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24 Hot Tools and Apps for Social Media Marketers http://ift.tt/2veaUXz Want to try some new social media marketing tools? Wondering which apps can enhance your social media audio, video, and images? In this article, you’ll discover 24 useful social media tools. #1: NarroNarro is an app that converts text articles into audio files so you can listen on the go. To convert a text article into an audio file, you can use the Narro bookmarklet, Chrome browser extension, or iOS or Android app. Narro then adds the audio file to your listening feed. You select from a number of male and female voices, and you can alter the speed to make the voice sound more natural. For example, if you don’t have time to read today’s article on Social Media Examiner, you would either click the extension or bookmarklet. Narro will then scan that article’s text, convert it into an audio file, and put that file into your personal feed. If you subscribe to a feed (like Overcast), the audio file of the article shows up in your feed after a few minutes or so. Narro has a free version and offers a premium version for $.50/hour. #2: WorkfromWorkfrom helps you find remote working spaces and connect with people who use them. To search for a remote workspace, you can use the website or the iOS or Android app. Workfrom takes you through all of the factors you need to consider when deciding whether to work at a remote location. For instance, you learn whether a space is public or private, what the WiFi speeds are, information about any WiFi costs, whether food and drinks are available, if it’s open late, whether it’s indoor or outdoor, quiet or communal, and more. People traveling to San Diego for Social Media Marketing World who will be there days before or after the event may need an alternative to working in a hotel room. Workfrom can help them find locations. Workfrom covers more than 12,500 cities worldwide and has a community of about 250,000 people who are constantly adding new locations and sharing their input. The Workfrom online magazine, #Untethered, offers tips and tricks for working better remotely and optimizing your workspace at home. Workfrom is free. They also have Pro version that offers perks from partner companies and access to Workfrom’s Slack community for $5/month or $50/year. #3: Newsfeed BurnerHow many times have you opened Facebook to do marketing work and started scrolling through your news feed instead? For help with this social media quicksand, check out Newsfeed Burner, a Chrome browser extension that hides your Facebook news feed. After you click the browser extension’s button, your news feed disappears, although you can get into groups and pages. Newsfeed Burner also eliminates the feeds for YouTube and LinkedIn. Go to http://ift.tt/rp6vA4 and look for Newsfeed Burner. Newsfeed Burner is a free Chrome extension. #4: LoomLoom is a Chrome browser extension that creates a shareable video as soon as you finish recording. When you want to share how something works or speak to your audience, Loom is a great choice, especially when video is the ideal way to communicate your message. Because Loom creates a link that recipients can access without an account, Loom is an easy way to share video over email, instead of writing text emails back and forth to clarify certain points. In Gmail, you can even play the video right in the message window. After you install the Loom Chrome extension, you can record what you’re doing on-screen or with your computer’s camera. When you’re done recording, a browser tab opens with a URL you can copy and share in an email or anywhere on the web. Loom offers unlimited video storage and metrics so you can see how many people have viewed your video. You can also download, delete, or password-protect your videos. Although you need Chrome on your desktop to record and send these videos, people can receive and watch Loom videos on any platform. If you like how the Chrome extension works, Loom for Gmail integrates the video features right into the Gmail interface. Loom is a free Chrome extension. #5: TwIMTwIM is an iOS app that’s dedicated to Twitter direct messages. It’s like Facebook Messenger for Twitter. Compared with the Twitter app, TwIM gives you nuanced control over your Twitter notifications. For example, you can see a notification only when you receive a Twitter direct message so you’ll know when you have a message before you open the app. With TwIM, you can also search for people by username to start a conversation; send full messages with emojis; block and unblock users; reply to people using text, photos, maps, or URLs; and more. TwIM could be a great new tool for social media managers who are heavily into providing customer service or interaction with fans and friends in Twitter direct messages. TwIM is a free app. #6: ReverbReverb is an interface that allows you to use Amazon Alexa instead of other artificial intelligence apps such as Siri on your Mac OS or iOS device. Ask Alexa a question and it gives you a response type. You can connect Alexa to your home to turn on the lights, ask Alexa for weather and traffic reports, and so on. Reverb also enables you to be less dependent on Amazon devices such as the Echo or the Echo Dot to access Alexa. For instance, if you have a Dot in your office but you’re on the go, you can pull out your phone, open Reverb, and ask Alexa anything. Reverb has all of the benefits of the service without the hardware. This resource works on desktop for Mac, and on mobile and tablets for iOS and Android. Reverb is a free app. #7: Just Good CopyJust Good Copy offers inspiration for writing your email copy. The website is like a swipe file for writing emails. To find inspiring emails, go to GoodEmailCopy.com and enter the type of email you need to write in the search bar. Your search results show existing emails from familiar companies such as Upwork, Buffer, Trello, Salesforce, Dropbox, Evernote, and Pinterest. Instead of searching, you can also click a tag for a common type of email. The tags look like colorful bubbles and reflect popular types of email such as thank you, welcome, nurture, maintenance, canceled subscription, and others. Just Good Copy is a free resource. #8: TouchRetouchTouchRetouch is a cool tool for mobile picture-takers who want to edit things out of their photos such as a photo bomber or utility lines. The TouchRetouch app, available for iOS and Android, is incredibly easy to use. After you open a photo in the app, you select a brush or selection tool and run your finger over the object or line you want to remove. The tools create a mask over the undesirable image content, and the app analyzes what’s around the masked area and wipes it out. Although the analysis isn’t 100% perfect, the app does a pretty good job of removing what you mask. TouchRetouch costs $1.99. #9: TabCloudTabCloud helps you manage your browser tabs by opening groups of bookmarked websites all at once. For example, if checking major social networks is one of your daily tasks, TabCloud can help you open those sites quickly and easily. To set up the group, set the tabs for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and any other sites you need such as your social media management software. Then give the group a name such as Social Channels. After you set up the group, you simply click its button and all of those websites open in your browser. You can also sync TabCloud with other browsers and use the