When it comes to running a small business, social media platforms have suddenly become the most important part of being successful.  This is because when it comes to marketing, advertising on a bulletin board just doesn’t hack it anymore.  It seems like everyone of age is on some kind of social media platform.  Folks also seem to have a fair idea of which ones they like best too.  Are they all just the same?  Which one is best for your business and why?  Hopefully this blog article will help to answer some of these questions.

Popular Social Media Platforms

Unfortunately there isn’t a single platform that is best for all businesses.  So let’s start by learning which social media platforms are popular, and go from there.  

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Snapchat
• Pinterest
• TikTok

Each of these platforms have their own benefits.  The idea when it comes to promoting your business through social media is to find the platform where your customers hang out.  Let’s not automatically assume that Facebook is the best place to find customers, it might be great for promotion, but perhaps not the kind of promotion that your business needs.  

Which Social Media Platform is Best for MY Business?

In order to choose a social media platform, you’ll want to identify your own brand, what it says to your customers, and which platform you can find those customers on.  Try to answer these questions to figure that out:

• Do I do more B2B or B2C business?
• Who is my ideal customer/target market?
• What is my ultimate goal in social media marketing?  Selling?  Connecting?  Getting people into a brick-and-mortar store?  Are you simply building brand awareness?

Next we need to do some research on where these customers are.  You can do this by searching the demographics of each platform and researching usage statistics.  Another idea would be to hire a consultant who already knows this information and is able to get you started in the right places quickly.  

Measuring Success in Your Social Media Campaigns

Once you’ve decided which platforms are going to work best for the kind of marketing you intend to do online, you’ll need to see how successful those campaigns are.  You can track your progress through each platform which has insights and statistics that show you your engagement and interactions.  

Don’t Forget Annek is Here For YOU!

At Annek Marketing Group, our goal is to help businesses just like yours find the perfect platform for your message so that you can do more of what you do best.  We are here to help, regardless of whether you need tips, tricks and advice, or if you need someone to do it for you.  If you have a brand, we’re here to create the Buzz!  Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.  

When it comes to your business you already know that you need to “drive traffic” in order to be more visible.  But, what does that mean exactly?  What is organic traffic, how do you create it, and what other kinds of traffic are there?  These are common questions we get as marketing experts, so don’t worry, you aren’t alone if you have the same questions.  There are several different types of traffic, and you don’t have to be an expert to understand the difference.  We’ll explain it to you and even provide a few tips and tricks to get you started towards generating the traffic you need for you business with this article.  

Traffic Sources and Why They Are Important

Everyone wants to be “ranked” by search engines positively.  If someone is looking for your business type in your area, you want them to be able to find you without knowing the name of your business.  An example of this might be “clothing boutique in Cleveland, OH” or an even harder niche to break into, “hotel in Miami, FL”  The goal is to be at the top of the list when someone is looking for your business whether they live in your area or are just passing through.  In order to be ranked higher on the list, you need traffic to your website and social media.  “Traffic” is defined by the special search engine algorithms in the following ways:

• Organic Traffic – Clicks on your website that are earned through searches related to information that is earned, not paid for.  Examples might be when someone searches for “floral blouse styles” and your website has information and answers that they click on versus someone else’s site.  
• Direct Traffic – This happens when someone doesn’tuse a search engine to visit your website.  If Sally is driving down the highway, and sees a sign for your fencing company with the specific URL, then goes home and types that into the computer instead of searching for it, then this is considered direct traffic.  
• Email Traffic – If someone visits a page on your website because of a link in an email that they received, then this is email traffic.  
• Paid Search Traffic – Really, the name here says it all.  If you use advertising either on another website such as Facebook or through Google Ads, and someone gets to your website through that advertisement, then it is considered paid search traffic.  
• Referral Traffic – This happens when someone finds your website through another website.  An example of this might be when someone looks for a local retailer through a major brand.  If you wanted Scentsy Candles, found the corporate website, then clicked on a link to your local provider it is considered referral traffic.  Another example might be a website for a private practice that is found on a hospital website.  
• Social Traffic – This happens when someone visits your website because of a link on social media.  If you post your blog on social media, this may happen quite a lot.  

