Have you put together an ad campaign using the Facebook targeting options?
Have you ever tried to promote your content to a broader audience by developing a Facebook ad campaign? Boosting a post is one thing, but if you know how to properly use the Facebook advertising platform, you can reach very targeted audiences and get a specific message across to groups you know will want to hear them.
Below are four Facebook targeting options that are going to be very important when it comes to putting together a successful ad campaign.
Location, Age and Gender
These are the most obvious targeting options. We all know that we have the ability to target by location, age and gender, but we often forget that when it comes to advertising, the more specific we are, the greater the likelihood that our campaign will find success.
With Facebook, you have the ability to target not only countries, but states/provinces, cities and, if you are running a campaign in the United States, by zip code. Why is this beneficial? Well, if you are a local business, this gives you the opportunity to target only those people who are potential customers based on location. It also means that if you are running a campaign in the United Kingdom, for example, you could filter out any users outside of the UK and prevent your ad (and your dollars) from going to users that cannot benefit from the offering.
As for age and gender, figure out exactly who is going to be most responsive to this campaign. Maybe you don’t know – that’s not a problem. Use these targeting options to test different markets. Maybe you create one version of your ad targeted towards males in the United States between the ages of 25 and 39, and another version targeted towards females in Canada over the age of 45. (On a side note, that’s one versatile product!) You might be surprised by what you find.
Precise Interests
Now we’re getting into the real value that exists with Facebook targeting options. One of the great features that a lot of marketers tend to overlook is the ability to target audiences by interest. For those familiar with AdWords, this is something that Google determines based on search history and other criteria, but on Facebook, this is determined by a user’s expressed interests. They are telling you what they like!
You are going to want to include as many Precise Interests or pages (yes, company or brand pages) as you can – just make sure they relate to your ad and landing page (whether it is your Timeline or a page off of Facebook). Just begin typing and you will see a drop down menu of interest options along with the number of people that have listed this item as one of their interests.
Broad Categories
Interests are great for getting right down to what a person might like, but perhaps you will find that you want to target people with a number of diverse interests and one commonality. This is where Broad Categories comes in handy.
Here, you are able to target users based on broader criteria. One of the best characteristics to consider targeting is precise mobile devices. Over 70% of Facebook users access the platform via their smartphone. Don’t miss out on a chance to target those users with your campaign.
Choose Your Users
Maybe you are running a campaign that is targeted specifically to people that are already your fans; this could be something along the lines of a loyalty program. Maybe you are only looking to target users that have not yet liked your company, and are offering something to new fans. In any case, you are going to want to specify whether you want your ad to target users that are already fans, or potential fans.
If you have not already done so, then definitely take a look at the Facebook targeting options for ads. You might be surprised at how much more effective it can make your campaign.
Have you found any surprises with your ads? Tell us what they were in the comments below or on Twitter!
3 Departments to Involve in Your Social Business
/by Corey PadveenHas your social business involved every department it can?
Customer Service
Now, this is a little paradoxical. Yes, your customer service department is inherently a ‘social’ department per se. After all, it spends the day dealing with people. But when becoming a social business, your customer service department is going to become much more public then ever before. And that’s a good thing.
Social Care – or, customer service on social channels – is increasing in popularity and becoming a favorite among consumers. When evolving into a social business, you are certainly going to want to get your customer service team on the front lines. Just be sure you have a strategy in place for every possible scenario! Now, with social in the mix, your customer service team is a pseudo PR department. They are a direct reflection of how your company treats clients, so make sure they are doing it right.
Tech/Support
Has there ever been a department more suited for conversing on the web? Your tech and support teams need to be able to show that they can help with anything at any time. They are like an extension of your customer service team. In fact, they are your customer service team.
Think about it. When you call a customer service line, they are generally going to connect you with the department most able to assist you with your problem. By making these departments as easily accessible as your customer service team, you can help cut out the middle man and save time on all fronts. Let people deal with matters in the most efficient way possible, and your business will be functioning at optimal capacity.
Sales
If your sales team is not already on social, get them on there! You never know where you might find a new client, but you can rest assured that wherever you might find that client, there is a pretty good chance you will find them on social channels, too.
Your sales team should be listening to the conversation around your industry and involving themselves in the conversation when and where it is appropriate. Take a look at this blog post about cell phone carriers to see some great examples of Dos and Don’ts when it comes to social selling.
What other departments do you think would benefit from a presence on social media when you become a social business? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!
