Set time aside to review what is and isn’t working, and whether continuing investing in something such as Facebook, and consider perhaps whether Google+ or Pinterest is right for you and your brand. Just because it’s got a large following and there’s pressure for every business to have one, doesn’t mean it’s right for you. The time you take now to analyse your platforms, will not only save you time and money now but for years to come.
Facebook is Dead! Long Live Facebook!
Facebook’s Edgerank algorithm which changes seemingly daily (or rather it feels that way sometimes), now places an increasing importance on original content, and visual posts. Creating organic reach is becoming harder, and having an engaged community, which likes and shares content is essential. According to EdgerankChecker.com September’s average each was 12.6%, after the changes to the algorithm in early October the reach fell to 7.7%, a drop to just 9 19% in the three months leading up to Christmas. The acquisition of shareholders has resulted in a requirement to gain a return, and as such the necessity to pay to gain reach is becoming inevitable.
Google+
Google+ is rapidly progressing from that geeky techy dark place that no on you know is on, to a community thriving with passionate and knowledgeable people ready to advise, assist and share. Facebook’s necessity of having to return dividends to its shareholders, has started pushing users into Google+. Facebook users are growing increasingly tired of drama and adverts. With over half a billion users G+ has grown not so quietly and now controls YouTube comments, single logins and is an incredibly powerful search and indexing tool. The platform’s hashtag and circle functions allow its users to find new people. G+ is not like Facebook where you collect your friends in yet another platform, it’s where you find new ones. Get your content seen and reach new customers with G+. If it’s not already on your social media mix it needs to be.
It’s all about content Baby!
As the push towards content marketing snowballs, 7th Chamber predicts that 2 thirds of the world’s data will be video by 2017. Whilst the Vine is or isn’t dead debate rages, a branded vine is 4x more likely to be seeded than a branded video. It is worth noting that having a following in Vine isn’t that imperative, it’s the knock on benefits of being embedded into Twitter messages is what results in seeding. Instagram also has a video feature, which links nicely to Facebook. Both of these do not require laborious editing or post production, and users expect a low-fi feel to the work. For those who want a more high production feel to your output YouTube has over 1 Billion, yes that’s right BILLION unique users each month, with over 80% of users coming from outside the US. YouTube has eclipsed TV viewing figures in teenagers as more and more viewers use a tablet device as a companion to the TV. For you extra arty types, have a look at Vimeo. This is a visually arresting platform where narrative and production are key. There’s a whole world of extraordinary work in Vimeo. However it is more niche.
Pin Pin Pin … Pinterest
Pinterest is great for visual, design, food and creative industries. Spare Foot.com today posted a wonderful infographic on the Top Social Media stats of 2013, showing that 41 % of traffic to e-commerce sites came from Pinterest, with a spend twice that of the Facebook counterparts. 2014 will see Pinterest grow and blossom from the crafty home making crowd, to a huge range of customers champing at the bit to spend their hard earned money on their deigns and dreams.
Generating Pinterest Friendly content for your website is essential. Start with the small things like ensuring that your pinnable content like photos have embedded backlinks to your site and sizing amongst others, Social Media Examiner has an excellent feature on this. Check out Pinterest’s rich pins feature, which is great for restaurants, e-commerce amongst others.
Push Notificatons I hear you ask? How does this affect me? Push notifications are bringing a new level of personalization to social media. They are being used by the social networks as a way to cut through the clutter of news feeds. Foursquare are already using them to give people advice of what to check out and where to go to next when in a city.
Twitter has been experimenting with alerts in direct messages to opted-in users via @eventparrot. Twitter has also introduced a service to allow emergency services to send out alerts in time of disaster – the messages will appear as SMSs, and also in the timeline with an orange bell icon.
Customers will become more technologically engaged with their surroundings as companies such as Apple’s iBeacons and PayPay experiment with Bluetooth to send coupons, alert you to products, and items of interest.
Before thinking oh my gosh! This is too much! I can’t do it all! Think about your key customers, and what appeals to them when you carry out your review in preparation for your detox. Is yours the type of brand that people would want (or accept) a notification from?
Local Local Local
With the rise of new Social Media such as Circles, which is cited as “the most popular Local Network”, brings local news up to the minute goings on and events. The rise of same day, and even within the hour deliveries by shops such as Next & Top Shop, closes the gap between online and bricks and mortar shopping. The goods are delivered from the local stores, ensuring that the money stays within the local economy.
And finally it’s all ephemeral
Tweens to Mid-Twenties have realised the impact that fixed media such as twitter, and Facebook can have on future job searches, with many prospective employers looking at these profiles prior to inviting the candidates for interviews. And so a need arose and was quickly filled by the 23 year old Evan Spiegel of Snapchat. The network sends over 400 messages a day, which last between 3-10 seconds of viewing. Who wants those pictures of you falling off a kerb at the last uni social on Facebook for your parents, or shock horror your nan to see? Busiensses have quickly climbed on board with Entrepreneur, and Grubhub, launching competitions and discounts. Who are those companies? Well they’re not UK companies, however what ever happens in America soon drifts over the pond.
Group messaging apps like Whatsapp are making gains and fulfilling the group message function on Facebook for University students, along with the added bonus of being able to keep in contact with your friends overseas for the measly cost of a bit of data. The age old “I only have Facebook to keep in touch with my friends overseas” is quickly being replaced by private apps such as Snapchat and Whatsapp.
Now to detox!
While I haven’t mentioned the other established platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr etc. this is due to their establishment and there are a whole host of thought leaders who can articulate the benefits far better than I can. So while there’s been a lot in this post, before you get to your computer to knock out your next post, have a thing about the good old marketing mix, your Product, Price, Positioning and Place (Distribution). Does your social media channels reflect your targeted demographic? If not, dump them and focus on getting real ROI.
Written by Kim Peta Watts