The AI Revolution: How Artificial Intelligence is Shaping Social Media Marketing

Remember the days when social media was just a place to share funny cat videos and vacation selfies?  A lot has changed since then. Fast forward to today, it’s a whole different ball game.

Businesses are now using social media as a powerful tool to engage with customers, build brand loyalty, and stay ahead in the competition. But just when we thought we had it all figured out, AI (Artificial Intelligence) steps in. Now, it’s taking things to a whole new level.

AI isn’t just changing the game; it’s redefining the rules of social media marketing.

AI in Understanding Your Audience

Getting to know your audience is the first and most crucial step in social media marketing. You want to know their needs, challenges, desires, fears, and everything that makes them unique. Why? Because the better you understand your audience, the better you can connect with them.

But here’s the thing: understanding your audience can be time-consuming. You’ll need to sift through mountains of data, surveys, and social media chatter. You need hours to make sense of it all. That’s where AI comes in and changes the game. 

AI makes this research faster and smarter. It quickly analyzes data and tells you exactly what your audience is into, what they want, and even when they’re most active on social media. 

This deep insight allows us to write content that feels like you’re having a one-on-one with your audience. It’s like speaking their language.

AI in Content Creation

Now, let’s talk about content. We all know that creating fresh, engaging content can be time-consuming. And sometimes, we run out of ideas. But guess what? AI is here to lend a hand. 

Leveraging AI and NLP technologies, AI tools are revolutionizing content creation across various platforms. They’re capable of generating creative ideas, crafting compelling social posts. They can  even drafting articles or video scripts swiftly and effectively. 

The efficiency and speed provided by these tools are unmatched. They can generate high-quality content at a pace that’s humanly impossible. This becomes especially crucial in the fast-paced world of social media, where keeping up with changing trends is vital for a brand’s visibility and engagement.

AI tools save us valuable time and ensure our content remains consistently fresh and relevant. It’s like having a creative assistant by your side 24/7. Armed with these tools, business owners can focus on what they do best – running their businesses.

AI in Visual Content Creation

You know those stunning visuals that catch your audience’s eye and tell a story without saying a word? Good news! Creating stunning social media images has never been easier, thanks to AI-powered image generators like DALL-E 2, StarryAI, and NightCafe Studio. 

These tools can quickly produce high-quality images. Now, you can finally keep up with the rapid pace of social media trends. Whether you need realistic photographs, abstract art, or something that mimics a paintbrush effect, these tools can bring your creative vision to life. 

Downsides of Using AI

While AI offers tremendous advantages in social media content creation, it’s essential to consider its potential downsides. 

These downsides can impact three major areas: 

AI in Understanding Your Audience

One significant downside is the potential for AI to misinterpret complex human behaviors and sentiments. Based on data and patterns, AI algorithms may not fully grasp the nuances of human emotion and cultural contexts. This can lead to inaccurate audience insights. As a result, content fails to resonate with the intended audience or, worse, alienates them.

Also, over-reliance on AI for audience understanding can lead to a homogenization of content. AI suggests content strategies based on what has worked in the past or what is trending. This might not always align with the unique aspects of your brand or the diverse needs of your audience.

AI in Content Creation

AI tools can generate social media posts in seconds. But let’s face it. They often lack the depth and unique flair of human writing. This lack of creativity and personal touch can make your content feel impersonal and disconnected from the audience.

Another issue is the risk of factual inaccuracies. AI tools may not always have the most current or accurate information, leading to content that is misleading or incorrect. This necessitates human oversight to fact-check and ensure the accuracy of AI-generated content. This is especially true for topics that require expertise or up-to-date information.

AI in Visual Content Creation

AI-driven visual content creation tools offer the ability to create stunning visuals quickly. 

However, these tools also have their drawbacks.

  • Creative Limitations: AI-generated content can sometimes lack the unique creative spark of human-generated content. It’s important to strike a balance between AI and human creativity to maintain authenticity and originality in your visuals​​.
  • Accuracy and Originality: The output of AI tools may not always be perfectly aligned with your vision. Some fine-tuning and editing might be necessary to achieve the desired result​​.
  • Cost Considerations: While many AI image generators offer free options, more advanced features might come at a cost. It’s essential to weigh the benefits against the potential expenses​​.

Final thoughts

As we navigate the dynamic landscape of social media marketing, one thing is evident: AI has redefined the way we create content, engage, and captivate our audience.

However, it’s essential to tread carefully and maintain a harmonious balance between AI’s efficiency and the human touch. While AI enhances our capabilities, we must remain vigilant against potential pitfalls, ensuring our content remains authentic and resonates with our audience. 

