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Tips to Increase Engagement Rate on Facebook

The Ibis Network Social Media Marketing Strategy

Many businesses are attracted to Facebook for the sheer volume of users it attracts, yet these same businesses often don’t know how to reach those same people. It takes a tremendous amount of effort and precise planning for any company to get to a satisfying level of social-media engagement. If you can’t afford to spend loads of money on your social-media marketing campaigns, don’t fret: the companies that are most sought after are ones that make a great game plan and follow through with it. The following tips will help to increase engagement on Facebook:

1) Strive to be genuine – As a business owner, you want to portray the most positive image of your company as possible. Upload pictures of daily activities, company outings, community service projects etc. By sticking to your brand and showcasing what you have worked for, you show the public that you are legitimate, trustworthy, and approachable.

2) Timing is crucial – Timing is perhaps one of the most vital key aspects of your Facebook campaign. By timing your posts at the right time of day, you create a window of opportunity for your content to reach the most people. Research your audience to determine the best times to reach them, and even try experimenting by posting at different times of the day and week to see when you get the most attention.

3) Get to know your audience – Engage your audience to ask them for feedback and advice, and be willing to do the same for them. Finding out more about your audience will help you gain insight into what you are doing right, and what you need to work on.

4) Make them laugh – Humor seems to fit Facebook quite nicely. Being able to make your audience laugh by posting clever content or videos ensures that they will remember you. Don’t overuse humor to the point of annoyance, but choose your moments and make them count.

 

For daily social-media tips, visit our Facebook page here: www.Facebook.com/TheIbisNetwork

Social-Media Marketing Tips for The Upcoming Year

Online Marketing
Continue to grow this year with a measured social-media program to enhance your business. More and more companies are seeing the increased success that social-media can bring to their business. If you are already using social-media, it is essential to realize that there is still much you can do to improve its effectiveness. If you have not yet started reaping the benefits social-media can bring, then 2014 is the year to start. There are many new and exciting sites that are coming to light, and others that are gaining steam. Below are some social media marketing tips for 2014:

1) Create a social-media budget – Setting aside a budget for social-media platforms in 2014 will be key to your success. Even if you don’t have a substantial budget, you can substantially improve your sales through social-media. Consider using some of your budget to consult professionals on how to get the most out of your social-media dollar.

2) Interact with your customers – Being present and friendly for your customers on social-media this year will prove to be extraordinarily beneficial. Statistics show that companies who strive to help and connect with their customers are more successful than those who just sell to them.

3) Upgrade your tech gadgets – Upgrading your old equipment will help you bridge the gap between success and failure. Technology is a driving force in today’s economy, and staying on top of its emerging trends can help you tremendously.

4) Be professional – Whether you are a beginner or a veteran of social-media, maintaining a professional presence will ensure that your customers see your company in a positive light. All of your profiles should be well put together and thought out; failing to do so may result in lack of trust from your followers.

 

For daily social-media tips, visit our Facebook page here: www.Facebook.com/TheIbisNetwork

Twitter 101

Twitter Marketing Tips the ibis network social media

Social-media has become so accessible that it is a disservice not to use it to your advantage, but it can be seriously detrimental for a small business owner to go into marketing through social-media without a good understanding of it. Getting familiar with social-media platforms will be the most beneficial thing you do for your company, and Twitter is one of the most used platforms for social-media marketing.  Below are some tips to help you understand and use Twitter, let’s call it Twitter 101.

1) What is Twitter? – Twitter is a micro-blogging site that lets you post, or “tweet,” messages with a limited number of characters to catch the attention of your audience. Since its inception, Twitter has become very user friendly and business oriented. Several companies and entrepreneurial individuals use Twitter to remain in contact with their public and maintain a sense of immediate, personal involvement.

2) Why Should I Use Twitter? – Twitter allows you as a business owner to optimize your content in a way that is easily portrayed to your audience. Twitter is the fastest growing social-media site, with 14 million users. This is an incredibly large demographic to draw from and interact with, which creates a unique business strategy.

3.) How Do I Use Twitter? – Twitter is remarkably simple to use, however, it can be daunting when you first approach it. Create a plan of action and clearly define what you intend to accomplish. Creating a schedule of when you want to make certain posts can also be very useful. Twitter requires time and effort, and thrives from continuous updates with quality content. You must be aware of when to post and what to post, paying attention to when your posts get the most attention and feedback. Also be sure to reply and “retweet” (the act of reposting someone else’s “tweet”) when applicable, as this generates conversation and keeps users engaged.

 

If you’re using Twitter, and we’re not yet connected, you can find us here (we follow back): http://twitter.com/TheIbisNetwork

4 Ways Pinterest Can Help Your Business Make Money

The Ibis Network Marketing Social Media

Pinterest isn’t just a place to post pictures of wedding dresses and baby photo ideas; it can actually be a great network to tap into to find people who prefer the more visual side of things. We know you’ve read plenty about how to set up your Pinterest profile, create boards, and build followers, so we’re going to skip all of that and dive straight into monetizing your Pinterest account. This will allow you to grow your mailing list, sell products, offer services, increase book sales, and promote affiliate products. Below are some ways to use Pinterest for business:

1) Stand Out from the Rest – With so many individuals searching the internet for products, it’s vital to set yourself apart from everyone else. Pinterest allows you to be creative and display your products in a way that engages the consumer and ensures that they are the right match for your brand.

