Digital Marketing from the Trenches Live at the Hive

Digital Marketing from the Trenches Live at the Hive

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Digital Marketing from the Trenches Live at the Hive episodes

  • How To Use Reels and Stories To Grow Your Business
    As a business owner, you probably know by now that video content and video marketing are compelling ways for your business to grow for free online.

    But what if video creation has never really been your jam?

    Well, you're in luck because TikTok and Instagram are here. With 2021 expected to be the year of video marketing, they are the top contender for social media marketing.

    It's no secret that TikTok and Instagram Reels are popular! But Why?

    That's because the tap-friendly, timely nature of Stories and Reels makes them so appealing to your followers.

    But if you're struggling to make sense of these features. Or wondering how can you, as a brand, use it in your marketing arsenal? We have the answers to all your questions!

    But before that...
    What's New?
    What's new in Marketing?

    Instagram Adds New Text-to-Speech and Voice Effect Options in Reels - Instagram is once again adding more TikTok-inspired features into its app, with the addition of a new 'Text to Speech option in Reels clips.

    Facebook Announces New Groups Tools at Its 2021 Communities Summit - Group admins from across the platform to help them connect, share insights, and learn about upcoming features to help improve group engagement.

    Social/Influencer marketing channels will grow in 2022, on-premise digital signage bounces back - Social media and influencer marketing are expected to play more significant roles in marketing plans as part of a pandemic.

    Walmart to use AR, shoppable content to connect brands with consumers - Walmart is launching a "Joy. Fully" campaign featuring shoppable live streams, shoppable content, and, through a partnership with Facebook.

    Porch Cameras and Facebook Groups Are Turning Streets into the Surveillance States - Facebook announced it was testing a hyperlocal Neighborhoods feature, formalizing—maybe entrenching—what was thus far impromptu and user-driven.

    Make the Most of Your Shop on Facebook and Instagram for the Holidays - Meta is looking to help businesses make the most of their opportunities on this front by sharing tips on utilizing Facebook and Instagram Shops to reach engaged shoppers in the period.

    0 min
  • The Importance of Social Media to Boost Sales This Holiday Season
    The 2021 Holiday Season is ramping up, with Black Friday just a few short weeks away. Now is the time to start putting your holiday strategies into action.

    Starting with building an engaged community.

    Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are two powerful social media channels to consider.

    Between TikTok's brand discovery engine and new Instagram features that make in-app shopping seamless, both should be part of your marketing efforts this holiday season.
    What's new?
    What's new in Marketing?
    TikTok videos boost sales, exposure for small eastern Ontario businesses - Eastern Ontario business owners say they've seen sales skyrocket in recent months after turning to TikTok for promotion, where marketing videos go viral.
    Facebook skirts Apple's App Store fees with custom subscription links for creators - Creators will soon be able to share custom web links directing their fans to pay them for subscriptions using Facebook's native payments system.
    Google My Business, now known as Google Business Profile  - Google Business Profile will be the new name going forward for Google My Business to "keep things simple"
    Meta, formerly Facebook, is reportedly planning retail stores as it pushes into the metaverse - Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is reportedly planning physical stores to showcase virtual reality headsets as it moves into the metaverse.
    Facebook Abandons Facial Recognition -  Facebook has announced that it's shutting down its facial recognition program and that it will also delete all of its facial recognition files.
    Pinterest Announces 'Pinterest TV' Shoppable Live-Stream Series - Pinterest is looking to lean into the rising live-stream commerce trend, which has already gained huge traction in China

    What's Working?
    Social media can play a big role in your sales techniques, especially with TikTok and Instagram.

    This Holiday Season, you want to ensure you’re effectively using these platforms to the best of their abilities.



    Let’s show you what you can do!
    Tips To Increase Holiday Season Sales
    During the holiday season, social media comes alive with festive content. Here’s what you can do:

    Build an engaged community.
    Showcase your brand’s story.
    Create unique, personalized content. 
    Start livestreaming & collaborating.
    Offer gift guides and helpful buyer tips! 


    Using TikTok to Increase Sales This Holiday Season
    TikTok is a massive discovery engine where there is something for everyone!

    TikTokers love to shop, share their thoughts on recent purchases, and discuss the online consumer experience.

    0 min
  • Kicking Off the Holiday Season With Winning Black Friday Strategies
    Right about now, consumers are making their holiday shopping lists, checking them twice, and gearing up for holiday sales.

    The busiest shopping time of the year is just around the corner.

    And this year, it's only expected to be busier than ever.

