There are many strategies on how to humanize your brand and leverage the power of Instagram as a B2B business. Instagram isn’t a space solely for millennials, bloggers, and consumer brands. Today, Instagram is also a medium for B2B organizations. Many companies wonder how they fit the platform and how they can differentiate providing valuable content to their audience. It is important to understand that a piece of content that performs well on another platform will not perform the same on Instagram.

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Katy Trail Ice House, Happiest Hour, Uptown, Deep Ellum. These are the places we know and love to unwind at in Dallas. But does there exist such a place where a digital marketer can unwind AND become a student of their craft? Here are 3 fun social media events in Dallas worth attending.

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Want to get more comments on your social media? Lucky for you, engagement is a strong force in the world of social media and there are plenty of ways to get more comments on your social platforms. For the sake of time, we will assume that you’re already putting engaging content out there. Now we just need to figure out how to get more comments. This blog will go over four clever ways to get more comments on your social posts. Continue reading →

Do you remember the days when you used an actual map to get around?  Yes, a paper map – the one you purchased from a local gas station and stored in your glovebox.  If you’re a millennial, then probably not.  Nowadays we all have our favorite go-to map app but sometimes typing an address can be a lot of work.  Now there’s a new iOS map app that’s accelerating the way you use maps on your phone in a visually compelling way.  Emoji-based map app WYD, short for “what you doing”, uses emojis rather than a text keyboard to search for nearby places to explore and share with friends. Continue reading →

Have your Instagram posts plateaued?  Did you know that Instagram posts with at least one hashtag average 12.6% more engagement than posts without a hashtag?  The quality of a hashtag is extremely important but yet so often overlooked.  Yes, hashtags are #everywhere.  And in most cases, they are thrown into the content and not utilizing their true potential.  Once known as a simple pound sign, the hashtag is a powerful tool that goes beyond aesthetics.  Continue reading →

If you’re like pretty much everyone on the planet, keeping up with the latest social media trends can be a daunting task. As soon as you’ve learned a new feature or believe you’ve figured out the ever-elusive algorithm, new features are released and past tricks are obsolete. So how is a digital marketer to stay on top of the latest and greatest? Here are 3 ways to keep up with social media trends.

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Haters are the early warning detection system for your business.

Discerning brands strategically use social media as an extension of customer service, with skillfully prepared teams in place for unexpected online situations. Nobody likes loud, verbal haters. While it might be easier to not deal with online negativity, these situations need to be addressed in a timely manner.

While It is certainly easier to avoid them at all costs, the dark cloud haters cast might actually offer a silver lining. Continue reading →

Having a difficult time getting the attention of consumers? Captivate your audience by providing them with engaging content. In a world of instant gratification, you have to provide content that will capture someone’s attention within seconds. Take a look at what you’ve been posting. What has been working? What hasn’t? Sit back, do some research and then captive your audience with these three steps. Continue reading →

Do you know the difference between Snapchat lenses and filters? If not, you’re not the only one. To unlock the difference between Snapchat lenses and filters, you have to be able to differentiate between them. It’s confusing because Snapchat introduced lenses after the filters, and users are not sure how to differentiate them.  There are similarities between the lenses and filters, but they are also differences. The main difference is that the lens is animated and the filter is stationary.  

This blog will unlock the difference between Snapchat lenses and filters. Continue reading →

How often do you open Instagram and stumble upon a stranger’s beautiful feed? You then find yourself scrolling for entirely to long. This is not by accident, this curated and cohesive Instagram feed is by design. When you think of your favorite influencers, many have a common theme. They utilize the same filters, have high quality images, and have an overall mood throughout their feed. Visualize in your mind what you would like to be known for and what makes your personal brand unique.  Continue reading →

To pod or not to pod? That is the question. 

Unless you’re someone who is deep in the trenches of all things Instagram, you may not even know what an Instagram Pod is, so let’s review.

An Instagram pod is when a group of people that have similar IG accounts (e.g. photographers, makeup artists, lifestyle bloggers, etc.) get together and agree to Like and comment on each other’s photos to increase engagement and activity. Since Instagram’s ever-changing algorithm is so elusive, this has become a popular way for accounts to be deemed more relevant. This method increases the chance of current followers seeing your content in their feed and new followers seeing it in the Discovery feed. But does it actually work? Here are  pros and cons of Instagram Pods.

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Identify your digital STAMP in five key steps for continued success in today’s social world. This is your STAMP! Simple-True-Act-Map-People. Hone in on two STAMP objectives. Here’s a breakdown of the five steps to identify your stamp.  Continue reading →

Anyone with a grasp of the big picture begins to realize that PR, marketing, sales, and even customer service are not four distinct silos that compete for dollars and face time with senior executives. They are four sides of the same square. What one does affects the other side and each one of these facets is a part of social media. In the book No Bullshit Social Media; The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing, Jason Falls and Erik Deckers remind us that social media is where our customers are. No Bullshit Social Media offers direct insights about precisely what social media should do for a brand:

-Enhance brand awareness
-Protect brand reputation
-Enhance public relations
-Build community
-Enhance customer service
-Facilitate research and development
-Drive leads and sales
Not just that, but these two take a deep dive into how to properly use social media and who should be at the helm. This last point is particularly interesting.

