Week 15: Final Blog

Social media marketing as well as other application marketing has seriously changed the game in terms of reaching the target audience. Trends in using social media to connect consumers to services and products has proved to be highly successful. While it is smart to move along with trends, differentiation and brand image becomes a growing concern. The message and content should have a purpose and clear value. 

Different platforms have unique unwritten rules that most every business follows. The direction of your social media content should be accordingly associated with the guidelines of how the platform is viewed. It is important to understand how outside factors such as artificial intelligence may shift the trends in this field. I hope that all of you have learned valuable information regarding social media marketing and the different ways in which a plan can maximize exposure and performance.

As the end of the Spring approaches, I would like to recommend completing certifications for your field of interest as it offers great value on your resume and LinkedIn profile. The more in depth your profile is, the better off you will be since employers can see just how much experience you have. 

Week 14: Social Media Norms

Each platform of social media has normalized a particular type of post or the actual content to be posted. For example, YouTube is primarily known as an informational platform where videos better display how to get something done. Although there are differences, all social media has one strong similarity. They all build strong business to user and user to user connections that encourages higher activity.

Social media marketers aim to engage the audience once they have established a connection. The type of engagement varies between platforms as well. LinkedIn engagement typically is more formal since it is viewed as the professional social media platform. Whereas Twitter engagement can be more informal such as poll voting new business ideas. Overall, each platforms has content rules that are expected to be followed. If your content varies from the norm, consider expanding your social media plan to a multi-platform plan!

Week 13: LinkedIn Marketing

LinkedIn is one of many social media platforms that has allowed businesses to advertise their business, although there are some unique differences. This platform is a professional business style social media used highly for recruiting and networking. More interestingly, LinkedIn allows individuals to create their own identity with the opportunity to market themselves towards possible future employers.

There are many ways better your LinkedIn profile. Adding experience and certifications are some important areas that employers will want to check out. Also, having an easily accessible resume attached to your profile can be helpful since it allows a deeper look at your qualifications. In order to gain more exposure, I encourage taking a closer look at all the sections available to be added on your profile (Education, Work Experience, Certifications etc.). After all, this platform is a mutual marketing platform, meaning that businesses are marketing to an audience and individuals are marketing themselves to business.

Week 12: Ethics in AI

While machine learning proposes many benefits, there are a number of tradeoffs in regards to business ethics. The number one concern as mentioned in Todd Kelsey's book, Surfing the Tsunami, is that unemployment levels will increase. With this shift, the markets will also likely see some change. Also, the programming of AI is rather complex that could result in a snowball effect of errors can occur. There are many factors that go into the automation of computer decisions or functions which poses a threat of error.

Cyber security is an area that may see increased demand as the artificial intelligence plays a larger role in marketing and other fields. As technology gains more power, that same power can be used against us by hackers or evil entities. One last point I would like to cover in regards to the ethics of AI is the behavioral change in the business world. We have all dealt with disrespectful or unhelpful associates, and AI's have the ability to be programmed to treat all consumers equally while building relationships. It is very odd to think that AI technology can positively effect human behavior. With that said, the message that needs to be conveyed can be optimized which is great opportunity especially in SMM and other marketing fields.

Week 11: Social Media Marketing Skills

As we all know, it is rare to keep the same job or even title throughout a career. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen your skills/weaknesses in social media marketing as there are many skills that will translate into a variety of other jobs. For example, managing a social media marketing plan holds that you take a deeper look into the analytics of the page. The more frequent you check on analytics, you will become more familiar with the dashboard and truly learn the analytical language. These analytical skills are important for many businesses and a number of different departments so the translation of these learned skills can be helpful throughout your career.

Running the social media plan actually connects highly to what entrepreneurs think about: How can this improve, what are we doing thats unique etc. Below is a list of skills that I recommend making a strengths/weaknesses diagram to see where you stand and what to possibly focus on in the future.

• Strategy Planning
• Tactical Execution
• Public Speaking Skills
• Analytical Skills
• Technological Skills
• Creativity 

Week 9: Social Media Traffic

Of course, in social media marketing one of the main goals is to generate more traffic via ads and other marketing strategies. Although, Facebook is one platform that has regulated certain content. For example, in 2017 Facebook excluded non-sponsored page content from newsfeeds which cause a fall for many businesses traffic numbers. This has made the process more costly and possibly less interactive.

Facebook insights offers supported ideas to help improve your campaign. Whether the platform makes changes or not, insights are always adapting to find new ways to bring you success. Here are some ideas to think about...

• Add Links
• Use Interactive Content
• Targeting changes
• Try Likealyzer 

Week 8: Facebook Insights

What is Facebook Insight and why is it useful? Facebook Insights is a unique tool that allows creators to view detailed data suggestions such as the optimal time to post content. Ultimately, it is a tool that reports on performance. The activity on your page is ever-changing so it is important to consistently check back in so you are making the necessary tweaks to your social media marketing plan. What all does Facebook Insights track?

• The best time of the day to post
• The best day of the week to post 
• Likes
• Reach
• Engagement

How does it work? Using analytical data and key metrics, there are patterns that are recognized that are to help creators improve performance. Being in a national shutdown scenario that we currently are facing, virtual sources become increasingly important. Many businesses are forced to work remotely due to COVID-19, and the trend right now is social media outlets and virtual intelligence offers. It is significant that creators are actively searching for ways to improve their current situation, especially in a time of widespread struggle. Facebook Insights is a powerful tool that I would recommend utilizing regarding social media performance. 