website favicons for easy recognition. It’s a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox, as well as an Android app. The iOS app is coming soon. TabCloud is a free resource. #10: MarkticleWith Markticle, you can bookmark online articles and mark your progress so you can pick up right where you left off. With the notes and sharing features, you can also share your comments about specific content in the article through Facebook or Twitter. Markticle is available as a Chrome extension and Android app. After you install Markticle, open the article you want to read, select the text where you’re leaving off, and press M to mark that text. You then have the option to leave a note or share the article. Markticle is a free resource. #11: Skype PluginIf you’re a Skype user, Skype offers a plugin for Google Chrome or Firefox that makes setting up calls quick and easy. With this plugin, you can insert a Skype call link into an email, social media update, or calendar event. Then the recipient can simply click the link for a phone call. For instance, write in an email, “Give me a call on Skype when you get a chance.” Then click the Skype button to drop a link into the email. When the person clicks the link, he or she automatically calls you on Skype. You can also insert a Skype link for open office hours or an Ask Me Anything. Create the same link and then drop it into a tweet, a Facebook message, or another social network post. Similarly, if you’re setting up a calendar event for a Skype call, drop the Skype call link into the event notes and you’re good to go. To find the Skype plugin, search for Skype in the Google Chrome Web Store or in Firefox Add-Ons. Skype is a free plugin. #12: Write BehindWrite Behind is a cool iOS app that allows you to place text behind people or objects in your photos. The effect makes your images look like professionally designed magazine covers. The app is simple to use. After you open the photo in the Write Behind app, you select a font and type your text. Then use your finger to tell that app what parts of the photo should appear in the foreground. You might trace around a person so that the text appears behind them. Jeff Sieh, who does most of our Instagram image creation, has used Write Behind to insert text and create quote images. You can also see examples of what Write Behind can do on its website. Write Behind is a free app with in-app purchases, ranging from $0.99 to $2.99, for additional fonts and styles. Remove the watermark for $4.99 and unlock everything for $6.99. #13: Ecamm LiveEcamm Live gives you a powerful way to do Facebook Live from your Mac desktop computer. During your live broadcast, the software allows you to add creative touches such as graphic overlays. You can even share your desktop and switch between cameras. The Ecamm Live software stands out by making these powerful features easy to use. You’ll find some of the same features that Wirecast or OBS offer, but the Ecamm Live interface uses drag-and-drop technology. Ecamm Live’s most notable feature is screen sharing, which allows you to show off what you’re doing on-screen while going live. With picture-in-picture, the audience can see you in a thumbnail video and you can choose where to place it. With the graphic overlays, you can share a URL, your name and title, a logo, or other graphics. After you install the Ecamm Live desktop application on your Mac and connect your Facebook account, you can go live from your desktop to your profile and business pages with one click of a button. (Note: Ecamm Live doesn’t support groups yet.) While you’re live, the Ecamm Live interface looks and feels like the Facebook Live interface on a mobile device. See the comments and reactions pop up so you can engage with your live audience. You’ll like how Ecamm Live allows you to be creative and avoid getting too caught up in the tech. Ecamm Live has a one-time cost of $29.95. You can also download a free trial. #14: GridsTry Grids for a cool way to view and interact with Instagram on your desktop computer. If you’re a marketer looking to mirror the Instagram mobile experience on your desktop, this stand-alone app for Windows and Mac OS X has a beautiful and intuitive interface. The big bonus is the ability to see Instagram stories. You can also switch accounts without having to log out and log back in, and you can bookmark people, locations, and hashtags that interest you. To take advantage of the larger desktop screen, you can view Instagram posts in several different grid views, as well as a widget view that looks like a mobile device. Essentially, Grids creates the Instagram mobile experience on your desktop, with a few extra features. Grids has an extremely limited free version (it doesn’t include Stories and you can only add one account), as well as a premium upgrade, which is well worth the cost of $8.99. #15: ClipsApple recently released Clips, an iOS app for creating and editing square video, which tends to perform best on social media. Clips is ideal for creating short videos that you share in your social news feeds or as stories on Facebook or Instagram. Clips is like a little iMovie editor stripped down for social media videos. You can record and edit video and add filters, posters, speech bubbles, and more. The app even lets you create a title slide or add content from your camera roll. To add music, choose from the included audio clips or select one of your own. The Live Titles feature is an easy way to add closed captioning. This is helpful because on social platforms, video is typically muted until the captions draw viewers in. After you turn on Live Titles, the app translates your voice to text and the words pop up at the bottom of the screen. The text-to-speech functionality is pretty accurate, but you can edit the text if needed. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow you to upload video in a square format, and Clips is a cool way to create these videos with little effort. The app combines the camera and effects into one easy tool. Clips is a free app. #16: SwipeableSwipeable is a mobile app that turns a panoramic or 360-degree photo into a carousel of images for Instagram. On Swipeable’s Instagram page, you can see how cool the images look. To use the app, upload an image and Swipeable splits it into a series of square images. Swipeable uses your whole panorama or 360-degree photo, so if you want to crop anything, do that before you use Swipeable to create your carousel. You can have up to 10 images. Swipeable is currently available only for iOS; however, look for an Android version soon. Swipeable is a free app. #17: TinyMailsTinyMails is a cool Google Chrome plugin for Gmail. As you’re writing an email, TinyMails tells you the word count and how long your message will take to read. For instance, it may say a paragraph-long email is 547 words and will take 2 minutes and 53 seconds to read. TinyMails is helpful when you need to be brief. If you know you’re sending an email to someone who’ll spend only a minute or two reading it, you can keep it short so your recipient will read the whole thing. After you add this extension to your Chrome browser, the TinyMails counter appears under the Send button in Gmail so you can track the length of your emails. Find TinyMails in the Google Chrome Store. TinyMails is a free extension. #18: StoreoStoreo is a fun iOS app that helps you produce Instagram stories. Record a regular-length video on your phone, open it in this app, and the