How I Built 6 Income Streams That Make $80,000+ Per Month (Tips and Strategies!)

The Entrepreneur's Beginner's Guide to Hashtags

How a Few Words Can Increase Social Media Engagement

I'm sure you've noticed there's no shortage of social media techniques and tips out there!https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Entrepreneurs-Beginners-Guide-to-Hashtags&id=10213861

But have you also noticed the majority of those tips focus on general info, like how to get more followers or likes, or how to post compelling content to engage your users?

Those resources are important, but I notice that sometimes hashtags get forgotten about.

They're rarely mentioned in marketing articles, but they're such a great tool for building your brand, raising awareness around marketing campaigns and engaging/entertaining your audience.

How Do Hashtags Work?

If you're new to social media, I know it can seem overwhelming.

You may have seen these words with the # in front of them on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest. (The hashtag actually got its start in 2007, when Twitter began using it to index keywords to make them more searchable.)

But what are these words supposed to do? Should you use them? Why are they seemingly random?

I've put together this guide to help you understand how to use hashtags (and what the heck they are!) so you can increase social media engagement and leads.

Think of hashtags as a way to categorize your content.

Ultimately, they help people find and share posts on a specific topic.

When you create your social media post, you take a word or words and put the pound sign (#) in front of it. If you use two words, don't put a space between them. Now, the phrase is clickable and searchable on the social media platform the user is on.

Choosing the Right Hashtags

When done correctly, these tags can help you gain more exposure for your business and increase social media engagement. But like any social media strategy, you have to do your research and think before you post.

I'll make this process easier for you. Here are 7 ways to start choosing the right hashtags:

1. Create them for events.

This is one of the best ways to increase excitement and engagement on your social media accounts. For example, the Cornucopia wine festival in Whistler shared many posts on their Twitter and Instagram accounts with the hashtag #Cornucopia2019, and so did their followers and attendees.

2. Tag famous people or big brands.

Take a look at what's trending on Twitter, and try and incorporate it into your posts; but only if it's relevant. People are going to know if you're trying to force it or be fake.

Some examples are big sporting events, record releases by musicians, holidays and popular books. If someone who's famous in your industry makes the news, you could use that tag in one of your posts.

3. Do your research.

Whether you are doing research on the latest news for an upcoming Canadian Federal election or hockey playoffs, you could do a hashtag search to find several posts on the subject.

Searching tags on social media platforms can be a perfect way to find new ideas and spy on your competition.

A great resource for searching popular hashtags is https://hashtagify.me/hashtag/tbt

4. Encourage sharing.

The more people who share your hashtag and use it in their posts, the more exposure, engagement and traffic you're going to get.

You may remember the campaign #ShareACoke campaign. The company swapped out its iconic logo on 20-ounce bottles, replacing it with 250 of the most popular American names.

It was one of their most successful campaigns, leading to a 2% increase in soft-drink sales and lots of social media engagement as followers shared cans and bottles with their names on them.

5. Turn one tag into a campaign.

Many users "monitor" certain words, so focusing on one consistently can help you gain a following.

For instance, you could come up with a campaign with several posts around a specific product you offer, or a holiday promotion you're doing.

6. Find some weekly post themes.

This is a simple way to tie in a trending tag with your business.

Some common themes include #throwbackthursday, where people post anything from past vacation pics to high school graduation photos; and #wisdomwednesday, where they share their advice on all sorts of topics.

I use #MotivationMonday and #TuesdayTip on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels and often mix in other popular hashtags for optimal exposure.

7. Use humour.

People love to share funny stuff with others, whether it's a trending meme or a relatable story. Here's a hashtag late night talk show host Jimmy Fallon came up with to get people to share: #MyWorstCostume.

By understanding which hashtags will resonate with your target audience, you can tap into a whole world of people looking for exactly what you're offering. So start brainstorming and researching how to add some fun and functional tags to your next post!

Need some hashtag help? We've created a whole social media division for entrepreneurs and small business owners who understand the importance of having a social media strategy but simply don't have the time to make it happen on their own. Let's connect.Susan Friesen, founder of the award-winning web development and digital marketing firm eVision Media, is a Web Specialist, Business & Marketing Consultant, and Social Media Advisor. She works with entrepreneurs who struggle with having the lack of knowledge, skill and support needed to create their online business presence.As a result of working with Susan and her team, clients feel confident and relieved knowing their online marketing is in trustworthy and caring hands so they can focus on building their business with peace of mind at having a perfect support system in place to guide them every step of the way.

