my Blog
In January, Facebook announced another change to its algorithm, the mechanism that determines what shows up on the news feed. Not again. Why? You may have noticed that your reach, which is defined by how many people see your post, has drastically shrunk over the past year or so. Facebook's answer to this is simple -- there are far too many posts occurring to have everything visible on the news feed. Posts are ranked based upon audience engagement, rewarding quality content by appearing on more news feeds. So, what is quality content? The Facebook developer team described quality content by the following: 1. Is the content timely and relevant? 2. Is the content from a trusted source? 3. Would you share it with friends or recommend it to others? 4. Is the content genuinely interesting to you or is it trying to “game” (or trick) the News Feed algorithm? 5. Would you complain about seeing this content in your News Feed? What other changes took place in 2014? Facebook also announced a crack down on "like baiting", in other words, downgrading posts that ask the reader to "like" something -- a page, picture or post which artificially creates higher engagement. Basically, if your content can't stand up for itself as being engaging, don't expect Facebook to reward you. Which brings us to the changes announced in January, 2015 Stop promoting! No, really, Facebook will devalue posts that are promotional. Best practices for Facebook content follows the 80/20 rule (80% of your content should be useful, relevant, educational, engaging, etc. while only 20% should be promotional). Here's an example of one post written two ways: Let's say you are a veterinarian clinic, posting about flea/tick prevention. Example #1: "Ever wonder when you should apply flea/tick medicine?" which includes a photo of a dog and link to a blog post on their website which educates the reader and includes a link to the product. Example #2: "Don't forget - now is the time to buy flea/tick medicine for your best friend. We're offering 10% off all month." which includes a photo of a dog and link to the product on their website." Both posts get the reader off Facebook to the website, which is good, but post #1 will be preferred by Facebook. So, whether you're a restaurant, hair salon, lawn care company, dentist, or photographer, keep the self-promotion to a minimum. If you want to promote, use the paid advertising feature.
0 Comments
Email marketing is the #1 way to keep people engaged with your products and services. It is an extremely cost-effective method to build relationships and keep your business "top of the mind" with prospective customers. How do you know if you're doing it right? Here are some common ways where you may be hurting your efforts:
The life of an entrepreneur is always in motion. We grow and evolve, downshifting when needed and jumping into uncharted waters without looking back. Sometimes this constant movement can cause problems. The business is out of synch with your core beliefs and your marketing plan no longer reflects who you are and what you're trying to do. You are off brand. My first meeting with a client is often when the business owner is investigating the addition of a social media or email marketing plan. I am coming into the business with a fresh set of eyes, looking at it from a customer's perspective, and what I see is a an outdated website, or a poorly constructed site that does not reflect the owner's professionalism. I see business cards with graphics and fonts that don't match, social media channels that are missing important marketing tools and email templates that underwhelm. Do we go ahead and establish a social media marketing plan on top of a foundation that is not serving the business well? Not a good plan. Recently, I was pleased to work with three businesses who faced this situation. They were initially unhappy to postpone their debut into the world of social media, but stepping back and looking at their business turned out to be very illuminating and up-lifting. Serious conversations between stakeholders refocused their attention helping them to unload outdated information, and showcase their products and services more effectively. The resulting updated websites and logos will, of course, require new business cards and collateral materials to follow. Online business directories and existing social media profiles need to reflect the rebranded image. Re-branding a process, but it's kind of like cleaning out an over-stuffed closet. You get rid of a lot of stuff, figure out what's important to save and wear more. It's not fun in the beginning, but along the way you discover why you bought that purple pant suit in the first place. In the end, you will feel relieved, and reinvigorated to proudly wear "your brand". I was reading Chris Brogan's blog recently and he posed the question, "What three words would help you in the coming year?" The answer came to me very quickly and without hesitation: Family . . . Balance . . . Mastery Family. Last Thursday, my day began like many others - preparing to work on a couple of websites, and finishing up invitations to a business event. At 8:15 I learned that my daughter was involved in a serious car accident on her way to work, being hit head on by another driver. A tractor trailer was able to avoid the vehicles by crashing into a stone wall. She will be OK, thankfully. The event made it so clear what's really important in life - not websites, social media or speaking engagements. Balance. The whole balance thing also pertains to family. In the game, Jenga, players must gingerly remove a colored block from the tower without toppling the whole thing. No one wants to be the one who causes the collapse. As entrepreneurs, we're not always great at work/life balance. I work a lot of weekends - nothing new for small business owners. Last summer I did an experiment by unplugging my computer from Friday afternoon through Sunday, enjoying time at the shore with my husband and my girls whenever their schedule allowed. It worked well, although it didn't last as the busy fall schedule started. Mastery. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines mastery a "knowledge and skill that allows you to do, use, or understand something very well." The more I learn about social media, email marketing, website building and all the other parts of my business, the more I'm convinced that there is much that I DON'T know, and that's OK. In 2015 I do want to continue to build my skill sets and learn more ways to help my clients manage their marketing more easily. What are your three words? The holidays are here, and the marketing push is on. Major retailers are pulling out all the stops, enticing us with Hallmark-laden messages, countless promotions and last minute gift giving ideas. Locally, hundreds of non-profit organizations will count on us to think of them on December 10th during the 3rd Annual Valley Gives Day. Small Business Saturday reminds us to "shop small" every day of the year, helping our local businesses survive and thrive. If you haven't put your holiday marketing plan in action yet, there's still time. Here are some last minutes ideas that you can do today just by using your mailing list:
Salesy gimmicks and product pushing have been replaced by creating and growing relationships built on brand recognition and trust. Today's marketing is all about engagement. Websites, social media channels, mailing lists and online placement are key components in this new landscape. You're posting, tweeting, blogging, emailing, networking - doing everything you can to grow your business. What else can you do? Events provide the "wow" factor in the relationship engagement cycle. They give people a reason to talk, to share, to follow you, to get to know you better. Events can be big or small, and can be tailored to showcase your expertise. You don't have to be a Powerpoint wiz or in your glory when standing in front of a room full of people. If you're worried about speaking in public, there are many ways to help you find more confidence. Join Toastmasters, support groups like WBOA (ladies only), a BNI group or other networking organization. Recently, I was invited to be the keynote speaker for the Hartford/Springfield Speakers Network as they kicked off their fall season in Enfield, CT. The purpose of this group is to help members develop and grow their speaking business. I found the group to be very high energy, extremely welcoming and very professionally run. The brainchild of Bill Corbett, host of Cooperative Kids, the group is very energizing. Many members are using speaking as part of their overall businesses, others are intending to become, or are professional speakers. The meeting started with casual networking followed by two spotlight speakers and the keynote speaker. I found the group to be very high energy, extremely welcoming and very professionally run. Speakers are taped and timed, great for learning. Attendees came from as far away as Boston and southern Connecticut. You've spent time and energy making sure your website reflects your professionalism and your brand. But, is it pulling its weight to bring visitors to your "hub" -- your website AND mailing list? Here are five easy ways to make your website work harder. You may already be using some of these tips, but maybe you're not paying attention and monitoring your progress. Here are 5 tips to make sure your website is helping you:
Robert Green, long-time proprietor of Amherst Typewriter, recently told his story on Connecting Point, as captured in this video. As I watched, I was struck by several things. First, the mere fact that a typewriter repair shop still exists in an era where we are connected 24/7 to our tech gadgets is worth taking a closer look. Then I really listened as Mr. Green described the tactile sense of tapping the key to strike the mechanism onto the paper without regard to making a mistake.
I was instantly transported back to Mrs. Bridge's typewriting class in high school where I saw my first IBM Selectric typewriter. It was placed at the very front of the classroom under Mrs. Bridge' s watchful eye. "Who would like to try our brand new electric typewriter," she asked. I held my hand up thinking it couldn't be worse than jamming my fingers into the depths of the standard issue contraption I was using. I remember turning it on and it being very loud and very sensitive to touch. I was soon typing my personal best. Deep down I felt a little guilty thinking that I had an advantage over the other 20 or so students who labored away on their obstinate typewriters. Mr. Green described the relationship that authors often have with their typewriters, taking comfort in the deliberate action the machine seems to cause. I have enough trouble dealing with autocorrect on a smart phone -- a phenomenon known to provide countless Epic Fail lists. I can't imagine enjoying the experience of writing a novel on a Smith Corona. The tools may change, but the engagement is what really counts. How we engage with the tools of our trade, and with each other. Sometimes taking the low tech route can make the biggest impact on forming lasting relationships - a hand written note, a clipped article from a newspaper, a visit over coffee . . . maybe even a trip to the typewriter repair store. I have a love-hate relationship with Facebook, especially Facebook for business. As a marketer, Facebook is a moving target, always changing to "better the user's experience", or so they say. Every change affects my clients and their ability to stay current in a marketplace that often feels uncomfortable. One of the changes that has been most troubling is the downward spiral in organic reach (who sees your content) that business pages have experienced in the last couple of years. It may surprise you to learn that less than 6% of your content is being seen by your fans (people who've liked your page). I know what you want to say right now . . . . "Forget it! Why waste my valuable time posting when no one's going to see it anyway?"
