Socialight21

06/01/2022

Social Media 101: Make sure you don’t consume more than you create! 💯

04/25/2022

Here’s the SECRET SAUCE to making your Instagram Reels stand out and go Viral? 👇🏼

Reels have since become an indispensable tool for brands. Because Instagram wants Reels to work, they’ve become a super effective way to grow your account. Plus, the Reels format is showing advertisers a new way to advertise and sell on Instagram.

That being said, many business owners shy away from Instagram Reels because the process of learning this new content format seems daunting. It is a new space, but it’s easy to to learn.

Previously, we outlined a step by step process to creating reels. Now, let’s explore how to create engaging reels that have a better shot of making the explorer page!

The secret sauce that makes Instagram Reels stand out is finding the balance between authentic content, educational content, content that sells, and content that’s on-trend. Finding the right mix depends on your audience and requires a bit of trial and error.

Some tips to remember:

Authentic content:
Using Reels as a window into the day to day operations of your biz is a great way to connect and build relationships. Authentic content is all about staying true to your brand’s voice and values while giving your audience something they can relate to.

Introduce your team and story:
When you’re seeing a lot of new faces interacting with your brand’s page, it’s time to reintroduce yourself and your team. This is where you show your audience what your brand is all about.

Behind the scenes:
People love to see the behind-the-scenes of your business. It gives customers a better understanding of and appreciation for what it takes to make your business a success.

Be Entertaining:
Look for creative ways to make people smile. Draw them in with humor, talent, or fun videos like the ones we used here.

Educational content:
Tutorials is a way to entertain your audience while building a reputation as an authority within your niche.

Be You:
If you want to be a successful, growing brand on Instagram, posting original content to Instagram Reels is a must!

Reels are now also available on Facebook. Want to set yourself apart from your competition? It’s time to start creating!

👉🏼 Be sure to follow us on Instagram. If you need help with your social media strategy, message us today for a free consultation. 🙌🏼

04/22/2022

FIVE KEYS TO WRITING SCROLL-STOPPING CONTENT. 🛑

As a small business owner, written communication plays an essential role in connecting, establishing trust, attracting prospects and getting conversions.

Quality content also gives the opportunity to separate yourself from your competition!

Here are ✋🏼 of my best content writing tips:

1. Keep a journal of your thoughts, ideas, relevant quotes and stories. When looking for ideas to post, review your notes. This can help get the creative juices flowing.
2. Read and Research. The best writers are usually strong readers. Anytime I am struggling with ideas I start reading and researching. Soon after, an idea will come to me and the words start flowing.
3. Headlines Matter. Remember the headline is the most crucial part of your written content! IF you want your readers to stay on your page and read what follows, you must write a great, attention-grabbing headline. If they don’t understand what they can get from reading your post, they’ll just scroll on by.
4. Be A Human. Nobody wants to be “pitch slapped.” If every post is a sales pitch your audience will tune you out. Remember to talk to the people reading your content. Make them feel like you’re talking directly to them. Use the words “you/your” more than the word “we.” Hit on pain points they feel, and position your product/service/offering as the solution to their specific challenges.
5. Be Authentic. There is way to much imitation and not enough creation on social media. There is nothing wrong with borrowing an idea. Just make sure to add your own unique flavor to make it your own. Authenticity is the gateway to building true relationships.

I used to hate writing. It definitely wasn’t my strong suit in school. Over time, I have found it to be very therapeutic. It’s also helped me connect with my tribe and build a network around the world. Connecting and communication are two of the most important aspects of a successful social media strategy!

Did you find this article helpful? Be sure to comment and save it for future reference! 😊

04/21/2022

4 Ways Healthcare Professionals Can Deliver Engaging and Useful Social Media Content.

1-USE CONVERSATIONAL TONE

In the health market, there are many studies, research papers, and articles that may appeal to other doctors, but are probably too technical for the average reader. Your content shouldn’t read like a thesis, especially if your potential customers just want to figure out how to solve their personal health problems.

2-HUMANIZE YOUR PRACTICE

The healthcare industry is known for being sterile. That can be great when it comes to your waiting room and medical equipment, but not when it comes to your social media personality!

