Month: April 2022

Social media marketing is necessary for staying relevant and standing out against competitors. With so many different social media platforms to choose from, it can be difficult to determine which ones your business needs. After all, you can’t be everywhere at once. How do you determine which social media platforms your business should be utilizing? 

To start, ask yourself a few questions:

Who is your target audience? Are they men or women? How old are they? Where do they spend their time online? Breaking down your desired customer is helpful in determining their online behaviors and marketing your business to them.

Where are your competitors? What social media platforms are they using? Is it working well for them? You don’t want them to dominate the conversation; it would be smart to have an online presence on the apps your competitor is finding success in. 

What are your goals? Are you trying to build a relationship with your community? Do you want to increase brand recognition? Different social media platforms are better utilized for achieving different goals.

With that in mind, let’s break down the different platforms

Twitter works well for businesses that run live events or are involved in the political and news industries. As a text-based outlet, you can make specific hashtags for events and keep up with the conversation in real-time. If your goal is connecting with your audience, start here. 

Pinterest favors businesses that have strong visual content. It is largely comprised of women – 78% of users are female. Boutiques thrive on Pinterest as you can make a clickable link that directs customers to your online store. 

YouTube has users of all ages, from young children to fully-grown adults. You can gain a large following all from posting how-to videos and educational resources. Can your business teach someone how to do something, such as how to fix a leaky faucet? Consider starting a YouTube channel!

LinkedIn is beneficial for business-to-business networking. Are you a consulting firm looking to connect with future clients and other business professionals? LinkedIn was made for you. 

Instagram was made for visual content. Restaurants with yummy food pictures thrive on the app (it’s why #foodie is a thing!). You can also highlight your products on Instagram Shop – a feature where people can shop your store directly on the app.

Tiktok is incredibly popular among younger audiences. Primarily 18 to 24-year-olds use the site to watch short-form video content. If you’re looking to target gen z and build brand awareness, this is the app to be on.

Facebook may be decreasing in popularity among the younger generation, but it is a great platform to use if you want to connect with your local community. If you’re willing to spend money on social media ads, you can run successful campaigns by targeting potential customers by age, interests, location and behaviors.

The right social media platform for your business all depends on your goals and desired audience. With the right message on the best platform, your business can grow and thrive online. 

Interested in connecting with potential customers online and growing your business? Southern View Media is here to help! We offer high-quality social media marketing services that put your company online, so you don’t get left behind. Call us today at (251) 517-9425 to learn more!

Small businesses have a unique opportunity to connect with the community while also increasing sales and boosting the local economy. Having a digital marketing plan can help small businesses not only meet these goals but exceed them and flourish.

In today’s digital age, it’s not enough to solely rely on word of mouth marketing. While this might attract a general customer base, digital marketers can target the desired audience to reach an ideal client. It also helps small businesses to reach customers where they are – online.

So how is digital marketing effective? Here are three reasons.

Digital Marketing Puts Small Businesses in the Public Eye

Through Search Engine Optimization (SEO), digital marketers can make a small business achieve a higher ranking in search engines, which brings more traffic to the business. This leads to an increased amount of sales and more brand recognition.

For example, through SEO, digital marketers can make a locally-owned ice cream shop reach the top result of a search engine. If a potential customer searching for a frozen treat on a hot day looks up “ice cream near me” online, the first result they see will be from the local business. This increased web traffic leads to more overall sales since the business is being put into a larger audience – the online world. 

Digital Marketing Helps Customers Connect With Your Brand

Having an online presence makes businesses appear more legitimate and trustworthy. Engagement is key – replying to social media comments and messages helps customers connect with the business and be more likely to make a purchase.

You can also help customers out in real-time when they’re having a problem or concern. If a customer has a question about a product or a service you may offer, you can respond to them through a quick message. This interaction creates trust and helps form a relationship, which creates a loyal customer.

Digital Marketing is Advertising With a Wide Reach

Social media ads can increase brand recognition and trust for the business, and running digital ads for specific promotions is an effective way to reach customers who may not otherwise know about the sales. Posting consistently for promotions like these can help reach a larger audience and in turn, make more sales.

By running targeted social media ads, marketers can create eye-catching graphics that attract potential customers to visit a small business, whether that be online or in person. These ads also help small businesses stand out from competitors, which is vital in today’s age of overwhelming options. 

Digital marketing is an effective plan for small businesses because it helps reach a targeted, specific client base who may not otherwise know about your business. It helps create brand recognition and trust, and in turn, turns potential customers into loyal fans. 

We understand how busy you are as a business owner, so that is where Southern View Media comes in! We are a boutique digital marketing agency catering to local businesses. Visit www.southernviewmedia.com to learn more about how we can help you boost your brand!

You hate it, we hate it and it doesn’t help anyone… Fake Facebook reviews. We’ve come across more spam as Facebook begins to make updates and changes on its platform. Located on one of the biggest social networking sites on the planet, your Facebook business profile can fall victim to having a fake review placed on your page.

Fake Facebook reviews can run amuck, but luckily there are ways to help get these false narratives removed from your page.

Here’s what you need to know:

There are usually two types of fake reviews: reviews written by disgruntled ex-employees, or overexaggerated experiences with customers and spam reviews written by bots. In this case, what only matters are the steps you take to get these reviews removed before they can do any harm to your business. 

1. Make sure to report the review

Facebook offers the option to report the review. From there, Facebook’s administrators will assess the review within a few days and decide whether or not it will be removed or stay on the page. Unfortunately, your business page has no control over the decision of what will happen with the review. However, if Facebook decides not to remove the review, there are a few other options to lighten the burden of the false claims on your business.