Before you throw in the towel and abandon your business page, let's look at what you CAN do in order to get more of your content seen. It all comes down to increasing engagement. Will your fans like, comment and share your post with others? Facebook rewards high quality content by letting it squeeze past their filters and right onto your fan's news feed. So what can you do to increase engagement?
Figure out how to get your social fans onto your mailing list and you won't ever have to worry about Facebook's next move again. If you need some help, let's talk. The 6th Annual Western Mass PodCamp was held on Sat. April 19th at the Kittredge Center (Holyoke Community College). Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this year's event great. It's no secret that I look forward to PodCamp every year and I never miss an opportunity to rave about it with new clients and occasionally even random strangers. I have been talking about PodCamp a lot with my Women Business Owners Alliance friends and was so happy to see almost twenty WBOA sisters join us this year, many for the first time. This picture was taken at the close of camp, after seven hours of social media sessions. Can you tell we had a great time? "People aren't as interested in our brand as we think they'd be. They really want to get to know us in other ways. ~ Jon Reed, @jonerp I started my day with Jon Reed, one of the founders of Hidden-Tech. His session was on "Creating Free Content That Works". How do we provide quality content? We need to give people meaningful experiences that will help them move toward their own goals. Jon talked about Facebook phasing out brand visibility (I was kind of surprised that many in the room didn't know how little of our content shows up on our followers feeds - currently less than 5%.) One key point that Jon brought up was to focus efforts on bringing people to our "hub", our websites - where we own! Social media is the outpost, the spokes. Try featuring someone's work, answer questions (google Hubspot Pool Guy). Content is now social objects (google social objects) - things that are freely shared. If you’ve found a flow, you feel like swimming downstream not upstream. ~ Val Nelson, @valnelson I was curious about Val Nelson's topic, "Your Sweet Spot, Let Go Of The Shoulds." Her heart-centered approach to marketing helped us find our own balance with how we approach social media. Does it feel right to me? She used an example of three overlapping circles with the "sweet spot" being where the overlap occurs. By identifying our comfort zone, we can begin to move beyond that area with better understanding. I don't think I've ever taken the time to analyze my social media presence in quite this way, but I was happy to have found my own "sweet spot." Always take video horizontally on your iPhone. ~David Long You never know where you'll learn something at PodCamp. In the non-profit session facilitated by Adrian Dahlin (The Conway School), I got a great video tip from David Long (Epic Filmmakers). It was finally time to kick back, put my feet up and enjoy the last session of the day, "Favorite Productivity/Tech Tools", with Christine Pilch and Lesley Lambert. Not only did I learn that Christine really loves to cook, but also loves a grocery app called "Out Of Milk". Leslie brought up "IFTTT", an app she'd talked about last year (but I obviously forgot about and needed a reminder). It builds recipes to trigger actions based upon a sequence of events. I will check it out now. Promise. There's an ebb and flow to PodCamp. I've felt exhilarated, sometimes overloaded, and often have left wondering when the scales of social media will reach a tipping point. This year I felt a recurring theme at PodCamp, one that I've also talked about in my own workshops a lot. In every session I attended the presenter talked about finding our own voices in social media, not feeling like we need to be everywhere, or try to be everything to everyone. And most importantly - we need to find ways to provide quality content to bring people back to what we own - our website and our mailing list. So true. |
AuthorLiz Provo, Mass Marketing Resources. Categories
All
|
Follow me on Social Media!
|
|
Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved