Using Infographics Effectively

I don't know about you but these days everyone has busy schedules and are pressed for time, therefore we are more likely to skip long-winded articles and posts; especially on social media. This is where infographics become very useful. It is a good way of conveying information to your audience in one quick snapshot. Information displayed in a more visually appealing manner will more likely be paid attention to.

However, there is a limit to how much information you can present on an infographic. Pictured below is an infographic about "36 Rules of Social Media" on Growing Your Customer Lifetime Value.

Besides the graphic design rules on overcrowding an image and using too much colour, I don't particularly know whether I want to take the time and make the effort to read these 36 rules although they might be very useful. If this came up on one of my social media feeds I would most probably just have scrolled past; there is simply too much information.

What do you think about this infographic? Would you read it?

Fine Line: "4-1-1 Rule" of Content Marketing

When your social media platforms are working well for your reach objectives it is very easy to forget to curate what you post and share. Before you know it all you're posting is self-promotional pieces and you slowly start to lose your audience.

No one likes seeing their feeds clogged up with ad after ad for the same business. What do you do when all a person does is talk about themselves and their self-worth? You usually ignore them or try and limit communication with them. Don't let this happen with your platforms as they are probably a key element to reaching out to your customers.

The 4-1-1 Rule helps us to curate content on our platforms. It was originally applied to Twitter, but has proven to be successful as a general guideline for other platforms.

It basically says that "for every self-serving tweet [or post], you should retweet one relevant tweet and most importantly share four pieces of relevant content written by others.”

It makes sense that you would like to promote your business as much as you can to reach potential customers, but creating too many call-to-action and self-serving posts can and most probably will do the opposite.
Therefore, take a little time in planning what and when you will post and share. That extra bit of time might just put you well ahead of your competitors.

Stay Current: "May the fourth be with you"

To show that you are an active brand who listens to and engages with their audience and customers, staying current is key.

Posting about current events, trends and paying attention to what day it is on the calendar might help you engage with your audience on a more 'personal' level. It helps 'humanise' your business.

Constantly flooding your followers' feeds with advertisements, products and you you you will make them tired of paying attention to you. So mix it up a bit by posting about celebrated things such as ANZAC Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas in July and Star Wars Day etc. That way you will grab your audience's attention again and they will want to read your next post; even if it is an advertisement.

So stay current and ...

Choosing Platforms: Where to start

Choosing a platform for personal branding or to market a business can be very difficult. There are so many out there so which ones do you choose?

First you must establish your objective: Is it to generate reach? To market to a specific target audience? If you have not yet identified your target audience, here is a quick guide to getting started. Once you have established that, choosing a platform becomes slightly easier. 

Each platform is designed for different target audiences who wish to communicate in different ways. Platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest is best used for visual content and to break up the everyday clutter of 'word based' platforms like Facebook and Twitter. If you are looking to communicate in a professional manner and increase your networks, a platform such as LinkedIn is the best option. 

If you want to increase your reach, consider using platforms that have the greatest market share. Business Insider compiled a list ranking the world's largest platforms. They were ranked in terms of estimated global monthly active users (MAUs):

Business Insider Dec 2013

From the graph, you can see the most notable platforms rank:

1. Facebook

2. YouTube

3. Google+

4. Tumblr

5. Twitter

6. LinkedIn

7. Instagram

8. Pinterest

9. Myspace

10. Snapchat

Keeping in mind who uses the platforms, for what purpose, their overall market share and most importantly your objective, choosing a platform or a few platforms becomes an easier decision. 

Consequences - The Wagons That Follow

Another social media post has taken the current Australian news by storm. On the 25th of April Australia celebrated the 100th centenary of our ANZACs landing in Gallipoli. It is a day of patriotism, honour, mourning and gratitude. But SBS sports reporter, Scott McIntyre, saw it as a day to express his radical views on the matter on Twitter.

These were some of his tweets:

His posts generated much controversy with the majority being disgusted by what he said. Being a public figure and associated with SBS news, the consequences of his poorly thought-through actions were not light. He was fired from his successful position at SBS and no longer respected by the general public.