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Social Media Marketing -- How it Affects Your Business

Selling on Social Media Without Driving People Away

5 Social Media Selling Tips & Warnings

Social media is one of the best marketing tools out there: you can grow and reach a large audience with content and ads, and people who like and/or follow you are your fans, so they're already your target group.https://ezinearticles.com/?Selling-on-Social-Media-Without-Driving-People-Away&id=10162803

However, people can be resistant to selling on these platforms. They see sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as places to share content and interact with friends, families-and nowadays, brands.

You really have to approach this the right way or you could alienate your audience, causing them to unfollow or unlike you because they expect a two-way conversation and engaging content, not to be marketed to.

It's also important to clarify that social selling doesn't mean advertising your product or service online for people to buy.

Social selling means you're using social media to connect with sales prospects and nurture relationships to hopefully convert them into customers.

For example, I recently did a Tea Time Tip about things that you need to consider before yoFau start building your website. People could comment and asking questions in real time, and the Facebook Live had a lot of information about hiring a professional web development company.

So, I wasn't simply talking at people to hire us for their website-building needs; I was sharing pertinent information and nurturing those leads who might be looking for a company to help them out.

Now that we've defined social selling, let's discuss what you can do to increase your odds of success:

1. Think relationships, not dollar signs.

Make sure you're posting relevant, non-sales content. You want to become an expert resource in your industry, so focus on adding value to your users' feeds.

According to a study performed by LinkedIn, buyers who are active on social media welcome input from industry experts. In addition, 76% of buyers are ready to have a conversation with potential providers.

Get to know your potential customers by asking them engaging questions, answering their questions in a timely manner and responding to comments. The more trust and loyalty you build, the better your odds of converting a follower into a paying customer.

Read: The Power of Social Media Storytelling

Once upon a time your strategy was probably largely focused on sharing links to third-party content with your audience. Well, those days are over, and if you want to stand out in the crowded and noisy online environment, you need to focus on content marketing storytelling.

2. Take the time to build out your accounts.

Make sure that your bio and profile are filled out on all the platforms you want to use for social selling. You should include your website URL, About Us, phone number and any other relevant contact info.

It can also help to pin relevant posts, make sure your branding stands out and have high-quality images to attract followers' attention. Again, this builds trust and loyalty, making people feel more comfortable and secure doing business with you.

See how one of our clients, A Family Law Firm, has taken the time to not only fill out their contact info, but also the "Our Story" section on Facebook.

3. Choose your messaging wisely.

What works on one platform may not work on another. Where do your potential clients hang out? Where do they talk business, or go for restaurant recommendations? Generally:

* LinkedIn is more business-focused, so people are more comfortable with marketing messaging there.

* Twitter has a great search function, so you can more easily connect with prospects, and find relevant topics.

* Facebook has many communities that you can join and network in (remember, don't be pushy!)

* Instagram and Pinterest is for visuals, not long content pieces.

By tailoring your messaging for each platform, you'll be more likely to attract the right kind of customer.

4. Let user-generated content sell for you.

You don't have to do all the work of social selling alone! There are so many ways to use user-generated content (UGC) to your advantage, including:

* Contests and giveaways that encourage followers to share your content, hashtags and/or messaging.

* Ratings or reviews for your product or service

* Testimonials

For example, J.Crew posts user ratings and reviews on their website, so when they post a dress or shirt on their social media account and someone clicks on through, they see other people's votes of confidence.

Not only does user-generated content help you, but it helps your customers. Almost 80 percent of people say that UGC drives their purchasing decisions. It's a win-win situation!

5. Try, test and try again.

Every business owner should be tracking and measuring their efforts, whether it's a digital Newsletter push or a Google AdWords campaign. Look at your data and stats to determine what's working and what isn't.

Maybe people are being referred to a page on your website from your Facebook post, but they're only spending a few seconds on it.

You need to look at why that is: is your messaging unclear? Boring? Is there a broken link? By tracking your visitors' paths, you can see where you need to take a closer look.

Google Analytics is a free tool you can use to measure your website statistics, and there are also paid tools out there that can help you break down and understand your data.

The more you test and tighten your social media selling attempts, the better your ROI will be (and the happier your followers will be).