So, when it comes to marketing, at Annek Marketing Group, our goal is always to increase organic traffic, because often consumers, potential clients, and customers in general trust search engines and search results that aren’t “sponsored.” 

How to Improve Organic Traffic

Organic traffic in general is driven by SEO.  You have heard the phrase “Search Engine Optimization” and it can be confusing to talk about, but the simple explanation is having a website that answers the questions people are asking online.  If you have a simple 5-page website that describes who you are, where you’re located, what you offer, and how to find you… it may not be enough.  This is especially true if you offer a service that many others offer such as hotels and lodging.  Instead, the content of your website should focus on the keywords that people use in their questions.  This increases traffic, because people will find the answers they are looking for, and trust your business as a subject matter expert versus another business who doesn’t answer those questions at all.  More clicks on your website, means higher ranks in the algorithms that are used to calculate where you should be in search results.  The more people click, the higher you are ranked.  

Make a Difference in Your Marketing Plan

At Annek Marketing Group, you don’t have to be an expert in anything other than what your business does best.  We take all of the guesswork out of marketing and advertising and help you do what you do!  You do you, and we’ll create the buzz!  We’re here to help, so reach out today to learn more about who we are and how we can help your business grow. 

When you’re running your own business, marketing can be confusing.  This is why there are professionals out there with degrees and experience to help.  Before the dawn of computers and the internet, corporations and businesses depended on these experts to launch their businesses or keep them in the forefront of the minds of consumers.  Thanks to worldwide connectivity, however, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and even larger companies have started to launch social media marketing campaigns, which can cost much less and seems even easier to accomplish than traditional marketing ever has been.  This leads us to question whether one might be better than the other.  

Defining Marketing

Traditional marketing is also known as offline marketing.  This can include tactics and strategies that include anything printed, such as newspaper ads, magazine ads and articles, mailers, flyers, or even TV commercials or radio advertising.  Many newer business owners may overlook this kind of advertising, but it is a tried and true concept that still works.  

When it comes to social media marketing, or digital marketing, it can include anything related to the internet.  This can include social media, sponsored advertising through Google, or even banners and reciprocal advertising on partner websites.  As the name suggests though, social media marketing goes out of its way to leverage popular social media platforms that target a specific audience and customer.  When you use these two concepts together, it can help your business maximize its reach to potential customers.  

Similarities and Differences

Both traditional and social media marketing build awareness of your product or service with the public at large.  In both instances, the goal is to foster public engagement.  Whether you’re seeking out potential clients, or maintaining relationships with existing customers, both of these marketing concepts can help build word-of-mouth reputation that is necessary for a business to thrive.  

Even though both of these marketing concepts have the same goals, each approaches the goal differently.  They are both tied to the nature of their respective techniques.  Social media concentrates on interactive platforms where engagement is more immediate, and traditional marketing concentrates on static tactics that give businesses a broader reach and wider audience.  

Both approaches use key performance indicators to measure how successful they are, however each tactic should measure different engagement factors.  An example of this might be followers versus foot traffic into the store.  

Make a Difference in Your Marketing Plan

Regardless of which marketing tactic you’re more comfortable with, the reality is that you will be more successful when you have an expert ready to help you extend your company’s reach and foster its growth.  Remember, at Annek Marketing Group, we can help your business find the perfect balance when it comes to your marketing and advertising budget.  Our goal is always to help you do more of what you do best.  We’re here to help, so contact us today to learn more about the different options we have to get your business buzzing!

If you want online recognition, a solid reputation, and clients or customers that come to you, then it is important to get visitors to your website.  This is not only accomplished by great keyword recognition and solid SEO, but also networking and word of mouth.  Networking and word of mouth happen organically over time, but you can help it get there faster by not only relying on your social media, but in-person events as well.  If you are ready to go viral, then it’s time to learn how in-person events help your online presence.  Keep reading to learn more.  

Building a Presence through Partnerships

If you’re old-school, then you understand this concept.  Partnering with other professionals that do something similar, but different can help you build a reputation because your partner is recommending you to others and visa versa.  An example of this might be if you create wedding cakes.  You might partner with a wedding photographer who is fairly well known.  An in-person example of this partnership building your online presence might be you coming on as a guest on one of their podcasts or Instagram lives.  Your social media handles get “tagged” and your partners followers may potentially become your own.  

