4 Common Reasons You Think Your Business Doesn’t Need Social Media, Rebutted

Something we hear super often in the marketing industry is something along the lines of – my business doesn’t need to be on social media. Customer expectations are evolving with the top companies in the world. And no matter what industry you’re in, there are made up of people. And people are spending their valuable attention spans on some form of digital platform. 

  1. I don’t even use Instagram and/or Facebook

Just because you’re not interested doesn’t mean your customers, clients and associates aren’t! Research shows that 80% of people trying to make a purchasing decision will Google the company online. This includes results not only for your website, but also your social profiles. Apart from a few demographics, people from all socio-economic backgrounds are on social media. Here are some statistics to back this up.

  1. Social media is not for B2B or any niche industry

A common misconception is that B2B can’t be done on social media. Yes, Linkedin is a great platform for reaching other professionals. But research shows best post times is still between 9-6PM, meaning people mostly browse the network during work hours. Outside of that, decision makers within companies – CEOs, founders, account managers – anyone that has a say in doing business with you, are still spending time on Facebook. Mobile use during office hours is also increasing, with 80% of B2B buyers reported to be using a mobile device at work.  

  1.  People get annoyed with too many posts

People get annoyed the most by one particular kind of post: hard sell ones. Flashy sales, or anything with a prompt to “BUY NOW” are annoying to potential customers. The correct goals and corresponding tone for social media messaging is: adding value, building trust and communicating above selling. Presenting giveaways and contests, collaborating with respected thought leaders or giving announcements they care about are all ways to build consistency without shoving a product down a customer’s throat. 

According to buffer, here is a study on best posting frequency practices that some of the biggest brands in the world adhere to:

  • Twitter – 3 times per day, or more

Engagement decreases slightly after the third tweet.

  • Facebook – 2 times per day, at most

2x per day is the level before likes & comments begin to drop off dramatically.

  • LinkedIn – 1 time per day

20 posts per month (1x per weekday) allows you to reach 60 percent of your audience

  • Pinterest – 5x per day, or more

The top brands on Pinterest have experienced steady growth – and in some cases rapid or sensational growth! – by adopting a multiple-times-per-day posting strategy.

  • Instagram – 1.5 times per day, or more

Major brands post an average of 1.5 times per day to Instagram. There’s no drop-off in engagement for posting more, provided you can keep up the rate of posting.

  • Blog – 2x per week

Companies that increase blogging from 3-5X/month to 6-8X/month almost double their leads.

  1. It’s too much work to post that much

If content creation doesn’t come naturally, it can feel like too much work. Social media is being bundled into other jobs, like receptionists when it really requires a specialized role. An alternative for this might be to split up the role – IE an employee good at photography can take photos while another can post or to contract a company. Social media marketing companies usually have a process in place to streamline the tasks required to get your public image out there without too much hand-holding. Find one that understands your brand and automate this side of the business.

Great Branding Makes Bank

Great Branding Makes Bank

A brand is the complete representation of your business. It’s every visual element, product presented, and experience given. Your brand should be how you want clients to perceive your business – it’s your business’ personality.

A brand identity is a guide to your visual position and acts as a system to present a cohesive identity that’s representational and adaptable to different forms of media. A well-established system ensures that your brand can be recognizable when presented on its own as well as standout when presented with other elements or used on various mediums.  

Because a brand is the first impression a client gets from a company, it’s important to take the time to do through market research and develop a solid brand. By having a well-established brand, that first impression can lead to memorability. Your brand should connect the dots between your mission and your target audience.

Elements of a Brand Identity

Logo/Wordmark

A logo can be a standalone graphic symbol that signifies your company or a combination of a graphic with text. Brands that utilize strong logo symbols include Apple, Nike, McDonald’s, and Microsoft. When using a graphic symbol, it should be easily identifiable and make your brand unique and stand out.  

A wordmark or logotype is the text component of your logo that’s set in a specific or fixed way. Generally, a wordmark is the company or product name. Some brands will choose to forgo having a traditional graphic logo and use only the logotype. In most modern cases, it can create a cleaner, more minimal look, and convey professionalism. Brands that utilize a well-crafted wordmark include Google, Coca-Cola, and Disney.

Logo Variations/Logo “Lockups”

Logo lockups are the different ways your company logo can be validly presented. As previously mentioned, logos can come in the form of a more traditional form with all elements – both text and graphic, as well as standalone as just a graphic symbol. When it comes to the application of your logo, it’s good to be versatile but equally important to set usage guidelines within your brand identity guide. Your logo and its variations should always be presented consistently. In all variations, the essential qualities should all be the same. Instagram, Facebook, and Google are prime examples of brands that have clear logo usage guides can be found online.

