What is influencer marketing and why should you use it?
Prior to the introduction of social media platforms, brands with a solid marketing budget would often pay celebrities large sums of money in order to endorse their products or services. Today influencer marketing has changed drastically as businesses now use everyday people with high levels of followers and engagement on their social media profiles to promote their brand. It’s quite a powerful strategy and utilises their social platform in order to reach their followers who trust their opinion and advice. Their followers rely on their word to provide credible information relating to their area of expertise within the social media world. Businesses are reaping in the benefits and are seeing a massive ROI from incorporating influencers into their marketing strategy. How does influencer marketing work? A brand or business will approach an influencer who appeals to their target audience and put forward a collaboration proposal. They will create an agreement entailing what they require from the influencer whether it be a one-off post or regular posts and will include what they are willing to provide in return for their services. Some influencers are happy to receive free goods or services and a discount code for their followers in order to create and share content on their profiles. Some have a set rate they charge per post/ story and some will be willing to negotiate pricing with you, depending on how much work you require from them. It’s important to have a clear objective planned out prior to approaching influencers, so you can obtain the most from using their platforms. Micro vs. Macro influencers When delving into the world of social media marketing, you will often hear the terms ‘micro’ and ‘macro’ influencers. This relates to the number of followers an influencer has and helps business owners and marketers plan their strategy. Micro influencers are influencers with a following between 1,000 and 10,000. Macro influencers have a following from 10,000 and above. Determining which type of influencer to use for your business will differ depending on your marketing strategy and budget. It’s important to remember that quality is sometimes better than quantity and, in some cases, micro influencers are much greater at providing an ROI. The more followers an influencer has, the more they charge per post and the lower their engagement rate. The benefit of using micro influencers is their followers are usually genuine and they interact with them frequently on a personal level. Consumers are more likely to trust the reviews of a micro influencer as they are more relatable. Why should you use influencer marketing? Statistics will reveal how effective it is for businesses from a variety of backgrounds to utilise some form of influencer marketing. Businesses are making $5.20 for every $1 they invest into influencer marketing. Generally, influencers are everyday people, they have jobs outside of social media, some are mums and dads and most importantly they are relatable. This means consumers are likely to buy your product or service because they trust the influencer as much as they would trust a review from a friend or family member. By investing in influencer marketing, you can reach a bigger audience, increase your social media following and website traffic, obtain more leads, convert sales and build trust with your consumers. How to find the right influencers? Finding the right influencer to promote your brand can sometimes prove to be a difficult task. However, if you create the right strategy and are clear in what you wish to obtain from an influencer, you will generate impressive results. It’s crucial to find influencers who reflect your brand’s image, you want to avoid using an influencer who posts inappropriate content or content which could jeopardise your business. Look for someone who replicates your ideal customer or client. Always look at their engagement levels and how frequently their followers interact with their posts. This will help you determine whether or not their followers are genuine or paid. If you don’t have time to source influencers yourself, there are a number of social media influencer agencies which source out the ideal influencer for your business. It would be beneficial to try both micro and macro influencers to determine which would be the right fit for your business objectives. As business shifts to the online world, it’s important to stay current and know the most beneficial marketing strategies to utilise. Influencer marketing has proven to benefit businesses of all industries and is guaranteed to provide you with an impressive ROI if you develop the right campaign. For assistance with your influencer marketing strategy, contact our expert team at DGreat Solutions.
What is on-page and off-page SEO?
When talking SEO strategies, you would have most likely heard the terms ‘on-page’ and ‘off-page’ SEO. If you have employed a SEO specialist to take care of your SEO for you, you may have heard the terms used quite frequently. Each strategist will work differently in their aim to boost your search engine rankings and increase your website traffic; however a powerful SEO strategy incorporates both on-page and off-page tactics. Simply building a website and creating content with keywords isn’t quite enough to have you recognised by Google or other search engines, which is why it’s so important to utilise a number of techniques. This is where on-page and off-page optimisation comes into play. So, what exactly are the two and why are they beneficial for strong SEO? ON-PAGE SEO The term on-page SEO refers to all of the technical and content related tactics used in order to assist a website with its rankings. On-page is essentially everything related to the content only on your website. When devising the ultimate SEO strategy, there are various aspects which you should consider and ensure they are working efficiently. WEBSITE SPEED AND FUNCTIONALITY Having a fast, secure website with good responsiveness is one of the most important elements of on-page SEO. This is one of the first areas most SEO experts will adjust on a website in order to adhere to Google and other search engine’s algorithms. Working on your website’s functionality and efficiency will reduce bounce rates. It’s important to reduce any redirect pages, ensure your internal links are working and have a good URL structure which is relevant to the page’s information. You also must have a structured XML sitemap which is essentially a map strategically created to enhance crawlability and allow users and Google bot crawlers to navigate throughout the pages of your website. TECHNICAL AND META IMPROVEMENT Title tags and meta descriptions are so important as they are the main, clickable titles displayed on search engines which link to your website. The meta description follows the title tag and is a brief description of what your website entails. Search engines prioritise websites which are structurally appealing. What this means is your content requires relevant headings and paragraphs to follow. Content is important for SEO however it needs to be optimised in order for search engines to analyse it. This is incorporated by various HTML techniques including H1 (used for titles), H2(subtitles), H3(body) tags etc. Images especially must be optimised with ALT text which describes what the image is to audience who cannot see them and for search engine crawlers. OFF-PAGE SEO Off-page SEO relates to all the strategies enforced outside of your website which assist in boosting search engine rankings and your level of relevancy. The main objective of off-page SEO is to increase your brand awareness and direct users from other websites to your website using backlinks. GUEST BLOGGING & CONTENT SUBMISSIONS Guest blogging on various websites with good domain authority is a great way to increase your own credibility and be recognised by search engines. By submitting blog posts with informative content relevant to your industry, you are providing value to your target audience. You can also increase your brand awareness by making local directory submissions and having your input in relevant forums. SOCIAL SHARINGS Search engines value websites which incorporate a variety of tactics and implement ways of gaining organic brand exposure. Sharing content on your own social pages is a great way of backlinking to your own website. The more you share the content, the more likely it is to go viral and be shared by other third-party sites, increasing the value of your website. By aiming to have your content shared by websites with high domain authority, you are adding more value to your website and boosting your credibility by using off-page SEO. By utilising both on page and off page SEO, you provide your website with a greater chance of receiving high search engine rankings. If you want to increase your visibility, ensure your SEO strategy is well-planned and incorporates both. For assistance with your SEO strategy talk to our expert team at DGreat Solutions.