The AI Revolution: How Artificial Intelligence is Shaping Social Media Marketing

The AI Revolution: How Artificial Intelligence is Shaping Social Media MarketingThe AI Revolution: How Artificial Intelligence is Shaping Social Media Marketing

Use Pinterest to Generate Website Traffic and Leads

For businesses, getting more people to visit their websites is like opening doors to potential customers. It’s a big deal because more visitors mean more chances of turning them into loyal customers. And in this digital age, where competition is fierce, finding effective ways to drive traffic is key. That’s where Pinterest comes into play.

Pinterest is not just a place for pretty pictures; it’s a dynamic platform with the potential to supercharge your website traffic and lead-generation efforts. 

In this article, we’re diving deep into how Pinterest can boost your website traffic and convert more leads.  So buckle up as we explore how this vibrant platform can be the driving force behind your business success.

Understanding Pinterest as a Traffic and Lead Generation Tool

Unlike traditional social media platforms, Pinterest isn’t just a place to share updates or engage with friends; it’s a thriving search engine in its own right. 

With over 400 million monthly users, Pinterest offers a vast pool of potential customers actively seeking inspiration, ideas, and solutions. It’s where users turn their aspirations into reality, making it an ideal platform to showcase your brand’s products or services. 

Create a Pinterest Profile That Converts

Your Pinterest profile serves as the digital storefront of your brand. Creating a Pinterest profile that converts involves more than just selecting a profile picture and filling out a bio. It’s about strategically shaping your brand’s digital identity to resonate with your target audience and guide them seamlessly toward your offerings. 

Use these tips for crafting a Pinterest profile that converts: 

  • Bio and Profile Picture: Your bio should convey your brand’s mission and values, setting the tone for what users can expect from your content. Choose a profile picture that encapsulates your brand’s essence, making it instantly recognizable amidst a sea of pins.
  • Board Organization: Organize your boards thoughtfully, arranging them in sections that mirror your business categories. This makes it easier for users to navigate your content, increasing their likelihood of finding pins relevant to their interests.
  • Search Optimization: Incorporate keywords relevant to your niche in your profile description and board titles. This enhances your profile’s visibility in Pinterest’s search results, driving organic traffic.
  • Branding: Every pin you create and every board you curate contributes to your brand narrative. Maintain consistency in color schemes, fonts, and imagery to create a cohesive brand identity that resonates with users.

Craft Compelling Pins

Pinterest is a visual platform, and the importance of crafting compelling pins that stand out cannot be overstated. 

To succeed in this visual platform, you need to focus on these key elements: 

  • Visual Appeal: High-quality, eye-catching images are non-negotiable. They should evoke emotions or curiosity, prompting users to engage. Vertical images with a 2:3 aspect ratio work best.
  • Clear Headline: Craft a succinct yet enticing headline encapsulating the pin’s content. It should provide a glimpse of the value users will gain.
  • Descriptive Text: The pin’s description should elaborate on the headline, providing more context or details that pique users’ interest.
  • Call-to-Action (CTA): Every pin should have a purpose. Incorporate a CTA that directs users toward the desired action, whether it’s clicking through to your website or saving the pin.

Build Strategic Boards

Boards on Pinterest are like organized shelves in a library, helping users find what they’re looking for. They’re content categories that neatly group your pins, making it easier for users to discover and explore your offerings.  

Imagine you’re a fashion brand. Instead of tossing all your pins into a single digital drawer, you can create boards like “Summer Styles,” “Formal Attire,” and “Accessories Galore.” Each board focuses on a specific theme, helping users quickly spot what appeals to them.

This strategic organization means that users into summer fashion can dive straight into your “Summer Styles” board, finding a collection that resonates with their preferences. This keeps users engaged and increases the likelihood of them following you, engaging with your pins, and visiting your website. 

Leveraging Keywords for Pinterest SEO

Keywords are like signposts on Pinterest, helping people find what they want. They’re super important because they connect your content with users who are interested in it.

To find the right keywords, list words people would type when searching. For instance, if you’re sharing cake recipes, words like “chocolate cake,” “easy baking,” or “dessert ideas” would be a good start.

Pinterest’s search bar is like a treasure chest of ideas. Type in a word and see what comes up – these are the words people seek. Be sure to incorporate those keywords in your pin’s description, the title of your board, and even your profile. This helps your pins show up when people search. More searches mean more chances for people to see your pins.

Using pins to drive traffic to your website

Pins aren’t just pretty pictures. They’re your ticket to bringing more visitors to your website. 

