Navigating Social Media Content Strategies in 2024

As we stride into 2024, the social media landscape continues to evolve, bringing new challenges and opportunities for brands to connect with their audience. Crafting a content strategy that resonates on each platform is key to engaging your followers effectively.

Here’s how you can diversify your approach across various channels:

Universal Strategies: 

  • Content Mix: Spice up your feed with a blend of educational insights, heartfelt client stories, sneak peeks behind the scenes, and eye-catching infographics.
  • Engagement Boost: Get the conversation rolling with your community through interactive queries, lively polls, and prompts that invite personal stories and opinions.
  • Posting Rhythm: Consistency is your ally. Utilize a content calendar to maintain a regular posting schedule that keeps your audience anticipating what’s next.
  • Visual Cohesion: Aesthetic consistency reinforces brand recognition. Adorn your posts with your brand’s signature palette and logo to make every share unmistakably yours.
  • Exclusive Perks: Reward your digital crowd with Facebook-specific deals or discounts to cultivate a loyal following.
  • Community Spotlight: Celebrate your clients with permission-granted transformations and glowing reviews to build trust and authenticity.
  • Strategic Partnerships: Expand your digital footprint by joining forces with influencers and businesses that align with your brand.

Platform-Specific Tactics: 

Instagram:

  • High-quality, visually appealing images and videos.
  • Behind-the-scenes content showcasing your company culture or creation process.
  • User-generated content and testimonials.
  • Interactive stories with polls, questions, or quizzes.

Facebook:

  • Engaging and shareable posts like tips, how-tos, and informative articles.
  • Live videos and Q&A sessions.
  • Events and community-driven activities.
  • Posts that encourage user interaction, such as questions or opinion polls.
  • Consider using Facebook’s targeted advertising to reach potential clients based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
  • Facebook Live: Host live sessions where you can offer advice, Q&A sessions, or showcase new products or services.
  • Analytics: Utilize Facebook Insights to track what type of content performs best and when your audience is most active.

Twitter:

  • Timely updates and commentary on current events.
  • Short, engaging tweets with relevant hashtags for greater reach.
  • Threads that tell a story or provide insights on a topic.
  • Polls and direct engagement with followers through retweets and replies.
  • Amplify your reach with savvy strategic hashtag use.

LinkedIn:

  • Professional content like industry news, articles, and thought leadership pieces.
  • Company updates and career opportunities.
  • Infographics and reports with valuable industry data.
  • Interactive posts asking for professional opinions or experiences.
  •  

TikTok:

  • Trending challenges and hashtags.
  • Entertaining, short-form videos that show off the lighter side of your brand.
  • Educational content that teaches something new in a fun way.
  • Collaborations with influencers to reach a wider audience.

Pinterest:

  • High-quality, vertical images with text overlays for recipes, DIYs, and tips.
  • Infographics and step-by-step guides.
  • Mood boards and inspirational content.
  • Shoppable pins for products.

YouTube:

  • How-to videos and tutorials.
  • Product reviews and demonstrations.
  • Vlogs that give insights into your company or personal brand.
  • Educational series or mini-documentaries on topics related to your field.
  •  

Remember, while the type of content matters, so does consistency, authenticity, and engagement with your audience. Tailoring the content to each platform’s strengths while keeping your brand voice consistent is key to social media success.

Why You Need to Stop Marketing Your Product and Do This Instead

Are you struggling to grow your email list and generate more leads for your business? Are you tired of spending money on advertising and not seeing the results you want?

It’s time to stop marketing your product and start doing something that will really make a difference: creating a lead generator.

What is a Lead Generator?

A lead generator is a piece of content that you offer to potential customers in exchange for their contact information.

It’s the most cost-effective customer acquisition technique, allowing you to build a list of people who are interested in what you have to offer.

In fact, about 50% of marketing strategists consider it a ‘top priority’ in their campaigns (Howarth). That’s because a lead generator helps businesses create a targeted, segmented, and engaged audience, leading to higher conversion rates and increased revenue.

