How can I make Social Media work for me?

A few days ago I came across this image explaining the social media landscape in the most simplest terms and I believe that this is one of the best written. (Click image to enlarge)
Sure there are other social media platforms but in terms of business, these six are the most popular.

As highlighted previously on the Jarvis Blog social media allows businesses to talk to their target audience in a social setting and is a a key part of the modern marketing mix. However, many businesses are still very unsure as to where social media fits into their larger marketing strategy and are sometimes loosing sight of the real reason social media exists.

One can argue that the earliest inkling of social media started in online chatrooms and Instant Messenger (Eg. MSN). In 2002 the social networking site, Friendster was opened to the US public and grew to around 3 million users. In 2003, MySpace was created as a way for individuals to share updates and photos, and LinkedIn was also launched as a business-orientated social networking site. We then saw the launch of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and Google+.

So why does social media exist?
Think about the primary reason YOU use social media.
Social media is initially used by individuals to connect with friends and family, share updates, photos, videos and opinions. The secondary function of social media is for individuals to connect with businesses.

How does social media fit into my larger marketing strategy?
Social media should be seen as a supporting channel to your existing marketing efforts and strategy. Depending on your industry and level of spend on advertising and promotion, the level of support will be different.

At Jarvis we like to say, ‘You can’t be all things to all people’ and the same goes with social media. Pick and choose which social media platforms will work best for your business and your goals. Don’t try and be on all social media platforms just because you think you need to be – it wont work.

Social media is part reactionary and part planning. Just like advertising and any other business efforts, it is important to have a strategy in place to create goals and objectives, measure your success, an editorial calendar to plan your time efficiently and maintain consistency. It is also a good idea to research what others in your sector are doing.

Creating great content and driving traffic back to your website is going to remain the number #1 way to generate new leads. Publishing content that is interesting, engaging and informative is a great way to stay in the minds of your target audience. The main aim of your social media content is for it to encourage public engagement and to keep your business top of mind when they are on the path to purchase.

When thinking about content for your social media accounts have a think about yourself and others.. if a page you are following posted this would you like it? would you find it annoying? spammy? If you wouldn’t like it, then it probably wouldn’t be appropriate. The way the public engages with Facebook is completely different to Twitter, Pinterest is completely different to Instagram so why should the messages be the same on each platform? I discourage the program HooteSuite as I believe that each social media platform has different ways of communicating with their audiences. Tailor your messages to suit and make sure the message is short, sharp and shiny! No one reads a paragraph Facebook status!

From a public relations perspective, a big social media no-no is forgetting about, failing to respond, deleting or ignoring negative comments. See these instances as an opportunity to turn an unhappy customer into a happy one.

If you think you need a professional social media/digital strategy or just want ask a few questions, contact us! We are the pros! 🙂

Article By Mel Elsdon

For more information about Jarvis, our work and team – please visit jarvismarketing.com.au

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Make your emails work harder

Email is a beneficial and cost effective marketing tool – but what makes an email campaign effective?

Think about the amount of emails you receive per day and each of their content. What makes you read some and discard others?
The two most important components to consider in an email campaign is relevancy and segmenting your list to target your content accordingly.

Compelling Content
Relevant and captivating content is one of the most important ways to make your email campaign effective and keep your customers interested and engaged.No one wants to stay subscribed to boring and irrelevant email blasts! With so many ways to find out information especially on the internet and an average online consumer spending around 51 seconds scanning over your newsletter; engaging and relevant content and the way in which you deliver this, could make all the difference.

Target Effectively
Instead of sending one generic newseltter to your entire target list, break your readers into smaller segments with similar interests and buying behaviours to tailor content to best meet their needs.For Example: You own a local shop and have started selling your goods online. If you segment your email subscriptions into two groups – local customers and online/interstate customers – you can send updates on your local store including sales and events to your local customers and information regarding online discounts and free shipping to the other. This keeps your content relevant and informative.

By Jo Marshall

For more information about Jarvis, our work and team – please visit jarvismarketing.com.au

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Facebook gets a facelift

Amid speculation that Facebook is heading towards the same fate as the old Myspace and less than 24 hours after Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg promised more standalone apps in 2014; the company announced the launch of Facebook Paper.

Facebook Paper is the first app from Facebook Creative Labs, set up last year, which allows small teams within Facebook to create stand alone apps rather than trying to cram more and more things into the current Facebook App.