app chops the video into 15-second segments, the correct length for an Instagram story. For example, the app would split up a minute-long video into four 15-second Instagram stories. When you use Storeo, your Instagram stories move seamlessly so each segment feels like one story. As a result, when someone starts watching the first story, they’re more likely to watch the later ones. Because Storeo works with videos that you record on your phone, the production process is easier than recording with the Instagram app. On Instagram, the timer prompts people to slow down or speed up near the end of a 15-second recording. Then, when your story viewers can tell you’re transitioning, they may not watch the next story. However, if you record your video as one segment on your phone and then slice the video in Storeo, viewers won’t even notice the change from one story to the next. Storeo can also work for Facebook Stories and Facebook Messenger Day, because in these features, the video segments can be a few seconds longer. However, Storeo doesn’t work well with Snapchat because Snapchat videos are 10 seconds. Storeo has a free version and offers a premium version for $8.99. #19: ByndBynd is a time-saving mobile app for social media monitoring. In this one app, you can create curated feeds for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other social networks. To start using the app, sign in with the services you want to check and choose whom you want to see from each social platform. It’s like creating a VIP list for each platform so you don’t miss posts from the people you want to follow closely. At the top of the app, you can switch among the social networks you follow. Simply tap their names. Bynd is currently available for iOS and an Android version will be released Q3 2017. Bynd has a free version. Unlock additional social networks for $0.99 each and unlock everything for $2.99. #20: TodobookTodobook is a Google Chrome plugin that places a to-do list where you typically see your Facebook news feed. When you’re logged into Facebook to work, that to-do list can help you avoid wasting time by becoming distracted by the news feed. With Todobook, the to-do list doesn’t sync with a task manager system. Instead, you enter your own list of to-do items. Then you’ll need to mark the day’s items as done before Todobook will display your Facebook news feed. Although the to-do list blocks your news feed, you can still work in your Facebook groups and pages. If you’re a social media marketer who’s easily distracted by the Facebook news feed, this app can help you accomplish your top three or four priorities in your Facebook groups or pages. Of course, technically you can mark tasks as done and move to your news feed without actually completing the tasks, but the to-do list can help you focus if you’re disciplined about how you use it. Find Todobook in the Chrome store. Todobook is a free plugin. #21: LumyerLumyer adds augmented reality camera effects to your photos or videos. This app, available on iOS and Android, is unique in that you can add motion graphics, accents, or static elements to an existing photo or video. You can add confetti, snow, lightning, a lens flare, and more. The app includes face filters that were previously only available through Snapchat or Instagram. The app also includes cool green-screen effects that add movement behind the person in the foreground. To use Lumyer, take a photo or video. Then open the app, download the effects you want to add, and apply them to your photo or video. When you’re done, save your changes and upload your photo or video to your desired social media platform. Lumyer is a free app. While most of the filters and add-ons are free, some cost $0.99 or $1.99. Remove the watermark for $1.99. #22: TextExpanderTextExpander allows you to create text snippets that insert longer lines of text. It will save you tons of time. Use TextExpander to insert boilerplate content, create abbreviations for frequently used words, and more. Say you save SME as a snippet in TextExpander. Every time you type SME, TextExpander changes the snippet to Social Media Examiner. TextExpander snippets can insert all sorts of content. For instance, use a snippet to insert boilerplate answers for frequently asked questions. TextExpander can also insert emojis and GIFs. If you don’t remember the trigger text, you can search for it in TextExpander. You can sync the snippets across Windows, Mac, and iOS devices so you can access your snippets from almost anywhere. On iOS, TextExpander adds a new keyboard for typing your snippets. Sharing your snippets with co-workers or friends is another timesaver. Anyone who has the app can import snippets you’ve shared into their TextExpander app. For teams and organizations, TextExpander offers additional tools for sharing snippets, which can help your business deliver consistent, up-to-date information. If your company is selling tickets to an event and you want everyone to use the same promo language, put one person in charge of creating and changing the text in TextExpander. Then anytime somebody types the designated shortcut, TextExpander inserts the correct language. The entire team has the same up-to-date boilerplate information. TextExpander costs $3.33/month for a single user and $7.96/month per person for a team setup when billed annually. #23: GIPHY SaysGIPHY Says is a cool new app from GIPHY that turns your photo and speech into a personalized GIF. With GIPHY Says, social media managers can spice up replies to their community. Try creating a GIF that says, “Thanks a lot!” or “That’s awesome!” or “I’ll see you there!” When you hit record in the GIPHY Says app, it doesn’t record the audio. Instead, it takes dictation and turns what you say into GIF text. Place the text in different places on your image and format the text in various styles, such as comic book character bubble-style speak or big bold letters. Swipe left to right to browse the themes. After you create your GIF in GIPHY Says, download the image and post it anywhere you like, such as a reply to someone on social media. Although the GIPHY app is available on iOS and Android, GIPHY Says is only for iOS at this time. Find it in the App Store. GIPHY Says is a free app. #24: EmojipediaWith Emojipedia, you can find the emoji you’re looking for right away. Scanning a full emoji keyboard or list can involve a lot of scrolling. However, Emojipedia allows you to type a search term and see only relevant emojis. For example, for a Facebook post, I wanted to add an emoji of a person making a muscle with their arm. When I searched for “muscles,” Emojipedia showed an emoji called “flexed biceps.” I clicked the emoji, and then copied and pasted it directly into my Facebook post. Because emojis look slightly different on the various platforms (Facebook versus Google, etc.), Emojipedia also shows how the emoji looks on each platform. Emojis are great for social media posts because they evoke emotion and increase engagement. An emoji can also punctuate your post, save space, and allow you to be creative and have fun. Emojipedia is a free resource. Over to You There are always new resources being released to help social media marketers and content creators improve their graphics, engagement, productivity, and more. Check them out and discover which apps and extensions work best for you. Search Discovery to find more tools and apps featured in the Discovery of the Week segment on the Social Media Marketing podcast. What do you think? Have you tried any of these social media resources? What apps have you found useful? Please share them in the comments below. Social Media via http://ift.tt/eZnnjC August 23, 2017 at 05:02AM