By providing valuable content to potential customers, businesses can establish trust, build relationships, and ultimately convert leads into loyal customers who are more likely to make repeat purchases.

Different Types of Lead Generators

@voilamediagroup Doing this one thing is the key to successful marketing for your small business #marketingtips #smallbusinessgrowth #leadgeneration #valueproposition ♬ original sound – VoilaMediaGroup

There are several different types of lead generators you can create, depending on your target audience and the type of product or service you offer. Here are four of the most popular:

PDF

Create a PDF guide or eBook that provides valuable information related to your product or service. You can offer it as a free download to people who sign up for your email list. This is great for businesses in finance, health, or technology industries, where customers are looking for in-depth information and insights.

Here are a few samples: 

Stellis Health Pain Log

Stellis Health – Interview Prep Quesitons

Stellis Health – Maybe to Baby Guide

Voila! Media Group – How to Make your Website your Best Employee

Quiz

Create a fun and engaging quiz that people can take to learn more about your product or service. You can also offer a personalized report or recommendation at the end and ask people to sign up for your email list to receive it.

Sample: 

Stellis Health – Is Coolsculpting right for me?

Discount

Offer a discount code or coupon to people who sign up for your email list. This is a great way to entice people who are already interested in your product or service. Plus, this can help boost their average order value by encouraging them to make a purchase they might not have otherwise. This type of lead generator is particularly effective for businesses in the e-commerce space.

Sample: 

Swamp Buck Camo – Discount on first purchase

Video

Create a short video that showcases your product or service and offers valuable insights or tips related to your industry. You can offer it as a free resource to people who sign up for your email list. This type of lead generator can be effective for businesses in industries such as marketing, software, or entertainment, where visual content is important for engaging customers.

Samples:

Stellis Health Pain Log

How to Come Up with Ideas for Lead Generators

Now that you know the different types of lead generators you can create, how do you develop content ideas?

Here are some starting points you may want to consider.

Top Questions 

Think about the top questions your customers ask you or your sales team. These questions can serve as a basis for creating a lead generator that provides solutions or answers to their concerns.

Google Search 

Use Google search to see what people are asking related to your industry. You can look for common questions and use them as inspiration for creating a lead generator that provides in-depth answers. You can also install extensions such as Keyword Surfer to get insights on search volume and related keywords for specific queries. This can help you understand what topics are popular and what type of content people are looking for.

Social Media Listening

Take a look at social media platforms where your target audience is most active. Look for posts, comments, or questions related to your industry or product. This can help you understand what topics are popular or what people are interested in learning more about.

Designing Your Lead Generators

Ready to craft your very own lead generator? Make sure they’re aesthetically pleasing enough to get your target audiences’ attention!

If you are not ready to hire us for this task. Here are two programs that can help:

Canva

Canva is a graphic design platform that offers templates and design tools to help you create eye-catching graphics and images for your lead generators. You can choose from a wide variety of pre-made templates or create your own design from scratch. Canva also offers a library of free and premium images, icons, and graphics that you can use to enhance your lead generator. With its easy-to-use interface and drag-and-drop feature, you can create professional-looking lead generators even if you have little to no design experience.

Typeform

Typeform is a form builder that allows you to create interactive quizzes and surveys that are engaging and fun for your audience.

With Typeform, you can easily create custom forms that ask your audience questions and provide them with personalized results based on their responses. This is a great way to create interactive lead generators that capture your audience’s attention and provide them with valuable insights. Typeform also offers integrations with popular email marketing and CRM platforms, making it easy to automatically add new leads to your email list or customer database.

Email Programs to Use

Constant Contact

Constant Contact is a popular email marketing tool that offers similar features to Mailchimp. It offers a wide range of customizable templates, automation, and analytics to help you optimize your email campaigns. It also integrates with popular e-commerce platforms such as Shopify and WooCommerce, making it easy to promote your products and services to your email list.