Week 7: Hootsuite

There are many tools available to help with your marketing strategies. But, one I would like to focus on is Hootsuite. Hootsuite is a social media management platform that is very user friendly. I recommend trying the free version (if possible) first to get acclimated on how to use it. And as you get more comfortable with the dashboard, Hootsuite pro is another option to consider.

What some of the benefits to using Hootsuite? Well one huge benefit is being able to cover multiple streams all from the same place. Also, you have a team managing your social media in which allows you to delegate responses to certain members. This is huge as there are many moving parts in running multiple departments, and errors can be common without proper organization.

Week 6: The Footprint of Facebook

Facebook was one of the first places where social media marketing started and grew into a new industry. If we simply look at the numbers, Facebook still has the most daily logins across all other platforms. Networking in the business world has proven to be helpful in multiple ways, an using a networking platform to promote business is just another smart alternative to traditional ways of marketing.

What has made Facebook so valuable to marketers? The platform enables marketers to utilize video, photo, and text in their own creative way. The ability publish creative advertisements on Facebook has allowed many marketers to gain much more exposure and activity.

Facebook is not the "best" necessarily, but the impact it has made to kickstart social media marketing has come a long way. Ultimately, with so many different platforms the one that more closely aligns with your marketing goals is the best choice, but Facebook is generally a great tool!

Week 5: Image

How people view your personal brand can be determined from many factors. Viewers consensus of your intentions, credibility and relevance are all large factors in projecting a consumer image of your brand. One main point throughout social media content is that there ought to be a clear focus. Keeping the overall message of your content interesting to your audience will make it easier for viewers to grasp an understanding of your image. Therefore, if your audience finds your content boring and unrelated to their interests, they may believe that your brand is illegitimate.

On another note, the content should be positive or engaging in some way. It is important to follow a successful model while creating unique differences. Also, it is important to show confidence in your brand as this can rub off on viewers to think positively of your image.

With recruiting turning more to digital outlets, it is also important to maintain a good personal brand. Meaning that your interests or posts are not portraying that you are a deviant person. Recruiters have access to social media just like anyone else, so it is essential to be aware of the content that you release.

Week 4: ROI and Performance on Social Media

As I have mentioned in previous posts, tracking key performance indicators is a huge determinant in decision making. One factor to consider is your return on investment(ROI). Large companies consistently watch ROI performance over a variety of different business activities to ensure that the company is healthy. In finance, we are able to make educated guesses on the future trends of business performance which is essentially what these companies are doing. Often, a company has to evaluate their internal activities and ask if it is sustainable.

With anything, too small of profit margins are an ongoing risk. This is because one large mistake or influence can spiral into disaster. Therefore, it is necessary to be proactive on your social media and determine new goals constantly in order to achieve the outcome you desire!

Being cost-effective on in social media marketing is important for success. Don't waste your time, effort and money on a platform that simply isn't the right fit!

Week 3: Social Media Content and Branding

"Actions speak louder than words". Everyone will judge what type of content you're posting and make assumptions about your company. Ultimately, your content should perfectly align with the overall brand image and goals of the organization. Why is this important? Using social media to project the brand image among millions of users across multiple platforms is a great way to connect to your audience. Creating strong content will keep consumers interested and generate brand loyalty. Once a business establishes a large crowd of loyal consumers, it is a great opportunity to explore new products/content. Sustaining a customer base while attracting unique users is what every business is trying to replicate. 

It can be very difficult because there a number of things that can affect performance. Therefore, it is beneficial to track internal factors as well as external such as competitor activity. Looking at competitors can offer some interesting insight on how to differentiate or produce further success. For example, if you recognize that a competitor is publishing videos on Instagram that is performing well, it would be important to consider working on a video for social media. In order to grab social media users attention, there has to be strong content. Keeping consistent content and maintaining a good brand image is critical when using social media platforms. 

Week 2: Social Media Platforms

A businesses first goal when creating a social media account to market themselves is to connect best via the most optimal platform. How do they know which platform is best? Based off of some target audience research, businesses can estimate which one will allow them to have a wider reach within their audience. The more you can connect with the audience and provide strong yet interesting content will bring success. Wasting valuable time in creating and managing marketing on social media platforms that has little impact is a huge disadvantage.

Facebook and LinkedIn are the more professional options of the platforms and also hold millions of users. Other platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and YouTube are also great alternatives that are more focused on the content production. The three platforms listed above are very concentrated with video advertising making those a possible outlet for marketing. It is important to correlate what type of content you are producing with what the platform is traditionally used for. For example, posting channel updates on YouTube is most likely not going to grab many users attention compared to a produced video. Facebook and LinkedIn use similar strategies but have small differences. Overall, it is necessary to make a marketing plan and record some research on the most optimal ways to connect to your audience.

Week 1: Intro to Social Media Marketing

During the next few months I will be discussing several topics regarding social media marketing. Today, I will be giving a brief overview or introduction. Social media marketing is the strategy of using social media platforms such as Facebook to connect with your audience. Why do this? Here's why:

• Increase traffic
• Boost Sales
• Brand Awareness
• Stronger Connection to audience

There are also tools that businesses can utilize to monitor success or the general impact of using social media marketing. Traditionally, social media in the business world used to be used for promoting content and running advertisements but with technology being so prominent this has changed slightly. Now, social media has many functions. One being a way of monitoring employee behavior. Interestingly, this is a topic that is controversial since some people believe that it is an invasion of privacy. Nonetheless, the use of social media has become a major force in digital marketing and will continue to be for some time!