Considering my first post on this blog (The Train Theory), this highlights how everything you post on social media platforms - even if it is your private account! - will follow you around like the wagons on a train.  The consequences for McIntyre might not stop at losing his job and reputation being damaged, but there is a chance he might find it very difficult to earn back the respect he lost and therefore get a job of the same calibre again. 

Let this be a lesson! You have to consider what you say when, how, what words/images you use and make sure it's not offensive. Of course freedom of speech is a fundamental right in this society but if the intention is to portray a controversial view, you have to be prepared to take on the full consequences of your actions.

YouTubirthday: "10 Years of Youtube"

Tomorrow, April 23rd, marks YouTube's 10th birthday. It's hard to imagine life without it, especially when considering that it is partly responsible for creating a culture thriving on sharing to the world. 

From a marketing perspective, it aids in making an advertisement or idea go viral. 

Australian news program, 'The Project' did a quick story on some of the most successful videos that went viral. With it being the 3rd most viewed platform (ranking behind Google and Facebook) and over 1 billion people using it each month, it is hard to imagine how to create a viral video. 

What I found the top videos which made The Project's "10 Years of Youtube" had in common, were that they all had an element of uniqueness and quirkiness (unless it's a cat video, they seem to go viral regardless...).

Defining Your Target Audience

Knowing who your target audience is and what makes them tick is key in understanding what to post when, how and where. There are so many social media platforms out there that it is easy to lose sight of why you are there in the first place and who you actually want to reach.

I came across this great article by MarketLand: "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Finding Your Audience in Social Media" where they explain to you in two simple steps how to find and understand your target audience and, consequently, which platform use. 

The key points are:

STEP 1: Defining Your Target Market - this is done by identifying the demographics of you followers. Think about how expensive your product/service is, then who could afford this and why, their age, whether they're married, whether they're local etc. Another aspect to consider is the target audience's psychographics. Think about your customers' likes/dislikes, what magazines or websites they read, their values, what lifestyle they lead and how your product/service fits into that lifestyle. When do they use your product or hire your service? And most importantly, HOW do they use your product/service?

STEP 2: Choose the Right Networks to Reach Them - there are so many out there, but some platforms probably do not suit your objectives. Think of it as each platform has a personality, and this personality must be matched to your audience's personality, Why is your audience on the platform? What do they want to see, read and engage in on this platform? This way you can tailor your content on different platforms to reach your desired target audience. 

This is how they explain the different platforms in one snapshot: (I couldn't resist!)

Getting LinkedIn-to Employment

Recently I have been thinking about how to engage in personal branding efforts. As a university student I am constantly told to start networking and build a professional profile so that I have a background future employers can refer to. The first platform that comes to mind is LinkedIn. Wouldn't it be great to have employers come to you?

So, obviously I'd have to set up a LinkedIn profile, but I don't know about you, that seems really daunting... How do I set it up to reach the right people? What do I write to convey who I am but still remaining professional? How do I stand out with only a short list of experience?

The Business Insider set up a quick article: "8 Steps To Creating a Powerful LinkedIn Profile". After reading this I feel a lot more confident that I too can have a professional profile which would attract potential employers.

Over the next few weeks I will be setting up my own LinkedIn profile and tracking my success. Obviously I am not expecting to get employed in a major marketing firm, but I will rather be focussing on increasing my profile views.

Outreach on Different Platforms

As you know I was in Sydney recently. I went to the Australian Musuem and saw this. This is arguably a great example of a good outreach strategy since they are on numerous platforms (even in the ladies bathroom)....

Using Twitter for Outreach: How to Find Leads

Here's a quick 5 minute video on using social media platforms such as Twitter to reach new audiences.

I don't have a Twitter account personally, but am now seriously considering getting one! Reaching out and marketing on various different platforms is proven to be very successful in gaining views and website traffic.

Thanks Socedo for this quick insight!

Social Media Outreach: Blimp Style?

I wonder how many people notice things like this?

I was in Sydney on the weekend at Taronga Zoo and wanted to take a photo of the beautiful view only to have this thing fly into my photo. Besides being annoyed at appliancesonline.com.au ruining my Snapchat, I realised that in a way this was effective marketing to get people to notice this online business.

But then you wonder, how many people really noticed the blimp in the sky besides those enjoying the view?
Is this really an effective outreach strategy?
How many people are really going to bother going online at that moment to check them out?