As a healthcare marketer, it’s important that you know how to use the various social media platforms and features to connect.

Share what motivates you to help others and inspiring stories about your practice. Stories tend to resonate with visitors and make your organization look human.

Show your practice’s personality by posting photos and videos of your staff. If the y dress up on holidays, share pictures of the experience. Humanizing your office will go a long way in creating positive brand awareness.

3-USE HASHTAGS WISELY

Don’t add a hashtag just for the sake of having one. Hashtags are a way to build a community of like-minded people and to bring awareness to certain topics. Make sure the hashtags you use are relevant to your post.

Creating a memorable hashtag, unique to your healthcare organization, will help you advertise specific content and make it easier to find you.

4-MAKE SURE YOUR POSTS PROMOTE ENGAGEMENT

Engaging with your following is a great way to let your patients and your community know you value them. Responding to comments and asking open-ended questions helps develop a relationships of trust.

Content marketing is essential for a successful social media strategy. Quality content is the cornerstone of your social media. If your captions are boring, (stats, medical lingo) or your images are always about your equipment, it’s unlikely your followers will stop scrolling their feed and engage with your post. Mix it up, be creative and most importantly be authentic!

04/20/2022

📲 HOW TO CREATE AN INSTAGRAM REEL AND CUSTOM REEL COVER.

Log into your Instagram Account, and click on the + Symbol at the top left of your screen.

Once this opens you’ll have options to Create new Feed Post, Story, Story Highlight, IGTV Video, or Reel. Click on Reel.

You’ll then be presented with the Reels editing menu, which includes:

- Audio: The ability to add music to Reels. Note that his is not available on all business accounts.

- Speed: A tool to increase or decrease sections of the video.

- Effects: Augmented Reality (AR) Filters, just like the Instagram Stories effects.

- Timer: Used to set the duration, and also record clips hands-free.
In addition there is also an Alignment tool that provides a ghosting effect of your previous clip to perfectly align your next clips transition.

👉🏼 Get inspired! Check out Reels made by other creators to get ideas, and experiment with different speeds, transitions and music. Record your 30-60 second clip, and then click on the arrow facing right at the bottom corner to confirm you’re ready to post.

At the ‘Share’ stage, you’ll have the option to click on ‘Cover’ to select a frame from your Reels video. Underneath this option, you’ll also find ‘+ Add from Gallery‘, which is the option you will require to choose an image, or graphic created, to add to your Reel.

*Note: At the time of publishing, Instagram Reels don’t allow you to change the cover once you have posted your Reel, so it’s important to get that stand out design created prior to this stage!

04/11/2022

Investing once won’t make you rich. Investing consistently will. 💯

Excercising once won’t make you fit. Excercising consistently will. 💯

Reading once won’t make you smart. Reading consistently will. 💯

Posting a few times a week, without a solid social media strategy, won’t won’t produce solid results. Posting consistently and following a blueprint will. 💯

Consistency is the key to getting whatever you want. 💪🏼

04/08/2022

To my fellow entrepreneurs: No matter how small your business may be right now, be proud! You’re building your dream and that’s worth celebrating. ❤️

We believe in you! 😊

03/28/2022

Timing is everything!

…. Or is it?

Yes, there are “guidelines” worth considering when posting. For example, as a general rule of thumb, Friday night probably isn’t the best time to get the most engagement from your following.

When it comes to your social media strategy, you want to always improve the odds in your favor.

These infographics will help you better understand your favorite platforms best and worst times to post. (Generally speaking.)

👉🏼 Be sure to save this post for future reference.

With that being said, your audience may engage differently. You’re niche might demand more weekend content, evening content, etc. Fine tuning is part of the process when developing your social media blue print.

The best way to find out when your engagement rates will be the highest is hold ol fashion trial and error.

Experiment with it. You might be surprised to wake up to tons of engagement on that late night post. You might also discover your post stood out or made the explorer page because there was less competition in your niche.

It’s definitely a process of discovery, monitoring, measuring, tracking and fine tuning.