Here’s how to make them work their magic. 

  • Pin with purpose: When creating pins, consider where you want people to go next. If you’re sharing a recipe, make sure the pin clicks through to a page with that recipe. It’s like leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for them to follow. 
  • Landing pages that wow: Picture this: someone clicks on your pin, and they’re excited to see more. Your landing page should be like a warm welcome, giving them exactly what they came for. If it’s a recipe pin, the landing page should have the full recipe, with some extra tips or stories.
  • Keep track of your pins’ performance: Check your data to see how many people click through your pins. This helps you understand what’s popular and what might need a little boost. 

Ready to Unlock Pinterest’s Full Potential?

If you’re looking to harness the true power of Pinterest for driving traffic and generating leads, we’re here to help. 

We specialize in crafting tailored Pinterest marketing strategies that align with your brand and goals. From pin creation to board creation and tracking, we’ve got you covered.

Use Pinterest to Generate Website Traffic and Leads

Use Pinterest to Generate Website Traffic and LeadsUse Pinterest to Generate Website Traffic and Leads

How to Develop and Maintain a Stress-Free Content Calendar for Busy Business Owners

Picture this: you’re a busy business owner, wearing multiple hats daily. From managing your business duties to taking care of your family and handling household chores, your plate is already overflowing. 

On top of all that, you need to create engaging content to fuel your business’s growth consistently. It feels like an uphill battle, doesn’t it? 

But what if I told you there’s an easy way to navigate this content creation struggle? 

Enter the content calendar. 

With a well-planned content calendar, you can streamline your efforts, maintain consistency, and regain control over your valuable time.

In this blog, we’ll explore strategies to develop and maintain a stress-free content calendar that allows busy business owners to focus on what they do best.

Understanding Your Target Audience and Platform

Before diving into social media content creation, it is crucial to understand your target audience thoroughly.

Determine their demographics, interests, and preferences. By knowing your audience, you can tailor your content to resonate with them and deliver meaningful value. 

Not all social media platforms are the same. Each has its unique features, characteristics, and user demographic. Choose the platforms that suit your target audience and business goals. Focusing your efforts on the right platforms ensures maximum reach and engagement.

Setting Up Your Social Media Content Calendar

Organize your social media content by defining categories and themes. This approach ensures a diverse and engaging content mix. For instance, you might have categories like industry news, educational content, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or user-generated content. Maintaining variety keeps your audience interested and invested. 

Determining a realistic and manageable posting schedule is essential. Consider factors such as platform algorithms, audience behavior, and your available resources. 

Consistency is key, so aim for a posting frequency you can sustain over time. Start with a manageable schedule and adjust as needed.

Content Creation and Outsourcing

Crafting captivating social media content is crucial for capturing your audience’s attention. Experiment with different content formats such as images, videos, stories, or live streams.

Incorporate compelling visuals, storytelling techniques, and calls to action to drive engagement and encourage interaction.

Curating relevant content from reputable sources can complement your original content and provide additional value to your audience. Repurpose your existing content in different formats or for other platforms to save time and effort. For example, transform a blog post into a visually appealing infographic or repurpose a video into short clips for Instagram.

If time is a significant constraint, consider outsourcing social media management tasks or delegating content creation to trusted team members or freelancers. Clear communication, detailed briefs, and consistent collaboration ensure a seamless content creation process.

Social Media Scheduling Tools and Automation

Leverage social media scheduling tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, and Sprout Social to plan and schedule your social media content in advance. Automating the posting process saves time, gives you a steady flow of content, and ensures you consistently deliver value to your audience, even during busy periods. 

Tracking Progress and Analytics

Track key metrics and analytics to measure the effectiveness of your social media efforts. Platforms like Facebook Insights, Instagram Insights, and Twitter Analytics provide valuable data on reach, engagement, audience demographics, and more. 

Analyzing this information helps you understand what content resonates with your audience and informs your future content strategy. Regularly review your social media performance and make data-driven adjustments to optimize your content calendar. 

Final thoughts

With a well-organized content calendar, you can maintain consistency, deliver engaging content, and build meaningful connections with your audience. Remember to curate, repurpose, and outsource content when needed to save time and enhance your content strategy.

A stress-free content calendar empowers you to focus on what you do best while building a strong online presence. Take charge of your content strategy and watch your business thrive

If you find yourself overwhelmed or in need of support with your content strategy, we’re here to help. Book a call with us today, and let us assist you in developing a stress-free content calendar that drives business growth.