Building a Presence through Events

There are many different ways to build a presence through events.  If you are coming on as a guest speaker, then the event host will advertise your social media and website.  If you are coming into an event as a vendor, then you will have crowds of people who will walk by your table.  Make sure that no matter the circumstances, you reach out to your customers, say hello, and win over new customers with your winning personality.  Don’t hide behind a table or a microphone.  Broadcast and advertise your social media at every opportunity.  If you have products that customers are buying, make sure that your website and social media are on the label. Many people may not follow your brand until after they’ve tried your product.  

Building a Presence through Your Customers

If one of your customers leaves you a Google review, feel free to copy, paste, and post it on your social media.  Next, you can tag that customer in the social media post, so that the customer’s followers are now also aware of your business.  This customer already offered their opinion to the public, so they shouldn’t have issues sharing their opinion with their friends.  Many new business owners think this tactic is a little pushy so we’ve created an in-person suggestion that is a little less aggressive.  The next time the customer comes to your place of business, thank them for their review.  Next ask them if they would be willing to take a quick selfie with you and allow you the privilege of sharing their review online.  9 times out of 10, your customers are excited to do this for you, especially if you explain your desire to grow as a business.  

Whether it is through partnerships, events, or reviews from customers, you can build a presence online from in-person events.  It isn’t just about sitting behind a computer.  Often times it is just as important to make real posts from candid shots you’ve taken on your phone.  Still need help?  At Annek Marketing Group, we can help your business find the perfect balance when it comes to your marketing and advertising plan.  Our goal is always to help you do more of what you do best.  We’re here to help, so contact us today to learn more about the different options we have to get your business buzzing!

Not all businesses are the same.  Just like individuals, each business is unique and deserves its own marketing and advertising plan.  However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some ideas that are worth talking about, especially if you can do them for free!  In this article we will discuss the easiest ways you can create buzz for free.  Interested?  Keep reading to learn more.  

Communicating with Your Audience

One of the first things you’ll want to do is find a way to communicate with your audience, or ideal customers.  The easiest ways to do this might include:

• Creating a way for people to sign up for a monthly newsletter – which is free to send out!
• Send out press releases to local news outlets such as local newsletters and news stations
• Make sure you have a website with plenty of information that is easy to digest
• Create social media profiles for your business

Build Awareness

Once you have a website, newsletter, and social media accounts, you will want to start gaining followers.  Before you start launching advertising campaigns that cost money, you might consider some of these ideas that will help you build awareness without reaching into your wallet:

• Be a guest – connect with other professionals who complement your business and agree to do some cross promoting.  You can provide tips and tricks to their customers, and invite your business contacts to give your customers tips and tricks about things that they do.  Perhaps consider being on a podcast as a knowledgeable expert!
• Create a podcast or YouTube channel – many times what leads us to purchase a product is the clear awareness that someone else is so great at what they do.  Think about Bob Ross!  He taught everyone how to paint, which led to others purchasing paints, brushes, and other products.  If you make jewelry, why not teach others simple techniques?  Not only will you make your customers happy, but you might increase your sales!
• Hold a Contest, Raffle or Giveaway – Sometimes the biggest boost to our social media accounts are when we do simple things, such as caption contests and more.  Combine this with a 20% discount, and watch your numbers rise!
• Teach a Class – Get together with your local library and offer to teach a free class!  This gets you in front of a few people at a time that are interested in what you do.  Next step?  Promote your website and social media at the end of your class, so your new students become loyal customers.  
• Submit Articles – If you aren’t great in front of a crowd, you might consider submitting articles for publication, or even creating a workbook and videos.  Often you can include your articles and links to your workbook and videos through partnerships with other businesses that are happy to promote your work, if you promote theirs.  Have a newsletter you love?  It doesn’t hurt to send them a sample of something you could write for them.  

Final Thoughts

Remember that marketing isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of situation.  Sometimes it takes some buildup, and it always takes time.  Don’t forget that at Annek Marketing Group we can help your business find the perfect balance when it comes to your marketing and advertising budget.  Our goal is always to help you do more of what you do best.  We’re here to help, so contact us today learn more about the different options we have to get your business buzzing!

