Social media can sometimes feel like a black hole of effort. You post consistently, see likes and shares, maybe gain a few followers, but how do you know if it is actually working? Are your posts leading to real engagement, conversions, and audience growth, or are you just collecting vanity metrics?

Many organizations make the mistake of focusing on surface-level numbers while missing the deeper insights that show whether content is driving action. The key is not just tracking numbers, it is tracking the right numbers. Without this, it is easy to waste time on strategies that do not actually move the needle.

In this guide, we will break down the essential social media metrics that matter most. From engagement rates to conversion tracking, you will learn how to measure success in a way that actually shapes your strategy and improves results. Because when you track what truly matters, you are not just posting, you are building a smarter, more effective social media presence.

It’s easy to get caught up in vanity metrics like likes, follower count, and post impressions. While they look good on the surface, they don’t necessarily translate into meaningful engagement or business growth. Real success comes from deeper insights that show whether your content is truly making an impact.

By tracking the right metrics, organizations can make data-driven decisions instead of relying on guesswork. Are people engaging with your content, clicking your links, or watching your videos to the end? Are your posts reaching the right audience, or just floating in the void? Understanding what’s working (and what’s not) allows you to refine your strategy for better results.

More importantly, the right metrics connect social media efforts to tangible business goals. Whether it’s building brand awareness, increasing audience engagement, or driving conversions, tracking performance helps ensure that every post serves a purpose.

To truly understand your social media performance, it’s crucial to focus on metrics that reflect genuine audience engagement and business impact. Let’s explore the key metrics that matter:

1) Engagement Rate: Measuring Real Interaction

Engagement rate goes beyond surface-level metrics by assessing how actively your audience interacts with your content. This includes actions such as likes, comments, shares, saves, and video engagements. These interactions indicate that your content resonates with your audience and sparks interest.

A high engagement rate signifies that your audience isn’t merely scrolling past your posts; they’re stopping to react and interact. This is particularly important for video content, where deeper engagement metrics provide valuable insights:

• Views: The number of times a video has been watched. Different platforms have varying criteria for what counts as a view. For instance, some platforms count a view after three seconds, while others may require longer watch times.
• Watch Time: The total amount of time viewers spend watching your video. Higher watch time suggests that your content holds their attention.
• Completion Rate: The percentage of viewers who watch your video from start to finish. A strong completion rate indicates compelling, well-paced content.

Most social media platforms offer analytics dashboards that provide detailed breakdowns of these engagement metrics, allowing you to track what’s resonating with your audience.

2) Reach & Impressions: Measuring Visibility

Creating compelling content is essential, but ensuring it reaches your audience is equally important. This is where reach and impressions come into play, offering insights into your content’s visibility.

• Reach: Represents the number of unique users who have seen your post. This metric indicates how many different individuals your content has reached, serving as a strong indicator of brand awareness.
• Impressions: Denote the total number of times your post is displayed, including multiple views by the same user. High impressions suggest your content is appearing frequently in feeds, which can signal strong interest or effective targeting.

Why do these numbers matter?

A post with high reach but low engagement might not be compelling enough to hold attention. Conversely, high impressions with repeated views suggest that your content is “sticky”—people are seeing it multiple times, reinforcing your message.

Most platforms provide insights that compare reach versus engagement, helping you determine if your content is merely being seen or if it’s truly resonating.

3) Click-Through Rate (CTR): Measuring Action

Engagement is valuable, but understanding whether your audience takes the next step is crucial. Click-Through Rate (CTR) measures the percentage of users who click on a link within your content, such as to read a blog, sign up for an event, or explore a product.

A high CTR indicates that your content is compelling and your call to action (CTA) is effective. It suggests that your audience finds value in what you’re offering and is motivated to learn more.

CTR is calculated by dividing the total number of clicks by the total number of impressions and multiplying by 100. For example, if a post is seen 1,000 times and 50 people click the link, the CTR is 5%.

A low CTR might suggest that your CTA isn’t strong enough, your link placement needs adjusting, or your content isn’t relevant to the audience.

4) Conversion Rate: Measuring Real Impact

Likes and shares are great, but at the end of the day, social media needs to drive real results. Conversion rate measures how many social media visitors take a desired action, whether it’s signing up for a webinar, downloading a resource, or making a purchase.

This metric is critical because it ties social media directly to business impact. A high conversion rate means your content is not only engaging but also persuasive enough to move people to action. It tells you if your call to action (CTA) is clear and effective, whether your audience finds your offer valuable, and how well your social media strategy supports your overall goals.

To track conversion rate accurately, use UTM links to tag URLs and monitor them in Google Analytics or your CRM. These tools show where traffic is coming from and which posts are driving real engagement beyond clicks.

5) Audience Growth Rate: Measuring Long-Term Reach

A robust social media presence isn’t just about today’s engagement; it’s about cultivating an audience that grows over time. Audience growth rate measures how quickly your following expands, helping you assess whether your content attracts and retains the right people.

Why does this matter?

A consistent increase in followers indicates that your content resonates with new audiences, your brand’s reach and influence are expanding, and more individuals choose to stay connected with your organization.

How to calculate audience growth rate:

1. Select a time frame: Choose the period for which you want to measure growth (e.g., monthly, quarterly).
2. Gather data: Note the number of followers at the beginning and end of this period.
3. Apply the formula: Subtract the initial number of followers from the final number to determine new followers gained. Then, divide this number by the initial number of followers and multiply by 100 to get the growth rate percentage.

For example, if you start with 10,000 followers and gain 500 new ones over a month:

(500 / 10,000) × 100 = 5%

This means your audience growth rate for that month is 5%.

Tracking social media metrics isn’t just about collecting numbers; it’s about using them to refine and enhance your strategy. The real value comes from analyzing what’s working, identifying areas for improvement, and making data-driven adjustments.

1. Analyze High-Performing vs. Low-Performing Posts

Begin by comparing posts with high engagement to those with lower interaction. Identify patterns: Which topics resonate most? What formats (e.g., videos, images, polls) generate the most interest? Understanding these elements helps you focus on content that appeals to your audience.

2. Adjust Content Based on Engagement Trends

If video posts consistently receive higher watch times than static images, consider incorporating more video content. Similarly, if posts with storytelling elements or long-form captions lead to more clicks, lean into that style. Tailoring your content to audience preferences can boost engagement.

3. Experiment with Timing, CTAs, and Formats

Use analytics to determine when your audience is most active and schedule posts during these peak times to maximize visibility. Test different calls to action (CTAs) to see which prompts encourage the most interaction. Additionally, experiment with various content formats, such as carousels, infographics, or user-generated content, to discover what drives the best results.

Tracking the right social media metrics helps you move beyond vanity numbers and turn real insights into action. By focusing on engagement, reach, click-through rates, conversions, and audience growth, you can refine your strategy and create content that truly resonates.