How to Develop and Maintain a Stress-Free Content Calendar for Busy Business Owners

How to Develop and Maintain a Stress-Free Content Calendar for Busy Business OwnersHow to Develop and Maintain a Stress-Free Content Calendar for Busy Business Owners

Tips for Writing Social Media Posts

Are you a business owner who is struggling to write compelling social media posts for your business? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Many business owners find themselves spending hours crafting posts that end up with no engagement or comments. It can be frustrating and disheartening, especially when you’re already juggling the demands of running a business.

But here’s the good news: writing compelling social media posts is a skill that can be learned and refined. In this blog post, we’ll share practical tips, strategies, and techniques to help you captivate your audience, increase engagement, and achieve tangible results.

 

 

Use your casual voice

Social media offers a fun and relaxed environment. It’s all about connecting with your audience on a personal level. People visit different social media sites in their free time to communicate with family and friends or simply for entertainment purposes. Using a friendly and conversational tone can make a world of difference in capturing their attention and keeping them engaged.

Gone are the days of stiff and boring corporate jargon. Today’s social media users crave authenticity and relatability. They want to feel like they’re interacting with a real person, not a faceless entity. By infusing your posts with a casual tone, you can create a sense of familiarity and build stronger connections with your audience.

Think about it: when you’re scrolling through your social media feed, what catches your eye? It’s likely posts that sound like they’re coming from a friend or someone you can relate to. Using a conversational tone allows you to break down barriers and establish a sense of trust and rapport with your followers.

Craft share-worthy posts

Getting as many likes, comments, or shares on your posts is a goal for a lot of business owners. After all, the more engagement the post gets, the wider the reach is. However, you can’t expect people to do that if your posts are boring and uninteresting.

Relatability is a key ingredient in crafting share-worthy posts. People love to connect with content that resonates with their own experiences, emotions, and aspirations. By understanding your target audience and tapping into their needs, desires, or pain points, you can create content that strikes a chord with them.

Make sure that the information you offer is worth passing along. Offer some valuable information. Also, think about your audience when creating social media posts. Know what their questions and concerns are and provide the answers. Remember, the goal is not just to create great content but to make it shareable. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes and ask yourself, “Would I share this with my friends or followers?” If the answer is a resounding yes, then you’re on the right track.

Crafting share-worthy posts takes time, research, and a deep understanding of your audience, but the rewards in terms of increased reach, brand visibility, and engagement are well worth the effort.

Use images, animated images, infographics, and videos

Visual appeal is also crucial in capturing attention and encouraging sharing. Humans are highly visual beings, and eye-catching images or videos can be the driving force behind the decision to share a post. Invest in high-quality visuals that align with your brand and are visually appealing to your target audience.

A striking image or a well-crafted video thumbnail can make a significant difference in attracting attention and enticing others to share your content. In fact, one study revealed that Facebook posts with images have an increase of 104% in comments and a 53% increase in shares than the average posts. Make sure that the images are of high quality and relevant to your post.

Content-Length

The ideal length for social media posts can vary depending on the platform and the content you’re sharing. For instance, shorter posts (around 40-80 characters) tend to receive higher engagement. Concise and attention-grabbing posts can capture users’ interest quickly. However, longer posts (up to 80-120 characters) can also perform well, especially if they provide valuable or intriguing information that encourages users to read more.

For Instagram, users tend to prefer shorter, visually-driven content. Captions that are around 125 to 150 characters tend to work well since they’re easily digestible without overshadowing the visual content. However, there may be instances where longer captions are necessary for storytelling or conveying detailed information.

So try to test out longer and shorter content on each platform. Monitor engagement metrics and gather feedback from your audience to refine your approach. Strive to provide valuable, engaging content that aligns with the platform’s dynamics and your audience’s expectations.

Stay relevant

While it’s a good idea to write about things your followers are interested in, you also need to make sure that the posts are relevant to your business. Remember, people, followed you because they are interested in the products, services, and information you provide.

By crafting content that speaks directly to your audience’s pain points, challenges, or desires, you demonstrate that you genuinely understand and care about their needs. When your posts address their specific concerns or offer solutions to their problems, you position yourself as a trusted resource and valuable partner.

Asking questions on social media is a powerful way to increase engagement with your audience. Questions spark conversations, encourage interaction, and make your audience feel valued and involved. So don’t hesitate to ask questions in your social media posts and watch as engagement levels soar.