2. Respond to the review if not removed

Once Facebook makes a decision, it may not be possible to have a fake review removed from your page. In this case, it’s important to publicly respond to the review so your audience can get your side of the story. Whether it’s an irritated customer or a completely fake bot profile, be sure to form a response that will reflect your business in a positive way.

3. Considering hiring Southern View Media

We don’t like to boast, but we do know a thing or two about being proactive when it comes to these types of situations. Our team of skilled digital marketing professionals monitor and manage social media accounts to ensure our clients are taken care of during the best of times and worst of times (like fake Facebook reviews). Our processes and strategies include practical protocols to manage your social media presence to help avoid hiccups such as these.
When it comes to Facebook and fake reviews, our team is on your side to help ensure you and your business are represented as you envision. Allow our team of specialists to craft a strategy to help keep you moving forward. Contact us today to get started by calling (251) 517-9425 or visit our website www.southernviewmedia.com. We put you online so you don’t get left behind!

Social media and search engine giants love to update their processes, programs and algorithms. For business owners, digital strategists and freelancers alike, these changes can be inconvenient or uncertain. Facebook, owned by Meta, is a prominent example.

In this blog, we will explain the Facebook algorithm and offer some tips for content creation. So let’s get started!

But first… What is the Facebook algorithm?

The Facebook algorithm is a formula that determines which posts users see when scrolling through their newsfeed. Many different variables compose the algorithm, which is what makes it frustrating for any marketer to navigate.

The algorithm has evolved over time. In 2009, the algorithm bumped posts with the greatest number of Likes to the top of the newsfeed. In 2017, Facebook weighed a post’s value and prominence by the number of different Reactions to it (Like, Heart, Anger, etc.). In 2019, Facebook introduced the “Why Am I Seeing This Post?” feature. In more recent years, Facebook has revealed details about the algorithm but has yet to release the big picture.

So how does the algorithm work now?

According to Hootsuite, Facebook now prioritizes content by three different variables. These elements are: who posted the content, the type of content and interactions with the posts. Use these characteristics to begin creating some ideal content for your brand!

What are some tips for creating engaging content?

Manipulating the Facebook algorithm is one of the worst things you could do for your brand; instead, you should work with the algorithm. Here are just a few tips that you can utilize to make the algorithm your friend, not a foe.

• Consider the type of content that your audience wants to see. Authenticity is king. Too many sales-oriented posts can deter users from interacting with your page.
• Engage with your audience. Interact with your audience by responding to and ‘liking’ comments. Prove that there is a person (or a whole team) behind the screen!
• Encourage your audience to engage with each other. Create content that prompts conversations (not comment wars).
• Explore the Stories feature. Facebook Stories appear separately from the main feed. As its own feature, Stories is an alternative way to meet audiences and promote content. If your business is on Instagram, which is also owned by Meta, then check out the Reels tab!
• Expand your reach. How often do your family, friends, employees and colleagues share your content? Encourage them to share and interact with your content, so that it can reach new audiences!

It is unlikely that we will ever know the full extent of Facebook’s algorithm model. However, there are ways to curate content to your and your brand’s advantage. Facebook likes content that is authentic, engaging and encourages conversations. How will you use these tips when planning out your social media strategy?

Southern View Media is a digital marketing agency located on the Gulf Coast. We help clients across the United States with their social media, digital marketing, content creation, media buying and more. Visit www.southernviewmedia.com today to learn about what we do and why we do it.

Email marketing continues to be a worthwhile marketing strategy for a variety of businesses, including retailers, plumbers, HVAC companies and other industries. According to Litmus, an effective email campaign generates at least $42 for every $1 that you spend. That is an impressive and unbelievable 4,200% ROI (return on investment)!

So, how do you get started? How do you appeal to your portion of the 4 billion daily email users? Here are some of our best tips for creating a successful email marketing campaign.

Begin With an Appealing Subject Line

A subject line should grab the attention of your audience. An ideal subject line is catchy and intriguing; a humorous subject line is even better. We recommend that you keep your subject line at 9 to 14 words (or less). The best-kept secret, however, is staying out of the spam inbox by avoiding all caps or phrases like “buy now”.

Utilize Preheader Text When Necessary

Preheader text is the teasing copy that follows the subject line. While preheader text is not absolutely necessary, it does give your audience an idea of what the email is supposed to be about. We recommend keeping your preheader text to no more than 50 characters.

Embrace Links in Your Email Content

Links are perfect in emails for two reasons: they keep your email content from being too busy, and they can drive traffic to your website. Links are great teaser content, as long as they are visible, trackable and specific. Those three words mean:

• Your links should be visible to your audience
• Your links should be trackable by your team
• Your links and their action phrases should be specific, like “Click here!” versus “Reserve Your Spot Now!”

Ensure That Your Email is Mobile-Friendly

Did you know that more than 50% of emails are opened and read on a mobile device? Don’t worry–there are easy ways to make sure that you are not isolating half of your subscribers! Emails should have a single column-layout; you should keep any buttons centered within the email format. Multiple email marketing platforms have an option to view your email as it reads on a computer, cell phone and tablet, so explore your platform and those options today.

Keep Your Emails Consistent

Unfortunately, email marketing is not a tool that works best sporadically. Email marketing is a balance of staying visible, but not flooding inboxes. Depending on your business size, your network and your audience, we recommend sending emails at least every two weeks. The formatting of your email should also be consistent with your brand, your voice and your message.

Email campaigns are an ideal marketing strategy because of their versatility! For example, email campaigns can contribute to your brand’s identity, promote an exclusive offer, foster a customer-business relationship and other possibilities.

We understand that you are a business owner and running the world–if you are too busy to focus on email campaigns, that is where we come in! Southern View Media is a digital marketing agency located on the beautiful Gulf Coast. Our services include email marketing, social media management, website design and more. Visit www.southernviewmedia.com today to learn more.