MailerLite

MailerLite is perfect if you are just getting started. It’s free until you get 1,000 emails on your list.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a widely used email marketing platform that allows you to send newsletters, promotional emails, and automated campaigns to your email list. It offers a user-friendly interface and a variety of templates to choose from, making it easy to create professional-looking emails without any coding experience. It also offers analytics to help you track the success of your campaigns and segment your email list for more targeted messaging.

HubSpot

HubSpot offers a suite of marketing tools, including email marketing, lead capture forms, and customer relationship management (CRM) software. Its email marketing tool allows you to create and send personalized emails, automate campaigns, and track your email performance. HubSpot also offers a free CRM with basic features, making it a great option for small businesses on a budget.

Are You Ready To Start Creating Lead Generators for Your Business?

We hope this blog has helped you get started on your very own lead generator. If you have any questions or concerns, contact us today. We can help you create effective lead generators that will help you grow your email list and generate more leads for your business. Ask us here.

Discover the Secrets to Success with Our Recommended Marketing Books

Transform your marketing strategy from ‘meh’ to memorable

Isn’t that what every business leader wants from their marketing? And what every reader deserves from your business?

We’ve seen too many websites that disappoint. With too many words that ramble. With too many designs that lack oomph. And more of the same for their pages, emails, ads, posts, decks, lead magnets, profiles & everything-else-marketing. The perfect recipe for looking & sounding like all the rest. “Meh,” right? Or worse, “Ugh.”

That’s why we started this biz. And why we stay in this biz.

To help leaders understand their audience better than ever. With words that work as well as their business. A design that inspires website visitors to read, not ignore, their story. And campaigns for fans & followers to adore their brand.

No more blah blah blah. No more of the mundane & verbose. No more confusion & overwhelm. Instead… Clarity about their business. Clarity for their buyers. And clarity for their marketing.

@voilamediagroup This book is great if you are searching for: * Best marketing books for beginners * Marketing books for business owners * Ultimate small business marketing book * Best book on marketing and sales Most businesses are frustrated spending too much while getting too little from their marketing. There is one thing that sets successful & unsuccessful marketing apart – WORDS! Or your copywriting skills. To learn the secret recipe for crafting compelling marketing, there’s one book you should check out: “Building a StoryBrand” by Donald Miller. Get a copy of this now if you own a small business – you’ll thank me later. Give a follow for more marketing tips for your small business #smallbusiness #donaldmiller #marketingbook ♬ Da Girls – Ciara

Even after 24 years in marketing, these books still hold the key to our success today.

Here are a few of our top picks for you to get the most out of your marketing & small business to help you take it up a notch.


Story Brand by Donald Miller

Story Brand is a compelling book that teaches businesses how to clarify their message and cut through the noise to get their message heard by their target audience.

The book outlines a seven-step framework that helps businesses create a powerful brand story that resonates with their customers.

If you want to clarify your brand message and create marketing that resonates with your audience, this is a must-read.

We’ve been in the biz since 1999 and resonated with this book’s notion of ‘The Curse of Knowledge’ – which is that business owners are too close to their own business to be able to write about it through a clear and simple lens.

We took our team to Nashville and went through the Storybrand process and also did a 3-day intensive course to become “Storybrand Certified”– we learned firsthand from Donald Miller and his team. So, if you need help implementing any of these concepts, send us an email or schedule a call.

Here are three compelling reasons why small business owners should get this book:

  1. The book is filled with practical advice and actionable steps that businesses of any size can implement to improve their marketing efforts.
  2. The concepts in the book are illustrated with real-life examples, making it easier to understand how they can be applied to your own business.
  3. It’s not just about marketing but also about how to create a brand that connects with customers on a deeper level, leading to increased customer loyalty and advocacy.

Ready to understand your audience better than ever?

Want more life to your brand – so you’ll stand out from the rest?

Well then, get the book already. 

 

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook is a practical guide that teaches businesses how to create and distribute content that engages their customers and drives sales. The book provides real-world examples of successful social media campaigns and outlines the dos and don’ts of social media marketing.

This book came out in 2013, and I still think about it 10 years later.