If tracking everything feels overwhelming, start simple. Choose a few key metrics that align with your goals, analyze what’s working, and make small adjustments. Over time, these data-driven changes will lead to better engagement, stronger connections, and measurable results.

Need help refining your social media strategy? Let’s talk about how we can turn your data into a game plan that drives real impact.

The post Metrics that Matter: How to Measure the Success of Social Media Campaigns appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

Content Categories and Themes: Crafting a Well-Balanced Calendar

Creating a year’s worth of social media content begins with structuring your posts around well-defined content categories and themes. This not only keeps your content diverse but also aligns it with your audience’s interests and your business goals. Let’s dive into this essential step:

1. Define Your Content Categories:

• Product or Service Spotlight: Showcase your offerings with high-quality images, videos, and descriptions. Highlight features, benefits, and customer testimonials.
• Educational Content: Share industry insights, how-to guides, and tips that provide value to your audience. Establish your brand as a knowledgeable authority.
• Entertaining Content: Keep things fun with memes, humor, or engaging stories that entertain your followers while staying relevant to your brand.
• Behind-the-Scenes: Offer a sneak peek into your company culture, daily operations, or team members’ stories to humanize your brand.
• User-Generated Content: Encourage customers to share their experiences with your products or services. Repost their content to build trust and authenticity.

2. Craft Content Themes:

• Seasonal Themes: Align your content with seasons, holidays, or special events relevant to your industry. For instance, a gardening store might focus on spring planting tips in March.
• Weekly Features: Designate specific days for recurring content, such as “Throwback Thursday” for sharing memorable moments or “Motivation Monday” for inspirational quotes.
• Customer Stories: Share success stories, testimonials, or case studies that highlight how your product or service has positively impacted customers.
• Industry Insights: Stay up-to-date with industry trends and share your insights or predictions. For example, a tech company could discuss emerging technologies.

3. Maintaining Balance:

• Ensure a mix of content types within each category to keep your audience engaged. For example, in the “Product Spotlight” category, alternate between showcasing different products, sharing customer reviews, and providing usage tips.
• Maintain a consistent tone and style across your content to reinforce your brand identity.
• Don’t overload your calendar with promotional content. A rule of thumb is the 80/20 rule: 80% valuable, non-promotional content, and 20% promotional.

Remember: A well-structured content calendar keeps your social media strategy fresh, engaging, and aligned with your brand’s mission and values. Be flexible and willing to adjust your categories and themes as trends evolve and your audience’s preferences change.

Creating a Posting Schedule: Time Your Posts for Maximum Impact

Creating a posting schedule is like conducting an orchestra – it ensures that your content reaches the right audience at the right time, making your social media strategy harmonious and effective. Let’s break down the process into manageable steps:

Determine Optimal Posting Frequency:

• Platform-Specific Guidelines: Each social media platform has its own recommendations for posting frequency. For instance, platforms like Twitter and Instagram often require more frequent updates compared to LinkedIn or Facebook.
• Audience Behavior: Dive into the analytics to understand your audience’s online habits. When are they most active? Tools like Facebook Insights or Twitter Analytics can provide valuable insights into your audience’s behavior.
• Experiment and Adapt: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different posting frequencies. What works for one brand may not work for another. Adjust your posting frequency based on the engagement you see from your audience.

Choose the Right Times:

When it comes to posting, timing is everything. Here’s how to choose the best times:

• Peak Hours: Identify the peak engagement hours for your audience. Consider posting during lunch breaks, evenings, or weekends when people are more likely to be active on social media.
• Time Zones: If your audience spans multiple time zones, use scheduling tools to post at optimal times in each region. This ensures that your posts are relevant and timely for all your followers.
• Content Type Matters: Different types of content perform better at specific times. For example, morning motivational quotes may resonate well when posted early in the day, while interactive polls can engage users during lunch breaks or afternoons.

Be Consistent and Flexible:

• Stick to your schedule to maintain a consistent online presence. Consistency builds trust with your audience.
• However, don’t forget to remain flexible. Monitor the performance of your posts and adjust your schedule based on what works best. Some posts may perform better on specific days or times. Stay adaptable and willing to refine your strategy as needed.

A well-structured posting schedule is essential for effective social media management. It makes sure that your content reaches your target audience when they’re most receptive, boosting engagement and helping you achieve your business objectives. Regularly analyze your posting schedule’s performance and make adjustments to keep your social media strategy dynamic and effective.

Generating Content Ideas: Fueling Your Social Media Calendar

Staying creative and consistently generating content ideas can be challenging, but it’s crucial for maintaining an engaging social media presence. Here, we explore strategies to keep your content ideas flowing effortlessly:

1. Brainstorming Sessions:

• Team Collaboration: Gather your team for brainstorming sessions. Different perspectives can lead to a variety of content ideas.
• Idea Boards: Use digital or physical idea boards where team members can pin or post content ideas as they come up.

2. User-Generated Content:

• Customer Submissions: Encourage your customers to share their experiences with your product or service. Showcase user-generated content (UGC) with their permission.
• Contests and Challenges: Run UGC contests or challenges related to your brand, products, or industry. Create a unique hashtag to track submissions.

3. Trend Analysis:

• Stay Informed: Keep a close eye on industry news, trends, and conversations. Subscribe to relevant newsletters or follow industry leaders on social media.
• Utilize Trending Hashtags: Incorporate trending industry hashtags into your posts when relevant. This can increase your content’s visibility.

4. Storytelling:

• Personal Stories: Share personal stories about your brand’s journey, challenges, and successes. Humanize your business by introducing team members and their experiences.
• Customer Stories: Highlight customer success stories. Include before-and-after scenarios or customer testimonials to showcase the impact of your product or service.

5. Educational Content:

• How-to Guides: Create step-by-step guides or tutorials related to your industry or product usage. Offer valuable insights and tips.
• Explainers: Break down complex topics or concepts into easily digestible content pieces. Use infographics, videos, or simple illustrations.

6. Content Repurposing:

• Repurpose Blog Posts: Turn your blog posts into social media snippets. Share key takeaways, quotes, or statistics with engaging visuals.
• Refresh Evergreen Content: Bring back and update evergreen content that remains relevant over time. Share it periodically to reach new followers.

7. Interactive Content:

• Polls and Surveys: Engage your audience with polls and surveys. Ask for their opinions on industry trends or preferences related to your products.
• Quizzes: Create fun quizzes that relate to your brand or industry. Share results and encourage sharing.

8. Trend Challenges:

• Participate in Challenges: Join popular social media challenges that align with your brand. Challenge your followers to join in too.
• Create Your Challenge: Start your own branded challenge and encourage user participation. Ensure it’s fun and shareable.

9. Seasonal and Event-Based Content:

• Holidays and Observances: Tailor your content to holidays, seasons, or national observances that resonate with your audience.
• Promotions and Sales: Plan and promote special offers, discounts, or events that align with specific dates or seasons.