Paper is more than one of Facebook’s standard and sometimes annoying updates, it’s essentially a brand new, completely redesigned and reimagined app. Gone is the vertical scrolling feed which we have become accustomed to on Facebook and Twitter, now replaced with an immersive horizontal scrolling set of screens. At first glance Facebook Paper has a similar look to that of Flipboard which also utilizes a large tile like interface with horizontal scrolling.

There’s no doubt it’s a much more visually attractive interface but it’s not just the look and navigation style that has changed. As well as seeing your friends and pages you follow in the redesigned news feed, you’ll be able to subscribe to different “sections” including subjects such as sports, world news, food, photography and more. The stories in these sections aren’t just from publishers such as newspapers or magazines, they combine a myriad of different sources including public Facebook posts and blog posts selected by both Facebook’s human editors and the Paper algorithm.

As well as the redesigned interface it’s this news element that makes Paper stand out from the current app. Currently you only really see what your friends are posting or liking which works quite well if all your friends are interested in exactly the same things as you but if you’re the only friend interested in photography you might be missing a heap of content that interests you and this is where Paper has the opportunity to shine. Whether it will live up to the hype and promises however, will have to be seen.

The Facebook Paper app is due to launch for iphone users in the US on Monday 3^rd Feb, the day before Facebook’s 10th birthday but there’s no word as yet as to when Australia will have access to it. At this stage there’s no mention of release date for the Andrioid and iPad versions although I’m sure they will follow soon after the launch assuming it’s as successful as they’re hoping.

By Daniel Martinovich

For more information about Jarvis, our work and team – please visit jarvismarketing.com.au

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QR Codes – Are they dying a slow and painful death?

If you’re a marketer or have paid any attention to digital trends over the past few years you’ve most likely heard of QR codes and maybe even used them. For the benefit of those who haven’t: A QR code – short for Quick Response code is essentially a square barcode that can be scanned and read by anyone with a smartphone with a camera and compatible app. The QR code can then direct your mobile device to a website link, video, image or file, check you in on Facebook, enter you in a competition, add items to a shopping cart and more!

QR codes have been used in mainstream marketing  for a number of years now but haven’t ever really taken off like some may have predicted. It’s not really the poor QR codes fault, the technology works but the application of them is generally poor.

Here’s a few things to consider before using a QR code:

1. Does it make it easier to access the information?

The main issue with QR codes is that they’re mainly used to direct customers to a website when it’s far quicker and easier to just type the url  into your web browser or search the company than download an app (or open it if you’ve previously downloaded) and then scan the code.

2. Is it easy to scan?

A giant QR code on a billboard might seem like a good idea (or not) but how are people meant to scan it as they’re driving by? Just simply take your eyes off the road, download or open the app, stick your arm out your window with your phone out your car window, attempt line up the code from 100m away while moving and scan it all the while trying to avoid crashing your car and hopefully you’ve done this before you’ve driven past the billboard.

The same goes for on moving objects like the outside of buses or trains. Do you really want your customers to get run over? And to a similar extent TV commercials. By the time you’ve opened the app the ad is over, it’s a great way to frustrate your customers.

3. Can they view the content?

While a QR code in a magazine sounds like a much better idea then the above options, you must think about where the magazine is in circulation. If it’s an inflight magazine then how can the viewer see the content it directs them to when they have no access to internet? Some flights do now have wifi onboard but currently this is not readily available on commercial flights. Yes, people can take the magazine with them, sure I’ll just add that to my pile of inflight magazines sitting on my coffee table (correct me if I’m wrong but who actually does that?). The question of content also applies in places where there is no mobile reception such as subway stations.

4. Is there a better alternative?

The problem with technology trends is everyone wants to get on board, just to be seen to be cool and trendy. You must think before putting a QR code on any advertising medium, is there an alternative that. Among the most ridiculous examples of this are QR codes in emails. Firstly many people read their emails on their phone now. I’m not sure how you’re supposed to scan a QR code with your phone if the QR code is on your phone!? I know many people receive emails on their computer so they could scan the code with the phone off the screen right? Right, but why not just put the link in the email so they can simply just click it instead!?

5. Do people know why they should scan it?

Tell people what the QR code is directing them to or what it’s for. Is it going to direct them to like your facebook page, open a video, download a coupon to redeem. Let them know why they should scan and where it’s taken them. It’s also good practice to include another option other than scanning.

6. Is it worth scanning?

Give people a reason and a benefit to scan. Is it worth them downloading an app or getting out their phone to scan it? If it’s simply just your website url then the answer is no, probably not.