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Trump says he doesn't 'do Twitter storms' – uh huh, ok, sure http://ift.tt/2xblSy6 President Donald Trump, who can both make the world cower in fear and belly laugh in response to his very well-known tweetstorms, wants you to know a very important fact: He doesn't "do Twitter storms." "Do you notice when I go on and I'll put out like a tweet or a couple of tweets, 'He's in a Twitter storm again,'" he said at a Phoenix rally Tuesday night. "I don't do Twitter storms." OK, um, but what about the tweetstorm when FBI Director James Comey got fired or the one about his failed Muslim travel ban or that time he tweetstormed the hell out of his Obama wiretapping accusations, oh and don't forget the tweetstorms about the "illegal leaks," Democrats, and the "fake media?" And wait there's more: Don't forget the tweetstorms about Chelsea Clinton, Morning Joe host Mika Brzezinski, pardons, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, and China. That last one even got China's state media to condemn Trump's "emotional venting" on Twitter. Perhaps Trump doesn't know what a tweetstorm is? Just like he doesn't know not to stare at the sun or what Hezbollah is? Well, according to shade-throwing pro Merriam-Webster, a tweetstorm is just a series of tweets sent by one user. So yes, Trump, when you tap out a "couple of tweets," you're stormin' it up. With that definition in mind, one could be forgiven for thinking that early morning tweetstorms are one of Trump's favorite hobbies. You know, like watching Fox and Friends.
Denying his tweetstorming nature was just one of many sweeping topics Trump touched on, including, but of course, the fake media, how his Charlottesville remarks were "perfect," how he'll build the wall even it means a government shutdown and how he'll indeed pardon ex-Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Social Media via Social Media http://ift.tt/1N1mMj1 August 22, 2017 at 11:32PM
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Facebook for Business: The Ultimate Facebook Marketing Guide http://ift.tt/2wvb68Z If you’re new to Facebook business options or want to add something new to your current Facebook marketing plan, this page is for you. Here, you’ll find articles and resources to help beginner, intermediate, and advanced marketers use Facebook pages, profiles, groups, ads, Live video, analysis, contests, and more for business.
Put My Business on FacebookAdvertise on FacebookAnalyze Facebook MarketingMarket With Facebook Video.More Helpful Facebook Marketing ArticlesTune in to Stay Current With Facebook Tactics and NewsSocial Media Examiner offers two weekly audio podcasts and a weekly live video talk show to help boost your marketing skills and keep you up to date with the ever-changing world of social media. The Social Media Marketing podcast, a top 10 marketing podcast on iTunes, is a weekly 45-minute interview show hosted by our founder, Michael Stelzner. To discover how successful businesses employ social media, learn new strategies and tactics, and gain actionable tips to improve your social media marketing, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcast | Android | Google Play | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS. The Social Media Marketing Talk Show is a weekly one-hour live video show that features expert commentary on the week’s top news in social media and what it means for marketers. Broadcast on Crowdcast, the show is simulcast each Friday to Facebook Live, Periscope, and YouTube. You can also listen and subscribe to the podcast version on iTunes/Apple Podcast, Android, Google Play, Stitcher, or via RSS.
Social Media via http://ift.tt/eZnnjC August 22, 2017 at 12:09PM The Best Social Media Strategy for Online Retailers http://ift.tt/2x95Ch2 The importance of social media marketing is obvious to virtually every entrepreneur. Yet most businesses deploy the wrong social strategy for their business. If you’re selling digital goods, subscription services or advertisements, creating content on social media should be your end-game. However, if you’re selling physical goods and looking for potential buyers on social networks, you need a completely different strategy. Here’s what you should do if you need to get your products moving faster online: 1. Discover the best platformsNot everyone is on the same social network. Facebook and Twitter may be the two most popular sites right now, but if you’re selling something niche, like jewish jewelry, you need to target niche sites like Pinterest or a specific Whatsapp group. LinkedIn, for example, is better for B2B sales and Reddit or 9Gag may be better for selling gadgets and tech gear. Take the time to figure out which network most appeals to your target audience. 2. Engage, don’t createCreating content is fine, but it shouldn’t be your prime focus. Instead, try to engage with the audience online. Send some influencers free samples of your products, get your customers to talk about how they use your products on your page, and show the world how your team creates the products. By driving engagement, you create trust and expand the pool of potential customers. 3. Make it easier for people to pay youIf you’ve managed to create an attractive social media presence, you don’t want your sales being held back by the platform’s user interface. Make it as easy as possible for potential customers to buy your goods. Optimize the customer journey so that they can effortlessly buy your product at the click of a button without leaving the social platform. 4. Optimize the siteThe world has gone from websites and desktops to smartphones and social profiles. Your site needs to look and feel responsive enough on all environments. Use online tools to check how fast and mobile-friendly your site really is. 5. Use professional toolsTake advantage of all the relevant professional tools available to you in order to enhance your social sales strategy. Try Facebook’s Marketplace, Yotpo and Chirpify. 6. Call to ActionAll your efforts on social media should be focused on getting visitors to act. Call to action buttons are common on social platforms. Facebook’s business page lets you select up to 11 different CTAs. Apply them correctly and you’ll drive more than just engagement – you’ll drive sales. 7. Encourage ReviewsThe difference between digital marketing and social media marketing is the effect of social validation. Seeing a positive review from a real person is a lot more powerful than reading a blog post from a thought leader. Encourage your customers to leave reviews and comments on your page and feature them prominently when they’re positive. The post The Best Social Media Strategy for Online Retailers appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer http://ift.tt/xMddWR August 22, 2017 at 09:47AM
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How to Repurpose Blog Posts Into Instagram Albums http://ift.tt/2ile6OW Are you looking for Instagram content ideas? Have you considered repurposing your blog content into Instagram albums? Grouping multiple images from a blog post into an Instagram album can bring engaging content to Instagram. In this article, you’ll discover how to combine blog posts into Instagram albums.