We might be staring down the barrel of a new year, but the reality is that most businesses do the majority of their work at the end of the year. Between Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas many businesses go into marketing overdrive during their last quarter. This means that it is important to review and refresh the top 5 marketing tips for 2023, and make sure that we are doing what we can to take advantage of these tips during the holiday season. Are you ready to close out 2023 with the best marketing and advertising plan yet? Check out these tips, they’ll help!

Tip #1 – Diversify

Yes, there are businesses that shine on every social platform that they use, but the key is that they don’t use every social platform. It is important though, to use the social platforms that work best for your business. Does your product shine when you can show it in action? Perhaps YouTube and Instagram are better for your business than Twitter or “X.” Our first tip is to find the 3 social platforms that showcase your product or service the best and use them all. Don’t focus on 1, and don’t focus on 8, instead focus on 3. This will help your business get in front of the clients and customers it was designed for.

Tip #2 – Invest

According to WordStream, about 86% of businesses are paying to use Facebook ads. This is important to know because it tells us that unless we are willing to compete on that level, we won’t be seen. Paid advertising is everywhere, including Instagram, Pinterest, and more. The benefit of paid advertising? You can drill down, find your customers, and get your marketing materials in front of people who are likely to purchase your product. You don’t have to spend a fortune on paid advertising, but you should invest some of your budget into it.

Tip #3 – Insights

One of the smartest things a business can do at the end of the year is to look at the statistics and insights of the products that they have been marketing all year. Pick the products and services that have been doing well, and focus on that content. Use your current content to its fullest potential, repurposing old content in different ways can increase visibility and drive sales. For example, you may choose to turn a popular blog post into an ebook guide or a well performing infographic into a quick video.

Tip #4 – Advocate

We can advertise, come up with marketing strategies, and create content that blows the minds of everyone that sees it, but word of mouth is king. Creating buzz means that people are talking about your product to each other. If you want to end the year on a high note, consider offering some kind of incentive to individuals who recommend your product to their friends on social media. An example of this might be some kind of giveaway or discount. There is no better way to build your brand than to get people recommending it to each other.

Tip #5 – Authenticity

Every consumer knows that you want their business, but deep down they still like walking into a coffee shop and being remembered. The best way to market is by being authentic, personal, and personable. Your customers want to know the person behind the brand, not just the product. We build authenticity with live content, and answering questions honestly. Don’t worry about mistakes, just go with the flow and tell a story that makes your business memorable and likable.

Remember, at Annek Marketing we can help your business find the perfect balance when it comes to your marketing and advertising budget. Our goal is always to help you do more of what you do best, especially during this time of the year. We’re here to help, so contact us today to learn more marketing tips and learn about the different options we have to get your business buzzing!

Social media marketing is a modern cornerstone in online marketing. Social media allows you to reach potentially millions of people as long as you know how to take advantage of these platforms. If you are using Instagram for your business, you should know that there are some key tips to follow which will increase engagement, help your Instagram account gain followers, and keep your account from making any major mistakes. The following are 4 Instagram tips that you must follow for your business.

Tip #1: Follow and interact with relevant high-profile accounts

You can gain some exposure for your account in an organic way by following and then interacting with some relevant high profile accounts on Instagram. For example, if your business sells beauty products such as makeup and lotions, you should follow high-profile Instagram accounts related to beauty. But don’t just follow these accounts—interact with them, too! Like their posts and most importantly, comment on them so that people can see your username. This could lead to the high profile account engaging with you, which will lead to even more clicks onto your account page.

Tip #2: Learn how to take appealing photos and videos

Instagram is a photo and video based social media platform, so your account needs to look appealing from a visual standpoint. You will need to learn how to take photos and videos that appeal to your target demographic. To use the beauty example, most high profile beauty accounts use softer colors such as pastels for backgrounds, and have a focus on detail-oriented shots of beauty products, make-up looks, and so on. Make sure that the content you create is similar to what is popular with your demographic, while also standing out due to high quality photos and interesting filters.