Final thoughts

Writing social media posts that captivate your audience and drive engagement doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By following the tips and strategies shared in this blog post, you can simplify the process and achieve tangible results. Remember to use a casual and conversational tone, craft share-worthy content that resonates with your audience, and leverage high-quality visuals to enhance the appeal of your posts

If you still find the task of writing social media posts frustrating or overwhelming, don’t worry. We’re here to help! Our team specializes in creating compelling content tailored to your audience and business goals. Let us handle the task of crafting engaging social media posts for you, so you can focus on more important aspects of your business.

Reach out to us today to discuss how we can take your social media presence to the next level.

Tips for Writing Social Media Posts

Tips for Writing Social Media Posts for Your Nutrition PracticeTips for Writing Social Media Posts for Your Mental Health Practice

Tips for Writing Social Media Posts for Your Health and Wellness Practice

Facebook Ads Mistakes Blog

With over 2.6 billion monthly active users and a sophisticated algorithm that understands intent and behavior, there is no doubt that Facebook is an excellent platform for advertising.

By placing an ad on the platform, your chances of reaching your target audience skyrocket. This is why it’s no surprise that businesses, big and small, continue to devote substantial marketing budget to Facebook ads.

Facebook advertising requires a bit of a learning curve. Many of us tend to make a lot of mistakes, especially when we’re starting out. Understanding some of the most common Facebook ads mistakes will help you get more bang for your advertising buck.

Here are 6 common Facebook ads mistakes that are destroying your campaign.

Choosing the wrong objective

If you’re running ads and you don’t know what an objective is, then that would be big problem. In this case, you’re probably just boosting the post (we can talk about that in a separate blog post).

Choosing the right objective is vital to the success of your advertising campaign. Facebook has 11 objects, and each of them helps get you closer to your goals.

Basically, you’re telling Facebook what you expect to gain for this specific campaign. Let’s say you want to make your video viral, then an engagement campaign would be a great option. If you want to generate leads, then choose lead generation as your objective. If you’re running an e-commerce business and you’re looking to get more purchases, then choose conversion as your objective.

Choosing the wrong objective will not only give you unfavorable results, you’ll also be wasting money.

Poor targeting

There are billions of people on Facebook. Showing your ads to all of them doesn’t make sense. That’s why it’s important that you know who your target audience is before you start creating a campaign.

Targeting is a vital element when creating an ads campaign. Try to be as detailed as possible with your targeting. Narrow down your audience by targeting by gender, age ranges, geographic areas, and interests. The more specific you can get with your targeting, the better results you’ll see.

Forgetting about Facebook Pixel

Pixel provides a way to track interactions that are happening with your ad. By installing it on your website, it would be easier for you to track your visitor’s behaviors and gather data.

From the data you have collected, you can learn how your audience engages with you off of the Facebook platform. It also provides a way to measure your ads effectiveness in driving results.

Without Pixel, how else are you going to prove that what you are doing to drive opportunity to your business is working?

Sticking to one type of media

The primary goal of creating ads is to get people to take notice and take action. But since most people aren’t on Facebook to shop or checkout ads, it can be extremely difficult to get people to do that.

It takes an intriguing, creative, and a compelling ad copy to capture the attention of your audience. Video ads are one of the most powerful ways to capture the attention of your audience. But if you’re using videos on all your FB ads campaign, it can start to feel a bit stale after a while.

Consider using a variety of media – videos, photos, animated photos etc. Also, create a variety of ad copies and test them out. This way, you can determine which one resonates best with your audience and provides the best results for your business.

Impatience

Like any other digital marketing campaign, it takes time to create and optimize a Facebook ads campaign. Your Facebook Pixel is smart, but you need to give it time to learn and gather data.

The problem is that some people get impatient, thinking that they are losing money but still not getting results.

For instance, if your Pixel is fresh and you set your campaign objective to conversion, Facebook may not even know what a “purchasing” customer will look like, especially when you’ve never had any sales before. You’ll have to wait until you’ve gathered enough data before making any decisions on your ads like pausing or tweaking them.

Don’t think of it as an expense. Rather, think of it as an investment. Remember, you’re paying Facebook for the data.

Set it and forget it mindset

This is one of the biggest mistakes we’ve seen over the years. While it’s important to be patient and allow Facebook to do the work, it’s also important to check your ad campaign once in a while.

If you leave the ad campaign as is after it went live, there’s a good chance that the results will diminish over time. Why? It’s because of ad fatigue.

Let’s say you’ve been running the same ad for a month and you didn’t make any changes since it went live. Chances are the same people will be seeing the same ad over and over again. Not only will people find it annoying, you’re also losing money in the process. Read the data and make the necessary changes to get better results.

