, , ,

Tips to Humanize Your Brand

BimsPeople do business with people they trust. If you let your customers interact with a robot that is programmed to promote your products and offerings, do you think they’ll do business with you? Of course not.

People will only be interested in doing business with you if they know that there is a person behind it that they can trust, relate to and connect with. That said, humanizing your brand is a must.

Here are some tips to make your brand’s voice a little more human.

Avoid corporate speak

Sometimes, business owners think that they sound super smart and important if they use business and industry-specific jargons. We hate to break it to you, but people do not want to hear or read sales talk, corporate jargon or overly fluffed up language. Speak in a language that inspires people to connect to you and your brand.

Use words that your customers understand and ditch the corporate mumbo jumbo speak.

Build bridges

A lot of businesses see their social network followers as nothing more than a new batch of potential customers. While we understand that you’re excited to tell the world about your business venture or new products to be launched, there is no need to talk about the same topic every single time.  You’ll have a hard time connecting with your target audience if you think like a corporate engine.

Put a face on your brand

People may not be interested in doing business with you if you post in anonymity and hide behind a corporate logo. Instead, show customers that there’s a real person working behind that corporate logo.

Be honest

Customers can tell when you’re faking it. Don’t try to make your experiences sound more impressive than they truly are. Don’t say you have experience you don’t have. Don’t fudge the numbers on your publicity packet.

 

/by

New Webinar – You created your social media account, now what?

Social Media Audit Webinar

Join Caitlin McDonald, Co-founder of The BIMS Team, for a look into the most popular social media networks and how to effectively use them for your business. She’ll give examples of businesses that have successfully figured social media out and provide takeaways that you can immediately implement into your business’ digital marketing strategy.

This presentation will:

  • Review how to perform a Social Media Audit to set your goals and understand how your customers and competitors are utilizing social media
  • Provide a brief overview of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+, and YouTube, as well as the most important things you need to know about each network to be successful
  • List tools and tips to make managing your social media easier for a small business or solopreneur, which will be examined in more detail in our March Webinar.

Register Today

Anyone with a computer and internet connection has the ability to manage a social media account. When done right, businesses can see huge boosts in brand recognition and sales. If managed poorly, social media can be the downfall of your business.

The BIMS Team prides itself on keeping on top of the best practices of digital marketing and Caitlin is excited to empower you to feel confident in your own ability to create relationships with potential customers and to be found online.

 

/by
, ,

Tips for Creating an SEO-Friendly Article

BIMS_2.1

One of the best ways to make sure that your blog posts keep getting traffic is to make them search engine friendly. Writing for SEO is no longer as easy as it used to be. Before, people could just throw a bunch of words together, incorporate the keywords into the article and expect an increase in web traffic. It doesn’t matter if the article makes sense or not. But that’s not how it works anymore.

How do you create content that ranks well in search engines? Here are a few tips for writing effective SEO-friendly content.

Write for your audience

Since your goal is to boost traffic, you first have to please your audience. There is no point in writing a keyword-rich article if it doesn’t make sense to your readers. The article should offer value to the readers. Make it interesting for them to want to read the entire article. Remember, you are creating content for people, not the search engine algorithm that finds them.

Use keywords

One of the best ways to improve your ranking is to include popular keywords into your content. You need to use them in the title, first and last sentence, and within the body of the article.

It’s not enough to just use the keywords. It is important that you incorporate them as seamlessly as possible into the article, making sure that the sentences still make sense. Also, be sure not to overuse the keywords. If you do, Google may think that you’re overstuffing, which can result in search engine penalties. On average, the article should have a keyword density of 1-4%.

Optimize your image

People are attracted to visuals. That said, we recommend adding pictures, infographics and slide shows to spice up your content.

A lot of people make the mistake of uploading images with file names such as image01.jpg. You have to remember that Google can’t read images. It is through text that Google recognizes them. To get your page to show up in search images, be sure to name the image properly.

 

/by
, ,

Facebook Cover Photo Ideas for Your Business Page

FB photo

Your cover photo is one of the most noticeable parts of your page. In fact, it is the first thing most people would look at when they visit your Facebook page.  Don’t you want to make it impressive?

We understand that finding the perfect Facebook cover photo can be a challenge. You only get once chance to make an impression so you need to get it right. Here at BIMS, we’re all about sharing information that can help your business grow. Here are 4 Facebook cover photo ideas that will make an epic impression on your fans. Pay attention.

Show them what you do

With millions of users from all over the world, Facebook is one of the best places to establish your brand. Your cover photo is a great way to promote your business, your services and yourself. Use this space to show people what your business is all about.

Take advantage of this space to show people the products and services you offer. If you are an artist, feel free to display some of your work. If you have a new product line or an upcoming event, this is the perfect place to put it.

