Mediaboss Marketing

By Angela Bao

Jan. 28, 2021

Digital marketing tools your business needs. (Photo credit): Gettyimages.com/Hispanolistic

Social media can seem overwhelming to small and micro businesses. There is a multitude of platforms that are not only saturated with content, but also require different mediums and strategies. However, social media is also a very powerful and easy-to-use tool that can greatly impact small businesses bottom lines.

According to Statista, 2021 will see nearly 3.8 billion social media users worldwide, and in 2018, GlobalWebIndex found that 54% of social media users used social media to research products.

It's important for small and micro businesses to use social media to market and sell because it's one of the most inexpensive ways for them to have a broader reach than they normally would have with any other type of old school marketing, says Sarai Garrett, founder and CEO of The Marketing Millennial.

There are five social media platforms that small businesses should consider when theyre first testing the digital marketing waters, and each has their own tools for businesses, says Garrett.

The great thing about these social media platforms is that business owners can use them individually but also in conjunction with each other for greater effect, says Garrett.

If you have more information that you want to share and that's going to help you lead your client to a website, then you might want touse TikTok as the funnel to take you to your website, then to YouTube, Garrett explains. So you canutilize all the different social media platforms in such a way where they can help point your clients to making a sale.

Pay attention to these details when choosing an ideal social media platform for your online marketing efforts.

Picking the right platform depends both on what kind of business you have and who your target demographic is, says Garrett. Although there is audience overlap between social media platforms, certain ones will skew more heavily towards one generation or the other. For instance, only 23.8% of Facebook users are between the ages of 18-24, but 41% of TikTok users are between the ages of 16-24. So, if your business target customer is older, focusing your marketing efforts on Facebook makes more sense. Conversely, if youre looking to reach younger generations, then TikTok could be the right avenue.

A great jumping off point is thinking about who your current customers are. Something that I like asking people is, who's buying from you right now? Who's your market right now? Garrett says. Oftentimes, business owners think too broadly in terms of target market out of fear of alienating potential customers, but Garrett states that narrowing your focus is the best way to find qualified leads.

I really like groups on Facebook, recommends Garrett. Some Facebook groups are half a million [members] deep, some of them are like 100,000, but find those groups where you can start having conversations and building a way of funneling potential clients by having real conversations talking about your product.

Although small businesses should start with just one platform at a time, there are also benefits to leveraging multiple social media platforms simultaneously. It's great when you use all of the different social media platforms and all of the information that is in each of those platforms, because it's going to give you a bigger picture about who your market is, says Garrett.

(Photo credit): Gettyimages.com/sorbetto

To help narrow down which platforms are best for your business, along with learning essential tips and best times to post, click here.

The key to creating a great social media profile on any platform is having a clear understanding of the problem your business solves, your mission and your vision. That being said, Garrett says that brevity is key and businesses need to be able to distill those values into short messages.

It's important to have something that's short, that's dynamic, and that really speaks to you and your brand, she says. It really speaks to where we are in terms of our attention, and how much we want to read, and how much time we want to spend on reading somebody's bio. Because if you cant accomplish that in very short words, it's likely that people aren't going to be interested and want to follow you.

For tips to build a better social media profile, click here.

Given the visual nature of social media, businesses should be thinking about making their content visually appealingthats where free graphic design apps like Canva and Logo Maker come in handy. They come with premade templates for a variety of platforms and mediums to make it easy for small business owners to leverage social media.

That's what I love about where we are in technology todayyou don't need to start where the big boys are to play with the big boys, says Garrett. You can start where you are.

Almost all social media platforms utilize hashtags to help creators get their content discovered by potential customers, which makes it an invaluable tool for businesses. Hashtags are clickable and will take you to a page with all the content that has used that particular hashtag, which can help businesses get inspiration for their own pages and gain insights into the consumer mindset. Similarly, potential customers can also click on the hashtag to discover new content and accounts.

Hashtags are little labels that allow you to open the door into what the rest of the world is saying about marketing, about skincare, about anything that you could think of, says Garrett.

To find the right hashtags, as well as to discover keywords that are directly related to your content, use Twitters own built-in search engine, Twitter Advanced Search. By searching a particular hashtag, you can see in what context it is being used and judge whether its relevant to your content. Additionally, you can use a hashtag tool, or a combination of several, to determine which hashtags are popular, how many people are seeing that hashtag per hour, how many retweets it gets per hour, etc. Popular hashtag tools include RiteTag, Hashtags.org, Trendsmap and Hashtagify.me.

