Marketing tips that really take the biscuit!

What can a biscuit tell you about marketing? 🍪🤔 One of the biggest mistakes I have seen is a brand spreading itself too thinly by rushing into setting up multiple social channels due to FOMO (fear of missing out - should I be on Twitter, Insta, Facebook etc...) or external pressures - perhaps someone else within the organisation saying "we should be on X, Y, Z". 

What will likely happen is they'll get stuck in a rut trying to work out what to post across all of these channels then they'll inevitably leave some (or in some cases all) of the channels to go quiet - que a tumbleweed any time now.

A much better strategy is to really think about your audience, what channels they are using and go there. Better to do one channel really well than ten terribly. So back to the biscuit (feat Lanark's own Border Biscuits no less!), this is a wee trick to help you think about the purpose of the many different social channels...

📍 Facebook - I like biscuits! Please join my community group of fellow biscuit lovers and we can discuss all things biscuity.

📍 Instagram - Here are some super fancy (filtered obviously) photos of homemade, artisan biscuits placed neatly beside a steaming coffee mug. Designed to make your mouth water and make your hand reach for the biscuit tin! 

📍 Twitter - Let me update you on my current status of eating a biscuit. Perhaps we could get into a debate about the BEST biscuit ever. Do you have a biscuit-fuelled complaint? (not enough chocolate on your digestive) Head this way...

📍 Pinterest - Take a look at my biscuit recipe or why not try decorating your own biscuit tin. I'm very proud of my inspirational kitchen boards!

📍 LinkedIn - My skills include biscuit eating and for your perusal here is some information about my biscuit business. 

📍 YouTube - Go behind the scenes at a biscuit factory and see how these biscuits are made or watch me do a live biscuit unboxing.

📍 Google+ - Searching for information on my biscuit business? Here you go! 

📍 Snapchat - Want this biscuit? Sorry I ate it and it's gone! 

📍 Tiktok - Apparently there's a new biscuit eating challenge. Jenga with kit kats - all the rage.

So, who really fancies a biscuit now? Get in touch if you'd like to discuss which social channels you should be using. FYI a jammy wagon wheel would be fantastic, thanks!

Thanks for reading!

Melissa

melissareilly3@gmail.com

Getting to grips with Online Video Marketing

At a recent ETAG Conference I heard a very interesting prediction that by 2018, 80% of the world's internet traffic will be video consumption...(I sometimes feel like 2008 was two seconds ago, so it was a shock for me to realise that this prediction is talking about next year!). This prediction is also mirrored in a Cisco study published in 2015 which also states that by 2020 there will be 4.1 Billion global internet users with 26.3 Billion networked devices and connections. That's a LOT of people watching a heck of a LOT of video content - but what will they be watching? The range of video content readily available on the internet is ever expanding, from YouTube vlogger sensations with their own beauty product lines, to streaming of films and box sets at the click of a button. 

For advertisers the potential of video as a content marketing channel is absolutely huge in terms of engaging with your audience and promoting your product or service. This could be through vlogs, product reviews, interviews, webinars, tutorials, animations and good old fashioned trailers or adverts...the list goes on and on. 

There's also been lots of new ways to share video online recently with the likes of Periscope, Facebook LIVE, 360 video, Snapchat and Instagram Stories - to name a few!

In my current role of Marketing and PR Officer at New Lanark World Heritage Site we began dipping our toes in the 'video marketing' world last summer by creating a series of video adverts I suppose you would call them for various areas of our site such as the Visitor Centre, Mill Shop and Health & Fitness Suite. We found they were a fantastic way to convey our marketing messages in an engaging way and show so much more than an image or text ever could. We also found that sharing very short snippets of video on our social media channels (mainly Facebook and Instagram) also performed very well in terms of audience engagement. 

It was very much an in-house operation with us undertaking all of the filming and editing. As there was no cost outlay at the beginning this allowed us to experiment and feel free to be creative without having to worry about having to pay a video editor for just one more change. 

This year we're looking to continue to use video marketing to support our wider marketing campaigns, and also by creating specific videos to support the marketing of our growing programme of events and exhibitions. 

From working on creating and editing the videos I've learned a lot about what works well and what doesn't. As such, I've pulled together a list below of my 20 Top Tips for online video marketing. I'm definitely no expert, and always willing to learn so if you have any more tips or comments please feel free to email me at melissareilly3@gmail.com.