The Algorithms of Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn: What is it and how do you master it?
An algorithm is essentially defined as a set or rules or processes used to solve a problem or work towards an end result. In terms of social media, an algorithm is a process with which each user’s posts are filtered and shared with others based upon a number of factors such as their online behavior, interests and profile interactions. Algorithms are important because they determine whether or not your posts reach the top of your follower’s newsfeeds. Social media algorithms can be quite a difficult topic to grasp especially when platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are continuously making changes to how user’s posts are viewed. This can be equally frustrating for business owners and marketers as having your content visible isn’t as simple as it used to be. Previously, posts were shared to users in chronological order so timing your posts was a top priority. Nowadays, the algorithms are based upon a number of factors and will vary depending on each platform. Although they are undeniably inconvenient at times, learning the ins and outs of each social media platform’s algorithmic approach will greatly benefit your organic reach. THE FACEBOOK ALGORITHM Being one of the most popular marketing platforms, Facebook is an ideal space for businesses to reach out to potential customers or clients. However, recently Facebook has made it harder than ever for businesses to reach people organically. This is due to newsfeed changes which mean Facebook users are more prone to seeing content from family and friends as opposed to businesses. Facebook essentially prioritizes posts which are from profiles you frequently interact with, or posts which have a large number of reactions or comments and video content. Some tips for mastering Facebook’s algorithm include sharing your businesses content on your own personal account, frequently interacting with your account followers or friends, encouraging others to share your content and utilise video content as much as possible. Also, ensure your business page is set to public so you are still visible to those who don’t follow your page. Boosting posts and Facebook ads aren’t organic, but are highly beneficial for business and do guarantee audience reach. THE INSTAGRAM ALGORITHM The Instagram algorithm has received much criticism over the past year especially from social media influencers and business owners who rely solely on the platform to operate. Timing of posts was always one of the main features of the Instagram algorithm in the past. It still is important; however Instagram also prioritises other features such as profiles users frequently engage with, the popularity of posts (including likes and shares) and hashtags each user follows. It can be very tricky for posts to be seen by users if they are not frequently interacting with their followers. If you want your posts to reach more of your followers organically, interact with your followers on a regular basis. By commenting, liking and sharing their content, in return Instagram will prioritise your content. Utilise hashtags, and use as many as you can (Instagram allows up to 30) based on a number of categories such as location and hashtags relevant to your content and industry. Post consistently and at times where your followers or target audience are most active. If your account is set to a business profile you are able to see this in your insights tab. Finally, share your content on your story highlights. Although they do last for only 24 hours, this is an additional way to share your content with your followers and can track who has viewed it. THE LINKEDIN ALGORITHM LinkedIn is potentially the most popular social media platform for B2B marketing. Quite similarly to Facebook and Instagram, LinkedIn prioritises a number of factors in their algorithm. When sharing content on LinkedIn, it’s important to keep it professional and ensure it provides value for its audience. LinkedIn will favor content from profiles which you have interacted with previously as well as posts with high levels of engagement (shares, likes, comments etc.) and does not particularly favor content from business pages. In order to obtain good organic reach on LinkedIn, share your content on your business pages as well as your own personal accounts. This will enhance the likelihood of your posts being viewed and provides a more personal approach. Posting various formats of content such as text, image and video will also boost your visibility. And finally, as with all social media platforms, be consistent! Social media algorithms aren’t necessarily the easiest concept to grasp and will take some time to understand entirely. The best step you can take is to stay updated with each social media marketing platform and make note of any changes which occur to their algorithms. The more you familiarise yourself with each platform, the greater you will become at mastering the algorithms!