This article is part of an East West Bank webinar series in partnership with Grameen America.

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Digital Marketing Tools 101: How to Sell on Social Media | Reach Further - Reach Further

Local and national organizations are recognizing UNOs Office of University Communications (UCOMM) for its continued award-winning work to elevate student recruitment, engagement, and retention as well as overall perception of the university.

UCOMM recently received ten awards collectively from the Education Digital Marketing Awards (EDMA) and from the PRSA Nebraska Paper Anvil Awards. The EDMA recognized UCOMM with four awards in competitions alongside institutions including Syracuse University, the University of Missouri, UC Davis, and Texas A&M International University. The PRSA Nebraska Paper Anvil Awards pitted UCOMM against top public relations specialists and agencies across the area.

Among the top honors received was an Award of Excellence from PRSA Nebraska in the Crisis & Issues Management category for UCOMMs efforts on the Fall Forward website, which is now known as Maverick COVID Response.

Makayla McMorris, executive director of UCOMM, credited the teamwork within UCOMM and in partnership with stakeholders across campus for driving the departments success. All of the awards UCOMM has received this year speak to the incredible work of our digital, editorial, events, marketing, and state and community relations teams within University Communications; but none are perhaps as impactful as the recognition weve received for our online hub of COVID-19 related campus information. We take great pride in the work weve done and continue to do to keep the UNO campus community informed, engaged, and safe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Educational Digital Marketing Awards (EDMA) recognized UCOMM with a Gold award in the New Media Content category for Big Opportunities on the Prairie, an article with photo and video elements featuring the research being conducted at UNOs Glacier Creek Preserve.

EDMA also presented a Silver award to UCOMM in the Total Digital Marketing Program for the UNO Undergraduate Recruitment Total Digital Marketing Program. The marketing program included videos, digital display and social media advertisements, email campaigns, and more.

UCOMM also received several Awards of Merit from the 2020 PRSA Nebraska Paper Anvil Awards. Among these included UCOMMs Expert Guides, which connect journalists with faculty experts on various timely news topics, received an Award of Merit as well as the top score within the Reputation and Brand Management category. Entries in the competition were judged by members of the Minnesota PRSA chapter. UNOs School of Communication also received a number of awards from PRSA Nebraska, primarily in the student categories.

A full list of awards won by UNOs Office of University Communications, including links to related content, when available, can be found below. A full list of winners for each competition can be found on the EDMA website and on the PRSA Nebraska website, respectively.

Gold NewMediaContent Big Opportunities on the Prairie at UNOs Glacier Creek PreserveSilver Total Digital Marketing Program UNO Undergraduate Recruitment Total Digital Marketing ProgramMeritDigital Video Under 2 Minutes Maverick Strong Merit Digital Video Over 2 Minutes UNO to Oversee Counterterrorism, Terrorism Prevention Research Center

Award of Excellence - Crisis & Issues Management Fall Forward (Comprehensive)Award of Merit Events and Observances Chuck Hagel Forum in Global LeadershipAward of Merit Media/Press Kit Biomechanics R01 Grant Award of Merit Reputation/Brand Management Expert Guides Award of Merit SocialMedia May Commencement Instagram Stories Award of Merit Video Mavericks United

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UCOMM Recognized with 10 Awards from Local, National Organizations - University of Nebraska Omaha

Have we reached peak Facebook?

Last week, The Social Network posted its latest annual performance update, which showed that the platform added a total of 299 million more active users over the course of 2020.

But within the various data points, there was a potentially more telling sign, which may point to future challenges for Zuckerbergs social empire.

While Facebook continued to grow, and add more active users throughout the year, take a look at the Daily Active User stats for the US & Canada specifically.

While, overall, Facebook added 5 million DAU on 2019, it actually lost daily actives in the US throughout the year.

Thats despite a pandemic which shut down virtually all physical events, pushing more people towards social apps as a means of entertainment, and despite other apps, like TikTok, seeing massive user growth. Facebook also now reaches some 70% of the US population, so if anything, with more people seeking to maintain connection during COVID-19, you would expect to see Facebooks daily usage increase.

But it didnt. And that matters because North America is Facebooks oldest market, which could mean that its a marker for what you can expect in other regions.

