The social media scene had remained relatively the same for the past several years. One of the only significant interruptions since the rise of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram is the quick and overwhelming popularity of the app TikTok. TikTok has a unique algorithm that allows creators to rise to popularity at more rapid rates than ever before! Since the app’s creation in 2016, it has gained over 800 million users worldwide. If your brand does not participate on TikTok, don’t worry. The app can still be used to promote your brand without even having an account.

 

TikTok’s algorithm allows users to see the posts of creators, even when the users do not follow them. This stands true to other apps, but for TikTok, it happens at an unprecedented level. Most users mainly view content made by creators they don’t follow. This is due to the “for you page” which is the most commonly used feature of the app. It shows content to the user that the algorithm predicts they will be interested in based on their previous interactions. This is a huge win for brand promotion! For example, if you pay a creator to promote your product, more people than just their followers will see it. However, it can be expensive.

 

For creators with large followings, a good portion of these followers will also follow them on other apps such as Instagram and Twitter. 

 

Why is this important for your brand?

 

• If someone takes the time to follow a TikToker on another social app, they are a more dedicated fan who wants to keep up with the influencer.
• They often purchase the merchandise of these influencers and are more likely to trust their opinion.
• Since only a portion of their fans will follow the influencer on these other social media platforms, their follower count is typically lower.
• Due to a lower amount of followers, securing a brand deal on their Instagram account will be less costly.

 

One example of this is the TikTok creator @nmillz1. He has amassed more than 2.2 million followers on TikTok in a short amount of time, but currently has only 270 thousand Instagram followers. Charli Damelio is arguably the most well-known TikTok creator securing high-profile sponsorships frequently. She has 90 million followers on the app, while having 30 million followers on Instagram, or one-third of her TikTok fan base. This case is interesting because many people who do not even have TikTok know of Charli, and she is considered to be one of the only creators from the app to rise to actual celebrity status. Her case especially identifies that people who follow a creator on TikTok often do not hold enough interest in them to follow their other social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. 

 

This gap allows you to capitalize on TikTok’s extreme popularity in a less costly way to a TikToker’s most dedicated fans. You can do this by proposing a brand sponsorship through Instagram. A brand sponsorship is much more costly than just posting an advertisement for your product, but seeing the brand talked about by someone the fans look up to will likely result in more sales and engagement for your brand.

 

What Does It Typically Cost to Hire an Instagram Influencer?

 

• 2,000 to 10,000 followers – $75 to $250
• 10,000 to 50,000 followers – $250 to $500
• 100,000 to 500,000 followers – $1000 to $3000
• Over 500,000 – $3000 +

 

Large TikTok influencers will either charge a high flat fee, or they will charge per view to promote your brand. According to TalentX Entertainment, a management company for 32 influencers, they charge $0.01 to $0.02 per view on TikTok. The problem lies within the fact that as a brand, you can not control how many views a TikTok post will get. Someone with only 10 followers can post an extremely viral video and get millions of views, while someone with 100,000 followers may only get a few thousand views. The algorithm is very unpredictable and is not publicly released, resulting in a risky investment for marketing. Instagram, on the contrary, is very predictable. An influencer will maintain roughly the same amount of engagement on their account, so you know what you are investing in.  

 

Going back to the TikTok creator @nmillz1, his TikTok videos frequently receive several hundred thousand views, which would result in costs roughly at $5,000 to $10,000 or more, while a sponsored Instagram post would be less than $3,000 and seen by more dedicated fans who trust the influencer. 

 

In summary, your brand can capitalize on TikTok’s rise to the top without even interacting with the app. If you are considering a brand promotion with an influencer, a TikTok creator’s Instagram page can be a great resource for you.

 

Sources:

https://www.digitalmarketing.org/blog/how-much-does-influencer-marketing-cost

https://www.searchenginejournal.com/heres-how-much-brands-are-paying-for-sponsored-content-on-tiktok-youtube/346290/#close

 

Social media is all about living in the moment. What might have worked a few years ago or even months ago, may not work today. Your customers will notice your efforts to stay relevant and appreciate that. And that will reflect in your brand image and customer loyalty.  Let’s review some social media trends, new tactics, and content ideas for 2020 to try and implement to ensure you finish off Q4 strong:

• Ephemeral Posts: Nothing Gold Can Stay
• E-shops: The Convenience Customers Expect
• Video Content: Now Playing
• Legal Media Ownership: The Ghosts of Limewire’s Past
• Local Geotagging: Coming To A Small Business Near You
• Public Insights: Social Media As A Focus Group

1.Ephemeral Posts: Nothing Gold Can Stay. 