2) Promotions – Offering promotions and holding contests in social-media is becoming very common, and something as simple as offering 10% off their next purchase to new followers is a great way to grow your popularity. Contests keep the public engaged, and are a fun way to create a sense of community.

3) Follow to Gain Followers – A necessary tactic is to follow and re-pin other people’s items so that you remain active and gain customers. Consider targeting certain audiences that enjoy the types of products you offer.

4)  Promote on Other Platforms – Promoting your Pinterest on other social-media sites can greatly expand your customer base. Taking one platform and spreading the word across several more such as Facebook and Twitter can increase your exposure and draw new followers to your Pinterest.

 

For daily social-media tips, visit our Facebook page here: www.Facebook.com/TheIbisNetwork

Tips for Handling a Social Media Crisis

social media marketing

As much as we would like to think that everything will go as planned with our social-media campaign, there is a chance that, at some point, you will experience negative attention, one of the most detrimental things for a social-media campaign. If you are keeping up with your social-media networks like you should be, you will be able to spot a developing crisis. In the event of a social-media crisis, follow the tips below to make the best of a bad situation:

1.) Have a Plan – The most important thing to combat these undesirable situations is to have a solid plan of action beforehand. Studying other social sites and the problems they’ve had in the past can help to prepare you for what is to come. The social-media world is highly unpredictable, and having that foreknowledge will set you above the others.

2.) Identify the Crisis – Pay close attention to the discussions occurring in your social-media space. Listening to the conversation will enable you to understand what everyone is thinking and saying, and lead you to a clearer understanding of what has gone wrong. Once you know how the crisis is affecting people, you will have a better idea of how to help.

3.) Pay Close Attention – Paying attention to what is happening and knowing the facts before you act is absolutely recommended. Going into a crisis blind is never a bright idea. If you don’t use Hootsuite already, it will be a powerful tool to use in the future as it allows you to monitor and interact with all of your social-media in one place, with a convenient dashboard interface.

4) Let People Vent – People need to vent… let them. Allowing people to vent allows them to express their opinion and get your feedback, boosting their trust in you. Their feedback will allow you to learn more about what is being said, and in turn being able to manage the situation better. Addressing this will help immensely when handling a social media crisis.

5.) Turn the Crisis into a Positive – Allow people to vent and get some of the crisis out of their system, and then hit them with a positive in a professional way. There are many ways to avert people’s attention to something more positive and worthwhile, and knowing when to pull the trigger is key when turning a negative into a positive.

If you’re using LinkedIn and we’re not yet connected, you can find me here: www.linkedin.com/in/joshmillar/

3 Social-Media Tools to Help Optimize Your Exposure

Social Media

Social-media marketing is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society; however, traditional marketing strategies are still alive. The rise of multiple new social-media platforms makes it easier to spread the word about your company. Social-media marketing tools are a perfect addition to any marketing strategy and are commonly underutilized. The following are some tools that can help you optimize your exposure through social-media:

1) Go Mobile – Mobile apps are becoming a staple in the business world. There are now a variety of different apps that make marketing easier and more convenient. Creating an app is fairly low cost, yet it will have tremendous value if used in the correct manner. Building an app for your business could make an enormous difference in your exposure, by giving your customers a clear and accessible method to see what you have to offer, and even the chance to buy from the same app.

2) Utilize Email Marketing – Email marketing services provide exceptional value, especially when you are trying to reach large groups of people at once. This can be extremely cheap if done correctly. You can create your own email template, in which case you should consult with someone to ensure its professionalism and effectiveness, or you can use an existing customizable template. No matter which direction you decide to go, your goal should be to reach as many people as possible, and provide compelling content to keep the customer’s attention.

3) Learn Inbound Marketing – Inbound marketing is all content based, and utilizes tools such as blogs, videos, and newsletters to engage the public. Creating this content will be up to you, but quality content will drive traffic to your site, which can then be turned into eventual sales. This form of marketing is extremely low cost and gives you full control. Small businesses should strive to use inbound marketing as much as possible, especially at first.

 

For daily social-media tips and more social media tools for business, visit our Facebook page here: Facebook.com/TheIbisNetwork

Email Marketing Tips to Help Gain Customers

Email

Email is now a part of our everyday lives. As one of the most indispensable tools that we all use daily, it provides a huge resource for social-media marketing purposes. Email marketing can be a hard thing to manage effectively, especially when selling goods or products. You will have to learn how to build relationships and keep them throughout the years. Email marketing is one of the more successful ways to market and reach a large audience. Below are some email marketing tips to help gain customers:

1) Keep It Simple – Be sure to make your email layout as simple and clean as possible, including format and wording. Research has shown that when checking email, especially on mobile devices, it is easier to keep the customer engaged when they can read and follow your message.

2) Go Mobile – With the advent of cell phones and other handheld devices, people now carry their email around with them all the time. Today’s society is more prone to use their phone or tablet to check and send emails, so catering to the mobile platform will ensure you don’t miss out on one of the fastest growing groups of customers.