1. Videos shared on social media for advertising purposes should be 30 seconds max.
2. Use a simple backing track to keep the video lively (not too loud!)
3. Every video should have a easily flowing beginning, middle and end. 
4. People are likely to switch off, so have the essential info at the start. 
5. When editing use transitions sparingly! (if in doubt stick to a simple dissolve/fade)
6. Use a tripod for steady pans. 
7. Perhaps the most obvious - use a good quality camera or phone for capture. 
8. Natural lighting where possible is best!
9. When shooting capture a variety of shots (static, pan up down left right, zoom in out)
10. More is more - take lots of short clips that you can piece together later.
11. Always capture more than you need at the start and end of a shot then trim down
12. Incorporate your brand colour schemes and logo (but not right at the start as this will look very corporate - unless that's the style you're going for!)
13. Upload videos directly to Facebook for a higher organic reach (rather than sharing a YouTube link for example)
14. Use a relevant video title and searchable keywords in your YouTube video description
15. Try out Youtube's new Director App to help businesses create better video content
16. Export your video at the correct (and best possible) quality for your platform
17. Embed video in your website landing page (or any other relevant page) to increase the time people spend on your website. 
18. Include a call to action at the end of your video (so dedicated/engaged people who have watched the full thing know what to do next)
19. Try not to date content too obviously (if possible) as in most cases it should be evergreen content that you can share again and again!

This is an example of one of the first videos I had a go of producing! 

Thanks for reading!

Melissa

@_Melissa247

photo credit: Digital Adrian Capturing the fountains via photopin (license)

Going viral: what makes people share content via social media?

I've noticed recently that everyone seems to be talking about making content 'go viral', as if there is a magic lever you can pull that will...*poof!* make your content spread like wildfire across the internet. Unfortunately, there isn't a magic formula or 'Viral content for Dummies' book out there (actually is there? must check amazon) and if there was I'm sure Zuckerberg would have tried to buy it for oh let's say, 13 billion by now?

Content goes 'viral' when it is shared in quick succession by a large group of people, then their friends share it, and their friends....and their friends...and their - you get the picture!

Although there isn't a sure fire way to tell which content will be widely shared or not, I've had a think about it and I think there are things that a piece of content should do, or make people feel to allow it to be worthy of a share/RT in their opinion. 


Shock people

Shocking content can be something that surprises them, baffles them or just simply makes them sharply intake breath then let out an "Ohmigoddddddd" "Can you believe this??" "This is crazy!"

Content like this is most likely to be created organically (happen on it's own) but if you can be there to capture moments on video or camera then you're onto a winner. Just like the CCTV camera that caught this bear scoping out unsuspecting Scottish couple Bob & Irene in California...

Make them laugh

From what I've seen, positive content tends to get shared more than negative content online and what better way to make someone feel positive than to make them laugh? Funny content might not be for everyone, depending on what industry you're in - but for the majority of businesses I'd say it's a good idea to let your metaphorical hair down and test the comedy waters*.

* Good writers/content producers essential. You don't want to seem too try-hard and be like the weird uncle at a family party cracking out the obscure jokes that nobody gets. 

Making me chuckle recently is the Cadbury Creme Egg Facebook page...

Activate their FOMO (Fear of missing out)

"Have you seen this???"

Us humanoids are naturally curious and when we hear whisperings of something that's going on in the internet, we're more than likely to seek it out so we can see it/watch it and be able to join in the conversations with everyone else. We'll also then feel inclined to share the content to show that we're part of the gang. 

It also helps if the content is hard to find or even banned. When someone tells you NOT to think of a black cat, what do you think about? And when someone tells you that no matter what, you must NOT look inside the box - what can't you stop thinking about doing? ...and when you hear that something is banned on the internet then by-jolly you're going to find it! 

Admit it...you searched for Scarlett Johansson's banned superbowl ad didn't you? (along with about 13 million other viewers)

Relate to them

My Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds are becoming overrun with the relate-able graphics known as memes. People seem almost unable to control themselves when it comes to sharing these graphics, as they allow them to show that they relate with the content in an 'I agree with that', 'I do that too!' way without having to actually say it. Take this one for example, you're having a crappy day and don't really want to be seen to be moaning about it... just click 'share' show that you concur with the populous in 'Monday hating' without coming across as too negative or a bit of a grumpy guts.

Connect emotionally 

Content that connects emotionally with someone is always going to perform well as it's another way for people to relate to the content. By 'connect emotionally' I mean content that has been produced with a certain mood or feeling in mind that will elicit emotions from people or mirror what they are already feeling which will in turn lead them to engage with, or share the content. On the most basic levels, this could be split into four categories:

Happy - share because the content makes you feel good, laugh, feel positive vibes.
Supportive/Proud - share to show your support for a cause, person or organisation.
Sad - share to raise awareness of a cause, event, show you empathise.  
Angry - share to get reaction, generate conversation, protest.



Give them useful information

Lastly, people will be inclined to share content they feel will be useful to others - such as an interesting article, informative graphic or demonstrative video. If you know your business/industry then this type of content should be one of the most accessible to produce. Work in beauty? produce make-up tutorial videos using your products. Work in DIY? produce an info-graphic on how to tile a bathroom (can you tell I don't do DIY??)

Just think, how can you teach people something new?



I'd love to hear any of your thoughts on why you share content, or if you've found any good examples of viral content you couldn't resist sharing!


Thanks for reading, Melissa x


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