Remember, the key to successful content generation is to maintain a balance between promotional, educational, entertaining, and interactive content. By exploring these strategies and adapting them to your brand’s unique voice and audience preferences, you’ll be able to keep your social media content calendar filled with engaging and shareable content throughout the year.

Creating a Content Calendar: Step-by-Step

Creating a content calendar is like crafting a roadmap for your social media journey. It keeps you on track, organized, and ensures that your content aligns with your business goals. Follow these steps to create a content calendar that simplifies your social media strategy:

Step 1: Select a Calendar Format

Begin by choosing a calendar format that suits your needs. Options include digital tools like Google Calendar, Excel spreadsheets, or specialized social media scheduling platforms like Buffer or Hootsuite. The key is to select a format that you and your team find easy to use and maintain.

Step 2: Set Clear Goals and Objectives

Define your social media goals for the year. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, boost sales, or engage with your audience? Your content calendar should align with these goals. Clearly articulate what you aim to achieve through your social media efforts.

Step 3: Allocate Content Categories

Assign content categories and themes to specific days or time slots on your calendar. Ensure a balanced mix to keep your audience engaged. For example:

• Mondays: Educational content
• Wednesdays: Product spotlights
• Fridays: Entertainment and humor

Step 4: Determine Posting Frequency

Decide how often you’ll post on each platform. It should align with the platform’s recommendations and your audience’s preferences. Be realistic about what you can maintain consistently. For instance, you might choose to post daily on Twitter but only three times a week on LinkedIn.

Step 5: Content Scheduling

Use scheduling tools to plan and schedule your posts in advance. Consider the best times to post based on your audience’s habits and time zones. These tools allow you to queue up posts, ensuring a steady flow of content without the need for real-time posting.

Step 6: Include Key Dates

Add important dates relevant to your business, industry, or season to your calendar. These can include product launches, industry events, holidays, and promotional periods. Highlighting key dates ensures that your content is timely and relevant.

Step 7: Evergreen Content Integration

Integrate evergreen content throughout your calendar. These are posts that remain relevant over time and can be recycled periodically. Mix them in with timely and seasonal content to maintain a consistent flow of information.

Step 8: Content Creation Timeline

Create a timeline for content creation. Allocate sufficient time for research, content creation, design, and approval before the scheduled posting date. This step ensures that you’re well-prepared and not rushed to produce content.

Step 9: Engagement and Monitoring

Schedule time for engagement and monitoring. Allocate dedicated slots to respond to comments, messages, and mentions promptly. Interaction with your audience is essential for building relationships and community engagement.

Step 10: Flexibility

While it’s important to have a structured calendar, leave room for flexibility. Be prepared to adapt to current events, trends, or unforeseen circumstances. Having a backup plan or contingency content is a smart strategy.

Step 11: Collaboration and Approval

If you have a team, establish a workflow for content collaboration and approval. Make sure that everyone is aware of their roles and responsibilities in the content creation and publishing process.

Step 12: Reporting and Analytics

Schedule regular time for reviewing analytics. Monitor the performance of your posts and adjust your calendar based on the insights you gather. Data-driven decision-making is crucial for optimizing your strategy.

Step 13: Repurposing and Recycling

Plan to repurpose or recycle content strategically. High-performing posts can be reused with minor updates to reach new audiences or refresh the memories of your existing followers.

Step 14: Documentation

Keep track of your content ideas, themes, and posting schedule in a document or digital format for easy reference and future planning. Maintaining an organized content repository streamlines your workflow.

Step 15: Testing and Optimization

Use A/B testing to refine your content strategy. Experiment with different content types, posting times, and messaging to see what resonates best with your audience. Continuously improve your content based on what works.

By following these step-by-step instructions, you’ll create a well-structured content calendar that serves as the backbone of your social media strategy. It keeps you organized and consistent so that you can achieve your social media goals effectively. If you want truly seamless social media marketing for your business, contact us today for a strategy session!

The post A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Year’s Worth of Social Media Content in Minutes appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

Social media is a virtual doorway to your MedSpa, where potential clients get a sneak peek into your offerings, ambiance, and the results they can expect. It’s where you connect, engage, and build a community that loves what you do. However, when you’re creating a thriving MedSpa business, the question lingers: How often should you post on social media?

Finding the right balance between engaging your audience and overwhelming them with content can be a daunting task. This blog will be your guiding light, helping you navigate the choppy waters of social media posting frequencies. We’ll offer insights and strategies to create a social media schedule that not only works but also thrives.

The Power of Social Media for MedSpas

Creating an active social media presence can have several benefits for growing MedSpas:

• Visibility: Social media platforms have millions (and sometimes billions) of active users, making it a prime space to showcase your MedSpa’s services and establish brand visibility.
• Engagement: It’s not just about posting; it’s about engaging with your audience. Social media allows you to have direct conversations with potential clients, answer their questions, and build relationships.
• Showcasing Results: Stunning before-and-after photos, glowing testimonials, and informative videos can all be shared on social media, helping you showcase your expertise and the results your clients can expect.
• Community Building: MedSpas often cater to niche audiences. Social media enables you to build a loyal community of clients who share your passion for beauty, wellness, and self-care.

The Importance of a Consistent Posting Schedule

One of the key pillars of social media success is consistency. Whether you’re posting daily, weekly, or somewhere in between, having a dependable posting schedule helps your audience know when to expect new content. It’s like a TV show they look forward to watching every week, except this show features your MedSpa!

The Dilemma: Quality vs. Quantity

Now, let’s address the age-old dilemma in social media marketing: Quality vs. Quantity. It’s a balancing act that every MedSpa owner faces when deciding how often to post.

• Quality: High-quality content is your golden ticket to engage your audience effectively. It’s about crafting posts that resonate, educating your followers, and showcasing the essence of your MedSpa. But here’s the catch: creating quality content takes time and effort.
• Quantity: On the flip side, posting more frequently can boost your visibility and reach a wider audience. More posts mean more opportunities to appear in your followers’ feeds. However, flooding your audience with content might lead to burnout or disinterest.

So, how do you strike the right balance between quality and quantity?  It begins with knowing where you will be posting.

Choosing the Right Platforms for Your MedSpa

Not all social media platforms are created equal, and not all are a perfect fit for your MedSpa. It’s essential to understand your audience and the nature of your services to make informed choices.

• Know Your Audience: Are your target clients more likely to be scrolling through Instagram, searching for beauty inspiration on Pinterest, or scrolling through TikTok? Knowing your audience’s preferences is the first step in platform selection.
• Nature of Services: Consider the type of content that best represents your MedSpa. If you offer intricate skincare routines or detailed consultations, platforms that allow for longer-form content, such as YouTube or Facebook, may be ideal.
• Competitive Analysis: Research what platforms your competitors are using successfully. This can provide valuable insights into where your target audience might be hanging out.