STARTING A BUSINESS DURING COVID-19, WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
2020 has turned out to be a year which most of us were certainly not prepared for. No one could have anticipated just how detrimental the COVID-19 pandemic would be for our health our and economy on a global scale. Society as we know it has never endured such an occurrence and our political leaders had to act quickly. Borders were closed off, businesses closed down, millions lost their jobs and the unemployment rate globally has reached new record high. We’ve all faced great challenges, with strict social distancing measures in place, life as we know it, has taken a dramatic turn. In such times of uncertainty, it’s easy to fall into a negative pattern of thinking but the truth is, this isn’t the end of our economy, it’s only the beginning. COVID-19 has taught us many lessons, one crucial lesson especially for aspiring business owners is, you ALWAYS need to plan for the unexpected. Although some businesses have had to close entirely, some are actually doing exceptionally well, most of which are businesses who pivoted their business model very quickly to leverage on COVID-19. A larger percentage of businesses doing well during COVID-19 are those with strong online marketing strategy. The businesses that have excelled have adapted to this change accordingly. This article, however, focuses on those thinking of starting a new business during or as a result of COVID-19. For those taking the plunge in this unprecedented time, we have a few checklists for you below. HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN If you are starting a new business during this pandemic, it’s important to have a well-researched and COVID-19 proof business plan. By creating a structured business plan, you can ensure you cover all areas and are well prepared for emergencies. Ask yourself these questions; What is my overall business objective? Do I need funding? What client/customer base am I targeting? Use the time during lockdown to thoroughly plan your business, map out your objectives and what you really want to achieve. It’s important to create a business that adheres to your strengths and passions. Look at what your competitors are doing and look at what people in similar industries are doing interstate and even overseas. More often than not, there’s always an area you can delve into, which you may not have ever considered. Do your background research and ensure you have all the tools necessary to take your business to the next level. IMPLEMENT A STRONG DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGY Having a strong digital marketing strategy is one of the key factors, which will contribute to your businesses’ success. The internet has changed the marketing game completely and having an online presence is going to benefit your business greatly. You can grow your online platform, or even run your entire business via social media. It’s ideal for creating brand awareness and generating leads. Social media is an incredibly powerful tool and as 8 out of 10 people are now active users, it’s an area your business must cover. SEO (Seach engine optimization) is also another incredibly effective way to boost your business on Google and improve your website’s searchability/visibility. SEO can boost you to the first page of Google, having an impressive advantage over your competitors. Investing in ads via social media platforms are also going to work effectively for your business as you can really narrow down your target audience and specify how much money you would like to spend daily. It’s important to remember that you need to spend money in order to make money! By building a strong website, investing time into online marketing strategies such as social media and SEO, your business will excel even throughout the COVID-19 period. BE COVID-19 PROOF One of the hardest things about planning or running a business during the COVID-19 period is the fear of the unknown. No business has been able to confirm dates as to when they will re-open or when restrictions will be eased and so this makes it entirely difficult for businesses to book in future clients or communicate to their customers when they will officially reopen. As restrictions are slowly easing, businesses are preparing to return back to usual trading. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t endure a second wave (we’d like to hope not) or another pandemic of some sort won’t impact our economy in years to come. This is why you must be prepared and take COVID-19 as a learning curve to have an emergency plan in place. It’s important to keep on top of your finances and always have a sufficient savings in the event of a crisis. If you primarily work from an office, put a plan in place so you and your employees are able to work from home if necessary. Most importantly, if you are planning on opening a new business, think of ways you can help your clients have peace of mind as we all recover from this pandemic. So, what has COVID-19 taught us? You always need to plan for the unexpected. There’s a lot of valuable lessons for new business owners to gain from this pandemic. You just never know what tomorrow will bring and you need to be prepared and be willing to alter your strategy to suit whatever pandemic or future crisis might arise. COVID-19 has changed our world drastically. We will forever look back to this moment and think how our world has transformed. Never did we anticipate that such a plague would be able to impact our health and our economy on such a large scale. But through this crisis and all the negativity which it was brought upon us, there is a little glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. A glimpse into our future and how we can transform the way we do business. Innovation is upon us.Final thought and take away; The future of business is online!