4 Important Facebook Targeting Options
/by Corey PadveenHave you put together an ad campaign using the Facebook targeting options?
Have you ever tried to promote your content to a broader audience by developing a Facebook ad campaign? Boosting a post is one thing, but if you know how to properly use the Facebook advertising platform, you can reach very targeted audiences and get a specific message across to groups you know will want to hear them.
Below are four Facebook targeting options that are going to be very important when it comes to putting together a successful ad campaign.
Location, Age and Gender
These are the most obvious targeting options. We all know that we have the ability to target by location, age and gender, but we often forget that when it comes to advertising, the more specific we are, the greater the likelihood that our campaign will find success.
With Facebook, you have the ability to target not only countries, but states/provinces, cities and, if you are running a campaign in the United States, by zip code. Why is this beneficial? Well, if you are a local business, this gives you the opportunity to target only those people who are potential customers based on location. It also means that if you are running a campaign in the United Kingdom, for example, you could filter out any users outside of the UK and prevent your ad (and your dollars) from going to users that cannot benefit from the offering.
As for age and gender, figure out exactly who is going to be most responsive to this campaign. Maybe you don’t know – that’s not a problem. Use these targeting options to test different markets. Maybe you create one version of your ad targeted towards males in the United States between the ages of 25 and 39, and another version targeted towards females in Canada over the age of 45. (On a side note, that’s one versatile product!) You might be surprised by what you find.
Precise Interests
Now we’re getting into the real value that exists with Facebook targeting options. One of the great features that a lot of marketers tend to overlook is the ability to target audiences by interest. For those familiar with AdWords, this is something that Google determines based on search history and other criteria, but on Facebook, this is determined by a user’s expressed interests. They are telling you what they like!
You are going to want to include as many Precise Interests or pages (yes, company or brand pages) as you can – just make sure they relate to your ad and landing page (whether it is your Timeline or a page off of Facebook). Just begin typing and you will see a drop down menu of interest options along with the number of people that have listed this item as one of their interests.
Broad Categories
Interests are great for getting right down to what a person might like, but perhaps you will find that you want to target people with a number of diverse interests and one commonality. This is where Broad Categories comes in handy.
Here, you are able to target users based on broader criteria. One of the best characteristics to consider targeting is precise mobile devices. Over 70% of Facebook users access the platform via their smartphone. Don’t miss out on a chance to target those users with your campaign.
Choose Your Users
Maybe you are running a campaign that is targeted specifically to people that are already your fans; this could be something along the lines of a loyalty program. Maybe you are only looking to target users that have not yet liked your company, and are offering something to new fans. In any case, you are going to want to specify whether you want your ad to target users that are already fans, or potential fans.
If you have not already done so, then definitely take a look at the Facebook targeting options for ads. You might be surprised at how much more effective it can make your campaign.
Have you found any surprises with your ads? Tell us what they were in the comments below or on Twitter!
The Power of Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]
/by Corey PadveenWe all know that social media is important, but have you really considered the power of social media for your business?
We’ve said it countless times before, and the evidence can be found all over: the power of social media is great, and leveraging the platform properly can mean big things for your brand.
There are a lot of very interesting statistics in this infographic from Buzzsmith. Every year, new data emerges that supports the adoption of large-scale social media strategies, and this year is no different. If we look at some of the data in the infographic below, we can see that, unsurprisingly, ROI is the major focal point for most marketers and businesses. This has long been the case. In order to justify the very real cost that social media incurs, we need to be able to measure ROI from social media. Considering this, we can see which statistic is most interesting of the data below.
For those brands effectively measuring ROI (and there are a number of ways to measure it tangibly) they are seeing a 153% return on their investment into social media campaigns! This further exemplifies the great power of social media.
What campaigns have you run that evoke the power of social media? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!
How to Optimize Facebook for SEO [VIDEO]
/by Corey PadveenDo you know how to optimize Facebook for SEO? It’s easier than you think!
How to Determine KPIs on Social Media
/by Corey PadveenUnderstanding your brand’s KPIs on social media is going to be crucial to measuring the success of your program.
Think about it: how can you know if you are successful, if you do not know what your measurement for success is going to be? For those that do not know what KPI stands for, these are Key Performance Indicators, and they vary from brand to brand.
There are a few steps you are going to need to take in order to determine your KPIs for social media. Below is the set of steps to follow in order to figure out what, exactly, you plan on using as a criteria for success with social media efforts.