    As a small business, you may be wondering how you can compete for attention and make those sales.

    But before we kick off, let's take a look on;
    What's new?
    What's new in marketing?

    Instagram Makes Links in Stories Available to All Accounts - Instagram has announced that links are now being made available in Instagram Stories for all users, not just those with 10k followers or verified accounts.

    In the middle of a crisis, Facebook Inc. renames itself Meta - Facebook Inc. is now called Meta Platforms Inc., or Meta for short, to reflect what CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday is its commitment to developing the new surround-yourself technology known as the "metaverse."

    Twitter Launches Spaces Recording Option to Some Hosts - Twitter looks to make Spaces a bigger element of the in-app experience; it's now rolling out a critical update that could help to take it to the next level.

    Facebook outlines a multi-year plan to rebuild targeting systems as growth slows - Facebook is spinning off its Reality Labs unit focused on augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) hardware as a separate reporting segment starting in the fourth quarter.

    Instagram Will Enable Users to Upload Photos and Videos via Desktop from This Week - Instagram has announced that it's adding an image and video posting functionality from the desktop version of the platform as of October 21st
    What's working?
    We're about to enter the Holiday Rush.

    As a small business, you want to compete and make the experience enjoyable for you and your customers.



    What can you do?

    Well, let’s show you!
    Black Friday Strategies: How Do Small Businesses Compete? 


    Competing with big companies is a challenge. Here are some strategies to get your small business out there:

    Email Automation: It saves you and the customer a great amount of time by eliminating the manual process of sending emails.
    For example, when someone visits a site, they are automatically added to a marketing database and categorized based on their interests, location, and behaviours.
    Increase your digital presence: By using social media platforms, you can increase your reach. Show off snackable content of your product in short videos on TikTok and Instagram.
    0 min
  • Content Marketing – Blogging For Growth
    So you've invested in content creation, realizing that content creates relationships and customers when done correctly. Fantastic! 

    After all of that hard work and investment, you may have some burning questions...

    Will anyone read it? 

    How will interested and engaged people find it?

    How do we measure effectiveness? 

    Just like everything in life, nuances lead to achieving goals. 

    In this case, there's much more to content that creates customers than great copywriting alone. 
    What's new?
    Pinterest gets more TikTok-like with a 'Watch' tab for videos, announces $20 million in creator rewards  - The company revealed its latest efforts on this front, which include more Snapchat and TikTok-inspired features, including a vertical video feed and plans to invest $20 million in “Creator Rewards.
    Facebook is planning to rebrand the company with a new name - Facebook is planning to change its company name next week to reflect its focus on building the metaverse, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter.
    TikTok soars and global social media users hit 4.5 billion - The social media users have passed the 4.5 billion mark, but there are also big new numbers for internet users in China, TikTok’s active user base.
    TikTok Shares New Insights into Why People Use the App, and How it Celebrates Authenticity - TikTok has sought to determine with its latest study, partnering with Nielsen to glean more insight into how TikTok makes users feel, and what truly differentiates the app from the competition.

    What's working?
    You can’t just write a blog post, press publish, and sit back and watch as people start coming to your site.

    You must take a systematic approach that combines marketing and outreach efforts.



    Let’s get into it.
    Defining Your Niche & Blog Style
    First things first: What are you writing about?

    Ask yourself:

    What do you want to teach?
    What leverage do you have?
    How can you provide value?
    What is your desired blog style? 

    When choosing your topic, get specific and stick to it!



    Choose a blog style that makes sense.


    For example, if you’re writing a recipe post, include lists and step-by-step guides. 
    Writing a Magnetic Headline
    Your headline will be the first thing that catches the reader’s attention,
    so it has to be captivating.



    Here are 3 Ways You Can Make a Magnetic Headline: (See what we did there?)

    * Use Numbers - (Ex. "Top 5 things you need to know about owning a dog”)
    Our brains like to organize information, and using smaller numbers is easier to digest.
    * Use Rationales - Give people a good reason to read your content. Offer tips, lessons, ways, facts, and strategies to pull them in.
    * Call for Attention - Readers attention spans are short-term so consider these options:

    Make the headline unique
    Be direct/specific
    0 min
  • Why You Need a Paid and Organic Marketing Plan
    Celebrate the 200th Episode of Live at the Hive with us as we dive into the power of combining your paid and organic marketing channels, including how to track their performance,

    So you can optimize for the most conversions.