Why Use Instagram Albums to Repurpose Blog Content?It’s easy to share a link to your blog post on most social media platforms. But on Instagram, you have to get creative. Often, uploading a simple blog post image and announcing your new blog post in the caption will work. As long as your Instagram bio links to your blog page, this can be an effective way to drive traffic. But if you really want to boost engagement with your blog content and get significant traffic from Instagram, you can repurpose it for Instagram and use albums (also called carousel or multi-image posts) to showcase your content. Albums allow you to put more context in a single post, share extra tips, give out additional information, garner more interest in the blog post topic, and even encourage response to your CTA. If you’re not familiar with albums on Instagram, read this previous post with steps to use albums effectively. Now let’s look at how to create Instagram album content from your blog posts. #1: Create Multiple Images Based on Your Blog PostThe key to repurposing blog content on Instagram is quality images. You want to create unique images for each key point in your blog post. Where many bloggers include “Click to tweet” links, you want to create a visual image to share to Instagram. Ana Hoffman published a blog post with quotes and input from various industry leaders. To produce shareable content, she designed a graphic with an image of each person, along with their quote. She also created graphics to showcase the details and stats in the post. #2: Group Your Images to Tell a StoryYou want each Instagram album to tell a complete story, plus be part of a whole collection of albums or posts. Once you’ve created multiple images for your blog post content, organize groups of 3-10 images that flow cohesively to tell a story. The best way to achieve this is through careful storyboarding prior to publishing your campaign and Instagram album. Plan exactly the order of each of the images in the post. If you want to include a CTA, decide where to place the CTA in the album. It may even be in the middle, not necessarily the final image in the post. In this album, Ana Hoffman introduces herself, her story, and the idea of content repurposing, telling a cohesive story. She finishes with a CTA. For best results, the album should connect with your audience, have a purpose, elicit an emotional response, and make the viewer want to take action. #3: Spread Out Your Content for Maximum EffectTo maximize opportunities to reach your audience, share your various images over multiple days or even weeks. If you spread out your campaign, more people are likely to see one of these posts. You’ll also increase the chances that people will click through to your blog post if they see reminders about it more than once. When promoting your blog post, include a CTA to click through to your website to read the full blog post. Whether you include the CTA in the post caption, in an album image, or both, be sure to include that directive to click the link in your bio where people can read the full blog post. #4: Write a Strong CaptionAs with all posts on Instagram, a strong caption is extremely important. This is even more true if you want to drive conversions. Your caption needs to convey the message your audience wants to read and get them to take action. It should be informative, entertaining, visually appealing, and easy to read. Also reiterate the CTA you put in the album content. When you’re using albums, it’s helpful to include an announcement at the top of your caption to let your followers know to swipe to see more content. This way, if people miss that it’s an album or don’t understand how albums work, they’ll see your caption and won’t miss your additional valuable content. Instagram currently cuts off all captions around the third line of the text depending on the length of the first paragraph and inserts a clickable “…more” option to expand the text. Because of this shortened caption, make the first sentence or two of your caption powerful. It should get people to click on the option to expand and read the whole caption. This is especially important if your caption includes a CTA because people will miss it if they don’t expand the text. Best Practices for CTAs in Your Albums Adding a solid CTA within your album can be powerful for driving traffic and conversions. Beyond asking your audience to read your blog post, you may encourage them to email you, send a text for a free download, or stop by your location for a limited-time sale. Be strategic with your use of CTAs though. Your audience has to see them and find value to drive results. Include Your CTA in an Individual Graphic Creating CTAs for Instagram is a little different from other platforms because the method of contact is different. On a normal Instagram profile, the only direct contact is the link in the account bio. On a business profile, there’s the link in the bio, as well as the contact buttons set up on the profile (Call, Text, Email, Get Directions). Once you decide how you’re going to direct people to act, determine how to include that CTA in one of the images in your Instagram album. A great way to do this is to create a graphic or overlay text on an image that aligns with the other content in the album. In this post, the graphics with the CTAs (see the final two images) are clear and perfectly aligned with the style and theme of the other posts in the album. Remember: Your CTA should be clear, easy to follow, and valuable to your audience. Repurpose CTA Content From Other Platforms If you use conversion tactics and CTA graphics on other platforms like Facebook or Twitter, with a little creativity you can repurpose those campaigns for Instagram. In general, bold graphics don’t perform well on Instagram like they do on other platforms. Instagram users tend to prefer well-curated photos over graphically designed prints. However, if you have graphics with your CTA included already, create a series of additional images that align with the styling. Incorporate images and overlays to set the scene, and include the CTA graphic in an album. Looking again at the example from Ana Hoffman, you can see how she took her graphics with bold text and added them to a whole album with more Instagram-appealing images for better results and conversions. #5: Execute and Analyze Your CampaignOnce you have all of the above components, you’re ready to execute your campaign to promote your blog post (or another conversion campaign). Schedule or manually post all of your campaign images and videos according to your content calendar. Track the conversions from your Instagram campaign to determine how many clicks were generated, how much traffic you drove, or measure any other metric you’re tracking. Compare these results to other platforms you’ve used for similar campaigns. Analyze the increase in conversions during this campaign compared with normal activity when a campaign isn’t running. If you post