Establish Your Goals
Before you can determine how you want to measure your returns, you need to know what you want to accomplish. As it states above, KPIs are going to vary from business to business. Of course there will be some that are fairly general, and observed by almost everyone. But to know what you want to be measuring, you need to know what is going to contribute to achieving your goals.
There are a few goals your brand might have. Maybe you want to increase brand awareness, or drive direct sales. Maybe it is something in between those two. Whatever it is, you need to start by establishing your short and long term goals.
Understand Insights
When it comes to social media, insights are going to come in all shapes and sizes. They can also be assisted by tools and technologies. When looking at KPIs, you are going to need to sift through quite a bit of data. Conventionally, the top-down approach to measuring KPIs started with your goals and simply looked at the processes that led to results as the KPIs. This is not the case with social (well, not entirely the case). While you are going to be looking at processes as KPIs, you are also going to be looking at a number of other resources. Enter insights.
Know where your insights exist both on and off social networks. Look at your activity on Facebook Insights, and compliment that with data collected in Google Analytics. Knowing where all of your data is being collected (and yes, all of your data is being collected) is going to be extremely useful when determining your KPIs and where you can find them.
Simplicity is Not a Bad Thing
Sometimes, the simplest answer is going to be the best. Measuring your return on investment does not have to be some convoluted set of equations that generate a mysterious, variable-filled result. You can look at some of your more simple KPIs and find a whole lot of value.
Something as simple of your number of interactions – a hard, straightforward number – can be an extremely valuable KPI and you shouldn’t go out of your way to complicate things.
Some Helpful Starting Points
When it comes to KPIs on social media, there are going to be some standard ones. No matter what you are trying to achieve, you will ultimately want to keep at least a few of these in mind.
What KPIs are you using to track your work on social media? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!
Scary Fun Facts About Social Business and Commerce
/by Corey PadveenIt’s that time of year again, and we thought we would share some ‘scary’ fun facts about social business to keep with the spirit of Halloween!
The Pinterest Witch Has Cast a Spell
A spell on female consumers, to be exact. On Pinterest, 47% of women say that they have made a purchase based on a recommendation they saw on the network. Considering that women make up a vast majority of Pinterest users, you can see why that might be an opportunity one would be terrified to miss.
People Are Trapped on Facebook
People are spending over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook. Hours of time online is being devoted to one website. So the billions of other pages on the web need to compete for the attention of this Facebook user base. Rather than trying to direct their attention elsewhere, wouldn’t it just be easier to make your presence known within a community that is already active and highly engaged?
We Are Brainwashed By Cats
Over 6 billion hours of video are watched every month on YouTube alone! So whether you are creating videos for your audience or advertising in the video space, you know that there is at least one hour per person on Earth where you can be found on YouTube.
Shopping Zombies Hungry for Information (Kind of like Brains, I Guess)
Research shows that 40% of consumers compare prices on their mobile devices before making a purchasing decision. It also shows that 64% of consumers have made a purchase from a brand because of a digital experience (web site, social presence, email, etc.). Consumers are looking to the web for information and a positive user experience. If you do not have a presence there, you can rest assured that your chances of getting someone’s business decrease dramatically.
Scared yet? The importance of engaging with your audience and becoming a social business has never been greater. People are looking to each other and to brands in order to make purchasing decisions. If you are not a part of the conversation, you are not a part of the market. Now that’s scary stuff.
How are you conquering your fears and becoming a social enterprise? Find out how t2 can help you here.
We would love to know what facts you find interesting, and be sure to send us a picture of your costume on Twitter! Happy Halloween!
Social Intelligence Says To Invest in a Social Advertising Campaign
/by Corey PadveenSocial media is not free; if you want to succeed, you need to be prepared to invest in a social advertising campaign.
Recently, Adobe released their Q3 Social Intelligence Report. In it, they outlined a lot of very interesting details. For example, people are beginning to engage more. Although brands only increased their post number by 9% year-over-year, engagement has jumped up 115% in the same time period.
Though despite all of these interesting stats, there was one point that stood out above the rest: paid social is on the rise. There were a few ways in which the report made this clear.
We have found ourselves at a wonderful point in time (as marketers and advertisers) where the world’s largest network is trying to justify it’s price tag. So, economically speaking, how do you increase demand? Why, you decrease price, of course!
A few of the key findings below show why now is the time to invest in a social advertising campaign and reap major benefits.
CPC and CTRs
The cost-per-click (CPC) for ads on Facebook has gone down considerably in the last year – down by 40%, to be exact. Meanwhile, click-through rates on Facebook ads (CTR) have gone up by a whopping 275%! By creating an optimized ad and sharing to the right people in the right places, you could reap some major benefits from the advertising platform.