Platform-Specific Posting Frequencies

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: how often should you post on each platform? Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and you may need to adjust based on your specific circumstances.

• Instagram: Posting once a day or at least 3-5 times a week is a common practice on Instagram. Stories, which are ephemeral, can be even more frequent, sometimes multiple times a day.
• Facebook: Posting 3-7 times a week is a good starting point for Facebook. Consistency is key, so find a schedule that you can maintain.
• TikTok: Given TikTok’s algorithm, posting at least once a day can help your content gain traction. Keep in mind that TikTok’s audience is particularly responsive to trendy and visually engaging content.

Avoiding Over-Posting and Spamming

While consistency is crucial, there’s a fine line between being a reliable presence and overwhelming your audience. Over-posting can lead to:

• Audience Fatigue: Bombarding your followers with too many posts can lead to fatigue and unfollows.
• Quality Decline: Quantity should never compromise quality. Rushed or uninspired posts can damage your MedSpa’s reputation.
• Negative Perception: Excessive posting may give the impression of desperation or spammy behavior.

The Dangers of Under-Posting

While over-posting can be detrimental, under-posting poses its own set of challenges. When you don’t post often enough, your MedSpa risks:

• Decreased Visibility: Algorithms may not favor your content, resulting in reduced reach and engagement.
• Loss of Interest: Followers may forget about your MedSpa if they don’t see regular updates.
• Missed Opportunities: Social media is a dynamic space where trends and conversations evolve quickly. Infrequent posting can cause your MedSpa to miss out on relevant discussions.

MedSpa Social Media Strategy

So, what comes next?  Posting the “correct” number of posts on social media doesn’t exactly mean that you’re going to go viral or even get a great deal of reach and engagement. If you find that you’re struggling in that arena, keep these tips in mind:

• Use relevant hashtags
• Jump on relevant Instagram and TikTok trends
• Post promotional content only 20% of the time

If you want to fully leverage social media to bring in new clients and build an audience that will keep coming back for more, schedule a strategy session with us today! We’ll cut out the guesswork and let you focus on what you do best.

The post How Often Should MedSpas Post on Social Media? appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

Punch up your social media marketing with creative, engaging images. Here are 5 kinds of images you should be using to draw your customer base in and connect with them personally for a powerful campaign.

The post 5 Images to Include in your Social Media Marketing appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

A large portion of an effective digital marketing strategy is a business’s social media strategy. A subset of that social media strategy is the use of Instagram Stories. The unfortunate thing? Many businesses choose to ignore Instagram Stories, having the false presumption that they’re ineffective and useless.

But why do many businesses have this false presumption? While there are many reasons why one might not believe in the value of Instagram Stories, it’s likely due to the fact that they’re temporary in nature, lasting for only 24-hours then disappearing forever.

The good news? While Instagram Stories do only last for 24 hours, you do have the option to create a “highlight” and save the story forever! This is of great benefit for those who value their stories enough to capture them in time.

With this presumption, however, why put so much time and effort into them if they’re just going to disappear after a day?! It’s a reasonable thought to have…

However, Instagram Stories offer more value than meets the eye. Sure, on the surface, they’re just a temporary posting mechanism, secondary to the more important “feed” of Instagram. However, after a deeper analysis, you’ll realize that Instagram Stories provide businesses with several benefits.

What follows will be a discussion of the several benefits of Instagram Stories for businesses, as well as a guide to how your business can use Instagram Stories for continued success.

Let’s get into it!

Benefits of Instagram Stories for Businesses

Before discussing how businesses can use Instagram Stories, it’s important to discuss why…

In short, there are several benefits and advantages to Instagram Stories. Not only does it allow for more creative freedom with respect to content, but it also allows businesses to more readily communicate with their audience, boost engagement, and remain atop of mind, among other benefits.

If you and your business aren’t taking full advantage of Instagram Stories, you’re missing out.

Below are the benefits of Instagram Stories for Businesses: 

• Boosts Social Engagement through Interaction
• Helps Drive Sales
• Improves Brand/Company Visibility
• Helps Businesses Stay Relevant & Top of Mind
• Provides a 24-Hour Customer Support & Feedback Mechanism
• Promotes the Generation of Leads
• Allows Secondary Content Creation Outlet
• Immediate Communication Tool

Adding more freedom and flexibility to your marketing strategy, and more specifically, your social media strategy, Instagram Stories, though temporary, are worth the time and effort.

The benefits of this Instagram tool are endless. If you’re not yet convinced, see for yourself! 

How to Use Instagram Stories

If you’re struggling to gain traction online, building out a long-term social media strategy will likely be of major benefit to your business, not only from a brand awareness standpoint but from an overall growth standpoint. As mentioned, one subset of that social media strategy is Instagram Stories.

We’ve discussed the many benefits of implementing Instagram Stories. Now, it’s time to discuss how your business can utilize it.

In the world of online advertising and social presence being somewhat of a currency, Instagram Stories are a great tool to use in tandem.

Not only are Instagram Stories a frequently used feature by consumers, but they’ve been shown to result in larger conversions for businesses who use it properly. If you come from a traditional marketing background, think of them as an infographic of sorts. The difference? They’re extremely addictive to the consumer consuming them, thus resulting in higher retention rates, greater engagement, and as a result, growth in all forms and facets of the business.

So, how can your business begin to take advantage of this Instagram feature? Continue reading to find out!

Below are several ways businesses can use Instagram Stories to their benefit:

• Making an Announcement
  A quick, efficient, and effective way to make an announcement and get it in front of as many eyes as possible.
• Engaging With Your Audience via a Questionnaire or Poll
  Have you struggled in the past to gather feedback on any given business inquiry? With Instagram Stories, you can do it with the tap of a button, making it easy for both you and the consumer to engage in open and honest feedback.
• Informing Your Audience About a New Post
  Similar to making an announcement, Instagram Stories allow you to share to the masses when you’ve made a new Instagram Feed post. This is beneficial for several reasons, but it primarily helps increase post engagement.
• Going Live to Interact, Engage, and Humanize Your Brand
  In today’s digital ecosystem, consumers value transparency and relatability more than ever. One way to provide that to your consumers is to humanize your brand; to show face. Going live and interacting with your audience is a great way to achieve that.
• Spread Awareness Surrounding a Cause via Story Hashtags & Stickers
  With social justice issues at the forefront of many businesses’ agenda, there’s no better way to spread awareness than through a quick and effective hashtag of Instagram Sticker. Tell your audience what you stand for and engage with them on the issue!