That being said, the final lockup version of your logo should be the main/primary representation. For example, the Nike logo’s final lockup version consists of both the trademark “Swoosh” and “Nike” text. However, you can also often see the “Swoosh” on its own in merchandising, digital media, and on promotional material. Although it is not the official logo, it is an approved use set by their brand.  

 

Color Palette/Key Colors

The main, and arguably the most important, colors in a brands color palette are the ones used in the logo. These colors should be what your clients use to associate your business to your brand. Additionally, it’s also critical to consider establishing secondary colors – i.e., what other colors compliment them.  

Depending on the tone you are trying to establish for your brand, different color schemes can elicit different feelings. Are you looking to be serious? Playful? Smart and professional? Should you use bright and bold colors? Pastels? Neutrals? Warm tones or cool tones? Successful brands utilize color intelligently in ways that add to the brand and brings it together.

For example, when branding a daycare, using pastel or bright colors has a fun and inviting feeling whereas using an entirely cool tone palette consisting of greys and blues will make it feel distant and unfriendly. Once you have your palette established, it’s super important that your brand identity defines the color swatches in CMYK, RGB, and Pantone to ensure consistency when used across mediums.

 

 

Typefaces & Typographic Treatments

Similarly to key colors, the primary typefaces for your brand will often come from the logo design. This however, is not always the case as sometimes the type styles used in logos are more decorative – e.g., Coca-Cola. In instances like Coca-Cola, the brand must instead choose typefaces that either compliment their logo or help further define their aesthetic. When choosing typefaces, it is important to choose a couple of fonts to be used for both print and web materials. By identifying complementary typefaces you can create a unified brand identity for all generated assets and marketing materials. When working with an external designer, printer, or marketing firm, it is important to ensure they not only know your corporate typefaces, but have access to them should they need them.

Typographic treatments refer to the standard ways of handling key sets of text. On a website, this maybe be your H1, H2, H3’s, or the way you style your headers, sub-headers, and body text in a word document. By having a consistent way of identifying and styling these headlines, you can further elevate your brand and create a cohesive look when used across applications.  

 

 

Consistent Image Styles & Graphic Elements

Depending on your company needs, it can also be beneficial to maintain a consistent style for images and graphics. This doesn’t necessarily mean limiting yourself to the same set of photos over and over again, but instead by utilizing imagery that is similar in look and feel. Like your brand colors, imagery can set a tone for your brand. For example if your brand is more retro in feel, you may choose to use low saturation images, or edit photos to have a sepia hue. Graphics and illustrations can also be branded to be similar in appearance. For charts and graphs in a annual report for example, you could choose to use a line art style or flat icon style to convey your data.  

Establishing a texture or pattern for your brand can also be beneficial in creating a unique look or establishing your tone. By pushing small details like using textures or patterns, white or negative space, line style treatment, or color blocking, the function of these elements can push your brand one step further and help give it a lasting impression.

 

Credits: Little Angels, Chriselle Lim Collection, ASASA Academy, KKW Beauty

Conclusion

By considering these 5 main things, you can develop a strong representation of your company. Establishing your brand identity is fundamental to ensuring consistency and success as it gives your company a visual representation to align your values to. Before creating anything, it is important to do your due diligence by researching what works and what doesn’t work within your industry.

 

You want to make sure you stand out among the completion. It is equally important to envision what message your company wants to convey. Depending on your answer, your brands tone should be reflected in its design. Don’t be afraid to draft and test out your designs and thoughts. Visualizing in your mind is one thing, but having your thoughts laid out can help you test and compare what may work for your brand. In time, depending on where your company values align, it may be useful to refresh and revisit your brand or to change its direction entirely.

Hacking Marketing: Lower Rates, More Expertise

Your company thrives because it has clients and customers. Whether it’s struggling due to no marketing or you’re wanting to ride out a wave of success, it’s always a great time to invest in your own brand. Every company needs marketing. But should you hire in-house or contract externally? Let us argue the case for when it’s a great idea to consult an external agency.

1. When you’re budget conscious but still looking for a level of expertise

Most small and medium businesses have enough budget to hire 1-2 individuals to do all of their marketing. They’re going to need a full time workload to complete so many different tasks. Let’s price it out.

Entry Level Marketer

  • 1-2 areas of expertise
  • 1-3 years of experience
  • $20/hour x 40 hours x 4 weeks = $3200 (including idle time)
  • Hardware + software + additional office space = $900
    = $4100/month

Senior Level Marketer

  • 2-4 areas of expertise
  • 3-5 years of experience
  • $40 x 40 hours x 4 weeks = $6400 (including idle time)
  • Hardware + software + additional office space = $900
    =$7300/month

Our Marketing Agency

  • 1-2 points of contact
  • 8+ areas of expertise
  • 5+ years of experience
  • Productive hours only
  • All overhead included
  • Prices comparable to entry level marketer per month or lower

2. When your marketing requires a varied skillset

When writing out your job listing, does it include many, if not all, of the following required skillsets?