multiple albums with CTAs during the same campaign, analyze those individual posts to see which ones generated the most engagement and conversions. Knowing which factors within the campaign were most effective can help you plan future campaigns. Conclusion Getting creative and putting your marketing efforts in front of your audience in new ways can deliver significant results, including increased website traffic, higher opt-in rates, more click-throughs, and increased social media engagement. However, you also have to condition your audience. If they aren’t used to certain approaches, you may have to guide them or run multiple campaigns to see higher-trending results. Using Instagram albums to encourage your audience to read your blog posts or follow through on a CTA is a unique tactic that many marketers aren’t using. This approach may help you stand out and drive conversions for your business. What do you think? Are you interested in using Instagram albums to augment your campaigns? Do you think you’ll see better results for your CTAs? Please share your thoughts or concerns about this tactic in the comments below. Social Media via http://ift.tt/eZnnjC August 22, 2017 at 05:07AM
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Teens favoring Snapchat and Instagram over Facebook, says eMarketer http://ift.tt/2ilagFs Facebook is losing appeal among teens and young adults which is contributing to generally slowing growth for the platform, according to the latest projections from research firm eMarketer. At the same time alternative social apps Snapchat and (Facebook-owned) Instagram are seeing rising and double-digit growth in the same youth demographic — suggesting younger users are favoring newer and more visual communications platforms. “Both platforms have found success with this demographic since they are more aligned with how they communicate — using visual content,” noted eMarketer forecasting analyst Oscar Orozco in a statement. It’s the second consecutive year of expected usage declines for Facebook among this advertiser-coveted group, according to the researcher. eMarketer suggests some tweens are even skipping adopting Facebook entirely (it calls them “Facebook nevers”) and going straight to the rival platforms, even as remaining tweens and teens appear less engaged on Facebook — logging in less frequently and spending less time on the platform. While having slipping relevance among a coveted ad demographic is obviously not good news for a social behemoth whose business is dependent on ad revenue, Facebook does have the consolation of also owning one of the two main youth-friendly alternative platforms: Instagram. (Aka, ‘if you can’t be it, buy it’.) Still, eMarketer is also projecting that the acquisition that got away from Zuck, Snapchat, will overtake Instagram and Facebook in the total teen (12 to 17) & young adult (18 to 24) ages for the first time in 2017 — boosting its share of US social network users to 40.8 per cent, and projected to push close to a majority by 2021. (Though Instagram is also forecast to maintain its greater reach through this timeframe.) Back in 2013, when reports of Facebook’s spurned acquisition attempts of Snapchat surfaced, it followed fast on the heels of the company reporting a first-time decline in young teens using its service daily. Nearly four years later Facebook’s problem with keeping teens happy has only got bigger — but the company’s success at using Instagram to successfully clone Snapchat’s features has helped mitigate the issue. (Even if it means Facebook’s corporate motto should really now read: ‘Move fast and clone things’.) eMarketer couched U.S. Facebook usage in the 12 and 17 age-group as dropping the most “precipitously” — noting that while 81.9% of social network users in that age range are projected to use Facebook this year, the figure will slide to 76.2% by 2021. Other highlights from eMarketer’s forecast:
eMarketer’s methodology counts a monthly user as someone who is accessing their account at least once per month, consistently, each month throughout the calendar year. It says it bases its forecasts on analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from research firms, government agencies, media firms and public companies, along with interviews with senior execs at publishers, ad buyers and agencies. Featured Image: CREATISTA/ShutterstockSocial Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com August 22, 2017 at 04:10AM
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4 Easy-to-Implement Tactics to Increase Your Newsletter Subscribers (FAST) http://ift.tt/2vSd6GF Can I go out on a limb here? I’m going to guess you’re already sold on building an email list. After all, you’ve heard the advice many times over:
If you’re remotely interested in growing a business with staying power, it’s the wise thing to do. It’s reported that for every dollar spent on email marketing, there’s an average $44 return on investment. Here’s the thing though. List building can be quite puzzling for both Internet marketing newbies and veterans. Marketers agree. A whopping 63% say generating leads is their top challenge. The source of this confusion? The massive amount of conflicting information out there. There are about 198 MILLION posts on how to build an email list: That’s insane! I’ll tell you one thing. You don’t need to spend weeks creating a 45-page e-book as your opt-in offer. And you don’t need to read another “197 Ways to Grow Your Email List” post. You can simply tweak your website to instantly boost your subscriber count. Best of all, many of these tweaks will take less than an hour to implement. That translates to more leads with less work. Exciting, right? In this article, I’ll give you four ridiculously easy to implement tactics. None of them require you to start from scratch. Instead, you can make a few adjustments to your website for a more efficient list-building system. Ready? Let’s start. 1. Funnel existing traffic to high-performing landing pagesLike I promised, we won’t be reinventing the wheel here. Brian Dean calls this the Landing Page Funnel (LPF) Technique. It requires two things you should already have:
Don’t worry, you don’t need tens of thousands of visitors a day or a landing page that converts at 50%. Here’s how this works. First, identify the landing pages that convert the best on your website. Then, direct traffic you already receive to these pages. Easy stuff, right? Most people want more traffic. Some even take the necessary steps to get these much-coveted website visitors. But they miss out on the golden opportunity to convert that attention into leads. Once you have the two elements, it’s not difficult to do. All you have to do is link extensively to these high-converting landing pages. Place a link at the top of your website’s pyramid (in the main navigation menu): You can also put a link in the comment section of posts as I do on Neilpatel.com: Or place links to landing pages for your top resources in your sidebar: My point here is this: you may not need more traffic or opt-in offers to increase the number of your subscribers. Track where your current web visitors spend the most time and ensure they have easy access to a high-converting landing page. It’s as simple as adding a few links. But what if none of your current landing pages convert well? Improve them. A basic email grab form is not enough. You need to have all the persuasive elements on your landing page. Here is how to improve your landing pages:
They’ve had this same lead magnet for ages. And I bet it converts like crazy. It’s a valuable resource for writing headlines. They don’t ask people to
Instead, they lead with a compelling value proposition:
Makes sense? 2. Create content upgradesI am a big fan of content upgrades. You can uplevel your content by adding bonuses unique to each piece of content. Let’s say you write an ultimate guide on promoting a blog post. You can create a quick cheat sheet for blog post promotion. Like this: You just have to extract the key points from your already-written blog post and create your bonus content. I recommend keeping it short, snappy, and easily consumable. Lead magnets, including content upgrades, should be something that subscribers can consume and implement quickly. This way, there’s a sense of instant gratification, and your perceived value goes up. It’s exactly what you want. I’ll admit. This is the most time-consuming tactic on this list. After all, you have to create a unique bonus for each post. There are some clever ways around that, and I’ll share them with you. 1. Create multi-purpose content upgrades.In other words, create a bonus that can be used for several blog posts. This is easy to do if you’re blogging about the same topics. 2. Use the content you already have.Let’s say you write a blog post entitled “27 Ways to Generate More Leads Using LinkedIn.” You can feature 21 of these strategies in your blog post and provide the rest as a bonus. Like this: 3. Have a formula for creating your upgrades.You don’t need to have every type of bonus under the sun to see results from this tactic. Have a podcast? Stick with giving out transcripts. Create only long-form and comprehensive content? Stick with PDF versions of your posts. Decide what type of content upgrade you want to give to your readers, and go all in on it. The process will become formulaic and efficient when you do it this way. Whether you use these time-saving strategies or not, content upgrades are still worth the time you put into them. Depending on what the actual upgrade is, it may take you an hour maximum. Don’t neglect to prominently feature your content upgrades. Don’t bury them in the middle or at the bottom of your posts. Instead, make readers aware of this bonus from the beginning. What are some examples of content upgrades?
The list goes on, but these give you enough food for thought. If you’re serious about increasing your email list, here’s my challenge to you. Step #1: Go through your website analytics, and pinpoint five blog posts with the most traffic. Step #2: Create one content upgrade for each blog post. Spend less than an hour on each one. Put these steps into action, and you’ll see a difference. 3. Create a vault of subscriber-exclusive contentIt’s true. Traditional opt-in offers don’t work anymore. I’m talking about bulky reports and e-books. Even if people sign up for these resources, they typically put off reading them. The result? They never consume the information, yet alone implement it. Think about the last time you downloaded an e-book. You tell yourself you’ll read it later and never get around to it. I bet it happens all the time. I know it does for me. Is there an easy solution? Put all your free resources in one place so subscribers can have easy access to them. Here’s an example from Blogging Wizard: When you click the “exclusive content” link, it takes you to a high-converting landing page with 15+ resources. These resources are found on a password-protected page. When you sign up, you get the password, and that’s it. You’ve got a lifetime access to a vault of valuable resources. Note: Blogging Wizard married this strategy with the content upgrade. Within blog posts, they feature their collection of subscriber-exclusive resources as a content upgrade. Now, that’s smart. Here’s another example from Melyssa Griffin: Again, you don’t have to start from scratch. I’ll give you the step-by-step play. Step #1Gather all the free resources you’ve created in the past. It could be ultimate guides, checklists, webinars, cheat sheets, etc. Here’s a list of what Blogging Wizard has in its vault so you can get an idea: Step #2Create a specific website page to host these resources. I recommend using the Essential Grid WordPress Plugin to display your content in a customizable grid. Step #3In WordPress, set the visibility of your page as “password protected,” choose your password, and publish your page. Step #4Create a landing page for your exclusive content, and funnel traffic to that page. You’ll instantly have an opt-in offer that will keep converting leads. You won’t have to create a new offer every few months when the one you have feeds you. Be sure you keep adding fresh content to your vault, and you’ll be good to go. 4. Optimize these two most valuable website pagesThere’s a good chance you’re not making the best use of crucial website real estate. I’m talking about the two pages most people do nothing with. The Home page and the About page. Do a quick audit of your website. If you don’t have more than one (minimum two) opt-in forms on both of these pages, you have a problem. Fortunately, it’s an easy fix. Let’s start with the Home pageHave you ever seen websites with home pages taken up almost entirely by opt-in forms? Or at least, the first thing you see is a call to action to sign up for something. Here’s what I mean: Here’s another example from Neilpatel.com: Derek Halpern has about six calls to action on his homepage, inviting visitors to subscribe. Five of them are presented in the first half of the page: Too much? Maybe, but it works. Just ask his 300K subscribers. The point is, you need to make optimal use of your homepage. It’s often the most visited website page. You just have to do a few tweaks to add those opt-in forms. Here are two quick fixes you can do right now: Step #1Add a HelloBar to your homepage to divert traffic to a landing page of your choice. This is an opt-in tool that converts like crazy. It’s as effective as a pop-up but less obtrusive and annoying. Step #2Add a link to an opt-in form or page in your main navigation menu. Simple, right? Let’s talk about your About pageThere are few website pages as important as this one. When new readers come to your blog, they’re guaranteed to visit this page. They don’t know, like, or trust you yet. That’s what your About page should be geared towards. More importantly, it should convert these web visitors into subscribers. How do you do that?