• Save Notable Stories to Your “Highlights”
  While a major downfall of Instagram Stories is its temporary nature, you can now save it in time via the Instagram Highlights feature! Now, not only can you curate permanent stories, but you can display them on your page for all to see at their convenience.
• Promote Your Offerings via a Link
  An extremely effective way to upsell your products or services and generate leads is via link sharing on your Instagram Stories. One simple click and you’ve just acquired a potential lead!
• Increase Website Traffic via the “Swipe Up” Feature
  Similar to link sharing, you can also implement a swipe up on your story. When a consumer takes action on the swipe up, it immediately redirects them to the link you’ve attached. Yet another incredibly efficient and effective way to gather leads.
• Feature a Countdown to a Business Launch of Sorts
  Want to generate some buzz and excitement surrounding a launch or event of sorts? Visit the stickers feature via your Instagram Stories tab and find the countdown feature!
• Build Brand Reputation Through High-Quality Content
  Last but certainly not least, while many view Instagram Stories as a quick hitting version of your primary content, others opt to give it the same level of attention and quality control to one-up their competitors. As mentioned, today’s digital consumers value transparency and relatability. In the same breath, they also know quality and true effort when they see it. So consider investing some time and attention into Instagram Stories and let the results speak for themselves!

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are endless ways that businesses can use Instagram Stories to their benefit. The best part? It benefits their consumers just as much!

With hundreds of millions (if not billions!) of Instagram users, many which use the Instagram Story feature regularly, it would be a mistake NOT to take advantage of it from a business standpoint, even if you’re not yet fully convinced of its value.

Instagram Stories are easy to use, require far less time than what’s necessary for Instagram Feed content, and they provide arguably the greatest value of any Instagram feature.

Good luck!

Contact us today about getting started with Instagram Stories for your business.

The post A Guide to How Businesses Use Instagram Stories appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

Facebook can be a powerful tool to help any business build a solid, dedicated, and loyal brand. There are also many different ways to expand your brand’s reach on this platform, and this is what makes it so popular with marketers. However, some ways do work better than others when it comes to brand building, and we’re going to outline the top five that you should concentrate on when you bring your brand to Facebook. This way, you’ll know which one works, and this can help save you time and resources.

1. Instant Articles

Page load time can be the difference between people viewing your content or clicking away and moving on. Traditionally, you click on an article, and it redirects you away from Facebook to the person’s site. This can slow down load time. Facebook instant articles wanted to address this by allowing people to host their articles directly on Facebook’s servers. In turn, you get instantaneous load times, and this is where Instant Articles gets the name.

You can quickly and easily create content for your brand and post it to Facebook. It is a good idea to set up a content schedule to ensure that you don’t have any major gaps in your post history to keep generating interest. Post them to Facebook and use them to engage and broaden your audience.

2. Facebook Live

Facebook introduced Facebook Live as a way for brands and people to create content in real-time. You can stream right over your Facebook page. For brands, this allows you to promote new product launches or any upcoming events you plan to have. It gives people an inside look at your business, and this can boost your brand’s engagement levels.

You should include your location on your video, and you may even want to tag others to help expand your brand’s reach. You could take your audience behind the scenes at your company, have your employees show them around, and make them feel like they’re part of your brand’s team and vision.

3. Free Downloads via Messenger

You can set up an entire ad campaign through Facebook Messenger. One easy way to do this is to program small text bubbles that pop up when people click on messenger from your brand’s page. They can interact with these messages, and you can set up custom messages to send right to their inboxes. For example, you could offer a percentage off their next purchase, or you could direct them toward items that may interest them.

The goal of these types of ads is to drive customer engagement. Your customers want to feel like you’re connecting with them on a personal level, and they’re more likely to be loyal to a company that they have a connection with. You could even set up your campaign to send reminders of upcoming sales or events.

4. Facebook Groups

Although many people forget about groups, Facebook can help you create a small and intimate setting to connect directly with your local customers. You could set up groups for people in your brand’s area, or you could have a group for people who like your brand’s products. Groups also help you moderate who can and can’t get in, and this can help ensure your customers all want to be here.

Groups are a great way to poll your audience to see where your brand is doing good and where you could improve. They also allow you to get a lot of interaction with a tighter group of people than your audiences at large. You could host giveaways, offer discount codes, or take time to build strong connections with a small-scale community.

5. Ads

If you get them set up correctly, Facebook ads are an excellent way to spread brand awareness to a huge range of people while growing your community. It’s possible to set up ads for certain locations, and Facebook allows you to find and target people who are more likely to buy from your brand and turn into repeat customers. You can also create ads to cater to specific items.

This targeting capability is especially useful if you have a new product or service launch coming up soon. Ads can help you reach a much broader audience while targeting people you already interacted with. Create leads, have custom calls-to-action, and scale your ad campaign to match your promotion.

Contact Six Degrees Digital Media

Are you ready to dive in and build your brand on Facebook? If so, Six Degrees Digital Media is here to help. You can set up a strategy session to help start your brand off strong. Our professional and friendly staff are ready to help in any way they can.

The post 5 Ways to Build your Brand with Facebook appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

Building your brand on LinkedIn can seem like a daunting process, and this is especially true if you’re new to this professional networking platform. However, if you get it right, the connections you make can be very positive for your business or brand. While there are several ways you can build your brand with LinkedIn, five stand out above the rest.

We want you to be as successful as possible, so we’re going to go in-depth on each of these five methods. This way, you’ll know precisely how to apply them to your brand to build a robust professional network and get your brand out in front of the more prominent companies in your niche.

1. Articles

Content ranks high with Google, but it’s also a chance to showcase when you know while building your authority at the same time. You want to make your articles relevant to your industry, and you want to try and backlink to very credible sources in your industry. The more you do, the more knowledgeable you’ll look to anyone who views your articles. You should create both short and long-form articles.

People can read your articles and comment. When they do, it gives you a chance to engage your audience. They can also follow you to get updates each time you post a new article. If they choose to share your article, this will get your brand out in front of their follows and introduce you to new people.

2. Videos

LinkedIn uses an algorithm for all of the content on the site to rank it, and this is very similar to what Google does. Videos rank very high on the algorithm score, so you should incorporate them if you can. A video allows you to tell your brand’s story while humanizing it and giving people something to connect with. It can help to boost your brand awareness, and you can use it to create strong connections.

Videos are also a fantastic way to promote your products. Unboxing videos are very popular, and you can give real-time demos on how to use your products or services. You can share upcoming launch details, post how-tos, or answer questions from your followers to promote engagement.

3. Posts

Posts are a great way for you to generate leads for your brand. They give you a chance to be very personal with your audience and speak directly to them. Think of a post like a status update on other social media platforms. You don’t have to be long-winded with them. Sometimes, it can be as simple as a link to another brand in your niche or someone you admire.

With posts, you want to try to connect with bigger members of your niche while avoiding your direct competition. If you do, it can make your network stronger because you can add members from their followers to your own. People get excited when they think that they’re in the know with an up-and-coming entity, and posts are a quick and easy way to keep everyone informed while building your network.

4. Groups

Groups can be invaluable on LinkedIn. It creates a unique environment for your audience and your customers to connect, especially when you start getting a decent-sized following. You can easily join groups that are in your niche to see what other brands are doing, or you could post to try and gain recognition.