    But before that, let discuss:
    What's New?
    What's new in Marketing?
    Google's saying bye to last-click attribution - Google is replacing last-click attribution as the default setting for advertisers measuring campaigns across search, shopping, display, and YouTube ads with data-driven attribution.




    Halloween for Brands: All Treats, No Tricks - Halloween is a time for creativity to run wild, and that makes the holiday a perfect fit for TikTok because getting creative and having fun
    Instagram Adds Live-Stream Scheduling to Drive More Awareness and Viewers -  Instagram has added a new option to schedule upcoming IG Live broadcasts in the app with users then tap through to get a reminder notification on the day of the broadcast.
    Facebook Will Now Count Unconnected Facebook and Instagram Accounts Separately in Ad Reach Data- The Social Network has announced that it will begin counting people who've not connected their Facebook and Instagram accounts in its Accounts Center as separate entities for ad purposes.
    Launching Reels on Facebook in the US- Bringing short form, entertaining video experiences and tools that have inspired creators on Instagram to more creators and audiences on the Facebook app
    Twitter Tests Ads in Tweet Replies, Which Could Provide New Opportunities for Brands and Creators - Twitter's looking to expand its ad inventory with a new placement option within the reply threads of tweets.

    What's working?
    Like coffee and cream.

    Fall and pumpkin spice.

    Movies and popcorn. 

    When combined, organic and paid marketing efforts will produce better results for your business.





     



    But the key to your success will be tracking all of those channels accurately from the first touch to final purchase with the correct attribution model. 

    Let's get started! 
    Organic and Paid - They're Better Together


    If you're doing one without the other, you're missing half of your strategy. 

    Organic needs the impressions and reach that paid advertising provides to grow your audience and engagement.

    Paid advertising can reach new people, but high-quality organic content needs to make them care and convert.



    The Benefits of Paid and Organic
    When you use paid and organic channels together, you strengthen brand recognition, increase the number of potential touchpoints for a prospect, improve your reach, and build larger audiences. 
    0 min
  • Designing for Users – A User-Centric Approach
    Designing for your brand or business has evolved. 

    The focus used to be on esthetics, and now the design has turned into an iterative process focused on the customer journey. 

    By understanding the path to purchase and various touchpoints throughout, we can design with the intention to make it easier for users.
    What's new?
    What's new in Marketing?
    Instagram Retires IGTV Brand, Merges Video Feed Posts into a Single Format - Instagram has made it official, with the merging of its long-form IGTV offering into a more general ‘Instagram Video’ format, meaning the end of separate IGTV branding - and ideally, a more streamlined Instagram experience.
    Why Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp All Went Down Today - A FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, WhatsApp, and Oculus outage knocked every corner of Mark Zuckerberg’s empire offline on Monday that can most charitably be described as “thorough” and seems likely to prove particularly tough to fix.
    Facebook whistleblower says the company has overcharged advertisers - Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen has turned over documents that reportedly show the company knows about (and downplays) its role in human trafficking, perpetuating misinformation, and spurring serious mental-health concerns among teenagers.

    What's Working?
    Every consumer has a story. Every story has a journey. That journey details the joys and pains that each of your customers experiences when interacting with your brand.



     

    You need to understand how these interactions connect, overlap, and influence the customer experience.

    Let’s begin!
    The Importance of User-Centric Design
    User-Centric Design is important because it improves the user experience.

    It is an iterative process whereby the design is constantly testing, learning and optimizing to ensure the path to purchase or conversion is easy for the end-user.



    Tailoring the design towards the user through involvement makes it easier to understand and engage with your product.
    Design Impacts Users
    Creating with your user in mind requires research, strategies, and a willingness to adapt. 

    Before you design, identify:

    Who is using your product?
    What are they using it for?
    Why do they need your product? 
    What solutions can you offer?



    Create highly usable products that are easy to navigate and leave users with no unanswered questions.


    Define your end-point and develop strategies that work towards it. 
    Understanding Your Customer
    You can define your user through the process of User Personas.

    The designers need to understand:

    Who the user is
    What goal they are trying to achieve
    Any blockades between them and their goal



    When you define your user, you can focus on their genuine needs and avoid the development of unnecessary features and products.

    Surveys are a great way to identify users and understand their motives and interests.
    Understanding the User Journey
    46 min
  • 5 Reasons Your Business Needs To Be On TikTok
    Did you know there are 689 million monthly active users on TikTok?

    What started as a Gen Z-dominated lip-syncing app quickly became a global hub for businesses to connect with their customers.