Should online businesses try conventional social media outreach strategies by advertising over a broad selection of social platforms instead?

Personal Branding Simplified

When potential employers, businesses or clients are interested in working with you, they will most likely Google you to see what crops up. Melonie Dodaro, author of the Top Dog Social Media blog, suggests there are '10 Steps to Build Your Personal Brand Online' through social media management:

1. Do the Google test - what comes up when you type your name in the Google? When potential employers click on those links, is what they will find good for your reputation?

2. Complete your LinkedIn Profile - Dodaro suggests that having an up-to-date profile and one which speaks directly to your target audience (e.g. potential employers) is a sure way of increasing your personal brand.

3. Setup Google Authorship with your Blog - if you are a fellow blogger, this is a good way of assuring that your target market will reach you and for you to gain credibility. Here is a link to a site which helps you do this:  https://blog.kissmetrics.com/google-authorship/

4. Write a great Facebook Bio - Dodaro informs us that the first 150 characters of her personal Facebook profile shows up on the search results page in Google, so she advises to make sure it's worth reading. Personally I wouldn't make my personal Facebook page open for viewing by the public, but if that floats your goat just make sure there are no embarrassing photos or status updates (those things unfortunately follow you wherever you go)!

5. Write a great Twitter Bio - if you're a tweeter, Dodaro also suggests that you make your Twitter bio gripping to read because as with Facebook, the first 100 characters comes up in the link description on the search results page.

6. Create a Killer Google+ Tagline and Fill Out Occupations Section - Unlike Facebook and Twitter, Google+ pulls the first 70 characters from your occupations section and your tagline. Another important thing to consider is how many Google+ circles you've been added to, because this is one of the first things that pop up on the search results page.

7. Specialize - Dodaro advises that although it seems like you'll get much more attention if you show you are a 'jack of all trades', the best way to grab people's attention (the right people - the people you want to listen) is to specialize and market yourself in the area you are looking for.

8. Guest Blog for Websites Bigger than Yours - contributing to other blogs or websites builds 'third-party credibility' and helps you attain more exposure than just publishing your own.

9. Use Professional Graphic Design Services - poor visual branding lets people down more than they'd like to admit. So if you're really hardcore, putting extra effort into perfecting your logo, website, Twitter background to make it 'scream professional' will definitely help you in the long run, says Melonie Dodaro.

10. Remember the 10 Commandments of Social Media - Melonie Dodaro puts forward a few fundamental rules of social media which will help you build your personal brand through this simple graphic:

Information used based on: http://topdogsocialmedia.com/blog/  

Simple Mistakes: Error 404

I stumbled upon this TED Talk by Renny Gleeson about making mistakes on social media platforms. Namely, the annoying Error 404 page which comes up when you can't get to where you want to be.

Some platforms have started to use that to their advantage by posting videos or inspirational messages on that page. And as Gleeson says: "A simple mistake can tell me what you're not or remind me why I love you".

https://www.ted.com/talks/renny_gleeson_404_the_story_of_a_page_not_found#t-218958

The Train Theory

Welcome aboard the Social Express!
Whether you have a ticket for the whole ride or will be hopping on and off at different destinations, you are more than welcome to discuss, comment and participate.
Some of these posts will be researched where the sources will be linked if you'd like to read further, other posts will be solely my opinion or my take on articles and other's opinions.

I see social media as a train and we are all the drivers, whether you're a fellow blogger, working or wanting to work in social media marketing, or simply a Facebook user. It has laws and rules governing it, but there are many directions the train can go in (like the tracks on which it goes). Each new track has new challenges, set backs and consequences, whether good or bad (those are the hills, valleys and plateaus).

Since we are the drivers we have to choose the right routes for what we want to achieve. The language we use and what we post about depends on the audience we're trying to capture. Just one wrong post or word can see you having to climb up that hill once again to reach the standard you were before. This is why we have to be careful what opinions we give, as anything posted on social media will most likely follow you around (like the wagons on the train).

I will be exploring what and what not to do and say on social media, whether you'll be marketing your own or someone else's business, or whether you're wanting to engage in personal branding. Since the world of social media marketing is fast moving and unpredictable, we will all have to hold on and stay with the current trends to market successfully!

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