Six tips for creating valuable SEO content
Want to see your website climb the search engine rankings and attract a steady stream of organic traffic? In today’s digital landscape, where content reigns supreme, crafting high-quality, SEO-friendly content is mission-critical for any business owner. But don’t let the complexities of SEO intimidate you! This Ultimate Guide is your treasure map to navigating the world of SEO writing and creating best SEO content that drives results. We’ll explore the latest SEO trends and best practices to help you create valuable, informative content that resonates with your audience and fuels business growth. 1. Keyword Research and Targeting: Unearthing Your Content Goldmine Keyword research is the first step in your SEO content writing journey. It’s about more than just plugging keywords into Google Keyword Planner; it’s about understanding your potential customers, their search intent, and the language they use. Become the customer: Imagine you are your ideal client. What common questions are they typing into search engines? What problems are they trying to solve? What terminology do they use? Understanding their perspective allows you to tailor your website content to address their specific needs. Think beyond the main keyword: While broad keywords like “marketing” or “software” might have high search volume, they often lack specificity. Focus on long-tail keywords that reflect the nuanced ways people search. For example, instead of “accounting software,” consider “cloud-based accounting software for small businesses” or “accounting software with inventory management features.” Scope out the competition: Use tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs to analyze your competitors’ keyword strategies. Identify specific keywords they may be neglecting or areas where you can create more comprehensive and valuable content to outrank them. This can reveal untapped opportunities to attract your target audience. Map keywords to the buyer’s journey: Recognise that different keywords align with different stages of the customer journey. Someone searching for “what is Email Marketing?” is in the awareness stage, while someone searching for “hire a social media marketing agency” is in the decision stage. Tailor your content and keyword strategy to address the needs and interests of users at each stage. 2. Content Structure and Optimisation: Building a User-Friendly Framework Business owners are busy people. They need information that is easily accessible and digestible. Optimise your content structure to enhance readability and keep them engaged. This is where On-Page SEO comes into play. Create a clear structure: Use headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) like a Table of Contents to guide readers through your web pages. Each heading should clearly communicate the main topic and purpose of the section, allowing readers to quickly find the information they need. Prioritise readability: No one wants to wade through walls of text. Break up long-form content with bullet points, numbered lists, shorter paragraphs, and sufficient white space. This makes your content more visually appealing and easier to scan, improving the user experience. Optimise for search and click-throughs: Craft compelling title tags and meta tags that accurately reflect your content and include target keywords. These elements serve as your first impression in search engine results pages (SERPs), so make them informative and enticing to boost those click-through rates. Enhance with visuals: Incorporate images, charts, infographics, and video content to break up text, illustrate complex concepts, and make your content more engaging. Visuals can help users understand relevant information more quickly and make your piece of content more memorable and shareable. 3. Quality Content Creation: Delivering Value Beyond the Keywords Business owners are discerning consumers of information. They seek relevant content that offers real value, not just empty words. Become a problem-solver: Identify the key challenges and pain points your target audience faces. Create informative content that provides practical solutions, actionable advice, and insightful perspectives. This could include how-to guides, in-depth tutorials, or expert interviews. Establish your authority: Showcase your expertise and build credibility with quality backlinks, case studies demonstrating successful outcomes, original research providing unique insights, and thought leadership pieces that position you as an industry authority. Emphasise tangible benefits: Don’t just list the features of your product or service. Clearly articulate how it can help businesses achieve their goals, whether it’s increasing efficiency, boosting sales, or improving customer satisfaction. Use data, testimonials, and real-world examples to support your claims. 4. Link Building and Promotion: Amplifying Your Content’s Reach Creating great content is only half the battle. You need to actively promote it to reach your target audience and build quality backlinks. Cultivate relationships: Networking is key. Connect with other businesses, industry influencers, and relevant online communities. Guest blogging on reputable websites, participating in industry forums, and collaborating on projects can help you earn valuable backlinks and expand your reach. This is an effective way to improve your search rankings. Leverage social media strategically: Identify the platforms where your target audience is most active and tailor your content accordingly. Share your articles, engage with your followers, participate in industry discussions, and build a strong online presence. Amplify your reach with paid promotion: If your budget allows, consider paid advertising options like Google Ads, social media ads, or sponsored content to reach a wider audience and drive targeted traffic to your landing pages. 5. Content Optimisation Tools: Level Up Your SEO Efforts SEO tools can be a powerful ally in your content marketing strategy. Fine-tune your keyword strategy: Tools like Clearscope and SurferSEO analyse your content’s keyword usage and provide recommendations for relevant terms to include. This helps you optimise your content for search engines and ensure it aligns with what your audience is searching for. Enhance content quality: MarketMuse offers in-depth content analysis, identifying areas where you can improve relevance, comprehensiveness, and authority. This helps you create high-quality content that satisfies user intent and ranks well in search results. Maintain a professional image: Grammarly helps you ensure your content is free of grammatical errors and typos. This is crucial for maintaining a professional image and building trust with your audience. 6. Measuring and Analysing Content Performance: The Data-Driven Approach Content marketing is an ongoing process. Track your progress, analyse your results,
Facebook ads: What are they and how they can help your business grow