Put your customers and fans center stage

Instead of using this space to promote your business, use it to highlight photos of your fans. You can also use testimonials from customers to your advantage. This adds a human touch to your company and shows the credibility of your business. Plus, it’s a great way to show your fans that you value and appreciate them.

Introduce yourself

While most companies would showcase their products and events, why not shed a little light on the amazing people who works behind the scenes? It makes your business much more personable and gives viewers a more intimate look into your business.

Call to action

Including a call-to-action to your cover photo urges people to instantly respond to your request. Social media is an effective tool when it comes to lead generation. Use your cover photo to encourage people to visit your site, leave their email address or buy your products.

 

/by
, ,

Habits of Successful Internet Marketers

BIMSDo you struggle with getting results from your online marketing campaign? Do you often wonder why some marketers make it big while others continually fall short?

In this blog post, we’ve listed down 4 habits of highly successful marketers. If you take action and execute these habits, you are more likely to succeed.

Continuous learning

Being a successful internet marketer is not just about using the latest tools or following the right systems for generating traffic. Rather, it’s about continuously improving your skills.

Successful internet marketers keep on reading new articles about social media, search engine optimization etc. What worked today may not work next month. That said, you need to stay up-to-date. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting your time, effort and money and still fail to achieve your desired results.

Establish goals and milestones

It is important to define your goals before you start working. This way, you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and take the necessary steps to reach that goal.

Delegate and collaborate

When you first started your business, you probably filled many different roles – marketer, salesperson, storekeeper, accountant, founder etc. But as your business grows, you can no longer do all these tasks on your own.

Time is of the essence. If you want to get things done, you need to learn to delegate tasks. Surround yourself with highly capable people and get them to do what needs to be done on your behalf.

Never quit

Some of the world’s most successful people have failed at first. Things may not work out fine during your first few attempts. Your posts will not go viral. No one is going to be interested in your first video or blog post. Your first website is going to look ugly. That’s fine.

No one is expecting you to have a perfect website or a viral post. Go ahead, share what you have now and try to improve it along the way.

 

/by
, ,

Tips for Proper Social Media Etiquette in the New Year

BIMS_1.5As 2015 draws to a close, many of you are probably preparing for the biggest party of the year. Whether it’s a family event, work party or a purely social gathering, there’s a social media embarrassment waiting to happen.

A careless Facebook post or tweet can alienate your loved ones and damage your social and professional image. Start the year right by paying close attention to your social media profiles and activities.

Take a good look at these tips for proper social media etiquette.

Take your complaint offline

We understand that you’re frustrated about a company’s customer service or the long lines, but you don’t have to post it on social media for everyone else to see. Rather than slamming them on Facebook or Twitter, it is better to contact them privately and settle the issue offline.

Avoid over-sharing

It’s okay to share how awesome your dinner was or what your cat is up to occasionally, but sharing every single bit of activity you did all day is the fastest way to lose your friends and followers. You are free to share a few times a day, but be sure to space your posts.

Use caution in posting and tagging photos

You may look good on a particular picture, but if a friend’s hair looks like a rooster and your sister’s skirt is twisted, then you shouldn’t post it. No matter how good looking you are at that picture; please think about the others before posting and tagging them. You probably don’t like it when someone tags you in candid or unflattering photos, so why would you do that to them? If you really want to post the picture, then crop it. Your friends will thank you for it.

Be respectful

Avoid engaging in aggressive debates online and sending out potentially offensive tweets. Remember, there’s another person on the receiving end. If you wouldn’t speak to the person that way face to face, then you shouldn’t do it online.

 

/by
, ,

Choosing the Right Social Media Platform for Your Business

BIMS_12.29Over the years, I have seen a lot of business owners who have accounts on almost every social networking site. While there’s no harm in maintaining a number of social media accounts, you may notice that you’re not getting the results you want either.

Because it takes time to do social right, it may be best not to be on certain social networks. How do you decide which platforms are best for your needs? Here are some important criteria to consider that will help you determine which channel is right for your business.

Your target audience

Social media activity varies by age, geographic location, profession and more. Once you have identified your target audience, the next step is to determine where they spend most of their time online. What’s the point of maintaining an Instagram or Pinterest account if your target audience are not there? That would be a waste of time and resources.

Your goal

People who have clear, measurable goals are 50% more likely to achieve their desired results as compared to those people without goals. Without a clear idea of what you want to achieve, your program may not reach its full potential.

Attract new customers, increase engagement with current customers, drive website traffic and increased conversions are just some of the possible goals for your social media program.

Your budget

Budget is a major concern for small to medium-sized businesses. That said, you need to be very careful where you spend your marketing budget. For starters, a $100 budget could cover social media scheduling, advertising, graphics or photos, sharing buttons and analytics.