While Facebook, overall,continues to expand by adding users in developing markets, at some point, it will reach a peak, and it will plateau. And amid various controversies that have damaged the Facebook brand, that break point could be coming faster than many expected.

But does that really matter?

I mean, in terms of revenue, Facebook still has a lot of potential for expansion - Facebooks average revenue per user was $53 in Q4 in the US market, well above any other region.

You can expect, then, that Facebook will continue to make billions into the foreseeable future, theres seemingly no real risk to its business prospects. But the question for North American marketers will increasingly become: Is Facebook the best focus for our campaigns?

Right now, it arguably is, depending on your business specifics. But with daily active Facebook usage declining, it may be worth considering why that might be, and what that could mean for future usage trends.

See if this sounds familiar - these days, I still check in on Facebook because its where Im most connected to my family and close friends, and I want to make sure that Im aware of any significant announcements of updates they post. I log on, I scroll through the latest posts in my feed, then I switch back to Twitter, Instagram or Reddit, where I now spend considerably more time.

Replace these with your top apps of choice, and Im guessing youre largely the same - Facebook, while still useful, and still serving a purpose, is nowhere near as compelling a platform as it once was.

Facebook could refute this, of course. Facebook could, for example, share specific data on average time spent per user, which it had been doing, periodically, in the past. It last provided this stat back in 2014, when it reported that users were spending 40 minutes in the app, per day. In 2016, Facebook varied this slightly, reporting that "people around the world spend, on average, more than 50 minutes a day using Facebook, Instagram and Messenger". So, not Facebook-specific.It hasnt posted an official update on this since, while various third party reports have indicated that this stat is in decline.

For some brands, that would already suggest that other platforms could provide better results, depending on your approach. TikTok, for example, is now, reportedly, seeing far more engaged usage and time spent than Facebook.

There are various considerations within this, but the data does seem to indicate that Facebook may well be in decline. Slowly, steadily. But it may not be the unbeatable social leader that it once was.

Facebook, of course, knows this. Its already looking to branch into other areas like AR and VR as it eyes the next stage of digital connection, while its also working to build a messaging mega-network to facilitate a growing array of functions in developing markets.

Thats why the recent WhatsApp controversy shook the company so much - following an update to WhatsApps terms, millions of users began switching to alternate messaging platforms, which spooked Facebook to the point that it felt the need to take out a range of full-page newspaper ads reassuring people that their data was safe, before it shelved the planned update anyway.

The biggest impact here was in India, where it's estimated that around 10% of WhatsApps 400 million Indian users will end up switching away from the app as a result. Thats not a significant amount in the broader scheme, but those small audience segments can influence their friends and family, which could hurt Facebooks broader plan to dominate the local market by making WhatsApp the critical tool for everyday connection - ala WeChat in China.

That might not be such a significant concern for Zuck and Co.if their main app was still on the rise. But evidently, its not, while the broader WhatsApp backlash also underlined the damage caused to Facebooks brand as a result of various privacy and moderation controversies.

So while its not a terminal concern right now, its relevant to note Facebooks flatline in the US market. Facebook, potentially, has peaked, and may now be on the way out, as younger users, in particular, look to other platforms.

Its not a critical trend as yet, but its definitely one to watch in future reports, and to consider within your digital marketing approach.

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Facebook's Daily Active Usage Has Stalled in the US - A Sign of Concern for The Social Network? - Social Media Today

Rockville, MD, Feb. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abt Associates announced today that Shelly Spoeth has joined the company as a principal associate for communication and behavior change. She will serve as a strategic communication expert on projects for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy.

Spoeth brings more than 25 years of strategic communication and social marketing experience to tackling complex health and social issues. While at major public relations firms, she worked for a decade with pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients. She then worked as a consultant for government and nonprofit clients, including the CDC, on challenges ranging from HIV/AIDS to COVID-19. Spoeth has implemented, evaluated, and managed dozens of projects that improved health outcomes.

She joins Abt from the American Cancer Society, where she led strategic marketing and communication planning. Before that, she served as a senior vice president at Porter Novelli, leading the Health & Social Impact practice and managing large CDC communications contracts.

Spoeth is a founding member of the planning committee for the National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing and Media and currently is the Member-at-Large for the Society for Health Communication. She holds a B.S with high honors from the University of Florida and is a graduate of the Babson College/Harvard Business School Omnicom University Advanced Management Program.