    The platform sports features similar to Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter meshed together to suck people in and keep them scrolling for more.

    TikTok is booming, and there is no way to ignore it.
    What's New?
    What's new in Marketing?

    TikTok Shopping expands with more partnerships, LIVE Shopping, new ads, and more - TikTok is increasing its investment in e-commerce, began piloting TikTok Shopping in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, in partnership with Shopify.

    Snapchat Launches New Holiday Trends Guide to Assist with Your Strategic Planning - Snapchat highlights key trends of note heading into the season, underlining the importance of digital marketing in your process.

    Facebook Outlines Impacts of Apple's Data Tracking Update, Provides Tips on How Brands Can Improve Ad Performance - It seems like Apple's controversial App Tracking Transparency (ATT) update is causing significant impacts on Facebook.

    Facebook's First Big Investment into the Metaverse and What it Means for the Future of the Company - Facebook has taken its next steps into the expanding Metaverse concept, announcing a new $50 million investment into research programs.

    LinkedIn Shares New Research into Effective and Ineffective, Thought Leadership Approaches - LinkedIn has published its 2021 B2B Thought Leadership Impact Study, created with Edelman.
    What's Working?
    Are you wondering if TikTok is right for your business?




    Let us give you 5 Reasons why your business needs to be on TikTok?
    TikTok Overview
    Why use TikTok?

    TikTok is a go-to platform for users to explore their creative freedom because it’s free and easy to get started!



    Creating content on TikTok can ensure that you stay relevant and up to date with the latest trends.

    From a business perspective, it’s a great way to get snackable content out to viewers and gain traction on your product or brand.
    Myths of TikTok 
    There is a misconception that TikTok is only for younger audiences and influencers who participate in dance trends and viral challenges. 



    While we fully support you and TikTok dances, the platform can bring a considerable amount of success to small and large businesses. 
    TikTok - By The Numbers
    TikTok 
    0 min
  • How to Implement a Successful Marketing Funnel – Putting the Fun Back in Funnel
    Every business owner knows the pains of just missing a sale, but the real question here is, what made the prospect drop out at the last minute.

    And, how do you ensure that this doesn't keep happening?

    The answer is quite simple: You create a marketing funnel that works.

    Let us show you how to implement a successful marketing funnel?
    What's new?
    What's new in Marketing?

    An Apple (update) a day keeps the marketers away: iOS 15 spurs more privacy changes - A slew of privacy updates that Apple announced in June at its annual developer conference is officially kicking in, thanks to iOS 15!

    Shopify Reportedly Surpasses Amazon In Online Traffic, Heating Up Race Between The E-Commerce Firms - Shopify has reportedly beaten Amazon in a notable metric, online traffic, according to data reviewed by Business Insider.

    TikTok Outlines Rising Opportunities for eCommerce and the Unique Potential for Brands in the App - As part of its ongoing growth and pushes to implement more monetization opportunities, TikTok has been increasingly leaning into eCommerce.

    LinkedIn Launches Updated Lead Generation Forms Integration for Zapier, Providing New Automation Opportunities - LinkedIn has made collecting audience data a little easier by launching a new Event Registration trigger in the Lead Generation Forms integration for Zapier.
    What's Working?
    To ensure that your business does not lose any prospects, creating a marketing funnel that works is important.

     



    Today, we'll discuss the importance of a marketing funnel and implementing a successful marketing funnel.
    What is a Marketing Funnel?
    A marketing funnel is a step-by-step process of a customer engaging with your business or product.

    Like a bee attracted to honey, they notice your product or service, and their interest leads them through your marketing funnel.



    It’s up to you to keep them engaged and nurture transactions.

    Once that happens, you want to maintain their loyalty and have them return and spread the word about your service. 
    Importance of a Marketing Funnel 
    Here are a few reasons why your business needs a funnel:

    * Customers ultimately pay us to move them from an undesirable “before state” to a desirable “after state.”
    * Well-crafted funnels show your audience that they need your product or service.
    * Instead of making a single sale, funnels will create return customers with lifetime value.
    * Funnels are ongoing stories with a beginning, middle, and end. Stories build relationships.
    * Funnels enable your customer relationships to develop naturally.
    1 hr 11 min
  • Using Email to Attract, Engage and Retain Customers
    Did you know that 99% of consumers check their email every day, and it is by far the preferred method to receive updates from brands?

    Not to mention that 73% of millennials prefer email communications from businesses, proving that email is far from dead.