Social Media is for Senior Staff, Not Interns…

Social Media is NOT an entry level position- it requires Continue reading →

Keeping up with Instagram’s algorithm changes in a world where likes, comments, and followers are everything is a constant uphill battle. In simpler times, users were blessed with a chronological feed and all made sense in the world. Times have changed and Instagram is notoriously known for switching up the algorithm just when a user thinks they’ve nailed a high number of likes and comments per post, and new followers. While no one has been able to successfully identify and share Instagram’s secret algorithm, there are several ways to keep up and ensure your content shows up on the right feeds:

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Do you ever find yourself on Instagram just to kill a few minutes?  Before you know it you’ve wasted almost an hour mindlessly scrolling.  If you have an Instagram account, it’s probably a habit of yours that you don’t realize that you do.  Today with all the social media platform options, we are shifting more from text-based communication to visual communication.  With Instagram’s endless photo and video feed, it’s easy to become an #instaaddict.  Soon though we may know if we are spending too much time on Instagram. Continue reading →

Picture this: A long line of eager fans wait patiently outside the doors of your small business. Everyone is talking about the grand opening and are excited to use your product or service. Months leading up to this very day, they have been following your social media and already feel a sense of community with your brand. Why? Because you are leveraging the power of the ‘Gram. Sound too good to be true? Here are 4 tips on successfully using Instagram to help launch your business.

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Understanding your target audience is important when looking to improve your market outreach.

If you’re missing the mark with your audience, ask yourself if you truly understand them. Here are 4 factors to consider when understanding your audience.

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Instagram released their new Story Highlights feature in December 2017. While some have been using the Highlight reel to showcase more of their brand/profile, many haven’t tapped into this great new feature! Instagram Stories let’s the user capture a moment in time without making it permanent, the way Snapchat has done. However, with Instagram Story Highlights, the 24 hour rule no longer applies! The user can now add the Story to their Highlight reel! This is especially useful for brands and influencers that want to continue to promote a specific event or product after the 24 hour timestamp is up. Here’s a step by step process on how to use Instagram Story Highlights to promote your brand: Continue reading →

Photo by Jared Sluyter

What’s worse than stale potato chips? Stale content on your social media channels. Whether you are a leader, business owner, or entrepreneur, it’s advantageous for you to keep your content “alive” on social media. In fact, make this a non-negotiable priority. And, it’s actually easier than you may think.

So, without further ado, here are three awesome ways to keep your content from going stale across your social media channels.  Continue reading →

Photo by Matthew Hamilton

Today, one of the most iconic brands in athletic apparel is transforming the social media game. Adidas is chiefly synonymous with athletic shoes. While you may recognize the brand for their quality and style, you might also want to explore how to maximize your brand awareness on social media like Adidas.

The brand produces more than 850 million product units annually. So it’s no surprise that Adidas is cultivating an undeniable influence on social media, specifically Instagram. If you want to maximize your brand awareness on social media like Adidas, get ready to incorporate some of the brand’s tactics in your own strategic efforts.

“Change the game, run the world.”  – Adidas

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The new social media platform Vero is changing the game – but the jury is still out on whether or not audiences will take to it. Continue reading →

Photo by Marius Ciocirlan

There are currently more than a dozen popular social media platforms for businesses to choose from. From Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, to Snapchat, choosing the right social media channels for your business can yield a significant ROI. The challenge lies in uncovering which platforms support not only your business objectives but also your target audience’s interests. It behooves you to understand the personality of each platform. How do your products and services align with the personalities of these social media channels? Does your target audience gravitate toward visual content? To select the right social media channels, you’ll need to develop a strategy around your products and services, as well as your target audience.  Continue reading →

In a recent statement, Facebook announced that it launched the very first Facebook Community Leaders Program. Facebook committed $10 million toward residency and fellowship opportunities for up to five community leaders around the world. The objective is to empower leaders who are using Facebook to build their communities. Continue reading →

Consumers prefer brands that favor transparency and honesty.

Do you want more followers? Of course you do. Social media marketing is inherently about popularity. The higher your reach, the more influence you have. And influence results in sales. But growing your audience can be easier said than done. Factors like brand integrity and engagement come into play. Read on to learn how to increase your reach on social media by capitalizing on these marketing strategies. Continue reading →

Photo by Brooke Lark

Social media helps brands connect with their target audience. However, many brands are faced with a content challenge. How can brands write content for social media in an effective manner? The answer lies in developing distinct audience personas and a social media brand voice. This will serve as the foundation for your efforts. Social media is one of the most cost-effective ways to speak to any audience. It behooves brands to create meaningful, memorable digital content.

“This content should be so valuable that it compels the reader to share it with others across social media channels.” – Shanda Henley, SEO Copywriter / Digital Marketer / Indie Author Continue reading →

In a world that is ever-changing, why wouldn’t the way we communicate with our customers change through social media? In the Private Country Club industry, we as marketing and communication professionals are limited to how we can engage and communicate with our members. Public advertising is not allowed in the industry. What about showing off your club  on different platforms where so many members and prospective members live? With millennials beginning to look into memberships and members more active on social platforms, it is more important than ever to study and learn what social media trends to look out for. Continue reading →

Most big-name internet stars were not overnight sensations. They have spent countless hours into creating content and marketing themselves offline. Some are only self-proclaimed celebrities with purchased followers and likes. These tips will help you support yourself on your journey while making sure to maintain the trust of your fans. Continue reading →

What happens when you take a dating app and mix it with working women? You not only accumulate #SquadGoals but also a chance to elevate your career. This app can build your professional network, but nobody is talking about it. Continue reading →

With over 100 million users, most people over the age of 18 have no idea that this app exists. It returns to the music video craze from YouTube’s beginning years, but now through a smartphone in condensed form like all other social media fashions. Continue reading →

Advertisements and #sponsored posts dominate the platforms of YouTube and Instagram where influencers can post commercial-perfect content for revenue. So, why do so many public figures spend so much time on Snapchat when their content will disappear? Are these popular users on Snapchat make money? Continue reading →