How to Stand Out in the Crowd on Social Media

Oh, the never-ending dilemma that is social media. Now, don’t get me wrong. It can be an excellent platform when used in the proper context. However, like a “stand” up comic, who has to engage the crowd to get them to laugh, social media marketers need to “stand” out in the scene online.

Therein lies the challenge.

When you have a passion for a product or service, offer personal testimony, this is helpful. However, if you can post a brief video demonstration that showcases your actual use and application of the product, that tells a whole other tale. Now you have a credibility factor and become more believable to buyers. We always hear about the need to create and post engaging content, and that is accurate. But, to create content that catches the reader’s attention, you may need to switch things up.

For instance, as opposed to just writing an informative piece, hit the insert button and add a: Frequently Asked Questions section. You may even create a “Contributor’s Corner” platform. In this manner, readers, your followers, will feel that:

  1. They have a voice, and you value their feedback.
  2. It creates a budding relationship and establishes a trust factor.

When that occurs, trust can translate into dollars, if you have a service or product to offer. If you are merely focusing on increasing your presence, trust is still critical. When followers believe you, two things happen: They will advocate for you on social media, and they will direct others to your page as a source which provides reliable and sound advice.

Another means to make your social media presence known is to upload photos of yourself; include outside interests, so to become relatable to your readers. It shows that you are accessible and very much in touch with the current culture.

Remember, this is not designed to overwhelm you, but put you over the top, in a sea of seekers online.

Here are some other things to consider:

  • Address people of various ages and stages, even if it is foreign to you. In doing so, the element of sensitivity comes into play. With millennials, Snapchat and Instagram are essential. It doesn’t have to be controversial, just conversational.
  • Invite readers to sound off on current events.

Hopefully, this helps.

How to Incorporate Storytelling into Your Content

Everyone loves a good story, right? And with content marketing gaining prominence, it is important that your work stands out. This goal can be achieved by including storytelling within your pieces. There are several ways to include storytelling in your content. One way is to tell a story that gives your audience a reason to engage with you regularly. Have a good narrative, one that includes multiple parts fed out at changing times. This gives your audience a reason to keep coming back; they are interested in the next piece of the saga.

Another way to incorporate storytelling into your content is to tell tales showing how your brand relates to your audience. The stories, even though they are fiction, can help provide another perspective on your brand. They can give more of a backstory around the feelings and culture of the company, conveyed in a thoughtful, entertaining way.

You can also tell a story about a topic to make it easier to understand. Sometimes, a complex problem is more easily explained via a narrative. If you can remember Schoolhouse Rock, you know what I mean.

But, why do this? Stories are not only memorable but also shareable. People can tell others about them. What better way to show how word-of-mouth advertising can work. A person reads a good story on your site, tells his friend about it. That friend goes to your site and reads that same good story. She then tells another friend of hers and so on and so on. Think of the potential power in that.

By telling a good story, you show your audience that you are not just trying to sell them something, that you are trying to connect with them at some deeper level. Give them a reason to like you, maybe just a bit more than a competitor.

4 Print Campaign Examples Millennials Love

With so much advertising being thrown at millennials, it makes sense that it takes an original message to cut through the noise. And with the rise of digital media, print ads have to work twice as hard to convey a message to tech-savvy millennials. Millennials want print ads that cut to the chase and utilize attention-grabbing, direct visuals to convey their message. Here are some examples of print campaigns that speak to millennials, as well as to the young at heart.

Boredpanda.com has a list of ads that are chock-full of millennial favorites. Let’s pick out and discuss some highlights:

1. Volkswagon: Precision Parking

If there’s one thing millennials love, it’s cuteness. This Volkswagon ad features a cute hedgehog parking between goldfish, just the kind of image millennials enjoy.

2. Reading Campaign: Face-A-Book

Millennials love social media, so this reading campaign ad is sure to turn their heads, turning social media giant’s logo Facebook into a pro-reading message. Good advice for millennials, and everyone else.

3. Oogmerk Opticians: Get the Respect You Deserve

When people think millennials, they think hipsters, and this ad for Oogmerk Opticians shows how to turn anyone into a hipster by giving them a pair of trendy glasses.

4. Lego: “Imagine” The Simpsons

Many millennials grew up watching The Simpsons and playing with Legos, so this ad combines the best of both worlds, with The Simpsons characters built out of Lego blocks. All that’s missing is Homer’s pink donut. Maybe there will be a circular Lego in the future?

What makes these ads stand out in the minds of millennials? Not only are they all creative and well thought out, but they are simplistic too. Most people don’t have time to sift through wordy, overbearing direct mail pieces. Keeping yours creative and to the point is a great way to catch the eye of not only millennials but other generations as well.

Is Blogging Right for Your Business?

A blog keeps you engaged with your industry and your community. It can position a person as a thought leader—in any business.

If you are reading this, you already know that the dynamics of doing business has changed. Advertising has changed. Today’s clients expect companies to engage them. Blogging provides a straightforward entrance to the world of online engagement.

Keeping your website reader-worthy makes it into something more than the modern version of a phone book listing. And it will rise in search results through blogging. Search engine optimization, or SEO, is vital for businesses today. If your potential client seeks your service on the web but finds another provider first, you have a problem! You can turn this around with quality blogging.

Setting Up Your Blog

Your website might enable a blog already. As it helps bring in clients, you may seek writing support, so blogging goes on in the background while you handle your professional responsibilities. Consider it part of your marketing budget.

To start, it’s important to establish desired return on investment (ROI). Are people finding your updates, and sharing them with their friends and colleagues? Do readers locate the content of your posts worth returning to? A useful service shows you stats on the time users spend on your blog and how your posts are shared.

Of course, you also want information on how many readers explore your services or place orders. With statistically measurable goals, you can see if your efforts are working, or if it’s sensible to get pros involved with your marketing.

When to Post?

Blog weekly. You can schedule the posts so that they don’t go out at 3 am when you finish writing. Again, if time’s an issue, hire quality writing support. Give your readers material that is valuable to them.

You will want to update your blog about upcoming events where your company will have a presence and about any special promotions you are running.

Community Engagement

The best return from your blog will involve engagement. Enable people to sign up and be alerted to your new blog entries. Allow reader comments. And yes, set up a Facebook page as well as other social media platforms suited to your business. Make sure the word is getting out about your company.

Need inspiration? Watch a big company, one you’ve known a while, using social media. Pick out some ideas that would work for you. Then set a timeline to implement them.