The first trend is the growing popularity of “ephemeral” posts or temporary posts. Many social avenues have rolled out content features designed to be appreciated for a small amount of time before they disappear forever. Examples of this include Facebook and Instagram’s story features, as well as reels and TikTok. Although reels and TikToks may have a more lasting nature, they are meant to be more “disposable” than permanent and higher-quality feed content. One way to add to the story features without creating new content is to simply repost older posts onto the story. When you do create new stories, you can extend their lifetime by adding them to a highlight at the top of your Instagram. 

2. E-shops: The Convenience Customers Expect

The second trend is the implementation of social commerce. Many social media platforms are integrating online stores as another feature of a profile. Facebook rolled out its “shops” feature and Instagram allows you to buy right off a post. Pinterest has shoppable pins where purchases can be made right on their site or linked to an external site. Note that this will only be useful for brands that offer physical items as digital downloads are not yet available for sale on these services. Brands with established Shopify’s can more easily transfer their products to these social commerce features. 

3. Video Content: Now Playing

The third trend is the rise of video content. Multiple studies including one by the Cisco report that over 80% of all online content will be video by 2022. Now is the time to feature videos on social media. Integrating video within content that was typically only text in the past is a great way to stay relevant and impress your audience. 

4. Legal Media Ownership: The Ghosts of Limewire’s Past

The fourth trend is more legal and regulatory monitoring. When posting to social media it is crucial that the agency who creates your content is using legal sources and avenues for media. Using an image or song that belongs to someone else without permissions or is copyrighted can land you in court paying hefty fines for a simple mistake. Of course, the best option is using your own photos but this doesn’t work for all business models or clients. Most important is having an agency with access to copyright-free images. Don’t let your company sign with a low-tier agency that doesn’t understand this and makes a rookie mistake that sinks profits. 

5. Local Geotagging: Coming To A Small Business Near You

The fifth trend is the rise of location-based targeting for local brands. Of course, if your company is e-commerce or is looking to reach a demographic of people across multiple states/countries, this won’t apply to you. But if you have a local business particularly in-person service (i.e. vehicle rental, house cleaning, lawn service) this aspect of audience targeting is crucial. Your agency and coordinator must understand that reaching a person 3 states over doesn’t make any sense and is a waste of time and space on captions/hashtags. Hashtags should be like #losangeles rather than #lawnservice for example. The targeting goals for companies that fit into this category should be quite regional and should know the mile-range of their farthest customer to make sure they aren’t missing an opportunity for a sale. 

6. Public Insights: Social Media As A Focus Group

The sixth trend is using insights from social media to shape business strategy and models. If you think about social media as a one-way street, you’ve got in all wrong. You can benefit from the interactions on social media just as much as your audience. Have you ever wondered what your customers really think about your business? By searching publically available search terms and keywords, you have the ability to be a fly on the wall. This strategy also works for general industry terms and adjacent/parallel industries. If you provide an organic peanut butter product, maybe you’re wondering what customer’s jelly habits are as it relates to peanut butter. By simply searching those words, you get to see what people are saying. This tool is incredibly valuable as you are getting a ton of primary research data for FREE. Primary customer interviews and focus groups traditionally cost thousands of dollars, so take advantage of this secret tool. 

By riding the waves of these new social media trends you can achieve everlasting cultural relevancy and clout within your target groups. More important than the actual execution of these trends, is showing your customers that you’re aware of them and are trying to participate. This gains trust and respect, especially with younger and savvier audiences who expect brands to be on top of this. We are a digital marketing agency that understands these 6 social media trends and their importance in 2020 and beyond.  Call us or fill out a contact form today to set your business up for success Q4 to end this year strong in sales.

While you may not be quite ready to buy your Halloween costume or deck the halls with boughs of holly, now is the time to start planning your holiday and quarter 4 strategy for your business. Quarter 4 lasts from October to December and finishes out the year. This means that you will be covering 3 major holidays with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If you are a product or inventory based company you will be counting on this quarter to implement up-to-date social media management services to be your most profitable and make up for some of the profits that may have been lost due to the coronavirus. It is also always good to end the year on a high note to start off the new year on a good foot.