While social selling is different than traditional methods, it's still about building relationships and credibility. Focus on the person behind the platform, not on converting them into a sale or guiding them down a marketing funnel. Take the time to build connections and you'll create a community of prospects who will welcome hearing from you.

Susan Friesen, founder of the award-winning web development and digital marketing firm eVision Media, is a Web Specialist, Business & Marketing Consultant, and Social Media Advisor. She works with entrepreneurs who struggle with having the lack of knowledge, skill and support needed to create their online business presence.

As a result of working with Susan and her team, clients feel confident and relieved knowing their online marketing is in trustworthy and caring hands so they can focus on building their business with peace of mind at having a perfect support system in place to guide them every step of the way.

Visit http://www.ultimatewebsiteguide.ca and download your FREE "Ultimate Guide to Improving Your Website's Profitability - 10 Critical Questions You Must Ask to Get Maximum Results"

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Susan_Friesen/260293

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Which Is Better for Building Your Small Business: Pinterest or Instagram?

Discover which platform your ideal users prefer and how to you know if it's right for growing your business

Visual aggregator platforms for social media marketing really boil down to the two majors: Facebook-owned Instagram and Pinterest.https://ezinearticles.com/?Which-Is-Better-for-Building-Your-Small-Business:-Pinterest-or-Instagram?&id=10008200

Both have their own way of presenting images and allowing users to compile images they like but they also have limitations that may push your ideal users towards the other option.

Growing your business with Instagram is a great idea but don't count Pinterest out.

The main appeal of Instagram is the images are supposed to be unique and even candid. Overly corporate posts seldom do well, and users don't want to see traditional advertising methods employed.

Pinterest allows users to curate images from anywhere online and on the platform.

The images are often very polished and professional. Traditional advertising methods are also seen a lot more on this platform such as how-tos and DIY posts.

Demographics will play a big role in your decision. Is your product or service more appropriate to women?

If so then Pinterest is for you. The most recent stats show within Pinterest user demographics that women make up over 70% of Pinterest users.

Pinterest also draws in a slightly older, domestic demographic.

What about services that are better promoted through a discussion? Are you a speaker who wants to show off a recent speaking engagement and create a dialogue around your expertise?

These make you an ideal candidate for using Instagram to promote your small business.

Remember this audience is a fair split between men and women and Western vs. International users. They like to see photos and videos of what you do or sell in action and they like to engage the poster if possible through the comments section.

The best business Instagram accounts show off your core brand identity.

Are you hoping to sell items through a post that links back to the page on your site with that product or service?

Instagram only allows one place a user can click through from. With IG you get one link in your profile bio. Whereas with Pinterest, you can link from the actual post like a traditional ad.

The big difference is how you intend to start your customer experience.

If they start with you at a brand level and you intend to use the entire account to create the first step in your conversion, Instagram is great. For anything where the user starts at the actual post level, Pinterest is going to be better for you.

It's something you can plan for if you haven't already.

Look at your ideal client as you defined them and evaluate the demographic information in your analytics. If you deal locally or even nationally to women and you're selling a product, then Pinterest is obviously the best option.

If your online marketing is about building a brand around your expertise and location isn't as important nor gender then you would be better served by Instagram.

If you can't nail down which would serve you better you can always try both!

Having the capacity to create content suitable to both platforms and manage both profiles is great.

If you do elect to use both a good rule of thumb is: Pinterest for images of what you're offering and Instagram for images of you creating those images.

If you make a Top 10 list with a polished image you can use that on Instagram as well but get lots of video and images of you creating the image that goes with that list and post those to Instagram!

Once you see better traction on one you can then focus your efforts on it.

Pinterest is a fantastic tool for many businesses but if your business is your brand and you're building your online reputation, Instagram is going to be a better option.

Vary your content but remember when users do follow you, they do so for a reason so don't stray from your core brand identity.

Susan Friesen, founder of the award-winning web development and digital marketing firm eVision Media, is a Web Specialist, Business & Marketing Consultant, and Social Media Advisor. She works with entrepreneurs who struggle with having the lack of knowledge, skill and support needed to create their online business presence.

If you are new to Social Media and online marketing or find it overwhelming and confusing, my monthly group coaching program, AMPLIFY! Business Academy http://amplifybusinessacademy.com/ is a perfect way for you to incrementally learn the best strategies and tactics to help you grow your business online.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Susan_Friesen/260293

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