Tip #3: Create a cohesive brand image

People who follow Instagram accounts do so because they like the overall aesthetic cultivated by the account. In order to gain followers this way, you’ll need a cohesive brand image that you stick with for every post. For instance, if your beauty makeup brand tends to post softer colors with lots of pinks and blues and romantic-style filters, then suddenly posting images that go against that aesthetic will not be cohesive with your brand image. You don’t always have to stick to the visual script—sometimes posting something drastically different can catch people’s attention!—but make sure your brand image is, on a whole, cohesive.

Tip #4: Use the right hashtags

Hashtags are how people will find your Instagram posts through the search feature on Instagram. You should aim to use about 3 to 8 hashtags per regular post, but there will be occasions where using more (about 15) is appropriate. Make sure that you only use relevant hashtags; for instance, if you are posting an eyeshadow palette from your business, do not tag it “lipstick” unless you are specifically mentioning lipstick in the copy of your post.

Remember to keep the above tips in mind when using Instagram for your business! For more great social media tips, follow Annek Marketing Group on Instagram @annekmarketinggroup

Instagram is a wonderful platform to share about your favorite topics, help build your business, or to draw attention to your blog. The larger a following you have, the more likely your post will be seen by a large amount of people. Best of all, if you become very popular, you can turn your social media accounts into a business and become a social influencer.

None of these things can happen unless you have at least 1,000 followers, however, and many more is better. You also want to make sure these people are authentic, and not bots or fake followers who won’t engage with your posts.

In order to build a following of real fans who can’t wait to see your next post, here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Post Frequently

The more often you post, the more opportunities you have for engagement. This means likes, shares and yes, follows. One social media company, Tailwind, even did a study on this. They found that the more often you posted (a minimum of once a day), the more followers you got. Instagrammers who only posted once a week grew by about 14%, while those who posted every day or more grew by 56%.

Use Hashtags

Hashtags are how many people find posts related to their interests. It’s also how you can gain the attention of new people who don’t yet follow you. It’s well worth researching what hashtags are popular and also relate to your posts, so more people can find you.

Use appropriate hashtags every time you post, so more people will have the ability to see and fall in love with your work.

Engage Your Fans

People like it when you engage with them. You can do this by replying to their comments, visiting their feed, and leaving likes and replies to their posts. This may encourage more people to follow you, since they can see that you are engaged with your followers, or perhaps learned more about you from the comment itself.

Cross Post

Chances are, you have other social media, or a blog. Many of your followers on your other accounts are also on Instagram, and you can quickly get new followers by letting them know your Instagram account exists. This also works in reverse. A study performed by Buzzsumo found that pictures posted to Facebook from Instagram are more popular than those posted to Facebook alone.

If you have a great picture or post from your other social media, let your Instagram followers know about it too. You can share the photo or a short video, and provide links in your bio.

If your goal is to grow a huge following on Instagram, you can do so by staying engaged with your readers, posting consistently, and making it easier for new people to find your Instagram account. You can quickly build a large and engaged following that is interested in what you have to say, and are also willing to share it.

Struggling to figure out what to put on your business social media pages? Regularly updating your social media is important to help keep your business fresh in people’s memory and on their feeds. Here are 5 fantastic ideas that will help you stay active on Facebook, Twitter, and more.

1. Share Industry News

No matter what your business is, chances are there’s some exciting news related to your field. Sharing this news will likely be of interest to your customers and may help you get more organic shares from people who want to talk about it.

Keep an eye on industry news for your field, and if you see something exciting your customers might find interesting, share it! Your followers may not be aware of new changes to laws or promotions relevant to them. Sharing this news can help.

2. Offer quick tips and advice

Showing off your knowledge is another great example of how to increase engagement with your followers. When you teach your customers how to do something, you’re establishing yourself as a professional in the industry.

If your followers find your advice useful, they’ll be more likely to share the content to help out their friends. If they find the task too difficult to do themselves, they may decide to use your services because they feel you have a solid knowledge base.

3. Ask a question

Questions invite discussion. If you have a topic you know your followers would love to talk about, consider asking them a question about it. This will help increase engagement as your followers answer the question and discuss with others.

Questions can also be easily adapted across a wide range of social media platforms, with a photo inspiring the question for Instagram, or a simple text for Twitter. Or why not consider doing a poll on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube Community, in Stories, or even on TikTok! Yes, most social media platforms have a poll feature to help you launch your questions in a fun and engaging way.