The jabs represent the value or content.

While the right hook is the ask, such as a call-to-action or sales pitch.

The book’s boxing analogy explains the importance of providing more value to customers before asking for something in return. Brands must first earn the attention and trust of their audience by consistently providing valuable content before making an ask.

If you want to knock out the competition – load this book into your ‘virtual’ cart.

 

Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

Profit First is a practical guide that teaches businesses how to manage their finances more effectively. The book outlines a simple yet effective system for allocating profits and managing cash flow that can help businesses achieve financial stability and growth.

Managing finances used to make me want to run and hide, until I found this book.

I implemented its teachings and saw results immediately. I now have a clear understanding of my business’s financials and feel confident each month knowing I can support my employees and grow my business.

If you are done playing financial hide and seek, grab this book today.

 

Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just starting, these books are a must-read to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving world of marketing. Each has practical tips you can apply daily to grow your business – how can you go wrong?

Don’t have time to sit and read? No problem! All of these books are also available in audio format for on-the-go listening.

Jump onto our social media channels and share your thoughts with us! Have you read any of these books, or are you planning to read them? Let us know!


Most businesses are frustrated with spending too much while getting too little from their marketing. 

We build their websites & run their campaigns. 

So they’ll: 

1) Know what they’ll get.

2) Earn more than they spend.

3) While winning leads & growing sales.

Want that for your business?
Schedule a Call

7 Surefire Tips to Keep Your Social Media Followers Engaged

Your business’ page may have thousands of followers, but do they interact with your content? Imagine performing in front of a large audience and getting no response. A page with a low engagement rate tells a different story.

Luckily, there are things you can do to ensure both your business page and content get that customer interaction. In this blog, we’ll share seven tips to help you keep your followers engaged and ensure they don’t just scroll past your posts.

What’s a Good Engagement Rate?

Before we get to the tips, let’s quickly cover a reasonable engagement rate. Many businesses use the average engagement rate of their industry as a benchmark for success. Generally, experts say that an engagement rate of around 1% to 5% is good—but it always varies depending on your playing field.

Thus, before setting your KPIs and target goals, grab hold of your competitors’ engagement rate and use it as a reference point. Try to up the ante a bit and aim for something higher—meeting or even exceeding your competitors’ engagement rate is always a plus.

What Counts as Engagement?

Hmm, but what exactly counts as engagement? Well, there are several ways in which your content can be engaging, and it all boils down to how your followers interact with it.

Engagement can be measured by likes, shares, comments, reactions, clicks, and even the direct messages sent to your page. If a follower takes the time to hit a particular button or respond, then it does count as engagement.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s dive into the seven surefire tips to make your followers hit those like, share, and comment buttons.

Tip #1: Provide Value

Consumer-centered marketing is all about providing value and relevance. Think about it: why would your targeted market interact with content that doesn’t offer anything of real value to them?

While posting eye-catching content is excellent, giving followers something they can use will be more effective in terms of engagement. This could mean sharing valuable articles, teaching DIY tricks, or giving away discounts and promos. Not only does you care about customers, but it also gives them something to look forward to from your page. Plus, you establish your reputation as a reliable source of information in your industry.

Tip #2: Don’t Give Everything In One Go

Yes, providing helpful content with real value is surely a great way to engage your followers. However, don’t just give away everything in one go. Doing so will only leave them with nothing to look forward to from your page, and they’ll eventually lose interest.

Instead, try to spread out your content by providing them with information in bits and pieces. For example, when talking about a particular topic, break it down into separate posts covering specific points. As a result, you’ll have more content that your followers can engage with, and they’ll be more likely to come back for more. The key is finding the right balance between giving away too little and too much information.

Tip #3: Find the Right Timing

Timing will always be a key factor when engaging followers. Posting content too often will appear spammy and drive away supporters. Social media users are not in the mood for online content on certain days and time slots. So, it’s best to identify and avoid these periods when scheduling your posts.