Feeling overwhelmed by the ever-evolving landscape of social media marketing? You’re not alone. As a business owner, you’re constantly juggling multiple priorities, and keeping pace with the latest trends across all the social media platforms can feel like a full-time job in itself. But there’s a powerful tool that can simplify your marketing efforts and unlock exponential growth for your business: Facebook ads! Why Facebook Ads Are a Must-Have for Your Business in 2024 Unmatched Targeting Precision: Imagine being able to reach your ideal customer with laser-like accuracy. Facebook’s detailed targeting capabilities make this a reality. Go beyond basic demographics like age, location, and gender, and delve deeper into interests, behaviors, and connections. Leverage Custom Audiences to re-engage existing customers and utilize Lookalike Audiences to discover entirely new audiences who share similar characteristics with your most valuable clients. Amplify Your Reach: In the crowded digital arena, organic reach is becoming increasingly elusive. Facebook ads give your business the boost it needs to cut through the noise and ensure your message is seen by the right people. This is especially crucial for local businesses aiming to connect with customers in their immediate vicinity. Become a Lead Generation Powerhouse: Building a strong lead pipeline is essential for sustained business growth. Facebook ads empower you to capture valuable customer information by offering enticing lead magnets like ebooks, guides, webinars, or exclusive discounts. Lead ads streamline this process, allowing users to seamlessly provide their contact details without leaving the Facebook platform. Drive a Surge of Website Traffic: Want to increase website visits and generate more leads? Strategically placed Facebook ads can act as a powerful catalyst. Whether you’re promoting a new product, a captivating blog post, or an irresistible offer, Facebook ads can direct a flood of qualified traffic to specific landing pages on your website, driving conversions and fueling business growth. Marketing That Fits Your Budget: One of the most compelling aspects of Facebook ads is their cost-effectiveness. You retain complete control over your ad spending, setting daily budget or lifetime budget limits that align with your financial resources. Even modest investments can yield impressive results, making Facebook ads accessible to businesses of all sizes. Effortless Campaign Management: Navigating the complexities of online advertising can be intimidating, but Facebook simplifies the process. The Facebook Ads Manager offers a user-friendly interface that makes campaign creation and management a breeze. Monitor your ad performance in real-time and make data-driven adjustments to optimize your campaigns. The Meta Business Suite further streamlines your workflow by allowing you to manage your Facebook ads alongside your other social media activities. Re-Engage and Convert with Retargeting: Have you ever browsed a website, left without making a purchase, and then seen ads for those same products following you across the internet? This is the power of retargeting, and Facebook ads excel at it. Re-engage potential customers who have previously interacted with your business, gently reminding them of your offerings and guiding them towards conversion. Selecting the Right Facebook Ad Objective for Your Business Goals Facebook provides a diverse selection of campaign objectives tailored to specific marketing goals: App Installs: If your business has a mobile app, this objective is designed to drive downloads and expand your user base. App promotion can be highly effective with Facebook’s targeting options. Sales: For businesses focused on driving online sales and revenue, this objective optimizes your ads to reach users with high purchase intent. Sales ads can feature compelling offers and direct users to product pages. Lead Generation: This objective focuses on capturing valuable customer information, such as email addresses and phone numbers, to nurture leads and build relationships. Brand Awareness: If your goal is to increase brand visibility and recognition, this objective will optimize your ads to reach a broad audience and maximize impressions. Traffic: Drive a steady stream of visitors to your website or specific landing pages, whether it’s a product page, a blog post, or a contact form. Engagement: Encourage interactions with your Facebook posts, such as likes, comments, and shares, to foster a sense of community and boost organic reach. Video Views: Maximize views and engagement for your video content, leveraging the power of storytelling and visual communication. Exploring the Diverse Landscape of Facebook Ad Types Facebook offers a variety of ad types and ad formats to cater to different marketing objectives and creative styles: Image ads: Simple yet effective, image ads leverage compelling visuals to capture attention and convey your message. A single image can be very effective when paired with strong ad copy. Carousel ads: Showcase multiple products, services, or offers within a single ad unit, providing a more immersive and engaging experience. Video ads: Harness the power of video to tell your brand story, showcase your products, and connect with your audience on an emotional level. Vertical video is becoming increasingly popular on Facebook. Boosted posts: Amplify the reach of your organic Facebook posts by allocating advertising budget to reach a wider audience. Mastering the Art of Facebook Advertising: Best Practices To maximize the effectiveness of your Facebook ad campaigns, adhere to these best practices: Define Your Objectives: Clearly articulate your goals for your Facebook ads, whether it’s lead generation, driving sales, or increasing brand awareness. Your ad objective will guide your campaign strategy. Know Your Audience: Develop a deep understanding of your target audience, their needs, interests, and online behavior. Effective audience targeting is crucial for success. Craft Compelling Ads: Use high-quality visuals and persuasive ad copy that resonates with your target audience. Set a Realistic Budget: Start with a manageable budget and gradually increase it as you gain experience and see positive results. Monitor Your Performance: Regularly track your ad performance, analyzing key metrics, and making data-driven adjustments to optimize your campaigns. Use the Meta Ads Manager to track your progress. Include a Strong Call to Action: Clearly communicate what you want users to do, whether it’s visiting your website, making a purchase, or signing up for your email list. A clear action button can
Level Up Your Social Media Game: 7 Must-Have Content Creation Apps