4. Create a series

If you have a series of blog posts you want to get out there, consider making it a series on social media too. Let people know there will be more to the topic later, so they can keep coming back to see what happens next.

Series don’t have to be related to a blog post. They can be anything from a series of Live Streams chatting about related topics, to a series of Instagram posts talking about changes in the industry. Use your imagination to create your own unique series.

5. Spotlight customers

Customers love being in the spotlight, so why not showcase what they are doing? Ask your customers how they are using your product and highlight the best ones on your feed. Spotlights are very engaging. New customers can follow to get ideas for how they might use a product, while the customer who is spotlighted might share the post featuring them.

It’s always great if you can give back to the customers who support you, and spotlights are an awesome way to do that.

Keeping your social media updated with regular updates is important. These 5 ideas are all unique ways you can keep posting without repeating the same thing over and over again. Most of all, remember to have fun and infuse your personality throughout the posts! Now go create some buzz!!!

So many social media experts recommend engaging with your audience, but there aren’t a lot of tips and tricks out there that teach you exactly how to do this.  Social media engagement isn’t some kind of secret that the world is keeping from you.  Social media engagement IS a measurement for how much your audience interacts with your content.  This is also something you can increase, and it will help you start to define and narrow down the types of posts that work well for your business.  It will also help you get more followers and increase the amount of business you get from online interactions.  

Tips for Increasing Social Media Engagement

There isn’t an exclusive list of engagement that can happen with your social media, especially since there are a variety of different platforms, tools, and options.  The idea is to increase the amount of interaction with your posts, your profile, messages, mentions and more.  You’ll want to increase the number of people who visit your page and click on buttons.  You’ll also want to increase interaction with your posts, how many people comment, like, and share them.  Lastly, you’ll want to work on interactions with other pages, for example how many times other people mention your page, or comment on those mentions.  

Step 1:  Analyze What?

The first step in increasing engagement is knowing how to monitor engagement.  Most social media networks allow you to view metrics and analytics.  Make sure you look at each of these pages and understand the information they’re telling you.  When you have a successful post, what made it successful?  Can you continue to make similar posts?  

Step 2:  Audience

You’ll also need to understand your audience.  When you first created your business, you had an ideal snapshot of who your ideal customer is, and you created a brand that appealed to them.  Stay on brand with your posts, and always keep your audience in mind.  This includes the content you create, as well as the best times to post on social media.  If you’re a B2B company, you’ll want to post on LinkedIn, and you’ll want to do it during the workday.  If own/operate a bar, you’ll want to post to Instagram, and you’ll want to do it later in the evening.  

Step 3:  What is “Engaging”

To put it simply, you want posts that are going to stand out, and make your ideal customer stop scrolling and look at your post.  The three most engaging types of social content are short videos, images, and live videos.  Customers also like authentic posts such as customer testimonials that highlight the product or service for the brand.  Check out your analytics to see which posts have already been successful, and continue to post these.  

Step 4:  Like, Comment, and Share!

When it comes to the phrase, “Don’t forget to like, comment, and share” it is time to recognize that this is over-used.  Instead of asking for people to advertise your business for you, create posts that they want to share.  See step 3 for more information…

Step 5:  Remember When to Post

You’ll want to figure out how many times during the week and what time during the day seems to work best for your audience.  Try a few posts at different times during the day and see which ones work best.  Many businesses will tell you that posting at least once a day, if not more, is best, but you don’t have to post on the weekend if your analytics tell you that no one pays attention to those posts.  

Tips and Tricks For Engagement

While you are setting up your account, posting, and watching your analytics, you’ll want to try a few different posts to see how they work.  Here are a few different types of posts that may inspire you and kick off more engagement with your audience.  

• Host a giveaway with another company
• Create a Flash Sale – with a message that creates “fear of missing out”
• Tell a story with a short video
• Connect with personal stories – if you’re a costume shop for dogs, show a photo of your doggo in an outfit!  
• Humor is always a great way to connect

Engage Every Day!

At Annek Marketing Group, our goal is to help businesses just like yours get more engagement and followers so that you can do more of what you do best.  We are here to help, regardless of whether you need tips, tricks and advice, or if you need someone to do it for you.  If you have a brand, we’re here to create the Buzz!  Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.