Metrics

In order to determine if you are achieving your goals, you need to follow up on your social media efforts. Constantly analyze your metrics to help you identify which social channel gives you favorable results.

 

/by
, ,

Tips for Creating an Effective Facebook Ad

facebookadsThere are 890 million people signing in on Facebook every single day. Given that number, it is safe to assume that your potential customers are a part of this massive community.

Facebook ads have enormous potential to drive traffic and grow your business. But how do you get people to click on your ad and get them to buy your products? Here are a few tips.

Define your goals

You first need to define your goals before you spend a single cent on Facebook ad. What are you hoping to accomplish? Do you want more fan engagement? More Facebook likes? More website visits? More sales? The type of ad you should use depends on what you want to achieve.

Choose images that stand out

If you’re planning to promote a post, be sure to use powerful images. Remember, your ad photo is the first thing people are going to see. These photos can make your ad be more eye-catching.

According to studies, ads that use pictures of people do really well. Take a look at the ads, and you’ll notice that most of them use pictures of people. Why? It’s because people likes people. If you want to promote your products, you might want to use a photo of a person using your product.

Include a call to action

An ad with high quality content and powerful photos is great, but without a call-to-action, people might not understand what’s in it for them or don’t not know what to do next. As a result, your ad fails. Adding a call-to-action encourages people to take your desired action. Plus, they won’t waste time figuring out what to do next.

Ad placement

When it comes to where your Facebook ads will appear, you have 3 options: right column, mobile and news feed. Instead of going for all news feed ads or just choosing right column ads, why not test the different placement ads? This allows you to determine which one performs better.

/by
, ,

Social Media Tips for the Holiday Season

BIMSThe holiday season is the busiest shopping time of the year. According to the National Retail Federation, the average American adult usually spends about $810 during the holiday season. Because of that, retailers and brands are fighting for consumer’s attention to drive up their sales.

Incorporate the excitement and spirit of the holidays into your social media campaigns. Here are some tips on how to take advantage of the holidays with the help of social media.

Help your customers get into the holiday spirit

Most people are sprucing up their homes and putting up lights and ornaments around their home. Why don’t you do the same and add some seasonal touches to your website and social media pages? Update your Facebook cover photos, Youtube channels, Google+ images and Twitter backgrounds where possible.

Holiday promotions

While the shopping season usually starts in September, most people don’t start until November. Others would wait until the first week of December before they start shopping. It’s never too late to capture a holiday shopper.

Share holiday promotions with your followers and give them something to look forward to.  Take advantage of social media advertising options such as Twitter sponsored tweets and Facebook offers if you really want to bank on your sale.

Give back to the community

Truly get into the spirit of giving by adding a charitable element to your holiday campaign. Use your platform as a business leader to draw attention to a cause. Get your employees on board and give back to your local community.

Give away prizes

The holiday season is a time for giving. Since people interact with businesses more frequently during the holiday season, this is also the best time to run a contest.

Contests and giveaways are a great way to create buzz around your product. They also help increase social sharing, engagement and fan base. Ask for shares and likes for entries into the contest for a chance to win. The monetary value of the prize is totally up to you, but make sure that you provide them something they will value and appreciate.

 

/by
, ,

How to Get More Followers on Instagram

BIMS_12.8Instagram is an amazing photo-sharing network and it is gaining popularity day by day. When used correctly, you can use it to promote your brand and business as well.

According to studies, getting more likes on social media makes you happier. Since we want you, our dear readers, to be happy, we thought of sharing with you some tips on how to build a massive following on Instagram. Read on and can create a stronger presence on this social channel.

Get in touch with other users

If you want your images to get more comments and likes, you need to get in touch with other users. Responding to comments and questions is also essential to maintaining your follower base. There’s no point in building a following if you won’t even talk to them. If you stay active, you’ll see a steady stream of new followers.

Use the right hashtags

While posting engaging and interesting photos on Instagram is a must, using the right hashtags also has its advantages.

Hashtags are pretty much a staple of social media. Just like twitter, Instagram users use hashtags on their photos. With the right hashtags, you are more likely to reach your target audience. Plus, users who are searching for specific keywords will find it easier to find your photos.

Timing is everything

It is important to stick to a schedule so that your followers will know when to expect your posts. If you started posting every day, then stick to it.

It is also important to post them at the right time if you want to reach a larger audience. Morning and after work are usually the best time to post photos. People are usually online during this time.

Quality vs. Quantity

No one would be interested to follow someone with non-sense or random posts. If you’re running a restaurant and wanted to get people to actually eat in your restaurant, it’s a good idea to provide people a photo of mouth-watering dishes you offer. Make sure there are no irrelevant or low quality photos in your feed. Edit your account and leave only the best photos.

/by