We all know 2020 has not only been physically and emotionally tough due to the coronavirus but it has also been financially tough due to job layoffs, unemployment, and shutdowns. While many businesses are trying to figure out how to bring back sales, many people are losing hope and are looking ahead to better times. There is a lot of uncertainty as we approach the 4th quarter. There is still hope that the 4th quarter can be your strongest quarter if you take action now. There are many ways to use social media marketing to plan and execute your quarter 4 strategy as well as increase your brand awareness and sales.

Social Media Marketing Benefits And Features To Promote Your Business For The Holiday Season

One of the most beneficial ways for product and merchandise providers to capitalize on the upcoming holiday season is by utilizing Facebook Shop. Facebook Shop allows users to directly shop and browse your inventory directly on Facebook. This is a great way to shop online as people do not have to risk going into the stores and can conveniently do it safely at home through their Facebook account. Facebook shops are relatively easy to set up as well and oftentimes are easier than selling products on a website page or online shopping company such as Amazon. All you need as a seller to create a Facebook Shops site is a Facebook account and a Facebook business page as well as a valid bank account and tax identification number. Facebook shops allow anyone who likes your page or is visiting your page to quickly browse your product inventory available directly through Facebook instead of having to click through another website to access your inventory. For users looking to buy gifts for the upcoming holiday season, this is perfect to quickly access and purchase gifts for their loved ones and receive them before the holiday rush begins.

Another very beneficial social media feature that can be very beneficial for product and merchandising clients is Shoppable Pinterest Pins. Similar to Facebook Shop, Shoppable Pinterest Pins allow you to showcase your product and inventory that is available for purchase much quicker than going to a separate website. This is convenient for users who are searching for gift ideas on Pinterest. Having a Shoppable Pinterest Pin set up will allow the users to directly click on the pin and order the product with just a simple click. An added bonus to steering up and using Shoppable Pinterest Pins right now is that many users are already starting to look for holiday ideas and gifts on Pinterest. In fact, some of the largest trending items on Pinterest this summer were holiday and gift ideas for 2020. Even though we are still months away from Christmas, the coronavirus has helped build up the hype for the holiday season. Showcasing your inventory and making your products available now with Pinterest Shoppable Pins and Facebook Shop will allow you to capitalize and sell to the audience who is already searching for gifts and put you ahead of the competition that waits to make their holiday products and inventory available.

You may also find that increasing your ad spend for the holiday season is a wise move. Oftentimes many companies utilize paid advertisements and increase their spending in the 4th quarter. This can make ad space more competitive. However, by increasing your ad spend you will stay above the competition and gain that ad space that is so vital during this time. The 4th quarter is when consumers spend the most money. Increasing your ad spend will allow you to take advantage of this additional spend. Many people are also paying more attention to ads as they are looking for gifts and ideas for the holiday season. 

Contact Us About Our Social Media Management Services To Market Your Business Today

Using these two social media features and increasing your ad spend will allow you to showcase your inventory and products as well as increase your profits and sales for the holiday season and the 4th quarter. While coronavirus has been very financially devastating to many companies, there is still hope for those who take action now and plan ahead. Let’s get ready to spread that holiday cheer for this upcoming holiday season! When it comes to our social media management services, if you would like to take advantage of Facebook Shop or Shoppable Pinterest Pins we can help you! At The AD Leaf ®, we have a team of Social Media Specialists who thrive off of cultivating premium content and paid ads for a variety of businesses. Give us a call at (321) 255-0900 or, set up a consultation by emailing us at info@theadleaf.com. We look forward to making your 4th quarter and holiday season a success!

It’s no surprise to anyone: There are a lot of conversations going on out in the world today about many important topics and world events. There are countless important matters to discuss, and matters within matters it seems. The growing amount of high-touch topics and the availability of social media as a marketing strategy is both an exciting and somewhat sobering thing. To have so much at your fingertips is a tightrope not only for social media coordinators and marketing teams, but also for clients, businesses, and actually, anyone using social media. 

If I was to be blunt, more and more it can feel like everyone has something to say. Some opinions to give. And while this isn’t entirely bad, it isn’t entirely good, either. Taking a moment to not ignore the important issues around your brand, but to step out of the endless debates, chats, opinions, and keyboard activist to focus on a skill that needs (in my opinion) revisited: listening.

What does listening have to do with your brand? Your company? Your personal page? Your relationships? Your personal life? 

 

We believe a lot. 