3) Educate and Inform – There is a time and place for everything, and sending sales-pitch emails is not always the best way to go. Instead, send quality emails that are educational and help to equip the reader with knowledge on your products and services. An informed reader is an invested reader.

4) Target Your Marketing – You want to reach as many people at once as possible, and sending out mass emails is a terrific way to do this, but it’s not always enough. Refining your emails to make sure the right customers get the right message is key. If you make sure that you are sending these emails to customers who are already likely to read or forward an email, you will find you get more feedback and results.

 

For daily social-media tips, visit our Facebook page here: Facebook.com/TheIbisNetwork

Top 5 Expected Social-Media Trends In 2014

2014

Staying ahead of the game and anticipating changes in social-media can be extraordinarily beneficial, but how can you know what is or is not going to be prominent in the future? Social networks are such a fast paced and aggressive trend that it can be difficult to predict which ones will grow, which ones will fail, and if any newer, bigger ones are coming along. Below are 5 expected social media trends for 2014:

1) Get on Board – If you are not yet utilizing social-media in your business, you are doing yourself a major injustice. Investing time and effort into social-media is becoming a necessity, and to survive and grow like a good business should, social-media should be at the top of your marketing list.

2) Visual Sites Thrive – Visual social-media sites and apps like Pinterest, Tumblr, and Slideshare will continue to grow and set the standard for newer social-media sites. Many businesses are using these platforms as a part of their marketing strategy, and it is proving to be successful.

3) The Rise of Google+ – Google+ is the second most visited social media site with 343 million users monthly, second only to Facebook which boasts 1.15 billion users monthly. Google plans to use this platform to grow online search engine optimization (SEO).

4) The Growth of Micro-Video – With platforms like Vine and Instagram, which allow users to share small, often humorous videos, there is no doubt that this new micro-video format will be used as a new marketing tool. Utilizing these social-media sites while they are still young will increase your potential for growth.

5) LinkedIn Remains the Leader – LinkedIn is the largest social-media platform for professionals, so it is no surprise that using this platform will increase your business’s popularity.

 

For daily social-media tips, visit our Facebook page here: Facebook.com/TheIbisNetwork

Tips to Increase Facebook Likes and Shares

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Whether you are new to Facebook or just looking to be more successful in your marketing attempts, it is important to start off strong. Creating a Facebook page for your business is very smart, and promoting your page will be the most important element after creating your account. Below are some helpful tips to increase Facebook likes and shares:

1) Engage in Small Talk – Talking with clients or prospective clients will build trust, especially if you talk candidly about products and services. Small talk will also allow you to get feedback on how to improve your business, while maintaining a pleasant and personal approach.

2) Time Your Posts – Research has proven time and time again that posting quality information at the right time of day will generate more likes and shares than randomly posting throughout the day. Typically mid-day to late afternoon is the highest traffic time on Facebook, but you may want to experiment a bit to see what works best for your users.

3) Link Your Website – Creating your Facebook page and getting it going right is a positive step, but your website is your true home on the internet. Social-media trends will come and go, and you want to outlast them all. Having a professional and engaging website is key to this. Link to your website via your Facebook page to help funnel traffic.

4) Offer Promotions – Getting creative and offering promotions through Facebook will make you extremely popular. Offering unique and engaging promotions, even small ones, will generate a bump in your traffic and keep users coming back for more.

5) Request Feedback – Don’t be afraid to ask for advice or feedback from your clients; after all, they are the ones keeping your business running. Be professional in your efforts to approach and ask questions, and in turn, be willing to give advice to those who seek it.

 

If you’re using Facebook and we’re not yet connected, you can find us here: Facebook.com/TheIbisNetwork

Tips to Help Plan Your Marketing Budget In 2014

Financial budgeting illustration

Planning your marketing budget can be a real hassle, especially for smaller companies.  However, a well-planned budget saves money which could then be spent on other much needed programs throughout your company. Saving money on your marketing budget is becoming easier as the years pass, but many companies may still not know exactly how to cut costs while maintaining a cutting-edge marketing strategy. Below are a few tips on how to plan your marketing budget for 2014:

1) Prioritize Your Content – Knowing what is important to your customers helps you determine which methods get their attention the best. You need to keep your audience attracted to your products and services by promoting your brand often, and in a targeted and timely fashion.

2) Monitor Your Expenses – Many companies are paying for marketing services they do not actually need. Much of social-media marketing can be done yourself, with little knowledge of how to do it. There are many perks to paid media, but it is crucial to be cautious when choosing this method.

3) Nurture Your Leads – Plan a budget to nurture your leads and follow through on each individual prospective client. The perfect marketing campaign does nothing if you fail to follow through, so keep in contact and give your clients a reason to remember you.

4) Watch for Trends – By watching and observing ongoing and upcoming trends in the social-media world, you can anticipate changes in the market and adjust your strategy accordingly. This lets you choose to either follow the upcoming trends, or innovate in a different direction.

For daily social-media tips, visit our Facebook page here: Facebook.com/TheIbisNetwork