$$. You can continue to use the time you save to focus on your customers and focus on what you know and love – all while your business continues to grow!

The only constant thing about social media is the change – which happens quite often. Social networks change, trends change – all the time and it’s A LOT to keep up with. Social media professionals are able to stay on top of all the current news, trends and changes and we are able to adapt and adjust accordingly. Don’t worry about trying to sort through and navigate the social media changes – we’ve got you covered!  

Outsourcing your social media marketing saves you time, saves you energy and resources, it also helps grow your brand awareness while allowing you to focus on the important aspects of your business – and all while making you more $$$. It’s simply the easiest, fastest, and most efficient way to go about your social media marketing campaign for your business. Social Marketing Solutions, LLC takes the stress out of social media by managing your presence on a variety of networks, on a daily basis while creating content for networks, helping with your blogs and newsletters and much more.

If you’re ready to take your social media marketing to the next level, contact us today – email us at Kelly@SocialMarketingSolutionsLL.com or give us a call at (973) 265-2833! We look forward to discussing further with what is best for YOU.

Celebrate National Try Something New Day!

February 27, 2019

Using social media for your business shouldn’t be a completely serious endeavor. While you should be using social media to promote your business and share articles, information, etc. That cement your place as a knowledgeable leader in your industry, you should also be building your entire brand out – and people like their brands to be a little fun! No matter what industry you’re in, one of the easiest ways to connect with your audience in a fun & unique way is by celebrating holidays other than the major ones (IE, Christmas, Hanukah, Valentine’s, etc.). Random holidays exist for pretty much every day of the year, so you’ll be able to find one that fits your needs easily. Here’s how to use these days to bring a little fun to your business’s social media life.

1. Promotions – random holidays are the perfect time for promotions. For example, February 11^th is White T-Shirt Day, so if you have a clothing company where are white t-shirts available, you could have a promotion for that day. Do a buy one, get one free coupon or give away a white t-shirt with every $25 purchase. The possibilities are limitless!
2. Contests – Picking a holiday that’s related to your business and creating a contest around it creates a fun environment for your audience and enables you to get your product to them in some way. Take July 1^st – Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day; if you own an ice cream shop, you could have a contest for people to come up with their best creative ice cream flavor, vote on the best one, and then as the prize give them some ice cream (or let them create their flavor to try it out). It’s pretty win-win for everyone involved.
3. Be Part of the Conversation – Celebrating quirky, random holidays on social media makes your business a part of the conversation. Take September 19^th which is International Talk Like a Pirate Day (you might be familiar). This one is a fairly popular random holiday – in fact, in the past Facebook created the ability to change the language of your account to “pirate” just for this day – which means it will be trending on social media the entire day. Simply acknowledging it by posting a quick “Arrgg, matey!” or putting up a picture of your favorite pirate (Jack Sparrow, of course) will get eyes on your business.
4. Celebrate The Good – It’s a big, bad world out there, so sometimes it’s wonderful to just do or say something nice. There are plenty of holidays that celebrate joy and the good things, like November 20^th which is Beautiful Day. Just posting something, well, beautiful to acknowledge this holiday (or others like it) is a great reminder to your audience to enjoy the good things and a great reminder that your business is run by people just like them.
5. Show Your Appreciation – There are plenty of random holidays on which to show your appreciation for your customers, such as September 15^th, National Thank You Day. Any day is a good day to say thank you to the many people who help you stay in business, of course, but acknowledging them on days made especially for that purpose will get more people to see your appreciation. Whether you simply post a graphic saying “thank you”, do a giveaway, or upload a quick video, your customers will be happy to know they’re appreciated.

Social media should be fun and it should be creative. There are plenty of ways to get yourself in front of the public, but the use of offbeat holidays will make you stand out. No matter how you use them you’ll be remembered for being part of the conversation and for doing something different from the rest of the crowd. A site we like to use to find these holidays is Holiday Insights – you can go month by month or search by type. Be sure not to overuse random holidays, but do give incorporating them a try. You won’t be sorry!

It’s Time to Revamp Your Social Media Sites

July 19, 2018

It may be a bit late for spring cleaning but it's never too late to clean up your social media sites! Just as you should keep your website updated monthly, you need to be at the top of those Google search pages & you should periodically revive your social media presence to make sure you are hitting that mark!Let’s talk more about what we mean.

1. Facebook: Start with your photos – revive, refresh & rejuvenate! Update those banner pics & change up those profile pics – KEEP IT FRESH!! Update your pages to correspond with current events, pop culture stores & stay CURRENT. For example, SMS created an Olympics style version of our banner during the Winter Olympics last year & the rings got people’s attention & helped start new conservations, as well as get new likes/interactions. Be creative! Next, check to make sure all the info under “About” is still relevant. Be sure your bio includes location, industry, links to relevant websites/portfolios and something that shows your business's personality. Make sure to double check your contact info one more time & update any necessary phone numbers & emails, plus validate the description info & update the taglines as needed.

2. Twitter: Again, start with your photos. (Sensing a theme?) Update your profile & banner photos with something different than your Facebook page, but make sure your brand is consistent across each platform. Next, review your followers/following lists & clean up any fake, inappropriate or inaccurate followers.

3. LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a little different than the rest as it's more of a professional network & should be treated as such. Your profile/resume should be frequently updated with small changes each time. Add your presentations & list what you have accomplished in your professional career – include trainings, certifications & other relevant industry info.

4. Instagram: Start with your bio – update your info, add new hashtags & freshen up your short description ever so often. Double check website links, locations/addresses, contact info & last but not least, make sure the pages represent YOU! This is an online portfolio so utilize it!

5. Google Business Profile: Yes, you should definitely revamp this every once in awhile as well. Make sure you are searchable & the pages are updated with the most current locations, contact info & services so people can easily understand what you do & how you can be reached. Make sure to add new photos/videos of you “in your element” doing things that represent you while also updating your followers on your journey.

6. Google+: Also revamp your “about me” & contact info every so often on this one too! It’s important to continually update the pages in effort to maximize the social media ROI & do everything possible to keep your pages active with recent reviews & testimonials from your customers.

This covers some of the big ones for now, but let us know if you have any questions or would like us to elaborate on any of the topics/suggestions above. A social networking revamp is a great way to quickly revive, refresh & brighten up your online marketing presence.

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• Author

  - Kelly Jones
  Social Media Manager
  
  

  

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