I’ll tell you the key to making your About page subscriber-worthy. Don’t make it about you. Conflicting, I know. Here’s a unique way to look at it. Your About page should tell a story. Your audience should be the hero of that story. And you should position yourself as a trusted adviser to the hero. Makes sense? After you’ve amped up the quality of your About page, sprinkle in a few opt-in forms. Beautiful designs like the one above work, but you can keep it simple with an inline opt-in form. ConclusionProfitable businesses are built on the relationships they nurture with their audiences. Right now, the best (and only) way to do that effectively is through email marketing. At the center of that is getting people to trust you enough to give you their email addresses. And you know what? It’s way less complicated than people make it out to be. You really don’t need to spend hours creating bulky opt-in offers. Double down on a few strategies that have been proven to work. In this article, I gave you four you can start using immediately. They’re super actionable and easy to implement. Put them to work, and I guarantee your subscriber count will increase. What are your best strategies for gaining new subscribers fast? Social Media via Quick Sprout http://ift.tt/UU7LJr August 21, 2017 at 10:00AM Optimizing Twitter Hashtags for your Business http://ift.tt/2vXmiYE #Hashtags are the bread and butter of Twitter marketing. For B2B and B2C businesses alike, they can drive the right audiences to your brand’s profile. If you don’t know how hashtags work, the premise is simple. Tagging key phrases on social media sites creates clickable links. On Twitter, each hashtag link directs to a feed featuring all the people who used that same tag. In other words, optimizing Twitter hashtags makes your content more visible to potential clients. Hashtag campaigns require preparation. Follow these steps to improve your Twitter marketing #swag. How to Optimize Twitter Hashtags
Optimizing Twitter hashtags requires time and attention, but the payoff could be big. Even if your hashtags only attract ten people, they might be the ten people who wind up doing business with you. Proper hashtagging will give you more opportunities for #success. The post Optimizing Twitter Hashtags for your Business appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer http://ift.tt/xMddWR August 21, 2017 at 09:44AM
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How to Set Up a Creative Facebook Cover Video http://ift.tt/2vWpV17 Have you thought about using video in place of your Facebook cover photo? Are you looking for creative examples? In this article, you’ll discover how to use a Facebook video cover on your Facebook page. Why Use a Facebook Cover Video?When users visit your page, your Facebook cover photo is one of the first things they’ll notice. For new visitors, your cover photo can help represent your brand and portray your story in just a few seconds. It only makes sense that a short video can accomplish this better than a still photo. Video immediately grabs the audience’s attention. Just like in the news feed, a cover video will autoplay (without sound), drawing users’ eyes right to it. This may help keep visitors on your page and simultaneously drive more engagement. Your cover video will be more effective if it gets its point across without sound, like in the example below. If users click to enable sound, great! But if they don’t, you haven’t lost anything. Clean lines, lots of white space, and bright colors can all help draw users’ attention. You want your cover video to look great when it’s paused, and making sure every shot is visually interesting helps your page look more professional. This cover video from Chipotle Mexican Grill, which is obviously most effective with sound, also works well without it thanks to the visual elements that are the underlying star of the video. If you don’t have the cover video feature yet, don’t worry; you’ll likely get it soon. It seems like newer pages with fewer followers are among the last to get access to most new features, and this is no exception. People in some countries may also see a slower rollout of this new feature, too. How to Upload a Cover VideoUploading a video as your Facebook cover image is as simple as uploading a new photo. Hover your mouse over the cover image on your Facebook page and you’ll see a camera icon pop up. Click the Change Cover icon. If you have access to the cover video feature, you’ll see options to select a video from your library (Choose From Videos) or upload a new video (Upload Photo/Video). Choose a video that meets the technical requirements. A Facebook cover video must be a minimum of 820 x 312 pixels, with an official recommendation of 820 x 462 pixels. The video length must be between 20 and 90 seconds. If your video is too long, you’ll need to shorten it before uploading it to Facebook. If you try to use a video that doesn’t meet the requirements, Facebook won’t let you upload it as a cover video. 3 Ways to Use Facebook Cover VideosLooking for ways to effectively use video as your Facebook cover image? Take a look at three excellent use cases to inspire you. Enhance a Still Image If you’re stumped about which video to choose, use animation to make an otherwise still image come alive. Hello Social uses this tactic in their cover video below. This Walt Disney World cover video (advertising their new park expansion, Pandora) is another good example. Because everything in Pandora is supposed to feel alive, a subtle animation gives the cover image a magical touch. Showcase Your Brand Personality While photos are interesting, video is dynamic. You can tell your brand’s story and showcase its personality much more efficiently with video. Orgain’s cover video shows the brand’s human side by featuring a small child complaining about foods he doesn’t like in a way that many parents can relate to.
Demonstrate How Your Product Works How-to content and tutorials are some of the best use cases for video on any social media site. A Facebook cover video is an excellent way to show users a demo of your product or explain how to use a particular feature. Shakr incorporates a textual explanation (for viewers watching with the sound muted) in this cover video.
Final Thoughts We’re in the age of video on social media, and plenty of sites are finding new ways to encourage more video. Facebook has been testing video in cover images for several months, and while not everyone has it just yet, the feature is now rolling out to more brands. Using a cover video for your Facebook page is an excellent way to tell your brand’s story quickly while simultaneously grabbing users’ attention. Uploading a video is as simple as uploading a photo, so test it out and see how it works for your business. What do you think? Are you using video as your Facebook cover image? What are some of the best Facebook cover videos you’ve seen? Share your thoughts, knowledge, and experience in the comments below! Social Media via http://ift.tt/eZnnjC August 21, 2017 at 05:03AM
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Let’s review some of tech’s big second quarter financial stories http://ift.tt/2vUVzMk Now that the second-quarter “earnings season” — when all of the biggest public tech companies spill their financial guts to the public — is over, and it was filled with a lot of weird stories that seemed a little outside of the mold that we normally see. There weren’t any blockbuster product launches, huge advertising beats, wildly surprising numbers (outside of Netflix) or alarmingly large bouts of layoffs. Still, even beyond that, this quarter managed to deliver a surprisingly large number of interesting stories in just about every report. With that, let’s take a quick look at some of the highlights from this quarter. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com August 20, 2017 at 11:21AM |
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