Running a remarketing campaign can be an effective way to re-engage potential customers who may have shown interest in your product or service, but did not convert during their initial visit.

Final thoughts

It’s important to be aware of the six common Facebook Ads mistakes so that you can avoid them and have a successful campaign. A good way to start is by understanding your target audience, setting clear goals and objectives, and creating high-quality ads.

All the tips mentioned above will help ensure your campaigns are successful and are getting the results you desire.

6 Common Facebook Ads Mistakes That Are Destroying Your Campaigns

6 Common Facebook Ads Mistakes That Are Destroying Your Campaigns6 Common Facebook Ads Mistakes That Are Destroying Your Campaigns

Blogging Benefits that Will Change Your Business Forever

In the early days of the internet, blogging was one of the most popular ways to share information and connect with others. Today, social media has taken over as the primary platform for online communication, and many people have questioned whether blogging is still relevant.

While it is true that social media has eclipsed blogging in terms of popularity, it is still a powerful tool that can help you reach your goals.

If you’re thinking it might be time to start blogging, but you’re not sure if it’s worth the time and effort, then we urge you to keep reading. Here are 6 blogging benefits that will change your business forever.

Boost search engine optimization

SEO is extremely important for any business operating on the web. Every time you write a blog post, more pages from your domain become indexed in search engines. This gives you another opportunity to be found by people.

Search engines don’t want to send users to abandoned websites with outdated content. By regularly publishing contents to your website, you stand a better chance of being found by your target audience.

Drive traffic to your website

Blogging is an inexpensive way to attract more potential customers and drive traffic to your website. Studies suggest that companies who blog get 67% more leads as compared to those who don’t. In order to do that, you first need to know your target audience and create contents that will be of value to them.

Position your brand as an industry leader

Blogging is especially beneficial for small businesses looking to gain credibility. Majority of people go online to because they want information. By providing fresh, valuable information in your blog posts, you can build trust and clout within your industry. Over time, people will come to you for informative, helpful content and will be seen as an industry leader.

Convert traffic into customers

Now that you have captured the attention of your target audience, you want them to keep coming back to your site. To do that, you need to provide them with fresh, interesting and informative content on a regular basis. Once you have built an audience of loyal and trusting readers, it will be a lot easier to sell to them. In fact, studies show that 67% of American buyers have made a purchase based on blog posts.

Building your personal brand

Blogs are a great way to share your thoughts and ideas with the world. You can blog about anything, from your personal life to your professional journey. And unlike social media, blogs allow you to control the narrative. You can decide what information you want to share, and how you want to share it. As a result, blogs can be a powerful tool for building your personal brand. In addition, blogs can help you to connect with like-minded people and create a sense of community.

Differentiate your brand from the competition

Blogs are a powerful tool that can help businesses to differentiate their brands from the competition. This is essential in business; it’s what sets you apart from the competition and drives customers to your door. When used effectively, blogs can provide insights into your company culture, values and vision. They can also be used to share news and announcements, showcase customer testimonials, and promote special offers.

In addition, a blog can help humanize your brand, making it more relatable and approachable. By sharing the story of your brand, you can connect with potential customers on a personal level and build trust. So if you’re looking to differentiate your brand from the competition, consider starting a blog. It could just be the thing that sets you apart and helps you attract more business.

Final thoughts

A blog can be a powerful asset for your business. It can help you drive traffic to your site, position yourself as an industry leader, and convert traffic into customers. If you need help starting a business blog, we’re here to help. We’ll work with you to create content that is relevant to your target audience and helps you achieve your marketing goals. Schedule a free consultation today to get started.

Blogging Benefits that Will Change Your Business Forever

Blogging Benefits that Will Change Your Business ForeverBlogging Benefits that Will Change Your Business Forever

How to Create an Effective Content Calendar for Your Business

As a business owner, it is important to provide your audience with a steady supply of interesting and engaging content. But let’s face it. There will come a time when you’ll run out of ideas and don’t know what to write about. If you find yourself in this situation, then a content calendar may be just what you need.

Creating a content calendar allows you to plan your content in advance and schedule them across multiple channels at once. This allows business owners to come up with well-researched and valuable pieces of content and then schedule them on multiple platforms in one go. Plus, it will spare you the trouble of having to come up with a topic just before the deadline.

You may not realize it, but creating posts and content on the fly is more prone to mistakes and typos. With a content calendar, you’ll have enough time to write your content and proofread them before publishing.

Ready to create your own content calendar? Here are 4 tips to help you get started.