It should also be noted, consistent quality and value will eat timings lunch any day of the week! 💯

If you are a small business owner, drop a double tap and follow for more social media biz tips!

03/23/2022

STOP DOING THIS! 🛑

They say imitation is the ultimate form of flattery. Unfortunately, it can also damage your reputation and drastically limit your reach and unique presence on social media.

In the world of trending reels, and easily accessible content, imitation is ay an all time high.

🚨 Note: there is a big difference between innovation and imitation!

Copycats and cheap imitators are everywhere online!

Just because the internet has made it easy to stock your competition, doesn’t mean you should do everything they do!

For starters, you were born to stand out. You, Your business, your political campaign, etc. has a story. There was a reason why you started this journey. You’ve also been through a lot to get to where you are today!

👉🏼 Share more of this! Authenticity is the key to building true relationships online.

Personally, I have found copying others limits my inspiration. When you copy someone you are not asking the questions that are relevant to your future possibilities.

Your customers and or followers can also smell disingenuous content a mile away. The wording used, the imagery, etc. often feels forced or doesn’t match your brand voice.

To be clear, there is nothing wrong with getting ideas from others in your craft. Inspiration is a good thing!

Just remember to be yourself. 🙌🏼 Unleashing YOU, Your unique brand, etc. on social media can change the world. At the very least, the right people will start paying attention.

One thing is for certain, following people, and copying what they do, will always leave you one step behind!

👉🏼 When you give up trying trying to fit in, people will desire to follow (and perhaps even imitate) YOU! ✨

03/21/2022

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬?
A social media strategy encapsulates everything you want to do and achieve on social media. It details what you’ll post, the platforms you’ll use, and defines measurable goals that will support your specific business needs.

Smart social media strategies for small businesses can increase brand awareness, build your audience and increase revenue. However, this growth won’t happen overnight. It requires a consistent and strategic approach.

How to Create a Social Media Strategy for Small Businesses:

1. Define your audience.
2. Identify the Right Social Media Platforms.
3. Define Your Brand Voice.
4. Create and Manage Your Posts.
5. Track and Measure Your Goals.
6. Engage.

Let’s touch on each of these briefly:

𝟏. 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: This includes defining and understanding your target market; their age, geographic area, needs, wants, interests and pain points. The more specific the better. The more you know about your audience, the easier it is to choose which platforms, groups, pages and the content you share.

𝟐. 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬: Once you clearly understand who your target market is, it’s time to choose which platforms are best for reaching them. We recommend choosing two platforms to start with. It’s better to manage two platforms well, rather than being on 4-5 platforms and being inconsistent.

𝟑. 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞: Your brand voice is your business personality. Is your style funny, serious, informative or professional? What do you want your tone to be on your pages?

𝟒. 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬: Content comes from many different sources of inspiration. Put yourself in the shoes of your perfect fan, follower or customer. What would add value in their life? What would they deem interesting or informative?

TIP: Keep a folder on your phone/computer with images, quotes or articles you can use at a later date. Save interesting posts you can go back and review to help spark new ideas. Keep a note log with content ideas that you can draw on later. The most important thing to remember, when creating content, is value establishes trust. Trust drives revenue. Asking “how can I be of value to my community” is a great place to start.

𝟓. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞: What is tracked can also be measured. What can be measured can also be improved. You might want to start with how many followers you have month after month. What is your average engagement for each post, monthly? What kind of exposures and interactions are you getting on stories, reels, posts, videos, etc? This will help you hone in your content based on your following.

𝟔. 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐲:The more you interact with others, especially those who represent your target demographic, the more they will reciprocate. It’s always a good idea to engage for 10-15 mins on others posts before you share your content. Get in the habit of doing this a minimum of 1-2x daily.

Most importantly, give it time. You can’t but engagement, you have you have to earn it. This comes from providing quality content, being consistent, utilizing the different tools and resources each platform provides. When done properly you will not only build brand awareness through new followers, you will create brand loyalty which is the ultimate goal of any small business owner.

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲? 𝐖𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩! 𝐃𝐌 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬’𝐬.

03/19/2022

📲 A large social media presence is important because it is one of the last important ways to conduct cost-effective marketing. Everything else involves buying eyeballs and ears. Social media enables a small business to earn eyeballs and ears.