To give you some reference, data shows that the best days to post on Facebook are Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The ideal time slots vary depending on the day you’re publishing content, but generally, content posted between 1 to 4 pm on weekdays are found to have high engagement rates.

You can check this out for other platforms’ ideal posting schedules.

Tip #4: Ask Questions and Encourage Conversations

how to get engagement on social media posts

Engagement isn’t only about getting likes and shares. It’s also about fostering conversations between you and your followers.

Asking questions or even having a poll is a great way to get the ball rolling. This can be something as simple as asking your followers’ opinions or having them share their experiences on a specific topic. This will give you insight and show your followers that you value their opinion and care about what they have to say. You can even create branded hashtags for your topics and make it a point to follow up on conversations.

Here is a sample question post we did for one of our clients:
Check out the Reach, Engagmenent, Comments & Shares

question posts for interaction on social media

Tip #5: Repost User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is an effective way to engage with your followers. After all, it’s more likely that other users will interact with content created by someone else. So, why not feature them on your page and give the original creator a shoutout?

Reposting UGC can be a great way to show appreciation for your supporters while giving your page fresh content regularly. Plus, it encourages non-followers to interact with your page and gives followers an incentive to create content of their own. Having a good number of UGC also shows that your shoppers or followers are enthusiastic about your brand, which is a great way to build trust within your existing audience and potential customers.

Tip #6: Keep Tabs on What Your Followers are Up To

When crafting posts and content, it’s important to keep in mind the interests of your followers. This includes staying up-to-date with what they’re into and the trending topics in your industry.

Make sure to check out what kind of content they’re sharing, the hashtags they use, and the conversations they’re having. This can help you determine what type of content to post and give you ideas on keeping up with current trends. Doing this will also show your followers that you’re in tune with their interests, which gives them the incentive to keep engaging with your page.

Tip #7: Track Your Stats and Know When to Re-think Your Strategies

Finally, tracking your social media engagement can help you identify what works and what doesn’t. This includes taking note of the type of content that drives more engagement as well as the times and days when your posts receive the most attention.

Having this data can help you adjust your strategies accordingly and be more effective in engaging your followers. Remember that stepping up your marketing strategies is more than just a one-time big-time thing. It involves continuous tinkering and testing to get it just right, so don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas and tactics. This will foolproof your strategies in the long run and help you stay ahead of the game.

Here’s to More Likes, Shares, and Comments!

And that’s a wrap! We hope these tips boost your social media engagement and get more users talking about your brand. Take the time to craft content that resonates with your followers and keep them in the loop of discussions and updates. You’ll be surprised by how much your engagement rate can improve when you make an effort to listen and engage with your followers.

And in case you need help creating valuable, share-worthy content on a regular basis, Voila! Media Group is your go-to partner. We’ll work closely with you to craft posts that get your target audience talking so you can boost engagement, drive conversions, and take your business to the next level. Check out our social media services, and let’s have a quick chat about making your business a success!

7 Valentine’s Day Marketing Ideas to Win Your Customers’ Hearts in 2023

With over $23 billion worth of spending in the previous year, there’s no wonder why the Valentine’s Day season is a favorite among businesses worldwide. Love may be in the air, but so are profit margins.

However, the high figures also mean that the market is highly competitive. Thus, to stand out from the rest, you’ll need more than just a few heart-shaped balloons. To give your business a head start, we’ve listed down some of the most surefire Valentine’s Day Marketing Ideas that will help you win your customers’ hearts this season.

Celebrate Love In Its Many Forms

One thing to admire about today’s generations is their ability to be open-minded and embrace inclusion and diversity. Gone are the days when certain genders and archetypes are boxed into a single idea of love. And if you want to show that your brand supports this shift in ideals, why not dedicate an entire campaign for the celebration of love and its many forms?

Aside from celebrating gender inclusive types of love, you can also promote love for pets, family, friends, and of course, oneself. While cheesy, romantic campaigns are a staple of the season, choosing a different approach that resonates best with your target market can make a lasting impression.