1. What content does your tribe want?

It is important to know what your audience is looking for before you just start posting. What do they like? What are they engaging on, sharing, talking about? Look at your past social media posts if you have them or your competitor’s posts and see what is working. One way to do this is looking at your social media analytics to get a good idea of what posts people have engaged in. What if you are just starting out and you don’t know what your audience is looking for yet? This is where your competition comes in, take a look at a good competitor and see what are they talking about, what type of posts are getting the most engagement?

Be sure to mix up your content, have posts with just text, articles, blogs, images, videos, gifs, to make sure you are grabbing their attention. Once you have a good idea of what type of content your tribe/audience likes then you can start creating!

2. How often should you be posting to each platform?

This is a question we get asked all the time! Each platform is different. As a business owner, you will have Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and maybe even more than that. It is important to keep your audience in mind when posting. Meaning, how often should you post and what times should you post. When you were doing your research in step one, also check out the times that people were engaging.

You do not want to bombard your audience by posting too much and you don’t want to post too little so they forget about you. It’s kinda like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, you don’t want your porridge to be too hot, too cold, but just perfect!  

Here is the common rule of thumb for posting to the social media platforms:

  • Facebook: 1 time per day and 3 on the high-end
  • Twitter: 3 times a day on the low-end and 30 on the high-end
  • LinkedIn: 2-5 times per week
  • Google+: 3-5 times per week
  • Pinterest: 5-10 times per day
  • Instagram: at least once per day

Each platform is going to be different for you, some you will have more engagement so you can post more and some you will have less engagement so you may need to only post a few times per week.

Remember to use the analytics to look at the numbers and see what they are reflecting so you can stay top of mind to your tribe/audience!

3. Time to Create Your Content

Once you know what your tribe/audience is looking for and how often you should be posting, it is then time to create!

Remember to keep it fresh and mix it up. Here are a few different content ideas for you:

  • Create a custom image through Canva, WordSwag, Typorama, Prisma, etc.
  • Create a video through Ripl, iMovie, Videorama, Animoto
  • Post your blog post from your website to social media
  • Find outside sources, articles, other blogs and videos you like, that align with your brand to share
  • Gifs to increase engagement

Here are a few tools we use to help keep our outside sources organized:

Feedly

The content you need to accelerate your research, marketing, and sales.  Stay ahead of the curve. The content you need to accelerate your research, marketing, and sales.

Stumbleupon

Discover the best of the web, one click at a time.

4. Time to fill in your calendar

Now that you have put your plan together and figured out the type of content you are going to write, where you are posting it and how often, you can fill out your calendar.

We have found that there are a few tools to help you with that content calendar. Everyone is different, some people like more of a visual calendar and others like more of an excel type of calendar. We love creating the content calendar in Google Sheets then using Trello to write the content and copy from there to our platforms. Others like to use Google Calendar for their topics and then put the posts directly into Buffer or Hootsuite to schedule them at one time to the correct social media networks.

You have to explore each option to see which one resonates with you the best! So we wanted to give you some to choose from:

Trello

Trello is a project management tool that’s very popular with bloggers, marketers and social media managers. It’s a good way to keep track of your content ideas and even has an additional calendar add-on you can use to get a monthly view of your planned content.

Google Calendar

If you want to keep it simple, you could always just create a new Google calendar for the process and invite everyone on the team to view it. Those teammates could also add all of their own posts and ideas to the same calendar.

Google Sheets

We have created our clients content calendars into here for topics and it will look like this:

Or this is how our Social Speak Content Calendar looks, you can be as general or as detailed as you want:

Buffer

Buffer is a new and smarter way to share what you want to share on Social Media. People have called it great names before, like your Social Media Assistant or the Siri of Social Media.

What it does is simple. Posts in your queue will be sent out automatically by Buffer, according to the posting schedule that you put in place.

Select the social account you’d like to customize the posting schedule for, select the Settings tab at the top, and then select Posting Schedule. From here, you can choose which timezone is best for this account and customize the days and times your posts should go out. Select the days you’d like to include and add the individual times you’d like your content to be shared.

Hootsuite

Manage all your social media in one place. From finding prospects to serving customers, Hootsuite helps you do more with your social media. Save time by scheduling your social posts. Keep your social presence active 24/7 by automatically scheduling hundreds of social media posts at once, across your social accounts.

How to Create an Effective Content Calendar for Your Business

How to Create an Effective Content Calendar for Your BusinessHow to Create an Effective Content Calendar for Your Business

 

45 Social Media Questions That Will Get Your Audience Talking

Social media is an excellent platform for promoting your business and reaching your audience.