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About Abt Associates

Abt Associatesis a global consulting and research firm that uses data and bold thinking to improve the quality of people's lives. From combatting infectious disease and conducting rigorous program evaluations, to ensuring safe drinking water and promoting access to affordable housing - and more - we partner with clients and communities to tackle their most complex challenges.

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SHELLY SPOETH JOINS ABT ASSOCIATES AS PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATE, COMMUNICATION AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE - GlobeNewswire

Kristina: What implications does Apple's iOS 14 update have for digital marketers and brands?

Steffen Schebesta, CEO, Sendinblue: With Apple's new update, apps will be required to be more transparent with users, and users will have the opportunity to take more control over what data is tracked and how that data is used. This will impact how brands advertise, especially those who are highly dependent on personalized and targeted advertising. However, there is also opportunity here - opportunity for businesses to take a stand in being more transparent as well as opportunity to creatively find new ways to reach customers.

This update also allows businesses to better connect with their audiences through improved company values. Brands will be forced to move in a direction that is more transparent about data collection and will also have increased pressure to protect users' data. Further, brands will be impowered to make a commitment to transparency with consumers - ultimately creating a stronger line of trust between businesses and buyers.

Kristina: Why is this change being made at this time by Apple?

Steffen: As the world continues to become more virtual, there have been many calls for better data protection. Apple made this move to strengthen and protect user privacy as more businesses are scrutinized for not being transparent enough in our virtual world.

Social media, for example, continues to grow larger daily, and as it continues to be a dominating aspect of our lives, there has been a decrease in trust in social platforms and an increase in calls for regulation. While the decision of who will enforce virtual regulations and how these regulations will be enforced is still unknown, Apple has taken a proactive step to give users the option to better control their own privacy.

Apple has long advocated for protecting user privacy, as previously seen with similar data protection updates on Safari, so it's no surprise that Apple is continuing to take steps in this direction. This latest decision both pleases Apple users and offers incentive to non-apple users to switch and gain added privacy, and keeps the focus on parties that have lost user trust due to a lack of transparency, rather than on smartphones or smart products, which function as the medium between the apps and consumers.

Kristina: What impact could this have on businesses?

Steffen: Essentially, this update will change how businesses reach customers through personalized advertisements. If ads become less profitable, businesses will stop purchasing them and instead adjust strategies to invest in other channels.

Enterprises and organizations that have claimed that Apple is harming small businesses are not fighting for small businesses. In fact, it will probably be big corporations that suffer the most, since they rely on tracking much more extensively and throw significantly more resources into tracking than small businesses do. While iOS 14 will change how brands will market, these corporations going after Apple are really pushing back because this update has the potential to decrease their value as a business. If businesses are against users having control of their privacy, it's probably because the business model relies on tracking - and invading - user privacy.

Brands will shift away from methods that are no longer profitable, and will pivot to figure out where to invest to continue reaching customers. This includes exploring new ways to invest in first-party data, becoming more transparent about data collection, and investing in other channels that can still create personalized experiences with users.

Kristina: What steps or strategies should businesses adopt for data/data privacy moving forward?

Steffen: Digital marketing is a broad category that goes beyond traditional, targeted advertising. There are many great ways to connect and engage with consumers, and many methods will be more effective than personalized ads that consumers may never see. There are several other strategies that can be elevated instead, like email marketing, SEO, SEA, social media or content marketing.

To begin adopting a digital marketing strategy that keeps data privacy as a priority, businesses will first need to be more transparent with their audiences. Businesses will stand to benefit from the bonds they'll create with consumers when they become more transparent, and many consumers are more loyal to companies with transparency policies. Other steps organizations will need to take include creating strong trust and long-term relationships with consumers, sourcing first-party data, and keeping the data secured while keeping customers informed on what data is collected and how it is used.

From my experience, email marketing is a great way to build and develop relationships, and drive sales with consumers. There are a number of platforms and services that offer separate data tracking capabilities and are not reliant on Apple or social media apps, such as Sendinblue's Tracker which enables tracking that is automatically entered into marketing automation flows. I would encourage business owners to look into some of the vast offerings out there and leverage them as a way to continue making connections to appropriate customers.

Tags: advertising, advertising data, consumer data, data tips, data trends, ecommerce, mobile commerce, mobile marketing, Sendinblue

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Expert: How the iOS 14 update will impact merchants, brands - Mobile Marketing - BizReport