You do want to be active in any groups you join. Doing so can help you build authentic connections with people. In turn, this can easily build trust. People are more likely to promote a brand or try products and services if there is a level of trust. It can also boost your engagement levels.

5. Networking

In the business world, networking is everything. It’s a direct way to connect with industry professionals and gain knowledge or experience. Your network can hand you more opportunities to grow your brand and expand your reach at the same time. It allows you to trade information with similar businesses so you can see what does and doesn’t work. Networking also makes you more noticeable.

Networking can also get your support from powerful entities in your niche. This is great if your brand is extremely competitive. The more powerful your network is, the better received your brand will be by potential customers. It also helps to give you a leg up on your direct competition.

Contact Six Degrees Digital Media Today

Do you need advice or assistance building your brand on LinkedIn? If so, Six Degrees Digital Media is ready to help. We have the experience and expertise to help you get your brand out in front of the right audience and expand your reach on this professional platform. Contact us today to get started.

The post 5 Ways to Build your Brand with LinkedIn appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

Pros and Cons for Marketing Professionals  

From high above the city streets, we hear a familiar wail. It’s the mournful cry of marketing professionals coming to terms with the advent of yet another social media platform that requires content from them.  

More accurately, it’s a new video-sharing feature from the good people at Facebook, added to Instagram at the beginning of August.  

For the optimistic among us, Reels is a new way to reach your audience with short, 15-second video compilations that you can share with your followers or the general public.  

To the cynics, Reels is a TikTok clone that replicates the sharing service’s basic features but implements them in a confusing and haphazard manner.  

Whether the service takes off depends on whether there’s enough additional value on top of the four other sharing features the venerable platform already sports. Its fate will also be decided, at least in part, by whether marketers decide to get on board.   

The platform could well get a boost from Trump’s battle with TikTok, if his threatened ban ever comes to fruition. Imagine — all of those dance videos, animal imitations, and hockey stick crotch shots without a platform to call home.  

The future is still murky for Instagram Reels. So is it worth pursuing? Let’s weigh the pros and cons. 

Reasons Instagram Reels Might Be Worth Adding to Your Arsenal 

Even though the platform is unproven, an argument can be made for early adoption. Those marketers savvy enough to leverage the service now could be well-positioned for success once it reaches mainstream adoption. Other entries in the “pros” column include: 

Reels Are Fairly Simple to Create 

There are only so many hours in the day, and only so much content you can create. If you’re going to add something new, you want to be sure the ROI supports the investment.  

Creating Reels is easy. Turn on your cell phone, hit record, do something memorable, and post. There’s virtually no learning curve, and your content can rain down like…rain. So it could be worth giving the platform a try. 

You Can Repurpose Content You Already Have 

If you already create video content for Stories, IGTV, YouTube, or, I don’t know…TikTok, you can move some of it onto Reels. Any short-form material could make the jump, assuming it generally fits the format people are interested in.  

With repurposed content, your speculative investment is nearly nothing. 

Your Audience Uses Instagram and TikTok 

TikTok attracts a very specific demographic, specifically younger people who have nothing better to do than watch strangers balance spatulas on their noses and burp the national anthem. If that’s your target demographic, then Reels is a no-brainer.   

Whether it reaches TikTok proportions or languishes in its parent’s basement, you’re still likely to derive value. 

Reels Complements Instagram Stories 

You’re likely to find Reels useful if you already get good results from Stories because the formats are very similar. One of the most salient differences is that Instagram Reels are permanent, whereas Stories evaporate after 24 hours. Posting videos to both allows you to connect with your Stories audience while increasing your content’s staying power.  

Additionally, Facebook’s algorithm tends to assign a favored status to posts that use their new technologies, so if you’re already on Instagram, using Reels will boost your engagement. 

Other Benefits 

Reels are easy to share, unlike some other services, which is a boon to marketers. The service also allows audience retargeting, unlike Instagram’s other offerings.  

If you utilize hashtags in your marketing, you’ll be happy to know that Reels supports up to 30 Instagram hashtags and up to 2,200 characters, more than an order of magnitude larger than TikTok’s diminutive character allowance. 

Reasons to Wait Until Instagram Reels Proves its Worth 

Not every video-sharing service will enjoy TikTok’s success, particularly one that’s essentially another TikTok. Reels could just as easily go the way of Vine. So before you start investing in content creation, you might want to wait and see if the platform survives. 

People Might Not Ever Care 

You might dutifully create content for Reels, spooling out groundbreaking videos that define the very nature of the platform, and find nothing but crickets. There’s simply no guarantee that even existing Instagram users will find value in Reels.  

In its current incarnation, Reels are challenging to find in the Instagram app. Instead of opting for a dedicated Reels feed, Facebook buried the content in the app’s Explore tab.  

Plans exist to rectify this, but your content may forever languish in obscurity if that doesn’t happen. 

Instagram Reels Can’t Be Scheduled 

Marketers aren’t known for spontaneity. We devise and follow rigorous content schedules and LOVE our automation. The service’s lack of scheduling support could well be a dealbreaker for those considering early adoption. 

Reels Analytics are Feeble Compared to the Competition 

The only things we marketers love more than automation are the analytical tools we use to determine if our efforts are getting results. TikTok features robust analytics and deep insights. Instagram simply saves you from having to count your likes and comments manually.   

The difference is analogous to comparing Google Analytics to the visitor counters people used to feature on their websites in the late ‘90s. Again, until Reels ups its game, serious marketers might do well to take a pass.  

So is Instagram Reels right for you? If you sell dance-related paraphernalia or men’s athletic cups, the answer is an unequivocal “yes.” Otherwise, it’s worth balancing the pros and cons we’ve shared to see if the platform fits your current strategies.  

If you’d like help determining your place in the Instagram Reelspace (copyright us, just now), contact us at Six Degrees Digital Media today. We’re Reels experts, insofar as anyone can be an expert on a service that’s just two months old. We can help fit the platform into your social plan.  

Or we might just dance. 

The post Is Instagram Reels Worth Pursuing? appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

Everyone loves a juicy secret. Especially if that secret can benefit you in some way, right?

Well then, you’re gonna love this blog post because it’s filled with secrets that will help you master Facebook ads. Not like a Jedi Master because that takes years of training and several mentors to guide you on a journey.

Thankfully, Facebook ads are not as difficult as learning how to wield a light-saber and face multiple villains…although some would call Facebook villainous.

If you’re ready to learn Facebook ad secrets that will have you crafting killer copy, targeting like a hero, and efficiently spending your ad dollars, then you’re in the right place. Let’s go!

First Up – Do Your Research

Before you jump into writing your first ad, it’s best practice to research what your competitors are doing. Just like rebels infiltrating the empire. A deep dive will give you insight into what’s working, how your potential market is already being targeted, and what offers are already in the marketplace.