Key Takeaways Simplify your social media content creation: Use apps to create eye-catching visuals, schedule posts, and track performance. Choose the right apps for your needs: Consider your content type, skill level, budget, and workflow. Focus on visual storytelling: Use high-quality images and videos to capture attention and tell your brand’s story. Don’t forget the fundamentals: Great content still needs a solid strategy and a genuine connection with your audience. Follow best practices: Know your audience, plan your content, use high-quality visuals, and engage with your followers. It’s no secret that social media rules the business world these days. With billions of people scrolling through their feeds, it’s the perfect place to get my business seen and connect with potential customers. But let’s be honest: creating awesome social media content daily can be exhausting. Who has the time to be a photographer, videographer and graphic designer? Especially when I’m already juggling a million other things as a content marketer! I’ve discovered some amazing social media apps that simplify content creation. These tools help me produce eye-catching visuals, schedule my posts, and even track how my content is performing. Here are 7 of my favourite apps that have seriously boosted my social media game: 1. Canva: My Design BFF Canva is a lifesaver, especially because I’m not a designer. Whether I need to whip up a quick infographic, create a logo, or design something eye-catching for Instagram, Canva has my back. Key Features: Drag-and-drop interface: I can easily create stunning visuals even with zero design skills. Massive library: I can access many templates, stock images, and graphics. Brand Kit: I can keep my branding consistent by saving my colours, logos, and fonts. Bonus: Canva has a free version with many features, so you can try it before paying for anything. 2. InShot: Video Editing Made Easy Want to create those captivating videos that keep people glued to their screens? InShot is my secret weapon. It has features to edit videos, add music, cool effects, and even voiceovers. Whether I’m creating quick TikToks or polished Instagram Reels, InShot makes it a breeze. Best Features: User-friendly interface: Super easy to use, even for beginners like me. Versatile editing tools: I can trim, split, merge, and adjust the speed of my videos. Music and sound effects: Adding music from InShot’s library or my collection is easy. 3. Adobe Express: Creativity Unleashed This app is from Adobe geniuses. It combines Spark Page, Spark Video, and Spark Post, making it my one-stop shop for all my social media content. I can create professional-looking content in seconds with thousands of templates and easy-to-use tools. Key Features: AI tools: I can use AI to generate unique images and designs, which is super cool. Cross-platform compatibility: I can work on projects from my phone or computer. Integration with other Adobe products: I can quickly move my creations to Photoshop or Illustrator. 4. Snapseed: Photo Editing Powerhouse Snapseed is my go-to for photo editing. I can sharpen, crop, adjust colours, and even edit specific parts of my photos. It’s like having Photoshop in my pocket! Best Features: Non-destructive editing: I can experiment without worrying about ruining the original photo. Selective editing tools: I can fine-tune specific areas of my images. Variety of filters: Tons of filters make my photos look even better. 5. VSCO: Capture and Create VSCO is more than just a photo editor; it’s a community of creators. I can take awesome photos with VSCO’s camera and edit them with cool filters and tools. I also love exploring content from other creators and sharing my work. Key Features: Advanced camera controls: I can take control of my phone’s camera with manual settings. Film-inspired presets: I love giving my photos a classic look with VSCO’s presets. Community inspiration: Connecting with other creators and getting inspired is awesome. 6. Halide Mark II: Unleash Your Inner Photographer This game-changer app takes my phone photography to the next level. I fully control shutter speed, ISO, and white balance to capture professional-quality images. Best Features: Manual controls: I can fine-tune my camera settings for the best results. Focus peaking: This helps me make sure my photos are perfectly sharp. RAW capture: I can capture more image data for better editing. 7. ProShot: Your Phone’s DSLR Doppelganger ProShot turns my phone into a DSLR camera. I can take amazing photos in any situation with manual controls for focus, exposure, and RAW capture. Key Features: DSLR-like functionality: I have access to advanced camera settings. Customisable interface: I can set up the app as I like. Video recording capabilities: I can shoot high-quality videos with manual controls. Finding the Perfect Fit The best app depends on what you need. Think about the type of content you create, the features you want, and how the app fits into your workflow. Beyond the Top 7 There are tons of other great apps out there, too. Here are a few more I love: Picsart: This app is great for photo and video editing, collages, and drawing. Later: This is perfect for planning and scheduling my social media content. Unfold: I use this to create amazing Instagram Stories. CapCut: This free video editing app is super popular with TikTok creators. Lightroom Mobile: Another powerful app for editing photos. Mojo: This app lets me create animated stories that grab attention. Tips for Choosing the Right Apps Here are a few things I consider when choosing new apps: My content needs: What content do I create? Photos, videos, graphics? My skill level: Am I a beginner or a pro? My budget: How much am I willing to spend on an app? My workflow: How will the app fit into my current process? The Power of Visual Storytelling Visuals are everything on social media these days. Whether I share photos, videos, or graphics, they must be eye-catching. These apps help me create high-quality visuals that tell my brand’s story. Don’t Forget the Fundamentals These apps are awesome, but they’re just tools. Great
9 Digital Marketing Tips to Fuel Your Business Growth in 2024
Key Takeaways Know your audience: Before digital marketing, understand your ideal customer inside and out. Create valuable content: Share engaging content in various formats (blogs, videos, infographics) and promote it widely. Optimise for search engines: Use SEO strategies to get your website found by potential customers on Google. Build a social media community: Connect with your audience, share engaging content, and be responsive. Nurture relationships with email: Use email marketing to stay top-of-mind with your audience and offer valuable content. Use paid advertising strategically: Reach your target audience quickly with targeted PPC campaigns. Collaborate with influencers: Partner with influencers to promote your business and build trust. Optimise your website for conversions: Make sure your website is user-friendly and encourages visitors to take action. Track your results and make adjustments: Use data analytics to measure your progress and improve your strategy. The internet has completely changed how I do business. It’s like the whole world is my playground now! With a strong online presence, even my little shop can reach people across the globe, build a name for itself, and get those customers flowing in. But honestly, all the different digital channels and strategies can make my head spin. Where do I even begin? Well, I’ve learned a thing or two over the years, and I’m happy to share my nine essential digital marketing