  • Marketing strategy
  • Graphic design
  • Photography
  • Facebook paid ads
  • Google Display Ads & Adwords
  • Demographics and Targeting
  • Content writing
  • Web Development
  • Search Engine Optimization

Are these sounding like a lot of different areas of expertise? They are. They come from different sides of the brain (creative/analytical). More likely, you will find someone who is good at one aspect and just dabbles in the other areas, where your business image will suffer.

3. When you just don’t have time for training and managing your internal team

You’re looking for marketing because you don’t know much about it, you’re hoping to run your business and look to a person that does. Training is costly, and agencies have scouted and invested in finding talent. They’ve also streamlined management, operations and production processes that takes time and energy to build.

4. When you can’t be held accountable and liable towards employees

When working with individuals, you are liable for providing them adequate hours and benefits. It is also harder to fire people one they are fired. Many companies like us don’t require you to be locked down into a contract, we want to earn your business month to month. The responsibility falls on US to make sure your marketing works. We analyze campaigns, then create deliverable reports (impressions, reach, clicks, etc.) for you to make sure they align up with your profits. This makes sure you are getting your return on investment and that our collaborative marketing efforts are worth it every month.

5. When you have sporadic projects, not a full-time workload

Marketing isn’t always a 24/7 endeavor. For most small to medium sized businesses, campaigns are launched selectively according to what is needed seasonally. Or maybe you need a one-off project completed like a website design, then maintenance requirements will taper off.

6. When marketing needs to ramp up fast

Maybe you’re launching a new product, or had a profitable year, odds are you need your campaign to launch and amplify, fast. You don’t have time to think of strategies or embark on a hiring journey, you need a team you can trust who live and breathe marketing, right away.

Of course there are times it’s better to hire an employee. For example:

1. If you want someone dedicated to your brand 24/7
2. Maybe you need a multipurpose employee who is also an admin or receptionist
3. If you’re on a super strict budget and are willing to work with someone with lower expertise

Upcoming Marketing Innovations in the New Year

With ever-changing algorithms and intangible tech forces at play, business owners are coming to us confused at why posting content on a regular basis just isn’t enough anymore. The game has changed, and it will change again. But we work tirelessly to crack the codes of exactly what works, how to reach valuable conversions and soft sell in an ad aversive world.

  1. Native Ads are expected to drive more than 74 percent of all ad revenue by 2021. This comes with a platform shift into a smaller screen world – people view and interact online all day long on their phones, eyes glued to the convenience of scrolling. In 2017, 60% of internet traffic came from mobile devices. But people are smart and easily get annoyed now by anything flashy and in their face. The counter to this is native and organic appearing ads with interesting, visually appealing content integrating a strong understanding of target audiences.
  • Paid Facebook campaigns with picture only content, appearing as content from a friend or a page individuals follow. Our experience has been that most social media platforms have transformed into pay to play.
  • Google Adwords & SEO offer text ads that utilize keywords so they show up when someone is actively searching for your content.
  • Sponsored content with high profile websites, blogs, social media accounts, etc.
  • Social media stories are often not maximized by companies, but are actually a great tool to build brand image and give customers an insider look, adding more personable insights into how things work and who you are
  1. Video Ads have risen steadily with the implementation of autoplay. They grasp that momentary attention span much more effectively than images. Video communication apps, such as Snapchat, will continue to adopt native ads within their platforms. Mobile video advertising is expected to grow from $6.72 bn in 2017 to $9.9bn in 2018. 
  1. Chatbots offer the feeling of communicating directly with a real person while offering the convenience of not having to have a real party present for the business. Facebook has offered messaging replies as a form of ad conversion, increasing chances for people to leave their information, engage and continue a sales process.
  1. Targeted messaging driven by deep marketing insights, data driven personalization as well as zeroed in targeting by a variety of demographics and locations will drive effective conversions. There is no use promoting something completely irrelevant to an individual’s lifestyle, but focusing on one or a few market segments within smaller radiuses will yield more effective customers.
  1. Genuine branding means trust and transparency in an increasingly watchful world that cares about the ethics and moralities of the companies they give their purchasing power to. This means leveraging social media to communicate meaningful content that your potential customers care about. Big no-no’s are making outrageous claims,

Our digital marketing services offer a specialized consultation and discussion on how best to present your business effectively.