With billions of users logging in on their accounts almost every day, there is no doubt that social media can help you grow and scale your brand over time.

But the truth is that having an audience isn’t enough. If you want to grow a fanbase, you need to interact with your audience and keep them engaged. One of the best ways to get the conversation started is by asking questions.

Asking questions will not only help you genuinely connect with your audience, but it can also help you improve your organic reach.

But before we give you a list of social media questions, here are some tips to further pump up your engagement when asking questions.

Ask questions that are easy to answer

This is supposed to be a fun activity, so don’t let your audience think too hard. The easier it is for your audience to answer the questions, the more likely will they participate.

While some may not always engage, but fun and easy questions may encourage people to stop and be interested enough to read the comments.

Make use of visuals  

Studies suggest that social media posts with images get 2.3 times more engagement than those without. So if you want to grab people’s attention, we highly suggest that you include a visually appealing image with it. But make sure that it is relevant to your content.

Post when your audience are most active

Just like any other social media content, you want to post the questions when your audience are actively engaging on the platform. Keep in mind, though, that the best time varies from platform to platform. So be sure to do some research.

Choose relevant and on-trend topics

If you’re struggling to find questions to ask your audience, just hop on to Google and do some research. There are also lots of tools available that can help you find trending topics in your industry.

Questions to ask on social media

Just for fun questions

Social media is a great place to ask just for fun question. The answers people give you aren’t really important. What matter most is that you’re

  1. If you were planning a dream vacation where would you be going?
  2. What movie would be the most fun to live in?
  3. If you got offered a reset button for your life would you push it?
  4. What movie have you watched more than five times?
  5. If you could only have one snack for the rest of your life what would you pick?
  6. If you were stuck on a deserted island, what three items would you bring?
  7. What job would your pet have it was human?
  8. What would the title of your autobiography be?.
  9. What weird talent do you possess?
  10. What shows are you binging on Netflix right now?

Business-specific questions

Asking business-related questions is not only a great way to engage your customers, but also helps you get insights from your customers. 

  1. If we gave you $100 to spend in our shop, which products or services would you stock up on?
  2. Which do you prefer, [product A] or [product B]?
  3. What kind of [industry] content would you like to learn about?
  4. Do you prefer podcasts, videos, or blog posts?
  5. What’s the #1 thing you struggle with when it comes to [industry]?
  6. What’s one product/service you’d like us to start offering?
  7. What deal would you prefer to get? 15% off or free shipping?
  8. What’s the #1 thing you look for in a [your product or service]?
  9. Would you be sad if we discontinued [product]?
  10. What questions do you have about [product-related topic]?

Food-related questions

People love food. In fact, most people enjoy taking a snap of their food and posting them on social media. Asking food-related question will surely get them talking.

  1. What’s your favorite food?
  2. What’s your specialty dish?
  3. If you could only eat at one fast-food restaurant for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
  4. If you could cook with any celebrity chef, who would it be?
  5. What’s your favorite healthy snack/food?
  6. What’s the most adventurous meal you’ve ever eaten?
  7. What’s the best meal you’ve ever eaten?
  8. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
  9. If you could buy any type of food right now, what would you buy?
  10. What was your favorite food as a kid?

Gratitude-related or motivation questions

More and more people are being drawn to the idea on reflecting on their lives. As such, people are more open to talking about what motivates them, what they’re grateful for, and other positive thoughts. Asking these types of questions are sure to boost your social media engagement.

  1. What’s one thoughtful thing someone did for you recently?
  2. What are you grateful for today?
  3. What’s a difficult lesson that you were grateful to learn?
  4. What’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you? (Tag that person)
  5. Who is someone that really listens when you talk? (Tag them below)
  6. What was the last thing you got really excited about?
  7. What’s one thing you hope to accomplish this week?
  8. What’s your #1 goal for this year?
  9. What kinds of things motivate you in life?
  10. When was the last time you felt truly motivated

Would you rather questions

Would you rather questions are fun. They’re great for long road trips and are equally as good on social media. You can post them as regular content or post them as stories to drive engagement.

  1. Would you rather be unable to use search engines or unable to use social media?
  2. Would you rather live alone in a beautiful countryside or work hard and live in the city around the people you love?
  3. Would you rather receive a free world tour opportunity or never have to pay for food at restaurants?
  4. Would you rather know all of someone’s darkest secrets or have the ability to read minds
  5. Would you rather travel to the past or travel to the future

45 Social Media Questions That Will Get Your Audience Talking

45 Social Media Questions That Will Get Your Audience Talking45 Social Media Questions That Will Get Your Audience Talking