7. Have you checked the link?

Make sure it’s not a broken link and works on all mobile devices including android and iphone. Other things to consider… Are you directing your customers to a mobile friendly website? Does the link work?

So the next time you’re thinking about slapping on a QR code on something just think about it.

It’s not all bad news for QR codes, here’s some examples of QR codes that redeem their not so well thought out counterparts:

I believe one of the best and most successful uses of QR codes was Mastercards Priceless campaign using QR codes onYankee stadium seats placed around New York.

QR codes used to make life easier in Taiwan:

New York Central Park “World Park” turned the park into an outdoor mobile museum.

A clever use of QR codes to animate a static print add instead of just linking a video

So what’s next? A number of companys have come up with alternatives, notably touchcode which requires an additional invisible layer to be printed on to the material. According to the creators it’s both cost effective and easy to implement. Once the additional layer has been printed on the item users can simply touch their phone to it and access the information.This does away with having to line up the code and scan but does require additional process unlike QR codes.

Whether this will become a viable replacement to QR codes remains to be seen. One thing is for sure there will always be new technology and as a good marketer your job is to decide whether there is a good reason to use it.

By Daniel Martinovich

For more information about Jarvis, our work and team – please visit jarvismarketing.com.au

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Where should you place your advertising?

There are so many advertising mediums. This can be the most confusing step for any brand manager or anyone in business.

Where you place your advertising should be based on a simple principle.

Go where your target audience is most likely to see, read or hear it.

There is no single medium that is good or bad. All will reach an audience.

Simply put, the medium or mediums to use are the ones that fit your advertising objectives reach your target market and fit within your budget.

 

For more information about Jarvis, our work and team – please visit jarvismarketing.com.au

Ad of the week

 

It’s a serious issue we have all suffered from at sometime in our life!

This week’s ad of the week is a campaign for the College of Creative Studies in the US city of Detroit.

Why do we love it? Nearly all of us are from a creative background, so naturally we think the humour of art being a drug is something that we can all relate to. The message and execution was simple which created a massive buzz all around the world.

Who did it? Advertising agency, Team Detroit

 

For more information about Jarvis, our work and team – please visit jarvismarketing.com.au

 

Ad of the Week!

 

For more information about Jarvis, our work and team – please visit jarvismarketing.com.au

Selling is not just SELLING!

(Image: Graphic Design Junction)

“People love to buy things, but almost no one wants to be sold.”

Thousands of people are eager to buy what you sell. They want the benefits, the convenience, the comfort or prestige that you can provide. Human beings are an acquisitive bunch! We want stuff!

The “desire to acquire” goes deep, and it’s a good thing.

So, if you aren’t making the sales you would like, let me suggest that the problem is not with your customers, but with you. The problem is likely one of the following:

1.  Not enough potential customers know about you or that your product could enrich their lives. This is a marketing problem, and as a business leader it is your job to solve it. Let people know! Get out there and get in the game!

2.  Or, the other possibility is that you’re trying too hard to “sell.”

Personally, I have a deep-seated aversion to being “sold” anything. I see websites that seem manipulative or dishonest. I see sales techniques that fail to build trust or credibility, and they do not attract me.

But people are eager to buy benefits! They buy solutions to their problems. They buy things that make their lives better, easier, simpler, healthier or more comfortable. They buy stuff that makes them happy. And they buy from people they know and like and trust.

(Image: Viralblender)

If enough people “know and like and trust” you, they will listen when you offer a product or service that makes their lives better. If they “know and like and trust” you, they will flock to your door and you’ll make all the sales you need.

For more information about Jarvis, our work and team – please visit jarvismarketing.com.au

Tips for producing successful advertising

 

(Image: emercedesbenz)

 1. Make your offer interesting

• What are the reasons people want your product?
• For Mercedes its style status and luxury

 2. Translate the interesting elements into a meaningful benefit

• People buy benefits not features.
• People don’t but cars. They buy speed status, style and performance

 3. State your benefits as believable

• State the benefits in such a way that they will be accepted beyond doubt
• Mercedes might say – you will receive one of the most luxurious ride of your life.

 4. Get the prospects attention

• Be sure to interest them in your product
• Mercedes might show its vehicle riding over a bumpy road with passengers asleep

 5. Motivate your prospect to take action

• Include a call to action – phone, web, dealer, demonstration etc.

 6. Communicate clearly

• Use headlines, sub heads and visuals to get your point across.

 7. Measure your finished ad against your strategy

• Use your strategy to guide you. If it doesn’t work scrap it and start again

 

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