Here are Some Competitor Research Tools for Facebook Ads

You don’t have to design your ads alone. You can enlist the aid of your competitors, and get a head start. It’s like having the blueprints to the Death Star. Give yourself an advantage.

What sort of corporate espionage is this? How can it be that your competitors will give up their marketing secrets? Because current and previous Facebook ads for every advertiser are freely available, in the interests of platform transparency. There are a number of tools available to let you sort this massive treasure chest of data.

Facebook Ad Library

While not the most full-featured research tool of the group, Facebook’s Ad Library has the benefit of being free. You can search the ads for specific advertisers and filter by country of origin, impression counts, and platform (Facebook, Instagram, Audience Network, and Messenger are all included.)

You can learn a lot by examining your competitor’s headlines, images, ad copy, and landing pages. You’ll get a sense of what sorts of ads work in your industry and which don’t.

Unfortunately, unless you’re searching in the political space, Facebook’s Ad Library limits you to currently running ads. Archived campaigns aren’t included. But again, it’s free, so you get what you don’t pay for. If you’re willing to part with some cash, there are better tools. Afterall, everyone’s weapons system needs an upgrade eventually!

Check out These Spy Tools That Can Help!

AdEspresso

AdEspresso isn’t a research tool per se, but it does offer some research functionality as a part of its service. The platform’s main purpose is to help users design full Facebook ad campaigns and it provides various tools for creating and maintaining them.

Their research tools allow you a bit more depth than Facebook’s, but you’re still limited to currently-running ads. And because the ads are added to the service manually, you won’t find every advertisement available, just a subset. If you’re looking for a holistic campaign manager that allows competitor research, you can’t go wrong with AdEspresso. It’s like your own personal marketing droid! But if all you’re interested in is research tools, you’ll do better with either of the last two entries in this list.

PowerAdSpy

With PowerAdSpy your research will start to feel more like spy games than casual searches. The service gives you access to millions of ads from more than 15 countries. You can sort by placement, performance, and granular keywords from inside the ads. It’s like having access to the library at the Jedi temple, tons of data at your fingertips.

You’ll get access to engagement data that shows you which ads perform well in which categories. You can see precise geo-targeting information for a sense of who your competitors are targeting. You can even sort by CTAs. PowerAdSpy is an excellent research tool! If you are looking for Matrix-level data, you need MagicAdz.

MagicAdz

Along with the features from the other services, MagicAdz lets you search millions of ads, both current and archived, from advertisers in over 50 countries. Get highly detailed information on each ad. Filter by audience type, ad type, and engagement. Search eCommerce and affiliate ads, including cloaked affiliate ads with one click. You can even see ads from the FUTURE, just like Yoda!

Okay, that last one isn’t true. But it might feel like it’s possible with the level of depth you get from the service. Of course, you may not need this much information. It can easily overwhelm the uninitiated. If you’ve never run a Facebook ad, start with Facebook’s free service and grow from there.

Get Details About Your Competitor’s Facebook Ad Targeting

You can take your research a step further using Facebook’s “Why Am I Seeing This Ad?” option. Follow your competitors on Facebook so that their ads appear in your feed. When you see one, click on the three dots icon at the top right of the advertisement and select, “Why am I seeing this ad?”

Facebook will give you a peek behind the curtain, showing you the reasons you were targeted for the ad. It might be because you just visited your competitor’s website, or because you share an interest they’re targeting.

You won’t glean a ton of information per ad, but you’ll slowly build an understanding of your competitor’s targeting choices the more ads you check.

Once you have a thorough understanding of what has come before you, you’re ready to beat them all at their own game.

How to Create the Perfect Facebook Ad

To have the best success with Facebook ads, you need get these five elements right:

• Right Offer
• Appealing Media (Image or Video)
• Persuasive copy (headline and text)
• Proper Targeting
• The Right Budget

It’s like your own blueprint for success.

Choose the Right Offer

Once you’ve selected your target market, you want to create an offer that speaks directly to them. For example, if you’re targeting a wealthier demographic, you don’t need to focus on your product’s affordability. That’s “not the droid you’re looking for”.

On top of this, you want your offer to inspire action. It should make it easy for people to say “yes.” Promising a sale price can work, certainly, but it’s better to find something unique.

“50% off today only!” is a common offer, but it may only be effective if your prospect already knows they want to purchase and is just looking for a deal. Otherwise, you’ll need something else to pique their interest.

You might promise a gift, like an informational PDF. You might also offer a free sample or a free trial. Try to get creative.

Additionally, you want to choose a single call to action. Don’t muddle your message with multiple action points. Choose the most important one and drive everyone toward it.

Schedule Your Free Strategy Session

Use Appealing Media (Image or Video)

Your image shouldn’t be an afterthought, but instead an integral part of the ad. It should serve to support your offer and your copy. You want something imminently relevant that will catch people’s eyes as they scroll down their feed.

You have one to two seconds at a maximum to get someone’s attention. If your media feels disconnected from your message or feels like a generic stock image, they’ll scroll right on by.

Video is also a great choice, particularly if it auto-plays. Make sure the first five to ten seconds of the presentation encapsulate your entire message. That may be all you get before people make the decision to watch the rest or scroll on.

Write Persuasive Copy

A common mistake people make when writing ad copy is that they focus on features instead of benefits. Features don’t persuade people to act, benefits do. Imagine you were writing ad copy for a convertible. Which is more persuasive?

“The all new X-Wing Red Leader Edition has dual exhaust, leather seats, a premium missile guidance system, added droid safety features, and our patented, Easy-Stow blaster side compartment.”

or

“Aim true every time as you jet down the port side of Imperial cruisers. The all new X-Wing Red Leader Edition is built with freedom in mind. With your blaster safely stowed at your side, your cares can release into the galaxy as you fight for the rebellion.”

While purely fictional, the second paints a picture that connects with people emotionally. It tells them what they’ll get from making a purchase, not a laundry list of features. The features contribute to the overall experience, but it’s the experience people are after. Write copy that connects with your audience.

Facebook Ad Targeting

Facebook’s strength, apart from its massive audience, is its targeting ability. It incorporates the most robust targeting features of any advertising platform, and it’s critical that you take advantage of this.

You might be tempted to try and reach everyone. “Everyone’s a potential customer,” you might say. But this is a mistake. Even if you just targeted U.S. residents, you would be trying to reach 180 million people. Your ad spend wouldn’t go very far.

Instead, think of yourself as a well-aimed blaster, hitting the specific target each time.  You’ll want to drill down into the demographic information available to you to target exactly the market that is most likely to be interested in your offering. For example, suppose you’re selling workout equipment. In that case, you might target men and women in the U.S. between the ages of 20 and 40 interested in fitness and have recently visited health-related websites.

To learn about potential audiences, go to https://www.facebook.com/ads/audience-insights. Facebook’s Audience Insight’s tool lets you plug in all sorts of demographic information to learn more about your target market.