    Let us show you how to do just that by Using Email to Attract, Engage and Retain Customers.
    What's New?
    What is new in Marketing?
    YouTube Launches First Podcast, Exploring How Online Creators Have Found Success -  YouTube has launched its first-ever podcast called ‘The Upload: The Rise of the Creator Economy’.
    Google: Generating Titles for Web Page Results - Google shares more information on how it generates titles for web page results
    Pinterest Tests New Full-Screen, Vertical Scrolling Feed for Pin Discovery - It seems that Pinterest is the latest social media app looking to lean into the TikTok-inspired trend of a scrolling, vertical feed of content
    Google Adds More Automation Options to Display Ads as it Seeks to Counter Data Gathering Restrictions - Google's looking to help advertisers maximize their ad results.

    What's Working?
    While some marketing trends come and go, email remains to be one of the most vibrant and powerful channels available. 



     

    Today we’ll discuss the importance of email marketing, and how to create a captivating and personalized experience for your subscribers. 
    Email Is Not Dead
    Although it’s one of the oldest forms of digital communication, email still outshines when it comes to usage. 

    With over 2 billion users, it is important to recognize the benefits that email can bring you. 

    With email marketing, you own the connections - you don’t have to worry about changes in algorithms affecting your reach. 

    Focus on strategies that will help you create captivating emails that people actually want to open. 


    The Importance of Retention
    Keeping clients happy so that they will return or even refer your business is the main goal.

    First impressions mean a lot to a client. You want to keep things simple and friendly so they will return. 

    You can also reward customer loyalty with incentives.

    Surveys are also a great way to keep people engaged with your product.


    Consistency & Structure
    Consistent email marketing keeps communication with customers open.

    Over time, consistent emails will nurture and build relationships with your email list.

    It keeps your company fresh in the minds of consumers.



    When creating an email, these general components can be found:

    Subject line: What the reader sees in their inbox. Make sure it’s not too long and not spammy.
    Salutation: Directly addresses the person you’re sending the email to.
    Introduction: Introduce the context of the email.
    Body: This section explains the main message of the email.
    Closing: Your email closing should be formal,
    0 min
  • 5 Effective Content Distribution Plays
    You've probably heard that "content is king" again and again, but if your audience isn't seeing the content you produce, is the effort worth it?

    How you distribute and share your content is equally important as the content you create?

    With nearly 4 million blog posts published each day, you're competing with several other content sources to grab your reader's attention.

    Let's dive into discussing 5 Effective Content Distribution Plays.
    What's New?
    What is new in Marketing?

    Twitter Commerce is Coming, with its Various Shopping Experiments Closing in on the Next Stage - Twitter is developing a range of new shopping tools that'll eventually provide direct, in-stream product listings tied to business profiles in the app.

    Facebook Unveils $299 Smart Glasses, its First Step Towards AR Wearables - Get first look at The Social Network's New Smart glasses, made in partnership with Ray-Ban, which comes in a range of fashionable styles.

    Facebook Publishes New Guide to Testing Ad Creative and Optimizing Response - Facebook has published a new guidebook to 'Creative Prototyping,' which provides a range of notes to help advertisers test and optimize their ad creative.

    TikTok reportedly overtakes YouTube in US average watch time - TikTok's users now spend more time each month watching content than YouTube users.
    What's Working?
    Content creation is useless if you don't have a plan to distribute it.



    That’s why we’re discussing effective content distribution plays so you can put out quality content and reach the right people.
    Content Distribution vs. Content Development
    We can’t have one without the other.

    Content Distribution involves the tactics used to distribute created content.

    You have to start by understanding your audience by developing content that provides value and then distributing it using effective tactics.

    Constantly be analyzing the results to learn and further optimize the content you produce.


    Why Should You Distribute Your Content?
    Your amazing content is a waste of time if no one is consuming it.

    Distribution is the key to:

    Boosting your brand awareness.
    Collecting loyal followers.
    Encouraging your readers to click, act, and become customers.


    Our Five Plays
    Now that we know how important it is to distribute content let’s talk about the various platforms to gain maximum engagement and exposure.  



    Familiarize yourself with these platforms so that you can get the most mileage out of your content.
    Tweetstorm
    A Tweetstorm is a series of related tweets posted by a Twitter user in quick succession.

    By tweeting frequently,
    46 min

About Digital Marketing from the Trenches Live at the Hive

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to Digital Marketing from the Trenches, the Weekly Podcast, Facebook Live, Twitter Live, Twitch, and YouTube Digital Marketing Livestream from the team at Honeypot Marketing. Join us every…