03/17/2022

Seven Ways to Market Your Business on St. Patrick’s Day. 🇮🇪

St. Patrick’s Day is one of several holidays (including Valentine’s Day and Halloween) that has gotten a lot bigger in recent years. Aside from parades, people are going out, dressing up, holding their own theme parties, and even buying each other gifts.

It’s also expanded beyond the original theme of a strictly Irish or religious holiday. It’s now a day people use as an excuse to socialize and have a good time. As such, St. Patrick’s Day also presents your business with many marketing opportunities. With so many people looking for ways to celebrate, there’s no reason why you can’t turn this into a profitable day for your business.

Here are some tips on how to incorporate St. Patrick's Day into your social media marketing efforts.

1. Create a Special Product, Service, or Promotion for St. Patrick’s Day. 🍀

Think of a way to create a promotion and advertise it on your website and social media pages. This is straightforward if you have a restaurant, bar, club, or coffee shop, as you can create dishes, beverages, and desserts with a St. Patrick’s Day theme.

But no matter what it is you sell, you can offer people a special coupon or promotion. You don’t have to limit your promotion to one day (this year the holiday falls on Saturday, March 17, 2018) - make it for the whole weekend, if not for an entire week.

You might also combine your St. Patrick’s Day promotion with the beginning of spring, which comes up only a few days later.

2. Send Out Emails with a Holiday Theme. 📧

If you have an email list, don’t overlook this opportunity to incorporate St. Patrick’s Day into your messages or newsletter.

You might include colorful images, such as a leprechaun or four-leaf clover. Think of a way to tie your message to the holiday, perhaps with some history, a recipe, or party tips.

Email is an effective tool to publicize any promotions you’re doing - whether in a store, on your website, or on your social media pages. But as with any email, remember to include a strong call-to-action at the end.

3. Hold A Social Media Contest. 🤔

No matter what type of business you have, you can invite your followers to send in photos, memes, or videos with a St. Patrick’s Day theme.

You can award a prize such as a coupon or a gift. Use your imagination to come up with a fun idea for a contest.

Facebook contests are good for getting people to send in photos of their favorite costumes, locations, foods, or anything relevant to the theme.

4. Provide Safety And Public Service Tips. ⚠️

St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday that’s often associated with drinking alcohol. As society is now more aware of problems such as DWI, it’s always good to remind people to stay safe and not drink and drive.

If you have a local business, you might provide information about transportation alternatives in your area. Safety tips can be included among your other blog posts or social media messages during this holiday.

5. Broadcast Live On St. Patrick’s Day. 🎥

Live video has really been taking off over the last few years, and broadcasting a live stream video from your business on St. Patrick’s Day could be a great way to get people to visit your store, online business, and or website.

If you have a physical location, make sure you take the time to decorate it and create a festive atmosphere. But even if your business is web-based, you can broadcast from your home office or maybe near your local St. Patrick’s Day parade.

You can use this opportunity to mention any promotions you’re running - one of the biggest benefits, though, is to use live video to engage with your customers. On platforms like Facebook Live, you can talk to people and answer questions.

6. Make a festive St Patty’s Day Reel. 🍀

Reels are hot right now. Because they are getting a priority on the major platforms, you can leverage the holiday to create a fun real that has the potential of going viral, garnering you with many more followers.

7. Don’t forget to wear green in your pics, images, lives and videos. Have fun with it and enjoy the spirit of the holiday. Besides, you def don’t want to get pinched today! 💚💚💚

As St. Patrick’s Day joins the ranks of other popular festive holidays, think of as many ways as possible to tie it in with your business. In addition to the above tips, remember to add some extra green and appropriate decorations to your website and social media posts and pages.

P.S.
If you enjoyed this post let us know by dropping us some shamrocks below! 🍀🍀🍀

Happy St. Paddy’s Day!-

Times are changing. There’s more to social media marketing than posting on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram a few times a day. If you want to build your brand, engage your prospects, and increase sales, it takes time and work. You need to stand out from a plethora of competitors, social media noise,...