tips for thriving online in 2024: 1. Know Your Audience: My Marketing Compass This is where it all starts. Before I think about digital marketing, I need to know exactly who I’m talking to. Who are my ideal customers? What keeps them up at night? What makes them tick? Market Research is Key: I use surveys, interviews, and tools like Google Analytics to get to know my customers. I go beyond the basics and try to understand their values and lifestyles. Buyer Personas: I create profiles of my ideal customers, giving them names and pictures. This helps me visualise who I’m trying to reach and tailor my message to them. 2. Content Marketing: Building Trust and Value Content marketing is my secret weapon. By creating valuable and engaging content, I attract and keep my audience hooked, show them I know my stuff, and ultimately get them to buy what I’m selling. Content Variety: I don’t just stick to blog posts. I explore videos, infographics, and interactive content to keep things interesting. Video marketing is a fantastic way to connect with potential customers. Quality Over Quantity: I create high-quality content that gives my audience real value, answers their questions, and offers solutions. Promote, Promote, Promote: I don’t just create content and let it gather dust. I share it on social media and email campaigns to reach as many people as possible. 3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Getting Found Online SEO is crucial for my website. It’s all about optimising my site and content so I rank higher in search results, get more people to visit my site organically, and ultimately increase my sales. Keyword Research: I find out what words my potential customers use to search for things related to my business. Keyword research tools help me discover valuable keywords that are popular but not too competitive. On-Page Optimization: I ensure my web pages are packed with relevant keywords, have compelling descriptions, and use informative tags for images. My website is well-organised and easy for search engines to understand. Off-Page Optimization: I build high-quality backlinks from other reputable websites to boost my website’s credibility and search ranking. 4. Social Media Marketing: Building My Community Social media is amazing for connecting with my audience, building brand awareness, and getting people talking. I focus on the platforms where my target audience hangs out. Engaging Content: I share interesting and informative posts encouraging people to interact. I use visuals, ask questions, and run polls to engage my audience. Contests and Giveaways: These are awesome for boosting engagement, attracting new customers, and getting my brand out there. Engage, Engage, Engage: I respond to comments and messages quickly. I want my audience to know I’m listening and their feedback matters. 5. Email Marketing: Nurturing Relationships Email marketing is how I nurture leads, build relationships with my audience, and drive conversions. It’s a great way to stay top-of-mind with potential and existing customers. Building My Email List: I offer valuable freebies like ebooks and checklists in exchange for email addresses. I make it easy for people to sign up with clear forms on my website and social media. Segmentation: I divide my email list into groups based on their interests or purchase history to send more targeted emails. This personal touch improves my conversion rates. Providing Value: I send out informative newsletters, exclusive promotions, and personalised updates to keep my audience engaged. I do not just bombard them with sales pitches; I give them content they’ll appreciate. 6. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: Reaching My Audience Fast PPC advertising, like Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Facebook Ads, helps me reach my target audience quickly and effectively through paid ads. Targeted Campaigns: I create highly targeted campaigns based on keywords, demographics, and interests. This ensures my ads are seen by the people most likely to be interested in my business. Compelling Ad Copy: I write clear and concise ad copy highlighting the benefits of what I offer. I use strong calls to action to encourage people to click on my ads. Track and Optimise: I closely monitor my PPC campaigns and make adjustments to improve their performance. I use A/B testing to try different ad copy and landing pages to see what works best. 7. Influencer Marketing: The Power of Influence Influencer marketing is all about collaborating with influencers in my industry to promote my business and reach a wider audience. It’s a great way to connect with new customers and build trust. Choosing the Right Influencers: I select influencers who share my brand values and have an audience that aligns with my target market. I don’t just look at follower count; I want influencers who
The 5 easiest and most important tips for successful SEO
In this article, we are going to be sharing with you 5 of the easiest and in our eyes, the most important tips for successful SEO. Make sure you take note on these tips and start implementing them as soon as you can. The main focus of this is based around the content that you are writing or getting written for your business and how you can best optimise it to bring in the desired result. Valuable content is king in the search engines eyes, and we want to help you improve the results from your efforts. Slow page load times Page loading speeds is a massive factor in SEO. A few years ago you could get away with a slow loading website. But those days are long gone, there is no excuse for having a slow website anymore. People are getting more and more impatient when they go online and if your site is taking too long to load, you can say goodbye to a good chunk of customers. A slow page speed does more than just losing traffic though, it paints an untrustworthy picture in the mind of your prospects to. Page speed is crucial to both users and search engines. According to a study by eConsultancy, “40% of people abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load”. So has that number got you worried? As your business begins to grow and you start generating more and more leads through SEO, you have to make sure your website is lightning quick, otherwise, you are wasting up to 40% off that traffic! One quick way to reduce the loading speed is to remove non-essential elements that slow down your site. If your site is on WordPress, have a look through your plugins and delete anything that you aren’t using anymore. Write to the people reading it We previously did a blog around the intent of blog writing for SEO. When writing blogs and articles for your business you must keep the reader first in mind and search engines second. The old method of SEO was to just fill your blogs with keywords that rank high on Google in an attempt to get more clicks on your site. While this definitely used to work, you can’t keep doing this, if your content isn’t relevant or doesn’t appeal to the reader you will lose their interest and they will go to the next site. In the search engines eyes, this is