Have a Clear, Consistent Message

Once you have determined the theme of your campaign, make sure to have a clear and consistent message that underlines each part. Whether it’s through color palettes, your marketing copies, or even the design of your visuals, it’s important that you have one uniform idea to ensure customers understand what you stand for.

For instance, if your Valentine’s campaign is all about self-love and embracing the #singlelife, you can use bold colors and empowering messages in your visuals to show customers that you’re behind them. Giving them a sense of validation during this season can be a great way to gain long-term loyalty.

Send Electronic Greetings to Show You Care

You may think that your newsletter subscribers will probably overlook your Valentine’s Day greetings. But believe it or not, email is still one of the most powerful channels to reach customers this season.

Take the time to create emails that speak directly to your target market. Show customers that they’re special and appreciated by highlighting exclusive products, discounts, and offers in a manner that feels personal and heartfelt. Not only will this make them feel remembered but will also encourage them to browse your products and services.

Offer Limited-Edition Deals

From flash sales, Valentine’s Day bundles, to collections specifically crafted for the season, giving customers something special is a great way to show appreciation. You can also offer these products along with free gift wrapping and shipping. This takes away the burden of having to personally shop for their gifts and gives them the convenience of shopping at home.

The key to promoting these limited-edition deals is to make them time-sensitive and exclusive. This will create an urgency that customers need to act on right away and ultimately, encourages them to hit the check out button with no hesitation.

Drive User Generated Content

The gist of the season is to spread love, so why not give customers a platform to do just that? This can help you drive user-generated content (UGC) that can get your brand noticed by more people while allowing your followers to express their feelings!

Working With Influencers

One way to reach a larger audience and generate UGC is by working with micro or macro influencers in your niche. For one thing, they have a larger following and this can help you gain more visibility for your campaigns.

Additionally, working with influencers can be a great way to gain credibility and authenticity. Having a respected figure in your niche vouch for your brand can create a feeling of relatability and trust that customers aren’t likely to forget.

Holding a Valentine’s Giveaway Contest

Who can resist a good giveaway? Not only is this a great way to attract customers but will also give them a chance to win prizes from your store.

To make the contest more interesting, you can add some creative elements like asking your followers to submit their meet-cute stories or a photo of them with someone they love. This would make them feel more connected to your brand while also giving you more content to show off.

Creating a Branded Hashtag

While you’re at it, you can also come up with a hashtag specific to your campaign to encourage more sharing and interaction. This is a great way to foster a sense of community among your target audience while also making it easier to track your campaign.

Create a Separate Landing Page for Your Valentine’s Promos

One of the many mistakes businesses make is forgoing the use of landing pages for their seasonal promos. A separate page on your website is a great way to keep customers in the know and ensure that all the details about your campaigns are visible in one place. Plus, you can easily share the link in your social media channels and email campaigns.

By creating a specific page for your Valentine’s Day promos, customers can conveniently browse through your products and make a purchase without any distractions. This would also help you monitor your sales and impressions specific to the campaign to later evaluate which strategies worked and which ones didn’t.

Be Sincere

Your customers are exposed to 10,000 marketing messages per day and this number can even double on a special occasion. This is why it’s important to make sure your message conveys sincerity and not just another sales pitch.

While it may be tricky to achieve the right balance, making sure your customers feel cherished is a must. You can do this by thoroughly analyzing their past interactions with your brand and adding personal touches to your marketing copies. If you’re working with a team, make sure to get their inputs first as well before releasing any kind of message.

Valentine’s, after all, is about love and the last thing you want to do is come across as insincere or too commercial. Keep this in mind when preparing your promos and be mindful of the message you’re trying to communicate.

Ready to Make This Valentine’s Day Your Most Profitable Yet?

We hope this quick guide has helped you come up with some creative ideas for your Valentine’s Day campaigns. With the right strategies and a pinch of creativity (plus some TLC!), we’re certain you’ll be able to maximize your reach and boost your sales this season of love!

Stay updated on the latest digital marketing trends! Check out our blog or subscribe to our  marketing tips.