When you target correctly, the total pool of prospects shrinks, but the chance that any one of them wants what you’re offering goes up dramatically. This allows you to spend far more efficiently.

Set the Right Budget

You’ve got a winning ad. Your properly targeted offer is strong, it’s accompanied by engaging media, and your copy could persuade a Sith Lord to visit a youngling’s hospital with flowers and balloons. Now don’t blow it by budgeting improperly.

If you set your budget too low, you’re limiting how much you can bid per click. Set it too high and you may deplete your ad spend too quickly.

To get your budget just right, start with your revenue goal. Let’s say your average sale is $200, and you want to generate around $20,000 a month. That means you’ll need 100 sales from your ad each month.

Now consider your typical conversion rate. If 1% of your total clicks convert to sales then you’ll need 10,000 clicks each month to generate 100 sales.

When you set up your campaigns, Facebook will suggest a range for pricing your bids. The more you bid per ad, the more frequently it will be seen, improving your CTR. Figure out the max you can spend for each of the 10,000 clicks you need, then set your bid lower.

If your CTR is too low, increase your bid incrementally. You can also set a max daily and monthly spend to ensure you don’t spend too much.

How Can I Increase the Reach of My Facebook Ads?

First of all, you don’t want to reach everyone on the planet. And if you tell me everyone is your customer, I’m gonna scream louder than a Wookee.

Here’s the thing, this is an auction and you want to reach the right audience. You are competing with other advertisers who also target that person for other interests so keep that in mind.

Now that’s settled, let move forward in time for a moment.

Picture this, your ads are written, your budget is set, and your campaign is running. You’re chillin’ with re-watching the Mandolorian for the third time through and you’ve unplugged because you’re done, right?

Not quite. Once things are running, the work of optimizing your campaign begins. You’re now trying to find the sweet spot your budget can support and tweak your ads for better performance. Generally, you’re looking to have a reach of 400,000 to two million. However, local ad campaigns won’t necessarily get you those numbers so you’ll have to go with what’s available.

Other options:

This one is fairly obvious. If you’re targeting a single square block around your house, your audience will be limited. If you want to increase your reach, start by widening your geotargeting area.

Just be sure that the new areas you’re targeting still host an appreciable population of your target market. If you sell t-shirts that say, “Life’s a Beach”, you probably don’t want to include the desert planet of Tatooine in your campaign.

Include More Interests

If you find your audience is smaller than you’d like, try including other related interests. Imagine your offer is a free workshop on productivity and organization.

In most cases, there are large groups of people that would be interested in your product or service that might fall outside of the box. But not always.

You likely already targeted pages and interests that deal with this. For example, many TV shows deal with how to get organized.

You can find productivity tools and see if those show up in the interest targeting. Or perhaps well-known experts in that industry are available as a target option (i.e. people who like an author of a best-selling book on the subject).

Less Strict Demographic Filtering

If you’re hitting the right locations and interests but still getting a narrower market than you’d like, consider expanding your demographic restrictions. Include men and women, expand your age range, widen from married people to include singles, etc. There’s a wide variety of demographic options available. Extending any one of them will increase your reach.

Increase Budget

The smaller your budget, the faster it runs out when you cast a wider net. As you increase your reach you may find you need to increase your budget. Your ad will appear less frequently when you’re targeting 40,000 people vs. 400,000. The further your ad tendrils extend, the more you’ll need to spend.

How Can You Improve CTR for a Facebook Ad?

What is CTR? I’m so glad you asked. It stands for click-through rate. This simply means how many times your ad gets clicked on vs. how many times it’s seen.

Now we put on our lab coats, get out our clicky pens, and begin the testing phase. You will always be split testing as there is always room for improvement. Although there are winning ads that fall within acceptable cost parameters and if you’re happy with that, you can just keep running that ad until it gets fatigued (a lesson for another day).

Split testing is the best way to improve click-through rate. When you split test, you are only testing one element at a time. For instance, the same ad but with two different images. Or the same ad and two different headlines. If you split test too many things at once, you won’t know which thing increased the CTR.

The target is already separated in your adset level. Budget is not a split test but once you’ve got a winning ad and are seeing a good ROI (return on investment), you can increase the budget to scale up. Although there are other ways to scale as well (a lesson for another day 😊)

To improve your ad’s click-through rate, split test one of the three elements above, A/B test the revised ad’s performance against the original, and keep whichever performs better. Then repeat the testing process with another element.

This split testing allows you to improve your ad incrementally so that you hit the audience you want to and achieve the CTR you need to get ROI. Once you have a winner you can increase your budget and scale-up.

Wouldn’t it be great if it were that easy? It’s not. This article contains everything you need to get started, but it takes time to refine your strategies and learn what works for you and what doesn’t. The important thing is that you now know how to start that process.

Learning more is always a good idea, young Padawan. What are the best strategies for users new to Facebook ads? Schedule a complimentary strategy session with us to find out.

The post Facebook Ad Secrets appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

Include an Inviting Photo

People pull a lot of information from a person’s face. A warm, affable smile can go a long way toward establishing a connection, and a professional outfit and setting help establish credibility.

Write a Hero Summary

Your LinkedIn profile is no time to be demure. Write a dynamic summary that cuts right to the heart of who you are, what you do, and why you’re so damned good at it.

Include a Call to Action

Your summary is the first thing people will read. Include a call to action at the end motivating them to contact you or take some other action. Fortune favors the bold, so be bold.

Show Your Passions

Demonstrate that you’re an individual. Write passionately about specific elements of your profession. If you can inspire others to get excited about properly-tuned thermocouples, you’re doing something right.

Chose a Custom URL

It’s harder to promote yourself effectively when your URL is a random mash of letters and numbers. Delve into your settings and choose a custom URL that personalizes your profile’s address.

Tell the Buzzwords to Buzz Off

Don’t fill your profile with a word salad of industry jargon. This makes it difficult to read and removes any genuine feeling of warmth or individuality. Your profile will read like it was written by an AI trained on industry textbooks.

Write in the First Person

Your profile is similar to a resume but should be written in the first person. Imagine having a conversation with a prospective employer. You wouldn’t say, “Jan Jenkins did X and Y”, you would say “I did X and Y”. Your profile should be friendly and personal.

Get Strong Recommendations From Relevant Contacts

Use recommendations strategically by soliciting them from connections that have work experience directly tied to the services you offer or to skills you’re trying to promote.

But Don’t List Them All!

Curate your recommendations. Include a mix of recommenders with impressive resumes, recommendations that hit target keywords, and those that make you sound really good.

Publish Relevant Content

Just like you would with a blog, you can publish content on LinkedIn that’s relevant to your industry. This helps your profile’s SEO and establishes you as an expert in your field.

If you need help with social media, contact us for a free strategy session.

The post What Makes a LinkedIn Profile Great? [Infographic] appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.