bad and you will suffer the consequences in the long run. You must be writing engaging content for real people. Remember, people are the ones with credit cards ready to purchase your product, not robots. Robots don’t engage with your brand or become loyal customers, humans do. So, next time you or your colleague is writing content for your business, forget about the search engines when doing so. You will find that your content will become more helpful, and search engines love this. The search engines bots track user behaviours and you will be rewarded for actually helping people. Meta Descriptions A well put together met description is often neglected by people and it happens to be one of the most powerful parts of SEO. It’s the first section that people see when you pop up on Google and can ultimately decide whether or not they click through to your website. Generally, the search engine giant doesn’t like duplicate content. Yes, there are times when there is a need to cite a paragraph or sentence from another site (and link back to the source), but if publishing duplicate content becomes your way of life, you might get penalized by Google. Another thing to consider is duplicate meta descriptions. Make sure your site doesn’t have the same meta descriptions for different pages, you will eventually get penalised and it’s not very good for the users experience regardless. If you are a WordPress user, we highly recommend that you use a plugin called YOAST. It will help you find and fix up duplicate content on your site. Use readable and meaningful URLs only Your URL’s must be readable to both the user and the search engines, otherwise, things can get confusing. Don’t worry too much about having a long URL, if it’s easy to understand for both the search engines and the users, you are in the clear. This is what our URL looks likes for one of our blogshttps://www.dgreatsolutions.com.au/blog/how-to-use-instagram-to-build-brand-trust/ Yes its quite long, but I bet you know exactly what that blog post is going to be about right? And so does the search engine bot. Stay away from page URLs like this:https://www.website.com/blog/news/blog20343 This isn’t memorable. You must try to keep your URL memorable for the use in case they want to go back to it quickly, instead of searching through dozens of pages to find it again. Even though search engine bots have come a long way, they still need to be guided. If your URL’s are all over the place and don’t explain what the specific page is, the bots will get confused as well. Create & publish unique content consistently to improve your rankings If you have ever written content for your company you will know how hard it can be some days to think of something new and to not just copy someones else’s blog or article. It’s ok to take inspiration from someone else’s work, but you have to write it in your own way. This not only helps with your ranking, but will help with branding too. If you are in this for the long hall, then you want to have a unique voice, people will begin to read your content purely because YOU wrote it. Fresh content is a must for any online business – if your wanting success that is. Google and other search engines love to see new and useful content being posted and shared regularly. It shows them that you are credible and that you’re the place to go
How to use instagram to build brand trust
Instagram now has over 800 million active users. It is unarguably one the most far reaching social media platforms you can get your hands on. Instagram has proven itself to be a great advertising platform for businesses and shows no signs of slowing down. eMarketer estimated the worldwide ad revenues to exceed $10 billion dollars by this year. This is quite an increase from just under $2 billion in 2016.If you’re not already using Instagram to increase the reach and build brand awareness, you’re missing out. Thankfully, its relatively easy to get your business up and running, you just need enough time and effort to implement a well thought out strategy. STUDY Your first step should be going out and finding other business similar to yours and studying what they are currently posting. Look at the colours, the type of imagery, the people in the photos, the location etc. Think about how it makes you feel when you see their content, what kind of emotion are they pulling from you, does it make you want to be a part of their culture?If yes, then model what they are doing. We aren’t saying to copying what they’re doing, but for now, write down things that you like and things that you don’t like. WHAT TO POST Now that you have some idea on what your competitors are posting and the angle they’re going for, it’s time to decide on what you want to start posting! This changes entirely on industry to industry and obviously I don’t know what kind of legal obligations you may have within yours. But, you want to be posting content that is; 1) Relative to your industry. 2) Speaks how you want your ideal customer to speak. And 3) Keeps existing and potential customers engaged with your brand. So hopefully you already know your ideal customer, or at least have some idea of who they are, what they do, where they hang out and what other kind of things they spend their money on. We have found that it is best to actually give this “ideal customer” a name, give them an outfit, hair style and friends. It might seem a bit odd, but it will help you think and realise who your target market it. And hey, doesn’t hurt to try. WHEN TO POST Instagram has changed its algorithms a lot in the recent years, to the point that it almost doesn’t matter ‘when’ you post, but more so ‘how often’ you post. Instagram favours regular, high quality and high engaged content. It is a general recommendation that you post at least once per day, twice if you feel the need to. And that’s just for the standard Instagram ‘feed’ post, Instagram stories is a whole other mind field. Now, I’m sure we all follow someone who feels the need to put every waking minute of their lives on the instagram stories, we are saying to do this. But, I believe business owners could take a leaf out of their book. Instagram stories are a great way to drive existing followers to your page and keep them in the loop! It won’t necessarily get your page discovered by new people (that’s what your Instagram Feed posts are for), but when they do land on your page and you have a story that’s been posted in the last 24 hours, they are liking to look. It helps keep your profile looking lively and active, and is just another great way to keep engagement up on your profile. Instagram the amazing platform Instagram is an amazing platform for building your brands image and communicating with your existing and potential customers. Try not to overthink your content, keep it lighthearted, keep up with current trends and keep your audience engaged.If you are struggling to come up with ideas or are just feeling overwhelmed with the road ahead for your business and instagram, get in contact with us today! We over free consultation calls, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