CPM and ROI
The cost per thousand impressions (CPM) for Facebook ads has increased. And understandably so – there are over a million sets of a thousand users you can reach out to. That said, targeting capabilities have become increasingly specific in the last year and as a result, measured return on investment (ROI) has seen a jump of 58% in the last year. So, while it might be more expensive to reach large numbers of people, if you pick your audience properly, you can see significant returns.
Click Volume and Impressions Growth
Great news advertisers! As ads become more prevalent on the network, so do impressions (naturally) and clicks (interesting!). That’s right, people are clicking on sponsored ads as they become more frequent. So you might hear people say they don’t want to see any advertising on their favorite social network, but if it is done correctly, you can expect that they will not only accept it, but click on it.
Now is the time to capitalize on the returns that can be generated from Facebook’s huge network of users. Your brand should not let this opportunity fall by the wayside. You can and should strongly consider investing in a social advertising campaign today. Find out how t2 can help here.
There are a lot more great facts and figures that marketers might find interesting in this study. Which one do you think is most important or interesting? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!
6 Best Practices for LinkedIn Company Pages
/by Corey PadveenThere are certain best practices for LinkedIn Company Pages that brands need to adhere to in order to generate engagement and business.
The six simple best practices detailed below should help brands harness the benefits that LinkedIn has to offer.
Fill Out Every Section
Your page consists of a services section, where you can highlight the services your brand offers and share pictures that make your page more aesthetically pleasing and more dynamic. Do not leave anything out. Your page is there to showcase your brand and all that you offer. Let potential clients know what you can do!
Be Relevant
Keep in mind that unlike Facebook or Google+, LinkedIn is all about business. Your LinkedIn Company Page is not a place to share the same type of content you would share to your Facebook page. Sure, there will be some overlap, but you only want to be sharing content that your audience will find relevant. Remember, they followed your brand because they like the professional content that you share.
Separate Content Schedule
You might find that sharing 20 updates to Twitter per day works for your brand, and a half a dozen Facebook updates generates quite a bit of engagement. LinkedIn is going to be a rather different story. People following your brand on LinkedIn are not going to appreciate being bombarded with content throughout the day. A less frequent content schedule is going to be adequate on LinkedIn.
Engage with Your Audience
Monitor your page’s activity to see what type of content is generating clicks, shares and comments and engage with your audience. LinkedIn recently made it possible to post content and comments as a page. Take advantage of this feature and make your brand’s presence known. Just because LinkedIn is all about business, does not mean it is any less social!
Create Market-Specific Pages
LinkedIn allows users to create landing pages on their Company Page for specific market segments. Say, for example, that you offer certain services to the retail industry and another set of services for the manufacturing industry. When users from these two industries visit your LinkedIn Company Page, they can land on pages that have been designed specifically for their industry. Not only does this provide them with the best user experience, but it also helps reflect your brand’s diversity and attention to customer needs.
Pay Attention to Your Analytics
On your Company Page, you have the ability to monitor all of the analytics on your posts. See what has generated clicks and comments, and what was ignored by your audience. Modify your content strategy as you would on any other network in order to ensure that you are only sharing content that your audience finds most valuable.
These six best practices for LinkedIn Company Pages should help you increase the activity and business you see on LinkedIn.
How else are you optimizing your LinkedIn strategy? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!
The Anatomy of a Perfect Tweet [VIDEO]
/by Corey PadveenTo call something perfect is a bold statement, but these are the features that need to be included in the perfect tweet.
10 Superpowers of Successful Social Media Marketers [INFOGRAPHIC]
/by Corey PadveenWhat traits make up the most successful social media marketers?
In the past few years, social media marketers have moved from the fringe to the forefront when it comes to marketing and advertising. While there were once just a few people who described themselves as social media marketers, virtually every firm now comprises at least one individual who focuses his or her efforts entirely on social. There are a few features that the more successful social media marketers have in common with each other, and the ten features listed in the infographic below elaborate on what those traits are.
Though there is no shortage of social marketers out there, few have yet to find real success in the field. Those that have share these traits and it shows in every aspect of their work.
And for those that are not yet experts, there is one figure below that might persuade you to think otherwise. 83% of consumers feel as though social media can persuade them to make a purchase. That’s a major part of the population! Consider adopting these ten traits and join the ranks of the most successful social media marketers sooner rather than later.
Which one of these ten traits do you think is most important? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!