 

Merriam-Webster defines listening as: “To hear something with thoughtful attention.”

To listen is to give preference to another. It is not waiting to talk. How busy are we as a brand, company, friend, or significant other with talking instead of listening? And how can listening not only help your social campaign (not to mention your life)? In the context of social media as a marketing strategy, practicing social listening can improve your brand, create community, help avoid PR nightmares, and so much more. All by listening. 

Looking at metrics and date is an invaluable practice we utilize here at The AD Leaf to see what is performing well, what could use work, to spot trends, and to develop a strategy. Some would say this is listening, but it is in fact social monitoring. Think of social monitoring as the step before you listen, or the information you are already aware of as you embark on your journey of practicing social listening. Social listening, however, is the practice of listening to what your audience is saying now. It grabs the words as it leaves your client’s mouth and takes hold of them. Look at them. Analyze them. And then use them as valuable pieces of information for them. Let me illustrate.

Apple for the longest time has been known as a brand who is well…stubborn. They have a long-standing habit of being very exclusive, private, and just do their own thing because it works (and this is coming from a die-hard Apple fan). Recently I was watching the Apple Developers Conference, the WWDC, and was shocked at what I was seeing. Apple was having interviews with famous tech Youtubers, they made several changes to their OS that have been longtime requests from their customer base, and so much more. What was even more intriguing was the comment section of this event. There was a massive amount of engagement happening, and most of it was positive. Why? I believe because Apple did something that was new(er) for them: They listened to their customers. Now, we still don’t have the headphone jack, but I think you get my point.

When we listen, something takes place. Your brand sentiment is affected. What is brand sentiment? Let’s call it the overall “mood” of your brand. It’s how people feel about you and what you provide. When you are actively listening to what your audience is saying about you, your brand, your product, your services, and your competition, you can learn valuable nuggets of information that can help improve brand sentiment. 

Listening is something that can be done and should be done, everywhere for your brand. If you overhear someone saying in your checkout line that it’s too noisy, then guess what? That is a valuable clue that maybe others are feeling the same way and that is an area that can be developed to improve customer experience! Listening helps you get in front of PR nightmares as well. Do you remember the Nike shoe incident with the Duke basketball player who’s shoe exploded while he played? Yeah, we do too. Nike didn’t hide from it. They actually saw the storm that was brewing on Twitter and they got in front of it by publicly apologizing and reaching out to the player, offering him a great deal. This couldn’t have been done unless their team was listening. In listening, you can catch small wildfires before they become forest fires. 

Listening and responding helps create positive momentum within your brand. But don’t just listen for you. Listen to your competitors, too. If you have a competing business that is doing well, listen, and see why they are. Maybe there is something you can learn to improve your own! Listening spots trends, too. If you consistently hear people talking about sustainable purchasing, then maybe it’s something you should look into for a new product line. Listening helps you spot both good and bad trends and provides you with valuable information to take your brand in the right direction. 

So, the question remains, “What do I listen for?”

Listen Everywhere

This extends beyond your social media marketing strategy. Listen when you walk into the office. When you walk to the lunchroom. When you login to your accounts. When you take calls. Don’t just listen to the team, but listen to their conversations, and the interactions they are having with clients. All of these are valuable in developing a listening ear. 

Learn From Others

If a brand is crushing it, find out why. This may require a bit of humility, but it’s good for us to become a more developed people and brand. Listen to what others are doing. Learn about their success. What mistakes did they make? What challenges did they have? When you do this, you discover why they “walk” the way they do. Listening learns. 

Be Aware, but not Reactionary

Listening can be tricky when it comes to reacting. Especially if you come across a rough comment. Take a moment, step back, and assess the situation. Listening is meant to help your brand gather quantifiable information to develop a plan around to better everyone. Be careful not to react but to be aware of what others are saying.

Develop a Plan

Did you know that studies show that top-rated leaders have a desire to do more listening than talking? They prefer it. Listening helps you take in information to then develop a course of action. After all, we aren’t only listening to just listen. We are listening to make more well-informed choices down the road. Listening helps you make a game plan. 

Speaking of listening, we at The AD Leaf would love to hear about you and your brand and would love to help you reach your marketing and creative goals. At The AD Leaf ®, we’re here to help you build your brand’s reputation and develop relationships with your customers. Feel free to give us a call at 321-255-0900 or you can email us to info@theadleaf.com. Let’s make great things happen together.